Woodland Cemetary

Remember, Memorial Day isn't just about grilling.

One place you can go and remember veterans is Woodland Cemetary. They have a surprisingly well-developed website, pointing out all the different aspects of this vast underappreciated Dayton landmark. (For example, the Civil War veterans.)

Take a look at their website and take some time out to visit and remember.

Woodland Cemetary

Blue Sky Project on Facebook

I've mentioned the Blue Sky project here before:

Blue Sky Project invites professional artists from around the world and Dayton-area teens to create new works of contemporary art.

This isn't some pie-in-the-sky dream, either - some of the produced artwork was installed in the Dayton Airport, and even got the notice of (somewhat) local writer and internet celebrity John Scalzi when he passed through recently.

And, like most things these days, you can find them on Facebook as well. Blue Sky Dayton is easily one of the more interesting projects I've seen lately, combining a mix of art, idealism, and practicality as it works with area youth. Check Blue Sky Dayton out on the web, and become a fan of Blue Sky Dayton here.

Blue Sky Project on Facebook

Dayton Heritage Festival - 30 May, FREE

Join us at Carillon Park for Live Music and FREE Admission* Sunday May 30th, starting at 11am.
It’s a Memorial Day weekend to remember with an old-fashioned patriotic celebration! Come early to enjoy the park’s exhibit buildings, special activities, and local artisan booths before grabbing a seat on the Town Greene for special entertainment by some of Dayton’s finest local performers!

You can find more at their website.

[Notes: * $5 parking fee applies.
** No carried-in food and beverages please]

Dayton Heritage Festival - 30 May, FREE

May 25 • Dayton Poetry Slam

May 25 • Dayton Poetry Slam
c{space, 20. N. Jefferson St.; 8 p.m.
The individuals involved with the Dayton Slam strive to provide you with the most entertaining night of poetry possible. To give you -- from the intellectual to 'Joe Sixpack' -- the chance to sit back with friends, enjoy the words and emotions of others, and maybe inspire you to write, get off that chair and drag your hindquarters to the mic! Free admission, but donations are welcome!

May 25 • Dayton Poetry Slam

Free Screening of "The Last Truck: The Closing of a GM Plant" - 22 May

Dayton Metro Library - Main Library, 215 E. Third St.; 2 p.m.

The Dayton Metro Library hosts a free screening of the Academy Award-nominated documentary film The Last Truck: The Closing of a GM Plant in the auditorium of the Main Library. The film documents the final months at the General Motors plant in Moraine which closed on December 23, 2008. Filmmakers Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert will lead a discussion following the screening. No reservations, but seating is limited so early arrival is recommended. Free. 463-2665.

Free Screening of "The Last Truck: The Closing of a GM Plant" - 22 May

All ages show - Sunday, 8pm

Featuring The Story Changes, Nightbeast, and Dirty Socialites. And at the South Park Tavern, so good pizza, too!

All ages show - Sunday, 8pm

See the Dayton Philharmonic for $10 - 26 May

I'm hoping this link works - it's from an e-mail ad campaign. But you know what? Check out jumpstART's facebook page - there's quite a bit more information, deals, and more. For example, I just learned from their FB page that the special exhibit at the Dayton Art Institute is free the third thursday of each month.

Awesome.

Oh, and by the way, I have a nonfiction essay in Mock Turtle's May 2010 issue. It's a local (Dayton, OH) 'zine; you can pick up copies at the Ohio Coffee Company on Jefferson and Ludlow (next to Spaghetti Warehouse) or at the Sideshow at the Armory (in the Oregon District).

See the Dayton Philharmonic for $10 - 26 May

Math Teacher Needed for Upward Bound (paying position)

University of Dayton– Upward Bound Program

Upward Bound Summer Positions:
HS Math Teachers NEEDED!

Who: Individuals who hold at least a Bachelors Degree (previous teaching and licensure strongly preferred)
What: Summer teaching position with the Upward Bound Program (Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry)
When: Monday through Thursday (June 14-July 22, 2010)
Why: Help high school students prepare for college!

(Summer pay rate based on qualifications and experience).

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS!

To Apply: Call 937-229-3580 or Email

Applications accepted until position is filled.

Math Teacher Needed for Upward Bound (paying position)

Looking for Minority/Women owned-businesses

The Dayton Daily News reports that a good-sounding law is causing a bit of a problem:

City officials are looking for more minority and female-owned businesses to award some of the $200 million annually spent on contracted services in hopes of satisfying an ordinance that goes into effect July 1.

The Procurement Enhancement Program revised ordinance was passed by city commissioners in December to award more construction and service contracts to minority-owned and small businesses. But since then, the city has certified roughly 100 minority-owned businesses, City Manager Tim Riordan said Wednesday, May 12.

This would be a great boon to revitalizing self-employed businesspeople, especially among women and minorities in our community. Not only would that allow more people to do what they love, but they'd help revitalize areas of our economy - since relying on other people to generate jobs led to Montgomery County losing so many jobs in the last decade.

So go find out what kinds of jobs they're looking for, and if they sound like something you're skilled in (or interested in, or both), learn how to start your own business (start here, here, or here) and take advantage of this. (I also recommend the book Crush It! for wonderful inspiration and motivation.)

Looking for Minority/Women owned-businesses

A World A'Fair 14-16 May 2010

How could I possibly neglect to mention that A World A'Fair (thank goodness they switched back to that name) is this weekend? If you've never gone, I highly recommend taking time this weekend to do so. It consistently features amazing performances and food from around the world, letting you try and see things that you otherwise would never get a chance to experience.

A full list of entertainment, times, and ticket prices is at their website; a direct link to the (PDF) flyer is here. Pics are from a previous trip (2006) when I remembered the camera. :)

A World A'Fair 14-16 May 2010

United Against Violence

There's a new initiative to end violence in our region. There's a need for it, as the DDN points out:

A survey this year of 700 5th and 6th graders attending public, charter and Catholic schools throughout Montgomery County found 25 percent have carried a weapon such as a gun, knife or club, according to a risk behavior survey to be released Tuesday.
The survey also found that during the past 12 months, 9 percent of those 5th and 6th graders have threatened or injured someone on school property with a weapon such as a gun, knife or club.
The findings are in line with what federal and state surveys have found, said Susan C. Elias, director of development for Samaritan Behavioral Health.

For those who missed it and are about to shake their heads while muttering about public schools: Note that it says throughout Montgomery County and public, charter, and Catholic schools before you get self-congratulatory that you don't send your child to one of "those" schools and it's not "your" problem.

So there's a great big initiative that was unveiled today - 90 groups in all - working together to end violence. Good deal. It's called "United Against Violence", and you can read more about it at the DDN article linked above, and this article here, and their web... oh.

Apparently they don't have a website. At least, not one that Google can find - I just see the news articles I've already linked to (as of 6pm 11 May, the day of the unveiling). I couldn't be at the unveiling... and so the only groups I know that are involved are Samaritan Behavioral Health, the Dayton PD, the Gun Violence Initiative, and Catholic Health Initiatives. That leaves 86 others.

I'm sure that someone at SBH could afford the registration and webhosting fee, right? If not, let me know. I'll work for you as a consultant, okay?

[Edit @ 2300 - In the comments, Joe Gauder pointed out that Samaritan Behavioral Health has a website. Thanks! Unfortunately, my blog post now shows up in Google - but not SBH's sub-site for United Against Violence. So I'm going to link to here several times to help get Google pointed in the right direction. United Against Violence of Greater Dayton has their website here.]

United Against Violence

Downtown Dayton - Present and Future May 11 @ 1730

May 11 • Downtown Dayton - Present and Future
Generation Dayton; The Ohio Coffee Co., 46 W. Fifth St.; 5:30 p.m.

Get plugged in to what's happening in downtown Dayton! Learn about the development of our downtown and its regional impact. Discuss the updated plan for downtown and the role young professionals will have in it with Sandy Gudorf, President of the Downtown Dayton Partnership. Explore ways to be active in Dayton this summer with Five Rivers MetroParks. Learn from site creator Bill Pote about how DaytonMostMetro.com is bringing the region together online. RSVP to LaDonna TODAY by Monday, May 10. Free for GenD members, $25 non-members, $5 students.

Downtown Dayton - Present and Future May 11 @ 1730

FurrySkurry 2010

http://www.humanesocietydayton.org/furryskurry

Oh, hush, you internet peoples. This is one of the top fundraisers for the animals of the Humane Society of Greater Dayton. It is also a great way to spend a day as a family with your pets! Registration for the walk (there's a 1.6 and a 2 mile route) closes at 5pm on Friday, so register quickly!

EVENT INFORMATION: Furry Skurry 2010

WHEN: Saturday, May 8, 2010

WHERE: Miami Valley South Hospital; I-675 and Wilmington Pike

REGISTRATION: 8:30 AM

WALK: 10:00 AM

FurrySkurry 2010

Ohio Festival of the Short Story 7 & 8 May - FREE

Presenting the Ohio Festival of the Short Story!

The Cincinnati Review and the University of Cincinnati’s Department of English and Comparative Literature are proud to host two days of readings, interviews, small-group presentations, and mini-classes—all focused on the short story. Featured writers include Lee K. Abbott, Margaret Luongo, Donald Ray Pollock, and Nancy Zafris. All events are free and open to the public. No registration required.

Event Locations: Main Campus University of Cincinnati—Engineering Research Center and Tangeman University Center

Dates: Friday and Saturday, May 7 and 8, 2010

Times: Friday 7 – 9 pm, Saturday 10 am – 9 pm

Fees/registration: None

For specific event information, please visit http://www.artsci.uc.edu/english/events/OHFestivalofShortStory.aspx

Ohio Festival of the Short Story 7 & 8 May - FREE

Dog Sees God - Theater at Sinclair

Sinclairs' 2010 Theater season wraps up with Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead. It runs this weekend and next, and is only $10 per seat (with one exception mentioned on their webpage). Check it out!

Dog Sees God - Theater at Sinclair

All the news that's... well...

Warning - research-related rant ahead.

Just looking over the DDN's "local news" feed. Let's see...

Layoffs.
Accidents.
Gypsy moth spraying.
Runaway mom (still? C'mon, isn't there a reality show on?)
People walk in the rain for a benefit.
Blacks have to wait longer for organs... but [SARCASM ALERT] of course, it's all their fault because they don't donate enough (maybe because of their faith).

That last bit needs a little explanation (and here's where the researcher in me gets ranty). Like, why does your race matter with organ donation? Sure, you can find studies that suggest that race may have an impact on recipient survival. Here's one, in fact. But there's three important things to note from this article:

1. They're reporting on non-black recipients getting organs from black donors, not the other way around.
2. They mention that it seems to really be Hepatitis C infection, not "race" that made the difference.
3. They also explicitly say that:

"It is important to remember that the statistical difference in this observation is greatly outweighed by the life-giving benefits that recipients get from transplantation."

So you gotta ask - why is there a race disparity in the organ donor waiting list?

Or maybe the reporter didn't actually do their homework. The transplant waiting list at MVH is 45% black... and the population of Dayton proper was 43% black (as of the 2000 census). I guess "Blacks must wait longer to get organ transplants" (along with the message that it's somehow Black people's fault) sounds a little more interesting than "Local hospital's waiting list reflects the demographics of the community immediately around it."

And yes, I'm aware that I'm citing statistics for Dayton proper and not the entire "Greater Dayton Area". But then we'd also have to evaluate how many people from Oakwood, Kettering, Beavercreek and so on travel to Columbus or Cincinnati for transplants as well, or use hospital networks other than MVH. It would be interesting to see what that additional information is like, and see if it reflects the national disparity. But I don't have that information - and apparently, neither did the DDN.

Then again, I'm not a news organization trying to sell newspapers.

All the news that's... well...

We Care Arts Garden Party TODAY 10-2pm

We Care Arts Garden Party TODAY 10-2pm