Those manhole covers and Courtis Fuller News 5
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown Community
Forum Name: Middletown News, Info and Happenings
Forum Description: Discuss any Middletown Ohio area news story.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1556
Printed Date: Nov 21 2024 at 10:02pm
Topic: Those manhole covers and Courtis Fuller News 5
Posted By: VietVet
Subject: Those manhole covers and Courtis Fuller News 5
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 8:01pm
Wife and I were at Krogers this afternoon. Looked over at the old Dillards parking lot at Towne Mall and there was the Channel 5 news truck with Courtis Fuller doing a story on the stolen manhole covers around Middletown. After shopping for supper items, the wife and I drove over and introduced ourselves to Mr. Fuller. After he told us he was doing the story on the manhole covers, I told him they were "small potatoes" compared to the more important stories going on here in town. I told him what the city would be telling him about this town,then directed him to this site- Middletown USA.com- and asked him to read our posts to get the truth and the dirt about this city's leadership. I will keep E-Mailing him to remind him that there are so many newsworthy stories in this town, he could make a career on this subject matter. He asked, while pointing to an empty Dillard's store- " what's this all about". I told him he hasn't even begun to see all the crap that is occuring in this town as to the leaders, funny money, cronyism, business unfriendliness, poor schools, HUD, Section 8 overabundance, etc. Hopefully, Channel 5 will respond with an indepth story on the perils of Middletown and run several stories over time. Perhaps we could get Channel 9 and 12 involved also. Why not Channel 2 and 7 in Dayton while we're at it. Anything to give these  's a black eye.
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Replies:
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 8:20pm
God Bless you, your dear wife and extended familyViet Vet. So many times I have gotten discouraged when it seemed that the waste and mismanagement of HUD funds by the occupants of One Donham Plaza would go unnoticed. Thank you so very much for spreading the truth about our sorry state of affairs here!
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Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 8:27pm
| Did you mention anything positive about the city? |
Posted By: Hermes
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 10:12pm
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The news report said about 40 manhole covers have been stolen and the replacement cost is $150 while the thieves only get $10 for them. I bet the city isn't smart enough to go to where ever they sold them and get them back,the city will probably buy new ones for $500 a piece and then offer that as an incentive to draw business. ------------- No more democrats no more republicans,vote Constitution Party !! |
Posted By: tomahawk35
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 10:20pm
| VietVet, Good job and hopefully they will follow up on this story. It might help if we all contacted this newsman to touch base on following up with this info. |
Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Jul 10 2009 at 11:16pm
Yeah, did you mention the MidFirst Ohio Balloon Challenge that's happening next weekend? jeez, get a grip man! You get a chance to actually be a positive note in this town and you mention all of that? 
Talk about dirty laundry......you don't think they know about this stuff already? Everytime Middletown is on the news, it's a murder, or AK, or blah blah blah blah. |
spiderjohn wrote:Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 1:02am
| MadMom you don't think they know about the MidFirst Ohio Balloon Challenge, If they don't Ms Mort is falling down on her specialty, PR, and I don't mean that in a derogatory fashion. Someone needs to go downtown and get some answers from the Palace and then look past the BS that they will dish out and question the policies that have and are killing Middletown. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 6:47am
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With all due respect, MadMom, there are THOUSANDS (apparently) of people "cheerleading" for Middletown, including notaables such as business types, and politicians who can get the media's ear, while there is just this small group of (so-called) "trouble-makers" willing to try to point out and solve the PROBLEMS that are KILLING our fair city!!!
So which is more important???
The few REALISTS getting the word out on the REAL and LETHAL problems??
Or the cheerleaders making sure that when Middletown is absolutely dead, other cities will say: "We didn't even know they were sick...on the news the other night, they sounded so HHEALTHY!!!" ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 10:26am
In My Opinion....whatever scrap yard is accepting these mh covers, should have a responsibility to report it to the local authorities. Do these covers have some sort of ID#s? |
Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 10:31am
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IMO...If you want to be taken seriously, then man together and contact the area TV news stations. Tell them what's happening and see how far it goes. I doubt Fuller is going to take one person seriously at this point.
You could become "concerned citizens" instead of "troublemakers". Or better yet, start campaigning to run for city council and change it. |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 12:59pm
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MadisonMom 2. Bring them into town under the cloak of total darkness.
3. Fly them into Hook Field. The clean up and improvements in and around |
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 1:09pm
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Madison Mom -
If you'd "worn my shoes" as a division head for the City in recent years, I know that you'd have a MUCH DIFFERENT OUTLOOK on things!
I was not/am not a troublemaker!
I tried with little internal support to clean up wasteful HUD programs and questionable expenditures!
Thanks for your consideration.
Nelson Self
Community Development Administrator
1/2007 - 1/2009
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Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 1:13pm
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Two things: It is legally unconstitutional for the city to fine a citizen and neglect its own responsibilty, so there is a legal challenge when the city asks citizens to pay to paint the house, to maintain the yard, but the city is violating its own principles. Secondly. Instead of expecting a reporter to critique Middletown, and bring about negative visibility which just worsens the city's image and your property value, why not look forward and begin the proper retaliation as follows: 1) Repeal the 1.5 % tax increase that will be expiring in a few years. 2) HUD Allegations- If I understand this correctly, are there suggestions that misappropriation has taken place? If so, that's a qui tam claim, and a serious offense. Why not act? 3) Roads- why not take this acrimony and start with a plan of action, like getting the ordinance of waste that began the nightmare in Middletown, where infrastructure funds could be given to McNeil and Perry Thatcher? 4) Schools- why not harness the anger on here and have the Board select a highly motivated assistant superintendant driven to get a career moving forward, by cleaning up Middletown's discipline problem, and motivating kids to achieve. Pretty remarkable how grades are handed out in Middletown schools, almost 50% of grads graduate with an A average (3.4). Some incentive, show up for school and guaranteed all A's. Why then, are not more open enrollment kids flocking to Middletown when you can coast so easily? 5) Accountability- Besides being tarred and feathered on the blog board, not one council member or Board member ever incurs wrath of its citizens. Why people? |
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 2:46pm
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Accuro -
God willing, an action IS being pursued.
I feel like David taking on Goliath. The outcome is very uncertain and I don't begin to have the resources to equitably take on this governmental juggernaut.
It's my fervent prayer that the truth will be exposed and that those hypocrites involved will be removed from elected and appointed offices.
God almighty is my witness! And, may God almighty protect the honest citizens of Middletown, Ohio who deserve honest, straight-forward good government.
Nelson Self
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Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 2:53pm
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beautiful thinking, accuro repeal the tax increase
do not renew the public safety levy
demand the infrastructure funding be put back into place, no longer discretionary spending
starve the municipals at the ballot box until bennie costs are realistic and in line with the public sector
To repeat myself(as I do regularly):
Starve the beast until he is so weakened that he must come to the table for survival(through REAL negotiated change).
Smokey--either satisfy your case(YOU have the info,experience and know where to go) or leave it go. The constant derogatory name-calling has worn very thin and served no real purpose other than irritation. Cheerlead here as much as you like, though it is all so self-serving.
we paid for new schools
no levy renewals until discipline is a priority, and actions verify such
sos with a new super = a shut-out at the ballot box
same with test scores
hopefully our elected officials will be held accountable in November.
Replace all incumbants.
If we make weak choices, keep changing the names until we get it right.
Bombard Council/Admin during citizens' comments--their lack of response only plays against THEM. Eventually the answers and information must and will be brought forth.
It is YOUR city, and it is about f'n time that you started acting constructively and responsibly in that direction.
Don't whine to some Cincy newsman, only here for a quick filler on a slow news weekend. The guy has his own issues, and covers a city with far worse situations. He could care less about Middletown.
We don't have to get the word out about our local issues. Trust me--we have a HORRIBLE reputation in the area. We are seen as a laughing stock and one big dirty ghetto. No one wants to visit here. No one wants to start up a business here(large or small)--and the proof is in the actions(or lack of).
Outside of balloonists and vendors, there won't be a lot of "visitors" coming in next weekend unfortunately.
jmo
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Posted By: MadisonMom
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 2:55pm
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Mr. Self, I didn't call you a trouble-maker.
I was posting in regards to another post. One of the other posters on here I'm sure meant that rhetorically. But then again, what do I know. |
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 4:21pm
| spider, you eloquently are spot on. Mr. Self, I have no idea how serious the allegations to be, but if I speculate, I can reach a reasonable conclusion to what you may be implying. If you feel wrong doing has taken place, I suggest the following. Contact Ann Lugbill, attorney who specializes in qui tam claims (confidential filing associated with federal waste and fraud). She is in Cincinnati, a top flight ESQ. who knows this area as well as anyone in the country. If this is your suggestion, you don't need to be getting the message out, Ann will get the message in a confidential filing very rapidly and there is a mechanism which such allegations are taken very seriously. If I misunderstood and its a matter of a belief of a wrong but perfectly ethical and legal transaction, differences in opinion aren't worthy of contact with Ann. |
Posted By: Smokey Burgess
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 6:09pm
| Thank you so much Accuro! |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 6:21pm
| The E-Mail address is courtisfuller@wlwt.com and his telephone number is 513-412-5040 or 513-412-6121. |
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 6:23pm
| You are welcome, keep Ann as a backup. She and her partner (Harvard Law) are experts in the area of qt. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 6:49pm
| Spider and Madison Mom- I had a choice here. I could have said "Gee, there's the Channel 5 news truck". "Don't see them around here very often". "Wonder what they're up to here in town" and drove home with an indifferent attitude of apathy like 90% of this town has. OR- OR- I can stop. Introduce myself and take this opportunity to tell him that he has a goldmine of stories/ soap operas going on in this town, that he could use for storylines and by his opportunities for a storyline, we, who want change, could benefit through the exposure and embarrassment of the city leaders/condition of the town. IF-IF I mention that everything is rosy in town, and there are no problems, only Balloon Challenges,Greek Fests the wonderful things we're doing for the Section 8 candidates and act like things are beautiful in town, how much of a reaction to doing a story here do you think he would have? News people thrive on sensationalism, not humdrum everyday festivals and doing business. If you bring up conflict within a community- now- that will attract some attention from the news people and get us, the dissatisfied, some free pressure directed toward our inept leaders. Sorry to those who believe my "approach" was all wrong here. I saw an opportunity that doesn't come too often and took it to mention some of the backsteet schenanigans that we all talk about here on this site. Perhaps it will be your turn next time to see the news truck. What will you do- drive home with your apathy or stop and talk about all the "wonderful" things in town, boring him to death or tell him some things that may be under the radar of the Cincy news stations? Which do you think he will be most interested in? Look- if we complain and bit-- on this forum about how bad things are here in town and then, when the opportunity appears, tell an outsider news station that everythings ok here, doesn't that make us hypocrites? Everyones's complained about something on here so don't give me that "You should have been positive crap". |
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 7:02pm
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Spiderjohn Ya got my vote. It’s time to starve them at the ballot box. All the other communities around us are cutting jobs, wages and benefits. We can’t keep giving them these increases with fewer and fewer jobs and tax dollars available in the area. We can’t keep rewarding them for making our City into HUDLAND. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 7:54pm
| Gee folks I have been stating the need to start petitioning to get some of these ordinances changed/Council People recalled etc. for some time and what does everyone say.......oh that is to much work we can't do that.....blahblahblah. Amazing. |
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 7:54pm
| Vet, I couldn't resist. I don't know how many times I've watched the soap opera on Cincinnati stations, the fights and bickering of council. Do you actually think anyone at council is going to be embarrassed? They should be embarrassed they are even in public office and the plight they have put the city in that goes back many, many years. All the citizens know Middletown is a waste and the pride is gone for years. Embarrassment, making one look stupid, bringing about negative visibility will have no impact on city hall. They are empire builders, they care only about protecting the feithdom, not you, not me, not their neighbor, not the city. They care about one thing---themselves. What's Curtis going to do---expose the obvious? More constructive activities required than chasing down weekend news anchors who probably already know Middletown and Over the Rhine are both pretty hot topics associated with either violence, stupidity, or comci relief. |
Posted By: accuro
Date Posted: Jul 11 2009 at 8:43pm
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Hey spider, what about the oxymoron on the close/ no close of the fire house. Recall how council, one in particular, grandstanded about safety issues. all doing everything to mislead the public to get the $$$ to keep city hall fat, dumb, and happy? With the construction by the highway, its a bottleneck and adds time to get to the hospital. Those precious minutes the firemen were so worried about to keep Middletownians safe (or rather, the union pecking order in place for promotions) when its more danagerous now in delays, for the construction and concrete barriers adding time to get to the Atrium. The best "payback" for the decline in the city services, their lack of attention to the community, should focus upon reversing the tax increase, making sure cuts come at city hall. Sorry Ms. Ford, no vote from me when you say city has in running "lean and mean", when the law department has grown, detectives are pulling down a $125 Kk annually, the development group expanded, when they have no measurable contribution to growth. Call council members and write letters to the editor about reversing the infrastructure allocation to any whim council and the city desires. Don't let McNeil and AK throw $50 Kk to Becker and Mulligan for their "payback" on ROI. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Jul 12 2009 at 5:59am
Pacman: I recall your having suggested this, and I believe I responded with the requirements (number of signatures needed, timing in order NOT to necessitate the expense of being the sole issue, etc.) from the ORC, and suggested that this (2009) may not be the right time, only because our efforts might be better spent trying to field candidates to unseat current Ward Council members. I am absolutely willing to work on such changes after we see the November results. ------------- “Mulligan said he ... doesn’t believe they necessarily make the return on investment necessary to keep funding them.” …The Middletown Journal, January 30, 2012 |
Posted By: Impala SS
Date Posted: Jul 12 2009 at 6:16am
| MadMom> Just who are you calling a trouble maker? You know you might need the help from this board someday. People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. If that corner where Daveys is, is so wonderful why dont you set up there? Maybe Young But Not Dumb could tell you some of ways the city mistreated her. Just think about it,if you think the city is so wonderful you need to see a head Dr. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 12 2009 at 6:25am
| Mike and I agreed that waiting until Novemebr passed to see how things shook out with Council was the way to go. I have been talking about recall and Petition initiatives all the way back to when we were on the MJ site and back then got the same cool reception by most. |
Posted By: Upper90
Date Posted: Jul 13 2009 at 2:22pm
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The scrap dealers know exactly what they are, most of them say "SEWER" on them! Contractors would not even scrap them, they would keep them in their pipe yard for future use on another job. Most are made by Neenah foundry and that is usually on there too. The real problem here is not the cost so much as safety and it allows water to get in the sewers, which could cause overflows or basement backups during heavy rains. They are pretty heavy too, lot of work for $10. The scrap dealer is a legalized fencing operation basically. Courtis is hardly a real go-getter jounalist, he hit the top a few years ago as the anchor now they have him covering missing sewer lids in the town formerly known as Middletown. I liked his laid back style when he was the anchor though, he could make a triple homicide in Northside sound like a church raffle. By the way, what the heck happened to Davey"s? It seemed to close out of no where. |
Posted By: John Beagle
Date Posted: Jul 13 2009 at 5:00pm
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Poor Curtis, its sad to see him covering Man Hole Covers instead of being anchor. He could help himself if he could apply journalistic skills and report on any of the numerous stories we have here. Where is the SunCoke coverage? Why hasn't the govenor been interviewed about the biggest investment in Ohio? What about our Section 8 housing, surely there are a number of stories here. Where is the interview with our city manager? Why isn't she being featured in area news? I can't blame this all on Curtis, its just a lack of journalistic skills in general that is missing from the Main Stream Media. Local news isn't really news at all anymore. ------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |
Posted By: Pacman
Date Posted: Jul 13 2009 at 5:32pm
John the MJ has all of this sitting in their backyard and they are past a sleep at the wheel, they are R.I.P.
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