Bicyclist dies in early morning crash in Marion

MARION — A Marion man died early Saturday morning when his bicycle was hit by a car on Fairgrounds Road. The Marion post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Nathan Smith, 18, was riding west in the eastbound lane of Fairgrounds Road east of Likens Chapel Road at 12:14 a.m. John Kearns Jr., 20, of Marion, headed west on Fairgrounds Road in a 1998 Honda Civic, attempted to pass another westbound vehicle when his car hit Smith’s bike, the patrol said. A press release from the patrol stated that Smith was ejected from the bicycle and the car drove off the south side of the road. The car left the scene but the driver returned later, the patrol said. Smith was pronounced dead at Marion General Hospital. The patrol stated that Smith was not wearing a helmet or other safety equipment at the time of the crash. There was no light or reflectors on the bike, according to the patrol. Kearns was not injured. The crash remains under investigation and no charges have been filed. The Marion Township Fire Department and the Marion Police Department provided assistance. These is so sad and i am posting it to let you guys know what happen to one of my friends please pray for his family

Nathan Smith

I am going to miss the long nights on facebook talking about just stuff and then just both of us falling asleep on each all the time and he was very nice to me and everyone i thought and i am going to miss him a lot idk what i am going to do with out him but i know that he is in a better place know I REALLY LOVED THAT KID A LOT HE WAS ONE OF MY BROS going to miss you bro

Ryan Lochte wins 400 IM in blowout

LONDON -- Ryan Lochte strolled the deck of the Olympic Aquatics Centre wearing diamonds in his mouth and lime-green sneakers on the feet that powered him through the water faster than anyone else. Beaming, he chomped playfully on his gold medal while Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" blared throughout the massive arena. Michael Phelps? He was nowhere to be found. Not during the race. Not when it came time to hand out the medals. On a stunner of an opening night at the pool in London, Phelps was routed by his American rival in the 400-meter individual medley, losing to Lochte by more than 4 seconds Saturday. That's not all: The winningest Olympian ever didn't win any medal at all, the first time that's happened in a race of this magnitude since he was a 15-year-old kid competing in just one event at the Sydney Games, a dozen years ago. "It was horrible," Phelps told coach Bob Bowman when he climbed out. Bowman's reply: "It was." Lochte turned the much-anticipated duel with Phelps into a blowout, raising serious questions about whether the guy who has won 14 gold medals and 16 medals overall has anything left in the tank for his Olympic farewell. Phelps is planning to retire as soon as he finishes the last of his seven races in London, but he looked ready to call it a career while struggling just to pull himself from the water when his first event was done. He was totally spent. He was thoroughly beaten, perhaps signaling a changing of the guard at the pool. "This is my year," said Lochte, who popped in his grillz -- diamond-studded mouth jewelry -- for the victory ceremony. "I know it and I feel it, because I've put in hard work. I've trained my butt off for four years ... and there's no better way to start this Olympics off than getting gold." For Phelps, the start of these games couldn't have been more out of character. He barely qualified for the evening final, a performance that hinted at trouble ahead. Trouble indeed. Phelps struggled to a fourth-place finish, blown out by Lochte and beaten by Brazil's Thiago Pereira and Japan's Kosuke Hagino. "It was just a crappy race," Phelps said. "I felt fine the first 200, then I don't know. They just swam a better race than me, a smarter race than me, and were better prepared than me. That's why they're on the medal stand." Lochte took the gold with a time of 4 minutes, 5.18 seconds. Pereira (4:08.86) and Hagino (4:08.94) were well back but ahead of Phelps, who touched fourth in 4:09.28 -- nearly 5 1-2 seconds off his world record from the Beijing Olympics and not nearly as fast as he went during the U.S. trials last month. Since finishing fifth in his lone event at Sydney, the 200 butterfly, Phelps was 16-of-16 when it came to winning medals at the Olympics -- 14 golds and two bronzes. That run is over. Lochte climbed out of the pool with a big smile, waving to the crowd and looking about as fresh as he did at the start. He had predicted this would be his year and, for the first race of the Olympics at least, he was right on the mark. "I think I'm kind of in shock right now," he said. As for Phelps, "I know he gave it everything he had. That's all you can ask for." Phelps was trying to become the first male swimmer to win the same individual event at three straight Olympics. He'll have three more chances at a threepeat before he's done in London, having also won the 200 individual medley, plus the 100 and 200 butterfly, at Athens and Beijing. But he'll need a major comeback. After one race, he looks nothing like the swimmer who won six gold medals in Athens, then a record eight in Beijing to break Mark Spitz's Olympic record. "I'm surprised, and not pleasantly," Bowman said. "I expected he'd be in the 4:06 range." With first lady Michelle Obama in the house waving a small U.S. flag, everyone expected a duel between the two American stars. Only Lochte showed up. Phelps fell behind right from the start in the butterfly, his trademark stroke. From there, it was all Lochte. He stretched his margin in the backstroke and breaststroke, then cruised to the gold in the freestyle, a good three body lengths ahead of the rest of the field. "It's frustrating, that's all I can say. It's pretty upsetting," Phelps said. "The biggest thing now is to try to look forward. I have a bunch of other races, and hopefully we can finish a lot better than how we started." China had a big night, claiming a couple of gold medals. Sixteen-year-old Ye Shiwen set a world record in the women's 400 individual medley -- only the third mark to fall since high-tech bodysuits were banned at the end of 2009. She won in 4:28.43, breaking the mark of 4:29.45 by Australia's Stephanie Rice at the 2008 Beijing Games. American Elizabeth Beisel took silver and China's Li Xuanxu grabbed the bronze. Sun Yang flirted with a world record in the men's 400 freestyle. He took gold in 3:40.14, just off the mark of 3:40.07 by Germany's Paul Biedermann in a rubberized suit three years ago. When it was done, Sun propped himself on the lane rope, pumping his fist and splashing the water. South Korea's Park Tae-hwan won silver in 3:42.06, fortunate even to take part after initially being disqualified for a false start in the prelims. The ruling was overturned by governing body FINA a couple of hours later on appeal. Peter Vanderkaay of the U.S. won the bronze. Australia captured gold in the women's 400 freestyle relay with an Olympic record of 3:33.15, rallying to pass the Americans and hold off the fast-charging Netherlands. The U.S. got off to a blistering start with Missy Franklin swimming leadoff under world-record pace, and the Americans were still ahead after Jessica Hardy went next. But the Australians rallied behind Brittany Elmslie on the third 100, and Melanie Schlanger held on at the end, with Ranomi Kromowidjojo closing fast to give the Netherlands a silver in 3:33.79. The other members of the winning team were Alicia Coutts and Cate Campbell. The Americans slipped to the bronze in 3:34.24, but that was still good enough to give Natalie Coughlin the 12th medal of her career, tying Dara Torres and Jenny Thompson as the most decorated U.S. female Olympians in any sport. Coughlin swam in the morning prelims, then was reduced to the role of cheerleader in the evening as the Americans went with Franklin, Hardy, Lia Neal and Allison Schmitt. Everyone who swims on a relay gets a medal, though. "I really have no idea what to think of it so far," Coughlin said. "I'll have to take it all in tonight. I'm very proud of it, but I've never been on a morning relay before." There was no medal for Phelps. His close call in the morning prelims put him in an already uncustomary position -- swimming on the outside in the No. 8 lane. He only had one swimmer next to him and no idea what Lochte and the others in the middle of the pool were doing. Not that it would have mattered. "I don't think the lane had anything to do with it," Phelps said. "I just couldn't really put myself in a good spot for that race. It's frustrating for sure. ... It's just really frustrating to start off on a bad note like this." Phelps still has six more events to swim in London, plenty of time to make up for his dismal start. He remains two behind the most medals won by any Olympian -- Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina's mark of 18 -- nine gold, five silver, four bronze. Phelps put himself in position to swim another eight events with his performance at the U.S. trials, but he decided to drop the 200-meter freestyle, feeling one less race would give his body a better chance to recover and improve his performance in the other events. Now, he may be regretting that decision. The 400 IM was an event he has dominated, winning gold at the last two Olympics and holding the world record for a full decade. But, tired of putting his body through such a grind, he dropped it from his program after setting a world record in Beijing four years ago (4:03.84), vowing never to swim it again. He should have stuck with that pledge. Clearly, Phelps didn't leave himself enough time to get back in the kind of shape he needed to win the brutal race, having only brought it back earlier this year. "I was lucky to get in," he said, referring to his slow time in the morning. "I had a chance to put myself in a spot to start off on a good note and didn't do it." Lochte gave the Americans their first gold medal of the London Games and put himself in position to fulfill the promise he showed at last year's world championships, where he won five golds and beat Phelps in their two head-to-head meetings. The friendly rivals have one more showdown in London, in the 200 individual medley. Phelps edged Lochte in that race during the U.S. Olympics trials, but Lochte appears to be on top of his game when it really counts. They might be working together on Sunday, when both are in the mix to compete for the U.S. in the 4x100 free relay. There appear to be no hard feelings. "Congrats to (at)RyanLochte," Phelps tweeted afterward. "Way to keep that title in the country where it belongs!!" "Thanks," Lochte replied: "I couldn't do it without you."

President Obama related to country’s first enslaved man

President Obama A study from Ancestry.com has determined that President Obama is related to John Punch, the first black African enslaved for life in America--which would make Punch the 11th great-grandfather of Obama. The connection is made through Obama's mother, Stanley Ann Dunhan. The website's records say she had ancestors who were white landowners in Colonial Virginia who descended from an African man, Punch. According to the site's press release, Punch tried to escape indentured servitude in colonial Virginia in 1640 and was punished by becoming enslaved for life. The records show that Punch had children with a white woman, and her status as free was passed on to her offspring. Punch's descendents became successful landowners in the slave-owning state of Virginia. This would mean that the first documented slave and the first African American president have a shared lineage, claim researchers. Said Ancestry.com's genealogist Joseph Shumway, "John Punch was more than likely the genesis of legalized slavery in America. But after centuries of suffering, the Civil War, and decades of civil rights efforts, his 11th great-grandson became the leader of the free world and the ultimate realization of the American Dream." Genealogists seem to be fascinated with the current president's family tree: The site has also traced an Irish branch of Obama's family. And researchers at the New England Historic Genealogical Society claim he is the distant cousin of movie star Brad Pitt and six past presidents, including George W. Bush.

The Best and Worst French Fries in America

The Best and Worst French Fries in America By David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding Jul 30, 2012 SendSharePrint Health Experts Main Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko with Matt Goulding Recent Posts 5 Fatty Foods that Make You Skinny Drop 1 Pound—Every Week! Build a Beach-Ready Body in 12 Hours More Articles » For years, experts have been trying to figure out the so-called French paradox. Why, if the French eat such rich food, do they tend to stay lean, while the waistlines of us diet-conscious Americans are growing faster than Justin Beiber's savings account? Well, in France, they eat a wide variety of foods—fats and carbs, yes, but also plenty of fruits and vegetables, and lots of lean meat. But when French food makes its way to America, things tend to go haywire. Le French bread? Pure carbs. Le French toast? Pure carbs with lots of sugar and grease. Le French dressing? Pure fat, mixed with water and magically tinted the color of Tang. And the worst offender of all: Les French fries. We've become so addicted to the crispy, salty, tender treats that nearly half of all potatoes harvested in the country wind up in the deep fryer. (And we eat an average of 130 pounds of taters, per person, every year.) But not every fry is created equal. While no one will ever accuse les frites of being a health food, there are some you can enjoy with relative impunity—and others that deserve an all-out French Resistance. Take a look at the best and worst French fries in America, compliments of the forthcoming Eat This, Not That! 2013: The No-Diet Weight Loss Solution.  WORST CLASSIC FRIES Five Guys Fries (Large) 1,474 calories 71 g fat (14 g saturated) 213 mg sodium Five Guys lands on this list for no other reason than its egregious portion size. In terms of calories, it would take more than six small orders of McDonalds' fries to equal one large order from Five Guys. It's great that the chain fills its fryers with pure peanut oil, but until it offers reasonable portions, Five Guys will remain firmly entrenched on this side of the list. WORST SWEET POTATO FRIES  Cheesecake Factory Sweet Potato Fries 960 calories 3 g saturated fat 1,521 mg sodium Think you’re saving yourself some calories by opting for sweet potatoes over standard spuds? You’re not. A side of these fries will you run you 400 calories more than their regular counterpart. In keeping with the chain’s gargantuan portions (hey, it didn't finish first on our Worst Restaurants in America list without reason), this side dish contains nearly as many carbohydrates as 1.5 cans of Pringles. WORST LOADED FRIES Chili’s Texas Cheese Fries with Chili and Ranch 2,120 calories 144 g fat (69 g saturated) 5,920 mg sodium Not surprisingly, the namesake of these fries, Texas, is among the top five most obese states in the nation. (Similarly, if you should happen to come across Mississippi or West Virginia Fries, those should be avoided as well.) Essentially a plate of nachos that replaces chips with fries, this appetizer is far and away the most damaging on Chili's menu. It would take 22 of the chain's deep-fried mozzarella sticks to match the calories on one plate, and the sodium toll will likely leave you bloated with water retention. FLAB? THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT! Eight of them, actually. Stop frontloading your meals with The 8 Worst Appetizers in America and watch the pounds fall away. WORST STEAK FRIES TGI Friday’s Parmesan Steak Fries 660 calories 49 g fat (10 g saturated) 630 mg sodium Steak fries tend to fall on the healthier side of the french fry spectrum. The thicker cut allows for a higher ratio of spud to oil. But not at Friday's. Here, ordering steak fries over standard fries will more than double your fat intake—in fact, two-thirds of these calories are supplied by pure fat. That's how each hulking order manages to pack in more calories than an entire meal ought to. BEST CURLY FRIES Jack in the Box Seasoned Curly Fries (small) 280 calories 16 g fat (1 g saturated) 614 mg sodium Its menu once clotted with trans fats, Jack in the Box has made a concerted effort in recent years to cut down on dangerous oils. What remains is a dramatically improved side dish lineup, including your best option for a novelty fry. Just be sure to stick to a small order—each portion upsize tacks on an additional 150 calories. BEST CLASSIC FRIES TGI Friday’s Seasoned Fries 290 calories 23 g fat (4.5 g saturated) 650 mg sodium TGI Friday's, the titleholder for Worst Steak Fries, nearly redeems itself with this classic version, the most reasonable you're likely to find at a casual dining chain. Be careful though: These might be surprisingly benign, but few of Friday's entrées follow suit. Choose your meal wisely—I recommend the Petite Sirloin—or you'll more than recover the calories you saved on these damage-free fries. POUND-PACKING PATTIES: A decent side dish doesn’t grant you free reign when it comes to your entrée. Not even the most reasonable side of fries can make up for the dietary damage wrought by the 11 Worst Burgers in America.  BEST FAST-FOOD FRIES McDonald’s French Fries (small) 230 calories 11 g fat (1.5 g saturated) 160 mg sodium Not only are these fries "world famous," but they're also surprisingly harmless in small amounts. Downgrade from a large order to a small twice a week, and you'll drop 8 pounds within a year. I wouldn't recommend making them a regular part of your diet, but when a craving strikes, hit the golden arches and you'll emerge from the drive-thru relatively unscathed.

Student in Twitter threat ordered to avoid Kent St

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A Kent State University student accused of posting a message on Twitter saying he would be "shooting up" the northeastern Ohio campus has been instructed to stay away from the school and its president. William Koberna, a 19-year-old sophomore, was set to be released Monday after posting part of a $50,000 bond set at Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna, about 20 miles east of Akron. Koberna was arrested Sunday at his parents' home in the Cleveland suburb of Brunswick. He's been charged with inducing panic, a felony, and aggravated menacing. University officials noticed the profanity-laced July 25 tweet and contacted police. It is no longer available. They said it included a threat he planned to be "shooting up" the school. It also identified Kent State University President Lester Lefton.

Focusing Attention

Move slowly. In the early years, children tend to move quickly from one activity or point of interest to another. Try a " slow motion" game where you ask your child to slowly and deliberately walk to an object,pick it up, and bring it to you.

Encourage him to notice each step and action, increasing the complexity of the tasks every time. These helps him because more aware of his thoughts and movements.

Watch and listen. Two of the most important ways children learn to focus is by strengthening their senses of sight and sound. Take a silent " listening walk" around the house or the neighborhood,pointing in the direction of school to help your child concentrate. At the end, talk about what you heard. Next time try a silent "watching walk."

Take turns. Play board games or tell stories at the dinner table,encouraging each family member to pay attention when another is in the spotlight. It's a fun way to help your young one hone his focusing skills and some of the older participants could probably benefit from the practice,too.

Preschool cuts openings

MARION -- The loss of a state grant two years ago still affects Tri-Rivers Career Center's preschool as the program plans to cut hours and the number of openings next school year. School officials said there will be 24 spots during the 2012-13 school year, down from 40 this year. Program director Kattie Harmon said the 24 spots filled within two weeks of the start of enrollment. The program will continue to be a full day, but hours will drop to 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. from this year's hours of 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. "Funding is the number one reason why," Harmon said. The cuts follow the 2011 closing of Amerikid Day Care School, which included a preschool program. These moves affect the availability of preschool in Marion County as agencies ranging from the United Way of Marion County to the National Institute for Early Education Research seek to increase preschool opportunities. Tri-Rivers' preschool program serves children ages 3 to 5. It has a dual purpose, providing a resource to the community and a learning lab for the career center's early childhood education students who help instructors. The program got a boost in 2006 thanks to an Early Learning Initiative grant. The grant used state-administered Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds to enable the center to offer free preschool to families whose gross monthly income fell within 165 percent of the poverty line. Families in between 165 and 185 percent qualified, but had to pay part of the cost. The 2010-11 state budget eliminated the grant. Harmon said there has been no new funding to fill the gap. Tri-Rivers Superintendent Chuck Speelman said the career center has made cuts such as changing how it prepares lunches for the program's students, but not cutting the number of openings until now. "We are willing to take somewhat of a loss," he said, but added that more cuts are needed to lessen that loss. "It is taxpayer money and there is a bottom line," he said. "We believe this is the best we can do with the budget we have." There will be other changes. Harmon will remain as director, but will also serve as an instructor next school year after the Tri-Rivers Board of Education voted to eliminate one of two instructor positions. The number of aides will drop from two to one. Harmon said there is a demand for preschool in the area, especially after Amerikid closed down in November. The ChildcareCenter.us website said Amerikid's capacity was 52, but did not specify how many of the spots were preschool and how many were day care. Other preschool programs remain, including the Ohio Heartland Community Action Commission's Head Start, a free income-based program. Several churches also offer programs. Students in Marion City Schools are eligible to attend the district's preschool program. Speelman said one feature that makes Tri-Rivers' program different is that it is a full-day program, while most of the other programs are part-day. Preschool has been in the focus in recent years, as educators say students are entering kindergarten without needed abilities such as recognizing alphabet letters and fine motor skills. A study by the nonpartisan National Institute for Early Education Research said Ohio's Early Childhood Education program, which serves 3- and 4-year-olds from families with incomes up to 200 percent of the poverty level, met only two of 10 benchmarks. The Associated Press reported the study found Ohio spent an average of $3,932 per student during the 2010-11 school year, below the national average of $4,151 per student in state-funded preschool programs in 39 states. Locally, the United Way's Value of Education Committee has made preschool a focus. Among goals is to develop an incentive program to help persuade low-income parents to send their children to preschool and to find ways to provide transportation to preschool programs.

Lightning fire rekindles

PROSPECT - A home gutted by fire early Wednesday rekindled in the afternoon. At about 12:50 p.m., units from five fire departments were called back to 5985 Hughes Road when the attic caught on fire. Chief Jeff Good of Battle Run Fire District said the flare-up was not major. Units were at the structure for about half an hour. The same units were not as lucky Wednesday morning, when a lightning strike sparked a fire that kept them on the scene for almost four hours. At 5:10 a.m., Battle Run Fire District responded to the house fire just north of Prospect. The residents were outside when firefighters arrived, and flames were showing through the roof, Good said. Firefighters believe the fire started when a lightning bolt struck the metal chimney. The strike awakened residents. It took almost 30 firefighters 90 minutes to control the flames. The house and contents were a total loss. Good said one firefighter was released from Marion General Hospital after treatment for a minor injury. The family has insurance, and did not request American Red Cross assistance, Good said. Units from Pleasant Township, Fort Morrow, Green Camp and Radnor assisted.

OSUM Students Holding Beats for Budapest

The Ohio State University at Marion’s French Club, Le Cercle Francais, will present Beats for Budapest, Thursday, January 26, 7:30 p.m. in Morrill Hall Auditorium. This unique concert event will help raise funds for students’ taking part in the campus’s upcoming Central European Study Tour.

The concert features a host of student and community performers, including: Jherek Cummings, Ohio State Marion’s contemporary a cappella group InChant, Elizabeth Moore, Alex Sheridan, and Dustin Hornbeck. Students, faculty, staff, and the community are invited to come out and support the French Club in their fundraiser. General admission is $5, and $4 for students and those 60 and up. Raffle tickets for prizes and concessions will be available at the event.

Ohio State Marion’s 2012 Study Abroad tour to Central Europe, led by Ohio State Marion faculty member Zuheir Alidib, departs for 10 days on March 15 and features visits to Budapest, Vienna, Prague, and Munich.

Prospect mayor to discuss cutting costs

PROSPECT - Prospect Village Council heard renovation plans from a property owner at its recent meeting.

Jeff Obenour plans to resolve the common wall issue at 150 N. Main St. by fixing or building the common wall, completing the new back wall, anchoring the new back wall to the common wall and renovating the interior.

Mayor Jim Millisor said he wants to have pool managers be certified and have a CPR license for the 2012 swim season. He also discussed having a defibrillator at the pool.

Councilman Ben O'Dell discussed the widening of the Scioto River at the new bridge location, which should help relieve flooding in the village.

Millisor plans to discuss cost-cutting measures for the village at council's next regular meeting, 8 p.m. Feb. 6.

NASA sends science lesson directly to Ridgedale classroom

MARION -- A Ridgedale Junior High School science teacher got some help from NASA on Monday as she talked about the moon and satellites.

Catherine Brennan, who teaches eighth-grade science, took advantage of a free program that lets students hear up-to-date information on NASA missions. The information is relayed by a certified teacher who works at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland and speaks to classrooms through Skype, a software application that lets users make voice and video calls over the Internet.

Such learning is an example of how educators are using technology to help teach students more up-to-date information than would be available without such applications as Skype.

The lesson was "Mapping the Moon with WALL-E," an interactive project that also featured the Pixar-animated robot from the movie "WALL-E." Students took part in a quick experiment that taught them how NASA uses satellites to map the typography of the moon's surface.

Past that, they got an explainer on some of the newest of more than 60 science missions NASA currently has under way. That includes the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter circling the moon and its Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter, which has helped produce some of the most precise topographical maps to date of the moon's cratered landscape.

"Before LRO, we actually knew the shape of Mars better than we know the shape of the moon, our nearest neighbor," John Keller, a deputy project scientist at the Goddard center, stated on NASA's website.

Such missions are in the news now but likely won't be in many textbooks yet.

"Science changes in this field quickly," Brennan said. "Textbooks are outdated within a year. I had to find an alternative resource."

She said NASA's educational programs have also helped her show students real-time images of the moon taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.

"I thought it was pretty cool," eighth-grader Monroe Britton said. "Not a lot of people can talk to NASA."

The lessons also introduce some of the technology being used to students who aspire to become scientists.

Eighth-grader Preston Elswick, who hopes some day to be an astro quantum physicist, said he was familiar with the missions but felt honored to get to hear directly from someone who works with NASA.

Hey

It has been a long time I am doing fine my live is getting better