Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Knead help!

My neighbor Barbara Heckart is looking to find Arthur Morgan's wife Lucy's recipe for her no-knead whole wheat bread. Barbara has contacted Mary Morgan and Mary put her in touch with Faith Morgan. Neither of them had it, so she thought she'd find it at Antiochiana, but no such luck. Perhaps someone in town can fix her up. She needs it before the 25th of September. Barbara can be reached at BHECKART@aol.com, but I think it would be great to share the recipe with all the Blog's readers.

Drop Slot Reviews: Two novels for the not so queasy

Circumstances sometimes link things forever in my mind, like the time many years ago that I caught a double feature at my local movie house. I had come expecting nothing of the movies of which I had never heard, “Play Misty for Me” and “Sometimes a Great Notion.” But now, they are among my all time favorites, and, although very different, I can’t think about one without thinking of the other.

The same goes for The Marrowbone Marble Company by Glenn Taylor and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. These novels have nothing in common, but that they were downloaded from the library’s digital download site and resided on my e-book reader at the same time for awhile. Oh, yes… And that I enjoyed both immensely.

Marrowbone is the second novel of a writer with strong roots in West Virginia. It is the saga of a man and his family from WWII through the civil rights movement in the south in the sixties. The plot involves a righteous man who sometimes does some less than righteous, even violent, things in order to achieve a just result. Along the way, the reader is eased into a communal existence while hardly realizing it. Written in a straightforward way, it manages to weave a lesson in the glass blowing business with the turbulent history of the times. Having not heard of the book or the author before, this novel was a pleasant surprise. Although I was a bit troubled by “the end justifies the means” message, the plot saved this one for me.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is part of a trilogy by a Swedish writer who died shortly after completing the works. All three books have become immensely popular as are the movies that have been made of two of them. With some trepidation, I felt compelled to read this book just because of its notoriety. I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it. I was even more dubious, because I don’t generally like to read books in translation. However, I found myself hooked from the very first paragraph.

A mystery within a mystery within a mystery, the plot is exceeded in complexity only by the nature of its characters. This is one of those books you just can’t put down. Initially, there are three seemingly separate events involving three different characters. You know they are going to have to come together somehow; you just hope it isn’t going to take too long. It doesn’t.

The main character, tough-as-nails Lisbeth Salander, is a brilliant but unlikely modern day sleuth, who has survived a tragic youth and is subjected to unspeakable violence that does not deter her in her investigations. I suppose that last is a bit of a warning for those readers who are put off by passages involving sexual violence. This book might not be for you. As for me, I have Larsson’s other two books, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest and The Girl Who Played with Fire, on hold at the digital download site.

Editor's note: The movie made from The Girl Who Played with Fire will be playing at the Little Art starting Friday through Thursday, Sept. 9.

Reader reviews of materials available at or through the Yellow Springs Library are encouraged and appreciated.

Blues Fest is upon us

YSKP Fall Classes

New Theater, Dance and Music Classes for Kids,Teens,and Adults start soon through the Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse!

Yellow Springs Kids Playhouse will offer a whole new round of theater, dance and music classes, including classes for teens and adults this fall. See below for a full listing of classes, dates, times and age ranges.

For more information about our fall class offerings email admin@yskp.org or call 937-767-7800

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YSKP 2010 Fall Class Offerings

Final registration for most classes is a week before class starts, WE WILL MAKE THE DECISION TO HOLD THE CLASS BASED ON ENROLLMENT AT THAT TIME, so register early if possible!

Class Performances held November 20th @4pm

Classes are held at the following locations, see class offerings for specific location and time info:

First Presbyterian Church, 314 Xenia Ave Yellow Springs, OH
John Bryan Center 2nd floor Dance Studio 100 Dayton St Yellow Springs, OH

For more information on classes, instructors and to register online visit:
www.yskp.org/classes-fall-2010/

---

Theater Classes

New Actors Club
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3:30pm-5pm
First Presbyterian Church
November 2nd - December 12th
Grades 4- 6 $80

Early Elementary Theater
Saturdays 10 - 11am, October 1st-November 20th
First Presbyterian Church
Grades K-2. $80

Dance Classes

Hip Hop 1
Wednesdays 5-6pm, September 29th-November 17th
First Presbyterian Church
Grades 3-5 $80

Hip Hop 2
Wednesdays 6-7pm, September 29th-November 17th
Grades 6 to Adults! $80

Beginning Dance/Pre-Ballet
Wednesday 4-5pm, September 29th-November 17th
First Presbyterian Church
Grades K, 1 and 2 $80

Creative movement 1
Friday 10:30-11am, October 1st-November 20th
First Presbyterian Church
3 yr olds (turned 3 by July 1st, 2010) $70

Creative movement 2
Saturdays 11 - 11:45am, October 2nd-November 20th
First Presbyterian Church
4 & 5 yr olds $80

Ballet 1
Saturdays 10:00-10:50am, October 2nd- November 20th
John Bryan Center
Grades 1-2 $90

Ballet II
Saturdays 11:00-Noon, October 2nd- November 20th
John Bryan Center
Grades 3-6 $90

Jazz Dance/Musical Theater
Saturdays, 12:30-1:30pm, October 2nd - November 20th
John Bryan Center
Grades 4 to Adult! $80

Beginning Tap
Saturdays, 1:30-2:30pm, October 2nd-November 20th
John Bryan Center
All Ages Welcome! $80

Ballroom

Tuesdays from 7:00pm-8:00pm, Grades 6- Adult!

First Presbyterian Church

Two four week sessions $60 Each Session

Ballroom session 1: September 14th-October 5th

Ballroom Session 2: October 12th-November 9th(No Class November 2nd)

Music Classes

Choral Singing
Mondays Girls 3:30-4:10. Boys 3:50-4:30. Sept 27th-Nov 15th.

Grades 4, 5 and 6*
Younger by audition only. $80

First Presbyterian Church

*Girls and Boys will work separately for 20 minutes and all work together from 3:50-4:10.

Monday, August 30, 2010

YSHS football cancellation makes waves




An article in the Xenia Gazette explores the ramifications of the cancellation of this year's football season at YSHS: Student transfer problems, lost revenue for opponents, and the likelihood that Yellow Springs will never again field a team are cited.

Xenia Gazette: Lights off for Yellow Springs on Friday night

Glen Helen Atrium Gallery Exhibition

Sacred Places - Landscape Photographs by Scott Kissell
September 1 – September 30, 2010

The Glen Helen Atrium Gallery is showing “Sacred Places - Landscape Photographs by Scott Kissell” from September 1 – September 30. The public is invited to meet the artist at the opening reception on Sunday, September 5 from 2 pm to 4 pm.

The Gallery is located in the Glen Helen Building at 405 Corry Street in Yellow Springs. Show hours are 9:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free. Artwork will be available for purchase.

Many of the landscape photos were taken in the Glen and around Ohio. Kissell calls these landscape photos sacred places because they deserve our care and respect. Through his work he hopes to me remind each one of us of the need to be good stewards and preserve the land for future generations to enjoy.

For more information about this exhibit call the Glen Helen Ecology Institute at (937) 769-1902 or visit www.glenhelen.org.

The Glen Helen Atrium Gallery showcases the work of emerging local and regional visual artists in twelve exhibits each year. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of art goes to the Glen Helen Association, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support preservation and programs at Glen Helen and its 1,000-acre nature preserve.

Tea Party, YS-style



On Saturday evening, Chris Shaff (top photo, right), owner of Asian Collection, hosted "Tea in the Garden" behind his store at 309 Xenia Avenue.

From 6-9 p.m., there was a quiet but steady stream of tea enthusiasts of all ages enjoying a perfect summer's evening in the garden setting, conversing and drinking jasmine and Vietnamese tea. The free event was so successful that Chris wants to do it again this Saturday, Sept. 4, same time, same place.

Photos by Susan Gartner

Local puppeteer quoted in article




Villager Jim Rose was quoted liberally in a comprehensive piece on puppetry in the Springfield, Illinois State Journal-Register yesterday.

State Journal-Register: The magic of puppetry lives on

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Back Story: Granddog vs. Groundhog

Pet-wise, it’s the best of both worlds. Whenever we long to have a dog, we call Amy’s daughter, May, and ask if we can have her pup, Rhesus, over for a few hours. Usually, she agrees. And he loves it, as we give his curiosity free reign throughout our house and backyard. When he wears us out, or starts to misbehave, we give him back.

Early on in this arrangement, we thought we needed an excuse to borrow the dog. So, we would tell May that we wanted to establish a pooch presence to trick our resident groundhog, Allen Street Al, into thinking we had a dog, so he would move away. Al wasn’t fooled. But, yesterday, Rhesus finally came through in the groundhog department and it wasn’t pretty.

The dog was upstairs with Amy and I was down in my office, which happens to look out under our deck into the backyard, when I noticed a young groundhog snooping around just outside my window. I could tell it was young, because it was on the small side. I toyed with the idea of calling upstairs to tell Amy to let the dog out, but thought better of it as the groundhog seemed to be leaving. I figured it was checking to see if Al had abandoned his digs next to our foundation. He has not.

A couple minutes later, I looked up again just as Rhesus was rocketing across the backyard at top speed. I have never seen him move so fast, not even when he takes runs at the fence to Chickenland to scramble the flock. I immediately realized that he was after the youngster that had just been poking around outside my window. At the same time, Amy’s cries for help could be heard from up in the kitchen. I decided I better get involved.

When I got to the deck, there was a terrific commotion in the bushes by our back fence. I had wrongly assumed that the groundhog would easily make it to the escape hole under the fence. I guess it wasn’t familiar enough with the turf to find it fast enough and had been cornered by Rhesus. The groundhog was growling and the dog was barking. The bushes were swinging every which way, but it was so thick, I couldn’t see them.

Groundhogs can be quite dangerous when cornered. And, of course, they have very sharp teeth. I decided I better break it up. I was afraid the pup would get hurt. So, I waded into the thicket, calling to the dog, which, of course, completely ignored me. Even though I couldn’t see, I could tell he'd gotten hold of the ground hog and was shaking it. The animal broke free and headed for another thicket, where it found itself trapped in a corner made by the back fence and the chicken run. I reached in and grabbed the dog by the collar, but he wouldn’t give up. Finally, I had to pick him up (he weighs about 40 lbs.) and carry him, struggling to get free, back into the house, where I inspected him for bite marks. Fortunately, there were none.

Later in the afternoon, after our granddog had gone home, I spied Al dining on some cracked corn and crumble at the trough out in Chickenland. He looks docile enough. He never growls at me when I go out to chase him. He usually waits until I am within a couple of feet of the fence, before he deigns to lope off to his escape hole. But he is big, about three times the size of the youngster Rhesus went after. I dread the day those two tangle. But I doubt it will ever happen. Al knows his way around. He has all the escape routes in his head. And he is old enough to know that discretion is the better part of valor.

Today at 5 p.m.

Click on image to enlarge

Man stabbed downtown Saturday morning

Reported by Miami Township Fire and Rescue:

Just after midnight on Saturday morning, Miami Township Fire-Rescue responded with Yellow Springs Police to a reported assault in front of the Subway restaurant in downtown Yellow Springs. Medics found an 18-year old Enon man who had been beaten with a skateboard and stabbed at least 2 times barely conscious and seriously bleeding. Medics and police officers worked to control the bleeding on the scene and rapidly transported to man to Miami Valley Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery in serious condition. Yellow Springs Police had a suspect in custody at the time of the call.

Editor's note: The Blog has received information from a reliable source that the suspect is a Yellow Springs resident and may be a minor.

Final visioning report to be presented tomorrow

Village Council & Township Trustees to meet on Monday, Aug. 30

Consultants ACP and the Visioning Steering Committee will be on hand to present the final report from the Visioning Process in Council Chambers at 7 pm.

Click here for a copy of the report. (Be patient this is a large document and may take some time to download.)

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Tea in the Garden at Asian Collection tonight

Asian Collection at 309 Xenia Avenue is hosting the first of what could be a series of “Tea in the Garden” events, 6-9 p.m. tonite, Saturday, August 28.

Owner Chris will serve a selection of teas from various countries including China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Free and open to the public, stop by and enjoy a relaxing cup of tea in the serene garden space behind the store.

For more information, contact Chris at 767-2965 or chris@asiancollection.org

Possible solar array location

I received this in an email last week from a reader who was at the Village Council meeting Monday in connection with her job and, therefore, wishes to remain anonymous:

Last Monday I was at the Village Council meeting and there was a presentation from the marketing guy at AMP Ohio about participating in a program for renewable solar energy. Council is considering his proposal and one of the things they will be thinking about is where we might put a solar array (need a minimum of 3 acres, I believe, but the more the better). Ideas about the Glass farm and the Antioch Golf Course came up as possible sites. The big issue is taking the land out of use for either development or for farming. That got me to thinking, what land is close to the power station (the closer the better) and isn't good for agriculture or development. Then it hit me, Vernay's land. They could still own it and collect rent and we could put "tainted" land to good use. The one obstacle would be that it is in a prominent entryway to the village. But would people really view the solar panels as "ugly" or would they appreciate the "beauty" of this renewable energy source. Perhaps the biggest obstacle is the village/Vernay relationship.

Editor's note: This idea makes too much sense to actually be implemented. Let the nay-saying begin!

e-Gads!





The Wall St. Journal recently had a front page article about e-cigarettes. It’s a battery powered device that converts liquid nicotine into a mist you can inhale. I guess we’ll soon be hearing about e-breaks for an e-smoke.

Seems to me this e-thing has gotten a bit out of e-control. Let’s see: e-mail, e-banking, e-dating, e-commerce, e-tickets, e-bills, e-zines, e-books, e-friends and so on. We’re probably not too far away from e-wine, e-chocolate, e-walks and I can hardly wait to sit down with my e-coffee to read the morning e-news.

As a one person e-protest, I walked e-naked through town yesterday – not a single electronic device on my body, not even car keys. People e-stared but it was exhilarating to be free of wires, batteries, clip-ons and ear buds. A few people yelled at me to “get an e-life” but for now, I’m keeping my real life with maybe some occasional e-streaking.

A. Reader

Friday, August 27, 2010

Peace Corps Reunion in YS Sunday

Calling All
Returned
Peace Corps
Volunteers



As Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary nears, we invite you to stop by for …


Coffee and Conversation

(In conjunction with the Southwestern Ohio Returned Volunteers)


Sunday, August 29, 2010

Emporium Wines
and the Underdog Cafe


233 Xenia Avenue (Route 68), Yellow Springs


11:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Stop by anytime between 11 AM and 3 PM. Drop by for five minutes to say hello. Stay longer if you can. Connect with members of the local Peace Corps community and learn about the activities of the Southwestern Ohio Returned Volunteers. Meet NPCA Advocacy Coordinator Jonathan Pearson and learn the latest from the NPCA. A special presentation on upcoming plans for Peace Corps’ 50th anniversary celebration will be held at 1 PM.

Questions? georgebrose@yahoo.com

Stay Connected: www.peacecorpsconnect.org

The Backyard Flock: The groundhog that thought he was a chicken

Why doesn't he just move into the coop?

Friday, August 27

Open Mic
When: 7pm-9:30pm
Where: Brother Bears

No Family Folk Dance Tonight


Saturday, August 28

King's Yard Farmer's Market
When: 7am-noon
Where: King's Yard parking lot behind Ye Olde Trail Tavern Corner Cone parking lot at the corner of Dayton & Walnut St.

Early Bird Migration Hike
When: 9am-11am
Where: Trailside Museum

Hot Rods in Yellow Springs
When: 11am-5pm
Where: John Bryan Community Center.
Hot Rods & Cool Cars! Enter your car in the show or just come to see some exciting vehicles and revisit your youth.

Cowvin's Corny Maze
When: 12pm-6pm
Where: Young's Jersey Dairy
Running Saturdays and Sundays through October 24, bring the kids and make your way through Cowvin's annual corn maze.


Sunday, August 29

Cowvin's Corny Maze
When: 12pm-6pm
Where: Young's Jersey Dairy
Running Saturdays and Sundays through October 24, bring the kids and make your way through Cowvin's annual corn maze.

Wildflower Hike
Time: 1pm
Where: Trailside museum


Entertainment
August 20 Weekend

Peach's
Friday - 10p
Paul's Apartment
Saturday - 10p
Big Gil & His Funky Allstars

Little Art Theatre
Fri. & Sat. 7p & 9p
Sun. 3:00p & 7:30p
Exit Through The Gift Shop


Upcoming Events

September 3
First Presbyterian's 150th Anniversary

September 10-11
AACW Blues Fest

September17
Third Friday Fling

September 18
Time Out For Women
A Wool Gathering

October 2
Young's Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival

October 9
Yellow Springs Street Fair

October 15
3rd Friday Fling Art Stroll

October 16
A Couple's Event

October 16-17
Artist Studio Tour

October 17
Artoberfest

Kelley and Company recycling packing materials

This local YS company will help you recycle clean cardboard boxes (not shoe boxes or pizza boxes) and packing materials. Kelley ships wholesale equestrian products all over the country and to some international destinations. They are coming into to their peak season and packing materials will be in high demand.

Kelley and Company is located in the Mill Works complex and is open Monday-Thursday from 9AM to 5PM. You can reach them at 767-9198.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Back Story: More on ebook readers

Yesterday's New York Post carried a story that confirms what I have been saying all along about my ebook reading experience: I have been reading a lot more than I can ever recall. According the the Post, which quotes an article in the Wall Street Journal about a survey conducted by Sony, the manufacturer of the Sony Reader, 40% of those surveyed said they were reading more since they purchased their ebook readers.

Currently, I am reading a novel titled the Marrowbone Marble Company by Glenn Taylor. Waiting in the wings of my reader is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, both downloaded for free from the YS Library.

Is there any irony in this? I first read the story on my Sony Reader, yesterday, in my free copy of the Post that I downloaded from the internet.

New York Post : E-readers have American noses back in books, study says

Socialist candidate at Unitarians tonight

"A New America -- And How to Get There" - a talk by Dan La Botz, Socialist for Senate

August 26 · 7:00pm
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
2884 US-68
Yellow Springs, OH

Description: Today our country faces an economic crisis, a looming environmental catastrophe, and is involved in wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Neither the Republican or Democratic parties have a program to lead the American people out of these problems.

If our country is to move forward, we need to build a political alternative. Meet Dan La Botz, Ohio Socialist Party Candidate for Senate, hear him speak and tell him your concerns.

After the talk, there will be a discussion about the campaign locally and any ideas you may have about organizing for a genuine alternative in the Yellow Springs/Dayton area."

--
Mike Cannon is the Campaign Coordinator in Yellow Springs

Dan La Botz, Socialist for Senate Campaign
www.danlabotz.com

School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting Tonight

Village Council will join the School Board at their Meeting of the Whole tonight at 7 pm. The agenda includes goals of Council and the Visioning Process; Class of 2020 Initiative; Current Shared activities; Attracting young families and jobs; leveraging current and future activities.

Committee of the Whole meetings are open for public participation and are held in the gym at Mills Lawn School.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Bench to Nowhere: Come on down!

A Cool Town Toon

Two special Village Council meetings coming up

Village Council has two upcoming special meetings that villagers might want to attend:

Thursday, August 26 Village Council & School Board Meeting of the Whole

Mills Lawn School at 7 pm

Some of the meeting will be spent with elected officials speaking, but there will also be an opportunity to hear from the community.

Agenda for the meeting:
  • Council Goals (Attached)
  • Visioning Process (Reports #1 & 2)
  • Class of 2020 Initiative (Attached)
  • Current Shared activities
  • Attracting young families and jobs
  • Leveraging current and future activities
  • Public Discussion
Documents available on the Village Website:

Report #1 YSMT Final Visioning Report

http://www.yso.com/uploads/vision-ysmt/YSMT_DraftReport_100816.pdf

Report #2 YSMT Baseline Conditions & Trends

http://www.yso.com/uploads/vision-ysmt/YSMT_BaselineConditions_091231_MC.pdf


Monday, August 30 Village Council & Township Trustees for Final Visioning Report

Council Chambers at 7 pm

ACP and the Visioning Steering Committee will be on hand to present the final report from the Visioning Process. Report #1 above will be presented.

WYSO's Free Summer Concert this Sunday

Click on image to enlarge

16 Again - Part 2





After a considerable amount of pondering, I finally came up with something I had at age 16 that my “just turned 16 and now driving” niece doesn’t have that would definitely rate a “that’s so-o-o cool.”

Remember the full service gas station? You used to pull into the local Sohio or Pure gas station and “the service station attendant” would run out to greet you, take your order and pump the gas. Then he would clean the windshield, wipe off the headlights, check the oil and make sure the tires looked good. In busy times the attendant might be servicing 3 or 4 cars at the same time, and usually got the pumps shut off for just the amount of gas you requested.

I can remember getting that kind of service when I just wanted $2 worth of gas so my folks wouldn’t know I had driven the car further than I was supposed to. Now, I spend $35 dollars to pump my own gas in my go-to-work clothes and reek of gasoline for most of the day.

In Oregon and New Jersey it’s illegal to pump your own gas. Those in favor of the law argue that it provides jobs, affords safer handling of a hazardous liquid, and reduces theft. I’m not totally sure about the logic, but in the middle of January the “no self-serve” model sure sounds good to me.

I was just about ready to call my niece and tease her a bit about this luxury I enjoyed as a 16-year-old when I hear a familiar voice from the other room.

“Honey, the next time you go to town, take my car, it’s almost out of gas.”

Come to think of it, some of us still have full-service gas stations in Ohio.

A. Reader

Related post: 16 Again

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Stupids Ride Again

Follow the Bucks (Kathy and Jerry) on YSO Jerry as they go on an extended camping trip to Canada, blogging along the way.

Fluoridation Awards Presented to Village

Colleen Wulf of the Ohio Dept. of Health presents the Certificate of Appreciation for 50-Plus years of Fluoridation to Water Treatment Plant Operator Ted Dunevant (L) and Water & Waste Water Superintendent Joe Bates.

Colleen Wulf presents the Water Fluoridation Quality Award to Ted Dunevant.

(Left to Right) Village Manger Mark Cundiff, Ted Dunevant, Joe Bates and Greene County Health Commissioner Mark A, McDonnell.

Collen Wulf, Oral Health Preventive Services Coordinator for the Bureau of Health Services of the Ohio Department of Health presented the Village of Yellow Springs with a certificate of appreciation for 50-plus years of water fluoridation at the Water Plant this morning. Greene County Health Commissioner Mark A. McDonnell was on hand to represent the Greene County Combined Health District.

ODH made the presentation on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Dental Association and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors.

Yellow Springs began fluoridating in 1959. Since then, water plant personnel have adjusted the natural fluoride level in the water to 1.0 parts per million, the optimal amount for good dental health. A Water Fluoridation Quality Award was also presented to Water Treatment Plant Operator and Lab Analyst Ted Dunevant from Center for Disease control for maintaining proper fluoridation levels throughout 2009.

Back Story: Coffee with K-Patt

Karen Patterson with her cello in Lagos, Nigeria

Karen Patterson is back in town. She comes back from Lagos, Nigeria where she teaches cello at MUSON, the national school of music, every year about this time, to help AACW and her mother Faith Patterson get ready for Blues Fest (Sept. 8, 10 & 11). And, every year about this time, we meet at the Emporium so she can catch me up on what's new at Blues Fest and what's going on in her life.

This year, according to Karen, the Gospel, Blues and Jazz Cultural Festival, as it is officially called these days, may seem a bit less jazzy and possibly more bluesy than last year. But that remains to be seen, as some of this year's blues men can really swing; and, as Winton Marsalis is fond of saying, "Jazz is blues and swing."

In February, Karen will be performing in Cairo, Egypt. Faith, who spent a month with Karen in Nigeria last year, will make the trip to Cairo.

Watch the Blog for more Blues Fest news.

They painted like Pollock

"Paint Like Pollock" participants clockwise from front center: Lori Tuttle, Susan Gartner, Thasia Herbert, Judy Rizzo, Jeannene and Daria Schaffnit.



On Saturday, August 21, 2010, Getaways for Women creator and Jafagirl ("Just Another Flippin' Artist") Nancy Mellon hosted a "Paint Like Pollock" workshop as part of her "Getaways for Women: Wild Women Event."

Participants met at Brother Bear's Coffeehouse to watch a short video on the life of American painter and abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock, then gathered under the carport next to "would you, could you" In A Frame to experiment with various Pollock-inspired techniques including flinging, dripping, pouring and spattering. Co-Jafagirl Corrine Bayraktaroglu and cameraman Tom Osborne helped to chronicle the event. Candy cigarettes from Sugar Cubes were available to help participants get in the Pollock spirit.

For more information about Getaways for Women and upcoming events, visit www.getawaysforwomen.com.

Photos by Tom Osborne and Susan Gartner

Click here for more Pollock photos.

Monday, August 23, 2010

Bench to Nowhere: Yet another award

A Cool Town Toon

Block party video



The 2nd Annual Village-wide Block Party took place Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22. Sponsored by the YS Human Relations Commission, the block parties provide a fun way for neighbors to get to know one another and welcome new people to the neighborhood. Thanks to HRC for providing Tom's Market gift certificates for each party, and to the organizers and attendees for supporting such a worthwhile event that strengthens village relationships.

Video by Susan Gartner

Back Story: Bank manager gives notice

Chickens wary

The word around town amongst certain US Bank customers was if you opened a new account with Branch Manager Amy Lee, you would be rewarded with a dozen eggs. That unofficial policy is due to expire soon as Lee handed in her two-week notice last Friday in order to take a break from the stresses of banking and keep an eye on production in her backyard coops. Tired of having to reach increasingly difficult goals, Lee has decided to turn the tables and impose quotas on the denizens of Chickenland, she told the Blog this morning as she left the house for work on what would be the first day of her last two weeks. Poultry spokespersons Rocky and Pee Wee were unavailable for comment.

Little Art to screen something for the artists in town


Coming to the Little Art on Friday: Exit through the Gift Shop, "an amusing, engrossing look at underground art." (rottentomatoes.com)

Sunday, August 22, 2010

Senior Citizens have selected a new director

The Blog has learned from a reliable source that the Yellow Springs Senior Citizens have chosen their new Executive Director. The Seniors and local man, David Scott, have reached an agreement and all that remains is for a background check to be conducted. The Executive Director position became open when Rodney Bean retired after 11 years of service.

Village-wide block parties: Some go on, some are postponed



The Second Annual Village-Wide Block Party sponsored by the YS Human Relations Commission was scheduled for Saturday, August 21, but threatening skies just prior to the 5 p.m. start time caused several of the blocks to reschedule to Sunday.

Pictured above are a few of the block parties that went on as planned including Rice Road (at Allen Street); N. High (at Union Court Circle); and N. Winter (from Cliff to Pleasant).

Questions can be directed to Patti Dallas at 767-7884 or Joan Chappelle at 767-7056. For the remaining parties, residents are asked to bring a chair, a dish and drink to share, plates and utensils, games, and a musical instrument.

Photos by Susan Gartner

30th Annual Yellow Springs Book Fair



The 30th Annual Book Fair sponsored by Dark Star Books was held on the lawn at Mills Lawn School until the rains came.

Reader submitted photos.

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Friday Fling Aug. 20 photos

On August 20, the Yellow Springs arts community was in full swing for Third Friday Fling. Various galleries and shops extended their hours into the evening and exhibited works from local artists.

Whimsical "yard art" made from repurposed china and ceramic dishes created by Dayton artist Jenn Mullins lines each side of the walkway leading to Urban Handmade, 241 Xenia Avenue.


Painter and ceramic artist Geno Luketic (right) talks with guests at his artist reception at "would you, could you" In a Frame, 113 Corry Street.


Village Artisans Gallery, 100 Corry Street, presented the show "Extending Our Boundaries," featuring Beavercreek artist Leah Grommon (in red dress), who works with oils, acrylics, and knits, and longtime villager and water color artist Sue Brezine (explaining water color technique to guests).

Photos by Susan Gartner

Click here for more Friday Fling photos.

Coots to continue

Starting new repertory company specializing in short plays for actors with short-term memory problems

Buoyed by their success at the recent 10-Minute Play Festival, actors Jerry Buck, Walter Rhodes and Ron Siemer, along with playwright/director Virgil Hervey, have decided to form a repertory company to perform original shorts plays at available venues and events around the village. Subject to a better idea, the working name for the group will be the Coots Repertory Company (CRC). Look for us this fall.

Where was I..?

Dutch fliers out in October

The American F-16 mission at the Springfield Ohio Air National Guard ended earlier this month. Now, according to the official Website of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Dutch pilots and their noisier jets are slated to move to Arizona this October.

Kingdom of the Netherlands Website: Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Pilots to Train with Arizona Air National Guard

Related post: US F-16s have final flights at Springfield

Friday, August 20, 2010

ODH presents Village of Yellow Springs with Fluoridation Award

Fifty years of fluoridation recognized

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Bureau of Community Health Services (BCHS) will present the Village of Yellow Springs with a certificate of appreciation for 50 + years of water fluoridation at the Water Plant at 10:00 a.m., on Tuesday, August 24, 2010.

ODH will make the presentation on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Dental Association and the Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors.

“The Ohio Department of Health is proud of the Yellow Springs commitment to fluoridation,” said BCHS Chief Dr. Mark Siegal. “Dental care is the number one unmet health care need in Ohio and fluoridation can dramatically reduce tooth decay.”

Yellow Springs began fluoridating in 1959. Since then, water plant personnel have adjusted the natural fluoride level in the water to 1.0 parts per million, the optimal amount for good dental health. People who drink fluoridated water experience up to 40 percent fewer cavities than those who don’t.

Ninety-two percent of Ohioans served by public water systems drink fluoridated water. CDC describes community water fluoridation as one of the 10 great public health achievements of the 20th century.

Chamber event held at YSI

Thursday morning YSI hosted the Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce for a continental breakfast, presentation and tour. Over 40 Chamber members attended. The Chamber is promoting business visits and open house events for it's regional members. For more information contact Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, Karen Wintrow at 767-7876.
Friday, August 20

Third Friday Fling
When: 6-9pm
Where: All around downtown Yellow Springs
Come explore what the Springs has to offer! Enjoy extended shopping hours, gallery openings, beer and wine making demos and live music!

Extending Our Boundaries
When: 6-9pm
Where: Village Artisans

People, Places and Things
When: 6-9pm
Where: YSAC Gallery, 309 Xenia Avenue
The Yellow Springs Arts Council presents People, Places & Things, an exhibition of four outstanding artists and craftsmen from the Dayton and Cincinnati area.A Friday Fling opening reception.

Oedipus Rex
When: 6pm
Where: Antioch Amphitheater
Presented by a cast that combines local Yellow Springs' actors with Faux-Real Theatre ensemble members from New York.

Family Folk Dance/Joy of Dancing
When: 7-9pm
Where: Bryan Center

Eden World Walk in Services


Saturday, August 21

King's Yard Farmer's Market
When: 7am-noon
Where: King's Yard parking lot behind Ye Olde Trail Tavern Corner Cone parking lot at the corner of Dayton & Walnut St.

30th Annual YS Book Fair
When: 9am-5pm
Where: Mills Lawn, 200 S. Walnut St.
Rain or shine, over 30 booksellers with a wide array of titles and bargains!

A Wild Women Getaway
When: 9am-6pm
Where: Various locations in and around the Springs
It's a day full of Fun Activities, Light Channeling, Cosmic~Soul Readings and Spa Sessions in Yellow Springs.

Oedipus Rex
When: 6pm
Where: Antioch Amphitheater
Presented by a cast that combines local Yellow Springs' actors with Faux-Real Theatre ensemble members from New York.

Wild Edible and Useful Plants Hike
When: 6-8pm
Where: Trailside Museum


Sunday, August 22

Wildflower Hike
Time: 1pm
Where: Trailside museum

Oedipus Rex
Time: 6pm
Where: Antioch Amphitheater
Presented by a cast that combines local Yellow Springs' actors with Faux-Real Theatre ensemble members from New York.


Entertainment
August 20 Weekend

Peach's
Friday - 10p
Twin Cats
Saturday - 10p
Crazy Joe

Little Art Theatre
Fri. & Sat. 7p & 9p
Sun. 3:00p & 7:30p
The Kids are Alright


Upcoming Events

August 28
Senior Citizens' Benefit Car Show

September 3
First Presbyterian's 150th Anniversary

September 10-11
AACW Blues Fest

September17
Third Friday Fling

September 18
Time Out For Women
A Wool Gathering

October 2
Young's Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival

October 9
Yellow Springs Street Fair

October 15
3rd Friday Fling Art Stroll

October 16
A Couple's Event

October 16-17
Artist Studio Tour

WYSO's Free Summer Concert

Sunday, August 29th at Carillon Park

The music begins at 5 PM

The concert will feature the music of WYSO's own host of
Around the Fringe, Rev. Cool and his
Arkestra and Dance Ensemble
and
C. Wrights Parlour Tricks

Food for sale provided by Bellyfire Catering.

So put on your dancing shoes
'cause we're gonna have a party and you're invited!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Volunteer needed for Glen Helen art project

Outdoor Education Center Director Beth Krisko is looking for a volunteer who would like to donate some time and talent to a project at the Glen. They are painting the floor of one of the dorms and would like to add footprints of native animals that wind among the bunks. They are on a tight time frame and are looking for someone to get started in the next week or so. If you are interested, contact:

Beth Krisko
Director
Glen Helen Outdoor Education Center
1075 St. Rt. 343
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
937.767.7648
bkrisko@glenhelen.org
www.glenhelen.org

Children's Center taking over MLS after school care

The Yellow Springs Community Children's Center is a beehive of activity these days as they gear up to take over after school care in the wake of the closing of the former Mills Lawn After School Program. Staff is being hired and renovations contemplated to handle the new load, according to Director Marlin Newell in a recent conversation.

The center is touting the program as "quality care at an affordable price," for kindergarten through sixth grade. Call the center at 937.767.7236 or visit www.childrens-center.com for rates and other information.

Rocky & Pee Wee: The demise of YS football

16 Again





Earlier this month our niece had her 16th birthday. I gave her a card listing a few things she has available now that I didn’t have at age 16. Given our 50 year age difference, there’s a lot: cell phones, iPods, Wii, color TV, cable TV, SUVs, Google, Facebook, Twitter, IKEA, Starbucks, Kindle, MacBooks and that’s just a start.

This bit of reminiscing led her to question what things I did have at age 16 that I sometimes wish were still available. This is usually the place to talk about values, integrity, ethics and other “eye rolling” stuff for teenagers. But I wanted something more tangible, something really “cool” that might show that we didn’t live in the dark ages.

All I could come up with on the spur of the moment was an old style phone that you can actually slam down in disgust – we’ve been getting a lot of telemarketing calls lately. The newly minted 16-year-old was not impressed and the look was somewhere between “that’s pathetic” and relief that we’re only related by marriage and not in the same gene pool.

I asked for more time to think about it.

“Whatever. I just got my license and have to go drive around so people can see me.”

A. Reader

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

YSHS Football Season Canceled

I recently heard a rumor that the YSHS football season would be canceled this year for lack of players. Then the DDN picked up on it, reporting that only seven players had shown up for the first practice. Well, it is rumor no more. In a telephone conversation with Athletic Director Julie Speelman the Blog confirmed this morning that the season has indeed been canceled. However, late cancellation will not cost the schools money as had been the league's policy in the past. According to Speelman, in the future, whether to field a team or not will be decided on season by season basis.

Dayton Daily News: Future of Yellow Springs' football depends on school board

30th Annual Yellow Springs Book Fair


Rain or shine, under the leafy trees on the Mills Lawn grounds, book lovers set up tables, shelves and chairs, fill the tables and shelves with books, and spend the day cheerfully chatting with book buyers. If you love books, you’ll love this day!

Great bargains as well as rare antiquarian books await shoppers. More than 30 sellers, from six states as well as locally, will offer everything from comics, history and novels to fine collector’s volumes, according to long-time organizer Mary Alice Wilson, owner of Dark Star Books. Prices run from 25 cents to hundreds of dollars.

Seller setup for the Bookfair begins at 7 a.m. No one is allowed on the school grounds before that time. For more information, call Dark Star Books at 93.767.9400 or Super-Fly Comics and Games at 937.767.1445.

A 3rd Friday Fling Weekend Event.

Corner Cone Play Festival gets notice in Columbus




The best drama award in the Corner Cone 10-Minute Play Festival this past weekend went to a play produced out of Columbus. In reporting the story, the Columbus Dispatch used a photo by local photographer, the Blog's Chief Newshound Susan Gartner.

Columbus Dispatch: Westerville playwright and Columbus actors win Yellow Springs shorts festival

Click here for the complete results.

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Antioch Midwest to host Hispanic Chamber tomorrow

Dayton Hispanic Chamber Monthly Networking Meeting
Antioch University Midwest
August 18, 2010, 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Connecting with the Dayton Hispanic Community – Antioch University Midwest will be hosting the Dayton Hispanic Chamber of Commerce monthly meeting tomorrow night. It is an opportunity for Hispanic leaders from various organizations throughout the Miami Valley and the university to explore partnership opportunities.

Antioch Midwest is emerging as a campus of a comprehensive university committed to adult learning, diversity and social change. The university offers a number of degree programs from undergraduate to Masters and an online PhD program.

Hawaiian Music at the Library Thursday


Harmony Islanders

Enjoy the sweet nahe nahe sounds of traditional Hawaiian music, along with Hula dancing by Leilani.
Thurs, Aug 19, 6 p.m.
Yellow Springs Community Library

http://www.myspace.com/harmonyislanders

Zimbabwean film to screen at Nonstop Aug. 23

Ingrid Sinclair's film "Flame" (Zimbabwe, 1996)
(followed by discussion with Bob Devine)
Monday, August 23
7:00 PM
Nonstop Institute
305 N. Walnut St., Yellow Springs
free admission

Zimbabwean director Ingrid Sinclair’s film Flame aims to recover and reinterpret the history of the Zimbabwean liberation struggle through a narrative of the life of the woman known as "Flame" spanning the period from the height of the liberation struggle in 1974 until roughly 1994, 15 years after independence. Sinclair has explained: "Fighting women are my heroes... I used the independence struggle as a metaphor for the struggle for personal independence of all women." Originally conceived as a documentary, Flame had to be made as a fiction film because none of the seven women on whose experience it was based dared discuss sexual abuse on camera. The film accurately reconstructs conditions in the rebel camps: the extreme hardship and constant danger but also the unprecedented opportunities offered women for education and leadership. According to the Guardian (UK) at the time of the film’s release: “this tremendous film tells a story which is both unfashionable and politically incorrect in its home country…The applause for this film was the loudest at Cannes.”

This is the last film to be screened in Bob Devine's series on revolutionary film that has featured international narrative films produced from 1925 to 1996. The cost of each screening is pay as you are able. For this series Devine has programmed narrative films that are radical or oppositional in terms of (a) production circumstance, (b) form, (c) content, or (d) circumstance of reception. All films will be followed by discussions of their respective historical and cultural contexts. Selected films in the series have been from Russia, the U.S., Algeria, Cuba, Senegal and Zimbabwe. For more information on the workshop series see http://nonstopinstitute.org/workshops/workshop-in-revolutionary-film/

Bob Devine is a film scholar, filmmaker, educator, and internationally respected public access media consultant.


For further information:
Contact Chris Hill (chris.hill@nonstopinstitute.org), 767-2327

CMYS Fun at the Winery

Chamber Music Yellow Springs
Lawn Party Fun(d) Raiser August 22 at the Brandeberry Winery!!!

Come out and support Chamber Music Yellow Springs and have a fun afternoon, all at the same time! The Brandeberry Winery in Enon will play host to a special Lawn Party on Sunday, August 22 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

For only $50 you can support your favorite Chamber Music organization and enjoy excellent food, fellowship, an open bar, entertainment by the Yellow Springs Brass, croquet, bocce and badminton, and take a guided tour of the winery and vineyard. Two free glasses of wine are included in the ticket price. Bad weather may dampen the lawn, but not the party. The party will move indoors to an air conditioned banquet area.

Brandeberry Winery is located at 5118 W. Jackson Rd., Enon. The winery is located north of Yellow Springs, 2.5 miles west of US 68, 1.5 miles west of Polecat/Tecumseh Rd. Click here for a map to Brandeberry Winery.

Tickets can be purchased at
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/123773

For more information call .
Chamber Music in Yellow Springs
PO Box 448
Yellow Springs, OH 45387
937-374-8800
info@cmys.org

School Board Committee of the Whole Meeting Aug. 26

Village Council will join the School Board at their Meeting of the Whole on Thursday, August 26 at 7 pm. The agenda includes goals of Council and the Visioning Process; Class of 2020 Initiative; Current Shared activities; Attracting young families and jobs; leveraging current and future activities.

Committee of the Whole meetings are open for public participation and are held in the gym at Mills Lawn School.

Monday, August 16, 2010

Back Story: A ten-minute play ten years in the making

A writer learns that theater is a collaborative effort

Ten years ago, when I got it in my head that I wanted to drop everything and move to Yellow Springs, I rented a cheap apartment in Xenia where I lived alone for a couple months while I surveyed the landscape and did a lot of writing. The bedroom window where my computer desk sat looked out onto the horse barns at the Greene County Fair Grounds. It was late spring and there was often somebody just outside my window, usually training horses. Their voices would drift up to where I was working, but I was rarely able to make out what they were saying. One day, two fellows were sitting out in lawn chairs talking. I couldn’t understand them, but I imagined a conversation that I worked into a short story about two older men parking cars at the Greene County Fair.

Fast forward about seven or eight years. Holly Hudson organizes a 10-minute play festival at the Antioch Theater and I am impressed with the quality and creativity of many of the plays. I catch the bug and search my archives for a dialogue-heavy story that I can convert into a play. It doesn’t take me long to remember the story I called “Nothing Better to Do.” I adapt it, and change the name to “Parking Spaces,” thinking it will make a good entry for the following year’s festival. Only there is none. So it sits on my hard drive for a couple years with no place to go. It is all but forgotten until I get the promo materials for this year’s Soft Serve Playhouse 10-Minute Play Festival at the Corner Cone. I dig it out, dust it off a bit and send it in. When I receive the notification that it has been accepted, I call my friend Walter Rhodes, to whom I had given a copy of the script a couple years before, and leave a message on his answering machine. I am laughing so hard that about the only part that is decipherable is “What am I going to do now? I’m going to have to produce the damn thing!”

I have had very little experience in the theater. I can’t remember being in a play in either grade school or high school. How did I escape that? I was once drafted to be an extra in “Julius Caesar” in college and, in a scene reminiscent of the movie “The Party” with Peter Sellers, almost ruined the entire production when I singlehandedly turned tragedy into comedy. But that’s another story. As an adult, I played in the pit orchestra for “The Music Man.”

Finally, a few years ago, I was drafted by Walter to play a small part in “You Can’t Take It With You,” in a production he was directing at Clark State. This was important for two reasons: I actually learned a lot about theater while doing it; and, after 11 performances plus dress rehearsals, Walter owed me big time. So, I cashed in my chit, asking him to direct “Parking Spaces” and play a walk on role. He accepted the role and we settled on his serving as my consultant in the direction department.

I still needed two older male actors with experience or else I might have to play a part. Memorizing lines is not my forte and I had sworn off acting after the final performance of “You Can’t Take It With You.” Fortunately, local actors Ron Siemer and Jerry Buck were available. Buck and I had worked together in the play at Clark State and I had seen Siemer in at least one of Kay Reimer’s plays. After our first reading on the back deck of my house, I knew I had made a good choice; my actors understood the play and were serious about doing it justice.

Rehearsals moved out to Elaine Brown’s farm where Walter lives. We rehearsed the play three or four times per session about three times a week for almost four weeks. We weren’t going to fail for lack of preparation. Besides, we were enjoying ourselves too much to stop. All of our rehearsing was done outdoors and it didn’t rain once. On most of those days, temperatures soared into the nineties. But we laughed an awful lot. The word back at our respective households was that it seemed like we were having too much fun.

This was a different kind of writing experience for me. Usually, writing is a solitary endeavor. Writers are often self-centered, jealous and single-minded. I am no different. But I knew that producing a new play would have to be a collaborative effort. I was prepared to set my ego aside as the players spoke their lines and I learned where the weaknesses were in my script. I was ready to make the necessary changes and remained open to suggestions. But there were also times where I had to insist that a line be delivered exactly as I had written it in order to stick to the message of the play. The actors understood this, as well.

There were times when a line was spoken in a different way than in the script, because it was more comfortable for the actor to do so. The way it was written it had elbows, as Elmore Leonard would say. I was willing to make the change. Occasionally, lines had to be added to explain a situation, or make a point. After some of the rehearsals, I would take the script home and do some rewriting. From time to time the actors would seek my guidance: “How do you want me to play this?” they would ask. Sometimes, I would have a definite answer; sometimes we would reach a consensus. Often, I would look to Walter for guidance. When we were done, we had a play. My name is on it, but it was truly a collaborative effort.

As a writer of fiction, I often wondered about playwrights. Aren’t they at the mercy of their actors? Well, sure they are. But if they are willing to park their egos at the theater door, there is also a lot they can learn from them. “Parking Spaces” had a measure of success at the 10-Minute Play Festival this weekend. We couldn’t have done it without each other. It was “our” play in the truest sense. My thanks to Ron Siemer, Jerry Buck and Walter Rhodes. There is talk of us starting an “old coots” repertory company and doing more plays like this. I hope so. I look forward to working with them again.

The Antioch Review gets more kudos




According to The Huffington Post, The Antioch Review has what it takes to survive as a print journal in an environment of increasing digitalization. "There is a place in the modern world for institutions like All Souls College in Oxford and the Advanced Institute at Princeton and for small independent-minded print literary journals like the Antioch Review in Yellow Springs and Arete in Oxford."

The Huffington Post: 17 Literary Journals That Might Survive the Internet

Sunday, August 15, 2010

Zombie Walk Photos




Photos by Pierre Nagley from last night's Zombie Walk. More photos on the Yellow Springs Zombie Walk Facebook page.