Pickerington Area Taxpayers Alliance

Just curious as to where the Pickerington Athletic boosters were? I heard Central's football star, Mr. AJ, got busted for under-age drinking. I'm sure he learned well from the parents that the laws of the land don't apply to athletes and was taken quite off-guard by being arrested.

Dispatch Story

Ohio State freshman punter A.J. Trapasso is scheduled to appear in Franklin County Municipal Court this morning to face a charge of underage drinking.

According to a Columbus police report, Trapasso, 18, of Pickerington, was ticketed at 1:27 a.m. on April 25 at the intersection of 15 th Avenue and Pearl Alley in the campus area.

The report said Trapasso ''was under the influence of beer or intoxicating liquor while being in a public place.''

Athletics department spokesman Steve Snapp did not return a phone message.

The alleged offense occurred within a few hours and just three blocks from where OSU fullback Branden Joe was cited for open container late on April 24, at 12 th and Pearl.

Joe, 22, facing a minor misdemeanor, did not have to appear in court. Earlier this week, Snapp said Joe had paid his fine by mail.

Because Trapasso is underage, the charge is a first-degree misdemeanor, punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Trapasso graduated early from Pickerington Central and enrolled at OSU for spring quarter. He participated in spring practice and is expected to contend for the punter?’s job.

How did they miss it?

While I have been to a number of football games at the PHS schools, I am not ''close'' to the program, yet I had heard the rumblings of those who were big football boosters that a ''key'' to having a good season last year at Central was making sure AJ stayed away from alcohol. If someone like myself knew of this, how did OSU miss it, how did the coaches and admin at Central miss it, or did everyone just try to ignore it and hope it went away?

Drug and Alcohol Abuse

I have heard some very bad stories from a number of parents and school children. It also appears that those in charge in this community are failing the area children by simply looking the other way. That includes the Pickerington Police Department and the Fairfield County Sheriff's department.

Obviously we had a number of times this year that children have had weapons in school. The concern I have had is what has been the intent of these children that brought the weapon to school? Our authorities at the school fall back on a school policy of zero tolerance. Treating those students that meant harm to their fellow students the same as those student that did a stupid or immature act. My concern is if the these same authorities are face with a danger to our students that is not policy they appear to be helpless in doing anything or acting.

Drug Abuse and Alcohol has been a common problem with our community and its children. The problem is the reluctance of the Police department to enforce the laws. Just looking at the Ohio State Football team should point out to everyone this tolerance is having a very negative affect on our young. This young Pickerington players just arrested for underage drinking points out to me and others that he probably got away with in Pickerington last year. Isn't time for a zero tolerance for our law enforcement agencies?

I have also heard that our junior and senior high schools will not allow our police agencies to enter to do drug searches with out a 24 hour notice. To come into the school with a drug dog and find nothing and then not allow them to search the students is beyond my comprehension. I also have heard that our junior and senior High School Principals pick up drugs regularly and just put those drugs in their desk. Then in May the call the police to have them remove the drugs.

First I would like to point out to the Pickerington School Board Members that have ignored this problem for a long time it is a felony to have in one position more than an one of drugs. If our school building principals are cover up criminal activities then that also is a felony as Martha Stewart recently found out.


to Sheriff Phalen and Chief Taylor. If you are called to any Pickerington school building to have drugs turned over to you then there better be some questions asked and people charged if these amount are in the drug dealer amounts.

I would also called on these same police agencies to got to the Municipal court and get a search warrant to do searches on our schools at midnight. Get Dr. Thiede out of bed and make him open the schools to allow the search for these drugs that I keep hearing about.



By Concerned Dad