Local Activist Appointed President of Stonewall Democrats
Cuyahoga Falls native Shane May was recently appointed president after a year of participating in gay rights protests.
Coty May
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Saturday, January 19, 2013
Monday, May 21, 2012
Letter to the Editor: Parks Board Made Right Choice on Natatorium Rates
The following was submitted by Pastor Chris McCombs of Broadman Baptist Church.
Natatorium Rate Structure Debate proves Cuyahoga Falls is a Great City with Great People despite differing opinions: For months Cuyahoga Falls discussed the sacred, constitutional, historic, and financial aspects of marriage pertaining to the Natatorium rate structure. The media coverage, overall, was slanted toward the “gay” marriage position, so please consider another perspective. The citizens who were involved in this process represented our community well. Those supporting traditional marriage argued for the sacred and Constitutional definition of marriage, between one man and one woman, while remaining compassionate and considerate toward differing views. Proponents of “gay” marriage attempted to suppress the value of …
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Friday, May 11, 2012
Parks Board Makes Final Ruling on Natatorium Rates
The Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board voted down two motions, 3-2, that were aimed at making the "w/spouse" rate more inclusive.
In a controversial move, the Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board voted down two motions, 3-2, at its meeting on Thursday night to uphold the Natatorium's "w/spouse" membership rate. The motions were based on a “Memorandum of Understanding” drawn up by Cuyahoga Falls Council members Diana Colavecchio and Terry Mader and Broadman Baptist Pastors Chris McCombs and Rick Mangrum. The memo was viewed as a compromise measure since Mader, Mangrum and McCombs had previously opposed any change to the spousal rate. The motions aimed to reword w/spouse to "w/spouse or second adult," said board chairman Tim Gorbach. The amended language would have allowed for any two adults living in the same local household to receive a discount, he said. …
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Mike Penta
1:29 pm on Thursday, May 17, 2012
Chris, I actually disagree with the statement "the process...is something everyone in our community should applaud." Certainly you, Diana, and others worked very hard to find common ground and propose a workable solution. The problem is the Park Board didn't accept it. more ›
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Parks Board Rejects Change to Natatorium Rates
The Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board rejected two motions by chairman Tim Gorbach to open up the gym's "w/spouse" membership.
In a controversial move, the Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board voted down two motions at its meeting on Thursday night to uphold the Natatorium's "w/spouse" membership rate. Under the Nat's existing rate structure, the w/spouse rate applies only to heterosexual couples who hold marriage licenses recognized by the Ohio Constitution. Such couples are afforded a yearly membership discount of $260 versus those who hold individual memberships. The motions called for changing w/spouse to "w/spouse or second adult," said board chairman Tim Gorbach. The amended language would have allowed for any two adults living in the same local household to receive the discount. Board members Lorrie Shannon, Dick Sebastian and Debbie Ritzinger voted …
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John McMillan
10:19 am on Saturday, June 23, 2012
Did you not read this part of the article? "Cuyahoga Falls Law Director Paul Janis and Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bill Lohan each described the current rate as "discriminatory" since other gym memberships don't carry the same kind of restrictions." They wanted to change the wording from "spouse" to "spouse or second adult." There was NO suggestion of debate on the oh-so-holy "definition … more ›
Monday, May 7, 2012
Will It Stay or Will It Go? Parks Board Making Final Call on Future of Nat Rate Structure
Over the last several months, the Nat's rates have come under fire by those who say its "w/spouse" memberships are overly restrictive.
It's time. This Thursday, all eyes will be on the Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board when it makes a final ruling on whether or not to change the Natatorium's controversial rate structure. Chairman Tim Gorbach arrived at the next and final step following a report by Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bill Lohan and an address by Falls City Councilwoman Diana Colavecchio that were each delivered publicly at April’s parks board meeting. Lohan based his report on a late-March, closed-door work session he had with Colavecchio, council members Terry Mader and Carrie Snyder, Cuyahoga Falls Law Director Paul Janis and others. Lohan concluded the board could: To absorb the losses, Colavecchio proposed the city reallocate a portion of the …
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Monday, April 16, 2012
GetEqual Protests Against Family Research Council at Tea Party Event
The gay advocacy group contends the "Your Money, Your Values, Your Vote" bus tour works to discriminate against minorities, women and the gay community.
GetEqual of Ohio, a gay rights advocacy group, gathered at Falls River Square to protest the “Your Money, Your Values, Your Vote” bus tour, which rolled in with the Akron Tea Party Rally on Sunday. The nationwide tour, which is funded, in part, by the Washington D.C.-based Family Research Council, is traveling from city to city to register voters, promote prolife ideals, vie for a stronger economy and work toward ensuring religious liberty, said FRC member Connie Mackey. Where the two groups differ is on their interpretations of what marriage should be. GetEqual lead organizer Tom Morgan criticized the group for their "discriminatory stances," and said the FRC's acceptance of known bigots has led to it being placed on the Southern Poverty …
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Friday, April 13, 2012
Parks and Rec Board Prepares for Final Call on Natatorium Rate Structure, Gay Rights Issue
The issue over whether or not to redefine the gym's spouse memberships will be resolved next month.
The end is near. In May, the Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Board will face arguably its biggest decision in decades when it makes a final ruling on whether or not to change the Natatorium's rate structure. Chairman Tim Gorbach arrived at the next and final step following a report by Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bill Lohan and a public address by Falls City Councilwoman Diana Colavecchio during Thursday’s monthly parks board meeting at the Natatorium. Lohan based his report on a late-March, closed-door work session he had with Colavecchio, council members Terry Mader and Carrie Snyder, Cuyahoga Falls Law Director Paul Janis and others. Here’s the breakdown: To absorb the losses, Colavecchio proposed the city reallocate a …
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Pastor Chris
12:03 am on Monday, April 16, 2012
Jan, final thought. I agree this should not be polarizing. I did not ask this to come upon our city. But it did. I never imposed my values upon another, I have simply stood for the existing values of our community as expressed in the State Constitution, as well as expressing God's way for marriage as being best for society and civilization. That is not polarizing, those opposing marriage from a … more ›
Monday, March 26, 2012
Council Members, Natatorium Officials to Meet Behind Closed Doors Regarding Gym's Rate Structure
The group will begin the discussion in a work session format on whether or not to seek an alternative membership rates after Monday's regular City Council meeting.
A handful of Cuyahoga Falls City Council members will meet with Natatorium officlals on Monday to discuss the fitness center's current rate structure and to explore alternatives; however, the public will not be able to attend. Council members Terry Mader, Carrie Snyder and Diana Colavecchio will sit down with Cuyahoga Falls Parks and Recreation Superintendent Bill Lohan, Assistant Superintendent Ed Stewart and Facilities Director Lori Visner to set a discussion in motion following Monday night's regular city council meeting at the Natatorium, said Colavecchio. Since there is no pending legislation and because the number of members attending doesn't constiture a council quorum, the work session format, by law, can be conducted behind closed…
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Bill
3:23 pm on Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Just have a non resident fee and a resident fee...charge as much as other facilities that offer a lot less and call it a day. more ›
Monday, March 19, 2012
Letter to the Editor: City Leaders, Community Should Oppose Natatorium Gay Marriage Issue
The following speech was delivered during the public comments section of the March 8 Parks and Recreation Board meeting by Pastor Chris McCombs. Now, McCombs offers it to the City Council and Falls community for further consideration.
Editor's note: The following was submitted by Chris McCombs, the Pastor of Broadman Baptist Church in Cuyahoga Falls. REASONS TO PROTECT AND PRESERVE THE SOCIAL INSTITUTION OF MARRIAGE: This is not personal, but about principle. This is more about what we stand for, than what we stand against. No one is attempting to take away another person’s rights or freedoms. No one is telling another person how they can live or not live. No one is denying anyone access to patron any establishment in our community. The social institution of marriage in civilization and in our society has always been understood to be one man and one woman. Marriage is for the purposes of procreation, establishing family and perpetuating community. I am asking this …
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Pastor Chris
8:48 pm on Saturday, April 7, 2012
Morgana...thanks for writing. Your use of Scripture is misguided and so is your view of history. In the same letter in Romans that you quote and use as part of your argument Paul writes in Romans 1 about how important the Gospel is, how we are all accountable for our actions before God, calls out particular sins...including the sin of sexual immorality. Additionally, in Romans Paul talks about … more ›
Friday, March 9, 2012
Letter to the Editor: One Way Out of the Natatorium Issue
Cuyahoga Falls Patch reader offers rationale on why she feels the City Council should restructure the Nat's rate policies.
Editor's note: This letter was submitted by former Cuyahoga Falls resident and Patch contributor Kate Bigam. As a former city employee and an advocate for equal rights, I am disappointed in the Parks and Recreation Board’s decision not to update the Natatorium’s membership rates to encompass all kinds of families. As Patch reported yesterday, Board Chairman Tim Gorbach proposed a motion that would have extended the current couples rate to same-sex couples in legally recognized civil unions, domestic partnerships, or marriages performed out of state. Unfortunately, the board rejected this proposal in a 3-2 vote, disappointing those of us who’d hoped to see the Nat’s policies better reflect the kind of open & welcoming place we expect our …
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Shane May
10:38 pm on Sunday, April 1, 2012
Because I was born and raised within that town and have lived there my entire life until I found a home with my HUSBAND two streets over from city lines. more ›
John McMillan
1:02 am on Sunday, August 5, 2012
LOL hear hear Miss Wanda!!! Loved your post...very entertaining, as well as right on the money!!!! more ›