Photo of the Day

A picture is worth a thousand words.

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

The White House - 1600 Daily: Tax reform in time for Christmas

President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visit the U.S. Coast Guard Station Lake Worth Inlet in Riviera Beach, Florida | November 23, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Shealah Craighead)

Tax reform in time for Christmas
With the holiday season upon us, President Donald J. Trump is working hard with Congress to cut taxes for middle-income families and fix our Nation's broken tax code in time for Christmas. The new bill – currently making its way through the Senate – will slash taxes by some $1.5 trillion over the next 10 years and is projected to boost household incomes significantly after nearly two decades of stagnation. The new code will allow families to spend more of their hard-earned dollars toward the success of their children, while restoring America's competitive business edge and stimulating job growth. 

Today, the President is meeting to discuss the bill with Senators Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Pat Toomey (R-PA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Tim Scott (R-SC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) of the Senate Finance Committee. The Administration is pleased with the growing momentum behind passing these historic tax reforms, and it looks forward to continuing to support the Senate in getting this important work done as quickly as possible. 

President visits with service members on Thanksgiving
On Thanksgiving Day, President Trump traveled to Station Lake Worth Inlet in Palm Beach County, Florida, to visit Coast Guard service members and hosted a video teleconference with U.S. military personnel on missions abroad. The President spoke with members of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard gathered on the video conference from bases in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Turkey, as well as from ships in the middle of the ocean. President Trump expressed his gratitude on behalf of the American people for these heroes’ dedication to our country. 

“It’s an honor to speak with you all and to give God thanks for the blessings of freedom and for the heroes who really have this tremendous courage that you do to defend us and to defend freedom,” said the President. 

FBI Update: Child Porn, Sex Trafficing of Minors, Explosive and Firearms Charges

Third Toledo man indicted on federal charges including sex trafficking of minors

A third Toledo man has been indicted on federal charges including sex trafficking of minors, U.S. Attorney Justin E. Herdman and FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony said.

Kenneth Butler, 37, Cordell Jenkins, 47, and Anthony Haynes, 38, are all charged with conspiracy to sex traffic children as part of an 11-count superseding indictment.

Haynes, Butler and Jenkins sexually assaulted a juvenile girl beginning in 2014 through 2017, according to court documents.

The girl was 14 when the conduct began and she was in the custody of Hayne. Some of this conduct took place at Greater Life Christian Center in Toledo, where Haynes was pastor at the time. Haynes used his cellular telephone to record these sexual assaults, according to court documents.

Haynes routinely gave the victim money after the acts and told her not to say anything. He told her that if she said anything, it would ruin his family and his church, according to court documents.
Haynes also facilitated the victim being sexually exploited by several other men, including Jenkins, according to court documents.

Jenkins repeatedly sexually exploited the minor at his home on Barrington Drive, at his office at Abundant Life Ministries and at a motel in Toledo. He paid her and referred to the payment as “hush money.” He often recorded these interactions with his cellular telephone, according to court documents. 

Jenkins also caused another juvenile girl to engage in commercial sex acts in March 2017, according to the indictment Butler also caused another juvenile girl to engage in commercial sex acts from 2015 through 2017, according to indictment.

“These three men violated the trust of these children and the communities they purported to serve,” Herdman said. “We are grateful for the courage of the victims and the dedication of our law enforcement personnel in bringing these men to justice.”

 “Adults in a position of trust taking advantage of children for their own sexual gratification is beyond reprehensible,” Anthony said. “These defendants are a stark reminder that human trafficking can be hidden in plain view.  Law enforcement, in partnership with our communities, must remain vigilant in protecting our children.”

The investigation is ongoing.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Freeman and Alissa Sterling following an investigation by the FBI’s Northwest Ohio Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Task Force is comprised of members of the FBI, Toledo Police Department, Perrysburg Township Police Department, Lima Police Department, Oregon Police Department, Fulton County Sheriff’s Office, Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Lucas County Sheriff’s Office.

FBI - Statement on the November 28, 2016 Attack at The Ohio State University

The Cincinnati Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) today released the following statement regarding the November 28, 2016 attack at The Ohio State University.

We thank all of our partners involved, including the Ohio State University Police Division, Columbus Division of Police, Columbus Division of Fire, Ohio State Highway Patrol, and the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, for their efforts in the response and investigation of this horrific attack. We continue to work with the victims who were impacted and have recently updated them on the status of the investigation, which includes the following:

• The substantive federal investigation has concluded.
• The evidence from the extensive investigation indicates the perpetrator acted alone and was not directed by a terrorist organization.
• The perpetrator appears to have been influenced by extremist ideology, including Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) propaganda.

With the substantive conclusion of the investigation, the Cincinnati Division of the FBI does not anticipate releasing any further updates.

CHAMBER TO HOST MEETING ON MEDICAL MARIJUANA LAWS FOR BUSINESSES

Frank D. Hatfield

The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a seminar for business owners on how the new medical marijuana laws. “Drug Testing & Drug Free Workplace Policies in a New Era” will be held Tuesday, December 5th at the Chamber Office, 206 E. Court Street at 10:00am. The event is free for chamber members and $10 per person for non-members.

Drug free workplace policies and testing employees continues to be a difficult issue employers. It is important that employers recognize the importance of policies and training regarding drug testing employees. Ohio’s new medical marijuana law will be discussed, as well as, its impact on the workplace. At the end of the session, attendees will have a better understanding as to how to minimize the risk of drug use in the workplace consistent with their legal obligations.

Presenter for the event will be Frank D. Hatfield, a Partner with the Columbus Firm of Fishel Hass Kim Albrecht Downey LLP. Frank has represented employers before State and Federal courts and administrative agencies pertaining to personnel matters including the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, Unemployment Compensation Review Commission, Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, and State Personnel Board of Review.

To register for the event, visit www.fayettecountyohio.com or call the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce at 740-335-0761.

Photo of the Day

This is the Purina facility, as seen from Robinson Rd. in Washington C.H.

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

The White House - 1600 Daily: A special message for the holiday season

President Donald J. Trump welcomes Native American Code Talkers to the White House | November 27, 2017 (Official White House Photo by Joyce N. Boghosian)

A few days ago, Americans counted our blessings as we sat down for Thanksgiving dinners with our families and friends across the country. Today, many will choose to go one step further in celebrating their good fortune by honoring #GivingTuesday, a global day of charitable giving.

This year’s #GivingTuesday is especially important. “Earlier this year, Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria devastated communities across the southern United States and in the Caribbean, and vast wildfires ravaged California,” said President Donald J. Trump in a statement. “We saw millions of Americans lose everything, from homes to businesses . . . [to] the unbearable loss of loved ones.”

The President thanks all those who have contributed to charitable organizations this year, including our houses of worship. If you would like to take part in #GivingTuesday, please consider supporting one of the great organizations partnering with us to help communities rebuild: https://www.nvoad.org. 
 
As the President said, “Together, we can ensure that the blessings of this holiday season are shared around the world.”

President Trump meets with members of the Senate Finance Committee
Yesterday, President Trump hosted Vice President Mike Pence and five members of the Senate Finance Committee at the White House for lunch in the Private Dining Room. The topic on everyone’s mind? “A tremendous tax cut – the biggest in the history of our country,” said President Trump.

The President reiterated his support for the tax bill proposed by Republican leadership and is pleased with the momentum it has inspired for passing crucial legislation well before the year’s end. As part of the Administration’s continued support, President Trump will join Senate Republicans today for lunch at the U.S. Capitol, where he’ll make the case for swift action.

Roots in Ripon - An Acid Test

Image from ffmag.com

Roots in Ripon
Chuck Roots
20 November 2017
www.chuckroots.com

The Ripon Bulletin

A few months ago, my wife Isaura and I decided to go through with having our DNA tested. It’s not like we didn’t have a pretty good idea what the results would be. After all, she was born on the island of San Miguel in the Azores, Portugal. As for me, the names in my background were all very British sounding. 

Several years ago, our oldest daughter, Laura, signed up with Ancestry.com to begin researching our family’s heritage. We knew very little about the Roots family, primarily because we couldn’t get past my Grandfather. Little was known of him since he had left my dad and grandmother when my dad was only five. He was never heard from again within our family. Back in the ‘90’s I eventually traced several documents to him through the Internet. I found a copy of his draft card dated 1917, stating he was married and living in Houston, Texas. Since he was born in 1883, he would have been 34 years old, therefore, too old for military service. Another document was when he signed up for Social Security in 1935. And the final document I discovered was his death certificate dated 1964. Other than that, we knew nothing about the Roots family.

My mother did not have any family information, nor had she ever heard anything from my Grandmother Roots about the Roots family line. 

My wife was born Isaura Maria Rodrigues Matos Cabral. Since her family was from an island in the Atlantic nine hundred miles from the Iberian Peninsula, we assumed her DNA test would have her at 80% or higher full-blown Portuguese (The Iberian Peninsula consists of Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra).

So, just what is DNA? I wasn’t real sure, so I began to check into it. First off, DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. “It is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all known living organisms.” In a word, it is the hereditary material found in all humans.

Senator Brown - Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Tax Reform, Thursday

Tomorrow morning at 10:45am EST, Senator Brown will take your questions about the Senate Republican tax reform bill at a Facebook Live Town Hall. You can submit your questions by commenting here or emailing townhall@brown.senate.gov.

Tune in to hear your questions answered, and to learn more about how this dangerous bill would hurt Ohio. Senator Brown is committed to fighting for a tax system that puts money in the pockets of working families - here's what he said about the Republican tax bill:

“Instead of cutting taxes for working people in Ohio, this bill takes away their healthcare, raises their premiums and forces deep cuts to the Medicare program they’ve paid into for years. Why? All to pay for tax cuts for corporations that send American jobs overseas," said Senator Brown.  (Again, a liberal Democrat mis-characterization. Editor)

Submit your tax reform questions here, and don't forget to tune in here at 10:45am tomorrow.

FBI - Seeking Assistance in Daniel Jason Wnek Social Media Victimization Case

EDITOR'S NOTE:  Parents, always monitor your children's activity on social media; boys or girls.  Better yet, prohibit their use of it until they are at least 15, and then monitor them, still.

 

Contact Law Enforcement with Information Regarding Interactions with Daniel Jason Wnek (aka Justin Yates) on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, or in Person.

Daniel Jason Wnek, age 27, was taken into custody last Thursday, November 16, 2017, in Orlando, Florida, for charges involving coercion and enticement, and transfer of obscene material to minors.
Wnek had an initial appearance in the Middle District of Florida federal court and remains in custody. Wnek is awaiting extradition to Ohio to face these charges in the Northern District of Ohio, Western District, at a later date.

This continues to be an ongoing investigation to include investigators asking the public for assistance. Investigators are aware that Wnek was “chatting” and possibly “interacting” in person with underage females other than the one 11-year-old described in the criminal complaint. It is believed that there are individuals that interacted online or met Wnek in person that have yet to be identified. Therefore, investigators are asking the public to please contact law enforcement to discuss if they have had any interaction with Daniel Jason Wnek or Justin Yates (jyates_) on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook or in person. Wnek also had an online presence known by the name Justin Yates. Parents of underage females that have had interaction with Daniel Wnek or Justin Yates are urged to contact the FBI at 419-221-5605 or the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office at 419-739-6565.

The FBI would like to thank the Auglaize County Sheriff’s Office for initiating this investigation and for the ongoing assistance provided. Children are to be cherished not victimized.

Resources

• Canadian Man Arrested in Orlando, Florida, After Attempting to Meet Ohio Child for Sex

The FBI Seeks Public's Assistance in Armed Bank Robbery

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Maple Heights Police Department are asking the public for assistance in identifying an unknown bank robber.

On October 10, 2017, at approximately 8:48 a.m., the Citizens Bank located at 15765 Broadway Avenue, Maple Heights, Ohio was robbed. A lone armed black male approached two bank employees in the rear parking lot of the bank arriving to work and ordered them to open the bank. The suspect stated that he was only there for the money. Once inside the suspect told the employees not to call the police or bad things will happen, the money is not theirs, the money is the banks. The unknown male obtained a sum of cash and fled the bank on foot. Direction or mode of travel was not observed.

The suspect is described as a black male, over 6’0”, approximately 240 lbs., approximately 40 years of age with a “raspy” voice. The suspect was wearing a surgical mask during the time of the robbery.

Anyone with information on the identity of this suspect is encouraged to call the Cleveland Division of the FBI at 216-522-1400 or the Maple Heights Police Department at 216-662-1234. Tips can remain anonymous and reward money is available for a tip that leads to the successful identification and prosecution of the individual responsible for this robbery.

Photo of the Day

This mother nurses her foal at the South Side Church of Christ manger display, on S. Fayette St., in Washington C.H.

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

Red Notes from a Blue State - Why Texas Matters

 
by Don Pesci

Almost immediately after a gunman entered a Baptist church in Sutherland Springs, Texas and mowed down the congregation with what the media refers to imprecisely as “an assault weapon” – what weapon used in the commission of a mass murder is not an assault weapon? -- Senators Dick Blumenthal and Chris Murphy of Connecticut unscrolled their pitch: 1) assault weapons are murderous, 2) prayer is pointless and 3) send campaign cash our way.

Prescinded from their analysis was the nub of the matter – the truth which, like the devil, lies in the details.

Many of the important details arrived, as usual, late, days after the slaughter, long after the two senators had made their pitch. Both were, in fact, reading from the same well-worn script: If the nation, which is unalterably stupid and prayerful, would simply and manfully face down the satanic influence of the National Rifle Association (NRA), the political bugaboo of both senators, and pass legislation very much like that passed in Connecticut after Adam Lanza had assaulted the staff and school children of Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the tragedy that occurred In Sutherland Springs need not have happened.

This analysis fails at almost every point.

Adam Lanza could not have been prevented from deploying his AR15 by any law proposed by either senator. The rifle was legally purchased by his mother, whom he murdered with a non-prohibited .22 rifle. Like Devin Kelly, the shooter in Sutherland Springs, Lanza carrier other lethal weapons with him in his car to Sandy Hook Elementary School. Both had psychological problems; recent reports indicate Kelly had escaped from a mental hospital in New Mexico.

Owing to a reporting error, Kelly was able to pass background checks four times during separate purchases of four weapons Under federal law, Kelly should not have been able to make these purchases because he had been convicted in 2012, while in the Air Force, of assaulting his first wife and her toddler son and served time in a military prison. The Air Force admitted on Monday, November 6, that “it had failed to forward information about him to the national databases used for gun purchase background checks,” according to a report in The New York Times. The slaughter of the innocents in the Baptist Church in Texas occurred because of an enforcement error; the law that would have prevented the mass murder in Texas was available, but it was not enforced.

The church was attacked because it was a safe target, so the attacker thought, until he in turn was shot twice and disabled by a man armed with a banned-in-Connecticut AR15 rifle, a remarkably accurate weapon. The killer, an atheist not given to praying, was armed with a semi-automatic rifle and wearing body armor when he was shot and forced to flee.  It is a matter of plain fact that mass murderers choose soft targets that have been, so to speak, deweaponized. Mass murderers are selective in his regard, not necessarily because they lack courage, but because they wish to accomplish their aim, mass slaughter, without interruption. Perhaps they do not mind going out in a blaze of gory glory – but they NEED the blaze.

Murphy candidly admits that legislation he and Blumenthal have been promoting will not pass in the US Congress. He argues that Congress can agree on such matters as background checks for released convicted criminals and mentally ill persons but  yet insists on a bill that contains, according to a Channel 3 Eyewitness News report,  such provisions as: “Banning the sale, manufacture, transfer and importation of 205 military-style assault weapons by name. Owners can keep existing weapons” and  “Banning any assault weapon that accepts a detachable ammunition magazine and has one or more military characteristics, including a pistol grip, a forward grip, a barrel shroud, a threaded barrel or a folding or telescoping stock. Owners can keep existing weapons.”

Roots in Ripon - An Acid Test

Image from ffmag.com

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

20 November 2017

www.chuckroots.com

The Ripon Bulletin

A few months ago, my wife Isaura and I decided to go through with having our DNA tested. It’s not like we didn’t have a pretty good idea what the results would be. After all, she was born on the island of San Miguel in the Azores, Portugal. As for me, the names in my background were all very British sounding. 

Several years ago, our oldest daughter, Laura, signed up with Ancestry.com to begin researching our family’s heritage. We knew very little about the Roots family, primarily because we couldn’t get past my Grandfather. Little was known of him since he had left my dad and grandmother when my dad was only five. He was never heard from again within our family. Back in the ‘90’s I eventually traced several documents to him through the Internet. I found a copy of his draft card dated 1917, stating he was married and living in Houston, Texas. Since he was born in 1883, he would have been 34 years old, therefore, too old for military service. Another document was when he signed up for Social Security in 1935. And the final document I discovered was his death certificate dated 1964. Other than that, we knew nothing about the Roots family.

My mother did not have any family information, nor had she ever heard anything from my Grandmother Roots about the Roots family line. 

My wife was born Isaura Maria Rodrigues Matos Cabral. Since her family was from an island in the Atlantic nine hundred miles from the Iberian Peninsula, we assumed her DNA test would have her at 80% or higher full-blown Portuguese (The Iberian Peninsula consists of Spain, Portugal, Gibraltar and Andorra).

So, just what is DNA? I wasn’t real sure, so I began to check into it. First off, DNA stands for Deoxyribonucleic Acid. “It is a molecule that carries the genetic instructions used in the growth, development, functioning and reproduction of all known living organisms.” In a word, it is the hereditary material found in all humans. 

Cornell Lab of Ornithology - #Giving Tuesday! Double Your Impact

JUST ANNOUNCED: Every gift will be doubled until midnight! Make your matching gift now >> Today is #GivingTuesday! In celebration of this meaningful day, one of our generous donors has agreed to match every gift made today, up to $100,000! Now is your chance to double your impact! Here at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology we are working each and every day to conduct research, educate, gather information, and make connections to better understand birds and wildlife and help protect our planet. Your gift of $30 to the Lab will not only help us further our vital work for the birds we love, but will also be matched dollar for dollar -- DOUBLING your impact. Please hurry and make your gift today before the match runs out. You won’t want to miss your chance to enable twice the amount of change this #GivingTuesday! Thanks again for your support, John W. Fitzpatrick Director Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Cornell Lab of Ornithology   159 Sapsucker Woods Rd.    Ithaca,  NY   14850   

The Old Farmer's Almanac: Upcycling Projects: Turn Your Trash into Garden Treasures!

Gardeners are a pretty thrifty bunch and it’s in the garden where repurposing old items into new really comes into its own.

From transforming tins into planters to repurposing old furniture for storing produce, there are countless ways to put worn out or unwanted items to good use in the garden.
In this short video we share some of our favorite garden upcycling ideas.

Let's Beat the Pests Together Want a warning when pests are heading towards your garden? Then get involved with the Big Bug Hunt research project! Report any bugs you've seen at: BigBugHunt.com

Other Videos to Help You Get the Most from Your Garden Learn essential gardening techniques in Under 5 minutes with our Gardening How-To video series:

Growing Garlic from Planting to Harvest How to plant, harvest and store for perfect garlic every time: Watch the video here >>

6 Proven Strategies for Year-round Harvests Tricks and techniques to keep your home-grown harvests coming all year round: Watch the video here >>

Washington Court House Christmas Parade

Kids of all ages turned out yesterday afternoon for the annual Washington Court House Christmas Parade.  Spectators could hardly have asked for a finer day for a parade, with sunny skies and temperatures reaching into the mid 40s.  This year's theme was "Peace on Earth".

During the first week of November, the Chamber of Commerce announced this year's parade marshals would be Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth, Fire Chief Tom Youtz and Police Chief Brian Hottinger.  Last week, they announced Fayette County EMS Director Rod List would also serve as a grand marshal.

There were more participant in this year's parade than in last year's.  Participants included Veterans, many church groups, youth groups, charities, classic cars, live stock and a cast of local folks portraying the Three Wise Men, clowns, Santas, etc.  Of course, as tradition demands, the Miami Trace and Washington Court House High School marching bands participated.

"Main Street Fayette” provided parade goers with free carriage rides.


Enjoy the photos and videos, below! 

 

Photo of the Day

Per Gary Tidd, this is a 1947 International Harvester firetruck.  It was parked today at Doug Marine.

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

Photo of the Day

Ron Palmer pilots a Cirrus R20, which he describes as an "over rated gas guzzler".  The photo was taken by his daughter, Rachel, somewhere over Kentucky. (Her great-great-great grandparents are the editor's great-grandparents.)

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

National Reciprocity - Licensing, State's Rights and The Second Amendment

Image from AmmoLand.com

In a recent discussion with Hoot Gibson* on the topic of national reciprocity for concealed carry permits, he posited the following question;  "If the Federal Government mandates a "National Right to Carry" wouldn't that be a violation of the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the US Constitution?  Just like the national mandate to purchase healthcare was/is!   Now, with that said...The Second Amendment already gives a national right to "bear" (carry) without any permit."
 ___________________________________

*Hoot is a retired USAF Master Sargent and  "First Shirt".  He was one of the Tech School instructors who taught me the finer points of weaponry and instructing.  We later served together and shot together on our unit's pistol team.  He was then and remains today a friend and mentor.
____________________________________

I replied; "Given that there is a Second Amendment, as you mention, it wouldn't violate the 9th or 10th; it would simply create a uniform standard, similar to a driver's license.  But I'm with you; there is already a national right to carry."

Hoot informed me I was wrong about driver's license reciprocity being federally mandated;  "There is no federal government requirement for state-to-state reciprocity.   These are agreements between the states".   I thought the driver's license issue might fall under the interstate commerce clause, and Hoot offered to do some research.

His research lead him to an article from "IT geek" and former law student, Kelly Kinkade.  In her article, she advises us that "Reciprocity of US state driver licenses across state lines is due to agreement between the several states and is not the result of any federal legislation."  The federal government does, however exercise a certain amount of leverage against the states via federal funding requirements.

Ms. Kinkade goes on to say,

"It is likely impossible—that is, unconstitutional—for the federal government to mandate that one state recognize a license issued by another state for any purpose, no matter what that be . . . (including) the possession of a firearm.  If the activity is one which the state is empowered to require (emphasis added) its own citizens to have a license to do, it is equally empowered to require citizens of another state to also be equivalently licensed . . .”

She believes it might be possible for the Supreme Court to establish a national right to carry via an interpretation of the Second Amendment by interpreting it as prohibiting the states from requiring a carry permit, at all.


"As long as the Constitutional right to bear arms does not preclude states from having the authority to grant or withhold licenses for concealed carry, states will have the right to do so on any terms, agreeable to that state, that do not violate the Fourteenth Amendment’s guarantees of equal protection and due process."

She believes the president or Congress, acting together or alone, do not have the authority to change the current practice; "any change here would have to come from the Supreme Court, using its power to interpret the Constitution to clarify the extent and scope of the Second Amendment’s guarantee, or in the form of a Constitutional Amendment to do the same thing."

Ms. Kinkade deserves credit for addressing the issue in an intellectual fashion, without bias.


While I concede the federal government cannot mandate that one state recognize a license issued by another state for such things as driving, the practicing law or medicine, plumbing and so forth, I must

Purple Heart Homes - Purple Friday

Editors Note:  Purple Heart Homes is an organization founded by disabled veterans, for disabled veterans.  They help provide low cost, affordable housing for disabled vets from all conflicts. It was my privilege to work with them on building two homes for Connecticut veterans.

You're already familiar with the concept of Black Friday and how those sales work, but have you ever found a Black Friday sale that benefits Service Connected Disabled Veterans directly? Purple Heart Homes has created an exclusive, limited-time offer that is unlike any other Black Friday special out there. PURPLE FRIDAY is an opportunity to join our Hearts of Honor Club at a 10% discounted rate! The sale will begin on Friday, November 24, at 5am and conclude on Tuesday, November 28, at 5pm. Memberships can be payed on a monthly or annual basis, and the updated numbers and benefits can be seen here: With the "Giving Season" upon us, we realized that we could create

Happy Thanksgiving From the Editor!

Photo of the Day

Somewhere in Fayette County.  Photo taken in 2005

If you have a great photo from anywhere in the south central Ohio vicinity that you would like to share, please forward it for consideration for the Photo of the Day to SouthCentalBulldog@gmail.com.

The Old Farmer's Almanac - The Value of Leaves

Foliage season is a mixed blessing. I have one eye on the gorgeous spectacle of changing colors and the other eye on the value of these leaves—and how I can put them to work.

Leaves that were just beginning to show some color yesterday will soon be brown and on the ground, their brief moment of glory gone. Here's how to use those fall leaves to feed your soil instead of sending them to a landfill.

Free Soil Amendment
Look at all those leaves as brown gold. The leaves of one large tree can be worth as much as $50 worth of plant food and humus. They are a rich source of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and trace minerals the tree roots have mined from deep in the subsoil. Pound for pound, leaves contain twice the mineral content of manure. The huge amount of organic matter they offer can be used to improve soil structure. Leaf humus can lighten heavy clay soils and increase the moisture retention of dry sandy soils. No organic gardener should pass up this opportunity for a free soil amendment.

Composting Leaves If you are not already composting, now is a good time to start. Rake or blow your leaves into loose piles or enclose them in bins, if you wish. If you want to speed up decomposition, mow over the leaves a few times with your lawn mower or shred them into smaller pieces with a leaf shredder or chipper. Many leaf vacs have a shredder in them to reduce the volume of the leaves being inhaled. Mix a shovelful of soil in each layer of leaves to introduce helpful microorganisms to the pile. Leaves are high in carbon but low in nitrogen so it helps to add a source of nitrogen like manure or grass clippings to help feed the bacteria that will be doing all the work of breaking down the leaves. Spent plants from the garden that were not diseased or infested with insects can be added to the pile along with kitchen scraps.

LEARN MORE: ECHO's National Sales Event—Big fall savings with instant rebates

Making Mulch Shredded leaves also make a good mulch. Just blow them into your flower beds and under trees and shrubs while mowing. We use a lightweight, no-noise leaf blower these days; it’s just so much quicker. We cover the beds in our vegetable garden with a layer of chopped leaves to keep the soil from washing away over the winter. The best time to mulch perennials is after the ground has frozen, so put aside another pile of shredded leaves to use later in the fall. Improve the Soil Don’t want to rake or blow your leaves at all? Researchers at Michigan State University have proven that mowing leaves on your lawn improves the soil, lessening the need for fertilizer in the spring. They recommend setting your mower blade 3 inches high and mowing once a week while the leaves are falling. As long as you don't have excessive leaf cover, do not be concerned. Mowed leaves feed worms, fungi, and soil bacteria. Don't be a perfectionist or fret if you don’t pick up every single leaf!

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