As a Libertarian I do not get any joy out of the catastrophe that we call the Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE). While I am neither surprised nor truly bothered when the leaders of the two major parties demonstrate their incompetence, I am disturbed at the effect it has on our system. Party posturing and self aggrandizement over many years has created an unworkable atmosphere. It did not have to reach this level.
Kenneth Sharp, The Libertarian Perspective
This sad scenario has a long history. In 2008, then-central committee candidate Jon Stainbrook and company complained of dysfunction and possibly criminal behavior at the BOE. He, along with Meghan Gallagher and Kelly Bensman (trouble really does come in threes) made the office of the BOE their war zone. At the time it was depicted by some media that they were fighting the good fight. His confrontational style along with constant support from The Blade and Toledo City Paper put him into position to seize control of the State Republican central committee and eventually get a board seat.
From the very start it was about ego. Stainbrook not only got a plum position for himself but also a plum spot for his longtime ally Gallagher. Bensman was never far behind. Unfortunately the Pittsburgh Connection was more intent on ousting Tom Noe than finding suitable replacements.
Many of the names we read about today were the same ones Stainbrook first complained about — Ron Rothenbuhler and Dan DeAngelis for example. However, Stainbrook and company never had any intention of making the BOE a better place, just their place. For some unknown reason the Democrat half of the board took the appeasement approach (that always works so well against tyrants). Gallagher became Director of the BOE, though neither she nor Stainbrook had experience in their new roles. Their previous roles were of agitators, sort of like community organizers.
Apparently experience at the level of a community organizer is only a problem if it is on the left side of the hydra according to the right side. But it was a problem for workers, candidates and voters. It was well known that Gallagher would lock herself in her office, presumably because she didn’t know how to handle the job. In the end she was dismissed, but wouldn’t disappear.
Over many years, through both Democrat and Republican Secretaries of State, our board has needed and been under state oversight. In that time allegations of harassment, illegal taping, fraud, obstruction and more have swirled in a do-si-do-like square dance while at the same time the board members did likewise with their positions. None of it has helped. There is no confidence in the four member board. Over those same years many good and qualified people tried to do the day-to-day tasks within a hostile office environment. For some the atmosphere was too much. They deserve better.
Who should leave? It is my opinion that the entire board should go. I would include DeAngelis as well, simply because of his long involvement with nothing to show for it; at press time he is the only one to resign. The Secretary of State says that Irish should stay as he is new to the board. Well, okay, so is Gina Kaczala. She was installed just weeks before the early voting began and well after the problems had festered. We have a general election in six months. We need some calming experience in these political roles so we don’t lose more of the operational staff. Keep Irish and Kaczala then.
What should really happen? We need to change Ohio law so that minor parties can be represented on the board. Change the number of board members to five from four. Have two minor parties represented. Have three from the major parties with the extra seat rotating between them every election cycle.
That way they must seek coalition building over party obfuscation and more of the voters’ real voices are represented.
A basic spring checkup of standard car maintenance may run $200-$300. Toledo free Press file photo
Spring cleaning should include readying that one place we’ve neglected all winter where we spend a lot of time, converse with family, eat a few meals and sometimes get ready in the morning: the car.
“Really the number one thing is maintenance overall,” said Bob Kazmierczak, AAA Northwest Ohio vice president of automotive services and enterprise development. “The reality is, I think that if people would keep up on the overall maintenance, they would have not as many issues when it comes to repairs.”
While cars are more computerized than ever, the basics still need checked regularly: fluids, tires, belts, hoses, batteries and lights. However, we’re not only wired for procrastination, but to put things off that are out of sight, out of mind and perhaps even to ignore the warning signs.
“That’s like telling a surgeon, ‘I can take out this tumor later,’” Kazmierczak said. “Cars are becoming more and more complex, so when auto technicians are telling you something, it really should be checked.”
We may put off car care because it involves those two factors we can never have enough of — time and money — but if complexity drives us away, there are still plenty of things drivers can do on their own.
“The first thing, and I stress this with family and everybody, is to check tire pressure once a month,” said Ed Meggitt, manager of Goodyear Auto Service Center on N. Alexis Road. “Not only will you make the tires last longer, but it will help with gas mileage.”
Another simple exercise is the tire penny test, according to Kazmierczak, where you insert a Lincoln penny head-first into the tire tread. If you can see the top of Abraham Lincoln’s head, your tread depth is less than 2/32 inch and the tire needs to be replaced.
Kazmierczak also suggested looking at the belts, and if you see several cracks within an inch, then those should be replaced. Hoses should also be inspected; a good hose is pliable but strong, and with a bad one you can feel cracking on the inside, or it will be extremely hard.
Furthermore, lights should be inspected routinely.
In spring and summer, we’re all getting ready to do trips we normally don’t do, according to Meggitt, and we want to be safe.
Plus, the hot weather can wreak havoc on the battery, which supplies electric energy to the automobile.
“Batteries die more in the heat than they do from the cold weather,” Meggitt said. “The heat is what destroys the grids and things on the inside. Cold weather lowers cold cranking amps but doesn’t destroy a battery as much as heat.”
A basic spring checkup of standard maintenance items may run around $200-$300, according to Kazmierczak.
Winterizing a car may be important to prepare for the cold, but it’s the endurance of that long, brutal season that makes a post-winter checkup so vital.
“As bad as the potholes were this winter,” Meggitt said. “Every car in Toledo should have their alignment checked.”
The story of 2014’s summer movie schedule is suspiciously similar to the story of 2013’s, and the decade or so before that: a slate of superhero action movies, sequels to previous hits and smaller flicks hoping to grab a piece of the pie. There may be a surprise or two among the summer’s biggest films, but by and large it’s franchises galore. The tone was set by “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” on May 2, and as studios get ready to turn up the heat, here’s what the rest of the season looks like.
May 9
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“Neighbors” — Seth Rogen plays a suburban dad whose life is turned upside down when he moves in next to a fraternity house led by Zac Efron. The film has no relation to the 1981 John Belushi/Dan Aykroyd comedy of the same name, though the basic premise of warring factions who live next door to each other is hardly new. Still, the early reviews have been excellent, indicating that Rogen’s streak of hit summer comedies may continue.
“Mom’s Night Out” — A faith-based film in sitcom clothing, it stars Sarah Drew and Patricia Heaton as moms in desperate need of an evening off, who leave the kids in the care of their clueless husbands. It’s a departure from Andrew and Jon Erwin’s previous film, “October Sky,” but even with the wild success of Christian films like “Heaven is for Real,” “Mom’s” will have to work hard to not get steamrolled this season.
“Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return” — Back to the Yellow Brick Road we go, in an animated film based on L. Frank Baum’s universe. Dorothy returns to Kansas to find it destroyed (well, it WAS hit by a tornado), then goes back to Oz to find things ain’t much better there. A decent voice cast (Lea Michele, Patrick Stewart) does little to dispel the feeling that this is a cheap, early summer kids’ cash-in.
May 16
May 16: ‘Godzilla’ Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
“Godzilla” — The big guy is back. Sixty years after his first appearance, Godzilla once again stomps into theaters for a new American reboot, with Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. trying to erase fans’ memories of the fairly disastrous 1998 film from Columbia TriStar. A first-rate cast (Ken Watanabe! Bryan Cranston!) and a monster design much closer to Toho Pictures’ original beast help give American fans hope. (Read comics columnist Jim Beard’s take.)
“Million Dollar Arm” — Based on a true story, Jon Hamm plays a sports agent who seeks out talented new baseball pitchers by running a reality TV show in India. The loose outline is suspiciously similar to “The Air Up There” and any number of other “unknown talents discovered” flicks, but it may be just the type of feel-good family flick that becomes a sleeper hit.
May 23
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” — The sixth “X-Men” film and the seventh to feature Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (if you count his quick cameo in “First Class”), this one brings both the old and the new casts together. Adapted from a classic comic storyline, the X-Men of the present send Wolverine back to the past in an effort to prevent an event that imperils everyone.
The unanswered question: Will the scandal surrounding director Bryan Singer cause audiences to stay away?
“Blended” — Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore team up for another rom-com with their “Wedding Singer” director Frank Coraci. This time they play a pair of single parents who meet on a disastrous blind date, but find themselves growing closer after they end up together at a family resort. The Sandler/Barrymore pairing has produced box office magic twice before, though it’s an open question as to how much magic is left against a packed summer schedule.
May 30
“Maleficent” — Get ready to see things from the villain’s point of view. Angelina Jolie plays the evil queen who imprisoned Sleeping Beauty, in a story that makes her the focal point. The look of the movie is incredible (as well it should be, since Oscar-winning production designer Robert Stromberg is making his directorial debut), and Jolie is the spitting image of her animated counterpart. How the story will hold up remains to be seen.
“A Million Ways to Die in the West” — Seth MacFarlane has had a remarkably varied year, between his usual animated success, his coolly-received and now-canceled sitcom “Dads” and his critically-lauded reboot of “Cosmos.” Now he tackles that most elusive of prey — a hit Western comedy. MacFarlane stars as a sheep rancher who tries to gain some gumption with the help of a gunslinger played by Charlize Theron.
June 6
“Edge of Tomorrow” — Here’s brilliant marketing for you: This Tom Cruise sci-fi action flick is based on a Japanese novel called “All You Need is Kill.” That is an unforgettable title. “Edge of Tomorrow” sounds like a soap opera that gets canceled in six months. Anyway, Cruise stars as an officer who gets caught in a time loop where he lives the same battle over and over until he finds a way to win. Yep, it’s “Groundhog Day” mixed with “Halo,” though its premise could lead to some stellar battle sequences.
“The Fault in Our Stars” — Author John Green’s novel about a terminal cancer patient who falls in love with a fellow cancer patient and amputee at a support group is adapted for the big screen. Shailene Woodley of “Divergent” stars as Hazel, and her rising Hollywood stock and the much-loved source material may make this a sleeper hit.
June 13
“22 Jump Street” — The surprisingly successful comedy based loosely on the former Fox drama “21 Jump Street” comes back for a sequel. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum both return, as well as original directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller, for a story about the undercover cops working a case at a local college. It’s tempting to see if comedic lightning can strike twice, though audiences burned by “Hangover 2” and “3” may do well to be cautious.
“How to Train Your Dragon 2” — Here is, pretty easily, the summer’s biggest family movie. The sequel to the wildly popular 2010 animated fantasy, the film will follow its main characters (and their dragon counterparts) five years after the events of the original film. This is being hyped as the second part of a trilogy, with most of the cast and original co-director Dean DeBlois returning.
June 20
“Think Like a Man Too” — Another follow-up to a shockingly successful comedy, the sequel to the 2012 original (based on Steve Harvey’s relationship advice book) sees the original cast return and the setting shift to Las Vegas. Director Tim Story is back, too, as is the original writing team. The first flick made nearly $100 million and helped establish Kevin Hart as a star, so hopes are high here.
“Jersey Boys” — One of the most popular modern musicals makes the transition to the big screen, directed by no less than Clint Eastwood. The story follows the rise and fall of the classic group The Four Seasons, with their most popular songs (“Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “December, 1963″ “Oh What a Night”) peppered throughout. Add in a great cast (Christopher Walken, Vincent Piazza) and this might be poised to rope in the audiences that made “Hairspray” and “Mamma Mia!” such big summer splashes.
June 27
“Transformers: Age of Extinction” — This series just won’t die, will it? The fourth in the Michael Bay robots-in-disguise saga is set four years after “Dark of the Moon,” in a world where Transformers are hunted. Good news: A whole new live-action cast (led by Mark Wahlberg) gives the series a breath of fresh air. Bad news: The writer is still Ehren Krueger, who has written every film since 2009’s “Revenge of the Fallen” — meaning the movies started getting really bad as soon as he took over.
July 2
“Deliver Us from Evil” — Director Scott Derrickson (“The Exorcism of Emily Rose”) returns to the supernatural with this crime-thriller-horror multi-hyphenate. A cop (Eric Bana) teams up with a priest to solve a case that may have some demonic influences. This is a shot of scares in a summer that is surprisingly low on horror films, but on a packed July Fourth weekend and with multiple big flicks before and after, don’t expect this one to *cough!* deliver much.
“Earth to Echo” — “E.T.” meets “Paranormal Activity.” Only not horror. And made by Disney. OK, let’s try this again. This is a found-footage movie about a group of kids who find a lovable little robot from outer space. The trailers are cutesy enough to let you know this is solidly a kids’ movie, and the supposedly “amateurish” filming is way too professional-looking to really have an impact. Still, if the story resonates, it might find a willing family audience.
“Tammy” — Melissa McCarthy has become one of the most bankable comedy stars in recent years, and this one seems to be her baby: She co-wrote, produced and stars in this tale of a woman who decides to leave her old life behind and hit the road with her grandmother (Susan Sarandon). You can bet on the box office success of this one (if McCarthy could make “Identity Thief” a hit, she can do anything), and if the quality’s high enough, this could be the summer’s biggest comedy.
July 11
“And So It Goes” — Director Rob Reiner’s biggest film in quite a while, this is a romantic comedy/drama about a Realtor (Michael Douglas) who gets a visit from a granddaughter he never knew he had. Co-starring Diane Keaton, this seems like perfect movie bait for the older crowd who (with the exception of “Jersey Boys”) seem to have been left out in the cold this summer.
“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” — Ten years have passed since Caesar led his rebellion, and the virus that was unleashed has wiped out most of mankind. Now, in this sequel to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” humans and simians are on the brink of war. Which side will triumph and survive? Well, here’s a hint: A third film in this rebooted series was already announced back in January
July 18
“Jupiter Ascending” — The Wachowskis are back again. It’s been 15 years since the original “Matrix” changed the face of modern action movies, and fans (and studio executives) have waited for the siblings to once more deliver on the promise that first film indicated. Is this movie the one? Starring Mila Kunis as a janitor who learns her destiny has incredible ramifications throughout the universe, the film has amazing visuals and a breathtaking trailer — reasons for hope.
“Planes: Fire & Rescue” — Well, it’s time once again for Disney to squeeze all it can out of the “Cars” universe cash cow. Another spinoff set “above the world of ‘Cars,’” this sequel to 2013′s pleasant and utterly forgettable “Planes” sees lead Dusty (still Dane Cook) suddenly forced to join a gang of rescue vehicles. Be honest: This just screams “straight to DVD but we had nothing else so we’re tossing it into theaters,” doesn’t it?
“The Purge: Anarchy” — Speaking of rushed sequels, last summer’s “The Purge” was a modest horror hit, so it’s time to franchise that sucker. As before, we’re set in a future where America suspends all laws for 12 hours and crime runs rampant. Director/writer James DeMonaco returns for the follow-up, which focuses on a couple whose car runs out of gas as the Purge is about to begin. Another reason to never wait until your tank hits “E.”
July 25
“Hercules” — 2013’s biggest box office star takes a swing at one of the biggest mythological heroes, as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson plays the Herc. This is the second film based on the character this year alone (admit it, you already forgot about “The Legend of Hercules,” right?), and this one’s directed by Brett Ratner, a name which many feel doesn’t inspire confidence. But hey, Johnson is on a hell of a roll lately.
“Sex Tape” — Speaking of being on a roll, Cameron Diaz just had a surprise hit with “The Other Woman,” and she’s back with a comedy about a couple who record themselves making love and are horrified when the tape accidentally leaks. Jason Segel co-stars, and Jake Kasdan (who directed Diaz in “Bad Teacher”) is at the helm. A few weeks removed from “Tammy,” this one might be perfectly positioned for a good run as a raunchy summer laugh-fest.
“Step Up All In” — Yeah, that’s how the title is written. No punctuation or anything. And yes, it’s the fifth in the long-running dancing series. This one’s kind of a “Fast and Furious”-like gathering of all the most popular characters (well, Channing Tatum is missing, naturally) for a big battle in Las Vegas. Toledo’s own Alyson Stoner is among the crew, giving local fans one reason to be interested, at least.
Aug.1
“Guardians of the Galaxy” — This may be Marvel Studios’ biggest crapshoot to date. The most obscure superhero team to get a movie in a while, the ensemble cast features Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, John C. Reilly, Djimon Hounsou, Vin Diesel and more. Directed by James Gunn (whose highest profile film was “Slither” back in 2006), this film may have an uphill climb in terms of market recognition, but the trailer is a hoot and may reel in fans who aren’t even into superheroes.
“Get On Up” — Hell yeah, it’s a James Brown biopic. Chadwick Boseman, who played Jackie Robinson in last year’s “42,” stars as the Godfather of Soul in a movie directed by Tate Taylor, whose previous film was the crowd favorite drama “The Help.” Can any film truly capture the magic of one of the most dynamic performers of his (or any) era? Well, it’ll be fun to see them try.
Aug. 8
“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” — Michael Bay is dipping his fingers into Generation X’s childhood again! Well, he’s not directing this one, but true helmer Johnathan Liebesman’s resume (“Battle: Los Angeles,” “Wrath of the Titans”) doesn’t inspire optimism, either. Still, the effects in the trailer are impressive, and the cast is stellar and expansive (Megan Fox! Johnny Knoxville! Tony Shalhoub! Whoopi Goldberg!), so maybe lightning will strike.
“The Hundred-Foot Journey” — Based on a 2010 book about two rival restaurants in France, the movie version features the stellar Helen Mirren. And you want to talk pedigree? The producers include a couple of people named Steven Spielberg and Oprah Winfrey.
“Into the Storm” — Hey, whaddya know? It’s (apparently) another found-footage movie! This one’s about a dad (Richard Armitage) trying to save his son from a tornado-filled storm. The trailer is undeniably intense and seems to indicate the movie might not be adhering to the fauxcumentary genre TOO stringently, so maybe this’ll work.
“Lucy” — Those looking for a Black Widow movie might have to settle for this until the major companies get their head around the fact that women can lead action flicks. Scarlett Johansson stars as a woman who works as a smuggler for an experimental drug, which makes her superhuman when it gets into her system. Those looking for fast-paced adventure can take solace in this fact: The director is action virtuoso Luc Besson.
Aug. 15
“The Giver” — Journey with us to a dystopian future where everything isn’t as it seems. Director Phillip Noyce helms a film version of Lois Lowry’s 1993 young adult sci-fi novel, starring luminaries like Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep and Katie Holmes.
“As Above, So Below” — And wow! What are the odds? It’s another found-footage movie! This one is horror, the genre’s bread and butter, following archeologists trying to find a hidden treasure in the catacombs of Paris. Before you think, “Hey, that sounds at least somewhat interesting,” I must share this tragic fact: Director John Erick Dowdle’s last film was the horrible “Devil.”
“The Expendables 3″ — Does a plot matter? Here’s the cast: Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson, Ronda Rousey and Harrison freakin’ Ford. Come on, you’re gonna see it no matter what I say. And so am I.
Aug. 22
“Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” — Nearly a decade later, it’s time to return to the mean streets of Frank Miller’s imagination. This long-awaited follow-up to Robert Rodriguez’s 2005 adaptation of Miller’s noir graphic novels is largely based on the second book in the series, with other original narratives peppered in. Original cast members like Mickey Rourke (Marv!) and Bruce Willis return, while newcomers like Eva Green, Josh Brolin and Joseph Gordon-Levitt sign on as well.
“If I Stay” — Chloë Grace Moretz steps out from behind her Hit Girl mask to star in this adaptation of Gayle Foreman’s young adult novel about a girl trapped between life and death who must choose whether to stay or go. Foreman herself penned the script, usually a good sign for fans of the original book, though director R.J. Cutler primarily has experience in documentary filmmaking. Will the movie capture the poignancy of the original work? We’ll see.
Tallying of primary election results in Lucas County was delayed for hours May 6 in part due to several misplaced data cards that were believed to contain votes.
Jon Stainbrook
Tabulation stalled at 72 percent of votes counted when it was discovered the cards were missing and did not resume for hours. After three hours of searching, a total of seven missing cards were located in a warehouse where the voting machines are kept, said Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) member Jon Stainbrook. Five were initially found and then two later in the night, he said.
Ron Rothenbuhler, chairman of the BOE, blamed poor inventory control and worker oversight for the issues.
“We look at inventory control. We have part-time workers — not constant personnel. We certainly have some issues,” Rothenbuhler said. “The [missing cards] did delay the election.”
Officials also suspected some of the missing data cards that contained ballot information had been created May 7 rather than in April when the machines were tested, which would suggest dishonesty by personnel. It’s still not clear who might have created fake cards to replace the missing ones and why, Stainbrook said.
The Ohio Secretary of State’s office is investigating.
“The only way the people are going to have faith in this process is to say I feel safe with this election,” Stainbrook said. “I will not feel safe until all these questions are answered.”
The tension at the Early Vote Center late May 6 was like courtroom drama. Stainbrook accused BOE Director Gina Kaczala of lying to the media. Kaczala initially told reporters there were no missing data cards and then changed her statement.
“It’s unconscionable to me that Gina Kaczala, the director, would blatantly lie to the media to say that all cards were accounted for and knew there were five missing,” Stainbrook said.
Kaczala was unable to be reached for comment.
An employee was called in to answer questions about the allegedly forged cards. The employee, whose name was unavailable, reported that the cards were legitimate and was later taken into a separate room with two Lucas County Sheriff’s deputies. Stainbrook threatened prosecution.
The elections board convened three times over the night of May 6 and into early May 7 to officiate several ballots that were damaged or unclear.
Results of the District 2 Toledo City Council race, which was conducted by paper ballot, were not released until about 4 a.m., with incumbent Matt Cherry the clear winner with 40 percent of the vote from a lukewarm turnout.
The race was done using paper ballots because its candidate filing deadline was too late to include it on the electronic ballot, said BOE Deputy Director Dan DeAngelis. But many voters were unaware of this, leading to confusion.
Cherry, a Sheet Metals Workers’ union member, received 1,823 votes, taking the seat by a margin of 303 votes over independent Marcia Helman. Helman won 33 percent of the vote; Bob Vasquez earned 17 percent; and Joe Celusta came in last with 9 percent.
Cherry, who was confident of a win but wary of low voter turnout, said he felt tired but excited about retaining the Council seat he was appointed to in January after it was vacated by Mayor D. Michael Collins.
“Obviously, I’m very excited,” Cherry said early May 7. “I feel the voters of District 2 made a good decision and I’m going to prove that to them. Today, we have a Council meeting. I’m ready to show them I’m there for them and I’m ready to commit and do for them.”
Cherry said he was disappointed in the snafu at polling headquarters.
Bill Delaney, a retired Toledo business owner, is challenging incumbent Jon Stainbrook for the District 11 Republican state central committee seat. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr
“I hope for future elections we have to get that back together. It looked like a circus sometimes down there and we have to move to stop that for sure,” he said.
He said he was ready to get down to business by working with Collins on issues, including Toledo’s pothole problem and the vacant Southwyck property.
“I’m going to see what we can do with Southwyck and I’m working with the mayor and I’m doing what I can,” Cherry said.
Incumbent Republican Barbara Sears defeated Scott Allegrini in the race for District 47 state representative. Sears, who had 59 percent of the vote, could not be reached for comment.
Allegrini ran on repealing the Affordable Care Act and his public role as co-founder of the conservative group Children of Liberty.
“I think Barbara is a good woman,” Allegrini said shortly before polls closed. “And she’s been a good representative. I just disagree with a couple issues. It’s time to put my money where my mouth is and run. That is what started it and it’s been a heck of an adventure.”
Republican Kevin Haddad will face incumbent Democrat Carol Contrada in the Lucas County Commissioners race in the fall. Republican Richard May will challenge incumbent Democrat Marcy Kaptur for U.S. House District 9.
Bill Delaney and Meghan Gallagher will represent District 11 on the Republican state central committee and Mark Wagoner and Dee Talmage will represent District 2. Delaney defeated incumbent Stainbrook. Gallagher, Wagoner and Talmage all retained their seats.
Delaney told Toledo Free Press before the election that he would like to see more communication between local conservative organizations, including Republicans, Libertarians and the tea party.
“We’ve got to draw all these ideologies into one big R because we’re not going to get anyplace being divided,” Delaney said. “There’s too much division. I want to get all these people together in one group. You’ve got to have somewhere where you can talk about it. Right now there’s no talking going on. We have got to form a better organization.”
Issue 1 was approved with 65 percent of the statewide vote. The issue asked voters to approve a constitutional amendment authorizing the borrowing of $1.875 billion to help finance roads, bridges, sewer, drinking water and solid waste projects.
Voters rejected school levies in Sylvania and Bedford. The Northwood school levy passed.
Rossford voters approved levies for city improvements, the fire department and recreation by wide margins.
Only about 10 percent of eligible Lucas County voters showed up at the polls.
Literature, theater and film can transport your mind and spirit to other realms and induce intense intellectual engagement, but music is the art form that most effectively grips emotions.
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Not many people recite poetry or novel passages in the shower or car, but a song stuck in the head can melt inhibitions and inspire headbanging under the water and on the highway. Not many of us have been caught acting out scenes from our favorite movies, but lots of us have been caught singing and bopping in the car, cubicle or classroom.
I remember one summer day walking around our duplex in Walbridge singing Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” with lusty off-key abandon. As I came around the corner, I faced our neighbor family looking at me with bemused smiles. Too lost in my melody to be appropriately embarrassed, I took a deep breath and kept singing about trailers for sale and rent, ignoring the friendly laughter as it faded behind me.
Many people had far worse childhoods than I did, but mine had its share of abusive and scary moments, which I often dealt with by hiding under headphones and listening to music for hours at a time.
There used to be a Seligman Brothers record store on Sylvania near Douglas, and they specialized in stocking jukeboxes.
When the records returned from the bars, sometimes worn gray in the grooves from thousands of spins, the store would sell them for a quarter. I could walk in there with $2 or $3, spend an hour browsing and walk home with a dozen fairly recent 45s.
When things got nasty or heated on the homefront, I could close the door to my room, put on the huge airplane landing strip headphones held together with duct tape and play record after record, until every note and vocal nuance was etched on my brain. I spent more time with Bob Seger, Billy Joel and The Police in those days than I did with the in-name-only parents who expressed themselves through absence or aggression.
I did not always sing to the music, but I remember one day belting out the drama of — don’t ask me why — “Don’t Cry Out Loud” by Melissa Manchester as it played over the WOHO airwaves. One minute I was belting out the story of how baby cried the day the circus came to town, and the next minute my father was crashing through the door, yelling at me about singing too loud. He tried to pull the headphones from the Realistic stereo but knocked it off the bookshelf to the floor, where its fake wood panel case cracked, silencing it forever and me temporarily.
You may have heard the quote about parenting that cautions kids may not remember what you do or remember what you say, but they will forever remember how you make them feel. The details of that afternoon are lost to me, but that feeling of humiliation and embarrassment — which I did not feel at all in front of neighbors but felt drowned in as the target of my old man’s wrath — associated itself with singing out loud for far too many years. One of my life’s great pleasures was spoiled, and while I got over it eventually, I do not remember giving any more impromptu concerts.
So when my 6-year-old son Sean walks around the house or plays in the backyard, singing “Let It Go” from the movie “Frozen” at the top of his little lungs, I may be tempted to hand him a wad of taffy to keep him silent, but I refrain from repeating his grandfather’s mistake.
“Let It Go” is the elementary school national anthem, heard anywhere there are children. I do not know what subliminal commands are buried in the music or the film’s images, but they are powerful mojo. Sean knows every line to the song, and sings it with classmates and family members on a seemingly perpetual, ceaseless, uninterrupted, endless, repeating loop that keeps going on and on and over and over and doesn’t stop and continues and repeats and starts again and refreshes and keeps going, forever and ever, amen.
It’s maddening, like a low, throbbing toothache. But he is so sweet and happy when he sings it; I may shush his volume when it gets to 11, but with Manchester over my shoulder, I never want to make him feel bad about singing or want him to associate such a happy expression with parental consternation. I hope that means that while the beat goes on, the generational beatdowns don’t have to.
Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and news director of Newsradio 1370 WSPD. Email him at [email protected].
Despite Ohio Secretary of State oversight and investigations, the Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) has proven itself to be incapable of smoothly running even a low-turnout primary election.
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The May 6 election was marked by confusion over paper ballots in District 2, missing data cards, delayed results and, as usual, personal rancor and conflict among BOE members. The removal of former Director Meghan Gallagher seems to have made little difference; it is remarkable that a primary election that draws less than 10 percent participation could stumble so badly.
The contention and Keystone Cop antics that have characterized BOE member Jon Stainbrook’s tenure have long since ceased to be funny. The recent hearings conducted by the Secretary of State have done nothing to alleviate the impression that the most sacred of democratic processes is unprotected and vulnerable to mishaps.
There were not many surprises in the election. Incumbent Matt Cherry retained his District 2 Toledo City Council seat over strong candidates Marcia Helman and Bob Vasquez. In the 47th District Ohio House of Representatives race, incumbent Barbara Sears bested challenger Scott Allegrini. Kudos to Allegrini for moving from activist to candidate and we hope to see him run again in the future.
In the Republican state central committee race for the male representative in the 11th Senate District, Bill Delaney defeated county Republican Chairman Stainbrook, a positive and encouraging development, but ousted BOE Director Gallagher kept her committee seat over Diana Skaff.
The Secretary of State is clearly aware of the Lucas County BOE’s shortcomings and is taking steps to document its foibles. But it will take more than investigation and discussion to clean up the mess; it will take a clean sweep of the BOE to give Lucas County voters, as few of them as there are, confidence in the election process.
Perhaps a clean start and renewed faith in the process will lead to increased participation from candidates and voters.
Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at [email protected].
Barb Aldrich, Komako Goolsby, and Kim Hood are Toledo firefighters. Thirty years ago men and women shared restrooms and dormitories at the stations. Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Nemeth.
The recent Women of Courage event celebrated 30 years of female firefighters in Toledo, from the pioneering women of the Class of 1984 to those who graduated with the latest Toledo Fire & Rescue Department (TFD) class this winter.
As a member of the first TFD class to include women, Barb Aldrich, 59, can look back on her 30-year career with pride. Aldrich and her female classmates persevered through years of skepticism, scrutiny and discrimination to win over most of their co-workers in the male-dominated profession. She is the last of the nine women from her class still on the line.
“When we first came on, there was a lot of animosity,” Aldrich said. “They were always bringing people out to see that we could do the job and check what we were doing. Every little thing was scrutinized. That was pretty much to be expected, but I was not prepared for the animosity. I was a little taken back because I’d worked for years with guys. To me it was no big deal.”
Barb Aldrich, Komako Goolsby, and Kim Hood are Toledo firefighters. Thirty years ago men and women shared restrooms and dormitories at the stations. Toledo Free Press photo by Michael Nemeth.
Aldrich, whose father was a volunteer firefighter, joined TFD after 10 years as a police officer, EMT and paramedic in her hometown of Gibsonburg.
In the early years, men and women didn’t have separate sleeping or restroom facilities. Firefighters’ wives would stop by to size up the female firefighters, both to check out potential competition and make sure their husbands’ safety wouldn’t be compromised at a fire, she said.
“[They’d be wondering], ‘Can she get my husband out of a fire?’ I was like, ‘Can your husband get me out of a fire?’” said the 6-foot-tall Aldrich.
One day, Aldrich came to work to find her hydrant wrench painted pink.
“That actually really helped me out because I never lost that pink hydrant wrench in the grass at night and there was not a company in this city that was going to steal that wrench, so they saved me a lot of trouble,” Aldrich said.
After one male firefighter refused to acknowledge her, Aldrich followed him around until she convinced him she was serious about learning the job.
“He ended up taking over all my drills and training. He taught me so much that I use even today and we stayed friends to the end,” she said.
Aldrich said it took three or four years before she started feeling a shift toward acceptance from a majority of male co-workers, although some still aren’t convinced women belong in fire service.
“This isn’t a job; it’s a career and it becomes a way of life. You have to have a drive inside you that says, ‘I can do this,’” Aldrich said. “There are guys today on the job who think women don’t belong in the fire service, but you can go to any job and find that same attitude. I don’t worry about them. We have just as many men who support us and let us do our jobs as we have been trained to do. When we put our gear on and we’re in that fire, you don’t know who’s who. All that matters is if you can perform at the scene.”
‘Milestone day’
Mayor D. Michael Collins, a retired Toledo police officer, spoke at the May 3 Women of Courage event, calling it a “milestone day.” May 11 is the 30th anniversary of TFD’s Class of 1984’s graduation. Members include many of the department’s current top brass, including Chief Luis Santiago, Assistant Chief Phillip Cervantes, Deputy Chief Thomas Jaksetic, Battalion Chief Gerald Takats and Battalion Chief Dennis Facer.
Collins graduated with the 1973 Toledo Police Academy class, the first to include a woman with the male-equivalent title of police officer rather than police matron, he said.
“I’m very proud to say I happen to be the mayor of a city that recognizes the importance in the profession that it is not gender-biased, that women play a vital role,” Collins said.
Robert Schwanzl, retired TFD assistant chief and board president for the Toledo Firefighters Museum, said then-Chief William Winkle decided in 1982 to start recruiting women before the department was court-mandated as it had been for minority firefighters.
In 1983, a new agility test called FEAT — First Encounter Acceptance Test — was developed that is still used today. Rather than pushups, situps, pullups and vertical jumps, the test measures ability to stretch and roll hoses, chop holes in roofs, lift heavy objects and other skills a firefighter actually uses on the job, Schwanzl said. Both men and women are measured by the same standard.
Of the department’s 526 firefighters, 56 are women, including 48 white women, four Hispanic women and three black women. The highest-ranking female is Battalion Chief Sally Glombowski. TFD has 347 white male firefighters, 77 black male firefighters and 43 Hispanic male firefighters.
The nine women in the 1984 class were Aldrich, Christine Armstrong, Kathryn Balogh Mayer, Sheila Layson, Deborah Leonard, Dorothy Lopez, Geraldine McCalland, Rebecca Williams and Jennifer Wilson. One of the women and two men didn’t graduate; another woman was cut along with two men during the probationary period, Schwanzl said.
Wilson’s firefighting career was cut short in 1994 when she stopped to help at the scene of an injury accident while off-duty and was struck by a drunken driver. She now works as a dispatcher.
“This is my family,” Wilson said. “It’s the best career you can ever want to have.”
Schwanzl, who was in charge of training for the Class of 1984, said it took time for many firefighters to get used to women on the job.
“Change is something a lot of people really don’t like and a lot of people didn’t really like the idea they were going to have women on the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department, but we changed that. Actually it was the women we hired who changed that. They made it work. Pioneers are truly what these women were,” he said.
Barb Aldrich, Komako Goolsby and Kim Hood are Toledo firefighters. Thirty years ago men and women shared restrooms and dormitories at the stations. Toledo Free Press photo and cover photo illustration by Michael Nemeth
Class of 1984 member Tim Ross, still a TFD firefighter, said at first he didn’t realize the significance of having female classmates.
“That’s all I knew. That’s who we came in with. We saw them every day,” Ross said. “When we got on the line that’s when I was acutely aware this was something major, because it was the topic of conversation in so many engine houses.
“There was a lot of fear, there was a lot of misunderstanding, a lot of things they had to go through,” Ross said. “I’m proud to say they stuck through, they persevered, they endured a lot and they did it with class. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go.
“Being pro-women doesn’t mean you’re anti-man. It means you celebrate women and what they’ve done. I think that’s so important. They’ve brought so much to the table. Why would you not want to celebrate this?”
Class of 1984 member Mark McBee, also still a TFD firefighter, said the department went through a lot of “growing pains” after bringing women into the department.
“A lot of the rhetoric you hear — that they can’t do the job, can’t do this, can’t do that — that was the same thing they said about African-Americans coming on the job,” said McBee, who is black. “The truth of the matter is there’s a lot of women on the job stronger than the average guy on the job.”
The first African-American male firefighters were appointed in the 1890s, said TFD Public Information Officer Matthew Hertzfeld.
“I’d like to see more people of color on the department,” McBee said. “I’m an advocate for minorities — black and brown and women, especially women of color.”
Father’s daughter
Lt. Kevin Goolsby has four sons, but it was his only daughter Komako who followed in his footsteps by joining TFD with the Class of 2006.
Goolsby, 38, is one of TFD’s three black female firefighters. She thinks part of the reason there are so few black women is the lack of role models. She’s trying to change that by doing community presentations and leading tours at the Toledo Firefighters Museum.
It doesn’t help that many people refer to firefighters as firemen, a pet peeve of Goolsby’s.
“I’m not a fireman. I’m a firefighter,” Goolsby said. “Even in books, there are men with fire helmets, men on fire trucks. We want to change that and through these small efforts I believe it will change. … [Girls] have to see us to want to do it and to want to be a part of it.”
Goolsby and her father were assigned to the same station and occasionally went on calls together. He retired last year after 31 years with TFD.
“It was awesome,” Goolsby said of working together. “Indescribable.”
Event organizers developed Women of Courage patches with silver sitching to be worn by female firefighters as well as one with plain stitching for anyone as a fundraiser for Local 92 and Toledo Firefighters Museum.
Recalling a South Toledo fire in which a woman died after being pulled from the house, Goolsby, a trained surgical tech, said one of the toughest lessons she had to learn is she can’t save everyone.
“I was just beside myself,” Goolsby said. “I thought, ‘Wow, as fast as we got here and as fast as we got in that house, we couldn’t save her.’ We’re talking eight to nine minutes. So I beat myself up pretty bad about it.
“But the chief said something really important to me. He said, ‘It’s not your job to save that lady. Her life is out of your hands.’ … Now every run we go on, I look at it like it is my job to do my job, but I am not God. I can’t save everybody. And that takes some getting used to, because as firefighters, that’s all we want to do.”
Because a woman’s success or failure tends to reflect on all the other women on the job, Goolsby said many female firefighters feel pressure to be perfect.
“[Aldrich] would tell me, ‘It’s not good enough for you to get a 70 [percent], just because 70 is all you need to pass. You, as a female, need to make sure you get a 95,’” Goolsby said. “That way you can never be questioned.”
Goolsby said her father’s reputation helped her to some extent.
“Just by his reputation, the guys gave me a chance,” Goolsby said. “But one thing my father instilled in me as a little girl, whether I became a firefighter or not, is you have nothing to prove, only to yourself.”
Women of Courage
Women of Courage organizers said the group’s focus is on women, but celebrates all people of courage.
“We are all courageous in our own way, but firefighters take it in a different direction,” said Kim Hood, a TFD firefighter since 1996. “It takes a very special personality to become a firefighter.”
Another organizer, Gina Shubeta, a TFD firefighter since 2001, said the main goal is to “recognize diversity and embrace equality.”
“We are going to continue to recognize the importance of women, diversity and equality on our department to bring forth greater unity amongst members to better serve the citizens of Toledo,” Shubeta said. “We recognize that there will still be challenges and some of the many goals will be to educate and move forward into a direction of harmony with all our brothers and sisters.”
The group is selling Women of Courage T-shirts for $15 and patches for $10. Funds raised will benefit the Toledo Firefighters Local 92 Charities and the Toledo Firefighters Museum. To order, email [email protected].
Aldrich, who plans to retire next year, said she still loves the job.
“It’s been one heck of a ride. There’s been ups and downs but it’s been a great ride for 30 years and I’ve met a lot of wonderful people,” she said. “Bumps in the road only make us stronger. We’re here and we’re here to stay.”
Coming May 16: “Godzilla.” Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
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Godzilla, that radioactive remnant of man’s folly with nuclear destruction, is facing down a bomb. The giant lizard’s newest American film foray, out May 16, faces not only all the challenges within its storyline, but also the ill-will generated by his disastrous first attempt to conquer America.
The producers of “Godzilla,” this time from Warner Bros., have an uphill battle to win over American audiences after the 1998 Columbia TriStar bomb of a film, but advance trailers seem to indicate they got it right. The previous flick offered a Godzilla that didn’t much resemble its famous Japanese progenitor, but today’s American monster sports features that echo the original while endowing the look with modern sensibilities. Add to that hints of another creature to battle the Tokyo Titan and star Bryan Cranston, hot off “Breaking Bad,” and we may be able to put Matthew Broderick and his baby Godzillas behind us forever.
Born in Toho Pictures’ 1954 “Gojira,” the rampaging reptile soon became a perennial box office player and enjoyed a long string of films in his native Japan.
Up until the 1990s, Godzilla films made their way to the U.S. to become popular popcorn programmers and fodder for afternoon TV film festivals. Toho continued the series into the new millennium, but American audiences grew too sophisticated and enamored with CGI special effects to embrace men in rubber suits crushing miniature cityscapes.
Today, Godzilla’s screen adventures are considered kitsch of the highest — or lowest — order, so the new movie needs to sweep away that taint and deliver something along the lines of the 1954 original: a serious treatise on the dangers of playing God with nature.
Can they do it? Recent giant monster films such as “Cloverfield” and “Pacific Rim” didn’t exactly set theaters on fire, but then again, this is Godzilla. The Granddaddy of ’em all. The Big G. The Terror of the East. If he can’t enthrall America, no one can.
I am not a jealous man. I have been blessed to possess both an excessive amount of self-confidence and an unjustified shortage of insecurities. That even looked bad when I typed it. For the most part, these personality flaws prevent me the feeling and dealing with the crazy emotion of jealousy.
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My one exception, my visual kryptonite, my Achilles heel, the one sight my eyes find that fill my heart with the feeling of jealousy and envy…. is when I see a young couple pushing their baby in a stroller.
Not what you thought it would be, was it?
There is something about watching two younger people push a stroller at the mall or a red shopping cart at a Target, loaded with their new offspring, that creates this sadness in my heart. It doesn’t make me cry, nor wear a frown, it simply reminds me of a time that was filled with pure happiness and hope.
These people who are pushing babies probably have no idea why a grown man with four kids would be envious. Their faces normally look tired from the lack of sleep or the constant chasing of the baby’s first steps. Their shirts tend to feature at least one stain from a recent spit up or it’s impromptu use as a Kleenex. The hair and or makeup standards for being seen in public have greatly diminished. A new list of priorities naturally occur and vanity seems to lose it importance.
These are not the same people they once were, or BC (Before Child). The miracle of life has changed them. The one common denominator I have found in all of these lesser-experienced parents pushing a stroller is they act as a team. They have taken smaller trips, figured out what has and what hasn’t worked. The trip to the mall is a big deal, going to grandmas was the minor leagues. They have done the work and have their parental routine down. They know who puts the child in the baby seat, what items they need to carry in a diaper bag, how the stroller folds up or gets big. They know what to do in case of dirty diaper or if the baby’s pacifier hits the ground. You are not a parent until you use your mouth as an emergency wash station for a dirtied binky.
Mommy and Daddy warriors who are on their first, possibly second tour of crazy or the insanity of parenthood, use the stroller as their family’s personal tank; A vehicle designed to carry and protect their most beloved items, a baby, and the things that keep a baby from crying. They normally push the four-wheel-mall-equipped vessel with the zest of two people not afraid of conquering the world. If they can pack up Junior and walk him around the Franklin Park mall, what can’t they do?
It’s that very hubris that makes me jealous. The mentality of three against the world. I am envious because these young souls are filled with dreams of what lies ahead and who their child could become. If the pregnancy was planned or not, there is always a small window of time filled with hope.
The love one feels with a younger or newborn child can often mask issues needing to be addressed to achieve these new visions of a great life together.
As someone who squandered these moments and the very dreams that accompany them, I wanted to offer you some tips for success as you and your stroller tackle the world together.
You are a team, act like one: Take turns changing diapers and getting up for midnight feedings; even if one parent is working and the other is not, it’s a small gesture that demonstrates that you are in this battle of raising a child together.
Date nights and trustworthy babysitters are essential: As your relationship drastically changed with the addition of this baby, so has the dynamics of you as a couple. You must find time to remind yourselves of how and why that baby happened. I know money can be tight, but the best date nights are free.
Never allow words of love to drown your heart: Express anything from an unexpected “I love you”, a thank you to a compliment. Every parent of a young child is tired but that’s not an excuse. These randoms thoughts can make an exhausted soul breathe new life. The art of silence becomes habitual and is a leading killer of marriages. If you hold onto your words today, a tomorrow may never happen.
When my son was born, a co-worker and close friend of mine visited us in the hospital. He walked in, handed my now ex-wife a card and gift, shook my hand and whispered the words “ life is no longer about you” into my ear. He smirked, nodded and walked out of the room, leaving me with the beautiful mental grenade of wisdom he just unexpectedly dropped. I had no idea of how true his words were and still are, until it was too late.
I am sorry it took a divorce and a 50% reduction in time I get to spend with my children, to finally understand their meaning.
Time is the most valuable thing in our lives, there is no machine that grants “do-overs”. Make every minute with your new family count and you’ll have an endless supply of smiles, laughter and happiness; I promise.
For those of you who are currently pushing a stroller together … I am jealous. The future and world can be yours if you tackle it together. Now don’t f–k it up.
From May 15-18, Denise and Michael Grupp-Verbon will host
the seventh annual Harp Gathering at the Sauder Heritage Inn. The event will
include three concerts, 18 workshops and several vendors selling
instruments/accessories.
“We have people who’ve been to the festival a few times and
others who come every year. A lot of people sign up for next year before they
even leave, which is a testament to how much they love it,” Denise said.
The couple will be performing, along with a roster of
national artists. Performers and presenters include Maeve Gilchrist (Boston, Massachusetts),
Cynthia Shelhart (Chesterton, Indiana), Frank Voltz (Winston-Salem, North
Carolina), Aryeh Frankfurter (San Francisco, California) and Lisa Lynne (San
Francisco, California).
“The Harp Gathering is a great way to go forth with an
instrument that should really be around for all time,” said Lynne, a Celtic
harpist who’s played at the event four times and has sold a million CDs worldwide.
“They really do a nice job of putting together the classes.
Some conferences are so big you have a lot of trouble deciding what you want to
do,” she added. “Here it’s a little more manageable, and you have time to
absorb what you just learned and get to know everybody.”
“We also have different categories of workshops each year.
This year we even have a workshop on how to play the ukulele,” Denise said.
“Lisa’s also doing a workshop about going onstage and not being nervous, called
‘Playing Live and Butterflies.’”
Other workshops include The Organized Harpist and Intro to
Improvisation.
One registrant will win a model HG-30 harp by Lewis Creek
Instruments in the annual “Harp Hunt and Gathering” drawing.
Denise said she started playing harp in fifth grade when she
had a choice between joining choir or band, and she’s been passionate about it
ever since. Her inspiration for the Harp Gathering comes from the joy of
meeting other harpists and providing an environment for shared creativity.
“The biggest challenge is finding new ways to get the word
out to harpists and to communicate with people who might want to come to the
concerts,” she said. “There’s a lot of camaraderie among artists hanging out
together and sharing ideas. I like the idea of it being more of a retreat than
a convention.”
The Sauder Village Inn is located at 22611 State Route 2 in
Archbold.
The concerts are open to the public, and tickets are
available in advance or at the door for $15. For more information, call (419) 478-4177.
