With the flick of a wrist, Gov. Ted Strickland will both appease radical liberal political groups and kill the live Obie program in Massillon.

"Gov. Strickland will issue an EXECUTIVE ORDER banning exotic animals " from the Columbus Dispatch.

Over the weekend, at the picnic in the park, I spoke with the folks from Stump Hill, where Obie comes from every year, and they stated this year's Obie will likely be the last due to this executive order. You see, it effectively kills what SHF does with rescuing exotic animals and doesn't allow new animals, so that means no more Obie cubs.

PETA, USHS win, Massillon, S.H.F. and the farming industry lose. You see, Gov Ted struck this "compromise" deal trying to prevent the USHS from turning Ohio into California. You may have seen them around, passing petitions to "Ban puppy mills". The ballot issue they were pushing was no such thing and if you actually read the law they wanted pass it effectively did nothing to shut down puppy mills. What did it do? Banned exotic animals and put such high regulation on the farmers in Ohio that it would have killed agriculture in Ohio the way it has done in California.

Look into it, call Stump Hill and ask them about it... more importantly, call Gov. Strickland's office and tell him to NOT sign the executive order banning Obie. 614-466-2000