vintage cranes

The Youngstown Steel Heritage Preservation blog reviews a recent purchase:

"The Tod Engine Foundation has recently acquired an 1892 vintage overhead crane manufactured by Morgan Engineering in Alliance, Ohio. This crane is of particular historical interest and will become an important artifact for display and use at the Tod Engine Heritage Park. The crane was originally built for Otis Steel Co. in Cleveland, and used there until the plant closed after WWII. At that time it was sold and moved to Masury, OH and placed in a new building there. It is there to this day. Still fully operational, the crane continues to make lifts to its rated capacity."

see the pictures here.

HB 138 passed 90-2

"I really hope that this bill makes it through the Senate. Organizations like Lien Forward Ohio have already done to help citizen reclaim vacant properties and this will continue that effort.

The Southside is one vacant property after another. Anything that can be done to get this land into the hands of responsible citizens gets my vote. My parents are considering buying the two vacant properties adjacent to theirs."

So what's HB 138? Find out more here at The Wizard of Yo blog.

Good News for the Tod Engine

The Youngstown Steel Heritage Preservation blog reflects on the journey after receiving some generous financial contributions. Read more here.

"My 12 year old dream of saving the Tod Engine and restoring it is coming true, piece by piece. With these latest donations the purchase of the steel building will be fully funded. There is still one more contribution that we are expecting, and when that comes in the foundation work for the building will be fully paid for. There is still much more to do and I will be working on the second phase of our capital campaign, but for now its time to sit back and appreciate just how far we have come.

Just think, in 1995 when I discovered the Tod Engine, it was sitting deep in an active steel mill scheduled for demolition. I was 22 years old, never been in a steel mill before in my life, had no money and no idea what I was doing. The first miracle was getting North Star Steel to donate the engine, which had a high scrap value to them. The next miracle was getting 250 tons of parts taken apart, moved and stored and do it for under $10,000. The Tod family paid for half of that and I maxed out a credit card to pay the rest."

news: 12 Dec 2007

City Board of Control Meets

"In other business, the city approved a development agreement to assist the renovation of the former Chrystal’s restaurant on Belmont Avenue into a mixed-use retail center."

"In addition, the board approved a five-year lease for Capital Grille LLC in the food court at 20 Federal Place. The restaurant, which opened Tuesday, offers a selection of sandwiches, salads and side dishes."

news: 05 Dec 2007

Archives Director Named at YSU

University Archives and Special Collections opened last week on the 5th floor of Maag Library. There you will find documents, publications, photos, and artifacts looking at YSU's history since the late 1800s.

"The area features an exhibit gallery that celebrates the university's history through a series of wall displays on YSU's academic, school, social and athletic traditions through the years. It also features flat screen monitors highlighting prominent YSU alumni, the university's presidents and important events in YSU's history.

In addition to overseeing four full-time staff members, Barragan will work with patrons of the archives, potential donors to the archives, university administrators and the board of trustees in efforts to continue the growth of the archives."

Hospital Leases Space at Boardman St. E's

Select Specialty Services purchased a whole city block to develop on the northside, removed the occupants, has now decided to move to the suburbs, and left a bunch of boarded-up brick homes between the hospital and the university for us to look at every day. Thanks a bunch.

Review of the Oakland's How the Drag Queen Stole Christmas

with pictures!

Medical Center to Support Tuition Fund in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Promise (like Kalamazoo's)

"Beginning next spring, any of the district’s 2,000 seniors, regardless of family income, who have attended public school here for at least the last four years, graduate with a 2.0 grade point average, and attend a public or private college in Pennsylvania will be eligible for $5,000 from the fund to pay for any tuition expenses not covered by other aid.

The district estimates the program could cost $3 million the first year, and more in future years as more students take advantage of it. The program is also seen as a way to retain middle-class families who have been leaving the district when their children reach high school.

Starting next school year, graduating seniors must achieve a 2.5 grade point average to qualify. By 2012, as the fund matures, the scholarship amount will grow to $10,000, and students will have to pass a graduation exam to be eligible for the maximum award.

...the district lost more than 1,100 students this year, dropping to 28,000."

Goodyear has tentative deal to stay in Akron

State chips in $50 million, total investment of project almost $900 million

U.S. Steel Invests $1 billion in Mon Valley Mill

Lots of money reinvested in the other Steel City