New Technology Leader
Printed From: MiddletownUSA.com
Category: Middletown City Schools
Forum Name: School Board
Forum Description: Discuss the board individually and as a group.
URL: http://www.middletownusa.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4696
Printed Date: Nov 23 2024 at 2:18pm
Topic: New Technology Leader
Posted By: Vivian Moon
Subject: New Technology Leader
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 8:32am
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Middletown schools hire technology leader Staff Writer
With an added emphasis on computer knowledge in the very near future, the Middletown Local School District has hired Dr. Robin Surland as its Director of Technology and Innovation. Surland, who most recently served as the Director of Innovative http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/news/local/middletown-schools-hire-technology-leader/nP8SW/## - School Superintendent Greg Rasmussen said the upcoming state-mandated common core standards, which have an added emphasis on computer technology, played a role in filling the
position this school year. “When Gary retired, we chose not to fill the position at that time. We left it unfilled as we decided to wait and determine whether we felt that we needed to move in that direction. But after last
school year, we determined that in this 21st century age, we have to be very cognizant of the fact that we have got to expand our operational technology and our instructional technology,” Rasmussen said. Surland will be paid $108,921 this year. She senses that Middletown is a place where she can make a difference.
“It seems like a school district that’s ready to go places with their computer classes. I want to help get the programs over the cusp, per se,” she said. “Already we’re to the point where we
have a solid network structure and we’re getting more technology into the teachers’ hands.” She said her work in a large urban district in Wichita should work to her advantage in Middletown. “Having worked across departments, I was able to see things that technology can help with, like access to families at home and the impact that the technology can have in the classrooms. I’m
looking to working with the same educational issues here, with a smaller student population. And I’m really looking forward to doing that,” she said. Currently, Surland said she’s been working on improving the Middletown district’s websites. She hopes to create various ways that teachers will be able to access student data in a quicker easier to understand way. She also would like to develop a better http://www.middletownjournal.com/news/news/local/middletown-schools-hire-technology-leader/nP8SW/## -
“I’ll start out by choosing people within each building to be technology reps, where there will be someone in the building who can help the rest of the teachers with what they need,” she said.
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Replies:
Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 8:44am
| From Wichita? Wonder if we're paying her moving expenses. And $108,921? Mind boggling waste. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 9:42am
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C'mon. Couldn't the schools have chosen a person with lesser credentials and along with it, less salary? Seems a bit overblown when considering the requirements and job responsibilities described in this article, doesn't it? Is this district so sophisticated that we have to hire this level of expertise to interact with the teachers as described? No other candidates available at lesser cost? Article didn't mention who was interviewed (if anyone else) and what their credentials might have been. Seem to be reaching for the top tier candidates when we have such a mediocre school district waiting for them. Kinda like bringing Michael Phelps to a YMCA swim meet isn't it?
Will the voters remember this when they ask you to support their levy? |
Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 9:59am
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Simply outrageous. Rasmussen's from that area, had to have someone come work with him. The corridor between Cincinnati and Columbus has just a wealth of fantastic Partners in Strategic Technology at the top firms, IBM< PWC, Cap Gemini EY, Deloitte, CSC, you name it. Middletown had several global national practice leaders in IT, at Deloitte, others. Such people innovate with F1K's daily, and work philanthropically with colleges and universities, that know in great detail, how to manage a data center and applications, databases, infrastructure, c++. This is an outrageous waste. Rasmussen did not even make an effort to put an ad locally, when the talent within 60 miles, is among the top in the country. What a waste and insult to people who really do know how to innovate with technology, not those whom would have difficult advancing past an associate's position in a firm like Cap Gemini or CSC. ------------- 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill |
Posted By: arwendt
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 10:05am
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With no disrespect toward Dr. Surland, or her qualifications, I can't help but wonder why anyone would think that better websites, better network infrastructure, or better technology in the hands of the teachers, is what we need right now to make better educated kids. ------------- “Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.” Benjamin Franklin - More at my http://wordsoffreedom.wordpress.com/ - Words of Freedom website. |
Posted By: lrisner
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 10:47am
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Wow, this is nothing but a bitch site any more. A bunch of neanderthals. You see no NEED in this day and age for a Techo teacher? stupid as usual. |
Posted By: Bill
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 11:17am
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Does this district full of poverty really need another PhD person to upgrade some of the technology? There must be many other resources out there for this.
No, Irisner, your never-ending support and defense of union employees is what is stupid. Is there no level of nepotism, waste, or fiscally unsustainable pattern of salary and bennies that you will fail to support?
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Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 11:23am
Well bud, you misread the posts again. No one was questioning the need for this "Techno teacher". The questioning concerned the salary paid, how the candidate was chosen, who was considered and the credentials needed for the job. How did you arrive at your conclusion in your post? |
lrisner wrote:Posted By: acclaro
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 12:19pm
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Irishner, I suggest you read the posts before making rather misguided responses. I have sat on three National Higher Education Foundation Boards in my 30 + year career; IBM, Oracle, and Cisco. In that period, I have personally reviewed and approved over $1 Bb in computer hardware and software grants to many fine colleges and universities. So, I say I can speak with some authority regarding technology in the realm of K-12, let alone higher education for med schools, MS programs in Computer Engineering, etc. No, every school district in Ohio, does NOT need a + $100,000. equvialent of an associate in a firm, to build websites, do system backups, run a WAN/ LAN, or expose a terrifically gifted student to object oriented programming. As usual, its the world of redundancy. Savings in one area, leads to waste in another---hello shared Business Manager now at Butler Cty .5/,5 FTE in Monroe/ Middletown. Some are waiting on Superman, others like you, think he was never needed, the public schools are performing stellar. That's stone-age thinking to me. ------------- 'An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.' - Winston Churchill |
Posted By: chmoore1
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 3:32pm
| When did $108,000 become the new standard for Middletown Schools' administrators? It began with the hiring of the new combined Business Manager through Butler County. The Middletown Journal quoted Mr. Rasmussen saying "if we can get the right person we can have the person start by August 1st." Pre-determined? Why did it have to be the "right" person to be able to start by August 1st? How many people were interviewed? What were there qualifications? What salary was discussed? At $108,000 for a drastically reduced-responsibilities, part-time manager, it seems that there would be a number of applicants. Even at $85,000 there should have been. Curious that it is a "FOL" friend of Libby that got the position, for $10,000 more than he had been making before, with expanded duties. Was Mr. Thompson offered this opportunity under his new "two-year" contract, and save the combined districts even more money? Now we have the questionable hiring of a "FOG" friend of Greg. How many were interviewed? Again, at $108,000, there should have been a number of qualified candidates. How well qualified were the applicants. Could one have been hired in the $85,000 range? Also, why wasn't this position "farmed out" through Butler County? According to the recent contract with Butler County (Journal reported) the entire IT department is "farmed out" to Butler County, why not the director? Isn't the purpose of this to get qualified employees and reduce costs? These processes are not good for Middletown/Monroe's images when they are trying to retain the public's trust. Ms. Andrew/Mr. Fiora: perhaps you can answer these questions. chmoore |
Posted By: arwendt
Date Posted: Aug 02 2012 at 5:34pm
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And for the record, I was saying I don't see how a better website, better network infrastructure, etc. will make for better educated kids. I guess being a neanderthal I will NEED you to explain that.
And "Techo teacher"? Will she be teaching a class? P.S. This http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/print-edition/2011/10/21/wichita-area-districts-reach-broader.html?page=all - virtual school program from Wichita looks interesting. ------------- “Sell not virtue to purchase wealth, nor Liberty to purchase power.” Benjamin Franklin - More at my http://wordsoffreedom.wordpress.com/ - Words of Freedom website. |
Posted By: lrisner
Date Posted: Aug 05 2012 at 10:21pm
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I read the post....How much should someone like the position in question make? I am just sick of all your mindless bitching. If it had been a 50K job, you still would have whined. As to Bill's idiotic assertion that I always support unions. You are wrong as usual. I support who is right in an issue. ALL the Union discussion that has been debated on this site has been started by those that were wrong in the points they made. I am sick of hearing of things like SB5, as that is just a subversive way of creating an underclasss to serve all you (it amazes me how you all will quickly support not honoring union contracts but if you mention dumping miss Judy, then all of sudden we can't because she has a CONTRACT) and i believe in honoring agreements. If the City negotiates poorly, then fire the idiots who got the bad contract. After all, i recall saying on here MANY times how my plan involves cutting staff by 30%. does that sound like a mindless union supporter Bill? I dare you to say it does!!! The problem is that you all WANT the underclass I spoke of. You are just too gutless to admit it!!! You see, I am sane. I am also a conservative, but a sane conservative. I am someone who uses logic to decide issues, rather than personal gain like most of you. I sometimes decide that the right side of an issue is one that I personally don't like and doesn't suit me. Guns are a good example. I am a major supporter of gun rights yet dislike guns and have never owned one. It is about right and wrong NOT about what I want. I dare say that the issue here is really about who is an adult and who is not. I suggest that most of you are not adults and are just whiny, selfish little kids in old bodies. boy, the ME generation is certainly a bunch of disappointments by my standard. |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 6:50am
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Irisner:
"I read the post....How much should someone like the position in question make? I am just sick of all your mindless bitching. If it had been a 50K job, you still would have whined" THE COMPLAINT IS ABOUT THE SALARY PAID FOR THIS JOB THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY TAKE A PhD TO DO. THE COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS POSITION IS OVER-PRICED (SIPERINTENDENT SALARY LEVEL IN SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS) AND WAS FILLED BY A PERSON WHO IS WAY OVERQUALIFIED. BOTTOM LINE...THE SCHOOLS PAID TOO MUCH FOR THIS PERSON WITH OUR TAX MONEY. THOUGHT MONEY WAS TIGHT IN THE DISTRICT??? NOT THE WAY THEY THROW IT AROUND SOMETIMES. Irisner: "ALL the Union discussion that has been debated on this site has been started by those that were wrong in the points they made." EXPLAIN HOW WE WERE WRONG SO WE CAN RESPOND. Irisner: "I am sick of hearing of things like SB5, as that is just a subversive way of creating an underclasss to serve all you (it amazes me how you all will quickly support not honoring union contracts but if you mention dumping miss Judy, then all of sudden we can't because she has a CONTRACT) and i believe in honoring agreements" YOUR STATEMENT COMES RIGHT OUT OF THE UNION TEXTBOOK. COMMENT WAS MADE MANY TIMES DURING THE DEBATE AND VOTING OF SB5. THE PRO SB5 PEOPLE, INCLUDING ME, LOOKED AT IT ANOTHER WAY INSTEAD OF "THE CREATION OF AN UNDERCLASS". IT WAS TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD IN NEGOTIATIONS AND TO RELIEF THE SITUATION WE ARE IN NOW WHERE THE UNIONS HAVE, OVER THE YEARS, WORKED UP TO AN UNREALISTIC ADVANTAGE IN CONTRACT TALKS AND HAVE GOTTEN WAAYYYY TOO GREEDY, EVEN IN ECONOMIC HARD TIMES. Irisner: "If the City negotiates poorly, then fire the idiots who got the bad contract" IF I COULD, I'D GO DOWN TO CITY HALL TODAY AND FIRE THE WHOLE LOT OF THEM, STARTING WITH THE CITY MANAGER AND ALL THE DIRECTORS AND REPLACE THEM WITH COMPETENT PEOPLE. A COUNCIL MADE UP OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ON THIS FORUM COULD DO THAT. THIS WOULD BE THE START TO IMPROVE THE CITY IMO. Irisner: "The problem is that you all WANT the underclass I spoke of. You are just too gutless to admit it!!!" HELL IRISNER, WE ARE THE UNDERCLASS!!!! NONE OF US ARE HARDLY ELITISTS. Irisner: "You see, I am sane. I am also a conservative, but a sane conservative. I am someone who uses logic to decide issues, rather than personal gain like most of you" PERSONAL GAIN????? WHAT "PERSONAL GAIN"? HOW ARE ANY OF US REAPING PERSONAL GAIN ON THIS? WE ALL WANT TO SEE THIS TOWN AND IT'S PEOPLE PROSPER. DO YOU THINK IT IS PROSPEROUS UNDER THE CURRENT LEADERSHIP? Irisner: "It is about right and wrong NOT about what I want" EXACTLY!!!!! IT IS ABOUT RIGHT AND WRONG. THE CITY LEADERS THINK THEY ARE RIGHT. WE HERE ON THIS FORUM THINK THEY ARE WRONG. THE DATA SUPPLIED BY MS. MOON, MR. PRESTA, ACCLARO AND OTHERS DO NOT LIE. THE POSTS ARE SUPPORTED BY DATA FROM VARIOUS SOURCES. NOT DEBATABLE, YET, WE HAVE PEOPLE WHO GET ON HERE (PROBABLY PLANTED BY THE CITY OR JUST GULLIBLE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE EVERYTHING THE CITY SAYS- WHO KNOWS) WHO TRY THEIR BEST TO THROW FLAK AND CONFUSION ON THE ISSUES DISCUSSED. WE ALL WANT A NICE CITY TO LIVE IN. ONE WITH COMPETENCE IN IT'S OPERATION AND ONE WHO TRIES TO GOVERN FOR ALL PEOPLE. WE DON'T HAVE THAT IRISNER. IT WAS LIKE THAT 40 YEARS AGO. TIMES CHANGE. ELECTED/HIRED PEOPLE CHANGE. UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SOME UNSCRUPULUS PEOPLE WITH NO MORAL FIBER RUNNING THINGS. THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY THAT WANT WHAT THE CITY LEADERS WANT. MOST WOULD LIKE THE CITY TO CHANGE DIRECTIONS, DEMONSTRATE COMPETENT LEADERSHIP AND SHOW SOME PROGRESS. Irisner: "I dare say that the issue here is really about who is an adult and who is not. I suggest that most of you are not adults and are just whiny, selfish little kids in old bodies" AND THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IN PEOPLE IRISNER. YOU LOOK AT US AS THE WHINY LITTLE KIDS WHO ARE NOT ADULTS BECAUSE WE HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE, SCRUTINIZE THEIR ACTIVITIES, QUESTION THEIR ABILITIES TO OPERATE THIS CITY IN A COMPETENT MANNER AND ARE NOT HAPPY WITH MOST OF THEIR WORK. I (WE), LOOK AT THE CITY LEADERS AND THEIR DECISIONS MADE ONLY FOR THEIR FRIENDS, THEIR INSISTENCE IN KEEPING CITY MATTERS AWAY FROM THE PEOPLE, THEIR TUNNEL FOCUSED AGENDA DETERIMINED BY THE MMF, WHO ARE CALLING THE SHOTS HERE, AND THEIR EXCLUSIONARY HABITS AS THE "SELFISH LITTLE KIDS IN OLD BODIES". THEY INSIST THAT IT BE THEIR WAY AND WANT NO FEEDBACK FROM ANYONE OUTSIDE THE INNER CIRCLE REALM. THEY ARE THE CHILDREN HERE BECAUSE THEY INSIST ON NOT SHARING THE SHOVEL AND PAIL IN THE SANDBOX. Irisner: "boy, the ME generation is certainly a bunch of disappointments by my standard" IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE 60'S CROWD AS THE ME GENERATION I BELIEVE YOU ARE MISTAKEN. WE ARE THE BABY BOOMERS......THE GENERATION THAT QUESTIONED EVERYTHING THE GOVERNMENT DID, NOT TRUSTING ANYONE "OVER 30". REMEMBER? THE GENERATIONS AFTER US WERE PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IN THE "ME" DEPARTMENT. WE ARE JUST CONTINUING THAT DISTRUST AS WE REALLY HAVE A REASON IN THIS TOWN, BASED ON THEIR TRACK RECORD, TO DISTRUST ALL THAT THEY DO. THEY SCREW UP EVERYTHING THEY TOUCH AND, INCREDIBLY, THEY STILL INSIST THAT IT BE THEIR WAY. FOOLS NEVER LEARN. |
Posted By: Smartman
Date Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 8:57am
| I agree with lrisner. This blog is full of bitchers and whiners. Nobody does anything right and you all have all the answers. AS I HAVE SAID TIME AND TIME AGAIN....QUIT BITCHING AND GET INVOLVED IF YOU HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. YOU ALL HAVE ALL THE EXCUSES IN THE WOLD AS TO NOT GET INVOLVED. FOR THE TIME YOU SPEND ON THIS BLOG YOU COULD HAVE GOTTEN INVOLVED. THERE IS A NUMBER OF POSITIVES BEGINNING TO TAKE PLACE BUT OH WAIT......YOU ALL WEAR BLINDERS AND CONNOY SEE GOOD TTHINGS. JUST A BUNCE OF OLD BITCHERS AND WHINERS! |
Posted By: VietVet
Date Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 10:37am
SO EVERYTHING THE CITY DOES IS OK WITH YOU AND IRISNER? IS THIS WHAT YOU ARE IMPLYING? SERIOUSLY? GIVEN THE CONDITION OF THIS TOWN, THE RAMPANT FAILURES SINCE THE 70'S, THE CURRENT STATE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH REPEATED REMINDERS OF THE POOR TEST SCORES, AK, BLACK CLAWSON AND OTHERS LEAVING TOWN WITH COMPANIES COMING INTO TOWN AT A MUCH LESSER RATE. THE ROAD SITUATION, THE DECAYING INFRASTRUCTURE, THE REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS TO DATE THAT HAVE NOT EXACTLY BEEN EPIC IN THEIR OUTCOME, THE LOW INTEREST VERSUS THE PROJECTED INTEREST IN CINCY STATE COMING TO TOWN, THE ARTS COMMUNITY BEING THE "SAVIOR" OF THE DOWNTOWN......DESPITE ALL OF THIS, YOU ARE STILL DEFENDERS OF THE FAITH? YOU ARE ALWAYS MENTIONING "GETTING INVOLVED".... KNOWING THAT CITY LEADERSHIP ONLY LETS IN "FRIENDS OF THE CITY" WITH THEIR "PRIVATE CLUB" MENTALITY, EXACTLY HOW ARE THE REGULAR CITIZENS SUPPOSE TO "GET INVOLVED"? PLEASE SHOW US FOLKS WHO ARE "OUT OF THE LOOP" HOW TO DO THIS WHEN THE RELUCTANCE IS ON THE PART OF THE CITY AS TO A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PEOPLE. "POSITIVES BEGINNING TO TAKE PLACE"......AGAIN, WITH THE CITY TRACK RECORD OF FAILED INITIATIVES, EVEN YOU, THE STAUNCH DEFENDERS OF THE CITY", MUST BE GRITTING YOUR TEETH, WONDERING HOW ALL THIS WILL TURN OUT, GIVEN ALL THE PREVIOUS FAILURES. WE "ALL WEAR BLINDERS" ?????? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING. ON THE CONTRARY.....IT IS THE CITY SUPPORTERS WHO ARE IN DENIAL AS TO WHAT IS TRANSPIRING AROUND THEM. HOW BAD DOES IT HAVE TO GET BEFORE YOU FOLKS WILL ADMIT THAT IT IS "GETTING AS BAD AS IT COULD GET"? GOOD LORD PEOPLE, LOOK AROUND YOU AND SEE THE TRUTH. MERCY! |
Posted By: spiderjohn
Date Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 11:41am
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man o man--y'all get yer panties twisted over the most egotistical bs. smartman--u have been involved for a long time between the old and current administrations. u r a nice involved guy, still what have you really accomplicshed by playing within the system? as long as u tow the line, u r welcome and a good soldier. even though yer wife is in the system, u r still outside their loop, only used when/where the system wants 2 use u. If u r happy that way, I am also happy that way. u r a good man irisner is somewhat accurate, though also very much a part of the "ME" generation. local unions are often as "ME" as it can get, damn everyone else and the consequences. as a businessman, I have to be about "ME" more than ever, though it surely seems that I am more about everyone else, and everyone else getting a piece of me. There has 2 b a balance out there somewhere, though I can't figger out where it might b. Calling regulars here complainers and whiners is all too cheep and easy, convenient and self-satisying the "chosen ones".. There is a lot of material on this site that isvery accurate, with many concerns being genuine quit talking down 2 everyone--I know u--y'all aren't that smart/gifted.. Where is MMF? What r they doing--with our $75,000 that they had 2 have immediately? R they really serving the public? Or only serving their egos and city Admin's money fund maze? How has public safety tax revenue been used, and how will it be used in the future? How much could b saved by contracting out EMS? Drawbacks? Art and restaurants clearly haven't brought back the former downtown area. Was threr Fri.evening--did not see one person make a purchase @ Pendleton. At the Square was rocking though. Beau Verre--not so much. Hopefully C St will add to the mix, however it looks to be a long time coming. What else?
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Posted By: Bocephus
Date Posted: Aug 06 2012 at 1:36pm
| Spider who has the money these days to buy anything like art only thing that hasn't went up lately is my pay. |
Posted By: lrisner
Date Posted: Aug 20 2012 at 3:57am
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Vet, I am is so much agreement with the city Leadership that I am very much considering leaving Middletown REGARDLESS of the hit I would have to take on the house I own. Does that sound like someone loving what city government is doing? Of course not. I simply do believe what I said. Most on here let personal gain OR emotions to guide their comments and not logic or reason. I apologize if that offends you. i believe with all the sincerity that i can muster. |
Posted By: Mike_Presta
Date Posted: Aug 20 2012 at 4:50am
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Iris: I don't suppose that you'd care to quote some of these supposed things that I've proposed or supported that would result in my "personal gain" and cite the source, would you??? Oh...that's right...you can't, can you??? ------------- “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: John Beagle
Date Posted: Aug 20 2012 at 11:04am
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Here goes another expensive round of Apple products purchasing.
------------- http://www.johnbeagle.com/" rel="nofollow - John Beagle Middletown USA News of, for and by the people of Middletown, Ohio. |