Columbus Dispatch & CNN: Ohio panel sticks to 'White Only' pool sign ruling

Ohio panel sticks to 'White Only' pool sign ruling

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A state civil rights commission won’t reconsider its decision that a Cincinnati landlord discriminated against a black girl by posting a “White Only” sign at a swimming pool. 

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission voted 4-0 today to uphold original finding. There was no discussion. 

The panel found on Sept. 29 that Jamie Hein violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act by posting the sign at a pool at the duplex where the teenage girl was visiting her parents. 

Hein, who is white, has repeatedly declined to comment and didn’t attend the hearing. She earlier told the commission’s housing enforcement director that she was trying to protect her assets. 

The girl’s father said in brief comments today that seeing the sign left him with feelings of “shock, disgust and outrage.”

The CNN Story is here

CNN) -- A landlord wants the Ohio Civil Rights Commission on Thursday to reconsider its finding that she violated the law by posting a "white only" sign at her swimming pool.

Jamie Hein has asked the commission to reverse its initial ruling that found she violated the Ohio Civil Rights Act by putting up a sign that read "Public Swimming Pool, White Only" at her Cincinnati duplex.

The commission, meeting this week in Columbus, concluded last year that the sign "restricts the social contact between Caucasians and African Americans as well as reinforcing discrimination actions that are aimed at oppressing all 'people of color.'"

The case was brought by Michael Gunn, a white man who said had unrestricted access to the pool area for himself and his guests during the nearly two years he lived in the duplex, he said in a December interview.

Gunn, a software engineer, said he and his girlfriend, who is also white, lived upstairs; their 31-year-old landlord lived downstairs. However, he said their relationship soured in May 2011 when he invited his 10-year-old biracial daughter to visit and swim in the pool.

"Complainant states that the owner, Jamie Hein, accused his daughter of making the pool 'cloudy' because she used chemicals in her hair," the commission said in its summary. "Days later, the owner posted a sign on the gate to the pool which read, 'Public Swimming Pool, White Only.'"

Hein said she received the sign from a friend and posted it in early May, the summary says. Several people interviewed by the commission staff confirmed that they had seen the sign, it added.

Hein did not respond to a request for comment at the time. But she told ABC News in December that she collects antiques. She said the sign, which was dated 1931 and from Alabama, was a gift from a friend.

"I don't have any problem with race at all. It's a historical sign," she told ABC.

Gunn said he was outraged by the sign and made arrangements to find another place to live as soon as he could.

"We were extremely upset and moved out on June 21, 2011, in order to not expose my daughter to the sign and the humiliation of the message," Gunn wrote in his complaint.

He said he never confronted Hein about the matter, but has no doubt that the sign was intended for his daughter.

Ohio Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Safe Schools Bill that Includes Two Out of Three Provisions Promoted by Equality Ohio

Senate Education Committee Unanimously Passes Safe Schools Bill that Includes Two Out of Three Provisions Promoted by Equality Ohio

For immediate release
January 10, 2012  

For more information contact:
Ed Mullen, Executive Director

 Columbus, Ohio --  This morning, the Ohio Senate Education Committee passed HB116, also known as the “Jessica Logan Act”, unanimously.  This bill includes provisions that protect Ohio students from the rising trend of cyber-bullying and require school districts to provide more comprehensive training on anti-bullying policies.  The bill, however, was amended in committee this morning to exclude a provision that would prohibit bullying based on any real or perceived characteristics of the student, such as race, disability, sexual orientation and gender identity, and the bill did not include enumeration of particular characteristics.

Since the current anti-bullying law was passed in 2006, Equality Ohio has worked closely with coalition partners, including the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, the Ohio Psychological Association, and the University of Toledo Law School Safe Schools Project, to pass a comprehensive bill that strengthens the law to include cyber-bullying, training, and enumeration.  We are certainly pleased that the committee has passed provisions relating to cyber-bullying and training, and we look forward to these provisions becoming law in Ohio.  “Protecting students against cyber-bullying and improving training on anti-bullying policies will have a positive effect on our schools and make them more safe for students,” says Ed Mullen, Executive Director of Equality Ohio.

However, Equality Ohio is very disappointed that enumeration was not included in the bill.  Academic studies and empirical evidence demonstrate that enumeration is critical to a strong anti-bullying policy.  Ohio Department of Education discipline data shows that bullying has risen nearly 50% in Ohio from 2005 to 2007, despite passage of generic anti-bullying legislation in 2006.  In Ohio, nearly one-fifth (18%) of Ohio students at schools with generic policies felt unsafe, while only 2% of students at schools with enumerated policies did.  Students who attend schools with enumerated policies are harassed far less often for reasons such as their physical appearance, their sexual orientation or their gender expression; are less likely than other students to report a serious harassment problem at their school; and are 50% more likely to feel very safe at school. 

Enumeration is particularly important for already vulnerable groups of students.  LGBT students in states that don’t require enumeration have the same experience of bullying as those without any anti-bullying and harassment laws at all.  Enumeration provides teachers and other school officials the tools they need to implement anti-bullying and harassment policies, which makes it easier for them to prevent bullying and intervene when incidents occur.

The Ohio School Board Association opposed enumerating Ohio’s anti-bullying law because they were concerned about additional potential liability.  “Ironically, the best way for schools to prevent liability is to implement and enforce strong anti-bullying policies that include enumeration.  These policies will prevent bullying in many cases and enable teachers and administrators to respond effectively when necessary, reducing the risk of lawsuits.  Moreover, the existence and enforcement of strong anti-bullying policies would be an effective defense to lawsuits that are filed,” says Ed Mullen. 

A standalone bill that would enumerate Ohio’s anti-bullying law, HB208, is pending before the House Education Committee, and Equality Ohio will continue to work to move this bill forward.

Equality Ohio advocates and educates to achieve fair treatment and equal opportunity for all Ohioans regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. For more information visit www.equalityohio.org or give us a call at (614) 224-0400.

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Columbus Dispatch: Housing prices forecast to fall again

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Report predicts 2% slip in central Ohio; local agents more optimistic

By  Jim Weiker 

The Columbus Dispatch Monday January 9, 2012 5:33 AM

After another mediocre year of central Ohio housing news, a report issued this morning says it will only get worse.

The report, by the California real-estate service Clear Capital, predicts that Columbus-area home prices will drop by 2 percent this year, the 28th largest drop among 50 cities studied.

The company based its forecast on 20 economic factors such as income, unemployment, mortgage rates and new construction permits.

Other observers agree that home prices in central Ohio and elsewhere won’t rise until employment picks up and foreclosures decline.

“Housing prices could continue to slip down in 2012,” said Teri Felix, executive vice president of Home Value Insurance Co., which last year began selling a policy in Ohio designed to protect homeowners against a decline in property value. “There’s still too much uncertainty in the economy, and foreclosures need to be worked through the system.”

Home prices dropped dramatically in the Columbus area and throughout the nation between 2006 and 2009, and have muddled along since. Clear Capital found that central Ohio home prices dropped an additional 3.5 percent in 2011, which is roughly consistent with Columbus Board of Realtors figures.

“The average selling price has steadily decreased since the end of 2005, but I believe we’ll see a flattening of prices in 2012,” said Milt Lustnauer, a RE/MAX Premier Choice agent in Upper Arlington and this year’s treasurer of the Columbus Board of Realtors.

Lustnauer and Chris Pedon, the board’s president-elect, say a decline in homes for sale will help balance supply and demand and, they hope, lead to a rise in prices.

“I’m hoping, now that the inventory’s starting to shrink, that we’ll see some of that pricing go back up,” said Pedon, a Bexley Real Living HER agent.

Central Ohio agents are also encouraged by the volume of Columbus-area home sales in 2011, which could show the first year-over-year gain since 2005 when final figures are released in a few weeks.

The Columbus Board of Realtors and other area organizations will present their own real-estate forecast Tuesday.

One big drag on prices continues to be foreclosures. Clear Capital estimates that 34 percent of homes sold in central Ohio are bank repossessions, which pull down prices of nearby homes.

Nationwide, Clear Capital forecasts a stabilizing of home prices in 2012, but estimates vary widely by community.

The company predicts Orlando, Fla., will show the biggest price gain, 11.7 percent. At the bottom is Atlanta, where Clear Capital predicts prices will slide 14.4 percent.

The firm estimates that Cincinnati prices will drop 2.2 percent while Cleveland prices rise 4.2 percent and Dayton prices gain 1.4 percent.

jweiker@dispatch.com

Columbus Dispatch: Near East Side starts renewal with $10 million from OSU

 Mayor Michael B. Coleman, center, and Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee laugh during the Partners Achieving Community Transformation community celebration at East High School. Ohio State is committing $10 million to rejuvenate the area around University Hospital East.

The story is here

By  Meredith Heagney

The Columbus Dispatch Monday January 9, 2012 7:55 AM

 East High School hosted a pep rally yesterday, but instead of boosting an athletic team, the good wishes for things to come were for the neighborhood.

The event launched a revitalization effort on the Near East Side that is funded by a $10 million investment from Ohio State University, which hopes to fix up the depressed area surrounding University Hospital East.

While details are few, the coalition behind the project will choose a development firm by next month to craft the blueprint, said Dawn Tyler Lee, executive director of Partners Achieving Community Transformation, or PACT.

Along with Mayor Michael B. Coleman and Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee, Lee promised an enthusiastic crowd that improving the neighborhood’s housing will make it a safer and healthier place to live.
She also said that the project should begin in 2014 and eventually will need more funding.

Ohio State, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and the city form the coalition behind PACT. Dozens of representatives from neighborhood groups, churches and advocacy organizations serve on an advisory committee.

Of Ohio State’s $10 million commitment, $9 million will go to housing and $1 million to health-care initiatives.

The goal is to improve the quality of housing, eliminate vacant properties and diversify the type of housing. Low-income and market-rate housing both will have a place, said Bryan Brown, senior vice president of the housing authority.

The first two targets are the Taylor Avenue corridor and Poindexter Village, which consists of more than two dozen acres of public housing that is being emptied now before demolition next year.

“What people can expect is a mixed-income, diverse community that is sustainable over time,” Brown said, because concentrations of poverty have not made for successful neighborhoods.

Some residents are anxious about the plans.

Marceia Robinson, 46, who lives on 17th Street, said she needs more answers.

“Will I be relocated?” she asked. “They relocated all the blacks in Poindexter Village.”

PACT leaders say there are no plans to relocate anyone on the Near East Side beyond the Poindexter site, which they say is no longer safe to inhabit. Ohio State leaders said they don’t have their eyes on buying the Poindexter property.

Beverly McCaskill, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than 60 years, is supportive. She said she hears gunshots almost nightly from her home, which is north of the hospital and close to Poindexter Village.
“Whatever they put in place of Poindexter Village would be an improvement,” she said.

Coleman acknowledged concerns about gentrification in his speech. “Change and transformation does not mean we lose our identity,” he said.

The event at East High School was heavy on pride, with homegrown success stories such as Ohio Supreme Court Justice Yvette McGee Brown talking about their personal history in the neighborhood. A senior at the high school, Ronny Chhun, spoke about his work with robotics and engineering groups and his expectation of graduating with honors in June.

Afterward, attendees were invited to offer written suggestions to the coalition, which is planning a second round of “community conversations” with residents in March.

mheagney@dispatch.com

HRC: Santorum’s Anti-Gay Rhetoric Meeting Icy Reception in New Hampshire

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
January 5, 2012

Santorum’s Anti-Gay Rhetoric Meeting Icy Reception in New Hampshire

Extremist Candidate Booed After Comparing Marriage Equality to Polygamy

Washington – GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum was booed in New Hampshire today after comparing marriage equality to polygamy. According to the New York Times, while answering a question about marriage equality, Santorum said: “If you’re not happy unless you’re married to five other people, is that O.K.?” The audience booed Santorum, who continued on saying:  “What about three men?” According to the media report, audience members continued booing Santorum as he exited the event.

“Rick Santorum’s anti-gay hate is not going to perform well in New Hampshire. His reception there is indicative of just how poorly he will fare with mainstream voters as the primaries progress,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Rick Santorum’s views are out of step with the majority of Americans across demographics and faiths. He is basing his campaign off of bashing an entire community of his fellow Americans. That may serve him well with certain constituencies, but it’s something most Americans will not stand for.”

Santorum has a long track record of trying to score political points off of bashing LGBT people.  In addition to speaking out against marriage equality on a regular basis, he also has criticized LGBT families and adoption, and called the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) a means of forcing “social policy into the military.” Last fall, Santorum told a gay soldier he would reinstate DADT because "any type of sexual activity has absolutely no place in the military."

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all. 

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HRC Statement on Iowa GOP Caucus Results

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 
January 4, 2012 
 

HRC Statement on Iowa GOP Caucus Results

WASHINGTON – On the news that the Iowa Republican Caucus ended in a virtual tie with former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney eking out former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, issued the following statement:

“These men who have pledged to amend the constitution to ban marriage for gay couples, keep the failed 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy and oppose basic workplace protections for LGBT people, are not fit to lead.  Their showings in Iowa last night only further draws a distinction between their plans to turn back the clock on equality and President Obama's demonstrated commitment to making the lives of LGBT people better.

"The anti-LGBT positions shared by these candidates will not serve them well in a general election. By a strong majority, Americans support equal treatment under the law which neither Romney or Santorum do. Governor Romney may have tried to seem like a moderate candidate on LGBT issues when in Massachusetts, but it's clear through the campaign he's run for President that he is no friend to LGBT Americans.  Further, Senator Santorum is only exemplary in that no other candidate has made opposing basic rights for LGBT Americans such a guiding principle of his or her public life.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all. 

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USA Today: Know when you can do home repairs yourself

The story is here

In times of economic hardship, "do-it-yourself" is a tempting mantra for many homeowners with dripping faucets, running toilets, leaky windows or sticky locks.

The savings can add up when you don't have to call a repairman, especially for things like painting, plumbing and appliance repair, said Ken Collier, editor-in-chief of The Family Handyman. "Parts are a small part of the cost. Labor is huge," he said.

And if things go wrong? With a small job, Collier said, "Worst case, you have to hire a pro and eat some crow."

There are some home repairs, of course, that an unskilled homeowner should avoid, among them "situations where having heavy equipment makes the job go much better, especially outdoors," Collier said.

Avoid jobs where you could injure yourself or damage property.

Chris Long, a member of the Home Depot do-it-yourself team, recommends calling an expert to replace a tub or shower valve, or do more involved electrical work. And while "any reasonably careful person can hang drywall," Collier said, taping it to cover the seams and joints is "very much an art where a practiced hand makes a huge difference."

But many other household repairs and projects can be tackled by a do-it-yourselfer who takes the time to learn what's required.

David Frank of Libertyville, Ill., does just about all his own home repairs and remodeling — "from electric to plumbing to concrete. Any of it can be done." He started working on his first house, a fixer-upper he bought in college, to save money. "I had to learn to do it, or it wasn't going to get done," he said. Over the years, he has taught himself by reading books, watching home-improvement TV shows and talking to experts.

Besides the money saved, there's "definitely a sense of accomplishment" in doing the work himself, he said.

His advice to beginners: Use common sense, take your time and read as much as you can. "The Internet is unbelievable," he said.

When taking on a project, begin by finding out where in your home you turn off the water and gas, and how the circuit breakers work. If you need a professional to show you, hire one.

You'll also need a good set of tools. Collier recommends such things as a 20-ounce straight claw hammer, a utility knife, linesman's pliers, a flexible putty knife, a four-in-one screwdriver, a cordless drill-screwdriver, a 25-foot measuring tape and an adjustable crescent wrench. Add to that a plunger, groove-joint pliers and duct tape.

If you're going to do any electrical work, be sure to have a voltage sniffer. "Electricity is scary stuff, and a voltage sniffer is a really safe way to know everything is off," Collier says.

There's a wealth of material online, including videos for the do-it-yourselfer.

Even unskilled homeowners should be able to do some basic appliance repairs, Collier said, such as changing a dryer belt.

And as winter approaches, homeowners can do a lot of weatherizing themselves, including adding insulation, and applying adhesive-backed, foam weather stripping to prevent cold air from seeping in around doors and windows.

Other jobs that a do-it-yourselfer can learn include repairing drywall, replacing a deadbolt, or installing a new light fixture or ceiling fan.

Here's where that voltage sniffer comes in. "If you know how to confidently turn that breaker off and you can test it to verify it, you can change that fixture," said Danny Lipford, who hosts nationally syndicated TV and radio shows and is a contributing design editor for Better Homes and Gardens.

Plumbing repairs also can be accessible even to the novice.

"A toilet is really a very simple mechanism and the parts are readily available to change out," Lipford said.

First, the cause of the problem has to be diagnosed. Find information online, in books, or talk to a worker at your hardware store.

If the toilet is running, for example, one way to figure out what's going on is to add a little food dye to the water in the tank, said Long, of Home Depot. If the water in the bowl turns the same color, the flapper valve is likely the problem. The flapper seals the tank, then lifts to allow water to flow into the bowl when the toilet is flushed. If the seal isn't tight, water will leak into the bowl.

It could be that the chain connecting the flapper to the handle is too long or too short. Adjusting that could fix the problem. Or, it could be the flapper itself. In most cases, the flapper snaps out and you can easily replace it with a new one. But first remember to turn off the water to the toilet. It's also a good idea to bring the old part to your hardware store to make sure you're purchasing a compatible new one.