Senator Sherrod Brown - Celebrating Manufacturing Day

Celebrating Manufacturing Day On National Manufacturing Day, Senator Sherrod Brown toured Ohio, meeting with Ohio business, students, and community leaders to promote one of our state’s most important industries. “Today’s Ohio factories aren’t rusty – they’re innovative and high-tech, and will provide the good-paying, high-skilled jobs of the future,” said Brown. “Manufacturing has the strongest multiplier effect of any industry – for every $1 we invest in manufacturing, we add an additional $1.48 to our economy. In an era where hard work doesn’t pay off like it used to for so many workers, investing in good-paying manufacturing jobs is more critical than ever.” Photo from Senator Brown's Summer Manufacturing Camp in Licking County Brown started his Manufacturing Day tour in Canfield with a visit and roundtable discussion at the Cutting Edge Manufacturing Event. He followed that visit with stops in Guernsey and Muskingum Counties where he hosted more roundtable discussions on how best to continue Ohio’s strong tradition of manufacturing and innovation. Brown has spent his career fighting for Ohio manufacturing. Some of Brown’s efforts to champion Ohio manufactures and workers include: • Summer Manufacturing Camps • Seeking Better Trade Deals for Ohio workers • Leading Legislation to Support American Manufacturing In March, Brown unveiled a plan to make hard work pay off for Ohioans. For more than a year, Brown and his office studied the challenges facing workers in Ohio and across the country and compiled a comprehensive agenda of solutions. Brown has introduced legislation to implement his plan, and this week, he launched a new podcast, “Canarycast,” which features discussions moderated by Brown on how to restore the value of work in America.

Open the email in a browser | Unsubscribe

 

Senator Brown - Investing in State of the Art Schools

Investing in State of the Art Schools
If we want to prepare our students for 21st century jobs, we need to invest in 21st century classrooms. But too many of our schools have fallen into disrepair, and students can’t learn in schools that are crumbling around them.

Last week, several Ohio schools were forced to close early, taking away valuable classroom time, due to excessive heat and a lack of adequate air conditioning and modern ventilation in many older buildings.

Last month, I visited one Ohio high school that is 90 years old, and has never been renovated. And unfortunately, we see the same issues in schools across Ohio.

We need to invest in updating our schools, so that we can not only be prepared in circumstances like heat waves, but also so that we can continue to prepare the next generation of leaders.

That’s why this summer, I introduced the School Building Improvement Act of 2017, which would provide local districts with an infusion of direct grants and school construction bonds over the next 10 years to update our schools and create an estimated 1.9 million jobs across the country.

All of the school repair, renovation, and construction would be completed with American-made materials, supporting our local manufacturing and construction industries.

Nearly a quarter of state and local infrastructure dollars are spent on our public schools. This investment would support good jobs, putting Ohioans to work rebuilding schools with American-made steel, iron, and concrete.

During President Trump’s campaign, he promised a $1 trillion dollar investment in American infrastructure, built with American iron and steel and made by American workers. And since the beginning of the year, I’ve been clear that I’m eager to get to work with the president to make that investment a reality.

Rebuilding our schools has to be part of any plan. This is an investment that will pay off now, in the form of good constructions jobs, and in the future, as we better prepare the next generation of Ohioans for the workforce.

Sherrod

Toledo felon indicted following arrest with crack cocaine and 13 firearms, including unregistered sawed-off shotgun

A Toledo man arrested with 13 firearms was indicted on firearm and drug charges, said U.S. Attorney

Justin E. Herdman, FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony and Toledo Police Chief George Kral.

Markein Cargill, 46, was indicted on one count each of possessing firearms after being convicted of a felony; possessing an unregistered short-barrelled shotgun; possessing with intent to distribute crack cocaine; and using and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking offense. 

Cargill on Sept. 1, 2017, was arrested with 13 firearms, including a sawed-off 12-gauge shotgun with no serial number. Cargill was not allowed to possess firearms because of previous convictions for crimes involving heroin and cocaine, according to the indictment.

He also possessed with intent to distribute nearly 10 grams of crack cocaine, according to the indictment.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after reviewing factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

The investigating agencies in this case are the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Toledo Police Department.  The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Noah P. Hood.        

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Carnegie Public Library - Family Fun Day in the Cemetery, Saturday

An Update from State Senator Bob Peterson

Delivering on Our Promises

At the beginning of the year, I stood with my colleagues to announce our priorities for the Senate's two-year legislative cycle. We made a commitment to you to make Ohio a better place. Today, I am proud to say we have delivered on those commitments with the passage of all 10 of our priority bills, as well as many others. We've made great progress, but there's still more work to be done.

Your Priorities Are My Priorities

Focusing on the priorities of you and your family is the most important part of my job as your voice in the Statehouse. Please take a moment to complete this Quick Survey about the issues most important to you and your loved ones.

Helping Law Enforcement Connect Overdose Survivors with Services

Corrections Officer, Inmates Among Those Charged in Drug Conspiracy

DAYTON – The government unsealed an indictment today in which a federal grand jury has charged seven defendants, including a corrections officer, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Angela L. Byers, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine, Col. Paul A. Pride, Superintendent, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Gary Mohr, Director, Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction and members of the Warren County Drug Task Force announced the indictment returned last week.

The indictment charges James Barlage, Jr., 31, of Chillicothe, Mario Evans, 40, formerly of Dayton, Edward E. Bellman, 45, formerly of Miamisburg, Moses M. Stevens, 53, formerly of Xenia, Jon Christopher Birt, 50, of Dayton, Jamie L. Naegele, 47, of Brookville and Anthony Scott Blankenship, 32, of Columbus, with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

Barlage and Blankenship are also charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The indictment alleges that Barlage was employed as a corrections officer at Chillicothe Correctional Institute (CCI) in June and July 2017. At the same time, Evans, Bellman and Stevens were inmates at the prison.

According to the indictment, it was the object of the conspiracy to deliver methamphetamine to CCI for distribution within the prison.

Birt, an alleged methamphetamine distributor for the Dayton area, would obtain the drugs from his suppliers and he and Naegele would arrange for the delivery of the methamphetamine to the prison.

On at least one occasion, Barlage received the drugs from Birt for the purpose of redistributing within CCI.

“The defendants allegedly used at least one unauthorized cell phone within the prison to coordinate

NEW PREAMBLE TO THE CONSTITUTION:

Author unknown.

Image from Weebly

 

We the sensible people of the United States, in an attempt to help everyone get along, restore some semblance of justice, avoid more riots, keep our nation safe, promote positive behavior, and secure the blessings of debt-free liberty to ourselves and our great-great-great- grandchildren, hereby try one more time to ordain and establish some common sense guidelines for the terminally whiny, guilt ridden, delusional.  We hold these truths to be self evident: that a whole lot of people are confused by the Bill of Rights and are so dim they require a..... Bill of NON-Rights.'

ARTICLE I: You do not have the right to a new car, big screen TV, or any other form of wealth. More power to you if you can legally acquire them, but no one is guaranteeing anything.

ARTICLE II: You do not have the right to never be offended. This country is based on freedom, and that means freedom for everyone -- not  just you!  You may leave the room, turn the channel, express a different opinion, etc.; but the world is full of dummies, and probably always will be.

ARTICLE III: You do not have the right to be free from harm.  If you stick a screwdriver in your eye, learn to be more careful; do not expect the tool manufacturer to make you and all your relatives independently wealthy.

ARTICLE IV: You do not have the right to free food and housing.  Americans are the most charitable people to be found, and will gladly help anyone in need, but we are quickly growing weary of subsidizing generation after generation of professional couch potatoes and freeloaders who achieve nothing more than the creation of another generation of professional couch potatoes and freeloaders.
 
ARTICLE V: You do not have the right to free health care. That would be nice, but from the looks of public housing, we're just not interested in public health care.

ARTICLE VI: You do not have the right to physically harm other people. If you kidnap, rape, intentionally maim, or kill someone, don't be surprised if the rest of us want to see you get the blue juice.
 
ARTICLE VII: You do not have the right to the possessions of others. If you rob, cheat, or coerce

This Week's "American Political Zone"

The American Political Zone - A Political Commentary on Current Events

One of the best political discussion programs you can find, our hosts possess a vast knowledge of current affairs and they share this with us in a lively and interesting fashion.  Featuring Daria Novak, 2nd District Congressional Candidate and President of the Institute for American Politics, and Frank Vernuccio, New York Analysis Policyand Government, The American Political Zone is now a regular feature in The South Central Bulldog.

Today's topics are:   . . .

A Brother's Death - Part 4

This article first appeared in The Middletown Insider

This is the final installment of four videos depicting my brother Casey's living conditions, at the time he died.

In this video, we walk around the property and look into the out-buildings, one of which was crushed by a fallen cherry tree.

To anyone who has seen the other videos, this one will seem rather dull.  To gain a full appreciation of the deplorable circumstances under which my brother lived, one should see the other videos. 

Casey died on October 29th, 2016 at the age of 55.  The official cause of death, determined in January 2017, was an accidental overdose of Tramadol.

Casey was physically and mentally disabled and had been for many years.  He tried to get aid through Social Security; he sought aid through the Georgia Dept. of Social Services and was a recipient of food from a local food bank.  It is unclear how much, if any, aid he received from taxpayer funded sources.

What is abundantly clear, is that Casey did not receive the healthcare, mental or physical, that he needed.  Casey was one of those people who truly needed help, but did not get it.  Casey is not alone; there are inestimable thousands in similar straits.

The purpose of sharing these videos is to raise awareness of what sort of living conditions the mentally disabled, who don't get help, can and do fall into.  When time allows, the videographer is going to do something (he's not yet sure just what) with the videos and what he has learned, to help bring substantive change to a failed bureaucratic system.

New evidence that claims of a worker shortage are false

Employers fail to fill up H-2B visa expansion suggesting their claims of a worker shortage are false

For years, we've heard the cries from employers who claim they can't find enough American workers to fill temporary and seasonal jobs across the country. But when it came time to prove their claims were real, they couldn't produce.

You may remember that Congress authorized then-DHS Secretary John Kelly earlier this year to increase the number of H-2B visas by around 70,000 for the 2017 fiscal year. The H-2B visa is mostly used by landscaping, hospitality and food service industries to fill jobs that are seasonal or temporary in nature.

Much to the disappointment of the employers, Kelly made only 15,000 of the 70,000 available. And we learned this week, that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has stopped accepting applications after receiving just 13,534 applications.

The same employers who complained that the increase was too small couldn't file enough applications to fill it!

Kelly did add two extra hurdles for employers who wanted the extra foreign workers. First, they were required to demonstrate that their business would "suffer irreparable harm" if they didn't get more foreign workers. Second, they had to show that they exhausted every attempt to recruit American workers. Based on those requirements, it's entirely possible that not all of those 13,534 applications will actually get approved.

Research from both the Economic Policy Institute and the Center for Immigration Studies suggests that there is no labor shortage in the industries that most rely on H-2B visas. The fact that employers couldn't use the full 15,000 additional visas proves their point and shows that employers really don't need foreign workers; they just prefer them over American workers.

We can only hope that Congress learns from this lesson and will reject future calls from employers to increase the number of foreign guest workers. Of course, Congress tends to have a short memory, so it will require your activism efforts to remind them of this most recent event.

TRUMP ADMIN APPROVES NEARLY 6,000 INITIAL DACA APPLICATIONS