Sinking Street; Neighbors Meet

The surface of Chatham and West 30th had been leaking water for a few days before a large sinkhole opened up and swallowed an RV. It was about 15 feet deep and completely hollow minus a couple of bricks and some rushing water. 

I had called the water department a few days before and they had evidently visited because there were spray painted glyphics on the street in red and yellow. I can't imagine they knew the immediacy of the problem from their investigation, but from the photo you can see the red arrows pointing right at the edge of the sinkhole. 

Last night the RV kept falling deeper into the street and it was up to the rear window before bedtime. I am not sure how it was towed it out, but it was gone this morning.  When I got home from work, the hole was filled in somewhat with cement.  

The positive to the bottom dropping out of the street was speaking with a lot of my neighbors as we gawked at the scene and tried to keep the kids from the edge of the crumbling street. 

I Voted Today: No Sticker

The last two presidential elections did not inspire my confidence in Ohio's version of the free and fair franchise. I don't feel this way because my candidates of choice lost; I feel this way because I think they probably won. I am not prone to conspiracy theories, but I can't dismiss a greater plan to disenfranchise: hanging chads in 2000, the touch screen debacles in 2004, long lines both years, etc . . .

In the primary election last spring, a BOE poll worker actually inspected my ballot. She opened it up, read my vote, detached the portion that was supposed to stay attached (I found out later), and then put it who knows where. Believe me, I love going to the polls on election day to commune with my fellow voters -- to get that sticker, but I decided not to risk it this year.

In 2008, I voted as safely, securely and tamper-resistantly as I know how. I requested my ballot by mail and filled it with leisure at my kitchen table with the help of the League of Women Voters. Today I delivered it in person to the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections and dropped it in the locked, blue ballot box myself.