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Tennaro: Girls and politics

By
Angela Tennaro
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This week our community was buzzing as Americans exercised their right to vote. There were winners and losers on each side of the aisle, but where do girls fall in that equation?

Tennaro,-AngelaA recent Girl Scouts Research Institute poll showed two-thirds of those surveyed (1,000-plus 11- to 17-year-old females) were interested in politics — Girl Scouts and nonscouts alike. Eighty-three percent of those girls have participated in civic activities such as a cause or campaign, or engaged with an organization they believe in. The same percentage believe they are smart enough to have a career in politics.

But here’s the catch — only a third are interested in pursuing a career in politics.

Why the disconnect? The research is captivating. Something changes and girls stop having dreams of being the next mayor, congresswoman or president.

They stop short of envisioning political careers for themselves, seeing politics as a man’s world, partially attributable to a media lens that favors men. According to the poll, girls think the media depicts female politicians as more motivated by their emotions and at the same time, less capable, brave, resilient and visionary than their male counterparts. What message are we sending girls through social and mass media?

Even though they don’t want to enter politics, it’s not because of a lack of faith in their abilities. Of those surveyed, 84 percent said they are smart enough to have a career in politics. So they think they have the ability and feel like they’re strong leaders, but they’re not quite picturing themselves in the Oval Office. We need to motivate them to take that next step.

Girls need more support from the community and a growing list of opportunities they can experience and get excited about. Let’s offer more mentoring and job-shadowing positions to girls — inspire them to see the possibilities and positive role models available right here in Northwest Ohio. Female politicians and community leaders can take a more vocal role in dispelling some of the myths that say women are less capable than men.

The vast majority of girls surveyed believe there are other ways than politics to make a difference in the world. We can show girls the power of lasting change accomplished through legislative means, giving girls another space where women are seen as equally qualified decision makers.

Girl Scouts inspires and empowers girls to take action to change the world. Regardless of their political leaning, we want to instill in girls the skills and knowledge they need to become tomorrow’s leaders and take action on the things that matter the most to them — whatever that may be.

Read the full results of the poll yourself at girlscouts.org/research.

Angela Tennaro is director of regional services for Girl Scouts of Western Ohio.

Toledo set to begin veterans court in January

By
Danielle Stanton
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A Toledo court set aside for veterans is scheduled to handle its first case Jan. 1.

Judge William M. Connelly Jr. of Toledo Municipal Court will preside.

Judge William M. Connelly Jr. of Toledo Municipal Court,left, and Melody Powers, Veteran Justice Outreach Coordinator with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System. Connelly will preside over a courtroom set aside for veterans starting Jan. 1. Toledo Free Press photo by Aaron Geller

The legal process in veterans court is much like that in domestic violence and drug and alcohol dockets, which help individuals through their legal troubles. As in these specialized dockets, veterans’ legal problems are often the result of deeper mental, emotional or social issues.

The veterans courtroom is meant to not only dole out consequences for veterans who commit crimes but also intervene in their underlying issues to help them lead responsible, productive lives.

Combat troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They may also have traumatic brain injuries, drug and alcohol problems and other psychiatric conditions. The court will identify these issues and match them up with the appropriate services.

Many veterans from the Vietnam era have been dealing with their problems for years, in and out of the criminal justice system. Now, the new court’s veterans coordinator will go into jails looking for veterans who may be candidates for the treatment court.

Veterans court will only handle misdemeanor crimes, including disorderly conduct, “self-destructive” crimes like drug possession or more serious crimes like assault. The offending veteran will have to plead guilty or no contest in order to qualify for veterans court.

A person who is drunk and yelling in the street, for example, could end up before Connelly, who said he wants to intervene as quickly as possible to prevent the boomerang effect — veterans who commit a crime, serve time and are released only to commit another crime.

“You want to stop that and … get them into services,” he said. “My hope is that we are able to intervene as early as possible and save lives of veterans who have served the country.”

This is where Veterans Affairs (VA) steps in. The agency works to match veterans with professional services, such as mental health treatment, substance abuse counseling or help with a job search.

Melody Powers, a veteran justice outreach coordinator with the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, is one of three coordinators who link veterans with services. Powers works with veterans courts in Jackson and Redford, Michigan.

The outreach coordinator initiates first contact with the veteran and can make referrals to the treatment court, which then supports veterans through the process.

“You see lives completely changed,” Powers said. “I’ve seen people go from no income, no home, struggling with substance abuse, struggling with relationships. After treatment, they have all those things in place: job, income, reunited with family. The courts have just been so successful.”

The VA’s Leslie Witherell, who will coordinate the Toledo court, has already been combing the jails, looking for veterans who would be a good fit for the court where the judge gets on a personal level with the veteran.

“The judge becomes interested in that person personally: �?I heard you had a baby or got a job, good for you,’” Witherell said. “If you screw up, it’s not a punitive thing but still sanctioned. We don’t let them go. We will continue to uphold them because their issues are so unique.”

At every step of the way in the court system, the VA has the opportunity to become involved by asking, “Are you a veteran?” In Ohio, it’s “pretty standard” that those being booked into jail are asked if they’re a veteran, Connelly said; when they first appear in the court, they’re asked if they’re a veteran once again.

Once identified, the outreach coordinator performs an assessment on each veteran and then services are put in place. The ideal is to intervene before any type of regular court punishment occurs.

“I think often the Vietnam veterans have immersed themselves in work. After they retire, they start to struggle again and don’t know they’re eligible for VA care,” Powers said. “So this is a real opportunity to reach out and engage people.”

After a veteran pleads guilty in veterans court, the sentence is 18-24 months in what is a three-phase treatment program.

The misconception is that treatment court is easy but that couldn’t be further from the truth, Powers said. She called it “very intense supervision” by the court system.

For the first 45 days, or phase one, the veteran will meet with the judge every two weeks and a probation officer every week. They must keep every VA appointment and not violate any terms of their probation. The next four or five months, or phase two, allow more freedom as the veteran reintegrates into work or school. Phase three lasts 90 days, after which participating veterans graduate out of the program.

If the veteran completes treatment and does not reoffend, jail time can be dismissed. The goal is not to incarcerate, Connelly said, but jail isn’t off the table if the veteran commits an offense that warrants it.

“In the courts I’ve worked with in Southeast Michigan, anyone who has graduated the program has not re-offended,” Powers said.

The veterans often become so invested in the process, they return to court as mentors.

Michigan has 21 veteran treatment courts and Ohio has 10, including ones in Cleveland, Hamilton County, Mansfield and Youngstown. Akron, Dayton and Toledo all have courts in the same stages of development, Powers said.

In Redford District Court in Michigan, Chief Judge Karen Khalil presides over a veterans court that has processed 52 cases and has an 80 percent success rate, Khalil said.

One of the main reasons for its effectiveness is the three-phase structure the court offers to the veterans who are trained in the military way of life, she said.

“We’ve placed the structure back in their lives that they have become accustomed to in the military. It’s very rigorous and stringent,” Judge Khalil said. “They seem to thrive.

“You have to understand there’s a whole team of people monitoring everything that they’re doing. The judge is in charge, the mentor coordinator, probation department keeping track and justice outreach — so there’s a whole group of people constantly involved.”

Initially in Redford’s district court, people said the veterans were getting a “free pass,” but that is not true, Khalil said. The court is holding them responsible, she said, and that can be a struggle for them.

Defense attorney Rick Graham, who also has a private practice, advocates for the veterans before Khalil. A Vietnam veteran, Graham said helping other veterans out of their troubles is the “highest honor” that could be bestowed on him.

“Veterans are not typical defendants — they’re not drinking and using drugs to get high; they’re using to suppress memories,” Graham said. “Our court treats the symptoms: �?How did you get here and why did you get here?’”

Graham said about 35 percent of the men and woman who have transitioned from Iraq and Afghanistan back to civilian life have some form of PTSD.

“Nobody goes to war and comes back unchanged,” he said.

A third of the veterans the Redford court sees are Vietnam veterans and a majority served in Iraq and Afghanistan. The court sees more Marines than any other branch.

The application for Toledo’s veterans court is now before the Ohio Supreme Court, Connelly said. He will begin hearing cases on Jan. 1. The first veterans to go before the court have not yet been identified.

Election 2014: Kasich, incumbents coast to victory; most Lucas County levies pass

By
Dock David Treece
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Gov. John Kasich and most state and local incumbents cruised to easy victories Nov. 4.

Lucas County voters passed levies for Toledo Public Schools (53 percent), Mental Health & Recovery Services Board (63 percent), Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio (62 percent), Sylvania Fire Department (57 percent), Washington Local Schools (51 percent), Maumee City Schools (52 percent), Ottawa Hills roads (62 percent), Washington Township fire (67 percent), Waterville Township waste (52 percent) and Springfield Township (72 percent).

Voters denied levies to Lucas County Children Services (51 percent), Oregon City Schools (60 percent) and Providence Township streets (58 percent).

Voters in both Jerusalem Township and Springfield School District passed one levy, but failed another. In Wood County, Rossford voted to keep TARTA service (65 percent).

Governor

Kasich was declared the winner minutes after polls closed, easily defeating Democratic challenger Ed FitzGerald to clinch his second term with about 64 percent of the vote statewide. Green Party candidate Anita Rios of Toledo earned 3 percent of the state’s vote.

Also retaining their seats were Attorney General Mike DeWine, Auditor of State Dave Yost, Secretary of State Jon Husted and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel.

Lucas County Auditor

Anita Lopez, a Democrat, retained her seat as Lucas County Auditor with 64 percent of the vote over Republican John Navarre, an auditor’s office employee.

“I am grateful and blessed for another term to serve the public,” Lopez told Toledo Free Press on Nov. 4.

County Commissioner

Carol Contrada, president of the Lucas County Commissioners, defeated challenger Kevin Haddad with almost 60 percent of the vote.

“It is what it is, and the people got what they wanted,” Haddad, a former Sylvania Township Trustee, said Nov. 4. “It’s going to be mini-Detroit here, and people are going to leave this city. I’ll never run for political office again, and I’m going to leave here, too. If people are going to be that stupid and re-elect the same people, they deserve what they get.”

Issue 1 (TPS)

Toledo Public Schools’ levy passed with 53 percent of the vote. The estimated $66.5 million that will be raised over five years through the 5.8-mill levy  will be the first new money for the district since 2001.

“This is a great win for TPS, but more importantly an even greater win for Toledo,” said Superintendent Romules Durant.

Issue 7 (LCCS)

The 1.75-mill levy for Lucas County Children Services (LCCS) failed with 51 percent of voters saying no.

“Lucas County voters have spoken about the level of support that they want to provide children and families in this community,” LCCS Executive Director Dean Sparks wrote in an email to Toledo Free Press. “We are disappointed at the outcome of Issue 7, but we will continue to focus our efforts on investigating reports of abuse and neglect, keeping kids safe and finding new homes for the children that need them.”

Issue 8 (Mental Health)

Voters approved a 10-year, 0.5-mill renewal levy for the Mental Health & Recovery Services Board with 63 percent of the vote. The tax is expected to generate $3.4 million per year and will continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $15 annually.

“We believe we’ve been making substantial progress in improving our system of care and following through on the commitment we made in the 2012 levy,” said Executive Director Scott Sylak. “We appreciate the voters’ validation.”

Issue 9 (Senior Citizens):

Issue 9 passed with 62 percent of the vote. The five-year levy renewal with a small increase is expected to provide $4.3 million annually for services for area senior citizens. The total cost to the owner of a $100,000 home will be about $19 per year.

“This will help us help older citizens in Lucas County remain at home,” said president and CEO Billie Johnson. “This will help us restore some of the cuts over the past several years to our home delivery meal program and Alzheimer’s daycare and respite care programs.”

Sylvania Fire

Sylvania Fire Chief Jeffrey Kowalski was afraid he’d have to close a fire station and lay off firefighters if Sylvania’s fire levy didn’t pass, but 57 percent of voters supported the new, continuous 1.5-mill levy. It is expected to collect an estimated $1.82 million annually and will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $53 a year.

“Sylvania Township and City residents — Thank you for exercising your right and privilege as a citizen of our great country to vote [Nov. 4], and thank you for your vote for the fire department,” Kowalski posted on the department’s Facebook page.

Ohio House

In District 44, Democrat incumbent Michael Ashford defeated Republican challenger John Insco with 81 percent of the vote.

“For someone that’s new, I think I did pretty good,” Insco said. “This was a learning experience for me. … I still believe business people are the best leaders. Within the next two years, I’m going to be right back in the saddle again.”

In District 45, Democrat incumbent Teresa Fedor defeated Toledo attorney James Nowak with 64 percent of the vote.

“It was a great race. I enjoyed all the help that I had from the people that I worked with,” Nowak said.

In District 46, Democrat incumbent Michael Sheehy defeated Republican Drew Blazsik with 57 percent of the vote.

“I’m humbled and happy and grateful to all those supporters who worked so hard for me,” Sheehy said.

Ohio Senate

Democrat incumbent Edna Brown retained her District 11 seat against Republican challenger Ernest McCarthy with 64 percent of the vote.

U.S. House

In District 5, incumbent Republican Bob Latta defeated Democrat Robert Fry and Libertarian Eric Eberly with 59 percent of the vote.

“I’m very grateful and humbled once again to have the trust and confidence of the people of the 5th District,” Latta said.

Fry was disappointed in his party’s turnout.

“[The Democratic Party] didn’t show up well. We were weak this year. Maybe I was, too,” he said. “We didn’t have a lot to put out.”

Eberly said he was not shocked.

“I don’t think the results were really a surprise given the way the districts are gerrymandered. It pretty much guarantees the outcome. Certainly I think voter turnout was disappointing,” he said.

In District 9, Democrat Rep. Marcy Kaptur is serving her 16th term. She handily won re-election with more than 79 percent of the vote over Republican Richard May of Cleveland.

“I am deeply grateful to our citizenry for the opportunity to serve them and our precious coastal region,” Kaptur said. “I look forward to the challenges before us as we secure greater economic, educational, environmental and national security for this generation and those to follow.”

Judges

In Lucas County, Lisa McGowan defeated Jay Feldstein with 61 percent of the vote for Common Pleas Judge, Domestic Relations Division, while Ian English topped Mark Davis with 52 percent of the vote for Common Pleas Judge, General Trial Division.

For state Supreme Court justice, Republican incumbent Sharon Kennedy defeated Tom Letson with 74 percent of the vote, and Republican incumbent Judi French edged Democrat John O’Donnell with 50.4 percent of the vote.

Toledo Free Press writers Danielle Stanton, Tom Konecny, Sarah Ottney, Joel Sensenig and Matt Liasse contributed to this report.

BBB honors five organizations for ethics

By
Joel Sensenig
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The Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Northwestern Ohio and Southeastern Michigan honored four local businesses and one nonprofit for exemplary and ethical business practices at its annual Torch Awards, held Nov. 5 in Perrysburg.

Brad Lay Sr. of Lay's Transmission speaks at the BBB Torch Awards after winning a business ethics award in the small business category. Toledo Free Press photo by Sarah Ottney

Brad Lay Sr. of Lay’s Transmission speaks at the BBB Torch Awards after winning a business ethics award in the small business category. Toledo Free Press photo by Sarah Ottney

Winners have demonstrated business practices that exemplify ethics, integrity and exceptional customer service and are chosen by an independent panel of volunteer community leaders, based on criteria established by the BBB, said Mollie Tyrrell, the organization’s director of special projects.

Tyrrell said the BBB received about 100 nominations for this year’s awards. Winners received a trophy created by Toledo glass artist Mike Wallace.

This year’s keynote speaker was Dennis Johnson, a Toledo native and president of Brooks Insurance Agency.

Also revealed at the ceremony were the two winners of the Jim Smythe Memorial Student of Integrity Scholarships, a $500 scholarship awarded to area high school seniors.

For more information or to make a nomination for next year, contact the BBB at (419) 578-6000 or at bbb.org.

Small business: Lay’s Transmission

Lay’s Transmission won in the small business (one to nine employees) category.

The family-owned business has been an industry leader in drive train manufacturing and service in Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan since 1956. Owned by Bradley Lay Sr., Lay’s Transmission provides complete drive shaft, differential, rear end and transfer case repairs and rebuilds. It utilizes its on-site machine shop and state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment to get vehicles back on the road as soon as possible.

“This award is huge for us, especially in the automotive transmission business,” Lay said. “There’s a lot of complaints in our industry. But we’re going on 60 years in business and the reason for that longevity is honesty and integrity. A lot of it is what was instilled in me as a kid. My father taught me the Golden Rule, that if you treat someone right they will come back and that’s what we strive to do. I use biblical principles daily in business. I want to do the right thing in every situation and not sacrifice the future for the present.”

The company requires all employees to conduct themselves according to its code of business conduct and ethics, and maintains ties to the community through its support and involvement with 1Matters, Tent City, Food for Thought, YWCA’s Encore Plus program, University of Toledo athletics, holiday food baskets, Race for Hope, Ronald McDonald House, Vets Helping Vets, the Make-a-Wish Foundation and others.

The business is located at 378 Phillips Ave. For more information, call (419) 476-4088 or visit laystransmission.com.

Medium business: Roemer Insurance

Roemer Insurance won in the medium business (10-49 employees) category.

The company was started in 1934 by Wellington F. Roemer with the motto, “He profits most who serves best.” The business remains a family affair, with Wellington’s son, W. Thomas “Tommy” Roemer, serving as vice chairman of the board, and his grandson, Wellington F. “Rocky” Roemer III, serving as president and CEO for the past 20 years.

The 35-employee company maintains a 98 percent client retention rate by maintaining strong communication with a focus on customer service.

The company offers health insurance, vision, dental, life, disability and client services, as well as Medicare for individuals. Among the staff are eight expert health insurance professionals, who assist employers and individuals with personalized health care coverage. Roemer Insurance also offers services for truckers, one of its specialties from its inception. It offers liability insurance for long-haul truckers in the Midwest.

The company puts an emphasis on taking care of its staff, with amenities such as massage days at work, discounts to health clubs and an on-site gym. Roemer is dedicated to the community as well, with employees involved with organizations such as The Rotary Club of Toledo, The Victory Center, YMCA and JCC of Greater Toledo and The Ohio State University Alumni Association.

“This is very exciting,” Roemer III said. “We’re a longstanding business in this community and we owe our success to those who came before us. This is really a tribute to all those who have worked so hard over the years for this company.”

The business is located at 3912 Sunforest Court. For more information, call (419) 475-5151 or visit roemer-insurance.com.

Large business: Garner Transportation

Garner Transportation Group won in the large business (50-149 employees) category.

The family-owned and operated business was started by Vernon E. and Regina Garner in 1960 and has been under the direction of their daughter Sherri Garner Brumbaugh as president since 2008.

The company originally focused on transporting agricultural products. Today, it has shifted focus to general commodities, with shipments transported regionally (east of the Mississippi River). More than a trucking company, Garner’s services now include transportation, expediting, warehousing, logistics management, third-party services, contract maintenance and transportation consultation.

“We started with one truck, one driver — that was my dad — and one back office person — that was my mom,” Brumbaugh said.

Today, the company has 100 trucks, 400 trailers and more than 100 employees, she said.

“For my Garner employees and their families, what I work hard at every day is for them to be proud of whom and who they work for,” she said. “Ethical behavior is a very important component of a sound business practice.”

The company’s commitment to the community is evident through its involvement with Hancock Leadership, Findlay Race for the Cure, The Ohio State University Melanoma Research Foundation, University of Findlay and the Humane Society of Hancock County.

The business is located at 9291 County Road 313, in Findlay. For more information, call (419) 422-5742 or visit garnertrucking.com.

Extra-large business: Taylor Automotive Group

Taylor Automotive Group won in the extra-large business (150-plus employees) category.

The family of seven vehicle dealerships — with locations in Toledo, Perrysburg, Findlay and Lima — prides itself on putting customers first.

The business, which formed in 1979, has developed a list of five core values: personal growth and development, attitude, respect, teamwork, and the five Es — energy, enthusiasm and excitement equals more effectiveness and efficiency.

Many sales team members begin their morning by reciting the company’s “Dealer FOR the People Pledge.” The company also asks employees to write personal essays on what its core values mean to them, and potential employees to rate themselves on the five core values on its employment applications.

The dealership’s mantra of “Locally Owned, Locally Committed” is evident by its community involvement and numerous charitable donations. Owner Steve Taylor has implemented the “Driven To Succeed” program, where a new Hyundai vehicle is given to a graduating senior from high schools in Lucas, Hancock and Allen counties, as well as Perrysburg. Further, the automotive group’s “12 Days of Christmas” helps nearly 40 families in need during the holiday season.

“Really this honor is for [my dad],” Taylor said. “What I always learned from him were hard work, ethics and the importance of giving back to the community. It’s something he’s obviously passed on to me. He always said the secret to success is to do the right thing.”

For more information, call (419) 246-5693 or visit taylorauto.com.

Nonprofit: Toledo Fair Housing Center

The Toledo Fair Housing Center won in the nonprofit category.

The nonprofit civil rights agency is dedicated to the elimination of housing discrimination and to the expansion of neighborhood choice for all people. It was established in 1975 by The Women of the Old West End and The League of Women Voters in response to blockbusting and other housing discrimination practices.

The center has investigated more than 11,500 complaints of discrimination, recovering more than $30 million in damages. Its staff has conducted workshops for fair housing organizations, government agencies and housing industry professionals. The center has demonstrated a talent for setting national precedents in the enforcement of fair housing laws, while expanding housing opportunities for millions of Americans.

In 2009, the center was one of four private fair housing organizations in the United States to be featured in the Annual Report on Fair Housing published by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Members of the center participate in a variety of community service efforts, including the City of Toledo Department of Neighborhoods’ Community Development Block Grant Spring Sweep Cleanup, Pride Festival, International Festival, United Way Day of Caring, African American Festival, Latino Festival and its sister agency Northwest Ohio Development Agency’s Homeownership Fair.

“We absolutely have to live and work by high standards of ethics if we’re going to hold other entities accountable under fair housing regulations,” said President and CEO Michael Marsh.

The agency is gearing up for its 40th anniversary celebration next year and will be featured in one of WGTE’s “Toledo Stories” documentaries.

For more information, call (419) 243-6163 or visit toledofhc.org.

Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Sarah Ottney contributed to this report.

Hays: Homing veterans

By
Pam Hays
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I became deeply aware of the difference between having a roof over your head and feeling at home when in 2011 I met a young mother whose husband, an officer in the military, had shot himself on the front lawn of their $250,000-plus home while she and their children were inside.

He seemed to have everything to live for: the love of a good woman, three healthy children, financial success, stature in the civilian and military community and a place to call home. But what does it really mean to be “at home”?

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I sold real estate in the past and have also worked as a home builder and a decorator. I helped others make a brick-and-mortar house feel like a home. But although colors, textures and design matter, it is really the people inside and the memories they make that transform the structure from house to home.

I guess you could say I am still a home builder and decorator because of my work with our military and veterans. Though many do have a physical place to call home, they are missing the accessories — the pieces in their lives that allow them to find laughter and lightheartedness, interest in activities, comfort and familiarity, a sense of safety and trust that new memories can be made. They don’t believe the pieces of themselves they left behind and the pieces that remain can be brought together cohesively to bring beauty and peace to their human spirit where they feel at home with themselves.

Many people think veterans don’t feel comfortable with others and want to be left alone, so there is a lot of discussion about isolating veterans in structures or villages as a solution to some of their “issues.” So, they are built. There is also a lot of talk about how jobs are the main solution for veterans’ issues with reintegration in their communities. So we have job fair after job fair with nowhere near the success rate we should see based on dollars spent.

We may get veterans employed, but do they remain employed and are their lives changed long-term? Have their spirits been healed? These types of generalized, fix-it-fast solutions seldom succeed in reintegrating the veteran with himself or herself. And that, my friends, is the missing piece. It would be like building a home with no front door.

Our veteran reintegration process must help veterans feel at home with the people they are today and build on that to become who they want to be tomorrow, next year and 10 years from now. The ability for veterans to reach out for services and make lifelong changes is diminished if they never feel at home with themselves. Programs to help families will never resolve relational issues if the veteran has a broken relationship with his or her own spirit. Programs that aim to stop suicides will not be as effective if we only seek to solve the “act” and not the lack of services to match needs, which leads to feeling a black hole after hope is gone.

It isn’t easy to build a house. But with skilled workers and a great blueprint, one can go from houseless to housed within six months or so. But the blueprint to make that house a home is not so easily mapped out. It isn’t about skilled trades; it is the emotions, the life skills, the past experiences that add to the beauty rather than distract, like the ability to bring just the right antique into a modern home and have it fit right in. To bring our veterans all the way home, they have to love themselves.

They have to make peace with their pasts and find a purpose for their futures. I am a home builder for veterans. You can be too. It is what we do at The Arms Forces and it is the right thing to do for all generations of veterans.

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day. Beyond saying “Happy Veterans Day,” let’s spend time this year with a veteran and get to know his or her story without judgment or preconceived ideas of what they need or what they did or why they did it.

Let’s spend time getting to know the person behind the labels. Let’s reach out as one human being to another, not veteran to civilian or civilian to veteran. Let’s pursue what the human spirit is capable of as we drive down the barriers and lift up the possibilities.

Imagine the difference you could make, but also imagine the difference those you reach out to can make in your life. I know. I am blessed!

Pam Hays is president and founder of The Arms Forces, www.thearmsforces.org; (419) 891-2111; Facebook.com/thearmsforces.

Trapped Toledo: Spy-themed interactive thrilled experience ‘Rescued’ to debut Nov. 12

By
Toledo Free Press
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You are locked in a laboratory, surrounded by strangers. The room is filled with the basic accoutrement of research — books, a microscope, file folders. It would not seem unusual except for a gruesome addition: Across from you, chained to the wall, is a ravenous, flesh-eating zombie. Every so often, its chain gets a little bit more slack. It’s coming closer and closer. There is a way out of the room. But you must all work together to find it in time.

If this sounds fun, you may be ready to join the hundreds of players who have experienced Trapped Toledo since its inception this past summer. The interactive thriller experience located on Key Street hosts a pair of themed “rooms” designed to test players’ nerves, wits and ability to keep a level head in an effort to triumph.

Slightly secluded in the shopping plaza next to Burger Bar 419, Trapped Toledo has nevertheless become one of the hottest tickets in town for players looking for a unique and special gaming experience. Whether they come to test their skills in the zombie-themed “Infected” room, or to still their wits in the bomb-themed “Blown Away” experience, groups of ten-to-twelve come together to try and solve each scenario’s devilish puzzles before it’s too late.

A team tests its skills at Trapped Toledo's

A team tests its skills at Trapped Toledo’s “Infected” room. A new room, spy-themed “Rescued!,” will debut Nov. 12. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni

It’s a basic concept that has fascinated Kimmer Callahan, Trapped’s chief marketing officer, and his fellow team members ever since they first learned of other interactive games of its ilk. “We did a ton of research on other models like this,” Callahan said in an interview with Toledo Free Press. “It started in Asia, it kind of came across the pond, it was done pretty badly in the States, thus far. … We don’t have any competition in Toledo, but as we expand, we’re going to have competition in some of our other areas that we’re targeting. ”

Their love for the idea of an experience that would merge puzzles, role-playing and thriller elements inspired Callahan and his friends — mostly former UT and BGSU grads — to launch their own version. They were also convinced they could do it better than anyone they had seen before.

“We’re all puzzle people. We love puzzles, games, board games. I used to do murder mysteries for friends,” Callahan said. “And Chris and I — Chris is my nephew — and he and I have talked for years about starting a business together. And when this came over, we were like, ‘This is fun!’

“And then we went to one, and we were like, ‘That was awesome!’ Then we walked out, and we were like, there were a thousand things we would change, to make that better. And by the time we left that table — there were ten of us in the room — by the time we left that table, everybody except for two invested in this business. And Chris and I — and Tiffany, who’s my wife — just took it the rest of the way.”

Part of the growth of the business has been keeping a constant eye out for new ideas, mainly from cast members and other collaborators. A new room will debut on November 12, from a script written by a member of the Trapped cast, and both of the current scenarios have seen a wide variety of changes and additions, courtesy of the feedback from attendees and cast alike.

“We have no experience in theater. We rely on others that have experience,” Callahan said, pointing to Misty Young, assistant manager at Trapped, who often plays the research assistant in the “Infected” scenario. “I think just getting in here and having them help us learn, as well as having us learn on the fly — I think that’s just what business is all about anyway. Just making mistakes and fixing it, making it better, messing up again and doing it again.”

They’ve also learned some surprising things about the makeup of their audience during their first few months. One might expect that if fans enjoyed one scenario the team offered, they would be ready and willing to try the other — but Callahan estimated that only about 10% do.

“There’s something about the immediate — being able to see the danger — that some people don’t like,” Young said, referring to the “Infected” room. “Those would be the same people that maybe don’t like haunted houses, things jumping out at them. Knowing there’s a bomb there is one thing, but actually having somebody, the immediate [danger] … some people just don’t like that. So it’s kind of like two sides of the same coin.”

But no matter what the tastes of their audiences are, the Trapped crew are prepared to keep working and evolving their fiendish scenarios to give audiences a thrill like no other. The Halloween season and its ever-present haunted houses may soon be over, but at Trapped Toledo — and wherever expansion may take them — the fun screams will just keep right on rolling.

“I feel like this one’s much more of a guttural, fear-based thing,” Callahan said. “It’s not like, �?Oh my God, there’s a guy with a chainsaw!’ Like, jump-scary. This has, like, periodic screams, but it’s a constant, building tension.”

Letters to the Editor, Nov. 9, 2014

By
Dock David Treece
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Arrogance and disrespect

Mr. Pounds,

I read your Publisher’s Statement in the Oct. 19 issue of Toledo Free Press, and the last sentence made me shake my head: “The company owes us that much at least.” You were referring to the Chrysler Corporation and, sir, you could not be more wrong.

A company does not owe any community anything. They are in business to make a profit while producing a product or service. Why do you think a huge company the size of Chrysler owes Toledo, Ohio, anything? That is a very arrogant statement to make. Do you really think that Toledo, Ohio, is so special that Chrysler would never consider moving their business somewhere else?

I  was born, raised, educated and lived in Toledo for 25 years. When I married and moved to the suburbs and then eventually away from Lucas County altogether I was given a real eye-opening view of how ridiculous Toledo is. (I actually think all of Lucas County is, but that’s another letter!)

Since I left Toledo, the idiot leaders have torn down my high school (Bowsher); demolished a beautiful, historical gem of a school that was built to honor the founder of industry in Toledo, Edmund Drummond Libbey; allowed the Southwyck and Woodville malls to fall into ruin and demolished them too. The Old South End, where I bought my first home, is unsafe, lined with boarded-up homes. Because of this, I seldom go back to visit Toledo because it is not the place I remember. 

Regarding the number of jobs in Toledo, this is Toledo’s biggest problem: The two biggest employers in Toledo are Jeep and ProMedica. And unfortunately, Toledo has put all its eggs in those two baskets. City leaders don’t care about moving any new industry into Toledo or creating anywhere else to work because they think Jeep and ProMedica will be there forever. Have they ever heard of Flint, Michigan? Flint never thought GM would ever leave either. They were wrong. When GM left a few years ago, Flint never recovered. I don’t know many doctors who can build cars and I don’t know any auto workers who can perform surgery, but if Toledo doesn’t diversify itself it’s going to be in the same mess if the Chrysler Corporation decides to move on.

Toledo leaders need to have some self respect for the Glass City and open up their minds to new industry. Stop depending on what was and look at the future of what is to come. Chrysler doesn’t owe Toledo anything. It is free to move on and demolish the Jeep plant when it’s done with it. Actually, that would fit right in with what Toledo is used to doing: Use it up, disrespect it and then demolish it! O

MARI GILBERT, Bowling Green

Publisher’s Response: Toledo Free Press shares your belief in the importance of supporting and encouraging new businesses, but I think you misunderstood my meaning in the column you mention. I didn’t intend to imply Chrysler owes Toledo to stay in Toledo. Chrysler is of course obligated to make decisions based only on what’s best for Chrysler. No number of years in Toledo or devotion from Toledoans toward the product will, or should, sway Chrysler’s decision. But I do maintain local leadership and union officials deserve to be part of the conversation. The full statement from my column reads: “Businesses can’t survive on legacy or devotion alone, but Toledo deserves to be part of the conversation. Given Jeep’s history in Toledo, the company owes us that much at least.” Jeep has been made in Toledo for 70 years. No one, besides Chrysler itself, knows the product better. Perhaps there is a solution that would keep Jeep, or another product, in Toledo while also satisfying Chrysler’s needs. Losing Jeep would be a huge blow to Toledo both economically and morally. But at the end of the day, of course the decision is Chrysler’s and Chrysler’s alone.

The art of seeing: TMA to offer eight free speakers during visual literacy conference.

By
Erin Holden
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Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) Assistant Director Adam Levine believes in boosting fluency in “visual literacy.”

Pinaree Sanpitak's

Pinaree Sanpitak’s “Anything Can Break,” pictured on display in Bangkok in 2011. Photo Courtesy Toledo Museum of Art

“We’re pivoting back to a world that communicates predominantly through images,” Levine said. “This obsession with the written word, with textural literacy, is only a few hundred years old. There’s been this 500-year window from Gutenberg’s invention and the advent of the Internet where the word dominated. Now more than ever it’s really important to be able to extract meaning from the visual world.”

Adam Levine

Adam Levine. Photo Courtesy TMA

From Nov. 5-8, TMA will host the International Visual Literacy Association’s 47th annual conference, “The Art of Seeing: From Ordinary to Extraordinary.” Organizers are expecting around 300 people per day with attendees hailing from at least four continents.

While most of the conference is for paid attendees only, TMA is presenting eight keynote speakers to the public free of charge.

The speakers — innovators from fields as varied as medicine, film and education — will each address the rise of visual language.

“We’re trying to sketch this world of possibilities for how visual literacy can be applied,” Levine said. “We think we’re going to generate some real momentum around this.”

The eight speakers are:

  • 9 a.m. Nov. 6: Anthropologist David Howes is a professor of anthropology and the director of the Concordia Centre for Sensory Studies at Concordia University in Montreal. His research focuses on how senses are formed by culture and what the world is like to societies that emphasize touch or hearing rather than sight. Howes has conducted field research on the cultural life of the senses in Papua New Guinea, Northwestern Argentina and the Southwestern United States.
  • 3 p.m. Nov. 6: International ceramic artist Magdalene Odundo is known for her distinct hand-built anthropomorphic vessel forms. Odundo is an expert in the history of pottery and its meaning to societies through the ages, her own work being inspired by the creations of Nigerian and Kenyan potters of the past.
  • 9 a.m. Nov. 7: Through his specialty in polytrauma (multiple devastating injuries), plastic surgeon Joseph Rosen, a Dartmouth Medical School professor, examines the role of the face as an essential part of the human identity. His reconstructive work on patients who have suffered devastating injuries from bullets, bombs, infection and disease has led him to his role as a U.S. Department of Defense department consultant on a team evaluating uses for regenerative medicine and transplantation for wounded soldiers. His interests include biomedical engineering, international medical relief work and virtual reality stimulators in education.
  • 2:15 p.m. Nov. 7: Philip Yenawine has been engaged in museum education for 30 years, 10 of them spent as director of education at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City. He is co-founding director of Visual Understanding in Education, a nonprofit educational research organization that develops and studies programs using art to teach thinking and communication skills.
  • 3:40 p.m. Nov. 7: Comic book artist and educator Nick Sousanis wrote and drew the dissertation for his 2014 doctorate in education at Teachers College, Columbia University, entirely in comic book form. Titled “Unflattening,” the work’s form embodies its argument for the importance of visual thinking in teaching and learning. A book version will be published by Harvard University Press in March. Before coming to New York City, he was immersed in Detroit’s arts community, where he co-founded the arts and cultural site thedetroiter.com and became the biographer of legendary Detroit artist Charles McGee.
  • 9 a.m. Nov. 8: Documentary filmmaker Stephen Apkon founded the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, N.Y., with a vision of establishing a hub for independent, foreign and documentary films and education. The center has grown to become a major cultural destination and a national leader in the field of visual literacy, including programming for underserved children. More recently, Apkon founded Chakana Media, a documentary production company developing films focused on critical societal issues.
  • 11:50 a.m. Nov. 8: Educator Lynell Burmark is a passionate advocate of using visuals to better educate students of all ages. Burmark’s extensive teaching experience spans kindergarten through graduate school, while her visually enhanced presentations inspire educators across the globe.
  • 3 p.m. Nov. 8: Ohio artist Aminah Robinson combines traditional art materials with found objects such as buttons, cloth, leather, twigs, shells and music box workings to create 2-D and 3-D works of art, including books and rag paintings. Many of them are about her family, community and the stories she has been told by her elders. She also researches and depicts the lives of abolitionists, civil rights leaders, musicians and writers. Robinson’s art is grounded in her belief in the African concept of Sankofa, which means learning from the past in order to move forward.

“This is a group of people who, though they come from very disparate fields, share a forward-thinking approach to their work,” said TMA Director Brian Kennedy in a news release. “They have used visual language to advance disciplines from medicine to education. What they have to say is crucial as we navigate a world where people have begun to communicate with pictures as frequently as with words.”

TMA is also offering two free exhibitions affiliated with the conference. “Speaking Visual: Learning the Language of Art” opened Oct. 31 and features works culled from the TMA collection. “InSight: Contemporary Sensory Works” opens Nov. 5 and will feature work by Robinson, Odundo and Pinaree Sanpitak.

For more information, visit toledomuseum.org or www.vislit.org.

Sparks: Issue 7, a vote for kids

By
Dean Sparks
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Elections are a time when you, as voters, get to say what is important to you.

Hopefully, the safety of Lucas County’s children is important to you and you will make that commitment clear by voting for Issue 7 on Nov. 4.

Issue 7 is a 1.75-mill levy to support Lucas County Children Services (LCCS), the county agency responsible for protecting children from abuse or neglect. Of this levy, 1.4 mills is a renewal; the additional 0.35 mills will cost the owner of a $100,000 home only $12.25 a year — about the cost of a pizza.

Issue 7 really is a vote about kids — it’s about the growing number of children we serve who are on the autism spectrum, or who have developmental disabilities or serious mental health or behavioral issues and need services from our agency to keep them safe.

It’s also about finding safe homes for children who are victims of the well-documented heroin epidemic in our community, including newborns who were born drug exposed.

Issue 7 is also about providing services to the 100 or so teen victims of human trafficking in Lucas County, deemed the fourth-largest center for human trafficking in the nation. New state legislation — which we support — placed the responsibility for minor victims of human trafficking into the hands of agencies like LCCS.

Finally, Issue 7 is about providing services to parents to help them recover from the problems in their lives so they can safely raise their own children. The families we work with overcome substance abuse, domestic violence, mental and physical health problems, unstable housing and other issues.

LCCS has responded to the tight economy by slashing more than $6 million from its budget and leaving 50 positions unfilled. The agency has reduced and, in some cases, eliminated contracts and services. Without the additional funds that Issue 7 provides, the agency will need to cut an additional $1.8 million from its 2015 budget, potentially putting children and families at risk.

At the same time, funding at the federal, state and local levels has declined. The federal government has slashed critical funding for child welfare. The State of Ohio has been ranked last in the nation in its support of child welfare. Even the income from the agency’s tax levies is down as a result of the 20 percent decline in local property values. Due to the way child welfare is funded, the less our agency spends in local dollars the less it receives in federal reimbursements, cutting our budget even further.

Despite these cutbacks, LCCS has continued to excel, maintaining accreditation by the Council on Accreditation, adding programs to help parents more successfully reunify with their children, and finding adoptive families for more children than any other county in Ohio. More youth emancipating from foster care complete their education and move on to productive lives.

We recognize that Lucas County has only recently begun to turn the corner economically, and social issues continue to plague many residents and neighborhoods. However, our agency’s mandate is to protect children from abuse or neglect. We are not in a position in which we can simply not respond. We are deeply concerned that our resources will soon be stretched so thin that children will be at risk. You have come to expect more, and our county’s children deserve more.

Lucas County Children Services is, and will continue to be, transparent in its service to the community and our 350 employees are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of the county’s most vulnerable citizens. We ask for your vote for Issue 7 on Nov. 4.

Dean Sparks is executive director of Lucas County Children Services.

Pounds: For Issues 8, 9

By
Tom Pounds
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Toledo and Lucas County voters who head to the polls Nov. 4 face choices on numerous levies, including three for local social service agencies.

.Last week, I expressed support for Issue 7, a seven-year, 1.75-mill property tax levy that would help Lucas County Children Services care for local children at risk of abuse or neglect. Two other local agencies that serve vulnerable populations are also deserving of our support on this ballot.

The Mental Health & Recovery Services Board of Lucas County (MHRSB) is asking voters to approve Issue 8, a 10-year, 0.5-mill renewal levy expected to generate $3.4 million per year, or about 14 percent of the board’s annual discretionary funds, Executive Director Scott Sylak recently told Toledo Free Press.

The MHRSB helps fund 21 area organizations that provide mental health treatment and drug and alcohol recovery services. Together those agencies provide direct services to about 26,000 Lucas County residents each year.

Issue 8 is not a new tax and would continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $15 annually. The failure of the levy, coupled with an expected $2.6 million drop in state and federal funding — about 11 percent of MHRSB’s budget — would amount to a 25 percent reduction in funds at a time when MHRSB continues to see an increase in the number of people seeking treatment, Sylak told TFP.

“It would be devastating,” he said.

By covering more types of treatments, Medicaid expansion has helped relieve some financial strain on MHRSB, Sylak said. However, the program doesn’t cover vital transition services such as housing or vocational programs, and is set to expire next year unless Congress steps in.

“So many other things in our clients’ lives are destabilized,” Sylak said. “The one thing they really need to be able to count on is there’s going to be help here when they need it most.”

Also on the ballot is Issue 9, a five-year levy renewal with a small increase expected to provide $4.3 million annually for services for area senior citizens. The total cost to the owner of a $100,000 home would be about $19 per year. Lucas County’s senior population has increased 11 percent since 2010 and is expected to increase another 11 percent over the next five years, Area Office on Aging  (AOOA) of Northwestern Ohio President and CEO Billie Johnson recently told TFP.

As many as 40,000 seniors are served by AOA each year, through home-delivered meals, home care, senior center programming, day and respite care for caregivers, transportation to medical appointments, assistance with insurance questions and more.

“With such a modest increase, it just seems like a great investment for our community to do for the older citizens who have given so much to this community,” Johnson said.

We are all being asked to do more with less and being asked to support numerous levies might feel like a hardship. However, the delayed costs and negative consequences of not supporting them would be higher. I urge you to support Issues 7, 8 and 9, all of which fund worthwhile agencies that care for our fellow citizens in times of need.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Contact him at [email protected].

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