Here's what is happening in our city county this week, click on the link for additional information about the event. I know it's cold but we should be used to it after that record setting November, so get out there and have fun.

One of the neatest things to do (especially for men) I heard about on the radio last night from Heather Nagel at Heaven Can Wait pet rescue. As you can see below they are at several locations and wrapping gifts that will benefit their animal rescue efforts. I don't know about you, but I never learned to wrap presents very well and I love animals, so I will check them out.

A holiday scam could cost your family thousands with just a simple phone call. This has already happened to good folks in NE Ohio.

The scam targets the elderly who fear their children or grandchildren are in trouble.

The scam starts with a phone call. The caller pretends to be related and says they are in Canada or Mexico or somewhere distant and have been arrested. They need $3000 do get bailed out. They are given instructions on where to wire the money. They may even help the scammers by blurting out a name like, "Joey, is that you?". Even though the caller may not sound like the person the victim knows, they have sent money anyway. The caller says it is a bad connection or they have a cold. The calls may come late at night when we are not at our sharpest, also.

Here's what you can do so this scam doesn't happen to you or a loved one. Don't offer names. Instead, force the caller to reveal their identity by asking, who they are? Then make every attempt to locate the real relative to ensure they are safe. Never give unsolicited callers a credit card number or any personal information.

And if you receive a call that appears to be a scam, always contact your local police department. Be safe and have a great holiday season.

Akron's mayor says the city is requesting $23.5 million in federal bailout funds to help those facing foreclosure

Mayor Don Plusquellic said Wednesday the city would use the money to negotiate with banks and to restructure loans to keep homeowners in their homes.

Plusquellic sent a letter to U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson asking for money from the federal emergency economic stabilization fund.

Akron had 1,445 foreclosures in 2007 and is expected to have a similar number this year.

If you are in imminent need of help, please stay tuned for more information.

One of the most pleasurable things I do is deep fry a turkey for my family for Thanksgiving. Besides being the most delicious, it is a great bonding experience for the guys. We gather on the concrete patio with beers and wine and spend a great hour together. I highly recommend this and here are the steps for a vey successful holiday experiance.

 Deep frying a turkey may sound like a strange concept, but trust me, it doesn't come out like you'd think. Deep fried turkey is moist and delicious and not at all greasy.

Of course, an idea like fried turkey originated in the south, the frying capital of the United States, but it is gaining popularity nationwide. In fact, a recent block party I attended in South Central Los Angeles had three fried turkeys going. Several groups of neighbors had gotten together and split the cost of the oil and special equipment needed to make this dish. Needless to say, their tables were some of the most popular.

You Will Need
In addition to a turkey, you'll need a 40 or 60 quart pot with basket or turkey frying hardware, plus a propane gas tank and burner, a candy/deep fry thermometer, a meat thermometer and lots of oil. Use oils that have a high smoke point, such as corn, peanut or canola oils.

You should also keep a fire extinguisher and plenty of heavy duty pot holders nearby. An injector to add marinades and seasonings to the meat is also good to have, although you can make a plain turkey without it.

As far as the turkey itself goes, smaller birds work better for frying. Try not to go over 15 pounds.

For the most flavorful birds, Before cooking you can inject the turkey with your favorite marinade and/or rub it with a dry spice rub. You will also need about 3 1/2 - 5 gallons of peanut oil (best bet, Sams Club or similar) in which to fry the turkey.

How to Fry

Using the candy thermometer to determine temperature, heat the oil to about 325°F and no higher than 350°F. This usually takes between 20 to 30 minutes. Once the oil is hot enough, place the turkey in the basket or on the turkey hanger (follow instructions that came with your turkey frying kit) and slowly lower it into the pot.

Not let her fry. With whole turkeys, you can estimate on about three minutes per pound to cook. Remove turkey and check the temperature with a meat thermometer. The temperature should reach 170° F. in the breast and 180° F. in the thigh.

Using an Injector to Marinade Your Turkey
An injector, which resembles a large hypodermic needle, allows you to inject a marinade directly into the meat. While you can make a fried turkey without this step and get a moist bird, it won't be as flavorful as if you take the time to inject your bird with marinade about a half hour or so before frying.

While we tried many of the injector needles on the market, the plastic models are our favorite. We found that the metal needles break easily and these tend to be more flexible. We found ours at a dollar store.

Fill your syringe with marinade and inject it into both sides of the breast, the legs and the thighs of the turkey. Don't be afraid to move the needle around to get the marinade into the whole bird. Sometimes it's easier to get the thighs from the inside of the cavity.

Injector Marinades
There are a plethora of commercial jarred injectable marinades available at the supermarket or gourmet shops, but why buy something that's so easy to make yourself?

We've come up with some terrific injectable marinade recipes (see related links below), but it's easy to come up with your own too. Just remember, the injector needles are small so you must use ingredients that dissolve or that are puréed so finely they won't clog the needle. As such, garlic and onion powder work better than their fresh counterparts. Also look for concentrated liquid spices in gourmet shops. Watkins also makes an incredible barbecue sauce concentrate that I use in one of the recipes below. These potent sauce concentrates make great flavor bases for barbecue flavored fried turkeys and they are always a huge hit with crowds.

Tips & Troubleshooting

• Do not stuff turkeys you plan on frying, it just doesn't work and food safety issues come into play..
• Be sure to measure for the amount of oil you'll need BEFORE you marinate or bread the turkey.
• Immediately wash hands, utensils, equipment and surfaces that have come in contact with raw turkey to avoid cross contamination.
• Keep an eye on the time, fried turkeys cook quickly. It only takes about 3 minutes per pound. Overcooking is one of the biggest mistakes beginners make. We should know, we cooked our first turkey so much the outside was charred completely black. Surprisingly, the meat inside the burnt shell was still delicious, so know that if you make this mistake, all may not be lost.
• Consume cooked turkey immediately and store leftovers in the refrigerator within two hours of cooking.
• Never leave the hot oil unattended.
• Don't allow children or pets near the cooking area.
• Allow oil to cool completely before disposing or storing it.

There ya go, have a great Thanksgiving!

Take a moment this busy holiday week to reflect upon the many things we have to be thankful for. Enjoy the turkey dinner and time with family and friends.   Happy Thanksgiving!

Here's what is happening in our county this week, click on the link for additional information about the event.

Can you believe it has been 45 years since that terrible day in Dallas, Texas?

For those of you my age, you all remember where you were when you heard the news that Our President had been shot and killed in Dallas. I was in my junior high school library when my teacher came in crying. I don't know about you, but my teachers did not cry very often, so I was awestruck by this. To say it was a very momentous day for me would be an understatement.

I always listen to this song on this day because it means so much to me. Brian Wilson wrote this song on the day our President was killed and I feel every note. This version is sung by Vince Gill in a tribute to Brian Wilson and it is an awesome tribute to both.

Enjoy and reflect!

And our local govt. is doing something about it! Please read from The Leader........

Poda announces launch of meth awareness Web site

SUMMIT COUNTY - A new countywide Web site aimed at helping to provide residents with resources about methamphetamine is now up and running.

The Summit County Meth Awareness site, at www.co.summit.oh.us/SCMA.htm, provides general resources about meth as well as links to affected property searches and other tools. The site also can be found on a link labeled "Summit County Meth Awareness" on the county's main Web page, www.co.summit.oh.us under "Other Links.

"I am very excited to announce that this Web site is now up and running and ready to help residents gather information on methamphetamine from one central site," said Summit County Councilman (D-at large) Jon Poda. "If someone wants to see photos of the ravages caused by this drug, they can go to the site. If someone wants to link to a property search for homes found to have the presence of meth, they can do that, too."

The idea of the Web site stemmed from a recommendation set forth from the Summit County Methamphetamine Property Awareness Task Force earlier this year. Poda sponsored legislation establishing the task force and served as its chairman.

For more information, call (330) 643-2725.

    - By Stephanie Kist

This is all great news for us Realtors and our buyers. Before, we did not have the resources to make sure the homes we were showing our clients were safe from this possible deadly condition. For some odd reason, Summit and Portage County, Ohio are the among the worst Meth Labs homes in the country. I hope your local govt is working just as hard on this, as we are not alone.

Thank you Jon for your service to the people of Summit County!

Thank you Stephanie for your fine reporting.

"And now, the most memorable tradition in college band history--The Incomparable SCRIPT OHIO!"

With that introduction, a three-and-a-half minute, single-file trek begins for the 192-piece OSUMB as the band files into the "Script" Ohio formation.

First performed during the 1936 season, Script Ohio is the most identifiable trademark associated with Ohio State Football and the Ohio State Marching Band. The script is an integrated series of evolutions and formations. The band first forms a triple Block O formation which will slowly unwind to form the famous letters. The drum major leads the outside O into a peel-off movement around the curves of the script, every musician in continual motion. The middle Block O revolves counter-clockwise as the other two rotate in a clockwise manner. Slowly the three blocks unfold into a long singular line which loops around, creating the OSUMB's trademark.

This is a special week for two great schools. The OSU-UM game has been called the greatest rivalry in ALL of sports, not just college football! Who said that? An ESPN poll placed this game at Number 1 ahead of the Ali-Frazier fights!

We have season tickets at "The Shoe" and what is our greatest thrill (besides a victory) ? The Best Damn Band In The Land performing "Script Ohio". It has been known to make large men cry or at least give you goose bumps for 3 minutes. It is one of the greatest traditions in college football as indicated by the performance below introduced by Brent Musberger at The Ohio State-Michigan game in 2006. I get chills when I see the Drum Major and sousaphone player slap five at the end and take positions, wow!

We were notified by the Akron Beacon Journal this morning that a local young man from Ravenna, Matthew Heller, will have the honor tomorrow of dotting the "I" at high noon. The honor is only bestowed on 4th year sousaphone players and is held in high regard as their crowning achievement at The Ohio State University. (He will not be sleeping tonight.)

The honor has rarely gone to another person except for very noteworthy OSU alumni such as Jack Nicklaus and "WOODY". Those are on YouTube also and I highly recommend all you true Buckeyes look them up as they are simply awesome.

TBDBITL?? How many other bands do you see during a football game on television? "Nuff said!