Here's a local connection to Oprah Winfrey that's worth a blog. Not because it's Oprah, but because of the story. Sufiy Davis has been using the movie The Pursuit of Happyness to promote happiness. Actually, the real intention, I think, is to promote hope, possibility and drive in people who are homeless. Sufiy's been taking homeless men and women from Faith Mission operated by Lutheran Social Services in Columbus to the Drexel Theatre. And not just a couple of people, as many as she can afford to take. The Drexel has also helped offset the cost.

Sufiy let The Oprah Winfrey Show folks know what she was up to as a "Pay it Forward Challenge." Being that Oprah's show knows a photo op when they see one, Sufiy was hooked up as a guest. Her TV time on Oprah was on Friday, January 26. From what I heard, the crew went to the movies with Sufiy and the gang . Plus, interviews with residents and Sheila Gaston, the shelter manager were included in the broadcast. Here is the link to The Oprah Winfrey Show broadcast that highlights Sufiy's story with text and pictures.

I like this story for a couple of reasons. It's such a simple concept to take folks to the movies. One person had this idea, followed through with it, and it actually was recognized as being marvelous. There are folks all over Ohio who are making a difference. I can think of a couple of school classrooms for one. It's neat, though, that at least one Ohioan got a trip to see Oprah. To the rest of you out there, keep doing good. You know who you are.

Toledo's Martin Luther King, Jr. Bridge has been subject to short closings lately. It's about to be out of commission for a longer period. The structure is in the process of getting a complete overhaul, and will close today so the central drawbridge section can be replaced. People will have an easy time remembering when they'll be able to cross it again. It opens two days after Valentine's Day.

The Cherry Street Bridge, as it was first known, was built between 1910 and 1914, at a cost of one million dollars. That may seem like pocket change for building a bridge these days, but back then it was the most expensive public improvement project in Toledo's history. Like most expensive public projects, the building of the bridge was controversial. There were a lot of people who thought spending a million dollars on a bridge was just plain crazy. They lost the argument, but managed to get a few corners cut in the budget. For example, the best part of the design, four tall, column-like towers were never built. Two of them were to sit at either end of the drawbridge to house the lift mechanism. That's a shame. I've seen the plans and they were impressive. Everyone likes to save money, but no one liked the plain wooden sheds that were built instead. It was a long while before they gave way to the current structures, which are an improvement, but nowhere near as nice as the towers.

One other interesting thing about the building of this bridge, it was constructed right next to the old bridge it replaced. No traffic problems there.

I do not like guinea pigs. Or hamsters, or mice, or rats - really, anything with little grabby, claw-like hands. Yeah. They're quite gross. So the thought alone of a guinea pig rescue house is weird, but now I'm also visualizing it and it's creeping me out...

My distaste for their job makes me believe that Karen and Steve Oehlerts of This Little Piggy and Me are quite brave. TLP&M is a rescue and adoption house for guinea pigs, located in Forest Park, Ohio, near Cincinnati. It's a not-for-profit, run out of their actual home (bless their hearts, the place probably is starting to smell a bit ripe), and is dedicated to the rescue and adoption of the little animals into good homes. Such good homes, in fact, that adopting parents have to sign a contract starting they won't feed the guinea pigs to another animal or eat it themselves. And now I am thoroughly grossed out.

The Oehlerts bought a pregnant guinea pig back in 2003, and had to start giving away babies. Karen became known as Guinea Pig Lady, people began calling to have the guinea pigs taken in or to ask where they could find some, and the whole process was born. In 2006 alone, they had 193 adoptions. I am amazed that so many people want guinea pigs, but thank goodness the Oehlerts are there to help!

Clearly, this movement is way bigger and more permanent than I imagined. I thought it'd be like how for a while all girls knew how to knit - like all girls were going to want to be in a roller derby team? Well, the fad is not ending, and there's an Akron team starting up!

The team is called the Rubber City Demolition Dolls (so fitting, and feisty), and they want roller girls, coaches and volunteers! According to the flyer I was given, all derby girls must be over 21, be willing to learn, be dedicated, and have health insurance. And from what I know about derby girls, I'm pretty sure that that need for health insurance is pretty valid. Check them out! At the least, hopefully soon, Akron will have another rip-roaring event to go to on a Friday night.

Just after I apparently revealed my massive ignorance by not knowing that Columbus already had a soccer team, I luckily found it that it doesn't matter. As much as I do love soccer, which I do, I love another rough-and-tumble sport more. Hockey!

Not just hockey, but hockey being played in Cleveland! A hockey team called the Lake Erie Monsters! Yes! The Lake Erie Monsters are part of the American Hockey League franchise, and will be playing the 2007-2008 season at Quicken Loans Arena. The Monsters are actually owned by some of the same people that own the Cleveland Cavaliers, so we're keeping all Cleveland teams close together. The team will be playing as the affiliate team for the Colorado Avalanche, and they just don't know how lucky they're going to be.

Apparently, a ton of market research was done to decide upon the name the Lake Erie Monsters, a name chosen for its fun, its aggressiveness, and its obvious ties to the region. The logo is a very spiky M with a glaring eye monster eye - ha ha ha, for an actual monster! Like we have in Lake Erie! Team colors will be wine, yellow, blue and black, which to my mind is an odd combination of colors, but maybe I'll be surprised. I'm just happy they didn't try to tie in orange and brown for the Browns. Who cares, though, because hockey is back, and it'll be here this October! Yay!

Ohio's new governor, Ted Strickland, gave Mahoning Valley residents cause to hope for their future again during his inauguration speech. Gov. Strickland spoke about the various causes he will be pursuing in Ohio during his first term, including our ramshackle education system as one of his priorities. He also made several points about the Ohio legislature and how it must begin, like the federal government, to work together, promoting bipartisan projects, reminding citizens that we are all Americans, and in this case that we are all Ohioans, and not to allow divisions between Republican and Democratic parties to allow our country, and in Strickland's case our state, to suffer due to petty power struggles.

Mahoning Valley residents were reportedly happy with Strickland's inauguration address. Many were quoted in the newspapers and on television, saying they believe in Strickland's honesty, and feel he will aid this notoriously economically depressed area of Ohio in creating a future again. A large number of Mahoning Valley politicians appeared with Strickland at his inauguration, including: Attorney General Marc Dann of Liberty, Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams, and U.S. Representative Tim Ryan. Strickland made use of quotes by Republican leaders of the nation like George W. Bush on education, and Ronald Reagan on the status quo.

While I am much in sympathy with my fellow residents of the Mahoning Valley, I'll be waiting to see what Mr. Strickland proves himself capable of. I'm a supporter of bipartisan measures myself, but I fail to see how quoting George W. Bush on education and Ronald Reagan on the status quo is "striking the right political tone," as Representative Ryan was quoted saying in the Youngstown Vindicator. Both Bush and Reagan had and have their positive qualities as leaders of the nation, but President Bush's education policies have proved to be some of the worst created in the history of the United States, and former President Reagan is rarely remembered as a model for progressive politicians who do not settle for upholding the status quo. I still have hope that Governor Strickland will come through for the Mahoning Valley, but will wait a bit longer to see what he is actually able to accomplish in his first few months before committing myself to a Strickland believer.

A lot of people are counting on you, Governor Strickland. Good luck, and fight hard!

With new Governor Ted Strickland in office, Ohians have begun to raise their voices for various causes. One cause has been in opposition to the death penalty in Ohio. According to the Youngstown Vindicator, protestors gathered outside the Ohio State Penitentiary to let our new governor know that many of Ohio's citizens do not approve of this particular measure of justice.

The protest was organized by Cleveland residents but included Youngstown area residents as well, and was staged on Martin Luther King Day weekend. At this point there are five men on death row in the state penitentiary who the protestors claim are innocent of the crime that put them there. Known as the Lucasville Five, the men were part of a prison uprising in Lucasville in 1993 in which prison guards were killed. The men on death row, say the protestors, were not part of the deaths of the guards.

I myself don't believe that the death penalty is an effective measure for curtailing crime. If it were, the number of crimes in which the death penalty is a possible outcome would drop, but this isn't so. Historically the death penalty hasn't worked to curtail crime. Even in the days of public executions, it didn't stop people from commiting crimes. Some sociological studies have found that it may even promote the idea of social justice being equated with death, creating a society more inclined to kill.

I do think the death penalty serves a purpose, mostly to make family and friends of victims feel that justice has been served. It doesn't aid the betterment of society itself, though, especially when so many people have died on death row who were later found to be innocent. A measure of justice shouldn't have so much collateral damage, as some would call it, as this one does. I do, however, sympathize with the victims of crime and their families and friends, who desire some form of justice in the face of their tragedies, and I won't pretend to have a better plan for justice. I do hope, however, that more measures can be taken to ensure that a form of punishment so severe as the death penalty will be carried out with more caution in the future. Perhaps protests such as the one carried out on Martin Luther King Day weekend will be a call for more consideration of how we, as a society, proceed with a process so fraught as the death penalty is in the new century.

A lot of people who are concerned about Downtown Toledo are breathing a sigh of relief. Fifth Third Bank has announced that it will move its regional headquarters to One SeaGate, Toledo's tallest semi-vacant building.

One SeaGate was built in 1981, as the headquarters of glass producer Owens-Illinois. O-I, however, moved to a new campus in Perrysburg last year, leaving the 32-story skyscraper on the banks of the Maumee almost completely empty. It's not exactly the best public relations move to have the tallest building in town standing vacant.

I'll admit this is a case of "musical buildings", but it's a welcome announcement. Fifth Third currently occupies the old Nicholas Building on Madison, which was built in 1906.

Let's hope having One SeaGate occupied will get the ball rolling for the rest of Downtown Toledo.

Ohio is on the radar for puppy mills. It seems that the number of pet stores in Ohio is a possible indication that many dogs are forced bred in this state to produce the dogs that people want. Puppy mill dogs are a problem from what I've read and heard. Over bred dogs are unhealthy since their bodies don't recover between litters, plus dogs bred in a puppy mill may have more behavior issues and poorer health.

Since we're not exactly designer dog people, and we wanted a dog that was stellar in other ways, we took a tip from a woman I met who had a cute black Lab (I'm not sure if I'm a dog person at all,) and headed down to Vinton County to Camelot Puppy Sanctuary . We ended up picking out a terrier beagle mix. If you want your own Fido or Rover, go here. I was impressed by the unhurried approach when we were looking for our dog. Instead of thinking that we had to make a quick decision, we watched the dogs romp around the property's pond for an hour or so until our minds were made up.

At the sanctuary, there are always several dogs, mostly young ones, available. Check out the website to look at the dogs and then call ahead. The phone number is listed. We didn't plan on getting this particular dog type, but when we were among all the adoptable options, our dog picked us.

Camelot Puppy Sanctuary is a dog paradise of sorts. Run by two women who delight in saving abandoned dogs, the sanctuary is a wonderful option to consider when looking to expand your family. Reading the website descriptions is a lot of fun since each blurb captures a specific quality about each dog's personality.

The dog featured in the picture is Nickolas, a Laborador Retriever/terrier mix. Here is his description.

Here is an article about the puppy mill problem from an NBC channel wkyc.com.

The post office lines are picking up with folks looking to get a passport. If you have any plans to travel outside of Ohio, say to out of the country, even if it's to Canada, you need a passport. It seems every time I've gone to the post office lately, someone is processing his or her paperwork to get one. Not any post office will process the passport paperwork. In Ohio there are 368 locations. There is a link from the U.S. Passport Services to all the passport facilities in the U.S. Here is the link to those pages. On the drop down menu, you can plug in Ohio, or you can type in your zipcode. Also, here is a link to the Columbus Dispatch article that mentions the details of the passport rules.

Instead of going to the post office to get the application, then going back to mail it after it's filled out, you can download the application yourself from the same website.

Here is the good news. If you have forgotten to get one, and you plan to leave the country fairly quickly, you can pay to expedite the processing. We are proof that a passport application can be processed from your post office and the passport will arrive at your house in less than two weeks. I think it took 8 days to get the passport we needed. It worked out to be about double the cost if we had gone the regular route.

If you want some more help with this passport stuff and you happen to live in Central Ohio. There are U.S. Passport Fairs being held in the Columbus area on Friday and Saturday (19-20) Here is the link to that information. Bon voyage, but come back.

Bob Evans Restaurants show up a winner every time Ohio Magazine asks people to list their favorite best value restaurant. At least that happened when I was there. Once there was a rule that chains weren't to be nominated-just to give some other restaurants a chance to shine. No matter. People in Ohio are wild about Bob Evans. At least the folks who enter restaurant contests are.

As one reader stated, "You said no chains, but we go there all the time. The food is always good, as are the service and the prices."

I like Bob Evans myself, especially for breakfast--and recognizing that breakfast is one of its hallmarks, the chain has cooked up a different kind of contest itself. This one is on Ebay. People are bidding on a 3-day vacation and breakfast with Bob Evans himself. The neat thing about this, is that proceeds are gong to Habitat for Humanity.

What's the impetus for all this? With its roots firmly in Ohio, even though it's reaches are far outside the state's borders, Bob Evans Restaurants have a new item on the menu and their own blog, "One Stack at a Time." The blog is basically devoted to Stacked and Stuffed pancakes. Readers can add their favorite choices. There is also a video that shows how to make Stacked and Stuffed pancakes yourself. The listed favorite from the blog is roasted apple carmel cream. Here's a link to the press release about the contest and Bob Evans's new endeavors. Also, if you want to join in the auction, hurry. You only have two days left. This is a great opportunity to have an Ohio vacation and help charity as well.

Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner has drawn widespread interest and support by announcing a search for a wi-fi service provider. The city will seek proposals from companies interested in providing city-wide service. If the idea works, Toledo would become the first major Ohio city to offer wireless internet access on a city-wide basis.

The program could be accomplished without cost to the taxpayers and would have some benefits that can't be denied. Not only would all city offices have free wireless internet, but police and firefighters would be able to access maps and criminal record information in their vehicles.

The service would also provide free access in certain public buildings and outdoor areas, such as city parks. Citizens could subscribe to the service at a nominal cost. Discounted service would be available to those with low incomes.

So far, the idea has been receiving widespread support. From what I can see, the whole idea seems to have taken the whole city by surprise. It sounds like a very good idea whose time has come. I'll tell you one thing. It's not every day you hear Fred LeFebvre, a morning host at News Talk WSPD and one of Mayor Finkbeiner's most outspoken critics, yell "good move, mayor! Wooh, hoo"!