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Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
Browns' roster nearly devoid of consistent players
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Hitchens leads Zips in second-half comeback
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Kent State blown out in second half, loses to Temple 47-13
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (69) The Brookings Institute Study on "Bending the Curve" – Four General Strategies
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Certificates can get folks moving, from dancing to karate lessons
Published on Saturday, Dec 01, 2007
Editor's note: Here are quick bites about the local retail scene for the 2007 holiday season. This column, compiled by Beacon Journal business writer Paula Schleis, will appear on Saturdays through December.
Get moving
The holidays are known as a season for taking action. But you can also give action.
Gift certificates are available for Kindermusik classes, a program designed to nurture cognitive, physical, social, emotional, and language skills in infants to 7-year-olds through musical interaction with their parents.
Kindermusik with Miss Terri & Friends holds classes at the Shoppes of Stow (http://www.kindermusikwithmissterri.com).
Daniels Music Studio runs a similar program in Fairlawn (http://www.danielsmusicstudio.com).
Or visit http://www.kindermusik.com to locate classes in other areas.
While you're at the Shoppes of Stow, here are other ''actions'' you can give as gift certificates:
Eckman Music — Piano lessons, ages 5 through adult. Call 330-677-5174.
Marquette School of Dance — Ages 21/2 through adult. Call 330-655-2991.
Tracy's Karate — Ages 4 through adult. Call 330-650-5411.
Attention PC gamers
Before you spend your computer-game budget on some out-of-town company, how about supporting a Northeast Ohio game designer?
The independent Hidden Sanctum has released a couple of new PC games for the holiday season, courtesy of North Olmsted's Eric McConnell.
Block Stomp is a color-matching challenge targeting
younger gamers, while puzzle lovers can get their fill decoding Crypto-Madness (with extra-large text for older eyes.)
Download a game for $9.95 and burn it onto a CD for a quick stocking stuffer.
Web: http://www.hiddensanctum.com.
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Fashionable fractures?
If you're stepping out for holiday parties and events with a dingy cast on your arm, check out Cast Creations Inc.
Anna Collins of Akron makes coverings for casts and splints. Styles range from basic black and shimmering silver to floral and animal prints.
The covers are also being marketed as ArmWarmers (for athletes, outdoorsmen and sports fans), ArmBuddies (matching fashion statements for adolescent best friends), and ArmCharmers (printed with words such as Angel or Princess, and an attached charm, targeting 4- to 8-year-olds.)
Web: http://www.castcreations.org.
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Take time for tasting
If you're attending the Festival of Lights in Kent today, stop in for food samples during an open house at Kent Natural Foods Cooperative, 151 E. Main St.
Staff and members of the grocer will prepare gourmet foods and beverages for tasting from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Also, customers will get 5 percent off purchases all day.
The 40-year-old cooperative, with some 1,300 members, provides bulk chemical- and additive-free foods, and products that are locally and/or organically grown whenever possible.
Web: http://www.kentnaturalfoods.org.
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Have a heart
Ceramic and hand-sewn items by local artisans with disabilities are featured at the Gift Gallery, operated by the Summit County Board of MRDD.
There are four shops: In the Acme Plaza in Coventry Township (3235 Manchester Rd.), in the Acme Plaza in Ellet (2420 Wedgewood Dr.), near Charter One in Twinsburg (10735 Ravenna Rd.) and at a kiosk in Chapel Hill Mall in the Sears concourse.
The Gift Gallery markets its products as gifts that show you not only have great taste, ''but a great heart, too.''
Fresh air anyone?
A live Nativity scene, Santa, horse-drawn carriage rides and costumed Christmas carolers will be part of Hudson's Holiday Walk on Sunday. It's an annual event along the city's historic Main Street and new First & Main shopping district.
Merchants will offer sales, drawings and giveaways from noon to 6 p.m. as visitors stroll the boutiques and sample hot chocolate and roasted chestnuts.
Internet shopping tips
The National Retail Federation says 59 percent of us shop online now. So if you're traveling the Internet highway to fill your gift list this year, keep in mind these tips from the Internet security company Trend Micro:
Make sure your virus-protection software is up-to-date.
Know that free wireless hot spots are not always safe.
Shop only at sites with a Web address starting with ''https'' or a small picture of an unbroken key or closed lock in the bottom right of the browser window.
Use one credit card. Never use a debit card. Don't keepcredit-card information on your hard drive.
Don't ever use public computers to shop online. You don't know what good or bad software has been loaded on it.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com.
Editor's note: Here are quick bites about the local retail scene for the 2007 holiday season. This column, compiled by Beacon Journal business writer Paula Schleis, will appear on Saturdays through December.
Get the full article here.
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