There’s a right old kerfuffle going on in the southern German city of Stuttgart. It’s “Family Feud,” David and Goliath and “Board Room Brawl” all rolled into one.
In case you haven’t heard, tiny Stuttgart-based sports car maker Porsche was on the verge of taking control of giant Volkswagen, having amassed some 51 percent of VW shares.
Now, all of a sudden, labor unions, politicians … and the downturn in the global economy … have conspired to turn the tables. And if press reports are correct, VW may be about to take control of Porsche instead.
This isn’t just your typical automotive takeover. It’s far more complicated than that, as VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech is a grandson of Porsche founder (and Beetle creator) Ferdinand Porsche, and a major Porsche shareholder, while his cousin, Wolfgang Porsche, is the supervisory board chairman of Porsche!
Jeffrey Archer couldn’t have devised a better script, and blood will be flying in the respective boardrooms. Stand by for news …
All this would be only marginally interesting to us if it wasn’t for the fact that Roger worked for Porsche in Stuttgart from 1960 to 64 in the so-called good old days, when it took two weeks to build a car. Daily production was a massive 30. And the Porsche 356B cost between $3,200 and $4,000, depending on engine size and accessories!
All of this helps transition to another less volatile story about German travel sent to us by Toledo Free Press travel correspondent Stephen Dodds, who lives and works in the Black Forest, teaches “proper” English to German businessmen and plays in a rock band.
He also tells a very good story …
“Germans are predictable. Right?
“As a long-term resident here, I am usually keen to dismiss the stereotyped image people have of the Germans. No, we don’t all eat sausage every day no, not every woman is called Helga or Heidi. And we only wear our lederhosen on special occasions.
“However, when it comes to vacations, then there’s no denying the Germans are sun-loving creatures of habit, and vast numbers will make their annual visits to the same German-friendly destinations. Some travel to Majorca, where you can buy schnitzel, pommes-frites und salat and Weizenbier in the German parts of town just as easily as the Brits can get their bacon and eggs and a pint of John Smith’s best bitter in the British quarters.
“For others, it’s the North Sea that calls and huge numbers go up there, especially to the islands off Denmark.
“For us in southwest Germany, however, the destination of choice is Italy. And each year during the five-week school summer holidays, parents of school-aged children will stuff their Opel, VW, Audi or Mercedes estate cars with kids’ clothes, food, bikes, pots and pans and whisk their children off to colonize whole areas of Italy like Lake Garda or Lake Maggiore.
“Here you’ll find German food, newspapers, radio, even road signs. And so many people make this trip that when driving during the first and last weeks of the season, I am often reminded of those disaster films where the roads are full with cars packed to the gills with refugees, all desperately trying to flee the city!
“So, if all this sounds like pretty lousy travel advice so far, here’s our insider’s tip.
“At this time of year, the wonderful Alpine ski resorts are a real treat. The views and scenery are simply magnificent; the leisure facilities are excellent and cable cars and ski lifts are available to get to the top of the mountains. Accommodations are readily available, too, and the prices surprisingly good, especially weekends or mid-weeks, for those hopping from place to place.
“So instead of following the herd to the islands or down to the Italian lakes, why not try exploring some of the beautiful locations at the foot of the Alps in Allgäu or Bayern? There are some beautiful places like Oberstdorf, Kempten, Füßen and Garmisch-Partenkirchen.”

I’m sure I speak for many mothers, and some fathers, when I say:

• Clothes go in the hamper, not next to the hamper, next to your bed, in the bathroom, in the hallway or under the seat of the car.  It is also helpful to know in a timely manner if clothing is soiled with chocolate, blood, urine and/or feces, because five days at the bottom of a pile makes said pile smell quite funky and actually seems to make stain removal more difficult.
• In most instances, food companies create packaging to be opened a certain way so that it can be resealed to achieve optimum freshness of the product.  Rarely does the packaging indicate that it should be forced open in the easiest, most short-sighted manner and then “resealed” by shoving the remaining product clumsily back in any which way.
• The outdoor climate is not friendly to electronic gadgets like baseball pitching machines and automatic bubble blowers. Also, outside toys and sporting equipment should not be strewn about the yard for such an extended period of time that we begin to accept them as part of our landscaping.
• Tools are not decorative. They do not look particularly attractive sitting on kitchen counters, TV armoires or bookcases for days on end. They also do not belong on top of the dryer. Nothing does.
• The car was not designed for investigating the extreme effects of light, time and temperature on various food items. Let’s promptly discard any evidence of our failure to eat a wholesome, casual meal at home by removing protein bar wrappers, snack packaging and fast-food cups from our vehicle as soon as we arrive at our destination.
• If you happen to accidentally squirt toothpaste in the sink, dribble hand soap down the side of the dispenser or spray urine on the wall when utilizing the bathroom, please rectify the situation at your earliest convenience, preferably before you leave the room.
• The camera batteries are for the camera, and the flashlight batteries are for the flashlights. They are not for the Wii remotes. It is difficult to take a picture of our baby’s milestones or find our way in a power outage with a plastic, rectangular box built to play video games.
• When smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors need to be disconnected for a battery change or the painting of a room, they should immediately be reconnected as soon as possible instead of shoved into a seldom visited corner of the house and forgotten about. Does the phrase “if only the house would have been equipped with working smoke detectors” mean anything at all to you?
• The pens are kept in a certain drawer for good reason. It makes them much easier to locate when we have occasion to use them. They prove much harder to find when stored in the crevices of couches or the pockets of dirty laundry. They also tend to function better when the caps are put back on after use.
• Putting things into a laundry basket and then placing the basket in the basement or utility room is not the same thing as putting them away. Out of sight, out of mind does not convince the utility companies that we have paid our bills or the library that we have returned our books.
• If a dresser drawer fully closes with all clothing put away, it should stand to reason that it would retain the ability to close completely as more and more of its contents are removed for use. Seriously, do socks and sleeves hanging out make any sense at all?
• Pans do not demand as much scrubbing when immediately emptied of their leftover contents and rinsed out after use. If they do make it into the sink, let’s keep them on the side that does not have the garbage disposal.  Clogging up the side of the sink that allows for easy disposing of our garbage only makes the kitchen messier, not cleaner.

Shannon and her husband Michael are raising three children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.

A tough economy is affecting family budgets throughout the country, but for college students, the impact can be especially daunting.
Although the three most prominent area institutions of higher learning have declared no increase in tuition for the fall, recent legislation signed by Gov. Ted Strickland may hamper budgeting efforts by local students.
So how do they make ends meet?
Christine Friess, a sophomore at Owens Community College, has taken a somewhat unique approach to funding her college education. She pays out of pocket by saving, working and cutting expenses as much as possible. She said her goal is to graduate without the burden of student-loan debt.
“I’ve seen people talk about the debts that they have and I didn’t want to be one of those people paying off school when I’m out of it, when I have kids and everything,” she said. “I just see it as one less thing to worry about if I pay it now.”
She pays on a monthly deferment plan, relying on income through the Owens’ office of student enrollment.
The Monclova native scrimps on expenses at every opportunity, buying used books or shopping online at sites, such as Amazon.com. Also, not much personal shopping and few nights out for entertainment or leisure are on her to-do list.
Every month can bring a recurring financial obstacle.
“If I do find that I’m not able to pay all of [my monthly payment], my parents step in and they are able to help me out. But for the most part, I just watch what I’m spending my money on and I make sure that I have enough put away for when I have to make my payment,” Friess said.
Financial aid experts at UT and BGSU said there is more federal aid available because of recent stimulus legislation, but Ohio budget cuts have decreased available state funds. And the late-breaking move has left many students and families who thought their budgets were established with a dilemma.
Carolyn Baumgartner, UT director of financial aid, described the gains in federal funds combined with the loss in state funds as “not a great trade-off.” Legislation signed by Strickland on July 17 — so late in the summer — adversely affected state grants in an untimely manner. She said the university is just informing students and their parents so they may adapt and seek out new financial sources to pay for college.
“It’s a significant impact on our students. It’s a 60 percent reduction in the state grants, and of course that grant goes to students with very high need,” Baumgartner said. “It’s hard for families to adjust when they thought they had their budgets in place for school this fall. So it’s a struggle [for] students that were receiving the state grant for the summer, just because of the tardiness of this final legislation.”
For many, student loans may be the most viable option, which are available through both the public and private sector.
Greg Guzman, BGSU director of student financial aid, emphasized the necessity for students to understand the difference between federal and commercial lending sources. He said there is still time to meet any gaps in student budgets before the school year begins, but applicants should pursue loans that will best suit their tight-budget needs.
“Nearly every financial aid office you call across the country is going to tell you the same thing: Explore your federal loan options first. Better interest rate, better repayment terms and more flexibility,” Guzman said.
“One way I always like to recommend to families when I do financial aid nights or any type of financial aid talks is to, oddly enough, visit your local library. This is a great suggestion, especially in Toledo. We have a phenomenal library system.”
For more information, visit the Web sites at www.owens.edu/financial_aid, www.financialaid.utoledo.edu and www.bgsu.edu/offices/sfa.

This past June 22, our community was a victim of a senseless act of violence when our friend Robert Brundage was attacked as he peacefully rode his bike through a neighborhood he grew up in and cared so much about.
Kind, gentle, compassionate, caring, civic-minded, generous, environmentally conscious, intelligent, scholarly, eclectic, community cultivator only just begin to describe a person known by many in our community as Bob, Dr. Bob or just Robert.
Robert was a modern renaissance man. He approached his interests in a scholarly manner, accumulated a wealth of knowledge about a subject and was always willing to share and educate others. From music to math, from physics to poetry, Robert devoted his life to his passion for learning.
Over the past 10 years, I saw Robert at least once a week. I am one of those who called Robert a friend and had the good fortune to be described by Robert as a dear friend. He saw in me, as he did with many others, an opportunity to cultivate a broader relationship within our community among those working to make Toledo a better place to live. He forged a bond and invited me into his life and those activities he cherished.
I can’t begin to explain how I felt on his passing — beyond a deep loss and a void that can never be filled. I certainly can’t tell others what Robert would want them to take from his life and its tragic end. But as Robert always advised me to find the good in every situation, I take this as an opportunity to honor him and his legacy by continuing the work we shared passionately.
Both of us have an enthusiasm for improving our community, the children we see as our future and the history and architecture of Toledo. We have a deep belief in finding common ground among the diverse members of our community and working to bring folks together in a common goal.
Robert had the ability to make you feel better about yourself and, for the time he was with you, to make you the center of his universe. It is a quality that is rare, and with Robert, it was so obviously genuine.
As I have talked with others the past two weeks who knew Robert from his earlier life and from other interests and pursuits in his life, I have come to realize the overwhelming impact that he has had on others. I also came to find some sadness in his life that he rarely wished to share. Perhaps, in part, it moved him to make a difference in the lives he touched since he returned to Toledo.
So often, we see people through a somewhat narrow viewpoint colored by our experiences and biases. Only through traumatic events, such as this senseless act, do we come to perceive the scope of the impact we can have when we care beyond our own selfish pursuits.
I am saddened at the loss of my friend, but I am gladdened by how we all have been enriched through our relationship with a man who cared less about what you called him and more about the deeds we could accomplish together.
I can’t help but believe that Robert Brundage, even in death, is one of the richest men in Toledo.

Steven Flagg has been an education advocate for 14 years. Visit the Web site www.tpsinfo.com for more information.

Bobby Merritt, Eric Cukierski, Steve Ball and Jay Heasley will wake up at 4 a.m. Aug. 22 with a challenging day ahead of them.
The men intend to run the entirety of the Grand Canyon, a 48-mile trek that will take more than 12 hours.
Temperatures will soar upward of 100 degrees and plummet below 65 degrees Fahrenheit in the evening.
Trail inclines will rise and fall underfoot, rocking and rattling their bones and joints.
But it will be worth it, they said, because every footfall will raise money.

Training for the Grand Canon run.

“We have all done triathlons and we wanted to do something out of the ordinary,” said Cukierski, a physical education teacher and freshman boy’s basketball coach at Bedford High School. “Almost at the same time, we decided to do it for charity as running the Grand Canyon is so extreme. The people I talk to are floored by what we are going to do.”
Ball, an algebra and computers teacher at Bedford High School, said the idea for the run began as a joke among the four during a March jog at Toledo’s Wildwood Metropark. Realizing their “crazy idea” could yield more than an impressive story, the group vowed their feat of endurance would raise funds and awareness for a plethora of health disorders.
Merritt, a college scout for the Houston Texans, said the group is running for seven charities, two each for everyone besides Heasley. He is representing the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and the Immune Deficiency Organization. The group created their Web site, www.ynotmakeadifference.com, as a fundraising tool.
“A lot of people won’t even go to the Grand Canyon, let alone run back and forth across it,” Ball said. “Any of these illnesses or disorders could affect anybody at any time. The more money we raise, the more likely a cure will be found for these various afflictions.”
“The first question people ask is, ‘Why do this?’” Merritt said. “Our response was, ‘Why not?’ thus, the name. This will obviously be a big challenge for each of us, so we thought we would do it for a cause bigger than us.”
Cukierski said he is running for the Autism Society of America and the autism program Agility Angels. Ball picked Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation International and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, while Heasley chose National Kidney Foundation.
“I challenge a person to try and find someone not afflicted by one of our collective charities,” said Cukierski, a father of two children with autism. “This is something I can do to help, not just for my own kids, but a whole organization. The actual event will be an incredible one-day challenge. It is going to be a monumental task.”
Heasley, the owner of J and D Quality Lawn, said his running stamina had improved. He said his training had progressed smoothly, bolstered by the encouragement of loved ones.
“My family is very supportive,” Heasley said. “They’re excited for us to complete the adventure, but they want us to make sure we’re fully prepared.”
Ball’s wife Terrie fully supports her husband’s task. Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, she said his efforts will help others suffering from the disease. Ball is also supporting the couple’s daughter Tifanie, a Type-1 diabetic.
“This shows Steve can appreciate what I have gone through and what my daughter has gone through,” his wife said. “He will have a great sense of accomplishment when he is done.”
Once the victim of an abdomen injury during woodworking 17 years ago, Ball said he was told he would never run again.
Ignoring the advice of doctors after five surgeries, he took up his passion again and hasn’t stopped pounding pavement since.
Besides charity, the best part of the www.ynotmakeadifference.com mission, he said, is the run itself.
“You cannot lose when you go to the Grand Canyon,” Ball said. “It is one of the wonders of the world.”

There are lessons to be learned at Mickey Finn’s Pub on Aug. 1. Hard ones. But with a brand-new album full of rock ‘n’ roll to perform, Augie Visocchi of the band The Hard Lessons promises a good time.
“We have really great shows in Toledo,” he said. “Our latest drummer, Ryan Vandeberghe, has made the band the best it’s ever been, and we’re playing a lot of the new songs from ‘Arms Forest.’”
Released on May 26, “Arms Forest” is the newest album from the group, which is comprised of Augie, Ryan and Augie’s wife, Korin.
The Hard Lessons originally began as a duo in the winter of 2003, when Augie and Korin not only noticed each other on the campus of Michigan State University, but also the guitars in their respective dorm rooms.

Augie and Korin

“We sort of fell into making music together,” Augie said. “I was getting into some delta blues music at the time, and Korin had this really cool old Stella, which was the brand Leadbelly and Charlie Patton played at times. From there it progressed to writing some songs on my four-track, some of which became early The Hard Lessons songs.”
Quite quickly, Augie and Korin’s private jam sessions transitioned from playing for fun to something more.
“There were so many opportunities on campus that we took advantage of,” Augie said. “In the span of a couple weeks, we played our first gig at a battle of the bands, won $400, recorded a demo for free and pressed a run of CDs to start booking gigs. We played our first club gigs in Ypsilanti, Grand Rapids, Detroit and Lansing that winter [of 2003].”
With their band name taken from the writing on the inside of Korin’s inherited Stella guitar, Augie said The Hard Lessons have always been about playing good old rock ‘n’ roll ­— nothing more and nothing less.
“That’s becoming increasingly hard for people to understand, as the Internet constantly creates microscopic genres within genres,” he said. “We don’t subscribe to that. I think it’s really sad that a lot of people don’t listen to music anymore. They relate to it like a fashion accessory. They need to know what box a band fits into so they can brag about it on their blog and identify with the promo photo more than the lyrics.”
Now that their newest compilation is on store shelves, The Hard Lessons have been traveling the country via van to share the songs from “Arms Forest” with music lovers everywhere. Just don’t try to label them as simply artists.
“At our level, band members are more than just artists,” Augie said. “This means we work with the artists designing record sleeves, put together mailings and book shows. We have a manager and a label who help out with that as well, but it is still a lot of work. [Korin] and I both write songs. She handles a lot of the finances. I end up driving the van most of the time.”
When that van makes its stop in the Glass City, Augie encourages Toledoans to come see what The Hard Lessons are all about. After all, he said, “We’re more than just neighbors, Toledo. We’re family.”
For more information on the band, visit www.thehardlessons.com.

Politics and music are cyclical. An old song of Billy Joel’s still seems contemporary. “We Didn’t Start the Fire” was on Joel’s “Storm Front” album and has been used by many savvy history teachers to help teach 20th century history. In this fast-paced song, names and events explode like volleys from a machine gun. The last verse goes like this:

“Wheel of Fortune”, Sally Ride, heavy metal, suicide
Foreign debts, homeless vets,
AIDS, Crack, Bernie Goetz
Hypodermics on the shores, China’s under martial law
Rock and Roller Cola Wars, I can’t take it anymore

I have a version of this song adapted for Toledo. Sing along if you know the tune, and if you don’t, Google it! Here’s hoping some local teacher can use this to teach Toledo students about local lore.

Block Brothers, Jamie Farr, Golden Rule, what a star
Florence Libbey, John Berdan, Robert Lucas, Stranahan
Finkbeiner, Hazard Perry, Willys Jeep, Driggs Dairy
Crosby Gardens, Wildwood, Katie Holmes in Hollywood

Spark plugs, Libbey Glass, solar panels, Free Press
Owens Tech, U of T., Davis, and Penta’s free
Marshall Fields, Macy’s, Lion Stores, and Tiedtke’s
Tony Packo’s, Farmer Jack, we want more Churchills back

Chorus:
We didn’t start Toledo
It was always learning/Since the town’s been turning
We didn’t start Toledo
No we didn’t melt it/But we tried to help it

Mud Hens, Walleyes, ballpark seats are such good buys
Bullfrogs, LPGA, ladies’ golf has got to stay
Fallen Timbers, Fort Meigs, Lake Erie shores hold ships and kegs
Middlegrounds, Black Swamp, the Paramount brought some pomp

Manor House, Old West End, The Village and Westmoreland
Lathrop House, had to go, though a stop on freedom’s road
Mancy’s Steakhouse, serves up beef that’s quite a tasty treat
Beirut, Ciao’s, Ski’s and The Docks are tops

Chorus

’SPD plays for free, Toledo Blade’s got quite the fee
Marcy Kaptur, Jack Ford, Carty’s back; He’s the lord
Jeep plant, Owens Corning, General Mills gave us warning
Toledo Scale, Libbey Owens, PowerTrain kept jobs a-flowing

Toledo Trust, what a bust, so was Noe’s gold dust
Bulldog, Frankel, cooked books, why are there so many crooks?
Rolling trash days, traffic cameras,  call them revenue bonanzas
Peristyle, Miracle Mile, dear Sam Szor makes us smile

Chorus

Candice Coleman, COSI, Science place-lost in space
Erie Street had a market, cost too much, had to park it
Marina District, should we ditch it?  Who will pay for that ticket?
Westgate’s back, North Towne Mall, Southwyck’s had quite the fall

Christine Brennan, P.J., Jerry Anderson, Maumee Bay
Andersons’ general store, all you want and much more
Rosary Cathedral, Valentine Theater — both are open all year
Firemen, policemen, and unions take it on the chin

We didn’t start Toledo
But when we are gone, will it still live on, and on, and on …

The 2010 models of the Ford Taurus, Mustang and Fusion made their local debut at the new car premiere Event held at Kistler Ford in Toledo July 22.
“It’s an exciting and important day for the dealership and Ford,” said Bob Jorgensen, president of Kistler Ford Sales, Inc. “Ford is coming out with affordable vehicles that are designed for today’s market.”
The 2010 Taurus was the main attraction at the event hosted at Kistler Ford from 5 to 7 p.m. for car enthusiasts, community supporters and the media. The model has not hit most dealership floors, but Kistler provided a local sneak preview of it.

Billy Edwards, Ford and Lincoln product trainer, left, shows a customer the new Taurus.

“I think it’s a great car and can’t wait to drive one,” said Chris Schoen of Monclova Township, as he sat in the driver’s seat of the bright red 2010 Taurus in Kistler’s showroom.
“It’s a world-class car that is well-engineered, fast, gorgeous and gives Ford the ultimate respect as a car making company,” said Bill Edwards of Sylvania, who is a Ford and Lincoln product trainer for the Jackson-Dawson Agency.
Edwards trains the sales staff at 29 Ford dealerships on new products and their advantages over the competition, such as “right here along the Central Avenue Strip with all the other auto dealers” including Kistler.
Jorgensen said that Ford’s President and CEO Alan Mulally is committed to creating “vehicles that people want to drive” and the 2010 Taurus, Mustang and Fusion are excellent examples.
“It doesn’t look like a Taurus. It’s a dramatic new design with more comfort and safety features and better fuel efficiency,” said Jorgensen, who has ordered one for his father and has piqued his wife’s interest in it.
The 2010 Taurus SHO model with “EcoBoost” technology provides the power of a V8 with the 3.5L V6 engine that delivers 365 horsepower and 350 foot-pounds of torque with 25 percent better fuel efficiency, according to Ford.
“Every surface of the 2010 Taurus has been boldly sculpted with a balance of beauty and strength,” according to Ford’s literature.  Base prices range from $25,995 to $37,995, which includes destination delivery charges but excludes taxes, title and license fees.
“Ford has done a good job of positioning itself in the market today. Ford surpassed Toyota in U.S. sales the past three months,” said Jim Kovacs, sales manager at Kistler.
Kistler also introduced the new Mustang and Fusion models at the event. Fusion hybrids with an estimated 41 miles per gallon and a 700-mile range on a tank of gas were available for people to drive.
“We’re gaining a bigger piece of the pie locally,” Jorgensen said, indicating business has been good at Kistler. “We’ve had more Honda and Toyota trade-ins in the past 90 days than we’ve had in the last four years.”
“JD Power recently reported that Ford beat Honda and Toyota in quality,” he said.
Jorgensen purchased the Ford dealership from the Kistler family on June 28, 2004, after working for his family’s Jorgensen Ford dealership in the Detroit area.
“We just love living in the Toledo area and doing business with people here,” said Jorgensen.
The dealership was accepting entries for a drawing to win a 2010 Taurus at the event. Food and beverages were served at the event.
The food was catered by Chef Dar Childs and Company, who also operates St. Mary’s Meats and the Ultimate Pig Roast BBQ and Catering Company in Assumption.

Maumee Bay State Park Resort and Conference Center in Oregon recently completed $1 million in renovations to upgrade its facilities and improve business.
The improvements include water features in the indoor pool, a soft play area for children with a pirate theme and a renovated snack bar and ice cream shop. The indoor pool now includes seven splash features, a waterfall that spills into the pool and a new mural of a large sail.
The resort also purchased new beds and coverings for the lodge rooms, created a display of the original Toledo Harbor Lighthouse lens and installed a new tent and patio overlooking the fountain and Lake Erie.
“These new improvements will benefit business travelers and families alike,” said Patrick Czarny, general manager of the Maumee Bay State Park Resort.
The resort offers 120 guest rooms with private balconies and two- and four-bedroom cottages with fireplaces. In addition, 256 family campground sites with electrical hookups are available in the adjoining state park.
The resort has an outdoor amphitheater and swimming pool, hiking and cross-country skiing, marina with canoe, sailboat and paddleboat rentals, horseshoes,  tennis, basketball, volleyball and racquetball courts and an 18-hole Arthur Hill golf course.
Meeting facilities are available for corporate events, reunions, retreats and wedding receptions. It provides the perfect atmosphere for organizations looking to hold a business conference away from the bustle and hustle of the city, Czarny said.
“The facilities have a dual purpose for leisure and group business that is about 50 percent each,” Czarny said. “A large portion of our group business comes from corporations, associations, governments and other organizations holding meetings, retreats and conferences here.”
There are several dining options from the full-service continental cuisine restaurant, Water’s Edge, to snacks and lighter fare in the Icebreaker Lounge. During the summer, additional outdoor venues are available for casual fare.
The resort and conference center is open year-round. However, areas like the beach, golf course and outdoor pool are open only during the peak season, which runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
“Families with small children will particularly enjoy the new splash area in the indoor pool and the new soft playroom,” Czarny said.
Almost 300 people, mostly children, gathered for the recent open house and ribbon-cutting ceremony, according to Czarny.
“I loved running through the new fountains and getting all wet without even getting into the pool,” said
8-year-old Will Griffioen, who visited the resort with his 10-year-old sister Abby and their parents Fritz and Rebecca Griffioen of Perrysburg.
“It’s just so nice to sit on the new benches as my granddaughter wears herself out in the playroom,” said Bonnie Stark of Nebraska who stayed at the resort during the opening.
The resort and conference center is operated by Xanterra Parks & Resorts Company that runs lodges, restaurants, resorts and other concessions at national and state parks, including eight Ohio State parks. Maumee Bay is Ohio’s newest state park with 1,850 acres situated on Lake Erie just east of Toledo.
With a commitment to the preservation and protection of the environment, Xanterra’s environmental program Ecologix includes a variety of proactive environmental stewardship programs at each location, according to the company.
Maumee Bay State Park resort is located adjacent to the Cedar Point Wildlife Refuge and near the Crane Creek and Ottawa National Wildlife Refuges located west of it.
Xanterra has been recognized for its environmental leadership in the hospitality industry, receiving awards from the U.S. Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and several state environmental, health and travel departments.
For information, visit www.maumeebayresort.com.

Just kidding. It’s been a while since Letters to the Editor have been answered, so let’s see what’s in the mailbag.

Buy a backbone
TO THE PUBLISHER,
Please do us all a favor, buy a new Editor in Chief that has some backbone. Your current Editor is all soft and cuddly and may see the disparities taking place in our society but he lacks the strength to follow through.
His words have shown me he does not understand the duty of his responsibility, which causes me to question if you understand yours.
STANLEY C. THEISEN Jr., Toledo

Dear Mr. Theisen Jr.,
Thank you for signing your letter and not just dashing off an anonymous complaint. Not so thrilled about you contacting my employer to suggest he “buy a new Editor in Chief,” but as Costco told me they are out of Editor in Chief and do not expect any shipments until the holidays, I am going to cruise for a few more months.
Your letter specifically criticized my handling of the red-light-camera issue and my garage sale hassles. Perhaps it has not occurred to you that just by being in this space each week and addressing these topics, I am displaying some degree of backbone.
But then, as you chose to avoid confronting me directly by slinking around to my employer, you have demonstrated that you are not qualified to judge anybody’s backbone.
MM

Foolish and foul
This bit of ignorance was posted to our online comments section after the July 12 story on the life and death of community activist Robert Brundage:
“Robert will be missed by n***er lovers worldwide. Robert so loved the n***rs, that he gave his life for them, and got exactly what he deserved.”
Yikes. And people ask me why we moderate comments on our Web site. Intellectually, I understand there is a sick and unhappy person behind this post and that I am “feeding the troll” by discussing this. But it is important for the community to know that people like this are out there feeling this way, so blinded by hate and prejudice that they would use the death of a community leader to further delude themselves.
This spew was, of course, filed anonymously with a fake e-mail address, but there was an IP number tracked: 75.2.208.107. If any of you who run blogs or comment sites see this pop up, please let me know.
I would like to send a personal response his way.
MM

In the doghouse
I do not reach out to you for help very often. You responded generously to a few calls for Make-A-Wish, but in general, it is not my habit to take advantage of our relationship.
But next Friday, July 31, I need your help.
I am spending that morning locked in a kennel at the Toledo Area Humane Society (TAHS), raising funds for the animals in need.
A big kennel, I am assured.
As the economy has tightened and people and corporations have limited their philanthropic giving, food and shelter have become an understandable priority.
But our four-legged friends are also feeling the pinch, so the TAHS has arranged to lock up some notable personalities — and me — for a fundraiser.
Harvey Steele and Cliff Smithers of K100, Ben Konop, Lucas County commissioner and Toledo mayoral candidate, and Tom Cole, BCSN sportscaster/commentator, will also spend the morning of July 31 locked away to raise funds for TAHS.
For more than two years, we have regularly run a “Carlson’s Critters” feature with WTOL’s Dave Carlson. More than 100 dogs and cats have been adopted from the feature, and our weekly interaction with TAHS has been a consistent pleasure.
My family has adopted a cat from the shelter, and I can testify that the process is quick, smooth and leads to a wonderful experience.
In 2007, TAHS housed an average of 50 dogs and 300 cats per day. Nearly 6,000 animals were handled in all that year. That is about $12.50 per animal per day and about $33 in medical expenses per animal. TAHS goes through about
70 pounds of dog food and 100 pounds of cat food each day.
The dozen or so full-time employees and nearly 350 volunteers also deal with almost 2,500 annual cruelty calls and 400 calls to the Behavior Hot Line.
If you can help, even with the smallest pledge, you do not have to wait for July 31. Call (419) 891-1561 and make your donation; let them know it is for the July 31 fundraiser, in the name of whichever personality you choose.
Thank you in advance for the help and support; the TAHS and I appreciate it.

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