File this one under “Super Cool Free Event.” Saturday evening Dayton is lucky to have a Bluegrass legend performing at Island Metropark for Five Rivers Metroparks’ Annual Bluegrass Concert. Dr. Ralph Stanley and His Clinch Mountain Boys will be performing in the bandshell along with Dale Ann Bradley beginning at 6pm. Stanley has been playing Bluegrass for over 55 years and casual fans will recognize his music from the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou. This is a great opportunity to see a legendary performer in a great outdoor setting – and did I mention that it’s free?!
Archives for June 2010
YPs Have Their Say
There are three events coming up where local leaders and government organization are specifically asking for YOUR input on vital decisions for the Miami Valley. Various YP groups are coming together to promote and participate in these events. If you want to be a part of the discussion and get the right information on the future of our region – join us.
Up First: Wednesday, June 16:
Be a part of an interactive discussion on the future of land use in the Miami Valley. In order for the Miami Valley to receive federal transportation dollars, the expenditure must be in the MVRPC’s plans and the “Going Places” workshop discusses the direction of future land use in the Miami Valley. You may also learn more about the MVRPC and Going Places Initiative by visiting www.mvrpc.org.
When: Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Where:SideBar (410 E. Fifth St., Dayton, OH 45402)
Time:5:30 (join other YPs for dinner and/or drinks)
7:00 – 8:30 PM for the workshop presentation
Cost: Free to attend, dinner & drinks at your own expense
RSVP:LaDonna Wulfeck at [email protected]
(Thanks to Gen D for hosting the event and getting this conversation started!)
Up Next: Listening Tours* – June 24 and July 26
You’ve got stuff to say, our City Manager is here to hear it. You may have read the recent opinion piece in DMM about Tim Riordan’s listening tour. The City has worked with local YP groups to put together two sessions specific to the needs of YPs. There are opportunities to be heard at presentations on the City of Dayton’s finances by Tim Riordan, City Manager.
*City of Dayton officials have embarked on a “Listening Tour” of neighborhood and community groups to get their feedback and suggestions about Dayton’s financial future. City Manager Tim Riordan said he wants to hear the community’s ideas on how to address what is really a “structural deficit” — a fundamental imbalance between the City’s revenues and expenses.The community input will be used to develop a more comprehensive approach to create long-term financial stability. The options to be considered range from cutting expenditures by reducing/eliminating services; reducing or eliminating community and equipment investments; raising new or expanding revenue sources; or some blend of each.The Dayton Urban League Young Professionals, Generation Dayton, updayton, and many other YP organizations across the region are all encouraging their members to be a part of these conversations – don’t miss out – all YPs are invited.
Mark your calendar and let the voice of young, creative professionals be heard:
Thursday, June 24, 2010, at 5:30 p.m., City Hall, City Commission Chambers
OR
Monday, July 26, 2010, at 7 a.m., Dayton Convention Center, Rooms 302-303
RSVP to: .mgina.orgcityofdayton@abelitini
– Parking will be validated at both sessions
– Continental breakfast at morning session ONLY
Carvers to host Toasted Head Wine Dinner
From a winery tucked away in the Dunnigan Hills of Yolo County, they set out to spread the word of toasted barrels and their distinctive influence on wine. Toasted Head is named for the age-old practice of toasting barrel heads and staves that imparts a mellow, toasted flavor to barrel-aged wines.
On Tuesday, June 15th at 6:30pm Senior Red Winemaker Owen Smith of Toasted Head will lead guest of Carvers through a four course meal prepared by Chef William Pence. Each course will be paired with one of Toasted Head’s distinctive wines. During the dinner Smith will share tales about his challenge of expanding Toasted Head’s red wine program from estate Shiraz to
Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir sourced from some of the best growing areas in California’s North Coast.
Reception
Toasted Head Viognier 2008, Dunnigan Hills
First Course: Toasted Head Chardonnay 2007, Russian River Valley
Pacific Jumbo Prawn, prepared in a warm Peruvian
Style Ceviche. Served over Yuca Root
Second Course: Toasted Head Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Alexander Valley
Filet Mignon, Spinach, Watercress, Red Grapes,
Goat Cheese Pecans, Balsamic Dressing
Third Course: Toasted Head Untamed Red“ 2007, California Blend
Chicken Quarters Marinated in Greek Olive Oil, Oregano, and Lemon
Topped with Niçoise Olive, Cucumber, Tomato, and Onion
Accompanied by Asparagus and Bell Peppar Risotto
Fourth Course: Toasted Head Pinot Noir 2006, Sonoma Coast
Assortment of Artisanal Cheeses and Fresh Fruit
To attend, contact Michael Parks to reserve at 433-7099. Wine dinner is $45 per person plus tax and gratuity.
Dine Out for The Gulf Coast
America’s premier chefs and restaurants unite to create Dine Out for the Gulf Coast, benefiting the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund.
From June 10-12, 2010, participating restaurants throughout the United States will set aside a portion of profits to help those directly affected by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and to support the long-term restoration of the treasured coast.
Participating restaurants will customize their own Dine Out for the Gulf Coast benefit program. Some restaurants will contribute a percentage of total sales for the day and others will donate the sales from specific menu items, while others will offer specialty cocktails with a dollar-value from sales donated to the fund.
Many restaurants will highlight Gulf seafood offerings as a way to support the Gulf Coast fishing industry (commercial and charter fisherman), just declared a national fisheries disaster by Commerce Secretary Gary Locke.
The short-term goal of The Gulf Coast Oil Spill Fund, administered by the Greater New Orleans Foundation, is to make emergency grants to nonprofit organizations helping the victims of the oil spill. The long-term goal of the fund is to address the long-term economic, environmental, cultural effects of the disaster, and strengthen coastal communities against future environmental catastrophes by investing in solutions. No administrative fees will be charged to the fund: all funds will be re-granted to the communities in need.
At this time the only local restaurant participating is Rue Dumaine, which should be no surprise to those that know that Chef Anne Kearney spent many years cooking in New Orleans. In 1995 she ended up purchasing the restaurant she’d worked for, Peristyle, which she ran until moving home to Ohio in 2004 to be nearer her family. In 2007 Anne and her husband and business partner launched Rue Dumaine, named after the street in New Olreans that housed Peristyle, their French Quarter restaurant.
Dine at Rue Dumaine June 10th, June 11th, June 12th, and help raise money for the Gulf Coast.No matter when you choose to dine, $1 from each meal served will be contributed. Evan is mixing up a few tasty cocktails for the event, the local strawberry concoctions taste delicious laced with a touch of rum from Martinique. $3 from each specialty cocktail served will be contributed.
Academy Award Winner Starts Friday!
Hello Everyone.
NEON patrons have been asking for it…and it’s finally here. THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES, this year’s winner of “Best Foreign Film” at the Academy Awards, starts Friday – exclusively at THE NEON.
If you still need to see MOTHER, you only have through Thursday to see it at THE NEON. BABIES and CITY ISLAND will stick around for another week.
Synopsis for THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES: “Benjamín, a former criminal court employee, wants to write a novel about an Argentine case from the 1970s in which a woman was raped and murdered. He confides his intentions to a judge with whom he’s been secretly smitten for years, but she expresses reservations about the idea… Meanwhile, flashbacks set up the central story, unfolding in 1970s Argentina. In that narrative, Argentina has fallen under the control of a military junta and a fair trial has become an increasingly uncommon event in that nation’s courts. A woman is found raped and murdered while her husband was at work, and two immigrant workers are essentially forced into confessing to the crime. Benjamín then teams up with his colleague and friend, the lush Pablo Sandoval, and the two go about identifying and tagging the perpetrator of the original crime. Subtle detail in a photograph alerts Benjamin to the possibility that a man named Gómez may have been the real culprit…as Benjamín and Pablo struggle to have the case reopened, they also find that bureaucracy and power in Argentine government have made this close to impossible.” (All Movie Guide)
Next Thursday – June 17 – The Dayton Pride Partnership and The Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Fest are joining forces to bring a special film to town – PATRIK, AGE 1.5. Here’s the set-up: “Göran always wanted to become a father. He is married to his partner, Sven, and they have been cleared for adoption by the Swedish authorities. The problem is that no country seems to be willing to give a child to a homosexual couple. Göran refuses to give up his dream of having what so many others take for granted; a real family. Göran and Sven receive a letter with an offer from the social services to take care of “Patrik, Age 1.5″ – a Swedish child who needs a new family. They happily accept the offer and prepare the nursery for the baby’s arrival. On the day that little Patrik is expected to arrive, a lanky teenager rings their doorbell. He says his name is Patrik and that he has come to live with them. They realize, horror-struck, that their little baby Patrik is actually a juvenile delinquent. To add insult to injury, he is also homophobic.” The film will screen Thursday, June 17 at 7:00 and 9:40, and a special panel discussion about gay adoption with adoption professionals and a local gay couple who are adoptive parents will occur after the 7:00 screening. Tickets to this film – just $6.00 each – are currently on sale at THE NEON’s box office. http://www.patrikonepointfive.com/
As a reminder, the official Downtown Dayton LGBT Film Festival is set to take place during the final weekend of September. A committee is hard at work determining the line-up for this year’s fest. If you or someone you know (or a business) would like to become a sponsor of the festival, please contact me right away. http://www.daytonlgbt.com/
Thanks for your continued support of THE NEON
We hope to see you soon!
Jonathan
SHOWTIMES for June 11 – June 17:
CITY ISLAND (PG-13) 100 Minutes
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12:45, 5:00, 7:20, 9:40
Monday – Wednesday: 5:00, 7:20
Thursday: 5:00
BABIES (PG) 87 Minutes
Friday – Thursday: 3:10
THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES (R) 127 Minutes
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 1:00, 4:00, 7:15, 9:45
Monday – Thursday: 2:30, 5:00, 7:30
PATRIK, AGE 1.5 (R) 103 Minutes
Thursday: 7:00, 9:40
COMING SOON:
As always, all dates are tentative.
June 18 PLEASE GIVE
June 25 THE SQUARE
July 9 I AM LOVE (My favorite from Toronto!)
July 16 CYRUS
July 30 WINTER’S BONE
July 30 THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
TBD – MOTHER AND CHILD
TBD – JOAN RIVERS: A PIECE OF WORK
TBD – MICMACS
YP Volunteer Opportunity This Saturday 6/12
The National Day of Service will be held this Saturday, June 12 from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm! Hosted by the Dayton Urban League Young
Professionals – This is open to ALL YPs in the region!
This year’s 7th annual day of service will focus on the health and quality of life of our children. Join us as we build a playground in
the East End Neighborhood with MetLife and KaBoom! to promote safe and fun physical activity for local youth. A ribbon cutting ceremony will promptly follow at 2:30pm.
If you’re interested in volunteering, please respond promptly to Nina Carter at (937) 304-6097 or [email protected].
Dayton and Regionalism
This week, The Brookings Institute published a study called “The State of Metropolitan America.” The premise of the study is that we can no longer define metropolitan areas in the same general terms used in the 80s and 90s because the demographic trends of the 2000s have reshaped the character of metropolises in America. The report is grounded with the premise that population growth is an important “barometer of economic and societal well being.”
The study generally categorizes cities into the new terminology that reflects the demographics, such as “Mid-sized magnets” and “Skilled anchors” instead of “Sunbelt” or “Rustbelt” cities. One of the buckets is called “Industrialized Core” and represents the slow growing, less diverse, older and less educated cities that are “disadvantaged.” The Dayton, Ohio region is lumped into this category with 17 other cities, including our standard Ohio and Michigan counterparts of Toledo, Youngstown, Cleveland, Grand Rapids and Detroit. The study compares statistics from 1990-2000 and 2000-2009, focusing on population trends, including growth/decline, shifts between cities and suburbs, and diversity of population, as well as household growth/decline. Dayton ranked in the lowest 10% for every statistic cited in the study, except of course the statistic about the greatest rate of decline in under age 45 population, in which we scored in the top 10. The study specifically highlighted our significant loss of households in the “married with children” category – declining over 16% in the last 8 years. This statistic is key data to defining our regional strategy since it skews the population age for the next generation.
Our regional strategy builds on our position in the defense industry and the region’s roots in aerospace technology and manufacturing. We are focused on four strategic growth areas: Aerospace R&D, Information Technology, Advanced Materials & Manufacturing, and Human Sciences/Healthcare. The key points of our strategy focus on a highly educated workforce with our pillar community educational institutions (universities and hospitals) leading the way to differentiate our region.
This focus steers us toward the more palatable characterization of “skilled anchor” metropolis with other post-manufacturing Midwestern cities such as Akron, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and St. Louis. This type of city is characterized as slow growing, having a less diverse population, and higher than average education levels. The anchors specified are service centric – such as hospitals and educational institutions. The “skilled anchor” cities are distinct from “Industrialized Core” cities economically but share the challenges of primary growth in lower density suburban areas/decentralization and an aging workforce/growing senior population comparative to other age groups.
The conclusion of the study suggests that regional collaboration is critical within the new demographic realities. It is not clear if the new characterizations of the metropolitan areas will remain true through the rapid transformations of the coming decades, but the study points out very clearly that the response to changing demographics must be shared across local dividing lines for the region to sustain its unique identity and growth rate.
Without regional collaboration, the “Industrial Core” cities will not transition, ultimately being usurped in the list of top 100 metropolitan areas by smaller cities with higher population growth due to immigration and emigration from the likes of Dayton. The Dayton region must be a cohesive voice representing the metropolitan area to the state; and local leaders must forge new solutions to tackle the challenges of fiscal crises, outdated infrastructure and lacking capacity to extend needed community services.
Dayton’s leaders are making visible strides to position our region as a hub for aerospace technology and a service centric, highly educated, knowledge based economy. While the vision is sound and is being realized incrementally, three primary questions remain un-answered on how we move toward regional growth rather than continue on the decline.
- What is the approach for the Dayton region to position ourselves more competitively based on the pending merger with the Cincinnati statistical MSA?
- How do we plan to more cohesively address economic development opportunities with a regional voice, enabling us to successfully execute our planned strategy?
- Are we ensuring that the human capital of the region fits with the strategic plan for growth? There seems to be a gap in the required education, skill set and age demographics for a service and knowledge based economy with a declining population under the age of 45.
What will Dayton’s story be 10 years from now when population and growth charts for the coming decade are analyzed? Are we going to trend toward population growth? Continue to be considered a beleaguered region mired in population loss? Or will we allow ourselves to lose our identity entirely to become part of greater Cincinnati? The answers to those questions will come when we begin to measure our success as a region/metropolis (household income, employment and population) instead of individual cities and towns. The clock is ticking and the decade is already 5% gone. We know what we want to be as a region, but we need to start taking action now to make it a reality.
Look for more in this series about Regionalism in Dayton coming soon…
For more DMM conversations on Regionalism, check out the discussion on the DMM Forum.
No Stress Fest this weekend at c{space
This weekend marks the first-ever No Stress Fest at c{space (20 North Jefferson Street) in Downtown Dayton. This two-day festival features 26 local and national bands. South Carolina punk band, The Independents will headline Friday night of the festival with Cincinnati’s The Dopamines headlining Saturday’s show. Local bands on the bill include 8-bit Revival, Akillis Green, Rad Company, Marijuana Johnson and many more. The show is 18 and up, and doors open at 6pm each night. Tickets are $10 per day in advance or $15 at the door. You can also get a two-day pass in advance for $15. For a complete lineup and information on advance tickets, visit c{space’s website.
Eclipse brings the music of Pink Floyd to Canal Street Tavern
On Wednesday night, you’ll have the chance to hear some classic Pink Floyd songs live right here in Dayton in the comfort of Canal Street Tavern. Eclipse is a Pink Floyd tribute band from Nashville that includes local musician Tod Weidner (Shrug) and former Daytonian Patrick Himes (Flyaway Minion) in its lineup. The band will present a three-hour show that highlights the best of Pink Floyd’s catalog. Tickets are $10.
AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS…?
…a butt-kicking, heart-breaking, raucous, Vaudevillian Cabaret!
What?
Yeah…I thought the same thing, the first time I was forcibly encouraged to attend a performance by Shaun & Abigail Bengson. “What are we going to see again? Who are these people? Can’t we just go to Chappy’s instead?”
Then, upon exiting the venue I asked…”What did I just see? Who were those people? When are they performing again? Is there a CD?” The performance WAS heart-breaking, it WAS butt-kicking. I fell in love with these performers, and the 20-some characters from around the world that they introduced me to that evening.
Shaun & Abigail Bengson. Performers like no other. To be frank…you, yes YOU….have NO RIGHT WHATSOEVER to miss their performances whenever their nomadic path winds through Southwest Ohio. Sorry if that sounds too strong for a friendly little blog post, but I am forcibly encouraging you to attend a performance of AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS by The Bengson’s at the Cincinnati Fringe Festival this week.
Shaun McClain Bengson was a local boy. Bellbrook. You might’ve even seen him perform as a kid…BHS marching band & theater productions, Sinclair Jazz Combo, community theater groups. In 2001 he began to explore beyond the Miami Valley. First he attended college at Indiana University (studied Ethnomusicology & Traditional Indiana Fiddling), then after graduation Shaun moved to New York City as a part of the city’s teaching fellows program. He became a music teacher in NYC. He was assigned to a school for special education students, in a unit for students with Autism. It was in this unit where Shaun crafted programs such as “Little Kids Rock!” and then “The New Manhattan Music Project,” where his students wrote, produced & performed their own musicals. It was at the performance of these musicals where Shaun found love. In walks Abigail Nessen, out walks “The Bengson’s,” and a new band called the “Zombie Nationalists.” They were engaged within two weeks and writing their first musical.
The couple is constantly touring. They have traveled to South Africa, West Africa, El Salvador, Japan, Mexico, Europe as well as many areas of the U.S. They perform while touring, but more importantly they connect to the people they encounter, educating kids and talking with families. They collect stories along the way. These stories…NO…these people become the Bengson’s show.
Those of you who attended last week’s production of RENT in C{space got just a glimpse of Shaun & Abigail. Shaun led the rockin’ band, giving this version of RENT an instrumental style of it’s own. Abigail portrayed “Mimi.” Her Mimi was perhaps a tinge “Joplin-inspired.” She took the dark role & gave it a fierce, hard edge that was probably more truthful to the character than “glam’d” for Broadway.
Currently they are touring with AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS, finishing up a new album called THE PROOF, and writing their next show which is titled the same as the album. The new show, which will employ a cast of 12 and an 8 piece band, will be developed through a residency in Vermont followed by an Off-Broadway run in 2011.
AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS is described as
…a raucous vaudevillian cabaret, full of roaring original music and impassioned characters. The Bengson duo evoke the quintessentially American stories of the immigrant and the outcast and play at the heart of the political struggles of our age through a melding of the musical forms of Tin Pan Alley, the Old South, German Weimar and rock and roll. The show is constantly evolving. As the Bengsons travel, they trade songs and drinks for new stories from the personal to the divine, and shift the work to reflect where they’ve been, and each new community they’re in. This work was made possible through support from the Puffin Foundation.
AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS opened on Sunday night in the Cincinnati Fringe Festival. You have three more chances to catch their show, so you will need to start making arrangements today. Hire a babysitter, make dinner reservations and ORDER YOUR TICKETS before they are gone!
AIN’T THAT GOOD NEWS @ The Cincinnati Fringe Festival
Wed. June 9 at 9:30p / Thurs. June 10 @ 8:45p / Sat. June 12 @ 9:00p
Venue: The Coffee Emporium, 110 E. Central Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio
Tickets: $12 online at www.cincyfringe.com/aint-that-good-news
More Info: www.bengsons.com or email Shaun & Abigail at [email protected]
When you get the chance to meet Shaun & Abigail after the show, make sure you give them a hug for us…but be careful what you say…you never know, it might just make it into their next musical!
SA
Shane Anderson & David Brush work with locally based Encore Theater Company. ETC recently moved into the new arts collective space in the Oregon District, along with Zoot Theatre Co. & Rhythm in Shoes. Anderson, Brush & ETC are currently preparing for their upcoming Summer season of new musicals in downtown Dayton: Johnathan Larson’s RENT, [title of show] &Next Thing You Know (a developmental production of a new musical by NYC-based writing team of Salzman & Cunningham)
2nd Anniversary Celebration for Buffalo Wings & Rings
This Centerville franchise is throwing it’s own party to celebrate their anniversary featuring lots of $2 deals.
Through this Friday, June 11th they’ll be featuring $2 well drinks, $2 domestic bottles of beer, $2 domestic pints and select appetizers also for $2. This is in addition to their usual weekly specials, which include: Monday- kids eat free, Tues – 49¢ wings, Wed, 49¢ boneless wings and Thurs 99¢ chicken tenders.
According to their website, Buffalo Wings and Rings was just voted #1 Chain by Restaurant Business Magazine as the fastest growing chain Nationwide.Known for their fresh, never frozen chicken, with 9 sauces and 5 heat levels, homemade Bleu Cheese dressing, healthy wraps and salads and gyros to die for.
BWR Centerville will also have some great giveaways during 2010 FIFA World Cup Matches this week. Check out the Team USA jerseys and other gear they’ll be giving away!
Saturday’s Games:
FIFA WORLD CUP – USA vs. England – 1:30 p.m.
UFC 115 – Liddell vs. Franklin – 10:00 p.m.
894C South Main Street
Centerville, Ohio(937) 438-9464 (WING)
Next to Club 51 (formerly Neo Limits Fitness)
An Apple Yesterday
Vincent G. Apple Was A Self Starter
Dayton originals. We have many of them still around, but in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, there seemed to be a brainstorm that brewed over the Miami Valley, striking the populace with the adventuresome allure of invention. One of the most prolific among them was a man named Vincent G. Apple. Born in Miamisburg, Ohio on January 26th, 1874, Vincent went on to found his first company (Franklin Electric Company) at the tender age of eighteen. The Franklin Electric Company eventually evolved into the Dayton Electric and Manufacturing Company, with several more ventures following, including Apple Electric Company and Apple Laboratories.
Apple’s inventive nature rivaled that of Thomas Alva Edison, surpassing the Wizard of Menlo Park in some respects. Apple’s inventions included a magneto starting system for the Wright Flyer, an automobile lighting system, tungsten bulbs and, his most acknowledged invention, the isolated home/farm lighting system. Apple had received 350 patents in his lifetime and, at the time of his death at age 58, there were still 130 patents awaiting approval at the Patent Office. Other inventions that he had developed would have brought the amount of patents he had either received or was eligible for to around 1,500 total patents.
When looking up Vincent G. Apple’s history, I came across a passage on Wright State’s Miami Valley-Dayton – Inventors and Inventions page which said, “In 1902, he introduced what is thought to be the first electric self-starter for an automobile.” This struck me as odd and I referred to two pictures that I had obtained some years ago. I actually found them in a junk shop on E. Third St., at the bottom of an old freezer chest, the kind used by soda shops back in the day. There were stacks of pictures and I chose these two because they were old pictures of cars and I thought that my father, a car aficionado, might appreciate them. I gave very little thought to the typewritten notes, glued to the back of the photographs on some type of woven linen. I had read the notes, but was overly unfamiliar with the history of automobiles, but when I read that little line on the Wright State site, I knew that the name Vincent G. Apple had appeared in the notes.
Here are the two photographs, front and back. If you have any information about the history of the pictures, or the invention, feel free to either comment here or send me an email.
Austrian Fest means Fun Night at Fraze!
Litterally translated Spass Nacht means fun night and that’s exactly what the Kettering Sister City Association has planned for Wed, June 9th from 5:30-9:30pm at Fraze Pavillion. With brats, metts, hot dogs, sauerkraut, potato salad, pretzels, baked goods, Wurst mit bier, wine, on the menu and The Schnapps Band playing polkas, waltzes, schottisches, and other traditional “oompah” tunes, how could it not be fun?
Admission is free and food is billed at being reasonably priced at this annual fundraiser to support youth exchanges with Steyr, Austria.
If Only They’d Taught Science Like This When I Was in School!
Pub Science is presented by the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery to engage lifelong learners in our community. Each month, the Museum will bring engaging speakers to an informal environment in the Dayton area. This is an opportunity to learn about science in a relaxed, fun environment. Pub Science is not a lecture, but instead a conversation with experts hoping to share their research and passion for their work. June’s “class” will be held at Blind Bob’s in the Oregon District on Tues, June 8th starting at 7pm.
This month, they’ve enlisted the expertise of one of the area’s top experts on regional ecology! Dr James Runkle of the Biology department at WSU will share his research about changes in the ecology of Ohio forests. Enjoy a talk about invasive species and the growth in population of certain wild animals in our area. Get an up close look at artifacts and examples and engage in conversation with one of the top experts in local forest ecology.
Please spread the word to nature lovers, science enthusiasts, and anyone who might enjoy a tall frosty glass of beer or a snack with a light side of science.
There is no cover charge for the evenings; however, donations will be accepted at the door. In addition, participants can order food and/or drinks from the establishment where the event is held. Don’t forget to tip your server!
YP This Week: Happy, Thirsty, Playful, and Giving
Check out a wide variety of opportunities to get involved in YP organizations this week. Outside of work – We like drinking, socializing, and playing – sure! But we’re also into volunteerism. All those options are coming up:
Wednesday, June 9: Dayton Creative Syndicate hosts their happy hour at Harrigan’s South from 5-7 PM. You love the classic Harrigan’s Tavern in Kettering – check them out at their new location down south and meet up with some of the most creative of the young creatives. All welcome.
Thursday, June 10: Generation Dayton hosts their monthly Thirsty Thursday at Brixx across from Fifth-Third Field from 5:30-8:30 PM. Admission is free to members and nonmembers. Networking, socializing, and fantastic drink specials are available – check it out.
Friday, June 11: Every second Friday of the month, you can meet up with other young professionals and PLAY! The Dayton Urban League Young Professionals hosts YP@ Play at the Therapy Cafe in the Cannery District. Eat, drink, and play like you did when you were a kid with board games, cards, twister, wii and other fun games. All welcome – free for members and $10 for nonmembers.
Saturday, June 12: Are you into volunteerism and making an important difference in the lives of local neighborhood kids? Join with the DULYPs for the National Day of Service. Welcome KaBoom! and help build a new playground for the kids in the East End neighborhood. Change is made by those who show-up! RSVPs requested.
What did I miss? Post other YP opportunities in comments.
Dayton Sports Weekly Update: 6/7/2010
Welcome to the first edition of the Dayton Sports Weekly Update. Join us every Monday for a rundown of all of your favorite home teams from the UD Flyers to our newest club, the Dayton Dutch Lions. We’ll try to keep you up to date on anything you may have missed last week, and everything you want to know coming up this week from stats, and scores to the latest news. Enough talking though, let’s jump right in.
The Dayton Dragons are still selling out games but are having a difficult time finding a good rhythm. They’ve dropped six of their last ten games, and out of those, 4 of them have been by one run. What makes that even more difficult is that those one run losses cost them 3 out of their last 4 series. The Dragons play away from home for the next two weeks and won’t be back at 5/3rd field until June 18th.
This week they will be playing at Beloit and Wisconsin, and next week they’ll be playing at Fort Wayne. Currently Fort Wayne is the only team out of those three that stand at a PCT of .500 or greater, so it’s a good week for the Dragons to make up some lost ground against some less challenging teams in the league.
The Dayton Gems had an interesting first year in Dayton. After being competitive for half of the season they embarrassingly slid into last place in the league. Ownership was at one time taken over by the IHL and then transferred to new ownership early on. They also seem mired in an endless list of traded and cut players, which would be fairly typical of any first year team, especially if you don’t know who you’ve got playing for you. Still, with such a difficult end to the year, the big guys upstairs clearly were not happy with Coach Marks and let him go, as well as several other staff members in an effort to right the ship before it falls to far.
If that wasn’t enough, the IHL’s contention as a league was in serious doubt at the end of the season with a flutter of rumors being passed around about their inevitable folding. It was just recently announced however that the IHL and CHL intend to merge together into one large league similar to that of the ECHL, with two separate divisions. This has a lot of implications for the Gems, namely their viability as a team in Dayton and how critical next year will be for them. This will expand their playing area drastically, including a half dozen teams from Texas, Arizona, Missouri, Louisiana, and Colorado, to name a few. Having said that, Dayton can no longer be considered in a “bus league” and will definitely have to hope fans will be curious about this new league to fill seats fast. I for one encourage anyone who hasn’t seen the Gems play yet, do so next year when their season starts. They did great things for the community last year, and though beleaguered as they were, deserve our support.
The Dayton Dutch Lions are doing an amazing job in their first year in Dayton. In the giant unending tangle of a mess that is the United Soccer League, Premier Development League, the Dutch Lions find themselves in second place in the Great Lakes Division, suffering not a singles loss all season. For those who might be unfamiliar with soccer, the Dutch Lions hold a record of 3-0-3 or 3 wins no losses and 3 draws. As a result they are one point behind the Chicago Fire. They tied their last game this weekend against Forest City London 1-1.
With their winning record so far this year, the Dutch Lions have also found themselves qualified for the 2010 U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup. As one of 8 PDL teams to make the Open Cup, make no mistake that this is a prestigious honor. The US Open Cup is the longest running cup series in the United States, dating back to 1914. Qualifying teams can be from any tier of the United States Soccer Federation, from amateur teams to the MLS. Since the inception of the MLS back in 1996, they have won the cup every year except 1999, in which the Rochester Rhinos beat out four MLS clubs to claim the championship. The luck of the draw has placed the Rhinos as the Dutch Lions’ first opponent in the tournament starting June 15th.
The Dutch Lions have an exhausting schedule ahead of them before June ends. On the 9th they play an away game against the Indiana Invaders, but return home this Saturday the 12th to play Toronto. Then on the 15th they’ll be travelling to Rochester to take on the Rhinos in the first round of the US Open Cup, followed by an away game on the 17th against the Cleveland Internationals. This will all be topped off by a home game (they are the away team however) against the Columbus Crew at Baujan Sports Field at The University of Dayton. I’ll have my tickets for that one, I hope you will too. All in all one heck of a next few weeks, all the best to the DDLFC.
What to say about university athletics in our town? There is a heck of a lot going on and I will not do them justice here, but I will try to capture what I can about what is going on right now around town. Though inevitably our thoughts will drift back to Basketball here in Dayton, I’ll try to be true to all the student athletes out there who play hard for WSU and UD.
Recently Raider’s Baseball found itself in the Horizon League Championship game after finishing the regular seasons with a 29-23 record. On May 30th however they stumbled against Milwaukee 14-7 to end their season. Though a disappointing end, the Raiders have found themselves as perennial contenders in the Horizon League, finishing the last 5 years over .500.
Women’s Softball also find themselves in the Horizon League Championship this spring, and after winning 4 out of 5, advanced to the NCAA Regionals in Ann Arbor. Though they ended their season there, the Raider posted their second ever NCAA tournament win this season, an encouraging end to a great season.
There is more to mention here about upcoming news for the Raiders, but we’ll have plenty of time to get to it. Check back soon.
The Flyers equally will have plenty to talk about in the upcoming months, especially as fall sports start to pick up steam so bare with me for now. The Flyers had a more difficult time this year in both Baseball and Softball, both finishing with losing records, but the Flyers soccer team faired better in their spring training, going undefeated, and shutting out the likes of Ohio State and Wright State, and finishing with a 2-2 tie against Kentucky.
Dayton has also had great success this year in Track and Field. This week two members will be competing in the upcoming NCAA Championship in Eugene Oregon; Junior Mallory Barnes (hammer throw) and freshman Katie Nageotte (pole vault). But there have also been several other distinguished athletes from various events noted this year, including Ashley Cattran and Sarah Allen who were recieved ESPN acedemic all-district honors this past week. Cattran was also recently announced as the A10 student athlete of the year.
Well that’s it for this week, come back again and we’ll let you know what’s going on in the Gem City. Show your pride for Dayton and those who play here, get out and watch a game!