Konjac plant made stinky bloom
BOWLING GREEN – If you meandered into the Bowling Green State University (BGSU) Greenhouse & Herbarium early last month, you may have smelled an abhorrent scent and wondered what in the world caused it.
“It smells like a dead rat in an old barn,” described greenhouse manager Evili Martins.
The konjac plant bloomed in early February, filling the air with an unpleasant gas. Konjac plants bloom only once a year, giving off a scent that attracts certain pollinating insects while repelling others.
Martins said the plant’s stench was strong enough to fill the whole greenhouse, though it only lingered for a day or two before dissipating.
According to graduate biology student Nancy Ransom, the plant gives off its scent because of warm cells, which heat the plant’s stamen, thus producing the scent.
The konjac has uses beyond making you wonder who broke wind, however.
Some Asian countries, such as China and Japan, have been eating the starchy bulb root of the plant, called corm, for hundreds of years. It can be made into noodles or simply eaten chopped and cooked.
The konjac is known by multiple names, including the voodoo lily, snake palm and elephant yam.
Originally native to Eastern Asia, the konjac was given to BGSU by a greenhouse at Ohio State University about 10 years ago. Martins said the plant is able to survive so far away from its country of origin because Eastern Asia and Bowling Green are both located in Zone 6, a reference to the Farmer’s Almanac, a book that details regional characteristics like soil type and temperature conditions. It details what makes particular places ideal for growing certain crops or plants.
Because the konjac’s home is so far away, having the plant at BGSU provides a unique opportunity for students to see it.
“It’s really special that we have this plant here at BG,” said Ransom. “People will drop everything to go see this flower bloom, and so it’s really cool that students have access to this anomaly of a flower.”
But students are not the only ones who benefit from the plant.
“We are trying to improve our collection and have things that students and the community can come and see and be like, wow, you don’t see these very often,” Martins said.
Ransom said Martins has been pushing to make the greenhouse and its plants more accessible to students and the public.
“The [previous] manager didn’t really allow guests into the greenhouse. But ever since Evili started her position, she’s been trying to integrate the students more into visiting the greenhouse and being a part of the greenhouse,” Ransom noted. “It was great to have the greenhouse open to visitors that wanted to see the konjac plant.”
Ransom said she likes the plant because of its uniqueness.
“It has a very interesting life cycle that I don’t think many flowers have,” she said. “It’s one of those instances where you have a very specialized pollinator for a flower. And I think that is super cool.”
Visitation by the general public is welcome. The greenhouse is also open for K-12 school tours. Hours can change each semester. Call 419-372-2375 for information or to arrange visiting times.
Bye MAC tourney, hello spring
On The Flyby Sports Podcast, co-hosts and school rivals Chas McNeil and Max Alfonso dive into Falcons and Rockets athletics, including stats, scores and predictions. On every episode, they recap the past week’s sports news, update you on the play schedule for the upcoming week, select their athletes of the week, and more.
For this episode, McNeil and Alfonso talk all things MAC Tournament, held March 12-15 at Rocket Arena in Cleveland. All four University of Toledo and Bowling Green men’s and women’s basketball teams made it to the quarterfinals, but only one advanced to the championship game – the UT Lady Rockets, who fell to Ball State 58-65.
The co-hosts also talk portal transfers and coaching changes; an historic run for BGSU baseball and a playoff departure for Falcon hockey; get into the past week’s game recap for all sports; select their athletes of the week; bid goodbye to winter sports; and welcome baseball and softball season.
New episodes of the The Flyby Sports Podcast drop every Saturday.
The Flyby Sports Podcast is a production of the Toledo Free Press.
Junction Family Pharmacy fills gap to support community needs
TOLEDO – Standing with his family in front of their Junction Family Pharmacy, Anthony Pattin sliced through the blue ribbon with oversized scissors to cheers and applause – the Junction Family Pharmacy is now official.
The ribbon cutting on Friday was only symbolic, of course, because the only black-owned pharmacy in Toledo has been open for business since December.
Among those joining Pattin behind the ribbon was Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur and Toledo city council members at-large Brittany Jones and Cerssandra McPherson.
It was a momentous moment for Pattin because as corporate pharmacies close, leaving community members without care, Junction Family Pharmacy is stepping up to fill the need.
When Pattin learned about the closures of two Rite Aid locations in the area, he figured it was the perfect time to move his family back to his old neighborhood and start a pharmacy practice of his own in the Junction neighborhood.
Pattin had been working as a clinical associate professor at the Buffalo Pharmacy of Pharmaceutical Sciences in New York, but decided he was ready for a career change after working in academia for 15 years.
“I wanted to serve patients more directly,” Pattin said. “With the Rite Aid departures, it just seemed like a great opportunity and a big need in the community that I could fill.”
Unlike chains, Pattin said local pharmacies have more opportunities because they aren’t restricted by corporate processes and structures.
“As an independent [pharmacy], you can serve patients; you can have more connection with them; get to know them; and, as an owner, you can do things to fit your patients,” Pattin said.
Even in the wake of mail-order prescriptions, he said in-person pharmacies are important to patients.
“They want somebody they know handling their medications, or a place that’s close they can call and is accessible,” Pattin said.
Community leader Cedric Brock, pastor of Mount Nebo Baptist Church, said he thinks Junction Family Pharmacy could encourage entrepreneurship in Toledo, especially for the younger generation.
“[Pattin] sets the right example for people to see they can do it too,” Brock said.
Brock, who knows Pattin from the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, called Pattin a “bridge builder,” referencing his impact on providing resources for Toledo residents.
Additionally, Brock said the location of Junction Family Pharmacy makes medicine accessibility easier for senior citizens.
“We used to say that every American lives within five miles of a pharmacy, and maybe that’s not quite so true anymore because there’s been a lot of closures, but we know that accessibility really helps health outcomes,” Pattin said.
Research from the University of Southern California on the relationship between pharmacy access and health equity supports Pattin’s claim stating, “Lack of easy access to prescription medications and other pharmacy-based services may contribute to health disparities.”
As Pattin has been working to establish himself in the community, he said business has grown and he has gained more patients.
“Since December, I’ve had some patients that I’ve seen repeatedly, so I know the medications they’re on or know some of the issues they’re dealing with, so you can have a better conversation when different things or when something new arises,” Pattin said.
Junction Family Pharmacy is not only helping community members who are patients, but is also providing opportunities for pharmacy students at the University of Toledo to complete their advanced pharmacy practice experiences, a requirement for pharmacy students to graduate.
Pattin has ties to UT as an alumnus and former associate professor. Despite no longer teaching, he said he is looking forward to working with students in a new capacity.
Millions of birds killed to fight bird flu
OHIO – According to the Centers for Disease Control, Ohio currently has the highest number of avian flu cases in the U.S.
As one of the top three egg-producing states, along with Iowa and Indiana, the outbreak has had a detrimental impact on Ohio’s poultry industry. Since December, nearly 15 million birds across Ohio have been killed to stop the spread of the disease.
When I was a 12-year-old living on a small farm, one of my jobs was to kill one of our chickens for Sunday dinner. They had the run of the place, so catching them was challenging. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was a regular part of life for a country boy. Humans kill animals for food.
To me, chickens were very interesting. I remember them being smart with individual personalities – some were quiet and laid back, while others were outgoing and feisty. Most people think of them as just being dumb birds to turn in to McNuggets and wings. I know better.
Chickens are a mainstay of American life, but the way we raise them now is a far cry from how my family (and many other families) did when I was young. Raising them on factory farms may be increasing susceptibility to diseases, such as bird flu.
Today’s mega factory farm, which is common in the industry, often raises more than 500,000 chickens per year. These farms usually have multiple broiler houses. A broiler is a chicken raised for meat, and most of them are killed when they are 5-7 weeks old.
Each house holds between 20,000 and 40,000 chickens, each occupying approximately .8 to 1.0 square feet of space.
According to the Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio is the No. 2 egg farming state in the U.S. and produces 10 billion eggs each year; Ohio chicken farms produce 554+ million pounds of chicken annually; and Ohio ranks 9th in the nation for turkey farming.
Avian flu outbreak
In February, Ohio confirmed its first human case of bird flu. The individual, who worked at a farm in Mercer County and had contact with infected birds, tested positive for the virus.
According to the CDC, cases of bird flu in humans in the United States caused by the Avian Influenza A(H5) virus have mostly been mild. Infections mainly occur in people who work closely with sick or infected animals. Symptoms are variable, but often include eye redness, fever and respiratory issues. Serious illness caused by this virus is possible, so continued prevention and monitoring are needed.
In an interview on News 5 Cleveland, Dr. Erika Sobolewski, Summit County’s public health medical director, stated that “sure, the bird flu news is always concerning, but really, it’s a low risk to the average Ohioan. At this point in time, the people who should really be cautious are any of those people who work with poultry, particularly anyone who has sick or dead poultry or even wild birds. Those are the people who should really be taking precautions.”
Speaking for herself and not for the University of Toledo, Dr. Joan Duggan, a UToledo professor of medicine specializing in infectious diseases, said the current state of avian flu “is something we’ve been worried about since the late 1990s, when we first started to see this specific strain start to move through the avian population. We have been getting ready for it over the last 20 years, with some vaccines, with some strategies, and considering different medications.”
So, the current state of play with avian influenza is that we’re seeing outbreaks, not unheard of before, but we’re seeing outbreaks with both migratory birds and domesticated birds, that spill over into the mammal world – cows specifically – and that’s what gets everybody very nervous, because, as we have everybody in close contact together, cows, chickens, humans, everybody’s mixing viruses back and forth.
Dr. Joan Duggan
One worry is that the bird flu viruses will continue evolving so that they will be able to infect many more animals beyond their natural reservoir in wild birds. The bird flu has already moved from wild birds into domestic poultry, pigs, cats and dogs, and wild mammals, including seals and humans. At present, while humans can be infected, the bird flu does not appear to be transmitted between humans.
Bird flu has also killed house cats, raccoons, skunks, seals, leopards, and several other mammals. In the United States, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu since 2022, with the first death reported in January 2025. The risk to the general public presently remains low due to the lack of person-to-person transmission.
There is a controversy about the possibility that housing 20,000 to 40,000 birds in close quarters might make it easier for the avian flu virus to mutate, potentially becoming more problematic for humans.
Some of the proponents of the present system say that since the birds are housed inside, the risk of them catching the avian flu is minimal. Those on the other side of the debate say that the conditions in factory farms can, in fact, potentially lead to concerning viral mutations. They also say that while birds are housed inside, workers can bring the avian virus inside on clothing, footwear, machinery and contaminated feed.
As stated earlier, to date, the disease is not presently transferable from human to human, and only one death has been reported in the United States.
If you find a dead bird you suspect might have avian flu, Mike Reynolds, with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, offered some advice.
“The public needs to know that we really need you to stay away from sick or dying wildlife. Call the experts. Call the Ohio Division of Wildlife. We’ll tell you what to do,” he said.
“And if you have kids or pets, and you really need to get the dead animals out of the area, we’re going to have you wear personal protective equipment, like rubber gloves and an N95 mask or goggles, or a face shield, and put those birds in a double bag and dispose of them properly.”
For information on backyard flocks, go here.
The Division of Wildlife asks people to call 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543) and report sightings of dead birds in groups of more than six.
Georgetown students study Ohio environmental issues
OHIO – Students from Georgetown University toured Ohio towns earlier this month to learn about the impact of factory farms that Ohioans are addressing.
Guided around Toledo by Mike Ferner, of the Lake Erie Advocates, the 11 students, tour leader Paul Aversa and a faculty member Akanksha Sinha, an environmental justice fellow with the Center for Social Justice & Earth Commons at Georgetown, made a pit stop to the Toledo area, focusing on agriculture and pollution in relation to Lake Erie.
They also toured East Palestine, Cincinnati, Dayton, Yellow Springs, East Liverpool and Columbus. They returned to Georgetown March 7.
The group was a part of the Alternative Breaks Program (ABP) with the Georgetown Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service. ABP provides students, faculty and staff the chance to take part in meaningful social justice experiences during fall and spring breaks.
The program encourages dedication to service and social justice by working directly with communities. Students engage in hands-on activities and learn through immersion, building stronger connections with community partners. These experiences are brought back to the Washington D.C. university, where they are encouraged to have conversations about actions that support long-term change.
The tour started on March 2 at Tony Packo’s on Front St., but I spoke with three students – El Mlawski, Olivia Tomaselli and Adhithi Rajesh – after their tour. Each student highlighted an issue with an Ohio community.
El Mlawski
Studying: Government and Spanish with a minor in environment and sustainability
Location: Toledo
In Toledo, we primarily focused on issues surrounding agriculture and pollution. With the Lake Erie Advocates, including Mike Ferner, we talked a lot about CAFOs, the concentrated animal feeding operations, and how the different kinds of waste produced at CAFOs can be really harmful to Lake Erie, seep into the groundwater and affect the entire ecosystem.
Lake Erie Advocates is taking multiple steps in response to issues surrounding water pollution. For example, they’re doing a lot of education work, presenting to schools and community centers to raise awareness for the issues surrounding CAFOs and access to clean drinking water. In addition, they are doing direct advocacy work, lobbying to Congress and the Ohio legislature in an effort to pass bills to protect clean water sources and prevent agricultural runoff.
And then, we were learning about Markie Miller, who is with Toledoans for Safe Water. She and a number of other people on their team pushes for what is known as the rights of nature. That concept refers to the inherent value of something, like Lake Erie, and how it should be protected independent of human activity. It should be protected and conserved, because it has a right to exist. Giving Lake Erie rights similar to those of human beings.”
Location: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center located in Cincinnati
This was an opportunity for us to think about the history of different marginalized groups. And so, we started with the Indigenous Adina people and their Miamisburg mound, and then we continued at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center. And there we explored the history of enslavement and Black rights and the importance of equal protections under law in modern times. And that was really interesting to see; they had really beautiful and very thought-provoking exhibits, including artwork and historical representations and artifacts.
It was definitely a heavy and interesting experience because I previously was not as aware of the Underground Railroad in Ohio.
Olivia Tomaselli
Studying: Environment in economics; women and gender studies
Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Amanda Kiger, who is a director of River Valley Organizing, has been fighting against the hazardous waste incinerator for a long time, because of its track record of violations and health problems. She was a great guide around the community.
East Liverpool has a large hazardous waste incinerator, with a history of violations, operated by Heritage Environmental Services. There have been instances with the incinerator where the toxic smoke has covered the next-door neighborhood in ash. And looking at the health effects of that and how it continues to affect these people, the question is, ‘Why do people still live there with the health effects?’
Housing is scarce. It’s expensive. You know, people can’t always leave.
It’s also very tricky, because these people work there. These are their jobs. So they kind of look at…how do you put pressure on things like this and make the community a more environmentally friendly place, when these are people’s jobs, and people need this type of work?
Adhithi Rajesh
Studying: Psychology and pre-med
Location: Antioch College in Yellow Springs
We went to Antioch College, where we spoke to Shane Creeping Bear, who is head of admissions. We discussed how they are specifically geared around the Indigenous community, and how a lot of their techniques for maintaining the environment and things like that have been basically appropriated by society, taken by white researchers and termed as different things. And the credit hasn’t gone back to that community, which does a lot of things.
Firstly, they don’t get credit for the work they’ve done, and a lot of times they’re shunned as just using ‘magic’ or just not taken seriously. And, second of all, they’re not taken seriously when it comes to issues of how to further preserve the environment. Their techniques aren’t seen as valid because they were termed differently and taken over by researchers who claim to have discovered these new methods of cultivating land.
Mainly, they promote regenerative farming rather than simply sustainable farming. They advocate that we should be stewards of nature while farming. So, that’s what they focus on, the fact that we’re not just here to take some nature; we’re also here to give back to it and maintain a reciprocal relationship.
Regenerative farming is what the indigenous community in Antioch was talking about: restoring and enhancing the productivity and health of ecosystems. For example, plant extra so that nature and animals can sustain themselves. It’s about focusing on altering it in a way that’s beneficial for both humans and nature…like invasive species. Don’t let them get into certain areas and things of that nature.
Location: Dayton – Black Indigenous People of Color Food & Farming Network
BIPOC is a group and collective where everyone who’s farming and people of color who don’t have access to other resources and information can come here, learn from others and just work together in that sense.
The Edgemont Solar Garden was a community farm to have more fresh food options for the people in that community; it was kind of a food desert in terms of not having a lot of access to fresh fruits and vegetables. So these guys came together and developed this farm growing a lot of different plants. They had banana trees and collard greens and things of that nature that people wouldn’t normally be able to have access to. So, they really showed how, even in a smaller space with not a ton of money, you could really develop a lot of these plants with just the proper sunlight and water and care.
And the kitchen incubator was basically a space for people starting food businesses, restaurants and such [to] rent out a space. They could have this kitchen space where they could either operate it as a ghost kitchen where they just make the food and deliver it, or they could operate it as a restaurant.
So, they did the work to give their community a wider variety of access to both healthier foods, and also give small businesses the chance to kind of operate in this area. We really saw that a lot of these small businesses weren’t able to develop as much in the area, so [the incubator] gave them a chance to do that without having to put down a really big investment.
They also educate a lot of the younger people in the area about eating healthy. One of the people we talked to said that you can grow all these vegetables as much as you want, but unless the kids actually want to eat it, there’s no real benefit there. Side-by-side, they teach the kids about healthy foods and vegetables, show them how it’s actually grown and get them excited about so they eat healthy in the future as well.
George Thomas: The Fair Housing Center | CEO
On this episode of Behind the Byline, host Jaden Jefferson has a conversation about a national housing crisis with George Thomas, CEO and general counsel of the Fair Housing Center in Toledo.
On March 17, the Fair Housing Center put out a press release announcing that two of their awarded grants were abruptly terminated in February by DOGE and HUD. The cuts were made because of the current administration’s recent attempt to cancel fair housing civil rights, according to Thomas.
Thomas talks about:
- how the grants would have helped the Fair Housing Center with education and advancing racial equality in housing
- the role of the Fair Housing Center
- what the community loses by losing those grants
- the difference between equality and equity
- how investing in people helps our community grow
- how the Fair Housing Center studies ongoing discrimination
Behind the Byline is a production of the Toledo Free Press.
