INSIDE: Former Olympic wrestler pays surprise visit to Carrollton. Page B-2 THE
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CARROLLTON, OHIO 44615, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2013
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tIhis week
50 years later
nside
Kennedy assassination continues to spark memories, books on who was responsible for killing a president
school
By Leigh Ann Rutledge FPS Reporter
Augusta students took a tour of the planetary system with assistance from COSI! Page B-3
sports
Tana McClelland (left) assistant, and Aaron Dodds, economic development director for Carroll County, are taking a new approach to marketing the resources in the county, including the use of social media, which is displayed on a screen in the background.
Youthful duo steers county’s development in new direction By Carol McIntire Editor
Malvern senior Cobin Plessinger has been named Inter Valley Conference Player of the Year. Page B-1
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Inside Classifieds .................C-3,4 Accent Pages ...............C-1,2 Obituaries ....................A-6 Opinion ........................A-4 Public Notices..........C-2, 3 Public Record..............A-2 Sports ........................B-1,2 Church .........................A-7 School ...........................B-3
Economic Development in Carroll County is taking on a new appearance. The traditional “they’ll contact us if they want to locate here and we’ll welcome them,” method is transforming into an aggressive “look, here’s what we have to offer, come and see us,” campaign. Economic Development Director Aaron Dodds, named to the position just over six months ago, immediately set out to make the office “proactive” instead of “reactive.” That methodology received a
boost last month with the hiring of Tana McClelland, who earned a marketing degree from Kent State University. “The office is becoming very proactive,” Dodds explained. “We’re not waiting for development to knock on our doors; we are knocking on theirs.” “We were moving in the right direction, but we weren’t able to maximize our potential in the social media market,” Dodds continued. “We brought Tana onboard and she is already paying dividends.” The Economic Development office, located on the lower level of the county courthouse, it taking on
a new look. A large computer screen hangs on the wall offering quick access to the Internet and social media. “We want to be very modern, visual and informational,” McClelland said of the new website they hope to build. “We know what we want and it has to be top notch; it is going to be expensive. Our finances are tight and we may have to develop it in phases, but we know how important it is to have an attractive sight that provides adequate information so we will be patient.” Dodds said he hopes to have at least a portion of the site operational by the first part of 2014. See DEVELOPMENT, A-5
Sherrodsville officials steady in support for EMS squad, coordinator By Carol McIntire Editor Sherrodsville Mayor Ken Moffat and council members are standing staunchly behind the village’s emergency ambulance coordinator. During council’s monthly meeting Monday, Moffat deviated from the agenda and reported on nine allegations made against the squad and its coordinator, Joel Decker. Moffat said he and Council Woman Amy McCormick attended a meeting last week with Tuscarawas County Sheriff Walt Wilson, officials from Smith Ambulance and Warren Township (Tusc. County) Trustees.
Following a nearly 45-minute discussion, Council showed support for Decker and his personnel by approving a motion to allow the squad to respond to calls within a 6.5 mile radius of the village if a private call is received by the squad or its members and stating the squad will respond to calls at Conotton Valley High School, which is located in Orange Twp. within the squad’s jurisdiction. “If we get a personal call, the squad can respond within that 6.5 mile radius,” Moffat explained. “Our squad will act as a first responder. When they arrive at the scene, they can notify 911 of situation. However, if 911 has already been called, EMS will be dis-
patched through the 911 center and it might not be our squad that is called to respond.” He pointed out that, during the Tusc. County meeting, those in attendance noted “first responders save lives.” “We will act as first responders when our people call us,” he stated. Moffat noted that, at no time during the nearly two-hour meeting, was the patient care provided by Sherrodsville EMS brought into question. “It wasn’t a question about the care we provide,” Moffat noted. “If the meeting had been about patient care, we wouldn’t have talked about biddie football.” See SHERRODSVILLE, A- 6
Council action dashes mayor’s hope for new fire truck By Leigh Ann Rutledge FPS Reporter The result of two motions made during the Nov. 12 Carrollton Council meeting are on opposite ends of the spectrum. Members voted to approve the transfer of $25,000 from gas and oil money to the Carrollton Village Fire Department (CVFD) to increase their chance of obtaining a grant to purchase a new fire truck commonly called an “engine.”
Due to lack of a second, a motion to accept a bid for the purchase of a quarter interest in future gas and oil royalties from village owned land, the motion died, dashing the hopes of using the funds to purchase a ladder truck for the CVFD. Carrollton Fire Chief Tom Mesler gave council an update on the status of applying for an Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) to purchase the engine. Engine 8 will become illegal due to having an open cab when legislation becomes effective.
Mesler stated, “The department has been unsuccessful in trying to obtain a new truck over the last five years.” They are using a new grant writer this year who, Mesler said, is putting a lot of time and effort into the process. A question on the grant application asks, if the grant is awarded, would the department be able to contribute to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) for the grant? See COUNCIL, A-6
The Free Press Standard (FPS) is looking back at the Kennedy assassination on the 50th anniversary of the event. One FPS reader shared details of his jet setting trip to Washington the day after the assassination and others recall where they were that fateful day in stories this week. Even though 50 years has passed since the assassination of John F. Kennedy (JFK), the 35th president of the United States, new books continue to arrive on bookshelves. One such book is “The Man Who Killed Kennedy - The Case Against LBJ” by Roger Stone with Mike Colapietro. FPS reporters recently had a chance to conduct a telephone interview with Stone who was in Los Angeles, CA, for an appearance on Larry King Live. Stone, a self-proclaimed political junkie, has spent the last 30 years working on the project that would become the book. A longtime political insider, Stone has played a key role in the elections of candidates in the Republican, Democrat and Libertarian parties. He feels his book shows non-partisanship as he brings everyone to task for any involvement in the assassination of Kennedy. Stone has been fascinated with JFK since he was a young child. His elementary school held a mock election when he was in first grade and he told the other students if (Richard) Nixon won he would make them have school on Saturdays. When he heard of the assassination, the elementary school student was shocked and admits, “When I saw John-John (John F. Kennedy Jr.) salute his father’s casket, it made me cry. It was a horrible moment in America.” Why does Stone believe LBJ was not only involved in the assassination but was the mastermind? “Those who believe the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) was involved (in the assassination) are right. Those who believe big Texas oil was involved are right. Those who believed the Mafia was involved are right,” he stated. “Lyndon Johnson was tied to all of them. In November 1963, he was a man staring into the abyss. JFK was going to get rid of him. Robert F. Kennedy was going to prosecute him. He knew his career was over and he was going to jail.” In his book, Stone shows proof the CIA was upset over the Bay of Pigs; the Kennedys double-crossed the mafia; and Texas oil men were upset over legislation being implemented by the Kennedy administration. Stone explained how J. Edgar Hoover wanted the investigation into the assassination wrapped up quickly and the CIA issued a report three days later. He claims Gerald Ford altered the autopsy report. In his own handwriting, he changed the description of the wound in Kennedy’s upper left back to his upper neck so it would match his neck wound, making it appear the bullet entered from his back. When the New York Times asked for a copy of the autopsy report, Ford said his reasoning was because the country needed clarity. Stone also talked about a discrepancy regarding Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly (who authored the book ”Killing Kennedy”). O’Reilly claimed he was on George de Mohrenscheldt’s Palm Beach doorstep when the man committed suicide just days before being called to testify to the House Committee on Assassination. Mohrenscheldt was a wealthy businessman who oversaw oil deals and was found to work for the CIA. Mohrenscheldt and his wife were Russian, spoke fluent Russian, and befriended Lee Harvey Oswald, a drifter whom the couple helped gain employment before he began at the Book Depository, and his Russian wife. Mohrenscheldt was Oswald’s CIA handler. Other theories Stone discusses include the question of removal of the opaque bubble top from JFK’s presidential limousine that fateful day; how First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy asked French Intelligence to determine who killed her husband; and how Arlen Specter, counsel of the Warren Commission, threatened witnesses who say they heard more than three shots. Stone will hold a book signing at Barnes & Noble in Dallas, TX. Stone admits his book “steps on a lot of toes, involving powerful players from all fields.” Has he ever been threatened or experienced backlash from the years of research? “My wife is concerned about going to Dallas. I will have tight security and be wearing a bullet proof vest,” he stated. “But this is an important story. The puzzle pieces are falling in place after 50 years. People need to have a real portrait of what LBJ was really like. He was a loud mouth bully.” Stone is on a press tour promoting his book and is receiving good reception from the media. He visited with Glenn Beck and planned to talk with Jesse Ventura. The only problem he has encountered was when CNN cancelled his appearance. He said the cancellation was due to pressure from the LBJ library. See KENNEDY, A-5