Akron's Dumbledore has magical plans

I met Professor Dumbledore last night. Not the Dumbledore from the Harry Potter movies (I'm told the actor in the first two movies is still more popular than the one in the third, fourth, and fifth by the way) but Akron's Dumbledore, better known as P.R. Miller.

For years, Miller has generated a buzz wherever he's gone. His artwork -- at times mammoth -- created from recycled goods baits the public hook, and it's his personality that reels you in to shore. At that point, he's gotcha!

Miller spent his Friday night playing Dumbledore for kids celebrating HP7 in Peninsula. With the grey beard and creative spectacles, Miller already looks the part. His purple robe that he surely rescued from ruins just seeled the deal. He can also bellow with thunder and charisma that echoes the strengths of the mythical character to a fault. So let's just call him Akron's Dumbledore. So in a way, P.R. is now A.D.

Miller tells me he's aiming his magic wand at the new library for West Hill. His next spell is a 10-foot-tall, all-metal frog for the front of new building. It should really be something to see (not like you can miss it anyway) when it's put together. You HP fans can just use the Floo Network to get there quicker.

Miller also told me that he's been searching for a home for the giant" Lawsons" sign he rescued a few years back. The historic emblem has outgrown its current location; P.R. joked that he would set it ablaze as some sort of sacrifice if it didn't have a new place to lean soon.

Seemed not even the real Dumbledore could make a space magically appear; that's when Professor Lieberth solved the riddle. In the muggle world, he's known as Deputy Mayor Dave Lieberth. For our purposes, think of him as the "Minister of Deputy Mayoral Affairs and Magical Contracts for the Don-bledore."

Lieberth found space in the basement of one of the downtown buildings so that the Lawsons sign wouldn't end up a charred piece of magical metal. I'm not sure which one, but let's just say the sign is now protected by enchantments not even HP could conquer.

By the way, the Akron Life and Leisure cover of Lieberth and Miller is still my all-time favorite.