Posted on 10/05/2005 5:27:36 PM PDT by decimon
RIDGEVILLE CORNERS, Ohio - Village leaders turned down a church's request to provide temporary housing for up to 50 people displaced by Hurricane Katrina after some residents expressed concern about safety and whether there were enough jobs to go around.
Ridgeville Township's zoning appeals board on Tuesday rejected a request for a permit that would have allowed the church to renovate and allow for housing the evacuees.
Don Barnett, pastor of Christ Community Church, had said some opponents were racially prejudiced.
Zoning board member Randy Rohrs said the church's proposal would have changed the character of the village and disturbed the community. The village of fewer than 2,000 residents, about 40 miles west of Toledo, has no grocery or clothing stores.
Board members also said the church's building was not designed to house that many people and that church leaders had not moved to meet health and fire standards.
"I just don't think the proper steps were taken," said resident Luvena Ripke. "It's sad we can't help the way the church wants to — we all want to help."
Letters from dozens of nearby residents who oppose the church project were presented to the board.
The minister told residents the church was willing to do background checks on evacuees and that area employers told him there would be jobs available. He also said there were plans to have at least two people at the building to alleviate safety concerns.
I thought Nagin had called them all home.
In general there is nothing to be gained by importing Democrats into Ohio.
In general there is nothing to be gained by importing Democrats into Ohio.
That's going past me.
I'm reminded of the shipload of Jewish refugees that was denied entry to ports all over the world. If the reports of atrocities in New Orleans were vastly overstated, maybe the evacuees are less than howling mobs, also.
This is my dad's hometown.
I don't think this is quite the same. U.S. cities like New York and Chicago could have absorbed large numbers of people as they had traditionally done. Howling mob or not, this pastor would create an insta-slum of people with no place to work in this small town.
The population is considerably under 2,000. Although I would say the websites that say it is only 209 seems a little low, 2000 is not being accurate about the size of this town.
Why not take one in your home? He can sleep on the couch.
I used to live near there. They don't have a welfare roll in Ridgeville Corners, nor do they want one.
Teens arrested in robbery-murder posted: 10-04-2005
Two boys, ages 13 and 16, have been arrested on charges they robbed and beat a man to death in Bossier City.
The older boy was a Hurricane Katrina evacuee from New Orleans, police said.
We took in a refugee off a website, she's been sleeping on the couch for a while now, and it has worked out great. I'm grateful to be able to do something to help.
And this story is supposed to justify not helping our countrymen in a crisis?
A job well done. Good for you.
That sounds risky but I'm glad it has worked out. You have helped someone and deserve praise.
But would you bring in to your area some number of people with no reasonable place to live and no good job prospects?
Yes I would. If we don't take risks to reach out with our hands to help our fellow men, what meaning does life have?
I didn't justify anything. It's just the news -fair and balanced. Read into it what you wish.
Well, I don't know what meaning life has to my neighbors and I would do nothing to upset their way of life.
Here's a question that's none of my business. But I'll ask it anyway. Have you written a check/made a donation/sent clothing to victims of Rita or Katrina? If every single person in America did one small thing, there would be no problem left unsolved. Seems to me that's Godliness in action. Concentrating on articles about violent evacuees works against that -- there are violent people everywhere, in any group of humans you can define.
Then maybe you get together with your neighbors and figure out what you can all do to help.
I would say that Moses, Jesus, and the leaders of the American Revolution (in chronological order) all did plenty to upset their neighbors' ways of life.
When I moved onto this block a neighbor told me people here are friendly but also stay to themselves. He was right and I love it that way.
Moral of the story: Donate locally or to the Salvation Army. The Red Cross is driven by PROFIT.
I am a far more humble person.
Yes and I donate to many other charities. I am also surrounded with people who have welcomed bus loads of these victims. I would be up past my bedtime relating the bad results that have been told me of the low quality people that have landed in the welcoming communities. Best wishes to you and your house guest.
Yes, we've been lucky.
Ohio is a funny state but this renews my faith in those people. Good for them.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.