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D9 LOADER WINNERS – (l-r) – Eric Beery, District 9 traffic maintenance engineer, Rusty DeMint, Dustin Beekman, Garold Cox, David Jenkins, Josh Havens, Dustin Pfeifer, and Troy Huff, District 9 Highway Management Administrator.

Thirty-one employees from the Ohio Department of Transportation – District 9 showed their driving muscle last week as they participated in the district’s 2013 Truck and Loader Roadeo Competition at the Scioto County Highway Maintenance Facility in Lucasville.

Created in 1988, the Roadeo is held every spring in ODOT’s 12 districts as a means to recognize and test the employees who operate some of the state’s heaviest equipment. Through a series of tests and a driving course of clearances, serpentines and stops, the Roadeo is a challenging competition that measures the skill level of participating highway technicians and mechanics.

“The Roadeo serves to develop drivers’ awareness, ability and safe driving practices, and those who participate are scored based on set criteria that judges their skills against the course and the clock,” said ODOT District 9 Deputy Director Vaughn Wilson. “It is a difficult event that gives them the opportunity to demonstrate their tremendous abilities and to hone their skills.”

This year’s District 9 Roadeo winner in the truck competition was Josh Havens, a highway technician at ODOT’s Pike County Highway Maintenance Facility, while the winner of the loader division was David Jenkins, a highway technician from the Lawrence County facility.

Respectively, this year’s top six scorers in the truck competition included Aaron Moran of Brown County; Jamie Barton of Highland County; Mike Beasley of Pike County; Dustin Pfeifer of Ross County; and Brandon Shamhart of Scioto County. And in the loader division, Josh Havens came in second, with Ross County’s Pfeifer, Garold Cox of Lawrence County, Dustin Beekman of Pike County, and Rusty DeMint of Adams County rounding out the top six.

Moving forward to compete in the statewide Director’s Cup of the ODOT Truck and Loader Roadeo to be held in September, Havens and Moran will represent the district in the truck competition, while Jenkins and Pfeifer will participate in the loader division. As Havens placed in both events, he deferred his second-place finish in the loader division to third-place finisher Dustin Pfeifer, giving him the chance to compete in the Director’s Cup.

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U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) today sent a letter to Ohio Governor John Kasich urging him to aggressively pursue all options that would enable Ohio to tap-into additional funds to demolish vacant structures, which pose a growing threat to the public safety and economic well-being of our communities.  The State of Michigan recently reached a landmark agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury to allow the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to create a blight elimination program for demolition purposes using Michigan’s Hardest Hit Fund allotment.

“Ohio cities need more resources to demolish abandoned homes that dot the streets of too many communities.  The Obama Administration recently reached a landmark agreement with the State of Michigan to open the Hardest Hit Fund for demolition purposes, and I urge the State of Ohio to reach a similar agreement,” Portman said.  “But given the uncertainty in this process, I will also continue to lead a legislative effort to permanently allow these funds to be used for demolition.”

In the letter, Portman presses Kasich “to work aggressively with the Treasury Department to establish a similar agreement to allow Ohio’s allotment to also be used for demolition purposes.”  In addition, he pushes the Governor “to request as large of an amount as possible to be used for demolition purposes.”

Last week, Portman introduced the Neighborhood Safety Act, which simply states that any amounts of assistance that have been allocated through the Hardest Hit Fund program may be used to demolish blighted structures.  The legislation has since been endorsed by the Mayors of Lima, Mansfield, Middletown, Warren, and Youngstown, as well as the Health Commissioner of the City of Portsmouth, the Western Reserve Land Conservancy, and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority.

Over $7 billion of Hardest Hit Funds have been appropriated, but are not presently allowed to be used for demolition in states such as Ohio.  States that experienced the sharpest decline in home prices during the economic downturn received these funds to help struggling homeowners refinance.

Ohio has nearly 100,000 vacant properties awaiting demolition, posing a significant risk to public safety and drastically decreasing the value of surrounding properties.  Municipalities and local land banks have worked collaboratively to demolish vacant properties, but with municipal budgets already stretched, there is little money available to tackle this problem.  A companion bill was introduced in the House of Representatives earlier this year by Representatives David Joyce (R-OH-14), Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) and Marcia Fudge (D-OH-11).

The full text of the letter is below.  Read a signed copy here.

Governor John Kasich
Riffe Center, 30th Floor
77 South High Street
Columbus, OH 43215-6117

Dear Governor Kasich,

As you know, cities across our state are still recovering from the effects of the housing collapse.  As cities – both large and small – have attempted to recover, they have been hindered by the thousands of abandoned homes that are lining the streets of communities in our state.  In fact, some estimate that Ohio has nearly 100,000 vacant properties awaiting demolition.  These abandoned properties represent a serious risk to public safety and are havens for crime and unwanted activity.  Additionally, vacant properties have an enormous negative impact on surrounding property values.

I have been impressed by the work of land banks and municipalities throughout Ohio who have proactively gotten involved in this important issue.  To support their efforts, I recently introduced a piece of legislation, The Neighborhood Safety Act, which would allow the Hardest Hit Fund to be used for demolition purposes.  As you may know, the Hardest Hit Fund made over $7 billion available to housing finance agencies in states that had experienced the greatest declines in home prices during the housing collapse.

It is my understanding that Ohio has used less than 40 percent of its $570 million allotment since the funds were made available over three years ago.  Given that the Hardest Hit Fund is intended to aid struggling homeowners and distressed neighborhoods, it only seems consistent that this fund could also be used for demolition purposes by state housing finance agencies, such as the Ohio Housing Finance Authority that is responsible for distributing these funds in our state.

I understand that the State of Michigan recently reached a landmark agreement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury to allow the Michigan State Housing Development Authority to create a blight elimination program for demolition purposes using Michigan’s Hardest Hit Fund allotment.  Given this important development, I urge the state of Ohio to work aggressively with the Treasury Department to establish a similar agreement to allow Ohio’s allotment to also be used for demolition purposes.  Further, given the vast number of abandoned properties across our state, I urge the state to request as large of an amount as possible to be used for demolition purposes.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

Rob Portman

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Starlie Clara Wilkins, 84, of Washington Court House, Ohio died Tuesday, June 18, 2013, at 12:40 p.m. at Fayette County Memorial Hospital where she had been a patient since Sunday.

Mrs. Wilkins was born June 6, 1929, in Lancaster, Ohio to Harry and Starlie Jones Yenrick.  She was a 1947 graduate of Lancaster High School and lived most of her life in this community.

She formerly was a secretary at the Coffman Stair Company and later Visador.

Mrs. Wilkins was a member of the ladies auxiliary of Paul H. Hughey Post #25 of the American Legion; had served on the Fayette County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and was a member of the Fayette County Commission on Aging.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Neil Francis Wilkins on July 10, 1983; by three brothers, Russ, Charles and Jim Yenrick and a sister, Catherine Kauff.

Mrs. Wilkins is survived by a son, Tom Wilkins and a daughter and son-in-law, Melaine and William Vince, all of Washington Court House; three grandchildren, Trevor and Trent Wilkins of Washington Court House and Kristi Browning and her husband, Kyle, and a great granddaughter, Stevie Browning, all of Lebanon; a sister and brother-in-law, Thelma and Paul Dillard of Lancaster; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Jack and Mona Jean Wilkins of Logan; a sister-in-law, Betty Young of Lancaster; several nieces and nephews and a very special friend, Kathleen Morris of Washington Court House.

The funeral will be Friday, June 21, 2013, at 1 p.m. at the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington C.H. with Jon R. Creamer, associate minister at the Crossroads Christian Church, officiating.  Burial will follow in Washington Cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home Thursday from 5-8 p.m.

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Pamela Watson's brother, Rick Watson, left, and volunteer Chris Chambers work to build a wheelchair ramp. ADVOCATE PHOTO/DEREK MYERS

A group of volunteers met on Monday afternoon to build a wheelchair ramp for a Washington Court House woman who is now wheelchair-bound after being hit by a motor vehicle while walking her dog.

Pamela Watson, 54, was walking her dog along Robinson Road shortly before 9 a.m. on May 21 when a late 1990′s Ford Explorer driven by Anthony James Anders, 30, of South Main Street, went left of center and struck her.

According to sources close to the investigation, Anders was traveling northbound on Robinson Road when he failed to maintain control of his SUV. He traveled left of center, nearly striking an oncoming car that was traveling southbound. Anders continued off the west side of the roadway and struck Watson and her dog, Sally.

He continued northbound through a ditch and across a sidewalk before stopping on Elm Street, according to the source.

Watson was taken to Fayette County Memorial Hospital and later flown to a Dayton area hospital in serious condition. She reportedly suffered from several broken bones and internal bleeding. Wheelchair bound, she will be released from the hospital on Wednesday.

Watson’s brother, Rick and local volunteers gathered at her home Monday afternoon to build an entrance ramp into her residence. Community member Chris Chambers donated the use of tools, including a table saw, while recycled pieces of wood were used to construct the ramp.

The accident remains under investigation with charges pending.

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Taylor Capital Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAYC) announced that Cole Taylor Bank, through its Cole Taylor Mortgage division, will be establishing its own residential mortgage servicing platform which will be located in Wilmington, Ohio. As part of this initiative, the Bank completed the purchase of mortgage servicing rights relating to approximately 4,600 loans as well as certain office space, furniture and equipment from Liberty Savings Bank, FSB of Wilmington.

In addition, Cole Taylor Mortgage has recruited and hired an experienced platform manager and expects to hire substantially all of the approximately 50 Liberty Savings Bank loan servicing employees during the third quarter of 2013. Cole Taylor Mortgage currently services its own mortgage loans and mortgage loans held by various investors through a third party mortgage servicer, and expects to continue that relationship through at least early 2014. The mortgage loans related to the servicing rights purchased from Liberty are expected to continue to be serviced by Liberty’s employees until Cole Taylor Mortgage’s assimilation of those employees is complete.

In commenting on these plans, Mark A. Hoppe, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, stated, “Since its inception, Cole Taylor Mortgage has proven to be a valuable source of revenue and income diversification for the Bank. The establishment of its own mortgage servicing platform will be an important step in the continued growth and expansion of Cole Taylor Mortgage. It will provide Cole Taylor Mortgage with the ability to directly manage the operations and related costs associated with mortgage servicing, and most importantly, customer care related to its growing residential mortgage servicing portfolio.”

Willie Newman, President of Cole Taylor Mortgage, added, “This initiative allows us to quickly build our mortgage loan servicing operation and is a key component of our strategy to become a full service mortgage banking operation with diverse revenue sources. An in-house mortgage servicing platform will also provide us with more flexibility and control of our customers’ experience. We intend to continue growing our portfolio as well as expanding and enhancing the relationship with Cole Taylor Mortgage customers. We are also excited about establishing an operations center in Wilmington, Ohio, and becoming a positive contributor to the Wilmington community.”

About Taylor Capital Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: TAYC)

Taylor Capital Group, Inc. is the holding company of Cole Taylor Bank, a commercial bank headquartered in Chicago with assets of $5.8 billion as of March 31, 2013. The Bank specializes in serving the banking needs of closely held businesses and the people who own and manage them. With its national businesses, the Bank also provides asset based lending, commercial equipment leasing and residential mortgage lending through a growing network of offices throughout the United States. Cole Taylor is a member of the FDIC and is an Equal Housing Lender.

Forward-looking statements: Certain statements in this press release constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements reflect our current expectation about certain prospects and opportunities, and anticipated or expected events. We have tried to identify these forward-looking statements by using words such as “may,” “plan,” “should,” “will,” “expect,” “believe,” “intend,” “could” and “estimate” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to us and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our performance and actual events in 2013 and beyond to differ materially from expectations expressed in, or implied by, these forward-looking statements.

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Matthew Kaleb Pierson, center, is pictured with attorneys Bruce Wallace (left) and J.D. Wagoner in the Highland County Common Pleas Courtroom, Monday morning.(HCP Photo/Caitlin Ryan)

Matthew Kaleb Pierson appeared in Highland County Common Pleas Court Monday morning for a hearing on evaluation.

While the evaluation was confidential, Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss told Pierson and his attorneys, J.D. Wagoner and Bruce Wallace, that there is “no support” for an insanity plea.

As previously reported in The Highland County Press, Pierson, then 18, is facing a felony charge of aggravated murder in the Aug. 12, 2012 death of his 5-year-old niece at a home in Jackson Township.

To read more on this story, please visit www.highlandcountypress.com.

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Zachary Raines

A 20-year-old Kentucky man is currently in custody of the Fayette County Sheriff, charged in connection with an alleged sexual assault that occurred in Fayette County in the summer of 2012.

According to Fayette County Sheriff Vernon P. Stanforth, Zachary Raines of Louisa, Kentucky was extradited by deputies to Ohio on Friday afternoon from the Lawrence County, Kentucky Jail.

Reports indicate that between May and July of 2012, Raines allegedly sexually assaulted a 13-year-old family member at a residence in Jeffersonville.

Upon conclusion of an investigation the case was presented to a Fayette County Grand Jury and an arrest warrant was issued for Raines, charging him with a first degree felony charge of rape, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, a fourth degree felony, and gross sexual imposition, a felony of the fourth degree.

Raines was apprehended in the State of Kentucky and is currently being held in the Fayette County Jail in lieu of bond awaiting trial.

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Adena Medical Center in Chillicothe

Adena Health System today hosted a live, international surgery simulcast to Germany and sites across the United States. Dr. Brian S. Cohen, an Adena orthopaedic surgeon and chair of Adena Bone and Joint, performed the surgery where he installed a state-of-the-art reverse shoulder implant in a 72-year old patient.  Dr. Cohen is the first surgeon in the U.S. to implant the Arthrex Reverse Universe device into a patient since the implant was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on May 31, 2013.

Dr. Cohen, a respected orthopaedic surgeon, also teaches surgical orthopaedic techniques to other physicians. In addition, he contributed to the actual design of the new implant. “When I first saw the Arthrex Reverse Universe about five years ago, there were certain things that I felt – from doing the procedure – that were missing from the implant which were essential,” said Dr. Cohen. “Some of those changes have been implemented.”

The new device is more cost effective, and uses technology not previously available in reverse shoulder implants. This technology is expected to provide a better, longer lasting bond over time. Of his contributions, Dr. Cohen added, “It is nice when people take stock in what you believe is important in helping your patients have a successful outcome, and then to implement them into a prosthesis.”

Reverse shoulder implant surgery is intended to replace the ball and socket of the rotator cuff, giving the patient better range of motion. Following reverse shoulder implant surgery, the part of the human shoulder which once held the socket now holds the ball and vice versa. By reversing the components of the shoulder, the patient’s mobility is greatly improved and most often leads to a better quality of life after surgery.

The patient suffered a torn rotator cuff injury several years ago and had an extensive course of traditional treatments for pain and mobility. Over time, the tear evolved to the point it had become debilitating and impacted his quality of life. Reverse shoulder implant surgery is often necessary when a patient suffers a rotator cuff injury or joint degeneration.

Learn more about Adena Bone and Joint.

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Ohio Attorney General Mike Dewine

Following the recent storms, Attorney General Mike DeWine is warning Ohioans to watch for traveling contractors who may try to take advantage of homeowners in need of assistance.

“After severe weather hits, it’s important to be vigilant about home improvement scams,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Some contractors track storms so that they can travel to affected communities to offer their services to homeowners who experience damage. Unfortunately many of these ‘storm-chasers’ do not follow Ohio laws and do nothing to help consumers.”

Consumers who experienced damage, such as fallen trees or wind-damaged buildings, should take the following steps to protect themselves:

• Research a home improvement contractor before signing any contract. Obtain the name, address, and phone number of any contractor agreeing to do work for you. Ask for identification from the company’s representative. Request and contact references. Check for consumer complaints with the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau before allowing a contractor to begin the work.
• Be cautious. Do not accept services from a contractor who refuses to provide proper identification, does not have a permanent place of business, cannot provide references, or insists on a large upfront payment, such as half or more of the total cost.
• Get written estimates from at least three different contractors. Refuse to do business with a company that does not provide a written estimate.
• Keep in mind that you generally have three business days to cancel door-to-door sales. A business must notify you of this right and cannot begin services until after the three-day period has ended.
• Don’t sign over your insurance check to a contractor. If you are financing the transaction, arrange for a certificate of completion with your bank. The bank will pay the contractor for each completed stage of the job only after you give your permission.
• Get a sworn statement. Insist that the contractor provide you with a sworn statement that all materials have been paid for and all subcontractors have been paid. This will help protect you from liens that may be placed on your property if the contractor fails to pay all suppliers and subcontractors.

Consumers who have questions about a contractor or those who believe they have been treated unfairly should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office atwww.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or 800-282-0515.

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