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Perhaps the City of Cuyahoga Falls should have heeded this classic advice from “The Odd Couple” while hammering out details of the financial arrangements to redevelop the old State Road Shopping Center property.

The financial arrangements involved forging an agreement between the City and the Cuyahoga Falls Board of Education to reallocate property tax dollars to help fund the acquisition, demolition, and site preparation of the shopping center to allow for the proposed Portage Crossing development to proceed. The project entails replacing the 50-year-old shopping center with new construction for retail and other use.

The progress on Portage Crossing ground to a halt a couple of weeks ago when the school board rejected the proposed agreement to reallocate property tax dollars between itself and the city. After negotiations and adding some assurances for the school board, the two groups came to an agreement on splitting the property tax revenue Portage Crossing should generate once the project is developed.

One comment from Cuyahoga Falls Mayor Don Robart made me shudder – saying that the Cuyahoga Falls Board of Education held the project hostage:

“It’s unfortunate that the School Board held the project hostage for a couple weeks…”

With all due respect, Mayor Robart, excuse me?

Perhaps the city should have examined possible missteps on its part before pointing fingers at the school board.

It appears to me that the city assumed that the school board would just “rubber stamp” the agreement to reallocate property tax revenue between itself and the city. The school board was correct to say “wait a minute”, review the agreement, and work with the city to make sure the agreement was in the best interests of everyone involved.

Don’t get me wrong – I want the proposed Portage Crossing project to proceed – and succeed. But I also give the school board credit for having the political courage to slow things down a little and make sure the agreement is in everyone’s best interest.

A public entity making sure an agreement involving tax dollars is in the best interest of its constituents is not and should not be characterized as holding a project hostage. The Cuyahoga Falls Board of Education did its job – and did it well – in this case.

The last few years, I’ve tried to stay away from the media coverage of the anniversary of 9/11. It was too painful to watch – seeing the events hashed and rehashed over and over and over – the same angles, the same video, the same stories. From 2002 until 2008, each year, I made it a point to stay away from TV and radio and online news coverage from 9/10 through 9/12 – I put myself on a self-imposed media blackout each year.

I don’t think anyone should ever forget 9/11 – I just don’t want to be constantly reminded of it – it feels like once a year, the healing scab on the world’s collective psyche gets pulled away and the bleeding starts anew.

Since a lot of people are sharing this today, I will share the “where were you?” story about 9/11.

Trish and I had been married a little more than a year. We lived out in Bremerton, Washington, about an hour’s ferry ride west of Seattle. A couple of weeks before, we had found out that Trish was pregnant with Emma-Grace. A couple of weeks later, we would make the major life decision to leave Washington State and move to Ohio.

It was three hours earlier in Washington – in the Pacific time zone. It was still dark outside – about a quarter to six. I was waiting at the bus stop near my house – I took a bus to the ferry terminal in Bremerton – then took the ferry to Seattle. It made for a long commute.

I was standing at the bus stop with another guy. He had his headphones on – and suddenly he pulled them off and told me, “a plane just crashed into the World Trade Center”. I just shook my head in disbelief. We got on the bus. On the ferry, the discussion of the attacks built to a crescendo. Passengers were huddled in two corners of the cabin watching portable TVs showing coverage of the attacks. I just sat speechless and was numb.

I got to work in downtown Seattle at The Domain Group – but I’m guessing no work got done that day. Most of the people were either at their workspaces speechless and in disbelief or ducking in and out of the main conference room, where TV coverage of the attacks was being shown. Dan Lewis and Kathy Goertzen of KOMO-TV 4 were on the screen anchoring the Seattle-based coverage – alternating with ABC’s network coverage of the attacks.

After I got back to my office, I tried calling Trish – but the cell and landline phone networks were jammed and it took a couple of hours to reach her. By 12 noon, the decision had been made to send everyone home for the day. I got on the ferry that afternoon – which seemed to take forever to board due to the new impromptu security checks being made by the Washington state troopers. And when I finally got back to Bremerton that day and saw Trish, we had one of the longest hugs we had ever shared.

Eight years later, the 9/11 attacks leave me with a cauldron of emotions: mostly sadness and anger. Sadness that thousands of people died that day. Anger that an opportunity to galvanize the nation, galvanize the world was pissed away by inept and self-serving politicians. Anger and sadness that these politicians have used the 9/11 attacks as an excuse to introduce wanton invasions of personal privacy in the name of security. Anger that 9/11 is still used as an excuse to frequently and unnecessarily extend the hand of “big brother”. Anger that I can’t even go to the airport anymore without being subjected to the “security theater” put on by the TSA and practically having to endure a full body cavity search to get past the gate at the airport and onto the plane. Anger that 9/11 was the de facto end of having a “loyal opposition” in US politics – and started a period of many politicians equating disagreement with disloyalty; it still lingers today even nine months after the departure of George W. Bush.

What happened on 9/11 was a tragic but necessary “wake-up call” in many ways for the United States – and for the rest of the world. I just wish its aftermath would have been more of a collective learning experience than an excuse for a political power grab and justification to erode personal privacy and civil liberties.

I am a great fan of the Kent State Golden Flashes. I’m a second-generation graduate of Kent State. I graduated from there in 1988 and have followed the Golden Flashes since I was a kid. But what I’m about to suggest may tick off some fellow Kent State fans:

This morning’s story on the Daily Kent Stater’s web site about Kent State’s football team being picked to finish last in their division of the MAC got me thinking again about the continued viability of Kent State University fielding a football team at its current level of competition in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly called Division I-A).

For a while, I’ve questioned the wisdom of Kent State University sustaining a football team at the FBS level. Given the continued futility that Kent State has had on the gridiron, I don’t think it’s a good decision in terms of stewardship or competitiveness to maintain a top-level NCAA football program. Kent State University would be better-served by either ditching football entirely – or moving to a lower NCAA level of competition (perhaps the old Division I-AA, now called the Football Championship Subdivision or FCS).

I think that Kent State can maintain top-flight, competitive programs at the NCAA Division I level in football – or basketball – but not both. Given the Golden Flashes’ success in basketball the last couple of decades, the university’s resources should emphasize building an even stronger program in hoops.

Fans of the Kent State football team can count on one hand the number of successful seasons the team has had during the last four decades. When I attended Kent State in the mid-80s, it was a repeated exercise in gridiron futility and frustration following the football team.

Perhaps the Golden Flashes can field a FCS independent squad in football – and a basketball team in one of the “mid-major” hoops-only conferences. I think Kent State could do well in the Horizon League – could have a natural neighborhood rivalry with Cleveland State – and have healthy competition with teams such as Butler and Valparaiso.

If Kent State would choose this “Extreme Athletic Makeover” for its sports teams, it wouldn’t be the first time the university has taken bold steps for its athletic program. Twenty-one years ago this fall, then-president Michael Schwartz disbanded the university’s mens ice hockey team after an alcohol-related hazing incident in which all but four team members were involved. It was a strong statement to constituencies inside and outside the university.

Kent State University should closely examine how the resources of its athletic department are used and look at all the mens and womens sports programs that are fielded. I think an impartial look at the sports programs would conclude that the university’s resources would be better used by downsizing its football program and having it compete at a lower NCAA level – and pouring more resources into its successful basketball program.

The university should engage in such an examination for the good of the athletic program, student-athletes, students, alumni, community, and the other constituencies involved. It would be a painful decision to back down on football – but I think it would be a good stewardship decision on the part of the university. As Michael Schwartz’s decision did in 1988, reallocating how the university allocates resources to its athletic teams would send a strong message about the priorities of Kent State University.

…a friend of mine replied to my concerns about more schools instituting mandatory summer reading programs. The high school from which I graduated has assigned summer reading – for incoming freshmen all the way to those who’ll be seniors. Students are expected to take notes on this reading and complete at the beginning of the school year assignments based on this summer reading. The friend replied jokingly that “reading and writing” were over-rated.

I said in my original Twitter post that required summer reading programs in schools violate the boundaries between “school” and “home”. While I understand the rationale for such required reading, I think it dampens the whole concept of students having a “summer break”. Students shouldn’t have school work hanging over their heads during this time.

If schools want academic accountability for work assigned during the summer – they shouldn’t be telling students early June through late August is “summer break”. They should just keep the kids in school during this time. For a while, I’ve thought that schools across the board should go to a full-year schedule. Here’s why:

1) The original intent of having a summer break from school was so children could assist with farming on the family fields. Since farming has turned mostly into a full-time profession with paid workers in the fields – for virtually all families, this is a moot point.

2) Year-round school has the potential to increase retention of material learned – and lessen the need to review at the beginning of each academic year. More could be learned in an academic year or those needing help could get the assistance they need.

3) Year-round school would remove a major burden from parents in terms of childcare and simply wondering “what to do?” for their children during summer breaks.

4) Finally, I think that having school year-round would mirror the way most adults have to work year-round – and don’t take a three-month break in summer. It has the potential to instill a better sense of “work ethic” in students.

Do I see this happening any time soon? No. I know most students won’t initially like it but they don’t have much say in these matters. I have a feeling the most resistance might come from unions representing teachers.

UPDATE: Yay! Condo association backs down, drops threat of fine, says it was ‘a misunderstanding’. The Ganos say they are planning to move despite reversal. 5/18/09 18:30 -bkh

Master Sgt. Richard Gano Jr. is a career soldier who served in Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He was injured twice during the latter tour and once during the former. MSG Gano now serves stateside at Fort Knox in Kentucky. His son served in the Army. And his father, Richard Sr., was a drill instructor in the Army.

During each of MSG Gano’s first two tours of duty, his mother, Marlene Gano, put a Blue Star Flag in the window of the home she and Richard Sr. share. The first two times she put out the flag, she didn’t catch any flak from her neighbors.

Three years ago, they moved into a condominium near Canton, OH – and again put the Blue Star Flag in their window to honor their son’s military service. This time, one of the neighbors, Judy Clark, complained to the condo owners association (she is now acting president of the association). Now Richard Sr. and Marlene Gano are being threatened with a $50 per day fine if they don’t remove the flag from their window.

When I read about this, my reaction could be best described as ‘livid’ – and just confirms what I’ve thought for a long time about homeowners associations – that they tend to consist of a bunch of busybodies with no lives who relish opportunities to be nosy neighbors and like to cause other people trouble.

I have vowed to never live in a place where I’d have to be under the thumb of a homeowners association. I have read and heard too many stories about nosy neighbors and draconian rules.

While I can understand keeping some semblance of uniformity in a planned community – it’s ludicrous to deny the parents of a distinguished soldier the chance to express pride in their son’s service to his country by hanging a small flag inside a window. If this involved the grass growing out of control or painting the outside of the condo chartreuse or planting a missile silo in the front yard, I could see a valid concern here.

To close, I have just four words for the Central Commons Condo Owners Association: “Give ‘em a break!”

In the late 80s and early 90s, when I was a news photographer at WJTV-TV 12 in Jackson, Mississippi, Frank Melton owned “the competition” in town, WLBT-TV 3. He went on to become mayor of Jackson during the last four years – and made quite a splash in such a short time.

Frank Melton died earlier today at a Jackson hospital; he had been battling heart problems for a while. He was 60 years old and passed away with his family at his side.

I remember meeting Frank Melton long ago while I was out on a story. I shook his hand and talked with him briefly. I remember him as having a lot of the qualities I admire about Southerners: grace, politeness, class. Even though we were competitors in “the biz”, I had a tremendous amount of respect for him.

What I admired most about Mr. Melton was that he never “waffled” – you knew where he stood no matter what the subject was. Whether it was calling drug dealers “scum and swine” or addressing any other topic – he spoke his mind, regardless of the political correctness of his views. I especially enjoyed watching him give his opinions on-air in his commentary segments called “The Bottom Line”. In a media universe where so many people sugar-coat their opinions to make them palatable to as many people as possible, Frank Melton gave his views straight. And many people appreciated the frankness (no pun intended).

If a classic song could sum up Frank Melton’s life, it would be Frank Sinatra’s “I Did It My Way”.

God’s speed, Mr. Melton; and thanks for being yourself. My thoughts and prayers are with you, your family, your extended family, your political colleagues, and your former colleagues at WLBT.

Early this morning, I channel-surfed onto the latest “Saturday Night Live” and happened upon the “Weekend Update” segment. As they’ve done in prior weeks, they had a bit during the segment with someone playing NY Gov. David Paterson. As they’ve also done before, they chose again this week to poke fun at the fact Gov. Paterson is blind.

When the Gov. Paterson bit started and I realized that it was going to be the same type of ridicule of him they’d done before, I changed the channel. It made me want to vomit.

There’s a fine line between satire and cruelty – and SNL clearly crossed it the last time they poked fun at Gov. Paterson. A number of organizations decried the December SNL skit about Gov. Paterson as ridiculing the blind and others with disabilities. Even the governor wasn’t amused and issued a statement denouncing the portrayal. You figure the creative staff @ SNL would have gotten the message the first time.

Last night’s sketch is clear evidence that they didn’t get the message. Their choice to still ridicule Gov. Paterson shows a marked lack of sensitivity to him – and to everyone else with disabilities. This is the lowest I’ve seen SNL stoop to in quite a long time.

I’ve thought for a while that SNL’s gone down a long road of lameness – this is just one of the stops on that road…

Not really; but this clip from “Bananas” with Fielding Mellish in the courtroom isn’t too far of a stretch of the imagination as to what now former IL Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in the senate today during his impeachment trial, during which he was removed from office.:

Blago’s opening statement (750 KB, 0:16)

I’m glad that the State of Illinois has put this joke of a politician out of its collective misery. Now they can once again focus on real issues affecting the state. Dare I say he even might have been more of a comic figure in the political arena than former OH Rep. Jim Traficant, slated to be released from federal prison next month and paroled this summer.