Newark Earthworks

The Newark Earthworks in Newark and Heath, Ohio, consists of three sections of preserved earthworks: the Great Circle Earthworks, the Octagon Earthworks, and the Wright Earthworks.

This complex contained the largest earthen enclosures in the world, being about 3,000 acres in extent.

Today, the site itself covers 206 acres. The site is preserved as a state park by the Ohio Historical Society. It has been designated a National Historic Landmark. In 2006, Newark Earthworks was also designated as the "official prehistoric monument of the State of Ohio."

In addition, this is part of the Hopewell Ceremonial Earthworks, one of 14 sites nominated in January 2008 by the U.S. Department of the Interior for potential submission by the United States to the UNESCO World Heritage List.

MORE ON THE EARTHWORKS

Zanesville, Ohio - Been there many times, near where we live

Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road from Wheeling, VA (now WVa) to Maysville, KY through present-day Ohio.

He gave, in payment, in 1797 to his son-in-law, John McIntire (1747–1811), at the point where Zane's Trace met the Muskingum River. With Zane's help, McIntire platted out the town and opened an inn and ferry by 1799. In 1801, Zanesville was officially renamed from Westbourne (Zane's chosen town name).

From 1810–1812, the city was the second state capital of Ohio. The National Road runs through Zanesville as U.S. Route 40. Over 5000 Union soldiers, along with hundreds of town folks were stationed in the Zanesville area to protect the city in 1863 during the raid of Morgan's Raider.

Novelist Zane Grey, a descendant of the Zane family, was born in the city.

The city has two engineering landmarks: the Muskingum River Canal, designated a National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark; and the Zanesville Y-Bridge, the only such structure in the United States still in use. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Is cursive dying?

As schools swap out old state standards for new Common Core academics, educators are warning about an overlooked casualty of progress — cursive handwriting.

They say that, because Common Core standards don’t call for cursive instruction, public schools are more likely to drop or, at least, de-emphasize it. Their fears are not unfounded. At least 41 states do not require public schools to teach cursive reading or writing.

Ohio leaves cursive instruction up to schools and districts. Before Common Core, Ohio’s elementary school standards recommended teaching cursive in grades 3 to 4.

Common Core is silent on cursive, but it prioritizes computer use and keyboarding skills because its tests are taken on computers. Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee often means kindergartners are being taught computer skills, teachers said.

In Ohio, cursive has become a contentious subject. Ohio’s Board of Education’s Achievement Committee in July grilled the Ohio Department of Education’s specialists about cursive instruction. More questions are expected at its next board meeting in September.

Debe Terhar, the board’s president, previously said that schools should be encouraged to keep “best practices.”

“I realize that computer skills are also essential for our children to master,” she said. “I cannot imagine a child who is unable to write their own name in cursive or to be able to read the beautiful cursive writing of the Declaration of Independence.”

Monday's Most Wanted: Christopher Dennison

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Franklin County Sheriff's Office wants help locating a man wanted on a felony charge of OVI.

Christopher Dennison, 34, is Monday's Most Wanted fugitive.


Anyone with information about Dennison's whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff's office at 614-525-3333.


Watch 10TV News and refresh 10TV.com for more information.

US swimmer near end of Cuba to Florida attempt

KEY WEST, Florida (AP) — With her lips and tongue swollen, U.S. endurance swimmer Diana Nyad edged closer to Florida on Monday in her attempt to become the first person to swim the treacherous waters from Cuba to Key West without a shark cage.

Nyad has made it farther than in any of her previous four tries, and she was about 5 miles (8 kilometers) from Florida on Monday morning, according to her representatives. She was on course to swim about 110 miles (177 kilometers) and expected to arrive in Key West on Monday between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. EDT.

Doctors who are traveling with a team of Nyad supporters said her swollen lips and tongue were causing her speech to be slurred and they were worried about her breathing, but they have not intervened, according to a post on Nyad's website.

Nyad's journey began Saturday morning when she jumped from the seawall of the Hemingway Marina into the warm waters off Havana. She has been swimming the Florida Strait ever since, stopping from time to time for nourishment.

She had gotten very cold overnight, her team said, so they decided not to stop her to eat and drink in hopes that swimming would keep her warm.

USS Nimitz carrier moves into Red Sea

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and four other ships in its strike group moved into the Red Sea early on Monday, U.S. defense officials said, describing the move as "prudent planning" in case the ships are needed for military action against Syria.

The officials said the Nimitz entered the Red Sea around 6 a.m. EDT, but the strike group had not received any orders to move into the Mediterranean, where five U.S. destroyers and an amphibious ship remain poised for possible cruise missile strikes against Syria.

Moving the Nimitz into the Red Sea was aimed at putting more U.S. assets in place if they are needed to support what U.S. officials still describe as a limited attack against Syria after it used chemical weapons against civilians.

"It does place that strike group in a position to respond to a variety of contingencies," said one official, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

The nuclear-powered Nimitz is accompanied by the Princeton, a cruiser, and three destroyers - the William P. Lawrence, Stockdale and Shoup, according to the officials.

A statistic he was never proud of .....................

Listen this this all the way through ... Happy Labor Day

Jim and the drivers test ................ watch and enjoy

I don't know how many of you have seen this, it was aired on a TV segment tonight of the funniest moments on TV ..... It is my funniest moment. I have seen it many times, just watch it a few times, there are tears streaming down my cheeks. Mary Lou Henner said she got lead poisoning from the pencil she had in her hand, not sure from biting it or running it through her hand. I don't know how the cast got through it.

Reverend Jim was probably my all time favorite TV character. TAXI had a great cast. Jim was a great addition.

The Sunday before Labor Day

Weatherwise, a pleasant Sunday. Tomorrow is Labor Day 2013. It used to be a day of parades, carnivals and Fall Festivals, but we were a healthy community in Newark in those days. Owens Corning, E.T. Rugg, Roper, Rockwell, Kaiser, and a multitude of supporting smaller plants, many were working, and at a decent wage. I think now, it would consist of fast food workers, lawyers and bankers. I just checked our local newspaper for events tomorrow, it consisted primarily of restaurants offering ribs.

Looking back, I think what I remembered most about the day, I had to go to bed early, School Starts Tomorrow .... now, many have already started. I seem to remember it, over the years, as a big day for Unions and Union Workers, my Dad was a Doctor, no union for him.

My wife informed me last night that I was being sued by someone. My wife went through Cancer Treatment and has been FREE for many years, the cure was responsible for a number of hospital visits, monthly visits to the hospital, a pacemaker/defibrillator, which has gone off on a number of occasions, necessitating hospital visits, the wires coming out on two occasions, a broken arm, the prescribed therapy caused the wires to come out, and, in general, ten years of medical bills. And my triple bi-pass and a few other hospital visits, for me, have left us, breaking even each month.

I am 80, the wife is near that, 50 years of marriage, no complaints.

Not all the bills have gotten paid. Years ago, when cell phones were new, I got one. It wouldn't work, then we found out the one I bought DID NOT work in our area, and took it back. Regardless of calls, etc., someone wanted me to pay for it. It got turned over for collection, goes from hand to hand. There were other similar, and some we just could not pay. Someone sued me a while ago, didn't go to court, so they won, but since we are on SS, that cannot be touched, so nothing happened.

Now, she tells me that the same people are suing me again, and I am not sure of all the details, but they are suing to talk to me on the phone. I have never heard of that, so will keep you updated. They are probably upset hearing my answering message all the time. It really seems like a complete waste of time, what if I don't answer, will they take our phone out? Why don't they just call Washington and ask them, they know everything else.

For dinner, you ask, I am simmering some fresh green beans, in ham broth, with some onions, Wright's Liquid Smoke, soon will put some small red potatoes in the broth and fixing some Shake N Bake chicken thighs. The aroma in here, right now, is making me hungry ..... Hope all celebrating this time have a safe celebration .... Come on Fall .... I am ready ...........

Exclusive: Intercepted Calls Prove Syrian Army Used Nerve Gas, U.S. Spies Say

Last Wednesday, in the hours after a horrific chemical attack east of Damascus, an official at the Syrian Ministry of Defense exchanged panicked phone calls with a leader of a chemical weapons unit, demanding answers for a nerve agent strike that killed more than 1,000 people. Those conversations were overheard by U.S. intelligence services, The Cable has learned. And that is the major reason why American officials now say they're certain that the attacks were the work of the Bashar al-Assad regime -- and why the U.S. military is likely to attack that regime in a matter of days.

But the intercept raises questions about culpability for the chemical massacre, even as it answers others: Was the attack on Aug. 21 the work of a Syrian officer overstepping his bounds? Or was the strike explicitly directed by senior members of the Assad regime? "It's unclear where control lies," one U.S. intelligence official told The Cable. "Is there just some sort of general blessing to use these things? Or are there explicit orders for each attack?"

  Nor are US analysts sure of the Syrian military's rationale for launching the strike --  if it had a rationale at all. Perhaps it was a lone general putting a long-standing battle plan in motion; perhaps it was a miscalculation by the Assad government. Whatever the reason, the attack has triggered worldwide outrage, and put the Obama administration on the brink of launching a strike of its own in Syria. "We don't know exactly why it happened," the intelligence official added. "We just know it was pretty stupid."

American intelligence analysts are certain that chemical weapons were used on Aug. 21 -- the captured phone calls, combined with local doctors' accounts and video documentation of the tragedy -- are considered proof positive. That is why the U.S. government, from the president on down, has been unequivocal in its declarations that the Syrian military gassed thousands of civilians in the East Ghouta region.

Peanuts

Some inferior charter schools use loopholes to stay open

By Jennifer Smith Richards
There is a rule about bad charter schools in Ohio: They can’t stay open if they don’t improve.

There’s also a confusing truth: Sometimes charters don’t get better and they don’t close.

Some schools have avoided the state’s charter-closing laws after enrolling more students with disabilities, which exempted them. Others were closed by their sponsors for poor performance only to find a new sponsor. And recently, one charter operator whose school was shut down for bleak academic performance updated the building, staff and school board, and opened another school in the same spot under a new name.

Just as they do with traditional public schools, the new state report cards highlight the serious struggles of many of the charter schools statewide and in Franklin County. More than 1 in 4 charters statewide received mostly F grades. In Franklin County, about 23 percent of graded charter schools got mostly F’s.

A few of the long-struggling schools were “non renewed” over the summer by a sponsor, or overseer, for poor academic performance. But they shopped for a new sponsor and still are open.

“Is it going to get worse? I think it could,” said Dave Cash, who acts as a sponsor for St. Aloysius Orphanage and is president of Charter School Specialists in Pickerington. “As our expectations and accountability increase — and it is with the new report cards — people are going to look for an out. I’m all about treating the schools fairly, but if it doesn't make any difference whether we non renewed them or not, then I have no value.”

One Man’s Profound Words After the Love of his Life Died Last Week

A week ago, this girl was tragically killed in a car accident. The man who loves her shared his feelings on Reddit recently. They will break your heart but inspire you:

“I’d like to start off by saying this post is not intended for Karma. I created a throwaway simply for this purpose of sharing the story of how greatly Tori impacted my life in such a short period of time. If you get anything from this, I simply hope you see this picture and take a brief moment to consider how fragile our lives are. I personally have never experienced a death close to home before this, and am still trying to cope with the fact that someone I held dear to my heart is gone forever and I never got to say goodbye. I've already begun reevaluating the priorities in my life and paying more attention to how I treat those around me. Simple things like saying I love you more often now hold great meaning to me. Being honest with my friends without fearing being embarrassed or feeling too emotional are now becoming more frequent in my day to day interactions. I doubt anyone is even reading this; the emotional ramblings of a depressed and confused boy at 2 a.m. But if by the off chance you are, I hope you think about Tori for a little bit. I hope you tell someone you love them. I hope you live a life as positive and impacting as hers. And I hope you never have to feel what I am right now.”

New York investigating complaint against Travers Stakes winner

The New York State Gaming Commission is investigating a complaint into the running of the $1 million Travers Stakes, which the D. Wayne Lukas-trained Will Take Charge won by a nose over Moreno.

Spokesman Lee Park confirmed that gaming commission is looking into a complaint lodged by the connections of Moreno into the running of the race.

“We have received a complaint that we are thoroughly investigating,” he said, “and we have sought the assistance of the New York State Police, which has expertise in video analysis…. I cannot confirm what came with the complaint. However, I can confirm … that we do have more than one video of the race that’s being reviewed.”

Daily Racing Form reported that Moreno’s connections allege that Will Take Charge’s jockey, Luis Saez, used an electrical device – in racing parlance known as a “machine,” “battery” or “buzzer” – during the race. Such devices, whose purpose is to stimulate a horse to run faster, are banned at racetracks.

Eric Guillot, Moreno’s trainer, told The Courier-Journal Saturday morning that he could not comment, having promised the New York stewards and gaming commission that he would not speak to the press at this time.

He later was quoted by the New York Daily News as saying, “I brought them (officials) the video. I showed it to 100 people, ain’t been one person to deny it yet. You see a blurry, black device go from the right hand to the left hand and then he drops it.”

I will sleep better tonight .... just knowing .... they are there....

Artist painted donkey statues are displayed in the 'Caravan' exhibition on August 30, 2013 in London, England.

The exhibition featuring 25 life-size painted donkeys comes from Egypt and is the work of Western and Egyptian artists, both Muslim and Christian, who were each asked to decorate a life-size fibreglass donkey sculpted by Egyptian artist Reda Abdel Rahman. (Getty)

"Give me just one more of these bartender, these are, s m o o t h."

"Harry, I'm ideaed out, you got any ideas what I can paint?"

"You got ....... what, how many, you gotta be kiddiin?"

"Hey, I'll do one, but you gotta find other guys to do the rest .... anything I want ... OK, hey, bartender, just one more, then I gotta go paint a jackass .... no, not him ... a plastic one ..... no, really."

Syria hails 'historic American retreat' as Obama hesitates

By Yara Bayoumy and Dominique Vidalon

BEIRUT/PARIS (Reuters) - Syria hailed an "historic American retreat" on Sunday after President Barack Obama delayed an imminent military strike by deciding to consult Congress.

As Obama stepped back from the brink, France said it could not act alone in punishing President Bashar al-Assad over a chemical weapons attack, making it the last remaining top Western ally to hesitate about bombing Syria.

"Obama announced yesterday, directly or through implication, the beginning of the historic American retreat," Syria's official al-Thawra newspaper said in a front-page editorial.

The U.S. president said on Saturday he would seek congressional consent before taking military action against Damascus for the August 21 attack which he blames on Assad's forces - a decision likely to delay any strike for at least nine days.

Syria's deputy foreign minister Faisal Mekdad denounced any armed Western move against his government. "A decision to wage war on Syria is a criminal decision and an incorrect decision. We are confident that we will be victorious," he told reporters outside a hotel in Damascus.

However, Syria's opposition coalition called on Sunday on the U.S. congress to grant approval for military action and said any intervention should be accompanied with more arms for the rebels.

Obama made his surprise announcement in a gamble that will test his ability to project American strength abroad and deploy his own power at home.

Obama's credibility on line in reversal

WASHINGTON (AP) — For more than a week, the White House had been barreling toward imminent military action against Syria. But President Barack Obama's abrupt decision to instead ask Congress for permission left him with a high-risk gamble that could devastate his credibility if no action is ultimately taken in response to a deadly chemical weapons attack that crossed his own "red line."

The stunning reversal also raises questions about the president's decisiveness and could embolden leaders in Syria, Iran, North Korea and elsewhere, leaving them with the impression of a U.S. president unwilling to back up his words with actions.

The president, in a hastily announced statement Saturday in the White House Rose Garden, argued that he did in fact have the power to act on his own. But faced with the prospect of taking action opposed by many Americans, the commander in chief tried to shift the burden and instead round up partners on Capitol Hill to share in that responsibility.

"While I believe I have the authority to carry out this military action without specific congressional authorization, I know that the country will be stronger if we take this course, and our actions will be even more effective," Obama said. "We should have this debate."

The consequences for Obama's turnabout could be sweeping, both at home and abroad. If Congress votes against military action, it would mark a humiliating defeat for a second-term president already fighting to stay relevant and wield influence in Washington. It could also weaken his standing internationally at a time when there are already growing questions about the scope of American influence, particularly in the Arab world.

After the press conference he and Biden headed for the golf course ......... 
"HEY, it's up to them now! ... FORE"

DB Cooper - possibly died from an infected belly button