Darth Vader is going to visit Woodland Elementary School in Perrysburg thanks to the hard work and tech savvy of 28 fifth grade students.
Jason Hubbard and Marcia Myers joined the forces of their classes and encouraged the students to compete in a nationwide contest sponsored by Oliver and Andy’s Book Company that challenged students to create a planet where Darth Vader could go for vacation.
The students designed a website for the planet (http://faculty.perrysburgschools.net/darth) and named it “Emosewa,” which is “awesome” spelled backward. The planet features an upside-down mountain range, a crystal forest, floating oceans, a medical center, and a time travel option so Darth Vader could go back and right his wrongs.
The students worked on the project for about an hour and a half a week from January to March.
“We had some work sessions that were tough, but I think the momentum carried them through three months of really hard work,” Hubbard said.
Myers said she was proud of the students’ perseverance.
“At some point, we thought, maybe they’re going to start dragging, but they really didn’t,” she said.
To build the website, the students learned about how to use a variety of programs, including PowerPoint, iMovie, iPhoto, and iWeb.
Hubbard said the book company told him the students’ submission was the best it received in any contest.
The students look forward to a visit from the Sith Lord himself on June 1. The company will sponsor a pizza party for them to have with him, and the students will dress in “Star Wars” costumes.
“We’re going to give him a regular ol’ ‘Star Wars’ welcome when he comes,” Hubbard said.
The two students who did the main web design work are considering starting their own web design business.

On June 5, Point Place will kick off its month-long Point Place Days festival by hosting its 20th annual parade.
“Like junebugs and mayflies come every year, so does the parade,” said Mark Schuster, the parade coordinator.
Usually 1,200 to 1,500 people participate in the parade, according to Schuster. The parade features 90 to 100 groups, including the Shriners, the nationally known Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps, lots of businesses, politicians, boating and yacht clubs, and school principals.
The theme of this year’s parade is “Boating Through The Years.” Schuster said he hopes it will honor local yacht clubs that have helped the boating community in Point Place. At 10 a.m., two hours before the parade, kids can participate in a bike and pet contest, decorating their bikes and dressing up their pets.
The winners get to march in the parade, which starts at noon.
“We’ve got the best parade in the city,” said Howard Pinkley, who founded it, coordinated the first 15 parades and has attended each one.
“Every one was memorable,” he said.
Because of the parade’s success, its founders began to think of additional ideas to celebrate their community, including a pie and cake contest, canoe race, flag-raising ceremony, community garage sale and a lantern walk from Cullen Park to the lighthouse.
Soon, June was filled with festivities, which became Point Place Days.
The month ends with fireworks hosted by the Shoreland community.
Getting support for the idea of a month-long community festival was not difficult.
“Everything just seemed to come right along,” Pinkley said. “‘What are we going to do after the parade’s over?”
Many community businesses help support the parade. Clubs and stores have specials, Pinkley’s Flag Shop puts flags up and down 7th St. up to the bridge, and Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion have cookouts and give money to help coordinate the parade, according to Darleen Beals, a member of the parade committee.
The parade is the most visible activity of Point Place Days because Summit Street is closed.
“If you want to get out of the Point, you better do it by 11:30,” Beals said.
The parade starts on Summit St. by Messiah Lutheran Church, goes down Summit for a mile and a half and ends at Merchant’s Landing. After the parade, everyone gathers for hot dogs and drinks, provided by the parade committee.
Pinkley said that coordinating the parade takes a lot of work.
The committee members raise money, set up tents, cook food, and make many phone calls to get people to come to the parade.

A second chance at a dream could lead to a storm of success for a Toledo native musician.
On May 5, Raine Wilder’s debut album, “Heart On Standby,” became available through Island of Def Jam Digital Distribution and can be found on any online digital music store.
“Music is the sound feelings make,” Wilder said. “I don’t worry about what others think.  I set no boundaries or rules.  With this album, I wanted to symbolize waiting through anything.”
The 12-track album transcends the boundaries of traditional Hip-Hop by incorporating various musical styles such as techno, alternative, pop, hard rock and metal.
“Raine is very versatile and it’s difficult to place him in any style,” said Wilder’s guitarist, Neal Schaefer.  “He is covering a lot of genres as it is and I don’t know if he will choose a specific one to focus on, but whatever he decides, he will be able to create a large fan base.”

Raine Wilder

While versatility is the foundation of Wilder’s music, his writing process also showcases inventiveness.
“When writing the lyrics for my songs, the process can happen in a number of different ways. One way is I hear the music then write the lyrics and the rhymes at the same time.  I also tweak some of the words if they need tweaking, then record the vocals,” Wilder said.  “Another way is I piece them together as I go.  I’ll write one part and leave it alone for a while, then write another part and leave it.  After that, I piece them together in what order they make sense, like a puzzle. Sometimes, I won’t even have the music first.  I’ll have lyrics written that I hold on to until I hear the right track for them, then I’ll make a rhyme for the lyrics so they fit into the beat better.”
Wilder added, “I love all kinds of music so I don’t stay away from any style.  If I like it and it works with what I’m trying to do, I use it.”
However, there was a time where Wilder thought he would give up on his vision to become a musician.
When a relationship ended out of the blue, Wilder went into a bleak state, which is described in detail on the track “My Apology.”
“I lost it,” Wilder said, “It was so shocking how it ended that I started mixing cranberry juice with vodka and anxiety pills and wanted to give up on music since those were the darkest days of my life.”
Wilder continued, “This was a blessing in disguise and I realized what I’m now capable of since I used music as therapy to have a second shot at my dream.”
Through all the trials and tribulations Wilder has experienced in his 28 years, a sense of nostalgia helped shape his inspiration for his album.
“I’ve grown a lot and admitted my faults and wouldn’t change what I’ve done  because it wouldn’t of brought me to where I am,” Wilder said. “I’ve realized all the shit I’ve done and what has haunted me; everything was my decision.  I’ve found my lane and I’m going through it.”

For many, the arrival of Memorial Day this weekend symbolizes the unofficial start of summer. The holiday means a barbeque with friends and family. For some, it means a quick weekend getaway, but for a select few, it means taking in the Indianapolis 500, billed as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Sadly, many of you read that last line and snickered a little. The Indy 500 has not been a great spectacle in racing for many years now, and in fact, some might argue the 500 is not even the best racing event at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) anymore.
With a surge in popularity, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a competing race the same day in Charlotte, NC (Coca-Cola 600), many race fans could not care less about the biggest event in open-wheel racing these days.
I remember a different time when open wheel racing was the dominant circuit in the United States. The Indianapolis 500 used to boast some of the greatest auto racing talents the world had to offer.
The race, which is steeped in history, was where man pushed the boundaries of speed and drove 500 miles in one day. The 500 was seen as a true test that pushed the racing machines and their drivers to the limits.
Names like A.J. Foyt, Mario Andretti, Al Unser Jr., and Bobby Rahal were recognized as daring individuals who tried to conquer the iconic 2.5-mile oval while piloting a car reaching speeds exceeding 220 mph.
Now the race features few drivers that the casual race fan has even heard of. Even the sports most recognizable drivers, Danica Patrick and Helio Castroneves, are not known for their participation in the annual event.
Patrick is known more for her provocative GoDaddy.com advertisements and modeling career, instead of being the most talented female driver to ever sit in the cockpit of an Indy car.
Castroneves is more familiar to fans for his victory on the popular reality show “Dancing With the Stars,” despite already having won the race three times and sitting on the pole position for this year’s race.
It has been evident, since a major rift in 1995 caused the Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) to split from the Indy Racing League (IRL) that the talent pool has been on the shallow end.
When CART decided to boycott the event in 1996, taking the most talented drivers with them, the Indy 500 has featured a list of unknowns, who even after winning the race remain an unknown.
CART never recovered either without its signature race to boost interest.
The series filed bankruptcy twice and was forced to reunite with the IRL in 2008. Since the reunification of the two racing series, things have not gotten much better for the open- wheel circuit. The Indy 500 is still the series Super Bowl, but when matched up against NASCAR, the IRL dwarfs in size, talent and revenue.
Many of the circuits’ brighter stars have ended up leaving for NASCAR in recent years. Race winners Juan Pablo Montoya, Dario Franchitti, and Defiance native, Sam Hornish Jr. have all jumped ship and joined the NASCAR circuit, hoping for higher profits and greater recognition.
Making matters worse since the reunification, it has become evident that there is a major gap between those teams with money and those without. Teams like Penske Racing, Andretti Autosport, and the Target Chip Ganassi team have emerged and dominated the series. With money for better technology and to attract better driving talent, the three teams have made the IRL their own personal playground.
This past weekend’s race qualifying was more of the same, as five of the top six qualifiers were from either Penske Racing or the Target Chip Ganassi teams.
When the green flag is waved at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the deafening roar of 33 cars will come barreling out of turn four, and the 94th running of the Indianapolis 500 will commence.
Whoever wins and gets to participate in the hallowed tradition of drinking milk in the winner’s circle will have completed a difficult feat. The grueling 500-mile champion will have pushed their body and car in the ultimate test of endurance and speed few have ever experienced.
But no matter who wins, one question will linger. Does anyone even care anymore?

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

Hollywood has been superhero crazy for 10 years. Ever since “X-Men” and “Spider-Man” became huge hits, it seems like every single property involving people wearing spandex has been optioned for a movie. The depth chart is getting a little thin nowadays with less popular heroes like Thor and the Green Hornet due for major adaptations in the coming years.
Which is why it’s the perfect time to dust off a much lesser-known property — one of the best stories ever told in comics, and one which is obscure even to comic fans.
The Marvel comic series was called “Strikeforce: Morituri.” It’s an ungainly title, I admit, but follow me on this. Debuting in 1986, it was about a group of soldiers with super heroic powers attempting to repel an alien invasion of Earth. Sounds like pretty standard stuff, right? On the surface, perhaps. But the underlying themes of the series are what gave it genuine emotional power: mortality, sacrifice, fear and perseverance.
See, the soldiers of the titular Strikeforce weren’t born with superpowers. They were given them through a scientific process that could transform ordinary people into supermen. The big catch, however, is that all subjects would die within a year.
This cast a serious shadow over what would typically be the carefree adventures of a group of heroes. Their fate was set. No matter how well they performed, no matter how much they succeeded or how much good they would do, their lives were going to end — often violently, and when you as a reader were least expecting it.
This was a startling dynamic for comics at the time and opened the door for the series to really explore deep psychological themes. What kind of person does it take to lay down their life for others? What is it like when you know your end is always near and drawing nearer every day? How would you react when one of your fellow heroes — someone you care about and have fought with — is suddenly gone, right before the biggest battle you can imagine?
The series was the brainchild of artist Brent Anderson and writer Peter B. Gillis, who stayed with the series through its first 20 issues, long enough to chronicle the death of the final original cast member. It was not a success, running only a year after Gillis and Anderson’s departures. Later writers would try to brighten the series’ tone and give it a “happy ending,” which was like committing arson to “Strikeforce’s” basic themes.
It’s been more than 20 years since the last issue of “Strikeforce: Morituri” hit the stands. Comic books are an ephemeral art form anyway, with new stories quickly usurping old ones and much great work being quickly forgotten. In the annals of Marvel’s illustrious history, something like “Strikeforce” is easily missed — the original series has never even been issued in a trade paperback edition.
But obscurity also means the possibility of greatness being rediscovered. And in a post-“Dark Knight” era, where every superhero is being lined up and evaluated for a “gritty reboot,” why not take a look at a story that already has the grit and drama built in?
This wouldn’t be the first time a resurrection has been attempted. Back in 2002, Wizard Magazine reported that cable network TNT was adapting the book for a TV series called “A Thousand Days,” but nothing came of it. Rumor is that an ownership dispute over the title is currently under way.
I really hope things are settled sooner rather than later. Despite my obviously geeky nature, I’m not really a big comic book fan. But something about “Strikeforce’s” story and ideas grabbed my imagination and never let go. All these years later, I remember the sadness I felt as these characters — these people — met their ends and how it made me reflect upon my own life.
Few pieces of modern fiction have stayed with me as vividly. And I can’t help but think, if exposed to a wider audience, these characters might help redefine what a “superhero story” can really be about.
“Strikeforce: Morituri” has often been described by comic fans as “ahead of its time” and so it was. But I believe its time is now.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

Carrie Bradshaw, a relationship columnist for the New York Star, is an expert on dating and relationships. The fictional Bradshaw and her group of friends share their relationship triumphs and blunders with the world in “Sex and the City” (SATC).
While the dating scene is much smaller in Toledo than in New York City, we at Toledo Free Press Star wanted to explore what dating is like for area singles. We asked women, ages 20s to 40s, to share what their friendships and relationships are like in the Glass City.

Danielle Desmond, a full-time nanny, believes “the dating scene is what you make of it.”
“People need to be more open-minded, Toledo is not big city, but there are still good people,” she said. “If you sit at home and complain about “no guys” in Toledo than change the reason you go out. Don’t go out to meet someone, go out to have fun.”

Danielle

The 24-year-old, who has lived in Chicago, Alabama and Los Angeles, said there are jerks everywhere and there are nice guys everywhere, Toledo is no different.
Desmond has a close group of girlfriends she hangs out and goes out with. The group is spontaneous and has fun no matter what they do, she said.
The women go to Walleye and Mud Hens games, bars — Blarney, Bunker, Nick & Jimmy’s, Arnies, Village Inn — make trips to Put-in-Bay, shop together and work out.
A fan of SATC, Desmond’s favorite character is Samantha for her no nonsense attitude. Samantha doesn’t become a victim of any man and reminds her friends of their strengths and flaws.
“My best friends in my life are the ones who tell me the truth. You need to be honest with your girlfriends,” Desmond said.

Dawn Hampton has been divorced for 12 years. The 46-year-old has spent the last 21 years focusing on her daughter’s life and is now taking the chance to focus on her own.
Hampton works nights as a home health care nurse, but finds time to go out with friends on the weekend.

Dawn

“There aren’t many places to meet people at my age. It’s very difficult, there’s a stigma out there,” she said. “It’s not a very dating friendly city.”
Recently, Hampton has been trying to fit more social activities into her life. Hampton goes out with her women friends to Bar Louie, Mud Hens and Walleye games, occasional concerts at the Omni, summer festivals and events at Centennial Terrace.
When she goes out, Hampton likes to surround herself with strong women.

Ann Petlow is a business owner. The 29-year-old works from home making women’s and men’s clothing and accessories.
Petlow balances her professional and personal life by going out on the weekend with friends and working during the week, she said.

Ann

Petlow has two close girlfriends she enjoys going out with. The dynamic recently changed when one of her friends had a baby, but she still goes out occasionally, Petlow said.
When Petlow goes out with friends they typically go to bars in Downtown Toledo on Adams Street. Bars she frequents include The Attic and Ottawa Tavern, which are good venues to meet individuals in their 20s and 30s, she said.
Petlow believes the biggest challenge in Toledo dating is meeting people who are “dateable.”
“We have a little shallow pond of dating because of the brain drain. The last time there were lots of eligible men to date was high school,” she said.
Petlow has recently started online dating where she meets mostly men from Cleveland and Detroit.

Ina Sidney is content with being single. The 44-year-old production worker is always on the move.

Ina

“I haven’t dated lately because I’m too busy. I’m always busy, playing sports attending networking events. I kind of just go and do. If I do go on a date I can tell right away if its not going to be,” she said.
Sidney is enjoying going out to different networking events and meeting new people. She has two core groups of girlfriends she hangs out with, Sidney said. One group that plans on being active in the community and speak with young women about attending school, she said.
The other group of friends Sidney just goes out with regularly for drinks.
Sidney admits that when she does meet new people they tend to be from out of town.
“The biggest challenge [in dating] is there are so many women available to the men.  A lot of men are locked up and a lot of people are just moving away,” Sidney said.

The ‘Girl in the Glass City’ on men, dating and life in Toledo

Toledo has an abundance of incredible, attractive and available men. This city also has many beautiful, fabulous single women. The problem is getting the two to meet.
The problem is twofold. The easy problem to solve is finding common space for singles to meet. The more challenging problem is getting a meeting of the minds between single women and single men.
There are obstacles in the meeting of Glass City single men and women. These challenges are not insurmountable, and they will not be resolved by switching to a nearby city for dating purposes. The resolution, however, requires a little bit of philosophical reconsideration for the single ladies.

Christine

A bit of a warning, a meeting of the minds is more likely to be in line with values from “Sex and the City” than Midwestern Bible-Belt pulpits. Yes, the good church women who enjoy the movie and the series like to mentally skip over this fact, but “Sex and the City” is about sex.
The plot is fundamentally about the sexual desires and fantasies of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda and their travels in life and love. Not all of this sex takes place within the confines of holy matrimony.
If you want to live a fabulous, fun “Sex and the City” lifestyle and attract the attention of eligible men, you cannot forget the principle of the first episode when the characters decided to have sex like men. Ladies, this means sex is sex. Period. There is no future meaning. It does not mean white poofy dresses or gold rings. It does not mean McMansions with kids playing in the backyard. Sex is an enjoyable expression to be lived in the moment and for the moment, like a good meal or a trip to some place exotic. Want to attract desirable men in Toledo, NYC or anywhere? Do not be uptight, overly romantic or girly about sex.
Another principle that makes women attractive is to be open to life and people. The “Sex and the City” ladies live experientially and spontaneously.
The movie sequel, opening this week, promises even more of this with a trip to exotic Abu Dhabi.
Men like open and spontaneous women — and not just in the movies. Be engaged and connected with the possibilities of the moment, rather than some hope or distant dream. Make eye contact. Smile. Have fun where you are and with whoever is around you. Laugh. It does not mean that the man sitting in front of you is “the one.” In fact he probably is not. You do not have to be somewhere else to find interesting men. You will find plenty of intriguing men right here in Toledo provided you give them a few moments of your attention without placing the burden of the rest of your life on them.
One of never-to-be-forgotten principles of “Sex and the City” is to look fabulous. Women of the Glass City, on behalf of the available men, please step up your image game.
If you are wearing flip flops and old jeans, giving only passing attention to your hair and makeup, do not be surprised when men overlook you.
Women who are active, fit and pay attention to how they look will get more attention. Don’t blame men. Men are visual. Women are visual, too.
Ladies, if you are impressed with the figure, fashions and glamour of the “Sex and the City” girls, don’t you think men are as well?  Thankfully, our Toledo standards are relaxed and more affordable given that we are not in the fashion capital of the world.
Ladies, if you want attention, be attention worthy. Present yourself as someone who is important and on your way to meet someone important, and you will meet the most incredible men right here in Toledo.

Christine Senack is also known as the Girl in the Glass City and regularly invites everyone to join her in creating exciting and fabulous lives in Toledo. Look for exciting singles events to begin in June. Follow her online at www.facebook.com/girlinthe glasscity and join her in life.

NOTE: In addition to this week’s review of DodoGo!, the new Nintendo DSiWare game, Toledo Free Press  Star and Neko Entertainment/Alien After All (maker of the game), are giving away game T-shirts and 1GB USB drives. See the Toledo Free Press Facebook Page and click on the Sweepstakes tab on top for details and to enter.

DodoGo! (Neko Entertainment)
This dinosaur age-themed game packs an incredible amount of stylish content and fun into an all-ages format. This Nintendo DSiWare exclusive game (800 points) has high quality art direction, sharp colorful graphics and themed music. Players must return animated dodo bird eggs to their respective nests after a tidal wave hits. These personalized eggs are fragile because they cannot see, but they take bounces pretty well.
Physical properties involving land, air, fire, water and even explosions factor into the controls and physics. Players interact with objects like stones or wood decks (which dissolve after contact) or even animals like boa constrictors to move eggs. The springs are fun to place in all facets of the game. Trajectory animation shows what will happen to the eggs before their launch. Spring spacing estimates can be very satisfying because many situations require pinpoint choices to save eggs from certain death when dropped from long distances. Players can stop the action with the pause button any time and even add or modify the helpful objects that also include pulleys and rope. All this wear and tear requires some trial-and-error, along with some direct nurturing and repair to the little eggs.
The touch controls, microphone voice options and an overview top screen make gameplay very easy. Use caution when commanding eggs, especially the double-tap whistle that brings every egg running in that direction. Time limits are challenging, but getting stuck is worse, so watch any crevices and uneven ground.
Work through more than 100 replayable levels plus bonus levels to save as many eggs as possible — a minimum of one per level.
This quality game offers two profiles, unlockables, different costumes, three language options (English, French or Spanish) and right or left-handed setups. Players can enter their Internet code (under profile options) at DodoGoHome.com for personal display on worldwide leader boards on the website (check up on Michasi). An excellent action puzzle game from Alien After All and Neko Entertainment with high replay and quality content higher than many Nintendo DS cartridge games (****, rated E for comic mischief and mild cartoon violence).

Food-themed games

Sushi Go Round (SouthPeak Games)
Based on the Miniclip.com casual game, this fast-paced Japanese-themed food game offers edible fun on the Nintendo Wii and DS/DSi as players manage a sushi restaurant as a main chef. Basic gameplay centers on ordering ingredients then quickly filling and serving customer orders in a large set of game modes. Memory and speed are essential as players pass on their culinary creations to customers. The Nintendo DSi camera capabilities allow players to put their family and friends in the game as customers while the Wii version includes a limited two-player mode. Use the endless mode to practice because it has no time limit. (***, rated E for alcohol reference).
America’s Test Kitchen Let’s Get Cooking (Nintendo)
This user-friendly Nintendo DS/DSi exclusive cooking game further blurs the line between game and electronic companion, while providing helpful, informative and entertaining ways to strengthen your culinary skills. This trainer totes a large cookbook and a smooth, flexible way learn from the actual America’s Test Kitchen located in Boston. Players get 300 recipes and great options including customized recipes generated from an ingredient list. Players can also set recipe requirements by calories and cooking time.
The best addition to this outstanding complement to Nintendo’s previous game Personal Trainer: Cooking is the four profiles where players can assign tasks to each participant. A practical, high-value guide game, especially for $19.99 (****, rated E for alcohol reference).
Fast Food Panic (SouthPeak Games)
This multitasking restaurant simulation Nintendo DS game includes steak, curry, burgers, pasta and sushi.
Keep customers happy and create your own recipes using comprehensive gaming skills in a story and free mode. Players can play levels in the free mode for higher scores or even create recipes (**1/2, rated E, also available on the Nintendo Wii, which also includes two player cooperative play).

Northwest Ohio’s Crystal Bowersox is one step away from being named “American Idol.”

The Elliston native will face Chicago’s Lee DeWyze in the Season 9 “American Idol” finals May 25. The evening is America’s and Toledo’s last chance to vote for Bowersox.

Bowersox at Levis Square with Mayor Mike Bell in the background

“It’s important, in order to show your support for Crystal, that you vote tonight. We have to put our money where our mouth is,” said Toledo Mayor Mike Bell.

“American Idol” is on 8 p.m. May 25, with the result show May 26 at 8 p.m. on FOX Toledo. On the evening of May 26, the streets around the arena — Huron, Jefferson and Madison — will be closed to host a block party sponsored by the City of Toledo and Lucas County. At 6:30 p.m., Huntington Center doors will open for free admission to the first 8,300 people to view the FOX broadcast of the “American Idol” results show.

Time was in the comics industry that a low-numbered comic book was undesirable. Conventional wisdom said that a kid wouldn’t want an “unproven” comic, so the higher the issue number the better. Oh, how times have changed; not only do companies now produce No. 1s in droves but most fans covet them — current wisdom being that a high-numbered title has too much back-story and is inaccessible to new readers. And so it goes …
Recent weeks at the comic shop brought more No. 1s than you can shake a Wolverine at. Monarch Cards and Comics’ Ed Katschke fills us in: “Traditional superhero comics have always relied on a series of standard tropes,” he said. “Casting a glance backward into a golden past or looking forward to a bright future are two examples and DC Comics uses both in a pair of excellent new comics. ‘DC Universe: Legacies’ No. 1, written by fabled comic scribe Len Wein (co-creator of Wolverine) and penciled by Andy & Joe Kubert, J.G. Jones and Scott Kolins, is the beginning of a 10-issue miniseries, which explores the modern DC Universe history. Steeped in period piece splendor and awash in nostalgia, ‘DC Universe Legacies’ delivers the goods in style.
“The Legion of Super-Heroes has a long and tattered history in the DC Universe and its past the time these shining legends of the 31st century got the face lift they deserve. The Legion is a group of civic-minded teenagers from another golden age of prosperity, this one 1,000 years in the future. Their title has gone through more changes in tone than any other modern comic, adapting itself to whatever current storytelling style is currently in vogue. Classic Legion writer (and former DC Publisher) Paul Levitz returns in ‘Legion of Super-Heroes’ No. 1 to give us a new look at some old friends and manages to blend many styles and pieces of Legion lore together to make a thoroughly entertaining super-hero comic.”
Last week also brought Marvel’s “Avengers” No. 1 and this week hits with “Secret Avengers” No. 1, two new titles in support of the company’s “Heroic Age” event.

The voice of the Hip-Hop generation is being heard nationally and is being defined by events that range from the election of President Barack Obama to the running of Kevin Powell (MTV’s “The Real World”) for Congress.

Meadows

As the “old guard” retires and passes on, many realize that no one was mentored to take their place, thus leaving the door open for more diversity in politics. Toledo’s own Schylar Meadows has been known for her political prowess for years, but age was not on her side. She had the guts to announce her first candidacy in her 20s. She served as the national vice president of programs for Young Democrats of America and was a Go Red for Women ambassador with the local chapter of the American Heart Association.  She appeared on 13abc’s “Conklin and Company” weekly as a political analyst and runs her own weekly political radio show “Juice Talk” Sundays at 10:30 a.m. on WJUC 107.3FM.
This is the short version of “Who is Schylar Meadows?” She is a young woman who believes in the community she grew up in, whose goal is to answer the concerns of the people, her people. This is the coming of age of the Hip-Hop generation which demands we grow, develop a voice and take charge. Toledo, we now have a voice.  She’s not new to this; she’s true to this. Ladies and gentlemen… Schylar Meadows!
Martini Rox: Who do you think you are?
Schylar Meadows: So who do I think I am? A law-abiding citizen from House District 48 who wants to make a difference. I have a deep rooted affection for our community and I really believe it’s time for us to have that next level of leadership. That’s who I think I am the next level of leadership who can appeal to the Hip-Hop generation. To (attend events) that the youth are involved(in), talk to people in the civic and business community and just in general have a level of concern for the quality of life in our district that has never been shown before. (I want) to include everyone else, to actually listen to what they have to say that’s who I think I am.  Schylar Meadows, candidate for state representative in House District 48.
MR: What Hip-Hop lyric/song best describes you?
SM: “The Message” (by Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five) is talking about “don’t push me ’cause I’m close to the edge.” If you listen to the lyrics of that song, it was developed in the ’80s and still rings true in the new millennium. While that is a tribute to Hip-Hop the genre and art form, it’s also a tribute to social consciousness and we should take heed to that.
MR: What are your plans if elected?
SM: There are many things I would like to do, one, is open a district office. That gives people a chance to come in, meet me and understand who I am as their elected official also for me to be able to listen to their concerns and take those concerns to Columbus. I’d also like to be instrumental in helping to get us up and running in this area in terms of “Green” jobs. The area employs at least 25 percent of people who  have been in jail. You have a way for ex offenders to feel like they are a part of society, come back and make an honest living.
MR: Now that we know your plans what do you need from us?
SM: What I need as a candidate for State Representative is to talk to you! Candidate hotline for Schylar Meadows is (419) 321-0023. You can catch me on Facebook, www.facebook.com/SchylarMeadowsforStateRepresentative.
Basically, we need people to tell everyone they know about me. Come and join us! Go door to door, we take donations and just make sure that on Election Day, Nov. 2 you go to the ballot box and pull that lever for Schylar Meadows — that’s what we need!
MR: Indeed.
As we continue on …