Earth Day Moving to Franklin Park from Goodale Park for 2010

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com Columbus’ Annual Earth Day Celebration will be ringing in the new decade with a relocation from Goodale Park to Franklin Park. This year’s event will be titled “The Update” and consists of both large-scale volunteer efforts as well as a celebratory festival of what is to be accomplished. The volunteerism aspect will take place on April 17th and 18th at various worksites located throughout the city, while the festival takes place on April 22nd at Franklin Park. The event is organized by Green Columbus, who have set this year’s goal at engaging 10,000 volunteers and making the Columbus Earth Day efforts the largest in the nation. If you’d like more information on getting involved, visit Update2010.org.

My friend, Doug Whaley's unexpected new heart leads him into new decade.

clipped from www.snponline.com * Whaley was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition that keeps the heart from pumping properly and can lead to blood clots and stroke. By KATHLEEN L. RADCLIFF Published: Tuesday, January 5, 2010 10:01 AM EST Douglas Whaley has been ringing in 2010 with a heart full of gratitude. Whaley, 66, received a new heart as he underwent heart transplant surgery Nov. 23 at the Ross Heart Hospital at the Ohio State University Medical Center. Dublin resident Douglas Whaley was scheduled to receive a heart transplant sometime in 2010, but on morning of the day before Thanksgiving, Whaley received a call from the hospital indicating that they had a heart ready for him, and asked if he could make it to the hospital within 40 minutes. He did, and is now recovering well from the procedure.

To celebrate the gift of life -- despite a few complications that landed him back in the hospital -- Whaley went ahead with a previously planned "New Year, New Heart" party with 30 guests. They included his son and daughter-in-law flying in for the occasion, on New Year's Eve, said Rachel Lewis, Lifeline of Ohio media relations and community outreach coordinator.

"Despite Doug's bump in the road, he and his family were still celebrating -- the party still went on, and he called in from the hospital and was put on speaker phone around 11:30 p.m. to wish everyone a happy New Year," Lewis said via e-mail Monday, Jan. 4.

She said Whaley, of Dublin, was scheduled to be discharged from the hospital Jan. 4.

"When he called, he told his friends, 'Your problem is -- you're all in the wrong place, the party is in Room 5004 at Ross Heart Hospital. Get down here right away,' " Lewis said.

Lifeline of Ohio is the not-for-profit organ procurement organization that promotes and coordinates organ and tissue donation in Central and Southeastern Ohio.

Organ and tissue donation provides a second chance at life for thousands of Americans waiting for a transplant, Lewis said.

The road to a new heart for Whaley began in 1999, when the former OSU law professor realized something was amiss.

"I knew something was wrong back in 1999, because my heart started beating way too fast," he said via e-mail. "That sent me to the emergency room."

Whaley was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition that keeps the heart from pumping properly and can lead to blood clots and stroke, Lewis said.

His condition continued to worsen, and impeded him from completing simple tasks or walking more than 20 feet. In January 2009, Whaley was put on a pacemaker and listed for a heart transplant.

Doctors told him it likely would take at least a year before a heart would be available for him, so he braced himself for a long journey, he said.

"I knew I was dying," Whaley said. "I quit buying clothes, making long-term plans and concentrated on living long enough for the transplant."

As recently as October, Whaley said, he was told the operation would not occur until sometime in 2010.

Whaley said he was working on his computer the morning of Nov. 23, when he received the phone call for which he thought he would have to wait a while longer.

"Mr. Whaley, we have a heart for you," was the message, he said. "It's the most startling sentence I've heard in my life."

"It is one thing, however, to appreciate a possible next year's heart transplant sometime in the future, and quite another to get the call and think -- today, they're going to rip me open, take my heart and replace it with another," he said.

"I have never driven as carefully as I did going to the hospital 10 minutes later."

"Now, I have a life again, and that is a miracle," he said.

Whaley said his surgeon came by days later and told him when he first saw his new heart, he thought, "That's a beautiful heart."

A nurse who watched his surgery said the heart removed was three times the size of his new heart.

"I was home and happy eight days later," he said. "So, from being on the verge of dying, I am filled with life again."

Whaley said he plans to write the heart donor's family early in 2010.

"They must be allowed a period for their grief," he said. "I do hope the letter will enable them to find some sort of closure.

"Whether they reply or not is irrelevant."

In addition to his party, as well as acting and directing in local theater productions, Whaley said he looks forward to an upcoming trip he didn't think he was going to be able to make anytime soon. It will be a trip to Las Vegas with his nephew Aaron, a student at Miami University who turns 21 in July.

"I have been going to Vegas for decades and know the place well," he said, adding his sister and ex-partner both live in the city.

"I never thought this trip would take place because of declining health, but I sent an e-mail to Aaron, and we are in the process of picking a date for next summer," Whaley said.

"Doug is one of the lucky ones," Lewis said.

"There are more than 105,000 Americans waiting for a transplant and, sadly, 18 men, women and children die every day waiting."

For more information about organ and tissue donation, visit lifelineofohio.org or call 1-800-525-5667.

Columbus Underground: Best Neighborhood of 2009 in Central Ohio...Short North

clipped from www.columbusunderground.com For the second year in a row, The Short North has topped our reader’s poll as the best neighborhood of the year. Whether you call the area home, or just enjoy spending time as a visitor, the Short North has just about anything you could ask for. 2009 was a very transformational year for the neighborhood as well, as some businesses closed (Rosendales, Counter Culture, East Village, Four Winds, Norka Futon, Lux de Vie, etc) and others opened (Go Figure Consignment, Sandbox, Basil Thai, Level, Late Night Slice, Undone, Big Rock Little Rooster, Bakery Gingham, Funky & Functional, Impero Coffee, etc). Best Neighborhoods of 2009: Short North Clintonville German Village Grandview Heights Victorian Village Downtown Olde Towne East Harrison West Italian Village The Arena District

Hilltop opens arms to casino in Central Ohio

clipped from www.dispatchpolitics.com People at other proposed sites also support West Side as alternative to Arena District Tuesday, January 5, 2010 3:09 AM By Robert Vitale THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH There's not much of a battle brewing among Columbus neighborhoods that have been mentioned as potential hosts for a casino whose developers no longer insist on an Arena District address. Business owners and neighborhood leaders on the Hilltop say they'd gladly welcome Penn National Gaming Inc. to the city's West Side. Those in Franklinton and Polaris, two other areas suggested to the company last week by Mayor Michael B. Coleman, say they'd like to see the Hilltop play host, too. From left, P.J., Chris and Bob Haydocy raise a banner at their family's auto dealership that says "the BEST Side is the WEST SIDE" and welcoming Penn National Gaming. City leaders say they won't push a casino on any part of Columbus that doesn't want it -- and so far, the Hilltop is the only neighborhood actively promoting itself.

"It's the spark we need for critical-mass redevelopment," said Chris Haydocy, president of his family's 55-year-old car dealership on W. Broad Street, just east of a former auto-parts plant and a largely vacant shopping mall that made the mayor's list.

"The West Side has not had any public-private investment in the last quarter-century," he said. "There haven't been lots of folks banging our drum."

A sign outside Haydocy Pontiac Buick GMC that proclaims "the BEST Side is the WEST SIDE" reflects more than pride in an area of Columbus that often feels forgotten. Haydocy played host to a meeting in December that he said resulted in "near-unanimous" support for a casino, and he has delivered casino-welcoming petitions to businesses.

The Hilltop Area Commission will lead a neighborhood discussion tonight that could result in an official stand on the issue. Chairman Chuck Patterson, who also backs a Hilltop casino, has said the organization will support whatever position is taken by a majority of residents.

Arena District residents and investors have helped form a group to push for a location outside their neighborhood. About 50 people, most living in Downtown condominiums and opposed to a casino in the Arena District, questioned leaders of Stand Up Columbus! last night about their legal options.

So far, the group's Web site has gathered more than 1,000 online signatures of opposition, said Lisa Griffin, spokeswoman for the group. Mike Curtin, Dispatch associate publisher emeritus, is one of the organization's co-chairmen.

Meanwhile, one Polaris neighborhood leader said yesterday that he anticipates traffic problems if a casino were opened in his area. Coleman didn't specify a Polaris location in his memo last week to Penn National President Tim Wilmott, but some have speculated that the former Germain Amphitheater is a potential spot.

"Up here, I'm not sure it would go over well," said Dan Province, president of the Far North Columbus Communities Coalition, who cited similar complaints against the amphitheater that closed in 2007.

Lisa Indest, vice president of finance for Glimcher Realty Trust, which owns Polaris Fashion Place, called Coleman's suggestion of a Polaris site too speculative for comment.

Some in Franklinton support putting a casino at Cooper Stadium, the Franklin County-owned former home of the Columbus Clippers. But Franklinton Area Commission Chair- woman Carol Stewart said she and a number of neighborhood residents think a Hilltop site would be better.

Arshot Investment Corp. hopes to turn the old baseball stadium into an auto-racing complex and has an option until May to buy the land. County Commissioner John O'Grady, who opposes an Arena District casino, said he would support West Side sites in need of an economic boost.

But O'Grady said he wants any local casino to be within Franklin County. A Polaris location would be in Delaware County, which would deprive Franklin County of the sales taxes generated by gift shops, restaurants and any accompanying development, O'Grady said.

Penn National spokesman Eric Schippers said yesterday that his company has time to consider the Hilltop and other alternate sites but still favors whatever option offers the quickest timetable for construction.

Dispatch reporters Marla Matzer Rose and Dean Narciso contributed to this story.

Happy Holidays! A Holiday Video Message For You.

May all your wishes come true

November home sales in Central Ohio the highest in four years

clipped from columbusrealtors.com Renewable market optimistic as prices continue to stabilize The month of November saw home sales soar 59.5 percent from this time last year with 1,839 listings purchased. Not since 2005 have November numbers been so high. “Historically low interest rates and the tax credits for homebuyers put first time buyers in an ideal position to take advantage of the market,” said Gary Parsons, President of the Columbus Board of REALTORS®. “And with the expansion of the tax credit, we expect to see more renewable buyers enter the market in 2010.” When the $8000 tax credit was renewed in October, it was expanded to include a $6500 tax credit for homeowners who wish to purchase a new residence. Those renewable buyers, or current homeowners who wish to purchase a new house, have been slow to return to the market but Parsons notes that as prices continue to stabilize, more renewable buyers will find new homes.

The stabilization of home prices was reflected in the average home price of $145,589, an increase of 1.5 percent compared to November 2008.

To date, 2009 home sales are at 18,771, up 10.9 percent year-over-year. Homes spent an average of 92 days on the market, down 3.2 percent from this time last year and 1.1 percent lower than October’s average.

Columbus rolls back parking meter increases...at least for now

You can sign the petition here.

clipped from www.dispatch.com Officials say they want four to six months to study options Tuesday, December 15, 2009 2:37 PM By Mark Ferenchik THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Mayor Michael B. Coleman is rescinding the city's 50 percent parking meter rate hike for as long as six months to determine better ways to raise rates to back a new hotel and replace aging meters without angering small business owners. "He is essentially calling for a time out," Coleman's spokesman, Dan Williamson, said today, adding that the mayor remains committed to a rate increase. "What the mayor is signaling here is we're open to how we raise rates." City officials were stung by the reaction of Downtown and Short North business owners in particular who complained loudly that the rate hikes would hurt their businesses. John Angelo of the Short North Business Association has suggested extending meters hours to raise money for the hotel and new meters.

City officials will meet with an advisory panel made up of business owners and others to determine a solution.

"What the mayor would like to do is harness that energy in a positive way," Williamson said.

As of yesterday morning, an online petition circulated by the Citizens for a Collaborative Columbus Government had gathered 1,069 signatures to halt or reverse the rate increase.

That effort, spearheaded by Angelo and local restaurateur Elizabeth Lessner, is shooting for 2,000 signatures.

"Let's send a clear message to Meter Hike Mike," Angelo wrote in an e-mail today.

It appears Coleman heard the message loud and clear.

The city began raising rates at parking meters on Nov. 30. Crews will begin resetting the meters today or Wednesday, Williamson said.

Officials acknowledged last week they should have sought more input, but denied accusations that they misled people about the hike. They also said they would not rescind it.

Williamson said the city would ultimately raise rates next year.

He also said the city remains committed to providing $1.4 million though parking revenue to financially back, if needed, a Hilton hotel planned for a site across from the Greater Columbus Convention Center.

The city also plans to use money generated from the hike to replace 4,300 aging parking meters.