SUBMITTED PHOTO

Mike and Mark Mellick.

BY LOU WHITMIRENews Journal

MANSFIELD — About 400people rallied against OhioSenate Bill 5 on Tuesday inCentral Park, shieldingthemselves from the coldrain with umbrellas.

The crowd cheered asmore than a half a dozenspeakers spoke in support ofunion employees.

Brad Strong, a MansfieldCity Schools teacher and vicepresident of the MansfieldSchools Education Associa-tion, said public employeesare trained, educated indi-viduals who have specifictalents that enhance theircommunities.

“Wedotheworkthatmakeslife easier, better, safer andtrains future citizens in everycommunity,” Strong said.

Rallies were scheduledthroughout Ohio onTuesdayas part of a day of action todemand Gov. John Kasichand lawmakers focus on cre-ating jobs instead of trim-ming the budget, Strongsaid. Ohio Senate Bill 5would make major changesin collective bargaining lawsaffecting public employees.

Calling Senate Bill 5 a“dan-gerousvirus,”Strongsaidpeo-ple have forgotten the past.

Republican Scott Hazen, aThird Ward Mansfield CityCouncilman, said he doesnot want to see Senate Bill 5

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 16, 2011 MANSFIELD, OHIO | 75 CENTS

Reach thousands of readers with a classified ad. Call 419-524-3545 or 877-513-7355. On the Web, go to CentralOhioClassified.com. A Gannett newspaper

TODAY’S WEATHERCloudy, chance of rain. High 48, low 35.

Forecast, page 2A

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Jane Marie AckermanEric Todd BairdFrederick E. BeutelKenneth H. BletzHelen Whiting Pond Burns

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William F. RathClifford J. TadderPaul Tolsty Jr.Michael Andrew Van DorenJennifer L. Wolfenbarger

Hazel WinifredAveryt Zeigler

Obituaries,pages 4A, 5A, 6A

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Staff and wire reports

COLUMBUS — Gov. JohnKasich unveiled a $55.5 bil-lion, two-year state operat-ing budget on Tuesday thathe said can’t be comparedto past proposals becauseit contains so many innova-tive approaches to stateoperations.

“The one thing that Ithink you need to under-stand is that this budget isloaded with one reform afteranother,” Kasich said at amedia briefing on the plan.“It is, I would guess, themost reform-oriented budg-et in modern Ohio history.”

For that reason, the newRepublicangovernorandhisCabinet resisted direct com-parisons to the current statebudget. Their proposal isbased on new assumptionsabouthowbusiness-likeflex-ibility could help in areasranging from public educa-tion and economic develop-ment to government health

care to crime reduction.Kasich proposes selling

five state prisons to privateinterests. His budget ex-pands school choice vouch-ers and gives parents,students and teachers waysto take over failing schools.It funnels Medicaid recipi-ents into a more coordinat-ed style of health care. It usesstate liquor sales as seedmoney for the new private,nonprofit called JobsOhio,which will provide grants tofuel business growth.

Kasich said the adminis-tration wants to rewardteachers for performanceandhospitalsanddoctorsforgoodcareinthesamewayhesays he will reward JobsOhioemployees for bringing newwork to the state.

Before he had even fin-ished explaining his vision,though, critics were assail-ing his budget for killingjobs, hurting the poor,

DANIEL MELOGRANA/NEWS JOURNAL

Melissa Carrington holds up a sign supporting unions and against Ohio Senate Bill 5 on Tuesday afternoon ata rally in downtown Mansfield. See more photos at MansfieldNewsJournal.com.

Radiation inJapan nota threat toU.S. — yetNATION/WORLD 6A

400 rally against SB 5

BY MARK CAUDILLNews Journal

MANSFIELD — A newlead has given the family ofMark Mellick a flicker ofhope.

Mellick, 35, was foundbeaten to death outside hisAmoy Ganges Road homeMarch 14, 1985. He wasfound face down in his back-yard with a trail of bloodleading to his truck. A fin-gerprint found at the scenehas never been identified.

Mellick, who was beatenwith a blunt object, ownedLehr Awning Co. acrossfrom Arlin Field. An em-

ployee discovered his bodywhen Mellick didn’t showup for work.

The trail has been largelycold for the past 26 years. Arumor with robbery as themotive is the latest develop-ment.

“There was a possibilitythat Mark was playing cardsthat night, and he won a lotof money,” said Pam Richter,Mellick’s older sister. “Wehad completely never heardthat before. They didn’t planon killing him; they justwanted to jump him and getthe money back.”

Richard Duffey, an inves-tigator with the Richland

County Prosecutor’s Office,previously told the NewsJournal he feared the truthmight never be known.

“We’re still hopeful,”Richter said. “We want tohave these people broughtto justice because the peoplewho know what happenedare too afraid to talk.

“Probably nothing is goingto come of this (latest tip),but we wanted it on file.”

Mellick left behind twindaughters who were 9 at thetime. They now are the sameage their father was when hewas killed. One lives inTexas,the other in Colorado.

“They usually call my

mother on (the anniver-sary),” Richter said.

Mellick’s parents are both86 and hoping for sometype of closure.

Mellick also left behind atwin brother, Mike, who livesin Atlanta. They were espe-cially close, Richter said.

Through June 1, a familymember is offering a $5,000reward for information lead-ing to an arrest. Anyone withinformation is asked to callthe prosecutor’s office at 419-774-5676 during businesshours or the 24-hour tip lineat 419-525-2583.

mcaudill@nncogannett.com419-521-7219

BY JAMI KINTONNews Journal

MANSFIELD — Mansfieldfirefighters are willing to re-

open their contract to helpbattle the city’s precariousbudget, according to unionpresident Phil Dollish.

On Tuesday, the union of-

fered to reduce its minimummanning clause from 21 to18 per shift.

Dollish said the offershould help the city reducecuts to the police force — buthe remains troubled by theeffects to the fire department

and Mansfield residents.“People should know that

the city is putting a devaluedprice on their lives by choos-ing not to staff us,” Dollishsaid. “I know finances are

❚ Mansfield City Councilopposes SB 5, page 3A.

Read the state budget at http://obm.ohio.gov/SectionPages/Budget/FY1213/ExecutiveBudget.aspx

ON THE WEB

AP PHOTO/GEOEYE, DIGITALGLOBE

Cold case still haunts Mellick family

Firefighters agree to negotiate

Union backersfill Central Park

See SB 5, page 2A

OHIO OPERATING BUDGET

‘Reform’budgetunveiled

See BUDGET, page 2APer-shift staff reduction on the table

See FIREFIGHTERS, page 2A

Tressel addressdraws a crowdCoach retools speechfor benefit | SPORTS 1B