Telegraph-Forum from Bucyrus, Ohio • 1

Tekff Weekend June 26-27, 2010 One Dollar INSIDE TODAY VISION QUEST II WELL-PLAYED PASSING FANCY RACING ACTION IS HOT AND HEAVY FRIDAY AFTERNOON AT VINTAGE GRAND PRIX OF OHIO PAGE 3A iT t) SHUCK -aV SELECTED TO TEXAS LEAGUE 1 All. STAR CAMF I i llbb If III wmiiii PAGE IB lMwtn I I PASTORAL POSTSCRIPTS Pay heed to Bible's prophecies to tos jobless beineflBs could lose benefits this month, according to a state estimate. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he plans to push for extended benefits, and hopes to craft the bill that will entice two Republicans the minimum needed to jump on board.

STAGGERING NUMBERS In February 2009, Schnittke was laid off from his job running automated welding machines for Mi-lark Industries. He found a better paying job from which he was also laid off at the now-closed Marion Juvenile Correctional Facility. He has five weeks of unemployment benefits left. without unemployment benefits he'll have to delay his education indefinitely and may have to leave his native Mansfield. "I won't be able to afford to keep going back and forth (to the campus).

I could probably get through the rest of this quarter," he said Friday, "but then I'll have to put it on hold. I may have to move away to find a job." These are the unenviable decisions many Ohioans may face. On Thursday, Senate Republicans, citing a mounting national debt, blocked a jobs bill that would have extended unemployment benefits for more than a million people nationally. Almost 100,000 Ohioans BY RUSS ZIMMER AND JESSICA ALAIMO CentraIOhio.com MANSFIELD Todd Schnittke figures he's about nine months away from completing a degree at North Central State College. An Army veteran and AMVETS officer, he wanted to go straight from graduation to a job helping soldiers who struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder.

That timeframe is in jeopardy, he said, because the U.S. Senate rejected a jobs bill containing another extension for jobless benefits. Schnittke, a 39-year-old husband and father of three, suspects that Schnittke, who said he has three teenage children and a wife who is unable to work, has been looking for any kind of work he can find, but to no avail. In the meantime, he has been taking classes at North Central and networking to line up a post-graduation job. "If they would pass that extension, I'd be able to finish school," he said.

As of Sunday, there were 157,096 Ohioans receiving unemployment compensation through a federal extension, according to state Job and Family Services spokesman Ben Johnson. An additional 164,673 people have been getting jobless benefits for fewer than 26 weeks, meaning they are still under the state's umbrella. Once a person's benefit expires there will be no extension at this time, Johnson said. Johnson said people who face benefit exhaustion should contact their nearest One-Stop Center or their county Job and Family Services office. He also encouraged them to visit the Ohio Benefit Bank, www.obb.ohjo.gov, to see what assistance programs food, cash, medical they may qualify for.

BUSY NONPROFITS When the checks start See BENEFITS, page 2A mice, gooinig teice Residents vigilant as crime rate rises in Bucyrus, Galion Galion's Howard House sold at Friday auction BY DIANE NICHOLS Telegraph-Forum correspondent ft 1 i I i it P. A i crease to a poor economy and increased drug abuse. Galion police Chief Brian Satterfield has seen a similar increase. "We are having an increase in break-ins and thefts, especially break-ins of vehicles," he said. The chiefs said they have noticed crime does not happen just at night "We have had a number of calls of break-ins in the middle of the afternoon," Satterfield said.

"It's not just third shift anymore." Crawford County Sheriff Ron Shawber said the number of thefts in the county is down a little from last year, but burglaries have increased. "In 2009, from Jan. 1 to June 24, we had 92 burglaries. This year during the same time period, we have had 131 burglaries. For thefts, we had 263 in 2009 and 250 so far this year," Shawber said.

Teets said most crimes are committed by people known to the victim. "They can be a relative, friend or acquaintance, but have usually been to the victim's home," he said. "Most thieves like to know ahead of time if there is an alarm system, dog or if the neighbors keep a close watch." Teets hopes residents remain vigilant. "There are things people can do, like locking doors and windows and not keeping purses and other belongings in their cars," Teets said. "If a suspicious person is observed in your neighborhood, call us, even if it turns out to be nothing, we need to check it out" GALION The Adam Howard House, a historic Victorian showplace west of downtown, has new owners for the first time in 40 years.

It was sold at auction Friday. Amy Harrell said Friday she and her husband, Dale, plan to restore the Queen Anne-style brick landmark. They'll be the first owners to live in the 230 S. Boston St. mansion since the death of Adam Howard's daughter in 1969.

Amy Harrell made the winning bid $340,000 and had her husband on the phone from Afghanistan, where he is stationed. Having lived in Germany, the couple is getting their things moved to Gabon. Howard House had just two owners before the sale. The last was Richard Fulton, who held the deed for forty years before dying in January. Fulton's son-in-law, Greg Glasser of Mansfield, has since cared for the house and property at the corner of South Boston Atwood streets.

"It's hard to part with. We have a lot of history here," Glasser said. "My wife and I were married here just over 30 years ago. It's just too much for us to maintain. "It's time for someone else to enjoy it." Auctioneer and Realtor Craig Miley said the property made quite an impact on potential buyers.

"Even people from out of state have shown interest in it," he said this week "Everybody that's looked at it so far has been very, very impressed. I still get overwhelmed each time I show it." SHOWCASE HOME Built in 1898 by Adam Howard, founder of the Galion Buggy Company, the mansion was a natural for See HOWARD, page 2A BY KIMBERLY GASURAS Telegraph-Forum BUCYRUS Bucyrus police nabbed a burglary suspect Wednesday. After receiving an anonymous call, officers went to the 500 block of Jones Street Officers allege they found Jason Brown, 24, of Nevada, leaving a residence with a black duffel bag. Police accused him of trying to steal an Xbox and video games. Brown was arrested and is at the Crawford County Justice Center, awaiting arraignment on a burglary charge.

Last week, officers received a call from a neighbor in the 800 block of South Walnut Street who had seen a man lurking around a residence. Police reports said officers found Michael D. Hickman, 27, of Bucyrus, in the home with pry bars, gloves, a knife and bolt cutters. Hickman was arraigned in Crawford County Municipal Court on Thursday on one count of burglary, a third-degree felony. His bond was set by Judge Sean Leuthold at $10,000.

Bucyrus police Chief Ken Teets said these are two examples showing why residents should be observant and not hesitate to call police when something or someone seems out of place. "Because two people were paying attention to what was going on in their neighborhoods, we were able to apprehend these guys," he said. "Breaking and enterings, along with burglaries and thefts, are on the rise in our community and we need to work together to put a stop to it" Teets attributes the in ir 1 The Howard House, a Galion landmark was sold Friday at auction. Above: A fireplace gets a look. Left Landscaping in the back yard.

Right An orriama-nental railing provides a little safety on an upper floor. Photos by Dave wore photos at BucyrusTelegraph Forum.com krlewisnncogannett.com 419-563-9226 Bill Sharp calls it quits as Crestline's fire chief ti. a j- si been hurt really bad, and family members. Does it affect you? Yes, but when the patients see someone they're comfortable with, they're at ease," Sharp said. Outside the firehouse, Sharp is a jack of all trades.

He's a former auto mechanic, karate instructor and photographer for the Galion Inquirer. Golfing and scuba diving are among his favorite activities. Sharp is leaving the department at a critical time, as safety staffs are being reduced in light of financial difficulties amid rising crime and See SHARP, page 2A Sharp started full-time on Aug. 9, 1976, and became an emergency medical technician shortly after that. He completed fire training through the Mansfield Fire Department in 1977.

In the 1980s, Sharp became a fire instructor, inspector and captain. He also taught firefighters at Pioneer Career and Technical Center. In December 1999, he was promoted to assistant chief. He became chief Sept. 18, 2006.

In his tenure, mutual aid contracts were established with departments in Galion, Bucyrus, Shelby and Whetstone, Springfield and Liberty townships. He helped the department become a full emergency medical technician service with upgraded equipment. Sharp has worked with seven mayors, five safety-service directors, six auditors and about 20 fire department staff. He is divorced and has no children. In essence, Sharp was married to the department.

Working an average 56 hours a week, Sharp gave his all. He attended every City Council meeting, did administrative work and trained employees. "You pick up a lot of people you know on the rescue squad that have BY TERRICHA BRADLEY Telegraph-Forum CRESTLINE Based on the fire and rescue runs he's been on, Bill Sharp could write a book. He spent 34 years in the department and his entire life in Crestline. Sharp, 56, retired Friday as Crest-line's fire chief.

The city will appoint an acting fire chief at Monday's City Council meeting. "I'm going to stay over here for a while to help the new guy, show him the ropes and how to run budgets," Sharp said. "I'm going to miss it, been doing it all my life." TERRICHA BRADLEYTEIiGRAPH-FORUM Bill Sharp, Crestline's fire chief since 2006, has announced his retirement. 5a 4A I 7'( W0M A Gannett newspaper Reach more than 149,000 readers with a classified ad. On the Web, go to CentralOhioClassified.com, or call 419-524-3545 or 800-472-5547.

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