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Crooked River Cast Show 9
16 Plays1 month ago
Email us at Crookedrivercast@gmail.com
No more property taxes!?!?!?
Yost is out but is Tim Ryan in?
Propaganda Party!
Brookpark dome updates.
No more traffic ticket quotas that never existed wink wink.
Trumble Medical Center & Hillsdale Rehab to Close.
Medical debt relief legislation.
Coming soon… Heterosexual Month!
Tire boots for paying customers.
Gervasi Vineyard's from wine to bourbon. https://gervasivineyard.com/product/single-barrel-bourbon
Ohio public school cell phone ban update.
And more…
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Transcript
Introduction and Greetings
00:00:02
Speaker
This is the Crooked Rivercast, a show we hope will give us and our listeners a better view of what is going on in Northeast Ohio. This is May 17th, 2025. I'm your host and I'm joined every week by my friend Tom to help me explore what is going on in the great state of Ohio this week.
00:00:21
Speaker
Hello,
Weekly Updates and Importance of Local Politics
00:00:22
Speaker
Tom, and hello to everyone listening in podcast land. How are you doing, Rob? I'm good. I'm ah it's a good. it's been ah It was a good week. It was a little slow in the news, but we we managed to pull some things out.
00:00:37
Speaker
um yeah Actually, I think it's been a great week. ah They just keep talking about prop getting rid of property taxes, so... It makes feel good. I like, does it? Oh, yeah.
00:00:47
Speaker
Sign me up. So i think I think I noticed a little side benefit for our show this last week as I'm talking to some people. I know a lot of what's going on in my state.
00:01:01
Speaker
And I just, all of a sudden, it just comes out of me during, oh yeah, did you know blah, blah, blah, they got this bill out there that's going to speed up the power plant. and and And people look at me like, how do you know that?
00:01:13
Speaker
And that's direct of this show. got to listen to the Cricket River cast. Exactly. That's, I mean, that's kind of what I wanted to point out. is That's really one of the reasons I wanted to do a show. And I think similar, similarly for you is I know,
00:01:29
Speaker
i know I know about some some city or state politician in Nebraska, what what they might have said or a quote I can pull off or something, but what goes on in my own state, I get surprised all the time. And that I don't like.
00:01:41
Speaker
It was kind of nice. Yeah, it was a good feeling. Keep listening. You'll be somewhat informed maybe. Well, it's important. it's you know Arguably and more important to know about your own state than what's happening nationally.
00:01:55
Speaker
All politics are local.
Debate on Property Tax Reforms in Ohio
00:01:58
Speaker
And speaking of local, there here's this all i don't know where this came from. All of sudden, stories are popping up everywhere that day they want to get rid of property taxes.
00:02:07
Speaker
Oh, that came from, ah I'll tell you what, Vivek was talking about that before he even started running, um before he announced his run. And he's walked it back a little bit, but we can talk about that if you want. Yeah, let's start up with a clip from News Channel 5.
00:02:24
Speaker
Just a little of what's going on and who says what and when. Go for it. Property taxes are at an all-time high for Marlene Homan in Cleveland. When you're on Social Security,
00:02:37
Speaker
that's That's a lot of money. And with reappraisals and voter-approved tax hikes, it's been pricing some Ohioans out of their homes. I mean, where does it end? Due to what Lakewood advocate Beth Blackmar calls the lack of movement from lawmakers to provide relief, Ohioans are taking taxes into their own hands.
00:02:56
Speaker
You know, we really need change. I mean, because nothing was getting done you know substantially. She's leading a movement to abolish property taxes in the state. And the Citizens for Property Tax Reform are on their way to getting a constitutional amendment on the ballot. Legislators in many ways are reluctant to dive in Northeast Ohio Rep David Thomas has been tasked by the Speaker to devise property tax relief. He says he understands the concerns, but is asking homeowners to be patient. It's just also getting it right and making sure the policy is a good one.
00:03:30
Speaker
We don't want to do anything that's just real quick or haphazard. And Governor Mike DeWine raises another concern about what happens to local governments, police stations, and schools if there are no more property taxes.
00:03:42
Speaker
But anybody who says we need to eliminate this tax, eliminate that tax, I understand that. But they have to come. They have an obligation. I think a moral obligation to come forward and and explain how they're going to pay for schools, how they're going to pay for the things that we value in Ohio. I hate Whitacoy wabbits.
00:04:02
Speaker
Couldn't help myself on that one. Couldn't help myself. Yeah, we have an immoral obligation, he says. Yeah, right. No, I think the Ohio Supreme Court has been telling you for many years, a couple decades now, um no, it's up to you guys. You guys need to fix this.
00:04:18
Speaker
And one of the quotes I heard was, let's you know this would force them to do something. This would make them have to do something. if if If votes, this goes through and property tax gets repealed, they have no choice but to figure out a different way to fund So what's going on right now is there's the Citizens for Property Tax Reform is is putting something on the ballot. That Blackmar that they mentioned.
00:04:44
Speaker
Yeah. That's what she's arguing. The repeal will force lawmakers to come up with an alternative Right. Well, we don't know if it'll be on the ballot yet. They're going to probably, it's going to be a single bill and they need about a 413,000 signatures. Yeah, 413 in 44 counties. At 44 counties.
00:05:01
Speaker
yeah for six and forty four counties and least forty four counties but and that's I don't think they'll have a problem getting that. I don't think so either. And it's also, there's a, I think there's some sort of percentage you have to get 5% of the voting, the people who voted in the last gubernatorial election in each county, which comes up.
00:05:18
Speaker
And I think you only to hit it at half the counties, it seems like. said They're saying over 413 signatures from 44 counties. based about Right. Right. um what What do you think? Because, first of all, Yost signed... He approved it to to go to advance, but he he doesn't like... I forgot how they put it.
00:05:40
Speaker
po it He's not endorsing it necessarily, right? Right. He's not endorsing He says he doesn't even know if it's constitutionally legal, basically. um Yeah, he... It should not be construed as affirmation of the enforceability enforceability and the constitutionally, if it's fine.
00:06:00
Speaker
But i think it's I think they're jumping the gun here. i I'd wait for Vivek to get into office, and he's going to know how to do this, or he'll have a better idea.
00:06:12
Speaker
Personally, that's what I think. um That's not necessarily a bad idea. I mean, I could see. Yeah, that's a good point. Because he's been talking about it. he's He's walked it back a bit because he just wanted to kill it, you know, get rid of property tax. And now he's kind of talking about doing it in stages, which I do think you need to do in stages. You can't just cut it because it'll just confuse, and you know, every city out there.
00:06:37
Speaker
So to get an idea of what we're talking about, most recent annual report from the Ohio Department Taxation puts 2023 property tax collection at about $18.5 billion eighteen point five billion dollars for the state.
00:06:50
Speaker
It's enormous amount of funding. It's roughly double what the amount reported from state income taxes and about a billion more ah than Ohio in sales tax. spread out evenly, it would cost every single Ohioan more than $1,500 to make up in that gap in funding.
00:07:08
Speaker
Now, that's every Ohioan. Is that every voter, every taxpayer? It says every Ohioan. So is that including my kids? Yeah, I think it's just going by population, right? Probably. But if you figure out what you're paying every year in tax, in property tax, and so and a lot of places, even with even counting your family members, you you still could be getting off paying less.
00:07:26
Speaker
And they say, no property tax, you're paying $1,500 per person in your house. You're paying less if you, if you, look at okay, okay. Think about it this way. If you're paying less, if you have a $800,000 house or even a house you know ah affluent town where you're paying high property taxes, but that could screw somebody else.
00:07:50
Speaker
If you're living in a rural county, you're paying a lot less in taxes. Yep. Yeah. So it's not evenly spread, but it is right kind of just kind of wrapping head around what kind of money we're talking about here.
00:08:03
Speaker
It also says, shows same department of taxation reports shows assessed values climbed almost 40% in five years or home values.
00:08:15
Speaker
Oh, yeah, it's been crazy. Tax collection has risen more than 21% over those five years. Yep, yep. so No, it's's it's gone insane. ah you know but When 2020 hit, and there was a lower low supply of homes for sale. People started paying massive amounts of money, overpaying for their houses, and it that's...
00:08:38
Speaker
that's made an impact on our taxes now. It sure has. I know, i know they keep readjusting mine, uh, for my, for, you know, it's like, geez, when is it going to end? Well, I think every three years they do an assessment, right?
00:08:51
Speaker
And that's part of my problem with it. well I'm getting taxed on income that I don't, I mean, I'm, it's, it's, you're being taxed on wealth I haven't gained. Well, that is the, that is the argument right there. You're being taxed on something that's not, that hasn't been realized.
00:09:05
Speaker
So, you know, you bought it like, I don't know, you buy a house for $150K and then three years later, because of ah supply and demand, now your house is valued at Well, your taxes just went up ton.
00:09:20
Speaker
and and So now, you think about the think about the new couple, that young couple or young single person that bought a house, they're... relying on a payment of, I don't know, let's say a thousand bucks. And then all a sudden it's 1500. How are they going to, they can't manage that.
00:09:39
Speaker
Yeah. and And it gets even worse when you're on fixed income and retired because you can't work an extra job or an extra overtime. you're You're kind of stuck, especially up there as you get up there in age. And that's kind of the biggest, I think, push for this is, is seniors.
00:09:55
Speaker
Well, Well, that's what ah Vivek was talking about. he He kind of wants to start it with the seniors. you know Eliminate the property tax for, he didn't give it an age, but I'm thinking 62, whatever their official senior age is.
00:10:12
Speaker
right And um then then start figuring out where they're going to you know, get more money from other areas. Is it going to be sales tax? Is it going to be a, I, you know, and there's Ohio lottery that there's all, there's all ways, there's all kinds of ways to go about this, but they should start with the seniors. And, um,
00:10:34
Speaker
and And then move move on down. Maybe it could be like, maybe they could put a pause on it too so people aren't just getting screwed. And in a lot of areas, from what I'm reading, is they will give seniors break on property taxes. They do. I mean, they have know more rate and stuff. I'm not sure that, to me, that's not an answer.
00:10:54
Speaker
that They do. But I mean, there's a Homestead Act, you know? That if you're a senior, forget when it starts, what year, what age it starts at, but you get your property taxes discounted, but it's only a few hundred dollars. And when you're on a fixed, if your taxes just went up $1,500 for the year, that doesn't do anything for you. Yeah.
00:11:15
Speaker
that doesn't do do anything for you Right. You know? No. So, no, I do think seniors shouldn't have to pay taxes because you you by that time you usually own your home outright.
00:11:28
Speaker
So realistically, you never freaking own your home. i mean, because if you don't pay your taxes for for a year, that they come and take your home. That ain't right. that is That is one of the few few flaws in the Constitution. It was life, liberty, and property.
00:11:45
Speaker
But the they changed it to be life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Because at the time, property was also people. And the founders knew if they put property in ah in the Constitution, they would never get rid of slavery.
00:11:58
Speaker
You know, those evil, racist, hate mongers. Right. So that's, and then people have said for years, you know, that's one of the flaws, one of the compromises for, to get this nation, get the...
00:12:09
Speaker
All the ah colonies united to get the colonies united was, that was one of the one, the one of the main ones. Maybe it was New York, I believe was trying to get, ah I don't know, something like that. but anyway, yeah. So if, if you had life-learing property, they, they could never take it away from you because it's literally constitutional right.
00:12:23
Speaker
Right. So yeah, just to touch base, touch back around on, they need 10% of the electoral turnout from the last gubernatorial race, which is just shy of, that's where they get the 413,000 number. additionally,
00:12:34
Speaker
and additionally In 44 of Ohio's counties, they need signatures from at least 5% of the gubernatorial race turnout. So it's not a guarantee, but I think it's they they still have work to do.
00:12:47
Speaker
And it this could take until next year. That's true, too. Maybe be the ballot. Maybe they're starting now. maybe Maybe it'll be on the same ballot as Vivek is when he's running. That would be lot november news a lot of times too to get it on the ballot when there's going to be a big turnout on you and the side you think would vote most for you.
00:13:07
Speaker
Yeah. it makes any sense? good You know what? That might be the way to go, too. Yeah. Didn't really think of that. they They could be shooting for November of 26. Because the governor wouldn't have to do anything.
00:13:22
Speaker
This is a ah constitutional amendment voted by the people, so there's really no... Well, I would think he would have to figure out a way to do this. True. Oh, yeah, yeah. Okay. You know what I mean? You're yeah kind of throwing him under a bus real quick there.
00:13:35
Speaker
Yeah, but it's not a bill going through through the state legislature that he would have to, or anyone would have to sign. Right. But yeah, that he would have to be, and yeah, he would have to figure out how to get it done, as they say. How to implement it, really. That's that's the key.
00:13:48
Speaker
But hey,
Ohio Governor's Race and Political Strategies
00:13:50
Speaker
less taxes. I like that. Well, and speaking of the governor's race and Vivek, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has suspended his campaign for governor.
00:14:02
Speaker
No? How about one of these? Okay.
00:14:06
Speaker
Sorry, Dave. his His political campaign is in Ohio is pretty much over, it sounds like. He's he's a term limited out to really do a whole lot of anything else, it sounds like.
00:14:17
Speaker
But that's kind of sound the report I heard sound like. Vivek's got too much support. he had to. Yeah. yeah He he may even mentioned and to his supporters an uphill climb became basically vertical.
00:14:29
Speaker
Right. Is the way he put it. So he is, he's he's out. be running He's out. And it looks like the Republicans are wrapped up and ready to go. Now, Democrats, on the other hand, they're not quite.
00:14:44
Speaker
They still have, what's his name now? Tim Ryan. Tim Ryan. Okay. I just typed it in like five minutes ago.
00:14:55
Speaker
So Tim Ryan, I got, and we don't spend much time on, but he, because still doesn't know, which is weird to me. So let's listen what Tim Ryan has to say.
00:15:06
Speaker
Congressman Tim Ryan as one of the few leading candidates for statewide office, despite his loss to now Vice President J.D. Vance in the U.S. Senate race in 2022. Ryan now says he's close to making a decision on whether he'll run again and for what.
00:15:20
Speaker
This question for Tim Ryan is on the minds of many Democrats. Are you running for governor? The question everybody wants to know. don't know. Ryan says he's concerned about the direction the state would take under tech billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy.
00:15:33
Speaker
Endorsed by the Ohio Republican Party last week, though there were reports that Governor Mike DeWine wanted the GOP to wait. He's tempered ah ah very extreme legislature. And so if you remove Mike DeWine and you put in Vivek Ramaswamy, it's a whole new ballgame of how like radicalized the state would become.
00:15:53
Speaker
And I just don't rather think that's Ohio. Ryan says he doesn't have a theme or keystone idea for a potential campaign for governor, which would likely run into the tens of millions of dollars. He's got name recognition. Karen Kassler at the Ohio Public Radio Statehouse News Bureau.
00:16:07
Speaker
He's got nothing. he has He doesn't know if he would run and what he would run on. he has no i have a feeling the Democratic Party of Ohio is probably begging him to run. Begging him.
00:16:19
Speaker
Yeah, because he's got name recognition and Amy Acton's got no chance. And he is the only one so far that I've seen ah recently, at least from a Democratic Party that's speaking somewhat reasonable and talking about other issues such as economics and in this you know what what we can do to build ah better state and this other stuff instead of just railing on gender issues or all those kind of hot button issues that It seems to be, ah that's all they want to talk about.
00:16:49
Speaker
DEI and all that stuff. Yeah. Well, for the for the last few years. Have the Democrats had, have had any idea for the last 10 years? You know, think about it.
00:17:00
Speaker
Yeah. its It's just sloganeering and orange man bad. Orange man, man, that's for sure. So keep an eye out for Tim Ryan. He could do something or nothing. or ah he does I don't know, he says.
00:17:15
Speaker
I don't know. Well, he's he's I think the primary primary is in early next year, right? What? I think it's in like in May or March or something. Oh, yeah, our primaries. That's right. You're in March.
00:17:28
Speaker
Yeah. And then load me emerg the general will be in November next next year. So he's got time. He's got, and well, he said summer, so pretty soon. And if he if he doesn't, then we're going to have a blast with Amy.
00:17:43
Speaker
That's going to be fun. Yeah, she definitely will be good park for for the clips of the show. Yeah. I just... um I guess it's not that he doesn't know if he's going to run or not. That kind of threw me. It's he has no idea what he would even run on.
00:17:59
Speaker
And it's like, you don't even know that? Like, you don't. Anyway, so. what How are you going to run against lowering taxes? You know, they they are it nationally and and locally. there have you know Cities are a little different. Cleveland's are a little different.
00:18:19
Speaker
They can run on the d DEI stuff and whatever. But ah statewide, man, you're going to have to come up with some real ideas.
00:18:32
Speaker
That's that vertical that Yost was talking about. That's even worse for that their side on what they've been pushing. and i But I have seen him make attempts to make a pivot from all that stuff. Right. At least an attempt.
00:18:44
Speaker
Now, the problem is it's really making his party mad. Yeah. From the article i was reading. Anywho, moving on from Tim Ryan.
Media Narratives and Reporting Bias
00:18:53
Speaker
how about How about a propaganda party?
00:18:57
Speaker
Are you ready for a propaganda party? I'm ready for propaganda party. party!
00:19:04
Speaker
and So here I am going through the news stories for the week, and and i I see a couple stories go through. One on book burning. So apparently, ah some some guy went into the Beachwood Library and checked out whole bunch of books and burned them.
00:19:20
Speaker
let's let's hear let's Let's hear the news report. Is it Channel 19? This is like about half the report, beginning part. Let's see. Well, banning and burning books is not new. Neither is opposition to that act of hate. Today, faith leaders from greater Cleveland got together to denounce a local man checking out hundreds of books and then burning them.
00:19:39
Speaker
ah Harry Boomer live with the reaction. Harry. Well, Brian's saying no to hate is a tradition across many faiths. Today in Cleveland, religious leaders from across the area denounce the actions of a man who's trying to drum up support against freedom of speech and one who would deny people the pleasure of reading whatever they want.
00:20:02
Speaker
Harry Boomer. The man had taken out hundreds of books from the Beachwood Library explicitly targeting ah literature, values, and history. The Interfaith Group Against Hate and 19 News are intentionally not naming the man who checked out hundreds of books and burned them.
00:20:21
Speaker
They denounced his action and chose not to give him what he seeks the most, publicity. So a couple of things missing here. Which books? Thank you.
00:20:32
Speaker
Which books? I mean, i'm re i'm I'm watching this news article thinking, wow, this is literally my my mind was crafting this narrative that this guy went in, took a bunch of books, walked outside and started burning them.
00:20:46
Speaker
No. He went in, applied for a brand new library card, proceeded to check out 50 books. This is like April second And then came back about ten five five, ten days later and checked out another 50 books.
00:21:03
Speaker
You know exactly which books he checked out. Oh, yeah. no Not one mention of the book. Not one mention of the guy's name. no but Now, mind you, a mass shooting at a church.
00:21:15
Speaker
Yeah, we' we'll we'll blast his name all all over the place. Mm-hmm. I'm not saying, I'm saying actually what there is, it is a good thing that they're not saying the guy's name because he's probably doing this for publicity. But what he actually did was he went home, recorded a YouTube video of a, from the description, a trunk full of books, some of which resembled the categories of the books that he checked out.
00:21:41
Speaker
Right. that that was like That was the key. like They weren't saying these are the exact books. They said maybe one was the same title. and now Let me guess.
00:21:53
Speaker
Were these children's books? So they were and so he he checked out 50 books on the 2nd of April on Jewish history, African-American history, and LGBTQ education, according to the Beachwood Police Department.
00:22:06
Speaker
They know who this guy is. And and channel News Channel 5 knows who this guy is. But again, they decide not to say, which is convenient, how they pick and choose you know whose name they use and whose they don't.
00:22:17
Speaker
So it's really interesting to know who this guy was because lot of times when we find out, it's not who they're portraying it to be. So and envision ah these faith groups in front of the Beachwood Public Library.
00:22:31
Speaker
And most of the old white guys are all in the back. Not allowed to say anything. Poor guys. ah And nobody nobody wants to mention which books. And then they're showing that's what' saying they're showing these pictures of all these books on the table because they they had this big...
00:22:45
Speaker
presentation, all the news cameras came and all these faith leaders in in air quotes. And they're showing the pictures of all these books. And they're not, these are not the books that he, but we don't know if they're the books that he checked out.
Education and Diversity Program Funding Debates
00:22:58
Speaker
So what's the definition of propaganda? Wikipedia says propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda that may not be objective.
00:23:11
Speaker
Webster says, the spread of ideas, information, or rumor of the for the purpose of helping or injuring an institution, a cause, or a person. All right, so that was kind of odd.
00:23:24
Speaker
They won't say who his name is, what books he checked out. All right. So then I see News Channel 5 has a news story about kids going to the statehouse to lobby, I guess, for the stop slashing our our funding.
00:23:40
Speaker
And I thought, wow, this is these kind of go together because they're similar. Let's see. let's let's With those definitions in mind, let's listen to this school funding. Northeast Ohio students making their voices heard in the Ohio Senate today.
00:23:52
Speaker
The legislature is working on a budget that could strip hundreds of millions from public schools and could also cut diversity, equity and inclusion programs. and We've been following through on this for months. Today, Columbus Bureau reporter Morgan Trout tells us why these students are sharing their concerns and why lawmakers argue against them.
00:24:09
Speaker
it's important for them to see us four students and three educators made a two and a half hour drive coming down from cleveland heights to the ohio state house just pause that for a second just point out listen to the clips from the children from the kids and these are the best clips they could get because why what else would you show and i'm trying to figure out why they sent them down there but It's very easy to make a decision that impacts many people when that person isn't you. To fight for their school. It was just important for us to be there because we like specifically represent diversity and we are all people of color. Freshman Kennedy Brown and Emmanuel Gutierrez came in to represent Cleveland Heights University Heights City School District, testifying about the importance of school funding and urging the state Senate not to restrict DEI initiatives. We all have an equal chance to be successful. The district should have received $7 million dollars from the state under the expected funding formula. Due to the house cutting the education budget, they would only receive $700,000. Both students are a part of multicultural clubs and music groups, both programs at risk of being cut. We need a lot of funding to do music and be creative because a lot of people, especially Cleveland Heights, they love art.
00:25:30
Speaker
And I should be able to produce my art. No, not on my dime. No, you're not. Not on my dime. Yeah, like we like need art and like um like... What was the point of this?
00:25:44
Speaker
What was the point of this article or this story and article? It's just pulling your heartstrings. Yeah. yeah And we these poor kids and these parents that let them do it, I mean, I guess maybe they didn't know exactly what they were in for, but that's the best they can get.
00:26:01
Speaker
ah no, the the freshman, the 14-year-old disagrees with... with the DEI initiatives. And what what what does he say about the DEI initiatives? So let's let's hear what is cut to funding.
00:26:15
Speaker
But House Speaker Matt Huffman says that the schools are overspending and there isn't enough money in the budget to afford the high cost of per pupil needs. He and State Rep Josh Williams say that DEI policies actually stigmatize students and can hurt black, brown, female and students with disabilities. DEI policies are this closeted ghost that makes people believe that's the only reason you're in the room.
00:26:38
Speaker
I want individuals to look inside of a particular room and see a black individual and know they must be qualified to be there. Freshman Jesse Bowling disagreed, saying DEI initiatives empowered him to join school leadership. I was able to meet people just like me.
00:26:54
Speaker
Oh, so and and it kind of went propaganda. And and then then you get this guy going, no, just deep deep yeah and just for the record, nobody can see it. Obviously, it's audio.
00:27:05
Speaker
There was a ah black gentleman saying that about DEI and how it effects affects people as you walk into a room and stuff like that. but But the freshman disagrees.
00:27:16
Speaker
I don't know. It's being used. used Used as pawns. Yep. That's just sad. And shame on you, News Channel 5. Pushing a narrative. Pushing a narrative and using kids to... It's the children. It's for the children. They're stripping funding!
00:27:31
Speaker
So they were going to get, they were never going to get $7 million dollars ever. That's $7 million dollars from the, um, the act or bill that they passed for fair funding.
00:27:43
Speaker
That's whatever formula they're using, whoever's using coming up with this formula. That's what they're saying. They were never going to get $7 million, right? ah Maybe they got $1.7 million dollars instead of 700,000, but they were never going to get $7 million. dollars So nothing got slashed.
00:27:57
Speaker
Crap. That's say. Yep. Added on to that, let me just remember, I forgot to mention this, I think, last show. There were kids at the at the voting, um you know, just outside the campaigning line.
00:28:13
Speaker
Really? in in my state In my city yeah for the for the levy. Yeah. Are they holding signs or... Yes, they were holding signs and asking you to vote for... Actually, I did not see them. I should say my wife saw them.
00:28:27
Speaker
That is just... Because if I would have saw them, I would probably would at least waved my finger at them a little bit. I think I might have walked up to whoever was with them. Shame on you. Yep.
00:28:39
Speaker
I've done it before at ah polling places. i don't yeah I don't get belligerent or anything, but I definitely speak my mind when they're trying to push something.
00:28:49
Speaker
Hey, this is this is quite ridiculous. You're going to try to pull this on me? It just drives me crazy. I hear All right. Moving on from that propaganda party.
00:29:03
Speaker
Let's take a one-minute break here. One-minute break. Pause. You're right. And we're back. The magic of technology. And so basically wrapping all that up, propaganda parties. yep we're Okay, we did that already. So next
Cleveland Browns Stadium Development and Community Impact
00:29:18
Speaker
on the list for me is it seems like the Browns are going through with this but this new Dome Stadium, with or without Cuyahoga County.
00:29:29
Speaker
Yeah, they're definitely going to Brook Park. The $600 million... dollars bond issue is basically is in the budget and it's going to be put through. It sounds like, I don't think there's much debate on whether they're going to do with that or not.
00:29:44
Speaker
There's some people that are kind of pushing back a little bit on it because the projections that they're saying projection, the Browns aren't, aren't what, aren't what they say they are and this and that and the other thing.
00:29:55
Speaker
But I still think it's, it's going to happen. Um, Yeah, I think that's, oh yeah. Then on top of that, the city of Cleveland or Decaga County is saying, no to the 600 million, that's too much, but please give us 350 million.
00:30:12
Speaker
Because you know we don't want to dome, we want to take the same open air stadium and just pour a bunch of money into it. So it'd be less useful. Is that what they're trying to pull off? Yeah, it says, I'm trying to remember, he's a councilman. Who is this guy? Ronan.
00:30:29
Speaker
Ronane. Ronane. a Statement. He says, we urge state lawmakers to consider to the public and private investment through Northeast Cleveland and to stand, and and that stand to be negative impact on negatively impacted by ah stadium and entertainment district in Brook Park.
00:30:51
Speaker
But he also has asked for $350 million from the House Speaker to to help fund re renovations at the current stadium. Right. Apparently $600 million is not good, but $350 million, that's okay.
00:31:04
Speaker
Well, you know, before I saw that story, I saw a write-up from ah Channel 3, WKYC Channel 3, about a $70 million dollars traffic plan in Brook Park. So when I saw that, I was like, I think they're moving.
00:31:20
Speaker
um It hasn't been, they're they're just asking for the permission right now, and there's no there's no renderings of the plan yet. But what they're planning on doing is widening widening The I-71 northbound exit ramp on Snow Road by one lane, widening the I-71 entrance ramp on Snow Road and constructing an elevated exit ramp off of I-71 southbound to allow traffic to move over the railroad tracks.
00:31:50
Speaker
That's a pretty big project. That's a pretty big project and a pretty short time frame. Yeah, yeah. And they want to alter Angle Road to to lead into the proposed stadium development.
00:32:04
Speaker
That'd be the main thoroughfare right into the development hole. ye okay And they want an easy in and easy out. they They have to do it, I think. yeah It's key. Otherwise, what's what's the point? Because now it's it's not horrible going to a Browns game. I haven't been one in many years. But getting in and out, I guess, can be problematic of any parking lot.
00:32:25
Speaker
Any big event. Getting out of downtown, it's not horrible. It's not the worst. No. I've never had a major problem down there. and Compared to like Blossom?
00:32:37
Speaker
Blossom, getting in is awful. and I mean, if you if you time it right, you can get out pretty easily. But yeah if you wait if you wait a little longer, you're kind of screwed. Getting getting in, help yeah. So that's what kind of I'm looking at. Well, and in easy in, easy out is very important, I'm sure.
00:32:53
Speaker
because And for the people who live around that area. That's the main thing. I was listening to a city council meeting about this. I just, you know, before I fell asleep, I heard them mention ah um how it how does it impact the...
00:33:07
Speaker
the residents, and the the main concern was not so much the Browns games, because that's on a Sunday usually, but it was the um other events that they may have. Like, if you're coming home from work at 5 o'clock and there's a concert at 7, you know, there's going to be traffic, so how does it impact it? So they're trying to make it as good. Conventions go through during the week during business hours? Yep, yep.
00:33:30
Speaker
And that's really what they're trying to get is that kind of IX Center stuff and and all the other stuff they can pull from... Well, if you, well, you're they're you know, the auto, I mean, they could do all kinds of things there.
00:33:41
Speaker
Yeah. I haven't, know, I haven't really, that's going to screw IX there. Yes and no. That's something they've been looking to get rid of, I think, for a while. It's not, it's not the greatest place.
00:33:52
Speaker
It's big. don't think it's the greatest place for a convention. No, it's awful. Well, they got the convention center downtown, right? I haven't been there yet. or Yeah, or they do. Yeah, I have.
00:34:04
Speaker
Well, not for event. I've been there for other reasons, but just a visit for I was there one time, and I forget what it was for. Damn, I'm getting old. Yeah, it'd be cool we have ah an actual monster truck show, not just a mini one.
00:34:17
Speaker
Oh, the ah stadium would be awesome for that, right? and Yeah, that'd be cool. That'd be good. So, i yeah, it's going to happen. and People are asking me. That's kind of one of the things I'll say at beginning shows. and I was at ah you know one of the many graduation parties, and you know people are talking about, what do you guys...
00:34:34
Speaker
Because i ask I'm asking people what they think about the dome, having a dome. Yeah, what do they think? And it's 50-50. There's there's some some people that want, not necessarily for home field advantage, as a lot of would think for sports-wise, as far as snow and rain and stuff like that. I don't that's as much.
00:34:52
Speaker
All the fields are heated and drained. Yeah, it's not the same as it was in the and 90s even. Yeah. But what was brought up to me was, yeah, but there's a large portion, especially obviously in the beginning of the year, you can go to Brown's game and it's 68 degrees and sunny.
00:35:09
Speaker
Right. Those are some of the best games. You're just sitting out there, you know, and you're not going to have that because it's not a retractable dome. It is. It is just dome. Oh, I thought they were doing a retractable dome. Not as far as I can see. No. Oh.
00:35:21
Speaker
It's a domed stadium. Yeah. And it kind of, I was like, oh, you know what? I just thought, for some reason, I was under the impression it it might be a retractable, but it does not seem that way.
00:35:32
Speaker
Okay, that's what I was thinking it was. Now the renderings, and and I look at it, it's just a glass ceiling, a glass dome. Yeah, that could, okay. I mean, I don't know. I'm not an expert. And really what they're saying is they want the glass on there so you can see when the plane's going to crash into the to the stadium.
00:35:49
Speaker
So you can be prepared. Incoming. Yeah, can be prepared. and So they're ah they're going full full full speed ahead and the Republicans are on board, even DeWine wants to fund it a different way. He's on board with it too. He just doesn't want the bond. He wants to increase taxes.
00:36:05
Speaker
Of course. Well, that's DeWine. Yeah. Yeah. And I don't think, i don't think this is not going to stop. I don't see any way. I don't think this, the, any of this Modell law is going to do anything to help. No, no, we, we, we, ah I think we're way past. Nobody's even bringing that up anymore.
00:36:21
Speaker
I think we predicted this when we first started talking about it. So it's in Brook Park. Yeah. It's going to Brook Park. free Three, $3 billion dollar project coming your way. And and man, it's going it's going to move fast.
00:36:32
Speaker
It's going move fast. All right, moving on from there. think we yeah um want to go, oh I guess we'll get with this get this up there. um Trumbull Medical Center.
00:36:44
Speaker
Oh, yeah, let's hear about that. So just a quick hit because there's not really a whole lot there other than nobody really knows what's going on. So Trumbull Medical Center um closure is due to hit, I think, in September.
00:36:57
Speaker
And they are basically, it's the only hospital in Warren. It's Warren, the city of Warren, in Ohio, which is east and south south of Youngstown, basically.
00:37:09
Speaker
And they, it's projected nearly a thousand workers to be
Healthcare Concerns: Medical Center Closure and Debt Fairness
00:37:12
Speaker
laid off. It's the only hospital in the area. And it's been in financial trouble for quite a while. This new company, Insight Health Systems, took over um to as a non-owner operator for both Trumbull and there's Trumbull Associated Hillside Rehab Center, I believe, is also being closed.
00:37:32
Speaker
So this company, Insight, came in. About a year ago, I think, took effect September, less than a year ago, to take over so it didn't close. And between now and between then and now, there is what they're calling it, additional abrupt development in the Stewart Healthcare care bankruptcy proceeding and the mounting lack of transferred dollars owed for healthcare services delivered to patients at Trumbull and Hillside hospitals.
00:38:00
Speaker
All inpatient, outpatient ER services are on diversion as of 3 p.m. March 27th, 2025. So the previous owner, there's some deal with the bankruptcy and to to get money over to this new company.
00:38:15
Speaker
And it hasn't happened. So they can't ah can't float it anymore, sounds like. don't know. It's pretty serious if you live in Warren. Yeah, that sucks. You're not going to have any support. Where are you going to have to go You're going to have head towards, you're going have to go into PA.
00:38:30
Speaker
It could go into PA, don't what's really on the other side of the border. I mean, I look in like just the scanning of the article, where would they would go? Yeah. Chardon?
00:38:42
Speaker
That's 40 minutes. Probably Youngstown would be closer or somewhere about there. That would be south. Mercy Health St. Joe's Hospital. Oh yeah, that sucks.
00:38:53
Speaker
But she's already overwhelmed is kind of what they're saying. So, right. They'll figure it out. There needs to be investigation. it It's kind of what I've come down to it because how are they not making money?
00:39:04
Speaker
Right. Do they not have enough customers? Right. Because there's plenty of customers. you're the only You're the only game in town. How are you not making money? Right. There's got to be some sort of fraud embezzlement. I mean, I don't know what... You're guaranteed customers.
00:39:19
Speaker
Poorly run. Poorly run. don't they could be spending money on dumb things. i don't know. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, maybe we can do a deep dive someday on that. or Yeah, as it moves forward, i I think they're going to start looking into what's going on with these owners because they're not... I don't think they're playing ball with the bankruptcy court kind of seems that Right.
00:39:36
Speaker
And on that note, on medical, we've got something on Ohio's medical debt we can touch on real quick. Got a bunch of stuff from the state legislature coming through here. So there's House Bill 257, Ohio Medical Debt Fairness Act. um And, you know, this is this is like this is pretty cool.
00:39:57
Speaker
The act would cap interest rates to 3% for health, our hospital bills, medical bills. And it would ban wage garnishment for unpaid medical bills, block hospitals or third-party collectors from reporting the debt to credit agencies. That's a big one.
00:40:15
Speaker
that's No, that's really good. That's a big one. And as far as the 3% rate goes, that's good too, because right now, if you if you you know if you kind of default on your... um bill, like it jumps up to 8%. So we would cap it at 3%, which is good.
00:40:31
Speaker
yes ah Patients would still owe the money, but would give more time to pay it with ah you know less financial fallout. So um this is a good one. I hope this one goes through. Right now, it's um actually, it's just it's a House bill, so it'll have to go into the Senate, but we'll have to keep an eye on that.
00:40:51
Speaker
Is there any opposition that we know of? I can't seem find any. I don't see any opposition to it at all.
00:40:57
Speaker
ah Virginia just um signed a bill like this, so that's that a good sign. think the important takeaway for me was no one's offering to pay anybody's health care bills. it's Yeah, this is just a fairness act. Yeah, so you can pay for it yourself.
00:41:15
Speaker
And the big one is... yeah I mean, something catastrophic happens. you're out You're in the hospital. You're not working. At least half of you aren't where You know, if one, if you're a couple, you're not working. And now now you're going to collection. Now your credit's shot.
00:41:27
Speaker
Now can't. how you supposed to live? Unfortunately, our society is credit credit score driven. Yeah. Yeah. And that that's a huge one. Yeah. And capping it at 3% could be the difference of filing bankruptcy or not.
00:41:41
Speaker
and And actually, don't. When you file bankruptcy, it doesn't cover medical bills. I don't. I forget how that goes. i think you can, but... um Yeah, certainly certain. it might be It might be based on how much, like, ah you know, your home and stuff like that. So I don't know the details of that. good news.
00:41:58
Speaker
What else? So that's good. um There's a let's see. Let me get my notes here. Okay, so there's another ah bill about cell
School Policies: Cell Phones and Moments of Silence
00:42:07
Speaker
phone ban. I think we've talked about this bill. This is from WKYC3, Danielle Wiggins.
00:42:12
Speaker
There's a Senate Bill 158 sponsored by State Senator Jane Timken. And right now we have a law called a House Bill 250, which DeWine signed into law last year, which made all the school districts put in rules for phones to limit phone use in schools.
00:42:34
Speaker
So this bill, Senate one senate Bill 158, is going to prohibit, ban cell phones from schools. Public schools. Public schools. Yeah.
00:42:45
Speaker
And, you know, I don't have that much info on this, except that that's what they're trying to do. um There are exemptions for medical use. Yeah, for a diabetic nowadays. It's on your phone.
00:43:05
Speaker
They want to develop protocols also for like active threats or emergencies. So they're trying to add that to it. And I don't know. there's not you know yeah Personally, i' think it's really easy.
00:43:20
Speaker
Just make kids put their... phones in a Faraday bag in classroom and keep it at that. I don't think it's that difficult. No, and i i don't know if i don't know if you even need to go that far as far as the, because I've seen a lot these reports, they're showing B-roll of schools who have some of these policies and they actually have a little sack that's either got an RFID or some sort of magnet release on it and that they'll they'll put the little thing at the, you know, at the, ah yeah for walk For listeners that don't know what a Faraday bag is, so there's Faraday bags that you can, they're just these cloth bags where you can have a hard case where you put the phone in and blocks the signal.
00:44:00
Speaker
So it's they can't they can't use the phone. Version of a Faraday cage which blocks all radio signals and Right. Basically, the bag would have some sort of metal mesh in it, which is kind of like a Faraday cage is. it's just crisscrossing.
00:44:12
Speaker
And there's no signals in and out. Now, these videos I'm seeing on reports, I'm not sure if those are Faraday bags or not, but they can't get to the phone without tapping this magnet or RFID, whatever it is.
00:44:26
Speaker
And then it will release the lock on the on the pouch, and then you can slide your phone out. so Oh, I don't even think you needed that. I just think you need a... I mean this is, Rob, this is a whole industry you could have here. We could build bags, backpacks.
00:44:39
Speaker
Exit strategy. Yep. I think, ah yes, but don't I don't think, you have to have some way of to to take it away from them or or put it so they won't use it, right? If it's just in a bag that that doesn't have a lock on it, what stops them from taking it out?
00:44:55
Speaker
A teacher? In between classes and all that stuff. I mean, in the classroom. In the classroom, Right now, other than that, I don't care. Right now, it's it could be as simple as in my kids school and depends on the class.
00:45:09
Speaker
But most classes, they have what it's like. It's basically a shoe ah curtain or whatever you call it You know, you hang them on the side back of your closet door and it's got pouches on it. It's not actually that, but it's something like that.
00:45:21
Speaker
And it's just a basically something to hang on the wall, piece of plastic, clear plastic, and everybody puts their phone in there. Boom, boom, boom, boom. Goes right in there. Yeah, that that's fine. and night And that way the teacher can count and know who has a phone, you know. And if if you have your phone in your hand while you're at desk, then obviously you're doing wrong because it should be in the pouch.
00:45:39
Speaker
Right. And in some cases, they're allowed to go there and take it out of the pouch and use it in class because there are occasional classes that will need, they will use the phone for whatever reason. Not many, but there are some. Yeah, this is like this is a bill that I personally think is useless.
00:45:55
Speaker
They already have the bill for school districts to have ah have a you know protocol for phones in schools. it seems like it's cop-out for the schools. Yeah, well, yeah, I guess so.
00:46:06
Speaker
Well, we can't, there's nothing we can do. The governor said, no, just if you want a policy, if you don't want kids to have school, listen to the parents, whatever do you want to do, and set the set it and then make it disciplinary actions. Enforce it. Yeah.
00:46:20
Speaker
I think big the biggest problem is parents. Parents want this. parents know parents want excuse me let me rephrase that Parents want their kids to be to be able to get a hold of their 24-7.
00:46:33
Speaker
So there are there are when when they put these bands on or when they discipline a kid for using their cell phone when they're not supposed to, The parents will complain. I was texting him, but doesn't matter.
00:46:45
Speaker
I've sat through the orientation at high school. It's not public high school, again, but it is high school. And they're saying, and i don't we don't care if you're texting them or not. it is It is still breaking the rules, and we will violate we give them a violation for it.
00:46:59
Speaker
If you need them, you can call us. if you will have them and momentarily. Call the office. We'll go get them for you. It doesn't matter who they're texting, grandma, mom, and dad. No. So I think it's a i think it's it's a cop out for the schools. and got the balls to tell tell parents to, too bad. Here's the rules. Like it or leave it.
00:47:18
Speaker
Yep. what's And let's move on to another bipartisan bill, which would re require we re require schools to have a moment of silence.
00:47:30
Speaker
there's current it's a This is from News Channel 5, Megan Henry, proposed bill, House Bill 187. And currently there's a state law that allows teachers to have a moment of silence in the classroom.
00:47:45
Speaker
It's only going to change one word in that bill from may to shall create it's, it's creating a mandate. Um, I have mixed feelings about this. I don't even, a moment of silence for anything. Just a moment silence, just to chill.
00:47:59
Speaker
Um, ah Here's a quote from one of the sponsors. It does not say where or when or how long. It just simply says a moment. Mindfulness is becoming a lost art in the hustle and bustle of modern society and is a discipline worth teaching.
00:48:16
Speaker
While we lawmakers can't solve mental health challenge students face, we do have an ability to um an ability to create a space for brief opportunity of peace and quiet. And I don't know, kids are kids.
00:48:33
Speaker
they want to mandate that before every class you need to have a moment of silence? I don't know if it's before every class, just well at least once in the during the day. You know, maybe. maybe i i don't know. does It says, you know, in the class, but is it every class or is it just once a day? It doesn't.
00:48:50
Speaker
Yeah, I'm not saying that's a bad idea. I'm just, it's weird that you would have to need a bill for it. like Yeah, there already is one. So they just want to mandate it. Now, there's one, they would just change one word from may, which means they're allowed to, shall, which means they have to.
00:49:06
Speaker
Seems silly to me. Yeah. lo well that's what our state legislatures are up to. And the next one is Ohio or Republicans introduce a bill to designate month honoring heterosexual marriage families.
00:49:22
Speaker
ah House Bill 262. Yeah. You know, um'm I'm like, i Pride Month kind of grosses me out, but Okay. they want They won even the score, I guess. I don't know.
00:49:37
Speaker
ah House Bill 262 sponsored by Rep. Beth Lear and Rep. Josh Williams and has 26 Republican co-sponsors.
00:49:48
Speaker
It would designate Natural Family Month from the period of Mother's Day to the Father's Day. So there we go. That's what they're working on.
00:49:59
Speaker
Like I would have said, if they're trying to do it for gay families, i would like... Virtue signaling... Oh, no, here's a good one. Dwayne Stewart, executive director of Equality Ohio, said that House Bill 262 is more than by policy is calculated act of strategic erasure.
00:50:22
Speaker
Wait, ah here we go. Now you've piqued my interest. I wish there were clips, but there's I couldn't find any clips. But this is Dwayne Shepard, executive director of Equality Ohio, said that House Bill 262 is more than bad policy.
00:50:39
Speaker
It is a calculated act of strategic erasure. It not only invalidates the existence of single parents and countless other caregivers, but it takes direct aim at LGBTQ plus families across our state.
00:50:56
Speaker
I mean, the target is right on their back, Tom. I can see it. Run! The so-called Natural Family Foundation, the group pushing this legislature, has made their idea ideology clear. If you're not a heterosexual monogamous couple with children, you don't count as a family ah at all.
00:51:17
Speaker
Yeah, this is this is like retard bill here. Yeah. and We don't need it, and this guys's are this guy needs to just shut the... To police family structures and control birthing bodies.
00:51:31
Speaker
what what cloaking in Cloaking language of traditional but rooted in exclusion and control. This bill is not just offensive, it is dangerous.
00:51:44
Speaker
Okay, now I'm back on the other side. Wait a minute. All this does is say this. It's like it's just like any other stupid. it's it's It's Ice Cream Day. It's National Ice Cream Day. It's National Burger Day. it that's That's all this is. Yep.
00:51:58
Speaker
Okay, never. Yeah, it's well, it's it's a moment for him to show outrage. You know, that's all it is. Oh, kind of like the book burning. Yeah. we're we're just We don't know exactly what's going on. We're just going to need to show outrage. Look at all of us showing up here at the public library for the cameras. Right.
00:52:14
Speaker
and So it's, yeah, it's just retarded.
00:52:19
Speaker
But that's what, you know, our state. That's what we're doing. Yep. Thank you. So we we got we got a couple of good things happening, but there are there is silliness.
00:52:30
Speaker
Definitely. Definitely plenty ah plenty of silliness. And, you know, I got one more story.
Local Governance: Parking Controversies and Agricultural Quarantine
00:52:36
Speaker
This is kind of a, I don't know, I would consider this a PSA. or this is like really dumb.
00:52:43
Speaker
um If you're going downtown Cleveland, this might may be happening in other places, but let me I got a clip here. Let me play. yeah Car after car after car has been tagged with a tire lock in downtown Cleveland, forcing drivers to pay an extra $100 to get it removed after they had already paid for their spot.
00:53:07
Speaker
It's a shoddy business practice. i just feel so violated. Natalie Priest went downtown for a Cavs game back in February. and her husband fell victim to this and had to pay again to get the boot off.
00:53:19
Speaker
Well, since then, 19 News has been telling you about the company Tagger and how they hire independent workers to place these tire tags on people's cars, specifically at the parking lots on East 4th Street next to Harry Buffalo.
00:53:34
Speaker
and on East 6th acr independent workers receive a certain percentage of money from each ticket over the last several weeks we looked into relevant city codes relevant legal recourse and what we could do moving forward all right that's enough of that but Can you imagine that?
00:53:56
Speaker
they're they're They're basically making a commission on tagging... I was going to say, yeah. or you know putting putting a lock on your wheel. ah so So they might just randomly be putting locks on wheels you know for people that are already paid for parking.
00:54:12
Speaker
So be careful out there. it's ah how those who Who's... and who' are No. There's a private company putting... a boot on your car when you don't need a boot? Like who's responsible?
00:54:24
Speaker
Yeah. Well, they're looking into that. There's, um, who is it that owns, own PMC owns these lots are meant. Well, they don't own them. They manage them. So they are investigating that, um, right now. So,
00:54:37
Speaker
ah I don't know if PMC paid you know paid this company to do that, or are they just randomly doing it? i don't get it. Yeah, are the employees just going rogue and just trying to boost their sales numbers? Or they are they being told to do this you know from management? or is the city you know i like yeah where just come so Basically, I just wanted to mention, so if anymore yeah anybody's going down to East Forth,
00:54:59
Speaker
um or on 6th Street. ah Harry Buffalo's on East 4th and the Drury Hotel on East 6th. So just be careful. Just keep an eye out for that.
00:55:10
Speaker
they They have a sign in the on the news article says Icon Towing Company. But that doesn't necessarily mean it's the company that is putting boots on or anything. but the The company that's putting the boots on is called Taggr. T-A-G-R.
00:55:25
Speaker
yeah so Yeah, this is just some random sign they decided put on poor Icon towing. oh know Yeah, well, yeah yeah, you know what, that might be that's probably not good for them. Might just be B-roll, but i don't know. Yeah, because in um I'm sure there's some towing companies making some money. But it doesn't seem, from what from the footage I saw, it looks like you you get the tag on your tire, and then you basically just go to like a... um like ah like a little spot on the parking lot that has like a place where you could pay and get and get get a code for the lock to take it off. That's what it looks like. So it doesn't even look like you you get you get towed. It's just, hey, you paid $25 to park here, love ah but you know,
00:56:10
Speaker
$100 more would make us happier. Something's going on. That doesn't sound right. Yeah, it's it's ah it's just... Keep an eye out for that, people. yeah Yeah, definitely. But, I mean, i don't know. They're...
00:56:22
Speaker
She felt very violated. and Well, she didn't to say vie it Think of worse things. I can i can i can take that. that's ah That sounds like a good clip for something else.
00:56:36
Speaker
Show clip. Yeah, show clip. Violated. um What else? Anything else you want to touch on? or Yeah, i gotta I want to say congrats to Gervaisi's Vineyard.
00:56:46
Speaker
Gervaises? Yeah, which which I know them as a winery out in towards ah i towards ge somewhere in Geauga. I forget exactly where it's at. um But anyways, they they yeah they want some distilling ah competition.
00:57:03
Speaker
So for they won a ah double gold medal for their pink peppercorn gin. Ooh. And they won a silver medal for their single barrel bourbon.
00:57:17
Speaker
now you can't reach it. a bronze medal for their straight bourbon whiskey. And you can go try them out at the Gervais' Cocktail Lounge Still House in Canton, which I didn't even know they had one. So boom if I'm passing through Canton, I might stop and... um Get a taste of that because, and we're pick up a bottle.
00:57:37
Speaker
um have to i'd like I'd like to try that single barrel bourbon now. Absolutely. So ah congrats to Gervaises. That's cool. Local place getting that. Good for them diversifying.
00:57:49
Speaker
Yeah, exactly. Well, you know, yeah, that's the thing right now, right? Bourbon. So I see more and more distilleries kind of popping up. Good. Yeah, why not? And one more. this is like a PSA let people know. I think... This one's kind of gross, Tom.
00:58:05
Speaker
It is. a pictureer Well, you know, I keep skipping over the story because they've been talking about it since early spring. Yeah. And there are these things that came from China...
00:58:17
Speaker
China. Called, what are they called? The lantern spotted. Spotted lantern moth. Yeah, moth. Okay, so if you see a moth that's like spotted and it actually lights up from underneath.
00:58:32
Speaker
whoa And they just we just started seeing them last year. And I know i work with a guy who actually saw one in Parman. And last year, they were telling people to kill these things. So if you see them, we're going to put a link here to Channel 3 News. They got good pictures representing them what the eggs look like, what the larvae look like.
00:58:52
Speaker
And... ah yeah, we need to get rid of these because they kind of destroy crops and trees. So right now they got quarantine six more counties. So Summit, Portage, Trumbull, Carroll County, Wood County, and Seneca County were added to the list.
00:59:09
Speaker
Yeah, the quarantine is basically, I i look at it as a um thing for places that sell, um, tiwood you know, pardon me, firewood or are they spreading?
00:59:22
Speaker
Well, firewood, there anything that's organic that people are selling at trees or bushes and stuff like that. So I, I would think this affects landscapers the most. So they have to make sure that they have to make sure that whatever's on the truck or in your car that's leaving the county that it doesn't have any lantern moths on there.
00:59:44
Speaker
Yeah. Pretty much guaranteed. That's not happening. and Yeah. That's not, it's too difficult, but, but, um but you know, if you see it, just kill it because it's not, this is not good for your garden. This is not good for your fruit trees.
00:59:56
Speaker
It, um it kills oak trees. This is really, China is screwing us again. Damn China. Tariff. Put a tariff on them. Yeah. Tariff the lantern bugs.
01:00:07
Speaker
Tariff the lantern bugs. Yes. i Well, you know, the good news is you don't have to worry about spreading ah mulch carrying these bugs because most of your mulch you buy is from shredded pallets anyway. so Yeah. And they just paint them so you can.
01:00:20
Speaker
But yeah, that's ah it's like the, ah there was something else not too long ago that when, you know, a lot of campgrounds don't let you bring your own wood. Right. Because of a bark beetle or some sort of bark beetle.
01:00:31
Speaker
Oh, is that why it was? Something like that, yeah. Well, then you could buy their wood. Because i went to I went camping with my uncle a couple years ago, and I had a bunch of wood. He goes, oh, you're not supposed to have that. I go, well, good thing they can't see it inside the van because I'm burning it.
01:00:46
Speaker
Yeah. Got anything else?
Traffic Enforcement and Policing Practices
01:00:49
Speaker
I know. I think that's, I think we hit everything. um What about the quotas for tickets? Did you have that story? i did.
01:00:56
Speaker
i did see that story. i I had it in my list and I kind of pulled it. um And basically the gist of was nobody's really, all the all the um police organizations were for it.
01:01:08
Speaker
and They are, it's probably going to pass. How do you enforce it? no there's ah every I don't know there's a jurisdiction that says they have a quota. Everybody says they don't. Yeah, nobody says it out loud, right?
01:01:20
Speaker
Right. Do you know what a quota is? a You mean like 25 cents? That's a quota.
01:01:30
Speaker
Yeah, they're trying to ban quotas, but nobody admits they have a quota for tickets by ah moving violations. Yeah, I guess the only thing this would get rid of is any policy and any department that's in writing that says you have to get this many tickets a month. And I don't really think there is much of that.
01:01:47
Speaker
And the police association or whatever it is is all for it. So I don't know. It kind of was a story. And then once dug into it, was like, eh, really not a story. I wonder how it's going to affect Newburgh Heights.
01:01:58
Speaker
Oh, my gosh, those people. theyre They are persistent, man. There's got to be a money revenue. If anyone doesn't know what we're talking about. Well, just about every day I drive to work, and up 77 towards the inner belt.
01:02:13
Speaker
Oh, that's right. you go that way You go that way. there's like there's a there's a cop sitting, not in his car, with this camera radar, right off the exit ramp, just fleet.
01:02:27
Speaker
Yeah, it's Fleet. If you're going north. If you're going north, he's on the entrance ramp of Fleet. And I think what he's doing is he's watching the traffic and then turning around and trying to zap you.
01:02:40
Speaker
Yeah, because he has to get the rear license plate. Yeah, yeah, because most, I took my front license plates off, so. Yeah, plus you gotta check the tag and make sure it's all that stuff. So it's always a rear license plate. And they are, I pulled up couple years ago, I pulled up off that exit.
01:02:55
Speaker
And ah first time i ever seen it, all of a sudden, I looked to my left at the traffic light, and there's this cop standing there. And I took my phone out and took a picture, and he waved for me. and i I want to go up to the guy and ask him, is this what you signed up for? Is this what you wanted?
01:03:11
Speaker
Why you want to be a cop when you were growing Protect and serve. Protect and serve. No, no, he's just, he's a tax collector. Yep. And what he had was, what it looked like to me was a camera.
01:03:22
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And it was was it was connected by a wire to some sort of tablet. so Oh, no kidding. He's taking pictures, and then you're getting a... It seemed like he was a human traffic or radar camera.
01:03:36
Speaker
Right. Instead of posting it on a ah lamp or a light post. And that way... It's kind of ingenious because that way you know, there's so some people don't know he's there.
01:03:46
Speaker
And if you have a traffic camera on a light post, eventually everybody knows it's there. and it then And then it doesn't bring you in money. It just slows everybody down, which, hey, which is what I thought was the whole point of traffic.
01:03:58
Speaker
Right. was yeah Safety. Yeah. It's funny, that that spot... He's hard to see. He's really hard to see. some He is hard to see, but the people that drive that... he I'm going there you know between 6 and 7 o'clock, between 5.30 and 6.30, let's say.
01:04:14
Speaker
he's there... yeah and he's there I'm going to say 80% of the time. So that the traffic does slow down right there. Oh, it definitely does.
01:04:24
Speaker
Yeah. and i usually yeah i usually As I pull up, I usually automatically just get over and let anybody else go flying by if you like. Exactly. I i put it down to 60, 65 and watch people speed by. I never... Well, it's a camera, so I wouldn't see who who he's getting, but... Oh, I see him passing up lot, especially if I'm going southbound and he's pointing southbound to get...
01:04:47
Speaker
and i Yeah, he's there. He's clicking away. I mean, he's he's got his eyes in there. It's not just sometimes it's been a she, too. So not to be so damn, you know, war on women. War on women, Tom. And so I've seen him in... Is he a cop, though?
01:05:01
Speaker
Or is he just a camera? Like, I don't even... from The guy I saw was a cop. And there was he the a lot of times you you could see a cop car there. He's parked on the other side of the exit ramp. He's parked on the other side, but... yeah so Why do you need a cop? I mean, you could probably hire somebody for like $15 an hour to do that.
01:05:18
Speaker
They're probably the only ones allowed to give a citation, I would imagine. Okay. How do cameras give citations? um Good point, because they're... Good question. I don't know. You stumped me on that one.
01:05:30
Speaker
I don't know. Because they gave them a badge, make it a cop, make the camera a cop. i
Conclusion and Thank You
01:05:35
Speaker
don't know. Right. ah just keep an eye that that is one of the worst spots that's like i don't mean i didn't even see him in lindale anymore so that that this is like our third psa today and that's been challenged a couple times in court and they've uh-huh i'm surprised they're still able to do it because and they've they're they're they're arguing they need the revenue it's from my understanding but everyone needs that revenue right yeah that's it's all for your safety revenue
01:06:01
Speaker
Mm-hmm. And on that note, i I guess that's it, right? Good? you got anything else you want to no i'm good touch base on I just want to thank everybody for listening.
01:06:13
Speaker
Thank you for another great show. And we'll talk to you next week.