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Special Report: LifeWise lobbies for nationwide legislation

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The Vermilion Board of Education listens to stakeholders on both sides, including LIfeWise representatives, during a special meeting on June 12, 2023. The school board, which unanimously deciding not to move forward with adopting a religious release time policy, now must comply to new state law by April 9.(Courtesy Photo)
Part 3 of a limited series about Ohio-based LifeWise Academy


TOLEDO – Recent changes to Ohio law mean all public school districts are now required to adopt policies governing religious release time (RTRI), setting the stage for battles over the language of these policies across the state.

The leaders of LifeWise Academy, the Ohio-based nonprofit pushing for Bible classes during public school hours, were major proponents of the legislation and are upfront about their goal to reach every district in the country with their programming.

LifeWise offers curriculum, coaching and other resources while local congregations provide financial support, classroom space and volunteers to help run programs. According to a state-of-the-ministry update in February, the program is live in more than 514 schools nationwide and serves more than 41,000 students. Adding the number of schools that are “confirmed” to launch next year, representatives estimated the program will soon be in 834 schools.

The legality of this arrangement is supported by a 1952 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that said students can be released from public school during school hours to attend religious classes. The Supreme Court stipulated that programs must meet off school property, be privately funded and can only be offered with parental permission. 

Representatives from LifeWise were on hand to lobby for their cause at a December meeting of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers (NACL) in Scottsdale, Ariz. Founded in 2020, the group “is dedicated to uniting federal, state and local lawmakers in support of clear biblical principles,” and has members from all 50 states and Puerto Rico. 

Following a presentation by Cody Balch, senior director of statewide initiatives for LifeWise, NACL members voted in support of adopting a model bill that would mandate public school districts adopt policies allowing religious release time. Similar to legislation passed recently in Indiana and Ohio, Balch cited the conservative Alliance Defending Freedom and First Liberty Institute as contributors to the bill. He referred legislators to the Released Time Resource Institute for more information. 

There is no contact information on this one-page website, but a note at the bottom says the Institute was created by LifeWise “and other like-minded nonprofits as a contribution to the broader released time community.” It includes a map depicting the status of states with RTRI laws and links to downloadable model legislation and model school board policies.

Meanwhile, some advocacy groups opposed to LifeWise have developed their own model RTRI policies to address concerns about LifeWise disrupting the public school day. 

Honesty for Ohio Education is a grassroots organization with a statewide coalition that includes state and local organizations, students, families, educators, legal professionals, healthcare providers, civic leaders and faith communities. Organizer Natalie Hastings said Honesty set up a working group to research LifeWise about a year ago after it came up as a common topic of concern in listening sessions with people around the state. The group includes an education law professor, current and past school board members and other partners from the coalition.

A LifeWise representative shared this map tracking the status of released time laws across the country at a meeting of the National Association of Christian Lawmakers in December. LifeWise is advocating for the passage of laws mandating the adoption of such policies across the country. (Screenshot, National Association of Christian Lawmakers meeting)

Last summer, the group produced an RTRI toolkit that included a model policy with suggested “guardrails” to protect students, such as mandated background checks, lunch guidelines, anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies and transportation standards.

Every point we bring up in that policy originated with a concern of something that happened at the local district level.

Natalie Hastings | Honesty for Ohio Education organizer

The model policy is a starting point for discussion of “reasonable things” to consider in RTRI policies, which Hastings noted would govern any religious group seeking to remove students during the school day, not only LifeWise.

Before this year, the Ohio Revised Code said public school districts “may” develop a policy governing religious release time programs. In January, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 8 into law, which changed that wording to say that districts “shall” adopt such a policy. 

This means districts without an RTRI policy must adopt one by the time the law goes into effect on April 9. Districts that do not yet have such a policy will most likely be developing these in February so they can have a second reading and vote in March to meet the April deadline. “Over the next month will be a good reflection of what school districts end up incorporating from different policy suggestions,” said Hastings.

Districts prepare to comply with new law

As LifeWise programs have proliferated, some districts in Ohio previously responded by rescinding or choosing not to adopt RTRI policies. Last March, the Sylvania Board of Education opted not to develop such a policy after listening to a proposal for a Sylvania Schools LifeWise program. Board members cited concerns about liability, disruptions to the school day and opening the door to other programs requesting excused absences. They suggested it would be more appropriate to offer the program after school.

Dr. Veronica Motley, superintendent for Sylvania, wrote in an email to the Toledo Free Press that the Board of Education will move forward with formally adopting a policy to bring the district into compliance with the new law prior to the April deadline. There is a possibility of RTRI programs beginning prior to the end of the school year, she wrote, but depending on schedules and other logistics, they may not be implemented until next school year. 

Sylvania Board of Education president Julie Hoffman did not respond to requests for an interview or further comment. 

Another district that previously blocked LifeWise programming is Vermilion City Schools. The district serves about 1,700 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12, and is located on the coast of Lake Erie, about 80 miles east of Toledo. 

David Hile, Vermilion superintendent, and Wes Weaver, the district’s assistant superintendent and director of curriculum, were among hundreds who testified last year in the Ohio House and Senate to oppose changing the language surrounding RTRI policies. The two administrators drew on their own experience interacting with representatives of LifeWise in Vermilion.

Hile said he made it clear from the beginning to the pastors who presented the idea to him in 2023 that he would not be in favor of a program that pulls students out during school hours.

“Since the pandemic, only about half of our kids are reading on grade level by the end of third grade. So we have kids that are significantly behind in reading and math,” said Hile. “We don’t have an hour to spare in the school day to just let kids go do religious instruction.”

Weaver recalls the initial meetings with local pastors as being cordial, and the administrators offered to work with LifeWise on setting up an after-school program.

That conversation went well, but it became evident after they went back to the LifeWise people that they just weren’t going to have that,” said Weaver. “The point is pushing into school, during school hours.

Wes Weaver, Vermilion assistant superintendent and director of curriculum

LifeWise representatives attended several meetings of the Vermilion Board of Education, and board members listened to stakeholders on both sides of the issue for months before unanimously deciding not to move forward with adopting a district RTRI policy.

“They did exactly what you want local government to do,” said Hile. “They talked to everybody, they listened to everybody, and then they made a decision that represented what they felt like was best for the community.”

LifeWise representatives did not seem to accept that decision, according to Hile. Local supporters continued to contact the board and district administrators to advocate for the program, and they held a screening in December 2024 of a film promoted by LifeWise that claims to expose “the historical removal of the Bible from public education.”

Hile accuses LifeWise of being disingenuous in some of its claims, such as a flyer posted to social media that stated LifeWise Academy reduces the achievement gap by more than 50 percent. When he asked LifeWise for evidence of that, he received no proof to back up the claim. 

Hile said he studied the achievement gap as part of the dissertation for his doctorate. “First of all, there’s not just one achievement gap, there’s multiple. And it’s usually based on race and socioeconomic status,” he added.

“And nobody has found a way to reduce the achievement gap, virtually at all. If you come in two, three years behind in kindergarten, which is when the achievement gap begins, schools have an incredibly difficult time making up those lost years, because we’re only in school for a year at a time,” Hile noted.

Hile also said Buddy Workman, a LifeWise field representative for North Central Ohio, falsely claimed at a spaghetti dinner for Vermilion’s LifeWise program in 2023 that the superintendent had refused to meet with him. Emails show that Workman never requested a meeting with the superintendent prior to this event.

Hile expressed frustration with the mandate to adopt a religious release time policy, which he views as overriding local control. “That to me is anti-democratic,” he said. “Why have a local school board if we’re going to be told by the state about everything we have to do?”

He said Vermilion will come into compliance with the new law after the board and administrators review the recommendations recently released by Neola, an organization providing educational policy guidance to schools. Hile has told LifeWise organizers next school year is the earliest a religious release time program could start in Vermilion.

Tiffin resident Keith Comer planted this yard sign in front of his home after learning about LifeWise Academy. He built a website that goes deep into what RTRI and LifeWise are. (TFP Photo/Lori King)

Promoting character education or Christian nationalism?

Hile and Weaver both associated the push for LifeWise programming with Christian nationalism in their testimonies and in comments to the Toledo Free Press.

“They want to infuse Christianity, or the notion of Christianity, into our public schools, and be able to say ‘Look, we brought the Bible back to our schools. We brought Christianity and religion back to our schools,’ ” said Hile. “The problem is, it’s not Christianity, in general. It’s a very specific viewpoint of Christianity. And it’s not inclusive.”

While LifeWise Academy is not affiliated with any one Christian denomination, its website says its teachings align with “historic, orthodox Christian beliefs.” The LifeWise curriculum is based on The Gospel Project, which comes from Lifeway Christian Resources, an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention. 

The LifeWise Academy classroom at the Perrysburg Alliance Church in Perrysburg. (TFP Photo/Lori King)

Critics of LifeWise say that its teachings discriminate against people who are divorced, unmarried and single parents, practitioners of non-Christian religions, and members of the LGBTQ+ community, including people who are transgender and couples in same-sex marriages. 

“The idea that it’s kind of nondenominational and kind of neutral among all religious points of view, that doesn’t bear scrutiny,” said Weaver.

Responding to the LifeWise talking point that the program brings needed character education into public schools, Weaver asserted that public schools have always been one of the two main sources of character education for kids, with home being the primary one. “It’s baked into everything that we do,” said Weaver.

“The truth is, you can look to religion or spirituality or your faith for that sort of thing. That doesn’t mean that’s the only source for that, and the idea that removing a child from school for an hour a week is going to make them turn out better in terms of their character — there’s no evidence to support that,” said Weaver.

Don Lee: Pot Cop

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Caption - Elephant cop holding a baton: "Your vote ... doesn't matter," it says to Ohio farmer, consumer and patient. By Don Lee.

Ohio SB 56 passed by the Senate

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On Aug. 6, 2024, customers wait for the opening of Rise Medical & Recreational Marijuana Dispensary in Toledo on the first day of legal cannabis sales in Ohio. (TFP Photo/Lori King)

The bill holds Ohio’s cannabis industry hostage

In 2023, Ohioans voted to legalize adult-use cannabis, anticipating economic growth, job creation and increased tax revenue. However, on Feb. 26, the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 56 (SB 56), a measure that threatens to undermine this potential by imposing restrictive regulations that could stifle the burgeoning industry.

The bill now moves to the Ohio House of Representatives and, if approved, will head to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk for final approval.

Rather than addressing real concerns, SB 56 serves as a ransom note to Ohio’s cannabis industry—politicians are fully aware of the economic promise of adult-use cannabis, yet they are using unnecessary regulations and excessive taxation to hold that promise hostage.

Ohio’s cannabis market: Billion-dollar industry in jeopardy

Economic projections for Ohio’s adult-use cannabis market are substantial. BDSA, a cannabis market intelligence firm, estimates that combined medical and adult-use sales in Ohio could reach $1.65 billion by 2027. Industry analysts suggest the market could eventually grow to $4 billion, aligning with per capita sales in Midwestern states like Michigan.

However, SB 56 introduces major obstacles to this growth by imposing unnecessary restrictions, including:

  • Increasing the cannabis excise tax from 10 percent to 15 percent, making Ohio’s tax structure one of the highest in the midwest.
  • Reducing the number of home-grown plants from 12 to six.
  • Placing limits on THC concentration in legal cannabis products.
  • Eliminating the social equity program, which was designed to reinvest tax revenue into communities most impacted by past cannabis prohibition.

    These changes not only disregard voter intent but also create a hostile business environment that will drive consumers to other states. Looking at other midwestern states provides insight into what Ohio stands to lose if SB 56 is enacted.
House of Dank advertises on an I-75 North billboard in Michigan near the Ohio border. (TFP Photo/Lori King)

Michigan, with a population of 10 million, legalized adult-use cannabis in 2019 and has since collected over $1 billion in tax revenue. Cannabis tax revenue supports schools, roads and local governments, demonstrating the tangible benefits of a well-regulated market.

Missouri, with a population of 6.2 million, generated $1.4 billion in cannabis sales within two years of legalization—outpacing many states with older programs.

Ohio’s population is 11.8 million, meaning its cannabis market could be even larger. However, SB 56’s strict marketing rules, high taxes and excessive regulations will make Ohio’s cannabis more expensive than in midwestern states, like Michigan and Missouri. This will only push consumers to Michigan, where cannabis is cheaper and more accessible.

An employee at Rise Medical & Recreational Marijuana Dispensary Toledo on Monroe St. checks in a customer on the first day of legal cannabis sales in Ohio. (TFP Photo/Lori King)

Ohio SB 56 is a solution in search of a problem

Supporters of SB 56 claim that additional regulations are needed to prevent societal harm. However, there is no evidence that adult-use cannabis legalization has caused a negative societal impact in Ohio or other states. In fact, research from multiple studies, including those sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), shows that:

  • Youth cannabis consumption has not increased in states where cannabis is legal. Studies show that teenage cannabis use has either remained the same or declined post-legalization.
  • Arrests for cannabis-related offenses have decreased significantly, allowing law enforcement to focus on more serious crimes.
  • Cannabis legalization has not led to an increase in violent crime, contradicting claims from opponents of legalization.

Despite this scientific evidence, Ohio lawmakers continue to push the same outdated “Reefer Madness” rhetoric, painting cannabis as a public health threat while ignoring the well-documented dangers of alcohol, which kills thousands of children and young adults every year through alcohol poisoning, impaired driving and related accidents.

Conclusion: SB 56 must be stopped

The Ohio Senate’s passage of SB 56 last month represents a blatant attempt to undermine the will of the voters and weaken the state’s economic potential. The bill now moves to the Ohio House of Representatives, where lawmakers have the opportunity to reject this misguided legislation. If it passes the House, DeWine will have to decide whether to support Ohio’s economic future or cave to baseless fear mongering.

Ohio has the chance to create one of the strongest cannabis markets in the midwest, but SB 56 threatens to send consumers and tax revenue elsewhere.

Lawmakers must vote against this bill to protect Ohio’s cannabis industry, honor the will of the voters, and ensure that Ohio does not fall behind while other states thrive.

Jerry King: Catinnitus

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A REVIEW: The Last Showgirl

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Pamela Anderson as Shelly in The Last Showgirl. (Royalty Free Image)

No Oscar nomination .. but thumbs up anyway

Had you told me at any point in the last x-amount of time that Pamela Anderson would give a fantastic performance in a narrative feature directed by Gia Coppola, a descendant of the Coppolas … well, I guess I wouldn’t quite know how to decipher that information. 

Not that Anderson wasn’t capable of the work; she was a prime target of a stereotype for her time. Do you remember the ’90s? She was a typecast from the get-go: The buxom blonde running alongside David Hasselhoff in Baywatch, the trophy rockstar wife and prized fantasy of many early-internet lumps who spent hours fidgeting with AOL.

Had she been given the chance to shine in a serious role, it wouldn’t have made a dent, save for the gossip columns taking her to task for even trying. Does Barb Wire even count? She was doomed out of the chute, never given the chance to actually show her talent. 

If she had filmed a few good roles and fallen into character roles, as is the usual arc for show business, her performance would be adorned with the tired acclaim of “She’s a revelation” or “Her performance is a resurrection.” Boy, do people love throwing those phrases around without knowing where they will land. 

Joke’s on them. Anderson’s performance in the The Last Showgirl, a 2024 drama film written by Kate Gersten, is worthy of such praise, without the “Oh hey, where did you go?” pretense. You finally get to see Anderson act her ass off in a prime role. 

Anderson’s character, Shelly, is the last member of a once-prestigious Vegas showgirl act, clinging to the past as the show is canceled after 30+ years. She has nothing to fall back on, thanks to ignoring Father Time. Her motherly advice to the younger dancers is follow the tales of her glory days. 

But nostalgia doesn’t pay the bills. 

Yet, it’s that nostalgia that keeps Shelly coming back and has been all these years, even as her facade of reality crashes and she’s left to sift through the detritus. 

She can’t pronounce her estranged daughter’s name during a desperate phone call; her costume snags in the next night’s show; her knees buckle on the way to the stage the night after; and she’s given the “old timer” treatment by the younger roster. 

All the while, she has Annette (played by Jamie Lee Curtis in a scene-chewing performance) as her mother hen. Annette was a former head of the show-line but became the jaded Casino cocktail waitress covered in fake bronze who chain-smokes, boozes and spits pearls at the youngsters. 

Curtis nails her role. As the cantankerous stateswoman, she bites into her cigarettes and stares bullets into a past she refuses to talk about. Especially with Eddie, the showrunner played by Dave Bautista

His role was a weird case. He was miscast, but I liked what he brought to the character. The character would’ve been easy to turn into the hackneyed club owner trope. At best, you’ll get Ben Gazzara in Killing of a Chinese Bookie

Bautista goes in the opposite direction, portraying Eddie like a dog giving you the innocent (but guilty) eyes. He can’t look up, and any time he’s scolded, he always looks away.  

Shelly in the dressing room. (Royalty Free Image)

But all tracks lead back to Pamela.

Great work eclipses the hands to whom the little golden statue is gifted. Anderson’s performance walks the thin line between child-like wonder and lashing out at what’s left when the curtain falls on her character. 

You can tell she’s done her homework. Her performance blends the right mix of childlike wonder and the refusal to give in to her seeping reality. I was reminded of Ellen Burstyn in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler, with a touch of Naomi Watts in Mulholland Dr. Anderson has cited Barbara Loden’s Wanda as a massive influence as well.  

Is ‘The Last Showgirl’ a great film? The film didn’t receive a single Oscar nomination, but time, as always, will be the judge. I believe 20 years is the right amount of time to pass and to come back to an argument in full view.

Is Pamela Anderson’s performance terrific? I’ll put 10 toes in the ground and say “Yes,” despite her best actress nomination snub.

Stinky skunk cabbage emerges

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Mother Nature doesn’t pay much attention to winter weather advisories.

She’s already preparing for the arrival of spring. Though winter may look silent and frozen, there’s new life stirring under the snow and ice.

In the forest, the layers of fallen leaves are a nurturing blanket. Already, the first new growth of the year has emerged and is pushing through that blanket. If it hasn’t already, it will soon flower and announce its presence with a mildly unpleasant odor.

One up-close whiff and you’ll know why it’s called skunk cabbage, even though it’s not a member of the cabbage family, and it doesn’t smell like a skunk.

The plant is uniquely suited for survival in the coming weeks of winter weather, even providing an organically heated sheath to protect its flowers.

Look for it along small streams, and in the sloughs and seeps of the Oak Openings Region. 

Collingwood Arts Center to host annual burlesque shows

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An audience watches a performer at the Speakeasy at Collingwood Arts Center in Toledo. (Courtesy Photo)

TOLEDO – Many forms of dance performance have toed the line between art and smut, but none compare to burlesque. The midwest’s love-hate relationship with the glamorous and sultry shows has resulted in crowds of performers moving in and out of cities, and with venues going in and out of business. Toledo is no exception.

Jess Worley. (Courtesy Photo/Nicole Alef|Moonrise Photography)

Burlesque has a storied home in the Glass City. Most famously, it was host to Town Hall Burlesque Theatre, a venue operational in the late 1960s. Madamed and founded by Rose La Rose, an accomplished burlesque performer who earned her fame at the infamous New York venue Minsky’s, Town Hall was classy.

However, its original intention of creating luxury shows, like Minsky’s, was short-lived. Soon, adult films made their way into the theatre, its purpose changed, and it was demolished in 1968. 

Today, burlesque shows are hard to come by in the city. The Collingwood Arts Center is changing that. The arts center recently hosted a speakeasy event, advertising burlesque performers. I witnessed a packed house, with multi-genre burlesque performances and the brooding atmosphere of a speakeasy. 

The arts center plans to make the event an annual occurrence, a silver lining for performers like Morris and Worley, both of whom seek to land in more venues around the Toledo area. But can the negative assumptions about burlesque be changed? Jess thinks so. 

The Victorian building has a lived-in atmosphere, transporting us to another time as I was led down a long, dark hallway in the basement of the Collingwood. Within an entirely black room, decorated in a classic burlesque theatre motif, there was a cash bar and Al Capone’s Vault (stacked with lottery tickets for a lucky winner). 

Gina Arnez. (Courtesy Photo)

Ruby Jade, Ada Atomic and Gina Arnez took the stage and wowed the audience with bumps, grinds and reveals. The audience generously handed out tips and wooed at their moves.

Jess Worley said the only place she’s seen burlesque performed in Toledo is the Collingwood Arts Center at the Speakeasy event. “It was incredible and I love the venue.”

The Toledo native has been a burlesque performer since 2021, though her performances have been restricted to Detroit because of the lack of demand for the art in our city. It’s been her mission to establish it here.

Worley has performed her routines at venues, like Detroit’s Northern Lights Lounge, Planet Ant and New Dodge Lounge. She has described her acts as fitting into two genres.

“I do a lot of classic, glamorous burlesque, but I do more nerdlesque recently,” she said. Nerdlesque refers to performers dressed as glamorized characters whose routines are filled with comedic tease and suggestion. 

Worley’s version had the crowd rolling. Donning a token Guy Fieri flaming button up, wig and mustache, she flaunts on top of a giant, plush cheeseburger to a great track.

“My friend mashed the songs together for me, a hip-hop song called ‘Guy Fieri’ and ‘Cherry Pie,’ of course,” Worley said.

If anyone takes props and costuming seriously, it’s burlesque performers. Worley’s cheeseburger prop made from a large ottoman was lovingly crafted by her and her dad on Father’s Day. 

The performers at the Speakeasy were no different.

Gene Morris as Liza Minelli. (Courtesy Photo)

Gene Morris, whose stage persona, Gina Arnez, dons a sparkling boa, said he wouldn’t call himself a burlesque performer. “I’m more of a female impersonator. When I started, people started telling me I reminded them of Liza Minelli, so I began doing her cabaret numbers.”

Morris is a Collingwood Arts Center advocate and has performed at several of their fundraising events. Although the act’s debut was on the main stage, this was the first performance of Gina’s in the underground theatre. “It was a really well-organized event and a lot of fun. The attendance was the best I’ve seen, the room was packed.” 

Gina Arnez, winner of Mrs. Amateur Great Lakes 1999, has been dancing around Toledo for some time.

David Morris, left, with husband, Gene. (Courtesy Photo)

“I’m originally from Morgantown, West Va. I moved to Toledo in ’94 for a job. I met my current husband, David, when I moved up here, and we’ve been together for 30 years now – married 11. We used to go to Caesar’s Show Bar all the time for a night out and I said well, I’d like to try that. I was 36 at the time and that’s kind of late to start performing, but he encouraged me to do so.

“When I’m on stage a lot of people don’t recognize me. When I’m not presenting as Gina, I’m quiet and reserved. When I’m on stage as Gina, I’m a completely changed person,” he explained.

“Burlesque has a bad reputation; a majority of people associate it with strippers. Yes, but it’s an art form. It’s not for the male gaze – it’s for the female gaze. I don’t make my costumes for the men. I make them for the girls, gays and theys. It’s about rebellion and protest, this is my body and I’m going to show it how I want to.” 

The crowds at the Collingwood Arts Center’s Speakeasy event are a testament to the demand of bringing burlesque back to Toledo. Although we may never see another exclusively burlesque venue like Town Hall, venues like the arts center are vital, living hubs for these forms of expression.  

Warren Haynes concert at Stranahan raises funds for hurricane relief

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The Warren Haynes Band performs at the Stanahan Theater. Haynes is from Nashville, N.C.,so $1 from each ticket goes to hurricane relief in his hometown. (TFP Photo/Kyle Brown)

TOLEDO – The Warren Haynes band rolled through Toledo as part of their winter tour last month, giving locals an opportunity to not only enjoy the show but contribute to hurricane relief funds.                            

Asheville, N.C., native Warren Haynes and his band made a stop at the Stranahan Theater, the band’s third stop on the Million Voices Whisper tour 2025. A donation of $1 from each ticket sold went toward the hurricane relief fund in Asheville.

Warren Haynes. (TFP Photo/Kyle Brown)
Saxophone player Greg Osby. (TFP Photo/Kyle Brown)

Last November, Warren Haynes performed alongside the Dave Matthews Band at Madison Square Garden, and money from the concert was to be donated to the hurricane relief funds in North Carolina and Florida. The show was sold out, and over $4.5 million was raised.

The MSG show included ticket sales, merchandise and sponsorships, and direct donations all contributed to the relief fund. The winter tour is focused solely on ticket sales as part of the donations to support the cause.

The fans at the Stranahan Theater were very happy to see Haynes perform, and by the end of the show, fans were standing and singing along. Between sets, there were interjections of “We love you, Warren!” which he would acknowledged.

Haynes performed songs from his new album Million Voices Whisper that he released last November, but he also played classics like Tear me Down and Soulshine.

It hasn’t been made public yet how much money was raised for the concert; that will be accounted for once the tour is complete. While the music itself was the driving force behind the crowd’s enjoyment, the love for Haynes’ and the support for his hometown of Asheville through its continued disaster relief efforts was palpable.

Warren Haynes fans shop for memorabilia. (TFP Photo/Kyle Brown)

NEW! Toledo-area Winter Activity Guide

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Side Cut Metropark in Maumee on Feb. 17. (Courtesy Photo/Toledo Metroparks)

Though there’s warmth on the horizon, winter isn’t over quite yet, so check out our comprehensive winter guide. March is unpredictable, so there’s still hope for snow activities.

Stay tuned for a spring guide that’s currently being developed. Updates will we added as the year progresses, and we’ll have summer and fall guides, too!


Winter Guide

Parks

Metroparks Toledo

Metroparks Toledo locations across Northwest Ohio offer a plethora of winter activities, including cross-country skiing, ice skating, sledding, snowshoeing and winter hiking. Oak Openings Preserve’s Cannaley Treehouse Village is open year-round — a unique winter getaway — and Glass City Metropark hosts ice skating and ice bocce at The Ribbon.

419-407-9700 | Hours: 7 a.m. to dark every day
Glass City Metropark. (Courtesy Photo/Toledo Metroparks)

Maumee Bay State Park

Enjoy sledding, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating and winter nature hikes at Maumee Bay State Park. The park also offers indoor lodging and cabins during the winter months.

419-836-7758 | 1400 State Park Rd, Oregon

Maumee State Forest

Maumee State Forest is comprised of 3,332 acres in Fulton, Henry and Lucas counties. Maumee State Forest features a 2-mile self-guided hike/interpretive trail called the Stewardship Trail, 66 miles of unmarked firelanes for hiking, eight miles of bridle trails, eight miles of APV trails, a tree improvement/research and chestnut tree area, and wet-sedge meadow.

3390 County Rd. D, Swanton

Ottawa & Jermain Parks
Ottawa Park is Toledo’s largest regional park. It’s home to Northwest Ohio’s only open-air ice rink, available for ice skating and hockey. Call to check availability and visit the rink’s website for program information and admission fees.

Winter park goers have plenty of options for fun at Ottawa & Jermain Parks — ice skating, hockey, cross-country skiing and three sledding hills of varying size and steepness.

419-885-1167 | 2015 Parkside Dr., Toledo

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium
The Toledo Zoo & Aquarium has a full calendar of activities and events, including their famous annual Lights Before Christmas, in addition to all of their regular exhibits. Check website for membership and ticket information.

419-385-5721 | 2 Hippo Way, Toledo

Toledo Farmers’ Market
Stroll through the Toledo Farmers’ Market to find fresh produce, breads and sweet treats, homemade gifts and more from local vendors.

419-255-6765 | 525 Market St., Toledo | Hours: Saturdays (November-April) 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Sledding

Conneaut Park Sledding Hill
A hotspot in BG for sledding, the hill was once the city’s reservoir system.

Conneaut and Haskins Rd., Bowling Green | 419-354-6223

Rivercrest Park

419-872-8020 | 13761 Eckel Junction Rd., Perrysburg

Sylvan Prairie Park

Visit the new and improved sled hill and enjoy three different slopes.

8601 Brint Rd., Sylvania | Hours: 7:30am-90 minutes before sunset

Northview High School

A fun ride for all ages, the sled hill at Northview High School is long, moderately sloped and lit at night from the school parking lot.

419-824-8570 | 5403 Silica Dr., Sylvania

Harroun Community Park

Harroun Community Park is home to two different sled hills: one steep with grooves and bumps along the way for a thrilling ride, and the other hill, located near the Lathrop House, offers a tamer ride for the little ones.

419-885-8733 | 5500 Main St., Sylvania (at the rear of St. Joseph Church parking lot)

Navarre Park

Sledding at Navarre Park is fun for all ages, with a hill that varies in steepness and bumps.

1001 White St., Toledo

Homecoming Hill at Homecoming Park

Homecoming Hill boasts a long and fast ride with its moderate slope.

419-337-0900 | 715 Lawrence Avenue, Wauseon

Please comment with any personal favorites we missed. Send suggestions for all seasonal go-to destinations to editor@toledofreepress.com

Rock’n’roll and the alcohol demon

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Steven J Athanas. (Courtesy Photo)

Wherein our hero comes forth with (some of) his vulnerabilities


From the memories of former Homewreckers band front man Steven J Athanas

If female charm was something that steered my libidinous map in the ‘70s, ‘80s and beyond, it wasn’t my only vice. My carcass was ripe with shortcomings, cravings, challenges that consistently threw me off my path … see, that’s the thing about vices; you can never have too many – or so you think.

When one works in an environment where spirits (of the alcoholic variety) are dominant, where the establishment itself is maintained through the sale and consumption of said spirits … well, it’s oh so easy to fall prey to its charms.

I think we can all agree that the whole nightclub scene has always been aligned with liquor – to the point of being nearly non-existent without it. Kinda stating the obvious, I suppose.

“Oh, demon alcohol, sad memories I can’t recall,
who thought I would fall, a slave to demon alcohol?

Ray Davies, lead singer of The Kinks

To an extent, this codependency is true of rock’n’roll. Take the holiest of holies, the Catholic Church. Their summer festivals would be pretty lame if not for the pairing up of rock’n’roll and beer. I’ve been there; I speak from experience. Many’s the time that the “king pole” that holds up the tent (I had to Google that one) was transitioned into a makeshift stripper’s pole. How many “Hail Marys” to cleanse your soul of that?

So it’s quite a challenge to not succumb, when you’re in the thick of it. And to add to that, quite often we got our drinks free! At Howard’s Club H in Bowling Green, I had a signal for one of the bartenders. If I positioned my hand like I was gonna shoot myself in the head, it meant “Gimme a shot!” So easy. Honestly? There were nights I had no business driving home from BG.

As a matter of fact, there once was a time I was driving home around 3 a.m., inebriated, and I heard the sirens. The officer got out of his car, walked up to my car and asked, “Is there a reason you were going so fast?”

I, of course, was frantic. I’m not sure why I said it, but I responded “‘Cuz I got real bad diarrhea.”

He laughed and said, “Get outta here.”

A close one, for sure.

I mean, the term itself, bar band, pretty much says it all. I won’t pretend to be some sort of sociological analyst, but I would think that most musicians in that situation would be vulnerable, to one degree or another. There were some nights when the band’s bar tab came frighteningly close to surpassing our fee!

The Homewreckers once had a sax player who had a drinking problem. Our relationship went back to when I was a kid, as this guy’s family grew up next to my family in the Colony. We were neighbors. He was older than me, and I would hear him practicing in the summer when the windows were open. I was entranced.

Wayne Cochran: The dude that our sax player played with. How y’not gonna run a pic of that ‘do???!? (Courtesy Photo)

Truth be told, Bobby was influential in getting me into rock’n’roll. He had played with Wayne Cochran and others of note, and got a lot of his chops from playing the bars in the French Quarter in New Orleans, which some might call the drinking capital of the U.S.

When he joined the band, it was sadly the old cliché: He drank like a fish. The amazing thing was it didn’t affect his playing! He was a great saxophonist in spite of his drinking. I’d never encountered anything like it. He bitched about having to play Clarence Clemons’ sax work on Rosalita. “That guy sucks,” he’d grumble, but he’d always nail it.

We once played a weekend gig on Catawba Island, and they gave us a few cabins to stay in. One day we rehearsed in the afternoon at the club. When we got back to the cabins they were unexpectedly locked and we had no keys. The sax player, already three sheets, yelled and bitched, then finally, after waiting too long, just ripped the door off the hinges.

The amazing thing was we didn’t get fired for his stunt. We chose to not let the club owner know until the end of the gig, and the repair bill was taken out of his pay (all of it).

So you might be asking: What about me? 

I am not ready to spill all my beans (or grapes, as the case may be); it’s too close to the bone, the word “uncomfortable” comes to mind. Does that surprise you?

My parents were both heavy partiers. We had an in-ground swimming pool in our backyard in Old Orchard, and many a night there would be wild revelry from my parents and their friends. It’s fair to say that liquor was always around in my life.

Still, it would be misleading to put that all on my folks. The people I hung with, playing in bars for five decades, the availability of booze…it drew me in. I mean, I don’t wake up craving a screwdriver first thing in the morning, never had a DUI, don’t get sloppy drunk (anymore), but I will have a glass or two of wine with dinner on most nights.

Steven J Athanas (Courtesy Photo)

Having said all that, yes, there was a time when I would get pretty shit-faced way too often. The question became, “What am I gonna punish my liver with tonight?” Getting it free in the bars and then going to after-hour parties, well it was pretty wild – what I recall of it.

I do recall an incident when I was with The Raisin Band. We were on the road, somewhere in the Deep South, and we had a night off between gigs. On a warm summer night, we ventured to the liquor store and picked up a bottle of Rebel Yell (seemed apropos). After consuming no small amount, a couple of the guys decided to take a ride to get some food: not the best idea. The rest of us continued partying, and after awhile the two returned and they had a stop light! They had somehow taken down an actual traffic stop light and brought it back to the room, laughing their asses off. No inhibitions there!

But here I am, still vertical to the planet, able to function as a (somewhat) normal human being. There is/was no AA, no interventions, no come-to-Jesus moment for all of this. All of those wild, wild times, putting Life on the line, all that wild abandon, just lost its charm for me. I sure as hell don’t think I’m any kind of Superman, able to leap tall vices in a single bound, it just happened, and I’m thankful for that. My therapist would probably tell me I’m full of shit, but that’s where I’m at and I’m sticking to my story.

At this stage, it goes without saying I am very lucky for all the stupid shit I got away with. They’re good stories, I think, and the reason I write this column. As we all know, some of us aren’t so lucky.

Anyway, I gotta wrap this up, ‘cuz as they always say, “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere …”

Jus’ kiddin’.