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Vitucci voices confidence in interim Walleye coach Watson

By
Jeff
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Nick Vutucci, center, announced Feb. 25 he was stepping down as head coach of the Toledo Walleye. Dan Watson, left, will be interim head coach for the rest of the season. Vitucci will remain with the franchise in a to-be-determined role, said team president and GM Joe Napoli, right. Toledo Free Press photo by Sarah Ottney.

For the first time in franchise history, it won’t be Nick Vitucci behind the bench for the Toledo Walleye when the team returns to the ice March 1.

The head coach announced Feb. 25 he was stepping down, effective immediately, but will stay on with the hockey club in a position to be determined.

Joe Napoli address media during a news conference Feb. 25. Toledo Free Press Photo by Sarah Ottney

Assistant coach Dan Watson will take over as interim head coach for the remainder of the season. A new assistant coach has not been named.

The Walleye have struggled this season, compiling an overall record of 16-31-3 and currently in an eight-game losing streak. Vitucci has been head coach of the Walleye since the franchise started in 2009. He also coached the Toledo Storm from 2003-07.

Vitucci’s all-time coaching record is 289-262-45. His record with the Walleye is 149-158-32.

“We’ve struggled with finding the right path to get this ship going in the right direction,” Vitucci said during a news conference at Huntington Center on Feb. 25.

“It was my decision,” he said. “A different voice, a different philosophy is something certainly that might be a good thing right now. I care deeply about this organization and the success of it and if it means stepping down for the best of it I was more than willing to do that.”

Vitucci said he has been discussing the possibility for about two weeks with Walleye president and general manager Joe Napoli, who supported Vitucci’s decision.

“Nick is the type of guy [who] when he says, ‘I put the organization first,’ he means that,” Napoli said.

“It’s not an easy answer because there are so many things that contribute to success or failure,” Napoli said. “Nick will shoulder the blame, [but] the fact of the matter is when you look at the body of work, we’ve all contributed to that.”

The two will be discussing during the next few months what Vitucci’s new role with the team will be, Napoli said.

“We’re going to take some time and take a step back,” Napoli said. “Nick has a long list of concepts and ideas that we think could work and we’re going to take a look at those. … What we will do over the next I’d say 60 to 90 days is firm up with Nick’s responsibilities will be going forward.”

The mid-season change allows Watson the chance to demonstrate what he’s capable of while also giving the team an appropriate window to find a replacement in time for recruiting and preparing for next season, said Napoli, who said he started receiving resumes almost immediately after the change was announced.

“This is a highly desirable position in the ECHL,” Napoli said.

Watson said he is “absolutely” ready to take on the role as interim head coach.

“Some coaches are satisfied with being assistants for their entire career. I am not,” Watson said. “I’m ready to dive in headfirst and really show the organization and the players for this 21-game tryout what I’m all about.”

Vitucci said Watson is “more than prepared” for the job.

“Dan’s got a great hockey mind,” Vitucci said. “Dan has done more work in his role than I guarantee you any other hockey assistant coach has done. He’s studied the game, he studies our team, he studies all the opposition, he studies the NHL, he studies everything. I wasn’t kidding when I [said I] think he’s studied more than an entire student body. Now this is an opportunity for him to step forward and be the guy.

“It’s going to be a 21-game learning experience for him too,” Vitucci said. “How he handles situations, how he handles the media, how he handles the referees, how he handles the good and the bad in the locker room. But those are things that you have to experience to be able to really understand it and get a hold of it so this is a great opportunity for him to show his personality that he has — and it’s a demanding one. He’s a stern person so he’s going to expect the most out of the players.”

Watson said every coach has a different philosophy and he plans to tweak a few things. One statistic he’d like to turn around is the team’s position as worst in the league for giving up goals.

“I was a defenseman … so we’re going to be a defensive team,” Watson said. “I want to play fast and make sure we have good puck control, making sure we have guys driving hard to the net. I want to be a team when other teams come in here or we’re on the road, we’re a tough team to play against, every single night.”

Your First Look pregnancy center opens in East Toledo

By
Bailey G. Dick
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Your First Look sonographer and office assistance Brittany Lacourse in the new East Toledo office at 101 Main St. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni.

A new center has opened its doors on Toledo’s East Side with the mission of helping women who are facing unplanned pregnancies.

Your First Look East Toledo Women’s Center, a program of Heartbeat of Toledo, provides free pregnancy tests, ultrasounds and options counseling to women in need.

Located in the Historic Weber Building on Main Street in East Toledo, the newest branch of Heartbeat’s outreach is looking to serve one of the city’s most at-risk areas for women and children.

Lucas County has one of Ohio’s highest teen pregnancy rates, and more than 25 percent of households in East Toledo are headed by single mothers. The area also had the highest number of referrals for allegations of abuse and neglect to Lucas County Children’s Services.

Pat Todak, the executive director of Heartbeat of Toledo, said she had been scouting out spaces for the new location in East Toledo for months before settling on the Main Street location. She said it was important to find a warm, welcoming location for the center.

“We hear that at other organizations, you’re just a number and you’re not treated like a person. We wanted this to be a quiet, calming place away from the pressures of the outside world,” Todak said. “If I went to a spa, this is what I would want it to look like. We don’t want anything in here that would put subtle guilt on people.”

The new office space includes private counseling rooms, an ultrasound exam room and space for group classes.

Two days a week, the center will offer free pregnancy tests and ultrasounds, as well as options counseling for women who find themselves pregnant.

“Our ultimate goal is to help turn a woman’s fear about her unplanned pregnancy into confidence for the future. Most women have abortions because they area scared and feel alone and unsupported,” Todak said. 

Todak noted that the clinic does not provide referrals for abortions.

“We are a pro-life organization and we don’t hide that fact,” Todak said. “But we find that by treating women with love and respect, and by giving them facts, 87 percent choose life after visiting our office.”

The office does testing for some STDs, and will refer some women for a more complete panel of tests for STDs and STIs.

On other days, Your First Look will host “Earn While You Learn” classes for expectant parents. By attending classes, expectant parents can earn credits that they can redeem for baby clothing, diapers, and other items. Topics for the classes include healthy relationships, empowerment for dads, and other parenting essentials.

“They don’t just cover pregnancy. We start in the first trimester and go all the way through toddlers,” Todak said. “We want to go beyond crisis pregnancy, We want them to be good moms and dads too. The women will get to know other moms in the area, so they have support and can set up things like babysitting co-ops.”

According to Leeann Beach, patient services manager at Your First Look, said the office already had five new patient appointments scheduled. Beach will also be making trips to community locations to reach out to young mothers, including nearby Waite High School.

Heartbeat of Toledo was founded in 1971 by Eleonore Maier and Dr. John Hillenbrand. The pair saw a need for emergency pregnancy centers in both Toledo and across the country, and opened their first center in downtown Toledo. The main Toledo office is now located on Sylvania Avenue near Franklin Park Mall, and Heartbeat International, now headquartered in Columbus, leads more than 1,100 locations worldwide.

The Your First Look East Toledo Women’s Center will be dedicated to Irma Gray Hooker, a Toledo native who was known for her spirit of giving. Her son and his wife, Paul and Margo Hooker, made a substantial contribution to the new office.

Members of the community will have a chance to see the center during its open house and ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday, March 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.  The organization will also host a banquet on March 26 at Premier Banquet Hall. Jason Jones, the executive producer of the pro-life films “Bella” and “Crescendo,” will be the guest speaker, and dinner is included. The organization is accepting donations to help continue their work.

Popular UT jazz radio host taking show on the road

By
Jay Hathaway
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Hugh Ross hosts "The H Factor', a jazz radio show at the University of Toledo student radio station WXUT, popular with listeners of all ages. He will begin a weekly DJ session at Forrester's on the River on Wednesday evenings in March. Toledo Free Press photo by Christie Materni.

A local jazz enthusiast and radio DJ is hoping to help revitalize Toledo’s once-thriving jazz community.

Hugh Ross hosts the jazz radio show “H-Factor” on the University of Toledo’s student station, WXUT. The show airs 2-6 p.m. Saturdays and 4-6 p.m. Sundays.

“H-Factor” offers an eclectic mix of jazz, and according to Ross, all subgenres are represented in one way or another.

“Jazz has too many genres to limit it. There are 27 types of jazz, and I try to play every last one of them. I like to introduce people to different types, so I try to weave it all together,” he said.

“A lot of people think jazz is for old folks, like myself, but I want to introduce young people of all diversities to all types of jazz, and let them make the decision whether they like it or not.”

In addition to his radio show, Ross is working to line up more public appearances to expose jazz to people of all ages, and will begin a weekly DJ session at Forrester’s at the Docks on Wednesdays in March.

Ross’ love of music has been with him all his life. He made the varsity marching band as a freshman at Central Catholic High School, but he was also a talented football player, which forced him to make a difficult choice.

“I remember going to the varsity band leader, and asking him if I could be in the band and still play football, and he said, ‘No.’ I had to make a decision. Music was always in my heart, but I decided to go with football.”

At the time, Ross had been listening to a lot of rock n’ roll, but when he was 16 years old, his sister turned him on to “California Dreaming,” an album by jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery.

“From that point on, I liked jazz, and I’ve been liking it ever since.”

Ross enrolled at UT in the 1970s on a full scholarship, but left school to attend to family matters. It was a decision that would stay with him for years.

“Every time I passed by the university, I’d get this feeling in my gut, like I didn’t finish something,” he said.

He made a promise to his ailing father that he would return to complete the college education he started.

In 2012, Ross made good on that promise, and headed back to UT to work toward a bachelor’s degree in human resource management.

While enrolled in a radio production class, a professor took note of one of his talents.

“He said he liked my voice, and [said] I ought to go over to WXUT,” Ross said.

Ross recalled how, in the 1970s at UT, he would bring his record player to the student union and play music for people.

“That became my passion.”

His passion has now transformed into a dedicated following of Toledo jazz enthusiasts, which Ross noted is a result of supply not meeting demand.

“There’s an undercurrent of jazz lovers in Toledo, but there are not any top stations playing it,” he said.

“[H-Factor] has become so popular, I don’t even know what to think of it — it’s bigger than me. These people are really gravitating toward what I play on the weekends.”

Ross said the variety of music he offers and his on-air improvisation motivates him to keep going, as well as feedback from his listeners.

“One lady, she said I almost got her in trouble with her husband, because she went out for groceries, and she was listening to my show in her car. She said she sat in her car for an hour, because I was jamming so good.

“She asked me to take it easy on her, so she wouldn’t sit in her car at the grocery store for so long.”

At the request of many listeners requesting to meet Ross in person, he decided to pursue something more public, outside of the radio booth.

“I’m a private person, but I realize that once something takes off like this, your privacy has to kind of take a back seat.”

He approached Forrester’s on the River about setting up a weekly DJ gig. Ross and the restaurant owners came up with a fitting time slot, during Forrester’s “Wine Down Wednesdays,” held 5-9 p.m. every Wednesday.

Forester’s owner Joy McQueary said she and her husband, John, had been running a special on Wednesdays already, and recognized that Ross could add some flavor to the evening.

“In the bar area, we do half-price appetizers, and half-off glasses and bottles of wine,” McQueary said. “We’ve been doing it throughout the winter, and [Ross] came in and approached us, and we thought, ‘Well, why not tie it in together? We’ll do Wine Down Wednesdays, and play a little jazz.’”

Ross is eager to see what kind of response the collaboration will receive.

“I love the ambience. I’m going to play some cool jazz.”

McQueary said if things go well during the initial run in March, Forester’s will continue to book Ross into the spring and summer.

In addition to the Forrester’s gig, Ross said he will continue to seek out new possibilities and venue to serve jazz to Downtown Toledo. He acknowledged some of Toledo’s suburbs have venues that offer quality jazz music, but said that the backdrop of Downtown Toledo could bring back interest in hosting a jazz fest there, much like the popular, but now defunct Art Tatum Jazz Festival.

“I want to bring that back, if I can generate the buzz,” Ross said. “Someday, that’s my dream.”

The Toledo jazz community has suffered a series of blows during the past few years. Jazz club Murphy’s Place closed in May 2011 after the death of co-owner Joan Russell. Famed jazz pianist Claude Black, a Murphy’s Place regular, died in January 2013. In November, health issues forced Suzanne Carroll to end “The Jazz Brunch,” her Sunday jazz show on 101.5 The River, after 18 years on the air.

The Art Tatum Jazz Heritage Society still hosts “Jazz on the Maumee” on Wednesday evenings at the Grand Plaza Hotel Downtown.

When asked about the appeal of jazz, Ross enthusiastically cited its versatility.

“You can dance to it, you can party to it, and you can make love to it,” he said. “You can do anything to the jams I’m playing.”

Oatis: Standing up for the rights of the adopted

By
Kate Oatis
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As the birth/first mother of an adult daughter adopted in Ohio after Jan. 1, 1964, I am grateful for the people who’ve worked hard to restore the right of adopted people to their original birth certificates. That right was restored Dec. 19, 2013, when Ohio Governor John Kasich signed the Adoptee Access to Records Bill.

The State of Ohio sealed – or closed – adoption records in 1964, which meant that anyone adopted after Jan. 1, 1964, had no legal access to his or her original birth certificate while all adopted before that date simply had to request their birth certificates to receive them. The picture for those with no access started to change about 25 years ago when adoptee Betsie Norris, executive director of Adoption Network-Cleveland, began to advocate for adoption reform.

The Bill affects people whose adoptions were finalized from Jan. 1, 1964, through Sept. 18, 1996 — at least 400,000 people in Ohio, Norris said, “the most in any State.” These individuals may begin to receive their records March 20, 2015. There had already been a law in place saying that people adopted after that date had access to their records, unless their birth/first parents stipulated otherwise. Fortunately, according to Norris, “the Ohio Department of Health says very few birthparents have said no.”

The Adoptee Access to Records Bill seems to have given adopted people the inner freedom to search for their birth/first families. Just as birth/first parents often feel searching for their surrendered children is wrong or selfish, it is usual for adopted people to consider it selfish to search for their birth/first parents. According to Norris, since the Bill was signed in December, there’s been an increase in the number of people doing searches.

The State of Ohio’s Adoptee Access to Records Bill is good news for birth/first parents, who, at the time they signed the papers, likely had no idea the state would, years later, prevent their children from finding them. Indeed, the papers that my daughter’s father and I signed included the promise that we would not interfere with her or try to find her. The papers that we signed included no language about preventing our child from finding us.

What reasonable person would disagree that adopted people deserve access to their birth certificates and to the people who brought them into the world? As birthparents’ lives unfolded and our understanding of the nature of things evolved, many of us realized, at the very least, how naïve we’d been to have sent our children to people we did not know. Our babies were not property. They weren’t gifts to people who couldn’t have children. They were – and are – human beings with rights and needs. And, they grew up; they’re no longer adopted children. We can’t go back to change the decisions we made. We can, however, stand up for our adult children to ensure they have access to information and to us.

The decision to request an original birth certificate or to search for a birth/first family is a personal one. Having said that, those of us whose lives are forever touched by adoption are grateful to Gov. Kasich for his support in changing a law that should never have been passed.

A twist some might find interesting: Betsie Norris’ late adoptive father was an attorney and was instrumental in having the records closed in the State of Ohio back in 1964. Years later, having experienced the growth and evolution of his understanding of the nature of things, he supported Betsie in her work to unmake the law he’d helped create.

For more information on the Ohio Bill and/or other news on adoption, please visit adoptionnetwork.org or find Adoption Network Cleveland on Facebook.

Kate Oatis lives in Maumee and is willing to speak with adoptees, birth/first parents and prospective adoptive parents from her perspective as a birth/first mother.

Pounds: A Clarion call

By
Tom Pounds
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D. Michael Collins promised his administration would strengthen the city’s focus on local development and investment, and in a very short time he has made that a clear priority.

In addition to the major announcement that ProMedica will move its administrative offices Downtown and make a historic investment in the heart of Toledo, and the Toledo administrative cooperation that led to furniture producer Allermuir U.S. purchasing a 37-acre site in Maumee, there was a quick and collaborative effort with Toledo City Council this week.

Toledo City Council voted unanimously to purchase the 11-floor Clarion on Reynolds Road in the hopes of attracting new businesses to the former Southwyck Mall area.

Collins officials told WSPD that there is interest in a nearby K-mart but the business would only move into the area if the hotel was demolished.

That demolition is expected to cost the city around $800,000; that is an investment in growth.

There is no deal made yet but the fast movement and all-in vote by council demonstrates a so-far smooth and efficient development engine.

There is no question the presence of Matt Sapara is already paying off and it is exciting to see such a firecracker string of successes.

The message to the business community is clear: Toledo is seeking fast growth with as smooth a development process as possible.

That does not mean every deal is going through on the backs of unicorns jumping over rainbows, but it is extremely encouraging to see the initial successes Collins’ administration is facilitating.

If some of that effort and success can be shared with the city’s established development on the international stage, Collins will be on the way to silencing doubters and bringing a fresh and vital attitude to Toledo — just as he promised on the campaign trail.

Kelly: Turning shame of past bullying into positive action

By
Sid Kelly
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I’ve shared a lot about my life on the air, and a little more while writing this column. One thing I’ve yet to write about is bullying.

I’ve held back because it’s been in the news a lot, and many people use it as a buzzword. I finally realized I need to tell my story because it may help someone reading.

As host of “The Morning Rush,” I’ve gone to schools and spoken about bullying and how it’s impacted my life. My story was very difficult and embarrassing to tell when I first started to share it. Now I see it as a vehicle to help others.

I have a lot of experience with bullying. My oldest brother was a victim. He was picked on by a large group of kids at his bus stop when he was 13. I never knew anything was going on until I came home from school and my parents told me that he had been taken to a mental hospital. That night will forever stick in my mind, when I learned how powerful bullying can be.

My brother was being physically and mentally bullied at school so often that he decided to try and take his own life. He did not succeed, and I thank God for that every time I tell this story.

When I went to the hospital to see my brother, I was turned away by his doctor. Apparently my brother told them I was partially to blame for his condition. Really? I was 8. How could I be responsible for making someone want to kill himself? I got the answer later when I took part in sessions with my brother’s doctors and my family.

The house I grew up in was physical. I was the youngest of three boys, and I got picked on all the time for being little. I would lash out and try to prove to everyone how big I was. I would hit my brothers and friends. I would call them names and do whatever I could to make sure they knew I wasn’t the weak one.

The damage here is no one ever stopped me. Not my parents — who definitely heard and saw me behave this way. Teachers never said anything, and my friends never told an adult. My behavior continued until I realized it could have cost my brother his life.

One of the first stories I covered at KISS FM was about a kid from Australia who stood up to a bully by picking him up and body-slamming him. He got suspended for it, and it really upset me. I remember saying on air that if someone would have stood up to me, I would have never done the things to the people I had the chance to hurt.

I decided to take that message and team up with anyone who would help. That’s when I was introduced to Dr. Lisa Kovach from the University of Toledo. We have spoken to students about bullying and its effects on young kids and adults. When I tell my story to kids, I always see a look of shock on their faces when I tell them I used to be a bully. That look used to embarrass me because I was ashamed at what I had done, not only to my brother but to the kids I considered my friends.

It’s taken some time, but I’ve turned something I’m not proud of into something I’m more than happy to share. I’ve taken that embarrassment and shame and turned it into a positive by teaching others to take a stand against the bully. You don’t have to meet violence with violence; you just have to have enough courage to tell someone. Hopefully, with my help and the help of others like Kovach, the person you’re telling will know what to do and how to get you help.

This is what I’m encouraging everyone to do. Find something in your life you’ve done wrong and figure out how to right it. It could be as easy — or as hard — as an apology. As long as you take steps to correct mistakes you’ve made, I think you’ll be OK with them.

Sid Kelly is host of “The Morning Rush,” weekday mornings on 92.5 KISS FM.

Schlaudecker: Join us in leading, connecting, growing, serving

By
Dave Schlaudecker
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Toledo Free Press readers likely associate Leadership Toledo with one of our most successful and fun annual community events: Restaurant Week Toledo. Since the event first began four years ago, readers have learned much about Leadership Toledo’s 35-year history of inspiring community volunteerism and expanding awareness of community issues.

Dave Schlaudecker

Dave Schlaudecker

Consider the following four words: Lead. Connect. Grow. Serve. For the almost 2,100 Leadership Toledo adult and youth graduates, these four words define the experiences that they received as class members because each learned the pivotal role we play in fostering leadership and development for greater Toledo residents.

Leadership Toledo graduates represent both this community’s veteran and young leaders of today. We are not the new kid on the block; we are respected for both our knowledge of Toledo’s history and traditions and for possessing the insight necessary to help foster resurgence throughout the Toledo region.

Leadership Toledo challenges both adults (Community Leadership Toledo) and youth (Youth Leadership Toledo, Youth In Philanthropy Encouraging Excellence [YIPEE] and Youth Jefferson Awards/Students In Action) to explore what their leadership styles, roles and responsibilities are and how to impact others. These skills help transform their workplaces, their schools and our communities into places that thrive with enthusiasm for charity, service to others and teamwork.

Lead. Connect. Grow. Serve. These words demand action — just like the issues that face our nation. History offers names of many men and women who demanded action. Winston Churchill, Abraham Lincoln and Gandhi: Are these the names that you associate with leadership or are you fortunate, like me, to recall examples of great leaders who exist not just in history books but right in the Toledo area?

When asked to define leadership, I think of a member of one of our earliest Youth Leadership Toledo classes who took what he learned during our programs to Cambridge, Mass., and started a youth philanthropy organization while attending Harvard. He has grown significantly since his high school years and has returned to the greater Toledo community where he stays connected as a volunteer board member for several local nonprofit organizations.

I think of another Youth Leadership Toledo graduate whose commitment to serve and her philanthropic endeavors gained her leadership of her professional fraternity. She continues to serve as a law student at the University of Toledo. I also recall a recent graduate of our adult program who accepted the challenge to help transform a troubled local agency to one of efficiency and stability. It is difficult to limit the number of examples because there are so many and each is as impressive as the next.

Lead. Connect. Grow. Serve. These words define Leadership Toledo and that is how we lead community involvement. The question now is, do you want the experience? Opportunities to join the next Leadership Toledo class in September are limited.

For more information, visit www.leadershiptoledo.org, or call the office at (419) 241-7371.

Dave Schlaudecker is executive director of Leadership Toledo. He can be reached at [email protected].

Beard: Harold Ramis: Nerd icon

By
Jim Beard
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Writer, director, actor — sure, the late Harold Ramis was all these things, but to a generation of nerds only one thing really mattered: He was in “Ghostbusters.” And not only was he in “Ghostbusters,” but in it he developed an icon for nerds everywhere in the lovable-but-warped Egon Spengler. And I once got to put words in his mouth.

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Back in 2010 I had the extreme honor of co-writing an official “Ghostbusters” comic book for IDW Publishing and to play with characters and situations from my favorite comedy film of all time. That was a little bit daunting. I was determined to write them in a way that a reader would hear the actors’ voices in their heads while reading the story — and to do that, I had to channel Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and yes, Harold Ramis.

It was Ramis’ character Egon I was most nervous about writing. In Egon, Ramis represented nerds and geeks across the spectrum, though I suspect he wasn’t much of either himself in real life. The beauty of his writing and acting of Egon is that he brought warmth and humor to a character who could have come off as pretty cold and distant. The other Ghostbusters give him a hard time on occasion, but it’s apparent that Egon’s one of the boys. He’s their resident brainiac, sure, but he’s also a little child at times, interested in candy bars and eager to scrap when he feels he’s been wronged. And, to the triumph of nerds, he gets the girl at the end of the movie.

Ramis was a renaissance man, combining writing skills, precise comic timing and a charm and wit most actors would die for. The world will clearly be a less humorous place with his passing, but at least now he can get to the bottom of that pesky poltergeist situation.

Michigan student to take Oscar stage

By
James A. Molnar
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Zaineb Abdul-Nabi poses with a large Oscar statue. Photo courtesy Zaineb Abdul-Nabi.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — A University of Michigan student will have a golden experience on Oscar Sunday.

Zaineb Abdul-Nabi will be helping hand out golden Academy Award statuettes to celebrity presenters here on March 2.

The senior, studying screen arts and culture at U-M, won a nationwide college search for “Team Oscar” by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which puts on the Oscar ceremony annually.

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Each student applicant submitted a one-minute film and answered an essay question to be considered. Six were chosen; Abdul-Nabi is one of the lucky students.

In her submission video, she described her passion for filmmaking: “I’m a gonzo cinematographer, seizing the richness of the everyday, searching for the infinite forms of strength and tenacity that make us all extraordinary humans.”

Abdul-Nabi said in a phone interview with Toledo Free Press that she enjoys watching human interactions.

“For me, I really like capturing the way that people interact with each other,” she said, “and what we can learn from that.”

Here is her video:

In her brief essay, Abdul-Nabi wrote about a film that inspired her. She chose “Volver” by Pedro Almodóvar.

She wrote about how great the movie was on different levels and how it featured well-developed female characters.

Originally from the Bronx in New York City, Abdul-Nabi came to Michigan to pursue a degree in biomedical engineering.

She decided to switch to pursue film instead and is on track to graduate in May.

The other five students selected for Team Oscar are Tayo Amos from Stanford University, Nathan Flanagan-Frankl from Chapman University, Jeanpaul Isaacs from Rutgers University, Bryson Kemp from Muhlenberg College and Mackenna Millet from Pepperdine University.

The students recently arrived in Los Angeles for a week full of industry events and activities, including studio tours and meetings with filmmakers.

Abdul-Nabi, 22, said this was something she was looking forward to.

“I know this sounds really nerdy,” she said. “I’m just really excited to learn about the history of the Academy and really see how they preserve films and not only the medium itself, but how they preserve the history of film.”

At the ceremony, Abdul-Nabi will be rooting for “12 Years a Slave” for Best Picture.

If she could choose, she said she would love to help deliver a statuette to Lupita Nyong’o, nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for “12 Years a Slave.”

“I think she is flawless; I think she is amazing,” she said, “And you can quote me on that.”

This is not the first time the Oscar spotlight has shone on U-M.

Last year, a graduate was honored with a Student Academy Award for his short film.

Perry Janes, a 2012 U-M film and English graduate, received the silver medal in the alternative category for his short film “Zug.”

Janes was the first student honored from the university by the Academy, which started the awards in 1972.

“Zug,” a film based on Janes’ short story of the same name, follows two young men who complete a dare by visiting the mysterious Zug Island, a manmade island along the River Rouge and Detroit River near Detroit.

The 86th Academy Awards airs  March 2 on ABC at 7 p.m.

Full Oscars coverage right here:

Ottney: A night on the town

By
Jeff
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The back seat of a police SUV is hard, cold and uncomfortable. As, I suppose, it should be — although most alleged offenders probably don’t spend eight straight hours there.

There is a surprising amount of leg room, but not much heat makes it through the grate that separates the officers in the front from the person in the back.

Ottney,-SarahAbout two weeks ago, I experienced my first ride-along with the Toledo Police Department (TPD) — and not via the “old-fashioned way,” no matter what my friends may like to think.

Anyone can actually request a ride-along, but mine was arranged through Leadership Toledo. I could have requested a one-person unit so I could sit in the front, but I preferred to get the full experience.

Before we could leave, the officers had to check my record. “She’s a speeder,” one announced when he came back with my license and printout of my rap sheet. Guilty as charged, I admitted sheepishly — but a reformed speeder, I quickly added. I’m almost two years clean, if memory serves. Hurdle cleared.

The two officers I rode with were relatively new to the force with one and three years  experience. One’s father had recently retired from a 30-year career with TPD. Both grew up in Toledo and said the best part of the job was helping people.

I learned that the city is broken into eight sectors. One unit covers half of each — although on busy nights, they said, they might take calls in almost every sector. My team was assigned to a sector covering parts of Downtown, North Toledo and the Old West End.

Many calls are mundane, the officers said: leaves or snow blown onto a neighbor’s property, cars parked illegally.

Other calls are more serious; domestic violence calls are common.

“It’s unbelievable the reasons people will kill each other out here,” he said.

I had signed a waiver stating I wouldn’t take photos or get in the way of police business by interacting with anyone on a scene unless given permission. Officers use their judgment on whether a location is safe before allowing ride-along passengers out of the vehicle. I was able to follow along on each call.

One involved a dispute between neighbors over a parked car. Another call came from a mom whose teenage son had knocked over a lamp and yelled at her before leaving the house. They told her to call back if he returned. Another stop concerned a car parked in the middle of the street. Its hazard lights were flashing but no one was around. The officers were about to call for a tow when the owner came back with a gas can. Later, we responded to the Cherry Street Mission, where the officers asked a man to leave for being disorderly. Another call was from TARTA. A passenger had missed his stop and ended up at the bus garage. The officers gave him a ride home.

One interesting stop was Erie Street Market, where an officer with the K-9 unit was running Damon, a bomb-sniffing dog, through his paces. The officer had hidden a package that smelled like explosive material and it was Damon’s job to find it. The true test came after the dog located the spot. The officer instructed him to check elsewhere, but Damon ignored him, staying with the “bomb” and earning a tennis ball reward.

The officers I rode with kept apologizing for what an unusually slow Saturday night it was. Although to them it was probably routine, I thought the most interesting part of the night was a traffic stop where heroin and needles were found in the car. One person was arrested. Because he was put in the back seat where I had been riding, I caught a lift back to the station in another police vehicle. The sergeant I rode with said he loved the job because of the variety. That’s the same thing I love about journalism. After reconnecting with my two officers back at the station, I was able to follow the suspect through the rest of his journey — into a holding cell while a report was written and then on to the jail where he was booked.

TPD (@ToledoPolice) recently live-tweeted its first ride-along (#TPDLive) and said they plan to do more. I thought about doing that, but signing that waiver made me second-guess what I was allowed to say. And, honestly, I just got busy talking. It was fun, as a journalist, to have two officers at your side for eight straight hours. Anything that came to mind, I asked.

One of them was at the scene of the Jan. 26 fire in North Toledo that killed two firefighters. Neither patrolman knew James Dickman or Stephen Machcinski, but said their deaths were a reminder that tragedy can strike on even the most routine of calls.

As a member of this year’s Leadership Toledo class, I’ve been interacting with and learning from 40 of the brightest and most positive people around. The slogan “You Will Do Better In Toledo” falls regularly and unsarcastically from the lips of many of us. Part of the experience is being exposed to new viewpoints that challenge your way of thinking. Sometimes a dose of another reality is eye-opening.

Through the eyes of two TPD patrolmen who encounter the underbelly of the city on a daily basis, I saw how negativity and cynicism can creep in. Although they interacted professionally with everyone we encountered, they both admitted it’s easy to get down on the city as they visit the same addresses and see the same names.

They are most disillusioned by the kids. The younger ones are undisciplined, the older ones “loose cannons.”

“The biggest problem in Toledo is the lack of parenting,” one said. “Kids today are out of control. They don’t listen to their parents and they don’t listen to us.”

They regularly see 5- to 10-year-olds running around outside long after dark.

“We tell them to go home, but they just come back. And we can’t tell their parents because their parents are nowhere to be found. That’s just what happens. It’s not unusual.”

They aren’t sure what the answer is. But they are frustrated by it. And they are worried for the future.

I wished they could spend a day with the teens of Youth Leadership Toledo. That program as well as its adult counterpart aims to play a role in changing the future. The goal, as associate executive director Cory Dippold puts it, is to inspire people to stop waiting for someone else to fix what’s broken. The adult program, which you can read more about in this issue, is currently accepting applications for next year’s classes.

To our police and firefighters: Thank you for your service. And thanks for the ride.

Sarah Ottney is managing editor of Toledo Free Press. She can be reached at [email protected].

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