Architecture rending of the Lucas County Canine Care & Control, to open next spring. (Courtesy Photo)
Commissioner’s office seeks to map out future of public service
By Lisa A. Sobecki, Lucas County Commissioner
There’s a lot to be excited about in Lucas County.
Last month, the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office unveiled a new precinct in Swanton that provides a central location to seven western townships patrolled by our deputies.
Next spring, we’ll open the doors on a brand-new Canine Care & Control facility in downtown Toledo that will expand and enhance the services we provide to Lucas County dogs.
And in 2026, we will unveil an operational materials recovery facility that will drastically reduce our carbon footprint and save taxpayers money by sorting, processing and separating recyclable materials currently being transferred 90 miles away.
There’s a lot happening in our county in the near future. Our long-term goals, priorities, projects, investments, processes and day-to-day operations, however, need some thoughtful planning to map out what we want our home to look like three, five, and even 10 years down the road.
Lisa Sobecki | Lucas County Commissioner
That’s why we’ve engaged in a strategic planning process, alongside Experience Management Institute, an organizational consulting firm based in Columbus.
Strategic plans are common for businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies.
This plan will be the first of its kind for the Board of Lucas County Commissioners.
Our plan will be a roadmap for the board, provide a guidebook on what we value, articulate what our priorities are, and hold us accountable to execute and meet the goals we set forth.
As part of this process, we’ve engaged hundreds of stakeholders, including elected officials, county directors and administration, union leadership, city and township representatives, community partners, and Lucas County employees.
Now, we want to hear from you, our residents.
This is your home. This is where you live, where you work, where you greet friends and family. And it’s where you will retire and watch your children and grandchildren grow up and thrive.
This is your chance to help identify our shared values. This is your opportunity to write what our future will look like in Lucas County.
As an elected official, I work for you. The Board of Lucas County Commissioners works for you. Your feedback is critical to inform this process and develop a specified plan that meets the needs of our community.
By spending a few minutes on this confidential and anonymous survey, you can have stake and ownership of what Lucas County will look like for you and your children and grandchildren.
Help us write a future we can all be proud of. A future for everyone. A future for you.
Drag performer Theo Rhetically reacts with the crowd as she lip-syncs to ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman during the 2nd annual Trans & Thriving fest at Market on the Green in Toledo.
Trans & Thriving Fest inspires voices to speak out
Story and photosby Lori King
TOLEDO – Holding a pink blow-up guitar and sporting a pencil-drawn mustache, Chip Brewer took a moment to talk about what it felt like to attend his first all-trans cast festival.
Brewer (stage name Mag-n-Cheese) was at the 2nd annual Trans & Thriving Fest in Toledo last month to perform in a drag show in front an accepting audience of fellow trans women and men and their allies.
“Being at a trans fest feels really surreal,” Brewer exclaimed as he clutched the guitar, a prop for his lip-syncing performance slated for later that afternoon.
Lansing, Mich. residents Dylan Palmer, left, and Chip Brewer play on a swing during the Trans & Thriving Fest.
Lauren Howard, back left, volunteer for the Aggie Fund and an abortion clinic escort, and Aggie Fund board member Marcee Lichtenwald work the Agnes Reynolds Jackson Fund booth at the Trans & Thriving Fest.
“I’m actually a trans kid from the south, born and raised in the greater Memphis area, so I’m not super used to seeing specific spaces dedicated to trans people or appreciating trans people,” he admitted. “Moving up north is definitely kind of a culture shock … to see these types of things.”
The festival, sponsored by Equality Toledo, TransToledo and Holier Toledo, featured resource and vendor booths, food trucks and the family-friendly drag show.
For five hours that day, LGBTQ+ people shared a rare safe space out in the open. It was an afternoon that wasn’t taken lightly by Brewer, who came to the fest to be amongst others who understood and accepted him, celebrated him and were like him.
But this article isn’t about the fest, itself. You can hear their stories as they share what it feels like to be who they are while living in what can be a pretty hostile environment. By clicking on any photo in the gallery, you will be directed to audio files so you can hear their voices explain what transition stage they’re currently undergoing, the fear they face when in public and what it’s like to be at safe places like the Trans & Thriving Fest.
Robert Hillier lip-syncs to “For the First Time.” He is a co-founder and president of TransToledo.
Perhaps this story can be considered a catalyst for understanding as they continue to fight for acceptance, and even their lives, one public appearance at a time.
According the Human Rights Campaign, consider that in 2023 at least 28 transgender or gender non-conforming people were murdered in the United States, including Toledoans Kejuan Richardson, a gender non-conforming Black man, and Amiri Reid, a Black transgender woman.
Both were considered a hate crime, a violent act that strikes fear into the heart of a community so discriminated against that laws and policies are being enacted to block LGBTQ+ people from playing in sports, reading to kids and even having wedding cakes made for that special occasion.
Because of the enigma of the trans community, hearing them tell their stories might shed light on being trans and misunderstood, and on who they are and what they go through. Though this story only focuses on a few personal stories, it’s a start.
Stevie Phoenix, a trans man undergoing hormone replacement therapy (HRT), is a parent of two children and married to their father. The family lives in Temperance, Mich.
Stevie Phoenix injects his weekly testosterone shot into his right thigh during a lip-syncing performance at the fest.
During the middle of his lip-syncing performance at the Trans & Thriving fest, Phoenix wanted his fellow trans brothers and sisters to know they were “seen,” so he pulled out a syringe, held it between his teeth as he pushed down his legging to just above his right knee, and poked the needle into his thigh.
It was a bold statement that effectively got right to the point … they were amongst their people.
Phoenix explained after his performance that he administers his testosterone shot weekly, typically on Saturdays, “and the reason I do it on Saturdays is just in case there is an event that would be appropriate for me to perform while administering my shot.
“I do that to help other trans men and people who take part in hormone replacement therapy feel normalized and seen,” he said.
“It can be very, very powerful when you see somebody on stage who has a bit of notoriety showcase such a precious part of the trans experience, because it is a precious part. It’s almost spiritual to see somebody take that very, very personal experience and share it with everyone.”
Stevie Phoenix
Nikki Orlowski, co-founder and vice president of TransToledo and a transgender woman, said she was at the fest to support the trans community and to sell her art.
She said it’s hard to put into words what being trans means to her. “It’s obviously a physical journey, but it’s so much more than that … it’s spiritual. It’s my identity.”
As for being at the fest, Orlowski said everyone was there for each other, and they appeared happy and embraced who they were. “It means the world to me. It’s my favorite day,” she said.
Dressed in a white suite with rainbow accents and wearing a drawn-in mustache and beard, Theo Rhetically jumped off the temporary stage to interact with the audience. As she lip-synced to The Greatest Showman’s This is Me, she collected applause and dollar bills.
“We can’t possibly do drag without the amazing people who come to watch us,” Rhetically said. “Drag doesn’t exist without people who choose to support us, love us and give us a place to show them our creation. Without them, I literally can’t do what I’m doing … what I love.
“So if you ever come to a drag show or you support drag and you know drag’s not a crime, always come out and support us,” he encouraged. “You’re cheering, your presence is more than anything we could ever ask. If you like drag, please come and support us. We love you.”
Arts Commission presents semifinalists for new City of Toledo flag
TOLEDO – The City of Toledo will retire its current flag, adopted in 1994, and introduce a new city flag with input from the community.
Officially, all entries are anonymous. However, one of the semifinalists is already publicly known: Toledoan Jacob Parr.
Parr’s research and suggestions on redesigning the official flag was presented to Toledo City Council in 2022, and he said he’s excited about the current effort, whether his flag is chosen or not.
“I was able to instigate what, to me, is a very meaningful conversation on civic pride,” Parr said. “The point of this project was to give back to the city I love.”
Jacob Parr (Courtesy Photo)
Toledo’s current flag uses what was then the newly updated city seal as its core design. It’s not seen in public much. Rachel Hart, director of communications for City of Toledo, said it is on display at city hall but likely “not many other places.”
An earlier city flag, in use from 1909 through 1994, features an illustration of a stockade fort against blue and white stripes. That said, the newer flag, adopted during the administration of then-mayor Carleton “Carty” S. Finkbeiner, doesn’t quite fit today’s best practices.
“There are some well-established principles for flag design. Our current flag fails all of them,” Hart said.
Jacob Parr’s redesign idea – blue and white banner with yellow spark – was not adopted. (Courtesy Photo/Scott Deca)
It was 2015 when Parr started his curiosity and research into such a project. He is a Toledo School for the Arts graduate and works in design. At one point, he was listening to podcasts on design concepts, including one that discussed flags. During the stay-at-home initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, he had time to brainstorm and research on what he thought was an intriguing idea.
He presented his flag redesign idea – a blue and white banner with a yellow spark – to Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz in 2021. The suggestion started working its way through city hall. Parr’s earlier presentation is still available for review on his graphic design website.
Rachel Hart, director of communications for City of Toledo (Courtesy Photo)
“It was almost adopted as the official Toledo flag,” Chloe Nousias said about Parr’s proposal. She is the marketing communications manager for The Arts Commission. What happened instead, as the idea faced city council in 2022, is the proposal stalled out.
Questions were raised about getting more public involvement. Kapszukiewicz re-introduced the project in his most recent State of the City address. This time, The Arts Commission, a nonprofit organization that manages Toledo’s public art collection, was asked to get involved.
“The Arts Commission has been a really great partner,” Harr said.
“It’s all very exciting,” Parr said about the decision to move forward.
In the current process, submissions opened June 28 and were due Aug. 28. Only city of Toledo residents could participate.
The Design Review Board, which includes representatives from Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo City Council and The Arts Commission, was tasked to narrow down the list of submissions.
Semifinalists went on public display, with comments taken Sept. 20-22 during the Momentum Festival arts celebration in downtown Toledo.
“We had a lot of good feedback at the festival,” Nousias said.
Area residents also are invited to review the concepts and share their thoughts at The Art Commission website. The PDF of design choices includes descriptions of why certain colors, shapes or symbols were chosen.
The review board will then name a top design and two runners-up for review and adoption. A final selection announcement is set for Jan. 7.
“That’s Toledo’s birthday,” Hart said, referring to the city’s official founding date of Jan. 7, 1837.
If area residents notice a simple, modern design style among the choices as compared to the currently used city flag, that’s intentional. Participants were encouraged to look up best practices, such as the North American Vexillological Association’s Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag.
The report gives recommendations on how to make a flag both representative of, and recognizable for, its community.
This newer flag style can be seen in the proposals as Cleveland, Dayton and Salt Lake City have been considering redesigns of their city flags. Mississippi voters also adopted a new state flag design in 2020.
City Flag Design Rules
The Arts Commission and Toledo city officials published guidelines for the City of Toledo flag redesign that included the following:
All submissions must be from a resident of the city of Toledo.
Design elements should “reflect the City of Toledo’s shared history, values, aspirations and diverse cultural communities.”
No lettering within the design.
Two or three basic colors used in the design.
All work must be original, not copyright material, and not created or enhanced by Artificial Intelligence.
A female ruby-throated hummingbird. (TFP Photo/Art Weber)
These small, fast hummingbirds soon to migrate out of our area
Fall’s arrival means saying goodbye to one of our summertime gems. The last of our ruby-throated hummingbirds will be leaving us in the coming days for their wintering grounds across the Gulf of Mexico and as far away as Central America.
Most of the males with their bright ruby throats left weeks ago. Only the females remain and their numbers are thinning. Their latest recorded departure date from our area was mid-October, so if you’re lucky enough to see one this time of year take a moment to admire their incredible appearance and remarkable abilities.
These tiny birds – our smallest – are hatched in tiny nests from eggs the size of a jellybean. As adults they are the only birds capable of hovering in place, flying backwards and even upside down. Their wingbeats are so fast that they make an easily heard humming or buzzing sound as they approach the flowers and feeders that they visit for nectar.
They are both fast and have incredible stamina. In migration they’re known to fly 40 miles per hour. Some make a non-stop, 500-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico that they’ll finish in less than a day.
Festival resumes its mission of celebrating films, storytelling
MAUMEE – The Maumee Film Festival is set to make its grand return to the big screen this weekend following a hiatus during the pandemic.
Organized by the collaborative efforts of the Maumee Indoor Theater, Maumee Uptown Business Association and FilmToledo, the festival promises to bring an exciting showcase of independent films back to the heart of Maumee.
Running from 2015 to 2020, the Maumee Film Festival has been a beacon for filmmakers and enthusiasts alike, highlighting a diverse array of short, not-so-short and feature-length independent films.
After a brief pause, the festival is thrilled to resume its mission of celebrating creativity and storytelling through the art of filmmaking.
“I give Sara Eiden at the Maumee Indoor Theater a ton of credit – she has been working constantly to bring more business to the theater and get the community involved in events,” said Michael DeSanto, FilmToledo executive director.
DeSanto has been involved in the Maumee Film Festival in some capacity since its first year. He’s submitted short films and made award-winning films for the 48-Hour Film Challenge. He’s also been a festival judge, and was on the festival committee in 2020.
He said that “getting involved on a deeper level was an easy choice for me. We’ve been wanting to bring the festival back, as well, so our goals were in perfect alignment.”
With the festival being dormant for so long, DeSanto explained that it was a matter of contacting local filmmakers and businesses, re-engaging the community and sponsors, and building an infrastructure so the festival can be profitable and continue for years.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing back the Maumee Film Festival after the hiatus caused by the pandemic,” said Sara Eiden, supervisor of theater operations at the Maumee Indoor Theater.
“This festival has always been a celebration of independent filmmaking, and we’re excited to provide a platform for filmmakers to share their stories once again,” she said.
One of the most exciting features of this year’s festival is the inclusion of the 48-Hour Film Challenge. Teams will have just 48 hours to write, shoot and edit a short film, incorporating specific elements revealed only at the kickoff event. This challenge promises to test the creativity and agility of participating filmmakers, resulting in an exhilarating showcase of talent.
“For the most part, a film festival showcases the talent of local and regional filmmakers, giving them an opportunity to see their films on the big screen and celebrate their hard work. For moviegoers and cinephiles, it’s a chance to see films they might not see anywhere else and connect up with like-minded people. And the popcorn is always great!” DeSanto exclaimed.
This year’s festival also promises to be an unforgettable celebration of cinema, creativity and community spirit. Whether you’re a filmmaker, film enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates the magic of the silver screen, mark your calendars for the Maumee Film Festival this weekend.
The Maumee Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing independent films from both local and international filmmakers. Since its inception in 2015, the festival has been a platform for emerging talent and a celebration of creativity in the world of cinema.
A Kerala local child speaks with filmmaker Jim Merkel in his film, Saving Walden's World. Merkel's film is featured in the Maumee Film Festival
on Sept. 28. (Courtesy Photo/Jim Merkel)
Film on sustainability living solutions screens at Maumee Film Fest
MAUMEE – Fresh off its NYC screening, Saving Walden’s World will be featured at the Maumee Film Festival today at 1:30 p.m.
The documentary film is one of more than 50 long and short films featured in a two-day film frenzy this weekend at the Maumee Indoor Theater.
As the United Nations Summit for the Future wraps up with a signed global pact on sustainability, peace, gender equality and youth engagement, Saving Walden’s World offers powerful, underreported solutions aligned with these goals.
About the Film: Saving Walden’s World, directed by Jim Merkel, delves into sustainable living solutions that are meeting and exceeding the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, well ahead of the 2030 timeline.
The film brings to light inspiring stories from Kerala, Cuba and Slovenia – societies offering universal access to education, healthcare and women’s rights, presenting an achievable model of sustainability that resonates across borders.
The journey follows Merkel, a former arms dealer who embarks on a life-altering mission after realizing his work harms the very people he now seeks to help.
With a focus on real-world solutions, Saving Walden’s World captures the essence of global cooperation, grassroots action and human-scaled development in the fight against climate change.
About the author:
In 1989, Merkel left his military engineering career, dedicating his life to peacemaking and addressing the climate crisis. By 2015, as a father, he felt an urgent need to act.
“I could feel a tsunami barreling towards my son’s future,” Merkel recalls. So, he picked up a camera and began filming his six-year-old son’s world, starting an eight-year project that would take him across the globe.
Touring Without Fossil Fuel: In line with the film’s sustainability message, Merkel has committed to a low-carbon tour, traveling by sailboat along the Maine coast and by electric vehicle across the U.S. He will be in attendance at the Maumee Film Festival for a post-screening Q&A, inviting the audience to join in a dialogue on actionable sustainability practices.
Now touring by electric vehicle, Merkel brings his film from Maine to Ohio and beyond, heading next to the Iris Global Health Film Festival in Boulder.
Black Swamp Conservancy restored wetland in crop field. (Photo courtesy of Greater Lakes Promise)
A new partnership for clean-water
A new partnership called the Greater Lakes Promise is working to improve water quality around the Great Lakes.
An initiative made possible by the Great Lakes Protection Fund and the nonprofit Freshwater, the Greater Lakes Promise is working with land trusts to select high priority lands for conservation. This includes raising funds to add perennial vegetation with the goal of trapping carbon emissions and preventing run-off.
Carrie Jennings, Freshwater research and policy director for the project said, “There are many geologic, economic and societal commonalities across the Great Lakes states that allow us to expand the geographic reach of our efforts to improve water quality.”
The three main goals of the Greater Lakes Promise are:
Working with five land trusts as partners to continue these clean-water initiatives.
Creating a technical advisory committee to prioritize the highest levels of phosphorus reduction.
Generating funding for outreach, land stewardship, and land purchase to improve Great Lakes water quality.
