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Johnson: UT has a global strategy

By
Dan Johnson
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Everyone who knows the University of Toledo knows it has a long and distinguished history of attracting international students. There were even times when UT was seen as a leader among universities seeking to attract such students. The university continues to be popular for students looking for an American university experience.

Today, however, being recognized as a globally engaged university entails much more than attracting large numbers of international students. Global engagement means student study-abroad programs, student and faculty exchange programs with international universities, international collaborative research projects and programs, meaningful, productive partnerships with like-minded international universities and purposeful cooperation on other fronts, including business and economic development, promotion of foreign direct investment and, most importantly, advancing our understanding of other nations and cultures.

Today, all major universities must be strategically engaged internationally if they are to be competitive for the best students, research funds and opportunities for faculty and students. It is also recognized that globally connected universities are essential to regional economic development and for promoting international business. One higher education association has argued that “campus globalization may well be the most important strategic issue in American higher education.”

Career paths for today’s university graduates are increasingly international. A growing number of student internships and co-ops are based in foreign countries to better prepare them for the global marketplace and workforce. (A personal example is my grandson, who begins his engineering internship in Japan this week.)

Faculty research, now more than ever, spans national boundaries. Sources of research funding are increasingly multinational.

For the past decade or longer, UT has had an array of international activities led largely by individual faculty members with ties to various nations and international universities, but there was no particular university strategy for international affairs — only individual faculty members pursuing their professional interests in foreign countries and the university welcoming international students.

UT has now added “global engagement” to its strategic plan.

Titled “Global Directions 2012,” the plan outlines the importance of the university becoming proactive in developing these strategic linkages, partnerships and programs worldwide. The initial focus will be on universities in China, India and the Middle East. As these partnerships mature, additional partnerships may be added in places such as South Africa, Brazil and possibly others. For the moment, however, UT’s focus will be “narrower and deeper” partnerships that produce measurable outcomes and regional benefits.

To help ensure the successful implementation of this strategic plan, the university is establishing the President’s Commission on Global Initiatives. This commission, comprised of representatives from across the university together with community representatives, will study global opportunities, assess costs and benefits and recommend programs and projects to help make UT a globally recognized university and attract increased international attention to Toledo and Northwest Ohio.

Globalization of a university is a long-term venture; years of intense work by faculty, deans and senior administrators will be required to reap the enhanced benefits of global engagement for our students, faculty and community.

For UT, these efforts will focus on building productive, sustainable partnerships with strategically selected international universities. It is our expectation that these partnerships will provide mutual benefits to both partners and elevate the visibility and reputation of UT as well as our City of Toledo.

For these high expectations to become reality, UT’s global strategy must be aligned with the strategies of others in our city and region engaged in international relationship-building. This includes such offices as the mayor’s and organizations such as the Regional Growth Partnership. We have made an excellent start, but we will also need to continue to broaden and strengthen our efforts to ensure we are working in concert and collaboratively.

Working together, pursuing common international objectives and maintaining aligned strategies will produce positive educational outcomes for our students and economic benefits for our city, region and state.

Dan Johnson is director of global initiatives, president emeritus and distinguished university professor of public policy and economic development at the University of Toledo. 

Miller: Man vs. food

By
Michael Miller
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I looked at the number on the digital scale with several emotions.

Surprise was not one of them.

Shock, anger, fear, disbelief, yes — but not surprise.

For several years, a brewing stew of sedentary lifestyle, reckless eating habits, stress, poor sleep and genetics has steadily added weight to my frame, taking my middle-age body on a journey from big but fit to bigger and dangerously out of shape.

The journey culminated with that unblinking red number: 380 pounds.

My relationship with food has always been healthy in terms of appetite and unhealthy in terms of choices. Pasta, breads, fried foods and junk food led the parade, in inexhaustible quantities. A lifelong fervor for Coca-Cola added to the stream of deadly pleasures. One of the side effects of having an absentee father and a disabled mother was a household that often held little or no food, a bad situation for a growing teenager. When there was food available in those long-ago days, I would hoard and devour what I could, a habit that endured long after food once again became plentiful.

A long commute, long office hours and a high-stress job gave me a platform of excuses for eating poorly. I would often kickstart my day with a drive-thru breakfast from McDonald’s, ordering two full meals and then asking for two beverages, so the person taking the order would not think all that food was for me. Eating at restaurants for lunch, choosing the tastiest and worst foods. Sitting at my desk on deadline while quaffing Coke and keeping one hand in a bag of something salty, crunchy or chocolatey throughout the workday also piled on the calories. I would, four days out of five, start my commute home with a drive-through stop at Wendy’s or KFC or Sonic or Taco Bell or Burger King or the old reliable McDonald’s and eat two or more sandwiches with large fries and one of the depth-charge size soft drinks such fast food places specialize in. Knowing this was unhealthy and expensive, I would shuffle cash to hide the cost; not wanting my wife to know I had gorged on the way home, I would always sit and help myself to whatever she had made.

You know that “Thanksgiving meal full belly” feeling you get when you push away from that Thursday afternoon table? I seek that feeling, then push past it, and do not feel ready to put down the fork until I reach it. As I entered middle age, I would pay for these binges with body-shaking reflux that would strike at 2 or 3 a.m. and leave me gasping for air. The discovery of over-the-counter ranitidine allowed me to self-medicate the acid into oblivion, though it would often take several times the recommended dose of the little orange pills.

Like many young men who lived their formative years without a father in the home, I determinedly live my life in opposition to my absent role model’s example.

Or so I thought. Watching my two young boys run and play in the yard nearly one year ago, I had an epiphany. My father chose alcohol in its several seductive forms over his wife and children. I never understood that choice. Alcoholism is a disease, but that does not excuse personal choice and responsibility. How does a man choose barmates and beer over his own young sons? I of course vowed to live his life to the opposite extreme, devoting my life and time to my family and two sons with unwavering intensity. But as I watched my two boys run and race — I watched because I could not physically move at any pace to play with them — one of those uncommon and ephemeral moments of clarity bolted through my brain. Yes, my father had used alcohol as a vehicle to abandon his family, but wasn’t I doing the same with food? That my father drove away and did not look back while I was headed for a carbs-and-carbonated-inspired heart attack at an early age might make all the difference in the world in terms of intent, but it would make zero difference to my sons, who would be as fatherless as I was.

Gone is gone.

That 380 on the scale told me what I had known for more than a year. The growing number of Xs in my shirt size; the rapid destruction of shoes; the need for soft belts which would not cut into and blister the underside of my belly; an inability to slide into some restaurant booths and a need for seat belt extenders on airplanes; the necessity of carefully choosing chairs at public events lest one with rickety metal or soft plastic give way and tumble me to the ground.

The list of discomforts and inconveniences grew as steadily as my waistband.

Larger threats loomed. Diabetes. Sleep apnea. Joint pain. Heart diseases.

I tried diets, yo-yoing my weight, and tried simple exercises such as walking, but found my condition prohibited even basic essential movement. After a long talk with my wife and primary care physician, I signed into a regional hospital’s bariatric clinic, to prepare myself for bariatric surgery on Sept. 18.

I appreciate your empathy but I do not court your sympathy. To paraphrase Eva Peron, “Don’t cry for me, Col. Sanders.” I got myself into this situation and I will work my way out.

I start at 380.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. 

Pounds: Round of applause

By
Tom Pounds
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There are a number of annual events Toledo Free Press is proud to support, but one stands out for me each year — The Entrepreneurial & Business Excellence (EBE) Hall of Fame ceremony.

Formed in 2006, the EBE recognizes, according its website, “outstanding entrepreneurs and business leaders who have built and sustained growing businesses and created jobs in the region. EBE also applauds established and fledgling businesses that display technological innovation in their respective industry. The program was formed as a result of a recognized need to foster and honor entrepreneurial success and business excellence in our region and is anticipating more than 700 attendees this year.”

This year, six local companies will be inducted during the annual ceremony on Nov. 8 at The Pinnacle in Maumee:

  • Business Excellence Awards go to Burkett Restaurant Equipment, Clouse Construction Corp., NovaVision, Inc. and Riker Products.
  • The Excellence in Family Business Award goes to Mel Lanzer Company.
  • The Excellence in Startup Innovation Idea Award goes to Solar Spectrum, LLC.

Adam Davenport, EBE chairman, said, “In what some say is a struggling economy in our region, we continue to honor companies that are going against all odds and are achieving high levels of success in both sales and also the creation and retention of many employees.

“The support of so many businesses, organizations and past Hall of Fame honorees is what truly makes this program successful year after year, and I don’t expect that to ever stop.  It proves that if events are put on to show the positive aspects of our area, great successes can be identified and celebrated.”

The 2012 Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence Hall of Fame is presented by The University of Toledo and is founded by Gorillas & Gazelles LLC in partnership with Bowling Green State University, Davenport, Hanf & Company, LLC and Medical Mutual of Ohio/BDS Agency Management. Additional primary sponsors include UT Innovation Enterprises, UT College of Business Administration and The Center for Family and Privately Held Business. Toledo Free Press is proud to be the event’s media sponsor and, as a  2008 honoree, can attest to the honor the EBE bestows.

Visit the EBE website for further information about event tickets and sponsorship opportunities.

Join us in applauding this year’s recipients and celebrating their contributions to our community.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star.

Treece Blog: Fed issuing into bondage

By
Dock David Treece
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U.S. investors are coming to the end of a disturbing period in financial history: the lost decade. Certainly not the first — or last — of its kind, these periods are nevertheless extremely unsettling for retail investors who lack the knowledge or perspective to make informed decisions on how best to move forward.

For instance, over the past several years — the later part of this “lost decade” — we’ve seen more and more retail investors moving into the bond market in some fashion. Granted, not all are going out and buying bonds directly; many are purchasing bond-focused mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, etc.

Unfortunately, this includes large numbers of “unsophisticated” investors (this isn’t a slight; the SEC has a working definition of “unsophisticated” or “unqualified” investors based on income and net worth. They aren’t allowed to purchase unregistered investment products like hedge funds because they typically don’t understand the risks). After decades of decreasing financial literacy in the United States — few high school graduates even understand the potential impact of compound interest anymore — most of these retail investors are in way over their heads.

In conversations with a number of these investors, I’ve asked how bonds respond to an environment of rising interest rates. Few understand that the market values of outstanding bonds fall. Why? In order for investors to buy bonds with below-market rates, they need a discount as incentive. This relationship can be reduced to a mathematical formula. To keep our discussion relevant I won’t publish it here.

Aside from this simple fundamental aspect of bonds, few investors even comprehend the sheer size of the debt market. Globally, the value of the bond market totals roughly twice that of stock markets (more than $80 trillion as opposed to $40-50 trillion), with tens of thousands of issuers, including companies, municipalities, agencies and sovereign nations.

Similarly, few retail investors today have the historical perspective to understand what happens when credit markets grow too large or grow too quickly or how quickly things can turn very bad when a debtor’s repayment ability is called into question.

Consider Russia in 1998. Throughout the year, the country’s national debt had been expanding and production fell in some key sectors (coal has been an oft-cited example, and in that industry, wages were actually frozen for a time).As difficulties mounted and production lagged (causing sagging exports), the ruble began to weaken in international markets.

Midway through the year, the International Monetary Fund and World Bank arranged an international loan to shore up both the ruble and Russian debt. Somehow, roughly a quarter of the funds disappeared immediately upon arrival. In this case, the claim is that they were stolen, though the cause for their disappearance is essentially irrelevant (in this country, the funds would more likely be distributed among key unions), the funds simply weren’t there to help stabilize the country monetarily.

Everything came to a head Aug. 13, 1998, when the floor gave way and Russia’s bond market collapsed. Investors had suddenly begun to doubt Russia’s ability to repay its bonds, and once prices began tumbling, they quickly started an avalanche, which ultimately led to the noted failure of early hedge-fund Long-Term Capital Management, which counted among its directors several people with doctorates and even Nobel laureates.

At one point during the collapse, interest rates on Russian debt reached 200 percent. This means that previously issued bonds with stated interest rates of, say, 5 percent, were worth only .025 percent of their face value. In other words, a $1,000 bond paying 5 percent interest was suddenly worth about $0.25.

As a result of the crisis on Aug. 13, 1998, four days later Russia had to intentionally devalue the ruble. It also suspended interest payments on debts held by foreign investors, an all-too-common occurrence throughout history during various debt crises. It has the terrible potential impact of a future crisis for the United States, given the dollar’s standing as the world’s reserve currency.

The lessons to be learned from this are numerous. Hopefully, more retail investors will avoid dabbling in markets they know little about, but if they’re going to continue playing the game, at least they will know more of the nuances. Namely, investors should know that when interest rates begin to rise on government debt, quite often they don’t creep — they jump.

When these interest rates jump, the value of outstanding bonds doesn’t slide — it plummets. When there are doubts concerning the repayment of debt by a sovereign nation (which we’re already beginning to hear from both sides of the political aisle), rarely is the case that investors simply demand marginally higher interest rates in order to absorb newly issued debt. Instead, there simply is no money available. Investors refuse to buy bonds at almost any rate of interest. O

Dock David Treece is a partner with Treece Investment Advisory Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and is licensed with FINRA through Treece Financial Services Corp. He provides expert content to numerous media outlets. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Two Councilmen refuse pay for absences

By
Brigitta Burks
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Toledo City Council members have two options when they miss a meeting: either have their pay docked or get an “excusal” from the other members. Being excused is common practice. Only two of the 12 members have taken pay deductions in 2012.

Council members can deduct 2 percent from their annual salaries for missing a regular meeting and 1 percent for missing a committee meeting. But most opt for the other route — if two-thirds of Council votes for an excusal, the absent member still gets paid.

So far in 2012, Council has not voted down any excusals.

“In my 14 years, no one has not been excused,” said Council clerk Jerry Dendinger.

Members do not have to give a reason to get excused.

Councilmen Phil Copeland and Tom Waniewski are the only two members who have taken pay deferments this year. As of Sept. 7, Copeland has had 18 absences, including one regular meeting. He took deferments for 13 committee meetings and one special Council meeting, amounting to $4,125. Waniewski has had four absences in 2012, all from committee meetings, with one being excused and three others being deferred, amounting to an $825 deduction in his pay.

Waniewski and Copeland were also the only two to defer last year. In 2011, Copeland deferred $7,700 and missed 29 meetings, including four regular meetings and one special meeting. Of those, he had two regular meetings and two committee meetings excused. Waniewski deferred $4,125, accounting for 15 committee meetings. He had one excused absence for a committee meeting.

So far in 2012, President Joe McNamara has had perfect attendance. Lindsay Webb had the most excusals with 16, including two regular meetings and one special meeting, followed by Mike Craig with 13 missed committee meetings and Adam Martinez with 11, including one special meeting and two regular meetings. For committee meeting excusals, Rob Ludeman had one, George Sarantou had two, Steve Steel had three, Tyrone Riley had three and D. Michael Collins had four. Paula Hicks-Hudson had five excusals for committee meetings and one for a regular meeting. The absences, had they not been excused, would amount to about $20,000 in deferments.

Nonpresidential Council members make $27,501.76 per year. The president makes $32,000.80 per year.

In 2011, Webb and Martinez had the most absences at 19 each, including three regular meetings and two special meetings for Webb and two regular meetings and one special meeting for Martinez.

Attendance is personally important to McNamara. In 2011, he missed three committee meetings.

“I’m elected to go to meetings. That’s the point of Council and I take it seriously and that’s why I try to plan my life around meetings,” he said.

However, McNamara said it is routine to excuse people.

“City Council is a part-time job and people do have other things going on in their lives. I do think that allowing for people to miss some meetings is reasonable, but the important thing is that we have enough members so we’re able to have a quorum,” McNamara said.

Having enough members for quorum hasn’t been an issue in his tenure, he added.

In 2012, Waniewski has taken just one excusal for an agenda review Aug. 21 as a “vacation.” He said it’s his usual policy to take a deduction for any missed meetings.

“I feel so strongly about doing your job, particularly when there’s legislation that affects people. There’s zoning issues that affect businesses and you’ve gotta show up for the job in order to get paid for it,” he said.He said many members like himself have other jobs and family emergencies or illnesses do arise. However, Waniewski said, “Maybe what we need to do before we excuse [members] is ask what their excuse is.”

Still, Waniewski said he doesn’t see himself voting down someone’s excusal.

“It’s on an individual’s conscience to decide whether they should excuse themselves, so I don’t see myself objecting,” he said.

Waniewski praised McNamara for his scheduling abilities and also said this Council has been better about attendance than those in past years.

Craig said he generally doesn’t skip regular meetings, but sometimes misses committee meetings if he has other Council business or a prior arrangement.

“You may only have a day or two or maybe three notice and if I already have something scheduled, I go and do what I have scheduled,” he said. Craig also said committee meetings are sometimes called for Council members who have questions he may not need answered.

“Why would I go to a meeting that’s unnecessary for me and why would I take that away from my pay if I’ve done my homework?” he said.

Committee meetings are also recorded and can be listened to later, he added.

Copeland, who is running for Lucas County recorder against Sarantou, had the most absences and the most deferments. He said he wasn’t sure of the total number of meetings he missed, but that his job at Laborers’ Local 500 often takes him away from home. Copeland is out of town for work on the third Thursday of every month.

“A lot of times I’m out for work and I didn’t feel I should be paid for meetings [if] I wasn’t there,” he said.

The times he took excusals were for reasons like sickness, he added.

Webb said some of her absences in recent years could be attributed to maternity leave and raising a family. She gave birth in both 2010 and 2011.

“The people I represent appreciate the fact that I’m a hardworking mom and I have a full-time job. City Council is considered part time and I have a large family and I keep all the balls in the air,” she said. Webb also said her voice as a working mom is “essential” to Council.

“I earn my paycheck in a number of different ways,” Webb said, adding that she listens to recordings of missed committee meetings and gets notes from other members. She is also a coordinator for the National Employment Law Project in Ann Arbor.

Martinez said he missed a number of meetings because of his position as an adjunct teacher at Owens Community College and because of a master’s program in Cleveland that he commuted to.

“Most of us do have our other jobs that may not be as flexible,” Martinez said. He added that he has taken pay deferments in the past if he took a vacation or didn’t have a reasonable excuse for being absent.

“There’s always an opportunity to go online and listen to the conversations that have been held,” he added. Martinez said he also checks with committee chairs to make sure there aren’t any impending issues in the case of an absence.

McNamara emphasized that attendance of regular City Council meetings is more important than committee meetings.

“Members can better plan their schedules around Council meetings,” he said, adding that committee meetings can be at the “whim” of the chair.

Copeland said of Sarantou, his opponent and chair of the finance committee, “He schedules [finance committee meetings] when it fits him. That’s the thing.”

Sarantou said he has scheduled three finance committee meetings on the third Thursday of the month to accommodate other people who needed to be there. The rest have been on other days, he said.

“I will match my attendance records with [Copeland’s] attendance records any day,” Sarantou said. “The fact of the matter is he’s missed a huge amount of meetings.”

“If you’re gonna miss that many meetings, why should you get paid?” Sarantou said. He asked how voters should trust Copeland would show up at the recorder’s office if elected.

If elected, Copeland said he plans to be a “full-time recorder.” Sarantou also pledged to be there every day.

In 2011, Sarantou missed 12 meetings, including one special meeting.

Copeland said he doesn’t keep track of Sarantou’s attendance.

“When I’m there, I’m there to try to get the work done for the City of Toledo,” he said.

Casino revenue helping offset funding shortfalls

By
Jeff
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Hollywood Casino Toledo. Toledo Free Press file photo

With city and county budgets statewide affected by slashed and dried up revenue sources, local government officials say they are thankful for the quarterly infusion of casino tax revenue, while noting the amount is rarely enough to fully offset funding gaps.

Gamblers wagered a total of $349.8 million at Ohio’s two casinos in August: $168.2 million at Hollywood Casino Toledo and $181.6 million at Horseshoe Casino Cleveland, according to a monthly report released Sept. 7 by the Ohio Casino Control Commission. After payouts, the casinos had a total adjusted gross revenue of $40.3 million for the month.

The state collects a 33 percent tax on that revenue. Fifty-one percent is distributed quarterly among Ohio’s 88 counties based on population. Counties whose largest city has a population of 80,000 or more split their share with that city. Those cities are Akron, Canton, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo and Youngstown. Thirty-four percent is distributed among all public school districts, 5 percent among all host cities, 3 percent to Ohio Casino Control Commission, 3 percent to the Ohio State Racing Commission fund, 2 percent to a state law enforcement training fund and 2 percent to a state problem gambling and addictions fund.

The first quarterly distribution to cities and counties was July 31; the next distribution will be Oct. 31. The first biannual school district distribution is set for Jan. 31, to be followed by the second distribution Aug. 31.

Toledo has so far received $531,616 in casino revenue, which includes its $192,041 share of Lucas County’s distribution as well as a host city distribution of $339,575.

City Finance Director Patrick McLean said the entire amount went into the city’s general fund. The city’s 2012 budget includes a projected $3.4 million in casino revenue.

In future years, the city hopes to dedicate some of its casino revenue to the city’s rainy day fund, McLean said.

“We weren’t able to do that for 2012. We may be able to do it for 2013. We will make those kinds of decisions as part of our 2013 budget preparations, which are under way right now,” McLean said.

Lucas County received $192,041, which went into the county’s general fund, said Kelly Roberts, director of the county’s Office of Management and Budget. Lucas County’s 2012 budget includes a projected $545,000 in casino tax revenue.

“We’re hoping to hit our estimate,” Roberts said. “We’re hoping it doesn’t replace the local government funds, that we keep getting the funds we’re getting and that the casino revenue doesn’t offset it and replace it.”

Wood County’s distribution of $110,296 was allocated to the county engineer’s road and bridge fund, said Wood County Administrator Andrew Kalmar. Kalmar said the Wood County Commissioners will evaluate the county’s needs each quarter before deciding where to spend casino revenue.

“There is no certain projection at the moment how much casino tax will come in, even in the next year or two years,” Kalmar said. “Our presumption is people will initially be excited about casinos and new places to go and the tax revenue might be a little higher, but then after a while that might come down to a more regular level. We’ll just have to wait and see.”

Cleveland received about $1.2 million in casino revenue, including its $554,424 share of Cuyahoga County’s distribution and a host city payout of $648,431.

Cleveland City Council passed legislation last year allocating 15 percent to council and 85 percent to the administration’s general fund, but no specifics are available regarding where those funds will be applied, said City of Cleveland press secretary Andrea Taylor.

Cuyahoga County received a distribution of $554,424. The money is in a general fund while members discuss proposed legislation, said Cuyahoga County Council Chief of Staff Joe Nanni. One recent proposal suggested using the money to promote downtown and suburban economic development as well as help fund educational initiatives, Nanni said.

“It’s nice to have, but no matter what we do we will be limited in what we can do, compared to the municipality here,” Nanni said. “There’s not a whole lot to go around.”

More than 200 miles removed from glitz of the slot machines and the glam of the gaming tables, Ohio’s least-populous county is also benefiting from bets wagered at the state’s two casinos. Half comprised of public land, including vast tracts of state forests and wildlife areas, South-central Ohio’s Vinton County has just over 13,000 residents and received $11,668, the state’s smallest distribution.

“I can tell you right now, it’s going directly into the general fund to try and make up some of the money we’ve lost,” said Vinton County Commissioner Mike Bledsoe. “We appreciate it’s there, no doubt about that, but it’s not going to a rainy day fund or a slush fund. It’s just another fund we hope will help us keep our head above water, which we’re sinking fast.”

Vinton County Auditor Cindy Owings Waugh said she’s glad Ohio is benefitting from gambling rather than another state, but she isn’t yet comfortable counting on any certain revenue level.

“The casino money is so new. We can’t count on it. It’s a new thing. People want to try it out and half those people might never go back. I’m not counting my chickens before they hatch. I would need a couple more years before I started counting on that money,” Waugh said.

Waugh said she is eagerly anticipating the Oct. 8 opening of Hollywood Casino Columbus, about 75 miles away, because it will offer much-needed job opportunities as well as increase state casino revenue.

“We will have jobs from that. People will drive. I have no doubt in my mind someone from Vinton County will be employed there,” Waugh said. “There are no jobs here. One job to us means a lot. There are not the employment opportunities there are in other places for Vinton County.”

As stipulated by state law, a county’s distribution will be split with that county’s largest city if the city had more than 80,000 residents according to the 2000 census. Canton and Youngstown have since dropped below 80,000 residents, but will still receive payouts because the language of the bill bases the distributions on 2000 figures.

Cleveland suburb Parma had a population of 85,655 residents in 2000, but won’t get any casino tax revenue because it is Cuyahoga County’s second largest city behind Cleveland.

Horseshoe Casino Cleveland became the first casino in the state when it opened May 14. Hollywood Casino Toledo opened May 29. Horseshoe Casino Cincinnati is set to open in spring 2013.

To view the complete tax distribution list, visit www.tax.ohio.gov and click on the “Casino Tax News” icon. To view the full monthly casino revenue reports, visit casinocontrol.ohio.gov and click on “Monthly Casino Revenue.”

Barhite: You never know how far a little kindness will go

By
Brandi Barhite
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I befriended a few “unpopular” people during my adolescence.

The junior high girl who students teased because of her back brace for scoliosis. The obese band member who substituted breath mints for regularly brushing.  And the neighborhood girl who no one wanted to sit with on the bus.

I hadn’t thought about these good-hearted people in a long time, and then I helped with a Sept. 19 program at Bowling Green State University, where I also work.

Rachel’s Challenge is a global initiative to start a chain reaction of kindness. Rachel Scott was the first student shot and killed at Columbine High School in 1999.

After her death, Scott’s family found some of her writings, which indicated, “I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”

It is a simple message worth repeating, especially with the school year under way.

“Our words have power to hurt, our words have power to heal,” said speaker Doug Brandl, one of Scott’s family friends.

On Sept. 17, ProMedica released a statement that indicated 20 percent of high school students reported being bullied while at school, and an estimated 16 percent reported being bullied electronically, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

To help combat this, ProMedica Toledo Children’s Hospital runs a program called Teen Peers Educating Peers (Teen PEP). Teen PEP leaders in 12 schools address teen relationship violence, bullying, rape, sexual abuse, physical and emotional abuse, as well as stereotyping and neglect, the news release stated.

I was a member of Teen PEP in the mid-90s, and (unfortunately) this program will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year because bullying and being mean is more prevalent than ever.

Even 13 years after Columbine, Rachel’s Challenge resonated with BGSU students who were 5 or 6 years old when this shooting occurred because they have lived through recent school violence.

Freshmen Bekah Pastor and Sarah Spaulding were seniors at Chardon High School during the Feb. 27 shooting in Northeast Ohio.

Pastor’s sister was in the cafeteria where the shooter carried out his killings. For 45 minutes, Pastor didn’t know her sister had survived. They had bickered that morning and she worried those would be her last words.

Spaulding thought the lockdown was a drill … until it wasn’t. Her coping mechanism these days: smiling more. She also gave her mom the “biggest hug in my whole life” after the shooting.

Pastor said she tries not to judge people because she doesn’t know their struggles. She occasionally gets rattled if she hears a loud noise that she mistakes for a gunshot, but the major aftereffect of the shooting is watching how she treats others.

“I learned not to take things for granted,” Pastor said. “If I have a bad thought, I keep it to myself.”

Rachel Scott would be proud.

European Auto Show at Vin Devers Sept. 23

By
Yaneek Smith
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A Ferrari on display at the 2011 Vin Devers European Auto Show.

If you’d like to enjoy a leisurely Sunday observing some of the world’s finest and most pristine automobiles, head to the Third Annual European Auto Show at Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania on Sept. 23.

Ferraris? Check. Bentleys? Check. Porsches? Check.

Those will be just a few of the automobile models on display at the show, said Jason Perry, Vin Devers general manager.

The event will take place 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the dealership, 5570 Monroe St., and will feature automobiles from the U.K., Germany, France, Italy and Sweden.

A vehicle on display at last year’s European Auto Show. Photo Courtesy Vin Devers Autohaus of Sylvania.

Registration, which runs from 9-11 a.m., costs $12. Awards will be handed out at 2 p.m. The event will also feature concessions and K100 (99.9 FM) will be broadcasting on site. There will be a detail clinic and a tech clinic on site for the event, Perry said.

Vin Devers Autohaus, an authorized franchise of Mercedes-Benz and Audi, has been in business since 1956 and underwent a $1.2 million renovation of its dealership early last year that gave it a new look. Franklin Park Lincoln-Mercury, formerly known as Vin Devers Lincoln-Mercury, is also part of the dealership family.

Toledo resident Justin Lange, who has attended the show in past years, is planning on attending again this weekend.

“I’m really excited about the show,” said Lange, 28, a car enthusiast. “I like to compare the different styles of cars. I like to look at the older cars as well as the newer cars to see where the technology has moved over the years.”

Lange, a married father of two, said he plans to take his kids.

“It’s always nice to have something different to do, something outside the norm. I want to show them what Daddy could’ve had if they weren’t there,” Lange said, laughing. “You see a lot of cars you usually don’t get to see around this area that are really special and rare. European car companies are important because Europe, more than any other region, treats putting together a car like an art form. [The automobiles] are finely tuned machines. [The Europeans] put the beauty of the car almost above, or on par, with everything else. And European cars are very useful, too.”

Now in its third year, the auto show has become more popular each year, Perry said.

“The show was [initially] a ground-floor exploration that has turned into a sizable event sparked by our community’s enthusiasm for European flavors,” Perry said. “It’s gonna be a great year.

For more information, contact Perry at [email protected].

Families, community rally around girls with rare disease

By
Vicki Kroll
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Carlee Kudzia and Kaylee Halko. Toledo Free Press photo by Joseph Herr.

Kaylee Halko’s enthusiasm to meet the winged wonders at the Butterfly House was obvious when she arrived.

But the 9-year-old was polite; she greeted Carly Kudzia and showed the 2-year-old some moths eating a banana.

Then Kaylee stood still with outstretched arms and said, “I’m standing right here: Land on me!”

Kaylee Halko of Monclova Township has a rare rapid-aging disease called progeria. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr

With butterflies and moths flitting around, she cracked, “Do they not like small people or something? Seriously?”

While Carly happily trotted around, Kaylee’s eagerness — and impatience — grew.

“I don’t bite,” she told the flying insects. Not exactly the butterfly whisperer.

With the help of Carly’s brother, Garrett, Kaylee soon had two paper kite butterflies perched on her hands.

Meanwhile, Carly was watching koi in a pond. Then the outgoing girl climbed up on a bench and sat next to a young boy, who didn’t know what to think.

“She’s such a flirt,” joked Heather Kudzia, Carly’s mom.

Kaylee and Carly have a lot in common with the butterflies. They’re beautiful and delicate. They’re colorful characters who make people smile. And right now, they have a short life expectancy.

The two girls are among 96 children in the world who have progeria, a rapid-aging disease. Kaylee lives in Monclova Township, just minutes away from Carly in Whitehouse.

“It certainly is a coincidence to have them so close considering there are only 22 for the entire U.S. population,” said Audrey Gordon, president and executive director of the Progeria Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to discovering treatments and a cure for the fatal genetic condition.

“The fact that this disease is so rare in the world and we have two girls in the area, maybe they’re here to help and support each other,” said Duke Wheeler, co-owner of Wheeler Farms and the Butterfly House in Whitehouse.

Carly Kudzia of Whitehouse is one of 96 children with progeria worldwide. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr

“It helps because they’re close. Kaylee loves the fact that Carly lives nearby,” said Marla Halko, Kaylee’s mom.

“[Progeria] is a hard disease, and I’m glad that the community supports Kaylee and accepts her differences,” she said. “It’s just great that people want to get involved and try to help us fight this disease.”

Wheeler is one of those offering assistance. He donated the Butterfly House’s Sept. 8 proceeds, totaling $1,000, to the Progeria Research Foundation.

“It’s kind of tough to raise money for a rare disease nobody really knows about,” said Ryan Kudzia, Carly’s dad.

Both families are holding fundraisers to help pay for a new drug trial that will be conducted by the Progeria Research Foundation.

Studies have shown rapamycin may be a possible treatment. The drug decreased the disease-causing protein progerin by 50 percent in mice, according to a 2011 study published in Science Translational Medicine.

“We’re really excited about that possibility, of the drugs transferring over from helping cells in animal models to the children,” Gordon said. “We’re excited for the children, and we’re excited for the families — there’s really true hope now.”

She estimated the cost for the new study at $5 million.

Kaylee Halko’s family. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr

“When Carly was diagnosed (in April 2011), the second drug trial was well under way; it was too late for her to participate,” Heather said. “The third drug trial we think is being finalized right now.”

Kaylee is participating in the current trial.

“She’s healthy. We haven’t had any issues,” Marla said. “The Progeria Research Foundation is actually working on prolonging the second trial so the children don’t have to go off the medication while they’re trying to work with the Food and Drug Administration [on the new trial].”

The waiting is hard.

“What are we doing? We’re just sitting around getting old! I can’t stand it! Get me the medicine! Everyone is feeling that, I’m sure,” Heather said.

In the meantime, Kaylee and Carly are staying busy.

“Kaylee’s taking jazz and tap dancing now,” Marla said. “She loves tap. She’ll come home from school and put the shoes on and tap around just because she loves the sound.”

“She’s also taking karate and is an orange belt,” said Tim Halko, her dad.

“Carly’s into ‘Curious George’ videos. She’s got her own pink iPod; she’s really into that and videos and pictures,” Ryan said. “She’s just an all-around happy little girl.”

“We’re lucky that people recognize Kaylee. They know about progeria. They know it’s something not to be scared of. They wave; they’re friendly,” Heather said. “We don’t want to shy away from the fact that Carly has progeria; we want to tell the whole world, see if they can help. And when you recognize Carly, you don’t wonder, but instead you wave or smile.”

Carly’s Party for the Cure

A fundraiser, Carly’s Party for the Cure, is set for 7:30 p.m. Sept. 28 at the Pinnacle, 1772 Indian Wood Circle, in Maumee.

This is the second year for the fundraiser, which will feature about 50 raffle and auction baskets, appetizers, a cash bar and music by Alter Ego.

Tickets for the 21-and-older event are $25 and are available online at teamCarlyQ.com/events.

The 2011 party raised $26,000 for the Progeria Research Foundation.

“We had over 400 people last year at the event, so we’re hoping to at least have 400 this year at the Pinnacle and maybe more,” Ryan said.

Carly Kudzia’s family. Toledo Free Press Photo by Joseph Herr

“It’s kind of overwhelming to feel all of that love coming toward our family and toward Carly,” Heather said. “I definitely feel lifted up and that we are not alone.”

Kaylee’s Course

Kaylee’s Course, the seventh annual race for progeria research, will take place Oct. 13 at Monclova Primary School, 8035 Monclova Road.

Registration begins at 9 a.m. The race starts at 10 a.m. Cost is $12 before Oct. 1 and $15 after for the 5K run/2-mile walk. Children 10 and younger are free.

There also will be a silent auction and raffle. Proceeds will go to the Progeria Research Foundation.

See details at sweetkaylee.com and on Facebook at groups.to/sweetkaylee.

Tim and Marla are looking for silent auction items and sponsorships. Contact them at [email protected] or (419) 878-3231.

“The event has gotten bigger than I ever thought it would,” Marla said.

“Last year, the school had a hard time trying to contain it,” Tim said, adding that nearly $60,000 was raised at the event. “It means a lot to us that the community has supported us and Kaylee — and Carly.”

Way Public Library announces fall, winter 2012 film series

By
Dock David Treece
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The Way Public Library in Perrysburg will feature several film series this fall and winter.  

The Reel Talk Film Series showcases classic films and is set for 10 a.m. on one Thursday a month. A guest speaker talks after each movie. “Broadway Melody of 1936” kicks off the 12th season of this series Oct. 11. The movie stars Robert Taylor and Eleanor Powell and is about the hijinks that go into getting a lead role on Broadway. “The Pirate,” starring Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, plays Nov. 8 and Ship Ahoy plays Dec. 6.

The Reel Art Film Series highlights foreign and art films at 7 p.m. on one Friday every month. The ninth season starts with “Queen to Play” on Sept. 28. The 2009 French film is about a chambermaid who learns to play chess. “My Father My Lord” is featured Oct. 26, followed by “Regarding Henry” on Nov. 16 and “Of Gods and Men” on Dec.14. 

The recently formed “Show Me the Movie Series” features “Moneyball” at 2 p.m. Oct. 4.  The 2011 film stars Brad Pitt and tells the story of Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane and his unique way of putting a team together. “Bernie” is the next film in the series, set for 2 p.m. Nov. 7. 

The Fonda Family Film Festival will highlight the Fondas at 2 p.m. on Sundays in November. Henry Fonda’s “The Best Man” is 2 p.m. Nov. 4. Fonda plays a presidential candidate in the 1964 film. A guest speaker will present afterward. “Ulee’s Gold” with Peter Fonda is Nov. 11 followed by Jane Fonda’s “Cat Ballou” on  Nov. 18. 

All showings are free. Free refreshments are available. The library is located at 101 East Indiana Ave., Perrysburg.  Call (419) 874-3135 for more information or visit http://www.waylibrary.info. More films will be announced for 2013. 

–Staff reports 

 

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