CSX and BNSF have haulage agreements that involve use of the Northwest Ohio terminal in North Baltimore. Containers originate on BNSF in California and are unloaded in North Baltimore.
A CSX executive said this week the carrier has completed making major changes to its intermodal operations and is now looking for business growth opportunities.
Photo by JP Miklovic for NBX
Speaking at the annual Intermodal Expo of the Intermodal Association of North America, Maryclare Kenney, vice president of intermodal and automotive at CSX, said the carrier is now able to provide more reliable service.
“We’re looking to grow,” Kenney said. “We’re open for business and we’re excited by the consistent, reliable service we’re able to bring customers.”
CSX overhauled its intermodal network soon after adopting the precision scheduled railroading operating model.
One major change was to end the hub and spoke business model that involved the Northwest Ohio Intermodal Terminal, which CSX had used as a sorting hub for containers brought in from various points on its system.
Assisted living and similar facilities need to restrict yearly price increases, says AMAC
Assisted living and similar facilities need to
restrict yearly price increases, says AMAC
WASHINGTON, DC, Sep 19 — “It’s a fact that the cost of providing services at senior citizen facilities increases annually for any of a variety of reasons. It’s also a fact, however, that most seniors living in assisted living facilities and senior housing don’t have the resources to pay steadily increasing rates, particularly when they exceed the annual Cost Price Index [CPI]. Something’s gotta give lest the nation’s elderly join the ranks of the homeless,” according to senior advocate Dan Weber.
Weber, who is founder and president of the Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC], cites the latest report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics issued earlier this month. It concludes that its “all items [CPI] index increased 1.7 percent for the 12 months ending August.”
Yet, notes Weber, the most recent National Senior Living Cost Index prepared by the senior-living referral service, A Place for Mom, shows that the cost for independent living facilities rose 2.6%. Assisted living costs were up by 2.4% and the costs for memory care facilities were up by 3.2%.
According to the Genworth Cost of Care Survey 2018 “the national median cost for assisted living per month is $4,000, which breaks down to around $133 per day (and adds up to $48,000 per year).” Meanwhile, the Pension Rights Center reports that fifty percent of older Americans over 65 had, at most, an annual income of about $24,224 in 2018.
“Consider the fact that 2019 Social Security Recipients received the highest Cost Of Living Adjustment since 2012, 2.8%. In 2009, 2010 and 2015 benefits were stagnant as the Obama administration chose to not offer a COLA and relenting in 2016 they decided to increase the Social Security COLA by a mere .3%. So It has been a harsh existence for too many senior citizens over the better part of a decade,” says Weber.
The nation is aging at a rate of new 65-year-olds a day and that growth will continue through the year 2030. “It’s a population that creates a fast growing and lucrative market for the senior living sector and if the industry wants to maximize returns, it should take measures to make sure senior housing is affordable. One suggestion: keep annual cost increases at or below the COLA. Better yet, how about keeping increases at or below the CPI,” Weber suggests.
The North Baltimore Football Tigers held the lead most of the game, but…
The North Baltimore Football Tigers held the lead most of the game, but lost that lead in the final minute, giving the Crestline Bulldogs a 33 – 28 win.
Crestline is playing the next two season in the Blanchard Valley Conference following Hopewell-Loudon leaving the league after last season. At this time Crestline is only on BVC football schedules (as far as we know).
200 Block of North Main – SEEKING STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES
STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERING DESIGN SERVICES
The Village of North Baltimore intends to contract for Engineering Design services in connection with the North Main Street (200 block) reconstruction project. Engineering firms interested in being considered for a contract to provide the required Engineering Design services should reply with a Statement of Qualifications no later than 4:00 P.M. local time, on October 11, 2019. Statements received after this deadline will not be considered.
Statement of Qualifications should include information regarding the firm’s history, education and experience of key technical personnel, the technical expertise of the firm’s current staff, the firm’s experience in performing engineering design, availability of staff, the firm’s equipment and facilities, references, and any previous work performed for the Village of North Baltimore.
Responding firms must be pre-certified in Roadway Design with the Ohio Department of Transportation in order to perform the engineering design services necessary for this project.
Four (4) copies of the Statement of Qualification should be submitted to the following address:
Village of North Baltimore 205 N. Main Street North Baltimore, OH 45872
Attn: Michael Brillhart
As required by the Ohio Revised Code 153.65-71, responding firms will be evaluated and ranked in order of their qualifications using a Quality Based Selection process. Following this evaluation, the Village of North Baltimore will enter into contract negotiations with the most highly qualified firm.
The project location is North Main Street between Broadway Street and Walnut Street.
The project description is as follows:
The complete road reconstruction to include the removal of the existing brick base and wet subgrade and replace them with suitable materials and new pavement. The project will also include the installation of new storm sewer, replacement of deteriorated sidewalks, and the addition of curb and gutter with under drains. The installation of lighting conduit and decorative street lighting is an option to be considered by the Village as part of project design.
Project construction is anticipated to begin in April of 2020 with completion before October 31, 2020. The estimated cost for the proposed roadway reconstruction improvements is $467,000.
All engineering firms responding to this Statement of Qualifications must provide professional liability insurance as required by Ohio Revised Code 153.70.
Imagine…“Whirled Peace” (LEFT – Pinwheels for Peace 2016)
PINWHEELS FOR PEACE
Imagine…“Whirled Peace”
September 21, 2019
In today’s world, peace needs to become more than just a word. On September 21, 2019, North Baltimore Middle School students plan to take part in an International art and literacy project, Pinwheels for Peace by “planting” pinwheels with messages of peace at the entrance to the HS gym.
Pinwheels for Peace 2016…
Pinwheels for Peace is an art installation project started in 2005 by two Art teachers, Ann Ayers and Ellen McMillan, of Coconut Creek, Florida, as a way for students to express their feelings about what’s going on in the world and in their lives. This project is non-political – peace doesn’t necessarily have to be associated with the conflict of war, it can be related to violence/intolerance in our daily lives, to peace of mind. To each of us, peace can take on a different meaning, but, in the end, it all comes down to a simple definition: “a state of calm and serenity, with no anxiety, the absence of violence, freedom from conflict or disagreement among people or groups of people.”
Middle school students have created pinwheels, and as part of the creation process, the students have written their thoughts about “war and peace / tolerance/ living in harmony with others” on one side. On the other side, they have drawn images to visually express their feelings. The students have assembled these pinwheels and on International Day of Peace they will “plant” their pinwheels at the entrance to the HS gym as a public statement and art exhibit/installation.
On September 21st keep a lookout for the pinwheels as you enter the gym doors for the HS freshman, JV and varsity volleyball games – the spinning of the pinwheels in the wind will spread thoughts and feelings about peace throughout the country and the world!
…passed with peace and grace on September 19 with her family at her side.
Baltz, Kathryn (Kathy) Gracia, 59, of North Baltimore, passed with peace and grace on September 19 with her family at her side.
She was born on July 31, 1960, in Yokosuka, Japan and married the love of her life, Skip Baltz, on August 4, 1990. They adoringly celebrated their 29th anniversary last month.
She is survived by her siblings: Dan (Terese) Wells of Prince Frederick, MD, Ruth (Michael) Geer of Brandon, FL, George (Rachel) Grad of Boulder, CO, Lara (Michael) Audibert of San Rafael, CA, Matthew (Shawn) Bowers of West Unity, OH, and Tim Bowers of Detroit, MI. She is also survived by her step-sons: Tim Smith of Findlay, and Shad (Jessica Randall) Baltz of Elida, OH; and her beloved grandchildren: Khilee Baltz, Bryce, Brandon, and Brody Smith, and Matthew and Melissa Baltz. She will also be deeply missed by her Corgi furbaby, Dylan Thomas Baltz.
Kathy was predeceased by her mother, Judith K. (Wells) Bowers; her father, William J. Wells; and her step-mother, Judith A. (DelPero) Wells.
Kathy graduated from Findlay High School in 1978 and BGSU in 1992. She worked for BGSU for the past 29 years. As a long-standing Eastern Stars member, Kathy served three times as Worthy Matron for Morris Chapter 265, North Baltimore, and as Worthy Grand Chaplain for the state of Ohio in 2014.
From a young age, Kathy developed an incredible talent for music. She played in a bluegrass band in the 1990s, played the piano and organ for several area churches, and sang with Eastern Stars Melody Makers. But her passion and true talent for playing the hammer dulcimer, combined with her amazing narrative description and history of the instrument and the music she played, always delighted her audiences with a unique and memorable experience.
A memorial service will be held at Good Shephard United Methodist Church, North Baltimore at 2:00pm on Saturday, October 12, 2019. After the service, friends and family are invited to a gathering to further celebrate Kathy’s extraordinary life at the North Baltimore American Legion, Post 539.
The family asks that donations be made in Kathy’s name to Ohio Eastern Star Home, The Maurer Family Cancer Care Center, or Wood County Humane Society in lieu of flowers.
Arrangements have been entrusted to SMITH-CRATES FUNERAL HOME, North Baltimore. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.coldrencrates.com
Free Admission on September 21, 2019 with a downloadable Museum Day ticket
WOOD COUNTY HISTORICAL CENTER & MUSEUM JOINS SMITHSONIAN MAGAZINE’S 15TH ANNUAL MUSEUM DAY
Free Admission on September 21, 2019 with a downloadable Museum Day ticket
The Wood County Historical Center & Museum will open its doors free of charge to all Museum Day ticketholders on Saturday September 21, 2019 as part of Smithsonian magazine’s 15th annual Museum Day, a national celebration of boundless curiosity in which participating museums emulate the free admission policy at the Smithsonian Institution’s Washington DC-based museums.
Museum Day represents a nationwide commitment to access, equity and inclusion. Over 250,000 people downloaded tickets for last year’s event, and Museum Day 2019 is expected to attract more museumgoers than ever before.
Museum Day tickets are available to download at Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay. Visitors who present a Museum Day ticket will gain free entrance for two at participating venues on September 21, 2019. One ticket is permitted per email address. A list of participating museums, which will be continually updated as more museums continue to register, can be found at Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay/Search.
For more information, please visit Smithsonian.com/MuseumDay.
The Wood County Historical Museum is located at 13660 County Home Road in Bowling Green. Groups are welcome and the museum is handicap accessible.
This event is free and open to the community. Please RSVP
Drinking Water & Septic System Clinic
The Wood Soil and Water Conservation District is hosting a well water and septic system presentation at the Wood SWCD office 1616 E. Wooster St. Suite 32 Bowling Green, OH on Wednesday, September 25, 2019 6–8 PM.
Jennifer Campos, Registered Sanitarian from the Wood County Health Department, will present on the care for well water and pond water systems, drinking water testing, and septic systems.
This event is free and open to the community. Please RSVP to the district office to ensure proper number of materials.
I do not plan to stop working but I do plan on starting to collect my Social Security.
Ask Rusty – When Will My Earnings Not Hurt My Social Security Benefits?
Dear Rusty: I will turn 66 in June of next year. I do not plan to stop working but I do plan on starting to collect my Social Security. How soon can I start to collect without having to give it back because my income is too high? And after I start collecting will I still have to pay into the program with deductions from my current salary, and if I do, will those payments from me help to increase what I will be able to collect from SSA? Signed: Planning Ahead
Dear Planning Ahead: Social Security’s earnings limit goes away when you reach your full retirement age (FRA), which for you is 66. So, if you claim Social Security benefits to start in June of next year you do not need to worry about your earnings causing Social Security to take back benefits – you’ll have reached your full retirement age (FRA) and the earnings limit disappears at your FRA. But, whether you can claim any earlier in the year without it affecting your benefits depends on your earnings level.
Starting next year, because that will be the year you reach your FRA, the usual earnings limit ($17,640 for 2019) will be about 2.5 times greater, or a little more than this year’s limit of $46,920 for those in their FRA year. So, if you claim benefits to start before June when you reach your FRA, you’ll be subject to that higher 2020 annual limit and – depending on the month you claim – perhaps a monthly limit (the annual limit divided by 12). Exceeding the annual limit will cause Social Security to take back some of your benefits, and If you exceed the monthly limit you won’t be entitled to benefits for that month. However, if your income starting next year won’t exceed those limits you can claim earlier in the year without having benefits withheld. And if you don’t start your benefits before June of next year you won’t be subject to an earnings limit at all next year, nor for any year thereafter. And just to be sure you’re aware, you can apply for Social Security about 3 months before you want your benefits to start – but if you want to start benefits at your FRA just be sure to specify June 2020 as your benefit start month. For clarity, you can get benefits for the full month of June, the month you reach your FRA, regardless of the day of the month you were born.
As to your question about continuing to pay into the program, yes, for as long as you continue to work you will need to pay Social Security FICA payroll taxes – everyone who works and earns must pay that tax. But paying Social Security FICA, by itself, doesn’t increase your benefit. What may affect your benefit is if your current earnings are more than the inflation-adjusted earnings in any of the 35 years used to compute your benefit when you start Social Security. Each year, Social Security will look at your annual earnings and, if an increase is appropriate because you have more recent higher earnings, they will automatically make that adjustment for you.
This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website or email us.
_______________________________________
The 2 million member Association of Mature American Citizens [AMAC] [https://www.amac.us] is a vibrant, vital senior advocacy organization that takes its marching orders from its members. We act and speak on their behalf, protecting their interests and offering a practical insight on how to best solve the problems they face today. Live long and make a difference by joining us today at https://amac.us/join-amac.
AMAC | Washington DC | 917-846-8485 | Email | Website
There was a car vs. train accident in North Baltimore Wednesday, Sept. 18, around 2:45 pm, apparently at the Tarr Street crossing.
There was a car vs. train accident in North Baltimore Wednesday, Sept. 18, around 2:45 pm, apparently at the Tarr Street crossing.
According to unofficial reports from the area, there was possible minor injury to one male subject. The train was moving “slowly” at the time of impact.
More details will follow as they become available!
Rail traffic has been resumed through NB. Not that this means the crossings won’t be block, but the accident is cleared.
The Halloween Parade is on Saturday, October 26th at 7:00 pm. The theme is: “Space: The Frightful Frontier!” Honoring 50 years since the moon and the new “push” for space exploration… (according to Mayor Janet Goldner)
Photos from past North Baltimore Halloween Parades:
Bonnie Knaggs was the Halloween Parade Grand Marshall
The Hamburgler visits Downtown NB with Mary Hinkleman
… youthful voters are better educated today than they were in years past.
Can young voters reject progressive notions
of governance in coming elections?
WASHINGTON, DC, Sep 13 — “Any man who is under 25, and is not a liberal, has no heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.” The origins of this quotation are uncertain. Numerous variations of it have been around for nearly 150 years and have been attributed to a variety of authors, most notably Winston Churchill. The earliest known variation of this axiom is credited to the French jurist Anselme Batbie in 1875.
“But,” asks Dan Weber, president of the senior advocacy organization, AMAC, “is this quotation true or just an old saw? The intensity of the progressive movement among millennials in recent years certainly suggests the first part of the adage is fact. But, only time will tell whether the political bent of these youthful citizens will make a right turn as they grow older and wiser.”
AMAC, the Association of Mature American Citizens, was established by Weber to provide conservative senior citizens a forum that reflects their traditional American beliefs. He says that youthful voters are better educated today than they were in years past. “And that hopefully gives them the capacity to see through impossible political promises and reject progressive notions of governance.”
According to the Pew Research organization, only 9% of elderly women in their 70s and 80s had a college education when they were 21 to 36 years old; these days 36% of women between 21 and 36 have at least a bachelor’s degree. Similarly, just 15% of elderly men had college educations when they were 21 to 36 years old and today 29% men between the ages of 21 to 36 have at least a bachelor’s degree.
Weber cites a recent National Review article entitled “How Might Republicans Win Young Voters?” describing how the liberal proclivity of youthful voters can be overcome. “It will require a concerted effort on the part of conservative candidates, but I am convinced it is do-able,” he says.
The author of the National Review report, Nate Hochman, concluded: “Progressivism, of course, has its own set of potentially crippling strategic problems. It has adopted a set of priorities that, while popular among young voters, alienates large swathes of the electorate. The recent Democratic presidential-primary debates were a case study in this ludicrosity: Abolition of private health insurance, de facto open borders, and a Green New Deal all received enthusiastic support from top-tier candidates. But rather than scoff at the absurdity of it all, Republicans need to offer a sensible and aspirational alternative.”
Weber believes Hochman’s suggestions “make sense if there are enough rationale voters out there who believe that the prudent choices in coming elections are candidates who offer a realistic approach to our nation’s future. We’ve seen research indicating that more and more young voters are becoming disillusioned with the progressive movement. Will they opt for irrational solutions to the challenges America faces or dare cast their ballots for candidates who can continue to energize the country’s future? At the end of the day, if they don’t, the outcome will be chaos and a bankrupt economy.”
Weber says, the politics of youth is neither liberal or conservative.
“Voters in their late teens and between 20 and 30 years of age make up what is called the counter-culture. They want to be different. And, for quite some time now the left has dominated American politics, throughout the Obama years. And, despite the election of Donald Trump as president in 2016, the left has dominated the media and the attitudes of collegians, enough so that conservatism is now seen as “edgy” and “cool” because it is different, as political commentator Lauren Reiff put it.”
