BG News: City

Campus brief: City prepares for Tractor Pulling Championship

2011-08-02T23:58:04Z

The National Tractor Pulling Championship will run Aug. 19 to 21 at the Wood County Fairgrounds. The 2011 championship will mark the 45th year Bowling Green has hosted the event.
This year's event will kick off with a "fan appreciation night" Aug. 18 at 7 p.m. The concert will feature "Toledo Idol" band winner Haywire, said Michael Ott, president of the National Tractor Pulling Association.
"It's the largest tractor pulling event in the world," Ott said. "It brings in a lot of income and does a lot of good for Bowling Green."
The annual event brings in about 300 competitors every year and about 60,000 fans for the weekend.
Although 2011 marks the 45-year anniversary for the National Tractor Pulling Championship, no special events will be held at the championship to honor the milestone. Ott said they will be "saving everything up" for the championship's 50th anniversary instead.

Citizens enjoy fair festivities

2011-08-02T23:40:54Z

Dawn Anderson, associate professor at Bowling Green State University, lives a mile from the Wood County Fairgrounds.
Each day of the fair, she walks that mile to work with her family on a volunteer committee that handles farm products.
Anderson said she has grown up going to the fair, and she appreciates how elements of it are always the same but new things are offered every year.
"It's a time when we're with our family for an entire week," Anderson said.
She teaches classes such as nutrition and organic chemistry at BGSU. She said that if she taught classes in the second summer session, she'd give her students extra credit for going to the fair.
"It could really help them learn where their food comes from," she said,
Her mother, Ruth Hentges, said that doesn't just mean fruits and vegetables but animals, too. Hentges and her husband Darrel served as grand marshals in the Wood County Youth Parade Tuesday night, one of the many events at the fair.
The Wood County Fair opened to the public Aug. 2 and runs through Aug. 8 after people worked to set up, check-in and judge on Monday.
About 98,000 to 100,000 people attend the fair every year, said Fair Director Cindy Harter.
Every day of the week there are different activities and forms of entertainment, Harter said.
"There's something for everybody here. You might not love everything, but you can always find something you're interested in," she said.
She added that it's entertainment you can enjoy without having to drive far. There are a lot of free things to do and the cost of admission is not high.
She recommends trying the fair's famous "pork-a-lean" sandwich, which she said is a thin sausage sandwich that isn't too spicy. Some of people's favorites are elephant ears and the 4-H milkshakes, but many other fair foods are available.
Harter is one of the 26 board of directors for the Wood County Agricultural Society who lead volunteer committees at the fair.
"There are very few paid staff," she said. "[The volunteers] love what they do."
"It's a very social place to come," she said. "Since we're so agriculturally based, it's nice to be able to share that with the community," she said.
Bowling Green resident Cindy Carroll said she goes to the fair every year. She recommends that students of the University check it out to experience an important part of the city.
"The fair is just as much a part of BG as any other big thing," she said. "It's like going downtown or seeing football games. Plus you're missing out on the food if you don't come."
For a full schedule of events, visit www.sent-trib.com/fair.

Toledo hosts Senior Open

2011-08-02T23:32:20Z

For a golf course rich with history, the Inverness Club and city of Toledo witnessed more history in the making as Olin Browne won his first major championship with the 2011 U.S. Senior Open Sunday.
Browne struggled on the front nine holes of the final round of the tournament with an even par of 71, relying on the strength of the previous rounds to clinch his first wire-to-wire victory over Mark O'Meara.
"I don't think it matters how you win," Browne said. "But it certainly was a lot harder, and I think this will be a confidence boost for me to know that I can hang in there when I don't have my game, and I sure as heck didn't have my game today."
Rich Nachezel, president of Destination Toledo, said nearby cities like Bowling Green would benefit from visitors passing through the city on their way to Toledo because of the number of people traveling through the region.
Cities like Bowling Green benefit from the patronage of local golf enthusiasts in Northwest Ohio who flocked to the 2011 Open in Toledo.
David Marr, analyst for the Golf Channel, detected a great deal of golf enthusiasm from the Northwest Ohio area and noted the passion golfers have to "cram ... into a short season" to deal with the winters.
"This part of the country is a very big supporter of the game, and I think the fact that all that support has to be compressed into a short season, you feel it in a sort of an extra dense kind of a form," Marr said.
Browne's victory concluded the second U.S. Senior Open and ninth major championship for the Inverness Club, which includes the 2003 Senior Open, the 1979 U.S. Open and the 1986 and 1993 PGA Championships.
Judd Silverman, Championship Director and a member of the tournament Board of Advisors, said the course extends invitations to the United States Golf Association for the tournament.
"I think they were eager to come back to Inverness," Silverman said. "After 2003, it made perfect sense to come back again."
Silverman said the tournament is good for the region as well, generating hotel room sales and bringing in 2,200 volunteers from 15 states to help.
Joel Whitmore, president of Northwood Schools Athletic Boosters in Northwood, Ohio, works with supporters at concessions with a certain percentage of profits going toward his organization.
Whitmore complimented the staff and patrons, who were "very tip friendly," and enjoyed interacting with some players that came by for a snack, particularly Fuzzy Zoeller.
Businesses that sponsored the event were able to have their workers watch the tournament inside air-conditioned tents.
Morgan said the tents allow firms to spend time with clients in a more casual setting.
"When you come out here, you don't spend half an hour with [the clients], you spend two or three hours with them," Morgan said.
She said the national prominence of the tournament helped the experience.
"It's a great thing for the area," Morgan said. "We're very fortunate to have this course here and to have the opportunity to bring this kind of event to Northwest Ohio."
Club professional David Graf said that many of the contestants in the tournament competed at the club in the latter championships.
"To have them come back from when they were in their heyday or in their prime was certainly special, and it's great for the fans to connect with," Graf said.
Joey Sindelar, who tied for fourth place with Hale Irwin in this tournament, said he was "a young member of the old guys' tour" at the age of 53.
"There are still guys playing in this event who were legends to me," Sindelar said. "That's part of the huge thrill of it, is ... walking the history of what golf has been the last 30 years, and it's really a lot of fun."
Sindelar and Marr complimented the setup of the course and the surrounding infrastructure with a hotel close to the course and an easy commute.
"From a media perspective, it is unbelievably easy to cover this championship," Marr said. "From a viewer's perspective, you get to come in and you are first row, with Hall of Fame members hitting great shots, making a bunch of birdies, and if you're lucky and close enough to them, they give you a putting tip before they go out and play."
Sindelar said he enjoys playing on courses designed by Donald Ross, including Inverness.
"To me, this is classic, fabulous golf," Sindelar said.

City council approves free speech zones

2011-08-02T23:10:49Z

Freedom of speech now has its own, designated place at future special events in Bowling Green.
On July 18, city council unanimously approved a new ordinance allowing anyone organizing special events in the city to set a specific location for the practice of free-speech. Once the "free-speech zone" is established, anyone wanting to participate in discussion unrelated to the event must do so at the designated area.
"[The ordinance] tries to give organizers the right to define the event," said John Zanfardino, president of city council. "The event holders are then entitled to say which particular act is impeding the event they are trying to set up."
First Ward City Council Member Mark Hollenbaugh said the free-speech ordinance allows all local event holders to obtain a permit and work with the city's Municipal Administrator to decide where the zone will be, as long as it is located within the area of the event.
While the ordinance limits the space of people expressing topics unrelated to the events, no one participating in event-related activities will be affected.
"It doesn't limit people who want to go around, talk and pass out literature pertaining to the event," Hollenbaugh said. "If you want to go to a Christmas parade and dress as an elf and pass out candy, that's fine as long as you're respectful of everyone else."
The creation of the ordinance was in response to last year's Black Swamp Music and Arts Festival, which received controversy when a local religious group came to the event and protested the two anti-discrimination ordinances on the ballot, 7905 and 7906.
"Last year, we had a fringe, radical religious group come to the festival basically going around telling people that God hates gays and that all gay people were going to go to hell," Hollenbaugh said. "It interfered with the ability for the festival to conduct business and it interfered with people trying to enjoy themselves."
Members of city council used those offenses as the basis for the ordinance, saying the solicitation by the group negatively affected the festival, making visitors angry and uncomfortable.
Zanfardino said he knew something had to be done when both event vendors and city residents said they would not return to the next festival because of the problems caused at the last one.
"There was a lot of concern after last year's festival," Zanfardino said. "Some members of council were immediately contacted by the event organizers and some concerned citizens. Two of us, myself included, actually approached the municipal administrator and asked what could be done about this."
City Prosecutor Matt Reger helped write the ordinance and said one of the biggest challenges he faced was to be mindful of the first amendment and to protect everyone's rights from being violated.
"You cannot regulate the speech itself," Reger said. "But if the speech is infringing on someone's ability to enjoy his or herself, then restrictions could be put in place."
Under the new legislation, if someone is asked to move his or her speech to the "free-speech zone" and refuses, the event holder will contact the Municipal Administrator. If there is still no cooperation, city police could be called to make an arrest for "disturbing the peace."
The ordinance officially becomes active Aug. 16, 30 days after it was passed by city council and less than a month away from this year's Black Swamp Festival downtown. The festival takes place Sept. 9, 10 and 11. To Hollenbaugh, it will be the first major test for how effective the new ordinance will be.
"The city's trying to strike a balance between freedom of speech and freedom of assembly," Hollenbaugh said. "As long as you're respectful to the people walking around then there won't be a problem. People have the right to say what they want, but people also have the right not to listen to it."

Blotter for Wednesday July 27, 2011

2011-07-26T22:00:03Z

Fri., July 22
12:50 a.m.
Officers saw a man standing in the street swinging a rope with a ball of fire on the end of it. The man was advised that wasn't the best idea due to the dryness of the ground, and he put out the fire within the 700 block of Elm St.

1:12 a.m.
Kevin A. Bragg, 23, of Bowling Green, was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia within the 200 block of Manville Ave.

2:16 a.m.
Trish M. Mumaw, 22, of Bowling Green, was cited for disorderly conduct/urinating in public within the 100 block of N. Main St.

2:28 a.m.
Justin T. Harnden, 20, of Bowling Green, was cited for criminal mischief near North Enterprise Street and Leroy Avenue.

11:05 a.m.
Robert D. Davidson Jr., 67, of Pemberville, was cited for driving under suspension/noncompliance near South Main Street and Georgia Avenue.

1:26 p.m.
A complainant reported that sometime the night before, between 5 and 7, someone stole four speedometers off his four bikes within the 1000 block of Klotz Road. They were valued at $11.97 each.

10:05 p.m.
Dessislava K. Kirilova, 26, of Bowling Green, was arrested on active warrant from the Bowling Green Police Division within the 1000 block of N. Main St.

10:58 p.m.
An officer reported fresh spray paint on the side of storage sheds owned by Stadium View within the 1700 block of Clough St. The officer reported seeing a man take off running from the area toward El Zarape.

11:32 p.m.
Shannon L. Wells, 34, of Bowling Green, was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia within the 1600 block of E. Wooster St.

11:29 p.m.
Clifford J. Harris, 25, of Toledo, was cited for open container of alcohol within the 200 block of N. Main St.

Santwand D. Cowan, 25, of Toledo, was arrested for open container of alcohol and on active warrant out of the Bowling Green Police Division within the 200 block of N. Main St.

11:52 p.m.
Kurstyn Jean Portala, 18, of Perrysburg, was cited for open container of alcohol and underage under the possession of alcohol on Ridge Street.

Sat., July 23
12:18 a.m.
Billy J. Winfree, 39, of Toledo, and Eric D. Roberson, 30, of Perrysburg, were cited for littering at City Lot 2.

12:35 a.m.
Kelly E. Reming, 23, of Akron, was cited for open container of alcohol within the 200 block of N. Main St.

12:33 a.m.
Edward Z. Hayes, 20, of Bellevue, Ohio, was arrested for disorderly conduct/public urination, underage under the influence of alcohol, obstructing official business and criminal damaging near Clay and North Main streets. He was lodged at the Wood County Justice Center.

1 a.m.
Shawn Michael Hatton, 24, of Bowling Green, was cited for open container of alcohol at City Lot 2.

1:03 a.m.
Dailyn D. Moore, 20, of Sandusky, Ohio, was cited for underage under the influence of alcohol at City Lot 1.

1:30 a.m.
Brandy Lee Pearce, 22, of Bowling Green, was cited for jaywalking within the 100 block of N. Main St.

2:10 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime between 7 p.m. and 1:30 a.m. an unknown person entered the complainant's apartment and took a black lock box with approximately $20 inside. The complainant thought the apartment doors were locked within the 500 block of S. College Drive.

2:55 a.m.
Lance William Young, 21, of Sandusky, Ohio, was cited for disorderly conduct/fighting within the 100 block of N. Prospect St.

2:56 a.m.
Corey M. Roark, 21, of Centerville, Ohio, was cited for disorderly conduct/fighting and criminal mischief within the 200 block of S. College Drive. Roark was standing in the road causing the driver of a vehicle to brake quickly. Roark was struck by the vehicle but was not injured. He began striking the vehicle with his hands and broke off the antenna and engaged in a physical altercation with the driver.

1:17 p.m.
An officer reported that a woman bought one bag of ice but took two from Circle K on East Wooster Street.

Woodland Mall Theater offers matinee prices for frugal patrons

2011-07-26T21:50:12Z

The Woodland Mall might be nicknamed the "Small" but it's movie theater packs a big punch price-wise.
Bowling Green's Cinemark Theater is located at 1234 N. Main Street inside Woodland Mall and offers cheap summer fun for students and residents throughout the city.
The theater has many opportunities for moviegoers to take advantage of such as College ID Night Thursdays, where college students can show their IDs and see movies for $3. The theater also offers a deal on Tuesdays when tickets for movies are matinee priced all day.
"We're a value theater," said Alyssa Lewis, manager of the Woodland Mall Cinema.
Lewis said the Woodland Mall Cinema generally sees a good amount of business in the summer because they are typically showing a number of big movies.
"The only thing that takes me over to the Woodland Mall is the theater," said senior Kendall Johnson.
Johnson said her favorite part about the cinema is how inexpensive it is and how it is very close to home.
Johnson said she typically goes to see movies at the Woodland Mall Cinema about three times a semester.
"I go a few times a semester depending on what movies are showing," said senior Katie McPartlin.
McPartlin said she tries to go to the Woodland Mall Cinema because of the inexpensive prices, especially College ID Night. She believes it is good to have a value theater like the Woodland Mall Cinema in the city.

Underage, under presure, under the influence

2011-07-26T21:35:20Z

Campus Quarters Sports Bar owner Joe Kostelnik hasn't had to worry too much about underage drinking at his bar but that may change this fall.
The bar, which frequently holds a 21 year-and-older policy, will adopt a Sunday-only 18-and-older policy when students come in to watch football games.
While Kostelnik has hosted football Sundays for years, this will be the first time underage patrons can participate.
"We tend to not really have the rowdier crowds that the downtown bars have," Kostelnik said. "We get a lot of grad students, a lot of students that are done going downtown and stuff like that."
Kostelnik said the bar will have to increase its effort to catch underage drinkers, especially those with fake IDs.
"We'll have to staff accordingly," Kostelnik said. "As long as we stay on top of it, I don't foresee any problems. We've always had a good reputation for doing so."
Maintaining a good reputation with the police as well as the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control is important to running a bar in the city, particularly when it comes to underage drinking.
Sanctions are leveled against the bartender who is caught making an illegal sale, but the bar can get in trouble if it develops a history, Kostelnik said.
Lieutenant Tony Hetrick of the Bowling Green Police Division said the sale of alcohol to an underage person is a first degree misdemeanor that can result in a fine (which varies with every case) against the bartender as well as the bar. The bar can also lose its license to sell liquor for serving an underage person.
The fine can reach $500 with a possible 60-day jail sentence, according to the Liquor Control Division's handbook.
"We've had investigations that have resulted in revocations of licenses for several days to two weeks in Bowling Green," Hetrick said.
Eric Pelham, co-owner of City Tap and The Attic, said the larger size of his bar, which also has a daytime restaurant on the same liquor license, adds to the pressure.
"I feel like we have a lot more to lose just based on the capacity of the place," Pelham said. "If we get in trouble by serving underagers at night and we lost our liquor license ... it would cost us more than just our nightclub upstairs, it would cost us our restaurant as well."
Campus Quarters, City Tap and Uptown/Downtown place a high value on the quality of their staff to catch underage drinkers, all of which have 21-and-over establishments with the latter two having 18-and-over upstairs establishments.
Both City Tap and Downtown Sports Bar check IDs at the door, and each of them employ wristbands for 21-year-olds who go upstairs to dance.
"Underagers will get stamped, no wristband, they'll get marks," Pelham said. "Marks that could be washed off their hands, but at the same time, they still don't have that wristband and the bartenders are trained to check for a wristband before they sell alcohol to somebody."
Pelham said that problems sometimes arise with people exchanging wristbands, but the wristbands are meant to last only once before being ripped off the hand.
"You get people trying to tape them back together with gum, tape, something like that," Pelham said. "Bartenders are checking to make sure they don't look suspect."
While reporting underage activity is encouraged (but not required) by the police, Pelham said the bar usually sticks with refusal of service.
"As a business owner, it's not our place to get involved in that," Pelham said. "Once they're here, it's not our job to police if they're already intoxicated."
It is illegal to sell alcohol to an intoxicated person in Ohio, and Pelham said the bar denies sales based on this. He said it is the responsibility of the bar to make sure behavior does not get out of hand. The repercussions of this can be redirected toward the bar even if the offender did not consume any alcohol at the establishment.
However, Pelham said the underage crowd adds to the atmosphere of The Attic and provides business with a cover charge. Pelham enjoys his business in spite of the potential problems that can arise with rowdy drinkers.
"Every person is a different drunk than the person before, you have to be ready for everything," Pelham said. "That's not just underagers, that's everybody with alcohol."

Heat Wave

2011-07-19T23:19:17Z

Today's temperature is the hottest on this date in five years, and Bowling Green is not alone in its misery. The Midwest is facing a heat wave; Illinois and Wisconsin were issued "excessive heat warnings" by the National Weather Service, according to MSNBC.com. With that in mind, The BG News staff has compiled five options to keep cool until Mother Nature calms down.

1. TAKE A DIP
The Student Recreation Center opens its doors for the hottest hours of the day, and people don't need to be motivated to exercise to enjoy its benefits. The two pools allow for people to relax on top of the water as well as swim a few laps and test their prowess on the diving boards. The health benefits from diving into this opportunity outweigh the alternative of staying inside on the couch all day.

2. FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Running through the fountains in front of the Administration Building might not be permitted, but it's another fun way to keep your cool, especially if there isn't enough time between classes to squeeze in a visit to the pool.

3. READ A BOOK
If summer classes are a top priority, Jerome Library offers a respite from the sun in between periods. The seventh floor allows food and drink while students study or simply enjoy the pleasure of reading a good book.

4. DRINK UP
Students can find an array of possibilities for cooling down. The Falcon's Nest Food Court offers Jamba Juice smoothies to delight the sweet tooth as well as appeal to health by offering light smoothies.

5. FEATURE
Students seeking respite from their hot classrooms can find it in an air conditioned movie theater at the Woodland Mall, all while enjoying the latest Hollywood has to offer.

Blotter for Wednesday, July 20, 2011

2011-07-19T23:15:09Z

Fri., July 15
2:40 a.m.
Joshua G. Vanausdale, 34, of Bowling Green, and Jordan J. Vanausdale, 23, of Napoleon, were arrested for assault and aggravated burglary near Elm Street and Scott Hamilton Avenue. They were lodged at the Wood County Justice Center.

6:21 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime between 8 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. an unknown person stole a gas grill from the side of a house within the 200 block of Troup Ave.

8:07 a.m.
A complainant reported graffiti on the electrical box near the Huntington Bank parking lot near Clough and South Main streets.

10:17 a.m.
A complainant reported that damage was done to his vehicle sometime between Tuesday and Friday within the 200 block of E. Napoleon Road. The left fender and trunk were damaged.

1:46 p.m.
A complainant reported his tablet taken from the Waffle House sometime between 1 a.m. and 1 p.m. after he left work because he was sick.

3:06 p.m.
Andrew J. Straley, 24,of Bowling Green, was cited for driving under suspension/drug offense within the 800 block of Third Street.

3:16 p.m.
A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle near South Main and Clough streets and transported to the Wood County Hospital by the Bowling Green Fire Division.

Darin D. Deitrich, 38, of Bloomdale, Ohio, was cited for right of way pedestrian in crosswalk near South Main and Clough streets.

3:39 p.m.
A complainant reported that a bike was stolen from the bike rack outside the Math Building.

4:25 p.m.
A complainant reported that someone knocked her flower pots off her porch and that someone is taking pictures of her residence within the 200 block of Troup Ave.

5:49 p.m.
A complainant reported a vehicle was egged and keyed last night between 9:30 to 10 p.m. within the 500 block of S. Summit St.

Sat., July 16
12:05 a.m.
Stephan A. Vizina, 20, of Sylvania, was cited for possession of drug paraphernalia within the 300 block of E. Merry Ave.

12:23 a.m.
Erin Keaton, of Toledo, was cited for driving while under suspension and one headlight on East Wooster.

12:25 a.m.
Ross Z. O'Brien, 18, of Perrysburg, was cited for underage possession of alcohol within the 200 block of N. Main St.

1:18 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime in the previous hour, while the complainant was away from the residence, unknown subjects knocked over the complainant's basketball hoop within the 300 block of Parkview Dr.

1:26 a.m.
James Richard Bohne, 18, was cited for disorderly conduct/public urination within the 100 block of N. Main St.

2:26 a.m.
David Edward Dietrich, 25, of Toledo, was cited for disorderly conduct/urinating in public in Lot 1.

6:20 a.m.
Twelve mailboxes were reported damaged within the 800 block of Sand Ridge Road.

10:58 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime after 10 p.m. the two rear tires on his truck were damaged within the 1000 block of N. Main St.

1:22 p.m.
A complainant reported that a vehicle was keyed on the passenger side sometime after 6 p.m. within the 100 block of Georgia Ave. Damage is estimated at $500.

3:26 p.m.
A complainant reported that sometime between 11 p.m. and 10:30 a.m. unknown persons entered the complainant's apartment through an unlocked window, damaged the screen and took two laptops, two cameras and an Xbox 360 within the 900 block of Klotz Road.

11:17 p.m.
Ian W. Youmans, 28, of Bowling Green, was cited for disorderly conduct/open burn within the 200 block of Leroy Ave.

11:39 p.m.
Sarah Elizabeth Whitney, 18, of Lambertville, Mich., was cited for littering in public within the 700 block of N. Enterprise St.

11:58 p.m.
William M. Simoncic, 22, of Cleveland, and Matthew L. Rice, 23, of Bowling Green, were cited for open container of alcohol within the 100 block of Troup Ave.

Downtown Farmers' Market offers fresh food to city

2011-07-19T22:43:02Z

The downtown area of the city is home to independently run businesses near the intersection of Wooster and Main streets, and the list gets even bigger every Wednesday.
The growth can be attributed to the Downtown Farmers' Market that is held once a week from 4 to 8 p.m. in the parking lot next to SamB's restaurant. The market has been running since May 18 and will go until Oct. 12, according to the Downtown Bowling Green website.
"The farmers that go there get great exposure to the community that way," said Nick Hennessy, the University sustainability coordinator. "I think it's a win-win, for sure, between the customer and the farmer."
Hennessy shops at the market every week and said that a lot of students and faculty from the University support the market as well.
"[The products] didn't come from very far away, so it was not only fresh and healthy, but it also came from local farmers, which is all of the things you look for in a Farmers' Market."
Since the market is seasonal, the products change as the year progresses.
"I like the heart of the summer," Hennessy said. "That, to me, is usually the time when there is the most stuff there."
City residents enjoy the Farmers' Market. Shirley Cron said that coupons for people over the age of 60 help make shopping more affordable and also finds the market's environment friendly and convenient.
"You can get [the products] in the store, too, but its not the same," Cron said. "This is a Farmers' Market. The farmers bring them in, so you know they're fresh. These are all grown at the people's houses, so it helps them and it helps us too."
Hennessy said that he sees lots of customers talking to the farmers and suppliers about what they grow and what they can expect to see during the next weeks.
"It puts into a community context, which is great," Hennessy said. "It's much more personal."
The support can also extend to the downtown area as well, Hennessy said. He said that downtown businesses can get exposure from customers traveling to the market. Local businesses such as Qdoba give out samples at the market.
Willy's Salsa Inc., is a locally based company at the market. Dennis Dickey, president of Willy's Salsa, considers the market "his time off" from work.
"I have fun, I like all the people, everybody's really nice, you get to know the customers," Dickey said.
While Dickey has been making the salsa personally for almost 40 years, he decided to start selling it to grocery stores four years ago.
His confidence in the product increased when he won a number of salsa-tasting competitions, including the People's Choice first place award at two Toledo Farmers Markets.
"This particular market right here, they really care about it," he said. "It's not a real big market, but it's a good market, and the people that run it, Penny [Parker] and Barbara [Ruland], really want us to succeed and have done a nice job."
Dickey said the markets have been useful for helping not only his business to become a medium-sized regional company, but also the business of the 400 grocery stores that he sells his salsa to by encouraging people to continue buying the product.
"That's what I like about Bowling Green," Dickey said. "It seems like everybody in Bowling Green supports our company ... most people have heard of us, and the ones that do support us."

Kiss at Cla-Zel

2011-07-19T22:35:03Z

Junior Christine Szymanowski said she has spent almost every Friday night this summer at Cla-Zel with 92.5 KISS FM DJs, Cla-Zel's welcoming staff and a group of her friends.
"I've never had so much fun at a club before," she said. "I can go there sober and have just as much fun."
Cla-Zel is large enough to give people the choice to be on the dance floor, at the bar, or just socialize at a table or couches, she said.
The owner of Cla-Zel, Ammar Mufleh, would be happy to hear Szymanowski's praise as he said he has tried to incorporate the importance of community and an atmosphere for entertainment into Cla-Zel.
Mufleh said Cla-Zel offers an entertainment experience with its phenomenal sound system, light show, live DJs and top-notch service Thursday through Saturday nights. This gave 92.5 KISS FM the incentive to DJ there every Friday night and broadcast it live on their radio station from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., he said.
Cla-Zel was made into a multi-entertainment venue when Mufleh bought it in 2008. After renovating it for six months, Cla-Zel opened that November.
"We want to bring in top artists for the younger demographic," he said. "We've done the research and there is a lack of unique, fresh entertainment for the millennia generation, people 18 to early 30s."
Mufleh approached Clear Channel Communications, KISS FM's parent company, in 2010 about starting Club Kiss at Cla-Zel.
The Toledo-based station has been involved with Cla-Zel since November, said Dave Mazur, one of the DJs with KISS FM who is commonly referred to as "Boomer."
"The club is a lot like the radio station, we're targeting the same type of audience," Boomer said.
Since Clear Channel and Cla-Zel began working together, Mufleh said they have gone beyond Club Kiss and are working to create more entertainment for the region, including bringing in more top 40 pop concerts, which they've previously done with performers like Wiz Khalifa and Drake. He said they hope to have one to two big concerts a semester.
Mufleh and Clear Channel are also working as talent buyers for the Stroh Center, Mufleh said.
"With the new Stroh Center, with the help of KISS FM, we want to capture the vibe of great, hot artists and bring that into BG and northwest Ohio," he said.
One of Mufleh's goals is to create an overall positive impact on the city and nearby areas, he said. Cla-Zel frequently works with people in the community and students at the University by hosting a range of events and entertainment from fundraisers to music festivals by student organizations such as LGBT to non-profit organizations, including the Red Cross with topics like women's health. It is also a popular night club that provides eclectic music aimed at entertaining, Mufleh said.
Boomer said Cla-Zel draws people from all over northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan as well as the University campus.
"It's definitely one of the area's top premiere night clubs," he said. "Being in BG attracts the student body of BGSU to play and party with us."
Cla-Zel gets busiest from 11:30 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., Boomer said.
"Generally I'll stay later because I'm having a good time," he said.
Boomer said he helps with the music that Manny Marcelo, commonly known as DJ Manny, selects and mixes to create a party atmosphere.
Szymanowski said that if you get to Cla-Zel past 12:30 a.m. on a Friday, the line is almost to the stop light at Wooster Street. You'll be waiting in line 15 to 20 minutes, she said.
Szymanowski started going to Cla-Zel after a close friend took her there and introduced her to the regular crowd of people and friendly staff there, she said.
"No matter what we're doing we always end up at Cla-Zel," she said. "All of our friends end up going there. You always see someone you know, always."

Blotter for Wednesday June 13, 2011

2011-07-13T01:42:57Z

Fri., July 8
12:38 a.m.
Lonnie James Carrier, 21, of Bradner, Ohio, was cited for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia within the 200 block of N. Main St.

1:58 a.m.
Mitchell S. Perez, 23, of Weston, Ohio, was cited for disorderly conduct/urinating in public within the 300 block of N. Main St.

3:03 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime between 8 p.m. and 3 a.m. unknown person(s) put a dent in the hood and broke the windshield of a vehicle within the 700 block of E. Napoleon Road. Damage is estimated at $1,000.

4:08 a.m.
An officer reported that a concrete block was thrown through the front door at the AT&T store within the 1000 block of N. Main St.

3:14 a.m.
Freddie C. Simmons IV, 21, of Bowling Green, was arrested within the 900 block of Klotz Road for tampering with records, falsification, carrying a concealed weapon, driving under suspended license, marked lanes violation and failure to yield right of way from a private drive. He was transported to the Wood County Justice Center.

6:05 p.m.
A complainant reported that her locked apartment had been entered while she was out that day. Some papers were out of place, nothing else was bothered and there were no signs of forced entry. Nothing appeared to be taken. Neighbors did not see any abnormal activity in the area within the 400 block of S. Grove Court.

Sat., July 9
1:14 a.m.
Matthew V. Morrison, 20, of Perrysburg, was arrested for underage under the influence of alcohol and falsification within the 100 block of N. Prospect St.

Alen Lamar Smith Jr., 18, of Detroit, was cited for falsification and underage under the influence of alcohol within the 100 block of N. Prospect St.
Alan Mykel Greason, 20, of Detroit, was cited for falsification, underage under the influence of alcohol and expired operator's license within the 100 block of N. Prospect St.

2:34 a.m.
Ricardo, Cardenas Jr., 24, of Bowling Green, was cited for disorderly conduct/fighting within the 100 block of N. Prospect St.

2:41 a.m.
Amber D. Eisen, 20, of Lewisburg, Ohio, was arrested within the 300 block of E. Wooster St. for assault and underage under the influence of alcohol. She was taken to the Wood County Justice Center.

2:54 a.m.
Ricardo Cardenas Jr., 24, of Walbridge, Ohio, was arrested for disorderly conduct with persistence, criminal trespass and menacing within the 300 block of E. Wooster St. He was transported to the Wood County Justice Center.

A complainant reported that he was exiting Sky Bar when he was struck by an unknown person described as a black man wearing a white shirt, jeans and a blue hat. The complainant sustained an injury to his mouth.

3:09 a.m.
A complainant reported that unknown subject(s) entered an unlocked door within the 500 block of S. College Drive between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. and took a Raymond Weil watch valued at $1,600 and three wall posters valued at $10 each.

9:45 a.m.
A complainant reported that sometime after 3 a.m. a PlayStation 3 came up missing within the 200 block of E. Wooster St.

2:19 p.m.
James T. Miller, 27, of Toledo, was arrested for theft within the 300 block of Colony Lane. He was transported to the Wood County Justice Center after it was reported that he knowingly took the victim's 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix valued at $3,000 without the victim's permission.

4:03 p.m.
A complainant reported that sometime after July 3, unknown persons broke the front window valued at $50 at his residence within the 300 block of E. Reed Ave.

5:38 p.m.
A complainant reported that sometime overnight her spare tire on the back of her black Jeep Wrangler was slashed within the 700 block of E. Napoleon Road.

8:19 p.m.
A complainant reported that subjects were harassing customers after the subjects came into Hunan Buffet, ate dinner, went outside the doors and were telling other people not to go inside and eat.

8:37 p.m.
James T. Miller, 27, of Toledo, was arrested and transported to the Wood County Justice Center for driving under suspension/noncompliance and possession of marijuana within the 300 block of N. Prospect St. No bond was given as he had been arrested earlier that day for felony theft.

Wheat field catches fire in Plain Township

2011-07-13T01:40:52Z

A fire burned its way through roughly five acres of a wheat stubble field after a piece of hot farm machinery driving over the field sparked the blaze July 6.
Kramer Road in Plain Township was blocked during the firefighting process, said Central Joint Fire District Lt. Sue Gavron.
The Wood County Sheriff's department was notified at 7:54 p.m., and the CJFD responded. It is a volunteer department covering Liberty, Portage and part of Plain townships along with the village of Portage.
The CJFD used a dozen personnel, three vehicles and 2500 gallons of water to contain the field fire in the span of an hour.
The fire started in the middle of the field and because the farmer had taken the first cut of wheat off of the field, the property did not lose "thousands and thousands of dollars," Gavron said.
Gavron said it was important to stop the fire before it spread to a nearby cornfield where crops were still growing and said that winds could have caused the fire to spread to telephone poles and a bean field as well.
The combination of the hot vehicle and dry conditions of the field are fairly common causes of field fires, Gavron said.
"It was not set, it was not intentional, it's just one of the hazards of the wheat harvest," Gavron said. "This is probably not going to be the last one that we have of these."

Verizon Wireless ends unlimited data plans

2011-07-13T01:39:13Z

Any student looking to take advantage of Verizon's unlimited data plans may need to find a time machine.
As of July 7, Verizon Wireless cut all unlimited data packages for its smartphones due to large amounts of data usage. Students must now choose one of four new pricing plans instead of paying one flat rate of $30 a month for the unlimited package.
Customers can now choose between the current pricing plans of: $30 a month for two gigs, $50 a month for five gigs and $80 a month for 10 gigs, according to the Verizon Wireless website. For those using less than the two gigs, there is also a $10 a month plan for 75 megabytes of space.
"What we're seeing is about 95 percent of our customers don't even come close to using two gigabytes a month," said Laura Merritt, public relations manager for Verizon Wireless.
As a result, this new plan was created to let the customers pay only for what they will use and nothing more.
"What we did was streamline our data plans to provide usage-based options," Merritt said. "Basically, what it means to the average customer is not a significant difference on their bill.
"We don't want our customers to go over on their plans," Merritt said. "That makes for unhappy people and we want our customers to be happy. So our text alert program gives customers plenty of warning."
Along with the text alerts, customers can also utilize other data tracking features from their My Verizon account on the Verizon Wireless website.
If customers decide to either add more space or drop down to a lower plan, there is no financial penalty, Merritt said.
While this may not seem like much of a difference to Merritt, she began seeing current Verizon customers voicing concern about the change on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter; but she said there is no need to worry.
"I began seeing a lot of concern on social media," Merritt said. "I saw a lot of tweets from people concerned about whether or not this will affect them. And, I do have to say, current customers did not lose the unlimited smartphone plans. They will still have them even if they upgrade to a different smartphone in the future."
However, that is not putting everyone at ease.
University student Reece Potter said he has had problems with Verizon since switching from AT&T and this latest change just adds to his frustration.
"I had a Blackberry through AT&T and I loved it," Potter said. "But Verizon just keeps making my experience with them worse and worse."
Potter, who had Verizon for a little over two years, said he originally had a contract with AT&T but switched when his father discovered Verizon was cheaper. Now that his family's plan is changing and their bill is increasing, he said it is becoming a decision both he and the rest of his family are beginning to regret.
"It doesn't make sense," Potter said. "Why would you take your biggest selling point and screw it up? Verizon is now more expensive than AT&T, the company we switched from in the first place."
While Verizon is the latest carrier to join AT&T in eliminating unlimited data from the pricing lineup, Sprint and T-Mobile continue to offer the service to all customers with eligible smart phones, according to their websites.

Classic Cruisers

2011-07-13T01:37:50Z

The sound of music spanning five decades filled the 90 degree air, and citizens filled Main Street to travel through time at Saturday's 10th annual Classics on Main Car Show.
An estimated 3,000 guests flocked to Main Street to view the 306 registered cars for the largest judged car show in Northwest Ohio, said Barbara Ruland, executive director of the Downtown Bowling Green Organization.
While 306 is not the largest number of cars ever registered for the show, Ruland said registration consistently stays around that number as the owners annually compete for 54 trophies, 11 of which are people's choice awards. The best of show award went to a 1955 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, Ruland said.
"People look forward to it and the whole community pulls together to put it on," Ruland said. "It brings people to the downtown, so they get to see what the downtown has to offer. It sort of puts Bowling Green on people's radar who might not otherwise know about our town."
The event draws people from the Northwest Ohio region, and head judge Jeff Snook said people come from many places, including Michigan, to show off their cars.
"They get to see Bowling Green and see what a nice little downtown we have, which is still pretty vibrant compared to a lot of small towns," Snook said.
Brandon Bower, a student at the University, said there was 50 years worth of cars in the show. He came to view his father's own entry in the show.
"It's like a good piece of America," Bower said. "[It's] a good place to socialize and meet other people [and] brings a lot of car advocates together."
One of the car aficionados, Louie Wueller from Toledo, has been competing in car shows for 21 years. The Classics on Main show was his sixth show of the year and the first time he competed in this show, which he found to be "nice" and "very organized."
Wueller's entry was a 1930 Model A Ford Town Sedan with a 40 horse power engine. It took him 15 years of off and on work to restore it to its current condition.
"This car is 100 percent original," Wueller said. "If somebody takes care of this car, it will be here for another 100 years."
Wueller's hobby of car collecting began around 1950, but his collection did not begin in earnest until 1978 when his children were out of college. He emphasized his love for the pre-World War II models of Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, and how the process of restoring his cars, which are 95 percent finished when he buys them, needs to fueled by a love of the cars.
"You get peace of mind, you have a hobby ... you just make the most of it, you hope for the best and the best comes to you," Wueller said.
While Wueller's car did not win any awards on Saturday (he was registered in the 1930s car category), he said that he still had a good day.
"Just to get up and go at my age, it's wonderful ... it just makes me feel younger," Wueller said. "I just enjoy it, it's my life. I just enjoy these cars."
Ruland said she admires the care people put into restoring the cars, and said the downtown's historic design "fits hand in glove" with the cars.
"The styling is so evocative of the era they're from," Ruland said. "Car design is just another reflection of where we are as a society."