Friday, May 9, 2008

Most people are proud to be an American

To the Editor,

I would like to take this time to personally thank all those who responded to my recent letter to the editor, “YES, I’M A BAD AMERICAN.” I received telephone calls the day it came out in the paper and it seems I hear something new every few days. Every response I have received have been positive. I can’t count the people who have thanked me for having it printed.

One lady even said her mother cut it out and framed it.

This all tells me that most people are proud to be an American and many are Christians.

I would also like to thank Mr. Paul Sites for his written response. I commend anybody who is not afraid to stand up for God and this country that He gave us the privilege to be born and raised in.

I do believe that God will bless America when we who say we love our country, and Him, are not afraid to stand up for what is right. I am not afraid to do that.

You see, I read the back of my Bible, We win!!

Margie Christian

Jackson

Friday, May 9, 2008

Clerk of Courts

Dear Editor:

Jackson County is very fortunate to have such an excellent Clerk of Courts, Seth Michael.

I was recently in Ohio to visit family and to attend the state genealogical conference, and while there, visited the Clerk’s office. I had called a few weeks prior to inquire about the location of one of the earliest county records, hoping I wouldn’t have to visit “The Black Hole”, otherwise known as the courthouse attic.

Upon arrival, I was greeted in a friendly manner by all the ladies in the office, then Mr. Michael came in and introduced himself. He is so polite and so helpful, and really went out of his way to assist me. Following my earlier call, he had gone up to the attic himself to locate the record, without success. He had looked in all the odd comers of his office, and had gone over to the Recorder’s office to check there. He had even called a former longtime employee at home and asked her about it—only to find out it had disappeared about 30 years ago.

While I stayed to gather some other documents for a presentation, he continued to check in on me and to ask if I needed any assistance. He was very familiar with the old records, but also stayed on top of the daily business that was going on while I was there. Usually, genealogists are only tolerated, at best, as most courthouse employees look at us as an impediment to getting their work done. But, all three ladies, as well as Mr. Michael, were always very friendly and helpful. He has also done a terrific job of getting some of the records better organized, and has plans to continue making them more accessible while protecting them at the same time.

All in all, Jackson county should be very proud of its young Clerk of Courts-he is doing a great job for you!

Tacy A. Lewis

Peyton, CO

Friday, May 9, 2008

Relay For Life

To the Editor:

The Oak hill Community Relay For Life Team would like to express their thanks to the Oak Hill Community, individuals, and businesses for their support during the Reverse Raffle held on April 12. Our team was able to reach beyond our goal because of your generosity.

We would like to thank the following: Boggs Tire Shop, Cherrington Scrap Metal, Mike French, Kali’s, Kuhner-Lewis Funeral Home, Quality Hair Care, Subway, Toro Loco, LeGrand’s Hair Salon, & Smart Style at Wal-Mart, Mr. and Mrs. Joel Hickman, K & M Auto Sales, Lakeview Grocery, Oak Hill Post Office, Mary McNeal Nelson, Kenny Daniels (Great Eastern Cutlery), Nicole Campbell (Mary Kay), Jennifer Saxour, Carolyn Wade, Kim Leedy, CVS, Dakota’s Roadhouse, Giovanni’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, McDonald’s, Smith Flower Shop, T & J Dairy Bar, Village Surplus Store, Libby Brisker, Christ Fisher, Art Saylor, Howard and Carnel Smith, Oak Hill Financial, State Farm-Jackson, Dan Dailey, Dana Gilliland, Melissa Eckler, Weaving Stitches, Shane Meldick, Sardis Auto Sales, Lunsford’s Body Shop and the Oak Hill Chamber of Commerce.

Special thanks to Seth Michael serving as emcee, to Betty Howard and Nancy McCoy, coordinators, and the entire team. Congratulations, for making our first annual reverse raffle such a success.

Pam RamseOak Hill Community Relay For Life Team Captain

Friday, May 9, 2008

Postcards

To the Editor:

Hello to all. My name is Mariah Belmonte, and I am a fifth grade student at Coronado Beach Elementary School in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I have adopted your state as a class project. I would appreciate postcards from your state. Please do not send anything but postcards.

Due to safety precautions, we are not able to accept letters or packages. I am hoping to get a postcard from as many different people as possible.

If possible, please take a few minutes to write a short note on the postcard telling me something interesting or special about Ohio.

Each of my classmates have chosen a different state for their project. I would like to become an expert on the state of Ohio. Please accept my thanks in advance for your help.

Please hurry, our school year ends in May.

Mariah Belmonte

New Smyrna Beach, Fla.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Can I have my vote back?

To the Editor:

Today Barack Obama responded to the comments of Rev Wright. In doing so he looked tired, and angry. He spoke in ‘uhm and uh’ speak. The kind of speak that makes a voter think you’re either lying or retarded. Think about it, when is the last time you heard Clinton use the word ‘uhm’ in any speech or in any context? Never? Me neither.

Lee Atwater, an old Republican hit man said once, “if you’re defending yourself then you aren’t winning.” If that is the case the old Barry Obama has been losing since before Pennsylvania, because he hasn’t given a speech of any substance since the Wright thing started.

Personally I do not get this fury over the Rev. I am a member of the ‘America hating left wing’ of this country apparently, or at least that is what I’m told repeatedly by Pat Buchanon. When I heard Obama disown the Rev. I was shocked and hurt, because my main campaign against Clinton was that she would lie and say anything to gain the nomination. I told people ‘Obama is different, he won’t just do anything to win.’ Sadly, I no longer hold that to be true. If pushed hard enough it is obvious that Mr Obama would ‘disown his own grandmother’ to win this thing.

We came with pitchforks screaming change, and this tall handsome man was leading us to the throne. A new generation of Americans was about to take its rightful place in charge of America.

What are we dividing the party for? Two liars? Clinton on the moderate Democratic side, a side of the Party that is both weak and stupid. The white women and the blue collars are pushing hard for her. Why? Tell me what Bill Clinton EVER DID FOR YOU, or what you THINK this pandering wife is going to do? Nothing.

They think you’re stupid, but they know you’re the only way she can win.

On the other side we have a supposed ‘liberal left member’ in Barack Obama. This is a lie I helped to propagate. The reality is that Mr. Obama says no to gay marriage, and answered an abortion question saying he didn’t “know if life began at conception.” Maybe he’s lying, and maybe he believes the same things we believe, but even if that is true he is lying to someone else about it. It’s called political posturing.

I said repeatedly that if they stole this from us we would protest in Denver. We would run Hillary Clinton and her racist husband out of town. You guys can go without me.

Oh, I’ll be at the convention, but I’ll just be protesting the hole damn thing. It’s a joke. The comparisons to Bobby Kennedy are a joke. Mr Obama I didn’t know Robert F Kennedy, but I know this- You sir are no Robert Kennedy.

When I heard Obama angrily disown a good man, and his Pastor of 20 years it made me think, what else would he do to win this thing? He is no better than the Clinton family. For him to say he had no idea this is the way the Rev. talked is a blatant lie and a slap in the face to everyone who supported him for all these months.

A discredit to liberals. It is a solemn afternoon for me. Today I am leaving the Democratic party.

I have only one question left for Mr Obama,

Can I have my vote back?

Michael McDaniel

Jackson

Friday, May 9, 2008

If we as parents do not speak out

To The Editor:

MPORTANT: All parents and grandparents of children that attend or may attend Jackson Middle School MUST read this. My heart goes out to you if your child/grandchild has been mistreated while in the care of Jackson Middle School, and nothing was done to protect him/her. I will begin by telling my story, and, at the end, please ask yourself if you would want this to happen to your child. I know with confidence that you would not, and you would do everything in your power to protect your children.

It began like every other year, my grandchild was beginning her sixth grade year, so it was supposed to be special for her. She made many friends but after a couple months our nightmare began. On November 7, my grandchild had begun to have trouble with a former friend, and it resulted in an altercation between them. A suspension of three days was handed down to my grandchild, who only defended herself in the matter. After the altercation happened, she began to receive verbal abuse from the friends of this girl. Even as the names would be said in front of administration at the school, nothing was done about it.

This continued all the way to February, when she learned from the same girl that the girls were going to fight her again. My grandchild went to several teachers and told them that another altercation was about to happen. They all turned their heads to this situation. One specific teacher even laughed at her and sent her away. When she went into the gymnasium of the school, she was jumped by that girl, who, in turn, smacked her in the face. Once again my grandchild was suspended for three days for defending herself, even though she told several teachers before hand what was going to happen.

It was after this instance that the phone calls began to come in. The girl and many of her friends would call at my grandchild’s home and threatened her with bodily injury and called her obscene names. We reported all of this to the school at the times when other verbal altercations happened and nothing was done. These calls and threats at school continued without any stop from the school and nothing was done.

The weekend prior to Tuesday, April 22, my grandchild was informed by the girl and her friends that she would be assaulted, “so she better watch out.” The girl who my grandchild had the prior altercations with sent her friends after my grandchild because she did not want to get ten days suspension. My grandchild went to school and told several teachers about what those girls told her that they were going to do to her. These teachers once again did nothing and told her to go on with her day. During a break at school, my grandchild wanted to stay in because she was afraid to go outside. The teacher told her to go outside to the football field just like everyone else. Keep in mind that the Principal and three other teachers were present and supposed to be watching the children. When my grandchild stepped outside, she was pulled by the hair to a place where there are no cameras to catch the evidence. There three girls pulled her to the ground by her hair and began to kick her in the face and the abdomen. They did this for five minutes while the Principal stood there and watched. After this happened we were called to the school with the news that my grandchild was suspended for a fight she did not even participate in. She was a victim.

We immediately took her to the Jackson Police Station to see if there was something that could be done in this matter, and they did nothing. After that we went to the Administration office and spoke with a professional there. We explained what was going on with these bullies and about another situation about a math class of hers, where the teacher was being unprofessional towards her and many other students. The professional agreed with us and decided to take her out of that class. That, Jackson Middle School would not do.

Things at Jackson Middle School got so bad for my grandchild that we had to withdraw her from school, with only some weeks left and move her to another institution, where we know she will be kept safe. We felt afraid for her life if she stayed in this school system, since the administration of the school and the principal did nothing to ensure her safety.

I looked at Ohio’s anti-bully policy and it stated that all such instances in which violence is used towards a student by a teacher or another student has to be documented and reported to the president of the school board or to the police if it is necessary. In this case all three instances should have been reported to the police and something should have been done. Even in the last altercation my grandchild had with the three other girls, one was on probation for fighting and all she got was a three day vacation. Tell me if that sounds wrong.

We send our children to school to learn things, but above anything else, we want them to be safe. Jackson needs a zero tolerance policy against bullying and new administration to enforce it. I know many of you that are reading this would not want any of this to happen to your children/grandchildren and you know you would do everything that is within your power to protect them.

To these that this falls on, you were all hired for the fact to teach our children and to protect them, not to let some other children run wild throughout the school. As we all know, you would not want your child succumbing to the same things my grandchild has gone through. I pray that this situation will be fixed so no other children will have to be afraid to come to school because they were threatened and not one teacher/principal was there to help them through the situation.

If we as parents do not speak out and defend our children in these schools, who will?

Thank you,

Patricia Rosenberger

Jackson

Friday, May 9, 2008

Oak Hill Center group

To the Editor:

I am one of the Oak Hill Center group. I started at the Center when I was 55. I couldn’t join the club but I could attend because my husband was 60 and this way I could get my mother and dad interested in the program.

As years went on, my husband became very sick and I was limited to the time he could enjoy, but it was a place that everyone felt comfortable.

My mom and dad passed away and I lost my husband n December 1992. That left me alone at the age of 65. I still went out to the center and it was a healing station. The site manager and all the workers were so nice and understanding.

When they started bringing the meals to Oak Hill, it was a big help, still just like a one big family, with everyone helping one another. Today in 2008, it is still the same. Caring people helping people.

It would be a shame to close our Center. We are much older now and need it more than ever. I am now 80-years-old, and still enjoy the Center, people, and food.

Wanda Miller

Oak Hill