There is a good pool of talent in the Pittsburgh area that helped gentrify their East Liberty neighborhood. We could look for experienced individuals in Buffalo & other cities tackling similar downsizing issues. I agree that city council has to have a big picture outlook on projects rather than fighting turf wars. For any councilperson with higher asperations, it would behoove them to work with city planners & educate their electorate on the need to work with other wards for the overall improvement of the city.
As a Mooney alum from the 80's, I can tell you that there have always been stupid altercations like this among high schoolers. In this day & age, there are videos & the internet which give much more media attention than a one time blurb in the Vindicator did years ago. All individuals are to blame but this doesn't mean that by osmosis the neighborhood around Mooney H.S. has led all these kids into thug life. Give the school credit for staying in this neighborhood (same with Ursuline). Net, net, good values are instilled but high school kids with developing minds will always do immature, stupid, hot headed things. Turning 18 doesn't automatically equal good decision making skills that one has in their late 20's+. Oh, & Lea does have a point, kids from the nicer suburbs do have the better drugs (more $) & easier access to alcohol (parents wine cellars & well stocked bars). It has always been that way whether kids are in grade school, h.s. or college. A day in court will give them all a good scare & growing up lesson.
Re: voting, the first time I ever voted for a Republican was for Lyle Williams against Traficant. I had just registered to vote. After that, I moved from the area & didn't vote for him. There is definitely a certain educational demographic that Traficant appeals to. However, if he would be so arrogant enough to try to run for office again, I think he would have quite the fight against him from an organized, vocal progressive group of Democrats. It's a new era of politics & anti-Traficant individuals can be just as bombastic, clever with the media & aggressive as he tends to be. Just what the Mahoning Valley needs when he's released, another negative media blitz "From the #3 most dying city in the U.S., comes home James Traficant a symbol of decay like the rusted steel mills you can see here . . . " I could easily foresee the copy the news media will utilize. How could they resist?
Yay, finally someone has succinctly verbalized what a growing majority feels about Traficant! Can the Valley really afford to sacrifice it's entire future for this man? Seriously! He has hurt our reputation & future enough by his deeds and misdeeds. Everyone knew he was guilty in 1982 but I guess he was this area's OJ. I thought everyone he paid for or who protected him was dead by now (by natural means or otherwise - wink, wink). I guess there are still a couple people in Trumbull and Columbiana counties. Let him pack up and move out there to be with these cronies and leave the Youngstown area alone. We don't want you, Traficant, anymore!
There can be a non-stop cycle of lower income/lower education level individuals perpetuating a non-familial friendly lifestyle that isn't healthy for the adults or children. To make a blanket statement that marriage alone is an indicator of healthy childhood is not completely accurate. Parental education & income levels determine how well a child does in school & the child's propensity to become involved in crime. I cannot add a one statement solution to the problem because it would require a thesis that the comment section does not support. Judge Dellick is starting small & starting somewhere in a positive manner which is great (as Bertram stated). Bertram has pointed out some accurate observances & I tip my hat to him.
Wow, didn't know Grum & aeparish were sociologists with sub degrees in psychotherapy & education. Hmm, hoodies = anti-social behavior. Alert all high school parents that the fashions at American Eagle, Holister & Ambercrombie & Fitch are leading their young astray! Are the two of you willing to fund all the therapy, parenting skills classes, school training & tutoring that you think automatically = positive community involvement? It becomes annoying when preaching, judgemental people squelch an honest discussion with trite answers. The discussion & efforts to help children with damaged backgrounds needs to start somewhere. Forcing marriage upon individuals isn't always the answer & doesn't automatically mean an Ozzie & Harriet (or The Cosbys for that matter) family dynamic. I think both of you need to watch the CNN series Black in America & do some research on ways to help at risk children.
ClarkKent I just find it sad that you have so much anger in your response above. Children need stable, consistent love & home environments regardless of the number of parents around the home. I only hope that you treat all children with compassion & kindness regardless of their home circumstances which they have no control over. I would think we've come a long way since the day of ostracizing children who don't have both parents in their life.
I've heard that there is also some type of statewide program that will pay for an individual to go back to school if they cannot find work in their specialty again. Contact One Stop Ohio to learn more.
Just having 2 parents in a household does not equal a healthy childhood. I went to school with plenty of kids who did drugs, got pregnant in high school, were bulimic or engaged in dangerous behavior from "good, 2 parent families". Every family has skeletons in their closets that can negatively impact a child's psyche. To insinuate that raising a healthy child in a single parent environment is akin to hitting the lottery is ludicrous. Also, are any of the statistics you site divided out to show education & income levels of the households these children live? As pennysmom states, there are soon to be a generation of children raised in single parent households by older, better prepared (financially & emotionally) parents. There have already been studies comparing older moms to younger moms & one could argue that people in their twenties shouldn't have children because they aren't as financially stable as people in their thirties. Conservatives are never happy. Don't have an abortion but don't have a wanted, loved child if you happen to be single. I have never understood this argument that the utopia couple exists & should be the only ones reproducing. Yes, wouldn't that be nice but when is the last time you looked at any marriage & saw the picture of perfection? Do you think children don't see the flaws in their parents & their relationships &, sometimes, become a little damaged because of it?
Posted on March 20 at 12:20 p.m.
There is a good pool of talent in the Pittsburgh area that helped gentrify their East Liberty neighborhood. We could look for experienced individuals in Buffalo & other cities tackling similar downsizing issues. I agree that city council has to have a big picture outlook on projects rather than fighting turf wars. For any councilperson with higher asperations, it would behoove them to work with city planners & educate their electorate on the need to work with other wards for the overall improvement of the city.
Posted on March 17 at 11 a.m.
As a Mooney alum from the 80's, I can tell you that there have always been stupid altercations like this among high schoolers. In this day & age, there are videos & the internet which give much more media attention than a one time blurb in the Vindicator did years ago. All individuals are to blame but this doesn't mean that by osmosis the neighborhood around Mooney H.S. has led all these kids into thug life. Give the school credit for staying in this neighborhood (same with Ursuline). Net, net, good values are instilled but high school kids with developing minds will always do immature, stupid, hot headed things. Turning 18 doesn't automatically equal good decision making skills that one has in their late 20's+. Oh, & Lea does have a point, kids from the nicer suburbs do have the better drugs (more $) & easier access to alcohol (parents wine cellars & well stocked bars). It has always been that way whether kids are in grade school, h.s. or college. A day in court will give them all a good scare & growing up lesson.
Posted on March 13 at 12:41 p.m.
Re: voting, the first time I ever voted for a Republican was for Lyle Williams against Traficant. I had just registered to vote. After that, I moved from the area & didn't vote for him. There is definitely a certain educational demographic that Traficant appeals to. However, if he would be so arrogant enough to try to run for office again, I think he would have quite the fight against him from an organized, vocal progressive group of Democrats. It's a new era of politics & anti-Traficant individuals can be just as bombastic, clever with the media & aggressive as he tends to be. Just what the Mahoning Valley needs when he's released, another negative media blitz "From the #3 most dying city in the U.S., comes home James Traficant a symbol of decay like the rusted steel mills you can see here . . . " I could easily foresee the copy the news media will utilize. How could they resist?
Posted on March 11 at 10:20 p.m.
Yay, finally someone has succinctly verbalized what a growing majority feels about Traficant! Can the Valley really afford to sacrifice it's entire future for this man? Seriously! He has hurt our reputation & future enough by his deeds and misdeeds. Everyone knew he was guilty in 1982 but I guess he was this area's OJ. I thought everyone he paid for or who protected him was dead by now (by natural means or otherwise - wink, wink). I guess there are still a couple people in Trumbull and Columbiana counties. Let him pack up and move out there to be with these cronies and leave the Youngstown area alone. We don't want you, Traficant, anymore!
Posted on March 2 at 3 p.m.
Market street from the downtown bridge until you hit Midlothian. This has been horrid for over a year!
Posted on March 2 at 2:27 p.m.
There can be a non-stop cycle of lower income/lower education level individuals perpetuating a non-familial friendly lifestyle that isn't healthy for the adults or children. To make a blanket statement that marriage alone is an indicator of healthy childhood is not completely accurate. Parental education & income levels determine how well a child does in school & the child's propensity to become involved in crime. I cannot add a one statement solution to the problem because it would require a thesis that the comment section does not support. Judge Dellick is starting small & starting somewhere in a positive manner which is great (as Bertram stated). Bertram has pointed out some accurate observances & I tip my hat to him.
Posted on March 2 at 11:56 a.m.
Wow, didn't know Grum & aeparish were sociologists with sub degrees in psychotherapy & education. Hmm, hoodies = anti-social behavior. Alert all high school parents that the fashions at American Eagle, Holister & Ambercrombie & Fitch are leading their young astray! Are the two of you willing to fund all the therapy, parenting skills classes, school training & tutoring that you think automatically = positive community involvement? It becomes annoying when preaching, judgemental people squelch an honest discussion with trite answers. The discussion & efforts to help children with damaged backgrounds needs to start somewhere. Forcing marriage upon individuals isn't always the answer & doesn't automatically mean an Ozzie & Harriet (or The Cosbys for that matter) family dynamic. I think both of you need to watch the CNN series Black in America & do some research on ways to help at risk children.
Posted on January 16 at 11:02 a.m.
ClarkKent I just find it sad that you have so much anger in your response above. Children need stable, consistent love & home environments regardless of the number of parents around the home. I only hope that you treat all children with compassion & kindness regardless of their home circumstances which they have no control over. I would think we've come a long way since the day of ostracizing children who don't have both parents in their life.
Posted on January 13 at 3:37 p.m.
I've heard that there is also some type of statewide program that will pay for an individual to go back to school if they cannot find work in their specialty again. Contact One Stop Ohio to learn more.
Posted on January 13 at 1:05 p.m.
Just having 2 parents in a household does not equal a healthy childhood. I went to school with plenty of kids who did drugs, got pregnant in high school, were bulimic or engaged in dangerous behavior from "good, 2 parent families". Every family has skeletons in their closets that can negatively impact a child's psyche. To insinuate that raising a healthy child in a single parent environment is akin to hitting the lottery is ludicrous. Also, are any of the statistics you site divided out to show education & income levels of the households these children live? As pennysmom states, there are soon to be a generation of children raised in single parent households by older, better prepared (financially & emotionally) parents. There have already been studies comparing older moms to younger moms & one could argue that people in their twenties shouldn't have children because they aren't as financially stable as people in their thirties. Conservatives are never happy. Don't have an abortion but don't have a wanted, loved child if you happen to be single. I have never understood this argument that the utopia couple exists & should be the only ones reproducing. Yes, wouldn't that be nice but when is the last time you looked at any marriage & saw the picture of perfection? Do you think children don't see the flaws in their parents & their relationships &, sometimes, become a little damaged because of it?