City Council to cleanup the city

The Huntington City Council said Monday come July 1 will be the start of cleaning up the city.

Council members approved what is called a “junk” ordinance that will require residents to remove typical household items, such as mattresses and couches, from their porches or yards.

Residents who do not comply could face a $500 fine or serve time in jail.

The ordinance is part of Mayor Steve Williams’ plan to improve the quality of living of Huntington.

In Monday’s meeting, Mayor Williams said his goal is to make the city better and cleaning up the junk is the first goal.

Council members encouraged the public to help out seniors and neighbors with the cleanup. They also said residents can contact their city councilperson or the Mayor’s office if they have junk or trash they want taken away.

The council also discussed an ordinance for a $65,250 contract with AECOM Technical Services of Richmond, Va., for the development of a skate park at Harris Riverfront Park.

Several council members said it will allow children somewhere to skate and get them off the streets.

The council will vote on the ordinance at the April 8 meeting.

Huntington City Council meeting and occupational tax

The battle over a one percent municipal occupational tax has finally come to an end in Huntington, W.Va.

Huntington City Council voted in a meeting Monday to repeal the tax.

News media outlets report the council has been debating the legality of the municipal tax for nearly three years and would have affected all employees who worked within the city limits.

Several businesses sued the city over the tax.

The Herald-Dispatch reports Huntington Mayor Steve Williams says the tax’s repeal will favor Huntington and other cities while waiting for the decision of the West Virginia Legislature on whether to continue and expand the Municipal Home Rule Pilot Program. The Herald-Dispatch says it is a bill “extending the program through July 1, 2019, and allowing 10 more cities to participate passed the state Senate.”

In lighter business matters, the council opened its meeting with honors to officers in the police force for exceptional service, the Marshall University Swimming and Diving team for placing sixth in the Conference USA and the Huntington High School wrestling team for winning the school's first state Class AAA wrestling championship last month.

The council also opened the floor to the public to voice concerns of city matters.

Huntington City Council Meeting #1

I will be attending the Huntington City Council meeting Mar. 11 at 7:30 p.m. It will be the first of three public meetings I will attend. I expect there to be some discussion about the plans for Huntington’s budget. I am also expecting improvement plans for the city.

Predicted topics covered in state of the union address: We knew

Motivation and inspirational phrases dazzled economical themes that shaped the focus of President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address Tuesday.

Obama said “we are citizens,” “why settle when you know you can have the best?,” “they deserve a vote,” “by next year our war in Afghanistan will be over,” “let’s tie minimum wage to the cost of living,” “let’s get it done” and so on.

Obama energized the nation with words of promise and hope. Hope for an improvement, a change.

Though, this is nothing new. He has said all of this before. In all four of his other State of the Union addresses.

The need to reduce the country’s $16.5 trillion deficit has been discussed before. His arguments of creating new jobs and improving education only help his goal of reducing the deficit.

Of course, we could all see the deficit topic coming.

One New York Times reporter wrote on Jan. 21 that Obama was going to argue “that it is government’s role to promote a prosperous and equitable society, drawing a stark contrast between the parties in a time of deep economic uncertainty.”

The reporter made the statement in response to a video that was e-mailed on Jan. 19 to supporters. In the video, Obama said he had “blueprint for an American economy that’s built to last.”

The reporter knew the topic coming. It was unavoidable. That large sum is not going to magically decrease in four year, eight years, or even 30 years.

So, Obama proposed a plan and he reassured the nation by “We can fix this.”

“Most of us agree that a plan to reduce the deficit must be part of our agenda,” Obama said. “But let’s be clear: deficit reduction alone is not an economic plan.”

Cutting taxes, increase taxes on the wealthy, raising the minimum wage, health care and so on, Obama laid out the map on how government should obtain the goal of decreasing the deficit. He mapped out the “plan.”

As he continued on with economical themes, Obama addressed some issues and topics that have unfolded as a result of events in our nation.

After the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn., the politics for the need of gun control were raised. Obama proposed background checks, laws for illegal resale of guns to criminals and taking away weapons of war and massive ammunition magazines to deal with the new debate of gun violence, which has not been addressed before.

In Las Vegas two weeks ago, Obama spoke on Jan. 29 to bipartisan group of senators who proposed to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws. In Obama’s first term, he lacked support of his immigration reform and one New York Times reporter said that it would be “at the top of his agenda” this time next time around.

“Our economy is stronger when we harness the talents and ingenuity of striving, hopeful immigrants,” Obama said in his State of the Union address.

We could see these topics coming. We knew the deficit would steer the momentum of the speech, we knew Obama would address gun control, mostly what he has said before, We knew he would say we need to do this and that to make a change. We knew. I knew.

Obama only caught me off guard twice when he addressed the Union about ending the war in Afghanistan within the next year and improving voting.

Many might say why is that? Obama has spoken about ending the war before and has pulled out several troops, but it is a process. Telling the nation it is going to happen is different from doing. Only next year will determine if the government follows through.

Voting seemed to come out of left field since it doesn’t level up with issues such as the deficit and gun control. Obama argued the need for the “people” to make a vote. Probably due to the simple fact that government has hard times making decisions and it is a government of the people. They should decide what laws should be past and how the nation should control them or their goods.

The State of the Union address wrapped with “Thank You, God bless you, and God bless these United States of America.” Words Obama has signed his speeches time and time again. And time will only determine whether the ideas and goals he presented will be carried out in our nation.

Immigration laws and gun control predicted to be in Obama's state of the union address

One year. That is how long it has been since President Barack Obama addressed the State of our Union. He has done so for four years arguing the needs to improve education, grow the economy, find better and cleaner energy resources, and the deficit.

Now, it is time for Obama to give his State of the Union address once again.

As he moves into his second term, the question is what we will expect from Obama this time around.

In his first State of the Union address in 2009, Obama wanted to rebuild and recover. He wanted to create jobs for Americans and not send them overseas. He wanted a reform to allow funding for people to receive higher education. New cleaner energy resources and healthcare were also topics he discussed. Obama was hopeful and his issues were broad.

His second State of the Union address was a mere reflection of his first term. Obama discussed the progress the Recovery Act. He argued it created jobs and cut taxes. Obama said “jobs must be our number-one focus in 2010.” He also covered issues such as a need for financial reform, encouragement of American innovation, exporting of goods, investments in skills and education of the people, affordable mortgages for homeowners and the deficit.

In 2011, Obama’s third State of the Union address tackled the idea of the “American Dream.” He encouraged the idea of American innovation. Create jobs here and have the United State be the industry leader once again. Obama proposed by 2035 that 80 percent of America’s energy will come from clean energy sources. He argued it would maintain America’s leadership in research and technology. Ultimately it would lead the country’s success. Obama engaged the issue of improving education leading to more jobs. Illegal immigration was briefly discussed and Obama said to not expel the talent that was enriching the nation. Again, Obama tackled the issues of creating jobs, taxes and the deficit.

In Obama’s fourth State of the Union address, he reflected on the progress the past three years had made and what needed to be done in his fourth year as president. “I will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis in the first place,” Obama said. He then justified his reoccurring ideas of improving the industrial industry, education, the deficit, job opportunities and taxes.

Those issues will not go away.

Obama will still tell the nation education has to improve because it will better the economy. He will still convey the message for the need to tax people of higher income and cut those for the middle working class. He will say health care needs to improve. He will say these things at some point, but will they be the main focus of his address.

What will he say?

Gun control has become a hot topic since the shooting at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newton, Conn. Due to the impact on the country, Obama took immediate action. Obama has asked Congress to introduce measures to reduce gun violence and keep the children safe. Vice President Joe Biden has also addressed the nation supporting Obama’s plan to reduce the violence.

The change in immigration laws has also become a topic of high interest. Obama says the United States is a “country of immigrants” and that we have always been. He argued we are descended from relatives who lived somewhere else and the only true people of this country are the Native Americans. A writer for The New York Times says the key issues dealing with immigration are “whether to make a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants conditional on further tightening the nation’s borders.”

In Obama’s inauguration speech on Jan. 21, he stressed the need to work as one unit, as one country working together. There is no doubt he will mention it in the coming State of the Union address. Obama will discuss the need to work as a nation to get these improvements done and move from what the state of the country is at the current moment.

The entire purpose of the State of the Union address is for the president to address to the country and Congress about the current state of our country and where he wants to take the country in the coming year.

It is hard to predict all the issues Obama will discuss or whether some of the current issues will even be addressed. Only on Feb. 12 will we all know the goals for the year from the president himself.

Did we forget Martin Luther King Jr.?

Dreams. Journeys. It has been a day filled with both moving messages. From 1963 to 2013, the dream and journey of freedom are the same. Then, it was race. Today, it is the rights for gay Americans. Freedom is what we honor today. It is a day full of celebration. Today is not only the day that President Barack Obama, the first black president, is to be sworn into office this morning with his second inauguration. It is a day we are to honor and respect a historical figure in the Civil Rights Movement. Martin Luther King Jr. is that man.

Did we forget?

Today was more than swearing President Obama into his second term. It is about the man who fought for the rights of many African Americans in this country several years ago. Today, Mon Jan. 21 or the third Monday of January is a day reserved to honor him, Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

If the president’s inauguration was not today, would we have even celebrated it?

For many students, specifically at Marshall University, it is just another day off from work or classes. Several students said they love the fact there are no classes and “hooray! a three day weekend."

You can see on Twitter or Facebook post of people enjoying the day off and an occasional “Happy MLK Day!” Is that the extent of our celebration?

In elementary school, there are tons of activities on and around this day to honor King and to learn the significant role he played in our history. Students still had off on the actual date, but they are honoring him in the days before and after.

Now, it really is a day off. Where are we to celebrate this man? A local church in Huntington, W.Va. sponsored a march 10 a. m. today to honor several of the marches King led several thousands of people throughout the country. Though, on this specific day, there was not much celebration since the day has been consumed with the celebration of the presidential inauguration.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter that the presidential inauguration was today because many of us would still not be celebrating the efforts of this man. As a college student, it is wonderful to have that break from classes and enjoy the three day weekend.

There was time to watch the inauguration, to head to Walmart for a few necessities, and complete some homework. To me, I didn’t even honor the man at all.

Do we ever? Are we more grateful to have this day to catch up on the “To-do list” around the house?

It is hard to believe that anyone took the time to remember an important man from some years ago.

But, we’re not all heartless. We tend to forget. There is no constant reminder that today or any third Monday in January is a day we should take time to honor King.

President Obama surely did. He did not say anything out loud, but his inaugural speech was closely similar to the one that King gave years ago. King spoke of freedom for African Americans and President Obama spoke for the rights of gays.

Both spoke of brotherhood and the needs to be equal in this country.

King said this in his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech: “I have a dream that one day…little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.”

President Obama’s speech contained the repeated words of “our journey is not complete.”

“Our journey is not complete until our gay brothers and sisters are treated like anyone else under the law, for if we are truly created equal, then surely the love we commit to one another must be equal, as well,” President Obama said.

Both also spoke of working together, being a nation together. The word together was stressed in both speeches made by these men.

“With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day,” King said.

“We made ourselves anew, and vowed to move forward together,” President Obama said.

President Obama had King in mind when writing this speech and whether he publically mentioned the significance of today or not, he honored the man by forming his speech to that of King’s.

Still, none of us really sit down to think about our “day off.” A day we are to honor a man who was arrested several times for the rights of black people in this country. To honor a man who spent most of his life educating himself and came a leader for the Civil rights movement.

King was born was born Jan. 15, 1929 in Atlanta, Ga. He graduated from a public segregated high school at the age of fifteen, according to a biography by The Nobel Peace Prize. King then graduated from Morehouse College with a bachelor’s of arts degree in 1948. King also completed three years of theological study at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania. In 1951, he was elected president of his senior class, who was predominantly white, and was awarded a bachelor’s degree, according to the Nobel Peace Prize biography. After his fellowship at Crozer, King took his education further and enrolled in graduate studies at Boston University. King completed his residence for the doctorate in 1953 and received the degree in 1955.

After his advanced education, King focused his efforts on the Civil Rights Movement. By 1954, he was a member of the executive committee for the National Association for the Advancement of Color People, according to the Nobel Peace Prize.

King was elected in 1957 as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which was formed to provide new leadership to the efforts of the Civil Rights Movement according to the Nobel Peace Prize biography. Between the years of 1957 to 1968, King delivered speeches across the U.S., traveling a large sum of miles, and was arrested about twenty times. He also wrote five books and was named Man of the Year by Time magazine in 1963, according to the Nobel Peace Prize biography.

Due to his enormous success as an activist during the Civil Rights Movement, King was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize at the age of thirty-five. King’s life was cut short when he was assassinated on the balcony of a hotel in Memphis, Tenn.

We will always remember who Martin Luther King Jr. is and was, but as the years continue to fly by we tend to forget the importance we place on holidays in order to remember strong leaders. Maybe that will change or we will keep checking off things on our “to-do list.”

What's ahead for Martin Luther King Jr.?

It is a holiday and we all love having the day off, but is that it to what will be coming this Monday for most of us in school and at federal offices. It is nice to have the day off, but are we suppose to go on that shopping trip or run errands. Monday marks the day that we will be celebrating the accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr., but are we going to be celebrating at all. I will take the day to attend a Martin Luther King celebration and asking those who attend why they are celebrating. I will also be asking people that do not. It will be an opinion, something like what you would see in The New York Times. It will challenge you the reader to think about what it is that you do to celebrate the holiday. Or what is that you do on the free time that you have off. Blog to be posted Monday, Jan. 21, 2013.