But this is no ordinary weekend. It’s nothing less than the biggest weekend of the year for Youngstown events. Bring your friends. Bring your strangers. There’s guaranteed to be something for everyone.

We’ll start the weekend Saturday morning at 9am at Harrison Field (on Walnut Street) in Smoky Hollow for the Family Fun Walk. Those of you so inclined can join in the 5K run. (Registration begins at 7:45am.)

At 10am, the Summer Festival of the Arts events on and around campus kick off. Some highlights:

• St. Nicholas Greek Summerfest on Walnut Street. An excellent spot for lunch. (Opens at 11am.)
• Artists’ Marketplace. Just stroll through the center of campus to explore offerings from notable Valley (and visiting) artists.
• Festival of Nations. Another lunch or snack option, right behind Maag Library.
• SMARTS drum circle there. I wouldn’t miss it.
• McDonough Museum of Art. YWCA’s 28th Annual Women Artists.
• Children’s Hands-On Art Projects. Family friendly? You bet.
• Youngstown Historical Center of Industry and Labor. Enjoy free admission to the “Steel Museum” at 151 West Wood Street.
• Steel Valley Voices Workshop. “Exploring Family History: Interviews and Storytelling” at Maag Library.
• Hourly programs at Ward Beecher Planetarium
• Live performances all day long

Now, when you’ve gotten your fill, head downtown for the 7pm Youngstown Jazz Festival in Central Square. You can buy a ticket at the Summer Festival of the Arts.

Rest well Saturday night, because it’s all happening again Sunday. With the notable addition of the Tour of the Valley professional bicycle race going on downtown. We really enjoyed watching this last year, and you can sit out on the street enjoying food and refreshments from your favorite West Federal Street establishments.

There are several races in progressive levels of competition. Here’s the schedule:

1. Men Cat 4/5 – 9am
2. Masters 40+ – 9:45am
3. Juniors – 9:48am
4. Men Cat 3 – 10:45am
5. Pro Women 1/2/3 & Women Cat 4 – 12pm
6. Pro Men 1/2 – 1:10pm

$20,000 in prizes are up for grabs!

Get downtown this weekend and enjoy the epic weekend. Look forward to seeing you there!

Looking to fill the newly renovated Realty Tower apartments, The Frangos Group has hit upon a new approach: corporate apartments. It’s a perfect use of the space, and they’re finding some takers. There are a limited number of available for the Extended Stay program, targeting executives and visiting professors. For a minimum stay of 30 days, a two-bedroom, two-bath apartment can be had for as little as $99.95 a day. And an Executive Junior Suite is as low as $87.95 per day.

If you’re looking to move in as a residential tenant, Frangos is offering a rent special of 10% off plus two months free. Check it out.

Dvorak’s Seventh Symphony (Scherzo)

Bernstein Symphonic Suite from West Side Story

Hindemith’s incredible “Six Chansons”

Puccini’s La Boheme (last part of Act 1)

Prokofiev’s Fifth Symphony (opening movement)

Shostakovich Eighth Symphony (third movement)

Mozart wind serenade “Gran Partita” (Adagio)

Percy Grainger (a few piano tunes)

If you’re out of range, you can listen online at http://www.wysu.org

[Edit 4/29: In response to a number of location requests, here's a map of the Ward Bakery and Calvin Center locations on Mahoning Avenue.]

More importantly for the local scene, however, is what’s going on in the downtown arts district Saturday and Sunday:

Artists of the Mahoning Commons Open House

Ward Bakery Building, 1024 Mahoning Ave., Noon to 5pm, Saturday/Sunday

Spring Open Studio and Art Sale Youngstown Area Artists will have their working studio spaces open for your viewing and shopping pleasure. Featuring: Painting, jewelry, sculpture, pottery, fiber art, glass, mixed-media, drawing, prints, photography and custom woodwork by over 30 Area Artists. (amcyoungstown.blogspot.com)

My favorite part about this particular open house is the preview of Jaci’s studio. Very exciting! Please come down and check it out.

Calvin Center Idea Incubator

755 Mahoning Ave., Saturday, Noon to Midnight and Sunday, Noon to 5pm

Grand Opening Festival as Youngstown’s newest venue for theater, art, and music, hosting the Artists of the Rust Belt Market and an exhibition by Art Youngstown. Tapas-style food from area restaurants and a selection of beer will be available. Indie Wax Records and “Viking” Jim Allgren (The Home Grown Show on 93.3 The Wolf) will be providing the musical entertainment for the weekend’s event. During the daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, Viking Jim will act as DJ – providing the sounds of great local musicians as he does every Sunday on his radio show.

The main event will take place on Saturday night starting at 8pm and ending at Midnight, the line up includes; Sam Goodwill, Braille, Fillmore Jive, Sick As Me and Tigerstyle. On Saturday, starting at 8pm a $3 cover charge will be added – 18 years old and over may attend providing a photo I.D. before entry.

Artists of the Rust Belt will also be conducting a Chance Auction that will consist of items from the artists participating in the event. Three FREE tickets for the Chance Auction will be given to any one who rode his or her bicycle to the event! A FREE Bicycle Valet will be provided! The Rust Belt Theater Company (which is housed in The Calvin Center) will be providing atmospheric performances that will pop up in the most unusual of places throughout Saturday and Sunday.

B&O Station

Saturday and Sunday, Noon to 8pm

Rust Belt Brewing Co. brewery tours and tastings. rustybrew.com

Other Participating Venues

Rockview Christian Church, 925 Mahoning Ave. (Hungarian Bacon Fry Sunday, Noon to 5pm)

Davis Education & Visitor Center at Fellow Riverside Gardens (blown glass exhibition Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 5pm)

The Lemon Grove, 122 W Federal Plaza (music, painting, graphic design)

Star Supply Bargain Outlet, 875 Mahoning Ave. (Youngstown’s 2nd Great Wonder)

Getting Around

Too much to take in? Don’t despair! Purple Cat shuttle service is provided between Noon and 5pm both days.

See you there!

One year out of college, I found myself sitting in the executive offices in the global headquarters of one of the most profitable companies in the world. I was only a vendor there, of course, but it felt heady at the time, and helped me to confront any nervousness about dealing with C-level executives.

After that, I took a position as IT training manager at the U.S. Army Office of The Surgeon General and created custom courses and delivered classroom and one-on-one training in Falls Church. I still remember sitting in a colonel’s office while, at the top of his lungs, he spat profanities through the phone at a subordinate across the globe before turning to me with utmost politeness to start our training.

I faced far less fearful circumstances in opening the YBI’s Learning Lab @ Semple last month with a session covering free Web tools for building and maintaining a Web site. The attendees came with great questions and exciting use cases for putting the tools to use.

This month’s topic is even more exciting. Last fall, I taught a 90-minute course on search engine optimization (SEO) that was well received. The biggest complaint was the lack of time to really cover all the issues presented. Tuesday’s course is a full morning, from 8 til noon, and we’ll cover SEO from A to Z.

I like to call it SEO for CEOs, because we’ll focus on the strategy for getting highly ranked in Google:

Professionally, I’ve had a surge of projects in 2010 that has kept me from blogging actively. I’ve added about a dozen clients in about as many weeks, and I’m trying to spend spare time with family and friends.

Personally, I’m just so grateful to be in Youngstown right now. The economic development news has been incredible, and the cherry on the top is the announcement that Site Selection magazine has named Ohio tops in capital investment projects for the fourth consecutive year. (Governor Strickland would be wise to build his campaign around this trophy.) And Youngstown’s V&M Star Steel deal tops the list.

More jobs have come in through Revere Data at the YBI, importing jobs from India to Youngstown (is that the first time the phrase “importing jobs from India” has been uttered?).

VXI is adding jobs. A third shift is coming to Lordstown. I’m told there’s more steel jobs news in the future, in addition to Severstal’s Warren restart. Clearly regional cooperation, a skilled workforce and site affordability are keys to attracting these investments.

What’s personally gratifying about this is a fulfillment of a conversation I had with two friends more than two years ago. One worked in criminal justice in Youngstown, another in technology research in Columbus, and I worked for a company in Virginia, traveling one week per month to DC for meetings. We talked about how cool it would be for the three of us to all have jobs downtown. That has now happened. Phil is at the MVOC, John is in the Semple Building, and I’m at the YBI.

A tip of the hat is in order to all Defenders of Youngstown, working to make it a better place. That includes those in City Hall, at YSU, the Regional Chamber, YBI, the Wean Foundation, and countless others. Even though J.J. Cafaro is still trying to mire the region in corruption, we’ve moved on and are fashioning a new story for the Valley.

Yes, we’ve got a ways to go until everyone has a job with a living wage, but we’ve got the map, we’ve got hold of the wheel, and we’re gaining speed. Enjoy the ride!

Some information about the program:

Overview:  The GoodGuides Youth Mentoring Program of Youngstown is part of a national initiative by Goodwill Industries International. Youngstown GoodGuides is one of 56 Goodwill organizations that received funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The program is designed to promote opportunity and positive choices for youth who are at-risk for delinquency.

Purpose: To engage youth in positive activities with adult mentors who are strong role models in an effort to help teens finish school and transition into productive careers.

Community Development: The GoodGuides program strives to empower youth to become involved in the resurgence of the Mahoning Valley by encouraging student participants to become active members of their community and exposing them to the positive developments taking place in the area.

Targeted Youth: At-risk youth ages 12 through 17 in the Mahoning Valley. Their backgrounds are varied, but many live in unstable homes or homes where adult supervision is not available during large portions of the day. They are looking for guidance, support, and a positive way to be a part of their community.

Types of Mentoring: GoodGuides mentors can mentor youth in a one-on-one relationship, or can engage in group mentoring with small groups of young people (five or less).

Role of Volunteer Mentor:

• Serve as a positive role model and friend; model desirable behavior
• Build the relationship by planning and participating in activities together
• Explore career opportunities with mentee
• Expose youth to accomplishments and events in the Mahoning valley in an effort to keep educated young people interested in the area
• Help mentee build self-esteem and motivation
• Help set goals and support youth as they work toward accomplishing them
• Be comfortable and able to establish appropriate boundaries with the mentee and his or her family

Service Requirements

• Make a one-year commitment
• Spend a minimum of four hours per month with your mentee(s)
• Communicate with mentee on a weekly basis
• Keep track of and report time spent with your mentee
• Communicate with the Program Manager or Master Mentor at least monthly
• Attend ongoing training and mentor group meetings
• Adhere to all program policies and procedures
• Be dependable and consistent in meeting the time commitments
• Attend special events and recognition events as available
• Complete surveys as asked and ensure youth complete surveys as asked

About the open house:
Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries
2747 Belmont Avenue
Youngstown, OH 44505 US
1pm-4pm

The GoodGuides staff will be in attendance to answer questions and discuss the purpose and goals of the mentoring program. The staff is looking for adults in the area to serve as mentors to young people who are at-risk for delinquency. Also, youth referral forms will be available to interested parties.

Refreshments will be provided.

Anderson will be the first woman, the first Youngstown native, and the first YSU graduate to serve as president in YSU’s 102–year history.

I applaud her goal that “internship programs absolutely are going to have to be expanded.” She even goes so far as to suggest “it’s going to be a graduation requirement” to have at least one completed. Applied learning is one of the best contributions a university can make to build its students pre-career experience.

Anderson cites YSU’s need to develop new programs for both graduates and undergraduates, but more importantly she recognizes the University’s role in economic development.

Ohio’s plans for higher education require state universities to be a force in local and regional economic development, she said, adding that she is ready to actively pursue that plan.

YSU faculty and students can absolutely lead the way in being catalysts for economic development in Northeast Ohio, she said.

If Dr. Anderson is serious about this, there are two steps she can take immediately that will prove it.

YSU developed a plan for restoring the Wick-Pollock Inn that includes demolition of the back section of the house and redeveloping somewhere around twenty guest rooms, including conference and (I presume) dining facilities. This year, that plan changed abruptly to have YSU’s president reside there. This decision misses a real need: where in Youngstown are there available guest rooms for visitors to campus and downtown businesses? Nowhere. YSU has had to cancel conferences due to the lack of hotel space within walking distance of downtown, and there’s no solution in sight without the Wick-Pollock being used as an inn.

Meanwhile, while setting up the YSU president in on-campus lodging is laudable, the campus’s expanded footprint provides more compelling choices than the Wick-Pollock, especially considering the opportunity to leverage the facility as an inn. Why not restore a home in Smoky Hollow, whose development goes in conjunction with a plan being developed by Wick Neighbors?

Better yet, why not take over one of the historic mansions in Wick Park and use YSU’s economic development powers to help restore the Park to its former glory? Investment in Wick Park makes sense for YSU, because of a concern for the safety of its many students who live in dorms and apartments within surrounding blocks. It also makes sense in terms of what the spacious houses there offer, similar to the Wick-Pollock.

To sum up, Dr. Anderson should:

1) Revert plans for the Wick-Pollock for use as an inn. Sports teams traveling to campus can be put up there. Visiting lecturers, parents and business travelers will complement the target customer base.

2) Restore a home in Wick Park and invest in the neighborhood to suit. This expands the areas available for students to live safely, as the surrounding blocks will receive additional monitoring from campus police and both YSU’s and private investment in nearby dorms and apartments will be supported. This helps the community, as Wick Park is a key asset to both downtown and the north side, not to mention the entire region.

Many folks have made the leap of doing business in downtown Youngstown. The names that resonate with most of the leaders and the public are the Lou Frangoses, the bank buyers, and the boutique business incubator-tech groups.

They pour into downtown with investors and technical research and sizable government backing.

A guy such as Harver pours in with a lot of heart.

I especially like his suggestion of a Coffee Summit.

Given the distraction of the punch and recognizing what the Grove is all about, I think there’s a potential for this episode to be further examined once the dust settles.

Thomas’ dustup with Hagan had threads of race, generations, Youngstown, bad judgment, aggression, etc., that would make for a great group dialogue at the Grove.

And it would be great to have two people on stage leading the chat — Hagan and Thomas.

I was concerned about the felony assault charge for a young man with a good reputation and no prior incidents. Today’s welcome news is that the conflict has been settled with a reduced plea, a fine and a handshake.

After Hagan and Thomas addressed the court, the men took a moment to shake hands and exchange pleasantries at the rear of the courtroom.

Thomas also hugged Hagan’s daughter, who was knocked down during the altercation at the downtown nightspot.

Hagan waived any claim to restitution for damages suffered in the altercation.

“The defendant has indicated an apology, and I have accepted that apology,” Hagan said. “I think it’s best that we just move on, both with his life and my life.”

Concerning the Night of the 6th

On February 6th, coinciding with the Lemon Grove 6 month anniversary, Brandon Martin had a show entitled “Shock and Awe,” featuring dancers, musicians, actors, and poets. Since graduating from the the Theater Department at YSU, Brandon has been a great resource to Youngstown arts and culture. In 2009 he started the organization UN ACT devoted to exposing and educating children and adults to the wonders of the arts.

Monica Beasley Martin, Brandon’s mother, an AME pastor, and veteran of the Youngstown Playhouse, was emceeing the event.

Among the performers for the evening were EOS Whole Fitness and Dorian Thomas. EOS is a studio on Belmont Avenue that is a space for yoga and belly dance. Their belly dance is not of a lewd variety, but in the words of proprietor Jennifer Neal, “this particular form of dance is actually rooted in ancient spirituality, and it supports, strengthens, and connects people of all races, genders, sizes, ages, and religions.”

Dorian Thomas is a local artist, who performed in the play “Lucasville” in New York City and in many local shows with other Youngstown actors.  From talking to those who have worked with him, he seems to have no known incidents of antisocial behavior, previous to this evening.

Though the Lemon Grove has an elevated stage, its size is not conducive to dance pieces. All the dance performances took place on the dance floor in front of the stage. Dorian Thomas had already danced his piece, when EOS went on to perform at approximately 11:15pm. The cafe was filling up at this point, though still significantly within its 134 capacity, and more patrons clustered around to see EOS perform their dance. It is reported that the Thomas family was becoming more and more agitated with the fact that people were standing around the performance area and obstructing the view from their chairs. Had they asked me or anyone on the staff to, we would have accommodated any requests to make the show more visible to them, though they had no disabilities preventing them from standing like everyone else.

It is into this scene that Rep. Hagan, Mrs. Hagan, daughter Natalia, and friends entered the Lemon Grove. In joining into the cluster of people they too obstructed the view of the Thomas’ family table. Witnesses report Mrs. Thomas was becoming more angrily adamant about people to move. By the nature of the cluster of people and the music playing it is impossible to know an exact transcription of what words were said, but Rep. Hagan said something to the effect of that it is crowded and there is no way she will be able to see from her seat. The Thomas family believes that Rep. Hagan was being belligerent to them, though this is not corroborated by anyone else surrounding them. Dorian Thomas then got in Rep. Hagan’s face, and Rep. Hagan told him to back away. Then Dorian swung, landing a punch on Rep. Hagan’s chin sending him to the floor. Natalia Hagan, Rep. Hagan’s daughter got into the fray to protect her father, while Lemon Grove team member Nick Celio pulled Dorian back and began to escort him out the door of the Lemon Grove. Dorian’s father then forcefully pushed Natalia to the ground onto her father. Mrs. Thomas pulled put a taser and is reported to have fired it but did not hit anyone with it.

Ironically, as this was occurring I, the owner of the Lemon Grove, in understanding that it was beginning to be difficult for patrons to see, was behind the EOS dancers on stage setting up a camcorder and projector so that more people could witness the dance. I heard a commotion arise above the music and then saw Nick Celio escorting Dorian out the door. I jumped the half wall in between the door and stage to go outside with the two to see what was happening. Nick was yelling at him leave the premises and he started to walk down the street while his father came outside.

For this to happen to anyone is in excusable. It is all the more unfortunate for it to happen to Rep. Hagan, who has been such a staunch supporter of the Lemon Grove and other downtown businesses. Rep. Hagan’s position as an elected official played no role in this conflict. His daughter Natalia has been a wonderful employee at the Lemon Grove and continues to work when she is home from college.

An act of violence such as this is the antithesis of what the Lemon Grove represents. We are a cafe centered around the arts, whose mission is to provide a positive cultural and economic impact in downtown Youngstown. Though we serve alcohol, what we pride ourselves on is that it is not a “bar.” Rather it is a place where people can enjoy coffee, food, alcohol, art, and culture in an unparalleled atmosphere. So far we have lived up to this mission well and a random senseless act as this will not deter us from it.

Thank you,
Jacob Harver
president of The Lemon Grove
jacob@lemongrovecafe.com