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Tony Pierce, a Milwaukee Wave Hall of Fame member and a familiar name in the Wisconsin soccer scene, has been named head men's and women's soccer coach at Lakeland College.

One of the winningest goalkeepers in the history of the National Professional Soccer League, Pierce was a seven-year member of the Milwaukee Wave appearing in 178 games. He was inducted into the Wave Hall of Fame this past January.

The three-time all-pro, who served as the Wave's director of community relations for six years, remains second on the team's career list in games played (178), minutes played (9,393) and saves (2,401).

Pierce will also be a familiar face to anyone who has followed Wisconsin Division III soccer. He was previously head coach at three Northern Athletics Conference schools: Concordia University Chicago (2000-01), where he started the men's and women's soccer programs, Wisconsin Lutheran (1996-98) and Milwaukee School of Engineering (1986-89).

"I've been looking for a place to call home, and Lakeland seems like the ideal place," Pierce said. "I enjoyed the time I spent coaching at some of the schools in this conference, and it will be fun to renew some old friendships. The conference has gotten bigger and more competitive, and I welcome that challenge."

He inherits a men's program that returned to the NAC Tournament for the second year in a row by finishing sixth in the league. The Muskies (8-10-1, 6-5) finished third in program history for goals and assists in one season, and returns a solid nucleus of players. The women's program struggled with low numbers and a string of ill-timed injuries, leading to a 4-15 overall record, 2-10 in NAC play.

"Lakeland has a lot to offer in both its soccer programs," Pierce said. "The men had a good season last fall, and I'd like to see us go a little deeper in the conference tournament this year. Speaking with some of women's players during my visit to campus, they were disappointed with last year, but they're excited about this fall.

"Our immediate goal will be improve on the number of wins in the conference and get ourselves in a position to compete for the conference tournament."

Pierce comes to Lakeland from Shattuck St. Mary's School, a boarding school/soccer academy in Faribault, Minn., where he was community program managing director and U-16 boys assistant coach. He has served as player development staff coach for the Chicago Fire since 2007.

"We're fortunate to hire someone of Tony's caliber and experience," said Jane Bouche, Lakeland director of athletics. "I'm confident that Tony will have immediate positive impact on all aspects of both our men's and women's programs. He's a fixture in the state soccer scene, and we're thrilled to have him join our team."

A former Lake Michigan Conference coach of the year (1987), Pierce was assistant men's soccer coach at UW-Green Bay from 2004-09, assistant men's soccer coach at UW-Milwaukee from 1987-92 and head men's soccer coach at Midland, Tex., College (2001-04).

He is a 30-year staff member of the nationwide Joe Machnik's #1 Soccer CAMPS, where he currently is a premier staff member. He earned his United States Soccer Federation "A" License in 2002 and his National Goalkeeping License in 2007.

He played college soccer at the University of Connecticut from 1980-84, and was a member of the Huskies' 1981 NCAA Division I Championship soccer squad and had a part in a pair of national semifinal appearances for UConn in 1982 and 1983.

Pierce has two daughters, Pearl (17) and Hanna (12).

Imagine working in one career field for more than 25 years, then shifting to something entirely different. In 2000, Jessica Bailey '69 deviated from a quarter-century journey in higher education to take on what she thought would be a short detour into the corporate world.

It's 10 years later, and Bailey is still working for the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), the largest independent regulator for all securities firms in the U.S.

Bailey serves as a senior regulatory analyst. She played a front line role in launching TRACE regulations in 2002, and she "pores over" U.S. corporate bond transaction data and analyzes market activity to recommend sanctions for those firms or individuals who are not complying with FINRA rules and the federal securities laws.

"It is constant analysis of market activity to promote investor protection, and we have categories of red flags that we look for," Bailey said. "I have spoken with upper management of large Wall Street firms who are highly responsive, because to be found non-compliant is very serious. It is a fascinating world; nobody would believe I enjoy this job. Every day is like solving a puzzle."

Where did Bailey's circuitous journey begin? She was born in Barataria, Trinidad, and came to the U.S. in 1965 to study at Lakeland. She was introduced to Lakeland through a tourist visiting her country, and fueled by big dreams of adventuring away from home, Bailey applied and was accepted.

Her first year at Lakeland was a whirlwind of new experiences. She was hosted by Prudy (Thiessen-Smith) Casper '60 and her husband at the time, Palmer Smith '63, who were like family to her. "When I came to Lakeland," says Bailey, "I knew nothing about America. I had seven roommates in the suites and the Smiths who were the most wonderful, thoughtful and supportive friends. They taught me things about America, and took me into their homes for the holidays. They were just the best."

Bailey's favorite professor was Reinhard Ulrich. "I loved him. He was brilliant. He made me realize that all the lessons that my father had taught us were grounded in philosophical truths. I thought for a while that I would major in philosophy, but Professor Ulrich said, 'What will you do, philosophize?' I guess he realized I was destined to do other things."

Those "other things" for Bailey began with master of science in educational psychology (1973) and school psychologist certification (1975). She worked for 15 years in a succession of jobs in higher education that continually brought her into new arenas. For example, from 1981-85, she was the interim president and dean of instruction at Worthington College in Worthington, Minn. Bailey was the first female dean at the college, and one of the very few people of color in the town of 10,000. From there, she became the assistant to the vice-chancellor for instruction and operations for the Minnesota Community College System, and the executive dean at Portland Community College.

In the late 1980s, she returned to school and received a doctorate from the University of Minnesota in educational administration after which she completed the program for Senior Executive Fellows at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. From 1995-98, she served as assistant vice president at the University of Minnesota and worked as a volunteer co-coordinator for the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL), a Washington D.C.-based organization that identified talented teachers in high schools around the country and helped mentor them to move into other leadership positions as principals or superintendants. It was during this time as a volunteer at IEL, as she was approaching 50, that Bailey made the leap into her work at FINRA.

Asked what she would say to new graduates, Bailey said, "First, you have to know what you want. What is your purpose in life? What makes you happy? Once you know what you want, and what your purpose is, then you have to be flexible. You have to be open to change. It is through change that we grow."

Bailey admits that her professional life has taken many turns, but two goals always remained constant: to be a dean, and to work in the corporate world. As the goal shifted along the way, she found herself capable of seeing the connections between things that other people often did not see. "This is where creativity comes in. It is so important to see how things connect and how the lessons of one discipline can work in another."

As Jessica Bailey talks about her life, you see someone who seeks out and capitalizes when life opens new doors. You get this feeling that managing change is really what life is all about, and how important it is to keep learning, to keep growing and to keep managing diversity with each new experience. That is a message worth hearing, no matter where you are in life.

"No matter where I roam, a place that's always home..."

The lyrics of Lakeland College's cherished alma mater are the spirit behind the 2010 Alumni Homecoming Celebration on Friday, October 8, and Saturday, October 9. Homecoming is a great opportunity to share experiences, reminisce with old friends, make new friends, visit your old stomping grounds, and cheer on the Muskie football team.

This tradition-filled weekend begins on Friday with a luncheon for the members of the class of 1960 who-at the 50-year mark-become members of the Emeritus Club. Later that afternoon, all the reunion classes (1960, 1970, 1985, 2000, and 2005) are invited to the president's house for a champagne reception. That evening, the Hall of Fame banquet will be held. This year, Jason Bartelt '96, Stephanie (Sprenger) Damrow '97, and Brandon Lawson '98 will be inducted. The 1996 women's softball team also will be recognized for its conference title.

Saturday begins with campus tours and a worship service in the Ley Chapel. Throughout the day, there are alumni games in volleyball, women's basketball, and men's basketball. There will be an alumni and student band rehearsal, a kid's zone, and, of course, the Homecoming football game when the Muskies face Rockford College at 1 p.m.

The weekend culminates with the Alumni Celebration Banquet in Bossard Hall. Several alumni awards will be presented, including: Professional Achievement to Irv Kaage '73 and Barbara Steinberg '73; Outstanding Recent Alumni to Lori Neurohr '01; Service to the College to Edward Michael '95; Service to the Community to David Michael '63; and Honorary Alumni to Vernon Wernecke.

Watch the mail for your Homecoming brochure and don't delay in signing up. We look forward to seeing you in October!

Everybody loves a great story. As Lakeland College approaches its 150th anniversary, you are the story and now is the time to tell it. As alumni of Lakeland College, you should have received a mailer earlier this spring requesting your Lakeland story in honor of the Sesquicentennial in 2012. We have received over 40 stories so far, with more coming each day. We need yours! The easiest way is to submit your story on our online form at www.lakeland.edu/story. At that same link, you can read the stories submitted thus far. Below is a list of the alumni who have shared their stories to date:

• Marlene (Steinhardt) Domasky '71
• Roxane Bartelt '78
• Renee Davis '09
• Terry Dolan '98
• Roy Evans
• Kate Fahrbach '93
• Todd Garrison '97
• Brian Gensch '00
• Rick Goshgarian '66
• Suzanne Harrison '79
• Barbara Hauge-Belaen
• Kathy Herzog '00
• Paul Hibler '73
• William Hoagland '73
• Vernon Jaberg '44
• Kimberly Jacobson '05
• Chet Jurkovac '62
• Susan Kinsella '91
• Allison Komaromy '08
• Michele Leiden '09
• Joan McCann '01
• Fritzie (Frieda) Meier (Grossen) '56
• Dorothy Mohr '42
• Pam Pagenkopf '95
• David Rauen '09
• Christine Roehler '84
• Jerry Rohloff '60
• Janeen Saunier-Kuczero '95
• Mark Schowalter '79
• Adam Sherwood '04
• Charles Strub '61
• Dale Van De Loo '97
• Houa Vang '96
• Kara Werner '09
• Heather Wilsing '07
• Donna Wilson '60
• Eric Wruck '90
• Walter J. Wussow '56
• Cindy Zolandz '01

Now, it's your turn to send in your story and help us build our collection. We look forward to hearing from you soon! If you have any questions, please contact Lisa Vihos, director of alumni relations, at (920) 565-1295 or at vihoslb@lakeland.edu.

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The House of Representatives today approved a bill to fund the hiring of 50,000 new police officers over the next five years that was introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner along with Bainbridge Township GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette. The bill - approved in a 342-78 vote - would provide $1.8 billion a year to continue a program that...

The House of Representatives today approved a bill to fund the hiring of 50,000 new police officers over the next five years that was introduced by New York Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner along with Bainbridge Township GOP Rep. Steve LaTourette.

The bill - approved in a 342-78 vote - would provide $1.8 billion a year to continue a program that President Bill Clinton established in 1995. It would supplement $1 billion from the economic stimulus package to be used for nationwide police hirings.

LaTourette says he's optimistic the U.S. Senate will also sign off on the legislation.

"You'd be hard pressed to find a program that is better liked by the law enforcement community and city officials," said LaTourette, a former Lake County prosecutor. "More importantly, the COPS program is well run and it's a stream-lined, effective use of taxpayer money."

Over the years, LaTourette said the COPS program has provided money to hire more than 200 officers in his district. Statewide, LaTourette said the COPS program has funded more than 3,700 officers and sheriff's deputies, more than 225 school resource officers, and has provided more than $55 million in technology grants for departments.

The only Ohio member of Congress to vote against the bill was GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Urbana. He had fiscal concerns about authorizing a 72% funding increase for police hiring at a time when federal spending needs to be curbed, said his press secretary, Meghan Snyder

WASHINGTON — You don't think about Ohio and Montana in the same breath. Ohio doesn't have mountains. Or grizzly bears. Or Yellowstone. Montana doesn't have people. But Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana are teaming up to raise money for their -- and others' -- political future. They formed a new campaign committee, the...

WASHINGTON — You don't think about Ohio and Montana in the same breath. Ohio doesn't have mountains. Or grizzly bears. Or Yellowstone. Montana doesn't have people.

But Democratic Sens. Sherrod Brown of Ohio and Jon Tester of Montana are teaming up to raise money for their -- and others' -- political future. They formed a new campaign committee, the Ohio/Montana Victory Fund, recent filings with the Federal Election Commission show.

The committee will enable them to hold joint fundraising events. It also provides a way for donors keep participating when they max out to one candidate but not the other. The concept is hardly new, and Republicans employ it, too.

So far, the Ohio/Montana committee hasn't raised any money, but there's plenty of time. Both Brown and Tester were elected to their first Senate terms in 2006 and don't have to run again until 2012. Both are raising money individually anyway, although not at a hurried pace. And Brown is helping other Democrats benefit, courtesy of a $25,000 donation from his campaign organization, Friends of Sherrod Brown, to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, which can steer the money to races as it sees fit.

Friends of Sherrod Brown raised $163,489 in this year's first quarter, with roughly two-thirds of it from individuals, his newest FEC filing shows. A lot came from people in Cincinnati, including super-lawyer Stan Chesley, who now has maxed out to Brown by giving $4,800 -- three years before the election. Former radio mogul and venture capitalist Frank Wood also has given the maximum to Brown.

A number of health care PACS and PACs that represent truck drivers have been generous to Brown, as is Duke Energy's PAC, which has already sent checks totaling $8,000.

Legislation is before Congress this year to expand health care and to cap carbon emissions from utility companies. Issues involving trucks from Mexico are part of the debate over trade and tariffs.

Brown is involved in each of these issues, and this presents the eternal chicken-and-egg question of politics. But to those who would see a quid pro quo, consider this:

The American Bus Association PAC gave Brown $1,000 recently. The association is fighting Brown's legislation to mandate safety improvements on motorcoaches, saying Brown's bill -- introduced after the crash that killed five baseball players from Bluffton University -- would require expensive fixes that might not save lives.

Brown says the group's position is wrong, even if he appreciates its generosity.

"I think that shows Sen. Brown's independence," says Meghan Dubyak, his spokeswoman.

Legislators who've spent years trying to strengthen domestic job protections for returning National Guardsmen and military reservists have a new weapon in their legislative arsenal: Alliance Democratic Rep. John Boccieri. Boccieri, an Air Force reserve major who has piloted C-130 transport planes in Iraq and Afghanistan, participated in a press phone call today with sponsors of legislation that would ensure...

Legislators who've spent years trying to strengthen domestic job protections for returning National Guardsmen and military reservists have a new weapon in their legislative arsenal: Alliance Democratic Rep. John Boccieri.

Boccieri, an Air Force reserve major who has piloted C-130 transport planes in Iraq and Afghanistan, participated in a press phone call today with sponsors of legislation that would ensure that soldiers who leave home to fight for our country will come back to the same employment and benefits they had when they deployed.

Boccieri said he knows many reservists who come home to find their jobs have been eliminated, but are too pressed for time and money to take their former employers to court. Such cases can take three to four years to pursue. As a state legislator in Ohio, Boccieri spearheaded legislation that placed such lawsuits on an "accelerated docket" that required them to be considered in three to four months.

"In the military, we have a saying: 'In battle, we will leave no soldier behind,' Boccieri said. "It should be our pledge that when we return home, we will leave no veteran behind."

While many service women and men return home without problems, a September 2007 Defense Department report indicated that nearly 11,000 reservists were denied prompt re-employment after returning from military service, that more than 22,000 lost seniority and pay, that nearly 20,000 suffered pension cuts, and nearly 11,000 lost health insurance.

"If our nation is going to sustain its operational reserve policy, our country must be able to provide strong re-employment protections for returning troops," said retired U.S. Army Col. Bob Norton, of the Military Officers Association of America.

The "Service Members Access to Justice Act" authored by Alabama Democratic Rep. Artur Davis and Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. Robert Casey, has languished legislatively for several years, but Davis and Casey say they're optimistic the bill will move forward with a push from Boccieri, who has first-hand knowledge of the situation.

Casey said it's a good sign that President Barack Obama backed the measure when he was in the U.S. Senate. He said he hopes Congress will take up the bill after it deals with pressing items like the federal budget and legislation to stimulate the ailing economy.

"Congress is a very slow moving animal," said Davis. "We couldn't ask for a better new champion than John Boccieri."

The percentage of Americans saying the country is headed in the right direction rose to 48 percent; 44 percent say the nation is on the wrong track. Not since January 2004 has an AP survey found more "right direction" than "wrong direction" respondents.

WASHINGTON — For the first time in years, more Americans than not say the country is headed in the right direction, a sign that Barack Obama has used the first 100 days of his presidency to lift the public's mood and inspire hopes for a brighter future.

Intensely worried about their personal finances and medical expenses, Americans nonetheless appear realistic about the time Obama might need to turn things around, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. It shows most Americans consider their new president to be a strong, ethical and empathetic leader who is working to change Washington.

Nobody knows how long the honeymoon will last, but Obama has clearly transformed the yes-we-can spirit of his candidacy into a tool of governance. His ability to inspire confidence -- Obama's second book is titled "The Audacity of Hope" -- has thus far buffered the president against the harsh political realities of two wars, a global economic meltdown and countless domestic challenges.

"He presents a very positive outlook," said Cheryl Wetherington, 35, an independent voter who runs a chocolate shop in Gardner, Kan. "He's very well-spoken and very vocal about what direction should be taken."

But other AP-GfK findings could signal trouble for Obama as he approaches his 100th day in office, April 29:

• While there is evidence that people feel more optimistic about the economy, 65 percent said it's difficult for them and their families to get ahead. More than one-third know of a family member who recently lost a job.

• More than 90 percent of Americans consider the economy an important issue, the highest ever in AP polling.

• Nearly 80 percent believe that the rising federal debt will hurt future generations, and Obama is getting mixed reviews at best for his handling of the issue.

And yet, the percentage of Americans saying the country is headed in the right direction rose to 48 percent, up from 40 percent in February. Forty-four percent say the nation is on the wrong track.

Not since January 2004, shortly after the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has an AP survey found more "right direction" than "wrong direction" respondents.

So far, Obama has defied the odds by producing a sustained trend toward optimism. It began with his election.

But he is aware that his political prospects are directly linked to such numbers. If at the end of his term the public is no more assured that Washington is competent and accountable and that the nation is at least on the right track, his re-election prospects will be doubtful.

"I will be held accountable," Obama said a few weeks into his presidency. "You know, I've got four years. ... If I don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term proposition."

The AP-GfK poll suggests that 64 percent of the public approves of Obama's job performance, down just slightly from 67 percent in February. President George W. Bush's approval ratings hovered in the high 50s after his first 100 days in office.

But Obama also has become a somewhat polarizing figure, with just 24 percent of Republicans approving of his performance -- down from 33 percent in February. Obama campaigned on a promise -- just as Bush had -- to end the party-first mind-set that breeds gridlock in Washington.

Obama is not the first president who sought to tap the deep well of American optimism -- the never-say-die spirit that Americans like to see in themselves.

Even as he briefly closed the nation's banks, Franklin Delano Roosevelt spoke in the first days of his presidency of the "confidence and courage" needed to fix the U.S. economy. "Together we cannot fail," he declared.

"When Obama came in," said D.T. Brown, 39, a Mount Vernon, Ill., radio show host who voted against Obama, "it was just a breath of fresh air."

Others said their newfound optimism had nothing to do with Obama, but rather with an era of personal responsibility they believe has come with the economic meltdown.

"I think people are beginning to turn in that direction and realize that there's not always going to be somebody to catch them when things fall down," said Dwight Hageman, 66, a retired welder from Newberg, Ore., who voted against Obama.

The AP-GfK Poll was conducted April 16-20 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Media. It involved telephone interviews on landline and cell phones with 1,000 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.

___

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown expects legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize will undergo a major rewrite before the U.S. Senate considers it this year. The current draft of the Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to be recognized if a majority of workers sign union cards, and would remove employers' current right to demand...

Ohio Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown expects legislation that would make it easier for workers to unionize will undergo a major rewrite before the U.S. Senate considers it this year.

The current draft of the Employee Free Choice Act would allow unions to be recognized if a majority of workers sign union cards, and would remove employers' current right to demand that workers instead hold a secret-ballot election to ratify a union.

Unions say the bill is needed because current secret-ballot elections allow anti-union companies to bully and propagandize workers. Business owners argue the proposed change would enable harassment by unions.

Although Brown backs the legislation in its current form, he says it won't get enough votes for passage in the Senate now that former backers including Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Arlen Specter have withdrawn their support.

He said he expects a compromise will be reached to continue the secret-ballot elections, but require them to be conducted swiftly and handled in a way that doesn't inordinately favor businesses.

"There are discussions going on now with Republicans and Democrats who were not supportive of the bill in its original form," Brown told The Plain Dealer after addressing a forum on the issue organized by the pro-union "Jobs with Justice."

He said the Senate wants to tackle the legislation because "fair minded people in both parties understand this system has not worked well."

"It has not been fair to workers," he continued. "Large numbers of people in this country want to join a union but have not been able to because of the way the system is rigged. A strong majority of Senate and House want to make the rules fairer and there are a lot of ways to do that."

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, apparently dissatisfied with President Barack Obama's pro-trade stance and concerned about pending agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, today called for a broad review of United States trade policies and agreements. The call for a time-out followed criticism by Brown, a Democrat, of the Obama administration's reluctance to reopen the North American Free...

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, apparently dissatisfied with President Barack Obama's pro-trade stance and concerned about pending agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, today called for a broad review of United States trade policies and agreements.

The call for a time-out followed criticism by Brown, a Democrat, of the Obama administration's reluctance to reopen the North American Free Trade Agreement. On Monday, responding to Obama trade ambassador Ron Kirk's disinterest in renegotiating NAFTA, Brown said, "There is pent-up demand for a new approach that starts with fixing what is not working, including NAFTA."

Today, Brown told the Washington International Trade Association, "If in fact President Obama does not open up NAFTA for review, we must not continue the failed system for future trade agreements."

He told the association that he wants the White House to create a blue-ribbon panel on trade. And he wants the Government Accountability Office to launch a review of the country's trade agreements and their impacts on the domestic economy.

"The basic premise of redirecting U.S. trade policy is that we must see evidence that our trade model is working before we pass new trade agreements - whether with Panama, Colombia, or South Korea," Brown said in his speech.

"We must see evidence that our current trade policies level the playing field for U.S. and foreign companies and for U.S. and foreign workers. We must see evidence that our current trade policies link productivity to wages, so that economic activity doesn't simply enrich top executives, but rather, it raises the standard of living for workers and enriches communities around the world."

Brown led the narrowly lost fight against the Central American Free Trade Agreement when he was in the House, and is the author of the book, "Myths of Free Trade." In his speech today, he cited Mexican factories and villages with human waste in canals nearby, Mexican workers who could not afford the cars they made, Costa Rican workers who could not afford the toys they made, and Chinese workers in a bicycle plant who could not afford bikes.

He cited safety lapses in the United States, too -- a result, he said, of unfair competition with foreign countries. In Nebraska, he said, meatpackers "work at such high speeds that they can't maintain worker or food safety. Meatpackers are easily injured, and knives dropped to the factory floor are merely wiped on a dirty apron, in haste, as cattle quickly move down the processing line.

"Meatpackers in Nebraska have said they enjoy work on days when the meat is being shipped to the EU," said Brown, noting that European meat processing plants average about 100 cattle per hour, compared with about 300 in the United States. "The reason is because the lines are slowed, and the workers can work more safely and productively. The reason is that the European Union has stricter food safety standards than the U.S.

"Those meatpacking workers in Nebraska, or in any one of the countries I just spoke about, are not sharing the wealth they are creating, nor are their communities safer. Their working conditions and wage disparity represent an unfortunate shift in our nation's history of trade policy."

Brown also noted health care problems that have resulted in the United States from medicines made in nations with poor standards.

"In Toledo, Ohio, patients died after taking contaminated Heparin to treat their heart conditions," Brown said. "The manufacturer of Heparin had outsourced the making of the drug, and as a result, did not know where the contamination occurred.

"The patients in Toledo, or the factory workers in Reynosa, or the meatpackers in Nebraska illustrate that continuing our trade direction is not a ringing endorsement of our trade agenda. Their stories represent a continuation of a policy of broken promises."

You can read the text of Brown's speech here.

WASHINGTON — Federal environmental officials are pressing Ohio's communities to upgrade their sewer systems. Those communities in turn have to ask homeowners and businesses to pay more in fees -- dramatically more in many cases, and at a time when people can least afford it. This makes no sense, Ohio's two U.S. senators said in a telephone news conference in...

WASHINGTON — Federal environmental officials are pressing Ohio's communities to upgrade their sewer systems. Those communities in turn have to ask homeowners and businesses to pay more in fees -- dramatically more in many cases, and at a time when people can least afford it.

This makes no sense, Ohio's two U.S. senators said in a telephone news conference in which they announced a proposal for relief.

George Voinovich, a Republican, and Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, said they want to create a $1.8 billion federal grant over five years to help communities across the country pay for sewer upgrades. The program would provide 75 percent of the money for upgrades, with communities giving the other 25 percent.

They also would expand a state revolving loan fund, and ask the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for more leniency when demanding sewer upgrades.

Their announcement came on Earth Day, and neither senator is asking the EPA to back off its mission of improving the environment. Both of them said they recognize why the EPA makes cities renovate their outdated systems, many of them subject to overflow. But with factories laying off employees and many workers struggling to pay their bills, the agency needs to do more to help, said the senators, citing double-digit water and sewer rate hikes across Ohio.

This is similar to a bill introduced in 2008. The senators said they expect it to become an amendment to broader clean water legislation that the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee takes up. Voinovich is a key member of that committee.

Click this link to see the Ohio communities with sewer-overflow problems.

WASHINGTON — The Defense Finance and Accounting Service will not renew Lockheed Martin's controversial contract to process pay for the nation's military retirees and will return the work to government employees in Cleveland, the agency announced Monday. The action won't result in a large gain or loss of jobs in Cleveland, where Lockheed Martin's workers are based, because the...

WASHINGTON — The Defense Finance and Accounting Service will not renew Lockheed Martin's controversial contract to process pay for the nation's military retirees and will return the work to government employees in Cleveland, the agency announced Monday.

The action won't result in a large gain or loss of jobs in Cleveland, where Lockheed Martin's workers are based, because the government will employ roughly the same number of workers as the contractor, a DFAS spokesman said.

The number of Lockheed employees working on the contract has ranged from 400 to 700.

The head of DFAS, Terri McKay, estimated the switch would save the government more than $20 million over the next 10 years and will "potentially improve service delivery and customer satisfaction."

The change will take effect in early 2010. It is part of a widespread effort to reverse government privatization programs implemented by former President George W. Bush. Earlier this month, Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced the Pentagon will cut contracting for support services to pre-2001 levels, and will hire up to 30,000 new civil servants to replace contractors over the next five years.

Lockheed Martin's handling of DFAS work has been criticized by Cleveland Democratic Rep. Dennis Kucinich. He accused the contractor of delaying payments to veterans, mishandling their cases, and charging taxpayers an exorbitant amount. Kucinich has wanted the Defense Department to return the work to government employees since a 2003 Inspector General's report found bidding on the contract was botched.

"I am very pleased that DFAS will once again ensure quality service by operating this program 'in house' with trained and qualified staff," Kucinich said in a press statement. "I hope that this experiment in privatization will demonstrate to other agencies the costs, both financial and otherwise, of outsourcing the responsibilities of government."

Lockheed Martin spokesman Joe Wagovich defended the company's performance, saying it delivered "more than $400 billion in benefits accurately and on-time" under the contract and that its work "achieved the highest customer satisfaction ratings."

"We look forward to continuing our partnership with DFAS over the next year and will work closely with our customer to effectively transition the program," Wagovich said.

Daniel Drost, a government worker at DFAS who has spent years helping Kucinich fight the privatization, said the switch will benefit military retirees and taxpayers.

"The contract will be performed faster and cheaper," said Drost. "The irony of this is that 'faster and cheaper' used to be the privatization mantra. In the retired pay outsourcing case, those were hollow words."

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Josh Mandel, an Iraq War veteran viewed as a future star in Ohio Republican circles, is drawing close to announcing officially that he will run for state treasurer in 2010. "I'm very seriously leaning toward running for state treasurer and will be making my final decision very soon," Mandel said in an interview Monday.

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Josh Mandel, an Iraq War veteran viewed as a future star in Ohio Republican circles, is drawing close to announcing officially that he will run for state treasurer in 2010.

"I'm very seriously leaning toward running for state treasurer and will be making my final decision very soon," Mandel said in an interview Monday.

The 31-year-old Lyndhurst Republican has been working behind the scenes in recent months to line up support for a statewide run and has met with groups of Republican activists in a majority of the counties in Ohio by his own count.

If Mandel does get in the state treasurer's race -- and no other GOP candidates have surfaced thus far -- he will face another fresh face in statewide politics in Democrat Kevin Boyce, 37, a former Columbus city councilman who became state treasurer on Jan. 6.

Boyce was picked for the statewide post by Gov. Ted Strickland after then-treasurer Richard Cordray won a special election for the Ohio attorney general's office.

Mandel, who served a pair of combat tours in Iraq as a Marine, has racked up some impressive margins in winning a pair of legislative races despite running in a swing district that actually leans slightly Democratic. He is also sitting on an impressive pile of potential campaign cash for a second-term lawmaker -- his last finance report showed that he had squirreled away about $460,000.

An education-reform proposal that Gov. Strickland presented in January specifically shielded Cleveland from losing aid, but it would have required a state-funded study to make sure the district spent its money wisely.

CLEVELAND — A school funding plan proposed by Ohio House Democrats would eliminate Gov. Ted Strickland's request for an efficiency study of the Cleveland schools.

An education-reform proposal that Strickland presented in January specifically shielded Cleveland from losing aid, but it would have required a state-funded study to make sure the district spent its money wisely.

The new House plan and federal stimulus money would keep the Cleveland schools whole, but there is no preferential treatment, so demanding the study would be unfair, said State Rep. Stephen Dyer, a Democrat from Green. Dyer was instrumental in developing the plan, which Strickland supports.

Cleveland schools chief Eugene Sanders noted that the district is conducting studies of its own that could lead to school closings and program cuts. Those studies, unlike the one proposed by Strickland, will not cover personnel. But Sanders said jobs would probably be eliminated if the other cuts are made.

The district has lost more than a third of its students since the start of the decade. Dyer said the schools would eventually see a funding decrease under the House plan if the slide continues.

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