EIGHTY MEMBERS OF AN OHIO TASK FORCE ONE TEAM ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE EAST COAST TO ASSIST WITH RESCUE EFFORTS FROM THE DESTRUCTION OF SUPERSTORM SANDY. THE TEAM MET UP WITH EIGHTY MEMBERS OF INDIANA TASK FORCE ONE. SCOTT HALL WITH TASK FORCE ONE SAID THE REQUESTS COMING IN FOR URBAN SEARCH AND RESCUE OUTWEIGH THE NUMBER OF RESCUERS AVAILABLE, SO THE TEAM WILL LIKELY HEAD STRAIGHT TO AN AREA IN NEED. THE TEAM WAS ACTIVATED BY FEMA. ABOUT 30 PERCENT OF TEAM MEMBERS ARE FROM THE MIAMI VALLEY AREA. MEMBERS ARE TRAINED IN TWO FUNCTIONS, INCLUDING STRUCTURAL COLLAPSES DUE TO WIND DAMAGE AND WATER RESCUE.
FOUR ADDITIONAL AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS ARE LEAVING FOR THE EAST COAST FROM THIS AREA. THE EMERGENCY RESPONSE VEHICLE FROM THE DAYTON CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN RED CROSS LEFT SATURDAY AND 35 VOLUNTEERS FROM THE REGION AND MORE THAN A DOZEN VOLUNTEERS FROM THE DAYTON CHAPTER ARE ALREADY HEADED TO THE EAST COAST ACCORDING TO NEWS CENTER 7’S GABRIELLE ENRIGHT. AMERICAN RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS WILL WORK IN SHELTERS, PASSING OUT COMFORT AND CLEANING KITS, AND HELPING PEOPLE GET FOOD AND CLOTHING.
RESIDENTS ACROSS OHIO IMPACTED BY DAMAGING WINDS AND SEVERE WEATHER CAUSED BY HURRICANE SANDY COULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN THE FORM OF REDUCED INTEREST RATES ON LOANS UNDER OHIO TREASURER JOSH MANDEL’S RENEW OHIO & REBUILD OHIO PROGRAMS. SMALL BUSINESSES AND HOMEOWNERS WHO APPLY FOR BANK LOANS FOR CONSTRUCTION, RESTORATION OR CASH FLOW FOR DAMAGE AND HARDSHIP RESULTING FROM SEVERE WEATHER MAY BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE INTEREST RATE REDUCTIONS THROUGH THE TREASURER’S OFFICE. TREASURER MANDEL HAS MADE $25 MILLION AVALABLE THROUGH THE OHIO TREASURY’S RENEW OHIO & REBUILD OHIO EMERGENCY FINANCING PROGRAMS TO ASSIST OH IOANS WHOSE SMALL BUSINESSES, FARMS AND HOMES ARE DAMAGED BY SEVERE WEATHER. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE OHIO TREASURY’S DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BY CALLING TOLL-FREE 1/800/228-1102, OPTION 3 OR VISIT THE RENEW OHIO & REBUILD OHIO WEB PAGE AT: WWW.OHIOTREASURER.GOV/RENEWREBUILD .
GOP PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE MITT ROMNEY APPEARED AT THE JAMES S. TRENT ARENA IN KETTERING YESTERDAY, BUT KEPT HIS COMMENTS BRIEF AND BARELY ACKNOWLEDGED NEXT TUESDAY’S ELECTION, BUT INSTEAD FOCUSED ON THE STORM RELIEF EFFORT. IN THE WAKE OF THE DESTRUCTION FROM THE MEGASTORM ON THE EAST COAST, CAMPAIGN ORGANIZERS RECAST THE KETTERING EVENT AS A STORM RELIEF EFFORT, ASKING THE ESTIMATED 2,500 WHO CAME TO BRING CANNED GOODS AND SUPPLIES FOR THOSE AFFECTED, ACCORDING TO THE REPORT IN THE NEWS SUN. ROMNEY STATED, “WE HAVE HEAVY HEARTS, AS YOU KNOW, WITH ALL THE SUFFERING GOING ON.” HE THANKED THOSE WHO BROUGHT FOOD AND SUPPLIES SAYING, “YOUR GENEROSITY THIS MORNING TOUCHES MY HEART.”
ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE, PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA WILL BE IN SPRINGFIELD ON FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL. HUNDREDS STOOD IN LINES YESTERDAY AT THE CLARK COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY HEADQUARTERS TO GET TICKETS TO SEE THE PRESIDENT. THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED LATE THURSDAY NIGHT, BUT WAS CHANGED TO FRIDAY BECAUSE OF THE STORMS. ALL TICKETS FOR PRESIDENT OBAMA’S RALLY IN SPRINGFIELD HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN. DOORS WILL OPEN FOR THE EVENT AT SPRINGFIELD HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM AT 10:15 FRIDAY MORNING, AND THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE AROUND NOON.
THE OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION IS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE OCTOBER 5TH ACCIDENT AT SPRINGFIELD CONCRETE BLOCK & BRICK WHERE MATTHEW CLAY SUFFERED A SEVERE HEAD INJURY AND DIED. THAT REPORT WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR ABOUT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS SAID OSHA’S CINCINNATI OFFICE AREA DIRECTOR, BILL WILKERSON. WILKERSON SAID WORKPLACE SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS ARE STANDARD PROCEDURE WHEN THERE ARE FATAL INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENTS. THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY CORONER’S OFFICE RULED CLAY’S DEATH WAS FROM ACCIDENTAL BLUNT FORCE HEAD TRAUMA WHEN HIS HEAD BECAME PINNED BETWEEN A BREAK IN A WALL AND A STACKED LOAD OF CINDER BLOCKS BEING ROLLED OUT.
THE CHRISTIAN TRIO, BARLOWGIRL BID THEIR FANS A FINAL FAREWELL ON MONDAY NIGHT. THEY HAVE BEEN SINGING TOGETHER FOR TEN YEARS BUT THE SISTER-TRIO IS DISBANDING. LAUREN EXPLAINED THAT THE TRANSITION HAPPENED WHEN THEY SAT DOWN TO WRITE A NEW ALBUM. SHE SAID SHE AND HER TWO SISTERS PRAYED AND REALIZED THAT GOD “HAD SOMETHING NEW” FOR THEM. LAUREN EXPLAINS, “WE ASKED GOD WHAT TO DO…GOD REVEALED HE HAS SOMETHING NEW FOR US BUT HE HASN’T TOLD US WHAT IT IS. HE TOLD US BARLOWGIRL WAS DONE”. SHE SAID THE SISTERS CRIED FOR WEEKS. LAUREN SAYS THEY NEVER EXPECTED TO HEAR THAT AND ALYSSA SHARED, “WE EXPECTED THIS TO GO ON FOREVER.”
LET’S LOOK NOW AT THE WEATHER FORECAST FOR TONIGHT AND THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS! WE HAVE A 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR RAIN AND SNOW BEFORE 3AM, THEN A CHANCE FOR SNOW. LOWS WILL DROP TO 34 WITH WEST WINDS 13-17 MPH. NEW SNOW ACCUMULATION OF LESS THAN A HALF INCH IS POSSIBLE. THURSDAY BRINGS SOME SUNSHINE WITH HIGHS NEAR 49…STILL BREEZY TOO. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL DIP TO 33 DEGREES. LOOK FOR SUNSHINE ON FRIDAY WITH HIGHS NEAR 48 DEGREES AND OUR OVERNIGHT LOWS FRIDAY NIGHT AT 31. THERE IS A 30 PERCENT CHANCE FOR RAIN SATURDAY AND SUNDAY WITH HIGHS BOTH DAYS NEAR 52 DEGREES AND LOWS GOING TO 38.
