Columbus Ohio Homes for Sale
Welcome to our Columbus real estate website. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Central Ohio MLS. The search includes all homes for sale in Columbus and surrounding communities including Upper Arlington, Grove City, Hilliard, Grandview, Clintonville, Dublin, Powell, Lewis Center, Worthington, Westerville, Gahanna, New Albany, Reynoldsburg, Pickerington, Canal Winchester, Groveport and OSU Campus.
My name is Julie Morgan and I am the Team Leader for The Julie Morgan Team with Howard Hanna Real Estate. Our team can assist you with all of your real estate needs whether it is buying a home, selling your house or searching all homes online. We work with all buyers, whether you are looking for new homes, pre-existing homes, hud homes, short-sale homes or condominiums. If you have to sell your home we have you covered with our extensive marketing plan. If you are facing foreclosure and need to sell your home we can help you avoid foreclosure by listing your house as a short-sale. Please give us a call at 614-744-7982 for more information on the short-sale process or if you have any questions about any aspect of the home buying / selling process.
Click the Map Above to Search All Homes for Sale in Columbus Ohio
Thank you for visiting our Columbus OH real estate search site. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Columbus real estate MLS. This includes all Columbus properties for sale such as homes, houses and condominiums and also includes HUD Homes, short-sales and foreclosures. If you are ready to buy or sell a house, we can help you out as a Columbus real estate agent. If you see a house you want more information on or would like to schedule a showing, be sure to call Julie Morgan, a great Columbus Realtor, at 614-774-7982. If you would like to buy a new Columbus Ohio home, we can get you in contact with Columbus home builders to see all of your Columbus OH home construction options. Our Free MLS Search includes all Multi-Family, Residential, Land and Commercial Listings for sale in Columbus.
Upper Arlington Homes for Sale
Click The Map Above to Search Upper Arlington Homes for Sale
You have arrived on our Upper Arlington real estate website. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Upper Arlington Ohio real estate MLS. This includes all Upper Arlington Ohio properties for sale such as homes, houses and condominiums and also includes short-sales, HUD Homes and foreclosures. If you are ready to buy or sell a house, we can help you out as a Upper Arlington OH real estate agent. If you see a house you want more information on or would like to schedule a showing, be sure to call Alex Heyen, a great Upper Arlington Realtor, at 402-283-3883. If you would like to buy a new Upper Arlington OH home, we can get you in contact with Upper Arlington OH home builders to see all of your Upper Arlington Ohio home construction options. Our Free MLS Search includes all Residential, Commercial, Land and Multi-Family Listings for sale in Upper Arlington Ohio.
Grove City OH Homes for Sale
Click The Map Above to Search Grove City Homes for Sale
You have arrived on our Grove City real estate search site. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Grove City Ohio real estate MLS. This includes all Grove City OH properties for sale such as homes, condominiums and houses and also includes HUD Homes, foreclosures and Short-Sales. If you are ready to buy or sell a house, we can help you out as a Grove City Ohio real estate agent. If you see a house you want more information on or would like to schedule a showing, be sure to call Julie Morgan, a great Grove City OH Realtor, at 614-774-7982. If you would like to buy a new Grove City Ohio home, we can get you in contact with Grove City home builders to see all of your Grove City home construction options. Our Free MLS Search includes all Residential, Commercial, Land and Multi-Family Listings for sale in Grove City OH.
Hilliard OH Homes for Sale
Click the Map Above to Search Hilliard Homes for Sale
You have arrived on our Hilliard Ohio real estate information site. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Hilliard real estate MLS. This includes all Hilliard properties for sale such as houses, condominiums and homes and also includes HUD Homes, foreclosures and Short-Sales. If you are ready to buy or sell a house, we can help you out as a Hilliard real estate agent. If you see a house you want more information on or would like to schedule a showing, be sure to call Julie Morgan, a great Hilliard Ohio Realtor, at 614-774-7982. If you would like to buy a new Hilliard OH home, we can get you in contact with Hilliard OH home builders to see all of your Hilliard OH home construction options. Our Free MLS Search includes all Multi-Family, Residential, Land and Commercial Listings for sale in Hilliard.
Dublin Ohio Homes for Sale
Click The Map Above to Search Dublin Ohio Homes for Sale
You have arrived on our Dublin real estate information site. Here you will be able to search all homes for sale in the Dublin OH real estate MLS. This includes all Dublin Ohio properties for sale such as condominiums, houses and homes and also includes short-sales, foreclosures and HUD Homes. If you are ready to buy or sell a house, we can help you out as a Dublin OH real estate agent. If you see a house you want more information on or would like to schedule a showing, be sure to call Julie Morgan, a great Dublin Ohio Realtor, at 614-774-7982. If you would like to buy a new Dublin OH home, we can get you in contact with Dublin OH home builders to see all of your Dublin OH home construction options. Our Free MLS Search includes all Residential, Multi-Family, Commercial and Land Listings for sale in Dublin Ohio.
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Elizabeth Irene “Betty” Hilliard
SALEM – Funeral services for Elizabeth Irene “Betty” Hilliard, 96, of Salem will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 11, 2012, at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home. The Rev. Leonard Moore will officiate. Mrs. Hilliard, who died Thursday, March 8, was a Salem native and daughter of the late Charles and Edna (Shaffer) Chappell. She was a 1933 graduate of Salem High School, and enjoyed reminiscing about playing on the SHS girls basketball team. She was one of the oldest members of the First Christian Church of Salem and the Order of Eastern Star. Mrs. Hilliard was a devoted wife, mother and “Gram,” providing a wonderful home for her family. She loved baking, and her famous filled cookies and angel pies were family favorites. In her younger years, she had fun playing bridge and bowling with her friends. Besides her parents, she was preceded in death on Feb. 28, 2008, by her husband of nearly 72 years, George Hilliard; and by a brother, Bob Chappell, and a sister, Esther Thomson. Survivors include a daughter, Polly Yarnell and husband Jack, and a son, Jerry Hilliard and wife Carol, all of Salem; four grandchildren, Lisa (Rod) Thorn of Diamond, Ted (Julie) Schuster of Salem, Doug (LeAnne) Hilliard of Johnson City, Tenn., and Mike Hilliard of Limestone, Tennessee; 10 great-grandchildren, Zak, Kelsi, Mollee, Madison, Tyler, Jake, Callie, Gus, Olivia and Bailee; and a sister, Virginia Yuhaniak of Salem. Friends may call for an hour preceding the funeral service Sunday at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home. Private burial will be held Monday morning at Grandview Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church Memorial Fund, 1151 East 6th Street, Salem, OH 44460. 3/9/12 (Paid obituary)
Read More >>LSU football’s Kenny Hilliard values time he spent at fullback last season
BATON ROUGE — Sophomore running back Kenny Hilliard didn’t want to play fullback last season. The four-star recruit set the Louisiana high school record with 8,603 rushing yards at Patterson, and he wanted to stick to his position when he arrived at LSU. Chris Granger / The Times-PicayuneTigers’ fullback Kenny Hilliard scored eight touchdowns as a freshman last season. After a few games at fullback, he learned quickly from junior running back Spencer Ware that he should change his opinion about the position. “Spencer taught me a lot my freshman year,” Hilliard said. “He told me when he played fullback that got him prepared at the running back spot.” That’s what happened for Hilliard, whose role as a running back became more prominent after he showcased his skills as a fullback. Hilliard ran for three touchdowns in the SEC championship game against Georgia after running for 102 yards and a touchdown against Arkansas. “Playing fullback is not a bad thing,” he said. “It really gets you mentally prepared. You come in, take on the beating from the linebacker. It prepares you to be that tough running back.” Hilliard joined Ware and juniors Michael Ford and Alfred Blue in a crowded backfield. Ware started 10 games and tied Hilliard with eight rushing touchdowns, and Ford and Blue each scored seven. All four running backs averaged at least 4 yards per carry and finished with at least 60 touches. They said they expect the same committee system next season unless someone makes a vast stride. “Every day we’re going out there and someone’s trying to get the job,” Ware said. “Some days it might not be your day, it might be someone else’s, but that just makes you work harder.” Hilliard and Ware are both perfecting parts of their game to be [...]
Read More >>Man facing charges tied to counterfeit item sales
CHILLICOTHE –A Grove City man is facing felony counterfeiting charges locally for items allegedly sold at Boost Mobile in Central Center. Basil T. Said, of Hoover Court in Grove City, was secretly indicted by a Ross County grand jury on three counts of trademark counterfeiting and two counts of criminal simulation in February. The charges stem from a Nov. 17 investigation by the Chillicothe Police Department, which had received a tip about possible counterfeit items being sold. “There were hundreds of pairs of shoes, hundreds, if not thousands, of DVDs and CDs, and hundreds of purses,” Ross County Prosecutor Matt Schmidt said. One trademark counterfeiting charge is a fourth-degree felony and involves 420 alleged knock-off Nike shoes and boots. Another counterfeiting charge is a fifth-degree felony in connection with 55 copies of Coach handbags and wallets with an overall sale price of $2,200. The third counterfeiting charge is a first-degree misdemeanor in connection with 16 copies of Dolce Gabbana purses. Both criminal simulation charges are first-degree misdemeanors and involve 350 DVDs and 238 CDs. Schmidt advised anyone buying non-telecommunications merchandise from the company should proceed with caution. Said is slated for a pretrial at 1 p.m. March 26 in Ross County Common Pleas Court.
Read More >>Residents suing city over Sheldon guesthouse case
A Sheldon group and local residents are suing the city of Elk Grove for alleged abuse of discretion and conflict of interest. The attorney for petitioners Sheldon Community Residents Exposing Wrangler Unfairness, and Wrangler Drive residents Michael Hardy and Melissa McMillon filed the lawsuit against the city on Feb. 29 in Sacramento Superior Court. City spokesperson Christine Brainerd said the city staff declines to comment on the lawsuit. The lawsuit stems from the Elk Grove City Council’s Dec. 14 decision at the Dec. 14 meeting to allow residents Joe and Michele Henderson to keep a guesthouse that did not meet the city’s zoning code on their property. The lawsuit details four years of information related to the Hendersons’ effort to build a four-car garage and connected guesthouse on their Wrangler Drive property. The Guesthouse Dispute In December 2007, the Hendersons applied for a building permit. City staff issued the building permit in 2008 but they soon issued a stop work order after Hardy and McMillon claimed the structure was built too close to their property line. In August 2008, the Elk Grove City Council waived $25,000 in fees and staff issued an amended building permit. Hardy and McMillon filed an appeal. The Hendersons built the property even though the neighbors still wanted the appeal to be heard. The neighbors filed a civil claim in Sacramento Superior Court in late 2008. The court ruled last April that the appeal would need to be heard by the Elk Grove Planning Commission and follow the zoning code that is currently in place. The structure is 11 feet from the property line, whereas today’s code says the setback amount must match the height of the building, which is 28 feet. There were changes to the zoning code that the council approved and [...]
Read More >>State switching to new system of grading academic performance
Enlarge Image School Superintendent Stan Heffner said the new system more accurately gauges school performance. Ohio is about to lose nearly 95 percent of its “excellent” schools. Last year, 382 school districts and charter schools received an A, or excellent rating, on state-issued report cards. If a new evaluation system the state plans to start using this year had been in place, only 22 would have gotten an A — just one in central Ohio (Granville). In Franklin County, 11 of the 12 districts that earned A’s on last year’s report cards would drop to B’s, and one, South-Western City Schools, would fall to a C. Columbus would drop from a C to a D. Find out how your school did. “This is a far more-rigorous system than the one currently used, and in general, grades will be lower by one or even two levels from the counterpart ratings that we have been using in our current accountability system,” state Superintendent Stan Heffner told school superintendents in an email this week. Despite an expected outcry from school officials across the state, Heffner and other educators say the new rating system will give a more-accurate picture of how schools are performing. And report cards will be easier to understand because the state will issue letter grades instead of using ratings like “effective” and “academic watch.” ( The Dispatch has converted ratings to letter grades in its stories.) Ohio’s plan for holding schools more accountable was outlined in a waiver request the state submitted to federal regulators last month seeking freedom from several provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act. In addition to the new report-card ratings, Ohio plans to start using national Common Core academic standards and new student assessments beginning in the 2014-15 school year. The push is part [...]
Read More >>Two charging stations on tap for electric cars
Sunshine Review does not believe many of Ohio’s government web sites are top notch. Only 10 web sites, including the city of Columbus, Columbus City Schools, Franklin County and Westerville City School District, merited grades of “A” in a Sunshine Review analysis of the quanitity and quality of information available online to the public. Sunshine Review is a national nonprofit that promotes open government and transparency and issues annual grades on progress toward making public records and information available online. Grades for other area governmental web sites were mixed, with most counties receiving an average grade of “D” for failing to post basics online such as budgets, audits and contracts. Here’s Sunshine Review’s grades for Ohio’s counties. One problem, of course, is that state law does not require any local government to post the first public record, or even such essentials as agendas and meeting minutes, online. It’s optional. It seemingly would not be asking much for the passage of a state law mandating that certain key documents and information be posted online. Not only would it be good government, but it would spare local officials the time and expense of repeatedly providing frequently requested documents over the counter. A computer click is preferable to slogging through the bureaucracy to access vital information.
Read More >>Columbus State raising tuition
By Charlie Boss The Columbus Dispatch Friday March 9, 2012 8:12 AM Enlarge Image For the first time in six years, Columbus State Community College students will pay more for classes. Starting this fall, tuition will rise to $81.75 per credit hour, nearly $3 more than what students currently pay. President David Harrison told trustees yesterday that the increase will help offset potential drops in state funding for operations and capital projects. Officials are also worried that students might take fewer courses when the college moves this fall from a quarter to a semester calendar. The increase will bring in $2.8 million in revenue annually. Trustees did not need to act yesterday to approve the hike. That’s because in 2009, the board approved raising the tuition by 3.5 percent but immediately suspended it. Waiving the cost over the years but having it on the books allowed the college to choose when to impose it, regardless of any state caps on tuition increases. Ten years ago, state funding accounted for half of the college’s budget. Now, about 37 percent of Columbus State’s $154 million operating budget comes from the state. Despite that, the college has been able to maintain a tuition rate of $79 per credit hour since 2006-07, thanks to rising enrollment and efforts to control expenses. “Keeping tuition affordable for our students has been a top priority,” said Terri Gehr, the college’s senior vice president and chief financial officer. To help lower costs, she said the college has implemented an energy-saving program, restructured its health-care plan and offered incentives to encourage senior employees to retire or resign. The program allows the college to hire new staff members at lower pay. Under the first year of the incentive program, which trustee members approved in May, 61 employees sought separation bonuses that [...]
Read More >>Letestu’s two goals lead Columbus Blue Jackets past Los Angeles Kings
COLUMBUS — Jack Johnson spent almost five full seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. Yet he’s found a home in just six games with the Columbus Blue Jackets. Mark Letestu scored twice and Johnson had a goal against his former teammates to lead the Blue Jackets to their fourth consecutive win Thursday night, a 3-1 victory that ended the Kings’ three-game winning streak. “This one felt good. This has been a really great change for me,” Johnson said after getting a goal in his second straight game for his new team — and the first against his old team. “I’ve been excited to come to the rink every day. These guys here have a blast here at the rink and it’s carrying over onto the ice. Guys are loose and having fun. That’s what this game is supposed to be all about.” Meanwhile, the Kings lost a game they badly needed. They came into the contest in a tight battle for the last playoff spot in the West. Instead, they were outplayed for most of the night. “It was a disappointing start,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “You break down Columbus’ last three games and they’ve had 2-0 leads on all three teams, Phoenix twice and Colorado. That was our focus, to not get behind and to try and match their energy early. We weren’t all able to do that.” It was only the second two-goal game of Letestu’s career, the other coming when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Letestu had not scored in 16 games. He gave the Blue Jackets a 1-0 lead with a redirect midway through the first period, then scored on a rebound 3 minutes into the second period to end the scoring. “It’s just a matter of going to the net,” he said. “It’s [...]
Read More >>Mother Guilty Of Drunken-Driving, Placing 6-Year-Old In Front Seat
A Franklin County Municipal Court judge found a mother guilty on Thursday of charges including child endangering, drunken driving and speeding. Hilliard police stopped Lindsay Ruthem on Interstate 270 for speeding at about 2 a.m. on Feb. 26, 10TV News reported. Police told 10TV News that Ruthem was driving 48 mph in a 35 mph zone before getting onto the highway. The officer noticed the driver’s six-year-old daughter seated in the front seat of the car unrestrained. Police also administered a Breathalyzer test and measured Ruthem’s blood alcohol content at 0.16 percent, twice the legal limit. Court records indicated Ruthem entered a no-contest plea Thursday. A sentencing date was set for May 7. Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for additional information.
Read More >>Horse slaughtering in Ozarks drawing opposition
Emotions ran high Tuesday when a large crowd heard testimony for and against a Wyoming company’s proposal to build a horse slaughtering and processing plant in southwest Missouri. The Mountain Grove City Council meeting had to be moved to accommodate the large crowd and some speakers were booed, prompting Mayor Delbert Crewse to call for order and warn people they would be removed if they could not stay quiet, KY3-TV reported. A Wyoming company, Unified Equine, LLC, is conducting a feasibility study on building the plant between Mountain Grove and Cabool, in the Twin Cities industrial park. The company has not yet sought a Missouri Department of Natural Resources permit for the plant that would produce meat for human consumption. Roger Lindsey, president of the Twin Cities board, was booed several times as he testified that the plant would bring between 40 to 55 jobs and economic investment of between $6 million to $7 million in infrastructure. “I think two years from now if you come down and talk to me, people are going to be glad this is here, and it will be a great success, but it needs to be done right. There’s no doubt about that,” Lindsey said. But Mountain Grove attorney Cynthia MacPherson testified that the plant would destroy the region by bringing environmental damage, crime and lower property rates. “We get nothing out of it, except destroy this community. That’s it. We will destroy this community,” MacPherson said. MacPherson told The Springfield News-Leader after the meeting that she planned to speak to the Mountain Grove Board of Aldermen this week to discuss pollution problems, reduced property values and animal abuses that she said have been reported at horse slaughtering plants in Texas and Canada. “I think the most important thing is to make the public [...]
Read More >>City has options if Davis elected mayor
Elk Grove leaders have a few options to consider if Elk Grove City Council Member Gary Davis is elected mayor in November. Such choices include the City Council appointing Davis’ successor in the Council’s District 4 seat or the city holding a special election that would be costly, City Clerk Jason Lindgren said. Davis was the first candidate who announced his bid for Elk Grove mayor last year. Elk Grove voters decided in 2010 to directly elect mayors to serve two-year terms rather than having the Council continue appointing a mayor every year. After November the council districts will shrink from five to four with the fifth council member serving as the elected mayor. Davis will automatically vacant his District 4 seat if elected mayor, Lindgren said. His district covers the East Franklin, Madeira, and south Laguna areas. And if Davis loses the mayoral race he’ll continue representing District 4 until his term expires in 2014. The Council’s options Davis and the other three council members can appoint his successor for District 4 if he’s elected mayor. Lindgren said a potential appointee must be at least 18 years of age or older, registered to vote, and a resident of District 4. David Conner, who lived in that district, submitted his paperwork last month to run for Council in 2014. Conner could not be reached for comment, as of press time. A second option would be for the council to call for a special election. Lindgren said a primary or general election costs Elk Grove about $55,000 to $60,000 since the city consolidates its election with Sacramento County. “We enjoy economies of scale when the county holds a programmed and scheduled election,” Lindgren said. However, for a special election, meaning the city cannot find a partner to share costs, Lindgren said [...]
Read More >>Verizon Wireless will close Southfield calling center; 750 employees affected
By MATT MYFTIUmatt.myftiu@oakpress.com; Twitter: @MattMyftiu Verizon Wireless announced today that it will be closing its call center in Southfield by the end of June, and the move will affect 750 employees in Michigan. Verizon Wireless spokesperson Michelle Gilbert said the closure is part of Verizon’s overall call center restructuring; and a total of 3,175 employees around the country will be affected – between Southfield and other locations in Washington, Texas, California and Ohio. Gilbert said that none of the jobs are being eliminated by Verizon, but they are being moved to other locations around the country. “This is part of an overall restructuring of our call centers. The purpose is to maximize our existing resources and real estate assets, so we have the ability to expand in other call centers around the country where we have space,” Gilbert said. “We’re putting more people in a few less buildings, and the reason Southfield is affected is we have more capacity in our other call centers. Southfield is one of the call centers where we’re maxed out” In addition to the closing of the Southfield call center, centers in Bellevue, Wash., and Houston, Texas, will also close, and call centers in Ohio and California will consolidate operations. Southfield and Bellevue’s call centers will be closed by the end of the second quarter, and Houston’s call center will be closed by the end of the third quarter. Gilbert said the company will do everything it can to help the affected workers. “We’re never happy about making decisions that affect people’s lives. This was a hard business decision to make. We are first and foremost extremely committed to helping these people find jobs in the company.” she said. “We highly value these employees, and we are going to do everything we can to make [...]
Read More >>Boys basketball roundup: Watterson holds off Hartley comeback
Thursday March 8, 2012 6:02 AM Brian Jackson hit the go-ahead basket for Watterson, and then Hartley missed two free throws in the final seconds last night to give the Eagles a 45-42 victory in a Division II district tournament semifinal at Dublin Scioto. Matt Lehmann scored 14 points and Jake Brobst 10 to lead fourth-seeded Watterson, and Bryan Jackson grabbed 11 rebounds. The Eagles stretched their lead to 35-17 late in the second quarter before third-seeded Hartley started its comeback. The Hawks tied the score at 43 with three minutes to go in the fourth quarter. Joe Brown and Jacob Matuska led Hartley with nine points apiece. Brookhaven 88, Beechcroft 51 Brookhaven got off to a roaring start, leading 50-17 at halftime, to put away Beechcroft at Scioto. Randall Clarkston and Khalid King led the way with 19 points apiece. Khaleed Franklin scored 19 points for Beechcroft. Olentangy Liberty 53, Gahanna 50 Nick Archer scored the go-ahead basket and contributed six points to a 10-0 Olentangy Liberty run that closed out a Division I semifinal win over Gahanna at Reynoldsburg. Jake Bischoff led Liberty with 22 points, including two free throws with 15 seconds left. Archer finished with 13 points and eight rebounds. Gahanna missed a three-pointer as time expired. Aaron Jackson led the Lions with 21 points. Walnut Ridge 54, Mount Vernon 40 Roy Alexander had 18 points and Malik Dime 14 points and nine rebounds to lead No. 2 seed Walnut Ridge over No. 12 Mount Vernon at Reynoldsburg. Bradley Fenton led Mount Vernon with 18 points. Northland 73, Zanesville 34 Jordan Potts scored a career-high 28 points to lead top-seeded Northland over Zanesville in a Division I game at Marysville. Reynoldsburg 57, Hilliard Davidson 47 Wendell Davis scored 17 points and Ryan Carter 14 to lead [...]
Read More >>Columbus Zoo opposes mascot exemption in Ohio bill
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WTW) — Officials at the Columbus Zoo are taking issue with an exemption in an Ohio bill that would allow a school to display a dangerous wild animal as a sports mascot. The exemption is part of a proposal introduced on Thursday to regulate exotic animals in the state. The zoo’s chief operating officer says the facility supports the legislation overall, but not the exemption. Tom Stalf also praised the bill’s perimeter fencing requirements. He says the rule could have helped keep dozens of animals in Zanesville contained after their suicidal owner freed them from their cages in October. The bill would ban new ownership of exotic animals in the state. Current owners of large animals would be barred from keeping the creatures unless they met strict standards beginning in 2014. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below. An Ohio lawmaker introduced a proposal Thursday to ban new ownership of exotic animals in the state, months after authorities shot dozens of lions, tigers, bears and other wild creatures let loose by their suicidal owner. Republican State Sen. Troy Balderson from Zanesville, the eastern Ohio city where the animals were shot, said owner Terry Thompson would not have passed the background check in his bill in order to get a permit to keep such animals. Thompson had spent time in federal prison for possessing unregistered weapons. Balderson said if his legislation becomes law, owners who have been convicted of a felony couldn’t get the special permits from the state that would be needed to possess leopards, cheetahs and other dangerous and wild animals. Balderson told The Associated Press on Thursday that he has tried to find a balance in the bill that protects the public and the rights of [...]
Read More >>Blue Jackets pick up fourth straight win
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Mark Letestu scored twice and Jack Johnson had a goal against his former teammates to lead the Columbus Blue Jackets to their fourth straight win Thursday night, a 3-1 victory that ended the Los Angeles Kings‘ three-game winning streak. It was only the second two-goal game of Letestu’s career, the other coming when he was with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Letestu had not had a goal in 16 games. PHOTOS: Top shots from the week in NHL action Jack Johnson also had a goal in his first game since being traded by the Kings. Steve Mason had 16 saves before he left with an injury, with Curtis Sanford coming on in relief to make 13 stops. Vinny Prospal added two assists. Anze Kopitar scored a short-handed goal for the Kings. The Blue Jackets had not won four games in a row since Nov. 17-22, 2010 — a span of 131 games. The Kings’ Jeff Carter was lustily booed whenever he touched the puck by a crowd of 14,306. Acquired by the Blue Jackets from Philadelphia in a blockbuster trade last summer, he never seemed to fit in Columbus. He didn’t discuss the trade for several days after the deal and many fans saw that as a sign he was unhappy. After a nondescript half season with the Blue Jackets, he was dealt to the Kings on Feb. 23 for a first-round draft pick and Johnson. Johnson was the star of the opening period. With 8.5 seconds left and the game tied at 1, he trailed the play and rocketed in a wrist shot from the high slot for his 10th of the year. Earlier, the Blue Jackets took the lead when Letestu redirected a blast by James Wisniewski. The Kings matched that, however, with a short-handed goal [...]
Read More >>Hilliard Mom Pleads Guilty to Driving Drunk with Daughter
Hilliard Mom Pleads Guilty to Driving Drunk with Daughter COLUMBUS — A Hilliard mother has pleaded guilty to driving drunk with her young daughter in the car. Lindsey Ruthem, 30, was pulled over for speeding in February. The officer says Ruthem smelled like alcohol, then tested at twice the legal blood alcohol limit. Ruthem’s six-year-old daughter was in the car at the time of her arrest. Ruthem has pleaded guilty to OVI and endangering children. She is scheduled to be sentenced May 7, and faces a maximum of 180 days in jail for each charge. ———————————- Web Producer: Ken HinesHilliard Mom Pleads Guilty to Driving Drunk with Daughter Posted: Thursday, March 8 2012, 02:01 PM EST
Read More >>Hilliard at ‘critical juncture’ in terms of charting future
Hilliard Mayor Don Schonhardt described Hilliard as a city “at the crossroads” in his 23-minute State of the City address, delivered Wednesday, Feb. 29, at the Hilliard Municipal Building. In what was the first address of his third term in office, Schonhardt focused on the frail national economy and its current and potential future impact on Hilliard. “One’s future is not a matter of chance, but rather a matter of choice. Hilliard’s future is not something to be waited for, but rather something to be achieved,” Schonhardt said. “We have worked diligently to achieve a sound future for our community, but external forces have been brought to bear that challenge the most optimistic among us.” Those external forces include a considerable cut in local government funding from the state of Ohio, about $1.1 million last year. “The governor and the legislature also decided, and perhaps wisely, to eliminate the estate tax effective in 2013. But for Hilliard, that decision cost, on average, an additional $250,000 annually,” he said. In response, the mayor said the city has reduced the number of city employees by leaving non-essential positions vacant, and contained the city’s general fund operating budget by four-tenths of 1 percent, and one-tenth of 1 percent, in the past two years. “Hardly a testament to runaway government spending,” Schonhardt said. Departments have been reorganized and multiple cost-savings measures explored. “I am the eternal optimist, but I very much doubt we can or will go back to business as usual in local government … the future of local government will require consolidation, more cooperation and more centralization of services in the future.” Such consolidation could include, the mayor said, regional Mayor’s Courts and shared purchasing plans and Internet technology services. But even with such cost-saving efforts, Hilliard has reached a tipping point, [...]
Read More >>Pacific Grove explores taking police officer from Seaside
Seaside may loan a police officer to Pacific Grove. The Pacific Grove City Council on Wednesday unanimously authorized Police Chief Darius Engles and City Manager Tom Frutchey to explore an agreement with Seaside for some shared services. The action takes another step toward consolidating law enforcement services among Peninsula cities. Pacific Grove and Carmel signed a shared police services agreement in 2004 that allows the cities to conduct joint training, assist each other to cover vacancies, share motorcycle officer and detective services, and provide backup at special events. Pacific Grove, Monterey and Carmel have also consolidated their fire departments. This year, Carmel took back its motorcycle officer because of staffing shortages, Engles said. Seaside faces the prospect of letting an officer go by April 1, and Pacific Grove could, instead, acquire him or her through a temporary contract rather than go through the process of recruiting and training an officer needed to fill a vacancy in its department. That way, Engles said, the officer would be available immediately. Frutchey said the Pacific Grove department is understaffed, which means officers have to be brought in on overtime in order to make sure there are enough of them on the street. Seaside might want the officer back, he said, but in the meantime, the officer’s presence would fulfill the department’s needs. “It’s a good short-term solution,” Frutchey said. Engles noted that Seaside and Pacific Grove have similar procedures and Seaside “has emerged as a potential partner.” “It’s the model of the future,” he said. Engles and Frutchey are due to negotiate such an agreement and present it to the City Council at its March 21 meeting. Kevin Howe can be reached at 646-4416 or khowe@montereyherald.com.
Read More >>Verizon Wireless will close Southfield calling center; 750 employees affected
By Matt MyftiuFor The News-Herald Verizon Wireless announced today that it will be closing its call center in Southfield by the end of June, and the move will affect 750 employees in Michigan. Verizon Wireless spokesperson Michelle Gilbert said the closure is part of Verizon’s overall call center restructuring; and a total of 3,175 employees around the country will be affected – between Southfield and other locations in Washington, Texas, California and Ohio. Gilbert said that none of the jobs are being eliminated by Verizon, but they are being moved to other locations around the country. “This is part of an overall restructuring of our call centers. The purpose is to maximize our existing resources and real estate assets, so we have the ability to expand in other call centers around the country where we have space,” Gilbert said. “We’re putting more people in a few less buildings, and the reason Southfield is affected is we have more capacity in our other call centers. Southfield is one of the call centers where we’re maxed out” In addition to the closing of the Southfield call center, centers in Bellevue, Wash., and Houston, Texas, will also close, and call centers in Ohio and California will consolidate operations. Southfield and Bellevue’s call centers will be closed by the end of the second quarter, and Houston’s call center will be closed by the end of the third quarter. Gilbert said the company will do everything it can to help the affected workers. “We’re never happy about making decisions that affect people’s lives. This was a hard business decision to make. We are first and foremost extremely committed to helping these people find jobs in the company.” she said. “We highly value these employees, and we are going to do everything we can to make [...]
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