Neezy’s Freezes serves Bowling Green
BOWLING GREEN – If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Though perhaps cliché, this expression is proving true for Neezy’s Freezes, a new ice cream store in Bowling Green.
Neezy’s Freezes, formerly the ice cream shop Sundaze, opened in the fall, adding a new chapter to the ice cream venue’s history.
While to some it may seem strange to establish a new ice cream place in the same venue as one that previously failed, Neezy’s Freezes owner Deniz Ilgin is working to ensure Neezy’s is successful.
Ilgin had the patio area renovated, the parking lot repaved, added to the kitchen and repainted and decorated the interior of the store. But renovations aren’t the only way Ilgin is setting Neezy’s Freezes apart from Sundaze.
Ilgin has co-ownership with her parents, who also own Reynolds Garden Cafe in Toledo. Ilgin believes their experience and guidance will help set her business apart.
“They have so much passion for what they do. That comes across in the food, which I think draws people in,” said Ilgin.
While the venue uses the ice cream machines previously used by Sundaze, Neezy’s Freezes offers more than just ice cream, serving coffee drinks, hot dogs, burgers, barbequed beef, french fries, cookies, cakes and more.
Despite all of Ilgin’s hard work, starting a small business is not without its challenges.
According to the Chamber of Commerce, 18 percent of small businesses close within their first year, 50 percent close after five years, and approximately 65 percent close by their 10th year in business.
While this could be seen as a bleak statistic, Ryan Holley, assistant professor in the College of Business at Bowling Green State University and small business owner, said small business closure or failure is not always because a business couldn’t establish itself; sometimes it’s because the owner is more interested in maximizing profit than in establishing a community staple.
“The small business owner might have a mom-and-pop restaurant, and that’s their entire character, what defines them as a person. Their identity is in this restaurant, where the entrepreneur is just OK. It’s an asset. Let’s sell it,” Holley said.
Ilgin falls into the former category, meaning her desire for the business’s longevity could improve her chances of success.
“I had always worked in my parents’ restaurant, and I really liked that. I liked being able to talk to people and have interpersonal interactions every day instead of being at a desk. And I really like the community that you can build when you own your own business,” Ilgin said.
Holley also highlighted why small businesses may have a tougher time succeeding than large corporations.
“When you take on ownership of a small business, you are responsible for everything. You are the marketing department, the human resources, the operations, the finance. Larger businesses have an ability to attract specialized talent,” Holley said.
“Whereas a small business, you don’t have that, and you might not have access to the same education or depth of knowledge,” he noted.
Neezy’s Freezes is located at 21018 Haskins Rd. More information about the restaurant can be found on their Facebook and Instagram pages.
Op-ed: Outlining problems with CCNO as ICE detention center
The Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio is set to become an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention center. Below are a few things I think the jail board should have been told before voting.
ICE’s rhetoric labels every immigrant a criminal, but sheriffs already have the authority to arrest people who commit crimes; they do this every day. And while the vast majority of the people who commit crimes are U.S. citizens, of course law enforcement arrests people born in other countries. What the jail board voted to do instead is to start incarcerating people who are not accused of crimes.
ICE detention is technically “civil” confinement, but it takes place in a criminal jail. You read that right. ICE is one of the few agencies that has the authority to put people in criminal jails while they are navigating a civil legal process. They have the authority but they don’t need to use it. It’s a choice made through political considerations rather than what’s good for our communities.
Incarcerating someone is a serious decision. It’s separation from their family, job and home. If it seems inhumane to put people navigating a civil process in a criminal jail, that’s because it is.
During the first Trump administration, the Ohio Immigrant Alliance worked with Ohio families dealing with a loved one’s detention and deportation. Maryam Sy interviewed 255 individuals and we wrote a book about their experiences with Suma Setty at the Center for Law and Social Policy.
We talked to fathers whose children became depressed, and even suicidal, after their parents were detained. We talked to mothers trying to hold down jobs and care for young children while they worried about the future of their families. We talked to families in foreclosure. We saw loving relationships fracture due to the stress of detention and deportation. We talked to men who were deported in straight jackets, unable to make themselves board a plane to a country that had tortured them.
These Ohioans had been in the U.S. for 10 and 20 years or more. Some fled genocide. Some had been able to buy homes, open businesses and even employ Americans. These are the people CCNO is agreeing to detain and help deport. As Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre said, when announcing his opposition to the ICE contract, “Nobody has a viable solution to what will happen to these children. Until they figure it out, I will not support mass deportations.”
Another thing to know is that people can simultaneously be eligible for deportation and eligible for a green card. For example, many of the people we work with are married to U.S. citizens. They applied for green cards and are waiting for the process to conclude — that can take decades because of how our laws were designed. The government has a choice about whether to allow them to continue to pursue that status, or put them in line for deportation. During the first Trump administration, and now in the second, the government chose the path of breaking up families.
Finally, the CCNO board should have been told that immigration detention is indefinite. There’s no time-limited “sentence” like in a criminal case. Executive director Dennis Sullivan told board members that the average length of stay would be 40-45 days. But that is based on Biden-era figures, which included people who were deported quickly at the border.
That’s not how the Trump administration operates. They are arresting people who can’t immediately be deported, like people who have appeals pending. According to the American Immigration Council, people with cases in immigration court are often held for six months or longer.
During the first Trump administration, we worked with individuals who were detained for 12 months or more — some up to four years — in Ohio county jails. These jails are not set up for long-term incarceration. But, they are required to provide medical care. The Butler and Morrow County jails tried to scrimp on medical costs and were sued. Judge Sarah D. Morrison, a Trump-appointee, blasted the Morrow Jail for creating an “unconstitutionally acceptable environment,” in a case brought by the ACLU of Ohio.
Earlier this year, the ACLU of Ohio and other organizations sent a letter to counties outlining their legal obligations under ICE contracts. It doesn’t appear that anyone, other than Sheriff Navarre and Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken, read it. A 2020 lawsuit against Butler County Jail, which is based on civil rights violations by corrections officers, remains pending.
The CCNO board will soon find itself at the center of family separations. It’s not too late to choose a different path, one that focuses on local needs, instead of engaging in a federal political battle that will harm our community members.
Everyone in Ohio — whether we were born here or somewhere else — wants the same thing. To live in a safe place and take care of our families. Said an Ohio father who was deported after months in an Ohio county jail, “I’m a human, like everybody else. Nobody [is] better than nobody, man.”
Jim Ickes: Ohio’s Cannabis Industry
On this episode of Behind the Byline, host Jaden Jefferson has a conversation with Jim Ickes. Ickes is an attorney with Zuber Lawler, a national cannabis law firm.
Ickes is the Cannabis News columnist for the Toledo Free Press. He’s also the podcast host for Going Global for Global Cannabis Times, and is on the board of directors for the Cannabis Beverage Association.
Talking points include:
- why Ickes termed the cannabis industry MAGAjuana
- the explanation of the 2018 Farm Bill, Ohio SB 56 and Ohio HB 160
- the high cost of doing business in the cannabis industry
- the rise of beverages that contain hemp
- de-stigmatizing cannabis usage
New episodes of the Behind the Byline drop every Wednesday.
Behind the Byline is a production of the Toledo Free Press.
MAGAjuana: Ohio’s HB 160
In 2018, the Agriculture Improvement Act, commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, was enacted, removing low-dose cannabis plants from the Controlled Substances Act by defining hemp as cannabis with no more than 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry weight basis.
This bipartisan legislation established a clear legal framework for hemp-derived products, enabling the emergence of a new consumer category—low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages.
I’ve coined the term “MAGAjuana” to describe this phenomenon, reflecting the bipartisan coalition that supported hemp legalization—leading to a thriving national market for low-dose, responsibly regulated THC beverages.
The Rise of Low-Dose THC Beverages
Since the passage of the farm bill, states have taken different approaches to regulating hemp-derived THC products. Some, like Minnesota, have embraced a structured regulatory framework that allows the sale of low-dose THC beverages (up to 5 mg per serving) in general retail settings, including bars and restaurants.
Minnesota 2022 Law: Minnesota set the standard for integrating hemp-derived THC into mainstream retail while ensuring product safety, testing and responsible consumption. Just two years in, the market has already generated over $200 million in sales, showing the economic potential of a well-regulated system.
Missouri SB 54 – Pending: Missouri lawmakers have proposed a bill to allow up to 5 mg THC per serving in retail stores, while keeping higher-dose products in dispensaries. If passed, Missouri would adopt a hybrid approach, recognizing the public demand for THC beverages while maintaining a regulated marketplace.
Low-dose THC beverages are gaining popularity as an alternative to alcohol, creating economic opportunities for bars, restaurants and retailers while providing consumers with new social and wellness choices.
Kentucky SB 202: This state bill is a more balanced regulatory approach. While Ohio’s HB 160 seeks to heavily restrict low-dose hemp-derived THC beverages, Kentucky is moving in a different direction. The Kentucky Senate recently passed SB 202, a bill that creates a regulated market for cannabis-infused beverages with clear licensing requirements.
Key provisions of Kentucky’s SB 202 includes:
- Legalizes cannabis-infused beverages with up to 5 mg THC per serving
- Implements a three-tier distribution system, similar to alcohol regulation, requiring licensed manufacturers, distributors, and retailers
- Restricts sales to package liquor stores in wet territories only, banning sales in bars, restaurants and grocery stores
- Requires licensing and regulation by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
- Mandates a study by the University of Kentucky Cannabis Center on the safety, distribution, and effects of cannabis beverages
- Includes an emergency clause, making it law upon the Governor’s signature.
Ohio HB 160 is Ohio’s move to shut down low-dose THC beverages. While Kentucky is creating a structured regulatory framework for cannabis beverages, Ohio is moving toward prohibition. HB 160, recently introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives, proposes severe restrictions on hemp-derived THC products, effectively eliminating the state’s emerging low-dose cannabis beverage market.
What HB 160 Would Do:
- Caps THC content at 0.5 mg per serving and 2 mg per package, making current low-dose THC beverages illegal overnight
- Repeals Ohio’s existing hemp laws (Chapter 3780) and consolidates regulation under Chapter 3796, treating hemp-derived products the same as marijuana
- Restricts THC beverage sales to licensed dispensaries only, removing them from bars, restaurants, and general retail stores
- Introduces new taxes on adult-use cannabis, signaling a broader move toward state-controlled cannabis sales while eliminating hemp-derived competitors.
If passed, HB 160 would end Ohio’s low-dose THC beverage market before it fully develops, cutting off small businesses, farmers and retailers from participating in one of the fastest-growing consumer industries in the country.
HB 160 would shut Ohio out of a global market shift
Beyond local economic impact, restricting low-dose THC beverages will have ripple effects on Ohio’s alcohol industry, bars and restaurants.
American alcohol brands are being removed from Canadian stores due to the growing U.S.-Canada trade war, making domestic growth strategies more critical. Cannabis beverages are an emerging revenue stream that alcohol companies and hospitality businesses need to offset lagging beer and liquor sales.
Restricting these products in Ohio closes doors for bars, restaurants and alcohol companies seeking to compete in a rapidly evolving market.
Ohio needs a balanced approach. The 2018 Farm Bill created a clear legal framework for hemp-derived products, and many states are taking measured steps to ensure product safety while supporting economic growth. HB 160 does not enhance consumer protections—it restricts retail access to low-dose THC beverages while favoring dispensary-only sales, even though Ohio’s state-licensed cannabis businesses already have the ability to produce and sell these products using cannabinoids derived from cannabis plants within the regulated supply chain.
Instead of imposing unnecessary restrictions, Ohio should consider a balanced approach that:
- Ensures consumer safety through testing and labeling
- Maintains retail access to responsibly regulated low-dose THC beverages
- Supports both dispensaries and general retail in providing consumer choices
The future of MAGAjuana in Ohio
Ohio is at a crossroads. It can embrace the growing market for low-dose THC beverages, supporting small businesses, economic development, and consumer choice—or it can pass HB 160 and shut down an industry that is flourishing in other states.
The 2018 Farm Bill set the stage for regulated hemp-derived products, and Ohio’s response will determine whether it moves forward with the national market—or gets left behind.
By contrast, Kentucky’s SB 202 provides a model for regulated cannabis beverage sales, striking a balance between market opportunity and oversight. If Ohio continues down the path of HB 160, it risks ceding market leadership to its neighbors and shutting out local businesses from a billion-dollar industry.
Toledo Mayor Kapszukiewicz touts achievements during State of City Address
Confident of his achievements so far, Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz topped off the end of his State of the City Address with an announcement that he was running for a third term.
A third consecutive mayoral term wasn’t even an option until November 2024, when Issue 9 passed, amending Toledo’s charter to allow three consecutive terms for the strong mayor position.
“We’ve done a lot, we’ve made progress, but there is more that we can do together and that is why tonight I am formally announcing my candidacy for mayor,” he declared as he stood in an industrial zone on the 13th floor of the Tower on the Maumee in downtown Toledo on March 5.
Four success points
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz funneled his successes over his first two terms into four major categories, citing them as progress in Toledo since he took office:
1. Public Safety
a. Declining crime rates
1. Expanded police
2. Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Safety & Engagement (MONSE)
2. Economic & Community Development
a. Site Selection Magazine has placed Toledo in the top 10 places in the nation for
business investment for year
b. The completion of the new Wayman D. Palmer YMCA
c. Riverwalk and Glass City Metropark
1. Completion of the Metropark has brought in people from surrounding
areas.
2. The Metropark has already facilitated growth in the surrounding neighborhoods
d. Toledo Pickle has opened in the Vistula neighborhood
e. Revitalization of the Jefferson Center.
3. Infrastructure
a. Improved roads
b. All lead water-lines should be removed by 2026.
4. Financial Stability
a. Increased bond rating for the city of Toledo
b. An increased savings in the "rainy day fund" from $4 million to $60 million.
Kapszukiewicz ended his address by vision casting about growing Toledo’s population again, which would raise the city’s revenue without raising taxes.
“It is time for Toledo to grow,” he said. “If Detroit can grow, it is time for Toledo. There’s no more excuses.”
Identifying lack of available housing as part of what was perpetuating Toledo’s population decline, Kapszukiewicz said “there is a demand for housing in Toledo,” and referenced a Housing and Community Development report.
He noted that the 2021 housing study identified a current need and a demand for 10,000 additional units of housing.
Kapszukiewicz cited Toledo’s 30 percent vacancy rate as far above the national average of 20 percent, and showed a picture of the Franklin Park Mall with the caption, Downtown vacancy greater than size of Franklin Park Mall.
“So, you can think of the core of our city as having two Franklin Park malls’ amount of [vacant] space,” he said. The study reported about 3 million square feet of vacant space in downtown Toledo.
“We have the ability to solve both problems at once if we can do a better job converting spaces like this,” Kapszukiewicz said, referring to standing up on the 13th floor of the Tower on the Maumee.
“That is what Nick Eyde is doing in this space. It used to be office space. It’s going to be a place where people are going to live,” he said.
Kapszukiewicz said he and Toledo city council were working on a proposal that would put about $25 million towards revitalizing historic sites in the same way the city helped restore these formerly vacant buildings: The Hillcrest, Commodore Perry and the LaSalle.
Toledo city council member at-large Mac Driscoll commented after the mayor’s address that “we absolutely have to build more housing in the city Toledo.
“If we’re not growing, we’re not going anywhere as a region. We’re not going to get second looks from an economic development perspective if we don’t have the population. We [have]-got to grow our tax base,” Driscoll said. “There’s things we can’t do because we don’t have enough taxpayers in the city, so we have got to build more housing in the city of Toledo in order to grow our population.”
Paul Komisarek, chairman of political development for the Lucas County Republicans, criticized Kapszukiewicz, saying the mayor used the State of the City Address to campaign for his third term.
Komisarek expressed dissatisfaction with Kapszukiewicz’s ability to attract economic investment into Toledo.
“What economic development has improved all the wonderful individual neighborhoods in the City of Toledo?” Komisarek asked, as he questioned Kapszukiewicz’s past two terms.
Dragon’s Roost builds community through gameplay
HOLLAND – Marshall Jones dreamed of owning his own game shop ever since he was a child. In May of 2017, his wish came true when he and his wife, Robin Jones, opened Dragon’s Roost Coffee and Games, a coffee shop, game store and gathering place.
“Our ultimate goal was to have a good community. We wanted to break the mold and create a safe, inclusive place for all players and non-players,” Marshall Jones explained.
He said it’s important to him to welcome people at all levels of gaming experience and backgrounds of life. This locally owned business is a family affair, as you can find the husband and wife running the store with their granddaughter, Alice Calvillo, who works at the counter as barista.
“I’ve been here since I was 15. I love our customers and I’ve seen this place grow,” Calvillo shared.
The owners assure that anyone can walk into Dragon’s Roost and find something they enjoy, from the large selection of games, to the Hobby Station for painting miniatures, books on gaming lore, delicious drinks and bakery treats. The walls are covered in game-themed posters and art. Their menu boasts seasonal flavors, as well as signature favorites.
“I recommend the Han Solo,” Marshall Jones said about the raspberry café mocha. Another customer favorite is the Chewbacca, a caramel and toasted marshmallow café mocha with whipped cream and caramel drizzle.
The atmosphere inside Dragon’s Roost is just what Marshall Jones planned: Welcoming and familiar as people gather to have adventures while empowering their imaginations.
Maxwell Kelso is one of the regulars at Dragon’s Roost. When he brought his idea of one-shot Dungeons and Dragons sessions (a popular tabletop role playing game) to the owner, Marshall Jones encouraged the idea wholeheartedly.
“He comes in and does all the voices and really makes an atmosphere for the players,” he said about Kelso.
There are game maps and a multitude of terrain sets free for anyone to use, and game clubs are encouraged to come in. For a full list of events, a calendar is released monthly.
“If you don’t think you are a gamer, you just haven’t found the right game yet,” Marshall Jones teases.
As more customers arrived, the shop filled with greetings and laughter as they found their spots at a game table, browsing the shelves at the Hobby Table or in the coffee shop. It is apparent that Dragon’s Roost acts as a second home to many.
Kelso is excited at how well his sessions have taken off in just a few short months. He hopes that his Dungeon Master skills will bring in a new crowd of players that have been previously intimidated about getting into the game.
“I wanted to make Dungeons and Dragons accessible to more players. I put in the work and provide stat blocks so that more time can be spent on gameplay,” Kelso added.
Players of all skill levels and ages are invited to join gameplay, whether it is their first time or they have played for years. “It’s exhilarating when new players walk in and come up with crazy ideas I’ve never thought of before,” Kelso stated.
Kelso encourages players to join him as a cleric, a dwarf, a barbarian or any other number of characters for a few hours. “There are no strings attached. There is always a new adventure to be had.” He said he’s happy to have found a comfortable home for his growing group to gather on Sundays at 1 p.m.
“You do not have to have played this game before. You don’t need anything but an open attitude,” Kelso exclaimed.
