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Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/26819
Upfront Madness before March I n my 13-plus years as editor of OPE magazine, I can’t recall a month when I heard two more bizarre stories involv- ing outdoor power equipment than in February. One story was about a thief, and the other about a hero. Both stories went viral. Now I’ve heard countless stories about burglars striking OPE dealerships. And I’m sure that shoplifters have stolen parts and other small items from many of you during the day, too. But I couldn’t believe when I learned that a man tried to walk out of a True Value hardware store Feb. 16 with a chain saw in, of all places, his shorts! The 21-year-old man allegedly pulled the Echo chain saw from a display at Ross Seed Company in Chickasha, Okla., shoved it down the front of his long and baggy shorts, and headed for the exit. An employee saw the man walking with a limp, but assumed he was disabled. That was until he spotted the chain saw bar between the man’s legs. Several employees then chased the man, who eventually ditched the chain saw in a nearby field, climbed a tree, jumped down, and ran into someone’s house. The homeowner booted the man out of his house, and the employ- ees continued their pursuit until the man dove headfirst into a shallow creek. Police pulled the man from the creek and arrested him. He was eventually charged with assault and battery, larceny, public intoxica- tion, and possession of stolen property (which also included a dog collar and dog vaccination shots). “First time I ever seen a chain saw go down anybody’s britches,” Paul Horton, the store manager, told Sarah Stewart of KFOR-TV, the local NBC affiliate. On the other hand, Steve Liubakka of Diorite, Mich., was a hero Feb. 7 for using an Ariens Sno-Thro to control a fire at his neighbor’s house until the fire department arrived. Liubakka blew 16 inches of snow through the house’s front window and into the living room, where the fire started, and Dan Ariens, left, president and CEO of Ariens Company, presents a new Ariens Pro 32 Sno-Thro to Steve Liubakka. 6 OUTDOOR POWER EQUIPMENT www.outdoorpowerequipment.com Editor Steve Noe snoe@m2media360.com M2MEDIA360 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Web site: www.outdoorpowerequipment.com OPE Staff helped extinguish the flames. “The fire chief told us, well, if it wasn’t for the snow blower, you wouldn’t have a house. The snow blower isn’t a $550,000 fire truck, but it did the job,” Liubakka said with a laugh to Nikki Junewicz of the local FOX affiliate. In recognition of Liubakka’s heroic ef- forts, Dan Ariens, president and CEO of Ariens Company, personally delivered a new Pro 32 Sno-Thro to him on Feb. 15. “The story really seemed to resonate with customers,” said Dan Ariens. “They were impressed with Mr. Liubakka’s quick response and wanted to be sure we were aware of it. We also heard from suppliers, dealers and employees who were proud to see a Sno-Thro used this way.” Ariens Company learned from Liubakka that he used his son-in-law’s 36-year-old Ariens Sno-Thro to extinguish the fire. “We felt he deserved some sort of recognition for his resourcefulness,” added Dan Ariens. “Replacing his old snow thrower with a new Ariens Sno-Thro just seemed fitting.” OPE 1030 W. Higgins Road, Suite 230, Park Ridge, IL 60068 Phone: (847) 720-5600 • Fax: (847) 720-5601 Executive Vice President Editor Editorial Direction Art Director Production Manager Contributing Writers Charles Forman Steve Noe Richard Brandes Brian Snook Karen Kalinyak Bob Clements, Dave Worden Direct Mail List Sales Cheryl Naughton, (678) 292-6054; e-mail cnaughton@m2media360.com Reprint Service Cheryl Naughton, (678) 292-6054; e-mail cnaughton@m2media360.com M2MEDIA360 President/CEO Vice President, Finance and Operations Vice President, Circulation and Collateral Services Production and Operations Director Executive Director, EETC Executive VP, Dixie Sales Co. Pres., Plano Power Equipment and Whipper Clipper Marion Minor Gerald Winkel Joanne Juda-Prainito Mary Jo Tomei Editorial Advisory Board Jim Roche Jim Starmer Glen Whitt Circulation For subscription inquiries and customer service questions, please call (847) 763-9565 or fax (847) 763-9569 business hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. CST Publisher’s Notice: We assume no responsibility for the validity of adver- tising claims in connection with items appearing in Outdoor Power Equipment. Reader Service Numbers are given to facilitate further inquiry. Commercial product names are used for the convenience of the reader. Mention of a commercial product does not imply endorse- ment by Outdoor Power Equipment or M2MEDIA360, or preference over similar products not mentioned. 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