Beggars Night In Trotwood Saturday

 

This beautiful life size pirate ship display on South Broadway is one of many signs Halloween is near in Trotwood. The official beggars night this year is on Halloween October 31st from 6-8pm.

Children are encouraged to wear something reflective and drivers are asked to be extra careful during those hours.

Trotwood Council Meeting Cancelled Nov 2

Due to lack of agenda items the regularly scheduled Trotwood City Council meeting is cancelled for Monday November 2, 2009. For more information contact clerk of council Lois Singleton at 854-7212.

H1N1 Vaccines At Hara October 29 3-7pm

H1N1 nasal spray and injectable vaccines will be administered Thursday Oct 29 to pregnant women and children 6 months through 4 years of age at Hara Arena, 1001 Shiloh Springs Rd., Trotwood,from 3-7 pm, or until the vaccine is gone

The Montgomery County Health District is providing the H1N1 clinic to help vaccinate the groups identified to be most at risk. For additional information about Public Health H1N1 clinics, check phdmc.org or call the flu information line at 224-8796.

Greyhound Opening Anticlimactic

By Bruce Kettelle
About a dozen passengers with baggage were lined up inside the Trotwood GDRTA Northwest Hub Tuesday morning. They were not waiting for an RTA bus. These were some of the first to catch a Greyhound bus from Trotwood, specifically the southbound bus leaving at 9am.

Dayton resident Sirgeo Thompson a local photographer is headed for Atlanta. “I’m doing a shoot there for Boss Magazine,” said Thompson.

Behind him is an elderly Old Order German Baptist in a wide brimmed hat. After overhearing the conversation with the photographer he pulled out a 2005 issue of National Geographic Magazine. “That’s me and my wife,” he said pointing to a picture in the magazine.

He was on his way home to Jackson Mississippi. He didn’t know about the Greyhound terminal moving to Trotwood until he arrived at the former location in downtown Dayton earlier this morning. “We hurried up out here real quick.”

A college student on his way to Cincinnati joined in to look at some of the pictures being passed around. Anything to help pass the time while waiting for the bus.

As the bus pulled out Frank Ecklar, Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority director of planning said, “that’s number three, only 14 more to go today.” Ecklar was on hand to monitor the first day of operations at the relocated Greyhound terminal co-located in the existing RTA facility.

“Speedway is going to make a mint from this,” said Ecklar referring to a fairly steady stream of passengers stocking up on travel goodies at the convenience store next door.

Ecklar was taking notes on how the passengers, cars, and busses interacted to develop a list of improvements needed for the site. Already in place is a new ticket window inside, a dedicated Greyhound lane in front of the building and some new signage.

One of the things at the top of his list is installing a pay phone as three riders had already asked where to find the phone.

Typically there will be 17 Greyhound busses a day in addition to the nearly 300 RTA busses already using the hub. Ecklar said the frequency is close to hourly. During holidays residents may see a few more since Greyhound sends two busses (as needed) on some routes.

The first day of service in Trotwood almost seemed anticlimactic. Fears raised by citizens of homeless people and criminals frequenting the Greyhound station were unsubstantiated. From all appearances the location will be a positive impact for the community.

With the exception of one bus that had to use the Lowes parking lot to turn around after heading the wrong way on Route 49 it was a very smooth opening for RTA and Greyhound.

The Greyhound terminal and Northwest RTA hub serving Dayton and Trotwood is located at 2075 Shiloh Springs Rd.

The posted Greyhound schedule in the Dayton/Trotwood terminal.

Halloween Family Fun Walk Tonight

The Halloween Family Fun Walk is 4-6pm tonight at Madison Park in Trotwood (next to Madison Park Elementary School.) Dress up your kids and bring them out for over twenty trick or treat stations around the walking trail. Don't miss the Trunk n' Treat in the parking lot. And of course there are free hayrides with Farmer Bruce, Kenny, Phillip and Michelle. This is a rain or shine event, showers should end by start time and temps will be in low 50's.Read More

Greyhound Moves To Trotwood October 27

By Bruce Kettelle

Greyhound busses will begin running in Trotwood on Tuesday October 27th. Today's announcement is the culmination of a lengthy process to find a replacement terminal for their downtown Dayton location.

Beginning Tuesday all arriving and departing Dayton passengers will load at the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority’s Northwest Hub at 2075 Shiloh Springs Rd in Trotwood. Greyhound officials said there are 15 busses serving their Dayton terminal each day. “This new location provides a wonderful opportunity to better serve the residents of the greater Dayton area,” said Eric Melton, district manager, Greyhound Lines, Inc.

Some Greyhound passengers are expected to take advantage of the GDRTA system to get to and from their final destination.

Earlier this year some Trotwood residents objected to the move. Concerns about crime and the additional traffic included several public protests. Assurances from the Trotwood police department and the GDRTA calmed most of that opposition.

The facility is open from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and provides Greyhound PackageXpress (GPX) shipping. For Greyhound ticket information in Trotwood, call 937-224-1608.

Editorial - Ohio Issue 1, Ohio Issue 2, Ohio Issue 3 Vote No Not Yes

By Bruce Kettelle

Vote no, do not vote yes. That statement may sound confusing and a little redundant but it is a lot more clear than the explanations flowing around about this year’s ballot issues in Ohio.

Ohio voters have been barraged with statewide initiatives from special interest groups in recent years. Some want to adopt specific lending or budget plans. Others look to make sweeping changes to the Ohio constitution that usually benefit or limit a narrow interest group. 2009 is no exception.

Why we allow these special interest things to come to the ballot makes no sense to me. Essentially these are last-ditch efforts to pass new rules that were not adopted by the state legislature. Don’t you think there could be a good reason the state legislature chose not to enact these rules?

Issue 1 sounds like a great way to finance a $1,000 bonus for Ohio war veterans. So why didn’t the legislature act? Probably because the proponents did not come up with an adequate way to pay the money back out of the dwindling state budget. For the same reason we should also vote no.

Issue 2 was placed on the ballot by the legislature at the urging of the Farm Bureau and other agricultural interests. Why didn’t they just enact it themselves? Probably because it creates a very narrowly appointed animal rights board primarily controlled by big agriculture companies and groups. This appointed board will create all future animal treatment rules with no input from the legislature. How can that be good? We should vote no.

Issue 3 for gambling gets an F even with a close inspection. Written by the same company that will get to build the only casinos in Ohio without having to compete for that opportunity. They even got to write their own taxation rates that will make Ohio’s one of the lowest casino taxes in the country. The legislature needs to draft sensible casino legislation that creates competitive bidding for operators and sets taxation and oversight guidelines before one of these idiotic industry written issues accidentally passes. Vote no on gambling this time too.

Actually I have not met a statewide constitutional ballot issue in Ohio that I have really liked. Each one seems to suit a too narrow definition. Constitutional amendments should be broad stroke issues that serve the citizens by defining generally what is allowed or not. The specific rules should come after much research from well informed legislators.

Maybe it is time to vote yes to limit the types of ballot initiatives permitted in Ohio. But who will pay to collect the needed signatures?

Election day is November 3rd.

PD Wins $25K For Auto Crash Prevention

By Bruce Kettelle

A $25,819 grant will pay for overtime traffic enforcement at key areas around Trotwood in a statewide effort to reduce traffic accidents. The Ohio Traffic Safety Office is allocating the funds from a federal program.

The City of Trotwood Police Department has investigated 1,213 crashes in the three years 2006-2008 with 516 injuries and 10 fatalities. The new funds will add over 500 hours of high visibility enforcement in high accident zones of the city.

“The main intersections along Salem Avenue were determined to have a high rate of accidents, “ said Captain John Porter. The worst rate occurs at Turner Road with 11 accidents last year.

Porter hopes the effort will reduce crashes, injuries and insurance claims. “One long term goal is to help reduce the cost of auto insurance.”

He said they will also focus on days that have the highest frequency of crashes. “Our highest accident rates are on Thursday and Friday.”

Besides the Salem Avenue area the next worst intersection is still at Free Pike and Route 49 despite the traffic cameras installed there several years ago. “The traffic cams have reduced the accidents there but we need to do better,” said Porter. He hopes the additional police visibility will raise drivers’ awareness of the dangers there as well.

Iams Pioneer Harvest Fest Saturday Oct 10

The 11th Annual Iams Pioneer Harvest Fest on October 10th is an antique farm equipment exhibition fun for families and all ages. In our cornfield out back you will see live demonstrations of actual corn harvesting with vintage equipment including a one-row corn picker and corn binder. The hours are 10-5 and admission is free.

Over 30 antique tractors are on display or in use as the corn is brought in to the belt driven ‘Corn Husker Shredder’. This year’s feature tractor is a 1919 Rock Island Heider tractor model 9-16D beautifully restored by the Flora Family.

Hayrides, and open fire cooked chili will keep you warm. The Iams Homestead Museum is full of local and regional exhibits where you can discover some great memories of the past.

New this year is a little live bluegrass music in the afternoon with western Ohio’s own Rock Island Plow Co. Band. They will start after the 2pm corn shelling contest.

Children always enjoy the hand cranked corn shellers and scavenger hunts. The nature trail behind the barns include an up close visit to the oldest Bur-Oak tree in Montgomery County estimated at over 500 years old.

In the barn are displays of tobacco drying, old equipment, and tools. Plan to spend at least a few hours at the Iams Pioneer Harvest Fest and you will find yourself stepping back in time. Our country store will be open with unique one-of-a-kind items and our delicious homemade pies.

Hot dogs, chili and drinks are available for a small donation. The Trotwood-Madison Historical Society is easy to find just a few blocks south of Trotwood’s historic Olde Town at 349 S Broadway. The hours are 10-5pm and admission is free.

Blugrass Band Added To Trotwood's Harvest Fest Saturday

By Bruce Kettelle

The Rock Island Plow Co, a bluegrass group from western Ohio, will bring it on this Saturday afternoon in Trotwood during the 11th Annual Iams Homestead Harvest Fest. The group strives to revitalize listeners to those songs which may have been forgotten since the early days of bluegrass and make them favorites once again. And the setting will be perfect amid the antique tractor displays and demonstrations depicting an early 1900’s corn harvest at the festival.

The festival hours are 10-5 Saturday October 10th at 249 South Broadway in Trotwood. To celebrate the band’s performance the Trotwood Madison Historical Society has arranged for the first time display of several Rock Island tractors. The group will perform after 2pm.

Admission is free and food is available. Come early for a hayride. For additional information contact Claude Keeling at 837-5387.

No Leaf Pick Up In Trotwood

By Bruce Kettelle

For the first time in nearly 30 years there will not be a city leaf pick up program in Trotwood this fall. Residents accustomed to raking their leaves into piles by the curb will have to bag their leaves for pickup with the trash.

The public works department was forced to make some cuts this year after the failure of a road levy last November. Public Works director Thomas Odenigbo said reductions included street maintenance, snow removal, and the leaf pick up program.

Rumpke, the city’s trash hauler, has agreed to pick up the bags of leaves on the regular trash collection days in the city. Odenigbo is also encouraging residents to consider composting their own leaves. There are several methods of composting including commercially available compost barrels available at home improvement centers.

Odenigbo wants residents to know that unbagged leaves at the curb will not be picked up. Leaves left by the street will create problems with storm water runoff including clogging local storm drains.

Trotwood city council would like to see the leaf pick up program reinstated. That will happen if the new public works levies on this November’s ballot succeed.