11.30.2005

Holidays in the Square

Saturday, Dec. 3

Tree lighting outside of Angel Falls at 5:30 p.m. Then mosey on down to the Highland Theater for fellowship--and warm beverages and cookies*. Children can meet Santa there.

Sponsored by the Highland Square Neighborhood
Association and the West Hill Neighborhood
Organization.

* We need donations of cookies for the event! Please fill out the form below if you are able to donate cookies.

Your Name :
E-mail Address :

(joe :: Holidays in the Square)

11.29.2005

Akron City Hospital lost electricity from Ohio Edison for an hour and a half Monday, but hospital spokesperson Michael Bernstein said there was no interruption to patient service because backup generators at the hospital automatically kicked in.[...]

Bernstein said the hospital has nine emergency generators and a supply of fuel on hand to keep the generators going.

``Our emergency plan works at the hospital. We were prepared,'' Bernstein said. ``We have to be able to take care of people in an emergency. If not, we are doing them a disservice. Our job is to make sure everyone is safe.''

(joe :: City Lights)

The cheers of her supporters that had rung through the Summit County courtroom as Judge Patricia A. Cosgrove found George innocent of conspiracy to commit aggravated murder were quickly hushed with the judge's guilty finding on the more serious charge of complicity to aggravated murder.

The charge carries a mandatory life sentence with parole eligibility after 20 years, and George was sentenced immediately. The judge added three years to the term because a gun was used to kill Jeff Zack, George's longtime lover.

George's sentence is identical to the one being served by her other lover, John Zaffino, the man convicted of killing Zack in 2001.

George, a mother of seven, is not eligible for early release and can request her freedom only from the Ohio Parole Board in 2028. By then she will be 74.

(joe :: 13 Going on 23)

11.28.2005

"Blueberry Collar" or Blue(collar)berry: "Blueberry Collar" describes two facets of Akron life: first, we are a historically middle class, "blue collar" haven, but with a progressive, stylish streak... I guess a blueberry could fit in there somewhere.

Sauerkraut Balls: Where else you gonna find them?

Grape Box Derby: Akron is the home of the All-American Soap Box Derby and grape is a good substitution for "Soap". I guess it could still be soap-flavored and we could use it as a punishment for children with foul mouths. Heh.

Swenson's Cheeseburger toothpick: Because the savory taste of a Swenson's cheeseburger always leaves you wanting more...they've gone to the trouble of inserting a toothpick in your burger for you to roll around your mouth for the next hour - serving as a reminder that you just had the best meal of your week.

(joe :: Akron Flavor)

Neither side appears happy with the scattershot jurisdiction of the ban that exempts racetracks and some bowling alleys and may conflict with less restrictive ordinances in some villages and cities, including Akron.[...]

Summit County Health Department Commissioner Gene Nixon agrees that the ban will be unfair to businesses and to nonsmokers if it doesn't apply everywhere.

``I don't know how this can possibly work,'' he said. ``I think that the public is going to be disappointed that this won't be uniformly applied across the county.''

Akron's law director believes the Ohio Constitution gives cities and villages the edge over a charter county -- Summit is the only one in the state -- when ordinances conflict. Supporters say that the county's ordinance, although more comprehensive, does not necessarily conflict with local laws.

(joe :: So Now What?)

11.22.2005

(joe :: Holiday Do-Gooders)

(joe :: Jam Band Tomorrow Night)

Jennifer Kynett knew supplies were limited, so the 37-year-old Green woman was not intimidated by a friendly game of Survivor to ensure a chance to buy Microsoft's Xbox 360 at 12:01 a.m. today.

Kynett, her 52-year-old husband, Mark, and her 14-year-old son, Justin Walter, left behind their comfy home at 6:30 p.m. Sunday for blankets, sleeping bags and an air mattress outside Wal-Mart on South Arlington Road in Springfield Township.[...]

Kynett's family secured the first three of 20 plastic chairs the store set up along an aisle in the women's clothing department.

Wal-Mart co-manager Robert Cutuli said the store only received 18 systems. The additional chairs were for alternates -- those with hopes that one of the other 18 would give up.

Cutuli said the first eight were in line to receive the $400 premium packages -- an Xbox 360 with a 20-gigabyte hard drive and other accessories. The rest would receive the game system with fewer accessories, which will be available for about $300.

(joe :: Xbox Xmas)

In Akron, Law Director Max Rothal said Monday he believes Akron's less-restrictive Clean Indoor Air Ordinance, on the books since 1990, prevails in the city. It allows smoking in bars, bowling alleys, bingo halls, restaurants, banquet halls, hotels and tobacco stores.

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic had remained silent on the county proposal until Monday, when his spokesman, Mark Williamson, said ``the county shouldn't be addressing this, but rather wait for this to become a statewide issue next year.''

Plusquellic, currently on a trip abroad, ``would support a statewide ban,'' Williamson said.

Rothal, who spent weeks researching conflicting city-county smoking laws, said because the two laws conflict, the city's law prevails in Akron. He said the city could not prosecute those who violate the county's ban. Any state law that might get adopted, however, would overrule any county or local law, he added.

[Pete]Crossland [D-Akron] said he disagrees with Rothal, but believes the law could wind up being challenged in court.

(joe :: It's Official-ish)

11.21.2005

She still remembers when her niece, who was in elementary school, brought home two seedlings on Arbor Day in the early 1970s.

``They probably weren't even a foot high,'' she said. ``They were little tiny things.''

One was planted toward the rear of the lot and one toward the street.

Twenty-five years passed before she returned to the property, which had been divided into two lots, and built her own home with husband Dennis in 2003.

``I had the builders save the trees,'' she said. ``When they poured the driveway they poured it under the branches.''[...]

``It was an unusual request,'' she said. ``I was born and raised here. I just think it's awesome how successful First Night has been and it's really neat that we can share with the town.''

(joe :: Chipmunks)

(joe :: Today's the Day)

11.18.2005

I think an Akron-flavored Jolly Rancher would taste like Stones. Fire-stones. Dig?

(joe :: Flavor of the Month)

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic leaves for France today for an international mayors' conference, then heads to China to explore economic development opportunities.

He'll spend most of his time at the Factory Automation Asia 2005 Trade Show in Shanghai, with side trips to Beijing and Chongqing.[...]

In June, Plusquellic completed his one-year term as president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which will pay for the Eurocities portion of his trip. The China visit for Akron officials will be on the city's dime and is expected to cost $22,000.

The Shanghai show is produced by the same people who put on the Hanover Trade Fair in Germany, where Akron has successfully fished for business relocation to Akron and Summit County.

Akron offers a highly skilled work force and a dense web of fabrication, tool, machine and plastic injection shops that appeals to manufacturers.

Greater Akron Chamber records show that the region has attracted 23 foreign investments since 1994, bringing six firms to Akron and 17 to the region and creating more than 500 jobs in the area, according to the city.

(joe :: Akron: The World Tour)

The postal worker from Springfield Township accused of tainting his co-workers' coffee with urine was in court Thursday attempting to have evidence thrown out.

Thomas Shaheen can be seen on a videotape -- captured by a camera hidden by a fellow employee in July -- pouring liquid into a break room coffee pot, according to testimony in Akron Municipal Court by postal agent Mark Montoya.

When first confronted, Montoya said, Shaheen claimed to have poured only dirty water into the coffee at the vehicle maintenance facility on Wolf Ledges Parkway.

Shaheen then admitted the liquid was actually urine, but didn't explain why he did it, Montoya said.

Shaheen's attorney, Paul Adamson, argued that the video recording and interview were obtained illegally. In the case of the video, Adamson said, the co-worker who had the camera installed didn't have post office permission and wasn't authorized to be in the building.

No decision was reached Thursday. Judge John Holcomb said he will rule on the videotape and other evidence in coming weeks.

(joe :: My Coffee Tastes Like Pee...)

Summit County residents wondering what the final version of the proposed countywide smoking ban will look like will have to wait until Monday.

That's the day the council is scheduled to vote on the ban. It's unlikely any proposed amendments will be ready before the council meets.[...]

Councilman Nick Kostandaras, D-Richfield, said he planned to talk to other council members to write amendments in time for Monday's meeting. He is a sponsor of the legislation but has called for amendments so the ban won't be too harmful to local business.

Kostandaras said he would try to obtain exemptions for hotels, smoke shops, private clubs, bowling alleys, and racetracks -- specifically Northfield Park, which is in his district.[...]

Council Clerk David Hannan said phone lines have been jammed with residents voicing their opinions. To avoid busy signals or voice mail, he suggested residents send opinions via e-mail to countycouncil@summitoh.net.

If Pueblo, Colo., and Helena, Mont., are an accurate guide, a countywide smoking ban could cut the number of heart attacks in Summit County by 27 percent to 40 percent.

A study released this week at the American Heart Association's annual scientific sessions found that the number of heart attacks treated at Pueblo hospitals dropped by 27 percent after the city enacted a smoking ban in 2003.

In the 18 months before the ban, Pueblo's two hospitals treated 399 patients for heart attacks. In the 18 months after the ban, the number of heart attack patients slipped to 291 -- 108 fewer patients.[...]

Published in the April 2004 issue of the British Medical Journal, the study found that 40 percent fewer heart attacks occurred in the Montana capital in the six months after a citywide smoking ban went into effect, compared with a six-month period in the year before the ban.

The Helena study was greeted with skepticism, partly because of its small numbers -- 40 heart attacks in the six months before the ban and 24 after.

(joe :: Puff Puff)

11.17.2005

Summit County Council has set up a new phone line to handle the deluge of calls on the proposed countywide indoor smoking ban.

Residents interested in voicing an opinion on the legislation before the council votes Monday can call 330-643-7063. Calls also are being taken on the council's main number, 330-643-2725.

(joe :: Smoking Ban Info)

Then something caught my eye. A flash of winter white, a flurry of pretend snow. There -- just across the street, someone had captured Christmas magic in one of the storefronts.

I hurried across Main Street, taking in the giant inflatable snowman posed with the Grinch and his dog Max. A huge working snow globe, swirling with pretend snow. A glittering ``Happy Holidays'' sign.

My heart warmed. I looked up to the marquee to identify the keeper of the holiday Christmas spirit.

The Bookstore. The dirty bookstore. The porn shop across from the Civic Theatre.

I wasn't surprised to find a blow-up doll in their window. But... Santa?

Ho, ho, ho, indeed.

The entire storefront was filled with a dazzling, unironic, positively kid-friendly display of holiday cheer. Right there, in the portal to the underworld.

It was... strangely heartwarming.

(joe :: Oh How I Love Davie G.)

This is the first time derby officials have turned creation of the annual logo into a competition for area youngsters between the ages of 12 and 18. The winning design will be immortalized on everything from helmets and jackets to programs and souvenirs.

``We were very impressed,'' derby General Manager Jeff Iula said of the logos that poured into the office through Monday. ``We should have done this years ago.''

Look over the five logos accompanying this story and vote for your favorite. Call 330-996-3336 (one vote per telephone number) or send your vote to derby@thebeaconjournal.com (one vote per e-mail address.) In either case, state the name of the designer you are voting for.

(joe :: LMAO... 69)

11.16.2005

According to the AAUP national office in Washington, D.C., the average salary of a full professor at public colleges nationwide is $97,700.

As of the AAUP's annual salary survey last spring, the average salary for a full professor at $88,500 at Cleveland State and $81,800 at UA.

(joe :: UA Agreement)

Principal Timothy Bryan and staffers Shelly Kadilak and Pat Rossi of the Summit-Akron Solid Waste Management Authority were pleased by the results that saw students reduce their cafeteria waste from 88 pounds to 70 pounds.

The program, a first in Summit County, had Kadilak visiting the school on Monday. She spoke about landfills, recycling, composting and not wasting food at lunch. She passed out the reusable plastic lunch boxes to about one third of the students...

The students were encouraged to avoid lunch bags and to use lunch boxes or fabric bags instead. They were asked to avoid single-serving containers and pack reusable containers instead of plastic bags.

(joe :: Trashy)

Local Nike Shoe Design Contest for Kids - entry deadline is Tuesday, November 22 5pm EST.

For northeast Ohio kids... Create a Nike shoe design for Serena Williams... the top twelve entries will each win a FREE pair of Nike shoes and two tickets to the Williams Sister's Tour in Cleveland on December 1, 2005. Winners will also get the chance to meet Serena. Plus... if Serena picks your shoe design as the grand prize winner, you'll win an autographed poster and a pair of Serena's new Shox tennis shoe for 2006.

(joe :: Shoe Design Contest)

11.10.2005

Square Records, Revival and The Beauty Lounge present:

FALL FORMAL!

The ladies and gentlemen of Square Records,Revival and The Beauty Lounge will be hosting a night of entertainment you won’t soon forget. DJs, dancing and dining. Come join us as we turn our favorite music venue into a rock n' roll formal for one unforgettable Saturday evening. (taffeta and tails encouraged!) FREE for 21 up; 18 to 20 pay $5.

(joe :: Fall Formal)

11.07.2005

Q: What was the reaction when Dodie's went smoke-free?

A: A small minority were pleased. A large majority were very upset. Even some nonsmokers were upset. We lost some customers -- people who used to come in here everyday. They said they'd go find another diner.... I miss the younger, intellectual crowd, the artists (who would smoke and hang out)... or old people who smoked. When I would go to (the now defunct) Jack Horner's restaurant, they had a little smoking island and I got to talk to people... about the Depression, World War II.

Q: What else has changed since the ban?

A: The clientele, mostly. We get more older people, more families, a lot more children. We get less artists, the intellectuals, decadents... People that do things they're not supposed to do... Customers don't hang around. With the smokers, people hang out longer. That social interaction is extremely important. That's what diners are known for -- rich and poor, sitting at the same restaurant, having a discussion... That's gone -- at least the smokers are not involved so much (in the hanging out).

(The bans) are just dispersing the social underground. There's nowhere for us to meet... except bars, and they are terrible places to meet and have a conversation.

(joe :: Up in Smoke)

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