| MEMBER EXCHANGE: License plates drive local collector
THE PLAINS, Ohio — What's worth $10,000 and has more mileage on it than an '87 Honda? The wallpaper in Bill Omen's garage. The walls of Omen's garage in The Plains area are decked out with some 3,000 license plates. All 50 states are represented — some very colorfully, some hardened in rust. One wall of Ohio plates is arranged to replicate the American flag. Some plates date back to the turn of the 20th century. Some are licensed for state vehicles, a rare find, according to Omen. The collector started stockpiling plates in 1980 when his son was born. He found an antique plate at a flea market, and then decided he needed all 50 states. Many flea markets and antique shops later, Omen is now the proud owner of more than 3,000 license plates. He makes money selling the Ohio plates to anyone interested in putting a vintage plate on their car.
THAT OLD FEELING
Why do people go to auctions and estate sales and bid large sums of money on old furniture? Why do they browse antique malls, searching display after display of knick-knacks and trinkets to find one tiny thimble? "There are two theories on why people come to an antique store that I have heard," said Elizabeth Conner, an antiques dealer at Blue Moon Antique Mall in Victoria. "One, you're trying to recreate your own childhood or, two, you want to replace something that you saw at your grandmother's house, your aunt's house, your mother's house; something that really touches you in some way and you want to replace that, or you've always wanted it and never had it." For example, said Conner, owner of Eliza Jane's Antiques at the mall for the past five years, "When I was a little girl, girls didn't play with train sets.
Portsmouth business complex is under construction
PORTSMOUTH The former Chase School located on West Main Road near Melville School has been demolished and surrounding lots prepped for drainage work and construction of a business complex. Anthony Russo of Tiverton,owns about 4.7 acres, containing seven commercial lots that stretches from West Main back to Chelsea Drive. He plans to construct three new commercial buildings of wood framing with vinyl shingles, some to be accessed through 10-foot-wide garage-style lifting doors. The buildings will reach 18- eet at the eaves of the roof, with cupolas for a decorative touch. A paved road will come in off West Main Road and split the property in two, culminating with a cul-de-sac The whole project is estimated to cost $1.5 million. The zoning board of review approved Mr.
Give a leg up to therapy horses
I first became aware of equine, or hippotherapy ("hippo" being the Greek word for "horse," as in "hippopotamus" meaning "river horse"), several years ago when I attended a fundraiser at Winslow Therapeutic Center in Warwick. I am no fan of horses, but I became one (albeit from a distance) when I realized how much good they can do for people with disabilities of all kinds. Coincidentally, it also was a visit to Winslow that inspired Patricia Dickinson to train and test for North American Riding for the Handicapped Association certification, which qualifies her to teach horseback riding to children with disabilities. It has also helped her make her dream a reality: Cloud Nine Therapeutic Riding Center in Brackney, Pa. Research has shown there are many ways this kind of therapy can benefit children, as well as adults.
|
