plus 3, Crews contend with 19 pythons at Utah trailer fire - Fresno Bee |
- Crews contend with 19 pythons at Utah trailer fire - Fresno Bee
- 2009 brought trials, tribulations - Lancaster Eagle Gazette.com
- Granite Digital battery system adds life to DiMora's $2 million sport ... - Desert Sun
- Top Michiana stories of 2009 - WNDU
| Crews contend with 19 pythons at Utah trailer fire - Fresno Bee Posted: 01 Jan 2010 10:34 AM PST Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| 2009 brought trials, tribulations - Lancaster Eagle Gazette.com Posted: 01 Jan 2010 02:55 AM PST LANCASTER -- Signs of an impending recession began to surface in late 2008, but the economic woes of 2009 changed the way people throughout the area worked and lived. Throughout the year evidence mounted locally of the worst recession in decades -- rising unemployment, hundreds of homes foreclosed, dozens of businesses shuttering their doors and an increased strain on social service agencies. "I think 2009 was certainly one of the most difficult economies in my banking career and in recent history," said Steve Wells, president of Fairfield National Bank. Local economic struggles: Fairfield County's unemployment for 2009 is on pace to be 8.5 percent, which would be the highest yearly average since 1985, when it was 8.7 percent. At least 12 businesses closed in 2009. One of the most significant closures was Sonoco manufacturing, which resulted in 58 job losses. From January 2009 to Dec. 15, there were 926 foreclosures in Fairfield County. In 2008, there were 961 foreclosures and 905 in 2007. In 2006, there were 755 foreclosures. The dim picture of the economy was brightened by some new business openings including an International House of Pancakes and the largest corn yield crop in history. The year also will be marked by government programs intended jump-start the economy including the stimulus program, bank bailouts and Cash for Clunkers. Business owners in industries that received government aid are unsure about the long-term benefits of the public funds. "It's pretty hard to tell on those things, whether they are cause for slight improvement or not. But certainly it could be said that we were in uncharted territory and the (federal government was) doing things not tried before," Wells said. Cash for Clunkers contributed to hundreds of local car sales. The federal program offered a rebate for customers to trade in old cars for new fuel-efficient vehicles. Buckeye Honda Vice President Scott Thomas said the ability of the auto industry to survive without government aid will be the true test of recovery. "I think everybody would like to see recovery coming from improvements in the overall economy and not government programs," Thomas said. He said new car sales for 2009 were down about 15 percent to 18 percent at the local dealership compared to previous years. He said without the clunkers program, the dealer would have been down 25 percent to 30 percent for the year. Thomas said used car sales increased about 5 percent in 2009 as people likely opted to purchase a used car rather than a new vehicle. He said he has no expectations about when the economy will have significant improvement. "I would say in this kind of economy, it's important to make the most out of every day and that's about all you can do," Thomas said. "You can't predict the future." The economy for 2010 and beyond is uncertain, but the lessons learned by business owners during the recession will be useful after the financial market improves, said Travis Markwood, president of the Lancaster Fairfield County Chamber of Commerce. "I think businesses will probably be a little more cautious as to how they invest," he said. "This recession has taught businesses to diversify their products and services to help them weather a down economy." Markwood said one of the biggest lessons business owners can take away from the recession is to be prepared for future downturns. "Most importantly, we learned that we went for a long time with an economy seeming bullet proof. This can happen, we can have some down years," he said. MAN KILLS HIMSELF AFTER ATTACK AT FAIRFIELD MEDICAL CENTER THWARTEDWhile awaiting his sentence for attempted murder in the county jail, the Fairfield Medical Center employee who walked into the hospital with a gun ended his own life. Chester Henson's Dec. 13 death marked the third inmate suicide in 13 years at the jail. He hanged himself while he was alone in his cell -- using bed sheets tied to his top bunk bed. The 36-year-old Laurelville man first made headlines in June when he brought a firearm into FMC in an act of retaliation against a female employee who worked with him in the housekeeping department. FMC police found Henson in the second-floor laundry room June 12 as he confronted an employee with whom he had previous personal issues. Officer Terry Swinehart, who made the arrest, said Henson first searched for the female employee at her home, then arrived to the hospital to look for her June 12. Swinehart knew he could expect a visit from Henson, having just talked to the female employee's husband, who called FMC about Henson's arrival to the couple's home. Swinehart warned the housekeeping department of the possible situation and soon got word Henson was in the second-floor laundry room. Swinehart climbed the back stairwell and approached Henson from behind. He lightly grabbed him by the arm and tried to coax Henson to walk down the steps and talk about why he came. "We got about halfway down the hall, and that's when he reached into his belt and pulled out a gun," Swinehart said in a September feature story about FMC police. Until that moment, no one knew the man was armed. "As a police officer, in the back of your mind you always think there is a possibility they could have a weapon, but there were other employees there, and I just wanted to get him out of that area." Swinehart eventually wrestled the gun away from Henson and placed him under arrest. The officer suffered minor injuries to his hand, but no other injuries were reported. Henson originally was charged with attempt to commit murder, felonious assault and carrying a concealed weapon. He pleaded guilty to one count of attempt to commit murder, with a gun specification, and aggravated burglary Dec. 8 in Fairfield County Common Pleas Court. If convicted, Henson could have been sentenced to more than 20 years in prison. He requested a separate sentencing hearing and committed suicide before ever knowing his sentence. He had been on suicide watch three times at the Fairfield County Jail but was not on suicide watch at the time he killed himself. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification continues its investigation into Henson's death, a bureau spokesman said this week. LANCASTER WOMAN KILLED BY POLICE OFFICERS DURING DOMESTIC DISPUTEFriends and family members of Misty D. Shook head into the new year uncertain of the facts surrounding the 29-year-old's Nov. 19 death. The Bureau of Criminal Investigation & Identification continues its investigation into the death of Shook, who allegedly threatened to jump into a water-filled bathtub with electrical appliances that morning. When a Lancaster police officer arrived on the scene, she reportedly lunged at him with a knife before he shot her three times in the chest. The department received a 911 call from Shook's fiancé, Leslie "Alan" Howard, who told the dispatcher Shook was attempting to electrocute herself and had hit him before he called. "She just threw a lamp in the bathtub," Howard yelled at one point on the 911 call. The dispatcher then asked if Shook had been drinking alcohol. "She ain't been drinking nothing," Howard said, adding she had thyroid surgery recently and hadn't taken her medication. He told the dispatcher he tried to unplug the appliances as she plugged them in, but she shut the bathroom door, locked him out and began filling the bathtub with water. Howard said on the tape Shook was attempting to electrocute herself. One woman can be heard asking, "Misty, what if you blow this house up and my kids die?" The conversation ended as an officer arrived at the home. Officer Shawn M. Bakr responded around 6 a.m. to Shook's home at 703 Garfield Ave, and was the first to arrive to diffuse the situation. Lancaster officials reported Shook started toward Baker, who warned her to drop her knife. She continued toward the officer, and he fired at her. Shook was taken by medic unit to Fairfield Medical Center, where she later was pronounced dead. The Lancaster officer of three years has only one reprimand in his personnel record involving a minor crash with a cruiser in March, according to information obtained through a public records request by the Eagle-Gazette. Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien has been appointed special prosecutor in the case, while BCI continues its investigation. KILLER OF LANCASTER TEEN FOUND 20 YEARS LATERTwenty years ago 17-year-old Stacy Fairchild left her job at a clothing store in the River Valley Mall. She was never seen alive again. She was loved by everyone who knew her; she collected clowns and loved her cat. Hundreds turned out for her funeral in 1989. Her attacker in 1989 had jumped into her car at the mall when she was leaving work and forced her to drive around the county for 45 minutes. She was then raped and her body was found in the Hocking River on Feb. 5, 1989. Her car was found burned out near some train tracks, according to police accounts. The investigation into her death always was an open and active case during the past two decades for Lancaster police. In January 2009, the case was closed when Lendy William Dysart, 45, of Lancaster, was sentenced to seven to 25 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter as part of a plea agreement. Dysart had been captured after he was arrested in connection to a robbery at Network Tan in Lancaster. His DNA obtained in the robbery investigation matched him to the attack on Stacy Fairfield nearly two decades before. Dysart plead guilty to the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter in December 2008. In January 2009 Fairfield County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Berens ordered Dysart's sentence to be served consecutive with the robbery conviction, ordering him to serve 35 years in prison, with a minimum of 15 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. Dysart declined to speak at the sentencing hearing. He never raised his head during the sentencing hearing unless speaking directly to Berens. He did not look at the photo of Stacy brought to the courtroom by family members. "It's just a weight off our shoulders," said Becky Fairchild, Stacy's mother said after the sentencing. LANCASTER WOMAN NEARS TRIAL FOR AGGRAVATED VEHICULAR HOMICIDEFairfield County Common Pleas Court could see a significant jury trial in just the first weeks of the new year, with a case involving alleged vehicular homicide slated for trial Jan. 12. Caitlin DeMastry is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, involuntary manslaughter and tampering with evidence after a Feb. 22 crash that killed Charles "Charlie" D. Cain Jr. Lancaster police reports indicate DeMastry, 21 at the time of the incident, and Jeffrey R. Davis, 24 at the time, both were in the 2000 Honda Accord that was heading north on Sheridan Drive around 3:20 a.m. Feb. 22. Cain also was heading north, walking in the 1,200 block of Sheridan Drive. The two allegedly told police Davis was driving the vehicle, which belongs to DeMastry; however, information later emerged that pointed to DeMastry as the driver. Lancaster Police Sgt. Mike Peters, who heads the department's Detective Bureau, told the Eagle-Gazette after the incident that officials were uncertain if Cain was in the line of traffic when hit. "It's going to be tough," Peters said in the Feb. 24 article. "It's tragic when someone loses their life, but a lot of time we really don't have any independent witnesses who can verify where someone may have been or not." Cain was pronounced dead at the scene, and neither DeMastry nor Davis was injured. Cain was set to marry his fiancée Corey Caton in June, according to his obituary that ran in the Eagle-Gazette. COMMISSIONERS STRUGGLE TO BALANCE BUDGETIt was a nearly four month process that culminated in a 9 percent cut to county offices and a .25 percent temporary sales tax hike before all was said and done. The Fairfield County Commissioner's lengthy struggle to balance their 2010 budget -- which had an approximate $6 million shortfall -- culminated Dec. 15 when they approved a tight, $33,570,877 budget. The commissioners had attributed to shortfall to state cuts and a decrease in conveyance fees and interest income. In August, the commissioners met with county officials for the first time to figure out to fill the looming budget hole before the December deadline. The decision to raise the sales tax came first, with the commissioners voting in late October for a temporary, four-year hike that would still keep the sales tax rate one of the lowest in Ohio. The decision followed two public hearings on the topic, where only four residents addressed the commissioners about the sales tax. The decision to implement 9 percent cuts to all county offices immediately followed the sales tax vote. The process was not an entirely smooth one; the commissioners had to make the full 9 percent cut to Auditor Barbara Curtiss' budget themselves when she refused and Sheriff Dave Phalen was the only county employee who had to implement layoffs in his office in order to make the complete cut. The layoffs which affected five, non-uniform employees in the department take effect today. LOCAL BOY COMPETES IN NATIONAL SPELLING BEENicholas Rushlow will likely always remember how to spell the word "hebdomadally." It was the word that Rushlow missed by just two letters when he competed in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee this May in Washington, D.C. The 11-year-old Pickerington resident, sponsored by the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette for the second-straight year, was the only Fairfield County resident to compete in the spelling bee. Despite missing the difficult word, Rushlow still tied for 17th place in the national competition -- an improvement over 2008, when he didn't make the semifinals. Rushlow still has three more years left in which he can compete for the spelling bee; following the competition, he said he'd continue to study new words and attempt a comeback for 2010. "Oh yeah! I want to come back and do even better than I did," he said in the May 29 article that ran in the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. POLICE USE STUN GUN; MAN CATCHES FIRELancaster police started carrying stun guns for protection on Aug. 16. A day later officers used the stun gun to subdue Daniel C. Wood, 31, of Lancaster, and he caught fire. Officers had been responding to a call that man, later identified as Wood, was seen inhaling an aerosol can and than running into the street in the 1,700 block of North Memorial Drive. Witnesses said he had been taking off his shirt, socks and shoes and running through the parking lot at the Hocking Valley Plaza. Officers responding to the call said they spotted the man allegedly placing the end of a can in his mouth and then running away from them. One of the officers pursued him on foot and was able to catch Wood and get him to the ground. However, Wood allegedly continued to struggle with the officer and another officer arriving at the scene, pulled out the stun gun, issued a warning and then shot Wood. Almost immediately the officers spotted flames coming from Wood's chest. Wood was taken by medics to Fairfield Medical Center where he was treated and released for burns. Following the incident, Lancaster police supervisors reviewed the department's policies and procedures in using stun guns with all the officers. The department originally issued six stun guns to patrol officers during a shift, which had to be turned in at the end of the shift. Wood was charged with resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer and abusing harmful intoxicants Trials on the misdemeanor charges are set for Jan. 28. INVESTIGATION INTO THE DEATH OF 4-MONTH-OLD LANCASTER BOYThe investigation into the death of 4-month-old Bryson Mershon continues. Bryson was living with his aunt, Kristina M. Mowery, and her boyfriend, Eric D. Hopkins, at 332 Trace Drive, on Oct. 31, when he was found unresponsive by Mowery and Hopkins. Bryson died at 6:21 p.m. Nov. 18 at Children's Hospital in Columbus. The child had subdural hemorrhages, skull fractures and multiple fractures, according to a Lancaster police report. Lancaster police, Fairfield County Children Services and officials from Children's Hospital continue to investigate the injuries found on Bryson. Lancaster police opened a murder investigation shortly after the baby's death. The autopsy has not been completed and the results released. The investigation is expected to continue into the new year. EAGLE-GAZETTE CELEBRATES ITS BICENTENNIALThis year the Eagle-Gazette celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2009. Much of the celebration could be viewed weekly between the pages of the newspaper. The newspaper was started by Judge Jacob Dietrich as the Ohio Eagle in 1809. The Lancaster Gazette was started in 1826. The two combined during the Great Depression in 1934 to create the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. To celebrate the anniversary in 2009, the newspaper started new columns, including reprinted front pages from the past and historical features from those decades. The Orchid Award was brought back to recognize people making important contributions to our community. A special section celebrating 200 years of news coverage by the staff of the Eagle-Gazette came out and a commemorative book of historical photos, Images of Our Lives, was released. The bicentennial celebration continued throughout the year with a special display at the Fairfield County District Library, a major party in downtown Lancaster in October, and culminated with the Eagle-Gazette being the Grand Marshall of the 2009 Holiday Parade in Lancaster. HONORABLE MENTIONThese stories also were very important during 2009 and impacted our community in different ways: GRANDSTAND SAVED BY CITIZENS GROUPThe Old Grandstand at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds was nearly torn down after 101 years of being a landmark for area residents. Early this year, Fair Board leaders started the process that would have led to the demolition of the century-old structure, which already had been condemned and closed to visitors. A grass-roots campaign, headed by a local community member, raised more than $100,000 to save the Old Grandstand. The "Save the Fairgrounds' Old Grandstand Fund" was organized by Bob Rodenbaugh. The money was pledged and collected within a month. The pledges received included one donation of $50,000. Repairs to the roof of the Grandstand, which was damaged in the September 2008 windstorm, were completed in September. The structure will remain closed to the public. REX PIPELINE MAKES IT WAY ACROSS FAIRFIELD COUNTYThe Rockies Express Pipeline was a $6.6 billion multi-state natural-gas pipeline project that made its way through Fairfield County in fall 2009. The pipeline stretched from Colorado to Monroe County in Ohio. The project was affectionately called a "recession-buster" for the area. The construction of the pipeline brought in workers from out of state as well as creating jobs for some local construction workers. About 600 to 700 people worked on the portion of the pipeline in Fairfield and Pickaway counties. Workers on the pipeline were well-paid, making anywhere from $20 to $40 an hour. Thousands of dollars were spent daily in local villages and cities where workers lived while traveling along the pipeline. Local RV Parks and hotels were given a shot in the arm when out-of-town workers looked for places to stay. The pipeline gave a boost to local businesses when contractors purchased supplies through area companies, including lumber yards and construction supplies. The benefits of the pipeline are expected to continue for generations to come. Pipeline officials estimated Fairfield County would receive about $3 million in annual property-tax collections, which is the fourth most of the 13 Ohio counties the pipeline will travel through. Most of the annual revenue -- between 60 percent and 70 percent -- will be distributed to school districts, according to the Fairfield County Deputy Auditor Ed Laramee. The remaining money will be distributed to cities, villages and the county general fund. Lancaster officials hope the added access to natural gas from the pipeline will be attractive to potential businesses looking to expand to the area. FATALITIES IN FAIRFIELD COUNTY CRASHES MORE THAN DOUBLE IN 2009It's a disturbing difference between the numbers eight and 18 when you're talking about the number of motorists who've died on Fairfield County roads. The Lancaster Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported eight fatal traffic crashes in 2008, and that number jumped to 18 in 2009. That averages out to about one life lost almost every 20 days. Among the 18 victims is Becky Ickes. The Ickes family in Bremen mourn the loss of Becky, an 18-year-old Fairfield Union High School graduate who died Sept. 2, after a two-vehicle crash at Ohio 158 and Blacklick Road. And those who loved Susan Blade, 27, now are forced to get by without her after she was killed outside her broken-down pickup truck Sept. 19 on Coonpath Road. The life of Gabrielle Butts, too, ended too soon on Sept. 30. The 19-year-old who loved singing and helping others was involved in a crash on Blacklick-Eastern Road just one mile from her home. Road officials urge motorists to use their seatbelts. More than half of the victims in 2009 who had a seatbelt available to them didn't wear them, the patrol reported. "This is a trend that we have seen here locally, and it mirrors our overall crash picture," Sgt. Darrin Blosser said in a previous article. "We ask that motorists wear their safety belts so that we can bring this number down. Our ultimate goal, of course, is 100 percent compliance." Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Granite Digital battery system adds life to DiMora's $2 million sport ... - Desert Sun Posted: 31 Dec 2009 06:27 PM PST (2 of 2) About Granite Digital and Save A Battery Granite Digital is the world's leading manufacturer of high performance SATA, IDE, FireWire, USB, and SCSI storage systems and peripherals. Their Save A Battery series of intelligent battery chargers was developed to test, monitor, rejuvenate, condition, and power cycle batteries as well as diagnose problems in vehicle electrical and charging systems. They produce battery chargers for use with almost any car, truck, motorcycle, boat, RV, or ATV battery. Please visit www.saveabattery.com or www.granitedigital.com. About DiMora Motorcar and DiMora Custom Bikes Based in Palm Springs, California, DiMora Motorcar and DiMora Custom Bikes handcraft automobiles and motorcycles designed to exceed expectations for safety, performance, technology, ecology, and luxury. The founder, CEO, and driving force behind both companies is Alfred J. DiMora, who produced two of America's finest luxury automobiles, the Clenet (as owner) and the Sceptre (as co-founder). When President Reagan declared 1986 the Centennial Year of the Gasoline-Powered Automobile, Mr. DiMora's Clenet was selected as the Official Centennial Car. As a result, he and the Clenet were honored at the Automotive Hall of Fame in Michigan. For more information, please visit www.dimoramotorcar.com. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Top Michiana stories of 2009 - WNDU Posted: 31 Dec 2009 05:59 PM PST As 2009 comes to a close, we're looking back on the stories that made headlines here at home. There were plenty of moments we won't soon forget from presidential visits, to high unemployment, a new hospital and a new Notre Dame football coach. FIRST OUT-OF-STATE TRIP TO A CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT INMATES ESCAPE FEDERAL PRISON SGT. JEFFREY SHAW KILLED ON THE JOB FALLEN SOLDIERS A NEW HOSPITAL BISHOP TRANSITION OUT WITH THE OLD, IN WITH THE NEW HIGH SCHOOL RIVALRY HEADED TO ATLANTA TACKLING A RECORD IRISH HOOPS A NEW HOME BIG GOALS There were also many big talkers nationally this year. To read about those and more on my "Year in Review", head to my blog. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
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