Yesterday I received a notice from Dominion Gas that my gas bill will be increased in September 2008. In fact it will increase 60% from $9.39 per mcf to $15.49 per mcf.

In a recent Dare To Dream post, we mentioned about Texas Oilman T. Boone Pickens and his plan to help make America more self reliant on energy. You’ll find a link to the right for the Pickens Plan.

It would appear that Mr. Pickens has been making his pitch about less dependency on foreign oil for a long time.

According to an article in the July 14th, 2008 edition of the Chicago Tribune, Pickens has been “touting” his plan as far back as 1996, so this approach isn’t just a new one due to the present gas situation.

It would appear that when he approached Bob Dole, the then Republican nominee for President, he was advised that no-one “gives a damn about energy…” and it’s a “sleeping dog” that no-one wants to wake.

According to “oilman” Pickens, neither Clinton or Dole “had a problem with energy…They didn’t want anything to do with it.” And that , he stated, sums up why the U.S. has stood by and watched its addiction to oil grow for decades.

So as I look at my Dominion announcement and seeing the increase, just after I had gassed my car and spent $40, I can take only small comfort in the fact that there is a “Voice in the Wilderness” trying to get a grasp on the situation.

Mr. Pickens believes that self reliance can be done in 10 years. Just think, if Bob Dole had listened, or in fact anyone would have listened to him in 1996, maybe the present situation of $4.00 gallon of gas might have been not so drastic an increase.

In the “No He Didn’t” say or do category of local politics, Councilman Bob Dean and City Treasurer John Homlitas seem to have put their political “foot in mouth” this week.

First Bob Dean in stating that he tabled his proposed “Traffic Camera” legislation because he wanted to let the “…people catch up” with the idea and facts on that the legislation.

“Oh Pleeze!” First to cast a shadow over those who are opposed to this “traffic control” via camera by saying that they basically need to learn more is offensive.

Mr. Dean should just admit he was way short on votes to get this issue through Council.

The basic “straw poll” showed that he only had three votes out of the ten members of Council and that’s two less than needed to have the President of Council cast his vote, which Mr. Dean added was another reason he was tabling, not wanting to put Bob Marchese, President of Council, in that position.

Hello, Mr. Dean…that’s Mr. Marchese’s job.

In another “No He Didn’t” do that was City Treasurer John Homlitas having an audit done on a Warren citizen because they spoke out against the “camera” issue and then complained that the City taxes were to high.

Mr. Homlitas assured everyone it was him “just doing his job” not anything in “retaliation” to her opposition on the issues she addressed at the Council meeting.

I’m a supporter of Mr. Homlitas and believe he meant no harm but I hope he isn’t “peeking” in the Karl Rove play book of political dirty tricks.

Both of these incidents, plus my own involving Councilman Novak, has me wondering about how our local elected officials actually view people who, in good conscience, oppose them and have differing points of views.

The following is a repost from January of this year:

The Trumbull County Planning Commission has started studying, and opened the door to exploring the possibility of Solar, Wind, Hydro and other alternative methods of power, not just to use but also as a tool for Economic Development.

BRAVO!

This “progressive” course, which other areas throughout the Country have been seriously exploring for the last three to five years, could be a real “jump start” to economic growth throughout the “Valley”.

Hopefully this idea will go forward with action and not just end in a press release for then it will truly just be “Blowing in the Wind”.

Let The Wind Blow continued: I wanted to revisit my January post in light of this week’s statement by “oil tycoon” T. Boone Pickens on alternate energy plans and especially “wind” power.

Mr. Picken’s proposals and “frankness” is what’s needed in these times of “energy madness”.

In a news conference Mr. Picken’s was asked if his plan was “self serving” and in typical Texan fashion he stated, and I paraphrase…”I’m 80 years old and worth 4 billion dollars, I don’t need more money.”

He squarely states that it has been the “lack” of leadership in the energy field, especially by Washington, that has put us behind in being self reliant when it comes to the energy problem.

Now to my January post and the Trumbull County Planning Commission’s “study” concerning local use of “solar, hydro and wind” power locally.

It’s been 7 months since the release of their statement concerning the study but nothing seems to be in the “breeze” and all is silent on this matter.

Hopefully this, like many other “progressive” ideas in the area, is more then “All Show and No Go”.

There are two groups of people in the “City” which I feel don’t get enough credit. First the Warren Police Department and second the Warren Fire Department.

It’s the second group that I wish to mention.

This band of “first responders” hardly ever get the praise they deserve. Their dedication and selfless devotion to the Community often goes unnoticed.

Back on February 8th 2005, I, and our business, had the first hand experience seeing these fine “public servants” in action when the building that housed our business had a fire. They did everything possible to insure that the business sustained as little damage as possible.

When they found that the fire was in a different section of the building their concern was still apparent as they went out of their way to protect our section but also the contents withing. By their actions the building was saved and our business suffered only smoke damage with minor water damage.

The business was reopened 24hrs later with the the dedication of an all night cleanup of our staff and because of the “spirit” of the Warren Fire Department crews that responded to the situation.

Tho the building was later torn down by the owner, mainly because of the cost to bring it back to Warren Building Department codes, we still operated for another 7 months and that I tribute to the WFD.

It has been mentioned by many, that the Warren Fire Department should have their own EMT/EMS as part of the “first responders” abilities to serve the Community. Over the next several weeks I would like to explore that suggestion and what appears to be a great benefit to the Fire Department and the Community in particular.

Bob Coupland, Tribune Reporter, did a nice story on the “laying” of the bricks at Monument Park for the World War II Memorial Walkway in Wednesday’s edition of the Tribune-Chronicle but it is sad that no-where in that story is mention of the contractors damage to the granite base of the Civil War Statue.

In wanting to do a nice tribute for the holiday, I researched all the patriotic music I could find, wanting to do something “grande”. After talking to a friend, I came to a self revelation about keeping it simple.

Oh, I could find Sousa marches, tributes to the military and even as I did last year, I could use Kate Smith singing Irving Berling’s God Bless America, but the grandeur of this Nation is much more than “patriotic tunes” or parades.

In 1893, during a trip to this Country for the first time, European composer Antonin Dvorak was so taken with America that he wrote the 9th Symphony, commonly called the “New World Symphony”.

My favorite selection from the “New World” is the 2nd Movement-Largo. You may recognize it, for later words were written and a gospel hymn called “Going Home” was born.

As found on YouTube, here is my Independence Day Tribute, The 9th Symphony, 2nd Movement-Largo by Antonin Dvorak, performed by the USAF Big Band with pictures from the “Hubble Space Telescope”. The end of the piece is “Going Home” performed by Libera.

Happy and Safe Holiday from us at Dare To Dream

Received this email asking if Dare To Dream could help spread the word on a “new” site to find positiveness about Warren, Ohio. We are glad to add our voice to the search.

“I was hoping you could help me spread the word about my new, positive Warren website at flickr.com/downtownwarrenhistory. I am hoping to create an online archive of people and places from on and around downtown from the 1970s on back to the dawn of time. (but if anyone can find some cool 80s or 90s pics, I would put them up). Folks can e-mail me pics and descriptions to downtownwarrenhistory@yahoo.com or they can drop them off to me at All American Comics. I will then scan them and return them. I think having something online that folks can look at, beyond the same dozen postcard images would be worthwhile. And of course, seeing where we’ve been can help us figure out where we can go. A cliched chestnut I know, but nevertheless true. Thanks, man. Josh”

In the “sad but true” category: A landmark florist shop, plus surrounding nursery, on Tod Avenue NW. was auctioned off this week and the figure $66 thousand dollars.

To add insult to injury, along with the florist shop there were three houses with garages, a 1 story and 2/2 story homes, also were auctioned off. Combined total for all three, $25 thousand dollars.

Whoever said that you pronounce Warren…”Worn Out” Ohio is not far from correct and we still have a year to the unveiling of the “Comprehensive Plan”.

The one thing about having a “Blog” is the fact you can write about anything that comes to mind. It’s like writing a newspaper editorial but without deadlines plus the added constraints of what will the newspaper advertisers have to say about the topic. “Blogs” are “open air journals” for all to read and decipher.

I’m reading an interesting book, Stephen Waldman’s Founding Faith. It delves into the minds of the writers of the Constitution, especially Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, Washington along with Madison, and their thoughts on “separation of church and state.”

To best sum up what Founding Faith reveals is to quote the jacket cover fly page: “This fast-paced narrative begins with earlier settlers’ stunningly unsuccessful efforts to create a Christian paradise, and concludes with the presidencies of Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Madison, during which the men who had devised lofty principles regarding the proper relationship between church and state struggled to practice what they’d preached. We see how religion helped cause, and fuel, the Revolutionary War, and how the surprising alliance between Enlightenment philosophers such as Jefferson and Madison and evangelical Christians resulted in separation of church and state.”

I must admit to a lot of naivety in the fact that early “America” was so religiously intolerant towards each other and how brutal the punishment was for those who differed from “norm” in each of the colonies run by their individual sects, Pennsylvania Quakers (the most tolerant of “states”), Maryland Catholic, Virginia Anglican, Massachusetts Puritan and so on.

It seems we have reversed the rolls over the last 200 plus years. Early “churchmen” wanted the separation of church and state. They didn’t want politics to influence the church and now we seem to have “churchmen” wanting to have the church influence politics.

Waldman’s book is a good read.

This past week, the Supreme Court upheld the part of the American Constitution which states that the “…right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed” in a landmark decision on “hand guns”.

The decision stems from a case of a Washington DC Security Guard and the Washington DC “ban” on guns.

Tho I see the reasoning behind “shall not be infringed”, I have a problem with how owning a “hand gun” fulfills the preceding part of that Amendment and the statement “A well regulated militia being necessary to the Security of a free State…”.

Do we now consider all that own hand guns members of the “militia” or better yet, National Guard.

With this weeks U.S. Supreme Courts ruling that States cannot use the “death penalty” as a deterrent to “child rapist”, the “far right” again has seen this as an attack by the “far left” on “morale” issues.

I have a hard time understanding how those who are against abortion, as murder, can then justify how they are in favor of the death penalty for any reason.

Even the conservative columnist George Will, in a column written in 2003, seemed to understand the conflict.

Councilman at Large Dan Crouse, Independent, seems to be putting the pressure on the present Administration and with the support of Councilman at Large Bob Dean.

Presenting the Administration with a four point letter on getting the City’s Budget act together, it appears that finally one of our Council members is willing to snap back “constructively” instead of the “grand standing” that others have in the past.

Tho I’m not in favor of all Crouse’s proposals I applaud his efforts.

Bob Dean has been mentioned many times as a possible candidate for Mayor but now it would appear the name of Dan Crouse might join that short list along with John Taylor.

I once heard that there comes a point in ones life when “things are taken away faster then given”, and I’m now realizing that fact.

When we are younger, things are “given” to us and we accumulate those items and friends that will enhance us, stimulate us and even shape us as the people and adults we become.

Then one morning, as if by magic, we wake up and things start leaving us, changing before us, rearranging the very fabric of our daily existence. The familiar landmarks are torn down, the friends we grew up with move away and or even pass away. Our walk becomes more unsteady, eyes focus not so clearly and the memory of the past seems more real then the present.

In other words, “change” is inevitable.

Over the next several months, I will be changing the direction of Dare To Dream, for my life too is changing.

The last several months have been exciting to watch the growth of “Dare” as we approach the 4000 thousand visitor mark. Since January, each month has set a record in visits and June is no exception for we will go over 700 hundred visits.

As a new direction in my life is evolving so I will take the “blog” in a newer and wider scope of adventure.

No more will I concentrate the efforts of Dare To Dream on the “going ons” in Warren Ohio but will now open it up to a larger range of events and issues. I feel that the “stagnation” of this City has become so in-trenched in daily life that “change” and “growth” will forever be just a “plan”.

As my life progresses in a new “direction” and “location”, I look back on the last 12 years in the my “adoptive Hometown” with fondness, mixed with pain. Warren of my youth will be forever a joy but Warren of my adulthood has sadness.

Some of the accomplishments that I will remember: That when the “Klan” came to town in August 1998, the birth of “Unity Day” was started in our small business on Pine Avenue and blossomed into 4000 people attending the anti Klan rally at the High School Stadium; that a small tavern could raise nearly 40 thousand dollars for local charities in almost ten years and nearly 3000 pounds of food “stuff” for local Food Banks; the proposed “Entertainment District” started with a small idea and speech given to Council back in October 2000; that a small tavern in Warren could raise more money for Senior Mobile Meals in Trumbull County than any other business in the County, not just one year but two years in a row and, even tho there’s much more, the saving of the Fairhaven School’s Summer Golf Olympics because of a simple fund raiser.

So as we head into the Summer months of July and August, we’ll start to change the topics of discussion from just local venues to those which affect us on a Statewide, National and International level.

Thanks for your support and let’s hear from you.

Over coffee the other morning, a group of the Downtown Warren Business Association members were discussing gay marriages taking place in California. Of course it is no secret that I am gay but it’s never been a “big” topic of conversation among those I associate with in Community groups.

I have always been in awe that this mid-west Ohio town has generally been very accepting, even supportive, and being the first openly gay candidate for local office, it was never an issue, tho I am aware of a certain Councilman who has not tired of the now and then “gay joke”.

As the discussion of “gay marriage” went around the table, one of the members turned and asked my opinion on the matter. I thought for a moment and then shocked the group with my answer.

“I’m against them”.

I went on to explain that as one whose been in a long term relation, 19 years, Bob and I are more concerned about the “rights” for us as a couple then we are about the name you call our relationship. ‘Civil Union” and/or “Common Law” works for us.

When one thinks of “marriage” it invokes all sorts of “religious” trappings and the Church gets it’s “ok” to perform “marriages” through the “Civil Law”. Both of us are not upset when a “Church” says “no” to “Gay Marriages”, they have that right, but they should not dictate to the “Civil Law” what they can do or not.

We realize that we can never have the same “marriage” concept as our dear straight friends and we do not want to take away from that value or lessen that “sanctity” but we do feel that our “Union” is as important and as valid as their “Union”.

In many cases, Bob and I have more rights in each others lives as “corporate officers and partners” in business than we do as a couple, which we totally feel is wrong.

I applaud those activist who have supported the “marriage” issue but I really wish more time was spent on the fact of obtaining rights for gay couples and less about the name and ceremony.

Well it would appear that following Tuesday nights “fact finding” event with the Poggemyer Group concerning the “Comprehensive Plan”, it is the opinion of several that it’s business as usual or better said, “All Show and No Go”.

Standing proudly since 1890, and surviving 118 years without damage, the Civil War Monument at Monument Park now has two contractor inflicted gouges on the East side of the Quincy Granite base.

The several 8 ton slab base was not protected during the installation of the new World War II Memorial Walkway and now has one gouge about an inch to an inch and a half long with a second gouge about 3 inches long and wider.

One would have thought that protection of some sort would have been in order before any work was started on the new memorial.

Lately, there seems to be a lot of people who don’t believe the sign posted in front of Giant Eagle at Jamestown Plaza. It simply states, “No Parking Fire Lane’” but there they are, lined up two or three at a time as if the instruction is for others and not them.

I’ve come to believe that those who ignore the “No Parking Fire Lane” are the same people who would roll through stop signs, try to beat a changing traffic light and park in a handicapped parking space without a handicapped sticker. They have no respect for others.

At first it may seem like “no big deal” parking in a “Fire Lane” but when you really get to the heart of the matter, those who park in that lane have no respect for other’s lives. In case of a fire their cars and vans would be blocking the entrance and maybe lives would be lost. If an ambulance needed to be called, their vehicle would impede access for the paramedics.

Many times I see children in the cars parked in those lanes and wonder what sort of message does it send to them about obeying the rules and/or following instructions? The same thing can be said for those who roll by a stop sign or race to beat that changing yellow light. I’d like to hear what they tell their children, “…do as I say not as I do” or “…it’s ok as long as you don’t get caught”, whatever they are saying, it’s obvious that respect for others isn’t in the conversation.

Besides having Ted Williams as an idol growing up, along with the odd coupling of Billy Graham, I had several others who I idolized but they didn’t come to the fore front in my life until my mid 20’s.

As a teenager I wanted to go into the ministry and my early studies somewhat lead me in that direction. I attended college freshman year in Kentucky, which did not fare well, and I soon found myself in the military during the Viet Nam War.

Upon returning to the US, after four years in the service, I attended Kent State University and found myself majoring in Telecommunications. It would seem a natural field to pursue since I had been given a very good voice and the Director of Broadcasting at KSU, Walton Clarke, had urged me to consider it as a career.

I didn’t have a desire to be a DJ but my love of Politics, History and Human Events, made the News field a logical choice.

As it would happen, four months after returning from overseas, I was News Director of WKSU Radio on that fateful day, May 4th, 1970. WKSU has come a long way from those early days and we didn’t enjoy the NPR status and link on the worldwide web which the University and station now have obtained. It was tho a learning and valuable experience for myself.

Now to explain the other idols. First there was “News Commentator” Howard K Smith and later “Newsman” Peter Jennings. I admired them for their professionalism plus their integrity and morned their loss both from television and the good they did in their personal lives.

This week, with the loss of Jim McKay, Charlie Jones and Tim Russart, the age of the non bias reporter, both sports and news, seems to be ebbing away and in its place comes the “tabloid shlock” of reporters and so-called “news consultants”.

Just look at “polictos” Karl Rove and Mike Huckabee being added to Fox News and you get the sense that fairness and getting the story right has given way to “opinion journalism”.

The Bill “Oh reallys” can’t hold a candle to the Smiths; Jennings; Cronkites; Morrows and Russarts in news journalism and sadly with each passing we get closer to a world of more “slant” than substance, more opinion than fact.

Getting the story right is less important then “swaying” the public view. Informing the public is less important than entertaining the public. Research and facts are second to hidden verb-age and innuendo.

Once we have lost those icons of TV News Journalism of the past, I fear we will lose the sword of truth and the “fourth estate”, which was never to take sides but always intended to serve the public good, will just becomes another PR Agency.

I had just turned 30 a couple of days before my Dad “passed”.

It was a cold January morning in 1976 and I found myself on the other side of the Country in Newport, Oregon, where I was News Director of a small radio station on the coast.

Mom had never quite told me that he was seriously ill, with cancer, but she had informed me a week before his death that I needed to come home.

The day that I received the call about his death was the day before my arranged date back to Ohio.

I remember putting the phone down, walking out the door and heading to the beach along the Pacific Ocean.

There I walked for hours upon the sandy shore while the mist blew in from the white capped waves as they danced against the gray sky on one of those many winter gales.

To this day I still remember the thoughts that cascaded through my numbed senses.

The remembrances of excitement in waking up at four in the morning on a Saturday to go fishing at Schillings Mill; the Friday nights of watching Dad labor in his study to prepare his Sunday sermon; helping him in his beloved rose garden; Indian Y Guides Summer Camp and the time he took me to see the Yankees vs the Indians at Municipal Stadium…Ryan Duran pitched against Herb Score that night.

Granted, the church and his parishioners came first and I was always envious of the time they got to spend with Dad, yet looking back on it, I wouldn’t change a thing for he taught me about service to others.

He used the word love sparingly and emotion was not a manly thing. I remember he shook my hand when I left for the service and four years and a war later, he shook my hand when I returned.

He didn’t condone my anti-war stand in the early 70’s but always said that I had “earned the right” to voice my opinion and he always respected that right.

In his house it was his “rules” but when he came to my place he would abide by my rules, for instances, he knew I was a non smoker and he would always go outside to smoke a cigarette. It seemed that at “home” I was the son but at my house I was an equal.

Dad always said that the older I would get the “smarter” he would become and you know, he was right.

I do have regrets and one is that time went to quickly. It would have been nice to really have got to know the man I called Dad.

Happy Father’s Day.

If you like Salsa, music that is, Meringue and Latin Jazz, then tonight, Friday the 13th, is your lucky night with Summer Nights Special, a free event, at the Warren Amphitheatre with Sammy DeLeon YSU Orquesta at 7pm.

Stating that Richard Cordray was “…fair. kind and tenacious…” Ohio Governor Ted Strickland endorsed State Treasurer Richard Cordray for Ohio Attorney General, yesterday in Columbus.

As posted on Dare To Dream, Richard Cordray appears highly qualified and respected in State Government.

It would appear that the rumor about not replacing the canons back in Monument Park after the building of the WWII Memorial is just that, a rumor.

It would seem that they will be replaced, along with the WWI “Doughboy”, almost in the same location that they were before construction of the new Monument.

It is worth mentioning that when the “Doughboy” is replaced it will not be in it’s original intended and consecrated spot but back where it was moved several years ago.

Dare To Dream has received news to the fact that Ohio Governor Ted Strickland will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 9:30 am concerning his endorsement for Ohio’s Attorney General.

Rumors indicate that he will probably endorse Richard Cordray Ohio State Treasurer.

Cordray would be a valuable asset in the AG’s office judging by his tenure as State Treasurer.

In a recent post, on the anniversary of the death of Bobby Kennedy, I eluded to the stirrings of my “idealistic flame” when I listened to Barack Obama on the night of his last primary victory and basically winning of the Democrat Party nomination.

Many months ago, in conversation with a close friend, I had shared the fact that when I heard Barack at the 2004 DNC, where I was an alternate delegate for Kerry, and then again on the primary trail, I could see why the younger generation could and would be stirred by his oratory and vision of “hope” and “change”. In sharing this observation, and still not committed myself to a candidate, I could see that not many shared my belief in what I was seeing.

This week in Mother Jones Magazine, 72 year old investigative reporter James Ridgeway, wrote a column entitled “Seeing Bobby Kennedy in Barack Obama.

Ridgeway states that “The times are different, and so are the men. But then again.” He goes on to make a powerful point: “Hope, like greatness, is a thing some men have thrust upon them. They emerge as repositories for the fine yearnings of a confused and bitter nation, a mirror in which we see ourselves reflected not as the people we are, but as the people we would like to be-and may, because of them, inch slightly closer to becoming. Whether or not they are worthy of such faith is, in the end, less important than the fact that they inspire us to be more worthy ourselves.”

In Obama’s Minnesota speech, I heard the faint refrains of Winston Churchill plus FDR, adding a flavor of Lincoln verb-age and Ronald Reagan genuineness. As Obama talked through the applause, stating over and over, “this is the time…” one could almost hear Churchill saying “…this was their finest hour”.

Those that are captivated by Obama seem to be the type who are not afraid to wear their heart on their sleeves, those who dream of “duty to others” knowing that it brings about good for us all; that we can be more compassionate and more just; that we can do more than lower taxes and building walls to keep people out.

In one of his final speeches, Robert Kennedy stated, “…remember,…that those who live with us are our brothers, that they share with us the same short moment of life; that they seek, as we do, nothing but the chance to live out their lives in purpose and in happiness, winning what satisfaction and fulfillment they can.”

It would appear that Obama has the same sense of duty that Kennedy had and as Ridgeway stated in Mother Jones Magazine, “…somewhere inside his chest there seems to be a beautiful human heart, which is something we haven’t had in the White House for a good long time.”

Just a brief update on the “Crowded Street Corner” post.

I called City Hall to let them in on the matter and then I called City Council Women at Large Helen Rucker plus Warren City Council Women Ward Four, Marti Morn.

No callback from Mayor or Safety Service Director but I did receive a call from Council Women Morn about the situation.

She informed me that the Warner House is a HUD (Federal Building) and the back lot is owned by the Mocha House. She was intending to speak with the owners of the Mocha House to see if it is feasible for the residence from the Warner House to use and set up the lot as a smoking area thereby removing the “congregation” from the street corner.

Dare To Dream will keep you posted on progress.