SCPR RETURNS FROM CHINA: CENSORSHIP IN FULL PLAY IN THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA - PREVENTED PUBLICATION OF BLOGS FROM CHINA

One should not be fooled by the fact that many U.S. companies (e.g. McDonald's) are flourishing in the People Republic of China (PRC) these days in terms of the liberalization of Chinese political freedoms.   Business is business and politics is politics and nowhere is the separation more apparent and marked than in the PRC.

For the past two weeks yours truly and spouse were guests of daughter Kasi's in-laws family (the in-laws themselves live in Louisiana).

Kasi(the youngest of three Olson daughters) graduated from Lake High School in 1996.  She went on to participate in the Northeast Ohio College of Medicine (NEOUCOM) accelerated BS/MD (Bachelor of Science/Medical Doctor) degree program on a full United States Air Force (USAF) scholarship.  She served a residency in pediatric medicine at Wright Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB) located in Dayton, Ohio.

While at WPAFB she met and married Chinese-American and U.S. Citizen William Chu who, as of July 1 of this year, will be a flight surgeon with the USAF.  An interesting sidenote on Kasi's husband is the fact that he came to the U.S. as a 9 year old not knowing a word of English but nevertheless was enrolled in an American public school (New Orleans, Louisiana) immediately where he excelled academically and led to his achieving a bachelor's degree from the University of Texas (at Austin) and a medical degree from Texas Tech University.

After completing a fellowship at the Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC) located in San Antonio, Texas in adolescent medicine, Kasi was assigned to the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA - Academy) as one of a number of physicians providing medical care to the USAF's future officer corps.  Pictured above receiving an "Above and Beyond Award" from USAFA commanders, she will become the medical director of the medical clinic as USAFA.

The foregoing is the background of how yours truly and spouse were afforded to opportunity to accompany the Chus, their two children Austin and Aspen and Williams parents to China for the last to weeks of this month.

The SCPR has been published for over three years without missing a single day posting a blog.  The hope was that continuity could be sustained from China.  However, such was not to be the case.  A blog was prepared and ready for publication on May 15.  But on attempting to log onto the Blogger dashboard to publish, access to the publishing platform was denied.

The Report has included at the end of this blog a list of subject of Chinese Communist government censorship as compiled by Wikipedia.

On this Memorial Day, 2011, yours truly has a fresh and renewed appreciation of those who have fallen in battle to preserve the very freedoms we Americans enjoy because of their ultimate sacrifice.

Source:  123glitters.com


All one has to do is to spend time in Shanghai, Hangthou, Tianjin and Bejing as leading centers of the PRC as yours truly did to be reminded that there are those who very much want to stomp out the like of our Constitutional freedoms.

Frustrated at not being able to publish a daily blog which, of course, does not typically deal with the PRC, yours truly focused on capturing family footage like the one which follows which features Kasi, her husband and her children eating a traditional Chinese meal.

Here is a list of the Internet gags instituted by the Peoples Republic of China as set out by Wikipedia in its footnotes:

COUNTY COMMISSIONER PETE FERGUSON - EXCUSE ME: "DOCTOR" PETER FERGUSON HAS A PROBLEM AND ITS NOT A BACK PROBLEM - WHAT IS HIS PROBLEM?

UPDATE: AUGUST 03, 2009

Moments ago the SCPR got an e-mail response from Commissioner Pete Ferguson from an e-mail sent several days ago:

Here is the text of the e-mail: (in yellow)

From: Martin Olson, as a citizen/voter in Stark County also, publisher of the Stark County Political Report E-mail: tramols@att.net phone: 330 699 5002 Commissioner Ferguson: As you know from reading my blog, I do not accept that public officials think they can ignore questions related to their public function. whether from the media or an everyday citizen. You still have not answered my questions to you e-mailed on 3/6/2009. Though I think giving you an opportunity - by asking the question via e-mail - to get your material together and reflecting on your response before making it via return e-mail is the preferred way to go; you have ignored me so far. Such is unacceptable. Perhaps, I will have to attend a commissioners' meeting and ask them in public? If you would prefer I ask them at a commissioners' meeting, that's fine with me. Let me know within the next few days. Here are some additional questions posed by a reader of the SCPR: One thing that I wanted to know..... back when he was running, he was promising that he was going to make large donations to local charities whether win or loose. Since he won, I believe the deal was that he was going to donate his first years salary to a charity. Do you know if he has followed through with his promise? If so, what is the charity? Also, does he insist on still being called doctor because he is still practicing medicine??? Another promise broken??

FERGUSON'S RESPONSE: (in gold)

In response to your e-mail although I make charitable donations, I never said I would donate my salary to charity and I never have and do not insist on being called doctor.

THE ORIGINAL BLOG
During the run up to the 2008 elections, the SCPR did a piece on the campaign between Pete Ferguson (Democrat) and John Hagan (Republican) in a contest for who was going to succeed Jane Vignos (Republican) as Stark County commissioner.

Political insiders from both sides of the aisle were telling yours truly how utterly lazy each were being in campaigning for office.

Their laziness was highly relevant material for a SCPR blog.

Why's that?

Because if you can't work your tail off to get a job, once you get the job then it highly likely you are going to sit back, relax and muse to yourself "mission accomplished. i got my job without much effort: why would I change my style now?"

And that it exactly what has happened.

Pete Ferguson is about the most comatose county commissioner that Stark County has had in many a year. To boot, one of the most insecure! (insists on being called DOCTOR Ferguson). Moreover, he does not keep his promises (see below), at least to the SCPR.

Stark Countians were between "the devil and the deep blue sea" on selecting between Ferguson and Hagan because both have the same public sector work ethic.

When the SCPR did the "laziest" article, Ferguson called yours truly to complain. "But Martin, I have always liked you," he said. As if that has anything to do with anything.

By all reports, Ferguson is a nice guy, but the SCPR does not factor in "nice person, nasty person" attributes.

In the same telephone call, yours truly asked Ferguson to answer a few questions: Ferguson: "I don't have the time now, but I will call you back."

I'm still waiting Commissioner Ferguson.

On the Stark County commissioners website, visitors are invited to e-mail the commissioners. So being naive, as yours truly is prone to be, off went an e-mail to Ferguson (March 6, 2009).

What was the was the question and what was the answer?

The question had to do with a potential "conflict-in-interest" and seeking specific information on campaign contributions.

The answer?

I'm still waiting Commissioner Ferguson.

The SCPR adamantly maintains that public officials are duty bound to answer citizen questions. And, when they don't or if they "cherry pick" (i.e. answer only self-aggrandizing questions); that, in and of itself disqualifies them to be re-elected.

So, DOCTOR Ferguson when are you going to keep your promise and return that call? And, when are you going to answer the e-mail?

DISCUSSION: WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE AN EFFECTIVE "COUNTY CORONER?"

Not too long ago, Dr. P.S. Murthy was worried whether or not former coroner James Pritchard (click on Pritchard to learn about the complexity of the coroner's office) was going to come out of retirement and run against him in the Democratic primary. Well, Pritchard didn't and now the general election race is on.

Murthy (an M.D.) versus Guy Blaser (a D.O.).

Murthy says that challenger Blaser is not qualified because he is a medical clinician.

Murthy's claim might command attention if it were not for the fact tht Blaser does coroner work for P.S. himself and did work for former coroner Jim Pritchard.

By implication Blaser (a native of Attleboro, Massachusetts - graduate of University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine) says that Murthy is not innovative in bringing efficiencies and effectiveness to the office, does not have the necessary communication skills, is not organized nor creative.

Blaser does two things in campaign statements that ought to be disturbing to Stark County voters. First, in the opinion of the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL, he refers to Murthy's halting use of the English language in his emphasis on his spin that Murthy lacks communication skills. Second, he fear mongers (xenophobia) on Murthy's foreign-born, foreign-trained personal history signaling the former by supplying the S in the name P.S. Murthy as being "Screenivasha."

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT roundly criticizes Blaser for his inflammatory campaign tactic. The rest of his criticism is within proper bounds. But shame on Blaser for the "fear the foreigner" aspect of his campaign.

Do you agree or disagree with the STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT on the criticism of candidate Blaser?

VIDEO: ITS ELECTION YEAR AT THE COUNTY LEVEL, TOO?

They couldn't politically muscle the Stark County school system, but they (The Medicine Shoppe et al) appeared to done just that with Stark County commissioners at Wednesday's meeting.

Local pharmacies are smarting from recently (i.e. the schools September, 2009) installed mandates by the schools and the county (late 2009) to require employees to order prescription drugs via mail rather than from Stark County located pharmacies.

While the Stark County employee force is small potatoes (1385) compared to the 17 Stark County school district, these days every dollar counts to Stark County taxpayers.  Every dollar unnecessarily spent on items like prescription drugs is a dollar more that will have to be made in cuts to local government services or with a future tax increase.

The only justification for the commissioners' action Wednesday in moving from a "must" buy from mail-order to optionally buy is the speculated saving of  local pharmacy jobs.

But how many?

Darned few, it appears. 

But it is election year (Commissioner Bosley running against incumbent Republican Todd Snitchler for the Ohio House - 50th and Commissioner Meeks being challenged by Republican Janet Creighton to retain a commissioner's seat), and the SCPR suspects that the sudden about-face by commissioners from last year's decision was more about these elections than about retaining Stark County based jobs.

Commissioner Pete Ferguson stepped front and center as the promoter of the turn about (from last fall) by commissioners.  But was he really?  Or was he merely the commissioner not up for election who could make it appear that the decision was not a political one?

Of comfort to Stark County taxpayers is the reality that the county has only received about 20 (at tops) complaints from employees protesting being compelled to do mail order after commissioners issued their fall of 2009 mandate.  This is hardly a groundswell of employee dissatisfaction that commissioners tried to portray as part of the justification of Wednesday's decision.

Of comfort?

Yes.  Because, though it will add to the expense of county government, the added expense will not be as great now that it would have had the commissioners bowed to the local pharmacy pressure last fall.

The county administrator in charge of the county drug prescription plan told the SCPR that once employees get accustomed to the mail order scheme of things, they really like it and are not about to go back to traipsing to a local pharmacy to get their prescription drugs.  And, of course, Stark County saves money at the same time.

Had the employees not been compelled to use mail order in the first place, the money-saving mail ordering system would not have gotten the toehold it now enjoys.

It is disappointing to The Report that Stark's commissioners caved in to obvious political pressure by the locals  who apparently cannot compete with the mail order folks and thereby forced Stark County and its political subdivisions to look outside the county for a better deal.

One would think that those who cannot compete would simply "tuck tail and run," but not these folks.

They seem to have no reluctance whatsoever to dip into local taxpayers wallets for an - in effect - subsidy.

The Report is told that Caremark has promised the county $100,000 in savings annually.  It won't be known how much of the $100,000 is lost to county coffers until July of 2011.

Here is a video of commissioner action taken on Wednesday.

GOING TO SWEDEN, BUT THE SCPR CONTINUES!

TOMORROW'S BLOG

UPDATED

QUARTERLY

SCPR "TOP 10" 

STARK CO. ELECTED OFFICIALS 

A NEW #1?

Early tomorrow morning my wife Mary and I will begin a trip to Sweden.

My grandfather Sven Augustus Olson emigrated to America in 1891 at age 17.  He settled in the-then "place for a Swede to first settle" in America:  Jamestown, New York.

He married a fellow Swede in 1900 and went on to build a quite successful logging business.

This day and age, of course, immigration is a "hot button" political issue.  Right, Donald Trump?

But in the 1890s, many, many Swedes emigrated to America and America was pleased to receive them.

No fences, no bashing of "those Swedes."  Only open arms!

Grandfather and his fellows were at the forefront of building our great American society as "a melting pot" of divergent ethnicities that has make us the most appealing nation on the face of the earth in terms of individual opportunity "to be all that you can be," our democratic-republican system of government and the economic, social and political power to extend freedom loving societies across the face of the earth.

Pictured above is the hand of our youngest daughter Kasi (Lake, 1996; currently a lieutenant colonel in the USAF [Medical Corps]) pointing to the name of her great-grandfather.  Kasi and her husband recently made a trip to New York City and one of the "must see sites" for them was the Statute of Liberty located on Ellis Island.

I have told the daughters many accounts of their Swedish great-grandfather and how awesome it was for a 17 year old to adventure across the Atlantic to take advantage of the opportunities America then had and still has to offer those with "the get-up and go and spunk" to venture into unchartered waters.

Former Stark County Commissioner Gayle Jackson is Swedish.  She once lived in Jamestown, NY.

One of the many blessings for us, in being the parents of three daughters, is that all them apparently inherited their great-grandfather's love of traveling adventure.

Since the eldest, Kirstin (Lake, 1990), graduated from Kent State University in 1994 and entered the United States Air Force as a public relations officer (now, a colonel in the U.S.A.F Reserve) at Moody AFB (Valdosta, Ga), it seemingly has been non-stop travel for Mary and I as we trekked across the country following Kirstin's frequent reassignments in the Air Force.  Her husband Mark (an Air Force Academy graduate) is also an Air Force officer.

During her time in the USAF, she spent time in Bosnia when things were hot indeed.  Of course, Martin and Mary Olson were not into visiting her there.

About two months ago, we received a telephone call from middle daughter Heidi (Lake, 1994).  Heidi is currently working on her PHD in English Literature at the University of Oklahoma at Norman.

Did we want to go with her and husband Mark (a Canadian national) to Denmark in late July?

A couple of years ago, we made a trip with them to Stratford-on-Avon (and Bath [for Jane Austen devotees]) England and it was absolutely splendid.

Of course, I exclaimed with one caveat.

Caveat?

Could we make a side trip to Sweden.

"Sure," she said.

Only a few days later she called back and said "You know what, Mark and I talked it over and we think we should make the entire trip as being to Sweden."

"Alright!!!" I bellowed out.

So tomorrow, the trip begins.

About four years ago, we were off to China with Kasi and her family.  Kasi's husband was born in China and lived there until he was nine years of age.

Kasi met and married husband Will when both were Air Force medical doctors in residency at Wright Patterson AFB located in Dayton.  Now both are on there way to Hawaii where Kasi will be practicing preventive medicine in the context of global health.

That China trip also was of the awesome variety.  But it is a far cry from in many respects from the life we enjoy in the freedom loving United States of America.

And now we will get to visit them in Hawaii.

Won't that be sweet?

I think that nearly all of us like to get back to our roots.

Myself included.

To walk the streets of Oxaback, Karlstad and Uppsala, Sweden - where my grandfather and grandmother once tred the streets of and where kin still live - will be awe-inspiring.

During the time I am Sweden, the SCPR will be - as promised - during the first quarterly update of Stark County Top 10 Elected Officials.

Tomorrow will be the first installment.

As always, thank you for reading The Stark County Political Report.

DISCUSSION: THREE MOST STYLISH POLITICIANS IN STARK COUNTY - SCHURING, HARMON & SWANSON?

Appearing in "Stark County's Premier Magazine" STARK STYLES (September, 2008) are three well known area politicians.

Who are these luminaries? And, is their appearance pure show (or, if you will "style") or is there some substance involved?

They are:

1 - Republican 16th Congressional District candidate J. Kirk Schuring who now serves as state senator for most of Stark County, and

2 - Democrat Stark County Commissioner candidate Tom Harmon,

3- Democrat Tim Swanson (incumbent candidate for Stark County sheriff).

But the circumstances are different.

The Schuring appearance is what "politicos" call "earned media" attention. In a piece entitled Kitchens are the Hub of a Household, describes Schuring picking up on a Wayne County man's discovery that following his wife's death that "tens of thousands of dollars of [her] prescription medications were literally flushed down the toilet."

What did Schuring do to earn Stark Styles' attention? He shepherded legislation through the Ohio General Assembly which allows medicines in the control of a state licensed care provider. a nursing home and the like to recycle these medicines to others when left over on the death or discontinued use by a user. As the article pointed out, "medications from someone's medicine cabinet are not eligible for re-use" under the Schuring sponsored legislation. In the article Schuring is described as "plann[ing] on making a difference with such [i.e. the re-use of qualifying prescription drugs] innovative government programs in Washington ... ."

The Harmon appearance is not "earned media." His was a paid for political ad. A half a page on page 12. But he must think it is very important to appear before voters who read "Stark County's Premier Magazine" STARK STYLES. No substance in his ad, only "Keep Tom Harmon Commissioner."

Sheriff Swanson (article title: The man behind the badge) appears because he is being endorsed over challenger Larry Dordea by Brent Barnhart, Publisher, Managing Editor of Barnhart Publishing the publishing house for STARK STYLES.

The STARK COUNTY POLITICAL REPORT (The Report) take on the divergent Schuring/Harmon/Swanson appearances is as follows: (1) maybe The Report has been too hard on Schuring over the years as being a politician who is "all show, but little, if any, substance," (2) too charitable on Tom Harmon as being or at least the potential to be more "substance, than show," and (3) will Larry Dordea, in view of the endorsement, have ugly things to say about a stylish (no pun intended) magazine?

Appearing in STARK STYLES, is this good press for Schuring, Harmon and Swanson?

DISCUSSION: PLAIN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE LOU GIAVASIS KEEPS UP FIGHT AGAINST AEP INCREASE ON STARK COUNTIANS!

THE TEXT OF THE LETTER

American Electric Power is asking the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for rate increases that will amount to a 52 percent increase for residential users and a 62 percent for industrial over the next three years.

AEP reported $1.1 billion in profits in 2007. AEP Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Michael G. Morris has been quoted as stating, “Our earnings for the first nine months of this year are well ahead of where we were for the same period in 2007.”

At the recent hearing at Glenwood Middle School, it was said that AEP, with these increases, will yield another $1 billion.

With information like this coming from AEP, is it fair to ask if these increases are truly necessary?

AEP officials have said they understand that these rate increases would cause some hardships. That statement minimizes the true effects. Increases of this magnitude will cause closings and job loss.

Many residents will have to choose even harder between paying for insurance, needed medicine, groceries, gas for their vehicles and heating their homes. They may well be pushed financially over the edge.

If these rate increases are approved as filed, Stark County and every community in it will suffer. Every community school system will be pushed even further into deficit.

Easing the financial burdens on our residents and saving and creating jobs should be every elected official’s top priority. The Stark County commissioners, Plain, Jackson, Canton and Nimishillen townships, Canton and North Canton have filed objections with the PUCO. I strongly urge those communities that have yet to file an objection to please do so.

Call your elected officials or attend a council or trustee meeting and ask. Send your objection to Alan R. Schriber, PUCO Chairman, 180 E. Broad Street, Columbus OH 43215.

LOUIS P. GIAVASIS, PLAIN TOWNSHIP

PLAIN TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE

DON'T YOU JUST LOVE IT WHEN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE ADVOCATES FOR THE RIGHT "NOT TO COMPETE?"

DISCLAIMER (something The Repository doesn't do). Yours truly's spouse is an elected member of the Stark County Educational Service Center (SCESC). The following story/opinion has, in part, to do with Larry Morgan who is the superintendent of the SCESC. The opinions expressed in this blog are the sole opinion of yours truly and the SCPR does not speak for nor reflect the views of the spouse. Readers who are interested in the wife's views, need to contact her.

The Blog:

Representative Todd Snitchler (Republican - Lake, the 50th Ohio House district) has nothing on yours truly in terms of free enterprise and the highly beneficial qualities of competition to Stark County, Ohio and America.

Why bring Snitchler up?

Because he is the quintessential local politician in terms of his devotion to area, state and national chambers of commerce, the Ohio (and National) Manufacturers Association, the Ohio Roundtable and the like. He truly believes that "privatizing" in and of itself is the panecea for all that ails the nation.

Where Snitchler and the SCPR part company is his "bromide effect" of private enterprise.

Let's take a look at the "private enterprise" flap that surfaced in The Repository today, Pharmacists say schools' mail-order policy will hurt business, as a case-in-point.

Here you have a bunch of "independent" businesses (pharmacies - one of the most remunerative businesses in all of America) in effect wanting a subsidy from the Stark County taxpaying public by requiring thousands of Stark County teachers to buy locally.

This is competition?

And who is the boogeyman in all this?

None other than SCESC superintendent Larry Morgan.

In the opinion of yours truly, Morgan is an imperial-style superintendent.

Morgan is a very bright and determined individual. He knows how to organize, negotiate and is probably the most efficient school administrator in Stark County and perhaps in all of Ohio.

If one comes unprepared in dealings with Morgan; he will have you for lunch.

Recently, yours truly and Morgan crossed paths on an education multi-institutional issue. The SCPR is convinced that Morgan engineered (which he denied in a person-to-person telephone conversation) a "behind the scenes" move with most if not all the superintendents of Stark County's school districts to dramatically change the structure and operations of the delivery of higher education-esque program originating, for the most part, in local school districtis.

The SCPR sketched out the foregoing just to give readers an idea (other examples exist) of why the SCPR ascribes Morgan as being a imperial-style superintendent.

The SCPR believes that Morgan hurts himself with his "take-it-or-leave-it" public persona and his propensity to work things out "behind closed doors," only then to spring it on unwitting subjects.

This is why you have an iconoclast like Ralph Jentes (VP of the Louisville Education Association) coming out of the woodwork to attack Morgan in The Rep's piece. Jentes, who lives in Lake, seemed to make former Lake superintendent Bill Stetler (now Northwest) a target by attending Lake board meetings to criticize Stetler and writing letters to the editor of the Hartville News as an additional tool to get at Stetler.

Isn't Jentes out-of-step with the OEA? Who is Jentes representing anyway? Local pharmacies?

Note the Ohio Educational Association's Diana Miller quote printed in The Rep's story:

“It seems disingenuous to me that someone is criticizing the schools for sending jobs out of the area and to attempt to bring political pressure on the schools to say we’re sending jobs elsewhere, Our response would be, what we have done saves jobs. We haven’t sent jobs outside Stark County. We’re saving teachers’ jobs. Their (the independent pharmacists’) bottom line is the bottom line.”

Generally, what Morgan does, will stand up "to the light of day." So why is he so secretive?

Beats yours truly.

Morgan needs to reconsider his administrative ways.

Having said the foregoing, it is the opinion of the SCPR that Morgan has done an excellent job with the Stark County Schools Council on Governments (SCSCOG) health care plan.

Morgan has saved Stark County taxpayers untold amounts of money and what we have here with "The Medicine Shoppe" types being non-competitive and in the style of the financial moguls on Wall Street demanding a public institution (Stark schools) "bailout."

Let's see Representative Snitchler and his chamber of commerce friends comment on this.

It wasn't long ago that the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce was combing through the records of the Stark County Educational Service Center's records looking for more ways for the Stark County education to be delivered more efficiently.


The question now for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is this. Will the likes of Saunier, Katz and Kaminski step forward and applaud Morgan's efficiency or will they be for the public subsidation of some of its members?

Most likely not.

For the chamber like many unfettered private enterprisers like Representative Snitchler do have hypocrisy in them.

It depends on whose ox is being gored, no?

Indeed the SCPR does stand for "nonselective" competition. Something we do not have, for the most part, in Stark County politics. And when we don't, every Stark County taxpaying citizen gets hurt!

16TH IN SCPR "HOF-VP" SERIES: C. DAVID BAKER ET AL GUNNING FOR NORTH CANTON MAYOR DAVID J. HELD?

UPDATED: THURSDAY, MARCH 15 "THE IDES OF MARCH" 09:18 AM

FIRST TIME PUBLISHED SCPR VIDEO INTERVIEW OF NC MAYOR DAVID HELD AFTER DISTURBING "STRENGTHTENING STARK" MEETING OF JANUARY 9, 2018

FIRST TIME SCPR PUBLISHED VIDEO OF CANTON REGIONAL CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CEO/PRESIDENT DENNY SAUNIER ON "THE NEED FOR A PLAN" TO REHAB STARK COUNTY

SOURCE SAYS THAT PORT AUTHORITY 

DID NOT DO AN UNCONDITIONAL APPROVAL

OF

CERTIFICATE OF ESTOPPEL & OTHER DOCUMENTS 

AS IMPLIED IN REPORTING

 IN A MARCH 13TH REPOSITORY ARTICLE

(See Explanation Below Graphic)

EXPLANATORY NOTE:  A source who knows exactly what the Port Authority did in yesterday's action by the Port Authority disputes The Repository's claim that the "Stark County Port Authority Tuesday approved documents that will allow developers to secure an up-to $100 million bridge loan for Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village."

The source said that the documents referenced have been placed "in escrow" and that it is a misinterpretation (or, perhaps, and editorial override) to say that Tuesday action was an "approval" in that approval IS ONLY EFFECTIVE WHEN several conditions have been satisfied to the Port Authority's satisfaction.

And the SCPR has learned that HOF officials are saying that the initial "bridge" loan, if it ever closes, will be for $40 million as a first tranche of rising eventually to $100 million.  Moreover, many Stark Political Subdivision officials are trying to figure out where the HOF folks are going to repay the loan whatever amount it turns out to be, if at all.

As we all know, as my mother would often say to us Olson kids:  "There is many a slip between the cup and the lip."

This adage is especially true with the Hall of Fame LLC folks.  As noted in The Repository referenced account of the meeting, there have been untold delays while Hall of Fame, LLC gets its act together.

There seems to be as much chaos in terms of dealing with primarily Stark County government officialdom as in the administrative offices of the HOF as in the office located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.

ORIGINAL BLOG

Pro Football Hall of Fame "Public Enemy No. 1" North Canton mayor David J. Held?

Of late David Held has been a "profile in 'political' courage" in questioning the accountability and viability of the Canton located Pro Football Hall of Fame expansion project (HOF-VP, announced in 2014) in a series of public meetings/events.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the cheerleading Canton Repository (i.e. the self-style OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME) publisher James Porter and his allies are gunning for Mayor Held in terms of his continue on as the mayor of North Canton come the 2019 elections.

Originally, the SCPR opined that former Repository executive editor David Kaminski (as a member of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce theam) might be a part of a Porter driven political vendetta against Held and other Stark County political subdivision officials who are questioning how the HOF-VP is proceeding.

Kaminski, The Report is told, recently left the Chamber and there is some speculation that he may have done so because of disillusionment with how development of the project is being managed.

Accordingly, it is seems more likely that the Chamber official who may be coordinating with Porter is Denny Saunier.

Saunier got up and spoke as the final contributor to the Strengthening Stark meeting of January 9th which the SCPR captured on video.  An irony of Saunier's remarks is about his admonition of the need for a plan for re-energizing Stark County.

Ironic because the Chamber as an all-in supporter of the HOF-VP apparently has been ineffective in getting HOF CEO/president C. David Baker, who probably now earns upwards of three quarters of a million dollars compensation every year, to have had a sustainable financial plan before raising the hopes and expectations of Stark Countians with the 2014 blockbuster announcement of what is now a $1 billion plus HOF expansion project.

The SCPR video of Saunier's comments:



Just a tad hypocritical, no?

Held, who learned the hard way in dealing with master manager Stu Lichter on North Canton's Hoover Project, that Lichter is a man who makes promises galore but delivers sparsely and then only on the goading of a few mini-courageous public officials who are not nearly as aggressive with Lichter, and, in the case of the HOF-VP C. David Baker.

After years of dealing with Lichter on the Hoover thing, Held has first hand experience with Lichter and therefore is an authority that other Stark County officials ought to be paying close attention to.

Here is David Held with his incisive questioning which had to shake up the Strengthening Stark/HOF-VP folks and hopefully all of the Stark County elected officials in attendance.  (3:52)



After the Strengthening Stark meeting, the SCPR interviewed Held in order to get amplification on this "stirring the waters" commentary that focused on the HOF-VP aspect of Strengthening Stark with is not so subtle allegation suggesting that the HOF village financial packaged or lack thereof was built on shifting sand.



The SCPR has been in Hawaii for the past two months but nonetheless has managed to keep Stark Countians abreast of the tottering ship of state HOF-VP.

A few meetings of the Stark County Port Authority and the Canton City Schools Board of Education have taken place with regard to the desire of Baker et al of the HOF-VP (including its cheerleading private sector allies who want to raid the public trough of taxpayer funding) and scant progress has been made by HOF-VP and Friends in convincing the Port Authority and Canton's schools to grant the HOF certificates of estoppel so that the HOF folks can possibly? get a $100 million bridge loan.

Of course, a bridge loan (if a financial institution is foolish enough to grant one based on being told by Baker et al they think they can get even greater funding of the project out of public dollars) has to be paid back along with some $5 million in interest, more or less.

Over the past week or so a number of Port Authority and CCS BOE meetings have been scheduled only to be abruptly cancelled.

Canton schools' BOE has scheduled a "work session" for next Wednesday presumably to talk with constituents of the schools as to whether or not the BOE granting a certificate will jeopardize the financial stability of the schools going forward.

Mayor Held is to be credited for causing others in Stark County's political subdivisions to back off and persisting in due diligence before acting on the certificate of estoppel requests.

His effort has Baker et al pulling their hair out.

Consequently, in less than two years (November, 2019) you got to believe that Baker, Porter, Kaminski and Saunier will be out for political blood and it could be that Held's greatest barrier to re-election is not his opponent but rather Baker and friends.

The SCPR has already learned that another Stark County elected official has been threatened with political retribution by James Porter.

Maybe Porter, Baker and their ilk might get a taste of their own medicine in the sense that maybe, just maybe they will become the objects of public scorn because of their effort to get the public treasury to bail out what appears to be an ill-conceived and most certainly ill prepared (i.e. having an actual financial plan for funding the expansion in place before turning one shovel of dirt) expansion vision.

And that's exactly what some Stark County officials have bought into.

C. David Baker phantasmagoric dream that he has been and continues to push Stark County taxpayers to fund.

If the HOF-VP was completely and wholly a private sector plan, GOD'S SPEED!!!

We now know that it is not and before one more dollar of public money goes into the project Stark's elected and appointed officials have a fiduciary responsibility to do their due diligence and pretty much be able to guarantee that infusing additional public money into the HOF-VP will "return in spades" dividends to the investing Stark County tax paying public.

IN HINDSIGHT: STUART LICHTER HAS BEEN BAD MEDICINE FOR STARK COUNTY?

UPDATED:  2:36 PM

JULY 9, 2018 RECORDED VIDEOS
OF
NORTH CANTON MAYOR
DAVID HELD
ON
THE HOOVER PROJECT 

It appears to The Stark County Political Report that North Cantons Hoover Rehab Project (Hoover) and the Professional Football Hall of Fame Village Expansion Project (HOF, HOF-VP) are going nowhere these days.

What is the common factor with both?

Master Developer (in the case of the HOF-VP) and "just plain-ol'" and if you believe some local media portrayals of being "folksy" (also, drives a 10 year old car and could care less about money) Stuart Lichter (developer, [never described as "master" re: Hoover project]) in the case of Hoover.

Laughable, no?

It appears to the SCPR that Lichter has outsmarted/out maneuvered many of, but not all of "the best and brightest" of Stark County political subdivision leadership.

The focus of this blog is on the Hoover project, however, one cannot from a Stark County wide impact not talk about Hoover without also noting the development stagnation afflicting the HOF-VP.

As this blog is written, both projects are pretty much at a "standstill:"

• as desperately needed additional long term "private" financing is being sought for the reported $1 billion plus HOF-VP and, 
• in the case of the Hoover complex project, Lichter's company Maple Street Commerce, LLC (MSC) deals with bringing the complex up to standard on North Canton's building and fire codes and, of course, as graphically indicated in the lead of this blog curing deficiencies in a U.S. Environmental Agency mandated Facility Investigation Work Plan which is a prelude to MSC as a "potentially responsible party" (PRP) getting on with the work of remediating/removing documented hazardous materials that testing reveals to be on site at Hoover in unacceptable levels, and to monitor levels that are being dealt with measures other than in outright removal.  (Note:  MSC includes partner Chris Semarjian and 10% interest holder and North Canton developer Robert DeHoff)

Lichter who is described in one article as a developer who specializes in redeveloping old industrial sites got to work in North Canton on Hoover in the latter half of 2007.

By 2013 with jump-start "Kick Off" $5 million state of Ohio Jobs Ready grant in hand at the outset, there were to be a variety of office, retail, restaurant and residential housing factors in place in the 400,000 square feet that formerly housed vacuum cleaner industrial giant The Hoover Company (closed earlier in 2007)  as a locally owned (1908 - 1986) enterprise that at one point provided about 40%, if not more, of the income for North Canton government.

At the time, it made sense for North  Canton to bring Lichter in.

Though North Canton mayor David Held denies what once made sense has turned out to be a mistake, the SCPR believes that in his "heart of hearts" thinks it has turned out to be a nightmare.

In the course of reading this blog, readers are presented in segments (the full video will be published in the Annex section of this blog so that readers can determine for themselves if the segments are fairly contexted) as this blog moves along.

But first readers should read the entire EPA letter which is reproduced below:

NOTE:  THE EPA HAS EXTENDED PLAN COMPLIANCE TO JULY 31, 2018

The most worrisome part of the findings at paragraph 8 of the EPA letter is the description of the environmental concerns regarding former Hoover Company owned ballfields transferred to the North Canton City Schools in March, 2018.

The SCPR is told by a person in a position to know that area youth do play on those fields except for a small part of the area.

Beyond health concerns going forward should contamination be found, there has to be the incurring of expense that a "no room for 'financial' setbacks" North Canton City School system school system might have to spend to meet the EPA requirements should unacceptable levels of contaminants be found.

That the US EPA has not banned the use of the fields pending testing for possible existing contaminants seems to indicate that the EPA does not think there are immediate health concerns.

But what if the EPA is wrong?

As soon as the SCPR got a copy of the June 13th letter, reading it raised concerns about the viability of the part of the Hoover complex covered by the missive.

Mayor David Held brought the letter up during the public official comments section of last night's council meeting.

Of course, the SCPR was going to follow up.

Here is the beginning of the Held interviews of July 9, 2018 interviews in which he begins to outline the environment outline (4 min,06 sec):

Held in the following video says that the 130 planned apartment units for the complex are still doable from an environmental standpoint notwithstanding the June 13 EPA to Maple Street Commerce officials.  (1 min, 56 sec)



However he does enumerate two overall factors that outsiders (to MSC by virtue being outsiders) cannot gauge, which is to say:

• Can MSC generate (through additional public sources the monies needed to finance completion of the project?
• Does MSC in light of the complexities/complications of the project have the willingness to persist through the complexities/complications 

Held thinks that Lichter's Maple Street Commerce does have the "willingness" given the Held's believe that MSC has $12 million of its (perhaps in combo with partners) money invested in the Hoover project IF (the SCPR's interpretation) there is more public money out there including a revival of a North Canton Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) property tax credit that covers the Hoover project.

Here is Held on those matters:



And even more in the context of laborious economic development can be and troubled when it comes to implementing CRAs and other tax relief

Moreover, he says there are three non-negotiable conditions (the latter two of which set forth in the bullet points below come in later video segments) being satisfied by MSC for the realization of the residential phase of the project and indeed for the completion of the estimated at the beginning to be a $50 million project, to wit:

• Environmental problems,
• Not being in compliance with North Canton's building code, and
• Not being in compliance with North Canton's fire code

In this video, Mayor Held adamantly maintains:

• that North Canton government will see to it that MSC comes up to standard on the  city's building and fire codes whether or not the project is finally completed, and, of course
• that the EPA will see to it that environmental standards are met (Held says perhaps at a cost of tens of thousands of dollars if not into the hundreds of thousandS but certainly not in the millions)

Additionally, he says that he is  confident that the Hoover complex will not end up being put to the wreckers ball in the event MSC walks away from the project.

Here is the video (5 min, 40 sec)

The SCPR does not share Held's optimism on MSC completing the Hoover project.

As this blogger said to Held in the above-video, to Maple Street Commerce/IRG $12 million to $20 million is peanuts compared to the HOF-VP and the many other much larger projects Lichter is involved with across America.

Here is Held in a less optimistic mode at a Strengthening Stark meeting in January, 2018 which ironically was held at the Professional Hall Fame complex (which the SCPR thinks Lichter is paying attention to at the expense of the Hoover rehab) at 2121 George Halas Drive.

There has also been the need for MSC (a beneficiary of federal Historical Preservation tax credits [HPTC] used by MSC for restoring the Hoover smokestack  to comply in its construction activities the standards of HPTCs.

As the SCPR sees it, North Canton over the longer term could be facing a "tear-down" and capping of the  of the part of the Hoover complex (i.e. the section facing Main Street directly across from North Canton City Hall) should the lingering presence of hazardous materials prove to be financially strapping on MSC which consequently might cause the Lichter owned company to lose its will to complete the project.

If such were to happen or appear in the perception of North Cantonians to be inevitable, the political consequences for Mayor Held and long time council members could be ominous by the time the 2021, if not the 2019 municipal elections roll around.

As sort of a parallel to the HOF-VP, there are those in Stark County leadership circles who tell the SCPR that if the HOF-VP could replace Lichter as the master developer on the HOF-VP, a lot of the problems which has led to a stalling out of work on that project would get settled rather quickly.

However, those same leaders are quick to say that to think HOF master developer Stu Lichter will be replaced given his large owners equity in the project is "pie-in-the-sky" thinking and that he and his companies will be part of either the success or the short of success (i.e. the project as envisioned is never completed) realities.

Mayor Held right now, the SCPR thinks, is understandably in a "spin mode" as The Report is evidenced by his emphasis on the "success" (his characterization) of Phase I of the Hoover project.

Even that, the SCPR thinks, is ignoring what appears to be a high probability that the Schroer Group (about 300 employees) will be leaving the Hoover complex within the next two years because (according to Held and others) a difficult relationship (landlord/tenant) that Schroer is said to be experiencing with MSC.

Here is Mayor Held speaking about the impending Schroer Group exodus from North Canton and his overall take on North Canton's tax revenues going forward (6 min, 38 sec).



In the video he cites 1100 employees located in Phase 1 facilities at the rehabbed portion of the Hoover complex which, of course, will be reduced to 800, more or less, if Schroer does in fact relocate to a site said to be near Akron Canton airport.

In the following video (6 min, 19 sec) Held elaborates on the slow pace of most economic development projects and provides readers with some insights to some the problems inherent in putting together government financed incentives with a specific explanation of why the North Ridge apartments (DeHoff/Lemmon) proved to be troublesome.

At Wednesday's meeting of North Canton City Council, council held its second reading on raising the city's income tax from 1.5% to 2.0% on an affirmative vote of the voters of North Canton in the upcoming November 6, 2018 election.

Nobody is talking about the seeming imminent departure of the 300 Schroer group employees as a reason for the proposed income tax increase, but could that prospect be at least part of the reason for asking North Canton voters to approve the .5% increase.

While the proposal is for a 10 year life of the increase, who believes that in 10 years city officials will not find reasons why the voters approve an extension of the life of the increase?

As a side issue, Citizen Chuck Osborne presented a chart to North Canton City Council on Monday evening showing that North Canton is not making the most of the proposed increase when compared to other Stark County municipalities and their respective income tax rates/credits, to wit:



These are trying days for North Canton government and it appears that the city frustrations in dealing with MSC and its owner Stu Lichter is the overwhelming problem that the city faces.

Others can try to portray Lichter as an "aw shucks," unassuming guy, but the SCPR is not buying.

The Report believes Lichter is a hard-nosed business guy who does not miss a penny and any political/government leader who deal with him need to have the guard up at all times.

Mayor David Held has learned this the hard way.

And other Stark County leaders are learning fast.

Mayor Held had a tough time in the interview admitting in hindsight (which of course presents an opportunity to have 20/20 vision) that bringing Lichter in was a mistake.

Here is that part of the interview in which the SCPR presses Held on what this blogger thinks has been a mistake for having brought Lichter in (7 min, 50 sec).



It could be, that despite Mayor Held's abiding confidence that all will turn out well for what was once named "The Dogwood City," that North Canton will be stuck with Lichter like "chewing gum on the bottom of a shoe" that seemingly is cemented in place.

One has to question whether or not North Canton officials are to dealing with the hardscrabble Lichter.

The persistent questions in the minds of North Cantonians going forward some ten years later on the Hoover rehab with no end in sight likely will be:  Will the ultimate outcome be that the walls of its nostalgic Boss Hoover industrial complex have to come tumbling down?

As opined before in this blog, IF SO, there could be political consequences in the 2019/2021 North Canton municipal elections!

APPENDIX

The entire Held Interview.

STARK COUNTY "ANTI-FRACKER" CLAIMS "THE REPOSITORY" IS "UNFAIR & IMBALANCED" ON ITS COVERAGE OF FRACKING ISSUES

As Stark County's only countywide newspaper, the SCPR thinks The Repository has a special burden to be fair and balanced in its coverage of controversial issues that surface in our county.

Once such issue in recent years has been the effects of horizontal hydraulic "fracking" implemented by the natural gas and oil industry to find new sources of natural gas and oil and other byproducts from deep underneath the ground surface.

The Report has learned that Stark Countian Chris Borello (Concerned Citizens of Stark County - CCSC) has recently challenged the managing editor of The Rep (Scott Brown) to accord the viewpoint of her group and her allies on the anti-fracking side of the controversy a fair and balanced presentation.

"Fracking," has a strong presence in Stark County.

Canton mayor William J. Healy, II has dubbed Canton as "The Utica Capital" thereby double monikering the Hall of Fame city after the Utica shale formation that underlies part of if not all of Stark County.

Chesapeake Energy (a major national participant in "fracking,") has headquarters in Stark (currently in Canton), but is relocating its prime facility to Louisville here in Stark County.

And, of course, there is a steady increase in the number of horizontally fracked wells dotting the landscape of Stark.

The fairest/most comprehensive short-form definition that The Report has found comes from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) (LINK).

Beginning in December, 2010 the SCPR has endeavored to provide the The Report's readership with information on both sides of the issue.  Here is a Google search (LINK) which will connect readers with a good sense of The Report's coverage of this issue.

Here is what Borello (of Plain Township) wrote Brown:

RE:  Questions concerning Canton Repository's coverage of fracking -re. fairness and balance

Managing Editor, Mr. Scott Brown

Dear Mr. Brown,

Thank you for contacting me after Gayle Beck, Editorial Page Editor, had forwarded on to you my concerns about the Rep's failure to provide fairness and balance in your coverage on this important topic affecting our area.  

Your email to me claimed that you feel that the paper is covering the shale gas drilling in a balanced and fair way, thus you refuted my assertion ( which is shared by many readers,  trust me).  

You trivialized this to merely being my personal  "feelings" which you believe are contrary to what apparently you believe are the true facts.  I would ask that as Managing Editor, you please examine the following few examples nevertheless, and see if you still come to the same conclusion:

*  This spring the paper did an 85 page spread/insert, which for the most part,  appeared to clearly be an effort to broadly promote fracking, accompanied by  huge full page pictures etc. Of course, we assume that you will say, that well, this spread was paid for by multiple (mega bucks) sponsors and had nothing to do with your coverage.  But how does that project the paper's being fair and balanced -  when the public obviously does not have funding to present similarly their "side," thus our valid concerns get drowned out, (just like on TV, where infomercial's run night and day pushing this)?

*  How many typical fracking stories done by the REP in the last six months are considered "pro" for industry, vs. coverage related to the risks posed?  We believe the vast majority are for the industry, if you count them ( please include the page location ie., front page where readers are most likely to see them, vs. buried).

* Case in point:  Your paper ran with a major front page story declaring no problem with fracking and groundwater,  even though it was reiterated in the very last sentence of the article this was based upon preliminary info.!! ....   Yet, shortly after, three different stories broke nationally about US EPA/ the Obama Administration sabotaging  such studies in PA, Wyoming and Texas -  studies  that had indeed showed such linkage....Where was your front page story on this?

*  Below, you will find the news release attached to a letter signed by over 50 people just approx. two weeks ago, including nearly all the environmental groups in Ohio -  including the Ohio Environmental Council, Sierra Club, Food & Water Watch and Ohio Buckeye Council, along with religious based groups and average concerned citizens, no small feat.

This letter was sent to Governor Kasich and other elected officials like Scott Oelslager, simply requesting the State provide SCIENCE BASED ANSWERS concerning the massive disposal of radiation from the shale gas drilling targeting our State, and our Stark area.ur State....

If, as you say, the Canton Repository is covering the shale gas drilling in such a fair balanced manner, please tell us what page your Canton Rep's coverage was on this very important issue, de[a]dly radiation that could affect countless area residents, given that our area landfills are being targeted for disposal of this waste ( which involves the 87 million dollar Canton Waste Water Treatment Plant utilized by the County and North Canton involving their dollars ( via the 12 mile pipe line leachate project to be built from American Landfill to this plant for discharge into the Nimishillen Creek;  along with some 16 injection wells that sit beneath our aquifers located in Stark, receiving untold volumes of radioactive drilling waste water?  

This letter wasn't worthy of your paper's coverage?? 

These are just a few of the glaring discrepancies we can cite.  Concerned Citizens sincerely hope that you will write us back addressing the above points fully.

Regards,

Chris Borello for Stark County Concerned Citizens

Unlike The Repository (except for its editorial function), the SCPR does take positions on issues that crop up in Stark County.

On "fracking" yours truly's position is that like it or not, "fracking" is a reality and it is the function of government at all levels to protect our drinking water and other environmental concerns and that the industry itself must be made to have adequate resources (insurance, bonds, emergency procedures and the like) on hand and at the ready to deal with the consequences of problems when they occur.

Notice:  Not "if" they occur, but WHEN they occur.

Remember "Deep Water, Horizon;" the industry said that that drilling operation was safe, too.

Notwithstanding the SCPR taking a position on any particular issue, yours truly always makes available to those who differ with The Report's stance all the space on this blog they need to explain their take on the issue.

Since The Repository itself has not shared with Stark Countians that some of its readers do not think that the newspaper presents the "fracking" issue in the a fair and balance way, The Report provides this forum for Borello et al to get their viewpoint out to the Stark County public.

At the end of this blog, the SCPR reprints the press release and the letter accompanying it to Governor John Kasich.

It appears that the discussion between Borello and Brown via e-mail may still be underway.

In the latest version of the back and forth Brown is quoted as saying that The Rep cannot publish a ProPublica piece because of copyright concerns.

Well, Borello is trying to clear away those concerns.  A test of the impact of her initiative will be (if she clears away The Rep's copyright concerns) whether or not the ProPublica piece gets reported upon, and, perhaps editorialized on.

While the SCPR does not adopt the positions of the Concerned Citizens of Stark County and friends nor those of the oil and natural gas industry, yours truly supports the CCSC et al's quest to have their case presented in the media.

Anyone who is attuned to commercial media is well aware that the oil and natural gas industry spends mega bucks in placing creatively constructed ads on America's television and radio outlets.

Only on the Internet is there anything near citizens having access to fair and balanced information on the issue.

Often though, in an Internet search, one has to wade through to read/view/hear highly biased presentations (from both sides) and then try to figure out the truth of the matter in comparing one set of assertions against the other.

For its captive audience (i.e. The Rep being Stark County's only countywide newspaper), the paper needs to do better reporting the local aspects of whether or not actual "fracking" within the county is harming the environment and the extent to which local government officials are or are not protecting citizens from claimed harmful effects (either actual or potential) from "fracking" and "fracking" related activities within Stark.

For beginners, The Repository needs to publish the dialogue back and forth between Beck/Brown and Borello on the issue of fairness/balance of Stark County's only countywide newspaper's reporting policy.

Secondly, Brown needs to state clearly to the reading public whether or not Borello's complaints have found a nesting place at The Rep in that he and his fellows will give special scrutiny to the fairness/balance issue on "fracking" to get Borello to the point that she can agree that The Repository has responded sufficiently to her complaint that she is willing to say that the newspaper provides fairness/balance on the issue.

Like it or not, since The Repository is Stark County's only "countywide newspaper of record," it is essential that its readers - once a decision to cover a particular issue is made - get fair and balanced coverage.

Those of us who want to be fully informed on a variety of local issues that come to the fore on a daily basis should be pleased that Borello and friends are pushing the issue of fairness and balance with "the powers that be" at The Rep.

As promised, those readers who want to see the press release and letter to the governor in full, here goes:

---------------------------------------------------------

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                  
Contact:  Chris Borello, 330-499-5207

Today an urgent appeal is being made to Gov. John Kasich signed by concerned citizens and groups from around the State, regarding the massive disposal of inherently radioactive shale drilling wastes through various means - including injection, land filling, spraying on roads and discharging to surface waters.   We are asking the Governor to personally direct his agencies to be responsive to key technical questions listed in the letter that have inexplicably gone unanswered related to Ohio's handling of these long-lived radioactive materials.  The letter's organizer, long time grassroots childrens' health activist, Chris Borello of Stark County said:..., "Proper testing and management of this radiation is critical in protecting workers and communities from exposures to this radiation.  According to experts, the kind of radiation found in the shale drilling wastes, Radium 226, is particularly dangerous, more so than some nuclear wastes, they say, not only because the Radium is water soluble, but because of the way it is metabolized in the body.  Radium is bone-seeking, thus if ingested it can cause blood cancers, like Leukemia.  The Radon Gas emitted can cause lung cancers.  Therefore, it is essential that these shale drilling wastes are not only properly tested, following what is known to be "best science," but then isolated virtually forever from the public and environment.  Citizens are deeply worried that the State is failing to err on the side of caution because of the gas drilling " frenzy," and the extreme political pressures obviously involved.  Given Ohio is being used as this industry's economical "toilet bowl" for disposal of this  toxic and carcinogenic  radioactive waste stream, the public deserves answers and protection, putting Ohioans' health first, over short term profits".......

Ohio Governor John Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6117
c/o Mr. Craig Butler, Environmental Liaison       cc: ODNR, OEPA, ODH, OAG, media, public
Subject:  Disposal of radioactive shale drilling wastes in Ohio

Dear Governor Kasich,

In a recent letter to your constituents, (find below) you asserted that Ohio is developing a comprehensive plan to address the very serious concerns related to the presence of long-lived carcinogenic radiation/radium known to be inherently present in the shale drilling waste stream.  This radiation-laden waste is being disposed in our state in vast quantities through various means:  injection, land filling, spraying on roads and discharge via waste water treatment plants into surface waters.  To garner public trust and credibility, it is imperative that your various agencies act in a transparent and forthcoming manner, given the potential risks posed to public health, worker safety and to the environment for many years to come, long after the drilling boom has gone bust.   Unfortunately, when concerned citizens have attempted to hold the agencies scientifically accountable, seeking concrete answers to even the most basic questions, those answers have not been provided to date regarding the following particularly crucial points:

For Ohio EPA Director Scott Nally:

OEPA has failed to respond to questions repeatedly posed seeking whether, in fact, OEPA has authority over TENORM radiation in drilling wastes specifically generated at waste water treatment facilities - i.e,  "sludges" (as it appears it does under ORC 3701:1-43-07, Exemptions, Section J").  We ask that you please direct Ohio EPA to answer the following:

a) Confirm or deny OEPA has this authority.  b)  If OEPA indeed does have this jurisdiction over treatment plant /recycling of sludges for TENORM,  we then  request that OEPA provide us with all technical specifics the agency has issued/or plans to issue to landfill operators, waste generators and others,  regarding what precisely OEPA is requiring to ensure there is "proper" compliance testing for the radium/uranium series, thus demonstrating the State will ultimately conduct proper management of waste potentially containing elevated levels of these sludges.  (KEY: PA is reporting up to 500 times greater levels of radiation in this waste specifically due to this specific act of "treatment/recycling" ).

For ODNR's Chief Rick Simmers:

ODNR has failed to respond to reasonable questions and concerns regarding the reported disturbing usage of handheld radiation detectors/scanners being used at the Patriot/Warren facility, reportedly for each load.   NOTE: According to radiation experts, this handheld detector cannot properly detect the radium of concern in water, unless the levels are very seriously high and grossly out of compliance.

* If handheld scanners are not adequate for proper compliance monitoring, please direct ODNR to provide citizens with a scientifically supportable explanation that can be peer reviewed, as to precisely how the State can possibly ascertain whether what is being discharged to Ohio surface waters is not exceeding the 5 pico curie limit for radiation and/ or in violation of the Clean Water Act.

For ODH Chief Michael Snee:

* To corroborate what has already been publicly asserted, please direct Ohio Dept. of Health's Bureau of Radiation Protection to confirm, in writing, that "best practices" related to radiation testing will be adhered to:

a) ODH confirming that the State will require truly scientifically "representative sampling" be conducted for each load prior to disposal

b)  ODH will adhere to the same testing standard the agency had previous established when sampling the Ohio Utica Shales for radium: I.e, ODH will require each sample be held in an air tight container at a lab 21 days prior to analysis, to allow for full equilibrium of the radium's gamma daughters, thus ensuring accurate assessment of the gamma emitters at a certified laboratory.

Finally and perhaps most importantly, please request that one or more of the three above-mentioned agencies scientifically justify to citizens why Ohio has deliberately chosen to opt for the weaker, less protective definition/criteria regarding which drilling wastes constitute TENORM ( technically enhanced naturally occurring radiation) VS. NORM wastes.  This arbitrary decision made by the State now allows a larger percentage of this highly dangerous, long lived radiation to be disposed in Ohio without any proper accountability or monitoring.  It is our understanding that Ohio's less protective stance on TENORM is contrary to what the US EPA, the National Academy of Sciences and others have defined.  Reportedly, even the State of Pennsylvania considers drill cuttings to be TENORM, whereas Ohio does not.  Please explain how ignoring large quantities of radiation dumped into Ohio is consistent with your goal of protecting public health and carrying out a "comprehensive" management of these radioactive wastes from drilling.  Moreover, please explain how allowing elevated levels of radiation to be "down blended with dirt" and then dumped into Ohio's solid waste landfills is consistent with proper management, given that these Ohio landfills are not designed to become Low Level Rad Waste Sites.  Given the water solubility of radium in these wastes, this radiation could migrate through a site and enter groundwater or be collected into a landfill leachate collection system, with ultimate discharge from a city waste water plant into the surface waters of the State.  In addition, what liability or risks are posed to workers involved with such down blending practices?

The below concerned individuals and groups from around Ohio believe the above questions and concerns are critically important in protecting public health, safety and welfare,  and deserve complete answers from the State.   We therefore request your immediate personal attention to this letter to ensure the public is provided this information in an expeditious manner.

Sincerely,  

Chris Borello, Stark County Concerned Citizens/CCLT, Uniontown
Kathie Jones, Sandra Bilek,  Concerned Citiznes of Medina County
Buckeye Forest Council
Patti & David Gorcheff, North Lima
Prof. James T. O'Reilly, College of Medicine, MPH Faculty, University of Cincinnati
Trudee Weatherby, Youngstown
Jed Thorp, Chapter Manager, Ohio Sierra Club, Columbus
John Williams, McDonald
Walter E. (Ted) Auch, PhD, Cleveland State University Faculty
Julia Fuhrman-Davis, Beaver Twp.
Vanessa Pesec, President, NEOGAP, Concord Twp.
Debra Debozy, Boardman
Greg Pace, Guernsey County Citizens Support On Drilling Issues
Joe Sirgo, Plain Twp.
Alice Marusiak, Stow, Summit Co.
Kari Matsko, Director, People's Oil & Gas Collaborative, Ohio
Jean Engle, Youngstown
Alison Auciello, Organizer, Food and Water Watch, Cincinnati
Sue Garver, Canton
Fresh Water Accountability Project
Lea Harper, Grand Rapids
Jodi Stoyak, Liberty Twp. Trustee, Trumbull County
Lynn Anderson, Youngstown
Heather Cantino, Steering Committee Member, Athens County Fracking Action Network
Diana Shaheen, Boardman
Renee Bogue, Stark County Concerned Citizens; Stark-Summit Concerned Citizens Coalition
Jenny Morgan, concerned citizen, Westerville, Franklin County
Mary C. Khumprakob, Youngstown
Elizabeth Dixon, Uniontown
Tony Paone, Plain Twp., Stark County
Judith A. & Raymond G.Vershum, Canfield
Marguerite Felice, Youngstown
Maria Montanez, Youngstown
Andrea Moore, Lowellville
Mary Greer, Concerned Citizens Ohio;Shalerville/coordinator;STAND UP OHIO/adjunct member; Ohio Organizing Collaborative/adjunct member
Heather Vahila, Lake Mohawk Property Owners Association
Jack & Joni Richards, Waynesburg, Sandy Twp.
Gwen B. Fischer, Professor Emerita Psychology Dept. Hiram College
Stan Fischer, Hiram Twp., Portage County
Elyse Hirsch, Stow Ohio, Stark- Summit Coalition
George Elias, Youngstown, Frackfree Mahoning, FANCy
Dr. Raymond Beirsdorfer, Professor of Geological & Environmental Sciences, YSU
Susie Beirsdorfer, Frackfree Mahoning
Dan & Beverly Seiple, North Canton
Lori Babbey, Concerned Citizens Ohio, Portage County
Melanie Roll, concerned citizen, North Canton