Fox 61 Reports: Connecticut native who retired Puerto Rico escapes Maria’s aftermath

Home of John Rossier, Mayaguez, PR

MIDDLETOWN --  When Middletown native John Rossier moved to Puerto Rico in 2012, it was an

island of paradise with a climate that was tailor made for his health issues.

He had a little wood frame tin roof home in Aguadilla on the northwest corner of the island. And even though he wasn't terribly concerned about Hurricane Maria, he decided it wasn't the place to ride out the storm.

He tried to fly out, but the storm disrupted that plan where he tried to find space in a shelter.
"That was completely packed, there was a line 600 people long to get in," said Rossier.
So he went to a friend's house in nearby Isabella, which he said ended up taking the brunt of the storm.

"I heard a gigantic roar making noise and that was nonstop for 12 hours, unrelenting for 12 hours," said Rossier.

Rossier said "I closed the windows as fast as I could. I laid down in the corner of the home at a 90 degree angle, the concrete home, the home filled with water, even though it was on a hill. Rain and wind was so intense it came right through the closed windows," said Rossier.

Read the entire report an watch John's interview, here on Fox61.com.

Senator Brown - Demanding Answers from Wells Fargo and Equifax

The story has become all too familiar: A big financial institution screws up. Executives walk away with millions of dollars. Tens of millions of Americans end up holding the bag. The latest culprits are Wells Fargo and Equifax, and last week, Senator Brown led the Senate Banking Committee in pressing the companies for answers. “Congress needs to stand on the side of working people, not Wall Street. These hearings are about getting answers for the people we serve,” said Brown. Wells Fargo Last Tuesday, Senator Brown demanded answers from Wells Fargo CEO Timothy Sloan about the company’s failure to detect millions of fraudulent accounts opened in customers’ names, as well as the company’s practice of forcing unwanted insurance on auto loan borrowers. Brown pressed Sloan on Wells Fargo’s use of so-called forced arbitration clauses to block customers from seeking justice in the court system. “Forced arbitration always gives the advantage to the bank, and you are continuing to use forced arbitration to take advantage of your customers. Why should we believe you are committed to changing your practices and being fair to customers when you continue to use closed-door arbitration practices that deny customers their day in court?” Brown questioned Sloan. As the CEO side-stepped Brown’s question, the Senator interrupted, “Give customers their day in court.” Equifax Last Wednesday, Senator Brown questioned former Equifax CEO Richard F. Smith in the wake of a massive data breach that exposed the data of 145 million Americans. According to Equifax, more than 5.2 million Ohioans were impacted by the breach.  Brown called for Equifax to invest more in security and less in huge salaries for CEOs. He pointed out that Equifax spent nearly as much on Smith’s multi-million dollar salary as the company spent on cybersecurity. Since last year, Smith earned about $69 million, while Equifax spends just $85 million a year on cybersecurity. “In hindsight, do you think Equifax should have spent more money protecting peoples’ data rather than compensating you so well?” Brown asked Smith. “You’re an IT company. That’s just not acceptable.”

 

GRAND MARSHAL NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS PARADE (Nine days remaining)

Photo: 2016 Parade honoree Kerry “Termite” Bell
 (center) with Chamber Director Whitney Gentry 
( left) and Bell’s daughter Jennifer West

The Fayette County Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for Grand Marshal honors at the 2017 Christmas Parade, slated for Sunday, November 26 at 3pm. Nomination forms can be obtained at the Chamber office, 206 E. Court Street, by calling 740.335.0761 or from the organization’s website fayettecountyohio.com. All nominations must be received by Friday, October 20th.

Roots in Ripon - A Look at the 2nd Amendment

Image from Ranger Up

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

9 October 2017

www.chuckroots.com

Once again, our nation has been rocked and shocked by the utterly senseless killing of concert attendees at a live country and western shindig last weekend. Such villainy should cause every American to pause and ask how it is that our nation has arrived at a point where wanton killing is reluctantly embraced as the norm. 

A brief, succinct answer would be centered around the devaluing of life – human life in particular. Make no mistake! We have become numb to the gruesome reality of a million babies aborted in the United States every year. You can bet we have lost the key ingredient in valuing human life. That key ingredient is that God is the Creator of all life. 

If we fall into the trap of excluding God from our appreciation of life, then we will, by default, have a view of life that is less than the view that God holds. Thus, we proceed on the slippery slope of man’s degenerating opinion of life, and our inability to see some life as worthy, and other life as unworthy, or even unnecessary or inconvenient.  

If there is one conclusion that is easily drawn from the most cursory of analyses concerning the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, it is that God is supreme, and all human life is precious. The authors of the Constitution intended it to be clear from the outset, despite the practice of slavery at the time of the formation of the nation.

The 2^nd Amendment is a lightning rod issue, causing debate from kitchen tables to the Supreme Court, running the emotional gamut often with a ferocious intensity. 

So, why did the Founding Fathers make this 2^nd Amendment? Quite simply, to put into the hands of these new American citizens in the 1780s the awesome responsibility of governing themselves by creating a government that was answerable to “We the People”, and not the other way around.

URGENT: Volunteers with engineering and mechanical skills needed in Puerto Rico!

by Nancy Oakley This Updated CALL to ACTION is for volunteers with expertise and hands-on knowledge 0f HVAC, generator repair, electrical, plumbing, etc. Former combat engineers would be invaluable. UPDATE: When you respond to the email address below, please include your phone number so we can contact you! The ventilation system at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Aguadilla was severely damaged by Hurricane Maria. Currently, there is still no electricity for the hospital, no working generator, and no air conditioning or dehumidifier in a hot, humid climate. These conditions put the patients currently in this hospital at risk. Some of the most critical patients have been airlifted to the mainland, but there is still an urgent need for a functioning regional hospital. We are especially looking for volunteers who can be in Ft. Lauderdale by Thursday evening for a flight to Puerto Rico on Friday morning, October 13. If you have these skills to share, please email Billy Simmons at puertorico@oathkeepers.org. Please include your phone number in your email reply. He will respond in the evening after work. Those who will be joining our team in Puerto Rico, please contact and stay in touch with Billy. Oath Keepers members are familiar with our CPT program. With our Community Preparedness Teams, we prepare, ahead of time, for potential emergencies or disasters. The

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital - Thank you for standing with us against childhood cancer

We couldn't do it without you. You: spread the word about Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and the kids of St. Jude. helped make the St. Jude Walk/Run to End Childhood Cancer a success. rallied your communities to join our mission. For taking action, we'd like to say thank you! See how your help makes an impact. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% when the hospital opened in 1962 to more than 80% today. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer. Let's end childhood cancer. Together. Donate today.

Senators Tap A Blood Money Vein

"The eyes have it."

It’s OK apparently to offer false solutions to serious problems – a national replication of Connecticut’s gun restrictions will not prevent mass slaughters such as happened at a Country and Western concert in Las Vegas – but profiting politically from wading in blood may be a bridge too far.

Concerning U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy’s most recent campaign money grab, Kevin Rennie writes in a Hartford paper, “If a politician is going to try to raise money off the dead and wounded of the Las Vegas slaughter only hours after the attack, be honest about it. U.S. Senator Christopher Murphy wants the money but wrapped his fundraising appeal in a deceptive request of support for control advocates. Murphy’s Monday email sought contributions for Americans for Responsible Solutions PAC, Everytown and Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. When supporters clicked through to the Act Blue donation site, there was a fourth organization splitting contributions, Murphy’s re-election campaign.”

Incumbent politicians rolling in campaign dough is one thing: Federal Election Commission reports indicate that Murphy presently has a campaign war chest of a little over $5 million and rising. Blumenthal, recently re-elected, already has $164,367 in his campaign kitty. No opposition party challenger can meet these figures, which is why incumbents roll in money for as long as they continue in office. Rolling in blood money, however, is still frowned upon in some quarters.

Four years ago, a newspaper commended Governor Dannel Malloy and U.S. Senators Dick Blumenthal and Chris Murphy for providing a public platform to victims' families. Far from politicizing a tragedy, the mass murder of school children in Newtown, the politicians were “helping [to] give voice to the victims' families. [Governor]  Malloy went so far as to send public Twitter messages to U.S. senators who were blocking a vote on gun legislation, asking that they return phone calls from the daughter of murdered Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Hochsprung.”

This noble effort was followed by a pitch for campaign funds. The paper noted: "'In the wake of the horror of the December 14, 2012, massacre of 20 beautiful children and 6 dedicated educators,’ Blumenthal is asking supporters to send money to his 2016 re-election campaign! ‘As your senator, I will continue fighting for the rights of all the people, not the special interests. But I need your help,’ Blumenthal wrote in an email to supporters Thursday morning. ‘Please contribute $5 now as the Senate debate continues on common-sense gun reform legislation this week.’”

This craven grab for blood money produced an editorial rebuke: “Using the ‘horror’ of the ‘massacre of 20 beautiful children’ at a time when critical legislation honoring their memory is at stake to beg for $5 for your next political campaign is as tasteless as it gets.”

Asked if he thought he was misusing the victims of the Sandy Hook massacre, Blumenthal sought to

Roots in Ripon - Marine Corps Museum

Image from Aero Dynamic Media

Roots in Ripon

Chuck Roots

2 October 2017

www.chuckroots.com

“We’re surrounded . . . that simplifies our problem.”

As part of our two weeks of travel, Isaura and I drove from our Brats Reunion in Huntsville, Alabama to my brother’s home in Great Falls, Virginia (608 miles). Such visits with my brother John, whether he comes to California, or I go to Virginia, is always an occasion for numerous rounds of golf! 

We had the opportunity to visit with a number of friends here in Virginia, some we haven’t seen in many years. All visits were centered around food and laughs. One of the Brats I saw in Huntsville last week I had not seen in 53 years! It just so happens that he and his family live in Great Falls! So, we met at a Mexican restaurant, El Tio, in Great Falls. Steve and Laura Robinson are a delightful couple. She and Isaura were chatting non-stop the whole evening.

We decided to spend a day to ourselves last Thursday, so we drove to Quantico, Virginia to visit the National Museum of the Marine Corps. I had visited this museum not long after it opened in 2006. However, since then it has been expanded which now includes a portrayal of all the wars the Marines have fought in. Initially, it covered World War Two through Vietnam because veterans of those wars could see their own history. The museum boasts more than 500,000 visitors a year. 

The day we visited was a bright, sunny day so the hour-long drive was a pleasure. The museum is self-guided, allowing time to pause at various points of interest. In my initial planning for this outing, I figured we’d be there two, or maybe three hours which would include lunch. Boy! Was I mistaken. 

The museum opens at 10:00 am, so we figured to be there when it opened. When we left it was already getting close to 4:30. We started by watching a 13-minute video introducing the museum and how it came to be. “The Museum is a public-private partnership between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation.” We then sat in on a 45-minute film which took you through the training regimen of a Marine. Having experienced this first hand nearly 50 years ago, I just smiled as I recalled the various rigors of boot camp followed by infantry combat training. My wife, on the other hand, was stunned to near silence. She had no idea just how harsh and brutal the training is in the making of a Marine. But then again, war is a nasty business. Perhaps a comment on one of the placards says it best. “For Marines, ‘First to Fight’ is both a promise and a point of pride. Readiness for rapid deployment and sudden violence demands strict discipline and tough training.”

Rob's Rundown: Week of October 2-6, 2017 Sen. Portman's Week in Review

This week, Senator Portman focused his efforts on reforming our broken tax code to help create jobs, boost wages, and increase opportunity for all Americans. Portman also continued to build momentum for his bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, urged Congress to extend the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and more. For an in depth look at Senator Portman’s week, please see the following: Tuesday, October 3 On Fox Business, Portman Discusses Tax Reform, Puerto Rico & Las Vegas During an interview on Fox Business, Portman discussed his efforts to simplify and reform the tax code to create more jobs and increase wages, the ongoing relief efforts in Puerto Rico, and the horrific shooting in Las Vegas. Excerpts of the interview can be found here and a video can be found here. Senators Welcome Support from IBM for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act Senators Portman and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) issued the following joint statement welcoming the support of IBM for passing the bipartisan Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act: “There is significant and growing bipartisan support for the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act, and we are pleased that IBM has added its important voice to this effort. We have a responsibility to hold online sex traffickers accountable and ensure that trafficking survivors can get the justice they deserve.  This narrowly-crafted bill would accomplish that goal.  It’s time for the Senate to act.”  NOTE: Oracle, Hewlett-Packard Enterprise, 21st Century Fox, and the Walt Disney Company all recently endorsed this legislation—in addition to dozens of anti-human trafficking and law enforcement groups. The full text of IBM’s letter of support is here. At Senate Finance Hearing, Portman Urges Action on Tax Reform

Trump - Week 37: Praying for Every American

TRUMP PENCE WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
10.7.17

 

CALLING UPON THE BONDS THAT UNITE US

Our nation is still in shock and mourning following the massacre of 58 concertgoers and hundreds of others injured in Las Vegas. When President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump traveled there to support the victims and their families, and to thank the heroic first responders and law enforcement community, the President delivered words of comfort and healing saying: "We know that your sorrow feels endless. We stand together to help you carry your pain…In moments of tragedy and horror, America comes together as one. We call upon the bonds that unite us -- our faith, our family, and our shared values. Please join us in praying for Las Vegas, including all of those lost or injured in the attack, their families, and the medical and law enforcement professionals assisting in recovery and healing.


WE’LL ALL GET IT DONE TOGETHER

Earlier in the week, President Trump and the First Lady traveled to Puerto Rico to comfort the survivors of Hurricane Maria, show their support, and to receive a briefing on federal disaster relief efforts. The President delivered remarks at a National Guard Base, distributed supplies at a local church, and thanked all of the first responders and citizens supporting disaster relief. The recovery in Puerto Rico will be long and difficult, but the President has pledged to support our fellow Americans there, which began before the storm hit the islands and will continue until the job is done.