Customers who trade in their  clunkers might just walk away from a Chrysler dealership paying to to about $10,000 less than usual for a new vehicle with the help of trade-in deals and rebates.
President Barack Obama set aside $1 dollars for a “cash for clunkers” program that would give anyone who returns their old, fuel-inefficient cars about $3,500 to $4,500, allowing the program to run for at least a few months.
“This is focused on less fuel-efficient cars,” said Ralph Mahalak Jr., co-owner and sales director at the Monroe Chrysler Dodge-Jeep SuperStore. “You turn in your old ‘93 Dodge pick-up truck and turn it into me and we sell it to a scrap yard. They’re going to scrap it, so we take less fuel-efficient vehicles out of the market place; so it will be better for the environment.”
Mahalak Jr. said that he speculates the billion-dollar budget will run out within the next few weeks.
With an average of $4,000 given for every “clunker,” only about 250,000 people could take advantage of the deal, he said. He already has 10 people at his store who have signed up for cash for clunkers, he said.
“If every store is like my store, the program will be over in a matter of days,” he said. “Customers better do this sooner rather than later if they want to be one of the first 250,000 nationally. It’s a game of musical chairs, and right now you really don’t want to be left without a chair when the music stops.”
Until July 31, customers can also get a $3,500 to $5,500 rebate at Mahalak’s store or any Chrysler dealership, with a lifetime unlimited mileage warranty, without any down payment, he said. Everyone is eligible for this, even if they don’t turn in a clunker.
“It’s going to be wild credits,” Mahalak Jr. said.

We’re hearing all the news about health care and health care reform as our new president completes six months into his administration. According to the Financial Times and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, legislation was introduced recently to levy a surtax on certain families to help pay for the uninsured.
Additional new legislation by House Democrats proposes that some small businesses pay additional payroll tax if they don’t provide health insurance to workers. One of the goals is to reform the health care system to provide care for everyone. Considering what is at stake, this seems to be a daunting task.
According to AARP, those in favor of it say that, because of the government’s buying power, it would lower costs.
Those against say the result will be fewer health care choices as fewer doctors participate and insurance companies fail.
As we think about health care reform, what comes to mind for many is, “What will happen if I experience a long-term health care crisis? What happens if I end up in a nursing home? How will I pay for it? What kind of care will I receive there? Will I have choices? Will it be possible for me to be cared for at home?”
When a family member becomes ill, these can be overwhelming issues to face.  And do you really want the government in charge of your health care?
We should think about how we can reform our own individual long-term health care plan. There are steps that can be taken before a long-term health crisis hits that will make the problem easier to deal with and easier to afford. The key is addressing it before the crisis hits. We call it a life care plan because we try to factor in all phases along the long-term care continuum.
Picture a timeline where the beginning is a person living healthfully at home and the end of the timeline is death. In between, there are different phases, such as needing help with activities of daily living at home, to possibly moving to an assisted-living facility and eventually moving to a nursing home.
The idea of a life care plan is to stay at the positive end of the continuum as long as possible. In each individual case, we do not know how the situation will play itself out, but we can put a plan in place to deal with the various phases one may encounter.
The ideal situation is what elder care attorney Tim Takacs, who practices elder law in Tennessee, calls “aging in place.” Takacs said this is where an individual is able to live at home independently with no assistance until he keels over dead.
Many think it would be nice to leave this world that way, but unfortunately that is not how it usually works. Instead, the person may experience a deterioration of health that makes it difficult to stay completely independent. Diseases like Alzheimers disease, Parkinsons disease or having a stroke can change the situation very quickly.
You can’t control what the government is going to do, but you can control your own situation. We call this a “pre-crisis” plan. With this pre-crisis plan, we have more strategies at our disposal to put in place to deal with the crisis that may occur later.
Some of the issues we consider in such a plan are: health care and long-term care decision making, long-term care options, residential options, public benefits and resources that can help finance care, the burden of home ownership and personal property, family issues  and most importantly, quality of life and care.
Another major part of this plan is the legal planning. It is critical that certain documents be in place ahead of time to allow for further action later should it be needed.
A good durable power of attorney document will allow a person of your choice to step in and take action to handle your affairs should you become ill or incapacitated. If this document is not in place, it could be much more complicated to get things done.
If no planning has been done in this area, the word may be “form” rather than “reform.” Formulate a plan that takes into consideration what phase you are in now and what phases may come in the future.
If you have been wise enough to do some planning like purchasing long-term care insurance, perhaps you should do some long-term health care reform and look at what other areas and issues to consider in a life care plan. The key thing here is taking matters into your own hands and not waiting for the government to come to your rescue.

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.  The Retirement Guys are not an affiliate of NEXT Financial Group. The office is at 1700 Woodlands Drive, Suite 100, Maumee, OH 43537.

To view the Muddy Shuttle Mud Hens schedule for July 26, 2009, click here.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third of a five-part series about the New Schools, New Neighborhoods (NSNN) coalition, a mostly volunteer, private- and public-sector effort to revitalize the city of Toledo by focusing on the neighborhoods impacted by Toledo Public Schools’ Building For Success construction. From the initial April 5 overview story through a detailed look at the first four schools and neighborhoods on which the NSNN is focusing, Toledo Free Press will review progress made since late 2002, when the effort began, and report on the coalition’s next steps.

Whether you believe that it “takes a village to raise a child,” community support for a school definitely is invaluable.
With more than 30 neighborhood and Toledo community partners, the Ella P. Stewart Academy for Girls has plenty of people and organizations looking out for it.
“Whenever we need something, we just have to call on one of our partners,” said Stewart Academy Assistant Principal Suzanne Muggy.
The old Stewart school was dedicated Nov. 9, 1961, as a co-ed building and became an all-girls academy at the start of the 2003-04 school year. As part of the Toledo Public Schools’ (TPS) Building For Success program, students moved into a new Stewart Academy, 707 Avondale Ave., at the start of the 2008-09 academic year.
It is one of four Toledo school-neighborhood areas targeted by the New Schools, New Neighborhoods (NSNN) initiative: a public-private coalition started in 2002 that is designed to revitalize the city of Toledo by focusing on the neighborhoods impacted by TPS’ Building For Success construction.
Stewart Academy has an enrollment of 250 students in grades kindergarten through six. The school maintains two classrooms in each grade and has a maximum of 22 students in each classroom. Stewart is the only all-girls elementary school in TPS, and enrollment is open to any girl in the district.
According to a March 2007 report by NSNN, TPS estimates that 60 percent of the Stewart students live within the neighborhood. That report also estimated the Stewart central city neighborhood population at 2,235 residents.
‘A good example’
“The location of the school is not necessarily important to determine its strength. If you have the necessary amenities for students, tools for teachers and staff and security, you can have quality education,” said Jimmy Gaines Sr., executive director of Organized Neighbors Yielding Excellence (ONYX), the community development corporation for the Stewart neighborhood. ONYX was founded in 1989.
“[Stewart Academy] is a good example of what can be accomplished,” he said.
One example of the recognition of Stewart’s success came in May. The Northwest Ohio Black Media Association honored Stewart Academy during its annual Impact Newsmaker Awards ceremony.
Stewart was the first urban all-girls, public school in the United States, according to Muggy, who is a member of the National Association for the Single-Sex Public Education Advisory Board.
She said students have definitely enjoyed the new building.
“When the students walk into the brand-new building, they feel better about themselves. There are new amenities and technologies like smart boards in the classrooms,” she said.
Community support
Thirty community businesses, associations and other organizations are partnering with Stewart Academy in a variety of ways. The Toledo Museum of Art, for example, works with the school to coordinate programs that relate to lessons being taught in the classroom.
“We were eager to reach out to schools in our own backyard and wanted students to be familiar and comfortable with the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA),” explained Lynn Duty, coordinator for elementary programs.
One example of the museum-classroom coordination, Duty said, was with fourth grade, which learned about giving back to the community. For its part, TMA taught students about Edward Drummond Libbey, one of the museum’s founders. The students made glass tiles at TMA and then gave them to some of the Stewart Academy partners as a way to say thank you for their help.
The 2008-09 academic year marks a new partnership between Stewart and TMA, and it’ll continue for the upcoming school year, Duty said. The museum also will be starting a similar program with TPS’ Lincoln Academy for Boys.
Other examples of school and community activities with Stewart Academy include:

• A greenhouse and 64-unit vertical garden system being built this summer, spearheaded by ONYX and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Muggy said students and volunteers will be involved in growing herbs, vegetables and flowers that will be available to the community. “We hope to create a farmer’s market for neighbors so the program can be self-sustaining,” she said.
• A pilot Rocket Club program with fifth- and sixth- grade students where students learned about aerodynamics, assisted by the UT Department of Engineering.
• University of Toledo funded a meeting of 15 Stewart students with Nobel-Prize-winning author Toni Morrison, who was invited to the city by Stewart students.
• A working Fifth Third Bank branch at the school, with students acting as branch managers, tellers, coordinators, etc

The school also maintains math and chess clubs, has a soccer team, along with many other school activities and programs.

All through this, ONYX has been active in improving housing, sidewalks and other infrastructure in the neighborhood, as well as working with Toledo police on neighborhood security, providing financial and personnel support and other types of leadership for Stewart, Gaines said.
‘Everything I expected’
At the end of the school year, ONYX Board of Directors Chairman WilliAnn Moore, a longtime supporter of Stewart Academy, was the keynote speaker at the sixth-grade graduation. ONYX and Moore also were honored by the school when it named its new playground after the organization.
“Stewart Academy is everything I expected it to be because I expect a lot,” Moore said. “The young ladies have come up to meet that challenge, and there’s been a lot of community partners to guarantee their success.”
In addition to the students and community partners, Muggy said that parents are an integral part of the school’s success. Before accepting students, Muggy said that parents are interviewed to ensure they know what’s expected of them and their students for things like attendance, behavior and academics.
Tiffany Biddle is a Stewart parent. Her daughter, Khadijah Hasan, attends Stewart.
“I did consider other schools at first,” Biddle said, “but they were pretty much knocked out when we visited here.
“[Stewart Academy] is a very good school. I like the building; the environment is very positive, and there are plenty of positive role models to look up to.”
Muggy said the school typically has 30 to 50 students on its waiting list.
“We have wonderful support from the [TPS] board and administration, and without the support of our community partners and parents, we could not do what we do,” Muggy said.

There has been a lot of attention in the media lately on the downturn in the economy and what it has meant to small businesses across the country: stories of businesses closing, employees losing their jobs and even homes, as well as the domino effect on other businesses caused by one company’s failure.
So what is the reality of what is happening to small businesses? How are they really faring in our region? What is being done to help business owners avoid the potential loss of their companies?
The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the Minority Contractors Business Assistance Program (MCBAP) at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce help business owners every day to communicate with their lenders, find possible solutions to financial issues and even identify potential new markets.
Since the beginning of 2009, the majority of clients coming in for no-cost confidential business counseling are existing companies. They are businesses that are facing serious peril in the economic crisis. Assistance is available. But the responsibility of facing the problems head on and asking for assistance lies with the business owner.
There are steps that business owners can take to help protect their businesses in these times and ways to be proactive in looking for new opportunities. But the first step is in taking a hard look at their companies and a reality check of where they are and what steps need to be taken.
Know your financial situation. Make sure you are up to date on all your books. Perform due diligence on your finances. Submit your financials to your bookkeeper or accountant in a quick and timely manner. Know when your money is coming in and going out. Ensure that your tax returns have been filed on time. All of your paperwork must be in place so you have an accurate picture of your financial situation. Business is moving quickly and you must know where you are so you can react quickly.
Communication is key. Many times, business owners facing financial difficulties are afraid to interface with their lenders and avoid contact with them. But lenders want to hear from their clients. It is much easier to negotiate and work out a solution with your lender when you have established a relationship with them.
For business owners who are extending credit to their customers, do you know if your customer is still credit-worthy? Lenders take steps to find out but many small businesses do not. If you have extended credit to a customer beyond 60 days, there is a possibility you will never be paid. Review carefully how you extend credit to customers.
Employee theft is on the rise. Desperate people, even longtime trusted employees, can steal in desperate times. Make sure to have proper checks and balances in place to protect against theft.
No one employee should be opening the mail, making all the bank deposits and signing checks without review.
What are you doing to better your company and find new markets? Do you know what your North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is for your company? Your NAICS code can help identify your competitors. You then can research how well they are doing or if they are still in business, who is buying from your industry and how to reach out to new markets.
A valuable resource is the Business and Technology Department at the Main branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library. They can help you identify your NAICS code and research your competition.
Evaluate where you make money. While it seems contradictory to suggest firing a customer, sometimes you must evaluate how much you make from a customer versus the return.
Business owners must maintain their own health and well-being. The stress of a business in crisis can be devastating and unless you are healthy, you cannot make the efforts to get your business healthy.
Most of all, know you are not alone. There are solutions. The key is to not be afraid to reach out and ask for assistance. The staff at the SBDC and MCBAP can help you communicate with your lenders, take financial inventory and find new possibilities. By taking a reality check and facing your business issues head-on, you can give your company the best chance of surviving this economic crisis.

Bill Wersell is director of the Small Business Development Center. Contact the SBDC or MCBAP at the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce at (419) 243-8191 or www.toledochamber.com.

The July 19 cover story on Carty Finkbeiner’s legacy elicited a tremendous amount of reader response. It’s a fair gauge that a newspaper is doing something right when readers on both sides of an issue respond with kudos and criticism, as the story drew comments from a wide range of Finkbeiner supporters and detractors.
Much of the discussion focused on the cover image of Finkbeiner split as half-saint and half-devil. Many who profess loyalty and fondness for the mayor were less than thrilled at the depiction of their leader as a devil, but a large group of those who can’t wait for the mayor to exit office were surprised we gave him a halo as large as we did.
And those who know and have worked with Finkbeiner seemed to understand the depiction.
“I have worked with Carty for years, and I have seen both sides of him as you have him on the cover,” one person wrote. “He can be as gentle and kind as any man in Toledo, but when his furnace is burning, those wings and halo are traded for a pitchfork and flames faster than you can say, ‘Take Back Toledo.’”
Speaking of that group’s recall effort, there has been discussion on whether the group should take its initiative off the ballot now that Finkbeiner has said he will not run for a fourth term. I understand the argument that Take Back Toledo could have shown some grace and “good sportsmanship” by removing the recall and saving voters some distraction from an important election. It may be difficult for voters to kick Finkbeiner when he’s down, and if the recall fails, it will be a final major victory for Finkbeiner on his way out of the mayor’s office.
But I also see the point of the Take Back Toledo organizers, who worked very hard and invested a lot of money into getting the recall on the ballot. They intend to send a message to all elected officials that there are people and media willing to force change, and that is a powerful message that merits attention.
There have been too few people running Toledo for far too long, and the recall represents a break from insider politics and manipulation.
So, let the voters decide, as was the plan all along.
And let those in office observe that, as the troubadour said, the times, they are a-changin’.

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

For the next few months Brenda Hill will dash from fundraiser to festival, from organizing volunteers to public speaking events and from the campaign office to school board meetings as the newest member.

“I’m excited more than nervous,” Hill said. “I really am proud of the school system and there is always room for improvements to make.”

The Toledo Public School Board members appointed Hill, a retired teacher and a candidate for November’s election, to the vacant seat on the school board on June 20.

Board member Darlene Fisher, the only member who voted no to Hill’s appointment, said she did not vote for Hill’s appointment because she’s running in November’s election.

“I think for those who supported her it gives her an edge up — already serving on the board,” Fisher said. “Of the three seats available in November, I am the only incumbent running for re-reelection; the other two have been appointed. Now we have two appointees and one person who is there for the people.” She added that President Bob Vasquez was also appointed to the board, rather than voted on.

She nominated Carolyn Eyer, who runs day care at Bible Temple Family Worship, because Eyer understands how to work with the zero to eight year-old range, Fisher said, adding that she thinks the school board needs to focus on that age group more.

Brenda Hill

Vice President Lisa Sobecki, who nominated Hill, said she didn’t make decisions based on whether the 11 applicants were running for reelection because the filing deadline for candidacy isn’t until August. If she had chosen someone because they didn’t plan on running and the appointee changed his or her mind after getting appointed, it wouldn’t be fair to other applicants, Sobecki said.

Chris Myers ran for a school board seat twice and lost, but also applied for the vacant seat. He said he had no intensions of running in the upcoming election and also stated that he would donate the money he would receive as a board member right back to the school district.

“One of the things that’s going to hurt her, is that not only is going to have to get oriented with board but she’ll have to run for election,” Myers said. “The problem is that you’ll have three board members running for election so they won’t be able to put all the time into the board as needed.”

Hill said she is ready to take on the work, and that her experience as a teacher for 35 years can help her truly understand all the different areas affected by the board’s decisions.

However, the 35 years as a teacher worries Fisher and Urban Coalition member Steven Flagg, they said.

The board has a contract with the Toledo Federation of Teachers that expires on March 31, and if no one tries to change any of the conditions of the contract the students will suffer and schools will continue to fail state tests, Flagg said.

Fisher also said that she didn’t vote for Hill because she was once a member of the TFT and this background could persuade her to make decisions based on the union’s agenda.

Citing that the union allows for more experienced teachers to bid for schools further away from the city and with fewer problems, Fisher said she would want to offer payment incentives for skilled teachers to stay in the inner-city.

“There’s an assumption here when we talk about who’s endorsed by the TFT that this labor union is not interested in what’s best for the students,” said school board President Bob Vasquez. “I don’t agree with that; it would be like saying that Save Our Scott or the Urban Coalition is not interested in what’s best for their students and I don’t think that’s fair do say that about these groups.”

Flagg said he thinks the TFT has guided board members to side with them on issues that do hurt the kids, and not requiring teachers to assign homework to suspended children is one of those.
Though the number of suspensions and expulsions has been decreasing, with 390 total students getting expelled in the 2008 to 2009 school year, Fisher said she would want to change the clause about not requiring homework for suspended kids.

“What we’ve seen happen is that a child starts out with a behavior problem and if they don’t get the help they need their career goes down and down,” Fisher said. “I want to make sure we avoid this so teachers are required to provide homework.”

Fisher, as the only member not endorsed by the TFT, said funding elements need to change as well, and having TFT endorsed members keeps that from happening.

Of the $320 million budget, 75 percent is spent on salaries and 25 percent is spent on materials and maintenance, Fisher said.

“I think we have to take good care of our teachers because they have the right to have good working conditions if they are happy, it’s obvious that our students will benefit from the same type of environment,” Vasquez said.

Fisher said she’s not opposed to the union and wants to give teachers a fair amount of funding; she just wants to reconsider how programs in the schools are funded. Anticipating August’s 2008 to 2009 state grade card for the district, she said schools will not change if the current contract remains the same – and having board members like Hill backed by the TFT would face that ‘conflict of interest’ when voting for the contract in March.

Hill said she will make decisions independently from the TFT.

“If I don’t agree with the union or not; whether who agrees with me or not is not my concern,” she said. “I’ve been chosen to represent the city of Toledo and my allegiance is to them.”

Hill graduated from Rogers High School, received a bachelors and masters degree from University of Toledo and taught a few different district schools during her 35 years of employment. Her home school was Navarre Elementary, where she taught remedial math, though she also spent time teaching computer skills to other teachers, she said.

There she had to help kids in elementary school learn basic skills because they hadn’t gone to preschool or came from homes where the parents had no time to spend with them, she said. Hill retired in 2004.

Hill said she wants to make foreign language classes part of the curriculum and that she would negotiate with the board and the TFT, if elected, in March when the contract expires to make changes if needed.

Sobecki said Hill has the experience and organizational skills to take the seat.

“Yes, she is a retired teacher of 35 years,” Sobecki said. “But she also has the working knowledge of the class room and an understanding of the district and with August right around the corner and the first day of school issues facing the board, she would be a fast learn and could be brought to speed quickly.”

After former City Council President Mark Sobczak resigned and Council member Joe McNamara took his place, council appointed former TPS Board President Steven Steel to take McNamara’s seat. Hill will take Steel’s spot for the next four months.

There are many technological enhancements that can be had with today’s high-tech automobiles.
Perhaps the most useful of all the computer-controlled systems available to us are the anti-lock brakes system that comes standard on many new vehicles.
My motorcycle and I have become quite familiar. I ride it so much that I have forgotten how technologically advanced it is. My BMW motorcycle comes standard with anti-lock brakes.
I have become so used to my bike’s braking action and brake feel that I had forgotten what riding a motorcycle without anti-lock brakes was like.
I had the occasion, recently while on a road trip in Tennessee, to ride a friend’s late-model bike that did not come equipped with anti-lock brakes. I discovered in short order what a real disadvantage not having anti-lock brakes can be.
The same is true for our cars. We can become so accustomed to the anti-lock brake feature, we forget how difficult braking was before we had this feature. Many young drivers have never driven a vehicle that did not have the anti-lock braking (ABS) system installed upon them. Please don’t misinterpret my meaning. I believe that’s a good thing. However, unless drivers have operated  vehicles during panic situations without ABS, they truly cannot appreciate the remarkable stopping advantage ABS affords them.
Directional stability and stopping distance are the chief reasons ABS systems are so advantageous. ABS insures that all wheels are applying stopping force equally. When one wheel decelerates faster than the others, a vehicle pulls toward the wheel, applying the greatest amount of stopping force. Naturally, this could cause loss of control during a panic stop. ABS prevents this unwanted loss of directional stability from occurring.
Because ABS systems are capable of applying the brakes at a much faster rate than most drivers can actuate the brakes, a significant decrease in the amount of distance an ABS-equipped vehicle can safely stopped is achieved.
When a tire locks up during braking the rubber between the vehicle and the road surface actually begins to melt. The liquefied rubber loses traction and the vehicles stopping distance is greatly reduced. ABS action keeps the tires from ever locking up.
ABS systems are designed specifically for the vehicle they are installed upon. Some systems control the braking on all four wheels, while other ABS systems control the front wheels independently of each other while the rear axle is controlled as a unit. In any ABS system, the vehicle wheel speed sensors are critical.
An ABS controller (computer) monitors individual wheel speed and verifies that each wheel is decelerating at nearly the same rate. When one wheel decelerates at a greater rate than the others, ABS action is initiated.
The ABS module isolates any hydraulic fluid from reaching the wheel which is approaching “lock-up” and if necessary, releases a small of amount of brake fluid from the affected wheel until its deceleration rate coincides with the other wheels.
Most modern ABS systems can perform this function about 14 times within a second. That is much faster than most drivers could ever “pump their brakes.”
And obviously, as mentioned above, this pumping action prevents the tires from losing their coefficient of friction between the vehicle and the roadway. Ultimately this ABS action stops the vehicle in a shorter distance.
Another great feature of modern ABS systems is they only work when we need them. Most braking occurs without the ABS system ever being initiated. ABS only “turns itself on” and performs the ABS braking function when a wheel is approaching lockup.
Another great feature of the latest ABS systems is its ability to prevent a wheel from slipping during acceleration.
This programmed-in ability is referred to as “traction Assist’ by most manufacturers. Basically, instead of controlling wheel slip only during decelerations the ABS computer also controls wheel slip during acceleration.
This is a great feature here in the North Country during the winter months.
If ABS does not come as a standard feature on your next vehicle purchase, I urge you to add it as an option. It is clearly one of those systems that no vehicle should be without!

Nick Shultz is an instructor of Automotive Technologies at Owens Community College. He is an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau who specializes in cases involving the Ohio and Michigan Lemon laws. He is a certified master automotive technician by ASE, General Motors Corp.  and Ford Motor Co. Shultz, a Toledo native, will take questions from letters@toledofreepress.com.

Aries (March 21-April 19)
Flying high. This week begins with favorable communications and exchanges with others. Alliances and social ties prove advantageous. After Wednesday, extreme situations reveal underlying dynamics or emotions roiling below the surface. Clean out a closet on Saturday.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Highly recommended. High performance levels prove your abilities to others and help from well-placed women arrives as the week begins. Expect extra traffic around your home. Repairs, acquisitions or family changes spark a wave of laborious household adjustments.
Gemini (May 21-June 21)
Wake-up call. Personal and relationship matters flow as the week begins, but avoid over-confidence in business matters. Test gizmos/ideas before putting into service. As the weekend arrives, enthusiasm and excitement soar at exciting events or gatherings.
Cancer (June 22-July 22)
A penny saved. Glimpses of the future arrive as the week begins, along with good news from women. Skills and responsibilities shift midweek, and can impact earnings. The weekend brings “ah-ha” moments as hidden truths float to the surface and change relationship dynamics.
Leo (July 23-August 22)
Deeply rooted in reality. Good luck and fortunate contacts light up your world on Sunday and Monday. Big dramas and top-heavy emotional situations are stirred midweek. Weekend events or profound conversations touch your heart, and stir up your soft, sentimental side.
Virgo (August 23-September 22)
Monopoly money. Toss ideas around as the week begins; brainstorming is extremely productive on Monday. Heavy traffic or other excessive situations place the needs of the one at odds with the needs of the many. Small adjustments can make a big difference in outcomes.
Libra (September 23-October 22)
Fair winds at sunrise. The week begins with benefits from romance, friendship, travel and creativity. After Wednesday, new information can change or even reverse your expectations in an important personal situation. Examine your deepest hopes and fears on Saturday.
Scorpio (October 23-November 21)
Overcoming the odds. You can accomplish necessary transitions this week with relatively few glitches if you don’t procrastinate. Mental or physical demands can cause strains on Thursday. Head games involving love and money are possible over the weekend.
Sagittarius (November 22-December 21)
Lasting legacy. An insecure area of life gets a huge boost as the week begins; enthusiastic responses may surprise to you. After Wednesday, you’ll have to move at warp speed to handle an array of diverse activities and tasks. Accept aid offered on Saturday.
Capricorn (December 22-January 19)
Abundant luxury. You’re in a good position to reap benefits from past efforts this week. The reward for hard work may be more hard work after midweek. Children or loved ones hurtle through transitions or location changes. Swift mood changes are possible.
Aquarius (January 20-February 18)
A fresh foundation. Your creativity and ingenuity peak as the week begins and may coincide with lucky breaks. Communications intensify after Thursday. Listen carefully, as prickly tempers are a sign that invisible root causes for discontent need to be addressed.
Pisces (February 19-March 20)
Traveling companion. Embrace an adventurous spirit this week. Unusual, foreign, or cutting-edge topics attract your notice and may develop into positive new involvements. Untimely problems can crop up on Thursday. Ulterior motives are easy to detect on Saturday.

This weekend, a friend called me with an interesting proposition. I was asked if I would be interested in writing a column for Toledo Free Press from, shall we say, a more liberal perspective. Coming out of the blue like that, I told her I would have to think about it, run it by my employer to see if there would be any conflicts of interest and discuss it with several other persons associated with organizations I am affiliated with. Unfortunately, they all told me to go for it, thereby putting me on the spot. So here we go, rocketing into another fun-filled adventure.
My background for most of my working life has been as a union electrician. For the past nearly 11 years, I have been employed as an organizer for International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 8. This has formed my bedrock belief that all working people are entitled to a fair wage for a fair day’s work and to be treated with dignity and respect for the job they do. Many of you are probably saying, “Huh, he’s antibusiness.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Without businesses, I would have not had an opportunity to ply my trade and to make a good life for my family. I look at business as a large pie and feel that the workers who made that pie shouldn’t be left with the crusts. I’m sure this will come up from time to time in subsequent columns.
I should also say that I am an unabashed liberal Democrat. The only Republican I have ever voted for is Andy Douglas for justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, and that was based solely on his great interest and empathy (there’s that word) for workers’ issues. His decisions were based on fairness and doing what was right rather than what was politically expedient or heeding to Republican orthodoxy.
Much is wrong in our great nation these days, and it is my belief that most of our problems, if not all, stem from getting away from the principles that built this country and relying on quick profits. Planning for the future became the bottom line of this or the next quarter, and long-term planning went by the wayside. We ignored all the problems that were readily apparent, doing nothing to address them until forced to. In many cases, those in power dismissed the problems in the hope that they would either go away or at least wait until they were out of power and set for life before they were forced to acknowledge the problems. In many cases, simple, cost-effective solutions that could have dealt with these issues were ignored and even made fun of.
Well, the chickens have come home to roost. Now we find ourselves forced to react to problems that should never have come to pass. As I get older, I find, virtually daily, the wisdom of our parents and grandparents holding true: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” When I was young, I dismissed these as the demented ramblings of my elders and thought surely I knew better. Score one for the old folks. Maybe they did know what they were talking about.
Unfortunately, many of the power elite seem to cling to the childish beliefs that they know best, and no one should question their innate wisdom. After all, if they weren’t right, why did they make these fortunes, and why would the government feel obligated to bail them out?
One of the unfortunate byproducts of our time is the loss of time as a concept. Everything has to happen immediately. We want it all and we want it now. We can’t think in anything longer than 30-second sound bites. We don’t read anymore. This column (if you’re still with me) could be the longest thing many people read this week!
It’s time to step back, coolly assess where we are, where we want to be and how we’re going to get there. Let’s forget the trite phrases and photo ops that pass for rational thought. Let’s get back to doing what’s right, what’s going to work and what’s going to work for ALL of us, not just some. You’re asking, just what the hell is he talking about? Well, that’s for another column.

E-mail columnist Don Burnard at letters@toledofreepress.com.