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Letter to the Editor: Bringing Jagged Little Pill to life in Toledo

By
Riley Runnells
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(Photo courtesy of Kamron Girardot)

I will never forget the day that my best friend and I discovered Alanis Morissette’s hidden track on the genre-defining, internationally acclaimed album, Jagged Little Pill. 

Caity and I would pop in our Jagged CD and drive around for hours listening to the album’s poignant lyricism and striking instrumentals, singing at the top of our lungs until we’d finish the final track, “You Oughta Know (Jimmy the Saint Blend),” and start it over again.

One day we were having a particularly hard day dealing with our adolescent angst, so we pulled into a parking lot and talked out our problems underscored by the album. When it finished, instead of starting the album over, we found the final track on the list kept playing only to reveal the most gut-wrenching, intensely vulnerable song we’d ever heard: “Your House.”

The album was already a core part of our lives, but in that moment, we felt like everything was going to be okay, and we discovered that Jagged Little Pill is the gift that keeps on giving.

Enter: Jagged Little Pill (musical). The show follows the Healy family, all navigating their own strife with one central plotline that could change the family’s lives forever. The best part? The show is a jukebox style musical set to Alanis’ iconic album, padded with a few of her other hits, and featuring two songs written by Alanis for the musical.

(Photo by Derek Roe)

This show is no easy feat to produce, but unsurprisingly, Stone Productions was up to the task. Let me set the scene of the roadblocks: 

On the technical side, our production team had to create an airtight vision, as this is the northwest Ohio premiere of the show. Though minimal set pieces, Jagged has no time for scene changes, instead relying on stellar lighting (thank you Zann Campbell-Johannes!) and four panels to shift through the non-stop show. The show is ensemble-heavy, so our sound designer had his work cut out for him navigating cues and balance (shoutout Roger Flanagan!). On the performer side, there’s necessary trigger warnings for serious subject matter, which sets our team up for an emotional journey, combined with the physical and vocal demands that are nearly unheard of in live theatre.

Then there’s the choreography of the show, which is where I come in. Aside from the incomparable music of Alanis and the deeply important storylines, Jagged Little Pill does something extremely uncommon in musical theatre: It uses choreography to further the plot. 

(Photo by Derek Roe)

I knew this would be unlike anything I’ve choreographed, and not just from the pressure of using dance as an actual plot device and combining 90s influence and lyrical expression. It wasn’t even the daunting task of choreographing 14 of the 23 songs on the album; rather, the biggest challenge was encouraging this group to develop a comfortableness with their bodies to be vulnerable on stage and engage with freestyle.

Our production team was so fortunate to work with some of the most talented humans. The principal actors are amazing, armed with complex, diverse characters. Our ensemble is just as crucial as these leading characters. They took my giant ask, and delivered to the umpteenth degree.

But I would be remiss if I didn’t wax poetic about my avatars. 

This show features a few select dancers assigned to different characters in the show who have the hard job of showing how our leads are feeling emotionally. Ciara Lieberman (MJ’s avatar), Chanel Black (Frankie’s avatar), Callum Mather (Nick’s avatar), and myself (Bella’s avatar), have worked tirelessly to understand these characters and execute some demanding choreography, all while being in the ensemble as well.

(Photo by Derek Roe)

There’s no other combination of humans that could’ve produced what our production team put together. Our crew, including Ben Salati and Brad Arps, hustled beyond belief, under the direction of our bright and meticulous stage manager Marian Marlatt. Our music director and beloved friend Kevin McGill expertly taught songs that had most individuals tackling their own harmonies, compiled and leading musicians for the pit, and didn’t even break a sweat.

This is the fourth show I’ve choreographed alongside Co-Director Jaymes Gregory-Mull, whose reputation of putting on incredible productions precedes him. He was bold enough to choose this show, and knocked his vision out of the park, along with any roadblocks that stood in our way (even if it meant he had to wear multiple hats as director/stage crew/cast).

(Photo by Derek Roe)

I’m lucky that Co-Director Andronicus Roberts, or my “little brother” as he’s affectionately known, got to work together. Not only did Andy take on co-directing this show, but he also had the security and self-awareness to play Andrew, the show’s central villain, and my dance partner for one of the most pivotal moments of the show. Though I could go on and on about this team, I will simply say I am so grateful for the opportunity to work with them.

But what makes this experience one of the most memorable of my time as a choreographer is performing alongside my best friend, Caity. More than 10 years since we discovered “Your House” on a random weekday, I now get to hear Caity sing this song every night as Jo. I’ll find myself at rehearsals catching glimpses of our teen selves, unsure about what the world holds, but knowing that as long as we have each other, “Everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine.” That’s the impact of Jagged Little Pill, and the magic of Alanis. 

Jagged Little Pill runs at the Collingwood Arts Center July 24, 25 and Aug. 1 at 8 p.m., and Aug. 2 at 3 p.m. Viewer discretion is advised. Find your tickets here. 

A Walk in the Park with a Gathering of Moms

By
Erin Holden
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Reflecting on her history with mom meetups at Toledo’s Metroparks, Erin Holden meets up with members of the Mother’s Center of Greater Toledo for an impromptu playdate at Glass City Metropark.

This is the second episode of A Walk in the Park with, a WGTE Public Media and Metroparks Toledo collaboration hosted and produced by Erin. Join her as she explores everyday life in Toledo’s Metroparks. In each episode, Erin interviews different park visitors – runners, teachers, artists, parents and more – revealing the many ways people connect with nature. You’ll hear personal stories about people’s relationships with our parks and the activities they cherish. Erin also documents her journey along the way, reflecting on the insights she gains from each experience.

Past and present directors reflect on museum’s evolution

By
Laurie Bertke
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TMA director Adam Levine accepts a proclamation from Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and this year’s Kid Mayor, 10-year-old Jamie Howard of Ella P. Stewart Academy, in honor of the 125th anniversary of the museum. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

TOLEDO — Two important milestones converged at Ohio’s Homecoming & Picnic on July 11, as the Toledo Museum of Art hosted free community festivities in coordination with the America 250-Ohio Commission to mark the nation’s anniversary and 125 years since the institution’s own founding in 1901.

The day brought three museum directors past and present together for a candid conversation moderated by Libbey Inc. CEO and TMA Board President Mike Bauer. While the directors recounted memories from their tenures and discussed the museum’s evolution before a rapt crowd in the GlasSalon, families frolicked outside on the Glass Pavilion lawn playing games, making art, watching historical demonstrations and listening to live music.

Panelists included Adam Levine, the museum’s 11th director since he assumed the role in 2020, and his two predecessors, Brian Kennedy and Don Bacigalupi. Kennedy directed the museum from 2010 to 2019 and Bacigalupi served from 2004 to 2009. 

Brian Kennedy, who directed TMA from 2010 to 2019, speaks during a panel discussion with other directors July 11 in the GlasSalon. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

During his time as director, Kennedy recalled, he liked to say that the museum didn’t happen — it was called into being by its founders, Edward Drummond Libbey and Florence Scott Libbey.

Mrs. Libbey encouraged her husband to establish an art museum for the enrichment of the community, and the couple provided the land, funded much of the iconic construction on campus and donated their own personal art collection to the endeavor. An endowment fund from the Libbeys continues to fund museum operations and the purchase of works of art. 

Kennedy said the Libbeys were people of the Gilded Age who brought the eye in design together with the hand in manufacturing to make something extraordinary. 

He encouraged people to consider what the founders were trying to do when they started the museum, and not to lose that. “They were very, very remarkable people. And they set off this notion of art education, and Toledo is the beneficiary for generations now,” said Kennedy.

All three directors touched repeatedly on the importance of increasing community engagement during their tenures. 

TMA director Adam Levine, left, speaks with past directors Don Bacigalupi and Brian Kennedy before a panel discussion July 11 in the GlasSalon. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

When he first arrived at the museum and began talking with residents, Bacigalupi recalled his surprise and concern at observing a disconnect between the passion Toledoans expressed for the museum and how often they visited. He set about exploring ways to make the museum more accessible and open, and recalled the marketing campaign his staff developed. Banners and billboards utilized colloquial language with messages such as, “Come on in to your museum,” and “Come up and see me sometime.”

“It was kind of a different voice that the museum could speak in, that wasn’t up on a hill and up a marble staircase, but was, in fact, in the language parlance of the community which is, I think, the best language for this museum to speak,” said Bacigalupi. “It doesn’t mean that we, in any way, disrespect the scholarship and the quality of the museum and its history, but it does open its arms to a broader community.”

The museum’s annual Juneteenth celebration also began under Bacigalupi’s tenure, the idea growing out of his own experience at celebrations during his formative years in Texas and conversations with African-American staff members. It further evolved under Kennedy’s leadership into the block party the museum hosts annually in conjunction with the holiday.

“We are constantly evolving toward this greater sense of community engagement,” said Levine. “We’re sitting in a building that didn’t exist until 20 years ago, using a template that Don developed for the first Juneteenth celebration, that Brian perfected in the block party for getting the zoning, and getting the permit and getting the tents, right? … So we are always sort of standing on the shoulders of people who came before.”

Jim WIlliams, dressed as Edward Drummond Libbey, and Jennifer Rounds, dressed as Florence Scott Libbey, pose for photos July 11 in the TMA Glass Pavilion. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

Broadening the collection

Levine credited his two predecessors with the role they played in creating the contemporary art program at TMA.

“The debt of gratitude that we should have to both Don and Brian for getting the governance frameworks in place and changing the culture, to think about finding quality as a global phenomenon, both temporally and geographically, cannot be understated,” he said.

Levine said one of the first exercises Kennedy did was to put pins in a map representing the origins of the museum’s artwork, to see what regions were missing. 

“Because there’s great work from those places, and a huge part of building a collection that causes people to feel reflected is just trying to find the best art, which is what we’ve always done, but from anywhere,” said Levine. “It’s really these two gentlemen that started to put some sense of systematicity around what had been a superlative collection, but really was very director-driven.”

From left, TMA director Adam Levine, past director Don Bacigalupi, Jim WIlliams, dressed as Edward Drummond Libbey, and Jennifer Rounds, dressed as Florence Scott Libbey, Libbey Inc. CEO and TMA board president Mike Bauer and former TMA director Brian Kennedy pose for a photo July 11 in the Glass Pavilion. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

After the museum hosted an exhibit of Aboriginal Australian art in 2013, Kennedy said people began asking why the museum did not have any Native American art in its collection. This led to the museum making a concerted effort to expand its collection of art made by indigenous peoples, with a particular focus on Native American art. 

Kennedy also recalled a moment during the 2016 Jaume Plensa exhibition, Human Landscape, that brought home the significance of the decision to place “Paula,” a giant cast iron head, in front of the museum. He stopped to talk with a man who was walking up the steps with his young daughter, and the man told him, “Thank you for putting a black woman in front of a white museum.” The piece remains on display in the Sculpture Garden today. 

Megan Knight and Faith Yeary of Birds Eye View Circus, dressed as Lady Justice and Lady Liberty, high five young guests July 11 during Ohio’s Homecoming & Picnic at the Toledo Museum of Art.(TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

Bringing art to everyone

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz was on hand at the panel with this year’s Kid Mayor, 10-year-old Jamie Howard of Ella P. Stewart Academy, to present a proclamation in honor of the museum’s 125th anniversary. He acknowledged that TMA has been named the best museum in the country for the past two years. 

The mayor also noted that admission to the Toledo Museum of Art has been free since 1901, making it a place that “everyone can enjoy, regardless of their background or their means.” 

“Anything that can bring art to the people, to everyone, is special,” said Kapszukiewicz. “Toledo Museum of Art, truly, is among the best museums in the entire country, and I might even say in the entire world.”

Families blow giant bubbles on the Toledo Museum of Art Glass Pavilion lawn during Ohio’s Homecoming & Picnic on July 11. (TFP photo by Laurie Bertke)

Waterville welcomes Blues, Brews and Brats on Saturday

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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Mud Morganfield, the eldest son of Chicago blues legend Muddy Waters, will take the stage on Saturday, July 25 at the Anthony Wayne Area Rotary Club's Blue, Brews and Brats in downtown Waterville. (Courtesy photo by Roman Sobus)

WATERVILLE – When Mud Morganfield was a young child living in a South Side Chicago apartment building, the eldest son of Muddy Waters often ran into blues musicians, including Little Walter and Chuck Berry, in the hallway.

“I was a little tot,” said Morganfield, who at 74 is in his prime as a blues musician. “I would see those guys in the building, but I didn’t know who they were until I got a little older. I didn’t know the significance of the blues at the time.”

While he calls Chicago home, Morganfield has traveled all over the country, and internationally, since launching his professional career in 2008. On Saturday, July 25, he’ll headline the 11th annual Blues, Brews and Brats in downtown Waterville.

Last week, Morganfield chatted with John Henry, whose decades-long love of the blues has brought musicians to town for concerts and recordings with his Third Street Cigar Records. The Third Street Cigar lounge features dozens of photos of blues musicians throughout the decades, including one of Muddy Waters performing with Junior Wells and Buddy Guy at the Toledo Sports Arena in 1972 – a photo Morganfield plans to check out during his visit.

“It’s such a rich history; I’m sure you saw all of those Chicago Chess guys,” Henry told Morganfield, referring to Chess Records, which was founded in 1950 in the Windy City, and recorded Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, John Lee Hooker and Big Bill Broonzy, to name a few.

The influence of blues on music – including rock, R&B, funk, soul and jazz – is indisputable. The Rolling Stones named themselves after Muddy Waters’ song “Rollin’ Stone,” released by Chess Records in 1950.

For Morganfield, his father’s DNA and encouragement pulled him into the blues at an early age. At night, he would tap a rhythm on his head in order to fall asleep. As he got older, Muddy would give him any instrument he wanted. As he got older, Morganfield launched several bands with friends. 

“The only thing is, these guys wanted me to buy all the wine,” he laughed. “I would buy it. I just wanted to play.”

As he sang in multiple bands and performed other musicians’ songs, Morganfield was trying to find his own unique voice, but he always ended up sounding like his father.

“I have to get in where I fit in. I have to do what God put me here to do,” he said, adding that he’s thankful for the gift he got from his famous father.

While he continued to play, Morganfield got a degree from Malcolm X College and studied at DeVry University, then spent years working as a semi driver.

“They called me the singing trucker,” he said.

But his professional career didn’t take off until 2008, when blues legend Mary Lane took him to a professional gig. He followed that with his first self-produced album, Fall Waters Fall. In 2012, Morganfield signed with Severn Records and released the acclaimed Son of the Seventh Son. For Pops – A Tribute to Muddy Waters, came out in 2014, and featured several musicians. Severn also released They Call Me Mud in 2018 – the same year that Delmark Records released Portrait.  His most recent release is Deep Mud, in 2025.

While Morganfield has received many accolades over the years, he remains humble.

“I learned never to really brag. I’m a God-fearing man. If you’re arrogant, as fast as God can give it, he can take it. I’ve stayed grounded with that,” he said.

Morganfield credits his late mother, Mildred – who passed away at age 92 last year – for being his biggest supporter throughout his career. His father passed in 1983. While he looks and sounds like Muddy Waters, Morganfield is quite different than his father and some of the other Chicago blues musicians of his time.

“They come up from the cotton fields of Mississippi. I come up in Chicago,” he said.

When Morganfield takes the stage on Saturday night, expect a Chicago blues experience that will draw on his own background – plus a few songs to honor his dad. Joining him on stage will be Studebaker John, an internationally-known artist and bandleader who has produced and arranged albums over the years. Studebaker plays guitar and harp at the same time. Also in the band is guitarist Rick Kreher, who played in Muddy Waters’ final band. Chris Alexander will be on drums and Morganfield Mud will sing and play the bass guitar in a show that Henry knows will wow the crowds.

Toronto-based seven-piece band Bywater Call will take the stage during the 11th annual Blues, Brews and Brats in downtown Waterville. (Courtesy photo)

Also on the lineup is Toronto-based Bywater Call, a powerhouse seven-piece Southern soul, roots rock band comprised of Meghan Parnell, vocals; Dave Barnes, guitar; Bruce McCarthy, drums; Mike Meusel, bass; John Kervin, keys; Stephen Dyte, trumpet; and Julian Naili, tenor sax.

Fans will also enjoy a Toledo Rhythm and Blues All Star show featuring The Good, The Bad and The Blues, Bobby G, Stormy Monday and Ramona Collins.

Local blues singer Ramona Collins is part of a Toledo Rhythm and Blues All Star lineup slated for the Saturday, July 25 Blues, Brews and Brats in downtown Waterville. (Courtesy photo)

This is the 11th year for the BBB, which is the prime fundraiser for the Anthony Wayne Area Rotary Club (AWARC). But Henry has been bringing blues musicians to town since the 1980s, when he was a University of Toledo freshman hosting a blues show for the college radio station. In the years that followed, Henry and fellow Anthony Wayne High School Class of 1982 graduate Paul Croy hosted blues musicians for a backyard charity event before they decided to join forces with Rotary in 2015.

Bobby G is one of several Toledo-based blues musicians set to perform on Saturday, July 25 at the Blues, Brews and Brats. (Courtesy photo)

Finding blues artists to perform for the event is a passion for Henry, who has hosted legends including Big Jack Reynolds, Johnny Rawls, Bobby G, Chris Shutters and The Good, The Bad and the Blues in Third Street Cigar over the years. Rawls was recently in town for a week, and has recorded albums with Third Street Cigar Records and Waterville’s Bigfoot Studios.

While Waterville’s blues connection might go unnoticed by many in the community, it will be on full display Saturday night. Bringing the brews to the BBB are Buffalo Rock Brewing Company of Waterville. Also, Adventure Spirits Distilling of Whitehouse will be mixing up three drinks for the BBB: a Barrel Aged Old Fashioned, a Honey Lemon Drop and an Espresso Martini, all $8 each.

Glenn’s Brats will be serving up the brats, while guests can also enjoy Tano’s Pizza, Toledo Chuckwagon and Detroit Donuts – which is also bringing a snow-cone station.

This year will be a little cozier, with the festival taking up South Third Street just beyond Mad Anthony’s, so customers can still access the popular bar without paying admission to the BBB, said AWARC member Deb Cheney.

“Our footprint is a little smaller. We’ll all be closer, but it will have a better vibe,” she said.

Also expect enhanced security to ensure safety, with extra patrols in the area.

“We’re hoping for about 1,500 people,” Cheney said. “With a great lineup, great beer and cocktails, we think we’ll have a better draw.”

Cheney noted that additional sponsors this year have enabled the BBB to raise more for their biggest fundraiser of the year. That all goes back into the community, to support youth groups and local nonprofits, including scholarships for Anthony Wayne and Otsego high school graduates; Anthony Wayne High School’s Interact and STRIVE clubs, Anthony Wayne Youth Foundation, Anthony Wayne Neighborhood Bridges, Let’s Build Beds, Scouts, Nature’s Nursery and YMCA youth programs.

Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and music begins at 6 p.m. Bring a lawn chair, a thirst and some dancing shoes. For information, visit anthonywaynearearotary.org. 

Zoning Commission reviews data center text amendment

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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With abundant land and access to electric and gas lines, Waterville Township is being eyed for a potential data center. On July 20, the Zoning Commission reviewed proposed zoning text amendments to govern data centers and other large developments. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

WATERVILLE TOWNSHIP – The 34-person capacity Waterville Township hall was packed on July 20, with residents eager to listen and weigh in on a proposed zoning text amendment that would set the rules for data centers and other campus style developments.

While the Zoning Commission – including Chair Keith Moosman and members Bill Burkett, Bob Long, Jon Poponak and Cathy Vorst – didn’t make any decisions or even set a public hearing on the proposed changes, the meeting did provide an opportunity to discuss the process and questions about annexation and conflict of interest.

After five months of intense work, the Data Center Advisory Committee and Trustee Toby Miller announced the proposed changes in May. These include the addition of an M-3 zoning classification and changes to the current M-1 and M-2 language. Over the past two months, the document has been posted online, discussed in public forms and reviewed by the Lucas County Planning Commission (LCPC), which made “no recommendation” and punted the matter back to the township. The goal is to get the changes put into place before the one-year data center moratorium expires at the end of the year, Miller said.

The new language would replace the current zoning, which permits data centers in agriculturally-zoned areas with a conditional use permit (CUP) approved by a five-person, appointed Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). The CUP process is administrative and not subject to referendum, while a zoning change is considered legislative and therefore open for citizens to file a referendum to let voters decide.

Assistant County Prosecutor John Borell has cautioned trustees that this new language is setting a new legal precedent that might not hold up in court. Miller shared the eight specific concerns from Borell, plus the answers from the township’s Columbus-based legal team of Brossius, Johnson and Griggs assuring that the language is legally sound and defensible.

Former trustee Karen Schneider said she trusts Borell’s judgment, and believes that the township wouldn’t have the financial means to support itself if a data center developer decided to sue on even one aspect of the regulations outlined in the new language.

“I appreciate the boldness of what you all are doing, but I think complexity here equals defeat, because we don’t have the legal finances or the wherewithal to fight that,” she said.

Instead, she suggested the township follow Borell’s advice to put all of the details in the 67-page document into the zoning book as conditions required to get a permit in an M-2 district. She also cautioned that adding an M-3 to the zoning resolution would open the township up to projects that, a few years ago, never would even be considered as compatible uses in the community.

“Heavy industrial and the way we live now – they don’t even fit into the same sentence,” Schneider said. 

Burkett also agreed with the idea of adding many of the conditions into the zoning resolution, which has been updated many times as the township has changed. He disagreed with Miller’s assertion that nothing is on the books to provide guidelines for such a large project.

“We’re not all chicken farmers here looking at backwards regulations. I understand you did a lot of work on it, but for over the past 10 to 15 years we’ve been working on those regulations. The best thing we could do to respond at the time was to look at conditional uses – that gave us the power to address some of those issues,” he said.

The township’s legal team is considering all legally-viable ideas shared by residents and committee members. Lyn Cox asked for an update on her requests for a 1,000-foot setback from schools, churches and residences; to prevent cryptocurrency or data mining projects; and to ban discharging of wastewater into area streams and fields.

A crytocurrency or data mining operation wouldn’t be approved because the noise levels wouldn’t meet the standards included in the M-3 language, Miller said. The setbacks are being considered by the legal team, although Miller noted that they need to be cautious on adding requirements that might be deemed as punitive.

“If they are punitive, they will sue. And if they sue, the entire zoning resolution will be thrown out. It is threading a needle,” Miller said.

Requiring a data center to discharge into a sanitary sewer line would be problematic, as there are no sanitary sewers anywhere in the township, Miller said. And wastewater discharge is governed by the EPA – which Cox pointed out is “loosening their requirements.”

If a data center is required to hook up to sanitary sewer, their primary option would be to ask Waterville or Whitehouse for services, and this would prompt those municipalities to ask the developer to annex. Then all of the regulations the township has put into place wouldn’t be applicable. 

The township is currently working on strengthening its annexation agreements with the city and the village, but Miller said some areas are already considered open to annexation, such as the area west of the Port Authority land on Neapolis Waterville Road.

The Zoning Commission members agreed to wait until the Columbus law firm provides updates on all the questions before setting a date for a public hearing in early August. During that hearing, commission members will take input from residents, and then vote on whether they recommend passage. The trustees will then hold their own public hearing and make a final decision on whether to adopt the zoning text amendments. 

For now, only Miller and Trustee Julie Theroux are set to vote, as Trustee Kyle Hertzfeld has recused himself because a distant relative with the same last name could stand to benefit from a data center development.

“There is no reason for him to recuse himself. He doesn’t own land [that could be sold to a developer for a data center] or adjoining properties. He has no financial interest. His last name just happens to be Hertzfeld,” Miller said. 

BZA member Jill Lipinski questioned whether Zoning Commission member Bill Burkett should be allowed to vote, as he is an employee of Regional Growth Partnership, which she said is working with the county to bring data centers to the community.

“There’s no conflict of interest for me to serve on this board just because of what job I have. If there is an application that is submitted and somebody believes there is a conflict because my employer has a reason to benefit from that, then there might be a conflict of interest. But strictly because of who I work for is not a conflict of interest,” Burkett said, asking Lipinski to contact the Ohio Ethics Commission for clarification.

Miller said he contacted the OEC and the county already, to determine if any member of the Zoning Commission, BZA or board of trustees has a conflict. They found none, he said, including Burkett or Hertzfeld. 

Resident Bryan Imes suggested the people in the audience contact Hertzfeld too, and Miller agreed that a show of support might be helpful.

“We voted him in this position to represent us,” Imes said. “For him to recuse himself…doesn’t help the cause. He could go on the record and say he’s against it [data centers].”

Miller pointed out that Hertzfeld sent a written statement opposing data centers, and that was read aloud during the July 10 meeting. He agreed that it hurts the township to not have all three trustees weighing in.

The Zoning Commission did not set its public hearing, but will need to provide a 10-day notice to residents prior to that date. The trustees meet on July 22 at 6:30 p.m., and cannot set a public hearing on the matter until the Zoning Commission holds a public hearing and votes on a recommendation.

Artwork re-installed at International Cove Riverwalk

By
Stephen Zenner
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Workers carry the last part of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER

Black letters with a bright yellow border reading “You Are Doing Great” on one side, and on the other side “You Are Beautiful” were reinstalled at International Cove Monday early afternoon. Matthew Hoffman, the artist who created the work, was on hand to ensure the integrity of his vision, along with members of the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo, while workers from Kokosing did the heavy lifting.

Initially the work was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019, but then was moved to the east side in-between restaurants and International Cove. During Metroparks Toledo’s renovation of their multi-step Riverwalk project, the artwork was removed, and now is permanently reinstalled on July 20, 2026.

Hoffman said it was exciting to see the artwork re-installed, and that he is always trying to put positive messages out into the world.

Matthew Hoffman, the artist of the “You Are Beautiful/You Are Doing Great” installation, walks towards the truck with the art piece, while installation workers from Kokosing, Rob Ingersoll, a foreman, Caleb Gleckler, a laborer, Craig Mesenburg, a foreman and Joe Zika, a superintendent, begin to unload the sign in pieces at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Rob Ingersoll, a foreman with Kokosing, Craig Mesenburg (behind the work), a foreman with Kokosing, and Joe Zika, a superintendent with Kokosing, move a piece of the “You Are Beautiful” installation onto heavy machinery to move into place at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Heavy machinery moves the first part of the “You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Matthew Hoffman, the artist of the “You Are Beautiful/You Are Doing Great” installation takes pictures of workers moving the piece into its location at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the work was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Matthew Hoffman, the artist of the “You Are Beautiful/You Are Doing Great” artwork fills in details at the base of the piece after it is placed in its location at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the work was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Matthew Hoffman, the artist of the “You Are Beautiful/You Are Doing Great” artwork fills in details at the base of the piece after it is placed in its location, while workers bring on additional pieces of the artwork at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the work was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Kokosing workers place pieces of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” artwork installation with Ben Cook of the Arts Commission and Matthew Hoffman, the artist, watching at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Workers carry the last part of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Workers secure the individual parts of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the artwork was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Workers secure the individual parts of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the artwork was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Craig Mesenburg, a foreman with Kokosing, drills into the concrete to secure the art installation of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” sign at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. Initially the artwork was a temporary public art installation for The Arts Commission’s Momentum Festival in 2019. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER
Workers carry the last part of the “You Are Doing Great/You Are Beautiful” installation at the International Cove part of the Riverwalk in Toledo, Ohio on Monday July 20, 2026. TFP Photo/STEPHEN ZENNER

Cartoons by Don Lee: You’ve been Flocked

By
Don Lee
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Cartoon by Don Lee

Properties and projects: Development in Swanton Township

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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Swanton Township Trustees (from left) Mike Nowicki, Bill Anderson and Matt Beil, along with fiscal officer Mindy Curry and zoning inspector Ben Mooney, met on July 14. A new website was debuted with contact information at swantontownshipoh.gov – where residents can sign up for text alerts and find out contact information for township officials. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

SWANTON TOWNSHIP – Airport Highway properties and projects were among the topics shared by Zoning Inspector Ben Mooney during the Swanton Township Trustees’ July 14 meeting, held immediately after the start of the quarterly Zoning Commission meeting.

Mooney reported that the commission approved Shawn Albert‘s plans to build an office building on the southeast corner of Girdham and Airport Highway for his S & J General Contractors. The material will be corrugated metal, typically not allowed in the overlay district, but the design is attractive, the commission agreed, also approving an alternative landscaping plan.

The commission also approved Kevin Martin‘s plans to use the parking lot behind the building, located on the southwest corner of Airport Highway and U.S. 20A, for customers of the Greens at Oak Openings. He will close one entrance on Airport and one on U.S. 20A, leaving the main entrance on U.S. 20A.  The Zoning Commission is allowing Martin to use gravel in the lot for up to two years, but then he must get it paved. The business includes a mini golf course, restaurant and gathering space, and is set to open in the coming months.

The Zoning Commission approved the re-zoning of 13 parcels totaling 112 acres in the Land-Air Commerce Park, 11520 Airport Highway. Interstate Capital acquired the land for development. Any construction plans will required a special meeting with the commission and the Ohio Department of Transportation will require a speed study.

An abandoned home at 11650 Airport Hwy. was also discussed. The owner is in more than $22,000 in arrears on taxes. The Lucas County Auditor can do a tax foreclosure on the property, which would be put up for sale through the sheriff’s office. Whoever buys the property will need to be aware that it’s less than the required five acres, so doing anything with the land would be a challenge. If it doesn’t sell, the township can work with the Lucas County Land Bank, which will clear the taxes and title and give it to the township – which would then be responsible for demolishing the building. Mooney and the county have both attempted to contact the owner and received no response. He described the condition of the home as being dangerous. Trustees agreed to begin the foreclosure process. 

Mooney reported that the operators of a business at 12565 Airport Hwy. are working on changes to mitigate the impact of their business on neighboring residences, including planting arborvitae and reducing dust from the gravel lot where semis enter. And, elsewhere in the township, he continues to look for options to remove an a boat that was abandoned in front of a Reed Road residence many years ago. The boat can’t be donated because it doesn’t have a title, and he continues to seek answers from Michigan and Ohio.

Since taking the position in March, Mooney has begun working on updating the township’s zoning resolution. He presented new residential and commercial zoning violation fees, and plans to later submit ordinances for zoning – rules that he said will help protect residents and businesses. The fees for violations will allow the township to follow up on zoning violation letters and spur the recipient to contact the township, he said. 

“It will allow us faster and defined rules to help accomplish township goals,” he said.

While the township’s Zoning Commission is complete, with members Mike Bayer, Johnnie Bryce, Liz Thurman, Mike Tye and Bruce Wholf, the trustees are working to recruit members to the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA). That board hasn’t met in five years, although legally required to at least hold an organizational meeting every January. The trustees contacted those listed as BZA members and one one – Ron Oberhaus – agreed to continue. The BZA meets as needed to hear cases in which an applicant wants an exception to the rules in the zoning resolution. Interested members should send a resume or letter of interest to Fiscal Officer Mindy Curry at [email protected].

During the meeting, the trustees also:

-Held a moment of silence for former trustee and U.S. Navy veteran Joseph Zielinski, who passed on July 7.

-Agreed, with some conditions, to have Mooney contract with iWorQ Systems for a $250 activation fee and $2,000 a year for three years. The system will allow Mooney to track all of the zoning records with notes, photos and renderings, as well as permits and violation letters. Trustee Matt Beil plans to contact TrioTech to see how it fits in with cybersecurity measures and with the county prosecutor to look over the contract, while Mooney ensures that iWorQ does not sell the township’s data.

-Heard Curry say that she has asked assistant county prosecutor John Borell to come to the next meeting to address the topic of legal expenditures and outside council authorization policies. Her request was prompted by the receipt of a $65,000 settlement check from a defamation case between prior fiscal officer Peggy Michael and former Whitehouse council member Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer in 2020. The township incurred $356,055.28 in legal fees for the case.

*Disclosure: Rebecca Conklin Kleiboemer is a board member for the Toledo Free Press, under which the Anthony Wayne Free Press operates.

-Learned from the Lucas County Engineer’s Office that the Ohio Public Works Commission has $500,000 set aside for projects in communities with populations less than 5,000. The engineer asked if Swanton Township has any projects that could be covered with such funding, and if the township could come up with the 10 percent match of $50,000. Trustees discussed possible  projects, including a connecting bike trail on Fulton-Lucas Road between the Wabash Cannonball Trail’s north and south forks, where the 55 mph road is very narrow. Trustees also mentioned a need for repaving on Sager and Reed roads.

-Reminded residents that the township has a new website: swantontownshipoh.gov and emails. Residents can also sign up for text alerts on the site. A postcard with this information is going to every household. 

-Heard that the township will host a free bulk trash drop-off on Saturday, Aug. 22 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the maintenance garage, 6576 Manore Rd.

-Learned the results of a speed study on the south side of the airport. The study was done at the request of airport police, who noticed an uptick in speeding by Amazon Air and Tronair employees. Based on the study, the section between Sager and the north terminus should be reduced to 50 mph; South Airfield Road from Whitehouse Spencer to Air Cargo Parkway should remain at 55 mph; and Whitehouse Spencer Road between Sager and the Airfield should be lowered to 45 mph.

-Agreed to accept the village of Swanton’s invitation to participate in the Saturday, Aug. 8 Swanton Corn Festival parade, which starts at 10:30 a.m., launching from Swanton Sports Center at 610 N. Main and traveling south past Swanton Memorial Park. Trustees approved up to $500 to purchase candy, giveaways and a banner.

Loss of local news is making voters less informed, taxpayers poorer

By
Marty Schladen
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Pexels photo by Tim Samuel.

This article by Marty Schladen was originally published in the Ohio Capital Journal. Find the original post here.

When local newspapers shut their doors and no reporters are there to watch school boards, city councils, and county commissioners, taxes go up, according to a new study.

The increase is $12 million a year in Ohio and $1.1 billion nationally — and that doesn’t even count the money that gets stolen or the cost to investigate and prosecute corruption, the report released earlier last month by Rebuild Local News says.

Those costs represent increased interest on municipal bonds as lenders worry that without a reporter on the beat, local officials will misappropriate funds.

“Local journalism performs a core fiscal function: continuous, external oversight of public institutions,” the report said. “When that oversight erodes, governments face less scrutiny over spending and procurement decisions, increasing the likelihood of wasteful spending and corruption.”

It added, “For these reasons, bond markets perceive greater risk of lending to unmonitored local governments and thus demand a higher interest rate as compensation for bearing the additional credit risk. The higher borrowing costs for local governments are ultimately borne by local taxpayers in the form of increased taxes and reduced spending on public services and infrastructure upkeep.”

Rebuild Local News is a nonprofit organization that advocates ways to make local journalism sustainable.

That sustainability has been under dramatic assault over the past decade.

The Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University last year reported that 50 million Americans had limited or no access to local news — an all-time high. It said Ohio had lost 54.4 percent of its newspapers since 2005, the seventh-most of any state.

In Ohio, 1.04 million, or 8.7 percent of residents, live in 21 news desert counties, the Rebuild Local News report said. Those counties have $1.3 billion in bond debt, and the fact that they’re news deserts makes it $12 million more expensive each year to service it, the report said. 

The Rebuild Local News report was written by the group’s research director Matthew Baker and Dermot Murphy, an associate professor of finance at the University of Illinois Chicago. It builds on a 2020 study by Murphy and two other academics that found that newspaper closures are associated with higher municipal borrowing costs.

“Following a newspaper closure, municipal borrowing costs increase by 5 to 11 basis points, costing the municipality an additional $650,000 per issue,” that study said. “This effect is causal and not driven by underlying economic conditions.”

Baker and Murphy defined a news desert as a county with no local newspaper, and used census data to determine how many people live in them. They also looked at total issuance and the mix of municipal bonds.

Using the 0.86 percent news-desert premium estimated in the 2020 study, they determined how much more people in news deserts are paying, assuming that those counties were borrowing in the same proportion as non-news deserts.

The researchers said the higher costs aren’t just a matter of coincidence. 

“Critically, this estimate is causal rather than correlational: neighboring counties with similar economic conditions but still-robust news coverage do not experience an increase in borrowing costs,” it said.

In addition to higher interest rates come other costs, the report said.

“The stakes of this watchdog function are not abstract,” it said. “The Youngstown Vindicator, a 150-year-old daily that closed in 2019, had spent decades exposing organized crime and public corruption, contributing to dozens of convictions. Its absence removed a check that no internal control replaced.”

It just makes sense that without a reporter sitting in public meetings, making open-records requests and roaming government halls, an unscrupulous public official would be more likely to try something sketchy.

The report gave an example.

“In Bell, California, a low-income, predominantly Latino community of approximately 36,000 people in Los Angeles County, city officials spent years raising their own pay with almost no public scrutiny,” it said. “By the late 2000s, the city manager was earning $787,637 a year, the police chief $457,000, and city council members nearly $100,000 for what was officially part-time work. All of these raises were approved at public municipal meetings that lacked robust newspaper coverage.”

The Los Angeles Times later learned of the situation and reported it out.

Ruben Vives, one of the reporters who broke the story, said it was too late in the game.

“Someone would have got wind of this earlier had there been a reporter there,” the report quoted him as saying. “This is just a prime example of when you turn away, and you let something like this just kind of grow and grow, and it becomes sort of a cesspool of corruption.”

Verantwortungsbewusstes Spielen im Online Casino

By
admin1
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Verantwortungsbewusstes Spielen

Verantwortungsbewusstes Spielen im Online Casino

Online Casinos wirken auf viele neue Spieler zunächst unkompliziert: Konto anlegen, Zahlungsmethode wählen, ein Spiel starten. Doch bereits nach wenigen Minuten begegnen ihnen Fragen, die weniger mit Slots oder Bonusaktionen zu tun haben. Warum verlangt der Betreiber einen Ausweis? Weshalb wird eine Einzahlung manchmal geprüft? Und woran lässt sich erkennen, ob ein Casino den Schutz seiner Nutzer wirklich ernst nimmt? Gerade beim Glücksspiel hängt ein angenehmes Spielerlebnis oft davon ab, wie nachvollziehbar solche Schritte erklärt werden.

Wer sich Angebote wie felixspin deutschland ansieht, stößt daher nicht nur auf Spielauswahl, Aktionen und Zahlungswege. Ebenso sichtbar sollten Informationen zur Lizenz, zum Umgang mit persönlichen Daten und zu Schutzwerkzeugen sein. Erfahrene Nutzer berichten häufig, dass sie nicht die lautesten Versprechen überzeugen, sondern klare Regeln. Ein Casino, das Grenzen und Prüfungen offen erklärt, wirkt auf viele Menschen am Ende vertrauenswürdiger als eines, das alles möglichst schnell und reibungslos erscheinen lassen möchte.

Ein ruhiger Blick auf die Sicherheitsseite lohnt sich. Spieler merken oft erst bei einer Auszahlung, wie wichtig Lizenzangaben, Verifikation und eindeutige Geschäftsbedingungen tatsächlich sind.

Die Lizenz ist mehr als ein kleines Logo

Auf vielen Casino-Seiten steht die Lizenznummer im Footer, manchmal so klein, dass Neulinge sie übersehen. Dabei steckt hinter diesem Hinweis der rechtliche Rahmen des Angebots. Eine Lizenz verpflichtet den Betreiber unter anderem dazu, Spieler zu schützen, Identitäten zu prüfen, Geldflüsse zu dokumentieren und Beschwerden nachvollziehbar zu behandeln. In Deutschland achten viele Nutzer auf die Erlaubnis der Gemeinsamen Glücksspielbehörde der Länder. Andere Lizenzen können ebenfalls vorhanden sein, doch sie ersetzen nicht automatisch die für den jeweiligen Markt nötigen Anforderungen.

Manche Besucher empfinden diese Hinweise zunächst als Formalität. Das ändert sich oft, wenn es um Limits, Auszahlungen oder eine gesperrte Spielphase geht. Dann zeigt sich, ob ein Betreiber bloß mit Sicherheit wirbt oder ob die Abläufe tatsächlich geregelt sind. Lizenzierte Angebote sind nicht automatisch perfekt, aber sie unterliegen Kontrollen und klareren Zuständigkeiten.

Prüfpunkt Was Spieler sehen sollten Warum es zählt
Lizenzangabe Name der Behörde, Nummer und Betreibername Sie macht Zuständigkeiten überprüfbar.
Impressum Adresse, Kontakt und Unternehmensdaten Anonyme Seiten schaffen selten Vertrauen.
Spielregeln Konditionen, Limits und Auszahlungsabläufe Missverständnisse werden früher sichtbar.

Eine kurze Kontrolle braucht meist keine halbe Stunde. Spieler, die etwas vorsichtiger vorgehen möchten, orientieren sich häufig an einem einfachen Ablauf:

  1. Den Betreiber im Impressum mit der Lizenzangabe vergleichen.
  2. Die Regeln zu Einzahlungslimits, Spielpausen und Auszahlung lesen.
  3. Bei unklaren Angaben zunächst den Support testen, bevor Geld eingezahlt wird.

Das klingt etwas nüchtern, bewahrt aber vor dem typischen Gefühl, erst nach der Registrierung wichtige Details zu entdecken. Besonders Einsteiger reagieren erleichtert, wenn Antworten des Supports konkret ausfallen und nicht nur auf allgemeine Werbetexte verweisen.

Verifikation, der manchmal unbequeme Sicherheitsmoment

Die Identitätsprüfung, meist KYC genannt, gehört in seriösen Online Casinos zum Alltag. Nutzer laden je nach Verfahren einen Ausweis, einen Adressnachweis oder gelegentlich ein Foto zur Bestätigung hoch. Einige finden diesen Schritt lästig, vor allem wenn sie direkt losspielen wollten. Andere sehen darin einen Schutz vor unbefugter Nutzung, Minderjährigen und Betrug. Beides kann nachvollziehbar sein. Entscheidend ist, dass das Casino den Ablauf vorab deutlich beschreibt und nicht erst kurz vor einer Auszahlung damit beginnt.

Verifikation Schafft

Wenn die Verifikation sauber organisiert ist, erhalten Spieler gewöhnlich eine Rückmeldung zum Status. Gute Anbieter erklären auch, welche Dokumente akzeptiert werden, wie lange die Prüfung ungefähr dauert und warum ein Bild abgelehnt wurde. Ein unscharfer Ausweis oder eine abweichende Adresse kann tatsächlich genügen. Das ist ärgerlich, doch eine verständliche Begründung macht einen großen Unterschied.

Vorsicht bei hektischen Aufforderungen: Werden Dokumente über unsichere Kanäle oder an unbekannte Mailadressen verlangt, brechen umsichtige Nutzer den Vorgang besser ab und prüfen den offiziellen Supportweg.
Situation Übliche Reaktion des Casinos Sinnvolle Reaktion der Nutzer
Kontoeröffnung Abfrage persönlicher Grunddaten Daten sorgfältig und wahrheitsgemäß eintragen
Hohe Auszahlung Dokumenten- oder Zahlungsquellenprüfung Fristen und angeforderte Unterlagen prüfen
Abweichende Daten Vorübergehende Kontoeinschränkung Nicht mehrere Konten eröffnen, Support kontaktieren

Spieler vermeiden unnötige Verzögerungen meist mit wenigen Gewohnheiten. Dabei geht es nicht darum, Dokumente leichtfertig zu verteilen. Es geht um einen kontrollierten, nachvollziehbaren Prozess.

  1. Dokumente ausschließlich im verschlüsselten Nutzerkonto hochladen.
  2. Vor dem Upload prüfen, ob Name, Geburtsdatum und Adresse lesbar sind.
  3. Bestätigungen und Kommunikation für mögliche Rückfragen speichern.

Ein seriöser Betreiber sollte nie Passwörter, vollständige Kartendaten oder Fernzugriff auf ein Gerät verlangen. Sobald so etwas auftaucht, werden viele Nutzer misstrauisch, und das zu Recht.

Persönliche Daten, Vertrauen entsteht in kleinen Details

Ein Casino verarbeitet sensible Informationen: Kontaktdaten, Zahlungsdaten, Spielverhalten und bei der Verifikation auch Ausweisdokumente. Deshalb schauen erfahrenere Spieler gern in die Datenschutzerklärung, selbst wenn dieses Dokument nicht gerade als spannende Lektüre gilt. Dort sollte stehen, welche Daten erhoben werden, wofür sie genutzt werden, wie lange sie gespeichert bleiben und an welche Dienstleister sie gegebenenfalls weitergeleitet werden.

Viele Menschen achten besonders auf zwei Dinge. Erstens auf eine sichere Verbindung, erkennbar am Schloss-Symbol im Browser. Zweitens auf die Möglichkeit, Marketing-Einstellungen anzupassen. Nicht jeder möchte nach einer kurzen Registrierung mit Bonusmails überhäuft werden. Ein transparentes Casino lässt solche Einstellungen nicht im Kleingedruckten verschwinden.

  • Passwörter sollten lang sein und nur für das jeweilige Spielerkonto verwendet werden.
  • Zwei-Faktor-Authentifizierung erhöht den Schutz, falls sie angeboten wird.
  • Öffentliche WLAN-Netze sind für Einzahlungen und Dokumentenuploads keine gute Wahl.
  • Ungewohnte Login-Hinweise sollten sofort über den offiziellen Support geklärt werden.

Gerade weil Glücksspiel emotional sein kann, ist Datensicherheit nicht bloß ein technisches Thema. Spieler möchten nicht befürchten müssen, dass persönliche Informationen unklar verarbeitet oder Konten von Dritten genutzt werden. Ein ruhiges Gefühl beim Login ist vielleicht kein Bonus, aber für viele deutlich wertvoller.

Spielerschutz zeigt sich nicht nur im Kleingedruckten

Verantwortungsbewusstes Spielen bedeutet nicht, dass jede Runde problematisch wäre. Es bedeutet eher, dass Glücksspiel als Unterhaltung behandelt wird, mit einem vorher festgelegten Rahmen. Spieler, die sich daran halten, berichten oft, dass sie entspannter spielen. Gewinne bleiben angenehm, Verluste werden nicht automatisch zum Anlass, weiter einzuzahlen. Das ist leichter gesagt als getan, besonders nach einer knapp verpassten Bonusfunktion oder einer längeren Verlustserie.

Ein verantwortungsvoller Betreiber stellt deshalb Werkzeuge bereit, die nicht versteckt sein sollten. Einzahlungslimits, Verlustlimits, Zeitlimits, Reality Checks, Spielpausen und Selbstausschluss helfen Nutzern dabei, Abstand zu gewinnen. Manche finden Erinnerungen zunächst störend. Nach einer längeren Session bemerken sie aber manchmal, wie schnell Zeit vergeht, wenn ein Spiel dauernd neue kleine Anreize setzt.

Schutzwerkzeug Wofür es gedacht ist Typischer Nutzen
Einzahlungslimit Maximalen Betrag pro Zeitraum festlegen Das Budget bleibt berechenbarer.
Reality Check Über Spielzeit und Einsätze informieren Unterbricht den Automatismus.
Spielpause Zugang zeitweise sperren Schafft Abstand in angespannten Phasen.
Selbstausschluss Längere oder dauerhafte Sperre aktivieren Unterstützt bei Kontrollverlust.

Warnzeichen sind nicht immer dramatisch. Es kann schon auffallen, dass jemand Einsätze verheimlicht, dem verlorenen Geld hinterherjagt oder andere Ausgaben verschiebt. Angehörige bemerken gelegentlich zuerst, dass die Stimmung nach dem Spielen kippt. In solchen Momenten ist es sinnvoll, nicht auf den nächsten Gewinn zu hoffen, sondern eine Pause einzulegen und gegebenenfalls externe Beratungsangebote zu nutzen.

Glücksspiel ist keine Einnahmequelle. Wer mit Geld spielt, das für Miete, Rechnungen oder alltägliche Verpflichtungen vorgesehen ist, bewegt sich bereits außerhalb eines gesunden Rahmens.

Zahlungen und Boni ohne falsche Erwartungen betrachten

Bei Ein- und Auszahlungen wollen Spieler vor allem Klarheit. Welche Methode ist verfügbar? Fallen Gebühren an? Wie lange dauert eine Auszahlung? Und muss sie über denselben Weg erfolgen wie die Einzahlung? Ein Casino sollte diese Fragen vor dem ersten Transfer beantworten. Wenn Bedingungen erst später auftauchen, entsteht schnell Frust, selbst wenn der Vorgang am Ende korrekt abläuft.

Auch Boni verdienen einen nüchternen Blick. Freispiele und Einzahlungsangebote können Unterhaltung verlängern, sind aber kein Geschenk ohne Regeln. Umsatzbedingungen, maximale Einsätze und zeitliche Grenzen entscheiden darüber, wie realistisch eine Auszahlung von Bonusguthaben ist. Einige Spieler verzichten lieber ganz auf Aktionen, weil ihnen ein transparentes Echtgeldspiel einfacher erscheint. Andere nutzen Boni bewusst, nachdem sie die Bedingungen gelesen haben. Beide Entscheidungen sind vernünftig.

Vor einer ersten Einzahlung hilft vielen Nutzern diese kleine Reihenfolge:

  1. Ein festes Unterhaltungsbudget bestimmen, dessen Verlust verkraftbar ist.
  2. Zahlungsbedingungen und mögliche Verifizierungsanforderungen prüfen.
  3. Bonusregeln lesen und ein Angebot ablehnen, wenn es unklar oder unpassend wirkt.

Diese Vorgehensweise nimmt etwas Tempo aus der Anmeldung. Aber genau dieses kurze Innehalten ist oft hilfreich. Im Online Casino sind schnelle Klicks überall vorgesehen, bewusste Entscheidungen müssen Spieler dagegen meist selbst einbauen.

Eine gesunde Routine beginnt vor dem ersten Spin

Verantwortungsbewusstes Spielen entsteht selten durch einen einzigen Schalter im Konto. Es wächst aus mehreren kleinen Entscheidungen: nicht müde oder frustriert zu spielen, kein geliehenes Geld einzusetzen, Pausen ernst zu nehmen und Verluste nicht persönlich zu nehmen. Das klingt beinahe banal. Trotzdem geraten gerade diese einfachen Regeln in Vergessenheit, wenn eine Spielrunde aufregend wird.

Nutzer, die ihr Spielverhalten gelegentlich überprüfen, erkennen Veränderungen eher. Manche setzen sich vorab ein Zeitfenster, andere aktivieren Limits direkt nach der Registrierung. Wieder andere sprechen offen mit einer vertrauten Person darüber, wie viel sie ausgeben möchten. Nicht jede Methode passt zu jedem Menschen, doch der Gedanke dahinter bleibt derselbe: Das Casino sollte ein begrenzter Zeitvertreib bleiben und nicht den Alltag bestimmen.

Ein sicherer Betreiber, eine überprüfbare Lizenz, sorgsamer Datenschutz und wirksame Schutzfunktionen bilden dafür die technische Grundlage. Den entscheidenden Teil übernehmen jedoch die Spieler selbst. Wer langsam startet, Bedingungen kritisch liest und bei einem unguten Gefühl rechtzeitig stoppt, begegnet dem Online Glücksspiel deutlich kontrollierter. Vielleicht wirkt das weniger spektakulär als ein großer Jackpot, langfristig ist es für viele aber die bessere Erfahrung.

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