Regional roundup for Oct. 5, 2009

Arizona
Watters Garden Center in Prescott, Ariz., is now offering online shopping, PrescottNews.com reported. The new e-commerce site features more than 1,800 items handpicked by store owner Ken Lain and his team of horticulturists at the garden center, including outdoor furniture, hydroponics, tools, gardening supplies, rain harvest barrels, fountains, gift cards and more.

Minnesota
SunnySide Gardens in Minneapolis recently posted a new episode of “Meet up with Mike” on its YouTube channel. The video shows the latest exploits of store owner Mike Hurley and his Sunny Bus. The crew at SunnySide visited an area park to spread some cheer and give away some free mums.

Ohio
What could be the world’s heaviest pumpkin made an appearance at Parks Garden Center in Green Township, Ohio, according to a report on Vindy.com. Local resident Christy Harp came away with the top prize at the Ohio Valley Giant Pumpkin Growers weigh-off at Parks Garden Center with a 1,725-pound pumpkin. The world record coming into the event was 1,689 pounds, and the state record was 1,524.5 pounds.

Washington
Lyn Robinson, owner of Zenith Holland Gardens, a wholesale plant nursery in Des Moines, Wash., is among the nation’s “voluntarily uninsured,” NPR reported. Nearly 46 million people in America are without health insurance. But by some estimates, as many as one-third of them are what you might call "voluntarily uninsured." These are people who could afford coverage but don't buy it. Robinson likes the power of deciding where and when to spend her medical dollars. "I'm sure that there's people out there that are going to say that's crazy and irresponsible," Robinson says. "Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Maybe we're just brainwashed into believing that we are supposed to have insurance to be fiscally responsible."

Send your news items for Garden Center’s Regional Roundup to smartinez@gie.net.