Archive for November 3rd, 2009
Avon Lake levies for classrooms, bus garage, football stadium pass
AVON LAKE — The Avon Lake school district got everything it hoped for Tuesday night. Voters approved both Issue 26 and Issue 27, paving the way for needed additional classrooms, a new bus garage and renovated football stadium. Issue 27, a 0.93-mill bond issue for additional classrooms, won by a vote of 4,732 to 3,222, [...]
Struggling Ohio opens doors to casinos
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters hard hit by the economic downturn have opened their state to casino gambling after an expensive campaign promising thousands of jobs. With 91 percent of precincts reporting unofficial results, Issue 3 passed 53 percent to 47 percent. It marked a significant victory for Penn National Gaming Inc. and Cleveland Cavaliers owner [...]
Layoffs and other cuts in store for Avon library after levies fail
AVON — Layoffs and other cuts will “absolutely” be in store for the Avon Branch Library after voters overwhelmingly rejected both a new operating levy for the library and bond issue for a new library. Issue 7, the levy, was rejected by a vote of 2,128 to 4,095, or 34.2 percent to 65.8 percent of [...]
Former prosecutor nervous watching son’s results come in
As he waited for word on whether his son, Jay Grunda, would become the next Elyria Municipal Court judge, former Lorain County Prosecutor Joe Grunda was nervous. When the elder Grunda was running for office he said he never worried, but his father always did. “Times change,” he said. “I became my father.”
Pat Riley cruises to victory in Lorain law director race
LORAIN — Pat Riley cruised to victory over Republican challenger Michael Scherach in the Lorain law director’s race. Riley, a Democrat, was named interim law director in April to replace former Law Director Mark Provenza, who resigned in March after being sent to jail for violating the conditions of his probation in his latest DUI [...]
AP calls Issue 3 in favor of casinos
The Associated Press has called Ohio’s Issue 3 casino issue for the yeses. With 85 percent of the state’s precincts reporting, Issue 3 was passing 1,386,957 (53 percent) to 1,211,831 (47 percent).
Audio clip: State Rep. Matt Lundy talks about Issue 3 and jobs for Ohio
The CT’s Bruce Bishop bumped into state Rep. Matt Lundy and talked to him about the casino issue. Lundy said he voted against Issue 3, but he knows Ohioans are hungry for any kind of jobs they can get right now. Listen to him in his own words: [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Avon voters reject 2 library levies; Oberlin passes; Grafton fails
Voters in Avon soundly defeated to library issues, one for library operation and one for construction of a new facility. The operating levy went down 4,019 (65.79%) to 2,090 (34.21%), and the construction levy went down 4,128 (67.76%) to 1,964 (32.24%), according to complete but unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections. A [...]
Casino issue getting closer as results pour in
Amendment 1 — Veterans Bonuses 7,429 of 10,317 precincts — 72 percent x-Yes, 1,560,134 — 72 percent No, 600,064 — 28 percent Amendment 2 — Livestock Regulations 7,381 of 10,317 precincts — 72 percent x-Yes, 1,412,539 — 64 percent No, 778,957 — 36 percent Amendment 3 — Permission for Casinos 7,529 of 10,317 precincts — [...]
Issue 4 sales tax voted down
Issue 4, the countywide half-percent sales tax hike, has been voted down. With 99.1 percent of precincts reporting, there were 47,014 no votes (57.75%) to 34,396 yes votes ( 42.25%).
Audio clip: Forrest Bullocks calls Issue 10 results devastating
Elyria Ward 2 Councilman Forrest Bullocks retained his seat, beating challenger Sandra Laubenthal 678 (67%) to 334 (33.00) but remained disheartened by the failure of Elyria’s Issue 10 income tax. “The victory is sweet, but the results of Issue 10 are devastating to me,” Bullocks said. “I hate to think about the cuts we’re going [...]
Issue 4 sales tax hike looks headed for defeat
Issue 4, the countywide half-percent sales tax hike looks headed for a sound defeat. With 81 percent of precincts reporting, there were 40,086 no votes (58.17%) to 28,825 (41.83%).
Ohio voters approve bonuses for veterans
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters have opened their wallets to veterans, easily approving bonuses of up to $1,000 for those who served in the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan or Iraq. Voters approved a constitutional amendment Tuesday authorizing $200 million in bonds to be issued to pay for the bonuses, which will amount to $100 a month up [...]
Audio clip: Mary Siwierka top vote-getter in Elyria Council at-large race
Mary Siwierka was elected to an Elyria City Council at-large seat, receiving the most votes, 6479, of the nine candidates. Also elected were Michael Lotko III with 5,955 votes, Thomas G. Callahan with 5,740 votes and Victor F. Stewart with 5,617 votes. Christopher Best, Rae Lynn Brady, Diane Lesesky, Ray Noble and Timothy Quinn lost. [...]
Republican Christie captures NJ governor’s seat
TRENTON, N.J. — Chris Christie, an aggressive former prosecutor who racked up a perfect conviction rate in public corruption cases and became the darling of New Jersey’s Republican Party establishment, has unseated the deep-pocketed but unpopular Gov. Jon Corzine. Christie, 47, on Tuesday became the first member of his party in a dozen years to [...]
Ohio voters approve livestock care board
COLUMBUS — Ohio voters have delivered a victory to large farm operators, approving a new industry-dominated board to oversee livestock care. With 45 percent of precincts reporting Tuesday, the issue was leading 65 percent to 35 percent. The measure was designed to thwart efforts of animal rights groups such as the Humane Society of the [...]
AP declares Ohio’s Issues 1 and 2 winners
The Associated Press has declared Ohio’s state Issues 1 and 2 winners. Issue 1 authorizes the state to borrow about $200 million to provide compensation for veterans, and Issue 2 will create a state Livestock Care Standards Board.
BREAKING NEWS: Elyria’s Issue 10 income tax fails
Issue 10, a half-percent income tax hike for the city of Elyria, failed with 7,777 no votes (59.13%) to 5,375 (40.87%), according to complete but unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections.
Audio clip: Elyria Schools levy passes
The Elyria Schools levy passed 8,022 (54.03%) to 6,826 (45.97%), according to results from the Lorain County Board of Elections. The levy is a 7.96-mill renewal levy that lasts for five years. Listen to Don Boddy, Elyria school board president, talk about what the win means: [Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Casino gambling looking popular in early Lorain County returns
All three state issues were passing easily in Lorain County, with 8.5 percent of precincts reporting. The most widely watched and controversial, a plan to allow casinos in Ohio, was winning 10,609 (65.14%) to 5,677 (34.86%) in Lorain County. State Issue 1, compensation to veterans, was ahead 12,265 (76.22%) to 3827 (23.78%) in Lorain County. [...]
Boston Mayor Menino elected to a record 5th term
BOSTON — Boston Mayor Thomas Menino has won an unprecedented fifth consecutive four-year term. Menino held off a challenge from City Council President Michael Flaherty. Menino already has been in office for 16½ years, longer than any in the city’s history. Flaherty had run in an unusual partnership with City Councilor Sam Yoon. Flaherty, a [...]
Tight contest on gay marriage vote in Massachusetts
PORTLAND, Maine — Early returns show a tight contest in Maine’s closely watched referendum on whether to uphold or repeal a law allowing same-sex marriage. With 70 of 608 precincts reporting, the gay-marriage side had 53 percent of the votes Tuesday night. The law at stake was passed by the Maine Legislature in May but [...]
Ohio roundup: Casino plan shows early success
COLUMBUS — Three statewide issues are showing early signs of success, including a controversial plan to add casinos in four Ohio cities. Early returns Tuesday have the casino proposal with 61 percent of the vote. It’s the fifth attempt in 20 years to open the state to some new form of gambling, this time with [...]
Latest numbers for statewide Issues 1, 2 and 3
Amendment 1 — Veterans Bonuses 1,698 of 10,317 precincts — 16 percent Yes, 564,605 — 74 percent No, 200,758 — 26 percent Amendment 2 — Livestock Regulations 1,698 of 10,317 precincts — 16 percent Yes, 508,658 — 67 percent No, 255,265 — 33 percent Amendment 3 — Permission for Casinos 1,698 of 10,317 precincts — [...]
Early results show Issue 4 going down
With 20 of Lorain County’s 234 precincts (8.5%) reporting, Issue 4, the countywide half-percent sales tax hike was going down, 8924 (55.12%) to 7266 (44.88%).