STATEHOUSE: New House speaker’s agenda
Insight: Speaker’s views on DEI, marijuana, labor, CHIPS Act
This story was originally published by Signal Statewide. Sign up for their free newsletters at SignalOhio.org/StateSignals.
By Andrew Tobias | Signal Statehouse
OHIO – Ohio House Republicans picked their next speaker nearly two weeks ago. Heading into the closed-door meeting for the vote, Tim Barhorst’s allies were hoping he would win.
But the Shelby County Republican didn’t get a single vote. He wasn’t even nominated, which allowed Matt Huffman, the odds-on favorite to begin with, to win unanimously.
Here’s a quick look inside the unusual vote and what it might mean for everyday Ohioans.
Behind the door of the closed-door meeting
Barhorst arrived with a printed speech. But he never ended up giving it.
During the portion of the meeting to nominate leadership candidates, Phil Plummer, a Dayton Republican, nominated Huffman, according to people who attended. Jim Hoops, the House Republican overseeing the voting process, then asked if there were any other candidates. He waited for a while. Nobody spoke up. So voting closed and Huffman won unanimously.
In an interview, state Rep. Ron Ferguson, a Wintersville Republican who was a vocal backer of Barhorst’s bid for speaker, said he wasn’t involved with nominating Barhorst, so he couldn’t explain what happened. In messages to Signal Statewide, Barhorst chalked the episode up to miscommunication.
“We had a few nominators that were running late to the caucus meeting,” Barhorst said. “We had to shuffle the nominators, and nominations were closed before they knew what happened.”
Instead of nominating himself, he decided to concede.
Now, Barhorst said he plans to meet with Huffman sometime after Thanksgiving to hash out their policy differences.
“We both want the same thing as far as Republican caucus unity,” Barhorst said.
What policies Ohioans could see coming from the new speaker
If all goes according to plan, the vote means that Huffman will take over as Ohio House speaker in early January, taking the gavel from current Speaker Jason Stephens when the new legislative session begins.
The transition will put an end to two years of insider drama that began when Stephens became speaker in January 2023, thanks to a deal he made with House Democrats.
It also could have real-world policy implications. Here are a few examples of policies Huffman could end up moving once Stephens, who decided this month to drop his bid to keep his leadership job, is sidelined.
A top candidate is Senate Bill 83, a bill targeted at what Republicans describe as “woke” elements in state university administration. The bill would dismantle most Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs, require universities to create a mandatory American history class and create policies meant to prevent perceived liberal bias in classrooms, among other provisions.
The bill is a top priority for Senate Republicans, who approved it in May 2023 after numerous revisions. It’s stalled in the House, though. A House committee approved a revised version last December. But Stephens has never scheduled a vote from the entire House.
Huffman also is a vocal supporter of spending state tax money on private schools. The 2023 state budget bill, which Huffman and Stephens negotiated, lifted income caps on vouchers, leading the state to spend an extra $1 billion paying for kids to attend private school. Huffman could expand on this by backing a program to create education savings accounts for students or by expanding a program that spent about $5 million on private school buildings, for example.
Stephens, meanwhile, was skeptical of these policies – not enough to block them, however – a nuanced stance that explains how he got support from the Ohio Education Association, a large teachers’ union, while provoking a pro-privatization group that helped bankroll Huffman’s ascension to speaker.
Lawmakers could revisit Ohio’s marijuana laws
Another topic a Huffman-led House could end up tackling is marijuana. Huffman has talked about changing state marijuana laws since even before voters approved recreational use in November 2023. Huffman allies say that Stephens effectively blocked that from happening by putting Rep. Jamie Callender, a legalization advocate, in charge of negotiating the topic on the House side.
Ways that lawmakers could change the law include limiting marijuana product potency and changing what the state does with the taxes assessed on marijuana sales. Huffman’s selection also could dislodge a proposal backed by Gov. Mike DeWine to ban delta-8, the “diet weed’ synthetic THC products available in convenience stores. Talks on the subject have stalled since they were wrapped up in the broader topic of marijuana regulations.
One general subject to watch is any issue touching on organized labor. Stephens got his job with help from the state’s labor unions, which helped broker the support from Democrats. Huffman is a former supporter of a proposal to weaken prevailing wage laws, which require governments to pay union-scale wages on construction jobs and are backed by the state’s building trade groups.
Chips are down
Intel Corp. announced on Tuesday it had reached final terms with President Joe Biden’s administration to receive $7.86 billion from the federal CHIPS Act law passed in 2022, including to help build the company’s multi-billion dollar plant in New Albany.
The number is lower than the $8.5 billion the Biden administration originally announced, which the company said accounts for a $3 billion federal contract the company got from the Pentagon.
DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted spiked the football in a statement that also alluded to concerns the project might be in jeopardy due to Intel’s broader financial woes.
“The work to build the Silicon Heartland now moves forward with even more certainty, advancing our economic and national security to the benefit of the working people of Ohio and America,” DeWine and Husted said.
Signal Statewide is a nonprofit news organization covering government, education, health, economy and public safety.
EVs: Promises & problems
EV perceptions: Job loss, price tags, battery charger installation
TOLEDO – There is a perception that transitioning to EVs will cause job loss. This is a complex issue, and total job loss or gain has yet to be determined.
Significant upheaval and job loss have recently occurred in the automobile industry worldwide. In Toledo, Stellantis will be laying off 1,100 workers, and Mobis will release 210 employees in January 2025. Industry experts state that the reasons for the downturn are Chinese competition, economic pressures, less demand for certain models and buyers shifting to EVs.
According to Tim Levin of Business Insider, another reason for job loss is that producing EVs requires 30 percent fewer workers than manufacturing gas-powered vehicles since EVs have fewer parts.
Recent research does not support this position. University of Michigan researchers, led by Andrew Weng, found higher labor demands at U.S. plants producing only electric vehicles. Early production stages show that EV labor needs are ten times greater than traditional vehicle assembly. Shifting to EV production requires adopting new tools and methods, creating a challenging learning curve and needing more workers early on.
At one plant, labor demand and job numbers remained three times higher even after a decade of the beginning of EV production. The study suggests it could take over 15 years for labor requirements to be at the same level as traditional assembly processes. Concerns about widespread job losses at EV assembly plants may be premature.
In another area of EV manufacturing, EV battery production is increasing. Reports from the W.E. Upjohn Institute and the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimate up to 310,000 workers will be needed across the lithium-ion battery supply chain. These positions include roles in material sourcing, manufacturing and distribution.
EVs need charging
Charging infrastructure growth could create more than 160,000 jobs by 2032, according to a study released by the International Council on Clean Transportation in January 2024. These jobs would include electrical installation, maintenance, charger assembly and several others.
One of those companies that benefit from EV job creation is Toledo’s Transtar Electric, which offers a range of electrical services, including installing residential and commercial EV chargers. When asked how business was going, Ross Bollin, vice president at Transtar, said he thinks it’s going pretty well, and that “it’s a booming industry.”
While out installing a residential EV charger in Maumee on Dec. 2, Johnathan Heer, a residential electrician/journeyman for Transtar, was asked the same question. “Well, recently, since I got certified in installing these EV chargers, it’s anywhere from two to four chargers a week, and those are anywhere from a half day to a full day of work. That’s at least 50 percent of my job these days,” he said.
“As more people buy electric vehicles, as more companies require their employees to have electric vehicles, it’s just going to keep going up. I mean, we’re probably going to have to get more people at our company certified in order to install them and do more installations as it goes,” Heer said.
Jacob Myers, an electrical apprentice, who was assisting Heer with the install, said he enjoyed the work and was looking forward to a long career as an electrician.
Bollin did express a concern that some homeowners did not investigate how much installation charges would be prior to ordering the install. In most cases, an EV charger installation will cost between $1,000 and $2,500, but if the electrical equipment is very old or in disrepair it could cost considerably more than that.
Are Electric Vehicles (EVs) too expensive?
In November 2024, Kelley Blue Book reported the average price of electric cars at $56,902, compared to $48,623 for gas-powered vehicles. To offset this price gap, the federal government offers incentives of up to $7,500 for eligible new electric, plug-in hybrid and fuel-cell vehicles. If you lease an electric car, you might qualify for a $4,000 credit on select models.
A 2018 study reported by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute showed that operating an electric vehicle costs much less than a gas-powered one. On average, driving an EV in the U.S. costs $485 annually, while gas-powered cars cost $1,117.
The federal Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has reported that maintenance for EVs averages $0.06 per mile, compared to $0.10 per mile for gas-powered cars. If you drive 15,000 miles a year, this results in possible savings of about $600 annually.
A 2023 Consumer Reports study concluded that owning an EV can save drivers between $6,000 and $12,000 over the vehicle’s lifespan compared to a similar gas-powered model.
Range and charger anxiety
Two of the main concerns that potential purchasers of EVs have is range and charger availability. How far can they travel on one charge and find a working charger when needed? People are worried about getting stranded.
According to the EPA, the median range for a 2023 EV is 270 miles. This is decreased in cold weather. The range is cut by 20 percent at 32 degrees and 40 percent at 20 degrees. Considering that the average driver in the U.S. drives 37 miles a day (Department of Transportation), range anxiety, in most instances, may not be warranted.
Charger anxiety is another matter. In a 2024 study about 19 percent of drivers faced issues with broken or offline chargers (J.D. Power, press release, August 14, 2024).
Travis Chapin, from Bowling Green, had some “charger anxiety” on a recent trip back from Chicago.
“I pulled into Elkhart, Ind., probably one o’clock in the morning, to charge for 40 minutes and be on the road be home. As it turned out, that would not work,” he recalled.
“I decided that my best option was to do the Meijer’s store in Angola. I got there; it seemed to be working. Plugged it in and it said, ‘No way, Jose’ … and my level three wasn’t gonna work. But I had the idea of going to the Kohl’s store down the road, which is a level two, which charges at about 20 miles per hour.
“I went down there, plugged it in, and this is now at two o’clock in the morning. Pulled out my sleeping bag and got two hours sleep, unplugged it, and got home at daybreak.”
LINK: Ohio EV Charger Coverage Gap Planning Map
Jean Holden’s life in song
At 84, Toledo singer still loves performing, coaching
Story and photos by David Yonke
TOLEDO – Even though she’s been a professional singer for 62 years, Jean Holden still gets butterflies before a concert.
“I’m always nervous. It’s good to be a little nervous. It keeps you on your toes,” Holden said in a recent interview. “It’s good to not be cocky, to not be too self-assured.”
Once she picks up the mic and begins to sing, however, the butterflies disappear, and it becomes clear why Holden is widely known as Toledo’s First Lady of Song.
She displayed her impressive vocal talents and her knack for entertaining a crowd in a sold-out concert at Lucille’s Jazz Lounge on Nov. 23, accompanied by a quartet of stellar local musicians.
“My daughter, Lisa Holden, plays piano and is the musical director of the group. Norm Damschroder plays bass, Chris Buzzelli plays guitar, and Scott Kretzer is the drummer,” she noted. “I feel so grateful to have Lisa play for me. She takes care of everything.”
“She’s a blast,” Buzzelli said of accompanying Holden in concert. “She’s a lot of fun. She still sings great, and her stage presence is first-rate.”
William Dunston III, who mixed the sound for Holden at Lucille’s, said he first handled the soundboard for Holden about two years ago, and the two have since developed a friendship.
“Because she is one of the grande dames of jazz in the city of Toledo, I have to remove myself from the nervousness of doing sound for someone of her stature,” Dunston said. “Whenever she comes into the room, I want her to feel like everything is going to be just how she needs it to be so that she can give the performance that the people came for.”
At 84, Holden still loves performing. “I feel grateful. It’s a blessing,” she said of selling out her show at Lucille’s, which has a capacity of 115 patrons. She singled out many friends, fans and vocal students in the audience, thanking them by name from the stage. It’s obvious they love Holden, and she said, “I love them back.”
“I am still performing, and I’m still coaching as well,” Holden said. “I’ve used all of my vocal training to teach. I enjoy performing, but coaching is my favorite thing. I enjoy sharing with my students, showing them what she can do and watching them grow.”
Her students have included actress Katie Holmes and a number of area singers and pageant contestants. She also served as vocal coach for students in stage productions at the University of Toledo, and has performed in some of UT’s theater shows as well.
Holden was born in McGehee, Ark., on Feb. 2, 1940, and her family moved to Shreveport, La. when she was eight years old. She studied classical music as a child and was formally trained as a mezzo-soprano opera singer, but she also was interested in gospel, country and jazz.
When she was a student at Booker T. Washington High School in Shreveport, she won many vocal competitions in the Texas-Arkansas-Louisiana region.
“I came to Toledo to work with my family at age 17. They owned a dry-cleaning establishment in Toledo – Crown Cleaners,” Holden said. “I worked the counter for them, and that’s where I met the young man that became my husband.”
“I didn’t accept the scholarships that were offered to me (including from The Juilliard School and Oberlin College) because I was in love and I thought being married and having children would be a lot better life.”
She regrets not going to college, saying “I was young and foolish,” but has no regrets about her first marriage, which ended after 15 years. “I don’t regret it because of our two children, Lisa and Jerry; they’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
Holden said she loves many different styles of music and doesn’t want to be pigeonholed in any one genre.
At Lucille’s, Holden sang such standards as May the Music Never End and Day In and Day Out.
“I sing all kinds of songs. I don’t consider myself a jazz singer. I love everything. It can be country; it can be pop; it can be rock. It can be anything. I have all kinds of things that I do – some ballads, some up-tempo things, some novelty songs. All sorts of things and fun stuff.”
She is known for engaging her listeners, not only with her smooth and supple voice but also with conversation, chatting and joking with her listeners.
“You all look so beautiful,” Holden told the crowd at Lucille’s. “Not one ugly person.”
The audience burst into laughter.
“I go in with the attitude that I like what I’m doing and I pray for guidance – to guide my heart, guide my tongue, give me the right things to say to people,” she said.
Holden arrived in Toledo in the summer of 1956, and sang with the Toledo Opera Association for six years before switching to popular music because it offered greater opportunities for a young black female singer.
She was hired to sing at the Park Lane Hotel in downtown Toledo, where renowned Toledo pianist Stanley Cowell was working at the time. What was supposed to be a two-week stint turned into a two-year engagement at the esteemed venue. Holden has gone on to perform countless music venues in Toledo, other areas of northwest Ohio, Michigan and beyond in her 62 years as a professional singer.
Holden has been honored with numerous awards for her singing talent, including three Lake Erie West People’s Choice Awards for Best Female Vocalist, and in 2000, received that organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
She also earned the YWCA Milestones Award for her contributions to the Arts, Education, and Mentoring of young artists, and in 2015 was inducted into the Sylvania Distinguished Artist Hall of Fame.
Holden said she likes using social media because it helps her keep in touch with friends, family and fans. “There’s a lot of stuff that I don’t like on there, but it’s a great way to communicate with people.”
Her next scheduled concert is set for Dec. 18 at Slater’s Food and Spirits in Port Clinton, backed by the Mike Lorenz Trio.
More information on Jean Holden is available on her website, jeanholden.com
Ohio’s Saved by the Belt
Accident survivor inducted into seat belt safety club
TOLEDO – It was on Jan. 31 when Toledo resident Liz Inman survived a horrific car accident near a roundabout on Dorr St. in Springfield Township. Her leg was broken and the car was totaled.
Nearly a year later, the University of Toledo senior is helping the Ohio State Highway Patrol spread the word that seatbelts save lives.
From 2019 through 2023, 2,554 people in Ohio were killed and an additional 62,661 injured in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available but not used. In 2023, Ohio’s unbelted fatality rate was 61 percent, marking the fourth consecutive year this rate was 60 percent or higher in the state, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
“Safety belts are a proven lifesaver, and we urge every motorist to buckle up,” said Staff Lt. Matthew Crow, assistant commander of the Findlay District. “Every click of a safety belt represents a decision to prioritize life and reduce the risk of severe injury.”
Crow, joined by local public safety partners, recognized Inman for her decision to make that life-saving choice to wear a safety belt during an induction ceremony into Ohio’s Saved by the Belt club at the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Toledo post on Nov. 26.
Inman was among 13 other recipients honored this year during the Toledo Mud Hens for the 2024 Buckle Up – Batter Up | Saved by the Belt event at Fifth Third Field this summer, but Inman was unavailable to attend.
So, with the holiday season upon us, Patrol Sgt. Ryan Purpura said it was a perfect time to finally recognize her and to hear her story.
Surrounded by media, Inman said she was driving down Dorr St. and approaching a roundabout when someone came out of the other side of the roundabout. “They were driving way too fast, crossed the center line and hit my car head-on at the driver’s side and knocked me backwards off the road.
“It totally demolished the front of my car and the front of theirs. They took me to the University of Toledo Hospital, and I ended up alright,” she recalled. “It could have been so much worse … seeing the way my car looked and how the other car looked.
“I think without my seat belt I might not be here,” she said. “Wearing a seatbelt is important to me for exactly things like this. You never know; it was the last thing I was expecting to happen, and it still happened, and it could happen anywhere. We see things like that every day.”
Purpura explained that Saved by the Belt is an ongoing awareness campaign that recognizes and awards drivers like Inman, chosen by troopers who handle those crashes. The troopers nominate crash survivors who wear their seat belts, and then pass their names up their chain of command.
Purpura added that Inman is living testimony to the effectiveness of safety belts, “considering how extravagant and devastating the damage was, and that she walked away.”
Inman was joined at the ceremony by her boyfriend, Connor Jones, and her mother, Noreen Inman, who recalled that when she went to retrieve her daughter’s items from her vehicle and saw the condition of the car, “I got nauseous. I just thought how close she was to not making it out of that.
“The driver who struck her was under the influence of narcotics, so that made it even all the more beyond belief. I’m glad she wears her seatbelt all the time, and she makes us wear our seatbelts all the time. I’m just thankful she’s here,” Mrs. Inman said, adding, “Wear your seat belt always, and just be vigilant on the road.”
Inman described Ohio’s Saved by the Belt campaign as “awesome. I think it’s such a great message, and it’s important for people to know things could be worse. There’s an opportunity for you to be safe, so presenting this award helps people recognize that.”
She advises drivers to “wear your seat belt, pay attention to what you’re doing and just be careful, especially with the weather starting to get bad. I think it’s super important for everyone on the road, whether they’re driving or they’re a passenger, to wear a seat belt because, like I said, some things are out of your control, and you never know what could happen.”
Since 2019, troopers have issued nearly 350,000 safety belt and child safety seat citations.
UPDATE on driver who hit Inman on Jan. 31: Matthew Adam Twigg was arrested and booked into custody Nov. 27 for the following charges: Aggravated Vehicular Assault; vehicular Assault; endangering children; operating vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs; rules for driving in marked lanes.
For up-to-date statistics and crash information related to safety belts, visit the Patrol's Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS) - Safety Belt Dashboard.
Toledo crime rates drop
Homicides, vehicle thefts down; burglaries up
TOLEDO – New data reveals a significant decrease in Toledo crime rates across multiple categories. Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and Toledo Police Chief Michael Troendle announced the 2024 third-quarter findings during a press conference at the Safety Building in October.
Key statistics and major reduction in Toledo
The data indicates Toledo is making substantial strides in reducing crime in critical areas, such as homicides and theft from motor vehicles. “This progress reflects the tireless efforts of our officers and the unwavering support from our community and administration,” said Troendle.
“When I took over, we focused on getting officers back on the streets to be proactive after the challenging times following COVID and the George Floyd incident. We emphasized that our community needs and supports them, and that mindset has paid off,” he added.
According to the report, homicides have dropped by 16 percent, with 27 incidents reported this year compared to 32 in 2023. Similarly, robberies saw a 5 percent decrease, with 292 cases reported in 2024, down from 307 in 2023.
One of the most significant drops was in theft from motor vehicles, which saw a 26 percent reduction – 857 incidents this year compared to 1,164 last year.
“Our gun intelligence center targeted some of our most prolific shooters with federal assistance. Removing those individuals from the streets has significantly curbed incidents of theft and gun violence,” said Troendle.
Additionally, the number of persons shot slightly decreased by 1 percent, totaling 154 incidents in 2024, down from 158 in 2023.
Challenges and areas of concern
While most crime categories showed improvement in Toledo, burglaries saw a slight increase of 0.2 percent, with incidents rising to 1,027 cases. Conversely, auto thefts decreased by 12 percent, with 901 incidents reported this year, compared to 1,023 last year.
Albeit the increase, Troendle said there has been a year-to-year reduction over the last 12 years in Toledo, and this is the first minor blip.
“I truly believe nothing will harm the city more than having a high burglary rate because if you are unable to enter your own home and feel that you are safe and protected, then you’re going to leave the city,” he said.
Continued efforts and community participation
During the press conference, Kapszukiewicz and Troendle emphasized that while these statistics are encouraging, this is an ongoing effort, adding that the city needs to lean on its residents, community leaders and law enforcement to sustain and build upon this positive trend.
“The progress we’ve seen in crime reduction reflects the hard work of our community, law enforcement and MONSE (Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement). We will build on this momentum to ensure Toledo remains a safe place for all of our residents,” says Kapszukiewicz.
Kapszukiewicz ended the conference with a call to action for all city residents to remain engaged and supportive of local initiatives designed to further reduce crime.
“While we celebrate these achievements, we still recognize the challenges ahead in keeping our neighborhoods safe. Together, we will continue to work towards a more hopeful and safer future for all Toledoans.”
Narcan installed in some S&G stores
S&G partners with ProMedica to help prevent drug overdoses
TOLEDO – From June 2023 to June 2024, the state of Ohio saw about a 24 percent decrease in drug overdose deaths, according to the CDC. One local business is looking to play a role in lowering the number of drug overdose deaths even more.
S&G is a convenience store in Toledo with 65 stores in Ohio and Michigan. To help combat drug overdose deaths, the company has partnered with ProMedica to install Narcan boxes in a dozen of its stores over the past six weeks.
Neal Frandsen, vice president of marketing, discussed with the Toledo Free Press why having Narcan boxes in the stores is important.
“Convenience stores attract all kinds of different people, from rich to poor, Black to white to Hispanic … you name it,” he reasoned. “Overdosing on drugs doesn’t have any boundaries, either.”
“There’s no better time to offer our Narcan devices. Convenience stores, not only S&G, but convenience stores as a whole, find overdosed people in our bathrooms. We found probably five or six, not to the point of where they needed Narcan, but five or six people that were passed out on drugs in our bathrooms just this past year and a few times this year.”
S&G plans to install Narcan boxes in at least 55 of the 66 stores, according to Frandsen.
ProMedica initiated the process of sending Narcan boxes to S&G and other locations in the community. Dr. Brian Kaminski, vice president of medical affairs for ProMedica’s Metro Hospitals and emergency department physician, explained that before the pandemic, ProMedica wanted to tackle the opioid epidemic.
The plan is to tackle the epidemic in three phases, with a focus on the first phase:
- Harm reduction, which involves providing Narcan to people who need it
- Reducing the number of opioid prescriptions and finding alternate ways to treat pain
- Rehabilitation for people who are dependent on opioids
The initiative is designed to distribute Narcan to any place where overdoses are popular. Kaminski noted that one of the most popular locations is libraries.
Libraries are actually a very popular place to overdose, and most people don’t realize that. But it’s warm, it’s free, you can get in at many hours of the day … so people who are either homeless or in some other way destitute often park at a library, and they become these centers for overdose because people are using there.
Dr. Brian Kaminski
ProMedica offers Narcan to every patient who comes in after an overdose when they are discharged. Kaminski expressed gratitude to S&G for their partnership.
“We were lucky enough to have a partnership with S&G that was willing to put themselves forward and say, ‘We’re willing to do this. We recognize it can happen anywhere, even in our retail outlets, our gas stations, our convenience stores.’ We wanted to partner with them since they’re willing partners; not everybody’s willing to partner on things like this,” Kaminski explained.
Since launching the effort to spread Narcan boxes around the community, Kaminski says there have been about 12 people saved from an overdose.
Narcan boxes are designed to be user-friendly. They contain pre-filled nasal atomizers. Each box has a pamphlet inside with pictures and instructions walking the user through the process. On the box, it shows you that it goes up the nostril and you squeeze the trigger-like mechanism, which atomizes or releases a mist of the medication. The box has two atomizers because some people need more than one dose.
The instructions say to call 911 because the victim could have more or different problems than an opioid overdose, the Narcan will also wear off eventually. If an overdose occurs in an S&G store, Narcan will likely be administered by an employee because training is provided at all stations with a box. ProMedica conducts regular inspections to make sure the boxes are in order.
Kaminski clarified that there is no harm in administering Narcan to someone who is believed to have overdosed but did not.
The initiative by ProMedica is not finished. Kaminski says the organization wants to provide more access to Narcan.
“We’re open to the idea of talking to other businesses. The goal here is far and wide in high-risk areas. We want to make Narcan available so that in the event that an overdose occurs in any area – and obviously you want to install it in the high-risk areas – that it’s accessible,” he said.
“The thing about the Nalox box is that it’s highly visible, attention-grabbing and easy to access the medication in it. Again, it’s in these high-traffic areas where there should be people around able to use it and administer it to somebody who might need it,” Kaminski added.
For those interested in helping prevent overdoses, the Ohio Department of Health conducts Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided with Naloxone), a network of naloxone and fentanyl test strip distribution programs that provide opioid overdose education and harm reduction services.
There are over 221 Project DAWN programs registered in Ohio where anyone can obtain Narcan boxes and learn how to use them. You can also purchase Narcan at a pharmacy without a prescription.
A love letter to Shawshank
2024 marks 30th anniversary for story filmed in Ohio
When I watched “The Shawshank Redemption” for the first time at 14 years old, it immediately gripped me — the musical score, the bleak, imposing view of the prison where main character Andy Dufresne is sent after a false murder conviction — the one liners that are recognizable across generations. It is a special film to so many of us.
It wasn’t long after watching the film that I read the collection, Different Seasons by Stephen King, that includes Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption. It is that novella that the iconic film is based on, a text that screenwriter/director Frank Darabont mined for all its rich characters and message of hope; giving it dimension, giving it heart, and giving it new life.
Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption falls under the season Hope Springs Eternal in that book, and Andy’s prison break is certainly a story about the kind of hope that only the most resilient of us can maintain in those circumstances. As it turned out, the story of how the movie was made is also one of hope. It was a box office failure that only became a sensation when it came out on VHS.
This year marked the 30th anniversary of the film that — though set in Maine — was filmed in Mansfield, Ohio, less than two hours away from Toledo. Though that celebration was in August, there are many opportunities for Shawshankers to fan out in Mansfield, from exploring the Shawshank Trail to taking a tour of the Ohio State Reformatory, where much of the movie was filmed.
Luckily, this fan had an opportunity to get a firsthand glimpse of true Shawshank fandom at the anniversary event, the peak of which was a one-on-one chat with the great Frank Darabont.
Celebrating 30 years
Fans from all over the country, even some from outside the U.S., swarmed the small, north-central Ohio town of Mansfield for the anniversary. Along the Shawshank Trail (the list of film sites that you can find on a convenient map), there were meet-and-greets with some of the actors with small but impactful parts in the movie.
This included Scott Mann, who played the homewrecker character that inadvertently got Andy put in prison (by being murdered). We caught up with him at Malabar Farm, where he was signing autographs in the cabin where his scene was filmed.
“When I came here in 2013… [at first] I wasn’t going to come,” says Mann. “My wife convinced me to. But there was a group that came in on a tour and they all line up on a yellow line, and I told them how we shot the scene. They were like, ‘You’re the reason he went to prison.’ It instilled that, after almost 20 years, I had a newfound relationship with my role, being that I’m on screen for 15 seconds.”
Of all the cast members we got to meet, Mann was the most involved with fans. He travels to Mansfield every year to be a hype man for the annual Shawshank Hustle 7k run, an event that began over a decade ago. It begins and ends at the Ohio State Reformatory. As we explored the Shawshank-themed activities that weekend, Mann always said hello to me and my family by name. He is definitely the right people person to lead a high-energy event like the Hustle.
“The morning of the race, I judge a costume contest, or I organize it,” he says. “You know, it’s audience participation. I’ve been doing that for 10 years.”
Born and raised in Cleveland, Mann was working as a model when casting began for “The Shawshank Redemption.” It was his first and only film audition.
“I lived in Chicago for a while, Honolulu, Atlanta. When I was modeling, I spent some time in Tokyo, but never got into acting. I auditioned for one movie. One movie only. I got it. And I’ve always said I hit the lottery. I get to sit on stage with Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Mark Ralston … I mean, I get to sit on stage with these guys.”
Mann is referring to the panel of actors who take the stage at Mansfield’s historic Renaissance Theater to talk about their experience making the film as part of anniversary events like this one. It began with a recorded address from Stephen King himself, acknowledging the film’s anniversary and the incredible way his story came to life under Darabont’s direction and through the talent of its cast and crew.
Darabont on hope vs. despair
Just before the event in the theater, I got a chance to meet and chat with Darabont. In fact, I was the last journalist to get to speak with him before everyone was shuffled onstage — just under the wire! We were told we’d have only two minutes, but he graciously gave me five.
Erin Holden: I’ve been rereading Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, and then I learned that Stephen King initially told you he felt like the story wouldn’t make a great movie. But of course it did! When you were reading the novella, what was it that pulled you into a state of certainty that it needed to be on the screen?
Frank Darabont: It was the human story in it, and a lot of people who read the script said that “I would never imagine there would be a movie in this.” Rob Reiner said that [laughs]. And of course Rob and the others at Castle Rock supported the movie and funded the movie, and supported me in making the movie. To me, it just was obvious. I love character-driven storytelling, and that just seemed like one of the great yarns of all time. To me, it was something of a no-brainer, but I know there was some skepticism about that.
EH: I was also wondering about Brooks’ storyline. In the novella, his death is only one paragraph and it’s very general, but what you do with it in the movie, to make it a letter to the guys about what happened … tell me about why you chose to dwell on that for the story arc.
FB: When you’re adapting material as a screenwriter, you’re always looking for a way to illustrate an idea that’s in there, and the idea that’s the core of that story is hope versus despair. Hope versus hopelessness. You have Andy representing the one and you have Red representing the other.
Well, you need a fulcrum point between the two. That was probably my biggest contribution to the story – actually putting Brooks into it. I said, “I need that character to show what that path leads to.” That way I could illustrate the theme of institutionalization.
Bob Gunton, who played Shawshank’s Warden Norton, described the changes he’s seen in Mansfield over the years since the film was produced in 1994 as a story of hope in itself.
Hope for Mansfield
“When we first came here, it looked like a town that was dying, frankly. When I came back for the 20th [anniversary], things had improved quite a bit. The place was spruced up, and I could tell that there was going to be more to this,” Gunton said, adding that it’s now a kind of pilgrimage for so many. “Now I’m awestruck. It really is like the Catholics going to Fatima.”
He agrees that, though Shawshank is a story of hope, his character’s relationship to Andy Dufresne gives viewers the release of seeing the villain receive his comeuppance. It’s partially a revenge story.
“When he wonders about the business books, opens it up, and there’s the Bible with the rock hammer … ‘salvation does lie within.’”
For Gunton, it was one of the most satisfying moments of the film.
The documentarian
Mark Dawidziak, author of Shawshank Redemption Revealed (2019), attended the event with his daughter Becky Dawidziak, the book’s photographer. The two of them manned their table, selling copies of the thorough history of the movie and its effects on the town and viewers all over the world.
Mark recalls how the movie first entered his radar when he was working at the Akron Beacon Journal.
“People always say, ‘How long did you work on the book?’ And my standing joke is 25 years because I was there when they were filming,” he says. “The first interview I did was with this fellow Morgan Freeman. I made several trips to Mansfield that summer covering the movie.”
Having interviewed King many times over the years about adaptations of the novelist’s films, Mark decided that this project would be a good fit for his next book.
“I had so much fun researching this book, because everybody connected with this film, from Stephen King down to the woman who trained the rats for the prison scenes, had great stories to tell.”
That is one of the top takeaways from my visit to Mansfield, that there is a wholesome love for this film that makes everyone involved easy to talk to. They are always ready to share their stories. From Scott Mann getting his one and only movie role in one of the highest rated films of all time, to Morgan Freeman being propelled to a household name, it was life changing for many. That includes the people of Mansfield, who are still so proud of this slice of film history.
At the Toledo Free Press, we are all about celebrating Toledo itself, but the hidden gems surrounding us make our city equally appealing to live in. If you are looking for a short adventure and you’re a film buff, take in a full weekend of film history in Mansfield.
