Toledo Free Press - June 8, 2005 by Toledo Free Press

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■ Bob Frantz welcomes Wilkowski to the mayor’s race, page 3

The dawn of a Toledo tradition

www.toledofreepress.com

June 8, 2005

FREE

■ Community

Racing for recovery Todd Crandell talks about his journey from rock bottom to marathon man, page 5

■ Real Estate

Dillard’s double The department store says it will keep its Southwyck location and open a store at Fallen Timbers, page 15

■ Sports

To the mat Wrestler Tim Samson to compete in China this summer, page 16

■ Arts & Life

New books Summer heats up: Paul is dead, Sedaris looks up at Hercules and politics invades bookshelves, page 21

LEGACY SGT. ANDY ECKERT • 02/18/81 - 05/08/05

Photo courtesy Tiphany Eckert

OPINION

June 8, 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 Edward Shimborske III Entertainment Editor es3@toledofreepress.com Adam Mahler Food/Dining Editor amahler@toledofreepress.com DM Stanﬁeld Photo Editor dmstanfield@toledofreepress.com Nate VanNatta Photographer STAFF WRITERS news@toledofreepress.com Joe Bellfy • Keith Bergman Michael Brooks • David Coehrs Scott Calhoun • Lauri Donahue John K. Hartman • Barbara John Chris Kozak • Vicki Kroll Scott McKimmy • Heather Nash Mark Tinta • Dave Wasinger Dave Woolford Holly Abrams • Jacqueline Rabe Julie Restivo Interns 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.

Decency redeﬁned by clothing choices

Sunday, at an area Meijer store, a man in line ahead of me wore a T-shirt that read, “I Got Sum Poosie,” in big letters over pictures of two female models wearing outﬁts that make Christina Aguilera look chaste. The shirt advertised an “energy drink” which, I’m guessing after a quick Google search, markets itself to college sophomores and happygo-lucky misogynists who think “communicating with women” means an extra smack on the rump after a lap dance. What makes a person think it’s acceptable to walk through a public, family-friendly place like Meijer wearing such a message? That may ﬂy at the Meijer store Howard Stern patronizes, but in Toledo? Conservative, blue collar, we-love-our-museum-and-zooand-library Toledo? Whenever I’m confronted by this sort of idiocy, the red-robed cartoon guy on my right shoulder rears up with indignation and righteousness, urging me to tap the offender on the shoulder and deliver a mighty smackdown.

Michael S. Miller Decent folk all around would undoubtedly cheer as I lectured the creep on respecting women in particular and society in general. But the white-robed cartoon guy on my left shoulder urges restraint; a person who is ignorant enough to wear such a base T-shirt in public probably isn’t interested in discussing the merits of his fashion choices over a game of Scrabble. I’d just as likely lose a few teeth as I would convince the Neanderthal to hustle to men’s wear to buy a tasteful Harley-Davidson or NASCAR T-shirt. Earlier last week, at a Downtown Toledo restaurant, I en-

countered another odd decency standard. Our waitress, a very efﬁcient and friendly woman, wore two huge bandages on her upper right arm. I could just make out the bottom of a tattoo, so I asked her, “Did you just get some color added?” “No,” she replied, “We’re not allowed to have any tattoos showing; we have to keep them covered.” So, a tattoo would ruin my dinner, but two huge medical bandages are supposed to whet my appetite? At least that dictate ﬁts with my image of Toledo as a conservative place. Although, there was nothing conservative about the length of the skirts the waitresses wore. These decency standards are confusing. When I lived in South Florida, it was much simpler. Women on the beach went topless and men on the beach wore T-shirts that depicted various corporate logos performing oral sex on rival corporate logos.

No gray areas there; a man knows where he stands when formal wear means a clean “Big Johnson” T-shirt. I expected Toledo to withstand the ﬁlth revolution that so much of our country has succumbed to. But as I left the Meijer store, I saw a family coming in with two young boys, neither of whom were yet teenagers, both of whom wore T-shirts with the logo for Hooters. The dad wore a T-shirt that read, “MILF Hunter.” Maybe I’m out of touch. I expected my hometown to change while I was away, but I did not expect to return to Sodom and Gomorrah on the Maumee. It’s sad that our society’s discourse has become so intertwined with intercourse that any message, no matter how profane, can be paraded in public. 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.

COMMON SENSE

Wilkowski already ﬂip-ﬂopping on stances

“I

t has become clear to me that Toledo must move in another direction if we are to reverse the undeniable decline our great city has experienced in recent years.” So writes Toledo lawyer Keith Wilkowski in the resignation letter he sent to fellow members of the executive board of LucasCountyDemocrats.org, of which he was a charter member. If Wilkowski’s sudden acknowledgement of the city’s undeniable woes strikes you as a bit odd, it should. Wilkowski’s membership in the political action committee that was created speciﬁcally to re-elect Jack Ford and other members of the Democratic party’s A-Team would seem to indicate that he approved of the job Mayor Ford has done in the last 3 1/2 years. The PAC was formed roughly six weeks ago, at which time Wilkowski was appointed not only to the executive board, but also as the committee’s treasurer. The board appointments were made by Lucas County commissioners Pete Gerken and Tina Skeldon-Wozniak, and Mayor Ford himself. The group has subsequently endorsed Mayor Ford for re-election. If you’re scoring at home, that means the mayor appointed a group of people to a committee that would — gasp! — back him for re-election. Wilkowski happily served on that board in support of Mayor Ford until May 18, when WTOL released the results of their citywide poll of likely voters. The poll showed Ford getting hammered by 22 points in a headto-head race with former mayor Carty Finkbeiner, and losing by ﬁve points to Republican councilman Rob Ludeman. In a three-way

Bob Frantz race, the poll showed Ford losing to Finkbeiner by 14 and beating Ludeman by 10. Four days later, on May 22, Wilkowski conducted his own poll. Realizing the incumbent mayor that his own PAC was backing had almost no chance of being re-elected, he wanted to test the waters for his own run at the ofﬁce, for the good of his faction. His sampling provided a nearly identical result — a 25-point margin for Finkbeiner over Ford. But in a two-way race between Wilkowski and Finkbeiner, the margin was just four points in favor of Carty. On May 25, Wilkowski announced his exploratory campaign for mayor. On June 1, he sent his PAC resignation letter condemning the city’s direction under its current leadership. So now, with Wilkowski’s candidacy a virtual certainty, it’s fair to ask: Which is it? Has the city prospered in the last 3 1/2 years, warranting the support he gave Jack Ford until the poll came out? Or has the city experienced “undeniable decline” in recent years, as he claimed in his letter? Depends on who’s running, I guess. Kind of like when President Bush was running for re-election, and Mayor Ford went

to New York City to tell the world the President was responsible for the loss of 16,000 jobs in Toledo over the last four years. The city was in horrible shape, he moaned. And now, while running for reelection, he claims on ToledoWorks.org that the city has actually gained 2,800 jobs in the last three years and become a “model for economic progress.” Which is it? Wilkowski’s sudden emergence as an alternative candidate comes cloaked in a “what’s best for the city” presentation, but in light of his recent support for Mayor Ford, and his membership in the PAC, it looks an awful lot like “what’s best for the A-Team.” He backed the mayor until he realized that no one else in Toledo did, and only then did he express an interest in the mayor’s ofﬁce. So what kind of mayor would he be? Would he have his heart in the job? Would he aspire to great things for the city or would he just keep the seat warm for a single term until someone like Frank Szollosi is ready to run? And would we be able to believe anything he says about the true direction and performance of the city, considering the contradictory evaluation of the Ford years being offered now, months before the election? No one can know for sure what kind of mayor Wilkowski would make until the day comes when he runs and wins. But we do know that if WTOL hadn’t released their May poll, prompting his own follow-up poll, he would have no interest in running at all. And that should tell you all you need to know. 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.

OPINION

June 8, 2005

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Dems versus GOP TO THE EDITOR, The recent editions of Toledo Free Press, through variants of David Letterman’s Top Ten List, tell you all you need to know about the differences between thoughtful Democrats and mindless, right-wing Republicans. Representing the Democrats was Keith Wilkowski, who criticized Republicans by raising such substantive points as (1) the nomination of John Bolton, opposed by even George Voinovich; (2) Bush’s record federal deficits; (3) the staggering human and monetary costs of the Iraq war; and (4) the ever-corrupt Tom DeLay, whose ouster has been called for by no less than the Wall Street Journal editorial page. The Republicans, in contrast, were represented by talk-radio’s Fred Lefebvre. In lieu of even one substantive point, Lefebvre’s idea of trenchant intellectual discourse is merely to hurl such non-sequiturs and personal attacks as (1) your guy had a gay affair (apparently, only Newt Gingrich’s and Bob Livingston’s heterosexual affairs are OK in Jesusland); (2) your office holder got a free roof compliments of a campaign donor (apparently, Fred’s never heard of former Connecticut Governor John Rowland); (3) Chappaquiddick (apparently, Fred’s never heard of former U.S. Rep. Bill Janklow); and (4) that old fallback, Monica (apparently, it’s OK in GOP circles to lie about the justification for a now-endless war, but to lie about illicit oral sex is an unpardonable sin). All in all, the Wilkowski-Lefebvre lists keenly illustrate that Democrats are about ideas and substance, while Republicans (at least those of Lefebvre and his talk-radio ilk) are about distraction and personal destruction. DAVE GORDON, Toledo

Cut the Christ talk TO THE EDITOR, I read Michael Miller’s June 1 column (“Empathy for the Devil”) this morning. Three comments: 1. Please cut the Christ references. Your readership is a diverse, pluralistic amalgam, not a Bible study group. 2. Your paper and its WSPD arm-in-arm Noe apologists keep picking on The Blade and dwelling on poor old Tom and Bernadette. You correctly point out the pitfalls of being falsely accused. But this is about so much more than the Noes. The broader concerns include (1) the insanity of risky, non-ﬂuid investments by governmental entities; (2) the notion that a coin dealer lacking a college education is somehow qualiﬁed for placement on the BGSU Board of Trustees, Ohio’s Board of Regents and the Turnpike Commission; and (3) the fact

COMMUNITY ■

The Stranahan Arboretum offers high-tech tours, page 7

A soldier’s legacy

The family of Sgt. Andy Eckert remembers his devotion to duty, page 10 that Ohio law was specifically changed to permit both rare-coin investments by the BWC and tax exemption for income generated from coin sales. None of these is particularly Noe’s fault; blame, instead, lies on the elected officials who pushed them through. You should focus on that for a change. 3. Strangely enough, I never saw you, while at The Collegian or City Paper, “pray” for Clinton during, say, Whitewater or Travelgate (he was totally cleared by Ken Starr of culpability in both incidents). Yet, like Denny Schaeffer, who called upon his listeners to “pray” for Rush Limbaugh upon being investigated for drug abuse, you find the time to ask readers to join you in a moment of reflection for the Noes. HEATH McGREY, Perrysburg Michael S. Miller responds: I never asked readers to join me in a prayer for anything. I did pray for deliverance from The Collegian and City Paper, so you got me on that one.

Feigned outrage TO THE EDITOR, Michael S. Miller’s May 25 feigned outrage at the Toledo Federation of Teachers over its “Work to the Rule” policy is surely misplaced. As usual, the public frustration for this policy is based on a lack of understanding of what is really going on. Because I am a teacher with the Toledo Public Schools, allow me to offer some free education to you and your readers. When the Board of Education unilaterally ended the supplemental contracts for all non-athletic activities, it violated not only the contract with the teachers but the covenant that it has with the youth of our city. Instead of discussing the issue in good faith with the Union, it simply ﬁred all of the teachers who do the activities that make high school rich and rewarding. It is clear that you had some good teachers at Libbey who tried to make your experience more rich and rewarding by serving as your class advisor, quiz bowl or bowling coaches. If these activities were the very thing that helped you “crawl out of the tar pit of desperation and poverty that did everything it could to swallow me whole” why then would you not be outraged at the Board for taking them away from the students who need them the most?

Your metaphorical tar pit is still trapping the youth of Toledo and you take issue with the woman who is fighting to keep these supplemental contracts in place? If the Toledo Police, Toledo Firefighters or Jeep workers had their contract violated by management fiat and it resulted in significant reductions in takehome-pay, you and the public would be outraged. But the public is always quick to blame the teachers. We are protesting this injustice the only way we can. But instead of the support of the community that we work so hard to serve, we are reviled and ridiculed by the press. If you want the students of Toledo to have an education like you received at Libbey in the 1980’s then stop making the teachers the bad guy and direct your ire at those who seek to undermine our efforts. JOHN A. GRIFFITHS, Toledo

No East Side arena TO THE EDITOR; I have not read or heard one practical reason to consider the East Side of the river for a possible new arena (“The view from the east side,” June 1). An arena and the river would complement each other. We have already seen this. For years, we have seen the trafﬁc jams squeezing in the one street entrance to the Sports Arena on Main Street, boxed in between the river and a railroad embankment. When the Sports Arena was built in the late 1940s, four bridge crossings were available: Fassett Street; Cherry Street; Anthony Wayne; and the Ash/Consaul. Today, with bulging trafﬁc we have only three practical ones: the MLK, Anthony Wayne and Craig Street. The new bridge under construction and the DiSalle are bypass routes I-280 and I-75. Will a new and bigger arena bring larger crowds requiring services? Hotels, inter-city busses

patients who present to the Emergency Department will receive treatment regardless of their ability to pay. As a result, many uninsured patients utilize the ED as it is their only access to health care. With rising medical malpractice insurance and lower reimbursement rates, the climate for emergency physicians is changing. Emergency physicians may be threatened by the changing reimbursement and legal climate. As an emergency physician for the past 17 years, I have seen many challenges facing the specialty of Emergency Medicine. Support HEALTH Act Many emergency physicians have suffered losses from unnecessary TO THE EDITOR, malpractice suits or lowered reEvery day the citizens of our imbursement for medical care. community utilize local emergency You can make a difference by services such as police, fire, and contacting your representatives EMS. In addition, in the mix of in Congress and urging them to those in uniform lies another critisupport the recently introduced cal component to the emergency HEALTH Act of 2005 (Help Effimedicine continuum of care. cient, Accessible, Low-cost, Timely Emergency Medicine is a Healthcare). This important bill nationally recognized medical has been introduced in both the specialty. Founded in 1968, EmerHouse and Senate and provides gency Medicine (EM) is one of for a $250,000 cap on non-economic the more recently founded medidamages for medical liability cases. cal specialties. Board certification began in 1980 and today there Please take action and let your local officials know that you support are over 14,000 board-certified the future of medicine in Ohio. emergency physicians and more CATHRINE A. MARCO, than 150 residency programs in MD, FACEP the United�� States. As required by federal law, all Emergency physician, Toledo

and Amtrak are located on the west side along with all but two or three city bus lines and plenty of parking lots and garages that are empty evenings and weekends. We are always concerned about revitalization of the downtown. An arena is an opportunity to do something about it. Let’s not repeat mistakes of the past. East Side, I love you and I’d like to see a beautiful riverside neighborhood without a hulking arena and acres of parking lot. RICHARD O. GRAY, Toledo

The son also rises

��

Photo courtesy Todd Crandell

Todd Crandell will compete in a half Iron Man competition June 12 in Sylvania.

COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT

Todd Crandell is still racing for recovery By David J. Coehrs Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

Todd Crandell knew he had hit rock bottom when he scooped regurgitated drug capsules from his vomit and swallowed them to stay high. It was nothing new for Crandell. Almost since his ﬁrst sip of beer at age 13, drug and alcohol abuse had made rock-bottom a daily routine. Now clean and sober for 12 years, the founder of Racing for Recovery, a support group for recovering drug and alcohol dependents and their families, says, “I should have been dead a million times.” With his gritty odyssey of binges, blackouts, unprotected sex and addiction-related arrests behind him, Crandell recently participated in the Spec-Savers Iron Man South Africa Triathlon. It was his eighth Iron Man race, and Crandell said he won’t stop until he’s run in all 28 sanctioned Iron Man and half Iron Man competitions worldwide. While the Sylvania native is proof of the Racing for Recovery motto, “With sobriety, anything is possible,” Crandell, 38, said at his worst he wouldn’t have believed his own turnaround. “I would have thought I would have had a better chance going to Mars,” he said. “This was hardcore drug addiction. I ﬁrmly believe that I went through and survived the addiction to do what I’m doing today.” Crandell said the fact he survived at all is miraculous. His mother, who battled addictions to heroin, cocaine and amphetamines, recovered but committed suicide for unrelated reasons when he was three years old. Crandell believes he inherited her propensity toward drug abuse, and that her tragic death

steered his troubled life. “Whether I want to admit it or not, her death had a huge impact on me emotionally,” he said. “I had a lot of sense of abandonment, anger and sadness.” Although athletic and a critic of substance abuse, Crandell’s resolve weakened. A couple of weeks into his freshman year at Northview High School in Sylvania, he downed a fifth of whiskey and chased it with amphetamines. In the process, he unleashed the addictive side of his personality. “I’m the kind of person, it’s all or nothing with me,” Crandell said. “One is too many, and a thousand is not enough.” The binging continued through his sophomore year, resulting in blackouts, fights, bad grades and clashes with police. Throughout, Crandell’s father and stepmother remained clueless. “I would stay at a friend’s house, then go out at night,” he said. “I remember I woke up in a cornfield once. I also slept in Northview’s baseball dugout a couple of times.” His drug habit escalated junior year; he regularly consumed pot, LSD, Quaaludes and Valium, even getting high in class. Still athletic, he was kicked off the school hockey team and expelled from high school his senior year for using cocaine on the team bus. His parents also threw Crandell out, forcing him to sleep in his car, at friends’ houses and in drug houses for about a month. His daily habit had grown to two-fifths of whiskey, cocaine and heroin.

A gun in my mouth

Terry Crandell, Todd’s father, said sending his son away was the lowest point between them but they never Please see CRANDELL, page 6

COMMUNITY

Crandell Continued from page 5 stopped communicating. “We had as good a relationship as you can have with somebody who is inebriated,” he said. “I knew what type of person he was, and he was not that type of person when he was doing drugs and alcohol.” Still, Terry Crandell worried constantly that his son would be jailed or die of an overdose. An idle period before he entered college proved a perfect breeding ground for Crandell’s hazardous lifestyle. One memorable night of drinking in Bowling Green left Crandell waking dazed in a Perry, Ga., hotel room with no clue how he got there. His situation worsened on Oct. 6, 1986. Confronted by his parents for coming home drunk and stoned, Crandell scufﬂed with his father and was again kicked out of their residence. He beat a hasty retreat to Florida, where he lived out of his car and spent a rainy Christmas Day alone, drinking vodka on the beach. He went days without eating. “It’s amazing,” Crandell said. “I never had money to buy any food but I always had drugs and alcohol in my system. It was drunkedness and debauchery 24 hours a day. It was madness.” Feelings of inadequacy, selfloathing and loneliness caused daily thoughts of suicide. “I had a gun in my mouth a couple of times,” Crandell said. “I’d wake up and think, ‘How much of this stuff is it going to take to kill me?’” Returning home in 1987, Crandell took an apartment over

his father’s ofﬁce and quickly resumed his routine of drinking, drug abuse and casual sex. Several attempts at rehabilitation, including sessions with a therapist and a hypnotist, failed. “I had lost basically all of my friends and family and I was ﬁnancially, spiritually and physically bankrupt,” Crandell said. “I remember sitting in my grandmother’s attic in my underwear, snorting coke. I was just completely losing it. I thought I was going to become a professional hockey player, not a drug addict.” At noon on April 15, 1993, while drinking and contemplating his third drunk driving charge, Crandell decided he’d had enough. “On that day, I said, ‘That’s it.’ The difference that day was I knew in my heart I was doing it for myself. I had nothing. I knew it was over.” He quit cold turkey, attended 12-step rehabilitation meetings, read self-help books and talked to others in his situation. After 2-1/2 years of sobriety “I decided that I needed something more,” Crandell said. He increased his sports activity and re-entered college, where he earned degrees in business and sales and marketing. During that time, he also became a third-string goalie for the Toledo Storm and, ironically, was hired as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company.

Marathon man

In 1999, Crandell began participating in triathlons, which consist of a 2.4 mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride,

and a 26-mile marathon run. In 2001, inspired by positive feedback from a newspaper article about his recovery, Crandell founded Racing for Recovery, a federally approved non-proﬁt support group that has distinguished itself by involving recovering addicts and their families. Crandell said the group’s main goals are to prevent substance abuse in children and to assure users that “no matter how far down you are, you can always get up.” The organization has since sponsored runs at Lourdes College in Sylvania and in California, New York, and South Carolina. A half Iron Man competition is scheduled June 12 in Sylvania. Crandell also plans to participate in competitions in Texas, June 26; Wisconsin, July 24; California, July 31; Korea, Aug. 29; and Chicago, Oct. 9. Racing for Recovery groups have expanded locally to Oregon and Perrysburg. Married with three children, Crandell also travels as a motivational speaker, aided by Jeff Streeter, an associate and support group facilitator. Streeter, a former drug and alcohol abuser, said Crandell is very committed to his program. He joined Racing for Recovery because “there were some things [Crandell] said that I could relate to.” Wendy Reiter, the wife of a drug abuser, calls Road for Recovery “a healing process for everybody. I learned that what I was living through and going through wasn’t normal. I learned that this wasn’t the way life had to be. It totally changed my life, just knowing that I’m

June 8, 2005

Stranahan Arboretum offers high-tech tours By Jacqueline Rabe Special to Toledo Free Press

Photo courtesy Todd Crandell

Crandell finishes a South Africa Iron Man Competition. not alone with what I’m going through. I don’t have to be alone and I don’t have to be afraid. They’re more than just a group; to me, it’s a second family.” In 2003, Crandell collaborated with independent filmmaker Tom Hofbauer to produce “ADDICT: Racing for Recovery, the Todd Crandell Story,” a documentary now available on DVD. He is negotiating a book deal, and would like to see Racing for Recovery instituted across the country. And while his life has turned around, Crandell’s fight to maintain sobriety is never over. “The urges are still as strong,”

he said. “I’ve had to whiteknuckle it a couple of times. But I know how to handle it. I will never go back to using drugs.” “I don’t take my success for granted. I don’t look at what I’m doing as significant. When someone says, ‘You saved my life, you saved my daughter’s life,’ you can’t put a price on that. My story is really intriguing, but I enjoy what it’s doing to help other people. It’s making one heck of an impact out there.”

ON THE WEB www.racingforrecovery.com

Windy City a train ride away they are just half fare.” This, according to Magliari, can be helpful in planning family vacations or weekend jaunts. Once off the train, Amtrak representatives can help you get where you are going, whether it be by taxi, transit, or on foot. For shoppers, the train arrives in the heart of downtown Chicago, minutes from the “Magniﬁcent Mile” shopping area of North Michigan Avenue, and the State Street shopping district with the original Marshall Field’s and Carson’s. Greg Gettum took his family on a week’s vacation from Toledo to Chicago using Amtrak. “We left early on a Monday and came back late on Friday,” Gettum said. “I wanted my son and daughter to go to a major city before trains disappear entirely from this country.” Amtrak trains also leave the Toledo station for Cleveland, Washington D.C., and Pittsburgh regularly with no changes of train. —Myndi Milliken

LOCAL ATTRACTIONS

TRAVEL

Whether you go for work or play, traveling by train to Chicago from Toledo can be easily accomplished in a day. Amtrak offers two trains to and from Chicago daily. “You can be in Chicago that morning, do business all day and get home in time for the 11 p.m. news,” said Marc Magliari, spokesman for Amtrak. The ﬁrst train leaves Toledo at 4:25 a.m. eastern standard time, arriving in Chicago at 8:25 a.m. central time, giving passengers an hour gained. The second train departs at 6 a.m. EST and arrives at 9:30 a.m. CT. The evening trains leave at 5:35 and 7:55 CT, arriving in Toledo at 10:35 p.m. and 1 a.m. EST, respectively. The highest coach ticket price passengers will pay is $56. Discounts are often available through internet coupons, AAA and www.amtrak.com. “Unlike airplanes, kids are not full fare until they are 15 years old,” Magliari said. “Until then

COMMUNITY

June 8, 2005

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Navigating a 47-acre facility with more than 1,100 varieties of trees can be overwhelming, but a local arboretum is offering a new way to experience nature. An audio tour is available at the University of Toledo’s Stranahan Arboretum in Sylvania. The audio project was started by Leadership Toledo, a nonproﬁt organization that fosters leadership involvement in the Toledo area. The group’s stated goal is to expand knowledge and awareness of community issues and opportunities, which includes the audio tour of Stranahan Arboretum. “If you came to these trees without an audio tour it would be very distracting and confusing,”

said Leadership Toledo volunteer Tony Desch. According to Leadership Toledo volunteer Steve Evans, the audio tour assists visitors in learning more than prior selfguided tours and signs. This audio tour provides information on 23 stops with an estimated walk-through time of one hour. Posts that give tree names and locations mark each stop. Evans said nature sounds and two different voices are used on the audio tour. Dave Schlaudecker, executive director of Leadership Toledo, said, “I have walked my dog out here and wondered what certain trees are ... now I know.” The 41 species collection contains trees that are rare in Toledo and in some cases are the only known specimens in the area.

One such tree is the Weeping Katsura found in Japan and China. “Fall color is from yellow to apricot with a delightful spicy cinnamon/brown sugar odor — think warm spiced cider,” is how the audio tour describes the tree. Carolyn Fox of Leadership Toledo said, “Having never been exposed to this, it’s amazing what trees they brought to this site from all over the world.” Many different trees have been studied, observed and preserved by visitors and students of UT and Toledo Public Schools. UT professor Joel Lipman said, “The arboretum is exactly what UT students need” and that the audio project has “exceeded all expectations.” For information, contact Sandra Stuzenstein, program coordinator, at (419) 841-1007.

Photo by Jacqueline Rabe

Visitors use a walk-through audio tour at the Stranahan Arboretum.

Migrating birds bring enthusiasts, economic beneﬁts Now is the time for area birdwatchers to migrate toward the Lake Erie coastline. According to Mark Shieldcastle, wildlife TART132-10x6-0016BP.fh11 4:58 PM Page 1 biologist at the 6/3/05 Ohio Division of Wildlife, bird watching is especially popular at this time of year, when migratory birds stop to nest, roost and feed along Ohio’s northern waterfronts. Ohio boasts one of the hottest spots in the country, the Bird Trail at the

Magee Marsh State Wildlife Area on State Route 2, for catching more than 300 species of winged creatures on the move. “Birding has really caught on in the past twenty years,” he said. “While many people have always enjoyed birds, it’s a pastime that really didn’t catch on until the 1980s.” As southwest winds promote favorable weather patterns for migration, scores of

herons, egrets and songbirds converge on the region. The birds have logged tremendous ﬂyer miles, making trips from South and Central America, the southern United States, Cuba and the Caribbean Islands. A pair of binoculars and patience is all that is needed to see birds ranging from baseballsize songbirds to tall, elegant cranes. Catching a glimpse of the migrating

birds isn’t limited to the shores of Lake Erie. The blue herons from the south, and the great egrets from the Caribbean and Cuban Islands are known for ﬂying 20 to 25 miles to feed. Wherever you choose to watch, Shieldcastle recommends participation in the early morning hours, when most birds come out to feed. — Myndi Milliken

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Great Smiles Family Dentistry has cure for ‘cowards’ Calling all scaredy-cats: Cowardice and dentistry do mix. That’s the word from Dr. Nadeem Khan. In fact, the slogan of his state-of-the-art practice, Great Smiles Family Dentistry, is: “We cater to cowards.” The sleek, technologically-advanced facility at 4646 Nantuckett Dr. is designed to put anxious patients at ease, Khan said. “The focus is to make it more patient and family-centric. We try to reduce the intimidation factor,” he said. To that end, the facility features adjustable flat-screen televisions for patient use in each of 10 work spaces, complete with cable television and DVD and VHS services. CD players are also available. “It takes their attention off the actual procedure and allows them to relax,” said Khan. “And that’s the best thing, because we’re all scared when we go to the dentist. Sometimes, that’s the one thing that attracts them to our office.” However, patients also have access to computers with educational systems, so the curious can closely monitor their procedures. Khan and his partner, Dr. Michael Kwong, bought the family practice in 1998 with the idea that a dentist’s office shouldn’t be frightening. Determined to cut the fear factor, they employ such cutting-edge equipment as digital X-rays, which reduce radiation and enhance picture clarity, and a laser system to contour gums and remove mouth lesions. In addition to regular services, the dentists, their staff of 10, and two dental hygienists offer “extreme makeover” smiles in two visits and teeth-whitening in one hour.

Both dentists studied the techniques at the Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies and through residencies at the Medical College of Ohio. “We enjoy seeing the outcome,” Khan said. “We really try to cater to the patients. When we’re able to accommodate them it’s really satisfying.” Since the advent of “makeover” reality shows on television, Khan estimates the cosmetic aspect of Great Smiles Family Dentistry has increased 50 percent. In May, the practice teamed with “Johny D and the Morning Crew” on 92.5 KISS-FM for the station’s “Mangled Mouth” contest. Selecting one winner from 500 entrants in need of free dental work proved too difﬁcult for Dr. Khan. Instead, they threw out the contest rules and chose two compelling cases: Brandel Rusk, a 22-year-old mouth cancer survivor, and Judy Youngs, 48, a victim of epilepsy and sight-stealing glaucoma. The combined dental work totals about $36,000. For Youngs, whose epilepsy medication severely damaged her mouth bones and smile, receiving free dental work and dentures is a godsend. “I’m just so elated that this is happening,” she said tearfully. “This is one of the best things that could happen to me right now. I’ve lost my selfconﬁdence. Once my teeth are done I know I will feel 100 percent better.” Youngs said her fear of dentists evaporated after visiting Great Smiles Family Dentistry. “I have this bad feeling in a dentist’s chair. But Dr. Khan makes me feel so comfortable. His staff is fantastic. It’s like I’ve known them for ages.”

COMMUNITY

June 8, 2005

ABLE SQUAD

Scavengers strip East Side home By Michael Brooks Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

The aluminum siding on the home at 877 Oak St. has been largely removed, likely the work of enterprising individuals who recognized the value of scrap metal. This type of illegal scavenging is common in the neighborhood, said neighbor Earl Schemenauer. “Look across the street there,” he said, pointing to another vacant house at 858 Oak St. “They steal the siding as high as they can reach.” A note on the door from a property management firm called Safeguard Properties indicates that the water was disconnected in June 2004. A spokesperson for Safeguard said their records indicate that the owner no longer uses their services. Schemenauer said the house has been vacant for a long time. Mattresses on the floors of the three-bedroom home suggest that individuals may be using the property as an unofficial residence. Several of the few unbroken windows provide easy access, and

entry through the back is possible by moving a loose piece of plywood. Schemenauer complained that the only time the city takes action is when neighbors take matters in their own hands. “Last week the neighbors put a huge sign in front of 858 Oak St. that said: ‘Bob Mcloskey — Fix this or tear it down!’ ” he said. “The next day a city crew came, cut the grass and bushes, and pulled down the sign.” At 877 Oak St., the grass and weeds are waisthigh, and have not been cut this year. County records indicate that a Michael J. Cousino is the resident owner, but there is clearly no one occupying the property — at least not legally. Schemenauer said that such houses make an entire neighborhood suffer. “I have lived here for 40 years, and have never seen things this bad,” he said. “I feel sorry for my young neighbors with children.” If you know of any buildings that might make good subjects, send suggestions to news@toledofreepress.com.

Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Brooks

This east side house, at 877 Oak St., has been empty for a long time.

CALL 11 FOR ACTION

Credit card debt collectors do not always have the law on their side By Dan Bumpus Special to Toledo Free Press

Credit cards have become a way of life. For many, so has credit card debt. Some collection agencies are trying to capitalize, but they don’t always follow the rules. A debt collection company comes after you for an old loan or credit card bill you thought was paid off years ago. The collection agency insists you cough up the cash immediately. Watch out. If you offer to pay up, you could end up in big ﬁnancial trouble.

When Dan Herda had a mixup over car payments back in the 80s, his car ended up being repossessed and sold at auction. “I thought once the car was auctioned off it was pretty much over and done with,” Herda said. Recently, he was shocked when — 17 years later — he got a call from a collector. Turns out there was a leftover loan on the car. “She asked me for a credit card, wanted me to make a payment by phone. It was very aggressive,” Herda said.

It’s a new trick of the collection trade, buying old loans that are written off as delinquent, then trying to collect on them. “Approximately four to six percent of all credit cards and loans granted will be charged off for nonpayment,” said Jeff Bovarnick of ACA International. Statutes of limitations vary from state to state, but are usually between three-10 years. Old debt will appear on your credit history for seven years. In some cases, the statute of limitations will be over,

but it will still appear on the credit history. A lot of that is time-barred debt, meaning it’s past the statute of limitations for collection. “It’s important for consumers to know their rights with timebarred debts,” said Thomas Kane of the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC says while the companies can ask you to pay back the money, courts will not require you to repay debt that’s beyond the statute of limitations. “It’s illegal for a debt collector to threaten to sue on a time-

barred debt or to actually sue on it,” Kane said. That’s right, illegal, meaning if you are approached to pay timebarred debt, you can refuse to pay. “A consumer can also demand that debt collector stop contacting them about the debt,” Kane said. An attorney can tell you what your rights are. 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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COVER STORY

June 8, 2005

COVER STORY

June 8, 2005

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

ABOVE: Bret Howland, Andyʼs mentor, with a picture of Andy and several Iraqi children. LEFT: Andy and Tiphany with daughter Marlee Freedom on the day Myles was born (photo courtesy Tiphany Eckert).

Worth It

Tiphany Eckert and Marlee Freedom in their Monclova Township home with a picture of Andy holding baby Myles.

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Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

ing things people don’t know they’re doing.”

Andy sent his share of pictures, too. Many of his photos showed him with villagers and children. “He said ‘most of Iraq wants us here, it’s the terrorists that don’t.’ He forged a lot of relationships,” she said. “One [Iraqi] he knew was killed for bringing the soldiers blocks of ice.” Tiphany said it was hard on him to see how some media portray the war. “The media isn’t portraying things the way they really are. He loved what he was doing and the soldiers he served with. They are building playgrounds and schools. They are do-

Legacy

As her baby brother nods to sleep, Marlee hugs an enlarged photo of Andy, squealing, “Daddy! That my Daddy.” “She knew him from the beginning,” Tiphany said. “She used to say, ‘Daddy’s in Iraq,’ but now she says, ‘Daddy my angel in heaven.’ I tell her he’s with us every day.” Tiphany still believes their love was meant to be, and is writing a book to share her story with others. “I think about him every day. He always said, ‘you’re my hero.’ God wants

Family of fallen soldier strives to preserve legacy By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

U.S. Army Sgt. Gary “Andy” Eckert Jr., 24, of Sylvania, died May 8, in Balad, Iraq. Sgt. Eckert served in the U.S. Army for three years and was on his second tour in Iraq. He was assigned to the 983rd Engineer Battalion, headquartered in Monclova Township. — from Andy Eckert’s obituary Tiphany Eckert captures her world in pictures. When her husband was deployed for duty in Iraq, she used snapshots to share moments he would have otherwise missed, such as the ﬁrst days of life of their ﬁrst child, Marlee Freedom. When Sergeant Gary “Andy” Eckert Jr. was home, she took more photos: Andy walking with Marlee, Andy holding their second baby, Myles Manning. For Tiphany, who has taken classes for photography, the art of capturing life’s greatest moments became a key part of her relationship with Andy. “It was our life,” she said. “That’s how he saw Marlee grow up.” When Andy was killed in Iraq, from injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated, Tiphany’s photos became a legacy.

He knew that night

Tiphany met Andy at a party in 2002. She remembers love at ﬁrst sight. “He knew that night we were going to be married,” she said.

The two were married February 28, 2003. He was activated to serve in Iraq just days later. He was still in Iraq July 17 when Tiphany gave birth to Marlee. The couple talked once, sometimes twice a week on morale calls. “All he ever wanted was to be a dad,” she said. “We decided Marlee’s name together. We felt ‘Freedom’ was representative of where he was and what he was fighting for.” Andy didn’t get to see Marlee in person until she was 10 weeks old, but had Tiphany’s photos to chart her progress. “He always apologized to me because he missed everything,” she said. “A female soldier was teaching him to braid so he could do her hair when he got back.” Andy returned to Iraq, not seeing his family, except through photos, until Marlee was 11 months old. Andy was injured on duty when shrapnel from an explosive struck him. He received a purple heart for his service, and came home. Tiphany said Andy had a hard time finding a job when he returned. He picked up work doing lawn service, but yearned to be part of the brotherhood he had left. “He wanted to make sure that we were taken care of and to finish what he started,” she said. Two days after Christmas of 2004, Andy returned to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Andy came home on leave March 25 through April 10, 2005 to see the birth of his second child. “He tried so hard to make everything perfect,” Tiphany said, glancing at a photo she took of Andy cradling their son in his hands. “Those were the best two weeks of my life.”

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me to share our story, to make a positive out of a negative,” she said. “Andy left a blazing fire in me. Andy was pure love — that, my kids, and God is what gets me through. Otherwise I’d have died of a broken heart.” Andy’s mentor, Bret Howland, shares Andy’s legacy a different way — by helping soldiers coming home from war to find jobs. He is currently working with trade unions to find opportunities Andy did not have when he was first discharged from the war. “These people take bullets for us, yet

they’ve lost everything,” he said. “We send money over there, we should be able to ﬁnd money here to help them. “They deserve to come home to more than a minimum wage job, they deserve a shot at a career.” Howland said his goal is to “have employers with job applications when they get off the plane.”

In Memory

Red, white and blue ﬂowers adorn his grave. A ﬂag reads, “God bless Sgt. Andy Eckert.” “If you see a soldier or a veteran,” Tiphany said, “say ‘thanks for serving.’ ”

COMMUNITY

BUSINESS

June 8, 2005

ART

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COMMUNITY BRIEFS

Challenged artists’ mural on display By Scott McKimmy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

About 75 people recently celebrated the “Top of Toledo” reception at the Erie Street Market for a new mural created by adults with special needs and youths in trouble through a project sponsored by 13 local nonproﬁt organizations. The 20- by four-foot mural rests above the entry to Artisan’s Way and consists entirely of colored paper — torn, arranged and glued onto a quarter-inch foamboard foundation representing a building’s rooﬂine. The work was performed by about 130 people from local agencies throughout Northwest Ohio including Lott Industries and Lucas County Juvenile Detention Center. The free, public reception was held last Thursday at 1 p.m. Jan Revill, co-organizer and freelance art therapist, emphasized that the work was divided among participants at various or-

ganizations, where job roles were determined by ability. Those with more severe conditions performed tasks such as tearing paper, while others applied glue or created individual sections to be combined at the ﬁnal assembly. The “Top of Toledo” mural remains on display to bring awareness to the community, according to Revill. The project began in January, with Revill providing guidance and supplies to various locations. Small groups will attend programs to cope with their conditions, which range from mentally and developmentally challenged to Alzheimer’s, heart and cancer patients, as well as teens in juvenile detention and drug court. “A lot of different ability levels are involved in this, and it’s all nontoxic materials,” she continued. “People don’t have to worry about that; that’s why it’s all paper.” As an art teacher with a specialty in psychology, Revill brings programs designed to help students

develop mentally and emotionally through similar projects. She graduated from Bowling Green State University and now owns Art to Go, which teaches weekly classes to students with and without special needs at participating organizations and schools such as Holland Elementary and St. Clemens Elementary in Toledo. She also presented a paper to the 2000 World’s Congress for Alzheimer’s Disease, in Washington, D.C. Co-organizer Joe Szafarowitz, a retired teacher and former coordinator for student art programs through the Toledo Art Museum, also advocates the potential value of art in teaching disadvantaged individuals. He continues to provide services for troubled kids, recruiting them for art-related work experiences as “job shadows” with local professionals. “What we’re trying to do is show them the possibilities for art experiences and the potential for art in their community.”

From Staff Reports

TOLEDO

Academy appoints new president On July 1, Sister Mary Ann Culpert, SND will become the second person ever to be named president of Notre Dame Academy (NDA) in the 100-year history of the school. Cupert is a Notre Dame Academy alumna and has served as Principal for the school for the past three years. She has also served as Dean of Academics, Education Consultant and Directory of Ministry for the Sisters of Notre Dame, Province of Mary Immaculate, and Principal of St. Mary’s and St. Joseph. She began her career in education as a teacher in various elementary schools in Michigan and Ohio. Culpert holds a master’s degree in education from the University of Dayton, and received her Bachelor of Science degree in education from BGSU.

TOLEDO

The Andersons has announced the winners of its 2005 Principal’s Choice $500 College Scholarship Awards. This year’s recipients are: ■ Kyle Garris of Sylvania Northview High School, 3.0 GPA. Plans to attend Eastern Michigan. ■ Michael Jewell of Bowsher High School, 4.1 GPA. Plans to attend UT. ■ Travis Sharlow, Waite High School, 3.2 GPA. Plans to attend UT.

TOLEDO

Exchange Club VP named Christopher Rice was named executive vice president of The National Exchange Club. Rice will be responsible for implementing board policies and managing day-to-day operations for the club, a community service organization with 28,000 volunteers throughout the United States.

CRIME

By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

Maumee Police have yet to ﬁnd out who made a threat of a school shooting at Maumee High School last April, but they have decided to step up the investigation after school lets out June 7. The department will launch a public campaign through CrimeStoppers and local news outlets to try to entice anyone with information to step forward, according to Detective Sargent David Tullis. CrimeStoppers, a tool Maumee Police have used before, gives anonymity and a reward to tipsters offering information that leads to a conviction.

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“We believe someone is more likely to talk when they don’t have to go to school and potentially face that person,” Tullis said. Police were called after a student noticed the threat scribbled on a girls’‚ bathroom stall. The penciled grafﬁti read, “Maumee school shooting,” and gave the date April 26. Drawings of a gun, bullets and gang hand signs were also made. “We had to take action,” Tullis said. “If we hadn’t taken action we would have been remiss. Given the facts as they were, we wouldn’t have done anything differently.” School ofﬁcials gave parents the option to keep their kids to home April 26 without attendance penalty, and nearly half took advantage

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of it. Police presence rose around the school. Ofﬁcer Bob Lindsay, who has been involved with Maumee schools for three years, said the department believed the threat may have been a hoax, but had to take it seriously to protect the students and staff at the school. “It [the threat] was so faint, we couldn’t even photograph it,” he said. “We’ve had cases where someone has written in the bathroom wall, ‘so-and-so did it,’ but so far, we’re not getting any closer.” Tullis said the department will consider the case open until an arrest is made. “We really want to prosecute this person,” he said.

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Dillard’s takes two

Chain commits to Southwyck Mall and Fallen Timbers, page 15

DEVELOPMENT

TOLEDO IN BUSINESS

By Joe Bellfy Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

For reasons she couldn’t understand, Rajah’s life had become troublesome. When visitors came to her house, she felt increasingly anxious — some might even describe it as aggressive — and usually wanted them to leave no sooner than they arrived. It was difficult for her to keep her voice down and she would snap at someone if they so much as looked at her the wrong way. Rajah’s roommate Nakita was being affected by all of this, experiencing intense anxiety when at home alone and an overall restlessness. Happiness for the two of them proved elusive. Of course, when living with a 10-year-old rottweiler and a three-year-old Siberian husky mix (Rajah and Nakita, respectively), it isn’t always so easy to tell what they are feeling or why they might behave — or misbehave — in a certain way. Sarina Buczko found herself in this situation just a few months ago when she decided it was time to seek help. Toledo Free Press photo by Joe Bellfy “My dogs are like my kids, like family,” Buczko said. “I Cheryl Kubista sits with two happy clients at Bark Busters located in Toledo. called around, did some reshelter to work one-on-one with Bark Busters also specializes Rajah would constantly jump at search and I didn’t like the idea various dogs and to train the in home-based training, somethe door, but learned to wait and of a ‘clicker’ or choke collar.” staff,” Valtin said. “The benefit was much less hostile. The dogs She decided to call Bark Bust- thing Kubista said offers unique of her work is that through the advantages. were totally different after only ers, an international dog training training, we are making the ania few hours.” “We come to your home becompany with Australian roots mals more adoptable.” cause that’s where the problems Kubista has also made it a and franchise offices in 30 states. Kubista said this focus was priority to bring the Bark Bustare,” Kubista said. “The dog is Cheryl Kubista opened her doors part of the reason she chose ers philosophy to animals that in March as owner of the Greater chewing up your couch, in your Bark Busters as a franchise. living room, so that's where we aren’t fortunate enough to have Toledo franchise. “The company is not just need to be.” a home — yet. Renee Valtin, “We don’t use harsh or physiabout the bottom line — we also Sarina Buczko said that even shelter manager for the Wood cal methods,” Kubista said, who want to keep the dogs from befor Rajah, she saw results alCounty Humane Society, has spent a career in sales before ing euthanized.” most immediately. seen her animals benefit from seeking more fulfilling work. “I was in awe,” Buczko said. the program. “We teach owners how to gain “At first, I was hesitant and a “Cheryl has been very gencontrol through body language ON THE WEB little skeptical, but changes erous with her time and has and voice tones, the same way a www.barkbusters.com dog communicates in the wild.” made numerous trips to our started happening right away.

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Local franchise ensures less bark, less bite

Andersons scholarships

Threat of school shooting still unsolved

Public hearing to address coke plant concerns, page 14

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Susan Ford

Board weighs risk versus proﬁt

n 2001, the Perrier Group of America — now known as Nestlé Waters North America — was allowed to build a bottling plant for its Ice Mountain spring water in Mecosta County, Michigan. What could be greener, “smarter,” than a bottled water plant? But local ponds began shrinking. Two years later the operation was halted. Governor Jennifer Granholm’s office announced last month that Michigan’s Department of Environmental Quality will now regulate groundwater withdrawals that reduce the level or flow of inland lakes, streams or wetlands. At its May 2005 meeting, the Toledo Area Port Authority board voted to consider issuing up to $8 million in revenue bonds to assist in financing a solid waste disposal facility for a new 4,500cow dairy farm in Hardin County, about 75 miles south of Toledo. It will be the largest dairy farm in Ohio. Director Carty Finkbeiner voiced the only dissenting vote. “Yes, we’re making money,” he said, “but in the long term are we creating quality of life?” He gave the example of the new Jeep plant as clean manufacturing. “I hope as the Port Authority we’ll be careful of what we’re transitioning to.” Several other board members

Please see BOARD, page 14

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BUSINESS

DEVELOPMENT

Coke plant to be focus of hearing By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

Pollution will be the point of discussion in a public hearing to discuss proposal changes for the FDA Coke plant in East Toledo and Oregon. The hearing will begin at 7 p.m. at Clay High School, 5665 Seaman Rd., Oregon. The plant, which will be operated by U.S. Coking Group, will produce coke, an ingredient used to produce steel. The public hearing is necessary due to changes proposed in the project, including limitations on how much pollution the company will be allowed to emit into the air. “This place will be packed,” Matt Sapara, properties development manager at the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, said. “There are just as many people supporting the project as there are people against it.” He said, “Opponents believe the coking facility is going to be built like those 60 or 70 years ago, spewing things in the air, and sulfur all over the ground. It’s just not accurate.” Sapara said plans for the plant are in a “holding pattern” with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency until a decision is made on how much pollution, including mercury, will be permitted. Chicago attorney Francis Lyons, who serves as project council on the coke plant, said the core group of initial investors is, “committed to build the

cleanest coke facility ever built.” According to Dina Pierce, spokesperson for OEPA, there will still be a 36-pound per year limit on mercury emissions from the plant imposed. Because the technology controlling the emissions is inaugural, the revised proposal calls for an opportunity for the plant to ask for a higher limit if it is not possible to keep emissions at the limit. “This is the first time that a coke plant is told to do specific mercury emissions controls,” she said. “We have nothing to compare it to as far as coke plants go.” Pierce said she believes the controls will work fine, but if they don’t it will be up to the company to find a solution or request the OEPA to issue a new permit with modifications. The OEPA would need to monitor the emissions for at least a year. If the controls do not work, the company would be in violation. “We have said if the best technology can’t achieve, we will consider raising the limit. The whole process would start again, with public notices and hearings. It would be up to the company to ask for it,” she said. Representatives from the environmental protection group Sierra Club and the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality have objected to the plans and called for tighter restrictions. Plant development could begin as early as late this summer.

BUSINESS BRIEFS From Staff Reports

June 8, 2005

Board Continued from page 13 expressed concern. Director Bruce Baumhower asked for a report on how much money the Port Authority makes from its bond program. Director Bill Carroll said, “Is there a negative economic impact on the region in our doing what we’re doing?” He wondered how the Hardin County commissioners feel about the proposed dairy farm and asked if the board might want to take a retrospective look at its bond activity. Director Kenneth Dobson worried that getting into economic impact statements would throw the board off track. But he suggested that a “local impact” line could be added to project funding requests, especially when they relate to emerging technologies. Director R. Michael Frank said, “How do we expect to get the truth?” He said there are always people who think a given project will have a negative impact and gave the coke plant as an example. But, he suggested, the port could at least ask petitioners to list positive and

negative impacts of the projects they’re looking to fund. Director Thomas Palmer asked, “Is there a way we can have broader understanding without impeding the process?” Especially as we move out into counties where we have less experience, added Carroll. Pat Nicholson, former Port Authority director and founder of the sludge processing company, N-Viro International, said, “This manure issue is a huge issue in Ohio.” A dairy cow, he said, produces 125 pounds of manure a day. “The Hardin County facility will generate more manure than Toledo.” But, he added, manure can be an outstanding, clean biofuel. Adoption of the resolution means only that “the company and the Port Authority are in discussions which could lead to the issuance of the bonds.” The port’s ﬁnance committee will examine the project in more detail. The full board will likely consider a Bond Issuance Resolution at its June meeting. Susan Ford is a Contributing Editor for Toledo Free Press. She may be contacted at sford@toledofreepress.com.

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COMMERCIAL

Realtors ﬁght for American Dream

Graphic courtesy of General Growth Properties

Dillard’s to stay at Southwyck By Myndi Milliken Toledo Free Press Managing Editor mmilliken@toledofreepress.com

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TOLEDO

Greg Silloway of KeyBank Corp. has been promoted to vice president of Small Business. Silloway, who has worked as a relationship manager for Key’s Small Business Department since 2001, has a bachelor’s degree from Eastern Michigan University’s business administration program. Kevin Kwiatkowski of McDonald Financial Group has been promoted to senior vice president. Based in McDonald’s Perrysburg ofﬁce, Kwiatkowski has was worked with McDonald Financial Group and KeyBank Corp. since 1992. He will continue his position as a ﬁnancial advisor. Kwiatkowski is a graduate of Ferris State University.

BUSINESS IN FOCUS

While Dillard’s has indicated it will remain at Southwyck Mall, General Growth Properties (GGP) has conﬁrmed the store will still hold an anchor spot in the Shops at Fallen Timbers, according to Julie Jacoby, director of development communications for GGP, Chicago. Dillard’s is just one of a handful of retailers signed on for the project, which is expected to be completed in Fall 2006. Barnes and Noble, PF Chang’s China Bistro, and Claddagh Irish Pub are also among those committed. The Shops of Fallen Timbers will be erected west of I-475 in Maumee, along a historic area said to be part of the Battle of Fallen Timbers. The mall will be located just one exit from the newly built retail center, Levis Commons, in Perrysburg, but Jacoby said she doesn’t think it will be a problem. “The scale and nature of the projects are very different,” she said. “They are not comparable developments.” The Shops will feature one million square feet of retail space with a “main street” style, which can account for nearly 100 retailers. The “lifestyle” mall will feature a streetscape design and free-standing retail buildings. The 16-screen cinema will be built as an “open air” show-

case with no roof over common areas. GGP, according to Jacoby, is the second-largest owner, manager and developer of shopping malls through the country. The company owns or manages 209 malls, including Chicago’s Water Tower Place and Oak Brook Center. Jacoby reported GGP leasing agents attended the International Council of Shopping Centers in late May, and received, “a lot of interest on the Fallen Timbers project” from retailers. With record-breaking crowds exceeding 100,000, Jacoby said more than 150 leasing agents from GGP set up temporary ofﬁces to meet with retailers to discuss the project and entice lessees. “We are fortunate Fallen Timbers was very well known this year,” she said, adding that more than 120 meetings were held with retailers about the Fallen Timbers project. Jacoby said it will take months to get through the legal process of signing on new lessees, but she hopes to have good news about new retailers as early as August. John Jezak, City of Maumee administrator, said he thinks the 2006 deadline is “ambitious but doable.” Having worked at Southwyck Mall when he was in high school, Jezak said he looks forward to the jobs the project could bring. “We’d all like to see jobs paying

$70,000 with full benefits, but it will fulfill a need,” he said. “I’m a believer that a rising tide floats all boats — more jobs is better than no jobs.” Jezak said many of the original issues with the project have been reconciled, including the question of the mall infringing upon the historical significance of the Battle of Fallen Timbers. Part of the solution included buffering the battlefield site with landscape and limiting commercial access, individual curb cuts and highintensity lighting along Jerome Road. “We tried to address the issue in the overlay,” he said, anticipating the development of the battlefield as a historical marker. Jezak said he had issues with the former zoning where the mall is to be built, as there were few limitations to how much retail could go in. “I’ve always favored balanced growth,” he said, noting the success of Arrowhead Park with its mixture of retail, commercial and office space. The issue was resolved once Maumee worked with the developers to agree that no more than half of the development west of I-475 could be used for retail. “The problems are now reconciled,” he said. “It’s now a matter of GGP to get leases signed and commence construction. The ball is in the developer’s court — we hope it will be everything we expect it to be.”

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he real estate industry has been leading the fight to protect your biggest investment — your home — from unfair, selective taxes. For the past five months, Ohio’s reSally Wylie altors have aggressively lobbied state lawmakers, voicing concerns over Governor Bob Taft’s plan to increase the tax on the “American Dream.” Gov. Taft looked to increase the tax burden of Ohio’s property owners to solve a shortfall in the state budget. Among the areas he proposed taxing: creating a new, statewide transfer tax and immediate elimination of the 10 percent commercial property tax rollback. What’s a transfer tax, you ask? Your friends, relatives and neighbors are probably asking the same question. Ohioans already pay local real estate transfer taxes, ranging from 1 mil to 4 mil depending on the county where you reside. For every 1 mil assessed a property owner pays $1 per $1,000 of the home’s sale price. You get nothing for it; just the privilege of selling your home. The Governor’s plan was to add to your tax burden. We’re hopeful that a majority of the Senate will agree to side with property owners and reject the transfer tax proposal when it votes on the budget soon. Because the budget package passed by the House and Senate will differ, the matter will go to Conference Committee before it goes to the Governor’s desk for his signature. Realtors are working to prevent the immediate elimination of the 10 percent rollback on commercial and industry property taxes. If this were to pass, property values will decline, rents for apartments and offices will go up and vacancies will rise. The real estate industry represents a segment of our state’s economy that has helped keep the rest of the economy afloat during the last few years of an otherwise difficult recessionary period. Last year on the residential side of our industry alone, Ohio realtors facilitated property sales totaling more than $22 billion. This was an alltime record high for our state, and when you factor in the ripple effect resulting from homebuyers purchasing appliances, carpeting, furniture and other housing-related items, the total contribution to Ohio’s economy in 2004 resulting from the sale of homes is staggering. Please join me and the 34,000 realtors in Ohio and tell your state legislators to reject the plan to create a new, 1 mil statewide transfer tax and retain the 10 percent rollback on commercial property taxes. For information, visit www.ProtectingTheAmericanDream.com. Sally Wylie is the president of the Toledo Board of Realtors.

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SPORTS 

Start hoops star Saundra Brown signs with University of Detroit, page 18

Samson Continued from page 16

A smart investment?

Tom Noe reportedly invested in sports memorabilia — should you?, page 18

SAMSON POWER

KOZ’S CORNER

Chris Kozak

Wrestler goes to mat for America

Whitmer junior Tim Samson will spend the summer wrestling in China and New Orleans.

Weekly Grounds Tickets can be purchased at Toledo-area Kroger Stores. Show your Kroger Plus Card and receive two tickets for the price of one.

July 4 -10 Highland Meadows Golf Club For information, call (419) 531-3277 Or visit www.jamiefarrowenscorning.com

SPORTS

June 8, 2005

Toledo Free Press photo by DM Stanﬁeld

ou gotta believe Tim Samson is secretly hoping that on the first day of his junior year next fall at Whitmer, some teacher asks him to write the obligatory “How I Spent My Summer” essay. “I’ll be able to fill up three pages,” he says with a laugh. While most 16-year-olds spend their summer doing “things” and “stuff,” Samson’s going to China and Louisiana to wrestle with the world. From June 13 through 22, Samson will visit China as part of a contingency of Ohio High School and Collegiate All-Stars through the World Sports Alliance; then in the first week of August he will travel to the bayou for the Junior National Olympics in New Orleans. At both competitions, he’ll wrestle some Greco Roman and some freestyle, both in the heavyweight division. “The kids will experience some great wrestling,” said Wade Genova, president of World Sports Alliance and coordinator of the China trip. “They’ll have joint training sessions and then four of five meets against the Chinese.” To date, his international travel has been Canada, so Samson is looking forward to the China trip with the expected hopes and dreams of a 16-year old. “I’m trying to take my skateboard,” he said.

Samson said he wants to skateboard the Great Wall. Last year, as a sophomore, Tim was second in the city championships, sectional champion and came in sixth at the state tournament as well as placing at a number of national tournaments. He’s dedicated his life to the sport, devoting six days a week, working out at the Team Toledo and Lake Erie Wrestling Clubs and competing on the weekends. His on-the-mat performance, along with his grades (an A and three B’s) have already garnered the attention of some of the top wrestling colleges, including Duke and VMI. But his ultimate goal is to serve his country. “Ever since I was a kid I wanted to be a Navy Seal,” he said. Samson is built like a Mack Truck and has the right mentality to become a tough SOB who can hurt you three ways with just his thumb. At 5-11, 235 pounds, he’s a boy creating a man’s body, and he wants to inﬂict some serious damage. Imagine being folded into a Dixie cup — that’s the hurt Samson is looking to place upon his opponents, and that’s what we want as an elite Navy Seal. “You can hurt someone legally” said Samson when asked what he likes about the sport. Last summer, Samson worked out with two-time Olympic champion Bruce Baumgartner and 2000 Olympic Greco Roman Wrestling Champion Rulon Gardner at wrestling camps, picking up not only important wrestling tips, but perhaps one of life’s most important lessons: “Don’t leave your balls open for a shot,” he said.

ON THE WEB

Rocket football fans ﬁnd camaraderie in cyberspace By Scott Calhoun Toledo Free Press Staff Writer news@toledofreepress.com

For some people, attending a University of Toledo football game is an opportunity to catch up with old friends. But for a growing legion of savvy cyberspace surfers, those conversations and friendships are taking place 24/7/365 with a simple click of the mouse. For fans who frequent online Rocket football sites, the message boards and fan forums are a bastion of informative, colorful discussions regarding everything a devoted Rocket football fan would ever need to know. “Threads cover a very wide spectrum. In season we’re discussing players, coaches, strategies, highlights, lowlights, upcoming and past opponents and so on,” said fan participant Karl Rofkar. “In the off season it gets far more diverse. There’s recruiting and practices to discuss, NFL drafts, politics and so on,” he added. The proliferation of the Rocket cyberspace community has not gone unnoticed by the UT Athletic Department. The responsibility of monitoring these sites has fallen upon Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations Paul Helgren. “I dread the message boards but I check them out,” he said. “Sometimes there is some bit of information, maybe a link to a story out there. “But there can be a lot of complaining and name-calling, so you can’t put too much emphasis on it. I strongly urge our coaches and players not to look at these message boards. It can be too hurtful to read the harsh and sometimes hateful comments of anonymous posters.” Two of the most popular sites include rocketfootball.net and toledorockets.com. Brian Nowicki launched rocketfootball.net in

May 2002 and still hosts the site. “I average over 4,000 visits and about 13,000 hits per week. These statistics come from over 300 unique visitors every week,” Nowicki said. Toledorockets.com, hosted by Mark Myers, is widely recognized as the original Rocket fan site and receives trafﬁc comparable to Nowicki’s. Discussions, however, are only 10 yards of the ﬁeld of online fan activity. “A lot of the Toledo online fans have gotten to know each other quite well. We meet at practices, games and occasionally gather at watering holes during the off season. They are a great bunch of guys and gals and their numbers are steadily increasing,” said fan Pat “Ranger Rocket” Ryan. “There are a lot of great discussions, and a lot of just plain, silly ones,” said cyber fan Joe Power. It should be pointed out that for Power, the internet is about more than Rocket football — he met his wife on one of the Rocket fan sites.

ON THE WEB www.ncaabbs.com www.rocketfootball.net www.toledorockets.com www.toledorocketfans.com

Archbold among state title champs Associated Press

Gibsonburg’s first state baseball championship couldn’t have been more improbable. The Golden Bears entered the postseason with a 6-17 record and won eight consecutive games, culminating with a 6-5 victory over Lancaster Fisher Catholic in the Division IV title game on Saturday in Columbus. Gibsonburg is the first state baseball champ to lose more than 12 games. Its final win of the season wasn’t secured until there were two outs in the last inning, when Derek Hetrick singled home the goahead run. Fisher Catholic’s Tyler Welch allowed the unearned run in the top of the seventh after not yielding a hit in his first 2 2-3 innings of relief. Wes Milleson reached on an error by Fisher Catholic third baseman Greg Connell and stole second. Welch then intentionally walked Thom Brinker before Hetrick singled in Milleson to give Gibsonburg a 6-5 lead. The Golden Bears won even through they committed five errors that handed the Irish (26-8) five unearned runs. In the other state final on Saturday in Columbus, Hebron Lakewood won the Division II title game 2-1 over Hamilton Badin on J.P. Keefe’s home run to lead off the bottom of the seventh inning. In Dayton, Archbold beat Frankfort Adena 7-1 for the Division III crown and Cincinnati Elder defeated Toledo Start 3-0 to win the championship in Division I. Keefe’s shot to left field off Badin’s Jerr y Young made the Lancers (32-2) state champions for the third time and prevented the Rams (24-7) from winning a third baseball crown.

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SPORTS

June 8, 2005

IN THE NEWS 2005 YOUTH & ADULT BASEBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

Is memorabilia a safe investment? By Chris Kozak Toledo Free Press Staff Writer ckozak@toledofreepress.com

It’s safe to assume that once LeBron James has college-age children, he will have the means to send them to college. But what about LeBron sending your kids to college? The Tom Noe coin investigation records show that he expanded his state-provided allotment to invest in sports memorabilia for the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation portfolio. Among the items reportedly taken from Noe’s ofﬁce by the State Highway Patrol: • 975 LeBron James rookie cards • Lance Armstrong autographed jersey • Torches from the 1972 Munich and 1974 Sarajevo Olympics • Ted Williams signed bat collection • 1980 Olympics “Miracle on Ice” hockey tickets • Autographed Mickey Mantle pictures But should the average investor consider sports memorabilia as an investment option? Will an autographed Jim Brown pigskin help your kids get their sheepskin? Bob Wilke co-hosts the nationally syndicated radio program “The Traders Speak Collecting Hour,” sort of an “Antique Road-

show” for sports memorabilia, and has been in the industry for more than 30 years. “Certainly there are items from the sports collectibles world that have proved to be great investments,” Wilke told Toledo Free Press. “There’s risk in anything. But you minimize the risk by buying quality and items that are in great condition.” Originally created at the turn of the century to sell tobacco, baseball cards evolved as a way to sell bubblegum. Today, the cards are considered to have such large ﬁnancial rewards that they don’t even put gum in the packs for fear they will damage the cards. “People who collected years ago, we had fun with them,” Wilke said. “Today you’re afraid to even pick them up and hold them because you don’t want to damage them.” Baseball cards are “graded” on a scale of one to 10 by Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), and of course, worth more depending upon whom they feature. So a 1968 PSA 10 Nolan Ryan is worth considerably more then a 1980 PSA 3 Joe Charboneau. A look at top-tier cards, in pristine condition, shows that serious money can be had. In 1993, a PSA 10 1952 Mickey Mantle was sold for $50,000. In 2001 a PSA 10 1952 Mantle went for $275,000. In 1996 a PSA Honus Wagner was sold for $640,500. In 2000 the same card

went for $1,265,00. “If you don’t have a big budget, can’t afford to buy a PSA 10 1952 Mantle, then I wouldn’t look at it as an investment,” Wilke said. “I would look at it as fun. Have fun collecting.” So should you start stockpiling LeBron rookie cards in the event you son doesn’t develop a jump shot the pros will crave? “I don’t recommend it. Not if that’s your goal,” Wilke said. “And I’m not picking on LeBron James. Any current ballplayer is too volatile. You never know what is going to happen.” Always go with the tried and true method: an athlete that’s already had his career. His statistics and reputation are already behind him. There’s no risk that something is going to happen that’s going to totally wipe out whatever future his collectibles may have.”

ON THE WEB http://thetradersspeak.com

Start hoops star signs with Detroit

0.000 0.000

Start High School basketball player Saundra Brown has singed a national letter of intent to continue her hoops career at the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM). “It’s like a big family there and they made me feel good when I visited,” she said. Last season, Brown, who stands 5’10 and started at center, was third team All-City for the Spartans. She also competed in a number of area All-Star games. Recruited by a number of Division II schools, Brown ultimately decided upon UDM because they were the only Division I school to offer a full scholarship. “I’m looking forward to learning

more and improving my abilities,” she said. Brown plans to major in Business Administration. She graduated with a 3.0 GPA and is active as a youth coordinator for her church. UDM competes in the Horizon BROWN League, and last year posted a 9-19 record. — Chris Kozak

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UNTANGLED VINE

A perfect wine for barbecue Cooking for fathers less structure and extraction than their red brethren, but are made from red grapes such as Pinot Noir, Grenache, Syrah, BQ season is upon us. To Cabernet Franc or a host of many Midwesterners, other red varietals. They are including myself, this best served with a slight chill, means one of a few types of and they are never, ever sweet, cuisine: either the sausage subset unlike White Zinfandel. (a gourmet approach would be Speaking of Zinfandel, the to marinate in beer for several Adam Mahler red version, or as most people hours) or the burger subset. like to call it, just Zinfandel, is Deviation from these two disperfect for many types of grilling. For under $20, ciplines usually resulted in charred, relatively exyou can usually score with a spicy, ripe, juicy Zin pensive cuts of meat best served in a restaurant from Sonoma. I have been fortunate enough to on someone else’s tab. sample wine and cuisine from some of the best Since I have been involved in the wine and food chefs and winemakers in the world, but the single industry, I discovered that a good bottle, or more, greatest wine and food pairing moof the right wine can elevate the event of grilling. ment for me came unexpectedly Last week, while visiting with Jim Heltebrake last year. of Anderson’s on Talmadge Road, we talked about My chef friend, Chris, made wine and grilling. His eyes lit up, and he spoke in his signature chipotle ribs for an an inspired tone about how grilling and wine can event, and I nonchalantly paired be ritualistic, and how opening a bottle when you it with a $13 bottle of Zinfandel. first light the grill can, and should, be a symbiotic It was the most perfect pairexperience. ing I have ever seen, and it As you pour your first glass, the wine helps to was so ... American. get your juices flowing, creatively and digestively. As I began experimentSo, with source of inspiration in hand, how do you ing with the grill, and bringselect the perfect grilling wine? ing in new proteins and Dry Rosés are summertime in a glass! I beat sauces, I found that if it’s this drum incessantly, and every time the weather grilled, it’s easy to match warms up, I tell myself that this will be the sumwine with. I always recommer when America finally gets it! mend a Spanish Grenache, a Dry Rosés are perfect for a warm summer Cru Beaujolais, or the right day, lighting the grill, and noshing on any number Aussie Shiraz with the grill. of classic BBQ (the noun, not the verb) starters. As always, shop for wine only Rosés are essentially red wines, with less conin an establishment where the centration (yes, they are pink, but that doesn’t staff is based in the wine department and are make them any less manly). They generally have knowledgeable. By Adam Mahler Toledo Free Press Food/Dining Editor amahler@toledofreepress.com

Hey, Downtown Toledo — You Have Been Great!

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y Dad was a brewski kinda guy. Beer was his beverage of choice for any occasion, even breakfast. Although I am not a beer drinker, it always tastes like ... well, beer, I love to cook with the stuff. It lends a distinctive earthiness to dishes that I find appealing. Beer Can Chicken, Drunken Chicken, Dancing Chicken, Chicken on a Throne, or Beer Butt Chicken is what I write of. The name I use is not fit to publish in this column. No matter the name, the browned-to-perfection roasted bird elicits ooohs and aaahhs after the first bite, and the comical presentation of a bird perched on a beer can cannot be ignored. The name and origins of this legendary dish are obscure, but the process by which it cooks is not. Basically, the bird is steamed from the inside out by virtue of the can of beer stuck inside it. The meat stays tender and flavorful; the high temperature of the fire sears and seals the outside, making the skin crispilicious. Don’t use a stout, dark beer, the flavor is much too strong. Stick to lighter beers and try different ones to see which you like the best. For seasonings inside the beer you can use onion and garlic, or your favorite chicken seasoning Beer Can Chicken 1 (4-pound) whole chicken 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub 1 can beer

Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil, then rub inside and out with salt. Pepper and dry rub. Set aside. The best part for most Grill Kings! Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Then remove the rest of the can lid with a can opener or put additional holes in the top of the can with a church key. If using a Beer Can Chicken Roaster, follow the directions. Otherwise, place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, place the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-the-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod. Cook the chicken over mediumhigh, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Kelly Digby or rubs. The sky is the limit here. My sister puts barbecue sauce in the can of beer (she drinks half of it ﬁrst — the beer, not the sauce). She says it is the best barbequed chicken she has ever had and she spent years down south in BBQ country. The beer/BBQ concoction bastes the chicken with barbeque sauce from the inside and at the conclusion of roasting she brushes BBQ sauce on the outside too. Just a few things to remember: always use an open can of beer, never closed; always dump or drink half of the can of liquid before placing the chicken on it, it may rupture otherwise. Don’t forget veggies and dessert! Both can be made on the grill. Vegetables are as easy as slicing zucchini, yellow squash and sweet onions in half, brushing with balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and grill. BONUS RECIPE Greek Isle Shrimp in Parchment Packets 4 Servings 1-1/2 lbs. shelled, de-veined, uncooked medium shrimp 1/4 cup purchased basil pesto 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, drained 1 teaspoon Greek seasoning 8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled 1/4 cup sliced Kalamata olives 1 lemon, cut into 4 wedges Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut 4 pieces of parchment paper into 15”x12” rectangles. Fold parchment papers in half to form 12”x7-1/2” rectangles; unfold rectangles. In medium bowl, toss together shrimp and pesto. Divide shrimp evenly among parchment papers, placing next to fold. In same bowl, toss tomatoes with Greek seasoning. Top shrimp with tomatoes, cheese and olives. Squeeze lemon over each serving. Fold parchment paper over shrimp; tightly fold edges to seal. Place on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until parchment is light golden brown and puffed and shrimp turn pink. (To check, cut slit in 1 packet.) To serve, cut an “X” in each packet. Recipe courtesy of Kathy Hooker at Essential Gourmet; kathy@essential-gourmet.com.

43 Complain 44 Western or cheese breakfast 20dish 45 Bean counter, for short 46 Offered one’s seat 48 “Face the

7 8 9

magic words Sans mixers Word with high or Georgia First name in cosmetics Friedan’s cause From ___

ARTS&LIFE

June 8, 2005

Please see ANSWERS below

Robert Shiels

“DAIRY SOUNDS” by Lyle Goddard

Robert Shiels’ Weather Tip: In Northwest Ohio, more tornadoes occur in June than in any other month.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

ARTS&LIFE 

TEAR SHEET: Your guide to the Toledo zeitgeist, page 24

Resurrection

Verve Pipe front man Brian Vander Ark hits Toledo on Friday, page 22

Possible storms HI 92° LOW 67°

Possible storms HI 87° LOW 67°

Chance of rain HI 84° LOW 67°

Partly sunny HI 82° LOW 62°

3rd ROCK

Almanac By Elizabeth Hazel

Notes: Waxing 1st-2nd quarter Moon; Mercury enters Cancer and Mars enters Aries on June 11; Uranus retrogrades on June 14th.

Edited by Timothy E. Parker May 31, 2005

mind at rest 37 Word with series 50 Verdi opera blanket or 13 Hyperion’s 54 Commuter’s guard daughter alternative 41 Fictional 21 Indoor ball 58 Star estate material witnesses? 42 Dancer, 22 Weather 61 Unruffle informally word one’s 43 Kind of life 25 Volvo rivals feathers 44 Word form 26 Places in 62 Bema for “trillion’’ the heart neighbor 48 Evident 27 Song 63 Brief notice since birth accompain passing 51 ___ your nied by an 64 ___ living instructions alpenhorn, (support 52 Jewish perhaps oneself) calendar 29 High 65 Sports unit month noncoms 66 Declare 53 Agenda 30 Happily ever untrue contents ___ 67 Pertaining to 55 Dies follower 31 Labor leader the kidneys 56 Laura or who 68 Directional Bruce of film mysteriously suffixes 57 Long, disappeared DOWN narrow shoe 32 International size 1 Quantity of hold-up 58 ’60s-style man? cookies fashion 33 “Dead ___ 2 Sunny 59 “Honest’’ Society’’ farewell president 35 “High ___’’ 3 Stone60 Mixologist’s (Anderson washed staple play) material 4 Free from an obligation PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER 5 One of the Puzzle Answers Barbary States 6 “Beauty is jealous, and ___ bears …’’ (T. Jefferson) 7 Mekong River land 8 Once it was enough 9 Tenor Placido 10 Pair of blackjacks? 11 ___ New © 2005 Universal Press Syndicate York minute www.upuzzles.com 12 Last in a © 2005 Universal Press Syndicate www.upuzzles.com

PREVIOUS PUZZLE ANSWER

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Criminal divide

David Swesey feels safe.

Sally Hampton does not.

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Scorpio (October 23-November 21) A burst of velocity kicks problems to the curb on the 10th. Enjoy a weekend of fun and frolic. Reach out with love and passion from 12th-14th — your magnetism is super-charged. You may uncover a scummy scheme on the 13th.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) Offers on the 10-11th encourage you to re-imagine the future You. Possibilities appear in diverse shapes and sizes over the weekend. Acknowledge where preferences have shifted on the 13th-14th, as unrestricted perspectives will transform relationships and career.

Sagittarius (November 22-December 21) Make an effort to streamline/consolidate the hodgepodge that scatters your energies on the 10th-11th. Enjoy peace with home/family as the weekend arrives. Deep, abstract issues ﬁre your ire on the 13th14th, but stick to ﬁxing your corner of the world.

Cancer (June 22-July 22)

Making breaks from the past on the 9th-11th is both exhilarating and hard work. An unusual person supports or assists on the 12th. The 13th-16th are active and upbeat with delightful surprises and enhanced emotional contentment.

Capricorn (December 22-January 19) Social and romantic oppor tunities overﬂow during this period. Reconsider traits you think are attractive in self and others — what’s cute in kittens isn’t always cute in cats. Scheduling adjustments offer a welcome change of pace around the 14th. Aquarius (January 20-February 18)

Leo (July 23-August 22) People with skill or clout aid you on the 10th. Indulge in needed R & R over the weekend, with time to think and dream. Emotional transitions parallel ﬁnancial shifts around the 14th. Good friends help you get over the hump.

Get past indecision, as this period demands deliberate action and solid reasoning. Graciousness leads to ﬁnancial or career beneﬁts, so full schmooze ahead from 12th-16th. Lost papers or missing facts are retrieved on the 14th, and may avert troubles.

Virgo (August 23-September 22) Family chaos interrupts plans on the 10th; you’re torn between needs and wants over the weekend. Surprise invitations or information out of the blue on the 13th14th could revive an old relationship or lead to a new group of friends.

Dynamic action on the 10th will beneﬁt negotiations, but some questions require patience to resolve. The 12th favors experimenting with a new activity or food. Pay close attention to discussions on the 13th-15th — someone may be disguising a change of heart (is it you?).

untrue 67 Pertaining to the kidneys 68 Directional suffixes DOWN 1 Quantity of cookies 2 Sunny farewell 3 Stonewashed material 4 Free from an obligation 5 One of the Barbary States 6 “Beauty is jealous, and ___ bears …’’ (T. Jefferson) 7 Mekong River land 8 Once it was enough 9 Tenor Placido 10 Pair of blackjacks? 11 ___ New York minute 12 Last in a

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Taurus (April 20-May 20) Unexpected demands on the 10th-11th can become golden opportunities if seen through an innovative viewpoint. Luxuriate in pleasures over the weekend. Although expenditures on the 13th seem excessive, a fresh source of proﬁt drops in your lap on the 14th.

New World bird 23 Impede 24 Oppose 28 Employ scissors 30 Hurried, to Haydn 31 General Arnold’s nickname 34 VCR option 36 Native American people 38 “I ___ a Name’’ (Croce) 39 Award for “Curse of the Starving Class’’ 40 Sweeney Todd’s milieu 45 Erie mule of song 46 Large political campaign contributors 47 Popular hwy. 49 Set one’s

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Libra (September 23-October 22) The 10th-11th bring either/or considerations to your doorstep, but it boils down to consequences you can live with. Others openly admire your leadership skills and beneﬁts arrive from 12th-16th. Watch for recurring health issues.

“HURRY IT UP” by Jay Sullivan

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“HURRY IT UP” by Jay Sullivan ��

Aries (March 21-April 19) With applied effort on the 9th-10th, old business, quarrels or obstacles can be diplomatically resolved. Shift gears over the weekend, as new interests demand attention. Keep your sense of humor! Meaning and value become clear on 13th-14th — stay true to yourself.

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

Universal Crossword ACROSS 1 Issued a command to 5 Had the bug 10 Capital punishment? 14 Novelist Haley 15 Treeless plain 16 Clued-in regarding 17 Tuning fork’s output 18 Murk 19 Three cheers 20 Speedy New World bird 23 Impede 24 Oppose 28 Employ scissors 30 Hurried, to Haydn 31 General Arnold’s nickname 34 VCR option 36 Native American people 38 “I ___ a Name’’ (Croce) 39 Award for “Curse of the Starving Class’’ 40 Sweeney Todd’s milieu 45 Erie mule of song 46 Large political campaign contributors 47 Popular hwy. 49 Set one’s

June 9 - 16, 2005

Pisces (February 19-March 20)

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

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New books, from Beatles to Hercules By Michael S. Miller Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com

Paul McCartney is alive. Right? All those ridiculous rumors from decades ago were a farce. Right? In the new edition of “Turn Me On, Dead Man,” author Andru J. Reeve explores the origins of the “Paul is Dead” hoax that swirled from Ann Arbor to the world in 1969. The book is an exhaustively researched tale of how a smartass college newspaper reporter created a legend that extends deep into cyberspace, 35 years later. Fans scoured Beatles album covers and lyrics for “clues” that McCartney had been killed and replaced by a lookalike. The story was reported by the highest media authorities of the day, with newspapers printing lists of clues. In his book, Reeve explores 140 clues, from the lyric “I know what it’s like to be dead” in “She Said, She Said” to supposed backwards messages in the “Anthology” track “Free as a Bird”: “I hear that noise again ... Paul is dead.” Reeve recently spoke with Toledo Free Press about his work. Toledo Free Press: You mention in the book that you’ve talked to hundreds of sources, but never Paul himself. Andru Reeve: Paul is a hard man to reach! There are many layers of bureaucracy and I was not able to penetrate them. I sent queries through MPL Communications (Paul’s production company) and only received ‘no comment’ in return. However, Paul is well-represented in the book, as he did discuss the rumor a few times in the press. While he was usually quite reticent about “Paul-is-Dead” in the immediate years following its apex, he has been more open in discussing this little nugget of Beatle history during the last 15 years or so. He even named one of his albums “Paul is Live”! TFP: It’s amazing how many conspiracy theory Web sites exist

Sedaris ﬂexes wit with anthology choices When humorist David Sedaris compiles a collection of short stories to beneﬁt New York Children’s Tutoring Center, 826NYC, it’s worth sitting up and taking notice. “Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules,” a reference to Sedaris’ feelings looking up at the works of his writing heroes, from Dorothy Parker to Tobias Wolff, is broad in its range and sincere in its intentions. Please see SEDARIS, page 23

Dude, where’s the civility? By Reid Ahlbeck Special to Toledo Free Press

on this subject. AR: One of the main reasons I chose to update and revise “Turn me On, Dead Man” was because of the ﬂurry of Internet activity pertaining to this now decadesold rumor. Just a very cursory search of the Web will turn up at least 125 Web sites devoted to “Paul-Is-Dead.” Not only are these sites based in America; many originate in England, Italy,

Holland, Russia and Germany. The McCartney Death Rumor is alive and kicking — at least in cyberspace. Some of the kids running these Web sites are just as obsessed, if not more so, than their predecessors 36 years ago. One guy runs a Web site where he endeavors to prove that Paul McCartney did indeed die in 1966 and was replaced Please see BEATLES, page 23

Do you ever get the sneaking suspicion that all the love has gone out of American politics? Let’s take a quick survey of some best selling book titles on national politics and related issues to see if we don’t notice a general trend. “Rush Limbaugh is a Big, Fat Idiot: And Other Observations”; “Al Franken Is a Buck-Toothed Moron: And Other Observations”; “Stupid White Men and Other Sorry Please see CIVILITY, page 23

Barbara Goodman Shovers

Ink still has the power

ast March, for the ﬁrst time in my life, I wrote my congressperson. The Bush Administration had proposed candidates for two top jobs and I disagreed with the philosophies of both. Marcy’s response came quickly: she wasn’t the person to petition. The nominations of Paul Wolfowitz as head of the World Bank, and John Bolton as ambassador to the United Nations, are Senate, not House issues, she replied. Happily, in the age of the Internet, I copy-pasted the complaint to Senator Voinovich, then sat down to pat my back for civic activism. But I didn’t expect much to come of the correspondence. I’m at that cynical time in life, or maybe America’s at that cynical time in its life cycle, where Regular Folk, those of us without public voices or political actions committees, seem doomed to anonymity. While I still on my worst of worst of terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days thank God I was born in America in the 50s and not Europe in the 30s, there are more and more moments when I feel it might be naïve to think It Can’t Happen Here. Hence my concerns with Mr. Wolfowitz, a chief architect of (what I judge) our ﬂawed assault

��

Please see INK, page 22

ARTS&LIFE

TOLEDO CONFIDENTIAL

New places, old faces on the scene By Keith Bergman Toledo Free Press Staff Writer

t’s nice to be able to actually talk about gigs in less likely locations this week. Thursday, Howard’s in Bowling Green is hosting the Mike Keneally Band. Yeah, I said the same thing ... who? But this guy is considered one of the world’s best guitarists — a longtime collaborator of Frank Zappa, he’s jammed with everyone from Sting to Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. He’s also written and performed 45minute pieces of music for orchestra and electric guitar. Apparently, Keneally and bandmate Bryan Beller start the show with an acoustic set, followed by two hours of full-band performance. This could be one of those “best kept secret” shows, well worth investigating.

Into Something Good?

Friday night, if you’re not going to the Brian Vander Ark show at Mickey Finn’s (see below), you have several places to scratch an even older nostalgia itch. Out at Centennial Terrace, you can get a ﬁx of 70’s-style arena rock guitar prowess with Rick Derringer (“Rock and Roll Hoochie-Koo”) and the Edgar Winter Group. I dare you to go and NOT sing along to the guitar riff from “Frankenstein,” Beavis-and-Butthead style. Not far enough in the Wayback Machine for you? Head to the Miller Lite Pizza Challenge in the Westgate Shopping Center parking lot. Herman’s

Hermits featuring Peter Noone will be partying like it’s 1965, playing cheeky chestnuts like “Something Good” and, if fate is unkind, “Hen-e-ry the Eighth I Am.” Enjoy having that one stuck in your head for the rest of the day now. You’re welcome. Opening the show, local power popsters The Nu-Tones escape from their usual gig at the Village Idiot in Maumee and step into the sunshine. The ‘tones, who feature local celeb Doug “Dr. Shock” Agosti in their ranks, recently jammed with another moldy oldie, onetime Beatles drummer Pete Best, when the man and his band stopped in to the Idiot following their own gig at the Maumee Indoor. Saturday, the place to be is The Longhorn Saloon. This hole-in-the-wall at Phillips and Sylvania in West Toledo has shows every weekend night (although you wouldn’t know it from the complete lack of updates we get in the Free Press ofﬁces ... anyone listening?). The Deadbeat Moms, who I’ve raved about here before, are playing, as well as The Separation Tree, Amnesia and Adrian’s favorite sons, Chrome Helmet. These guys manage to sound radio-friendly and hardcore at the same time, with charismatic and gruff vocals, killer guitar riffs and relentlessly catchy rhythms. Great guys, great band and they sell their debut CD at shows for ﬁve bucks. Your assignment: go see them, get up front, buy one, thank me Monday.

Verve Pipe frontman hits Toledo Brian Vander Ark, vocalist for The Verve Pipe, the Lansing, Mich., band whose single “The Freshmen” was one of 1997’s biggest hits, comes to Toledo for a solo show at Mickey Finn’s Pub this Friday. Vander Ark is touring to support “Within Reach,” a solo acoustic release. His debut solo album, “Resurrection,” was released to great critical acclaim in March 2004. If “Within Reach” is any indication, fans can expect an eclectic set from Vander Ark. The live album features a Beatles cover, several gems from the Verve Pipe catalog, new songs from “Resurrection,” and the obligatory ﬁnale of “The Freshmen.” Fans of the Verve Pipe can take some comfort

despite the band’s four-year absence from the record racks and the departure of most of the band’s original lineup. Former label MCA has recently issued a “gold and platinum” greatest-hits album, and the band has at least one show scheduled, in Chicago, next month. Given Vander Ark’s new lease on life, however, his future appears to lie in his solo career. Brian Vander Ark plays Mickey Finn’s at 6 p.m. Friday. Local singer/songwriter Kate Pivorniunas opens the show. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, $15 day of show. For more information visit www.bvamusic.com. — Keith Bergman

June 8, 2005

Ink Continued from page 21 on Iraq, being awarded the job of deciding who in the world gets funding for what. And my concern that Mr. Bolton, a hotheaded UN foe, be given its numero uno negotiating position. I am not, you should know, a diehard UN defender. I used to live a couple blocks from one of its world headquarters and many of my friends were/are employees. But after trying my darnedest to determine what these people did/do on a day-to-day basis — past presenting voluminous white papers at posh conferences — I’m still mostly clueless And this doesn’t even touch on the bogosity of the UN’s Human Rights committee, which has invited serious rights abusers to lead it. Or the past actions of its so-called Peacekeepers. Or Koﬁ Annan’s son’s alleged involvement in the oil-for-food program. Still, I think the part of the UN that does work — the informal networking among member nations — is key to keeping the world talking. And having an individual who appears to disdain the complete organization — Mr. Bolton — threatens to squelch even that. Much to my surprise, shortly after I sent my letter, I learned that Senator Voinovich agreed. Paul Wolfowitz sailed straight through his conﬁrmation hearing. But the senator’s disapproval of Mr. Bolton was even more adamant and impassioned than mine.

Now maybe Senator Voinovich reached this conclusion without my input. Maybe it’s coincidence that he voted not to recommend Mr. Bolton. Maybe my letter never even made it past his eyeballs. But maybe it did. Maybe my opinion on one discrete public policy issue swayed an elected official. Maybe we Regular Folk are not as powerless as we think. I think letter-writing, yea verily a drop in the bucket of influence, might not be a bad way to communicate with our officials. No doubt personal letters have less sway than fundraiser table buying, but for the not-connected, they’re a start. So I’m going to stop whining about how powerless I am to impact societal change and suggest that those who feel similarly do the same. Send your views to the people with the power. With e-mail, it’s not even the cost of a stamp. My columns, by the way, are written about a week before publication. Because of this, information in them may be dated. By the time this makes it to print, for example, Mr. Bolton, despite Senator Voinovich’s hesitation, may have gotten the gig anyway. But that won’t make a difference to my point. Which is to do what you can with what you can. The pen/PC is not more powerful than the sword/cruise missile, but neither is it an obsolete weapon. Barbara Goodman Shovers is a Contributing Editor for the Toledo Free Press. She may be contacted at bshovers@toledofreepress.com.

ARTS&LIFE

June 8, 2005

Beatles Continued from page 21 by a lookalike who continues to record as “Paul” to this day. He presents, as evidence, hundreds of photographs comparing the man known as Paul McCartney from before and after 1966. He quite convincingly demonstrates that these are not the same man by utilizing forensic examination principles — the distance

Sedaris Continued from page 21 While “Children” has its share of laughs, it would be a far lesser book if it didn’t have its share of weightier material. “The Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri is one such story. It begins as a light-hearted side-by-side comparison of an Indian-American family visiting India and Mr. Kapasi, their native tour guide, who keenly observes them. What could continue as cultural criticism of American bloat evolves into a story of hidden desires and

between the eyes, the shape of the chin, the dimensions of the skull — physical properties which should not change so dramatically, even as a person ages. This guy is brilliant in his obsession. His examination is breathtaking in its detail. TFP: Does this death talk skew your ability to enjoy Beatles music? AR: Back in 1988, when I was assembling the first edition of my book, I actually spooked myself a couple of times. One time, on a dark and stormy night, I

was alone in my apartment, listening to the “Magical Mystery Tour” album. When the song “I Am The Walrus” came on, suddenly it occurred to me that John Lennon was telling the tale of Paul’s death — at least, that’s how it struck me at that moment. While I’m more skeptical now about the song’s intentions, back then I was scared for the rest of the night. When you steep yourself in a macabre mystery dealing with death, it sometimes can be hazardous to

your mental health! TFP: What happens to the rumor when the inevitable happens and Paul does pass? AR: Will this rumor ﬁnally die when Paul does? Or will the cluesters triumphantly trumpet: “See? I told you he was dead!” No, seriously, the “Paul-Is-Dead” rumor will always be a part of the Beatles’ legacy, whether they like it or not. It’s an indication of how important and paradigm-shattering they were. In the world of rock ‘n’ roll music, the Beatles

were true gods. Of course, myths have and will continue to develop around them. Is Paul really dead? Was the rumor true? I don’t think so, and 98 percent of the public doesn’t think so. But I think we can all agree that something like this will probably never happen again — that is, unless there is someday another Beatles. In the meantime, Paul McCartney is alive, and when he ﬁnally does go the way we all do, rumormongers and debunkers alike will shed very real tears.

quiet unhappiness. Mrs. Das ﬁnds Mr. Kapasi’s second job as a translator for a doctor fascinating. Mrs. Das’ reasons for connecting with him are darker than he’d suspected. The thrill of an anthology is that one may read something like “Interpreter of Maladies” that truly surprises, that makes one want to seek out the author’s larger body of work. In his introduction, Sedaris marvels at the writers’ talent: “Look what’s possible, I think. Look what people have managed to do!”

Civility

“The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy: The Untold Story of How Democratic Operatives, Eccentric Billionaires, Liberal Activists, and Assorted Celebrities Tried to Bring Down a President, and Why They’ll Try Even Harder Next Time”; “The New Thought Police: Inside the Left’s Assault on Free Speech and Free Minds”; “The Republican Noise Machine: Right-Wing Media and How it Corrupts Democracy”; “South Park Conservatives: The Revolt Against Liberal Media Bias”; “What Liberal Media? The Truth About Bias and the News”; “Liberalism is a Mental Disorder”; “Fraud: The Strategy Behind the Bush Lies and Why the Media Didn’t Tell You”; “Do Gooders: How Liberals Hurt Those They Claim to Help (And the Rest of Us)”; “Where the Right Went Wrong: How Neoconservatives Subverted the Reagan Revolution and Hijacked the Bush Presidency”; “Downsize This!”; “The Burden of Bad Ideas: How Modern [Liberal] Intellectuals Misshape Our Society”; “Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush”; “Hating Whitey: And Other Progressive Causes”; “Tenured Radicals: How Politics has Corrupt-

ed Our Higher Education”; “Who Stole Feminism?: How Women Have Betrayed Women”; “The War Against Boys: How Misguided Feminism Is Harming Our Young Men”; “Treason: Liberal Treachery from the Cold War to the War on Terrorism”; “The Savage Nation: Saving America from the Liberal Assault on Our Borders, Language and Culture”; “Fashionable Nonsense: [Liberal] Postmodern Intellectuals’ Abuse of Science”; “Deliver Us From Evil: Defeating Terrorism, Despotism and Liberalism”; “The Killing of History: How [Postmodern/Liberal] Literary Critics and Social Theorists are Murdering Our Past”; “Literature Lost: [Liberal] Social Agendas and the Corruption of the Humanities”; Yep, no doubt about it, politics is a dirty business. I tried to construct a more or less fair and balanced liberal/conservative/liberal/conservative inventory, but there seem to be a lot more “conservative bites liberal” books around. I guess that’s either because conservatives are a lot meaner than liberals, or maybe because liberals deserve a lot more slamming. After you read all of these books, perhaps you’ll be able to judge for yourself.

— Japiya Burns

Continued from page 21 Excuses for the State of the Nation”; “Michael Moore is a Big Fat Stupid White Man”; “Useful Idiots: How Liberals Got it Wrong in the Cold War and Still Blame America First”; “Bushwhacked: Life in George W. Bush’s America”; “How to Talk to a Liberal (If You Must): The World According to Ann Coulter”; “Lies and the Lying Liars that Tell Them: A Fair and Balanced Look at the Right”; “Slander: Liberal Lies About the American Right”; “The Lies of George W. Bush: Mastering the Politics of Deception”; “Intellectual Morons: How Ideology Makes Smart [Liberal] People Fall for Stupid Ideas”; “Blinded by the Right: The Conscience of an Ex-Conservative”; “Why the Left Hates America: Exposing the Lies That Have Obscured our Nation’s Greatness”; “The I Hate Ann Coulter, Bill O’Reilly, Rush Limbaugh, Michael Savage, Sean Hannity Reader: The Hideous Truth About America’s Ugliest Conservatives”; “The AntiChomsky Reader”; “Chomsky Reader”; “The Ofﬁcial Handbook of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy”;

> NEW ON CD: COLDPLAY, ‘X&Y’; THE WHITE STRIPES, ‘GET BEHIND ME SATAN’; RAY CHARLES, ‘IN CONCERT’

JUNE 08-09-10-11 -12 -13 -14 05 Where are the life boats?

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 OVE RHE ARD

“They just watched ‘Titanic.’ ” > Man to others in packed elevator after three of his colleagues refused to get on; Toledo Edison.

Sewn with hope, the “Vintage Promise” quilt, created by 39 quilters, will be displayed at the annual Art in the Garden in Sylvania, June 11. The quilt is a product of Promise Quilters, a group of breast cancer survivors and friends. The quilt is shown off at various venues and then rafﬂed after the Komen Race for the Cure, September 18. The quilts have been rafﬂed off each year since 1997, raising more than $100,000 to date. Proceeds go toward funding grants related to screening, treatment and education, and breast cancer research. “This is a grassroots project,” Mary Greeno, a breast cancer survivor and founder of the Promise Quilters, said. “It’s very rewarding to see the public response of our project.”

Catch a ride for lunch with the TARTA Trolley. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, you can catch the Lunch Line route to dozens of restaurants for 25 cents. Groups of any size can participate in a call-ahead service by calling (419) 2437433 by 10 a.m. Scheduled groups will be picked up and taken to the restaurant of their choice, then picked up 45 minutes later. For route info, call (419) 243-RIDE or visit www.tarta.com. Read a book, save a pet Maumee Valley Save-a-Pet will hold a book sale at the old Thackeray’s location, Westgate. Save-a-Pet, founded in 1977, is an all-volunteer, non-proﬁt, no-kill organization that promotes responsible pet adoptions. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., June 8 to June 11; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 12.

tear sheet

Through September 5, COSI Toledo will feature a brand new summer exhibit filled with huge carnivorous marine reptiles, gigantic flesh-eating fish big enough to swallow an adult human, flying reptiles with threefoot skulls. Unrivaled for their amazing varieties, voracious appetites, incredible teeth and gaping jaws, the creatures of the Cretaceous Period are unlike anything known in today’s world; call 1-800-334-COSI for exhibit information.

ZOOTODO The Toledo Zoo’s annual black-tieand-tennis-shoe event is a wild way to spend a night out. ZOOtoDO raises funds for development of Zoo exhibits and programs. Tickets for ZOOtoDO 2005 are $150 per person ($125 for members of the Zoo’s President’s Circle and Companies for Kids programs) and include all food and entertainment. Contact the Zoo at (419) 385-5721 or robin.brown@toledozoo.org to purchase your tickets.

Mickey Finn’s Pub

TEAR SHEET SPONSORED BY

Vistula Film Showcase Cheap Date Night!

Admission free, showtime 9 p.m.

Lagrange at Huron

Rare Earth returns to Toledo to make a second appearance at the Miller Lite Pizza Challenge, June 10-11 at Westgate Shopping Center. The band, who found original success during the Vietnam era, performed for the event six years ago. In an interview with Toledo Free Press, original band member Gil Bridges said the band will play favorites “Big John,” “Get Ready,” “Tabasco Road,” and “I Just Want to Celebrate,” among others. There will also be T-shirts and photos for sale, and the band will hold a signing after the show. “We have a great reception, especially from Baby Boomers,” Bridges said. “We’re ﬁnding a lot of their kids like our music as well.” The Pizza Challenge will also showcase Bonkers, The Nutones and Herman’s Hermits featuring Peter Noone. $8 admission, 12 and under free. Free parking and a children’s carnival area. The event beneﬁts Lourdes College and Toledo Opera.

Take a garden tour, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., June 18 at South Toledo homes along River Road. Rain or shine. “In Another Garden” proceeds will beneﬁt the Toledo Day Nursery, a United Way agency, which assists many low-income, single parent households with educational needs. Transportation will be provided from Toledo Christian School, Brookford Dr., and refreshments and garden items will be available for sale along the route. Tickets may be purchased for $15 before the event at Glendale Florists, Joe I. Cooper Florist, Barnes and Noble, Garden Delights, Ken’s Flowers, or David Swesey Florist, or for $20 the day of.

(419) 246-3466

1st Mon: Independent ﬁlms (every Monday) 2nd Mon: Dr. Shock’s Tales of Terror 3rd Mon: Rocky Horror Picture Show 4th Mon: Three Stooges Extravaganza

— Myndi Milliken

Make-A-Wish will host its annual Bedrock Miniature Golf Course Outing, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., June 16 at Bedrock Miniature Golf Course, 6400 Jackman Rd., Temperance, Mich. Bring your family and meet “The Flintstones.” There will also be prizes, clowns and face painting. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at event, and include golf, food, and soft drinks; (419) 244-9474.

Rogue Blades “Lord of the Rings” fans who’ve always wanted to learn how to whack something with a broadsword will have their chance when the Rogue Blades come to the Toledo Public Library. The Blades are a sword-ﬁghting comedy group popular at Renaissance festivals. Their show features an arrogant knight, his bumbling squire, a deadly rogue and much clashing of polished steel. The Rogue Blades will be at the Sanger Branch Library, 3030 West Central, Toledo from 6:30-8 p.m. June 13. The program is recommended for grades 6-12, and children under eight must be accompanied by an adult to avoid loss of life and limb. Registration is required at (419) 259-5370. B.Y.O. Orc. — Lauri Donahue

Nursery open house Toledo animals at Nature’s Nursery in Whitehouse are rarely open to public display, but June 12 will see the second of ﬁve open houses. “Our animals need little human contact,” said Karen Ash from the Center for Wildlife Rehabilitation and Conservation Education, but open houses “give us a chance to show the community who we are, what we do and how we do it.” Nature’s Nursery takes in Toledo animals that have been wounded and hopes to send them back into the wild. Several birds such as hawks, eagles, owls, falcons, and opossums have not made it back out into the wild due to the loss of an eye or a wing or too much contact with humans. The organization also educates the public on how to save lands for releasing those animals that are rehabilitated. For information call (419) 877-0060. — Jacqueline Rabe

MUSIC NOTES FRI, JUNE 10 Agora Theatre, Cleveland Architecture in Helsinki, Dr. Dog Alvin’s, Detroit Gym Class Heroes, Streetlight Manifesto, Whole Wheat Bread The Ark, Ann Arbor Josh White Jr. Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland Spoon, Milton Mapes Blind Pig, Ann Arbor Gatsby’s American Dream, Receiving End of Sirens, The Rocket Summer Centennial Terrace, Sylvania Edgar Winter Band, Rick Derringer Club Bijou Amanna 18, After Alice, Thee Static Rituals Detroit Festival of the Arts C.J. Chenier & The Red Hot Louisiana Band, Jimmy Scott Grog Shop, Cleveland Brazil House of Blues, Cleveland Ari Hest I-Rock Nightclub, Detroit Sniper Magic Stick, Detroit Ivy Mickey Finn’s Pub Brian Vander Ark, Kate Pivoriunas, The Baptist Accents

Music Hall Center, Detroit Natalie Cole The Odeon, Cleveland Project 44 Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland Powerman 5000 St. Andrew’s Hall, Detroit Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks Stranahan Theater Glenn Beck Toledo Museum of Art Libbey Court Hep Cat Revival The Underground Tough & Lovely, The Crown Jewels, The Deadbeat Moms, Rabbit Westgate Village Shopping Center Herman’s Hermits starring Peter Noone

SAT, JUNE 11 Agora Theatre, Cleveland Gym Class Heroes, June, Streetlight Manifesto, Whole Wheat Bread, Zolof The Rock & Roll Destroyer Alvin’s, Detroit Gatsby’s American Dream, Receiving End of Sirens, The Rocket Summer The Ark, Ann Arbor Ann Doyle, Doug Howell, Danny Cox Beachland Ballroom & Tavern, Cleveland Chuck Prophet, Helio

COMPILED BY VICKI L. KROLL Sequence, Rogue Wave, The Six Parts Seven, The Tough and Lovely Bleu, Detroit Kaskade Cleveland Music Hall Smokey Robinson Club Bijou Stohlen, First 48, Amanna 18 Corpus Christi University Parish 2005 Aeolus Festival featuring selections by Schoenberg, Moravec DTE Energy Music Theatre, Clarkson, Mich. Rascal Flatts, Blake Shelton Detroit Festival of the Arts The Gap Band, Connie Kaldor, Linda Tillery & The Cultural Heritage Choir, Raul Midon, Yerba Buena The Grid, Cleveland Queer As Folk — Ancient Babylon Tour featuring DJ Roland Belmares, RKM Grog Shop, Cleveland The Paybacks, Emanuel, From First to Last, Halifax, Nashville Pussy Harpo’s, Detroit Powerman 5000 House of Blues, Cleveland Kenny Wayne Shepherd Lagerhouse, Detroit Gore Gore Girls

BE THERE. DO THAT. COMMUNITY A Community Emergency Response Team: (CERT) training program to help residents know what to do in the event of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. June 10, free; (567) 661-7357 or 1-800-GO-OWENS.

ams Streets. Load, dig, dump, and drive heavy construction equipment; 1-800-334-COSI. The Toledo-Lucas County Public Library: kicks off its summer reading club June 13. Read at least 15 minutes per day for rewards. Free; (419) 259-5207.

FAMILY

FUNDRAISERS

Bible School: Calvin United Church of Christ, 9 a.m. to noon, June 13, 1946 Bakewell St.; (419) 691-3033. Dragon’s Delight Summer Puppet Show: for kids grades K-4, 10:30 a.m., Birmingham Branch Library; (419) 259-5210. The Science of Big Machines: June 12-19, COSI Toledo, at the corner of Summit and Ad-

Traveler’s Motorcycle Club: is hosting a Pizza Run, 6 p.m., June 11, 8950 Dorr St. Awards, beverages, and live music by Buck 69; (419) 865-6327. A beneﬁt for Dan Mossing: will be held from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m., June 11 at Local 12 Union Hall, 2300 Ashland Ave. DJ, dancing, door prizes, rafﬂes, and more. $20.00 includes

WPOS Christian Center The Pfeifers

Magic Stick, Detroit Autolux, Whirlwind Heat The Shelter, Detroit Backyard Babies

SUN, JUNE 12 The Ark, Ann Arbor Alvin Youngblood Hart’s Muscle Theory Detroit Festival of the Arts Chris Smither, Connie Kaldor, Delbert McClinton, John Lee Hooker, Ollabelle The Odeon, Cleveland Copeland, Denison Witmer, Rainer Maria Pirates Cove, Cleveland Backyard Babies Promenade Park LatinoFest V featuring Grupo Deseo, Tejano Sound, Bad Boys, Energia, Invenzible, Grupo Maximo, El Corazon de Mexico Wilbert’s Food & Music, Cleveland Mike Keneally

MON, JUNE 13 Alvin’s, Detroit Comeback Kid, Modern Life Is War, Sinai Beach, Terror The Ark, Ann Arbor Connie Kaldor, Eleni Kelakos Hi-Fi Club, Cleveland Miggs

TUES, JUNE 14 The Ark, Ann Arbor Xavier Rudd House of Blues, Cleveland Deep Purple, Mountain featuring Leslie West and Corky Laing Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland Buckwheat Zydeco West Masonic Temple Gym Class Heroes, Streetlight Manifesto, Whole Wheat Bread Wildwood Metropark Preserve Manor House Skoobie Snaks

WED, JUNE 15 Nate & Wally’s Fishbowl, BG The Apes, The Fury Magic Stick, Detroit Head Automatica, I Am the Avalanche Majestic Theatre, Detroit Johnny Dowd, Neko Case Peabody’s Down Under, Cleveland Phunk Junkeez Toledo-Lucas County Public Library North Lawn of Main Library Jason Quick Trio

SUBMIT YOUR EVENT INFORMATION TO EVENTS@TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM dinner and 2 drinks; (419) 251-4734. Donations may be made at any Key Bank to the Dan Mossing Fund. “Taco Bar”: beneﬁt for Chloe Nickens starting at 4:30 p.m., June 12 at Jalapeno’s Restaurant & Cantina, 519 N. Reynolds Rd. A ﬁve-dollar donation at the door will go to the Chloe Nickens Fund. Entertainment provided by Thunder Road Band.

ENTERTAINMENT The Johnny Knorr Orchestra: The Songs of Glenn Miller, June 18 at Centennial Terrace, 5773 Centennial Rd., Sylvania; (419) 882-1500. Blue Moon: plays blues and folk at the Brown Bag Concert, 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m.

June 8, at the Main Library, 325 Michigan St. Free; (419) 259-5207.

PROFESSIONAL MOSAIC: the Toledo Museum of Art’s mid-career professional group, will host its 87th annual Toledo Area Artists exhibition from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., June 10. Cash Bar and Hors d’oeuvres and entertainment by Hep Cat Revival; food is free for Museum members and $15 for non-members; (419)255-8000.

RECREATION Splash!: Kids ages three to 12 can learn swimming and water safety at Splash, June 13 to 17 at participating YMCAs and the Jewish Community Center

(JCC). The program is free; call or visit your local YMCA or JCC for details. Eat to the Beat Thursdays: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., June 16 in Levis Square, Madison and St. Clair streets. Johnny Reed & the Houserockers will entertain. $5 box lunch optional; no admission.

MISC. National syndicated talk show host Glenn Beck: will appear at The Andersons Maumee store from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., June 10; (419) 891-6428.

Submissions for Be There Do That are due by noon Thursday.

QUIT SMOKING, EARN REWARDS

JUNE 9 GARAGE ROCK II BANDS Stereomod — Performing at 8 p.m. The band’s single “Here with Me” is currently being spun at several college radio stations in the area. The fusion of their evolving yet refreshingly familiar sound draws from many modern inﬂuences as well as a shared desire to challenge the boundaries of their genre. Though each member of Stereomod brings a different element to the band, they all have the same goal in mind. Brothers Eric and Anthony have always been surrounded by music. Vanderbee — Performing at 7:15 p.m. Vanderbee has just recorded a new 6 track EP called “Good to See Ya.” Falling Back — Performing at 6:30 p.m. Creating music that inspires them, Falling Back is known for a melodic/heavy sound and for their deep lyrics based on reality, hardship, pressure and any trauma in life. Show begins 6:30 p.m. at Main Library, 325 Michigan St. For info, call (419) 259-5381.

Majestic Theatre, Detroit Lucero, Straylight Run, The Get Up Kids Mickey Finn’s Pub Courageous Minority Nighttown, Cleveland Jeff Berlin The Odeon, Cleveland The Clarks, Adam Richman Pirates Cove, Cleveland Agent Orange Prairie Home Companion, Cleveland Mollie O’Brien Promenade Park LatinoFest V featuring Vizion, Explosion Latina, Dajavu, Alofoque, Oro Solido, David Lee Garza y Los Musicales Sauder Village, Archbold Gospel music concert featuring Dixie Melody Boys, Heart in Praise, Jimmy Stewart Savannah’s Bar & Grill, Cleveland The Bruce Katz Band Scene Pavilion, Cleveland Modena Vox The Underground Showbread, As Cities Burn, Loreen Drive, After Trust Is Betrayed, The Dawning, A Red Day, Clive Staples Westgate Village Shopping Center Rare Earth The Winchester, Cleveland Country Joe McDonald

STEREOMOD

VANDERBEE

Ohio’s proposed cigarette tax is designed in part to put pressure on smokers to quit. To help smokers kick the habit, Lucas County Tobacco Prevention Coalition and Super Fitness are hosting “Quit Smoking, Get in Shape, and Earn Rewards!” “Quit Smoking, Get in Shape and Earn rewards!” will help participants quit through a series of local stop smoking programs. Super Fitness will hand out free memberships and the ﬁrst 50 who successfully quit will earn cash prizes. An increased cigarette tax “could bring as much as $1-$1.25 on each pack of cigarettes sold in additional revenue, but every pack smoked costs Ohio taxpayers $6.89 in tax-funded healthcare and lost productivity” said Kathy Silvestri, President of the Lucas County Tobacco Prevention Coalition. “We want to save money and lives.” This tax “will help many smokers make up their minds that it’s time to quit, but we also know quitting is very tough,” said Debbie Matthews, Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist at St. Luke’s Hospital. Register at any Super Fitness or visit www.tobaccoalliance.org/ news/quitandshape. Registration ends June 9. For more assistance, call the Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUITNOW. — Jacqueline Rabe

L AT I N O F E S T If you head Downtown to LatinoFest to see David Lee Garza y Los Musicales, be ready to dance. “We like to see people dancing. If they stand right in front of the stage and they just look at me, I feel like we’re not doing our job,” GARZA Garza said last week from his home in Poteet, Texas. “We’re not a show band — it’s straight-ahead music.” That’s been a recipe for success for the Tejano superstar. The accordionist has recorded more than 20 albums since 1978. And he won a Grammy Award in February for Best Tejano Recording for “Polkas, Gritos y Acordeónes,” a compilation with Joel Gúzman and Sunny Sauceda. “I’ve been nominated four or five times. I’ve been to L.A. three times, to New York once for the awards. This time I decided not to go. I thought, ‘We’re not going to win’ — it was a compilation CD,” Garza said. “I was in the back yard at a barbecue party when I got the call.” He’s been fired up about music as long as he can remember, thanks to his father, Tony Garza. “I started playing the drums first and he said, ‘If you want a challenge ...’ and threw an accordion at me.” Garza was six years old. He left the drums to his brother, Adam. His brother, Richard, plays bass. Their cousin, Oscar Montemayor, is on saxophone. Rounding out Los Musicales are keyboardist Daniel Fernández, guitarist John Anthony Cruz, guitarist and vocalist Billy O’Rourke and singer Mark Ledesma. The band has launched careers for several singers, including Ram Herrera and Emilio and Jay Perez. “We’re very blessed to find these guys who are great singers. After a while, they want to branch out on their own,” Garza said. “My dad taught us to roll with the punches, so we just keep going and find another singer.” David Lee Garza y Los Musicales will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday at Promenade Park. Tickets are $7 per day for LatinoFest, which continues Sunday. Children 12 and younger free. For a complete schedule, go to www.citifest.org/main.asp and click on LatinoFest. LatinoFest: Promenade Park Saturday 1:30 Imagenes Mexicanos Dance Troupe 2:15 Somos Tres 3 Vizion 4:30 Explosion Latina 5 Dejavu 6:15 Alofoque 7:30 Oro Solido 8:30 Explosion Latina 9 David Lee Garza y Los Musicales

Sunday

Noon Corazón de Mexico Dance Troupe 12:30 Deseo 1:45 Bad Boys 3:30 Tejano Sound 4:30 Energia 5:15 Invenzible 6:30 Maximo — Vicki L. Kroll

ARTS&LIFE

June 8, 2005

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June 8, 2005

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The word “garden” can be taken as both noun and verb. It’s truly difﬁcult to say which is more rewarding or enriching. As a noun, it’s a beauty spot bestowing peace; and as a verb, it’s an avocation imparting a sense of accomplishment. Mike Keil tends to business, giving the ﬂowers one of two daily waterings at Louis Keil & Sons Greenhouse, 9022 W. Central Ave. “I’ve been in the business since I was this high (he motioned with his hand to indicate knee-high). This business was started more than 45 years ago by my grandfather.” Technical information: this photo taken at 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 100 and 28mm with a Minolta Dimage 7Hi.

FILM REVIEW

‘Cinderella’ wears boxing gloves By Lauri Donahue Special to Toledo Free Press

“Cinderella Man” is one of those increasingly rare studio films that feels like it was crafted by artisans rather than manufactured by androids. It’s based on the true story of James Braddock, a down-on-his-luck boxer who made an amazing comeback, facing Max Baer for the heavyweight championship and bringing hope to a beleaguered nation in the depths of the Depression. As the tagline aptly reads, “When America was on its knees, he brought us to our feet.” This story may seem overly reminiscent of “Seabiscuit,” the tale of a similarly inspiring Depression-era racehorse, but “Cinderella Man” is a far better film. It all starts with a solid, intelligent script by newcomer Cliff Hollingsworth (a life-long boxing fan) and A-list writer Akiva Goldsman. Russell Crowe plays Braddock with his usual charm and intensity. The part, as written, is not overly complex. But Crowe’s performance is good enough to make you believe in a man who’s too good to be true, and his professionalism really shines in the boxing sequences. Crowe reportedly spent hours analyzing films of Braddock’s fights, and worked with Muhammad Ali’s trainer, Angelo Dundee. This training, combined with Ron Howard’s direction, and the work of boxing choreographer Nick Powell (fight master for Crowe in “Gladiator”), cinematographer Salvatore Totino, editors Daniel P. Hanley and Mike Hill (frequent Howard collaborators), and sound editor Anthony J. Ciccolini III makes for highly visceral

fight scenes. The audience not only feels the body blows but has a sense of the strategy and tactics involved. In an age of computer-generated effects, where one set of pixels do battle with another, it’s refreshing to see two real men expertly beating each other to a bloody pulp. Howard, who directed and/or produced a long string of hits including “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “Apollo 13” (and won a best-director Oscar for “A Beautiful Mind”), has often been accused of sentimentality. But here, in keeping with his subject, he’s become toughminded, avoiding cheap pathos in favor of real emotion, making 1930s America and Braddock’s predicament real and frightening. Renée Zellweger is sexy and maternal as Braddock’s worried wife. But the real standout is Paul Giamatti as Braddock’s manager, Joe Gould. Some say Giamatti was unfairly passed over for an Oscar nomination for “Sideways” because his character in that film was so unattractive. Here, however, he’s a shoe-in: Gould is warm, funny, scrappy and supportive and Giamatti makes him wonderfully appealing. Broadway hunk Craig Bierko is also well-cast as the rule-breaking, man-killing boxer Max Baer. With his massive, shaggy head and baleful gaze, he’s as frightening as a minotaur in the ring, and at 6’5”, he towers over the 5’11” Crowe. Less successful is Paddy Considine (“In America”) as Braddock’s friend Mike. It’s an underwritten role that serves a heavy-handed subplot. But that’s a rare flaw in an overall highly enjoyable film.

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elegant “Love Theme from Attack of the Clones,” the score uses elements of all the “Star Wars” themes to meld a synthesis of rousing and ominous music. The real prize in the soundtrack is the DVD included in the package. A 70-minute program, “A Musical Journey,” consists of 16 new music videos set the music of the entire saga. Hosted by Ian McDiarmid (Emperor Palpatine), the videos tell the story

of the entire six-movie story through skillfully edited montages. The crunching, 5.1 surround sound may be the clearest-ever version of “The Imperial March.” If you purchase the soundtrack at Target, the disc comes with a code that allows you to download a bonus version of “Battle of the Heroes” that includes selected ﬁlm dialogue. — Michael S. Miller

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