Election of first black president, near-blizzard make 2008 historic

By Felix Hoover

For YourNewsColumbus.com

The year’s biggest national news story, the election of Barack Obama as the country’s first black elected  president, placed the spotlight on central Ohio numerous times during the long campaign.

Open spaces, such as Genoa Park and the Statehouse lawn, gave the electorate a chance to see the senator from Illinois as he made his pitch for change.

Smaller settings also became stomping grounds for Obama, such as Oakleaf Village of Columbus, a seniors community on the North Side.

One of the campaign stops by his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, was at Schmidt’s Sausage Haus in German Village.

Ultimately, voters chose Obama over the Bahama Mama in one of the hot points of 2008.

Other local elections, appointments and scandal in the attorney general’s office spiced up the last few months.

The scandal forced Marc Dann to resign as attorney general. Richard Cordray, who had been elected state treasurer in 2006, was elected to serve out the balance of Dann’s term as attorney general. In turn City Councilman Kevin Boyce was appointed to fill Cordray’s spot as state treasurer.

Another vacancy exists on city council because Maryellen O’Shaughnessy was elected Franklin County clerk of courts.

The Columbus School Board will need to replace W. Carlton Weddington Jr., who was elected state representative in the seat vacated by House Minority Leader Joyce Beatty. She was ineligible to run for reelection because of term limits. Her next stop is Ohio State University, where she will serve as senior vice president for outreach and engagement.

Democrats won three squeakers in local races: Mary Jo Kilroy in the 15^th Congressional District, Debbie Phillips in the 92^nd Ohio House District and Marian Harris in the 19^th Ohio House District.

Douglas E. Lumpkin, former director of the Franklin County Department of Job and Family Services, has taken over the top spot at the Ohio Job and Family Services agency. He replaced Helen Jones-Kelley, who resigned in the wake of the “Joe the Plumber” scandal. Jones-Kelley had been suspended for authorizing a background check on Samuel Joseph Wurzelbacher after he was embraced by Sen. John McCain in his recent bid for the presidency.

JOURNALISM LOSES

Two journalists who made their imprint on the local news death within a day of one another. Heather Pick, an anchor at WBNS-10TV and cancer crusader, died Nov. 7. Charlie Briggs, a long-time writer and editor in the black press, who also made his name in the theater, died on Nov. 6.

Among the loses to the local arts scene were Ursel White Lewis, patron of black art, died on March 3, and Kay Rita (Turner) Mason, an artist and jewelry maker, on Nov. 22.

Vernon R. Mason Sr. repaired many a watch during his 90 years. He died on Sept. 22

Retired Air Force Maj. William R. “Bill” Watkins had been the eldest of the original Tuskegee Airmen until his death on March 19. He was 95.

Folk singer and activist Odetta, one of the six women honored by the King Arts Complex at its inaugural Legends and Legacy series, died on  Dec. 2.

LIVING LEGENDS

Harry Belafonte, Danny Glover and James Counts Early were honored at this year’s Legends and Legacy at the King Arts Complex. Glover was unable to attend. Belafonte also appeared at Ohio State University as part of its ninth President and Provost’s Diversity Lecture & Cultural Arts Series.

On Dec. 3, Karl J. Fulton, founder of the Karl J. Fulton Football Pony League, was honored for 50 years of service to youths through athletics.

Antonio Goodwin, a June graduate of East High School, became an Eagle Scout during a ceremony on May 10 at St. Stephen’s Community Center, where he’s a member of Troop 563.

WEATHER WATCH

Much of central Ohio was buried in snow that reached 20.4 inches at Port Columbus on March 7 and 8 and made “cancellation” the word of the weekend. The total surpassed the local single-storm mark of 15.3 inches on Feb. 16-17, 1910.

In September, the affect of Hurricane Ike were much felt in central Ohio, resulting in power outages and school closings.