For many authors, a tour is a necessary evil, something to be tolerated and maybe silently dreaded. Mike Farrell, famous for his role as B.J. Hunnicutt on the TV classic “M*A*S*H,” had a quite different experience.
Author, actor and activist Farrell will appear at the Great Hall of the Stranahan Theater at 7 p.m. March 3, to discuss his most recent book, “Of Mule and Man.”
The book, a tale of a cross-country odyssey, evolved as an extension from one of the most common types of promotion for an author: The cross-country book tour. The tour for his first book, “Just Call Me Mike: A Journey to Actor and Activist,” was an unexpected joy that blossomed into opportunity.

Mike Farrell

“When I wrote the first book —  and the publisher that released it, Akashic, is a small publication company, and they frankly didn’t have the money, the budget, to fly me from place to place, and they asked me if I would be willing to drive. And I said, ‘Actually, my wife and I love road trips,’ ” Farrell said in an interview.
So, Farrell and his wife drove up and down both the east and west coasts, loving the kind of trip that most authors would shudder to think of. “For us it was a ball. And, I suppose, it is unusual, but for us it was great fun,” he said.
So, when the paperback edition of “Just Call Me Mike” was released, his publisher asked if he’d be interested in doing it again, only this time across the whole country. Farrell instantly agreed, resulting in the trip which is chronicled in “Of Mule and Man.”
The book evolves as a story of not just the experiences of Farrell discussing “Just Call Me Mike,” but also of the relationship between Farrell and his car, a Prius which he nicknamed “Mule.” Since his wife was injured and could not accompany him on his trip, Farrell traveled by himself and the car he drove developed as a character in the story.
“The car, because I was alone, really became someone with whom I interacted, and was, in some cases, very angry at, and, in some cases, very grateful to,” Farrell said. “So it really kind of became a relationship, and hence the title.”
The trip became much more than a book tour, however. Farrell was also able to speak out on behalf of many causes, from human rights to his opposition to the death penalty. His conversations and debates are chronicled in “Of Mule and Man,” and Farrell said they served to underscore Americans’ similarities, not their differences.
“For me, it was a kind of reaffirmation of my belief that, despite the fact that the media and the political world wants to separate us, there’s a great kind of agreement across the country,” he said. “I think I say in the book, there are no such thing, in my mind, as ‘blue states’ and ‘red states.’ I really think that there are people of good will and willingness to discuss issues respectfully — whether they agree or disagree — wherever you go.”
He also said his involvement with a television show as popular and beloved as “M*A*S*H” also helps him bridge that divide, as his appearances draw a wide range of people who still revere the show.
“The combination of my being involved with something that was in their living rooms — or in some cases their bedrooms — for so many years, and having been accepted and embraced the way it was, and then the concerns I am speaking to, it seems to really bring a kind of cross-section of people out to the places I go, that I find just extraordinarily, deeply meaningful,” Farrell said.
The effect may be amplified here, as few cities have a connection with a single television show like Toledo has with “M*A*S*H.”
“I’m well aware of that,” Farrell said with a chuckle. “I just got an e-mail from Jamie (Farr), actually. Yeah, Jamie made Toledo a part of the show.”
And Farrell said he hopes that the talk he gives here will evolve in much the same way the events discussed in “Of Mule and Man” did, leading to a wide-ranging discussion that encompasses not only the book itself, but a myriad of other issues.
“What I also want to do is be mindful of the fact that, as you’ve suggested, some of the people that are coming there are interested in the issues that I’m talking about, and others really want to know about ‘M*A*S*H,’ and really want to know about, even the extension of that, Hollywood, or motion pictures and television, or ‘Providence,’ the other show I was involved with. So, I want to be respectful of peoples’ needs and desires, and give them the time.”

Jeff McGinnis posts weekly pop culture reviews and stories at www.toledofree press.com. He appears on the Andrew Z radio show Tuesdays at 7 p.m. E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

New experiences have never fazed Marty McDonald. It was that thirst for adventure and attitude that led the teenager to where he is today.
“I have just always been excited by them,” he said. “I just like trying new and different things.”
It was not long ago that McDonald first picked up a basketball in his native country of Ireland. A tour promoting the sport came through his school, and McDonald could not resist seeing what the game was all about.
“Basketball is not that popular of a sport in Ireland,” he said. “Everyone played soccer at home, and basketball was new and exciting. Once my friends and I started playing, I was hooked.”
Little did he, nor CentralCatholic High School head coach Jim Welling, know that just a few years later, he would lead the Irish as the team’s starting point guard.

Marty McDonald

“I think this has worked out better than he or I ever thought it would,” Welling said.
McDonald will admit that it took a little time to work up the courage to try out for Central’s varsity basketball team. After all, he was just a few months into his senior year, in a new school, in a new land on a year-long student exchange program.
“In America, guys have been playing basketball for twice as long as I have, and I knew it would be tough for me to make the team,” McDonald said. “But when it came down to it, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try and make the team. I was just hoping I did all right and didn’t embarrass myself.”
But McDonald did much better than that. He not only made Central’s basketball team, but he quickly established himself as the team’s starting point guard, a position that is key in coach Welling’s motion offense.
“Our offense is a very complex system,” Welling said. “It takes us time to teach it to 15 to 18 year old kids. But Marty does so many things well, and he was a really good fit for us.”
Despite a wealth of young talent on the court for the Irish, many pundits did not expect much from Welling’s squad. Central was picked to finish sixth in the preseason by the coaches’ poll. What has ensued, though, has surprised many fans in Toledo.
The Irish stormed out to a 7-0 start, and now sit tied for second in the City League standings with Libbey, with a record of 9-2 in league play and 16-2 overall. While some may have been caught off guard by Central’s fast start, McDonald said he and his teammates were confident they could hold their own in the City League.
“We knew with a coach like coach Welling we were going to have a chance,” he said. “We knew that coupled with the talent we had that we had a chance. I don’t think we have been surprised by any of the success.”
The surprising start has been due in large part to McDonald’s efforts on the basketball court for the Irish. The point guard has been gaining a reputation as a bit of a sharpshooter from the perimeter, and Welling feels that has been a key to the team’s success.
“Marty is probably one of the top five best three-point shooters I have ever coached in high school or at the college level,” said the former head coach of Owens Community College. “That has been so valuable to us in games because he kind of stretches the floor for us, and it creates other opportunities for us on the floor offensively.”
Welling has also been impressed with McDonald’s success in both the classroom and within the school community.
“He has quickly become one of the most popular kids in school here, and everybody loves him here,” Welling said. “He works hard in everything he does. It has been really neat to see him blossom.”

Local Toyota dealers are responding to the recent recalls made by Toyota, according to officials at Jim White Toyota in Toledo and Rouen Toyota in Maumee, while the Japanese automaker faces federal hearings and investigations.
“Our dealers are making extraordinary efforts to complete our recalls as quickly and conveniently as possible. Some dealers are staying open 24-7 and they are repairing vehicles at a rate of 50,000 a day. To date, we have repaired close to a million vehicles,” James Lentz, president and CEO of Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc. stated in his testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce Feb. 23.
Jim White Toyota has repaired more than 500 vehicles, averaging 20 to 30 per day depending on the repairs required, according to Dave Wittenmyer, general manager of the dealership owned by the White family.
Wittenmyer said they are putting in eight to 10 additional hours of expanded service time during the week with nine mechanics working on recalls that represent 60 percent of the workload. They also have six mechanics working on Saturday instead of the usual two to handle the extra work.

Mike Wheeler, Jim White Toyota master technician, checking an accelerator pedal with a gauge after filing it down to size.

“We’re taking a proactive approach and having our salespeople contact our Prius owners about that recall before they are notified by mail. Our customers have been very supportive and understanding,” Wittenmyer said.
He said they are installing the shim plate on accelerator pedal units and trimming the bottom of the pedal to avoid the problem of it becoming entrapped with the floor mats.
“Most of the problems are caused when customers put additional carpeting or rubber floor mats on top of the ones installed in the vehicles,” Wittenmyer said.
They are also working on the second phase of reprogramming computers for the Avalon and Camry recalls.
Toyota now has a redundancy safety system. If the accelerator gets hung up, the driver hits the brakes and it slows the vehicle down, he said. Toyota officials described it as an override for the anti-lock brake systems.
Wittenmyer said their sales are down in January and February after one of the best Decembers ever, citing the poor economic times in Northwest Ohio as much as the recall issues.
“We’re going to take a little beating with this, but most of our customers have remained loyal,” Wittenmyer said.
Mike Rouen, owner and general manager of Rouen Toyota, traveled to Washington to attend the congressional hearings. He was among 100 Toyota dealers from across the country who wanted to tell their side of the story.
“We talked to our representatives about how the dealers are affected by it. Marcy Kaptur’s office was very receptive, listened to us and even got me a seat at the hearings,” Rouen said.
“The committee asked some difficult questions of Akio Toyoda. I think he understood and answered all their questions honestly and sincerely despite the language differences,” he said.
Rouen is handling 500 to 600 recalls as Toyota has been providing the parts and their customers are very understanding and remaining loyal, according to Jennifer Phillips, fixed operations manager at Rouen.
Both Rouen and Wittenmyer reported that their dealerships have not seen one problem with unintended acceleration on a Toyota vehicle.
Lentz told the committee that “we have rigorously tested our solutions and are confident that with these repairs, Toyota vehicles will be among the safest on the road today. The solutions we have developed are both effective and durable” but later admitted that they may not know all the causes of the accelerator pedal issue.
Toyota engineers identified two specific mechanical causes of unintended acceleration covered by the recalls and the company is currently addressing those causes through the open recalls, according to Lentz.
One cause involved floor mats, that when loose or improperly fitted entrapped the accelerator pedal. The other concerns accelerator pedals that can grow “sticky with wear,” Lentz told the committee.
Congressional, federal and state investigators are reviewing Toyota’s recall of 8.5 million vehicles since last fall due to safety problems with anti-lock brakes, accelerator pedals and floor mats.
Toyoda testifies
Akio Toyoda, president of Toyota Motors Corporation, testified before the congressional Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Feb. 24 in Washington, D.C. The 53-year old grandson of the company’s founder became president of the company in June 2009.
In his testimony, Toyoda blamed the company’s rapidly expanding business as the primary cause for the recall issues it faces today.
“I regret that this has resulted in the safety issues described in the recalls and have personally placed the highest priority on improving quality over quantity,” Toyoda said during his testimony.
Toyoda announced he will personally lead a top-to-bottom review of the company’s operations with the support of new chief quality officers for North America and its other principal regions. They will ask independent outside experts to evaluate the findings to make sure Toyota meets or exceeds industry standards.
“When recall decisions are made, a step will be added in the process to ensure that management will make a responsible decision from the perspective of customer safety first,” Toyoda said. “We will form a quality advisory group composed of respected outside experts from around the world to ensure that we do not make any misguided decisions.”
As a member of the House committee, Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur told Toyoda that she “felt his testimony was inadequate and he didn’t express enough remorse for people who lost their lives in Toyotas, such as a Michigan woman named Guadalupe Alberto.”
Kaptur said Toyoda appeared shaken by what she said and expressed his remorse for the loss of lives.
She quoted the “Toyota Way” with No. 5 listed as “Commitment to Quality.” How did Toyota lose its way? she asked.
Kaptur addressed Toyota’s alleged attempts to hire people inside the U.S. government to gain influence and trying to include other problems under the acceleration issues.
She also questioned Secretary of Transportation Ray Lahood about recall and safety issues during his testimony at the hearings on Feb.24.
Possible charges
The Japanese automaker reported that federal prosecutors launched a criminal investigation into the company’s safety problems and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is probing what the automaker reported to investigators.
Toyota received the SEC request Feb. 19 following a request from the grand jury from the Southern District of New York Feb. 8.
Toyota officials told the Associated Press that the SEC is seeking documents related to unintended acceleration as well as the company’s disclosure policies and practices.
A spokeswoman with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York said it does not confirm or deny its investigations as a matter of policy, according to AP.
The government could be examining possible violations of product safety laws by Toyota or the company making false statements to federal agencies about the acceleration or braking problems that prompted the recalls, AP reported.
Rep. Bart Stupak, (D-Mich), who ran the Feb. 23 hearing, said documents and interviews demonstrate that the company relied on flawed engineering reports to reassure the public that it had found the answer to the problems.
Stupak told AP that a review of consumer complaints showed company personnel identified sticking pedals or floor mats as the cause of only 16 percent of the unintended acceleration reports.
“There is nothing wrong with the design of the accelerator system but we decided to add the override brake system that depends on electronics on all models to be built in the U.S. I don’t mean to say that it will solve all of the problems,” said Yoshimi Inaba, president and CEO of Toyota Motors North America at the hearing.
“We are expanding our network of technical offices in the U.S. so we can gather information faster and respond more aggressively to incident reports,” Lentz told the committee.
The automaker operates the Toyota Technical Center located in Saline, Mich. just south of Ann Arbor. The specific parts involved in the recall were engineered by Toyota in Japan and not in the U.S., according to Bruce Brownlee, senior executive administrator of the technical center that opened in October 2008.
The Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division is conducting an investigation of certain automotive electronic suppliers. Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
Models recalled
In addition to the original recalls, Toyota recently initiated voluntary recalls and manufacturing changes for the anti-lock brakes on the 2010 Prius and Lexus models and power-steering pressure hose on 2010 Camry models.
These additional recalls involve approximately 133,000 Prius vehicles, 14,550 Lexus HS 250s, and 7,300 Camry models, according to the company’s Web site.
Toyota responded to owner concerns about experiencing inconsistent anti-lock brake feeling during slow or steady application of the brakes on rough or slick road surfaces. The company responded to those concerns with a production change for the 2010 Prius.
The recall will allow Toyota dealers to perform the software update in the anti-lock brake systems of 2010 Prius models sold before the production change, according to the company. The software update should only take about 30 minutes to install, depending on workflow at each dealership.
The anti-lock brake system on the Lexus HS 250 shares a similar component design to the Prius, so it has been included on that recall. The software adjustment for the Lexus HS 250 production and dealer modification is being finalized and will be announced shortly, according to the company.
Toyota began sending letters this month to Prius owners included in this recall and will begin sending letters to Lexus owners within the next few weeks to inform them to bring their vehicles into a dealership. Owners will only receive a letter if their vehicle is included in the recall, according to the automaker.
The first and second generation Prius models used a different anti-lock brake system and are not involved in the recall, the company stated on its Web site.
On certain early production 2010 Camry models equipped with the 4-cylinder engine, a power steering hose in the engine compartment may be the incorrect length. If this condition exists, a crimp on that hose may come in contact with the front brake tube.
Approximately 7,300 Camry models in the U.S. are involved in that recall. Toyota began notifying Camry owners by mail in mid-February, according to the company.
Any Toyota dealer will inspect, and if necessary, adjust the space between the brake tube and the power steering pressure hose. The dealership may need to replace the brake tube based on its inspection of the vehicle.
Toyota said it is considering a possible recall of its Corolla compact model, the best-selling car in the world, due to complaints about the power steering on some late- model Corollas.
Information for Toyota customers can be found at www.toyota.com/recall or by calling 1-800-331-4331. Information for Lexus owners can be found at www.lexus.com or at 1-800-255-3987.

AP contributed to this report.

Owens Community College is one of six colleges in Ohio partnering with BioOhio to use a $5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration to implement the Ohio Bioscience Industry Workforce Preparedness project.
The three-year program will provide training for 700 displaced or unemployed workers in declining industries and encourage workers to become better qualified for careers in Ohio’s growing biomedical industry. More than half of the funding, $2.8 million is dedicated to tuition reimbursement for workers participating in the program.
“The industry will help to shape the programs that will be offered to workers who have been displaced by automotive manufacturing to get the skills needed to work in bioscience,” said Bill Tacon, senior director of workforce for BioOhio, a non-profit, biomedical industry organization that represents 275 members in the state.
The project will provide training suitable for entry-level employment in Ohio’s bioscience industry. That includes pharmaceutical, medical devices and biotechnology.
The program at Owens will include certificates and non-degree courses in general laboratory skills, regulatory compliance for medical devices and food processing, pharmaceutical, medical device and equipment manufacturing.
“We’ve already received a ton of phone calls from companies and students interested in the training programs,” said Mark Durivage, dean of the School of Technology at Owens.
LexaMed, a pharmaceutical device company based in Toledo for 25 years, expressed an interest in the training programs available through Owens and BioOhio. The firm provides consulting and contract laboratory services for the pharmaceutical, medical device and biotechnology industries.
Both Durivage and Tacon anticipate that the program will include courses to convert workers from automotive and traditional manufacturing jobs to bioscience and food process manufacturing. Owens already offers a biomedical electronics course to train people in the automation of medical records, according to Durivage.
Each regional team will refine recruitment, assessment and placement strategies to ensure the successful training of workers to meet the local demand. Durivage will attend a kick-off meeting for the project at BioOhio in Columbus March 3.
Tacon said that getting the federal grant was the result of the collaborative partnership between BioOhio, the community colleges, bioscience companies, labor and business organizations.
Eleven biomedical employers in the state have committed to partnering on the project with more expected to join the effort. These employers will play a critical role in helping to develop career pathways ensuring that knowledge and skills required to perform successfully in their industry will be adequately addressed, according to Tacon.
One of the business partners involved in the grant process was North American Sciemce Associates, Inc. (NAMSA) based near Owens.
“We were one of several firms that lent its support to obtaining the grant,” said Joel Gorski, director of research and development for NAMSA. “We’re an organization that could benefit from the number of people trained and the depth of their training with these programs.”
NAMSA has been a leading medical device research and testing organization specializing in the safety evaluation of medical devices, packaging materials and pharmaceutical products for 40 years, according to the company.
LexaMed and NAMSA are among 75 bioscience companies in Northwest Ohio that could benefit from such workforce training programs.

Crystal Bowersox, of Elliston, has the chance to showcase her talents another week, making it through the first voting round on “American Idol.”
Bowersox, on stage with her guitar and harmonica, performed “Hand in My Pocket,” by Alanis Morissette during the Feb. 23 women’s night.
Judge Randy Jackson said the 24-year-old’s performance reminded him of Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan.
“I like you, I like what you do. I like that honesty,” he said.

Bowersox

Simon Cowell criticized Bowersox’s choice of song and said there were thousands of girls like her doing that “outside subway stations.” He suggested she try something different, like a David Bowie song, and make it her own. Despite the criticism, Cowell said Bowersox is “refreshing” and will do well.
Bowersox grew up in Elliston, approximately 26 miles southeast of Toledo. She attended Oak Harbor High School before graduating from the Toledo School for the Arts (TSA).
Her former choir director at TSA, Jamie Dauel, said Bowersox has what it takes to become the next Idol.
“She’s not only a wonderful singer, but also a wonderful songwriter,” Dauel said.
Not every singer has what it takes to be a great songwriter, but Bowersox is talented, Dauel said. Bowersox can tell a story and create a hook that leaves a lasting impression with the audience, she said.
“You can listen to a song one time and it’s with you. You walk away humming it,” Dauel said.
Dave Gierke, Bowersox’s former TSA music teacher, echoes his colleague and said he thought Bowersox was “an amazing songwriter” the first time he saw her perform.
“She had a song she wrote about her dad. Just hearing it played once, it brought tears to my eyes,” he said.
Gierke saw Bowersox perform at Erie Street Market before convincing her to join TSA. Bowersox was unhappy with her current school and he thought TSA might be a better fit for her, he said.
Gierke described Bowersox’s talents as “raw.” Bowersox is an artist who isn’t super trained, but is a natural talent who has had to “hustle” to make it, he said.
“She is by far one of the most talented students to walk into [TSA],” Gierke said.
Both teachers described Bowersox as having the talent of a seasoned artist, with Gierke calling Bowersox an “old soul.” Her teachers hope “Idol” will allow Bowersox get the recognition she deserves and serve as a springboard for her to blossom as an artist and songwriter.
“I think she’s earned it and I think she’s real. There’s nothing bubble gum about her,” Gierke said. “American music has become cheesy sampled out crap and needs originality. I think Crystal can bring that to the competition.”
Dauel agrees that Bowersox doesn’t fit the “Idol” mold.
“The Crystal I knew when she was a student, isn’t a mold type of gal. She isn’t the person who cares so much about fitting the pigeonhole,” she said.
Dubbed “Mama Sox” by her friends, Bowersox had her son’s name tattooed on her back as a good luck charm during the competition. The single mother told “Idol” viewers that she is doing the show for her 1 year old.
“I think the major thing that made me change my mindset and try out for the show was my son,” she said. “I want to make sure my kid has everything he needs.”
After Bowersox’s performance on Feb 23, “Idol” judge Ellen Degeneres said viewers are “lucky” Bowersox changed her mind about the show because she adds something fresh.
In an “Idol” interview, Bowersox described best friend Nicky Watts as her most excited friend.
“Crystal warms my heart every time I listen to her sing,” said Watts, in an e-mail to Toledo Free Press.
“She deserves to be the next ‘American Idol’ because she touches souls with her voice and lyrics.”
Bowersox has played at venues throughout Northwest Ohio including Nagoya Japanese Steakhouse & Sushi, Basin Street Grille, Village Idiot, Erie Street Market and Ottawa River Yacht Club. On her “Idol” page she lists Glen Hansard, Janis Joplin, Jewel, Melissa Etheridge and Bobby May as her musical influences.
Advice from another Idol
Toledoan Candice Coleman is an “Idol” alumna. Coleman, who was in the top 36 semi finalists during American Idol Season 2, said performing in Hollywood can be “nerveracking” and “exhilarating.”
Her advice to Bowersox is, “Stay focused and pray. That’s all you can do.”
Coleman watches “Idol” when she can and tries to keep up to date with contestants on the news, she said.
“It’s cool there is someone else from around the area on the show and she’s really good,” Coleman said. “We could really use some good news here.”
Looking back, the biggest adjustment in Hollywood was getting used to a regimented schedule, Coleman said. The contestants can do what they want within reason, but going anywhere requires security to help with potential stalkers, she said.
Coleman said performers need not dwell on negative feedback.
“The singers have to take the criticism at face value — everyone has good performances and bad performances,” she said. “You’re going to have days where you’re not on top of your game and you move forward.”
Coleman still performs locally at the Basin Street Grille. She has two children and is going back to school to become a lawyer.
Ten women and 10 men remain in the competition. Bowersox will compete live against other female contestants on March 2. The following evening, March 3, will be the male competition.
“American Idol” can be watched at 8 p.m. on FOX Toledo.

Fairness constrains FOX Toledo coverage
If it appears FOX Toledo isn’t covering Crystal Bowersox’s “Idol” run, it’s due to strict competition guidelines.
“FOX’s No. 1 priority, thus FOX Toledo’s No. 1 priority, is for ‘American Idol’ to be fair for all contestants,” said Betsy Russell, creative services director at FOX Toledo.
FOX affiliates covering “American Idol” must give each contestant fair coverage. If one is named, they all must be named, Russell said.
FOX asks its affiliates to follow strict guidelines to not jeopardize the fairness of the competition. If larger networks such as New York or Chicago were to cover just one contestant, it may influence voting and the outcome of “Idol,” Russell said.

Toledo Free Press is approaching its fifth anniversary, but we have not been sitting back in contemplation of that modest milestone; there is more to contribute.
On March 10, we will expand our business by publishing on a second day each week. Every Wednesday, Toledo Free Press Star will be delivered to more than 700 locations throughout our Lucas County readership area. In addition, there will be delivery to more than 75 Bowling Green locations, a new territory for us.
We intend to maintain the same standards of quality we deliver on Sundays, but there will be some major distinctions between the two publications.

• Star will focus primarily on arts and life, with accents of local music, exhibits, events and college sports. There is no weekly publication geared toward answering the simple question, “What is there to do?” and Star will fulfill that role, with a comprehensive calendar of events and full coverage of the what’s what, where and when in Toledo.
• Star will feature a more irreverent and envelope-pushing tone, with columnists exploring the local hip-hop/urban music scene, clubs and DJs and underground arts community. There will also be writers exploring trends in fashion, food and sex, in ways this market has never seen.
• Unlike Toledo Free Press, which is delivered to homes by Sunday, Star will be available at more than 700 single-copy locations on Wednesday. It will feature content and advertising for families and young professionals, but will also offer articles for more mature audiences, as it covers cutting-edge art, music and conversation. It will not be a shocking or extreme break from our established voice, but it will add new layers of flavor and spice to the mix.
• Because Star circulation will be single-copy with lower circulation, it will be an affordable vehicle for smaller businesses that wish to reach our readers, in print and online. We have already signed up more than two dozen major advertisers for Star, and we are grateful that so many businesses trust us with their message.

It is always exciting and scary to launch a new business or to expand a business. But we believe in the future of Toledo and its neighbors, and we believe that those who invest in its people will benefit as the area turns itself around and soars to new heights.
We are calling it Star for a reason; we have been reaching for them for five years, and with your help, will continue to shine for many, many more.

Thomas F. Pounds is Toledo Free Press president and publisher. E-mail him at tpounds@toledofreepress.com.

The Walter E. Terhune Gallery’s latest exhibition is keeping things in the family. The aptly titled “A Family Affair” features digital prints, fibers, photography, paintings,

drawings and sculptures by Matthew, Susan, and Lou Krueger. There will be an opening reception on February 26, from 6-8pm.

In conjunction with the exhibit, there will also be a free lecture by the artists on Thursday, March 18, at 7pm. This event is being hosted by Owens’ Center for Fine and Performing Arts, and will be held in Studio Theatre Room 111.

“Owens Community College is honored to welcome Matthew, Susan and Lou Krueger and their amazing artistic talents to the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery,” said Wynn Perry, Owens Part-Time Coordinator of the Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery.
The Krueger’s bring with them a wide variety of artistic experience. Lou, who currently serves on the faculty of BGSU, received a BFA in Metals and MFA in Photography from Northern Illinois University. He was one of the Co-Founders of the Syracuse University art photography program. Lou has shown his photographs, drawings, and paintings, locally, regionally and nationally, in exhibitions, both juried and by invitation. Susan, who works in fiber collage, has taught at Syracuse University and Bowling Green State University, and has received several awards including Emerging Artist honors at Quilt National. Her work has addressed issues such as the Iraq War and Hurricane Katrina. Matthew, who is the son of Lou and Susan, currently resides in Cleveland. He has an MFA in Printmaking from Ohio University. His work has appeared in exhibits throughout Midwest, including The Toledo Museum of Art.

“Matthew, Susan and Lou find that the use of mixed media and narrative acts as a common thread in the fabric of their artwork. Individually or in collaboration, their imagery embraces an eclectic mix of processes and technologies that examine the spaces

between truth and illusion. Taking the final form of digital print, fibers, photography, painting, drawing or sculpture, their work will encourage exhibit attendees’ imagination to soar.”

“A Family Affair” includes the Krueger’s interactive “Step Right Up” work, which invites attendees to enter, pose and be photographed. The exhibit is free and open to the public, and will remain on display through March 27. The Walter E. Terhune Art Gallery is located in Owens’ Center for Fine and Performing Arts.

For more information, call (567) 661-2721 or visit www.owens.edu.

When Catie Curtis was 15, she wandered over to a neighbor’s garage sale and found herself staring at a guitar.

“This woman that I really didn’t know very well totally changed my life by handing me that guitar and saying to me: ‘You can have it if you learn to play it,’ ” Curtis recalled.

Catie Curtis

In 2008, the singer-songwriter dedicated her 11th disc, “Sweet Life,” to Lynne Ramsdell, and she started an endowment, Aspire to Inspire, which gives guitars to underprivileged youth.

“Someone finally heard about my dedicating the record to her and my starting this endowment in her honor, someone who knew her, and I finally got to speak to her brother in person, and it turns out that she passed away a year ago just after the record came out,” Curtis said.

“I wish that she had known how much she changed my life, but since I couldn’t really show her that, the best that I can do is try to pass along what she gave to me to other people.”

More than $11,000 has been raised for Aspire to Inspire, and 20 guitars have been given to kids.

Curtis is best known for her 1997 hit, “Soulfully,” and her optimistic attitude.

“I think it’s important to be hopeful and believe that it’s possible to make things better and to make ourselves better people. I think that becomes even more important when you have kids,” she said during a phone interview from her home in the Boston area. “When you open yourself to seeing the potential of what can happen, a lot of great stuff just naturally happens – and I want that for my kids, to open their minds and theirs hearts and have good things happen in their lives.”

For her 2009 CD, “Hello, Stranger,” Curtis was open to experimenting with bluegrass. The disc is a mix of rerecorded original songs and covers.

“We’re now calling it a string-band project because I wasn’t raised in a bluegrass physical world, and no matter how many banjoes or fiddles we put on the thing, it doesn’t exactly sound like bluegrass,” she said and laughed. “So we ended up with what I’m calling a Catie Curtis record with an old-time string band feel to it.”

She hopes fans will find the music familiar.

“When I put on a record that I love in my house, I feel like I’ve got a friend in the kitchen with me,” she said. “And when it’s a live show, I would hope it’s like an entertaining friend that sort of makes you forget the crappy day you just had.”

Curtis will play a solo show at 8 p.m. March 3 at the Ark in Ann Arbor. Tickets are $20. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

catiecurtis.com

A class action lawsuit was recently filed against the Lower Merion School District, located in a suburb of Philadelphia, by a student who alleges that he was spied on in his own home by the district. The student, Blake Robbins, says he was accused by his Harriton High School assistant principal of improperly behaving in his home and shown, as proof, a photo of himself alone in his bedroom that had been taken by the remotely-accessible webcam on his school-issued laptop. The assistant principal and the Lower Merion School District deny that such spying occurred.

What the school doesn’t deny is that they have, indeed, used the remote-access feature on 42 of their laptops. The district claims that the webcams have only been remotely activated to figure out the locations of computers that have been reported missing. Admittedly, however, the district accessed the webcams remotely without informing or asking permission from its students or their parents.

The day when all students will be issued a laptop computer of their very own at the beginning of the school year is quickly approaching. The increasing affordability of personal computers, the rapid rate at which information changes and the almost-complete integration of technology into every single facet of everyday life make swapping tablets of paper for a tablet computer a sooner-than-later inevitability. It will not be long before it will only make sense for all school systems to follow Lower Merion’s technological lead.

Hopefully, other school districts will not follow Lower Merion’s lead when it comes to the privacy of students and their families. With the mixing of schools and technology still somewhat in the early stages, it is not surprising that Lower Merion committed such a major err in judgment by allowing unauthorized remote activation of what is essentially an electronic window into the homes of its students. Withholding assumptions of malevolence on the district’s part, I have to presume that Lower Merion really did just want a way to locate missing computers.

I am not hesitant to assume, however, that the Lower Merion School District, and likely other technologically-advanced school districts, are a bit behind when it comes to understanding the full ramifications of features such as remote activation. What a district may innocently think of as loss protection, a technologically-savvy, yet unscrupulous, student or staff member may think of as a not-so-innocent opportunity. Remote activation in the wrong hands could easily strip the privacy from students’ homes. Robbins’s spying allegation has no doubt been a wake up call to his school district and similar districts around the country.

It should be a wake up call for all parents too. Rather than waking up our paranoia, however, the Lower Merion lawsuit should rouse our motivation to stay technologically on top of things. The seemingly limitless educational possibilities of a laptop computer in every child’s hands will always outweigh the drawbacks. Continuing to educate our children with a paper and pencil classroom in order to teach them how to live in a digitized world would be like showing them how to ride a bike in order to teach them how to drive a car. Keeping our educational system squarely in line with the real world is essential for our children’s future success.

Still, watching technology exponentially expand as we age can make keeping up seem evermore daunting. Staying informed of and making ourselves comfortable with the latest electronic devices, however, is also becoming an essential part of our success as parents. Teaching, communicating with and even protecting our children now carry with them technological responsibilities. As much as we may want to stick with a comfort zone when it comes to computers, iPods and cell phones, our parenting duties are begging us otherwise. As we send our children off into an ever-expanding digitized world, we must do our best to stay technologically confident beside them.

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

Toledo Free Press launched its new “Star” issue on March 10.
“Our company is five years old, and we are very grateful to the region’s readers and advertisers for their role in helping us build a relevant and positive source for community news,” said Tom Pounds, president and publisher of Toledo Free Press. “This expansion offers a new demographic for content, readers and advertising messages.”

Tom Pounds and Mike Bell.

The issue contains local entertainment coverage, including articles on local music, fine arts, hip-hip, outdoors activities, comic books, video games, sex advice, sports and pop culture commentary. The cover story features a comprehensive guide to local St. Patrick’s Day activities.

The expansion will mean the addition of up to a dozen new jobs, including a Social Networking Manager who will utilize such tools as Facebook and Twitter to make Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press “Star” more interactive.
Toledo Free Press “Star” will be distributed to more than 700 locations, including more than 75 in Bowling Green, a new territory for Toledo Free Press. “Star” will focus on local arts and sports with a comprehensive calendar of events.