Toledo flag redesign
Arts Commission presents semifinalists for new City of Toledo flag
TOLEDO – The City of Toledo will retire its current flag, adopted in 1994, and introduce a new city flag with input from the community.
Officially, all entries are anonymous. However, one of the semifinalists is already publicly known: Toledoan Jacob Parr.
Parr’s research and suggestions on redesigning the official flag was presented to Toledo City Council in 2022, and he said he’s excited about the current effort, whether his flag is chosen or not.
“I was able to instigate what, to me, is a very meaningful conversation on civic pride,” Parr said. “The point of this project was to give back to the city I love.”
Toledo’s current flag uses what was then the newly updated city seal as its core design. It’s not seen in public much. Rachel Hart, director of communications for City of Toledo, said it is on display at city hall but likely “not many other places.”
An earlier city flag, in use from 1909 through 1994, features an illustration of a stockade fort against blue and white stripes. That said, the newer flag, adopted during the administration of then-mayor Carleton “Carty” S. Finkbeiner, doesn’t quite fit today’s best practices.
“There are some well-established principles for flag design. Our current flag fails all of them,” Hart said.
It was 2015 when Parr started his curiosity and research into such a project. He is a Toledo School for the Arts graduate and works in design. At one point, he was listening to podcasts on design concepts, including one that discussed flags. During the stay-at-home initiatives during the COVID-19 pandemic, he had time to brainstorm and research on what he thought was an intriguing idea.
He presented his flag redesign idea – a blue and white banner with a yellow spark – to Toledo mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz in 2021. The suggestion started working its way through city hall. Parr’s earlier presentation is still available for review on his graphic design website.
“It was almost adopted as the official Toledo flag,” Chloe Nousias said about Parr’s proposal. She is the marketing communications manager for The Arts Commission. What happened instead, as the idea faced city council in 2022, is the proposal stalled out.
Questions were raised about getting more public involvement. Kapszukiewicz re-introduced the project in his most recent State of the City address. This time, The Arts Commission, a nonprofit organization that manages Toledo’s public art collection, was asked to get involved.
“The Arts Commission has been a really great partner,” Harr said.
“It’s all very exciting,” Parr said about the decision to move forward.
In the current process, submissions opened June 28 and were due Aug. 28. Only city of Toledo residents could participate.
The Design Review Board, which includes representatives from Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo City Council and The Arts Commission, was tasked to narrow down the list of submissions.
Semifinalists went on public display, with comments taken Sept. 20-22 during the Momentum Festival arts celebration in downtown Toledo.
“We had a lot of good feedback at the festival,” Nousias said.
Area residents also are invited to review the concepts and share their thoughts at The Art Commission website. The PDF of design choices includes descriptions of why certain colors, shapes or symbols were chosen.
The review board will then name a top design and two runners-up for review and adoption. A final selection announcement is set for Jan. 7.
“That’s Toledo’s birthday,” Hart said, referring to the city’s official founding date of Jan. 7, 1837.
If area residents notice a simple, modern design style among the choices as compared to the currently used city flag, that’s intentional. Participants were encouraged to look up best practices, such as the North American Vexillological Association’s Good Flag, Bad Flag: How to Design a Great Flag.
The report gives recommendations on how to make a flag both representative of, and recognizable for, its community.
This newer flag style can be seen in the proposals as Cleveland, Dayton and Salt Lake City have been considering redesigns of their city flags. Mississippi voters also adopted a new state flag design in 2020.
City Flag Design Rules
The Arts Commission and Toledo city officials published guidelines for the City of Toledo flag redesign that included the following:
- All submissions must be from a resident of the city of Toledo.
- Design elements should “reflect the City of Toledo’s shared history, values, aspirations and diverse cultural communities.”
- No lettering within the design.
- Two or three basic colors used in the design.
- All work must be original, not copyright material, and not created or enhanced by Artificial Intelligence.
Ruby-throated hummingbird
These small, fast hummingbirds soon to migrate out of our area
Fall’s arrival means saying goodbye to one of our summertime gems. The last of our ruby-throated hummingbirds will be leaving us in the coming days for their wintering grounds across the Gulf of Mexico and as far away as Central America.
Most of the males with their bright ruby throats left weeks ago. Only the females remain and their numbers are thinning. Their latest recorded departure date from our area was mid-October, so if you’re lucky enough to see one this time of year take a moment to admire their incredible appearance and remarkable abilities.
These tiny birds – our smallest – are hatched in tiny nests from eggs the size of a jellybean. As adults they are the only birds capable of hovering in place, flying backwards and even upside down. Their wingbeats are so fast that they make an easily heard humming or buzzing sound as they approach the flowers and feeders that they visit for nectar.
They are both fast and have incredible stamina. In migration they’re known to fly 40 miles per hour. Some make a non-stop, 500-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico that they’ll finish in less than a day.
Maumee Film Fest returns
Festival resumes its mission of celebrating films, storytelling
MAUMEE – The Maumee Film Festival is set to make its grand return to the big screen this weekend following a hiatus during the pandemic.
Organized by the collaborative efforts of the Maumee Indoor Theater, Maumee Uptown Business Association and FilmToledo, the festival promises to bring an exciting showcase of independent films back to the heart of Maumee.
Running from 2015 to 2020, the Maumee Film Festival has been a beacon for filmmakers and enthusiasts alike, highlighting a diverse array of short, not-so-short and feature-length independent films.
After a brief pause, the festival is thrilled to resume its mission of celebrating creativity and storytelling through the art of filmmaking.
“I give Sara Eiden at the Maumee Indoor Theater a ton of credit – she has been working constantly to bring more business to the theater and get the community involved in events,” said Michael DeSanto, FilmToledo executive director.
DeSanto has been involved in the Maumee Film Festival in some capacity since its first year. He’s submitted short films and made award-winning films for the 48-Hour Film Challenge. He’s also been a festival judge, and was on the festival committee in 2020.
He said that “getting involved on a deeper level was an easy choice for me. We’ve been wanting to bring the festival back, as well, so our goals were in perfect alignment.”
With the festival being dormant for so long, DeSanto explained that it was a matter of contacting local filmmakers and businesses, re-engaging the community and sponsors, and building an infrastructure so the festival can be profitable and continue for years.
“We’re thrilled to be bringing back the Maumee Film Festival after the hiatus caused by the pandemic,” said Sara Eiden, supervisor of theater operations at the Maumee Indoor Theater.
“This festival has always been a celebration of independent filmmaking, and we’re excited to provide a platform for filmmakers to share their stories once again,” she said.
One of the most exciting features of this year’s festival is the inclusion of the 48-Hour Film Challenge. Teams will have just 48 hours to write, shoot and edit a short film, incorporating specific elements revealed only at the kickoff event. This challenge promises to test the creativity and agility of participating filmmakers, resulting in an exhilarating showcase of talent.
“For the most part, a film festival showcases the talent of local and regional filmmakers, giving them an opportunity to see their films on the big screen and celebrate their hard work. For moviegoers and cinephiles, it’s a chance to see films they might not see anywhere else and connect up with like-minded people. And the popcorn is always great!” DeSanto exclaimed.
This year’s festival also promises to be an unforgettable celebration of cinema, creativity and community spirit. Whether you’re a filmmaker, film enthusiast or simply someone who appreciates the magic of the silver screen, mark your calendars for the Maumee Film Festival this weekend.
To view the film schedule, click HERE
About Maumee Film Festival
The Maumee Film Festival is an annual event dedicated to showcasing independent films from both local and international filmmakers. Since its inception in 2015, the festival has been a platform for emerging talent and a celebration of creativity in the world of cinema.
Film: Saving Walden’s World
Film on sustainability living solutions screens at Maumee Film Fest
MAUMEE – Fresh off its NYC screening, Saving Walden’s World will be featured at the Maumee Film Festival today at 1:30 p.m.
The documentary film is one of more than 50 long and short films featured in a two-day film frenzy this weekend at the Maumee Indoor Theater.
As the United Nations Summit for the Future wraps up with a signed global pact on sustainability, peace, gender equality and youth engagement, Saving Walden’s World offers powerful, underreported solutions aligned with these goals.
About the Film: Saving Walden’s World, directed by Jim Merkel, delves into sustainable living solutions that are meeting and exceeding the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals, well ahead of the 2030 timeline.
The film brings to light inspiring stories from Kerala, Cuba and Slovenia – societies offering universal access to education, healthcare and women’s rights, presenting an achievable model of sustainability that resonates across borders.
The journey follows Merkel, a former arms dealer who embarks on a life-altering mission after realizing his work harms the very people he now seeks to help.
With a focus on real-world solutions, Saving Walden’s World captures the essence of global cooperation, grassroots action and human-scaled development in the fight against climate change.
About the author:
In 1989, Merkel left his military engineering career, dedicating his life to peacemaking and addressing the climate crisis. By 2015, as a father, he felt an urgent need to act.
“I could feel a tsunami barreling towards my son’s future,” Merkel recalls. So, he picked up a camera and began filming his six-year-old son’s world, starting an eight-year project that would take him across the globe.
Touring Without Fossil Fuel: In line with the film’s sustainability message, Merkel has committed to a low-carbon tour, traveling by sailboat along the Maine coast and by electric vehicle across the U.S. He will be in attendance at the Maumee Film Festival for a post-screening Q&A, inviting the audience to join in a dialogue on actionable sustainability practices.
Now touring by electric vehicle, Merkel brings his film from Maine to Ohio and beyond, heading next to the Iris Global Health Film Festival in Boulder.
Greater Lakes Promise
A new partnership for clean-water
A new partnership called the Greater Lakes Promise is working to improve water quality around the Great Lakes.
An initiative made possible by the Great Lakes Protection Fund and the nonprofit Freshwater, the Greater Lakes Promise is working with land trusts to select high priority lands for conservation. This includes raising funds to add perennial vegetation with the goal of trapping carbon emissions and preventing run-off.
Carrie Jennings, Freshwater research and policy director for the project said, “There are many geologic, economic and societal commonalities across the Great Lakes states that allow us to expand the geographic reach of our efforts to improve water quality.”
The three main goals of the Greater Lakes Promise are:
- Working with five land trusts as partners to continue these clean-water initiatives.
- Creating a technical advisory committee to prioritize the highest levels of phosphorus reduction.
- Generating funding for outreach, land stewardship, and land purchase to improve Great Lakes water quality.
To learn more about the Greater Lakes Promise, visit greaterlakespromise.org.
Jazzing it up
Lucille’s Jazz Lounge thrives with live music from legendary musicians
Story and photos by Dave Yonke
TOLEDO – Like a Russian nesting doll, Lucille’s Jazz Lounge is tucked inside a coffee shop inside an industrial-looking social club just north of Downtown Toledo.
The entrance to the jazz club is on the side of Tolhouse, a members-only social club. Jazz fans must walk through the Earth Coffeehouse on Summit St. to reach Lucille’s.
Lucille’s is a cozy and classy club with a clear sightline, a good sound system and a solid lineup of musicians from near and far. Toledo’s jazz history is honored with framed photos of some of the city’s legendary jazz figures, including Clifford Murphy, Claude Black and Rusty Monroe.
Lucille’s opened Oct. 23, 2021 and quickly became a favorite of local jazz artists and aficionados.
Starting in January, the club has hosted a weekly Tuesday night show called Sessions, led by local jazz aces Gene Parker and Damen Cook and a variety of featured guests playing whatever songs they feel inspired to play.
“I think it’s fabulous and (club owner) Will Lucas is great. He’s got a winning concept here, he really does,” Parker said. “Other places, they push a few tables out of the way and they call it a jazz lounge. This is a real jazz lounge here.”
For the Tuesday night sessions, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis with a $5 music fee and a two-drink minimum per guest (alcohol is not required; drinks can be bottled water, cans of pop or mocktails). The club has a curated menu featuring everything from burgers and wings to salads, and an array of beverages from a full bar.
“We have rotating guests, like trombonist Ron Kischuk from Detroit here tonight, and we bring in guests from Detroit and Ann Arbor and Northwest Ohio,” Parker said. “Some people would never get a chance to play here otherwise. Maybe they don’t have a big name but they can sing or play an instrument and entertain the people.
“The first hour from 7:30 to 8:30 is the guest hour, with Damen singing and playing drums and I’m playing the Hammond B-3 organ. Then, after 8:30 it’s an open jam. People can come up and play, take over the B-3 – we have a guitar amp and mics. We’ve had pretty good luck with singers and guitarists.”
Among the recent scheduled jazz artists at the Tuesday sessions were trumpeter Ben Wolkins, guitarist Ariel Kasler and trumpeter Dave Kosmyna.
Parker, 81, still gets excited about jazz. He doesn’t play the saxophone much these days but is nimble on the organ, piano, vibes and other keyboard instruments.
Famed for not only performing but also teaching many successful musicians, Parker’s enthusiasm for jazz is always in high gear. He usually plays with eyes closed as he focuses on the music and his impressive improvisations.
“Oh I love it. Love it! It’s fun, fun, fun, fun, fun!,” he exclaimed.
Asked if he prepares a set list for the Tuesday shows, Parker laughed and said, “We just play what we like. I know about 10,000 songs.”
The Sept. 24 jazz session featured a string of standards, including Cook drumming while singing I’ve Got the World on a String and Old Folks, and the trio cranked it up for Groovy Sambas, a tribute to Brazilian jazz great Sergio Mendes, who died Sept. 5 from long Covid.
As with most jazz bands, the group performed in unison at the start and end of each tune, with each musician taking a turn on extended solos.
On weekends, Lucille’s hosts touring and top local and regional artists. Tickets are typically priced between $15 and $40 and must be purchased ahead of time. Many of the weekend shows sell out.
Upcoming concerts include vocalists Nicole Heitger, Ellie Martin and Lori Lefevre, Afro-Cuban jazz band Tumbao Bravo, blues artist Maurice John Vaughn, singer-songwriter Jo Serrapere, and former Murphys Trio pianist Johnny O’Neal.
“The value of music has changed,” Parker said. “You can’t give it away or the musicians won’t get paid. Music at one time was so popular because it was the only thing. There was nothing much on radio or television for a long time and people went out to hear live music.
“Now people have moved out to the suburbs and they go in their backyard and they barbecue and they watch TV and it’s pretty hard to compete with that. They really don’t need us anymore. Jazz records are like 1 percent of the market — and 90 percent of that is Kenny G,” he said.
“So now, more than ever, we need the people who support this and who like this music to come out. No matter what kind of music you like, come out and support the bands that you like,” Parker encouraged.
A full schedule of concerts with links to purchase tickets can be found at lucillesjazzlounge.com.
Firefighters: Crawl. Walk. Run.
Toledo Fire & Rescue Department firefighter class in full swing
This is Part 1 of a limited series about the current Toledo Fire & Rescue Academy class.
Story by Paula Wethington | Photos Courtesy of Toledo Fire & Rescue
TOLEDO – Three words that describe what a first responder might do at the scene of an emergency are also applicable to the academy training that Toledo Fire & Rescue Department recruits are working through.
“We crawl, walk, run,” said Lt. John Rodriguez, who is among the TFRD instructors leading the current academy class.
Fire Class 298 started its training Aug. 16 with 30 recruits. They meet 40 hours a week, with much of the training at Owens Community College, with some lessons at Maumee Fire Division’s burn tower.
The first couple of weeks featured classroom instruction, getting assigned their turnout gear and a legacy class run. The training pace ramped up fast, and lessons soon included facing live fire.
Once the training is done, they will also learn about handling hazardous materials and drive the vehicles they’ll use on duty. It all wraps up on Feb. 28.
It is Toledo Fire & Rescue Department tradition that veteran personnel train the next batch of recruits.
“We can train them our way, the Toledo way, but always to the Ohio standard,” Capt. Michael Romstadt said about the academy class he is leading. “There’s a certain number of hours they have to get through the state.”
The 16-week firefighter training session will end Dec. 6. Their are 11 among them who also need Emergency Medical Technician-Basic trainin,g then move into that curriculum.
TFRD currently has 579 TFRD personnel among its 18 stations. The department’s service area is primarily the city; a mutual aid pact with neighboring fire districts means that sometimes a Toledo crew takes a call just outside the city while another department’s staff is busy.
The number of recruits and the training schedule has varied over the decades and is based on the number of spots they expect to have open each time. For example, Rodriguez, who is also working with the current academy class, said he was in the third class that took place in 1997.
In more recent years, TRFD has scheduled one academy a year, starting in the summer. They already expect 40 recruits next year.
Romstadt said the admission criteria includes a high school diploma or GED, background check, medical evaluation and agility test.
Once his or her training is complete, each recruit will spend the first year taking turns at three different stations on the department’s 24-hours-on / 48-hours-off work schedule. Those who have a head start with current EMT or paramedic credentials will start their first station assignments this winter.
