BOWLING GREEN – Despite contrary perceptions, research increasingly shows that divorce of couples at or over age 50 has risen significantly, despite overall divorce rates decreasing in the U.S.
This phenomenon is called gray divorce, something studied byBowling Green State University (BGSU) professors Susan Brown and I-Fen Lin.
While the phrase was coined locally by the two researchers, it is now nationally used by prominent sources such asPsychology Today,USA Today andForbes.
Brown and Lin began researching gray divorce in 2010 after a conversation about the divorce of Al and Tipper Gore made them wonder, “What makes people get divorced after 40 years of marriage?”
They didn’t expect to discover this was not as uncommon as they’d previously thought.
What started as a hallway conversation soon became a 15-year research project that is still ongoing.
BGSU professor Susan Brown.BGSU professor I-Fen Lin.
“The divorce rate overall for the entire adult population of the United States has been declining, so it peaked in 1979,” Brown said. “We were really shocked to find out that it was actually increasing for older people and that it doubled between 1990 and 2010.”
Lin explained that gray divorce research can give context to how it will affect divorcées, particularly women.
“Our research findings have very important implications. We find that [with] the economic well-being after gray divorce, there’s a big drop for women but there’s a smaller decrease for men’s well-being,” Lin said. “People who experience gray divorce, they experience economic decline, and they don’t really have a lot of work years to recuperate.”
Brown pointed out that a factor of this recuperation has to do with the accumulation of wealth and assets to split, including Social Security money.
“Somebody who’s 60 or 65 years old and getting divorced…it’s very different than if you’re getting divorced when you’re 30 or 35,” Brown said. “When you’re young, you’ve got your whole adult life course ahead of you to make up for those financial losses…Whereas by the time you get into later life, people have had decades to accumulate assets.”
“We found that we can follow people for up to a decade after their gray divorce and they still haven’t recovered economically,” Brown said.
According to Brown, their research could influence policy decisions related to these economic issues.
“Your marital experiences during adulthood are related to your poverty status as an older adult. We think of Social Security as something that’s going to lift you out of poverty. But for a lot of older people, it’s sustaining them in poverty, and that’s particularly true for a gray divorced woman. 27 percent of them are living below the poverty line, even though they’re receiving Social Security,” Brown said.
Brown said some of the problems that arise for people who have experienced gray divorce are because of the assumptions made by those who created the system; firstly, that people wouldn’t divorce, and secondly, that a traditional nuclear family would remain a social norm.
“We’ve set our systems with these assumptions about what types of family support most people would have,” Brown said.
All these factors beg the question, why would someone get a gray divorce?
Along with more acceptance of divorce is our changing expectations of what constitutes a good marriage. It’s more about thinking about marriage from an individualized perspective. What is this marriage doing for me? Am I happy in this marriage? Am I fulfilled in this? And if I’m not, then getting divorced is acceptable.
Susan Brown | BGSU professor
Gray divorce can’t be attributed just to one factor, however.
In later life, there are questions of who will be caregivers of the old. Brown said some spouses do not want to be caregivers, a factor that may lead to gray divorce increase.
Lin said increased lifespan may be another reason.
Despite all these reasons, Lin and Brown suspect the gray divorce trend is generation-specific.
“Susan and I still keep track of this gray divorce rate for the next few years to see the trend. But we suspect it’s more likely a baby boomer phenomenon,” Lin said.
In addition to divorce being more socially acceptable, so are other non-marriage options such as cohabitation.
Lin said gray divorce may not be as prevalent in the newer generations because they choose options alternative to marriage.
More information about Brown and Lin’s research can be foundhere.
Dr. Linda Rouillard, a UToledo French professor, attends the anti-SB 1 protest on March 20. (TFP Photo/Lori King)
On this episode of Behind the Byline, host Jaden Jefferson sits down with University of Toledo professor Dr.Linda Rouillard to discuss Ohio Senate Bill 1 and how the University of Toledo responded to the new law.
The bill, signed into law by Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in March, bans diversity, equity, and inclusion activities at public higher education institutions; prevents faculty from striking; requires the elimination of programs producing fewer than five graduates in a three-year span; and makes many other changes.
Rouillard offers her personal perspective on:
• recent cuts to programs at Utoledo in response to the bill’s passage, and how that will lead to a “direct path to the bottom”
• how “righting a wrong by creating another wrong” could negatively impact students statewide and their educational experience
• the challenge of critically analyzing subject matter under the new law and what role the university experience can play in a student’s development
• and how UToledo is creating workers for industrial needs while sacrificing critical thinking
TOLEDO – When President Donald Trump signed an executive order on March 20, effectively dismantling theDepartment of Education (DoE), he brought change to the U.S. education system as a whole.
The problem is that no one seems to know exactly how this cut will affect local schools throughout the United States, including Toledo Public Schools.
According tosection one of Trump’s executive order: “Closing the Department of Education would provide children and their families the opportunity to escape a system that is failing them.”
While the idea is to return power to the states and the state education departments, the tasks have yet to be redistributed.
Another problem is that DoE is known largely for its role in providing funding to state schools.
Section two (a) of Trump’s executive order states: “The Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
But what, exactly, does that mean? As of April 8,Toledo Public Schools (TPS) had received no information from the government about the effects on local schools or funding, according to TPS communications coordinator Robert Wiercinski.
Section 2 part (b) of the executive order has this to say about the effects to school funding: “The Secretary of Education shall ensure that the allocation of any Federal Department of Education funds is subject to rigorous compliance with Federal law and Administration policy, including the requirement that any program or activity receiving Federal assistance terminate illegal discrimination obscured under the label ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion’ or similar terms and programs promoting gender ideology.”
Breakdown of school funding from the 2019-2020 school year.
Despite the termination of funds to DEI programs, which primarily affects higher education, the order does not specifically mention how the tasks of the DoE will be redistributed or how schools will continue to receive their federal funding.
In the 2019-2020 school year, 7.6 percent of school funding came from the federal government,according to USA Facts, with the remaining 92.4 percent coming from state and local tax dollars.
While school funding has not yet been affected,Toledo Federation of Teachers(TFT) board member Dan Fray said it is a concern.
“We [TFT] are not really actively protesting anything as much as we’re just trying to get the message out that we need fair funding,” Fray said.
Fray has been a TPS teacher for the past 28 years and is in charge of member engagement, retention and development at TFT.
Dan Fray (Courtesy Photo)
He explained that federal funding for Toledo schools typically goes to help with career tech and early childhood education programs.
“We’ve already had our kids be affected by some of the cuts from the federal administration early on,” Fray said. “Not too long after Inauguration Day, there was a lot of executive orders pausing funding for different programs.
“We had field trips that had to get cancelled because the organizations that were funding the field trips for the students thought they were losing their funding,” Fray said.
While the organizations later realized their funding was not actually lost, the panic surrounding the executive orders caused some students to miss the experience.
Fray also mentioned that federal funding helps TPS withTitle One.
“Title One is a federal program that provides assistance to school districts and schools with a high percentage of low-income families, which Toledo does qualify,” Fray said.
If TPS funding were to be affected by the DoE cut, Fray worries that rather than just the federally funded programs being cut, the pool of money for all school programs will simply be diluted.
“My bigger concern is that all of them lose a little bit [of funding], such that all of them lose their effectiveness,” Fray said.
Regardless of what happens, Fray noted that TFT’s primary concern is for the students.
“Hopefully, if you’re a kid sitting in a second or third or eighth grade or high school classroom in Toledo, you never realize that this all happened. The school district and the Union and everybody, the community, all work together such that even if there is cuts, our students don’t notice it,” Fray said.
“That’s the end goal – just to make sure our kids go to school in a safe and rich learning environment, loved by their teachers and supported by the district and the community. And they don’t even realize that the Department of Education got cut,” Fray said.
The abandoned Ottawa Tavern at 1815 Adams St. (TFP Photo/Stephen Zenner)
Iconic Toledo club set to reopen, but owner keeps options open
TOLEDO – The Ottawa Tavern, a beloved and historic local nightclub in Downtown Toledo, has a new lease on life.
With their debut show post-reopening now on the books for Thursday, June 12 at 7 p.m. with Gyasi headlining following by Dagger Polyester and Leadfoot Granny, the OT is back in business after a delay early this month.
“I’m not fully sure what we’re doing with it,” said Broc Curry, the new owner of the OT, as it’s fondly called, in an interview. “We’re just playing it very slow.”
Curry has been promoting concerts in Toledo for more than 25 years, most notably at his other iconic club, Frankie’s in East Toledo. He promoted his first concert in his hometown of Bowling Green when he was just 14.
Curry’s track record and connections in the music world would easily pave the way for the Ottawa Tavern’s return to a vibrant music scene – if that’s the path he chooses.
He had planned to hold a pop-up emo concert at the renovated club on April 1 as a way “let people come back into the space,” but had to cancel the show at the last minute when the city’s health department said he needed to file for a new license.
Curry said he is taking “baby steps ” as he looks at all options for the building. “Which direction we go … I’m not too sure yet.”
The Homewreckers, with lead singer Steven J. Athanas, third from left, drew packed crowds to the Ottawa Tavern for more 20 years. (Courtesy Photo/Steven J. Athanas)
He took the same slow approach with Frankie’s, which closed in 2020 and reopened in July 2023. At first, Frankie’s held just a few concerts a month. But the club on East Main Street has gained momentum, and Frankie’s is now hosting 15 or more shows monthly.
“We’re pretty much open half the month right now, which is way more than I expected to be open again,” Curry said of Frankie’s. “But people want to play shows. People want to come to shows. Touring bands want to make a stop in Toledo, and we’re definitely super busy now.”
The reason Frankie’s has been so busy and successful is simple: Curry’s love of music.
“The people that make it a lasting endeavor are truly music people. It can’t be about money. In fact, you can end up losing a bunch of money. It can’t be about anything but the music. I’m just that guy. Since I was a kid, getting my ZZ Top and Stray Cats tapes at Finders Records; I just freaking love music.”
It’s possible the Ottawa Tavern will follow the same slow-but-steady path to building up its live music schedule, but Curry wants to keep his multiple business interests in balance and his options open.
In addition to owning two clubs, Curry owns the record and media store Your Music Exchange on Laskey Rd. in Toledo, two other record and media stores in Ann Arbor, and is getting ready to open a second Toledo shop. On top of that, he sells the most records through his online sites.
“My normal job is my record stores; the concerts are still very much my side business. But we have a small, dedicated staff. They are pulled in all sorts of directions and work long hours, but they love what they do. So you know, when you love what you do it’s not like work, right?”
Uptown building cleaned and painted
Getting the Ottawa Tavern ready was an “all hands on deck” effort by his staff at Innovation Concerts, with the team pitching in to clean and “whitebox” the building by painting the interior a neutral light gray.
There are plenty of options now for the Adams Street building, which has the potential to be a concert venue, a restaurant, a combination of the two, or a retail store run by Curry or another local entrepreneur.
The Ottawa Tavern on Adams St. in 2025. (TFP Photo/Stephen Zenner)The Ottawa Tavern on W. Bancroft St. in 1929. (Courtesy Photo/Toledo-Lucas County Public Library)
Curry is well aware of the Ottawa Tavern’s place in local history, especially its contributions to the local music scene. “I’ve heard stories over the years. I know it meant a lot to a group of people. It was kind of like the Cheers of Toledo, in a way, where everybody knows your name.”
The OT was one of the most popular clubs in Northwest Ohio at its original location, 1846 W. Bancroft St., near the University of Toledo. For decades it had a diverse clientele, ranging from college students and professors to golfers and tennis players dropping by after playing at nearby Ottawa Park. Monday night poetry readings regularly drew 50 to 60 people.
Originally built as the Commerce Guardian Trust & Savings Bank in 1929, it was transformed into a restaurant and renamed the Westmoreland Inn in 1934. A grand reopening in 1937 featured music by Whitey Walls and his Rhythm Boys, with Chinese and American food on the menu.
Renamed the Ottawa Tavern in 1942
The venue was renamed the Ottawa Tavern by Clarence Bihl, who bought the Westmoreland and held a grand opening of the OT on Jan. 17, 1942.
Its modern heyday as a music venue and social hotspot began in the late 1980s and continued through the mid-90s.
Owner Pat Hanley hired Therese King, who had run a number of restaurants and was plugged into the music scene, to manage the club in April 1991.
“It was very, very slow at the time,” King said. “That’s why he called me to manage it. I booked the bands, did the ordering. Pat gave me free reign to get it going again.”
She booked other top local and regional acts including the Homewreckers, Generra Pantera, The Flecks, Groovemaster, Pat Lewandowski, the Stain, and the Love Zombies.
Tiny Tim relaxes at a house party after his concert at the Ottawa Tavern on West Bancroft Street in 1984. (Courtesy Photo/John Gibbs Rockwood)
National touring band the Dynatones played there, with Toledoan Walter “Shufflesworth” Salwitz on drums, and the famously eccentric singer Tiny Tim performed a concert at the OT in 1984, even getting an honorary key to the city presented by then-Mayor Donna Owens.
“We had the opportunity to back up Tiny Tim at the Ottawa Tavern,” recalled Steven J. Athanas, who was the lead singer of the Homewreckers. “That was a hoot. I remember Tiny Tim giving me a heart-to-heart about relationships.”
The OT had a fire-code capacity of 167 people, which it reached almost every night.
“I did a lot of promoting,” King said. “I’d go to the party in the park and do flyers. It’s so easy now with the internet and social media, but back then it was just handing out flyers. But I loved it.”
She said the Homewreckers played regularly and were one of the club’s biggest draws.
“People would call and say, ‘Are the Homewreckers there tonight?’ There was no internet then, so everybody would just call on the phone.”
Athanas, who fronted a number of popular bands and now is a columnistand cartoonist for the Toledo Free Press, said “it was always fun” to play at the OT.
“Our band was together twenty-bleeping-plus-years and we played the OT a good portion of that time,” he recalled. “They wanted us to be the house band and so did the Pub, which was down the street. They fought over us.”
With a horn section, the Homewreckers had seven or eight people on the stage. Just squeezing everybody onto the OT’s small stage was a challenge.
Holidays were epic at the OT.
“The Wednesday before Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve people would be lined up out the door and around the building,” Athanas said.
King said there were nights when Generra Pantera was playing at the Ottawa Tavern and The Flecks were playing a few miles away at the Pub, once known as the Brass Bell, “and they would switch for a set. The Flecks would run down to the OT and Generra Pantera would run over to the Pub, play a set, and then go back. Can you imagine?”
The stolen stuffed-crow caper
King recalled some of the unique features of the OT, including a phone booth and a pair of stuffed crows.
“Someone stole one of the crows. Pat was so mad. He made up a wanted poster for the return of the stolen crow. I found out who did it and told him to just bring it back. One night there was a knock on my door and when I opened it, there was the missing crow.”
Hanley closed the Ottawa Tavern on June 30, 1996.
“I was distraught that night,” King said. “Everybody was so sad. People starting taking stuff off the walls that night – people who didn’t care about the place.”
The Bancroft Street building burned down on Jan. 14, 1999. Fire and police officials suspected arson. There was a strong odor of gas and an empty gas can in the basement, according to a police report.
Firefighters were unable to save the building, which burned in the early morning when the wind-chill factor was 30 below zero.
That was the end of an era, but the club experienced new life when accountant Tom Baird bought a building on Adams St. in Toledo’s Uptown neighborhood in May 2006 and found that the name Ottawa Tavern was available.
He tapped into the public’s nostalgia for the Ottawa Tavern when the new incarnation opened at 1817 Adams St.
King credited Adam Sattler for helping Baird get the OT going again as well as developing the Uptown area.
“It was an exciting time when they decided to open the club on Adams,” said King. “It was a very, very vibrant bar.”
The Uptown venue experienced some roller-coaster years until last December, when the former owner, Curry’s predecessor, shut it down with no advance notice.
Patrons and local musicians were left in the dark, stunned and disappointed and wondering what happened. Dozens of people vented their anger and dismay by posting comments on social media sites.
“I think it’s important to move forward and not dwell on the controversy,” Curry said, pointing out that whatever happened occurred before he bought the club. “I think people have forgotten about it, and they just want it back.”
King said she’s glad that the Ottawa Tavern has new life and hopes it becomes a thriving music scene once again.
But nothing will capture the magic of the original OT on West Bancroft, she said.
“So many different personalities brought that place to life. We didn’t know at the time that it was the club’s heyday, we were too busy working and having fun.”
Cheryl Hardy-Dillin, community engagement specialist for ConnecToledo, speaks during a press conference at the Glass City Pavilion in the Glass City Metropark in Toledo, Ohio on April 23. (TFP Photo/Stephen Zenner)
TOLEDO – Outside the Glass City Pavilion, the progress of the Glass City Metropark was on full display as Cheryl Hardy-Dillin spoke on improvements to Toledo’s downtown experience.
“We want downtown Toledo to be a place where you choose to come and enjoy yourself,” she said, highlighting the parks, sports events and musical happenings on the docket for this summer season.
“Events are not new to downtown,” Hardy-Dillin said, but admitted that the coordination between venues, businesses and other organizations has not always made the most of people’s time at the city center.
Hardy-Dillin, the community engagement specialist for ConnecToledo, spoke on economic development that could be easily accessed through creating reasons for people to come and stay — downtown.
“When you take the people that you bring to that entertainment venue, and then push them into the businesses and restaurants and buildings here intentionally…that then drives economic development.
For example, she said concerts in Promenade Park will begin at 6 p.m. and end at 9 p.m. which leads into other happenings. “We’re designing experiences that tie together.
“When the Metroparks has something going on over on this side of the river, we’ll be announcing what’s happening over here on our side of the river,” Hardy-Dillon said.
These planning initiatives were unveiled just as Toledo City Council approved $50,000 from the city’s general fund the day before for the 2025 Concert Series at Promenade park, under Oordinance 164-25.
Michael Keedy, chief engagement and enterprise officer for Metroparks Toledo. (TFP Photo/Stephen Zenner)
The Promenade Park free concert series is a stimulus effort, in coordination with ConnecToledo, to get people downtown. City leaders and investors are hoping these kinds of events will lead to further revitalization of Toledo.
“Every concert, every gathering, every celebration, is intentional. It’s meant to draw people into the heart of the city and then push them into our local businesses,” Hardy-Dillin said, and then she pointed to the effect these kinds of coordinated programs could have.
“If we got a couple thousand people a week [downtown], and each person spent $35, we would reinvest a million and a half dollars [a year] into downtown Toledo.”
Matt Rubin, chairman of the Downtown Toledo Improvement District, said these kinds of reinvestments create civic pride for Toledo.
He noted that there’s been significant investment into downtown, over $2 billion over the last five years.
“We really need these events and activation efforts to bring people downtown so they can see and can be proud of their city,” he said.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz weighed in with his own experience about being ‘nagged’ to bring back Party in the Park.
Truly, for eight years: ‘When are we going to bring Party in the Park back?’ It takes a little coordination and momentum to pull it off, but we’re finally doing that. It’s more than just nostalgia: It’s forward looking.”
Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz
A number of new events are on the horizon, including Party in the Park, Lunch at Levis and Wellness at the Square schedules.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz highlights local staples of the 419 and touted new economic development plan for downtown. (TFP Photo/Stephen Zenner)
For a more expansive list of events happening in Toledo, checkoutdowntowntoledo.org
2025 Party in the Park Schedule
Free Concert Series & Family-Friendly Events
Where: Promenade Park | When: Friday Evenings
Opening Acts: 6–7 p.m., unless otherwise noted
Main Acts: 7:30 – 9:30 p.m., unless otherwise noted
Friday, May 30 | Zack Attack Band & Opener: Triplette’s
Friday, June 6 | Beef Carvers & Opener: The 25’s
Friday, June 13 | Hot Air Balloon Glow collaborative event at Promenade Park & Glass City Riverwalk Promenade Park: The Grape Smugglers (8-10 p.m.) & Opener: Mizer Vossen Project (6 p.m.);
Glass City Riverwalk: Hollywood Connection Band (7-10 p.m.)
Friday, June 20 | Distant Cousinz & Opener: Wall Music – Juneteenth Celebration presented by TARTA
Friday, June 27 | North of Nashville & Opener: J.T. Hayden
Friday, July 4 | City of Toledo Fireworks*
Friday, July 11 | Arctic Clam & Opener: Nikki D and the Sisters of Thunder
Friday, July 18 | The Day Drinkers & Opener: Funk Factory
Friday, July 25 | The Skittlebots & Opener: Daisy Chain – Christmas in July
Friday, Aug. 1 | Jeep Fest Activities*
Friday, Aug. 8 | Greggie and the Jets (Elton John Tribute) & Opener: Venyx
Friday, Aug. 15 | Toledo Pride Activities*
Friday, Aug. 22 | 90s R&B Jam – DJ Lyte N Rod, Wall Music & Friends, Hosted by Big Trice
Friday, Aug. 29 | The Ultimate Garth Brooks Tribute Band & Opener: Ashley Martin Band (8–10 p.m.); Drone Show at 10pm – “Thank You Toledo” Appreciation Night
*Note: Events marked with an asterisk are supported, but not directly programmed by ConnecToledo
20th Anniversary of Lunch at Levis
Grab takeout from a local restaurant or food truck and enjoy free live music and fun at this lunchtime event series!
When: June 5 to Oct. 2, 2025 Every Thursday afternoon from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
Where: Levis Square Park
2025 Food Truck Lineup
Baba’s Eats, Beastro Burger, Deets BBQ, Falafel King, Fat Boyz, Lyles Crepes, The Loaded Chicken, Wanna Make ‘Er Loaded, Trip ‘n Biscuits, Stubborn Brother, Naan Stop Kebap, Better Than Yo Mama’s, Casero Kitchen, PM Frosted Fantasies, BD’s Lemonade King, Bean Crazy 419 & Guac Shop
Thursday, June 5 – Kickoff Event | DJ Jon Zenz
Thursday, June 12 | Michael Corwin
Thursday, June 19 – Juneteenth Celebration | Distant Cousinz Trio
Thursday, June 26 | Chris Knopp
Thursday, July 3 – Independence Day Event | Shane Piasecki
Thursday, July 10 | New Moon
Thursday, July 17 | Ben DeLong
Thursday, July 24 – Christmas in July Event | Arctic Clam
Thursday, July 31 | Chloe & The Steel Strings
Thursday, Aug. 7 | Mud Hens Hype Bash
Thursday, Aug. 14 | Chavar Dontae
Thursday, Aug. 21 – Local Vendor Market | Tim Oehlers
Thursday, Aug. 28 | Water Street Band
Thursday, Sept. 4 – UT Football Hype Bash | DJ Super Nathan
Thursday, Sept. 11 | Terry & Charlie
Thursday, Sept. 18 | Ora Pettaway
Thursday, Sept. 25 | Tony Salazar
Thursday, Oct. 2 | DJ Jon Zenz
Wellness at the Square Schedule
Free yoga and fitness classes. All fitness levels welcome!
When: Saturday Mornings from 11 a.m. – noon
Where: Levis Square Park
Saturday, Aug. 9 | Yoga led by Toledo Mindfulness Institute
Saturday, Aug. 16 | Strength Training led by The Standard Fitness Academy
Saturday, Aug. 23 | Yoga led by Danielle Nolff
Saturday, Aug. 30 | Strength Training led by Gamefit HQ
Saturday, Sept. 6 | Mindful Fitness led by Toledo Mindfulness Institute
Saturday, Sept. 13 | Yoga led by Parting Clouds Yoga
Saturday, Sept. 20 | Strength Training led by The Standard Fitness Academy
Saturday, Sept. 27 | Yoga led by Parting Clouds Yoga
(Announcements are compiled from press releases and in order received)
NEWS SHORTS BRIEFS ARE UPDATED DAILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art and TMA launch historic cultural exchange to boost museum expertise, global access
In a landmark move that sets a new precedent for international cultural collaboration, the Yemisi Shyllon Museum of Art (YSMA) in Nigeria and the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA) in the U.S. announce a transformative partnership aimed at promoting modern and contemporary African Art and enhancing institutional capacity through knowledge exchange.
Formalized through a memorandum of understanding signed in November 2024, the partnership will see both museums – nonprofit, educational institutions with a shared mission of service and impact through art – collaborate on a range of programs including a training and professional development exchange, joint curatorial initiatives, and traveling exhibitions from YSMA’s collection to the U.S.
This collaboration marks YSMA’s first major international partnership and is a bold step in amplifying its reach and influence on the global stage, particularly in deepening U.S.–Nigeria cultural relations through the lens of art and heritage. Recently named the 2025 Best Art Museum in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, TMA is an institution renowned for its history and reputation in museum management, curatorial excellence, and public engagement.
Highlighting the significance of the collaboration, Adam Levine, director and CEO of TMA said, “At the Toledo Museum of Art, we are proud to engage in a partnership that fosters mutual learning, inclusivity, and global dialogue. This collaboration with YSMA not only enriches our understanding of African art traditions but also deepens our ability to integrate art into the lives of people — both locally and globally. By working together, we strengthen the institutional ties and cultural connections that inspire, educate, and promote access to the transformative power of art.” (05/08)
Scott Kepp promoted to president at GEM Inc.
WALBRIDGE –Scott Kepp has been named president of GEM Inc., one of The Rudolph Libbe Group of companies, which focuses on specialty trades construction, manufacturing and industrial process, facility maintenance and ongoing management.
Kepp replaces Steve Johnson, who retired in late April after 37 years with the company, including 10 as President.
Scott Kepp.
“I’m excited to continue the growth and progress that GEM made under Steve,” Kepp said. “Our focus will be on safety, maintaining high quality standards, winning new customers by demonstrating the value we can bring to their projects, and keeping our commitments to our current customers.”
Kepp, of Perrysburg, Ohio, joined GEM in June 1997 as an assistant project manager, and progressed to his most recent position of Senior Vice President. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. Kepp is active in the industry and in the community, currently serving on the board of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Northwest Ohio as immediate past president, and as a member of the Rotary Club of Toledo.
Based in Toledo, Ohio, since 1982, GEM Inc. is a specialized resource for customer facility and process construction needs. GEM offers design, renovation, upgrade, consolidation and relocation services for process manufacturing and industrial customers and directly employs its team of skilled construction craftspeople. Markets served include automotive, chemical, food processing, healthcare, metals, power and refining. (05/08)
Commissioner Sobecki testifies on state’s operating budget provisions before Ohio Senate Government Oversight Committee
COLUMBUS – Lisa A. Sobecki, president of the Board of Lucas County Commissioners, testified on Wednesday, May 7, to the Ohio Senate Government Oversight Committee to highlight provisions she believes must be included or preserved in the state’s operating budget in order to strengthen Lucas County’s infrastructure, improve public safety and support the health of our residents.
During her testimony, Sobecki thanked the Ohio House for including language that requires the Department of Medicaid to pursue an 1115 waiver for Medicaid coverage of pretrial detainees in county jails and strongly encouraged the State Senate to do the same.
Sobecki also urged the committee to include $20 million in funding for a dedicated H2Ohio Ash Tree Removal Grant Program. The emerald ash borer infestation has left thousands of dead trees in and near rivers, creeks, and drainage channels in communities across Ohio, including Lucas County.
Additionally, Commissioner Sobecki asked the committee to return the governor’s plan for jail construction grants, which would support Lucas County’s long-planned new pretrial detention center in downtown Toledo.
She also highlighted the need for strong cybersecurity investments in counties across Ohio and advocated for an increase of the Local Government Cybersecurity Grant to $15 million in each fiscal year.
Sobecki voiced her support for the Ohio House’s Brownfield Remediation Funding Plan, which has helped communities like Lucas County turn long-blighted properties into economic opportunities.
Finally, she urged the Ohio Senate to maintain the Local Government Fund proposed by Governor Mike DeWine and upheld by the Ohio House. (05/08)
You can watch Sobecki’s full testimony on the Ohio Channel online here.
Toledo Alliance for Performing Arts announces new season
TOLEDO – The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (TSO), Toledo Ballet and Toledo Jazz Orchestra (TJO), together as the Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), announced their dynamic 2025–2026 performance season.
Season subscriptions are now available, with exclusive subscriber benefits including discounted pricing, priority seating and free concert exchanges. The deadline to subscribe and retain 2024–2025 seats and pricing is June 10, 2025.
The 2025–2026 season is a celebration of artistry, tradition, and innovation—featuring major works by Berlioz, Mahler, Brahms, and Copland; dynamic performances from guest artists including Olga Kern, Angela Meade, Emilie-Claire Barlow, and Arturo Sandoval; and the milestone 85th annual presentation of The Nutcracker, the longest-running production in North America.
“This is a season filled with unforgettable moments,” said Alain Trudel, music director of the Toledo Symphony. “From Symphonie fantastique to Appalachian Spring, our audiences will experience the emotional power of music in every performance. My wonderful colleagues in the Toledo Symphony and I are thrilled to welcome extraordinary soloists, and I’m excited to continue growing our partnerships across music, dance, and jazz.” (05/05)
BGSU alumnus supports university with $3 million gift
BOWLING GREEN – Deeply committed to his alma mater, Paul J. Hooker ’75 is continuing his legacy of support for Bowling Green State University with a transformational $3 million donation to enhance the university’s top-ranked student experience.
Hooker, a national trustee on the BGSU Board of Trustees, is generously supporting enhancements to the Falcon Marching Band’s practice/multipurpose field and the BGSU baseball team’s facilities, further elevating the University’s commitment to the arts and athletics. He designated $1.5 million to each project.
The Board of Trustees approved naming the Falcon Marching Band’s practice/multipurpose field The Student Green in honor of Hooker’s support during their May 2 meeting.
The new state-of-the-art turf field will provide durable and efficient practice, performance, competition and gathering space for the Falcon Marching Band, the university’s club sports teams and other activities.
With an affinity for baseball and a former player in high school, Hooker said he was thrilled with the opportunity to support BGSU baseball through the Steller Field Improvement Fund. He followed the team during their record-breaking 2024 season, attending games in Tennessee and Michigan, and formed a relationship with head coach Kyle Hallock. (05/05)
Schmidt, Poore joint TARTA board of trustees
The Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) welcomes Zachary Schmidt as the City of Rossford’s representative on its board of trustees, and Karen Poore as a representative of Lucas County.
Schmidt is a grant coordinator at Bowling Green State University. He also serves as a board member for both the Wood County Board of Elections and the Rossford Public Library. Schmidt earned a Bachelors Degree in philosophy, politics, economics and law from BGSU in 2018, and his Masters of Public Administration from BGSU.
Poore is a business navigator and Lucas County’s Department of Economic Development, and previously served as deputy mayor in the Kapszukiewicz administration. She had been a public servant in different posts with Lucas County and Toledo and has more than 30 years of experience in government. (05/01)
TARTA launches new website
Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) launched a new website in late April. The new tarta.com is designed to provide easier navigation and a faster path to providing the information.
Created in a collaborative process with Station Four of Jacksonville, Fla., TARTA’s new site has the following features:
A trip navigator on the front page of the site
Real-time arrival information of TARTA buses
Streamlined navigation, making it easier for visitors to find what they want
Enhanced options and better visibility for those viewing the site on a mobile device (Posted 4/30)
