Toledo Free Press - May 18, 2005 by Toledo Free Press

SPECIAL Life, death and Sandi’s happy ending — REPORT: animal cruelty in Toledo, page 11

FREE PRESS T

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Mayor Jack Ford endorses Kyoto rules, page 14

The dawn of a Toledo tradition

www.toledofreepress.com

May 18, 2005

FREE

Toledo feels The Force ... one last time

FOUR-PAGE SOUVENIR PULL-OUT SECTION, page 15 ■ Toledoans recall 3 decades of ‘Star Wars’ ■ The business impact ■ David Germain interviews George Lucas ■ Poster — brought to you by Frisch’s Big Boy ■ Win a ‘Star Wars’ prize package

OPINION

May 18, 2005

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 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 • Julie Restivo Lauren Farnsworth Interns STAFF WRITERS news@toledofreepress.com Joe Bellfy • Keith Bergman Michael Brooks • David Coehrs Scott Calhoun • John K. Hartman Barbara John • Chris Kozak Vicki Kroll • Scott McKimmy Heather Nash • Mark Tinta • David Wasinger • 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.

Why The Force will be with me, always

y father was an alcoholic with a tendency to disappear for weeks at a time. My mother was a depressed shut-in with a tendency to beat my brother and me. Neither of them had the imagination required of film fans. In May of 1977, I was 10 years old. When the first echoes of “Star Wars” began to seep into school, and my pals began speaking a strange new vocabulary with words such as “Darth” and “Skywalker,” it never occurred to me that I would ever see the movie. In that pre-VHS era, my theater experience was limited to one or two Disney flicks shown in the school gym. I had never been inside a movie theater. One rainy day that June, as I played with a friend at his house, his mom asked if we would like to see “Star Wars.” The next few hours forged my creative and cultural identity. I remember taking a seat at the Showcase Cinemas on Secor Road. I remember the buzz of excitement that roiled through the crowd. I remember the awe inspired by the 20th Century Fox drumroll. The rest of the afternoon is a frenzied blur of discovery and wonder. It wasn’t a spiritual explosion or instant epiphany; the sensation was more like a door being slowly opened in a room that

Michael S. Miller previously offered no way out. Everything in the movie was new to me, but the ships, environments, robots — and most of the people — looked battered and old, as if their histories stretched much further back than any one ﬁlm could illustrate. It’s easy to look back at the beaten and bewildered child I was, and understand why “Star Wars” had such an impact. The stirring, rousing music; the heroics; the sense of seeing something larger and greater than any television screen could provide; the big, scary people losing to the good guys; and most importantly, the feeling of escape. It was transportation away from a reality of thrown dinner plates and being pushed against walls and being smacked for imaginary transgressions. “Star Wars,” though I could not have expressed it then, gave my mind a place to go when reality became

too much to process. I began writing short stories, formless tales that expanded on the adventures of Han Solo and Chewbacca. I showed them to no one at home, but at school, a small circle of friends would read them and we’d talk for hours. Experiencing the cycle of writing and feedback led me to writing about other, less fun topics, and provided an escape hatch that allowed me to deal with evil far greater than anything Stormtroopers and Tusken Raiders had to offer. That escape hatch saved my sanity and life. As the “Star Wars” phenomenon grew, and kids saw the flick a dozen times, I clung to my single viewing, too overwhelmed to consider diminishing the experience. I did my best to collect the early action figures and trading cards, reliving the rush of seeing the film and submitting to my destiny as a pop culture consumer. In my home, country music was the only music. On Sundays, I would sneak a small radio into the laundry room and press my ear to the single speaker as WOHO-AM played the Top 40 countdown, so I could follow the progress of the John Williams and Meco records. That was how I discovered rock and roll, the other great escape device of my life. Carrie Fisher’s strong and

spunky portrayal of Princess Leia led to another great and inﬂuential discovery, one I know legions of boys my age shared. Writing, music and women, all discovered from one watershed night in a darkened theater. I doubt anyone can make similar claims about “Gandhi” or “Shakespeare in Love.” There are hundreds of thousands of people with stories like mine; there’s an entire book, “A Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Not So Far, Far Away,” that collects essays of famous writers, describing their ﬁrst brush with “Star Wars.” In 1997, 20 years after “Star Wars” opened my imagination and lit the pilot light of my creative soul, I met creator George Lucas at a Smithsonian event in Washington, D.C. It was only for a minute, barely long enough to shake his hand and mutter a few words about how much his movie saga meant to me. It’s not often we get to meet our pop culture heroes. It’s even more rare that we are able to escape our real life villains. Thanks again, George, for helping me do both. 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.

ONE DEMOCRAT’S VIEW

Top reasons to be glad you’re a Democrat

t’s always good to remember to count your blessings, and this seems like an especially appropriate time to be thankful if you are a Democrat. In the spirit of David Letterman’s “Late Show Top Ten List,” here are the top 10 reasons you can be glad you’re a Democrat this week: 10: You don’t have to worry about where you put the rare coins. 9: You don’t have to pretend that a man who lies about national security and intelligence information would be a good choice to represent the United States to the rest of the world as Ambassador to the United Nations (Democratic recognition here must go to Republican Senator George Voinovich for having the courage to call Bush’s nominee, John Bolton, “the poster child of what someone in the diplomatic corps should not be”). 8: You don’t have to spend your time explaining why, in times of huge federal deﬁcits, people who make $300,000 should pay less into the government thanks to the Bush tax cuts, while people who make $30,000 will get less out of the government under Bush’s proposed Social Security cuts. 7: None of your friends or relatives are rich enough to have to be concerned about federal investigations of money laundering of big donations to the Bush/Cheney campaign.

Keith Wilkowski 6: Even if you’ve never run for any political ofﬁce before, you could beat Bob Taft if he were a candidate for Governor of Ohio again, or even if he were a candidate for dog-catcher. Taft’s latest approval rating is 19 percent. Taft’s non-performance in ofﬁce reminds me of Will Rogers’ line about Calvin Coolidge. “It ain’t that Coolidge done nothin’ that matters,” Rogers said, “It’s that he done it better than anybody else.” 5: You understand that well-funded public libraries and public schools do more to protect national security than all of the yellow, orange and red alerts put together. As our nation’s leaders ran for hiding places last week when one small plane accidentally invaded restricted air space in Washington, we saw just what folly it is to believe that we

can be safe by throwing all of our money at security systems. 4: You can ﬁnally acknowledge that John Kerry was wrong when he claimed the Iraq war would soon cost us $200 billion. It’s actually $300 billion. 3: Your solution for the problem of inadequate funding of public education is not to provide public schools with less money and charter schools with more. 2: Tom DeLay is not the leader of your Congressional delegation. Now that Democrats have shamed Republicans into permitting an ethics investigation into DeLay’s involvement with lobbyists, DeLay may not be the leader of any Congressional delegation much longer. And the number one reason to be glad you’re a Democrat this week: We’re one week closer to the end of the Republican Bush and Taft administrations and the opportunity to choose leaders who will promote policies that help rather than hurt working families. Yes, all in all, it’s been a good week to be a Democrat. Keith Wilkowski, former chair of the Lucas County Democratic Party, may be contacted at letters@toledofreepress.com.

OPINION

GUEST COLUMN

CONSIDER THIS

University, heal thyself By Reid Ahlbeck Special to Toledo Free Press

merican higher education is a mess. The fundamental reason for the present malaise is the shameful and weak-willed capitulation of traditionalist educators to the American cultural revolution of the 1960s, which signaled the advent of the anything goes “Jazz Age” of higher education. Political agendas and sex, drugs and rock and roll took precedence over quality educational standards as 60s student radicals moved on to become college professors and administrators — or what Roger Kimball has called in his praiseworthy book of the same name, “tenured radicals.” But Rome could only burn for so long. The ensuing academic “culture wars” and “science wars” counterrevolution during the 1980s and ’90s led to the present significant reassertion of traditionalist intellectual values. Due in large part to continually abysmal academic outcomes and public outrage over the various excesses and misadventures of “postmodernist” tenured radicals, public four-year colleges and universities have recently suffered significant funding cuts — to say nothing of a marked decrease in prestige and a loss of faith among a previously adoring public. It is now unlikely that universities will ever again enjoy the unquestioning public support and extravagant funding levels of years past. Even many high-ranking college administrators, professors and entire programs, long considered impervious to the vicissitudes of higher education, find themselves facing an unprecedented degree of direct scrutiny and potential imminent peril. Real-world fiscal responsibility, academic accountability and visionary leadership will be required if American universities are to be redeemed. University of Toledo president Dan Johnson has proposed a half-penny state education tax as a stop-gap against current deep funding cuts and skyrocketing tuition. This may not be such a bad idea, but first UT and other Ohio public institutions of higher learning need to make a show of good faith in the way of substantive reform initiatives. Johnson’s vision of a science and technology corridor and a metropolitan university interfaced with the surrounding Toledo community is compelling. He has also rightly identified “mission creep” as one of the university’s key problems.

May 18, 2005

Judicious academic and administrative policy and program review and prioritization at UT are already well underway. UT has many outstanding people and programs as well as tremendous potential for the future, but there is also much academic and administrative mediocrity, redundancy and irrelevancy. President Johnson has correctly stated that UT “cannot and will not attempt to be all things to all people.” Achieving the necessary realignment or elimination of mediocre or superfluous programs, departments or pseudo-disciplines based on any reasonable objective standards of excellence and academic mission should not be too difficult; having the intestinal fortitude to weather the inevitable howls of indignation is another matter. The bottom line, however, is that the university must focus on its mission and the greater good. Narrow interests or divisive and biased social, political and/or religious agendas and ideologies of whatever stripe, whether liberal or conservative, have no place within the core learning matrix of a superior institution of higher learning. Forget the fragmented jumble of trendy programs and misguided politicized theories about teaching, learning, knowledge, curriculum, “discrimination,” and student life that have taken contemporary higher (as well as elementary and secondary) education so far astray. Get back to solid, practical, simple, effective and demanding traditionalist basics in all academic areas — arts, humanities, classics, foreign languages and most especially math, science, engineering and technology. All students of whatever age, race, ethnicity or gender deserve the opportunity to develop their practical and critical thinking skills — to be instilled with a passion for learning and a drive for excellence — to learn in a secure, encouraging and enriching environment that emphasizes their common humanity — to be exposed to a broad, rich, diverse and multifaceted, but nonetheless ultimately unified understanding of intellectual and cultural history and tradition. Universities must again provide what they once traditionally provided: a focused and balanced curriculum based solely on the merit, currency and practical application of its content — in sum, a selective, disinterested intellectual overview of what the great English cultural critic Matthew Arnold famously called, “the best that is known and thought in the world.”

May 18, 2005

OPINION

Newsweek pushes limits of freedom

NICK ANDERSON

Taxing church and state M

ost church leaders won’t government and the government should stay out of the church. As like this. I can’t say I believers, we know that there can blame them, but the truly be no separation of church people need the truth. and state; God is the supreme auThe church has always been thority of all, whether we choose the cornerstone of the black comto recognize him or not. munity. We were fed at church. We As a measure to “please peowere taught at church. Everything ple,” the church files “non-profit” in our movement for equal rights Pastor Will Lucas II so we can receive refunds at tax was birthed out of the church. It time. And because of its restricserved as the place we would form tions, the leadership that God has our thoughts about society. set in place must be mindful not to speak about the So, when given the right to vote, the place we issues that affect the people. Such hindrances are formed our opinions and voting habits was, you not God ordained. God never told us to ask for a reguessed it, the church. turn on what is due him. Segregation was abolished in 1954, the same “For the love of money is the root of all evil ...” year churches were given the right to share in says 1Timothy 6:10. the “luxury” of the 501(c)(3), an IRS code for tax Of course we’ll say we don’t love money, we just exempt institutions. The same year that we could want it, but in God’s eyes if we say we love him, legally no longer be “afraid” of segregation, the but cannot do all the things He requires because government bought the silence of our foundation, of money, then we must love money more than we the church. How? love Him. They offered us a return on our money. Since If we truly believe that He is not a provider, but government exempts religious associations from the Provision, then tax “write-offs” would not be taxation, in return, it restricts their putatively politia non-issue. The wealth of this world is the inherical expression and activities. tance of God’s people, our birthright. Good ol’ Lyndon Baines Johnson (before he was We will no longer be fooled into believing that we president) supported the exemption and its restricare truly benefiting from “write-offs,” because the tions. As he was not opposed to using churches to enemy is pleased knowing that we have to shut up advance his own political interests, he sought to after a certain point. We cannot expect an institution prevent ideological, tax-exempt organizations from that was founded on Godly principles but continufunding the Democrats, a party black people are noously looks for ways to dismiss God, to implement torious for supporting. Understand, our mission as the church has never ways to bless God’s people. In the times that we now live, it is even more been “for-profit” or “non-profit”; we are here to do important for us to be able to freely discuss and eduGod’s work. However, being an institution that recate His children on things that affect our world and ports income to the government, we must choose freedom. “for-profit” or “non-profit.” Churches operating under code 501 (c)(3) are Reverend Will Lucas II, is Pastor of Revolution restricted by government regulations as to what can Church in Toledo. He may be contacted via e-mail and cannot be presented in the church. However, at newkrev@sbcglobal.net. they’ll tell you that the church should stay out of the

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Social insecurity

Friendly, ignorant skies

I am bewildered that there are so many vapid people who are opposed to controlling their own retirement, by the way of personal accounts in Social Security. Any person who is in favor of the federal government controlling a retirement plan that returns a measly 1-2 percent return is out of their mind. Anyone with half a brain could invest in a CD at their local bank and receive a guaranteed 3 percent return. The individuals who are against personal accounts are irresponsible, socialistic and insecure people who cannot manage their own money and desire that the government assume their responsibility. Wow! What a political epiphany, allowing individuals to manage their own money; that sounds like an American idea to me. DEREK MERRIN, Waterville

Concerning your April 20th article on Toledo Express Airport versus Detroit Metro: A very ignorant gentleman, just named Greg from Toledo, was summarized as saying that it was easier to come to Detroit Metro than to ﬂy from Toledo and have to change planes on his business trip to Atlanta. If he was smart enough to make the bold statement to a well-read publication, then he would know there are nonstop ﬂights from “Toledo” to Atlanta, and therefore would negate any need to change planes. Greg never checks prices. Greg never checks facts. Toledo’s Brain Drain is one thing. Greg, leaving, would be a brain gain. JOSH WEINBERG, Toledo

he philosopher Aristotle is generally credited with authorship of the phrase, “All things in moderation.” The advice suggests that we not indulge in too much of a good thing, lest we become addicted to or corrupted by it. And while I am loathe to suggest that limitations be placed on any of the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, perhaps some examination of at least one of our liberties is in order, in the interest of self preservation. Realistically, any attempt to challenge one of our fundamental rights, as outlined by the First Amendment, would be pure folly, even in the interest of national security. However, when exercising one or more of these freedoms leads directly to the death of innocent people, then moderation ought to at least be considered. When the result of one’s irresponsible abuse of liberty is a potential declaration of war on our own people, it’s time to weigh the importance of that freedom vs. the prospects of survival. Eager to create the appearance of another Abu Ghraib-type scandal at the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, Newsweek magazine touched off just such a situation in its May 9 issue. The magazine, which has been unfailingly harsh in its criticism of the Bush administration’s handling of the war in Iraq, reported that interrogators at the military prison had “tortured” Muslim detainees by placing copies of the Koran on toilets. Citing a single source, Newsweek charged American soldiers with actually ﬂushing one of the holy books, an act of disrespect so severe that it touched off violent protests across the Muslim world. At least 15 people were killed in Afghanistan and dozens were injured, as thousands of angry Muslims marched through the streets denouncing American’s insensitivity to their religion. Similar protests broke out in Jalalabad, Pakistan, and other Muslim nations, and on Sunday, Afghan clerics threatened to call for a holy war against the United States. The reaction of the Muslim population, while extreme, would be at least understandable, except for one small problem: the Newsweek story was false. And it wasn’t until leaders in both Afghanistan and Pakistan demanded an ofﬁcial response from Washington that the magazine decided to come clean, issuing an apology and an admission in this week’s issue. Sure, an apology is appropriate when a publication discovers that errors have been made in the presentation of facts. In the case of Newsweek, however, its track record of criticism of the war

Bob Frantz

effort, and its willingness to highlight scandals that embarrass our military has served only to inflame our enemies. For them, a mere apology won’t get it done. This time, their slanted reporting of the news is responsible for the deaths of innocent people, and many more are now at risk. If Muslim leaders in Afghanistan and Pakistan choose to believe the original Newsweek report, rather than the admission and apology, our valuable alliance with them in the war on terror would be shattered. Our only hope of winning the war on terror in general, and the ongoing conflict with insurgents in Iraq, is to convince the Muslim world that we are not at war with Islam in general. Our military has gone to great lengths, both in the Pentagon and on the battletorn streets of these nations, to embrace true Muslims as our partners in peace. And for news outlets in America to undermine those efforts with false allegations of abuse, especially for political purposes, is an outrage. From daily newspapers with liberal slants to magazines such as Newsweek, the ongoing effort to trivialize our successes and magnify our mistakes in the war on terror is having a decided impact. No news agency, regardless of intent, should have the right to abuse our freedom of the press at the expense of innocent lives. To allow a national magazine to manufacture stories of abuse that serve only to inflame our enemies is more than just irresponsible. In fact, there’s a word for what Newsweek has committed. You’ll find it by reading the first letter of each paragraph above. 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.

BUSINESS IN FOCUS

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Gardening service gets personal, page 8

REALTY&HOMES

LOAN FRAUD

DEVELOPMENT

Dick Eppstein

‘I really need the money…’

Graphic courtesy Sylvania Waterside

Active adult concept anchors community By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

Before bricks were laid to mark the entryway, before a road was chiseled amongst rows of corn, Waterside of Sylvania was a concept already taking hold. Waterside of Sylvania, a concept community catering to active older adults, already has half of the ﬁrst plat sold, even though only a partially bricked entryway and a sign are all that allude to its development. According to Duane A. Ankney, president of Watermark, Ltd., the active adult concept has been popular in the Toledo area for a number of years. Already well sold is his Waterside in Monclova Township, where 355 of the 578 homes are occupied or under construction. “Waterside is a lifestyle community geared to active older adults,” he said. “They want all the amenities of owning their own home but without the maintenance issues. They want to enjoy life and focus on recreation.” With the Waterside communities focused around lakes, recreation is found in ﬁshing, boating, long walks and bike trails. Ameni-

ties also include pools, clubhouses, putting greens and tennis courts. While Waterside of Sylvania will be almost identical in size to the Monclova Township community, there will be many differences, including a different style of housing to mimic Sylvania’s current housing trends. “When you buy a home here, you get a detached home, your own land, but in a fully maintained, highly restrictive community,” Ankney said. Rules include no fencing, no additions without permission and no basketball hoops. Decorating and choosing a home’s own personal style is completely up to the purchaser. Ankney, former president of the Cavalier Development Corporation, known for Stone Oak and The Quarry, sold his company in 1996 to form the companies that make up Watermark, Ltd. He said he gained the active adult concept from national company Del-Webb, who developed the concept in 1955. “It’s a concept that has been successful in the sun belt for years,” Ankney said, noting Watermark accounted for $18 million in

gross sales last year. “Waterside is ideal for those seeking a lifestyle designed to be fun, active, social and entertaining. Freedom from home maintenance leaves residents free to do these things.” Ankney said many of those already purchasing lots in Waterside of Sylvania are coming from north of Airport Highway. He also said it wasn’t unusual to see older adults selling their homes to younger families in an effort to move to such a community. “We see older adults waiting to sell their homes because they sell so quickly. Once they are ready to move in here, they put their homes up for sale and they go right away.” With homes ranging from $150s to $190s for 1,576 to 2,482-square-feet of living space and a monthly maintenance fee running approximately $100, the cost of living can be similar to that of a single-family home without lawn service, snow shoveling and a health club. “Waterside is a one-of-a-kind active adult community,” Ankney said. “It’s not an ordinary community. It’s ideal for those seeking a lifestyle designed to be fun.”

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his is really tragic. I am going to tell you about a gigantic swindle that has infested the Toledo area for years. I will tell you how it works, and how to protect yourself against losing thousands of dollars from this racket. And many of you will refuse to believe me. You will go ahead and be cheated. I can’t stop you. Nobody can. For some of you, this is just an exercise in futility. But here goes. Perhaps the world’s largest scams are offers of “free money.” These deals cheat owners of small businesses and massive numbers of consumers, especially senior citizens. One business acquaintance of mine, Jim, called to tell me that a friend of his had a struggling business. The friend has now heard from a company in New York that claims it will lend him $1 million despite bad credit. The loan will enable Jim’s friend to keep his business open and get back on its feet. Oh, but did I forget to mention that the advance fee for this “loan” is $7,500? The “broker” who promised the loan insists on the cash upfront. This tactic is a scam; advance-fee loans are illegal in the U.S. and Canada, where most of the con artists operate. I told Jim to have his friend tell the “lender” Please see BUSINESS, page 10

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BUSINESS

Message for life

Dr. William Feeman works to pinpoint people most at risk for heart disease, page 10

DEVELOPMENT

TOLEDO IN BUSINESS

Gardening service gets personal By Joe Bellfy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

During her 21 years in the customer service industry, Sue Jurrus’ supervisors simply could not keep her busy enough. Beyond the work included in her job description, she was always thinking of better ways to do things — and while some of her ideas were put into motion, she said many were not. Now, when an opportunity to bring an idea to life presents itself, Jurrus said she is ready to capitalize on it. A few summers ago, Jurrus was laid off from her job. An avid gardener, she was able to spend more time in her back yard, taking advantage of the warm weather when not searching for employment. “I’m probably the only person in Toledo who actually enjoys pulling weeds,” Jurrus said. “Gardening can be hard, physical work at times, but also very calming. It’s a joy to work in an environment like that.” Knowing of Jurrus’ passion for cultivating soil and trimming back perennials, a friend recommended her for a small gardening job in Findlay. Similar work followed, and in June 2003 she opened Sue’s Etcetera!, a personal gardening service based in Toledo. “I never dreamed of owning a business,” Jurrus said. “But the fact is, the market for this type of service is wide open.” Jurrus positions her business as a complement to larger landscapers that focus strictly on lawns. While such companies may do the initial setup or spring cleanup for a garden, Sue’s Etcetera! has carved a niche by getting to know its customers and reﬂecting their

Susan Ford

UAC marks 25th year

Toledo Free Press photo by Joe Bellfy

Sue Jurrus said she may be “the only person in Toledo who enjoys pulling weeds.” tastes in a uniquely designed, well-maintained garden space. Jurrus said she has actively sought customer referrals from larger landscaping contractors, a practice which has reaped beneﬁts for both parties. “Sue is just so upbeat, she always has a huge smile on her face and is ready to work,” said Jenny Stamm, store manager at Glass City Landscaping in Holland. “We like to choose people with her energy and attitude when providing referrals to our customers, and we’ve had a great working relationship with her business.” During her ﬁrst two seasons of operation, Jurrus developed

a detailed employee questionnaire to help ﬁnd the right people to serve her clientele. “You have to demand great customer service. People know when you are treating them right,” said Jurrus. “Every customer has a need, preference, or budget we have to be in tune with. Without self-reliant, dependable employees, this business doesn’t work.” Sharon Hall, community outreach coordinator for the Sylvania Senior Center, said she has seen this effort come to fruition. As part of the Center’s Chore Program, Hall keeps Sue’s Etcetera! on a list of businesses

providing reasonable rates to area seniors. “It’s a win-win situation for our organization,” Hall said. “The seniors we work with are able to stay independent, and Sue can expand on what she loves to do.” “When I started this business, my logical side was wondering how it would ever happen ﬁnancially,” Jurrus said. “But it can’t be about money — it has to be about helping others. On a given day, we may be a customer’s knees or back so they can continue to enjoy what they’ve worked so hard to create. That’s especially rewarding to me.”

n May 3, Toledo City Council marked the 25th anniversary of the Urban Affairs Center with a resolution recognizing the center’s contributions. UAC is one of the University of Toledo’s applied research units. The center works in four program areas: community development; urban and regional planning; economic development; and urban education. I asked assistant director Sue Wuest which projects have had the most impact. “I think our work in housing and community development,” she said. UAC helped the Fair Housing Center with its redlining lawsuits, providing research and data analysis. “That had a big impact, not just locally but nationally,” she said. In urban and regional planning, she pointed to the work the center has done on sprawl, elevating the civic dialogue on issues related to smart growth and offering examples of best practices. In 2004, the center did a study on barriers to adoption of alternative energy technology. I was interested in how the report had been used. Sometimes a study is just given to the client who commissioned it, said Wuest. Or it may be posted on the center’s Web site. “I’m sometimes surprised when I ﬁnd out how people are Please see UAC, page 10

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SPECIAL REPORT Animal cruelty in Toledo ■

WTOL 11 poll gives Finkbeiner big lead in mayor’s race, page 14

How Lucas County’s stray animals ﬁnd protection and a chance for a new home Story and photos by Dave Wasinger

Business

andi’s outlook was far from good. She was deaf, severely emaciated and had atrophy due to a monthlong period during which she was starved by the people who were supposed to care for her. Covering her chest and abdomen were fatty tumors and she was so weak she was not able to walk. The 10-year-old boxer mix was found in an abandoned house, left to die. But in March, she landed in the right place — the Toledo Area Humane Society (TAHS) in Maumee . Many people might see a dog like Sandi and write her off as a dog near death. But according to Susan Maxwell, director of public information at TAHS, helping a dog to better health and adoptable status is what the humane society most prides itself for. “We see about 1,800 cruelty cases a year ... and we do not discriminate against dogs because of age or [health condition],” she said. “We have volunteers work one-on-one with abused and neglected dogs.” She said this working relationship with one dog and one volunteer helps the dog rebuild a level of trust with humans. “Shockingly, dogs give humans a second chance,” she said. TAHS has taken in 1,022 animals in 2005 (as of March 31), up from 778 in 2004. Of the 1,022 animals brought in, 190 have been cruelty impounds, according to Maxwell. Toledo Animal Shelter is another facility that handles abused and unwanted animals. Located on 640 Wyman St., the shelter offers adoptions for a donation in any amount.

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Becky Moores Co-Owner

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Vicious Dogs

Ron Cannon has been working at the dog warden’s office for 21 years. Although he has been assaulted twice while on the clock, he calls his job a “labor of love.” “It’s my niche and I like it,” he said. “It’s like being paid to fish.” One catch makes his job more challenging — pit bull terriers. “There are a lot more pit bulls,” Cannon said. “My first few years you hardly ever saw a pit bull.” According to statistics from the dog warden’s office, 71 pit bulls were seized or surrendered in 1994. It is a number that accounts for almost 2 percent of the animals taken in that year. In 2004 that number climbed to 857. The warden’s office has taken in 287 pit bulls in 2005; Skeldon expected to have 300 by the end of last week, he said. He estimated his office would have 800 to 900 pit bulls by the end of the year. Skeldon considers the pit bull to be a vicious dog. Please see ANIMALS, page 12

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482 Rutledge Ct. Perrysburg, Ohio

Open House Sunday, May 22 1:00pm-5:00pm

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Another organization, located downtown, puts its day-to-day energies into helping abused, stray and unwanted dogs. Chief Dog Warden Tom Skeldon and his staff at the Lucas County Dog Warden’s office deal with more than 4,000 dogs annually. The government-mandated group collects on stray dogs roaming the streets, enforcing Ohio’s dog license laws. It also, in collaboration with area police forces, responds to criminal cases such as drug busts and dog-fighting rings. The dog warden’s office is there to help the pets, not harm them, Skeldon said.

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Gene Boros at the scene of a house where several rabbits were kept.

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Animals Continued from page 11 This past week has given Skeldon more ammunition for his claim. A 12-year-old boy received 80 stitches in his leg May 11 after he was attacked by a pit bull while walking home. “That dog can rip a kid apart,” he said. As of Saturday, the pit bull was still at large. Skeldon seized two pit bulls Friday after they reportedly bit a repair man and killed a cat and a Yorkshire terrier — while the dog was on its owner’s leash during a routine walk. Under the Ohio Revised Code, a dog is classiﬁed as vicious when: “without provocation ... has killed or caused serious injury to any person; has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury to any person or killed another dog; or belongs to a breed that is

commonly known as a pit bull.” Pit bulls are the only dog red tagged as vicious. Under city ordinance, a pit bull has to live in a padlocked, fencedin yard and must be muzzled if on a leash. The owner also has to have the dog insured for $100,000. However, this and the state’s law were voted unconstitutional last year by the Ohio Supreme Court. Skeldon is working with a few state representatives on rewording the law. “We are going to try to do a lot statewide that we do here in Toledo,” he said. A bill he said is still in the works reads that there can only be one pit bull per house; if it is off the property it has to be muzzled; and convicted felons will not be allowed to own a pit bull.

All in a day’s work

While he waits for the bill, Skeldon has his ofﬁce’s busiest part of the year to worry about. “The April-May-June quarter is our busiest,” he said. Cannon said during that period the dog warden’s deputies barely have time to rest. He said there are days when the deputies are so busy that “they don’t have time for a lunch break.” Gene Boros knows how that feels. Being one of two cruelty investigators for TAHS keeps him busy. The humane society is in a special situation with its cruelty investigators. Investigators have a law-enforcement background and are trained in assessing animal and human abuse, Maxwell said. In the year he’s been at the job, Boros’ stamina has been tested. He responded to a call on a house with 84 cats in it and another that had 25 — that one was so bad the hazardous-materials squad had to clean up the house. He has also seen cases where dogs have been severely mistreated and malnourished and others where animals had collars embedded in their necks. “That is something that always gets me,” he said. “You have to be really mistreating a dog to let it get like that.” Boros said he wakes up every day knowing he is going to see some form of neglect. “People [tell me] they couldn’t do it because you have to see animals in bad conditions,” he said. “But you get to improve [those conditions]. It’s a big plus.” One such situation happened in late March. Boros was responding to a call on the north side of town — he patrols the north and east side of Toledo — to a house he had already been to. The caller said there were dead rabbits on the front porch and a severely emaciated dog in the house, he said. Upon his ﬁrst visit, Boros said, the owner said the kids were using the animals as part of a 4-H project. When Boros returned to the house he stepped onto the front

porch — a front porch covered with mounds of rabbit feces and garbage. In front of him were ﬁve rabbits — one of them was dead. Inside was a dog barking hysterically, but Boros could not get a clear view of it to see if it was all right. Boros said he had enough probable cause to get a warrant but, like in most every case he deals with, would rather talk with the owner and keep the animals with the family — as long as they change their ways. Boros took a few pictures of the scene, seized the dead rabbit and left a notice for the homeowner to contact him or he would be forced to take the animals. Boros made a surprise visit to the home a few weeks later and the place was “perfect and has remained so with subsequent visits,” Maxwell said. “Too many times when an animal is simply taken from a situation, the offender will simply go out and do the same thing unless taught differently and monitored,” Maxwell added. Boros concurred. He said his agenda is never to go out and take an animal from a home, but to educate the owner on the proper ways of caring for an animal.

Saying goodbye

When an animal comes to either the dog warden’s office or TAHS, with an incurable disease or deadly illness, the organizations have no choice but to put them down. The same can happen to a vicious dog, if it is determined to be beyond rehabilitation. The dog warden’s pound can hold around 250 animals and usually has between 100 to 125 in its kennels, said Carla Hamlin, the pound manager who has been with the dog warden for 20 years. But, because of the number of animals they deal with, they can only keep the animals for a specific amount of time. The dog warden has weekly adoptions for animals who have not been adopted, but still have a chance of being sent out to other shelters and humane centers. TAHS, like the dog warden’s office, will try its best to adopt a dog out. The society has an inhouse kennel but also more than 1,000 foster homes where it can temporarily place animals, Maxwell said. So far this year, TAHS has yet to euthanize an animal. The Ohio County Commissioners Handbook outlines four methods that are “generally accepted” in the event one has to be put down. The dog warden’s office uses one of the four, an injectable drug known as Fatal Plus, when it is forced to put a dog to sleep. When such an instance occurs, workers at the kennel bring the animal into a room at the pound. The dog is laid upon a table and muzzled by a volunteer, who continues to hold the animal throughout the process. Another worker, usually a

May 18, 2005

COMMUNITY

May 18, 2005

EDUCATION

CALL 11 FOR ACTION

Sewer project drains resident’s patience

Colleges graduate record numbers veterinarian or a vet technician, administers the drug. The drug is injected into the leg of the animal and Hamlin said it is immediately rendered unconscious. Shortly thereafter its heart will stop and its brain will cease to operate, she said. The vet and the kennel worker stay with the dog through the entire process. They speak to it throughout and caress its body. “Our people do it gently and passionately,” Skeldon said. In 2004, the warden’s ofﬁce put down 2,743 animals. The carcasses are incinerated or sent to a local landﬁll.

Sandi’s happy ending

Sandi, the deaf and tumor-ridden emaciated dog, seemed to be headed for euthanasia. But her story takes a turn for the better. Because, according to Maxwell, the Humane Society does not discriminate against dogs because of their age or health — unless they are deathly ill — Sandi was taken in and given to a volunteer. Maxwell said Sandi’s picture was posted on TAHS’s special needs board and e-mailed to all of its volunteers. It is through this email that Sandi was able to change the life of one local resident. “I took one look at the picture and that was it,” said Theresa Kujawa, 33, of Toledo. “I knew right away she was the dog.”

This is not Kujawa’s ﬁrst venture into caring for a special needs dog. She had an albino boxer, which was neglected by its previous owner. The dog, Cascius, was also epileptic, had hip displasia and was allergic to soy. “Everyone wants that perfect dog,” she said. “I had to go for the underdog. It gives you something to work on.” Kujawa also liked Sandi, who she has renamed Daisy because “she didn’t look like a Sandi.” Despite all she had been through, Daisy had a very calm demeanor and that ﬁt well with her other dog, Roscoe, a golden retriever/chow mix. Kujawa said she feeds and exercises Daisy twice a day, every day at the same time. She is also feeding her glucosimine and creatine to help her build up her muscles. And while she and Daisy are trained in some sign language, Kujawa said she still talks to her like she can hear her. “She is a princess,” she said. Even as the medical bills pile up, Kujawa doesn’t look at the bad side. “People say that she only has two to three years left to live,” she said. “But I don’t think that is really relevant. She has been through hell and I plan on giving her the best life I can give her.”

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By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com A total of 5,910 students from Medical College of Ohio at Toledo (MCO), Bowling Green State University (BGSU), University of Toledo (UT) and Owens Community College are graduating this spring, earning educational certiﬁcates as well as undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate degrees. MCO will hold its 34th commencement at 2 p.m. on June 3 at the Stranahan Theater and Great Hall for 321 graduates and post-graduates.

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lege in Huron 64 degrees. Owens established a record 740 candidates for graduation during its 39th commencement ceremonies on May 12, at the Student Health and Activities Center on campus. Owens offers degrees in 160 programs areas including agriculture, arts business, health, public service, technologies and two-year studies toward bachelor’s degrees. Keynote speaker was Ohio state Supreme Court Judge Judith Ann Lanzinger. UT held spring commencement ceremonies on May 7 and 8 at Savage Hall for 2,612 candidates, including students who will ﬁnish classes in August. Of the candidates, 529 received doctorates, master’s degrees and education specialist degrees, while 2,083 received bachelor’s or associate degrees. Dick Anderson, chairman of the board of The Andersons Inc., spoke for the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Engineering, and Health and Human Services. The UT College of Law commencement was held on May 7, with Judge C. Ray Mullins, of Atlanta, as speaker.

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One hundred thirty are candidates for the doctor of medicine degree, while 191 are candidates for a variety of degrees including a dual doctor of medicine/master of public health; doctorates in medical sciences; master’s in biomedical sciences, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant studies and public health; and graduate certiﬁcates. The commencement speaker will be Dr. Patrick J. Mulrow, MCO professor emeritus of medicine. On June 8, MCO will formally change its name to Medical University of Ohio at Toledo. BGSU held ﬁve spring commencement ceremonies from May 6 through May 7 with 2,101 graduates at Anderson Arena and at Firelands in Huron, Ohio. The Graduate College conferred 279 degrees; the College of Arts and Sciences 632 degrees; the College of Education and Human Development 563 degrees; the College of Musical Arts 53 degrees; the College of Business Administration 243 degrees; the College of Technology 118 degrees; the College of Health and Human Services 149 degrees; and BGSU Firelands Col-

A Toledo resident has been feeling like a prisoner in her own house, due to a massive sewer project in her neighborhood. The trouble involves a huge project on Edgewater Drive in Point Place to replace many of the sewers in Point Place. The work will prevent raw sewage from pouring into local waterways during heavy rains. But the sewer project has meant a lot of headaches, especially for the people who have to deal with it every day. Paula Yee, who lives in the heart of the project, said, “It’s terrible. I just want it to be over. It’s a living nightmare. It really is.” For months, Yee put up with the racket and the inconvenience; everything from no water to a vibrating home. “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. The house shakes and rattles. There are many times I’ve caught things falling off the shelf,” she said. A contractor named Crestline Paving is doing the work for the city. The contractor blames the delays on unstable dirt, and having to constantly stop to let trafﬁc move through. Yee said she has been kept out of her own driveway. On a Friday, crews promised her it would be a one-day inconvenience. But the weekend came and went, and almost a week later, she was still being forced to park on the other side of the construction zone. “I have to be escorted across the street, so I’m not falling in

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Dan Bumpus potholes,” she said. Yee said she has been arguing with the work crews, pleading her case and begging for some relief. But she keeps getting the runaround, often told “tomorrow’s the day,” only to once again be disappointed. So she called 11 for action. Once News 11 showed up, a worker made a guarantee, saying, “We’ll get it done today. I was gonna get it last night, but we’ll get it done today.” The crews made good on their promise and cleared the way to Yee’s driveway. The good news for residents is that this phase of the project will be wrapped up by mid-May, to open Point Place for summer trafﬁc. The bad news is that the project resumes next November, once the cooler weather moves in and the boating season wraps up in The Point. Dan Bumpus is the consumer investigative reporter at WTOL News 11. He can be reached by e-mail at dbumpus@wtol.com.

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POLITICS

Poll prefers Carty for mayor; many undecided By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmillken@toledofreepress.com

A poll of 300 Toledo residents likely to vote in this year’s primary election supported former Mayor Carty Finkbeiner as the front runner in a three-way race between Mayor Jack Ford and Toledo Councilman Rob Ludeman. Ludeman and Ford have announced their intentions to run for mayor; Finkbeiner has alluded to a formal announcement in June. The poll, commissisoned by WTOL-11, was executed by Stanford H. Odesky and Associates. Odesky has been a staple on the Toledo political scene for years, calling races for WTOL and WTVG-13 since the 1960s. When asked, half of those polled disapprove of the job Ford is doing as Mayor, and nearly half cited unemployment, jobs and businesses leaving downtown as major concerns for the next mayor to

Ford’s name included on Kyoto list Associated Press/Staff Reports

Despite the Bush administration’s resistance to the Kyoto global warming pact, more than 130 U.S. mayors have applied the agreement’s standards in a bid to reduce America’s carbon dioxide emissions, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels said Monday. Toledo Mayor Jack Ford was listed on the Seattle mayor’s Web site, www.seattle. com, amongst those joining the coalition and he was listed with other signees in a May 14 article in the NY Times. Megan Vahey, spokesperson for the Mayor, confirmed Ford signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement in April. “The city has already begun to take steps,” Vahey said. “We are committed to reducing sprawl by having smart growth agreements with regional neighbors in terms of water sharing, we endorse TMACOG’s efforts on biking to work, bicycle trails. We have building code energy efficiency policies, and have made serious efforts to increase recycling rates.” Vehey said Ford will attend the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ summer meeting this June in Chicago, where other mayors will share support of the agreement. The coalition is also supported by three other Ohio mayors: Kenneth Patton of Brooklyn, Rhine McLin of Dayton, and Thomas Longo of Garfield Heights.

address. Of least concern, with 3.3 percent, was a new sports arena. “It’s May, the primary is in September, the general election in November,” Megan Vahey, spokesperson for the Mayor, said. “Mayor’s Ford’s campaign is focusing on the many accomplishments he’s achieved in a tough economy. He’s going to continue providing constituent services and we look forward to that opportunity.” Finkbeiner, despite not having made a formal announcement to run, has a high percentage of potential voters believing he will, and leads the preference in all categories except African Americans. Finkbeiner told Toledo Free Press that the 34.3 percent selecting him as likely to win the mayor’s seat is a consistent number with other polls he has seen, including three he has commissioned himself. Finkbeiner noted the undecided 33.7 percent seemed higher than previous polls

and Ludeman’s 10.3 percent was lower. Ford was about the same. “My experience with polls is to take them with a respectful grain of salt,” Finkbeiner said. “I was once behind seventeen points nine days before the mayoral election of 1993, and I won.” While Ludeman falls short in a three-way race, in a head-to-head competition with Ford, he comes out on top by a slight margin, 37.7 percent to 32 percent, with 30.3 percent undecided. Ford leads among African Americans and Democrats, while Ludeman picks up the 35-54 year olds, males, white voters, and Republicans and Independents. Ludeman, said he has not yet done any polls on his chances in the fall primary. “It’s very early,” Ludeman said. “This was all done prior to the formal announcement that O-I is leaving Toledo and prior to my announcement I would be running.”

better now because he’s a former Ludeman said not to rule out the undecided vote. mayor. Remember Kest was ahead “The undecideds tend to be the of Ford early on. If the election ones that determine the elections.” were tomorrow, the Mayor wouldn’t Odesky�� noted the race is still in make it, but there’s a large subset its early stages. “Carty’s doing a lot of the population up for grabs.”

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COVER STORY

May 18, 2005

COVER STORY

JEDI, SET, GO!

TOLEDO FEELS THE FORCE … ONE LAST TIME By Mark Tinta Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

The hype machine for tonight’s debut of “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith” has been in motion for some time, but it really kicked into high gear after last month’s national convention in Indianapolis. There’s toys, books, comic books, graphic novels, video games, accessories, booster packs, trading cards, collectible art, board games, activity sets, you name it. “The Toys R Us team and our vendor partners have worked hard to deliver an exciting selection of products for our ‘Star Wars’ collector customers and fans of all ages,” said John Barbour, President, Toys R Us, which operates three Toledo stores. But the kid-friendly marketing seems contradictory to the darker tone of the film. “A lot of it is that the kids who were fans of the first trilogy are now adults,” said Steve Shufritz, owner of Monarch Cards & Comics. “That’s been one argument against Episodes I and II, that the fans of the first films have grown up but George Lucas is still aiming the new films at children.” That may change with “Episode III,” the first “Star Wars” film to get a PG-13 rating. “This is not a kids movie,” said Josh Griffin, the Orange County, Calif.,-based owner and operator of TheForce.net, an unofficial but pretty-darn-close-to-official Web site. “The ‘Star Wars’ series has largely been kids movies, but we aren’t kids anymore, and this is definitely not something for kids. The problem here might be that kids have been drawn into the saga, but they shouldn’t see this. I have a 3-year-old and there’s no way I’d let him see this.” About ten minutes of the finished film was screened at the convention, which was attended by creator George Lucas himself.

“Obviously, there are big things people are waiting for in Episode III,” Griffin said. “This is ‘The One.’ This is where we find out everything about Anakin becoming Darth Vader. These films are basically about good vs. evil. We all know Anakin makes a bad decision and ultimately as Darth Vader, he does find redemption and forgiveness, but much later. So, the blanks need to be filled in.” John Rozum, an area resident who has written stories for Dark Horse Publishing’s “Star Wars” comic books, said the novels and comics have helped fill in those blanks, with mixed results. “There is a tremendous official “expanded universe” through novels, games and books,” he said. “I still collect the toys, and I still love ‘Star Wars’ in spite of my lackluster reception of Episodes I and II. Even when the stories fail, the universe they are set in still has the look and suggestion of having an expansive history to it. Holding the action figures now is like holding an artifact from that universe. I can look at that plastic figure and wonder who that being is, where they came from and what their role in that world was. It links me not simply to the ‘Star Wars’ universe but to that time from my childhood. “The culture surrounding ‘Star Wars’ has significance for other fans, including St. Louis’ Dajuan Raab, the Midwest Regional Support Administrator for the online FanForce. “I got engaged at the convention,” she said. “My fiancé knew it would be the most romantic place to ask me. It wasn’t long before the story was all over the message boards. I think everyone else knew before my mom did. ‘Star Wars’ started as a movie for me, but over the years, it’s turned into much more. It’s brought me the greatest friends, and the greatest fiancé, a girl could ask for.” The anticipation is obsessive for some — midnight showings locally have been sold out for the last two weeks. And of course, there are those legendary fans who camp out at the theater weeks, sometimes months in advance. “Our Internet community is close, and because I’m a moderator, I feel like more like a mother at times,” Raab said. “As fans, we are like family.”

REMEMBERING THE FORCE “We went to every Star Wars movie with our three sons, three or four times in the theatre, of course on opening day. My wife and I were just cleaning out a closet over the weekend and we happened upon the ‘Star Wars’ figures, the giant Millenium Falcons and all. I can remember every Christmas taking hours and hours to assemble these things. It’s a plethora of memories, it’s warm and fuzzy stuff. It takes you back immediately to where you were. It’s better than a photo.” — Lynn Olman, former Ohio representative “I remember tripping over my brother’s action figures in the living room. I thought the movies were cool because of the special effects. I think it changed our expectation of what a movie should be.” — Laura Emerson, anchor, Fox Toledo News “The only thing I really liked about Star Wars was Chewbacca. My buddies and I tried so hard to make that sound he makes. Hhooaaahhhhhh...” — Rob Powers, sports director, 13 Action News “I was about 8 years old and I watched it over the fence at the drive-in.” — Jeff Bennett, firefighter, Sylvania Township Fire Department “As a seven year old, I desperately wanted to be Darth Vader for Halloween, but any such costumes had long since sold out. Yet through my mom’s genius with black spray paint, bits of cardboard and a transformed Woody Woodpecker mask, I was the spitting image of the Dark Lord. With my broomstick lightsaber and black cape, I was a perfect foil to the grieving Elvis fans roaming the streets that night in their sequined white bell bottoms.” — Donald Curtis, webmaster, University of Toledo

Toledo Free Press photos by DM Stanﬁeld

Toledo Toys R Us stores created wall displays for the new toys.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR LUCAS? By David Germain Associated Press

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. — A wilted monolith of establishment politics. An entrenched ruling class fearful of change. And one man who stealthily rebels from within, turning the system on its head and bending it to his will. George Lucas’ story is the benign reverse image of the palace coup engineered by the foul emperor of his “Star Wars’’ epic. The emperor perverted a tired republic into a fascist state bearing the imprint of his boot heel, standard “Richard III’’ stuff for which history buff Lucas had many role models to study from ancient to modern times. Lucas’ accomplishments marked a one-of-a-kind revolution. He sneaked into a Hollywood that no longer had the verve or nerve to make the weird, giddy, goofy Saturday matinees of his youth. He found a lone patron among fainthearted studio executives willing to pony up cash for what was essentially an Arthurian sword-in-the-stone fantasy in space. Then he went off and made the most rip-roaring blast of cinematic fun audiences had ever seen as 1977’s “Star Wars’’ became the biggest boxoffice sensation of its time. Where dollar signs twinkle, studios follow, and Hollywood has been lumbering behind Lucas ever since. Science fiction and special effects suddenly were back in vogue, and over the ensuing 28 years, Lucas and his visual wizards have led filmmaking into a new age of virtual real-

ity that made possible such effects extravaganzas as “Jurassic Park,’’ “Titanic’’ and “The Lord of the Rings’’ trilogy. In the ‘70s, there was a “technological ceiling’’ over fantasy and science fiction films, even epics and period pieces, Lucas told The Associated Press in an interview at his sprawling Skywalker Ranch. “The tools weren’t there,’’ he said. As television chipped away at theater business in the 1950s and ‘60s, studios folded up shop on the effects departments that helped create splashy historical adventures and otherworldly tales. “It’s like trying to paint pictures without brushes,’’ Lucas said. “Hey, I brought the brush back and said, ‘You know, there’s a lot of things you can do with this thing. I think there’s real power here.’ And by bringing that back, I think that was the biggest effect. “Because it allowed people to do all kinds of movies that were sort of restricted because they were too expensive. That’s not to say specialeffects movies aren’t expensive, but they’re much less expensive than if you tried to do it in the old-fashioned way and have 10,000 people out in the middle of the desert with catering cars and all the things you’d have to have.’’ Lucas — who turned 61 Saturday, just days before the debut of “Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith,’’ the final chapter in his six-film saga — never set out to be a Hollywood pioneer, a sci-fi maven or even a populist filmmaker. Impressed with Lucas’ Please see LUCAS, page 18

Lucas Continued from page 17 youthful drive and his work on “American Graffiti,’’ 20th Century Fox studio boss Alan Ladd Jr. decided to back the filmmaker’s 1977 space opera about a farmboy named Luke Skywalker, a plucky princess named Leia, and a roguish pilot named Han Solo as they battled an evil galactic empire and black-cloaked villain Darth Vader. “Star Wars’’ shot past Lucas pal Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws’’ to become the colossus of the modern blockbuster era the two men helped usher in. Counting rereleases that include the 1997 special-edition version with added footage and effects, “Star Wars’’ still stands at No. 2 behind “Titanic’’ on the domestic box-office charts with $461 million. Lucas said he originally envisioned a bigger story arc that revealed Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia to be the children of Darth Vader, who finds redemption in his last moments of life through the good heart of his son. In a stroke of blind fortune that now looks like the savviest business decision in Hollywood history, Lucas retained ownership of the films and merchandising. Lucas was getting paid next to nothing upfront and had to beg 20th Century Fox for more money to get the special effects close to what he had imagined. Ownership of the franchise was a bone the studio tossed him, and Lucas figured he would use it to make T-shirts and posters to promote the movie. At the time, sequel and merchandise rights were about as valuable as a bucket of sand on the desert planet Tatooine, but the combined bonanza from films, toys and other “Star Wars’’ products has made Lucas one of the richest men in show business. “He would be the first to tell you, he had no idea,’’ said Rick McCallum, Lucas’ producing partner since TV’s “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles’’ in the early 1990s. “When you’re getting nothing, you’ll take anything ... He knew there were sci-fi exhibitions out there that 5,000 kids would go to, so the idea was to go to anything that had to do with science

where people would lend themselves to science fiction, and he could sell them T-shirts.’’ The “Star Wars’’ movies allowed Lucas to build an empire that includes the visual-effects house Industrial Light & Magic and Skywalker Sound, which have driven moviemaking into the digital era. Lucas’ THX system has become a gold standard for theater and home-entertainment audio. Even Pixar Animation, the company behind the “Toy Story’’ movies, “Finding Nemo’’ and “The Incredibles,’’ was a Lucas offshoot he sold in the mid-1980s. “Revenge of the Sith’’ finally takes Anakin to the dark side as Vader, whose fear of losing the love of his life leads him into a bloodbath against the Jedi knights who raised him. “You can’t really worry about it. I make the movie I feel I want to make, telling the story I want to tell, and how it gets received is how it gets received. At least it’s my fault. It’s totally mine. I don’t have to have any excuses about it. I don’t have to say, ‘The studio made me do this,’ or ‘I know that was wrong, but I had to do it.’ Whatever people don’t like or they do like is my fault.’’ The adventure will live on in an animated TV show and a live-action series Lucas has planned, set among minor characters from the films in the 20 years or so between the action of “Revenge of the Sith’’ and the original “Star Wars.’’ Lucas also hopes to release three-dimensional versions of all six movies in theaters starting a couple of years down the road. The 3-D editions would be created using new digital technology that adds depth perspective to two-dimensional film images. Lucas said he can do whatever he wants without worrying if his movies succeed or fail, toiling in comparative obscurity and happy to be free of “Star Wars.’’ “The analogy I can use is, it’s like going away to college,’’ Lucas said. “It’s great to get out of the house. You miss your parents a little bit, but you get to see them at Thanksgiving. But it’s great to be in college, great to be on your own. It’s great to have a new life.’’

SPORTS

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Gretchen Hubbard leads Lady Blue Devils, page 21

No ‘roid rage

Meg Mallon and Judd Silverman answer burning questions about steroid use, page 20

Photo courtesy 92.5 KISS FM.

Jeff Rice, left and Kevin Stitchler dueled for tickets Friday for an advanced screening of “Episode III” at an event sponsored by 92.5 KISS FM.

‘STAR WARS’ MARKETING HITS FULL FORCE

he marketing effort being marshaled for release of the next “Star Wars” movie is approaching maximum density worthy of hyperbole. There are, of course, toys. Hasbro has nearly 80 action ﬁgures on store shelves, at roughly $5 a pop. According to Toys R Us, there are “Star Wars” versions of Legos, Trivial Pursuit, Stratego, Plug and Play games, electronic lightsabers, Darth Vader voice changers, and a Mr. Potato Head toy called Darth Tater. Another “Star Wars” veteran, Topps, is marketing a high-quality trading card set. In addition to the truly spectacular 90-card base set, which features images so clear and sharp they look multi-dimensional, there are enough special sets, or “chase cards,” to keep collectors busy for a year. There are etched foil cards, lenticular morphing cards, handdrawn artist sketch cards, stickers, tattoos, holograms, embossed foil cards, tin cover cards, tin storyline cards, blister pack bonus cards.

and promotional cards.

For the more literary-focused, there are nearly 20 novels, coloring books and related books for “Sith,” plus dozens of comic books that carry the preludes and aftershocks of the storyline. Entertainment Weekly recently offered six covers for its “Sith” issue, and TV Guide is offering ﬁve different covers. But the fun doesn’t end at the toy store and hobby shop. Your local grocery store will have “Star Wars” characters looking back at you from dozens of products. Kellogg’s is producing two “Star Wars” cereal boxes, and using character images on everything from Crispix to Frosted Flakes. There are also “Star Wars” Pop-Tarts, fruit snacks and cookies, plus boxes for Cheez-Its and Twisters. M&Ms are offering dark chocolate candies with dozens of different packages showing M&Ms dressed as “Star Wars” characters. Skittles alone has two dozen different packages. And you can wash it all down with Pepsi from “Star Wars” cans. If you’re eating on the go, Burger King is putting nearly three dozen different toys in its kids meals. There are “Star Wars” cell phone deals, bandages, Kleenex, key chains, pins, shoes, bean bag chairs, sleeping bags, even tents. It’s not available in America yet, but Australian fans can purchase “Sith” toilet paper. This will be the biggest marketing effort in movie history, to commemorate the very last, absolutely final “Star Wars” flick. Until 2007, when all six movies will be released in IMAX 3-D. — Michael S. Miller

Hayley, comet

Chris Kozak

Where’s the love? By Chris Kozak Toledo Free Press Staff Writer ckozak@toledofreepress.com

There are simply some things that make you shake your head in disbelief: People are selling parts from Kellen Winslow’s crashed motorcycle on eBay? Saddam is writing poetry in prison? Limp Bizkit is still releasing CDs? And then there’s the story of Hayley Wiemer, one of the top girls high school pitchers in Ohio. All-State last year as a junior, she pitched the St. Ursula Arrows to the 2004 state championship and is poised to repeat both accomplishments as the 2005 state tournament is getting under way. Wiemer is one of the most sought-after prospects in Northwest Ohio. She narrowed her college choices to Ohio State, Notre Dame, Yale and Bowling Green. Ultimately she chose to wear the brown and orange of BG. When asked if she considered playing at the University of Toledo, she responded, “They didn’t really contact me. I don’t even know the coach’s name.” I know, last issue I went on about Owens Community College pitcher April Nietrzeba, touting her skills to Rocket coach Jo Ann Gordon. And before you think my column title should be changed to “Girls Fast Pitch Weekly,” please allow me to go off. In 2004, Wiemer was ﬁrst team

WE ASKED TFP STAFFERS: “WOULD YOU JOIN THE JEDI OR THE DARK SIDE?” Reid Ahlbeck, TFP Contributor: “No need for me to ‘join.’ My pronounced culturally conservative tendencies and mad desire to subjugate humanity and be proclaimed absolute ruler of the universe leave little doubt that I was born on the Dark Side. I have also always preferred Darth Vader’s tailor and really like the fact that you don’t need sunscreen over here on the Dark Side.” Michael Brooks, TFP Staff Writer: “Deﬁnitely the Dark Side. They have a better beneﬁts package and they have cool uniforms.”

David Coehrs, TFP Staff Writer: “Of course I would join the Jedi. The only way I would be tempted to the Dark Side is if I could have Darth Vader’s cool baritone voice, so I could make it rich saying, ‘This ... is CNN.’ ” Robert Holman, TFP Contributor: “I would be a Jedi. The force is strong in me and Darth Vader and his Empire would have been completely destroyed in Episode IV, sparing us the horror of the ewoks.” Stacie Klewer, TFP Art Director: “Jedi all the way. Dark side powers require a level of anger and hatred, you can-

not calmly use Force lightning or Choke.” Chris Kozak, TFP Staff Writer: “Deﬁnitely the Dark Side. Much better theme music and black is slimming.” Vicki l. Kroll, TFP Staff Writer: “While I prefer the black attire, I would join the Jedi. Nobody would believe I would use evil to do my bidding.” Scott McKimmy, TFP Staff Writer: “I would join the Jedi; I’ve been to the Dark Side, and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.” DM Stanﬁeld, TFP Photo Editor: “I would have joined neither the Jedi nor the Dark Side. I would have joined the Rebel

Alliance. I can’t picture myself casting electric ﬁreballs or levitating. I can see myself, wingman for Red-5, sizzling in a brilliant explosion as Luke goes on to use the Force. Mark Tinta, TFP Staff Writer: “I’d initially join the Jedi to train under Yoda, then I’d join the Dark Side because the villains are always cooler.” Josh Trust, TFP VP Sales/Marketing: “I would deﬁnitely join the good guys. How cool would it be to be called a Jedi, plus have a two-foot robot at your beck and call? In today’s technologically advanced society, that beats a blackberry!”

KOZ’S CORNER

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Please see HAYLEY, page 20

SPORTS

Hayley Continued from page 19 all-state and Toledo City League Player of the Year, and with good cause: a 21-2 record with 256 strike outs in only 158 innings and a 0.17 ERA. All while playing her home games a mere one-and-ahalf miles from the UT campus. Hey, Coach Gordon, Where’s the love for Wiemer? There are myriad reasons the top-tier athletes choose to leave Northwest Ohio to continue playing their sport, yet Wiemer has debunked them all: She stayed close to home, choosing Bowling Green over some far superior schools (Before I get hate mail from Falcon alumni: Yes, Yale is 10 times the school BG is and twice that on Sunday). She also picked a MAC school, opting not

to go into a Big Ten program. Pitching in a fast pitch softball game is an almost violent act, requiring the entire body to generate nearly 70 miles per hour of rising heat while launching towards home plate. Wiemer is a gamer, her hat crusted with dirt and sweat and an on-ﬁeld swagger that is partgunslinger, part-Top Gun pilot. Her fastball slams into the catcher’s mitt at such velocity that it’s more an explosion than pop. She not only throws fast (66 mph leaving her hand) but is smart (4.2 GPA) and can squat a small car (400 pounds). If that’s not enough, she helped St. Ursula with the state championships last season — in volleyball. Gene Grabiec is regional manager for Premier Scouting Service, a Sylvania-based scouting company that has placed more

than 600 student-athletes into college programs nationally. He has seen “more than 50 softball games in the last two weeks, and no one has been within 6 milesper-hour of her. She could have gone anywhere she wanted.” Grabiec states that his company “at least four times sent information to Toledo. They chose not to contact her.” When asked why Toledo didn’t recruit Wiemer, Coach Gordon responded that is unusual and in most cases inappropriate to comment on players who have signed with other schools. She did say that she saw Hayley play but chose not to recruit her. Regardless of where she was going to play, Grabiec says about Wiemer, “Her best is yet to come.” Too bad, Toledo; you’ll have to drive to Bowling Green to see it.

May 18, 2005

GOLF

Owens adds golf program

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

HUMOR

Mallon: Steroids are not a factor in the LPGA By Chris Kozak Toledo Free Press Staff Writer ckozak@toledofreepress.com

They’re all the rage in professional sports these days, and why not? They help you run faster, make your muscles bigger, hit the ball farther, recover more quickly and most importantly, make more money. Of course I’m talking about steroids. So I guess it’s safe to presume that when the cream of the LPGA Tour rolls into Northwest Ohio for the 20th annual Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic Presented by Kroger’s, they all be ‘roided up monsters. Just to be sure, I took the tongue-in-cheek question to defending Jamie Farr champion Meg Mallon. “I don’t think it exists at all,” Mallon said, and she should know. An 18-year vet of the LPGA Tour, Meg is 4th on the all-time money list and has 18 career victories. “In golf, steroids aren’t necessarily the best thing in

the world. You have to be calm, you have to be in control of your emotions,” she said. “As we saw from (Lyle) Alzado and those guys, they were literally monsters. In golf, you’re not going to be very successful that way.” So, Meg, are you telling me you’ve never seen, say, Annika Sorenstam, injecting steroids in the locker room? “I don’t even see Annika Soren- MALLON stam in the locker room,” Mallon said with a laugh. Judd Silverman is the tournament director, the man who created the event back in 1984, and he has seen them all. Surely he’s seen steroid abuse grow over the course of his tenure. “None. I have no reason to believe anyone is doing any-

SPORTS

May 18, 2005

thing like that,” he said with a smile. So it seems these athletes have enhanced their game the old-fashioned way: Hard work and practice. “We’re hitting every club in the bag,” Mallon said. “We’re hitting every golf shot you could see.” “These women are truly amazing,” Silverman said. “Their fundamentals are so sound. It’s amazing how straight and how far they hit.” SILVERMAN It’s nice to know the golfer who receives the $180,000 ﬁrst prize of the Jamie Farr Tournament won’t be sharing it with her chemist. So when people come out to see the 144 golfers already registered for this year’s event, “They’ll see the greatest women golfers in the world,” Silverman said. And that’s the truth.

One of the fastest-growing community colleges in Ohio is growing its athletic program as well. The Owens Community College Golf Team will tee it up this fall as a club sport before beginning NJCAA play in the spring of 2006. “We want to build this program into one of the best in the country,” said Jim Welling, director of student enrichment and athletics, who has added Golf Coach to his title.” “The Golf Program is a welcome addition to student enrichment and athletics,” said Dr. Bill Ivoska, vice president of student services. It will “afford new opportunities for the College’s student-athletes to experience the beneﬁts of teamwork, leadership, responsibility and achievement.” The program will offer men’s and women’s teams, with eight scholarships available. The teams will play their home matches just a pitch shot away from the Perrysburg Campus at Belmont Country Club. “Arguably, Belmont Country Club will become the pinnacle of golf venues within the conference,” Welling said. “And enable Owens to contend for a national title very quickly.” The Express Golf Program is the seventh intercollegiate athletic program offered at Owens. — Chris Kozak

SOFTBALL

Hubbard leads Lady Blue Devils By David Gatwood Special to Toledo Free Press prepsports@buckeye-express.com

For most of their years in the Northern Lakes League, the Springfield Blue Devils softball team has languished in the lower half of the league standings. They have found themselves continuously looking up at teams from Perrysburg, Anthony Wayne, Southview and Northview while struggling for every victory. That is no longer the case. Barring a complete collapse, the Blue Devils will find themselves ending this season as the NLL champions. A major reason for Springfield’s success is the talent and leadership provided by senior Gretchen Hubbard. Hubbard has been a member of the Springfield varsity team since walking onto the field for the first time as a freshman. Hubbard’s arrival at Springfield corresponded with the arrival of head coach, Rob Gwozdz, who Gretchen credits for the turnaround in the Springfield program. Hubbard said Gwozdz “is a firey guy. He is so emotional about the game; he is the type of coach I like playing for.” Like most seniors, Hubbard looks forward to the possibility her team will win the league title. “It is something I want as a senior,” she said. Hubbard is mature enough to recognize that this success would not have been possible without the contribution of others. “This year’s team had a great incoming freshmen class,” she said. “They added the last pieces

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Gretchen Hubbard has been a member of the Springfield varsity team since walking onto the field the first time her freshman year. to the puzzle; we now have speed; we have people who can hit it out.” Last year, Hubbard was the team’s pitching ace. She pitched the majority of the innings and did so with success but this year Gwozdz has switched to a two-man system in which Hubbard shares pitching responsibilities with sophomore Alison Phillips. Commenting on this situation, Hubbard again demonstrates the full breadth of her value to the team. “She is a good pitcher and she has done a lot for us this year,” she said. “I do not mind at all. I love playing the infield, doing

whatever is good for the team.” For the next few weeks Hubbard’s thoughts will be on the success of her Blue Devils team, but once it is over, win or lose, her career will continue. Last week Hubbard signed a national letter of intent to continue her softball career at the University of Findlay. “I am so pumped up about it, so excited,” she said. “I cannot wait. When it came up to it I really liked the campus. I really liked the coach. He is a great guy.” With Hubbard’s departure, the Hubbard era at Springﬁeld will not end. This season Gwozdz

had the advantage of having two Hubbards playing for his Lady Blue Devils. At ﬁrst, Gretchen found this experience to “be a little weird but she (Mara) is a huge asset for the team. She has great speed; she is like a polar opposite to me; she is quick with her bat; she is an exceptional athlete.” Although the presence of Hubbard and fellow senior Abbie Culbertson will be missed next year, the foundation has been laid for the Lady Blue Devils to move into the upper echelon of the tough Northern Lakes League.

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ARTS&LIFE ■

A dozen new CDs reviewed, page 25

Entertaining and educational

Toledo Opera’s ‘Opera on Wheels’ program takes arias to school children, page 24

ARTIST PROFILE

�

Barbara Goodman Shovers

Keeping up with technology

Photo courtesy Julia Noss

Julia Noss was recently named runner-up in the Decorative Painting Contest by Today’s Creative Home Arts.

Local muralist brings life to walls By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Wandering through the Toledo home of muralist Julia Noss might have casual observers wondering if they’ve stepped into another dimension. Noss paints murals and faux ﬁnishes with such striking detail, they beg to ask, “Is it live, or is it Julia?” Recently named runner-up in the Decorative Painting Contest by Today’s Creative Home Arts, her winning piece, “Painted Area Rug,” appeared in the April issue. Noss uses a tedious process

of painting murals to create an effect known as trompe l’oeil, or trick of the eye to make the walls come alive. Typical projects require 12 to 18 hours; however, those on a grander scale, such as the entire stage area at the Funny Bone Comedy Club in South Bend, Ind., can occupy a full week. Noss originals can be viewed as far away as Rochester, NY, and locally in Parade of Homes tours and businesses such as Rockwell’s and Mutz at the Oliver. Her latest venture involves marbling a two-story entryway in a home at The Quarry in Maumee.

“A lot of people say the faux ﬁnishes look like wallpaper, but they’re much more complex,” Noss continued. “There has to be an overall consistency to it. They’re trickier than they look.” Trickier yet, according to Mark McKarus, owner of Orchard Hill Home Builders Inc. in Sylvania, may be her ability to consistently complete project after project without any assistance. McKarus commissioned Noss to paint four areas in his home, including an “Old World” effect in the kitchen using drywall compound to simulate a dilapidated appearance.

Debbie Hasty of Maumee said that she has relied on Noss for more than four years to enhance the ambiance of her French country home. Noss has created many faux ﬁnishes, including a giant bowl of spaghetti, a wheat pattern, an antique bath tub and a clothesline with kids’ wear in the laundry room. Such extensive embellishments, Hasty said, has changed the way she views her home. “I don’t want to move from this house because she has personalized it so much for me,” Hasty said.

everal years ago, at an Indian restaurant in Bonn, a friend took a phone from his pocket and snapped a photo of my Rogan Josh. This was before cell phonescum-Instamatics were ubiquitous. My friend worked for a telcomm and was ahead of the curve on stuff like that. I looked at the snapshot. It was bad. But instead of deleting it, he took a PDA from another pocket and told me to hold it. Then he punched a few buttons on the phone. Lo and behold, the handheld computer lit up with the same mediocre image. My friend is a Stanford physicist trained in quantum science. But at that moment the look on his face resembled the Cheshire Cat’s. Sending a wireless photo of spicy mutton across a tabletop was not, to judge from his mirth, all that different from putting a man in space. “Cool, yes?” he smiled. My response was skeptical. “Just because you can,” I said, “doesn’t mean you should.” Now — for a price — and generally a lot of set-up aggravation — you can use your phone to surf smut, check airline arrivals or watch Simpsons snippets. You can e-mail play-by-play video of your baby’s ﬁrst steps, get stock quotes or bid on that must-have Elvis

Please see GOODMAN, page 24

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ARTS&LIFE

Goodman Continued from page 22 puppet. In fact, with the right equipment you can waste time in dozens of digitally personalized ways I’m sure I don’t even know about. Granted, I’m kind of a killjoy when it comes to consumer electronics. In the early 80s when personal computers first made the scene, I argued that my electric typewriter had memory enough. In the 90s I said my Sierra Club calendar was easier to tote than a Palm Pilot. I never owned a cell phone or DVD player until recently. But killjoy doesn’t mean Luddite. When technology goes from gizmo to need, count me in. During the past 20 years I’ve become such a heavy laptop user I’ve had to replace two keyboards and the one I’m typing this on is missing the T, E and R. The DVD player, along with Netflix, has allowed me to catch up on real movies, not just the five blockbusters playing Toledo cinemas. (But the Palm — and the machine it was synced to — crashed simultaneously, so I’m back to paper there.) When I think back on the genesis of the personal tech movement, I furrow my mind to Chicago, circa 1981. Still in school, I was anxious to be part of its electric, urban community. But as I walked down Michigan Avenue to my summer job I realized that most of my fellow pedestrians were attached to Walkmen. They wanted to close that world off electronically. I had a déjà vu of this a couple months ago in New York: every Manhattanite seemed to be sporting those distinctive white Apple earbuds. When they started popping up in Toledo I considered writing a column about how antisocial I viewed the trend. But a couple weeks ago, I opened my laptop to see that my daughter, a college student, had e-mailed me a track off a CD she liked. This music exchange got to be daily thing. Which I interpreted as both keeping in touch with my kid, and touching base with her generation. But playing music on a computer is awkward. You can’t pop it in the car for a road trip or hang it from your neck while exercising. So though I haven’t yet done it, I think there’s a good chance I’m going to buy into Steve Job’s retirement fund and get me an ipod, too. Unless, in the time it takes to justify that personal hypocrisy, someone comes up with a phone that does the same thing. I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that my German friend is working on it. Rogan Josh with a contempositar soundtrack? It’s probably not far off.

May 18, 2005

EDUCATION

Opera program takes arias to classroom By Holly Abrams Special to Toledo Free Press

The opera may seem like an unlikely match for children. But students at Shoreland Elementary expressed thrill and amusement as they watched a production of “Hansel and Gretel.” The operatic folk tale was presented May 13 by the Toledo Opera’s “Opera on Wheels” program. which brings productions to elementary schools across Northwest Ohio. With only a few actors, props and a piano, the fable of two children who encounter a gingerbread house and a hungry witch came to life for students. The students enjoyed the production, said kindergarten teacher Erika Jackson. “Believe it or not, most people would think the opera would not really hold their attention but it really does,” she said. The performance is not only entertaining but has educational value for students, Jackson said. “I think kids need to be exposed to a variety of things,” she said. “It’s good for them to know what opera is to make them better well rounded.” Some students may have never heard of opera before seeing the performance, said third grade teacher Kelly Baumberger. “I think it really keeps the child’s attention and they really enjoy it,” she said. “It’s a different experience they are not used to seeing and it’s something new.”

Baumberger spoke to her students about opera before the performance. “I don’t think they realize that when they’re singing they’re telling a story,” she said. “I hope they obtain that and listen to what they’re saying.” Shoreland Elementary has hosted the Toledo Opera several times, said Principal Linda Culp. “I love to have the opera, it gives kids an enrichment experience, something different that taps in to the fine arts element,” she said. At first she was hesitant about how students would react to opera, Culp said, but was soon proven wrong. “Some sit there with such intensity, they really love it,” she said. After the show, the actors asked children what they learned from the performance. They yelled out several answers, including working together, loving their siblings and never going into someone’s house they don’t know. The actors find the performances for children especially rewarding, said Annie Radcliffe, opera singer of six years, who plays Hansel. “You never get more reaction than you do from a child,” she said. “I’ve never performed for such a receptive audience.” Children were able to ask questions following the performance, including one who asked earnestly, “Why do you have to sing opera?” The answer is simple, said Eliz-

NEW RELEASES Danny Cohen We’re All Gunna Die (✭ out of four) Semi-autobiographical with well-intentioned philosophy, music industry veteran Danny Cohen’s second solo album “We’re all Gunna Die” resembles a Ginsberg poem in a train wreck. Never quite achieving anything musically entertaining, Cohen does entertain listeners with Bob Dylanesque poetic social commentary. The Higher Histrionics (✭✭✭✭) “Histrionics” argues that rock isn’t dead. Complete with monumental and catchy guitar riffs, awesome drum beats and passionate vocals, this band is undoubtedly talented. Never relenting, this album concludes with one of its best tracks, the acoustic “Pace Yourself.” Buy this CD.

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

Elizabeth Herlitz, left, plays Gretel to Annie Radcliffe’s Hansel. abeth Herlitz, a ﬁrst year singer for the Toledo Opera who plays Gretel. “We chose to do opera because this is what we love to do,” she said. “We hope that you can ﬁnd something to do you love as much as we do.” Performing for students is enjoyable, Herlitz said. “This is probably the most mu-

sically rewarding thing I’ve ever done,” she said. “We love our jobs.” Performances of “Hansel and Gretel” and “The Love Potion” are available by the Toledo Opera for elementary students November through May of each year. Visit www.toledoopera.com for more information.

ARTS&LIFE

May 18, 2005

Anthony D. Atkins, M.D. State of Emergency (✭✭) Anthony Atkins, a young doctor living in Toledo, has released a debut album that prescribes a poignant dosage of positive messages aimed at inner-city youth. Addressing the danger of sexual promiscuity through the lyrics of his hip hop poetry, Atkins attempts to inﬂuence today’s youth with an art form they can relate to. Atkins has considerable talent mixing clever wordplay with traditional hip hop beats and melodies. Even the most despondent of youths will admit their love of hip hop derives from the genre’s iconic label of danger and parental disapproval. “State of Emergency” raises the bar for lyrical content, but loses its fan base at the same time.

REVIEWED BY MICHAEL PUNSALAN

The Blue Van The Art of Rolling (✭✭✭✭) Destined for greatness, this Danish quartet’s debut album is a wildly exciting rock, rhythm and blues excursion into the sound genre of the 1960s. Resembling a contemporary version of the Kinks, the Blue Van incorporates powerful guitar work, raspy vocals, and unbelievably cool, organ-pounding solos to produce a fuzzy sort of rock n’ roll all to its own.

Ambulance Ltd. Ambulance Ltd. (✭✭✭) Comprised of jazzy soft rock, a little psychedelic soul, and even some grunge, this album has been influenced by The Beatles, My Bloody Valentine, even Hall & Oates. Displaying a refined musical ability, the songs appear honest and heartfelt. TSAR Band, Girls, Money (✭✭✭✭) From the opening of the first track, TSAR’s searing guitar solos and heart pounding drum beats engages rock fans across the

spectrum. Although songs like “Band, Girls, Money” and “Wanna Get Dead” have lyrics oversaturated with frivolity, the dynamic musical groove overly compensates. Power chords, killer hooks, great bass lines and wailing vocals dominate the sound. Songs like “Superdeformed,” “Straight,” and “The Love Explosion” all possess compulsory sing-along choruses. Amber Pacific Possibility and the Promise (✭✭) Many songs drone on with flatness, while only a few build force and momentum. Bland vocals almost drive the band’s energy into the ground. Lyrically, this band excels where many bands don’t. The writing team of Greg Strong and Will Nutter seem to be the band’s strong point. Manic Hispanic Grupo Sexo (✭✭✭) Barred from intrastate travel due to parole officer restrictions, Manic Hispanic plays to select Californian crowds only. “Grupo Sexo” does what their previous releases did so well: mix old school punk rock with a contemporar y Latino homeboy twist. Rewriting old classics from the Clash, the Ramones, the Circle Jerks, and Green Day, Manic Hispanic bombs the listener with loud guitar and urban flavor. Secret Lives of Free Masons Built to make you dance (✭✭) Secret Lives of the Free Masons quickly establishes its core fan base: speed metalheads. Making use of a four part guitar/bass section, Secret Lives delivers irresistible and arresting riffs and solos.

Purpose Purpose (✭✭✭) Surprisingly entertaining melodies and well written lyrics delivered by soft and passionate vocals construct this CD of promise. Purpose, a musical duo produced out of Toledo comprised of co-writers Matt Heart and John Davis, open up their heart and extend their musical prowess in this sweetsounding endeavor. Many tracks demonstrate the duo’s smooth guitar rhythms and heartfelt lyrics.

Faith Evans The First Lady (✭✭✭) Combining soulful R&B grooves and upbeat rhythms on her new release, Faith Evans succeeds in entertaining. Appearing vulnerable in many of her songs by including public-known melodrama in her lyrics, the song “Again” highlights the album with intimacy. The “ﬁrst lady of hip hop” does not disappoint. Relient K Mmhmm (✭✭✭) This Canton group sells a very catchy rock sound, stretching from groovy guitar riffs to ethereal piano playing. Many songs range from the serious, such as “This Week the Trend,” and “Maintain Consciousness,” to the silly “The Only Thing Worse than Beating a Dead Horse is Betting on One.” Entertaining and likable.

Toledo’s Dirty Damn Band readies new CD Just try and get a straight answer out of the Dirty Damn Band. “We met in a brothel,” laughs bassist/vocalist/sometime guitarist Michelle Dunoski. “She came in looking for some action, and I was working there,” continues drummer/vocalist Katie Cervenec. “She paid me ﬁfty cents to sing her a song.” Cervenec and Dunoski originally paired up in someone else’s band — “someone a lot more Woody Guthrie,” according to Dunoski —and when the rigors of that group became stressful, the duo would let off steam by writing silly ditties, making up skits and “going to Fricker’s to eat chicken or redesigning our practice space.” Though neither can remember where the name “The Dirty Damn Band” entered the picture, the duo soon started playing gigs laced with improvised lyrics, impromptu storytelling, and an irreverent attitude. Local rock impresario Miguel Oria, late of Toledo quasi-legends Moby Jane, Bluicide and the TShirts, was so enamored of the Dirty Damn Band he invited them to record at his Che-Tel Studios, for a possible future album release. The CD is slated for a summer release, after which will follow more touring. “We’re not sure if we want to get big,” Dunoski admits. “We’re really bad at deadlines, so if someone asked us to have a record done, we’d be like, ‘let’s go get ice cream.’ ” — Keith Bergman

Rain or Shine

For One Weekend Only

RAMBO SPORTS BAR & GRILL Toledo Musician Festival May 26-27-28 Memorial Day Weekend

3 full days of live music!

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$500.00 Cash Prize 3 Trophies 1st, 2nd & best new up and coming Contest will be judged by the public! Come experience Toledo’s best sports bar and Toledo’s hottest local musical acts!

Tons of beer and drink specials!

Barbara Goodman Shovers is Contributing Editor for the Toledo Free Press. She may be contacted at bshovers@toledofreepress.com.

Tickets are available at

Rambo Sports Bar & Grill 201 Knapp St. (next to Amtrak Station) Tickets: $5.00 per day or $10.00 for the weekend

50214.indd 1

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5/16/05 3:35:38 PM

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with it?’’ 6 Mubarak’s predecessor 35 It features 7 Ham’s word? Jake Barnes 38 They move 8 Sign guys shells look for in a May 18, 2005 bar? 39 Perry’s creator 9 Starbucks order, 40 One way to perhaps become a parent 10 Fireplace 41 Cloth layer item 42 Persuade 11 Not the pick

ET CETERA

Please see ANSWERS below

Robert Shiels

“SPACE PROGRAM” by Gayle Dean

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 67° LOW 50°

Partly sunny HI 68° LOW 48°

Mostly sunny HI 73° LOW 47°

Mostly sunny HI 77° LOW 49°

PARTING SHOT

Universal Crossword ACROSS 1 Bikini part 6 Indefinite amount 10 Be rude at the dinner table 14 Eurasian river and range 15 Birds, to biologists 16 Description of some lips 17 Sci-fi version of “The Tempest’’ 20 Sneaking suspicion 21 Van Gogh had one later in life 22 Baby’s diversion 23 Word with oxygen or pup 25 Apportion (with “out’’) 26 Clemency 28 Bit of reality? 29 Word with trash or dust 32 Enjoy to the fullest 33 A lot may have lots 34 She asked, “What’s love got to do with it?’’ 35 It features Jake Barnes 38 They move shells 39 Perry’s creator 40 One way to become a parent 41 Cloth layer 42 Persuade

43 Beaming 34 Tsunami of the litter 44 Second to 12 First 36 Gathering none shepherd place at 45 Gallup’s 13 Computer CNN method memory 37 Marsh bird 46 Enter the 42 Junction for measure picture a sewer? 18 One-third of 49 “Rosemary’s 43 Bookbinding a liar’s policy Baby’’ author leather 19 Subject to Levin 44 “Beauty and docking? 50 Calpurnia, 24 Hosiery the Beast’’ to Caesar shade character 54 Eric Rohmer 25 Dashing 45 Moved by film fellow leverage 57 Salty Asian 26 Taj ___ 46 Many miles lake 27 More than from here 58 Without 47 Without most 28 Waste time repetition admixtures 59 “Belay 29 Badlands 48 Try not to be there!’’ animal taken by 60 Russo in “In 30 Like surprise the Line of Inspector 49 Past Fire’’ Clouseau Peruvian 61 “Canterbury 31 Boss 51 Caspian Tales’’ drink Tweed’s country nemesis 62 Festina ___ 52 Menacing (make haste hand 32 What to do “in the name 53 Boiardo slowly) DOWN of love’’ supporter 1 Muslim 33 Stone 55 Bill in the till mystic measure 56 Goombah 2 Walked like a sumo PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER wrestler Puzzle Answers 3 Hard to come by 4 Impeding burden 5 Inflation meas. 6 Mubarak’s predecessor 7 Ham’s word? 8 Sign guys look for in a bar? 9 Starbucks order, perhaps 10 Fireplace © 2005 Universal Press Syndicate item www.upuzzles.com 11 Not the pick

“SOUNDS LIKE IT” by Ron Halverson

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

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condensed milk 59 Sir Geraint’s wife 60 Forum garments 61 Pandora’s boxful 62 Word with electrical or red 63 Make a full apology DOWN 1 Token punishment 2 Sock type 3 Ever and ___ 4 Underground party 5 Garden structure 6 Schusser’s domain 7 Add to the force 8 Legal conclusion? 9 Drove to drink, say 10 Gawain’s equine? 11 Suffer from

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21 Common periodical name 23 Caustic liquid 24 Clockmaker Thomas 25 Covers 29 Scotch or sugar, e.g. 33 Antler branches 34 Upkeep 35 “September ___’’ (Diamond) 36 Social reformer Baker 37 Participated in a rodeo event 38 In the thick of 39 “The Loom of Youth’’ author Waugh 40 Country that got its current name in 1935 41 It’s

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Edited by Timothy E. Parker April 21, 2005

“Golf is like a love affair. If you don’t take it seriously, it’s no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart.” — Arthur Daley “What other people may find in poetry or art museums, I find in the flight of a good drive.” — Arnold Palmer “Golf and sex are the only things you can enjoy without being good at them.” —Jimmy DeMare “Golf and photography aren’t so much about perfection, but disregarding your mistakes and taking the credit for good fortune.” — DM Stanfield

Toledo’s Troy Hill polishes his game Sunday at the Cottonwood Creek Golf Course driving range.

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

Technical : this is a composite series shot at 7/fps, 500/sec, ISO 200, f/2.8 and 50mm, with a Minolta Dimage 7Hi.

ISSUES ONLY

Toledo Free Press delivers! To order your subscription, call (419) 241-8500 or visit us online at www.toledofreepress.com.

NEW ON CD: TOBY KEITH, ‘HONKYTONK UNIVERSITY’; ‘SYSTEM OF A DOWN’, ‘MEZMERIZE’; ‘AMERICAN IDOL 4’

MAY

18 -19 -20 -21-22-23-24

He must not have liked “Titanic,” either.

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 don’t know how interesting this movie could be. We know how it ends.” “You didn’t bother seeing ‘The Buddy Holly Story,’ did you?” > Two men discussing “Star Wars Episode III” at the Monroe Street Target, as their sons searched for toys in the “Star Wars” aisle.

Get Active America! 360 Fitness will join the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association’s national campaign “Get Active America” to help propose a solution to the national obesity epidemic. 360 Fitness will be hosting an open house through May 21 to help expose people wanting to lose weight to the health club environment. There will be a health fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on May 20. St. Luke’s Hospital will sponsor free screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and osteoporosis. Call (419) 893-3038 for information.

Shim Sham Shimmy

oledo will be joining cities such as Chicago, Philadelphia, and New York in celebrating National Tap Dance Day on May 25. Grab your tapping shoes and take your happy feet to One Government Center at 4 p.m. to perform the Shim Sham Shimmy with other tap enthusiasts around the fountain. National Tap Dance Day was established by Congress in 1989 in honor of the late Bill “Bojangles”Robinson for his contributions to dance and diversity. This will be Toledo’s ﬁrst organized celebration of National Tap Dance Day, hosted by Sole Rhythms Tap and Dance and the Arts Council of Lake Erie West.

tear sheet

Love songs of WW II

hese are the songs that rallied Americans, boosted morale and provided hope to those at home and abroad during World War II. Lourdes College presents its Cabaret Series Finale, “Thanks for the Memories ... the Love Songs of World War II” at 8 p.m., June 17 in the Franciscan Center Commons. You can share an intimate setting, snacks and cash bar while listening to songs of love, longing and homecoming. Limited tickets are $10, $8 for guests age 62 and older. To get more information, call (419) 824-3999.

INSPIRED BY NATURE

udson Gallery, 5577 Monroe St., Sylvania, will feature the works of local and national artists in a springoriented theme through June 30. Nature-inspired works of locals David Herzig, Scott Hudson, CarolImes-Luscombe, and Constandena Mandros will be presented. Regional and national names include Frances Myers, Suzanne Caporael, Judy Rosen, Diana Jacobs, and George Turner. The exhibit is free and open to the public during gallery hours: Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thurs. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Be safe on two wheels A free Bike Safety Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 22 at the MCO campus in parking area two. The event will include a bicycle rodeo and safety education for kids and parents.

Ride ‘em cowboy! Dust off your boots for some fast action at the Broncos Open Speed Show at Harry Hughes Equestrian Center, State Route 63, Swanton. Classes begin at 5 p.m., May 21, with pole bending, barrel racing, and more. Rain or shine. PARTICIPANTS: $2 PER HORSE AND VARYING ENTRY FEES (50% PAYBACK TO FOUR PLACES); VISITORS: $2 PER CAR PARKING FEE. FOR INFO, CALL (419) 898-8296.

MORE,

PLEA SE

A kiss is just a kiss

IN CONCERT

t’s reported that pop tartlet Britney Spears asked Madonna to serve as godparent to her ﬁrstborn. The not-so-virgin-like Madonna politely declined, saying she was much too busy. Maybe Justin Timberlake is available...

Stranger Danger

he Martial Arts Center, 5122 Heatherdowns, will host a Stranger Danger Seminar at 2 p.m., May 22 for children ages 4 and above. At least one guardian must be present. There is no charge for the seminar; but you must call (419) 385-1000 to register. Wear comfortable clothing. Topics covered will include helping children to understand what a stranger is, the four things every child must do when approached by a stranger, and self defense for little people.

Claire’s Day The fourth annual Claire’s Day is scheduled from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., May 21 at the Maumee Branch Library, 501 River Rd. The event is free and will feature top children’s authors holding workshops, demonstrations, book signings and more. Claire’s Day is held in memory of Claire Rubini, a Maumee student who passed away unexpectedly in July, 2000. For a schedule of authors and events, call (419) 893-8429; www.clairesday.org.

Scaring up some musical fun Saddle up, pardner, and ride hard to make it to Mickey Finn’s Pub by 9:30 p.m., May 21 to catch E.J. Wells and the Bleeding Deacons. Not familiar with Wells? Imagine Dick Dale and His Del-Tones and The Ventures meeting at Oingo Boingo’s “Dead Man’s Party.” After playing in several local bands since the mid-1970s, Wells released his ﬁrst solo record in 2002. “Rhyolite,” named after a Nevada ghost town, featured a dirty dozen songs penned by Wells. Never mind the ﬁne guitar work and witty lyrics, the track names alone warrant attention ----- “Trail to Hell,” “Cemetery Man,” “The Undertaker’s Lament,” “Blood on the Moon,” “Downstairs at the Funeral Home.” “I like to call it spaghetti Midwestern,” Wells said from his Toledo home last week. “The roots are rock, but it’s got kind of a Western edge. It’s too rock for country guys, and it’s too country for rock guys. “It’s just rock ‘n’ roll when you boil it down,” he said. “A lot of it is songs about the West. If it was about girls and cars, it would be muscle rock.” The singer-songwriter is working on a new disc with the Bleeding Deacons at his home studio. “It’ll be out by Halloween,” Wells said. “It’ll be more comedic, rockabilly songs, and a couple more serious pop songs.” There’s “Hearse Driver” and “Something in the Graveyard,” for example. “ ‘Betty Ford,’ that’s pretty funny. It’s an ode to my own alcoholism and treatment,” said Wells, who has been sober for almost seven years. Expect to hear some new tracks at the show. The guitarist will be joined on stage by Callie Jo Smith, bass; Rick Nease, baritone guitar; Jon Dwyer, guitar; and Chuck Caswell, drums. Mike Fisher, a veteran of the local music scene, also is on the bill that night. There’s a $5 cover charge to rustle up some fun at Mickey Finn’s, 602 Lagrange St. — Vicki L. Kroll

Get your motor runnin’

No cover involved with Bike Night at Augies at 8 p.m. every Wednesday. “Sofa” King Cool will be rockin’ out with classic hits.

MUSIC NOTES FRI, MAY 20 The Ark, Ann Arbor Judy Dow Rumelhart, Larry Henkel Club Bijou Separation Tree, Highbinder, Runt, Fenetik House of Blues, Cleveland The Roots Howard’s Club H, BG Huge World Project Masonic Temple Theatre, Detroit Exile, Pam Tillis Mickey Finn’s Pub Fate of Apollo, The Andrew Ellis Band & Rooted Truth Murphy’s Place Roosevelt Hatcher The Shelter, Detroit Jack’s Mannequin St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit Decemberists, Rebecca Gates Toledo Museum of Art, Libbey Court Jean Holden The Underground Nomo, MC Habitat vs. The Wax Odyssey, Bulletteeth, Moonmen Louis G.’s Shane Piasecki

SAT, MAY 21 The Ark, Ann Arbor Ruthie Foster

COMPILED BY VICKI L. KROLL

Bier Stube On the Beach Club Bijou Trip, Intentions of Nothing, Downtown Brown, Forever Lost, From the Earth Corktown Tavern, Detroit The Hentchmen Grog Shop, Cleveland Finch, Reeve Oliver, Vendetta Red, Walking Concert Headliners Fer-Mina, Them One Guys, The Fast Luck Hi-Fi Club, Cleveland Bombshell Crush Howard’s Club H, Bowling Green Michael Katon Band Mickey Finn’s Pub E.J. Wells & The Bleeding Deacons Murphy’s Place Don Revels Music Hall Center, Detroit Gino Vannelli Playhouse Square Center, Cleveland Take 6 Ritz Theatre, Tifﬁn David Cassidy Sandusky High School Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone The Underground Houston Bernard, The Dirty Damn Band, The Cupcakes

The Winchester, Cleveland Ron Shy Louis G’s The Bob Rex Trio

SUN, MAY 22 Agora Theatre, Cleveland June, Jupiter Sunrise, Punchline, Vegas Allen Theatre, Cleveland Mary Chapin Carpenter, Mindy Smith Alvin’s, Detroit Finch, Reeve Oliver, Vendetta Red, Walking Concert The Ark, Ann Arbor Peter Rowan, Tony Rice, Claire Lynch Bier Stube Open mic with Josh Bollin from Dr. Sauce DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. Reba McEntire, Brad Paisley, Terri Clark Doc Watson’s Kyle White Grog Shop, Cleveland Mary Timony, Medications Masonic Temple Theatre, Detroit Michael Bublé Mickey Finn’s Pub Blues jam led by Johnny Reed Oak Harbor High School Toledo Symphony Orchestra

BE THERE. DO THAT. BENEFITS Toledo Symphony League’s Annual Gala: May 20, Toledo Hilton. Entertainment by TSO, Touched. Silent auction, dinner. Tickets $100, reservations necessary. (419) 666-8697. Racing for Recovery Half Iron Man Triathlon: 7:30 a.m., June 12, Olander Park, Sylvania. 1.2mile swim in Olander Lake, 56-mile bike course, 13.1-mile run. Sprint distance also available. www.sylvaniahalf.com Rock the Shoppes: 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., May 21, Country Charm Shoppes, Perrysburg. Beneﬁts the Perrysburg Fireﬁghters Association. Bands, beer and food. Family activities. $10, free to motorcyclists who participate in the 9 a.m. ride. (419) 872-8025. Black Swamp Hosta and Daylily Society Perennial Plant Sale: 8 a.m., May 21, Farmer Jack Supermarket, Perrysburg. Rain or shine. Strike Out a Stroke Night: 7 p.m., May 21, Toledo Mud Hens game, Fifth Third Field. Fireworks Night and educational event on stroke.

ART EXHIBITS Vive La France: Sevres Porcelain in the 1800s: Through

June 16, Toledo Museum of Art. Free. (419) 255-8000. International Identities in Glass: Through Nov. 27, Toledo Museum of Art. Free. (419) 255-8000. Artapaloosa: Toledo School for the Arts pop combo and art fest; 3 p.m., May 13, Mickey Finn’s, 602 Lagrange St. “It’s All Relative” exhibit: Through June 3, Space 237. Hours vary, info@space237.com. “Fabrications” Fiber Art Exhibition: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., through July 15, Tucker Hall, room 0168, University of Toledo. Reception to be held 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., May 19. (419) 530-8570. The Sculpture Garden public tours: 1, 1:45, 2:30, and 3:15 p.m., May 2, Toledo Museum of Art, Libbey Court. Free. (419) 255-8000. StudioSeries: Toledo School for the Arts Orchestra and Performance; 7 p.m., May 24, TSA Attic Theatre, 333 14th Street. Tickets $5 adults/$3 students and seniors, available at door.

THEATER The Crucible: 7 p.m., May 19 and May 20, Toledo Rep. Tickets (419) 246-8732, ext. 226 or at the door.

LIBRARY SHOWS BIG-SCREEN CLASSICS From October through May, the Way Public Library in Perrysburg features “Reel Talk at Way,” a series of old-time movies on a large screen, followed by guest speakers to provide background information and lead audience discussions. “Horse Feathers”, hosted by Jerry Shinew, a ﬁlm critic for the Woodville

Palace Theatre, Cleveland Engelbert Humperdinck Scene Pavilion, Cleveland Keane, Brendan Benson Valentine Theatre Glassmen Drum & Bugle Corps The Village Inn Vince and Drybones

MON, MAY 23 Alvin’s, Detroit Agnostic Front, Champion, Death Before Dishonor, Full Blown Chaos Doc Watson’s Gregg Aranda House of Blues, Cleveland Gary U.S. Bonds The Shelter, Detroit June, Jupiter Sunrise, Punchline, This Day and Age

TUES, MAY 24 Agora Theatre, Cleveland Agnostic Front, Champion, Death Before Dishonor, Full Blown Chaos The Ark, Ann Arbor Craig Cardiff and Nine Mile Blind Pig, Ann Arbor The Slackers House of Blues, Cleveland Outlaws

Manhattan’s Vytas with Kyle White Mickey Finn’s Pub Patrick Lewandowski and Bobby May Wildwood Manor House at Wildwood Preserve Metropark “Timeless Music” featuring pianist Ivana Cojbasic

Tower City Amphitheater, Cleveland The Fabulous Thunderbirds The Underground Raging Slab, The PB Army, Solace, Evolotto

FRI, MAY 27

WED, MAY 25 The Ark, Ann Arbor Kat’s Eye, Jimmy DeHeno Grog Shop, Cleveland The Slackers Hi-Fi Club, Cleveland Polyplush Cats House of Blues, Cleveland Porcupine Tree Howard’s Club H, Bowling Green Midget Finger, Gravel Salad, Robo Shogun, Building Kites Mickey Finn’s Pub King Valley The Village Idiot, Maumee ind’grass

THURS, MAY 26 The Ark, Ann Arbor Global Jazz Trio Grog Shop, Cleveland Stereophonics Mickey Finn’s Pub Teada

Agora Theatre, Cleveland Skillet, Kids in the Way, Burn Me Clean Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland Robbers on High Street DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkston, Mich. Eddie Money Headliners Lateral Fold, New Found Element, Roses Are Red Mickey Finn’s Pub The Griswolds Murphy’s Place Roosevelt Hatcher Rib Cook-Off, Cleveland Flogging Molly, Glengarry Bhoys Toledo Museum of Art Great Gallery “Love Songs From World War II” featuring Teresa Clark, Kevin Bylsma and guests Toledo Museum of Art Twobie Brothers The Underground With Passion, The Dawning, The Machine Always Wins

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT INFORMATION TO EVENTS@TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM FAMILY Make a Bubble Wrap Print: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 19, Toledo Museum of Art, Family Center. Free. (419) 255-8000. Learn to Weave: 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., May 22, Toledo Museum of Art, Family Center. Free. (419) 255-8000. Learn to Weave: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., May 24, Toledo Museum of Art, Family Center. Free. (419) 255-8000. It’s Friday, Toledo Museum of Art: May 20. Nautilus Cup van Royesteryn, 12:15 p.m., Herrick Lobby; Jean Holden, 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Libbey Court; The Sculpture Garden public tour, 7 p.m. and 7:45 p.m., (419) 255-8000. Discover Rail Day: May 21, Amtrak Station. Take a trip to Chicago for $55 (discounts for students and seniors), including passes for the bus system and el once you arrive. Superliner departs at 6:45 a.m. and returns at 11 p.m. (419) 536-0993. “Riverboat Days” Seaway Commanders Chorus: 3 p.m., May 22, Franciscan Center, Sylvania. Four-part barbershop harmony plus Yesteryear, Streetwise, Phoenix, Oh!Zone X-Factor, Ragtime

Rick, Banjo Betsy, and Manhattan Dance Company. Tickets (419) 885-1547.

MISC. Stirrup A Bit 4-H Club horse show: starting at 7:30 a.m., May 15, Harry Hughes Equestrian Center, St. Rt. 64, Swanton. Open to 4-H youth ages 9 and up. (419) 867-9262.

PETS Assistance Dogs of America Golf Beneﬁt: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., May 23, Stone Ridge Golf Club, Bowling Green. $125 to golf, $30 for dinner. (419) 825-3622.

MUSIC PB Army: The PB Army is riding high on the success of its second album, “Spine For the Snapback,” The CD has garnered rave reviews, with one writer calling it “a real colossus of American metal... something waiting to jump out and bite everyone in the ass like [Nirvana’s] “Nevermind” did in the early 90’s.”

Press, will show at the season finale on May 19. The free, public presentations are held in the library’s new auditorium at 10 a.m., with refreshments served at no charge. The library plans its fifth season in October, with titles hand selected for the tastes of typical classic-film aficionados. “We wanted something that would be entertaining

The band’s local gigs have been few and far between, as their touring schedule has taken them from Dallas to Atlanta to New York so far in 2005. They celebrate the release “Spine” at the Underground on May 26. Opening the show will be tourmates and underground rock legends Solace and Raging Slab, with local compatriots Evolotto and The Highgears. The band has been invited to play at CMJ’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame festival in Cleveland this June, and will embark on a west coast tour at the end of summer. Gumbo’s: Thursday, dueling pianos. Friday, Fever Fridays hosted by Jim Lieber. Saturday, Sin Saturday DJ Delicious spins Retro, Top 40, Hip-Hop and High Energy Music. Doors open at 9 p.m. Tango’s: Thursday, ICE (acoustic performer). Friday, Desi Serna’s “One Man Band.” Saturday, Ice (acoustic performer). University of Toledo Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall presents Amy Chang Simon (cello) and Carey Simon (piano) on May 22nd. Submissions for Be There Do That should be turned in by 5 p.m. each Friday.

and at the same time contain intellectual content,” Baranowski said. “[It] can also provide the opportunity for community members to socially interact, share opinions and exchange ideas. We run a ﬁrst-class musical or comedy, usually Academy Award winners or nominees,” he said. “These factors have contributed to the increase of attendance .”

Keith Bergman

Be ﬁrst

o I’m at the Thieves/Deadbeat Moms/Turnstyles show Saturday. The Turnstyles include members of the Sprags and some other scene vets and they’re doing some really cool power pop with a hint of The Byrds to it. And they’re playing to empty space. There was a crowd, but everyone kinda hung back at the bar, talking amongst themselves, or they floated around the fringe of the dance floor area, which sat unused, lights flickering off the tiles. The Turnstyles tore down, and the Deadbeat Moms set up to do their thing and it looked like they were gonna get the same cold shoulder. But then up to the front ambles Jay Harrington, bassist for The Zimmerman Twins, sometime touring member of Five Horse Johnson, and all-around good guy. His presence made the rest of the empty dance floor seem unacceptable, and made the rest of us look like chumps. I, and a few others, followed him, to get right in the face of Kevin Chez and his raucous band. When I looked back a couple songs later, the whole floor was full. It felt more like a rock gig, and less like a boring night at a bar. So thanks, Jay — for giving that show a kick in the ass, and for the reminder that someone’s gotta be first to go up.

Get off the couch

Friday night, Nick Motil returns to town for a set at Headliners. The singer-songwriter was born in Goshen, Indiana, and went to school at the UT. After cutting his teeth in the bars of Northwest Ohio, he moved to Las Vegas last year. Now he’s heading out on tour, taking a break from working on his third CD release (reportedly the ﬁrst to go national). Toledo is his ﬁrst stop. Saturday night promises to be quite lewd. Self-proclaimed “New York working-class bisexual rapper” Houston Bernard appears at the Underground, for a show reportedly too bawdy to describe here (whipped cream, at least partial nudity, women’s underwear and enough dirty talk to make the crew of a battleship blush). Since Toledo lacks a working-class-bisexual-rapper scene of its own, locals The Cupcakes and The Dirty Damn Band (who should, lyrically at least, be able to keep up with Bernard’s potty mouth) open the show.

Send us your demos

Want Toledo to read about your music? Send your demo to Toledo Free Press, attention: Toledo Conﬁdential. Submissions will be reviewed in a future column.

ET CETERA

May 18, 2005

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MISCELLANEOUS MIS TICKETS WANTED MIS Inﬁeld campsite wanted. June &/or August races. Personal usage. (330) 494-6001 douglasautobody@yahoo.com FATHER & SONS FLEA MARKET 5101 Dorr St. (419) 536-0065 Tues - Sat 10-6, Sunday 12-6 Closed Monday. Stop in - we have a little of everything! REAL ESTATE HOUSE FOR SALE 4 Bedrm/2 1/2 Bath. 2 1/2 Garage St. James Woods. Sylvania Schools Only $224,500! Call (419) 843-6070 After 6 p.m. FOR SALE 3425 MAPLE STREET Manhattan & Lagrange area $47,900. Call today (419) 385-9200 1912 WOODBRIDGE 3 Bedroom home in the Bancroft/Holland Sylvania area. Only $59,900. Call (419) 385-9200 “UNHOLY TOLEDO” Gangster & carriage house. 13 lead glass rooms. 5 bedrooms, 5 car garage. $200’s. Call (419) 283-8427 PARK-LIKE SETTING 3 or 4 Bedroom, Island Kitchen. Fabulous dormer. 1st ﬂoor Master, Bath & Laundry. In the $80’s. 1370 Gage - Washington. Call (419) 283-8427 NEWER REHAB Spacious 3 bedroom recently redone. Newer furnace, electric, carpet, doors & kitchen. $30’s. 1252 South Street. Call (419) 283-8427 LOTS FOR SALE Scenic waterfront lots at Luna Pier, MI. 60 x 68.5. Buildable. $30’s Lots 36 & 37 St. Mark Buildable Call (419) 283-8427 RENT TO OWN 3548 ELM 3 Bedrooms, basement, fenced patio.

Pets okay. Call (419) 283-8427 1015 WOODSTOCK All new! 2-bedroom, fenced, 2-car garage. Must see! Call (419) 385-2292 3710 UPTON Recently redone! 3 bedrooms, new carpet, basement w/shower, fenced, 2-car garage. Call (419) 385-2292 635 NICHOLAS All new inside! 3 bedrooms, basement, fenced. New boiler & tank! 2-car garage. Call (419) 385-2292 FOR RENT GREAT ONE BEDROOM Includes heat & shower. 638 Leonard. Only $375 per month or VERY NICE & CLEAN TWO BEDROOM 2364 Fulton Street. $350/deposit + utilities. CALL (419) 836-8612 ST. CLAIR VILLAGE Spacious loft apartment. 2 bedrm/1.5 bath. Walk-in closets, Open ﬂoorplan, exposed brick. Elevator, W/D hook-ups, & common laundry. Near St. Clair Village shops, galleries and 5/3 Field. No Pets. Avail now. 1st mo. free with deposit and 12mo. lease. Refs & Proof of employment required. Call (419) 255-7100 LARGE 2-BR. DUPLEX Sylvania/Jackman area. Updated inside. Basement. Garage. Appliances. $595/month Call (419) 407-4653. 2-BR. TWINPLEX Nicest in Oakdale area. All new inside. Washer/Dryer connections. Only $425/month.Call (419) 260-7583 RENT 3-BR HOME Lovely 3-Bedroom home in west Toledo. Family room, Basement & Garage. Pets OK. Only $725/mo. Call (419) 283-8427 COMMERCIAL PROPERTY 2801-13 Dorr. Possible car lot. 2 bays/2 ofﬁces. Warehouse, A/C, fenced area, 4 lots, basement. UT area. $150’s. Call (419) 283-8427

WANTED TO BUY LOOKING FOR WEST TOLEDO PROPERTY. Okay if it needs work. Call (419) 304-7728 EMPLOYMENT SPEEDCO TRUCK LUBE We are hiring the following positions: Tire Tech — Performs tire services directed by supervisor. Mechanical aptitude and familiarity with medium truck tire specs and services. Lube Tech - Performs the application and preparation of all oil and lube requirements related to semi tractors. Both positions require drug screens. Cashiers — Responsible for cash register operations, experience with computersand 10-key calculator preferred. Background check/drug screen required. All positions require the ability to work 1st or 2nd shift. Apply in person only to: SPEEDCO. 26313 Baker Road. Perrysburg, OH. EOE, M/F PISANOELLO’S in PEMBERVILLE Hiring drivers and inside help. Must be available on weekends. Apply in person. 165 Bierley Ave. Pemberville. EXPERIENCE WORKS Job Placement If you are 55 or older, with limited income, we may have the training and employment opportunities that are just right for you. Call Experience Works 1-877-496-6439 or 419-255-7102 A national nonproﬁt organization. AUCTION BID ON 28’ BOAT Appraised at $16,000. See at 7447 S. Telegraph Rd. Call in bid to (419) 666-2444. Proceeds beneﬁt Toledo NW Ohio Food Bank FEMALE CHOCOLATE LAB 2 years old. House broken, some training, Has all shots. Very loveable. Must sell $50.00. Call (419) 697-2233 or send e-mail to drc1956@sbcglobal.net. Ask for Don.

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Toledo Free Press - May 18, 2005

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You can finally acknowledge that

Even if you’ve never run for any politi

Your solution for the problem of inad

None of your friends or relatives are

You understand that well-funded public

Tom DeLay is not the leader of your