Derailed - Ohio has money for intercity trains - and few who agree on what to do with it

Derailed
Ohio has money for intercity trains — and few who agree on what to do with it
by Anastasia Pantsios
Cleveland Scene


IMAGINE GETTING ON A TRAIN in Cleveland and arriving in Columbus for a meeting — relaxed, rested, and prepped for your presentation. Or your football game, or your night on the town. No more staring through the windshield at long, dreary stretches of I-71 in Richland and Morrow County.

That's already a reality for travelers from Boston to Washington, D.C. There, an Amtrak passenger train travels the so-called Northeast Corridor, delivering riders to New York, Philadelphia, and Baltimore at the same average speed as driving — if you weren't sitting in traffic — and occasionally reaching speeds up to 150 mph. The service debuted in December 2000 and has proved popular in the densely populated region, where driving and parking are perpetual challenges.

Full story at: http://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/derailed/Content?oid=1948882

 

 

Ken Prendergast
Executive Director
All Aboard Ohio
12029 Clifton Blvd., Suite 505
Cleveland, OH 44107
(216) 288-4883
kenprendergast@allaboardohio.org
www.allaboardohio.org

{SPAM} Meeting Highlights 7-12-10

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEETING HIGHLIGHTS   For Immediate Release:  July 12, 2010   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

PUBLIC HEARING TO DISCUSS DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN: Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, chair of the Finance & Economic Development Committee and Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, chair of the Development Committee, will hold a joint public hearing on Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers to discuss the proposed Downtown Strategic Plan as endorsed by the Columbus Downtown Commission.    The 2010 Downtown Strategic Plan creates an overall vision for downtown economic development for the next 10 years.  The proposed plan will serve as a guide for development, redevelopment, and the planning of future public improvements within the Central Business District.  The goal of the plan is to provide residential opportunities, business development, job creation, recreation, dining, transportation and entertainment options which are key factors to the long-term economic success of Columbus and the Central Ohio region. 

IMPROVING CITY STREETS:  Public Service Committee Chair Hearcel F. Craig is sponsoring two pieces of legislation to resurface 43 streets in the city of Columbus. Ordinance 0988-2010 authorizes the expenditure of $4,851,067.00 for the Resurfacing 2010-Project 4 and ordinance 0989-2010 authorizes the expenditure of $4,035,049.00 for the Resurfacing 2010-Project 5.  Project 4 will repair and resurface 7 city streets and construct 260 ADA curb ramps.  Project 5 will repair and resurface 36 city streets and construct 335 ADA curb ramps.  The work for both projects consist of milling the existing pavement, overlaying with new asphalt concrete, and replacing curbs and sidewalks associated with the installation of the ADA wheelchair ramps.  Click Here for a complete list of city streets included in both projects.

CONNECTING broadband access STATEWIDE: Administration Committee Chair A. Troy Miller is sponsoring ordinance 0998-2010 to authorize the expenditure of $31,200 for fiber network and broadband access and related services with The Ohio State University and the Ohio Supercomputer Center (OSC).  The OSC is a local non-profit educational institute and the provider of the State of Ohio's OSCnet.  OSCnet provides advanced technology by linking communities, universities, and colleges through a network.  The system provides internet information transmission to support education, research, health care and economic development programs throughout the state. The agreement allows Ohio State and the city of Columbus to work together to connect OSCnet's statewide network to the Columbus community fiber network.

CONTINUING THE LEAD SAFE COLUMBUS PROGRAM:  The Lead Safe Columbus program offers resources to remove hazardous lead-based materials for eligible property owners.  Funding was provided through the 2007 Lead Hazard Reduction Demonstration Grant from the Office of Healthy Homes and Lead Hazard Control of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).  The grant included contingency funding.  Housing Committee Chair Charleta B. Tavares is sponsoring ordinance 0993-2010, which authorizes the expenditure of $66,561.33 of unspent contingency funds from the General Government Grant Fund for continuation of the program.  The funding will enable the program to continue to be publicized and promote educational activities about healthy housing principles and neighborhood revitalization efforts.  The program demonstrates the city’s commitment to generating lead-safe affordable housing and the prevention of lead poisoning in children and adults.

SUPERVISING OMVI OFFENDERS:  Judiciary & Court Administration Committee Chair Eileen Y. Paley is sponsoring ordinance 0981-2010 to accept a grant in the amount of $346,205 from the State of Ohio, Department of Rehabilitation and Correction for the Probation Department of the Franklin County Municipal Court.  The grant funding will be used to pay for the work release program and fund the salaries and benefits of three probation officers who will perform specialized supervision to individuals with multiple convictions for operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs. 

 

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FW: This Week's Events and Announcements

 

 

From: Rebecca S Obester
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 9:43 AM
To: Rebecca S Obester
Subject: FW: This Week's Events and Announcements

 

 

 

From: Michelle Wilson [mailto:mwilson@grandviewchamber.org]
Sent: Monday, July 12, 2010 7:42 AM
Subject: This Week's Events and Announcements

 

1.  Tomorrow, Tuesday, July 13th
Coffee & Coaching

7:30-9:00 a.m., Marshall's Restaurant
GHPD Detective Carol Harper will talk about
Embezzlement; Can it happen to you?
Register Here: http://bit.ly/ajYrVQ



2. FORE!

It's time to register for the TriVillage Noon Lions/Grandview Area Chamber
Annual Golf Outing
This year's outing is at Little Turtle Golf Club
on Monday, August 9
Flyer and registration instructions are attached!



3.  Tuesday, July 27th
Coffee & Coaching

7:30-9:00 a.m., Marshall's Restaurant
Health Care Reform - What's In It For You?
Gary Bast will enlighten us on recent health care reform issues as well as
introduce us to the benefits of Mini-Medical plans
Register Here: http://bit.ly/c8GKK2



4. August 19
A Taste of Italy (Right Here in Grandview)
Join us this evening from 6-9 for some delicious food and wines at
Gentiles, The Wine Sellers on King Avenue
This is a ticketed event with a limited number of tickets being sold.
$20 for GAC Members/$30 for Non-Members
Register here:http://bit.ly/aoSxzA

Michelle Wilson
Executive Director
Grandview Area Chamber
1258 B Grandview Ave.
Cols  OH  43212
614.486.0196
www.grandviewchamber.org

Follow us on Twitter and Facebook:
www.twitter.com/grandviewchambr
www.facebook.com/grandviewareachamber

Media Alert - Public Hearing

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA ALERT  For Immediate Release: July 9, 2010 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter Nancy Burton, ODOT District 6 Communications, 205-3131

 

 

Public Hearing on Proposed Phase 1 I-70/71 Split Improvement Plan 

 

WHO:

Councilmember Hearcel F. Craig, Public Service

& Transportation Committee

 

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Finance and Economic

Development Committee

 

Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, Development Committee

 

Various Councilmembers

 

Representatives of the Ohio Department of Transportation

 

 

WHEN:

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

5:30 PM

 

WHERE:

City Council Chambers

City Hall

90 West Broad Street

 

WHAT:

 

The Columbus City Council will hold a public hearing regarding the Ohio Department of Transportation’s proposed phase 1 of the I-70/71 split improvement project.  The meeting will include a presentation by representatives of ODOT and public testimony will be accepted. Those wishing to testify should fill out a speaker slip on the day of the hearing between the hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm in the lobby entrance of City Hall located on the Front Street side of the building. Speaker slips will also be accepted in Council Chambers until 6pm.  Free parking is available in the Gay Street parking lot on the north side of City Hall after 5:00 pm.  The meeting will be broadcast live on C-TV, Columbus’ government television station on all local cable outlets.

 

 

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Downtown Strategic Plan Public Hearing

Dear Community Leader,

 

I want to draw your attention to an exciting meeting that Councilmembers Andrew J. Ginther and Priscilla R. Tyson are holding next week. The two will be holding a joint hearing to discuss the proposed Downtown Strategic Plan which was recently endorsed by the Columbus Downtown Commission.

 

The Downtown Columbus Strategic Plan creates an overall vision for downtown that builds on previous planning efforts. Over the past several months, the planning team

conducted an interactive public process, hosting three town hall meetings and gaining input from more than 1,000 comments. The result? 10 Principles, 12 Ideas and 8 Strategies that will guide the revitalization of Downtown Columbus. The Columbus Downtown Commission endorsed the plan in June, and Columbus City Council will accept the plan as a guide for downtown development during our July 19 meeting. You can view the Downtown Strategic Plan online now.

 

While next week’s meeting will be at least the fifth public forum to focus the plan, it will provide a unique opportunity for Columbus residents to join City Council to hear more about the plan, ask questions and provide feedback. Because downtown Columbus is really everyone’s neighborhood, we want to make sure we reach out to our neighbors across the City to make sure you were aware of the meeting, and that you are invited to attend.

 

This meeting was published in the City Bulletin, and we will also be promoting it on Council’s Facebook and Twitter pages as well as our radio program.   However, please take a look at the meeting notice below and plan to join us if interested and your schedule allows. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call me at 645-6798.  

 

Thank you,

 

John Ivanic

Communications Director

Columbus City Council

 

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA ALERT   For Immediate Release:  July 7, 2010   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

 

CITY COUNCIL HOLDS PUBLIC HEARING ON DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC PLAN

 

WHO:

 

Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther

Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson

Columbus Department of Development

 

WHEN:

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

5:30 PM

 

WHERE:

City Council Chambers

City Hall

90 West Broad Street

 

WHAT:

Columbus City Councilmember Andrew J. Ginther, Chair of the Finance & Economic Development Committee and Councilmember Priscilla R. Tyson, Chair of the Development Committee will conduct a joint public hearing to discuss the proposed Downtown Strategic Plan as endorsed by the Columbus Downtown Commission.

 

Public testimony will be accepted. Those wishing to testify should fill out a speaker slip on the day of the hearing between the hours of 8:00 am - 5:00 pm in the lobby entrance located on the Front Street side of City Hall. Free parking is available in the Gay Street parking lot on the north side of City Hall after 5:00 pm.

 

The meeting will be broadcast live on C-TV, Columbus’ government television channel 3 on local cable systems.

 

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Media Alert - Public Hearing

COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA ALERT   For Immediate Release:  July 2, 2010   For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 Web – Facebook – Twitter

 

 

CHARTER REVIEW COMMITTEE HOLDS

PUBLIC HEARING

 

WHO:

 

Charter Review Committee

 

WHEN:

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

3:30 PM

 

WHERE:

City Council Chambers

City Hall

90 West Broad Street

 

WHAT:

Members of the Charter Review Committee will hold a hearing to receive public comment on clarifying open meeting provisions.

 

The meeting will be broadcast live on C-TV, Columbus’ government television channel 3 on local cable systems. 

 

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Rec Sports Member Update July 2, 2010

Member Update

Friday, July 2, 2010

 

1.       Holiday Weekend Hours and Family hours

2.       Summer Maintenance Projects Scheduled for the RPAC Recreation Natatorium

3.       Red Cross Blood Drive July 7 at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion

 

To unsubscribe from this mailing list, please send an email to

recsportsmembers-unsubscribe@lists.studentaffairs.ohio-state.edu

from the email address account to which you are subscribed for this list serve.

 

1.       Holiday Weekend Hours and Family hours

Please note changes in the hours of our facilities due to the holiday weekend.  Hours can be found on our website www.recsports.osu.edu

 

Please note that food service in the RPAC will not be available on Monday, July 5 due to electronic systems maintenance.

 

ChildWatch in the RPAC will be closed on Saturday, July 3, Sunday, July 4, and Monday, July 5.  Normal hours will resume on Tuesday, July 6. 

 

ARC –

Saturday, July 3: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.*
Sunday, July 4: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m.*
Monday, July 5: Noon - 10 p.m.

 

RPAC –

Saturday, July 3: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.*
Sunday, July 4: CLOSED
Monday, July 5: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.*

Note:  *designated Family Hours during the weekend

 

JORC – South

Saturday, July 3: 7 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday, July 4: CLOSED
Monday, July 5: Noon - Midnight

 

2.       Summer Maintenance Projects Scheduled for the RPAC Recreation Natatorium

Maintenance and improvement projects have been scheduled in the RPAC Recreation Natatorium from July 2 until September 17, 2010.  Summer projects include encapsulation of the air handling ductwork, five-year maintenance on the Class Pool's moveable floor and continued compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Act which requires upgrades to existing pool floor drain covers. 

These projects will cause each of the three pools in the Recreation Natatorium to be closed and drained for approximately four weeks each, with work in the Class Pool planned during the month of July, work in the Lap Pool during the month of August, and work in the Leisure Pool during the month of September. 

Other projects not impacting the availability of pools will also be completed this summer throughout the Aquatic Center including high area cleaning and window cleaning.  Ductwork encapsulation and high area painting will also be completed in the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion lobby area.

Exact completion dates are estimated as the length of each project may vary. Every effort will be made to ensure that no more than one of the three pools in the Recreation Natatorium is closed at any given time.  Recreational lap swimming and scheduled programs will be relocated to available pools so that they may continue during maintenance. 

A detailed listing of recreational swimming locations will be posted and updated throughout the summer on the recreational swimming schedule.  Questions regarding summer maintenance or the pool schedule should be referred to Christine Thompson, Director of Aquatics at (614) 247-7370.

 

3.       Red Cross Blood Drive July 7 at McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion – Noon – 6 p.m.

 

Fourth of July weekend is a time of celebration and fun-filled activities, however, please remember the constant need for blood within our community.  The supply of type O-negative blood at the American Red Cross has dropped, as summer trauma season has arrived.  Locally in Central Ohio, approximately 100 pints of O-negative blood are used daily for patients.  

 A person suffering severe injuries in a car accident may need up to 40 units of blood to help save their life.  This is a very challenging time for the American Red Cross, so please help us by encouraging eligible donors to make or keep appointments to give blood this summer to help maintain a stable blood supply for ongoing or emergency needs.

To make an appointment, contact Valerie Tiu at tiuv@usa.redcross.org or visit www.redcrossblood.org sponsor look up code: divercoaosu

SPONSORS
Whitewater Rafting Specials
There’s still time for a road trip to West Virginia’s New River Gorge for some rafting, climbing, biking, hiking, zip lining, ATV riding and more.  River Expeditions is the area’s best outfitter, as well as an exclusive partner of the OSU Rec Sports Department.  Adventure packages feature lodging, meals and attractions – starting as low as $89.  Get a group together and save even more!  Check out their special events at http://www.raftinginfo.com/specials-and-events.php or join the Fan Page at http://www.facebook.com/raftinginfo

*************** IMPORTANT CONTACTS ****************

RPAC Welcome Center – 292-7671

Comments to the Interim Director – Kurt Carmen, Carmen.7@osu.edu, 688-3587

Adapted Recreational Sports – Lindsay Meyer, meyer.454@osu.edu, 688-3693

Adventure Recreation Center & Jesse Owens Centers - Jimmy Francis, francis.143@osu.edu, 247-5073

Aquatic Center – Christine Thompson, thompson.1363@osu.edu, 247-7370

Community Programs – Marci Guckeyson, guckeyson.4@osu.edu 292-5328

Facility/Meeting Room Scheduling - Andrea Hall, hall.794@osu.edu, 292-6481

Group Fitness Classes & Massage – Scott Holmes, holmes.508@osu.edu, 292-8755

Intramural Sports - Ken Hill, hill.521@osu.edu, 292-5292

Lockers and Sport Shop Operations - Rob Jech, jech.2@osu.edu, 688-8788

Membership - Kris Myers, myers.785@osu.edu, 688-8461

Ohio State Swim Club – Kyle Goodrich, Goodrich.89@osu.edu, 292-1303

Outdoor Adventure Center - Steve Hawkins, hawkins.264@osu.edu, 247-8063

Personal Training - John Katsares, katsares.1@osu.edu, 292-5153

Racquetball and Squash Reservations - 292-8590

Recreational Sports Learning – J. Michael Dunn, dunn.99@osu.edu, 292-6513

Recreational Sports Web – Emily Howard, howard.778@osu.edu, 688-4185

RPAC Operations – Dave DeAngelo, deangelo.1@osu.edu, 247-6009

Special Assistant to the Director – Marci Harrington, harrington.69@osu.edu, 688-3983

Sponsorship – Kristin Smith, smith.1424@osu.edu, 688-4619

Sport Clubs – Charles Anderson, anderson.1859@osu.edu, 688-3879

****************************************