Obama comes to Youngstown: The pool reports

What the White House pool reporters were seeing...

Sent: Tue May 18 12:58:43 2010
Subject: Pool report #4
President Obama exited Air Force One at 12:41 p.m.

Gov. Ted Strickland, Reps. Charlie Wilson, John Boccieri and Tim Ryan and Youngstown Mayor William Jay greeted him on the tarmac, bursting into applause as POTUS got close to the foot of the stairs.

Lt Gov Lee Fisher was a no-show.
Motorcade is rolling to the manufacturing plant, hard hats and ear plugs in hand.
 
Sent: Tue May 18 13:22:43 2010
Subject: Pool report #4 correx
Youngstown Mayor is Jay Williams.

POTUS is currently touring the manufacturer, with green lab coat and hard hat-clad pool in tow.
 
Sent: Tue May 18 13:31:05 2010
Subject: Pool report #5

Pool Report #5
Inside V and M Star facility
The pool, in fetching green protective jackets, white helmets and glasses, awaited POTUS on a yellow gangway, above the heat and cacophony of the dimly-lit factory floor at the V and M Star steel mill.
Massive machines whirred and rumbled as large 18 foot long cylinders of steel, spewing sparks and palpable heat, appeared periodically along the production line, glowing orange with molten heat.

The building is a long cathedral type space, with all kinds of satanic-looking machinery on the floor, with just a few windows at each end.
The President, distinguishable by his black protective flame retardant jacket with red trim, appeared on an adjacent gangway with a group of people, presumably company executives and surveyed the scene, pointing at machines and nodding under his white protective hat.
He smiled and waved at the cameras on the way out. His conversations were inaudible amid the din.
The pool then ran through an indoor railway siding strewn with rubble and sand, past more menacing fire breathing machinery to position for the president's next photo op, in front of a blast furnace.
After exiting the mill, the president walked towards the venue for the speech, in an end finishing and dispatch warehouse, underneath a winding overhead ventilation tube.
A crowd of several hundred people is awaiting his remarks and the presidential podium is set up against a backdrop of steel pipes.
 
Sent: Tue May 18 14:09:21 2010
Subject: Pool Report #6
Pool Report #6

Youngstown, Ohio

After the speech, the President walked across to a line of 35-40 workers outside, ahead of a shift change. He shook hands, slapped backs and dispensed hugs.

He had a long conversation with one woman, Mary Ann Decapita, who works in Human Resources at the plant and lives in Youngstown.

"I told him, thank you for all your help here," she said.

POTUS autographed a business card for Mary Ann's daughter Brittany.

It read

"To Brittany
Dream the dream
Barack Obama."
Motorcade now rolling away from the plant
 
Sent: Tue May 18 14:30:46 2010
Subject: Pool report #7
Youngstown, Ohio

POTUS boarded AF1 at just after 2.20 pm
Heading to takeoff.
 
Sent: Tue May 18 15:27:26 2010
Subject: Pool report #8
Air Force One was wheels down at Andrews AFB at 3:17 p.m.
President Obama exited AF1 at 3:24 p.m. amid a light rain and overcast skies.
He got into the limo, and after he was joined by Reggie Love motorcade was rolling to the White House.
Pool had asked Burton for POTUS to come back to press cabin but alas he did not.
And for anyone wondering, AF1's return flight pattern bypassed Pennsylvania, instead traveling at 23,000 over Bellaire, OH, Morgantown, WV and the Potomac River.
Handing over to in-town pool.

365 Things #19

Attend a spaghetti dinner on Sunday! (There is nothing more 'Youngstown' than spaghetti dinners, fish fries and pirogi dinners, anyway). This one is for an incredibly good cause. I went to high school with Taylor. She was incredibly talented in speech and debate and theatre at Ursuline High School before graduating in 2000. She was killed by a drunk driver while driving on Salt Springs Road in 2001.

From the Vindy:

The Taylor Lee Veisz Memorial Scholarship Fund’s 6th annual Spaghetti Dinner and Chinese Auction will run from noon to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 122 S. State St. ( U.S. Route 422).

Tickets, at $8 for adults and $5 for children, will be available at the door. Carry out is available.

Anyone wishing to make a donation to the fund can send a check made payable to the fund in care of Sherron Jackson, 921 Birch Hill Drive, Youngstown, Ohio, 44509. The fund provides assistance to young women and men pursuing a career in the fine and performing arts.

Inc. puts Youngstown in ink.

This is definitely worth sharing. Welcome to the New Youngstown.

Inc. Magazine article on Youngstown

365 Things #18

One of my many nicknames as a child was Bud Light. It has nothing to do with my love of beer, but was a take on one of my dad's nicknames, Bud. (Get it? I can explain, if necessary). Unfortunately, both Bud and Bud Light have worn off as nicknames. My love of beer, however, remains strong. It's nice to be able to satisfy that love with a beer brewed a mere two miles from home. Rust Belt Brewing Company moved into the old B&O Station and has ensured that Youngstown's history as a brewing town continues strong (Anyone for a Renner?) If you've never had a Rust Belt beer, make today the day you toss one back. You can visit the B&O for tours of the brewing operation or have a pint at the Boxcar Lounge. See their website for more details.

Rust Belt Brewing Company

534 Mahoning Avenue

330-747-3232

If he runs for Congress, I'll leave the state

I posted this 6 months ago when he first started talking about it. I repost it today because it still feels the same way:

In what can best be described as a giant step backward for mankind, Jim Traficant has announced a major press conference for Thursday morning. As reported in the Vindicator, “He’ll be talking about Congress,” said Dennis Malloy, Traficant’s communications director. It pains me to think that Traficant may run for Congress, representing either the 17th or 6th congressional districts and speaking for the people of the Mahoning Valley.

And really, a crook representing the Mahoning Valley in any government seat? Been there, done that, got the t-shirt. When Traficant got tossed from Congress and went to jail, we had just finished putting a county commissioner, a couple of judges, a sheriff and the county engineer away for corruption. The mid and late 1990's were about cleaning house in Youngstown. The 2000's have been about rebuilding that house.

What Jim Traficant can't understand is that we've moved past Jim Traficant. The Youngstown he left isn't the Youngstown to which he returned. While there are some people stuck in the past who would love to see him in office, most of the rational people in Youngstown see the damage he has done to our image and our city. There is substantive and positive change occurring in the Youngstown area. An entirely new model of urban renewal has been created around Youngstown's 'shrinking city' concept. People are moving back to Youngstown, dollars are turning some shovels, and there is significant hope being instilled in a lot of people who call Youngstown home. A 'Traficant for (insert political office here)' sign in people's front yards can destroy much of that in an instant.

365 Things #16

As we head down the list, #16 is something that should be required for every Youngstown resident: A visit to the Museum of Labor and Industry. It reminds me of a quote that's been tossed around, including by this blogger a number of times and even appeared on our mast head for a while. "Everybody breathing dirt, eating dirt-they call it 'pay dirt,' for Youngstown clean would be Youngstown out of work." When he uttered the words in 1915, Frank Bohn had no idea how true those words would ring. While a clean Youngstown is an opportunity to reinvent ourselves, the 'Steel Museum', as the museum is often known, takes us back to the soot covered days of Youngstown, when steel was king. It should make any Youngstown resident born after 1980 appreciate the hardwork and sweat that their fathers and grandfathers literally poured into building America. I made my pilgrimage in December.


Museum of Labor and Industry
151 Wood Street (across from St. Columba Cathedral)
330-743-5934

365 Things #15

So I'm a bit behind. If you ran a blog and had to post every single day, you would probably miss one or two (or five) as well.

The weather tomorrow is going to be beautiful. With the exception of some rain in the morning (thanks, Weather.com!), it should be an awesome day for a hike. Why not head to Mill Creek Park, strap on your hiking boots, grab a Clif bar and go hiking?

You can find the complete maps and routes here.

PS: You can plan on seeing a lot of Mill Creek Park in my 365 Things to Do Around Youngstown series. If you think only one or two visits to the park is enough, shame on you.

New videos

Defend Youngstown and Shout Youngstown hosted a Detroit reporter. This is the evidence.