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March 29, 2015

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Opinion

Fording the future and theatrical misadventures

Tom Pounds on the recent loss of three Toledo mayors and Jeff McGinnis recalls his first time on stage. page 3

Community

Ford’s legacy

Former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford leaves mark on local service organizations. page 8

Business Link

A. Rensch & Co.

Downtown building sold, but flavor of former shop will remain with new owner. page 11

Community Star

Skate for Hope

BG native Alissa Czisny will lead cancer research fundraiser at BGSU in May. page 15

mother Earth

Toledo native Selma Rubin, whose 100th birthday would have been this week, was a ‘force to be reckoned with’ as an environmental activist. By Tom Konecny, page 6

Toledo Free Press

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

March 29, 2015

2014 Report to the Community

ith this Annual Report, the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities

A statement from the Board this past year reinforced a commitment to the belief that the individuals it serves have a right to shape their own futures. That means they should have choice – choice in where they live, work, and socialize. In reflecting back on 2014, we find several noteworthy activities reinforcing that concept and our partnerships with the community: • The Board maintained its commitment to Governor Kasich’s Employment First Initiative to open options for individuals to be employed in the community. But, Lott Industries will remain a valuable alternative for those who might not be able to secure, or want to secure, jobs in the community. • A new hydrostripping process developed by Lott Industries and the City of Toledo will rehabilitate signage. This environmentally-friendly process is expected to reduce costs to the city by 25 percent. • More and more the artists of the Shared Lives Studio are being recognized as noteworthy members of the local art scene with their artwork on display at the Toledo Zoo, Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, and WinterFest. • Self-advocacy was evident when Tyler Wiley convinced the Toledo Board of Education to allow individuals with developmental disabilities free access to sporting events. • The Board joined the County Commissioners, the sheriff, TARTA and other agencies on a special task force to fight human trafficking. • The Ohio Department of DD surveyed the operations of the Lucas County Board and found the Board had achieved substantial compliance… and became fully accredited. In a letter to Board President Mark Frye, DODD Director John Martin wrote, ”The Board members and staff are to be commended for the efforts necessary to achieve this status.” • The Board provided a $14 million match to draw down $38 million in federal dollars to fund supports and services in the community, not only by the Board but also by more than 300 licensed Medicaid service providers, thus allowing more individuals to be served. For more information about the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities, please visit our website at www.lucasdd.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/lucascountydd

2014 Cash Receipts Local Taxes Federal Funds State Funds

66% 17% 17%

2014 Direct Service Expenditures

Medicaid Match 29% Direct Service 71%

2014 Expenditures

Direct Service 89% Administration 8% Quality Assurance 2%

March 29, 2015

ToledoFreePress.com

Publisher’s statement

Opinion

A Toledo tradition since 2005

DON LEE

Fording the future

ith Jack Ford’s death, Toledo has now lost three men who served as mayor in the past three months. John McHugh, 84, who from 1990-93 served as the last mayor under the city manager form of government, died Jan. 30. D. Michael Collins, 70, died Feb. 6, five days after going into cardiac arrest while driving. Ford, 67, Toledo’s first black mayor, died March 21, at ProMedica Toledo Hospital after going into cardiac arrest at home in Toledo. Ford had been in poor health for years, battling kidney disease and diabetes. But he remained an active voice in the community and local government, where he was currently serving as an at-large City Councilman. Ford and Toledo Free Press didn’t always get along over the years, but we respect his decades of dedication to public service. His friend John L. Edwards Sr., executive director of Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program Lucas County, described Ford to TFP as passionate, brilliant, and ethical. Thomas F. Pounds hilarious “He was one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known,” Edwards said. “[People] thought of him as this slow-moving, halfasleep guy. But beyond that outside persona, this guy was moving at light speed.” A social worker by training and at heart, there’s no question Ford improved the lives of low-income citizens through the establishment of Toledo/Lucas County CareNet and his work with community organizations. He was also known as a passionate advocate of minorities, fighting for percentages of city contracts to be awarded to minority-owned businesses or minority contractors. But Ford’s naturally taciturn personality probably hindered his public perception. In 2005, during his bid for a second term as mayor, Ford told TFP: “I always assumed that my accomplishments would speak for themselves. This campaign has taught me that the message does not always get out on its own.” Whatever Ford’s legacy, we must now contend with the void he leaves on Council. City government, which briefly resettled earlier this month with the appointment of small business owner Scott Ramsey to the District 4 City Council seat vacated by Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, is again shaken. Some may dismiss Ramsey as just another dubious character after the recent revelation that he’s behind on taxes, but he’s reacted with class. He hasn’t ducked or gotten defensive. He even posted the story on his personal Facebook page. “Being a passionate small business owner doesn’t mean that you have all the answers or will navigate every curve perfectly,” Ramsey wrote on his Facebook page. “We are able to say that we have survived a rough economy, through communication we are making payments on past obligations and have made it nearly 10 years as a new startup business. The lessons we have learned and challenges we have faced have made us stronger, taught us humbleness and developed character. There is learning in our experiences for ourselves and others, always glad to discuss.” For whatever reason, some people weather controversy better than others. I wouldn’t write him off just yet. Good leaders are hard to find. But as we move forward, we must keep trying to do so. As cartoonist Don Lee pens on this page, McHugh, Collins and Ford each “worked from the basic idea that an individual mattered, that the individual made a difference. In fact, that the individual was sometimes the only one who could make a difference. And that we can’t let die.” O

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press.

FALLING FORWARD

aving the chance to interview local theater legends along with my trusty pals Optimus Prime and He-Man, could like Jennifer Rockwood always brings to mind how be counted on to save it? One of the few classes I could be counted on to pay attention much I love theater, and have almost all my life. I in was music. In a small room in the school’s love acting, I love directing, I love watching basement, we would while away hours pracother people perform. Theater is as big a part ticing scales and singing songs while perched of my soul as almost anything you can name, on tiny squares of carpet. It was in music class which is somewhat odd when you consider that we learned of our big stage debuts in the that my first memory of being on stage was a upcoming Christmas pageant. feeling of utter humiliation. Grade school shows, at least in my Like most everyone, my first show came in the childhood, can only be called “theater” in form of an elementary school “pageant” during the loosest sense of the word — dozens of first grade. I was a proud attendee of Luckey Elkids crammed onto a small stage, singing ementary in rural Ohio, a wonderful three-floor with terrified smiles plastered onto their brick building that I believe hasn’t changed in all Jeff McGinnis faces. When time came for “dialogue,” a its decades of existence. I visited there a few years back and the place seemed exactly the same, apart from feeling member of the young “chorus” made their way down to one of the two stand-up microphones on the stage, said their incomparably smaller than it had during my youth. My elementary school days were largely spent day- line and then shuffled back to their place in the menagerie, dreaming. I was a notoriously lazy student when it came to ac- the big moment of glory over before it began. tual schoolwork. How could I concentrate on math problems and parts of a sentence when the world was in peril and only I, n McGinnis CONTINUES ON 4

A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol. 11, No. 13. Established 2005. EDITORIAL James A. Molnar, Design Editor jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Joel Sensenig, Managing Editor jsensenig@toledofreepress.com Danielle Stanton, News Editor dstanton@toledofreepress.com Tom Konecny, Associate Editor tkonecny@toledofreepress.com Jeff McGinnis, Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

Misadventures in theater

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Opinion

WANDERING ROOTS

Justice for Danny Brown — still waiting

am really glad to be writing a column for Toledo Free Press again. It’s been over a year and a half since I last appeared in these pages, and a lot has happened during that time. Shortly after writing my last column, my boyfriend and I drove around the country together for three months. We had so many beautiful experiences as well as intense fights while Stacy trapped inside of our car, so I could tell those tales of adventures and love. I could also write about how I was bullied out of organizing the Maumee Bay River Festival for its third year, an event I founded in 2012 and, as many of you know, was very passionate about. I could write about the Lake Erie algae crisis, and how we have given our right to clean water to politicians and corporations. I have plenty of stories to tell about spending time with my beautiful 2-year-old niece. I would be proud to tell readers about the new

n MCGINNIS CONTINUED FROM 3 There were no tryouts or auditions for these shows; you earned a part by simply existing. My role for my theatrical debut was a jack-in-the-box in a show where toys came to life; decades of separation have dulled my memory of the remainder of the “plot.” I do, however, remember my first line with terrifying clarity: “Jumping for joy! Oh, this is so exciting! First the star, and now, Sammy!” Please note that “Jumping for joy!” was not actually part of my line. It was a stage direction, meant to instruct the actor on what he or she was supposed to be doing — jumping about being a rather natural activity for a jack-in-thebox. However, I assumed that since it was written there, I was supposed to say that too, and my long-suffering music teacher gave up on correcting me about 10 minutes into the first rehearsal. The night of the pageant arrived, and I was ready. I had a wonderful costume lovingly crafted by my mother out of an old television box, with my head poking out the top and hands barely peeking out the sides — less a jack-in-the-box than a jack-IS-thebox. I had my lone line memorized and my choreography (Jumping for joy!) down pat. There was no trace of stage fright in my mind. Finally, my time came. I strode to the microphone and with every eye in the auditorium on me, began my

March 29, 2015

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

business I have started in Toledo, producing and bottling kombucha, a fermented probiotic tea. Instead I want to tell readers again about my friend Danny Brown. For too many years people have turned their ears, unwilling to take in the story, unwilling to feel his reality, unwilling to accept that our legal system and those elected to upJURICH hold it with honor and justice are not perfect, and that people are still receiving unethical treatment and are wrongfully incarcerated to this day. On March 4, Brown’s lawyer filed a wrongful imprisonment suit against the State of Ohio. Brown has been fighting to declare his innocence since 1981, when he walked into a police station after hearing he was a suspect for the rape and murder of Bobbie Russell, knowing that he had nothing to hide. Imagine spending almost 7,000 days as an innocent man in prison, line: “Jumping for joy! Oh, this is so exciting! First the star and now — BWAAAAANG!!!” That last bit was not a word I said. It was the sound of feedback made when, as I was “jumping for joy!,” the corner of my costume/box slammed directly into the microphone in front of me. Pandemonium. Literally EVERYONE in the auditorium exploded into laughter. I looked dumbfounded at a sea of faces roaring at my blunder. I looked down at my kindly music teacher, and even she was doubled over and covering her face. Bewil-

every waking moment feeling heartbroken and wronged to a degree that hurts you and your family to the core. Brown was finally released from prison in 2001 after DNA evidence cleared him of the crime and instead linked it to serial killer Sherman Preston. After his release, however, the story in the court “conveniently” changed from there being one person at the crime (whom they had wrongfully identified as Brown), to there being two people at the crime; now Brown is considered suspect as an accomplice. Not only has this case not been resolved, Brown is also being held as a captive of the court until they exonerate him or reopen the case. It is my hope that this lawsuit will bring justice once and for all not only to Danny Brown, but to those that fall into the same situation, like Joel Coleman, and all of the family members involved in the injustices brought forward in this case by the Lucas County Prosecutor’s Office. O

    

Let’s take a look back at November 2010. Ted Strickland was in the political fight of his life. In that year, jobs lost under him increased to 350,000, education cuts equaled $380 million and he told the National Guard to stand down when Millbury needed them to come in after the city had been devastated by

Jeff McGinnis is Pop Culture Editor at Toledo Free Press.

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an EF4 tornado, which killed seven and destroyed nearly 50 homes. The fact is, Ted Strickland was an extremely flawed governor and would be an equally flawed senator. As Gov. Strickland begins what I believe will be a laughable campaign in a quest to become the next U.S. senator from Ohio, I ask you all to remember the days when he reigned as our governor: the jobs lost, the education cuts and the failed leadership. Thankfully we had Gov. John R. Kasich to come in clean up the mess that Strickland left behind him. I urge you to do your research. Sen. Rob Portman is a middle-ofthe-road politician who will always listen to both sides of an argument. Portman fights for Ohio, whereas Strickland seems to fight against Ohio. Vote no against Ted Strickland in 2016 so we can continue the progress Ohio has made, and not return to his failed policies. O — Byron Swartz Millbury

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I am adding my congratulations on a well-written commentary regarding the increased sales tax rate for Lucas County sales transactions (“How does new Lucas County sales tax rate really compare to other urban Ohio counties?,” March 8). The information, as written, appeared wellresearched and presented in editorial form. I am in perfect agreement with the guest columnist Gary Kiss; could not argue on one point. I look forward to future guest column commentary on your opinion pages. O — Chuck (Richard) Schlageter Sylvania

dered and embarrassed, I turned back to one of my fellow chorus members/ toys: “Should ... should I do it again?” So yeah, it’s a little remarkable that I still have such a fondness for the stage, what with my first memory of the spotlight ending in such utter humiliation. Maybe it’s simple practicality. Really, what could possibly happen that could be worse than that? Or perhaps, like the old phrase, I laugh, that I may not cry. Or jump for joy. O

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March 29, 2015

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Community

A Toledo tradition since 2005

toledo free press photo by christie materni

NHA to break ground for new medical clinic

Toledo zoo’s aquarium, closed for renovations since October 2012, was scheduled to open to the public march 27. The completion of the $25.5 million project will be commemorated with a weekend full of activities. The new aquarium features 178,000 gallons of water, including a 90,000-gallon reef tank exhibit containing sharks and divers, who will be able to communicate with visitors using an underwater microphone. The aquarium will also feature a touch tank, where visitors can touch sharks, rays, sea stars and other animals of the ocean. admission to the aquarium is included with the zoo’s entrance fee, which is $17 for adults and $14 for children 2-11 years old and seniors older than 60. children younger than 2 get in free. for more information and the full schedule of weekend events, visit toledozoo.org.

The Neighborhood Health Association (NHA) will hold a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of its new medical clinic at 11 a.m. March 31. The date was rescheduled due to the funeral of Toledo City Council member and former Mayor Jack Ford. The $11 million facility, to be called Nexus Healthcare, will be built on the site of the former Taylor Cadillac building at 1415 Jefferson Ave., at the corner of 14th Street. During the ceremony, Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson, Lucas County Treasurer Wade Kapszukiewicz and Lucas County Commissioners Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon-Wozniak will speak about the new facility and what it means for the community. Services provided at the new 43,000-square-foot medical center will include adult and pediatric dental, retail pharmacy, adult primary care, women’s health, pediatrics, lab services and vision care. The facility will also include the Harry Brown Sr. Urgent Care Center, a branch of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union and a café to be used for workplace training for NHA patients.

“The new clinic will offer access to bus lines and facilities designed to directly address the complex needs of our patients,” said Harry Brown, NHA board president, in a news release. “The best part is that this is an effort undertaken by the community, for the community.” The NHA is a nonprofit agency that provides medical care and educational and support services to the community. The organization currently manages 11 sites, a pharmacy, two dental clinics and two senior centers. Several current NHA clinic locations will be consolidated into the new site. NHA provides care to everyone regardless of their ability to pay and accepts most insurance plans. The new medical facility is being built with funds from a $5 million grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and $6 million from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). The new medical clinic will take about a year to build. O — Staff Reports

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Community

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

March 29, 2015

By Tom Konecny

TOLEDO FREE PRESS ASSOCIATE EDITOR tkonecny@toledofreepress.com

Behind every movement is a person, and for the wide-reaching effort known as Earth Day, it was none other than a Toledoan who helped create momentum for its introduction to the world. In the late 1960s, when “being green” meant only a color to most people, California transplant Selma Rubin “basically terrified a lot of people,” according to Nick Welsh, executive editor of Santa Barbara (California) Independent. Some Internet sources cite Rubin as the co-founder of Earth Day, but that label appears to be slightly inaccurate. Clearly, her initial environmental efforts were enormous, but actual credit for the Earth Day name and official celebration point elsewhere. Still, her far-reaching contribution to what led to the formation of Earth Day is documentable, and nearly a half-century later, its effects are still felt.

Toledo born and raised

Rubin was born March 28, 1915, and would have turned 100 this year. She died March 9, 2012, at age 96 at her home in Santa Barbara. Her body was cremated; half of her ashes remain in Santa Barbara, while the other half are in Mexico with her friend and fellow activist, Rogelio Trujillo. She and her husband Bill moved to Santa Barbara from Los Angeles in 1964, but it was Toledo she originally called home. “I knew she was from Ohio,” said Linda Krop, chief counsel with the Environmental Defense Center, located in Santa Barbara. “She would talk proudly about her past. She was very, very feisty.” In 1901, Rubin’s father, Morris Newman, came to the United States with his father and two brothers as Russian immigrants, eventually finding their way to Toledo. Newman had previously made hats for the Russian army, so in Toledo he also became a cap maker and owned a variety store Downtown at Huron and Adams streets. Throughout her life, Rubin was rarely seen without a hat. “Her strength, her forcefulness and her passion grew out of the legacy that was our family’s roots in Russia,” said Michael Newman, Rubin’s nephew, who spoke via phone from his home in Modesto, California. Rubin attended Scott High School and then the University of Toledo, where she majored in home economics

PHOTO COURTESY COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL / COVER PHOTO BY PAUL WELLMAN OF SANTA BARBARA INDEPENDENT

Late activist’s roots started in Toledo century ago

TOLDO NATIVE SELMA RUBIN, WHO DIED IN 2012, was an environmental activist who helped inspire the creation of earth day. She would have turned 100 march 28.

before answering the call to serve in the U.S. Women’s Army Corps — then the women’s auxiliary unit branch of the U.S. Army — during World War II from 1943-45. After the war, her entire family moved to Los Angeles, all seeking new opportunities. It was there she married her first husband in 1948, who died unexpectedly in 1955. Then, she met and married Bill Rubin in 1962.

Mother of Earth Day

The warm, supportive and tac-

tical Rubin, a professional bookkeeper and accountant who some consider one of the “Mothers of Earth Day,” took action at the Santa Barbara oil spill of 1969, the largest in U.S. waters at the time. Up to 100,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the Santa Barbara Channel and onto its beaches over 10 days, killing thousands of sea birds, dolphins, elephant seals and sea lions. Outrage ensued, and as good can arise from bad, it was then that Selma Rubin the activist was born.

Although she had been involved in environmental causes prior to 1969, Rubin kicked her activism into high gear at that point, and never stopped until the day she died, according to Dave Davis, president and CEO of the Community Environmental Council, based in Santa Barbara. Earth Day’s origins are somewhat widespread because the action-minded, community event we know today started more as an educational forum. The name is credited to a former U.S. senator and Wisconsin governor,

Gaylord Nelson, who was moved by the ’69 oil spill and announced his idea to national media, working with another congressman to promote events nationally. Nelson summoned Denis Hayes to organize the first event April 22, 1970. It focused on American environmental issues as a teach-in at 2,000 colleges and universities, 10,000 primary and secondary schools and hundreds of communities. That event later morphed into what we know today as Earth Day. n RUBIN CONTINUES ON 7

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ToledoFreePress.com

PHOTO COURTESY MIKE NEWMAN

n RUBIN CONTINUED FROM 6

TOLeDO NATIVE SELMA RUBIN, Right, at age 5, with brother Seymour, age 2.

However, also in 1969, peace activist John McConnell proposed a day to honor the Earth and promote peace, to be celebrated March 21, 1970, the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere. His pitch to the UNESCO Conference in San Francisco resulted in an Earth Day proclamation by that city. “[Rubin] was the ‘mother’ of the 20 million-person national event only in the sense that Rachel Carson was or Margaret Mead or Anne Ehrlich — allied people who wrestled with issues that became strands in the fabric that Earth Day helped weave into a unified ‘environmental’ cause,” said Hayes, who now serves as president of the Bullitt Foundation in Seattle, an organization devoted to protecting and restoring the environment of the Pacific Northwest. “There were lots of folks fighting against [many problems] before Earth Day, but they mostly didn’t think of themselves as connected by shared values. Earth Day helped them realize that they were all part of the same community — something that Selma, with her wide range of interests, doubtless already knew.” But even before Nelson’s and McConnell’s events was a Rubin-led affair that likely paved the way for Earth Day as we know it today. In the wake of the Santa Barbara oil spill, Rubin enlisted thousands of others who responded with grassroots action against a consortium of oil companies, resulting in environmental legislation that formed the

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framework for the modern environmental movement. “On the anniversary — Jan. 29, 1970 — there was, if you will, an anniversary celebration which was held here which we all considered basically being the birth of the modern day environmental movement,” Davis said. “Selma was there and organized that as part of the Jan. 29 committee, and invited a number of people, including those folks that basically started Earth Day. And so yes, you could consider her almost the mother of Earth Day in many, many ways.” After these events, Hayes founded the Earth Day Network and served as event chairman for anniversaries in 1990 and 2000. Earth Day is now the world’s most widely observed secular holiday.

A force of nature

If Mother Nature is a force to be reckoned with, then Rubin was its sidekick. “Selma was involved with the Community Environmental Council the entire period of her life, up until the day she died,” Davis said. “But Selma never retired. Even when she was [in her 90s] she was sitting on boards for over 25 nonprofits locally. She was an incredible force to be reckoned with.” “Selma was a force of nature,” agreed Welsh, who met her in 1983. Besides the oil spill response, another of Rubin’s major efforts came in 1970, when she thwarted a developer from building 1,500 condos along the Gaviota Coast in California. Such action was unusual, as there were no applicable environmental laws at that time, and she won despite facing accusations of petition signature forgery and election fraud — convictions for which could have resulted in 28 years in prison. The Gaviota Coast eventually became a natural preserve,

where Rubin has a special park bench marked in her honor. “Her political genius was to be able to take the energy of the moment and being very good at having an organizational response,” Welsh said. “She wasn’t into big money, but she knew big money. Santa Barbara has a lot of rich, wealthy people who are interested in saving the world, and they’re also concerned about how their money is spent. She provided that assurance, and directed things toward competent people. She helped create what everybody here now takes for granted.”

Beyond the environment

Rubin devoted much of her energy to the environment, but she also cared for people, Newman said. He recalled a story about Rubin when she was just a teenager. “One time, another fellow [student] didn’t have a coat, so Selma took hers off and gave it to her,” Newman said. “She never did anything for herself.” When her husband Bill died from Alzheimer’s disease in 1989, it was again Rubin who felt a need to support others who were suffering. After President Ronald Reagan announced in 1994 that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Rubin ended up working closely with the Ronald and Nancy Reagan Research Institute to find a cause for the disease. Her close political ties led to an invitation to attend President Bill Clinton’s 1997 inauguration, but a broken leg prevented her attendance. In all, Rubin helped start over 40 organizations that were dedicated to the environment and social justice. Though Rubin had no children of her own, she spread her love of people and issues wherever she went, Newman said. “Her children,” he said. “were her causes.” O

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Community

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

March 29, 2015

From Staff Reports

“A mighty tree has fallen.” That’s how Jack Ford’s close friend and former co-worker John L. Edwards Sr. described the death of the Toledo City Councilman and Toledo’s first black mayor. John Marshall “Jack” Ford, 67, died March 21 at ProMedica Toledo Hospital, where he was transported after going into cardiac arrest at his Toledo home. Ford had been in poor health for years, battling kidney disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. But he remained an active voice in the community and local government, where he was serving as an atlarge City Councilman. Ford is the third Toledo mayor to die this year. Former Mayor John McHugh, who served 1990-93, died Jan. 30 and sitting Mayor D. Michael Collins died Feb. 6, also from cardiac arrest. Edwards, who is executive director of Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADAOP) Lucas County, met Ford in the 1970s when both worked for the Ohio Youth Commission. “He was a career social worker,” Edwards said. “I maintain he always was at heart, even though he had other things on his resume. He was always wanting to help people.” In lieu of flowers for his funeral, Ford’s family suggested donations to UMADAOP, whose mission is to provide prevention, treatment, recovery support and re-entry services in order to help children, families and communities have healthy and productive lifestyles, Edwards said. “In addition to the fact that he and I were very, very close friends for almost 40 years, he sort of bonded with our agency not only because of the ups and downs we experienced and managed to overcome over the years, but because we always tried to maintain ethics and provide good stewardship over the public trust,” Edwards said. “Those are things that really, really, really meant a lot to Jack. “Our service work is committed to providing community-based services that attempt to reach people without giving thought to their ability to pay for services, or where they live or their race, gender or any of those things. We’re come as you are. I think that meant a great deal to him.” A common perception of Ford as sleepy or slow-moving may have been true of his appearance, but wasn’t true of his mind, Edwards said. “It was certainly part of his personality, but I think he used that. I think it kept people off balance,” Ed-

FILE PHOTO

Ford leaves mark on service organizations, city

Toledo City Council member jack Ford died at promedica Toledo Hospital on March 21. he previously served as Toledo’s first Black mayor, state representative, Toledo Public Schools board member, college instructor and social worker. He was a champion for minority inclusion and involved with many community organizations and social programs.

wards said. “They thought of him as this slow-moving, half-asleep guy. But beyond that outside persona, this guy was moving at light speed.” Ford was also funny, Edwards said. “What I will miss most personally is something many people rarely had a chance to see or experience, and that was his sense of humor,” Edwards said. “He could have you literally on the floor with laughter.” Both avid readers and Ohio State football fans, Ford and Edwards forged a quick and lasting friendship. “I say unashamedly he was one of the most intelligent people I’ve ever known,” Edwards said. “He would challenge me with things he had read. He’d do a pop quiz right on the spot.” Ford especially enjoyed reading about President Abraham Lincoln. “He was a student of Lincoln,” Edwards said. “I think it was that his presidency occurred during the period that the country began to experi-

ence a great wave of change. And the fact that he came from very humble beginnings but managed to rise to become president of the nation.”

Mayor Ford

Ford was born in Springfield, Ohio, in 1947. He played football for Woody Hayes at The Ohio State University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in social work. He later attended the University of Toledo, where he earned a law degree and a master’s degree in public administration. He was elected mayor in 2001. Among his proudest accomplishments were helping to establish CareNet, a health care program for low-income county residents, and balancing the city budget despite tough economic conditions, Edwards said. “He was proud of the fact he saw the city through some tough times in terms of the budget,” he said. “He felt he steered the city through some

very murky waters.” “We balanced the budget without raising taxes, cutting essential services or by laying off safety personnel during very tough economic times,” Ford told Toledo Free Press in 2005. “We are spending $10 million less than my predecessor spent in 2001. If I was a corporate CEO, I would be getting a bonus for this performance.” Ford was also proud of the city’s increased block watch presence. “We have increased the number of block watches in Toledo from 59 to 180 since I took office,” he told TFP in 2005. During his administration, Ford also initiated a controversial citywide indoor smoking ban in 2003, which was later enacted statewide. In 2013, while running for City Council, Ford told TFP he believed voters would be attracted to his years of government experience. Ford served on Council from 198894, serving as president in 1994. His career also included time on the Toledo Public Schools Board of Education and in Columbus as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. He also taught at the University of Toledo and other local colleges. “I have experience working at different levels of government, and I’m going to use that experience to make informed decisions while I am on Council, in relation to policy decisions and budget,” Ford said. In 2005, during his bid for a second term as mayor, Ford told TFP he had come to realize perhaps he hadn’t trumpeted his mayoral accomplishments enough. “I have not spent enough time pointing out our successes,” he said. “I always assumed that my accomplishments would speak for themselves; this campaign has taught me that the message does not always get out on its own.” Ford said he decided to run for Council in 2013 after seeing prevailing issues facing Toledo. “I saw the deterioration of housing in the older neighborhoods, and no one else was talking about it. I decided to make blight a big issue in my campaign, and in a way, it has become one of the big issues in this election,” Ford said in 2013. “Financial management of taxpayer funds is always a big issue. Cutting red tape is a big issue for business people who want to start or to continue to grow a business inside Toledo. And we don’t have coordinated efforts on youth programs and crime reduction.” While pointing to the advantage of his experience, Ford was quick to point out fresh ideas are needed in government as well.

“I’ve had the broadest experience of anyone running, and experience counts. Some of the decisions made in the future need someone with history to base their decisions on. My experience will help with that, but you need a mix of experience and new people with new ideas,” Ford said.

Blight Authority

One of Ford’s more recent focuses was battling blight in the city. He spearheaded the formation of a Blight Authority, made up of a dozen or so members of the community from real estate agents to lawyers. The group had its first meeting in October and will continue to meet. Ford attended many of those meetings, said chairman George Thomas, a lawyer. “He was very, very encouraging and tried to challenge us and move us forward as much as possible,” Thomas said. “When he came to the meeting he was actually the leader in the room. He had a deep understanding of how the city works and how politics work and he could move the meeting forward. “I definitely had that sense that he was a force when he wanted to get something done. He was very encouraging and helpful to move it forward.” The Blight Authority is charged with eliminating blight, encouraging citizens to take responsibility for improving their neighborhoods and being a source of resources for citizens, Thomas said. The group is broken into three committees: best practices, which looks at other cities and how to get citizens involved; programs; and fundraising. Progress has been made, but there’s still a ways to go, Thomas said. Ideas and action plans have been developed, but there’s no budget or staffing. “So far, the process has been focused on identifying some realistically best practices we can work on,” he said. Some ideas the committee has been working on include outreach to connect to community volunteers, education, forming a “blight boot camp,” renting a trailer that can be used to store tools for cleaning up neighborhoods and working with school kids. Group members are also working with the city’s Department of Neighborhoods on how they might collaborate with existing programs. “We need to be realistic about what we can achieve,” Thomas said. The group wants money allocated by the city, but there is no money earmarked for the Blight Authority in this year’s budget, Thomas said. n FORD CONTINUES ON 10

March 29, 2015

ToledoFreePress.com

Community

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“It is with great sadness that we learn Toledo City Councilman and former Mayor John Jack Ford has passed away on March 21. His loss leaves our community as well as his family with great sadness. Toledo not only lost a great Councilman and former mayor, but a past state representative, House minority leader, Council president, dedicated public servant, father and grandfather. Our city will deeply mourn his loss. It is with compassion that we remember Jack Ford passed away doing what he loved, serving the people of this great city. In all his time as a public servant, John Jack Ford fought for equality, health care and access to the basic needs for our citizens. We give our hearts and our thoughts to his family and friends during this time.” O — Toledo Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson

“Jack was a shrewd politician who knew how to reach across the aisle and engage allies to accomplish his political objectives. He would often tell me to make sure you ‘count the votes’ when trying to move a piece of legislation through the process. He had an uncanny ability to know when BLACK to compromise and when to stand his ground. For instance, he knew that his stand on the smoking ban would not be popular, but his vision told him that others would follow the City of Toledo’s lead. He held his ground on the issue and Toledo was one of the first cities in Ohio to enact a smoking ban. (The State of Ohio ultimately followed.) Also, because of Jack’s vision and leadership, Toledo’s CareNet program model was a forerunner of the U.S. Affordable Care Act. Jack was one of the few politicians in Toledo’s history who truly understood that the best way to revitalize an underserved community economically was to give members of those communities a “fair shot” at public contracts. I remember him holding a one-person press conference opposing the construction of the Mud Hens stadium unless they were willing to include minorities during its construction phase and committing to hire minorities after its completion. As mayor, a centerpiece of his platform was to include more minorities and women in the

City of Toledo’s contracting process. He felt so strongly about this issue of fairness that he was willing to risk his political career over it. Many believe he lost his mayoral re-election bid largely because of this issue. He continued to challenge the status quo on this issue in other political positions he held after being mayor.” O — Jay Black Jr. President, Toledo African American Chamber of Commerce

“Jack Ford has been my very close friend for 35 years. Although we ran against each other for mayor in 2005, once that election was over our friendship resumed and got stronger. As able a community leader as Jack was, I considered him to be much more a friend than a fellow politician. I will miss him as a friend very much.” O — Former Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner “I am deeply saddened by the passing of Toledo City Councilman and former Toledo Mayor Jack Ford — a public servant I have known for over 35 years. Some will remember him as a fine mayor for the City of Toledo. I choose to remember him as a person whose life’s vocation was to help all people. Jack was a politician and politics can be a rough game. But Jack always seemed to take the high road, even at the end when it came time to name a new president for Toledo City Council. There were those he helped along the way who turned their backs and did not support him. I am proud to say I was not one of those. I wish to express my condolences to Jack’s family. He left his mark on our world and he will be missed.” O — Theresa Gabriel, Toledo City Councilwoman At Large “I have numerous remembrances of Jack Ford. Three that stand out are: 1. How he organized the first 12-member City Council under the strong mayor form of government. He told us, ‘District members better listen to your constituents and perform or lose re-election. You are closer to them than we at large.’ 2. He grew up in Springfield, Ohio, and my wife Elaine and I graduated from Wittenberg University in Springfield, so we shared a special bond there and had numerous conversations about his hometown. 3. While he was mayor working through the smoking ban legislation together, there were many meetings

and harsh words, but Council, with Jack’s direction, passed it unanimously. Soon after, the entire state banned smoking in public places, much for LUDEMAN the betterment of public health.” O — Rob Ludeman, Toledo City Councilman At Large

“I am so sorry to hear of [former] Mayor Jack Ford’s passing. I send my condolences to his wife Cynthia and their whole family. Jack was a caring public servant throughout his life, a statesman. We will all miss him.” O — Sandy Drabik, widow of Toledo Mayor D. Michael Collins “It is with a heavy heart that I extend my deepest sympathy to the Ford family: his wife Cynthia, his children, and his friends and associates. Our community and citizenry holds an abiding gratitude for his lifetime of dedicated and honorable service to us. He was one of a kind. Mayor Jack Ford gave his life, decade after decade, to our entire community. As newly elected president of Toledo City Council, he just kept the beat of the city close to him. With every step, he directed himself to move our community and America forward. He made history. As an educator, health professional and political activist, Mayor Ford became the very first African-American mayor elected in Toledo. He served in the state legislature and understood the interconnections of our city to the world beyond it. His knowledge was hard-earned and unique. With his election as mayor, he elevated our community to a more inclusive and progressive place. He made us proud. Jack was all business. He always demonstrated a hands-on, can do attitude. He was a master of the city budget and directed his administration to make long-neglected improvements. Even when not feeling well, he carried forward his duties in a soldierly and persevering manner, earning respect from all who knew him. I particularly appreciated his genius and wry sense of humor. He never missed a beat. Our entire region has benefited from his generous and focused life on behalf of others. May the angels carry him to a place of peace and rest. He has been truly a good, faithful and honorable servant.” O — Rep. Marcy Kaptur

10 Community n FORD CONTINUED FROM 8

CareNet

Many in the city and state have been affected by Ford’s work, but Jan Ruma can pinpoint exactly how many, at least in her corner of the world — 27,823. That’s how many individuals have been assisted by Toledo/Lucas County CareNet, where Ruma has served as executive director since November 2002. “The reason there is a CareNet is because of Jack Ford,” Ruma said. “If there wasn’t a Jack Ford, there wouldn’t be a CareNet. He’s a man of his word.” During Ford’s first State of the City address as mayor in 2002, he challenged area hospitals to come together for the uninsured. Hospitals were already doing a lot, but Ford galvanized each to do more, Ruma said. What resulted was an innovative approach to offering health care for low-income citizens. Now with President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act in place, CareNet’s mission has changed slightly, but its focus on helping and serving the uninsured remains, she said. “He very successfully used his role as mayor to address a serious health care issue,” Ruma said. “So I think that of any elected official, definitely in this area and possibly this state, that Jack Ford has had the biggest impact on accessibility to health care. He was all-in.” The program is designed to have Toledo’s mayor serve as chairman of the board, and thus Ford was its first. Ruma recalled having less than two months before CareNet would first be made available to the public Jan. 1, 2003, and she didn’t think it was possible to have it ready in time. Ruma was hoping for much longer than the extra 15 days Ford would ultimately offer, but “he was very kind, and we could have thought of all kinds of reasons not to do it. He didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer. His philosophy was ‘Just do it, we can’t make it any worse.’ And his philosophy was right.” Even after he left office, Ford remained active in CareNet’s mission, often attending fundraising events but remaining out of the limelight, Ruma said. “He made it his passion and role, and you can’t say no to Jack Ford,” Ruma said. “Jack was just the champion that brought all those organizations together.”

Adelante

Another organization Ford proudly supported was Adelante, a social service agency that specializes in serving area Latinos. “Personally, the man was a visionary and saw potential in the Latino community,” said Guisselle Mendoza, who has served on staff for seven years and as executive director since February 2014.

March 29, 2015

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com Adelante’s mission is to serve and empower individuals throughout Northwest Ohio through education, prevention, health, economics and other social services. Mendoza said Ford was involved with its operation since the start, and even before its founding in 1995. During a meeting Mendoza had with Ford in September, Ford recalled Adelante’s beginnings in the late 1980s, when he was asked to create a treatment program for Hispanic adults suffering from heroin abuse. Just after its inception, Ford wanted to expand the program beyond counseling, and turn it into the lifestyle center it is today, but he was met with opposition by others on staff. Once Ford helped to create an advisory board, the center started a program for youth and then abused women, and Adelante really took off, Mendoza said. Adelante has served 800-1,000 people in the past five years, she said. “I will be forever thankful to him for paving the way for Adelante,” Mendoza said. “I hope that others like him, given the opportunity, can create change and opportunity within our community. I was very saddened to hear of his passing and he will never be forgotten by me or Adelante.”

Family House

Ford was also a strong supporter and friend to Family House for many years, director Renee Palacios said. When he discovered the city had cut funding for the food service program at the organization — the largest homeless shelter for families in Northwest Ohio — he took action, she said. “When [Ford] found out that under the [Mayor Mike] Bell administration, money for our food service was eliminated, he basically did not stand for that,” Palacios said. “He wanted to know what was going on and how were families being fed. He brought me to City Council to explain that.” Posted to Family House’s Facebook page is the message: “Thank you, Mayor/Councilman Ford for your years of support for Family House. Your spirit, compassion and advocacy will be missed.” Palacios said Ford learned of the cut funds two years ago during the polar vortex, when temperatures regularly dipped below freezing. Funds were cut because the city determined Family House residents could use other food programs in the area, Palacios said. Young mothers, children and pregnant women were having to walk in the freezing temperatures just to get a meal, she said, and Ford did not stand for that. “He made it his mission to resurrect feeding people at Family House. He thought homeless families should not be walking around

“

Of any elected official ... Jack Ford has had the biggest impact on accessibility to health care. He was all-in.”

while he was here, especially the kids. He would sit at their level as they came into lunch. He was truly a gentle giant.” Ford came to his last meal at Family House at Christmas. The organization’s board members had prepared a meal to say ‘thank you’ for the stove, she said. Family House serves 300 families every year and is the second-largest family shelter in Ohio. “[Ford] jump-started the program for us and put it on the radar,” Palacios said.

— Jan Ruma, executive director of Toledo/Lucas County CareNet

Minority inclusion

looking for a meal,” Palacios said. Ford, along with Councilwoman Sandy Spang, found a commercial stove and negotiated its price from $10,000 to $3,000 for Family House so they could continue cooking and serving food to their homeless families, Palacios said. “He was the first one to pause and say ‘Wait a minute, this isn’t right,’” she said. “He wasn’t a politician who just pushed it through, pushed it through. He stopped and said ‘Wait a minute. Why is this going on? That’s not fair.’ That’s the kind of man he was.” Ford had lunch many times at Family House and always paid, she said. He got to know the families and always came to talk to people. “We’ve had important people in Family House many times and he was not here to be seen and be important,” Palacios said. “He came in and went straight to the lunchroom and talked to every single family he could talk to

Ford was also a strong advocate for minority inclusion, often advocating for certain percentages of city contracts to be awarded to minority-owned businesses or minority contractors. Unanswered questions about the percentage of minority contractors to be employed during building was among the reasons Ford cited in January for casting Council’s lone “no” vote on ProMedica’s move Downtown. “Jack was one of the few politicians in Toledo’s history who truly understood that the best way to revitalize an underserved community economically was to give members of those communities a fair shot at public contracts,” said Jay Black Jr., president of the Toledo African American Chamber of Commerce. “I remember him holding a one-person press conference opposing the construction of the Mud Hens stadium unless they were willing to include minorities during its construction phase and committing to hire minorities after its completion. “As mayor, a centerpiece of his

platform was to include more minorities and women in the City of Toledo’s contracting process. He felt so strongly about this issue of fairness that he was willing to risk his political career over it. Many believe he lost his mayoral re-election bid largely because of this issue,” Black said. “He continued to challenge the status quo on this issue in other political positions he held after being mayor.”

Visitation and funeral

Visitation will be 3-6 p.m. March 29 at Warren AME Church, 915 Collingwood Blvd., with a program from 6-7 p.m. The funeral service will be noon March 30 at the church. Doors open at 11:15 a.m. Another visitation and funeral service will take place in Springfield on March 31 followed by burial. All services are open to the public. Cards may be sent to Ford’s family in care of The House of Day Funeral Service, 2550 Nebraska Ave., Toledo, OH 43607.

What’s next

City Council has 30 days to appoint someone to fill Ford’s vacant at-large seat. Letters of interest and resumes must be submitted by April 2. Council plans to vote April 14. The appointed person will serve until November, when a new Council member is elected during the general election. O Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Sarah Ottney, Managing Editor Joel Sensenig, News Editor Danielle Stanton and Associate Editor Tom Konecny contributed to this report.

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ToledoFreePress.com

A Toledo tradition since 2005

Business Link 11

By Joel Sensenig

Toledo Free Press Managing Editor jsensenig@toledofreepress.com

Before one could find imported cheeses and gourmet foods at everything-under-one-roof stores, there was A. Rensch & Co. After being in the family of a Swiss immigrant for 127 years, the building at 607 Monroe St. — four doors west of Fifth Third Field — was sold for $103,500 to developer Dave Ball. Despite the change in ownership, the location’s tradition of selling specialty food items will continue. Ed Beczynski, owner of The Blarney Irish Pub, which shares a wall with the building, is purchasing the first floor from Ball with plans of turning the front half into an Old Worldstyle delicatessen this summer. The back half will be used for additional kitchen space for The Blarney, while the upper two floors will be renovated into a loft apartment. Angela Rensch Ligibel is the granddaughter of Benedict Rensch, who began selling food from the building in 1888. Ligibel sold the building, listed in the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Monroe Street Historic District, on Feb. 10. “At that time, there were a lot of [businesses] in Downtown Toledo, so there were many, many places he could sell his wares with horse and buggy, which was how he sold his cheese,” she said. “It grew and grew and grew, and he started handling all kinds of imported cheeses, gourmet jellies, caviar, smoked eel and all kinds of things like that. “We were one of the few places you could get those imported items at that time,” she said. “Now, you can go anywhere, you can go to Walmart and get them. That’s kind of what ended our business.” Ligibel started noticing the public’s shift to larger stores in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Ligibel, who took over the store in 1984 when her father died, said she relished the chance to operate the family business. “I enjoyed every minute of it,” she said. “It’s sad to see it go, but time marches

“

We were one of the few places you could get those imported items. Now, you can go anywhere, you can go to Walmart and get them.”

Toledo free press photo by christie materni

Building sale clears way for Old World deli shop

— Angela Rensch Ligibel on, as they say. That’s what happens.” The business was largely closed in 2005 and the building had been on and off the market since then. Ligibel wasn’t going to sell it to just anyone, however. “I was very particular about what might be in there,” she said. “You sort of fall in love with your building, and it’s hard to see just any name go in there. Of course there were offers made over the years, but I kind of hung in there because I thought, “This is not [what I wanted].” Beczynski Market is exactly what she wanted. Although he’s not quite certain on the name yet, Beczynski believes the Old World delicatessen model will play well in the neighborhood. “With all the people living Downtown, I’ve been racking my brain with ‘What does Downtown really need?’” he said. “You hear it all the time: grocery store. Well, this would be a specialty-type store selling different meats by the pound, cheeses and specialty items. “I think it’s another piece of the puzzle for all of Downtown,” Beczynski said. “Hopefully there will be a big grocery store that comes Downtown. I hope there’s a pharmacy that comes Downtown. We need those things, but even with that, having a specialty market like this, making our own pierogi and kielbasa and all that kind of stuff, I think this will be a nice add-on to what’s happening Downtown.” He compared his market to a

angela rensch ligibel, former owner of A. Rensch & Co., a specialty food market at 607 Monroe St. Downtown from 1888-2005, goes through some items still remaining in the building. Ligibel sold the building in February to developer dave ball, who is selling the first floor to ed beczynski, who owns the blarney Irish pub. The pub, which shares a wall with the former market, will use the back half of the floor as a kitchen. Beczynski plans to open a delicatessen in the front, offering cheeses, meats and other specialty items. He hopes to have the business open this summer.

scaled-down version of Zingerman’s Deli in Ann Arbor. Plans call for the market to contain a bakery and offer beer and wine to go. Ligibel’s son, Ted, said his memories of working in the shop during the 1950s and 1960s remain strong. “The sale of A. Rensch & Company is definitely bittersweet for our family, all of whom have worked there at one time or another, including our spouses,” he said in an email. “After 127 years at the same location and in the same building, a city record, it is difficult to say goodbye to a place we grew up with, knowing that this was where our grandparents and greatgrandparents spent the entirety of their working careers.” Ted said the store’s legacy will live on due to the exhaustive records kept by the family. “Also preserved were many photographs, articles and food containers that had been saved over the years,

including records going back to the 1880s,” he said. “In order to ensure that this history would be preserved, we donated some records to the Local History and Genealogy Department of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and to the Canaday Center at the University of Toledo. The Henry Ford Museum took dozens of vintage food jars and tins to add to their retail goods holdings, noting that these were items never before available in their collections.” Obtaining the extra space will allow The Blarney to better serve its customers during peak times, Beczynski said. Since opening in 2006, he purchased the building behind the bar to use as The Blarney Event Center, which hosts private parties. The pub has also begun offering catering services. “We’re going to be able to put food out so much faster,” he said. “When it gets crazy down here, it’s

just hard with the kitchen we have. It’s going to give us the ability to really pump out the food.” Ligibel is glad to have found the right buyer at the right time. “This is kind of what I’m looking for, because they’re going to carry on a deli, in sort of the theme of the business as it was,” she said. Although she no longer owns the building, Ligibel is glad to see the neighborhood coming to life after years of dormancy. “To see all of this happening, it’s very exciting,” she said. “I never could have imagined that the Mud Hens would draw the crowds like they do. It is just awesome the way Toledo has come around to the Mud Hens and the Walleye. To see all of that happening, it makes me feel good.” Beczynski expects to begin interior demolition work within a few weeks and hopes to have the market open this summer. O

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12 Business Link

March 29, 2015

A Toledo tradition since 2005 ToledoFreePress.com

By Duane Ramsey

TOLEDO FREE PRESS SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER news@toledofreepress.com

Toledo-based Homeward Healthcare recently finished its second round of fundraising with a $750,000 investment from Arsenal Capital Management (ACM). St. Louis-based ACM joined CQuence Health Group as lead investors in Homeward Healthcare. Omaha, Nebraska-based CQuence invested $500,000 in Homeward Healthcare in the firm’s first round of funding in late 2013. “We are very pleased to partner with Homeward Healthcare,” said ACM Managing Director Pete Reinecke in a news release announcing the partnership. “Helping patients achieve a better outcome while lowering readmission risk and thereby health care costs is a primary objective of [Homeward Healthcare’s] Digital Discharge program. We believe Joe [Gough] and his team are on the right path to achieving that goal.” Homeward Healthcare is an IT company redesigning the discharge and care transition process for the benefit of patients, hospitals and payers. President and CEO Joe Gough is one of the company’s three co-founders. “[Medicare and Medicaid] view preventable 30-day hospital readmissions as one of the major challenges for hospitals in 2015,” Gough said in the

PHOTO COURTESY HOMEWARD HEALTHCARE

Local health care IT firm secures more funding

n JOE GOUGH of Homeward Healthcare, right, is pictured with greg stevens, a reseller for the company in south africa at the American Case Management Association in Columbus earlier this month.

release. “Our motto of ‘Better outcomes and lower costs’ is the direction we see innovation moving in health care.” Recent hospital studies indicate the Homeward Healthcare platform helped lower the baseline 30-day readmission rate by 32 percent for 200 cardiac patients in a pilot program and 19.3 percent overall, Gough said. “We’re trying to make life easier for nurses and care managers by saving 19 to 34 minutes per patient, or $250,000 of savings in hourly wages for the discharge process,” he said. The calculated savings are based on the annual number of discharges in a midlevel hospital, he said. “Homeward Health is optimizing

care transition episodes between hospitals and medical homes by going from paper to digital and automating the entire process,” said Brandon Cohen, general counsel for the company. Homeward has developed three programs to help hospitals accomplish those goals. The first program, Digital Discharge, is an interactive multimedia program providing discharge instructions, including patient assessment, to ensure patients are following care instructions. The second program is Risk Score, which gives the care transition team an overall risk of the patient being readmitted within 30 days, Gough said. Third, the CareTrans program pro-

vides the care transition staff a dashboard for patient messaging and navigation. A hospital can use any one of the programs or all three. Gough’s co-founders are Dr. James Weber and Dr. Michael Roebuck of the University of Michigan. Gough is listed as the lead inventor on the company’s pending patent application. Dr. Jacques Donzé serves as clinical director on the advisory board for Homeward Healthcare. He is currently clinical director at Bern Hospital in Switzerland, where he is on loan from Harvard University. Donzé co-created the HOSPITAL Score while working on a hospital readmission study at Harvard, which is the basis of Homeward’s risk indication platform and what Medicare has adopted for its risk stratification measure, Cohen said.

THE H UMAN FACTOR There are many factors that can determine a patient’s outcome: the quality of the hospital, availability of medicines and the latest, cutting-edge technology. But one factor matters more than any of them. THE HUMAN FACTOR.

Massage Green set to open in Toledo mid-April

Massage Green Spa will open its doors in Toledo next month. The spa franchise is scheduled to debut its first location in the area April 13 next to Rick’s City Diner on Monroe Street. David Schmier, owner of the Massage Green franchise in Toledo, teamed up with partner Jeffrey Belen to bring the new business to the area. The pair plan to open 25-30 spas in Northwest and Central Ohio, including three in the Toledo area. The second local location will be in Perrysburg with a third location to be announced, Schmier said. “We only considered one market for our first Massage Green — Toledo,” Schmier stated in a news release. “We love that it’s close to our homes and other businesses in Southeast Michigan and that it has a strong and growing economy. “It’s a growing economy down here, things are going really well,” Schmier told Toledo Free Press. “Toledo has the right psychographic. Not just demographic, but also psychographic for our demographic. There are people who care about health and the importance of getting massages.” The Monroe Street location will employ approximately 20 licensed massage therapists, receptionists and managers. Massage Green offers massages, including Swedish, deep tissue, sports, cranial-sacral and pre/postnatal. It

also offers European facials and an infrared sauna service. It was founded by Allie T. Mallad, owner of the world’s largest Little Caesars Pizza franchise, in 2008. Massage Green offers a one-hour, full-body introductory massage for $29.95. After that, clients are eligible for one of several wellness plans, Schmier said, adding that in the most popular plan, members are pre-charged for one massage a month at $39.95 with any additional massages also at that price. Up to four members of a household can share the plan and any unused massages roll over to the next month. In addition, members can cancel their plan at any time with no penalty or fee. There are currently 75 Massage Green Spas with 100 more scheduled to open by the end of 2016, and over 500 more in development throughout the country, Schmier said. It is also the exclusive therapy clinic of the Detroit Tigers, the Detroit Red Wings and University of Michigan football and basketball teams. “The research is absolutely clear: regular massage is a critical part of a health and wellness regimen,” Schmier said. “For many people, it’s right up there with regular exercise and a reasonable and balanced diet. And Jeff and I are happy that we can bring high-quality, therapeutic massage and infrared sauna to Toledo at incredibly affordable prices.” For more information, visit massagegreenspa.com. O — Ashley McMahon

Gough and Cohen met through their involvement in the University of Toledo’s Innovation Enterprises. Cohen is an associate lecturer teaching business law and entrepreneurship in the management department at UT’s College of Business and Innovation. Homeward Healthcare originally operated out of incubator facilities at UT but left in late 2013, just prior to its first fundraising round with CQuence Health Group. The firm’s sales and business operations are located in its Toledo, office, currently operating out of another local incubator facility. They plan to relocate to the Medical Technology Business Incubator under development by ProMedica Innovations at ProMedica’s Wildwood campus, Cohen said. For more information, go to www. homewardhc.com. O

Because all the technology in the world is no substitute for a doctor who takes the time to listen or a caring, knowledgeable nurse. Find out more at uthealth.utoledo.edu.

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March 29, 2015

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A Toledo tradition since 2005

By Fred Altvater

Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

When the Maumee River flooded two weeks ago it sent huge chunks of ice careening into Riverside Cemetery in Maumee, knocking over monuments and destroying trees, fences and almost anything else in its path. In all, nearly 90 percent of the 1,900 monuments in the cemetery were toppled over, moved off their foundation or otherwise damaged. The total damage caused by the huge sheets of ice that covered River Road from Side Cut Metropark to Stitt Road has been estimated at over $1 million. Two local monument companies, Artistic Memorials of Perrysburg and Maumee Valley Memorials of Waterville, are volunteering their equipment, manpower and time to reset the monuments and restore the cemetery to its original condition. On March 23, both companies sent crane trucks and crews to the cemetery to reset head-

stones and identify those in need of repair. Some stones had been moved as much as 25 feet from their original locations, while a small percentage remain untouched, said Jeff Pettit, owner of Artistic Memorials. “This work will take several days and may even span months to complete,” Pettit said. “[On March 23], the two crews were only able to upright approximately 100 of the nearly 1,700 monuments dislodged. “The work is also hampered with nearly 50 percent of the cemetery still covered in 3-4 inches of ice,” he said. Alan Taraschke, supervisor of operations for the City of Maumee, expressed his gratitude for the help from Artistic Memorials and Maumee Valley Memorials. “The time and effort they have donated to the city of Maumee thus far has been invaluable,” Taraschke said. “The city normally only uprights 10 to 15 stones annually. A job of this magnitude requires the expertise of these two companies. I cannot express how much their help means to the city.” O

TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY FRED ALTVATER

Local monument companies donate time to repair cemetery

n Workers with ARtistic Memorials of perrysburg help reset monuments march 23 at riverside cemetery, which was damaged by ice from the maumee river.

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THE RETIREMENT GUYS

Is your income in retirement protected adequately?

e’ve been discussing in recent columns the importance of creating a written retirement income plan. Identify what is important in life and use the right investment tools to accomplish those goals by producing as much cash flow as possible. Stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, bank products and alternatives such as real estate and precious metals are all various tools that investors use to accomplish their goals. Remember, there can be no retirement without income, so increasing predictable income is the goal of creating a written plan. The next step is to identify and eliminate risks that could blow up that plan. O Will another major crash in the market destroy your financial future? For some investors, this is one of their primary fears when it comes to their current plan. In our experience, that is an extremely valid concern. In the past 15 years, as countless current retirees and baby boomers were working in their peak earning years to save for retirement, they saw two major stock market downturns that destroyed their confidence in the financial markets. O Is a buy-and-hold strategy the right approach for retirees? The traditional investment approach is to buy and hold on to investments, because over time the stock and bond markets should go up

in value. Often, that investment ap- a retiree, the daily noise of the stock proach works out great. Yet, as people market becomes less important. Still, a lot of investors would want draw close to retirement or retire, does that same approach always make the to avoid seeing a major decline in their account values most sense? In several due to a dramatic cases, we would say no. drop in stock O Are you counting prices. That is the on stock market growth goal behind using to fund your retirement? circuit breaker In the past 117 technology. years, there were four In our homes, periods of time that we all have circuit the Dow Jones went breakers. Next to years with flat to negathe sink, a GFCI tive cumulative reswitch is deturns. The shortest of Mark CLAIR signed to protect these periods was 11 Nolan BAKER someone who is years in the January 2000 to December 2010 stock market washing their hands. If too many apand the longest was 25 years from pliances are plugged in and it becomes September 1929 through November unsafe, a breaker should trip, shut1954. Thus, if the retirement plan is ting off power to that area. Or heaven based upon the growth of the stock forbid there is a major problem, the market, can the average retiree afford main switch can shut off power to the to risk the lottery of the returns of the whole house. A circuit breaker can also be used stock market? O Use circuit breakers to try and when it comes to investing in stocks and bonds. It is designed to be a safety avoid major losses. We are not saying baby boomers net with the goal of protecting invesand retirees should not own stocks. In tors. When risks grow too high, the fact, stocks can be a great investment breaker trips and moves the account and we like dividend-paying stocks. to an area that could have lower risk, Once an income plan is created and like cash. Occasionally, people think enough predictable income is gener- of this as trying to time the stock ated from Social Security, pensions, market. That is not the focus of our annuities, dividends and interest to recommendation. The goal is first and cover the monthly cash flow needs of foremost to limit against significant

losses and protect profits based upon an individual’s risk tolerance. O When should investors add circuit breakers? The best answer would be right before a stock market crash occurs. The problem is, no one controls the stock market and predictions by even the smartest economists are often wrong. Oil embargoes, wars, assassinations of a president, terrorist attacks, the gold rush, even back to the Black Death — unexpected events should be considered the norm when it comes to investing. Just when everything seems fine, unexpected events will shake the foundation of the economy and the markets. Focus back on your own individual plan. Is your retirement income plan generating enough predictable in-

come? At what point do you want to protect your accounts against a decline in value? Using history as a guideline, as today’s markets reach record highs, now is the time to consider adding in more protection with circuit breakers. O For more information about The Retirement Guys, tune in every Saturday at 1 PM on 1370 WSPD or visit www. retirementguysnetwork.com. Securities and Investment Advisory Services are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA / SIPC. NEXT Financial Group, Inc. does not provide tax or legal advice. The Retirement Guys are not an affiliate of NEXT Financial Group. The office is at 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537. (419) 842-0550

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Hope

Skate for

March 29, 2015

Northwest Ohio native Alissa Czisny leads lineup at BGSU Ice Arena fundraiser May 2. By Tom Konecny Toledo Free Press associate editor tkonecny@toledofreepress.com

Bowling Green native and two-time U.S. national champion Alissa Czisny will be among the performers at the Skate for Hope fundraiser May 2 at the BGSU Ice Arena. Toledo Free Press STAR PHOTO BY Christie Materni

riginally created to help children cope with a friend or family member’s cancer diagnosis, Skate for Hope has a history of drawing some of the biggest names in skating. The event will glide into the Bowling Green State University Ice Arena on May 2. Alissa Czisny, 27 — two-time U.S. national champion and Bowling Green native — will appear in the show, returning for her first public performance in Northwest Ohio since 2005. “It’s a pretty high-profile event,” said Czisny, who now lives in Auburn Hills, Michigan, and trains at the Detroit Skating Club. “It means a lot to contribute to this cause.” Admittedly not at 100 percent following a 2013 hip injury, Czisny retired from competition last summer and soon began performing in skating shows across America and around the world, including China and Brazil. However, she hasn’t completely ruled out another Olympic run for 2018, when the games will take place in South Korea. Czisny is one of several notable skaters who will appear at the single-performance show. Others include Emily Hughes, 2006 Olympian; Jeremy Abbott, four-time U.S. national champion and 2014 Olympian; Alexe Gilles, Elsa from Disney on Ice’s “Frozen”; Dan Hollander, world professional champion; and Alexa Scimeca and Chris Knierim, U.S. national pairs champions. Skate for Hope was founded by Ohio native and lifelong skater Carolyn Bongirno, who battled and overcame a stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 33. “Children are terrified at carrying the

emotional strain of a cancer diagnosis, and dealing with the fear and unknown,” Bongirno said. “I never imagined in a million years raising $543,000 in 11 years.” During its history, Skate for Hope has attracted major skating headliners such as Bowling Green native Scott Hamilton, Sarah Hughes, Johnny Weir, Tatiana Totmianina, Max Marinin, Rachael Flatt and Ashley Wagner — all of whom donated their time and talent, Bongirno said. “When your intention is to do for others, others do for you,” Bongirno said. The show will also feature 95 amateur skaters from Northwest Ohio who earned spots in the event through local fundraising. Cora Egbert, 9, of Gibsonburg, is a member of the Bowling Green Skating Club, and has raised more than $1,800 since November by walking door to door and asking local businesses and residents to contribute to the cause. During the show, she’ll also enjoy a special moment when a family friend will be publicly honored with an event medal. Although her parents now live in California, coming back to Bowling Green is special for Czisny, who said she “more or less grew up in the [BGSU] Ice Arena,” along with her fraternal twin, Amber. “For a club this small, in a town this small, I think it’s pretty telling to what this rink can hold,” said Czisny, who is known for her elegant and graceful skating style. Tickets are $11 and $19, and are available online and at all Ticketmaster locations, as well as the Stroh Center box office at BGSU and at the door. Proceeds from Skate for Hope go toward multiple cancer research and support service organizations, including the Scott Hamilton CARES Initiative. For more information, visit www. skateforhope.org. O

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March 29, 2015

Another day, another Nintendo-playing toaster By Jeff McGinnis Toledo Free Press Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

The CNET article was titled “Nintoaster stuffs a Nintendo console into a retro toaster.” The story was celebrating — virtually gushing — over the creation of a unique hybrid that allows classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) games to be played by inserting them into the slot of a toaster. The author treated this chrome-and-orange invention as the greatest thing since, well, sliced bread. As delightful a piece as this particular Nintoaster is, it isn’t a brand-new idea. Not that the Nintoaster’s original creator minds that other people have begun putting their own stamp on his concept, though. Far from it. In fact, when modder and games enthusiast Richard DaLuz first made one — over six years ago — that was exactly what he wanted people to do. He even made an incredibly entertaining YouTube video offering viewers instruction on how to build their very own. “My first impression was, I see this Nintoaster and I was like, ‘Wow! This is good! Good on ’em. This guy built a really nice looking Nintoaster,’” DaLuz said of the CNET article, in an interview with Toledo Free Press. “This is exactly what I hoped would happen when I released the instructional video — kinda like, boom, this is how you make it. And they turn around and make their own, put their own spin on it and make a better version of it. So I’m not mad at the guy that built it — absolutely not. Quite the opposite. “The way that the article was handled, though, I think was a little — I felt like there was a lot of praise being heaped on this one guy. ... I don’t know how much research they did, but it doesn’t sound like a whole lot. They kinda glossed over the fact that this is in no way a new thing at this point.” Indeed, the CNET article does give DaLuz a bit of credit for originating the idea — in the last paragraph, by linking to his page (stupidfingers. com) but never actually mentioning him by name. Saying that the model they’re discussing is “arguably the best looking,” the writer even wonders aloud when someone will make a Nintoaster that still makes toast — ignoring (or ignorant of) the fact that one modder, following DaLuz’s lead, has already done so. For DaLuz though, it’s not about credit or monetary gain. He doesn’t

make Nintoasters to order or anything; it’s really about the joy of creating. He first began tinkering with old consoles around the turn of the century, inspired by a desire to revisit the beloved games of his youth. “I guess I wanted to relive some of my childhood,” he said. “I remembered the Nintendo that broke a decade previous, and I wanted to get one back again and start a collection. This is still around the time where you could walk into a GameStop and they’ve got the huge bin full of cartridges,” DaLuz said. “I bought a system from them ...it kind of worked as good as you remember them working back in the day. And I thought I would be kind of clever and go buy a replacement connector on eBay. Which I installed, and it worked great for about a week, and it started acting up again. “And it sort of clicked, like, ‘OK, here’s the problem. This is clearly the problem, is this connector. Why?’ So I started thinking of ways this could be redesigned.” Next thing he knew, DaLuz was not just tinkering with classic consoles but improving upon them and creating new ways to experience them, like a gaming version of Dr. Frankenstein. He modified an original NES into a handheld model he called the “Fatboy.” He created the ultimate all-in-one system — the “Super Genintari” — which played Atari 2600, NES, Super

Richard DaLuz is the originator of the Nintoaster, a unique hybrid that allows classic Nintendo games to be played by inserting them into a toaster. PHOTO COURTESY RICHARD DALUZ

Nintendo and Sega Genesis games. But his most popular creation came about, perhaps fittingly, in the midst of a drunken rant. “I was working on the Fatboy, the portable, was just about done with that. And with all the learning that I had to go through to rework all that crap, by the time I was finished with it, I was joking with friends, like, ‘Man, at this point, I could build anything. ... I could build an

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NES into anything. I could build it into a shoe; I could build it into a toaster.’ “And then, I kind of stopped and said, ‘Wait a minute. That’s actually doable. The toaster chassis is actually big enough that you could fit the full-size board in there. And then, there are those slots, it’s already there.’ If you were going to build it into something, that would be the kitchen appliance to do it with.” Although it started as a joke,

DaLuz said he’s thrilled that the Nintoaster continues to make people smile — and inspire them to try their hand at making one themselves. “I’m so glad that people have taken off with it on their own. It’s perfect. Just take this idea — like, I don’t own it, I don’t have any copyrights on it. Just take it and build one! They’re going to learn so much in the process. Take my idea, improve upon it, make it yours.” O

March 29, 2015

ToledoFreePress.com

A Toledo tradition since 2005

FOX’s hip-hop ‘Empire’ strikes back

nless you’ve been under a “Power,” which airs on Starz network. rock, you have likely heard Two different shows that share hipabout America’s latest tele- hop as their foundation. The fact is that with the excepvision obsession, FOX’s tion of a few major “Empire.” It’s a show about urban record labels, a family-owned record a number of blacklabel that started with owned recording “emdrug money. Sounds stepires” started with drug reotypical, right? It is that money, from Master storyline along with the P’s No Limit Records, heavily African-American Slim and Birdman’s cast that has some people Cash Money Regiving it accolades and cords to Jay Z’s Rocothers giving it grief. Martini A-Fella Records. It is The main characters are ON THE common knowledge played by Oscar nominees in black communities Taraji P. Henson as ex-drug that owning our own dealer/ex-con/star maker labels has been the only Cookie Lyon and Terway to be properly reprence Howard as her exhusband/music mogul Lucious Lyon. resented in the music industry. Beyond the drugs and violence The reunion of this epic duo from the 2005 movie “Hustle & Flow” in “Empire,” there is also a gay main makes this Wednesday night soap character. Controversy sells, and if opera as dramatically entertaining as the 14 million viewers and rising “Dallas” and “Dynasty” were in the don’t convince you to binge watch 1980s. “Empire” adds the musical el- on demand or tune in for season two, ement that has proven successful for the much-talked-about first-season ABC’s nighttime drama “Nashville.” finale and all-star cast should. Let’s face it: Urban programming The talent of the main cast is showcased weekly along with guest stars is winning with shows like ABC’s hilike Courtney Love, Mary J. Blige larious “Fresh Off The Boat,’” featuring and Estelle. Timbaland produces the an Asian-American family, and “The Mindy Project,” which has one of the music and FOX owns it all. It truly is art imitating life. In the most culturally diverse casts on primebeginning, “Empire” was plagued time television. It has been a long time by comparisons to 50 Cent’s show coming, but there is finally enough

ROX

urban programming on TV to love to hate and hate to love. No longer are primarily AfricanAmerican casts relegated to AfricanAmerican networks or syndicated reruns from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. “Scandal,” “How to Get Away With Murder” and “Black-ish” are posting record numbers for ABC. Choosing to watch positive or negative images on television is up to each viewer and I find it a bit self-righteous to tell people what to watch in their homes. Social media commentary on the trend seems split between discussion of the aforementioned programming and “show shaming” from those who are against “Empire” and reality TV content or feel left out of the conversations. African-Americans are not the first group to disagree with their media representation. Asian- and Italian-Americans have felt the exaggeration and exploitation of their heritage for decades. I am happy we have more cultures and nationalities on America’s major networks. We should always demand better programming, but I would be remiss if I did not admit that I enjoy being a part of a range of cultural representation. Like it or not, this is America and everyone has their moment. It comes in waves and this happens to be a diverse wave, so let’s ride it out. As we continue on ... O

Support Your LocaL reStaurantS

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Zombie analysis Why are we so obsessed with the undead?

ello, everybody! How are you shuffle and getting distracted by shiny all doing? Holding up OK? things — not exactly characteristics of Cool. It’s been a most atypical an apex predator. Unless you’re remarkably slow or few days, I admit, what with remarkably stupid, zombies the sudden outbreak of aren’t much of a bother at all. the zombie apocalypse Sure, if you’re stationary long and all. I trust if you’re enough — getting gas, in line reading this you still have at the movies, voting — one ready access to the Internet, might become a nuisance. But or have managed to fight all you have to do is walk away your way to a corner store at even a slightly brisk pace to pick up a copy of Toledo JEFF mCGINNIS and you’re fine. After all the Free Press. If it’s the latter, hype, your average zombie we thank you for your attack is only slightly more loyal patronage and hope GOES THE annoying than an encounter our product is worth every CULTURE with a Jehovah’s Witness. second of your bloodThis won’t even last that soaked commute. long. What corpses do best is I realize the temptation is to get all panicky and doom-and- rot. The most lasting impact of all this gloom in a situation like this. We’ve been will be the bill for cleanup. So what about those stories do we made to believe that the coming of zombies would signify the end of the world find so engaging? I guess because in — bodies walking the streets, loved ones reality, the apocalypse — the real one, returning as rotting corpses, the stench whenever it comes — won’t be nearly as thrilling. The end of civilization probably of death in the air. But the reality is really not that hor- won’t be something we can dramatically rific, right? Sure, the first time you sink take a stand against. It’ll be a bug that an ax into the head of what used to be wipes us out. Or an asteroid. Or climate your neighbor, it’s a little unsettling. But change will finally become a problem after three or four times, it just kind of too big to ignore. Sure, we could have becomes another thing that you do, done something years ago about that right? You wake up, brush your teeth, one, but what fun would that have been? grab the paper and decapitate Steve from You can’t solve global warming with a up the block, who’s now a monster lazily machine gun, can you? So we indulged in the easy fantasy, gnawing on your mailbox. Those depictions of fast-running the one we could imagine ourselves surpacks of flesh-eating ghouls ready to viving and thriving in. But now that the tear us limb from limb just seem silly zombies have come and gone, will we now, don’t they? We are talking about grow up enough to tackle the real probwalking, rotting corpses. Their tendons lems head-on? Eh, probably not. Come on. I’ll meet would probably snap like dry twigs the second they broke into a light trot. So you all on the roof for target practice. they’re stuck doing that slow, wobbly Best headshot wins a soda. O

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

March 27April 4, 2015

What’s what, where and when in NW Ohio

Compiled by Matt Liasse Events are subject to change.

MUSIC

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. ✯ The Zack Attack: 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 27. ✯ The Fabulous Johnson Brothers: 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. March 28. ✯ Open Mic Night: 8-11 p.m. March 29. ✯ Bloody Mary Bar: March 29.

The Blarney Irish Pub

601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or www. theblarneyirishpub.com. ✯ Toast & Jam: March 27. ✯ Distant Cousinz: March 28.

Bronze Boar

20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www. bronzeboar.com. ✯ Open mic with Steve Finelli and Oliver Roses: Mondays. ✯ Karaoke with Greg: Tuesdays. ✯ Open mic and Steve Kennedy: Thursdays. ✯ Decent Folk: March 27. ✯ Last Born Sons: March 28.

Dégagé Jazz Café

301 River Road, Maumee. (419) 794-8205 or www.degagejazzcafe.com. ✯ Gene Parker: Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Doc Watson’s

1515 S. Byrne Road. (419) 389-6003 or docwatsonstoledo.com. ✯ Sporcle Live Trivia: Thursdays. ✯ Picking Kelley: 10 p.m. March 27. ✯ Ben Barefoot & Frank May: 10 p.m. March 28.

Dorr St. Café

Corner of Dorr Street at Reynolds Road. (419) 531-4446 or www.dorrstreetcafe.com.

✯ Andrew Ellis: March 27.

Durty Bird

2 S. St. Clair St. (419) 243-2473 or www. yeoldedurtybird.com. ✯ Earregulars: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. March 27. ✯ Laura Rain & The Caesars: 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. March 28. ✯ K.O.T.O.: 1-4 p.m. March 29. ✯ The New Mondays: 7-10 p.m. March 30. ✯ Groove Plexus: 7-10 p.m. March 31. ✯ Kyle White: 8-11 p.m. April 1. ✯ KMB3: 8-11 p.m. April 2.

Evolution

519 S. Reynolds Road. (419) 725-6277 or clubevolutiontol.com. ✯ Jazzy Monday with The H-Factor Jazz Show: 6 p.m. to midnight: Mondays.

Forrester’s On The River

26 Main Street. (419) 691-2626 or www. forrestersontheriver.com. ✯ Wine Down Wednesday with The H-Factor Jazz Show: 6-10 p.m. Wednesdays.

Frankie’s Inner-City

308 Main St. (419) 693-5300 or www. FrankiesInnerCity.com. ✯ After The Burial and Invent, Animate: 7 p.m. March 27. ✯ Broken Glass Two-Year Anniversary featuring DJ Havok and DJ Pockets with special guest Justin Carver: 10 p.m. March 27. ✯ Ekoostik Hookah: 8 p.m. March 28. ✯ April Fools Cover Show with The Disaster, Tell All Your Friends, Not Fast Enough and Illumira: 9 p.m. April 1. ✯ Such Gold, Koji, Brigades and Tommy Boys: 7 p.m. April 2. French Quarter J. Patrick’s Pub

Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg. (419) 874-3111 or www. hifq.com. ✯ The Bradberries: March 27-28.

Hollywood Casino Toledo

The Hollywood Casino offers musical distractions from all the lights, noise and jackpots.

Come to The Blarney ... Go From There!

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601 Monroe St. Right Across from Fifth Third Field

hAPPY hOUR Mon-Fri 4-7 pm WEDNESDAYS ½ OFF BOttlE WiNE Night

777 Hollywood Blvd. (419) 661-5200 or www. hollywoodcasinotoledo.com. ✯ Persuasion Band: 9 p.m. March 21. ✯ Marshall Tucker Band: 9:30 p.m. March 28.

Iggy’s

128 Main St.. ✯ DoubleSpeak and Took Too Much: 9 p.m. March 27. ✯ Ego & The Maniacs, The Waltz, Canceled Out, Texas Pete and the Revolutions: 8 p.m. March 28. ✯ Donovan Black’s Wrestlemania Underground: 6 p.m. March 29.

Jazz on the Maumee

The Art Tatum Jazz Society will provide smooth, cool “Twilight Jazz” along the river, appetizers included. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Grand Plaza Hotel’s Aqua Lounge, 444 N. Summit St. $5-$15. (419) 241-1411 or www.arttatumsociety.com.

Name That Tune

✯ The Oarhouse, 5044 Suder Ave.: 6-8:30 p.m. Fridays. ✯ The Oarhouse, 5044 Suder Ave.: 8-10 p.m. Mondays. ✯ Ralphie’s Sports Eatery, 6609 Airport Hwy.: 8-10 p.m. Tuesdays. ✯ Jed’s Barbeque and Brew, 855 S. HollandSylvania Road: 6-8 p.m. Wednesdays. ✯ Pat & Dandy’s Sports Bar & Grill, 3344 W. Laskey Road: 9-11 p.m. Wednesdays. ✯ Ralphie’s Sports Eatery, 5702 Monroe St.: 7-9 p.m. Thursdays.

One2 Lounge at Treo

5703 Main St., Sylvania. (419) 882-2266 or treosylvania.com. ✯ Tim Ohelers & Steve Knuerik: March 27. ✯ The New Fashioned: March 28.

The Ottawa Tavern

Casual meals and bingo and trivia nights with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. ✯ Jonathan Hape and Schmotel: April 2.

Paddy Jack’s

6725 W. Central Ave. (419) 725-9048.

✯ Kofi Baker’s Cream Experience and Chris Shutters Band: 8 p.m. to midnight March 28.

SWINGMANIA

With its focus on swing music, Jeff McDonald’s group of musicians provides a peek into another era. With combos from trio to full orchestra, the group provides music for all occasions. (419) 708-0265, (419) 874-0290 or www.swingmania.org. ✯ Trotters Tavern, 5131 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 381-2079: 8 p.m. Tuesdays.

The Village Idiot

309 Conant St., Maumee. (419) 893-7281 or www.villageidiotmaumee.com. ✯ The House Band: Fridays. ✯ Dooley Wilson, Bob Rex and friends: Sundays. ✯ Frankie May and Associates: Mondays. ✯ John Barile & Bobby May: Tuesdays. ✯ Andrew Ellis: Wednesdays. ✯ Dragon Wagon: March 27. ✯ Kentucky Chrome: March 28.

Ye Olde Cock n’ Bull

9 N. Huron St. (419) 244-2855 or facebook. com/cocknbulltoledo. ✯ Danny Mettler hosts Open Mic Night: Wednesdays. ✯ Tore Down Blues Jam Band: Sundays. ✯ Bobby May and John Barile followed by Last Call Heroes: March 27. ✯ Beg To Differ: March 28. ✯ Tore Down Blues Jam Band: March 29. ✯ Steve Kennedy: March 31. ✯ Danny Mettler: April 1. ✯ Captain Sweet Shoes: April 2.

EVENTS Collingwood Arts Center

2413 Collingwood Blvd. (419) 244-2787. ✯ The T-Town Tassels present “Burlesque Through The Decades”: 8 p.m. March 28. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, visit brownpapertickets. com/event/1265664 or call 1-800-838-3006.

Thursday, April 2nd Rick Whited Friday, April 3rd Last Call Heros Saturday, April 4th Kentucky Chrome

Eastwood Theater

The historic landmark is screening movies for $5. 817 East Broadway St. Call (419) 720-5199 or visit eastwoodtheater.com. ✯ “Strange Magic”: 6 p.m. March 27, 7:15 p.m. March 28 and 5:45 p.m. March 29. ✯ “Taken 3”: 8 p.m. March 27, 9:15 p.m. March 28 and 3 p.m. March 29. ✯ Free Family Flicks: “Star Wars”: 1 p.m. March 28.

Poetry Speaks

The Poetry Speaks Open Mic Nights, hosted the first and last Thursday of April and May from 6-8 p.m., are for performers interested in sharing poems. Anyone can call and reserve a five-minute time slot. For more information, contact (419) 259-5218 or email poetry@ toledolibrary.org. Huntington Meeting Room, Toledo-Lucas County Main Library. 325 N. Michigan St.

Stranahan Theater

4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo. ✯ The Gaither Vocal Band: 7 p.m. March 27. ✯ Great Chili Cook-Off: 11 a.m. March 28. ✯ United States Army Field Band & Soldiers’ Chorus Concert: 7 p.m. March 30.

Toledo Walleye

Huntington Center. 500 Jefferson Ave. Call (419) 321-5007, (800) 745-3000 or visit www. huntingtoncentertoledo.com. ✯ Walleye versus South Carolina Stingrays: 7:15 p.m. March 27. ✯ Walleye versus Evansville Icemen: 7:15 p.m. March 28.

The Toledo Zoo

2700 Broadway St. $14-17. (419) 385-4040 or toledozoo.org. ✯ Free-flight Butterfly Exhibit: Free with zoo admission. Open daily. ✯ Toledo Zoo Aquarium Grand Opening Celebration: March 27-29. ✯ Wine Tasting: March 28. If you would like your event in The Pulse, contact Matt Liasse at mliasse@toledofreepress.com.

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March 29, 2015

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