There were certainly a number of memorable things about Inauguration Day this year. It was the first time that an African-American had taken the oath for the highest office in the land. It was the largest group of people ever assembled for a Presidential Inauguration in the country’s history. It was the 44th time that the United States had peacefully transferred power from one leader to the next; something that I have to believe is a record in this world of almost non-stop political turmoil.

There were likewise a number of memorable things that President Obama spoke about during his Inauguration Address. He paid tribute to the founding principles of this country, the people who established them, and the documents that codified them. He spoke and paid tribute to the men and women who served those ideals in wars all over the world. He identified many of the challenges that face this country today and how he intends to deal with them. His words were stirring and full of the hope and change that had been the heart of his campaign message.

But I took away something a little different from the day, something that was little mentioned in the media and perhaps little noticed by the American people. It was not the man at the podium that I was struck by, but the one in the background. George W. Bush stood politely in that background, recognizing that his day was over, accepting without rancor the vitriol cast upon him by his successor’s supporters singing “Hey, hey, hey, Goodbye”, and quietly retreating to a plane that for eight years had served as his office and now would only serve as his ride home.

In these days when political leaders so often seek a media platform for self-aggrandizement, this man did little in the way of press conferences and interviews in his last days. Where the staff of his predecessor played sophomoric gags on the incoming one, Bush instructed his people to cooperate fully and in every way, and they did. While being blamed in the mass media for everything from murder to athlete’s foot, he chose not to trade barbs with his accusers from a bully pulpit, nor to lay potential charges at the feet of those who smeared him.

Whether you consider the man right or wrong in his policies, it is a tribute to the man that he kept himself above the fray when I am sure many of his friends and advisers I am sure told him not to. It is a tribute to his respect for the office that he chose not to point out that many of the very policies that he had been vilified for during the campaign were being adopted by the new Administration. It is a tribute to his leadership and to the loyalty of his staff that instead of trying to cash in on their recent government service, his paid homage to the office and the man by remaining until the last day.

Well he has returned to Texas now, and I suspect that little will be heard from this latest of ex-presidents. I likewise suspect that there will be little in the way of criticism or comment of the new Administration coming from the ranch in Crawford, TX or the new home in Dallas. I further suspect that like his father, this ex-president Bush will rarely seek the limelight. I believe that there will be little in the way of paid public speaking engagements, few interviews, and far less of the pomp and circumstance of his former existence.

But though it is a bit late, I would like to take this one last opportunity to pay tribute to a man who for eight years has kept us free and safe. I would, though it is no longer his due, take one last opportunity to say, “Hail to the Chief.”

Tim Higgins blogs at justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com.

Mick BeierA new restaurant wants to win your Super Bowl order.

Michelle Beier, her husband Marty and son Mick opened Bad Bob’s BBQ & Grill two years ago in Oak Harbor. In August, they moved the restaurant to Rossford at 27250 Crossroads Parkway. The small franchise was started in Dyersburg, Tenn., by Bobby Groom.
“We’re famous for our cold pork and rib and they’re delicious,” Michelle Beier said.
Beier said one unusual menu item that’s popular is the BBQ burrito. It is a burrito filled with cold pork, beans, coleslaw cheese and sauce. The restaurant offers a variety of appetizers such as BBQ bologna, smoked chicken and BBQ stuffed potato. Hamburgers and salads are on the menu, as well as plenty of non-barbecue items.
“We buy all our chicken fresh from Root’s Poultry in Fremont. We season it and smoke it,” Beier said.
Sandwiches range from $5.49 to $7.49 and ribs from $7.49 to $19.99. The most expensive item is a rack of ribs, which costs $19.99 and is served with two sides and a roll or cornbread.
“Our homemade soups and desserts are made in our kitchen; nothing comes in prepared,” Beier said.
Bad Bob’s owners have won several rib cook-offs and pride themselves on offering something for everyone. A bar will be added to the restaurant in the near future, although alcohol is available already. Kids eat free on Wednesdays.
“It’s a nice atmosphere, it’s comfortable, homey and our employees are all local people who have been with us since we first opened here in Rossford,” she said.
Bad Bob’s received a letter from a family complimenting the restaurant.
“They came here for supper and it said the food was wonderful, the service was wonderful and it was a wonderful place to be. We get a lot of compliments and some criticism, too. It happens everywhere. We take criticism and try to do something. We want them to go away happy and want them to come back.”
Beier said the business is well, despite problems in the economy.
“We are doing pretty good. We see repeat customers and new customers. We’re very happy with the welcome we’ve gotten here. The people that come here are very nice and welcoming.”
Bad Bob’s is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Catering and takeout is available.
For more information, visit www.badbobs17.com

Historically, universities have not been fully engaged in their communities, much less their economic development efforts. However, times have changed.
Today, it is clear that universities and the communities in which they are located cannot survive, much less grow without the other. A strong community needs a strong university. A strong university  needs a strong community. Therefore, UT is proud to play an important role in the development of our Toledo-Regional Economic Plan.
UT does this every day by educating our region’s future entrepreneurs and leaders, creating knowledge in our laboratories, providing guidance and support for young companies and seeking partnerships in Northwest Ohio and around the world.
All of these initiatives and more are needed to help Northwest Ohio remain competitive in today’s global-knowledge economy. To that end, among other efforts, UT is working to double its amount of research grants to $120 million annually, working to recruit and retain the most talented students and faculty and to foster an atmosphere of entrepreneurship.
As initiators of the Toledo-Regional Economic Plan (formerly Meta-Plan) — the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Regional Growth Partnership, Toledo-Regional Chamber of Commerce, Toledo-Area Metropolitan Council of Governments, Lucas County Improvement Corporation, City of Toledo and UT continue to try to answer some of the most important economic questions that we face: How do we maximize area economic development resources and improve Northwest Ohio’s competitiveness for state and federal funding? How do we make sure the economic development roadmap is easy to navigate for potential companies interested in coming to Northwest Ohio? How do our strategic plans align with the Ohio Department of Development’s strategic plan? How do we mobilize our existing Northwest Ohio industry clusters to create jobs?
Industrial clusters driven by knowledge and innovation
One of the main initiatives of the Toledo-Regional Economic Plan is to advance Northwest Ohio’s industrial clusters. These five clusters, or areas of strength, as identified by many local studies, are:
1. Advanced and renewable energy (solar, wind, biomass)
2. Advanced materials and manufacturing
3. Biosciences (medical devices, specialized agriculture)
4. Transportation and logistics
5. Architecture, engineering and construction services.
Getting the leaders of the groups just mentioned in the same room to discuss how to best capitalize on our strengths and resources, like the Toledo-Regional Economic Plan does, bodes well for our future.
Work groups have been formed to develop unique strategies for each of Northwest Ohio’s clusters. Working together, we can better capitalize on our region’s strengths, resulting in more jobs and more opportunities here at home. And as our clusters compete globally, it is our knowledge and innovation that will set them apart.
Yes, UT will play an important role in reinventing our region’s economy. But as UT President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs underscored at a recent meeting of the Toledo-Regional Economic Plan, our area must speak with one voice, and everyone must serve as ambassadors of our region. He said: “By showing our unity of purpose and voice, we will better compete for the resources and outcomes that we are seeking.” That is exactly what the Toledo-Regional Economic Plan is all about.

D’Naie Jacobs is associate director for economic development at UT.

On a normal day, the flat-screen televisions at The Blarney Irish Pub & Grill play sports highlights or European soccer games at lunchtime. A lot of business is conducted at the Downtown pub’s tables, so matches between the Tottingham Teetotalers and the Fremantle Dockers, which invariably end in 0-0 ties, fade into the background.
But Jan. 20 was not a normal day, and the pub’s restaurant reflected that through its many electronic teats. The inauguration of Barack Obama showed on every screen, to the rapt attention of a bustling pub.
My lunch companion was a former Toledoan who lives in Texas but is planning to return to Northwest Ohio. He has an exciting cultural project planned and is rallying support in preparation for his move back. Before Obama began speaking, we talked about the cultural heritage of our region and the need to document it before some of those capable of telling the story slip away.
At the other end of the pub, a group of United Way employees watched the inauguration. I did not know every one of them, but Sarah, Kelli, Alissa and Kim were there; those are the United Way people I work with the most, so those are the faces I associate with the venerable and indispensable charity. It made me smile to see them engrossed in this history playing out before us.
Not everyone in the pub was entranced by the scene in Washington. A few people rolled their eyes or mock-clapped, and those were the people who laughed the loudest when Obama and Chief Justice John Roberts stumbled over the wording of the oath.
In media, there are a lot of people who make their living by being contrary and detracting from Obama and his political party, and I understand that. Opposition is a healthy, necessary ingredient for our republic. But I am not as understanding of the gradual co-opting of the words “hope” and “change” as mockable ideals. Critics use those words with disdain, as if they are slightly dirty, unpleasant concepts, and that makes no ideological or rhetorical sense. It reminds me of Dennis Miller’s line that only in American culture do we use the name “Einstein” to insult someone.
It’s not as if Obama is spouting naïve platitudes with no sense of the challenges he faces. In his address, he said, “That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet.”
Those do not sound like rose-colored words.
Obama also offered a succinct call to action: “Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America. For everywhere we look, there is work to be done … What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.”
As I listened to Obama’s speech, I wondered how ready we are to answer the call, how prepared our pampered generations are to sacrifice and work for a common good. Those questions lingered in my mind as Obama finished and people returned their attention to their plates.
Then, with the clarity of the mental orgasm we call an epiphany, I looked at my lunch companion, then glanced over at my United Way friends. The obvious connection warmed my spirit. With people like my Texas friend, and the collective Sarahs, Kellis, Kims and Alissas of Toledo, there are thousands who already embody Obama’s ideals of character, giving and community. For these people, hope and change are not just lofty concepts used to decorate posters and T-shirts. Hope and change are aggressively expanding principles that are as much a part of some lives as doubt and cynicism are for others. Hope and change are contagious; as my friend and fellow journalist Chris Gautz says, the nation has a raging case of Hopetitus O.
I cannot predict which lines from Obama’s speech will one day be quoted alongside the words of presidential wisdom, but these lines echoed in my head as I found myself between my Texas companion and my United Way friends: “For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter’s courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent’s willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.”
I left The Blarney, bracing for the biting wind and single-digit temperatures. But the hope stayed with me, and it wasn’t nearly as cold as it should have been.
That warmth, that hope, may be fleeting, but it’s good to feel that way, to temporarily allay the fear and doubt.
For a change.

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

While many of you were huddled around television sets last Sunday, new Bowling Green head football coach Dave Clawson was hard at work.

Clawson

Coach is in the midst of recruiting season and a handful of potential Falcons were on campus for a visit.

Clawson and his group of young men did take a moment to check out the NFC Championship game between the Cardinals and the Eagles.

Then one recruit asked coach, “Did you ever coach any guys that are in the NFL?”

Coach Clawson simply answered, “Yes, a few.”

For those who don’t know, coach Clawson’s previous job was as offensive coordinator at the University of Tennessee. However, the NFL talent coach is speaking of did not come from his time with the Volunteers.

One of his earliest coaching jobs was at the University of Villanova where he was an assistant. Clawson helped mold current Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Brian Finneran and Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook during his time with the Wildcats.

After spending some time at Fordham University during most of the 1990s, Clawson became the head coach of the University of Richmond. His time with the Spiders is where his NFL web of talent becomes complete.

“I certainly had a number of players at Richmond that could have helped us at Tennessee,” coach Clawson said.

One of them included current Arizona Cardinals running back Tim Hightower. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound beast of a back was an incoming freshman when Clawson arrived at Richmond and though he didn’t recruit him, coach knew he had a special player on his team.

“Right away he was somebody that impressed me with his toughness,” Clawson said of Hightower.

Coach contemplated where to play him. With his size and agility, Hightower could either be utilized a small fullback or large tailback. Instead of choosing one or the other, Clawson turned Hightower into a hybrid as a running back and full back in addition to helping out on special teams.

“{Tim} really impressed us with his versatility,” coach Clawson said. “But it was more so his willingness and want to do anything to help the team.”

Hightower’s hunger to help the Spiders earned him playing time as a true freshman. Though he only rushed for over 160 yards, Hightower also racked up over 150 yards receiving in a limited offensive role.

The juggling of several positions would continue his sophomore season, but now Hightower was earning a more prominent role in the back field.

“He’d score a 30, 40-yard touchdown and two plays later he would be running down the kick off, breaking up the wedge,” Clawson said.

Hightower rushed for over 700 yards his sophomore season with the Spiders and found the end zone nine times. He followed that up with a seven touchdown season his junior year, while rushing for over 800 yards and 250 yards receiving.

“He was a good back for three years, but became a great back his senior year,” Clawson said. “A lot of that was just through his off-season dedication.”

In his senior season at Richmond, Hightower rushed for over 1900 yards, scoring 20 touchdowns. He also caught three touchdowns with over 200 yards receiving. Clawson and Hightower leading the Spiders to the national semi-finals.

“He’s talented,” Clawson said. “But as much as any player I’ve ever coached he has willed himself to be a great football player.”

Back in Bowling Green, sitting in front of the television set watching the Eagles and Cardinals fight for the right to play for the Super Bowl, coach Clawson took a minute to soak up the moment.

“It’s exciting,” Clawson said. “There is the NFC Championship game and the two starting tailbacks I coached.”

Coach Clawson said he shot some text messages to Hightower at the beginning of the season. He plans on shooting a few more in the days leading up to the Super Bowl. In the meantime, the Bowling Green football coach is going to keep his eye out for a special delivery.

“He was going to send me an Arizona Cardinals hat,” Clawson said. “I’m still waiting on it.”

Ryan Fowler is the Weekend Sports Anchor at NBC 24 and can be reached at bgsualum03@hotmail.com.

In the past few years, it seems like unplanned health catastrophes have ripped many families apart. For Nolan, it was the loss of two grandmothers and a best friend. For Mark, it was the loss of a mother-in-law and a favorite uncle. For you, it could be a spouse, a sister, a child or another loved one.
It seems like we have all seen the devastating effect a health care crisis has on a family. So we are amazed at how many smart people we talk to that have done nothing to plan for a health care crisis. There are more than enough excuses and blame to go around. You could blame the financial industry, you could blame God; maybe you just procrastinated and could blame yourself. But before you start to play the blame game, learn what you can do to protect you and your loved ones.
The common solution has been to purchase a long-term care insurance policy. Yet, a lot of people can’t or don’t want to pay the high cost of this type of insurance. It’s like car insurance, if you need it, you are thankful to have it. If you don’t need it, it seems like money out the window.
Insurance is a typical planning method. If you decide to purchase traditional long-term care insurance, there are two main policies to consider. One is called a Long-term Care Reimbursement policy (LTC). This policy pays benefits for each day a person is confined to a nursing home, facility or at home, depending upon policy benefits. Second, is what we call senior disability income. This type of policy pays benefits based solely on someone’s health condition. Payment is not based upon being confined.
For example, Mary, 65, could buy a policy for $4,100 a year. She could live for another 20 years and never need the insurance. If that is the case, she’s paid in $82,000 and received zero LTC benefits. Instead, she may want to consider a unique approach called asset-based long-term care.
If you or a loved one had a health care crisis tomorrow, how would you pay that bill? Do you have a rainy day or an emergency account? In Mary’s example, if she moved $50,000 into this new account, she would get three unique benefits. First, if Mary needs her money back, she can still access her money. Secondly, if she doesn’t need the money or have a health care emergency, she can leave the money to her loved ones and it will pay up to two times her deposit.
In Mary’s example, the benefit for her family was $86,000. Or third, if you have a health care crisis, you could receive up to four times your deposit for long-term care benefits. In Mary’s example, she has up to $167,000 for long-term care protection. So to summarize, asset-based long-term care protection will either benefit you or your loved ones.
Legal planning is another route. In the State of Ohio, you can move assets from the countable category to the uncountable category. Most of your countable assets must be spent before the government will pay the nursing home bill. Yet, some assets aren’t countable. For example, a prepaid funeral arrangement is protected where cash value life insurance may not be. So, shifting your assets from countable to uncountable can be another option. Certain assets in an irrevocable trust can be protected. These types of trusts are usually considered for property. Gifting your assets away can be an option, but be careful because you can be disqualified if you don’t follow the rules and you are subject to the government looking back five years to see what you have done with your money.
Little-known government benefits are a final route to consider. If you or your spouse is a veteran and meet certain criteria, you could qualify for more than $20,000 a year as a government benefit to pay for your care. As with any government benefit approval takes skill and time.
So, what should you do now? You can do nothing and if nothing happens, no big deal. Yet, you need to understand it’s like tossing a coin on your financial future. Our advice is to develop a plan before a blow up occurs. Learn both the legal and financial options, then implement a plan and check this off your list.

For more information about The Retirement Guys, tune in every Saturday at noon on 1230 WCWA and every Sunday at 11 a.m. on 1370 WSPD or visit www.retirementguysradio.com. Securities are offered through NEXT Financial Group Inc., Member FINRA / SIPC. 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537.

DUBAI — Perhaps Walt Disney said it best with his popular Disney World song, “It’s a Small World.”  Children growing up around the world know the tune and its lyrics.  As young parents in the ‘60s and ‘70s, we sang along with our kids even though the world we knew at that time felt like a very large place.
In recent years, however, we have become increasingly accustomed to the idea of a smaller world.  It feels smaller in terms of our daily interactions. People are traveling more; we think little or nothing about placing a long distance or international telephone call, and for the past decade or so, we have had the powerful communications tool of the Internet.  All these developments have made the world more accessible to nearly everyone, particularly those of us living in open societies. We use phrases such as the “international community” and “global village,” to convey this sense that distance is less important today as a factor in our communications and interactions.
I was reminded of the shrinking size of our planet by the recent World Economic Forum held in Dubai. The forum was opened by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rahshid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the United Arab Emirates, with the words, “We live in a global village.”  He went on to say that “Global economies are one unit.” We have no better illustration of this than the current financial crisis that has crossed international borders and time zones as though they never existed.
Our recent travels and experiences in Asia, Europe and the Middle East have not only confirmed for us the increasing intimacy of the world’s populations but have also suggested that our metaphor for the shrinking size of the planet may need to be changed once again from “community” and “village” to something more like a “neighborhood.”  Even the smallness and intimacy of a village may be outdated as a metaphor in the face of rapid changes, growing interconnectedness and speed of communications that characterize our world today.
During the presidential election, I was fascinated by the intimacy many people, including Emirati nationals, feel toward the United States and the knowledge they have of our country. Many clearly understood the electoral college system and the characteristics that accounted for “red” and “blue” states as they were portrayed on CNN and a host of other national and international television networks. They were following the election closely and understood the politics and leaders in many of our states.  Scores of people talked to me about the politics of Ohio and wondered if the polls were going to be an accurate predictor of the election outcome in our state. I’ve met people in Dubai and Abu Dhabi who contributed to the political campaigns as though they were U.S. citizens.
The shrinking of our world from this large, unknown place to something more akin to a global “neighborhood” where nearly everyone knows the business of everyone else has profound implications for the United States as well as for our states and individual cities like Toledo. I might be wrong, but my sense is that the other countries of the world know us a lot better than we know them. If that is true, it puts us as Americans at a great disadvantage in many respects. For example, our lack of knowledge of other countries puts us at a significant disadvantage in international business. Knowing how to conduct business transactions in other cultures is almost a prerequisite for business success today. The marketplace is truly transnational and for many businesses, our customers may be in Africa, Asia, the Middle East or Europe. Being a good neighbor is just good business.  Being a good neighbor, however, means taking the time to know and understand those living next door or just around the corner.
Yesterday, Elaine and I were at one of the scores of super malls in Dubai.  We stopped at one of the kiosks in the corridor to find attractive, well-packaged cookies under the label of “Famous Amos.” A few years ago, we met the founder and owner of the Famous Amos company at a mutual friend’s home in Toledo.  I was delighted and excited to see this local product on the shelves in one of the largest malls in the world. To put this product on the shelf in Dubai, however, takes knowledge of international marketing and knowledge of business operations here.  More importantly, it first takes the vision and determination to understand and make contact with our neighbors in this new global neighborhood.
Seeing Famous Amos cookies here in Dubai made us feel closer to home.  The truth is, we are close to home. We are right in the “neighborhood.”

Dan Johnson is president emeritus of the University of Toledo and is currently serving as provost and chief operations officer of Zayed University in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.  He can be contacted at Dan.johnson@zu.ac.ae.

Expectant mothers in the early stages of pregnancy have an opportunity to undergo a screening to assess their risk of having a baby with Down syndrome, other chromosomal abnormalities and congenital heart defects thanks to a prenatal test that recently became available at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center.
The first trimester screening, offered to pregnant women between 11 and 14 weeks, consists of a simple blood test and an ultrasound called a nuchal translucency, which measures the amount of fluid at the back of the baby’s neck. Babies with abnormalities tend to accumulate more fluid at the back of their neck during the first trimester.
When combined, the ultrasound and blood test, along with a measurement taken of the baby’s nasal bone, result in a 95 percent detection rate (with a 2 percent false positive rate) of pregnancies that have an increased risk for developing chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome, according to Dr. Sriram Perni, director of maternal-fetal Medicine at St. Vincent.
Down syndrome, a common genetic disorder that is caused by an extra chromosome, can result in congenital heart defects and mental retardation. Down syndrome cannot be prevented, but it can be detected before a child is born.
“The great thing is, it’s not just a Down syndrome test,” said Perni, who offers the screening with Dr. Claudel Jean-Pierre.
“The first trimester screening test is a very good screening test for all forms of chromosomal abnormalities, of which Down syndrome may be one. It’s also a very good screening test for certain types of birth defects, specifically congenital heart defects, which happen to be one of the biggest killers of kids around the world, and they’re very hard to diagnose in many situations, he said
“Other things it helps identify is certain genetic conditions that may be transmitted in families, certain types of fetal syndromes, and it is the only accurate screening test for any of these conditions in people with twins.”
The first trimester screening is an optional prenatal test, but it is recommended by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, which advises “that all pregnant women, regardless of their age, consider less invasive screening options for assessing their risk for Down syndrome.”
The first trimester screening has no risks to the baby or mother,  Perni said. Like other screening tests, the first trimester screening does not diagnose Down syndrome and other abnormalities, Dr. Perni said. Rather, it assesses a baby’s risk for these conditions and can help determine if a mother should undergo further diagnostic testing, such as an amniocentesis, to determine if the baby is really affected.
“We have to bear in mind that this is just a screening test. It doesn’t diagnose anything,” Perni said. “That’s very important, because we’re by no means saying that the screening says you have Down syndrome or you don’t. It just screens those populations that may be at risk.”
Maternal-Fetal Medicine at The Toledo Hospital offers a test called Early Screen, which is a blood test combined with an 11-13 week ultrasound exam.
It can estimate an expectant mother’s chance of having a baby with common chromosome conditions, such as Down syndrome, Trisomy-18 or Trisomy-13.
In addition to this test, The Toledo Hospital provides comprehensive care and services for high-risk pregnancies, including:

• Co-managed obstetric care
• Prenatal consultations
• Genetic counseling and diagnosis
• Fetal assessment and therapy
• Diabetes management
• Maternal transport

Reflections on Inauguration Day
As the 44th president of the United States takes office, we face crises in foreign, domestic and economic matters. Our international reputation has been battered. Our faith in government has been dashed. Our treasury has been mortgaged. Our personal wallets have been emptied. Our collective soul has been ravaged. Our belief in the future has been dimmed.
Through it all, we have but one clear salvation: Our hope for a better tomorrow.
The election of Barack Obama is a clear sign that we as a people can see a better future. To have a black American take the reins of power is a testament to our ability to create a more equitable and just society, albeit just one milestone in our long-shared journey.
We have tremendous challenges ahead on so many fronts that it blurs our ability to see the solutions that will lead to better days. While a bipartisan approach to solving our problems is needed, we must still remember that an open mind is essential, and civil debate is paramount. Let us recognize as we debate our future and fight for our beliefs, that we must find compromise that shares the burdens and sacrifices. If we are to have a brighter future and re-make America, no longer can we allow our differences to stop debate and create hatred and distrust.
The energy and enthusiasm that comes from the greatest transfer of power in the history of the world, the beginning of a new presidency, must be harnessed to focus us on common ground and create the framework for a renaissance of the American nation.
We all share in the responsibility and must remember that our president is but one man. Certainly he is very important as we move forward, but he will surely fail if we don’t work hard to create better futures in our own homes and communities.
STEVEN FLAGG, Toledo

A limerick perspective on an historical day

There once was a man called Obama
A political phenomenoma.
His cry, “Yes We Can”
Rang out ’cross the land
Brightening our national panorama.
MICHAEL McARTHUR, Toledo

Even the inspired calm and general goodwill surrounding Barack Obama’s inauguration could not bolster the stock market, which dropped below 8,000 on Jan. 20.
There is a definite malaise in our economy, but at least one upcoming event offers strategies and optimism.
A special one-day event on Feb. 14, “Recession-Proofing Your Business:  Local Resources to the Rescue,” will be organized by the Small Business Development Center, Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce and Toledo-Lucas County Public Library.
The goal is to provide local small business owners with information and resources to help them surmount the current business climate and survive the year.
“The chamber is helping to prepare our members and other businesses for what to expect in the recession economy this year,” Mark V’Soske, president of the chamber of commerce, told Toledo Free Press Senior Business Reporter Duane Ramsey.
The event is open to all business owners at no cost and is limited only by the 250-seat capacity of the McMaster Family Center at the main library, where it will take place.
Derick Gant, a financial planner and president of Gant Investment Advisors in Toledo, will serve as one of four local professional experts for a panel discussion about building a company in the current economy, human resources and other services available to local businesses.
The event will feature presentations on work force development by The Source and Owens Community College.
Reservations can be made by calling (419) 243-8191 or by e-mailing christine.bailey@toledochamber.com.
There will be other strategic events this quarter, including a Feb. 6 summit at UT. I also urge you to read this week’s special section on the continuing efforts of the Meta-Plan as a source for information and resources.
There are high hills to climb, but your business is not alone, and there are many sources that can ride to the rescue.

Thomas F. Pounds is president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.