A dear friend and colleague of mine asked me that question yesterday —- where is Dayton’s best takeout? I didn’t identify any of the chains —- you know how I feel about them. But there are a number of excellent places that have terrific takeout, and you can eat in at many of them, too.

Hook’s barbecue on N. Gettysburg has outstanding cheese steaks, polish sausages and rib sandwiches.

Anything at La Pergola on E. Dorothy Lane in Kettering is terrific.

DiSalvo’s deli in Kettering has great sandwiches, as does Charlies Imports in Old North Dayton and the Little Store in Vandalia. I still salivate over the burgers at Voltzy’s in Moraine.

When you think of take out you often think Chinese, and Chop Suey Carry Out on East Dorothy Lane is pretty darn good.

But those are just my choices. What are yours? My friend wants to know.

And …. thank you Sister Susan and Brother Big T. for your recipes. They’re not in a black hole. I’m running Susan’s on Wednesday and Big T’s next week … just in time for Turkey Day.

Peace all.

In a response to Issue 4 failing, State Rep. Kevin DeWine will lead an effort to come up with proposals to improve Ohio’s system of drawing state legislative and U.S. House districts. Read the article for more information.

Is redistricting an issue you care about? If you don’t, why?

Let’s talk about this year’s vote. What result pleased you the most? What disappointed you? What would you like to see on next year’s ballot?

Next year is a big year in statewide elections. They may be more interesting than they have been in a long time, given the problems Gov. Bob Taft has faced this year. Who would you like to see elected governor in 2006?

How could our election process be improved?

Submit your comments below.

By an unofficial vote of 63 percent to 37 percent, voters Tuesday overturned Troy City Council’s approval of Minesinger’s Summerfield development.

Voters in 2003 rejected a rezoning of the same land 68 percent to 32 percent.

In a rematch of perhaps the closest contest in the history of the Troy City Council, Republican Jarrod Harrah unseated the council’s lone Democrat, Frank Hutchinson, 55 percent to 45 percent.

Voters also narrowly rejected the extension of terms from two years to four years for Troy council members (51 percent to 49 percent) and the council president (52 percent to 48 percent).

Troy school district voters also chose to renew a five-year, 0.65-mill levy supporting the Hayner Cultural Center by a 68 percent to 32 percent margin.

Vickie Blakey, who has served as mayor and council president during her first four-year term, received the most votes of the six candidates, according to the Miami County Board of Elections. Also elected were fellow council member Bill Beagle, who was appointed to council in 2003 when Carol McKeever resigned. New to the council will be Tim Evans and Patrick Hale.

Two current council members, Keith Kingrey and Adam Blake, chose not to seek re-election.

Voters twice this year defeated the proposed three-year levy needed to pay for the operations of the district’s five buildings and two new elementary schools. If the levy is defeated, the new schools will remain closed indefinitely, until a property tax is passed, and kindergarten busing will be significantly scaled back. The district this fall cut high school busing as a result of the two previous defeats.

“I just praise the Lord that we live in a country that you can vote,” she said. “I will be a positive ambassador and champion for our hometown.”

The 70-year-old retired accountant, who has served four years on council, will succeed Mayor John Saraga. Xenia’s mayor of eight years, did not seek re-election.

Pennewitt was followed by Bill Miller with 27 percent of the vote. Lee G. Esprit Jr. had 24 percent, and Lawrence W. Gordon, whose seat on the city council will expire at year’s end, received 13 percent.