#Fayette County Court House

[middleland]

Out the Hotel Window by Dragonize

[20th-century-railroading]

A Detroit, Toledo and Ironton Railroad mixed freight train, pulled by steam locomotive number 417, crosses a railroad trestle near Washington Court House (Fayette County), Ohio. July 31, 1948

[offender42085]

Post 0516

Thomas Nathan Teets aka Arthur Storez, Pennsylvania inmate NE1969, born 1985, incarceration intake in 2017 at age 32, sentenced to 15 to 30 years

Murder, Aggravated assault, Abuse of a corpse, Theft, Robbery, Tampering with evidence 

A Dawson man will serve 15 to 30 years behind bars for third-degree murder in the death of a Bullskin Township woman, a deal the victim's family agreed to under the assurance they could bring her body home.

Thomas Nathan Teets, 32, pleaded guilty in Fayette County Court to killing Leah Marie Owens, 31, on Sept. 15, 2017. He stabbed her to death and hid her body in a shallow grave where investigators said no one would have ever found her.

"I just pray to God that Leah is at peace now," said her mother, Camilla "Cammy" Crosby, before Teets was sentenced. "It took 45 days. We got her home."

Family members and friends filled the largest courtroom at the Fayette County Courthouse, clutching packs of tissues with dazed expressions, receiving encouraging pats on their shoulders from those already seated. The closest members of the family filed in behind solemn-faced investigators, expressions raw with grief as they faced Teets just days after their fears were confirmed that Owens had been murdered.

Crosby reported her daughter missing Sept. 20 when she failed to check in with family, a regular occurrence for the mother of two. After thousands of hours of investigation, state police charged Teets in her death just days before he pleaded guilty. They did so without having found her body.

After Teets was arraigned on the charges, investigators questioned him throughout the day. State police Cpl. Heather Clem-Johnston, who was in frequent contact with the family throughout the investigation, called Crosby to see if she would agree to the plea bargain if Teets confessed and took them to Owens' body.

She responded, "Bring my daughter home," said District Attorney Rich Bower.

By late afternoon, police said he led them to Owens' body in Dunbar Township.

"Does he deserve more time? In my opinion, yes," Bower said during the sentencing before Judge Steve P. Leskinen. "But we did this for the family, once we knew who the murderer was."

"It's a different situation, and one that's done at great speed," Leskinen said, adding that the plea agreement was below the mitigated range for third-degree murder. "The family's wishes are something we intend to honor."

When the judge asked Teets if he was guilty of all six crimes – third-degree murder, aggravated assault, abuse of a corpse, theft, robbery and tampering with evidence – he responded, "Yes, sir."

Teets remained seated and turned toward Crosby briefly.

"I'd like to say I'm sorry for hurting your family," he said, appearing unemotional.

Earlier this week, Owens' older sister, Lauren Solosky, said the family could not bear to sit through days of a trial listening to the details of her death after already waiting five weeks to learn her fate. She called the waiting process a "nightmare" for Owens' family and friends.

Shane Gannon, who was representing Teets through the Fayette County Public Defender's Office, said he was involved with the case for several weeks, since late September when Teets was jailed for contempt in a domestic case. Teets told the judge he was satisfied with his representation.

Crosby, who is battling cancer, said she would wake up every morning wondering if her daughter's disappearance was only a nightmare. She would wake often wake up in the middle of the night.

"Pouring down rain, and the wind is blowing, and it's cold. And you pray to God your child isn't freezing. She's not getting wet," she said. "It was horrendous for all those days."

The morning of the murder, Owens went with Teets to Crosby's home. Both times, Owens asked for money, which investigators said was to pay a debt to Teets. Solosky also wired Owens money that day.

Owens left her mother's house, saying she would be back in 20 minutes after taking a shower. Crosby left for her radiation treatment.

"But I never heard from Leah again after that, and I knew within hours – mother's intuition – that something bad had happened. I knew it," she said.

She went door-to-door, asking about her daughter's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Teets dug a grave about two-feet deep and buried Owens' body, less than one mile from where investigators said he bought drugs.

"It was in a heavily thicketed area where, in our opinion, no hunter or anyone else would have stumbled upon Leah," said Bower.

Charges were filed after lab results matched Owens' DNA to blood found on a knife blade and identified Teets' blood on the handle. The knife was found in a Owens' abandoned car by Normalville fire department. Owen's blood was also found on the car.

Teets cut off part of his finger during the stabbing, which Bower described as a permanent reminder of his crimes, dubbing him "the nine-fingered man."

Teets confessed he murdered Owens to many people, according to Bower. The keys of Owens' vehicle were found hidden in a vent in his house.

Members of the family exchanged hugs with investigators as they left the courthouse.

"I wanted Leah home. I don’t know what my future holds. None of us know what our future holds," Crosby said. "We needed Leah home for her closure and for the closure of her babies, and for all this I thank everybody from the bottom of my heart."

3j

[queeryouthautonomy]

State march masterpost (updated as information comes in!)

All times are local time unless otherwise specified. Reblogs are off because this is a living, regularly updated post; please see our website or send an ask for more information! Post you can reblog is here. Alabama: Florence—114 W Mobile St -> 200 S Court St, 3/31, 3:30pm (link) Montgomery—Alabama State House, 3/31, 1pm (link)

Alaska: Anchorage—Dimond Center -> Costco Wholesale, 3/31, 12pm

Arizona: Prescott—Prescott Courthouse, 3/31, 2pm Sierra Vista—Fry and Coronado -> City Hall, 3/31, 3pm (link) Tuscon—Tuscon City Hall, 3/31, 4pm (link)

Arkansas: Eureka Springs—Basin Spring Park, 3/31, 6pm (link) Little Rock—Lucie’s Place, 3/31, 6pm Marion—Brunetti Park -> Marion City Hall, 3/31, 5pm

California: Castro Valley—Castro Valley High School (non-students please join in once the protest has left school grounds) -> Corner of Redwood Rd and Castro Valley Blvd, 3/30, 3:35pm (link) Fresno—N Blackstone Ave & E Nees Ave, 3/31, 4pm (link) Hollywood—Corner of Sunset & Vine, 3/30, 4:15pm Merced—3055 Loughborough Dr -> Laura's Fountain -Applegate Park 1045 W 25th St, 3/31, 4:30pm (link) Pomona—Pomona Pride Center 836 S -> City Hall, 3/31, 4pm (link) Riverside—Back To The Grind Coffee Shop –> Riverside City Hall, 3/31, 4pm (link) Sacramento—Capitol Complex, 3/31, 12pm (link) San Diego—Balboa Park at the Bea Evenson Foundation -> El Prado, 3/31, 5pm San Francisco—Corner of Turk & Taylor -> City Hall, 3/25, 11am (link) | Patricia's Green -> City Hall, 3/31, 2:15pm (link) San Jose—San Jose City Hall, 3/31, 5:30pm (link) Santa Ana—Brad Brafford LGBT Center on 4th, 3/31, 6pm (link)

Colorado: Denver—Civic Center Park, 3/17, 8:30pm | West Steps of the Capitol, 3/24, 11am (link)

Connecticut: Bristol—131 N Main Street, 3/31, 1pm Fairfield—Upper Quad of Sacred Heart University, 3/31, 4pm New Haven—corner of Chaple and Church St, 3/31, 4pm

Delaware: Wilmington—Delaware Historical Society –> Rodney Square, 3/31, 6pm (link)

District of Colombia: Union Station -> US Capitol, 3/31, 3pm (link)

Florida: Altamonte Springs—3/31, 9am (link) Naples—Cambier Park, 3/31, 6pm (link) Ocala—Pine Plaza -> City Hall, 3/31, 3:30pm Orlando—Dr Philips Performing Arts Center, 3/31, 11am Port Orange—Corner of Yorktowne Blvd. and Dunlawton Ave -> Port Orange Regional Library, 3/31, 4:30pm Tallahassee—state Capitol building, 3/31, 2pm (link) Venice—Town Center -> Venice Beach, 3/31, 10:30am

Georgia: Atlanta—state Capitol building, 3/31, 12pm (link) Dalton—3/31, 11am (link) Gainesville—Gainesville Square –> Jesse Jewell Parkway (in front of CVS), 3/31, 5pm Savannah—Forsyth Park -> City Hall & back, 3/31, 6pm

Hawaii: Honolulu—state Capitol building, 3/31, 3:30pm

Idaho: Boise—TBD Shelley—Shelley City Park, 3/31, 2pm

Illinois: Champaign—McKinley Foundation Church Chapel, University of Illinois, 3/31, 5:30pm Chicago—Grant Park, 3/31, 5pm Rockford—1005 5th Ave, 3/31, 5pm (link) Streamwood—7 Augusta Dr –> 7 S Sutton Rd, 3/31, 8am (link)

Indiana: Fort Wayne—Boone Street Playlot -> Allen County Courthouse, 3/23, 3pm (link) | Allen County Courthouse, 3/31, 5pm (link) Hanover—Hanover College Quad, 3/31, 1pm Indianapolis—433 N Capital Ave -> 1 Monument Circle, 3/31, 3pm Terre Haute—Terre Haute Courthouse, 3/31, 5pm

Iowa: Des Moines—state Capitol building (West Capitol Terrace Stage), 3/31, 6pm (link) Dubuque—Dubuque Courthouse -> Washington Park, 3/31, 4pm (link) Iowa City—Pentacrest -> Wesley Center, 3/31, 6pm (link)

Kansas: Lenexa—Lenexa Rec Center -> City Hall, 3/31, 5pm Topeka—state Capitol building entrance, 3/31, 5pm (link) Wichita—121 E Douglas Ave, 3/31, 4pm (link)

Kentucky: Frankfort—front of Annex Building, 3/29, 9:30am (link) | Kentucky State Capitol, 4/8, 1pm (link) Lawrenceburg—Anderson County Courthouse -> 44 Anna Mac Clarke Ave, 4/3, 3pm (link) Lexington—Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza, 3/31, 4:30pm | Outside of the Old Fayette County Courthouse, 3/31, 6pm

Louisiana: Lake Charles—Prein Lake Park, 3/31, 12pm New Orleans—Washington Square Park 700 Elysian Fields Ave, 3/31, 5pm (link)

Maine: Bangor—West Market Square, 3/31, 6pm Portland—456 Congress St, 3/31, 6pm (link) Rockland—Intersection of Main Street and Park Street (near Walgreens and Maine Sport) –> Chapman Park, 3/31, 5:30pm

Maryland: Baltimore—400 E Biddle St, 3/31, 5pm Oakland—32 Oak St –> 305 E Oak St, 3/31, 3pm (link)

Massachusetts: Boston—state house, 3/18, 11am (link) | state house, 3/28, 10am (link) Sunderland—North Star, 45 Amherst Road, 3/31, 12pm

Michigan: Detroit—Woodward-Warren Park, 3/31, 5pm (link) Fenton—Rackham Park, 3/31, 6pm (link) Grand Rapids—Downtown, 3/31, 5pm Lansing—state Capitol building, 3/31, 11am

Minnesota: Saint Paul—state Capitol building, 3/31, 9am (link)

Mississippi:

Missouri: Columbia—701 East Broadway Blvd, 3/31, 5:30pm (link) | Uptown Columbia –> Downtown Columbia, 4/15, 9am Jefferson City—Missouri State Capitol, 3/29, 2pm (link) St Louis—11911 Dorsett Rd –> 715 NW Plz Dr, 4/27, 1pm

Montana: Missoula—Missoula Courthouse, 3/31, 5pm (link)

Nebraska: Lincoln—state Capitol building, 3/31, 5:30pm

Nevada: Las Vegas—Las Vegas TransPride Center -> The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada, 3/31, 11am (link)

New Hampshire: Keene—Keene State College Campus Main Entrance -> Center Square, 3/31, 5pm (link)

New Jersey: Flemington—Flemington Historic Courthouse -> Flemington DIY, 3/31, 3:45pm (link) Trenton—State House, 3/31, 3pm (link)

New Mexico: Albuquerque—Civic Plaza, 3/31, 5pm Santa Fe—State Capitol -> the Attorney General's office, 3/31, 11am

New York: Albany—Washington Square Park -> Capitol Park, 3/31, 1pm Canandaigua—7 Mill St, 3/31, 3pm Forest Hills—Forest Hills Station, 3/31, 2:30pm New Paltz—SUNY New Paltz Campus, 3/31, 3:30pm New York City—Union Square -> Washington Square Park, 3/31, 5pm (link) | Times Square, 3/31, 5pm Penn Yan—Yates County Courthouse, 3/31, 3pm (link) Plattsburgh—Hawkins Pond -> Samuel Champlain Monument Park, 3/23, 3pm Utica—Genesee-Parkway Intersection, 3/31, 5pm Westchester—SUNY Purchase College, 3/31, 5pm

North Carolina: Asheville—TBD Mooresville—Freedom Park -> Town Hall, 3/31, 2:30pm (link) Raleigh—John Chavis Memorial Park, 3/31, 1pm Wilmington—Historic Thalian Hall Steps, 3/31, 5pm (link)

North Dakota:

Ohio: Cleveland—Free Stamp @ Willard Park -> City Hall, 3/31, 4pm Cleveland Heights—City Hall, 3/31, 11am (link) Columbus—Goodale Park, 3/31, 5pm Dayton—Lily’s Dayton (329 E 5th St) –> Courthouse Square (23 N Main St), 3/31, 4pm Lakewood Park—Lakewood Park, 3/31, 4pm (link) Madison—Madison Village Square Park, 3/31, 4pm (link)

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City—Supreme Court of Oklahoma -> state Capitol building, 3/31, 5pm Tulsa—Central Library, 3/31, 4pm (link)

Oregon: Bend—Drake Park, 3/31, 5pm Hillsboro—Civic Center -> 145 NE 2nd Ave, 3/31, 5pm Medford—Vogel Plaza 200 E. Main Street, 3/31, 4pm Portland—Tom McCall Waterfront Park -> Pioneer Courthouse, 3/31, 2pm

Pennsylvania: Harrisburg—state Capitol building, 3/31, 1pm (link) Oil City—Oil City -> Franklin, 3/31, 8am Philadelphia—Temple University Bell Tower, 3/29, 1pm (link) | City Hall, 3/31, 6pm (link) Pittsburgh—City County Building, 3/31, 5pm (link)

Rhode Island: Providence—the Wheeler School -> state Capitol building, 3/31, 11:30am

South Carolina: Columbia—State House Grounds, 3/31, 2pm Greenville—300 S Main St, 3/31, 3pm (link)

South Dakota: Brookings—City Council Building, 3/31, 5pm (link) Rapid City—Main Street Square, 3/31, 5pm

Tennessee: Knoxville—Downtown Hilton, 3/31, 10:30am (link) | Gay Street & Market Square (where the water fountain markers are), 3/31, 2pm Memphis—Civic Center Plaza, 3/16, 4pm

Texas: Amarillo—Amarillo Chamber of Commerce -> Potter County Courthouse, 3/31, 5pm Austin—state Capitol building, 3/20, 9am (link) Dallas—Main St Garden Park 1902 Main St, 3/18, 12pm (link) | Pacific Plaza, 3/31, 3pm Houston—Discovery Green Park -> City Hall, 3/31, 11:30am Killeen—101 N College St -> 1114 N Fort Hood St, 3/31, 5:30pm Lubbock—Mahon Library parking lot -> county Courthouse, 3/31, 5pm San Antonio—San Antonio Courthouse, 3/31, 6:30pm (link)

Utah: Salt Lake City—state Capitol building, 3/31, 5pm (link)

Vermont: Montpelier—Montpelier State House, 3/31, 12pm (link)

Virginia: Richmond—Open High School -> state Capitol building, 3/31, 3pm

Washington: La Center—by the bridge into town, 3/31, 5pm Olympia—Heritage Park -> state Capitol building, 3/31, 3:30pm Seattle—SeaTac Airport Station, 3/31, 1pm | Volunteer Park -> Seattle Courthouse, 3/31, 4pm (link) Spokane—Cracker Building, 3/18, 12pm (link) Walla Walla—Pioneer Park -> Land Title Plaza, 3/31, 3:45pm (link) Wenatchee—Memorial Park, 3/31, 4pm

West Virginia: Charleston—3/31, 4:30pm

Wisconsin: Appleton—Houdini Plaza, 3/31, 10am (link) Janesville—Corner of East Court Street/Jackman Street -> Corner of West Court Street/South Locust Street, 3/31, 2pm Kenosha—Civic Center Park, 3/31, 12pm Madison—Library Mall, 3/18, 2:30pm (link) | 534 State St –> Wisconsin State Capitol, 3/31, 12pm Milwaukee—TBD

Wyoming:

CANADA: Toronto, Ontario 3/17, 3pm, US Consulate (link)

[sixsixsstuff]

Harry J. Ahysen

May 1, 2006

Harry J. Ahysen

Retired from Sam Houston State University

Harry J. Ahysen, 77, of 542 Washington Avenue, Washington C.H., Ohio passed away Sunday, April 30, 2006 at 7:45 a.m. at the Court House Manor Nursing Home where he had been a patient the past week. He had been in failing health.

Mr. Ahysen was born Sept. 6, 1928 in Port Arthur, Texas, the son of Harry J. and Lillian May Witherup Ahysen. He lived most of his life in Texas before moving to Washington C.H. in 1986.

He was a graduate of the University of Houston and a received a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts from the University of Texas.

He retired in 1994 as a full professor after teaching 31 years in the art department at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas and holds the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus, the first ever bestowed by the University on a professor of Art. Following his retirement, he taught at Southern State Community College in 1994-95.

The 67th Legislature of Texas named Mr. Ahysen State Artist of Texas in 1980 and 1981 and he is one of ten official Coast Guard artists. Seven of his works are a part of the Coast Guard Collection. He has more than a dozen murals in various locations throughout the county and his art can be found in museums and collections around the world.

Mr. Ahysen was well known as musician. He played trumpet with the Harry James’ Band and traveled extensively with the band during the mid-1940’s. For many years he was a member of the local Community Band and, until recently, faithfully served as bugler with the Honor Guard of the Veterans of Fayette Co.

He was a veteran of the United States Navy and served during the Korean Conflict. He was a member of Paul H. Hughey Post #25 of the American Legion as well as the Veterans of Fayette Co. Honor Guard.

Mr. Ahysen was a member of the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.

Allen Simons

He was preceded in death by his father in 1934; his mother in 1992; his step-father, Frank E. Kinyon in 1992; a twin brother, Thomas C. Ahysen in 1999 and a sister, Lillian C. Tritico in 2006.

Mr. Ahysen is survived by his wife, the former Alice Eileen Ehrenfeld, whom he married June 19, 1971 and a daughter, Susan Ahysen of 542 Washington Avenue.

BOLIVAR

2023

Allen Simons

Retired clergy, living in Western Colorado, a family friend of The Ahysens, and a childhood infatuate of the lighthouse on Point Bolivar.

[ausetkmt]

As the state of Tennessee uses eminent domain to take over land to connect a new multi-billon dollar Ford plant to the interstate, Black farmers say the government is offering them a fraction of what their land is worth.

A year ago, Ford Motor Company broke ground on a $5.6 billion electric truck plant in a rural region of Tennessee full of African American farmers, according to Tennessee Lookout. While the investment has brought economic prosperity to the area, Tennessee government officials have moved to threaten Black towns and financially bulldoze over land that has been in Black families for generations.

Now, the Tennessee Department of Transportation is attempting to use eminent domain to take over Black farmers’ land while offering them a fraction of what their land is worth.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to fight,” Marvin Sanderlin, a longtime farmer in Haywood County with 400 acres of land told Tennessee Lookout.

The recent developments come a year after a Tennessee Comptroller told Black residents of Mason to remove their Black elected officials from office. It also comes during the fallout over Tennessee House Republicans expelling two members of the Tennessee Three after the lawmakers protested for gun safety legislation on the House floor.

Black farmers fight for fair deal in state land grab

Marvin Sanderlin is no stranger to fighting against the state to maintain ownership of his land. Local accounts highlight how his great-great grandmother, an enslaved woman, successfully sued to ensure her children inherited a portion of land from their slave-owning father.

The state has taken Sanderlin to court for 10 acres of his property as it lies in the path of the planned roadway that would connect the Ford plant to the interstate.

Sanderlin says the state is offering him only $3,750 per acre.

“That’s unheard of,” Sanderlin said. “You can’t buy no land here for $3,500 an acre. You can’t buy a swamp here for $3,500” Sanderlin said. “I told them this is the biggest ripoff there is. They want your land, but they don’t want you to participate in the wealth.”

The proposed construction would run through Black-owned land in Tipton, Haywood and Fayette Counties.

Some Black farmers and land owners have joined together and, along with the NAACP, plan to fight back.

The fight comes as Black farmers around the nation continue to criticize the Biden Administration for its failure to secure targeted investment for them in the federal farm bill, despite Black farmers suffering long-time discrimination in federal funding.

Investment on the backs of Black farmers?

The Ford plant is expected to add 6,000 direct jobs and nearly 25,000 indirect jobs to the region.

“With the single largest investment in state history, this historic project brings thousands of jobs and new opportunities for Tennessee families to thrive,” Gov. Bill Lee said last month.

Yet Black farmers who own land along the proposed roadway’s path say the economic prosperity arriving in the region shouldn’t come at the cost of their land.

Ray Jones is a retired school teacher who runs the Boys and Girls Club of Brownsville. The state is offering him just over $8,000 for an acre of his land.

Jones said he supports the Ford investment, but he blames TDOT for their attempt to hustle him off his land.

“All the people are benefiting from BlueOval and that’s good. We are 100% in support of BlueOval. Make sure you quote me on that. But then you want to take my spring and give me pennies on it? It’s an unreasonable situation,” Jones said.

Rosa Whitmore, 82, owns a home that was built on land where her grandparents picked cotton. She says the state didn’t inform her of their interest in her land until late last month. They’re also offering her just $8,000 per acre.

“I worked with my own two hands up at 6 a.m. going to work in the field under the hot sun. That’s what we had to do to own this land,” Whitmore said.

[brymanslocksmith]

If you live in Washington Court House, Ohio, it can be tough to find a reliable locksmith. At Bryman's Locksmith, we can assist you in Fayette County if needed. We provide automotive locksmith services as well as residential and commercial services like lost key replacement for cars and lock rekey services for businesses and homes. Give us a call today to schedule an appointment at (614) 787-4124

[dennispartridge]

Our heritage: Fayette County Ohio, 1803-1953

“Our Heritage: Fayette County Celebrates Ohio Sesquicentennial, 1803-1953” is a commemorative publication created by the Fayette County Sesquicentennial Committee in 1953 to mark the 150th anniversary of Ohio’s statehood. This 20-page booklet, produced in Washington Court House, Ohio, serves as both a historical record and a keepsake program for the celebration. The booklet covers a range of…

[huntikfan1017]

Washington CH Blue Lions 2024-2025 Arena Ballgames Football Varsity Game Schedule

Washington Court House Blue Lions OHSAA – Division I , Region 3 – Fayette County – Washington CH Ohio (FAC) Head Coach : Dave Everson Sept 6 – A – @ Athens (III-11) 7:00pm Sept 14 – A – @ Mt. Orab Western Brown (II-8) 1:00pm Sept 21 – H – Olentangy Berlin (I-2) 1:00pm Sept 28 – A – @ Jackson * (II-7) 12:00pm Oct 3 – H – Chillicothe Unioto * (II-7) 8:20pm Oct 12 – A – @ Hillsboro *…

[ultraheydudemestuff]

Convenience One-Room Schoolhouse

US 35 and Camp Grove Rd

Good Hope, OH

Convenience is a community on US 35 at the intersection of Camp Grove Rd. in Wayne Township, Fayette County, Ohio.   Convenience was on the Toledo, Delphos, & Burlington Railroad (later the Cincinnati, Hamilton, & Dayton Railroad). Its original proprietors were Noah Hukill (1805 – 1887) from Ohio County, West Virginia (formerly in Virginia) and Susan (Smith) Hukill (1801 – 1877) from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They got married in Fayette County in 1831, had 5 children, and ran a stagecoach stop tavern and inn prior to the arrival of the railroad in the area. The school land was donated by War of 1812 veteran James Bryant (1787 – 1848) from Virginia and Catharine (Eyeman) Bryant (1792 – 1869) around 1844. German Baptist church services were held in the school until a wood frame church was constructed in the southwest corner of the intersection in 1853 – 1854. The church has since been lost to time, but the town’s last one-room schoolhouse in the northwest corner of the intersection appears to be in decent preserved condition for its age.

     A son of Noah and Susan, William R. Hukill (1834 – 1904) and his wife Mary (Kelso) Hukill 1836 – 1909), took on proprietorship of the town in the mid to late 1800s. They got married in 1858 and had 3 children. War of 1812 veteran and county pioneer John H. DeWitt (1785 – 1855) from Clark County, Kentucky was the first postmaster. William was appointed to the postmaster position after John passed away. He also served as justice of the peace and the train station attendant. The post office was discontinued from the late 1860s to mid-1880s, and William again held the postmaster position until the office was discontinued. The train tracks ran through the northern side of town and its former bed is now part of the Paint Creek Recreational Trail, a 35-mile paved path running from Washington Court House to Chillicothe in Ross County.

[middleland]

Morris Sharp House (Washington Court House, Ohio) by courthouselover

Via Flickr:

The Morris Sharp House was built in 1875. The Italianate structure, which stands at 517 Columbus Street, is now used as the Fayette County Museum. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Established by veterans of the Revolutionary War from Virginia, Washington Court House, Ohio is a lovely town located to the southwest of Columbus. It serves as the county seat of Fayette County.

[theivorybilledwoodpecker]

Tennessee is approaching a milestone. It will soon be nine months since the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision rolled back federal protection of abortion rights and, soon after, Tennessee’s trigger law made abortion illegal in the state — even in cases of rape or incest. While state law does provide an exception for situations in which an abortion will prevent death or serious bodily harm to a pregnant person, it’s a narrow provision, and punishment is very harsh for doctors who can’t prove that an abortion was necessary to save a life.

Some Assembly Required: Department of Children’s Services in Shambles

In the decade preceding Dobbs, Tennesseans had roughly 12,000 abortions per year. Now, nearly nine months after the institution of Tennessee’s strict trigger ban, pregnancies are coming to term that might not have otherwise. Babies will be born as actual humans who need food, medical care and love.

“We the people have a responsibility to raise these children that nobody is raising — that is a big task,” says Fayette County General Sessions Court and Juvenile Court Judge Jim Gallagher, a Republican who is also a member of the Tennessee Council of Juvenile & Family Court Judges. “This is the scary trend that I see. Mamas drop these kids off. Daddies are gone. They drop them off as infants when they’re born, they drop them off when they’re 5, whatever. And I’m not obviously saying all of them, but the ones that come to court. ‘Well Grandma is gettin’ too old. She can’t deal with ’em. She doesn’t have the energy.’ So where are these kids gonna go? Because Mama’s already dropped them off. She can’t pass a drug test. So they go to DCS.”

Before we’re faced with the consequences of the abortion decision on our already severely strained system for taking care of at-risk children, it’s a good time to stop and take a look at how that system is doing.

The short answer? The system is collapsing. 

The Tennessee Department of Children’s Services is the agency responsible for reviewing complaints, investigating a child’s situation and ultimately getting children placed in temporary housing. With roughly 9,000 youth in DCS custody, the system is currently in disarray. In December, the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury issued a damning report on the department’s many failures. Another report released earlier this year by the Tennessee Commission on Children and Youth found that Tennessee’s foster children experience the highest levels of instability in the U.S.

“We’re traumatizing kids,” says state Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville). “We remove them from their homes because of traumatic situations and then traumatize them further by making them sleep in offices across the state, or rushing them off to foster homes that weren’t fully vetted.”

Turnover of staff at DCS has reached crisis levels — a staggering 56 percent in 2022. Johnson doesn’t mince words about the reason why: “People don’t want to work at a place where you have 52 kids on your caseload, when the standard is 12. You can’t humanely do that work. And if you can’t humanely do your job, no amount of money is going to entice someone to put kids in danger. Social workers are literally traumatized by concerns of not being able to get their caseloads complete.” 

One of the biggest reasons cited by the state audit is a lack of available foster care options. Teenage boys are particularly difficult to find placement for. Social workers report they are making the hard choice of leaving kids in abusive homes, because they have no better alternative to offer. A whistleblowing social worker was fired in 2021 after she clued in the public on kids spending months at a time sleeping on the floor in state office buildings because there was nowhere to discharge them to. These kids reported not having consistent access to food, beds, clothes or showers. “There were recently several teenagers who went for five days without showers,” says Johnson. “All they had for entertainment were coloring books. There’s no television, no computer devices, or anything like that for them.”

In that environment, it’s not surprising that foster kids face a highly disproportionate risk of being incarcerated. Tennessee has a strong foster-to-prison pipeline, and lack of staff means poor oversight of the state’s juvenile detention centers. The DCS audit found that these centers are typically at 100 percent capacity. A 2021 ProPublica investigation into Rutherford County’s detention of children found that 48 percent of juvenile court cases ended with children behind bars — kids as young as 7, and disproportionately Black. DCS inspectors repeatedly failed to intervene despite the county’s frequent and egregious jailing of children.

[rabbitcruiser]

Ohio became the 17th state of The United States on 1 March, 1803.

[canceramorem]

. So at this point in the love game I hadn't heard from the lovely Scarlett Marie. It was a hot summer that year too...

So July and August were horrible for me. I was still an emotional hostage of this women who came into my life like a category 5 Hurricane. Yeah she fucking had me in a whirlwind of bullshit from Asheville to fucking Fayetteville. Warrants in both cities for stealing like less than 20$ worth of items, i got bonded out on one and moved to catch a new one 30 counties away. That was in December and January, here it was , fucking late July and August. Between Asheville and Fayetteville I was playing " catch me if you can , I'm the fucking J Pizzle gingerbread man". I had identical charges in two different counties , four hours away from each other. One thing Jey Pizzle does not do is voluntarily turn himself in. And for people that do- you're stupid! I tried that one time in Florida, actually it was right after my daughter was born. You know what the "Honorable " Judge said? When I suggested turning myself in should be rewarded with a little leniency, that fucking asshole said , "well you should have done that any ways" , and then the fuck held me on a bond that I could not afford. Well its safe to say, that I will never turn myself in, nor will I ever look at a judge with anything but disgust. Only God judges me mother fuckers, A judge is nothing but a fuck- head cop with more earthly power than God. And do you know how much a judge makes a year? When they retire, they make fucking bank , like $250,000 a year AFTER they retire. And guess who pays for the Judges Salary? Yup, you got it right, Jon Doe and Joe Blow. Fucking fun dummies. The whole system is designed to make crazy money and pay these judges so much money, and they are usually fucking asshole smart asses too,. Try saying a word to one and the court cops will fuck you up. Yeah , "your honor"- go FUCK off. One time I was in a counselor/confidential type setting trying to fight my case using one of my trusted defenses. And I was not in a good mindset. I said something about the judge and something about an explosion, just wishing his house would blow up. That fucking counselor rat-bitch ran to the phone and next thing you know, The Marshall's came , threw me in a big black Suburban , and drove me two hours away from that particular judges "court" (like they own it - bastards) the next morning I was arraigned and they said i could get 48 months for threatening one of those cock sucking Judges! They ended up dropping it, because what most people don't realize is that if you are not sober, you can use the intoxication defense. These little bullshit charges were such a

pain In the ass. I would have to get back to Asheville from the "Ville " (Fayette) and I would lose all my good gear and shit because when they picked me up in the park there by Bartlett Arms, I had hid my stuff with Robins stuff. I brought her to Gary because she was looking to make some money , fucking trickin . Gary sends me to the store to get something , it was a fucking cock-suckin , cock- BLOCKING, setup. He didn't answer his door, had Robin in there and I was a sitting- fuck duck- there in the park. Two cops swooped in out of nowhere, ran my name and it was a wrap. Two weeks later, I was released, it was like this- i am arrested,

From there , about a week in Buncombe Jail, and then Cumberland county came to get me and I was out in like three days from there. Finally got the old little bullshit charges gone and done . But the events leading up to that ,well , it just goes to show just how strong the love curse Marie had on me is.

I wondered if I would ever see her again. It was like part of me was missing. I couldn't go anywhere or look at anything and not be reminded of her. It fucked things up in other areas as well. I was the laughing stock of all of my friends. They would team up and say , oh yeah, I just saw her car hopping up by Ingle's, I'd be across town somewhere trying my hardest to get to ingles, hoping I'd catch you. You weren't there, and people, just said shit because they couldn't love as much as I did you. But it was all just cruel jokes. You had left the state and I knew it , because , like I said, I had that empty feeling. And I honestly believed and still do, that we are twin flames.

Down on the French broad river, I was hanging out with Chris and a guy named Straps. Now Straps and Marie had a fling or something going. Before I got with her. I knew about it and it was all good . As straps was there with his new white girlfriend. Her name is Robin. Both he and Chris were trying to get rid of Robin, I guess they just got sick of her, I don't really see how. I mean , Robin was pretty cool. She really was. Like so many people that end up in Asheville, Robin apparently had been living in or from the Charlotte area. So had straps. His real name is Taquis (Tah-Qweez). He was in his mid Thirty's and looked like a young version of T-Pain. Its funny, because I love real gangsters , not posers. " Be true to yourself and you will never fail' . So straps as it seems is some sort of gun expert. Hence the street name ' straps'. You know , like when someone is "strapped " up. Etc. Supposedly old dude straps is known for his ability and knowledge of real -life guns, I guess pistols , I am not sure. I do know this - there are three things that Jey pizzle loves with a passion in life. And jeypizzle , when he likes something, he goes over the edge learning about it and mastering it.

1)- Español, or in English, the Spanish language. This is probably my most valuable asset. Spanish has not only-got me fed, got me paid, got me laid, got me out of trouble, its something that no one can take away from me, its fucking cool, I love it, I know it I really honest and truly am so fluent in Spanish, that I have had Spanish people roll out the red carpet for me. Yeah, I love Spanish. Me encanta Español. I'm an expert at it.

2. Guns- Ever since I was a little boy, I have wanted a motherfucking Ak- 47. I have owned dozens of firearms in my life and know how to pretty much build my own from stuff at the metal machine shop in any high school. As a matter of fact, I had to take a five hour hunter safety course when I lived in Missouri, just to get a deer tag to go hunting. My very first gun was a .22 short Ruger revolver, 5 shot side corral loader , it was black a had plastic white handle. I was 19 years old in Miami Florida, ( MIAMI NOT CHARLOTTE!). My buddy Dan gave it to me. He said if I didn't take it, he was gonna kill someone with it. I gladly took the pistol present. In the nearly half a century I've been alive, I have shot thousands of different guns. Never have I stolen a gun , nor have I ever disrespected firearms. Yes, I am a Marksman, and expert at target shooting as well. I just love guns. So when I got the chance to talk to The so called expert about guns, " Strap" - this fool, didn't even know the difference between a .22 long rifle or a .25 center fire cartridge. So we discussed Marie, I had to know every little juicy detail I could . He said he felt bad for her, and I believed him. After seeing straps in action ( trying to give himself a shot of some of the shit I cooked ). I knew that Marie was right. He most definitely had a head injury alright. Its called mentally challenged, wanna -be bad ass , wearing red -like a blood , but sporting a blue L.A. Dodgers hat ( arch enemies in the gang world). He was shaking uncontrollably and had what appeared to be having seizures or something similar, he was convulsing at the mere sight of what I consider "mediocre dope". Don't forget, Pizzle had mastered the art of the clandestine cookout, "Shaking" it up, with excellent yield. I use only the best ingredients, the shit they had for me to use was leftover dollar tree trash. Point is , he had threatened me one time when I was with Marie at Bartlett Arms , because we didn't hear him and his white girlfriend at the time , Lay Lay. They were at the gate trying to get in and he mumbled something to the effect , that he was gonna drag me. I didn't say shit, it was about 8 months or so prior. Straps, had nothing bad to say about my Boo Marie, or I probably would have mopped the train tracks with his head. Just because of the time he showed out in front of lay lay and marie at Bartlett. Anyhow, he's alright . I just couldn't believe that he actually like, had Marie , like hanging out with him . I am sure they fucked, but i dont understand why white , good looking chicks, not just Marie, why they buy into this bullshit story of him and his knowledge of guns and the street. Because as a real man, he couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag, I could beat him on every level.

The third thing in life that I have the most passion for is this woman , Yes, the same one who had -ripped my heart out, threw it on the ground , stomped on it three times , then put it in backwards, ripped it out again, and then puts it back in the right way and gives you a kiss on the cheek afterwards, while calling you 'Sweetie '. Yeah, that's what the pain of this heart break-separation/leaving pizzle/Marie takingoff/ - felt like.

We met at the most unexpected , and probably needed time in my life. I don't want this make anyone look bad, but yeah. I have a tremendous amount of passion for this woman, and only for her. I love you Marie. With passion, compassion, all ...

So after a couple days I was like fuck this shit, I need to have sex, It was hard for me to even talk to other girls because of the love curse and spell I was under. The truth is, that I was gonna bring Robin out of the river and up to Love Mountain, where Marie and I had stayed for a while, I had to do something, because it was so unfair what Scarlett Marie had done to me, I really, really am dying at this point. Dying heartbroken is horrible.

I mean , goddamn man, I was so worried about you, it literally made me sick , worrying about you. I didn't have any closure what so-ever. I wanted to know so much more about her , I wanted to grow old with her, and have good , normal , non- homeless times with Scarlett.

Mainly , I just wanted to know if what we had was real, because the feeling we shared was that of a 'Gone with the Wind ' type romance. The reality of the whole sordid , confusion, was that the only type of "romance" we had was "Bad Romance" (Lady Gaga song). 'Gone wth the wind 'feeling , but Lady Gaga- "Bad Romance " reality.

, Pizzle had it bad( lovesick/heartbrokeness), because their was no getting out of Marie's Love Curse , I say that because, here i was , literally with Robin, in the river , both of us naked, and maybe could have- fuck that- SHOULD have- had sex, but Jey Pizzle, was so infatuated with Scarlett Marie, that he didn't even do anything , but tell Robin that she had a nice body. Then gets dried up and dressed. And saves Robin from the river and boredom of being stuck there with nothing, by bringing her to Gary. So , yeah, pizzle really was faithful. Not even trying to do what the average man would have done, which is at least try to have sex with Robin. Instead, he does some things that a "fun dummy" would do. Making bad decisions in the name of love is fucking stupid. A man can get so fucked up in his head over a woman , that he might as well be a crash test dummy. Because he will be headed straight for a dummy mission if he thinks a woman really "needs " him.-Better off crashing into a brick wall head first. A fucking good time never hurt no one, yeah right , try being a fun dummy- you'll be blinded by the fucking love light, more like a fucking police flashlight as they are ruining your life, " in the name of love", while she's " making love " to someone else.Youre ass will be in jail , and she'll be under the bridge on Gillespie street in the Ville having threesomes with two dudes while smoking crack. You know how you can tell most women are lying, Their lips are moving! There are some Good ones out there though, and addiction shit ain't no joke for some people. I got some friends that have stay in TROSA. That shit ain't no joke . They have to be held accountable for every lie and all about how telling(snitching) is the way to quit crack cocaine. It's called "behavior modification" a two year rehab. What do you know about that?....

She left and I was so fucked up in the head, I had no game . and to make matters worse. I still had a lingering arrest warrant in Fayetteville , from when I was there the winter before. When Marie Boo and I were in our " misdemeanor outlaws" phase. Well, I had gotten caught stealing food, flashlights and whatever else she wanted. We used to go in anywhere, and whatever she wanted, I'd fucking get it one way or the other. It is wrong to steal , but she made it seem like it was legal to go "shopping " , which equates to shop- lifting. I got popped in Fayetteville while I was already out on p.r. in Asheville for the same shit- stealing, ( For My Boo). So, Marie did get me out..i n the past January, It was like 60$ or something, but the fact she got me out, well I don't think she even knows to this day, what I would do for her, which is ANYTHING! But I was gonna try and do what any normal man would do , which Is get laid. But i am not any normal man. As she once told me, "You're different from the others" . Well, you shall see how that works out for this "love fool", fucking fun dummy J pizzle...

[lodgeonlakesiesta]

Plan A Vacation in The Lap of Nature in La Grange

La Grange, Texas is a place to visit for any type of traveller. Fascinating historic sites, beautiful architecture, and a wealth of unique attractions. In fact, in La Grange there are so many things you can hardly find out where to start. Don't worry, we have your back. You have your back. Please, read our list of some of the best things you can do while here but be sure that the surface of what La Grange has to offer is scratched. To accommodate in the region it is suggested to stay in one of the Lake View Cabin Rentals in La Grange packed with all the modern amenities.

Around La Grange you'll find a lot to enjoy. Take your time to the Hill & Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites, a remarkable place in Texas history for several reasons to start your trip to the past. Heinrich Kreische, one of the many German (and Czech) migrants who settled in Fayette County, first settled down on a hill overlooking the Colorado River. A stonemason, Kreische, built a fine house and what was one of the first Texas breweries. The Monument Hill is the burial vault for the Texans who died during the Daveson and Mier Expeditions of the 1840s, and is situated in Kreisch's original property. The house, the brewery and the museums can all be visited while vacationing in the region.

There are several attractions in the historic centre of La Grange, many of which are housed in buildings from the 1800s. You can spend a little or a lot of time learning about the early settlers and the immigrants who built La Grange with a walking brochure from the Visitors Centre. The courtyard is worth a visit. The Fayette County Courthouse looks past its granite, blue and red sandstone and calcareous exterior to its inner court and fountain. War memorials in the square pay tribute to the soldiers who had fallen. If you’re here with your family, book one of the 4-Bedroom Vacation Cabins in La Grange with all the modern luxuries.

[emerald-studies]

The resolute,  Medgar Evers

Early Life and Education

Medgar Wiley Evers was born on July 2, 1925, in Decatur, Mississippi. Growing up in a Mississippi farming family, Evers was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943. He fought in both France and Germany during World War II and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

Evers went on to enroll at Alcorn College (now Alcorn State University) in Lorman, Mississippi, in 1948. He married fellow student Myrlie Beasley during his senior year, before graduating in 1952.

Early Civil Rights Work

After initially finding work as an insurance salesman, Evers soon became involved in the Regional Council of Negro Leadership (RCNL). Proving up to the task in his first experience as a civil rights organizer, he spearheaded the group's boycott against gas stations that refused to let Black people use their restrooms. With his brother Charles, Evers also worked on behalf of the NAACP, organizing local affiliates.

Lawsuit Against the University of Mississippi

Evers applied to the University of Mississippi Law School in February 1954. After being rejected, he volunteered to help the NAACP try to integrate the university with a lawsuit. Thurgood Marshall served as his attorney for this legal challenge to racial discrimination. While he failed to gain admission to the law school, Evers managed to raise his profile with the NAACP.

In May 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in the famous Brown v. Board of Education case. This decision legally ended segregation of schools, though it took many years for it to be fully implemented.

NAACP Leader

Later in 1954, Evers became the first field secretary for the NAACP in Mississippi and moved his family to Jackson. As state field secretary, Evers traveled around Mississippi extensively, recruiting new members for the NAACP and organizing voter-registration efforts. Evers also led demonstrations and economic boycotts of white-owned companies that practiced discrimination.

While a virtual unknown elsewhere, Evers was one of Mississippi's most prominent civil rights activists. He fought racial injustices in many forms, including how the state and local legal systems handled crimes against African Americans. Evers called for a new investigation into the 1955 lynching of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy who had allegedly been killed for talking to a white woman. He also protested the conviction of his fellow Mississippi civil rights activist Clyde Kennard on theft charges in 1960.

Evers's efforts made him a target for those who opposed racial equality and desegregation. He and his family were subjected to numerous threats and violent actions, including a firebombing of his house in May 1963, shortly before his assassination.

Assassination and Aftermath

The first Mississippi state field secretary for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), Evers was shot in the back in the driveway of his home in Jackson, Mississippi, shortly after midnight on June 12, 1963. He died less than an hour later at a nearby hospital.

Evers was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery, and the NAACP posthumously awarded him its 1963 Spingarn Medal. The national outrage over Evers' murder increased support for legislation that would become the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

Immediately after Evers's death, the NAACP appointed his brother, Charles, to his position. Charles Evers went on to become a major political figure in the state; in 1969, he was elected the mayor of Fayette, Mississippi, becoming the first African American mayor of a racially mixed Southern town since Reconstruction.

Investigation and Trials

A police and FBI investigation of the murder quickly unearthed a prime suspect: Byron De La Beckwith, a white segregationist and founding member of Mississippi's White Citizens Council. Despite mounting evidence against him — a rifle found near the crime scene was registered to Beckwith and had his fingerprints on the scope, and several witnesses placed him in the area — Beckwith denied shooting Evers. He maintained that the gun had been stolen, and produced several witnesses to testify that he was elsewhere on the night of the murder.

The bitter conflict over segregation surrounded the two trials that followed. Beckwith received the support of some of Mississippi's most prominent citizens, including then-Governor Ross Barnett, who appeared at Beckwith's first trial to shake hands with the defendant in full view of the jury. In 1964, Beckwith was set free after two all-white juries deadlocked.

New Evidence and Conviction

After Beckwith's second trial, Evers' wife moved their children to California, where she earned a degree from Pomona College and was later named to the Los Angeles Commission of Public Works. Convinced that her husband's killer had not been brought to justice, she continued to search for new evidence in the case.

In 1989, the question of Beckwith's guilt was again raised when a Jackson newspaper published accounts of the files of the now-defunct Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, an organization that existed during the 1950s to help raise popular support for the maintenance of segregation. The accounts showed that the commission had helped lawyers for Beckwith screen potential jurors during the first two trials. A review by the Hinds County District Attorney's office found no evidence of such jury tampering, but it did locate a number of new witnesses, including several individuals who would eventually testify that Beckwith had bragged to them about the murder.

In December 1990, Beckwith was again indicted for the murder of Evers. After a number of appeals, the Mississippi Supreme Court finally ruled in favor of a third trial in April 1993. Ten months later, testimony began before a racially mixed jury of eight Black people and four white people. In February 1994, nearly 31 years after Evers' death, Beckwith was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. He died in January 2001 at the age of 80.

Legacy and Landmark

Since his untimely passing, Evers' contributions to the civil rights movement have been honored in many ways. His wife created what is now known as the Medgar and Myrlie Evers Institute in Jackson, Mississippi, to continue the couple's commitment to social change. The City University of New York named one of its campuses after the slain activist, and in 2009, the U.S. Navy also bestowed his name on one of its vessels.

In early 2017, President Obama designated Evers' home a national historic landmark. “The National Historic Landmark designation is an important step toward recognizing and preserving significant civil rights sites in Mississippi and around the country,” Mississippi Senator Thad Cochran said in a statement. “The sacrifices made by Medgar and Myrlie Evers deserve this distinction.” (source)