Murder outside church sets a new standard for low

Murder outside church sets a new standard for low

EDITOR:

I have lived in Youngstown for over 50 years, and have a house on E. Lucius, in the same block as St. Dominic Church. Angeline Fimognari’s death in the St. Dominic’s church parking lot is a landmark murder in Youngstown.

I lived on Lucius for 14 years, attending the same church, often walking there to attend morning mass. During that time, a widow who also lived on Lucius was broken into, beaten and robbed. Through an anonymous donor, I restored some of what this victim had lost. Her feeling of safety could not be restored, and she moved away.

When the time comes when a woman cannot attend a church service without thinking of inherent dangers of being a woman alone, the vulnerability of the aged and risks of traveling in certain neighborhoods, then the times are indeed the worst I have seen in my half a century of living here.

I remember army tanks rolling up Glenwood Avenue during the days of unrest when Kent State University students were shot. There were the dark nights of the steel mill closings in the seventies, mafia shootings and corruption, but these stemmed from economic and political issues, and were not personal. Angeline’s murder creates a different kind of outrage. The church parking lot robbery was one perpetrator and one victim. Angeline was an innocent and was murdered on holy ground, for those who believe in the power of faith. If we have no safety there, then there is no consciousness of sanctity of life. That means the perpetrator has no regard for his own life. To risk imprisonment or the death penalty for a small sum of money shows desperation.

In my opinion, the fullest extent of the law will be applied because of where the homicide took place and the innocence and vulnerability of the victim.

Due to health issues, I lost my home on Lucius to foreclosure. I have since regained it, but not before every window was broken, and theft occurred right down to every doorknob, floorboards, sink and furnace. What was not stolen was vandalized. Slowly, I am attempting to repair it. After having known the widow on Lucius who left, after having my home ruined, and, now after Angeline was shot, I see the events on Lucius to be an example of ills we suffer.

DAGMAR AMRHEIN

Youngstown

Taxes, fees are excessive

EDITOR:

The front page article Jan. 27 reported Gov. Strickland’s address, and Ohio faces a dire economic situation and 10.9 percent unemployment.

I want to share my recent experience at the local licence bureau. I went just last week to renew my drivers license and some plates. My first gift from the state was a $20 penalty because the plate was past 30 days of the renewal date. This vehicle was sitting in my garage, not being driven on any city, township, county or state roads. The state of Ohio penalizes you for not driving your car.

Next I renewed two small trailer plates. The state fee on the one was $23 and the other was $33. Not a bad price, but a local tax of $15 was added to each. That is a taxation of 65 percent and 45 percent.

In just on quick trip to get license plates, I paid out $50 in a ridiculous penalty and local tax. Maybe if the state actually let us keep some of our money, we could spend it and boost the economy.

Our politicians need to wake up and help the people of Ohio, not impose more taxes and ridiculous fines on us. As we all saw just one week ago with the election of Scott Brown, the people are not going to sit back and have government crammed down our throats. I urge everyone to get out this year and vote .Remind all politicians that government is by the people and for the people.

DAN McCARTHY

Poland