Scioto County Schools -- Reopening?

As the time nears for reopening public schools, Ohio educational officials and Scioto County superintendents face important decisions – How and in what manner should staff and children be safely reintroduced to their classrooms in the middle of a raging COVID-19 pandemic? Of course, no decision is foolproof and all answers to these difficult questions raise many public concerns.

What to do? We all know opening schools will benefit families beyond providing education, including by supplying child care, school services, meals, and other family supports. And, we all realize without in-person instruction, schools risk children falling behind academically and exacerbating educational inequities.

However …

Let's talk about some very real considerations that pose huge risks.

Some of the personnel and students in the school systems are immuno-compromised, or have a weakened immune system. For many schools social distancing seems nearly impossible, and even if children could be separated at distance desks, how about “hand-over-hand” learning required to work on lessons? Those at greatest risk for infection would surely have to stay at home and communicate with distance learning. Strain on teachers will increase.

How many students – especially young grade school pupils – don't know how to cough or sneeze into their arms? Also, if students are required to wash their hands and wear masks, how many are simply going to reject these safety standards over and over simply because of sensory issues? These are valid concerns as school must not only distance but also minimize contact with shared surfaces and increase regular surface cleaning. The goal for schools would be to drive as much of the risk down as they can – admittedly, a far from perfect strategy.

Another daunting task for person-to-person learning is limiting large gatherings of students, such as during assemblies, in the cafeteria, and overcrowding at school entrances. School lunches seem especially troubling as many Scioto schools feature lunch times of 30 minutes (or less). Children now barely have time to get their meals and eat.

Surely, staggering congregation times and rearranging public areas will be necessary. Some health experts say “cohorting,” when a group of 10 students or less stay with the same staff as much as possible, is a promising strategy for physical distancing. 

Also, we cannot forget the large numbers of Scioto students who have long commutes on buses. Will mask wearing and distancing be enforced? Safety would seem to demand significant modifications to the bus schedule. District leaders will have to consider how to put fewer students on buses at once, as well as how to adequately sanitize the buses and protect the drivers.

One important group of students in Scioto schools are those with disabilities. They may have more difficulty with the social and emotional aspects of transitioning out of and back into the school setting. Children with special healthcare needs have conditions that must be met on a case-to-case basis.

According to the American Federation of Teachers, as the number of children with special healthcare needs in public schools has increased, the facilities and conditions under which health-related procedures must be performed are still often woefully inadequate. Putting these students back into face-to-face settings will require careful planning and implementation.

(Randi Weingarten. “The Medically Fragile Child.” American Federation of Teachers. 2009.)

Most of the push to return to in-person instruction rests on the assumption that COVID-19 isn’t especially dangerous for children, and the benefits outweigh the risks. However, given how little time researchers have had to investigate the novel coronavirus and its recent mutation, the science in this area is not yet settled.

And, of course, there is the increased cost of returning to school. The National Academy of Sciences Engineering Medicine report “Reopening K-12 Schools During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Prioritizing Health, Equity, and Communities” (2020) estimates the cost of implementing COVID-19 precautions will be very high, totaling approximately $1.8 million for a school district with eight school buildings and around 3,200 students.

These high costs could lead to funding shortfalls. The report concludes: “While the size of the funding shortfall will depend on how well-resourced a school district is, many districts will be unable to afford implementing the entire suite of mitigation measures, potentially leaving students and staff in those districts at greater risk of infection.”

Juliette Kayyem, former Department of Homeland Security official and author of Security Mom, says …

“Schools do not have a simple on-off switch. To reopen schools will not just take a lot of money. Classroom layouts, buildings, policies, schedules, extracurricular activities, teacher and staff assignments, and even curricula must all be altered to minimize the risk of coronavirus transmission

“Stakeholders—including teachers’ unions, scared parents, and the colleges and universities that will someday enroll a portion of the 50 million students in the nation’s public K–12 schools—all have interests, some not easily avoided or ignored by a governor.”

(Juliette Kayyem. “Reopening Schools Was Just an Afterthought.” The Atlantic. July 06, 2020.)

Kayyem concludes: “The federal government and the states have no firm plans for restarting school in August and September because they had no such plans in February and March; public officials simply didn’t classify education as a crucial form of infrastructure in need of protection.”

Hopefully, at the end of this debate over Scioto County schools reopening, any error in judgment by those in charge will be on the side of safety. If we just trust our children and grandchildren to the odds of infection, we fail as caretakers. Local schools must address reopening in detail and they must do it now. The risks are enormous and public education should be held to all the new and necessary standards of safety – not one child should face an unnecessary risk.

“Reopening schools cannot be considered in isolation – what happens outside of schools is as important as what happens inside of schools. The most important step we can take to reopen schools this fall is to come together to reduce spread of the virus in our communities and statewide.”

– Lacy Fehrenbach, Washington DOH deputy secretary of health

Here Are the Guidelines For Reopening of K-12 Schools in Ohio -- Understand the Reality

It is July 16, 2020, and the debate over reopening schools in Ohio rages. Most schools in the state are supposed to return to operations in August. However, in the grips of the deadly COVID-19 virus, the safety of staff and students is paramount in any decision to establish a new, safer version of person-to-person learning. While everyone acknowledges that attending classes is extremely important for students, new spikes in infections pose risks to those in educational facilities across the state.

On July 2, Governor DeWine announced new guidance for resuming school in the fall. He said …

"We know that each school system, and perhaps each school building, will likely look different in the fall. We also know that Ohio has a long history of local control and that school administrators and teachers know their schools best.

"Working together and consulting with educators and other health officials, we have developed a set of guidelines, backed by science, that each school should follow when developing their reopening plans."

(“COVID-19 Update: School Guidelines, Public Health Advisory System.”

governor.ohio.gov. July 02, 2020.)

DeWine and his team worked with teachers, school staff, and medical workers experts to come up with the guidelines to reopen while keeping children across Ohio safe and providing them with a good education.

State officials are urging schools to use social distancing, vigilantly assess symptoms, provide hand sanitizer, and thoroughly clean school spaces, but the guidance leaves many details up to the districts. Each school is asked to follow the guidelines while creating their own reopening plans for the fall. DeWine said …

"So balancing local control, state interest in protecting our kids, and making sure our kids get educated.”

(Jess Mador. “Coronavirus In Ohio: DeWine Announces Guidelines For Reopening Schools.” WOSU. July 02, 2020.)

The governor also said he is working to provide funding for schools to obtain items they need to purchase to follow guidelines, such as disinfectants, sanitizers, and personal protective equipment.

The Ohio Department of Education has two documents, one focusing on education and the other focusing on health, to provide resources when planning the reopening.

Scott DiMauro, President of the Ohio Education Association, said he was pleased there is finally a statewide plan, but he said he was hoping it would contain additional state mandates for social distancing, health checks and require students in third grade and up to wear masks. DiMauro said …

“We’re a little disappointed that there aren’t more mandates in terms of what the state is requiring. The fact that local school officials still have discretion in terms of which requirements to follow and which ones don’t, other than the mask requirement, is a disappointment.

“Students third grade and above ought to be expected to wear masks, let’s not have that as a suggestion, let’s have that as a requirement so that we’re not leaving that up to local politics.”

(Camryn Justice and Joe Pagonakis. “Gov. Mike DeWine announces guidelines for K-12 schools in Ohio to reopen.” news5cleveland.com. July 02, 2020.)

DiMauro added …

“While we appreciate the consideration given to the importance of social distancing, health checks, and sanitation protocols in the governor’s plan, it lacks a means of enforcement, even when a county is in the highest tier of the alert system.”

Dr. Claudia Hoyen, Director of Infection Control at Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital, told News 5 parents should attempt to get their children comfortable with wearing a mask weeks before the start of the school year, and keep a close watch for COVID-19 symptoms.

So, what are exactly the Guidelines For Reopening of K-12 Schools in Ohio? This is what I could find (with the understanding that things often change depending upon circumstances and political wranglings). The guidelines include the following:

* Vigilantly assess symptoms – Students, caregivers and staff are asked to monitor their health before departing for school. Those with temperatures over 100 degrees are asked to stay home. Students and staff who develop symptoms at school will be sent home. Schools will need to work with their local health departments to trace cases and conduct testing.

* Wash and sanitize hands to prevent spread – Schools must provide time for students and staff to regularly wash hands. Hand washing and sanitation stations are to be set up around each school.

* Thoroughly clean and sanitize school environment to limit spread on shared surfaces – Schools will be required to regularly disinfect the school and high touch areas to mitigate the spread of the virus.

* Practice social distancing – Schools should strive to maintain 6-feet of distance between students and staff in classrooms, lunchrooms, school busses, and other school settings when possible to limit exposure to COVID-19. Some schools may stagger lunch and class schedules

* Implement face covering policy – Every school must develop a face-covering policy. Staff, like other business sectors that have reopened in the state, will be required to wear a mask or face covering. When face coverings are not practical, staff may opt to use face shields.

The state also strongly recommends, but is not mandating, that children in third grade or higher should wear a mask. DeWine said that schools should do everything they can to reduce the stigma for those students who are unable to wear a mask. Some schools may suggest younger students also wear masks, DeWine said.

On a national level, President Donald Trump, a fierce advocate for a full fall reopening, appeared to go to war with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, whose guidelines he deemed too strict. The CDC ultimately did not significantly revise its stance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a statement reading …

"Returning to school is important for the healthy development and well-being of children, but we must pursue re-opening in a way that is safe for all students, teachers and staff. Science should drive decision-making on safely reopening schools."

The Ohio public must now search its collective souls on the best course of action. Should schools reopen next month with these proposed guidelines, or should they even reopen at all at this uncertain time? Parents, teachers, students, other school personnel – all of these people are directly affected by the decision. It is a gut-wrenching commitment with real consequences. Shut down or reopen? It seems impossible we have come to this, yet the pandemic pays no mind in its deadly destruction.

The one certainty I know is that a single child needlessly killed by COVID-19 during a reopening is unforgivable. No amount of reasoning by the state concerning the need for education would excuse such a tragedy. Any risk of deadly infection in that case cannot be assumed to be the responsibility of the parents or guardians. The risk lies squarely on the district and the State of Ohio. Imagine that COVID fatality is your loved one. Who would you blame?

Recovery Scioto -- Giving Thugs Chance After Chance

When the general public is under attack from criminal elements, the response to stop the flow of crime must be swift and decisive to have the greatest positive effect. Left unhindered, those involved in criminal activities will wreak havoc as they force entire communities into submission. This capitulation occurs in Scioto County, and I believe it is being aided and abetted by certain elements of the recovery and rehabilitation community.

The U.S. Department of Justice lists three types of offenses:

1. Crimes Against Persons – such as assault, battery, domestic violence, rape, and murder
2. Crimes Against Property – such as vandalism, shoplifting, robbery, bribery, burglary, and arson
3. Crimes Against Society – such as gambling, prostitution, drug violations, and weapon law violations

As a concerned and lawful citizen, my duty is to prevent crimes against people, against their property, and against the society of my fellow man. However, of late, to most of us in Scioto County, these obligations – and I can fully understand why – have largely dwindled to maintaining close family concerns with a general indifference to society as a whole. Maintaining personal obligations to the nuclear family, such as insuring their health and safety, have become so stressful and time consuming that many people ignore their commitment to stop crimes against society.

People still living here, especially those in what are considered to be the middle and lower economic classes, have become acclimated to “living among them” – the element that perpetrates crime. Well-meaning people pay lip service to change. They say “Something ought to be done” or “I wish someone would clean this up,” but they do not take on their own obligations to the community to become a part of the solution.

Scioto County is a depressed Appalachian locality crippled by the opioid epidemic and all of the misdeeds and offenses perpetrated by those criminals who operate within that drug system. Hope should anchor itself to efforts to better society by getting tough on repeat offenders – those who employ drugs and crime to drag down local communities. It is time to deny the “third, fourth, and fifth chances” and criminals' carte blanche access to our communities Instead, we must stand tall as community members to fight repeat offenders, and that includes stopping any complicity with recovery and rehab services.

I have no doubt that one major problem in the Scioto recovery community is that good and honest efforts to rehabilitate clients often shield the criminal element. When this occurs, it is society that suffers. Not only does recovery have a duty to clients, but also it has an even greater duty to protect the public from harm. No one should have to suffer the crimes perpetrated by those who abuse recovery and rehab.

A Bureau of Justice report released in 2017 revealed that 21% of sentenced people in state prisons and local jails are incarcerated for crimes committed to obtain drugs or money for drugs. Almost 40% of people locked up for property crimes and 14% of those incarcerated for violent crimes reported that they had committed their most serious offense for drug-related reasons.

(Jennifer Bronson, Ph.D., and Jessica Stroop, BJS Statisticians Stephanie Zimmer and Marcus Berzofsky, Dr.P.H., RTI International. “Drug Use, Dependence, and Abuse Among State Prisoners and Jail Inmates, 2007-2009.” U.S. Department of Justice. June 2017.)

Some research shows that an estimated 65% percent of the United States prison population has an active substance abuse disorder. Another 20% percent did not meet the official criteria for an SUD, but were under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of their crime.

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (2013) found as offenders are arrested for more offenses, the likelihood that they have only drug crimes or only non-drug crimes as prior offenses decreases. Criminals with a substantial history of arrests are more likely to have a combination of drug and non-drug crimes in their background.

A series of panel data analyses were conducted among more than 5,000 jurisdictions nationwide from 1995 to 2002 to assess the impact of drug court implementation grants on UCR Part I felony offenses. Consistent with prior findings, drug court implementation grants were associated with net increases in vehicle theft, burglary, larceny, and some violent offenses.

David R. Lilly wrote in “Drug Courts and Community Crime Rates: A Nationwide Analysis of Jurisdiction-Level Outcomes,” Journal of Criminology (2013) …

“Drug court procedures should be designed to more quickly identify noncompliant individuals and ensure that they do not remain unsupervised and unaccountable in the community for extended periods of time (including those who are removed from the program).

“Moreover, the legal authority of drug court judges to incarcerate noncompliant individuals should be clearly specified so that persons who are diverted prior to trial for burglary, vehicle theft, or other offenses cannot find a loophole in the process. Alternatively, drug courts could be limited strictly to postconviction individuals.”

Another study that involved random assignment of eligible individuals noted that the average drug court participant had twelve prior arrests. Taken together, these studies suggest that drug court participants were not solely comprised of minor and infrequent offenders, but rather that a substantial portion were involved in serious nondrug-related felonies prior to admission.

(D. C. Gottfredson, B. W. Kearley, and S. D. Bushway, “Substance use, drug treatment, and crime: an examination of intra-individual variation in a drug court population,” Journal of Drug Issues, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 601–630, 2008.)

The challenge of delivering treatment requires the cooperation and coordination of two essentially different cultures: the criminal justice system organized to punish the offender and protect society and the drug abuse treatment systems organized to help the addicted individual.

Addressing addiction as a disease does not remove the responsibility of the individual. Rather it highlights the personal responsibility of the addicted person to seek and adhere to drug treatment and that of society to ensure that such treatment is available and based on scientific evidence.

A drug abuse treatment system that harbors, shelters, and abets repeat criminal offenders who terrorize and pillage Scioto neighborhoods should be reformed. Those who work in the treatment programs should never connive to condone or to allow criminal activity. In a despondent area like Scioto County, one helping hand aids the other dirty fist. Frankly, the public is sick of the collaboration. They want the fear, the crime, and the desperation to end.

The only way to end the grip of addiction and crime in Scioto County is to apply public pressure and stand up against those who repeat offenses. You can sense a confident thug attitude in many who believe the present arrangement protects their criminal behaviors. These offenders use and abuse the systems of treatment and justice over and over and over. This is going to continue until a significant group of citizens organize to effect needed change.

Enabling Repeat Offenders In a "Sick" Scioto County

Here is Scioto County we have a problem that must be addressed. With substance abuse spiraling out of control, some people enable the actual misconduct. That is, they shield repeat offenders from experiencing the full impact and consequences of their behavior. Enabling someone is different from helping and supporting in that it allows the enabled person to be irresponsible. People must stop enabling criminal behavior.

People who harbor, house, and knowingly fraternize with the criminal element are complicit in the crimes the offenders commit. They permit those who do drugs and commit criminal acts to sustain their unlawful activities by either becoming directly involved with the offenders or remaining indifferent when they realize the offenders are still breaking the law.

Some of these criminals do crime after crime when they should be rehabilitating themselves. They become comfortably supported by those who should be disassociating themselves from such behavior, but, who instead, choose to view criminal conduct as “what addicts do.”

Criminal facilitation statutes make it a crime to "provide" a person with "means or opportunity" to commit crimes. These people are accessories to the principal, the person who is primarily responsible for the crime. These “inchoate” crimes, also known as incomplete crimes, are acts that constitute indirect participation in a crime, but participation nonetheless.

When an enabling culture develops in a community, problems get worse, not better. For example, if a person struggling with addiction exhibits bad or criminal behavior, friends and relatives who simply ignore it withdraw from their basic social obligations. The people who aid offenders do not care that they introduce illegal behaviors into a peaceful neighborhood. Showing no concern for the welfare of others, they become shields for people perpetrating offense after offense.

In Scioto County such “shields” flourish as hopelessness and despair take over. Good people in communities can become so depressed that they eventually believe law enforcement and the court system include those who permit criminal behavior and allow it to flourish. The public loses confidence in the very system that is there to protect them, and many give up on being responsible citizens.

When people hide the fact that a person they befriend is repeatedly offending, those people ignore the rationality of their moral duty. It becomes more rational for the friends to avoid any conflict with the offender, and instead protect his bad behavior. This erodes the criminal justice system. Ethics are the very foundation of the system. They're what helped society develop moral reasoning, define criminal activity, and deem acceptable punishment. Aiding and abetting a criminal is immoral.

This lack of moral duty may be because they are afraid of the offender or because they’re afraid of losing their friendship with him. It may even be a deeper-rooted issue, but it’s never helpful in quelling a person's bad behavior. The enabling allows continuation of abuse and escalates further criminal behaviors.

In Scioto County, a culture of enabling breeds both health problems and criminal activity.

Every year, Scioto County ranks at or near the bottom of the 88 counties in the state in health outcomes and health factors. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute in Madison released their 2020 County Health Rankings March 18, 2020, and found Scioto County was “the unhealthiest county in Ohio.” Scioto County also has one of the highest overdose death rates in the state. And, people here are greatly at risk of outbreaks of HIV and/or hepatitis C.

The 2018 crime rate in Portsmouth, OH is 429 (City-Data.com crime index), which is 1.6 times higher than the U.S. average. It was higher than in 92.7% U.S. cities. And, the 2018 Portsmouth crime rate fell by 19% compared to 2017. In the last 5 years Portsmouth has seen increasing violent crime and decreasing property crime New Boston's overall crime rate is a staggering 832.6. Scioto County property crime is 69.1. (The U.S. average is 35.4).

The Alliance for Safety and Justice reports Scioto County has the 12th highest prison admissions rate for drug possession (71 percent higher than the statewide average) Scioto County sends 14.6 percent of people on supervision back to prison for technical violations, well above the state average of 9.5 percent.

(https://allianceforsafetyandjustice.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/OH-data_Final.pdf )

Rushing in to rescue repeat offenders may satisfy some personal desire people have to feel "needed" or “to do good,” but it doesn't really help the situation. It only enables the offenders to avoid the consequences of their actions. In Al-Anon, they call it "putting pillows under them" so that they never feel the pain of their mistakes.

An unprecedented number of individuals return home from prison each year. The sheer volume carries enormous public safety implications for communities and neighborhoods when these prisoners released are ill-equipped to succeed and poorly supported during and after their transition home. But, how about those with no intentions of being reformed or being rehabilitated? In a depressed and unhealthy county these offenders feed off the misery and continue the cycle of abuse. Simply put, they use the system.

I am firmly convinced the only solution to breaking this vicious cycle is for each individual to stand up against every injustice perpetrated by repeat offenders. Now there is simply too much indifference. It really appears social classes help form a county conscience that “writes off” some places and initials them as areas where crime can flourish … just as long as criminals don't take residence near their beautiful homes.

Not only must people stand up against these offenders, but also they must oppose those shielding the criminal behavior of others. What may look like empathy can be complicity. People in Scioto County should demand full transparency and work to change a crippled rehabilitation system that cares more about giving break after break after break to offenders than protecting good people from their bad behavior. Rehab – drug and criminal – is essential; however, no rehab will change an addict or a career criminal bent on using the system to his advantage.

Lies, deceit, coverup, and indifference – these activities create a breeding ground for crime that perpetuates itself. In 2020, Scioto County may no longer be the epicenter for the pill mills, but it remains mired in an ugly drug culture. It is up to every person to change this. Too much passing the buck stifles improvement.

I believe no person in the county has to tolerate threats to his or her life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. People must oppose these threats at every turn. They must push, lobby, call, and write their enforcement and court officials and demand they be the best public servants they can be … and to charge them to insure that they must always protect good, innocent people when an offender strikes.

Responding To Violent Threats -- A View At Age 69 in Portsmouth, Ohio

I have lived in my home for 45 years. A few months ago, a female neighbor directly across our street began housing a convicted felon just released from prison, a repeat offender whose criminal record includes charges of aggravated robbery, drug abuse, having a weapon on disability, theft, and domestic violence.

Just recently I heard a gunshot outside my house. It was very loud and likely extremely close. As I went to investigate, the 37 year-old offender, who appeared to have a firearm, yelled at me from across the street for no reason (while I stood silently looking out my full-view screen door). He said: “Get back inside your house, you old motherfucker. I'll come over there and beat your ass.”

My wife, who happened to be standing near the garage at the time and heard the man's threats, immediately called the police. We filed a police report, and the next day we requested a restraining order. The judge granted the hearing for the order, and we go to court on July 15. We have also contacted the defendant's parole officer to inform him of the offense.

In the meantime, Cindy and I are currently spending lots of money to upgrade our security with new lights, cameras, signs, etc. Of course, we are fearful of what violent acts could occur, and so is the rest of my family and friends who frequent our home. After reviewing the extensive rap sheet of the felon, we are cognizant of his propensity toward violence.

A home is a place where a family should be able to relax in peace. It is a sacred and personal sanctuary. However, if you have a neighbor who harasses and threatens you, you need to take the appropriate actions to protect your life, home, and property. You should never have to listen to someone yell at you, make threats, and disturb the peace. Imagine this coming from a person with a record a mile long.

Legal rights? Even though the Constitution guarantees the right of free speech, that right is not an absolute one. The law has long recognized specific limitations when it comes to speech, such as criminal threats. These threats are understood as words “a reasonable person would understand as threatening.” With these threatening words, the speaker has the specific intent to instill fear in the listener.

The law defines harassment as “communication deemed derogatory or offensive, threats of assault or violence, engagement in offensive physical touching, and repeated acts of intentional alarming or annoying behavior.” Even playing loud music or pestering a dog in a backyard can constitute harassment.

If an offensive neighbor has any prior misdemeanor or felony convictions or if he continues to act in a threatening or harassing manner, the court can change its orders, having him arrested for a more serious crime. Living close to a violent person like that is not just annoying, but frightening, especially when things escalate. Of course, drug use can also ignite unacceptable behaviors and amplify problems. It certainly appears to be in play considering the past history of the defendant.

A criminal threat involves one person threatening someone else with physical harm. This is exactly what the ex-con did to me … and something he evidently intends to use while bullying innocent others. He even has a moniker of “punk” and claims he is still working at “growing up.”

When the police arrived, both Cindy and I told them about the incident – the whole story of the gunshot and the unprovoked attack. The officers talked to the ex-offender, and he told them a pack of lies. He made up a false narrative and even blamed us for his outburst. Of course, the police left with my complaint in hand but telling me “it's our word against his.” They made no efforts to investigate possession of a firearm or interview other neighbors for witnesses. They said they did not do these procedures.

Yelling threats at someone, or even looking at someone while making threatening gestures, can also be considered menacing. In Ohio, 2903.22 “Menacing” states …

“No person shall knowingly cause another to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to the person or property of the other person, the other person’s unborn, or a member of the other person’s immediate family.”

Criminal threats are made with the intention to place someone in fear of injury or death. However, it isn't even necessary for a victim to actually experience fear or terror. Rather, it's the intention of the person making the threat that matters. The intent of a person who makes threats is usually determined by the circumstances surrounding the case.

The past criminal record of the defendant can be a factor. In this case, the defendant's record is very extensive and spans decades. He, evidently, is not reforming his criminal behavior. My wife and I do not want to be his next victims. It is evident from his past that he has left many injured parties in his wake.

I believe there is an very dark segment of the population in Scioto County – a significant group of people that not only remains indifferent to drug abuse and criminal behavior, but also condones and conceals the lawbreakers' presence. These people enable criminals and addicts by excusing their offenses as “what a 'bad boy' or an addict does.” They actually glorify the “punk” and the thug life through their complicit behavior as they house and feed these lawbreakers.

I find this insulation in my own neighborhood disturbing and extremely threatening. Bringing the criminal element into a peaceful neighborhood and allowing it to proliferate is complicit behavior. Why should the neighborhood suffer while a few residents open their homes to unreformed individuals, people making no attempt to better themselves?

If an ex-con has no intention of reforming his life, he should be arrested and charged. If he continues his bad behavior, he should be re-institutionalized. It is not my place as a lay person in the community to enforce the law. Instead, it is my duty to report those who break the law. On my street, I try to adhere to this obligation. I do not want my home to be in the center of a declining neighborhood suffering through the terminal cancer of lawless behaviors. I have lived here far too long to see it destroyed.

My wife and I have never been to court for a protection order. We intend to speak honestly and present the facts as they pertain to the proceedings. After reading the defendant's statements, we also realize that we will be attacked and ridiculed by him. We have no idea if he will attempt reprisal for our actions against him. That, sadly, will be left up to his aggravated nature.

Still, we fiercely defend our right to live at 2810 Brant Avenue for the rest of our lives and do so without bullying by criminals and bad neighbors. We refuse to move, and, instead, we prefer to dedicate all our efforts to making our street even safer. Although it is very humble, the home in which we live possesses many golden memories. It is a family dwelling, not a house of convenience or an insignificant temporary residence. It is a place we love, and we intend to keep it that way.

Scioto County Repeat Offenders and the Dark Side of Recovery Efforts

There is no doubt that recovery services and the recovery community do an invaluable service in a Scioto County wracked by an opioid epidemic. Those working in recovery should be praised for their tireless work. They establish efficient relationships with clients who desperately need their assistance.

Yet, there is a dark side of treating people with substance abuse disorders. As some of these patients leave their facilities and go back into society, not only do they take with them a past of drug abuse but also a history of aggressive and violent crimes. They enter back into local neighborhoods showing no signs of criminal abatement.

Thus, these past offenders attempt to insulate themselves in environments where their criminal behaviors can continue and even flourish. They have friends who now work in substance abuse positions, friends who sympathize with their plight – and some of these friends actually facilitate the parolees' further offenses. The criminals, undoubtedly, take advantage – they successfully use a system meant to better society.

Within our communities, we have those who readily feed, house, and begin intimate relationships with people still working through their addictions. Although these Samaritan counselors and employees may have good intentions, they can bring people who have exhibited violent intentions and chronic criminal behaviors into peaceful neighborhoods and enable them to continue their criminal activities.

Some of these offenders commit serious crimes such as assault, robbery, drug violations, harassment, and even rape and murder. With the aid of an unwitting or knowing accomplice, a person still struggling with addiction can, and often does, continue to commit activities that endanger all members of a peaceful community.

As an analogy, it is fair to ask if a corrections officer or prison counselor, a trained public servant, be permitted to allow violent offenders still in the process of rehabilitation and fresh out of prison into their homes as permanent residents? One would certainly question the logic and the reason for doing that. And, again, what risks would that pose to the community?

Shouldn't any recovery process committed to positive change help a patient establish independence? Encouraging dependence does not help rehabilitate people with substance abuse and a long history of criminal behavior. For people with a criminal past, it can actually enable them to re-establish old patterns of harassment and further facilitate their criminal activities.

The embracement offered by the recovery community can be a detriment to the rest of society. Instead of providing people an environment for choosing to move forward, such a caress instead can encourage misbehaviors. Shielding chronic offenders hurts us all. When they time and again sink into old habits, we all suffer – health problems, financial distress, and criminal activity all increase.

Personal homes are not recovery residences or half-way houses, yet, in our county, for reasons unknown to me, people released from prison and still struggling with addiction find refuge in many private residences of those who work in recovery. If such a person is not rehabilitating himself or herself and, instead, continuing to be a detriment to society, that is complicit to criminal activity, and it is counterproductive to that subject's regaining a normal state of health and mind.

Some past offenders in Scioto County do not attempt to secure jobs and become good citizens. And, some of these same people reject sobriety and again become part of the drug culture, all of which results in a tremendous risk to innocent citizens. Those past offenders who exhibit aggressive behaviors should be charged for their bullying actions.

When a person with substance abuse disorders breaks the covenant of seeking to achieve productive functioning in the family, at work, and in society and he or she returns to a life of elicit activities, that person no longer wishes to benefit Scioto County communities. Instead, he or she uses every “break” from law enforcement, every assistance from recovery, and every “second chance” from the community to continue a reckless, dangerous, and unlawful life.

In addition, a large percentage of those in recovery have a dual diagnosis – both a substance abuse problem and a mental health issue such as depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, or anxiety. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 45 percent carry this burden. As part of their commitment to wellness, these people must seek extensive professional help far exceeding that within the expertise of a drug counselor or a recovery worker. In other words, people with dual diagnoses need help beyond that of typical dependency employees – many require psychiatric help and proper medication.

The Scioto County recovery community should fight a lethal tendency to be dependent upon itself. I have seen cases where interdependency among abuse clientele feeds upon itself. So-called co-dependencies or “relationship addictions” form and maintain relationships that are one-sided, emotionally destructive and/or abusive. Co-dependency can affect a spouse, a parent, a sibling, a friend, or co-worker.

Everyone in every community in Scioto County is guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. No one should have to tolerate criminal activities. God knows it is difficult enough to overcome obstacles to this guarantee without the threat of those with long rap sheets who abuse the systems of justice and recovery. These chronic abusers give both of these institutions – recovery and corrections – a bad name as they generate public distrust in the law and seed serious doubts of the effectiveness of treatment for drug addiction.

Also, it is my belief that those involved in recovery should divorce themselves from personal associations with people who constantly revert to further drug abuse and criminal behavior. In Scioto County, this is not always the case. Some offenders get out of prison and continue to seek out the criminal element. They do not make a clean break from the criminal element. And, unfortunately, some of these sober people, for whatever reason, remain indifferent to the damage of a repeat offender and provide that criminal a setting to continue a cycle of abuse and crime.

When the recovery community insulates people despite their unwillingness to rehabilitate themselves, they become complicit in that person's misbehavior and in his or her crimes. To what degree is a matter for the courts. But, the direct influence of their complicity cannot be denied.

Scioto County communities need to face this obvious and dreadful shortcoming and take a stand against those criminals and abusers who are not willing to become decent citizens and, who, instead, continue to use drugs and to assault, harass, and bully others.

The sad truth is that many neighbors of these thugs are frightened to confront these bad people. They fear bodily harm to themselves and their families, and they fear acts of vandalism and burglary. Many of these intimidated souls will not even call authorities when threatened or when they become victims of crime. Imagine living in fear in your own neighborhood – in my case, a neighborhood in which I have dwelled 45 years.

And, when crimes by these repeat offenders do occur, some overly sympathetic people here unwittingly condone their offenses by blaming it on their addiction and their desperate need for “a fix.” They conclude that the cause of the offender's misbehavior is intoxication or addiction, and not criminal intent – “They're just addicts doing what they do.” They blame the substance for the crime. But the truth is when anyone time after time commits repeated offenses, that person denies themselves rehabilitation – they lack any sense of belonging and responsibility in a community already riddled with crime and addiction. They, not the substance (substances), are to blame.

A rehabilitation or recovery effort should not attempt to promote a community within a community – a place where questions arise about the necessity of following laws and community standards – conditions required by peaceful, law-abiding citizens. Help for serious people with drug disorders is needed; collusion with repeat offenders who use the system is not.

Left to a cycle of drug abuse and unfettered criminal behavior, a growing cancer spawned by indifference blights once-good communities in Scioto County. And, unfortunately it predominately spreads in common grounds, not in upscale neighborhoods afforded superior protection. This malignant growth becomes part of an ID of hopelessness and despair while it proliferates with passive acceptance.

We must fight like hell to stop the spread of illegal actions before they choke our once child-friendly streets and spread poison and crime without any fear of resistance. Resignation and indifference do not deter repeat offenders. Individuals in blighted neighborhoods must stand against hate and oppression.

The single best indicator of whether an ex-offender will become a re-offender is the length and seriousness of his or her rap sheet. If these criminals and bullies behavior is condoned and even reinforced by the recovery community, no place will be safe. No place will guarantee life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

We have recently employed cameras, security lights, and signs to deter these aggressive individuals. We have taken these extra steps to maintain our safety as we face the threats of thugs and those who house them without remorse. We have diligently called the police because of recent violent disturbances on our street – gunshots never before heard on our peaceful block.

Now, we have filed an order of protection at the Scioto County Courthouse and paid to have it personally delivered because we are tired of looking out our windows when we hear gunshots and fights and distractions, and being told: “Go back in your house, old motherfucker. I'll come over there and beat your ass” – a comment made to me by an ex-con as I responded to a gunshot and employed absolutely no provocation while looking out my storm door.

Unreformed thugs will continue to act like thugs as long as they are enabled. We choose to stand against them despite fears of threats, vandalism, and assault. We do so remembering these words of the famous Indian monk and yogi …

“Some people try to be tall by cutting off the heads of others.”

– Paramahansa Yogananda

Private Fireworks Displays in Portsmouth -- Celebration or Aggravation?

It's the 4th of July and once again huge private fireworks displays are going on in our neighborhood – blasts that last for hours. I live in the middle of a large residential community just a few blocks from institutions like SOMC and Hillview Retirement Center. I wonder how people at these facilities feel about the din of these inescapable private holiday displays. In fact, I wonder if it even matters to their celebratory neighbors.

While some in the neighborhood do enjoy the loud explosions and colorful displays, I cannot say I am a big fan. The length of the shows and the continuous reports of the fireworks – which seem so much louder than the old typical family “pops” and “cracks” once commonly associated with the holiday – make the evening an intense experience that certainly shatters peace and quiet.

Maybe I am not partial to these private displays because I'm now a old geezer. I admit I am a cranky old man who is now much fonder of gentler pleasures than explosive encounters. I don't know why I have changed. Call me “over the hill” and a “stick in the mud.” As a younger man, I was on the other side of that hill and my stick was not stuck in the geriatric mire. I accept my infirmities. I do still love fireworks in what I consider their proper place. Now, I feel I am entitled to relate my honest irritation to these big neighborhood shows.

The fireworks’ loud, unpredictable bangs and whizzing explosions can have negative effects on many people. Veterans with PTSD, children on the autism spectrum, survivors of gun violence, pets, and even wildlife routinely suffer on July 4th. Fireworks are dangerous and, used improperly, they can kill and maim. Individuals most at risk are small children, the elderly, and people with existing respiratory conditions.

I am a pet owner, and I see my dogs' frightened reactions to the continual displays. During these fireworks shows, animal owners like me must keep their frightened dogs, cats and other pets inside the house, so that the animals are safe and can’t run away.

Even inside the house, many suffer. Consider a dog’s hearing is many times more acute than a human's. Dogs can hear up to 60,000hz while humans only hear 20,000hz. Fireworks, which arrive without warning, can trigger a “startle response” in dogs, generating acute anxiety and fear in a situation they can’t understand. Just like in people, the startle response causes racing hearts, a surge of adrenalin, and a need to flee. Shelters routinely report an influx of lost dogs after the 4th as terrified animals run for their lives. According to the ASPCA, more dogs get lost on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year.

Loud noises can sometimes be a trigger for veterans who suffer from PTSD. The unexpected nature of the fireworks is probably the worst part. Hyperarousal, a core component of PTSD, occurs when a person is hyper-alert to any sign of threat – the victim is constantly on edge, easily startled and continuously screening the environment.

Although not every individual who lives with PTSD may be affected by fireworks, many veterans are stepping up to raise awareness of those who might be. In 2015, Kevin Rhoades, a Marine veteran who suffers from PTSD, planted a sign outside his home: “Combat Veteran Lives Here. Please Be Courteous with Fireworks.”

Rhoades said in an interview, “ It’s not that I don’t want people to have fun. On the Fourth of July I’m going to pop my own fireworks. But when you get woken up at two, three o’clock in the morning, it brings back those memories.”

I guess, not that it matters to most, but what does Ohio law say about fireworks? The Ohio fireworks law states that of the many types of fireworks, only a small percentage may be legally used in Ohio. These types are known as "novelty" fireworks and include things like sparklers, snaps, glow snakes and smoke bombs. These items are sold across the state and may be used by anyone for their festivities.

Excluding those few items, all other fireworks and pyrotechnics cannot be fired legally in the state of Ohio without a license. While some fireworks, known as "consumer" fireworks, including items such as firecrackers and bottle rockets, can be legally purchased by anyone over the age of 18, the purchaser must sign a form stating that they will transport the fireworks outside of the state within 48 hours.

A further restricted category of fireworks, known as "exhibitor" fireworks, are limited to discharge by licensed exhibitors. These are the large, colorful types of fireworks typically seen at city celebrations and festivals.

The loud booms and whizzes I hear in my home seem to be in the “exhibitor” category. I know these displays are so intense that they disturb the peace of those living many blocks away. In fact, the explosions are so extensive I wonder how citizens can afford the expense of the private shows. The close proximity of houses here makes hours of display inadvisable for the city – fire hazards do exist.

One solution to the Portsmouth noise pollution on the 4^th of July is simply to move fireworks displays to safer, more rural areas. Of course, government permission to designate such places “safe zones” flies in the face of current state law which prohibits the larger, more powerful fireworks. Still, an open field some distance from residents – say maybe a location near the Scioto River – would be much more conducive to containing the clamor and thus, less likely to rattle the bones of homeowners.

And, there is another easy way to change the celebrations – by lowering the impact of the loud, sudden, unpredictable, percussive noises that come with fireworks. “Silent” fireworks can deliver the same cascading colors but without the formidable decibels and startling explosions that erupt in the night sky.

While these silent fireworks are stunning, they lack the big explosive power that drives mega-displays high into the air for viewing by thousands. Yet, they are ideal for smaller events. The trade-off in scale is a welcome one for the many for whom these celebrations bring discomfort.

“Silent” fireworks aren’t a new invention. In fact, they have been around for a long time as part of regular fireworks displays, including the “comet display” that shoots into the air with a long sparking tail, or the “flying fish” whose scattering sparkles swim out from a silent boom like little tadpoles. These fireworks actually display the most stunning colors, more so than big explosions.

The most explosive fireworks, the ones with the biggest booms, have little color because the force can shatter the pellets that carry the little “stars” that emit signature colors of green, red, and blue. Despite the name, these more colorful fireworks aren’t entirely silent, but they are significantly quieter, registering at far below the typical 150-170 decibels of the loud fireworks, which can cause hearing damage.

So, private, exhibitor fireworks shows can be designed to please the eyes without pummeling the ears. Designers of quiet fireworks programs can forgo the big explosions and still deliver a stunning show. Who knew? The hope is that softer celebrations mean less stress for noise-sensitive children, veterans, older people, pets and wildlife.

“We’ve seen more competitors in the last decade or so,” said Rino Sampieri, a senior display manager at Fantastic Fireworks, a company based in England that started selling a quiet fireworks package 30 years ago. “Today, quiet fireworks are part of everybody’s inventory.”

(Steph Yin. “‘Quiet Fireworks’ Promise Relief for Children and Animals.”

The New York Times. June 30, 2016.)

So-called "quiet fireworks" have yet to take off in the United States, but are being pushed as an alternative that would reduce the impact of fireworks on pets, kids and others who are sensitive to loud sounds. People can get these fireworks online from companies like Epic Fireworks and from small fireworks stands across the country.

Now that you've read my concerns, I'm sure you are still going to conduct your 4^th of July fireworks displays any way you want. As you say, “It is my damned right as a red, white, and blue, 'Merican.” So, if you choose the big bangs over less noisy alternatives, maybe you might still consider that old farts – dinosaurs like me soon to be crossing the Rainbow Bridge – and their aged, furry best friends, are in your beer-goggled midst.

Could you at least keep the racket to one night and to a relatively short time within reasonable hours? If you don't, grandpa may just get so worked up he'll write some stupid blog entry that no one will read. And, you know you don't want him to do that. By the way, why wasn't he invited to the party, anyway?

"Silent" Fireworks