“Don’t Let The Memory Of Them Drift Away”

Photo Source Original Through EPA Evening Standard

IN FLANDERS FIELDS the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

John McCrae

Here it comes CRA(PPPPP)

DEPENDS ON THE DAY IT SEEMS..what the politicians have to say

http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/11/10/news/mj1869084.txt
HAVE THEY CHANGED THEIR TUNE??? Not what they told us ??

Before the vote, Mayor Anthony Krasienko told council the city’s legal advisers have said the original ordinance, passed in 2006, is “illegal, unlawful and flawed.”

He said the program was administered poorly by the then-Mayor Craig Foltin and former Community Development Director Sanford Prudoff.

HOWEVER LET US GO BACK TO:

Thursday January 29th-2009
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/01/29/news/doc4981224403197887573517.txt
Krasienko said the CRA program is working well despite those possible problem areas. He said no changes need to be made in the Community Development Department’s administration of the program because the auditor’s office has a check on them.

“Ziance said the CRA program is perfectly legal and falls within what the state statute allows.”
and then there is this from the attorney’s to this blog

http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/03/18/cra-questions-and-answers/

QUESTION
The legislation stating the abatement period “should”
provide the percentage of abatement….
Q. Does the stated abatement in the contract held by the property owners meet that requirement . For instance back to the 50% abatement for 1 year UNLESS……..100% for 15 years or 12 ( depending if it is a rehab etc.

ANSWER……..

Yes, combined with the language in the states CRA Act

( what is a reader supposed to think??)

AND NOW BACK FROM THE FUTURE THE BETLESKI BACKERS
Chronicle Telegram:
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/11/10/lorain-council-rejects-deal-with-county-auditor-on-tax-breaks/

I maintain those who voted against this don’t understand it and never have and want to get out of dealing with it by passing the buck to the 9th District Court,” Holcomb said. “The only issue the appellate court can rule on is whether (Common Pleas Court) Judge (Mark) Betleski can hear it.”

That’s something Stewart confirmed Monday night, saying it’s “an impossibility” for the appellate court to decide whether the CRA legislation now on the books is legal.

AND let us not forget that Mr. Greg Holcomb had more than a passing interest

http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/is-it-the-fish-that-stinks-or-the-company/

Why were the two Lorain council people free to speak to the Plain Dealer in that article -
Councilman Holcomb and
Councilman Snodgrass

when at least one informed the public and myself, on at least two occasions, they were unable to discuss the CRA program due to pending litigation. Yet, apparently, no such “gag order” was in place for the PD article and why wasn’t the fact mentioned in that PD article, that the two most outspoken critics of the City CRA and fellow council person Dan Given ( as noted on the pages of WoM and page 5 PD article)of THEIR other hats?

The question that begs to be asked “were they acting in the City of Lorain’s best interest as City Council people or as EMPLOYEES of Mark Stewart, their boss, the respondent in the lawsuits?”

WHAT HAT?

although now working elsewhere was also a Stewart employee during much of this argy bargy ..

and Here comes THE FRIENDLY JUDGE YOU can run but you can’t hide – we still see you with Mon Generale Stewart

http://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2008/02/18/is-it-the-fish-that-stinks-or-the-company/

Just to repeat:

And speaking of too many hats:

People in CRA 4 cannot even complain to their council person (Craig Snodgrass)

because he is under a “gag order” and is also the Chief Deputy of Finance for County Auditor Mark Stewart. ( enough to make you gag!)

The other argument that Chandra and Stewart make in their dismissal

The City is a party to two pending actions, a declaratory judgement and an administrative appeal, before the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas etc

TOO MANY HATS

Mark Betleski, The Judge

is the brother of Phil Betleski
(‘Nervous’ Betleski avoids jail time for theft in office)
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/03/04/news/mj697177.txt

the former Lorain City Councilman who voted AYE on the amendments and then was running against Dan Given for Council at Large, contacted the Chronicle with his concerns, which the Chronicle then wrote about AFTER the election,

LORAIN — Councilman Phil Betleski has accused two fellow councilmen of violating the Ohio ethics code and is calling for one of them to resign from a committee position. Betleski, D-2nd Ward, sent an e-mail to Councilman Dan Given dated May 1 in which he asks Given to recuse himself as chairman of the Tax Incentive Review Committee. He also wrote that Councilman Tony Krasienko, another committee member, was in violation, too.

Then we have Judge Betleskis Law Clerk- John Keys -who just happens to be married to Linda Keys who sent out the letters of denial ( you guessed it )works for Mark Stewart as well

The abatements were first called into question earlier this year when they came across the desk of county auditor employee Linda Keys…… The chief deputy for the real estate section in the Lorain County Auditor’s office, Keys is the official who processes abatement applications

I wonder why the PD isn’t asking about that seemingly conflict of interest? And they have a problem with Dan Given wearing too many hats !!! Can we say hypocritical? And can we say

people who wear too many hats themselves -shouldn’t toss them

AND THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING THEIR LUNCH WITH HERE COME THE JUDGE!!!!!!

-
Let us remember the “Betleski Connection” as we read these words of wisdom from the Generale
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/11/10/lorain-council-rejects-deal-with-county-auditor-on-tax-breaks/

“The case is assigned to Judge Betleski,” Stewart said. “You have to go to the local judge before you can to the appellate court.”

AND HE WITH THE DEEPEST POCKETS WINS AND WE THE TAXPAYERS LOSE!!!!

A question: can it be that if the Judge rules in favor of the County then the City of Lorain can indeed be held harmless for future litigation ???? Just a thought

CHRIS’ CREW – THANK YOU

( design C. Ritchey)

WOULD LIKE TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE WHO DONATED ITEMS AND BASKETS FOR THE FUNDRAISER ON OCTOBER 25TH 2009

And I to would like to add my personal thanks. The above list was complete at the time of print but there were so many more after the publication date . I was unable to attend but I am told 854 dinners were served and over 900 tickets sold.

photo Paula Tobias

There are a few more that should be added to the lists for baskets , publicity and donations to the day and I am sure I am missing some but:
Ta! very much !!!! ( in no particular order) to
THE BOYERS, THE ROBBINS, THE ISENBERGS, THE SAGERTS, THE TOBIAS’, THE KREBS, NANA, MARIO MATTEI,
PUBLICITY
THE MCCARTNEY’S (SQP)
THE MORNING JOURNAL, FORD MOTOR COMPANY , LORAIN COUNTY PHOTOGRAPHERS GROUP. BUSTER’S MOMMA, BUCKEYE RHINO BLOG, LORAIN COUNTY DOT COM, LORAIN ARTS COUNCIL, LORAIN GROWTH CORPORATION , BLACKRIVER HISTORICAL SOCIETY, CITY OF LORAIN

We are in awe of all the support Loraine

An Update Houston and Hodgkins

Face of Cancer

As most of you know two months ago we were handed the horrible news that all known treatment used in the “curable cancer” ( Hodgkin’s Lymphoma) hadn’t worked -our options were exhausted- we were devastated and terrified .

A mention was made of a trial for a new drug SGN 35 that was being fast tracked through the FDA due to good results in the initial trials. We were also told that the trial had just closed although my son was on a waiting list nationally.

We decided to go to MD Anderson in Houston where they have research and the latest treatment ongoing in all types of Cancer.

For the past two months I have been living in Houston, blue skies, palm trees, warm breezes but as beautiful as the surroundings in Houston I have been in my own “Hell”

Yesterday was the first restaging of my son after having 6 infusions ( one a week with one week off) for the drug SGN35. The scans have shown clear- he is responding well so far and although he is having trouble with some of the side effects – it looks like the drug is working on the Cancer.

Since this treatment is experimental we are all going day by day , but to see the faces on the research team at MD Anderson was a joy matched only by our own as they gave us the results.

I am back in Lorain – to news of layoffs , financial straits, potholes , CRA(p) and trees without leaves and to me it is “Heaven “and the people who live here and have been so supportive of us are Lorain’s real Guardian Angels.

Thank you and also to those of you in the rest of the world- there are a couple in Houston who have been put on pedestals too and they know who they are Loraine

.

Remembering Guy Fawkes :)

A Penny for the GUY ( Fawkes)

Can’t burn him in effigy here in Houston- I already set off the fire alarms with my cooking- a bonfire might just get us thrown out!

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent
To blow up King and Parliament.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England’s overthrow;
By God’s providence he was catch’d
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

CRA (p) is it over or just hitting the fan?

CRA (p)
Morning Journal:
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2009/10/30/news/mj1818826.txt

The city will also pay $50,000 toward Stewart’s legal fees, according to the agreement.

( Graph August 18th 2008 hmmmmmmmmm wonder how much we the taxpayers have spent already????- Maybe time for public disclosure (OF ALL EXPENSES)

Chronicle Telegram

http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2009/10/30/tax-battle-ends-mayor-county-auditor-compromise-over-cra-program-in-lorain/

OH! OH ! Do I hear the ghost “of litigation yet to come”- I hope NOT for WE the of the part of the equation that is picking up ALL the bills- County – City – and private attorneys.

Is the Fat Lady singing – is it the blues- or is it Chum Chandra finally getting his ovation??? or can that be the whirring of the fan

THANK YOU ALL !!!!!!

TO ALL OF YOU – I AM TOLD OVER 900 TICKETS WERE SOLD FOR THE FUND RAISER AND 854 DINNERS WERE SERVED! I CAN’T BEGIN TO THANK EVERYONE – THE JOURNEY HAS BEEN MADE A LITTLE EASIER THANKS TO ALL OF YOU !!!! I WILL BE WRITING THANK YOU LETTERS ETC. WHEN I GET HOME IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS- LORAINE

HAPPY DAY AFTER TRAFALGAR DAY!!!!

Ok! so here I am in Houston and my “worry room” has expanded to a huge apartment complex. One of my friends was worried that Chris would need pyschiatric treatment after spending intense time with “that woman” so I have been trying to make myself scarce for some of the day .

As noted before, I come to the Internet Cafe in the complex and catch up on line and do the obligatory emails. I often pop over to TWB as he takes my mind away from the worry for a little bit he makes me smile and makes me think.

Yesterday I mentioned it was Trafalgar Day ( maybe the reason he had been celebrating and he has kindly researched the fact that around Trafalgar Square

The Battle of Trafalgar in 1805 was the most decisive British naval victory of the Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815). Twenty-seven British ships of the line led (click map to enlarge) by Admiral Lord Nelson aboard HMS Victory defeated thirty-three French and Spanish ships of the line under French Admiral Pierre Villeneuve off the south-west coast of Spain, just west of a place named Cape Trafalgar (oddly enough). The Franco-Spanish fleet lost twenty-two ships, without a single British vessel being lost.
Nelson was mortally wounded during the battle, becoming Britain’s greatest war hero of the time and then only succeeded by Wellington himself. The commander of the joint French and Spanish forces, Admiral Pierre de Villeneuve, was captured along with his ship Bucentaure.

my information re the cannons of the “Fr**nch do indeed adorn the square in one form or another :

as I mention in the comments section, each street lamp running from Trafalgar Square to Buckingham Place has a ship on it that was defeated by Nelson.

Old captured weapons adorn the streets of London, it was indeed common practice to spike and use them or melt them down, using them as trophies of sorts. None more so than old cannons. All over London and indeed the UK you will see a certain shape of bollard on the sides of roads etc – these are often old small canons that were captured from the ‘then’ enemies of the realm – and there was a hell of a lot of them.

You can see the photos and read about the Brits ( who had they not been somewhat engaged elsewhere during the War of 1812
and locally ( Lorain) the famous phrase by Oliver Hazzard Perry – Battle of Lake Erie “We have met the enemy and they are ours” ( may have not been uttered –
thanks to The Wondering Brit
http://twbrit.com/2009/10/21/trafalgar-day/

But I think Lorain can take an idea from the Trafalgar – how about replicas of the ships that were built in Lorain adorning our highways and byways? Must be those coffee fumes again

THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!

FOR ALL THAT HAVE TAKEN THE TIME TO DONATE – BUY TICKETS – AND HAVE PUBLICIZED THROUGH YOUR BLOGS AND MEDIA AND ESPECIALLY TO THOSE THAT HAVE AND ARE WORKING SO HARD ON THE FUNDRAISER ( CHRIS’ CREW )- I CAN’T BEGIN TO THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH – WORDS FAIL ME – LORAINE

FUNDRAISER UPDATE- NO TICKEE NO TV :)

The Committee for Chris- aka Chris’ Crew would very much like a head count by this weekend so please if you haven’t got the tickets yet and plan to come please contact Nikki at 440-282-3195

FUNDRAISER FOR CHRIS
When – Sunday – OCTOBER 25TH -1:00 -5:00

Where- Rosewood Place- 4493 Oberlin Avenue- Lorain Ohio 44053

What – Spaghetti Dinner- Silent Auction – 50/50 raffle – Browns Game ( on a big screen TV)

How Much – $15.00 – kinds under 5 eat free.

Tickets and or reservations – please call Nikki -440-282-3195

The Crew tells me there are literally dozens of gift baskets containing something for everyone – from tools, firepits, Cavs games, Browns games and everything to go with them- professional teeth whitening – Celtic goodies- romantic weekends – ( beach condo steps from the water at Catawba )- and hotel rooms- food and drink and a flat screen TV is also in the baskets- So please call is you haven’t already got your tickets- Loraine