Bringing Clarity to the Way Ohio Measures Academic Progress
For parents, choosing where to send their children to school is one of the most important decisions they will make. They want their children to have a safe environment in which to learn and grow, and one that will provide them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in college and the workforce.
To help parents, school officials and others gauge the academic progress of their local schools, legislators implemented a report card system for school districts in 1997. These annual report cards allow people to evaluate and compare a district’s performance on proficiency tests, attendance and graduation rates. Since then, the system has been modified to take into account changes in state and federal education laws.
Currently, the rankings are determined based on a combination of four factors: student performance on 30 state indicators involving proficiency tests in third through eighth grades and the Ohio Graduation Test as well as attendance and graduation rates; a performance index which measures the achievement of every student during the school year; a value-added measure that reflects how much progress students have made in the past year; and whether or not the district met Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), a federally required measure of reading and math proficiency in 10 student subgroups.
Based on a district’s performance in these areas, they are assigned one of the following rankings: “Excellent with Distinction,” “Excellent,” “Effective,” “Continuous Improvement,” “Academic Watch” or “Academic Emergency.” Parents use these report cards to help determine where they send their children to school and districts rely on the results to help them pass levies.
While I believe we need to hold our schools accountable for ensuring our children are making progress in their education, I feel the current system unfairly punishes high-achieving schools based on the performance of a handful of students. When the annual district report cards for the 2008-2009 school year were released earlier this fall, Lebanon City Schools received a rating of Continuous Improvement –down from its previous Excellent with Distinction designation.
The reason for this drop in the ratings is due to the district failing to meet AYP for reading in two student subgroups – Hispanic and Limited English Proficient – and under the current ranking system, districts that fail to meet AYP for three or more consecutive years can be ranked no higher than “Continuous Improvement,” regardless of their performance in other areas. I spoke with the Ohio Department of Education about this issue, and learned that the two subgroups involved have almost entirely the same students. Simply put, Lebanon is getting penalized twice for the same group of students. This drop in ranking can give parents the impression that a school’s academic quality has dropped, when in fact it has not. A similar situation also occurred this year in the Kettering School District, which qualified for an “Excellent” ranking but was dropped to “Continuous Improvement” due to not meeting AYP in two student subgroups.
A closer look at Lebanon’s report card further highlights this inequity. For the 2008-2009 school year, Lebanon had a 98.1 percent graduation rate, met 29 of 30 state indicators, received a score of 101.6 on the performance index and scored above average for the value-added measure. Another district ranked “Continuous Improvement” for the same year met 0 out of 30 state indicators, received 80.4 on the performance index and did not pass all subgroups for the last three years and failed in seven subgroups this past year. This clearly indicates the current rating system does not provide the accurate, consistent assessment tool that is needed to properly express the academics of a school district.
To address this situation, my colleagues and I in the Senate recently passed Senate Bill 167, which would reform the rating system for Ohio school districts to prevent a school from dropping more than one classification simply for not meeting federal AYP standards for certain subgroups of students. Under Senate Bill 176, schools failing to meet AYP three or more years in a row in the same subgroups may only have their ranking lowered to “Effective” instead of the current “Continuous Improvement.”
Penalizing a successful, high-performing district based on essentially one subgroup failing to meet AYP seems very severe and inequitable – and potentially undermines the confidence placed in this accountability system altogether. Lebanon, by all other categories included on the state report card, is a high performing and very successful school district. This year’s rating of Continuous Improvement does not properly reflect the quality school system in Lebanon and, as a result, can cause great harm to the community. Senate Bill 167, in my opinion, addresses this issue while holding schools accountable and still providing a clear and accurate report of the academic conditions of a school district.
Senate Bill 167 has moved to the Ohio House of Representatives for further discussion, and I am hopeful that it will pass in the coming months so that next year’s school report cards can provide a more accurate picture of student progress and we can avoid situations like those in Lebanon and Kettering.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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Celebrating the Season in Southwestern Ohio
The holiday season is a busy time of year – between putting up decorations, attending parties, travelling to see relatives and rushing to complete our holiday shopping, December seems to fly by with hardly a notice. However, I believe this season is about more than simply gift-giving; it is a time to gather together with those in our lives who mean the most to us. Here in southwestern Ohio, there are a number of activities taking place that provide a great way to create lasting memories with family and friends.
For 27 years, the Festival of Lights at the Cincinnati Zoo has delighted children and adults alike as millions of lights decorate exhibits and facilities throughout the zoo. Although the weather has turned cold, many of the zoo’s residents, such as polar bears, snow leopards and sea lions enjoy the winter weather and are much more active. The festival also offers visitors the chance to see Santa and his reindeer, travel on the North Pole Express or watch a holiday-themed puppet show. New this year is the Wild Lights Show, which features a 21-foot tall, computer-controlled tree that lights up to the beat of popular holiday songs.
The Festival of Lights takes place nightly at the Cincinnati Zoo from 5-9 p.m. until January 3, although the zoo will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Admission tickets to the festival, as well as tickets for the puppet show and movies in the Special FX 4-D Theater can be purchased at the main entrance or online at www.cincinnatizoo.org.
In downtown Cincinnati, Fountain Place is hosting a number of events that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Those with a camera can have their picture taken with Santa Claus at the North Pole. Santa is available Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-8 p.m. and on Sundays from noon-6 p.m. In addition, photo opportunities will be available December 21-24 from noon-6 p.m.On Saturdays starting at 6 p.m., take your seats for Macy’s Downtown Dazzle, which features strolling entertainers, holiday characters and holiday music. The event is capped off with Santa rappelling down the side of an office building and a spectacular fireworks display. Following the fireworks, you can eat a cookie and hear a story from Mrs. Claus.
At the center of Fountain Square you will find the 7,000 square-foot ice rink that has been the site of many memorable family outings over the years. The rink is open daily now through the end of February, although the rink may close temporarily due to the weather. For hours of operation and the status of the ice rink, please call (513) 9790-4738 or visit www.myfountainsquare.com/
To help get you to all the fun at Fountain Place, the Holly Jolly Downtown Trolley stops at all major holiday attractions along Fourth and Fifth Streets every 10 minutes on the weekends. Tickets for the trolley, which runs from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon-5 p.m. on Sundays are free, and boarding takes place in front of the Westin Hotel across from Fountain Square.
Families wishing to visit Santa can hop aboard The Lebanon Mason Monroe Railroad’s North Pole Express, which transports guests in vintage train cars from the 1930s for a visit with Santa and his elves while enjoying a holiday snack. The North Pole Express runs several times each day on Saturdays and Sundays through December 20. For more information or to purchase tickets, please call (513) 933-8022 or visit www.lebanonrr.com. After your train ride, you can visit Ohio’s oldest hotel – the nearby Golden Lamb – for a snack or a tour.
Finally, if you want to celebrate the winter season without getting cold, Snowland at the Great Wolf Lodge in Mason allows you and your family to celebrate the season while splashing around an indoor waterpark that’s always a toasty 84 degrees. You can also visit with Santa, make holiday crafts and watch it snow in the Grand Lobby each day. In addition, the kids can earn a diploma from the North Pole University for Elves as they learn about animals from the North Pole and practice their chimney-sliding skills. You can make reservations at the Great Wolf Lodge by visiting www.greatwolf.com/mason/
The Beach Waterpark in Mason has also been transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with lights, a skating rink, carriage rides, petting zoo and toboggan slide. Holiday Fest takes place through January 10. For hours of operations and to purchase tickets online, please visit www.thebeachwaterpark.com.
These are just some of the events taking place in our region, and I hope you and your family and friends are able to get out and enjoy the holidays. As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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“Christmas in October”
By Jan Beedle
Santa Claus, Indiana, is a nippy name that brings thoughts of snowflakes, snowmen, little elves and lots of toy making. I suppose it is not too early to ponder cards, because it takes so long to get them ready and send them.
Trying to cut down on the card list is not an easy chore. There have been years when I bypassed the duty and expense altogether, but the guilt will not evaporate from my conscience. The following year I made up for it by sending lengthy notes from a lengthier list. Then, there were the form letters…
Having worked in retail in one capacity or another for years, I guess it was natural that I managed the first Christmas shop at the Elder Beerman Budget Store in Middletown sometime in the mid-1970s. It was fun at the time, because I decorated three large trees, put together window displays and used the Beerman budget to accomplish it – no wonder it was so much fun.
Not starting the decorating until after Thanksgiving was soon enough to get ready for the busy holidays. It gave us time to reap the benefits of the harvest season without rushing through it. Presently, Christmas decorations and cards are everywhere. Halloween and Thanksgiving were barely celebrated, but I would enjoy Christmas music and Hallmark Hall of Fame movies. I was ready for “Over the river and through the woods…” a bit longer, before I hear “Jingle Bells.” Do not get me wrong – I love Christmas, but I want to enjoy all the fall festivities first.
Santa Claus, Indiana, was originally Santa Fe, but since there was already a Santa Fe, Indiana, listed by the United States Postal Service, the townsfolk had to think of a new name. Several unique stories circulate about how the people settled on Santa Claus. The best story tells that the town leaders were sitting around a warm stove in a little log church. All of a sudden – a puff of cold wind blew the doors open. Sleigh bells could be heard in the distance. One of the children in the room exclaimed, “Santa Claus.” Residents agreed to the name. The year was 1852. The name stuck and it is the only town in the world with a Santa Claus postmark.
If you want to send a letter, the zip code is 47579. As far as I know, all letters receive an answer by Santa’s busy elves. I plan to send one this year to see what the reply might be. Sometimes I am naughty and sometimes I am nice, so I could get opera creams or a bundle of switches. I already got the lumps of coal years ago, but used them for Frosty’s eyes.
A giant Santa Claus statue marks the entrance to the unusual town. Eight other large Santa statues dot the community. Across town is Santa Claus Cemetery. I definitely need to check out the tombstones – bet they are interesting.
A housing development, Holiday Village, has New Year’s Eve St., Good Friday Blvd. and Easter Circle. These names take the mystique out of Santa Claus. Streets in the old town carry the names of Christmas Blvd., Candy Cane Lane, and Mistletoe Drive. Christmas Lake Village continues the tradition, but hides behind security gates.
According to roadsideamerica.com and the Spencer County, Indiana archives, Santa Claus Land, built in 1946, was the world’s first theme park. I question the validity of the information because I researched the old LeSourdsville Lake Park, which had been around since 1922. My sister and others remember visiting it as a theme park in 1945. I know that Cedar Point has been a park since the 1940s. Earlier this year, I researched the old Myrtle Beach Pavilion and found it to be much earlier. Disneyland opened nine years after Santa Claus Land.
I don’t know how any festival of lights could compare to the beauty and wonder of Niagara Falls Festival of Lights. Hubby and I took the trip five years ago. It was spectacular, but the extravaganza is no longer available. The festival in Santa Claus offers twelve lighted neighborhoods in Christmas Lake Village. We could relish Breakfast with Santa, musicals, crafts, and a jubilant Christmas parade. At least I have plenty of time to plan. Think I would like to find out if I can catch the holiday spirit… won’t you join me?
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State Representative Pete Beck Announces Holiday Card Contest Winner
Mason Resident Depicts “A Winter’s Sunday in Lebanon”
Columbus – State Representative Pete Beck (R-Mason) announced today that he has chosen artist Frankie Wheeler’s “A Winter’s Sunday in Lebanon” for his first annual holiday card contest. Wheeler’s watercolor rendition of the Golden Lamb in Lebanon will hang in Beck’s office at the state capitol.
“The 67th House District has many beautiful qualities, and the very talented artists in this contest did an amazing job of portraying them,” Beck said. “Ms. Wheeler’s painting will make a great greeting card and an excellent addition to my office decorations.”
Representative Beck and the Mason Area Arts Council teamed up to create a contest for his first holiday card to be sent as state representative of the 67th House District. Artists were asked to submit work that they felt embodied the county.
Wheeler, originally from Charleston, WV, moved to Mason in January of 2009. Since then, she has become a member of the Mason Area Arts Council’s painting group, the Mason Area Painters. Eighty-seven-year-old Wheeler says she’s been painting all her life and can’t remember a time when a paint brush wasn’t in her hand.
“My family and my art have made up my life all of these 87 years,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler won $500 for her first prize award. Second place went to Jody Ball’s “Finding the Perfect Tree” and 3rd place was awarded to Maury Mountain’s “The Batche Building.” Beck also awarded honorable mention to two Mason students, Raga Maddela and Brooke Woods.
The original Golden Lamb was built in 1803. The brick building where the Golden Lamb moved to and currently resides was built in 1815. The Golden Lamb is recognized as the oldest continuously operating business in the state of Ohio. Many prominent citizens have stayed at the Golden Lamb, including visits by 12 presidents.
For more information about the Mason Area Arts Council visit www.masonarts.org or contact Executive Director Meredith Raffel at 513-573-0007.
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November is National Adoption Month
Each year, thousands of children across the United States and here in Ohio are waiting to find a good home with a loving family willing to provide them with the support and care they so desperately deserve. To help promote awareness of the need for adoptive families, November has been designated as National Adoption Awareness Month.
Throughout this month, activities will be held in communities around the state that seek to encourage and connect potential adoptive and foster parents with waiting children. Here in the Ohio General Assembly, my colleagues and I also recognize the need to increase the number of adoptions in our state, which currently stands at roughly 1,900 each year. To that end, we have passed several bills designed to make the adoption process easier and more affordable for families.
Last year, we approved House Bill 7, which encourages adoption agencies to approach adoption with a focus on the best interests of the child, including considering family members and friends when recruiting potential adoptive parents. The bill also reduces duplicative paperwork and training, and will allow families participating in a private adoption to pay the birth mother’s living expenses during the pregnancy and up to two months after the birth.
Whether a family uses a public or private agency to complete an adoption, the costs can be substantial. Some adoptions may only cost a few thousand dollars, while international or private adoptions can cost more than $30,000. I was pleased to be a co-sponsor of a bill that increased the adoption tax credit in Ohio from $500 to $1,500. This credit is in addition to any federal adoption tax credits the family may be eligible to receive and will help encourage more families to consider opening their home to a child in need of their love and support.
Although a great deal of effort has been made in recent years to increase the number of adoptions, we also need to encourage more people to become foster parents. These individuals play a critical role in the lives of children whose parents or guardians are unable to care for them, providing them with the support and care they need until they can be reunited with their families or placed in a permanent home.
Legislators have also worked in recent years to reform our state’s foster care system and ensure foster children are placed in safe and stable homes. That is why the Legislature has passed bills in the last year that provide added protections for children in foster care, improved cooperation among government agencies to prevent children from being placed in dangerous homes and more information to public service agencies, better enabling them to remove a child should problems develop. The legislation also helps ensure agencies are better equipped to identify a child’s specific needs prior to placement and that prospective foster parents have the training they need to meet those needs.
In addition, we have also passed measures that expand the list of offenses that would prevent an individual from becoming a foster or adoptive parent and require potential foster parents to submit to an FBI background check prior to becoming certified and again when they apply for renewal. This will catch any transgressions that occur between the two applications. These changes will help strengthen the training and services available to foster parents while also keeping children safe.
If you would like more information about becoming a foster or adoptive parent, please contact the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services by calling 1-866-886-3537 and selecting option 4 or going online to www.jfs.ohio.gov/oapl. You can also contact the Warren County Children’s Services Bureau at by phone (513) 695-1546 or online by visiting www.co.warren.oh.us/
Our children are one of our most precious resources and need good homes with loving parents to nurture and care for them. By promoting the need for adoptive and foster parents and making the adoption process easier for families, we can give more children the opportunity to find a safe and loving permanent home.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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TALKING TURKEY AT THE LIBRARY
Written by: Christy Trent
I am ashamed to admit it but in my forty some odd years I have never roasted a Thanksgiving turkey, or any other turkey for that matter. Don’t laugh. There is a good explanation. For one thing we never had children, plus my husband’s side of the family is very small and my side is very large. When we visit his family for thanksgiving dinner it consists of just three; mother-in-law, husband and I. On the other hand, my family consists of thirty plus! There is always plenty of food no matter where I go to eat.
Since it is well known I have never roasted a turkey none of them want to trust me with such an important part of the meal. Green bean or corn casserole is my forte, and if the family is really worried abut my culinary skills I can always bring the rolls.
This year I have decided between now and Christmas I am going to roast my first turkey---ever! I have a new stove just itching to be broken in with a succulent giant bird. The book, Talk Turkey to Me, by Renee S. Ferguson, is just the thing I need to help me in my quest.
The first question virgin turkey roasters like me invariably ask is how big a bird should I buy? If leftovers are desired an easy rule of thumb is 1 ½ pounds per person. So for just my husband and me a 3 pound turkey will be sufficient. Do they even come that small?
Next dilemma is how long do I need to thaw my frozen turkey? Check the label on the bird for thawing instructions and if it says thaw 2 to 3 days do not count the day you take it out of the freezer and put it in the refrigerator.
It is very important to make sure the turkey is cooked thoroughly. The best way to be certain is with a meat thermometer stuck into the thigh. And definitely remove the plastic bag filled with giblets wedged into the cavity. Ick! No matter how disgusting the thought of sticking your hand into a raw turkey is, they must be removed. Nothing creepier than a steaming slimy bag of innards bursting open when you go to carving!
Basting or adding spices to the turkey skin is next. There are dozens of different recipes using various condiments; mayonnaise, ketchup, maple syrup or butter, but these will only flavor the outside skin.
Make sure you have a big enough pan, then either cook it covered or uncovered. But remember if cooked covered the turkey will not be a beautiful brown like in the magazines, although this is no indication of the doneness. Always check with a meat thermometer.
Once in the oven you are free to watch the game or rest until the timer sounds. Then pull that turkey out and chow down to your hearts content.
For more help with your holiday dinners this year head over to your local library and check out books to assist with your special days.
Oh, yeah, and wish me luck with my first turkey!
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Sleigh Bells for Charity
These days, it seems like all you see when you pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV are stories about businesses closing their doors or violence in cities across the globe. With so many bad things happening, it can be hard to find good news out there. But every day, there exists the small acts of kindness between strangers, the charitable work of volunteers, and the generosity between neighbors, family and friends that make a difference in the lives of others and in our communities.
For example, over the last six years, Bridge Riding for the Disabled, a non-profit in Lebanon, has received a $2,000 - $3,000 in annual donations to support its therapeutic horseback riding programs, all thanks to a local Holiday Sleigh Bell Contest sponsored by Picture This, a downtown Lebanon art and framing shop.
The contest coincides with the City of Lebanon’s 21st annual Historic Christmas Festival and Horse Drawn Carriage Parade, and gives anyone and everyone an opportunity to get in the holiday spirit and to display their creative and artistic skills, with all proceeds going to support Bridge Riding.
Here’s how it works: Stop in at Picture This at 26 South Broadway in downtown Lebanon to purchase a 6 ½-inch bell (for adults) or a 4 ½-inch bell (for children) for $10 each, and then decorate your bell however you like and return it no later than November 28 to ensure its entry in the contest. Even if you don’t elect to decorate a bell yourself, during the week of November 30, for a $1 donation, anyone may vote for their favorite decorated bell. On December 4, Picture This will announce the winners, award prizes and hold a silent auction to sell the bells. Every dollar raised from the sale of bells, from the opportunity to vote for the best bell and from the sale of decorated bells goes to Bridge Riding.
It is a very worthy cause. Established in 1987, Bridge Riding for the Disabled uses therapeutic horseback riding to help people with varying levels of disabilities improve their physical and cognitive skills. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers and the generous donations of others, Bridge Riding serves more than 50 riders each year, ranging from young children to seniors citizens.
Riders in the Bridge Riding program may suffer from autism, cerebral palsy, strokes, multiple sclerosis or developmental disabilities. Along with learning horseback riding, students work to improve muscle coordination, balance, and overall strength and communication skills. The horses at the facility are specially selected and trained for these types of activities and instructors are certified. Over the years proceeds from the annual sleigh bell contest have allowed Bridge to install a new, softer floor for its arena, which helps to prevent injuries in case of a fall and a special lift to better help participants mount their horses. For more information about Bridge Riding for the Disabled, call (937) 654-4693 or visit their Web site at www.bridgeriding.org.
Now, I do not profess to be artistic in any way, but I recently purchased a bell to decorate. Even as I stare at the daunting blank canvas, I am determined to see my completed bell hanging alongside all the others when they go on display in just a few short weeks.
To learn more about the Holiday Sleigh Bell Contest, contact Becky Gebhart of Picture This at (513) 934-0416. I also encourage all Hamilton and Warren County families to attend the 21st Annual Historic Christmas Festival and Horse Drawn Carriage Parade on Saturday, December 5. It is a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays with your neighbors. For more information about the Festival and all upcoming events in Lebanon, visit the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce website at: www.lebanonchamber.org.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact my office if you have questions or concerns about any state-related matter. You can reach my office by phone at (614) 466-9737, by e-mail at SD07@senate.state.oh.us or by writing State Senator Shannon Jones, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215. I look forward to hearing from you.
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By Jan Beedle
What does our patriotic duty have to do with anything? The signs are still in my mind…with red, white, and blue as predominant colors. Every overheard conversation is about who should have won the 2008 elections…Obama’s or McCain’s qualifications or disqualifications. Too late now. Lyn Larouche or Ralph Nader never gave up the fight for recognition, leadership.
I had been hooked on the popular TV show, “West Wing,” since its inception, and saw parallels between our government’s day-to-day dealings with world situations and Jed Bartlett’s fictitious, but thought-provoking staff. The last two sequences concerning a Mid-East conflict were surreal. I’m surprised that Daytonian Martin Sheen (Estevez) has not thrown his hat into the political arena, along with others from Hollywood, such as Arnold S., Senator Fred Thompson (“Law & Order”), and the retired Wrestler/Governor J. Ventura of Minnesota. After all, it takes a certain amount of moxy, fame, and a lot of acting to pull off a high-ranking political position these days. Let’s face it…money talks an even bigger talk.
Each president slides into the role exhausted from the round of speaking engagements and constant mouth movement by making promises he intends to keep, but can’t realistically. How is it physically and mentally possible? At the beginning, he still has a youthful appearance, but after the first term of a fast-paced, tumultuous battle, he has squinty baggy eyes, white hair, a raspy spent voice, and permanent worry lines. The gray is already showing. It has to be a thankless job to top all jobs. I only hear complaints…no praise.
I personally have experienced leading groups, and it’s never easy, if you want to make changes or accomplish anything. There is always a negative factor. Usually, the naysayers want change, but aren’t willing to help establish or maintain the changes wanted.
Election Day 2009 will soon be part of the past, and we will have to deal with the future of living with the decisions we have made. The issues you voted for will be initiated, or not. Too late, the fields are plowed and torn up. It will be time to plant the seeds, nurture them, and pray fervently for a fruitful crop.
I quizzed an 18-year-old young man about political parties and what they stood for; I was surprised by how much he knew. He saw the Green Party as hippies wanting to spread peace, love, ecological balance, and as working to save natural resources. The young man viewed the Constitution Party as extremist religious practitioners. The party is based upon the belief that the original Constitution was based on God and country and we should adhere to its basic concepts…with no change. From his knowledge of the Libertarian Party, the members want to eliminate the IRS (I wish, but realistically…), FDA, and other government organizations.
A 20 year-old young man, who recently returned from Iraq, says the job situation is crucial for his age group. Training that is more specific, benefits, and skilled jobs need to stay here on our soil.
The most memorable interview was with Walter H. Moses of Bellbrook, Ohio. He retired after 22 years from the DESI Security Force. Mr. Moses was from a big family out of Williamsburg, Kentucky. Four of the males died young due to “wine, whiskey, moonshine, dope, and wild livin’, but green grass still grew on the graves.” He said, “honeysuckle will grow on his.” Mr. Moses was drafted in 1944 and considered it a privilege to serve his country in WWII. By 1945, he was an MP in Korea. His blind grandmother used to sit on the front porch of her home and pray every day for five boys. They all came home alive. Mr. Moses said, “Bush was a good honorable man. People didn’t like him because he tried to be the fire chief of the world. Doesn’t work.” He said to refer to Jeremiah 50, 51, and 52 to see why we’re in Baghdad, and to look in Genesis to see why the United States of America is Israel’s friend. Walter Moses had a disabling stroke on January 20, 1995, but ended up walking out of the hospital. He has seen miracles, and believed the 2008 election was a miracle.
Wow…with these convictions of the young and old merging, How could I not look forward to my patriotic duty as precinct presiding judge? Of course, it has taken me at least a year to recuperate from the last wild Election Day. The General Election should be calmer, but in Ohio, I am not sure.
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Representative Beck to Hold a Holiday Card Design Contest
Winner’s Design to be Placed on Constituent Greeting Cards
The theme of the card should encompass the beauty of Warren County. Artists are encouraged to use their own creative license to showcase the district through their artwork.
“I thought this would be a nice way for artists to express the beauty of the cities and townships that I serve here in House District 67,” Beck said.
The winning entry will receive $500; second prize will be $250; and third prize will be $100. The winning artist will receive credit on the back of the card. An estimated 500 cards will be printed and mailed to the constituents of House District 67. The winning artwork will also hang in Representative Beck’s office at the Statehouse.
Artists are encouraged to submit photography, paintings, drawings or mixed media that would be suitable for printing. Original artwork should not exceed 11”x17”.
All entries are due on Monday, Nov. 23 and should be mailed or dropped off to 4900 Parkway Drive, Suite 150, Mason, OH 45040. Winners will be announced on Monday, Nov. 30. For more information and contest guidelines call 513-573-0007 or visit www.masonarts.org.
Guidelines for submitting artwork:
State Representative Pete Beck’s Holiday Card Contest
Contest Guidelines
1. Art should feature anything that may represent District 67, Warren County. That includes: Franklin, Springboro, Mason, Lebanon, Carlisle, Franklin Twp., Deerfield Twp.
2. Because the winning submissions will be used as a holiday card during the month of December, submissions should be in accordance with the season and not reflective of summer, spring or fall.
4. Original art should be no larger then 11”x17” and should be mounted. The final cards will be 5”x7” and printed in full color or black and white, as appropriate.
5. Artists should avoid glitter, three dimensional features or other techniques that will not reproduce effectively.
6. Artists are asked to remove or obscure any features or object that might be copyrighted, trademarked or otherwise are not part of the public domain, i.e. company logos, unless permission is granted in writing by the owner of the feature of object.
7. Submissions must be mailed to or delivered (9am – 4pm) to:
Offices of Deerfield Township
4900 Parkway Drive, Suite 150
Mason, OH 45040
Attention: Mason Area Arts Council
Meredith Raffel
8. Winning artists must agree not to reproduce their art for personal use.
9. Winning entry becomes the property of Friends of Pete Beck and will be displayed in the office of Representative Beck.
10. Winning entry will be featured on Mason Area Arts Council website and local newspaper.
Prizes
1st place Design Winner $500.00
2nd place $250.00
3rd place $100.00
Timeline
1. All submissions must be either mailed or delivered to the Mason Area Arts Council (above address) by Monday, November 23, 2009.
2. Winners will be notified no later than Monday, November 30, 2009.
For more information or questions, please feel free to contact: 513-573-0007 or visit www.masonarts.org
To reclaim your artwork:
Submitted artwork will be available for pick up Monday, November 30th, between 10am – 12pm at
Cottell Park, Snyder House
5847 Irwin-Simpson Rd. Mason, OH 45040
If that’s not convenient for you, we can work out other arrangements.
2009 Holiday Card Contest
(Please fill out this form and adhere it to the back of your artwork)
Name _______________________________________________
Address ______________________________________________
City, State, Zip ________________________________________
Email ________________________________________________
Phone number ________________________________________
Cell phone ____________________________________________
Please tell us a little about yourself (optional)
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