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Crooked River Cast Show 34
0 Playsin 13 hours
Crookedrivercast.com
Crookedrivercast@gmail.com
- Shutdown updates.
- Refugee SNAP benefits end but not from the shutdown.
- Election results.
- Levies, lawsuits and lousy accounting.
- Library levy bill would ban them.
- Redistricting map is here!
- Is robot love real love?
- Downtown safety patrol is expanding? YAY…
- Community power plants?
- Failure to identify bill.
- Ahhhhh Rats!
Good Things:
- Lung Cancer awareness month.
- AC/DC coming to Ohio Stadium
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
00:00:12
Speaker
Hello and welcome to the Crooked River cast. I Rob and joining me every week is Tom and we are two guys from Northeast Ohio just trying to figure out what the heck is going on in state. This is show 34 recorded on November 8th, 2025.
00:00:27
Speaker
Wow, another week has gone by. We've got some stuff to discuss.
Tech Troubles and Apple's Ecosystem
00:00:32
Speaker
Let's go.
00:00:42
Speaker
Hello, Tom. Welcome to the show again. It's another week. It's show 34. In the morning, In the morning.
00:00:51
Speaker
You know, we're slightly delayed this morning. Slightly.
00:00:56
Speaker
I do love Apple products. I do love Apple products. For a lot of reasons. they're They are not perfect. They suck in their own ways, too. And one of them is, I've got this set up now.
00:01:11
Speaker
for the show and I'm using my laptop as feeding the clips. We talked about it. And as I'm setting up this morning, but but one of the advantages is i can literally, this is one of the reasons I love Apple.
00:01:26
Speaker
I could take my cursor without really doing anything, go to the edge of one of my monitors on my own computer and it will go to my laptop monitor as in another, it just automatically just does it.
00:01:39
Speaker
But as I said, they suck in their own way. Right before the show started, my cursor disappeared. was lot either way Which laptop did it go to? well Yeah. So i have the I have the Mac mini that I run the show off of.
00:01:55
Speaker
And then I have my laptop that I pipe in to feed the clips. And it it wasn't on either. crap now what do i do i got no i got i can't do anything like i don't know like do you know your keyboard shortcuts uh i was i was going for that and then it magically reappeared for some crazy reason so it like ah it is not perfect
00:02:21
Speaker
yeah i get the same thing over here sometimes but you know i i only have one monitor oh yeah there's that is that i i
Government Shutdown Impact
00:02:30
Speaker
my occasionally my monitor will just turn it off one of them will go black and the other one will stay on and i'm just like hdmi it comes back well i have two monitors hooked up to the mac mini and one of them goes through to an hdmi port the other one goes through a
00:02:47
Speaker
goes through the USB. Yeah. Well, one of them's the HDMI is probably blacking out. Mine does all the time. It is, it is the one, it is the one first monitor that does it. and it It always comes right back, but same here. It's, it's an Apple thing. I tried looking it up and it's, uh, it's a multi-monitor thing.
00:03:04
Speaker
No, I get it. Yeah. I mean, I had this, I have Windows. Well, I had Windows computers for work and until I talked to him and get me a ah MacBook for work. But it was it was the same issue.
00:03:19
Speaker
I would go to work and plug in my laptop and one monitor wouldn't work. So it's it's it's a weird thing for, its ah i imagine a complicated thing, but Apple does it does do it pretty darn good because I hadn't really had any problems with the switch to a MacBook.
00:03:36
Speaker
I, you know, one of the reasons, speaking of that, one of the reasons I wanted it because it's crazy how much business you do over text nowadays.
00:03:46
Speaker
And with, with a Mac, you can have your texts on your computer, reply, copy, paste, pull documents off of it right off and drag them right into your computer. Yeah. That was the biggest thing I was like, they like why do you want, I'm like because you know how much business I do via text.
00:04:02
Speaker
Right. It's a stupid amount of, It's just the way things are going. Everybody, you know, quick fit. And hey I'd rather have it in text than a phone call because at least I have it writing. At least I have it in writing.
00:04:14
Speaker
not ah Not somebody's. But that was another reason. And you know the other cool thing? I can copy something on my phone, go to my computer, and then paste it. I love doing that.
00:04:26
Speaker
feels so futuristic. So futuristic. Futuristic. Yeah. Yeah. and The fact that you're talking about being on a desktop. Yeah, that's true.
00:04:39
Speaker
Hey. The boomers are at it. Again.
00:04:46
Speaker
Oh, mean. Oh, my God. Oh, mean. but But, I mean, kind of true. But I think... I don't know. i think I think computers are snazzy, man.
00:04:58
Speaker
I love computers. Yeah. they are they are They are not the great savior that they they told us they would be, like most things. Like, they're talking about, hey, oh, geez, we'll get into this story later. Oh, yeah. This was supposed to... We're supposed to be working four-day weeks because of computers. It's supposed to be working less.
00:05:14
Speaker
Not to eight o'clock at night because it's in your pocket. yeah Yeah. Hey, good with the bad. So... um
00:05:26
Speaker
Everybody's still freaking out, still got a shutdown going on. We are officially the longest shutdown in history, correct? ah Yeah, I think 30, I forget how many days we are and on it now, but 36 days was breaking the record. So that was a few days ago.
00:05:41
Speaker
Yeah, that was a couple of days ago. And all all kinds of just new updates this morning on some of this stuff, the snap benefits, yeah we're good at half <unk> get they're going to give half benefits. now they're going to give full benefits. The judge says do this and do that. I'm like, like how much of...
00:06:00
Speaker
How much power do these judges have? I mean, I guess, is or was the Trump administration wait waiting for them to tell them to do it, to give them the legal authority to do it? Well, no. I mean, a judge is telling him to pay, but where does the money come from?
00:06:15
Speaker
Right. They have the fund, but it's only- They don't have the fund. If there's no there's no money. Oh, you're talking about the emergency fund? Yeah, but it's only half. now Yeah, but that's not what the... I don't think that's what the judge is telling them. Just tell them to just pay it.
00:06:30
Speaker
where It doesn't matter. Just pay it. this kind of Okay. But legally, the he you can't just pull money from anywhere. No, no. And ah
00:06:44
Speaker
the astonishing thing to me is that they have an emergency fund $5 billion.
00:06:51
Speaker
And it doesn't even cover one month of SNAP benefits for the country.
00:06:57
Speaker
but what i um One month of SNAP benefits in America is more than we give our largest, I think, foreign aid, which is Israel, right?
00:07:09
Speaker
think that did we give them the most or something that. yeah, yeah. That doesn't mean, that that's that's one month. One month It surpasses that. Yep. Yeah. By a lot. but yeah It's like two or three weeks worth is what we give to our biggest. I think America's emergency fund is about like everybody else's.
00:07:29
Speaker
Hardly there. Yeah, it's hardly there. It's it's not, it doesn't cover what it's, and it would only be a month anyway, even if they did have 8 billion, I think it's 8 or 9 billion, 8, 9. I thought it was 9, but whatever. 9 billion dollars.
00:07:44
Speaker
Well, I mean, part of part of this also is affecting some of the states. And it's kind of astonishing to see how reliant on the federal government the states are.
00:08:01
Speaker
I don't think people quite understand...
00:08:05
Speaker
how tied, how enslaved I think they are to the federal government.
Election Results and Community Impact
00:08:10
Speaker
So here's a, ah we got a story here from the IdeaStream. Ohio agency warns federal shutdown could mean furloughs for state workers.
00:08:21
Speaker
Let's see what the IdeaStream has to say.
00:08:26
Speaker
It's not just federal employees affected by the shutdown of the U.S. government, which is 33 days old and approaching the record of 35 days set in the first Trump administration in 2018. There's a chance that state employees could also be sidelined or have no paychecks if the shutdown continues.
00:08:43
Speaker
As many as 9,000 state employees across six agencies could face furloughs if federal funding is halted because of the shutdown, according to the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. DAS said in a statement those agencies are the Adjutant General, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, the Ohio Department of Health, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, and the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
00:09:06
Speaker
But DAS stressed its announcement about the potential for furloughs was informational only. Contracts between agencies and unions require notification of funding interruptions 14 days in advance, and affected workers would be notified individually.
00:09:21
Speaker
So for now, those employees are at work and getting paid. Karen Kassler at the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau. Thank you, Karen. Karen Kessler was a pleasant voice, even though and may not want to hear what she has to say. 9,000 state employees. 9,000 state employees rely on federal funding.
00:09:46
Speaker
Yeah, okay. That seems to be a problem too. Look all these problems we're we're finding. I don't know. What do you think? nine That seems like an awful lot. Well, why so much?
00:10:01
Speaker
Because we can, i guess. You know, it's a good way for the federal. Yeah. Good way for the federal government to control the states. Yeah.
00:10:12
Speaker
It always has been. It's always been one of my problems. you Oh, hey hey, no, you don't have to lower the speed limit. You don't have to have these extreme DUI laws. But if you don't, we're not going give you federal funding.
00:10:25
Speaker
So basically, they get what they want. So I just thought that was important because i don't think people really realize... and how much the states rely on federal funding on so many things.
00:10:39
Speaker
And we're we will get into more of those as we continue on today. this This next story, speaking of the shutdown, is the West Park business steps up for pets during the government shutdown.
00:10:53
Speaker
And we thought about this. Like, okay, so yeah, you can't feed yourself. You also can't feed your pet.
00:11:00
Speaker
And I thought, Well, barring having a pet and then getting into an issue and then not having it. But if you are on Snap, is it responsible to get a pet?
00:11:16
Speaker
If you can't feed yourself on your own, do you think you should put another mouth in the house? Yeah, no. It's similar to having You put... Yeah, well, no, never. You can't feed yourself. If you're on government assistance, you shouldn't be procreating.
00:11:33
Speaker
You can't feed yourself. yeah sure You're right, but dirt accidents happen. Thank you. i don' think I feel good. You told me this is first five minutes of show. You told me I was right. um
00:11:45
Speaker
um Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. It's like, why do they have a pet if they're on snap? Yeah. You know, the only ones that i I would think should get it are the ones that maybe got laid off and needed it for emergency.
00:12:02
Speaker
Just for a couple months type of thing. Barring you, you had a pet and then you lost your job and needed one step. I get that. But I guarantee you there's plenty of people out there that are on Snap, you know, yeah knowing that families are generationally on and it. I'm sure this has happened.
00:12:17
Speaker
It's sad that a lot of the...
00:12:23
Speaker
Pounds, the APL and stuff like that. They have programs and stuff you can check with them on it. But they're also expecting an influx of people dropping off their pets because they can't feed them.
00:12:35
Speaker
So there's also that, you got watch out for that too. Yeah, and didn't even think of that. Yeah, they they usually say they, I've seen a couple reports, they usually have an influx during times like these, which I'm not sure we've ever had times like these. but so next thatll ah So yeah, watch out for those pets. And don't forget about feeding them too because they... ah I'd rather have the pets getting snapped than the people.
00:12:59
Speaker
Well, lot I do. a lot of them, yes. i had a couple conversations over the week with some friends of mine who have family members on Snap. I mean, these are its a couple different, few different people, ah various ages and races and all that other stuff. So it's kind of, and surprisingly enough, most of them are, they were like, yeah, it's, know, I brought the point we brought last week. I said, hey,
00:13:26
Speaker
I hope people realize what they give up, that these SNAP benefits are not free and you pay with your freedom, basically, your autonomy, because you're reliant on somebody else to feed you.
00:13:38
Speaker
and he And most people say, yeah, I get that. He goes, you know for but dude's mom who is disabled and 68 years old, okay, I get it. I get it. What is she doing now? Well, you know what's happening now?
00:13:52
Speaker
The community is coming together. Right. People are talking to each other, talking to their neighbors. They're checking with their neighbors to see how they're doing. They're going to church, noting what they have extra of so they can maybe get something that they don't have, you know, that kind of stuff.
00:14:05
Speaker
How long does that last? I don't know, but there are plenty of... Sorry, go Personally, I think that can keep that can go on forever. It's a community thing.
00:14:16
Speaker
Back to what we talked about last week. What happened before SNAP? Right. How many people starved to death before SNAP?
00:14:25
Speaker
Well, my limited searches that I took 30 seconds to do, because that's about all. Not many, if any, you know, in 1920, before this, 1940, not many people, if any, starved.
00:14:38
Speaker
I don't think any did. Because they had community. And the more we the more we rely on the government, ah the less we talk to each other, the less we go rely on ourselves and rely on some some big agency.
00:14:49
Speaker
And some businesses are actually getting into it. i have to I put this one in the lineup for Swenson's. Swenson's Burger Joint. Love me a galley boy. ah So good.
00:15:01
Speaker
They are offering three ah free meal, complimentary kids meal to households relying on SNAP who have been impacted. And I thought, wow, this is this is nice. But you know I quickly came into a problem with this.
00:15:16
Speaker
I'm not sure how they're going to handle it, but you go into ah ah Swenson's and you show them your BBT card and they will get you a free kids meal.
00:15:28
Speaker
Right. What if I got five kids? Well, it might be each It one meal. and might be for each kid it says one meal ah For each kid. well the meal Anyone 18 or younger with a presenting SNAP household card. So that means for each kid.
00:15:49
Speaker
Qualifies for, finish it, one free meal. Anyone 18 or younger with a presenting right SNAP household card qualifies for one free meal. So that means if there's...
00:16:01
Speaker
three people under 18 in a household they get one each get one that's the way i read it anyway yeah but actually as i reread it who what eb what person under 18 has an ebt card household card oh okay so anyone under yeah so i yeah get you bring your mom's card and you get it yeah um or you're i read it as they get one meal no i don't i don't really it says anyone 18 or younger yeah so ah if there's three 18 year olds in the household they each get one that could solve the problem but i i i think you get one per card but i would say i don't maybe be up to the swenson's actually probably because i mean that could cause fights between siblings so we you wouldn't want to do that
00:16:45
Speaker
ah But yeah, a lot of businesses are offering this free. If you show your Snapcard, you get free burgers, pizzas, all kinds of stuff. So again, the community coming together.
00:16:57
Speaker
And i think that's kind of cool. I'm not sure how long that's going to last. But it is something. It is kind of what I think... hopefully we'll come out of this as as people maybe wake up a little bit and see, see the community that's, that's around you that you can rely on. And you just have to sit there with a handout.
00:17:20
Speaker
Yeah. I don't see that happening. I don't either. I just hoping, I'm just hoping, just hoping, um, on the same kind of, you know, I kind of pulled this next story here.
00:17:32
Speaker
um thinking it was because of the shutdown, but it's not, as I read into it. So thousands of refugees in Northeast Ohio are losing their SNAP benefits after federal cuts.
00:17:48
Speaker
And I originally thinking, oh, that's probably ah SNAP, but no, it's not. That's from the Big Beautiful Bill, is it? It's from the Big Beautiful Bill. yeah And that started also on November 1st, which, hmm.
00:18:02
Speaker
Oh. Coincidence, maybe? Yeah. Maybe. Coincidence. Yeah. Yeah. but Or were they going, eh, we're probably going to be in a shutdown at this time too, because they knew when it was, you know, when that date was too, so.
00:18:14
Speaker
Oh, I think and think once something's signed, it takes a minute to go into effect.
00:18:21
Speaker
November 1st, that also... is the case with any refugees. So I'm like, what's a refugee? That's a very loose term. um' I'm told an asylum seeker is a refugee sometimes too.
00:18:36
Speaker
you know, somebody who just sneaks in across the border and says, they're going to hurt me, then you're you're not a refugee. Does that sound about right? Yeah, that's that's that's the scam going around, right?
00:18:48
Speaker
it could It could be. and I think it's a lot of it, not necessarily all of it and And in this story, ah this is News Channel 5, has a story about it and but let's hear a little bit let's let me let me check my clip setup yes here so yeah um there's a couple things in this clip maybe we can point out that are missing that this guy brings up and this is a refugee and let's hear what he i guess you're here this is channel five snap cuts
00:19:20
Speaker
It's really hard for each of us who are here. Three years ago, Akbar Shinwadi resettled in Cleveland with his family of seven from Afghanistan. I came to register myself as a refugee here at the U.S. CRI. The U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants helped get him on his feet and find a job.
00:19:38
Speaker
Government services like s SNAP helped cover groceries. For a family of seven, ah like me, we were getting about $800 with food benefits. But now that assistance is gone. So people don't know how they're going to put food on their table right now.
00:19:55
Speaker
It's a very, very bad situation right now. For the first time ever in the history of the United States refugee assistance program, families who would be arriving into the United States will no longer be granted the same social benefits they have. As of November.
00:20:07
Speaker
So pause that real quick. So still a couple things. I'll let it go a little longer, but hey, yeah, it's pretty bad here, but um maybe there's a couple of things happening that aren't happening where you came from. Now I thinking, was this three years ago? Is this guy part of the mass exodus out of Afghanistan that we did that beautiful poll out that, that president Biden got us all.
00:20:33
Speaker
That's about three, four years ago. Right. That was 2021 of May. So, no, that was a little bit more, but it could be part of that whole. Part of it. Yeah. I mean, it could take them a while to get, because they don't go right to here. They go to a couple of countries, I think, and they vet them and all that stuff. So I'm thinking this guy might be part of that, um but let's listen.
00:20:54
Speaker
Number first, the federal budget bill called the One Big Beautiful Bill Act dramatically cut access to SNAP benefits for refugees. So a green card, we often call it green card holder, had to be living here for a period of five years or under the age of 18 to continue qualifying for SNAP. Statewide, 13,000 refugees are affected, including about 4,000 here in Cuyahoga County. And SNAP isn't the only resource on the line.
00:21:19
Speaker
Next year, refugees lose access to Medicaid. For individuals who faced persecution and war, to come to the United States and face instability is something I think we should all be concerned about. For Shinwadi, it's not only his clients who were affected, it's also his own family. How do you feel? Well, it's ah it's a pressure. Sometimes 15 to 18 hours of work that I'm doing and run for my family, because if I'll not do that, it will be really hard for me ah to to have ah ah food for my children.
00:21:47
Speaker
But for a man who came to the U.S. for a better life, he refuses to lose faith or believe that the country he loves will leave him behind. There is a hope as well there because there is a humanity failing in this country.
00:22:01
Speaker
but Reporting in Cleveland, Nadine Abusada. I love your country. Give me something. Give me free stuff. A couple things.
00:22:14
Speaker
Yeah, that's it's pretty bad. I'm not not happy that you've got hooked on our benefits and now you're not kind be able to get them. That sucks. But the the bonus here is in America, you're not going to get bombed by your by your by your just because you're not as a certain religion or because you don't bow to the right God. um you're not gonna you're You're not going to get your head cut off. Oh, yeah. You know what?
00:22:41
Speaker
I don't know if they told you this or not, but in America, unfortunately, both you and your wife usually have to work if you have seven kids. So where's the wife? couple of your kids might start needing to pitch in too.
00:22:55
Speaker
Yeah, at some point, they they you should get old enough to pitch in. But where's where's the wife? Is she allowed to work? Does he allow her to work? Excellent point.
00:23:07
Speaker
Does he allow her to work? Oh, yeah, and there's the whole no bombs things. You ain't got to worry about. sharia law or do you do you so that was very interesting to me that that there were we're talking about seven kids which i get you actually with seven kids you you probably need to stay home depending on their age right at to a certain point but oh you're not gonna afford uh daycare right you can't take yeah so either kid gets old enough to watch them or mom dad have to watch them or unless you have some family members okay so get all that but
00:23:43
Speaker
we we want We want people to come. We need immigrants. I just don't think... Do we need more Uber drivers? No, we definitely don't need more Uber drivers. Okay. Well, I mean, maybe, because the less Uber drivers, the higher the cost of Uber. We we need immigrants that are that that have talent. it A skill. and And skill, yeah.
00:24:04
Speaker
So, no, we don't need... randomly mooring immigrants. Right. That's where I was getting to. Exactly. Yeah. We need, we need people, but we need people that can contribute. And this guy, maybe this guy isn't the case.
00:24:17
Speaker
There's the exact right case to be making this point on because he is a quote unquote refugee. And if he did come from Afghanistan, probably a bad situation. Maybe he helped us in some way and that's why he got out.
00:24:27
Speaker
I don't know. Yeah. Yeah. um But again, eventually you've been here three years. You've been on it for three years. Seems that way.
00:24:38
Speaker
This guy seems like a hard worker. i mean, it's true that he's working all those hours, but yeah you know. So in Afghanistan, how many hours a day did you work? Did you work at all in Afghanistan?
00:24:50
Speaker
did you Could you even get a job in Afghanistan? These are all the things you're like, yeah, I get it. I get it sucks. And i get youre going have to work hard. That's kind of the point, though. and Everybody with seven kids and no college needs to work hard. Very hard. Anybody with seven kids, I should say, needs to work hard if they want to live on a one income. It doesn't matter what...
00:25:13
Speaker
You know, unless you're Elon Musk or from that class, you're you have to work hard. Yeah. Well, Elon has to work hard just to keep up with the amount of kids he has because eventually they're going to they're going to catch up and suck all all of his money dry. Well, I guess I'm saying if you're from that class and maybe you're independently wealthy, yeah everybody needs to work hard. Elon works hard. Yeah, I was going to say, he works hard just because he likes to work hard, but he doesn't, yeah he's not he just pops kids up because he wants to keep the population up. That's what he said.
00:25:43
Speaker
oh he's crazy but yeah well think he's not crazy i agree with him but he's not he's not doing it because of that he's doing it because you know uh i don't even know about that he's just hooking up with chicks and they're getting pregnant i think this seems sound like the thing don't know calm down you know don't be daffy don't be well never mind finish that what oh yeah don't be daffy don't be silly slap a snake skin on your willy but He doesn't need to. and He likes kids.
00:26:11
Speaker
Well, that's what i mean. You know, he's not, oh, I'm just, don no, Nealon. You do it because you like it. It's fun. if ah if If making kids wasn't fun, we all wouldn't be here. So anyway, wow.
00:26:24
Speaker
What a rat hole we got down on that one. So anyway, SNAP benefits for refugees, gone. I think you have to you have to hit a certain milestone to start getting them. You have be here for a certain amount of time.
00:26:35
Speaker
or if you're under 18. So could his kids get the SNAP? I don't know.
00:26:45
Speaker
I don't know. But yeah, I thought that was, I'm like, oh, the the refugees. Oh, yeah, no, that's big, beautiful bill. And next year they will lose Medicaid. So unless something changes, don't think, is that is that one of the things that we're arguing about in Washington is the... ah It's healthcare for illegals.
00:27:03
Speaker
Pardon me? Healthcare for illegals was part of the thing that the Democrats are... I don't know if it's i don't know if it's for this stuff. you know Medicaid. That's what they said next year. Medicaid is healthcare. I don't know if it's for refugees or or if it's for... That's my problem. with Refugee is a very loose term.
00:27:22
Speaker
Nowadays it is. Yeah, exactly. so they they like They would call them immigrants. Right, right. When they're not, they're illegals. What? Nobody.
00:27:34
Speaker
No human can be illegal, Tom. Sorry. Yeah, they got that trick of like people that come over the border illegally. And then they seek asylum or, you know. Yeah. claim You're a refugee then.
00:27:46
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. and Because you're claiming asylum that you're being persecuted. So you're a refugee. Very similar to this guy. Now, i I would say maybe in this guy's case, he may have a legitimate. Because he did come from Afghanistan. So it's not like he snuck across the border. Well, I don't have anything against this guy. It's just. No.
00:28:01
Speaker
You know, maybe instead At some level. Giving them all that stuff. Give them. Tell them to go to school or something. ah Learn a trade. Yeah, ah yeah i don't I don't disagree at all. I just think it's, I also think it's kind of, i don't know, it seems kind of mean and um mean, just not right to to bring them here and get them hooked on um the dole.
00:28:29
Speaker
Seems not quite what we want. How else do you get we want them to vote for you? There you go, yes. um So like I said, 13,000 refugees in the state, 4,000 Cuyahoga County alone.
00:28:43
Speaker
Oh, that's what we're dealing with. That's quite a bit. So what about all those Haitians? Were those part of the 13,000 in, you know, the dogs? It can't be because there's like 20,000 of them.
00:28:56
Speaker
Yeah. So they not refugees anymore? I have no idea. And they don't eat SNAP. They got pets. They're eating the dogs. They're eating. because they eat dogs and cats.
00:29:11
Speaker
ah That was debunked, Tom. That's okay. um Okay. that's yeah that's That's about enough on that one, I think. Watch out. Now, election results. Wow, what a week this was. We had some off-year elections, which usually aren't that big a deal.
00:29:29
Speaker
and I mean, they kind of were. They they made a big fuss about them. I think there was some, we had talked earlier in the week, I think there was some low-level surprises around the state.
00:29:41
Speaker
and Okay. I mean, there's there was a couple of things that popped in my feed that were independents bumping out. you know, incumbents or bumping out Republicans who are running, I don't think they were independent.
00:29:57
Speaker
And that happened all over a few different parts of the state that I saw at least. um i did I did comment on, wow, Bowman, JD Vance's brother, stepbrother, got like 20% of the vote, 21% of the vote Cincinnati. It's like, wow. It's Cincinnati.
00:30:15
Speaker
I know, but it's the president's stepbrother vice president's stepbrother, right? We figure if they're going to put him up. He doesn't even have the same last name. Yeah. And they yeah they must have not put a lot of money behind that. That's for sure.
00:30:28
Speaker
Right. So that of my initial thought. was like, wow, it's the vice president's stepbrother. Why? They couldn't even get a quarter. They couldn't even get 25%. And then as I did a very little bit of digging, Yeah, it might be because, i don't know, in past years, the Republicans haven't ran a mayoral candidate in Cincinnati.
00:30:47
Speaker
There you go. So, per that if I had a ding-ding, I would ding-ding.
00:30:56
Speaker
There you go. and i was gonna but I was more like going, well, it's it's the GOP, so of course. Hoover, nobody does it like you.
00:31:10
Speaker
They definitely suck. buts ah You know, you gotta to you gotta to also oh
00:31:19
Speaker
so you know, you you have to go back to the voters too because the one thing about conservative voters, they they just don't come out ever unless it's a presidential you know, yes election or or or something really big like midterms are bigger but They still don't come out like they do for the presidential election.
00:31:44
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. It's different motivations. That's why a lot of times you get crazy stuff on the ballot to get people there. And and they no Republicans do it. Democrats do it. Yeah. I'm just questioning whether the state really wants to get rid of property taxes.
00:32:02
Speaker
Why would you say that? Well, I don't know. Cause I think so almost 60 plus percent of the levies school levies passed in Ohio. did would did Was it that high? Yeah. No kidding. i thought it was I thought it would be a lot less than that. 60% or 70%? 108 levies.
00:32:20
Speaker
think I have a clip somewhere we probably should play. But 108 levies across the country. didn't see any. ah State. Can't talk.
00:32:34
Speaker
ah And just school levies. But if you look at that the story from the a idea stream, can immediately put out of order, but there's all kinds of levies that passed that weren't school-related.
00:32:51
Speaker
Health and welfare mainly being one of them. Over and over. Summit, Ashland, Columbiana, Huron, Richland, Tuscarora's did a few of them.
00:33:03
Speaker
um I think Tuscarora's had three non-school levies. It's issue one.
00:33:11
Speaker
ah It doesn't approve renewal levies in yeah Summit, Colombiana, Huron, Richland, along with replacement levies in Ashland, Tuscarora's.
00:33:22
Speaker
Increases of alcohol and drug addiction and mental health services board of Tuscarora's and Carroll counties passed.
00:33:32
Speaker
I'm questioning whether people really want ah less taxes. They keep voting for more. Well, i'm again, I'm going to say I'd love to know how many people came out to vote.
00:33:46
Speaker
Yes, and a lot of these levies barely passed. the There was one in there that was like 50 point something percent. think that might have been So let's see here. We'll go down here. Ashlyn passed 59%. Summit issue one, which was again...
00:34:04
Speaker
ah issue one which was again was This one is healthcare care resources, that kind of stuff. Most of this is all that. 57%. Ashland passed 59%.
00:34:17
Speaker
That was a $35 per $100,000 value.
00:34:23
Speaker
so Conveniently, they leave out the numbers of how many people voted. Because I saw what came out and in maslo city. It low. Yeah, it was very low. I mean, and like 10.
00:34:35
Speaker
A couple thousand. i do some cases I was under 1,000 in my city. Oh, under 10,000. I saw some some had 4,000 against 3,004, you know, that kind of stuff. or yeah Well, yeah, but I was... less I guess i'm what I'm saying is ah and it was under 20% the normal...
00:34:51
Speaker
normal Yes. The whole statewide, it was it was, I think it averaged about 20%. Right. Statewide. Yeah, that's it's awfully low.
00:35:03
Speaker
Yeah, 68% of levies in Ohio won. That's why wrote that in my notes. Low turnout averages about 20% of the vote. If you don't vote, can you complain? No.
00:35:16
Speaker
So the scary part is ah fifth of, 108% but so so ah hundred and eight School boards had levies in Ohio. That's not even a fifth of the school districts in Ohio.
00:35:30
Speaker
There's over 600 school districts in Ohio.
00:35:34
Speaker
So this tells me, don't know, property taxes aren't going anywhere. Um,
00:35:42
Speaker
I don't know. i i think I think you're jumping to conclusions real quick here. and just Probably. Probably. That's kind of what it sometimes I do sometimes. 68% passed past the another school levy. 68% of ah the people that were motivated to go vote.
00:36:02
Speaker
Yeah. i i mean, that's yes it's big, but I mean, it's not that big just because i don't think that many people voted. And you know, the people that are lazy to go vote, you are the ones that don't want taxes.
00:36:15
Speaker
You're not making it any better, Tom. That doesn't make me feel any better. No, but I'm just saying that that's a big part of the problem. Yes, I was. that's that's when When it's like an off year or like ah a really quiet, a real quiet um poll day polling day around your town, you you know you really should look at what's going on in your In your city. and And yeah i didn't I'll tell you the truth. I didn't go vote, but there was nothing that was taking money out of my pocket.
00:36:44
Speaker
Right. So I was like, and what they were voting on was more procedural um things of how city council works and stuff. So it was, I really didn't have a stake in it that I put it this way. I just didn't care. It was, it didn't make a difference to me.
00:37:04
Speaker
but And it doesn't a lot of cases because... So I went and voted because we had school levy. Right, right. If I had a school levy, I would have gone and voted. Yeah. i I filled that oval in so dark, I almost put my pen through the paper.
00:37:22
Speaker
It was like the like a pool of ink that was pulling up. I had to stop. And your school district ah failed, so... It was one of the ones that failed. And... But the other thing is, that's the only thing I circled in. Why? Because there was the there were... So for city council, there were three people up for city council, and you had to pick three.
00:37:46
Speaker
Or no more than three. There were three seats available for city council, and three people running for city council. so What's the difference, right? why Why am I voting for any of them? A, I don't know who they are.
00:37:58
Speaker
And B... It doesn't matter. All they have to do is vote for free for for themselves and they win. oh and And judges is the same way as one judge. Like, okay, well, my wife is like, wife's like why do they do that? why She goes, what if there's only one person voting, why don't they just, I go, because it's the law. You have to actually be voted in.
00:38:18
Speaker
You could be one vote and that's it. That's all you need. They can't just appoint them. So they have to go through the process. I do the same thing with the Cuyahoga judges. I mean, they often don't have somebody running against them.
00:38:30
Speaker
um But if you notice, like um like I'm thinking of what happened to in a lot of the these cities. I drive through your city, you know... almost every day. Yeah.
00:38:42
Speaker
And I did not see one sign for school levies. ah So you're, I didn't, I spent more time, obviously in my city, but yeah, there were there were there wasn't as many as I, that usually is. You're absolutely correct.
00:38:54
Speaker
Yeah. Cause you usually launch or, you know, I wouldn't say filled, but, but yeah, you know there's something going on. i i couldn't tell there was anything going on. So you're pretty lucky that it didn't pass.
00:39:08
Speaker
It wasn't even close to passing. Yeah. So it hasn't been for... And I think um a lot of these cities were like that. Maybe people didn't even... Maybe the most they pay attention that something's going on is if they see a signs a sign. you know Yeah, that's a good point.
00:39:26
Speaker
I feel and the off year elections is when I'm more motivated to go vote because i know it I know it's a lower turnout and I know who does will who will turn out is the people who want bigger government.
00:39:39
Speaker
Yeah. Or more taxes or, you know, that that kind of that type. That's who's more motivated for a tax levy. You're most more motivated to go out and vote for something than against something to begin with. So I find that those are to me. Unless you're Trump.
00:39:53
Speaker
Well, yeah, that's a good point. But you're right. Most, if it's not, if there's not a school levy on the ballot, I am much less motivated to go because it's, it's, you know, half the time is oh, what, don't even know what you guys are taught. What, what kind of rule changes are you having going to have me make? I don't even understand that.
00:40:10
Speaker
You know, half the time it's so convoluted, so complicated. um But before we go move on any farther, I just thought I'd run down a couple of headlines that I thought were pretty good. Speaking of nationally, ah New York.
00:40:24
Speaker
New York has voted in, um what's Mandani, what's his first name now? Freaking communist. I know, but Babylon B.,
00:40:39
Speaker
Zoran. Zoran, that's right. Zoran Mandabi. Mamdani. and so So here's, I just want to, we'll put a couple of these the show notes so you guys can check out, but Babylon B has a couple headlines there. headline one is Mamdani moves mayor's office underneath Children's Hospital.
00:41:03
Speaker
If you don't get the reference, Hamas, that's where they put all their headquarters under hospitals and especially children's hospitals. All right. Next one is ah New York's elderly Jews torn between man who will kill them for being Jewish and and man who would kill them for being elderly.
00:41:23
Speaker
Cuomo and Mandami. Yeah, no, and yeah that was the most ridiculous election. yeah we got You got a guy who can't. There's no way he can win because he he wears a beret.
00:41:35
Speaker
i mean, you got that. And then you got a guy who killed a bunch of grandparents. And then you ah got a communist. The guy was just threatened to kill you. So i guess he's lesser of two evils, I guess. That's what they went with.
00:41:49
Speaker
And i think, what what was one ah one of the posts I saw? Somebody posted ah picture of the Twin Towers on fire. Yeah. And then picture, ah you know, that 25 years and we've forgotten.
00:42:01
Speaker
i think Tim Pohl said, no, incorrect. They have not forgotten. They've been conquered. Yeah. Yes, that's. And I think now is officially only 48% of the people living in New York were born in New York.
00:42:16
Speaker
Yep. So that's conquered. That's look at Dearborn, Michigan. Dearborn, Michigan. It is they that's where we've had a couple stories. I think maybe think we had a story where they have they literally have the call to prayer.
00:42:29
Speaker
Yep. In places in Michigan. And the final one, because this is a good one. Zoran Mandani, horrified to discover now has a job.
00:42:42
Speaker
You know, people are so easily fooled just because of little bit of charisma. Yes. my favoriteing yeah My favorite thing is that he ah promised free buses and faster buses.
00:42:58
Speaker
Yes, magically. I'm going to put bigger engines in and make them go faster. Vroom, vroom. Despite traffic. Yes. just Well, they put plows on the front and just pushes all the cars out of the way because free buses.
00:43:12
Speaker
I mean, there's a... um I just saw something on New York in their subway system in... There's a, and I know i got a buddy mine goes there for for business and just to go into town, if you go in below a certain block, it costs you $9 just to get through.
00:43:28
Speaker
And they're trying to use this to pay for revamping the subway system because it's horrible. I think it's $9 each way, right? Each way. Yeah, pretty sure. It's easy pass. So most people just don't even know.
00:43:40
Speaker
They just get charged nine bucks. um and And lastly, of course, just to wrap it up, ah Mayor McCheese was reelected for the 60th straight term. What?
00:43:51
Speaker
Mayor McCheese. Oh. He beat the burglar at 60th straight time. So there's that.
00:44:00
Speaker
um Anyway, i'm back to the levies, just in coast's case you're wondering, when they talk about per 100,000, $20 per 100,000, it's $50 per $100,000. The average median home price or the home price in Cuyahoga is $205,000.
00:44:12
Speaker
the average meaning home price or the meeting home price in and in caoga county is two hundred and five thousand dollars So you guarantee pretty much going to have at least double whatever they tell you because your your house is 50% chance you're above $200,000.
00:44:31
Speaker
I think in the suburbs it's $245,000. I think Cleveland's $200,000 maybe in suburbs. I don't know. and i have ah i had a chart here and I forgot to put it in there.
00:44:41
Speaker
um Yeah, it's something I picked. Because median medium median and and... Medium average are similar but not the same. Yeah, something...
00:44:52
Speaker
I forget how that goes. Yeah, countywide is 190,000. Only the suburbs, which would take out Cleveland, i would imagine, is 245,000. Wow, how much that goes ah
00:45:05
Speaker
And if you think, we talk a lot about Cleveland, and we're we're we're like an Ohio kind of show, but we do talk about lot Cleveland and Akron and Columbus because there there's a huge reason but you should pay attention in those elections. Unfortunately, you have no power.
00:45:21
Speaker
But here's a clip from the the Republican candidate for the Cleveland mayor race. who i mean I think she did she got she did a little better than Bowman in Cincinnati. I think she got like 25%, 26%.
00:45:35
Speaker
but six But ah here's I just thought, but what do you think about this statement? Because I think think it's pretty true. but
00:45:44
Speaker
We have a situation here in Cleveland where we and And I say we in Cleveland, but I want you all to know that live in the suburbs, Cleveland is your hub. Okay.
00:45:55
Speaker
And because we're your hub, you have to understand that what happens in Cleveland may not affect you today, but it certainly will affect you because if you can't bring businesses and if we take Cleveland and we make sure that Cleveland doesn't have anything to offer to corporations, industry, manufacturing jobs,
00:46:18
Speaker
Then what do you think happens when you have a city that's the most impoverished city in the nation? Do you think they stop and they don't come out to Solon, Shaker, Beachwood? I was just talking to a group of people in Beachwood the other day, and I said, you can ill afford to put Justin Bid back in here and keep things going the way they're going right now.
00:46:42
Speaker
You just can't. Because so Cleveland goes, so the region goes. And I think many people have forgotten about that. What do you think?
00:46:54
Speaker
True statement?
00:46:56
Speaker
For the most part. yeah yeah Yeah. Unfortunately, that ah Republican has no chance in Cleveland ever again.
00:47:08
Speaker
Yes, I think part of that is just demographics. Most of those people, like like Cincinnati, like they move out. Like New York, gone, bye, see ya, but can't can't do it anymore.
00:47:19
Speaker
And that's... that's So yeah I fault the GOP, but I also go, I'm i'm not sure, do do you just dump money down an empty hole? But then I think, why why do you put the stepbrother the vice president in for Cincinnati? Just throw some other guy in there. Or like a lot of last past three or three years, you don't put anybody in there.
00:47:36
Speaker
don't know. I don't know. Maybe it was a test. Could have been. Yeah, it could have been. And you're right. you didn't have the didn't have the same last name. so I didn't know about it you know until ah close close to the election.
00:47:50
Speaker
i think I heard about it like maybe six months ago, real and that was it. Right. Until the ah day before or so.
00:48:00
Speaker
So that is, oh, you know what? I skipped right over the thing. I'm not paying attention to my list, Tom. So we'll get to that. But the, so levies, a lot levies passed as we're talking about. Let's let's hear from New Channel 5 on why this election was a little more important than most levies or most ah election years where there's levies on the ballot.
00:48:21
Speaker
And we'll hear, this is a little bit, and there's actually a, A nice, at least a school board that our school system that's looking for a different way to fund them in this clip.
00:48:35
Speaker
Superintendent Dr. Scott Hunt explains that this is due to the state cutting nearly $3 billion in expected school funding. You know, we can continue to lose money and cost to operate the district continue to rise. we were to pass a levy, then um we don't necessarily have to ask our taxpayers again to support us. For residents, this would mean paying $20 per month for a home valued at $100,000.
00:49:00
Speaker
When Parma's previous levies failed, they would just put them right back on the ballot. But the stakes are higher this time around, because if they and the eight other schools with emergency levies fail, they won't be able to try again. Legislators changed state law so that districts will no longer be able to put emergency or substitute levies on the ballot. or request an increase to a current levy. Lawmakers say it's to provide much needed property tax relief to homeowners.
00:49:25
Speaker
And some school districts like Amherst Exempted Village Schools say they understand that. Their voters will see a proposed five year operating levy in the form of a 1.5% income tax. There's a kind of a movement in Ohio to ah remove property taxes altogether.
00:49:42
Speaker
And so we're trying to do something kind of different and also wise, and that is trying to support and diversify our revenue. What happens to Parma if this levy fails?
00:49:53
Speaker
So if this fails, we'll regroup. We're a ah district that we spent about 83% of our budget on human resources. So cutting people. Cutting people, which impacts programs, which negatively impacts our kids and our families.
00:50:07
Speaker
The schools are hoping that voters turn out for the kids. In Parma Heights, Morgan Trav reporting. Think of the children. Won't somebody please think of the children?
00:50:20
Speaker
We are. We are. We want to try to save, you know, the city from complete and utter financial collapse. We want them to be able to afford a home someday. Yeah. And actually stay in it once they once they do are able to afford it when they're old.
00:50:36
Speaker
So some ah there's some levies, want to go over a couple the ones that failed. um Like in this clip, so so I should probably address the clip maybe.
00:50:47
Speaker
So there was Parma who did ah another property tax levy and there were Amherst who did a, which i I at least applaud them for trying to do something differently. They had a 1.5% income tax levy, not a property tax levy.
00:51:03
Speaker
What are your thoughts of that?
00:51:07
Speaker
Oh, that's much more fair, I guess. Yeah. So I think when you talk about getting rid of property taxes, the money's going to have to come back from somewhere else.
00:51:19
Speaker
It's not like you're just going to get away without paying all those taxes. Hopefully it'll be less. But what we're trying to because what we're trying to do is spread it between the entire community, not just the property owners. So that's what Amherst did. They wanted to do a a a a levy for 1.5% increase in income tax.
00:51:36
Speaker
Now, unfortunately, they both failed. So they both failed. People are feeling squeezed, man. Yes. So... Yes. And the and at um unfortunately, it's gotten so bad that people are just like, hell no to everything.
00:51:50
Speaker
Done. Yep. Instead of doing it 10 years ago when maybe people weren't at this point. No, they waited till it's so bad. So what here's a couple of levies that failed. There's this is one here from Mount Healthy City Schools.
00:52:04
Speaker
Mount Healthy is, um ah think, around Cincinnati area. When I looked on the map. And they had a school levy.
00:52:13
Speaker
because they're grappling with another financial, well, they're grippling with a financial crisis. And basically, i think they've had some crazy accounting and they've they've got they've got some problems and they've found themselves in a deficit.
00:52:29
Speaker
They needed to generate some extra money.
00:52:33
Speaker
So the district, guess one of the news organizations, somebody dug into it and found out that the district was going, 2029, the district was going projected to $35.4 million the projected to be thirty five point four million dollars in the red
00:52:50
Speaker
So um i sort of i so did they they have in the in the news clip or in this article, they're talking about accounting errors. And I even comment, I think on the X post, I found this at, what is an accounting error?
00:53:02
Speaker
Please be more specific because this seems like they need to influx inflect a bunch of cash or infuse a bunch of cash into the school system because of an accounting error that puts them $35 million What does mean though?
00:53:16
Speaker
in the red okay what what kind of what does that mean though Well, I think the ah crisis kind of, so I try to figure out what, where did they go? what Where did they go wrong? what What was the crisis? Because it doesn't say in the article, which is actually a bunch of crap.
00:53:32
Speaker
And I'm fumbling around here because forgot the copy and paste. My research into my, into the thing here. So there you go. So Mount Healthy Schools faces deep cuts because of the accounting error. What was the accounting error?
00:53:47
Speaker
They had basically thought they had a certain amount of money to spend, but they really didn't. They had a lot less to spend.
00:53:59
Speaker
So the air us this district submitted a five-year budget forecast that dramatically overstated available funds. For fiscal year 2023, officials projected that they would have $19.2 million dollars in resources to operate the district.
00:54:15
Speaker
Okay. What was the figure supposed to be?
00:54:22
Speaker
$673,000, creating an $18.5 million dollar discrepancy. That led to unchecked overspending as leaders operated under the false assumption of ample funding.
00:54:37
Speaker
Cincinnati, what are you doing? Huh. So, was it I mean, they've now pushed out a couple of... or School board members put some new ones in there. Has anyone gone to jail? Has anyone been investigated?
00:54:53
Speaker
it seems like an awful large error. you Correct figure was 674,000. They thought they had 19 million. What were they buying?
00:55:07
Speaker
And no one questioned it. I can't imagine in 2022, it was anywhere close million 2018. but twenty twenty one or twenty twenty or twenty eighteen So I would imagine that 600,000 is about, I mean, it's gone up a little bit every time. And then all of a sudden you got 19 million.
00:55:25
Speaker
And everyone went, oh, cool. Let's go buy some stuff. They rejected that levy. And as one of as the new school board members are saying, we we we kind of get it. They don't really trust us.
00:55:37
Speaker
And no kidding, really? um Another one, which is the Lakeside High School,
00:55:49
Speaker
Now, this one, this one's a little little bit of got a kind of little twist in it. So Ashtubula, Ohio, the school district, it's the school district Ashtubula, Tuesday night, they they voted down more by more than 75% against the levy.
00:56:04
Speaker
Well, there's a reason for that too. So they they had emergency levy because they had a roof collapse at Lakeside High School, I think in December of last year.
00:56:17
Speaker
but they need they were having this levy to help replace and fix the school and restructure and rereef and fix the roof and all stuff. Because the insurance company is refusing to pay.
00:56:32
Speaker
Liberty Mutual ah experts have consistently downplayed the extent of structural damage, attributing the collapse to pre-existing infrastructure problems rather than the storm, despite independent engineering assessments concluding otherwise.
00:56:47
Speaker
Liberty Mutual refuses to accept the district's expert findings and correct the position. So these kids have been in a they've been spread out between a couple of different buildings for the last year because the school Now the school is going back to sue Liberty Mutual.
00:57:02
Speaker
Liberty Mutual is saying, no, it's not us. There was there was problems with the school beforehand. And... Why did you insure it? Yes. And is it stipulated in the insurance? And all that. I think the city was just like, hey, can we just...
00:57:15
Speaker
sounded to me like i don't know but it sounded me like they're like hey let's just see if we can get levy so we have to worry about this whole lawsuit thing yeah yeah but you know maybe they're going to do both in the levy in the meantime and and go after him afterwards i'm sure at some level they have to and I don't know. I think that was a kind of an interesting one. Like, oh, well, yeah, I'd probably vote now. said No, go get it money from, so they don't know when they're going to be back in school. Now, the whole school isn't like, I'm like, well, the roof collapse, how much is left to, no, there's just a part that's kind of collapsed a little bit. So they got to, they have to rebuild a lot of it and it's going to be, don't know, $20 million dollars or something. I can't remember what they jesus estimated it at. I thought it was going to be right around, did he put it in your article?
00:58:00
Speaker
Of course not. Why would you, I mean, why would they put that in there? A considerable amount of money though, millions of dollars. So yeah, that's, that sucks. But I'm not sure what else you're supposed to do.
00:58:11
Speaker
Like, I don't know. You know what? I don't like city councils and I don't like insurance companies. but I mean, fair. I mean, I kind of screwed now that I think you deal with both in this case.
00:58:26
Speaker
So a lot of stuff going around and we shall see. We shall see. what then Oh, I can't forget about this one. um On to, well, before I go on, I'm all over the place time. All over the place.
00:58:40
Speaker
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00:58:55
Speaker
Let us know. And subscribe. Go to crookedrivercast.com. Go to your favorite podcast app. Ooh, careful.
00:59:06
Speaker
And like I said, thank you for listening. Appreciate right, one more levy story before we go any further and or get away from this part. And it is ah bill in Ohio to ban libraries from putting levies on the table, putting levies on the ballot.
00:59:28
Speaker
So i don't know who who has authority to put, is it just us the library or is it, because so they what they're saying is is oh Ohio House will soon vote on a Republican backed bill that would allow counties, cities or other local governments to block library levies from the ballot.
00:59:46
Speaker
So I guess for me, when does the library just do it? and the Do they fill out a piece of paper and it just gets put on? there There's no process of approval?
00:59:58
Speaker
Seems that way.
01:00:02
Speaker
It's definitely going to hurt libraries, Tom.
01:00:05
Speaker
You know how I feel about those. Bill 137, in case you're wondering. How do you feel about libraries, Tom? They should be privately funded. Yeah. this This, to me, added on to all the other stuff we just talked about. It brought something to my head, and levies today are kind of like streaming services.
01:00:26
Speaker
Like one or two is not bad. But 16, I'm paying more than I paid with cable.
01:00:34
Speaker
Why?
01:00:37
Speaker
Enough is enough, people. that's That's what this says. Enough is enough. You can't keep going back to the same well over and over and over again. ah Come on. um How much more can you put on property owners? Taxing me on something I haven't got anything for.
01:00:52
Speaker
So that's what this basically says. And they're crying. You know, they're crying. Oh, no, we're going to be... We're going to books are just going to wither away to nothing and blow away the wind to dust. They say actually ah voters deserve to decide library levies.
01:01:11
Speaker
Yeah, but the people we put in office should at at least approve it. And maybe some there maybe should be a check somewhere to make sure you actually need this money or you need it exactly what you're saying. So each, they say leve levees are averaging 1.2 mils, which was at 20 bucks. so i mean, that's considerable. You're talking...
01:01:33
Speaker
$5, $10, $15 a month maybe, depending on how big your house is, how much your house is, and have passed by a percentage of 92% over the last 15 years.
01:01:44
Speaker
Again, people say they don't want property taxes or or more taxes in general, not just property taxes. But they voted him ah they voted him in all time. And I mean, I can't remember the last time I voted for a tax increase for me, but people do it all the time. weird.
01:02:01
Speaker
It's for the children. For the children, Tom. For the children. That's how they get them. Yeah. Yeah. Even though I can't imagine library usage is all that high anymore.
01:02:17
Speaker
Maybe it's better than it was, but
01:02:22
Speaker
I don't know. Yeah, i said, yeah. So they're to do that. Again, it's just there has to be some checks and balance on this. They can't just willy-nilly put this stuff on there. so oh They're poorly run. the yeah They should be privately owned and operated. and
01:02:36
Speaker
you'd have a You'd have great libraries.
01:02:41
Speaker
Yeah, but maybe not every... You may have to drive an extra 10 minutes to go to one, Tom. You can't be one-on-one every corner. Maybe. Maybe. i don't even know. I don't know. Maybe not. i mean it yeah you know That's how they started.
01:02:55
Speaker
was philanthropy.
01:02:58
Speaker
And that's stuff with the levies. I'm all levied out. What about you? I'm all levied out. So next we'll go on to something way more exciting. Way more exciting.
01:03:10
Speaker
Redistricting.
01:03:16
Speaker
It's finally over. And I think the Republicans didn't get a, they did a great job because everybody's pissed off. So the Republicans say they don't, they didn't do enough. And the Democrats say they did way too much.
01:03:28
Speaker
I even have, so this, I even have a ah little clip we can go through. This is um redistricting. That's from a couple of weeks ago when they were having their meetings. And maybe you could see why the GOP kind of pulled back on their plan. I think they they were expecting to get at least one or two more districts that would lean Republican.
01:03:47
Speaker
But after this,
01:03:50
Speaker
who I can understand. Well, here. Glad it's funny to you people. I want to sleep at night. Represent the Constitution.
01:04:00
Speaker
Represent and stop silencing us.
01:04:11
Speaker
That was after one. That was after one of the meetings. though They all had purple shirts on.
01:04:19
Speaker
My question was, who bought the shirts? yeah Yeah, ah so why why did why did Republicans not pull the trigger on Moore? I don't know.
01:04:31
Speaker
I don't know. Seems as though they pulled back and instead of going, they were going to go and they went 13-2. thirteen
01:04:41
Speaker
No, they went 13. They went 13-2. they They did what they were thinking of doing. thought they pulled back on one of them. Oh, they were going to go 12-3. They went 12-3, right?
01:04:53
Speaker
I forget. Yeah. They went 12-3. They were thinking about 13-2. This was probably the thing to do if you wanted it to be bipartisan.
01:05:06
Speaker
Yeah, they had to get hey you get a cup they had to get at least one Democrat to vote for it. that's but They were really mad at it. Democrats really mad at it because they they shouldn't have voted at all. But I think if they didn't, they they would have had even less say.
01:05:17
Speaker
Yeah. Because it would have went to some committee or something and it would have been what it would been all GOP. um Yeah, GOP is taking legislation next month. Yep.
01:05:28
Speaker
I think 13 is what that... I thought it ended up being 14, but think I'm wrong on that. Never heard 14. Or are they, the Republicans, I just felt like the Republicans pulled back a little bit. as they kept I think they did. what what they The way they districted it, it still favors the Republicans, but it gives Democrats a fighting chance. Yeah, ah that's a good point. Yeah, that's probably what I was reading.
01:05:53
Speaker
And then the one, there's there's a
01:05:58
Speaker
Coughlin, he bowed out because of the way they redistricted it. Maybe that's where I'm getting from. So there one candidate in the 13th district, which includes Summit County, which was redrawn. And he basically going to back out because he didn't last time. This is Sykes district.
01:06:16
Speaker
They're trying to get those. one of the things they were trying to get her out, I think is, or, or make it easier to get her out. and so Yeah. district They gave that up. Yeah. She won by so many votes and he didn't, he didn't think that redistricting would make that much of a difference. And he just bowed out.
01:06:28
Speaker
So yeah, there you go. Thanks to you. I mean, I don't know. Seems like at least give a good old college try. Nah, it's a GOP.
01:06:40
Speaker
but that's I'm so glad I'm not really a Republican, but it's it's like if they have a winning chance or if they have if they're holding power, they never utilize it. When the Democrats do, they do.
01:06:52
Speaker
They are so good at doing it, Democrats. There's so much more. i guess it's my last blas bastion holding on to any
01:07:02
Speaker
I don't know, any ah any hope in the Republican Party is they are not in lockstep like the Democrats are. And it's not always a good thing. It's not always a good thing. yeah Yet, it is something to hold on to, I guess.
01:07:16
Speaker
Well, it
01:07:19
Speaker
there's there's times they need to be. Because what sometimes like what ah like we'll hit the national level. But like like a Thomas Massey. I love Thomas Massey.
01:07:31
Speaker
But there's times you just got to... Dude, what you're why you're not voting on this is stupid. Take the win and work on what you want to work on after you take the win. It's, it's, it doesn't make sense to me. Sometimes yeah they got great principles or, you know, yeah can get partway there, but you want all of it, all of it at once. And yeah. And you know, and the thing is, he knows he's not going to get it. It's like, dude, you, you, there's a, you got to work. If you, if as a party, you want to move, ah move forward, you gotta, to you have to yeah take what you can get. Sometimes it's only a chunk of what you wanted, but it's something.
01:08:10
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. And there's there's that's part of the Republican Party that at times is is is good. but I love those guys, yeah you know, like Rand Paul and Thomas Massey, and there's there's a handful of others. And I'm just like, those are good.
01:08:28
Speaker
Those are, i don't agree with them all the time, but they're about 90% of the time I do. they i just don't like the way they handle themselves in in the party. Basically.
01:08:39
Speaker
Yeah. Put up a, put up a fight. We get it, but there's comes a time when, don't know. There comes a time, you know, you can't win it and you'll never be able to win it. So figure it out.
01:08:53
Speaker
yeah I, I don't, you know, figure on how to work with the party to, to get what you want. Eventually it doesn't have to happen right away. and and Sometimes you vote just to,
01:09:05
Speaker
like You're voting against your own party at times, helping the Democrats, because you think the Republicans are spending more. But what what will happen? The Democrats will eventually spend even more. So I don't get it.
01:09:19
Speaker
i don't you know You got to be able to work within the party, at least. Unfortunately, in the system we have, which is...
01:09:28
Speaker
Not the greatest, but I mean, look at other other places around the world, and it's no less chaotic most of the time. I mean, you talk a lot Canada and Europe, and it's- Oh, no, they're crazy. No, we, we you know, i still believe we have I still believe we have the best system, but it's- I think sometimes we could use a different voice, not just all two parties.
01:09:49
Speaker
Well, the Republican Party is like two parties. Yeah. You know, that's the thing. Especially now, it is.
01:09:56
Speaker
Anyway, so there's that. Redistricting is back. don't have to hear about it anymore. And now California is going crazy. They pass their thing. They're going to redistrict. Oh, no, there's going to be more Democrats. no. But they they may get more seats and balance it out. So there's all that gerrymandering stuff. So that's all so exciting.
01:10:13
Speaker
And now we're done.
01:10:18
Speaker
Okay, got through that. right, next on the list is a bill in Ohio. Ohio lawmakers want to make sure no one walks down the aisle with a robot.
01:10:29
Speaker
Tom, is robot love real love?
01:10:33
Speaker
Oh, to somebody it might be. To a lot of people it might be, Yeah, yeah there's a you're in a mental hospital. Or yeah should be. House bill 469. Oh, okay.
01:10:47
Speaker
It's House Bill 469. I just noticed that. I don't know why I would bring that up and why that would make me stop, but figure it out. That's weird. That's weird. That would be 469.
01:10:57
Speaker
um Would declare the artificial intelligence system can't be considered people. meaning they can't marry, own property, or act as a as someone's legal proxy.
01:11:09
Speaker
I think this is actually pretty important legislation, as much as going to make fun of it, because it's it's kind of a no-duh. But I think we need to put it in place, don't you?
01:11:22
Speaker
The way things are going. i don't know. I think it's a waste of my tax dollars right now.
01:11:29
Speaker
Well, what not when you consider Kim Kardashian blames AI for her failing at her log exam. She argues with it, Tom. Yeah, okay. I yell at Crocs sometimes.
01:11:44
Speaker
She argues with it.
01:11:48
Speaker
ah She has a toxic relationship with ChatGPT, she says. I think she's being a little funny, but... i don't uh i don't i don't think so at all i can see i'm i mean he's going for a law degree well bravo um but only problem you you're trying to use chat pe chat gpt and it doesn't always give her the right answer yeah what's that uh i don't you don't think there needs to be some sort of uh outline to You know, somebody can't give, forget the love part, somebody can't give ah they're their chat, their AI bot, their power of attorney?
01:12:28
Speaker
No. No, it's silly. but I know it's silly, but is there anything that would stop them from doing it? Like, if it gets in the court, what does a judge have to work with? Well, to give somebody power attorney, don't you have to go into court? And they would just be like, well, no, this is ridiculous.
01:12:42
Speaker
I think all you have to is sign something. don't know about that. I think you need a lawyer. and never I've never done it, but I do. I've done it DMV, the BMV or whatever, the motor vehicle stuff. And you just basically have to sign it. Maybe have notarized, I think maybe.
01:12:55
Speaker
I mean, for other things, it may be different. But yeah, but so what if you bring your AI chat bot to your lawyer's office and say, it's right here? I don't think, I don't.
01:13:07
Speaker
Yeah, I don't. I think this is a waste of money. Waste my tax dollar time. I think that they can be working on other things, so.
01:13:16
Speaker
I think they need at least got to have some kind of outline. I don't know. I think they're they're doing this instead of working on taxes. Well, yeah, but doing a lot. They they can do more than one thing at once, yeah but they don't. Have you ever talked to any of them?
01:13:28
Speaker
ah get I get you. They don't, but they, well, they make you, they make it seem they're stupid, but like they're stupid, but I don't know. I don't know. It seemed pretty funny to me that, that they had to, uh,
01:13:40
Speaker
Oh, I think it's funny, but i just, I think this is. Somebody's to try to marry their chatbot. I guarantee that. Yeah, but somebody probably tried marrying the refrigerator 20 years ago. Yeah, but refrigerators will talk back and and and go, oh, really? The new ones do.
01:13:55
Speaker
That's right, yeah. yeah Yeah, actually. mean, what's ai yeah Again, AI is just a BS term for it. Sure, regardless. Machine learning, AI, whatever. Speaking of that, when we bought refrigerator years ago, it was when they were coming out with the screens, the big screens on the front.
01:14:18
Speaker
I mean, it was a way, those are, they're not expensive now, but they're way out of price. The kids were always like, oh, got to get one with the screen. I'm like, heck no. Now you have to go in and opt out of the ads that will randomly show up on your, on your refrigerator.
01:14:30
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Well, everything's turning into that. Yeah. Yeah. I think there's a pretty good, there's a pretty good black mirror episode about something that.
01:14:44
Speaker
More than one, more than one, I think. Yeah. Yeah.
01:14:50
Speaker
Speaking of AI, there's a, ah you know, we talk about power shortages all the time or the power problems we've had wi with data centers and, you know, robot love.
01:15:02
Speaker
And
01:15:06
Speaker
did I not put this? Oh, I got an off seat.
Listener Engagement and Safety Patrol Issues
01:15:08
Speaker
Going out of order again. Jeez, I'm horrible today. Just want to take this moment to thank you for listening to the show. Really appreciate it. We know that your time is valuable just like ours is. And we do appreciate everybody who listens, especially if you've gotten this far into the show, halfway through almost.
01:15:26
Speaker
And well, more than halfway through. So thank you for listening. Check out crookedrivercast.com. Check out the show. i mean, you can check us out on X if you want and figure out um's why that's important.
01:15:42
Speaker
And send us a DM, send us ah a story. If you see something, we'd love to hear from you. Thank you for listening.
01:15:51
Speaker
um Yes. Next on our list. Oh yeah. The downtown safety patrol, Tom, the downtown safety patrol wants to expand. They want to expand because they haven't done more people.
01:16:04
Speaker
They haven't done enough. They've, they've eliminated the name downtown safety patrol. And in that they are asking for, um, more power. They want to go through the whole County.
01:16:17
Speaker
Right. Lucky us whole County. So here's a little, uh, news channel five, ah clip from news channel on the, you know, they, they have this 18 or 19 minute expose on the downtown safety patrol that I found on, it was I think aired. And then they, it's on YouTube.
01:16:37
Speaker
And it's it's kind of something different. i haven't seen one of these in a while. I don't think ah they they are. It's very highly produced. I mean, check out this opening here. Check out this one.
01:16:53
Speaker
Two deadly chases. deadly chases um One deputy behind the wheel. Oh,. We want to know why this was allowed to happen in our community.
01:17:07
Speaker
Shots fired within seconds at teenagers. He doesn't think before he acts. Deputies hired despite red flags. Oh my gosh, attention in a world. News 5 investigators reveal problem after problem. There has to be accountability.
01:17:23
Speaker
Chases, shootings, and allegations of racial profiling. Y'all are too racist. Policies change. Oh yeah, gotta have that. Gotta have that. Gotta have that. Whoop, whoop.
01:17:36
Speaker
So they ah they had this big long, they've actually had quite a few stories that we haven't really looked at too much about and just kind of waiting for this to flush out and it kind of getting there. So the Cuyahoga County Council has to make a decision.
01:17:52
Speaker
And here's a little more backgrounder from News Channel 5. Again, I mean, they had their they've actually have a camera crew, um like four people doing this and a drone. that's That's how much money they're spending on this thing.
01:18:05
Speaker
Wait. Quite astonishing right here. Does the Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Downtown Safety Patrol make the city safer, or is it putting people at risk? Good evening, I'm Katie Youson. Tonight's conversation comes as the county is at a crossroads.
01:18:19
Speaker
It could extend the safety patrol to the rest of the county like the sheriff wants, or shut it down altogether. The sheriff says in two years, the patrol has made more than 100 felony arrests and pulled about 300 guns off the street. Let's start tonight with how the sheriff answered our key question about safety. The downtown safety patrol is absolutely not a danger to the community.
01:18:41
Speaker
The downtown safety patrol is a benefit to the community and not a danger to the community. News 5 investigator Tara Morgan is here with me now. How many people have to kill you? sheriff says the safety patrol is safe. You have uncovered problem after problem in your reporting over the past year. Right. From a deputy shooting at two teenagers and two deadly chases, accusations of racial profiling and planting drugs, we filed more than two dozen stories voicing people's concerns. And because of your reporting, three policies have changed. Right. The sheriff now releases video within seven days, created a bias free policing policy. And the biggest one, Katie, the chase policy. People demanded it after we reported on five separate chases, two of them deadly.
01:19:28
Speaker
By the same deputy. The shootings at teenagers by a different but same dety deputy. Remember his name? Oh, it was a funny name.
01:19:40
Speaker
Tackleberry. Vajusi. Vajusi. Vajusi. There was another guy with like a name. and manic then but And the one, the last, the one of them, they, that was the, one of the chases that ended up in innocent bystander dying was both of them in the car.
01:20:00
Speaker
And yeah, I think the same, so they have 114 guns seized, 106 warrants arrested. So in your opinion, du that the do they need the help? these Do these places need the help?
01:20:11
Speaker
We talk about crime going up and in especially in the cities. you know Okay, it says 114 guns seized. and That doesn't tell me anything though. 106 warrants arrests, but doesn't the sheriff department do that anyways?
01:20:30
Speaker
And nearly a thousand traffic tickets. Right. Yeah. Safety first, Tom. For the children.
01:20:41
Speaker
And I think, I don't know what the county's going to do. they're kind of up i bet they're going to, part of the problem is they need more money. there's There's not enough money in the budget. They they were complaining about just the money they're spending on the downtown safety patrol. Now he wants to expand He wants to add another sergeant and a couple more deputies.
01:20:59
Speaker
How about do a good job first? Well, that's the key, i think. I think we can say that they that there are a so lot of cities, especially in Cuyahoga County, that need help.
01:21:11
Speaker
Where? prime tell to Tell me a little more. Downtown. Well, downtown, but now they want to expand. Right. But why do they want to expand? I want to know. Well, I mean, Euclid could use some help, I would think. Lorraine could probably use some help.
01:21:22
Speaker
You know, the cities that are just on the outskirts of Cleveland. But that's not part of Cuyahoga. Well, Lorraine isn't, no, but. yeah yeah is Is Euclid, is that Lake or is that Cuyahoga? That's Cuyahoga County.
01:21:34
Speaker
yeah
01:21:37
Speaker
I mean, we we talk about bringing in the National Guard and all that stuff. Is this a ah better solution? i I'm not, like I'm looking at the results. I'm not looking at, i we can have, we can discuss the problem with the deputies are hiring is I think a big issue. Okay. I mean, if you haven't proven to me that you can hire the right deputies, you know, so there's a problem. Yeah, a new sheriff might be in order, but is it, you think it's... Well, you got to vote on one. That's the biggest problem. the, yeah.
01:22:07
Speaker
There's a key right there. There's, that's definitely the only sheriff in Ohio that's not voted in, appointed. Yeah. That's a problem. But on the overall, would the sheriff's department be a help, I think?
01:22:21
Speaker
Especially in Cleveland. Oh, yeah in a perfect world, yes. But again, yeah you're if it's not being managed on a smaller scale, then well, on a smaller scale, then why would you expand it?
01:22:36
Speaker
True. Yeah. It's not like it's been, i mean, he's they're going to tout all these figures, but. The figures don't mean anything to me, though. No, I get it. 114 guns seized. Does that mean you just pulled somebody over and took their gun because they had a gun? Yeah. Or did you did you arrest a, or did you stop a felon that had a gun?
01:22:55
Speaker
Was it illegal a gun? Yeah, it doesn't, it means it was seized. Yeah. That doesn't tell me it was legal or illegal or anything. Was somebody driving drunk and they had a gun?
01:23:08
Speaker
Because I really don't care about that. Right. That's just fluffing the numbers, which completely agree. If you got 114 guns, should say you arrested 114 felons with those guns. doesn't me anything. 114 illegal guns would something.
01:23:19
Speaker
arrested one hundred and fourteen felons with those guns or or or
01:23:25
Speaker
ah it it doesn't tell me anything one hundred and sixteen new eagle guns would be so yeah Yeah, that that would be that would be a better, at least that would tell me they you were illegal.
01:23:36
Speaker
I would think they would put that word in there if it that was the case. but that was Exactly. you know ah maybe it it Maybe it actually is. We could find out that, yes, they were all by people who weren't supposed to have them, you know concealing, carrying without a license, that kind of stuff.
01:23:48
Speaker
I'm sure there's some of those in there, but um yeah, we don't know. It's like saying crime is down 8%. From what? It's a similar kind stat. um from what it's a similar kind of sta You seized guns, but that doesn't.
01:24:03
Speaker
and And those stats are from, you see quite an active year. this oh ah Since the beginning of the year, and they've had a thousand traffic tickets.
01:24:12
Speaker
114 guns, we don't know if they're legal or illegal. 106 warrant arrests, I don't i don't know what Was that just because somebody didn't go to court or is it because- Yeah, that's probably part of those thousand tickets.
01:24:24
Speaker
You pull somebody over for speeding or traffic stop, whatever, and then you find out they got a warrant. Yeah, but i'm i'm so what i'm what I'm getting in is where did they make money? Yeah. Yeah.
01:24:36
Speaker
Yeah, and they're ah there i thought last we checked, they were like a million and a half dollars a year or something like that they were spending. you know For a county that's $2 billion dollars in debt,
01:24:48
Speaker
You know, they want to expand it. So right now they got 10 deputies and one sergeant. They want to expand it to 12 deputies and two sergeants with two units over seven days. Right now they're not, I don't think they're seven days a week.
01:24:59
Speaker
First, give me a good product. Then I'll tell you you expand. Yes. i I think when you're just doing Cleveland and you, and in a year and a half, you've killed two people and you've got one deputy who seems, seems to just jump out of his car with guns a blazing.
01:25:14
Speaker
Oh, yeah. but when they were When they hit one of the people got in a traffic accident, Vajusi had an AR-15 out the window trying to put rain ah you know five, five, six down. While they were driving.
01:25:25
Speaker
While they were driving. High-speed pursuit. Yes, that guy should have been fired instantly. And he was from multiple, well, he was from at least one, think the Mentor Police Force was on it for like a year and they kicked him off. They said he just didn't have the conflict skills or that he didn't have the right temperament or something to that effect.
01:25:42
Speaker
And then he went to Cleveland. uh yeah department for about eight months or something like that and then got put on the sheriff's ah deputy yeah but right after that he should have been fired from the sheriff department yeah yeah i mean he was put on leave right or was he actually shot one kid too yeah yeah no no this the the guy's the guy's shit he should he shouldn't be on the force and uh this whole force is a joke I don't know how many different ways I can say it. prove Prove me wrong first before you expand.
01:26:14
Speaker
I don't know. It's
Community Power Generation Debate
01:26:16
Speaker
pretty simple. Yeah. That's what I'm trying to kind of get at is is the program might be, you know, obviously it might that might be a good thing um as far as just the idea of having the sheriff's department help out with high crime areas.
01:26:30
Speaker
But how you implement it is pretty important. And when you, I don't, I think this guy is doing a good job. So. I think maybe with better leadership, it might be a better program. So I don't know.
01:26:45
Speaker
Enough of that. Next we have, oh, this one. This one's interesting to me. There is is it a bill? Did I read that correctly?
01:26:57
Speaker
They want to make it, yeah. So they want to, state lawmakers are trying to approve community power pilot. So this is and we're talking about AI and data centers.
01:27:09
Speaker
It's part of the issue they want to do this with is because of the lack of power, because of influx in power, the data centers they're trying to implement so that communities can join together and create their own power.
01:27:24
Speaker
Mostly what they push in this article is solar.
01:27:28
Speaker
But... I'm thinking it it the legislation would be any power, any really any generation of power. You could do it at a local level. And basically how it works is you would have it like for for what they're pushing is a solar farm.
01:27:41
Speaker
So if your community came together and decided we're going pitch it, I'll pitch it together, buy this big solar farm, and then they would po they would put money or electricity into the grid and they would get credits back.
01:27:53
Speaker
That I don't like, but you can have a gas generating plan if you want. yeah I'm thinking, can I get a little nuke plant in the backyard one day? Yep.
01:28:05
Speaker
Yep. Now, what I don't like about it is have give the power to the to power company, then they give me a credit. I think that's kind of how it works if you get it on your house enough, too. It is. And I'm not sure there's a lot of other ways to do it safely and effectively than that because of the way the system is.
01:28:24
Speaker
Yeah, okay. I mean...
01:28:27
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not sure. Yeah. I mean, it seems to be logistic just a little bit difficult. If you were powering your house, how would you get the excess? and you know you You can have batteries.
01:28:39
Speaker
Yeah. You know, um my neighbor's got a couple doors down, has solar, and he...
01:28:48
Speaker
He rarely goes, he rarely collects enough from the son to do the whole month himself. he so He always, seems like he always has to pay a couple dollars.
01:29:00
Speaker
I guess on a larger scale, he could... I mean, he's got to like a a garage with solar panels on it. Yeah. I think that's that's a way to do it. You can do it with a battery. it it's so And then if you fill your battery up, and then lot of times it will switch over to powering the grid, and you get lot of cases. It's different.
01:29:22
Speaker
We got a couple people around us too that have it on their house, which I think is, mean, cool, but... When I see them, all I see my tax dollars going to your tax credit to put somewhat useless most of the year.
01:29:36
Speaker
Probably a little bit of that. I think they're getting cheaper and cheaper. I still don't think it's worth, you know, unless... Not in Ohio. Yeah. I mean, it depends on what you're doing. If if you've got like some land, and that's kind of one of the things in this legislation are talking about is farmers.
01:29:55
Speaker
In one case, they bring up a farmer that can't really farm anymore. And one of his solutions is, well, I'll take my land that I have and put solar farm in it and I can make money that way.
01:30:06
Speaker
I can lease it. Yeah. Least leas the land. I get power. i don't have to pay a power bill anymore. And they're paying me for my land and I don't have to farm it. Yeah. Not necessarily the way I want to go with all the farms in our in Ohio, but in Ohio. but But at least the land stays in his family.
01:30:21
Speaker
Yeah. yep And it stays as farmland. It's not dug up to put buildings in with all that. Take that good soil out and then you got to do something with it. But also. Yeah. they you know even if you're still farming having you know farmers don't they don't make a lot of money so being able to ah cut your power bill to almost nothing and you know power your farm and do all that stuff could be a huge benefit think it's kind of a good idea and i want a new plant my backyard i i know the exact spot for it that's the only bad bad thing about it that i've read was that if you know if you got
01:30:56
Speaker
a lot of, you know, if they build a pretty big solar farm, that it does, yeah you won't be able to farm on it again right away. if if they ever took those off, you would have to wait a while to be a lot of work to get it back to farmland.
01:31:14
Speaker
Yeah, because it's just basically covered from the sun for... Yeah, it's that. And it's also the machinery that plot you know went on it because you get some heavy machine machinery on land, it doesn't it's not the best thing for it.
01:31:26
Speaker
Yeah, yeah. But it's still better than, I think, putting data center on it. You just take all that dirt and put it... Yeah, but that's where this powers a lot of this power is going to go, right? It's because of those is one of the reasons they want to keep pushing forward on these things, because they're they're looking everywhere for what we can do to get more power in Ohio, it seems like. Yeah, but they're the solar farms that they do have going on in Ohio already, or plan that are in the plans, are basically for the solar, or for the data centers, yeah I should Yeah, yeah.
01:31:56
Speaker
and And we're not going to see any benefit from that if if if not some something that's not good is is probably going to raise our prices anyways. Well, they're building their own solar farms to subsidize their data center, that could be a benefit. If the company, like you know the Google or whoever, is going to put a solar farm to subsidize.
01:32:17
Speaker
If there's some honesty there. I don't trust any of these corporations. no, no, no, no. I'm just saying it could could help in certain ways, but <unk> they'd actually have to do it and do it right.
01:32:29
Speaker
All that of stuff. but And and if as of right now, theyre with all the secrecy of around all these data centers, it doesn't seem likely. Right, right.
01:32:39
Speaker
Well, in why so what then why does AEP oppose the idea? That's what says in the article. AEP, but Ohio's monopoly utilities oppose the idea. Ohio AEP and industry group represent utilities. idea. Criticizing the argument, the arrangement.
01:32:56
Speaker
um
01:32:59
Speaker
Yeah, I don't know. It's ah it's interesting, though. i think I think you should, I mean, what the heck? Get a rural community together, put ah put a wind farm, a solar farm, a gas plant. Heck yeah. Heck yeah.
01:33:10
Speaker
Autonomy, I like it.
Traffic Stop Legislation
01:33:13
Speaker
All right, next we have, what do we got next, Tom? What we got next? Oh, yeah. This next bill is something that kind of touches on something we had talked about not too long ago, which is a failure to identify bill they want to put in you Ohio. So we got ah Sharon Ray from Wadsworth, a Republican, who is put was co-sponsored Bill 492, which would increase the penalty for not...
01:33:44
Speaker
Telling the officer, giving the officer your identity in a traffic stop. And let's see here. They have, so here's a little little clip here from her, some of her in this clip about what the bill's about. And, you know, it's not that big of a deal, right? I mean, come on empty Can't be that much. I mean, it's just just your identity.
01:34:07
Speaker
ah This is something that is becoming more and more prevalent. According to State Rep. Sharon Ray of Wadsworth, there is a growing trend in Northeast Ohio of drivers who refuse to comply with police orders and instead identify themselves as sovereign citizens.
01:34:25
Speaker
These are folks that do not believe They need to identify themselves at traffic stops. Ray is co-sponsoring House Bill 492, which she says would close a loophole in the current law.
01:34:38
Speaker
That puts the officer at a disadvantage when they're trying to, not only for their safety, but the safety of the driver, identify that this isn't a serious situation. Instead, House Bill 492 would elevate the penalty for a motorist refuses to provide identification, including name, address, and date of birth, when stopped for a suspected traffic violation. Ray said typically what would happen in the past is the driver would be charged with obstruction,
01:35:07
Speaker
which is a minor offense. This would simply change the charge of failure to identify ah yourself from an unclassified misdemeanor, which is just a fine, to an M4 misdemeanor, which which is a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail. Right now, Ohio law does not make it an arrestable offense to refuse to identify yourself during a traffic stop.
01:35:33
Speaker
Something the bill would change. Ray added the legislation has full support from Ohio's Fraternal Order of Police. No kidding. As well as other law enforcement groups.
01:35:44
Speaker
Because we don't want a driver to feel a danger because they're unconfused about the law. This will clarify it in everyone's mind. And also for the officer's safety because they need to know who they're stopping to. Okay. The last part didn't make any sense at all.
01:36:03
Speaker
So they want to make it a like ah bigger family right now. So when you get pulled over, if you don't ah give them your license and identification, it's just a fine. And they want to make it a jailable offense, an arrestable offense, I should say.
01:36:20
Speaker
I think there's too many people watching YouTube videos.
01:36:26
Speaker
Because our law is that you have to show your ID if you're driving. Yeah, but there's there's really no teeth behind it other than you just you'll get a you'll get a fine, and that's it. Yeah, but you'll get arrested.
01:36:38
Speaker
You don't get arrested. Maybe not for that. No, but but you're not going to have a good stop traffic stop when you start it out that way. Exactly. I guarantee you that. They're going to find something yeah um to get you on, usually. I mean, I guess not every time, but it definitely doesn't start the conversation out on a good foot.
01:36:54
Speaker
on a good note that's for sure no it's ridiculous um yeah i mean you get they're gonna want to know who they're dealing with they also want to check if you got any if you're if you're able to drive i mean that's kind of the point is you they pull you over and and driving is not a right it is a privilege so you you do have to show that you're able to drive and by giving them your driver's license i i get the pushback i i think where you stop maybe where you stop at maybe isn't your name. It's usually, hey where are you going?
01:37:26
Speaker
You don't got to tell them that. And yeah, no, that's, that's a bullshit thing from the, that the cop does. They're in Terry you to start. Yeah. They're, they're trying to get you to talk to.
01:37:36
Speaker
Yeah. They're trying to find out what else they can get you on basically. And that's when you can plead the fifth. But after that, or before then the license party, you kind of have to do in it. I get it.
01:37:50
Speaker
I got pulled over. This was, well this is over a decade ago. i think it's the last time I've been pulled over. But I just handed him my license. You know, he didn't, he just said, he didn't even say anything. I just handed it to him.
01:38:04
Speaker
And I didn't say a word, one word to him until he wanted to hear me talk. And he's like, well, what's your social security number? I'm like, do you need to know that?
01:38:15
Speaker
And i ri I rattled it off. Yeah. Because he he was probably trying to see if i so if I'm slurring or whatever. But he's like, it's kind of funny you didn't even talk. I'm like, I got nothing to say to you.
01:38:28
Speaker
Right. You know, here's my license. Write me a ticket. You told me what I did. I didn't agree with them, but whatever. You're not going to you're not going to win that.
01:38:38
Speaker
Yeah. Again, not the time to ah argue that. But I have... have
01:38:48
Speaker
always wondered what you know i don't know i don't know how i don't i don't think you need to know where the heck i'm going so but i get i get the attitude that a lot of cops probably get which is part of yeah part of this you know so yeah yeah no i'm curious oh how am i going to handle that next time you
Cleveland's Rat Infestation Problem
01:39:04
Speaker
know it's been a little while and uh yeah i i just go with the i don't say a thing until mean if they ask me where i'm going i'm just going to be like yeah
01:39:16
Speaker
going to the store. It doesn't matter. I'm not going to start talking. I am exercising my Fifth Amendment right. Yeah. But unfortunately, that probably will... Cause them. It'll probably extend the ah the the traffic stop a little longer, unfortunately. but Yeah, probably.
01:39:33
Speaker
and I don't know. It it depends. It depends because like I got pulled over in Parma. Those guys are just, they're not doing anything except trying to write as many tickets as they can in a day. So they're not there for safety or anything. They're just there to collect money.
01:39:50
Speaker
Yes, it's a revenue source for sure. I think one of the times get pull off pullover was in Parma and I had forgotten to put my, my sticker on my license plate like three months ago.
01:40:03
Speaker
Yeah. That could be a problem, but he was, you but he was looking at your plate. Yeah. Yeah. that's He pulled me over and he was an older guy, you know, have, very overweight, which, I mean, sorry, but that's why is that so typical of cops, especially older cops? There's royal donuts in Parma.
01:40:20
Speaker
It's pretty good donuts. Those donuts are so good. You're right. I do stop there when I can to bring it work. But let me go. they ah he gave me he let me go Because ah he knew he knew was valid.
01:40:32
Speaker
I was like, oh, crap. I forgot. He goes, oh, just put it on you get home. was like, okay. Yeah, yeah. Well, that okay. that That's a little bit better. he might have been looking for other things that were wrong. Yeah. Yeah. And he ran the license plate, so he knew was valid.
01:40:46
Speaker
yeah He just figured out, look, you're an idiot. Go fix that. So I get it. I i don't know. don't know if it needs to change or not but i guess the cops think so so da no no cop couple cops think so i bet you not all the cops think so yeah um and the next last last story on our uh on our list of ah stories is oh cleveland
01:41:16
Speaker
Do we need a rat czar? That's that's that's the question for the but the but the article. No. Cleveland's among the ratiest cities in the United States in a new study. It's not in the top 10, though.
01:41:28
Speaker
Oh, well, in that case, what the heck? Come on. If you're going to do it, do it right. Let's go. So they said roughly 8.2 billion people on earth.
01:41:40
Speaker
ah They think there's one-to-one ratio. Some people think two-to-one ratio, which puts that 16.4 billion rats and in the world. And most of them are in Ohio. No, just kidding. they But let's let's just hear the clip because the clip is good.
01:41:55
Speaker
So it's it's crazy what what happens. when they're, you know, talking to people and but we'll we'll see, cause you get a little scared, I guess.
01:42:08
Speaker
They big. They definitely big. Rats running wild in downtown Cleveland. They like real big. And like when we see them, we, you, you, you.
01:42:19
Speaker
Racing past people on sidewalks, streets, in and out of the landscaping. Just minute, look what rat running across here. Almost everywhere around to public While they're talking to somebody. They walk around like books. Yep, one just real fast.
01:42:32
Speaker
Over there. Right behind us during this interview. Get away from them. I ain't standing by them. No, no, no. They do carry diseases on their body and in their body. Robert Peterson with the Cleveland Department of Public Health says one reason for the sudden influx is this major construction project nearby. Any kind of banging, pounding, you're going to have them scurrying and scattering from their underground dwellings.
01:42:56
Speaker
Coupled with cold temperatures. There's always going to be an increase with the when the weather changes like this. They're looking to get inside to get some heat, food and shelter. making this the perfect place for a new home.
01:43:06
Speaker
The construction is going to bring them out of where they are, but then the increased population, that's just more garbage, more people absentmindedly throwing down wrappers and bags. Even dogs contributing to the issue. yeah When dogs ah process food, they're only digesting 50% of what they eat.
01:43:22
Speaker
So when it passes through them, what comes out is still food to the rodents. So they're asking people to please clean up after their pets and themselves. Making sure that the trash goes into containers. While the health department is working hard to get the situation under control. and We're going to have problems.
01:43:38
Speaker
um we're We're a city that's situated right on the water, so that's kind of hard to keep that population down. But between the residential baiting, the surveys, and the sewer baiting, we can do what we can.
01:43:49
Speaker
Hopefully. Hopefully. Because they need to be out of here. I can't be by no rats. That's my boy right there. like There goes one right there. Oh, my God.
01:44:01
Speaker
I think it's funny that he's like, yeah, well, we can do what we can.
01:44:06
Speaker
I'm not making any promises. Well, yeah, first of all, stop throwing your crap on the ground. um That can help. And, you know, keep the feces on a limited basis on the sidewalk.
01:44:18
Speaker
Help, too. Human feces, too. Yes. Yes. Yeah, exactly. All. They'll take it. They're not picky. They're not picky. Picky. The funniest part of the story was like, Ohio has two cities in the top 25, but thankfully not in the top 10.
01:44:34
Speaker
yeah cleveland Cleveland's number 11. I'm just like, oh, let's let's be proud of that. So close. And Columbus number 21. I'm surprised Cincinnati's not in there. Yeah. Nah, they're mostly in the city hall, but.
01:44:51
Speaker
yeah uh funny uh so yep i don't know it's a ratty city it's a city i mean you're gonna have a rats you're gonna have a rats and uh you know they're not as big as in new york i guess so they can know yeah oh oh they well not see you didn't you you you you buried the lead tom we are number 11 but we were number 10. right we've gotten actually better or has denver gotten just that much worse because they went Oh, Minneapolis was 11.
01:45:23
Speaker
So. Oh, rats living in Minneapolis.
01:45:29
Speaker
So cold up there. San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles. Went up to four spots. That's a lot. Yeah. Oh, gosh. No, down four spots. Down four spots.
01:45:40
Speaker
Well, that's, yeah, up the worst ladder. They went down? I'm thinking they went... Spots moved since 2014. Okay, so I'm thinking 14 to 10 is negative four, but like okay.
01:45:53
Speaker
i think it's six to 10. I don't know. I think plus, i don't know. It could be either, but Los Angeles is number one. Chicago looks like they're just swapping. Los Angeles to Chicago. New York's holding third.
01:46:03
Speaker
New York's holding third, and so is San Francisco holding fourth strong. Hartford. Hartford, Connecticut? Must be. They went eight. Plus eight? Yeah, that would don't mean it's ah' ah it's yeah from the top. Yeah. pop because it yeah So plus eight. Jeez.
01:46:18
Speaker
The heck. Go Hartford. Oh, look at plus 13 Tampa. Oh, my goodness. They're. Oh, yeah. Pulling
Inspiring Stories and Events
01:46:28
Speaker
into the top 25. All right, Tampa.
01:46:33
Speaker
wonder why. I wonder what makes it change. And and how do they count them? Yeah, they can't. It's just it's a guess. They're just. Yeah. Just a guessing.
01:46:46
Speaker
Just a guessing. we have one a couple more stories. And of course, it is part of our... bring good things to life.
01:47:01
Speaker
This one, we got a couple couple stories to touch on real quick. One a heartfelt story. Northeast Ohio cancer survivor turns daily hospital work into Mission of Hope.
01:47:13
Speaker
So actually, I think I know somebody who's done this too. um But this guy apparently has been a ah transporter in the hospital. She's the guy, person would come in and if you gotta if go through your room to a procedure, an x-ray, a CAT scan something like that, you have to be in a wheelchair.
01:47:30
Speaker
This person is a transporter. So they push you around, take you there. And he says he's been doing it for 30 years. Is it 30 years? Okay. He's 65 years old. His name is Tony Holland.
01:47:42
Speaker
He's doing a good thing. Yeah. Yeah. For nearly 30 years, Holland has worked as a patient transporter at the same hospital where he received his cancer treatment. So about six years ago, he came down with but a stage, some non-small cell lung cancer in 2018, and they removed the tumor.
01:48:00
Speaker
Oh, he was doing this before? Yeah. Oh, okay okay. I misread this thing. Okay. Yeah. i i When I got into it, I figured it was after his surgery and he he became, you know, but no, he's been doing this for a while.
01:48:11
Speaker
Right. But now he gets to add a little more to his repertoire, as you might say. So he enrolled in, state they did some surgery, he rolled into a clinical trial analyzing his tumor and along with some precise medicine and some standard chemotherapy. They they got rid of It's been six years, cancer-free, no remission.
01:48:33
Speaker
And now he gets to... you know, console people. Cause what he's saying is, wow, you know, people get, you know, people get scared. I think he, I think he gets to give him hope.
01:48:44
Speaker
Yeah. It gives him hope. And, and, you know, I I've been through it. I know where you're going through, you know, this, that, and the other thing. That's a very, it's a good story. I think check it out and good for him for, um, for, um, you know, doing that. I mean, it's, it's, uh, it's pretty cool.
01:49:03
Speaker
and they go on there's a lot of stuff about lung cancer screening go get your lung care especially if you were a smoker check it out this is lung cancer awareness month that was kind of the part of the article yep lung cancer thank you i forgot i immediately left that out most important part of the story uh one uh the disease causes 1.8 million deaths worldwide each year go get your um i saw something on the news the other day too they were um saying most of the people getting lunking, not most of the ah people, but I guess there's been a huge uptick younger and middle-aged women.
01:49:41
Speaker
Nearly 20% of the new diagnosis today occur in people who have never smoked, and most of them are women. so it it Really? so Yeah. it And they were blaming it on the strange things on the news. I didn't buy what they were blaming it on, but Not strange things, but I didn't buy what they were blaming it on.
01:50:01
Speaker
It just seemed too, um like, if it's affecting them, why isn't it affecting us? Like, they were blaming it on ah pollution, and it's like, well, I breathe the same air.
01:50:13
Speaker
It was interesting. It's interesting. I'm kind of curious as to why that's happening. Yeah. Wow. That's good point. i didn't Only women have seen a spike. That's... Yeah.
01:50:24
Speaker
do have quite different biologies in a lot of ways, maybe as part of it, but yeah, pollution doesn't seem to be, it was, they were blaming it. They were even blaming it on climate change. And I'm like, how's it? Okay. I can't, I can't believe I didn't think of that first.
01:50:38
Speaker
Yeah. Well, you kind of change. You have to blame everything on anything bad. you have to blame it on that. So Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Go get your screenings. If you are a former smoker in the last 10 or 15 years, they said you should probably get some screens.
01:50:53
Speaker
Check it out because early detection key. early detection is
01:51:00
Speaker
right, last on our list, ACDC is coming to Ohio. was to say Cleveland, but no, they're not coming to Cleveland. They're going to they you're going to be at the Ohio Stadium at the SHU, and tickets went on sale yesterday. Okay.
01:51:13
Speaker
They're not even coming to Cleveland? Nope. Nope. have a list right here. They're not coming to Cleveland. That's closest. I'm going to check it again, make sure I miss it. No, Charlotte, Cleveland. They're going to Wisconsin.
01:51:24
Speaker
They're doing a shorter tour, than or they're just doing a stadium tour. Ah, yeah. Well, we have a stadium here. Yeah, but I mean... yeah they can't. I mean, they're old. Yeah, they're going to make more money doing this, and they are old. I've seen them three times. i would I wouldn't go see them again.
01:51:41
Speaker
Just because they are old. Who's left? Is there anybody? I think the... Yeah, there's Angus and there's Brian Johnson. Yeah, but the other two are... Malcolm died, and the i think the drummer died too. in the I forget.
01:51:56
Speaker
Malcolm died for sure. I forget if the drummer, or they just replaced him. I forget. Okay. Yeah, so coming to the shoe, and I wonder if it's sold out yet, because it went on sale yesterday. By the time you hear this, who knows?
01:52:09
Speaker
There's 100,000 in that place. You could put in 90. Probably, I've got to be 100,000 you include the field. You know, you know did they are something incredible because they just, I think every concert I went to, and the last one i went to so one last time I went to see them was, I think in about 2003 or so.
01:52:30
Speaker
was a while ago. um I think they just sell out every time, man. It's the same show. Well, yeah, they did have an album out not too long ago, but... Yeah, yeah, but it's it's basically the same, kind of the same show with a couple songs mixed, new new songs mixed in.
01:52:49
Speaker
So for a show, well, largest crowd at Ohio Stadium was for Buckeyes' overtime victory and for Michigan, and that was 110,000. Yeah, but they're not going to they're going to close off half the stadium. Well, yeah, there's a big, the whole one. Just the way the stage is set up and everything, though there's probably gonna they're going to knock it down to 60,000 so. and And I bet you they'll sell out.
01:53:13
Speaker
Hmm, good. be a good place to see a show maybe I don't know I think it would be a i don't like stadiums hmm I guess it depends on where you sit yeah I i mean like one of the worst shows I've ever had was in the arena was in and the queue or in the gun or whatever that that's pretty that's it's never I've been to a handful of shows there and they've all sounded like crap so I just won't go again best shows I've been to is Blossom under the in the pavilion best shows I've seen
01:53:46
Speaker
it' me It's made for music. best shows to be it Best sounding shows I've probably seen. Front Row was actually a pretty good sounding ah venue at the time. And ah the Music Hall.
01:54:00
Speaker
there you know i just went to ah
01:54:05
Speaker
Akron Civic Theater. I've played there. And I've seen a couple shows there. And that's a good sounding room. And it's a good sounding room for you when you're on stage also.
01:54:16
Speaker
Nautica is a good sounding stage and venue, I think. Yep. And there are a few times there. yeah Yeah. ah Again, made for music or made for concerts, made for.
01:54:27
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. theyre Arenas are not. No, I mean, Richfield Coliseum. I mean, I liked it because, but I was young and I didn't, it was just a party. Yeah. i didn't I didn't notice this. I so i think but last ah the last band I saw was Van Halen at ah at the Cleveland arena. know and just sounded like crap yeah i mean i i it wasn't them it was just where i was at it sounded garbled yeah yeah so so you could to your point you won't get that but it's you kind of i guess i i don't think you know i' i'm thinking about i don't think i've ever been to a concert at a stadium i never have no i never have i i wish i had back in the day i was probably uh i'm going to guess i'm in my i would have been in my 20s but when the rolling stones probably did their first last tour
01:55:16
Speaker
And the Who I would have liked to see. And the big one was Pink Floyd. I wish I would have gone. Oh, yeah. That would be a concert. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
01:55:29
Speaker
That's a good one. right. i I think that's it. I think that's it. I think, thank you everybody for listening. Really appreciate your time and senator send us your notes.
01:55:41
Speaker
CrookedRiverCast at gmail.com. Check us out at CrookedRiverCast.com. Check out all these stories. but We're going to start putting some of our clips up there or where we're getting our clips from. Try and include some of those as we get as we grow their website.
01:55:56
Speaker
want you check it out and let tell your friends, please help us grow the show. Really appreciate it. And that is show 34, Tom. That's it. I just want to thank everybody for listening and we'll talk to you next week.
01:56:10
Speaker
Peace.