Mahoning County

The crazies are back in Youngstown, OH–or more properly, they never left. Anti-drillers couldn’t get the good citizens of Youngstown to vote in favor of a frack ban twice in a row, but that doesn’t stop zealots like members of FrackFree Mahoning Valley from trying again. They’re back at it, circulating a petition that–for a third time–asks residents to put the same tired old “ban fracking” measure on the ballot for a vote. After twice being voted down in large numbers. The nutters call it a “Bill of Rights” hoping to fool people. Call the measure what you want–its effect would be to shut down Youngstown from the drilling industry and deny residents the multitude of benefits they now get from Utica drilling (jobs and business tax revenue).

But hey, it’s (still) America where fruitcakes have the freedom to do what they want–including pestering their neighbors to sign a petition circulated twice before. Our advice: If one of the FrackFree Mahoning fruitcakes comes knocking on your door–hand them the fruitcake you got for Christmas and still haven’t eaten, and send them packing…
Read More “Third Time the Charm? Youngstown Anti-Drillers Try Again for Ban”

In a transparently hypocritical move, anti-fossil fuel agitators who are placing a referendum on the ballot in Youngstown, OH for a second time this year have removed language that would have prevented one of the city’s biggest employers and businesses, Vallourec Star (manufactures steel pipes) from selling its pipes to the drilling industry. All other businesses that sell to the natural gas industry–you’re toast under the ban.

You see, it’s OK to profit from the drilling industry, it’s OK to use the cheap natural gas that comes from the drilling industry to heat homes and use for cooking–just don’t drill anywhere near me for that gas. It’s called “good for thee but not for me.” It’s hypocrisy on glorious display. If the dunderheads prevail in hoodwinking enough voters to pass the ban, we hope and trust Vallourec will still make good on their threat to move outside of the city limits–denying the city millions in tax revenue. And we trust the anti-frackers will turn off the natural gas spigot heating their homes–after all, it comes from fracking. Throw another log on the fire Wilma!…
Read More “Youngstown Hypocrites “Adjust” Language in Frack Ban Measure”

When you rush to do a dumb thing, you later regret it. City council members in Niles, OH have learned that hard lesson after voting last month to implement a ban on shale drilling. In their haste to “protect residents” from drilling, they didn’t bother to read the fine print of the bill they passed (no doubt drafted by a helpful anti-driller). In addition to banning shale drilling in the city–something that wouldn’t happen anyway–the bill also bans businesses that operate in the city and the city itself from doing business with the drilling industry. Oops. The city does a lot of business with the drilling industry.

Now city council members are planning a vote to rescind the ban they just passed last month…
Read More “Niles, OH Considers Vote to Rescind Ill-Advised Frack Ban”

In May 2013, the citizens of Youngstown, OH wisely chose not to commit economic suicide by voting against a ban on fracking–a ban that not only ban fracking but also outlaw the business activities of some companies that support the drilling industry (see Youngstown, OH Votes Down Fracking Ban Amendment). The people had their say, and they said 57% to 43% “we’ll take fracking and the jobs that go with it, thank you very much.” But you have to hand it to irrational anti-drilling zealots–they don’t give up. They are bound and determined to commit economic suicide, and now, they may have just been handed the equivalent of a loaded gun with permission to do it…
Read More “Economic Suicide Attempt #2: Youngstown to Vote Again on Frack Ban”