Defense Projects for Dayton

Dayton Daily News:

The Dayton region is on track to receive nearly $50 million in earmarks for Dayton-area defense projects, including a $1 million appropriation that could bring 400 jobs to the community.

The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday passed a bill that included the funding, part of a larger $459.6 billion bill funding defense programs.

Dayton's share represents an increase from last year, when the House passed $43.45 million in funding for regional defense projects. Michael Gessel, vice president for governmental affairs at the Dayton Development Coalition, said the number of regional earmarks has also increased since last year. That's a surprise, he said, because the Dayton area's Republican congressmen are now in the minority party, and there is pressure in some quarters to reduce earmarks, which some refer to as "pork."

Among the regional earmarks approved: $1 million for a Toledo-based nanotechnology company that wants to set up a new facility in Dayton. The company, NanoSperse, had been courted by a variety of communities, Gessel said, but wanted to locate in Dayton because of the proximity to the National Composite Center and the University of Dayton Research Institute. This earmark, he said, will make that happen.

NanoSperse has estimated that its Dayton location will bring 400 jobs to the region in the next five years, Gessel said.

The bill also will give a funding boost to the Air Force Institute of Technology thanks to a $4 million earmark for the Advanced Technical Intelligence Center, which would train government workers in intelligence skills.

The funds still must survive a vote of the full House, as well as a conference with the Senate version of the funding bill, before they are passed into law.

A number of these earmarks do smell like pork to me. I'll put an email in to Mike Turner and see if I can't get some answers and report back any response I might get.

UPDATE: Well, Mike Turner's webform refuses to accept my ancestral home's address as being in his district...which it clearly is... More problems with constituent services plaguing Republicans in Congress... Mike, if you are read this, email me at wmdtvmatt - at - yahoo - dot - com.

Dayton's Emplyment Woes Lands the County Third in National Job Decline

Dayton Daily News:

Montgomery County is third among the top four counties nationwide to have the largest decline in fourth-quarter employment levels from 2005 to 2006, according to a report Wednesday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The county, however, also saw a 6.4 percent increase in the average weekly wage during that same time, according to the report.
...
According to the BLS report, Montgomery County in fourth quarter 2006 saw a 6.4 percent increase from 2005 in the average weekly wage, when it had a 0.5 percent decrease in the average weekly wage.

Montgomery County's average weekly wage for the fourth-quarter 2006 was $828, up from $777 in the fourth quarter of 2005.

For once the paper doesn't editorialize a conclusion... I wonder why... The conclusions I draw don't look so good for the liberal/socialist agenda that the paper pushes.

Teradata HQ Coming to Miami Valley

WDTN reports:

Officials say they're building the foundation for technology in The Dayton Region.

Monday, company executives and public officials broke ground for Teradata, an NCR spin-off that specializes in data warehousing.

Teradata headquarters will be located on 741 in Miami Township and officials say it will bring high paying jobs to The Miami Valley.

Lieutenant Governor, Lee Fisher said, "We want Dayton and The Dayton Area to be world-class leaders in technology, and Teradata is known around the world. And, we want people to say Teradata is an Ohio company."

Fisher says Teradata's decision to stay in Ohio was a coup for the state.

He said, "I have no doubt that when the world sees that Teradata has chosen Ohio over other states to be their world class headquarters, they're going to look at Ohio more seriously."

Officials say the decision to remain in The Dayton Region means employees won't have to deal with the stress of relocation.

Teradata Vice President, Bob Fair, said, "We'll be able to spin out and start our own new company with zero distractions to the employee base. So, we get a jump start on going out and growing the company even faster."

When finished, the building will be two stories high and cover 40-thousand square feet.

Teradata hopes to move its 250 employees to the new building by the end of the year.

This is excellent news for the Miami Valley, which has been struggling in the job market. The Dayton area has a long tradition of excellence in technology and innovation and it appears that there is a commitment to keep it that way.

Gem City Journal is Back!

I'm going to try the hyper-local political blog experiment up again! Most of the material that you will find here will probably be cross-posts from WMD, but I will at some point focus in on getting content specifically for GCJ. Thank you for your patience and your patronage.

I live in Butler County these days; so if you have tips about what's going in Dayton and Montgomery County, email them to wmdtvmatt - at - yahoo - dot - com

And yes, I'll probably be firing up a Butler County version of GCJ in the near future...

Montgomery County GOP Endorses Candidates for Ohio House

I caught this tidbit in the Dayton Daily News:

[Kettering City Council Member Peggy] Lehner was endorsed Monday by the Montgomery County Republican Party's central committee to fill the 37th House district seat being vacated by Jon Husted, R-Kettering.

Peggy was a guest for an hour on the WMDtv cable access show a few years ago and I found her to be an able politican with plenty of smarts and skill. She should do well in that race. I would be proud to support her in this race.

UPDATE: Another article (H/T: Jill) has a few more names to add to the list:

The Montgomery County Republican Party's central committee endorsed Kettering Council Member Peggy Lehner for the seat, but former state Rep. Don Mottley and Miami Twp. Trustee Deborah Preston said they are considering running in the March primary. They have agreed that only one of them will run, avoiding a three-way race, but have not decided which of them will withdraw.

And in two other races:

The central committee also endorsed Huber Heights City Council Member Seth Morgan for the 36th House seat now held by state Rep. Arlene Setzer, R-Vandalia, and endorsed Washington Twp. Trustee Terry Blair for the 38th House seat being vacated by state Rep. John J. White, R-Kettering.

Morgan was selected over German Twp. Trustee Greg Hanahan, who is also Miami Twp. administrator.

Blair was chosen over financial planner Tom Young, the only candidate who came to the night's meeting having been recommended by a screening committee set up by Party Chairman Greg Gantt.

Dayton Daily News editor Ellen Belcher adds a few more details to the list of names reported earlier:

Jon Husted's successor (District 37)

• Peggy Lehner is familiar with local government issues because of her job on Kettering City Council. She's worked hard to become known as more than a pro-life advocate — that's how she got her start in public life. But if Roe v. Wade is ever reversed, she'll be under tremendous pressure to help lead the charge to outlaw abortion in Ohio.

• Don Mottley is smart, digs into complicated issues and is paying a price in the party because he and state Sen. Jeff Jacobson don't get along. Both men had to leave the House at the same time because of term limits and both wanted the Senate seat that Jacobson now has. Mottley is the only candidate running in the three contests who has legislative experience.

• Miami Twp. Trustee Deborah Preston has been itching to move up. While she's been waiting, she's been in the thick of development decisions at the Austin Road interchange. She is one of just three elected officials who gets to decide which developers will be helped or hurt by a pending agreement that allows for revenue sharing among several local governments. Some businesses will end up paying a city income tax even though they'll be in a township, and they're poised to fight that.

Arlene Setzer's successor (District 36)

• Seth Morgan, 31, notes on his Web site that he was re-elected to the Huber Heights City Council in a "landslide," and he asks friends to join the "Morgan Machine." He justifies that description on the basis that last year he got more votes in his district than GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Blackwell. (He doesn't mention that Blackwell was stomped all across the state.)

• Greg Hanahan, a German Twp. trustee and the Miami Twp. administrator, has township connections galore.

John White's successor (District 38)

• Tom Young, a financial planner, is trying for this third office. He has run unsuccessfully for county treasurer and, in 2005, for Washington Twp. trustee; he has the unanimous support of the screening committee and Jacobson is pushing his candidacy.

• Washington Twp. Trustee Terry Blair feels he's been snubbed because he was elected multiple times for an office that Young lost. A small businessman, he thinks he has a nice combination of experience.

You might consider reading the whole thing. I actually don't care for her tone, but you have to admit that she's is somewhat justified due to what County Chairman Greg Gantt did...that sort of thing is exactly the sort of behavior that the Ohio GOP as a whole needs to knock off...

Resnick-aquiddick

From the Washington Times:

In the video, shot by a camera on the dashboard of the patrol car, a police sergeant questioning Justice Resnick tells her that he can smell alcohol on her breath.

Justice Resnick assures the officer she can drive safely, but he asks her to take a portable breath-analysis test. She then lowers her voice and says, "I did have something to drink."

The justice also repeatedly asks to be let go, saying, "My God, you know I decide all these cases in your favor. And my golly, look what you're doing to me."

Justice Resnick's blood-alcohol content registered 0.22 percent, almost three times Ohio's legal limit of 0.08 percent.

[Emphasis added.]

So in addition to being a schmuck, this Supreme Court Justice thinks she should be able to abuse her power too? This is rich...is this the Democrats' idea of justice? This is taking a liberal view of crime too far in my opinion...

State of the State Address

From ONN:

Overhauling the tax system that Ohio uses to pay for everything from schools to hospital care for the poor dominated Gov. Bob Taft's seventh State of the State address Tuesday.

The Republican proposed a sweeping change in business taxes so that more companies pay, but at a lower rate. He also proposed to cut by 21 percent the rates on personal income taxes, paid by individuals and businesses. Ohioans who make less than $10,000 a year would pay no state income tax, he said.

"We must slow our spending, get the broken tax code off our backs, and release the powerful energies of this great state," he said.

In his second to last annual address as governor, Taft called on lawmakers to stand tough against industry lobbying groups as they replace a Depression-era system that continues to focus on goods while the state's economy is increasingly services-based.

"We'll all hear the chorus of complaints from the special interests who feel threatened by change," Taft said. "So we must have the courage to prevail. We must remain committed to the very end."

The tax plan would raise $800 million less over two years, for a budget that already will be taking in $4 billion to $5 billion less than the one passed in 2003. He'll look for savings by reducing spending on the state's Medicaid program and keeping budgets tight at most agencies.

Taft, 63, tried to change the tax system two years but was stymied by lawmakers who balked at the price tag and felt they weren't consulted early and often enough.

I'm not impressed. The governor has to get something done. The goal is to reduce taxes altogether, not spread them out over more people.

The article is short on details...I'll have to see what else I can dig up...

3:40PM Update

The Dayton Daily News has the text (registration required) of the speech...I am still unimpressed.

Resnick Update

The only Democrat on the Ohio Supreme Court changed her plea from not guilty to guilty in her appearance in court today. Get the details from ONN:

Justice Resnick plead guilty to the charges against her, OMVI and a marked lanes violation.

Judge Resnick was fined $1,000 for the OMVI and $100 for the marked lanes violation. She was also sentenced to three days either in jail or an alcohol treatment program. Resnick will also be placed on probation for two years.

'Major Development' in Erica Baker Case

From ONN/WHIO-tv

A major development in the disappearance of Erica Baker was announced Friday when the Montgomery County prosecutor’s office said an indictment was made in the case.

The Kettering girl disappeared almost six years ago. Investigators said Baker was walking her dog near the Kettering Recreation Center when she suddenly vanished.

Charges have been filed against 33-year-old Christian Gabriel for gross abuse of a corpse and for tampering with evidence. Authorities said they do not exactly what his involvement in Baker’s disappearance was, but believe he may have been the driver of a van that struck Baker near the rec center.

Investigators said that is a theory that has been going around for quite some time.

Now, authorities said Gabriel was in prison on an unrelated charge, but was brought to Dayton and questioned in the case late last year. They said Gabriel was one of 10 witnesses that testified before a private grand jury.

It would be good to get some closure on this story...we had all hoped she would be found alive but after all this time...

College Student's Bill of Rights

From the Dayton Daily News (registration required):

Concerned that Ohio college students' young minds are being indoctrinated by left-leaning college faculty, four Republican state senators have introduced an "academic bill of rights for higher education" that would limit what professors could say in their classrooms. It also would give students and faculty a formal grievance procedure if they feel they've been discriminated against.

"I think it's accepted knowledge that most of the faculty at our universities, particularly in the humanities and the social sciences, has a left-wing bias," said state Sen. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana. "Eight or nine out of 10 are Democrats or of the left-leaning persuasion."
...
The president of Wright State University's faculty union called the proposal "ridiculous" and predicted it would not gain enough support to become law.

The bill "threatens the fundamental principles of intellectual freedom by putting restrictions on teaching and academic inquiry," said Paulette Olson, WSU professor of economics and president of the Wright State chapter of the American Association of University Professors. "It is based on the weak premise that faculty members are out there indoctrinating their students with left-wing ideology."
...
Sinclair Community College President Steven Lee Johnson is skeptical that a state academic bill of rights is needed.

"The proportion of faculty squandering their gift of tenure and academic freedom on ideological demagoguery is so small that it is on the very bottom of the list of real problems that we have within our colleges and across our society," Johnson said.

The Sinclair president said the legislation "could very easily be used as a weapon against good and skillful professors."

Wow! What would this all powerful legislation do?

The bill — spearheaded by state Sen. Larry Mumper, R-Marion, and co-sponsored by Jordan, Cates and State Sen. Lynn Wachtmann, R-Napoleon — would require every state-supported college and university in Ohio to:

• Prohibit faculty members and instructors from "persistently introducing controversial matter into the classroom or course work that has no relation to their subject of study" and that serves no educational purpose related to the academic subject;

• Hire, fire and promote faculty based on their "competence and appropriate knowledge in their field of expertise" rather than on their "political, ideological or religious beliefs;" and

•Adopt a grievance procedure by which students or faculty could "seek redress" if they feel they've been discriminated against based on their beliefs and to disclose the grievance procedure in course catalogs, student handbooks and Web sites.

Good God! We're shredding the Constitution! Call off the football game, man, we got serious problems! Cancel classes, we must protest this horrible stomping on of rights!

(smack)

What? Oh...the liberals are just trying desperately to defend their echo chamber? Well, then...surely that's alright.

Uhhhh.....no.

Justice Alice Resnick Arrested After Driving Under The Influence

From NewsNet5:

A state Supreme Court justice was arrested and charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence after several motorists called to report an erratic driver on an interstate.

Justice Alice Robie Resnick also was charged with driving outside marked lines, a minor misdemeanor.

Lt. Rick Zwayer, a State Highway Patrol spokesman, said Resnick, 65, of Toledo, was pulled over on I-75 south of Bowling Green. He said she failed field sobriety tests and was arrested at 2:02 p.m. Monday in Wood County in northwest Ohio.
...
Resnick's driver's license was automatically suspended because she refused to take a blood-alcohol content test, Zwayer said.

Court officials said there is no automatic disciplinary action when a judge is charged with driving under the influence.

Resnick has been a justice since 1989 and is the court's only Democrat. The court was scheduled to be in session Tuesday.

As Al Gore would say, "Justice Resnick ought to resign IMMEDIATELY!" Or something like that...

2/4 Update

Resnick will NOT face additional charges...just the DUI. (story via ONN):

A northwest Ohio prosecutor says he won't pursue any additional charges against Ohio Supreme Court Justice Alice Robie Resnick.

Bowling Green prosecutor Matt Reger had been considering whether to charge Resnick with failing to comply with a law enforcement officer's order after she drove away from officers.

Any guesses what party this prosecuter is affiliated with? Just asking...