DarkeCountyView.com

Harry Reid

House leaders have concluded they cannot change a divisive abortion provision in President Barack Obama’s health care bill and will try to pass the sweeping legislation without the support of ardent anti-abortion Democrats.

A break on abortion would remove a major obstacle for Democratic leaders in the final throes of a yearlong effort to change health care in the United States. But it sets up a risky strategy of trying to round up enough Democrats to overcome, not appease, a small but possibly decisive group of Democratic lawmakers in the House.

Democratic leaders are working to rally rank-and-file members around last-minute agreements on several sticking points, health insurance taxes and prescription drug coverage among them, and dozens of other complicated issues — all as Republicans stand ready to oppose the overhaul en masse.

I think my dog would take a bite...

You can have your companion animal’s picture taken with Easter Bunny on March 27 at Wal-Mart in Greenville from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids are welcome to be in the photos also.

When you present this card and your prescription to a participating pharmacy, you pay either the discounted or the pharmacy’s retail price, whichever is lower. Your card can be used often as needed.

If you don’t have health insurance, or need medicine not covered by your insurance plan, you need the FamilyWize prescription drug discount card being distributed by Darke County United Way. The cards help residents save money on prescription costs.  Darke County United Way is providing these cards free-of-charge to everyone in our community. There are not age restrictions, income restrictions, or a limit on how many times you can use the card.

“Healthcare costs are one of the top concerns for people in our community,” said Lauren Henry, Executive Director of Darke County United Way  “Many adults don’t buy the medicine they need, have difficulty affording it or reduce the required dosage because of the high cost. The FamilyWize prescription drug discount cards will help individuals and families who otherwise could not afford to buy the medicine they need.  Too many people have insufficient coverage, no prescription coverage or need medications not covered by their benefit plans.”

People with Internet access can go to www.FamilyWize.org to print a card, look up drug prices, and get a list of participating pharmacies.

03/16         Dining with Diabetes, 11:00am-2:30pm, OSUE Learning Center (must pre-register)

03/16         Final Mandatory 4-H Club Update, 7:00pm, OSUE Learning Center

03/18         4-H County Committee, 7:00pm, OSUE Learning Center

03/20         4-H Workshop: The First H: Head – Website Development, 10:00am, OSUE Learning Center (must pre-register)

03/22         Quality Assurance Test Out, 7:00pm, OSUE Learning Center (must pre-register)

03/23         4-H Camp Counselors, 7:00pm, OSUE Learning Center

For more information, please call 937.548.5215 or email dark@cfaes.osu.edu.

That woman in the back there bowled a 267. Wow.

I just spent an hour watching 12 people over the age of 70 compete in a Wii Bowling Tournament at our local retirement community, and I think I love that idea more than anything I’ve run into in the last, say, 15 minutes.

This started in 2009. Somebody donated a Wii to the Brethren Retirement Community here in Greenville, which comes with a Wii Sports disc. On that disc is Wii Bowling, and these septua- to nonagenarians (70-90 year olds, as their oldest player is 92) have really gotten into it.

I saw a woman bowl a 267 today. She missed ONE PIN. That means that out of 12 possible strikes, she got 11. That blows my mind. I can barely break 100.

I think what I like about this the most is that Nintendo has done something really extraordinary. For the last 30 or so years, technology has been in this realm where if you’re past a certain age, it is more than likely beyond your comprehension. My parents still get calls from my grandparents about which remote goes to which machine. And here, Nintendo has created a system that is so advanced, and yet so simple, that someone who was born in 1918 can utilize it in a social setting. That’s amazing. That’s frikkin’ magical, man. I thought that my parents playing Mario Kart on the N64 was as good as it was going to get, but I have never been so glad to be wrong.

This tournament was just a local one, with 5 teams. In the fall, the League is expanding to include the entire Miami Valley, which is 17 counties. Every retirement community that wishes can get involved, and some have more than one team. We’ll just round that out to an even 20 teams, possibly more or less.

Each of those 20-ish teams is filled with people who witnessed the Great Depression, and are using a Japanese machine to get together and have a bowling tournament on a flat screen TV the size of a picture window.

I love “the Now”.

Cutting me a fresh sliver of tongue...yum!

On Saturday I went out to Shawnee Prairie for the Maple Syrup Festival/Tour. I heard that approx. 537 people made it to the waffle breakfast. I thought that was great and wished I could have been there as well. However, we did get to take the tour to see how maple syrup is collected and processed. The kids and myself learned so much and the morning was so sunny and almost warm.

The syrup was delicious, but at the end of the tour we all went to the log cabin and had some tongue (pickled and regular). That was my first time I had even tried tongue, and I must admit, it was not bad at all, actually tasted like tender pot roast. The kids even liked it.

I guess the lesson here is, never hurts to try something new. You may even enjoy it and even have a great topic to blog about.

Click here to head over to advocate360.org’s video gallery to see clips from the maple syrup tour.

It is a relief to see such a compassionate individual working at the Darke County Animal Shelter. Duane Sanning cares for each and every pooch in the pound. Most dogs that end up there don’t find a home, but at least they are treated like they deserve to be.

So many times you hear or see abused dogs, this breaks my heart! I love dogs and wish I could give them all a home, but I feel better knowing Duane is out there giving these lost pups all the love he can…thanks for all you do!

Read this touching story

Ohio’s 8th Congressional District is one of the largest agricultural districts in the Buckeye State. It boasts more than 5,400 farms growing grains, produce and raising livestock on nearly 1 million acres.  Each year, I host Farm Forum to bring together experts from different sectors of the agriculture community for a discussion of ideas impacting this vital industry. This year’s forum will feature a panel discussion of renewable fuels and energy, commodity prices and the overall state of agriculture.

The 2010 8th Congressional District Farm Forum will be held on Saturday, March 13, 2010, at Edison Community College in Piqua from 10 am to 1 pm. Registration opens at 9:30 am.

This year’s keynote speaker will be Congressman Frank Lucas, Ranking Member on the House Agriculture Committee. Congressman Lucas represents Oklahoma’s Third Congressional District, which encompasses 32 counties in northern and western Oklahoma. Stretching from the Oklahoma panhandle to parts of Tulsa, and from Yukon to Altus in the southwest, the district takes up almost half of the state’s land mass and is one of the largest agricultural regions in the nation. As a lifelong farmer and a 1982 graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in Agricultural Economics, Congressman Lucas has been a crusader for the American farmer since being sworn in to Congress in 1995.

Lunch at this year’s Farm Forum will be provided by the Ohio Cattlemen’s Association.

Go to the Photo Gallery to see pictures from last year’s event. And check back often – more information about Farm Forum will be posted! To register, call my office toll-free 800-582-1001 or click here to fill out form.

Kings Island is unleashing yet another animal! The astronomical Planet Snoopy joins the monstrous Diamondback roller coaster in delivering world-class thrills for the entire family.

The all-new Planet Snoopy boasts an elaborate collection of PEANUTS-themed rides and attractions for every age, including more kids’ roller coasters (four) than any other amusement park in the world.  Planet Snoopy will also feature a live stage show, “Charlie Brown’s Hoedown,” and daily meet and greet opportunities with PEANUTS characters such as Charlie Brown, Linus, Lucy and the world’s most famous beagle, Snoopy.

“PEANUTS are an international icon,” Kings Island’s vice president and general manager Greg Scheid said. “Snoopy and his pals are instantly recognizable among children and adults alike.  We’re excited to have the PEANUTS Gang as part of the world-class thrills, fun and family entertainment for our guests.”

Elsewhere in the park, speed junkies can get their fix on Diamondback, the tallest, fastest and meanest roller coaster to ever strike Kings Island.  Standing 230 feet tall at its highest point, riders on Diamondback snake their way around 5,282 feet of track at speeds up to 80 mph!  The $22 million steel coaster opened to rave reviews in 2009, giving more than 1.8 million thrilling rides in its debut season.

Kings Island opens for weekend operation April 17 (the park is closed to the public April 18).  Daily operation begins May 21.

Discount tickets and season passes can be purchased online at www.visitkingsisland.com

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Jeff Patrick of Bradford Schools

I went to the Boomtown meeting Thursday night at Mississinawa Valley School, and there was so much information on alternative energy to absorb.

I’m not technically inclined, but a lot of things that were said make sense and could save us many, many dollars…if we can afford to purchase the needed equipment.

Union City’s city and school’s wind turbines were discussed as were solar panels at Bradford schools. What I found especially intriguing was Rob Lykins’ talk on his business, PCI, which finds efficient, economic ways to run a vehicle.

I also enjoyed listening to Jeff Patrick’s spiel on solar energy at Bradford Schools and it sounds like they made the right decision there.

I also lately got to hear Jean Young, interim director of Family Health, speak on the green that goes on there at that facility.

Like I said before, it would be nice if we could get the right kind of energy-efficient “tools” needed to lower costs on everyday living, but what is it going to cost to get that far?

I hope those making the right decisions think it over first.

I think it was Jeff Patrick who mentioned that the Ohio Department of Development has grants to offer. That would help with the financing of many of these projects.

Susan Magoteaux learned that she has another family…her biological family in Dayton. The rural Arcanum woman, who works at a medical imaging company in Dayton, was shook up when she got a call last year from a brother who was looking for her.

She spent a weekend “in a fog” after getting the news and was visited by two brothers at her work the following Monday. They invited her to a family get-together and she chose to go.

Susan, who has always known she was adopted, has now met all of her family and enjoys visiting with them.

I’m so glad she is having good luck in her “new” life.

If I were in her shoes, I don’t know if I would have done the same thing. But, that’s easy for me to say because I was not adopted.

I enjoy watching “The Locater” on television, and have found out  there are so many issues you can run into. Maybe one of the two parties (child or parent) don’t want a reunion. You just don’t know in this day and age what you may run across. I’m sure Susan got lucky and I hope everything works out well for her.

I enjoy interviewing her and doing the story. I like those kinds of things.

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AP Photo

Trainers will continue to work with a killer whale that grabbed one of their colleagues and dragged her underwater, killing her, but SeaWorld said Thursday it is reviewing its procedures.

People lined up to get into the Orlando park a day after the whale named Tilikum killed veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau as a horrified audience watched. Tilikum had been involved in two previous deaths, including a Canadian trainer dragged under water by him and two others whales in 1991.

Killer whale shows are suspended indefinitely in Orlando and at the park’s San Diego location.

“Many people are asking about the future care of Tilikum, the whale involved in the incident,” the blog post said. “We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change.”

Chuck Tompkins, who is in charge of training at all SeaWorld parks, said Thursday that Tilikum will not be isolated from Orlando location’s seven other whales. He fathered some of them and will continue to mate with others.

“We want him to continue to be part of that social group,” he said.

Trainers will review safety procedures and change them as needed, but Tompkins says he doesn’t expect much about the killer whale shows to change.

Brancheau, 40, was rubbing Tilikum from a poolside platform when the 12,000-pound creature reached up, grabbed her long braid in its mouth and dragged her underwater.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday that trainers trying to help her could not get into the water because Tilikum was so aggressive. They had to coax him into a smaller pool and raise him out of the water on a platform before they could free her.

She likely died from multiple traumatic injuries and drowning, the medical examiner’s office said.

Horrified visitors who had stuck around after a noontime show watched Tilikum charge through the pool with Brancheau in his jaws.

Tompkins said the whale was lying in front of Brancheau when her braid swung in front of him and he apparently grabbed onto it.

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