Toledo Free Press – Jan. 12, 2014 by Toledo Free Press

Jan. 12, 2014

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Opinion

Frozen in the Polar Vortex Tom Pounds and Michael S. Miller discuss some chilling weather. page 3

Star

The Gathering Magic in Toledo.

Inside

Community Special Section

Visions for development

Inside

New year, new start

Shawn Levi, a local amputee, wants ‘A new life. A new start. A new outlook.’

Story by Brandi Barhite, page 6

Toledo Free Press

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

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January 12, 2014

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Publisher’s statement

Opinion 3.

A Toledo tradition since 2005

DON LEE

Frozen

t’s a wonderful movie but “Frozen” is a terrible adjective. We have enjoyed relatively mild winters during the past few years, but that was scant comfort this week as temperatures hit record lows and nearly a foot of snow clung to roads. Despite the potential for disaster, Lucas County and Toledo pulled through remarkably well. Plow crews, unable to use salts and chemicals at the subzero temperatures, worked tirelessly to push the snow off of roads. Communication flowed well from city and county government to media and citizens. Whether it was snow emergency status, school closings or weather updates, there was no lack of information. There were legitimate worries about area infrastructure, but for the most part, our electric, natural gas and water supply systems came through with flying colors. Businesses and the area’s major institutions — from the Metroparks to Levis Commons to Hollywood Casino Toledo — smartly closed Thomas F. Pounds during level three snow emergency times. The Area Office on Aging and the local American Red Cross chapters operated heating centers and provided breakfast to those needing shelter. The one area we could work harder on for the next cold weather event is understanding and obeying snow emergency laws. These statuses are designed to keep roads accessible for public safety workers during dangerous times. From Toledo News Now: “Ohio counties issue snow emergencies on three levels. “LEVEL 1: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads may also be icy. Motorists are urged to drive very cautiously. “LEVEL 2: Roadways are hazardous with blowing and drifting snow. Roads may also be very icy. Only those who feel it is necessary to drive should be out on the roads. Contact your employer to see if you should report to work. Motorists should use extreme caution. “LEVEL 3: All roadways are closed to non-emergency personnel. No one should be driving during these conditions unless it is absolutely necessary to travel or a personal emergency exists. All employees should contact their employer to see if they should report to work. Those traveling on the roads may subject themselves to arrest. “Michigan counties do not issue snow emergencies, but handle road closures and driving restrictions on a case-by-case basis.” During this week’s level three events, far too many people with casual motivations tried to travel; many of them endangered themselves and others for no reason. Cabin fever is real, but an extra day at home does not justify violating safety laws. Overall, our region faced down the storm and came though intact. That’s a tribute to the intelligence of our citizens and the professionalism of those in charge of our public safety. Pass the cocoa. O Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

LIGHTING THE FUSE

Chilling in the Polar Vortex H

daily life there as political chicanery is here. ey, kids, here’s a fun math story problem: We were aware that Winter Storm Hercules (trademark If it normally takes Michael 50 minutes to drive from Downtown Toledo to Tecumseh, but during a courtesy The Weather Channel) had smacked Northwest Ohio and that Winter Storm Ion (trademark polar vortex it takes him 120 minutes, then: courtesy The Weather Channel) was threat1) How many extra minutes does the ening more mayhem. We were driving from drive take? South Florida and planned our departure to 2) How many of Michael’s knuckles turn arrive between storms. white from gripping the steering wheel? It’s about 1,500 miles from there to 3) How many other drivers on the road here, and the trip down had blessed us qualify as (insert your vulgar body part name with dry, clear weather for 1,499 miles, here)? so I assumed the opposite would be true On Jan. 2, my family and I swam under the for the ride home. But while it was much 80-degree South Florida sun, literally soaking colder through the South than usual, it in the final day of vacation. Toledoans may remember the sun; it’s a large, round ball of fire Michael S. miller was a smooth drive back and we did not see much impact from Winter Storm that in many parts of the world rises in the east and sets in the west. We usually see the sun in Northwest Ohio Hercules (trademark courtesy The Weather Channel). from 7 a.m. July 7 to 7:24 a.m. July 7, with other rumored It’s winter in Northwest Ohio; how bad could it be? Turns out, with Florida sunshine still warming our cells, intermittent sightings, like a celestial Bigfoot. But in South Florida, the sun shines every day. Not all day, as there is often it could seem pretty bad. a brief afternoon rain shower, but the sun is as much a part of n MILLER CONTINUES ON 4 Thomas F. Pounds, President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com

A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol. 10, No. 2. Established 2005. EDITORIAL James A. Molnar, Design Editor jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Sarah Ottney, Managing Editor sottney@toledofreepress.com Jeff McGinnis, Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

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Opinion

Guest COlumn

A better 2014

or the past 30 years of teaching community for noble causes. in the College of Business and O Perform my job with great pasInnovation at the University of sion, professionalism, and do so with Toledo, I’ve always had my students a minimum of supervision. fill out course information cards O Teach Sunday school class to junior high and high at the beginning of school students. each semester, just like O Belong to Alcoholics every other professor. Anonymous to help Students perform this others get and stay obligatory task out sober. of reflex and without O Volunteer at the thinking as they provide American Cancer Sotheir names, contact inciety. formation and the like. O Always put the But about 15 years needs of other people ago, I started asking Clint before my own. my students to turn LONGENECKER O Let my friends and the card over and on family know that they the back provide some additional information about them- can depend on me when they need selves. This gives me an opportunity help. to get to know each and every stu- O Tutor three times a month in an dent a little better and have some elementary after-school reading additional insight to help jump-start program for underprivileged kids. O See a problem and work hard to our working relationship. As part of the process, I ask them become part of the solution. several questions, including a very O Support a child in a Third simple and yet profound one: “Please World country through Children tell me one specific thing that you International. are doing to make the world a better O Make people laugh and I am alplace.” The purpose of this question ways ready to tell a good and approis fairly obvious in that I want to get priate joke or story. my students thinking about the fact O Work hard to stay positive and not that they are on Earth not just for complain. themselves, but for a greater good, O Always have something nice to say and I am always encouraged and about everyone and I never gossip. motivated by their responses. Right O Have the goal to be the best dad in out of the gate this is a great opportu- the world to my two children. nity for me to learn from my students O Always tell the truth. and generate some great classroom O Step in when people look lost or if discussion about servant-leadership. they need help. Here is a smattering of the things O Try hard to make wise choices in that students shared with me in the every area of my life. If you begin 2014 discouraged by fall semester: what you see in the world, take the To make the world better, I ... O Smile a lot and always try to stay time to identify and develop your plan for making our world a better positive even in negative situations. place by your daily choices and acO Always drive the speed limit. O Try to be friendly and nice to tions. When enough people act in this thoughtful way, this good can strangers. O Led a team in my sorority to raise have a real multiplying effect on other people, organizations and $10,000 for autistic children. O Skip a meal once a month and do- communities! And as you live and nate the money to the Cherry Street execute your plan, what an awesome opportunity and privilege to be able Mission. to say, “Today I really helped make O Never, ever litter. O Foster shelter animals that have our world a better place!” O been abandoned. O Am dedicated to my spouse and Clint Longenecker is the Stranahan Professor of Leadership and Organito keeping our marriage strong. O Set aside money out of every pay- zational Excellence in the College of Business and Innovation at The Unicheck for the United Way. versity of Toledo. He is an educator, O Lead with absolute integrity. O Work hard to leave things a little author, consultant, motivational speaker and community servant. He better than I found them. can be reached via email at clinton. O Recycle. O Am a passionate fundraiser in our longenecker@utoledo.edu.

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com n MILLER CONTINUED FROM 3 By Sunday morning, it became clear we were in for a major winter event, and no amount of vacation memories would buffer us from the storm. As part of its news planning coverage, 1370 WSPD brought its news team and on-air personalities together (I serve as news director for WSPD’s morning show) and offered accommodations close to the station so everyone could safely be in place Monday morning. By 4 p.m. the snow and temperatures were falling with equal ferocity. Around 6 p.m., WSPD morning show host Fred LeFebvre wanted to tour the Downtown area so we repaid Clear Channels’ efforts to keep us safe by jumping into the WSPD Ford Explorer to explore the streets. I drove down Summit Street and across the Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge, stopping at key points so LeFebvre could take photos. It was already slippery and deep snow piled in drifts. Visibility was greatly reduced; the lighted names atop the Downtown bank buildings were obscured in the wind and snow. Most cars were off the streets but two parked in front of Imagination Station were already plowed under. The next day started at 4 a.m. as LeFebvre and I jumped back in the WSPD Explorer. We drove through the South End, to the Anthony Wayne Trail and back through Downtown. It looked like the snow had largely been pushed aside but the ice and wind were brutal, and we had not yet seen the low temps being described as an “arctic outbreak.” The next two days were a blur of warnings, updates, closings and incredible photos showing the impact of snow and historic low temperatures. Walking even a few blocks in the cold felt like walking through a gantlet of knives on the skin; layering and hats and gloves were crucial. By Tuesday afternoon, 48 hours into news coverage for Toledo Free Press and WSPD, I was ready to be back home with my family. Clean clothes and smart food supplies had dwindled. I had hoped Lucas County would drop to level two snow emergency by noon (most of my travels would be through Michigan, whose counties do not declare snow emergencies) but when that did not happen, I checked out of the hotel and prepared myself for an icy, dicey ride to Tecusmeh. Had I known just how bad it was going to be, I would have rinsed out clothes in the hotel shower and started raiding the vending machines.

January 12, 2014

There were very few cars on Monroe Street to I-475, a blessing as there were no clear lanes and even at 30 mph, the car constantly slipped and wanted to spin. The cars crossing into Michigan on U.S. Route 23 fell into a uniform line, slowly following the clear tire paths. There were a number of stalled cars facing the wrong way on the road or abandoned in the ditches, their back ends sticking out of the snow like dinosaurs sinking in a tar pit. Just past Exit 5, a jackknifed semi closed both lanes; traffic was backed up to Exit 9, and I said a silent prayer that the hundreds of backed-up cars were riding full tanks of gas in the cold. Of course, “cold” wasn’t a dramatic enough label, as we heard “arctic event,” “arctic outbreak” and “polar vortex,” which sounds like a Santa Claus sex position. Ho, ho, ho. Despite the hazardous conditions and the dawning realization that none of us had any business being on the road, several cars tried to jockey for position and speed by, oblivious to the ice. They say God watches out for drunks and idiots (as redundant as that is) and while the speedsters seemed to maintain control, I was not above hopefully anticipating seeing one of them in a ditch up ahead. As bad as U.S. 23 was, I was more concerned about M-50. Other than the occasional state trooper, that stretch of road is under the jurisdiction of the road gang from “Mad Max.” My concerns were justified. Long stretches of M-50 were indistinguishable from the cornfields that surround it. It was a 20 mph trip and by the time I pulled in to our driveway, I was shaky, exhausted and extremely grateful that God had seen this idiot home safely. The excited hugs and chatter I received from our little boys reminded me of why I had made the journey — and just how much I had risked by making it. I was 12 during the local Blizzard of ’78, and I keep hearing The Polar Vortex of ’14 was nothing like that. I agree, and I am thankful. Story problem answers: 1) 70 minutes that felt like 700; 2) 9 (my wedding ring finger is always contrarian); 3) All of them: ****s, *******s and ******s. O Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star and news director for 1370 WSPD. Email him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

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January 12, 2014

PEOPLE

By Brandi Barhite

Toledo Free Press Community Ombudsman bbarhite@toledofreepress.com

It was hard for Shawn Levi to enjoy the holidays. A workplace injury two and a half years ago resulted in a below-the-knee amputation of his left leg Oct. 30. Just a few weeks ago, he was still in the nursing home, Heartland of Oregon, with a tiny Christmas tree sitting on his nightstand. He struggled getting dressed. He could barely use the bathroom. He feared using the steps. But 2014 is going to be better. It has to be. The new year brings his 30th birthday on Jan. 15. While most people don’t look forward to the big 3-0, he is craving the milestone. He wants to leave behind the past 29 years. “A new life. A new start. A new outlook.” That is what he hopes for himself. “I want to be born again. I want to have a new outlook on life and not be so negative,” he said. For Shawn this will be hard. He grew up in foster care, was eventually adopted and then left home after high school. He has two children he hasn’t been able to see, but hopes to change that in the new year if he gets to a better place in his life. He also wants a job. Shawn has had jobs here and there, including Taco Bell, but he has never had a career. He is interested in police work, but a suicide attempt will most likely keep him from that occupation. He would possibly like to be trained to work with computers. He even lived at the Cherry Street Mission until a friend, Mike Terry, invited him to stay at his house. “I still haven’t really swallowed this. I still haven’t mourned the loss of half of my leg. A lot of people tell me it is like losing a family member.”

The accident

Shawn said he was working as a temp at Precision Steel Services on June 14, 2011, when he lifted a steel beam. “I lifted it over my head not knowing it was cut. As soon as I got it over my head, which was 6 to 7 feet in the air, a piece snapped off and the remainder hit my knee and smashed my foot.”

Shawn went to the ER, but was sent home thinking his foot was bruised and his big toe was broken. A few days later, his foot started to swell even worse and he developed cellulitis from the tip of his toes all the way up his leg. He was put on antibiotics, but had an allergic reaction. Meanwhile, he felt his foot “explode,” he said, and it started to arch. Out of necessity, he started to walk on the outside of his left foot. “I couldn’t feel it,” he said. He would do this for more than two years, gaining 100 pounds from inactivity. Sometimes he wishes he still had his bad leg because then he could at least get around better. But he knows the amputation was the right choice. He has already lost 50 pounds since the surgery. “I just wish it didn’t take so long. I don’t know why it has been two and a half years,” he said. While Shawn doesn’t want to discuss any possible legal action, he is receiving workers’ compensation and is thankful that everything has been covered. He is also glad he found Dr. Gregory Georgiadis. “He is an amazing doctor. I finally found a doctor who really cared about the situation and handled it. I was reading a prosthesis book, and he said, ‘This could be what you have.’ I was like, ‘OK.’”

toledo Free press photos and cover photo by joseph herr

Hope for the new year: Shawn Levi, a local amputee, says he wants ‘A new life. A new start. A new outlook.’

Family matters

Obviously, no one wants to lose a limb, but Shawn said at least his amputation was below the knee, which will make using a prosthetic limb a little easier. He should be fit for one when his post-surgery infection clears up. “There are days when I am still here and no one is here and you wish you had people coming up here because it is so boring,” he said, while at the nursing home. In December, he called his biological mother in Tennessee. From afar, she feels for him, although she has no plans to visit. “It really does hurt to see a son hurt so badly,” Carol Cummings said. “How can you be positive when things are so negative?” He has had some visitors. His adopted family, from whom he had been estranged for six years, is among them. “When I was in the hospital after the amputation, my adopted brother, Jeremy Dobie, came walking in the door. I was like, ‘Hey bro, what is going on?’ n A NEW START CONTINUES ON 8

A workplace injury two and a half years ago resulted in a below-theknee amputation of Shawn Levi’s left leg. he is now looking for work.

January 12, 2014

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A Toledo tradition since 2005

Community

n A NEW START CONTINUED FROM 6 “We are all talking again and I am pretty happy about that.” Dobie said it was shocking to find out his brother was going to lose his leg and it put everything into perspective. “I am definitely glad that I have gotten the chance to make things a little bit better between us,” Dobie said. “He seems to be pretty positive about the whole situation.” Shawn has also experienced an outpouring of love from a local family, his main support system. Shawn and Mike worked together at McDonald’s as teenagers, although they were not good friends then. Mike’s mom, Barb Farley, remembers bringing them pizza when they got tired of eating McDonald’s. “One day Mike said, ‘Remember that guy you took pizza to at McDonald’s? He is in trouble. He is living at the Cherry Street Mission,’” Barb said. “He had an accident and lost everything he had: his rental, his car and everything in storage. “I said, ‘we have to get him out of there,’ and my son went to get him, and Shawn has never left.” Since then, Shawn has lived with Mike at his rental house, along with two other roommates. They are willing to revamp the house to include an extra rail or set up accommodations in the bathroom. But since the first floor doesn’t have a bathroom or bedroom, Mike said they want to move in January or February to find something that works better for Shawn. “We have been in close quarters for a long time and everyone has moments where we don’t get along, but I look at

January 12, 2014

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

Stages of grief for amputees New amputees commonly go through five classic stages of grief, according to Roberta Cone, a member of the Scientific & Medical Advisory Committee for the Amputee Coalition. This is an excerpt from her research: 1. Denial and isolation (“This isn’t happening to me”) 2. Anger (“Why is this happening to me?”) 3. Bargaining (“I promise I’ll be a better person if …”) 4. Depression (“I don’t care anymore”) 5. Acceptance and Hope (“I’m ready for whatever comes”) O him like a brother and that is what brothers do sometimes,” Mike said. Like brothers, he even managed to bring some levity to the situation just a few days after surgery. Both are Buckeyes fans, so Mike drew an “O” on the bottom of Shawn’s new red cast and added a real pair of sunglasses. “My mom has a big heart — sometimes too big — and I inherit that from her,” Mike said. He remembers running into Shawn around town as adults, and then one day Shawn called him about throwing a birthday party at his house because he was living at the shelter. Mike agreed. That weekend, he told him, “Dude, you don’t have to go back there.” Cherry Street Mission president and CEO Dan Rogers said it is rare for people to “rescue” clients from the shelter. Actually, it is usually in their best interest to stay and get the help they need, whether that is with a job or substance abuse. The best way to support a friend or family member at the Cherry Street

Mission is to send them a care package, eat dinner with them or participate in a shelter event. But sometimes friends and family find out someone is living at the shelter and that person is ready to leave and that is a great situation, he said. “He has just had a horrible life,” Barb said. “It makes me cry. I couldn’t imagine having him go through everything he had to go through without a mom standing by. I told him to program me in his phone as ‘Mom 2.’” Mike is happy to share his mother. “A lot of his family isn’t around here and hasn’t been involved as much as I think they should be.”

his new leg, he knows exactly what he wants to do. “Run, mow the lawn, take out the garbage without worrying about falling down,” he said with a huge smile on his face. His list also includes skiing, being on a boat and “just being around people socially and not having people stare at me every time I go in a store,” he said. The stares have been hard. “When people are out of the norm, walk differently or have a drooping eye, it is amazing to see how people look at them,” Shawn said. “I ignore the situation, but it still upsets me. I keep my mouth shut and hop on.” Barb has tried to reassure him. “When people look at you, they see your eyes. They see everything through your eyes; it has nothing to do with your limbs,” she told him. Roberta Cone, a psychologist and advisory committee member of the national Amputee Coalition, said people stare because, “Yes, we are different.” She lost her arm in an automobile

accident more than a decade ago. “I have had an extraordinary life, but there are challenges and you are different. There is a period of relearning things.” The psychologist said it helps to know that “you are so much more than your appearance.” She said limb loss is equated to losing a loved one and no one should discount that. The best advice she can give is: “Seek the help of support groups and find meaning in your loss.” When Shawn is down and doesn’t think he will be able to work again, Barb is the one who supports him. She thinks he should volunteer first to see what might interest him. “I want to start a charity to help injured workers out,” Shawn said. “It is a long road if you don’t have anyone. It is very depressing. I don’t know how I pulled through what I went through.” But he has. “It is amazing. I have had a rough road my entire life, but somewhere I still find the spirit to keep pushing and keep going.” O

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Next steps

Shawn’s amputation is just the beginning of a series of surgeries he needs. Because he walked sideways on his foot, the remaining part of his leg is twisted. He also has two bulging discs in his back. Soon he will be fitted for his prosthetic leg and taught how to use it. The moment he feels comfortable using

Movie “The Triumph”

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Saturday, January 18, 2014 7 p.m. Tickets $10 each, available at the door Doors open at 6 p.m. All proceeds benefit Comunita Cenacolo America, a nonprofit addiction treatment and recovery program For more information, go to www.TheTriumph.org & www.hopereborn.org • A documentary film about a modern day miracle: the alleged apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Medjugorje, a tiny village in Bosnia-Herzegovina • Hear Mary’s reported messages for the whole world as they relate each person and to current events • Learn the true story of a young man’s battle with alcohol and drug addiction • Discover how his faith and hope are restored in Medjugorje, as he enters Comunita Cenacolo, a nonprofit addiction treatment and recovery program

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January 12, 2014

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10 Religion

January 12, 2014

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

Toledoan closer to becoming Zen master as Osho By David Yonke

EDITOR, TOLEDOFAVS.COM

David.Yonke@ReligionNews.com

In a Jan. 5 ceremony marked by chants and rituals, solemn moments and bursts of laughter, as well as hugs and tears, members of the Great Heartland Buddhist Temple of Toledo celebrated the Rev. Jay Rinsen Weik, Osho, as he took his latest step toward becoming a Zen master. The ceremony, called a dharma Denkai transmission liturgy (dharma is defined as “the principle or law that holds the universe together”), was led by the Rev. James Myoun Ford, Roshi, of Providence, R.I., who has been Weik’s teacher since 2009. Transmission from a teacher directly to a student as a dharma holder has been part of Buddhist tradition for many centuries, Ford said, and follows the heart of Buddha, who founded the religion 2,600 years ago in the India-Nepal region. As a dharma holder, or “Osho,” Weik is now fully ordained as a Buddhist priest to give the Zen precepts, receive formal student and ordain others. One thing he cannot do is transmit to a successor, said the Rev. David Dae An Rynick, Roshi. That ability is reserved for Zen masters. Rynick and his wife, the Rev. Melissa Myozen Blacker, Roshi, who both took part in the ceremony, are priests in residence at the Boundless Way Zen Temple in Worcester, Mass., founded by Ford. The final step to achieving Zen mastery is called the Denbo transmission, which normally takes three to five years after Denkai, Blacker explained afterward. Weik said he intends to continue along the path to becoming a Zen master, or sensei. His wife, Karen Do’on Weik, expects to receive Denkai transmission in time. (Another step after Denbo, called the Inka Shomei transmission, is less sig-

nificant, according to Blacker.) The actual Denkai transmission ceremony took place Saturday night in a private setting, following Buddhist tradition, between teacher and student with family and other priests attending. It involved repeating and “owning” the Zen precepts, Ford said. The next day’s service, attended by about 75 members and friends of the sangha, or congregation, was a public recognition and a celebration of Weik’s achievement. The 90-minute ceremony, likely the first Denkai transmission in Toledo, included much bowing and kneeling among students and priests. Group chanting included repeated lines such as, “There is no way to escape death … there is no way to escape having ill health … there is no way to escape growing old.” A solemn moment took place when Weik knelt before his teacher and was presented with a short, hand-carved “teaching stick.” Ford said the stick’s curves simulate a human spine, and at the same time offer “fair warning” in the shape of a cobra poised to strike. Weik, 45, has been studying Buddhism for more than two decades and he and his wife were ordained as priests in a ceremony at Lourdes College in June 2010. A Toledo native, he is a graduate of St. Francis deSales High School and the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He teaches jazz guitar at the University of Toledo and is also a fifth-degree black belt instructor in Aikido, a defense-oriented martial art, operating the Shobu Aikido center adjacent to the temple at 6537 Angola Road, Holland. “He’s formidable,” Caitlin Isha Cousino, 25, said of Weik before the service. “But I love the balance with Rinsen and Do’on. We are extremely blessed to have two reverends.”

She said she is most grateful for the “continuity” Buddhism has brought to her life, giving her peace no matter what challenges or joys may come. Weik’s impact on his students was made evident when more than a dozen stood up, in turn, bowed, and offered brief comments.

One said she “couldn’t imagine where I would be if I were not here right now.” One woman, struggling through tears, told Weik that he “really saved my ass. … I was in a dark place.” “I’m blown away,” Weik said in closing remarks. “Thank you, every-

body, for trusting me.”

David Yonke is the editor and community manager of Toledo Faith & Values (ToledoFAVS.com), a website that provides in-depth, nonsectarian news coverage of religion, faith and spirituality in the Toledo area. O

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12 Economic Development

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

January 12, 2014

ToledoFreePress.com

Collins: Toward a sustainable future

he challenge that my administration faces is how to provide the level of services that the citizens of the community expect and deserve without increasing taxes and fees. The short answer to this challenge is that this administration will focus on the creation of wealth in the community. The reality of financial support from Columbus and Washington in 2014 is that those resources are being reduced and in some cases eliminated. An example can be seen in the fact that 2013 was the last year that Estate Tax could be collected by cities. In 2013, the City of Toledo collected more than $3 million in estate tax. The first community to understand this issue, develop its own resources and provide an effective, cost-efficient and effective development strategy will be the most sustainable in the future. There were two foundational pieces to my platform during the campaign: the creation of more than 1,000 jobs and the elimination of brain drain in the community. As it relates to job creation, I’m very conscious of the fact that government alone does not create jobs in a community. Rather, public economic development efforts should focus on creating the environment where private interests invest the capital that leads to job creation. It is a combination of the two that creates jobs and develops wealth. Finding someone to lead the city’s economic development efforts was critical to my administration’s development efforts. When undertaking this process, I looked for someone who had a demonstrated track record of project development and relationship building and that clearly understood the role of public economic development efforts. After speaking with many qualified candidates, the position was offered to Matt Sapara. At the time, Matt was the chief operating officer for the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority. The attraction to Matt was based on his reputation

Economic Development 13

A Toledo tradition since 2005

in the community of project development and consensus building. The key to development and moving projects forward is relationships and trust. Matt understands this. A clear example of this understanding can be seen in Council’s recent vote on the sale of 37 acres of City of Toledo property in Monclova Township. Prior to taking office, I was contacted by a project sponsor and told that while the city’s land was at the top of the list, a decision was needed by January 10th and the feeling was that the City could not work through its process quickly enough to get the needed approval to sell the land. Essentially, the project was going to go to another community because of a misperception. I immediately contacted my team and instructed them to reach out to City Council to brief them on the project as a decision was needed at the Jan. 3 Council meeting. During this week-long process, there was dialogue with almost every member of Council. Questions and issues were resolved and the ordinance was unanimously passed. Due to the efforts of the project sponsor, my office and City Council, a $10-million project will develop on this site which will create approximately 80 jobs and retain a minimum of 68 others. In addition, this project will generate an additional $300,000 in income tax revenue. I am committed to having several staff members dedicated to reaching out to the small business community. This will be done through the utilization of an existing program funded through JobsOhio and administered through the Regional Growth Partnership. This piece is a small snapshot of the plan that is being developed. The full development strategy and its implementation will make everyone believers that “You’ll do better in Toledo.” O

toledo free press photo by christie materni

January 12, 2014

D. Michael Collins became mayor of Toledo on Jan. 2.

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14 Economic Development

he Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority experienced many successes in 2013 and this year should be no different. The Port continues to make strides in the three major areas it’s focused on — continued investment in redeveloping our community’s brownfields, expanding the reach of our transportation assets and fostering economic growth in our region — all of which are instrumental in moving our community forward. The Port Authority and its partners continue to work diligently to bring new opportunities to Northwest Ohio. The collaborative effort put forth by this group will contribute to the success of the Toledo region by identifying issues and opportunities in the community and developing action plans around those priorities. Overland Industrial Park was born in 2013, and holds great promise for development of new jobs and commerce for our community. More than $8.5 million was invested in one of Toledo’s most historic and challenged industrial

properties. Improvements to the site included foundation removal, environmental cleanup, utility installation and the construction of a new roadway off Central Avenue. Under the Port’s leadership, the site has been prepared for the next chapter of re-development, which will include the construction of two new facilities in 2014. Harmon Family Development Corporation, a local industrial developer with national experience in the development of manufacturing, warehousing and logistics operations, will break ground this spring on a 100,000-square-foot spec building. Airgas Inc., the largest U.S. distributor of industrial, medical and specialty gases, will also begin construction on an 18,000-square-foot facility that will concentrate 25 jobs on the site early in 2014. After sitting vacant for more than 20 years on Front Street in East Toledo, the Port has led the effort to redevelop the former Gulf Oil property into a new Ironville terminal. n TOTH CONTINUES ON 15

toledo free press photo by JOSEPH HERR

Toth: Moving Toledo and Lucas County forward in 2014

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

Toledo-LUCAS COUNTY PORT AUTHORITY PRESIDENT AND CEO PAUL TOTH.

January 12, 2014

ToledoFreePress.com

n TOTH CONTINUED FROM 14 Over $18.5 million in improvements were made to the new intermodal facility that has access to truck, rail, ship and pipeline. The project has been a testament to a tremendous partnership between the Port, Midwest Terminals and the other development partners in the community. Ironville is poised to begin op-

A Toledo tradition since 2005

eration in earnest in 2014 and will have the capability to store and handle a diverse array of cargo. This new terminal will create much needed jobs for our community and significantly contribute to the Port of Toledo’s economic impact in the Toledo region. Success at Toledo Express Airport in 2013 included the completion of an $11 million overlay of the airport’s main runway, the beginning of

a long-term partnership with cargo carriers Sierra West Airlines and Northern Air Cargo, and new energy efficiency upgrades in the airfield and terminal building. Allegiant Air added Punta Gorda, Fla. service and it was great to see an overall increase in passenger traffic. In 2014 we will build on this positive momentum at Toledo Express and Toledo Executive Airports and work with our partners to identify

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Economic Development 15 new business opportunities and take advantage of the first-class infrastructure at the facilities. The Port Authority’s operations at the airports and seaport alone support more than 10,000 jobs and have an annual economic impact of over $1 billion on the local economy, while the Port’s innovative business financing has assisted more than 300 projects with an investment of nearly $1.1 billion and a creation and retention of nearly 16,000 jobs. There is a continued spirit of cooperation in our community that will make 2014 a very good year for Northwest Ohio. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is dedicated to moving our community forward. O

“

There is a continued spirit of cooperation in our community that will make 2014 a very good year for Northwest Ohio. The Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority is dedicated to moving our community forward.” — Paul Toth, president and CEO of Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

Paul Toth is the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority president and CEO.

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A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

V’Soske: 2014 will bring an increase in access to small-business capital

he Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, a private association of local businesses, invests its energies in work that will improve and grow the economic climate in the region, enabling business growth and expansion and ultimately a resulting growth in jobs. The Chamber, in collaboration with its members, engages in many critical issues, including economic development, quality of life and legislation directly impacting business.

Small business

2014 brings with it further increases in access to capital for small businesses. Over the past few years, business capital and credit have slowly increased in availability for businesses that have positioned themselves properly. This signals an opportunity for companies to grow, expand and hire. The small business growth outlook looks positive, with numbers trending up. In the fourth quarter of 2013 alone, the U.S. Small Business Administration district office in Cleveland reported 45 businesses accessed more than $20 million in growth loans. This is more than double the amount accessed two years ago. Businesses that are able to report positive cash flow have had fewer problems securing credit for growth, for working capital, for physical expansion and for increasing inventories. Also, sales have been increasing, especially in autorelated industries. According to the Brookings Institution, exporting in the area has increased by more than 18 percent.

Affordable Care Act

All of this, however, is being tempered by the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The imple-

mentation delays, changes to some of the provisions and overall complexity of the law have created an atmosphere of uncertainty for businesses. This sustained uncertainty continues to hold back hiring and has led to an adjustment in the makeup of the workforce between full- and part-time employees.

BRAC

Until mid-2013, the Chamber was anticipating that at the federal level there would be a Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process that could possibly impact the 180th Fighter Wing in 2015. While that BRAC process was ultimately delayed, there still are ongoing federal-level discussions about changes to the defense force structure that could impact the base in the future. Add to that the strong likelihood of a BRAC round in 2017 and the imperative exists for the community to maintain a constant relationship with Washington to ensure the ongoing vitality of this important regional asset. The 180th’s impact is significant for the region, with more than 1,000 employees, a payroll of $49 million and an economic impact of $117 million! The Chamber and its partners will be working hard this year and through 2017 to not only secure the future of the installation, but make the case for possible expansion as well.

Toledo Region

Creating awareness of the Toledo region through the ToledoRegion.com website has been and continues to be an important branding strategy, one that continues to grow in recognition as it positively impacts perceptions about the region. n V’SOSKE CONTINUES ON 17

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16 Economic Development

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January 12, 2014

ToledoFreePress.com

n V’SOSKE CONTINUED FROM 16

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Economic Development 17

A Toledo tradition since 2005

For 2014, ToledoRegion.com is launching a new phase that will build upon the successes of the past year with a new generation of emerging, positive thinkers creating grassroots efforts to promote the

city and region — efforts such as You Will Do Better in Toledo, Smash Toledo, Circle 2445 and StartUp Toledo. Going forward, the focus will be on an organic balanced promotion of economic development and quality of life in the Toledo Region.

Visit www.ToledoRegion.com and become an engaged part of this great region. O Mark A. V’Soske is president of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce. Email at Mark.V’Soske@toledochamber.com.

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18 Economic Development

NORTHWEST OHIO REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Development (NORED) is a non-profit association of economic development practitioners and partners in 12 counties throughout northwest Ohio working to increase job opportunities and improve the quality of life throughout the region. NORED provides professional development programs, advocates for legislative changes, and implements programs to market the benefits of locating in northwest Ohio.

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A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

January

WORKING TOGETHER REGIONAL GROWTH PARTNERSHIP

As the lead economic development organization serving 20 counties in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan, the Regional Growth Partnership brings forth a commitment to ensure businesses and site consultants take advantage of the strengths, assets and resources this region offers. Through private sector leadership, the RGP is focused on meeting the needs of corporate clients in a confidential, innovative and time-sensitive manner.

419.252.2700 www.rgp.org

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Our business is transportation and development and is shaped by our mission to move people and cargo through the region while employing innovative programs to stimulate development in our region. The Port Authorityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s operations at the airports and seaport alone support more than 10,000 jobs and has an annual economic impact of over $1 billion on the local economy, while our innovative business financing has assisted more than 300 projects with an investment of nearly $1.1 billion and a creation and retention of nearly 16,000 jobs.

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ToledoFreePress.com

A Toledo tradition since 2005

Economic Development 19

Toledo is the heart of the new manufacturing economy. Whether you are a new entrepreneur or a business that has called this corner of the state home for generations, northwest Ohio is ready to support you from research and design to manufacturing and delivery. With universities and colleges providing leading education and development partnerships, highways and waterways creating a logistics hub and collaborative agencies working to provide access and affordability for new business creation and expansion, the Toledo region has world-class assets in a mid-sized package.

R: WITH UNITY & PURPOSE CITY OF TOLEDO

The key to economic success is the interaction of private capital investment in a friendly and predictable business climate. The City of Toledo is committed to creating an environment that capitalizes on its well trained workforce, diverse community and infrastructure that is second to none. In collaboration with its partners, the City of Toledo looks forward to demonstrating to all of its current and future stakeholders why “You’ll do better in Toledo”. Office of the Mayor

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Education is key to the economic success of northwest Ohio. UT is working with public and private organizations to transform the region into a magnet for the new manufacturing economy. By contributing knowledge, resources and facilities to economic development, UT is preparing for the primary economic drivers: highly educated graduates who can help Toledo with their entrepreneurial ideas, innovative thinking and leadership. www.utoledo.edu

CITY OF TOLEDO AT NIGHT Photo by NorthernMagnolia

By working together with unity of purpose, we are moving northwest Ohio forward in the new manufacturing economy.

20 Economic Development

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

January 12, 2014

Weber: ‘Goal is to ensure residents have skills for good jobs’

ed by a resurging manufacturing sector and increased exports, Northwest Ohio’s economy outperformed much of the nation in 2012 and 2013. The economic spotlight illuminated the Toledo regional economy as multiple reports by the Brookings Institution singled us out for our increases in manufacturing and exporting. Fortune 500 companies like General Motors, Chrysler, Whirlpool, Marathon, BP-Husky and Johnson Controls were among the companies whose major investments in our region made headlines over the past two years. Moreover, several of the firms in the solar energy sector once again appear to be poised for growth after weathering turbulence in that market. As an example of our rebound’s impact, more than 3,500 new jobs in metro Toledo’s automotive sector were created in 2013. The increased demand for good workers coincides with the retirement of many baby boomers. As a result, there are abundant opportunities in many industries for people with the right skills and good work ethics. Sadly, too many of us in Northwest Ohio — and throughout America — are lacking either the right skills or the proper work ethic. Consequently, human capital is now critically important in almost every sector of our economy. Northwest Ohio must meet the challenge of providing a sufficient pool of good, talented workers if we are to achieve our potential.

FORD WEBER NORED’s (Northwest Ohio Regional Economic Developmental Association members are responding to the talent challenge by working to better integrate economic development with education, skills training and workforce development. Our goal is to ensure that our residents have skills that qualify them for good jobs that are available today. With financial assistance from JobsOhio and local funders, the economic development professionals within NORED routinely call on businesses in our communities and inquire about the level of satisfaction with the business environment, particularly the availability of skilled talent. The information we learn regarding employment opportunities

and the current and future needs of our businesses is forwarded to vocational schools, community colleges, universities, training providers and workforce development agencies. This information helps keep training programs and curricula up to date, but more importantly these agencies can work directly with employers to develop specific training programs that generate candidates with the right skills. There are numerous innovative talent development strategies underway in Northwest Ohio today. Here are just a few: O One of the best examples of new collaboration is the educational consortium that came together to help train workers at Chrysler’s Toledo Assembly Complex. The University of Toledo, Owens Community College, Northwest State Community College, Terra Technical College, Davis College and Lourdes University partnered with the Lucas County Workforce Development Agency and Chrysler to train workers to meet the demands of a modern automotive manufacturing environment. O Sandusky County and Hancock County are forming partnerships with manufacturers and high schools to encourage young people to pursue careers in manufacturing and the skilled trades. One of the steps in doing this is to have school guidance counselors tour manufacturing firms in order to see and hear firsthand about the careers that are

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available in modern manufacturing. The counselors can then share this information with their students and spur greater interest in manufacturing careers. O The Lucas County Commissioners and Workforce Development Agency have successfully enrolled Lucas County in the ACT Certified Work Ready Communities initiative — a pilot program launched by the firm that furnishes the ACT college entrance exam. This initiative ensures that businesses know the foundational skills they demand of their employees and that job seekers understand what they know and what they need to learn in order to be successful applicants. ACT assesses specific jobs to determine the academic skills they require. Individuals then take a WorkKeys Assessment to determine their

initial skill level in three areas: (1) reading for information, (2) applied math and (3) locating information. Instructional programs are available so that an individual can upgrade his or her skills before taking an online test that certifies the individual’s skill level. The individuals are then matched up with job openings on the basis of the level of skill the individual possesses and the level the job demands. The goals of the program are to link workforce development to education, align workforce development and education with economic development needs and match individuals to jobs. O The Toledo Community Foundation, Lucas County Family Council and United Way of Greater Toledo have launched Aspire, n WEBER CONTINUES ON 21

January 12, 2014

ToledoFreePress.com

A Toledo tradition since 2005 n WEBER CONTINUED FROM 20 which is based on Cincinnati’s StriveTogether Network. Aspire begins in pre-K and extends to post-high school education and unites community partners and families around the healthy development and education of children in a “cradle to career” strategy that uses data-driven accountability to drive better results. Recognizing that so much of economic devel-

Economic Development 21 opment hinges on the development, retention and attraction of human capital, NORED’s keynote speaker at our 2014 annual meeting will be Mark Lautman. Mr. Lautman is the author of “When the Boomers Bail: A Community Economic Survival Guide.” NORED’s annual meeting is March 13 from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn French Quarter in Perrysburg. We invite you to attend our an-

nual meeting and learn more about our organization. For information and tickets, please contact NORED Administrator Jerry Arkebauer at JArkebauer@hotmail.com. O Ford Weber is president and CEO of Lucas County Improvement Corporation and president of NORED, a 12-county nonprofit association of economic development practitioners and partners. Email him at fweber@lcedc.net.

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22 Economic Development

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

January 12, 2014

Toledo Region expanding marketing message to include quality of life By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS MANAGING EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

A local group that has focused on promoting the Toledo region’s manufacturing and economic development assets is now expanding its message to include the region’s quality of life. For the past few years, Toledo Region has focused on promoting the area as “the heart of the New Manufacturing Economy,” citing factors like geographic location, access to transportation channels and availability of a skilled workforce. Now the group is looking to showcase the region’s quality of life as well. “We’ve done some good things so far, but we haven’t gone far enough,” said Toledo Region brand manager Jeff Schaaf. “This next phase is where we’re going to take it to the next level. Now we’re going to have an emotional connection.” Toledo Region is a project of the Northwest Ohio Brand Council, a group of representatives from various public and private organizations that came together in 2009 to “create a set of tools and messages” to champion regional assets, according to its website. “Our past was more focused on economic development: ‘This is why

you should do business here, because of X, Y, Z. This is why you should like Toledo, because of the Port and our Fortune 500 companies,” Schaaf said. “Our new direction is going to keep all that, but include personal life too. “We want to focus on quality of life because we have some amenities in Toledo and in the region that stack up really well against other cities. Everybody says our museum, our zoo, our symphony and yes, that’s true, and there SCHAAF are a lot of other cities that offer those things. But look at some of our other cultural things, like our jazz history or the water culture. We can go to the Lake Erie islands in the summer over by Put-in-Bay; you don’t have that in Des Moines, Iowa. In larger cities like Chicago you have that, but you might not be able to afford to hang out over there. You can afford it here.” Schaaf said the exact iteration of this next phase isn’t yet clear, but the plan is to make it more interactive

than it has been in the past. “There may be some sort of a slogan to help kick it off and get some excitement going,” Schaaf said. “There will be events in the future that people will be able to participate in. We’ve played around with having a photo or video contest. There’s so many stories and photos and we want to give people an avenue to participate. We want it to be more interactive, more emotional. “If you look at a city like Austin, Texas, with ‘Keep Austin Weird,’ that came about because of an engaged culture of people who valued their assets. That’s what drew people there,” Schaaf said. “We’re not going to be able to force any brand. It has to be real and it has to come from the people.” To develop the initial Toledo Region branding in 2009, the group worked with a firm based outside the region, with the idea that it would be unbiased and able to see aspects locals couldn’t. This time the group decided to go with Toledo-based design and marketing firm North to take advantage of a local company’s familiarity, emotion and hometown pride, Schaaf said. “As great as it was to have an unbiased look about who we are, it didn’t provide the emotion we needed in a

brand,” Schaaf said. “People identify with Coca-Cola, for example, because of their emotional experiences with the brand. They drank it growing up, or maybe they always had Coca-Cola on their birthday or at grandma’s house, so they connect that experience with it. We want Toledo to have that, for people to have that positive attachment with Toledo. So many people already feel that connection, but we want everyone to feel it and be proud of it.” Focusing on the positive is key, Schaaf said. “We realize we have a distinct brand. We have a distinct feel,” Schaaf said. “When you come to Toledo, you get a distinct impression of friendly and welcoming. Unfortunately the media doesn’t always promote that vibe. It promotes another vibe. We’re trying to counteract what’s happening in the media and show the positive side of Toledo. “When you go on a job interview, you don’t tell them your faults; you tell them your strengths,” Schaaf said. “We’re trying to promote the good stuff and, as we’re finding the negative stuff, we’re trying to work on that as well.” The first phase of the Toledo Region initiative was the initial concept

and research, Schaaf said. The second phase was developing the story and brand position. The third phase was creating the website and officially launching the brand. Phase four is expected to launch “in the coming months,” he said. “This next phase will take a look at, ‘This is where we are, this is what we have accomplished, now where do we go from here?’ The assessment phase. Assess and relaunch,” Schaaf said. Schaaf, a Toledo native who has been involved with the initiative since January 2013, said he’s convinced the region is a great place to live and work. “I’ve lived here all my life so maybe I’m biased, but there isn’t anything out there I need that Toledo doesn’t offer,” Schaaf said. “Sometimes it just requires a little bit of effort to find it. If you’re sitting on the couch, cool things aren’t going to come find you. The more I get out and interact with people, the more I find out there is some really, really cool stuff going on in Toledo and the region. The more you get involved, the more you learn. The more positive and engaged you are, the more you begin to see we have it pretty good here.” For more information, visit the website toledoregion.com. O

January 12, 2014

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Economic Development 23

A Toledo tradition since 2005

Treece: Starting the new year right as smart and savvy investors

new year does not just come with resolutions at the gym or goals for becoming a better person; a new year resets the clock for your savings and finances as well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average has risen substantially during the past 24 months, and many investors cannot afford to sit on the sidelines and let value buys in the market pass them by. There are actions we can take as investors aside from

picking the next Apple or Google to help our portfolios. O Employer-sponsored retirement plans: I have written on numerous occasions about how important it is to maximize your employer-sponsored retirement plan, especially if your plan has matching provisions. What many employees fail to realize is that the matching provisions of your plan function as an immediate 100 percent return on your

money, but it is your employer providing the return and not the market. I also encourage those without plans to explore Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs), not only for the savings aspect but for the tax benefits as well. O Health Savings Accounts: Individuals younger than 55 can contribute up to $3,300 to a Health Savings Account (HSA) in 2014. An HSA is a form of saving for medical expenses with pre-

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January 12, 2014

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A Gathering Store to host Toledo qualifier for card game’s Pro Tour. By Jeff McGinnis Toledo Free Press Star Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

It was the first real trading card game, a concept which married the joy of seeking out rare and valuable cards with the joy of competing, all merged under a fantasy theme. The end result was called Magic: The Gathering and it became a worldwide phenomenon. Even now, over 20 years after its introduction, Magic commands millions of players and a Pro Tour that holds events worldwide. On Jan. 18, local store CheckMate Games will host Northwest Ohio’s first-ever qualifier for the Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour, with an event at American Legion Post 468 at 5580 Centennial Road, Sylvania. Sign-in starts at 8:30 a.m. and play begins at 10 a.m. The tournament is open to

all for a $25 fee. “There’s about 60 of the Pro Tour qualifiers being held across the country, and more across the world,” said Ken Solo, owner of CheckMate Games. “The Pro Tour is a worldwide event. Obviously the bulk of the concentration is in North America, but there’s players in Europe and Asia and all over the world.” CheckMate, a relatively new arrival on the Toledo gaming scene, caught the eye of Magic’s publisher and governing body with its weekly “Friday Night Magic” events devoted to the game and the high turnout they generated, Solo said. “We were invited by Wizards of the Coast, the publishers of Magic: The Gathering, I think just because we had great growth in attracting new players to the game. We just posted a message to our Magic players earlier this week

that over the course of 2013, we had 414 unique individual players come and play Magic with us.” The winner of the Toledo event will earn a spot at the “Journey into Nyx” tournament being held this May in Atlanta, as well as airfare. There are no small stakes involved for the eventual victor — in addition to the prestige of being considered one of the best players in the world, the winner of the “Nyx” tournament will earn a share of a $250,000 prize pool. Since this is the first time a Magic event of this magnitude has been held locally, Solo said he’s unsure of just how many players to expect. He’s planning on about 200, maybe 250. The actual number could far exceed that. “No one’s done one of these in this area before,” Solo noted. “The best comparison we could come up with

A tournament of Magic: The Gathering players. PHOTO COURTESY KEN SOLO

was an event in Columbus about a year ago, and they had about 250 people.” Hosting an event like this is just the latest step in the rapid rise of CheckMate on the local gaming scene. Since opening in 2011 — on a Friday the 13th, no less — the store located on West Central Avenue has become a hub for local devotees of a wide variety of games. Solo opened the business in an effort to fill the gap left by the 2009 closure of Mind Games — a mainstay of the Toledo players’ community which had built a loyal following over

a quarter of a century. “It seemed like it would be good for somebody to continue on. If I can follow in his footsteps for another 25 years, I will be satisfied with what we’re doing,” he said. Solo — who traces his own gaming roots back to playing with those plastic army men in his backyard as a kid, and making up rules for how they would engage with each other — noted how it’s been critical to the success of CheckMate to encourage and nurture a community of gamers throughout the area. n MAGIC CONTINUES ON 27

January 12, 2014

ToledoFreePress.com

n MAGIC CONTINUED FROM 26 CheckMate holds events and gameplay sessions virtually every day in its storefront. “We’re trying to not only have a place where you can find all of these games that you’re not finding at the big box stores, but we’re trying to create a community as well,” Solo said. “Because most of the games that we play, that we sell and that people will play, are multiplayer games, they’re not Solitaire. You can’t take them home and plug them into the television and entertain yourself all after-

noon. So you need other players. “So if we create that little community space where other players can find each other, find other people who are interested in the same types of things that you are, and then it all rolls from there.” And for the player who rises above the rest and wins the Magic qualifier, it will keep right on rolling down to Atlanta — and if they’re lucky, and skilled, maybe far beyond that. “This is their opportunity to go pro, if that is their dream. There’s also a good purse up at the pro circuits,” Solo noted. O

TGIF

Eye on Your Weekend with Toledo Free Press Pop Culture Roundtable:

Michael S. Miller | James A. Molnar | Jeff McGinnis | Jim Beard

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Fridays | 6 p.m.

Star 27

A Toledo tradition since 2005

Tom Wopat to swing into Monroe By Vicki L. Kroll Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer vkroll@toledofreepress.com

Before he was a good ol’ boy on “The Dukes of Hazzard” and a Tony-nominated actor and singer on Broadway, Tom Wopat took the stage at the Barn Theatre in Augusta, Mich. “I worked in summer-stock theater in Michigan and would sit atop the piano, and ‘Since You’ve Asked’ was always in the mix,” he said. “I’ve been singing that song for about 30 years.” That Judy Collins’ song is on Wopat’s 2013 disc, “I’ve Got Your Number.” In addition to singer-songwriter tracks, the baritone recorded tunes from the Great American Songbook. “For me, coming to the American Songbook — ‘I’ve Got Your Number’ and ‘The Good Life,’ ‘I Won’t Dance’ and songs of that ilk — I came to it later in life. I was aware of it and I loved a lot of those songs, but I didn’t really start singing them until I was in my late 40s, and it just fit like an old shoe,” he said. He puts a big-band spin on Bruce Springsteen’s “Meeting Across the River” and James Taylor’s “Secret O’ Life.” “I’m a singer-songwriter guy, and I write a little bit myself, so I have an appreciation of those songs,” Wopat said during a call from New York City. “The Springsteen tune, I’ve always enjoyed it and once I figured out how to play it, it became a favorite of mine.

James Taylor, that’s classic.” Wopat talked about one of the originals he penned for the release, “I Still Feel That Way.” “I’m 62 now, but I don’t feel that way most of the time. Most of the time I feel like a teenager or somebody in my 20s or 30s, and I get excited about stuff. Seeing an amazing sunset just sets me off,” he said. “I still have a lot of enthusiasm, as you can tell.” How could he not be stoked? Last year, he appeared on Broadway in “The Trip to Bountiful” with Cicely Tyson, Vanessa Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr., and in 2012 he flashed a badge as U.S. Marshall Gill Tatum in “Django Unchained.” And last month, Wopat teamed up again with “Dukes of Hazzard” co-star John Schneider. The two were in the studio to work on a holiday disc. “We just recorded a pretty nice sonic version of [‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’], and we’re going to put out a full record this year,” Wopat said. What was it like playing Luke sitting alongside Schneider’s Bo in the General Lee, outracing the law every week? “It was insane. It was a lot of fun,” he said and laughed. “We were right at the end of the three-network era and just at the beginning of cable, so it was a totally different time then; it was amazing. We started working on that 35 years ago in ’78, over half a lifetime ago.” After the show ended in 1985,

TOM WOPAT Wopat went to the Big Apple and saddled up with Bernadette Peters in “Annie Get Your Gun” on Broadway. “Working with Bernadette Peters was an amazing situation, probably my favorite Broadway experience,” he said. Wopat will perform at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 18 at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts in Monroe. Tickets range from $18 to $32. “I’ll have a jazz trio; it swings hard, we make a lot of music,” he said. O

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Robin Charney and Juleeon Carter in front of the West Delaware Avenue mural that features him. TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAR PHOTO BY KIM SANCHEZ

Mural spreads joy, helps reconnect local family By Danielle Stanton Toledo Free Press star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com

Drinking hot chocolate and eating his chocolate chip cookie, 11-year-old Juleeon Carter appeared like any ordinary boy of Toledo sitting in a coffee shop on a wet, wintery Friday afternoon, just after school let out. But then he looked outside the plate glass window, across Collingwood Boulevard, at the image of his own face, blown up 22 feet high in vinyl and pinned to the side of a brick building on West Delaware Avenue. “My bus driver told me she almost cried when she saw the picture,” Juleeon said Dec. 20 as he talked about how his life has changed since of his likeness went up on the side of a building. The mural featuring Juleeon’s smiling, joyous face, his white teeth shining, his eyes crinkled, has been nearly three years in the making, impacting Juleeon’s life in profound ways and affecting those around him who worked hard to spread his joy to the world.

The mural recently made national headlines when Emily Rippe of ProMedica, a sponsor of the mural, submitted a picture of Juleeon and his family in front of the mural to a CNN Instagram contest, #CNN MuralStories. “We couldn’t believe it when this image was one of nine murals chosen to be featured on CNN.com from around the world,” said Robin Charney, the photographer who took the picture of Juleeon and who was instrumental in bringing the mural to fruition. “Our Juleeon, featured right up there alongside murals from Italy, Bangladesh, Sweden and New York City.”

Special kid

Among CNN’s chosen images were murals featuring prominent historical figures such as Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr. — and alongside them, Juleeon, smiling, Charney said. “Everyone involved knew this mural would make an impact on the local community, but we had no idea

it was going to reach a global audience as well,” Charney said. “The feeling I have is hard to describe. I’m happy for Juleeon and his family, I’m happy for the attention this garners for all the people who work pretty hard to make Toledo a good place to live, but I’m not surprised. … I’ve always felt that this was a special photo of a special kid.” Looking at his image from Black Kite Coffee Shop, Juleeon shrugged, a small smile tugging his lips. He nodded when asked if he thought it was cool and whether he felt like a famous person now: His bus driver nearly crying, his school taking a field trip to see it and — most astounding of all — his father calling after years of absence. In between bites of cookie, Juleeon said that he hadn’t talked to his dad in several years. But then his father drove by the mural, saw his son and called Juleeon’s mom. The father and son were soon eating out at a local restaurant.

Bring joy

Juleeon says he tried to get on Twitter to find out what people were saying about the mural, but at 11, he’s

not old enough. He said he never expected this level of attention. “Is that you?” Robert Scott, a crossing guard at West Delaware Av-

enue and Collingwood Boulevard, asked Juleeon, after noticing the mural. “Good job. Good job.” n MURAL CONTINUES ON 30

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Star 29

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((((((((((((( THE PULSE

JAN. 12-18, 2013

What’s what, where and when in NW Ohio

Compiled by Matt Liasse Events are subject to change.

MUSIC The Ark

This intimate venue showcases acts from the A-list to the lesser known. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www.theark.org. ✯ Mountain Heart: 8 p.m. Jan. 10. ✯ Jill Jack Birthday Bash & Melissa Greener: 8 p.m. Jan. 11. ✯ Dr. Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12. ✯ Jake Bugg at Royal Oak Music Theatre: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 15. ✯ The Deadly Gentlemen: 8 p.m. Jan. 15. ✯ Mikaela Davis: 8 p.m. Dec. 16.

Bar 145º

This venue features burgers, bands and bourbon, if its slogan is to be believed. $5 cover. 5304 Monroe St. (419) 593-0073 or bar145toledo.com. ✯ Arctic Clam: Jan. 10. ✯ The Menus: Jan. 11. ✯ BAR WARS!: Jan. 12. ✯ Dick Lange Trio: Jan. 14. ✯ Rock Capitol Karaoke: Jan. 16.

Barr’s Public House

“Our House, Your Pub” focuses on craft beer, hand-crafted specialty drinks and martinis, a well-rounded wine selection and an eclectic food menu. 3355 Briarfield Blvd., Maumee. (419) 866-8466. ✯ Chris Knopp: 9 p.m. Jan. 10. ✯ Nick Neenan: 9 p.m. Jan. 11. ✯ Andrew Ellis 8 p.m. Jan. 16.

The Blarney Irish Pub

Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www.theblarneyirishpub.com. ✯ Kentucky Chrome: Jan. 18

Blind Pig

A variety of rock, soul, pop and alternative acts perform at this bar. 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor. $3-$20. (734) 996-8555 or blindpigmusic.com. ✯ AK with CityBoy Production and Buffay: 9:30 p.m. Jan. 11. ✯ The Whigs with The Hounds Below and Silent Lions: 9 p.m. Jan. 15.

Bronze Boar

Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www.bronzeboar.com. ✯ Open mic: Thursdays and Mondays. ✯ Decent Folk: Jan. 10. ✯ Last Born Sons: Jan. 11. ✯ Steve Finelli and Oliver Roses: Jan. 13. ✯ Steve Kennedy: Jan. 16.

The mic is open on Sundays, but paid entertainers rock out Fridays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www. thedistilleryonline.com. ✯ Live Trivia with DJ Brandon: Tuesdays. ✯ Venyx: Jan. 10. ✯ My Sister Sarah: Jan. 11. ✯ Johnny Rod: Jan. 15. ✯ Breaking Ground: Jan. 16.

Doc Watson’s

Named in honor of the owners’ forefather, this bar and restaurant serves a variety of dishes and entertainment. 1515 S. Byrne Road. (419) 389-6003 or docwatsonstoledo.com. ✯ Sporcle Live Trivia: 8:30 p.m. Jan. 16 ✯ Picking Kelley: 10 p.m. Jan. 17

Dorr St. Café

This family-friendly eatery dishes up live performances … and Chicago-style pizza. 7131 Orchard Centre Drive, Holland. (419) 491-0990.

Grab a reuben or some fish while bobbing your head to some tunes. Southwest corner of Dorr Street at Reynolds Road. (419) 531-4446 or www.dorrstreetcafe.com. ✯ Don Coats: Jan. 10.

Chuck’s on Monroe

Evolution

Cheers Sports Eatery

Started as Nick’s Hungry I years ago, this venue has taken a twist into a new era. The bar is open until 2:30 a.m. daily. 4477 Monroe Street. (419) 720-3370 or chucksonmonroe.com. ✯ Chris Shutters Band: Jan. 28

Clazel Theatre

This venue has been rocking BGSU students (and others) for years. 127 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 353-5000 or www.clazel.net. ✯ Club Kiss: Fridays and Saturdays. ✯ 365: Saturdays

Dégagé Jazz Café

Signature drinks, such as pumpkin martinis, plus live local jazz performers. 301 River Road, Maumee. $5 weekends for cafe seating. (419) 794-8205 or www. degagejazzcafe.com. ✯ Damen Cook: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 10. ✯ Cynthia Kaay-Bennett: Jan. 11. ✯ Gene Parker: Jan. 14. ✯ Gene Parker: Jan. 15.

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The Distillery

A club “for the mature crowd,” Evolution offers $5 martinis on Thursdays and the occasional live musical performance. 519 S. Reynolds Road. (419) 725-6277 or clubevolutiontol.com. ✯ Feel Good Fridays: Fridays. ✯ Sensational Saturdays: Saturdays.

Frankie’s Inner-City

Toledo’s venue for rock. Tickets vary between $5 and $14, unless otherwise noted. 308 Main St. (419) 693-5300 or www.FrankiesInnerCity.com. ✯ Cancer Benefit with Don B & BUD, Hize, Oliver Twist, C-Fifth, Stretch: 9 p.m. Jan. 11. ✯ Rumpke Mountain Boys with David Gans: 9 p.m. Jan. 16.

French Quarter J. Patrick’s Pub

Live entertainment after 9:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg. (419) 874-3111 or www.hifq.com. ✯ Jackpot: Jan. 10.

✯ Jackpot: Jan. 11.

✯ Organized: Jan. 11.

H Lounge

Ottawa Tavern

The Hollywood Casino Toledo offers musical distractions from all the lights, noise and jackpots. 777 Hollywood Blvd. (419) 661-5200 or www.hollywoodcasinotoledo.com. ✯ Risque: 9 p.m. Jan. 10. ✯ The Rock Show: 9 p.m. Jan. 11.

Hamway’s on the Main

Live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights gets a side order of steak, seafood and prime rib at this 30-year area institution. 5577 Monroe St., Sylvania. (419) 885-0290 or hamwaysonthemain.com. ✯ Elixer: Jan. 11.

Huntington Center

Home of the Toledo Walleye, the Huntington Center also hosts some of the biggest names in music. The venue also offers a “First In Line” privilege, which guarantees a customer not having to stand in line, choosing their own seat and no worry of an event selling out. 500 Jefferson Ave. (419) 321-5007, (800) 745-3000 or www.huntingtoncentertoledo.com. ✯ Lady Antebellum: Jan. 11.

Kerrytown Concert House

This venue focuses on classical, jazz and opera artists and music. 415 N. Fourth Ave., Ann Arbor. $5-$30, unless noted. (734) 769-2999 or www.kerrytownconcerthouse.com. ✯ Glenn Tucker’s Determination Sextet: Jan. 14.

One2 Lounge at Treo

Live music starts at 7:30 p.m. 5703 Main St., Sylvania. (419) 882-2266 or treosylvania.com. ✯ Bobbin’ & Weavin’: Jan. 10.

HALF OFF BREAKFAST

Every day until 11 a.m. 3 Toledo locations to serve you! www.CharliesofToledo.com

6945 W. Central Ave. Toledo, OH

26555 Dixie Hwy. Perrysburg, OH

@ CharliesRestaurants antss @ charliestoledo

12407 Airport Hwy. Swanton, OH

Casual meals and bingo and trivia nights with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. ✯ Death Before Dishonor, Betrayal, Seeker, NRR: 7 p.m. Jan. 11. ✯ xNO MOREx, Detail, Dismantle, Out of Sight Out of Mind: 7 p.m. Jan. 12.

The Palace of Auburn Hills

When the Detroit Pistons take a break from the court, the biggest names in music rock the arena. 6 Champion Drive, Auburn Hills. (248) 377-0100 or palacenet.com. ✯ Jay Z: 8 p.m. Jan. 10. ✯ Travis Pastrana’s Nitro Circus Live: 6 p.m. Jan. 12.

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

What began as an antique store in Chicago turned into a string of more than 200 eateries nationwide, including Toledo. All of the shops feature live music. 4038 Talmadge Road. (419) 725-5037 or www.potbelly.com. ✯ Jaime Mills: Noon-2 p.m. Fridays.

Stella’s

Nouveau cuisine gets a helping of music Thursdays through Saturdays. 104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg. (419) 873-8360 or www. stellasrestaurantandbar.com. ✯ Jason LaPorte: Jan. 10. ✯ Brian Bocian: Jan. 11. ✯ Eddie Molina: Jan. 16. If you would like your event in The Pulse, contact Matt at mattliasse@gmail.com. ✯

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making,” Richardson said. The project met with some obstacles, including financial backing, wall availability and people just plain changing their minds, Charney said. “We’d be almost there, and a building owner would change their mind,” she said. “It was funny because this was a very simple picture, there was no hidden agenda, there was no money to be made, it was just about joy — that was it.” People were confused about the meaning of the photo, she said. They wanted words, but Charney felt that words would be “preachy.” She wanted to let the photograph stand on its own, leaving it up to interpretation. The project was also put on hold for several months while Charney battled breast cancer. After regaining her health, she worked on the Witness to Hunger program sponsored by ProMedica, where she reconnected with Juleeon and his family. The program is an exhibition of photographs taken by individuals from Northwest Ohio who struggle to feed their families. ProMedica felt the mural of Juleeon would be a nice extension of that project, said ProMedica Community Relations Director Stephanie Cihon. “It’s really important for us to be a part of the community and give back to the community and this was one way we could do that,” Cihon said. With financing from ProMedica and Maumee-based CGS Imaging, which transferred the image to vinyl, along with business owner Paul Walker, who donated a wall of his building, the mural was finally put up in October.

“I’m just happy for Juleeon, that people can see him,” she said. “It was what I felt. It was something inside of me. I just felt so happy [to see the photo]. It just made me feel good.” “I love it,” said Black Kite barista Renée Sarra, who has worked for a year and a half at the coffee shop that sits across the street from the mural. “The first day [the mural] was put up, I looked out that window and smiled.” O

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“We are your neighbors, friends and family. Our kids play together.We listen when you are sad, mad and happy — and when you are hungry, we feed you and your family the food that we made with our own two hands.When you are thirsty, we are the first to sit and share a pint and laugh along with you or just offer company. And at the end of the day, we watch the same sunset from the same view.We are local.” – Tony Bilancini, Owner of Swig Restaurant

Loma Linda A Toledo Tradition.

‘Let’s get it up’

Charney kept a copy of the picture in her purse for a year as she showed it to different people, including graphic designers, fellow photographers and community members. She contacted The Arts Commission, but said nothing really happened until she met with Rachel Richardson of Art Corner Toledo, who said, “Let’s get it up,” Charney said. “I’m thrilled that it finally came together because it was a few years in the

“We used to get a lot of graffiti put on the walls,” said Walker, who owns Walker & Sons Auto, 439 W. Delaware Ave. “[The mural] is more appealing. It keeps down the graffiti. … Whoever the young man is, he just looks like us. I thought it was kind of neat.” Charney felt the impact of the mural when it was just a photo she carried in her purse. The picture made her feel happy and now the mural will make lots of people happy, she said.

MANHATTAN’S Perrysburg ~ 12407 Airport Hwy., Swanton ~ 6605 Lewis Ave. ~

6945 W. Central Ave ~ 5228 ~ 26555 N. Dixi

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“He just looks so happy,” Scott said of the mural. “Bring joy, bring joy.” Scott said he’s witnessed several people walk up to the mural and take their picture in front of it. Charney, the photographer, told Scott she met Juleeon a few years ago. “He was so happy I took a picture of him,” she said. Since 2009, Charney had been attending the picnic hosted each Saturday by Food for Thought at the corner of Adams and Michigan streets Downtown. “I never intended to spend most Saturdays for five years photographing people who, for the most part, live in extreme poverty, but that’s what I’ve been doing,” Charney said. “Photographing them and then returning their photos to them the following week.” Juleeon was pestering Charney one Saturday back in 2011. Juleeon wanted his picture taken during the weekly picnic then held on the grounds of the Toledo-Lucas County Main Library. He was 8 years old then. “When I printed the picture of Juleeon, I could not help but smile every time I looked at it because he radiated such an intrinsic joy, one that can only come from a child,” Charney said. “This photo was not about hunger or despair; it was about the hope and joy that only can come through connection with another human being.” The following Saturday, Charney tracked down Juleeon and his family at the same location to give them a copy of the picture. “I gave him and his mom the picture and I said: ‘Juleeon … this kind of joy needs to be shared. … I don’t know how or when, but I think we should put this picture of you up on a wall because it just makes people feel good,’” Charney said. “He and his mom agreed.” Charney did not, however, take the picture with the intent of creating a mural. “I’ve photographed a thousand people over the last five years, and never with the intent of showing them to anyone except the person I’ve photographed, but I knew when I saw his face, this was different.”

Street ~ Spring Meadows ~ 26555 N. Dixie,

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