Ohio News Network Gives You Opportunity To Vote On Gov. Kasich's Performance

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The sharp folks at Ohio Daily Blog have spotted a statewide straw poll now under way that lets Ohioans rate how Republican Gov. John Kasich's first year in office has worked out.  Read on, click away and cast your vote:

          Submitted by Anastasia Pantsios on Sat, 12/31/2011 - 9:50am.

In my last post, I mentioned that our gov. is sending out emails patting himself on the back for the great first year he had in office and asking you to send money to help him continue his outstanding work. Do you agree with his assessment of his accomplishments? The Ohio News Network gives you a chance to vote!
http://www.onntv.com/content/stories/2011/12/19/story-kasich-yearend-rev...You can read more blah blah blah about what a fine job HE thinks he's doing, then vote whether YOU think he's done an "excellent," "good," "fair" or "poor" job. One choice is swamping the others right now. Hint: "excellent" and "good" combined barely crack single digits.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's Fruitless Search for Cincy Photog Ric Stercz: The Daily Bellwether Finds Him In a Snap

Rock Photo by Cincinnati's Ric Sterz

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has been searching for photographer Ric Stercz, hoping to legally claim title to a series of concert pix he shot in the 1990s of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young performing in Cincinnati and Indianapolis.   It was going nowhere.  The Rock Hall even ran a legal notice in The Cincinnati Enquirer Dec. 26 trying to nail down its claim.  The notice said the photo set would be considered "abandoned property" if Stercz or the rightful owner did not surface.  Stercz, who lives in Cheviot, was in plain sight all along. He's on Facebook where a collection of his rock pictures are posted.  They are impressive and many capture the energy of the music.  In a chat with The Daily Bellwether today he said he donated the photos to the Rock Hall years ago.  He did not know the Rock Hall was concerned about the provenance of the pictures.  Stercz said he took them himself at Riverfront Coliseum (now U.S. Bank Arena) and in Indianapolis around the time Crosby, Stills and Nash were inducted.  Stercz said he was flattered that the Rock Hall wants his pictures:  "Maybe they'll be on display.  They're actual photographs of all four in concert.  They're original and they're mine."

Rock Hall's Legal Notice

Stercz said he sent the photos to the Cleveland museum because Dennis Barrie, the original director of the Rock Hall, had spent time in Cincinnati as head of the Contemporary Arts Center.  He said he didn't know Barrie personally, but thought Barrie might enjoy displaying the concert pix because CSNY had all recently been installed as hall of famers.

Cincinnati Area GM Dealer McCluskey Chevrolet Says Hit By $6 Million Payroll Scam: Seeks 'Valuable' Info From Kentucky Source

Motor Tends Saw Chevrolet Sales On Wide Open Throttle

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- McCluskey Chevrolet Inc. styles itself as the top total volume Chevy sales operation in Ohio.  And this has been a very good year for Chevy, perhaps the best in the bowtie-brand's 100 year history (it hit the century mark in 2011).  But the Cincinnati area auto dealership isn't exactly in full celebration mode.  McCluskey claims it was victimized by a $6 million embezzlement scheme between 2002 and September 2011.  Some of those years included a rough patch for GM with bankruptcy and a government takeover -- which made a tough environment for its dealers.  McCluskey survived, but says a former payroll clerk misappropriated assets and made "extra payments to certain employees."  McCluskey's lawyers have characterized the group as co-conspirators who kicked back some of their extra pay.  The dealership filed a lawsuit last October in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, and now is seeking permission to take a deposition from an ex-employee who lives in Louisville.  The company says in a court filing:  "The information sought during the deposition of . . . will be used to determine the extent and nature of this wrongdoing."

Mystery Website Promoting Hillary vs. Obama in 2012 Links Back To Downtown Cincinnati Consulting Firm: Owner Calls It Error or Hoax

Cincy Dems Say Draft Hillary Movement Has Nixon Flavor 

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A website urging Hillary Clinton supporters to donate $20.12 each to bankroll a movement aimed at drafting her into this year's Democratic presidential primaries links back to a downtown Cincinnati company called  HRC Consulting Inc. But the company's top executive tells The Daily Bellwether that his firm is "not involved" in any organized efforts to place Hillary or anyone else on the presidential ballot. H. Lee Krapp said, "It's not us. We're not involved in it. If you want to send us money, we'll take it. But we're not in any campaigns.  Nothing like that."  Krapp said his company's website, www.HRC.com, could be a victim of mistaken identity.  Or perhaps a typo.   He said HRC.org might be the intended address. However, HRC.org is the web address of the Human Rights Campaign, a national lobbying group for gay rights.  The Cincinnati consultants and the Human Rights Campaign share the initials HRC, which are also those of Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Shadowy Hillary 2012 Write-in Bid Launched For New Hampshire Primary: Groups Seen Targeting Obama By Touting Non-Candidate

Facebook Group Urges N.H. Write-ins

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- The Draft Hillary movement now has an active Facebook site that is drumming up support for a write-in campaign in the Jan. 10, 2012 New Hampshire presidential primary.  And Hillary's staff has recently sent out a fundraiser (see below) reminding 2008 supporters of her "determination to keep going" that year.  Still,  Secretary of State Clinton isn't running and President Barack Obama is on the Democratic ballot in New Hampshire's first in the nation primary.  But somebody is out to split the Democrats.  One Clinton Facebook supporter says, "It's an idea whose time has come.  Otherwise people better get used to saying President Romney or President Gingrich."  Last week, there were robo calls and e-mails sent to Cincinnati area Democrats that urged them to dump Obama. The same material circulated nationally, creating suspicion of a Republican dirty trick.  Yet there are prominent Democrats who want Hillary to run, and they have called for a New Hampshire write-in campaign.

Political Football ln Ohio: GOP State Senator Wants Law Appointing Wilson 'Official' Pigskin

Sen. Cliff Hite Was Slow To Spot Roethtlisberger's Skills  

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- State Sen. Cliff Hite, a Findlay Republican who is probably best known as the high school coach who picked his son as the starting quaterback over Ben Roethlisberger, is once again scrambling for gridiron notoriety.   Hite wants a state law that legally brands Wilson footballs as the official football of Ohio.  The factory is in his district.  His measure doesn't explain why Ohio needs an "official" football:

A BILL

To enact section 5.091 of the Revised Code to designate the Wilson brand football as the official state football.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:

Section 1. That section 5.091 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 5.091. The Wilson football, a brand manufactured by the Wilson Sporting Goods Company in Ada, Ohio, is designated as the official football of the state.

Jetsettin' John Kasich Develops Taste For The Perks Of High Office: Taxpayers Get Soaked As Governor's Flights In State Plane Soar

Ohio Gov. Kasich Flies High In State Plane

By Don Potts

Bellwether Contributor

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- Gov. John Kasich's liberal use of state planes -- even for mundane matters -- makes for some high-flying travel habits that land hard on the taxpayers. Last week, The Columbus Dispatch added to a story that has been building throughout the year about Republican Kasich’s flight path. As duly elected heads of state, governors have the ability to use every resource available to them to conduct state business. However, using those resources when you campaigned against your predecessor for using the same benefits seems like bad form.  During the campaign for governor last year, Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols raised a fuss about Ted Strickland:

  But because [Strickland] likes hitting the snooze button, he makes a small army of people fire up his plane, get it ready and then fly it from one airport to another so he won’t have to drive an extra 15 minutes to the airport. … Putting aside the wasted money and extra wear and tear, could the guy do something more arrogant? … Frankly, there needs to be a closer review of whether the plane’s cost can even still be justified at all.