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YP Roundup – February

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We’ve made it through the longest day of the year and now we’re into the shortest month; fingers crossed that the pesky groundhog misses its shadow and spring is just around the corner.  Groundhog or not, time seems to be flying by, but before it gets too far away from us – we can enjoy a lot of great YP events coming up this month.

Wednesday, February 2: Start off February by making a commitment to better your city!  A way for YPs to get involved is the “Street Level” committee for the Vacant Storefronts Project.  The Downtown Dayton Partnerhsip (in collaboration with many community leaders, businesses, volunteers, and organizations) has been crafting the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan.  They handed over control of this important project to any and all young people in the region who want to make a significant visual impact on the vibrancy of the region.  There are three committees working hard to fill the empty storefronts in different ways.  Contact Sherri to learn how to get involved.

UPDATE:  CANCELLED!  Also, the first Wednesday of the month brings the Ballet Barre/Associate Board meeting at the Dayton Racquet Club.  As always, they start with a social and an opportunity to check out the view from the top of the DRC, then they get into the business of the meeting.

Have you checked out Meetup yet?  If you’re a 30-something in the region and interested in meeting some new people while checking out some fun venues, maybe this is for you.  Their schedule changes often as new events are added as people decide to host a party or schedule a dinner out.  They’re planning a couple fun ones on Friday, February 4 (downtown with First Friday as the setting) and Saturday, February 5 to watch the UFC fight at Champps down south.

To keep with the Meetup spirit, the Dayton Young Professionals are hitting Meadowlark for a fun, social, and casual brunch on Sunday, February 6.

Are you a reader?  Or do you love the social aspect of a book club?  Either way, join Generation Dayton on Monday, February 7 at Books & Co. at the Greene for their monthly book club meeting.  They are discussing The Little Black Book of Leadership written by Dr. Todd Dewett.  Who’s going to be there?  Oh yeah, Dr. Dewett himself!  Don’t miss this chance to get great insights on an inspiring book from the author himself.

Head up north on Wednesday, February 9 from 12-1 PM to have lunch with HYPE.  They’ll be at The Backyard Bistro in Piqua where you can meet some new friends, keep up with some upcoming events, and check out a great location in the northern Miami Valley.  New members welcome!

Thursday, February 10 brings a collaboration for all networking, social, and arts minded YPs.  JumpstART hooks up with Generation Dayton during their monthly “Thirsty Thursday” to make it bigger and better than ever.  Get some free appetizers, happy hour drink prices, and 1/2 off small plates at downtown’s newest hot spot, De’Lish.  THEN head across the street to the Human Race Theatre for half price tickets to Twelfth Night.  Stick around after the show to meet the cast and get a special YP backstage tour.  It’s a big night open to ALL young people in the region.  Details on the whole night here.

Did you know that one of the local YP groups – Generation Dayton – is actually a program of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce?  It just demonstrates how much local businesses value the role of young professionals in the region.  Learn more about it from Phil Parker, the President and CEO of the Dayton Chamber, at the Business and Breakfast Speaker Series on Tuesday, February 15 at the Dayton Racquet Club.  Free to attend, breakfast at your expense.

So, you got your breakfast YP fix – now get those creative juices flowing on the evening of February 15 as the Dayton Creative Syndicate presents speaker Brian Hoff from The Design Cubicle. Time: 6-7 PM – Only $10 for DCS members, $20 for nonmembers, $5 for students.  Learn more about Brian and the DCS here.

Are you a 20-something in the region looking for some new people to hang out with?  There is no shortage of great events with the 20-somethings of Dayton Meetup.  On Wednesday, February 16 they are partying it up at the Soft Rock Cafe for Karaoke and drink specials.  No worries if you’re a non-singer, you can shoot pool, throw darts, or make fun of cheer on the signers.

The 20-somethings love their mid-week get togethers.  Wednesday, February 23 they test how many brain cells they’ve kept since college with trivia at Harrigan’s South.  These and lots more meetups for the 20-somethings at: http://www.meetup.com/20somethings-of-Dayton-Ohio/#upcoming

Generation Dayton often opens its events to all YPs in the region.  But this month’s Lunch Speaker Series on Friday February 25 is for dues-paying Member’s Only.  If you’re a member of GenD or want to consider joining, check out the Web page for details on this lunch topic.

Et. al: Not specifically YP events (oh, no – I’m breaking the rules!) but some great options for YPs include:
Pecha Kucha night on Thursday, February 3 at the Neon, a graffiti party at upcoming downtown restaurant Olive during First Friday, Dayton Diode (self-described as a YMCA for nerds) open house on Saturday, February 5, the YMCA Valentine’s Ball on February 11, WYSO’s silent auction on February 12, and EVERY Sunday in February you can enjoy brunch to benefit Stivers School for the Arts at Coco’s.  For these (and so many more) great Dayton events, keep an eye on the weekly Jane’s Best Bets.

So – those are a handful of events keeping you busy in February and introducing you to lots and Lots and LOTS of new YPs who are active and involved in having a great time in Dayton.  Go to everything and you’ll average an event every other day.  Check out something new and let me know how it goes.

Dayton’s “Tech Connect” Needs Your Help

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(from The City of Dayton)

The City of Dayton has applied for Ohio Dept. of Transportation funds to support reconstruction of streets and corridors essential for future growth. This “Tech Connect” project will dramatically improve Brown, Warren and Washington Streets (within the Ohio Aerospace Hub) and East First/Springfield Street (between downtown Dayton and Wright-Patterson AFB). These improvements (shown in yellow on the map linked here) would join other planned enhancements to South Main Street and Patterson Boulevard. Dayton is applying for $1.67 million in Ohio Dept. of Transportation TRAC funds to help make this proposal a reality.
Here’s how you can help
Contact the Ohio Dept. of Transportation’s TRAC program at [email protected] with a message of support for Dayton’s Tech Connect proposal. Your message supporting Dayton must be sent by Friday, Feb. 11, 2011. Following are some ideas for email content:
Please accept my support for the City of Dayton’s Tech Connect TRAC application. The proposed improvements to the transportation network are vital to the development of Ohio’s Aerospace Hub and to the region’s economic future.  I support the City of Dayton’s Tech Connect TRAC application. A modern, attractive and efficient transportation system is vital for the future of Ohio and the Dayton region.
Please copy your email message to [email protected].
Questions: Contact Keith Steeber at 333-3838 or [email protected].

Search for New Executive Director Narrowed to 2 Finalists

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After 2009’s successful levy campaign and funding for the MetroParks secure for another decade, Executive Director Charlie Shoemaker announced his retirement. Charlie’s last day with the MetroParks will be Feb. 28, ending his nine-year tenure as director of the park system and a 33-year career with MetroParks.

Charlie Shoemaker will retire from his position as executive director by Feb. 28, 2011.

Some highlights of his career include overseeing the expansion MetroParks’ protected lands to over 15,000 acres, increasing the ratio of protected conservation areas to publically accessed spaces from 80:20 to 90:10. Five Rivers MetroParks is one of the few park districts in the state and even the nation to boast such numbers. In this writer’s opinion, one of the most enduring aspects of Charlie’s legacy will be his contribution to outdoor recreation. Under Charlie’s command, additional recreational facilities were created. The 22-mile Twin Valley Trail offers a backcountry backpacking experience stretched between Germantown and Twin Creek MetroParks. There’s also the popular MetroParks Mountain Biking Area (MoMBA) located at Huffman MetroPark. Both were introduced in 2008. Facilities such as these provide people with opportunities to enjoy a personal connection with nature while instilling healthy habits close to home. Active outdoor lifestyles not only promote public health, they can help attract and retain a talented workforce to the region, and the businesses who need them.

Another progressive activity MetroParks has undertaken under Charlie’s direction is the work being done on the Greater Downtown Dayton Plan. Five Rivers MetroParks is contributing to the riverfront, cycling amenities and active lifestyle features that make Dayton an attractive place to live, work and play.

Charlie is leaving some big shoes to fill, but we are fortunate to have a pair of highly qualified candidates to take his place. Rebecca A. “Becky” Benná, director of parks and recreation for the city of Glendale, Ariz., and Stephen Madewell, Lake Metroparks director in Lake County, Ohio. Both individuals have extensive backgrounds in land stewardship and advocating outdoor lifestyles, and your chance to meet them is coming up. Sign up for one of two open house sessions taking place this Friday, Jan. 28:

•          Cox Arboretum MetroPark

o   Madewell: 9 -9:40 a.m.

o   Benná: 9:50-10:30 a.m.

•          Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark

o   Madewell: 10:30- 11:10 a.m.

o   Benná: 11:20 a.m. to noon

Five Rivers MetroParks is committed to bringing families opportunities to create personal connections with nature today and for generations to come.

Change can be difficult and can leave a lot of questions. The State of Ohio continues to reel from changes after the midterm elections, but we have the advantage in this instance of knowing that regardless of who takes the helm after Charlie retires, certain aspects of Five Rivers MetroParks and its mission to the region will remain consistent:

We promise to protect our natural heritage. Five Rivers MetroParks was founded in 1963 to preserve our natural spaces. We will continue this tradition, managing wildlife and this region’s natural habitats using the most practical and ecological methods available to ensure long-term health and survival. Five Rivers MetroParks will continue to protect land and waterways, nurture partnerships for local land conservation and habitat restoration, and support conservation-based educational programs and volunteer opportunities.

We promise to connect people to nature. Whether it’s through updating park areas to improve visitor experiences, teaching you the skills you need to get out doors—to go kayaking or bird watching, mountain biking or gardening—or developing nature play areas for children, Five Rivers MetroParks is committed to creating an independent outdoor lifestyle for our fellow residents and delivering a personal, long-lasting natural experience with every park visit.

We promise to enrich this region’s vitality. Five Rivers MetroParks will continue to collaborate with community partners to promote the region and showcase outdoor opportunities that advance Greater Dayton’s image and vibrancy. We will also continue to offer rewarding volunteer opportunities that foster learning and hands on application in a variety of MetroParks’ settings and disciplines.

We promise to respect your trust and continue as a model of public fiscal responsibility and integrity, giving good return on your tax investment. Five Rivers MetroParks will, where appropriate, aggressively seek alternate funding sources to stretch local tax dollars and keep spending focused on our strategic priorities while maintaining flexibility to respond to the ever changing community environment.

Thank you for your continued support, and I look forward to working with our new executive director as we continue to serve this population with opportunities to make a personal connection with nature.

Generation Dayton Offers 2011 Speaker Series

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Generation Dayton is offering a Speaker Series for 2011 that will be a great opportunity for young professionals to “network-up.”  These events will bring young professionals and local business leaders together, offering frequent high-level professional development and mentoring opportunities.

“The 2011 Speaker Series will provide a unique opportunity for young professionals to meet, network with, and learn from top-level businesses and community leaders who have a desire and passion to share their expertise with tomorrow’s leaders,” says Generation Dayton Chair, Jennifer Rettig.

The list of speakers includes Phil Parker, President and CEO of the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, Debbie Lieberman, Montgomery County Commissioner, Neil Arthur, Publisher of the Dayton Business Journal, Peggy Lehner, Ohio Senator for the 6th District, and many more.  Sample topics include the Economic State of the Dayton Region and Climbing the News Ladder in the Digital Age.

The first lunch will be held on January 28th at the Crowne Plaza.  Former Governor Taft will be speaking on the topic of Education and Innovation.

Visit www.generationdayton.org for details about the event and organization, or visit Generation Dayton on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GenDayton.  For a list of upcoming speakers and topics lined up, please see below:

Event Date Location Speaker Topic
Fourth Friday Lunch January 28, 2011 Stars Lounge, Crowne Plaza Former Governor Taft Education and Innovation
Business & Breakfast February 15, 2011 Racquet Club Phil Parker, President and CEO of Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce Generation Dayton’s Role in the Overall Mission of the Dayton Chamber of Commerce
Fourth Friday Lunch February 25, 2011 Dayton Art Institute Ginny Strausburg, Director, DP&L Foundation Choosing Board Positions Wisely: Questions Young Professionals Should Ask
Business & Breakfast March 15, 2011 Cracker Barrel, Miller Lane Debbie Lieberman, Montgomery County Commissioner Montgomery County Economic Update
Fourth Friday Lunch March 25, 2011 Schuster Center Donor Lounge Ken Neufeld, President and CEO of the Victoria Theatre Association Get Excited About the Arts in Dayton
Business & Breakfast April 19, 2011 Mimi’s Neil Arthur, Publisher of the Dayton Business Journal Climbing the News Ladder in the Digital Age
Fourth Friday Lunch April 29, 2011 Norton’s Peggy Lehner, Ohio Senator for the 6th District Update on Ohio’s State Budget
Business & Breakfast May 17, 2011 First Watch, Kettering Dr. Steven Johnson, President of Sinclair Community College TBA
Fourth Friday Lunch May 27, 2011 Racquet Club Jim Leftwich, CEO and President of Dayton Development Coalition Economic State of the Dayton Region
Business & Breakfast June 21, 2011 Courtyard by Marriott, University of Dayton Allen Elijah, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area The Aladdin Factor- One of the Greatest Lessons You’ll Ever Learn
Fourth Friday Lunch June 24, 2011 Amber Rose Dr. Roy Chew, President of Kettering Medical Center Healthcare Reform and It’s Impact on You

RSVP’s are required for attendance. Please RSVP to [email protected]

Generation Dayton, established in 2006, is the place for the diverse pool of talented young professionals who live and work in the Dayton region to meet, network, learn, grow and establish themselves as integral components in the future success of the Dayton region.

The Adventures Of Vaccinium Person From Finland

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Might As Well Rewrite The Title As Well…

            To understand my position on this debate, I must first tell you a story. When my middle son was in 5th grade, he was harassed mercilessly by several black students in his class. Among those, there was one in particular that would constantly bother him, poking him with a pencil in the back, pulling his hair and calling him things like beaner, spic, camel jockey, sand nigger and towel-head. I had spoken with the teacher on many occasions and, while sympathetic, he was overrun by his classroom and, after taking up the matter with the school’s principal at the time, he found that he was alone in dealing with the problem.

One day, I received a call from the school saying that I was to pick up my son from school because he was being suspended for two weeks. Why? Because my son, in retaliation to the constant harassment, both verbal and physical, had finally had enough, turned around and hit the boy and called him a nigger. Oddly enough, the physicality of the altercation was swept aside as a negligible offense, but the racial slur was what was treated as the major transgression. I arrived at the school and met with the principal, who was a demurely petite black woman. She must have had a degree in psychology because the first thing she did was move a table that was in front of me out of the way so, “that there wouldn’t be anything standing between us.” Knowing that my wife was coming up, I thought that this was a foolish idea, as that table would at least buy the principal a few seconds for escape. As it turns out, I was right.

In speaking with the principal before my wife arrived, I brought up the fact that my son had been harassed by several children in the classroom and ran down the list of racial slurs that had been lobbed at him and that I had entreated the school to intercede to no avail. She stated that since he was not of that specific ethnicity, neither Arabic nor Mexican, then the racial slurs did not apply to him. She then made an allusion to the fact that he probably picked up his racism from me, since I was white, which is, in of itself, a prejudicial remark…and an incorrect assumption at that.

            Now, look up at my picture. Now back here. I am a white male. My wife, however, happens to be female (which is a good quality in a mother) and also happens to be black. In all honesty, she’s a Haitian/Cuban/Native American-American, but that just sounds confusing and stupid. So, that being the case, all of our children are multiracial, which makes this incident as interesting as it is convoluted. I brought up to the principal the fact that the school had a zero tolerance policy for racism, yet they had allowed my son to be called all sorts of names of a racist nature. She repeated her stance that since he was not of those ethnic origins, the racist epithets did not apply. So, by this logic, since the children were racist as well as ignorant of someone’s nationality, it made their slurs acceptable. I went on to say that I had heard children in the hallway call each other nigger on innumerable occasions, to which she explained that, in the African-American culture, that was a term of greeting and endearment. Well, what if, for the sake of argument, the black half of my son used the word, trying to be endearing, while the white half was appalled at the racist transaction? Would that make it acceptable? Shortly thereafter, my wife arrived and the whole conversation devolved rather quickly, especially when she called the principal a nigger and all the children involved “little nigglets.” As I predicted, the principal should have kept that table in front of her.

            I bring this up, not as a means to air my disgruntlement with the school system (although there is a cathartic quality to it), but as an example of how complicated the nuances of this argument are. On the one hand, we have black entertainers using the word ad nauseum, especially in rap lyrics, so much so that, if there weren’t so many words that rhymed with “nigger,” the rap genre would have died a quick death shortly after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s first album. Walking along the street or standing in a store, I am constantly accosted by the dreaded “N” word, usually strung together with other expletives, with a complete disregard as to who is within earshot. It’s become a game, much like the one played by woman who wears exceptionally revealing clothes, just daring any male to look at them so they can unleash a hate filled tirade against the “sexist pigs.” It becomes a trap as to who can legitimately use The Word That Shall Remain Nameless, and woe to you if you use it and are not licensed to do so.

As with any other word, it is the intent behind the word and not the word itself that carries the weight. I can watch Richard Pryor’s Live On The Sunset Strip and never have a derogatory thought about the word nigger, even though it’s used roughly a thousand times during the show. If I watch Mississippi Burning and hear some white redneck use the word, you can feel the hatred drip off of each syllable. He could be calling the guy a “maraschino cherry”, and the sense of malice would be the same. By the same token, any word, regardless of how innocuous or funny that it may sound (such as peckerwood, which just cracks me up), should be treated equally as a pejorative term and not be relegated as having a lesser impact. I have seen innumerable black comedians, musicians, actors, etcetera, rail against the racism that blacks must endure, and then launch into bits denigrating other races without any thought of hypocrisy crossing their minds. You cannot claim a specific sensitivity to a word, then be insensitive about the language that flows from your own mouth.

            The argument against removing the word nigger from Mark Twain’s works is simple: don’t. It reflects the mores of that time period, regardless of whether it is right or wrong. It shows how people were viewed and treated, and not just black people, but Native Americans and different classes of people as well. If you green light sanitizing works of literature, how soon will it be before we rewrite The Dairy of Anne Frank to depict the young girl taunting the Nazi’s à la Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone? Using the same logic that NewSouth Publishing Company is using, the book should be changed so that it will make it easier for teachers to discuss the book without having to deal with the horrific nature of the holocaust. We need to change Steinbeck’s Of Mice And Men while we’re at it to depict handicapable people in a better light. Those poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar will have to be rewritten, because some of the dialect smacks of ignorance. After we’re done with that, we’ll be able to tackle that violently racist and sexist book, The Bible…

I am not downplaying the use of the word nigger. In it’s truest form, the word embodies the hatred and detestation of one race for another. It unfairly depicts a whole race of people under an inapplicable blanket definition and, to a large degree, holds them to it against their will. That’s one of the important reasons to keep the word alive in it’s original context in Huckleberry Finn, as a benchmark for what the word applied to a people of a certain era and what the word symbolizes now. A word, however, is a word and, even if you sanitize it and give it a more palatable appearance, unless you are willing to change the behavior that allows this hatred and the insufferable intent behind the word, this cleansing is all for naught. By way of example, George Carlin used to do a bit about the term “shell shocked”, which turned into “battle fatigue” and eventually ended up as “post traumatic stress disorder”. Through all its permutations, the actual devastating trauma and its cause remained the same, but the terms were more pleasant for people to deal with, allowing people to ignore the tragic nature of what the words entailed.

Even though Huckleberry Finn is a work of fiction, it is still a window into a historical era. To shut this window and draw the blinds is the surest way to cloud our vision and allow us to forget things that, while uncomfortable or upsetting, are important to remember so that we do not forget, as a people, where we have come from and the atrocities that we, as a people, have endured. It gives us a point with which we can juxtapose the past with the present so as to give us a clearer line of sight to where we need to be. To tamper with literary works in the name of appeasement or comfort is yet just another form of revisionist history, allowing for a Pollyanna perspective that will surely allow us to forget past transgressions…and eventually to repeat them.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iau-e6HfOg0′]

One Year To A Better Neighborhood

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Before Dayton had “Originals”, we were a “City of Neighbors”. I’m not sure when we stopped being so neighborly, but one of the things I hear from buyers is that they want to live in a neighborhood where residents really know each other. They want a sense of community and camaraderie. People don’t just buy a home, they buy into a neighborhood and they want to know that not only are there are people within shouting distance who’ve got their back, they want to find a neighborhood where their own presence is felt and appreciated. Not all neighborhoods come with a ready-made sense of community so maybe it’s up to you to be the change.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to make a plan for your community, so I’m offering some ideas for becoming a stronger neighborhood. One for each month, these are generic, easy, simple- a spring board for what might work in your own community, but hopefully they will get you started. If you have kids, your job is easy. Kids are natural neighbors who use the block as a playground and every new person is a potential friend, whereas adults use the home as a refuge. Fight the urge to shut the door against strangers in your own neighborhood. There’s a difference between being friendly and being nosy and very few people in your neighborhood will complain about the former.

January: Hire a kid.
We get snow in January, and believe me, there is a teenager in your neighborhood who would love to make some money shoveling snow. Hire them. Hire them! Set your expectations high and hold that kid to those expectations, but hire the kid, and hire them to shovel your elderly neighbor’s driveway as well. Don’t make the 3-foot-nothing kindergartners on the block trudge through 5 inches of snow.

February: Take a walk.
There are usually a few days in February where the weather breaks. Get out of the house and take a look around. Notice which neighbors are gardeners and who likes landscaping. Where is the neglect in the neighborhood? Is there a need there that can be filled? Wave hello. In the car, on the sidewalk, across the street- wave hello. Acknowledge that you recognize that you are sharing space with your neighbor and 95% of the people you wave to, will wave back. Who knows? They may even smile. 🙂

March: Clean up your yard.
March winds mean a lot of flotsam and jetsam starts blowing around the neighborhood. Clean it up, your mom doesn’t live there. When you walk, take a bag with you and pick up the garbage you see. I know you didn’t put it there, but you live there, and trust me when I tell you that your neighbors will notice and will start to take pride in their neighborhood, too.

April: Meet the gardeners.
Someone in your neighborhood is a horticulturist by passion. Because you’ve been out walking and paying attention, you’ll know who they are. Early weekend mornings, go meet them. Walk past, say hello, compliment their yard, get their advice, find out where they shop for plants and how they treat their soil. If you don’t care for plantings, perhaps you can find the best lawn in the neighborhood and talk to them. These people are regularly outside, they know what is going on in the neighborhood. They are clued into the community same as the house with all the kids. Get to know these people. If you have the opportunity to start a community garden, do it!

May: Neighborhood Open House.
The historic districts in Dayton do these on a regular basis, but why not your neighborhood? Contact the Realtors who have listings in the neighborhood and get this started. My guess is that any Realtor worth her salt would jump on this idea in a heartbeat and do a lot of the heavy lifting for you. It’s a great way to spruce things up, show off the community, and bring people into the neighborhood.

June: A neighborhood cookout or block party.
Pot luck, casual, bring the kids, keep it outside. Easy does it. Invite local police if that would be helpful, appropriate, and productive.

July: Exterior updates to the house.
Attitudes are contagious. Painting the shutters, or replacing windows, or a new roof will get your neighbors out of their homes to talk about it with you, and you will soon see improvements to their homes as well. Very few people want to live in the worse home on the block, and some blocks simply need one or two home owners to decide that the neighborhood is worth it, before that attitude becomes the norm. If you don’t have a front porch, create the feeling of one and use it on summer evenings.

August: Back to school.
Go to a school board meeting. I’m not sure what affects property values like the local school system. That means you have to know what is going on and you have to hold your elected board members accountable. It’s okay to be the PITA citizen who expects results.

September: Fall Pot Luck.
One last chance to get outside together while the weather is warm. There will be a lot of changes to talk about: Neighbors who have come and gone; a neighbor who is in need; the roads or sidewalks in disrepair; which home is in foreclosure and do you take on maintenance for the vacant property?

October: Trick or Treat.
Beggar’s Night is a great time to get to know your neighbors, don’t turn off the lights and hide in the dark. The younger kids will be out early so buy enough candy for the first hour or half hour and get to know the families in the neighborhood, if you haven’t already.

November: Leaf raking.
Raking, not blowing. Raking leaves invites the neighbors to stop and chat with you, while a leaf blower is a noisy apparatus that repels your neighbors. Rake your leaves and skip the trip to the gym.

December: Share with your neighbors.
Self-explanatory.

There you have it. A painless way to get to know your neighbors. Each neighbor has something unique to bring to the neighborhood, and not everyone will be receptive to participation. Respect those differences, but find a way to build on them, and you’ve got the beginnings of a vibrant, growing community.

Okay, I’ve shared my ideas- let’s hear from you all. What makes your neighborhood such a great place to live and how do you create a sense of community?

Photo courtesy of TLussier

Donerik Black and the Dayton Weekly News

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Photo Credit: Jason Eckley

The following was submitted by Juliette Rocheleau of the updayton Entrepreneurship Team, and is their first of several future feature articles about Dayton-area entrepreneurs.

Co-owner of the Dayton Weekly News, Donerik Black knows that being an entrepreneur is no easy task. The Dayton Weekly News celebrated its seventeenth year in circulation this November, with Black juggling the duties of project manager salesman, designer and more. While the different tasks of entrepreneurship can be demanding, Black admitted in most other professions he would, “be bored to death.”

A native of the Dayton Region, Black chose to stay in the area after he finished college.  Post-graduation Black realized, “Unless I won the lottery, I was going to work for somebody. What better person to work for than my dad?” Black and his business partner father, Don Black, first owned and operated a public relations and consulting business. Additionally, both knew the Dayton area well, having been born and raised in and around the city.

In the early nineties, the perception of Dayton was extremely negative. Despite its reputation, Black knew there was a better story to tell. “We felt that there was a need for Dayton’s urban community to have a voice,” said Black.  He and his father set out to create a newspaper. Originally they used a publisher in the Columbus area. Due to simple geographical complications, the paper was labeled as “a Columbus paper with a Dayton masthead.” Consequently, the two businessmen severed ties with the Columbus branch. From there the Dayton Weekly News was born.

“…even if we have to give them away, we still want people to see the paper.”

The early days were tough. However, thanks to their public relations and consulting business, the Blacks had already created many good relationships with social organizations and churches in the area. Using, “guerilla marketing,” as Black puts it, the business, “hired young kids to go door to door and [gave] away a lot of complimentary copies of the paper.” The Blacks followed up each give-away with another paper, turning recipients into potential readers.

After years of successful business, the Blacks are still trying new and inventive ways to raise awareness of the Dayton Weekly News. Black explained, “We’ll have subscription drives. We’ve even had young kids who have used it as fundraising projects—even if we have to give them away, we still want people to see the paper.”

Black serves on the board of the United Health Solutions, an organization focused on enriching the lives of those who are less fortunate in the Dayton community. The cause is important to Black, explaining, “They’re a great organization. And, we try to get as involved with them as possible.” Black also encourages the Dayton Weekly News to get involved with the American Heart Association. For Black, the organization hits close to home. A heart patient himself, he advocates the importance of health.

Each year in April, which is Minority Health Month, the Dayton Weekly News covers important medical details. “Minority Health Month is something that we’ve really tried to put our hands around. We let our readership know what’s going on within the community so they can get tested for ailments that really plague African Americans, like diabetes and high blood pressure, that are preventable and controllable.” Black added, “We really like to get involved with those organizations that are putting out information that help our readers make healthier choices.”

As an entrepreneur, Black admitted it would be easier to calculate how many hours a week he doesn’t work. “When I’m sleeping, I’m typically not working,” he said, “From the entrepreneurial standpoint, you’re always working.” Long hours aren’t the only necessity for starting and owning your own business. According to Black, “Everybody’s a salesman. Everybody sells something to someone everyday. Period. Pointblank.” Black believes the need to sell drives all jobs. “If you don’t like selling,” he said, “you’re going to have a hard time doing anything.” Passion for what you do should fuel your desire to sell. Black knows, “You need to love what you do.”

“For lack of a better term, I enjoy the ‘smallness’ of Dayton”

He also emphasized both the need to “be a people person” and “be ready to close when you get the opportunity.”  Black explained, the “kiss of death” for small business owners is when an opportunity is lost and the potential client moves on to the next company. “A lot of times as a small business person, you many only get one shot to make a good impression.” He continued, “When you get an opportunity, you have to seize it by any means necessary.”

As a resident and business owner in the Dayton area, Black most appreciates the city’s size. “For lack of a better term, I enjoy the ‘smallness’ of Dayton, “ describing Dayton as an accessible city and a “ninety-minute market.” Black likes that Dayton’s not far from larger cities such as Chicago and Atlanta, both a few hours away via car or plane. As for the city itself, Black said, “From a business perspective it’s a good place to work, because if you have innovative ideas, you can really cut your teeth in a town like Dayton.” The key to Dayton, or to any big city, is to be aggressive.

Black admits that Dayton has the tendency to slip into complacency. However, he does not consider it to be negative. “If everyone’s going to sleep,” said Black, “I’m just going to tiptoe right through it—chomp it all up.” Dayton is a “reactionary city,” with events happening in and around Dayton. “Policy is passed, things are done, and we have to take control of it,” he said. Black added, “As a whole, the smallness could be Dayton’s best attribute and its worst.” And yet, there are many opportunities. “Dayton would be a wonderful place to come and test the waters,” said Black, “I hope more people look at it as a hub for technology.”

The Dayton Weekly News is looking to expand digitally and offer a version of the paper online. Currently the website is geared toward advertising.  “Baby steps” is Black’s answer to expanding. The team is working to both offer the paper online and maintain subscription numbers. Black isn’t too concerned about adding a digital version of the paper. With a loyal readership, Black trusts the Dayton citizens.  “We’re going to get that support,” he explained. “The larger number of supporters will subscribe because they want to see this paper survive.” Black thinks in the end, “People will always want that hard copy.”

The Dayton Weekly News is working hard to bring the people of Dayton an efficient, cost-effective, timely newspaper. “That’s always my mission,” Black proudly declared. “Every week I enjoy opening it up, looking through it, and selling that paper.”

Bike Lanes Create More Jobs Than Other Transportation Projects

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In the wake of a monumental policy  passed by the Miami Valley Regional Planning Commission this past week, all transportation project submissions requesting federal funds will require the design to accommodate all users, not just motor vehicles.  This concept is commonly known as “Complete Streets.”  A street designed to be complete is friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders and the disabled.

Some local examples of Complete Streets tactics used here in the Miami Valley are bike lanes, shares, audible signals, road diets, round-abouts and so on.

This philosophy isn’t necessarily accepted by planners, engineers, and community leaders across the board.  As a matter of fact, the process of reaching a “Complete Streets” policy was highly contested and took many years achieve.

The Outdoor Evangelist would like to start a movement to hault all record of referring to pedestrian, bicycle and transit infrastructure and development as “alternative,” considering our own two feet are our primary method of travel, the car, however import to our culture, is historically, the true alternative.

This new policy brings the local planning organization up to speed with the various other regional planning groups across the state,  who have adopted complete streets policies months, some years ago.

Another hot topic in the bicycle and pedestrian planning realm is a popular, and controversial research study that became public this month.  In a article posted by the League of American Bicyclists, “According to a new report by the Political Economy Research Institute at the University of Massachusetts Amherst says that building bike lanes/boulevards and pedestrian projects creates more jobs per million dollars spent than road repairs and road resurfacing.

Yes, they said it.  Bike lanes create more jobs than other transportation projects.  As a matter of fact, they are cited as creating twice as many jobs. The study, “Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure,” which examines the costs of engineering, construction, and materials costs for different types of projects in the city of Baltimore, concludes that, for a given amount of spending, bike lanes create about twice as many jobs as road construction. The difference lies in the varying labor intensity and the ratio of engineering costs to construction expenses across project types. Footway repairs and bike lane signing are labor intensive, meaning that a greater share of the total cost goes to pay people than in material heavy road projects. “Each $1 million spent creating on-street bike lanes directly creates 7.9 jobs and creates a total of 14.4 jobs when we include the indirect and induced effects,” the author, Heidi Garrett-Peltier, writes, “The two categories of road repairs have the lowest employment effects, with 3-4 direct jobs and approximately 7 total jobs created for each $1 million.”

More information on this exciting research and other complete streets projects can be found by visiting League of American Bicyclists website.  Interested in reviewing the MVRPC Complete Streets Policy in its entirety? Their website has not only the policy but details the process and a presentation providing a great overview of what a complete street is and how it applies to our region.

Hope – This Exit

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Hope – This Exit

( Redemption – Next Exit )

Ted Williams - Homeless Radio Announcer in Columbus, OH

In the last 72 hours the world has witnessed the Cinderella story of Ted Williams, a homeless guy known as “Radio Man” holding the standard cardboard sign begging for help at an off ramp of I-71 in Columbus, Ohio. The scene is something we witness daily during our commutes. How many times have we all cringed and felt a bit awkward at the familiar site of our own local off-ramps? Wayne and Keowee being one. We all ask ourselves the same questions and have the same thoughts that last the duration of a red light. I won’t go into them here, but we all have the same basic thoughts and pangs of emotion. Sometimes those feelings are so strong we don’t make eye contact, let alone read the sign in hand. It was Ted Williams’ sign that took him on this journey, “I have a God given gift of voice. I’m an ex-radio announcer who has fallen on hard times.”

God granted a slow news day and the rest is history.

The story takes off when a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch took an interest and not only read the sign and gave him some change, but actually got out of his comfort zone and spoke to him. The voice that came back was shocking to say the least. The reporter returned a few days later to video tape Mr. Williams, then shelved it waiting for a slow news day. While that tape sat on the shelf Mr. Williams remained in his hovel in the brush by the interstate as winter set in.

God granted a slow news day and the rest is history. If you don’t know this story already, you are probably living in a hovel in the brush by the interstate. (or in a van down by the river.)  What took place in the few hours after that video went viral via YouTube was no less an act of God. Over 5 million views in the first 24 hours. I remember viewing it on my laptop from the comfort of my bed one very cold morning this week and was moved to tears. I can’t say what exactly resonated with me but it was instant and personal.

Obviously I was not the only one to have the “OMG” moment because by the end of the day Mr. Williams was being sought out by those who had something to offer and he literally over night was being courted by corporations and networks, flooded with job offers and even a house in one case.What he wanted most, to see his 90 year old mother. His mother. The one who prayed for his redemption and recovery from the painful pit of alcohol and drugs. She prayed for a rescue from his self imposed prison. He was the first to admit this is what took him to the street and that his voice, 2 years of sobriety, the clothes on his back and a newly developed faith in God was the only thing he owned in life. (and a pre-paid cell phone.)

Now, this story in itself is amazing and wonderful and I’m sure Will Smith has probably started voice training while his people buy the rights to the story. (If he can beat Oprah to it.) The REAL story here is the sense of community that developed during those few days. In the midst of greedy networks scratching and clawing for first dibs on this story for their ratings, a heart changing Grinch moment happened between rival network morning shows, The Early Show and The Today Show.

The usual production tricks kick off this event with Early Show delivering Mr. Williams elderly mother to LaGuardia to tape the end of their 20 year separation only for Today Show to make a power play and whisk Mr. Williams away when he landed staling the event as the jockey for position. Call it Karma or God or some kind of voice from the universe, something historic happened when the two networks brokered a deal to show the reunion between Ted Williams and his mother at the same time on Thursday morning. The prodigal son televised on a morning show. The world cheers and cries as he runs “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy….” a 53 year old man with a fresh haircut falls into his elderly mothers arms.

“What if that man was a famous painter?”

Community made this happen. This mother and child reunion resonates with us all. The redemption story resonates with us all. The realization that this could happen to any one of us as a parent or as a child should help us connect on some level. Ted Williams took his family through hell. He was far from perfect. We all want a second chance and a happy ending, if not for ourselves but for others. Imagine this being your child. Don’t think it can’t happen to you. I myself have stood in a church food pantry feeling like I’ve just had a TSA screening of my pride and dignity and asking myself  “WHY? We work hard, we have good morals, we are good people, how can this happen to US?”

On another level we all have the same desire to be heard.  “Deep down inside, many of us long to have our own inner greatness discovered by the world,” says Los Angles author and speaker BJ Gallagher. (“It’s Never Too Late to Be What You Might Have Been.”) Homelessness is not sexy and less dramatic journeys back from the edge happen every day.

Saint Patrick Parish, Lawrence, Massachusetts

I saw a mini documentary once on Independent Lens about a homeless choir at Saint Patrick Parish in Lawernce, MA, and how the chance to sing and play an instrument gave dignity back to those on Skid Row. Since seeing that film I look at homeless people differently. “What if she was opera trained in voice?” “What if he was an amazing jazz drummer?” “What if that man was a famous painter?”

We can all relate to the hell of not having food or a warm bed, or at least we can imagine it. I for one cannot imagine not having access to music. No computer or radio. No MP3 player or even a cd player. What about films? What about just basic information? What a hell that would be. Mr. Williams didn’t even see this video of himself until he was plucked off the street. He knew nothing until the celebrity tsunami hit him.

It isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of fame in the last few years. The film “The Soloist” about a real-life classical musician, Nathaniel Ayers, who became homeless and was re-discovered is a beautiful story.

For those of you like me who delight in the cheesier side of things, what of accidental singer Antoine Dodson whose spot on local news shot to fame after being altered by popular site Auto-Tune The News made his “Bed Intruder Song” a hit world wide. He got his family out of the projects and is now on every D-list broadcast event you can imagine. (not counting Dick Clarks Rockin’ New Years Eve, which I still don’t understand the connection, but it happened.)

The beauty of Antoine Dodsons’ story holds the same element of Mr. Williams, they are using this new lease on life to help others. Spending celebrity wisely is a rare thing these days. Dodson, a victim of childhood rape, now has a phone app to help rape victims and endangered children. Ted Williams just recorded a commercial spot yesterday for Kraft Mac & Cheese that will air on ESPN Sunday during the “Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl” game. On the theme of internet sensations,  “Double Rainbow Guy”, nothing happening on that front, which is a good thing. Maybe he can help the legalization of pot effort, but I digress.

So, what does this have to do with Dayton or you or the world? Why write about this on DaytonMostMetro.com? I found it ironic that as I was following Mr. Williams story I was busy promoting an upcoming event here in Dayton to benefit one of our own off-ramp fixtures, Mr. Rick Sowa. Mr. Sowa has been the flower vendor at the Main Street / I-75 ramp downtown for over 20 years. He was shot in the arm and robbed last October as he was selling flowers like he has done every day. He was hospitalized for his injuries and is now back out on his beat. As a community many of us rallied around him. Many of us have never bought even one flower from him, but he belongs to our community, that’s what matters most.  Local artist, musician and author “Drexel” Dave Sparks put out the call for area musicians and venue owners to help raise money for Mr. Sowa. I am one that chimed in early on and am assisting Dave in organizing the event.

So, you might ask yourself, “Why help the flower guy? Lot’s of people need help.”Well, you are right. And if you know someone who needs help, do something. Whatever you can. Or ask others to pitch in. You don’t have to feed the world, just feed one. (I wish that was MY saying but it’s a quote I heard somewhere.)

I’ve never bought a flower from Mr. Sowa. I’ve never met him and do not know him. But when I drive by I ask myself those set of questions “What’s his story?” As a contributing writer here at DaytonMostMetro.com that is my goal, to find those in the community who are invisible or don’t have a place to be heard and tell their stories. Who knows, maybe the next Ted Williams is you, or someone you recognize. Everyone deserves to be heard. Meanwhile, stop by the benefit show for Mr. Rick Sowa at Blind Bobs on January 15. Hear some great music from bands that are donating their pay for the night. Drexel – Akillis Green – Oxymoronatron – Team Void – Okay Lindon – Chuck Cleaver

Speaking of community and being good hearted for the benefit of others, BIG PROPS to the band “Human Reunion” who endured a scheduling issue with the same date / venue and graciously moved their show to Jimmy’s Cornerstone Bar, the last show of that venues location before Miami Valley Hospital tears it down. Please buy a “Human Reunion” record and support them as well. Or, if you are ambitious that night, go to both shows! You can never get too much good Dayton music!

GladGirl

YP Roundup – January 2011

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Happy New Year!

December went out with a bang with special discounts for big YP New Year’s Eve parties and a lot happening.  Not to be outdone, there are some great events coming up in January.  Also – make sure you look into the meetups that are popping up.  In additional to the Twenty-Somethings group and the Young Professionals I’ve told you about – a new group has emerged just last month, the Thirty-Somethings.  So – there are professional groups, social groups, networking groups, arts groups, recreation groups, and lots of overlap among them all.  Check out something new this month!

First up: HYPE – the YP group nestled in the Northern Miami Valley invites you to join them for an informal lunch on Wednesday, January 12 at the Tin Roof in Troy.  It’s a great chance to meet new friends, keep up with their events, and enjoy lunch together.  New members always welcome, but RSVPs are required by Noon on January 11.

Thirsty Thursday on January 13 gives you a way to wet your whistle with other YPs and meet new people without any membership requirements.  Join Generation Dayton at The Wine Loft at the Greene from 5:30 – 7:30 PM for a cash bar with special happy hour prices.

Have you been Ice Skating on RiverScape yet this season?  Now’s your chance – Saturday, January 15 from 3-5 PM.  With a tiny cost of $5 for admission and skate rental, you get plenty of fun.  Skate, enjoy some hot chocolate, and sit around the fire pits with friends from Generation Dayton.

You can count on Generation Dayton to bring you great conversation over good food with the Business and Breakfast Speaker Series. In January, hear from Andy Snow – a top regional photographer sharing his experience catching the action for the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company.  Tuesday, January 18 at the Panera on Main Street in Centerville from 7-8AM.  No cost to attend (food at your own expense), but you need to RSVP.

Third Thursday of the month brings you the Dayton Ballet Barre’s monthly Wine and Ballet at the Wine Gallery on Monument and Main in Dayton.  Get together with other arts-minded YPs for conversation, drinks, and fun.

Dayton has a major history and future of invention.  Former Governor Bob Taft has been leading discussions and actions regarding the partnership between education and innovation.  He’ll share his insights at a Generation Dayton Fourth Friday Lunch at the Stars Restaurant on top of the Crowne Plaza in downtown Dayton on January 28 at Noon.  RSVPs required.

The final Gen D event of January gets everyone together for bowling at Woodman Lanes in Kettering on Saturday, January 29 from 6-8 PM.  Only $12 includes 2 hours of bowling, shoes, and pizza.  Pay at the door and everyone will be assigned to lanes as you arrive.  Remember to RSVP!

January 29 is also your chance to “Jump into Bluegrass” with JumpstART.  It’s a great deal on a arts opportunity that may be new to you, so check it out with other YPs.  Grammy-winning bluegrass superstar Ricky Skaggs and his fire-breathing band Kentucky Thunder return to the Dayton Masonic Center stage to headline an outstanding traditional bluegrass double-header.

***New on the radar!  Did you graduation from the University of Dayton in the last 10 years (or you’re under 35)?  UD now has a special YP alumni group – Day10.  There’s a whole list of events they have coming up, so if you’re a flyer grad – check them out.

Between professional and social networking, volunteer opportunities, food, education, and arts – there’s something for everyone.  What kinds of events get you excited to try something new and meet some new people?

Help save a life during National Blood Donor Month!

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January has been designated National Blood Donor Month to raise awareness during a time of year when blood supplies often fall to their lowest levels.  Donations traditionally decline during the post-holiday season because of busy schedules and inclement weather, which can prevent people from keeping donation appointments. At the same time, the need for blood remains constant in the early months of the year.

Those who register to donate at most Community Blood Center (CBC) blood drives and all branch locations January 3 through January 29 will receive a free limited edition Honor. Duty. Donor.  Army green t-shirt!

  • It is essential that CBC has 350 donors a day
  • CBC serves 24 hospitals in 15 counties in Indiana and Ohio
  • Over 40,000 local patients benefit from blood products donated by local blood donors

Donors are required to provide a photo ID that includes their full name. Past CBC donors are also asked to bring their CBC donor ID card. Donors must be at least 17 years of age (16 years old with parental consent: form available at www.givingblood.org or at CBC branch & blood drive locations), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be in good physical health.  The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) changes blood donor eligibility guidelines periodically.  Individuals with eligibility questions are invited to email [email protected] or call 1(800)388-GIVE. Make an appointment at www.DonorTime.com.

Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Servicesâ„¢, an independent, not-for-profit organization, is registered to ISO 9001:2000.  Community Blood Center provides blood products to 24 hospitals in the Miami (Ohio) and Whitewater (Indiana) Valleys.  For more information about Community Blood Center/Community Tissue Services visit www.givingblood.org.

Leaders Wanted for Dayton Neighborhoods

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Applications are now being accepted for the 29th annual Neighborhood Leadership Institute, sponsored by the City of Dayton. The Neighborhood Leadership Institute is a 12-week program designed to educate Dayton residents about local government, City resources, and community leadership.

The 2011 program is scheduled to kick-off on Tuesday, March 15, 2011. It is comprised of workshops, skill-building components, and a day-long bus tour of Dayton neighborhoods. Participants hear presentations from community, business, and government leaders on topics such as Dayton’s history, the role of City government, the criminal justice system, and cultural diversity. Class members also complete field assignments and a practicum requiring development of a grassroots project within their community.

Anyone interested in participating should submit a completed application no later than Thursday, February 10, 2011. Application forms are available at the Division of Citizen Participation (6th floor, City Hall, 101 W. Third Street), at
www.daytonohio.gov/departments/pcd, or by calling 937-333-3670.

Buy Local, Buy Art

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Real Art

(Submitted by Samantha Enslen)

Waited till the last minute to get your holiday shopping done? There’s still time to get some great gifts. Best of all, you can get one-of-a-kind items made right here in Dayton, many created by local artists and designers.

Ready to shop?

Real Art. Designers designing? Who would’ve thunk it? But these designs are different—they’re things you can pick up, put on, write in, put stuff in. All knitted, sewn, photographed, or constructed by the talented folks at Real Art, one of Dayton’s premier design studios.

A Modern Eden

A Modern Eden. Creations for kids that are adorable—without being sappy? Yes, they exist. And at A Modern Eden, they exist in the form of iPhone apps, flashcards, posters, and tote bags. Created by the designers at Forge, one of Dayton’s newest marketing firms.

Four Ambition

Four Ambition. “No art, no heart?” That’s the way we see it. Show everyone what you believe by wearing a Four Ambition t-shirt. Are you “Uncaged?” They got that. A “Gypsy?” Got that too. All designed by the three brains behind Four Ambition, a Dayton-based screen-printing shop.

Society Bodycare. Stephen Rumbaugh, a former instructor at Dayton’s School for Advertising Art, formulates and creates unique organic soaps, with packaging that could only come from a great designer. With soaps like The Art School Bar, the Yellow Springs Bar, and the Black Forest Bar, how can you go wrong?

Oregon District Galleries. Take a walk along Fifth and Brown Streets and pick up one-of-a-kind pieces

Oregon District Galleries

painted, sculpted, and crafted by local Dayton artists. The Color of Energy, Orchard View, and Gallery 510 are just a few good stops along the way.

PNC 2nd Street Market. Stop by Dayton’s best farmer’s market Thursday through Saturday and pick up gifts from local growers,

Society Bodycare

bakers, chefs, and crafters. The Market will be open a special day — Wednesday, Dec. 22 — for last-minute purchases.

Second Street Market

Go Home. Yes, it’s a home store, but this ain’t no Pottery Barn. Alongside beautiful modern furniture, you’ll find pieces by Dayton sculptors, glassworkers, and photographers like Mike Elsass, Jim DeLange, Penny Stewart, and Steven Lee Johnson. Plus, during the holiday season, Go Home carries a variety of Real Mart items.

So what are you waiting for? Start shopping … and remember … shop local, shop creatively!

Samantha Enslen runs Dragonfly Editorial and bought all her Christmas presents at Dayton and Tipp City shops. Except for the Twister game she got at Target. This article was originally published by the Dayton Creative Syndicate.

The Theater Of The Strange

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Comedian Dow Thomas Reminisces About The Dayton Comedy Scene

12/15/10

            It’s very rare for someone to be able to meet any of the people that were instrumental in warping the needle on their moral compass. For example, in the future, the odds are astronomically against my kids ever meeting up with Snooki, the creator of Grand Theft Auto or any or the Real Housewives of Poughkeepsie. I, however, was able to talk with one of the people who were instrumental in changing my vision and giving me the ability to see the world through laughing eyes: Dow Thomas. Dow is a musician, comedian and actor, who was, at one time, a script writer and musician for the notoriously wonderful local program shown on channel 22 and hosted by Dr. Creep called Shock Theater…a show that I was an avid fan of when I was a kid.

I was able to speak with Dow recently from his Floridahome. The first question I asked was whether or not Shock Theater was his introduction into the world of comedy.

“No. I was actually doing comedy in 1972, but at that time there weren’t any comedy clubs, so I was just doing comedy along with my music. I got with Dr. Creep in the late seventies when it was called Saturday Night Dead because they had him on after Saturday Night Live, so it was kind of a neat spot.” Dow reflected on the first time he was on Dr. Creep’s show, saying, “I wrote The Ballad of Dr. Creep and went on there with my girlfriend at the time, Astrid Socrates. I remember some of the early stuff. It was juvenile jokes and stuff, but that was what they (the television station) wanted because they wanted everything clean, stupid and quick.”

If there were no comedy clubs, what venues did he perform in? Dow told me that he would just play in the local bars, places like the Trolley Stop, The Bar and The Iron Boar.

“I would get hired as a musician/entertainer and just add in the comedy in between songs. I would always put on masks and stuff…I just can’t help myself from clowning around. I’d have the gig and eventually I had bands, but when I clowned around, everyone clowned around with me. What was always part of the show was me being stupid.” Dow said. “Sailcats was one of the early comedy songs I wrote which got people to throwing plates at me and that just started it all. We used to sing The Wonderful World of Toilet Paper and we used to TP all the clubs like Clancy’s and the old Wiley’s, which was The Iron Boar originally. But comedy was always a thing with me.”

Since this was predating the eighties comedy boom, I wondered how the comedy scene evolved inDayton. After talking with Dow over an hour, I got a sense of how paradoxically brutal and liberating the process was.

“I was doing The Iron Boar only on Sundays and Wiley had hired me to do it by myself and so I basically got rid of the band…but I still had jam sessions. I was primarily a single act and that’s when I went almost strictly comedy. Back then, I had to do five hours, like from nine to two in the morning, so you had to have a lot of material.” Dow added a couple of memories from the early days ofDaytoncomedy, saying, “We had a comedy night on Tuesdays…and people still bitched about the dollar door charge! It was just crazy. I remember D.L. Stewart came in and did a little bit one night and then wrote an article about the experience.”

Since he had seen the whole evolution of the comedy scene, I wondered whether he felt that it had become too rigid, too structured.

“Yeah…yeah I do. Back then I could have Emo Philips come in and do twenty minutes and then I’d get a chance to go to the bathroom. Then maybe Judy Tenuta would come in and do twenty to thirty minutes…and then I’d get a chance to go to the bathroom.” Dow related that, “For me, I thought it should go on all night because I had been out to the Comedy Store and all of these places. I mean, I had moved out toL.A.in 1983 and I spent a couple of years out there going to different clubs. Back then, nobody closed their bar after the show. A lot of times, we’d all be up doing improv.”

Dow was not a native resident of Dayton, having moved here to attend Wright State, but he quickly adopted the city as his own. He became a habitué of the Arcade, the local bars and the dinner clubs ofDayton. I asked when he had moved from Dayton to his current residence inFlorida.

“Uh…let’s see (yelling to his wife)…Kay! When did we move down here? What year was that? 1997.” Dow the related a funny anecdote. “After we moved, aDaytonnewspaper im

 

mediately voted me the funniest man inDayton…then they did it again the next year. They voted me the funniest man inDaytonfor two straight years and I wasn’t even living there!”

The paper in question used to be called The Dayton Voice…then Impact Weekly…and now it is known as the Dayton City Paper. Maybe we were just still pretending that our Uncle Dow hadn’t left our fair city.

[yframe url=’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llpMWbmXDY0&list=PLC369CAD7BFD06170&index=1&feature=plpp_video’]

Student Filmmakers Wanted!

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Students in grades 8-12 are invited to create and submit short films to the Sundog 8 Regional Film Festival premiering Saturday, May 21 2011 at 2:00 p.m. at the Little Art Theatre.  Cash and prizes valued over $1,500 will be awarded and Sundog official mascot, Moxy, will be sharing her supply of squeaky bones with the audience. Sundog 8 will also be screened at the FilmDayton Festival on Sunday, May 22 at Neon Movies.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

Each entry must be on a separate DVD with a runtime of 10 minutes or less.

Categories include:

  • Experimental
  • Narrative
  • Documentary
  • Self-Portrait
  • Music Video
  • PSA (Public Service Announcement)
  • Film/Computer Animation
  • Photo Essay

This year, a special award will be given for best submission using a dog theme. Also, there is a new category for best use of technology. Winner receives a flip camera, courtesy of Digital Pickle. Films may be individually or collaboratively produced. There is an entry fee of$3.00 per entry. Limit 3 entries per student. Submissions may be mailed or delivered to:

Yellow Springs High School
420 E. Enon Rd.
Yellow Springs, OH 45387

Deadline: 5:00 p.m. Monday, April 25.

Please check entry before submitting. Submissions not playable on a standard DVD player will be disqualified. Entry forms available at www.sundogfilmfestival.org after 1/11/2011.

OPEN JUDGING – A SUNDOG EXCLUSIVE

Open adjudication will be Thursday, April 28, 2011 starting at 9:15 a.m. at Kettering Fairmont High School, 3302 Shroyer Road in the Recital Hall.

Teachers and students will receive valuable feedback from a panel of media professionals and all may attend. Refreshments and lunch will be provided by festival sponsors.  To RSVP, call 937.767.7224 or email: [email protected] and let us know how many will be in your group by April 25. Note: Attendance is not mandatory at judging or screening to win, however teachers are encouraged to arrange a field trip to attend with their students for this highly educational and fun experience.

AWARDS AND PRIZES

Winners will be announced and prizes awarded directly following the screening at the Little Art on May 21. Students whose films make Sundog will be notified shortly after judging by email/phone. Awards will be given for best submissions in various categories as deemed by the judges. All who receive cash prizes must sign a receipt to register to claim funds. Prize money will be equally divided among collaborators. No prizes will be mailed. Winners not present at the Little Art may claim prize money, in person, at Yellow Springs HS by June 10, after which date any unclaimed cash will be returned to Sundog funds. Entries will not be returned. Sundog Film Festival is an educational event organized by dedicated teachers and interested individuals. Authorization to use copyrighted materials remains the responsibility of the contest entrant. Winning entries may be shared for public viewing through various internet sites.

Emerald Ash Borer: Little Beetle, Big Problem

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I’ve learned so much about insects during my tenure here. Admittedly, I still treat six-legged home invaders to an up-close view of the bottom of my boot, but I can at least acknowledge that most creatures play an important role in nature. (For instance, mosquitoes contribute to S.C. Johnson’s bottom line via repellent; therefore, mosquitoes stimulate the economy. Right? Oh, Econ 101, why were you an 8 a.m. class?)

Adult emerald ash borers are characterized by their vibrant green color.

But there are some bugs that truly are pests, and one little green beetle is changing the North American landscape forever. Unlike another invasive Beatle invasion that resulted in mop tops and rock ‘n’ roll, the emerald ash borer, hailing from Asia, has an insatiable appetite for ash trees, consuming nearly all trees in its wake.

Researchers have traced the beetle’s likely arrival to a contaminated wooden palette shipment that landed in Detroit. From there, the beetle’s devastation has been spreading outward, and its effects are already being felt in the greater Dayton region. A visit to Carriage Hill MetroPark will attest to this. Five Rivers MetroParks is starting the process of removing potentially hazardous trees. Why?

The beetle larvae eat the tissue under the bark, creating S-shaped "galleries."

The beetle is a wood-boring insect, meaning it tunnels into trees and lays its eggs. Those eggs hatch into translucent pulp-munching machines; the larvae carve winding “galleries” into the tree’s phloem, which is like the plant’s cardiovascular system, delivering vital nutrients from the ground to the branches. Trees are quite literally “suffocated” once the borer consumes the phloem, and at this point, when the tree is already mostly dead, is when symptoms start to appear. Top branches die first, and lack of water has made them very brittle. It doesn’t take much to bring those branches down, which is why the safest option is to remove the entire tree before it becomes a danger. North American species of ash have no natural defenses against this insect like Asian species, leaving the invasive insects free to enjoy a gluttonous feast.

After a recent survey, it is estimated that ash trees comprise about 30 percent of the canopy of all 15,000 acres of MetroParks. Park services, the conservation staff and education staff have come together to create a comprehensive plan to manage our natural areas in the most effective manner. Chemical treatment options are available, and Five Rivers MetroParks has a list of about 600 trees, which will have to be inoculated every two years for the next 15-20 years. Trees were chosen based on species preservation (like the rare pumpkin ash), and location (because of other structures or surroundings, it is not feasible to remove the tree) among other considerations. Trees in or around public areas, including parking lots, picnic sites, hiking trails and other locations that are not being treated must be removed. This project is a huge undertaking that will cost millions of dollars to the agency, but one that cannot be ignored.

Sounds like a bummer, right? Well, concede that in today’s global economy, these things will happen. It’s not the first time humans’ mobility has disrupted nature (remember Dutch elm disease), and it won’t be the last. A disease affecting conifers already is on the horizon. So what’s a tree hugger to do? Why, get involved in the reforestation project, of course!

Purple traps like these are being set around infested areas so researchers can monitor the beetles' behavior.

MetroParks horticulturalists have been busy this fall collecting seeds and propagating them to grow into seedlings. I can tell you there are row and rows of flats of seedlings and two refrigerators full of nuts right now at Cox Arboretum MetroPark. The first phase of reforestation will be to grow and care for these babies, and here’s where you come in: Sign up to be a Forest Foster Family. These volunteers will “adopt” a flat of seedlings to raise in their own homes for about a year and then take them to a designated MetroPark area to plant. Don’t worry, we’ll give you detailed instruction on care of your future forests. Flats will be prepped for distribution around this coming spring, and by spring of 2012, those healthy little seedlings should be ready for their new MetroPark home. Learn more in the winter issue of ParkWays available now.

If you’re interested in signing up or learning more, contact or volunteer services coordinators Kevin Kepler or Janelle Leonard at (937) 275-PARK (7275). The bug is here, and there’s not much we can do to stop it from consuming our forests, but we can make a difference and increase biodiversity so we will be ready for whatever comes next.