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Local News

Sunday, August 01, 2010

Weekend column: Triumphing over heat is more than heading inside
Horizon Eyecare - Findlay
By KENT CLEMENTS

Beat the heat and waste your day doing something wildly unproductive! So reads every billboard, radio commercial or newspaper advertisement that encourages citizens to somehow trump a non-living fact of life by staying inside when the temperature starts to climb.

Of course, everyone knows that shutting yourself indoors during sunny days and behaving like a sloth is the only way to properly trounce ol' Heat. "Beat the heat and rent the Godfather Trilogy, rush home, remove your clothing and wallow in front of the television for eight hours," says our society.

What is it about an unusually high temperature that gives us warrant to throw in the towel on the day or week? Of course, it is understood that one shouldn't raise a defiant fist in the face of a heat wave and insist on, say, chasing down wild deer for the night's meal. But, once we are indoors and out of the sun's reach, haven't we already won? Of course not, says movie rental businesses and the like. Triumphing over the sun's rays is much more than just removing yourself from them. It's an ideological battle as much as a physical one.

You see, on a balmy summer day, the sun is busy prompting new life to grow, nourishing crops and a lot of other boring science stuff that makes us sweat to think about. To really win, we must counter that notion with prescribed acts of laziness: "Beat the heat and see how many ice-cream bars you can eat while sprawled on your basement floor watching soap operas!"

But there are options to consider when staying cool during the hottest summer days that do a better job of separating us from the beasts. There are plenty of ways to both avoid a heat stroke and maintain your integrity as a human being. So, pass on a fourteenth episode of Knight Rider and consider the following.

Beat the heat and get an early start on your taxes! Just kidding. But after considering that, it shouldn't sound so horrible to spend a hot summer day reading a book. Avoid the political, advice, and non-fiction for the time being and gobble up stories of epic proportions. John Steinbeck's East of Eden, Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian, and Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls all come highly recommended.

If your brain is too fried to open a book, try opening an address book and writing a real, old fashioned letter to someone. It may have been a while since you received a hand-written letter, but rest assured, it's exciting. All the more exciting if the sender includes childish drawings, horrible poems and silly anecdotes. Don't worry, if the letter's recipient is baffled by your apparent miscellany, assure them that the heat must have gotten to you that day.

Finally, a personal favorite, it is always an assured good time to listen to guilty pleasure music in the kitchen all day while making food (or, in some cases, listen the music while a roommate, mother, father, brother or sister makes the food). Hop on the Internet, find a recipe for a dastardly dish, gather your supplies then cue up a collection of the best gangster rap and cook your little heat-beating heart out.

Clements is a senior at Ohio University and a 2007 graduate of Riverdale High School.


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Benton Ridge Shooting

This video, released by the Hancock County Prosecutor's Office, shows the shooting of a Lima man who led authorities on a three-county chase ending Aug.24 in Benton Ridge. Be cautioned, the video contains graphic content.
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News Briefs Firefighters discover 20 marijuana plants in house
After fighting a house fire early Monday at 815 Howard St., firefighters found 20 marijuana plants in the residence.

"They ran across it and called us," said police Sgt. Justin Hendren with the Hancock County METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit.

Police seized all 20 plants, and Hendren said charges are pending.

High-powered growing lights, fans, and a box filled with dried marijuana were also found in the house, according to a police report.

Investigators said an electrical short started the fire before 3 a.m. Monday.

The blaze caused an estimated $12,000 in damage to the residence, owned by Amanda Crawford. No one was injured, according to the Findlay Fire Department.

Carey announces holiday closing
CAREY -- Carey offices, including administrative, income tax and utilities, electric, wastewater treatment plant, and public works, will be closed Monday in observance of Labor Day.

The curbside recycling program will be held Tuesday through Thursday, Sept. 7-9.

Findlay trooper named sergeant
Trooper Jacob L. Fletcher, assigned to the Findlay post of the State Highway Patrol, was promoted to sergeant Wednesday by Patrol Superintendent Col. David Dicken.

With the promotion, Fletcher will stay at the Findlay post and serve as an assistant post commander, according to the patrol.

Fletcher began his patrol career in 2002 after graduating from the 139th Academy class and has been assigned to the Findlay post since.

Owens announces holiday schedule
The Toledo and Findlay campuses of Owens Community College will be closed Saturday through Monday for the Labor Day holiday.

There will be no classes and the college offices will be closed.

Classes will resume and offices will open again on Tuesday.

Holiday changes ad deadlines
The Courier won't be published on Monday, in observance of the Labor Day holiday.

Because of the holiday, some advertising deadlines have been moved up this week:

Black and white display advertising for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by noon Friday. Display advertising for Wednesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Color display advertising for the Thursday, Sept. 9 newspaper must be placed by Friday.

Classified advertising and City and Country advertising for Saturday's newspaper must be placed by 2 p.m. Friday. Classified ads for Tuesday's newspaper must be placed by 2:30 p.m. Friday.

Courier business and advertising offices will close at 3 p.m. Friday for the holiday.