During the course of its investigation into the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, The Associated Press was given information from the then-office of Mineral Management Services that was not making a lot of sense.
As millions of gallons of crude spewed into the Gulf waters and the oversight by MMS officials on BP’s well was being called into question, an anonymous source in that office told reporters far different stories than what they had been initially told. This anonymous source set the record straight by coming forward and speaking out and suddenly the world knew that this was more than a mechanical failure; it was a full-system failure. The people hired to keep these events from occurring were ignoring their responsibilities.
At times, anonymous sources provide crucial information to the press. Stories of oil disasters may be the latest, but without citizens coming forward and sharing vital information, Americans would not know about steroids in sports, excessive military spending, or food and drug hazards. We would never have been told about Watergate.
A bill in the U.S. Senate will help assure such stories continue to reach the public. Senate bill 448, The Free Flow of Information Act, will protect the sources that journalists rely on from having their identities exposed in all but a few circumstances, including where national security concerns are raised. Five years in the making, the current version of this bill is supported by more than 50 journalism organizations, the White House, the Justice Department and most of your congressional delegation.
Most states have laws that can protect a source’s identity from overzealous prosecutors and judges, but there is no such protection yet at the federal level. Senate bill 448 would change that, extending the same protections offered through statute or common law in 49 states to the national government. Without it, stories focusing on the federal government will not be told because reporters are faced with threats of jail time and fines if they do not turn on their sources.
Subpoenas against the press numbered more than 3,000 nationwide in 2006 with 335 issued by federal prosecutors seeking the identities of news sources, according to a survey conducted by a Brigham Young University law professor. More than a few journalists have spent time in jail, and some have been forced out of the profession altogether by heavy fines that crippled them financially. These are all heavy-handed tactics to elicit the names of people who can then be identified and retaliated against. Media companies large and small faced with the enormous expenses of fighting such legal battles to protect sources are turning their backs on compelling stories.
The clock is ticking as Congress will recess in August. Tell your senator to have the bill moved to a full Senate vote as soon as possible and support its passage.
Without this bill, stories that affect lives, like the oil spill in the Gulf, will never get the detailed attention they need to bring about change. Without this bill, your government has a better chance of operating in darkness or lying its way out of trouble. Help bring this to an end by voicing support for Senate bill 448.
Only when there is a free flow of information from the government to its people can we truly appreciate the beauty and power of a democracy.

Kevin Z. Smith is the 2009-2010 national president of the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ). Reach him at ksmith@spj.org. For more on SPJ’s work to improve and protect journalism, see www.spj.org.

Ohioans have long felt the effects of the downturn in our state’s economy. With unemployment in the double digits for the 14th consecutive month, the vitality of our communities is being challenged and the well-being of our families compromised.
Even in the midst of all this fiscal strain, many lawmakers in Columbus still believe “taxing our way out” is the path to economic success.
A new $150 million hospital tax was added to the state operating budget for fiscal year 2010-2011 as a way to help balance a poorly organized budget championed by Gov. Ted Strickland and the House Majority Democrats. If you only listen to the “sound bite” and not the entire story, it might make sense. You tax the hospitals, take the revenue collected, send it to the federal government where it is matched 2.77-to-1, bring it back to Ohio, and fund Medicaid costs.
But here is the rest of the story that you might not have heard. Gov. Strickland is taxing the cost of uncompensated care. Yes, that’s right — your hospital is being taxed on care they are not getting paid for. That’s like saying to a family that does volunteer work, “Thank you for your help, but the work you did has a value of $1,000 and although you didn’t get paid, we’re going to tax you on it as if you received a paycheck.”
Gov. Strickland is also taxing Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements, which barely cover the cost of supplies in many cases. Additionally, he is taxing private citizens, those without coverage, employers and employees with health insurance plans.
So when your health insurance plan increases in cost, thank Gov. Strickland for the new tax.
It is irresponsible public policy to burden one of the top employers in the state while in the same breath touting a focus on job creation. The tax-and-spenders have created a backward incentive system, penalizing the hospitals for top performance in the economy. They especially penalize urban hospitals that provide a large amount of uncompensated care to our community’s uninsured residents.
Ohio cannot afford to punish an economic sector that is so crucial to the well-being of our families and communities. This is why I have put my full support behind House Bill 497, legislation aiming to minimize this hospital franchise fee. This bill, co-sponsored by Representatives Terry Boose (R-Norwalk) and Troy Balderson (R-Zanesville), would subtract the cost of uncompensated care, as well as the costs of Medicare and Medicaid, from the tax base.
Additionally, it would reduce the tax base from 1.61 to 1.5 percent.
I also continue to urge consideration of House Bill 240, which I introduced more than a year ago to address waste, fraud and abuse within Ohio’s Medicaid system — saving the taxpayers millions of dollars each year. This legislation would reduce the government bloat and eliminate the temptation to nickel-and-dime our constituents when they are least able to afford it.
If we make an effort to financially revitalize Ohio’s health care sector, we can also revitalize our state’s economy. However, we cannot succeed with the overtaxed hospital system that is slowly smothering much-needed jobs.
Ohio has had a bad turn in the economy, but with fiscal discipline and common sense, my colleagues and I in the House Republican Caucus are making strides to restore Ohio’s bright economic future.

Rep. Barbara Sears may be reached by calling (614) 466-1731 or by writing to: Rep. Barbara Sears, 77 S. High Street, 10th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215.  You may also e-mail her at  district46@ohr.state.oh.us.

The City of Toledo is in no danger of facing repayment of any portion of the $3 million it was awarded through the Clean Ohio Fund used to remediate the site a future casino, according to a staff member of the Ohio EPA.

Legislation to accept more than $1 million from Penn National Gaming to reimburse Toledo for infrastructure costs was put on hold for two weeks after a July 20 City Council vote. Concerns regarding the Covenant Not to Sue (CNS) Toledo entered into with the Ohio EPA, a possible demand for repayment of the grant, and possible liability issues for Toledo were raised at the July 20 meeting by Councilman D. Michael Collins.

Vlad Cica, of the Ohio EPA Division of Emergency and Remedial Response, on July 21 confirmed to Toledo Free Press a Jan 4, 2010 e-mail in which Cica stated to Darla Peelle, public involvement coordinator for the Ohio EPA: “Based on my review of the information, Ohio EPA did not err in issuing the CNS, and no further action is needed by our Agency.”

Cica told Toledo Free Press, “The CNS was issued for a specific end use, Toledo did not violate the grant. When we issue a CNS it does not mean the property is clean; there may be stuff remaining but as long as they manage it properly, it’s fine. It’s designed specifically for an end use. They are going to run into contaminated soil and they will have to work with the EPA.”

While the CNS transfers from property owner to property owner, since the specific end use of the project has changed, Cica said Penn National Gaming may have to seek an amendment to the CNS. When asked if this could create any delays for the project, Cica said, “Not necessarily. It’s fairly routine. They (EPA) do a variety of different end uses, which can vary using engineering controls or other controls.”

Louie Bauer, former Mayor of Rossford, had raised concerns in communications with Mayor Mike Bell’s administration, according to documents obtained by Toledo Free Press. A July 20 e-mail to members of Toledo City Council included a copy of a July 16 e-mail written to Bell, where Bauer wrote in part, “I believe that the Clean Ohio grant was ‘closed out’ by the O.D.O.D (Ohio Department of Development) as the result of the misrepresentation by the city. If it is determined that the city of Toledo has not fully complied with the terms of the grant agreement, Toledo should rightfully be required to return the $3 million grant.”

Cica told Toledo Free Press that is not accurate.

Ohio Gubernatorial candidate John Kasich told supporters outside the Lucas County Republican Party headquarters on July 21 that the state needs to work as a team to create jobs.

Kasich said creating jobs crosses party lines and that the entire state needs to work together to create business.

“We have to get the rest of the state to say that’s Toledo’s deal that’s the northwest part of Ohio’s deal and we’re going to support them. Then we’re going support the other parts of the state,” he said. “If you don’t hang together you’re going hang separately. And if you hang together you can rebuild it.”

Kasich said his focus is creating an environment that retains and attracts businesses to Ohio. Taxes should be lowered, better regulations should be put in place so government doesn’t get in the way of small business and universities need to work with businesses to share innovation and ideas, Kasich said.

“We have to stop thinking about Ohio as us verses them and we got to think about Ohio as how together we can get this economy straighten out. This is not a partisan issue. Creating a job doesn’t belong to one particular party,” he said.

The July 21 Toledo Free Press Star is available as an e-edition.

The city of Cleveland was still reeling from the defection of LeBron James when one of its other sons shuffled off his mortal coil. Harvey Pekar, who shot to fame as the creator of the iconic blue-collar comic book series “American Splendor,” was found dead in his Cleveland Heights home on July 12, at the age of 70.
I was fortunate enough to talk to Pekar on a number of occasions during the past few years, most frequently running into him at Mac’s Backs-Books on Coventry Road. He always had time for talk about writing and our shared passion, record collecting. While our personal tastes did not always match up, there was usually a very pleasant middle ground.
Perhaps my favorite memory was when he asked me to come up with a poem on the spot, pulling words out of the air like magic. For the life of me I can’t remember what I said, but whatever it was, I got a quick smile in return and then we were both on our way. I have rarely been so proud. Now thinking about Pekar being gone, words truly fail me, something that could rarely, if ever, be said about him. My heart aches a little just thinking about it.

Harvey Pekar

Born in Cleveland in 1939, Pekar would graduate from Shaker Heights High School in 1957. He also briefly attended Case Western Reserve University before serving in the United States Navy. He self-published the first issue of his autobiographical comic while working as a file clerk at the Cleveland Veterans Administration Hospital in 1976, with the help of his longtime friend, famed artist and illustrator R. Crumb. He also worked with a number of other noted artists, such as Gary Dumm and Frank Stack. Later “Splendor” publishers included Dark Horse and DC Comics. Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman adapted the series into a feature film starring Paul Giamatti as Pekar in 2003. The last issue of the comic appeared in 2008. Pekar was also noted for his many published record reviews, as well as his frequent appearances on David Letterman’s shows.
“Harvey was one of the most compassionate and empathetic human beings I’ve ever met,’’ Giamatti said in a statement to the Associated Press. “He had a huge brain and an even bigger soul. And he was hilarious. He was a great artist, a true American poet, and there is no one to replace him.’’
I spoke with Cleveland locals to get their thoughts on Pekar, the writer and the man.
“Harvey and I were friends for many years. I would assign him pieces when I was editing the Free Times. He knew about jazz, about all music, he chronicled a certain set of people and a time period that was so rich for Cleveland,” said Cindy Barber, owner of the Beachland Ballroom. “He spoke for the working-class stiff. He barely eked out a living himself at times, but he was always helping other writers and artists, making connections so that they make a living as well. The last time I saw him was on July 3, at my club; he came in with his wife Joyce to hear one of his favorite bands. He had been sick and was just dealing with a lot, it was a tough road for Harvey. I can remember back in the ’90s after he and David Letterman made up, I asked him to wear a Free Times T-shirt on the show and he said to pay him. He went on the show wearing it backwards, and then came into my office saying, ‘Where’s my dough?’ I gave him $25. He was always such a character.”
Cleveland author Carmen Tracey also shared some thoughts.
“The first time I met Harvey was very brief. He signed my copy of one of his ‘American Splendor’ collections. I told him how much he had inspired me as a writer, especially his dedication to telling the stories of average people in Cleveland. He was humble to the point of being self-deprecating. That was one of the things I appreciated most about him — that he was so painfully shy, but that he overcame his social awkwardness in order to interact with the community at large,” Tracey said. “He was so invested in people. He was not only a chronicler of mundane events, he was unafraid to tackle larger topics. A frighteningly intelligent, widely-read person with a scholarly interest in everything from jazz to the history of the Balkan region, explored in depth in his excellent book ‘Macedonia,’ he was able to make even complex topics like world history seem sparse, coherent, and exceptionally readable, and it should also be mentioned that he had a deep commitment to social justice and peace. Of the probably hundred people I have spoken with about the life and death of Harvey Pekar, I have not encountered one detractor. We can take solace in the knowledge that, however great a loss we may be feeling, it pales in comparison to what we gained from having Harvey Pekar on this earth in the first place.”
Pekar won a number of prizes for his work including the National Book Award and the Harvey Award.  He is survived by his wife Joyce Brabner and daughter Danielle. He and Brabner collaborated on “Our Cancer Year,” which chronicled his battle with lymphoma. While he was suffering from a number of illnesses such as prostate cancer, asthma, high blood pressure and depression, no immediate cause of death has been determined and, according to officials, an autopsy is being planned.

Some films benefit from repeat viewings. “Inception” demands them. This is one of the most straightforwardly complicated films you will ever see — a movie that revels in telling a fairly simple story with remarkable intricacy, involving layer after layer of detail in level after level of narrative. Whatever you do, do not walk in late. You’ll never be able to follow it. Heck, you might not be able to follow it even if you see the whole thing.
It also cemented director Christopher Nolan’s legacy as one of the most remarkable talents of this generation. Since his triumphant burst onto the scene with 2000’s “Memento,” Nolan has continuously turned out some of the most exciting and challenging works of any mainstream director.
Many of Nolan’s best films deal in a very nonlinear form of storytelling, constructed in a unique way for dramatic effect. “Memento” was told in reverse, giving us the end of the tale first, so we could understand the real climax was at the beginning. “The Prestige” jumped back and forth in its tale about feuding magicians, illustrating in narrative form the secretive nature of the world it depicted.
And with “Inception,” he has woven a tale that seems like a combination of both of those films, one that deals in varying levels of the subconscious, each with its own sense of time, all happening simultaneously. This isn’t just about people operating in a dream world, it’s about dreams within dreams, and even dreams beyond that. Compared to this, “The Matrix” is child’s play.
This paragraph will be my only attempt to deal with the film’s plot — any more and it would be unfair to the experience of seeing it unfold, and besides, I’m not sure how much I’m going to get right anyway. The movie stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Cobb, a specialist in “extraction,” a sort of mindcrime where a victim’s dreams are infiltrated to steal their prized secrets. A businessman played by Ken Watanabe approaches Cobb with a request to perform inception — the implanting of an idea into a subject’s mind. Everyone says it’s impossible, but, for reasons best left unsaid, Cobb is convinced to try.
The film takes the form of a heist caper, but one of the most involved you’ve ever seen. The movie’s first third or so takes a great deal of time establishing the rules and concepts behind mindcrime, and a protégé (played by the wonderful Ellen Page) is introduced as a focus for all the explanations. If there is a criticism to be leveled at the film, it is that much of its early dialogue feels more like exposition than actual conversation, but admittedly, without that the audience would be totally adrift.
Often one hears visuals described as “breathtaking,” but honestly, you’ve never seen anything like what “Inception” presents. The dream worlds the characters inhabit are easily influenced by suggestion and outside forces — when a dreamer is rocked in the real world, the dream world they’re in reflects the change.
This leads to remarkable scenes where gravity is constantly shifting, weather patterns change on a whim, and entire structures crumble without warning.
These are some of the most remarkable effects I’ve seen in years.
The cast must also be praised. This is one of Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performances. He continues his remarkable run as an actor who always seems to participate in fascinating material — though considering both Scorsese and Nolan want to work with him, that’s a natural by-product. His support staff not only includes Page but the excellent Joseph Gordon-Levitt (recovering nicely from “G.I. Joe”) and Nolan regular Michael Caine in a small but pivotal role.
Their victim is played by the awesome Cillian Murphy (“28 Days Later” and “Batman Begins”). And Oscar winner Marion Cotillard’s natural luminance helps contribute to her effectiveness as … but no, I’m not giving that away, either.
“Inception” is like nothing you have ever seen or will ever see again. In a summer where so little has been great, and even less has been challenging, here stands Nolan delivering a remarkable story that insists its audience keep up with it. It may be difficult to follow at times but like a complicated puzzle, the rewards of finding its solution are great, indeed, and it still leaves us with questions to debate for years to come.
This is a film that every moviegoer needs to experience.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

For local artist Craig Firsdon, Brooklyn’s Daily Grind is more than just a place where he can pass the time while thinking about his next project; it is a home away from home. Firsdon’s work will soon feel at home too, after his debut art exhibition opens at the café on July 24.
Firsdon, who graduated from Springfield High School in 1998, is a man of many talents. A prolific poet and songwriter, he started drawing and sketching a few years ago.
“I was in the hospital like 10 times over a short period, with each visit lasting like a week, and I would get bored, and that’s when I started sketching, which led to painting,” Firsdon said. “I’ve actually been in and out of the hospital since I was 4. That’s when I contracted juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The main reason I write and paint now is to deal with the constant pain and stress from it and everything else. The brush and pen has been a life saver to me.”
In addition to his education at Springfield, Firsdon briefly attended UT, majoring in psychology. He is attending Baker College, where he is working toward an associate degree in computer science with an emphasis on Web design.
“I’ve been planning this show for a few months now. The whole thing got started because I arrived at Brooklyn’s Daily Grind early one night for a poetry reading, and the owner Larry noticed me sketching and asked what I was working on. The whole exhibit is something like 15 to 20 pieces. I am completely self taught as an artist, in all my years in college, I’ve never taken a fine art class,” Firsdon said.
While the complete exhibit will be up for one night only, many of the pieces will continue to be rotated on the café’s walls. The opening is free and open to the public. Reception hours are 8 to 10 p.m. Refreshments will be available. Artwork will be available for purchase.
Brooklyn’s Daily Grind is located at 7723 Airport Hwy. In addition to Firsdon’s exhibition, the café  hosts regular musical events, poetry readings and a host of other activities. For a full calendar of upcoming events, visit www.brooklynscafe.com.
For more information, call (419) 724-1433.

Art Walk, the popular Downtown event sponsored by the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo is set to return from 6 to 9 p.m. July 22.
“Each month, hundreds of people make it a point to come out and experience the event, walking the city, exploring new venues and businesses, getting to know the local artist population and their work,” said Ryan A. Bunch, assistant programs coordinator for ACGT. “It shows that there is a growing interest in art, and that art can be a positive vehicle of change, and a key part of Downtown’s revitalization efforts. The Art Walk is made possible by the businesses that take part and that are willing to work together, and work with ACGT to contribute to that positive change. I think that’s reflective of a uniquely Toledo trait of pulling together to move forward.”
Art Walk was created as part of ACGT’s Live Work Create Toledo program. In addition to the date in July, future events are planned for Aug. 26 and Sept. 23. Event highlights include jugglers, poetry readings, live music, film presentations, visual art and dancing in the streets. Art Walk is free and open to the public.
“We have an amazing pool of talent in Toledo, and finally there is a vehicle to showcase more than 100 artists each month to art patrons and those curious about local creativity. Simply put, this is a concise way to get a feel for what’s happening here, and what kind of work is being made here,” Bunch said. “This is Toledo’s first consistent ‘gallery hop,’ at least that I know of. I think it brings a lot of exposure and opportunity to local artists. We encourage artists to network with the galleries, and vice versa. Through the city, there are also opportunities for vendors’ licenses which allow artists to sell their work on the sidewalks.”
For more information, visit the website www.acgt.org.

Reed Russell

In the beginning there was Reed Russell … as far as Toledo’s Hip-Hop producers are concerned, this is true.
Russell is a founding member of the Legendary United Soul Brothers (The U.S.B.’s) a collective of talented men who started in the early 1980s with DJs, producers, MCs and dancers. Toledo’s Hip-Hop is the house they built with more than 50 members musically serving the community today. I would be remiss if I did not interview the producer who helped inspire it all, Reed Russell aka Reedius Maximus.
Remember Joint Mob? Roc Click? Mr. International? Lost N Turned Out? How about Dasit before his appearance as a Toledo MC on “The White Rapper Show?” If that’s before your time; do the “Hollow Boyz” ring a bell? He was the first producer to have a spoken word artist in regular radio rotation in Toledo. The artists that his production, mixing and mastering have influenced reads like a history book. If you wanted to produce, engineer or you just bought your first Mac and needed help, he was and still is the man to know. Some call him the “Dr. Dre of Toledo.” I have the pleasure of calling him friend.
Toledo was close to never knowing Russell’s talent in the form of Hip-Hop. At 16 he was an accomplished bass guitarist with a promising future in jazz. As fate would have it, a freak accident in woodshop resulted in the loss of the tip of a finger, making it impossible for him to play his bass properly. After two years of “artistic depression,” he heard the music of one of the most innovative Hip-Hop acts of all time, Mantronix. Interested in production, he purchased his first beat machine and the rest is history.
I asked him what he uses to create his sound.
“I used mainly the Sequential Studio 440 for all drum samples and preproduction sequencing before transferring it all to the computer. I still use it to this day, even after over 20 years!” he said. “My drums and samples sound ‘dirty’ due to the 12-bit sample rate and it gives them that grimy sound, sort of like the legendary EMU SP1200 that Pete Rock uses.
“As for keyboard sounds, I’ve used Roland JV-880’s JD-990s and vintage EMU pieces like the Morpheus. I like ‘strange-sounding’ boards like the Korg Wavestation EX that I still use, even though it’s 20 years old! The Yamaha Motif Rack XS is my main piece that I write with now, along with the Triton Rack.”
Russell is known to be secretive about his projects but he is armed and ready to let us hear his works, which have received major success through the power of the Internet. His music is featured on Neo–Soul and Hip-Hop stations geared toward the period in Hip-Hop that celebrated the sampling of blues and jazz. Russell’s album is tentatively called the “Chronicles of Reedius.” He is offering the album as a full body of work, not  pieced out in the form of singles. His music is a mix of smooth Neo-Soul with a Hip-Hop edge featuring handpicked singers and MCs from Toledo and surrounding areas.
What lessons would he share with the new generation looking to make a musical impact?
“My advice for up-and-coming producers, especially independent musicians, is to stay true to what you like, not what the industry is into,” he said. “I feel it’s more important to be true than to sell out to make a buck. The temptation will be great to make ‘industry music’ because it’ll pay more right now, but if you hold your ground and do a greater body of work over time, you’ll be much more respected and fulfilled.
“Given time, I feel great music will resurface, and the so-called ‘underground’ producer that has been making quality music will be thrust into the limelight again. People will feel like you’re some kind of genius, when in reality, you’ve been doing what you’ve been doing all along!”
As we continue on …