Good

Times
July 2014
FREE
Entertainment Guide
Peltier discovers comets in
his backyard in Delphos
GOOD
TIMES
Vol. 8 No. 9
Nancy Spencer, Editor
A monthly publication for
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Contents
6
ARTS
Niswonger Performing Arts Center
releases 2014-15 schedule
COVER STORY
Peltier discovers comets from his
backyard in Delphos
4
3
UNDER REVIEW
The Fault in Our Stars, Redshirts
2 GOOD TIMES July 2014
B
o
o
k F
a
i
r
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Celina
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Delphos
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Lima
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Van Wert
419-238-9223
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419-738-7430
comfort. love. respect
Visiting Nurses Hospice Private Duty Therapy Services
Learn more at
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or call a local CHP location:
Complete Range of
In-Home Care.
Compassionate Staff,
Local & Available 24/7
Celina
419-586-1999
Delphos
419-695-1999
Lima
419-991-1822
Van Wert
419-238-9223
Wapak
419-738-7430
comfort. love. respect
Visiting Nurses Hospice Private Duty Therapy Services
Learn more at
ComHealthPro.org
or call a local CHP location:
Complete Range of
In-Home Care.
Compassionate Staff,
Local & Available 24/7
Celina
419-586-1999
Delphos
419-695-1999
Lima
419-991-1822
Van Wert
419-238-9223
Wapak
419-738-7430
comfort. love. respect
Visiting Nurses Hospice Private Duty Therapy Services
Learn more at
ComHealthPro.org
or call a local CHP location:
Complete Range of
In-Home Care.
Compassionate Staff,
Local & Available 24/7
Celina
419-586-1999
Delphos
419-695-1999
Lima
419-991-1822
Van Wert
419-238-9223
Wapak
419-738-7430
comfort. love. respect
Visiting Nurses Hospice Private Duty Therapy Services
Learn more at
ComHealthPro.org
or call a local CHP location:
Complete Range of
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Local & Available 24/7
Celina
419-586-1999
Delphos
419-695-1999
Lima
419-991-1822
Van Wert
419-238-9223
Wapak
419-738-7430
comfort. love. respect
Visiting Nurses Hospice Private Duty Therapy Services
Learn more at
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7
ARTS
Festivals transform Cincinnati into
summer music destination
Cover photo: Submitted by Michael Ritchie
She is Hazel Grace
Lancaster, he is Augustus
Waters and together they find
love but this isnt your
typical happy love story. It is
sad but it is beautiful.
The Fault in Our Stars
is the film adaptation of John
Greens young adult novel of
the same name. I did not read
the book before the movie,
which I typically do not like
to do, but I have read many
reviews from readers of the book applauding the adaptation.
Hazel (Shailene Woodley), 16, has stage-four thyroid cancer
and has to breathe using an oxygen machine 24/7. Her mom
thinks she is depressed and takes her to a cancer support group
called the Literal Heart of Jesus.
It is in the Literal Heart of Jesus that she meets Gus (Ansel
Elgort), who is in remission from osteosarcoma after having his
leg amputated. From the moment they meet, the two have an
instant connection and viewers will enjoy or roll their eyes at the
corny love story that is expected from this teenage romance but I
guarantee there will be some laughs along the way.
The movie not only focuses on the story of the two falling in
love, starting from the first moments of worrying if Gus will text
Hazel to the time they each lose their virginity, but it also tells the
sad, horrifying story of cancer. Though Hazel and Gus make jokes
about their cancer stories, they also tell a very realistic story of
cancer, not only
how it affects
them but also
their parents,
which adds a
great deal to the
film. It doesnt
make the story seem so one-sided where it
is this unrealistic story of two teenagers just
falling in love. It has the real fears of parents
who are afraid their child is going to get hurt
or die before them.
As I said, it is a sad story. I cried basically through the entire movie
but it wasnt only because of it being sad; it was also so beautiful.
The writing of the narration is beautiful and every word sinks in
and makes you reflect on life and then you remember youre watch-
ing a movie and you should probably just focus on that instead.
Woodley and Elgort should be nominated for Academy
Awards for their performances. Their chemistry is flawless and
they perform their parts so well I forgot I was watching a movie
at all but rather experiencing this all myself. When the story asks
for the actors to take the next step above the teenage, fun, flirty
story, they do it with ease.
Even the cinematography is beautiful. It is simple, it is plain
and it is imperfect. It is real life just like the real life, love and pain
the teens are experiencing.
Everything hit just right in this rom-com drama. The emotions
are high as viewers will experience the love, laughs and loss so
bring your tissues and go see The Fault in Our Stars.
July 2014 GOOD TIMES 3
Under Review
Redshirts
Turning
the Pages
BY KIRK
DOUGAL
Written by John Scalzi
(Tor)
The Fault in Our Stars
Directed by Josh Boone
(20th Century Fox)
Keeping
it Reel
BY ERIN
COX
Lieutenant Andrew Dahl is a Xenobiologist
and he has just received the best news of his
young career: He has been assigned to the
Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, the
flagship of the galactic fleet. With the posting
comes the chance to work beside legends of
the Union fleet - Captain
Lucius Abernathy, Science
Officer Qeeng, and Chief
Engineer Paul West.
It is Dahls dream
come true
until he starts to go
on away missions with
the senior staff where he
quickly realizes every
trip eventually involves
a life or death situation
where at least one crew
member dies. The victim
is always a low-ranking crewman that must
suffer through some horribly painful death
usually caused by someone in the group doing
something incredibly stupid or illogical, most
likely the senior staff.
And because he is wearing a red shirt, Dahl
realizes he may be next.
If the entire premise for John Scalzis Hugo
Award-winning science fiction comedy novel,
Redshirts, sounds familiar, that is because it
should if the reader is a fan of Star Trek.
Viewers of the original Star Trek television
show of the 1960s and the decades-long series
of spin-offs have long held an inside joke
that the way to tell who would die within the
weeks episode was to see who was wearing
a red uniform shirt. Scalzi takes this notion,
stands it on its head, and then tickles it until it
falls over on its side.
Dahl is a likable protago-
nist but just as with all the
other characters, he has a
background that seems odd
and slightly out of place.
James Hanson (son of an
uber-rich businessman) and
Maia Duvall (a sex drive-
overloaded female sol-
dier who manages to make
every sentence sound like
a double entendre) are his
two best friends but he soon
draws more of the crew into his inner circle.
Together they discover the real reason behind
the irrational behavior of the senior staff and
the bizarre deaths.
Scalzi, a former president of the Science
Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, is a
talented writer with a scathing sense of humor
where very few subjects are considered off
limits. Redshirts has a quick moving plot
with likable characters, although some, much
like the original Star Trek television show, are
thinly developed. With a writer of Scalzis
ability, I had the feel-
ing this lack of depth
on side characters was
done with the purpose
of creating the proper
mood in the book and
it works as a literary
device.
I did have some
problems with Redshirts. After a tremen-
dous buildup, Scalzi asks the reader to sus-
pend disbelief - as all speculative fiction does
but this involves megatons of suspension - for
the resolution of the book. Also, after giv-
ing the reader a raucous, irreverent ride, the
denouement is slightly maudlin and more
than a little sugary sweet. The difference in the
tones is jarring and dropped my satisfaction
with Redshirts by half a star. You can also
drop the three-star rating by one if you are not
a Star Trek fan.
One last warning: This is not a childrens
or YA book. One running joke between the
crewmen is locker room raunchy and one
scene discusses a situation happening off-
screen that would be impossible to describe in
a family magazine.
Having mentioned that, however,
Redshirts is a must-read novel for anyone
who considers themselves even a slight Star
Trek fan. There are just too many insider jokes
and fun to miss this read.
BY ERIN COX
Good Times Staff Writer
news@delphosherald.com
DELPHOS Delphos
is home to a prolific comet
discoverer, Leslie Peltier,
and he did it all in his own
backyard.
Peltier was born on a small
farm east of the city on Jan.
2, 1900. He quickly acquired
an appreciation and love of
nature and the natural world
but it wasnt until he was 15
years old that he took a real
interest in the stars.
The night air was soft and
warm, there was no moon,
and all the brighter stars were
shining, Peltier detailed in
his book Starlight Night: the
Adventures of a Star Gazer.
Something perhaps it was
a meteor caused me to
look up for a moment. Then,
literally out of that clear sky, I
suddenly asked myself: Why
do I not know a single one of
those stars?
As Peltier said in his book,
his curiosity had to wait a day
as he went to the new public
library in Delphos to find a
book to tell him more about
the stars the next day. He
came out with The Friendly
Stars by Martha Evans
Martin and used it as his guide
to becoming familiar with the
stars.
He started saving his
money, bought a telescope and
began searching the night sky.
On Nov. 13, 1925, he
discovered his first comet
and sent his findings
to the Harvard College
Observatory, which
responded a week later
with the news that
Peltier had discovered
a new comet.
In 1937, Peltier
designed and built a
Me r r y - Go - Ro u n d
observatory, which
rotated to follow the
stars, right in his
backyard. In 1959,
Miami University
in Oxford donated
its observatory and
telescope to Peltier.
For 20 years, the
observatory, which was
about 100 yards north
of Peltiers home, was
host to thousands of
interested stargazers
and school children.
Michael Ritchie,
astronomer and vice president
of the Lima Astronomical
Society, was one of those
visitors to Peltiers home
observatory.
In his teen years, Ritchie
was a young protege to
another astronomer in the area
who was friends with Peltier
and took him there to use
the observatory. Both Ritchie
and Peltier were members
of the American Association
of Variable Star Observers
and the Lima Astronomical
Society.
He mainly stayed in his
own observatory but he would
come for major functions
with the Lima Astronomical
Society, Ritchie said.
Ritchie, much like Peltier,
learned about the stars through
self-teaching at first.
When I was 9, I always
talked about the stars and Santa
Claus got me a telescope,
Ritchie said.
From there Ritchie learned
the stars and didnt buy a real,
high quality telescope until he
was out of high school.
For those interested in
astronomy, Ritchie suggests
to do much of the same.
The first step is to learn
about the stars indoors
through a book on astronomy
or downloading star maps
from the Internet, Ritchie
said. Its best to familiarize
yourself first because once you
learn the stars and the planets,
youll find out where they are
and you can see the movement
and the star patterns.
4 GOOD TIMES July 2014
Cover Story
Peltier discovers comets from
his backyard in Delphos
Books, Internet and
astronomy clubs
help new stargazers
Peltier
Schoonover Observatory
Submitted photo
July 2014 GOOD TIMES 5
Cover Story
Maps of the constellations to get started stargazing this summer:
The next step would be to search
for an astronomy club, like the
Lima Astronomical Society, which
is celebrating its 62nd anniversary.
The society oversees the Schoonover
Observatory at 670 North Jefferson St.,
which is observing its 50th anniversary
in September.
Ritchie opens the observatory every
Friday night at dusk until midnight
throughout the summer and into
October. The public is invited to come
use the telescopes and he plays an
astronomy video for guests to view as
well. The only time the observatory
doesnt open is if it is raining and
storming.
The astronomy club also
coordinates with the Johnny Appleseed
Metropolitan Park District for various
star parties such as on Aug. 12 for
the Perseid meteor shower. The group
will gather at Kendrick Woods, 971 N.
Defiance Trail, Spencerville, to watch
an evening of shooting stars and count
how many meteors they see.
Peltier has been called the worlds
greatest non-professional astronomer
by Harlow Shapley, an American
astronomer. He started with a book and
stargazing in his backyard.
With a summer full of starry nights
left, Ritchie encourages the public to
take a gaze at the stars.
Submitted photo
Meteor Showers
Name Peak Date
Perseids Aug. 10-13
Orionids Oct. 21
South Taurids Nov. 4
North Taurids Nov. 11
Leonids Nov. 17
Geminids Dec. 13-14
6 GOOD TIMES July 2014
Arts
Niswonger Performing Arts
Center releases 2014-15 schedule
BY ED GEBERT
Good Times Staff Writer
egebert@timesbulletin.com
VAN WERT The recent annual season
reveal showed off another strong schedule
of entertainment coming to the Niswonger
Performing Arts Center (NPAC). The facility
billed the 2014-15 season as entertainment
for everyone in the family and the variety
in the performers and shows is obvious,
even from the Community Concert Series
of artists already announced.
The Grand Series will
feature big names as well as
variety, as Van Wert will play
host to performers like Kenny
Rogers, the Temptations,
Newsboys, Sinbad and even
Marilyn McCoo and Billy
Davis, Jr. between October and
April.
NPAC Executive Director
Paul Hoverman showed an
introductory video to invited
guests during the reveal
ceremony and touted the
variety present in the schedule.
Season sponsors for the year
will be Statewide Ford Lincoln and Van
Wert Federal Bank, along with many
sponsors for separate shows.
The season begins with a trio of shows
from the Community Concert Series The
Annie Moses Band on Oct. 4, Peter Yarrow
on Oct. 9 and Habaneros on Oct. 13.
The Annie Moses Band combines
Americana with folk and jazz to make a
unique sound that has entertained audiences
across the country.
Folk hero Peter Yarrow, formerly of
the folk group Peter, Paul and Mary, will
be joined by Mustards Retreat to play old
favorites and other tunes.
The Cuban group Habaneros is
comprised of virtuoso clarinetist, Alden
Ortuo Cabezas, and a string quartet of
members from the National Symphony
Orchestra of Cuba.
On Oct. 18, the music of Broadway is
brought to the stage by an inspirational
quartet, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound,
who teams up with Broadway sensation J.
Mark McVey from Les Miserables. They
will perform countless Broadway classics in
a show for all ages.
On Nov. 1, Americas Got Talent
winners the Olate Dogs will bring a show
no dog lover can resist. The show has
been touring the nation featuring rescue
dogs that can do tricks that will amaze
audience members. The Olate Dogs are a
high-energy, fast-paced theatrical act filled
with amazing pet tricks.
Just a few days later, the Dallas Brass
returns to the Niswonger stage with vocalist
Bryan Anthony to give the night a Frank
Sinatra style. With music ranging from
classical to Broadway and jazz, Dallas Brass
will help the Van Wert Area Performing Arts
Foundation honor a very special
person on this memorable night.
Its country music on Nov.
15 in the person of singer-
songwriter Josh Turner. The
deep-voiced singer leaped onto
the country scene with Long
Black Train and has now sold
more than five million albums
and gathered three more chart-
toppers.
Next up, Christmas time hits
with full force, beginning with
The Ballet Theatre of Toledo
performing the classic The
Nutcracker on Dec. 6. That is
followed by a jazzy holiday show called
Its a Peter White Christmas featuring
contemporary jazz and guest performers
Mindi Abair and Rick Braun.
Then on Dec. 12, the unforgettable
Kenny Rogers will perform at the NPAC.
The singer, who has been performing for
over 52 years with songs most everyone
knows, will sing the songs of his career in
the first act, then the sounds of Christmas
in the second.
Then, the first-ever holiday
on ice show will dazzle and
amaze the audience with the
Holiday Ice Spectacular on
Dec. 15. Yes, the performers
will ice skate on the NPAC
stage in a fast-paced show for
the Christmas season.
The Christmas season at
the Niswonger will extend to
Dec. 19 with a performance
by Marilyn McCoo and Billy
Davis, Jr., singing duo and
both former members of the
Fifth Dimension. The pair has
received seven Grammys, 15
gold records and three platinum
records during their 40-plus years in the
music industry.
With the coming of 2015, the weather
will likely be cold. And to match, Paul
Nicklen, National Geographic explorer
biologist and photographer, will bring his
expeditions to life on Jan. 25 on the NPAC
stage. Nicklen has worked for National
Geographic for years, taking pictures in the
polar regions since 1995.
Winners of NBCs The Sing Off,
country music vocal band Home Free, will
perform their mix of country and pop on
Jan. 31.
Then Nov. 7, the show gets funny with
comedian Sinbad, ranked by Comedy
Central as one of the top 100 standup
comedians of all time. The humor will
come fast and furious when Sinbad takes
the stage.
Broadways Anything Goes is set for
Feb. 15 at the Niswonger. This much-loved
musical-comedy is an audience
favorite.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
brings the look and the sound
of contemporary swing to Van
Wert on Feb. 21.
Two of TVs all-time
biggest stars headline the play
Love Letters on March 8.
Barbara Eden of I Dream of
Jeannie and Hal Linden of
Barney Miller star in this
classic.
Christian Supergroup
Newsboys make a Van Wert
appearance on March 21. The
group, whose song Gods Not
Josh Turner
Kenny Rogers
Sinbad
July 2014 GOOD TIMES 7
Arts
Dead provided music for the recent hit
movie of the same name, is a popular draw
for fans of contemporary Christian music.
The bodybuilding concert pianist Leon
Bates returns to the NPAC stage on March
22. Bates will demonstrate his mastery
of the piano and will conduct a master
class for piano lovers and a seminar about
the contributions of African-American
composers to American music.
The hot Broadway show Memphis will
take the NPAC stage on March 28 and 29,
fresh from its hit Broadway run and 55-city
North American tour. The music goes back
to when blues and gospel combined to form
rock and roll in the underground clubs of
the south.
The kids favorites for generations, The
Berenstain Bears will make an appearance
on April 12 in The Berenstain Bears LIVE!
in Family Matters.
On April 14, stepdancing and even a
little tap will be a part of the performance
by The StepCrew. Six incredible dancers
and three extremely talented fiddlers put on
a show with a Celtic air.
Back for one more run, its the Church
Basement Ladies who will host The Last
(Potluck) Supper on April 19. In this final
episode, its 1979 and the remembrances and
antics from the past years come flashing back.
Rounding out the schedule on April 25,
the Niswonger welcomes Rock and Roll
Hall-of-Famers The Temptations for one
night of timeless classics. This Motown
cornerstone group has a huge library of hits
to take audience members back to a simpler
time.
Season tickets are on sale now. Members
will of course get to choose tickets first.
Tickets in the Grand Series are also on
sale now . The Select Series seats go on
sale July 8. Individual events go on sale
approximately 90 days prior to the event
date.
Festivals transform Cincinnati
into summer music destination
Information submitted
CINCINNATI Bunbury
Music Festival (July 11-13)
and the inaugural Buckle Up
Music Festival (July 18-20)
will transform downtown
Cincinnati into a unique,
weekend getaway offering two
major festival experiences like
no other.
Bunbury Music Festival
(featuring Empire of the Sun,
Fall Out Boy, Paramore, The
Flaming Lips, among oth-
ers) celebrates its third year
in 2014 as alternative music
festival and will feature 80 live
performances across six stages
throughout Sawyer Point and
Yeatmans Cove. On the banks
of the Ohio River, this three-
day event will be an unforget-
table and unique music festival
experience.
Buckle Up Music Festival
(featuring Alabama, Willie
Nelson, Alison Krauss and
Union Station featuring Jerry
Douglas, The Band Perry,
among others) is a new music
event highlighting a large
array of American music
including country, folk, blue-
grass, Americana, roots rock
and more that will take place
at Sawyer Point and Yeatmans
Cove spanning across six stag-
es and featuring upwards of 80
performers.
Each festival offers a craft
beer village, great food selec-
tions from national and local
restaurants and vendors selling
merchandise, clothing apparel
and jewelry.
Tickets are on sale now for
both festivals. For more infor-
mation on Bunbury Music
Festival, visit www.bun-
buryfestival.com. For more
information about Buckle Up
Music Festival, visit www.
buckleupfestival.com.
Riffe Gallery
presents Sky High
BY MALIKA BRYANT
Ohio Art Council
news@delphosherald.com
COLUMBUS - The
Ohio Arts Councils Riffe
Gallery will present Sky
High from July 31 through
Oct. 19.
Sky High is an all-
encompassing visual
expedition of Earths vast
upper atmosphere known
as the sky. The artists in
the exhibition use a range
of techniques that explore
the assorted elements of the
sky. From the stunning displays of stars and planets to clouds
and tornadoes, this exhibition will encourage you to look up.
Artists in the show include: Rosemarie Bloch (Okeana), Rod
Bouc (Columbus), Judith Maureen Brandon (Cleveland), Edward M.
Charney (New Carlisle), Robert Coates (Fairborn), Netta Bits (Dayton),
Susan Danko (Parma), Julie Friedman (Medina), Diana Duncan
Holmes (Cincinnati), David LaPalombara (Athens), Jessica Larva
(Columbus), Danielle Rante (Columbus), Kate Shannon (Mansfield),
Wendy Collin Sorin (Durham, North Carolina), Diane Stemper
(Oxford), Joel Whitaker (Dayton) and Sean Wilkinson (Dayton).
Join the Riffe Gallery for the opening of Sky High from 5 to
7 p.m. July 31.
From noon to 1 p.m. Aug. 1, join the council for a free tour of
the exhibition led by exhibition curator Kay Koeninger, a profes-
sor of art at Sinclair Community College.
From 5:30 to 7 p.m. Aug. 28, Ohio poet Wendy McVicker will
read her works with accompaniment by musician Emily Prince,
followed by an Open Mic session. Please register for the event
online between Aug. 1-15.
From 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 21, create mixed-media works by
melding together science, nature and art with Sky High artist
Diane Stemper. Children ages 6 to 17 are welcome to participate
with an adult companion. Registration is required as space is
limited; all children must be accompanied by a registered adult.
Register online between Aug. 1-Sept. 17.
Wind Cloud by Rod Bouc, 2012
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