We should all make more of an effort to hire veterans
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Patrol: drive impaired and you will be arrested Patrol OVI arrests up by more than 1,300 The Ohio State Highway Patrol is warning drivers: If you choose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. As part of the Patrol’s mantra – Trooper Shield – and their ongoing effort to contribute to a safer Ohio, troopers have had increased focus on impaired driving enforcement in 2011. Through December 11, troopers have arrested 1,383 more drivers for OVI than during the same period in 2010. “We are seeing positive results from the hard work of our troopers on the road everyday removing impaired and
LIEUTENANT RANDY MCELFRESH dangerous drivers from the roadways,” said Lt. Randy McElfresh, commander of the Georgetown Post. “As the Patrol’s OVI arrests increase, we are seeing a direct correlation in the decrease of overall fatalities.” Impaired drivers were
Bill aims to help businesses mired in slew of new regulations Many business people in this country are nervous. If they look at the recent past, they see devastation. If they look to the near future, they see uncertainty. They hate that. Successful businesses are very good at managing their cash flow. And companies want to be prepared, as best they can, for what might happen next. So they watch their cash reserves, knowing that might be the lifeboat that will keep them from sinking if conditions turn bad. Recently, I participated in a roundtable discussion on the economy with a half-dozen people who worry about payrolls and what gremlin or opportunity might be waiting around the corner. They are successful CEOs, all of them women, and all of them concerned about the future. Their businesses are quite diverse: high tech, insurance, health care, energy, and data. Their concerns are about a rising tide of government regulations that change the rules and make planning for the future nearly impossible. The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates that federal regulations cost the economy $1.75 trillion annually. Over the first two years of President Obama’s term, executive branch agencies have published 112 regulations that would have an economic impact of at least $100 million annually. And, that’s just the beginning. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street
JEAN SCHMIDT Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires or authorizes hundreds of new rules, and it has been estimated that implementing Obamacare will lead to the production of 10,000 pages of new regulations. While the economic impact of all of these rules and regulations will differ, the cumulative effect will add to overall costs of complying with federal regulations. In an effort to ease the regulatory burden on our nation’s job creators, the House recently passed the REINS Act, which stands for Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny. This bill would require Congress to vote to approve new regulations that would have an economic impact of $100 million or more. I was proud to co-sponsor the bill. Congress does not create jobs or economic growth. We can however, work to create an environment that encourages those things. After my afternoon with the women CEOs, I am more convinced than ever that passage of the REINS act is a step in the right direction.
The Brown County Press Serving Brown County since 1973 219 South High Street Mt. Orab, Ohio 45154
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responsible for 40 percent of the fatal crashes in 2010. Through December 11 of this year, with overall fatalities down four percent, and OVI arrests up 1,383 arrests – Ohio is experiencing a decline of nearly five percent in OVI-related fatalities. “We can’t fight the battle against impaired driving on our own – We need your commitment to make our roads safe,” said Lt. McElfresh. “You can contribute to a safer Ohio by actively influencing friends and family to make safe, responsible decisions - like planning ahead to designate a driver and insist-
ing that everyone in the vehicle is buckled up, can go a long way toward ensuring tragedies do not occur.” With the upcoming holidays, the Patrol is reminding drivers that this can be one of the most dangerous times of the year due to an increase in impaired driving. Last year in Ohio, 39 people died in alcohol-related crashes between Thanksgiving and New Year’s. The public is encouraged to continue using 1-877-7PATROL to report dangerous drivers, impaired drivers or stranded motorists.
Letters to the Editor Christmas Parade Grand Marshall says ‘thank you’ Dear Editor, I would like to thank any and all of the people involved in selecting me to be the Grand Marshall of the Mt. Orab Christmas Parade. I would also like to give a special thanks to the Shaw’s for providing their Hummer, as I have medical issues and needed to ride inside. I felt very privileged and honored to have been selected. This gave me time to reflect on what it takes to make this town what it is. It
takes our elected officials, different departments, organizations, clubs, schools, churches, business people and individuals to help put everything together, and it was so well done. The next time you see any of these people out doing something to make our town better, give them a thumbs and let them know you appreciate them. Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Joe Glover
Reader says Family Dollar acting like grinch Dear Editor, Sadly, the Family Dollar chain of stores has decided to put greed for the almighty dollar instead of families being together to celebrate the birth of Christ on Christmas Day by being open for business. This is shameful to say the least, and they should remove the word ‘family’ from their company name. If you agree, please visit their
Mt. Orab Women’s club winners Dear Editor, The Mt. Orab Women's Club would like to thank the Community and all of the local businesses for their continued support of our annual raffles. Our recent fall raffle winners were as follows: Clock - Freda Crawford Christmas Basket - B. Bohl Boys Basket - Corbin Sams Girls Baske - L. Ernst Afghan - Rita Eland Gift Certificate - Jim Wylie Fishing Rod & Reel Brenda Young Thank you and have a very Merry Christmas. Tammy Brown-Lind
website and voice your displeasure, contact store management and/or their District Manager. Other retailers will follow their lead unless enough people voice their concerns. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all. Rick Smith, Mt. Orab
H’ville Fall Festival a success Dear Editor, The Hamersville PTO would like to say Thank You to all who came out to the Fall Festival. The Festival was a huge success with more than 200 people in attendance. Also, Thank You to all those who volunteered and help set up, custodians, and staff, as well as those who gave donations to the silent auction, including McMullen's Country Store, Mt Orab Food Court, Stephanie Trent, Charity Stephenson, John Ruthven, Sub City, McKinney Mart, and Pamela Stevens Photography. We also appreciated the time of Colon Graves, balloon artist. We look forward to doing it again next year. Matt Ernst
SHERROD BROWN This is unacceptable. That is why I have been partnering with local leaders and working with my colleagues in Congress to pass meaningful legislation, like the Vow to Hire Heroes Act, to connect veterans with new jobs. We all have a responsibility to help America’s veterans find the resources needed to resume their civilian lives. The VOW to Hire Heroes Act – a new law that provides tax credits for employers who hire unemployed veterans and helps connect veterans with job opportunities – moves us closer to fulfilling that obligation. The Vow to Hire Heroes Act also ensures that all veterans have access to the Transition Assistance Program – an interagency workshop coordinated by the Departments of Defense, Labor, and Veterans Affairs aimed at helping servicemembers transitioning to civilian life. To ensure a seamless shift from the military to civilian life, it also allows servicemembers to start the federal employment process prior to separation from service so that they can interview at the VA, Homeland Security, or other federal agencies in need of veterans’ expertise. CONTINUED ON PAGE 5
What Do You Think? Do you say "Merry Christmas" or do you say "Happy Holidays" to be politically correct?
Shanon Lawrence, Georgetown
I say Merry Christmas and I say Happy Holidays some times. Courtney McGuffey, Georgetown
I usually just say Happy Holidays. Sean Pollock, Georgetown
I say Merry Christmas, but I think either one is appropriate. Peggy Chandler, Georgetown
I say Merry Christmas...Merry Christmas...Merry Christmas! Gail DeClaire, Sardinia
I guess I'm old fashioned, but I always say Merry Christmas. Judy Ratliff, Georgetown
I always Christmas.
say
Merry
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This summer, I helped launch the “Solar by Soldiers” project which helps put veterans back to work. This program helps train veterans in clean energy technology and installation and then connects them with opportunities in this high-growth industry. And it is already generating results in our state. Flannagan’s in Dublin, a small business eager to install energy efficient technologies, completed the first building retrofit through Tipping Point Renewable Energy’s “Solar by Soldiers” program. A Marine from Central Ohio recently told me that he spent two years, following his return from Iraq, applying for jobs. With few promising leads, he heard news reports about the “Solar by Soldiers” program and went to Tipping Point Renewable to find a job. He has been working for them ever since. We need to do more to help Ohio veterans find jobs. Servicemembers – already armed with the discipline and skills needed to strengthen the 21st century economy – should not have to struggle to find a job when their military service ends. Yet, in the United States, more than 20 percent of veterans between the ages of 20 and 24 years old are unemployed. Some of America’s highest achieving young people are spending months searching the Internet, attending job fairs, reading the classifieds, and looking through the telephone book to find work – without success.
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Page 4 - The Brown County Press - Sunday, December 25, 2011