Toledo Free Press - Oct. 12, 2005 by Toledo Free Press

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Bob Frantz: Racial proﬁling charges refuted, page 3

The dawn of a Toledo tradition October 5, 2005

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LIVING PORTRAITS

Toledo artist Leslie Adams paints her subjects with breathtaking realism, page 26 ■ Transportation

■ DEVELOPMENT: City navigates economic effects of population decline, page 18

New carrier Allegiant Air announces new ﬂights from Toledo to Las Vegas and Orlando, page 14

■ Community

Fair troubles Fair board president Dennis Lang ousted, page 6

■ Technology

Blog power

■ Sports

Super impact Next year’s Super Bowl in Detroit is already paying off for the local economy, page 6

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Toledo blog sites change ﬂow of local information, page 10

Bob LaClair, left, president of Fifth Third Bank, and Brian Bucher, president of National City Bank, share their views on Toledo’s economy and future. C

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Story by Myndi Milliken, page 16

OPINION

October 5, 2005

LIGHTING THE FUSE A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC Vol. 1, No. 30, Established 2005

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Thomas F. Pounds President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com Kay T. Pounds Vice President of Operations kpounds@toledofreepress.com Stacie L. Klewer Art Director sklewer@toledofreepress.com Myndi M. Milliken Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com Barbara Goodman Shovers Contributing Editor bshovers@toledofreepress.com Edward Shimborske III Entertainment Editor es3@toledofreepress.com

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Direct financing of more than $849 million for business

improvement and expansions involving more than $1.4 billion of capital investments. Creating and retaining more than

13,800 jobs. The Port of Toledo, Toledo Express Airport and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza.

Adam Mahler Food/Dining Editor amahler@toledofreepress.com DM Stanﬁeld Photo Editor dmstanfield@toledofreepress.com STAFF WRITERS news@toledofreepress.com Keith Bergman • Michael Brooks Scott Calhoun • Lauri Donahue Vicki Kroll • Scott McKimmy Mark Tinta • Deanna Woolf Dave Woolford • Russ Zimmer Raymond Heinl Staff Writer Emeritus Shannon Wisbon Copy Editor Katie McCoy Graphic Designer Miranda Everitt Editorial Intern

A portfolio for economic success.

ADVERTISING SALES Renee Bergmooser rbergmooser@toledofreepress.com Casey Fischer cfischer@toledofreepress.com

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Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority | One Maritime Plaza | Toledo, Ohio 43604-1866 U.S.A. (419) 243-8251 | www.toledoportauthority.org

Lauren Parris lparris@toledofreepress.com Toledo Free Press is published every Wednesday by Toledo Free Press, LLC, 300 Madison Avenue Suite 1300 Toledo, OH 43604 www.toledofreepress.com Phone: (419) 241-1700 Fax: (419) 241-8828 Subscription rate: $52/year. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2005 with all rights reserved. Publication of advertisements does not imply endorsement of advertisers’ goods or services.

Husband’s passing is titanic loss

alk about a power couple. Jennifer Carter is an accomplished explorer, the ﬁrst woman to visit the wreck site of Titanic. Her husband, Joel Hirschhorn, was a composer and two-time Oscar winner. It crushes me to have to use “was” when referring to Joel, who died recently from a heart attack at age 67. I met Jennifer in Pittsburgh several years ago. I was reporting on a lecture she gave about her world exploration travels, which included the visit to Titanic, sharing a cage with sharks and diving into the icy depths of Scotland’s Loch Ness. She is a producer for National Geographic and IMAX, an Emmy winner and a member of the elite Explorer’s Club. Jennifer is the embodiment of Helen Keller’s maxim, “Life is a daring adventure, or it is nothing.” After her lecture, Jennifer and I talked about our interest in Titanic and its lost souls. Her scheduled ﬂight home was several hours later, so I drove her around snowbound Pittsburgh for lunch and an icy tour. Our initial hours of conversation sparked one of those friendships that an-

Michael S. Miller nounces itself as an instant bond. During our conversation, Jennifer spoke of her husband Joel with a transcendent love very few couples experience. It was many hours into our talk before she modestly ﬁlled in the blanks that Joel was Joel Hirschhorn, a songwriter who won two Academy Awards for Best Song, “The Morning After” from “The Poseidon Adventure” and “We May Never Love Like This Again” from “The Towering Inferno.” He received two more Oscar nominations, for songs he wrote for the Disney ﬁlm “Pete’s Dragon.” He also received Grammy and Tony nominations. The songs he wrote sold more than 90 million records and were recorded by such artists as Elvis

Presley, Aretha Franklin, Roy Orbison, Frank Sinatra and Helen Reddy. He contributed music to TV shows ranging from “Kids Inc.” to “JAG,” “South Park” and “The Simpsons.” He authored several books and served as Variety’s theater critic. Despite this impressive resumé, Jennifer spoke of her husband and his role in her life with humility and an awareness of how blessed they were to have each other. After Jennifer returned home, we continued an e-mail friendship, catching up on news and life. She received the weekly column I wrote, my first professional gig, and after a short time, I began receiving feedback from Joel. It flattered and pleased me a great deal to have such a creative and accomplished person interact with my new and uncertain career. Joel’s enthusiasm and encouragement were immeasurably important as I struggled to find a voice and an audience. Jennifer and Joel repeatedly invited my wife and me to their California home, an offer that excited me, and to my lasting regret, one I never made a reality. Now, Joel is gone.

JOEL HIRSCHHORN I will never get to meet in person the man who inspired me with his feedback. Jennifer has her children and the support of legions of followers, but I know she is experiencing an ache and loss made more intense by her sensitivity and epic love for Joel. She’s been to the bottom of the ocean and the top of the world. Now she faces a challenge greater than anything she’s conquered. We’re thinking of you Jennifer, and sending our love. Today, and for all the morning afters.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press. He may be contacted at (419) 241-1700 or by e-mail at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

COMMON SENSE

Numbers refute racial proﬁling charges

s if our brave men and women in uniform weren’t in enough peril as they approach every encounter with caution, often not knowing how dangerous a situation really is until it’s too late, now they have to dodge charges of racism in the course of their dangerous and difficult work. Strangely, the uniforms I speak of are not the khaki and camouflage of our military personnel overseas, but the blue and gray of the Ohio Highway Patrol right here at home. For reasons unknown to those of us who actually appreciate the millions of dollars worth of drugs robbed of their chance to ruin countless numbers of lives, The Blade and a group of overzealous lawyers have teamed up to accuse Ohio troopers of racial profiling, while removing the drugs and the thugs from our highways. The allegations are based on a select handful of case studies, and they conveniently ignore easily verifiable facts that dispute the theory. The newspaper report cites a study of just more than 100 arrest records from 2002 to 2004 on the Ohio Turnpike, which shows a disproportionate number of minorities arrested on drug transporting charges. Last year, they note, 26 of the cases chosen for study ended in the arrest of Hispanic suspects; while six targeted blacks, with just one white suspect. The conclusion drawn by accusers was the patrol were stopping drivers based on skin color, and conducting more frequent drug searches on the very same basis. In speaking with Ohio Highway Patrol Lt. Rick Zwayer, however, I learned a bit more about the numbers used in the study — and the numbers ignored to advance the charges.

Bob Frantz Lt. Zwayer told me about the hand-picked cases selected specifically for the study to show an indefensible number of minorities being arrested on drug charges. He also told me of the difficulties an officer faces when trying to minimize accidents and fatalities among reckless drivers, while simultaneously controlling the flow of drugs into and through our state on interstate highways. He directed me to the official Web site of the Highway Patrol, where one can learn of the core values that make up these public servants, as well as their job duties and responsibilities. Among the duties of a patrol officer is the “investigation of criminal activities on state-owned and leased property throughout Ohio.” That means officers who stop drivers for any of a number of infractions is obligated to ascertain potential criminal activity being conducted in that vehicle. Lost, then, in the attention-grabbing headline of racial profiling, is the tremendous success these officers have had in following their job descriptions to the letter. They’ve followed their hunches and their instincts and stopped thousands of drug mules from delivering their

payloads in our state. But Lt. Zwayer provided even more revealing information through the patrol’s Web site. Included on the site, but not on the newspaper pages alleging racial profiling, were the most recent statistics detailing trooper activity for the first six months of this year. State troopers stopped 487,697 drivers from January through June, and indeed, a large number of blacks and Hispanics were stopped. 39,530 blacks were nabbed, and another 8,227 Hispanics saw the flashing lights behind them. But the real story is the whites. Yes, more than 433,000 white drivers were pulled over by those racial-profiling bastards. What about the searches? 70 percent of the 2,266 searches conducted were done on white drivers, with only 23 percent on blacks, and just 7 percent on Hispanics. Even more telling is the number of complaints filed during the first six months of the year. Citizens made a total of 48 complaints against state troopers in that time period, 12 of which accused the officers of having an attitude problem. Just one complaint accused an officer of racial harassment, and that charge was not found to be credible. Yep, those racist troopers have to be stopped. If they’re allowed to continue their diabolical scheme to stop drug runners on Ohio’s highways, they just might save a life some day. And we wouldn’t want that, would we? Bob Frantz hosts “Bob Frantz and the Morning News” each weekday on WSPD 1370 AM. He may be contacted by e-mail at letters@toledofreepress.com.

OPINION

October 5, 2005

GUEST COLUMN

COMMENTARY

By Steve Hartman Special to Toledo Free Press

Barbara Goodman Shovers pastry from Panera. This localnational-upscale-discount mishmash is pretty common among Toledoans. Shoppers go from high to low in the ﬂash of a credit card. It’s also erroneous to assume that non-local merchants zap money out of the community. I’m not an economist nor do I play one on paper, but bigger, more successful stores hire more people and often have superior customer service. Yes, there are exceptions to this rule and granted, retail jobs are not among the best paying, but it’s unfair to assume that the major chains exploit either their communities, their employees or their suppliers. Westgate neighbors also voiced concern about tax abatements. The Abbell reps gamely fended questions raised to suggest there’s something smarmy in applying for these. But this is how business works, friends. You take as much as you can get. And we’re not just talking Big Business. Small businesses, at least those that grow after incubation, also follow this model. As of this writing, it’s not a given that Costco will be the new Westgate tenant. And knowing how things change, it’s likely that the current architectural plan — four freestanding buildings on a “campus” style lot — will evolve, too. But anxiety that the plaza will “ﬁt” into the neighborhood seems farcical. Almost anything will be an improvement over the cracked asphalt wasteland that is the present center’s main focal point. My concern with the new Westgate is not who but when. I’ve been a Westgate neighbor for 15 years and I’m ready for change. And anyone selling fair market cashmere, be it from a big box or a boutique, is going to get my support. Barbara Goodman Shovers is contributing editor for Toledo Free Press. She may be contacted at bshovers@toledofreepress.com.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

GUEST COLUMN

The price of pay-for-play politics Support local retailers

Westgate will beneﬁt from Costco arrival

used to have a favorite sweater, a soft gray cashmere with a classic crew neck. I wore it for years. The pullover was originally purchased at a Costco in Phoenix, Ariz. The possibility that Costco may be the new anchor tenant at Westgate has several neighbors alarmed. One Westgate area resident has been particularly outspoken in her opposition: Westgate is an incubator for community businesses, she said. Bringing in a national chain will kill the “character” of the plaza and drain money from the area. Pooh, I respond. The character of Westgate has devolved to a row of mostly sketchy stores selling mostly second-tier stuff. Even the shops that offer products people want have a physical appearance that hasn’t been fashionable for decades. The fact that Westgate may be overhauled into something relevant is, to most of us in its environs, something to be rushed, not worried. At a meeting of the Westgate Neighbors recently, representatives from the real estate group that owns the plaza, Abbell Credit Corp, revealed their “concept” for the site. The rendering was generic and vague, and due to what the owners say are conﬁdentiality agreements, none of the stores that may be part of it were revealed. This alarmed a few neighbors, but most were assured that a plaza with awnings, trees and walkways would not attract riffraff, either commercial or adolescent. I’m the type who sides with the little guy against the big bad megacorp. But hey people, the times they are a-changin’ and it’s big guys who deliver the prices and quality shoppers clamor for. Two of the stores most mentioned as being in demand at Westgate are Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. But neither of these upmarket grocers are downhome little guys either: Whole Foods, out of Texas, has about 175 stores in America and abroad; Trader Joe’s, originally a California grocer, is now a division of the enormous German conglomerate that also owns downmarket Aldi. And I’m not sure there’s a demographic difference between Costco and Whole Food anyway. As I write this, I’m wearing apparel from TJ Maxx, Target, Ann Taylor and an independent Ann Arbor boutique. I’m drinking coffee from Beaners and eating

OPINION

October 5, 2005

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Why not here? TO THE EDITOR, I found Bob Frantz’s Sept. 14 column, “Cutting the oil umbilical cord,” on the Fisher-Tropsch technology to convert coal to fuel, to be quite interesting and informative. However, if they can cleanly convert coal into gasoline, why build the $1.5 Billion startup plant in Montana? Toledo has the rail and highway access, water access, coal unloading equipment, oil and gas pipelines in place to build at least that 22,000-barrel-per-day startup plant mentioned in the column. We also have the trained engineers and refinery and construction workers in place and ready to roll. We even have a brownfield site in an ideal location with the former Gulf Oil refinery property. Eighty percent of the money required to build the startup plant has already been approved by Congress in the Energy Bill just signed by President Bush. Imagine what another $1.5 billion, or more, in construction would do to help Toledo’s economy, and imagine what we could do to lessen our dependence on foreign oil and the resulting balancing of our foreign trade. JOHN KUHLMAN, Toledo

Appreciating art TO THE EDITOR, I truly enjoyed Barbara Goodman-Shovers’ pleasant column in the Sept. 14 issue (“Appreciation for art should be shared”). I am 40, a father and husband, but could never really describe myself as an art or music connoisseur. I have always longed for the past, when people seemed less rushed and appreciated the beautiful things of life more readily. As I look back, even in my youth, I could ﬁnd

great pleasure in the performing high school bands or the painstakingly made pastries at ethnic festivals. There is something very satisfying about slowing down, even making time, to take in art and appreciate it. It is almost to have a sense of gratitude for the giver of gifts. When I create time to take in art, even if it isn’t my choice interest, I somehow end up going to bed at night feeling that my time was well spent and my life a little more enriched. That paragraph I just wrote now has me thinking: maybe more people really are art connoisseurs but haven’t taken the time to ﬁnd out! DAN McCARTNEY, Toledo

Home run

TO THE EDITOR, I want to thank Toledo Free Press for the recent coverage of the NABF College World Series — it was incredible and Erie Shores Collegiate Baseball is extremely grateful. Your newspaper gave the event, which gets national coverage, more local coverage than any other Toledo newspaper. I am conﬁdent Erie Shores Collegiate Baseball will be awarded the 2006 College World Series. The event is partly responsible, I believe, for the county’s planned efforts to spend nearly a quarter of a million dollars on renovation of Ned Skeldon Stadium, mostly to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards. The event also brings in nearly a quarter of a million dollars into our local economy. I read Toledo Free Press nearly every week, always picking an issue up and thoroughly checking it out when I have the opportunity. The graphics and color are excellent and I wish your newspaper continued success with the venture. J. PATRICK EAKEN Sports Editor, The Press Newspapers President, Board of Directors, Erie Shores Collegiate Baseball, Inc.

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STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!

ait a minute — people whose companies get state contracts make political donations to the elected officials who award the contracts? And in some cases people make donations in hopes of getting future contracts? What has the world come to? Is anyone really surprised by the recent “revelations” there may be some connection between state contracts being awarded and campaign finance donations? That has been going on for ages. Politics are for sale and so are politicians. The reality of politics is that it takes money to get elected. It takes a lot of money, and once that money has been spent getting a candidate into office, he needs to think about raising more to keep his seat in two, four or six years. Who doesn’t remember his friends? Considering the growth of our economy during the last hundred years or so and how people and companies have amassed enormous wealth, there are a lot more people with enough clout (read: money) to make a difference in an election, even on a national scale. Lobbying groups are allowed to give money to congressional candidates, and then they turn

around and lobby the same candidates to vote their way on issues. Is that much different than what has come out in Ohio the past couple of weeks? I don’t think it is. Because how much money do you think corporations funnel into those special interest groups? Politics is money, and the corporations have most of it. Would anyone in his or her right mind not think that our energy policy is the way it is because of the enormous influence of big oil and other energy companies? Of course it is. Perhaps not all, but we have put the vast majority of our eggs into the basket of a resource that is — say it with me — limited. Meanwhile, oil companies are making record profits and it costs me $40 to fill up my Jeep. Consider the drug companies and their enormous wealth. Next time you pay for a prescription or complain about health care costs, go to the Internet and find out how much money Merck made last year, then argue that politics isn’t a pay-to-play endeavor. The money that greases the political wheel does not just come from one side of the ideological aisle, either. Republicans and Democrats are equally “guilty” when it comes to buying and selling influence. The only difference is that usually liberal agendas are

less self-serving. Do you think Bob Taft would have any idea who Tom Noe is if Noe hadn’t raised, and given, so much money for republican candidates? That is not a shot at Noe and those like him. It is reality. Working phone banks and posting flyers are much appreciated, but they do not get one appointed to the board of regents and the Turnpike Commission. The only way to stop the practice is to change the system. Some Ohio democrats are trying to draft legislation making it illegal for anyone who donates to a candidate to get awarded a state contract by that candidate. The byproduct of which will surely be people simply donating to each other’s candidate. The only way to truly fix the system is to make all campaign finance come from public funds. Of course it will never happen. In fact the Supreme Court has found it unconstitutional in certain forms, but that is the only way we are ever going to be assured that the playing field on which the spoils of victory are strewn is nice and level and the little guy matters as much as the big guy. Contact columnist Steve Hartman at letters@toledofreepress.com.

By Jason Daniels Special to Toledo Free Press

hen I was a kid growing up in Toledo, there was nothing quite like being able to walk two blocks to my neighborhood corner store. There, I could let all my sugar fantasies run wild. I could buy candy bars, chocolate milk, sour pickles and all the soda pop I could drink. Another great thing about this small store was the owners knew me by name. What a joy it was to spend my change in my neighborhood. Several years ago, when I ﬁrst began working Downtown, there was nothing exciting about going to lunch or shopping Downtown and I often drove to West Toledo for a better selection and more choices. Now, there are grocery stores and coffee shops popping up everywhere. Gone are the days of having to travel elsewhere for lunch or dinner; Downtown Toledo is the new “hot spot.” When you visit the large number of new venues, you will ﬁnd creative shops and merchandise. I encounter friends and business associates as I enter these shops and I love the special services that can be provided.

PROFILE OF EXCELLENCE: BOB

When I want to buy chocolate, at Superior Chocolates on Superior Street, I get free samples and great conversation with the store’s owner, Brenda. When I want coffee, I go to Downtown Latte where the owners will greet me with a warm smile and provide me homemade baked goods and personally ice my green tea, when they usually only serve it hot. If I want to shop for books and newspapers, I stop by Leo’s Book Store, where I can talk life with my friend Shelly who works the counter. Just a few weeks ago, I visited Monat Market, located in the LaSalle Building between Adams and Madison streets. When I walked in the shop, I was greeted with a smile and a big hug by the store’s owner, Moni Fatinikun. Now when I want fruit and vegetables, I stop and visit my friends at Monat’s. This is a new way of thinking that will change the way you enjoy life. Open your minds and wallets to the beneﬁts and we will all be better off shopping locally. Jason Daniels is a Toledoarea consultant and freelance writer. He may be contacted at nosajtoledo@yahoo.com.

CLIFFORD

Owens Community College Alumnus

Bob Clifford, Corporate Director of Safety, Health and Security at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in Findlay, has fond memories of his time at Owens Community College – the Barracks, the Barn, the opening of College Hall, the students, and the remarkable staff and faculty members. Bob, a Toledo native who graduated high school in 1962, enrolled in the United States Air Force immediately following high school. It wasn’t until 1967, however, that he first learned of Owens when he attended the Ross Enright Police Academy housed at Penta County Technical Institute. This program, which eventually became part of the Owens law enforcement program, was the first regional police academy in the area. In 1967, Bob began his career as a police officer at the Ottawa Hills and Maumee police departments. In 1972, he also formally began his education at Owens Community College, which was then known as Owens Technical College. “Even though I had already become a police officer, I felt it was important to further my education and obtain a degree,” Bob said. “I enrolled in the law enforcement program and enjoyed Bob Clifford Corporate Director of Safety, Health and Security, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 1975 Owens Graduate

my time as an Owens student immensely. I made many new and lasting friendships and the talented instructors made it a pleasure to learn.” Bob headed for Seaway Foodtown in 1973 where he was hired as an investigator in the loss prevention department. In 1975, he graduated from Owens with an associate’s degree in law enforcement and in 1978, he was hired by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in Findlay as a safety and security engineer. Continuing his tradition of excellence, he was promoted to his current position of corporate director of safety, health and security at Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in 1989. In his role, Bob’s responsibilities include overseeing worldwide safety, health, security and workers compensation matters for the company. Throughout the years, Bob has maintained close ties to the College. In the late 70’s, he served on the advisory committee of the former security administration program and was also a part-time instructor. In addition, Bob recently accepted a director position on the Owens Community College Alumni Association’s Board of Directors. “I am honored and excited to now be a member of the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors,” Bob said. “Over the years, I have watched the phenomenal growth of Owens both here in Findlay and in Toledo, and I am very proud to have been a small part of it. I look forward to continuing to spread the Owens message.”

The Alumni Association – over 1,700 members strong. See what the Alumni Association has to offer! Join today and experience cultural events, community service, legacy scholarship opportunities and more. Reconnect with Owens online at www.owens.edu. For more information, please call Laura Moore at (567) 661-7410, email alumni@owens.edu or go to www.owens.edu and click on the Alumni and Donors link.

www.owens.edu

“Owens, I couldnʼt have done it without you.”

1-800-GO-OWENS

Paid for by Owens Community College

COMMUNITY

■ Rib-Off to leave Downtown after 22 years, page 9

Blog power

Local blog sites change the way information is spread across the Glass City, page 10

AGRICULTURE

Fair board president Lang not re-elected By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

Dennis Lang, president of the Lucas County Agricultural Society and Fair Board, informed Toledo Free Press he was not re-elected to his position. Former president Dave Pruss has been reinstated. “My not being re-elected as president this year is partially due to the concerns of some of the people in regards to the 4-H and Junior Fair portions,” Lang said. “I don’t think they are looking at the big picture as to what is entailed in the fair. The board of directors made a decision to put someone else in as their president and that’s their prerogative. I will LANG continue to work on the board and do whatever is necessary to improve on the things I am working on.” This year’s fair was wrapped in controversy over the beating of pigs and a complaint of lack of security on the grounds. The fair lost money again this year and had low attendance.

The fair has operated in the red three of the last four years. Lang, who served as president for two years during his three years on the board, said he felt his comments in the July 27 issue of Toledo Free Press did not align with what some fair board members want. One board member, Tim Barney, wrote a letter calling Lang’s proposed changes a call for an “Urban Carnival.” “We need to diversify in the 4-H portion of it into other animals. We don’t have the cows, the pigs, the chickens,” Lang said. “We need to do more of the mini-gardens and dogs and small animals. We need to find ways to get kids into 4-H, other than having a heifer or a swine. “I stepped up to the challenge and did what I felt was necessary to take it to the next level. There are some people happy with status quo. I think they are only fooling themselves. Down the road they will find that it’s not going to be functional,” he said. Lang said it is not his intent to take agriculture out of the fair, but rather find a compromise that will keep the fair alive. “No way do I want to end the Agricultural Society. My background is in horticulture and agriculture. My grandparents owned farms. This is part of my heritage that I’m

trying to preserve,” Lang said. “If you go to any county fair, you find 70 percent of what they have are food, rides and games. The percentages are very small of the animals,” Lang said, noting it is necessary to have these things to support the fair’s financial obligations. “When we are 80 percent urban within the county, we can’t depend on that anymore. These kids are going out and leasing horses to do their projects because they are not in a position to own them. By focusing on getting more people involved, we want to expand on different things that can be done in an urban setting.” Lang said he will continue to campaign for a new location and to find the money to provide for it. There has been talk of moving the fair for more than a decade, yet no action has been taken. “If we don’t grow then we are not going to be here down the road,” he said. Lang said he is pursuing an opportunity that would involve city, county and state agencies. This would involve moving the fair and building and creating potential exhibits such as a covered horse arena, a mini-working farm, community garden plats, and a “mini-Epcot center” with an indoor fish farm.

TOURISM

Detroit Super Bowl already impacting Toledo economy By J. Patrick Eaken Special to Toledo Free Press

NFL experts predict the 2006 Super Bowl could be a rematch between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles. No matter who plays, Toledo beneﬁts, to the tune of almost $1.5 million, according to The Toledo Lucas County Convention Bureau. The 2005-06 NFL season will decide its champion on Feb. 5, 2006 at Ford Field in downtown Detroit at Super Bowl XL. Some wonder if downtown Detroit has the infrastructure or the culture to support the demand of 120,000 people. “When you look at the infrastructure in (downtown) Detroit, there is not a lot to see or experience, other than what is created by the local committee for the event,” said convention bureau CEO and President James E. Donnelly. “Toledo has a lot more to offer. We have the Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo Zoo, COSI — there are so many other things to do here, and it’s a short 45 minutes away.” “I-75 has been widened and ‘beautiﬁed’,

so it’s an easy movement between the two. We’re going to provide all the people who are staying here an opportunity through our Web site to get our ‘ToleDO’ card, which offers discounts at a number of attractions, restaurants, and retail shopping, and so forth.” Donnelly said he hopes once people experience Toledo, they will return. “That’s our goal. Beyond the game DONNELLY itself, beyond that one experience, so that people will say, ‘Hey, this is a great community. I want to come back again.’ That’s what we always strive for. We don’t just want the one-time guests; we want them to come back again and again and again. Once they are aware of our community, and we hear this more and more, they begin to realize the charm, the value, the elegance of the community over and beyond because they don’t expect to have

what we have here.” According to the convention bureau’s analysis, the Super Bowl will have an economic spin-off in the Toledo area exceeding $1.3 million. The NFL has blocked off 2,500 rooms in Toledo for at least three days, adding up to 7,500 hotel room nights booked, so far. “We don’t know how many extra people outside the block that the NFL has contracted for, as conﬁrmed by our area hotels, just who will be staying, so it could be signiﬁcant numbers,” Donnelly said. “We’re hoping there are more, but at least we know we have 7,500 hotel room nights.” Detroit is planning its “Motown Winter Blast” festivities for Feb. 2-5 — described as a family event featuring ice skating, a snow maze, snow slide, laser lights, snow sculpting and ice sculpting. “We have 1,100 rooms already booked a week prior to the Super Bowl and for several days afterward,” Bob Nee, director of marketing for the Marriott Detroit Renaissance Center and Courtyard by Marriott, both in downtown Detroit, told The Detroit News.

MOVE-IN NOVEMBER 2005

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Donnelly and his staff have been preparing for this event for four years, meeting with NFL officials and attending meetings with Detroit area officials on a regular basis to discuss how Toledo can help. “NFL officials have toured our properties. They have been to our community, they have checked us out,” Donnelly said. “They appreciate our working as a bureau with them to communicate our message in making their guests have a wonderful experience while they are here, especially in our area.” Donnelly said many of those who are staying in Toledo include football fans, media and corporate clients. There are plenty of activities in Toledo that coincide with the week of the Super Bowl. On Feb. 3, the Harlem Gospel Choir will perform at the Valentine Theatre and “1964: The Tribute” will play at Maumee Indoor Theatre. On Feb. 2-4, the UT Center for Performing Arts will showcase a theater and dance show, “Dissident Voices: Collateral Damage.” The Toledo Symphony has a series on Feb. 3-4 and the Toledo Auto Show will be at SeaGate Convention Centre.

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October 5, 2005

COMMUNITY

EVENTS

CIVIL RIGHTS

Rib-off leaving Downtown area

The Northwest Ohio Rib-Off, a fund-raising event for United Health Services, intends to move its annual event from Promenade Park in Downtown to one of three locations. Patty Mazur, director of events for United Health Services, said the organization is in negotiations to move the 22-year-old event, which has always been held in Promenade Park. Earlier this year, Toledo Free Press reported the event management had difﬁculties with hosting the event Downtown. Mazur said ongoing construction at �� the Steam Plant and the news of park renovations as

has them seeking a new venue. Mazur said she has met with representatives of the Lucas County Recreation Center, Toledo Speedway and Northcoast Motorcycles to discuss the event’s needs. She said a commitment announcement should be made mid-October. “We are looking at this as a great opportunity for the event to grow,” Mazur said. “We are looking at bringing in national entertainment and our goal is to draw a large of a crowd as the national rib-off events draw.” In August, the event drew 90,000. — Myndi Milliken

Volunteer aided hurricane victims American Red Cross volunteer John Garcia was recently sent to hurricane-devastated Wiggins, Mississippi, Biloxi, Gulfport and Waveland to help deliver 1,000 meals with chips, juices and water. “Waveland, which is 35 miles from New Orleans, was a town with a population of 7,000. I say ‘was’ because the eye of the hurricane swept everything from its path, taking Waveland off the map,” Garcia said. “One of the survivors from Waveland who was helping with the relief efforts at a nearby shelter said to me ‘Thank you for your help. You carry the badge of character’, while looking at the Red Cross on my shirt. I said to him ‘I should be thanking you because you also carry a badge of courage and integrity: Courage because you stayed in your community to help with the relief efforts. Integrity because this country was built on kind-hearted people.’ He said thank you to me for those kind words with a smile and then walked away.”

Elegant

&Livable!

Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Brooks

Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz and his daughter.

Equality group debuts By Michael Brooks Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

A crowd of about 150 gathered outside the Lucas County courthouse Saturday in a “Rally for Equality” to promote the public debut of Equality Ohio, a group dedicated to securing equal rights for gays and lesbians in the state. Rev. Cheri Holdridge, of Central United Methodist Church, was the emcee of the event, which addressed a number of concerns among the LGBT community. “This rally is about people working together and networking for equality,” Holdridge said. “There are millions of progressive Christians all across this country with the same goals.” Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz spoke to the crowd, joined onstage by his infant daughter, Emma. “Justice is an unstoppable force,” he said. “I am here today to encourage more people to stand up for equality.” Kapszukiewicz delivered a

message to other area elected officials. “In December 2002 I took a public stance for domestic partner benefits and received a lot of grief for my position,” he said. “Since that time, I have been in two elections, and won both of those. There shouldn’t be fear among politicians of embracing people who have been pushed to the margins.” Dr. Carol Bresnahan, vice provost for academic affairs at UT, also spoke about domestic partner benefits. UT is one of the few remaining public universities in Ohio that does not offer domesticpartner benefits. “As long as an employer does not treat all employees — gay or straight — fairly, its promises of diversity ring bitterly hollow,” she said. “It is time for my employer to acknowledge that I am just as valued as my straight colleagues.” Many in the crowd planned to attend a rally in Columbus later in the day, which was a gathering of similar groups across the state.

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COMMUNITY

October 5, 2005

COMMUNITY

October 5, 2005

TECHNOLOGY

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

Blog sites alter Toledo’s approach to information By Matt Zapotosky Special to Toledo Free Press

John Sawvel is an introvert. “Drives my wife crazy,” he said. “According to her, my problem is I don’t ‘share my feelings.’ Never have, and I never will. I don’t like being around a bunch of people I don’t know, trying to make small talk. I prefer to be alone out in the marsh or in the ﬁelds or in the woods looking at birds.” Ironically, Sawvel is the creator and administrator of a Web site that encourages users to communicate. The site, www. toledotalk.com. is one of Toledo’s most active community blogs. “It was just an alternative for people to rant, rave, speak out, besides calling the radio station or the TV station or sending a letter to the editor,” Sawvel said. Blogs, short for Web logs, are Web sites, which can be quickly updated with new information. Most bloggers — people who use blogs — are just average citizens posting information about personal topics ranging from family vacation photos to their opinions on hot-button political issues. As the blog scene expands, media sources are starting to use community blogs to stay updated on controversial issues, and business people and politicians are starting to create blogs for professional purposes. Jeff McKahn, head chef at Gourmet Galley Catering, uses blogging software to manage his Web site, sea4yourself.org/ blog/index.php, and to post recipes for students in his cooking classes. “The software just seemed to ﬁt with the corporate theme,” McKahn said. “As far as

a business, the interaction as far as your customers is just wonderful.” Daniel Miller, a freelance photographer from Oregon, has even used his blog, www. photodan.net, in lieu of a portfolio. “I’ve been doing some part time work for [UT], and it was a real help for my current boss to check my stuff out on the web and see that I knew what I was doing,” Miller said. “It’s a nice way to show off my work without putting together a portfolio.” Miller points out blogging is not without its drawbacks. Miller has had a few incidents in which people used pictures from his blog without his consent. “I have had to send out e-mails asking people not to use my images,” he said. “A lot of people just don’t realize that that’s wrong.” Councilman Frank Szollosi, who recently finished in the top five of the city council primary, is the only area politician known to run a blog at szollositoledo.blogspot.com. “One of my initial fears was ‘am I going to say something that’s going to come back to club me,’” Szollosi said. “You have to sort of weigh being open and providing something interactive with opening yourself up. But I decided I’d roll the dice.” Miller and Szollosi said despite drawbacks, they consider blogs more positive than negative. “I would like to see more public officials operate blogs because I find them to be valuable means of communicating,” Szollosi said.

Blog proliferation

The personal and community blog scenes are rapidly expanding.

For some area bloggers, the blog serves as an outlet for a very specific purpose. “Mine’s pretty focused on one area of law — patent law,” said J. Matthew Buchanan of the Fraser, Martin, Buchanan and Miller law firm in Perrysburg. “It’s just a great way to expand your network.” Though Buchanan is a lawyer, his site, www.promotetheprogress.com, is not affiliated with his law firm. Buchanan uses his blog, and other legal blogs (known as blawgs), to discuss developments in patent law. “For me, it’s personally satisfying,” he said. “It’s an area I’m personally interested in.” Kevin Brown, an architecture student at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield, Mich., also uses his blog, www.thebuiltenvironment. blogspot.com, to discuss specific content. Brown is interested in architectural topics and suburban development — particularly concerning big box stores such as Wal-Mart. “I just started doing it because it was something that I was interested in and I was hoping I could get other people to talk about it,” Brown said. “I’m having fun with it. Hopefully it will take off.” As Sawvel points out, however, the majority of blogs are personal. “What I usually blog about is a personal experience, if something happened, or maybe a political view ... I blog about basically anything,” said Maumee resident Omar Deen, whose blog can be found at omarthegreat.com/blog/blogger.html. “Whatever’s on my mind I blog about.” Toledoan Rick Reed runs a personal blog at rickreed.blogs.com. He said he was not aware blogging existed until he randomly discovered a few blogs while surfing the Internet. “I just ran across it searching the Internet; I had

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Toledo City Councilman Frank Szollosi checks his blog site from his car. In October 2003, air trafﬁc controller Micah Maziar thought it would be a good idea to bring together everyone in Toledo operating a blog. He organized about 12 area bloggers and formed ToledoBloggers.com. The site has almost 50 blogs listed, and Maziar said he has 10 to add. “I think it’s pretty exciting considering I have no formal training,” Maziar said of how ToledoBloggers.com has expanded. “I thought it would be a good idea to bring everybody in one place ... kind of a community effort for here as blogging proliferated.” Sawvel’s ToledoTalk has seen an even big-

ger increase in members; though Sawvel initially was the only person posting on the site, the site now boasts more than 300 members. Miller said though blogs have become popular in Toledo, the blog proliferation in this city has been relatively small compared to other cities. “It’s grown slowly; I would say more slowly than other cities,” Miller said. “[But] there are a lot of blogs out there from Toledo people that just don’t say ‘hey I’m from Toledo.’ ”

no idea what blogging was,” Reed said. Items on Reed’s blog range from Father’s Day pictures to a commentary on public breastfeeding. Lisa Renee Ward, a stay-at-home mom from Springﬁeld Township, also uses a politically based blog for personal reasons. “For me, it does help me, because it gives me adult conversation,” said Ward. “It’s a lot more entertaining than TV.” Ward said she started her blog, liberalcommonsense.blogspot.com, to foster a sense of solidarity among moderate liberals. “I started the blog because I thought that what I was writing might make people feel like they’re not alone,” Ward said. “It was me saying, not all of us are Howard Deans.” But as Ward continued blogging, she became not just a member of the moderate-liberal community, but also a member of the Toledo blogging community. “I realized hey, there are a lot more Toledo bloggers than I thought,” she said. “I have a couple people that e-mail me on a daily basis.” And some Toledo bloggers take their interaction outside cyberspace. The Toledo live journal community, www.livejournal.com/community/toledo_ohio, has arranged two successful meet-ups, in-person meetings of the blog’s members, said Karen Schuhmacher, a UT graduate student who organized the community. Sawvel said he believes the world of blogging has a unique appeal. “When we meet someone new in person, the process begins ...We automatically classify the person by age group, sex, race, employment, education, height, weight, physical characteristics, clothing, accent,” he said. “But on a message board or in someone’s blog, none of these things are apparent unless the writer chooses to make them known.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

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ABLE SQUAD

Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Brooks

Residents fear rats in abandoned house By Michael Brooks Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

The barking dog next door to 921 Sherman St. was just as likely noting the presence of rats as passersby, said Sherman Street resident Mary Wright. “This is the worst I have ever seen them,” she said, pointing to an entry point for rodents. “Somebody needs to do something about this; I have been putting out bait, but they are all over the place.” During the interview, a dark brown creature darted through a chewed hole into the house’s basement. “We also have people climbing into that place at nighttime,” she said, declining to speculate why the vacant house would be so attractive to intruders. “All I know is that this neighborhood is going downhill with drugs and crime.” Another neighbor, who declined to be give a name, called the neighborhood “an open-air drug market.” The 4-bedroom house, built in 1906, is littered with trash, broken glass and building materials. Wright says her son was cutting the grass earlier in the year, but quit out of frustration. “The owner promised to pay him for cutting the grass and tearing down the old garage, but never paid up,” she said. “I think he owes my son about $150, but he’ll probably never see it.” Efforts to contact the building’s owner, Mohammed K. Mallah, were unsuccessful. The city is foreclosing on the property, for which $1,865.03 is owed in back taxes. If you know of any buildings that might make good subjects for the ABLE Squad — Abandoned Buildings Looking for Entrepreneurs — send suggestions to news@toledofreepress.com.

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COMMUNITY

October 5, 2005

PHILANTHROPY

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�� community-oriented programs including the Ronald �� McDonald House of Northwest Ohio, YWCA Bat�� tered Women’s Shelter, Shots-4-Tots and the Docent ��

About 450 people attended the Oct. 1 dance.

Program at the Toledo Museum of Art. — Scott McKimmy

Toledo Community Foundation recently awarded more than $126,000 in grants to four Toledo-area nonproﬁt organizations. Cherry Street Mission was awarded $66,000 for Sparrow’s Nest, an emergency-housing program for women. The Nature Conservancy was given $40,000 to help restoration efforts of the wet prairie, oak savanna

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Toledo Community Foundation awards grants From Staff Reports

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and Karner blue butterﬂy habitat at Kitty Todd Preserve. �� Toledo School for the Arts received $11,551 to inte�� grate art into the study of world history. Cambios was �� awarded $8,500 to expand Project READ. Toledo Community Foundation is the largest philanthropic organization in Northwest Ohio. The next dead�� line for receipt of proposals is January 15, 2006. Call (419) 241-5049 for information.

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Crooks prey on An architect’s rendering local bill payers N By Edward Slack Special to Toledo Free Press

obody wants to fall behind on bills. Some creative crooks are trying to capitalize on that fear. There’s nothing worse than getting a call or a letter from a collection agency saying you owe money; most people pay to avoid further trouble. The trouble is some of those pastdue bills are fakes. “The consumer doesn’t know what it is. They are bafﬂed,” said the Better Business Bureau’s Dick Eppstein. People are so shocked by the notice, they are intimidated into paying. “It’ll say ﬁnal notice, and we’re gonna garnish your wages, seize your car and all this threatening language,” Eppstein said. Some people are giving personal information, such as their credit card number, to speed up the process. “You could have damage done to your bank account and your credit, which you don’t want to happen,” Eppstein said. If you get a suspicious call or

Dan Bumpus letter in the mail, Eppstein said you should do your homework. “Do some investigating on your own before you jump to conclusions,” he said. If you’re suspicious of a collection agency, ask them to explain exactly what you owe, and have it prove it in writing. You can even check with the Better Business Bureau, to see if a particular collection agency is real or a fake. Dan Bumpus is the consumer investigative reporter at WTOL News 11. He can be reached by e-mail at dbumpus@wtol.com.

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Living Downtown provides a resident with insights unmatched by suburbanites. Architect Robert F. Seyfang (MA city design, Miami University), has helped the Downtown grow. He began his practice in 1971, retiring in 2001. His ﬁrm developed several projects for the City of Toledo, at the University of Toledo and elsewhere. Edward Slack: Assess the Downtown Toledo retail climate. Robert Seyfang: I ﬁnd it lacking right now, having lived Downtown for over 15 years. SEYFANG The great opportunities are for entrepreneurs, mom-and pop type of businesses. If Downtown Toledo, Inc. and other organizations could provide a support net for entrepreneurs, it would help them with their basic budgeting, economics, and sales techniques. We can develop a very strong core of small, unique retail establishments that will draw tourists and northwest Ohio patrons to visit, browse, shop and buy. We have to work on that as an element. ES: What are some hindrances to revitalization? RS: What’s hurting development are people trying for the home run instead of singles and scoring runs that way. Fifth Third Field is the home run; the sports arena will be a home run. We can do very well with small businesses that grow, expand and attract other businesses. When more successful vendors see

Farr visits Boys & Girls Club Jamie Farr was in Toledo recently with Hollywood movie producer Andrew J. Fenady to visit the Toledo Boys & Girls Clubs. The two were guided through the key activity areas of the Clubs by executive director Dave Wehrmeister and former Board president Don Harbaugh. A distinction they noted on their tour was how

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such former activities have given way to 21st century programs such as film making and technology. They critiqued one film production, and were quite impressed with the members’ filmmaking abilities. There are three building locations in East and South Toledo, and the Old West End serving more than 6,000 children. Club activities also have a presence at Newbury, Sherman and Riverside schools.

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small operations doing well, they’ll also come in. The failure of one Downtown business is the failure of the Downtown. We have to provide them with every possible support network that will assure their success. You can’t base retail on numbers only. If people don’t have disposable income and characteristics to shop at those stores, they won’t be successful. ES: Where should the sports arena be located? RS: Adjacent to, or in very close proximity to the Convention Centre. The logic is to have one facility to serve both. Parking is critical, and the Port Lawrence Garage could be connected to and adjacent to the sports arena. ES: What were some of your projects? RS: My ﬁrm designed Scott Tucker Hall, the Honors Housing Dormitory at UT and a number of remodeling projects there and at BGSU. We did the Port Lawrence Parking structure Downtown and administered the Facade Improvement Program from 1975 until the late 1990s. Probably the most important and signiﬁcant project was the renovation of the Central Union Terminal, now the Martin Luther King, Jr., Plaza. We did the Northwest Ohio Regional Jail, and bought the Bakery Building in the Warehouse District in 1988. I was chairman of the task force that in 1986 created the Downtown Toledo Parking Authority. I’ve been involved since the early 1990s with Downtown Toledo Vision and was one of the founding members of Downtown Toledo, Inc. Actually, there have been a number of master plans and I’ve been involved most recently with the Master Plan that Downtown Toledo, Inc. was instrumental in forming. I’ve also been involved with the Warehouse District Association.

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DEVELOPMENT

CALL FOR ACTION

Party funds Junior League mission About 450 guests attended the town block party “Dancin’ in the Streets,” a fund-raising event for the Junior League of Toledo on Oct. 1 at Levis Commons in Perrysburg. The evening of live music, food donated by Levis Commons restaurants and a giant ice carving serving as the cocktail bar, was supported by local business with National City Bank as the presenting sponsor. All proceeds fund the Junior League’s mission of developing women leaders in the community and projects in the health and wellness area, according to Sandra Chesnutt, vice president of communications. “For a ﬁrst-time event it was a huge success; we’re very pleased,” Chesnutt said. “The weather was wonderful. We speciﬁcally picked this time of year because fall is the best season in Toledo.” “Dancin’ in the Street” represents one of four charitable programs this year. The Junior League will also hold “Toledo Smiles,” featuring a high-tech dental van and dental fair for students at each Toledo junior high school; “Food, Fitness and Fun” nutrition programs for pregnant and parenting teens at Polly Fox Academy; and “Camp Days” camp for children with diabetes ages 6 to 12. The Junior League, founded in 1933, has initiated

COMMUNITY

October 5, 2005

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COMMUNITY

SPOTLIGHT

Man runs against all odds By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

Austin Klapp said he always feared the day he would lose function of his transplanted kidney. Dialysis was his worst nightmare. But once the two-time transplant recipient made the decision to face his fears, he was able to focus on living life to its strongest limits. Klapp, who undergoes dialysis three times per week and has no kidney function, is training to run the Oct. 9 Chicago Marathon. He trains for the 26.2miles race with the help of his wife, Rose. “The miles are brutal,” he said, noting neither of his Labrador dogs is interested in keeping up with him AUSTIN KLAPP anymore. Klapp runs 15 miles on weekends and 10 and cycling. This will be Klapp’s third marathon miles on weekdays, except for days he takes dialysis. “Last fall, I was thinking back when I ran a Klapp was born with blockage that resulted in marathon, and I decided to do it. I made a goal to an infection that attacked his kidneys. Even though run a 5k in three months,” he said. “A week before I he received kidney transplants at ages 11 and 13, he started dialysis, I was running three miles. It wasn’t said he lived like any other kid; his parents wouldn’t easy, but I did it.” let anyone treat him otherwise. Klapp said once he decided to make the “deep “Medically speaking, I beat the curve by about 12 decision” to take control of his life, his worst fears years,” Klapp said of the time he got from his transeased off. planted kidney. “I more or less made a motion that I would be OK Like many transplanted organs, Klapp’s kidney with going on dialysis.” has failed him and is no longer functioning. DialyUndergoing his ﬁrst dialysis treatments were sis serves as his life-support to cleanse his body of contaminated ﬂuids. He is on a long waiting list for a brutal and made him very sick, but he slowly got used to them. new kidney at the Cleveland Clinic. “One day I just went to the University Trail and “Since this will be my third transplant, I have to did a mile — it was like the easiest thing in the be realistic,” he said of the three-year wait he exworld,” he said. He began running on a regular bapects. “I believe it may be even longer unless there sis and has been training steadily for the marathon is some medical breakthrough.” since April. Klapp said he was always athletic, spending his co6412 Great Rate Toledo_10.375x6.094 9/12/05 5:33 PM a limit, Page I1just don’t know what it is,” he said. “I have time at St. Francis High School and college running

Looking to

October 5, 2005

Allegiant Air, LLC announced new and nonstop jet-service to Las Vegas and Orlando from Toledo Express beginning Dec. 15. To kick off the new service, the Las Vegas-based, low-fare airline is offering limited introductory fares as low as $69 one-way to Vegas and $49 oneway to Orlando, when booked at www.allegiantair.com. The new flights will operate four times weekly. The Las Vegas ser vice will depart Toledo Express Airport Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m. and arrive at McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas) at 8:45 p.m. Flights leaving Las Vegas will depart Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 11:25 p.m. arriving in Toledo at 6:15 a.m. For the Orlando ser vice, flights will depart Toledo Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays at 7 a.m. and arrive at Orlando Sanford International Airport at 9:25 a.m. For the return, flights will depart Orlando at 4:20 p.m. arrive in Toledo at 6:50 p.m. (all flight times are local).

TransMeridian passenger options The U.S. Department of Transportation released a statement assisting passengers in obtaining refunds for tickets purchased prior to the shutdown of TransMeridian Airlines Sept. 30. The guidelines apply to charter flights, which require an escrow account for airlines to hold ticket revenues until the scheduled flight has been completed, according to Paul Toth Jr., director of airports for Toledo Express Airport. The escrow is held by National City Bank of the Midwest in Birmingham, Mich. Northwest Airlines and Allegiant Air have offered passengers with TransMeridian itineraries an opportunity to fly to the original destination for a fare of $50 in addition to applying for the refund. However, Toth said passengers must wait for an open seat based on availability through Northwest. Passengers who call Allegiant may request a spot on a reservation list. “They have to fly standby, which means you show up at the airport. You’re not guaranteed a seat unless the flight has seats available and it first come first serve,” he said. Toth described the offer by both airlines to honor TransMeridian as “very gracious,” but expressed his feelings about the shutdown in less complimentary terms. “We’re sick about the fact that [TransMeridian] did what they did to our travelers,” he said. — Scott McKimmy

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COMMUNITY

October 5, 2005

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Chris Kozak, left, and Michael S. Miller at the Sept. 29 ceremony.

Niese leaving for Wisconsin paper Erin Niese, copy editor for Toledo Free Press, has taken a job at the Oshkosh Northwestern as the LifeStyle editor. The Oshkosh Northwestern is a daily newspaper serving the Oshkosh, Wisc., area. It has a circulation of about 24,000. Niese is a graduate of UT and served as a managing editor, columnist and copy editor for Independent

Collegian. Niese, originally from Columbus Grove, will begin her new job Oct. 17. She is engaged to Toledo Free Press staff writer Dave Wasinger, who is also leaving for Oshkosh. Toledo Free Press staff writer Emily Barnes is taking a leave of absence to pursue missionary work. She plans to return to the Toledo area in the spring of 2006.

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BUSINESS

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COVER STORY

New bank presidents offer views on economy By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

“

Northwest Ohio is not an expanding region right now. We lag most parts of the country in growth. Technology-wise, we have a ways to go.” – Bob LaClair President, Fifth Third Bank

Company profile Fifth Third Bank offers banking and financial services at 1,100 locations in eight states including Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and West Virginia. Fifth Third is among the top 15 bank-holding companies in the nation. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: retail, commercial, investment advisors and Fifth Third processing solutions. The company has opened 100 new branches in the past year and celebrated its 1,100th location, which opened in Nashville in August. Fifth Third Bank has $103.2 billion in assets and operates 2,013 ATM machines. In fiscal 2004, the company had revenues of $6.6 billion and net income of $1.5 billion. Web site: http://www.53.com Source: JobSearch.com

Bank presidents Brian Bucher of National City Bank and Bob LaClair of Fifth Third Bank have professional similarities: they’ve been in banking for nearly two decades, worked their way up through the ranks and began their positions earlier this year. But they have slightly different views on Toledo’s economic standing. LaClair grew up a Toledo native, attending Libbey High School and UT. He worked at Fifth Third for nine years and Sky Bank for nine years. He came back to Fifth Third in 1999. He was named president and CEO, last May. “Having been a local person it made for an easier transition,” LaClair said. “I’m familiar with the people, businesses and politics.” His take on Toledo’s economic situation: “Northwest Ohio is not an expanding region right now. In general, we lag most parts of the country in growth.” He attributes this to a slow-to-change Midwestern conservatism. “Technology-wise, we have a ways to go,” he said. LaClair said the economy might be making it tougher for Toledoans to bank extra dollars into savings, even though rising interest rates are favorable for saving. “The average customer may be spending $200 a month on gas and so that money is not making it to their savings or checking accounts,” he said. LaClair said he noticed companies are more reluctant to spend their money, watching the economy to see what will happen. He has also noticed the increase in bankruptcies and credit-counseling services. “We work with some of the agencies,” LaClair said. “People need to be really careful about who they are dealing with.” Delinquency and charge-off rates have remained stable, LaClair said, noting his business is “still conservative in lending.” While Ohio’s median income is up, LaClair said it is not to the extent of other parts of the country. “If you would take a median price of a home in a place such as Chicago, you would see we are signiﬁcantly behind,” he said.

Banking opportunities

Bucher has been with National City for 20 years. His various positions have led him to Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Toledo. He saw the opportunities banking offered and

rose through the ranks, working in corporate and investment banking. He began his position as president and CEO in April. Bucher said Toledo isn’t any better or worse off than other markets. “Toledo has a lot of the same issues as Cleveland, Detroit or Cincinnati,” he said. “Some of our problems are a lot smaller than the larger cities we deal with.” Bucher said, statistically, he has not seen more negative indicators of a dropping economy. He said savings balances are increasing. Both agreed the economy was not as bad as it was when they first got into banking. They said they remember the low times of the ’80s. “When I started, the prime interest rate was at 18 percent,” Bucher said. “Interest rates were at 20 percent and we had high unemployment,” LaClair said. “While we are in tough times, we’ve seen tougher situations.” LaClair and Bucher said they believe the efforts of organizations such as the Regional Growth Partnership will be the catalyst for economic growth in Toledo. The RGP assists in finding potential investors and businesses for Northwest Ohio. It assists agencies such as the Toledo Area Chamber of Commerce to entice economic growth. Since its inception in 1994, the partnership has helped create and retain thousands of new jobs, and helped bring millions of dollars in capital investments to the region. “We have to figure out how to make the pie bigger,” Bucher said. “We have to create additional jobs so employment grows.” “The RGP story needs to be told,” LaClair said. “The more we can work together and attract businesses to the region, the better it will be.” Both men are represented on the RGP board and assist the RGP by providing banking services and helping prospects negotiate the process of relocating or starting a business. “We need to leverage our strengths,” Bucher said. “We are in a great location, we have great resources, five universities and stability. We’re all in this together. We have to make sure the message is out there that this is a great place to work and live. The RGP is one vehicle to do that.” “The challenge is recruiting people from outside of Toledo,” LaClair said. “Many come and just kick the tires, looking for more. If we are successful in getting them here, they will say ‘this is a great place to live.’ ”

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BUSINESS

October 5, 2005

DEVELOPMENT

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

City navigates population decline’s economic fallout By Russ Zimmer Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreeepress.com

The migration from major metropolitan areas has affected Toledo’s business climate and tax base — and the city is trying to stem the ﬂow. Much of the shift of business and population can be traced to the growth of the suburbs, according to Bill Carroll, Toledo’s director of economic and community development. Lucas County’s population dipped by 1 percent during 2000 to 2004, while its southern neighbor, Wood County, increased by 1.7 percent. All major cities in Ohio except Columbus sustained losses in population since 2000. Hamilton County, home of Cincinnati, lost 3.6 percent of its citizens. Warren County, located north of Hamilton County and home to many of Cincinnati’s suburbs, grew 17.8 percent during the same time. The cheaper land in the suburbs is attractive to businesses that wish to keep their costs down, Carroll said. While businesses may be concerned with keeping overhead costs low, families are moving to Toledo’s suburbs for other reasons, said DisCARROLL trict 3 City Councilman Bob McCloskey. “One of the problems we have within the city is that many of the lots (houses) are 30-foot lots. The smaller lots are less attractive to the younger families who would rather have a larger lot with a nice yard,” McCloskey said. PHC161 EnrolAd-0011E 9/23/05 10:51 are AM Page 1 for the opposite, Younger professionals looking McCloskey said. Many are looking at new developments Downtown and with the addition of entertainment districts around Fifth Third Field, McCloskey said he expects to see an inﬂux of youth.

Leaving Toledo

Gregg Dodd, Director of Public Information for the Ohio Arts Council, left for Columbus shortly after graduating from UT. While Dodd said he is encouraged by what he has seen in recent years, he hopes the City will build on culture to attract and retain younger generations. “What’s lacking are the individual artists and the clusters of art galleries and the coffee shops — that Downtown street presence,” Dodd said. McCloskey said the council working not only to create an environment to retain the population that wants to stay but also to foster a housing market that is inviting to prospective homeowners. Toledo has a number of incentive programs for ﬁrsttime buyers such as low-interest loans, lease payment plans that count toward ownership and property tax abatements to ﬁx-up homes, McCloskey said. Kelly Wyatt graduated from UT in 1991. She left in 1995 for Detroit and a higher-paying job with opportunity for advancement. “Initially [Wyatt and her husband] wanted to make our home in Toledo, but it wasn’t economically feasible. We still consider Toledo home — family members and friends still live there. Unfortunately, the City had nothing to offer us job-wise and we couldn’t afford to stay,” Wyatt, who lives in Indianapolis, said. Bringing businesses back to Toledo is a more arduous and potentially dangerous task because of a highly competitive environment, McCloskey said. Owens-Illinois, primarily a manufacturer of glass and plastic bottles, announced in May it has plans to move to Perrysburg — taking with it about 350 technical jobs. “Owens-Illinois got a big incentive CY CMY K MY PerrysCM to Y Mto move C burg. They wanted that suburban atmosphere. They wanted that one-story, two-story building ... things we couldn’t give them,” McCloskey said.

Toledo’s situation must be looked at with the condition of the state’s growth in mind, Granata said. From 2000 to 2004, Ohio’s population grew 0.83 percent; Michigan grew about 1.6 percent. The country as a whole grew 4 percent. Arizona experienced doubledigit growth while Georgia and Texas grew more than 7 percent. Population growth does not necessarily translate to a healthy economy — it is just one of the many factors, Granata said. “The challenge is not so much with growing the population, but how to increase the educational level of the population,” Granata said. RGP has been cultivating relationships between the universities of Northwest Ohio and local businesses. By forging ties between business and higher education in the area, research, technology and capital can be shared for the beneﬁts of both institutions. Granata said — from a dollar standpoint — UT has doubled its research during the past few years. “We really need to engage the business sector and strengthen the alignment with the universities to focus on the knowledge-based transition that the economy is headed toward,” Granata said.

Tax incentives

Toledo has dozens of programs with tax incentives for businesses to remain in the city or relocate here but the bidding wars between municipalities can be detrimental to the budget of local governments, McCloskey said. Tax programs are making Downtown a more attractive location for companies, Carroll said. One is the Downtown employee incentive program, which pays cash awards to new businesses that locate in the central business district. “We have to be much more creative and focused today for governments to help businesses create jobs,” Carroll said. In 1997, Toledo offered $280 million on tax abatements to Jeep to persuade the automaker — and employer of about 4,000 Toledo citizens — to stay. “It’s a damned if you do, damned if you don’t situation. It cost the people a lot of money to keep Jeep here, but we had to do it,” McCloskey said. Tax incentive packages are a reality no one likes but are a result of the area’s reliance on manufacturing, according to Eileen Granata, vice president of strategic resources for the Regional Growth Partnership, a group that facilitates business expansion in the region. She said an economy based heavily on manufacturing in today’s world GRANATA relies on increasing capital to keep jobs local. Despite the disadvantage of the tax system, costs are only part of what a company looks at when deciding where to locate, she said. Other factors such as infrastructure — civic and transportation — may be weighty in the company’s decision. “In Ohio particularly, incentives were originally created as a Band-Aid for a tax system that, in some ways, is antiquated,” Granata said.

19 The return

Carroll said Toledo is beginning to see a return of business. “It’s not just in Toledo — it’s a phenomenon of many older cities. There is available land in the outside regions and some of the businesses are going out there but now we can see a reverse of that trend,” Carroll said. Granata said while the city doesn’t want to lose taxpayers — individuals and corporations — to the surrounding suburbs, the impact on Toledo’s economy is harder to judge. “It’s very hard to isolate the economy of Toledo — you can isolate the tax money. We draw these jurisdictional boundaries, but they are not economic boundaries,” Granata said. Toledo has a manufacturing base many communities would envy, Granata said. She said Jeep creates some strengths in the economy — a foundation that can be built on. McCloskey said while there is no instant ﬁx for any urban community facing competition from municipalities across the country, Toledo and Northwest Ohio have several advantages. “The good thing is we can say in Toledo: We don’t face natural catastrophes. We have an ample supply of fresh water and a rail and transportation system that is second to none,” McCloskey said.

Bay Shore plant gets pollution-control technology FirstEnergy Corp. plans to install an Electro-Catalytic Oxidation system on the 215-megawatt Unit 4 of its Bay Shore plant in Oregon. ECO is a multi-pollutant-control technology for coal-based electric utility plants. According to FirstEnergy, it has been proven effective in reducing nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury, acid gases and soot. The cost of the system, including a fertilizer processing plant, is about $100 million.

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Underground homes worth new look Managing The Associated Press

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FAIRBORN, Ohio — Products of the energy crunch in the 1970s, underground homes are worth another look from a new generation. Because the earth surrounding a building takes on and gives off heat at a slow pace, they can be much cheaper to heat and cool, experts say. Heat taken in during the summer is released in the fall and winter. Underground homes became a trend as a result of the Arab oil embargo of the early 1970s. About 5,000 to 10,000 earth-bermed or underground houses were built in the United States during that time. These homes were constructed in two ways. A truly underground home used earth for all sides, with only the entrance above

ground. Earth-bermed homes used earth for several sides and/or the roof, with one side, usually the southern exposure, built using conventional materials. Cave-like darkness and moisture are the biggest concern people have about earthbermed houses, said Columbus architect Richard Ohanion, president of Home Sweet Earth Homes. He has been designing earthbermed and underground homes for more than 25 years. Ohanion’s homes have insulation and waterproof barriers installed between the earth and the concrete, which, along with weatherstripping and drainage, prevents dampness. Solar atriums can be used to bring the sunshine as well as heat into the home. Ohanion was the architect for the home Ruth

and Ron Schroeder built during the late 1970s, out of an interest in an alternative energy-conscious lifestyle. Their 2,000-square-foot, threebedroom home, which sits on ﬁve acres outside Fairborn, is earth-bermed on several sides. When it was originally built, a visitor entering through the front door found himself on a balcony overlooking a room with a 24-foot ceiling — what the Schroeders call the “solar atrium.’’ The atrium, which is a passive solar collector, rises out of the ground, the top half of the southern wall made of 192 square feet of glass greenhouse panels. The windows let in sunlight but keep heat from radiating back out, trapping the sun’s warmth. Warm air collects in the upper part of the atrium, and a ceiling fan helps circulate it through the house.

INDUSTRIAL

Coke plant technology ‘state-of-the-art’ By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

New technology involving the control of mercury emissions has been agreed upon between FDS Coke Plant and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency in a permit released Sept. 20, requiring modifications to equipment and operations. The technology has never been used in the coking industry, but similar processes by coal-fired utilities have provided data, according to consultant Lance Traves, managing principle, Labyrinth Management Group in Medina. The process uses carbon to remove harmful mercury particles. “This will be the first coke plant in the world and certainly in the United States to physically have the injection to activate the carbon as a mercury-specific control,” Traves said. Other modifications detailed in an air pollution control permit issued by EPA to the coke plant on Sept. 20 dictate the number of days allowed for by-passing during regular inspections, number of pounds of mercury emitted during by-passing, the type of coke used to reduce dust entering the air and the number and configuration of the batteries. All changes have been required by EPA or requested by FDS Coke Plant. “[The battery configuration] increases the efficiency,” Traves said. “It increases

the coke yield and it also decreases the pollutants because when you charge and when you push an oven, you do have the opening up of this big hot chamber and you do have pollutants which are emitted during that process, which is separate and distinct from the actual coking process.” Only stamped coal will enter the ovens, eliminating coal dust from the process, which happens at plants where coal sits stacked in piles. The finished product also will leave the oven in a special bag transported by flat-push hot cars, further reducing emission of contaminants. Traves described the combination of proposed changes as a big innovation. “There is no loose coal that’s being charged in the oven that can create considerations related to particulates and other types of emissions occurring because that loose coal takes longer to go into the oven and also it’s just a little bit more difficult to handle,” he said. Ohio EPA officials working with industry experts believe the technology will operate adequately, according to Dina Pierce, Ohio EPA spokeswoman. FDS Coke Plant appealed a June decision, incorporating its own changes while addressing environmental issues mandated by Ohio EPA. One key point, the limit on emissions during bypassing, she said, may be further modified after the tech-

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nology has been installed and operated. “What we agreed to do was to come back after the facility is built, and if the mercury emission controls that they are using — which are state-of-the-art — are not performing like we expect them to then we will if the company asks us, we will reconsider the limit,” Pierce said. “That’s why we decided to be reasonable with what the technology will be capable of. But we’re confident that it ultimately will work.” Proposed changes have been challenged by environmental groups such as the Sierra Club, and will be decided as a separate cases, Pierce said. The Sept. 20 air permit concludes all appeals by FDS Coke Plant, but any group or citizen may file an appeal or present comments during public meetings and in writing. Ohio EPA is considering the public interest on a water permit allowing FDS Coke Plant to fill in a small wetland area for use with its facilities. She said she anticipates approval. “We’ll make a decision whether to allow them to fill this in and if we do, what mitigation would be required or to deny them permission to do it which, at this point is probably unlikely just because it’s such a small wetland,” she said. “But we can’t make that decision until we get all the comments and evaluate everything.”

patient concerns

By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

In an effort to help address the needs of patients, Dr. Stacy Bowen, a family practitioner, and her husband, Dr. Kirk Davis, an orthopedic surgeon, have taken on a project to bring many health care providers and services under one roof. “My husband and I needed some new office space and we liked the idea of having everything in one place for our patients,” Bowen said. “With how health care reimbursement has declined and having the expense of paying rent, we decided we wanted to pay rent to ourselves,” Davis said. Bowen and Davis purchased 5.72 acres and contracted two Indiana firms to design and build “Comprehensive Care Complex,” a 61,000square foot facility on Holland-Sylvania Road. The architect, Moake Park, and builder, W.A. Sheets, are from Ft. Wayne, Ind. Bowen said they chose the location because it was a central destination from Toledo and its suburbs, as well as from Southeast Michigan. Because there is very little retail in the area, Bowen said traffic should not become cumbersome for those trying to get to the facility. “We wanted a medical office building to address our patients’ complete needs,” Bowen said. “We have a physical therapy office with a pool and whirlpool, radiology, a lab, dermatologist, pediatric doctor, allergist and much more.” About 21,000 square feet of space are still available. Bowen said she hopes to fill this space with a variety of services. “It improves patient compliance when they don’t have to drive all over town to get services,” Bowen said. “My business hat becomes bigger than my medical hat some days, but this will help make for what’s best in patient care.”

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Rogers grad returns Waite golfer swings for lofty goals to face UT Rockets By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Any college cornerback in his fourth year of eligibility revels in the opportunity to face a potential Heisman candidate like Bruce Gradkowski, especially a corner who’s 5-foot-8 and 167 pounds. Steven Lewis, a graduate of Rogers High School, returns to the Glass Bowl for his last scheduled appearance when the Rockets take on Eastern Michigan Oct. 8 in a Mid-American Conference matchup. LEWIS He could have pro prospects because of his speed, according to Jim Streeter, EMU sports information director, even though his size hurts his chances of recruitment. Lewis’ stats fall under the radar, but he said, “Cornerbacks don’t get a lot of plays coming their way.” How might Lewis fare in the eyes of the NFL? “It’s hard to say because he is really fast, extremely fast — under 4.4, which is pretty good,” Streeter said. “He’s kind of small, but you never know. Some of those guys go on to ﬁnd a spot on a team and hang on. I’m sure he’ll get some looks because of his athletic ability.” Lewis entered the season with 83 tackles and one interception. Good corners provide good cov-

erage and as a result, there are fewer pass attempts to receivers assigned to them in zone and man-to-man defensive sets. The Eagles returned to MAC play last week to defeat Kent State, 27-20, after a 31-10 victory against Louisiana-Lafayette, a 2320 overtime win against Central Michigan and losses to Cincinnati and Michigan. Both wins relied on strong special teams, one highlighted by kicker Andrew Wellock, who earned a spot this year in the Ray Guy top punter spotlight. Early in the season, he has averaged 41.9 yards per punt while hitting 38-43 in field goals and 61-62 in pointafter attempts during the last 25 consecutive games. EMU sophomore Blake Smith received honors as MAC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts against Louisiana-Lafayette in game two. Smith recovered two fumbles, one during an Eagles’ kickoff, putting his team in prime scoring position. He ranks fourth in the MAC and 35th nationally. Streeter said the UT game holds plenty of significance for EMU. The Eagles play against five conference opponents to round out the season, and each one offers the hope to stay close with the Rockets, who, so far have dominated the league. “We’ve got a nice little MAC stretch coming up, and obviously it means a lot to get back into the conference,” Streeter said. “From this point on we have all conference games, so it will be interesting.”

SPORTS

October 5, 2005

The stories of Tiger Woods beginning to play golf within days of his learning to walk are legendary. In Toledo, there is a young man around whom similar stories emanate. According to his mother, Erica Duris, Tom Duris, a freshman at Waite High School, showed an interest in golf at ten months. “His Dad put a set of plastic clubs in his hands and everything worked out from there,” she said. By the time he was 2 years old, Duris was playing golf with his father, Tom, at the Collins Park Golf Course. “I was playing every chance I could get,” he said. “My dad was my first coach. He got me motivated. He was the one who pushed me to practice.” This early experience led to Duris and his father winning a father-son tournament when the younger Duris was 3 years old. Duris’ early mentoring was provided by “several pretty good golfers” at Collins Park and a summer program known as “Summer Swingers.” Evidence of Duris’ golfing proficiency can be found in his strong third place showing in last week’s Toledo City League golf tournament. In this tournament, Duris bested players from Bowsher, St. John’s Jesuit, St. Francis and Central but his performance was not a two-day aberration; it was the culmination of a competition schedule that began in mid-August. Despite Duris’ golfing background, he has found the transition to competition on the highest high school levels an easy one. He said the other players have been a great help and fun to play with. “We’re all good friends,” he said. Duris said he has received considerable support. His dad was his first coach and is still his greatest motivator but he has also been the beneficiary of

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St. Francis de Sales High School Athletics Department announced Robert J. Kuhr as the head varsity hockey coach. Kuhr is ﬁlling the head hockey coaching position that became vacant due to the death of coach Mike Greeder earlier this year. “I’m excited about the opportunity to coach at St. Francis de Sales High School,” Kuhr said. “It is great to return to a place that I once played myself and to return to the school that I graduated from in 1992.” Kuhr started his coaching career as the assistant coach of the SylvaKUHR nia Maple Leafs All-Stars in September 1995. Most recently, he was the head varsity coach at Whitmer High School, where he led the Panthers to a 10-0 league record and a 22-6 overall record in 2004-05.

Women’s football tryouts

Women who want to grip the pigskin can try out for the Toledo Spitﬁre professional football team, 1 p.m. Oct. 8 at Glenwood Camp, Route 795 and Lime City Road in Rossford. Bring cleats, water bottle and towel; (419) 836-1968.

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TOM DURIS support from his personal coach, Mark Vargas. By his own admission, the mental aspect of the game is what gives Duris the most difficulty and it is Vargas who helps him stay centered. He said he has also benefited from his association with Waite coach Milt Carswell. Duris’ accomplishments are not limited to the golfing fairways. He is also a straight-A-student and a promising wrestler. A nagging shoulder problem will make it impossible for him to compete in wrestling this winter but he hopes to return next year and become a member of the highly successful Waite wrestling program. Duris has lofty goals. He would like to attend a “big Division I” school on a golf scholarship and is “hoping to attend Ohio State.” — David Gatwood

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VIDEO GAME REVIEW Madden NFL 2006 (EA Sports) This version of the best-selling sports game doesn’t break much new ground, but enhances existing elements. It displays tons of statistics and adds role-playing and deeper options, though many options rely more on luck than skill. New features include quarterback vision and precision passing concepts. This system gives you extra options before (change receiver routes six different ways) and during a play. You can also choose the smart route to get a ﬁrst down. The new role-playing Superstar mode lets you live the life of a created player or an imported player from NFL Street 2 or NCAA Football 06. Choose your parents, take the rookie IQ test and sign an agent to start (only certain agents allow you to access special performance facilities, so choose wisely). Online play remains another strong aspect of the game, plus it now allows ﬁle sharing among players. There are plenty of bells and whistles for players who need a different or deeper experience (you can check your fantasy scores online), but this game is still simple enough to be played by young gamers. Note: PS2 versions have a PSP system link (***1/2, GameCube, PC, PS2, PSP, Xbox — rated E). — Michael Siebenaler

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Junior defensive end Robert Edwards tackles the Northview quarterback. WEEK TEN: Though the activities through the week are often unofﬁcial and clandestine, Homecoming ofﬁcially started Friday afternoon with cheering spectators lining the streets of Whitehouse for the annual Homecoming Parade. There was cheering, too, for the ceremonies to crown the Homecoming king and queen, which grew to a crescendo for the Generals varsity football team as it carried a lead into the waning moments of its game with Northview. A desperation pass that was tipped in the end zone for a touchdown with time expired gave the win to Northview, 20-19. Toledo Free Press has commissioned photographer Art Weber to chronicle the 2005 varsity football season of the Anthony Wayne Generals. Each week, photos will capture the evolving season. Art Weber may be contacted at aweber331@adelphia.net.

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IN FOCUS: FOOD & DINING

UNTANGLED VINE

Sweet German wines are the Riesling why

nce upon a time, Riesling was viewed as the undisputed king of wine. Then, Americans decided they liked sweet wines, such as White Zinfandel. Germans, being the largest producers of Riesling, made many wines tailor-made for America’s collective sweet tooth. Buy into this next mantra, and wine salvation will be yours: German Riesling is the greatest white wine in the world. German Riesling at its best has bright acidity, purity of fruit, a thread of minerality, perfect balance and viscosity and a touch of sweetness. The best Rieslings have sweetness as a characteristic, not a deﬁning trait. It should be used, as anything in food and wine, with restraint. But the sugar naturally present in these wines makes for a texture few grapes can provide. The naturally high acids play well with an amazing variety of dishes. The minerality gives it assertiveness and the fresh fruit tastes good. These wines are also very long lived. German Rieslings last seemingly forever, but drink great young. Next time you eat any Asian, Pan

Adam Mahler Asian or Indian cuisines, try a Riesling; you will be blown away. Riesling will lift up subtle ﬂavors in these cuisines like nothing else. Find me another wine that brings ginger, lemongrass, sweet basil and coconut to the forefront. Turn around and give me some really spicy pork carnitas and Riesling comes through again. The slight sweetness cools off any sort of spiciness and balances an otherwise hot dish. The biggest challenge with German Rieslings is, without question, the labels. Here is a very simple guide to reading German wine labels.

Vintage: the year the grapes were grown and harvested Name of the winery: obviously important in making your decision Geography: the best regions for German Rieslings are Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Rheingau, Rheinhessen. You might also see the name of a village and vineyard. The village will end in the letters -er (means from that village), potentially followed by another name; usually this is the vineyard. Quality assessed: in Germany, there is a panel that approves wines. This is where it gets a little confusing. Quality is directly correlated to the amount of sugar in the grapes at harvest. Which usually, but not absolutely, determines alcohol and sugar present in the wine. We classify German Rieslings according to a scale. The assumption is the higher you go on the scale, the longer the grapes stayed on the vine. Thus, the sweeter the wine will be; the acidity and concentration will also rise. We will number these with 1 being driest, 7 being sweetest. 1. QbA: This is the ﬁrst level of quality wines; they may range from relatively dry

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to off-dry. You can get the best of these for under $15 retail. 2. Kabinett: Slightly sweet, but balanced. A great way to offer great wines for a good price. These will cost $15 to $25 retail. 3. Spatlese: Literally means “late harvest;” perceptively sweet, but the acidity will still keep this in balance. These will cost $20 to $30. 4. Auslese: This is the ﬁrst dessert wine; Latest harvested traditional wines, each bunch is individually selected. 5. Beerenauslese: Pretty sweet, grapes picked individually, and left to, at least partially, go through “Edelfaule” (aka Noble Rot). Only made in select years. 6. Trockenbeerenausle: Or TBA. Complete “edelfaule,” only made in the best years 7. Eiswein: Ice Wine. Grapes are picked on the second day the temperature drops below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This is the sweetest and rarest of all. Adam Mahler will host a series of German Reisling tastings Oct. 6-7 at Afﬁcianados in Perrysburg.

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COMMENTARY The greatest cooking show in the world I can’t stand Bobby Flay (I’ve always wanted to say that. How many variations of mango, papaya, jalapeno, pork loin teriyaki skewers can you really make?). I have asked annoyed chefs of ever y nationality a thousand questions, but nothing, and I mean nothing, has satiated my cooking curiosity like Alton Brown and “Good Eats.” You’ve probably seen it on the channel guide, maybe you even watched it for a few moments, only to wonder what this guy is doing in a grocery store riding in a shopping cart. It’s a very goofy show. Alton Brown is a ﬁlm guy. He spent many years in Hollywood, directing all sorts of stuff. Eventually, he became disenfranchised with Hollywood and cooking shows. He and his wife up moved to Vermont to go to culinary school. After graduating, he started his show, “Good Eats.” The goal: To teach people how to cook without relying on recipes. Each episode of “Good Eats” is wrought with cultural references which haven’t been seen since Dennis Miller went to the Dark Side. But the format is so

insanely common-sensical, it’s a wonder Food Network sur vived as long as they did before Brown came around. The premise is ver y simple; Alton tackles a specific topic. Then he guides you through the “Great American Mega-Mart” to show how to shop for the topic. Then he talks about different preparations and invariably ends up at a Bed, Bath & Beyond or similar store, talking about equipment. The right knife, toaster, blender, egg-slicer, spatula, etc is of paramount importance, with absolutely no deference to brand or aesthetic. Functionality, ease of use and value are the prerequisites for any item. To reinforce his opinions, he often brings in a wide array of experts, from his local neighborhood fish-monger to nutritional anthropologists, to food scientists, for visual aids, he uses a standard mix of styrofoam balls, garden hoses and finger puppets, which further help to explain the science behind the way we cook. And each episode is just 30 minutes. Check your listings for “Good Eats.” It usually airs at 7 p.m., 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Monday through Friday on Food TV. — Adam Mahler

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CHEF KELLY

Baby boomers build teams

eam building is not a new concept. Just ask the corporate warriors asked to build boats, bridges, rafts, climb ropes, walls and trees or to just stand in a circle while letting someone fall and trusting another person to catch them. That was team building of the ’80s and ’90s, but as we baby boomers age, those highly physical outdoorsy types of team-building programs no longer seem attractive, said TeamCuisine founder Jim Connolly. Connolly founded TeamCuisine 10 years ago after a successful career as chef and owner of Emile’s, a four-star San Jose, Calif., restaurant. He said he found leadership training through food and cooking was more satisfying than restaurant ownership. He sold his restaurant and went full time into the teambuilding industry. “Food transcends cultural and social barriers. When food and dining are combined with teambuilding and experiential learning, people are more likely to work together and understand success quicker and more effectively,” Connolly said. The TeamCuisine concept fascinated me so much, I recently spent four days in Los Angeles to learn more. Nine of us worked together for two hours to prepare a gourmet buffet of foods to share with each other. We were split into three groups of three and each got a dish or dishes to prepare. We had no kitchen to work in and had to share ingredients, tools and utensils to complete our task. We got hints and tips from our facilitator to complete our tasks and then were left to our own devices. We had known each other less than four hours and yet as we chopped, diced, fried and talked we became a cohesive team. It was an amazing process to experience and watch as it was duplicated in each team. My team completed our dish of chicken roulade and moved onto making garnishes for our platters of food out of vegetables. When all the teams had completed their dishes for the buffet, we sat down together to eat our creations.

Kelly Digby On my last night I was able to participate in a TeamCuisine program with corporation employees. The room was set up with work stations on banquet tables; all the raw ingredients and cooking tools were laid at each work station. As the TeamCuisine associates started to introduce themselves and explain the program and its outcomes, a few of the people moaned when they were told they would be cooking. The teams got started on their dishes and the time moved quickly; they were soon seated to eat the fruits of their labor. They all had a wonderful time; I could tell by their demeanor, everyone was relaxed. Connolly said TeamCuisine has many different programs that will ﬁt any company’s needs because they all foster the 3 C’s; cooperation, communication and collaboration. He said TeamCuisine is used by companies for leadership development, to increase productivity, conﬂict resolutions and as a reward. TeamCuisine can be held onsite at a company campus or off-site, generally during a conference. I was so impressed with the program that when Connolly invited me recently to join him as an associate TeamCuisine facilitator, I accepted.

ON THE WEB www.teamcuisine.com

ARTS&LIFE ■

Singer/songwriter goes electric for solo show 26

Hypnotist and magician Michael Night deals surprises to his audiences, page 28

PAINTING

Adams paints role in Downtown art scene By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

It’s Customer Appreciation Days At The HEATHERDOWNS Frisch’s Big Boy®! 3535 Heatherdowns 419-382-3469

By Vicki L. Kroll Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Pete Cassani describes himself as an anti-folk singer. “I’m not your typical guy with a guitar playing ‘Kumbya.’ I’m really a rock musician,” said the singer/songwriter of The Peasants. “If you go around playing tours by yourself, people just ﬁgure you’re a folkie. Anti-folk implies punk.” Cassani will bring his electric guitar to Brewed Awakenings, 2636 W. Central Ave., Oct. 15. The free show will start at 8 p.m. He’s touring to support The Peasants’ Love Your Enemy, released in August.

“And anything that gets me mad,” he added. “Day Job” on the new disc features a nod to the Mamas & the Papas and some searing guitar: “Monday, Monday, what have I become?/ I used to think I’m gonna be someone/ Standing in line, punching a clock/ Buying a bagel, buying a stock ...” “I was trying to think of a way to get into that heavy metal riff — have something funny and light at the beginning to CASSANI conjure up all the happy stuff,” he said. “Then all the miserable stuff comes leaking out.”

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Kevin Burke is a clown, a proud alumnus of the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College. After graduating from this rigorous 10-week pratfall-and-pie-throwing boot-camp (said to be more selective than Harvard Law School), he performed with the circus, then moved on to a highly successful career in stand-up comedy, including winning the grand prize on ABC’s “America’s Funniest People.” Burke, who also has a degree in theater from Indiana University, performs in the touring production of “Defending the Caveman,” coming to the Stranahan Theater this weekend. “Caveman” is a one-person show about men, women and relationships that explores how our differences originate with our ancient hunter-gatherer roles, which explains everything from why men hog the remote to why women are good at multitasking. It’s performed on a set decorated with cave drawings, a Flintstones-style lounge chair and TV,

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A portrait of Bishop James Robert Hoffman.

The CD starts rockin’ with “Take ‘Em Out”: “Can’t ﬁnd Osama, crank up the drama/ You were not elected, better keep ’em distracted/ Daddy couldn’t kill him, what’s another trillion ... “ “That song came right before the United States invaded Iraq. George Bush was constantly harping in every public address about how Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction were a great threat to America,” Cassani said last week from Boston. “A couple months before the invasion, the CIA came out with a report — I saw it in the paper — saying he didn’t have any. It pissed me off that Bush was going to invade this country that had nothing to do with anything.” Politics, sex and love gone wrong are a few things Cassani writes about.

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Eric Fischl and Jack Beal. She worked in a museum and painted murals, beginning portrait drawing in 1995. “So many people in the Toledo area do murals well,” she said. Her murals appear in places such as St. John’s Jesuit High School. While she said Toledo is not as receptive to painted portraits like other parts of the country, she said she has received a surprisingly warm welcome. “It’s a lot different here than in the South or on the East Coast,” she said. “Many people here associate it with vanity.” Adams supports Downtown growth and said she enjoys Toledo. “I owe Toledo a lot,” she said. “They’ve been very supportive.” Adams’ art can be viewed during the event, which begins 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at The Studio Gallery, 1 S. St. Clair St. Visitors can also view her latest work-in-progress before it is shipped off to her commissioning client.

IN CONCERT

In the cards

Leslie Adams can be seen on the Downtown scene when she makes her way from her South St. Clair Street studio to places such as Socrates Café and the Market on St. Clair. Her art, vibrant portraits and murals, can be seen in Toledo and around the world. Adams will open her studio to the public this week for a fund-raiser for the Toledo Federation of Arts. Adams’ award-winning works have received international acclaim for their realism and precision. Her portrait, “Athena,” was included in the American Society of Portrait Artists’ Foundation “2001 International Portrait Exhibition” at the Art Students League of New York. She was commissioned and recently finished the traditional portrait of Toledo Diocese Bishop James Robert Hoffman, which adorns ADAMS the Bishop’s Chapel of Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral. She also has been contracted to paint Governor Bob Taft’s portrait early next year. “She’s a phenomenal portrait painter,” said Ken Thompson, president of the Toledo Federation of Arts Society. “I think there’s going to be a day when you will read about Leslie in the history books.” Adams said research is a major part of painting the portrait. Although she has degrees in art, she studied human anatomy. This understanding of the human body assists in making her subjects come to life. “You have to look and be able to see the anatomy,” she said. “Otherwise, you are just painting skin.” She is working on a life-size, 10-by-8-foot portrait of two children which will hang in their parents’ foyer in Baltimore. To capture the personalities and minor anatomical details of the children, she lived with the family. “You gain so much more than what you would from just photographs,” she said. “[When you use photographs] it’s not fun, not challenging and often not right.” For post-humus portraits requiring great detail in skin tones, vein structure and skin wrinkles, Adams will sometimes use an ageappropriate live model to stand in for parts for which she cannot find clear examples. Adams uses a Northern Renaissance technique, similar to that used by Van Eyck, to combine layers of oil glazes to achieve intricate detail and luminosity. Adams started drawing at age 8, when she would copy drawings she liked. She went to New York and studied figurative drawing with leading artists such as Vincent Desiderio,

ARTS&LIFE

October 5, 2005

TEAR SHEET: Your guide to the Toledo zeitgeist, page 30

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and a hamper-full of underwear and wet towels. The show was written and originally performed by Rob Becker, who based it on a three-year study of anthropology, prehistory, psychology, sociology and mythology. It holds the record for the longest-running solo comedy on Broadway, playing for more than 700 performances, and has been performed before audiences in more than 20 countries and in 15 languages. The play also won Becker England’s Olivier Award for comedic playwriting. “Caveman” has been used as a form of comedic couple’s therapy, recommended by thousands of psychologists and counselors. In 1996 Becker performed his show for more than 2,000 therapists at the annual American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Convention. “Defending the Caveman” runs Oct. 6-9 at the Stranahan Theater. Tickets are $28.450 to $42.50 and are available from Ticketmaster, the Stranahan Theater Box Ofﬁce, and by calling (419) 474-1333. The Stranahan is at 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd. in Toledo.

ARTS&LIFE

October 5, 2005

FASHION

ON STAGE

Hypnotist offers Arts patron Croninger displays hats truckload of tricks By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

At the start of Michael Night’s career in entertainment, he carried a “shoebox full of magic tricks.” “Now I’ve got a show that I can usually ﬁll up a semi with,” he said. The locally known comedy magician and stage hypnotist appears at Hotel SeaGate at 8 p.m. Oct. 15 in “Michael Night’s Hypno-comedy Concert.” His bundle of wonders includes a lantern he transformed into a “lie detector,” which lights up at every “untruth.” Among other props, a rubber brain comes in handy to convince audience members they lost much more than their marbles. But sometimes his truckload is lightened a little because volunteers are led to believe he’s not wearing his clothes. Yet he assures everyone remains aware of their surroundings during hypnosis, unlike movie stereotypes, where subjects often go into a “zombie state.” In reality their senses are intact, and their minds create an illusion that seems like an actual event. “I place a cat in their lap, and they will pet it and feel the fur and cold nose,” Night said. “To them, it’s there.” Hypnotism has stirred controversy because of its elusive nature when tested by science. The Institute for the Study of Healthcare Organizations and Transactions in Richmond, Calif., describes it “ ... for imaginative experiences involving changes in perception, memory and the voluntary control of action.” However, “The Skeptic’s Dic-

tionary,” by Robert Todd Carroll, states in its deﬁnition “... those who are fantasy-prone are also likely to make excellent hypnotic subjects. We know that vivid imagery enhances suggestibility.” “With hypnosis, it’s putting the words in the right places to affect the people best and learning the best techniques for that,” Night said. “I get people deep enough to where, right after afterward, they don’t remember anything, but it comes back almost like a dream.” Either way, Night’s entrance in entrancement was fateful. He met psychic hypnotist Raven about 10 years ago at Connxtions Comedy Club. Raven normally declines all requests to train other hypnotists — a commonly accepted practice — but decided to make an exception for Night, who had been performing as a comedy magician and owned a small magic shop in Toledo. “He had the understanding of audiences long before he got trained to understand hypnosis,” Raven said. “He had been on stage before; that was very helpful. I had trained no one before so I decided to give it a shot. He listened, and that’s what you need to do. Hypnosis has safety issues, unlike any other entertainment.” Night, a native Toledoan, holds certiﬁcation as a hypnotherapist, learning techniques and understanding the best way to do “programming.” To his knowledge, Night said he is the only stage hypnotist to live and work in the Toledo area. Most performers tour outside their own turf. He also performs Sundays from 6 to 9 p.m. at Max and Erma’s Restaurant in Maumee.

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About 70 hats — with ﬂowers, feathers, decorative and purposeful brims — greet visitors to Maumee Valley’s Wolfe Gallery this month. Local arts patron Condessa Croninger has about half of her hat collection on display through mid-October. For “Condessa’s Hats: A Collection from One Woman’s Closet,” visitors can learn how to distinguish daytime hats from evening hats and what styles travel well between day and night. In addition to serving as the vice president of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, Croninger is a

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docent at the Toledo Museum of Art, a member of the Junior League, a Friends of the Library trustee and the president of the Frogtown Storytelling Guild. The show remains on display until Oct. 14. The gallery is open during school hours. For information, call (419) 381-1313, ext. 3027. — Kelly McGilvery

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ARTS&LIFE

October 5, 2005

POP CULTURE

Rock Hall nominees offer surprising inclusions, snubs The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is as complex, exhaustive and infuriating as the music it celebrates. This week’s announced nominees will provide plenty to talk about until the inductees are named Dec. 21. John Mellencamp, a nominee last year, was passed over for inductees Buddy Guy, The O’Jays, The Pretenders, Percy Sledge and U2. Mellencamp’s artistic arc, from faux rocker to heartland poet, is unparalleled in American rock. Last year’s two-disc greatest hits collection makes an eloquent case for Mellencamp’s inclusion. MELLENCAMP After that, the slope gets slippery. Miles Davis certainly belongs in the “inﬂuencers” category, but it would be extremely out of character for the Hall to induct the jazz legend. As the years of eligibility creep into the era of ’80s art-

ists, the Hall will be forced to look wider for nominees. ’80s stalwarts U2, Prince, Springsteen, The Clash and The Police are already in the Hall. Once Madonna, REM, Peter Gabriel, Def Leppard and maybe Cyndi Lauper or Pat Benatar get in, the pool drains. Duran Duran? Tears for Fears? George Michael? Phil Collins? Men at Work? Bon Jovi? Another issue will be the Hall’s openness to rap music; Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five, nominated but passed over last year, are eligible again for 2006. The Hall would be foolish to ignore rap contributors such as Flash, Run-DMC, LL Cool J and other pioneers, but this is the same Hall that inexplicably kept out Bob Seger and AC/DC for a decade, and still hasn’t nominated Van Halen or Kiss, two bands of questionable depth but unchallenged impact and inﬂuence. Other nominees this year include singles band Blondie, production-dependents Chic, the no-way-in-hell option

Cat Stevens, punks Sex Pistols, Stooges and Patti Smith and leftovers Lynyrd Skynyrd, heavy metal band Black Sabbath, the ’60s beat group Dave Clark Five, Bostonarea blues-rockers J. Geils Band, Joe Tex and the Sir Douglas Quintet. Several continuing, justifiable snubs are worth mentioning: the Moody Blues, Journey, Rush, Yes and Styx, all that faceless FM radio flotsam. A disappointing omission is Randy Newman, nominated last year but ignored this year. His latter-day career as a film score composer undoubtedly hurts him with people who are not familiar with his work, but without Newman’s bold, groundbreaking character studies, it’s difficult to imagine inductee Elvis Costello and similar storytellers. If part of the Hall’s goal is to inspire debate and conversation, mission accomplished. Here’s one to chew on: Hillary Duff will be eligible in 2026. — Michael S. Miller

CD REVIEWS BY MICHAEL PUNSULAN The Peasants, Love Your Enemy Having toured with everyone from the White Stripes to Aerosmith, this Boston-native political rock group demonstrates an undeniable ability to yammer anti-Bush and anti-war rhetoric while still managing to melt your face through incendiary guitar solos. Songs such as “Homeland Security” and “I Never Said” take humorous potshots at mundane issues such as cigarettes, skinny waitresses and awkward moments at weddings. Musically and lyrically engrossing. Johnny and Sammy Johnson, Off My Rocker! Toledo native father-and-son jazz team Johnny and Sammy Johnson’s recently ﬁnished album, Off My Rocker! delivers a smooth and soothing sound. A perfectly symbiotic relationship between Johnny’s jazz guitar and Sammy’s keyboards, ideal for a comforting night at home.

4th Avenue Jones, Stereo: The Evolution of HipRockSoul Conceived, rehearsed, and recorded on 4th Avenue in South Central, Los Angeles, 4th Avenue’s latest album succinctly combines commanding guitar riffs, forceful hip hop beats, melliﬂuous melodies and two extraordinary vocalists who rap and sing. Ahmad Jones’ vocals echo the style of Seal and Prince. Backup singer Tena Jones sounds prepared to take on anyone from Eve to Lauryn Hill. Having shared stages with The Roots, Sheryl Crow and Macy Gray, 4th Avenue’s “cultivated HipRockSoul sound” is distinct and exciting. Thousand Foot Krutch, The Art of Breaking Frontman Trevor McNevan’s vocals are the crowning glory of the album, but he’s let down by sub-par melodies and insipid lyrics. The CD captures the commercial sound of rock produced for fans of TRL and cell phone ringtones.

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A hilarious embarrassment of enlightening and entertaining riches. Very Funny. October 1 and 7, 2005 • 7:30 p.m. • October 9, 2005 • 2 p.m.

Join us one hour before the performance for a lively discussion about Mozart and The Marriage of Figaro. This will enhance your operatic experience! For tickets, call (419) 255-7464 or toll free 1-800-860-9048 or log on to www.toledoopera.org

“A wonderful opera for first-time opera-goers!” Sung in Italian with projected English translations

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The Marriage of Figaro photo: Courtesy of Arizona Opera/Tim Fuller

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Y O U R W E E K LY T O U R O F T H E T O L E D O Z E I T G E I S T PA RT I NG

S HO T

day 2 DAY

top of the LIST

MUSIC NOTES FRI OCT 7 Agora Theatre, Cleveland

TRAPT, Blindside, Aphasia The Ark, Ann Arbor

RFD Boys

Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland

Ida, Mates of State, Wayne “The Train” Hancock The Bronze Boar

Russel Martin & The Relics Club Bijou

Stereomod, 7 Day Hangover, The Elements, Novada Fireﬂy Club, Ann Arbor

O’Maley’s Holiday Inn Select, Auburn Hills, Mich.

Desi Serna

State Theatre, Cleveland

Bill Engvall

SOLE SISTERS

SPOOKTACULAR

Join the cruise-in and fall festival Oct. 8 at Loop Park, East Perry and Dixon streets, Walbridge. The event will feature a car show, a vehicle poker run, medieval equestrian and weapons demonstrations, and costume contests; (419) 666-0554.

FURRY TAILS

There are two ways to look at the rainbow in this photo. One way, it’s simply a natural phenomenon caused by the refraction of light by water particles resulting in a display of the spectrum of light. But look at it another way and it’s a symbol of hope in the midst of misfortune. I prefer the latter viewpoint. The blaze of a century-old Downtown building at the corner of Monroe and Ontario Streets in the Warehouse District last Thursday is certainly a loss. But perhaps there will yet be some truth to the adage, “When one door closes, another opens.” Technical information: this photo was taken at 1/1000 sec., ISO 200, f/8 and 18mm with a Canon EOS 20D.

DM Stanﬁeld is Toledo Free Press photo editor. He may be contacted at dmstanﬁeld@toledofreepress.com.

The Toledo Area Humane Society will host its Furball at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 15 at Inverness Country Club. Tickets are $75 each and dress is “fairy-tail formal.” Entertainment will be provided by Chart Toppers, and there will be auctions, dancing and rafﬂes for a diamond tennis bracelet and a Harley Davidson 2006 XL 883 Sportster. For tickets, call (419) 482-7101.

ROCKETTE TRAINING

Take part in a dance workshop hosted by Radio City Rockette Ann Cooley-Presley Oct. 8 and 9 at Perrysburg Academy. Class sizes are limited; (419) 874-6773.

the AGENDA 1

MEET & GREET II Kickstart Toledo and the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, in cooperation with the help of NorthRiver Development, present Meet & Greet II, an arts networking opportunity. Creative people of all types are encouraged to attend from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Vistula Building at 1007-11 Summit St., just north of Downtown. The event will have music with food, drinks, and camaraderie, and opportunities to learn about next year’s Artomatic 419, the all-new anything-goes arts festival. There will be a bus loop to “Untitled,” the fall exhibit at Space237, and a free afterparty at Mickey Finn’s Pub, featuring Toledo bands Fast Piece of Furniture, AM Error and Muschi. To gain free admittance to the afterparty you must get a ticket at the Meet & Greet II event; (419) 243-3032. SHALL WE DANCE? Get your tickets for The Masked Ball, celebrating 15 years of friendship between Szeged, Hungary and Toledo, 6 to 10 p.m. Oct. 27 at Lourdes College. The event will feature awards for best costume and best-dressed couple, auctions featuring Hungarian crafts, door prizes and dignitaries from the sister city of Szeged. Tickets must be reserved by Oct. 17; (419) 206-0975. UNTITLED Opening night for Space 237’s fall exhibition will be from 7 to 10 p.m. Oct 7, 237 N. Michigan St. The exhibit, “Untitled,” runs through Dec. 30 and features a diverse group of artists, including Casey Bradley, John Mattson, Amy Wainwright and Toledo’s own Valentina Beene. Free; (419) 255-5117.

Reach out to young mothers who are working hard to earn their GEDs, obtain higher-paying jobs and to provide good lives for their children. Step out and support the Sole Sisters Walk at 10 a.m. Oct. 8 at International Park’s gazebo. Your participation and ﬁnancial contribution provides life skills, job preparation and empowerment for women living in poverty. The Sole Sisters Walk is supported by Pepsi Americas, Mercy Health Partners, CPW Rehab and WTVG 13 ABC. For more information, call Women Blessing Women at (419) 241-2789.

Toledo Museum of Art Libbey Court Tower City Amphitheater, Cleveland

Porcupine Tree, Robert Fripp

Tim Oehlers Trio

Alice Cooper, Supagroup

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Mickey Finn’s Pub

Fate of Apollo, Evolotto

Valentine Theatre

Palace Theatre, Cleveland

MAS FiNA “The Marriage of Figaro” by the Toledo Opera

SAT OCT 8 The Ark, Ann Arbor

Grog Shop, Cleveland

Detroit Cobras, Reigning Sound

Resonant Soul

Majestic Theatre, Detroit

Upper Deck

Dick Siegel

Howard’s Club H, Bowling Green

Nine Inch Nails, Autolux, Queens of the Stone Age Magic Stick, Detroit

Foo Fighters, Weezer, Kaiser Chiefs

Drive-Thru Tour featuring A Day at the Fair, Allister, Fenix TX, Houston Calls

Joe Louis Arena, Detroit

Blanche

Jacqui Naylor

Fox Theatre, Detroit

COMPILED BY VICKI L. KROLL

Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland

The Bronze Boar

Jeff Williams Band Cleveland State University Wolstein Center

Foo Fighters, Weezer, Kaiser Chiefs

Mickey Finn’s Pub

Black Swamp Blues Society Battle of the Bands Ohio Theatre

Lance Luce St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit

Aqualung, The Perishers, Tracy Bonham Valentine Theatre

“The Marriage of Figaro” by the Toledo Opera

MON OCT 10

Bill Pinkney of the original Drifters, The Del Vikings

Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland

University of Michigan Hill Auditorium

Grog Shop, Cleveland

Sage Francis

Desi Serna

The Bronze Boar

Chris Konopp & Friends

Harpo’s, Detroit

Behemoth, Chimaira, Danzig, Himsa, Mortis, The Agony Scene

Fat Fish Blue, Cleveland

Shemekia Copeland House of Blues, Cleveland

Majestic Theatre, Detroit

Behemoth, Chimaira, Danzig, Himsa, Mortiis, The Agony Scene

Sage Francis

Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

Bonnie Raitt, Stephen Bruton

Howard’s Club H, Bowling Green

MC Chris

Acumen Nation, KMFDM

Funeral for a Friend, He Is Legend, Story of the Year

The Shelter, Detroit

Murphy’s Place

SUN OCT 9 The Ark, Ann Arbor

Minnesota Guitar Wizards Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland

Martyn Joseph

Gund Arena, Cleveland

Blues Brother Castro, Adema, Brides of Destruction, The Chelsea Smiles

TUE OCT 11 Agora Theatre, Cleveland

Bane, Comeback Kid, Strung Out, Valient Thorr

Magic Stick, Detroit

Trapt, Blindside, Aphasia

Porcupine Tree, Robert Fripp

The Ark, Ann Arbor

House of Blues, Cleveland

Magic Stick, Detroit

Dungen

Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland

Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor

The Bronze Boar

Aqualung, The Perishers, Tracy Bonham

Brew House, Holland

Big D and The Kids Table, Pama International

The Odeon, Cleveland

Harpo’s, Detroit

AM Error, Muschi, A Fast Piece of Moving Furniture

Grog Shop, Cleveland

Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland

House of Blues, Cleveland

Mickey Finn’s Pub

Katherine Oliver, bassoon

Upper Deck

Grog Shop, Cleveland

Detroit Cobras, Reigning Sound

David Gray

Murphy’s Place

Foo Fighters, Weezer, Kaiser Chefs

Rainer Maria

Fox Theatre, Detroit

Dungen

MAS FiNA

Rufus Wainwright

Alvin’s, Detroit

Horrorpops, Left Alone, The Disasters Lisa Loeb & Sirens The Waco Brothers Box of Cats

Ryan Erard Trio

Majestic Theatre, Detroit

Bedlight for BlueEyes, Bleed the Dream, Confession, Roses Are Red, Stutterﬂy

Buster Williams Quartet

University of Toledo Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall

Playhouse Square Center, Cleveland

Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland

Meshuggah, Mnemic Bonnie Raitt, Stephen Bruton

UT Jazz Ensemble, Gunnar Mossblad, director

Ritz Theatre, Tifﬁn

WED OCT 12 Agora Theatre, Cleveland

Horrorprops, Left Alone, The Disasters Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

Ghostface, Swollen Members

Tribute to the King featuring Walt Sanders and The Cadillac Band St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit

Emery, Gatsby’s American Dream, Gym Class Hero

BE THERE. DO THAT. ENTERTAINMENT Kyle White: 7:30 p.m. Oct. 7 at

Louis G’s, 5147 Main St., Sylvania The Teutonia Maennerchor and Damenchor: will host a German Roast

Pork/Sauerkraut Dinner at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. Oct. 16 at the Oak Shade Grove Hall, 3624 Seaman Rd., Oregon. This allyou-can-eat dinner includes all the trimmings and desserts one would experience in Germany.

Carry-out dinners and childfriendly meals for children ages 6 and under are available. Reservations; (419) 691-3537.

EXHIBITS Hudson Gallery: will feature Toledo

artists Constandena Mandros and Carol Imes Luscombe throughout the month of October. The exhibit is free. Hudson Gallery is located at 5577 Monroe St., Sylvania; (419) 885-8381.

FILM The Way Public Library: begins its

2nd season of Reel Art @ Way, a monthly art and foreign ﬁlm series. On Oct. 14 the librar y will be showing the Chinesemade 2002 ﬁlm “Together.” Admission and refreshments are free.The Way librar y is located at 101 East Indiana Ave. in Perr ysburg. For further information call (419) 874-3135.

FUND-RAISERS Sapphire Ball: 7 p.m. Oct. 8 at The

Pinnacle. Black-tie event beneﬁting The Toledo Opera. Tickets are $175; (419) 255-7464. 5K walk and run: to beneﬁt Ben E. Williams Youth Services Inc. 9 a.m. Oct. 29 at Ottawa Park; (419) 535-1289.

SUPPORT GROUPS Divorced/separated support group:

meets every Tuesday from 7 to 9 p.m. at St. Joseph Church Parish Banquet Hall, 5373 Main St.; (419) 885-5791.

WORKSHOPS ��

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Bowling Green State University Bryan Recital Hall

Chick Corea

Pat Metheny Trio

Nine Inch Nails, Autolux, Queens of the Stone Age

Joe Louis Arena, Detroit

Detroit Orchestra Hall

TOLEDO CONFIDENTIAL

Learn to play harmonica: 12:30 to

2:30 p.m. Oct. 8 at Owens Community College. $25; (567) 661-7357.

Keith Bergman

Expiration date is here

ever having been a rock star outside my own mind, I wonder if musicians on top of the world know the exact moment when they’ve peaked. What is the first sign that your career is now less MTV2 and more VH1? Is it when you say “here’s one off our new record” on stage and the crowd heads for the bathrooms? Is it the first time you think “man, look at that old floozy up front?” and you realize she’s your age? I went to see Queensryche on Sunday. It’s a “thinking man’s metal band” best known for a passel of singles in the early 1990s, including the Pink Floyd-esque “Silent Lucidity,” and for an ambitious 1989 concept album Operation: Mindcrime. The highlight of this tour was to be a theatrical rendition of Mindcrime complete with actors, a stage set, and Pamela Moore, the female vocalist who appeared on the album 16 years ago. After a perfunctory set of the hits, the band left the stage for 20 minutes. When they retuned, a small living room set and some steps had been moved into place. From there, singer Geoff Tate, the zaftig and melodramatic Moore, and several other actors chewed the scenery to the tune of an hour of what can only be described as progmetal dinner theater. Tate, in greasepaint and mascara, flung himself about the stage in tortured-artiste fashion, as dated clips of George Bush Sr. and disgraced televangelist Jimmy Swaggart flashed on a video screen. While Tate wallowed in off-Broadway pathos, the rest of the band seemed a bit pensive and withdrawn. Could it be that they realized they were backing up “Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Spinal Tap?” And that when putting on a pageant based on a 16-year-old album to a half-full theater on a Sunday night is the best way you’ve got to pay the bills in 2005, you’re not only past your expiration date, but you’re starting to emit a little funk? Not the good, George Clinton-y kind, either.

Speaking of nostalgia

If you’re up for some weekday rock Oct. 11, you can catch Brides of Destruction and Adema at the Bijou. Both bands’ claims to fame have bailed on them — Brides of Destruction co-founder Nikki Sixx jumped ship to rejoin a little combo called Motley Crue, while Adema’s original singer, Marky Chavez, was (still is, I guess) the half-brother of Korn frontman Jonathan Davis. Since BOD chase after a punky rock and roll revival that never really took off, and Adema remind of us of our 1999-era modern rock sins, the two of them together should be a time-traveling trainwreck. But hell, what else are you gonna do on Tuesday? If you go, I’ll be the one hollering L.A. Guns song titles at guitarist Tracii Guns up front. Buy me a beer, unless you’re planning to beat me up for dissing Queensryche.

ARTS&LIFE

October 5, 2005

CD combines hip-hop, smooth jazz Def Jazz marks the 20th anniversary of Def Jam Records, the seminal hip-hop label that has contributed some of the genre’s most influential artists and tracks. By extension, it honors label founders Russell Simmons and Rick Rubin, whose blending of rap with rock blasted Run-DMC and the Beastie Boys to the top of the charts and changed the pop culture landscape forever. Hard to believe, but teens who were high school freshmen in 1979 — when rap music went national — are now 40 or older. Of course, advancing age doesn’t mean you don’t occasionally get the urge to wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care. Of course you do; you’re just more discerning about when and where you do it. A few years back, producer Tony Joseph nurtured the brilliant idea of marrying past hip-hop jams with smooth jazz artists. The resulting Unwrapped projects (Volumes I-III) were a hit with smooth jazz and hiphop fans who grew up with both. For Def, the producer wisely avoided trying to re-create the original raps (by Jay-Z, Method Man and LL Cool J, among others), instead relying on a revolving cast of musicians for solos that make the tunes fresh for ‘05, without losing too much of their original flavor. “All I Need” blends the shuffling drum beat from the hit Method Man/Mary J. Blige version of the Motown classic “You’re All I Need to Get By” with Roy Hargrove’s edgy trumpet line, followed by Joey DeFrancesco’s warm and funky Hammond B-3 solo. DJ Vicious Lee scratches

BUSINESS CARD BLAST

Blues challenge continues The ﬁrst round of the Black Swamp Blues Society Challenge took place Oct. 1 at Mickey Finn’s Pub. Band winner was Josh Boyd and the VIP Band. Solo/duo winner was Bobby and Frank May. The second round is at 7 p.m. Oct. 9 at Mickey Finn’s. Finalists will compete in the ﬁnal round at Mickey Finn’s on Oct. 22. The winners of the challenge will move on to the February International Blues Contest in Memphis.

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Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Chance of rain HI 68° LOW 57°

Partly sunny HI 60° LOW 45°

Mostly sunny HI 62° LOW 39°

Partly sunny HI 67° LOW 47°

Third Rock Your Tarotgram

Almanac By Elizabeth Hazel

Serving North America’s Families since 1972

and Horoscope

AND SUBSIDIARIES

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Events: Venus enters Sagittarius on the 7th, Mercury enters Scorpio on the 8th. The power of change holds sway. Complete projects on the 6th; the 7th brings news from many quarters; plan an exciting evening of activities. Apply your energies where you can be effective over the weekend. Loved ones share joys and sorrows on the 10th-11th.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

You choose who you love. Certain activities are so compelling it’s tough to refocus on practicalities. Emotional maturity in relationships is a weekend topic. Pay attention to your instincts after the 10th; if your palm is itching on the 12th, take a chance.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Role reversals - are you predator or prey? Thoughts and visitors from the past interlock with projects in development. Social fireworks put you in the thick of activity from the 7th-10th. An old friend could become a new flame on the 12th. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Don’t allow a few wrinkles to spoil triumphs. Good luck from many sources on the 6th-7th, though an elder may have health problems. Intense transitions occur over the weekend. Rest and call friends on the 10th. The good/bad in others become apparent as this period ends. Leo (July 23-August 22) Per fect details in top shelf projects. Favors given in the past return to you on the 6th-7th; hopes for the future flare on the 7th. Deep ties with others cause entanglements over the weekend. Beautify home on 9th-10th, as surprise visitors pop in on the 11th-12th. Virgo (August 23-September 22) You can get too much of a good thing. Special arrangements with others flow through this period. Social and romantic activities are highlighted; many invitations come your way. Hidden facets of personality are revealed on the 11th-12th; do you like what you see?

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Libra (September 23-October 22)

Navigate the path to adventure. Consider recent gains and losses on the 6th to ﬁnd underlying patterns. Exceptional good fortune in social settings on Friday evening. Moods swing over the weekend; remain cheerful. The 12th brings awaited news.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Meddling brings fast and furious consequences. Think before acting on secrets revealed on the 6th. Work to equalize responsibilities on the 7th-8th; the 9th-10th bring sweet moments and shared delights. Use careful strategies for dealings with authority ﬁgures on the 12th.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Emotional turbulence comes from others. You witness heights of spirituality and lows of uncontrolled emotions. Seek calming situations on the 7th. Weekend focus on intimate relationships — explore goals and fears. Single Sags on the hunt may ﬁnd someone new.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Grab a seat with a good view. People struggle to leave the past behind; you gain by forging constructive partnerships. Sports and outdoors appeal over the weekend. After the 10th, you are pressed to comply with regulatory protocols and paperwork. Aquarius (January 20-February 18) You’re at the center of activity. This period extends your interests in diverse areas. People supply inspiration; your skill and dedication create results where others have given up before. Keep at it, but respect other people’s turf to avoid resentment. Pisces (February 19-March 20) Expect the unexpected to happen. Wrap up work connected with other people’s concerns; but go have fun on Friday night! Family issues may tug and pull over the weekend; better after the 9th, when calls from distant loved ones opens possibilities for the winter months.

Elizabeth Hazel is a professional tarotist-astrologer and author. She has been giving tarot-astrology readings at Manos Greek Restaurant every Wednesday night since 1990. She may be contacted at ehazel@buckeye-express.com. (c) 2005

Call to Advertise! ��

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Oct. 6 - Oct. 13, 2005

Aries (March 21-April 19)

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Robert Shiels

like a ﬁend, making this track especially, um, dope. Slick Rick’s feel-good ditty “Hey Young World,” featuring saxophonist Gerald Albright, owes more to the original than the Jay-Z re-make. The same can be said for “Get U Home” (another Albright solo), an early Def Jam R&B hit by Eugene Wilde, and later, Foxy Brown. Oran “Juice” Jones who scored the label’s ﬁrst R&B hit in 1986 with “The Rain,” makes a clever, if sullen, cameo on singer Ledisi’s remake of the tune. Flutist Hubert Laws and keyboardists Kevin Toney and Jeff Lorber know a little somethin’ about fusion and it shows on the stellar “Bring the Pain” and “Can I Get A ...” From the cast of veterans to Frank Morrison’s cover illustration — which recalls Ernie Barnes’ famous “Sugar Shack” (the painting on TV’s “Good Times” opening credits and Marvin Gaye’s I Want You album — to the mix-tape style sequencing, Def Jazz subtly honors the old school. — Brett Collins

CLASSIFIEDS

October 5, 2005

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Office: 419/535-0011 Cell: 419/297-7454 V.M.: 419/539-2700 Ext. 170

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GROW YOUR BUSINESS With an affordable and effective business card directory ad. • 1-8 weeks $25 • 9-25 weeks $20 • 26 weeks or more $15

TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS IN THE BUSINESS CARD BLAST, CALL (419) 241-1700.

CLASSIFIEDS

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LEASE TO OWN

EARN DEGREE Online from home. Medical, Business, Paralegal, Computers. Job placement assistance. Computer and ﬁnancial aid if qualify. 1 (866) 858-2121 wwww.onlinetidewatertech.com

RENT/OWN LEASE/OPTION TO BUY 59 California Blvd. Washington Local/Whitmer 2-3 BR. Many nice updates. 2-car w/opener. A/C. Call (419) 865-6344

CLERICAL ENGINEERING ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Great opportunity with a well-established company seeking an administrative assistant with an Engineering background. Will be responsible for an extensive ﬁling project, being familiar with Engineering drawings, taking meeting minutes, writing correspondence and scheduling. Must be proﬁcient in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Please fax resumes to (419) 254-2915 or e-mail Dionnica.Sylvester@renhill.com today.

AUTO DONATIONS DONATE YOUR CAR SPECIAL KIDS FUND Be Special! Help disabled children with camp and education. FREE towing, DMV paperwork! Tax deduction. Call 1 (877) GIVE-TO-KIDS (448-3865) www.specialkidsfund.org

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES RUMMAGE/CRAFT SALE & PORK ROAST DINNER Sat, Oct. 8th, 9 am - 6 pm Tables available at 15% of gross sales. Faith Lutheran Church, 2440 South Ave., Toledo. For more info call (419) 385-7459 or (419) 832-3332 Proceeds beneﬁt hurricane relief effort. 2121 MAGGINS ROAD Oregon/Off Woodville Rd. Next to Wendy’s & across from Kroger. Thurs - Sun/Oct. 6-9 Two families, loads of items. Books, VHS & baby.

SPAS/HOT TUBS NEW 7-PERSON SPA Loaded. $96/month Through Home Depot. Cover & warranty. Can deliver. 1 (866) 776-0999

APARTMENTS FOR RENT SHERWOOD APARTMENTS River Road area. So. Toledo. Great service! Great value! Remodeled apartments from $485. No pets. Non-smoking. (419) 392-7577

FOR SALE IDEAL FOR WINTER TOURISTS Lovely, well-maintained mobile home located in South Texas is the perfect winter getaway! Large 2bedrm/2 bath (18x56) is located on a private, wooded lot in an established park. Full kitchen, dining area, laundry room, carport and covered patio. Back yard is completely private! New carpet, a/c, hot water heater & fridge. Newer roof & outside paint. Will sell partially furnished. Will consider owner ﬁnance. Call today (419) 304-7049 SWANTON HOME 110 Hickory Newly remodeled, 3 BR, 1.5 Bath, new carpet & paint, 3-season room, 2.5 car garage, newer furnace, & family room. Mature, wooded lot. Only $144,900! Call (419) 866-1942

RESTAURANTS �� klarke64@aol.com

CLEANING/JANITORIAL MOTHER & DAUGHTER HOME CLEANING SERVICE Get ready for the holidays! 15 years experience. Free estimates. Call Debbie: (419) 283-0265 or (419) 242-8227 THE FRENCH MAID Will clean your house and you will be pleased! Free estimates. (419) 873-0400

Churchill’s ��

OLD WEST END APARTMENT FOR RENT 826 Virginia St. • Newly Renovated • Close to Bus Line & Museum • Private Entrance • Over 1100 square feet • Rent - $480/month (Including Heat)

• 2 - Bedrooms • 1-Bathroom • Living Room • Dining Room • Hardwood Floors

CALL 419-843-4335

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LANDSCAPE VAUGHN’S TREE SERVICE Tree removal by bucket. Tree topping, trimming, pruning. Lot clearing. Licensed & insured. Free estimates. (419) 466-9632

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MISC. SERVICES LOSE WEIGHT Lose those extra pounds before the holidays. You can do it! I can help! Call (419) 754-4409 or 1 (888) 622-5132

October 5, 2005

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IMMEDIATE OCCUPANCY ��

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1943 Summit 1 BR - $370 + utilities

531 Williamsdale 1 BR - $370 + electric

5522 W. Alexis/Syl. 2 BR - $435 + electric

1133 Greenwood

Call (419) 473-2604 ext. 125 or 134

1841 Dorr St. • Toledo, OH • 43602 •

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419.536.2421

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