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September 2009
Pretzels and waffles and memories of mom
Every year for the past 30 years it has been my pleasure to be on hand to help kick off the opening of the Germantown Pretzel Festival.
It is a tradition unmatched in the Miami Valley. No other festival has had the same person on hand to help open the festivities each consecutive year for the entire duration of the event.
The festival, which celebrates the pretzel, will be held this weekend at Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Germantown.
Come join us for the opening ceremony scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, at 10 a.m. at the gazebo in the park. As part of the opening ceremony the super Valley View High School Big Blue Band will perform.
The festival lasts through Sunday, and features handcrafts, rides for kids, games, and a number of musical performers including “The Greasers” a favorite band returning by popular demand.
There are many food booths including the EMS and fire department’s waffle stand. My mother used to attend the opening with me for many years before her death, and each year she always wanted a waffle.
So it is a tradition that each year I stop by the waffle place before leaving and take a waffle or two with me when I visit my mom’s grave site at nearby Ellerton, Ohio, near Ohio Route 4 and Union Road.
I sit down on the ground by her grave and enjoy waffles and memories of mom. How sweet it is.
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TweetYummy news for chocolate lovers
Here comes the 7th annual Dayton chocolate festival.
Dayton radio personalities Bill Nance and Melody Morris of WFCJ-FM (93.7) are hosting the chocolate festival on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on S. Main Street in Dayton.
“We will present chocolate in every form you know,” Nance said. “Both vendors and local non-profit organizations will sell their chocolates.”
He said more than 50 booths will feature fudge, brownies, candy, cake and even more creative things “like chocolate covered Jalapeno peppers and chocolate covered crickets.”
Bill and Melody will broadcast a live program on WFCJ at noon Saturday and will tape some pieces to be shared at other times on the radio.
WFCJ radio show host Robin Walton will be on the air live during afternoon hours.
The event usually draw about 5,000 to 7,000 people. Admission and parking are free.
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TweetI almost killed a deer
It was sudden and quite frightening.
I was driving along Ohio Route 25 which connects West Carrolton and Miamisburg. The Great Miami River is on the west side of the roadway and a wooded area on the east side.
I guess I was going about 50 miles per hour, within the speed limit, when out of the woods and right in my path a deer, followed by a baby deer, ran across the highway in front of my car.
It happened too quickly for me to even have time to brake. I missed hitting the second deer, the little one, by mere inches.
It happened Wednesday afternoon and was a very close call. When I reached a service station area I pulled over to get my nerves settled down before continuing on my way.
I can understand how folks will instinctively swerve to miss hitting an animal that runs in front of them.
I have heard of deer going through windshields and causing terrible accidents. I have heard of people losing their lives or causing a mishap by swerving to miss an animal.
I am just thankful I didn’t hit the animals in this case. It sure shakes you up.
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TweetThe “Guiding Light” is going out after 72 years.
The CBS soap opera known as Guiding Light, the longest running daytime drama on TV, and seen on WHIO-TV, Channel 7 in Dayton at 3 p.m. daily is near the end.
There should be some dramatic times on the soap during these final days as many former cast members are being brought back to help end the series.
The cast signs off on Friday, Sept. 18.
The drama began on the radio in 1937 and moved to television in 1952. It switched to one-hour TV episodes in 1977. The story takes place in a fictional town called Springfield.
As many loyal soap fans mourn the loss of Guiding Light CBS has announced that “Let’s Make a Deal”, an old game show is being brought back for that time slot and will be hosted by Wayne Brady beginning Oct. 5. Repeats of “The Price is Right” will air in the interim.
For some in the Dayton area, watching the Guiding Light has become a regular daily experience. They know all about the outrageous heroine Reva Shayne, played by actress Kim Zimmer, and the other actors.
“I just cannot believe that they are taking my soap off,” said Beatrice Law of North Dayton. ,”I heard the ratings were not doing well, but I really like the stories and the actors and I feel that something will be missing in daytime TV when Reva and Josh are gone.”
Some folks who work during the day record some of the soaps and watch them in the evening or when they find time. Perhaps you are one.
Did you watch Guiding Light and will you miss it? Do you prefer a soap opera over a game show?
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TweetDo you remember the Dayton Marcos?
This is for baseball fans and history buffs.
Do you remember, or do you have any information about, a baseball team in Dayton in the 1920s that was known as the Dayton Marcos?
Do you know why the team was named the Dayton Marcos?
Michael “Mike” A. Kreutzer of Dayton was in touch and asked for help in answering those questions.
Mike knows this much: In 1920 the Negro National League was formed. It consisted of eight ball clubs, including the Marcos.
“The Marcos had a large fan following and played games before as many as 11,000 fans at local venues such as Westwood Field, Burkham Park, Ducks Field and Association Park,” Mike said.
Mike said he did research at the public library, at Dayton History, and was in touch with Margaret Peters, a local historian.
“So far I am unable to find out why the team was named the Marcos,” he said. “Everyone is very kind and has tried, but so far no one has been able to help me.
“So now I turn to your readers, who have used their collective memories to answer similar queries in the past. How did Dayton’s first professional baseball team get its name?”
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TweetJim Bucher hits the half century mark
Jim Bucher, the quirky feature reporter who works the morning shift at WDTN-TV, Channel 2 observed his 50th birthday Wednesday by eating lemon pie.
Bucher joined me and Debbie Lieberman, a Montgomery County commissioner in judging the pie-baking contest at the 156th Montgomery County Fair on opening day Wednesday, Sept. 2.
The fair, at 1043 S. Main St. in Dayton will continue through Sept. 9.
Fair Board President Don Michael hosted the annual pie-baking contest which had 12 entries this year.
The blue ribbon and first place lemon pie was baked by Heather Hawvermale of Germantown.
In addition to pie, Bucher had two birthday cakes, one baked for him by Channel 2 reporters, and a second cake sent over from the staff at the Dayton Convention and Visitor’s bureau.
Bucher was my neighbor in Dayton View for a number of years and I am pleased to be the godfather of his daughters Chloe, 13, and Sophie, 8.
He started at Channel 2 as a photographer in 1984 but quickly became an on-air personality. He has a zany personality, but also has a serious side and has helped raise thousands of dollars for a scholarship fund in honor of murder victim Wahid Abdullah.
Wishing JB the best as he embarks on his second half century.
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TweetAn angel on earth named Pam
Enid Wray of Englewood wants the world to know that she believes in angels and that she and her husband had a visit from an angel named Pam.
“On Tuesday Aug. 25 my husband was driving us home and he hit something in the road, along Route 4,” Enid said.
There was a lot of noise as the tire went flat, and the Wrays pulled into the front lot of a vacant building that used to be a filling station.
“My husband is 83 and it would be quite a chore for us to change the tire,” she said. “We just kind of stood near the car a few minutes, waiting and wondering.”
Then a car pulled in behind them.
“A young woman, oh maybe in her 20’s, stopped and parked right behind our car,” Enid said. “She said her name was Pam, and when she realized we needed help, she went to work.”
Enid said Pam pulled the spare out of the trunk of the car, changed the tire, put the damaged tire “which was very heavy” in the trunk.
Enid added, “On top of everything else, this young lady gave us a bottle of water.”
She said, “My husband tried to pay her, but she refused to take anything. She had a little girl in the car with her, and after her good deed she wished us well, and got in her car and drove off.
“We are both convinced that Pam was our angel. We thank her from the bottom of our hearts.”
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