Toledo-based Star Costumes is in its second Halloween season as an online-only costume store.

Star Costumes president and founder Mike Cairl said customers often want to use a costume for more than collecting candy.

A lot of customers are college-aged girls through women 35 to 45 who “want to look good in their costume when they go out to parties,” he said.

He gets a lot of moms shopping online for their children. Baby costumes, particularly bunny costumes, “have been very strong this year,” Cairl said.

For boys, he said G.I. Joe costumes – spurred by the new movie – are selling well, as are standbys like sports-related costumes and Power Rangers, which “never die.”

For girls’ costumes, which are bigger sellers than boys’ costumes, “pink and purple are big this year,” he said.

“I have one supplier whose whole line is nothing but pink costumes, even offering pink machine guns as part of gangster costumes,” Cairl said.

One trend expanding is the availability and range of options for plus-size adults. The most popular are Frisky Frauline, Gretchen and Lady Luck costumes.

“Many of the costumes have sizes up to 3x and 4x,” he said. “We’ve sold more plus sizes this year than other years. The adults’ size sexy costumes have a fuller cut and are tasteful.”

Cairl said that while Star Costumes closed its retail location, people can go to its corporate office at 2708 W. Sylvania Ave. and pick up their orders to save on shipping charges. He is considering opening a small, seasonal retail location in Toledo for next year.

Mike Driehorst

I’m a fairly modern kind of gal. For the most part, I enjoy the vast range of advancements we have achieved as human beings. I adore my TV and my computer as much as the next person. In relishing my modern day devices, however, I find it somewhat hard to reconcile the fact that we are, in all actuality, still just another animal.

Granted, we have set ourselves apart quite a bit from the likes of a bird or a bear or an alligator. Still, there is always something deep within us, remaining from our cave-dwelling days, that indicates that there is more to us than just an intellectual being. We are simple, primitive beings at our core, and nowhere does this seem to become more obvious than in our role as parents to our children.

I realized this most natural of phenomena recently as my child and I literally came face to face with mortal danger. My husband would beg to differ with the mortal danger part, as he laughed off what I still deem to be a quick-thinking, heroic act. I think he underestimates the impact a direct hit from a golf cart would have on stroller, even at ten miles per hour.

Truthfully, the act was not so quick-thinking or heroic; it was just maternal instinct at its’ best. Although I’m not sure of the science of it, there certainly didn’t seem like there was time to even think about the situation. By the time I realized that the sudden light in the darkness was a speeding golf cart inappropriately cornering the sidewalk immediately in front of us, I had already maneuvered my daughter swiftly out of harm’s way.

Even though, judging from my husband’s response, my reaction was a bit overstated, it is good to know that I have it in me. As much as we rely on expert advice to do right by our children at this point in time, it is refreshing when some good old-fashioned primal instinct shines through.

One thing I notice as an adult, that I missed as a child on trips to the zoo, is just how much the behavior of our animal friends sometimes mirrors our own. I may have noticed a little something here or there, but when I witness a parent-child gorilla interaction now that I have my own children, I feel like the mother or father gorilla and I could sit down and have a real conversation about the ups and downs of parenting.

I see the mother gorilla preening her child and feeding her child and holding her child, and I think, “Hey, that’s me!” I actually do have that inclination to pick foreign objects off of my child and lick my fingers to press down any unruly hair. Fortunately, with modern cleanliness, such primitive grooming measures are usually unnecessary. I am ready to step in if such an occasion should arise, however.

My favorite realization came upon seeing an adorable little baby gorilla cling to his mother’s back as the mother stood looking rather bothered with an “Oh, could I just get two minutes to myself?” look of annoyance. I feel your pain, my primate sister.

Perhaps my least favorite part of primal instinct is the amount that is reflected in my children. The separation anxiety and the sibling rivalry, while once understandably necessary for human survival, can now be an irritating evolutionary leftover. I often find myself feeling like that mother gorilla, wondering when my two minutes of peace will come.

Despite its occasional drawbacks, instinct is a wonderful thing. I have to say that the primordial function that causes my children to look at me like I’m their whole world and makes me feel the same way when I look at them, is worth all of the crying, clinging and even disgusting messy-hair-induced finger licking.

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

Halloween has always inspired some of the most bone-chilling films in cinematic history and this season is sure to be no exception. Here are just a few haunting classics, cult favorites, and spooky underrated gems.

The Classics:

1. Halloween-John Carpenter’s seminal slasher first released in 1978. This is the one that started it all and made Michael Myers a name to be feared. Starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence.

2. Night of the Living Dead-George A. Romero’s original ghoul fest released in

1968, put Pittsburgh on the horror filmmaking map. Starring Duane Jones,

Judith O’Dea and a bunch of flesh eating zombies.

3. Frankenstein-THE original monster movie. James Whale crafted this black and white masterpiece in 1931. A true benchmark for the genre.

Starring Colin Clive and the legendary Boris Karloff.

4. Dracula-Film’s most famous bloodsucker. Released the same year as

Frankenstein. Directed by Tod Browning, this one gave vampires a good name. Starring Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula.

5. Carrie-Director Brian De Palma’s frightening journey into the mind of

horror master Stephen King, released in 1976. Starring Sissy Spacek

and Piper Laurie.

Cult Favorites:

1. The Evil Dead-Sam Raimi’s original homage to evil spirits. Shot on a

shoestring budget and released in 1981. This is the one that made Bruce Campbell a star long before Burn Notice. Starring Bruce Campbell.

2. Basket Case-Perhaps director Frank Henenlotter’s most famous film, without

a doubt his most bloody. From the mind of the man who brought you Brain Damage and Frankenhooker. Released in 1982. Starring Kevin Van Hentenryck.

3. Ghoulies-Luca Berkovici’s largely forgotten horror gem. The first in a wildly

popular series from the 1980’s. Released in 1985. Starring Peter Liapis and Lisa Pelikan.

4. Carnival of Souls-Director Herk Harvey served up a true buffet of nightmares

in this underrated classic from 1962 that helped set the tone for the modern horror genre. Starring Candace Hilligoss.

5. Dead Alive-What list of cult films would be complete without Peter’s Jackson

most freighting film. Shot in Pittsburgh and Jackson’s native New Zealand. Also released to the US as Braindead in 1992. Starring Timothy Balme.

Currently in theaters:

Zombieland, Rob Zombie’s Halloween II, Jennifer’s Body, and the upcoming

SAW VI. Check local listings for showtimes.

These are only a few classics of the genre that you’ll find on TV, in theaters and at your local video store.

To quote the old Gipper, the 1980’s version, “Here we go again.” It is rare when those of us on the liberal side of things feel a need to steal a quote from Ronald Reagan’s lone debate with Jimmy Carter, but it is apropos to Issue Three. How many times do we have to vote on this casino business? There is a parable in St. Luke’s gospel about a woman who keeps harassing the judge until the judge finally goes weary of her and gives her what she wants. I doubt the people of the “gaming industry” (don’t you love the name “gaming,” it sounds so much nicer than “gambling”) starts their meetings with a bible study But if they did their tenacity suggests someone in their business has a passion for this parable. Of course the gambling industry’s tenacity is probably more related to the large amounts of money to be made than it is to one parable in St. Luke.

So once again the voters of Ohio will need to vote on whether or not we want casinos in our state. The interesting thing about this issue is that it doesn’t track so easily into the classic left-right debate that burns up so much cable television news time. There are liberals and conservatives on both sides of the issue. Those who like the idea of casinos like what they believe to be easy money for education and other social concerns of the state. Keeping our taxes low (a conservative issue) while caring for the social and educational safety net (a liberal issue) seems a deal that is too good to be true.

Those opposed worry about a myriad of social problems like higher crime rates, increase in personal addictions, increased public safety costs, and the possibility that the social costs of casino gambling will exceed the revenue the states gets from its “cut.” In the religious community, this may be the only public issue where classic liberal protestants and religious right evangelicals can agree.

The debate over costs and benefits, aside, there are a two other issues that give those of us in the religious community a pause for concern. One has to do with all that is ennobling, the other with courage.

The idea that a “people” should strive to seek out what Lincoln called “the better angels of our nature” has a long and glorious tradition in our country’s history. Yoking our children’s education and therefore their future to games of chance inspired by our humanity’s baser and cruder instincts cuts against the grain of that tradition. If our children and their future is important to us, then we ought to be willing to do the brave and noble thing: pay for it out of our conviction, not out of our baser impulses.

This leads to the question of courage. There is not a whole lot of this going around. The fact that our political leaders are unwilling to make the hard choices to raise the monies needed by our schools and other social agencies that address human need puts the Ohio voter in these sticky situations. For we are told if we want better schools and a stronger social safety net we need to play the lottery and vote for casino gambling. To add insult to injury, this pathetic desire to fund our children’s future on the baser instincts of our humanity places the needs of our children’s future over and against the health and well being of our society. This is not a good choice we have been given.

Eric McGlade is a United Methodist Minister who lives and works in Bowling Green.

I have read recently about the level of political discourse in this country in the editorial pages of Toledo Free Press with shock and wonder. The shock, of course, is over the point of view being espoused from the political left in these pieces. The wonder is that such opinion should attempt to be bolstered by citing the revisionist view of one of those who wrote of history to make the case.
In the writings of a Columbia professor from the 1960s, Richard Hofstadter, the attempt is made to prove that opinions from the political right equate to paranoia. This is an interesting proposition since it is based on the work of someone who is supposed to be an expert in history rather than psychology. Even granting the professor some background in the area, this still leaves us with the fact that only the right faces such consideration and that any acts committed by those on the political left are summarily ignored.
This might be excused since the publication cited was before Paul Watson of Coeur du Bois, and later the Sierra Club, began spiking trees to keep them from being harvested, knowing that act might cause injury or death to those attempting to do so. This was before Greenpeace began ramming whaling ships in an attempt to enforce their opinion, knowing that such behavior endangered the lives of those on both ships. Most importantly, this was before the mainstream media in recent years finally admitted to a bias for a liberal point of view; something that certainly could be said to affect the level of discourse in this country.
But how can one argue with an opinion that desires to claim the role of the victim for FDR as he took up the reign (pun definitely intended) of government in an attempt to ignore the limits of the Constitution in the name of doing what this one man felt was right. How can you disagree with one who merely followed in the footsteps of history’s great leaders Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt before him? For like these prior progressive leaders, was it not merely that FDR stretched the limits of executive power in this country in the name of doing what was needed.
As correctly mentioned in the piece, however, such political discourse has been going on since 1797. For wasn’t it one of those right wing Founding Fathers, Thomas Jefferson, who said:
“Democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not,”  and “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”
The father of the Constitution James Madison said: “I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations.”
But it was a president of more recent history who placed the professor’s opinion in its place, when Dwight D. Eisenhower said: “An intellectual is a man who takes more words than necessary to tell more than he knows.”
And it was Winston Churchill who probably best put the case for understanding the role of history as seen in academia when he said, “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.”
The level of discourse in this country is in jeopardy, but not from those who attend tea parties or from Glenn Beck opining based on carefully documented fact on FOXNews. The level of discourse in this country is threatened instead when one side of the argument can disparage the other and discount any facts or opinions brought forth as mad. It is in dire jeopardy indeed, when the opinions of any in this country are allowed to be ignored by an intellectual elite (real or not), allowing them alone to say and do what is best for society.
As to the potential of one side or the other exhibiting signs of impending mental crisis, it seems to me that perhaps the paranoia may be a bit misplaced however if true. For was it not that luminary of left wing politics, Hillary Clinton, who in her attempt to claim the mantle of the victim during her husband’s presidency coined the term “right wing conspiracy.” Paranoia indeed!

Tim Higgins blogs at http://justblowingsmoke.blogspot.com.

Toledo City Council meets one more time before the Nov. 3 general election.
Why is that important? Because I firmly believe the remaining $7.8 million deficit will disappear magically before voters head to the polls in a giant puff of budgetary hocus-pocus and financial abracadabra.
Why should you care? Because it’s mission critical to the politicians on city council who want so desperately to be re-elected just a week later.
If the headlines read the budget is balanced, then all is right with the world and four incumbents can say they showed leadership, made tough decisions and performed admirably in representing the people — without having done much of anything. They can take credit for balancing that budget without raising taxes — even though all four voted in favor of a failed attempt to increase the trash fee a few weeks back.
How will they do it? Call the following scenario an educated guess: City council votes to use a $3.2 million payment from Toledo Edison toward the deficit. Council members then approve the use of $3.9 million in capital improvement money — the same pool of funds voters rejected redirecting at the ballot box — to do some complicated legal maneuver that redirects the money anyway, despite the will of the people during the September primary.
Suddenly, there’s only $700,000 left to “find” in the city budget to balance it. I’ll bet there’s exactly that amount in other, unspent capital improvement money.
Voila! Budget balanced, incumbents take credit, happy voters send them off to four more years of the same old, same old. Or so they hope.
If that scenario holds true, then the budget will be balanced entirely using so-called “one-time funds.”
Yes, it’s a solution — but a short-term one that ducks the realities that lie ahead in 2010, long after you have voted. We again could be facing another deficit approaching the $27 million we saw earlier this year. City government has deferred a lot of public safety overtime, and one-time payments to police officers and firefighters will come due — both in 2010.
No one’s figured out how to pay for all of that yet. That is not a doomsday scenario. That is not a candidate going negative. That is reality. Our elected officials are not thinking long term, just what may be politically expedient. That is not leadership.
I believe our city government must reduce, restructure and reinvent.
Reduce spending to priorities like as police, fire and smooth streets; restructure some of its functions to end duplication and save money; and reinvent itself to become more business friendly and user friendly.
I believe our city government also must cooperate, collaborate and consolidate.
Cooperate with other local governments to form a buying cooperative for everything from pens and paper clips to salt and snow plows.
Collaborate on economic development with the alphabet soup of agencies that exist. If each one performed a specialty — the Lucas County Improvement Corp did real estate, the port authority focused on financing, the Regional Growth Partnership specialized in investment capital — our region could stretch its limited resources in ways to increase the tax base through each agency focusing on a core mission.
Consolidate city and county functions that are common — for example, information technology and building inspections.
That is true leadership. No magic. No hocus-pocus. However, you can perform a little magic of your own at the ballot box next week, by making the same old faces disappear — the ones who seek that short-term political gain. Replace them with true public servants — fresh faces with fresh ideas — people who think long term, so we don’t end up in this mess again.

Kevin Milliken is an independent candidate for an at-large seat on Toledo City Council. His campaign Web site is www.millikenfortoledo.com.

Well, perhaps apologies are in order. Apparently I’ve underestimated readers’ interest in political satire. It seems that last week’s article was not read with the same enjoyment that I got in writing it.

I will be the first to admit that my article last week was a bit more political than most. However, while I chose to present my case as a political satire — not to mention fantasy — the real objective was to get readers thinking about current economic circumstances, and how the economy could be turned around — if that was really the goal.

This week we’ll stay away from politics, but keep discussion broad. So this week let’s consider the following question: Why is rest of world recovering and the US isn’t? In other words, why are we lagging rather than leading?

First, let’s be clear. I’m not talking about a stock market recovery. I’ve stated repeatedly that we believe this rally is totally unjustified in fundamental terms. What we’re talking about is REAL economic recovery — sales, jobs, revenue, PROFITS.

The example we’ve seen thrown around repeatedly in the last week is the London real estate market. According to one Bloomberg article some agents there are nearly sold out of inventory (London Agents ‘Sold Out’ as Home Asking Prices…, Svenja O’Donnell). Even though unemployment is still high, construction had slowed down so much during the downturn that now inventory is extremely low.

Of course, mortgages are much more available there than they are here, and that is spurring demand from foreign buyers. That includes demand from several big banks, including at least one that was the recipient of a hefty taxpayer bailout. Goldman Sachs employees have reportedly been major buyers in UK real estate (The barefaced greed of bankers and their bonuses…, Boris Johnson).

All this demand on the far side of the pond has sparked recent increases in asking prices, which are now topping previous highs set in late 2007 (London Agents ‘Sold Out’…). All this while US housing prices remain at their lowest levels since the start of this recession, amid growing foreclosure figures, even among modified mortgages (the so-called “refault rate”).

What’s more, things aren’t expected to improve in the near future as another wave of trouble is expected, this time in commercial real estate and Alt-A mortgages, which could very well lead to even more bank failures (Commercial real estate to drive U.S. bank failures, Elinor Comlay).

And London is hardly the exception to the global recovery. Australia has rebounded so fast that the central bank there recently began raising rates in order to ensure the economy doesn’t overheat and inflation doesn’t take off (RBA Says Low Australian Rates Imprudent…, Jacob Greber).

The million dollar question, it seems, is this: What’s makes the United States so much different from most other developed nations? Why does credit continue to contract here as consumers pay off debt rather than take out loans – not that banks want to lend anyway?

We’ve been saying for some time now — especially since government bailouts started — that inflation would be a problem down the road. But we’ll readily admit that isn’t the case right now. In fact, deflation is a much more serious threat as credit continues to shrink.

In fact, right now the US dollar buys more than it did a year ago, according to CPI figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Price Index — All Urban Consumers, Department of Labor).

To add to this history lesson, let’s take a quick look at the Dow. At just over 10,000, the first time the Dow was at these levels was in 1999, and most recently crossed these levels (while in an upward trend) was in April of 2005.

Thinking back to 1999 and 2005, I certainly can’t speak for readers, but I can say that personally today feels absolutely nothing like 1999, much less 2005. Not in economic terms like sales or unemployment.

It’s historical comparisons like this that have led us to believe that this recent run in stocks, while beneficial for helping to rebuild portfolios, is not supported by economics. Even though some big business have started loosening their purse strings (Business Spending Looks Up, Timothy Aeppel), the US still has a long way to go before we see a true economic recovery, one that would justify the kind of rally we’ve seen in stocks.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp., www.TreeceInvestments.com. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be used without outside verification.

Found on a pad of paper next to John “Jigsaw” Kramer’s makeshift hospital bed:
Phew! Got a lot to get done before I croak. Things to build, people to test, lessons to teach, victims to eviscerate. Guess it’s true what they say; a psychopath’s work is never done. They do say that, right?
Okay, time to focus. Things to Do Before I Die. Lessee …

• Design and build traps for the two games that will be going on simultaneously while I’m dying. No, wait; make that three games, my apprentice Amanda is being tested, too. (I really hope she doesn’t see this note.)
• Kidnap and set up the three victims for Jeff’s game. The woman and the judge should be no prob, but the medical student may be a bit of a hassle. Those young whippersnappers today with their working out and their Dan Fogelberg…
• Kidnap and set up the three victims for Rigg’s game. Oh, wait, that’s five victims, need to grab the lawyer and, uh, some other guy for the collar trap. Geez, how many people are involved in this one?
• Oh, shoot. Gotta kidnap Jeff, Rigg and Jeff’s wife, too. That makes, what, eleven in all? Whoa, hope I’m not forgetting anybody.
• To Buy List: 400 yards of rusty chain, freezer-proof tubing, at least 30 decomposing pig corpses, a torture rack (I wonder what’s the best deal you can get on one of those these days?), parts for both an automatic hair puller and an eye gouger, three different guns and their corresponding bullets, an exploding collar, a few motors, large block of ice…no, make that THREE large blocks of ice (got a kooky idea!), an electric chair (non-functioning is ok), miscellaneous timers, 15 or so monitors and oodles of security cameras, parts to make more of those dolls, and, of course, about 50 mini-cassette recorders and tapes. Man, I hope Sony’s happy; I’m single-handedly keeping their micro-cassette division in business.
• Oh, darn it…kidnap Jeff’s daughter, too. That makes twelve. Can’t ever accuse me of being unambitious.
• Record enigmatic and creepy narration for each trap on micro-cassette or VHS. This is important: Be careful not to switch tapes accidentally. That poor guy in the guillotine who ended up watching “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” never stood a chance.
• Coat post-mortem audio cassette with wax and swallow. Oh, I need to add one candle to the Buy list. Preferably unscented. Don’t wanna die with the smell of “Lilac Paradise” or something on my breath.
• Go over battle plan with Amanda and my other protégé, Hoffman. Apart, if possible, they don’t know about each other yet. Or do they? Darned if I can remember. If not, just have Hoffman leave her a note, I’m sure she won’t overreact.
• Get files on next set of victims for Hoffman. Of course, since he’s a cop, only Hoffman has access to those files, so…get Hoffman to get the files. Then give them back to him. Tell him it’s another test or something. That guy’ll believe anything.
• Plan out a set of traps for Hoffman’s first game, but he can build them for himself. Big baby’s making me think everything out, he can do some of the legwork. I got enough on my plate as it is, doncha think?
• Okay, this part’s really important: If Amanda kills Jeff’s wife and if Jeff kills her, then if the FBI guy kills Jeff after Jeff kills me, remind Hoffman to close the door behind him. If any of the “if”s don’t happen … um, haven’t thought that far ahead. Let’s just hope it all works out. Fingers crossed!
• Watch “Citizen Kane.” This is probably my last chance. Have Amanda make popcorn in the incineration pit.
• Oh, fiddlesticks … kidnap the female cop for the rib-split trap. That’s thirteen. That’s the last one. I’m sure this time. If I’m wrong, may my throat be cut with a buzz-saw. Oh, yeah…
• Add a buzz-saw to the Buy list.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

T safety Barry Church. Church and his Rocket teammates were coming off a 58-26 blowout homecoming loss to Western Michigan, one that saw the Rocket defense give up 20 unanswered points in the first five minutes of the Oct. 10 game at the Glass Bowl.

Barry Church

“Giving up that many points in that game was embarrassing,” Church said. “I thought we came out flat that night, but that is no excuse. I just knew we could play better than what we showed against Western Michigan.”
Church, still reeling from the loss, did something coaches dream for their senior leaders to do. The three time All-MAC selection took the responsibility on his shoulders, and vowed to make sure a performance, like the one against Western Michigan, would not happen again on his watch.
“We were just not playing to our potential and it was our job to change that,” Church said. “I just could not let that keep happening to us on defense. I told them that there would be no MAC championship or bowl game this season if we continued playing the way we were.”
Church turned from prognosticator to prophet during the Oct. 17 game against the Northern Illinois Huskies. After it was determined that senior quarterback Aaron Opelt, who was still recovering from a bruised right throwing shoulder, would not play, Church knew he and his defense would need to step up.
Church racked up 12 tackles during the game and the senior safety blocked an extra point and the potential game winning field goal, to secure a 20-19 win over the Huskies. For his efforts, Church was named the MAC West special teams player of the week. He was also named the defensive back of the week by College Football Performance Awards.
“It felt great,” Church said of his performance against NIU. “We had a great week of preparation, and I felt like we really went out to play against Northern Illinois.”
Being a leader on the team has been a role Church relishes.
“I think this team looks up to me as a leader, especially the defense,” Church said. “But I just go out trying to help the coaches and our team every time we play.”
That leadership has not gone unnoticed by Rockets head football coach Tim Beckman.
“Barry is a great football player, but more importantly he is a great person,” Beckman said. “He does so many great things for us on the football field and I think people miss what a great person [he is]. He gives credit to his teammates and it is never about him. That is exactly what Barry Church is all about.”
When coach Beckman and his new staff set foot on campus this past winter, Church was asked to change his role a little on the team. Barry was moved from his safety position to a nickel back. The coaching staff wanted to utilize Church’s speed and size in their defensive schemes.
“Our nickel back needs to be able to blitz and get downfield quickly, but he also has to be able to play well in pass coverage as well,” Beckman said. “We felt Barry was perfect for that role on our team.”
Church, a Pittsburgh native, welcomed his new role with open arms.
“I believe that being able to play different positions and many special teams roles helps me and the coaching staff,” Church said. “Being able to play those positions helps the team and helps further my dreams of getting to the NFL. I would even punt if they wanted me to.”
With his career at UT nearing an end, Church is just savoring his time left with Rockets. He and his fellow senior classmates have only five games left and only two remaining games at the Glass Bowl.
“Being a part of this Toledo Rocket family for the past four years have been some of the best years of my life,” Church said. “I have no regrets about coming here. Playing for the Rockets has been one of the best decisions of my life.”
Church is not done turning heads yet. He knows the Rockets still have some unfinished business to tend to before it is time to hang up his midnight blue and gold helmet.
“We want to finish out this season as MAC champions and go to a bowl game,” he said. “I hope to keep playing the way I have been playing and continue to help this team for as long as I can.”

The New York Yankees had the “House that Ruth Built” and scrapped it for the billion-dollar “House that George Built.” The Dallas Cowboys, not to be out done, have their billion-dollar “House that Jerry Built.”
This month, we formally introduced to Northwest Ohio the Lucas County Arena, a venue that cost one-tenth of what it cost to build the stadiums in the Bronx and in Texas, but is at the very least equal, and perhaps greater, in relative value to our community.
I’m calling it the House that We Built, and by “we” I am referring to virtually our entire community.
I want to thank my colleague, Commissioner Pete Gerken, for his leadership on a project that stretches back to before I was elected to my seat. Pete was one of the first to say this could be done when others said it couldn’t. He hammered out deals to help get it done, and this arena stands today in no small part because of his dedication and perseverance.
I also want to thank Commissioner Tina Skeldon Wozniak for her leadership in ensuring that our arena is a Leadership in Energy and Environment Design (LEED)-certified building, the first sports arena of such in the United States.
This sparkling, environmentally friendly jewel of a building is truly the people’s arena, a representative of who we are and what we can become, and it is my hope that the more than 20,000 local and regional residents who traveled Downtown last weekend to watch the Walleye take to the ice felt like they were heading to the House that They Built.
A union work force of about 1,200 men and women, many who live here in our community and were paid fair, prevailing wages they can raise their families on, constructed this arena from the ground up.
Fourteen percent of all construction contracts were awarded to minority contractors. About 13 percent of all hourly work, or about 50,000 hours of work, were completed by minority workers on this project.
As we move forward and begin to tackle other projects, we must see to it that more opportunities exist for our smaller, minority-owned companies and minority workers and that is something I will continue to fight for.
Local companies and unions also made this project financially feasible by purchasing suites at the arena, making an investment not only in this product but in the advancement of Toledo.
What we have built is impressive and truly an accomplishment many segments of our community can be proud of, but we also must realize that, as the great American poet Robert Frost wrote, “we as a community have miles to go before we sleep.”
There is no denying the crumbling of our roads, the depletion of our safety services and the failures of our schools are tied to the struggles of our shrinking middle class.
We need to rebuild our community’s base, and I say that this arena is only a success if, in some small way, it makes the lives of working families in our community a little better — not only through the paychecks already received, but by being able to attract and retain young people, attract businesses and jobs, strengthen our tax base and lure people back to the heart of the community in Downtown Toledo.
In this regard, I think, or at least I hope, we’ve taken a step in the right direction.
William James, a great American scholar, once said that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.
Here in Toledo, where the economy has spiraled downward for years, where thousands have fled and others have struggled, where “we can’t” has long trumped “we can,” government, labor and business came together and built something that will hopefully one day be mentioned as a factor in our community’s rebirth.
Here in Toledo, we overcame the obstacles, the naysayers and the doubters who said we couldn’t do the job.
Our positive, progressive mindset turned to action, and now we celebrate a venue that will allow fathers and sons to bond at Walleye games, perhaps bring transcendent artists like Bob Dylan back to Downtown Toledo, or enable Toledo to receive national acclaim by being the site of an NCAA women’s basketball tournament matchup.
We, the people of Lucas County, did all of this through the mindset we had, the labor we contributed, the resources we devoted and the partnerships we forged.
Please enjoy the “House that We Built.”

Ben Konop is a Lucas County Commissioner. E-mail him at BKonop@co.lucas.oh.us.