NEWS FROM THE TRACY PARK SIGNING

We received the following report from someone who attended the Tracy Park signing last night. The report is very encouraging, however there is still much to do in the next two weeks.

"It went very well, considering that the plans were kinda last minute. The weather was heavenly...just cool enough for all to be very comfortable. We had a steady flow of citizens who were sooo eager to sign the petitions. There were doctors and nurses and local businessmen and several city workers. There were people in suits and ties and coveralls and some came on motorized chairs. It was very heart-warming to hear how fed up folks are with the so-called "CAVE" People.

About 75 people signed up so about three petition sheets were filled up. This is not a whole lot when over 1100 are needed. But several volunteers eagerly took blank petitions with them, including a lady who has already got 50 signatures on her own. Also many people left phone numbers of relatives and friends who want to sign, and someone will follow up with them. (Also some creepy guy was driving around the Park taking pictures, trying to be smeaky about it. A "CAVE" Person. We just waved at him. He almost caused a wreck.)

There will be probably be at least two more public signings, which will be much more publicized. Since the Tracy Park signing was just spread by word of mouth, everyone was very pleased. They want to get done by the middle of August but they can take more time if they have to."

We will let our readers know about future progress. If you want to sign up or pass petitions, please email us at ptownu@yahoo.com and we will provide you with contact information. Thanks to all who came out yesterday and God bless you.

Tracy Park Petition Signing (CONFIRMED)

Petition Signing:
Tracy Park, 5-7 PM,
Thurs. Jul. 28.

UPDATE: Petition Signing Event is confirmed.

Since former Police Chief Tom Bihl took out recall petitions last Friday, the effort to recall Jane Murray has been making good progress.

(Click here to watch a news story by WSAZ Channel 3 News, or click here to read the Portsmouth Daily Times article.)

Hundreds of signatures have been gathered towards the 1100-plus that will be needed to get the recall issue on the ballot in November. Finally the citizens of Portsmouth will have their chance to get rid of Jane Murray.

However, more signatures and more petition circulators are needed.

We have learned that plans are being made to set up a petition signing at Tracy Park across from the Kroger parking lot, tomorrow (Thursday) from 5:00-7:00 PM.

Here is a chance for our readers to sign a petition or even take blank petition with you if you are a registered voter who would like to collect signatures from your friends and neighbors.

Please plan on going to help save our City and get rid of Calamity Jane.

__________________________________________________________

P-TOWN EXTRA

About this time last year, Portsmouth the CAVE People (including Robert Forrey, Harold Daub, and Teressa Mollette) were trying to sabotage  a project sponsored by a local community group. Many of them lined up at the microphone at City Council meetings to get their face time on camera to criticize the Portsmouth Kiwanis Tracy Park playground project and condemn Portsmouth City Council and the previous mayor for allowing it.

Teresa Mollette  (whose husband has since been kicked out of office, thank you God) called city officials "tools, fools and lapdogs." She went on the internet to say the Kiwanians were "uncaring and self-absorbed" and call Al Oliver "a political pawn of the Kiwanians."

Robert Forrey called the playground project "skullduggery" and, among many other accusations, said that the Kiwanians"concern for children" is just a marketing ploy.

"Kiwanis Playground: The Hole Truth. [Kiwanis has] rebranded itself as the fraternal order that cares, and cares above all about children. With caring for kids as their new mantra, Kiwanis struck marketing gold, and ever since, in a kind of endless summer, has been surfing on that marketing wave."

The picture below is how they portrayed the Kiwanians and their Tracy Park project on River Vices, one of their vile websites: A skunk on a bulldozer giving the "finger" to the City of Portsmouth.

So if you go to Tracy Park for the petition singing take a moment to enjoy the children playing on the beautiful Kiwanis playground and if you know a Kiwanian, shake his or her hand and thank them for making Portsmouth a better place to live.

And take a moment to watch and listen to this beautiful video of the project the CAVE People tried to stop. If Mayor Murray's idiot supporters had their way it would not exist.

SOMC: Mayor Murray's Latest Target

Well, our wonderful, intelligent, tactful, and progress-minded Mayor has done it once agin. She has made a true ass of herself. Jane Murray has more chips on her shoulder than a Snyder's delivery truck driver. It is well-known that she has had a vendetta against Southern Ohio Medical Center. She doesn't like all of the ambulances that come by at all hours of the night, waking her dog and whomever happens to be sleeping at her place. (This is a little like someone who buys a house next to an airport and complains about all the airplanes.) She doesn't like all of the delivery trucks to the medical center complex. Like her C.A.V.E. People supporters, she blames they hospital for basement flooding on Grandview Street.

One of her first actions as Mayor was to raise water and sewer rates for large customers, specifically targeted at customers the size of SOMC, doubling their water and sewer fees (as many other local businesses, such as OSCO, Pepsi, KSA) without advanced notice.

Her latest effort began last month, shortly after the drawn-out exit of Crazy-Town's fake Civil Engineer, Jeff Peck, who Murray claimed had found evidence of the hospital illegally dumping waste in City sewers. (Are we sure Peck is really gone? The City's website still lists Peck as Director of Engineering and Public Services. Click here or here. We're just sayin'.)

Mayor Murray wrote a letter to the hospital ordering them to provide a written plan as to how SOMC will "manage this problem" of city sewers being clogged with "latex gloves, paper towels, syringes, hospital gowns, EKG patches, etc." SOMC responded that they did not belieive that they were the cause of the problem. After all there are doctor's offices in the area wich are not affilated with SOMC as well as Hillview Retirement, who also use such materials. The hospital ended its letter by agreeing to meet with the mayor to discuss the matter and even to install equipment "to allow any debris to be collected and disposed of." The Mayor released her accusation to the Portsmouth Times, which resulted in an article entitled "Hospital-Related Waste Clogging City Sewers, Mayor Says." (PDT, 7/3/2010)

SOMC met with the Mayor on Tuesday, July 13. (PDT, July 17, 2010) How did the meeting go?  

"Not well," Murray said. "I'm very disappointed in the meeting that we had. I specifically requested that SOMC come with a plan to get the materials out of the system, It's unlawful for any of these wastes to enter our sewer system. Instead of coming with a system, they caid they were there to listen to our concerns."

Have you noticed a pattern with our mayor? It seems like no meeting with the mayor ever goes well...with councilmen, with City labor unions, with A-plant officials, with EPA officials, with New Boston officials, with OVRDC...the list goes on and on. No wonder the CAVE people love her.

The meeting truly was a travesty. This was not in the newspaper, but Murray actually pounded on Mr. Arnett's desk (reminiscent of her past meetings with the Police Union, when she demanded to be called Madame Mayor, and her meeting with Councilman Basham) and threatened to shut the hospital down. Murray told them if Arnett didn't do what she wanted, she would call the EPA on them. Arnett responded that they would work with the city but he believed the hospital was in compliance. He merely wanted evidence that the alleged materials going into the sewers were actually from SOMC rather than a non-SOMC doctor's office, Hillview Retirement Center, or another source.

Hurrican Jane was true to her threat to call EPA. ("Mayor Seeks Help From Ohio EPA," PDT, July 15).

Portsmouth Mayor Jane Murray has thrown down the gauntlet in her dispute with Southern Ohio Medical Center over reports that debris from the hospital has been ending up in the city’s sewer system and in homes on Shawnee Road.

Murray requested that personnel from at least THREE (!) different Divisions of the Ohio EPA (Surface Water Hazardous Wastem, and Infectious Wastes) instpect SOMC "as soon as possible." Murray has had City Sewer personnel working overtime seven days per week random inspecting city sewers to try to catch the SOMC in the act, and has even order hazardous materials suits from sewer personnel. (This vendetta of hers is getting a bit expensive.)

Well the EPA inspection took place on Tuesday. What was the result? ("EPA says SOMC In Compliance," PDT, July 23).

Erin Strouse of the Ohio EPA said the Ohio EPA staff met Tuesday with Murray and city wastewater system officials before conducting an inspection at SOMC. Strouse said the Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management staff from Ohio EPA conducted an infectious waste inspection at the facility during the site visit and found SOMC in compliance with all applicable rules.

According to Randy Arnett, president and CEO at SOMC, on June 20, three inspectors from the EPA conducted an assessment of SOMC’s disposal practices and storm water drainage.
“Portsmouth Mayor Jane Murray has alleged that SOMC is improperly disposing of waste, causing flooding to occur on Shawnee Road,” Arnett said. “We were appreciative of the visit by the inspectors. They were very complimentary of our practices and our staff.”

Arnett said two of the three inspectors were infectious and hazardous waste specialists. One specialized in surface water drainage. “They spoke with several of our staff members in various departments and were impressed by the knowledge and methods used consistently throughout the organization,” Arnett said. “They even said they would like to use SOMC as an example for other organizations.”

So once again Murray has made an ass out of herself (and the City of Portsmouth.)

Is this REALLY what we want from the leadser of our City? Is this REALLY what we voted for?

Do we really want her attacking the City's largest employer with 2200 paid workers? Maybe, since she thinks all things from Kentucky are better than Ohio, she would like to see SOMC's Kentucky competitor take over. Perhaps, just like her C.A.V.E. People followers who constantly criticize SOMC and call for boycotts, she would love to see the hospital close its doors for good.

Even if SOMC is ultimately found to be relasing unauthorized debris (after all, they have 2200 paid staff and 800 volunteer workers...it's not possible to monitor every janitor and every nurses every minute of the day), is this really how we want the Mayor to handle this situation?

Is this really how we attract new business to our area? But calling the EPA on our largest employer?

We say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! CRAZY JANE MUST GO!"

LET THE RECALL BEGIN!!!

Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody

This is the story of four people who live in Crazy-Town, USA: Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

Everybody said the new Mayor was crazy. Ever since her first day in office, Everybody felt like they were living in Crazy-Town. Nobody was happy that Anybody voted for her. Everybody thought Somebody should form a "recall committee" to remove the crazy Mayor from office.

But the Crazy-Town charter said the Mayor would have to be in office for SIX MONTHS before Anybody could recall her. Everybody marked the day on their calendars when Somebody could do something: July 6.

Well, July 6 came and went. And Everybody started to wonder. "When is Somebody going to start the committee to recall our crazy Mayor? Is Anybody going to do something about this terrible situation?" But Somebody said, "I'm afraid to do it because, Everybody will say I did for the wrong reasons.” And businesses in Crazy-Town said, "We don’t want Anybody who works for us to do it, because the Crazy Mayor will come after us."

Then Somebody thought, “It’s just like the old story.”

Everybody thought Somebody would do it. Somebody should have done it. Anybody could have done it. But in the end, Nobody did it.

Will Everybody be stuck with the mayor that Nobody wants? If Somebody doesn’t do something very soon, Nobody will have enough time to pass the petitions that Everbody wants to sign, and it will be impossible to get the recall of the Mayor on the November ballot. And Crazy Jane Murray will likely stay in office until at least May of 2011.

Does Anybody think this is good idea?

Great Moments in CrAzY-ToWn History (The first of a series)

Jane Murray Votes AGAINST A-Plant Resolution

Date:  Feb. 25, 2010
Location: Pike County Government Plaza, Waverly, Ohio
Event: Board Meeting of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission

Elected leaders from a twelve-county area serve on the Board of the Ohio Valley Development Commission (OVRDC). They come, many on their own time, to support development projects and to request assistance for our area from state and federal funding sources. These meetings are often attended by representatives of congress and the governor's office. As the Mayor of Portsmouth, Jane Murray is automatically on the board.

Hurricane Jane used her first meeting with this group to cast the only dissenting vote against a resolution to help support the removal of outdated equipment and clean up at the Piketon plant. Seventeen members from Chilicothe, Piketon, Waverly, and elsewhere voted for the measure, proposed by the Scioto and Pike County Commissioners.

Why did she vote against it? Whose judgement was she relying on to make her decision? None other than a full-time anti-nuclear activist named Geoffrey Sea.

Mr. Sea is part of the Southern Ohio Neighbors Group, a tiny crew of anti-nuke kooks, who have caused endless problems for the A-Plant. This is the group Jane has sided with, against the interests of the Citizens of Portsmouth. This is the same Geoffrey Sea who, in January, wrote a letter published in the Portsmouth Times that called Pike County Commissioner Blaine Beekman (a board member of the OVRDC) a "dishonest, self-serving...obstructionist" who made "empty promises and backroom deals." (Click here to read the snide and insulting letter written by Jane Murray's friend, Mr. Sea.)

Jane Murray took it upon herself to invite Mr. Sea to her first meeting ever with this group to give him the opportunity to lecture them about his anti-nuclear, anti-progress views. Arrogantly imposing Mr. Sea's ranting on the attendees at that meeting was WORSE than her negative vote on the resolution.

For the Portsmouth Times coverage of the meeting, click here.
We especially urge you to read our additional information by clicking here.

Jane Murray: Winning friends? Influencing people?

Here's a book that the Mayor should add to her summer reading list...

1. The latest influential person she has ticked off is Frank R. Thompson. Mr. Thompson is a very energized local man who has dedicated himself to doing whatever he can to rid our area of abused prescription drugs. His organization, Fix the Scioto County Problem of Drug Abuse, Misuse, and Overdose, (click here for their Facebook Page) is active and growing.

Two weeks ago, Mr. Thompson described his frustration in dealing with Mayor Murray. Thompson had some public events planned for July (including a concert on the esplanade on July 2) and had received permission from the Mayor to use the main display window at the Martings building for publicity. In late June, he learned that the Mayor had instead promised the main window to the Portsmouth Area Arts Council and Thompson would be moved to the corner window:

Guess what, people? Our display has been moved to the small corner window. I was furious. Talked with the mayor and her secretary. Mayor hung up - guess that's where we'll be displaying. My apologies to the families and friends of the victims for this dreadful change. (Thompson on Facebook, 5:58 pm, 6/23/10)

As the evening progressed Thompson reviewed his correspondence with the Mayor and confirmed that she had lied to him. His description of the events on the group's Facebook page (click here) tells a lot about  how Murray runs her office. Here are some of his statements:

I have copies of the correspondence and they are dated and verified. How do they expect this to ride? I have spent this week making setting up the unveiling, securing the band and speakers, and making and handing out fliers. This was all dependent on the window.

Deception in City government...

...the Mayor's secretary had the audacity to tell me that the mayor attended [all of the drug action team meetings.] I laughed and said, "I remember one and I haven't missed since I started on the Action Team in February"...

She balled me out for making her secretary cry...

Mr. Thompson's arrogant treatment by the Mayoress probably wasn't very smart. Thompson's group's website has over 3,400 followers. Now Thompson knows what it's like to get the royal treatment from the Queen of CrazyTown.

A couple of Mr. Thompson's recent postings are quite revealing:
* Yesterday: "Poll of the Day -- Mayor Murray recall? Yes or No" The results were pretty impressive.
* Another interesting post (complete with a picture that is familiar to our readers): "The forbidden photo of the Mayor's lovely bathroom."

2. Major mess in the Mayor's Office. In April, Murray hired a young Portsmouth man as her assistant. But after two months of office turmoil and abusive treatment, he couldn't take it anymore. He quit a few weeks ago. We won't name the young man here, but his title was Mayor's Assistant. After working so closely with her Highness, he knew that when he left she was likely to say terrible things about him, so he spoke to several City employees to make sure that his side of the story was known. Here are a few of the things he described about the mayor's office.

* The mayor never comes in before 10AM.
* She believes she is suffering from fibromyalgia, which she diagnosed herself. She is frustrated that no doctor will confirm this.
* Mayor Murray does not work well with men.
* He was regularly ordered around (and even verbally reprimanded) by Murray's "volunteer" staff.
* The Mayor's office is hopelessly unorganized and she can't even complete the simplest tasks.
* She is convinced that her office is "bugged" and that the judges' employees have broken into her office and have stolen files.

This gentleman joins a line of people who found that they were unable to work with Ms. Murray, beginning with Pete Mingus, the Mayor's "Chief of Staff," who left after just five days on the job, with similar horror stories.

Recall Facts, Part III

"No recall petition shall be filed against any elective officer within six (6) months after he takes office." (Section 157, Portsmouth City Charter)

Accordingly, recall petitions against the mayor can be filed any time after July 6, 2010 (the first business day after the six-month limit).

"There shall appear on each petition paper the names and addresses of five electors, who, as a committee of the petitioners, shall be regarded as responsible for the circulation and filing of the petition." (Section 27)

Each petition paper must be properly certified by the circulator of the petition, who must be a registered voter, but not necessarily a citizen of Portsmouth. The circulator does not have to be one of the five committee members. The petitions must be gotten from the City Clerk's office.

"A recall petition...to be sufficient must bear signatures of qualified electors of the City equal in number to at least 25% of the electors who voted in the last preceding regular municipal election." (Section 151)

In Nov. 2009, 4590 people voted in the City election. Therefore, the petitions to recall the mayor must have at least 1148 valid signatures. (25% of 4590). [A llocal website mistakenly reported that only 10% are needed but this is incorrect.] There are approximately 11,500 registered voters in Portsmouth.

Also according to Section 151, petitioners have only 30 days to produce the required signatures. The City Clerk has 20 days after receiving the petitions to certify that there are enough valid signatures.

If the City Clerk certifies that there are at least 1148 valid signatures, the recall of the mayor would be placed on the November ballot. At that time Portsmouth voters will have a chance to vote "for" or "against" the removal of the Mayor.

If the November recall is successful, Mayor Murray would leave office immediately after the recall election is certified by the Scioto County Board of Elections, and she could not run for any city office for two years. If the recall is successful, the President of City Council (currently David Malone) would immediately become Mayor.

If the recall is unsuccessful, Murray will complete her four-year term. No additional recall attempt could be initiated until at least six months after the failed recall vote.

The entire City Charter can be viewed here.

WHO WILL STEP UP TO THE PLATE?

There are rumors that at least one recall committee is being formed. It is said that on July 6 or soon after, recall petitions to the remove Mayor Murray will be available. It is said that this committee will made up of well-known people in our community who have seen the ongoing travesty of the Murray administration and know that it must be stopped. It is said that these people know that the only hope for Portsmouth's future is the removal of Jane Murray.

Are these rumors true? We will soon see.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

-Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
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Click below for Parts I and II:

Recall Facts, Part I

Recall Facts, Part II

Coming Soon...

Jane Murray: The CASE for RECALL

Recall Facts, Part II

QUESTION: What is the only thing necessary for evil to triumph?

ANSWER: According to a famous quote, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."

QUESTION: Will Jane Murray be recalled from office as the Mayor of Portsmouth?

ANSWER: See above.

We have all heard for months that many people of Portsmouth are calling for the recall of Jane Murray. It is said that there will be people lined up at the City Clerk's office on July 6--the first day that petitions for recall can be released, eager to see Murray's sad reign of error ended. Murray's recall was said to be a foregone conclusion. We have been among those who have made that very prediction.

Supposedly, Murray is toast. 

However, something has to happen first. Section 27 of the Portsmouth City Charter requires that a "recall committee" of five Portsmouth voters must be formed to request the recall.

"There shall appear on each petition paper the names and addresses of five electors of the City...who, as a committee, shall be regarded as responsible for the circulation and filing of the petition."

After the five electors (or registered voters) of Portsmouth officially request the Mayor's removal, the charter requies the City Clerk will "keep on file" "copies of petition papers for demanding such a removal" for distribution to the voters as requested. (Section 150 of the Charter.)

So. Who will form the committee? Usually the people forming the recall committees in Portsmouth are CAVE People types... like Harold Daub, Rich Noel, Wayne Nichols, "a citizen," Austin Leedom, etc. But even though they're all experts on the recall process (especially Daub), these people are more likely forming committees to recall the council people who have stood up to Murray. They are Jane Murray's very own motley crew of "good ol' boys."  

The Charter says that valid petitions for recall of an elected official cannot be circulated until the official has been in office for six months. Queen Jane was crowned on January 4. Six months later, July 4 will be a Sunday. And July 5, a Monday, is the date when the City will observe Independence Day. So Tuesday, July 6, will be the day that the recall can begin...if a recall committee is formed.

That is less than three weeks away.

It will be interesting to see who steps up to the plate to give the citizens of Portsmouth what they want and what the City needs so badly...a chance to recall Jane Murray.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."-Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

For "Recall Facts, Part One," click below:
http://p-townunderground.blogspot.com/2010/04/recall-facts-part-i.html

cRaZy-tOvvN Community Development

Shannon Southworth was fired on Monday. ("Southworth Issues Statement About Firing."-PDT)

Until Monday, Shannon was the Grants Technician for the City of Portsmouth. As of today, she is still listed on the City's website as the contact person for the Community Development Department. (http://www.portsmouthoh.org/index.aspx?nid=72)

Shannon's name may be there for a while. After all, Jeff Peck who was let go by the City almost a month ago, is still listed on the City's website as the director of the Engineering Department, the Public Service Department, the Public Utilities Department, AND the Wastewater Department.  (He is really gone, isn't he?)

Now according to the Portsmouth Daily Times: "The remaining person in the Portsmouth Community Development Department has been fired. Shannon Southworth...was fired by Mayor Jane Murray Monday."

Why was Southworth fired, you may ask? Well, Frank Lewis, the Portsmouth Times reporter, asked Jane Murray the same question.

"Murray would not talk about the termination on the record, citing dealing with personnel as an administrative issue."

Wow! This is quite a change for Ms. Murray! In the past firing employees was reason for a press conference to make wild accusations against them. Remember when she fired the Water Works Director and  publicly threatened to have investigated for corruption-based on the claims of a convicted felon. (She later hired him back). Remember when she fired the Sewer Director for gross mismanagement and neglect of duty. (She later offered him his job back). Remember when she fired the Service Director for incompetence, neglect of duty, and lack of caring about the public? (Apparently the Portsmouth Municipal Court judges disagreed, because about a week later they hired him as their bailiff.)

Maybe Calamity Jane has learned something in her brief, disastrous time in office: Sometimes just keep your big mouth shut when you fire someone.

THE REAL REASON SHANNON SOUTHWORTH WAS FIRED

In 2009 a local contractor was hired by the City to install new curbs and sidewalks in a large part of the East End of Portsmouth. There were multiple problems with his work. The contractor left piles of debris in the streets and disappeared from the job for long periods of time. Perhaps the biggest problem was vandalism. The contractor was responsible for securing his work until the concrete hardened, but most of the sidewalks the contractor installed were defaced with extensive graffiti, some of which is vulgar. (The graffiti can be seen at many of the intersections south of 8th Street and east of Campbell St.) The Community Development Director at that time retained part of the amount owed to the contractor until the vandalized sidewalk sections were removed and replaced. The contractor refused, saying he shouldn't be responsible for vandalism, even though it was a requirement of the contract.

The project was paid through the City Auditor's Office using Federal and State funds granted to the City, so the City had to report to the State on the progress of the project. The City reported that project was not complete and explained the reason why the funds were withheld. Of course the contractor was very unhappy about this.

Who was the contractor who installed the sidewalks? None other than Jack Vetter. The same contractor the Mayor "hired" without City Council authorization to remodel her office (including her lovely bathroom) on her first day in office. This is the same contractor who just last week complained to the Portsmouth Times ("Local Contractor Upset Over Non-Payment From City") and harshly criticized City Council for not paying him for the remodeling. Vetter said, "I blame Council 100 percent. I think they are playing hardball with the Mayor and taking it out on me." Please notice that the article does not mention Vetter's non-payment for the sidewalk work.

What does this have to do with Ms. Southworth? Last month, the contractor (Vetter) submitted a bill to the city for "additional work" related to the East End sidewalk project.The mayor's office prepared an invoice to pay for the "additional work" using federal community development funds and sent it to Ms. Southworth, as the City's Grants Technician, for her approval. Knowing the history of the sidewalk project, Southworth contacted the Ohio Department of Development to make sure the invoice could be paid. While Southworth was waiting for an answer, Jeff Peck (in one his last acts as a City employee) removed the voucher from Southworth's desk, signed it and took it to the Auditor's Office for payment. (Even though the funds are federal/state provided, the actual check comes through the City Auditor.)

For her own protection, Southworth wrote a memo to the mayor, the city solicitor and city auditor to explain that the invoice was taken from her desk and paid without her knowledge and to clarify that she had not finished her review of the bill. The mayor apparently considered Southworth's memo to be grounds for firing.

As a result of Ms. Murray's attempt to provide additional compensation (we were told the amount was over $20,000) to a favored contractor for questionable, substandard work using federal funds, the City is now being investigated by the Ohio Department of Development. And now the City has no Community Development Department.

When Jane Murray ran for Mayor and she came into office she claimed to be an expert in community development. She promised she would bring in museums and parks and grants and cultural centers to Portsmouth, "just like I did in Lexington." (As we have already shown here on P-Town Underground, her claimed Lexington "successes" are all frauds.)

So, Dear Reader, what do you think?

Which of the follownig is a bigger priority for Mayor Jane Murray? The Community Development Department, which should be the welcoming face of our city for business people and government officials from out of town and around the world...

...or is it a small room, intended for use by only one person, built by a contractor who did substandard work for the city, whose pay request was questioned by an employee who was fired for doing her job?

CRa-Zy TOvvN Fo0TbALL

Update on Ohio EPA story:

City Continues To Hit Snags In EPA Compliance.

In honor of professional football returning to Portsmouth this weekend, P-Town Underground presents the following football-inspired analysis:

Last week's Portsmouth Times (May 14, 2010) reported  that Randy Nickles would become the new Director of Wastewater for the City of Portsmouth and that Jeff Peck, who has been the Wastewater Director, even though he doesn't know anything about wastewater, would be leaving city government.

On 5/19/2010, the Times reported "Mayor Prepares to Put City Back in EPA Compliance." The article reported that the EPA expected to receive the paperwork by the end of the week (today).

EPA has already begun the enforcement process to fine the City but they have put it on hold temporarily waiting for the mayor to put Nickles in the position.

However, Jeff Peck has still not been terminated from his position. He has told several City employees that he expects to remain as Wastewater Director until at least the end of June. Mr. Nickles can't be assigned to the position until Peck is removed from it.

All of this means that the City remain out of compliance indefinitely.

Will Charlie Brown ever learn?

CrAZy-T*wN Picture of the Day

Jane Murray's promises vs. Crazy-Town Reality

Elvis Has Left The Building

Portsmouth Daily Times says Jeffory Peck is on his way out.

http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/view/full_story/7421885/article-Nickles-Named-Wastewater-Director?instance=home_news_lead

Portsmouth Times On-Line Survey

Do You Think Madam Murray Should Resign As Mayor Of Portsmouth?

That's the question that the Portsmouth Times is asking on their first ever on-line poll of their readers.

Just click on the link below and you can add you vote. The poll appears on the right side-top of page.

http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/

Express yourself. You just know the CAVE people will!

Can you guess how we voted?
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EXTRA: EDITORIAL BY PORTSMOUTH TIMES

Click here to read last Saturday's editiorial which is now on-line.

Congratulations to the Portsmouth Times!

In the midst of all the craziness of Crazy-Town in the last couple of weeks, we here at P-Town Underground forgot to recognize a very significant event that means good news for Portsmouth. Heartland Publications, the parent company of the Portsmouth Times and the Community Common newspapers, announced that it emerged from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy on May 1, 2010. They state that nearly one-half of their "prior debt is eliminated" and that the "company intends to pursue growth opportunities." We have literally been praying for the financial health of the Portsmouth Times for the sake of our community and we are very glad to hear this excellent news. (Click here for the story.)

In honor of this happy event, we would like to reprint one of our earlier stories (from 12/19/2009). This was the first story of our series: "The 12 Days of Grinchmas." (Yes, we know we never finished all 12. We'll get around to it eventually.) We humbly request that our readers try to find a way to express our appreciation for our hometown newspaper-send them a card, drop off some cookies, or even offer to take a reporter out to lunch.
____________________________________________________________
On the first day of Grinchmas, the Grinches want to see...
The Portsmouth Times in bankruptcy.
The Portsmouth Daily Times was first published in 1852. For over 150 years, it has been a faithful friend to the citizens of Portsmouth. It has told us about the world, employed our neighbors, and entertained us. It has announced our community's births, marriages, and deaths. Thanks to the Times, we know where the yard sales are, what churches have special services, and what ten items you can get for $10 at Krogers. The Times has struggled. It's not perfect. It's not what it once was, but what in Portsmouth is? As our city has struggled and tried to adjust to its financial constraints, so has the Portsmouth Times. The cutbacks are noticeable. It's easy to criticize the paper. But it's just as easy to praise it, if we choose. Their coverage of local events and sports is good. It's still a good place for many businesses to advertise. Most of all it is a reliable and important public institution. In an era when all newspapers are struggling and many are failing, Portsmouth is extremely fortunate to have a local paper. It provides jobs and is a small but significant part of our tax base. We believe the paper is vital to morale of our community. It has a circulation of 13,000 and covers much of Ohio and Kentucky. It would be a real blow to Portsmouth's prestige if the Daily Times ever went away.

BUT THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT THE C.A.V.E. PEOPLE WANT. Of all the CAVE People, ex-professor Robert Forrey is probably the Grinchiest. All he needs is a shabby Santa suit and a dab of green face powder and he would be a dead ringer. (Actually, he doesn't even need the makeup.) So of course he would love to see the death of the Times. Here are some things that Forrey (originally for Massachusetts) has said about our newspaper, on his execrable excuse for a website:
"People who really want progress in Portsmouth should take a pledge not to buy the incredibly shrinking newspaper." "Everyone should just say no to the Portsmouth Daily Times." "The Prostitute Daily Times." (Oh, professor, you're so clever.) "The Little Shop of Horrors." "Our anorexic local newspaper." "It pays not to advertise." "I look forward to the day when there are no prostitutes or PDT dispensers on the street corners of Portsmouth." Forrey's fellow traveler and alleged tax cheat, Austin Leedom, on his nasty little website, has his mind in the same gutter. He must be more religious than Forrey, because he calls the Times the "Anti-Christ Newspaper." He, like other CAVE People, frequently calls for its boycotting. "Boycott Portsmouth Daily Times - Editor Jason Lovins urges Democracy to be set aside. Adolph Hitler talked same way in Germany in mid-1930s. Be patriotic, why support Un-American propaganda? If you are a subscriber, cancel now. Save your money; stop patronizing businesses that advertise with the Daily Times until Jason Lovins is gone from Daily Times." This is just one example. Teresa Mollette, the embarrassing "bitter half" of a recently defeated city councilman, uses her sorry excuses for websites to constantly criticize the Times for not agreeing with her vaunted opinions. The following plea is typical: "I encourage everyone in the community to voice their NONsupport of the PDT." On her website she stated that she cancelled her subscription to the Portsmouth Times AND Scioto Voice and wished she could cancel the delivery of the free newspaper, the Community Common, to her doorstep. She ended her rant by explaining that all you really need to know in Portsmouth can be found at the two websites that she runs. (Check her arrogant statements out for yourself, by clicking here.) And that's really what these internet freaks of nature would really love to see. No real news. Only their paranoid delusional internet propaganda. If you had any doubt, the hatred of the CAVE People for the Portsmouth Times should make it clear that they do not want the best for Portsmouth. They don't call for the paper to be better, or to have more revenue to hire more staff and print more pages. They call for it to fail. The impact of the failure of the Times on our community would be hard to estimate, but at the least it would a crippling spiritual blow to the citizens. It would mean no sharing of our children's sports and academic highlights. No obituaries of our loved ones. No reporting of progress and struggles of our town. No chance for your child to be a paper boy or girl. Dozens of people out of work. The end of the Times, if and when it comes, will be a sad day in Portsmouth. But not for the internet Grinches. They will celebrate. They will have a collective internet orgasm. They will probably dance like witches around a boiling cauldron.

Anti-CAVE ACTION!! What can we do to counteract the hateful influences of the CAVE People? Here are a few suggestions: 1. Write a letter of appreciation to the Times, perhaps, to individual reporters, even if you don't always agree with them. Encourage these folks who have a demanding job and who are, in a real sense, servants of the public. 2. Resist the temptation to be a Grinch. One of the worst faults of human nature it the tendency to criticize others rather than to encourage. 3. Consider subscribing if you don't already get the paper. If you do, buy an extra copy now and then. It's just 50 cents. Leave it in the break room at work. 4. Advertise. If you have a business, call the Times and see what specials they have. Several churches have done very well with small, inexpensive front page ads. 5. LIE TO THE TIMES! Call them up and tell them they're the greatest newspaper ever. Maybe they will be!

C rA Zy JaN E's Latest Adventures

The slanderer-in-chief has struck again. As it so often happens, it seems the intrepid Frank Lewis and the Portsmouth Daily Times has said it best with today's headline.

TODAY'S RANDOM CRAZY-TOWN OBSERVATIONS

1. INSANE JANE vs. THE MAFIA

Don't you just hate it when you're walking along, minding your own business, not bothering anybody, and the mayor of a small to medium sized municipality accuses you of money laundering through your rental properties and being a member of the Mafia? Don't you just hate it when that happens?

"The suit also alleges that because DeSimone is an Italian American, Murray also published that he was in the Mafia."

The Mafia, Jane? Really? The freaking "Mafia"? La Cosa Nostra? Are you really going to climb that high up in the crazy tree? We guess it was inevitable. First, Portsmouth is invaded by the Mexican Toro Loco Cartel. Then we get the Kentucky Mafia (aka, the Murray administration). Then the Irish Mob starts taking over. (Hey. What happened to you guys anyway?) Now, we have to worry about the REAL Mafia?

Jane, you can't even find out who took the picture of your bathroom, and now you're taking on the Mafia? (Does Crazy-Town's Sheriff, Mr. Peck, know about this? We can hear him now: "Hold on, Miss Jane, I didn't sign on with you to take on no Mafia." "Shut up, Peck, and do what I tell you." "Yes, Madam Mayor.")

2. PENDING LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE CITY OF PORTSMOUTH

In case you lost count, here is a list of the City's current legal liabilities:

Dan Saez, former Community Development Director: defamation, slander and libel

Jane Murray, et al: Basement flooding

Ohio EPA: Non-compliance with regulations regarding operator certification.

Did we mention Jane Murray's lawsuit against the City she is mayor of?

Rick Duncan, fired Wastewater Director: defamation, slander and libel.

Then there's Jane Murray's pending lawsuit. (By the way, at a council meeting on January 11, 2010, she said she had asked the Ohio Ethics Commission to determine if her lawsuit was a "conflict of interest" and promised to release it as soon as it was available. The commission must be busy, we guess.)

Shane DeSimone, Italian American Mobster: defamation, slander, libel.

Oh, and lest we forget. Jane Murray is also suing the City of Portsmouth.

You would think that even the stupidest Jane Murray supporter would get it by now. Jane Murray is incredibly incompetent. She takes her advice from felons, convicts, and CAVE people. She repeats rumors and gossip as if they were fact, if she imagines the information might somehow be used to her advantage. She believes when you're stuck in a hole, just keep on digging until you see daylight.

3. JONES MAY NEED ASSISTANCE TO DEFEND AGAINST SUITS

Do you think?

Due to the multiple lawsuits against the mayor and the city, potential conflicts of interest, and the fact that the City's liability insurance doesn't believe they have to pay out to defend the City against every damn idiotic accusation that comes out of the mouth of the Mayor of Crazy-Town, the City Solicitor thinks he may need the assistance of "separate attorneys." Actually, we don't even think Clarence Darrow, F. Lee Bailey, Perry Mason, L.A. Law, and Judd for the Defense could help you against these charges, but good luck with that.

We believe we have found the perfect solution to the City's dilemma: the classic defense of last resort. In November, when Jane Murray is recalled from office by the citizens (if she lasts that long), just go to the judge and plead "temporary insanity" on behalf of the City of Portsmouth. If he asks for proof that a whole town could be temporarily insane just refer him to Exhibit A: the archives of http://www.p-townundergound.com/ Open and shut case.

D. COINCIDENCE? WE THINK NOT!

The tombstone of the original CALAMITY JANE. Martha Jane Burke

Portsmouth's own CALAMITY JANE. Martha Jane Murray

There's got to be a connection.

Let's All Clean-up Crazy-Town!!

IMPRESSIVE TURN-OUT FOR MAYOR'S CLEAN-UP INITIATIVE

There was a massive turn-out on Saturday for the Mayor's "Clean-up, Fix-up, Beautify" initiative to clean up the east end of Portsmouth. We're certain this intrepid crew will have that part of town looking as tidy as the Wayne Nichols property by...well, uh, ... never mind.

(PDT 5/4/10)

We believe that the excellent turnout was generated by the mayor's intensive on-line public relations effort via the city's website.

We especially like the "yada yada" part. Way to go, Mayor. We believe the turn out could have been much higher if the CAVE people weren't too lazy and/or fat to get off their rear ends and do something positive for the city, and if the mayor had not alienated

the fire department

the police department

city council the traffic committee

the city auditor

the city solicitor

the judges

and the majority of the citizens of the city of Portsmouth.

Jeff Peck sent his apologies for not participating in the event. He thought the mayor said "Clean-up Green-up" and he headed for Kentucky as soon as he got off on Friday.

CrAZy-ToWn Circus and Sideshow (Updated 6:00 PM)

FOR UPDATE: SCROLL TO BOTTOM Ever since Jane Murray was elected mayor and turned Portsmouth into CRa-zY-ToWn USA, the city has basically become a circus. Some days all three rings of the circus end up on the front page of the newspaper. Yesterday was great example. 1. Center ring: The main attraction: "Mayor, City Council Bicker over CIP Budget" Last month, Mayor Murray gave City Council a hopelessly screwed-up operating budget months after she promised it. It was so bad that Council decided 5 to 1 to throw it out and go back to the previous mayor's proposed budget. (The only holdout was Richie "the Rug" Noel). So Murray follows that up with an equally bad capital budget, which included $0 for the fire department and multiple math errors and omissions. 2. Ring No. 2: "Traffic Light Issue Concerns Local Business Owners" "Attorneys for two companies and the owner of another spoke to Portsmouth City Council Monday night and warned about the proposed removal of certain traffic lights, and other issues ..." Why did these individuals just happen to show up (one all the way from Ashland) at a City Council meeting to speak on a subject that was not even on the agenda? One member of council, who seems to have a fetish for traffic lights, contacted several local businesses and said, "City Council wants to take away your traffic light, but don't say you heard it from me." So thanks to one member, City Council had to take time away from a busy agenda of addressing the many catastrophes that Calamity Jane Murray has brought on the City to re-assure worried business owners and their attorneys they have no intention of hurting their business. This man needs to get a life. 3. Ring No. 3: "Peck, Duncan Differ Over Faulty Wastewater Equipment" Jeff Peck, the roly-poly Sheriff of Crazytown, who is not an engineer but claims to be one because he sleeps at the Ramada Inn Express, called the Portsmouth Times a few days ago to tell them "I just found out that Rick Duncan [the previous wastewater director] had not done any safety things for a number of years." (What is a "safety thing?" Must be a technical term Peck picked up at Hazard County Community College.) Peck, who told the Ohio EPA in February that he didn't know nothin' 'bout operatin' no sewer plants, said he wasn't trying to stir things up. Peck, whose only wastewater experience is his claim that his girlfriend could suck harder than a City vacuum truck, said he just wanted to let the Times know about the safety issue because "I figured someone would blow it out of proportion." Peck, who will now have every crackhead in the county at the water plant looking for "chlorine crystals," concluded by saying "It was because I told them to start doing safety checks is what the real deal is." He's been on the job for four months and he finally told his employees to start doing safety checks? Actually, we're surprised the mayor didn't call a press conference for this! But yesterday the Crazy-Town circus was crazier than normal. Even three rings couldn't hold all of the weirdness in town. They had to open up a sideshow especially for Mayor Murray's imitation of a homeless person. An article (not on-line) with the headline "Mayor Murray Seeks Donations For Her Office" reported that the mayor has withdrawn her request for $11,600 to renovate her office and instead has sent out e-mails to scores of supporters complaining of harassment by City Council and asking for donations of furniture. "I really could use a desk, a small conference table (even a glass top) and chairs for my office." Next, will we see her standing on Second Street holding a cardboard sign? We doubt that we will get one of Murray's emails, but if we did we would ask what she did with the previous mayor's desk, conference table and chairs. She seems to have had a conference table in the picture below. Maybe she will put together one her famous bar charts to help explain the situation. Some of our readers have already suggested alternative ways of raising money for her office. If this doesn't work perhaps she could hold a telethon on Grandview Avenue where she got her political start in Portsmouth. Let's hope this approach works. As embarrassing as the whole situation is we would hate it if she had to resort to making even more of a spectacle of herself. Congratulations, Mayor. You have really kept your promise to bring all of your vast experience in government to your position as mayor to do for Portsmouth all the things you did for Lexington. UPDATE TO STORY (Thursday, 6:00 PM) The Mayor released the following statement this afternoon. It seems that all of our financial problems may now be solved. Looks like exciting news.

FROM THE OFFICE OF MAYOR JANE MURRAY

I am pleased to announce that I have recently secured a large grant for the City of Portsmouth. I have been in contact with a major international businessman who has agreed to give the city $9 million (60% of $15 million) to be used for whatever purposes the City sees fit, such as salary increases for selected individuals, office furniture, cultural centers, and GPS devices to keep track of errant shopping carts. Now all of the citizens of Portsmouth can see that I have kept my pledge that I would tap into funding sources that the previous administration was just too short-sighted and unsophisticated to understand. I told you all I could do it, and now I have. I have enclosed copy of our correspondence with the international donor who has generously agreed to provide these needed funds. All that remains to be done is for City Council to agree to deposit a token amount of funds into a certain account in a bank in Ghana, Africa. I am confident that even the fools on City Council will see the wisdom of investing $100,000 to receive $9,000,000. This will show all of you doubters of my administration, especially that terrible P-Town Underground. Signed, S. Jane Murray, Exalted Mayor of Portsmouth Copy of donor correspondence: