All: The unfortunate use of "retarded" was brought to our attention today, and I'm thankful for that. Oddly, it was a term used in the proceedings that day. Regardless, it was a word we did not have to use in our headline. We're sorry that, and we changed the headline. Todd Franko Editor
Nice chatter. • I agree it's not an age issue, but an accomplishment issue. • Sam could ultimately care less, I imagine. He can take his money anywhere. He'd like to spend it here, and officials should work hard to have him do so. They'll be the first ones, along with the citizens they lead, to raise up and say "why couldn't you do something here? This is your home." They already did so after the $10M story. When the money does go elsewhere and not here, it will be for these such reasons. • I'm not a publicist for Covelli/Panera or for Covelli City or for any of the Ryans, or for the mayor or for whoever. I am a publicist for logic and an opponent of flawed logic. • Arenas are an enormous risk, agreed. And they have to be watched and managed closely, and we have that here, and the numbers show it. To help understand the risk and how bad it could be, read this from similar-sized Rockford: http://www.rrstar.com/news/x178233606...
You can't just demolish your way to success. You have to invest, too.
And whatever agenda you pursue (it should be both), at least do it with honest numbers. That has been absent from the Centre foes.
You can see the same mindless anti-Vindy jabs from Barzak and Meeks in the circus that is Kidd's FB page posts on Cedars.
We're used to soldiering through such attacks. (It's actually been good theater this weekend watching Phil soldier thru as well in the Cedars debates.)
It is a challenge, as Phil's seeing, to slog through tough issues when folks pile in with unwarranted or mindless jabs.
But it happens. I tend to opt to stay out of it and let the crowd settle the mindlessness, such as with your reply. I am also blessed to have a colleague, Mark, who really enjoys tackling the mindlessness.
It all shakes out in the end. Thanks for the reply. This issue is downtown, and Lisa and Cedars and advancement and ...
Email from a runner: My name is Janet Cadman, and I just wanted to pass along a sincere thank you to you and the rest of the board of directors for this years peace race. I normally run the 10k race but this year, I was asked by my dad, Richard Forrest, to "run" the 2 mile. He hasn't "raced" in over 20 years and this year started back to run/walking through a new class at the Boardman YMCA. The first time I ran the peace race was in 1986, and my dad ran with me making sure I was ok. I never realized until many years later that he slowed down to let me finish before him, so this year was my turn to slow down to let him finish first! Even though, our time was by no means anything to write home about ( I think we came in at 38 mins), but the time we spent walking and chatting made this years race for me my all time favorite race (even beating out the MCM and the Women's Half Marathons!) So, long story short, I just wanted to say thank you for a great race and helping create a great memory!
Kudos to all so far today, even my pal JohnYoung. It's been pretty sound debate. (Although I could live w/o JY's tax woes in this thread. Thinker hit a homerun. But like w Bertram and the mayor, I still disagree. I think we agree on the result - a better Yo. It's just how do u get there. Youngstown - like a good health care debate - cant finance strictly a fix-the-sick mindset. It has to invest in healthy living. And based on this week's news, the city had to finance a little less of that this year - about $466,000. And u can chide the tax credits and the like going to assist the "surge." But those same credits and breaks have existed for years, and all downtown got was more plywood. Other cities and developers (Allentown, Royal Oak, Marous bros) used them and have grown while they fixed. I'm all for demolishing. But you must build at same time.
From the web site: TWO JUNIORS DIVISIONS: Upper: Ages 15,16,17 (18-year-olds who will still be in high school for 2012-13 year are eligible) Lower: Ages 12,13,14 (Regardless of the qualifier date, you compete in division that reflects your age as of July 21; no playing up a division unless you are a past “Greatest” champ)
What's a shame is that you have to run to a message board to vet this and denigrate The Vindy. We could just not have the younger division like we did not have it last year -- that'd be a simpler solution than debating ages. Cole's misfortune is being discussed and explored. The admission rules have been posted since Day 1 and our previous event did not have an 11-year-old enter. Why is it OK to teach that rules are flexible? Ask Dustin Johnson; or ask Zach Johnson about flexible rules in golf. Cole shot a great game and his score is out there for all to see. Good work, Cole. We also did not verify that families read the residency rules; we did not verify how many clubs were in the bag, etc. It happened; it was unfortunate. Why find blame?
You are correct about the commissioners needing to stand up to the political muscle of the valley.
My take on this is "economic development" bed tax is that it a project originally pushed by Ryan's office. They went and hired Rose Ann Deleon. Little has been created by it. Ryan wants to save face by spending more money. Otherwise they may need to let her go and the whole thing will be chalked up as a failure.
I am sure that this is the pessimists' point of view. But the optimists' point of view cost's everyone alot of money they don't have right now. If we could just print the money and take from the value of other people's money, the optimists' view would work.
Todd, Although the CASTLO Community Improvement Corporation has received a few federal and state grants over its 34 year history, it has never received one thin dime of local taxpayer monies. Nearly 100% of the organization’s income is received from leasing building space at the CASTLO Industrial Park. Also, as a 501 (c ) 4 organization, CASTLO pays local property taxes and in fact has paid approximately $30,000 annually (nearly $1,000,000 since 1978) to the Mahoning County Treasurer to support various government entities including the Struthers City School District. Further, throughout its history an average of at least 100 people per year have been employed at the CASTLO Industrial Park contributing 2% of their wages to the city of Struthers in the form of municipal income taxes. Assuming 100 employees earning $40,000 on average per year this calculates to about $80,000 annually. Please note this correction. Thanks.
Mr. Franko - Your editorial viewpoint on the bed tax agreed with my own, so natch', I thought that's was great. You briefly touched on the role of convention bureaus and event organizers in jacking up room prices. Mom and Pop travelers seldom know about this, and respond only to the final room price. Either way, in this area, hiking that price to support a public entity of little value is still a dumb idea.
YSU presidential candidates narrowed to three finalists
Mlisi, 123goz:
Did you read the article? Or the headline?
It was a preview to Tuesday night's mtg.
Tough to report on the three finalists when it hadn't happened at time of reporting.
April 16, 2013 at 9:46 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Ronald Lee Pyles, church pastor, goes on trial for rape of woman
All:
The unfortunate use of "retarded" was brought to our attention today, and I'm thankful for that.
Oddly, it was a term used in the proceedings that day.
Regardless, it was a word we did not have to use in our headline.
We're sorry that, and we changed the headline.
Todd Franko
Editor
January 8, 2013 at 10:57 p.m. permalink suggest removal
UPDATED MONDAY | Covelli not excited by mayor’s idea; see link to what a similar facility is doing
Nice chatter.
• I agree it's not an age issue, but an accomplishment issue.
• Sam could ultimately care less, I imagine. He can take his money anywhere. He'd like to spend it here, and officials should work hard to have him do so. They'll be the first ones, along with the citizens they lead, to raise up and say "why couldn't you do something here? This is your home." They already did so after the $10M story. When the money does go elsewhere and not here, it will be for these such reasons.
• I'm not a publicist for Covelli/Panera or for Covelli City or for any of the Ryans, or for the mayor or for whoever. I am a publicist for logic and an opponent of flawed logic.
• Arenas are an enormous risk, agreed. And they have to be watched and managed closely, and we have that here, and the numbers show it.
To help understand the risk and how bad it could be, read this from similar-sized Rockford:
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x178233606...
You can't just demolish your way to success. You have to invest, too.
And whatever agenda you pursue (it should be both), at least do it with honest numbers. That has been absent from the Centre foes.
December 17, 2012 at 1:19 p.m. permalink suggest removal
MONDAY UPDATE: Fed & Phelps & a special place
Thanks 1970 ... I agree.
You can see the same mindless anti-Vindy jabs from Barzak and Meeks in the circus that is Kidd's FB page posts on Cedars.
We're used to soldiering through such attacks. (It's actually been good theater this weekend watching Phil soldier thru as well in the Cedars debates.)
It is a challenge, as Phil's seeing, to slog through tough issues when folks pile in with unwarranted or mindless jabs.
But it happens. I tend to opt to stay out of it and let the crowd settle the mindlessness, such as with your reply. I am also blessed to have a colleague, Mark, who really enjoys tackling the mindlessness.
It all shakes out in the end. Thanks for the reply. This issue is downtown, and Lisa and Cedars and advancement and ...
It's not Bubbalow or whatever more jabs come.
December 9, 2012 at 3:12 p.m. permalink suggest removal
2,109 keep the pace in largest Youngstown Peace Race
Email from a runner:
My name is Janet Cadman, and I just wanted to pass along a sincere thank you to you and the rest of the board of directors for this years peace race. I normally run the 10k race but this year, I was asked by my dad, Richard Forrest, to "run" the 2 mile. He hasn't "raced" in over 20 years and this year started back to run/walking through a new class at the Boardman YMCA.
The first time I ran the peace race was in 1986, and my dad ran with me making sure I was ok. I never realized until many years later that he slowed down to let me finish before him, so this year was my turn to slow down to let him finish first! Even though, our time was by no means anything to write home about ( I think we came in at 38 mins), but the time we spent walking and chatting made this years race for me my all time favorite race (even beating out the MCM and the Women's Half Marathons!)
So, long story short, I just wanted to say thank you for a great race and helping create a great memory!
Thank you for another great race!
Janet Cadman
October 22, 2012 at 2:55 p.m. permalink suggest removal
What next for Covelli?
Kudos to all so far today, even my pal JohnYoung.
It's been pretty sound debate. (Although I could live w/o JY's tax woes in this thread.
Thinker hit a homerun. But like w Bertram and the mayor, I still disagree. I think we agree on the result - a better Yo. It's just how do u get there.
Youngstown - like a good health care debate - cant finance strictly a fix-the-sick mindset. It has to invest in healthy living.
And based on this week's news, the city had to finance a little less of that this year - about $466,000.
And u can chide the tax credits and the like going to assist the "surge." But those same credits and breaks have existed for years, and all downtown got was more plywood. Other cities and developers (Allentown, Royal Oak, Marous bros) used them and have grown while they fixed.
I'm all for demolishing. But you must build at same time.
September 16, 2012 at 3:16 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Six more kids qualify for 'Greatest Golfer' finals
From the web site:
TWO JUNIORS DIVISIONS:
Upper: Ages 15,16,17 (18-year-olds who will still be in high school for 2012-13 year are eligible)
Lower: Ages 12,13,14 (Regardless of the qualifier date, you compete in division that reflects your age as of July 21; no playing up a division unless you are a past “Greatest” champ)
What's a shame is that you have to run to a message board to vet this and denigrate The Vindy. We could just not have the younger division like we did not have it last year -- that'd be a simpler solution than debating ages.
Cole's misfortune is being discussed and explored. The admission rules have been posted since Day 1 and our previous event did not have an 11-year-old enter. Why is it OK to teach that rules are flexible? Ask Dustin Johnson; or ask Zach Johnson about flexible rules in golf.
Cole shot a great game and his score is out there for all to see. Good work, Cole.
We also did not verify that families read the residency rules; we did not verify how many clubs were in the bag, etc.
It happened; it was unfortunate. Why find blame?
June 11, 2012 at 1:49 p.m. permalink suggest removal
Sleeping on the bed tax
FROM READER:
Happy Easter!
You are correct about the commissioners needing to stand up to the political muscle of the valley.
My take on this is "economic development" bed tax is that it a project originally pushed by Ryan's office. They went and hired Rose Ann Deleon. Little has been created by it. Ryan wants to save face by spending more money. Otherwise they may need to let her go and the whole thing will be chalked up as a failure.
I am sure that this is the pessimists' point of view. But the optimists' point of view cost's everyone alot of money they don't have right now. If we could just print the money and take from the value of other people's money, the optimists' view would work.
April 9, 2012 at 10:16 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Sleeping on the bed tax
FROM A CASTLO person:
Todd,
Although the CASTLO Community Improvement Corporation has received a few federal and state grants over its 34 year history, it has never received one thin dime of local taxpayer monies. Nearly 100% of the organization’s income is received from leasing building space at the CASTLO Industrial Park. Also, as a 501 (c ) 4 organization, CASTLO pays local property taxes and in fact has paid approximately $30,000 annually (nearly $1,000,000 since 1978) to the Mahoning County Treasurer to support various government entities including the Struthers City School District. Further, throughout its history an average of at least 100 people per year have been employed at the CASTLO Industrial Park contributing 2% of their wages to the city of Struthers in the form of municipal income taxes. Assuming 100 employees earning $40,000 on average per year this calculates to about $80,000 annually. Please note this correction. Thanks.
April 9, 2012 at 10:15 a.m. permalink suggest removal
Sleeping on the bed tax
A READER:
Mr. Franko -
Your editorial viewpoint on the bed tax agreed with my own, so natch', I thought that's was great. You briefly touched on the role of convention bureaus and event organizers in jacking up room prices. Mom and Pop travelers seldom know about this, and respond only to the final room price. Either way, in this area, hiking that price to support a public entity of little value is still a dumb idea.
April 9, 2012 at 10:13 a.m. permalink suggest removal