Ron on his way to a 27 era 

The city of Lima — or at least those who were playing on the city’s behalf, not that many of them work for the city — once again defeated the combined team of The Lima News and WLIO in softball on Friday. Don’t be confused by the 20-7 final score. It was much closer than that. (No, really, I mean it, promise, it was!)

Now, only another year of listening to the trash talk from City Hall. 

Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed the Second Amendment means what it says and First Amendment restrictions apply evenly, we can look forward to the Fourth Amendment challenge that Ohio law will present.

Some clearheaded people in state government recognize this, even if at least one is uncomfortable with an ally in this argument. Others, facing elections in the fall, need to look tough on crime — and they later will have a “liberal, activist” judge to blame for restoring the Constitution. Read the rest of this entry »

Funny story from The Associated Press, if you still care to put faith in politicians:

Minister says Ohio governor betrayed church leaders

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

AP Statehouse Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A church leader says Gov. Ted Strickland betrayed fellow Methodists and went back on a campaign promise not to expand gambling when he lent his support to a new lottery game.

The Reverend John Edgar, chairman of the United Methodist Anti-Gambling Task Force, said Thursday that Strickland promised to oppose more gambling in Ohio.

Edgar said the Keno game Strickland is backing as a way to raise state revenue and fill an expected budget hole is a betrayal of that promise.

Strickland, an ordained Methodist minister, said through his spokesman that he does not consider his support for Keno, a video game resembling bingo, as a violation of his pledge.

Your tax dollars are going to help open a Chuck E. Cheese restaurant. The three Republicrats who sit in the Allen County commissioners office will explain that this is not corporate welfare, but what else do you call it when tax money goes to support a business?

Anyway, though reporter Lima News reporter Bart Mills didn’t point this out in his story, Dan Wilkinson – Big Daddy from his Ohio State days – also played for the Detroit Lions.  

OSU standout tied to Chuck E. Cheese in Lima

June 26, 2008 - 2:49PM

Bart Mills

LIMA - A $475,000 state grant will help clear the way for the area’s first Chuck E. Cheese. And the owner may be as well-received as the restaurant.

The Ohio Department of Development has approved a $475,000 grant to Allen Place that will be used to help purchase and redesign an Elida Road building into a Chuck E. Cheese. And among the owners of the planned pizza place is former Ohio State and Cincinnati Bengals football standout Dan Wilkinson.

A Chuck E. Cheese spokesman said Wilkinson and other investors are set to complete a deal with the chain for the Lima store. The store will probably open later this year, according to Chuck E. Cheese spokesman  John Jauquet.

Would someone like to explain to the good choir director what happens to supply and demand (and thus prices) when you travel from Washington, D.C., to Toledo? Choir director in Ohio to pray for cheaper gasTOLEDO, Ohio (AP) — Rocky Twyman would disagree with anyone who thinks consumers don’t have a prayer against high gasoline prices.  The choir director from the Washington, D.C., area has come to Toledo with what he calls his “Pray at the Pump Movement.” Twyman says politicians have been unable to do anything about rising fuel costs, so it’s time to ask God to intervene and lower prices. He planned to lead pray-ins Friday at two local service stations, followed by a 12-hour prayer vigil at Toledo First Seventh-day Adventist Church. Church Pastor Mike Fortune read about Twyman and invited him to come to town. Twyman also has led campaigns to nominate Oprah Winfrey for the Nobel Peace Prize and to encourage African Americans to donate bone marrow.  

Let us not forget what Allen County’s chief megalomaniac had to say about Lima Police Department officers back when CNN brought the camera to town:

“I’m biased and you know our agency … we’re a sheriff’s office, but we work actively in the city of Lima. The reception of our officers in the city of Lima is very good. Part of the reason for that is we hire an older officer, a more mellow officer, one that is more mature and one not so quick to make decisions.”

Let’s see what the front page of The Lima News says on Wednesday:

“OTTAWA - An Allen County sheriff’s deputy with a history of violence that once cost the county $75,000 to settle a lawsuit has been sentenced to 10 days in jail for assaulting his 6-year-old daughter.

Zane Ditto is scheduled to report to the Putnam County jail Friday, Sheriff Jim Beutler said.

Ditto was convicted of aggravated menacing, a reduction from the charge of domestic violence. Both are misdemeanors.

Ditto was given a 180-day jail sentence but the judge suspended all but 10 days. Ditto was fined $500 with $300 suspended. Both suspensions of jail and the fine were on the condition Ditto stay out of trouble, serve one year probation, complete anger management counseling and perform 20 hours community service.

Ditto remains employed at the Allen County Sheriff’s Office as a deputy in corrections in the jail. Sheriff Dan Beck said he would collect information on the case, review it and make a determination on whether to punish Ditto.” 

A request for Republicans: Between now and November, please explain why Sen. John McCain is the best choice to be president.

So far, when the discussion has been about qualifications, outside of the experience McCain has that Sen. Barack Obama lacks, Republicans have followed the lead of their former young Republican heroine: Hillary Rodham Clinton. So, in the limited discussion about ideas, Republicans have told us Obama is wrong. Eventually, maybe we’ll hear why McCain is right. Read the rest of this entry »