Community

What’s the single best reason for buying a home in Dayton OH?

August 20, 2011 By Teri Lussier 4 Comments

Let’s say you are thinking of buying a house. You are probably watching the news for real estate market insights, you are listening to your friends tell you about their experiences- good, bad, indifferent. You might be a bit nervous and scared about buying right now and you’ve seen what has happened over the past decade so you are smart to be cautious. It’s difficult for even experienced Realtors to look into their handy-dandy crystal balls these days because we are seeing some unprecedented changes in the real estate market, coupled with unprecedented changes in the Miami Valley. Erring on the side of caution is wise under these circumstances so take a deep breath and understand that following your gut will keep you out of trouble.

But still, you want a home of your own. You want to paint the walls with salmon-colored chalkboard paint, and put down exotic Brazilian hardwood floors. You have kids in 4-H and two horses you are tired of boarding. Or maybe you simply can no longer stand the thought of paying a cheap and stingy landlord for a roof over your head. Congratulations! You just discovered the best reasons for buying a home.

Forget about the real estate boom. For hundreds and hundreds of years, people who were smart and competent and knowledgeable were buying homes primarily for those same reasons. They didn’t buy a home because real estate was a great financial investment, because it wasn’t. They didn’t buy a home because they thought they could make money from selling it in a few short years, because they couldn’t. They bought a home because they wanted a space of their own. A space where they got to call the shots, paint with the colors that made them happy, use the land the way they wanted, not beholden to a landlord, and put down roots in a community that they loved, and if we think about the lessons of the past few years, those just might be the best reasons for buying a home.

In many respects, this is a perfect storm for home buyers: Inventory is up, interest rates are down, prices are down. The difference in the boom years and now is that there is no real indication that prices are going to up any, if at all, at least not for quite awhile, but don’t despair, you do have options. You can buy a home because you want a place of your own. You can buy a home as an investment or rental property, including duplexes and multi-units. And you can buy a home in a part of the country that is experiencing better economic times than Dayton- there is still money to be made somewhere.

I saw an interesting real estate forecast that makes sense to me, if you want to gaze into that crystal ball you can find it here. There are places where you can invest in real estate and still make (some) money. There are real estate markets and niches that are more lucrative than others, but understand that Dayton is a different market with, in my opinion, a long way to go before we see solid recovery. What that means is for most home buyers in Dayton Ohio, a home represents a place of their own and all the joys that come with that freedom. If you think about it, “”because you want to” might be the best reason of all to buy a home.

Photo: TLussier

Urban Nights Crew Needed!

August 20, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Love Downtown?
Volunteer to be on the Urban Nights Crew!
The Downtown Dayton Partnership needs you to help with Urban Nights on Friday, September 16, 2011. Urban Nights is a free event that showcases downtown’s housing, visual and performing arts, and other creative spaces. Approximately 100 businesses and organizations will be participating in the event, and expected attendance is 30,000+.
Shifts are from 4:45-7:30 p.m. and 7:15-10 p.m. You will be contacted before the event with details on everything you need to know for your shift. Crew Members are needed for the following duties:
*Shuttle Guides – shuttles are offered to help patrons get to some of the participating locations – guides will help direct patrons on the shuttles, answer questions and explain what each stop is for
*Walking Guides – serve as a guide for a designated area of downtown and help answer patron questions, provide directions, etc.
* Info Table – assist in supplying event materials to patrons and answer questions
* Survey Crew – ask patrons a short list of survey questions at the info tent and in other key areas of downtown

If you can help please send an email to Krystal Luketic with your full name, phone, preferred job and shift and t-shirt size. Sign ups end Aug 31st.

Men For Sale… (for a good cause, of course)

August 16, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

For those ladies out there that want to give to a good cause AND get a date out of it, the Dayton Racquet Club is the place to be this Friday August 19th as PUSH holds their second annual Men in the City Bachelor Auction event where 17 eligible bachelors will be sold… er, “auctioned” off to the highest bidders. Oh yeah – your’s truly will be one of those eligible bachelors, and I promise a nice evening out for the woman who bids the highest amount for me! (Did I just actually write that?) Well, it is for a good cause so if you need no further info then just buy your auction tickets here; otherwise continue reading AND THEN buy your tickets!

Checking out the goods at the 2010 Bachelor Auction

PUSH (Professionals United for Sexual Health) is a group that formed two and a half years ago to engage the next generation of volunteers and supporters in education, outreach and fundraising efforts for Planned Parenthood. PUSH raises money specifically for its free condom program (over 80 thousand condoms have been distributed in 23 Ohio counties since its inception) and for a comprehensive health educator position that covers the entire Miami Valley. Their first Bachelor Auction took place last year and was a great success, and organizers hope that this year will be even better – which should be no problem since your’s truly will be in this year’s auction. Yes, I just wrote that.

The doors open at 7pm at the Dayton Racquet Club (top floor of the Kettering Tower in Downtown Dayton – best views in town!) and tickets cost only $20 – and only $15 if you purchase your tickets in advance. Advance ticket purchasers will double their door-prize chances and the first 100 to buy tickets will get a sweet swag bag (settle down, I said SWAG not SHAG) so you’ll want to get those tickets in advance. Not to mention that last year’s event sold out!

Each man comes with (I can’t believe I just wrote that) a dinner at a local restaurant and “activity” package, with activities ranging from couple’s massages to rock climbing – all donated by generous area businesses. I’ll assume that a free hotel room is probably not one of the donated activities but who knows.

So who will you ladies be bidding on? Well here is the list – and yes I will shamelessly start with myself (click on each picture for a whole profile including IQ, Income Bracket and Bicep Measurements). I’m very sure the auction night will be a blast, much money will be raised… and I’m praying that I go for more than the minimum bid. So come out and help a good cause – and my ego! Buy your tickets today!

Bill Pote | Age 40

Nikolas Hunt | Age 27

Thomas Porter | Age 28

Jeremy Roadruck | Age 36

Troy Singer | Age 45

Larry "Lorenzo" Imundo | Age 37

Luke Notestine | Age 29

Josh Zehnder | Age 33

Derek Smith | Age 30

Andy Sedlak | Age 23

Frye Guy | Age 31

John Drake | Age 55

Ben Czajka | Age 34

Bill Draugelis | Age 44

Charles “Chuck” Hiatt | Age 51

Rich Wirdzek | Age 32

Tom Helbig | Age 37

History In The Making – Heritage Center Grand Opening

August 11, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Dayton History and Carillon Park are proud to announce the grand opening of the Heritage Center of Dayton Manufacturing and Entrepreneurship on August 20 from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm. It will mark the largest single public opening of new exhibits and attractions at Carillon Park since the Park’s debut in 1950. The Heritage Center will showcase nearly 1,000 rarely seen artifacts as well as the restored original Deeds Barn, renovated ARMCO steam locomotive, brightly painted Carousel of Dayton Innovation, the We Progress Through Change Theatre, Dayton made toys, plus the evolution of Huffy, NCR, Duriron, DRT, General Motors, and many more.

Some of the special attractions and new exhibits:

Deeds Barn featuring the 1912 Cadillac owned by the Kettering Family
Carousel of Dayton Innovation
We Progress Through Change Theatre
History of NCR
Exhibit of Dayton Built Cash Registers
Birth of DELCO
Evolution of General Motors in Dayton
Birth of Aerospace
John Patterson’s Business Legacy
World of Dayton Printing
Heavy Manufacturing
Top Secret Projects: Dayton’s Desch Bombe and Dayton’s Manhattan Project
Dayton Made Toys
Armco Locomotive
Juvenile Manufacturing Company

For more information, please call 937.293.2841 or visit www.daytonhistory.org.

Dayton History is Montgomery County’s official historical organization. Consisting of Carillon Historical Park, Hawthorn Hill, Patterson Homestead, Old River Park, Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial, Memorial Hall and Old Court House, Dayton History brings the past to life to understand the present and inspire the future by collecting, preserving, interpreting, presenting and promoting the region’s past.

Seeing the City from New Eyes

August 10, 2011 By DowntownPartnership 1 Comment

A native of Cincinnati, I didn’t really dip my toes into everything Dayton has to offer until my freshman year of college at the University of Dayton. While some of my classes exposed me to popular sites in the city, such as the Schuster Center, I took it upon myself to explore lesser-known pockets of downtown. After four years of living and working in Dayton, I am still finding interesting new places, but I am proud to say I definitely know more than I did when I was a freshman.

Making old new again

As a girl who perpetually has nothing to wear (yet a closet full of clothes), I’m always on the prowl for new additions to my wardrobe. In the past few years I have gained a huge appreciation for vintage clothing, although I am still learning how to filter through what’s gold and what’s just … old. The best place I’ve found to score some great finds? Feathers Vintage Clothing. Located in the Oregon Arts District, it’s the perfect place to browse before grabbing a stuffed burger at Blind Bob’s. Disclaimer: One glance at its front window, filled with the kinds of clothes you dream about stumbling across in such a store, and you will have no choice but to stop and see what’s inside.

Lights, Camera, Action

The best movie experiences are ones in which the whole audience connects over the film. While these occasions are rare, they make going to the movies special. At The Neon, one gets that sense of community during every film. Plus, the selection is awesome – way better than any other theater in the area. It offers everything from Oscar-nominated blockbusters to the lesser-known movies all the cool kids rave about. If you’re wary about seeing a movie that hasn’t been over-advertised, check out The Neon’s website. It provides great summaries, as well as a schedule for upcoming films.

Music to my ears

My inaugural trip to Omega Music was on a first date. After a delicious dinner at Thai 9, we went on a romantic walk down the brick-paved stretch of Fifth St. in the Oregon Arts District. While the night was awkward (Sorry I was more excited about buying that live concert CD than I was about being on that date with you), I still love going back and browsing the music selection. The staff also is really friendly, which I haven’t always encountered in music stores. I still think of that long-lost first date every time I walk into Omega, but at least there’s great music to make me forget it.

Get Lucky

As a lover of food (but by no means a connoisseur), my favorite places to eat are ones that have a unique, but not intimidating, menu. Enter Lucky’s Taproom. A descriptive beer menu for someone who knows nothing about beer (i.e., me) and a staff willing to make recommendations? Sign me up. The first time I went to Lucky’s I ordered the fish and got to choose the beer it was battered in. Awesome. Apparently quality is always Lucky’s standard, as the food is excellent every time I go.

Hit the pavement

A longtime runner before college, I saw my move to Dayton as a chance to get to know a new city – on foot. Confession: In high school I ran almost 10 miles daily with my cross-country team, but when left to my own devices, I am way too tempted to sit on the couch and watch reruns on E! instead of getting up and exercising. Having new, uncharted territory encouraged me to start running here, but it was the awesome routes that kept me going. I love cities, yet I love being in parks; lucky for me, downtown is a blend of both. Check out the Five Rivers MetroParks website for more information on all of the trails available.

This is by no means a complete list of things to do in downtown Dayton. Be sure to check out the Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website for more information and other suggestions of great places in the city to visit.

We Challenge You To “Find It Downtown”

August 4, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro 3 Comments

A scavenger hunt team in a totally different city - it is the best stock photo we could find...

Not all projects end with the exact same plan they started with – in fact, most don’t. However, the hallmark of any good team is the ability to adjust.

When the updayton nightlife team first met at the Young Creatives Summit last April, they rallied around the idea of using artist propelled rickshaws to connect various parts of downtown. This plan was proposed in response to a challenge from the Downtown Dayton Partnership to add a new aspect to First Friday that would help connect the many offerings from the galleries, restaurants and bars around downtown.

Well… not even a week after the Summit, Tricab was unveiled. Not wanting to compete with a new business, the nightlife team went back to the drawing board. This resourceful group of volunteers quickly responded with another popular idea discussed at the Summit: a First Friday Scavenger Hunt. Says, team lead Duante Beddingfield of the scavenger hunt idea, “The Downtown Dayton Partnership and AAA have a great passport incentive that’s designed to get people around to all the galleries on First Friday, and we wanted to design something similar to move people around through the businesses and special events that are available as well.”

After a couple months of planning, the team’s first hunt is set for this Friday, August 5^th. The evening promises to be jam-packed with fun clue finding at stops at some of downtown’s best restaurants, venues and street art spaces. Finding businesses to participate hasn’t been hard, says Beddingfield, “We’ve been knocked out by how enthusiastic the response has been from the business owners who want to be involved.” In fact, a number of businesses are already lined-up for the group’s next hunt this October.

To get started on the Hunt this Friday, pick up your clue sheet from First Friday volunteers at RiverScape immediately following the First Friday After 5 Concert. After completing the clues, head to the after-party destination: Lucky’s Tap Room and Eatery where complimentary drinks await everyone who completes the Hunt.

If you have questions about the event, contact Duante Beddingfield at [email protected].

Aug. 5 First Friday has everything from skatedecks to a scavenger hunt

August 3, 2011 By DowntownPartnership Leave a Comment

Looking for a different way to explore downtown? The Aug. 5 First Friday is rolling in with a night of live music, art shows and entertainment.

Broaden Your Horizons

First Friday will be the continuation of the First Friday Passport Program. Pick up a First Friday Passport at RiverScape and other participating locations (click here for a list) to win prizes from AAA Miami Valley, which each month will award two prizes of one-year classic AAA memberships, with free renewals for existing members. Everyone who enters for the monthly prize now through Dec. 2 also will be entered into a drawing for a grand prize of a $1,000 travel gift certificate.

The passport must be stamped by at least four locations, and visitors can get all four stamps during one First Friday or complete it another month. Once completed, they simply fill out their contact information and drop their passports in any of the First Friday Passport boxes that will be at all participating locations.

Get a Clue

The Aug. 5 First Friday is also the premiere of the First Friday Scavenger Hunt, an event hosted by volunteers from the young professional organization updayton. Teams of friends and families are invited to enjoy an evening packed with clues that include stops at some of downtown’s swankiest restaurants, venues and art spaces. Follow the clues to the final destination ― the First Friday After Party, where complimentary beer, wine and light snacks await everyone who completes the hunt. Clue sheets also will be inside First Friday passports.

Skateboards, Sculptures and Still-Life

Another featured event is the “The Art of Skate,” an art exhibit featuring skate decks and paintings celebrating skating culture past and present. Held at the Yellow Cab Building, 700 E. Fourth St, more than a dozen artists contributed to the project, including Amy Kollar Anderson, Rev. Chad Wells, Mike Guidone and Jason Goad, along with two California artists. The exhibit will be open until midnight, and the skate decks will be raffled later in August.

New to the city’s arts scene, the Dayton Arts Project will present local artists’ work, followed by a performance of choreography, dance and media at Sinclair Community College’s Blair Hall Theatre. Featured artists include Damon Sink, who will create new live music in a collaboration with choreographer Rodney Veal; choreographer Ashley Sass, who will present her work, Momentum; Tom Watson III, presenting his Stem/ReAssemblage series; and Ben Quinn, who will display five new large works in a mixed-media exhibit.

Additional art shows include:

The Blue Sky Project’s final exhibit will be showcased at 8 N. Main St. In this eight-week summer artist-in-residence program, five professional artists from throughout the world have worked with area teens in a collaborative art-making process that resulted in the new works of contemporary art that will be on display.
The Cannery Art and Design Center, , 434 E. Third St., will host Doug Benedict’s “Found Object Steel Sculpture,” along with live jazz, wine and hors d’œuvres.
Color of Energy, 16 Brown St., will present an introduction to the Record Gallery, a new store featuring collectible music items, along with new works by Mike Elsass and Bob Rhodes.
Color 2 Gallery, 519 E. Fifth St., will host Mike Elsass’ reception for the graduates of Stivers.
Dayton Visual Arts Center, 118 N. Jefferson St., will host its 20th Annual Open Members’ Show in the gallery. A selection of artists from the Members’ Show will give brief gallery talks about their work.
Elaine Balsley Fine Art, 523 E. Fifth St., will feature artwork by Stivers School for the Arts graduates.
Gallery 510 Fine Art, 510 E. Fifth St., will feature new figurative wood carvings by Marvin Olinsky and new still-life paintings by Nancy Hatton.
K12 Gallery, 510 E. Third St., will feature the work of TEJAS summer art camp students, as well as work by local painters in an exhibition centered on landscapes and showing films created by students throughout this year in K12’s first Film Fest.

Hitting the Right Note

In the Garden Station, 509 E. Fourth St., the Dayton Creative Circus Collective will host Free Music First Friday featuring a rare Dayton appearance by The Hiders from Cincinnati. After its 2006 debut, the band was named by NPR’s World Café as an “artist to watch.” Tim Pritchard of the local band Floods will open at 8 p.m.

More live music will be featured throughout the Oregon District. Check out the Trolley Stop, the Oregon Express, the Tumbleweed Connection and the Dublin Pub for a variety of performances all night. Additionally, Practice Yoga will be hosting the WYSO-FM Rev. Cool Around the Fringe Dance Party, and several participating First Friday locations will be playing the long-running radio show.

Rock Out

Local musicians Blind Karma will play the First Friday @ 5 show at RiverScape MetroPark. The concession will be open and beer will be sold during the performance from 5-7 p.m. The concert will wrap up in plenty of time to head to the galleries and other arts venues taking part in the First Friday art hop.

…And There’s More!

Celebrating its grand opening will be Clash Consignment Co., 113 E. Third St., which features items for adult women and men, including an eclectic and funky mix of vintage to modern clothing, jewelry, shoes and other accessories. The store also carries original work by local artists, and will be hosting DJs during First Friday. New to First Friday is District Antiques, 122 Van Buren St., which specializes in antiques, collectibles, home furnishings and artwork. Patrons will receive 15 percent off new items and 10 percent off consignment items during First Friday. Martha Mellon Interior Design Studio also will offer free 30-minute in-store design consultations. Visitors are asked to bring their room measurements, photos, fabric samples, and toss pillows and other accessories to help with the design consultation. A variety of roaming performers will provide entertainment (weather permitting). This month, catch The Dropbacks juggling duo, the Circle Nerdz breakdance crew, solo saxophonist Tyrone Martin, and accordion and violin duet Nathan Rogers and Liz Landis.

From approximately 8 to 11 p.m., many of downtown’s buildings will be lit for amateur and professional photographers who would like to capture night shots of the city in preparation for this year’s Downtown in Focus photo contest, held in conjunction with the Sept. 16 Urban Nights. Visit DowntownDayton.org for contest details.

Visitors also can get outdoors during First Friday for Courteous Mass, which will meet at Don Crawford Plaza in front of Fifth Third Field at 5:15 p.m. for a bike ride through the event action. Gem City Circle Walks will host two historical walking tours led by longtime local history buffs Leon Bey, Nancy Roach and Curt Dalton. An Oregon Arts District walk will begin at 5 p.m. and the “Ghosts, Cemeteries and Murders Walk of Downtown Dayton” will begin at 7 p.m. Each walk is $10 and advance reservations are required by contacting Bey at 937-274-4749 or [email protected].

In addition, all the restaurants, retail shops, bars and clubs, and other establishments throughout downtown will be open during First Friday. For regular updates about this event, follow First Friday on Facebook or text “FirstFridayDayton” to 90210.

First Friday is presented by the Downtown Dayton Partnership with support from AAA Miami Valley, the Oregon District Business Association, Clear Channel Dayton, Heidelberg Distributing Co., Five Rivers MetroParks, Culture Works and WYSO-FM 91.3.

The Downtown Dayton Partnership’s website has a complete list of downtown’s arts and cultural amenities, as well as a dining guide, parking map and much more. Click here for a complete list of events taking place downtown.

Add address – also, check for addresses throughout. Since this doesn’t start with the list, as in the release and brochure, there may be other places the address needs to be included.

First Friday band likes pop, rock, ‘unexpected elements’

August 3, 2011 By DowntownPartnership 1 Comment

When Greg Bell plays a show with his band, Blind Karma, he goes for impact.

“My first job is to do something that will astound my band mates to break that ice on stage,” he says. “Then we can address the audience as a unit.”

From Bell’s description of the band’s performances, it is clear it set out to entertain, no matter the cost.

“I don’t mind looking foolish if that opens the door to get the audience involved,” he says. “Generally, if I see someone shoe gazing, I will do something so ridiculous they can’t shoe-gaze anymore.”

Audiences can expect this outgoing presentation when Blind Karma performs at the Aug. 5 First Friday @ 5 summer concert at the RiverScape MetroPark pavilion .

Formed in 2008, Blind Karma is a trio of Daytonians who bring crowds to its feet with a variety of cover songs from as early as the 1960s. Bell says the band likes to play rock and pop music, but also tries to include unexpected elements in their concerts.

Although the band has original material, they are currently only playing covers. They pull their material from a variety of decades as to find something that appeals to everyone in the audience.

“I’m always hoping for that little extra something to remind the audience how special that song, that time period was,” Bell says.

Off the long list of songs on Blind Karma’s setlist, Bell declines to list a favorite to play live (“That’s like asking me to choose amongst my children!”) but admits “Time” by Pink Floyd is especially meaningful to him.

“It’s one of the most beautiful, moving songs,” he says. “I want to do it justice and play it with conviction. It has the potential to be an emotionally charged song.”

As far as venues go, Bell looks forward to playing in Dayton for a variety of reasons: playing downtown at RiverScape MetroPark, working with sound engineer Monika Shroyer and participating in a community event, such as First Friday.

Bell recognizes Dayton as a grounded place to perform — each venue has unique strong points and the and want to create the best experience possible for the audience.

“There is a direct connection here in town of people wanting to do the best we can with what they’ve got,” he says.

You can catch Blind Karma when they play the August 5 First Friday @ 5 concert from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at RiverScape MetroPark Pavilion, 111 E. Monument Ave. The concession will be open and beer will be sold from 5-7 p.m. The concerts will wrap up in plenty of time to head to the galleries and other arts venues taking part in the First Friday art hop.

URS Rubber Duck Regatta Adoption Agents Needed

July 31, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

United Rehabilitation Services of Greater Dayton (URS) is seeking volunteers to attend local festivals in the Dayton area during the summer to promote the 8th Annual URS Rubber Duck Regatta and sell $5 duck adoptions. The 8th Annual Rubber Duck Regatta is the release and river race of up to 15,000 bright yellow rubber ducks for a controlled race down the Great Miami River. Ducks will be “released” south of downtown’s Pedestrian Bridge, float down the river and finish at RiverScape’s Festival Plaza. This event takes place on September 17th in conjunction with the Taste of Miami Valley. (One duck “adoption” equals one entry/duck in the race”)

Volunteers are needed to work Festivals throughout the Dayton Area – Promote and sell duck adoptions for the 8th Annual Rubber Duck Regatta (click here for more info)

- German Fest Picnic – Saturday, Aug 13, 12 – 11 pm & Sunday, Aug 14, 12 – 6pm
- Young’s Jersey Dairy – Saturday, August 20, 9 am – 3 pm
- Popcorn Festival – Sat, Sept 10, 9 am – 8 pm & Sun, Sept 11, 10 am – 6 pm
- Cheese & Quackers Wine Tasting – Friday, Sept 16, 5 – 8 pm
- Rubber Duck Regatta – Saturday, Sept 17, 2 – 6 pm

To become a volunteer you must:

Be fifteen years old (unless acompanied by an adult)
Complete an application and orientation

To request more information about volunteering or how your corporation can team build at URS, email Diane Osman at [email protected] or call (937) 233-1230 ext.130.

Share The Power Of The Suit

July 31, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

It’s time once again to clean out your closet and donate your gently-used professional clothing to help men and women enter the workforce. For the fourth year Men’s Warehouse is partnering with Clothes That Work to help disadvantaged job seekers get a boost of self-confidence during the fourth annual National Suit Drive, the country’s largest collection of gently used business attire.

The suits will provide men with a fresh start and the ability to go into an interview feeling confident and well equipped to put into practice their new skills. Although the recession has affected a broad spectrum of the American workforce, more than 70 percent of job losses have befallen men, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, due to the economy’s particularly heavy impact on male-dominated industries such as construction and manufacturing.

“With nearly one out of ten working-age men unemployed in this country, the weak economic recovery has disproportionately hurt the male workforce,” said George Zimmer, Men’s Wearhouse founder and CEO. “By collecting and donating professional clothing, Men’s Wearhouse aims to help men ‘suit up’ for job interviews and give them an important boost of confidence that will help them reach their goals.”

Nationally, Men’s Wearhouse hopes to collect more than 100,000 articles of clothing to benefit charities like Clothes That Work. To thank donors for their generosity, Men’s Wearhouse will reward them with 50% off a purchase at Men’s Wearhouse and will donate a tie for every suit received in the month of August. And besides clothing, for every “like” on Facebook, Men’s Wearhouse will donate $1 to the cause, up to $10,000.

No complaining if the jury gets it wrong…

July 20, 2011 By Megan Cooper Leave a Comment

(Taken from information provided by Dayton History)

Interior of Old Courthouse taken from the Visitor's Galley looking down (from Montgomery Co. Collection at Dayton Metro Library)

Innocent or Guilty? You Decide…

Join Dayton History for an interactive courtroom drama at the Old Courthouse. This summer, the sensational 1896 Bessie Little (don’t click on this link unless you want the WHOLE story pre-trail – and that takes the fun out of it) murder case will be re-tried, with the verdict decided by you – the audience. After listening to evidence from both the prosecution and defense, spectators will be left to determine whether Bessie Little met death as a result of suicide – or murder. With one of Dayton’s most notorious court cases re-enacted, audience members will learn what law and order was like in the Gem City at the turn of the twentieth century.

Performances will be held at the Old Courthouse at 3rd and Main on the following days:

Friday July 22, 7:30 pm Saturday July 23, 7:30 pm Sunday July 24, 3:00 pm
Friday July 29, 7:30 pm Saturday July 30, 7:30 pm Sunday July 31, 3:00 pm
Friday August 5, 7:30 pm Saturday August 6, 7:30 pm Sunday August 7, 3:00 pm

Ridge Ave Bridge over the Stillwater (from Dayton Metro Library collections)

$10 – Dayton History Members $12 – Non-members
Reservations suggested
Suggested ages: 14 and up
For more information call 937-293-2841 or visit www.daytonhistory.org

SPOILER ALERT:

In doing some research for this, I learned that lil’ Bessie Little’s ghost still haunts the bridge at Ridge Avenue over the Stillwater where the suicide/murder happened.

Arts Volunteering Opportunity

July 14, 2011 By Dayton Most Metro Leave a Comment

Each season, 1,000 volunteers from the Dayton area donate more than 60,000 hours of their time to the Victoria Theatre Association. Volunteers primarily work as the ushers for our performance theatres at the Victoria Theatre, Schuster Center and The Loft Theatre. Ushers are responsible for taking tickets, seating patrons, enforcing house policies, assisting patrons and answering questions. They also assist with mailings, staff fair and festival booths, and other tasks. We’ve just heard that the Variety Series is especially in need of volunteers.

Orientations dates are Wed, Aug 3rd at 3pm or 6:3opm and Sat, Aug 6th at 1oam. Fill out the application – download here and send it in our just bring it with you to orientation.

Here’s what’s coming up for the Variety Series:

THE FLYING KARAMAZOV BROTHERS

October 7, 2011
Location: Victoria Theatre
More

GONE MADIGAN WITH KATHLEEN MADIGAN

February 3, 2012
Location: Victoria Theatre
More

COLIN MOCHRIE & BRAD SHERWOOD: THE TWO MAN GROUP

April 28, 2012
Location: Victoria Theatre
More

Victoria Theatre Association 2011-2012 Season Brochure (PDF)

Can You Help Others Dress For Success?

July 13, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby Leave a Comment

Clothes That Work is a grassroots non-profit that has been providing professional clothing, image counseling and training for job seekers in Montgomery County since 1998. More than 18,000 job seekers in need have benefited from the services provided by Clothes That Work.

In addition to providing interview appropriate clothing and training on how to dress for work, they also conduct seminars, give interviewing tips and coach on exhibiting appropriate professional behavior. By focusing on the skills our clients need to be competitive in the interview process, they help instill the confidence necessary to succeed.

Clothes That Work is currently seeking volunteers to assist in the areas of personal shopper, Boutique sales and inventory management.
Personal Shopper: Provide customers with the interview or work attire, support and encouragement to approach the workplace with confidence.

Openings every week:
Wednesday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM
Thursday 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

Boutique Sales Associate: Coordinate attractive, colorful displays, price merchandise and aid customers with their purchases.

Openings alternating week:
Tuesday 12:30 to 3:00 PM
Wednesday 9:45 AM to 12:30 PM
Thursday 9:45 AM to 12:30 PM
Friday 9:45 AM to 12:30 PM
Inventory Management: Solicit and maintain a steady supply of clothing and accessories, collect and manage individual and corporate clothing donations; Transport clothing from drop sites, assure that customers receive top quality clothing and accessories appropriate for job interviews; Sort, repair, straighten, and display merchandise.

Openings every week:
Monday 12:30 to 3:00 PM
Tuesday 12:30 to 3:00 PM
Wednesday 10 AM to 12:30 PM & 12:30 to 3:00 PM
Thursday 9:45 AM to 12:30 PM & 12:30 to 3:00 PM
Friday 12:30 to 3:00 PM

Interested applicants may complete a volunteer application online or contact Melanie Tullis or phone 937-222-3778 ext.170.

Oldest Rug Store in Dayton Relocating to the Shops of Oakwood

July 10, 2011 By Lisa Grigsby 1 Comment

The following story submitted by press release:

Mousaian Oriental Rugs, the area’s oldest store for sales and service of handmade Oriental rugs and a family business spanning four generations, announces its relocation to The Shops of Oakwood. They are currently located at 1918 Brown Street and will move to 2419 Far Hills Avenue in the Shops of Oakwood, next to William Rife Jewelers, on August 1, 2011.

Mousaian Oriental Rugs was established in 1922 as a small specialty business and has grown steadily for almost 90 years. This move marks the fourth location for the family-owned business. In 1987 the business relocated from Victoria Avenue in Dayton View to the Oregon District. In 1999, it moved to its current location on Brown Street, near the University of Dayton campus.

The history of Mousaian Oriental Rugs can be traced through its various moves. The original location in northwest Dayton marked the era of Joseph and Helen Mousaian, who assumed the business from founder Simon Kirkjian (Joe’s uncle), when the business was located behind the family home. In 1986 the business was passed on to daughter Susanne (Mousaian) Weaver and her husband, Paul. They moved to the Oregon District, and later to Brown Street, dramatically expanding its retail operations. With its large showroom and Brown Street presence, the business continued to grow for the past 13 years. In 2008, the next generation of the business was signaled with the addition of the Weaver’s daughter-in-law, Jennifer Weaver, who developed its distinctive website and e-communication strategies. The Shops of Oakwood is an ideal location for this modern, yet nearly century-old business. The quaint hometown location on Far Hills Avenue is as rich in tradition as the business itself.

According to Susie Weaver, “Mousaian Oriental Rugs and the Weaver family are extremely excited to take this next step in the business’ long history as we approach our centennial. We look forward to celebrating a century serving the Miami Valley as Dayton’s oldest Oriental rug retailer.”

The Crap We Bring Home from Vacation

July 9, 2011 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Ryan shows his Hampshire gilt.

What did you do over the holiday weekend? Cookout? Swimming at the lake? Sitting in a pig barn in Kentucky? Oh, wait. That last one was me.

While springtime is for auctions and piglets, summertime on our Farmersville farm means traveling to state fairs and national pig shows.

We just returned from the National Swine Registry’s Summer Type Conference and National Junior Swine Spectacular in Louisville. This is just a fancy way of saying we loaded some of our best purebred hogs on our trailer and headed to Kentucky for five days of pig-related competition.

So what happens at a pig show? This is my husband’s version of an industry trade show. He picks out his best pigs–looking for pigs that are muscular, among other qualities. At the show, each pig is washed up and put on display in a pen, usually bedded with wood shavings. The event organizers bring in a judge, usually another pig farmer who is held in high regard, who evaluates the pigs in a show ring. Breeding stock pigs, like the kind we show, are in classes based on age and breed.

For pros like my husband, the event culminates in big business–the auction of breeding stock pigs to other farmers. The better your pig does in the show, the earlier in the auction your pig sells.

My husband sells his Yorkshire boar at the auction.

In addition to showing their gilts (young female pigs), all three of our kids participated in a number of youth activities designed to develop young people’s knowledge of the swine industry. At the event, there was a pig poster contest, pig photo contest, pig skillathon (a test of swine knowledge) and a judging contest where young people learned how to evaluate and rank hogs like a judge.

Justin and Morgan both won ribbons with their pig posters.

The event in Louisville is one of the biggest of the summer, along with the World Pork Expo (yes, this is a real thing), which we skipped this year. Our summer will include multiple hog-showing trips to the Ohio State Fair, Indiana State Fair and conclude with the Montgomery County Fair in Dayton.

So while most people won’t choose to spend their summer vacation time bathing pigs or unloading trailers, we do bring home a lot of family memories, hard-earned ribbons and, yes, crap on our shoes.

Music. Dance. Hiking Boots?

July 7, 2011 By Shane Anderson Leave a Comment

Translations:

an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement

Blue Sky Project

When first perusing this press release, I was not really certain into which section of DaytonMostMetro.com to place this article. When I first spoke with fellow onStageDayton contributor Rodney Veal about this, my assumption was that this project he was so excited about would be featured in the “oSD” section. Maybe, however, it belongs in the “Dayton Music” section as the project prominently features a very accomplished violinist, Shaw Pong Lui from Boston, participating through a residency here in the Gem City with the Blue Sky Project.

As I uncovered more details about the project it seemed that maybe it should be in the “Arts & Entertainment” section since it seems to equally features the creative choreography of Rodney Veal, alongside Liu’s musicality. The further I read, the more difficult this classification task became. Here is a collaboration between a dancer, a musician AND nature. The performance takes place along the trails of Aullwood Garden MetroPark with the dancers and musicians mimicking the sounds and sights of the trails. Perhaps we need to put this in “Active Living.” The audience has to build up a bit of a sweat during this particular concert, as they will have to traverse the trails. They even warn you to wear hiking shoes!

Then you throw in the iPod aspect. Holy Cow! Do we even have a “Technology & Arts” section? Audience members can participate in the performance through the use of a special birdsong app! ? ! This is pretty cool.

Alright. Looking at this, pondering the various aspects…the birds, the trees, the dance, the music…I am making an executive decision here: “Life.”

(fully expecting our illustrious publisher to override this decision and choose the perfect classification for this article)

Official Blue Sky Project Press Release:

Dayton, Ohio — Musicians, dancers and birders will come together for an unusual open-air art event in one of the Miami Valley’s most distinctive woodland parks.

The Blue Sky Project, in collaboration with the University of Dayton and Five Rivers MetroParks, will present “Translations: an exploration in birdsong, sound and movement” 6 p.m. Saturday, July 9, and 3 p.m. Sunday, July 10, at the Aullwood Garden MetroPark, 955 Aullwood Road, Englewood, Ohio. It’s free and open to the public.

Violinist Shaw Pong Liu and choreographer Rodney Veal created the work, which invites audience members to walk along trails throughout the garden, encountering violinists mimicking birdsongs, dancers improvising on the shapes of trees and birders with iPods contributing the real songs of birds.

“The point of the piece is to get people to slow down and pay attention to the environment,” Liu said. “We lead such busy lives, it is rare to take time to attune to the environment, and truly listen. Through this creative exploration of a hidden gem in the Dayton community, we hope to inspire others to listen and see their environments more deeply.”

Liu said the piece is very much in the spirit of the garden’s founder, the late Marie Aull, who opened and donated the garden to the public, and placed inspirational quotes throughout, encouraging visitors to enjoy nature and meditate on its beauty.

Participants include professional musicians from the area, dancers from the Dayton Contemporary Dance Company and the Dayton Ballet, and birders familiar with the region’s birds.

Liu said the some paths go over rugged terrain and recommended appropriate footwear. iPhone users may also participate by downloading iBird Explorer Lite, a free app, before the performance.

Liu’s role as community artist/investigator for Blue Sky is new for the organization, a juried international summer artist residency now in its seventh year and its third based in Dayton, that brings internationally recognized artists to the area to work with young people on public, contemporary art.

The new position was prompted by Liu’s work in 2010 with Blue Sky and the community connections she made, according to Peter Benkendorf, founder and co-creator.

“Collaboration and community are central to both Blue Sky Project and the University of Dayton. It’s exciting to see Blue Sky expand through an artist who is taking the Blue Sky model beyond collaboration of program participants, and out to the larger community,” said Benkendorf.

It’s a good fit for the University, according to Paul Benson, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, because it combines the University’s commitment to community and its interest in infusing the creative process into education.

Blue Sky also makes good use of ArtStreet, an innovative living and arts community on campus, where the artists both live and make art in the facility’s studios, Benson said.

“We are pleased to support Blue Sky as well the new community artist/investigator position as part of our ongoing commitment to expand the arts on campus and in the community,” he said.

“Translations” is the second major collaboration for Liu and Veal. Their 2010 production “Of a River” transformed the Schuster Center Wintergarden with dancers, musicians and 600 yards of silk.

Liu is a Boston-based, classically trained violinist who performs internationally and creates innovative shows involving improvised music, narration and audience interaction. Her ongoing project, “A Bird a Day,” explores birds, sunrises and music at www.abirdaday.org.

Dayton native Rodney Veal is a choreographer and interdisciplinary artist whose work has been featured at the Ohio Dance Festival, among others. Veal teaches at Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton and Sinclair Community College. A solo show of his work, “Reveal: Five Zones on Beauty,” opens July 23 at the Springfield Museum of Art.”

For information on Blue Sky and the “Transitions” performance, including an alternative venue in case of rain, visit http://www.blueskydayton.org

Cardinal (actual):

Cardinal (violin):

SANCTUARY composed by Shaw Pong Liu (4/28/2011)

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