Big yuck: Bank customer shows gun to teller

What's up with the dude who showed a gun to a teller at the First National Bank of Dennison branch on the Boulevard while he cashed a check.

It was a joke, he said.

Joke?

There are some things one shouldn't joke about. In a community that has had a dozen or so bank robberies in the last year, brandishing a weapon while one gets a check cashed IS NOT FUNNY.

What, you don't think tellers aren't a little nervous these days?

IT'S NOT FUNNY.

* * *

If you're a Cleveland sports fan as I am, the sad performance by the Cavs Tuesday night was another dagger in the heart. This team doesn't have the heart to win a championship. That was evident Tuesday as the Celtics clobbered them.

I'll leave in-depth analysis to the folks who cover the team on a daily basis, but methinks there is a chemistry problem. And maybe LeBron really does want to go to New York or Chicago. He vacations in Chicago, you know.

What do we call this episode? "The Elbow"? "The Rondo"? "The Choke"? What?

If LeBron leaves the Cavaliers this summer, move over Art Modell. James will become the most hated figure in Cleveland sports.

* * *

Hooray for Dover, which is poised to become a two Dollar-General-store town. The new Dollar General store on N. Wooster Ave. is set to open within the month and the old one -- in downtown Dover -- is going to stay in business!

How about that for retail dominance?

This is from Dollar General's corporate website: "Dollar General saves you time by staying focused on life's simple necessities: laundry detergent, toilet paper, soap, shampoo, socks and underwear...maybe a gadget or two that you just can't live without. The average Dollar General customer completes her shopping trip in less than 10 minutes."

And a gadget or two that you just can't live without. God help us.

* * *

State Sen. Bob Gibbs, whose farm is located in Holmes County, declared himself the winner in the eight-candidate race for the Republican nomination for the 18th District House seat.

Gibbs is leading Fred Dailey by more than 100 votes and that apparently is enough, at least in Gibbs' mind. If he's right, he'll face U.S. Rep. Zack Space of Dover in the November general election.

Here's Gibbs' mission statement:

"Federal spending and borrowing is so out of control that our national security and individual freedoms are at risk. I am committed as your Congressman to cut the spending and borrowing, and eliminate the practice of earmarks. Washington needs to send the pro-business signals that create confidence in our economy and ensure it is on solid ground so that businesses can confidently make investments and create jobs. The only way to restore confidence is to get spending under control, cut taxes and cut the red tape that is choking our economy."

A lot can happen between now and November but Space should take note of what happened in a West Virginia congressional race on Tuesday: A 14-term incumbent, Rep. Alan B. Mollohan, was tossed in the primary. In addition, an ABC News-Washington Post poll found that 57 percent of Americans will be looking at candidates other than the incumbent during this election season.

And if you don't know what cap-and-trade is now, you will.