Maybe Mr Cooper is innocent , but Mr Vaughn has no way of knowing that. He is right to try to protect the community in which he has invested his life . He doesn't want to see families move out & his new neighbors comprise only those who are shunned elsewhere . The bigger issue is the avalanche of registered sex offenders - especially Tier 3 - which descended on the Southside this year after automatic mailbox notification ceased . Low market rents don't explain everything . With now 81 registrations, growing at about 1 per week , most people would think there was a good chance that some reoffences will occur ; even if a few are really "innocent" . I'm an absentee property owner trying to improve the area, but I still knew of Mr Cooper's arrival because I registered with the Mahoning Sherrif's website to be notified . Southside internet use is very low . However, families thinking of buying or renting Southside look at the Sherrif's online map & they don't like what they see . Areas with more people online have far fewer registered offenders - e.g. Poland Village , which has only 1 . Southsiders have to get online & get notified & informed. If they don't own a computer , they can use the library's computers for free.
Agreed . But let's not also forget that the equivalent of the Tri-County population was born with birth defects in Vietnam because of Agent Orange & they had no choice at all .
I also applaud the prompt apology . Law enforcement has a difficult job to do , but communities expect it to be done while minimizing collateral damage to the public ; in the same way as communities now expect industry to operate while minimizing pollution .
It's all well to speak nostagiically of the frontier days in America ; but America must continue to update its practices to continue to be a relevant part of the modern world . Remember , 95% of the world's population is NOT American . I know a foreign investor in the Valley , who is bringing in much needed capital to provide jobs - which he is allowed to do . As a developer & local taxpayer, He attended a Council meeting , as he is allowed to do by law . While he was there , the Council members faced the American flag & gave the oath of allegiance & members of the public present were expected to do the same . Of course he was unable to do so & felt embarrased because he owes allegiance to another flag . he compromised , by standing but remaining silent . A small thing , some may say ? Maybe. But its an example of the way official processes will be increasingly be tested for diversity not just in the local context , but in the international context .
There need to be changes at the top in Youngstown Schools .
I didin't know whether to laugh or cry seeing these "dreamworld" Mission & documents are still on the school website. Goals should always be measurable & timebound . The only specific given is the date 2010 . If anything they promise to deliver "by 2010" is delivered in the next 3-15 months , I'll start believing in miracles . Proviso : If there are immediate leadership changes , some of the promises could be delivered .
It's ironic that Ohio's top teacher for 2008 works in Youngstown Schools . Where they need to concentrate resources is in- placing good teachers in front of students & actively supporting them . Buildings & (unusually high in total ) executive remuneration budgets come second .
Comprehensive local government reorganization is needed . The political boundaries need redrawing . There are too many political silos in the Valley . There are too many small units , each unable to afford or attract the cailibre of staffing & resource it needs . The V&M Star project was huge & the consequences of it falling over significant for the Valley . Yet even it had major political difficulties . The many & increasing number of smaller projects needing inter-Council co-operation may not even get that far . The trouble is that people won't even know that they didn't happen . Reorganization will only happen if the State dictates it .
If there are 30,000 people in Boardman , they each pay $10 just for police overtime alone .. Incredible ! Within a few square miles , we have overlapping jurisdictions , which all compete for competiunBoardman Police , Poland Police , State Highway Patrol , Youngstown Police , University Police , Canfield , Police , Austintown Police ...I will stop there. Beam me up! I yeild incompetence on a grand scale which has landed this prosperous municipality in fiscal emergency , & a Valley in urgent want of local governmental reorganisation .
".. lessen poverty in Latin America" . Very commendable aspirations - but is there not work to do to lessen poverty in Youngstown where many still live in third world conditions ? Sooner or later , it has to be faced up to .
It's only a requirement for adjacant property owners to maintain sidewalks because the City Chartter says so . The Charter should be changed , & we will have better sidewalks & more walkable & liveable communities with less crime - like the municipalities which accept sidewalks are a general community resource ,,like roads & parks.
If the City was transparent about where it spends its $41 million budget , I'm sure it could eliminate enough waste to pay for respectable sidewalk maintenance ..
I hope someone has done a sensitivity analysis to see what effect higher than expected taxes will have on the business investment Ohio needs to create jobs .
Posted on October 24 at 4:19 p.m.
Maybe Mr Cooper is innocent , but Mr Vaughn has no way of knowing that. He is right to try to protect the community in which he has invested his life . He doesn't want to see families move out & his new neighbors comprise only those who are shunned elsewhere .
The bigger issue is the avalanche of registered sex offenders - especially Tier 3 - which descended on the Southside this year after automatic mailbox notification ceased . Low market rents don't explain everything . With now 81 registrations, growing at about 1 per week , most people would think there was a good chance that some reoffences will occur ; even if a few are really "innocent" .
I'm an absentee property owner trying to improve the area, but I still knew of Mr Cooper's arrival because I registered with the Mahoning Sherrif's website to be notified . Southside internet use is very low . However, families thinking of buying or renting Southside look at the Sherrif's online map & they don't like what they see . Areas with more people online have far fewer registered offenders - e.g. Poland Village , which has only 1 .
Southsiders have to get online & get notified & informed. If they don't own a computer , they can use the library's computers for free.
Posted on October 18 at 3:35 p.m.
Agreed . But let's not also forget that the equivalent of the Tri-County population was born with birth defects in Vietnam because of Agent Orange & they had no choice at all .
Posted on October 18 at 3:23 p.m.
I also applaud the prompt apology . Law enforcement has a difficult job to do , but communities expect it to be done while minimizing collateral damage to the public ; in the same way as communities now expect industry to operate while minimizing pollution .
Posted on October 16 at 6:25 a.m.
It's all well to speak nostagiically of the frontier days in America ; but America must continue to update its practices to continue to be a relevant part of the modern world . Remember , 95% of the world's population is NOT American . I know a foreign investor in the Valley , who is bringing in much needed capital to provide jobs - which he is allowed to do . As a developer & local taxpayer, He attended a Council meeting , as he is allowed to do by law . While he was there , the Council members faced the American flag & gave the oath of allegiance & members of the public present were expected to do the same . Of course he was unable to do so & felt embarrased because he owes allegiance to another flag . he compromised , by standing but remaining silent . A small thing , some may say ? Maybe. But its an example of the way official processes will be increasingly be tested for diversity not just in the local context , but in the international context .
Posted on October 14 at 2:46 a.m.
There need to be changes at the top in Youngstown Schools .
I didin't know whether to laugh or cry seeing these "dreamworld" Mission & documents are still on the school website. Goals should always be measurable & timebound . The only specific given is the date 2010 . If anything they promise to deliver "by 2010" is delivered in the next 3-15 months , I'll start believing in miracles . Proviso : If there are immediate leadership changes , some of the promises could be delivered .
http://www.ycsd.k12.oh.us/Superintendent...
http://www.ycsd.k12.oh.us/About_main.htm...
It's ironic that Ohio's top teacher for 2008 works in Youngstown Schools . Where they need to concentrate resources is in- placing good teachers in front of students & actively supporting them . Buildings & (unusually high in total ) executive remuneration budgets come second .
Posted on October 11 at 4:45 a.m.
Comprehensive local government reorganization is needed . The political boundaries need redrawing . There are too many political silos in the Valley . There are too many small units , each unable to afford or attract the cailibre of staffing & resource it needs . The V&M Star project was huge & the consequences of it falling over significant for the Valley . Yet even it had major political difficulties . The many & increasing number of smaller projects needing inter-Council co-operation may not even get that far . The trouble is that people won't even know that they didn't happen . Reorganization will only happen if the State dictates it .
Posted on October 11 at 4:21 a.m.
If there are 30,000 people in Boardman , they each pay $10 just for police overtime alone .. Incredible ! Within a few square miles , we have overlapping jurisdictions , which all compete for competiunBoardman Police , Poland Police , State Highway Patrol , Youngstown Police , University Police , Canfield , Police , Austintown Police ...I will stop there.
Beam me up!
I yeild incompetence on a grand scale which has landed this prosperous municipality in fiscal emergency , & a Valley in urgent want of local governmental reorganisation .
Posted on October 7 at 6:38 a.m.
".. lessen poverty in Latin America" . Very commendable aspirations - but is there not work to do to lessen poverty in Youngstown where many still live in third world conditions ? Sooner or later , it has to be faced up to .
Posted on October 7 at 5:57 a.m.
It's only a requirement for adjacant property owners to maintain sidewalks because the City Chartter says so . The Charter should be changed , & we will have better sidewalks & more walkable & liveable communities with less crime - like the municipalities which accept sidewalks are a general community resource ,,like roads & parks.
If the City was transparent about where it spends its $41 million budget , I'm sure it could eliminate enough waste to pay for respectable sidewalk maintenance ..
Posted on October 4 at 10:11 p.m.
I hope someone has done a sensitivity analysis to see what effect higher than expected taxes will have on the business investment Ohio needs to create jobs .