ArriveSafe - July 2-5, 6pm-6am (free cab ride)

July 2-5 • ArriveSafe
Montgomery County; 6 p.m.-6 a.m.

If you celebrate Independence Day with alcohol, celebrate your freedom; don't spend the holiday in jail for a DUI. If you don't have a designated driver, call ArriveSafe starting at 6 p.m. on July 2 and ending July 5 at 6 a.m. Montgomery County residents can request an ArriveSafe ride and the program will pay up to a $50 cab fare. Free.
449-9999.

Volunteers Sought for Mediation Training

The Dayton Mediation Center, a City of Dayton agency providing free or low-cost mediation services to individuals, families, and organizations, is offering training for citizens interested in learning to serve as volunteer community mediators. Volunteer mediators help resolve conflicts and reach understanding on a variety of issues, including neighborhood problems, workplace concerns and elder care decisions. Candidates are expected to attend training sessions on August 15, 20 and 29 and to commit to volunteering at least monthly for 18 months. For more information, contact Michelle Zaremba at 333-2345.

A Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Dayton 27 June 0900-1100 FREE

I wish that I didn't already have an obligation for this time slot. If you can get to this, GO and be heard!

June 27 • A Pedestrian and Bicycle Friendly Dayton
Dayton Convention Center,
22 E. Fifth St.; 9-11 a.m.

People are now choosing communities known for walkability and bicycle amenities. Come share your thoughts on how to capitalize on and enhance our alternative transportation assets. Planners and engineers will also discuss current projects and plans for benchmarking Dayton's progress towards achieving Bicycle-Friendly Community status through the League of American Bicyclists. Free. 333-3863.

Women in Jazz Festival 29 June FREE

We stopped by this for a few hours last year; it was very very nice. Not to mention the food. Yum.

June 29 • Michelob Women in Jazz Festival
Dave Hall Plaza,
Fourth & Jefferson Sts.; 1-9 p.m.

Come hear some of Dayton's best and brightest female jazz artists. There's a full lineup of bands from 1 to 9 p.m. as well as local food, beverage and merchandise vendors. Admission is free and open to the public, so bring your blankets, lawn chairs and friends out to Dave Hall Plaza and enjoy the music! Free. 333-8400.

Celebrate the struggle for civil rights - 2 July @ 7pm in Piqua

On July 2, Thursday evening at 7pm, Piqua, OH will celebrate the struggle for civil rights at both the local and national level. That date will mark the 45th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. This civil rights observance will be highlighted by the dedication of the public square in honor of William McCulloch.

William McCulloch was the guiding political force responsible for the passage of the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964 according to President Lyndon B. Johnson. He is pictured in the famous signing photo (see the attached) with Dr. King and President Johnson. An Ohio Historical Marker honoring McCulloch and local NAACP civil rights activists such as Darell Taylor will be unveiled. See belowt for the complete wording of the Ohio Historical Marker.

P.S. Let's turnout in honor of those who sacrificed and struggled for the rights that we now take for granted.

The Ohio State Memorial Marker will be unveiled in Piqua the evening of July 2nd on the Public Square. The text on the marker reads as follows.

(north side of marker)
William Moore McCulloch
William M. McCulloch was born in Holmes County where he was educated in a one-room schoolhouse before moving to Wooster to attend high school and the College of Wooster. He attained prominence as Ohio's Speaker of the House from 1939 - 1943 and House member from the Fourth Ohio congressional district from 1948-1973. During his time in Washington, McCulloch was best known as a co-sponsor and staunch advocate of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. He was recognized by President Lyndon Johnson as the prime mover for passage of this landmark legislation. As a conservative Republican voice in the House, he was instrumental in championing other civil rights legislation, including fair housing and public accommodations. McCulloch was a founding partner in 1928 of the Piqua law firm that bears his name.

(south side of marker)
Civil Rights Movement in Piqua
Twentieth century racial discrimination was common in Ohio and a fact of life in Piqua. To counter it, a Piqua chapter of the National Association for the
advancement of Colored People was active from 1921 to 1923 but was shut down by local Ku Klux Klan violence. Local businessman Darrel Taylor
reorganized the NAACP in 1943 and served as its first president. By the end of World War II, the group actively fought segregation in Piqua, holding a sit-in at the "whites only" bus station lunch counter with support from former Ohio Speaker of the House William McCulloch. The group also fought segregation at the Schine's Piqua theater by sitting everywhere, not in the restricted three rows in the rear. While these protests did not immediately end segregation, they were the start of a decades long process that ended discrimination in public accommodation, housing, and veterans and community organizations memberships.

Funding for the Historical Marker has been provided by:
McCulloch, Felger, Fite & Gutmann Co., L.P.A.
Ohio Historical Society

War on Everyone Who Ain't Rich Continues - RTA hikes rates

I don't think I'm being horribly dramatic here. I'm lucky enough to have a pretty stable and well-paying job, and things are still pretty tight for me. We use the library on a regular basis, and when I'm able to, I ride the bus. But now it'll cost more, and two of the routes that pass by my house will have stops and trips cut.

Of course, the main problem with riding the RTA isn't the building it has downtown - it's the already infrequent trips and routes. There's no real reason to expect gas prices to stay as low as they are; while my prediction that they'd stay at $4 a gallon hasn't come to pass, they're still hovering near $3 a gallon. But a slow rise in gas prices won't get people to change their behavior. (A sudden sharp rise in the cost of gasoline might, but that's a different story.) The sheer inconvenience of riding the bus requires a perceived payoff in order to make it worthwhile. This is not a new observation; I made it back in 2007.

Or put another way, fast food chains lose money if they offer fewer locations and fewer times open. Why does the RTA think it will be any different?

Those who can afford a more convenient alternative will choose it. Just like library cuts, where those who can afford to get books and movies on their own will be forced to do so.

That leaves everyone else out in the cold.

Or heat. Or rain. Waiting for an infrequent bus ride.

Reliable public transportation is a significant factor in wage equality for the poor and underemployed.

So let's be nice and sparkling clear about this.

Those who can afford their own car and gasoline won't be personally affected by these rate changes.

Those who cannot will be.

This policy change is an explicit attack on those who rely on public transportation. Nothing more, and nothing less.

Recycle your television, don't just trash it.

Carried in the DDN the other day, this article tells you how to locally recycle your old television sets. Mind you, the TV should still work well as a DVD player for the kids, or you can find other ways to repurpose your old television over on Lifehacker.

Analog TV sets will work fine with a converter box, but if you decide to replace your old TV with a new digital set, environmental officials urge you to recycle rather than throw the old set in the trash.

Hey! Senator! Leave my Library Alone!

[For those interested, here's my letter just sent off...]


Dear Lawmakers and Elected Officials:

I am a resident of Dayton, and a veteran. As a member of the Armed Forces, I have had the opportunity to see many libraries and library systems. They have ranged from shelves in a trailer on a National Guard base to the huge systems of El Paso and Washington D.C.

One of the most pleasant surprises of moving to Dayton was the quality, efficiency, and resourcefulness of the Dayton Public Library. My family utilizes the library on a nearly-daily basis. We participate in activities at the main branch, have been in its poetry contest, request materials from our local branch, and have never had a complaint with its service.

I am lucky enough that I still have a well-paying job, but even still, ANY reduction in services at the library will leave me more impoverished. Our community together can provide much more than any of us could afford individually. I shudder to think of the huge impact that a reduction of services would have on my friends and neighbors who have recently lost their jobs.

The Dayton Metro Library has been proactive in controlling their own costs, instituting a pay freeze for their managers. Meanwhile, they have been actively offering services for those who find themselves between employers.

I urge you to leave state funding for the Dayton Metro Libraries intact for the benefit of our community and our state.

Thank you,


Steven Saus

Save Dayton Public Libraries NOW - OR MY CAT WILL PURR AT YOU.

I was going to run a nice safe thing on recycling your televisions in the Miami Valley, but this is far more important.

If you're not using your local library, you're missing out. Having been in the military, I've seen libraries of all shapes and sizes. What's always impressed me about the Dayton Metro Library system was how easy it is to get the materials you want. Rather than be wasteful and duplicate tons of items that aren't constantly used, many branch libraries aren't huge but can get items within a day or two at the most from another branch in the system. Hell, their managers already froze their own pay in order to save money. (PDF link)

In these economic times, communal resources like libraries enrich everyone, rich, poor, and anywhere inbetween. Support the library and all the great services it provides right freaking now.

Or my cat will have to hunt you down and purr at you. And nobody wants that.

On Friday Gov. Strickland announced plans to remove $227.3 million in funding to Ohio's public libraries in order to fund other budget priorities. State funding for Ohio's libraries would drop to nearly half of 2008 levels under his proposal. Losses to the Dayton Metro Library would be $2.3 million in 2009 and $4.7 million in 2010. The cut for this year would be in addition to the $4.1 million reduction the library is already facing for 2009.

"Cuts of this size would be absolutely devastating," said Tim Kambitsch, Executive Director of the Dayton Metro Library. "We are struggling to stay open with the cuts we have already absorbed. If passed, there will be deep cuts in hours, elimination of services to residents of every age, and the closing of some libraries. I urge everyone to contact Governor Strickland today (614-466-3555), or e-mail him here. Also contact your representatives in the Ohio House and Senate."

The governor's proposal must be approved by the Conference Committee of the Ohio Legislature, which is currently working out differences between the Senate and House budget bills. They have just days to get this done!

The proposed cuts come at a time when the library is experiencing recording-setting use. 2008 was the busiest year in Dayton Metro Library history and 2009 is on pace to exceed last year. In this tough economy, job hunters, families on a budget and kids needing help with school are depending on the library more than ever. If these cuts are approved, books, Internet service and programs will not be there for those who need them.

Let your State Senator and State Representative (info and e-mail links here) know what you think immediately!

Legislators need to hear:

* How important the library is to you, your family and your community.

* That Dayton Metro Library has already made deep cuts to offset the $4.1 million in funding reductions already received.

* You want them to share your concerns with Gov. Strickland and the legislators on the Conference Committee.

Cleanup Day - 20 Jun 2009 at 4:30pm

(forwarded from a message from updayton)

Cleanup Day - Be part of the Solution to help improve Dayton!

ALL HANDS IN!!

Join us this Sat. at 4:30 pm for one of the updayton project group's kick off events: a Cleanup Day along the Wayne Ave. Corridor connecting the Oregon District and the Cannery District.

Volunteers will help do some sweeping and beautification of the area to make the pedestrian and vehicular experience of traveling through this area more appealing.

Items to bring:
- brooms, dustpans, trash cans, buckets, boxes, gloves, water, trash bags and tools for weeding.

Stick around afterwards for:
- refreshments,
- music and
- a bonfire at Garden Station!

Hope to see you there!
If you have questions, contact Adam at

Equality Now - Can't Stop the Serenity 20 June 09 & 23 June 09

For the second consecutive year, the independently owned and operated Little Art Theatre in Yellow Springs will host two free screenings of the 2005 adventure film SERENITY to benefit the international human rights organization Equality Now.

Screenings will be held Saturday, June 20, 2009 at 4 p.m. and Tuesday, June 23 at 7:30 p.m. Saturday's screening will be preceded by "Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog" at 3 p.m. (Doors open 30 minutes before show time.) Although there is no admission charge to the event, donations to Equality Now are strongly encouraged. Donations will be collected at the event, and can also be made online. In 2008, more than $850 was donated to Equality Now from the Little Art screenings.

And need I say more?

Updayton Action Plan Update - TONIGHT 6pm

Event: Action Plan Update
"4 Projects - Working together to improve the region"
Start Time: June 18 at 6:00pm
End Time: June 18 at 8:00pm
Where: Cannery Art & Design Center
Please RSVP to Scott Murphy or 643-0691.

Assassins! 19-28 June (Weekends)

June 19 - 28, 2009, Fridays And Saturdays At 8 PM, Sundays At 3 PM
Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by John Weidman, Based on an original idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr.
Directed By Jim Lockwood
At The Lofino Adult Enrichment and Cultural Arts Center, 3868 Dayton-Xenia Road

This production contains adult language & situations which may not be suitable for children under age 13.
This surreal, disturbing musical lays bare the lives of nine individuals who assassinated or attempted to assassinate the President of the United States and explores the dark side of the American experience. Bending the rules of time and space, it takes us on a nightmarish ride in which assassins meet and inspire each other to do harrowing acts in the name of the American Dream.

Students and Budgets and Leaving, oh my!

The DDN reports today that:

Well-educated young people may be the key to Ohio’s economic future, but unless things change they’ll continue to flee the state.

I am not - as usual - going to even try to address the comments on the page - half of which are slams of one group, the other half nearly incoherent. Instead, I'm going to point out that Ohio's screwed itself in the name of a good principle. Although Ohio has no explicit balanced budget requirement, there are several different parts that effectively create one. (source) The idea of a balanced budget seems to be a good one - after alll, consumer debt spending is bad, right?

And the answer is - maybe. Nobody blinks an eye at a mortgage (at least, one for a home you're going to live in). Student loans suck, but it's not seen as a hand-wringing moral failure. At the same time, maxing out one's credit card for fast food, or luxury items one doesn't need... well, that's a problem.

Balanced budget requirements don't see the difference, though. One of the key things from the article above is that recent grads would stay in Ohio - but don't see the prospects for a job. But it's a close thing; some funds here and there might sway their mind.

Those kinds of expenses - like infrastructure development - are worth going into the red for, at least for a little time. (I'm a neo-Keynesian, more on my view of this can be found here.)

But as it stands, we're ready to forsake our future for an ideal that doesn't really apply.

Community Health and Awareness - 20 June, Trotwood

Community Health and Wellness
Trotwood High Schoo, 4440 N. Union Road
20 June 2009, 12pm - 4pm

A community event designed to encourage Trotwood residents and those from the surrounding areas to learn about health and wellness will be held on Saturday, June 20 from 12:00 - 4:00. The event, to be held at Trotwood High School, 4440 N. Union Road, is hosted by Helping Hands Community Outreach Center and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Lambda Omega Chapter.

The event is free of charge and will offer a variety of health screenings, including diabetes and prostate cancer testing, cholesterol and blood pressure checks and vision testing. In addition, informational sessions will be offered throughout the day, including seminars on preventing home foreclosure, will and estate planning and staying mentally fit in today's challenging times. Attendees may also learn about smoking cessation programs and may even ensure they are wearing properly fitting shoes.

"In order to deal with the total body, we believe it is necessary to offer information that deals with both physical and mental fitness," said Alice O. McCollum, President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Tau Lambda Omega Chapter. The group has a goal of reaching 250-300 citizens through this event. "Good health can be the launching pad for great things," said Neldra Aaron­Glasper, Executive Director of Helping Hands Community Outreach Center. "It is hard to stay on track and consistent with your goals when your body isn't up to the challenge."

This special event will feature a Premier Health Partners mobile unit that will be open throughout the day for tours, testing and questions. Door prizes, including bike helmets and a bicycle will be awarded during the event and the first 50 people to walk through the doors will receive a free t-shirt courtesy of the Kettering Health Network.

Yellow Springs Street Fair - 13 June

This always sneaks up on me - the Yellow Springs Street fair is this Saturday, from 9:30 am to... well, whenever. With over 200 booths, the "normal" eclectic shopping that is Yellow Springs, and music and performances, it's sure to be a fun thing to do.

It's a biannual event - the one after this is on the 10th of October. Be sure to stop by Yellow Springs' website to get more detailed info.

Domestic Violence & Latinas: What You Need to Know - 20 June

Please join us for this important program about how to best serve Latinas who experience domestic violence. See attached and below for more information...

Domestic Violence & Latinas: What You Need to Know
June 20, 2009, 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Nutter Center, Wright State University Dayton, Ohio
Part of the daylong state conference of LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens)

Battering, dating/domestic violence, intimate partner violence--regardless of what we call it, women in abusive situations can experience difficulty in seeking help from friends, family, or social service agencies. Latinas sometimes experience additional barriers related to culture, language, or immigration issues, among others. This multi-part session will explore the "ins and outs" of domestic violence as it is uniquely experienced by Latinas. Presenters include Dr. Erendira Lopez-Garcia, Associate Director of Psychological Diagnosis & Clinical Training, Wright State University's Office of Disability Services; Amy Allen, Department of Homeland Security, ICE Victims Unit; and a panel of Latinas invested in improving education and resources for Latinas in domestic violence situations. For more information, please contact Rosa Caskey at dmc606 [AT] sbcglobal (DOT) net.

Second Saturdays Astronomy Outreach - 13 June in Yellow Springs

Patrick didn't tell me specifically, but I'm suspecting this event is free. :)

What: WSU Astronomy Club "Second Saturdays" Astronomy Outreach
Who: Members of the WSU Astronomy Club (and the public)
Where: downtown Yellow Springs
When: June 13th, 2009 at sunset (approx. 9:00pm)
Why: Because the public isn't getting enough astronomy in its diet :)

Our club will have its 8" Dobsonian-mounted (see http://www.sidewalkastronomers.us/id32.html for more info about John
Dobson, the inventor of this type of mount) reflector telescope out on or near a sidewalk along the downtown strip to show off Saturn (whose rings are approaching an "edge-on" configuration) and anything else that might be visible from our vantage point that evening.

Layoffs and RIFs: OMG, It Could Be Me - 11 June, 1130-1300

June 11; 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m
Layoffs and RIFs: OMG, It Could Be Me
Sinclair Community College, Ponitz Center,
Building 12, 444 W. Third St..

Part of the Professional Enrichment Series (PES), a series of luncheon programs designed to provide outstanding networking opportunities to local career women and assist them in personal and professional development. June 11's discussion will talk about how to engage your electronic social network when dealing with layoffs or reduction-in-force job losses. Presented by YWCA Dayton, in partnership with Sinclair’s Workforce & Corporate Services. Reservations required. $30, includes lunch. 461-5550, ext. 179.

Zombie Walk - TODAY - 2300 hours, Oregon District

People are saying Dayton, Ohio is dead. Well, if it is a dead city, then who better than the undead to take it over?! Dress as a zombie - meet in the parking lot of Gem City Records. The walk begins at 11:00 p.m., moving along E 5th St to Wayne Ave and back to Club Vex at 101 S St. Clair St. Follow the event on Twitter at http://twitter.com/zombiewalkinday. This is an underground event. No agenda, political or otherwise. No one is making any money or getting any fame. This is a chance for ANYONE to participate - dress up like a zombie, shamble through the Oregon District and have some fun! Log onto the webpage for more details. See you there!

Dump The Pump - 15-19 June 2009

June 15-19 • Dump the Pump Challenge
Courthouse Square, Third & Main;
11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Are you up to a Challenge? Why not leave your car keys at home and “Dump the Pump”!

RTA invites you to participate in our annual “Dump the Pump” Challenge! Area companies compete against each other in a fun contest to raise awareness about how riding public transit can, not only benefit your wallet, but also help the environment.

For RTA’s “Dump the Pump” Challenge, employees who do not regularly ride the bus will log their trips on the bus to work during “Dump the Pump” week from June 15th to June 19th. A minimum of three employees from each company can participate in the challenge. Each one-way ride will be counted as one trip. A round trip from home to work and from work to home will count as two trips. At week’s end, your designated team leader will tally the total trips on a Challenge Results form and bring down to the Dump the Pump Challenge event at Courthouse Square or submit them at

More information on how to enter your company is here.

Juneteenth at WPAFB - 19 June 1100-1700

Juneteenth is the oldest nationally celebrated commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States. Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will commemorate "Juneteenth - A Celebration of Freedom" in conjunction with Black Music Month on Friday, 19 June 2009, Community and Family Center, Bldg 230, Area C. The celebration area will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with events taking place from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. For that day, the Community Center will be transformed into a Cultural Museum featuring African/African-American art/artifacts/literary works. Leadership training will be offered, and other presentations include: Underground Railroad Historical Quilt presentation, Arnold House tours, documentaries, health screenings, and a college fair. Additionally, musical performances and vendors will be situated on the grounds. The event is open to the entire Base community, their families and guests, and retirees. Lunch will be available for purchase. Please contact Kathryn Pullen, 255-1114 or Coni Hookfin, 255-4600 for additional information.

Repost: WSU Cabaret - 3 June 2009 @ 7:30pm

Steve's note: I just learned this event has been rescheduled for 3 June 2009. Sorry about any confusion.

Title: WSU Cabaret
Date: May 06, 20093 June 2009
Time: 7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Location: Apollo Room
Description: The WSU Cabaret - formerly the WSU Charity Drag Show - is entertainment by WSU students for WSU students raising money for the PFLAG scholarship sponsored by Beta/Beta and cosponsored by SG, GAC, RSA, Rainbow Alliance, BSU, PSA and The Astronomy Club. Tickets are 4.00 for PreSale and 7.00 at the door. This fun evening will be from 7:00 pm until 10:00 pm on May 6th3 June 2009. Contact Julie Allen for more information.

RTA Public Hearing 6pm TONIGHT! (and other actions you can take)

PUBLIC HEARINGS

MONDAY, JUNE 1, 10:00 am & 6:00 pm

DAYTON CONVENTION CENTER

RTA's PROPOSED RATE HIKES, ROUTE CHANGES

The proposed changes affect many people. Please share this information and promote participation in the meeting.

Those who cannot attend, but still wish to comment, can submit detailed comments or testimony in writing to the secretary/treasurer of the RTA Board of Trustees at 4 S. Main St., P.O. Box 1301, Dayton, OH 45401-1301, or e-mail info@greaterdaytonrta.org.

[Edit - I was sent this later with more ways to take action TOMORROW:

There is RTA Board of Trustee meeting tomorrow Tuesday June 2, 2009, 3:00PM the third floor at the RTA Hub Downtown. Anyone wishing to speak gets 3 minutes.

]