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Relief for Indians fans is short-lived

By
Matt Culbreath
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The Cleveland Indians ended a long drought this week: They played baseball in October. It’s a shame the relief was so fleeting.

Making the postseason for the first time since 2007, the Indians fell to the Tampa Bay Rays 4-0 in the AL Wild Card game Oct. 2.

Not to slight the guys up north, the Detroit Tigers won the Central and are in the midst of their battle against the Los Angeles Angels. But if Tigers fans will allow me to eulogize for a bit here … after all, this is your third year in a row playing in the postseason. You’re expected to be here. They weren’t.

In fact, consider that it was a series sweep by the Tigers in early August that felt like the beginning of the end for the Tribe.

Cleveland had been hanging around the top of the Central by that point, only a game out of the lead, but big brother Detroit handed them a four-game whoopin’, capped off with a 10-3 noogie, like the big brother rubbing little bro’s face in the mud.

But then a funny thing happened: The Indians refused to go down without a fight. They won a couple of series, swept the Halos, and then simply exploded in September — 20 wins, including their last 10 consecutively. Was it an easy month? You betcha: The White Sox, the Royals, the Twins, and even a series against the disaster they call the Houston Astros. Still, you’ve gotta win those games, and win they did. They won in blowouts, they won in pitchers’ duels and they won in absolutely ridiculous, Jason Giambi pinch-hit walkoff homer situations. Team of Destiny.

In fact, Ohio was home to two playoff teams, as the Cincinnati Reds were in the National League Wild Card Game!

Destiny came to a screeching halt on Wednesday, though, when the Indians found themselves face to face with a decent team. Tampa Bay could get hits, they could get runs and they had pitching: Even though the Tribe managed to get eight hits, they were all at the bottom of the order, and it was all for naught.

Even though Lonnie Friggin’ Chisenhall was able to go 3 of 4, nobody could bring him home. Nine players were left stranded
when it was all said and done. Michael Bourn was 0-for-4. Ditto Nick “Brohio” Swisher. (Speaking of Brohio, the Reds also fell in their game. The Buckeye state fell apart in two days flat.)

And yes, while Cleveland licks its wounds once again, there are positives to be found. This was a team that lost 90 games last year. An Indians squad that saw hot starts get squandered away by the All-Star Break time and time again. This year, they went the distance. They made a push. Terry Francona has changed the mindset of the organization.

Now fans in Northwest Ohio will cheer on the Tigers, as they should.

Perrysburg’s favorite son Jim Leyland will always provide some sort of drama in October; it’s in his DNA. But let’s not forget that for two glorious days, Ohio was represented twice in postseason baseball.

Besides, there’s always next year.

Matt “Shaggy” Culbreath is sports director for 1370 WSPD.

Letters to the Editor, Oct. 6, 2013

By
Dock David Treece
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Open letter to Block Communications

To whom it may concern at Block Communications:

This is not a threat. I understand my words and few dollars cannot hurt you. I understand your position, as a company, in this community is not going to be immediately knocked down by the opinion, or even actions, of a few.

However, please do not disregard what I am saying because long term, it will matter.

Your lawsuit against Toledo Free Press is a frivolous one on many levels but I’d like to point out the main ones.

Firstly, our courts are already bogged down with people and/or businesses suing other people and/or businesses for gain, financial or otherwise. You are tying up the courts in an attempt to shut down a business that is not even in competition to your daily newspaper. The frivolity is a waste of taxpayer dollars that would be better spent on other things in this community. Especially when you truly don’t care if you win this or not, which brings
me to my second point.

Suing a small business for the sole purpose of financially burdening them into shutting down is not the ethical way of doing things. I understand that what you’re doing is becoming fairly common, but that doesn’t make it any more acceptable. You don’t care about winning this lawsuit and collecting your “damages”; you care about making sure this lawsuit costs Toledo Free Press too much money to go forward. Your “I will crush you, little guy mentality isn’t doing you any favors. No one likes a bully.

If you think people (your customers or potential customers) aren’t going to realize what you’re doing, you have greatly underestimated the intelligence of your demographics. We see what you are doing and we don’t like it. You may think because your paper is the largest daily paper, or your cable company is the only option in this city, that you are infallible. However, I can make this promise to you: When another option comes along (and it will), we will choose it rather than you. We will choose a company that doesn’t bully with dollars. We will choose the one that embraces the American hub of small business. We will choose the ethical and moral company rather than you. Your fall from grace won’t be today with the dollars I will no longer be giving you. Nor from the hundreds of others that will also no longer be supporting Block Communications or its affiliates. Nor will it be our very loud boycott of your advertisers (believe me, they will know why we are no longer giving them our money).

Instead it will be a slow death of your company as others move in and take over because your company is known for its unethical tactic of using wealth to suppress small business. And I am one person who is looking forward to watching it happen.

I once heard someone say that it is a losing battle to fight with a newspaper or other media outlet. That may be true, but it’s one I am willing to fight on principles, win or lose.

Consumerism is a beautiful thing. My dollars will loudly go to businesses not affiliated in any way with Block Communications or its affiliates. If anyone would like to join me in letting it be known that our dollars and votes will not support this type of action, please sign the petition at http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/stop-corporate-bullies or go to www.moveon.org and search “Stop corporate bullies.”

Sincerely,
Small Business Supporter
First Amendment Supporter
Toledo Free Press Supporter
Gina Fielding, Toledo

John Sheehan joins Harbor as new CEO

By
Duane Ramsey
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John Sheehan comes to Toledo from Baycare Health System in Clearwater, FLA. Photo courtesy Duane Ramsey.

John Sheehan has joined Harbor as the new chief executive officer, ending an extensive national search for new leadership at mental health care services provider.

Sheehan came to Toledo from Florida with more than 20 years of
experience in the health and human services field. His executive experience includes a position as vice president of behavioral health services at BayCare Health System in Clearwater, Fla. There, he was responsible for the administration of programs, contracts and revenues of $75 million as well as 800-plus employees.

Sheehan also was owner and lead consultant of All Tier Health Care Consulting in St. Petersburg.

Visiting Toledo
Sheehan had never been to Toledo previously but said he visited
the area four times during Harbor’s selection process.

“Toledo was very much in line with what we were looking for. The people here are just great,” said Sheehan, who was born in Rochester, N.Y., where he spent his early childhood.

His father later moved their family to Gulfport, Fla., outside St. Petersburg. Sheehan earned his undergraduate degree at Florida State University and an MBA from the University of Phoenix.

Sheehan said he was focused on finding the right fit and geography was an important factor in his choice. After considering other possible moves, he decided on Harbor.

“With the history of Harbor, strength and diversity of the board of
directors, and strong focus on governance, it was the whole package. I’m very happy to be here,” Sheehan said.

Sheehan replaces Dale Shreve, who had served as CEO at Harbor since 1999 and left to take the helm of a national alliance of behavioral health care agencies.

“John Sheehan is the right leader for Harbor at the right time to take Harbor to the next level in the mental health/integration health care environment,” Allan Poturalski, outgoing board president at Harbor and head of the executive search committee, stated in a news release.

Poturalski turned the leadership of the board over to the new president, Kevin Pirozek of Signature Bank, at Harbor’s annual dinner meeting Sept. 24.

With annual revenues reported at $30 million, Harbor has experienced recent growth for a variety of reasons, but one was the launch of its Medicaid Health Home program, which it is piloting for the state of Ohio.

“There’s something happening in the health care business in this community. Harbor is not only involved but is breaking new ground to improve the health of the community,” Sheehan said.

Health Home pilot program
Harbor is participating in the Health Home pilot program established by the Affordable Care Act. Ohio House Bill 153 authorized the state’s Medicaid to design a patient-centered system of care, called Health Home, for people with serious health risks.

“The Health Home pilot program is our primary focus. The
model of course has influenced all the services because it’s been so successful. I see this model adopted as best practice for the commercial insurance population, not just Medicaid,” Sheehan explained.

A health home is not a building but a coordinated system for adults and children with Medicaid who have been diagnosed with mental illness. It provides those patients with comprehensive medical, mental health, drug and/or alcohol addiction and treatment, and social services coordinated by an integrated treatment team led by case managers.

The case managers at Harbor are comprised of bachelor-level nurses and social workers who work in association with physicians and registered nurses. There are teams for different ages and populations of diagnosis, according to Carrie Craun, a team leader in Medicaid Home Health at Harbor.

“The Home Health model is a big change but it makes sense. We’re helping people recover and reach their maximum beneficial wellness. It’s transformational because it works,” Sheehan said.

He heads up the leadership team at Harbor that includes Mary Pat Gebers, CFO; John Betts, VP of Adult Services; Steve Benjamin, VP of Youth and Family Services; Gwen Jones, VP of Quality Improvement; Margaret Dobson, VP of Medical and Administration; and Jean Drees, director of Marketing and Legislative Advocacy.

Harbor currently employs 475 people at 11 locations throughout
Northwest Ohio. It is currently celebrating its 100-year anniversary of assisting people in the community. For more information about Harbor, go to www.harbor.org.

Treece: U.S. government: Closed for business

By
Ben Treece
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At the moment, the 2013 government shutdown has taken over headlines and will likely dominate until the budget crisis is resolved. The inability of Congress and President Obama to reach a compromise or demonstrate any shred of leadership has led to uncertainty on Main Street, but the markets
have responded relatively tamely.

Budget debates were the driving reason the government closed up shop. While Congress has not been able to pass a formal budget since April
2009 and has kept the government running via continuing resolutions, the implementation of “Obamacare” has caused those on both sides of the aisle to put their respective feet down, which has led us to this.

The Wall Street Journal reports that more than 800,000 federal employees have been furloughed. What this means is that until a budget or a continuing resolution is passed, these employees will be on unpaid leave, although they will likely receive back pay for the time that they were out of work.

CNN and Slate posted fantastic graphs and tables outlining which departments were going to be most affected by the furloughs. Slate reports
that NASA, HUD, Department of Education and the EPA will all see more than 90 percent of their employees furloughed, while the SEC, Federal Reserve, State Department and Postal Service will remain untouched.

CNN reports that the IRS will see nearly 86,000 furloughed workers, and almost 59,000 workers associated with National Parks/National Wildlife Refuge Systems will be sent home.

While this shutdown draws attention, let us not forget that shutdowns are not entirely uncommon. The U.S. government has seen 18 total shutdowns since 1977 lasting anywhere from one day to 21 days. An interesting fact: Only under one president did his party control the White House and both chambers of Congress, yet still suffer a shutdown. That was under President Jimmy Carter and it happened five times from 1977-79.

A major cause of the shutdown was that the Democrat-controlled house refused to cave to the Senate’s wish to allow Medicaid dollars to be used for abortions. I guess 1970’s Democrats are equal to today’s tea party.

There are two factors that the reader needs to understand. First is that this is all due to a lack of leadership from both parties. Second is that this is all by design.

President Obama is supposed to unite Congress and help achieve compromise, which he clearly has not. Vice President Biden is the president of the Senate and has done nothing to help achieve compromise either. Speaker of the House John Boehner has drawn his own lines in an attempt to keep the currently embattled Republican Party united. Not one person who was elected to lead is actually doing so.

The reality is that both sides wanted a shutdown so that they could blame the other party. By making the shutdown as apparent to the public as possible, politicians can use the crisis to their advantage.

Before we go making assumptions on how sad and unfortunate this all is, let’s remember the World War II vets who were nearly barricaded out of the World War II Monument. There were federal employees present attempting to keep them out of an outdoor public park, yet we are to believe that any nonessential employees have been furloughed and are suffering? That is a clear and direct message to the American People from Washington: We have just enough money to make your lives miserable until this is resolved.

Ben Treece is a 2009 graduate from the University of Miami (Fla.), BBA International Finance and Marketing. He is a partner with Treece Investment Advisory Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and licensed with FINRA through Treece Financial Services Corp. The above information is the opinion of Ben Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Local couple sails Mississippi River — by canoe

By
Toledo Free Press
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Madelyn Hille and Adam Hoffmeister canoed the Mississippi River. Photo courtesy Madelyn Hille.

For some, the idea of canoeing the entire Mississippi River might
seem like a nightmare, but for Madelyn Hille and her boyfriend
Adam Hoffmeister it was a dream come true.

After finishing a photography certificate program at Indiana University in Indianapolis, Hille, a Woodmore High School graduate, was looking for a unique photography project.

For her, it was an opportunity to fulfill two ambitions.

“I thought canoeing the Mississippi was a great way to jumpstart
my career,” Hille said. “We created a Kickstarter page with the idea of making a photo book, ‘Capturing the Mississippi.’ Initially, I planned to take a picture each day to capture what we had done.”

Kickstarter is an online pledge system for funding creative and atypical projects and endeavors. Hille and Hoffmeister hoped to
reach $3,000 in pledges. In 28 days, they succeeded. With funding secured, the two moved to the planning stage.

“When we started planning the trip, we realized we needed a lot of gear we didn’t have,” Hille said. “We reached out to companies for sponsors and they were very generous. We actually got our canoe from a Canadian company called Nova.”

With a canoe and a plan, the two drove to northern Minnesota
to begin their 2,500-mile journey at Lake Itasca, which is where the Mississippi begins winding its way to the Gulf of Mexico. It took time to acclimate to their new daily routine, Hille said.

“For the first few days, we were just getting used to paddling for
eight hours,” Hille said. “It really took a toll on our body at first. We would try to get up at 6 or 7 a.m., get on the water by 8, paddle for eight hours, set up camp, cook dinner and then wake up and do it all over again the next day.”

Hille said the toughest part of the trip was getting through Minnesota, which took roughly 30 days.

“Canoeing the Mississippi River was physically challenging, but
much more mentally challenging,” Hille said. “It takes a really long time to get through Minnesota because it is so long and curvy. By the time we got through Minnesota, we started wondering if we were ever going to make it. Luckily, once
we got past St. Louis, it was pretty much downhill.”

As the journey wore on, there were additional changes for Hille
other than the scenery.

“We really enjoyed being in nature and being alone, but it was
amazing meeting all the different people through the trip,” Hille said. “Through the trip, my view of the book started to change. We had met so many people with so many stories that the idea evolved to include some of their stories. It has a narrative now.”

After 70 days, Hille and Hoffmeister came to the end of their
excursion. Looking back, Hille said there are many memories neither will forget, but one stuck out for her.

“We actually canoed both the Mississippi and the Atchafalaya
River in Louisiana,” Hille said. “On the Louisiana swamps, we actually met a man and his wife who offered to take us ‘frogging’. So late one night, we went out on a little fishing boat, put our headlamps on and would shine them around to see the eyes of different animals.

“As he shined the light, we would see red or orange eyes of alligators. The man, who was actually half Native American and half Cajun, caught a 4-foot alligator with his bare hands and brought it on the boat for us to touch and pet. It was amazing.”

While the Mississippi River canoe trip is over, Hille said the adventure was just the beginning.

“We really don’t know what we are going to do right now,” Hille
said. “We want to continue our adventures. We would like to find a job out West at a ski resort and continue with a more nomadic lifestyle.”

Oct. 10 Banned Books Vigil celebrates right to read

By
Brigitta Burks
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The University of Toledo is honoring the right to read freely with its 16th annual Banned Books Week Vigil event, complete with snacks, prizes and even cartoons, on Oct. 10.

“We are going to have lots of good stuff. And one new thing we’re doing is a tribute to animation, the cartoons,” said Paulette Kilmer, a UT journalism professor and the event’s coordinator. She said she is grateful for the continued support from sponsors and the community.

As part of the cartoon tribute, “The Simpsons” episode “500 Keys,” in which Lisa discovers a room full of banned books at her school, will air at 10:30 a.m. The “South Park” episode “The Tale of Scrotie McBoogerballs,” which features a unique spin on “The
Catcher in the Rye,” will air at 3 p.m.

Although the American Library Association’s (ALA) Banned Book Week took place Sept. 22−28, UT’s event is set for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Carl Joseph Reading Room on the fifth floor of the Carlson Library.

In addition to the cartoon airings, several speakers, including students, teachers and activists, will talk about a topic of their choosing.

Cindy Ramirez, an English teacher at Bedford Senior High School, is one of the speakers. Her presentation “You Can’t Teach That!” is set for 4 p.m.

Ramirez said she assigns a banned book project to her students
and gives them extra credit for attending the vigil.

“I don’t even have to push them to work. They are interested in it,” she said.

Ramirez said she has come across issues with teaching controversial books.

“Sometimes I’ve had parents say, ‘I don’t want my kids reading that book,’ and I have to honor that,” she said. “Especially in the school system, parents want to shelter their kids and they think that if they don’t read about [controversial topics], they won’t be exposed to that and will have better lives.”

Kilmer stressed that banned books aren’t just an issue in elementary and high schools, but also at the collegiate level and at public libraries.

“We have been told by people in the area that, ‘Oh, it’s just grade school and maybe a few high schools’ and no, the problem is much, much more than that,” she said.

From 2000-09, there were 1,217 challenges to books in public libraries, 114 in college classrooms and 30 in academic libraries, according to the ALA.

Freedom to Read
Arjun Sabharwal, one of the event’s committee members and a UT assistant professor and digital initiatives librarian, said, “This is our 16th anniversary here so from time to time, it’s necessary to remind the public that it is important to maintain their freedom to read. That is an ongoing discussion on a public level. There are
governments who are pulling books; there are community organizations that are doing that on the smaller level and affecting libraries.”

The archivist has his own personal experiences with reading controversial books. Sabharwal and his family left former Soviet-controlled Hungary about 30 years ago. He recalled the impact “1984” and other such books had on him at the time.

“I had a copy of [‘1984’] because someone had given me a copy in Austria so I read it real quick because I had to give the book back,” he said of George Orwell’s tale of a society tightly controlled by “Big Brother.”

“When I read that book, I was really horrified about what the government could do to turn even lovers against each other.”

Sabharwal said that in Hungary, “A lot of the books weren’t really
banned [as much as] they were prevented from being published because that was the system. The institution of printing/publishing was under state control.”

Ultimately, many of the people who want to ban books haven’t actually read the material, Kilmer said.

She added, “What books we read, if they’re not good, they won’t withstand the test of time. And if they are good, they’ll be recognized as literature.”

“If they really and truly have no redeeming quality, they’ll disappear on their own. They don’t need anybody else to say we can’t have them.”

Those who attend the free event will have the chance to win several door prizes and banned books. Anyone who wishes to donate a book to the giveaway can select a title from
the ALA list at www.ala.org/bbooks/frequentlychallengedbooks/classics or donate cash. Those wishing to donate should inquire at the UT
Bookstore, 1430 Secor Road, Toledo, or contact Colleen Strayer at [email protected]. Toledo Free Press is a media sponsor of this event. For a schedule, visit libguides.utoledo.edu/
utbannedbooksvigil2013.

Toledo native advocates for veterans with essay, center

By
Matt Liasse
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In his Aug. 7 essay “Pull together for veterans,” distributed by Hearst Wires, U.S. Army Col. David Sutherland said veterans do not receive the services they need.

U.S. Army Col. David Sutherland

U.S. Army Col. David Sutherland

Sutherland, a Toledo native and Bowling Green State University graduate, said there is an “overabundance of veterans groups” with “redundant efforts.”

“Each [veteran] has unique capabilities and may have unique needs,” Sutherland said. “Yet in many cases … you see cookie-cutter solutions as opposed to individual services.”

Sutherland said it’s common that veterans come home to families and communities looking for meaningful connections but are overwhelmed trying to find them.

“It’s confusing to the point where they may not ask for assistance, because they don’t know where to go,” Sutherland said.

Contrary to popular belief, Sutherland said veterans do not come home to big government organizations providing help; solutions are mainly found on the local level. Such efforts should be consolidated, he said.

Sutherland said veterans need “wrap-around services” such as education, access to health care and employment opportunities.

“Every need and opportunity for us can be looked at in a continuum, a continuum that includes our families,” Sutherland said.

In response to these needs, Sutherland and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Kim Mitchell founded the Dixon Center for Military and Veterans Community Services in July 2012.

It serves as a partnership with Easter Seals, which has been providing services to the military and veteran communities since 1945. Together, the organizations establish a network of service providers and local leaders to better the military, veterans and the families of veterans. The center is working nationwide but the physical headquarters is located in Washington, D.C.

The center is named in honor of Staff Sgt. Donnie Dixon, who was in charge of Sutherland’s security in Iraq. He was killed Sept. 29, 2007, during a firefight in Balour, Iraq.

“Besides the fact that Dixon died while ensuring my security, he’s also representative of most of the service members that have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Sutherland said. “He was a noncommissioned officer, he was a husband, he was a father, he was on his second deployment and he was a volunteer.”

Sutherland joined the military Sept. 23, 1983. He commanded the U.S. combat brigade in Diyala Province, Iraq, from 2006-07 and served as the special assistant to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 2009-12.

Sutherland retired in 2012 and transitioned from one “life-calling career to another,” he said. He now serves as a vocal advocate and mentor for service members, veterans, military families and the families of the fallen.

“The bonds that exist on the battlefield are unlike any bonds that you can imagine, and when we come home those bonds are ripped apart,” he said.

Sutherland said he still talks to the men he served with and people contact him for advice every day. It is in their honor that he advocates.

“Veterans are committing suicide at a rate of 22 a day; one in five female veterans is homeless; the unemployment rate for Iraq and Afghanistan veterans right now is 10 percent and over 20 percent for 18- through 28-year-old veterans,” Sutherland said. “Unemployment, homelessness and suicide should never be used in the same sentence as veterans and military families.”

Sutherland said he came back from Iraq feeling like he didn’t fit in.

“I have a very strong family and a very strong support group and I was able to get the resources and support I needed because I was still serving in the military,” he said.

He said veterans face dark times after homecomings. To help them cope, Sutherland said he encourages veterans to talk and asks them where they see themselves in five years and how they plan to achieve that goal.

Sutherland has interacted with leaders such as former director of the CIA David Petraeus. He also attended a state dinner for Iraqi war veterans at the White House that President Obama attended.

In February, Sutherland was honored with the Daily Point of Light Award, an award established by former President George H.W. Bush from the Points of Light Foundation. It “honors individuals and groups creating meaningful change in communities across America,” according to a news release.

Sutherland was inducted into BGSU’s ROTC program’s hall of fame.

“That was a watershed moment,” he said. “If you go to Bowling Green, you’re inextricably linked to that institution for the rest of your life.”

At the end of his essay, Sutherland argues that time should not be wasted; the time to provide such services to veterans is now. The U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan officially ends in 16 months and the more than 2 million Americans who were deployed will be coming home.

“We forget about the war; American people cannot forget about the veterans and the military families,” he said.

The essay may be read in full at www.sutherlandpartnership.com.

‘Big Bugs’ infest Levis Commons during October

By
Toledo Free Press
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The "Big Bugs" exhibit will infest Levis Commons during October. Photo courtesy Levis Commons.

“I scared Miss Muffet and went up the waterspout, get stuck in my web and you won’t get out. Find me hanging out near Second Sole.”

This clue, given out as part of a scavenger hunt in Levis Commons every Saturday in October from noon to 5 p.m., takes guests to a giant spider. A 12-foot-by-12-foot web hangs from trees in front of the shoe store, displaying a 60-pound spider made of red cedar and black walnut.

The ‘Big Bugs’ Exhibit will infest Levis Commons during October. Photo courtesy Levis Commons

The ‘Big Bugs’ Exhibit will infest Levis Commons during October. Photo courtesy Levis Commons

Giant bugs like this one can be found in six displays across three blocks in Levis Commons, 3201 Levis Commons Blvd. in Perrysburg.  They are part of the David Rogers’ Big Bugs Exhibit, a traveling exhibit of larger-than-life bug sculptures. Other sculptures include a damsel fly in the water fountain in front of Yankee Candle and a 1,200-pound praying mantis in front of Tea Tree Asian Bistro.

The sculptures by the Long Island artist will be on display Oct. 1-31 in an event sponsored by ProMedica.

“Typically he’s been to arboretums, botanical gardens, Disney World, very big places,” Marketing Director Casey Pogan said.

The exhibit debuted at the Dallas Arboretum in 1994 and has traveled the United States since. The effect of the exhibit is a role reversal of dimension and perception, according to a news release.

“This ant that we usually shoo away or step on is now bigger than us. Just the magnitude of nature and insects … it just kind of brings all that to a head,” Pogan said. “When you walk up to them you realize the amount of time he spent hand-carving [and] polishing. They’re really pieces of art.”

Casey Pogan, Levis Commons Director

A kickoff event for the exhibit is planned for Oct. 5 from 2-5 p.m. featuring inflatables, a children’s John Deere gator racetrack and arts and crafts. Live music from Kelly Broadway and horse-drawn hayride tours of the bugs will be from 5-8 p.m.

Other events are planned for the entire month of October, including: every Tuesday is Kids Eat Free Day at Blue Pacific Grill; every Friday from 5-8 p.m. kids can decorate a bug-themed yogurt cup at Yogurt Vi; every Saturday at 11 a.m. Books-A-Million will host bug-themed storytime and “make and take” crafts; musicians perform live every Saturday from 5-8 p.m.; and horse-drawn hayrides are available Saturdays from 5-8 p.m. for $1 per person.

Pogan also encourages visitors to snap a photo of themselves next to their favorite sculpture and share them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #LevisBigBugs.

She said photos will be automatically entered for a chance to win a prize package courtesy of Levis Commons.

Pogan said the exhibit is intended for all ages.

“Even though [for] the kickoff event, we have a lot of family-friendly, children-focused activities, throughout the month it’s truly an art exhibit. Anyone that appreciates art of any sort or just a creative mind will really get a kick out of this,” Pogan said.

The exhibit plays a part in Levis Commons’ anniversary celebration.

This year is the ninth year for the outdoor mall.

“October is our anniversary month that we typically put a little more effort into what we have in our event calendar,” Pogan said. “So this plays into our ninth anniversary. Next year we’re not sure how we’re going to top it.”

Pounds: How you can help

By
Tom Pounds
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It is easy, during the heat of battle against overwhelming odds, to believe you are fighting alone, with just a few allies in the foxhole. During the past two years of the legal onslaught brought against us by Block Communications, parent of The Blade, we have often felt surrounded and depleted. But the reaction to “An urgent appeal,” last week’s column by Toledo Free Press Editor in Chief Michael S. Miller, has fortified and renewed our commitment to fight on.

Pounds,-TomMiller’s column was shared and posted scores of times, garnering comments of support from readers and media professionals across the country. National media watchers such as Jim Romenesko shared the column. Most people offered kind words and prayers, which are always appreciated. Many asked a simple question that has no simple answer: “How can I help?”

Even just reaching out and offering sympathetic words helps. Knowing there are legions of Lucas County residents and business leaders who understand and support our mission is heartening. Now that the public knows what is at stake — basic American rights of free speech, marketplace competition and private citizens’ rights to invest their money in a protected LLC — the support has become more focused.

We are adamant that the sentiment not be directed in a negative manner toward The Blade’s employees or its attorneys, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick; there is nothing to be gained by venting frustration or disappointment there. Instead, we ask that if you want to help us, channel your feelings into positive action. Help us by supporting the nonprofit organizations and the nonprofit events we sponsor. Help us by recognizing and thanking the businesses that support Toledo Free Press, through advertising or by allowing us to distribute at their location. Let the advertisers know you read Toledo Free Press and understand how important their patronage is, just as they understand how important your patronage is to them.

And if you frequent a business that doesn’t currently advertise with us, please urge them to. It doesn’t have to be a political statement. It’s an opportunity to get their message across in the state of Ohio’s best weekly newspaper, as so named for five consecutive years by the Society of Professional Journalists.

The small group of people that produces Toledo Free Press fights because we believe in the positive power of media. We believe in basic American rights of free speech and marketplace competition. We believe in Toledo as a city and as a spirit of resiliency and enterprise. And we believe in you, the hundreds of thousands of readers who support our efforts.

Please continue to read, share and urge those who can to support us. That is how you can help.

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

Miller: Raising our rainbows

By
Michael Miller
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Our 5-year-old son Sean is a fiercely independent, big-hearted boy who likes to get in the dirt and dig. He is strong and tough, not afraid of bugs, speed, heights, gravity or physics in general. He likes to “battle,” to wrestle and roughhouse and knock things over.

Miller,-Michael-SHe also likes Disney princesses, the color pink, bracelets and other odds and ends traditionally thought of as “girl stuff.”

As Sean evolves and his personality manifests and asserts itself, we as parents increasingly find ourselves in a struggle between allowing him to be who he is — to express himself with the full confidence that we love him unconditionally and without judgment — and guiding him through society’s expectations. We know there are a lot of ugly realities waiting for a boy who prefers Barbie to G.I. Joe. We know there are known quantities such as bullies — and dangers we cannot anticipate. So while at home, Sean is given the freedom to be who he is and we use each decision he makes as a learning opportunity, we are conservative about what he wears to school — if you can define sparkly tennis shoes and pastel shirts as conservative.

There are not a tremendous number of resources for parents raising kids who may be gender nonconforming. Many sources immediately assume a deviancy or mental illness. One of the bravest and most reassuring voices addressing this journey belongs to Lori Duron, an Orange County, Calif., mom whose son C.J., 6, is the subject of her blog and new book, “Raising My Rainbow.” She details the fears, joys, triumphs and setbacks of raising “a boy who only likes girl stuff and wants to be treated like a girl.”

While our Sean is not as far down that path as C.J. is, Duron has served as an advance guide for us, her honest reporting giving us some idea of the obstacles and trials ahead.

Duron was a guest on a recent broadcast of the WSPD radio show I co-host, “Eye on Your Weekend,” and we discussed her progress and the attention her blog and book have garnered.

Duron said C.J. often got hand-me-down toys from his older brother but never expressed excitement about Hot Wheels or Legos or action figures.

“He found a Barbie I had, and that was the day he came alive,” she said. “I thought it would be a phase but it wasn’t. That was the day he started liking ‘girls stuff.’”

The arbitrary labeling of colors and toys as “girls stuff” is problematic, but fighting societal definitions is like joining King Canute in ordering back the sea, as Duron has experienced.

“It was jarring to see our 3-year-old boy playing with girls’ toys, though I hate that term,” she said. “It felt off. My husband and I talked about it a lot and whether it was a phase. What we realized is that what we were worried about was what other people were going to think and say. But you can’t parent like that. You can’t parent based on the reactions of strangers. We are here to love him not to change him, but it took us a while to get to that point.

Duron said the blog and book give her a forum to react and discuss the issues without subjecting C.J. to exposure.

“Online, I’m an adult,” she said. “I can choose to respond or ignore things. But in public, when someone has a reaction to my son’s painted fingernails or wearing a tutu or playing with a doll, it’s a much different reaction I have to have, because my son is watching. He’s like a little sponge. I can be dismissive or ignore it. We are working to build a confident person who understands not everyone will like his style.”

C.J. has free rein at home to dress and play as he wants to, but Duron said he is starting to recognize the pressures society has in store for him. She recently wrote that he no longer takes his pink monkey lunch box to school because a brown paper bag garners less attention.

“He chooses to self-edit when we leave the house,” she said. “Which makes me sad, but it’s protection and I understand that. Some days he feels comfortable going out rocking whatever clothes he chooses.”

Duron said there has been school bullying and community members who accuse her family of not being “good Christians” or decent parents.

“We have dealt with it and I know there is more to come,” she said.

The crux of Duron’s philosophy is boiled down to a single statement in her book, “Your sex is in your pants, your gender is in your head and your sexuality is in your heart.”

What I believe Duron is teaching C.J., and we are teaching Sean, is that as long as you are being true to yourself and not hurting anyone, it’s no one’s business what’s in any of those three places.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. Email him at [email protected].

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