Halloween '08

Happy Halloween to all you ghosts and goblins out there. The ville's trick or treating was last night. It was scheduled for the day before in case the WHS football team got into the play offs.

There were lots of 'em walking around and I even noticed a few out of town guests. One couple told me they had prepared for 600 treats and ran out way before it was over. Here are some pictures of the trickers and the treaters I caught around town last night.

ole nib

Drill Team

Pictured here is the newest addition to the floodwall murals. It's the renown Drill Team from the ville's American Legion Post 70. Back in the days following the Viet Nam conflict Post 70 had an award winning drill team that competed nationally. They were sharp as a whistle and their precision was impeccable. Those guys were good and put the ville on the map at those far away national conventions. They could make music with the taps on their combat boots. I always envied their discipline while they performed their routines when I saw them march in parades.

Once again Gina has done a tremendous job. If you ever saw that team perform you can just imagine the times you saw them in real life. I can still here those boots clicking and hear the slap of the rifles that sounded out.

ole nib

Looking Back

Has anyone been flamingo'd? WHS Ebony & Ivory group is suppose to be conducting a fund raiser with plastic pink flamingos being placed in people's yards around the village. You can make a donation to insure you won't be subject to the gaudy plastic birds. You can pay to have them removed if your yard has been hit and you can pay to have someone targeted. It was suppose to start two days ago and Friday is the last day for the event. I haven't noticed any in my neighborhood but tomorrow I going to go around to see if I can find any.

The Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council filed an appeal last month with the state's Environmental Review Appeals Commission for the OEPA permit issued to Baard for the waste water discharge permit. According to the article in the MJ the appeal will not hold up the planned process and may take years for a decision from the independent commission. We're still waiting for a final decision on the air emissions permit. That one is the final permit pending before construction can begin.

Tomorrow is the ville's Trick or Treat night from 5:30 - 7 P.M. If you are passing out treats you're suppose to turn on your porch lights. Trick or Treaters are suppose to pass up houses with no lights on. Trick or Treating is an old custom that I'm thinking is beyond its time. It's expensive to participate and there are far too many horror stories associated anymore with the event. If I had youngsters I'm not sure I would want to take chances with them going to strangers houses in unfamiliar neighborhoods. You just never know anymore. Probably the best way to continue the tradition is for the different school organizations and clubs to hold organized events for the little goblins. That way the treaters are someone you know and can trust.

Speaking of that WPD is suppose to be treated with two new cruisers for Halloween. Have they got here yet?

Eric Dillard's trial has been pushed back to January 6. The county prosecutors asked for the delay after being overwhelmed with the list of defense witnesses. J.C. Amato remains in the county jail with no changes made in his bail requirement after a recent status hearing. His trial is scheduled for February.

Now here is something I would have loved to have witnessed. I was told I would be invited when a date was determined by the NASA folks. I was available when it occurred. The event that I'm talking about is the arrival of rocket parts from Cleveland being shipped to Cape Kennedy at the Port Authority's facilities downtown. It was history in the making for the ville and I think that transaction is the start of big things to come. I was excited I was going to get the opportunity to see that. Even the ship that carried to parts, the Delta Mariner, would have been something to see. From the pictures in the papers it's a ship the likes of which we have never seen plying the waters of the Ohio around here. It was very disappointing to miss. A quick and simple phone call could have easily determined if I was back from our trip south. Sadly I had to find out about it in the newspapers. Thanks Joe.

We got two new businesses in town. There's Floors By George up on Wells Avenue and Astra Minerals in the Port Authority's river terminal. Astra took over the space formerly occupied by Barrett Minerals. They will be transferring material shipped in on the river to other parts of the country. Floors By George can handle all your flooring needs. The two places are another step in bringing a few jobs to the ville. Welcome both.

The Farm Bureau along with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation has upped the ante for rewards in the suspected arson fires. Between the two an additional $3,500 has been added to the the five grand offered by the Blue Ribbon Arson association. Hopefully something will soon break in this case. $8,500 is a lot of incentive for someone to come forward in these hard economic times especially since they can remain anonymous. Any tip might just be the one that leads to this being solved. Even if it seems ridiculous it could easily be something for the investigator to go on. Even though it has been quiet lately I'm sure our area farmers are still very much on edge. They shouldn't have to live like that.

Even though the "barrel beggars" are a pain for a lot of you some do do some good. Take for instance the ville's Knights of Columbus. Every year, rain or shine, they devote time to raise money for their Measure Up campaign. They then donate what ever was raised to MRDD. In my opinion that is a worthwhile cause.

Speaking of the K of Cs congratulations to Jack DiDonator for being chosen for the highly regard Columbianism Award. Jack is the Grand Knight of the local chapter. Also congratulations should go out to John Yanni for being selected to the ELHS Athletic Hall of Fame. John is now a Florida resident but prior to that he was a long time Wellsville resident. Both of these gentlemen are good guys.

The WHS Alumni All Star Lip Sync Group are currently in rehearsal for a performance scheduled for November 22 at the high school. This is a benefit performance for the Paul Sirianni family. Paul was a member of that group and he was extremely entertaining. Even with all his health problems he always gave what he could. He always could make me laugh and enjoy his great sense of humor. Sadly Paul succumbed to his long time battle with the effects of diabetes on October 17. Our condolences to the Sirianni family. Paul will be greatly missed. Even though he is gone if you knew Paul you would know that he would want the show to go on. Mark it on your calendar and help celebrate his life at the next show in November. Paul was a good guy too.

ole nib

One Step Forward - Two Steps Back

Lets get back to things concerning the ville. We're just about caught up on the newspapers.



Here's an item that got me out of my writing fugue since coming back to the cold temperatures and snow. In this morning's papers were stories about an alleged non-existent Italian American War Veterans Post 25, aka "Liquor Dick's", up in East End. According to that organization's National Commander the charter for Post 25 was rescinded about 10 years ago for lack of membership. There is no Post 25 and has not been one since then. The liquor license for that bar is in the name of Post 25 and the paper work for the license names Jim Saracco as president for Post 25. Saracco told the MJ reporter that he quit a "long time ago" but it makes one wonder. Saracco is our Village Administrator. The National Commander wants them to shut the doors and said he will pursue the matter until that business disassociates themselves as being part of that veteran's organization. According to both newspaper stories it ain't exactly legal to have a liquor license for something that doesn't exist. Liquor Dick's is getting a nuisance bar reputation up there. With past incidents the death knell has already started ringing for them with the city. This may be the final blow, especially if the state gets involved.

I have many questions about this but the only one I'll ask for now is: where was the now defunct Post 25 located?

It just makes you go hmmmm...

ole nib

Afternoon on the Ohio

Florida has a lot of beautiful scenes to take pictures of but it can't compare to scenes like this. I was driving around last Thursday afternoon looking for some scenes of fall colors. It was a cloudless bright sunshiny day. Didn't find anything that really grabbed me in that line but did catch this view coming down Koontz Avenue with the afternoon sun reflecting off the part of the river that runs past the ville. You really can't see it but the ville would be on the right.

Ain't it purdy?

ole nib

Clearwater Beach

Here's a couple of pictures of the beach I was talking about.

ole nib

We're Back

We're back in God's country. Got home a week ago and between going to work & trying to catch up we haven't done much else.

Florida was nice but the best part of the trip was visiting with family and catching up with the different folks. The missus & I wanted to lay back, walk on the beach and chill out by the pool. Seems like we did a lot of running and we were plain tuckered by the time we got home. In the four days we were there we only got one walk on the beach and was only able to catch one sunset. I'm a sunset viewer enthusiast. We stayed in a place right across the street from the beach. The beach is still one of the nicest beaches in the country in my opinion. It is well maintained by the city. Except for one rainy afternoon the weather was exceptional - moderate temperatures, no humidity and lots of bright sunshine. Generally the humidity is non-existent in the months of March & October down there with the temperatures just right to play in the water. Next trip down there I'm going to be like those pelicans pictured above - just sit around watching the world go by.

It was a nice trip but it always seems nicer to get home afterwards to sleep in your own bed. There's no place like home and there's no place we'd rather be than right here in the ville. Just wish the family wasn't scattered across the country in far away places.

Pictured above is a sunrise we caught on that one walk on the beach. The last picture is the sunset taken from the balcony of our motel on the evening of that rainy afternoon I mentioned. Got the pelican picture on the same morning. You can click on the pictures to enlarge.

ole nib