Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City

by Greg Enslen

Big Robot To Close at End of Summer  - The rumors you’ve heard around town are unfortunately true – I’ll be closing the Big Robot Game Café at the end of the summer.  It’s been a great run and I’ve been happy to provide a place for Tipp City’s youth to video game, play cards and socialize, but sadly my business has just been too slow to stay afloat.  My summer business is great, but the rest of the year has always been a struggle, so I’m making the difficult decision to close the store affective August 31st.

We will be selling off all of our games, computers, video game consoles, furniture, decorations and fixtures over the next two months, but we are still gaming and playing cards and booking parties right and left, so if you want to take the opportunity to have your next party at the coolest place in town, get in here before we close!  Business owners, I have lots of merchandising equipment, candy racks, magazine racks and several other items, including a full-size front counter.  Drop by soon and check them out before it’s all gone!

People who know the situation have asked me if this is a good thing for me or not – personally, I’m happy to not be “donating” 40 hours a week to this enterprise without taking a paycheck.  I do feel very bad for the youth of Tipp City – I consistently get customers as young as 9 or 10 telling me there is nothing to do in Tipp City except for my store.  Sorry, guys – we kept it going for 2 1/2 years, but I guess Tipp just isn’t big enough to support a full-time internet and gaming café.  But we’re not closed yet – get in here and play before all the games and equipment are gone!

Dayton Air Show Coming Soon – The Dayton Air Show  is happening in a couple of weeks, and we’re lucky to be near one of America’s premier air shows. Held every July at the Dayton International Airport, the show features world-class entertainment, and this year it’s the United States Navy Blue. This year’s show will be held on July 17 and 18, 2010 and will feature an amazing lineup of performers and displays. Tickets are on sale now.

Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market  Going Strong – Last week was Week Three for the Market, and it looked like everyone had a great time!  As in years past, the Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market will be located on Third Street between Main and Dow Streets, closing down the road and filling it with vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers and other homemade or locally-made products.  The Market takes place each Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 and features ample parking.  For more information, visit the website at tippecanoefarmersmarket.com. See you next week at the Market!

Tidbits:

• The Antiques and Artisans Show was this past weekend and it was crazy!  Hope you got a chance to drop by the jam-packed downtown Historical district to pick up some great deals and shop some of the unique vendors.  I love the A and A Show – thanks to Terri Bessler at Midwest Memories for pulling this off.  And thanks to Ruth Safreed for starting it all!
• In July, the Tipp Historical Society will hold a paranormal presentation for any of those folks who want to learn a little more about some of our Tipp City haunts.
• I heard a rumor that the Town and Country Market building sold!  Actually, I heard that it’s in the negotiation phase, but it would be great to get that space back open again for retail or whatever is going in there.  I’ve got my fingers crossed that it’s a Trader Joes, but that’s just me.  They have great wine!
• My kids are enrolled in the excellent Tipp-Monroe Community Services Summer Camp again this year and they’re loving it.  If you haven’t signed your kids up yet for this great program, which runs from 9am to noon Mondays through Thursdays over the next six weeks, make sure to call 667-8631 and get your kids signed up – summer will be over before you know it!  And also check out their TGIF events, which take place on Fridays .  Both programs are a great way to get your kids out of the house this summer!
• My friend Mike McDermott let me know that the Tippecanoe High School Football Coaches are providing a Football Mini-Camp for potential 7th-8th-9th grade Football Players at the High School practice facility. The camp is July 19-20-21 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The cost of the camp is $30 and a registration form can be accessed through the Athletic Department websites of the Middle School or the High School.  Thanks, Mike!

Remember, TELL FOLKS you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette “Tipp Talk” column – I love getting feedback.  Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

TIPP TALK
Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City
by Greg Enslen

Week One of the Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market - The Market’s fourth year kicked off with their Opening Day on Saturday, June 12 and it looked like everyone had a great time! They had 12 vendors and LOTS of customers despite the downpours. The team of volunteers was excited to kick off a new season of the Market. As in years past, the Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market will be located on Third Street between Main and Dow Streets, closing down the road and filling it with vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers and other homemade or locally-made products. The Market will take place each Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 and features ample parking. For more information or to sign up to be a vendor or volunteer, visit the website at tippecanoefarmersmarket.com. See you next week at the Market!

The Canal Music Fest - Hope everyone had a chance to make it out to the first Canal Music Fest. Organized and sponsored by the Tipp City Arts Council, this music festival ran from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Canal Lock Park in Tipp. Two Cincinnati bands played and folks enjoyed food and refreshments provided by Tipp City’s own award-winning Hickory River Barbecue.

Canal Jumpers Update – Have you been out to see a Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers game yet this season? This vintage baseball team plays other local teams using 1860′s-era rules and costumes. It’s a blast! For more information (including the 2010 Match Schedule and pictures from previous matches) or if you are interested in joining the team, please visit www.tippecanoecanaljumpers.com. Here’s an update on their last three games:

• Match 2, Won 6 to 2 – The Home Opener was held at the Willowtree Inn in front of a great hometown crowd on May 16. Mayor Dee Gillis and President Abraham Lincoln made remarks and threw out the first pitches.
• Match 3, Lost 17 to 0 – It was a blowout June 9th against the Kettering Clodbusters in this game played on their home turf at Carillon Park. Ouch!
• Match 4, Lost 3 to 1. Played at the Johnston Farms Historical Area in Piqua on Saturday, June 12, the Canal Jumpers lost this close match to the Ohio Muffins, visiting from Columbus.
• NEXT MATCHES: June 19 at Fairborn Heritage Days in a rematch with the Kettering Clodbusters. Also, drop by the Willowtree Inn for their next home match on June 20th vs. the North Baltimore Cyclones.

Big Robot Expands Hours – We’ve added Mondays and Tuesdays at my store, the Big Robot, and adjusted our hours earlier for summer. We’ll be open 1pm – 7pm Mondays through Thursdays, 1-midnight Fridays, 11-midnight Saturdays and 11-5 Sundays. See you there!

Tidbits:

• Looking for something to do on Saturday the 19th? Check out “Skate for Hope,” a figure skating and ice show to benefit clinical breast cancer research. Held at Nationwide Arena, the show will feature performances by current National Champion and Olympic figure skaters. Tickets are only $15 and every ticket sold provides funding for cancer research. For more information, see their website at www.skateforhope.org.

• Don’t forget to catch “It’s A Guy Thing”, the current art exhibit showing at the Studio 14 Art Gallery. It runs until July 25th. Studio 14, at the Benkin Gallery of Fine Art, is located at 14 East Main St. Tipp City, Oh, 45371.

Remember, TELL FOLKS you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette “Tipp Talk” column – I love getting feedback. Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

TIPP TALK
Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City

by Greg Enslen

Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers Travel to Carillon Park for Next Game – The Canal Jumpers will be playing a week-day match next week, June 9th at 7 P.M. against the Kettering Clodbusters.  There will be no charge for this evening match,  to be held at Carillon Park, and there will be ample free parking near the game location.  Come on out and watch a great game!   In their last game, the Canal Jumpers bested the Norwood Highlanders Base Ball Club with 6 aces (aka runs) to 3, marking their first win of the 2010 season.  Well-played, Gentlemen of Tippecanoe!  Go out and visit them or catch a home game at the Willowtree Inn to see their authentic circa 1860 uniforms and to experience the national past-time from a bygone era, before they had steroids and player’s strikes.  For more information, including the 2010 Match Schedule and pictures from previous matches, please visit their website at www.tippecanoecanaljumpers.com.

Inaugural Canal Music Fest to be Held June 12 – A new tradition is coming to Tipp City!  Organized and sponsored by the Tipp City Arts Council, this music festival will run on June 12th from 4 to 8 P.M. Tipp City will be welcoming two Cincinnati bands to town to perform at Canal Lock Park, east of downtown Tipp City’s historic district. Along with great live music, the Arts Council plans to have food and refreshments provided by the 2008 Blue Ribbon State Champions in B-B-Q, Tipp City’s own Hickory River. Promoters for the event stated that the party will go on rain or shine that evening.

Figure Drawing Class at Studio 14 – The great folks over at Studio 14, Tipp City’s very own art gallery, will be offering a six-week session on Figure Drawing to be taught by Sandi Sharp.  The session will run June 5th to July 17th (with no class on July 3rd and 1 makeup class available). The flyer I saw said “Learn to draw the figure with realism and expression with instructor Sandi Sharp. Students will develop strong foundational skills and explore how to convey personal expression in drawing the figure. A clothed model will hold long poses, allowing time to complete each drawing from start to finish. All levels of experience are encouraged to attend.”  Cost for the six-week session is $120. Studio 14, at the Benkin Gallery of Fine Art, is located at 14 East Main St. Tipp City ,Oh, 45371.

Tidbits:

• The Burwell Building is officially for sale! The historic building, listed at $299,000 with Amlin Advantage, was built in 1880 by John Burwell and, according to the Amlin listing, offers “over 7,000 sq. ft. with 2 retail shops and an over 3,500 sq ft loft upstairs. The loft is historically renovated and offers 3-4 bedrooms, study, and a beautiful kitchen. There is an interior light shaft that has 23 windows and 23 frosted panes. Quite unique. Living room and dining room windows overlook Main Street. Elevator and entrance system to loft.”  For more information, see www.amlinadvantage.com.  I’m hoping someone with a interest in and respect for historical buildings ends up purchasing this gem in downtown Tipp City.
• The Tipp City Catalog Outlet Center, formerly known as the Spring Hill Garden Center, offers a wide selection of top-quality perennials, fruits, vegetables, trees, shrubs and roses and is liquidating $2,000,000 in inventory. They also feature products from many of their different catalogs:  Breck’s Bulbs, Gurney’s Seed and Nursery, Henry Field’s Seed and Nursery, Michigan Bulb, Garden’s Alive, and Thompson & Morgan, along with other catalogs such as Touchstone, The Paragon, and Room Service Home.
• It looks like the U.S. Bank, located at 935 West Main Street, got a large new flag – kudos, guys!  It looks great!

Remember, TELL FOLKS you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette “Tipp Talk” column – I love getting feedback.  Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

TIPP TALK
Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City

by Greg Enslen

Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market – The Market’s fourth year kicks off with our Opening Day on Saturday, June 12th and, as in years past, the Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market will be located on Third Street between Main and Dow Streets, closing down the road and filling it with vendors selling fresh fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers and other homemade or locally-made products.  The Market will take place each Saturday morning from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 and feature ample parking.  We still have room for two or three more vendors and are looking for a few more non-profit groups to take advantage of our “Hip in Tipp” booth, a free space set aside each week to promote local non-profits.  If you’re interested in becoming a vendor or helping out with the Market, or if your non-profit group would like to be added to the “Hip in Tipp” booth list, please contact the Market Staff at info@tippecanoefarmersmarket.com.  For more information, visit the website at tippecanoefarmersmarket.com – and see you at the Market!

What is STEAM? I don’t know how much folks know about S.T.E.A.M., but the STEAM Boosters and STEAM program promote interest in the academic areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics to Tipp City School District students by enhancing their learning experience through programs and the acquisition of equipment and learning materials.  They also provide mentors and obtain funds from grants and donations. Recently, the Tipp Board of Education, the school administration and the STEAM Boosters cooperated to offer Tipp students an exciting new approach: on May 5th, the school board funded a new coaching position – not for athletics, but for parents to support their children to develop STEAM skills in a fun environment.  On May 20th at 6:45 p.m. at LT Ball Middle School, a program will be presented to introduce this new parent-centered approach.  For more information or to find out ways to support this great program, which includes the Lego League and Destination Imagination teams, please see their website at www.tippecanoesteamboosters.com.

Tidbits:

• Congratulations to Mike and Ginny!  Here’s a shout-out to my friends Virginia and Mike McDermott, who just welcomed into the world their new son, Kieran William Hollis McDermott.  Baby Kieran was born to his proud parents of Tipp City at 8:09AM on Friday, May 14th, 2010. Kieran weighed in at 9lbs and 3oz with a respectable length of 23-1/4 inches, and Kieran will return home on Monday with his older brothers Mikey and Connor McDermott.  Mike and I co-host the Get Social Show on KIT-TV Channel 5 on Wednesdays, and I was happy to hear the birth of Kieran went well and there were no complications.  Great job, Ginny!  Put your feet up and take some time off — you deserve it!
• Bill Beagle wins GOP nomination for State Senate Seat – okay, I’m going to be completely objective here, so don’t look for my political opinion.  I just wanted to mention that I think it’s cool that someone from my Fantasy Football league is running for State Senate.  Kinda makes me feel important!
• Anyone else watching “LOST“?  Someone in Tipp City needs to have a party for the “Lost” series finale and invite everyone over – it would be a lot more fun to watch the finale with a group of rabid fans.  Just don’t serve any boar meat!  I read about one rabid fan who rented out an entire restaurant in Kentucky and he’s got 75 or a 100 of his friends and family coming in to watch the final episode of this mind-bending, time twisting tale.  I just hope the series ending is better than Quantum Leap’s final episode – I’m still mad about that one!  So Dr. Sam Beckett is leaping around in time, fixing everyone else’s problems, and at the end, he — gets lost in time, forever?  The good guy loses?  That’s a head-scratcher in a BAD way.

Remember, TELL FOLKS you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette Tipp Talk column – I love hearing from merchants and getting feedback.  Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

Events, activities and other hometown items going on in and around Tipp City

by Greg Enslen

Troy Pool Pass Policy – Last week I mentioned the story I had read in the Troy paper about  read about the Troy Aquatic Park and their standing policy about only selling family passes to typical families – the applying family has to be a typical “family,” with a married couple living in one household.  In the article, a woman reported that she had tried to purchase a family membership for the Troy Pool for herself, her partner (a woman) and her two children, and they were turned down because she and her partner were not legally married.

I asked for feedback and got a couple of interesting responses.  One person said that she was a member of a “modern American family” where there were several people living in the same household but they had different last names and wondered if she would have to prove they were married to buy a pass.  She liked my “one household” qualifying for a family pass suggestion, but I wonder if that would be difficult rule to uphold – how do you prove someone lives in your home with you?  For this reader a family “is a unit of people who support each other through the bumps and turns of life,” and I couldn’t agree more. What do you think?  Shoot me your emails and I’ll hold a very informal poll.

You watching the Get Social! TV and Radio Show? Mike McDermott and I broadcast live on KIT-TV Channel 5 on Wednesdays at 1pm, and then the show is repeated throughout the week – last week we had a Ohio tea party person on, and we’re working on getting more great guests:  we’ve got some great ones coming up, including Sgt. Mauro to discuss crime and punishment in Tipp City, along with the folks from the Midnight Shadows Paranormal Society, representatives of the upcoming Tippecanoe Farmers’ Market and returning guest Laura Demetrician.  Check out and episode or two.  It won’t be boring – I promise!  To suggest a guest, sign up to become a guest on the show, or for more information, see us at www.getsocialradio.com.

Disaster Preparedness in Tipp City – I heard that Tipp Monroe Community Services is setting up a Volunteer Reception Center, so that In the unlikely event of an emergency / disaster they can coordinate volunteers.  What a great idea!  Right now they have over 30 volunteers to help out at the Volunteer Reception Center (VRC), but they are in need of 10-20 more people to get set up properly and, at this point, they just need names and contact information…there is nothing that the group is actively supporting right now.  Can you help out?  If so, please get in touch with Kathy Taylor at  667-8631  or via email at ktaylor@tmcomservices.org.  And tell them you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette Tipp Talk column!

Tidbits:

• Sounds like the Fashion Show for a Cure and the Harrison’s Derby Party went well – if you attended, drop me an email and let me know how it went and who you saw (or were seen with!)
• I’ve been in a sad funk all week because “LOST” is coming to an end – only three episodes to go after this week and they’re starting to kill off major characters.  It’s always said, even on a time-bending, alternate reality show like “LOST” to see major characters that we’ve followed from five season ago getting killed off in service to the story – of course it makes sense, but it’s still sad.  If you’ve missed out, drop back in for the finale – it’s sure to be a doozy.  Oh, and the Fox show “24″ is also ending its eight-year run in a couple of weeks, so tune back in for one more dose of Jack Bauer before he chases those terrorists off for good.
• The Dayton Business Journal highlighted local restaurant Hickory River Grill in their recent issue, reminding us that the restaurant “has already garnered awards for its barbecue” and “the meats are done well and the prices are affordable,” adding that “Hickory River does Texas barbecue proud.”  I was in there Friday night with my kids and the joint was hopping – even with their ample seating, every table and booth was taken.  And thanks to the waitress for arranging seconds on the Macaroni and Cheese – my kids can’t get enough of that stuff!

Remember, TELL FOLKS you read about it in the Tippecanoe Gazette Tipp Talk column – I love hearing from merchants and businesses and getting feedback.  Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com or drop by gregenslen.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

by Greg Enslen

Welcome! Hey everyone – welcome to the Tippecanoe Gazette!  In case you haven’t been reading me, this column is about things going on in and around Tipp City, Ohio.  I will be appearing weekly, trying to keep folks up to date on events, activities and other hometown items.

Fire! – Weather permitting, the City of Tipp City will be doing a scheduled prairie burn sometime between now and the end of April at the Lost Creek Prairie Preserve, which is located east of the Miami River, off Tipp-Elizabeth Road.  The burn will happen sometime between 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM and will last only one day. During the burn, Tipp-Elizabeth Road will be closed from the bridge to St. Rt. 202, so watch for signs!

Library Happenings – We’ve got a great library here in town, and they’re always having interesting events and activities.  Coming up on March 30^th they have author Meaghan Fisher visiting with copies of her new children’s book, Lars the Monkey Flies a WACO Airplane. She’ll be bringing copies of her book for purchase and signing. Mrs. Fisher is also a published poet. She and her husband live in Troy with their two dogs.  Also, the library will be having a April Fool’s Day Program on Wednesday, March 31 for fourth and fifth graders, and students in grades four and up are invited to Yoga basics at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 03!  Thanks to Library Director Mark Mahbeletini for making all these great things happen!

Warrior Racing Mural – recently, the City lost their appeal against the mural on the side of the Warrior Racing building.  A three-judge panel found that the painting on our building was not a sign but a mural.   I’m not going to get into the middle of this, but I am curious – how many people out there feel like the mural is art and how many feel it is an advertisement?  Write me at genslen@yahoo.com and I’ll do an informal tally of the votes.  Warrior Racing is an auto, truck and motorcycle performance shop, specializing in turbo, suspension and custom wheels.

Town and Country Market – Bill from Town and Country Market has been hard at work on his parking lot, which he recently roped off from all traffic with yellow tape and soda machines.  Could it mean he’s preparing to reopen?  If you’re like me, you miss having a grocery store in the downtown.  A few months ago I had heard that the city was going to forgive his past utility bills in exchange for making the lot Public Parking but nothing’s happened on this.  Anyone hear anything? Let me know!

Harrison’s & Urban Ava’s Fashion Show for a Cure. Hopefully by now EVERYONE in town knows about this amazing event, but in case you haven’t heard about it, it’s a fundraiser, fashion show, and party held at Harrison’s to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research.  This year, with the help of other groups and sponsors, chairperson Kelly Andary is expanding the event to include the Third Annual “What a Girl Wants” Fashion Show for a Cure and other events.

iTunes Challenges After Getting My iPhone – A little off topic, but almost all of my music is copied to my computer’s hard drive and accessed through Windows Media Player, but ever since I’ve gotten my iPhone I’ve been also converting music over to the iTunes/Apple format.  I’ve run into a couple of problems and found solutions – let me know if these help you!  First my songs download in the iTunes store default .m4a file type, but I need to convert them to mp3 for use in my Media Player.  For this I found a great program called “M4a to Mp3 Converter” – just Google it.  It works great.  Also my soundtracks imported into iTunes strangely – although all the album titles are the same, iTunes still separates them all out by artist, even under “Album” view.  The solution?  Go to “Albums” view, click and hold SHIFT to select all the songs from the same album, then right click, select “Get Info,” and under Advanced, check “Part of a Compilation.” Now iTunes will group them all together correctly.

Tidbits:

• The new location for the 2^nd Street Gallery is sporting a great sign out front – actually, it’s the same sign from before but it had previously been attached to the wall at their old location.  Why does having the sign sticking out make it appear twice as large?
• Another reminder that memberships are now on sale for the 2010 season at the Tippecanoe Family Aquatic Center (and I just read that Huber Heights closed down one of their pools)…
• and TIPP PRIDE DAY is coming up Saturday, April 17^th.  See you out there!

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Have a Tidbit for printing? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

March 14
by Greg Enslen

Spring Forward – I know it’s hard to believe, but spring is here and it’s time for daylight savings time. I’m a fan of extra daytime – who doesn’t like more time to get errands done before the sun sets. First tried during World War 1 to save gasoline, this system of changing the clocks was so unpopular that it was immediately repealed, only to be brought back again during World War 2. In 1966, the U.S. Government passed the Uniform Time Act, which allows the individual states the option of practicing daylight saving.

And did you know that the “spring forward, fall back” dates have been changing though the years? In 2005, Congress moved the start date up three weeks and moved the end date back one week, adding an entire month to expand the day light savings period and to encourage further energy savings. So leave those lights off and get outside!

Snow Days – Good or Bad? Last week I wrote about snow days over the last few weeks and how they were seemingly unpredictable and, in some cases, just ridiculous. Truth be told I was expecting an onslaught of email on both sides of the argument, but I’ve heard from ZERO readers, so I’ll be happy that no one disagreed with me. Sweet!

I still haven’t heard back on a good reason for the concept of the two-hour delay. If it’s too dangerous for kids to come to school, how does a two-hour delay help? Someone needs to drop me a note and let me know how this helps.

Harrison’s & Urban Ava’s Fashion Show for a Cure. Hopefully by now EVERYONE in town knows about this amazing event, but in case you haven’t heard about it, it is a fundraiser, fashion show, and party held at Harrison’s to raise awareness and funding for breast cancer research. This year, with the help of other groups and sponsors, chairperson Kelly Andary is expanding the event to include the Third Annual “What a Girl Wants” Fashion Show for a Cure and other events.
New this year is a “Derby Party” in the evening, which will include first-class hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, a large movie screen to watch the Derby, and a dance floor with DJ. All of this inside a heated tent, so don’t worry at all about bad weather – just come out and enjoy the fun!

Also new this year – Facebook! Go to Facebook and search for “Fashion Show for a Cure” to find all the latest information about the event, including dates, times, and schedule changes. I’ve also heard that Facebook Fans will get first dibs on the tickets when they are released, so get over there and “fan” them. This is a great cause, so please show them your support.

Please take a moment out to join in their efforts as they strive to raise and donate $15,000 to the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer Research. I also hear that they’re still looking for donations for the 30 baskets they’ll be raffling off. Interested individuals and businesses can also still sponsor portions of the event, including t-shirt logos, business name placement, and sponsorship of tickets for individual breast cancer survivors attending the event.

Last Column for the Herald – Sadly, this will be my final Tipp Talk column for the Sunday Record Herald. First of all, a big THANK YOU to Merrilee Embs and the Sunday Record Herald for rolling the dice and allowing me to write a weekly column – it’s been a blast! The Tipp Talk column is moving to the Tippecanoe Gazette, but I wanted to thank Merrilee for giving me a chance to speak up.

And I will continue to write articles for the Record Herald, so keep checking back. I’m thrilled to have two papers in town – I think it’s great that so many folks are interested in writing about Tipp City. PLEASE keep buying the Record Herald, available at local outlets, in addition to trying out the new paper, which will be on sale starting March 17th.

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

February 21
by Greg Enslen

Get Social! Radio is now live on KIT-TV! Tipp City’s only live TV show, the Get Social! Show, is airing live on Channel 5 on Wednesday afternoons from 1-2:30 and simulcasting on internet radio at www.getsocialradio.com.  Our first two shows went well, and we’re looking forward to interviewing lots of interesting guests in the upcoming shows!  Mike McDermott and I host the show and we try to cover a variety of Tipp-City related topics, including local guests, local news and weather, and a round-up of local events and activities.  Interested in being a guest or joining our studio audience?  Check the website!

Snow! Okay, all this snow is starting to get annoying!  I’m the first person to defend Ohio and the “wonder of the changing of the seasons,” but this is getting crazy.  How many multiple-inch snowfalls are we getting?  I’m sure I’m imagining things but it seems like the snow has been fast and furious this year.

Bill Beagle Seeks Fifth District State Senate. Former Tipp City Councilmember Bill Beagle has announced he intends to seek the Republican nomination for the fifth district State Senate seat.   “I’m running because I’m fed up and I want to take action by fighting the career politicians that treat this Senate seat like it’s an entitlement.” Mr. Beagle said in a released statement.  “I want to go to the Senate to help businesses create jobs and to get the state’s financial house in order, not as a stepping stone.”

Mr. Beagle served on the Tipp City Council from October 2003 through December 2009 and served as Council President for two years.  Currently he sits on the Tipp City Library Board of Trustees.  Prior to the City Council, he served on the Tipp City Planning Board and on the Board of Tipp-Monroe Community Services.  Bill has also volunteered on various levy campaigns and other committees for the city, the Tipp City schools, and his church.

Art for the Heart Art Show and Sale. I hope everyone got a chance to visit the Art for the Heart Art Show and Sale, which was rescheduled due to the abundance of snow.  The Tipp City Area Arts Council postponed the show to February 20th from 9 am to 4 pm.  An artisans show and sale featuring paintings, fine jewelry, art, photography, glass, pottery & much more, this event was located inside the Zion Lutheran Church, on the northwest corner of Third and Main streets in downtown Tipp City.   Hope you made it out there!  For more information on the TCAAC and their upcoming events and programs, please visit www.tmcomservices.org/tc-area-arts-council.html.

And Tipp Talk is Moving! First of all, a big THANK YOU to Merrilee Embs and the Sunday Record Herald for rolling the dice and allowing me to write a weekly column – it’s been a blast!  The Tipp Talk column is moving to the Tippecanoe Gazette, but I wanted to thank Merrilee for giving me a chance to speak up.  And I will continue to write articles for the Record Herald, so keep checking back.  I’m thrilled to have two papers in town – I think it’s great that so many folks are interested in writing about Tipp City.  PLEASE keep buying the Record Herald, available at local outlets, in addition to trying out the new paper, which will be on sale starting March 17th.

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com.  And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

TIPP TALK – Happy New Year!

January 10 by Greg Enslen

Back from the Break. Hey everyone, we had a great Holiday vacation – the kids were off school and I took a couple of weeks off from the column. Hope you don’t mind. My folks visited from Florida, along with my sister and her family, and they loved the snow and cold temperatures. They had a great time and it was a blast! And if you’re looking for something to do with visitors from out of town, you could do worse than our itinerary: the Boonschaft Children’s Museum, Sherlock Holmes and Princess and the Frog at our local theatres, the Air Force Museum, sledding with the kids at Canal Lock Park, Rock Band at the Big Robot Game Café, and some very nice dinners, both homemade and at our local restaurants. Everyone loved breakfast at Sam and Ethel’s!

2010 is here! It always takes me a few months to get used to calling the New Year by its new name – and for some reason, I’ll be signing checks with “2009” on them for a while. Sorry, Food Town and Time Warner Cable and Tipp City Utilities. I’m apologizing right now.

Catalog Shopping. Folks seemed to like my article on the Hammacher Schlemmer catalog, so here’s an update: I didn’t get anything from this catalog for Christmas. That makes me very sad. I did get some great gifts and a framed set of pictures of our Tippecanoe Canal Jumpers opening game, so it’s all good.

New Year’s Resolutions. Anyone have a good one (no fair using “Lose more weight” and “World Peace” – everyone wants those) for the New Year? This year I came up with a couple new ones that I’m trying out:

1. Try to buy fewer things, especially junk that is made in China and guaranteed to stop working after three months. To help me out with this resolution, I’ve been watching HOARDERS on A&E (Thanks, Sharon!). I have enough stuff – don’t we all have enough stuff? And buying stuff you don’t need is just this side of crazy. If you’re renting a facility somewhere so that you can have a place for more stuff, you’re in trouble.
2. Do more local and Dayton activities. My wife Samantha and I went and saw “Broadway Holiday” at the Victoria last month and had a blast, and we’ve got Wicked and Phantom tickets coming up. If anyone wants to help me with my resolutions, don’t buy me anything from China and get me tickets to a local activity. And don’t forget the Dayton Gems – that is a fun night for a family and it’s CHEAP! We went to the Sunday January 3rd game and the whole family had a blast. If you go, mention me to Jill, the head of their PR department. They are our closest professional team and we should support them!

Merry Christmas. Seriously, I hope you and yours had a great Christmas and enjoyed your time with family and friends. And remember, we all live a great little town – I’ve lived ALL over and Tipp is pretty special.

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk”? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!

TIPP TALK – Catalog Shopping for Christmas

December 20
by Greg Enslen

Catalog Shopping. The Hammacher Schlemmer catalog comes every year around this time, hoping to get me to buy some over-priced and completely useless items for my friends and family. Like the other catalogs that stuff up my mailbox, I’m at a loss – do people really buy a lot of things out of them, or are the catalogs more for getting a sense of what is popular and available? I enjoy looking through them, but this year I noticed some really interesting – and really strange items:

• The Golf Ball Finding Glasses “contain a pigment that helps to block out the light reflected by dark objects so golf balls are easy to locate.” Okay, how many balls do you have to lose to pay $40 for these glasses? And if you’re losing that many balls, perhaps you should find a new hobby.
• The Table Top Cotton Candy Maker “spins carnival-worthy cotton candy in your own home.” I think someone would only buy this out of shear boredom.
• The Wrist Strap Fish Finder “reads depth to 120 feet with a wide sonar beam, transmitting real-time view of fish and underwater terrain.” Really, who needs this? Fisherman would have a real, boat-mounted fish finder, right? And I don’t fish, so I don’t need a fish finder at all. Is this for casual (and rich – the item is $140) part-time fisherman who need the added convenience of a wrist-mounted fish finder?
• The Video Recording Sunglasses “with a built-in video camera that allow you to discreetly record all that you see.” If you see someone wearing really bulky sunglasses (the camera is above the nose but the electronics are stored in the arms) and repeating your name often, just walk away. And one word for anyone buying this: “creepy.”
• The Indoor Dog Restroom “gives dogs a place to relieve themselves when they can’t get outside”. It looks like a boot tray covered with Astroturf. Seriously, if you don’t have time to let your dog out, why do you have a dog?
• The Total Body Support Pillow “gives optimum support for upper and lower extremities” by providing back support, looping up over your head, and then giving you something to put your hands and feet on. By the look of the picture, nothing says “single and loving it” like this $120 pillow.
• The Best Hair Rollers “ensure smooth waves or tight curls without burning the scalp.” The most surprising thing about this item – people still use hair rollers!

Some useful items I found that you might be interested in: an under counter DVD player, a desktop light therapy box (it simulates the full spectrum light of the rising sun), an LP to CD recorder, 12-hour heated socks, and a VHS to DVD converter. I guess there is a big demand for converting old formats to new ones, which says something about the fragility of our memories and keepsakes. For me, I’ll ask for the Marshmallow Shooter, a pump-action device that shoots those big s’mores marshmallows over 30 feet. Now that’s a party!

Merry Christmas. Seriously, have a great Christmas out there, be safe, and enjoy your time with family and friends. And remember, we all live a great little town – I’ve lived ALL over and Tipp is pretty special.

Hear something interesting for “Tipp Talk” or want to disagree with my shopping tastes? Experience a disaster with the Marshmallow Shooter? Shoot me an email at genslen@yahoo.com. And don’t worry – I won’t quote you unless you want me to!