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.
Gene Parker, on keyboards, and Damen Cook, drums and vocals, perform every Tuesday night at Lucille's Jazz Club on Summit Street in Toledo, usually with a special guest. TFP Photo/David Yonke
Lucille’s Jazz Lounge thrives with live music from legendary musicians
Story and photos by Dave Yonke
TOLEDO – Like a Russian nesting doll, Lucille’s Jazz Lounge is tucked inside a coffee shop inside an industrial-looking social club just north of Downtown Toledo.
The entrance to the jazz club is on the side of Tolhouse, a members-only social club. Jazz fans must walk through the Earth Coffeehouse on Summit St. to reach Lucille’s.
Lucille’s is a cozy and classy club with a clear sightline, a good sound system and a solid lineup of musicians from near and far. Toledo’s jazz history is honored with framed photos of some of the city’s legendary jazz figures, including Clifford Murphy, Claude Black and Rusty Monroe.
Gene Parker, playing a Hammond B-3 organ, still gets excited about playing jazz.
Lucille’s opened Oct. 23, 2021 and quickly became a favorite of local jazz artists and aficionados.
Starting in January, the club has hosted a weekly Tuesday night show called Sessions, led by local jazz aces Gene Parker and Damen Cook and a variety of featured guests playing whatever songs they feel inspired to play.
“I think it’s fabulous and (club owner) Will Lucas is great. He’s got a winning concept here, he really does,” Parker said. “Other places, they push a few tables out of the way and they call it a jazz lounge. This is a real jazz lounge here.”
For the Tuesday night sessions, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis with a $5 music fee and a two-drink minimum per guest (alcohol is not required; drinks can be bottled water, cans of pop or mocktails). The club has a curated menu featuring everything from burgers and wings to salads, and an array of beverages from a full bar.
Damen Cook sings and plays drums at the Tuesday night jazz session at Lucille’s Jazz Lounge.
“We have rotating guests, like trombonist Ron Kischuk from Detroit here tonight, and we bring in guests from Detroit and Ann Arbor and Northwest Ohio,” Parker said. “Some people would never get a chance to play here otherwise. Maybe they don’t have a big name but they can sing or play an instrument and entertain the people.
“The first hour from 7:30 to 8:30 is the guest hour, with Damen singing and playing drums and I’m playing the Hammond B-3 organ. Then, after 8:30 it’s an open jam. People can come up and play, take over the B-3 – we have a guitar amp and mics. We’ve had pretty good luck with singers and guitarists.”
Among the recent scheduled jazz artists at the Tuesday sessions were trumpeter Ben Wolkins, guitarist Ariel Kasler and trumpeter Dave Kosmyna.
Parker, 81, still gets excited about jazz. He doesn’t play the saxophone much these days but is nimble on the organ, piano, vibes and other keyboard instruments.
Famed for not only performing but also teaching many successful musicians, Parker’s enthusiasm for jazz is always in high gear. He usually plays with eyes closed as he focuses on the music and his impressive improvisations.
“Oh I love it. Love it! It’s fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!,” he exclaimed.
(TFP Video/David Yonke)
Asked if he prepares a set list for the Tuesday shows, Parker laughed and said, “We just play what we like. I know about 10,000 songs.”
The Sept. 24 jazz session featured a string of standards, including Cook drumming while singing I’ve Got the World on a String and Old Folks, and the trio cranked it up for Groovy Sambas, a tribute to Brazilian jazz great Sergio Mendes, who died Sept. 5 from long Covid.
As with most jazz bands, the group performed in unison at the start and end of each tune, with each musician taking a turn on extended solos.
Lucille’s is located inside the TolHouse social club at 1447 N. Summit St. in Toledo. (TFP Photo/David Yonke)
On weekends, Lucille’s hosts touring and top local and regional artists. Tickets are typically priced between $15 and $40 and must be purchased ahead of time. Many of the weekend shows sell out.
Upcoming concerts include vocalists Nicole Heitger, Ellie Martin and Lori Lefevre, Afro-Cuban jazz band Tumbao Bravo, blues artist Maurice John Vaughn, singer-songwriter Jo Serrapere, and former Murphys Trio pianist Johnny O’Neal.
“The value of music has changed,” Parker said. “You can’t give it away or the musicians won’t get paid. Music at one time was so popular because it was the only thing. There was nothing much on radio or television for a long time and people went out to hear live music.
“Now people have moved out to the suburbs and they go in their backyard and they barbecue and they watch TV and it’s pretty hard to compete with that. They really don’t need us anymore. Jazz records are like 1 percent of the market — and 90 percent of that is Kenny G,” he said.
“So now, more than ever, we need the people who support this and who like this music to come out. No matter what kind of music you like, come out and support the bands that you like,” Parker encouraged.
A full schedule of concerts with links to purchase tickets can be found at lucillesjazzlounge.com.
Firefighting is a rigorous job, and new recruits are expected to be in excellent physical fitness condition. Since exercise is a core component of each day in the academy, recruits do wall sits on their first day.
Toledo Fire & Rescue Department firefighter class in full swing
This is the first in a photo series about the current Toledo Fire & Rescue Academy class
Story by Paula Wethington | Photos Courtesy of Toledo Fire & Rescue
TOLEDO – Three words that describe what a first responder might do at the scene of an emergency are also applicable to the academy training that Toledo Fire & Rescue Department recruits are working through.
“We crawl, walk, run,” said Lt. John Rodriguez, who is among the TFRD instructors leading the current academy class.
Fire Class #298 pose for a group photo wearing their new turnout gear.
Fire Class 298 started its training Aug. 16 with 30 recruits. They meet 40 hours a week, with much of the training at Owens Community College, with some lessons at Maumee Fire Division’s burn tower.
The first couple of weeks featured classroom instruction, getting assigned their turnout gear and a legacy class run. The training pace ramped up fast, and lessons soon included facing live fire.
Once the training is done, they will also learn about handling hazardous materials and drive the vehicles they’ll use on duty. It all wraps up on Feb. 28.
It is Toledo Fire & Rescue Department tradition that veteran personnel train the next batch of recruits.
Recruits try on their new turnout gear, consisting of boots, pants, coats, gloves, and helmets.
Instructor Ken Dresser demonstrates how to properly secure a helmet being worn by recruit Dominique Lloyd.
“We can train them our way, the Toledo way, but always to the Ohio standard,” Capt. Michael Romstadt said about the academy class he is leading. “There’s a certain number of hours they have to get through the state.”
The 16-week firefighter training session will end Dec. 6. Their are 11 among them who also need Emergency Medical Technician-Basic trainin,g then move into that curriculum.
TFRD currently has 579 TFRD personnel among its 18 stations. The department’s service area is primarily the city; a mutual aid pact with neighboring fire districts means that sometimes a Toledo crew takes a call just outside the city while another department’s staff is busy.
The number of recruits and the training schedule has varied over the decades and is based on the number of spots they expect to have open each time. For example, Rodriguez, who is also working with the current academy class, said he was in the third class that took place in 1997.
In more recent years, TRFD has scheduled one academy a year, starting in the summer. They already expect 40 recruits next year.
Instructor Jake Hoffman explains to recruits the basics of fire behavior using a model of a common two-story wooden dwelling.
Recruit Kameron French carries the American flag as he and his fellow recruits participate in the traditional Legacy Run designed to build team bonding.
Romstadt said the admission criteria includes a high school diploma or GED, background check, medical evaluation and agility test.
Once his or her training is complete, each recruit will spend the first year taking turns at three different stations on the department’s 24-hours-on / 48-hours-off work schedule. Those who have a head start with current EMT or paramedic credentials will start their first station assignments this winter.
Members of the Signature Program, part of Leadership Toledo, engage in a team-building activity at Secor Metropark in Berkey, Ohio in December. (Courtesy Photo/Elizabeth Hoerner)
Organization’s fundraising breakfast sets tone for the year
TOLEDO – It is said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. For Leadership Toledo, it might just be the most important meal of the year.
The nonprofit’s 20th annual Community Fundraiser Breakfast will be on Thursday, Oct. 10, at the Renaissance Toledo Downtown Hotel. Doors open at 8 a.m., and breakfast and the program begin at 8:30 a.m. While attendance is free, there will be opportunities to make donations, and the event includes several sponsors.
Members of Youth Leadership Toledo canoe together for bond building during a meet-and-greet at Sidecut Meteropark in Maumee, Ohio in July. (Courtesy Photo/Arika Michaelis)
Anna Toney, Leadership Toledo’s executive director, said the roughly 500 people expected to attend will learn about the organization’s role in the region. “The theme is ‘Power of Community,’” she said. “It’s a platform for us to talk about the work we are doing in the community.”
That work includes programs for youths and adults. “The breakfast supports our youth program and scholarships for our adult programs,” Toney said. She said highlights will be opportunities and challenges, and attendees will “discover how they can be part of the solutions to issues in the community.”
Youth Leadership Toledo is a nine-month program for high school sophomores. Toney said this year the tuition-free program includes 60 students from more than 30 high schools, largely in Lucas and Wood counties.
“It’s about helping them to develop and discover more about their community leadership skills,” she explained. “We want them to become more confident leaders, connect to their community, and grow in self-awareness and identify meaningful service.”
The signature, tuition-based adult program brings together a diverse group of people to facilitate meaningful conversation for action in the community, Toney said. Each of the 10 months the group is together features a different topic, such as education, public safety and cultural arts. “We bring in speakers to talk about what’s happening in the community,” she said.
Members of YIPEE host a car wash fundraiser in August at Springfield High School in Holland, Ohio. They raised more than $400 in donations, which supports youth organizations in Toledo. (Courtesy Photo/Elizabeth Hoerner)
Leadership Toledo is bringing in speakers for the fundraising breakfast to talk about the organization and how the attendees can help. They are:
Dan Dower, regional president of KeyBank, Leadership Toledo board president.
Gena Collier, training and development analyst for the City of Toledo, Leadership Toledo adult program alumnus.
Kim Finch, manager, community engagement and events, Buckeye Broadband, Leadership Toledo adult program alumnus.
Nina Clark, Ottawa Hills High School junior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Arjun Jayaraman, Anthony Wayne High School junior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Jacob Lesick, University of Cincinnati senior, Leadership Toledo youth program alumnus.
Asja Wynn, left, and Marsha Hill converse during Leadership Toledo’s open house celebration at the Barber-Farris Building in Downtown Toledo. They are Focus 419 alumni. (Courtesy Photo/Doug Hinebaugh)
Toney, who has been the nonprofit’s executive director since 2017, reflected on the area the organization serves. “The Toledo community has lot of pride. People are dedicated and celebrating everything that we have. We are small enough, yet large enough where there is a lot happening that we should be proud of.”
She said Leadership Toledo has had natives and transplants alike say they have “found a place here where they can ‘plug in.’ If you can find a passion, we want to help you go all in.”
She said she’s seen positive energy in Toledo, and that “it’s a great place to live, work and play. That’s what we’re doing at Leadership Toledo, highlighting reasons why Toledo is a special place to call home.”
Breakfast attendees are to register in advance by visiting leadershiptoledo.org.
Stacy Richards, niece of late firefighter Butch Rahe, sings ‘I Can Only Imagine,’ by MercyMe, a song she performed during his funeral in January. Richards performed at the 419 Fest on Saturday.
Remembering Butch Rahe: Music plays on in firefighter’s honor
Story and photos by Kyle Brown
HOLLAND – Live music, support for the HERO program and a tribute to fallen Toledo firefighter Sterling ‘Butch’ Rahe were all a part of the 6th annual 419 Fest, held at Homecoming Park on Saturday.
There was even a pizza named after Rahe, and monies from the pizza sale helped support a fund in his honor. Raha died on Jan. 1 after complications from an injury.
The first of 11 bands to take the stage was The Chris Shutters Band, followed by Not Fast Enough, Venyx, The 25s and 56 Daze.
Piggyback Jones, a high energy cover band out of Northwest Ohio, performs during the 419 Fest Saturday.
Between sets, Stacy Richards, Rahe’s niece, played songs to entertain the crowd. One song in particular that got the crowd in an emotional state was “I Can Only Imagine,” by MercyMe. Looking around, tears were falling. One crowd member mentioned they “stopped listening, or else I’d be balling my eyes out.”
Richards said that song was especially meaningful to her because it was the song she sang at Rahe’s funeral.
After Richard’s set, I met Becky Rahe, who was married to Butch for 32 years before tragedy struck. As I spoke to her, I got this sense of the pure joy she felt for this event. Butch had attended all five prior festivals and even helped put it on.
”I was talking to Todd, and you know, he was saying how he had to do it without Butch this year. But Butch was always with him,” she told me.
Becky said the fire department and township have been supportive to her and her family, like an extended family. “When needed, they have been there for emotional and practical help. They take care of their own.”
People linger around a food truck area during the 419 Fest on Saturday.
2 Left Missing front-man Patrick Caligiuri performs.
Before Piggyback Jones hit the stage, 419 Fest owner and promoter Todd Boatfield came on to talk about the lead signer for Piggyback Jones, HollyLafferty, and how much she has helped over the years. Even during the Covid era, when the health department tried to shut the festival down, she still tried to help and donate her time.
Boatfield went on to talk about how it showed the “dedication and camaraderie that the 419 has for the music scene in Northwestern Ohio.”
Members of the Springfield Fire Department donated their time to help support the cause for this event, as well. One of those members was newly appointed battalion chief Andrew Vascik. Boatfield brought him on stage to publicly thank him and his crew for everything they have done, including the coordination of the crews, and even the smaller things, such as grabbing ice for people.
When speaking to Boatfield, I wanted to really get into what made him want to keep coming back year after year, to not only help support local musicians, but also give back to the firefighters and paramedics.
Boatfield said he loved raising money for a cause and he loved live music. “Anytime I get to mix the two of them together and have some of the best bands in Northwest Ohio, and be able to contribute money to a great cause, it makes it an easy eight or nine months of work to put this on.”
Boatfield wanted this year to memorialize Butch, a fellow Springfield firefighter before joining the Toledo Fire Department while still working part-time with Springfield. “We all knew Butch very well, and I knew him personally as we worked at the same station. I couldn’t think of a better venue to help raise some money for his family and honor him.”
419 Fest doesn’t just give money to falling firefighters and paramedics, it also supports the HERO (Health Education, Resources, and Outreach) program, a voluntary, non-emergency program open to all communities served by Springfield Township and Sylvania Township fire departments. The goal of the program is to assist residents to have safe living in their homes.
Other bands that performed were 2 Left Missing, followed by Distant Cousinz and Beefcarvers. There was quite a buzz when Leadfoot Granny took the stage. A band of 18 and 19 year olds took the Toledo by storm. Forming less than a year ago, the band featured Hope Smith on lead vocals, Luke Emrie on lead guitar and backing vocals, Owen Krupp on bass and backing vocals, and Odin Woodbury on drums.
Leadfoot Granny seemed to be a crowd favorite, as some of the loudest cheers occurred during their 45-minute set.
From the very first strum of the guitar and the first word out of Hope’s mouth, the crowd seemed hooked. While it seemed like most of the other bands were cover bands, Leadfoot Granny took a different approach. With a healthy mix of their own music and covers, the band jammed out to their 45-minute set with, in my opinion, the loudest cheers of the entire fest. One of the signature features of the band is the instrumental solos. Each had their opportunity to shine, and Smith with her vocal abilities turned heads on her own accord.
Ending the night was Noisy Neighbors, a power pop cover band. The high-energy band provided music covers of top songs spanning from the 80’s to current day music.
To donate to the cause, please visit 419musicfest.com. The donation link is up all year-round and goes straight to the HERO fund.
To apply to be on next year's band lineup on Sept. 20, send Todd Boatfield your information via an email on the 419 Fest website, or find him on social media. Boatfield will attend a show to see if you are a good fit.
CDL instructor Linda Lear teaches students how to prep a truck for a pre-trip during class on Monday at Owens Community College. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
Woman instructor steers students on path to driving
UPDATE (Nov. 13): The Owens CDL Training Program has received $149,100 from the Commercial Truck Driver Student Aid Program for 2025.
The financial aid program is funded through the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). It provides financial aid to in-state students who complete a CDL program and agree to reside and be employed in Ohio for a minimum of one year upon completion.
The financial aid program is funded through the Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE). It provides financial aid to in-state students who complete a CDL program and agree to reside and be employed in Ohio for a minimum of one year upon completion.
PERRYSBURG – The CDL program at Owens Community College has a saying: “We don’t run away from our problems; we steer toward them.”
That’s true both when trying to master a maneuver, like straight-line backing, or as CDL instructor Linda Lear has proven, in life.
Lear came to Owens as a CDL student 2019, looking to start a new, better life. As Lear said, her back was against the wall because of personal problems. She knew she had to do something.
“I always liked to travel and drive, so I decided to go to Owens,” Lear said. “There were always barriers trying to hold me back or stop me from obtaining my CDL. Once I had shut the door and put everything behind me and just focused on one thing, I obtained my license.”
Owens helped Lear break through those barriers. She gave special credit to Owens CDL instructor and training manager Harley Curavo.
“My teacher, Harley, spent that extra one-on-one time with me that I needed,” Lear said. “I couldn’t do anything. Him taking that extra time gave me the push to obtain my license.”
She spent the next two years on the road as a driver. At first, she thought she would be the only female in the trucking industry. However, it didn’t take long for her to see that she was wrong – there are many women who work in the trucking industry. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of female truck drivers has doubled in the past 20 years. Females now comprise 8 percent of the truck driving population.
Owens CDL students Kejuan Jones, from left, Keshawna Taylor and Ladona Clark learn how to do a pre-trip check. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
CDL instructor Linda Lear teaches Keshawna Taylor, of Detroit, about hoses and wires inside the engine. She taught them to ensure that everything is “secure, not cracked and not broken.” (TFP Photo/Lori King)
A chance encounter with Curavo and his encouragement for Lear to become an instructor led to the next chapter in her life.
Lear has now spent two years as an instructor at Owens. Helping students overcome their challenges and barriers motivates her as an instructor.
One of her students is Toledoan Kejuan Jones, who said that entering the program “is a good experience that set me up for the future.
“It’s different, but it’s fun to learn new things, especially about the trucks. I want to experience everything – regional, local, over the road- to have that experience so I can determine what I want to do further down … the road,” he said.
“I was in their shoes … I was struggling with some things,” Lear said. “I show them things I was struggling with and what helped me to overcome it. Once I show them different things, students are able to grasp the concept. That’s what makes me feel good, when the students are able to understand.”
Lear said her biggest responsibility is safety, both for the student and the other motorists on the road.
CDL instructor Linda Lears teaches students Kejuan Jones, from left, Keshawna Taylor and Ladona Clark about engine pre-trip checks. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
CDL instructor Linda Lear teaches about engine parts during class at Owens Community College on Monday. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
She doesn’t have to do it alone, though. The friendly, family atmosphere at Owens and supporting each other as people is what sets the CDL program apart from others in the area.
“Every one of those other programs works as a team, but we’re not just a team here at Owens, we’re more like a family,” Lear said. “We help lift one another; we help inspire. You never know what someone is going through.”
Job security and the overall atmosphere are what Lear uses to sell potential students on the idea of obtaining their CDL at Owens and entering the trucking industry.
“We’re essential. Everything in the world has to touch a truck. I don’t care if it comes on a boat or plane, everything has to touch a truck,” she said.
“You’re always going to have a job. There’s always stability.”
To learn more about the CDL program at Owens, visit Workforce
For more information on the Workforce and Community Services programs at Owens, please visit Workforce/Community
DSL instructor Justin Jeko teaches a student about the mandatory break test on a truck. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
