My cousin Tim and I are great fans of the cinematic gameplay in “Mass Effect,” released by Electronic Arts on the Xbox 360 version in November 2007 followed by the PC version in May 2008. This time EA and BioWare released each version of the latest installment, “Mass Effect 2,” at the same time. This game boasts amazing graphics and engaging gameplay in the continuing adventures of Captain…oops, now Commander Shepherd. Tim played the Xbox 360 version and I played the PC version.

Mass Effect 2

The main plotline works well in this shooter, role-playing game (RPG). The mysterious Illusive Man, voiced by Martin Sheen, leader of the suspect organization Cerberus, resurrects Shepherd who was presumed dead while saving the crew of the Normandy. With a new Normandy, some old crew members like Jeff Moreau, voiced by Seth Green, and an AI (excellently portrayed by “Battlestar Galactica’s” Tricia Helfer), tied into the controls of the Normandy Shepherd, set out to defeat the Collectors who are attacking human colonies, and their masters, the Reapers.

Tim: Overall, I found the gameplay engrossing.

Mike: Yes, the improved graphics and resulting experiences are worth upgrading the computer. The hot keys help with the PC interface. It satisfied as a game sequel, which is rare. Players can import their saved characters and progress from the first installment. Every past game accomplishment ties into this current experience and greatly enhances it.

Tim: You will meet up with several characters from “Mass Effect” who assist you in all your quests. You find that even minor decisions in the previous game can have consequences in “Mass Effect 2.” Decisions you make in this game may indeed affect how the plot of upcoming “Mass Effect 3″ develops.

Mike: The six character classes (soldier, infiltrator, vanguard, sentinel, adept, and engineer) add some strategic challenges plus players can access bonus content, like new teammates and weapons, through one time use codes on the in-game Cerberus Network.

Tim: Players complete several side missions collecting the perfect team to pull off the primary mission. Shepherd must also complete a personal side quest with each character to ensure a teammate’s loyalty.

Mike: The experience points gained from team interactions prompt the collaboration, which can produce some unnatural interactions at times, but it is improving in this second installment. Movements on the PC are quicker, smoother and familiar to experienced players.

Tim: I think the shuttle works better than the land rover used in “Mass Effect.” The weapons and biotics interface seems to work better in “Mass Effect 2.” The planetary resource interface seems much improved although it is occasionally repetitive and tiresome. The benefits of collecting resources outweigh the mild boredom in this part of the game.

It is a great sci-fi story where characters maintain the balance of power throughout the galaxy (***1/2, rated M for blood, drug reference, sexual content, strong language, and violence). We look forward multiple replays and add-on content “Mass Effect 2: Kasumi’s Stolen Memory,” available on April 6 (PC and Xbox 360). Can’t wait until “Mass Effect 3″ completes this quality game trilogy in 2011. “Mass Effect 2: Collector’s Edition” also available on PC and Xbox 360.

How to take a life and career like folk singer Tommy Sands’ and condense it?

Growing up in a mixed Catholic-Protestant community in Mayobridge, Northern Ireland, Sands found himself caught up in the conflict between Catholic Republicans and Protestant Loyalists, which became known as the “Troubles.”

“We lived a stone’s throw from members of the Republican Guard,” Sands said. “There was always the frustration. Stones certainly could have been thrown.”

Sands said he began to see, despite the tension, there was still something holding the community together, the ancient Irish bardic tradition. His parents and his siblings were all musicians and his family’s farm was a place of frequent gatherings.

“Catholics and Protestants alike came through our door all the time,” Sands said. “In the countryside it was natural for people to gather. I saw that it was a sacred thing that we were doing.”

He decided to take what he learned from this turbulent period in Irish history and try to help others using the same tradition of music and storytelling.

His travels have taken him around the world many times and now Sands will bring his message of peace to the Tecumseh Center for the Arts March 27.

“Sooner or later, people have to realize the way they’ve been doing things isn’t working,” Sands said. “They should try to stop the killing and find ways to live together.”

Sands, along with his daughter Moya and son Fionan, will perform songs from his new album, “Let The Circle Be Wide.”

On the road, heading from Sheridan, Wyo. to Helena, Mont. Sands talked on the phone about how much he loves traveling and meeting people.

“It’s been so enjoyable,” he said. “I always feel inspired by the audience.”

Tommy Sands

Sands said people have been receptive, not only to his music, but also to his message no matter where he goes.

In 1990 Sands organized “The Music of Healing”, bringing together Catholic and Protestant musicians. This led to the founding of the Citizen’s Assembly in 1996, consisting of political and community leaders from both sides committed to peacefully resolving the Northern Ireland conflict. This commitment led to the signing of the historic Good Friday Peace Accords in 1998. Sands led a group children and politicians in song when the peace accords were signed.

“I think that was a powerful image for all the people there watching and seeing it on television,” Sands said. “They saw that if these two groups could stand together and sing together, peace was possible.” The “Music of Healing” celebration is held every year in recognition of this peace agreement.

In 2002 Sands visited Reno, Nev. and worked with teenagers at a juvenile detention center. Using traditional Irish storytelling techniques, Sands taught the boys how to compose songs telling their life stories, which they would perform when they went before a judge.

“It was a very simple format,” Sands said. “The first verse tells the past and the second tells the present and the third tells the future. There’s something very soothing, very humbling, in hearing a child perform in that way.”

Sands’ son and daughter helped him with this program.

“The kids may not have trusted me at first,” Sands said. “They didn’t know what to make of me, but Moya and Fionan were closer to their age and I think that helped the kids to open up.”

Sands adapted Irish music and stories for a traveling educational program he offers for schools, libraries, museums and universities. Readings from his 2005 autobiography, “The Songman”, are also part of the program.

Sands said after his show in Michigan he is heading to Germany to perform and then to Israel as part of a delegation involved in finding peaceful solutions to the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Sands’ children will accompany him on this trip. Sands said he is glad his son and daughter are taking part in the delegation.

“They’re very involved in the music, but also in the activism,” Sands said. “They both very intelligent and they read a lot and are well-informed.”

Sands said even if he hadn’t come from a musical background, he still would have become an activist.

“Anyone living in an area of conflict has a certain perspective, whether they are musicians, writers, poets or journalists,” Sands said. “I would have come to that no matter what.”

An appeal has been filed against the approval for demolition of the former United Way building.

Fred Kutz, a member of Toledo’s 20/20 Land Use committee, filed a formal request of appeal on March 22.

Kutz has challenged the decision to give developers more time to purchase the building. He also sites the building’s “uniqueness” Downtown and the possibility of the land being turned into a parking lot as reasons.

“I’m not in the quote unquote ‘loop‚’ but I understand there is a person who wants to purchase the building, I don’t think a six-month moratorium is unreasonable.”

Kutz said he hasn’t toured the building but that is of “no matter,” if a developer purchased the property they would buy it as is, he said.

“As long as the shell is intact, with no part falling in or creating public danger. Keeping the building in moth balls creates no problem,” he said.

Kutz came forward at the last moment because he “saw no one else stepping-up” and thought the decision should be reexamined.

Kutz said he fears greed is the driving factor behind United Way’s decision to build a new building and tear the old one down. He is worried they will tear down the building and create a parking lot and or sell the land to a developer for “big bucks.”

“I would think someone who is a community organization would have more sensitivity to the community at large, rather than their line item budget,” he said. “No one told them they had to build the building. They forget public funding is involved. I see a parallel between this and the YMCA. It is very similar. They aren’t taking the time to find a retro fit for the building. I find it very disturbing.”

Once an appeal has been filed it must be heard by city council within 45 days, said Tom Lemon, administrator of the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission.

Bill Kitson, president and CEO of the local United Way,  said, “In a time when our community needs to be focusing on education, income, and health, United Way will once again have to make its case to yet another public body as to why it needs to complete its revitalization project in the manner stated nearly two years ago.

“We are obviously disappointed that as private property owners, we have to wait yet another 45 days to save our organization and our community thousands of dollars that could be helping real people.”

Well, here we are again. After a long, drawn-out battle with several isolated individuals when United Way first announced our decision in August 2008 to construct a new building and demolish the existing one, we’ve circled back around to invest further time and resources to hash it all out again.
During the first round, we openly responded to any and all questions about our board of trustees’ well-researched, thoughtful decision. We repeatedly reiterated this was the best long-term solution for our organization and our community. Renovation costs were prohibitive and would still leave us with a half-empty building.
We were also committed to staying Downtown and staying on our current property, maintaining our open access to bus lines, free parking and tax-exempt property.
Thank you to our board for its careful work on this matter and for staying strong when external forces were trying to apply pressure. And thank you to our community for getting behind our board’s decision and remaining steadfast in your United Way support.
During this time period, we gave multiple tours to potential buyers or parties interested in seeing what the space could offer. Politicians like then-Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop and City Councilman Joe McNamara also toured the building. After numerous tours, absolutely no one was interested in the space or offered a reasonable or viable solution. We proceeded with the project, as planned, and all went smoothly. We were also able to go back to investing staff time and resources into the issues that really matter: education, income and health.
Several weeks ago, in keeping with our original plan, we applied to the City of Toledo for a demolition permit setting the final phase of our plan into motion. As a result, two things happened. First and most importantly, the matter was brought before the Historic Commission on March 1. Now, its decision is simply a recommendation because the building is not considered historic, but it voted 4-3-1 to “not oppose demolition.” This was a great validation for us, and our heartfelt thanks go to the Commission for understanding our dilemma.
The second thing that happened was McNamara had a press conference March 2 announcing his introduction of an emergency resolution before council “to pursue alternatives to demolition of Community Services Building.” We can only assume the rest of city council is as tired of rehashing this issue as we are — because they voted it down 7-4. Thank you council members Michael Ashford, D. Michael Collins, Mike Craig, Rob Ludeman, George Sarantou, Tom Waniewski, and Lindsay Webb for recognizing what really matters in our community.
We are troubled Councilman McNamara is forcing us to go through this entire exercise again. First, he toured our building more than a year and a half ago and is just now coming forward to suggest we begin (again) to look for alternatives. Second, we are outraged on behalf of Toledo residents that even more government resources are being invested to revisit everything. What’s even more frustrating is we are being forced to use more of our valuable staff time and resources to respond to this all over again.
At the end of the day, we remain committed to our originally stated plan that’s best for our community. We know this is the best possible decision for our organization and we will not allow a few isolated critics distract us from our mission. We have some very exciting changes and community collaborations we’re preparing to launch and that is where we should be focusing our energy. So while local individuals continue duplicating the work our board spent years doing, we will continue the good fight of helping every kid graduate from high school, equipping our families to become financially stable and improving access to health care.
And we hope you’ll join us.

Bill Kitson is president and CEO of the United Way of Greater Toledo.

United Way of Greater Toledo on Feb. 11 submitted its long-expected request to demolish the now-empty building that overshadows its new Jackson Street location.
When the organization floated this idea more than a year ago, there was an understandable conversation seeking alternatives to knocking it down. At least, that discussion was understandable until one actually toured the building. Anyone who saw the cracked foundation, moldy corners and overall decrepit condition of the building intellectually understood the building was poorly constructed and even more poorly maintained.
Local United Way CEO Bill Kitson and his board took some lumps for predecessors allowing the building to crumble, but their logic is sound; they chose kids over bricks.
They allotted resources to families, not mortar and steel.
The facts are the same as they were when this conversation began:

• The building is a sick, expensive burden that is not even ADA compliant, and it is in the best interests of the United Way and the people it serves to wipe it from the books.
• The Stranahan family understands and backs this decision.
• No funds from the community campaign will be used for the demolition or diverted from families in need.
• Not one public or private entity has stepped forward to offer a use for the building, although there were some attempts by politicians such as Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop and some media to bully a few organizations into considering it.
• The building was not among the priorities for the millions of dollars of renovation and building funds requested from the federal stimulus package by the City of Toledo under Mayor Carty Finkbeiner.

The only difference between now and 18 months ago is that the building has further deteriorated and now costs United Way even more to maintain.
Toledo Mayor Mike Bell understands this is a matter for private business, not government. He knows the appropriate choice to make when faced with dedicating money to live kids, or dedicating it to dead bricks.
He is standing beside United Way in its effort to rid itself of this burden and move forward in serving the community.
Only the most short-sighted, misguided intellect would choose to defend an abandoned building over Toledo’s most needy families.

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

COLUMBUS- Junior Shanice McNeal missed the front side of a set of free throws with no time left on the clock and Waite fell by anguishing 49-47 count to Canton McKinley in the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I girls state basketball championship game at Value City Arena Saturday night.

It was Waite’s first Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I state girls basketball championship appearance. Previously, the Indians (24-3) had never advanced beyond a regional semifinal prior to this season and owned one prior district championship (2006).

Natasha Howard (photo by John Pollock)

Sophomore Ameryst Alston scored 22 points to lead the Lady Pups to their first state crown in four trips to the DI state final four.

Senior Natasha Howard led Waite with a game-high 23 points and tied a state title game record with 14 rebounds. Howard scored 15 of her points and came through with eight steals to try and rally the Lady Indians from a 30-19 halftime deficit.

“What can you say, she’s Natasha Howard and she’s a very special player,” said coach Manny May, the DI co-Coach of the Year.

McNeal’s front-end miss with :00 on the final game clock was an ironic final twist in a game that saw the Indians shoot themselves in the foot with an 11-of-20 for 55 percent performance at the charity stripe while McKinley hardly fared better at 12-of-20 for 60 percent.

“You’ve got to make your free throws and we just didn’t get em’ down tonight,” said May. “If we make those free throws we win the game.”

The Indians were clearly nervous and rattled in the first half, turning the ball over four times in the game’s opening 1:30, and then going on to commit 12 turnovers that led to 12 points in transition for the Lady Pups, who led 30-19 at halftime.

But the Indians settled down and began taking advantage of their superior height with junior Shanice McNeal (6’2”) and Howard (6’3”) dwarfing over the Lady Pups in the paint. The duo combined for 19 points and 10 rebounds in the second half. McNeal finished the evening with a team second-best 12 points and 11 boards.

Defensively May employed his full court press in the fourth quarter and it nearly paid off. The Indians induced 14 second half turnovers out of McKinley after the Lady Pups were mostly flawless with just three first half turnovers.

A steal by senior Courtney Jackson was fed to Howard on a break with 4:04 left cut the deficit to 42-38, and then Howard engineered a steal at midcourt following a split free throw set and brought then Indians within 42-41 moments later.

Senior Miriah Haynes scored the next four points for Waite to put them in front 45-44 with 2:42 left.

Sydnee Penn (15 points) hit three of four FT inside the two minute mark while Howard scored on a beautiful move in the lane with 1:50 to go and the teams were intertwined at 47-47.

Laneisha Lennon split free throws for McKinley, and after Waite junior PG Brooke Hunt missed a would-be go-ahead trey with eight ticks to go, Alston added a point at the other end on another charity split to allegedly secure the win.

But McNeal incurred a foul after getting hacked while grabbing an inbound pass from Jackson with .09 seconds to go and the clock showed no time left. Her miss left her crushed on the hardwood as nothing else could be done. Howard had fouled out on the previous Lady Pups possession.

Waite came that close to earning the third girls basketball state title in TPS history and first since Libbey won in 1981. Woodward won in 1976.

Haynes finished with seven points and Hunt four points.

To reach the final, Waite grinded past Kettering Fairmont 61-55 in one semi while McKinley knocked off Reynoldsburg 42-39 in OT March 19.

In the semifinal victory Howard produced 22 points, four rebounds and four blocks to lead the Lady Indians (24-2), but it was her supporting cast who came through with a gritty performance in her absence while sitting down with four fouls.

“I had confidence in my teammates. They handled it real good,” Howard said.

The Lady Indians constructed a 29-22 lead in the first half as Howard tallied 11 points and swatted back three Firebirds shots and senior Courtney Jackson drilled three of five treys for nine points.

“I came out knowing I was going to let it loose (from three-point range),” said Jackson.

Fairmont generated a 9-4 run to open the second half and pulled within 33-31 at 3:50 of the third quarter, but senior Miriah Haynes and Howard combined forces to help Waite remain in front 41-36.

Howard picked up her fourth foul with a minute left in the third and had to watch from the bench until May reinserted her with three minutes left in the game. During that stretch the rest of her team nursed the advantage to 54-51.

Cassie Sant and Holley Carey kept the Firebirds flying and Fairmont closed to 56-55 with 2:17 left, but Howard scored on an inbound from Jackson (four assists) inside the final minute to seal it.

Haynes and Jackson finished with 12 points apiece for Waite.

Fairmont’s Sant paced the Lady Firebirds with a game-high 25 points.

COLUMBUS- Waite trails Canton McKinley 30-19 at halftime of the Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I girls basketball championship game here at Value City Arena.

The Lady Indians have committed 12 mostly unforced errors.

Natasha Howard and Shanice McNeal each have eight points to account for all but three of the Indians’ points. 19 points is the team’s lowest one half output of the season.

Ameryst Alston is pacing all scorers with 15 points.

With 10 rebounds at the half, Howard is closing in on a championship game state record of 14 set by two previous players.

Columbus –  The sixth-ranked Waite Lady Indians basketball will square off against the ninth-ranked Lady Pups of Canton McKinley in tonight’s Ohio High School Athletic Association State Basketball Championships Division I final at 8:30 p.m. (televised live on Sportstime Ohio).

It marks the second year in a row that a City League team appears in the DI final. Last year, Toledo Start lost to five-time defending state champion Cincinnati Mount Notre Dame 52-38.

Last night the Lady Indians (24-2) held on to defeat Kettering Fairmont 61-55 behind 22 points and four rebounds from senior Natasha Howard, who became 2010’s Ms. Ohio Basketball as the DI state Player of the Year.

The Lady Pups (24-3) overcame Reynoldsburg 42-39 in overtime in the second DI semifinal, getting 16 points from Ameryat Alston and 11 points from Syndee Penn.

Tonight’s championship game features two programs still seeking their first state title. Waite is making its first appearance in the final four while McKinley is back for the second season in a row and making its fourth appearance overall. In 2009 the Lady Pups lost in the semis to Mt. Notre Dame.

Whichever team wins will snap a six-year drought for public schools winning the DI title. Beavercreek was the last in 2003.

Lady Indians coach Manny May expects an uptempo, back-and-forth game.

“(They) play a fast-paced game and we’re going to have to be prepared for it,” he said of the Indians’ final foe of a remarkable season.

Howard is the team’s nationally renowned star- but Waite will showcase its depth this evening in senior wing Miriah Haynes, senior guard Courtney Jackson, junior post Shanice McNeal and junior 5’5” point guard Brooke Hunt.

COLUMBUS — Waite High School defeated Kettering Fairmont 61-55 in an Ohio High School Athletic Association Division I girls basketball state semifinal at Value City Arena in Columbus march 19.

Senior Natasha Howard produced 22 points, four rebounds and four blocks to lead the Lady Indians (24-2), but it was her supporting cast who came through with a gritty performance in her absence while sitting out with four fouls.

Waite will meet the winner of the other semifinal between Canton McKinley and Reynoldsburg March 20 back at Value city Arena to decide the DI girls state title at 8:30 p.m.

The Lady Indians stretched out a 29-22 lead in the first half as Howard tallied 11 points and swatted back three Firebirds shots and senior Courtney Jackson drilled three of five treys for nine points.

Fairmont generated a 9-4 run to open the second half and get within 33-31 at 3:50 of the third quarter, but senior Mariah Haynes and Howard combined forces to help Waite stay ahead 41-36.

But Howard picked up her fourth foul with a minute left in the third and had to watch from the bench until May reinserted her with three minutes left in the game. During that stretch the rest of her team nursed the advantage to 54-51.

Sant and Holley Carey kept the Firebirds flying and Fairmont closed to 56-55 with 2:17 left, but Howard scored on an inbound from Jackson (four assists) inside the final minute to seal the victory.

Haynes and Jackson finished with 12 points apiece for Waite.

Fairmont’s Cassie Sant paced the Lady Firebirds with a game-high 25 points.

In December, the Ohio House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation that will allow Lucas County to create a land bank to help restore our local housing market. With a vote of 83-14, House Bill 313 passed with a resounding supermajority, a rare example of broad political consensus in an era marked by partisanship and legislative gridlock. Now the Ohio Senate has the opportunity to approve this bill for Gov. Strickland to sign. If it does, Lucas County will have the opportunity to use an extraordinary new tool to bring positive change to our region.
It is no secret that Toledo has a vacant property problem. Tax delinquency is among the earliest warning signs that a home is at risk of becoming vacant. Out of town land speculators often purchase tax foreclosed homes without ever seeing them in person. These homes are then allowed to languish and deteriorate, becoming boarded up nuisance properties and contributing to further market decline. More properties become caught in the vicious cycle of tax delinquency, vacancy, and speculation.
Any property caught in this cycle functionally exits the market, and becomes a market hindrance. This process has taken place in virtually every older industrial city in the Midwest and Northeast, and stricken communities have struggled to find a tool to effectively address the problem.
Enter land banking. House Bill 313 allows for the creation of county land banks that can acquire vacant properties that fall into tax foreclosure before they enter the cycle of speculation and deterioration. While land banking has been around for some time in various forms, this new “active” model has the ability to proactively acquire abandoned properties, rather than acting as a passive conduit for donated parcels. Properties that are acquired will be maintained until they can be redeveloped and returned to the market. Homes that are beyond saving can be demolished, and the land held for future development. This process can catalyze revitalization in Toledo’s declining neighborhoods.
Active land banking will not burden Ohioans with new taxes. Lucas County’s land bank would be financed in part by existing penalties from tax delinquencies that under prior law would have gone toward collection of future delinquencies. Early estimates predict re-channeling these funds would provide a Lucas County land bank with nearly $1 million annually, an excellent reinvestment that would yield huge returns through higher property values. The land bank would also have the ability to apply for competitive grant money. The Cuyahoga Land Bank recently announced it will share in a $40 million federal Neighborhood Stabilization Program grant, the largest award of its kind in Ohio.
Active land banking has already proved indispensable to market restoration in communities that have experienced population loss and disinvestment. Flint, Mich., had served as the poster child for post-industrial decline for decades. Devastated by the departure of auto manufacturing jobs, Flint’s population plummeted from its peak of nearly 200,000 in 1960 to an estimated 113,000 in 2008, a 44 percent decline. Many of its neighborhoods were left blighted and abandoned, and Flint’s name became synonymous with urban decay.
Flint’s elected officials chose to take action. Spurred by the tireless efforts of Genesee County Treasurer Dan Kildee and members of the Michigan legislature, the Genesee County Land Bank was established in 2002. Through the land bank’s activities, Flint saw the aggregate market value of its properties increase by an extraordinary $112 million between 2002 and 2005, with more than 26,000 individual properties seeing an increase in value. This re-found wealth has bolstered home equity, neighborhood stability and Flint’s local economy, as well as Genesee County’s property tax base. Flint demonstrates that land banking can assist the private and public sectors in the creation of new wealth in a once devastated community.
The Ohio General Assembly has already passed legislation allowing Cuyahoga County to create an active land bank. The Cuyahoga Land Bank commenced operations in April, and by August had acquired its first set of abandoned properties. It has experienced tremendous initial successes in its efforts to redevelop Cleveland’s neighborhoods. House Bill 313 would grant the option of starting a county land bank to any Ohio county with a population greater than 60,000, extending this tool to nearly half of Ohio’s counties.
Three Toledo area legislators are among House Bill 313’s primary sponsors and supporters. The efforts of Peter Ujvagi, Mark Wagoner and Teresa Fedor to bring land banking to Lucas County further underscore both the broad bipartisan support for active land banking and the urgent need to utilize it in our region. We need land banking to bring new wealth to Metro Toledo’s residents and property owners, and to bring new life to our housing market and economy.

Wade Kapszukiewicz is Lucas County Treasurer. Joshua Murnen is an attorney and Equal Justice Works fellow with ABLE.