Toledo Free Press - May 25, 2005 by Toledo Free Press

FREE PRESS T

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Bob Frantz spanks Toledo Federation of Teachers, page 4

The dawn of a Toledo tradition

www.toledofreepress.com

May 25, 2005

EYES ON INDY:

FREE

Sam Hornish Jr. looks to reverse his fortunes at the Indianapolis 500, and add to his growing legend — story by Dave Woolford, page 18

■ BREAKING NEWS: Springﬁeld Township to drop LCIC lawsuit, page 15

WIRING AFGHANISTAN

■ Spotlight

Enjoying freedom ■ Recent UT graduate Daniel Brown talks about life after his wrongful imprisonment and his plans for the future, page 9

■ Memorial Day

WW II haunts paratrooper Thomas Boggs remembers his companions and his service in the Philippines, page 13

oledoan Tim Owens, shown here with Robin Williams during a USO visit, has been in the employ of the U.S. Army in Afghanistan for almost two years, working as an electrician at a base near Kandahar. “I have met and befriended a lot of military people and some of them have gone out on missions and did not return,” he said. “It is a constant reminder to me not to get too comfortable here because, although things are relatively quiet, this is still a war zone.”

Story by Michael Brooks, page 12

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OPINION

May 25, 2005

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LIGHTING THE FUSE A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC Established 2005 Thomas F. Pounds President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com Joshua E. Trust Vice President of Sales & Marketing jtrust@toledofreepress.com Kay T. Pounds Vice President of Operations kpounds@toledofreepress.com Stacie L. Klewer Art Director sklewer@toledofreepress.com Myndi M. Milliken Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com Susan Ford Contributing Editor sford@toledofreepress.com Barbara Goodman Shovers Contributing Editor bshovers@toledofreepress.com

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DM Stanfield Photo Editor dmstanfield@toledofreepress.com Edward Shimborske III Entertainment Editor es3@toledofreepress.com Adam Mahler Food/Dining Editor amahler@toledofreepress.com Nate VanNatta Photographer Holly Abrams • Jacqueline Rabe Julie Restivo • Lauren Farnsworth Interns STAFF WRITERS news@toledofreepress.com Joe Bellfy • Keith Bergman Michael Brooks • David Coehrs Scott Calhoun • Lauri Donahue John K. Hartman • Barbara John Chris Kozak • Vicki Kroll Scott McKimmy • Heather Nash Mark Tinta • Dave Woolford Christopher Burke Contributing Ad Designer ADVERTISING SALES Renee Bergmooser rbergmooser@toledofreepress.com Mike W. Bush mbush@toledofreepress.com Casey Fischer cfischer@toledofreepress.com Toledo Free Press is published every Wednesday by Toledo Free Press, LLC, 300 Madison Avenue, Suite 1300, Toledo, OH 43604. www.toledofreepress.com Phone: (419) 241-1700. Fax: (419) 241-8828 Subscription rate: $35/year. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2005 with all rights reserved. Publication of advertisements does not imply endorsement of advertisers’ goods or services.

Teaching standards buffeted by hot air

t has been said that a good teacher is like a candle, which consumes itself to light the way for others. But selflessness, which used to be a taken-for-granted teaching characteristic, seems to be flickering in a windstorm of political and financial rhetoric. Last week’s announcement that Toledo Public Schools teachers planned to respond to budget cuts by abandoning many of their traditional roles is disheartening and shameful. Fran Lawrence, president of the Toledo Federation of Teachers, said she is upset because Toledo school leaders did not renew next year’s supplement services contract, which compensates teachers for leading activities such as clubs or bands. Lawrence announced that teachers would “work to the rule,” which means they will not “come early/stay late; grade papers at home; perform hall duties; attend after-school activities, or wait for late buses.” The working-to-the-rule guideline blithely adds, “if you can think of other examples, don’t do them either,” a strategy about as

Michael S. Miller sophisticated as “He who smelt it, dealt it.” Failed levies, cutbacks, layoffs and the changing roles of teachers have added layers of frustration to an already difﬁcult job. As businessman John Sculley noted, “We expect teachers to handle teenage pregnancy, substance abuse and the failings of the family. Then we expect them to educate our children.” I attended Libbey High School in the mid-1980s. I remember teachers dealing with all of these social problems, yet still ﬁnding the resolve to share the secrets of “Wuthering Heights,” photosynthesis and the isosceles triangle. John McKee, an English teacher, served as our class adviser and coached basketball. Dave Merritt, a math teacher,

coached football and bowling. Judy Pfaffenberger and Randy Asendorf, both literature teachers, ran Quiz Bowl and arranged trips for students to the Shakespeare festival at Stratford, Ontario. The four of them also managed to keep a watchful eye on me, making sure the challenges I faced at home did not cripple my progress. These teachers were my role models because they made their experience and wisdom available to me by being active outside the classroom, before and after school. Their examples of selflessness and their eagerness to participate in the teaching process inspired me to take on extracurricular activities and assume leadership roles. We had an unspoken contract. They provided extra time, energy and attention. I provided extra time, energy and attention. I upheld my end of the deal by graduating, working through college and using my education to crawl out of the tar pit of desperation and poverty that did everything it could to swallow me whole. I know that my relative

success makes them proud, and every good thing I earn is one way of paying them back for their investment in me. That is their reward as teachers; they consumed themselves to provide light for me and other Libbey students. I recognize now that these teachers were doing more than burning their candle at both ends; they were taking a blowtorch to the middle. For me. For my fellow students. Despite Fran Lawrence’s dictates, I have faith there will be TPS teachers forging silent contracts with students who need help making their way through the dark. Cicero said the authority of those who teach is often an obstacle to those who want to learn. Obstacles such as Fran Lawrence and the TFT need to recognize that they bear responsibility for every student they are condemning to a life in the dark. Michael S. Miller is Editor in Chief of Toledo Free Press. He may be contacted at (419) 241-1700, or by e-mail at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ‘Star Wars,’ the next generation Editor’s Note: This letter was selected as the winner of the “Star Wars” prize package from the May 18 contest. TO THE EDITOR, I can remember going to see “Star Wars” when it opened in 1977. It was “awesome,” a word I didn’t even use back then. Life goes on; I got married, had twin sons and a lovely daughter and worked every day in the real world to try to raise a family. Then came “The Empire Strikes Back.” I remember taking my young sons and infant daughter, along with my wife, to the Franklin Park Drive-in to see it. My sons loved it. I remember staying up late Christmas Eve assembling the “Star Wars” play sets. “Return of the Jedi” came out and we went as a family to see it at Westgate. The kids grew up and, one by one, left the house. By the time “The Phantom Menace” came out my son took his mother and me to see it. He was graduating from the University of Toledo with a bachelor’s degree and an Army commission as a Second Lieutenant. “Attack of the Clones” came and once again we went to see it. Now, the last “Star Wars” movie is here. I really want to see it, but my wife and I will wait for our son to come home before we go. He is now an Apache helicopter pilot serving somewhere in northern Iraq. I have a little granddaughter now who loves her daddy and misses him so much. We all miss him, and his brother, who is also serving in Iraq. My granddaughter is coming to “Papa’s” house this summer for a week or two, just to give mommy a break. I know we’ll be watching “Nemo,” “Shrek,” “Poppins,” and “ ‘Credibles.” But “Papa” also has “Star

Wars” on DVD and I think we’ll try introducing a new generation to Darth Vader, Luke, R2-D2 and of course “Han and Chewie.” But as far as “Revenge of the Sith,” we’ll just wait for Daddy. DOUG EASTER, Toledo

Be glad you’re not a Democrat Editor’s note: The following is a response to Keith Wilkowski’s May 18 column, “Top reasons to be glad you’re a Democrat.” TO THE EDITOR, 10. You don’t have to worry about a job; you create jobs. 9. You don’t have to toss a coin to decide whether to vote for Ralph Nader or Dennis Kucinich. 8. You’ve never had to explain how a national security advisor could walk out of the national archives with classiﬁed documents stuffed in his pants. 7. You’ve never had a married governor step down because of an affair … with another man. 6. Howard Dean is not the leader of your national committee. 5. When you need a new roof on your house you can afford to pay for it yourself. 4. No need to decide if you’re part of the “A Team” or the “B Team.” 3. You don’t have to pretend that the creator of the great society didn’t send more than 200,000 Americans to their deaths in Vietnam, that you dropped the atom bomb, or that you lost 33,000 men in Korea. 2. None of your senators has ever driven off a bridge. 1. You’ve never had to explain “the stain” on the intern’s dress. FRED LEFEBVRE, 1370 WSPD

Oregon ‘for big business only’ TO THE EDITOR, I once had a nautical gift shop at Navarre and Norden Rd. The widening of Navarre took out the store. After talking with the Economic Director of Oregon we purchased a few acres at 6050 Navarre Ave. I talked with Doug Young, the City Inspector, and the Mayor about what I wanted to do; open another nautical gift shop only bigger and better. I took out a permit and had some Amish friends help me build the building. We tried to keep it farm looking so it ﬁt into the area. They then told me to apply for a Special Use Permit, because the land was agricultural, not commercial. I did as they requested. The Oregon City Council had to then vote on my permit, which they did, and passed it. Only just before passing it one member stood up and said, “Now they have to brick this building all the way to the roof on all three sides. We got up and walked out. One councilman followed us and said, “You knew you had to brick the building, right?” I said, “No, this is the ﬁrst I heard of that.” The expense to brick it would be extreme. I am a painter, my wife does not work and there is no way we could afford to brick this building. It could also never be sold as commercial once we end the business. We live in Oregon and wanted to do business in Oregon but it seems they have stopped the small Ma and Pa store from doing business in Oregon, unless you have money to improve Oregon’s looks. Menards, Wal Mart, Banks, you’re welcome. The new laws will keep the little guy out. JERRY THOMPSON, Oregon

OPINION

NICK ANDERSON

May 25, 2005

COMMON SENSE

Writing to the rules

DRIVING 89X

I’ve got a closed mind on open forums

pen forum. Town meeting. Public hearing. These are the techniques that the ruling class uses to find out what we, the people, are thinking. What gets me stirred up is that more often than not they wind up being gimmicks that enable the powers that be to become even more powerful, sometimes at we the people’s expense. On April 11, I did what a good citizen should do. I attended open sessions held by two prominent Northwest Ohio politicians. In the afternoon at the lovely historic Grand Rapids Town Hall, I attended U.S. Rep. Paul Gillmor’s Town Meeting. It was one of four sessions held in towns in Gillmor’s 16-county district. About 50 people attended, of which about 25 were not staffers, public officials or reporters. Gillmor was 19 minutes late to the session scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m. and last one hour. He talked for 13 minutes before taking questions. 36 minutes later he exited, having to catch a plane. The public got 60 percent of the time it was promised to question him. Most of the questions were softballs and Gillmor breezed through them. Nobody asked whether he supported beleaguered House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. I was going to, but deferred to citizens with personal concerns about retirement benefits and medical insurance. Gillmor waxed unchallenged about the wisdom of offering private accounts to younger Social Security participants. He

John K. Hartman described how the stock market pays better than savings certificates over time, omitting the stock market crash of 1929 and big drops in 1987 and 2000. His aides furiously took notes. Re-election requires staying on top of the issues and finding clever ways to finesse them. That evening I journeyed to the fifth floor conference room of the Wood County Office Building in Bowling Green. State Sen. Randy Gardner, who represents 330,000 folks in Northwest Ohio, was holding a public hearing on state budget issues. The state is $5 billion or so short and libraries, public schools, public colleges and universities and health agencies among others are screaming about projected draconian cuts. The leaders of these local agencies went through the same humiliating squeeze two years ago. It started five minutes late, but Gardner made very brief remarks before throwing it open to the public. Unlike Gillmor, Gardner gave the public the full amount of time, 90 minutes, that was advertised. About 30 people attended, two thirds of whom were public officials. The 10 or so of us from the

public got to ask our questions, make our statements early on and the public ofﬁcials largely took over for the middle and end of the session. Gardner stated that he supported a 21 percent cut in the state income tax because he believed it would help stimulate the state’s lagging economy. I asked if he was sure the tax cut would have a stimulus effect because the state had been cutting the tax most years and the economy has been slumping since 2000. Gardner said he was not sure the income tax had been cut all that much and he was supporting the bigger cut regardless. Plausible answer, no doubt anticipated. The next day, the Bowling Green Sentinel-Tribune carried a front page article about the public hearing. A color picture six inches wide and ﬁve-1/2 inches high was published in the top half of the page of Gardner nattily dressed in a dark suit and colorful tie. Below the fold were pictures of three constituents, including me. Mine was about one-sixth the size of Gardner’s, three inches wide and two inches high. My checked shirt shows up nicely as does the pen I was pointing at my oversized ear. The account portrayed Gardner as a good-listener legislator, lack of support for education, libraries and health care notwithstanding. Forum, meeting, hearing. Sincere efforts to listen or clever fooling of the public. You decide. Columnist John K. Hartman may be contacted at john. hartman@dacor.net.

CLARIFICATION In the May 18 article on animal cruelty in Toledo, it should have been stated that the Toledo Area Humane Society has not euthanized any healthy, adoptable animals in 2005.

will not spend any extra time spell-cheking this column. I will not put much thought into my work. I will not give up any of my evening or weekend hours thinking about what I want to write. I will not reformat my paragraphs to make sure everything is coherent and easy for my readers to comprehend. I am being paid to write 650 words, period. If I feel like writing red fish, blue fish, that’s what I’ll do, because that’s all I’m being paid for. I am working to the rule as designated in my agreement with the Toledo Free Press, and I will volunteer no extra effort. Unless I am offered additional compensation. I am following the lesson being taught by Toledo’s public school teachers. The only difference is, by refusing to do anything above and beyond my contractual obligation, I’m slighting only my readers. I am not hurting children. When the Toledo Federation of Teachers voted last week to “work to the rule” of their contracts, they told the skool children of Toledo to go to hell. Showing a callous disregard for the kids they promised to serve, 86 percent of TFT members decided to remind Toledo’s parents that “selfishness” can be found in the dictionary before “student” and “success.” The union had reached its limit with Superintendent Eugene Sanders, Francine Lawrence whined, who they claim unilaterally cancelled all supplemental contracts for the coming school year. So rather than battle it out with Sanders or taking their grievances to the school board, Lawrence and her groop of crusaders decided to take it out on the kids. No more extra help after school for the struggling student who needs to pass his final to be promoted to his next grade. No more coming in early to prepare the day’s lessons. No more discipline enforcement by supervising detention halls. And if there are any other services you routinely provide for children, Francine writes in her memo to union members, don’t do them either. The list of services TFT members have pledged to withhold is staggering, and so is the cold resolve of the 86 percent of teachers who intend to enforce it. One teacher told me of the intimidation tactics being employed by union thugs who

BUSINESS ■

Gusto Creative relocates to historic building downtown, page 6

DOWNTOWN RETAIL

Councilman at large George Sarantou discusses where the sports arena should be built, page 6

Bob Frantz appear every bit as menacing as those you’d find on a loading dock. Show up early or stay late, she was warned by fellow teachers, and don’t be surprised by what your car looks like when you leave for the day. Mind you, these are peeple we entrust with the care of our children for six-1/2 hours every day. Defenders of the policy say the supplemental contracts being cancelled can add another $1,000-3,000 to a teecher’s salary every year, and this is the only way they can fight to get them back. A quick check of the facts, however, reveals that the contracts have NOT yet been cancelled. A great number of them will remain in force next year, but the move was made to stop the automatic renewal of the contracts until a review can be completed to determine which activities will remane. If an activity is cancelled but the contract is automatically renewed, the teacher would have been paid for work that is not done. You don’t understand what underpaid teachers go through, TFT members charge when I criticize their neglectful assault on students. But I do. Having spent 6 years as a classroom teacher, I have always been quick to defend other teachers. They’re special. And what makes them special is their dedication to kids. I took my first job as a teacher because, like every other teacher, I wanted to make a difference. I wouldn’t get rich, and for every hour of teaching, I’d spend two hours preparing or grading lessons. It was part of the job, and I did it willingly because I loved kids. The Toledo teachers love kids, too. But right now their blind loyalty to a dark union mentality is making them forget why they became teachers in the first place. Damn. 675 words. I better get a bonus or next week is 625. Bob Frantz hosts “Bob Frantz and the Morning News” each weekday on WSPD 1370 AM. He may be contacted by e-mail at letters@toledofreepress.com.

DEVELOPMENT

TOLEDO IN BUSINESS

Tech ﬁrm makes e-mail a team effort By Joe Bellfy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

During the last 75 years, nearly every form of popular communication has undergone the transformation from blackand-white to color, including newspaper, television and cinema. Computer monitors have also made the jump from monochrome to full color. So why is most e-mail communication still firmly planted in the black-and-white era? That question is providing the momentum behind Onletterhead, a company with home offices in Holland. Tom Martin, the firm’s president and chief operating officer, started by taking the reins of a struggling Canadian technology business in November 2003 and the company has since grown to include 18 employees and a healthy network of distributors. Onletterhead clients are able to brand their e-mail messages by featuring their company logo, in addition to color graphics and other elements. This helps their communication stand out from the pile currently residing in millions of e-mail inboxes, Martin said. “I knew we were going to hit this one out of the park,” he said. “The creative process was a true team experience, capitalizing on everyone’s strengths and expertise, raising each other up to go the extra distance. We eliminated our competitors right at the beginning, on the drawing board.” Prior to founding Onletterhead, Martin was focused on operational marketing, helping to grow teams and turn companies around. The same spirit of collaboration is abundant in current efforts, marketing to entrepreneurs like doctors and lawyers as well as larger, multi-

Susan Ford

Planning for growth

Toledo Free Press photo by Joe Bellfy

Tom Martin, president and CEO of Onletterhead, took a struggling technology business and turned it into a healthy and growing company. level companies. “It is very rewarding to provide a solution that will help businesses of every size,” Martin said. “Being part of the discovery process with our clients is important to me. I love seeing them experience the ‘wow’ of Onletterhead - most realize they’ve needed a product like this, but haven’t had a solution until now.” The team philosophy driving the company resonates with clients, especially those like Dave Nottke, assistant athletic director for development at the University of Toledo. The company’s responsiveness and support has made the

tool that much easier to implement, Nottke said. “It’s great because it helps our coaches promote Toledo,” he said. “The number of people responding positively to our emails always amazes me.” Another key factor for the company has been patience. Onletterhead could have brought its product to market ten months prior to its July 2004 debut, but chose to hold out until certain improvements could be made, Martin said. “We decided from the beginning to offer a top-shelf business solution,” he said. “We want to change the way businesses use the internet to com-

municate, to fulﬁll a huge void in the electronic communications arena. We didn’t settle for the quick dollar.” Greg Shapiro, president and co-owner of H.O.T. Graphic Services in Northwood, agrees with the decision to postpone not only as an Onletterhead client, but distributor as well. “I loved the product the minute I saw it,” he said. “They waited months to release it, rewriting the software, making it better. The level of support behind the product is exceptional.”

ON THE WEB www.onletterhead.com

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n the last election, American voters passed roughly 80 percent of smart growth initiatives that were on the ballot, according to Donna Hardy Johnston, research associate at UT’s Urban Affairs Center. “People are seeing the value of smart growth principles when it comes to planning,” she said. Hardy Johnston chairs Metro Toledo Smart Growth Partnership, a 24-member coalition working to increase participation of urban neighborhoods and faithbased organizations in discussions of regional growth. In 2001, the Urban Affairs Center surveyed 400 registered voters in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan on their attitudes toward growth issues. The survey showed more people have confidence in neighborhood associations to make the best decisions on land use than in private developers or in any level of government. “Smart growth” is actually just a term for community-based land-use planning, and “smart” communities are walk-able with a mix of residential, commercial and industrial development. They create a solid tax base, conserve resources and protect the watershed. In-fill housing takes advantage of existing infrastructure. And locallyowned businesses return their profits to the community. Please see GROWTH, page 6

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BUSINESS

May 25, 2005

COMMENTARY

Sarantou: Downtown retail needed By Edward Slack Special to Toledo Free Press

My May 4 column featured Toledo City Councilman Bob McCloskey, who expressed his views on the need and location for a sports arena. I’ve since met with Councilman at large George Sarantou (R) to discuss the sports arena issue, and the need for more downtown retail. Edward Slack: How do you view the sports arena location debate? George Sarantou: In September 2001, voters passed the Marina District authorization allowing the City to spend money on the utility and infrastructure work on an arena to be built in East Toledo [City Charter Section 79]. ES: Were a developer to build an arena downtown, wouldn’t this bypass the voters? GS: It would circumvent what the voters decided. They would need the ﬁnancial means and wouldn’t get a penny from the city. They might do it with county money because Section 79 doesn’t apply. ES: The City commissioned a feasibility study for the location of a sports arena. Were it to recommend a downtown site, wouldn’t that contradict the 20/20 study?

Growth Continued from page 5 Where smart growth principles have been implemented, land values tend to go up. Economic development blooms. “It makes a much more desirable community to locate in, to live in,” Hardy Johnston said. “Much of that has to do with a return to more traditional values. Higher population density results, and that attracts commercial development. “A lot of this sprawl that we have today goes back to policies that were set by FHA and VA post World War II,” Hardy Johnston said. The two organizations only guaranteed mortgages for new housing. And they didn’t do business in inner city neighborhoods.

GS: Yes, so I’m waiting for the Pizzuti feasibility study on an arena. What will the market bear? A smaller city, Fort Wayne, Ind, has a wonderful facility. Such an arena in Toledo could easily host the National Invitational Basketball Tournament. I believe that Toledo has just as much potential. How wonderful if UT and the City cooperated on an arena project. ES: How do you assess the lack of retail versus increased residential growth? GS: We’re at a very important juncture in the downtown’s history. The key is to attract more residents into market-rate housing, continue that momentum, and there’ll be more potential for small retail shops. ES: Will specialty shopping alone best serve the needs of downtown residents? GS: It depends on people with a disposable income who will immediately go to the neighborhood drug store, grocery, or hardware store, etc. This is the kind of impetus needed for a city this size. ES: Where do low-income wage earners, public assistance residents, and retirees downtown go to put food in their refrigerator? GS: That’s a real challenge. We need more

“Once the exodus of people to the suburbs really started moving, you ﬁnd commercial and industrial interests also moving out there. So here are the jobs in the townships,” Hardy Johnston said, “and here are the people in the inner city, [with] HARDY low incomes, JOHNSTON that can’t get to the jobs. That’s another problem with sprawl — that mismatch.” The Urban Affairs Center has a map that shows TARTA routes, low skill jobs, and concentrations

small groceries supplying basic food items. Many people downtown don’t own cars. They depend on TARTA or cabs to get around. Perhaps business investors looking at market demographics will see the potential to open small stores with reasonable prices in strategic locations. ES: What elements must exist downtown to attract retail investment? GS: A very strong base of employees working downtown in the private and governmental sectors, the law profession; banks; and ﬁnancial services. If we can get companies to occupy the O-I building, it will stabilize the downtown employment population. These employees will spend money and they want convenience. Were more retail clothing available, I’d shop downtown instead of going to the mall or shop on the way home. ES: What time frame would you put on further downtown retail development? GS: Sometime in the next two years. ES: Mayor Ford wants to build an amphitheater in Promenade Park. Couldn’t that space instead be converted into a park where residents and visitors could enjoy leisure time? GS: Yes, and it wouldn’t cost $1 million.

of low income people who could fill those jobs. “There’s no way to get there,” Hardy Johnston said. Then there’s the plan that Springfield Township trustees put together two years ago. “It’s an incredible plan,” she said. “They had a lot of public meetings and determined what the residents valued in their community.” Some of the roads have oaks on both sides and those were protected as scenic routes. The trustees laid out a plan for development that builds first on empty lots in existing developments to take advantage of existing infrastructure — water and sewer lines, roads, schools. “They went all out to make sure they had community input,” Hardy Johnston said. “They built an excellent steering committee.

Exquisite

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Becky Moores Co-Owner

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By Holly Abrams Special to Toledo Free Press

Gusto Creative, a media development ﬁrm, has relocated its business to a historic Victorian building in the heart of downtown. The company moved into its new location at 912 Monroe St. after being located in South Toledo for two years, said Scott Grosteffon, director of marketing and design. “It’s a nice building and location,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to be centralized and to have activity in a ten or 15 block radius.” The Victorian building was designed in 1862 by Toledo architect E.O. Farris, Grosteffon said. “I think business has been affected very positively by having an address downtown and having the history behind the building.” While some patrons may struggle with downtown parking, Gusto Creative has a free parking lot at its site, Grosteffon said. The new location is helping to rebuild and revitalize downtown, Grosteffon said. “The area is getting to be more art-centric,” he said. “We wanted to be part of that whole art culture as well so that was exciting for us.” Grosteffon said other businesses and citizens should take advantage of the downtown area. “Look at it as an advantage,” he said. “It’s so easy to get here, there shouldn’t be any reason not to come downtown and do business here.”

ON THE WEB www.gustocreative.com

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They pulled from every stakeholder base.” I asked whether she feels the representatives of urban neighborhoods are being heard in the current discussion on regional development. “Yes, I do,” she said. The partnership has encouraged them to sit on committees at TMACOG, for example. “And they’re doing that, they’re becoming part of the policy discussion.” On May 31, Hardy Johnston and Larry Clark, executive director of Toledo Area Ministries, will talk at the monthly meeting of New Urbanism at Downtown Latte, 44 S. St. Clair, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Their topic is “Neighborhoods: Sprawl’s Impact on Urban Neighborhoods and the Challenge of Regionalism.”

BUSINESS BRIEFS Gusto Creative moves downtown

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BUSINESS IN FOCUS

REALTY&HOMES CONTRACTORS

Program focused on industry shortage solutions By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

As Keith Dawson instructs students how to frame two-byfours properly, he’s doing more than building a project — he’s laying the foundation for the future. Dawson, an International BrotherDAWSON hood of Electrical Workers and United Auto Workers journeyman electrician, teaches what he knows. He has been a teacher and coordinator with Toledo Public Schools (TPS) for more than 15 years. Dawson is a coordinator/instructor at the Construction Careers Academy, a pilot program finishing its first year at Rogers High School. The TPS academy is jointly created with the Alliance of Construction Professionals, a combined effort of area labor groups. The purpose of the academy, in addition to offering college-prep education with a focus on construction management, is to help alleviate the expected shortfall of construction labor. According to the Construction Users Roundtable, the construction industry is growing rapidly and skilled trades workers are becoming increasingly hard to find. The industry will need to recruit nearly 250,000 new craft workers per year to meet future demand. “The objective of the academy is to provide exploration of the entire construction industry, including architecture, engineering, general contracting, subcontractors, and how to get into apprenticeships,” Dawson said. Dawson makes it clear the academy is a college preparatory, noting nearly 35 percent of the 25 students plan to pursue careers such as engineering and construction management, which require additional schooling. The

students went through a sevenstep selection process to enter the academy. They start their day at 8 a.m. with academic classes, and at 12:50 p.m., they begin the last two periods learning about construction. “We cover a variety of hand tools, power tools, rigging, scaffolding, foundations such as masons and concrete, carpentry, electrical and plumbing,” Dawson said. “As they progress through all four years, they will be exposed to more than twenty areas.” While this academy is in its inaugural year, by the time students are juniors, they will decide three areas that interest them most. Their senior year will focus speciﬁcally on the areas that they want to pursue as a career. Throughout their education, students are mentored by local union workers and companies. “There’s a strong mentorship established with industry and this program,” Dawson said. “They engage the kids with hands-on projects, providing expertise. Not only do the kids get a nice insight as to whether they want to pursue the construction industry, mentors get to know the caliber of the students — what type of product they are getting ready to receive.” The industry is more than hammering nails into wood. “It’s competitive out there, and the industry needs students who have the mentality to go into a comprehensive college or be successful in skilled trades. They need them ethically trained, diverse in math, science, English and social studies,” Dawson said. “They were ﬁnding people applying who thought all that was needed was a strong back. Unfortunately, companies are losing jobs and bids when they don’t have a competent individual to do the installation and management.” The academy demands students come prepared for class consistency, ethics, loyalty and commitment — all foundations for a strong worker.

REAL ESTATE BRIEFS

TOLEDO

Norfolk denies O-I ‘rumor’ Norfolk Southern Corp. denied speculation Monday the railroad plans to occupy eight ﬂoors of the Owens-Illinois headquarters downtown. “You are hearing absolute rumor,” said Rudy Husband, a Virginia-based spokesperson. “There is no truth to it.” Husband said Norfolk Southern has received inquiries concerning the rumor from several Toledo media outlets. Owens-Illinois recently announced plans to relocate from its headquarters to a location in Perrysburg. — David Coehrs

TOLEDO

Renovation steams ahead

Toledo Free Press photo by Myndi Milliken

Students work during a class at the Construction Careers Academy. “Some it was kind of a shell shock for the kids at ﬁrst,” Dawson said. “They had to learn time management, how to handle meetings, everything essential for them to be successful out there. They wanted to just go out and build something. We taught them that the person that knows how will always work for the person who knows why.” Bill Brennan, president of Associated General Contractors (AGC), which represents 11 local building trades contracts and 11 construction-related trade associations, said the efforts to give stu-

dents a head start and an inside look at the industry has given the Toledo area an advantage. “I think Northwest Ohio has done a better job than most areas,” he said of the efforts to ward off a construction shortage. “We’ve got the programs in place, there’s marketing and an aggressive effort to get into schools.” Brennan said he loves working with the academy and feels it has a tremendous potential to grow. He is currently a part of a group working with Washington Local Schools to develop a second academy for the 2006 school year.

By all indications, the site of the old steam plant in Downtown Toledo will pass muster for construction of residential units, according to Dave Ball, partner of Water Street Development Corp. LLC, about the $20 million renovation project awarded earlier this year by the City of Toledo. It looks very promising that we will move forward on this project,” Ball said, who said dynamics testing should be wrapped up this week. The group broke ground on the project last month, checking the foundation of what was a former building in order to determine if plans to build a new structure over it would be feasible. “We’ve had to bring in a lot of good, compacted ﬁll,” Ball said. He noted the exploratory work is important, as the century-old steam plant did not have many original engineering drawings. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but by all indications, this site looks good,” he said. Water Street Development Corp. plans to build more than 100 apartment and condominium units on the site along the Maumee River. — Myndi Milliken

REALTY&HOMES

COMMUNITY

May 25, 2005

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ABLE SQUAD

Restoration dream becomes nightmare on N. Huron By Michael Brooks Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofrreepress.com

Built in 1868, the house at 915 N. Huron St. was once an elegant building. Despite its broken windows, crumbling porches and trash-strewn yard, one cannot help but marvel at some of the details in its Empire architectural style. A mansard roof, sculpted window brackets and third-ﬂoor dormers are just a few of the aesthetic pleasures that catch the eye. “The building has been empty for at least four years,” said Sue Burkette, who owns a nearby house. “This hurts the revitalization efforts of the Vistula Historic District.” Burkette was concerned that

the city will respond by demolishing the house. She cited on-site ownership as the best way for restoration. “Part of the neighborhood’s problem is the large number of renters,” she said. “Investors come in, carve the buildings into multi-unit rentals, and the buildings become rundown.” The building is owned by Zein Ismail, who says his dream of renovating the house became nightmarish. “When I bought this house, I thought I could help improve the neighborhood,” Ismail said. “Thieves showed up after every project. They stole metal pipes, my equipment and even a marble

ﬁreplace.” which has accumulated $4499.20 Ismail said he hopes to “get in back taxes — until the neighthings moving” in the next fourborhood improves. “I tried my hardest, but I have to-eight weeks. “I love this building, but I can been threatened many times,” he said. “My workers don’t want to only do so much,” he said. “I called the city and neighborhood go there without protection.” groups, but no one can help me.” An alleged “crack house” Ismail said he doubts anyone across the street, said Ismail, is �� can succeed with the house — the biggest impediment to re-

storing the house to its former grandeur. “It’s like a war zone at night,” he said. “Things are out of control down there.” If you know of any buildings that might make good subjects, send suggestions to: news@toledofreepress.com.

Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Brooks

BUSINESS BRIEFS From Staff Reports

TOLEDO

National City addition National City Bank recently announced the appointment of Janelle L. Resnick to the Corporate Banking Business Development Team. Resnick has been with National City for ﬁve years, most recently as manager of the Corporate Credit department. Prior to her position as credit manager, Resnick held the positions of corporate credit analyst and branch manager in the Retail Division. Resnick will have responsibility for new business development and loan portfolio management.

RESNICK

TOLEDO

Attorney joins forum Toledo attorney Chad Tuschman has been named to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, a prestigious group of U.S. trial lawyers. Membership is limited to attorneys who have won verdicts, awards and settlements in the amount of $1 million or more. Tuschman, a graduate of University of Toledo Law School, specializes in medical malpractice, personal injury, product liability, auto, railroad and mass tort litigation.

TUSCHMAN

MAUMEE

Daytime classes offered Heidelberg College at Arrowhead Park is offering daytime classes on an accelerated schedule beginning August 22. For information, call (419) 893-1986 or visit www.Fastdegree.com.

Lines in the sand

Why Toledo engineer Tim Owens is in Afghanistan, page 12

SPOTLIGHT

HEALTH CARE

Brown takes full advantage of freedom

Amish, Mennonites trek to Toledo for medical attention By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

This house, at 915 N. Huron, has been empty for four years.

WW II paratrooper remembers his fallen comrades, page 13

Of the 44 million Americans without medical insurance, half a million may choose to abstain from coverage based on their religious beliefs, according to data from the Kaiser Family Foundation, in Menlo Park, Calif., Menno-Hof center in Shipshewana, Ind., and Mennonite Mission Network in Elkhart, Ind. Anabaptists, a religious movement more commonly known by its individual groups such as Mennonites and Amish, believe in communal support from their brethren. When one member of the community racks up medical bills, everyone else pitches in to pay. Dr. Edwin L. Nirdlinger, general surgeon and hernia specialist, discovered the ﬁnancial consequences of such a doctrine and decided to take action. He and co-founder Wolfgang Drescher established Immergrün Inc., a nonproﬁt organization in Sylvania that helps provide medical services to those without insurance because of religious convictions. The word has spread, and the Toledo area has become an epicenter of Anabaptist medical care. Between January 2003 and December 2004, 855 Immergrün patients, most from Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana, obtained medical procedures from hernia operations to hip replacements to cancer surgery at costs reduced by as much as 80 percent, according to Nirdlinger. The reason behind the huge slash in medical bills, he explained, lies in the methods hospitals and doctors use to set their rates. Uninsured patients are charged higher fees than insurance companies, which typically pay a small percentage more than established Medicare costs. “It just became evident over time that what was happening to them is that they were be-

By Holly Abrams Special to Toledo Free Press

ing billed by hospitals and by doctors at their undiscounted rates.” Nirdlinger said. “I had a person in today, and he was quoted ﬁve times [what] his price would have been, 500 percent, of what he was paying here, to be done in Wisconsin.”

A look at the chart

Most area hospitals, two area clinics and numerous doctors have working relationships for reduced fees through Immergrün, he added, but such was not always the case. Before incorporating, the organization met resistance from hospital administrators who feared that rates would be forced down universally for uninsured and insured patients alike. Incorporation cured the financial anxiety, putting Immergrün at the same negotiating level as insurance companies. Significantly lower rates have saved individual Anabaptists, for example, as much as $20,000 for a hip replacement, which can cost about $40,000 at hospitals outside of the Immergrün sphere of influence. Because their lifestyles and beliefs equate community with church, they submit large medical bills to church leaders, who assume responsibility to cover them by collecting donations from members. The practice culminated in substantial debts owed by a few Anabaptist churches, one in Wooster County, Ohio, in particular that Nirdlinger said had medical liabilities hovering at $300,000. Currently, the church has paid off its bills as a direct result of Immergrün’s intervention into the patient-doctor-hospital financial relationship. “We save them millions of dollars, their communities, in medical fees which basically were on the verge of bankrupting them,” he continued. Please AMISH, page 11

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Rufus Martin, a Mennonite, holds his wife Aliceʼs hand.

While in prison, Daniel Brown read “Les Miserables” and found he could relate to the life of a man wrongly imprisoned. “Jean Valjean tried to change his life and he did,” Brown said. “It kind of reminded me of my BROWN experience.” Wrongly convicted of the rape and murder of an East Toledo woman in 1982, Brown spent 19 years in prison until he was released in April 2001 when new DNA evidence proved his innocence. Testing also identiﬁed the real killer, who was already serving a life sentence for another rape and murder. Since his release, Brown has been living life to its fullest. Like many other grads, Brown received his degree from the University of Toledo at commencement. He plans on dispelling misconceptions and stereotypes in society about incarcerated people. “That’s what my ﬁght is now, getting people to realize I’m a human,” Brown said. “The thing I really want people to understand, is people who are incarcerated can come out and do something and be a credit to society.” Commencement marked an important time in Brown’s life, said his wife, Rhonda Brown. “He was happier than I had seen him in a long time,” she said. Receiving his degree is a way to encourage others, Brown said. “A lot of people have congratulated me and motivated me, so it’s a good feeling,” he said. He is making up for lost time and working toward a career in law with an associate’s degree in paralegal studies. Brown is an intern at Advocates for Basic Legal Equality (ABLE) in Toledo. There he has been working in research on fact-based Social Security cases. Brown also works full-time to pay off his student loans and Please see BROWN, page 11

COMMUNITY

May 25, 2005

Amish Continued from page 9

Health beneﬁts

The financial advantages favor local doctors, hospitals and clinics as well. Physicians and facilities join into the program at set fees for procedures within their specialties, with patients paying in advance directly to Immergrün. The increase of patients seeing local doctors has generated medical revenues surpassing $2.5 million since January 2003, according to Immergrün sales reports. The organization collected about $400,000 its first year, $1.37 million during year two and more than $750,000 this year. The economic benefits magnify dramatically when considering the case-by-case savings individually. Near the lower end of the financial spectrum, Dean Martin, a Mennonite from Nappanee, Ind., said his church paid $7,000 to a nearby hospital for hernia surgery two years ago for his wife, Marciel. The $1,400 for a second operation through Immergrün

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to repair the same hernia came from his own wallet. The difference, according to Martin, was a better repair at a much more reasonable price. “It’s a dream come true to me,” he related. “Our church shares their medical bills, and we were discovering that we were paying a premium for them.” The couple had considered Toronto for Canada’s lower medical costs; however, they were drawn to Toledo on advice from a friend to make the three-and-a-half hour drive. As an outpatient at the Toledo Clinic, Marciel arrived in the morning and was released by Nirdlinger about noon. Martin has served on the Immergrün board of directors since his wife’s recovery. With nine children and three grandchildren in a “family of hernias,” they’re planning ahead for more visits to the Glass City for operations. Martin’s brother underwent hip replacement and several friends and acquaintances have had surgeries for cataracts, carpal tunnel and other common conditions.

Vital Signs

More serious cases arise, too, where minimizing costs for the same level of care translates into even greater financial relief. For Rufus and Alice Martin (no relation), the situation grew from a cancerous tumor in Alice’s kidney to a second tumor nearby that doctors suspected might have been malignant. Local doctors in Arthur, Ill., decided it best to operate to remove the kidney first, then follow up with surgery or treatment to address the second tumor. Without insurance, the Martins received a quote of $35,000 to $37,000 for the first operation and reluctantly �� scheduled surgery a month in �� advance. A cousin who had hernia �� surgery through Immergrün then

suggested the program, leaving the Martins with a decision. “I said, ‘Why would we go all the way to Toledo when we have doctors in Illinois?’ — being naïve,” Rufus said. “We priced it, and it was thousands and thousands of dollars cheaper in Toledo.” To be sure that factors such as the required surgery, hospital stay and recovery care from his local major hospital matched those from St. Anne’s Hospital, in Toledo, Rufus requested a comparison of CPT codes, universal identiﬁcation of the medical procedures involved. The inquiry paid off, saving the couple more than 60 percent for the total cost of the operation.

Prognosis

Nirdlinger, who served as director of the Great Lakes Hernia Center at Flower Hospital for many years, is now director of Immergrün and chairs the board. Dr. Mary Ann Nirdlinger, his wife, works with patients regularly and publishes a newsletter with health tips geared toward the Anabaptist lifestyle. Nirdlinger emphasized that it’s the board that steers the organization toward its goals of assisting its communities with health care issues. “The board of directors is adamant that they want Toledo to survive because they know that without us being here, there wouldn’t be the pressure on their local hospitals to keep costs down,” he said. With patient numbers rising, Nirdlinger soon may entertain plans for growth by ﬁnding larger ofﬁces solely for the organization. Immergrün currently shares space with his practice at Flower Hospital.

ON THE WEB www.immergrun.org

Brown Continued from page 9 make up for many years of no income.

Life Behind Bars

There are many misconceptions about prison, Brown said. “That’s a place where a person resides,” he said. “What you do is try to make the best of your time there for when you come out.” Brown said he has always maintained his innocence and disagrees with society’s views of prison. “I went to jail for something I didn’t do,” he said. “But I think in society it’s hard for some people to grasp the fact that you’re innocent or guilty. People don’t realize that you can go in and come out and have ideas and have your life in order. People think of you as a savage. This incarceration distorts the picture of the person.” Brown said his story can be a learning experience for others. “I think sometimes people assume things and they put things on you that they wouldn’t have,” he said. “I think it helps to shed a light on people in my position, that when they get out they can come out and live and be productive.” Backed by the motivation to prove his innocence, Brown became interested in the law and began to study on his own and with the help of other inmates. He also got a job in the correctional facility’s library, where he had greater access to books. Schooling was always on the horizon for Brown, said Michael Zeigler, a friend since childhood.

“Danny was always the type of scholarly guy before all this happened to him,” he said. Brown has always remained positive and hopeful, Rhonda Brown said. “He’s hurt by it but he doesn’t carry it with him,” she said. “A lot of people have a lot of anger and animosity but that’s not him.” Brown credits his release from prison to Centurion Ministries. A non-profit organization, they were the backing force in presenting the evidence to prove his innocence. Centurion Ministries works to clear the names of wrongly convicted people across the U.S. and Canada. Based out of New Jersey, their organization has helped more than 30 people be proven innocent, Brown said. “It’s like you become a family member once they take your case,” Brown said. “It takes people with a lot of love in their hearts to do the work they do.” Seeing Brown released from prison was a meaningful time, said James C. McCloskey, executive director and board president of Centurion Ministries. “We were just really filled with joy,” he said. Brown is not sure where his degree will take him next but he has thought about pursuing work with Centurion Ministries or starting a similar operation in Toledo. Whatever path he pursues, Brown plans on helping others. “I have a lot of things I’m doing now and I want to stay busy,” he said. “I’m just going to keep moving and fighting for justice if I can help other people I will.”

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COVER STORY

May 25, 2005

COVER STORY

A Toledo electrician wires Afghanistan By Michael Brooks Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Dressed in black with a leather jacket, T-shirt and jeans, Tim Owens stepped up to the microphone and began to croon. “You’ll never ﬁnd ... another love like mine,” sang the almostLou Rawls, hitting the low notes with precision and grace. The karaoke crowd gave Owens a deserved round of applause, but for one member of the audience OWENS the love song had special meaning: Tim’s wife, Connie. Tim Owens has been in the employ of the U.S. Army in Afghanistan for almost two years, working as an electrician at a base near Kandahar. He recently returned for a short visit to Toledo. “We Americans take so much for granted,” he said. “Coming over here has made me realize just how great we really have it at home.” Unlike reservists called up for duty or new recruits eager to defend the nation from terrorists, Owens’ decision to seek employment with the military was largely based upon the poor economic conditions he faced in Northwest Ohio. He worked for years as an electrician at the General Mills plant on Laskey Rd., which began to phase out production in 2001. After many months of fruitless job searches, temporary employment and odd jobs, Owens said he made one of the most difﬁcult decisions of his life: to accept a position as an electrical contractor for the U.S. military in Afghanistan. “My reason for coming over here was solely to be able to provide for my family,” he said. “Working through the union is great — when there is work.” Owens’ search for steady employment extended far beyond the union halls of Northwest Ohio. “I know I have a marketable skill and I couldn’t keep sitting and waiting for someone to call me with a job,” he said. “It became intolerable. The politicians were saying how great the

A family waits

economy was, but you couldn’t prove that by the thousands of unemployed IBEW workers all across the country. Many of my union brothers were losing their cars and homes. I was willing to travel and I called just about every union hall across the country. I even drove to Boston a couple of times to sign their book.” The military subcontracted with Halliburton to provide logistical support for its Middle East campaigns in the post-9/11 era. Owens actually works for another subcontractor called KBR. “We’re in southeastern Afghanistan, about 50 miles from the Pakistani border,” he said. “I can’t comment on the number of troops here but there are about 1000 KBR employees here, from everywhere, from all trades and all walks of life.” Owens and his crews put in long hours in the desert sun. “They begin at six in the morning and work twelve-hour days, seven days a week,” he said. While security concerns prohibit him from giving speciﬁcs, he said that the overall priority of the contractors is “to make things comfortable for the troops.”

Far From Home

To a Midwesterner, Afghanistan might seem distant in more ways than geography (it is 6,910 miles from Toledo to Kabul). Owens said that, while he rarely leaves the base, he comes into contact with many local Afghans. “The Afghanis are a kind and gentle people,” he said. The terrain in which Owens ﬁnds himself is very different from that of Northwest Ohio. “The weather varies from hot to darn hot. At this time things are just starting to warm up and we have reached one-hundred degrees already,” he said, adding that it is still, ofﬁcially, spring in Kandahar. “We are coming into the sandstorm season which is really wild and something to experience. You can actually see the dust rolling in.” Owens said he feels the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is improving conditions for the average Afghani. “The mission of the U.S. here is greatly appreciated by the locals,” he said. “This was especially evident to me during the time that

Connie Owens said her family’s struggle would be much greater without her support network. “Our friends, family and members of our church have made the difference,” she said. “I still get nervous sometimes at night, though.” Owens said her husband’s decision hinged on the economy in Toledo and the country. She said many local electricians have struggled in the last few years. “If the economy is supposed to have been ﬂourishing then why are so many middle class workers strug-

Photo courtesy Tim Owens

While he works in Kandahar, Afghanistan, Tim Owens lives in this 8ʼ x 8ʼ living space. they were holding their elections.” Being separated from his family has been difficult for Owens. He spoke at length about how he, Connie, and his children cope with the separation. “Yes, it is very difficult being away from my family but they are the reason I am doing this... they are my ‘why,’ “ Owens said. “When your ‘why’ is big enough, and your faith is strong, you can manage just about anything. I keep Christ Jesus first in my life and my faith helps me deal with the separation.” One of the keys to managing a long-distance relationship, Owens said, is the same as in any relationship: honest communication. “Talking to my wife almost every day — either by phone or e-mail — helps a lot,” he said. “I can honestly say that this time away has made me realize just how much I truly love her and how important she is in my life. We keep each other strong by staying focused on the reasons we are doing this and what we truly mean to each other.” One of the most difficult times for Owens occurred in April, when a Chinook military helicopter crashed about 100 miles south

gling?” she asked. “After all, isn’t this the land of opportunity where if you live right, are willing to sacriﬁce and work hard and you pay your taxes, you can expect to have a piece of the American Dream?” She also expressed sympathy for the family of Sy Lucio, killed in an April helicopter crash in Afghanistan. “I feel so bad for Sy Lucio’s family,” she said. “I know he felt he didn’t really have a choice in his decision to leave his family, his babies, to work in a hostile part of the world.” — Michael Brooks

of Kabul. On board was Clyde resident Sy Jason Lucio. The tragedy was more to Owens than just the loss of a fellow electrician. “I am so sorry for his family’s grief. You can’t insulate yourself from experiencing that kind of loss here,” Owens said. Owens maintains a positive outlook with regard to the mission in Afghanistan. “I have met and befriended a

lot of military people and some of them have gone out on missions and did not return,” he said. “It is a constant reminder to me not to get too comfortable here because, although things are relatively quiet, this is still a war zone. I do support what we are trying to do in this region and for the people here, it was long overdue. We are making a difference.”

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COMMUNITY

May 25, 2005

MEMORIAL DAY

WW II memories still painful for veteran paratrooper By Barbara John Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

His voice trembled; his eyes filled with tears and he said, “I can’t go into that ... it’s just too hard!” Thomas Boggs, 82, still cannot talk about the horrors, pain and suffering, and the loss of comrades he experienced during his three years of service during World War II. PFC Boggs was a member of the elite Parachute Infantry Regiment 511, the “Angels” who, under cover of darkness, jumped 1,200 feet onto the island of Luzon in the Philippines, with the mission of driving the Japanese from the island and rescuing 2,000 Americans prisoners. Because Boggs is the last survivor of F Company, he is now caretaker of the guidon, the identifying banner of his military unit. It will eventually be passed on to Boggs’ son Randy, who recently built a shadow box to preserve and display the guidon along with his father’s military insignia and service-era picture. Drafted at 18, fresh out of Woodward High School, Boggs and his sweetheart, Betty, became engaged before he reported for training at Camp Mackall, N.C. “I volunteered for the paratroops because they made double the money as regular infantrymen,” Boggs said. He earned $100 a month. There is a strange dichotomy to Boggs’ memories. He remembers everything concerning his training: the bases, dates, months, year — everything except his return home. He knows his company was the first to go to Japan after the atom bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He knows he started his trek home on a ship to San Francisco; he remembers that he shared a duffle bag with two other men on the train to Indiana where they were separated. He rode a bus to Toledo, he thinks. He feels it was probably the first attempt

to black out the memories from the battles and the taking of Tagaytay Ridge. Thomas and Betty were married one month after he came back to Toledo. Parents of three, with six grandchildren, they have been married almost 60 years. He and Betty share stories about the 511th reunions they attend every other year. They both started laughing at memories of one of the first reunions. “This fellow, Harold Spring, he got hit bad ... two shots to the stomach. One guy alone got him out. It was in the midst of sniper fire. Next thing Spring remembered is that four men were carrying him someplace on a stretcher. His next memory is being prepped for surgery ... on a hill. No hospital, no tents, no lights ... just flashlights. He survived and was flown to the USS Hope., then to the VA Hospital in Chicago. “What made us laugh was that none of us knew he had made it. He showed up at the reunion, and all anyone could say was ‘I thought you were dead!’ ” Boggs said. Boggs also laughs at the memory of a “Tokyo Rose” broadcast where she told in “delighted” tones how the Japanese paratroops had wiped out the American troopers, “ the same troopers who were the first to occupy Japan” he said. Paratroop training was rigorous. First there was basic infantry training, then four concurrent courses in parachute packing, daily half-hours of “double-time,” tumbling and 7 foot jumps, all to strengthen leg and ankle muscles. Next came two- part tower jump training, in harness, from 150 feet. Finally, qualification jumping from an in-flight plane and mass jumps of 12 men, called a “stick,” at two-second intervals. It took five jumps to be qualified. Responding to a question about the worst of the battles he saw, Boggs said, “Tagaytay Ridge.” That’s all he could say.

“Lest we forget!” In 1866, the townspeople of Waterloo, N.Y., celebrated the first “Decoration Day” to honor military personnel who gave their lives in the Civil War. Gravesites were decorated with flowers and flags were flown at half mast. Although the South resisted, word spread throughout the country and many communities adopted the custom of honoring their fallen warriors on the last Monday in May. Following World War I, to commemorate the 368 American soldiers buried in Flanders Field in Belgium, their graves decorated with poppies, the holiday also became known as “Poppy Day.” It was not until 1971, over 100 years after the birth of the first Decoration Day, that the United States government made Memorial Day a legal holiday to honor fallen heroes of all wars. According to the DETTRA flag company, proper etiquette for flying the American flag on Memorial Day is to raise the flag, slowly lower it to half staff until noon, then raise it to full staff until sundown. — Barbara John

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Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Cabaret show to pay tribute to WW II songs By Vicki L. Kroll Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Music has the power to help people get through even the toughest situations. That power will be showcased in the cabaret “I’ll Be Seeing You - The Love Songs of World War II” at 8 p.m. May 27 in the Toledo Museum of Art. Great Gallery. “We’ve done this show before, and people really seem to like it,” said Teresa Clark, a soprano who has arranged and performed at programs at the museum for four years. “There seems to be a real nostalgia for that time when people worked together.” The Findlay resident will be joined by mezzo-soprano Monica Swartout-Bebow of Chicago, baritone/bass Ivan Grifﬁn of Flint and pianist David Aro Zobel of Ann Arbor. “The show takes a sentimental journey --- the partying, the waiting, the hoping and ﬁnally the coming home,” Clark said. From patriotic to sentimental, songs during World War II served different purposes. “Some of the songs were used to boost morale, some were used at the canteen ----- the swing music allowed the men to distract themselves from the war. There were songs that were used as propaganda, and there were songs about longing and waiting,” she said.

“G.I. Jive,” “Don’t Get Around Much Anymore,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “Moonlight Serenade” and “We’ll Meet Again” are some of the numbers on the bill. “It was really a period when our best songs were written,” Clark said. “It was a ﬁeld day for composers.” The hour-long show at the museum is free. A 90minute version of the cabaret will take place at 8 p.m., June 17 at the Franciscan Center Commons at Lourdes College in Sylvania. Tickets for that show are $10 or $8 for those 62 and older. For information, call the Toledo Museum of Art at (419) 255-8000 or the Franciscan Center Commons at (419) 824-3999.

Vietnam homage The members of Calvin United Church of Christ will pay a special homage to veterans who served during the Vietnam War and paid the ultimate sacriﬁce. A Memorial Day service will take place at 10:45 a.m. on May 29. There will be a coffee hour downstairs in Calvin Hall beginning at 10:15 a.m. and continuing directly after the church service. The church is located at 1946 Bakewell St. For information, call (419) 691-3033.

COMMUNITY

HEALTH CARE

May 25, 2005

LIBRARY

Gateway to Lagrange community opens By Joe Bellfy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Toledo Free Press photo by Nate VanNatta

Steward Wiley participates in a recent exercise class.

Program beneﬁts Down children By Lauren Farnsworth Special to Toledo Free Press

In late April, an exercise program sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Toledo (DSAGT) debuted to help children with Down syndrome. The program’s goal is to help those children lose weight, as the association says it has been shown they are at higher risk for obesity. The program is open to the general public, but the Saturday classes are geared towards younger children. Carla Mruzek, an aerobic instructor for 12 years, said, “I love it, it is so beneﬁcial for kids and so much fun to see them work out and have fun doing it. [It’s an] incredible program, not to mention [you can] work out with family and friends.” Sandy Wiley-Steward, Toledo Public Schools’ Special Olympics coordinator, said the DSAGT board provides, “unlimited funding [for the program]; they realize the problem with childhood obesity in this generation as a whole. Unfortunately ... families don’t do things together and this is a great opportunity.” DSAGT and Special Olympics work to generate interest in the program and increase family involvement. The vision of the DSAGT, according to its Web site, “is to increase the public’s awareness and understanding by educating the public, professionals and community regarding the abilities of people with Down syndrome, not their disabilities. It is our goal to enhance the quality

of their lives and promote independence, allowing them to reach their fullest potential.” About 30 families are involved in the Wednesday program, which is in its third week, according to Wiley-Steward. Although WileySteward said she is happy with the community’s response, she would like to reach more people. “Toledo Public Schools just needs to recruit families and bring them in here. There are so many more out there that need to get here; I don’t know how to reach them.” In addition to exercise, the program is a social event and a support system for families. One mother held her baby daughter (who has Down syndrome) and simply observed the activities. One of those activities was a quick game of musical chairs during which one of the younger children erupted into smiles. The other children quickly sat down and left him standing in wonder. “I’d really like [the kids] to develop friendships here and then go to a movie, or Putt-Putt. [This is an opportunity] which they never had and you never know what could come out of it,” WileySteward said. One of the mothers, Martha Sattler, said, “This is the ﬁrst class we’ve went to; it’s really wonderful and the kids really had fun. It’s a fantastic idea [the program is] really needed.” Wiley-Steward plans to continue the program all summer. For information, call (419) 471-1871 or (419) 243-5444.

Adrienne Lewandowski’s elementary school did not have a library. Like so many of her classmates and neighbors, when the time came for a book report or a need to access global information, she would turn to the Lagrange Branch Library. And while Adrienne is now an adult, the young and old of the Lagrange community still look to their library as a vital resource. “The Lagrange Library plays a key role, especially with our school children,” said Beth Lewandowski, Adrienne’s mother and president of the Lagrange Village Council, a community-based organization that serves the social, economic, and political interests of the area. “Unfortunately, it just doesn’t compare to other libraries in the system — it’s fairly small and the hours of operation are inconvenient,” said Lewandowski. All of that will change this week when the Lagrange Branch Library reopens in its new home at 3422 Lagrange Street, a $1.5 million facility incorporating plasma screen televisions, 12 free public access computers and a 50-person public meeting room into 9,000 square feet of space. Funding for the effort came from a 10-year bond levy passed by Lucas County voters in 1995. “The new library will serve as a landmark, an entry point to the community,” said Terry Glazer, executive director and 16-year veteran of Lagrange Development Corporation, which brings together residents and business owners to focus on the area’s economic and ethnic diversity. “It will be important not only in serving the needs of the community, but in preserving its unique cultural heritage — it really honors the neighborhood. We’ve anticipated this for a while now and it will be great to see it come to pass.” Those closely involved with the planning and construction of the new branch credit the administration of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library system for adapting to the shifting needs of the community while at the same time respecting its history. “Without a doubt, our thinking and planning

The new Lagrange Branch Library.

Photo by Joe Bellfy

have focused on reflecting cultural trends and evolving our material,” said Faith Hairston, branch supervisor for the Lagrange Branch Library. Local residents were able to offer their input in the development of the new branch brick by brick — even the material that makes up the building’s exterior was researched to ensure that it visually meshes with other structures in the neighborhood. This will also be the first time in the 71-year history of the Lagrange Branch Library that its home has been planned and built exclusively as a library facility. “The new branch will be adaptive by design,” said Hairston. “It is being built not just for today, but for 50 years from now. The opportunity for growth is built-in — from the welcoming, open atmosphere of the branch to its technology, which will really benefit the families of this community.” Ultimately, it may be the library’s diversity that helps ensure its long-term success. The branch will continue creating customized categories of material that are specific to neighborhood tastes, and will now feature original collections from local artists and expanded areas for children and teenagers.

COMMUNITY

May 25, 2005

Township to drop LCIC suit By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

The Springfield Township board of trustees agreed Monday to drop the pending lawsuit against Lucas County Improvement Corporation (LCIC), provided LCIC accepts the township as members and votes on an amended code of regulations. The lawsuit was filed against LCIC, the countywide agency for economic development, in April after Springfield Township’s board called for a temporary restraining order to prevent LCIC from voting on a new set of bylaws excluding townships from having a voice in the county’s economic development process. The township requested for a judge to decide if the township took proper steps under Ohio Revised Code to become a member of LCIC’s executive board. If a settlement is not reached, the matter would be taken up in court Friday. “Although it’s not everything we asked for, there are certain

concessions we think are important,” said Sylvania Township Board President Andy Glenn. Glenn noted major concessions offered by LCIC included: ■ LCIC will not initiate or participate in an annexation process without agreement from all involved; ■ LCIC agreed the township would vote on its own members for the executive committee; ■ LCIC will add two new private party seats representing township and village interests; ■ LCIC would change the deﬁnition of a quorum from three to ﬁve persons. The Sylvania Township board of trustees met Monday after 25 members of the Lucas County Township Association combed through the revised code of regulations offered by LCIC. While the lawsuit does not include all 11 townships, Glenn said he felt Sylvania Township’s actions would set precedence for the other townships to become members of LCIC under similar conditions.

Local boy to address Congress Selected child delegates, including a Toledo boy, will testify before Congress in late June on the need for continued funding for research on type 1 diabetes. Jack Meyers, 12, has been selected to speak before Congress by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Meyers will represent Northwest Ohio with researchers and business and community leaders. “The day you or your child is diagnosed with type 1 diabetes is a day you will never forget,” JDRF International Chairman Mary Moore said. Meyers said he tries to live his life as a normal 12 year-old boy. He enjoys football and playing piano. “It would be hard to take all the stuff I have to do if I didn’t know that they would ﬁnd a cure,” he said. — Jacqueline Rabe

MEYERS

GALLERY EXHIBIT

Storm photos blow through metropark By Lauren Farnsworth Special to Toledo Free Press

Toledo Blade photographer Allan Detrich’s work capturing weather will be shown in his new exhibit, “Storm Chaser” at the National Center for Nature Photography in Secor Metropark. Art Weber, director of the center, said Detrich’s work is “unusual and extraordinary. He has a very unique eye, his photos are distinctive and people can learn a lot from them.” The reception will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. DETRICH on May 26 at the center. The exhibit will open during the gallery reception on May 26 and run through July. Detrich will be present during the reception and available to answer questions. The event is free and open to the public. Toledo Blade photographer Andy Morrison’s work will also be on display.

To gain additional favor with customers, Blockbuster Video earlier this year tried scrapping late fees. But this isn’t the case with some Ohio utility companies, which believe late fees go far in keeping residential customer payments on time. “The bottom line is, if you pay your bill on time, then you don’t have to worry about it,” said Mark Durbin, a First Energy spokesperson. The company’s subsidiary, Toledo Edison, charges residential customers 1.5 percent of the unpaid bill on the subsequent balance if payment is not remitted by the due date. The charge only applies after two or more late payments in a 12-month period, and customers on payment plans are exempt. Durbin said the utility attempts to work with past-due customers but “many times we just have any alternative. We owe that to our other customers, that there’s some kind of sanction there.” He defended the practice of late charges, saying, “Look and see sometimes what you would pay with a credit card, and then you may not think (late fees are) unfair.”

After researching other wireless companies’ policies, Verizon Wireless established a monthly $5 or 1.5 percent late fee — whichever is greater — nationwide in 2002. “Our goal is not to penalize the customers,” said Laura Merritt, Verizon public relations manager. “It’s more or less to remind the customers. It’s very easy to forget.” Merritt said Verizon initiated a late fee to protect customers from incurring costs generated by late payments. “Like any other company that has enacted the same policy ... it’s a way for us to ask people, ‘Hey, what can we do to make you remember your payment?’” The company offers an online payment option that allows clients to view their bill and avoid paying extra fees, Merritt said. Columbia Gas of Ohio has not assessed late charges for residential customers since 1994, although the company has that option should a balance reach or exceed $2,000. “We don’t normally charge a late fee for residential accounts,” said Gina Thompson, community relations manager. “We try to make payment arrangements. If they’re already struggling to pay the bill, assessing them a late fee is not going

to help the situation.” Each Ohio utility company determines its own late fee, then files an application with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO), according to spokesperson Shana Eiselstein. She said the individual fees are usually approved as long as they’re applicable to the utility’s rate schedule. PUCO commissioners will suggest a fair fee amount if the utility’s application is deemed too high. For the majority of SBC Ohio customers, telephone late fees aren’t an issue, said spokesperson Kim Kowalski. Late payers face additional monthly charge of 1.5 percent of their unpaid balances, but not until they exceed $25. There are exceptions, such as unpaid amounts in dispute, and each customer can receive a one-time late fee waiver, Kowalski said. She said the late fee was initiated expressly to discourage late payments. Customers struggling to pay can arrange a reasonably personalized payment schedule to fit their financial situation. MCI telephone service also charges 1.5 percent of an unpaid balance if charges are not paid within 35 days of the due date. An MCI spokesperson was unavailable for comment.

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Family escapes home sewage crisis A local mom says she and her kids have been forced out of their home because of a raw sewage back up. It’s been happening on Walnut Street, near downtown, and it’s been going on for months. Valencia Thomas’ family had to temporarily move out three months ago because the conditions are so bad. Not only is the ceiling falling in, the bathroom plumbing has been backing up everywhere, even in the kitchen sink. They complained to the

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The Attica, Kansas, tornado of 2004.

CALL 11 FOR ACTION

Utilities offer differing late fee policies By David J. Coehrs Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

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Dan Bumpus landlord, but say he ignored the problem. “I have four children. We have been staying with my mom in a one bedroom home,” Thomas told Call 11 for Action. The almost $800-a-month rent at her place is government subsidized. But guess what taxpayers are getting for their money? Huge holes have opened up in the ceiling, leaking whenever it rains. And then there’s the plumbing. “Literally, ‘dookie’ and ‘pee’ and everything comes up through the tub. It comes up through the sinks; the kitchen sink, upstairs

sink,” she said. Every time the toilet flushes, the tub fills up with filthy water. So does the kitchen sink. The sewage has left stains on the floor. “It stinks. You can’t live like this. It’s terrible,” Thomas said. She claims she’s been contacting her landlord, 19th Century Renewal, but getting no results. After Call 11 for Action got involved, a plumbing crew came right out and fixed the pipes. “It took for ya’ll to show up for them to do something. I’m really happy about it,” Tomas said. The landlord says he’s also hiring a contractor to get the holes in the ceiling repaired. He says he thought his usual maintenance guy was handling the problems, but it turns out that guy was actually in jail, and didn’t tell anybody. Dan Bumpus is the consumer investigative reporter at WTOL News 11. He can be reached by e-mail at dbumpus@wtol.com.

COMMUNITY IN FOCUS

SENIORS BRIEF PERI meeting scheduled

SENIORS

Public Employee Retiree Inc. Chapter #4’s regular meeting and potluck dinner is 1 p.m. on June 1 at the Margaret Hunt Senior Center. The center is located at 2121 Garden Lake Place (S. Detroit and Arlington). For information, call (419) 382-8809.

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT

Janie Knorr is still singing “Oh, Johnny” By Barbara John Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Did Abraham Lincoln sleep in Janie Knorr’s bed? Chances are 50-50 that he did. Thirty years ago, Janie and husband/bandleader Johnny Knorr had the chance to purchase the historic canopied bed, dresser and night stand that had originally graced one of two identical suites at the elegant Oliver House built in 1859. Newspaper accounts explain that Lincoln spent a night at Toledo’s first hotel, to meet with Ulysses S. Grant and Cleveland businessman John Jay, to discuss financing the Civil War. “Whether Lincoln slept in this bed will never be proven, but it sure makes a good story,” Janie said, laughing. “And what a beautiful, elegant bed it is! We had to replace the linen canopy, but the bed itself is in perfect condition.” That’s just one the many stories Janie has to tell about her 64 years of marriage to the “savior” of Toledo’s famed Centennial Terrace. Her tales go way back to her first real encounter with the fledgling band leader. It was at the 50th anniversary party for her grandparents at the Toledo Club. Janie and her identical twin sister Jean (Hammer) were the last to leave the party, except for Johnny and his musicians, who had played for the event. She was 16; Johnny was

18. She thought he was rude, and threw her coat at him. “At least it got his attention,” she said. Soon Johnny took Janie out on their ﬁrst “date.” “A date meant go with him wherever he had a job. That’s JANIE still the pattern today,” she said. Which is why if you’ve been to any place Johnny played in the last 20 years you’ve probably seen Janie ... and their son Jerry, one of the original members of the orchestra and daughter-in-law Emilie. One month before the attack on Pearl Harbor, Janie married Johnny Knorr. “He wasn’t always home,” Janie said, “often getting jobs as a side man with bands like Les Brown and Jimmy Dorsey. We were newly married and he was still in school so he turned down the chance to join Glenn Miller’s band to go overseas.” The post-war era found Johnny back in Toledo, playing at the Paramount and Rivoli Theaters and anyplace there was music. “We had a new baby girl, Janice. Then calamity struck,” Janie said. “Johnny hurt his back and required surgery. I was

faced with the fact that we had two children, and didn’t know if or when Johnny would be able to work again. “I had to do something. I already had some credits at UT before we were married, so I went back to college JOHNNY and got my elementary education degree. “She saved me and the family,” Johnny interjected. “She taught second and third grades at the old Glenwood school for 20 years!” “In 1979 we faced another challenge,” Janie said. “Johnny decided something should and could be done to restore Centennial Terrace. It was known as the country’s largest outdoor ballroom, with 10,000 square feet of terrazzo ﬂoor. I was with him all the way — organizing ‘Friends of Centennial,’ painting furniture, ordering Port-A-Potties, lugging drinking water. He did it!,” she said. Janie was with Johnny when the newly formed Johnny Knorr Orchestra debuted at the El Rancho Ballroom on Woodville Road in 1960 and she will be with him at Centennial Terrace on June 11, the start of the orchestra’s 45th year and the beginning of a new season at Centennial.

Toledo Free Press photos by Barbara John

Janie Knorr says that Abe Lincoln might have slept in this bed.

COMMENTARY

From the Fanette Club to Fifth Third Field, a Mudhens fan forever By Barbara John Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

The year was 1936... long before anyone had heard of NOW or the Equal Rights Amendment. Most baseball clubs had Knothole Gangs for boys, but in addition to their Knothole Gang, the Toledo Mud Hens did something special for girls, a “ Fanette Club!” I was 10 years old when my daddy ﬁrst took me to some Mud Hen games. Before

the season was over I was allowed to go to some day games by myself. There I was with a whole group of kids, with our little autograph books, waiting patiently to get the stars of the future to sign their names. We learned the game; we learned to keep score; we learned that umpires are not always right. We had fun. My ﬁrst-ever real job was at KSD and KSD-TV, St. Louis where, because of my knowledge of baseball, I was assigned

to cover the games, in person. Wow! I watched the on-ﬁeld prowess of Stan Musial, Marty Marion, Red Schoendienst, et al. But I also had to cover the St. Louis Browns. It was the year before they became the Baltimore Orioles where the highlight was watching Satchel Paige sitting on a canopied chaise lounge in the bullpen, then dancing on the mound. I was working for Gene Autry at KTLA when he bought the Angels, and worked

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setting up their promotional programs. The circle was unbroken. When I was a “Fanette,” Fred Haney was the Mud Hens manager. When Mr. Autry introduced me to his “right hand man,” Fred Haney, we reminisced about the Mud Hens. I moved in time to be in New York for the Amazing Mets’ leap to the World Series. Ten years ago I came home, to the Toledo Mud Hens. I don’t carry an autograph book, but I still go to Mud Hens games.

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SPORTS

■

Coaches plan leukemia fundraiser, page 21

Continued from page 18

Focus on the ultimate prize

St. Francis tennis player Mike O’Connell prepares to make a racket at state championships, page 20

Sam Hornish Jr. focuses on Indy 500 By Dave Woolford Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Sam Hornish Jr. is suffering from acute tunnel vision, brought on, to some extent, by the occupational hazard of being forced to peer down the equivalent of a tunnel for extended periods of time. It’s actually a narrow strip of pavement that, when lined by huge masses of humanity, appears even more constricted. It is the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which represents the embodiment of accomplishment to every open-wheel race

car driver in the United States. Hornish, a resident of Napoleon, and two-time IndyCar Series champion, is no exception. Indy is his passion, 13 months a year, eight days a week, 25 hours a day, 61 seconds every minute. The obsession will continue on Sunday with the 89th running of the Indianapolis 500 starting at 1 p.m. Toledo time. “I race so that I can run the Indy 500,” Hornish, 25, admitted during a recent visit to Toledo. “I would like to win all the other races, but that’s the one I care the most about.

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Everything else is basically practice for that. “It’s always the preparation you spend for eleven months, waiting to get there, and then you are halfway through the month of May and you’re saying, ‘Is this thing ever going to end?’ And then, as soon as the race is over, you wish it was all starting over again.” Hornish’s track record at Indy has been disappointing. In five starts, his best finish was 14th in 2001 with underfinanced Panther Racing. He finished 10 miles behind winner Helio Castroneves, his teammate on Marlboro Team Penske, where Hornish

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Hornish

has resided since the start of last season. He has been involved in accidents twice, the most recent being last year just past the midway point of the race and after he led for a total of nine laps. Hornish was credited with a 26th-place finish after getting caught up in a wreck involving Greg Ray and Darren Manning. This year he starts from the middle of the first row with a somewhat underpowered Toyota engine, as compared to the Hondas, which comprise six of the first eight starting positions. Hornish also has Please see HORNISH, page 19

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the added pressure of racing for the “Captain,” Roger Penske, the oracle of ovals when it comes to car owners. He has an unprecedented 13 Indy 500 victories. That includes three triumphs in the last four years (Castroneves, 2001-2002; Gil de Ferran, 2003). But none of those influences induce any more labor than the race itself. Hornish knows he can get his race car to out-handle the Hondas and that Penske applies no extra pressure. Hornish refuses to become superstitious, the route a lot of drivers take following a few failures. “I’m not superstitious just because I feel that I have a lot of effect on my own things and a lot of it is God’s will,” he said. “I can prepare and do all the things I want to do to try to make myself better and to have a better shot to win, but if it’s not in the cards, it’s not in the cards.” And then there’s that true-life tunnel on race-day morning. The nerves are tweaked even more than the chassis. “It’s an awesome feeling,” Hornish admitted. “I probably get too excited about it. I don’t get nervous about any of the other races. I just go out and do my job. I was probably more nervous, scared my first year. I was kind of like, ‘Am I in over my head in this deal or not?’ Since then, it’s been, ‘How am I going to win this race?’ “I’m optimistic. I feel that if you had to pay dues or whatever, I’ve done that. There are a lot of guys who have raced there twenty years and haven’t won. It’s a tough race and that’s what makes it so special when you do win. “Whether or not that will happen, it’s kind of like a roulette wheel. You can sit there and bet red all day because it has been coming up black, but it’s still a fifty-fifty chance whether you’re going to have good luck or bad luck.”

Sam Hornish Jr.

Date of Birth: July 2, 1979 Place of Birth: Bryan, Ohio Residence: Napoleon, Ohio Marital Status: Married (Crystal)

Indy Car Statistics:

Number of Seasons: 5 Debut Season: 2000 Championships: 2 (2001 & 2002) Victories: 13 Pole Positions: 5 Starts: 68

Competition History

1999: Indy Racing League, Toyota Atlantics, Indy Racing League: Competed in Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona; passed IRL rookie test 2000 PDM Racing: Indy Racing League; Competed in eight IRL races, best finish third at Las Vegas 2001 Panther Racing: Indy Racing League; Series Champion, three wins and two pole positions 2002 Indy Racing League: Series Champ, five wins, two pole positions 2003 Indy Racing League: fifth in Series Championship, three wins and one pole position 2004 Indy Racing League: seventh in Series Championship, one win

SPORTS

May 25, 2005

WRESTLING

UT Wrestling Club, Fortman thrive on desire By Scott Calhoun Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

In 2002, Jeff Fortman was a 112-pound weight class champion in his conference and the champion in St. Mary’s Memorial High School in Lima sectional. Yet he never made it to the state wrestling tournament. At the collegiate level, especially at a Division I school, a wrestler usually has to make it to “states” to have any shot at a college wrestling career. After high school, Fortman said he knew his only chance to wrestle at a collegiate level would be to initiate a club program at Rhodes State, a community college in Lima. His efforts fell short, so he turned to the one option he felt he had left. He contacted Michael Sousaris, head coach and coordinator of the UT men’s wrestling club team. Sousaris, who was looking for the kind of en-

thusiasm Fortman possessed, invited him to attend UT and wrestle for the team. Fortman, after just one year of wrestling at the collegiate level, is the team’s captain. “In one year I’ve gained more strength and endurance, and greatly increased my wrestling knowledge than in four years of high school,” he said. The team wrestles FORTMAN in the NCWA, an afﬁliation of university programs whose schools never offered NCAA programs or were lost to the Title IX program cuts that swept across the collegiate landscape during the last decade. The old UT wrestling program, and a number of other MAC school

programs, were lost. At this year’s NWCA national tournaments in Dallas, the UT club ﬁnished in the top 20, and boasted one All-American in Leon Lewis at the 235-pound weight class. Despite only being a club-status national organization, the competition and skill level of the wrestlers in the NCWA are nearly as strong as that of the remaining NCAA programs, Fortman said. “The competition level is overwhelming,” he said. Sousaris, who does not get paid to coach or run the club, focuses on recruiting wrestlers from the tri-state region, looking for the wrestlers who didn’t win state championships in high school. “It’s really on a person-by-person basis, but I ﬁnd that the guys who win states sometimes don’t bring the same level of desire to win to a collegiate club program,”

Sousaris said, “so I recruit the ones who still have the desire to win.” Sousaris said his recruitment angle is very simple: “I offer [the kids] a chance to wrestle for another four years at a collegiate level.” That chance is one they would otherwise not receive. Sousaris also stressed that because his wrestlers receive no prominent exposure like football or basketball athletes, the wrestlers tend to excel in their academic studies. “This [program] gives them an outlet to exercise discipline, build stamina and be a part of a team,” Sousaris said, “and I think that helps the kids focus better academically.”

ON THE WEB www.toledowrestling.com

GOLF

You don’t need a weatherman to tell which way the wind blows

o, do we go out and play golf today, or do we trust the weatherman and stay out of the rain? 100 percent chance, 80 percent chance, 50 percent chance, 20 percent chance of rain; it doesn’t matter, because there is still a pretty good chance it will be a nice, sunny day. As a golf professional, my job depends on the weather. Whether it’s golf lessons, golf outings, member play or golf leagues, so much of our business hinges on the weather. A good forecast can make or break you during the golf season. I’d have to say that I am a part-time weatherman and I think I make a pretty good one. Growing up in Northwest Ohio, I loved the snowy winters and hot humid summers. Still do. I was fascinated by the weather as a

Dan Sutton youngster and it has just become a part of me. As we move from spring to summer and the temperatures heat up, I think it’s time to turn up the heat on the weathermen. Seeing as how they got their forecast correct about 20 percent of the time during April and May, what is your prediction on their ability to get it right this summer?

I can hear it already. “Chance of thunderstorms, scattered showers, strong and severe thunderstorms, tornado watch, severe thunderstorm watch, Ozone Action Day, UV Index high, pollen count high,” etc. Don’t go outside. Stay at home and watch my forecast and then I’ll tell you if you can go outside from 9 to 10:30 a.m. (chance of late morning scattered thunderstorms) and from 6:30 to 7 p.m. (Ozone Action Day, chance of strong thunderstorms, UV outlook high, chance of mosquitoes after 7 p.m.). Don’t grill those steaks you bought last weekend, don’t mow the lawn, don’t put any gas in your car, stay at home and watch my forecast. Everyday I ﬁnd myself ﬁelding phone calls on the weather. Un-

like weathermen, I’m more of an optimist and I like to look on the brighter side of things. I’ll watch the local radar on the Weather Channel once or twice a day and make my own forecast from there. I let my staff and customers know what the short-term forecast is and I’m surprised how they will thank me for letting them know how the day’s weather is going to be. With summer approaching and the local economy in not such good shape, it is vital that outdoor and recreational busi-

ball, according to Amstutz. “It’s a group of guys who just love to come back and have a lot of fun with each other,” said Amstutz. Registration begins at 8 a.m. on the morning of the event and is to be followed by a “shotgun start” at 9 a.m. The cost is $150 per person.

SOCCER

KOZ’S CORNER

Pacesetter tourney to draw 8,000 Tennis player swings for championship By Chris Kozak Toledo Free Press Staff Writer ckozak@toledofreepress.com

Tournaments don’t evolve into must-play events overnight, but in just two short years, the Pacesetter Showcase Invitational Memorial Day Tournament has become the youth soccer event in the Midwest. Scheduled for May 27 to 30 at Pacesetter Park in Sylvania, the ﬁeld has not only grown in numbers (from 96 to at least 154 participating teams this year) but in quality. The tournament welcomes nearly 2,400 youth players, ages 9 to 17, along with coaches, family members and, most importantly to the players, college coaches and scouts. With teams from

Indiana, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan and the Canadian National Champions from London, Ontario, the tournament draws nearly 8,000 to Northwest Ohio, with an estimated economic impact of $1.25 million. Local soccer clubs will be well represented, including the Pacesetter U-13 and U-14 boys teams, both of which recently won the Ohio North Youth Soccer Association State Cup Championships. Even after one year, the tournament established itself as a must-play event, as gotsoccer. com rated it a silver level tournament. A main attraction for many of the teams, according to Tournament Director Alan Kreinbrink, is the ﬁelds. “The ﬁelds speak for them-

selves,” Kreinbrink said. “Pacesetter Park is nationally recognized and we have never heard a bad word about the conditions.” That is a sentiment echoed by gotsoccer.com poster John Rekenthaler, whose Chicago Wind boys U-11 team participated last year. “Best facility I have ever seen,” Rekenthaler posted. Pacesetter Park received the 1998 Sports Turf Managers Association Softball Field of the Year and the 1998 Ohio Sports Turf Managers Association Chapter Baseball & Soccer Field of the Year. Games begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with Monday featuring semi-ﬁnals and ﬁnals matches beginning at 8:30 a.m. Admission to the tournament is free.

UT coaches plan annual Lawns for Leukemia fund raiser Lawn-mowing season is in full effect, and thanks to the vision of University of Toledo women’s track

nesses have a healthy and profitable summer. I just hope the weathermen can get the sevenhour forecast right, let alone the seven-day forecast. So the next time you hear a 50 percent chance of rain, look on the bright side and tell yourself there’s a 50 percent chance it could be a sunny, beautiful, best-round-ofthe-rest-of-your-life kind of day. Dan Sutton is head golf professional at Eagle’s Landing Golf Club. He may be contacted at dsutton@buckeye-express.com.

coach Kevin Hadsell, that weekly chore can be turned into hope for leukemia patients. This summer, Hadsell, with assistant track coach Brian Shook, will run a summer-long fundraiser, “Lawns For Leukemia,” in which the two coaches will raise money to fight the deadly disease. All proceeds will go to the Leukemia Society. “The plan is to basically mow as many lawns as we can over the course of the summer,” Hadsell said. “So there’s no real minimum or maximum we’re looking for.” This isn’t Hadsell’s first fundraiser for leukemia. He became involved in raising money and awareness to fight the disease ten years ago when his 2 and a half-year-old

niece died from leukemia. To raise money, Hadsell biked 1,200 miles in 11 days. To mark the tenth anniversary of his niece’s passing, Hadsell said he hopes to raise a similar amount with this summer’s drive. The coaches plan to cover a 20mile radius around the UT campus, and will conduct the mowing with their own equipment, Hadsell said. The prices for mowing lawns will be $5 to $10 for small lawns, $11 to $15 for medium size and $16 to $20 for larger lawns, Hadsell said. To take part in “Lawns for Leukemia,” contact the two coaches via e-mail at lawncharity@yahoo.com or call Hadsell at (419) 262-5077. — Scott Calhoun

AUTO ACCESSORY STORE ��

UT football gearing up for ﬁfth annual alumni golf event The University of Toledo Football program tees off the ﬁfth annual Rocket Football Alumni Golf Outing on June 3 at the Legacy Golf Club in Ottawa Lake, Mich. Rocket fans, alumni and supporters are invited to join the festivities, including an opportunity to sign up and play a few holes with former Rocket players and Head Coach Tom Amstutz. The event, which includes lunch and dinner as well as silent and live auctions, is the brainchild of Amstutz and Free Safety/Outside Linebackers coach Dave Wakolsky. “This is a major fundraiser for us,” Amstutz said, “it’s a chance for former players to give back to the football program.” Amstutz said he and Wakolsky expect to have 125 or more players attend next week’s outing, including Rocket legend Chuck Ealey and Ryan Huzjak, starting quarterback from 1994-96. A number of the players will speak at the dinner about their respective careers and memorable stories about UT foot-

SPORTS

May 25, 2005

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Amstutz said he and Wakolsky were still waiting to hear from former players in the immediate area and if any are interested, they can contact the program ofﬁce to sign up. For information call (419) 5303502 or visit www.utrockets.com. — Scott Calhoun

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By Chris Kozak Toledo Free Press Staff Writer ckozak@toledofreepress.com

his is the time of year Mimi O’Connell finally gets nervous. Watching her son play tennis, she obviously wants him to do well. But the state tournament rolls around, and ... “I get a little nervous,” she said. “My husband probably gets a little more tense.” Mike O’Connell has a high school tennis career any young player would envy. In four years on the varsity tennis team, the St. Francis de Sales senior won a team state championship his freshman year and a doubles state championship, playing along side his cousin James, as a sophomore. The success has translated into a college education, as he accepted a full ride to The Ohio State University, choosing the Buckeyes from Toledo Free Press photo by Nate VanNatta many suitors. Still, the mantle is missing one piece of hardware, the final piece, the coup de gras: boys singles state champion, the heavyweight title belt of Ohio’s boys high school tennis. “It’s the first time I’ve really made a run at it (state championship) as a singles player,” O’Connell said. “It’s kind of like a wrap up; A great way to end a high school career.” O’Connell picked up tennis as a youth in California, where he lived from first through sixth grade. The laid-back California approach has stuck with him. But on the court, O’Connell is tenacious, attacking the net and forcing the action like a lion ripping apart fresh prey. He plays a power game, both forehand and back, yet likes to charge the net and dare his opponent to beat him. He’ll keep challenging until he finds someone who’s a better man, as he’s undefeated this year. He plowed through any and all challengers as he, in singles, and his team took this year’s city championships. Add to his resume the City League, sectional and district titles. O’Connell has played tennis most of his life, competing in tournaments during the summer that have taken him to more than 20 states, competing against players from all 50 states. He’s sacrificed free time for practice time, given to his sport. “It’s right here,” O’Connell said. “It’s everything you’ve practiced for and it’s finally come down to this.” Friday, at the Stickney Tennis Center on the Ohio State campus, on the same courts he’ll play his collegiate tennis, O’Connell will face David Peyton from Kettering Fairmont. Will he be nervous? “I’ll be excited nervous,” he said. “But confident.” This weekend, O’Connell will play for the state title. His mom will be nervous, even as her son’s confidence grows.

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ARTS&LIFE

May 25, 2005

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SOFTBALL

Title IX investment pays off during weekend tourney By David Gatwood Special to Toledo Free Press prepsports@buckeye-express.com

This past week’s Division I district softball tournament is an example of the value of athletics to the high school experience. During the two days the tournament was conducted, spectators and participants were treated to three well-played games including one extra inning affair and two games decided in the winning team’s last at-bat. On the ﬁeld, the St. Ursula Arrows were the victors in Division I district tournament but the true victors were all the participants and the community at large. All the players from Sylvania Northview, Notre Dame Academy, Sylvania Southview, and St. Ursula demonstrate the importance of Title IX and how far women’s athletics have progressed over the past 30 years. These young women are sterling examples of the results of many hard fought battles that have made their very participation possible. Just a few short years ago, events such as the district softball tournament would not have been possible. Opportunities for young women in the athletic venue were minimal and in the few opportunities that were available the participation level was low. Suddenly, Title IX appeared on the horizon and women’s sports exploded. Since the enactment of Title IX in 1972, the Women’s Sports Foundation says there has been a 460 percent increase in women playing college sports and an 800 percent increase in girls playing high school sports. According to the U.S. General Accounting Ofﬁce, the participation of women in col-

lege athletics has grown from 32,000 in the early 1970s to 163,000 today. These numbers reflect that participation in athletics is now a big deal on high school campuses throughout the United States and that young ladies can now enjoy a part of the high school experience that was closed to them for far too many years. Critics argue that Title IX and the corresponding rise in women’s sports has hurt men’s sports but such criticism is based on age-old ideas that created the need for the enactment of Title IX in the first place. The young women who participated in this year’s high school state softball tournament and their peers in the other sports have grown up never knowing what it felt like not to have the chance to play. Title IX made this possible. These young women have had the chance to develop their skills in the same manner as their male friends through participation in community-operated, little league-type programs, privately organized travel leagues and tournaments, and numerous specialty camps. As a result, their level of play has attained a level equal to that of the boys. Even a casual observer of high school athletics had to enjoy what he saw on the fields at Rolf Park. What he would observe would be games being played by participants with highly developed skills and with a passion that is contagious. He would also witness a camaraderie that was once reserved only for high school boys and groups of young women sharing in the experience of winning and losing and doing so graciously. Prior to Title IX, this would not have been possible.

Columnist Barbara Goodman Shovers on the Noe coin mess, page 25

Garage Rock II

18 local bands, including Pawn, will be featured in this year’s library concert series, page 25

Blade runners Scissor Sisters spin ’70s inﬂuences into gold

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Hayley Wiemer and St. Ursula won the Division I district tournament last weekend.

Photo courtesy Universal Records

Scissor Sisters, from left, Babydaddy, Del Marquis, Ana Matronic, Jake Shears and Paddy Boom.

Free www.ymcatoledo.org

By Michael S. Miller Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com

In a music scene dominated by mean-spirited rap, empty-headed metal and assembly-line divas, Scissor Sisters have delivered one of the most rollicking and entertaining records of the half-decade. Infused with a ’70s and ’80s aesthetic that blends the attitude and sounds of Elton John, Billy Joel, George Michael, David Bowie, Roxy Music and a can-you-guessthe-inﬂuence stream of singable, danceable music, the self-titled debut has spawned a VH-1 hit with “Take Your Mama” and has topped the Billboard Heatseaker and Electronica charts. They have been rewarded with appearances on “Saturday Night Live” and “The Tonight Show,” and a Grammy nomination for best dance recording (they lost to Britney Spears). The core of the band is singer/ songwriter Jake Shears and multi-instrumentalist/songwriter Babydaddy. They are surrounded by top-notch musicians: drummer Paddy Boom, guitarist Del Marquis and singer/performer/den mother Ana Matronic. As studio-oriented as their music is, it is shocking to see the Sisters live and discover what a tight, powerful band they are. Jake’s frenetic singing and the Swiss-watch precise rhythm section are as powerful and dexterous as an Olympic swimmer. From the opening cut, the piano-driven “Laura,” through the Elton-ﬂavored “Take Your Mama,” a Bee Gees-meets-Pink Floyd cover of “Comfortably Numb,” the Toto pastiche “Mary,” and such high points as “On the Radio,” “Filthy/Gorgeous,” “Music Is the Victim,” “Better Luck,” “It Can’t Come Quickly Enough” and “Return to Oz,” the CD inspires compulsive spins, until the hooks permanently etch themselves on the brain. Fred Bronson, editor of the weekly Chart Beat column for Billboard Magazine, told Toledo Free Press that while the Sisters have yet to make a huge impact on the mainstream Billboard Top Please see SISTERS, page 24

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ARTS&LIFE

Sisters Continued from page 23 album chart (they peaked at 101), “Hopefully they still have a chance; their music is a lot of fun,” he said. “They took a lot of retro elements and came up with a new sound. With a hit single or a song played on a soundtrack to a feature ﬁlm or television show, they could still break here.”

Who’s your daddy?

During a recent break between shows, Scissor Sisters songwriter and producer Babydaddy talked with Toledo Free Press from a California beach. Openly marveling at his band’s success, he talked about the past year with amazement. “We’re spoiled,” he said. “There has been an incredible response to the album; people really seem to enjoy it. A week after it came out, people at concerts were singing along with every song.” Babydaddy said the band’s blender of inﬂuences is a synergy of his songwriting and production collaboration with Shears. “We work in an organic fashion, writing and recording at same time,” he said. “We weren’t trying to emulate anyone’s sound as much as we were trying to capture their attitude. We’d say, ‘Hey, remember that guitar sound from that Bowie track, or those snare drums from that Ace of Base record?’ We were just throwing in all the sounds we love.” The band has often cited Elton John and Billy Joel as inﬂuences. “I love Billy Joel, and his sound is there, an appreciation of his sound and ethos,” he said. “I used to sit at a piano with a songbook and play his songs.”

Now, major artists are ﬂocking to see and work with the Sisters. They have produced remixes for Pet Shop Boys, Blondie and Kylie Minogue, and Elton John and U2’s Bono have publicly professed their love for the Sisters. There were late summer reports that the Sisters might open for U2 on their fall tour. “That’s a complete fabrication,” Babydaddy said. “Bono came to two of our shows, and the rumors started. It’s been surreal; we’ll play a show and then we’ll ﬁnd Elton John or George Michael or Bono waiting for us backstage, the musicians we worship, coming to see us. It’s surreal to hear Bono saying he is a fan of ours.” The Sisters have also heard from Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters and David Gilmour, who responded to the group’s dance-crazed version of “Comfortably Numb.” Babydaddy said trying to emulate the band’s chart-topping U.K. success in America is daunting, but he believes their music stands out. “We want to inspire people to live every emotion in life, to enjoy themselves,” he said. “In America, there aren’t many fun, light-hearted artists right now. Americans are in love with art that makes them angry for an hour or so.” The Sisters won’t be in the studio to create a new album until next month, but to tide fans over, a concert DVD (“We Are Scissor Sisters, and So Are You”) and a remix album (“Scissor Sisters Remixed!”) have been released. As the sounds of the beach called him away from the phone, Babydaddy sounded optimistic about the band’s future. “We’re going to keep plugging away here and do everything we can,” he said. “We’ll make every show and cheesy TV appearance we can, and hope to be in the right place at the right time.”

May 25, 2005

TOLEDO CONFIDENTIAL

Nerds of the road, with no regrets

And debauchery or no, we live didn’t get to any shows last for that stage time, just like evweekend — not even to the eryone else. Neither approach debauched Houston Bernard is “right” (although ours may be gig I was looking forward to. My more lawful) — the point is to band, PB Army, played in Muncie, get out and do it your way, and Indiana on Friday. And thanks to wring every drop of life out of it. an ill-advised attempt to keep up with the hard-partying Maryland Get off the couch band King Valley, Saturday was Speaking of King Valley, they shot. By the time we limped Keith Bergman bring their earthy bong-rock to into Toledo at 9 p.m., all I could Mickey Finn’s Wednesday, suphandle was a shower and bed. porting Fate of Apollo and hard-touring instrumental Name a rock and roll stereotype, and King jammers Delicious. This show’s the best excuse in Valley has lived it. Wanton sex? Drug addiction? months to call off Thursday. Prison time? Living in basements and mowing Conﬂict of interest alert: my band’s playing lawns between tours? All just a day at the ofﬁce Thursday (see page 25). I’ll just say here that the for these lifers. They’re great dudes, but faced bill is stacked with incredible locals (Evolotto, The with that serious a dedication to the rock and roll Highgears) and two touring bands any rock fan lifestyle, mortals like my bandmates and me look should move mountains to go see, Raging Slab like lily-livered wusses. Are we doing something and Solace. You won’t see these two bands in Towrong? Are we poseurs? ledo again any time soon. We’re more likely to be late for soundcheck beFriday, there’s metal at the Underground, cause we stopped at a thrift store to look for weird blues at Mickey Finn’s, and some local hard rock old records than because we had to lay in a stock at the Underground. of hallucinogens for the evening. We’re the ones Saturday, catch up on your local metal acts at pulling the dusty Atari system out from under the Headliners. The talented OnceOver headline, sofa at our hosts’ after-show crash pad while other with support from Thought Hideous, Genocya, bands are cutting lines of coke on the coffee table. Trigger Point and Sound of Urchin. Go early, stay But you know what? We have a blast on the late, and bring your moshing shoes. road. We bring home weird books and records and Still standing Sunday? The Underground has board games we found at backwater yard sales an indie-rock who’s who, including Thunderbirds 1,000 miles from home. We eat in country diners Are Now, Stylex, Clive Staples, Drive!, and Ghost where our presence makes the regulars whisper. Writer. You’re off Monday — why not?

CONCERTS Brown bag concert series encourages people to eat to the beat Catch some rays and acoustic pop with On the Beach June 1 as the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library begins its 25th season of brown bag concerts. “The past couple of years we’ve

averaged about 300 people per concert,” said Tony Schafer, manager of the popular library and teen department. The menu for the summer offers blues, jazz, rock, country and

Irish folk. Barring a downpour or steady rain, the shows take place from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. Wednesdays through Aug. 3 at the Main Library, 325 Michigan St. — Vicki L. Kroll

ARTS&LIFE

May 25, 2005

Coverage of Noe coin ‘scandal’ tips opinion

his city’s paper of record is in the midst of another witch hunt. I’ve never met their target and I doubt I’d like him personally. Politically we’re at opposite ends of the spectrum. In fact, when the articles first started appearing I admit to glee at someone from “their side” getting it. But the reports have been so mean spirited and petty, their tone so vindictive, that I’m rooting now for Tom Noe to win. This change of heart came after reading a Sunday expose, complete with unflattering graphics, which piled on such a heap of insinuation that I tipped. Tipping, as the pop-sociologist/author Malcom Gladwell writes, is what happens when a whole bunch of molehills add up to a mountain and you suddenly find yourself on the other side of it. In this case it was the reams of unsubstantiated claims and insinuations of possible-but-notproved that initiated my 180. This

Barbara Goodman Shovers was further powered by the threepage-piece’s holier-than-thou irrelevances. Truth be told, I know neither the ﬁnancial nor legal details of the coin and contribution stories — though my gut is the news sharks covering it might not either. I’m assuming Mr. Noe has done a few things that if not illegal, are probably less than upstanding. But this is America where we wink-wink, nod-nod at white-collar corner cutting when it works in our favor. This

is America where there is always a way around the system if you have the right connections. Which is one of the accusations being hurled at the prominent GOPer: That his business beneﬁted from his political connections. That wine-and-dining Columbus leaders and shakers — sacre bleu! — led to contracts for his company. Mr. Noe is rumored to have spent up to $19 on appetizers at a Columbus steakhouse where he left large tips. As a former waitperson that nugget alone would have softened my feelings for him. The Blade also tries to make a connection between evil and owning pricey real estate. Golﬁng with “powerful” people — senators, a governor — also makes Mr. Noe suspect. But isn’t this what virtually all of America aspires to? Isn’t this the country that worships Donald Trump and vies for his apprenticeships? Why doesn’t The Blade go after real

big wigs like him? I’d bet my life he’s spent up to $39 on appetizers for political fat calves. And anyone who’s shocked, just shocked, at a half million dollar condo on the Maumee hasn’t shopped Upper East Side co-ops recently. But no. Power on a celebrity scale is sexy and unapproachable. Power when it’s yielded by somebody you can bully-or at least convict before being tried-is something else. In the case of the Blade vs. Tom Noe it reads more like a grade school slam book than a news story. The Blade is not alone in iffy reporting. Much of the media is quick to offer a J’accuse for easy targets. (Look at both the before and after of the Newsweek Koran brouhaha.) The problem is that while allegations are often made in oversized headlines, they are retracted, if at all, in six point type. But particularly as America becomes so us versus them, Republican versus Democrat, con-

servative versus liberal, we generally forgive the snark — hell, we want it piled on heavier — when it’s leveled at members of the opposing tribe. But dare I suggest how easily tables turn. In its quest to cast aspersions, The Blade article even implies that because Mr. Noe attended BGSU for only two semesters, he’s a hypocrite for attending its sporting events. And that because he was born into a Democratic family, realigning with the Republicans is similarly suspect. Well, this left-leaner is about to spin contrarian and give him the beneﬁt of the doubt. America’s legal system is still based on innocent until proven guilty. And not just the appearance of guilt. Or even more, a trumped up version of it. Barbara Goodman Shovers is a Contributing Editor to Toledo Free Press. She may be contacted at bshovers@toledofreepress.com.

CONCERT SERIES

Garage Rock makes second appearance at Main Library From Staff Reports

The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library announced its line up for the second season of Garage Rock II. A six-week series featuring 18 area bands performing in the parking garage of Main Library, Garage Rock II shows are free and open to all ages. Area bands scheduled to perform at Garage Rock include: June 9, Stereomod, Vanderbee and Falling Back; June 16, Resonant Soul, Desolation Angels and the Drawers; June 23, Separation Tree, Legion and Leaving Autumn; June 30, Peter’s Cry, Pawn

and Phoenix 1; July 7, Catchpole, Texas Pete and the Revolution and 2nd Life; and July 14, Society’s Ugly Son, Burnt Notion and Moonmen. Concerts are slated to begin at 6:30 p.m., June 9, and continue on a weekly basis through July 14. Sponsors for the series include Library Legacy Foundation, Peeler Music, RamaLama Records, Sin Klub Entertainment, Toledo Free Press, T-Townmusic.com and WIOT. The Main Library is located at 325 Michigan St., and free parking is available off Adams St. For information, call (419) 259-5381.

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Y O U R W E E K LY T O U R O F T H E T O L E D O Z E I T G E I S T OVER HEA R D

“I can’t believe her classes are ﬁlling up so quickly. Is she exposing herself more?”

OLD WEST END CELEBRATES HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD

> Woman lunching with another woman at Ventura’s

Wal-Mart’s

PLAN

Simple Plan fans, if you missed AOL Music Live’s 2005 kickoff concert featuring SP, second chances are at participating Wal-Mart stores. AOL has partnered with Wal-Mart to replay the concert May 27 in participating stores. The airing will be in the electronics department and on monitors throughout the store. The show was shot live at the Troubador in Los Angeles on April 5. “I think what you see is what you get with Simple Plan,” guitarist Jeff Stinco told Toledo Free Press. “You’ve got ﬁve guys with very strong personalities that are not afraid to show it.” — Ashley Breakﬁeld

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE Seating is limited for this sweet event—indulge in chocolate at the Toledo School for the Arts garden, June 21. A dessert buffet will accompany live music. $30 per person, call (419) 246-8732, ext. 226.

Sculpture in the Park

The second Ottawa Hills Sculpture in the Park exhibit will open June 1 in Arrowhead Point, Secor and Bancroft. Ten sculptures by Midwest artists will be the backdrop for various artistic community events, such as music, dance and poetry. The exhibit runs through October 22; www.ottawahills.org (click on “view sculpture garden”).

Silent “Peter Pan” There have been at least a dozen filmed variations on the “Peter Pan” theme (including the recent Oscar nominee “Finding Neverland”) since the J.M. Barrie play debuted in London in 1904, but the first movie opened in 1924. The silent film was directed by Herbert Brenon (the silent “Beau Geste” and “The Great Gatsby”) and featured femme fatale Anna May Wong as Tiger Lily and Malta, Ohio twins Winston and Weston Doty as the lost boys. Peter Pan was played by Betty Bronson, who was handpicked by the playwright, beating out Hollywood superstars like Gloria Swanson and Mary Pickford. The Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor will present a screening of “Peter Pan” accompanied by a 12-piece orchestra on May 26 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets ($10-25), visit www.michtheater.org or call 734-763-TKTS. – Lauri Donahue

BRUNDEL FLIES INTO TOLEDO

By Lauren Farnsworth Special to Toledo Free Press

A historic Italian Renaissance church will be featured in this year’s Old West End Festival. The annual festival will host an art show with more than 60 artists, historic home tours, garage and lawn sales, entertainment, parades featuring art cars (vehicles modified by expressions of personal art) and many children’s activities. Festival hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 4 and 5. Judy Stone, publicity chairperson, said, “Last year, we were voted one of the top neighborhoods of Toledo. We are die hards about preservation; keeping the neighborhood and introducing new people to it.” This year’s tour will display one church and homes of varying sizes and styles. Stone said she hopes festival goers understand “that people care about the houses and the great sense of community.” The only church in the tour, the First Congregational Church is an Italian Renaissance building. It is distinguished by its stained glass Tiffany and Lederle windows. The Berry-Worley home was built in 1876 and has been recently restored. Hardwood floors, arched Gothic windows and doors and the original butler’s pantry are a few of the details that can be seen on the tour. The Fisher-Murdock home was built in 1987 for the former director of Gendron Wheel, Harry Fisher. Some of the features found in this home are chandeliers and light fixtures, stripped and refinished woodwork and hardwood floors. The 1901 Yaht-Lenhart Home’s living room was once made up of two small parlors divided by pocket doors. The recent addition of a back porch provides a view of the gardens. “The craftsmanship in all of the homes is amazing; 100 year old homes still being maintained,” said George Thompson, current owner of the Scott-Thompson home. The Scott-Thompson home was built in 1983 for Frank Jessup Scott. Thompson said the most rewarding part of the festival is “the “quality of the houses and the neighbors.” The last home on the tour, the George-Nort home, is possibly the oldest home in the Old West End. The mid-1870s home features the original working fireplace and the dining room chandelier. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased at any of the homes.

Reignite your passion Married couples can cozy up with relationship building, ballroom dancing and instruction, and a live band at “Shall We Dance,” 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., June 5 at The Event Center, 23 N. Summit St. Brave mates can perform a serenade with the help of a professional lyricist. FOR INFORMATION, CALL (419) 509-8507.

Clash of the Cultures Headliners, 4500 Detroit Ave., will host The Fury, MC Habitat, The Stain, Luckey Nite, Highland, Rediscover, Decibel, and 4th Coming in an all-out music buffet June 3. The event is free for those aged 21 and over if you pick up a ticket from Freon Beats, Reynolds Rd., or Culture Clash, Westgate. For those under 21, tickets are $2. Tickets at the door will be $5; www.headlinerstoledo.com.

British Invasion

he “Brits” will be storming into Ft. Meigs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., June 5 when they ﬁll this historic site with vintage British cars. Although the encounter between England and America at this site in 1813 was contentious, the Brits return in peace with Healeys, Jaguars, MG’s, Triumphs, Mini-Coopers and other classics; free.

Photo courtesy Aesthetics Records

By Jason Kucsma Special to Toledo Free Press

Borrowing his moniker from Jeff Goldblum’s character in the 1986 horror flick “The Fly,” internationally acclaimed hip hop artist Seth P. Brundel has spent the last few years traveling the globe debunking the thugged-out stereotypes that plague hip hop. Watch just a couple minutes of MTV and you’ll be hard pressed to come away with any sort of understanding of hip hop that includes the brilliant, intelligent and politically active voices that thrive in the fertile subterranean soils of independent hip hop. But that’s okay; it’s not your fault MTV is going for the lowest common denominator. Meanwhile, artists like Beans, Aesop Rock, Blueprint, Jean Grae, and Cannibal Ox are refusing to sacrifice content and intellect for airplay and bling, and that is why you won’t see them on the next episode of Pimp My Ride. Where you will see artists like this is on your street corner or at smaller independent hip hop shows that flourish worldwide sustaining an intricate underground network of artists that could easily be the next big thing - shows like the one Seth Brundel will bring to Mickey Finn’s on May 30. Brundel is in the middle of a U.S. tour in support of his soon-to-bereleased double LP on Portland, Oregon’s Aesthetics Records. “Devil’s Pawn” is a 17-track effort that, simply put, breathes life into the corpse of hip hop represented by the likes of Murder Inc. or Death Row. Joining the deserved company of the artists mentioned above, Brundel brings a new voice to the fore of hip hop in the same way Mr. Lif and Dead Prez present hip hop as a catalyst for cultural change. Now, convention would have you believe that “political = boring,” and while convention is often correct, Brundel is a skilled enough performer to be able to simultaneously make butts move, heads nod, and cerebella crank. With some tracks, Brundel delivers politically incisive lyrics with such precision that the sometimes-minimalist beats assume epic status, and you’re left wondering why all hip hop doesn’t sound this urgent, this relevant. Brundel will be joined in Toledo next week by City Centre Office artists Cyne. For more information about Seth Brundel and his touring partners, visit www.aesthetics-usa.com.

MUSIC NOTES FRI, MAY 27 Agora Theatre, Cleveland Skillet, Kids in the Way, Burn Me Clean Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland Robbers on High Street Downtown Latté Rachel Richardson DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. Eddie Money Headliners Lateral Fold, New Found Element, Roses Are Red Howard’s Club H, BG FBS, Huron County Creeps, Four on the Floor Louis G’s The Mike Whitty Quartet Mickey Finn’s Pub The Griswolds Murphy’s Place Kevin Mahogany Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland Flogging Molly, Glengarry Bhoys Toledo Museum of Art Twobie Brothers The Upper Deck The Underground With Passion, The Dawning, The Machine

Always Wins, A Red Day, MAS FiNA

SAT, MAY 28 Agora Theatre, Cleveland A Static Lullaby Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland Blue Merle, The Shore DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. Clay Walker Grog Shop, Cleveland Pinback Headliners Thought Hideous, Shenoah, OnceOver, Genocya Howard’s Club H, BG 60 Second Crush, Sledge Louis G’s Bob Rex Trio Magic Stick, Detroit The Sights Mickey Finn’s Pub Art Expo 2005 featuring Kerry Krow, Terry Burton, Jeff Stewart, Ben Cyllus, Rob Storm, Tim Morrisey, Lauren Pfund, Yusuf Lateef, Schmuck Ba, Jerry Gray Murphy’s Place Theresa Harris, Nicole Heitger Scene Pavilion, Cleveland

COMPILED BY VICKI L. KROLL The Killers, Hot Hot Heat The Upper Deck MAS FiNA Tower City Amphitheater, Cleveland Blue Öyster Cult, Dave Mason

SUN, MAY 29 Alvin’s, Detroit A Wilhelm Scream, Lawrence Arms Headliners A Static Lullaby, Gods, The Machine Always Wins, Day Against the Fire Mickey Finn’s Pub Glass Bead Game Players Pub, Adrian, Mich. PB Army Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland Better Than Ezra Tower City Amphitheater, Cleveland Ruben Studdard The Underground Thunderbirds Are Now!, Stylex, Drive!, Clive Staples, Ghost Writer

MON, MAY 30 Fox Theatre, State Theatre, Woodward Stage, Detroit 89X’s 14th Birthday Bash featuring The

BE THERE. DO THAT. BENEFITS

ENTERTAINMENT

Christi Thomas Benefit 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., June 4 at VFW Post 2858, Tiffin. This poker run benefits MakeA-Wish. Open to all vehicles. $20 per person, $35 per couple. Dinner, raffle, cash prizes. Call (419) 618-1084. Benefit Bike Show 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 4 at The Home Depot. Eight classes to enter, including Cruiser, Dresser, Custom, Vintage. Class fee $10. Entertainment by Josh Boyd and the VIP Band, raffle, live auction. Proceeds to Spinal Bifida Association. Call (419) 353-3731. Fashion Show Luncheon 11 a.m., June 4 at the Franciscan Center. Deadline to register is May 27. Benefits Women Blessing Women, a non-profit that helps women with job preparation, GED assistance. $15 per person, call (419) 241-9789.

“Half Magic” Last week, National Public Radio included “Half Magic” by Toledo author Edward Eager (19111964) on its short list of great fantasy novels for children. The book, in print since it was ﬁrst published in 1954, is one of six magical adventures by Eager, many of them set in Toledo (the characters live in a house on Maplewood, near the Toledo Museum of Art). Columbia Pictures bought ﬁlm rights to the book in 2003, for producer David Heyman (the “Harry Potter” series). Another of Eager’s books, “Knight’s Castle,” was optioned by Sony for director John Boorman (“Excalibur,” “Zardoz”). – Lauri Donahue

Killers, Keane, Social Distortion, Hot Hot Heat, Louis XIV, High Speed Scene, Motion City Soundtrack, Brendan Benson, Acceptance, A Static Lullaby, Z-Trip, Static Revenger, Sum 41, Unwritten Law Grog Shop, Cleveland A Wilhelm Scream, Lawrence Arms Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland The Saw Doctors

TUES, MAY 31 The Ark, Ann Arbor Millish Brewed Awakenings Gretel The Odeon, Cleveland Submersed, Theory of a Deadman

WED, JUNE 1 The Ark, Ann Arbor Down the Line Grog Shop, Cleveland The Best Damn Rap Tour featuring C-Rayz Walz, J-Live, Vast Aire House Of Blues, Cleveland Fishbone, Slightly Stoopid Toledo-Lucas County Public Library, North Lawn On the Beach

THURS, JUNE 2 Agora Theatre, Cleveland Mustard Plug, The Code The Ark, Ann Arbor Stewart Francke Blind Pig, Ann Arbor The Best Damn Rap Tour featuring C-Rayz Walz, J-Live, Vast Aire Borders Books & Music, Cleveland Opera Casa Barron, Perrysburg On the Beach Hi-Fi Club, Cleveland The Robot Ate Me I-Rock Nightclub, Detroit Kryoburn Maumee Indoor Theatre 2005 Aeolus Festival Blue Dahlia presents “The General” St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit Fishbone, Slightly Stoopid

FRI, JUNE 3 Borders Books & Music Toledo Opera The Happy Badger 2005 Aeolus Festival examine the intersections between classical music, jazz, rock

Harpo’s, Detroit Corrosion of Conformity, Crowbar, Alabama Thunderpussy Headliners Clash of the Cultures - A Fan Appreciation Show featuring Supernothing, 4th Coming, Decibel, MC Habitat & Band, The Stain, Highland, Prologue to Spring, Star Apple Theory, LuckeyNite, The Fury, Rediscover Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor John Prine, Mary Gauthier Mickey Finn’s Pub Shuttlecock Rally by the River The Pat Dailey Show with Kyle White St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit Submersed, Theory of a Deadman State Theatre, Detroit Kraftwerk Toledo Museum of Art Libbey Court The Griswold Band The Winchester, Cleveland Waterband

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT INFORMATION TO EVENTS@TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM “Little Shop of Horrors” and “Seussical” “Little Shop of Horrors” is the story of Seymour the skid-row ﬂorist and his giant carnivorous plant. The doo-wop musical, which opened on Broadway in 2003, is based on a no-budget 1960 Roger Corman ﬁlm (reportedly shot in two days) that included an early screen appearances by Jack Nicholson (as a pain-loving dental patient). Songs are by lyricist Howard Ashman (“Aladdin,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “The Little Mermaid”). “Little Shop” will be at the Fisher Theatre in Detroit through June 12. Tickets are $25.50$72.50 and are available at (313) 645-6666. “Seussical,” a musical retelling of the works of children’s author Dr. Seuss, will be presented by Stagecrafters at the Baldwin Theatre in Royal Oak, Michigan, through June 19. Tickets are $16-18 at (248) 541-6430. – Lauri Donahue

MUSIC

LITERARY Register for Summer Reading Club Toledo-Lucas County Library is registering kids for summer reading club. Runs June 13 through August 6, free. Children encouraged to read at least 15 minutes per day. Prizes and free TARTA transportation tag with registration. Call (419) 259-5207 or visit any branch.

Brown Bag It Toledo-Lucas County Public Library Brown Bag Concerts: On the Beach, 12:15 p.m., June 1 on the North Lawn of Main Library, Free. The Moody Blues June 23, Toledo Zoo. Tickets at any Ticketmaster location or the Zoo. Also: Hall & Oates, July 5; Clay Aiken, Aug. 16. Submissions for Be There Do That are due by 5 p.m. Friday.

“SUPERNATURAL” SUCCESS

ICE CREAM LIFTS SENIOR SPIRITS

Toledo-born writer Eric Kripke, number one at the box ofﬁce earlier this year with his horror thriller “Boogeyman” (on DVD May 31) will have a slot on the WB Network’s fall schedule with his new series “Supernatural.” Described as a very scary cross between the “X-Files” and “Route 66,” it’s about two brothers who go on a crosscountry quest to solve their mother’s murder, and along the way encounter ghosts and monsters from American folklore and urban legend. The series stars Jensen Ackles (“Smallville”) and Jared Padalecki (“Gilmore Girls”) and will follow “Gilmore Girls” on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. It’ll be directed by McG, the car-loving Kalamazoo, Michigan native who’s executive producer of “The O.C.” and director of “Charlie’s Angels” and the upcoming “Hot Wheels.”

An event that has been around since the 1950s is set to bring its annual pleasures to seniors. Marla Folkerts, Lutheran Home admissions/marketing coordinator, said the Lutheran Home’s annual ice cream social is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. June 8 at the Lutheran Home at Toledo, Seaman and North Wheeling streets. The event is for all ages; admission is free. The Cake Walkin’ Jass Band will be on site. Also available are hot sandwiches, homemade desserts, ice cream and tours of the home’s assisted living facility. “It’s a lot of fun and a big tradition that goes back to the turn of the century,” Folkerts said. Proceeds from food sales will beneﬁt the residents of the Lutheran Home. — Lauren Farnsworth

– Lauri Donahue

JARED PADALECKI

UNDER THE RADAR

Jason Kuczma

PB Army marches on

fter five years of playing, recording and touring, Toledo’s PB Army has proven they are willing to work (and play pretty damn hard) at what they love to do; making rock and roll the way it was meant to be. When asked about how they stay motivated in a local music scene that often seems to take its hometown bands for granted, drummer/songwriter/singer (and TFP columnist) Keith Bergman said, “Just getting in the van and driving to another part of the country and meeting people face-to-face that we’d never have otherwise encountered seems like a pretty revolutionary act in this age of stagnation and stay-at-home entertainment.” With a nod to the do-it-yourself tradition of punk rock, Bergman and his bandmates, Micah Shimborske (guitar) and Orrin (bass) released their debut CD “Inebriates, Equivocators, and Mockers of the Devil” on Toledo’s Sin Klub Entertainment label in 2002. One listen to their second full-length effort, “Spine for the Snapback” on Sin Klub, and it’s obvious that the last three years have thrust some pretty intense situations on PB Army. “The songs were written over a sprawling time during which we had internal struggles, health problems and life issues to deal with,” Bergman said. “It’s a bit heavier, a bit weirder and more diverse.” Tracks like “Bringing a Knife to the Gunfight” blister with intensity and Bergman’s vocals sound like an out-of-body-experience plugged into the soundboard. PB Army will join Sin Klub labelmates Evolotto and The Highgears as well as national recording artists Raging Slab and Solace for a PB Army CD release party on May 26 at The Underground, 209 N. Superior St. Always willing to give a nod to fellow rockers, Bergman promises, “Raging Slab is one of the finest American rock and roll bands of the last 20 years, and Solace are one of those live acts you’ll see, try to describe to your friends the next day, and find yourself unable to do it.” This will be PB Army’s last local show until Halloween. Jason Kucsma is the co-founder and publisher of Toledo’s Clamor Magazine. He may be contacted at jason@clamormagazine.org.

ARTS&LIFE

Robert Shiels’ Weather Tip: The all-time record high temperature for May is 95°. The average is 71°.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Chance of rain HI 68° LOW 48°

Chance of rain HI 65° LOW 50°

Chance of rain HI 63° LOW 49°

Chance of rain HI 66° LOW 48°

3rd ROCK

Almanac By Elizabeth Hazel Aries (March 21-April 19)

Edited by Timothy E. Parker May 28, 2005

Technical information: this shot was taken at 1/500 sec., ISO 200, f/9.5 and 200mm with a Minolta Dimage 7Hi.

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Act with deliberate caution on the 26 - 27th; a wise elder offers advice about love or money. Over the weekend, enjoy weddings or joyful reunions. The 30th brings positive interpersonal exchanges. Plans shift unexpectedly on the 31st; blessings surround loved ones on the 1st.

(Editors: For editorial questions, contact Amy Harding, webmaster@upuzzles.com.)

DM Stanﬁeld is Toledo Free Press Photo Editor. E-mail him at dmstanﬁeld@toledofreepress.com.

Beyond the good news of falling numbers, Toledo’s crime stats offer a glimpse of two very different realities, page 14

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Faster than Car Stereo One’s Scuba Steve can say “turtle,” this little rascal popped out from under a cluster of dandelions. I spent Friday morning contemplating the common elegance of the noxious weed, and while I was zooming in for a close-up, a startled baby wood turtle made a hasty exit, scarcely allowing enough time to snap a photo. Perhaps I am not turtley enough for the Turtle Club?

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ACROSS 1 Type of coffee 6 Certain service 10 Campbell’s container 13 Poem division 14 Concept 15 ___ fide 16 First name in flops 17 December air 18 Mechanical one (Abbr.) 19 Quote attributed to J. Paul Getty 22 Campaigned 25 Proven 26 Fiesta Brava participant 27 Dresses of the ’60s 29 Key contraction? 30 Kind of crow 31 Quote, Part 2 35 Rock rabbit 36 Woodworking accessory 37 Word with shooting or pig 40 Quote, Part 3 45 What the winner takes? 47 D.D.E.’s adversary 48 Steamy 49 Prompting

May 26 - June 2, 2005

Notes: Moon waning in 3rd - 4th quarters; Mercury enters Gemini on May 28th

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“Spunk” is about the “laughin’ kind of lovin’ kind of hurtin’ kind of pain that comes from being human.” It’s a theatrical setting, by George C. Wolfe (“The Colored Museum,” “Jelly’s Last Jam”), of three short stories by Harlem Renaissance author Zora Neale Hurston (“Their Eyes Were Watching God”), with music by Chic Street Man. Detroit’s Plowshares Theatre Company’s production combines blues, gospel, dance, poetic narrative, masks, a life-sized puppet and slang-laced dialogue to bring the tales to vibrant life. Felicia Taha plays Blues Speak Woman, the principal narrator. She has a lyrical voice and a sly, watchful manner that suits the character’s all-knowing perspective. She’s backed by Michael Turner as Guitar Man and the virtuoso Marvin Thompson, Jr. (who is also the musical director) as Piano Man. In each of the three acts, Danyé Evonnté Brown embodies the “spunk” of the title. In “Sweat,” she’s a washerwoman abused by her no-account husband until she finally turns the tables on him. In “Story in Harlem Slang,” she’s a self-confident domestic who’s not about to buy the flattery of two dandified hustlers looking for a free meal. In “The Gilded Six Bits,” she’s a hap-

Please see ANSWERS below

“FICKLE FINGER OF FATE” by Alan Olschwang

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

news@toledofreepress.com

pily married young wife taken in by the glitter of fool’s gold. The men in her life are played by Cornelius Harris, Walter Lindsey and Mateen Stewart. All the actors are strong, and Stewart is especially appealing as a preening pimp and as a rural factory worker poor in everything but love. Hurston’s language is poignant and pungent by turns and the wonderful one-liners just keep coming: “The heat was meltin’ their civic virtue” is only one example. Director Janet Cleveland sets a smooth, deliberate pace for her well-matched actors. The lights (Ron Burns) and simple but versatile set design (Christopher Carothers) support the varying moods. The costumes (Mary Copenhagen) are especially good: her zoot suits (one in lipstick red, the other navy with acid-yellow trim) are comic works of art. The only ﬂaw in this polished production is the ill-considered sound design (John Woolridge III). The performers, all strong singers, are over-amped for the intimate space, distortion too often grates on the ear and the bulk of a transmitter under a costume is reminiscent of a presidential debate. “Spunk” runs through June 19 at the General Motors Theatre in the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Tickets are $10-25 and available at (313) 872-0279 or www.plowshares.org.

By Lauri Donahue Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

Toledo Free Press Crossword: ‘FINGER OF FATE’

Taurus (April 20-May 20)

The 27th is action-packed, with intense encounters and welcome pleasures. The weekend offers large events. Domestic projects dominate the 29th-30th — love those results! Carry through with personal improvements and agenda 31st-1st, in spite of interruptions.

Gemini (May 21-June 21)

Important issues are at a turning point, you struggle with excessive incoming demands. Fun and games on the 27th-28th; but buckle down to necessities on the 29th30th. Procrastination creates vulnerability on the 31st — double-check to-do list. Lucrative offers on the 1st.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

Old business demands attention — make a push to get things done on the 29th. Weekend brings a social whirl, enjoy old friends on the 30th. On 30th-31st, items inexplicably appear and vanish. Look carefully over important documents on the 1st — don’t sign until the 8th.

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Leo (July 23-August 22) Gatherings bring enjoyment, but critical issues are lurking. Follow up on career tips offered on the 27th — destiny is at hand. Family transitions create mixed emotions over the weekend. Reconsider budget on the 31st-1st, as future expenses require a war chest.

character for kids 61 Popular numero 62 Of an eye part 63 Council of Trent, e.g. 64 Get-upand-go 65 “Fix’’ a pet 66 Enthusiastic start for boy or girl DOWN 1 Creature in a clowder 2 Mannheim cry 3 Brought to the surface 4 1994 Emmy winner Ward 5 The “M’’ of “MIB’’ 6 A pencil, compared to a pen 7 Major Winchester portrayer David Ogden 8 Manzanillo madam

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no uncertain terms 21 One of over a dozen popes 22 Magazine insert? 23 Biblical hostile power 25 Literary character for kids 28 “Intimations of Immortality,’’ e.g. 29 Pre-fight action 30 Cartoonist Key 31 Prohibits 32 Lincoln and Zumwalt 36 On the road 38 Alongside each other 40 Database fodder 41 Ed, singer of “My Cup Runneth Over’’ 42 ___ de la

THEATER REVIEW

May 25, 2005

8 “… not always what they ___’’ 9 Private, at times 10 Ally 11 Kind of cat 12 Taper 15 One of a storied threesome

“FOR KIDS ONLY” by Fran & Lou Sabin

shooting or pig 40 Quote, Part 3 45 What May 25,the2005 winner takes? 47 D.D.E.’s adversary 48 Steamy 49 Prompting

Virgo (August 23-September 22)

Cooperation beneﬁts home and work with harmonious change on the 27th. Long-term relationship issues under discussion on the 29th-30th. Surprising changes in management on the 31st are an opportunity to secure advancement and other perks.

Libra (September 23-October 22)

Injustices awaken your ﬁghting spirit on the 27th. Causes and ideals inspire you over the weekend. The 28th is great for romance and intimacy. Neighborhood concerns arise on the 29th-30th — join or form an action group. New friendships are in the making on the 1st.

Scorpio (October 23-November 21)

Security issues need consensus on the 27th; the evening is exceptionally good for gatherings. Find missing items over the weekend — clean out dark corners. Enjoy hospitality on the 30th; but you’ll need to hard-sell ideas about the future on the 31st-1st.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)

Fate moves you to new relationships or more deeply into established relationships on the 27th, and ﬁnances improve. The 29th brings issues that spark your temper. Luck with people surges upward on the 30th- 1st; set aside time for onerous domestic chores.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19)

Lunar energies beneﬁt family and intimacy matters on the 26-27th. The weekend offers time for domestic tasks. Enjoy holiday fun on the 30th — travel or visit friends from a distance. Adapt schedule on the 31st; children need balance between fun and responsibilities on the 1st.

Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

Discussions with women open business opportunities on the 27th-28th. Put an effort into re-establishing old friendships over the weekend — your social juices are ﬂowing. Good ideas for the future are ﬂying on the 30th - 1st, but eliminate old debts before moving forward.

Pisces (February 19-March 20) Possibilities are around every corner, and your timing is excellent on the 26th-27th. Over the weekend, siblings and friends offer current and future invitations. An inheritance or family heirlooms may appear on the 30th-1st; treasures from the past come into your hands.

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

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WITH APPROVED CREDIT

Lease For

230 AVAILABLE - 102 AT THIS PRICE 2005 CHRYSLER

ON SELECT NEW CHRYSLERS

TOWN &MSRPCOUNTRY $21,540, Stk#C51311 SAVE AN ADDITIONAL EAL! 1000 REAL D

• V6 • 4-Speed Automatic Transmission • All-Season Tires • 7-Passenger Seating • Remote Power Locks • Power Windows • Cruise Control • Air Conditioning • AM/FM Stereo With Single In-Dash CD Player • Tinted Windows

WHEN YOU QUALIFY FOR LEASE LOYALTY!

% APR

$E-PLAN

Per Mo.For

24 MOS. WITH ONLY $3495 + TAX DUE AT INCEPTION! AVAILABLE

WITH APPROVED CREDIT E-Plan Lease For

Lease For

month lease through ChryslerSecurity Financial Corpdeposit with approvedwaived. credit. $2580Includes total due at inception, deposit waived. Lease through Chrysler Financial Corp. with39approved credit. downsecurity payment match.

EMPLOYEE CHOICEHAS BEEN CONVENIENCE PACKAGE! EXTENDED! • OIL CHANGES IF YOUR CHRYSLER FINANCIAL LEASE IS UP BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER 3RD, EXTENDED! YARK OWNER

THE PULL AHEAD PROGRAMHAS BEEN

! INCLUDING

2005, YARK CAN WAIVE THE REMAINDER OF YOUR PAYMENTS. CALL FOR DETAILS.

• RENTAL COVERAGE WITH EVERY JEEP AND CHRYSLER PURCHASE OR LEASE!

FOR A LIMITED TIME.

E-plan pricing is available to Daimler Chrysler employees, retirees and eligible family members. Restrictions may apply. See dealer for full program details. All leases are plus tax and title with approved credit through Chrysler Financial Corp. All leases include 12,000 miles/year and 20¢ per mile thereafter. Pictures for illustration purposes only. †On select models with approved credit. Must finance through Chrysler Financial Corp. Offers cannot be combined. See dealer for details. Sale ends 5/31/05.

YARK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP GUARANTEES THAT WE WILL PAY 110% OF THE DIFFERENCE IN PRICE IF YOU FIND THE SAME YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE WITH IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT AND OPTIONS, FOR LESS, FROM ANY OTHER TOLEDO AREA DEALER.

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Lease through Chrysler Financial Corp. with approved credit. Security deposit waived. Includes down payment match.

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ON ALL NEW JEEPS

The vehicle must be in dealer stock and ready for immediate delivery at the time of purchase. Simply bring us a current competitor’s ad showing us the MSRP and sale price of the vehicle and we will pay you 110% of the difference in price within 48 hours of your purchase. Price Protection Guarantee does not apply to manufacturer changes in new rebates, interest rates or price level changes. The dealership reserves the right to purchase the vehicle from the competing dealership offering the lower price and sell the vehicle to the customer. Excludes BMW and Porsche models.

WHY DRIVE AN HOUR WHEN THE BEST DEALS ARE AT YARK? NO GAMES. NO GIMMICKS. JUST REAL DEALS. BEST SELECTION OF VEHICLES IN NW OHIO & SE MICHIGAN!

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

TOLL FREE

GUARANTEED LOW PRICES!

6019 W CENTRAL AVE • TOLEDO 1/2 MILE EAST OF I-475 ON THE CENTRAL AVENUE STRIP

SECOR RD.

1-877-534-5971

www.yarkauto.com

TAIMADGE RD

SYLVANIA AVE.

faculty focused on

you

Annual Tuition & Fees

Chalk it up to real-world experience. Teaching in an average class size of just 15 students, Owens Community College faculty provide expert instruction and personal attention to help you excel in a wide range of quality programs.

$16,529

Join the more than 45,000 students who earn an affordable, quality education at Northwest Ohio’s #1 Choice.

$7,610 $2,660

Four-Year Private Colleges and Universities*

Doug Cook, Math/Science Professor 30 years of service

Four-Year Public Universities*

*Average Northwest Ohio cost for a full-time, in-state freshman student.

Source: Bursar’s and Admission ofﬁces of respective colleges and universities for the 2004-2005 academic year.

Take advantage of all that Owens offers you: • Unmatched affordability • Over 160 program areas • Seamless course transferability • Convenient, on-campus parking Classes begin May 31 and June 6.

1-800-GO-OWENS