The University of Toledo introduced Tod Kowalczyk as its 18th men’s basketball coach Tuesday afternoon.

Kowalczyk, 43, leaves the same post at Wisconsin-Green Bay (Horizon League) where he put together a 136-112 record in eight seasons at the helm of the Phoenix.

“Tod is the perfect coach to lead this team and I couldn’t be more excited about what he’s going to bring to the table for the University of Toledo,” said Rockets athletic director Mike O’ Brien. “He’s here to build the program, which includes things off the court, making sure our student-athletes graduate and make good social decisions.”

The university offered the position to Kowalczyk just under three weeks after former coach Gene Cross announced his resignation March 11 following a 4-28 season that included a 1-15 mark in the Mid-American Conference, both program worsts.

UT inked Kowalczyk to a five-year contract that will pay him $280,000 per.

The Phoenix finished among the top four in the Horizon League for seven straight seasons under Kowalczyk. They went 22-13 in 2009-10 and registered back-to-back 20-win campaigns in Kowalczyk’s final two years, including second and third place conference finishes and a pair of appearances in the College Basketball Invitational tournament.

A native and longtime resident of the Green Bay area, Kowalczyk said he and his family are excited to make the move to Toledo.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to coach at the University of Toledo and become a part of the greater Toledo community,” he said. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of building a championship-caliber program and making Rocket fans proud of our team. We will do it with hard work and integrity. Our student-athletes will represent our institution in a first-class and positive manner.”

Exceptional academic performances by Kowalczyk’s teams at UWGB weighed heavily into UT’s decision to offer him the job.

“Among the many positives about Tod, he graduates his players,” O’Brien said. “He has a 100-percent graduation rate for his players in his eight years [at UWGB]. It was a good field of candidates, but he just clearly rose to the top.”

Ohio First Lady Frances Strickland will speak at the Toledo-Lucas County League of Women Voters 90th anniversary event April 6.

“We’re thrilled to have First Lady Frances Strickland join us as we celebrate the League’s 90th anniversary,” said E. Jay Murphy and Rosemary Alloy, co-presidents of the Toledo-Lucas County league, in a statement.

The event is the 90th anniversary for the League of Women Voters and the 89th anniversary of the Toledo-Lucas County league.

The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Toledo Club, 235 14th St.

A question and answer session will be lead by Susan Ross Wells, of 13abc, following Strickland’s remarks. The event will also feature a silent auction.

Crystal Bowersox won’t have to worry about keeping busy this summer. She is in the Top 10 on “American Idol” and will perform in the show’s tour.
“[The tour] means I have a summer job,” joked the Elliston native during a March 26 telephone interview. “But it’s bigger than that. People in little towns like my hometown who can’t afford to travel and see the show get to see it because we bring it to them.”
On Stage
“American Idol” hasn’t changed who she is, Bowersox said.
Contestants have complete artistic freedom when deciding how they want to perform. They choose what they wear, what the stage set up is, accompanying music and arrangement, she said.
“When people think that’s not me, it’s  not the case at all. I have complete control over everything. I’m not going to do anything I don’t feel comfortable with,”  she said.

Bowersox

When performing on “Idol” it’s not about the stage or the audience, it’s about delivering the song in the best way, Bowersox said.  When preparing for a performance the hardest part of picking a song is finding one that can be cut down to a minute-thirty, or a minute-forty without losing much of the story, she said.
“I try to choose songs that are lyrically rich and when chopped down in time you still get the story,” she said.
During her past two performances Bowersox has envisioned herself playing at The Village Idiot, she said.  The oriental rug on stage during her “Me & Bobby McGee” performance was an homage to the venue and made her feel more at home.
Behind the Scenes
The contestants on “American Idol” are all friends, Bowersox said.
“We’re a pretty tight group,” she said. “We get along really well. We joke a lot. When you put a bunch of musicians together, it’s going to be fun.”
Bowersox shares an apartment with fellow contestant Didi Benami, and may soon be roommates with Siobhan Magnus, she said. Rooms have rotated as individuals have left the show, which is a good way to get to know everyone really well, Bowersox said.
Contestants on “American Idol” have a hectic schedule. Starting the day after elimination night, contestants begin rehearsing songs for next week, attend photo shoots and press parties, Bowersox said. It’s common to wake up at 6 a.m. and go nonstop until 8 p.m., 9 p.m. and even midnight, she said.
“I love it. I like being busy. If I’m not busy I’m bored,” she said. “I’m used to no sleep with the baby so it was a pretty easy to adjust.”
The toughest part about the show’s set-up for Bowersox is not being able to see her 14-month-old son very often. The single mother sees her son every few days for a few hours.
“Knowing it’s all for him really helps me get through,” she said.
Miley and the mentors
Seventeen-year old Miley Cyrus was the season’s first mentor on March 23.
Bowersox admits while she is a little too old to be a Hannah Montana fan, she has tremendous respect for the young singer and was able to learn from her.
“Our differences in musical tastes do not matter. She’s grown up in the business and knows it well. She’s done so much at a young age you have to respect her,” Bowersox said.
Bowersox’s philosophy is, “you can learn something from anyone.” Bowersox plans to learn more from March 30th’s mentor, Usher; she said she listened to his music growing up.
“I’m pretty set in what I like to play, but  I listen to everything, hip-hop, country, jazz, blues, my tastes are across the board,” she said.
It’s good to take notes from everyone, not knowing for sure what genre she may end up in, Bowersox said.
Nationwide platform
Bowersox, who was hospitalized for diabetes complications early in the season, hopes to use her role on “American Idol” and  any opportunities post- “Idol” to continue to advocate for awareness of the condition.
“It’s already been such a platform. Our venue on national television reaches into homes in the middle of nowhere. I also have access to all of the media outlets to reach so many more people,” she said.
Bowersox said that if she makes a lot of money, she wouldn’t live lavishly but would work with diabetes foundations and programs to keep music and arts in the schools.
“I would try to work with a foundation and give my income to that. I don’t need a big fancy house,” she said. “I don’t care how much money I make … Anything I do is never for myself.”
Bowersox said music was important to her and she knows it can help others. She said it’s sad that arts and music are the first things that get cut from schools.
“For me personally, I came from a broken home and rough situation. If I didn’t pick up a guitar or play piano I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. “Kids get caught up in things that aren’t productive. Playing an instrument or getting involved in a chorus program is a much better way to occupy time.”
Fans
When everything is done for the day, Bowersox tries to read as many messages as possible that are posted on the “American Idol” Season 9 contestant fan page as well as read her fan mail, she said.
One misconception Toledo has about Bowersox’s involvement on “American Idol” is that it would be better for her to lose, she said, as if that will aid her artistic credibility.
“People don’t want me to win because they think I’ll lose creative freedom. It doesn’t matter if we’re first, second or third, we still get to do what we want with our music,” she said. “I would enjoy winning, so please vote. I appreciate all the support and love I’ve received.”
“American Idol” airs Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. with results shows Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on FOX Toledo.

‘Mama Sox’ already moving major merch

If merchandise sales is any indicator, Crystal Bowersox is capturing Americans’ hearts and is a leading contestant on “American Idol.”
A user-generated Web site, CafePress.com, allows customers to create custom designs to support their favorite “American Idol.”  Bowersox and fellow contestant Casey James are top sellers for CafePress, according to Amy Maniatis, head of marketing for CafePress. Contestant Siobhan Magnus is also catching  up in sales, she said.
“Since last week, more than 2,000 Crystal products have been added to the site. It’s clear her fans are rallying around her and her fan base is really skyrocketing,” Maniatis said.
This is the second year CafePress has offered “Idol” gear and the number of the designs around a contestant becomes a big indicator of who’s leading, Maniatis said. “American Idol” season 8 contestant Adam Lambert was a top seller the last few weeks of competition, she said.
The site allows fans to create their own designs on a variety of merchandise including T-shirts, buttons, boxer shorts and stickers. Customers are not allowed to use the contestants’ likeness or image, but may use their name or draw ideas from performances on “American Idol,” Maniatis said. A 24-hour moderation period prevents merchandise with images of contestants from being  sold, as site regulators catch up with submitted designs, she said.
The site offers more than 8,000 Bowersox-themed designs. Top-selling designs include variations of  “Crystal Rocks my Bowersox,” and “Pick Crystal” featuring a guitar pick. The site also offers an “Ohio loves Crystal Bowersox” design.
CafePress.com is a licensed fan portal for “American Idol” through FremantelMedia. Designers are given 10 percent of every product sold with their design and “American Idol” also receives a portion of sales.

‘Idol Gives Back’ supports charities

“American Idol” is sponsoring “Idol Gives Back,” a television fundraising event, April 21. “Idol Gives Back” will raise money for Children’s Health Fund, Feeding America, Malaria No More, Save the Children’s U.S. programs and the United Nations Foundation.
Locally, viewers can donate to one of FOX Toledo’s teams, donate to an individual, or create their own team. For more information about donating, visit the Web site www.americanidol.com/idolgivesback.
“Much like ‘American Idol’ gives hope and opportunity to men and women across the country with the chance of launching a new career, ‘Idol Gives Back’ gives hope and opportunity to millions of individuals across the United States and around the world,” said Gary Yoder, station manager at FOX Toledo.  “This year, ‘Idol Gives Back’ has chosen five deserving  charities to promote and support, allowing the millions of ‘Idol’ viewers to vote through a charitable donation.”

That headline is the text message that came from my little cousin, who like many others, has dreams and aspirations of becoming a singer or rapper.
While many artists have this question, the answer is always more than they bargained for. First, I have a question; how bad do you want this? You cannot be a lazy person and think things will just happen for you.
Let’s crunch some numbers; think of all the famous rappers you know who are on the level of success of Lil Wayne, Jay-Z and Kanye West. You may only be able to name four or five. Now, divide that by the population of America, and there are your chances.
Discouraging? Only if you decide not to work as hard as those four or five rappers did to make it. A dream is a full-time job, so if you plan to work it parttime, you can expect to get part of your desired results.
The biggest mistake an artist can make is believing that getting a song played on the radio will guarantee success. Maybe it will fulfill your dreams of being a “Ghetto Superstar,” but if that is your only goal, stop wasting my time. Radio is a final step in long process.
First, an artist should know who they are or what type of artist they will be. Find a sound that is unique, a producer who “gets” you and work hard to build a professional relationship. Establish a goal that will benefit the both of you; no one wants to work hard for nothing, so have something to offer should the end result work in your favor.
Ladies, let’s be clear this should not be a physical return, because the casting couch doesn’t guarantee you’ll be a star. Recognition, credit and promises kept can get you a lot further than you think until you are able to honor those who helped you along the way monetarily or by throwing big business their way.
If you are a singer, invest in your voice! This is your instrument and you need lessons. There is nothing worse than receiving a demo with pitchy or flat notes. The sound is as disturbing as hearing a car crash you can’t see. Think about the listener and think about what you expect to hear from a professional singer and do that.
Rappers, be completely original because for some reason everyone thinks they can do exactly what you do. Work on a distinct flow and perfect it. Hate it or love it, every rapper you know has their own sound and if you are not from that coast or crew, you have no business sounding like you are.
Perform like crazy! Work on your stage presence because singing while standing in place with your eyes closed is cool in choir rehearsal, but we all know come Sunday, you better show out! Treat every performance like it’s in front of a full stadium whether there are three or 3,000; you win fans one at a time. The three who show up may each bring three more friends the next time you perform and so on.
Rappers, minimize the number of people on stage with you because if everyone is on stage dressed just like you and more than one is yelling into a microphone, where are you? This leaves the audience to wonder, is the artist him, him or him?
Merchandising is key! When you perform, have a demo with your best songs to sell for a reasonable price. Why? Because they came to see your show, so give them a break. Besides, if it’s playing in their cars, more people can be exposed to your music. Should you run into a DJ (street or radio), give them your music! Expecting them to buy music they are not sure of when they can get music from established artists for free may leave you walking away to that slow tune from the end of “The Incredible Hulk.”
More on this in future columns. I’ll see you at the top! As we continue on …

Listen to Martini on THE JUICE FM 107.3.

One problem that we face every day, particularly in America, is the challenge of staying informed. Many people have put a slightly different spin on this argument, contending that we face an overabundance of information. The real task, wording aside, is in sifting through the noise and getting to the heart of timely, relevant information. This quite often comes down to knowing who to believe.
The most common mistake made by the general public is in basing their logic on fear rather than fact. They listen to people who base their arguments solely on deep-seated fears, rather than seeking out the truth by educating themselves.
Consider the following issues presently facing our country that have been topics for a great deal of debate, protest, even violence:
n The world is running out of oil, and if we don’t act soon to eliminate our dependence on fossil fuels we will destroy the planet for our children
n We have troops stationed in conflict zones on the other side of the world for extended periods of time away from their homes and families.
n U.S. consumers are living in fear of unsafe goods, particularly foreign-made cars
Readers under 30, try the following exercise: Ask your parents about what the world was like in the 1970s. Ask them if they ever sat in gas lines. Do they remember the Ford Pinto? How about the Chevy Vega? Both of these fine automobiles were made during the 1970s to combat the widely publicized “oil crisis.”
For some perspective on the issue of military duty, ask someone who lived through it (your grandparents, perhaps) about Korea, or World War II. Ask them about the civil rights movement in the ’60s, or the deadly demonstrations of the later part of that decade, especially 1968.
[Please note that I do not mean this to disrespect the fine men and women of our military in any way. They are upstanding people, and should be commended for their service. We are all in their debt.]
Finally, anyone who’s now scared of climbing into a Toyota should pick up a copy of Ralph Nader’s famous ruse “Unsafe at Any Speed” and study the now-infamous Chevrolet Corvair. Then take a look at GM’s Web site (media.gm.com) to see the list of vehicles being recalled, which totals about 1.3 million.
The bottom line is this: Every generation thinks they are the first to face problems, that they are somehow unique or special, or bear some terrible burden. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Likewise, every generation thinks they’re the greatest in history.
Truly there’s only one greatest generation: the last one. After all, they have successfully handed over responsibility to their successors. They’ve been custodians for the world, and turned it over in one piece; or at least no worse for the wear. At the end of the day, that’s about the best anyone can hope to accomplish.
Nevertheless, understand that the world is full of fear-mongers and uneducated followers. It can be hard to fight the multitudes who argue for a cause, but it’s important to step back and consider why something is being advocated. The goal of college (or high school, for that matter) should have been to teach you how to think, not what to think.
To think that the answers to all the world’s problems can be told to you by a CNN anchor over your dinner table is absurd. The golden rule for knowing and understanding the world we all live in has always been, is now, and will forever be: Think for thine self.

Dock David Treece is a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp (www.TreeceInvestments.com) and serves as editor of the financial news site www.GreenFaucet.com. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

The Board of Community Relations along with various community groups are working to honor Robert Brundage through a “Robert Brundage: Volunteers Acknowledgement Day.”
The day would be an outdoor Woodstock-type event, with free music, poetry and entertainment.
“Robert was the ultimate volunteer. We wanted to honor him and acknowledge all the volunteers in the city,” said Warren Woodberry, chairman of community relations committee for the Board of Community Relations.
The group is seeking performers from across the spectrum, including singers, dancers, bands, rappers and poets, to participate in the event. Interested performers should attend the entertainment and arts committee meeting April 1 at 5:30 p.m. at the Family Activities Club, 6202 Trust Drive. If any interested performers cannot attend they can e-mail htccwarren@yahoo.com.
The group is also requesting any interested volunteer organizations that would like to be recognized to attend the meeting as well.
Brundage served in many organizations throughout Toledo. The 66-year-old activist, scientist and environmentalist died at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center on July 7. He had been in critical condition since June 22, when 15-year-old Dailahntae Jemison attacked him.

For most people, a casual run is an activity for the sake of their cardiovascular conditioning and optimum daily health. UT redshirt junior distance star Ari Fisher has turned that casual run into a fast track to instant success.
The reigning Mid-American Conference women’s six-kilometer [3.728 miles] cross-country champion laces up and eats miles for breakfast, spits them out at lunch, consumes a few for a mid-afternoon snack and masters them for dinner.  Needless to say, a 5K or 6K race is really satisfying for Fisher.
A former high school cross-country district titlist from Lebanon, OH,  Fisher is a pinpoint example of a great athlete just beginning to tap her potential, and the timing couldn’t be better in the midst of a career for a Rockets program that has dominated the MAC in distance events under coach Kevin Hadsell.

Ari Fisher

“In high school I made it to the state meet once and never qualified in track,” Fisher said.  “My college success is all about experience and maturity. Our coaches have us do extensive weight training and cross training, run consistently every day and follow the plan.”
As a sophomore on the cross country circuit Fisher ran in just one event and produced the ninth best time for the team.
A year later she became the fastest UT woman in all six cross country events she competed in, including her MAC title run, a ninth place overall mark in the Great Lakes Regional meet and a final result of 43rd in the NCAA Championships. During those final three races, as the pressure built and the field power increased, Fisher got faster, producing respective times chronologically of 22:18.80, 21:11.46 and 20:47.0.
“I was definitely surprised and shocked. I couldn’t believe it,” she said.
Following her breakout performance in the fall, Fisher took newfound swagger to the indoor loops in the 5000-meters, and this past winter she continued to show her sudden rise is no fluke.
She brought home the MAC indoor title in the 5K with a 16:42.87, which was 26 seconds ahead of the runner-up, the fourth best time in school history and the second fastest event time in MAC championship indoor history.
“I had a lot more confidence in indoor because I knew I was able to compete with the best of the best,” Fisher said.
Only time and distance will tell, but Fisher appears headed toward the all-time UT indoor mark in the 5K. Everlyne Lagat broke the school and MAC standards back in 2003 with a time of 16:15.54. Fisher has potentially two years left to lop off the 27-plus ticks separating her and Lagat before the end of her collegiate career. Brianna Shook’s 16:08.40 in 2004 tops the all-time UT list in the open-air 5K, but Fisher has yet to pound on the outdoor lanes this spring as she bounces back from an injury.
“I still plan on doing something this spring,” she said.
Shook is the program’s all-time top female distance runner, a one time U.S. record holder and world class-competitor in the 3000-meter steeplechase. She was an assistant coach at UT when Fisher entered as a freshman in 2007.
“She was definitely an inspiration for me my freshman year,” said Fisher, who hopes to recover quickly from her recent setback so that she can get back to her pursuit to become the latest legend in the Lady Rocket distance annals.
“I don’t really have any records in mind. Right now I’m just focused on getting healthy and getting faster,” she said.  “You always have dreams and I never expected to get to the next level. It takes a lot of work, and whatever happens, happens.”

A few weeks ago, I was watching one of my favorite television shows on HBO, “Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel.” The former NBC/CBS newsman produces a monthly show with a band of colleagues that prides itself on taking a more serious look at sports in society.
The show featured a segment on Michigan State men’s head basketball coach Tom Izzo. At the end of the piece the reporter, Jon Frankel, sat down with Gumbel to provide a postscript to the story, which is a customary part of the show.
The question posed by Gumbel to Frankel was what Izzo has left to achieve at Michigan State with such an impressive resume to his name. To paraphrase Frankel’s response, Izzo still has yet to be considered part of the fraternity of the coaching elite, such as UCLA’s legendary John Wooden or Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski.
The answer struck me as odd, because quite honestly, the fact that Izzo’s name is not considered part of the crème de la crème of college basketball coaches is downright puzzling.
When Izzo began coaching in East Lansing, he inherited a proud basketball program that was looking to replace legendary coach Jud Heathcote, who coached Magic Johnson and the Spartans to a national title in 1979.
Izzo has done quite well in his 15 years at Michigan State. He has assembled an overall record of 363-145, which for math majors is an average 24 wins per season.
He has won one national championship (2000), made six Final Four appearances over the last 12 years, and the Spartans haven’t missed the NCAA tournament since the 1996-1997 season, Izzo’s second as head coach. He also has six conference titles to his name, and has been named national coach of the year once and Big Ten coach of the year twice.
He’s coached four Big Ten player of the year winners, 13 players who have been selected to the All Big Ten first or second team, and had 11 players selected during the NBA draft. He has also had seven former assistant coaches go on to be head coaches at the NCAA Division I level, including former UT head coach Stan Joplin.
It’s easy to see that the numbers supporting his case are quite staggering.
But it’s not just the numbers that set Tom Izzo apart to me. It is that Izzo has been able to get his teams to overachieve, even when many college basketball experts counted the Spartans out.
It was Izzo’s Spartans, who were a two seed in the tournament in 2009, who carried the city of Detroit on its back on a magical run to the championship game, which resulted in a loss to North Carolina. The Motor City, whose financial hardship has been front page news since the collapse of the manufacturing and auto industries, was provided a welcomed distraction, as the city played host to the tournament. It even seemed like everyone in the “Big D” became a converted Spartans fan.
Perhaps though, this season has been Izzo’s toughest at the helm at Michigan State. A team, that had several star players like 2009 Big Ten POY Kalin Lucas returning, appeared inconsistent at times, and many felt would fall short of challenging for a national championship.
The injury bug bit the Spartans too. Spartans sophomore forward Delvon Roe is playing with a torn meniscus, junior guard Chris Allen has been playing with an ailing foot, and the aforementioned Lucas tore his Achilles tendon during Michigan State’s second round game against Maryland.
With so many strikes against the Spartans, how could they possibly get back to the Final Four?
But like he always has, Izzo found a way to win, riding the backs of senior forward Raymar Morgan, junior guard Durrell Summers, and sophomore guard Korie Lucious.
No one knows what will happen April 3 when the Spartans take on Butler. But no matter what, one can rest assured that the Spartans will be ready to play. Regardless of the outcome of the Final Four game, Izzo should be considered an elite coach.
The Spartans’ improbable run in the tournament proves it, but there is one title above all others that Izzo wants more than any other: NCAA National Champions.

Chris Schmidbauer is the sports editor for Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. He can be heard every Tuesday at 11 AM on the Odd Couple Sports Show on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA. E-mail him at cschmidbauer@toledofreepress.com.

Hot dogs and the opportunity to perform are what draw Lukas Ligeti to Toledo. The composer/percussionist’s April 2 show at the Robinwood Concert House will be his second Toledo appearance. Although his main focus will be music, Ligeti said while in town he plans on stopping by Tony Packo’s, which he pronounced with a soft “a” before referencing his Hungarian roots and stating that Toledoans pronounce the franchise’s name incorrectly.

Lukas Ligeti

Ligeti said his discovery of the Robinwood Concert House, located at 2564 Robinwood in the Old West End, was pure chance. After a playing a New York City show, Ligeti was approached by Bianca Marcia, a Toledoan who had attended and loved that night’s performance.
“I decided to go up, introduce myself and promote Toledo and the Robinwood Concert House,” Marcia said, “I said I have a contact there that books shows and if you’re ever interested in coming out and playing, we would love to have you. I was just a facilitator.”
As a result of the conversation, Ligeti made his Robinwood Concert House debut last September. Marcia was in attendance with a jar of Tony Packo’s pickles as a gift for the musician. Ligeti said the impression he was left with after his first show was a driving force to make Toledo a part of his Spring 2010 solo tour.
“I enjoyed performing in the Robinwood Concert House,” Ligeti said. “I thought it was a very intimate space where people really listen to the music and are very open-minded. It’s just a nice concert atmosphere.”
His upcoming show will include selections from his most recent album, “Afrikan Machinery,” which includes elements of African music, electronic, jazz and indie pop.
Toledo is the second-to-last stop for Ligeti’s tour and one of four Ohio cities he will perform in. Ligeti, who resides in New York City, spends half of the year touring both within the United States and worldwide to places such as Uganda in South Africa and his homeland of Austria.
“I tour a lot,” Ligeti said. “I enjoy touring, I enjoy performing and I enjoy traveling; traveling is a big influence on me — all the things that I see and the cultures.”
“Afrikan Machinery” is a tribute to his particular love of South Africa.
Ligeti said his music is most enjoyable to audiences that prefer to be challenged by music and are curious about something new.
“The kind of music I make is not the kind of music that most people listen to,” Ligeti said. “It’s not music that is made, first and foremost, for entertainment. I like to entertain and I like people to be entertained by my music, but that’s not my primary objective.”
Ligeti’s aim is to create music unlike anything his audience has ever heard before. To accomplish this he utilizes polyrhythmic sequences to create consonances and dissonances within his music — something he said is easier understood through experiencing his music, rather than explaining it. Another thing Ligeti said he finds difficult is defining what genre his music falls into.
“My music has some unusual and original approaches to it in trying ways different than what’s been done before,” Ligeti said. “And that’s one of the reasons why it’s so hard to say what style my music is because hopefully it’s a new style.”
Ligeti plays everything from opera halls to jazz clubs for audiences of five to 3,000 but the number of people isn’t something that concerns him. The only preferences Ligeti said he has for a venue include somewhere the crowd will listen, the sound is good, and he feels welcomed — criteria the Robinwood Concert House meets.
Robinwood Concert House is operated by Gabriel Beam, founder of Toledo Bellows, a nonprofit that promotes underground music in Toledo. Admission is free; donations are accepted.

In college towns, people can go almost anywhere to buy beer, chips, cigarettes or other convenience store items.  But for 17 years, South Side 6 has gone beyond the corner store standard, offering a unique blend of international cuisine to Bowling Green.
The store is a 600-square-foot establishment on the northeast corner of Napoleon Road and South Main Street. Although the sign outside reads “South Side 6 Party Store: Beer, Snacks, Lottery and Cigarettes,” South Side also offers a variety of Lebanese food that keeps customers pouring in day after day.

So and Amal Shaheen.

Owner So Shaheen a Lebanon native, came to Bowling Green and opened South Side 6 in March of 1992 with his wife Amal. Their idea was to create a store where students as well as Bowling Green residents could come to buy beer, wine and cigarettes, but also taste their unique selection of Lebanese food.  As the store became popular, the food started to become more of a focus. Today, people still come in to pick up a case of beer, but ‘South Side’ is well-known for its 50+ menu items that include sandwiches, salads, wings, burgers, chicken and their signature fries.
Ross Richardson, a senior at the University, said he goes to South Side 6 “all the time,” whether it’s for getting some food or just picking up some beer.
“They definitely have some different food at South Side, but the fries are just awesome,” Richardson said.
“A lot of people come in just to pick up some beer or drinks, but the food they serve makes this store a little different than others.”
Each item on the menu is made from scratch every day at South Side. Some of the popular items include fatoosh and tabouli salads, hummus, shawarma chicken, kafta, gyros and falafel. Shaheen said that other than beer, cigarettes, wine, or anything a person could get anywhere else, the food is the draw to South Side.
“The hummus and chips is our most popular food,” he said.
“We are always busy and we probably make almost 1,000 different sandwiches in a matter of a couple days.”
South Side 6 also offers a variety of daily specials on food each week.  Shaheen said he probably gets the biggest turnout on Thursdays when they have a 2-for-$5 special on Gyros with the choice of chicken, beef or both.
Nate Iverson, who works at South Side, said people value good service and are extremely faithful in coming back for the food.
Tim Newman, a political science instructor at BGSU is one of many customers who come to South Side on a regular basis.
“If I had to go to one place in Bowling Green to eat, I would come to South Side for the chicken shawarma,” Newman said.
Shaheen is particularly proud of South Side’s commitment to customer service. He said he doesn’t value big corporate stores as much as smaller mom-and-pop stores because the atmosphere and attention to customers is just different.
“We practically know everyone that comes into the store by name,” he said.  “And as long as they keep coming back, we’re happy.”
For more information on South Side 6 and its menu, call (419) 352-8639 or visit the Web site at www.SouthSide6.com.