Andrea Kjerrumgaard/ThisWeek

Upper Arlington’s Alexandra Hedden advanced to the Division I state meet in the 100-yard freestyle. The girls team qualified for state in every event.

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Wednesday February 22, 2012 10:47 AM

Lauren Comer shattered the Division I district meet record in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 0.48 seconds on Feb. 18 at Ohio State, but don’t ask the senior for the Upper Arlington High School girls swimming and diving team to describe her swim.

“I don’t know how to explain it. I don’t even remember that race,” said Comer, who broke her previous record of 2:03 that she set in 2010. “I was just going for it. The 200 IM is my favorite event. It’s my senior year, and I wanted it so bad. I worked really hard this season and went out with a bang.”

Comer and the Golden Bears, who are seeking their eighth consecutive state title, dominated the district meet. UA scored 522 points to finish well ahead of Watterson and Thomas Worthington, which tied for second with 213 points.

The boys team also captured the district title, scoring 435 points to finish ahead of runner-up St. Charles (336.5).

Comer is seeded first in the 200 IM for the state meet on Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, at Branin Natatorium in Canton. Her closest competitor, Xenia’s Megan Carlson (2:03.57), is more than three seconds slower.

Between the boys and girls teams, UA qualified for state in every event except boys diving.

“Honestly, this is one of the best district performances we’ve ever had since I have been coaching at UA,” said girls coach Dan Peterkoski, who is in his ninth season. “The kids came in and were very focused. They knew what they had to do and really attacked their races.”

The girls team has the top seeds at state in four events after winning the events at district. In addition to the 200 IM, Comer is seeded first the 100 backstroke (55.66). The other top seeds belong to freshman Gracie Long in the 200 freestyle (1:49.9) and the 400 free relay of Long, Comer, sophomore Jenny Smith and senior Gabby Veri (3:27.21).

Also winning district titles were Smith in the 500 free (4:57.93, seeded fourth at state) and the 200 medley relay of Comer, senior Beth Long, senior Claire Van Fossen and Gracie Long (1:44.99, second).

Also qualifying for state were Smith in the 200 IM (2:06.16, third, 11th seed), Beth Long in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.9, second, 13th seed), Gracie Long in the 100 free (51.26, second, third seed), Van Fossen in the 100 butterfly (55.12, second, second seed) and 100 backstroke (57.72, seventh, 14th seed), Veri in the 50 free (23.78, second, fourth seed) and 100 free (51.84, third, fifth seed), junior Emily Annen in the 100 fly (58.04, eighth, 23rd), sophomore Julie Dierker in the 500 free (5:08.27, fourth, 19th seed), freshman Alexandra Hedden in the 100 free (53.16, eighth, 19th seed), sophomore Jamie Krupp eighth in the 100 breast (1:07, eighth, 23rd seed), freshman Emma Lammers in the 100 fly (57.39, fourth, 12th seed), junior Sarah Mamo in the 200 IM (2:07.35, fourth, 14th seed) and 100 breast (1:06.44, fifth, 18th seed), senior Jessica Miller in the 500 free (5:02.81, third, seventh seed), senior Emmie Piscopo in diving (428.4, fourth, ninth seed), sophomore Elizabeth Weldon in the 200 free (1:53.93, fourth, 11th seed) and 500 free (4:58.56, second, fifth seed) and the 200 free relay of Veri, Miller, Smith and Hedden (1:36.65, second, third seed).

The top two finishers in each swimming event at district automatically advanced to state. In addition, 16 at-large state berths were awarded for each swimming event based on district times statewide.

The top three finishers in boys diving and top four finishers in girls diving also advanced to state.

Sophomore Tom Trace was among the top performers for the boys team at district, winning the 100 back (50.84) and placing third in the 200 IM (1:55.34). He is seeded third at state in the 100 back and ninth in the 200 IM.

“(Winning the 100 back) is a really big accomplishment,” he said. “I’ve worked as hard as I could this whole season. I was thrilled to go that time.

“Last year I came in (to district) as an underdog. I was trying as hard as I could just to get (to state). This year I’m excited to make it back.”

Trace was one of seven district champions for the Bears. The others were senior Sean Neri, juniors Ian Reardon and Max Jelen and Trace in the 200 medley relay (1:35.18, sixth seed), Trace, junior Joey Long and seniors Adam Dodson and Andrew Rabe in the 200 free relay (1:25.81, sixth seed), Long, Rabe, Neri and senior Ryan Cutler in the 400 free relay (3:10.68, seventh seed), Reardon in the 200 IM (1:53.17, top seed), Neri in the 500 free (4:37.53, sixth seed) and Long in the 200 free (1:41.47, fourth seed).

Also qualifying for state were Cutler in the 200 free (1:44.64, third, 21st seed) and 100 fly (51.92, fifth, 15th seed), Jelen in the 100 fly (51.38, fourth, ninth seed) and 100 back (52.3, third, 10th seed), Long in the 500 free (4:41.9, second, 19th seed), Neri in the 100 back (52.62, fourth, 13th seed), sophomore Zach Newcome in the 500 free (4:42.61, fourth, 21st seed), Rabe in the 50 free (21.64, third, 18th seed) and 100 free (47.18, fifth, 16th seed) and Reardon in the 100 breast (58.56, third, 13th seed).

“We did our job,” boys coach Mike de Bear said. “You never want to take a district title for granted, but hopefully (this) week we have some more left in us for Canton.”

Article source: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/upperarlington/sports/2012/02/21/ua-squads-sweep-district-titles.html

Wednesday February 22, 2012 4:59 AM

Swimming and diving

State Championships

At Canton

Today’s schedule

9 a.m.: Boys Division II diving

2 p.m.: Girls Division II diving

Thursday’s schedule

9 a.m.: Boys Division I diving

5 p.m.: Girls and Boys Division II preliminaries

Friday’s schedule

9 a.m.: Girls and Boys Division I preliminaries

5 p.m.: Girls and Boys Division II finals

Saturday’s schedule

9 a.m.: Girls Division I diving

4 p.m.: Girls and Boys Division I finals

Hockey

District Tournament

At Ice Haus

Saturday’s quarterfinals: Springboro vs. Dublin Jerome (1), 1:30 p.m.; Dublin
Coffman (6) vs. Upper Arlington (3), 3:30 p.m.; Olentangy vs. Olentangy Liberty (2), 5:30 p.m.;
Olentangy Orange (4) vs. Cincinnati Moeller (5), 7:30 p.m.

Boys bowling

City League championship

Walnut Ridge 2,198, Centennial 1,635.

Medalist: Dye (WR) 469

Coaching vacancies

• Columbus International is seeking a head girls track. Contact athletic director Terry Nance at
tnance7472@columbus.k12.oh.us.

College signings

• Stevyn Spees of St. Charles will sign to run track and field at Army.

• Tiffany Bise of Logan Elm has signed to play softball at Rio Grande.

• Tayler Henegar of Thomas Worthington will sign to play womens soccer at Tennessee
Wesleyan.

Ticket Sales

• All-session and single-game tickets for the OHSAA boys and girls state basketball tournaments
are available through Ticketmaster or in person at the OSU ticket office at Schottenstein Center.
For information call 1-800-745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.

Article source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2012/02/22/high22-g0rg58u2-1.html

ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Wednesday February 22, 2012 8:52 AM

Relays have been the strength of the St. Charles Preparatory School swimming team for several years, and that dominance continued in the Division I district meet that concluded Feb. 18 at Ohio State.

The Cardinals advanced all three relays to the state meet, which will be held Thursday, Feb. 23, through Saturday, Feb. 25, at Branin Natatorium in Canton.

“It’s been a long time since we haven’t had a relay qualify, but as of a week ago, we were looking at not having any of them qualify,” coach Geoff Gear said. “We had to have a really good (district) meet just to get them through.”

The top two individuals and relays in each district event automatically advanced to state. In addition, 16 at-large berths were awarded in each event based on times from all the district meets.

The 200-yard medley relay of senior Alex Kocher, senior Chris D’Angelo, senior Ryan Doyle and junior Carl Calcara is seeded 15th at state with a time of 1 minute, 43.1 seconds. The performance was good for fourth at district.

The 200 freestyle relay of Cogan, Doyle, Calcara and senior Will Grodesky is seeded 16th at state in 1:27.73, good for second at district.

The 400 free relay of Cogan, Kocher, senior Jordan Krumpelman and senior Zach Poltor will be the 12th seed at state after finishing second at district in 1:27.73.

“It’s pretty exciting. This is my second year going (to state),” Poltor said. “It’s really a great atmosphere and I am looking forward to it. It’s really easy to swim fast there because everyone is so excited.”

Junior Nick McKinley advanced in two individual events — the 200 individual medley (1:55.83, 13th state seed) and the 100 breaststroke (58.93, 16th). Cogan also qualified in the 200 IM (1:55.83, 12th).

“Historically at the state meet, if you go in and duplicate what you have done (at district), you usually place pretty well,” Gear said. “A lot of kids tend to fall off (the) next week. You don’t even have to beat a third of the field to qualify for finals.”

At district, the Cardinals finished second (336.5) behind champion Upper Arlington (435).

Last year at state, St. Charles finished 16th (52) of 47 teams that scored and Cincinnati St. Xavier (312) won the title.

•The wrestling team will have four competitors in the Division I district tournament Friday, Feb. 24, and Saturday, Feb. 25, at Hilliard Darby.

The top four in each weight class will advance to the state tournament March 1-3 at Ohio State.

Freshman Tim Rooney was the 120-pound champion Feb. 18 in a sectional at Central Crossing, where the Cardinals finished ninth (80) of 10 teams, as Dublin Coffman (196.5) won. The top four in each weight class at sectional advanced.

Also moving on were junior Andrew Kyser (fourth, heavyweight), junior Dustin Obergfell (third, 138) and senior Adam Suhr (fourth, 126).

Rooney improved to 31-4 after defeating Grove City senior Jordan Shoemaker 6-2 in a sectional final.

“I knew I could shoot on him and since I was shorter than him, I used the ankle pick,” Rooney said. “Since I finished in first place that sets me up (at district) with a fourth-place wrestler from another (sectional), and that could make it easier in trying to reach state.”

Rooney opens district against Westerville North freshman Kevin Diaz (6-6), with a possible second-round match against Franklin Heights junior Brad Kakos (36-2) or Pickerington North junior Josh Snyder (19-15).

“Tim is a freshman and has been flying under the radar all year,” coach Joe Moyer said. “He has a lot of confidence and is successful because he loves what he’s doing. That smile he has isn’t a smirk. He genuinely loves being on the mat.”

Suhr (23-15) opens district against Delaware senior Seth McCurdy (42-4), and Obergfell (26-12) will face Lancaster freshman Tanner Miller (32-9). Kyser (12-19) faces Delaware senior Colton Christner (32-6) in the opening round.

“We were able to get four guys out and three of them are underclassmen, which bodes well for the future,” Moyer said. “I wish things would have worked out better for (145-pound senior) Lloyd (Furuta), who was fifth after recovering from a surgically repaired shoulder. That would have been nice if he could have moved on.”

•The bowling team advanced to the district tournament, which will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, at its home venue — HP Lanes.

The top three teams and top three individuals not on a qualifying team advance to the state tournament March 2 at Wayne Webb’s Columbus Bowl.

In a sectional Feb. 17 at Eastland Lanes, the Cardinals earned the program’s first district berth by finishing seventh (3,375) of 28 teams as the top nine teams and top nine individuals not on qualifying teams advanced.

Also moving on to district were Westerville South (3,916), Westerville Central (3,647), Groveport (3,647), Lancaster (3,624), Fisher Catholic (3,527), Granville (3,504), Buckeye Valley (3,330) and Marion Pleasant (3,307).

The Cardinals were led by junior Tom Cianflona with a 571 series, including a 246 game. His score was 10th behind medalist Kris Kasson (652) of Granville.

Junior Kyle Huston (487) was next for St. Charles followed by senior Zak Stephenson (474), senior Dez Brown (288, two games), junior Noah Thomas (285, two games) and senior Eric Powell (264, two games).

•The basketball team is 13-6 overall heading into its Division I district tournament opener against Zanesville at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24, at Marysville.

The teams have not played this season. The Blue Devils finished the regular season 15-5.

The winner plays a second-round game at 7:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 29, against Dresden Tri-Valley or Pickerington North at Marysville. The Cardinals have not played either team this season. Tri-Valley finished the regular season 12-8 and North was 11-9.

The second-round winner plays in a district semifinal at 6 p.m. March 7 at Marysville against top-seeded Northland, Central Crossing or Columbus West.

The Cardinals closed CCL play on Feb. 17, losing 45-32 to Hartley. Dan Hennessey, Michael Lutter and Jimmy Ryan all scored eight points.

Watterson (7-1) won the CCL title ahead of Hartley (6-2), St. Charles (4-4), DeSales (2-6) and Ready (1-7).

St. Charles closed the regular season with a 49-44 win Feb. 18 at Springfield Catholic Central. Hennessey scored 14 points, Ryan had 13 points with four 3-pointers and Gunner Francis added eight points.

Article source: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/bexley/sports/2012/02/21/relays-lead-swimming-contingent-to-state.html

Jimmy Hurlburt/ESPNHSBrad Lott and Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) look to recapture the state championship in 2012.Several teams from the midwest region finished 2011 in the POWERADE FAB 50. With powerhouse programs New Trier (Winnetka, Ill.) and Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.) in addition to several top programs in Ohio vying for ranking, the FAB 50 voters will have plenty to choose from in 2012.

The Starting Lineup

(Position: athlete, year, high school (city, state), college commitment)

G: Ahmed Iftikhar, Sr., Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.), Pennsylvania
LSM: Wes Faulkenberry, Sr., Dublin Jerome (Dublin, Ohio), Ohio State
LSM: Chris Walker, Sr., Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.), Michigan
D: Zach Powers, Sr., Upper Arlington (Ohio), North Carolina
M: Joseph Bano, Sr., Dublin Jerome (Dublin, Ohio), Denver
M: Griffin Cassagne, Sr., St. Mark’s (Dallas), undecided
M: Brad Lott, Sr., Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), Michigan
M: Zach Wood, Sr., Metea Valley (Aurora, Ill.), Virginia
A: Al Barnhart, Sr., Blake School (Minneapolis, Minn.), Denison
A: Ian King, Jr., St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio), Michigan

Sizing Up The Region

Illinois: The road to the state championship runs through New Trier (Ill.), which despite only returning two starters is not rebuilding. The Trevians returns the state’s best goalie Jack Connelly (Providence) and junior face off stud Mike Germano (Navy). Saint Viator (Arlington Heights, Ill.) won’t have to wait long to face New Trier as they host the defending state champions in the season opener for both squads. The Lions should be an athletic bunch and their early games will be a measuring stick for their success. Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Ill.) had one of the best defenses in the state last year and made it all the way to the state final. The Ramblers play some of the best out of state teams again this year and will rely on defenseman Nick Wright to anchor the defense. Barrington (Ill.) might be the sleeper team this year after finishing 11-7 last year. The Broncos return attackman Austin Rich (Roanoke) who can score goals in bunches.

Indiana: Nothing will change this year in Indiana as Culver Academy (Culver, Ind.) will be the lead dog again as the best team in the state. Over half of the Eagles games are out of state and they should continue their success in and outside of Indiana this year. Since Culver does not compete for a state championship there will be a few teams looking to take the title. Last year’s defending champion Carmel (Ind.) was dominant, only losing one game. Last season the Greyhounds emerged to win their first state championship and will again look to repeat their success. One team which always is in the hunt is Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.), which returns Keenan Mulherin one of the state’s best playmakers.

Kentucky: Louisville Trinity (Louisville, Ky.) suffered their only loss in last year’s state championship and failed to capture their fifth state title after an impressive regular season. If the Shamrocks can play defense like last season and get production from Brad Lott they should have no problem returning to the title game. The Shamrocks rival Louisville St. Xavier (Louisville, Ky.) should shine once again in 2012. The Tigers were the only team to defeat Louisville Trinity last season and their tough out of state schedule helped them in the long run. The Tigers upperclassmen leadership will help them with tough tilts against Georgetown Prep (North Bethesda, Md.) and Saint Anne’s-Belfield (Charlottesville, Va.) on the schedule. One squad capable of taking down the two lacrosse giants is Louisville Collegiate (Owensboro, Ky.). The Titans are battle tested after last season and have some talented underclassmen.

Michigan: Another year makes no difference in hierarchy of lacrosse in Michigan. This year is no different as the road to greatness runs through Brother Rice (Mich.), which has not lost an in-state game in 10 years. The nine-time defending state champions are loaded on offense led by their star-studded attack unit. Novi (Mich.) returns plenty of talent as four of their top seven scorers return and emerging star defenseman Travis Sparling. Forest Hills Eastern (Ada, Mich.) will look to follow up last year’s success. Even though the Hawks lost some talented seniors they will have the experience to take a deep run in the state tournament. Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills, Mich.) captured the 2011 Division II state championship and return every starter. The Yellow Jackets return goalie Ahmed Iftikhar who was selected to the Warrior 40 and the ESPNHS 100 last year along with and athletic midfielder Harrison Rosenfeld.

Minnesota: Once again the bull’s-eye will be on Benilde St. Margaret (Saint Louis Park, Minn.) in 2012 after unexpectedly running the table in 2011. The Red Knights return Minnesota’s most lethal attack unit. Without the services of the Hugdahl brothers, Eden Prairie (Minn.) will have a steep hill to climb to get back to the state championship. A lot of their offense depends on the development of junior midfielder Jake Woodring (Denver). Blake (Minneapolis) lost a ton of talent due to graduation, but with one of the best coaching staffs in the state this powerhouse can never be counted out. With two all-state players returning for the Wildcats there should be no reason why Eagan (Minn.) should not match last season’s 13-win season. If Minnetonka (Minn.) can find a way to shore up their defense, they will be a dangerous squad despite losing their best player. Stillwater (Minn.) and Eastview (Apple Valley, Minn.) have some terrific individual players and each squad should top their eight win seasons from a year ago.

Missouri: Rockhurst Jesuit (Kansas City, Mo.) will be aiming for their third straight state championship in 2012. This year the athletic Hawklets will be anchored by their All-State goalie Emerson Hodes. John Burroughs (St. Louis, Mo.) has a very young team, which is led by midfielder Logan Gerard looking to make a statement after missing all of last year. Last year’s state finalist Mary Institute and Saint Louis Country Day School (St. Louis, Mo.) will be in the hunt again because of head coach Andy Kay. Chaminade Prep (St. Louis, Mo.) should once again be in the conversation as the best team in the state. The Red Devils early non-league games will be a barometer for the success this season. The wildcard this year is Eureka (Mo.), which despite losing six games last year was very competitive. If the Wildcats can finish out games this season they could win 15 games.

Ohio: With the most talent in the Midwest, the state of Ohio continues to churn out not only great teams, but gifted lacrosse players. Hudson (Ohio) will be looking to build off their Division I state championship and 13-game winning streak. Led by longtime head coach David Blue, the Explorers have great senior leadership complemented by a talented junior class. Worthington Kilbourne (Columbus, Ohio) finished 2011 strong after falling short in the state championship. Led by 2011 Division I faceoff specialist of the year, Tae Young Kim (Ohio State) the Wolves strong attack unit should get plenty of chances to score. Ohio powerhouse Upper Arlington (Ohio) fell just short of their sixth state title in 10 years last season. The Golden Bears tradition of excellence should strive this season led by Defenseman-of-the-Year Zach Powers (North Carolina) and a strong midfield unit anchored by Division I recruits. Western Reserve Academy (Hudson, Ohio) plays the toughest schedule in the state and that was evident in their 12-10 record last season. Captains Alex Spring (Bucknell) and Michael Gulasey (Fairfield) will look to right the ship competing against some of the best programs in the Midwest. Cincinnati teams Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio) and St. Xavier (Cincinnati, Ohio) both had successful senior classes graduate and will need strong contributions from underclassman to achieve success. Green (Ohio) returns nine starters from a team that finished 12-7 last season. Seniors Alex Shepley (attack) and Zach Tepus (defense) are committed to Walsh University and will provide leadership. Green should be strong on the defensive side of the ball, with a goalie who has started the past two seasons and six returning defenders. In Division 2 Dublin Jerome (Dublin, Ohio) is the king of the castle and finished as the No. 31 team in the POWERADE FAB 50 last season. The Celtics have the most talent in the state evident by their six Division I recruits, including three players of the year returning. If there is a team which could knock the king off their throne it is St. Francis DeSales (Columbus, Ohio.). The Stallions return nine starters, including three Division I recruits.

Texas: The largest state in the midwest region has quickly emerged to produce big-time talent. With the season already underway teams will be jockeying for early success, which will pay off in May. Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas) usually plays a tough schedule and 2012 is no different, especially on March 17 against Saint Ignatius (San Francisco, Calif.). The Rangers have a few stud underclassmen especially goalie Dan Morris (Maryland) who will need to shine this season as the state championship is within their reach. Crosstown rival Episcopal Dallas (Dallas, Texas) under new head coach Pat Kennedy should have a strong defense and scoring threats at the midfield in Barrett Anigian (Air Force) and Hayden Wilson (Hofstra). St. Mark’s (Dallas) will go as far as their one-two scoring punch Will Perkins (Michigan) and Griffin Cassagne take them. The Woodlands (Texas) returns all four all-district performers including underrated Ian Seale (Fairfield). Austin (Texas) led by versatile scoring threat Mitch Reeder will surprise some people despite losing many players to graduation. Perennial Texas powerhouse Highland Park (University Park, Texas) should rebound after a rebuilding season last year. Coppell (Texas) brings in a new head coach after losing an abundance of talent, but with a promising defense and underrated players with a state championship under their belt, the Cowboys can not be taken lightly.

Wisconsin: As lacrosse continues to grow in Wisconsin so does the talent level. There has been great strides in lacrosse development and talent level. Marquette Univeristy (Milwaukee, Wis.) will be the front runner to win a state championship after coming close last year. The Hilltoppers return a strong nucleus from a 15-win team. Not far behind should be Verona (Wis.), which defeated Marquette in the state championship. The Wildcats will look for some underclassmen to help capture their second straight title after losing All-American Paul Romens. Arrowhead (Hartland, Wis.) looks to make a return to the state title game after a brief hiatus. The Warhawks led by third year head coach Erin Ennis will have a chip on their shoulder to prove after two rebuilding seasons. Waunakee (Wis.) looks to make the next step in 2012 to emerge as a state contender. After losing their four games last year by a combined ten goals, the Warriors should top their 11 win season from a year ago.

Underclassemen To Watch

(Position: athlete, year, high school (State), college commitment)

Attack: JT Blubaugh, Jr., St Francis DeSales (Ohio); Bryce Green, Jr., Highland Park (Texas); Carson Buell, Jr., Dallas Jesuit (Texas); Nick Wood, Jr., Metea Valley (Ill.); Ryan McNamara, Jr., Eastview (Ill.), Marquette.

Midfield: Hayes McKinley, Jr., University School (Ohio), Syracuse; Sergio Perkovic, Jr., Brother Rice (Mich.), Notre Dame; Joel Tinney, Soph., Culver (Ind.), Johns Hopkins; Garrett Van de Ven, Jr., Dallas Jesuit (Texas); Jake Woodring, Jr., Eden Prairie (Minn.), Denver.

Defense: Will Debord, Jr., Saint Charles (Ill.), Air Force; Tanner Landstra, Jr., Indian Hill (Ohio), High Point; Austin Spencer, Jr., Culver (Ind.), Massachusetts.

Goalie: Dan Morris, Jr., Dallas Jesuit (Texas), Maryland; Tyler Zickel, Jr., Hudson (Ohio).

Games To Watch

March 11: St. Mark’s (Texas) vs. Calvert Hall (Baltimore, Md.), Durham, N.C.
March 28: Louisville Trinity (Ky.) vs. Louisville Saint Xavier (Ky.)
March 29: New Trier (Ill.) vs. Worthington Kilbourne (Ohio)
April 1: Archbishop Moeller (Ohio) vs. Brother Rice (Mich.)
April 20: Dublin Jerome (Ohio) vs. Detroit Country Day (Mich.)

How This Region Affects The FAB 50

The midwest is emerging with talented players and teams. In Texas last year, St. Mark’s (Dallas) spent the majority of the season in the FAB 50 and finished at No. 32. And Coppell (Texas), who won its state championship, finished at No. 28. This season, St. Mark’s takes on the potential preseason No. 1 team when it plays Calvert Hall (Baltimore, Md.) at the Brine King of Spring tournament.

Dublin Jerome (Ohio) finished at No. 31 last year and 2012 could see Ohio get even more teams into the rankings this season. Upper Arlington should compete for a spot in the rankings this year.

Article source: http://espn.go.com/high-school/lacrosse/story/_/id/7584961/2012-boys-midwest-region-preview

ThisWeek Community Newspapers

Wednesday February 22, 2012 8:57 AM

If the Division I Central District high school boys basketball tournament is anything like the regular season, there should be plenty of drama over the next two-plus weeks.

It’s no surprise that Northland has continued on its run that began with a district title in 2007 and included the state championship in 2009, but new powers such as Olentangy Liberty and Pickerington Central also have emerged this winter.

Opening the door further to a season of transition were season-ending injuries to some of the area’s top talents in Dublin Coffman’s Kyle Molock, Westerville North’s Jack Gibbs and Delaware’s Matt Bingaya.

Here’s a breakdown of things to watch for in the three brackets for the Division I district tournament, which begins Thursday, Feb. 23:

BRACKET 1

Best potential matchup in first two rounds: Olentangy Orange vs. Reynoldsburg in second round. The Pioneers could face a Raiders team that has bounced back from a rough start.

Players to watch: Pickerington North’s Jake Butt; Thomas Worthington’s Will Hill; Northland’s Jordan Potts, Jalen Robinson and Devon Scott; Orange’s Andy Bosley; Reynoldsburg’s Wendell Davis

Dark horses: Pickerington North (13th seed), Thomas Worthington (23rd seed)

Could win the title: Grove City (10th seed), Reynoldsburg (15th seed), Orange (ninth seed)

The favorite: Northland (top seed). Potts has been slowed by an ankle injury. Assuming his ankle continues to heal, the Vikings should have little trouble at the district level.

BRACKET 2

Best potential matchup in first two rounds: Upper Arlington vs. Mount Vernon in second round. The Yellow Jackets won the OCC-Capital Division and the Golden Bears won the OCC-Central.

Players to watch: Walnut Ridge’s Alassane Kah and Fred Hardgrove; Liberty’s Jake Bischoff and Nick Archer; Gahanna’s Aaron Jackson; UA’s Connor Casey

Dark horses: Coffman (16th seed), Dublin Scioto (22nd seed). Both the Shamrocks (Jamey Collins) and Irish (Tony Bisutti) have coaches who have been in numerous big games.

Could win: Gahanna (11th seed), Liberty (third seed), Upper Arlington (seventh seed). Liberty is a well-rounded team that is showing that it truly has a great senior class. The Lions and Bears both have flaws but each possesses talent.

The favorite: Walnut Ridge (second seed). No team in central Ohio has as much depth as the Scots, and there are few who can match them in size.

BRACKET 3

Best potential matchup in first two rounds: Olentangy vs. Delaware in first round. The Braves beat the Pacers 64-54 on Dec. 30, but the Delaware County rivalry factor adds intrigue.

Players to watch: Westerville South’s Marcus Ball; Newark’s Christian Keller; Pickerington Central’s Caris LeVert; Westerville North’s Matt Rhodes; Delaware’s Michael Wells

Dark horses: Delaware (21st seed), Westerville Central (24th seed). Wells is the area’s leading scorer, which makes the Pacers dangerous. Central doesn’t have a winning record but beat Liberty 49-46 on Feb. 10 and has reached back-to-back district finals.

Could win: Pickerington Central (fourth seed), Newark (sixth seed), Westerville South (eighth seed). Neither Newark nor South has as much talent as in past years, but both have the coaching to make long runs. The best still could be yet to come for Central considering its stable of young athletes.

The favorite: Westerville North (fifth seed). Without Gibbs, the Warriors might not have as much talent as Pickerington Central, but they do hold the advantage in big-game moments. There’s also the intangible of overcoming adversity this season that tends to bring a team together.

It should be an entertaining and, at times, unpredictable district tournament.

Beyond that, it’s tough not to like Northland’s chances of making it to state for the third time in four seasons.

The Vikings have two standout 6-foot-8 senior post players in Robinson and Scott. Senior wing player Ke’Chaun Lewis and Potts, a senior guard, also have been key players for what has been central Ohio’s premier program the past five years.

That experience can’t be overlooked.

Jarrod Ulrey is a ThisWeek sportswriter. Follow his newest blog, “On the Recruiting Trail,” for the latest in central Ohio high school recruiting news.

Article source: http://www.thisweeknews.com/content/stories/canalwinchester/sports/2012/02/21/district-tourney-should-be-exciting.html

DUBLIN — AEP rate increases may have big impacts on the bottom lines of central Ohio school districts.

A new AEP plan was approved by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) in December, and will significantly raise prices for many school districts and small businesses.

Dublin City Schools officials told ABC 6/FOX 28 that the rate increase will cost the district approximately $300,000 over the course of a year. Upper Arlington officials say some of their schools may see electric bills rise by 23 percent.

“What we’re hearing from districts is that increases are in excess of 50 percent,” said Rob Delane of the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA). “There’s certainly no way that school districts would have anticipated that electricity bills would have increased by that amount.”

The OSBA says it will examine school districts’ January and February AEP bills, then send a letter to PUCO in an effort to mitigate the costs of the rate increases.

———————————

Reporter: Dana Jay
Web Producer: Ken Hines
AEP Rate Increases Expected to Hit Schools Hard

Posted: Tuesday, February 21 2012, 06:20 PM EST

Article source: http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wsyx_vid_16267.shtml

The Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday February 21, 2012 12:17 PM

An Upper Arlington man was sentenced to two years in prison today for robbing a Short North bank
last year.

Abdalla Hashim Thrower, 32, of North Star Road, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8 to one count of
robbery for the Aug.9 incident at Chase Bank, 677 N. High St.

Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Guy Reece imposed the sentence, recommended by the
prosecution and defense, and ordered Thrower to pay $510 in restitution to the bank.

Thrower entered the bank and passed a note to a teller demanding money. He was arrested two
weeks later after police linked him to the crime through fingerprints.

It was the first criminal conviction for Thrower, who told the judge that he was having
medical problems and committed the robbery “more as a cry for help than anything else.”

Reece said Thrower will be eligible for early release.

 

Article source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/21/bank-robber-sentenced.html

Dispatch

Tuesday February 21, 2012 6:46 AM

Article source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/business/2012/02/21/not-just-doughnuts.html

The Columbus Dispatch

Sunday February 19, 2012 11:30 PM

Rising numbers of new-building permits and zoning applications in Columbus bode well for two things: the local economy and controversy.

Development has been rebounding since the end of the recession, officials, developers and neighborhood leaders agree, although it hasn’t come close to the boom times of the 1990s and early 2000s.

In 2001, for example, Columbus annexed 1,230 acres, nearly 2 square miles. Annexations reached a low of 19.4 acres in 2009 and in 2011 edged up to 146 acres, including 108 acres for the Hollywood Casino on the West Side.

“They were taking in, back in the heyday, plots of a couple hundred lots at a time,” said Chris Presutti, the city’s chief zoning official, “and they were building the houses before they were even sold.”

Today, he said, most development is infill development — meaning it typically occurs inside the city, not at the edges, and in smaller batches to fill in empty spaces.

Single-family homes and large shopping centers once were king, but today’s projects are smaller and more likely to be rentals.

“If you look at where the residential is being built, it’s infill development in Franklinton or the Near East Side and places like that,” Presutti said.

Becky Obester, chairwoman of the 5th by Northwest Area Commission, said she’s seeing a burst of such development in her neighborhood, which is tucked between Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights.

The Columbus City Council just signed off on zoning changes for 16 new rental units, a request that also has her group’s approval.

There’s also plenty more development in the parts of Nationwide Realty’s Grandview Yard development that are in Columbus.

“Our liaison with the city of Columbus told our zoning chair we’re one of the busiest areas in the city,” Obester said. “Our zoning committee works really hard. We try not to have a lot of controversies. We try to keep it moving forward and ask, ask, ask, ask.”

That’s not to say that controversy — which was common in the days when residents frequently packed City Council meetings to fight new subdivisions, malls and drugstores — won’t come in with the current tide of infill development.

Last month, residents of two neighborhoods — one in Clintonville and the other in Harrison West — filled the council chamber to fight separate infill developments.

One of those was a 108-unit apartment complex proposed by Wagenbrenner Development in Harrison West. The City Council approved the project despite residents’ concern that it would place too many apartments in the space.

It’s the type of project that’s becoming more common as developers realize that the rental market is robust. In the core city, said Mark Wagenbrenner, president of the development company, apartment complexes are 97 percent full, and one-bedroom apartments are almost impossible to find.

Wagenbrenner has infill projects, including hundreds of apartments, in the works in several neighborhoods, many of them on reclaimed industrial land. It doesn’t make sense, he said, for plots that were originally planned for owner-occupied housing to stay that way.

“What you see is people reworking multifamily condo ground for apartments,” Wagenbrenner said.

“That’s going to create tensions. There’s a perception that rental always tends to impact value. That’s true in the suburbs. But in an urban area, we’ve always had a mix of owner-occupied and rental. From a demographic standpoint, we just don’t see any difference.”

In other words, the young professional who was buying a condominium with little credit checking in 2005 is the same person who wants to rent an apartment in today’s tougher credit and housing markets.

“When you’ve gone through the housing crisis we’ve just gone through, people aren’t interested in ownership,” Wagenbrenner said.

dcaruso@dispatch.com

Article source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/19/apartments-driving-columbus-rebound.html

The county has held the top spot, intermittently swapping with neighboring Fairfax County, for the past five years. Loudoun’s median household income totals $119,540 followed by Fairfax County with a median income of $103,010; Howard County, Md., at $101,771; Hunterdon County, N.J., ($97,874); and Arlington County, Va., ($94,986).

Loudoun’s median income exceeds that of other localities because of the prevalence of dual-income households and a better job structure, according to Dr. Stephen Fuller, the director of the Center for Regional Analysis at the School of Public Policy at George Mason University. The designation points to the fact that the pay structure in the Washington, D.C., area is generally higher than other areas because the local economy supports more professional and business service jobs and less blue collar industries such as manufacturing.

“The Washington, D.C., area continues to be one of the economically strong regions more so than most other places,” said Ben Mays, deputy director of Loudoun’s Department of Management and Financial Services.

Mays echoed Fuller’s statement that a highly educated workforce, which often translates into high wages, coupled with a high proportion of married or dual-income earners in one household equates to elevated median incomes.

But, Loudoun does not trump counties outside other major metropolitan areas in New York or California in terms of actual wealth. Fuller notes the years-long designation overstates Loudoun’s wealth and “isn’t very meaningful when it comes right down to it.”

For starters, most of the area’s top-paying jobs aren’t earned within the county. The incomes earned by those living in Loudoun are oftentimes culled outside its borders, most likely at jobs based in Fairfax and Arlington counties or Washington, D.C. Loudoun is not home to the largest number of millionaires nor does the designation shed light onto the range of salaries earned, he said.

Instead, the survey more likely reflects the presence of a large, upper-middle class income population with an age structure comprising 30 to 40 year-old workers who seek suburban housing.

Housing in Loudoun is relatively new compared to the rest of the metropolitan area, much of it having been built within the last 15 years. Since 1990, Loudoun has been one of the fastest growing counties in the nation and has homes that are pricier, resulting in hefty mortgages that need to be supported by large salaries, Fuller said. That being said, the average wage of a federal government worker hovers around six figures, he said.

The metropolitan area, including Loudoun, is one of two areas in the nation showing year-to-year increases in home value, Mays said, making Loudoun a “desired quarter of the area where people want to live.” The median home sales price in Loudoun is $447,100 on a one-year estimate, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Several sources, including Forbes Magazine and American Community Survey, release similar U.S. Census Bureau data on a bi-annual basis. A report released by the media outlet Main Street Feb. 16 reaffirmed Loudoun as home to the top median income earners while also terming the county as a place where “the 1% live.” The “1%” references those Americans who are in the top one percent of wealth in the nation and is a term used frequently among media outlets to show the growing gap between the rich and poor in America.

Main Street said Loudoun “trounced the competition on the way to becoming the richest county in the nation.” In 2010, the most recent data available, Loudoun’s median household income was more than double that of the nationwide median of $50,046. Virginia’s median household income was $60,674 and the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area’s was $84,523. In the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the “top 1%” earn $357,000 annually. That’s slightly more than “the top 1%” of income earners nationwide who earned, in adjusted gross income, $343,927 or more in 2009, according to Kiplinger.

Contact the writer at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Article source: http://www.loudountimes.com/index.php/news/article/economist_loudouns_richest_in_the_nation_designation_an_overstatement454/

UPPER ARLINGTON — Scrap yards and the state legislature are fighting back against stolen scrap metal.
    
Thanks to “digital scrap theft alerts,” scrap yards and law enforcement can notify each other quickly.
    
When bronze plaques were stolen from Upper Arlington, police were notified.

Thanks to a compliant scrap yard, they knew who tried to sell them.
    
Police say not all scrap yards are compliant with state law, which is more than likely going to be addressed during a state legislature meeting that is planned in the coming days.

————–

Reporter: Walter Allen
Web Producer: Kellie HannaNew Digital Scrap Metal Detector

Posted: Tuesday, February 21 2012, 08:25 AM EST

Article source: http://www.abc6onyourside.com/shared/newsroom/top_stories/videos/wsyx_vid_16256.shtml

The Columbus Dispatch

Tuesday February 21, 2012 4:53 AM

Like a parent setting a child’s allowance, municipalities decide how much spending money to give
their top officials.

The amounts for administrators, mayors and city managers range from a few thousand dollars in
villages to more than $70,000 in bigger cities such as Dublin.

The limits are the most that a chief executive may spend without the direct approval of their
councils or boards.

Upper Arlington voted last week to raise the city manager’s spending limit from $20,000 to
$30,000. Westerville’s limit increased by $10,000, to $50,000, last year.

Shifting spending authority from a seven-member council to a single person can streamline
decision-making, city leaders say.

“It allows council agendas to be focused on the more-important issues of the day,” Upper
Arlington City Manager Ted Staton said.

Some elected officials, however, prefer a more-direct fiduciary role. A proposed change from
$20,000 to $25,000 was rejected in Upper Arlington two years ago.

“I’d rather err to the safe side,” said Frank Ciotola, president of the Upper Arlington City
Council, who supports small increases in the limit. “It’s one of our duties as council members to
have oversight.”

But being too involved could also restrict the ability of the city manager, who is chosen by
council members, to do his job.

“The city manager is our CEO, and we don’t want a CEO with his hands tied behind his back,”
Ciotola said.

Dublin’s limit, $75,000, is the highest of any Columbus suburb’s. But that doesn’t mean the city
manager is free to make purchases willy-nilly.

The city code recommends that three bids be sought for purchases up to $30,000. And it requires
written estimates or price quotes for purchases between $30,000 and $74,999. Competitive bidding
and City Council authorization are required for purchases of $75,000 and greater.

“I think it’s safe to say we are always looking for the best price,” said Angel Muma, finance
director.

Because townships are not governed by a charter, their administrators can spend no more than
$2,500 without trustee approval, according to state law.

Jackson Township has decided $750 is appropriate.

“Everybody’s comfortable with that, and that’s just been our working policy,” said Mike Lilley,
township administrator.

Worthington, by contrast, has no spending threshold. Instead, the city appropriates expenditures
during a series of budget hearings at the end of each year. When unexpected needs arise, the city
manager can ask the council for supplemental expenditures.

When a $1 million solid-waste deal was struck, saving the city about $100,000 annually, the city
manager didn’t need to inform the City Council, according to city code. But because of the scope of
the project and the public interest, the council was brought into the loop.

“If it’s something of great interest or very visible … I think discussing it at a City Council
meeting makes sense,” said Robyn Stewart, assistant city manager.

dnarciso@dispatch.com

Article source: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2012/02/21/suburbs-blank-checks-vary.html

Download this story as a PDF

FAITH LAPIDUS: Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Faith Lapidus.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: And I’m Christopher Cruise. This week on our program, we meet an American man working to reunite children with their families in Nepal. Then, we have a story on the Girl Scouts of the USA — the organization is celebrating a big birthday. And, finally, we look at what some people are willing to do for another member of the family: their pets.

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: Conor Grennan was nearly thirty years old when he decided he wanted to do something different with his life. He left his job and used his life’s savings to plan a trip around the world. He began with Nepal near the end of its ten-year civil war.

There, the American volunteered at an orphanage for three months. Eighteen young children were living in the Little Princes Children’s Home near Kathmandu, the capital. Mr. Grennan helped take care of the children and taught them English.

CONOR GRENNAN: “I was very worried about it because I had never really spent much time with children before. As soon as I got into that world, I really enjoyed it. We became very, very close by the end of my time there.”

He decided to return to Nepal a year later, in two thousand six, after the war ended. He discovered then that the children were not really orphans but the victims of human traffickers.

CONOR GRENNAN: “All these children had parents. They weren’t orphans at all. These children had been actually taken because their parents feared that they would be abducted by the rebels. Their parents had actually paid these traffickers not knowing that the traffickers intended to sell their children. They thought they would take their children to protect them.”

The children had been sold and then abandoned, and ended up at the Little Princes Children’s Home.

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Conor Grennan now had a new goal. He set out to help reconnect Nepalese families with children sold into trafficking.

CONOR GRENNAN: “There were so many children, probably fifteen thousand children that were affected by this problem.”

Mr. Grennan became an advocate for those children. In his book “Little Princes,” he explains why.

CONOR GRENNAN: “It’s amazing how a problem can really come to life when you get to know the people who are victims of these problems.”

He says he wrote the memoir to help raise awareness about child trafficking, but also to show that anyone can make a difference.

Mr. Grennan established a nonprofit group in Kathmandu called Next Generation Nepal. The organization works to find lost children and reunite them with their families. So far, he says, his group has reconnected three hundred Nepalese children with their relatives.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Nancy Wong is a volunteer who has been working with Mr. Grennan since last August.

NANCY WONG: “I basically give up my life in the U.S. and I feel like I need go to Nepal to join your group and really try to make a difference for these trafficked children.”

Ms. Wong says reuniting the children with their families is a process.

NANCY WONG: “The first step is, of course, rescuing them from exploitation and securing them into our transit homes. We do that in partnership with the government of Nepal.”

The second step is to search for the biological family. She gave an example of a girl who had been separated from her family since she was two years old.

NANCY WONG: “We had no real name. We had no idea even what part of Nepal she’s from.”

But she says workers known as integration managers guessed the general area where the girl was from based on her facial features.

NANCY WONG: “[They] literally went from village to village, from bus stops to tea shops to restaurants, asking for any clue. And finally after a few months we found her uncle.”

She says the work continues even after children are reunited with their families. “We monitor the progress,” she says, “to make sure that they are integrating well, going to school, and are not being exploited at home.”

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Conor Grennan says child trafficking in Nepal is part of a bigger problem.

CONOR GRENNAN: “There is the sexual trafficking, there’s the labor trafficking, there’s the trafficking we see in Nepal. There has to be some kind of, I believe, external pressure on the government to take these seriously and to start looking at policies that can really combat these problems effectively.”

(MUSIC)

FAITH LAPIDUS: The Girl Scouts of the USA are celebrating their one hundredth birthday this year. A woman named Juliette Gordon Low organized the first Girl Scout troop on March twelfth, nineteen twelve. It was in Savannah, in the southern American state of Georgia. Since then, more than fifty million American women have been in the Girl Scouts.

(SOUND)

These are Girl Scouts singing in a neighborhood park in New Orleans. Ten-year-old Cassidy Lee Brookes enjoys all the outdoor activities that her troop does.

CASSIDY LEE BROOKES: “We go canoeing, we go camping, we do sing-alongs, we do all kinds of stuff.”

Cassidy wears a green Girl Scout vest covered with the badges she has earned by learning new skills, like going on a camping trip.

CASSIDY LEE BROOKES: “If you do camping you get badges and all kinds of stuff for cooking and cleaning, because you have to do everything on your own.  You have to cook the food, you have to serve it. So it is really fun.”

AP

Girl Scout Brownies selling cookies in a Raleigh, North Carolina, neighborhood

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Outdoor activities have remained a large part of scouting for girls and boys. But as roles for women in society have changed, so have the Girl Scouts. Fifteen-year-old Mania Gaver says scouting helps her to gain valuable experience for the future. For instance, the girls can earn patches for their vests by learning about jobs and serving in the community.

MANIA GAVER: “To get patches you have to interview different people in different jobs, you can shadow like museum curators and stuff like that. There are a lot of trips you can go on, service-wise, and a lot of volunteer opportunities.”

Juliette Gordon Low founded the Girl Scouts in the United States a few years after two organizations, the Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, began in England. Her goal was to help girls develop physically, mentally and spiritually by bringing them into community service and the open air.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Lidia Soto-Harmon, chief executive of the Girl Scout Council, says Low faced many challenges.

LIDIA SOTO-HARMAN: “There were people that did not believe that girls should do anything more than learn how to bake and be at home, and here she was taking girls camping. We have pictures of her with girls and machetes because when they would go camping, they really went out into the wilderness.”

Today more than ten million girls take part in scouting in one hundred forty-five countries — from Argentina to Zambia. There are three million girls and adult volunteers in the Girl Scouts of the USA. Ms. Soto-Harman says this year is a time for the organization to look back and ahead.

LIDIA SOTO-HARMAN: “As we approach this one hundredth anniversary we are just bursting at the opportunity we have to really inspire a new generation of girls with the message of leadership, with the message of caring for the environment, with the message of being kind to others, respecting country. These are values that we all share and that we need to celebrate.”

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: In New York City last week, a four-year-old Pekingese named Malachy won the top prize at the nation’s top dog show.

ANNOUNCER: “Best in show at the one hundred thirty-sixth annual Westminster Kennel Club, America’s dog show, is the Pekingese.”

Malachy defeated six other dogs to take the top prize on Valentine’s Day. The five-kilo dog with a big head of hair has won many top prizes. But last year he finished second at Westminster. More than two thousand dogs competed in the two-day show.

This year, the club replaced its longtime television sponsor, dog food maker Pedigree. News reports said Westminster officials were unhappy with commercials showing sad images of dogs in need of adoption. The new sponsor, Nestle Purina PetCare, presents much happier looking dogs in its commercials.

FAITH LAPIDUS: Half of all Americans own a pet, mostly cats and dogs. That means a lot of business for the pet care industry. Americans spent fifty billion dollars on their pets last year. That was twenty-three percent more than in two thousand seven.

In Alexandria, Virginia, Gay Lynn Fourney brings her dog to A Dog’s Day Out, which offers day care and overnight services.

GAY LYNN FOURNEY: “She’s my little girl, and I just want to make sure that she has a good time during the day while I’m at work.”

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Chas Richardson owns A Dog’s Day Out. He says his business earns a twenty-five percent profit.

Deborah Block

A four-legged client of A Dog’s Day Out, a day care business in Alexandria, Virginia

CHAS RICHARDSON: “The pet industry continues to explode with growth. Our market, dog care, we believe has nothing but growth ahead of it.”

Duane Ekadahl heads the Pet Food Institute, a trade group. He thinks the pet care industry has grown because more people are treating their pets like members of the family.

DUANE EKADAHL: “People want to return the affection they get from pets, and so they buy good food, good products, toys and so on.”

Some cans of higher-priced pet foods have names meant to sound like something their owners might order at a restaurant. One example for cats: “Tender Turkey Tuscany With Long Grain Rice and Garden Greens in a Savory Sauce.”

In Arlington, Virginia, Kamala Mohammed manages a bakery for dogs — the Dogma Gourmet Dog Bakery and Pet Boutique.

KAMALA MOHAMMED: “We don’t put any added salt, sugar or preservatives into our cookies. In fact, I have some people that come in and buy a cookie for themselves because it’s all human-grade ingredients.”

Judy Smith shops there — she buys cookies for her three dogs. She also owns a travel agency, Woof Woof Travels, which serves the growing number of people who travel with their pets.

JUDY SMITH: “I can tell you which cities are very pet-friendly, and once you’ve decide on that, fix you up in a hotel or motel, give you activities that you can do there, including restaurants that are pet friendly.”

FAITH LAPIDUS: Bark and Bubbles in Fairfax, Virginia, is a business where owners can wash their dogs themselves or pay to have it done. Dogs can also have a birthday party and even get a facial so they look their prettiest.

High school student Shannon Parker chooses the self-serve dog wash. She gives her dog a bath and a blueberry facial. She says the visits are worth the cost compared to the trouble of washing her dog at home.

SHANNON PARKER: “She kind of gets the water all over the house. For me, it’s just a much better option than me trying to do it myself.”

(MUSIC)

CHRISTOPHER CRUISE: Our program was produced by Brianna Blake, with reporting by Faiza Elmasry, Selah Hennessy and Deborah Block. I’m Christopher Cruise.

FAITH LAPIDUS: And I’m Faith Lapidus. Join us again next week for THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English.

Article source: http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/American-Helps-Reunite-Trafficked-Nepalese-Children-with-Their-Families-139640143.html