The Kenton Times

Local News

Times photo/Christina Hoy
Outstanding senior
Ora “Bud” Winzenried was named the Outstanding Senior Citizen of the year by the Hardin County Council on Aging Friday before the Senior Citizens’ Day lunch at the fairgrounds. He is pictured with (from left) his wife Barbara, and Council on Aging Assistant Director Bonnie McBride and Executive Director Shirl Taylor.

Winzenried honored as Senior Citizen of the Year
By CHRISTINA HOY
Times staff writer
For nearly a century, the 2008 Hardin County Senior Citizen of Year has been serving on various board and committees.
Ora “Bud” Winzenried of Kenton was recognized for his community service at the award presentation by the Council on Aging Friday during Senior Citizens’ Day at the Hardin County Fair.
He began his service in 1959 after he moved to Kenton and began working as chief executive officer of Kenton Structural and Ornamental Iron Works. He served as chairman of the Hardin County Republican Party for 12 years and now serves on the executive committee.
He has also served on the Hardin Memorial Hospital board, Housing Development Board for the Hardin County Board of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabili-ties and has served on the Hardin County Council on Aging Levy Campaign Committee.
Winzenried is also a life member of the Ohio State University Alumni Association and has served as a trustee on the Board of Directors of the Ohio State Alumni Association. He served as Hardin County Ohio State Alumni Club president from 1963 to 1967.

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 5, 2008

Mauk tries to save college career in court
By DAN ROBINSON
Times staff writer
Cincinnati quarterback and Kenton native Ben Mauk is used to scrambling on the football field, but the legal scramble to save his college career began Thursday in Hardin County Common Pleas Court.
Coming just one day after the National Collegiate Athletic Association announced it was turning Mauk down for the fifth time in his appeal to secure a sixth year of eligibility, the Kenton High School graduate is taking his final shot by suing the NCAA. He is seeking a permanent injunction which would open the door for Mauk to return to the University of Cincinnati for one more season.
Mauk's college career began at Wake Forest and it is his freshman year of collegiate participation which is under the legal microscope. The former Mr. Ohio Football claims he was not physically able to play when he arrived at the Wake Forest campus because of an injury he had sustained four years earlier in Kenton.
As he was entering high school, Mauk testified, he broke his left leg. A plate and several screws were put in place by surgeons in his leg and foot. As a result, Mauk testified, he lost feeling in his foot and his toes curled uncontrollably. Throughout high school, his foot grew worse until he returned to the surgeons in March of his senior year.
A few months later, Mauk was practicing with his new team, but finding it extremely painful to take part in drills and to perform at the level he expected, he told the court. Often after a day of practicing, Mauk said, his sock was covered with blood.
There were only three scholarship quarterbacks in the Wake Forest program, he continued. He was reminded often if the other two players at his position couldn't play, Mauk would be expected to fill in as needed.
"I couldn't push off my foot, my balance was way off," said Mauk. "I was always being yelled at because I couldn't get up on the balls of my toes. I was in a lot of pain."
The coaches told Mauk his athletic scholarship was reviewed annually and if he couldn't contribute to the team, he would be forced out of school.
"They told me, ‘You can't help the club in the tub,'" said Mauk. "The thought of being sent home and losing my college degree scared me. If I had to go out on one leg, I would be there."
(Refer to page 1 of the Kenton Times)

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 4, 2008

R'mont residents weigh in on superintendent's future plans
By TIM THOMAS
Times editor
MOUNT VICTORY - To some, Ridgemont Superintendent Bruce Gast wants to be a double-dipper. To others, he's a hard-working educator who wants to start drawing the pension he's earned during 35 years in education after the 2008-2009 school year.
Both opinions were expressed Wednesday afternoon at a special meeting of the Ridgemont Board of Education. It conducted a required public hearing on Gast's request to retire next summer and to be rehired as the district's leader.
The board will make a decision on the matter at its Sept. 22 regular meeting.
Board member Dean McCullough explained that the only time a public hearing is required is if a school employee wants to stay at the same district. Gast could retire and go to another district without a hearing, he said.
Both Scott McKee and Kim Richardson said double-dippers – those collecting a pension while still employed – in the private sector have cost them their jobs.
McKee said if Gast wishes to retire he should give up his position and let someone else seek the job.
But Connie Reel, the district's transportation supervisor, said Gast is doing a good job and the bus drivers want him to remain as superintendent.
"He wants to collect money he's entitled to. ...I don't want him replaced because he wants to collect his own money," she said.
Mike Shuster suggested the district needs to examine what is a normal price/benefit package for a district Ridgemont's size. "I think it's a little high here," he said.
(Refer to page 1 of the Kenton Times)

Mauk loses NCAA appeal, takes case to court
CINCINNATI (AP) - Former Cincinnati quarterback Ben Mauk lost his final appeal to the NCAA for more playing time.
Mauk was turned down Wednesday by the NCAA's reinstatement committee, the last step in trying to get another season of eligibility from the association. It was the fifth time that he was turned down by the NCAA staff or its reinstatement committee.
He contended that injuries cost him playing time at Wake Forest, so he should get one more season at Cincinnati, where he is a graduate student. The committee heard his appeal by phone last Thursday and concluded there was no proof that Mauk had to redshirt his freshman season at Wake Forest because of injury.
Mauk's lawyer said that he will resume his attempt to overturn the NCAA's decision in court.
Lawyer Kevin Murphy filed a lawsuit last month in Hardin County, where Mauk lives when he's not at school, and got a temporary restraining order against the NCAA.
Now, Murphy will ask Hardin County Judge William Hart for a permanent injunction today.
(Refer to page 1 of the Kenton Times)