Toledo Free Press – Dec. 25, 2011

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Merry Christmas Ruminations on the season from Michael S. Miller, Eric McGlade, Don Lee, Shannon Szyperski, Jeremy Baumhower and Joni Meyer-Crothers.

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DECEMBER 25, 2011

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OPINION

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus I DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.

Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.

Papa says, ‘If you see it in THE SUN it’s so.’

Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?

— VIRGINIA O’HANLON, 115 W. Ninety-Fifth St. irginia, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men’s or children’s, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary if there were no Virginias. There would be Francis P. CHURCH noaschildlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!

You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that’s no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.

You may tear apart the baby’s rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond.

Is it all real?

Ah, Virginia, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.

No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood. ✯ — FRANCIS PHARCELLUS CHURCH, The New York Sun, Sept. 21, 1897

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LIGHTING THE FUSE

CHRISTMAS 2011

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Traditions and leftovers

love the holidays. The music, lights, gatherings and spiri- desperate situation for my brother and me; that was my tuality punctuate the year with an exclamation mark of childhood lesson in Christmas spirit and faith.

It’s that intangible gift of Christmas I want my sons to fellowship and sentiment.

Working on this season’s Make-A-Wish benefit CD know, but I am aware of my psychological issues with it, so I’m striving to share without smothering. meant being exposed to Christmas music This year, Toledo Free Press asked the since August. Rather than wear thin, the excommunity to nominate a family in need to tended season made the relatively short four win an “Extreme Couponing” grocery trip weeks of “normal” celebrating seem like part with Joni Meyer-Crothers. Also included of a more casual and relaxed time frame. were January utilities donated by Columbia Sharing the traditions and fun with our Gas of Ohio and FirstEnergy and nearly $500 sons Evan, who is now 5 and a half years old, in gift cards for the holiday. I read nearly 100 and Sean, who is 3 and a half, has rejuveemails and messages about families with nated the Christmas spirit in our home. hardships resulting from sickness, death, acFor the sixth year, during Thanksgiving cidents and just bad luck in a hard economy. break, we took the boys to see Santa Claus at the Aventura Mall, just north of Miami, with Michael S. MILLER I wanted to put my arms around every one of them, to find ways to raise more money to their uncles Mark and Jack. Miami might not conjure winter atmosphere, but Aventura decks the help them, to find donations to ease some of their pain. It mall like it’s responding to a personal challenge, and the air could drive one crazy trying to absorb all the suffering and conditioning adds just a touch of chill. Evan and Sean sat on difficulty just in Toledo and Lucas County.

Which, I realize, is the reason God sent his son to do the Santa’s lap and marveled at the ginormous Christmas tree, which reached through all three stories of the mall. When absorbing for mere men like me and you.

My favorite Christmas story with Evan is about a Evan was 3, he had this exchange with Santa: group viewing of “Frosty the Snowman,” one of the gen“What would you like for Christmas?” Santa asked.

Evan pointed to the tree, which was guarded by teddy tler Christmas specials. The bad guy is just a bumbling, incompetent magician, not a snow monster or green, bears and soldiers and other holiday sprites.

“A tree?” Santa asked, making eye contact with Evan’s grinchy monster.

Evan loved the song and followed the simple story mommy Shannon before he nodded. “Anything else?”

“With lights!” Evan said, as his eyes darted between the well, bouncing and marching when Frosty and his friends did. When Frosty melts in the greenhouse, Evan tree and Santa.

“With lights,” agreed Santa, and that was all Evan talked was very quiet and watched intently. When (SPOILER ALERT!) Santa brings Frosty back to life with Christmas about for a week.

I expect that simplicity and purity will change as the snow as a reward for a child’s faith, Evan returned to boys grow, but so far, they seem to appreciate the atmo- bouncing and being happy.

“Santa woke him up!” Evan said. sphere of the season as much as they do the presents. This The next day, I sat with Evan at the manger and tried to year, Evan would like just about anything tied to “Angry Birds,” and Sean is hoping Santa will bring him fire trucks introduce the baby Jesus. I explained as simply as I could how Christ was born, about Mary, Joseph, the Three Wise and a toy fire station.

The boys are learning the traditions — hearing the Men and the angels.

I did not want him to treat the Nativity figurines like Make-A-Wish CD in the car for three months means they are able to sing all the words to songs about Santa, Rudolph his “Sesame Street” toys, but having the visual aids helped. and Frosty. It pleases me that the versions of these songs Evan absorbed the story as respectfully as a child less than they love and know are recordings by local people. Evan 3 years old can.

On a roll, I added that Jesus later died for us, but he and Sean have met Kerry Patrick Clark, Sheri LaFontaine, Jeff Stewart and other artists on the CD; that gives them an came back to life as a promise of our faith.

“Santa woke him up!” Evan said. organic connection to the music.

I have a way to go with teaching Christmas traditions.

While I love it, Christmas is a complicated holiday for me. My maternal uncle committed suicide on Dec. 25 (well But I pray my wife and I will have decades of seasons to before I was born), so the holiday season depressed my share with my sons, to help them navigate the competing mother and exacerbated her sometimes punishing moods. commercial and spiritual sides of the holiday I love. ✯ Christmas was never a big gift-exchange day for us, but there was always a tree and always music. Such trappings, Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press humbly wrapped around the spiritual story of the Nativity, and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him via email at temporarily eased horrific memories for my mom and a mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

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THE COMMUNITARIAN SOUL

OPINION

DECEMBER 25, 2011

DON LEE

Learning to trust the wonder

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The second is more troubling. ost religions begin with a story. That story infects the How quickly those of us who wear imagination of the prac- the mantle of “religious” allow the titioner with a sense of wonder and healing and reconciling power of hope. Encounters with the holy, albeit these stories to drift away. We replace fleeting, break through into the soul that power with the harder edge of and the celebrant senses a belonging doctrine, law and belief. We are quick to make judgments, draw our lines, to something greater than the self.

That something has different define who is in and who is out, who names. For some it is God. For is saved and who isn’t, who is going others it might be Allah or Yahweh to heaven and who will roast forever.

This temptation to or Jesus Christ or Vishnu moral certainty has led or Buddha or the to diverse acts of charGreat Spirit or Mother acter assassination, Mary or Sophia, or prejudice, violence the Ground of Being and wars throughout or whatever. Regardhuman history. It is no less, the story becomes wonder that so many important because it is today will confess to the Rosetta stone of a being “spiritual” but particular religious not “religious.” community’s faith.

Religion is not raWithout the story, Eric MCGLADE tional. The problem there is no wonder.

Without the wonder, there is no is, many of us in the religious comencounter. Without the encounter, munity want religion to be rational. there is no sense of belonging to This leads us to define, objectify and something greater than the self ... literalize the stories of faith. Once this has happened, the story loses and so it goes.

For the most part, these stories its natural power to inspire wonder, from varied faith communities are instill hope and bring healing. It healing, life-enriching and liberating. becomes a hammer or, as the late At their core is a simple affirmation: Leonard Bernstein suggested in There is something transcendent out the sermon portion of his “MASS”: there beyond the self (or deep within “God gave us the cross. We turned the self) that is generous, gracious and it into a sword.” All that is left is the desires for us a holistic, peaceable and brute force of decree. It is no wonder just life. So candles are lit, songs are that one afternoon I found myself sung, rites and rituals are rehearsed pinned to a storefront window by an annually at the appointed time. These overbearing street preacher shouting things are done so that we practitio- at me that I was headed to a rather ners of our various faith disciplines hot and uncomfortable destiny if I might remember and allow the holy did not accept his particular blend of to rekindle that sense of wonder that the faith tradition I practice.

Religion at its healthiest is mythis often worn away by the brutalities ical. It is driven by a story and if we and vulgarities of life.

Two things never cease to amaze are willing to trust the story and get me. The first is that these ancient lost in it, a sense of wonder emerges. rites and celebrations still have a lot The interesting thing about wonder of punch to them. This is one of the is that it never requires of us the need grand mysteries of the practice of the to be “right” about something. It religious life. Every year my parishion never requires of us the need to con-ers and I work to get that pregnant trol or define or even divide. It only mother to Bethlehem so that this requires of us our imagination and a child of hers (and ours) can get born willingness to simply “be” in the moand then gently laid in a manger. And ment, a moment when we encounter every year, no matter how crazy the the holiest of all mysteries: that we marketplace is behaving and how are loved — all of us — and because overscheduled our calendars are, the of that, we all belong to each other. ✯ silence of that night breaks through and the tired and beleaguered spirit The Reverend Eric McGlade is pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church rediscovers the bread of heaven. in Bowling Green.

I like that very much.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

BOE needs direction TO THE EDITOR, Upon reading that Ben Roberts resigned as director of the Lucas County Board of Elections, I emailed a friend who is very involved in Lucas County politics, who basically suggested that the board of elections is pretty much destined to fail as it is currently organized and managed. I apologized for my naiveté, but then went ahead and offered my suggestions as to how the board could be organized in such a manner that it could work. This is what I suggested: The board of elections (Jon Stainbrook, Ron Rothenbuhler, et al.) should understand that as a board, they are responsible for determining policy and that the director is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the organization within the guidelines set by the board. The board should allow the director the absolute freedom to do what he or she is paid to do — including hiring and firing and making assignments within the organization.

The board should only consider candidates for the director’s job who have a strong and proven record of managing an operation and supervising people. The ideal candidate would be someone who isn’t looking for a career, but someone who would be willing to come into that office for a period of 2 to 3 years, take charge of the day-to-

day operations, be a fair and impartial manager of the staff — without regard to political affiliation — and be willing to stand toe to toe with the Republican and Democratic members of the policy board. A retired executive/manager would be an ideal candidate.

At the end of that 2-or-3-year period, the director should be able to leave a professional, efficient and competent staff and organization for a new director to manage. The director should take special pains to see that the assistant director is trained and ready to fulfill the responsibilities of the director in his or her absence. The director should not be hired as a reward for having been a good foot soldier in either political party and, in fact, being a highly visible and recognized party advocate would be a reason to not hire someone as the director. The director should also have the testicular fortitude to stand up to The Blade and work with them (as well as all the media), but make it clear that the board of elections is working for the good of the people of Lucas County and not to provide headline material.

As I initially stated, my naiveté is showing, but I think the staff of the board would welcome some apolitical direction and would love to move away from being associated with what has been labeled as the most dysfunctional board of elections in Ohio. ✯ DON DECKER, Toledo

Thanks for coverage of ‘Closing Broadcast’ I want to congratulate and thank Toledo Free Press for the outstanding coverage you gave to Matt Cooper and his production of “The Closing Broadcast.” (Dec. 18) The premiere was extremely well attended and extremely well received. I am sure that your front-page coverage of it was a huge help.

As a filmmaker who has half a dozen films running on SyFy, Starz, and PPV, and another half-dozen which are on Netflix, Amazon, etc., I can say that what Matt Cooper has done is really a step up in the movie industry. Toledo should be proud of him. By the way, one of our films — “Beautiful Boy” — is being touted as an Oscar contender for the role played by Maria Bello.

At any rate, thanks for supporting a young man who is pushing the envelope about what can be successfully done in Toledo.

Hollywood is no longer in California; Hollywood is wherever movies are made. ✯ RICHARD B. IOTT, President Braeburn Entertainment, Ltd. Letters to the editor should be submitted to letters@toledofreepress.com or mailed to Toledo Free Press, 605 Monroe St., Toledo, OH 43604

OPINION

DECEMBER 25, 2011

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MEDIA WATCH

Brown is the new black and that’s all white with me

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Later, when I was reflecting on Joeli’s description of Kwanzaa as a “brown people’s Christmas,” I found hope for our future. Not because she was trying to figure out a way to recently.

“Dad, can we celebrate Kwanzaa this year?” get double the gifts, but because she described people by the way she saw them, as “brown.” she queried.

To some of you, using the word “brown” “What exactly is Kwanzaa?” I quizzed her. to describe a person is probably offensive, but “Oh, you know ... it’s brown p people’s p when taken in the context of it Christmas,” Joeli answered. coming from a blond-haired, As I giggled at her most indoe-eyed, real-life version of nocent, politically undefined Cindy Lou Who it is not. It’s answer, I came to the conclusion hopefully a sign of the future. that her kindergarten class must To be honest, I don’t have have discussed all of the various many black or African-Amerholidays that day in school. ican friends I see on a regular “Oh. I see. Will we be celbasis, so my children’s version ebrating Kwanzaa instead of of the world is mostly a “white” Christmas?” I asked. version. So when Joeli started “Dad, I thought we could Jeremy BAUMHOWER kindergarten this year, she got celebrate both!” Joeli replied, reher first look at different worlds than the one vealing her motives for asking.

As a Catholic family, Christmas is the one she was used to. In fact, the first thing she day of the year my three youngest children said to me after her first day of school was she discuss the rest of the 364 days. I would love had two “brown” kids in her class and they to hold on to the notion that my children’s were her new friends. My gut reaction was religious beliefs would cause such a dedica- to immediately correct her, but she said her tion to celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, description with no malice, no judgment, no but I am no fool. My kids are little consumer hate. Joeli proclaimed the color “brown” like junkies whose only incomes revolve around another crayon in her box.

After further discussion, Joeli was satisfied birthdays, losing teeth and Christmas. y tow-headed, blue-eyed, 5-yearold daughter Joeli walked into the kitchen while I was making dinner

with us celebrating Christmas our usual way, where a fat man in a red suit climbs down our chimney with a sack full of presents and does this all for a plate of cookies and a promise of good behavior.

This generation of children could be the first to demonstrate the results of political correctness. There is no Archie Bunker, no Al Bundy and nearly every TV show, whether reality or scripted, drama or comedy, is very diverse in its casting. It’s really easy to complain that political correctness has changed our lives; you have to watch what you say. Well, isn’t that the point? Should we really tell a joke where we have to look around first to see if we are in the right company?

My generation, aka “Generation X,” is the “look around first before you tell the joke” group. Our parents’ generation, the Baby Boomers, are the “I am sorry but this was how I was raised” apologizers and our grandparents are from a different time altogether. This next generation of children, the Xbox or Wii Generation, will hopefully just see people for what they are — people.

I am raising four kids, but I never really sat down and penned an outline of what beliefs I would implement in their lives. I am not a perfect parent, nor do I pretend to be in front of my children. I make mistakes — I swear ex-

“

Later, when I was reflecting on Joeli’s description of Kwanzaa as a ‘brown people’s Christmas,’ I found hope for our future. ” cessively, I have mini-meltdowns where I go crazy about the smallest of things — but I love unconditionally. I am raising them to love life and each other.

We do not discuss race in the house because it’s irrelevant. Trust me, I’m an incredibly “judgy” person, but I do not use skin color or religion in my equations — my judgments are based on character, intelligence and heart.

Don’t get me wrong; I still dislike a ton of people. I just allow them to earn it.

As soon as Joeli was informed Santa Claus is not a part of the celebrations of Kwanzaa and Hanukkah, she thought we should just continue to honor Jesus’ birthday. ✯ Email Media Watch columnist Jeremy Baumhower at letters@toledofreepress.com.

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CHRISTMAS 2011

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DECEMBER 25, 2011

By Zach Davis TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER zdavis@toledofreepress.com

In these tough economic times, holidays like Christmas can be especially difficult for financially struggling families. This holiday, at least one family will have an easier time not only in the short term, but for the foreseeable future.

Toledo resident Heidi Krueger Middlebrooks was chosen from nearly 100 nominated families to spend Dec. 20 shopping with Toledo’s “Extreme Couponer” Joni Meyer-Crothers, who with her family has been featured on TLC’s “Extreme Couponing.” Middlebrooks went home with about $1,750 worth of groceries from the shopping trip and a donation from MeyerCrothers’ stockpile.

“It was really cool and a lot of fun,” Middlebrooks said. “I was glad to learn from her. I learned a lot of information. It’s nice because now we have a head start.”

Meyer-Crothers partnered with Toledo Free Press to provide a better Christmas to a citizen in need, and to teach them how to shop the way she does, saving the family money in the long run.

Meyer-Crothers said she hasn’t spent $200 on groceries during a month’s time in the past three years, despite the fact she buys about $5,000-$6,000 worth of groceries each month. She donates an estimated 80 percent to organizations such as Sylvania Area Family Services.

“Just looking at what she does and what she gives [to food shelters], she is just an awesome person,” Middlebrooks said. “I was in tears for days thinking, ‘How can I accept this help?’ I am working and I am grateful to have a job, but with seven kids it doesn’t really take care of what we need to take care of. I will pay this forward 100 times over. It’s so appreciated and I will continue to be able to coupon and provide for the family with this [knowledge].”

As part of the Toledo Free Press promotion, Columbia Gas of Ohio and FirstEnergy will cover the cost of the family’s January utility bills.

Columbia Gas also donated a programmable thermostat, combination smoke and carbon monoxide detector and energy-efficient showerheads, which, once installed, will save Middlebrooks an estimated $180 on her bill each year. FirstEnergy also supplied Middlebrooks with energyefficient light bulbs and tips on how save money.

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TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY JOSEPH HERR

Coupon trip brightens family’s holiday — and beyond

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HEIDI KRUEGER MIDDLEBROOKS, LEFT, WITH SOME OF THE PERSONAL STOCKPILE ITEMS DONATED BY ‘EXTREME COUPONING’ SHOPPER JONI MEYER-CROTHERS.

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It’s neat to have that opportunity to help somebody out,” said Columbia Gas of Ohio Communications and Community Relations Manager Chris Kozak. “To help somebody start off the new year is just exciting. It’s important to be involved and we are very appreciative that Toledo Free Press asked us.”

“We thought it was a great program,” said FirstEnergy External Affairs Manager Meg Adams. “It’s the community coming together. It’s very exciting.”

FOX Toledo provided television coverage for the promotion.

Christmas is a time for kids to be able to open presents from beneath the tree and Middlebrooks has received some help making that happen. A private philanthropy group donated $250 in gift cards to Target $200 to Toys ‘R’ Us. Kroger donated a turkey for a Christmas day meal.

“That was more than we expected,” Middlebrooks said. “I was really excited to learn about the couponing process, but when you add in all the extras — we were more than grateful.”

Challenges at home Middlebrooks is no stranger to couponing. Albeit nowhere near the level of Meyer-Crothers, she tries to save money whenever she can. At one point, she was told she didn’t qualify for food stamps because she made $14 over the cutoff. Instances like these inspired her to experiment with coupons to look for savings.

“I knew a little bit about couponing,” Middlebrooks said. “My friends always called me the ‘Coupon Queen’ too. I probably saved 20 or 30 percent — now I will save a lot more.

Joni taught me how she was doing it so that I will be able to do it and continue doing it.”

Middlebrooks was a mother of two when she met boyfriend Brad Perry.

The two, who have dated for six years, moved in together, bringing Perry’s four children into the home. They later had a son together, giving the home a total of nine occupants.

Living with so many people has been further complicated with the struggles Perry, a self-employed brick mason, has faced seeking work. He stays home to take care of the kids, some of whom have health challenges.

That leaves the family dependent on Middlebrooks’ salary as a parent educational case worker at Lucas County Children Services.

“Unfortunately, the way the economy is there’s not as many people doing building or repairing to their homes,” Middlebrooks said.

“This year he has not worked hardly at all, so it’s my income that’s trying to support seven kids and two adults. Bills have got us behind a

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FROM LEFT, MEYER-CROTHERS, FIRSTENERGY’S MEG ADAMS, KRUEGER MIDDLEBROOKS, CHRIS KOZAK OF COLUMBIA GAS OF OHIO.

little bit so it’s nice to know that we have some help with those.”

“I’m just grateful,” Perry said.

“Everything else will fall into place.

Money will get better, we will be able to help pay bills back.”

Those struggles would have impacted Christmas this year for Middlebrooks and her family. Before being chosen for the promotion, she said she had told her children, who range in age from 4 to 19, that there would not be presents this year.

“We told the kids, especially the older ones, that this year was not a good year for us,” Middlebrooks said.

“We said, ‘You are going to be without [presents] ... We really just can’t do as much as we want to for you.’”

The shopping experience For as positive of an experience as the trip was, it was not without its drama. A shipment of coupons scheduled to be delivered to Meyer-Crother’s home were lost in the mail.

“I was very sad my coupons didn’t come in,” Meyer-Crothers said. “I overnighted them but all the post office could say was, ‘I’m sorry.’ We were going to do about $600 and it was only going to be about 50 cents.”

As a result, Meyer-Crothers wasn’t able to quite replicate the success she usually has, but the “Extreme Couponer” still provided outstanding results at Kroger on King Road.

Middlebrooks left with $256.08 worth of products for a total of $41.58, which was paid for by Toledo Free Press. She also received an estimated $1,500 worth of products from MeyerCrothers’ personal stockpile at home.

TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY JASON MACK

BRINGING THE FLAVORS OF

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TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY JOSEPH HERR

DECEMBER 25, 2011

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HEIDI KRUEGER MIDDLEBROOKS AND BRAD PERRY WITH 3 OF THEIR 7 CHILDREN.

Middlebrooks will receive a special order of 100 boxes of rice delivered to the store to use with 100 coupons Meyer-Crothers provided. With the coupons, the rice will cost just $9, or nine cents per box.

Despite saving nearly 84 percent on the grocery bill, Meyer-Crothers wasn’t satisfied. She informed Middlebrooks that she would take her shopping again in the future, this time with her full arsenal of coupons.

“I’m going to take her again once the coupons come,” MeyerCrothers said. “We will wait for a better sale than the one this week, but we got them a good Christmas basket and gave almost $1,500 from our stockpile.”

More than a one-time gift Meyer-Crothers made sure that this wouldn’t be just a single boost for Middlebrooks and her family. MeyerCrothers, who teaches an extreme couponing class at her church, talked her through the experience, giving her tips to save on groceries.

“She was able to see what’s going

on,” said Meyer-Crothers’ husband, Jamie. “That’s what was good about this. She learned how to do it.”

Some strategies include saving the coupon until the item goes on sale and ordering coupons from services in Florida and Texas, which offer more of a discount.

Not only does Middlebrooks want to continue to coupon, she wants to pass along the knowledge to others.

She plans on teaching extreme couponing to her classes at Lucas County Children Services.

“My main thing from the beginning was to be able to help other people too, not only for myself but to be able to teach other people to do it,” Middlebrooks said. “I can’t wait to teach that to some of our parents. We know their dollars aren’t that great and to be able to teach them how to stretch their dollars and make things last is going to be wonderful.”

“That’s passing the blessing on,” Jamie said. “We helped her and she is in turn going to help other people in her situation.

“That’s all we can ask for.” ✯

A8 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

Town Center at Levis Commons hosts toy drive The Town Center at Levis Commons is seeking donations of gently used toys for the third annual “Play It Forward Toy Drive.”

All donations should be clean, working and have fresh batteries when required. In 2011, the “Play It Forward Toy Drive” collected three box trucks full of toys and distributed them to hundreds of children in the area.

“Play It Forward is a simple concept with an extraordinary impact,” said marketing director Casey Pogan.

“When functioning and useable toys are thrown out, POGAN they become waste in a landfill, take up a lot of space and do not biodegrade. Adding to this is the fact that many children in our area go without toys, which are instrumental in creativity and imagination development.”

Donations can be made in front of the Levis Commons Rave movie theater from noon-5 p.m. on Jan. 6 and 7.

The Town Center at Levis Commons is located at 3201 Levis Commons Blvd. in Perrysburg. ✯ — Jason Mack

Republic Services offers holiday recycling tips

TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY JOSEPH HERR

With the holiday season here, Republic Services has released its “naughty and nice” lists for recyclable materials.

Included in the “nice” list (materials which can be recycled) are gift boxes, tissue paper, shoe boxes, Christmas trees, holiday cards, envelopes and gift bags.

The “naughty” list (materials which are not recyclable) includes bubble wrap, wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, sticky gift labels, foam peanuts and gift bags which are coated, laminated and dyed.

For information on reusing holiday materials, visit www.TinyURL.com/ ReuseWrapping and www.TinyURL.com/RecycleWrapping. ✯ — Zach Davis

CHRISTMAS 2011

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Cab company offers phone app and services to get partiers home safely

By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

Area driving and cab services are available to make sure it’s easy for you and your friends to get home after going out to celebrate this holiday season.

Locally owned Black & White Transportation offers a free iPhone application that can calculate your blood alcohol content and book a cab ride home 24 hours a day.

The free app, B4UDRIVE, is exclusive to iPhone, BlackBerry and Droid, but the company’s mobile online reservation system is accessible from any Webenabled phone.

You can call a cab 24 hours a day by texting the word “RIDE” to (419) 322-6772, calling the company at (419) 536-TAXI (8294), or online at www.bwcab.com. Cabs are first come, first serve, so there may be a wait. Rates are $2 to get in and $2.30 per mile.

If you know you will need a ride on New Year’s, you can also book a sedan. The car service costs $60 per hour with a minimum of five hours.

Another Ohio-based company, BeMyDD, offers a designated driver for your own vehicle at an hourly rate.

The professionally dressed driver will act as a personal chauffeur, driving you and your friends where you want

to go, waiting for you and then driving you home in your own vehicle.

Personal driver service costs $12.50 per hour in the Toledo area, according to BeMyDD’s website.

You can also call for pickup service after you are already out and the company will send a vehicle with two drivers to drive you and your vehicle home.

For pickup service, a team of two drivers is dispatched to a location where they drive the customer and the customer’s vehicle home.

In the Toledo area, pickup service costs $25 plus mileage, which is $2.95 per mile for the first 10 miles and $1.50 per mile for each additional mile, according to BeMyDD’s website.

The service is available 24 hours a day, but reservations must be placed by 11 p.m. by calling (877) 823-6933 (877-U-BEMYDD).

Featuring the tagline, “We drive your car, so you don’t have to,” BeMyDD was founded in Cleveland in March 2010 by Arthur Simanovsky and Alexa Milkovich, both in their mid-20s, and now operates in 42 cities in 16 states.

For more information, call (877) 823-6933 (877-UBEMYDD) or visit www.bemydd.com. Visit BeMyDD on Facebook for a chance to win a designated driver for New Year’s Eve. ✯

Holiday Wishes G A GREAT STOCKIN STUFFER OR CORPORATE GIFT!

■

FROM LEFT, BRIAN BUCHER OF PNC BANK, JAMES CALDWELL AND JASON BIRNEY.

Hollywood Casino donates to local food bank Just weeks after providing a $200,000 gift to the city of Rossford to increase its first-responder service, Hollywood Casino Toledo provided the Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank with a $5,000 gift Dec. 19.

“Today we are really starting that relationship between the food bank and Hollywood Casino Toledo,” Hollywood Casino Toledo Vice President of Marketing Jason Birney said. “By presenting this $5,000, especially right now during the holiday season, hopefully this money can help supplement some of the services they supply the community.”

“We are excited about having the opportunity in addressing this fundamental need, which is hunger in our community,” said Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank President and CEO James Caldwell. “You can’t do anything if you are hungry. We are looking forward to working with them as we move forward.”

The Toledo Northwestern Ohio Food Bank, which is part of the nation’s leading domestic hunger-relief charity Feeding America, has been in business since 1984 and has distributed 76 million pounds of food during that time.

The money donated by Hollywood Casino Toledo will directly benefit the food bank’s mobile food pantry program. Caldwell said the program partners with agencies already distributing food by bringing in food and supplementing distribution already going on in the community. ✯ — Zach Davis

e This holiday season, giv d an sic the gift of mu miracles with “Holiday Wishes,” a CD featuring ists 25 tracks from local art rr, Fa e including Jami Mannheim Steamroller, na Chrys Peterson, Ramo o led Collins, the To Symphony Orchestra and readings by Crystal er Bowersox, Alyson Ston re. and many mo Purchase at Northwest Ohio Panera Bread locations.

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will be contributed to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, Northwest Ohio Region for every CD sold through January 2012 up to a maximum of $20,000.

CHRISTMAS 2011

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ A9

Ring in 2012 with WCM! 3

Seafood Road Show Feature

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WCM Hamburger Buns or Kaiser Rolls 8 ct. 2/$5

Mezzetta Martini or Pimento Stuffed Queen Olives 10 oz. $4.99 ea.

Mario Batali Pasta Sauce 15-24 oz. $5.99 ea.

CHAMPAGNE Shop either WCM location for the region’s finest selection of true French Champagne.

Over three dozen labels with prices ranging from $39.99-$387.99 to choose from

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Friday, Dec. 30th & Saturday, Dec. 31st 11-7 p.m. at both locations Featuring Cold Water Lobster Tails 7-8 oz. $9.99 ea.

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Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets UUSDA US DAA CCHOICE H Angus Ground Chuck $2.79/ lb. (Product of USA) from Foley Fish Co. $9.99/ lb. (Product of Canada) Baby Back Ribs 2 pk. $3.99/ lb. (Product of USA) Fresh Blue Point Oysters In Shell $10.99 dz. (Product of USA) GROCERY and SPECIALTY FOODS Keurig Coffee or Over 30 Dei Fratelli Tea K-Cups 12 ct. Varieties Tomatoes 28 oz. or to choose World Pure Organic from 99 $ Beans 15 oz. ea.

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Cold Water Frozen Lobster Tails 7-8 oz.

Grape Tomatoes 1 pt. 2/$4

lb.

| No sales to vendors.

|

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CHRISTMAS 2011

A10. ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

OPINION: COMMUNITY OMBUDSMAN

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Best VET 2007-2010

Christmas tree disposal rules help conserve Toledo taxpayers’ money

SylvaniaVET

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www.sylvaniavet.com

he City of Toledo will again accept Christmas trees at select city park sites Dec. 26-Jan. 27. Those trees will be chipped into mulch for use in city parks.

What are the rules? ✯ No artificial trees, only fresh-cut Christmas trees ✯ No decorations whatsoever, including stray pieces of tinsel ✯ No bagged trees Tim Burns, manager of parks and forestry, said every time a decorated tree is dropped off, he has to assign a city worker to remove the ornaments and tinsel. This costs taxpayer money, he said. Sometimes, the tree is so decorated it just has to be pitched.

“We get approximately 500 trees per site and we have six sites, so that is about 3,000-4,000 trees,” Burns said.

“You can only drop off a tree if you live Brandi in one of the districts, but no one is monitoring so we aren’t going to know.

Most of the local municipalities do curbside pickup, so people aren’t going to drive to Toledo to get rid of their trees.”

Burns said the six locations seem to get the same amount of trees, but South Toledo occasionally gets more because of its slightly higher social economics. More money equals more trees.

“Tinsel isn’t as popular as it used to be, but one out of 50 trees has some type of ornament. Every once in a while we will get a tree that is fully decorated,” Burns said.

Some people like to bring their trees in bags, but Burns said it would be helpful if they got rid of the bag upon arrival. This year, trash bins will be provided to reduce the

number of bagged trees.

The benefit of the Christmas tree program is twofold.

One, residents can get rid of their trees; two, the city can use the trees for mulch. Twenty-five Christmas trees yield 1 cubic yard of mulch.

Burns said the city forestry workers make two kinds of mulch. The first type includes Christmas trees and is certified playground mulch (more compact). The other type is hardwood, doubled-processed, aged mulch, which is used for landscaping.

In addition to using the mulch for city purposes, both types are available for purchase. The mulch is $15 a cubic yard and can be delivered for $25 per delivery.

Call (419) 936-3010.

The city’s mulch business started as a byproduct of its services, Burns said.

City workers remove so many trees BARHITE each year that if they didn’t turn them into mulch, the city would have to pay to haul the debris away. In four years, city workers removed 8,000 ash trees.

Burns encourages residents to consider dropping their tree at one of these six locations. It helps the city and it helps save taxpayer dollars, he said. ✯ Jermain Park on Upton Avenue in District 1. ✯ Schneider Park on Schneider Road near South Detroit Avenue in District 2. ✯ Ravine 2 Park on Mott Street in District 3. ✯ Detwiler Park at Manhattan Boulevard and Summit Street in District 4. ✯ Bowman Park in the Laskey Road parking lot in District 5. ✯ Greenwood Park in the Gage and Darrel lots in District 6. ✯

One Meal A Day.

As we close out the year, I would like to take the opportunity to say “thank you” to our many supporters in the Toledo community. It has been a challenging year, as the need for our school lunch program has grown at a staggering rate. Be assured that we appreciate beyond measure your continued support of our mission. Your contributions have not been wasted. We are proud to say that 93% of our donations are put right back into feeding the children in our community.

As you are planning for 2012, we simply ask that you remember that more than a quarter of our children live below the poverty line. With your continued assistance, these children can count on at least one hot meal per day. Please visit our website for more information.

Sincerely, Tony Siebeneck, Executive Director For volunteer opportunities, or to make a donation, please call 419.260.1556.

www.feedlucaschildren.org This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

Dr. Bob Esplin (Dr. Bob) 419.885.4421

T

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WISNIEWSKI F U N E R A L

2 4 2 6 N . R e y n o l d s R o a d Tol e d o, OH 4 3 6 1 5 We value traditions and incorporate new ideas to serve families at their most difficult times.

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DECEMBER 25, 2011

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ .A11

By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER news@toledofreepress.com

The 80-plus-year-old Toledo staple, Wixey Bakery, recently celebrated opening its second location with champagne and doughnuts.

“It was a blast,” said Brian Wixey, who runs the bakery with his father Dennis Wixey and sister Denise WixeyCoulter, of the celebration. “I think we picked up four cases of champagne and had just about over 100 invites.”

The store’s second location, 4400 Heatherdowns Blvd., Colonial Village Plaza, opened in July. The bakery’s other location, 2017 Glendale Ave., has been operating since 1946. The last time Wixey had more than one location was during the 1930s, Brian said.

Brian and Denise rejoined their father at the bakery about 10 years ago.

Both previously worked there until Denise went to nursing school and Brian moved out of the area. “We get along really well, all of us. I enjoy working.

In fact, when we opened up a second location, that was my stipulation that I wouldn’t have to go over there because I really enjoyed working with my dad and my brother and, you know, my mom comes in as well,” Denise said.

The Wixey family decided to open a second location to make life more convenient for customers on the other side of town.

“Heatherdowns has always had a bakery in that location and we love the

South End; and even though it’s four and a half miles, people come across the Trail, they think it’s the other side of the earth,” Denise said.

At present, the Wixey family bakes many of the products at the Glendale spot and transports them to the Heatherdowns front. While Wixey bought a lot of the equipment from the bakery that used to be there, the kitchen still needs some work.

“We’ll get the kitchen going and utilize the space a little more efficiently in the near future,” Brian said. Still, customers can expect a full range of holiday treats at both locations.

“Easter’s actually my favorite because of all the colors and pastels, but at Christmas, there’s just such a fun variety,” said Denise, whose son and daughter also work at Wixey.

Growing up, Brian and Denise had a feeling they’d end up at the family business. “You know how stories go.

You’d be at lunch at the cafeteria in middle school, and teachers pat you on the back and are like ‘We’ve got your baked goods in the teachers’ lounge,’” Brian said. “[And with] my dad, you’d get a bologna sandwich and it’d be tie-dyed bread. That’s always been a part of our life.”

Wixey’s history and family ties are integral to its success. Dennis’ grandfather, Percy, started the bakery and there haven’t been too many changes since Percy’s days.

“There are certainly changes, although not drastic ones. I think we just

“

“Heatherdowns has always had a bakery in that location and we love the South End; and even though it’s four and a half miles, people come across the Trail, they think it’s the other side of the earth.”

TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY BRIGITTA BURKS

Wixey Bakery opens second location, marks 80 years

— Denise Wixey-Coulter got a computer about 18 months ago so there’s that to be said. The equipment hasn’t changed. I mean, we have three mixers and an oven,” Brian said.

Brian said he has also gotten to know his father better while running the business.

“It’s extremely nice to learn, in my situation, who your father is as a man and work with him,” Brian said. “The most beautiful part of the whole thing has been the comprehension of who my father has come to be to me as an adult.”

Wixey is open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday and on Mondays during the holiday season. Visit wixeysbakery.com for more information. ✯

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CHRISTMAS 2011

A12 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Making custom cakes becomes business for local mother

By Duane Ramsey TOLEDO FREE PRESS SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER dramsey@toledofreepress.com

TOLEDO FREE PRESS PHOTO BY DUANE RAMSEY

Sarah Charles didn’t intend to get into the baking business, but she turned a hobby of making creative custom cakes for friends and relatives into a home-based business she calls For Goodness Cakes.

Charles always enjoyed the cakes her grandmother made for her, especially the Easter Bunny cake she made every year. After her grandmother died in 2008, Charles decided to start making special cakes for her family.

It started out making cakes in response to requests from friends and relatives. She began making one cake a week while she worked full time in the mental health field.

“I didn’t realize how much fun it was or how artistic I was until I started making cakes for a hobby,”

Charles said.

However, after she gave birth to twins June 9, Charles decided to concentrate on making cakes as a business. She started For Goodness Cakes with Dave Riley, a friend from high school who works in the restaurant field.

For Goodness Cakes is a homebased business that specializes in making hand-carved custom cakes for all occasions.

“I want everyone’s cakes to be as meaningful to them as my grandmother’s cakes were to me,” Charles said.

Riley started helping her with recipes and getting the business established. He soon learned that he enjoyed decorating cakes as well, Charles said.

“Our business is licensed and inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” she said. “We hope to have a storefront someday.”

Until that time, they continue to

make creative custom cakes out of her home for special occasions, such as birthdays, baby showers, graduations and weddings.

“We sit down with every potential client to determine what kind of cake they want for their special occasion and provide them with a quote for their custom cake,” Charles said.

“At For Goodness Cakes, you get more than just a cake. You will get a showpiece.”

Their latest development is making groom’s cakes that represent the groom’s interests and are served alongside the wedding cake.

They recently started advertising groom’s and wedding cakes online at theknot.com, a website for wedding resources.

They post photos of their cakes on the Facebook page For Goodness Cakes and have received many comments and a few orders from that

exposure, she said.

They have created custom cakes in many shapes and sizes, including one shaped like a mug full of beer, a race car, tools with a toolbox, one for a baby shower that matched the wallpaper and decorations in the nursery and another that looked like pieces of fruit for a farmers market event.

“The hardest cake to make was the NASCAR one, with all the details and graphics on it,” she said.

Making hand-carved custom cakes is very labor intensive. Charles may spend four to five hours creating a cake such as the beehive with a bear eating honey pictured in the photo. The cake for a baby shower would probably sell for $100, she said.

They also make cake pops, cupcakes which look like lollipops. A coffee mug with a bouquet of cake pops sells for $10 and makes a great

gift to give instead of a box of chocolates, Charles said.

The cakes come in many flavors including vanilla buttercream, chocolate, banana, cookie dough, marble, spice and a variety of fruit flavors.

The majority of her cakes are decorated using Satin Ice fondant.

Charles gets most of her baking supplies from The Baker’s Kitchen operated with Thrush’s Pastry Shoppe. She said the shop has been helpful and is promoting her business by displaying her business cards.

Charles creates these custom cakes at home in between caring for her daughter Grace and her twins, Nathan and Natalie.

Her husband Kris Charles works in the cable television business and is very supportive of her cake-making enterprise, she said.

For more information, visit www. forgoodnesscakestoledo.com. ✯

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Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ A13

MEDIA

Toledo Free Press LLC, Publisher Tom Pounds and Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller responded Dec. 19 to a lawsuit filed Oct. 20 by Block Communications, owner of The Blade.

In its suit, Block Communications made numerous claims primarily involving alleged violations of a separation agreement with former Blade General Manager Pounds, signed in 2004.

That separation agreement had a covenant not to compete for a period of one year.

Block Communications sought damages for claims that Pounds has used Toledo Free Press and Miller as a surrogate to violate nondisparagement terms of the separation agreement.

In the Toledo Free Press response and counterclaim, filed in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, it is asserted that Miller has never seen the Blade-Pounds separation agreement, which was created before the existence of TFP, and neither he nor TFP is a party to nor is bound by its terms. It is further asserted that Block Communications is attempting to exercise prior restraint on Miller’s First Amendment rights and has acted with malice in an attempt to interfere with Miller’s and TFP’s business.

The TFP counterclaim further asserts that Block Communications “has engaged in contacting various organizations around the City of Toledo seeking to preclude the TFP from being able to be sponsors of events, or limit its ability

to do business with those companies and organizations; including but not limited to The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, Partners in Education, United Way of Greater Toledo, The Toledo Mud Hens, CitiFest, University of Toledo, Boys and Girls Clubs of Toledo, Home Builders Association, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, The City of Toledo Mayor’s Office, the Lucas County Auditor, Imagination Station, the Toledo Walleye, the Huntington Center, etc.”

In Pounds’ countersuit, it is stated, “The separation agreement between Pounds and [Block Communications] has been completed after Pounds’ covenant not to compete ran and [Block Communications] is using said agreement simply as a tool to economically harm the TFP and/or Pounds by attempting to enforce the non-compete after it expired.”

Toledo Free Press LLC is seeking actual damages plus punitive damages of $10 million from Block Communications.

In a statement, Miller said he and Pounds feel it is important to remind Toledoans that legal action was initiated by Block Communications, not TFP, and while The Blade may be able to sustain a long-term nuisance lawsuit, TFP is being forced to fight for its existence.

“It is unfortunate that so many people are going to be made uncomfortable by this legal attack on our business, but we are being forced to pull the curtains back and show how The Blade

TOLEDO FREE PRESS FILE PHOTO

Toledo Free Press answers Blade lawsuit, files countersuits

■

TOLEDO FREE PRESS EDITOR IN CHIEF MICHAEL S. MILLER, LEFT, AND PUBLISHER TOM POUNDS.

has interfered with our livelihood, well beyond the bounds of fair and legal competition,” Miller said. “We can express regret and apologize to

those who will be called to testify in this case, but it was not our choice to go down this road.” ✯ — Staff Reports

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A14 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

BUSINESS LINK

DECEMBER 25, 2011

OPINION COLUMN: THE RETIREMENT GUYS

BOOKS

Doctor releases story collection Same ol’ resolution?

By Brigitta Burks TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER news@toledofreepress.com

Dr. Blair Grubb has turned his experiences as a physician into “The Calling,” a book published by the University of Toledo Press. His book is a collection of several short stories detailing personal interactions between Grubb and his patients.

“The things that make my job the most meaningful are these interactions with people,” said Grubb, a professor at UT and director of University of Toledo Medical Center’s electrophysiology program. “If you deal with sick people, you see them at their best and their worst.”

GRUBB Grubb spent his childhood outside of Baltimore in rural Maryland.

“I grew up in the middle of nowhere, actually on the outer limits of the middle of nowhere,” he said.

He went to vocational high school and worked as an electrician and construction worker, putting himself through the University of Maryland.

“I didn’t want to keep doing that so I went to medical school,” Grubb laughed. He attended the Universidad Central del Este in the Dominican Republic, where he met his wife, Barbara. They have been married for 35 years and have two adult children.

Grubb completed his residency training at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and later did a rotation at Johns Hopkins Hospital. At Johns Hopkins, Grubb witnessed some of the first defibrillator implants and became interested in cardiac electrophysiology, which deals with heart-rhythm disturbances. After a fellowship at Penn State University, he came to Toledo.

Barbara, along with a nontraditional patient, encouraged Grubb to write. In the mid-1990s, Grubb began corresponding with a French physician who had a sick grandchild.

Over the Atlantic Ocean, through faxes and phone calls, Grubb recommended tests and treatments for the child, who eventually got well. In 1996, Grubb went to speak in France and was able to meet the family that he had helped. The child’s grandmother, afflicted with breast cancer, gave Grubb a menorah rescued from the Holocaust.

“I was very emotionally distraught about the whole thing and I had a hard time telling the story and still have a hard time telling the story; and my wife said when I came back to the States, ‘Why don’t you write it down?’” Grubb said.

He submitted the story to the Annals of Internal Medicine, a journal for physicians. The editor was so taken with the piece that he bumped what was slated to run.

Grubb received 500 letters on the story.

“What’s interesting is I’ve published 200 and some papers, scientific papers; I get invited to speak all over. I have never gotten anything like the response I got from that piece,” he said. He went on to write more articles and served on the editorial board of the Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology journal. The editor, Dr. Seymour Furman, asked Grubb to be the editor of a human interest section in the journal. The caveat was that Grubb would have to write for the section if there wasn’t a submission.

“So I thought ‘Oh my God, what am I gonna write about?’

Then right after that, my dad died, I got real sick at one point, I had cancer at one point, a whole bunch of things happened at one point. And I felt like saying ‘Thank you for the prompt response, but you can stop now, I have plenty to write about,’” Grubb said and laughed.

A little more than a year ago, Joel Lipman of the UT Press approached Grubb to compile some of these stories into a book. The book’s local ties are important to Grubb.

“I’m very glad it was done by the UT Press,” he said, adding, “This book has been produced, planned and distributed locally. It’s something for our community, something that’s uniquely ours.”

“The Calling” is available for $15 at www.utoledopress. com/thecalling.html. ✯

Rahn joins Toledo Free Press sales team After living in more than 13 states, years working for cellular companies and a stint as a flight attendant, Betty Jane (BJ) Lowrie-Rahn has come home.

Rahn joined the Toledo Free Press sales team Nov. 15 as an account executive. She was born and raised in Toledo, attended the University of Toledo and said she is happy to return to her roots.

“I finally feel home; I feel like I’m where I belong with the Free Press,” Rahn said.

She most recently came from the St. Louis area where she worked for U.S. Cellular. She has also LOWRIE-RAHN worked for Alltel Wireless, Nextel

Communications, Cellcom and Missouri’s Corinthian College in the past. She has two children—a daughter, Emily, who is studying mechanical engineering at UT and a son, Cole, who is almost 16. A work day for Rahn means a non-stop meet and greet packed with car rides and phone calls to new and old clients as well as morphing business ideas into creative ad campaigns. Rahn said her No. 1 priority is bigger than making a sale on one advertisement.

“Honestly, it’s the people,” she said. “It’s the building relationships with the community and it is helping a business grow. My goal is to do my part to help Toledo and the economy get back on their feet.”

Rahn joins Toledo Free Press Sales Manager Renee Bergmooser and sales representatives Casey Fischer and Chick Reid. Email her at bjrahn@toledofreepress.com. ✯ — Caitlin McGlade

More businesses are banking with Key. Shouldn’t you?

I

t is that time of year again, when we tell ourselves that after the holiday season is over we’ll get back on track. We’ll get things under control.

For me (Mark), the resolution usually involves something to do with body weight, eating habits and exercise. Sound familiar? For many of us it is that lifelong battle to maintain a satisfactory body shape. I can’t tell you how many times I have started off the new year on some new fad diet or a resolution to work out every day. In some years I have experienced success and in others not so much. Last year it was the HCG diet that was the latest rage. I lost about 25 pounds and felt great. My partner Nolan and his wife Karen each lost 40 pounds on the same diet. As usual, I have gained most of the weight back. Not quite all, so I am better off than last year at this time.

It seems that I have reached the Mark age where your meNolan tabolism grinds to a complete halt. Each evening when I get home, I face the choice of the nice comfortable couch or getting my sweats on and heading down to the health club. Let me see, relax comfortably and watch sports or feel the pain of exerting myself? Which one do you think wins?

I try my best to be a “half-full” kind of person, but the “half-empty” part of me wonders why I have the undesirable choice of either suffering and feeling hungry and thin or feeling full and like the Goodyear Blimp.

If you make resolutions each year, you should be congratulated. This shows character. When you finally reach the goal, it feels good. When you make a resolution, it shows that you care. People who care are inspiring. What kind of resolutions will you make this year? Most of us want to lose some weight, but here are a few suggestions if you want to get off to a great start this year. ✯ Life is short. Live each day to the fullest. Don’t forget this. Make sure you spend as much time as you can

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with your family and friends. ✯ Life is good. Be sure to count your blessings. If you do, you will find they far outnumber the trials you have to go through. ✯ These are the good old days.

Don’t spend too much time looking forward or looking back. ✯ Update your will. OK, I guess you do have to look forward to plan ahead for your family. This is just smart business. ✯ Choose to be happy. We can choose what we focus our thoughts on. This can make a huge difference in how you feel on a day-to-day basis. ✯ Start a weekly exercise plan. If nothing else, walk around the block. You will feel better and your dog will love it. ✯ There is new technology in the savings and investment world. Explore what is available rather than continuing to do what may not be CLAIR working so well.

BAKER ✯ Adopt a cause you are passionate about. You will feel good if this is how you spend some time. ✯ Find a place of worship to regularly attend. Everyone needs the fellowship of others. ✯ Just do it. Don’t just talk about it. Do it. There are talkers and there are doers. As the saying in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption” goes, “Get busy livin’, or get busy dyin’.”

May God bless you and your family this holiday season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. ✯ For more information about The Retirement Guys, tune in every Saturday at 1 p.m. on 1370 WSPD or visit www. retirementguysradio.com.Securities and Investment Advisory Services are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC. NEXT Financial Group, Inc. nor its representatives provide tax 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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BUSINESS LINK

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ A15

OPINION COLUMN: A VIEW FROM THE GULCH

Decent wage or no wage

A

s is my usual daily regimen, I was reading through several digital papers, websites and blogs on a recent Monday morning and I came across an article stating that San Francisco became the first

city in the U.S. to break the $10 barrier for the minimum wage. At $10.24, San Francisco’s minimum wage is $2 above the California minimum wage and almost $3 above the federal minimum wage.

I am sure that San Franciscans are very pleased with themselves. This proposition was passed in 2003 and it requires that the minimum wage be increased each year, using a formula tied to infl ation and cost of living. It

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warms my heart that the caring people wage will correlate. People want more here have shown their support for the money for the same production and they think that the business owner working class.

In an article, Karl Kramer of the will simply absorb the difference since San Francisco Living Wage Coalition they are rich and just greedy.

Raising the minimum wage does said a “decent wage” for a single adult in the city should be more like $15 an not help the economy of San Franhour, and more like $30 an hour for cisco or any other community for people who have at least one child. By that matter. The wealth pie needs to that logic, a family of four should have expand ,and removing more pieces a “decent wage” closer to $50 or $60 from the pie without the corresponding production makes the pie an hour, plus benefits of course.

The video provided by the As- smaller. Watch closely and see if the sociated Press quoted a 34-year-old unemployment in the City by the Bay doesn’t increase over the usher at a movie theater, next several months. (wait … a 34-year-old I am sure if it does usher … I’ll bet he loves that there will be a “Star Wars.”) Anyway, he valid reason for it other said, “It means that I’ll than the increase in the have more money in my minimum wage. “Bush’s wallet to pay my bills and fault” is the first that money to spend in the comes to mind. city to help the economy.”

Th e critical point I don’t know what I want to make is that disturbs me more, that a Gary L. RATHBUN our so-called leaders 34-year-old is an usher at have no idea how a movie theater or to run a business that no one seems Raising the or how economics to understand the works. basic economics minimum wage does actually Th e only way to involved here. The increase wealth in owner of the movie theater makes not help the economy ... this country is to have a free market most of his money from the conces- The wealth pie needs to that is free to work.

Minimum wage sions. Most of the ticket price goes to expand and removing laws create a mandated discriminathe owners of the movie, so that Tom more pieces from the tion environment. e law will not Cruise can make a pie without the cor- Th allow me to hire “decent wage.” who I want at a The owner’s recourse is to responding production wage I want to pay.

I have two choices: raise the price of popcorn to make makes the pie smaller. ” either I can hire someone under the up for the cost of labor, have fewer ushers or close the regulators’ rules or I can decide not to theater altogether. If he raises the hire anyone at all.

Business owners will soon reach a cost of popcorn, he will sell less of it thereby making it very difficult to tipping point, if they haven’t already, make up for the cost of labor. If he has where they won’t expand, won’t infewer ushers, the more likely choice, novate and won’t create opportunities the minimum wage will be collected for themselves, their potential emby fewer people thereby increasing ployees and community. Look around unemployment and the same result if you, do you see it happening?

I do. ✯ he closes the theater altogether.

Too many people pass these laws with the intent of appearing compas- Gary L. Rathbun is the president and sionate, and yet they hurt the very CEO of Private Wealth Consultants, people they are trying to help. Of Ltd. He can be heard every day at 4:06 course, their intent is pure so that on Aft er the Bell with “Brian Wilson and the Aft ernoon Drive” and every makes it OK. If someone wants to increase his or Thursday evening at 6 p.m. on “Eye on her income, they need to increase their Your Money,” both on 1370 WSPD. He productivity. Become more valuable can be reached at (419) 842-0334 or via to the employer through increased email at garyrathbun@privatewealth production or increased value and the consultants.com.

“

SPORTS

A16 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

D3’S CORNER

Marrow, team have confidence in Campbell NOTE: This is the 18th installment of a weekly series in which staff writer Mike Bauman will follow sixth-year Toledo senior cornerback Desmond Marrow for the 2011 season.

By Mike Bauman TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER mbauman@toledofreepress.com

When you’re skilled enough to play football at the collegiate level, there’s a certain level of respect you have for those who came before you.

That respect is a vital factor as to why sixth-year senior cornerback Desmond Marrow and his teammates have stood in the corner of UT head coach Matt Campbell since Tim Beckman’s departure. The team is confi dent heading into its Military Bowl matchup with Air Force on Dec. 28 in Washington, D.C. “He definitely hasn’t missed a beat,” Marrow said of Campbell, who took over the Rockets’ football program Dec. 9 and was named the team’s new head coach Dec. 12. “Coach Campbell does his job so well. He’s a player’s coach, but at the same time he has that respect from the players. So we know, like, when to do things right.

“There’s a time to play around and have fun, but he’s about business. The players know that and we all respect

him. So when you respect someone, you kind of just want to do good for them and you’ll play hard for anybody.”

A Massillon, Ohio, native, Campbell won three national championships as a player at Mount Union, where he racked up 207 tackles, 49 tackles for loss and 22 sacks in his career.

Campbell also stood out among his peers, twice earning First Team All-American honors and twice being named the Ohio CAMPBELL Athletic Conference’s Best Defensive Lineman in addition to garnering CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.

“Anytime anybody’s telling you something in life, it always means a little bit more and you may listen a little bit more when you know that they’ve been through it or they’ve actually done it,” Marrow said. “So I mean, coming from a great player like that, you definitely know that he knows what he’s talking about, that he’s not just saying anything.

Like, he’s really speaking the truth because he’s actually been there and played. And [he] played at a high level.”

At 32 years old, Campbell is the youngest head football coach at the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level in the NCAA. Having been part of five national championships as a player and a coach at Mount Union and with a coaching résumé that dates back to 2003, leading Toledo into a bowl for his first game as a head coach is not intimidating to Campbell.

“I’m used to playing these kind of football games,” MARROW Campbell said in his introductory news conference as the Rockets’ new head football coach. “To be honest with you, in my coaching career there’s only one time that I haven’t had the opportunity to play in a postseason game. So for me, it’s business as usual because I expect to be playing for championships in November and bowl games in December.”

Featuring two of the top 20 offenses in the nation, the Military Bowl is already being billed as a shootout by many around the country, something that Marrow doesn’t let ruffle his feathers as a defensive player.

“I mean, if you’re worried about that stuff then that stuff will just happen,” Marrow said. “So you’ve just got to go out there and play the game; just play every game as its own season.”

UT ranks No. 8 in the nation in total offense with an average of 493.17 yards per game, while Air Force is No. 2 nationally in rushing (320.33 ypg) and No. 19 in total offense (458.83 ypg).

“It’s a big challenge,” Marrow said. “We’ve just got to be disciplined as players. Everyone [needs to] do their job and we’ve got to tackle well.”

Marrow also knows the potential challenge of the atmosphere at the rustic RFK Stadium, given that the Rockets will play a military

academy in a bowl game named after the military, which gives free tickets to the military.

“It’s nothing different for us,” Marrow said. “I mean, it pretty much seems like everything is against us anyways at Toledo. We always kind of get some type of bad deal, like, here and there. So I mean, there’s going to be a lot of military people there, but at the end of the day, once the ball’s kicked off it’s just a game and none of those people can control anything.”

Toledo (8-4, 7-1 Mid-American Conference) and Air Force (7-5, 3-4 Mountain West Conference) will compete in the Military Bowl at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 28 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The game will air live on ESPN. ✯

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Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ A17

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A18 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

HISTORY

Henry Ford Museum revamps automobile displays

By David Runk ASSOCIATED PRESS

DEARBORN, Mich. — The suburban Detroit museum founded by auto pioneer Henry Ford is revamping its automotive displays, offering a fresh look at its rich collection and showcasing the enormous influence of the automobile on culture and daily life in the United States.

“Driving America’’ opens to the public Jan. 29 following a year of construction at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. It features some of the most significant cars ever built, from early production vehicles to modern rides, and examines how automobiles shape the nation.

“It is an exhibition that resonates with us all and will challenge us to think differently about what we drive,’’ Patricia Mooradian, president of The Henry Ford, said in a statement.

The 80,000-square-foot permanent exhibit includes 130 vehicles and more than 60 cases of artifacts.

Touchscreen displays will offer access to images, videos and oral histories, as well as allow visitors to explore parts of the museum’s collection that aren’t on display.

People will be able to create a custom collection that can be accessed later via a smartphone or computer.

“Driving America’’ replaces the museum’s old “Automobile in American Life’’ exhibit, which closed in early 2011 to make way for construction. It sits between Henry Ford Museum’s collection of trains and its “Heroes of the Sky’’

exhibit, which documents aviation’s early years.

Walking through the “Driving America’’ displays, visitors will see muscle cars, race cars, trucks, sport utility vehicles and luxury cars. Sections look at auto repair, design, safety and marketing, as well as auto-related offshoots such as the road trip.

It will offer a look at cars through the eyes of people who use them — and those who don’t, said Bob Casey, senior curator of transportation for The Henry Ford.

“Visitors will be asked to think about what attracted them to automobiles in the first place,’’ Casey said. “How have their definitions of style or luxury changed over time?

How have their attitudes towards safety, or recreation or environmental costs changed?’’

Lamy’s Diner, a piece of roadside history that previously was a popular stop at the museum, also is getting a makeover ahead of the “Driving America’’ debut. Those who stop by the 1946 diner now will get the chance to eat diner-style food inside, not just walk through.

The diner, built by the Worcester Lunch Car Co., operated for years as a restaurant in Massachusetts, according to a curator’s account of its history. The museum bought it in the 1980s, moved it to Michigan and spent years restoring it to its original appearance for display.

The cost of building “Driving America’’ hasn’t been released. Visiting the exhibit is included in museum admission.

Henry Ford Museum is part of

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Plans for “Racing in America’’ were announced in 2010 and fundraising continues.

One section of “Driving America” will highlight the planned racing exhibit and include some cars from the museum’s collection that will be part of that eventual display. ✯

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IN CONCERT

Herman’s Hermits to perform with Toledo orchestra

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

■ A19

PHOTO COURTESY PARADISE ARTISTS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

By Vicki L. Kroll TOLEDO FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER vkroll@toledofreepress.com

It’s lovely listening to Peter Noone talk — that British accent, the boundless enthusiasm for music.

“I still feel like I’m this 17-year-old boy with this 64-year-old body,” he said and laughed during a call from his home in Santa Barbara, Calif.

As a teen, Noone led Herman’s Hermits to the top of the charts during the British invasion with million-sellers that included “There’s a Kind of Hush,” “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat,” “Mrs. Brown, You’ve Got a Lovely Daughter” and “I’m Into Something Good.”

“The tunes were happy-go-lucky and the themes were all by young people about young people,” he said.

“It’s sort of a timeless theme of young people falling in love and getting married, romance — it doesn’t ever really go away, does it?”

There was something special about that assault on American radio launched by lads from England in the mid-1960s.

“It was extraordinary because everybody in the British Invasion knew each other. We knew The Beatles and we knew The Stones, and we all knew each other,” Noone said. “England is a very small country, so we all played with each other and met each other on the road.”

Thanks to a role on the British soap opera “Coronation Street,” Noone had money to make music.

“All the acting stuff gave me money to buy rock ’n’ roll stuff — secondhand suits and old amplifiers and a used van,” he said. “We drove around in a van for two years playing concerts all over England and that was really hard work, but it was all preparation for the big time.

“Now, I don’t know what the big time gives you. I think it’s hard to come out of like ‘American Idol’ with all the best musicians in Los Angeles and the best sound and light men in the world and then go play at a club in Poughkeepsie. I don’t know what that preparation is, but we had a

■

PETER NOONE HAS BEEN AN ACTOR AND MUSICIAN SINCE THE 1960. HERMAN’S HERMITS SCORED 11 TOP 10 SONGS.

different kind of preparation. We learned how to duck beer bottles and all those things that I think are part of show business.”

A recent gig paired Noone with another ’60s heartthrob, Davy Jones of

The Monkees. The two were in a band called Tiny Cowboy and sang a song titled “Meatloaf ” on “Phineas & Ferb.”

“It was very exciting because lots of people — not just young people — watch that show,” Noone

said. “And I thought my character [Adrian] was fun.”

Noone and Herman’s Hermits will perform with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. Jan. 14 at Stranahan Theater. Tickets range

from $22 to $62.

“I have great fun with symphonies. I make them sing ‘I’m Henry the Eighth, I Am.’ They go, ‘Good god, I was never trained to do this: H-E-NR-Y,’” he said and laughed. ✯

ARTS LIFE

A20 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

OPINION COLUMN: FAMILY PRACTICE

All I want for Christmas is to renew I

t amazes me how a moment in time can completely change the meaning of something. This year, Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You” went from being a song I found mildly annoying to one I tear up at by the middle of the first verse. I can no longer recall why I didn’t care for it before, but all I know is that I will now always feel a little something when it comes on the radio from season to season.

Dec. 2 was the big event that gave it meaning not only for me, but for my entire side of the family. My newest sister-in-law walked down a flight of stairs and into our family, joyfully proclaiming that my brother was all she wanted for Christmas this year. Even though Mariah Carey has been belting out the same sentiment since 1994, I never really heard it until now.

We live at a time when the word “war” is thrown around year aft er year in regards to both marriage and Christmas. With all of the throwing around from multiple directions, I am having a hard time grasping exactly who disputes what and why they are even disputing it in the first place. My low-level comprehension of the debate is likely comparable to the generalized misconception that the French and Indian War had something to do with the French battling Indians way back when.

I honestly don’t know if the “War on Christmas” has to do with Christians not wanting people to secularize the holiday, atheists wanting to remove any and all religious “lint” from the fabric of our society or retailers fighting for holiday sales with ridiculously low prices. The “War on Marriage” is equally confusing. Some want to do away with the “unnecessary piece of paper,” while others are protesting in the streets to demand that more couples have the opportunity to join the club. Some already practicing marriage take it extremely seriously and want to keep it in its most traditional form while others involved in its practice think of it more as “until I change my mind” than “until death do us part” (I’m looking at you, Kim Kardashian).

Regardless of the exact who, what, where and why of the rival factions and their particular demands, it is diffi cult to reconcile a declaration of war on either Christmas or marriage aft er the experience of a Christmas wedding. Aft er all, the very essence of each is meant to be a

coming together in order to celebrate together diff erent people from difthe birth of something beautiful. ferent worlds. They are a time to reEach is meant to be a time of tra- flect and to start anew.

It may be argued dition, contemplation, that we can engage devotion and unbriin the substance of dled jubilation. After these events without witnessing the two in the events themselves. combination, it is diffiHowever, tradition cult to understand why and ritual lend a powanyone would want to erful significance to object to either’s exisour lives and to our tence, exclude anyone betterment. They put from experiencing us in a place where them or even argue Shannon SZYPERSKI we are forced to step about them at all.

Both holidays and weddings are away from our everyday and look more than just big meals and piles of at a bigger picture. Sometimes that bigger picture allows us to see and gifts. They are a time to think about who we are, how we are and where we hear things as we’ve never seen or heard them before. Sometimes it alwant to be. They are a time to bring

“

I honestly don’t know if the ‘War on Christmas’ has to do with Christians not wanting people to secularize the holiday, atheists wanting to remove any and all religious ‘lint’ from the fabric of our society or retailers fighting for holiday sales with ridiculously low prices.”

lows us to add meaning to a place it’s never been.

New meaning and appreciation may come in the form of something as simple as a Mariah Carey song or it may alter our outlook on life altogether. As imperfect as institutions like holidays and marriage

can be, they still offer a valuable opportunity for any and all who are open to the fresh perspective they continue to offer up year after year. ✯ Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania.

Used ToyDri ve January 6-7, 2012 12:00-5:00 p.m.

The Town Center at Levis Commons and Toledo Free Press are working together to collect outgrown, working toys to be donated to local children in need. Donations will be accepted in front of the movie theater.

Visit ShopLevisCommons.com for details.

Through January 8, 2012 www.ShopLevisCommons.com Cousino Harris

DISASTER KLEENUP ®

Ancient Egyptian.

Amulet: Wedjat. Faience, Third Intermediate Period. Gift of Florence Scott Libbey, 1925.563

419-255-8000 2445 Monroe St. Toledo, OH 43620 toledomuseum.org

ARTS LIFE

DECEMBER 25, 2011

â– A21

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

FILM REVIEW

but over and the audience can enjoy the plot twists unfolding.

Steven Zaillian, Oscar-winning screenwriter for “Schindler’s List,� penned this adaptation. The score is by the Oscar-winning team from “The Social Network,� Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, although the music does not seem to be quite as driving or in the forefront as it was in that film.

Comparing “Th e Girl with the Dragon Tattooâ€? to Fincher’s much-heralded “Th e Social Networkâ€? last year, there is a louder and more violent approach taken for this film. The source material is very different and Fincher has used it to craft a compelling thriller. âœŻ /5 Rated R for brutal violent content including rape and torture, strong sexuality, graphic nudity and language.

Toledo Free Press Lead Designer James A. Molnar blogs about all things Oscar at TheGoldKnight.com.

ROONEY MARA

JJan 1 • All D Day — Closed Cl New Year’s Day

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that has haunted the family for decades.

The girl with the dragon tattoo, named Lisbeth Salander and strongly played by Rooney Mara, is jmolnar@toledofreepress.com described by her handler as “the best investigator, Do you punish a fi lmmaker for a gruesome different in every way.�

Blomkvist and Salander do not cross paths and, at times, hard-to-watch story that’s faithfully initially, but when they meet there is an odd based on its source material?

At times, “The Girl with the Dragon chemistry at work while the two delve deeper Tattoo� is unwatchable. Not because it’s hor- into the mystery. “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo� has an ironiribly made but because director David Fincher has crafted a movie that depicts violence with cally Bond-esque opening, with floating liquid molding and shift ing into various symbolic obbone-chilling clarity.

His source material, the first in a series of three jects, set to rockish music.

The violence is not gratuitous. In fact, it Swedish books by Stieg Larsson, follows the intertwining tales of journalist Mikael Blomkvist and seems somewhat muted. Even so, audiences will fi nd themselves grasping at their armrests and a different kind of investigator, the title character.

Th e journalist, played by Daniel Craig turning their heads. These handful of scenes are (known for playing James Bond), loses a libel not for the faint of heart.

The 158-minute running time is surpriscase against billionaire industrialist Hans-Erik WennerstrĂśm. He is then hired by the retired ingly unnoticeable as the thrilling plot takes CEO of Vanger Corporation, the largest family- viewers on an adventure. The last parts of owned company in Sweden, to solve a mystery the movie shine because the violence is all

By James A. Molnar

PHOTO COURTESY COLUMBIA PICTURES

David Fincher’s ‘Dragon Tattoo’ is hauntingly good

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ARTS LIFE

A22 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Local holiday events range from glass to class Holidays at TMA

Town Center Levis Commons

NYE 2012

The museum offers its usual respite from the crass and commercial (or a fun place to take out-of-town visitors), emphasizing the creative instead. New this year is the Great Art Escape. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Fridays; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays; noon-6 p.m. Sundays; closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, 2445 Monroe St. (419) 255-8000 or toledomuseum.org. ✯ Family Center activity: Holiday memory book. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 27 and 29. ✯ Great Art Escape: Stroll the galleries and sample storytelling, drawing instruction, glass demonstrations and live performances, maybe even win a prize. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 27-29, 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 30 and 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 31.

Before getting repetitive stress injury from swiping that credit card, take part in a little holiday fun. 3201 Levis Commons Blvd., Perrysburg.

(419) 931-8888 or www.shoplevis commons.com. ✯ Carriage rides: 6-8 p.m. Dec. 23-24 and 30-31, from Chappel Drive near Schakolad Chocolate Factory. $5-$10. ✯ Play It Forward toy drive: Donate the playthings the kids have grown out of.

Noon-5 p.m. Jan. 6-7.

A champagne toast at midnight, balloon drop, photo booth, appetizer buffet and DJ tunes will offer a start to the New Year. 7 p.m. Dec. 31, Docks courtyard, 26 Main St.

One million lights, 200 lighted animal images and, yes, Virginia, the opportunity to see the animals make this a tradition worth continuing. Ice-carving demonstrations on Thursdays, a huge model train display and visits with Santa round out the experience, and don’t forget about the way-toocool Dancing Lights. 5-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays and until 9 p.m.

Fridays-Sundays through Dec. 31 (closed Dec. 24-25), Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway St. $8-$11. (419) 385-4040 or toledozoo.org.

Still shopping? Be sure to take part in some of the more festive holiday activities offered here. 3100 Main St., Maumee. (419) 878-6255 or www. theshopsatfallentimbers.com. ✯ Carriage rides: 5-9 p.m. Dec. 23; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dec. 24, pickup next to Santa’s Winter Wonderland and the Gap. $5.

HAVE A VERY TRUFFLE NEW YEAR! At the Chef’s Table on New Year’s Eve! Saturday, December 31st at 6 p.m. at our Maumee Location • Limited Seating – Reservations Required ed • Contact Chef Kolhoff for details or reservations: 419-794-4000

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Noon Year’s Eve Families are invited to ring in the New Year a little early with juice toasts, a round of “Auld Lang Syne,” reZOOlutions, ice carving, crafts, demonstrations and more. 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 31, Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway St. $8-$11. (419) 3854040 or toledozoo.org.

Maumee 419-794-4000 Perrysburg 419-872-6900

Unforgettable New Year’s Eve Celebration 2012 The Dance Clinic will offer new steps, and La Scola Italian Grill will dish up its favorites. A cash bar, party favors, 50/50 raffle and audio/video feed live from Times Square will be featured, too. 7:30 p.m. Dec. 31 to 1 a.m. Jan. 1, Graystone Hall, 29101 Hufford Road, Perrysburg. $45-$55. (419) 4753055 or www.thedanceclinic.com.

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Ever thought about the science behind the season? This experimental wonderland will get to the atomic heart of it all. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, Dec. 26 and Jan. 2; noon-5 p.m. Sundays; and closed Dec. 24-25 and Jan. 1, Summit and Adams streets. $7-$9. (419) 244-2674 or imaginationstationtoledo.org. ✯ Gingerbread Village: Culinary students from Penta Career Center have designed and built a gingerbread village, and visitors can vote for their favorites in person and on Facebook.

In addition, a giant gingerbread castle will be open for tours. ✯ Kris Kringle Village: Wintry activity stations will include a gallery of Dr. Snowflake’s paper crystal-like creations and the chance to make some of your own (the man himself will visit noon-2 p.m. Dec. 27); scientific ornament-making; and “growing” snow. ✯ Liquid nitrogen ice cream: Peppermint and chocolate chip are the flavors scooped up on weekends.

The kids can make merry while adults shop for outdoor gear. Bass Pro Shop, 10000 Bass Pro Blvd., Rossford. (419) 891-3900 or www. basspro.com. ✯ Photos with Santa: Parents will love the free 4-by-6-inch pics; kids will love the face-time with the big guy. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays and Dec. 24. ✯ Snowbrawl: An inflatable snow fort will be the base of operations for stuffed-snowball offensives. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Thursdays. ✯ Crafts: Kids will be able to decorate cookies (through Dec. 24). 5-7 p.m.

Dec. 21-23; and noon-5 p.m. Dec. 24. ✯ Other activities include laser and soft gun arcades, remote control truck tracks, model trains and slot car racing.

A comprehensive list of local arts events is published each Wednesday in Toledo Free Press Star, available at

more than 700 locations, including retail stores and restaurants, Meijer stores, Kroger stores, ProMedica and Mercy Health facilities, local universities, YMCA facilities and all Lucas County libraries.

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TV LISTINGS

DECEMBER 25, 2011 Sunday Morning 8 am ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

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One Life to Live General Hospital The Talk Let’s Make a Deal Justice Justice The People’s Court Judge B. Judge B. Nate Berkus Varied Programs Intervention Criminal Minds Varied Programs Movie Comedy Futurama Varied Programs SportsCtr Varied Programs My Wife My Wife 8, Rules 8, Rules Secrets Dinners Cooking 30-Minute Varied Programs Varied Programs Varied Programs Raymond Raymond Raymond Raymond Movie Varied Programs Las Vegas The Closer Movie Varied Programs Wendy Williams Show Lifechangr Lifechangr

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Ellen DeGeneres America America Anderson The Doctors

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News News 30 Rock News News

ABC News CBS News News NBC News NewsHour

Criminal Minds

News News News at Five Access H. TMZ The Dr. Oz Show Cyberchas Varied Programs

Futurama Varied

Sunny

Scrubs Shake It

Tosh.0 Good

South Pk

’70s Show ’70s Show ’70s Show ’70s Show Movie Varied Contessa Giada Paula Cooking Varied Programs

Law & Order

’70s Show ’70s Show ’70s Show ’70s Show Friends Friends King King Movie Law & Order Law & Order

Chris

Fam. Guy

Friends

Friends

Chris

Fam. Guy

Two Men

Two Men

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Disney Parade NBA NBA Basketball Miami Heat at Dallas Mavericks. (N) NBA Basketball Chicago Bulls at Los Angeles Lakers. (N) (CC) Grinch ›› Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) News Insider NCAA Show AMA Supercross NFL Holiday Third and Long (N) (CC) News News 60 Minutes (CC) CSI: Crime Scene The Good Wife (CC) CSI: Miami (CC) News Criminal Holiday Parade Nutcracker-Ice The Unit (CC) Bones Quarantined. The Closer (CC) 30 Rock Office Burgers Cleveland Simpsons Cleveland Fam. Guy American News Recap 30 Rock Paid Christmas Rejoice Christmas Carols Global Golf Golf ADT Skills Challenge, Day 2. (Taped) Messiah News Football Night NFL Football Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers. (N) (S Live) (CC) Present Workshop W’dwright Kitchen Sewing Christmas with Annie L.A. Holiday Mormon Concert-Norway Mormon Nature (CC) Masterpiece Classic (CC) Christmas Toledo Stories (CC) Stephen King’s Bag of Bones (2011, Suspense) Pierce Brosnan, Melissa George. (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Real Housewives Real Housewives Real Housewives Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. Housewives/Atl. ›› Just Friends (CC) ›› National Lampoon’s Van Wilder (2002) › Vegas Vacation (1997) Chevy Chase. ›› Just Friends (2005) Ryan Reynolds. (CC) ››› Bad Santa (2003) Billy Bob Thornton. ›› Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008) ANT Farm Jessie Shake It Random Beethoven-Adv Good Luck Charlie Buttowski Fish Shake It Jessie ANT Farm Random ››› Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Jessie ANT Farm NBA Basketball Year in Review SportsNation (N) E:60 (N) Sports SportsCenter (N) (Live) (CC) NBA Basketball: Magic at Thunder NBA Basketball Santa ››› The Santa Clause (1994) Tim Allen. › The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause ›› Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Joe Pesci ››› The Polar Express (2004, Fantasy) ›› National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation Restaurant: Im. Restaurant: Im. Restaurant: Im. Restaurant: Im. Cupcake Wars Diners Food Next Iron Chef Cupcake Wars Iron Chef America Iron Chef America Chopped Hunters House Hunters Hunters House House Hunters Hunters House Hunters Hunters House House Hunters Hollywood at Home Homes Hunters House Hunters House Hunters Boyfriend for A Christmas Wedding (2006, Comedy) (CC) A Nanny for Christmas (2010) (CC) ›› Nothing Like the Holidays (2008) (CC) 12 Men of Christmas (2009) (CC) Dear Santa (2011, Drama) Amy Acker. (CC) Teen Mom 2 True Life True Life True Life True Life Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 ›› Legally Blonde (2001), Luke Wilson Teen Mom 2 A Christmas Story ›››› A Christmas Story (1983) (CC) (DVS) ›››› A Christmas Story (1983) (CC) (DVS) ›››› A Christmas Story (1983) (CC) (DVS) ›› Shrek the Third (2007), Eddie Murphy ›› Shrek the Third (2007), Eddie Murphy Ben-Hur ››› The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965) Max von Sydow, Carroll Baker. (CC) ››› King of Kings (1961) Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna. (CC) ›››› Going My Way (1944) Bing Crosby. ››› Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) NBA Basketball ›› Men in Black II (2002) (CC) ››› War of the Worlds (2005) Tom Cruise. ››› Forrest Gump (1994, Drama) Tom Hanks, Robin Wright. (CC) Leverage (N) (CC) ›› Journey to the Center of the Earth (CC) Indiana Jones & the Temple ››› Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Harrison Ford.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull ››› Elf (2003) Will Ferrell. (CC) ››› Elf (2003) Will Ferrell. (CC) Indiana Jones › Three to Tango Made Payne Cold Case Drawings. Big Bang Big Bang Friends Friends Chris Chris Big Bang Big Bang › Millions (1991) Billy Zane, Lauren Hutton. Made Electric Futurama Futurama

Monday Evening 7 pm ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

2 pm ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

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Daytime Afternoon

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Good Morning News This Week-Amanpour Conklin Bridges Christmas Day Parade A Christmas Snow CBS News Sunday Morning (N) Nation Sunday Catholic Mass Heal Power-Juicing Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Fox News Sunday Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Shirt Off! Paid Prog. Christmas Ice Today (N) (CC) Meet the Press (N) Van Impe Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Secrets Christmas Christmas Sid Cat in the Super Dinosaur Toledo Stories (CC) Plugged-In Your Hlth Antiques Roadshow ››› Animal House (1978) John Belushi. (CC) The Sopranos (CC) The Sopranos (CC) The Sopranos (CC) Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas Kathy Griffin Comedy Real Housewives Futurama Futurama Futurama › Vegas Vacation (1997, Comedy) Chevy Chase. (CC) ›› Just Friends (2005) Phineas Phineas Fish Buttowski Austin Austin Austin A.N.T. Farm (CC) Random SportsCenter (CC) SportsCenter (N) (CC) SportsCenter (N) (CC) SportsCenter (N) (CC) NBA Basketball Jack Frost Pinocchio’s Christmas Frosty’s Xmas Rudolph’s Shiny Year Santa Claus, Town Santa Chopped Chopped Chopped Chopped Chopped Income Income Property Brothers (CC) Disaster Disaster Weekends Yard House Hunters Hour of Power (CC) J. Osteen Paid Prog. A Holiday to Remember (1995, Romance) (CC) Boyfriend for Pregnant 16 and Pregnant (CC) ›› Legally Blonde (2001) Reese Witherspoon. Teen Mom 2 ›››› A Christmas Story (1983) (CC) (DVS) ›››› A Christmas Story (1983) (CC) (DVS) A Christmas Story Miracle-Lady of Fatima ›››› Ben-Hur (1959, Historical Drama) Charlton Heston, Jack Hawkins. (CC) (DVS) ››› King Kong (2005) Naomi Watts. A beauty tames a savage beast.

NBA Tip-Off (CC) NBA Basketball ›› Bee Movie (2007) (CC) ›››› Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Harrison Ford. (CC) Indiana Jones Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Old House For Home FREE Bras Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Raceline › Three to Tango

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

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Tuesday Evening

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Ent Insider Rudolph’s Shiny Year You Deserve It (N) Castle (CC) News Nightline Wheel Jeopardy! How I Met Broke Girl Two Men Mike Hawaii Five-0 (CC) News Letterman Paid Prog. How I Met House (CC) House “After Hours” Fox Toledo News Seinfeld The Office Jdg Judy Jdg Judy Who’s Still Standing? Fear Factor (CC) Rock Center News Jay Leno NewsHour Business Antiques Roadshow Antiques Roadshow American Masters (CC) Leading Hoarders (CC) Hoarders (CC) Hoarders (CC) Intervention “Jimbo” Intervention “Linda” Real Housewives Real Housewives Real Housewives Real Housewives Real Housewives 30 Rock 30 Rock Work.

South Pk Sunny Sunny Sunny Sunny Daily Colbert Jessie Austin Random ››› A Bug’s Life (1998) Voices of Dave Foley. Jessie Austin Random Monday Night Countdown (N) (CC) NFL Football Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints. (N) (Live) SportsCtr ›› Richie Rich (1994) ››› Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (2003) The 700 Club (N) (CC) Diners Diners Diners, Drive Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Hunters House Love It or List It (N) House House House House House House Wife Swap (CC) Wife Swap (CC) Wife Swap (CC) One Born Ev. How I Met Reba (CC) Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Awkward. Teen Mom 2 Seinfeld Seinfeld Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Conan ››› Jungle Book (CC) ››› Little Dorrit Part One: Nobody’s Fault (1988) Alec Guinness.

Little Dorrit Part II Law & Order The Closer (CC) The Closer (N) (CC) Rizzoli & Isles (N) The Closer (CC) ›› National Treasure: Book of Secrets (2007) WWE Monday Night RAW (N) (S Live) (CC) Nat’l Treasure Big Bang Big Bang ›› The Education of Charlie Banks (2007) Sunny Sunny Cash Cab Cash Cab

7 pm ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

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December 27, 2011

MOVIES

8 pm

8:30

9 pm

9:30

10 pm

10:30

11 pm

11:30

Ent Insider Last Man Last Man Middle Suburg.

Body of Proof (CC) News Nightline Wheel Jeopardy! NCIS “Defiance” The 34th Annual Kennedy Center Honors (N) News Letterman The Office How I Met Glee (CC) New Girl Raising Fox Toledo News Seinfeld The Office Jdg Judy Jdg Judy The Biggest Loser “Where Are They Now?” Parenthood “Nora” News Jay Leno NewsHour Business Great Performances (CC) Frontline (CC) (DVS) Charlie Rose (N) (CC) Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Storage Tabatha’s Salon Take Tabatha’s Salon Take Tabatha’s Salon Take Tabatha’s Salon Take Tabatha’s Salon Take 30 Rock 30 Rock South Pk Futurama Tosh.0 Tosh.0 Tosh.0 Tosh.0 Daily Colbert Jessie Austin Wizards Adventures of Sharkboy Wizards Jessie Austin Wizards College Football College Football Belk Bowl -- Louisville vs. North Carolina State. (N) (Live) SportsCtr Willy Wonka & Chocolate ››› Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005, Fantasy) The 700 Club (N) (CC) Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Chopped Hunters House First Place My House Property Property House Hunters House Hunters America’s Supernanny America’s Supernanny America’s Supernanny One Born Ev. One Born Ev. True Life Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 (N) Teen Mom 2 Seinfeld Seinfeld Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Conan ›››› Touch of Evil ›››› Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) (CC) ›› Earth vs. the Flying Saucers Bones (CC) NBA Basketball Boston Celtics at Miami Heat. (N) (CC) NBA Basketball: Jazz at Lakers Pirates-Dead ›› Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007, Action) Johnny Depp. (CC) Pirates Big Bang Big Bang Keith (2008, Drama) Elisabeth Harnois.

Sunny Sunny Cash Cab Cash Cab

TV LISTINGS

A24 ■ TOLEDO FREE PRESS Wednesday Evening 7 pm ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

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8 pm

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Saturday Afternoon / Evening ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

1:30

2 pm

2:30

ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

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December 31, 2011

MOVIES

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9:30

10 am

10:30

11 am

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Good Morning News J. Hanna Ocean Explore Culture Health Food Your Morning Saturday Busytown Busytown Danger Horseland College Basketball Animal Hollywood Eco Co. Mad Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Kids News Paid Prog.

Today (N) (CC) Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Turbo Shelldon Magic Bus Babar (EI) Willa’s Pearlie (EI) Sid Cat in the Super Dinosaur MotorWk Our Ohio Wild Ohio Michigan Nature (CC) (DVS) Sell House Sell House Sell House Sell House Sell House Sell House Flip This House (CC) Sell: Extreme Rachel Zoe Project Rachel Zoe Project Rachel Zoe Project Matchmaker Matchmaker Comedy ›› Drillbit Taylor (2008) Owen Wilson. (CC) › Disaster Movie (2008) Matt Lanter. (CC) Scrubs Mickey Pirates Phineas Phineas Phineas Fish Jessie ANT Farm Wizards Wizards SportsCenter (CC) SportsCenter (CC) SportsCenter (N) (Live) (CC) College Football Willy Wonka & Chocolate ››› Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005, Fantasy) ›› Overboard (1987) Aarti Party Cooking Home 30-Minute Secrets Paula Contessa Giada Chopped Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. ››› Julie & Julia (2009) Meryl Streep. (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Earl Earl Jim Yes, Dear Yes, Dear Yes, Dear ›› Miss Congeniality (2000) Sandra Bullock. ››› At the Circus ››› Room Service (1938) (CC) ››› A Day at the Races (1937) (CC) (DVS) Night Opr Law & Order Leverage (CC) Rizzoli & Isles (CC) The Closer (CC) Law & Order Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. Paid Prog. NCIS “Cracked” (CC) NCIS (CC) NCIS (CC) Sonic X Sonic X Yu-Gi-Oh! Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Dragon Tai Chi Yu-Gi-Oh! Dog Tales Career

December 31, 2011

MOVIES

3 pm

10 pm

Ent Insider Charlie Brown Grey’s Anatomy (CC) Grey’s Anatomy (CC) News Nightline Wheel Jeopardy! Big Bang Rules Person of Interest The Mentalist (CC) News Letterman The Office How I Met Bones (PA) (CC) Bones (PA) (CC) Fox Toledo News Seinfeld The Office Jdg Judy Jdg Judy Commun Parks The Office Whitney The Office All Night News Jay Leno NewsHour Business Toledo Stories (CC) Masterpiece Mystery! (CC) (DVS) Trans-Siberian Music The First 48 (CC) The First 48 (CC) The First 48 (N) (CC) Beyond Scared Beyond Scared Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC 30 Rock 30 Rock Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Futurama Daily Colbert Jessie Good Shake It ››› Bolt (2008, Comedy) (CC) Phineas Wizards Good Shake It College Football: Champs Sports Bowl College Football Valero Alamo Bowl -- Baylor vs. Washington. (N) ›› Cheaper by the Dozen (2003) ›› Sweet Home Alabama (2002) Reese Witherspoon.

The 700 Club (N) (CC) Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Chopped Champions Cupcake Wars Hunters House Giveaway House Selling LA Selling NY House Hunters House Hunters Dead at 17 (2008) (CC) Betrayed at 17 (2011) Alexandra Paul. (CC) › Obsessed (2009, Suspense) Idris Elba. (CC) Ridic.

Ridic.

Ridic.

Ridic.

Ridic.

Beavis Beavis Good Vibe Good Vibe Beavis Seinfeld Seinfeld Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Conan (CC) That’s Enter. 3 ›››› The Great Ziegfeld (1936) William Powell, Luise Rainer. (CC) ››› Love Crazy (CC) Bones (CC) NBA Basketball: Mavericks at Thunder NBA Basketball: Knicks at Lakers Burn Notice (CC) Burn Notice (CC) Burn Notice (CC) Burn Notice (CC) Burn Notice (CC) Big Bang Big Bang The Vampire Diaries The Secret Circle (CC) Sunny Sunny Cash Cab Cash Cab

8 am ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

December 29, 2011

MOVIES

8 pm

Saturday Morning

11:30

Ent Insider ››› The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe News Nightline Wheel Jeopardy! A Gifted Man (CC) CSI: NY (CC) Blue Bloods (CC) News Letterman The Office How I Met Kitchen Nightmares Fringe “Subject 9” Fox Toledo News Seinfeld The Office Jdg Judy Jdg Judy Chuck (N) (CC) Grimm (CC) Dateline NBC (N) (CC) News Jay Leno NewsHour Business Wash.

Deadline American Masters (CC) Sun Stud Charlie Rose (N) (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Criminal Minds (CC) Matchmaker Matchmaker ››› The Bourne Supremacy (2004) Matt Damon.

Bourne Su 30 Rock 30 Rock Tosh.0 Tosh.0 ›› Jackass: Number Two (2006) Jackass 2.5 (2007) Sunny Good Jessie Jessie Austin A.N.T. Farm (CC) Good Good Austin Austin College Football: Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl College Football: Insight Bowl ››› Dirty Dancing (1987) ››› Grease (1978) John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John.

The 700 Club (N) (CC) Best Thing Best Thing Ba. Glama Paula Paula Paula Diners Diners Iron Chef America Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters House Hunters Hunters Hunters Unsolved Mysteries Unsolved Mysteries Amer. Most Wanted Amer. Most Wanted Starving Secrets Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Seinfeld Seinfeld Payne Payne Payne Payne ››› Pretty Woman (1990) Richard Gere. (CC) One Week ›››› Tootsie (1982) Dustin Hoffman. (CC) ››› Oklahoma! (1955) Gordon MacRae. (CC) Law & Order ››› Transformers (2007, Action) Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson. (CC) ›› Deep Impact (CC) CSI: Crime Scene CSI: Crime Scene CSI: Crime Scene CSI: Crime Scene CSI: Crime Scene Big Bang Big Bang The Secret Circle (CC) The Secret Circle (CC) Sunny Sunny Cash Cab Cash Cab

1 pm

7 pm

December 30, 2011

MOVIES

8 pm

Thursday Evening

11:30

Ent Insider Middle Suburg.

Family Happy Revenge “Intrigue” News Nightline Wheel Jeopardy! NCIS: Los Angeles Criminal Minds CSI: Crime Scene News Letterman The Office How I Met Raising Raising New Girl New Girl Fox Toledo News Seinfeld The Office Jdg Judy Jdg Judy All Night Whitney Harry’s Law (CC) Law & Order: SVU News Jay Leno NewsHour Business Nature “Arctic Bears” NOVA “Extreme Ice” NOVA (CC) (DVS) Charlie Rose (N) (CC) Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Dog Dog Dog Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Dog Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas Top Chef: Texas 30 Rock 30 Rock Chappelle Chappelle Chappelle Chappelle Chappelle Chappelle Daily Colbert Jessie Austin Random Good Shake It Phineas Wizards Jessie Austin Random College Football College Football Bridgepoint Education Holiday Bowl -- California vs. Texas. (N) SportsCtr ››› Casper (1995, Fantasy) Christina Ricci. ››› Elf (2003, Comedy) Will Ferrell. Premiere. The 700 Club (N) (CC) Chopped All-Stars Chopped All-Stars Chopped All-Stars Chopped All-Stars Restaurant: Im. Hunters House House Income Income Kitchen Property Brothers (CC) Property Brothers (CC) ››› Julie & Julia (CC) ›› The Holiday (2006) Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law. (CC) To Be Announced Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 Teen Mom 2 True Life (N) ›› Jackass 3.5 (2011) Seinfeld Seinfeld Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Big Bang Big Bang Conan Dr. Kildare’s Victory ››› The Paleface (1948) Bob Hope. (CC) ››› The In-Laws (1979) Peter Falk. (CC) Law & Order “Refuge” The Mentalist (CC) The Mentalist (CC) Leverage (CC) Rizzoli & Isles (CC) He’s Just Not ›› Funny People (2009) Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen. Premiere. (CC) He’s Just Not Big Bang Big Bang According to Greta (2009) Hilary Duff.

Sunny Sunny Cash Cab Cash Cab

Friday Evening ABC 13 CBS 11 FOX 36 NBC 24 PBS 30 A&E BRAVO COM DISN ESN FAM FOOD HGTV LIF MTV TBS TCM TNT USA WTO5

December 28, 2011

MOVIES

8:30

DECEMBER 25, 2011

6:30

7 pm

7:30

8 pm

8:30

9 pm

9:30

10 pm 10:30 11 pm 11:30

Heal Power-Juicing Paid College Football College Football AutoZone Liberty Bowl -- Cincinnati vs. Vanderbilt. (N) (Live) Insider Lottery New Year’s Rockin’ Eve: 40th Anniversary Dick Clark News Dick College Basketball College Football Hyundai Sun Bowl -- Georgia Tech vs. Utah. From El Paso, Texas. (N) News News Wheel Jeopardy! Mother ››› The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) Matt Damon. (CC) News NUMB3R Festival on Ice Hollywood Christmas Outdoors McCarver The Unit “Freefall” The Closer “Slippin”’ Bones (CC) Office Simpsons Terra Nova Taylor looks for a Sixer mole.

News Seinfeld New Year’s Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Paid Snowboarding News News Academic Big Loser Grimm “Beeware” Grimm (CC) New Year’s News Daly This Old House Hr John Quilting Great Performances (CC) Sun Stud Getaways Kimchi Steves Rudy Lawrence Welk Live From Lincoln Center (N) (S Live) (CC) B.E. Taylor Coldplay New Seagal Seagal Seagal Seagal Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Dog Dog Dog Dog Bounty Hunter Dog Dog Dog Dog Dog Bounty Hunter Housewives of D.C. Housewives of D.C. Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC Housewives/NYC Housewives/OC Housewives/OC Housewives/NJ Housewives/NJ Housewives/NJ Housewives/NJ Scrubs Scrubs Scrubs ››› American Pie (1999) Jason Biggs. (CC) ›› Employee of the Month (2006) Dane Cook. (CC) ›› Dance Flick (2009) Shoshana Bush. (CC) South Pk South Pk South Pk South Pk South Pk South Pk Good Good Shake It Shake It Good Good Good Good Good ››› Surf’s Up (2007) (CC) Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 (2011) ›› Cats & Dogs (2001) (CC) ›› G-Force (2009) Bill Nighy.

Phineas College Football: Meineke Car Care of Texas Bowl College Football Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl -- Illinois vs. UCLA. (N) (Live) Football College Football Chick-Fil-A Bowl -- Auburn vs. Virginia. From Atlanta. (N) Red Bull: New Year ›› Overboard (1987, Comedy) ››› Grease (1978) John Travolta, Olivia Newton-John. ›› Sweet Home Alabama (2002) Reese Witherspoon. ›› Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009), Jayma Mays ›› Sweet Home Alabama (2002) Reese Witherspoon.

Cupcake Wars Cupcake Wars Challenge Diners Diners Iron Chef America Chopped Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Diners Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters Hunters House House House House House House House House ››› Julie & Julia ››› While You Were Sleeping (1995) (CC) ›› Rumor Has It... (2005) Jennifer Aniston. › Fool’s Gold (2008), Kate Hudson (CC) Maneater (2009, Romance-Comedy) Sarah Chalke, Maria Conchita Alonso. (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) Jersey Shore (CC) MTV New Year’s Eve Miss ››› Pretty Woman (1990) Richard Gere. (CC) King King Friends Friends Friends Friends Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang Big Bang A Night at the Opera ›››› Animal Crackers (1930) (CC) ›››› Monkey Business (1931) ››› Horse Feathers ›››› Duck Soup (1933) (CC) ››› Fail-Safe (1964) Henry Fonda. ››› Panic in the Streets (1950) Premiere. ›› Deep Impact (1998) Robert Duvall. (CC) ›› Four Brothers (2005) Mark Wahlberg. ››› Training Day (2001) Denzel Washington. (CC) ››› Transformers (2007) Shia LaBeouf, Tyrese Gibson. (CC) ››› Training Day (2001) (CC) NCIS (CC) NCIS (CC) NCIS “Kill Screen” NCIS (CC) (DVS) NCIS “Tell-All” NCIS “Two-Faced” NCIS (CC) (DVS) NCIS “Baltimore” NCIS “Swan Song” NCIS “Pyramid” NCIS: Los Angeles Icons Live Life On Spot Browns Without a Trace (CC) Electric Electric Futurama Futurama Fam. Guy Fam. Guy Two Men Two Men › House on Haunted Hill (1999, Horror) Two Men Two Men Sunny Sunny

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â&#x2013; A25

BIFF & RILEY

BY JEFF PAYDEN

DIZZY

BY DEAN HARRIS

â&#x2013; ANSWERS FOUND ON A26

Third Rock

Almanac

â&#x2013; ANSWERS FOUND ON A48

BY ELIZABETH HAZEL

YOUR TAROTGRAM AND HOROSCOPE

DEC. 25-31, 2011

Events: Jupiter stations direct in Taurus (25th) Aries (March 21-April 19)

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Good things appear Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something lost or forgotten, and someone you didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t expect to see. Transformative energies are visible: people and situations reveal new possibilities and deeper dimensions. The weekend may be chaotic â&#x20AC;&#x201C; be cautious and drive carefully.

Careful listening helps you identify ploys and tricks people use to get you to fall in with their plans (rather than yours).

Good news and invitations arrive midweek. After Thursday, consider the means and methods to ensure life-changing New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolutions are fulfilled.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Christmas heralds a new and energetic direction in your life. As the year ends, make arrangements to pursue projects that excite you. Work out agreements with others

by Thursday. People may attempt to lock horns with you over the weekend â&#x20AC;&#x201C; stay peaceful.

People are the key to your happy holidays. New resources and information sources are accessible Monday. Putting these to use gives entrĂŠe to fresh networks midweek. There are two groups to notice as the weekend arrives â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the one you want to be with, the other you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Courage to blaze a new path is tested as the week begins, and may center on a relationship with someone close to you. Ideas seeded now will bloom around your next birthday. It can be a rough ride after Friday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; watch for potholes and pitfalls.

This is the week to refresh work and money matters.

Discuss details with key people from Monday to Wednesday and put decisions into action immediately. After Thursday, little pleasures and visitors contrast with irritating clichĂŠs and shallow philosophies.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Everyone has plots and plans this week. Some are traveling, while others initiate personal make-overs. An older person needs encouragement midweek. Big realities are at hand

by Thursday, and may confirm intuitive hunches youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been sensing for a while.

Monday morning is hard to face unless you have the day off. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re ready to face the world Tuesday. Year-end changes include implementing new regulations or legal requirements. People are uneasy and argumentative after Friday. Follow your instincts.

Leo (July 23-August 22)

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

A tangled situation is unknotted Monday and restores your confidence. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re hot stuff Wednesday and Thursday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; share ideas and knowledge. Connect with a long-distance friend Saturday and catch up on gossip. Communication methods and devices arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reliable.

Rotten weather or technical/mechanical issues delay things Monday morning, but you flourish in the afternoon.

Personal conditions improve through Thursday. After Friday, errors, gridlock, and blatant stupidity are annoying. Kvetch with a fun friend Saturday.

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

You become aware of people, things, ideas and situations that have been invisible or inaccessible. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bemoan wasted time or resources. Forge ahead and leverage your options. After Thursday, recent past experiences guide responses to peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s crisis situations or upsets.

Your awesome holiday continues with bonuses and treats as the week begins. Some are shared, some are personal.

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe everything you hear Wednesday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; people can misrepresent or exaggerate. Weekend plans are prone to revisions and detours. Be flexible.

Elizabeth Hazel is a professional tarotist-astrologer and author. She gives readings every Wednesday at Attic on Adams above Manos Greek Restaurant. She may be contacted at ehazel@buckeye-express.com (c) 2011

TFP CROSSWORD

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rising Starâ&#x20AC;?

ACROSS 1. ½ a Latin dance 4. Iconic role played by 33-Across in a 2011 TV pilot 11. Yours and mine 12. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Mamma ----â&#x20AC;?

13. With 19-Across, alma mater of 33-Across 15. Massachusetts cape 16. Tit for ---17. Mexican folk music 19. See 13-Across 22. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Norma Raeâ&#x20AC;? director Martin 25. Low-tech fastener 28. Wake-up call 33. Accomplished young actress born in Toledo 36. Packersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; rivals 37. Disney flick of 1982 & 2010 38. Tony British school 40. With 46-Across, TV series featuring 33-Across 42. * 44. Flat/pancake link 45. Former 46. See 40-Across 51. â&#x20AC;&#x153;---- Yankee Doodle Dandy...â&#x20AC;?

BY DAVE DECHRISTOPHER

52. Alley ---53. Alter ego of 4-Across 54. Purchase at Build A Bear on Monroe DOWN 1. Bordenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Elsie, e.g.

2. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whadya say?â&#x20AC;?

3. Jeremy Piven, on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Entourageâ&#x20AC;?

4. Burrowing â&#x20AC;&#x153;bearâ&#x20AC;? of Australia

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

14.

17.

18.

Bridge seat Radiate Fix in advance How Lucy cries?

Full of testosterone Federer rival â&#x20AC;&#x153;Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ali ----â&#x20AC;? (â&#x20AC;&#x153;South Pacificâ&#x20AC;? tune) Wall painting New fashion based on an old one

20.

21.

23.

24.

25.

26.

Fuel source Result of missed car payments Infamous Amin Can, in Britain The Volunteer St. Animated hit starring Woody Allen 27. A pop 29. Gild the lily, and then some 30. Middle of many plays 31. Movie studio of yore 32. Capital of Belarus 34. Nick and Noraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pooch 35. A before a vowel 39. Get out of the rat race 40. Johnstown disaster of a century ago 41. Type of ink 42. Cinder 43. Lustrous fabric 44. Gel from seaweed 46. Peeples or Long 47. Little devil 48. Very popular 49. Also 50. Bond, for on â&#x2013; ANSWERS FOUND ON A26

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GENERAL We are looking for energetic, motivated people to join our upbeat, driven team!

Earn $20 per deal by educating and enrolling customers for this free energy program.

This program offers customers a chance to save money on their utility bill.

We also offer a very effective training program with advancement opportunities.

Call 419-496-2033 to schedule an interview.

■ CROSSWORD ANSWERS FROM A25 & + $ : 2 1 ' ( 5 : 2 0 $ 1 2 8 5 2 2 0 , $ $ $ $ : + , 7 0 ( 5 + , * + & 2 ' % 7 $ 7 + $ 0 $ 5 , $ & + , 6 & + 2 2 / 8 ( 7 5 2 5 , 7 7 7 $ 3 ( $ / $ 5 0 $ ' 5 , $ 1 1 ( 3 $ / , & . , / , 2 1 6 7 5 2 1 ( 7 2 1 7 = 5 , 6 ) 5 , ' $ < $ 6 7 ( 5 , 6 . / 1 $ 6 $ 7 2 / ' 1 , * + 7 / , * + 7 6 2 , , 0 $ , 5 2 2 3 ' , $ 1 $ 3 5 , 1 & ( 7 2 <

Toledo Free Press publishes classified ads and cannot be responsible for problems arising between parties placing or responding to ads in our paper. We strongly urge everyone to exercise caution when dealing with people, companies and organizations with whom you are not familiar.

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All real estate advertised in this paper is subject to the federal Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation, or discrimination based on race, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, in the sale, rental, or financing of housing. This Publisher will not knowingly accept any advertising that violates any applicable law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this paper are available on an equal opportunity basis. If you believe you have been discriminated against in connection with the sale, rental, or financing of housing, call the Toledo Fair Housing Center, (419) 243-6163.

DECEMBER 25, 2011 State of Ohio Ohio School Facilities Commission NOTICE TO BIDDERS Bids will be received by the Toledo Public School District (the “District or TPS”), at the School Board Of fice, Treasurers Room 3, 420 E. Manhattan Blvd., Toledo, Ohio 43608 for the former Beverly, East Side Central, East Toledo and Washington Schools Pre-Demolition Asbestos/HazMat Abatement Project in accordance with the Drawings and Specifications prepared by: TTL Associates, Inc. 1915 N. 12th Street Toledo, Ohio 43604 Phone No. 419-324-2222 Fax No. 419-321-6252 The Construction Manager for the Project is: Lathrop/Gant/Barton Malow, LLC 701 Jefferson, Suite 302 Toledo, Ohio 43604 Phone No. 419-776-5600 Fax No. 877-281-0784 Any Proposed Equal for a Standard shall be submitted to the Consultant, no later than ten (10) days prior to the bid opening. If no Addendum is issued accepting the Proposed Equal, the Proposed Equal shall be considered rejected.

Sealed bids will be received for: Estimates Bid Item No. 1: Asbestos/HazMat Abatement of Longfellow Elementary School $ 733,713.00 Abatement Dates: April 30 through August 3, 2012 Bid Item No. 2: Asbestos/HazMat Abatement of Marshall Elementary School $ 132,212.00 Abatement Dates: February 20 through March 16, 2012 Bid Item No. 3: Asbestos/HazMat Abatement of McKinley Elementary School $ 505,100.00 Abatement Dates: March 26 through July 13, 2012 Bid Item No. 4: Asbestos/HazMat Abatement of Whittier Elementary School $ 183,627.00 Abatement Dates: June 18 through August 15, 2012 until Friday, January 18, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. (as determined by Stratum clocking (cell phone time)) and will be opened publicly and read immediately thereafter.

The pre-bid meeting will be held on Thursday, December 29, 2011 at 9:00 a.m. at Marshall Elementary School located at 415 Colburn Street in Toledo, Ohio continuing thereafter to the remaining sites. ATTENDANCE AT THE PRE-BID MEETING IS MANDATORY FOR ALL CONTRACTORS INTENDING ON SUBMITTING A BID. The walkthrough schedule will be as follows: 1. Marshall Elementary School, 415 Colburn Street 2. Whittier Elementary School, 4215 Walker Avenue 3. Longfellow Elementary School, 4112 Jackman Road 4. McKinley Elementary School, 1901 West Central Avenue Bidders will be required to comply with the Toledo Public School District’s Community Inclusion Plan.

Contract Documents will be available on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 and may be obtained from Toledo Blue Print, 6964 McNerney Street, Northwood, Ohio 43619, phone: (419) 661-9841 for the cost of the printing, to be paid to the printing company at the time the drawings are picked up. CD-ROM copies of the bid drawings are also available from Toledo Blue Printfor no cost with the purchase of the speci fication books.

The Contract Documents may be reviewed for bidding purposes without charge during business hours at the following locations: Maumee F.W. Dodge Plan Room The Plan Room 3521 Briarfield Blvd., Suite D 3135 South State St., Suite 210 Maumee, OH 43537 Ann Arbor, MI 48108 PH: 419-861-1300 PH: 734-662-2570 FX: 419-861-1325 FX: 734-662-1695 University of Toledo - Builders Exchange Capacity Bldg. 5555 Airport Hwy, Suite 140 Toledo, Ohio 43606 Toledo, OH 43615 PH: 419-530-3120 PH: 216-661-8300 FX: 419-530-3242 Northwest Ohio Hispanic E.O.P.A. - Hamilton Building Chamber of Commerce 505 Hamilton St. 303 Morris St. Toledo, Ohio 43602 Toledo, Ohio 43602 PH: 419-242-7304 PH: 419- 351-1521 Columbus F.W. Dodge Plan Room Construction Association of Michigan 1175 Dublin Rd. 43636 Woodward Ave. Dublin, OH 43215-1073 Bloom field Hills, MI 48302 PH: 614-486-6575 PH: 248-972-1014 FX: 614-486-0544 FX: 248-972-1136 Ohio Construction News Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce 7261 Engle Rd., Suite 304 MCBAP Cleveland, Ohio 44130 300 Madison Ave. Ste. 200 PH: 800-969-4700 Toledo, Ohio 43604-1575 PH: 419-243-8191 FX: 419-241-8302

DECEMBER 25, 2011

Visit www.toledofreepress.com m

The best glass in town A&D Glass offers wholesale pricing A & D Glass & Mirror is allowing Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan residents to buy direct at wholesale pricing.

The largest residential fabricator in Northwest Ohio for custom mirror and glass needs, A & D Glass & Mirror is the only local company with the equipment to cut glass and mirrors to any size, shape and edging.

With a 12,000-square-foot facility in Perrysburg, A & D does all fabrication in house along with custom edge work and custom glass and mirror design from five full-time employees and 10 part-time employees. This allows the company to beat all estimates.

A & D Glass & Mirror offers free consultation and on-site estimates on residential products such as shower doors,

steam shower enclosures, custom mirrors, glass shelves, glass handrails, replacement glass, tables and tabletops. It also offers consultation on commercial products such as glass entrances, storefronts, glass curtain walls, interior glass, custom display cases, shelving and glass handrails.

The company was founded in 2006 to contract sample and literature fulfillment services for N.S.G. Building Products, formerly known as Pilkington North America, and acquired Erikson’s Glass to expand into commercial and residential markets.

A & D Glass & Mirror built the antireflective case in which Maumee High School displays the Heisman Trophy donated by alum Richard Kazmaier. Kazmaier won the Heisman Trophy in 1951 as a quarterback, running back and kicker at Princeton.

Maumee High School is one of only four high schools displaying a Heisman Trophy.

To schedule a free consultation, call (419) 873-1800 or stop by the facility at 26615 Eckel Road.

26615 Eckel Road

419.873.1800

Perrysburg, OH 43551

www.adglass.net

■ A27

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