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SAMPLE PIECES:
8-28-2014
Southside Meats open for business
Southside Meats,ran by Bruce Samples and located at 223 Parson Street, has officially been open for six
weeks now. While the word “meats” is included in the deli’s name, the store also includes fresh produce,
eggs, all dairy items, candles and a few alcohol choices.
The store is open Monday through Friday from 9-6:30pm, Saturday 9-4pm and is closed every Sunday.
They accept EBT and credit cards. If you have an item in mind you would like to preorder you can call
567-393-9301.
Also available are bundle deals. There are two options at the time for these the first including: 2 lb.
ground chuck, 3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, 3 lb. ground beef patties, 3 lb. chicken leg quarters, 1 lb. all
meat wieners, 1 lb. bacon and 1 lb. pork sausage for $45. The second option is 3 lb. boneless skinless
chicken breast, 3 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, 3 lb. ground chuck, 1 lb. beef stew meat, 3 lb. center cut
pork rib chops, 3 lb. country style pork ribs, 2 lb. bratwurst and 1 lb. bacon for $65.
All the meat is freshly cut by Samples and the ham salad being sold at the moment he also made. Another
helpful choice is the pre-made sandwiches for $2.75.
His bratwursts have gone international being sold in Mexico, Canada and Iraq. A few impressive meat
items that caught my eye included T-bone steaks for only $8.99/lb. and spare ribs.
The bratwursts were actually sold at the recent Bratwurst Festival a few weeks back sold to raise money
for Winford Schools. Samples also donated a few meat and cheese trays to the United Way fundraiser
being ran by the American Red Cross.
Samples and his wife have been in the deli business for over 5 years and decided to open a store in Galion
because they noticed a lack of businesses on the eastside. Both graduated from Galion and are very happy
to dedicate some time to help improve the city.
After describing his history with Galion and his previous store experience, he said, “I really pride myself
on knowing my customer’s name.” He wants his customers to feel comfortable with him and to have a
true relationship with them.
Samples noted that the people of the community are extremely important to him. Without them, he would
not have a business. He pointed out that after being the business for 44 years,his catchphrase has become:
“My competitor wants your business; I want you as my customer.”
08-22-2014
Fun times at the Golden Age Center

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The Golden Age Center, also known as the Galion Senior Activities Center,hosted an open house on
Wednesday, August 20. The Center holds events and activities via their own fundraising with no help
from federal, state,or city funding. The open house was a hit with tables set up by the members and board
of the Center along with a few volunteers.
For those who were not able to attend, or that did but want more information, Director Danita Holbrook
provided some event information to help.
While it is encouraged for those 55 and over to get memberships ($24 a year), there are many activities
still for those who do not have one. First off, every Monday through Friday the Crawford County Council
on Aging hosts meals for anyone 60 and over. They also provide transportation to anywhere in the county
and can be found in the Golden Age Center’s parking lot in between stops.
The second floor of the Center is a gymnasium and if you would like to only use it, you can get a walking
membership which is $12 a year. For kids and their families, the Center is open on Fridays and Saturdays
for skating beginning in September and dance classes (kids only) are held every Tuesday during the
school year. Both of these activities are located on the second floor.
The building itself is available to rent for parties. Every Tuesday and Thursday there are Euchre
tournaments at 1:00 that are “pay to play.” Also on the last Thursday of every month, there is a musical
show of all different genres.
If you are interested in any of these events, or in becoming a member, you can contact the Golden Age
Center at 419-468-5152. They also have “The Golden Nugget” newsletter which informs you of all
upcoming events, both for members and non-members.
08-22-2014
County parks featured on TrekOhio site
The Crawford Park District meeting began with a picture show and acknowledgment that the website
“TrekOhio” has pictures and information of Crawford County's parks. Click here to view the page.
CPD Naturalist Josh Dyer,who had shown the pictures and website, then pulled up a picture of a
helicopter that flew around Galion yesterday. A blade hanging from the helicopter was used to trim the
trees.
CPD Director Bill Fisher then went through the Revenue Account and Appropriation Reports and noted
that everything is normal and the park is doing well financially.
A donation of the WeatherBug Weather Station by the Friends Trustees was approved and accepted as
well as an increase in Local Government Funds. Both are expected to be extremely helpful to the park.
New business for the board to discuss began with a nod towards construction picking up again for the
maintenance building. The first draw of $12,000 has been paid. Also, materials for repairs to the Nature
Center have been delivered; some of the building's siding has deteriorated and there is water damage
around the bird room.

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With school starting up, it was noted that weekday evenings will be cut starting in September. This being
said, there will still be after school activities for all ages.
Moving on to park events, the Water Carnival was a success with an attendance count of 150.
Immediately after the Water Carnival, the park also hosted Timken Camp, a camp for the children and
grandchildren of Bucyrus Timken employees. By keeping the water activities available, the kids were
able to have an even more enjoyable time and Fisher noted it showed good community partnership.
Continuing with working together as a community, the Crestline Patio Gardeners’ “Garden Therapy”
program hosted at the Nature Center was also a success. Chairperson Judi Saurers was responsible for the
event, and it was declared that the decorations done by the club members were very nice.
The meeting opened to the floor and Board member Kyle Hartman asked about the pavilion being built in
New Washington.
Dyer explained how it was Buckeye Central Science teacher,Marianne Williamson’s idea. The pavilion is
being called an Outdoor Learning Center and is open to students and community members. Also, Boy
Scout Troop 304 has just completed a pavillion at the Galion City Schools campus. Both schools let the
Park District know that any members of our community can utilize these pavilions.
The Park District meeting adjourned and the Friends of the Park meeting began. This meeting was strictly
financial.
It was noted that memberships are doing well and the community is continuing to support the park. When
asked, CPD Secretary PattiSchiefer noted that to become a member all it takes is a donation. Pamphlets
with more information are available in the Nature Center.
08-11-2014
Cookbooks this month, craft books the next
Friday, August 8, the Galion Public Library hosted a “donation only” cookbook sale. Run by the Friends
of the Library, the sale was a hit! In just the first hour, customers were walking out with boxes of books.
All donations made from this sale were then given back to the library to help fund special programs and
events.
The Friends are extremely helpful for the library, and anyone can join. More specialized prices can be
found online, but for a regular member it costs $5 a year. The benefits involve being able to attend an
event/sale early to have first pick on the items there. This was especially helpful for those who attended
the cookbook sale! Lines were outside waiting for the doors to open.
Fortunately, for those who were not able to attend the cookbook sale, the same generous donor of them
also donated sewing/craft books that will be a part of another “donation only” sale on September 24. All
cookbooks that were left over from Friday’s sale will be available during that sale as well. Remember,if
you become a Friend you can catch these books before they are all gone!

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08-07-2014
Parks and Streets Committee discusses ways to improve
There was a lot to discuss at the Parks and Streets Committee meeting Thursday, August 7. Committee
Chair Shirley Clark started the meeting off discussing a petition to close half of the alley on South Boston
Street between 618 and 620. The board pointed out that there is no reason to prevent it, but they
contemplated how to go about it. After a few minutes, it was decided that everything needs to start at
zoning and making sure that all other adjacent buildings comply with the change.
Next on the agenda was a discussion about Heise Park’s pesky groundhogs. Clark pointed out that last
year the problem was solved by concrete slabs and wires inserted around the grounds to protect the trees
and the cabin (which the groundhogs are destroying). Before that action can be taken, though, there is a
need for a trapper as the committee in no way wants to kill the groundhogs. Volunteers are encouraged,
but they are planning to contact Ohio Wildlife in the near future.
The committee then brought up a new motion for the Galion family pool pass. Planning on delivering it to
the council next week, it was decided that the new wording for the pass shall be thus: a Household pass
will include two adults and up to four children under the age of eighteen of the same residence with a
charge of $5 per additional child per season. Sarah Capretta,member of the committee, pointed out: “It
needs to be simple and up to [the pool’s] discretion.”
Terry Gribble, executive director of the Galion YMCA,pointed out that out of the 169 passes sold this
past year, 117 were family. At the same time, Gribble also pointed out a decline in profit. This could
possibly be from the weather,or it could be from the bad publicity. It was then decided that this is the best
way to go about the situation and was voted to go before the council.
Opening up to the floor, an idea for mud volleyball was presented by Gina Powell, along with Kelsey
Eaton and Jeremy Makeever. They came fully prepared with documentations on rules, dimensions, prices
and liability wavers. The plan would be for it to involve only those 18 and up, and the costs being $10 a
player. There would be three courts (preferably, with the new location behind the Galion YMCAthey are
looking at,Gribble suggested that there may only be room for two) and six players on each side with the
option of a roster up to ten.
Eaton pointed out that mud volleyball is very profitable and well-managed in Tiro and Plymouth and
thought that it might even bring more revenue to local businesses. The first location suggested seemed to
have unavoidable and costly concerns, but when the placement behind the YMCAwas brought up, more
seemed to be onboard with there being bathrooms and electricity access. The main issue then turned to
how the courts would be drained, an issue which will probably be more easily focused on once the
committee presents the idea to the council within the next month.

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08-04-2014
The Phantasmagorical Steampunk Extravaganza
In just one hour, Jim Kleefeld took his audience from 19th
century London, through two separate
fantastical wars,all the way to a Wonderland that no one could truly deny having seen before. This past
Thursday, the Galion Public Library, led by Heather Tiffany, Children’s Librarian and head of the
Children and Teens’ Activities, hosted The Phantasmagorical Steampunk Extravaganza. Tiffany
encouraged the kids to attend, and at the back of the room had steampunk books out and organized for
those who wanted to hurry up and start reading after the presentation. The presentation itself aimed to
show teens what steampunk is and why it matters. Combining education with magic, Kleefeld showed
how our history and steam-powered inventions can still be very entertaining.
Throughout his presentation, Kleefeld made note of authors such as Scott Westerfield (“Leviathan”),
Jason Anderson (“Gears of Wonderland”), and, of course,H. G. Wells (“The Invisible Man”). He
combined the synopsis of each story with a magic trick involving a member or two of the audience. The
first was a trick very similar to “Pick a Card,” except much more important, considering the person was
inevitably choosing which side of Scott Westerfield’s World War I he or she would be fighting for. The
audience member would choose a symbol that best described his or her personality—or simply the one he
or she liked best—and Kleefeld would guess it and tell which army was suitable. One young man was
declared by Kleefeld to be a “born leader,” only to become a “five-star general” for the Steam-Power
army, as he had been found to have picked the star as his symbol.
Another trick was simply turning on a light bulb, except not so simple. Kleelfeld started by plugging in a
board with four light bulbs attached and connected to four switches. He proceeded to individually turn on
each light bulb. After turning each one back off, he unscrewed the light bulbs and switched their
positions, pointing out to the audience that each bulb had a different colored tape on it that matched one
of the switches. He then proved that no matter where the bulbs were,the color-coordinated switch worked
only with its matching bulb. To shock the crowd further, he then unscrewed the switches and moved them
around as well; still, the same thing happened. This trick relates back to a previous one which was based
off of the radiometer invented by Sir Williams Crookes. The object used is called Crookes Residual
Ectometron, and as shown by Kleefeld, the wheel will continue to turn even with the battery removed to
create enough energy to turn on the light bulb.
A few last attempts to encourage his audience to read included discussing a steampunk trilogy he
described as graphic novels. Branching off of the graphic novel interest, he mentioned his son, Sean
Kleefeld, author of “Comic Book Fanthropology,” who used this book to look into the minds and lives of
comic book readers a part of fandoms. The idea of this book entertained the audience, and if they did not
look for the trilogy after the presentation, it is still very possible they looked for Sean Kleefeld’s novel. It
is fair to say that maybe not all of the audience members were readers,but Jim Kleefeld was still able to
entertain them with the stories told out loud and his nifty gadgets.