8.31.2005

(joe :: Brand New Calendar)

8.30.2005

I never thought I'd be happy to buy gas for $2.49 a gallon, but I am.

(joe :: Cleveland.com, Here We Come)

(joe :: Karaoke Night)

(joe :: An Open Letter to Canton)

(joe :: Updates)

8.28.2005

(joe :: Missing Cafe Piscitelli)

Even one of Ryan's most persistent critics, a young man named Joe (he didn't give his last name) who launched his own Web site last year (www.rubberbuzz.com), acknowledged Thursday that Ryan has created new connections.

"Even though I'd love to dump a big bowl of Jell-O on her head, I have to admit that if it wasn't for her, a lot of us Akron lovers wouldn't have found each other," Joe wrote.

- Akron needs to create a business garden environment. Jobs retain people - so make it easy to do business. Subsidize local business loans/consulting services so existing companies can grow.

- As above, the city needs to help get capital investment into the town. All city business folks should be out chasing VC [venture capital].

So, a boomerang person would have lots of fun showing up in his/her hometown - only to find that unemployment is really, really overrated, even if you do have a nice Canal Lock to visit...

(joe :: Finally, a Link)

8.26.2005

Until now, the University of Akron's modern and trendy recreation center has been used almost exclusively by its students, faculty and staff.

But UA is opening the center to the public for $735 a year.

(joe :: Workin' Out at the Rec)

Ten free white flowering dogwood trees will be given to each person who joins The National Arbor Day Foundation during August.

The trees will be shipped postpaid at the right time for planting between Oct. 15 and Dec. 10 with enclosed planting instructions. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge.

To receive the trees, send a $10 membership contribution to: TEN DOGWOODS, National Arbor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or join at the Web site arborday.org.

(joe :: "Free" Trees)

8.25.2005

Casinos in Ohio could generate $12 billion in revenue from gaming and other industry annually while causing a 43 percent increase in the number of Ohioans who develop gambling problems, according to two studies released Wednesday.

Casinos would create 85,000 jobs and generate $610 million in tax revenue, according to a study by Strategic Partner Management Consulting.

(joe :: Pros and Cons)

Okay, so she started off good. For the kind of cash she wants to devote to this project, I could do some killer things with RubberBuzz!

Hey, you know why these people left? They found jobs. It's sad but true. If we want to lure people back, we have to do it with jobs not with campaigns.

Well, I guess throwing these events would create a few jobs.

Again, it's a few more jobs.

Sure, why not? Again, where are the jobs?

I've seen exactly one person on a bike on my way into work in the morning in the time that I've been working downtown. I'm sure she'd appreciate the bike lane.

I'll defer to Davie G.

Couldn't hurt. But I have a funny feeling it'll never catch on. Ohioans drive everywhere, even if it's half a block. Remember the downtown trolleys? They were really cool -- and perpetually empty.

You can bring the kids back to Akron, but you can't take the Akron out of the kids.

If you do this, you gotta raise dues. If dues are too high, then no one's going to join. This could effectively kill the groups.

Monster.com

Hey, Rebecca, have you ever been to Ohio? We have two seasons, Hella Hot and 8 Feet of Snow. For about one month out of the year this would be great, but aren't there more important things to focus on? *cough* jobs *cough*

Alright, I won't complain about this one.

This would actually be a nice tourist attraction for the history buffs that are out there. I won't say anything bad.

Sure. This is a good idea, but it's tough logistically to get a group of business owners together.

Highland Square.

If tattoo is controversial, I'm not going to say the first things that popped into my head...

This would be really nice. The current trails are great, but you get sick of doing the same few over and over again, and the extra challenge would be welcomed. But I don't think new trails are going to get young people to move back.

It'd be fun for the kids and I'm sure ESPN2 would cover it.

That'd be great, but how? We don't have a stadium; we don't have an arena. We've got facilities for golf, soap box racing, and women's pro softball. Two of those already get national attention. I think we're doing pretty good in this area.

(joe :: If Davie G. Can Do It, So Can I)

- $85,000: Develop a web-based portal for all of Greater Akron's after-hours activities. A survey shows young professionals find lots to do here, but they also don't have one single source to go to for comprehensive information, particularly online.

Recommendation: Develop a true Web-based portal for all of Greater Akron's ``after hours'' activities.

Response: Someone is going to jump on this immediately. I would bet my ``Save Rolling Acres'' T-shirt on it. There are already a few sites offering this sort of content, including coolpeoplefromakron.com and rubberbuzz.com.

The Beacon Journal's sister Web site, www.ohio.com, also has some of this information. But none of them has completely captured the kind of local entertainment calendar with interesting content that some other cities have.

The only thing I hope is that whoever does this will be smart enough to do it with the right touch. Please, don't try too hard to be cool.

Put up the money, find a Web-friendly barfly with a little personality, a lot of street credibility and some writing flair and let him or her run the store.

(joe :: 85k)

8.24.2005

(joe :: Ryan Humbert)

(joe :: Friday Night Lights)

Kernan said his main concern about the English-only measure was that it would damage Norton's reputation.

``One of my biggest concerns is over the past few years I have really worked hard to change the image of the city, and in one fell swoop, with one piece of legislation, we're back to where we were before.''

No matter the outcome, Kernan said he will make sure Norton residents who do not speak English or have difficulty with the language will get the help they need from City Hall.

``I frankly don't care what that ordinance says,'' Kernan said. ``I will attempt to work with those people as best I can.

``That's what city government is there for.''

(joe :: Not all Evil in Norton)

8.23.2005

(joe :: The Big Project)

These Ladies will be spinning everything from 60's garage & psych, jangly pop, motown, stax, glam, 80's hip hop, britpop, cheesy dance music and whatever else they feel like playing...so get out and support the ladies!

(joe :: Go Go Girls!)

(joe :: Updates)

English is now the official language of the city of Norton.

City Council voted 4 to 3 Monday to adopt the resolution. Council President Brenda Hlas said that ``nothing's going to happen'' as a result of its passing.

Councilman William Mowery, who introduced the resolution, said its goal was primarily to honor those serving to protect the civil rights of Americans.

George Tomko, a Norton resident, dismissed those who may have criticized the legislation.

``I think it's to honor Americans, rather than to degrade others,'' he said.

(joe :: It's Official)

8.22.2005

Mike Needs, the Public Editor of the Akron Beacon Journal finally compelled me to write today. I make a point to read his article every Sunday. He often shows me a perspective that I hadn't thought of before.

But today I hope to show him a perspective that he hadn't thought of before.[...]

His point is that the public is overly concerned about Plusquellic and the parking attendant controversy and no one is concerned with Judith Miller who "was jailed for keeping her promise to a confidential source."

I'm most surprised that Mike Needs, with all of his insight into his readers, has missed the underlying nuance of the Plusquellic story and also why he is surprised people don't feel outrage by what is happening with Judith Miller.

First, let's look at Judith Miller. Mike feels that we should be outraged and also heavily concerned of what her imprisonment means to our rights. As a journalist, Mike is actually much less qualified to discuss Judith Miller than his readers. The problem with his perspective is, of course he is going to support her, and so is every other journalist. As a small business owner, I'm going to support small business owner rights to a greater extent than the average citizen. I'm not a great person to ask for a clear, non-biased view of small business. Mike Needs is going to be equally as unclear and biased when dealing with Judith Miller's situation.

The problem is, the Judith Miller story is complicated. Unfortunately, unlike all the other complicated stories in our lives such at Iraq, the presidential election and many other stories, Judith Miller doesn't have a massive army of public relations spinmeisters telling us how to think. So consequently we're all quiet out here because we are left to our own devices to make up our minds on this one. The fog of the story is just hanging over it with no spin doctors telling us what we should be seeing.

On to Don Plusquellic. I'm surprised Mike Needs has missed the nuance of this story. This is not about Plusquellic. It's a symptom of the current day American condition. I don't know about Mike, but personally I feel wrung out by my politicians. I feel like the current political climate is completely out of control of the public. Prickly City is asking President Bush to come up with a real Republican. We are in an Iraq war with no easy end. Who knows if we'll go into Iran. Ohio schools are a mess. Taxes are rising. Who knows how expensive gas is going to get. Republicans and Democrats are at each other's throats. North Korea is building nuclear weapons. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat your future is uncertain. You don't know what tomorrow will bring. You owe all of this uncertainty to our politicians.

When Plusquellic verbally abused that $8/hour parking attendant and then took his job, Don took all of this uncertainty to a new, uncomfortable level. Could Plusquellic come to your workplace and get you fired? Probably. It's just too scary. Whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, you know that Plusquellic getting that guy fired was too close for comfort.

The Plusquellic incident is all too clear. Politicians have massive amounts of power and there is little accountability. We as American citizens are just along for the ride. We aren't being listened to. We are being played by politicians who have polarized the game... in effect forcing their constituents to vote down the party line. They don't' have to worry about losing decided voters because there is so much anger towards the other side. All of this anger is thanks to our politicians. It's a sick, twisted mess we're in. Plusquellic represents all of these feelings. And fortunately he has made a mistake that is crystal clear. He over reacted and swung his weight around in a completely scary, inappropriate way. That's why we can't stop writing about this.

(joe :: Mike Needs)

Coming Together Akron -- a courageous and diverse gathering of men, women and children promoting racial harmony -- is again seeking foot soldiers for its annual Unity Walk on Sept. 10.

Registration gets under way at 9 a.m at Cascade Plaza on South Main Street in Akron, followed at 10 a.m. with a two-mile walk led by Al Kaf's youth group.

Pre-registration is $2. For information, call 330-379-4419.

Johnson United Methodist Church, 3409 Johnson Road, Norton, is sponsoring a benefit spaghetti dinner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 for long-time Barberton Citizens Hospital nurse and friend to all, Maggie Stewart.

Cost is $10 in advance.

Eight-year-old Molly Patterson will be selling some of her toys at a garage sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 3 with proceeds going to Ohio WINGS (Women Involved in Nurturing, Giving, Sharing Inc.), an organization that helps breast-cancer patients.

Molly also will be selling WINGS teddy bears and passing out related brochures.

The sale will be at 2907 Pleasant St. N.W. in North Canton.

For information, call Patti Crotty at 330-497-1258.

(joe :: Fun Things for Charity)

8.17.2005

Idella Butts can tell you a lot of things about the care and feeding of golfers. The 73-year-old has been cooking in the clubhouse kitchen for 45 years, nearly as long as championship golf has been played at Firestone Country Club.

She's been cooking there long enough to count Gary Player, Arnold Palmer and Lee Trevino as friends.

Long enough to have an item on the Firestone clubhouse menu named after her: Idella's Potato Pancakes.

Butts became an icon among the golf stars thanks in part to a large opening between the kitchen and dining room, where diners could see her working at the grill. She used to sing there, mostly church songs, and her voice and warm smile became part of the Firestone experience for the pros.

When the country club was remodeled 15 years ago, a wide window was installed in front of the grill, specifically so diners could continue to enjoy Butts' presence.

(joe :: Strange Things are afoot at The BJ)

8.16.2005

(joe :: Sushi Guide)

(joe :: Ethnic Eats)

(joe :: Art in the Square!)

A prototype hydrogen-fueled car gets a definite thumbs up from Ted Curtis.

Curtis got a chance Monday to sit behind the wheel of the white Toyota Prius with blue hydrogen atoms painted on the sides. It was developed by Michigan-based Energy Conversion Devices Inc. (ECD) and its 82-year-old president, Stanford Ovshinsky, a native of Akron.

Curtis, vice president of capital planning and facilities management at the University of Akron, came away very impressed with the hydrogen-burning car. He is ready to order one, even though they are still years away from being available to the public.

(joe :: $2.69)

8.15.2005

(joe :: New Review!)

Indicators. Grades are given based on how well districts and schools perform on standardized tests, and attendance and graduation rates. This will be the first year the Ohio Graduation Test -- a new, 10th-grade exam -- counts.

Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). Districts and schools must show progress among all students and among certain groups of students. This goal mainly focuses on math and reading scores.

Performance Index. This measure gives credit for how each student -- even those who don't pass -- performs on standardized tests.

(joe :: How It All Works)

8.14.2005

Ric Wallace drove all the way from London, Ontario, to spend a week chasing black squirrels in Kent.[...]

As a sideline to his job as a Web designer, he began making magnets and pins with white squirrels. In 2002, he began to develop a Web site called lotterycharms.com, devoted to selling the trinkets, and suggesting that they'd bring luck. He figured it would take two years to get the site formalized as a trademark. So on May 30 of that year, he says, he set out with a two-year plan to win big.

Then, on May 31, 2004, it happened. With a $100 raffle ticket, Wallace and Tofflemire won a furnished house worth $775,000 (in Canadian dollars).

``So I missed my two-year date by one day,'' Wallace said. ``But -- there was a leap year. So I was actually right on.''

Wallace says he has won a total of $1.5 million in lotteries and casino gambling since 1995, and he gives credit to his squirrel luck.

(joe :: Squirrels)

8.11.2005

(joe :: Ohio State Fair)

8.10.2005

BATH: On Aug. 1, police investigated a report of an attempted entry into a Ghentwood Drive residence. A suspect used a key, but failed to gain entry because the key broke off in the lock.

COPLEY: A Copley woman reported July 29 that she received a fraudulent check for more than $8,000 as a result of selling a watch on eBay.

NORTON: An employee of a Cleveland-Massillon Road gas station reported July 30 that she witnessed a woman get out of a car at the station and a man go after her. The man punched the woman, then walked eastbound on Cleveland-Massillon Road. Police located the man and stopped him to question him. He fled and refused to obey their orders to stop. He was arrested for failure to comply, disorderly conduct and underage drinking. The victim declined to file charges.

(joe :: Live from Columbus, It's Akron!)

8.09.2005

Discovery and its crew of seven glided safely back to Earth on Tuesday, ending a riveting, at times agonizing, 14-day test of space shuttle safety that was shadowed by the ghosts of Columbia.

Discovery swooped through the darkness of the Mojave Desert and landed on the Edwards runway at 5:11 a.m. PDT, well before sunrise. It marked the conclusion of the first shuttle re-entry since Columbia's tragic return.

(joe :: Back Home)

(joe :: Square Troubles)

8.08.2005

Vacation
All I ever wanted
Vacation
Had to get away
Vacation
Meant to be spent alone

(joe :: Vacation!)

8.05.2005

...Bill Murray stars as Don Johnston. The resolutely single Don has just been dumped by his latest lover, Sherry (Julie Delpy). Don yet again resigns himself to being alone and left to his own devices. Instead, he is compelled to reflect on his past when he receives by mail a mysterious pink letter. It is from an anonymous former lover and informs him that he has a 19-year-old son who may now be looking for his father. Don is urged to investigate this "mystery" by his closest friend and neighbor, Winston (Jeffrey Wright), an amateur sleuth and family man. Hesitant to travel at all, Don nonetheless embarks on a cross-country trek in search of clues from four former flames (Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, and Tilda Swinton). Unannounced visits to each of these unique women hold new surprises for Don as he haphazardly confronts both his past and, consequently, his present.

(Mia :: Movie of the Week)

Halfway to its 2005 fiscal finish line, Goodyear on Thursday reported it is well ahead of last year's pace, when it reported an annual profit for the first time in four years.

Goodyear reported that in the second quarter, which ended June 30, its earnings climbed to $69 million, or 34 cents a share -- double its profit a year earlier.

The company also posted record sales of $5 billion in the quarter, 11 percent higher than a year earlier. It sold 56.4 million tires in the quarter, up from 55 million.

The results solidly beat analysts' earnings expectations of between 20 and 25 cents a share.

(joe :: Rubber Rebound)

For the second straight year, Akron may move up a grade on the annual state report card.

The district is expected to go from ``academic watch'' to ``continuous improvement'' when 2004-05 report cards are released this month.

In addition to the better grade, Akron is expected to reach a tough federal requirement called ``adequate yearly progress,'' or AYP. This would be the first year the district attains this threshold, which requires districts to show a certain amount of progress among all students and various groups, such as disabled and nondisabled.

School leaders say Akron is expected to outperform other urban districts in the state in 12 standardized test subjects on the report cards. They say the district also had a higher percentage of students pass the Ohio Graduation Test, the new 10th-grade test required for graduation, than the other urbans did.

(joe :: Reasons to Give Schools Money)

The Selle Gear Co. plant at 451 S. High St. and the Edward P. Werner House at 258 W. Market St. will be up for inclusion when the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board meets today.

(joe :: Akron! Great at being... old?)

8.04.2005

(joe :: War Hits Home)

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

:: Laurence Binyon ::

(Mia :: For the Fallen)

8.03.2005

It took nine tries and the imminent threat of a state takeover for Cloverleaf voters to approve more taxes for school operations.

The Cloverleaf levy was one of only two local school issues to be approved in Tuesday's special election. The other successful property-tax measure was in Streetsboro.

Doesn't matter if you're buying or selling gently used children's clothing -- Lil' Lamb's Closet is the venue for you.

Misty Arnold of Canton started the twice-a-year consignment sale three years ago at Church of the Lakes United Methodist, 5944 Fulton Drive N.W., Jackson Township. She said the sale brought in $30,000 last year, with almost one-third of the income going to a children-focused charity. Over the years, money has gone to Akron Children's Hospital and migrant workers in Hartville.

``We sell anything related to children -- clothing, toys, video games and furniture,'' Arnold said. ``Everything has to be in excellent shape or we don't accept it. Nothing torn, worn or stained....

(joe :: For the Kids)

8.02.2005

A 1/2 percent sales tax proposed by Summit County mayors and law enforcement may not make it to the voters after it ended up back in a Summit County Council committee July 25.

The tax, which has been touted by Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic and Summit County Sheriff Drew Alexander, among others, would raise an estimated $36 million a year. The total would be split between law enforcement and economic development initiatives.

But how the money would be divvied up among those entities was the question posed by Cuyahoga Falls Police Chief John Conley.

Conley, a member of the Summit County Police Chiefs Association, said the group was initially told the tax would be solely for law enforcement. Later, when the group was told about the 50-50 split, questions remained as to how the money would be distributed among the county’s various law enforcement agencies.

(joe :: Tax Break)

The object -- 96 times as far from the Earth as the Earth is from the sun, or nearly 9 billion miles away -- was first photographed in October 2003 by astronomers at the California Institute of Technology's Palomar Observatory, north of San Diego.

While researchers say they aren't yet sure of its actual size, they have determined the object is bigger than Pluto, the smallest planet and the one most distant from the sun.

(joe :: Planet Buzz)

8.01.2005

Do not reveal too much skin.

In long-ago days before tank tops and belly shirts, a bad fashion decision could land someone in the hoosegow. No Akron resident was allowed to make any ``indecent, immodest or immoral exhibition of his or her person'' in public. Nor could one ``cause or procure any other person so to do.''

Offenders risked six months in jail, a maximum fine of $100, or both.

Do not swap clothes with the opposite sex.

Apparently, transvestism was a big concern in our canal town. It was unlawful for ``any male person to appear in any public place, within the limits of this city, in the dress or attire of a female person, or for any female person to appear in any public place, within the limits of this city, in the dress or attire of a male person.''

Cross-dressers could be fined $20.

Do not allow horses to copulate in public.

How would you like to be the patrolman to break this one up?

``Stud horses or jacks shall not be let to mares or exhibited in the streets, alleys or lots of the city, unless enclosed from public view,'' the city ruled.

Offenders, presumably the owners of the horses, could be fined $10, plus costs for prosecution.

(joe :: Legal Beagle)

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