Archive for June, 2011
Port Fest and Post Office
Changes = “fireworks”
Lorain Port AuthorityPort Fest is this Sunday changed to coincide with the fireworks for the 4th of July
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/06/30/opinion/mj4740694.txt
Pairing Port Fest with holiday festivities a good idea for Lorain -Morning Journal
So this year, the port authority decided to hold a one-day Port Fest on Sunday, July 3, as a prelude to its popular fireworks display and pack it with several waterfront-related activities, tours and festivities.
There are “fireworks in South Lorain” of a different sort
In their infinite wisdom the United States Postal Service has decided to close the South Lorain Post office as Kalin Stipe mentioned on Lorain County dot Comthis affects the 9,000 households in South Lorain
The USPS has announced that they are closing the South Lorain post office by the end of the year. They admit that it is not based on performance, but on logistics. We are a city of 70,000 people and 3 zip codes. Do you oppose the closing as I do? Then, if you haven’t had a chance to sign the paper petitions being circulated, please sign the online petition:
Kalin and the supporters of keeping the South Lorain Post office have petitions available and also an on-line petition started-
http://www.change.org/petitions/usps-keep-the-post-office-in-south-lorain-open
Fleet Admiral King – continued
Part One
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/flag-raising-fleet-admiral-king/
Fleet Admiral King
Lisa, of Busters House would like to know if anyone has any information as to who was the artist- any ideas?????????
http://bustershouse.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/a-lorain-history-mystery/
A Night View
As with any project there are always hiccups. As most are aware there isn’t any electricity at the site so therefore we had to go solar in order to light the flag at night. We had to use a bucket truck and the Electrical Dept. to get the solar panel and light up to the cross arm of the flag pole. However, in the blustery winds the solar panel moved and was pointing the wrong way – a readjustment and tightening up had to be done. Now it turns out we have to adjust the light direction as it is hitting the bar.
The problem is we can only do the adjustments in the day time which makes “light direction” a bit difficult but there is a light on the flag and we will sort this out.
The weather also played havoc with pouring the concrete around the flag pole the week before the flag raising ceremony.Thanks to John Falbo and Terminal Ready- Mix Inc after a week of rain delays they have poured the ocean, lake, sky blue concrete around the base of the flag pole. Our gratitude goes without saying
It takes many, many hands, expertise and talent to get projects like this up and running. I also wanted to share some photos taken by another photographer last Saturday – following photos were taken by
ROGER BROWNSON and appear with his permission:
Preparing to raise the flags
THE BEGINNING- 113 HAMILTON AVE.- BIRTHPLACE OF FLEET ADMIRAL ERNEST J. KING 
Flag Raising – Fleet Admiral King
photo E. L. Ritchey
Others have covered ( with video) the ceremony on Saturday and their posts are listed :
Mark Teleha (Lorain County Photographers Blog) – photos and videos
http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=637
The Morning Journal–
(text and videos)
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/06/26/news/doc4e0647747f9ee513448081.txt
Daniel Brady
http://danielebrady.blogspot.com/2011/06/admiral-king-tribute-site-flag-raising.html
However, from my perspective as I stood to the side – I saw all the people in the crowd those that made this possible- from the donors – those that helped smooth the way – in some cases literally by laying the walkway-those that photograph and keep the record and publicize. .
Lorain Fire Dept – TAPS- and Flag unfurl Photos Tracy Isenberg
The people who always say yes and always have the ideas….Black River Historical Society who continue caring -not just about history but about Lorain and also her present and future-
Frank Sipkovsky – who not only cared for the flag pole from the old American Ship , but painted and refurbished the same. In fact in the very beginning of choosing the site we had him “be the flag pole” 🙂
Renee Dore– who has a vision and a pride for her neighborhood and is Charleston Village’s Port Side Chairperson. Renee’s excitement is infectious .
Gary Fischer– a man of many hats 😉 who ALWAYS comes through for us- his love of his city is apparent -his designs are there from the Charleston Pioneer Cemetery,(Lorain County Beautiful Award 2007)
Settlers’ Watch – Lorain County Beautiful Award 2010
Photo Mark Telela
and now the Fleet Admiral King Tribute Project.
A tribute that started on my living room floor with Renee saying
we should at least have a flag pole to honor Admiral King in his neighborhood
and so it began……….
As I watched the respect shown to a man, an ideal , a country and her flag on that windy Saturday – you couldn’t help but feel pride and a sense of community.
photo- P. Tobias
As Gary Fischer ( also our MC) introduced his father – who was a serving member under Admiral King and the choking in his voice , the men in uniform that have given and those that continue to give I was glad the wind ( although cold off the lake) was making her presence known- she lifted aloft not only the flags but also the words, emotions and thanks to the heavens.
Everyone will be officially thanked at the formal dedication of the site in September but Frank, Gary and Renee thanks for saying YES!
Photos- Rich Robbin from the Black River Bicentennial Celebration 2007 and they still say YES!!!
Frank Sipkovsky
Renee Dore
Andrea and Gary Fischer
Fleet Admiral Ernest J. King- Tribute Flag raising
On Saturday – June 25th 2011 at 11:00 am. corner 1st Street and Hamilton Avenue- 55 years after Fleet Admiral King passed away – we will raise the Flag of the United States of America out of respect to the man who from humble beginnings went on to hold the highest rank in the United States Navy.
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/05/23/fleet-admiral-ernest-j-king-remembering-you/
Photo by Lisa Miller
This tribute is not finished- this is just Phase One -but Black River Historical Society and Charleston Village Society thought raising the flag on this day would be fitting.
To complete Phase One we have had donations of in kind, labour , materials and money. Another post will be thanking all who have contributed.
http://www.locophotogblog.com/?p=633
We had a dress rehearsal this week to make sure all the flags would fly , and the solar light would light.
Our thanks has to go to the City of Lorain Administration and Lorain City Council , the Lorain Utilities Dept, Lorain Street Dept for their patience , help , advice and for agreeing to have this tribute on their property.
Dress Rehearsal:
Fitting the solar light
Frank checking the signal flags – they spell K I N G
Checking to make sure all would fly right!
Making sure the flag is folded correctly 
The ceremony will be simple on Saturday -all are welcome- remember this is still a work in progress and we have a long way to go before the final dedication at the end of the summer ( date to be announced) but it is one phase of three……
To Be Continued………….
Three Coins in a Fountain -HARDLY!!!!
The Romance of Rome , three coins in a fountain as compared to the
LOUTS OF LORAIN
What do we have in common- not much no golden coins to wish upon in our fountain –
I know we are a meat and potatoes town BUT really tossing pizza and potatoes, underwear , bottles and robe belts- (now that is worrying because somewhere around the park is an individual with his robe not tied.. conjures up all sorts of visuals ..perish the thought!!!!
the act of throwing potatoes, bottles , underwear, assorted meat products and old shoes or even bodies into our fountain will not get your wishes answered- sorry to be the bearer of bad news. Just so you know let me spell it out for you – those of the socially challenged………
OH AND IF YOU SEE THE GUY WITH THE OPEN ROBE TELL HIM WE HAVE HIS BELT!
Fathers Day 2011- Time passes
ED NOTE:
I have reprised the post I wrote last year- because “nothing has changed” – the pain hasn’t lessened of losing Chris- we have not had our closure- our goodbye- the wound is still raw and bleeds – It is an injury only known to those that have lost their son- their child- their reason for being
The anger at the Lombardis and the control of 19 and Angela ritchey DO is still there because their deeds like death are still there. You don’t get over deceit, greed and selfishness easily when it is combined with the death of your son.
But by the same token love does not diminish either and this year another ride into the wilderness on the 4 wheeler remembering his son…………
Chris and his Dad
“This is a man who may stumble and fall but this is a man who tries”
(paraphrasing King and I)
This is very difficult piece for me to write, I want to pay homage to the man, the father of my children, without touching on the boiling . raging white-hot , beneath the surface anger I am feeling towards those that have hurt and robbed him of his peace.
I am not sure if I can do that considering I am a “writer who writes through my emotions and life experiences.”
What I see this week leading up to Father’s Day is a man aging beyond his years, his face creased with pain , scarred by loss and bewilderment , hair that was turning silvery now shot with white. Shoulders that were broad and held his children aloft at parades and festivals now bowed with the great weight of worry re the cancer and compounded by the grief he now carries. He is changed -this man- this father.
He was the quiet parent, never the disciplinarian and the few times he would try to raise his voice to naughtiness his efforts were met with giggles and mock contrition. He never spanked and always put both his children before anything and anyone else.
I look at the pictures as each in turn entered his world.
He seemed too young to be a father, but in actual fact was in his 30’s . We had been married 8 years before Nikki made her presence known- from that day forward this quiet and gentle man was there for his children , always in the picture and never taking center stage.
He was given a son , who was more like his mother in temperament , a temperament never quite understood by the husband but the father tried very hard to understand his son and his ways. He accepted the child, the boy, the man for who he was and was so proud of him.
He treated both children the same – always_ loved them both “intensely” .
Never one to be overt with showing his emotions or feelings he expressed his love by always putting them first. Every Sunday the Dad and his two pride and joys would go to McDonalds for breakfast- it was their special alone time and every Father’s Day Nikki and Chris would take him to McDonalds.
He “gave away his daughter” on a cold December day to the young man she had fallen in love with – however he could not hide his emotions that day – although filled with happiness for her he knew that life would never be the same as she left our home but not his heart. Both the bride and her father walked down the aisle with tears of joy and sadness.
He danced with his daughter at her wedding to the music of the pipes- The Skye Boat Song– ironically it was the tune I hummed and sang to Chris in his last hours– I didn’t realize that until I started writing and remembering .
He lost his son on another cold December day, not to happiness and a new life but to the finality of death. He stood wordless in that room of unbearable sorrow looking quietly out of the window to the street below. He had come to that hospital overcoming the phobia he had to be with me and his son. He, since his father died when he was 11, has had a morbid fear of hospitals. We all knew that and Chris knew that for his father to go to a hospital was never good news .
“As long as Dad doesn’t show I know everything is OK- it would take a crisis to get him back to the clinic.
So when the crisis came we kept him away so Chris wouldn’t worry and continue to fight.
For a couple of days he stayed just in the waiting room- he was there as my “emotional punching bag” – I called him back to the hospital just an hour after he had left. I was so tired , very little sleep in days , exhaustion and worry had taken their toll -the waiting room gypsies with their inane chatter becoming more and more a problem for me.
I told the father of Chris’ bride why my husband was coming back- I thought, stupidly, that he would recognize the distress being caused.- maybe he would do something. I told him
“he was coming back because I needed him to be my “emotional punching bag” as I had to be able to let go of my feelings” before I “let go ” period!
“You have to do whatever you feel you need to do to get you through “
I just sighed and said :
you should all be thankful he is coming back because I am not sure how much more I can take and continue to be polite’
Whether it went over his head or whether he is the type that only sees what he wants to see, or a gutless wonder – I don’t know – but he is one father that I will not be wishing has a great day after what he enabled his child to do to Chris’ father.
( ED Note: sorry I said it was going to be hard to suppress the anger)
I knew I couldn’t keep my tenuous hold on politeness much longer- I had to release the feelings building up and I knew Chris didn’t need me to vent at them-
just get through this and when Chris is OK we will talk.
Chris’ Dad spent the next days being my “sounding board – emotional punching bag” and keeping me together for Chris’ sake.
He would do anything for Chris including bearing the brunt of my pain as well as his. He too tried making the deals with God – take me not Chris – don’t punish Chris – etc. – I know -I heard him when he thought he was alone.
He lost his only son too- and out of a self-righteous, sanctimonious self-serving spite he was punished two fold- he lost his son – those not of his blood took his closure – his chance to say goodbye and they dishonored Chris’ father – this kind quiet gentle man who never hurt or did anyone any harm in his whole life.
Punished by “control”
He chokes now on emotions that overwhelm him at times , feelings he can’t express , a wound that does not heal. His Drs. ,in sympathy, worry about his condition and the heart they repaired that is breaking but their medicine cannot help or cure.
Every morning , as I make the bed, I adjust the last picture taken of him and his son that sits on the bedside table , each morning it is turned toward the pillow where he tries to find a relief in sleep and fails, eyes fixed upon a photograph. remembering his son.
Last year Chris planned a Father’s Day weekend for this weekend- four wheeling in West Virgina- even that was tried to be taken from him (imho) out of calculated greed ( more on that aspect another time).
He too received a note in his dead son’s clothes- one he never saw – one he will never see – gone into the flames to protect what is left to him of his son. I couldn’t do much to ease his grief but I certainly was not going to have it added to by the “thoughts of conceit by one who claims to have known his son” – She didn’t !–
She only knew a tiny fraction of “Chris” – the husband for so short a time – but he was a son first and last.She wasn’t there at his birth, through his 3 am feedings, his first smile, his first steps, his first words, all the years of school and sports, and Sunday breakfasts, the tears and picking him up when he fell , the successes, the days of big wheels, riding a bike, the day the bike was stolen, karate, soccer, camping in the back yard, riding a camel in Morocco, playing “catch me if you can” in a hallway at Windsor castle, learning to swim , to fish , to pull a bow, shoot, sharing lobster rolls at the Piping college Prince Edward Island, racing down the ski slopes in Vermont, learning to drive, the talks under starry skies, a man and his son exploring life’s adventures together-
So this father , who continues to stumble and bleed for his son will go on the trip , taking the four wheeler still caked with mud from Chris’ last ride and with him will be a silent rider that is carried in his heart and soul- HIS SON
Christopher David RITCHEY
A Pride FULL Day – Settlers’ Watch 2011
After all the rain I was wondering whether we would be able plant and spruce up the area known as Settler’s Watch on May 21st.
Thanks to the generous donations of plants from CenturyLink and the Lorain Pride Day City of Lorain Committee, the donation of “much” mulch from Kurtz Bros- Avonwe had a lot of work to do.
CenturyLink showed up in “family force” bright an early and luckily the skies stayed bright.
Gavin too was happy he found a friend.
Neighbors,
sons, fathers, uncles and grandsons
family all pitched in
I didn’t think the site looked too bad before we started but the few hours of hard work
a whole lot of PRIDE
and some playtime
brought forth a huge difference – Settlers’ Watch sparkled!!!
and just in time for the Black River Historical Society’s Trolley Tour
A Home in Veterans Park- a city up for rent!
This was not the post I planned for today. My post was going to be about people and pride. However, in the last few hours I have received numerous calls from neighbors and residents as to what is happening at Veterans Park and the surrounding area , the plaza, the internet cafe and panhandling , 8th street and the library .
Do you remember this post from a group of individuals in November 2010- under the nom de plume T Paine in the Open for Discussion serieshttps://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2010/11/15/open-for-discussion-guest-blog-the-limits-of-charity-t-paine/
It is a question that is being danced around in Lorain.
There have been at numerous meetings discussing the homeless, crime and general decay we are experiencing in Lorain. There are meetings regarding the growing homeless need. No one is looking at the root of the problem.There exists in Lorain County a great disparity of social services. While everyone agrees that there is great need and that we should help those that are less fortunate, there should be limits to our assistance and an expectation of change as a result of our investment. If you look at Lorain and the disparity of services that we as a community provide compared to social services by all of the other cities in the county; then we in Lorain are either the nicest, most charitable people or the least intelligent. This would then mean that our surrounding neighbor communities are either made up of the most thoughtless or the most intelligent people.
I would suggest a reread of that post .
I am as compassionate as most and sometimes more compassionate than a good number of folks BUT
as I mentioned in an email ( hopefully it got through to the city email) last night mentioning once again the monument had been graffitied-
We cannot continue to have a few individuals create such an unpleasant climate of fear and unpleasantness when so many indivuals are trying so hard to focus on the positive aspect of a “downtown”
There are a few young miscreants that seem to be at the center of the activity in the park. I saw them this afternoon on their bikes playing chicken with the traffic by the old Smokes for Less. We need to step up security in this area. People put a lot of work into Veterans Park just last month it is a shame that a few are spoiling what has stood for centuries.
The new handrail the victim of the skateboard. 
The homeless men ( one of whom apparently was groping himself – through his clothes as a female resident was walking through the park on a summer evening)settling down early in the evening so as to get the best bench- first come first served- ( what happened to the spacers so a bench could be made for sitting and not sleeping??)
Under the Foltin administration – when the fountain was broken one of reasons they didn’t want to spend the money to get it going was
the homeless wash their clothes and bathe in it
Yes that is true – and where I wonder do they hang their laundry out to dry – BUT why should the rest of us be denied a sparkling splashing fountain because of a few ???
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IF THE CITY OF LORAIN AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES INSIST ON BEING CHARITABLE THEN THE CITY OF LORAIN AND THOSE AGENCIES- SUCH AS THE ADULT PAROLE AUTHORITY – THE VARIOUS CHURCHES AND PROGRAMS- HAVE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH THEIR CLIENTS.
THERE IS A RESPONSIBILITY TO ALL WE DO AND THEY ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILTY TO THE REST OF THE THOSE OF US HERE IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD! AND REMEMBER “those charitable organizations have paid directors and staff they are also a “BUSINESS”
We don’t want our fellow-man to suffer-we want to help but with that help in doing so then you take on a responsibility of making sure your “clients” the people you are helping have all their needs met.
I know that there are situations where some folk wouldn’t go to a shelter to sleep – there are mental health issues-
BUT I also know that thanks to at least one now defunct “charity” -Compass House and the RSO – we have more RSO’s due to their “importation policy”- we are still feeling the ripple effect of that program.
Veteran’s Park is a memorial to freedom and those that fought for that freedom- Graffiti is unacceptable on that monument to freedom. The view of that monument has now been made more visible- we can no longer HIDE from our issues – not if we want a healthy downtown and neighborhood
So what are we going to do
about it?
What are we going to do about making sure those that are in the business of charity also provide the security to the rest of the population who also like to use the library , frequent the business around their organizations such as Catholic Charities on 8th street, walk through a park on a summer evening across from city hall and the police Dept.
After the council meeting last Monday where many Block Watch people were in attendance- I drove out of the parking lot to behind the police station to find two young miscreants up to no good hiding things in the dumpster next to the city storage shed- I was alone but I stopped asked them if there was a problem- was promptly told what I could do and how to do it- I just left part of me hoping they would get a nasty infection from the garbage.
How are you going to get people to “want to be downtown” when they are uncomfortable………
Ideas , I sure would like to hear some …………
We cannot continue to have a few individuals create such an unpleasant climate of fear and unpleasantness – (like it or not that is the perception of my neighborhood and our downtown )when so many individuals are trying so hard to focus on the positive aspect of a “downtown”
There has to be follow through and maintenance of not only our infrastructure , buildings, roads but also of quality of life and social needs. Otherwise just like the historic light that fell in Veterans Park last week – (did it fall or was it pushed;)- the lack of dealing with the problems head on will only result in more damage and destruction and the loss of “light”-
Is this the new icon for Lorain?
Time Warner Cable TV- OH! “IT”!!!
Part One https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/09/the-i-t-non-factor-its-not-me/
Time Warner Cable
As with all sagas this one has a beginning – For many, many years I have been a cable customer in fact since it first became available- I use it for my internet and television. My phone is CenturyLink- and has been ( in all its incarnations) in the over 30 plus years we have lived here.
I am a loyal customer and even though I have had “hiccups” with service during those times- they have been fixed and we have carried on our relationship to our mutual benefit- they provide a service for which they are handsomely compensated.
However, things happen and in the case of Time Warner Cable TV in the past few weeks customers in Lorain have experienced ” freezing and pixelating” of a number of cable channels. I, too experienced the outages.
As a matter of fact the situation made the letters to the editor in the Morning Journal
“Cable TV Programs keep Freezing”
http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/05/04/opinion/doc4dc0cdc0cc548102864794.txt?viewmode=default
and in the Chronicle on May 4th I learned the situation had been “fixed”
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/05/04/time-warner-says-freezing-channel-problem-is-fixed-customers-can-get-a-credit/
Time Warner Cable TV customers who have had their fill of “freezing” channels the past few days should now be able to watch everything from “Sportscenter” to “Cake Boss” without any interruptions.
That, according to Travis Reynolds, Time Warner Cable spokesman in the company’s Akron offices, who said the problem was the result of a “technical issue that was corrected overnight with a software update.”
“As of right now, everyone should have service fully restored,” Reynolds said.
Except my channels would still pixelate and freeze intermittently, I kept waiting to see if I was “fixed” it would be fine for a couple of days and then back again to pixelating , freezing and channel loss.
Dutifully I called Time Warner and they agreed to send out a technician. They did so on May 25. A very nice chap came checked our equipment all was fine but he changed the box anyway – unfortunately it was still happening as he saw with his own eyes.
He took a list of the channels that we were having issues with and off he went.
Now call me naive call me old-fashioned – BUT
I thought Time Warner would contact me as to what they were going to do about my situation you know “follow through” I waited and waited and heard nothing so since the situation was worse I called them!
Now the bitter bit
When you call Time Warner Tech support for Cable TV they give you a person, who tells you “Unplug the box and reset”- their muppet like robotic responses to my was always the same
That is not the issue – we have already had a technician out last week- I need to let him/ them know it is still happening.
“I will set up a service call”
I don’t want a service call – I have already had a service call I need to speak to whomever is dealing with this locally
.
Sorry ma’am I can only set up a service call
After dealing with this for the next few days and getting nowhere
So I thought OK I will try their on-line reporting . Many emails later they were still trying to set me up with a service call and to unplug the box and reset the box……
The “muppet masters of customer service with their set patter” had turned a customer who had been with them for longer than some marriages last into a frustrated hausfrau with her bags almost packed.
I warned them , I said
“Category: Cable/Video Technical Support
Comment: I have been trying to get satisfactory service with an ongoing freezing and
pixelating- you sent a technician last Wednesday it is worse. I have had numerous calls and emails
to no avail to your customer service. Please understand this cable customer since 1993 has NOW
set up and appointment with Direct TX for Thursday at noon and unless I receive some customer
satisfaction before then I will be cancelling the cable tv portion of my service with you
Loraine Ritchey
Basically I got the same message back literally dozens of time
SIGH!!!
Dear Loraine Ritchey,
Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable Email Support. At the end of this email, you will be
given the option of taking a brief survey.I understand that you are experiencing freezing and pixilation issues with your cable service and
wants a satisfactory service with an ongoing issue.I would also like to inform you that I have refreshed signals for your cable box from our end. This
should ideally resolve the issue, if this does not resolve the issue, then I request you to reset
your cable box.1. To reset your cable box, unplug the power supply from the back of the receiver for at least 30
seconds.2. Plug the power back in and wait for at least 2 minutes (approximately) till the time returns to
the front dial before you switch on the box. This will force the receiver to reset.I would also like to inform you that I have scheduled a technician to visit your home on 06/07/2011
between 2.00pm to 4.00pm.Our technician will call you on the day he/she visits your home at 440-XXX-XXXX before he/she visits
your home. If we do not receive an answer or if we reach an answering machine, we will assume that
no one is home and request that you contact us by telephone to reschedule the appointment.We will require someone over the age of 18 to allow us entry to your home.
Please let us know this should be rescheduled.
I do appreciate your patience and thank you for your understanding.
I just want to let you know that we have improved our Support page at http://www.timewarnercable.com. It
has more information and can answer many of the questions you have. I am sure you will find it to be
very helpful to get support on your issues.If there is anything else please do let us know we will be happy to help you in any way possible.
Have a nice day!
OK let me try their on-line chat – I haven’t tried their on-line chat!
I admit by this time I was not the most patient person in the world and had in fact already set up a “dish installation “-
It started off well NOT!!!
Kevin Allen: Thank you for contacting Time Warner Cable. At the end of our chat you will be given the option of taking a brief survey. My name is Kevin. Please give me a moment while I access your account.
Kevin Allen: I understand that you want to cancel your services. am I correct?Loraine: no I want to give TWC the option of FIXING the situation before I doKevin Allen: Okay.
Kevin Allen: Sorry.
Kevin Allen: I will refresh the signal from my end to resolve the issue.
Kevin Allen: Shall i refresh the signal?Loraine: excuse me refresh what signal you have outages in Lorain – that much has been in the newspapers. your technician came out last Wednesday changed the bos and it is actually worse now I have been trying to get someone to come out again and fix what the didn’t fix and give me back a reliable service
Loraine: sorry that should be box
Kevin Allen: Okay.
Kevin Allen: The I will set up a service call on the account.
Kevin Allen: Shall I set up a service call
Source
ERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGSo finally I gave up I wrote a letter to ATTENTION: Glenn A. Britt
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
Time Warner Cable:
part of which follows
RE: Poor customer service and outages Lorain Ohio.
You are having continuing problems in my vicinity http://www.morningjournal.com/articles/2011/05/04/opinion/doc4dc0cdc0cc548102864794.txt?viewmode=comments
And quite frankly you are about to lose one more subscriber –
“Time Warner Cable lost 155,000 video subscribers in the July-September quarter, compared with 64,000 a year ago.”I have been a cable customer since the early 1990’s – this issue of freezing and pixelating is annoying to say the least. You have sent a technician to look at my personal situation they have changed the box checked the cable etc. etc. This however is not the fault as my neighbors also are receiving the same poor service and problems. Calling your representatives does no good as all they want to do is set up another appointment……………..
Glenn britt from Life. com
Ok so in the meantime a service call was set up and why did I agree to that ???? BECAUSE they CALL YOU before coming so you get to speak to a local tech as he is on his way TA DA! so when he called I said
I don’t want a service call! I just want to tell you the problem is still ongoing – check back with the chap who came and he will tell you you still have an issue. I just need to talk to a supervisor or someone in charge who can advise me as to what course of action Time Warner is taking to fix this problem
During the course of the two weeks ( this happened twice 🙂 I finally got to speak to a supervisor who said
“this is the first I am hearing of this problem”
EXCUSE ME!!! I have been tenacious to the point of annoying I have emailed, phoned written and chatted and apparently it is not getting back to the people in the organization who are actually concerned with fixing the problem. If this is the first they are hearing of this locally it isn’t because I didn’t try!
Now most people would have just switched and left a complaint which is maybe why Time Warner should address their “communication issues” both with their cable TV and “in-house”
Time Warner Cable have been ranked 5th nationwide with the worst customer service
http://onyoursi.de/2011/06/who-has-the-worst-customer-service-in-america/
Well it certainly is the most annoying BUT
you see this has been the first time in many years I have had an issue with the cable TV
And although for WoM I wrote about the Roadrunner Run Around a few years back that issue due to my tenacity and proclaiming IT ISN”T ME– not my computer ( another intermittent issue)
I had to laugh when one of the local supervisors when discussing my cable tv situation this week started to tell me
“you know sometimes we get some off the wall issues we had one where a “squirrel was eating the fibres in a box but only a select few leaving the others alone – took forever to figure that one out”
and I said
YES!!! THAT WOULD”VE BEEN ME!!!!
( it was my fibre and the chap’s up the street who were being effected by the gnawing squirrel)
I am pleased to say they have temporarily fixed my issue ( not altogether) whilst they are doing an emergency maintenance on “switches” for the area……. fingers crossed BUT Time Warner if you are listening
You need to better chain of command communication within your company and follow through……….
you see not everyone is as tenacious as I am they would just “leave”
NOTE the technicians etc that I did deal with were very good and tried to be helpful- the supervisors promised action AND YES! I did get a response due to my letter to Mr. Britt and a follow up phone call- ……..
That Woman's Weblog 
Yin- Yang of Lorain –
AHHHHHH Lorain, this week finds the Lorain International Festival a community coming together to enjoy the diversity of its population and our “differences”. Tonight Veterans Park will celebrate
Not all differences should be celebrated though in my opinion- added decoration to that same park last week and those enjoying the ambiance were of a decidedly different nature and NOT to be celebrated
A Tale of Two…..
Last week Dennis Flores sent me photos of what had been happening in Veteran’s Park in the preceding evenings
https://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/a-home-in-veterans-park-a-city-up-for-rent/
I was even more upset to get more photos later in the week of more destruction by a group of young men .
Now these “writings of chavs” seem to be by idiots with magic markers-
Our retaliation for such behaviour – my poor efforts on my blog – letters to the editor of the Morning Journal:
LETTER: Lorain needs to enforce curfew, curb vandalism
photos, complaints, law enforcement is certainly not having the desired effect on these “socially challenged” individuals –
I am not sure what can be done because the behaviour is there along the societal chain, from the “chavs” to the “educated and professionals” -like writing on the wall to be seen by those that are frustrated, angry and hurt by such behaviours.
BECAUSE THEY CANhttps://thatwoman.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/because-they-can-the-manipulators-lorain/
BUT then you see people trying their damnedest to make things better to give back – to “be good neighbors”
On the street where I live we are now only 35 percent “owner occupied” . The little house next door has been the subject of more than one blog post in recent years on more than one blog – the latest
just a few days ago
http://bustershouse.wordpress.com/2011/05/31/as-heard-in-lorain/
This little house, once belonging to the big blue house ( until some twit on a planning committee decided it would be good to split the lot SIGH- another story), both have been foreclosed upon.
One of the renters who had lived in the blue house had to move elsewhere.
He and his wife were lovely gentle people and were living pay check to pay check- no money for extras or even sometimes necessities.
I lost touch during these last months of my self- imposed house confinement- but the other day a knock on the door-
The husband stopped by, he was worried and concerned about my husband and I and wanted to know how we were. I guess I didn’t assure him that I was fine.
The day Dennis Flores sent me the photos and as I was typing the blog post, I heard the lawn mower next door.
The bank which owns the blue house and the city which now owns the brown house have the grass cut -badly – but cut.
The day was hot and the lawn mower not a large one was being pushed by my old neighbor. I watched as he carefully trimmed , picked up the twigs, raked both properties and bagged the clippings. I knew that even the gas for the mower was to them a luxury.
I ventured across and he said
As for Veterans Park –
If this park is to continue to please families of today as it has done for more than two centuries then something has to be done.
I have somewhat of a band-aid approach at best at the moment but possible a deterrent – the LPD having an officer walk through – staggering the times- every day / night might send a message and possibly the parking of a police car in front of the Washington Avenue address where the little darlings live might send a message Security provided in the plaza provided by the owner may also help with the panhandling.
I have no answers- I just have the writing on the wall …………
June 20, 2011 at 1:13 pm Leave a comment