Author Archives: stanberlin

Link

Food Stamp Program Cuts

Considering that most people that are on Food Stamps purchase food with these stamps that are not nutritious and then buy bottled water and soft drinks and other “luxury” food items; these are the people that have damaged the system for people really in need of food stamps. The flaw in this program is that there were no programs in place to educate people in how to prepare fresh foods, shop the outer perimeter of a grocery store. The caveat of this is that these nutritious foods are more expensive than the cheap non-nutritious foods in the center of these grocery stores.

Food is supposed to be about nutrition. It would seem that food stamps should be about the same as well.

The concept of food stamps was about providing assistance for a temporary life situation not a lifelong situation. This is the major flaw in our food stamp program. – 09/20/13/SET

USPS Delivery Complaint – 09/19/13

Leave a reply

09/19/13/9:47 AM/800-275-8777/Called to file a complaint regarding the non-regular postal carrier not correctly depositing the mail in my locked mail box. He/She puts the standard mail in the outgoing mail door instead of taking the extra second to put thru the slot inside the door that will deposit the mail into the secured lock section of the mailbox. Advised that this has happened so frequently that I didn’t even bother calling the Hilltop Branch – Georgesville location, 614-351-0137, location because number one: you can never get thru and number two: they say they will “note” my address but it still happens again. I’ve made calls to this same number to complain about my prescriptions being left at my door instead of putting inside the locked mailbox (the whole purpose of me installing the regulation USPS box to begin with). I am constantly told that it is because there was a temporary carrier that day and he/she did not have the key. I queried, “That is my problem how?” I even went on to say then can’t you at least keep the package one extra day if you don’t have the key? Advised that I live in a neighborhood prone to theft so installing the locked USPS regulation mailbox and providing a key to the USPS local office (as per the instructions), should not be an issue. I said they have the key – make a copy of you have to. Additionally I said that just because I live in an area that is not the typical suburban safe neighborhood and that my area tends to have higher crime and theft stats should not preclude me from receiving inferior customer service.

We wonder why our postal rates keep going up and we continually get poor customer service at the stations or delivery or even trying to attempt to call an office or even the toll free number and have to either deal with a busy signal or wait for over 10 minutes to get a person.

I also attempted to go to USPS.com to file the complain on line but after two unsuccessful attempts (Problem processing request) I gave up.

I provided all the information to the lady who didn’t seem to familiar as to what to do but she took my information after some hesitation and put me on hold for about 5 minutes and said she had entered everything and also put in there for the substation to call me to discuss the matter. She provided me with a case number and she said that going forward always use this case number when calling in to address this issue: CASE# [].

I will say the lady was very nice.

Seems the USPS needs to find a way to be competitive in today’s market perhaps looking at Postal Services in other countries like the German Postal service: Deutsche Post, Germany’s only universal provider of postal services, is part of Deutsche Post DHL, the world’s leading mail and logistics Group, who seem to be very successful. Perhaps the USPS can learn something from this model.

Finally interestingly enough on the USPS website to file a complaint, there is no category to express a concern about the delivering of the mail, i.e.: postal carrier.

InquiryTypeProblem: CategoryReceiving Mail: Topic: No Delivery/No Attempt > My Mail Arrives at Different Times
Additional Detail: What time does it arrive:Arrives at Inconsistent Times
Date Problem Began:09/18/2013

Additional Information:

Columbus, Ohio – Hilltop Delivery Station – 43204
I have repeatedly made calls to the supervisor advising that when we have a non-regular postal carrier, I frequently get my mail delivered into my locked mail container (USPS approved) in the outgoing mail slot instead of being put into the slot where it will be secured. I don’t understand how given this is a regulation mailbox that the postal carrier cannot put the mail correctly in the slot. I am getting tired of this and expect a return reply as to a set in action plan to prevent this activity from occurring again. There is no excuse for this. Contact me with your plan to stanthornburgh@….09/21/13/3:29 PM/614-351-0138/Received VM from lady at local carrier station that a hazard card will be placed in my box to prevent further mail being placed outside the locked portion of the mailbox. 09/24-25/13/Received call from Supervisor from carrier station.  The message indicated that they would flag my account to ensure that this does not happen again.

Jeez, as always one can never get good customer service from the USPS.

09/26/13/Mail delivered outside of locked mailbox again.  CASE# CA114541541

09/30/13/Called 800-275-8777/To report mail delivered outside of locked compartment of mailbox again.

wpid-uspslogo-2013-09-19-10-13.jpg

Absentee property owners and abandoned properties are a major concern and heartache for community citizens.

Leave a reply

157NPowellAve_063009

157 N Powell Ave, Columbus, OH 43204

Absentee property owners and abandoned properties are a major concern and heartache for community citizens.  We struggle with City of Columbus services in getting issued resolved and we are told time and time again that nothing can be done or if a code violation is filed nothing can be done as well because the property owners cannot be reached.  As a society and living together in an urban setting one cannot say that they have a right to allow a property they own to go in disrepair.  This process not only degrades the neighborhood but it also brings in crime and follows with lower property values for other property owners in that neighborhood.  Additionally it has been proven time and time again that when you allow graffiti, unkept properties, trash, and unkept alley conditions to come into your neighborhood, you will definitely see the crime element move in from drug houses, vandalism, theft, and prostitution.  This is why we as community citizens need to be vigilant and keep up our neighborhoods.  This means to get on the property owners either directly or indirectly that we as a neighborhood will not tolerate such activity.  Document, report, and followup!  You have a responsibility not only to your neighborhood but also to the future value of your property as well!

The City of Columbus and Franklin County needs to toughen up the laws regarding this.  Some examples:

1.  Any property in the City of Columbus that rents their property out needs to be listed with Franklin County Auditor site, [http://www.franklincountyoh.metacama.com/altIndex.jsp],  as a rental property.

2.  The Franklin County Auditor site needs to maintain better records in providing accurate methods of contacting these property owners.  That means a valid telephone number or email address be included every year when these property owners file their property taxes.

3.  Fines need to be assessed directly to the property owner and not against the property itself.

4.  If a property owner cannot be reached for code violations for a period of one year, then the property needs to be confiscated and brought back up to code and community standard or to be torn down.

5.  Better advocacy and laws need to be established for citizens ending up renting from these absentee property owners [slumlords].  These citizens tend to be of a disadvantaged economic standing and tend to be afraid to address their landlords with property issues in fear of being evicted.

This is an ever growing problem and we need to come together both from a community advocacy and from a city and county prospective.  The city and county needs to hire more personnel to address this issue as well as community citizens needing to stand their ground and not allow these conditions to go unresolved.  This means constant advocacy and vigilance from our community citizens to demand our city and county to step it up!
Neighbors Frustrated Police Can’t Stop Crimes At Abandoned Homes

====Article displayed below, ©2013 by 10TV.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.=================================

COLUMBUS – Imagine witnessing a crime, calling the police and then being told there’s nothing they can do about it.

That’s the situation frustrating neighbors trying to keep crime out of their East Columbus neighborhood.

Joyce Calamese loves the history and charm of her Old Oaks neighborhood.

She says one of the problems holding the neighborhood back is vacant, abandoned properties.

There is one next door to her home she says has been vacant for 5 to 6 years.

But the nuisance next door became more than that on August 31st.

“We heard a lot of noise, and my daugther saw a man climbing out of the window, so we called police,” said Calamese.

Calamese said the officers responded, and found a man inside the house. But instead of arresting the intruder, they sent him on his way.

“The officer said there’s nothing you can do about it because really you have no victim,” Calamese said.  “After the police officers left, another guy came back and started taking windows out of the back.”

Columbus Police and even the City Attorney’s Office say those officers were correct.

Bill Hedrick with the City Attorney’s Office says he understands and shares Joyce’s frustration.

“In the end, the law requires you to have an accuser, and the accuser is the person that owns the property,” said Hedrick.

Hedrick said that includes crimes with witnesses.

“For instance, if you saw somebody take money from my wallet, but I’m not willing to file the charge, the case cannot be pursued,” he said.

Joyce and her neighbors disagree.  They say they are also victims because they live near the crime.

The city isn’t completely powerless when it comes to vacant properties.

If the building has been declared legally abandoned by the city, the city then becomes the violated party or the “victim”, and police can arrest anyone they find inside.

The City Attorney’s office says neighbors can request help by calling 3-1-1 [614-645-3111] or visiting this link.

Stan’s Homemade Salsa

1 Reply
Facebook: Monday, September 2, 2013 at 1:03 PM

Stan’s Homemade Salsa
Tomatoes from garden, chopped peach, chopped onion, chopped parsley & basil from garden, chopped mild red pepper & hot chili pepper from garden, chopped garlic, quarter granny smith apple, lemon juice, lime juice. dash of olive oil., sea salt. Ninja it!
ImageImage
Link

Ariel Castro did society a favor in hanging himself.

Facebook post:  Wednesday, September 4, 2013 at 7:22 AM. 

Ariel Castro did society a favor in hanging himself.
  • Stanley Thornburgh As a civilized society we have to treat all as human beings even if society terms that individual a “monster”. As such, Ariel Castro’s choice to take his own life serves society in three ways; the burden of society having to pay for his incarceration, the worshipping of him by other “monsters”, and finally the victims having to know that even though he is incarcerated he will always serve as a reminder as to what he did to them.Him being dead ends all this and just like the demolition of his house; We do not need a reminder and can move on.
  •  Michael O’Keefe Tragic. He harmed those women, killed those babies, and waisted his own life and potential. I can’t imagine anything worse.
  • Ron Smith At least he saved the tax payers $50,000 a year
  • Matthew Kukich You couldn’t of said better Stanley Thornburgh
  • Jack Koetz · Friends with Sharry Gross Carey
    I think he cheated the three women out of seeing him suffer in prison.
  • Stanley Thornburgh The three women would have never seen him suffer in prison. I’m sure they realize that in order to move on, they have to let go or forgive depending on their religion or beliefs. That perhaps may be the true cheating part on his behalf. But it is after all not a game. Just a disturbed and sick man that no longer walks among us.
Link

Holding Oneself Totally Accountable

Facebook post:  Thursday, September 5 at 7:34am

Doesn’t change the act of killing another person as a result of one’s own negligence, but admitting to the act and holding oneself totally accountable and to accept the punishment is indeed a rarity.

Don’t drink and drive.

http://www.10tv.com/content/stories/2013/09/04/Columbus_Video_Confession.html

"I'm gonna paintball your house because my pitbull got out and attacked your dog but it's your fault"So it’s Thursday, 04/05/2012 at about 5ish PM and I’m over at my close friend’s house in Mommy Dearest land, my analogy of the M/I Homes community that he lives in.  You know the type, vinyl siding, 4 styles to neighborhood, driveway and two car attached garage in front.  A stark contract to my 1920’s urban transitional neighborhood with charm and character that varies from beautiful virgin wood construction homes to falling about homes with dirt back yards and “strong” dogs of the pitbull or pitbull mix variety.

My neighbor calls me to inform me that our new neighbors renting the property belonging to BRADLEY D, WHITE and CINDA C WHITE, 2455 MCCOMB RD, GROVE CITY, OH 43123 has for the fourth time allowed their pitbull to get out and roam the neighborhood.  The previous occasions were uneventful but I guess yesterday was a different story. The pitbull went to the property behind them on N. Roys Ave and proceeded to attack a chow mix dog that was on a line tied to the back porch.  The chow mix dog suffered minor injuries and I guess the police were called and the pitbull was taken away.  I couldn’t get this confirmed but chances are the pitbull was untagged and I’m very sure the renters at 145 N Chase Ave do not carry homeowners insurance let alone probably knowing what it is.  It is my understanding that the pitbull will be put down so that kind of tells me that they probably could not prove that the dog had it’s rabies vaccinations.  I’m saddened to hear of animals having to be put down because of the neglect and stupidity of their owners.  Sad.

Anyway, today, I find out that one of the kids from 145 N Chase Ave decided to take his paintball gun and plaster the back of the house with paint pellets where the chow mix dog lives.  The kid although seen with the paintball gun was never caught in the act so calling the police would not result in anything than further retaliation towards the nice people with the chow mix.

It amazes me the misguided and stupidity of ignorant people who cause an action but will blame it on the victim because their action caused a loss back to them.  I doubt if they will get their pitbull back and the chow mix today is limping around and they are waiting to see how their dog recovers from this.  Clearly the people at 145 N. Chase Ave are totally to blame for this situation but they somehow feel that they are now the victim of this occurrence.  This is what I am faced with daily living in the Hootin Hollerin Hood!