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Train to pull into Toledo Zoo for show

By
Vicki Kroll
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Pat Monahan leads Train into the Toledo Zoo on Aug. 14, 2012. Photo courtesy Crush Management

Most drummers live for a solo during a concert. But Scott Underwood doesn’t even need his sticks for some time in the spotlight.
The Train drummer has been marrying couples on stage during the group’s tour this summer.
“We wrote the song ‘Marry Me,’ ” he said. “People were writing in saying, ‘Can I please propose at your show?’
And people were getting on stage and proposing. Or sometimes people would propose right in the audience, and we would just hear this uproar like back in the audience somewhere and you’d see a guy on his knees.”
Train’s manager suggested one of the band members become an ordained minister. Underwood got online with the Universal Life Church.
“It’s a really cool experience to be marrying people and to have such a pivotal role in their relationship,” he said. “I know it’s a pretty heavy role; if I look at it and think about it too
much, I will get nervous, but I just am enjoying it.
“I was having actually too much fun when we first did it, and I’m jumping around the stage to get the audience going. And my singer, Pat [Monahan], was like, ‘Dude, you got to chill; this is like their moment, not your moment,’ ” Underwood said and laughed.

The Grammy award-winning group known for “Meet Virginia” and “Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me)” definitely is having fun since taking a break from 2006-09.
“We were not getting along as a band or enjoying what we were doing,” Underwood said during a call from a tour stop in St. Louis. “I think we were just disenchanted with the whole thing and also took everything for granted. We just decided to take a break instead of just continue to be unhappy.
“During that break, we just realized, No. 1 that what we have in Train is very rare and precious, and it’s something that we’re really lucky to have. It’s a gift that was given to us, and we should appreciate it and respect it and treat it well.”
Underwood, Monahan and guitarist Jimmy Staff ord also realized they wanted to write more up-tempo music.

And they did. “Hey, Soul Sister” from 2009’s “Save Me, San Francisco” topped the charts in 15 countries and was the biggest selling single of 2010.
“We want to make people dance,” Underwood said. “We come from the era of, like, grunge rock and indie rock and stuff back in the mid to late ’90s, so when we were first writing songs, it wasn’t about dancing; it was about being bummed out and nobody loves me and I’m misunderstood and all that stuff .
“We were those guys for sure, but we’ve evolved with the rest of the world into, like, let’s party and have fun. That’s the era we’re in, and it’s nice to write music that contributes to that — I want to be cheered up at shows.”
The band from the city by the bay continues to crank out good times on its sixth disc, “California 37,” which includes the hits “Drive By” and “50 Ways to Say Goodbye,” which features David Hasselhoff in the video.
“David Hasselhoff is hilarious,” Underwood said. “He’s funny just being in a video; seeing him now is funny.”
Train will pull in for a 7 p.m. concert Aug. 14 at the Toledo Zoo Amphitheatre. Andy Grammer and Mat Kearney will open. Tickets range from $39.50 to $65.

Rathbun: Commodities confusion

By
Gary Rathbun
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The past couple of weeks I have gotten several questions about investing in commodities for diversification and an inflation hedge, both at the office and on the radio.

First of all, many people confuse investing in commodities with commodity futures. While these investments are related, they are very different and have different uses. Commodities are tangible assets such as gold, silver, copper, zinc, wheat, corn, gasoline and oil, among others. Futures contracts are simply speculation or hedging on the future price of these commodities.
Let’s say you think corn is going to go down in price in the future; you could agree to sell corn in November for the price of $8 a bushel. Sometime between now and the date in November you could purchase the corn at a lower price, say $6 a bushel, and fulfill your sale of corn in November. This will give you a $2 profit on corn you never owned or intended to own.
If the price of corn goes against you and between now and November corn continues to rise to say $11 a bushel, you will lose $3 a bushel and will have to write a check for the difference. On 10,000 bushels this is a $30,000 loss.
Futures contracts are highly speculative, partially because of the uncertainty of the price of a future good but also because the futures contract can be entered into with very little cash out of your pocket. So a 10,000 bushel contract of corn, worth more than $80,000 can be controlled for as little as $8,000. For $8,000, you could make $20,000 or lose $30,000, in the examples above.
With the amount of leverage available for these contracts, it is easy to see how people can get into trouble if they don’t know what they are doing. Also, it is easy to see how companies like MF Global can get into deep trouble making the market for futures contracts.
Commodity investing, while similar to above, is actually investing in the commodity itself. The most common, for most of us, is buying gold and silver. Commodities in general are fairly sensitive to the effects of inflation and therefore are a good hedge against inflation going forward.
Investing in commodities can be done by taking physical delivery or by using an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that invests in the commodity. Taking physical delivery is fairly easy if you are buying precious metals, because you can get a lot of value in a small quantity. Taking physical delivery of 10,000 bushels of corn, however, can be a little more cumbersome for most of us.
Using an ETF for some of your commodity investing can be very convenient because you don’t have to take delivery and you still get most of the advantage of the movement of the underlying asset. ETFs also allow you to hedge your hedge, if you will, by protecting the downside with limits and options.
There is always some counter-party risk, but in “normal” markets this is minimal. There is usually plenty of liquidity to provide a market for the ETF shares. I am not a big fan of mutual funds for any investing, but you can also invest in commodities using mutual fundsif you like. Generally, using a mutual fund will pretty much eliminate the counter-party risk since mutual funds are required to redeem their shares for their investors on demand.
In conclusion, commodities should be a part of a portfolio in one form or another if your risk tolerance allows. Whether you use futures contracts, ETFs, mutual funds or take physical delivery, commodities can provide an inflation hedge and additional diversification to your investments. ✯
Gary L. Rathbun is the president and CEO of Private Wealth Consultants, LTD.

Campaign raises $2,454 for Feed Lucas County Children

By
Morgan Delp
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Feed Lucas County Children (FLCC) received $2,454.47 from the Round Up Hunger campaign.

The initiative allowed customers to donate their change at Walt Churchill’s Markets in Maumee and Perrysburg during the first two weeks of July.
On Aug. 2, Chris Kozak, communications and community relations manager for Columbia Gas of Ohio, and Walt Churchill presented FLCC Development Director Emily Laurel with two checks (one from each store) at the market’s Maumee location.
“We’re so grateful for this wonderful community partnership and the ability to sustain our program,” Laurel said.
FLCC Executive Director Tony Siebeneck said the donation will provide at least 1,700 meals for Lucas County children, which is about one third of a single day’s meals, or lunch for one summer day in the county.
Laurel said FLCC is currently weighing options for a new kitchen that will be able to provide about 20,000 meals per day. Recently, the organization located a possible building for its new, expanded kitchen. Th e exact location will not be released to the public for a couple of weeks, Siebeneck said.
“We think the whole roof needs to be replaced, which will cost between $175,000-$200,000,” Siebeneck said.
Siebeneck said that because of the damaged roof, the organization’s ongoing need for community support in making the kitchen a reality has become critical.
“Th is kitchen will be the first kitchen in Ohio with the capacity to end summer hunger in the county,” Siebeneck said. “We need some people with compassion to step up to the table here.”
“What better place to donate than a kitchen feeding kids for the next umpteenth decades? … We need as many people to help as soon as we can in the county,” Siebeneck said. “It would be a great thing for the county to achieve this objective.”
Th e nonprofit organization is funded through private donors, businesses, grants, churches and federal money, according to feedlucaschildren.org. It has provided more than 700,000 summer meals for children 18 and younger since 2002, a FLCC news release said. Th is summer, FLCC has distributed from 80 different countywide locations.
On July 23, FLCC received its fi rst shipment of “weekend backpacks,” which are distributed on Fridays at the sites to provide weekend meals for all the children. Before the five-week initiative began, FLCC only provided take-home weekend meals at some of their sites.
“The governor is very tuned into child hunger and they called and asked and we came together,” Siebeneck said of the initiative. “[Ohio Association of Food Banks] agreed to ship the meals in.”
Four thousand “backpacks” will be distributed each week until Aug. 24. Each USDA approved cellophane pack contains two breakfasts, two lunches and two dinners, along with two milk containers and two 100 percent juice boxes.
About 120,000 weekend meals will have been provided for Lucas County children when the project is over, Siebeneck said. Th is is in addition to the thousands of weekday meals the organization provides.
“We’ve never done anything like this before,” Siebeneck said. “It could possibly be new to the area as well.”
FLCC has reached out to area Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, along with other area groups, for help with loading and distributing the meals.
As the summer draws to an end, Siebeneck said FLCC will wrap up its fi rst annual summer kids camps and begin to start working with the schools on school meals, snacks and dinners for after-school tutoring.
Siebeneck said in mid-September probably 25-30 school sites will be utilized, but that number will grow as schools get acclimated.
Siebeneck said the camp at Knight Academy, which began June 13, did very well, and FLCC is already looking into adding more sites next summer.
“We did pretesting and already we’re starting to do some post-testing. We’re seeing nice results we’re happy with,” Siebeneck said. “When [the kids] go back to school they’ll definitely be more in the learning mode. We feel good we’ve been able to help slow down the ‘brain drain’ this summer.
For the first year of running this camp we’re pleased with the results.”
Th e free camp had 421 registered participants throughout its summer-long duration. It ended Aug. 9, but Siebeneck hopes to extend the program next summer.
“Being the first year, we were a little conservative. We’ll probably add three more weeks next summer,” Siebeneck said.
On Sept. 23, FLCC will host a benefit golf outing at Spuyten Duyval Golf Course on Central Avenue. The cost to participate is $75 per person in a foursome. Th e event comes with dinner and other perks, Siebeneck said.

More details and registration information will be available on feedlucaschildren.org later in August.

Owens alumni, area businesses partner for school supply drive

By
Erin Holden
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Children at Garfield Elementary look at school supplies purchased at the 2011 supply drive. Photo courtesy Owens Alumni Association

Owens Community College’s Alumni Association in collaboration with several area businesses is reaching out to area children in need by hosting a month-long “Backpack to the Future” school supply drive.
The drive started July 17 and runs through Aug. 17. Books-A-Million, Directions Credit Union, Great Lakes Credit Union and Genoa Bank are partners in the drive.
Items needed are gently used or new backpacks, crayons, markers, bottles of glue, glue sticks, colored pencils, pencils, pink erasers, school boxes, pocket folders, marble covered composition books and tissues.
The alumni association works with schools to give away the supplies to low-income kindergartners, partnering with elementary schools in Lucas, Wood and Hancock counties in which a high percentage of students are eligible to receive free and reduced price lunches.
“We’re unique in the standpoint that we don’t give supplies to individuals directly,” said Laura Moore, executive director of the Owens Alumni Association. “We give the suppliesand
the backpacks to the schools so they  can handle the distribution because they know their students and their families best.”
Last year’s drive collected 426 backpacks and 8,200 school supplies. Since establishing the program in 2004, the alumni association has given away 2,356 backpacks and 42,661 school supplies to Northwest Ohio students.
“As you can imagine, every year the need is greater,” Moore said. “We see so many schools that have 90 percent of their students at free and reduced lunches. We’d love to serve every school, but we only have so many supplies that come in.”
The association tries to partner with different schools each year.
“We feel it’s so crucial for students in their first official exposure to school to find it really fun and exciting,” Moore said. “If a child doesn’t have supplies and the student next to them does, they are in the position to borrow all year long. Can you imagine how that would feel? We really want to break down those barriers. We recognize supplies areneeded. Backpacks are needed. Without those necessary supplies, the kids start off at a disadvantage.”
Garfield Elementary in Toledo was one of the schools chosen to receive donated backpacks and supplies last year. Principal Janice Richardson said the school received enough supplies to last all year for students through eighth grade.
“It was just a blessing,” Richardson said. “With the economy the way it was, just to look a parent in the face when they are struggling to find a job or make ends meet and say, ‘We can handle this,’ was great. Tissues, folders, notebooks, backpacks — you name it, we needed it and it was there. Whenever we’d see someone who needed a backpack, we gave them one.
“If someone lost one, we gave them one. We didn’t have to fret, didn’t have to spend money. We just had to come down to the supply room and get it and they lasted us and will take us to the beginning of the school year. The group at Owens is just wonderful. You know they are doing this from the heart and it just gets bigger and bigger each year. We were very fortunate to have those supplies. I am forever grateful.”
There are 19 community drop-off locations:
Books-A-Million bookstores
(2105 Levis Commons Blvd. at Levis Commons in Perrysburg and 1800 Tiffin Ave. in the Findlay Village Mall in Findlay).
Directions Credit Union branches
(5121 Whiteford Road in Sylvania, 3000 Tremainsville Road in Toledo, 3321 Briarfield Blvd. in Maumee, 4150 Brockway Drive in Perrysburg, 3312 Dustin Road in Oregon, 2533 S. Reynolds Road in Toledo, 3450 Central Ave., Suite 128, in Toledo, 27427 Crossroads Pkwy. in Rossford and 1 Owens Corning Pkwy. in Toledo).
Genoa Bank branches
(801 Main St. in Genoa, 3201 Navarre Ave. in Oregon, 703 Conant St. in Maumee, 24950 W. State Route 51 in Millbury and 9920 Old U.S. 20 in Rossford).
Great Lakes Credit Union branches
(5823 Monroe St. in Sylvania, 580 Craig Drive in Perrysburg and 1890 N. Wilkinson Way at the O-I Plaza in Perrysburg).
Area residents can also bring their donations to Owens’ Office of Alumni Relations on the Toledo area campus, 30335 Oregon Road in Perrysburg Township, the Arrowhead Park Learning Center at 1724 Indian Wood Circle in Maumee or the Education Center Atrium on the Findlay-area campus.
For more information about the school supply drive, contact the Alumni Relations Office at (567) 661-7876, 1-800-GO-OWENS, Ext. 7876 or [email protected].

Bookstore a hit at UT Gateway

By
Duane Ramsey
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The Barnes & Noble bookstore at the UT Gateway is meant to offer college bookstore services as well as appeal to the general public bookstore user. Toledo Free Press photos by Joseph Herr.

The relocated Barnes & Noble bookstore has been a great success since its grand opening July 11 near the University of Toledo at the corner of Dorr Street and Secor Road.
“We far exceeded last year’s sales (for the same time period) in the first week we were open,” said Colleen Strayer, general manager of the campus bookstore operated by Barnes & Noble.
“All in all, we think our new location is a home run,” Strayer said. Strayer reported that foot traffic in the store, which is part of UT’s Gateway Project, has been steady, with people responding, “beautiful,” when asked what they think of the store.

The cafe has been an especially big hit with customers, she said.
“We have seen a marked increase in families with children in the store as compared to our former location in the Student Union,” Strayer said.
Bookstore and UT officials hoped the Barnes & Noble store would act as an anchor for Gateway development and attract customers from the surrounding community.
“The opening of the new Barnes & Noble was a great way to kick off Gateway phase one and showcase the institution’s commitment to creating a student-centered environment,” said Matt Schroeder, vice president for real estate and business development for the University of Toledo Foundation.
Schroeder said foundation members began talking with students several years ago about concepts for a gateway on the southwest corner of the UT campus. That talk became a reality with the Gateway Project.

The entrance to the Barnes & Noble UT bookstore at Dorr and Secor.

“We wanted to plant a flag in the ground to show our commitment to reinvestment in the community with the Gateway development,” Schroeder said.
In 2004, the UT Foundation created a subsidiary, the UT Foundation Real Estate Corp., to handle all real estate transactions and investment of property for the university, Schroeder said. He joined the UT Foundation following the merger of the university and former Medical University of Ohio.
“The foundation’s sole mission is to utilize investment dollars to generate a return for the university and improve the overall experience for students, to help with recruitment and retention. Students look at the overall experience at the university,” Schroeder said.
‘Academic superstore’
Students may not recognize the former UT Bookstore in its new home under the Barnes & Noble banner. However, Barnes & Noble has operated the university bookstore for more than 20 years according to Strayer, a UT graduate.
“We wanted people to feel like they’re walking into a Barnes & Noble store. We call it an academic superstore,” Strayer said.
Customers will recognize the typical bookstore displays with plenty of additional features, including a full-service cafe selling Starbucks products.
A convenience area will offer drinks, snacks, health and beauty aids for sale. The snack area includes plenty of seating and Wi-Fi connections so students can plug in their computers, Strayer said.
The bookstore and cafe are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Gateway Project development includes 50,000 square feet of commercial space. Barnes & Noble occupies 18,300 square feet on two floors, leaving an additional 22,000 square feet of first-floor retail space.
Other tenants at Gateway include a Great Clips salon and Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, scheduled to open in mid-August.
Yogurt U and a Wireless Zone for Verizon are expected to open in early August with a new Rice Boulevard sushi shop later this month.
Gradkowski’s Sports Grille, a sports bar and restaurant owned by
former Toledo Rocket and current Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Bruce Gradkowski, is expected to open in time for the first home football game against Bowling Green on Sept. 15, Schroeder said.

BGSU, UT collaborate on avian research project

By
Brigitta Burks
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Providing technological support for Bowling Green State University researchers collecting data on bird and bat migrations are University of Toledo engineering students Mohammad Wadood Majid, Vamshi Gummalla, Amin Jarrah and Golrokh Mirzaei and UT professor Mohsin Jamali, right, posing with project equipment. At left is BGSU biologist Jeremy Ross. Photo by Daniel Miller/courtesy University of Toledo.

It’s for the birds — but also the bats. And the wind turbines.
In 2009, because of the potential effects wind turbines may have on birds and bats, Bowling Green State University and the University of Toledo partnered for a Coastal Ohio Wind Project study of birds and bats that migrate to Lake Erie. The study is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and focuses on species that migrate at night.
Birds can die if they run into turbines while bats can hemorrhage because of the low air pressure created by wind turbines, said BGSU biologist Jeremy Ross. Ross is spearheading the nature side of the study while Mohsin Jamali, UT professor of electrical engineering and computer science, and his team of students offer technological support on the project and help analyze data.
“The conflict arises because while Lake Erie has strong, stable winds, it’s also known as a major migratory stopping point,” Ross said. “The potential threats [birds and bats] face during migration are the biggest threats they face during their lives.”
The project’s objective is to collect data and provide information to policymakers, Jamali said.
“We’re very excited about this project and happy to be able to shed light on the interactions of birds, bats and wind turbines and develop public policy where [turbines] should be placed and not be placed,” Jamali said.
Ross said Northwest Ohio draws tourists who come just to view the migration of songbirds. These tourists account for more than $26 million in the northern Ohio economy.
Although there are no industrial-scale development plans in place, there have been proposals for wind turbines on the lake, Ross said. He added that the study should make policymakers aware of birds’ and bats’ patterns and allow the government and developers to mitigate the impact of wind turbines on the species.

Ross began studying the potential effects of wind turbines on birds and bats in 2007, specifically focusing on the wind turbines at BGSU’s Firelands campus before shifting his focus to the lake. UT came on board two years later, after BGSU approached the institution.
From mid-April to the end of May and from mid-August to the end of October, Ross deploys the study’s equipment at a spot on the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge shoreline. He starts a little before sunset and ends before dawn.
The study uses acoustic recordings, which allow the team to determine which species and how many are present based on their sounds, radar to determine the velocity and ascent and descent rates and thermal cameras to determine coordinates.
Jamali said the UT-developed radar could provide other institutes with a way of creating cheaper radars. His radar costs $100,000 compared to the $200,000-$500,000 commercial radars typically cost.
Since public institutes publish their work, other research teams could potentially recreate the radar based on UT’s articles.
Jamali said he hopes to keep the team, which also includes BGSU faculty members Joe Firazado and Vern Bingman and BGSU faculty member and principal investigator Peter Gorsevski, together for a new study.
The UT professor plans to travel to Memphis, Tenn., in August to attend a meeting and look for potential funding for the new project seeking to prevent birds and bats from colliding with planes.
However, the team also wants to extend funding for its current project, which is set to end Nov. 30. If the project continues, Ross believes the team could set up multiple research spots on the lake and even become a leader in the field.
Ross also praised Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who got the ball rolling on the project.
“This project really owes a lot to Marcy Kaptur. She spearheaded this effort,” he said.

Miller: Highs and lows of Put-in-Bay

By
Don Lee
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Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial penetrates the sky above the harbor where once Perry's fleet marshalled and now frolickers flock. Photo by Michael S. Miller

Every summer, the core Toledo Free Press team schedules a business retreat to Put-in-Bay.
As a “business retreat,” it’s a day to retreat from business, to have fun and get away from the daily grind. We’ve traveled there for the past five summers, establishing a routine that is one of the season’s highlights.

We ride the Jet Express from Port Clinton to the island, and that 25-minute jaunt by itself is worth the trip. Cruising across that wide-open lake on the top deck with the sun embracing every atom, the wind playing 35 mph slap-and-tickle and the surging motion of the waves is like being scrubbed clean of the worries, stresses and annoyances of the workday.
Once on the island, we stroll along Hartford and Delaware avenues, past the Boathouse Bar and Grill, the Round House Bar and Frosty Bar, up to Catawba Avenue where Hooligan’s Irish Pub and Tony’s offer familiar menus.
After lunch, we amble to Erie Street to Splash!, which earns its exclamation point with The Flaming Skull, a pirate ship bar docked beside a swim-up bar that winds under an upper deck bandshell. Most of us pull up a stool, order a drink and people-watch. A few of our braver souls will wander into the water, and the next hour or so melts away like a slush daiquiri in the noon sun.

Eventually, some of our group heads to the Round House to hear Mike “Mad Dog” Adams or to the Boathouse to hear the great Pat Dailey, while others walk the south coast of the island.
It’s like an eight-hour spring break for those of us too old for spring break.
It’s a chance to live vicariously through the younger, presumably single people who are relaxed (i.e., inebriated) enough to make time with each other and drink while standing in a waist-deep pool none of the men ever seem to exit, even after enough hours and beers to make Superman’s bladder cry for mercy.
It’s faux voyeurism and faux debauchery, but it’s as close to either as most of us get at this stage in our lives.
Family day
This year’s Toledo Free Press retreat was one week before a smaller trip my family arranged with another family. I know the island offers plenty of non-Charlie Sheen activities, and we left early enough in the day to be able to leave before the nighttime rock ‘n’ roll started.
It was a beautiful, clear day, not oppressively hot but warmand sunny. We disembarked from the Jet Express and the eight of us (four adults and four kids, all younger than 11) stopped at De Rivera Park so the kids could romp on the playground while we waited for the nearby Perry’s Victory and International Peace Memorial to open. The monument, which has been closed for repairs for the past few years, is now open and taking people up 317 ofits 352 feet to an amazing vantage point of the island and lake.
On a clear day, the view extends 59 miles to downtown Cleveland. It’s a solemn monument, the resting place for three American and three British sailors who died in the Battle of Lake Erie. It is stunning architecture, the third-highest structure of its type in the world, after the Gateway Arch in St. Louis and the Washington Monument. It stands straight and erect, penetrating the sky and dominating the island.
Our next move was to buy tickets on the Put-in-Bay Tour Train, which circles the island andlets passengers disembark at several attractions, then climb back on board to continue the tour. We did not stop at either of the wineries or historical houses, but our first stop turned out to be a highlight of the day.
The Historic Fish Hatchery and Aquatic Education Center has a cumbersome name but offers a neat glimpse into the Division of Wildlife’s work in the lake. Best of all, it featuresfree fishing for the younger
visitors. They hand you a rod and reel, point to the bait and let you fish from the dock.
It has been 30 years since I fished, but I wrapped a half of a worm around the hook and sat with 6-year-old Evan to let the line into the water.
Evan was patient until his mom and younger brother Sean landed a decent-size pumpkinseed fish. Our line only caught nibbles and we sacrificed several worms, but even though we caught nothing, it was a great hour and a memory I will always keep.
Our train took us around to the north side of the island where a single stop offered hours of family activities, from a marvelous butterfly house and an antique car museum to miniature golf (The War of 18 Holes) and a number of other distractions, the most intriguing of which was Perry’s Cave.
There used to be three caves open for touring, but two of them are no longer safe, a little tidbit of information the tour guide tells you once you have descended the slippery stone stairs and entombed yourself in a limestone cavern that would make even Bruce Wayne and Montresor claustrophobic. It’s a tight little space, wet and close and mysterious.
The only time the two worlds of Put-in-Bay crossed was when, after our families ordered dinner at Pasquale’s, I walked the patriarch of our guests to see the Christmas in July bacchanal at Splash! and its swim-up bar rival, Mist. It was only a 10-minute excursion, but we saw enough fruit of temptation to guilt us both into scurrying back to our families.
A Facebook friend of mine described the Christmas in July crowd atPut-in-Bay as “amateurs,” but plenty of those women looked like professionals to me.
Kids in a candy store
We closed the day with a stop I knew would rock the kids, at the Depot Fudge Company. In addition to several handmade treats, the shop stocks hundreds of types of candy, from the most current Angry Birds-themed confections to ancient favorites like wax lips and the bonus of a 5-pound gummy bear. If you’ve never seen the phrase “kid in a candy store” come to life, the Depot Fudge Company offers your chance.
Our families, weary and happy, caught the Jet Express back to Port Clinton where we wrapped up the kids’ day of indulgence with a quick stop at the Great Lakes Popcorn Co. on Madison Street. Try the Chicago Mix and the Black Cherry.
One side of Put-in-Bay aims for partiers, laden with thoughts of sin and sex. The other side offers wholesome family fun, free of any such vice, highlighted by the towering skyward thrust of Perry’s Monument and the mysterious subterranean delights of Perry’s Cave.
It’s cool to know that one place can serve as a destination for such disparate purposes.
Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press
Star. Contact him at [email protected]

Three-day gay pride celebration to kick off Aug. 10

By
Erin Holden
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Participants in the 2011 Pride Parade. Photo courtesy Rick Cornett

Toledo Pride is moving to the Downtown streets, expanding its parade route and adding several new activities — all factors organizers say will make this year’s event bigger and better than ever.

The three-day weekend will kick off with a Nite Glo 5K/fun run Aug. 10 at the University of Toledo. There will be a parade at noon Aug. 11 followed by a commitment ceremony for 10 couples and an event lineup that includes community vendors, live music, a drag show and after-parties. On Aug. 12, participants can cool down with a water balloon fight and community ice cream social.

About 5,000 people attended Toledo Pride last year in Promenade Park and more are expected this year as the event moves to Levis Square, said Lexi Staples, executive director of the Pride of Toledo Foundation and event director for Toledo Pride.

This is the third year for Toledo Pride and the second year for the parade. The event was moved because of construction at Promenade Park.

“We’re just jazzed. It’s just crazy how fast it’s been growing,” Staples said. “We’re excited to move back to Promenade Park next year, but I think it’s going to work out and the new parade route is better. The main benefit is the cool parade route.”

 

The parade route will start at Levis Square and wind through Jefferson Avenue, Huron Street and Adams Street before ending back at Levis Square, located on North St. Clair Street between Jefferson and Madison avenues.

Mayor Mike Bell and Jennifer Tyrrell of Bridgeport, Ohio, will serve as grand marshals. Tyrrell, a lesbian and mother of four, recently gained national attention after she was removed by the Boy Scouts of America as her son’s Cub Scout den mother because of her sexual orientation.

Parade coordinator Torie Thorne said the parade is fun for everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

“The parade is just a melting pot of everyone in the community,” Thorne said. “It’s always a lot of good energy. It’s family-friendly. It’s just a really good time. Last year, it went really well, so I can only imagine it will be a million times better this year.”

Following the parade, 10 couples will participate in a commitment ceremony in Levis Square organized by Toledo Pride in partnership with Support Marriage Equality in Ohio.

The Community Connection Festival event will run from 1-7 p.m., featuring more than 60 vendor booths as well as food and drinks. Live entertainment, including bands and a drag show, will run until midnight. Admission is $5 before 7 p.m. and $7 after 7 p.m.

“We’ve got some great performers coming in,” Staples said. “The entertainment will be on a higher scale. It’s just going to be bigger and better.”

Minneapolis-based Spearz, an all-male Britney Spears cover band, will headline the musical acts at 9 p.m. Other performers include Amanda Rice at 12:45 p.m., Toledo cover band The Rivets at 1:35 p.m., Ohio powerpop/electronic rock artist Master T.C. at 2:30 p.m., techno pop singer/songwriter Christopher Norman of Ann Arbor at 3:40 p.m., synth-driven electronic pop group Wideband Network, featuring vocalist Casey Clark of Toledo, at 4:50 p.m., rock cover band Arctic Clam of Toledo at 6:10 p.m. and electronic DJ Kenneth Thomas of Detroit at 7:30 p.m. Times are subject to change.

The Drag Extravaganza, starting at 10:30 p.m., will include Mystique Summers, a contestant on season two of Logo TV’s “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” as well as local favorites Felaciana Thunderpussy, Deja Dellataro, London Asia, Amber Stone and The Bois with Outskirts.

Several bars, including Bretz, OUTSKiRTS RHouse, RipCord and Blush, will host after-parties following the entertainment.

Nite Glo 5K

The inaugural Nite Glo 5K was organized by recent University of Toledo graduate Justin Veigel, who said his high school cross country team in Akron hosted a similar event and he thought it would be a fun addition to Toledo Pride.

“Some Prides have a 5K competition, but we wanted to do something different than everyone else and do it at night,” Veigel said. “We thought that would be pretty cool and thought it’d be a great way to get people to Toledo early and get them to explore a little more.”

Participants will receive colored glow sticks and run through an illuminated course on UT’s main campus. There will also be a pet-friendly one-mile event for participants to “run, walk or roll.” All participants will receive a T-shirt.

Registration starts at 6 p.m. Aug. 10. the race begins around 9 p.m. Participants can preregister at toledopride.com. Cost is $18 for the 5K and $15 for the one-mile event. Proceeds will benefit the Pride of Toledo Foundation, Equality Toledo and Spectrum UT, the LGBTQA student group at UT.

Sunday Funday

Sunday Funday, hosted by the Owens Community College Gay Straight Alliance in partnership with the Pride of Toledo Foundation, will run from noon to 4 p.m. Aug. 12 in the quad between College Hall, Health Technologies Hall and the Child Care Center at Owens’ Toledo-area campus.

Guests are encouraged to bring their own picnic baskets, blankets and chairs to the family-friendly, alcohol-free event featuring a water balloon tournament at 1 p.m. and ice cream social at 3 p.m., said event coordinator Lily Briggs, president of Owens’ Gay Straight Alliance. Music, giveaways and other activities, including beanbag toss, Frisbee and sidewalk chalk, are also planned.

Admission is free, but donations of nonperishable food items for Owens’ Harvest Food Pantry are encouraged, Briggs said.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Briggs said. “I hope people just leave knowing everyone around them accepted them for who they are and they could just let loose and have fun with their friends and kids and family. Toledo Pride is the one place, once a year, that you can just truly be yourself and not worry about anything.”

Toledo Free Press is the media sponsor of Toledo Pride.

Toledo Free Press is the media sponsor of Toledo Pride. For more information, visit www.toledopride.com.

Tourney draws world’s best LPGA players to Toledo

By
Toledo Free Press
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Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Director Judd Silverman describes Highland Meadows as ‘a shot-maker’s golf course.’ Photo courtesy Highland Meadow Golf Club and Kristen Nicole Photography.

The best female golfers in the country are coming to the Toledo area.

From Aug. 9-12, 2012, the city will host the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Tour for the 27th Jamie Farr Toledo Classic. After taking a year off the LPGA schedule, the event will make its return to the Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania.

“It’s great for the community to be able to watch the best players in the world,” said Judd Silverman, a former PGA caddie from Toledo who first brought the classic to Toledo in 1984.

Since its inception, the tournament has become a favorite stop for the LPGA. It was voted by the players as the fifth favorite tournament on the schedule.

Jamie Farr Toledo Classic Director Judd Silverman describes Highland Meadows as ‘a shot-maker’s golf course.’ Photo courtesy Highland Meadow Golf Club and Kristen Nicole Photography.

This year’s roster of tournament entrants will bring the best the tour has to offer to Toledo. The field includes 18 of the top 20 players in the world rankings, including No. 1 Yani Tseng of Taiwan, who has held the top spot for the past 77 weeks. Also in the tournament is defending champion Na Yeon Choi, 2008 champion Paula Creamer, five-time Jamie Farr champion Se Ri Pak, Brittany Lincicome, Cristie Kerr, Morgan Pressel and Michelle Wie.

Hometown fans will have an added reason to see the tournament in Stacy Lewis. The world’s No. 2 ranked player was born in Toledo and moved to Texas before attending The University of Arkansas from 2005-08. Lewis has two victories and 10 top-10 finishes this year, racking up $1,200,169 in earnings in 2012.

Lewis and the rest of the LPGA roster will have a chance to add to their earnings totals in Toledo with a $1.3 million total purse, up from a $175,000 purse in the tournament’s inaugural season. This year’s winner’s purse is $195,000.

To share in those winnings, however, the entrants will have to conquer Highland Meadows. The par-71 course, which opened in 1925, stretches 6,762 yards with the tournament course marked at 6,428 yards. It features narrow, hilly fairways and bunkered greens, as well as a creek that runs through seven of its holes.

“Highland Meadows is a shot-maker’s golf course,” Silverman said. “It is an old traditional parkland course that requires accurate tee shots. It’s always in excellent condition. Superintendent Dan Salois and his staff do a great job and the LPGA players look forward to coming back to Northwest Ohio every year to play the course in front of big crowds.”

Tournament organizers are hoping for a big crowd, but perhaps not for the reason you might think.

The Jamie Farr Toledo Classic will donate net proceeds from the tournament to 10 area charities. Those organizations include Aurora House, Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo, Family and Child Abuse Prevention Center, Feed Lucas County Children, Kids Unlimited, Mom’s House, The Victory Center, YMCA/JCC of Greater Toledo, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio and the Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of the Toledo Community Foundation.

Since 1984, the tournament has donated $7.4 million to more than 120 different charities. The financial benefits will also impact Toledo, as Silverman projected the tournament will have close to a $10 million impact on the local economy.

More than 1,000 volunteers keep the tournament running smoothly.

“It would not be possible to execute the event without the help and commitment of the volunteers,” Silverman said. “They are the backbone of a successful tournament.”

Daily tickets are $15 for weekdays or $20 for Saturday and Sunday. They are available at the gate or the three Shawn’s Irish Tavern locations. Weekly tickets are $50 and are available at the gate or at local Kroger stores. Weekly tickets include a pass for each day, including Aug. 6-8, which features daily special events. Kids 17 and younger get in free with an adult.

For more information, visit www.JamieFarrToledoClassic.com.

Director Judd Silverman has high hopes for 2012 Jamie Farr tournament

By
Fred Altvater
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After taking a year off to accommodate the U.S. Senior Open, the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic returns Aug. 6-12 at Highland Meadows Golf Club in Sylvania. Longtime tournament director Judd Silverman talked with Toledo Free Press about some of this year’s new elements.

TFP: How did you get started with Toledo native and actor Jamie Farr as the tournament host?

Tourney director Judd Silverman said the 2012 Jamie Farr Classic purse is $1.3 million. Toledo Free Press file photo.

Judd Silverman: Back in 1983 when the first Jamie Farr Classic was beginning to take shape, I had the idea of asking Mr. Farr to be involved. Through the efforts of a high school classmate, Don Michel, we were able to contact Jamie. The first tournament was for the benefit of the Ronald McDonald House. Jamie was delighted with the idea and agreed to come on board. We have been thrilled with his involvement over the years. He seems to truly enjoy his continuing connection to his hometown and has been a great ambassador for the tournament.

TFP: How has new sponsor Hollywood Casino Toledo helped the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic?

JS: The Hollywood Casino has become the title sponsor of the Hollywood Casino Gala Dinner & Show to be held Tuesday evening, Aug. 7, at the SeaGate Centre; 1,600-1,700 people will attend a night of dinner and top-flight entertainment. Comedian Tom Dreesen, who has been on “The Tonight Show” and performed with Frank Sinatra, will headline the evening’s entertainment. Tickets can be obtained by contacting the Jamie Farr Toledo Classic tournament office at (419) 531-3277. We at the Jamie Farr are very thankful for their active support and look forward to a continuing relationship with the Hollywood Casino.

TFP: What is Friday at The Farr?

JS: Friday at The Farr offers an excellent opportunity for the Toledo business community to network in a relaxed and fun atmosphere on the Friday afternoon and evening of the Jamie Farr Classic. Entertainment will be provided by Nine Lives at the After Play Party around the par-3 14th hole. The Jamie Farr Classic is continually seeking ways to make the golf tournament enjoyable for the business community. Friday at The Farr will hopefully become an annual event for Toledo-area business people to experience the tournament and stick around for some fun and entertainment after play has ended for the day.

TFP: What is the total purse for this year’s tournament?

JS: The total purse for the LPGA Jamie Farr Toledo Classic will be

$1.3 million with about $200,000 going to the winner. This has increased from a total purse of $175,000 for the inaugural Jamie Farr Classic in 1984. Natalie Gulbis, Na Yeon Choi, Paula Creamer, Cristie Kerr, Christina Kim, Stacy Lewis, Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel and Se Ri Pak are just a few of the big names that have committed to play in the 2012 Jamie Farr Classic.

TFP: How much will be donated to area charities this year?

JS: Our goal for the 2012 event is $300,000-$350,000. We won’t know the exact number until after the conclusion of the event and all the expenses are paid. We were able to donate $275,000 to area charities from the 2010 tournament, and we feel that we should be able to increase that for this year.

TFP: How excited were you to see the 2010 Jamie Farr Classic champion Na Yeon Choi win the 2012 US Women’s Open?

JS: It was great to see her get the major win. She just continues to improve and get better. I was personally very happy for her and look forward to her coming back to Toledo to play in this year’s event.

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