27.5% JUMP IN PAID UNCLAIMED FUNDS ACCOUNTS IN FY 2012

The Division of Unclaimed Funds is reuniting Ohioans with their lost treasure. In Fiscal Year 2012, the Division paid 58,953 claims, a 27.5% increase over the prior fiscal year.

The Division returned $61.1 million in FY 2012, a .3% increase over the prior fiscal year. The average paid claim was $1,037.

“Through aggressive outreach, the Division of Unclaimed Funds is working to reunite even more Ohioans with their hard-earned money,” said David Goodman, Director of the Ohio Department of Commerce. “These funds boost our economy as Ohioans use the funds to buy a tank of gas, pay off some bills, make needed home repairs, enjoy a vacation or expand a business.”

Unclaimed funds consist of monies or the right to monies that have been dormant or forgotten. These funds are reported to the State of Ohio for safekeeping until the rightful owners can be found. Some common examples include: dormant checking and savings accounts, forgotten rent and utility deposits, uncashed checks, undelivered stock certificates, and uncashed insurance policies.

The Division marked its 30th anniversary in January and encouraged Ohioans to step forward and claim their unclaimed treasure. Since the Division was created in January 1982 through June 30, 2012, it has paid more than 857,000 claims worth $862 million.

In FY 2012, the Division expanded its outreach focus to Ohio’s schools as part of Governor John R. Kasich request to every department in his administration to find ways to help local governments without further burdening taxpayers. During the fiscal year, the Division returned approximately $111,000 to 69 schools.

The Division’s Online Treasure Hunt at www.unclaimedfundstreasurehunt.ohio.gov continues to be a popular means for Ohioans to search for unclaimed funds and to initiate the claims process. Approximately 84% of all claims initiated in FY 2012 were through the search function on the Division’s website.

The Division added a new customer service feature to its website this year that allows claimants to check on their claim’s status while it is being reviewed.

Deer Season Safety

During the day or at night, encountering a deer while you’re on the road can be dangerous and scary. Deer season is upon us and the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition would like to remind you that your safety on Greene County roadways is a top priority. In 2011, there were 22,717 deer-vehicle crashes statewide with 902 people injured and seven people killed. November saw the most crashes with 5,476, or 182 per day. Greene County saw its fair share of deer-vehicle activity in 2011 totaling 354 crashes resulting in 17 injuries, but no fatalities. Because many deer-vehicle collisions go unreported to police and local authorities, the actual number of crashes throughout Ohio may be as high as 60,000 each year. Last year, the areas with the highest number of deer-vehicle crashes were urban areas.

What can you do to stay safe during deer season? Knowing what to do when you encounter a large animal on or near the roadway can be a life-saver. Here are some tips:
  • Deer are most often along the road side near dawn (7AM) and again at dusk (7:30PM).
  • Deer highly active and on the move from October through early January.
  • Deer are most frequently found on the outskirts of town and in heavily wooded areas.
  • Deer usually travel in pacts.
  • To avoid a deer-vehicle collision, slow down.
  • Always wear a seatbelt.
  • Watch for the shine of eyes along the roadside and immediately begin to slow.
  • Use your high beams whenever the road is free of oncoming traffic.
  • Slow down and flash your lights if you see a deer standing in the road.
  • Some experts recommend one long blast of the horn to scare them out of the road.
  • Pay close attention to caution signs indicating deer or other large animals.
  • If you’re on a multi-lane road, drive in the center lane.
  • Never swerve to avoid a deer in the road.
  • Don’t rely on hood whistles or other devices designed to scare off deer.
  • If you do collide with a deer, call emergency services if injuries are involved.
  • If you do collide with a deer, call local police if no one is injured.
  • If you do collide with a deer, peport it to your insurance company as soon as possible.
  • Keeping calm and driving smart improve your chances of avoiding a collision and staying safe on the road. These tips have been provided by Dawn McCaslin, www.geico.com. For more information on the Greene County Safe Communities Coalition, call Laurie Fox at 937-374-5669 or email her at lfox@gcchd.org.

    Free, Public Business Showcase Spotlights Local Professionals

    More than 20 local business leaders invite the residents of Greene, Montgomery and surrounding counties to attend the 2012 Greater Dayton Professionals Business Showcase. Free admission and open to the public, as well as business professionals, the showcase runs from 5:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday, October 18, at the Hilton Garden Inn, 3520 Pentagon Park Blvd. in Beavercreek.

    Visitors will have the opportunity to network, enjoy complimentary refreshments, register to win door prizes and receive special offers from participating businesses. Exhibitors include Marty Walling Construction, LLC, Vitas Hospice, Murphy’s Autocare and Tire, Hartzler Digital Media, Matulka Insurance Agency, Manning & Associates CPAs, and Gorman’s Specialty Group, just to name a few. Local entrepreneur and author Greg McAfee (McAfee Heating and Air) will be on hand from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. to sign copies of his book, It’s (My) Your Dream.

    According to the organizers, the event is designed to introduce the public to a resource of business owners dedicated to supporting each other and the community. “Our business showcase is a way to demonstrate how local companies can work together to succeed and support the local economy,” says GDP public relations coordinator Gery L. Deer, creative director of GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing.

    At 6:30 p.m., Deer will give a brief keynote address touching on the ways consumers can benefit from buying local for everything from landscaping to car insurance.“Locally owned businesses offer the community a variety of competitively positioned products and services often dismissed by consumers because of misconceptions,” he says. “Local buying should be more than a slogan and we want to show people the advantages of doing business in your own community.”

    The Greater Dayton Professionals is one of 23 Dayton area chapters of BNI (Business Network International), the international referral organization started by networking guru Dr. Ivan Misner in 1985. With more than 6,000 chapters world-wide the goal of BNI is to help members develop a profitable referral network free of internal competition, something unavailable from chamber organizations or service clubs.

    The Greater Dayton Professionals chapter of BNI meets every Thursday morning, from 7:30 a.m. until 9 a.m. at City Barbeque, 2330 B N. Fairfield Rd. in Beavercreek. The group still has several open occupational categories and welcomes visitors to attend any meeting.

    Door prizes for the showcase have been provided by The Wine Loft, Cherry House Café, Fox and Hound, My Favorite Muffin, and Friesinger’s Fine Chocolates. Promotional considerations provided by GLD Enterprises Commercial Writing.

    For more information and a complete list of participating businesses, including a downloadable flier, go online to www.greaterdaytonpros.com. Pre-registration is requested but not required.

    Rutherford Institute Defends Military Intelligence Whistleblower Against Government’s Retaliatory Efforts to Revoke Bronze Star Medal

    The Rutherford Institute has come to the defense of a retired U.S. Army whistleblower who is being stripped of his Bronze Star Medal, allegedly in retaliation for his disclosure of intelligence and military failures that may have contributed to the 9/11 terrorist attacks and prolonged the war in Afghanistan. Retired Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Anthony Shaffer was awarded a Bronze Star Medal in 2004 for his “meritorious service” as a high-level Army intelligence operative in combat zones within Afghanistan. In addition to initiating a procedure to strip Shaffer of his Bronze Star, the Army has also charged the decorated veteran with misconduct and stripped him of his military clearance, also allegedly in response to concerns he made public about systemic U.S. intelligence failures. In coming to Shaffer’s defense, Rutherford Institute attorneys are calling on the Army to cease its retaliatory actions, which not only threaten Shaffer’s First Amendment rights but, given the lack of specifics relating to misconduct provided by the Army, infringe on his right to due process.

    “This is the latest attempt by the government to suppress free speech,” stated John W. Whitehead, president of the Rutherford Institute. “If we really want transparency in government, then this is our chance to stand by our convictions. Punishing Lieutenant Colonel Shaffer for raising legitimate concerns about systemic problems within our government that are endangering our safety as a nation is reprehensible.”

    A high-level Army intelligence operative who was deployed in Afghanistan during the early years of the war against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, LTC Shaffer planned and participated in some of the most daring, dangerous and important operations of the war. In April 2004, Shaffer was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for “leadership, selfless service, and commitment to mission accomplishment under the most extreme circumstances [that] greatly contributed to the success of Operation Enduring Freedom.” Soon after being awarded the medal, however, Shaffer was charged with misconduct and stripped of his security clearance, allegedly because he had attempted to reveal U.S. intelligence failures that ignored or suppressed information, including the identities of four of the 9/11 airliner hijackers, uncovered by a project code named “Able Danger.” After separating from the military, Shaffer began working on a book about his service with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) which criticized policies followed in the Afghanistan war that failed to recognize the connection between the Taliban and the Pakistani intelligence agency and failed to target the Taliban’s safe havens in Pakistan. Although Shaffer’s book, Dark Heart, was reviewed by the Army and initially granted clearance for publication, the DIA threatened action to stop publication just a month before it was to be released and censored substantial portions of the book. In the latest government action against Shaffer, in which the Army has alleged misconduct and announced its intent to revoke Shaffer’s Bronze Star, no specifics detailing the alleged misconduct were provided. In demanding that the Army cease its retaliatory proceedings, Rutherford Institute attorneys point out that the lack of notice violates Shaffer’s fundamental due process rights and assert that “the proposed revocation is a continuation of attempts to punish, defame, and otherwise harm LTC Shaffer for his exercise of his right to freedom of speech guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.”

    Private Sector Job Growth Stalls, Labor Force Shrinks

    The August 2012 Ohio by the Numbers report hows that several recent months of solid private sector job growth hit a snag in August. According to preliminary Bureau of Labor Statistics data, Ohio’s private sector lost 2,900 jobs, freezing the state’s ranking at 13 for the fastest growing private sector since January 2010.

    Overall, 2012 has seen reasonable private sector job growth numbers with nearly 96,000 created since January.

    Ohio’s unemployment rate remained at 7.2 percent in August, which is nearly a full percent below the national average of 8.1 percent. However, the fact that Ohio’s labor force shrunk by 19,100 in August constitutes a significant cause for concern. This represents the third month in a row that the labor force has gotten smaller in Ohio. In fact, it has shrunk by 59,900 since May while the total number of private sector jobs created over that time span was only 34,800.

    Overall highlights from the report:
  • Ohio lost 2,900 private sector jobs in June while gaining 900 government jobs;
  • Ohio remains 13th nationally in terms of private sector job growth since January 2010, growing at a 4.7 percent rate;
  • Ohio currently ranks 46th for private sector job growth since January of 1990, growing at 7.3 percent (top ranked Nevada grew 83.5 percent over the same time span).
  • Within individual industry sectors, Leisure and Hospitality finally joined Professional and Business Services and Education and Health Services as the only sectors to have more people employed in them today than in either 1990 or 2000.

    The report shows that Forced Union states (which includes Ohio and most of its neighbors with the recent exception of Indiana, which became a worker freedom state in February) had a private sector growth rate far below Worker Freedom states. Since 1990, Worker Freedom states’ private sector jobs grew at a 36 percent rate vs. only 13 percent for Forced Union states (12.3 million vs. 7.8 million).

    Even during the decade from 2000-2010, which included the tech bubble burst of 2000 and the “Great Recession” of 2008-2009, Worker Freedom states gained jobs for a minimal growth of around 0.1 percent while Forced Union states lost 5 percent. Since 2010, Worker Freedom states also outperformed Forced Union states, growing at a 4.6 percent rate vs. 3.8 percent.

    To view the full report, please click here.

    Ohio by the Numbers compares Ohio to other states in overall private sector job growth over several distinct time spans. The periods analyzed are: from 1990 until the present day, from peak employment in 2000 through the present day and from the beginning of the current decade to the present day.

    Another Successful Islamic Terrorist Attack, Why? (Corrected)

    News about the facts being discovered by the investigations of the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya continues to unfold. What the recent Committee on Oversight and Government Reform hearings made apparent is that the Obama administration was lying to the American public. Obama blamed the incident on an anti-Islamic film probably because such a film actually did incite a violent riot in Egypt. Nevertheless, the terrorist attack was was planned military style attack. It was most likely motivated both by revenge against our government’s military intervention in toppling the Gaddafi as noted by Congressman Kucinich and in-sync with the memory of the successful attack by Islamic terrorists against America on 9/11 as Congresswoman Adams made evident. At the same time, the successful terrorist attack in Benghazi was made possible by a minimization of the real threat posed by Islamic terrorists by the Obama administration in general and the real escalating violence and threats in Benghazi as emphasized by Congressman Rohrbacher. This was an issue repeatedly explored by various members of the Oversight Committee and confirmed by witnesses who were directly involved in security of the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. In fact, Lt. Colonel Woods and Mr. Nordstrom, who was head of security in Libya prior to the attack, both affirmed that they had requested more armed military units to meet previous levels security personnel but their requests were ignored or denied by the Department of State.

    As you will hear in the following video, Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinish discusses the illegality of the Obama’s intervention in Libya and how it has created animus of Libyans against America. He makes it evident that neither the current Libyan government or Obama’s administration know which terrorist groups possesses the thousand of weapons and missles missing from Liyba’s arsenal. Thus, demonstrating the severity of the threat in Benghazi.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TnoYMMVrJ0&w=500&h=375]

    As previously mentioned, an underlying problem contributing the successful terrorist attack on our consulate in Benghazi is Obama administration’s mindset. It is a mindset that minimizes the threat of Islamic radicalism. This mindset towards Islam makes America appear weak and thus has made our embassies more vulnerable. This is brought out clearly by Congressman Rohrbacher in the next video.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGV1e8ab3nI&w=500&h=375]

    Congresswoman Adams has experience in law enforcement, Her questioning not not focused on those concerns common to law enforcement concerning terrorism, but it further demonstrated the disregard for those same issues by the State Department’s head of embassy security, which is detailed in the next video.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-qC1Ay2aME&w=500&h=375]

    Congressman Jim Cooper read a list of American military and embassy personnel who were killed by terrorist attacks. The provide important perspective no both the real threat to our Ambassadors, their staffs, and our military. By implication, it affirms Congressman Kucinich’s position that much of U.S. military interventionism produces anti-American violence.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XYzc4O2CAWQ&hl=en_US&w=500&h=277]

    The only real difference between Central American terrorists and Islamic terrorists is ideological justification and concomitant financial support. Nicaraguans and other Central Americans have experience the violent and degrading interventionism of the American government as have the Libyans and others. Central Americans have no religion or other pervasive worldview that has historically justified killing others, but Muslim do. Because Central Americans do not, they have no financial backers make it possible for armed attacks or war against the American government i.e., ambassadors, embassy employees, military personnel, etc. Muslim, however, do have such backing as Al-Qaeda and all other Islamic Jihadists do.

    Romney’s October 10, 2012 Sidney Speech

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80F1WalPkS8&w=500&h=282]

    The Lesser of Two Evils: Voting Principles (Video)

    The following video is an award winning speech presented by Josh Craddock. In it he explains ehy we should not vote for a candidate who is regarded as the “lesser of two evils”. Craddocks presents a third option to enable us to vote for an actual representative candidate.

    [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkLFZkJVBKE?rel=0&w=420&h=315]

    The obamanation about the jobs

    by Daniel Downs

    Last week, the media prophets of the left attempted to make the Obamanable economy look better than it actually is. They used the opening paragraph of the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s monthly jobs situation report out of context. Like all proof-texting, they lifted the “good news” out-of-context in order to proclaim Obama’s stimulating policies were at last working.

    Here is the opening statement of the BLS jobs report:

    “The unemployment rate decreased to 7.8 percent in September, and total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 114,000.”

    The unemployment rate in August was 8.1 percent resulting in a 0.3% decrease, and number of unemployed persons decreased 456,000 to 12.1 million. The number job losers and persons unemployed more than 5 months also decreased.

    All good news for the economy, right?

    Well, let’s look at the above total nonfarm employment increase figure of 114,000. The BLS jobs report showed job creation declined 41% from July to August. New jobs were added at a modest rated of 7% between August and September. The opposite was the case for government jobs. From July to August, the growth of government jobs increased 250 percent, but the rated decreased to 78% from August to September.

    The Obamaites might have reason to celebrate the growth jobs, especially government jobs.

    However, their rejoicing will not last long.

    The problem is with part-time jobs. Part-time employment increased by 7 percent, the same rate as new private sector jobs.

    Although employment is growing some, job growth under the Obamaite administration is still not all that great.

    UN Human Rights Council Affirms Traditional Values

    By Stefano Gennarini, J.D.

    (GENEVA – C-FAM) Delegations from European Countries and the United States suffered a setback last week when the Human Rights Council adopted a resolution affirming a positive link between traditional values and human rights. The European and U.S. delegations view traditional values as threats to women, and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual persons.

    This is the third resolution on traditional values to pass since 2009. Russia successfully pressed the resolution forward despite attempts by other UN member states to stifle their initiative.

    The current resolution, tabled by Russia and co-authored by more than 60 states (not all members of the Council), affirms that traditional values common to all humanity have a positive role in the promotion and protection of human rights. It states that “a better understanding and appreciation of traditional values shared by all humanity and embodied in universal human rights instruments contribute to promoting and protecting human rights and fundamental freedoms worldwide.”

    Echoing the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, it stresses “that human rights derive from the dignity and worth inherent in the human person” and recognizes the positive role of the family, community and educational institutions in promoting human rights, calling on states to “strengthen this role through appropriate positive measures.”

    European countries and the United States voiced opposition to the concept of traditional values when a resolution under that title was first proposed by Russia in 2009. They also voted against a resolution requesting a report on the interconnectedness of traditional values and human rights from the Advisory Committee of the Council in March last year. When that measure passed, they took control of the Advisory Committee’s efforts to produce a report that was contrary to the intention of the resolution.

    The European and U.S. delegations repeatedly complained that “traditional values” is a vague concept used to justify violence and discrimination against women and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) persons. But having failed to sway enough countries with that argument, they sought to halt the resolution by asking the Council to wait for the report from the Advisory Committee, the same one they originally opposed.

    Russia tabled the resolution anyway, confident that it would have the necessary votes. The resolution was adopted with 25 in favor, 15 against, and 7 abstentions.

    Upon its adoption, the Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement declaring “The Russian Federation, together with the opinion allies, will continue promoting the idea of [the] inseparable connection of human rights and traditional moral values in the Human Rights Council.”

    Noting that “there were states that voted against the draft (in particular, the USA and European Union)” Russia lamented that “(the) negative position of these countries, their unwillingness to work at the text and fanciful arguments against the resolution draft cause regret.”

    Last year President Obama ordered all federal agencies dealing with U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance to promote LGBT rights. Support for traditional values is deeply troublesome to LGBT groups, as the Gay Star News reports. They are worried it will be used to defend the natural family, and fear they will be unable to de-criminalize homosexuality worldwide.

    Stefano Gennarini is Director of the Center for Legal Studies at the Catholic Family & Human Rights Institute (C-FAM) located in both New York City and Washington, D.C. Gennarini’s article first appeared in the Friday Fax, an internet report published weekly by C-FAM.