Five years ago, Ohio’s agency for injured workers was at the center of an investment scandal that cost the Republican party control of all but one state office.

Now with the GOP set to take over again, Ohio’s incoming governor has asked a veteran state lawmaker who once worked in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation long before the scandal to reform the agency.

Gov.-elect John Kasich selected state Sen. Steve Buehrer on Nov. 23 to become administrator of the state’s insurance fund for injured workers.

Buehrer, a Republican, has overseen bureau operations from the inside and outside. The Delta resident currently represents Ohio Senate District 1, which includes Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams and parts of Auglaize County.

Before becoming a state lawmaker, he was head of human resources for three years until 1998. He most recently chaired a panel of lawmakers that oversaw the health of the fund.

The panel, called the Ohio Workers’ Compensation Council, was created in 2007 after a former Republican fundraiser was convicted of stealing from an Ohio investment he managed on behalf of the bureau.

A three-year investigation into the scandal netted nearly 20 convictions, including former GOP fundraiser Tom Noe. Democrats charged that Noe’s political connections helped him land a deal with the state to manage a $50 million investment in rare coins, Beanie Babies and other collectibles.

Several prominent Republicans got caught up in the scandal, which cost the injured workers’ fund $300 million. Buehrer was not among them. He did receive nearly $8,000 in campaign contributions from Noe that he later gave back.

Buehrer said Tuesday that politics has no place in the agency.

“We’re not going to run that as a political agency,” he said. “It’s too important as a job creation tool.”

Kasich wants to streamline the agency and cut down on the costs that he said burdens employers who pay into the insurance fund.

The current system is inefficient and inhibits businesses from hiring more workers because of the costs, Kasich said. He said employers tell him they pay too much in premiums and are never certain what costs will be from year to year.

“It’s a roller coaster ride,” he said. “One year it’s high, the next minute it’s low.”

Kasich said it’s too early to say exactly what will change.

“We will look at modernizing every feature of this program,” he said. “Often times, politics has stopped any kind of improvement we would like to see there.”

The trees are up, the carols are playing, the halls have been decked. You know what that means? Of course you do. It’s time to drive yourself mad trying to find everyone on your list the perfect gift.
Yes, holiday shoppers the world over prepare to subject themselves to another Black Friday, knowing every store they enter will be an utter madhouse. The canny shoppers know they cannot enter this battleground without a plan.
So, for those of you browsing in the video section of your favorite stores this weekend, here are a few ideas for movie-based gifts — a little something for everyone.
Family friendly
The obvious selection in this case is the best — Pixar’s “Toy Story 3,” one of the year’s best and most beloved films. But let’s be honest — little Timmy’s parents already bought it for him, didn’t they? Arrgh! Don’t panic. If Timmy’s got his heart set on more Pixar, the recently released DVD “Mater’s Tall Tales” features a number of entertaining shorts starring characters from “Cars,” and will properly get the little guy excited for “Cars 2” next summer.
Or, if you’re willing to go a little outside the box, DVD sets of the charming BBC animated Disney series “Shaun the Sheep” are available, from the makers of the classic “Wallace and Gromit” cartoons.
Adults only
So, little Timmy’s covered. But what about his older brother Tommy, who now wants to be called “T-Bone” and is away at college? He wants action and he wants it now — the bloodier the better. For the hardcore junkie, it’s hard to improve upon “The Expendables,” Sylvester Stallone’s nonstop adventure ride from this past summer. It doesn’t have a brain in its head, but it’s a blast while it’s happening.
For those looking for more, the entertaining Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez exploitation tribute “Grindhouse” has finally been released in one package — and better still, it comes with all the original film’s outrageous trailers (like “Werewolf Women of the SS”) intact.
Sci-fi fans
Know someone who can recite the entire Prime Directive from “Star Trek” while expertly wielding a lightsaber? Hard to go wrong with the special, extended edition of “Avatar” just released on DVD and Blu-ray, with all the special features that the barren original release of the film lacked. For those with an eye on sci-fi’s past, consider the new editions of the classic “Back to the Future” trilogy, all polished up and remastered for its 25th anniversary. Hey, we’re only five years away from 2015! Those hoverboards should be showing up any day now, right?
Classic film buffs
Speaking of an eye to the past, what about Grandpa, who thinks no movie made since 1968 has been any good? Treat him to a restored classic, such as Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis,” with an amazing 30 minutes of recently discovered footage put back in.
Or Hitchcock’s milestone of horror “Psycho,” which in its latest video release has been restored to its correct widescreen aspect ratio.
Seen nothing
Say your mom doesn’t get out to the movies much, and hasn’t seen anything that’s come out yet this year. Sure, you’d love to show her “The Social Network,” but that doesn’t even have a DVD release date yet.
So reach back a bit to some of 2010’s best films that already are on home video — like Christopher Nolan’s dreamscape extravaganza “Inception,” which will be released on DVD Dec. 7. Or back a little further to another, less-heralded Leonardo DiCaprio film from earlier this year, Martin Scorsese’s excellent “Shutter Island.”
Seen everything
What about your pal Rick, who all but lives at the movie theater and in front of the television? He’s watched practically everything, so what can you possibly get him that’s new and unique? How about something that never aired through conventional channels?
Something like Joss Whedon’s wonderful online musical “Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog,” which is available dirt-cheap in stores everywhere.
Or, exhausting all other options, you could give a world of moviegoing possibilities with a gift membership to Netflix — with its amazing instant-streaming catalogue, even the most hardened film buff will grin like a Cheshire cat when they see all the options.

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

Southern Comfort. Gin. I shot two of my favorites at the start of the evening, before arriving to the big event. The anxiety was just too much, and since the time between its onset and the time I had planned to leave was relatively short, I concluded that alcohol would be the most efficient and immediate remedy to relieve the anxiety and temporarily clear open the heart chakra. It did a pretty satisfactory job that night, but of course didn’t take care of any long-term solutions. Obviously if I used that remedy each time I felt anxious, I could become what is known as an alcoholic. A short-term fix, falsely perceived as a long-term antidote. Continuous use of this quick fix is what we call an addiction.
Addiction to alcohol or another drug is no different than Western society’s addiction to consumption. Jean Liedloff’s Continuum Concept suggests that humans spend a lifetime searching for each own’s “sense of rightness,” something lost at or very shortly after birth when our evolved animal instincts are manipulated by intruding forces. One of the avenues traveled seeking this achievement of the “sense of rightness” is that of purchasing goods.
For example, once I have this particular item, I will feel satisfied. Or, if only I could have this type of thing, I’d feel content. Then the item, product, object is obtained, instant gratification and satisfaction are felt, and a week later a new item is desired to re-fill the hole. Just like with alcohol, the high is achieved, problems are “solved” and then you wake up the next day and there you are.
Walmart (dun, dun, dun …) thrives on our addiction to consumerism (as they slowly, slowly devastate communities). It may be that Walmart promises you will save even more money and thus live even mo’ betta on this new national holiday, Black Friday (or Buy Nothing Day). “Money, so they say, is the root of all evil today.” (Pink Floyd) Money makes people do silly, silly things. What if you didn’t buy foreign toxins disguised as children’s toys to begin with? Then you’d really be saving.
I remember some of the toys I received as a child … a ventriloquist doll that made me cry (returned), a unicycle with training poles (rode it five times), trolls, clothes that I wore, grew out of, and only remember from photographs. My favorite memories of the holiday season, though, didn’t come wrapped in a box. They are of the smell of my mom’s hot chocolate after playing in the snow with my brother and sister. Of singing songs while making cut-out cookies with frosting. The feeling of a full house packed with aunts, uncles, cousins, Grandma and her quickly disappearing “monkey bread.” Time spent in the company of family and friends is more valuable than anything under Walmart’s fluorescent lights.
Now is the part where I’m supposed to suggest an answer to where to find the sense of rightness presumed to be lost in modern day humans. Songwriter AJ Szozda wrote, “you ain’t gonna find your wife in that gin” and I say “you ain’t gonna find your rightness in Walmart.”
A good place to start, and most of us do this already, is finding great pleasures during the holidays spending time with friends and family, creating lasting memories and traditions. Seek rightness in relationships within the community.  Share your time, creativity and energy as gifts instead of something generic and impersonal. Especially now, during the “down economy” people are finding new, thoughtful ways to share gifts on a tight budget.
Just like Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity recently in Washington, D.C., I am hoping to restore some sanity this holiday season. (I’ll work on real solutions to my anxiety.) I think someone died last year in a Walmart after being trampled by bargain hunters bursting through the doors … let’s have none of that. If you’re out driving on Friday, slow down, have patience. Be kind to your fellow shoppers and the employees you encounter. Hug your children. Take them to volunteer at a soup kitchen this winter, maybe they’ll rethink the importance of an Xbox. Wish the native honey bees good luck surviving the change from this Indian Summer to Winter.
They are also more important than anything inside the massive cement walls of, well, you know.

In August, five friends came together to use their passion for roller-skating as a catalyst to give back to the community. The product: Toledo Ohio Originals (TOO), a new roller-skating group aiming to have fun while helping others.
Members can be found gliding and grooving the night away every Wednesday at Ohio Skate, 5735 Opportunity Drive in Toledo.
While the group now has ten members, it’s about more than just bringing skaters together to enjoy a hobby, said Shamika Coleman, TOO corresponding secretary.

Toledo Ohio Originals

“We don’t just want to be a skate group,” Coleman said. “We want to be able to give back to our community.”
In its mission to give back, TOO is sponsoring a canned food drive at Ohio Skate during every “Quiet Storm” in November. “Quiet Storm” is an 18-and-older skate night hosted every Wednesday at Ohio Skate from 9 p.m. to midnight. Those who donate a canned food item will receive $1 off the $6 admission price. All proceeds will be donated to local charities at the end of the month.
Coleman said TOO was built on a foundation of the four F’s in its mission statement: fitness, fellowship, fundamentals and fun.
“We really want people to be able to come together and enjoy skating like we do,” she said. “We really want basically to show people that we’re serious about our four F’s.”
Coleman, 31, said she’s been roller-skating since she was 18 and has been a regular at Ohio Skate for years.
“I love meeting new people,” she said. “I love learning new tricks … the exercise in it, the sweat. I guess I get an excitement and adrenaline rush from learning new stuff and getting it down pat.”
Delano Smith, TOO president, said TOO is not a competitive group and does not participate in competitions; members just love skating and learning new maneuvers together.
“[Competition] is nowhere near part of our mission statement,” Smith said. “We may have steps, routines, but it’s purely social for fun … It sounds corny to a person on the outside, [but] skating makes perfect sense.”
While it was easy to meet its goals for fun and fellowship, Smith said, board members are still discussing how it will be able to teach fundamentals to beginner skaters. Ideally, he said, TOO would like to have a rink for practicing and holding skating classes.
“Everybody in our skate club is not the best skater and that’s what’s good about it,” Smith said. “That’s what makes it original; that’s what makes it natural because we can all learn together.”
Ohio Skate has been such a mainstay in the group members’ skating background, Smith said, that the TOO debut was celebrated there. The celebration included a roller skate-shaped cake and the recruitment of five new members into the group. TOO meets weekly, Smith said, but cannot accept any new members until next year because board members are still working out details for the group. It plans to capture a younger demographic next year when its recruitment process gets into full swing.
“It just starts at skating,” Smith said. “We’re going to branch out.”
For more information on Ohio Skate, call (419) 476-2808.

“Black Friday Review: We’ve Got Nothing to Lose” offers Toledoans the chance to experience a night of original songwriting.
“There’s just been an insurgence of original music in Toledo. We thought during the holidays would be a good time to showcase that,” said Sarah Cohen, co-coordinator of the event and member of the band Antivillains.
Black Friday Review will feature three different sets, including a set of songwriters in the round, Cohen said. The material will all be original works from local artists, she said.

Jason Quick and Ben Langlois

“During songwriter in-the-round, the three people are on the stage together. One person does a song and people can play along if they know it or they wait till their next turn,” Cohen said. “This way the audience gets three types of songwriting all in a row.”
The event was inspired by “Original Bag,” put on by singer-songwriter and guitarist Jason Quick, Cohen said.  Original Bag is an event at Mutz that has allowed musicians to showcase their own material, Quick said.
“When you get a chance to perform at a bar in Downtown Toledo, you need to do primarily covers or all covers. There isn’t a lot of ready chances to play your own music out there,” said Quick, a co-coordinator of Black Friday Review.
Black Friday Review will hopefully be one of many events for musicians to showcase their original material, Cohen said.
In addition to receiving inspiration from Original Bag, inspiration for the show has also been gathered from the Nashville music scene.
“Places like Nashville are a big songwriters’ town. People when they get up on stage, it’s almost expected that they’re going to perform original material. There’s a lot of songwriters in Toledo as well,” Quick said. “They deserve the opportunity to perform and maybe make a little money at it.”
Local music has its benefits because it’s written by people here and about events in the area, Quick said.
“I think [the original music] will hit them more directly than a lot of other music will because large scale mass consumption music and entertainment is made for mass appeal. This is more of a specialized localized type thing,” Quick said.
Black Friday Review will feature performances by Estar Cohen & The Power of the Plume, a songwriters round from Cohen, Dan Greunke (Fairly Handsome Band) and Lucas Madrazo and a set by Quick (Quickness) and Ben Langlois (Old West End Records).
The performances start at 9 p.m. Nov. 26 at Manhattan’s Restaurant, 1516 Adams St. Cover is $3.
“It’s a comfortable atmosphere; it’s not like a rock club. It’s definitely a dinner show of sorts,” Cohen said. “Even if you don’t drink you can totally get something to eat, listen to music and bring your family out.”

If you’re a fan of hard-ass rock and you don’t know who Calveris is, you’re about to learn a very heavy lesson. With its slogan “Red Meat, Cold Beer and Heavy Metal,” Calveris backs up the talk with bone-crushing guitar riffs, knee-to-the-face bass and drums and vocals that satisfy the most hardcore rock fans.
Since releasing its debut album “From Sorrow to Strength,” Calveris has focused on regional touring and brutalizing the local music scene.

Members of Calveris

“Our favorite place to play is Howard’s in Bowling Green,” said bassist Justin Bailey. “The vibe you get from the crowd is great and the sound is amazing. Plus, the beer is cheap.”
Bailey, guitarist Josh Haas, drummer Matt Austin and disturbingly brilliant vocalist Ryan (Rin) Mullins have big plans for the future of Calveris.
“We’re old enough to not know when to quit.” Mullins laughed.
The quartet is working on new material while obliterating local shows. When discussing future plans for the band, bassist Bailey said. “We like to start small. I plan on buying a new set of strings for my guitar next week.”
All joking aside, Calveris is cranking out music that rock fans will devour.
On Nov. 27, Calveris is set to tear down the walls of its favorite venue, Howard’s Club H.
“Our fans are the jeans-wearing, hard working people that like to have a few beers after work,” Austin said. “We attract the old-school metal fans. There’s no glitz, no glam and no math.”
On Dec. 3, Calveris is set to open for Soulfly at Harpo’s in Detroit. While opening for a major act like Soulfly would have many local bands nervous and trembling, Calveris takes the pressure in stride.
“If you come to one of our shows you’ll laugh, cry and probably throw up,” Austin laughed. “Either way we’re looking forward to putting asses in seats and ripping faces off.”

A “Bucket List,” popularized by the 2007 Jack Nicholson/Morgan Freeman film of the same name, is a list of life experiences you hope to accomplish before you, you know, kick the bucket.
Thousands of websites compile lists for local communities, states and entire countries.
What should be on the Toledo Bucket List? Toledo Free Press interviewed dozens of local residents and sought Twitter and Facebook feedback to compile the following list. There will no doubt be some places left off that will cause us to smack our foreheads, so help us finish the list with your suggestions, e-mailed to news@toledofreepress.com or posted on our Facebook wall at www.facebook.com/toledofreepress.
The Hall of Fame
Nearly every person we spoke to agreed on four experiences: The Toledo Zoo, a Mud Hens game at Fifth Third Field, the Toledo Museum of Art and Tony Packo’s. These are all things that say “Toledo,” but there’s more to the Glass City than the big four. So we began by placing those local superstars in the Bucket List Hall of Fame, saluting with great respect, and taking a look at less well-known nominees.
After polling City Council members, artists, writers and Toledo enthusiasts, 11 experiences emerged as the most consistently endorsed out of all those submitted. Compiled into a random-order “Bucket List,” the following places, events and foods lend a perspective on a city that embraces a thriving, creative  … thriftiness.
Wildwood Preserve
Seven trails spanning approximately 500 wooded acres in the midst of Toledo make Wildwood Preserve Metropark an overwhelmingly popular destination for walkers and runners. Cathy Miller, interim president of Destination Toledo Inc., suggests taking the green trail.

Wildwood

“Less foot traffic than other trails and you may spot a deer in the middle of the day,” Miller said.
The Manor House at Wildwood also attracts many visitors, like Sauder Village director of sales and marketing Jeanette Smith, who said she likes seeing it decorated for the winter holiday celebrations. Fifteen-thousand people are expected to attend the Holidays in the Manor House event during the first week in December, according to Scott Carpenter, media relations manager for the Metroparks.
“It is definitely the busiest of the 10 metroparks,” Carpenter said of Wildwood. “In face-to-face surveys in the park, we have learned that people like Wildwood because it is clean and safe.”
But there’s another reason Wildwood is special: “The park exists today because of the determination of the community to preserve the property as public land. Lucas County residents approved a special property tax levy in the 1970s to purchase the property, which was destined to be sold for a private residential development. It is ‘the people’s park,’ and I think that is part of its popularity today,” Carpenter said.
Wildwood is located at 5100 W. Central Ave. and is open daily from
7 a.m. until dark.
Old West End Festival
Toledo’s Old West End has the largest collection of Victorian, Edwardian and Queen Anne homes in the nation, according to Dan Schmitt, Old West End Association president. The eclectic mix of architecture, families, religions and socio-economic groups makes the neighborhood the “little bohemia of Ohio,” Schmitt said. Bordered by the Toledo Museum of Art, Collingwood Boulevard, Central Avenue and Glenwood Avenue, the Old West End hosts events throughout the year.
The Old West End Festival takes place in June and attracts 12,000 to 15,000 people, Schmitt said. Encompassing all 850 homes in the 25 city blocks of the Old West End, the festival has everything from food to art vendors, a 5K run and tents for children, entertainment and beer.
“It’s the core. The founding fathers of our city raised their families in the Old West End,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt recommended festival-goers visit the house tours, the art fair under the canopy at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion, see the King Wamba parade and check out the numerous food vendors.
“It’s one of the few events that’s family-friendly and you don’t have to spend anything,” Schmitt said. “The parade is on the level of the Greenwich Village Halloween parade: Art cars, fire-eaters and the Glass City Rollers.”
Rachel Richardson, local activist, musician and Toledo Free Press columnist, recommended camping out in the Old West End during the weekend of the festival. City Councilman Steve Steel said that he has resided in the Old West End for 22 years, and definitely recommends the festival.
“Arts, architecture, music and food, all in the most eclectic neighborhood in town,” Steel said.
Sponsored by the Women of the Old West End, the 2010 Tours de Noel offers a glimpse into five to six of the historic homes decorated for the holidays. Both Miller of Destination Toledo Inc. and Amy Adler of the Frogtown Froggy Museum agreed on the beauty of the homes in this annual event. This year, the tours begin Dec. 5 and include the Ferris Copeland-Shull home, the Mallow Lange home, the Rorick Phipps home and the Geleerd Clymer-Wishart Home, all on Scottwood Avenue. Also in the tour are the Mansion View Inn on Collingwood Boulevard and a gift boutique at the Park Lane Luxury Apartments on 23rd Street.
Main Public Library
With Vitrolite murals circling the lobby’s vaulted ceiling, the main branch of the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library is home to half a million books on the first floor alone. An 85,000-square-foot addition in 2001 helped modernize the facility to meet the needs of the public. According to Nancy Foth, manager of library branch services, the main library saw almost 700,000 visitors in 2009.

Library

Lisa Renee Ward, Toledo Free Press columnist and Glass City Jungle blogger, said the best part of the main library is its Local History and Genealogy Library Department for its wealth of information and knowledgeable staff.
The library is trying to attract teens back to the library with the game room specifically for 13 to 18-year-olds, Foth said. With an Xbox 360, a Playstation3 and a Wii, the room sees more than 100 different visitors a month, Foth said. The children’s section also includes numerous Vitrolite murals, and there are trained librarians available to assist kids learning to read. The main library offers services to the public to aid with job searches, small businesses and computer programs. Foth said the computers are the most-used service in the library.
“What we’re doing is expanding our role to meet the needs and interests of people in the community,” Foth said. “We’re trying to reach out, whether you’re fixing your car, writing your resume, learning how to read, reading a good book or watching a movie.”
Art Walks
Miller of Destination Toledo Inc. calls the Arts Commission of Greater Toledo’s Art Walks a “must for anyone who has yet to experience one.”
The Thursday Art Walks, sponsored by the Arts Commission, feature approximately 20 participating Downtown galleries that open their doors for several hours to allow fellow artists and patrons to mingle, peruse and purchase art. Street performers provide entertainment between galleries, including poets, fire-eaters and belly dancers. Richardson said she recommends stopping by Bozarts Fine Art and Music Gallery, owned by Jerry Gray, at 151 S. St. Clair St. Other galleries included in past Art Walks are Sur Saint Clair, Homeslice Pizza, Downtown Latte, the Ford Gallery, the Secor Studios and Madhouse Gallery.
Warehouse District
The shops, restaurants and bars with live music, the historic buildings in the warehouse district and the seasonal farmers markets all earned Downtown Toledo a spot on the bucket list. In walking distance from Tony Packo’s and the Spaghetti Warehouse, there are numerous art galleries and storefronts that beg to be visited. South St. Clair Street is home to many small businesses, including Swank Gifts, which vends one-of-a-kind jewelry and Downtown Latte, an inviting coffee shop.
Steel said he would recommend live music at Downtown venues.
“GoLab! at the Ottawa Tavern, Polka Floyd at Mickey Finn’s, Jeff Stewart at Wesley’s, Jason Quick and Vytas at Manhattan’s, Kyle White at PizzaPapalis, Patrick Lewandowski and Bobby May anywhere … you get the idea,” Steel said.
Richardson lent her support for Wesley’s Bar’s Old School Friday nights and suggested Murphy’s Place Jazz Club with Claude Black and Clifford Murphy.
Another Warehouse District gem is the Toledo Farmers Market at 525 Market St., open Saturday mornings in the spring, summer and fall. Ward and Steel both said the fresh, local produce and home made goods make the farmers market a great destination.
Tailgating for UT football
Tailgating a Rockets football game at the University of Toledo is a popular pastime for many Toledoans. Miller suggests parking yourself in Lot 10, the closest lot to the north side of the stadium.
“Everyone enjoys the camaraderie, grilling out and seeing old friends. Top it off with a night game under the lights at the Glass Bowl and you have a great Saturday locked down,” Miller said.
Tailgating the UT game versus rival Bowling Green is an event that City Councilwoman Lindsay Webb said she doesn’t want to miss.
Toledo Botanical Garden

Botanical Garden

Located at 5403 Elmer Drive between Reynolds and Holland-Sylvania roads, the Toledo Botanical Garden is open 365 days a year, dawn until dusk and always offers free parking and admission. The garden opened in 1964, when George Crosby donated the initial 20 acres of land to the city of Toledo. The present-day 60 acres of gardens, landscapes and outdoor sculptures host many events, including the upcoming Heralding the Holidays festival Dec. 3 to Dec. 5. Roaming musicians will accompany displays of artwork by local artists and the botanical garden’s resident art and horticultural organizations during the holiday festival.
Melissa Shaner, public relations coordinator for the gardens, noted the Crosby Festival of the Arts as the signature event for the garden. More than  200 artists from across the country participate in the juried arts summer festival that attracts almost a quarter of the 120,000 visitors the garden will see in an entire year. The next Crosby Festival will be June 25-26.
‘The river runs through it’
The Maumee River is host to a multitude of events, from summer festivals and fireworks on the Fourth of July to fall color cruises on the Sandpiper. A 100-passenger cruise boat, the Sandpiper leaves from its Jefferson Avenue dock at Promenade Park for public rides, sunset cruises and private parties six months out of the year. It sees approximately 10,000 visitors per year, according to Sandpiper agent and tour guide Mary Dalby.
Miller of Destination Toledo Inc. recommended packing a cooler to bring on the boat ride.
“Bring a lunch and a bottle of wine. The best-kept secret is you can bring your own food and drink,” Miller said.
The Sandpiper has been running continuously since it was built in Maumee at the Anderson Fabrication shop in 1984. Venturing as far upriver as the Toledo Harbor Lighthouse and as far downriver as the Toledo Country Club, the Sandpiper travels by some of the most defining parts of Toledo.
“We are a connecting point,” Dalby said. “The river runs through it. We’re always going past places where people and their families have worked.”
While some may enjoy cruising the Maumee, like City Council member Webb, others may aspire to experience the city from a different angle, like Councilman Ludeman.
“I’d like to go to the top of the pylon on the Veterans Glass City Skyway Bridge, in the daytime and at night,” Ludeman said.
Lagrange St. Polish festival
A ton of kielbasa, 40,000 pierogies, 300 kegs of beer and hundreds of pounds of sweet and sour cabbage, all consumed in one weekend at the Lagrange Street Polish Festival. An annual event since 1984, the summertime festival features polka bands, arts and crafts, food vendors, dancing and a pierogi-eating contest. Proceeds from the festival go toward neighborhood improvements and scholarships.
City Council member Webb recommended visiting on Sunday afternoon for the contests. Ward said the festival is special to her because of ties she has to the community there.
“My great-grandmother and other family lived in the Lagrange neighborhood,” Ward said. “Great food and memories.”
The Lagrange Street Polish Festival started after area business owners and residents met 30 years ago to address neighborhood concerns and the festival was produced as the solution. Initially a one day event, the festival now spans a Friday, Saturday and Sunday in July.
Mancy’s and The Beirut
Mancy’s Steak House has served aged, hand-cut steaks in Toledo since 1921, Mancy’s is undoubtedly a city favorite. City Councilman George Sarantou said his personal favorite is the New York Strip Steak, although his fellow council member Ludeman said he would dine out every night just to try every item on the Mancy’s menu. Located at 953 Phillips Ave., Mancy’s comes as highly recommended as another institution of Toledo cuisine, The Beirut.
Founder and owner of The Beirut, Labib Hajjar, immigrated to the U.S. from Lebanon in the 1970s and opened a bakery. As the bakery’s popularity and opportunities grew, Hajjar turned his pita bread enterprise into a Middle Eastern restaurant in 1977.
Although it has seen several locations, The Beirut is now at 4082 Monroe St.
The menu features traditional Lebanese staples of lamb, grains, lentils, parsley, herbs, olive oil, lemon juice and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and mint. The Beirut also has an extensive wine menu with Californian, Italian and Lebanese varieties. Open for lunch, the restaurant takes reservations for dinner and has three private rooms available for parties.
Hajjar said he spends 60 to 70 hours a week in the restaurant, and learned everything he knows from his mother.
“I used to watch my mother cook,” Hajjar said. “She never wrote any recipes down and tried to hide things from me.”
Fresh pita bread is still homemade at the restaurant for in-house menu items, as well as several Italian dishes like lasagna, pizza and ravioli Hajjar included for the customers who might not be comfortable with Lebanese food.
“People travel and come back and say ‘We’ve never seen anything like this,’” Hajjar said. “We’ve got over 150 years of experience in the kitchen.”
Toledo Symphony Orchestra
With nearly 80 professional musicians, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra has been bringing music to the region for 67 consecutive seasons.
In its 2010-2011 season, the orchestra will conduct more than 400 performances across Ohio, Michigan and Indiana.
Councilman Steel recommended seeing the symphony perform in the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle for a special experience.
The next special event for the symphony will be a collaborative performance of Handel’s “Messiah” with the Toledo Choral Society and the Bowling Green State University Choral Society on Dec. 4 and 5.
In May, the orchestra plans a special trip to play at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

What about BG? A Bucket List for Wood County (by Hannah Nusser)

While Bowling Green has much to offer, here’s a list of must-sees for everyone before they kick the bucket.
Cla-Zel Theatre
Whether it’s to admire a historical landmark, catch a concert or work your way through its extensive beer list, the Cla-Zel has earned its name as a legendary must-see spot in Bowling Green. The Cla-Zel was first built as a movie theater in 1926. Its original movie screens still intact, this multifaceted venue offers something for adults seeking an unforgettable experience in Bowling Green nightlife.
The Cla-Zel is now a popular movie house, wine bar and banquet facility; it also serves as a concert venue for many blues and jazz fans.
“By far it is hands-down the classiest place in town,” said Mike Thurau, a senior at Bowling Green State University.
It is located at 127 N. Main St.
Snook’s Dream Cars
The No. 2 tourist attraction in Bowling Green, Snook’s Dream Cars is gleaming with countless age-old treasures. The museum and event venue houses a collection of 1920s-1960s cars, all in working condition, said Amanda Ter Doest, museum director.
With more than 60 years worth of memorabilia, the museum is not just for car fanatics, Ter Doest said.
“We’ve had a lot of [different] people, like the wives that are drug along with their husbands, and truthfully they always find something that they like,” Ter Doest said.

Snook's Dream Cars

Patrons can admire old slot machines, jukeboxes, paintings of historical BG storefronts and even old theater seats from the Cla-Zel.
“It’s not just a bunch of cars shoved somewhere,” Ter Doest said. “There’s quite a bit of history.”
Admission is $4-6.
Wind turbines
Bowling Green goes green with this monumental wind farm. Standing as tall as a 30-story building, no wonder the wind turbines are the No. 1 tourist attraction in Bowling Green.
The wind farm is popular with out-of-towners because it is the only one of its kind in the state, said Wendy Stram, director of the Bowling Green Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The four massive white turbines produce enough electricity for about 3,000 Bowling Green residents.
“Anybody that lives in BG has probably seen them from afar but they might want to take a few minutes to see them up close and personal. It’s the wave of the future,” Stram said.
For those who would like to visit this must-see up close, there is a free informational kiosk located at the base of the turbines, on the corner of State Route 6 and Tontogany Road. Group tours are free and can be arranged by contacting Wendy Stram at (419) 353-9445.
Portage Quarry
The Portage Quarry may be one of Bowling Green’s best-kept secrets.
Located just a mile outside of town at 12701 S. Dixie Hwy. and isolated from the road by trees, this recreation center offers all kinds of fun in the sun for all ages. The Portage Quarry serves as a campground, swimming and scuba diving hole, concert spot and all-around summer hangout.
Owner Jeff Rice offers scuba diving lessons, too; certified divers can explore a sunken speed boat, school bus, grain silo and even an airplane in the depths of the quarry.
“Who doesn’t love water, sun and sand?” said Meredith Burge, a quarry lifeguard. “It’s a comfortable beach, pretty mellow surroundings and it’s like being at the beach in the middle of Bowling Green.”
The Quarry is open from Memorial Day until Sept. 13.
City Park
Ride a bike. Take a stroll. Walk the dog. Have a picnic. Relax with a book. The possibilities are endless at the Bowling Green city parks.
Bowling Green Mayor John Quinn said the city’s many parks range from beautiful to functional, and everyone should visit at least one in their lifetime.
“They’re great places to visit and they’re free 365 days a year,” Quinn said.
The City Park is an all-purpose playground and picnic spot for the whole family. Simpson Garden Park, 1291 Conneaut Ave., has more than 10 gardens, including sensory gardens, sculpture areas and walking trails. Wintergarden Park, 615 S. Wintergarden Road., offers a nature center and two miles of biking and walking trails.

If you love Toledo, it will love you back. I promise. I’ve learned this in the past three years. I don’t know what it is, besides some hippie dippy “the universe is unfolding as it should” kind of talk, but something happened in 2007.
A cohort (my favorite vocabulary word from my first semester of sociology at Kent State) of action-oriented people decided it was time to create a city that was hip, unique, socially conscious and action packed. Ever since then, the constant popping up of interesting and cultural opportunities is unstoppable, as if some kind of domino game set itself in motion that illustrated the possibilities for creation. Its momentum is still remarkable.
I should say here that it is entirely possible that the beginnings of this movement came before 2007. I only know that this was the time I began to pay close attention and placed myself as close to the center of it as I could possibly get.  I can point to three concrete examples of what I mean here and certainly do not intend to leave anyone or anything out. But, these three things filled up my life in such a significant way, and led to so many other opportunities to be involved with my community, that I will give them the most credit in my personal history.
As far as I understand it, they all appeared in 2007, which has had me analyzing that fact pretty intensely.
I encourage everyone reading this to make a list of the three things (or more) that make Toledo what it is to you and to love and feed those things with your energy and devotion  (a little more hippie talk) and you will see exactly what I mean. My three things are as follows: Independent Advocates, Wesley’s Bar and Grill on Adams Street and the Glass City Rollers.
Independent Advocates is something that has gotten a lot of attention lately and is obviously built in to my experience because Rebecca Facey and I created it.  Beyond that, it has shaped my relationship with Toledoans who care about the issue of domestic violence and will do whatever they can to support our efforts to improve Lucas County’s response to it.
Heavy stuff, but activism is so much fun! It has been pleasantly challenging to come up with as many different ways to engage and involve the community in this work as Toledo will provide. We filmed a public service announcement with Mayor Mike Bell, several City Council members, Toledo Police Chief Mike Navarre and more than 50 Toledoans all saying, “It’s our responsibility to stop domestic violence!” Each of those people took that message with them.
And a couple hundred more recently left an Independent Advocates  fundraising event with a bumper sticker stating the same. This ripple effect is powerful to watch.
The second item on my Toledo list is just pure fun.  Which is, of course, necessary to keep doing the work.  Every Friday night at Wesley’s Bar on Adams Street, there is a dance party.
And that was just the understatement of the year. Since November of 2007, three DJs have shown up with their turntables and crates of records and given us Downtown kids a place and soundtrack to, literally, dance our troubles away. The DJs are amazing.  The atmosphere is even more so. It’s a night for friendliness and grooving together. What could be better?
The third item is going to explode this year. Mark my words. Have you heard of the Glass City Rollers? It’s only the coolest sports team I’ve ever had the pleasure of cheering on and becoming its No. 1 fan. I don’t know the exact history, but I do know some of the people involved in bringing roller derby to Toledo and I am beside myself with gratitude for it.
It helps that a handful of my favorite humans are on the team, but I think I could objectively identify the uniqueness and character that this team lends to its hometown. Do yourself a favor and go to the home bouts this season at the SeaGate Centre.  The crowd is diverse. The game is intense. And the roller girls are incredibly lovable.
My three things keep me pretty busy and barely scratch the surface of opportunities to love my experience living in Toledo. Please dive in.  Only good can come of it.

Rachel Richardson is an activist, musician, co-founder and co-director of Independent Advocates, and a product of Toledo, Ohio. E-mail her at star@toledofreepress.com.

George Sarantou, candidate for Lucas County Commissioner, and Jon Stainbrook, Lucas County Republican Party Chairman filed several information requests with the Lucas County Board of Elections (BOE) regarding the handling of provisional ballots in the November 2010 election.

Sarantou, who was named commissioner, lost yesterday to Democrat Carol Contrada by 191 votes after provisional ballots were counted.

Stainbrook and Sarantou filed asking for information on policy and procedures for determining the eligibility of provisional ballots, a breakdown of machine, absentee and provisional voters at each precincts and a copy of the BOE minutes for the meeting determining eligibility of provisional voters.

“The bottom line is we need to determine if the Lucas County Board of Elections had in place proper criteria for handling provisional ballots, and to further determine if a policy on handling provisional ballots even existed,” Stainbrook said in a press release. “We need to make sure that due diligence was used in processing provisional ballots, and that the same standard was applied to each Lucas County voter.”

Both Sarantou and Stainbrook said they were concerned about how the number of provisional ballots grew form roughly 2,300 election night to more than 4,500 last week.

The BOE will begin recounting votes next week.

Sarantou could not initially be reached for comment.  On Nov. 24, Sarantou echoed Stainbrook’s statements made in the press release.  Sarantou told Toledo Free Press that he wanted to make sure the proper procedure  was followed by the BOE when handling provisional ballots. Sarantou said he was told a different  number of provisional ballots on three separate occasions and wants to make sure everything was handled correctly.

Families can kick off their holiday season with Ballet Theatre of Toledo’s production of “Nutcracker” on Thanksgiving weekend.
“It’s a complete family spectacle with live music, beautiful costumes and scenery,” said Nigel Burgoine, artistic director at the Ballet Theatre of Toledo (BTT).

Dress Rehearsal for Nutcracker

“The show will be full of excitement and color. I make the story nice and easy to understand,” he said.
The classic ballet’s cast is comprised of BTT students from 7 years old and older as well as three professional dancers from the Cincinnati Ballet. While the ballet is performed by mostly students, the caliber of dancing is still very high, Burgoine said.
“They’re not going to go on stage and do it badly. It’s not a recital and it’s not dance team or cheerleading. This is the arts, if you’re going to do it you’re going to do it properly,” he said.
Students at BTT have been practicing “Nutcracker” since September, rehearsing at least three hours a week per dance.
“I think people should come because we’ve worked very hard and  it’s a great show as a result,” said Lauren Burns, 16, who dances as a harlequin doll, snowflake and mirliton. “It’s a show the whole family can enjoy and something fun you can do with the family during Christmas.”
Claire Stoll, 12, who dances as Clara, agrees with her cast mate.
“It’s just a wonderful performance. We’ve worked really hard to make it enjoyable and funny for the audience,” she said.
“Nutcracker” is a ballet tradition, with ballet dancers experiencing new roles through the years, Burgoine said.
“Normally it’s a progression — you build up. Start as a mouse then go up into a solider and up into different roles,” he said.
“I watch the younger dancers sitting on the floor looking at the older ones learning. Then when it’s their turn they get up and they learn it and do it,” Burgoine said. “It’s lovely to watch these dancers progressing, putting their heart and soul into it.”
Burns said her favorite part of “Nutcracker” is the tradition.
“It’s fun to see new people do different parts. You’ll see someone be a party girl and eight years later see that girl being the Queen of the Flowers,” she said.
This year “Nutcracker” will be onstage at the Valentine Theatre, an experience that will be nice for both the dancers and audience, Burgoine said.
“I think it’s cool [to perform in the Valentine Theatre]. I’ve never performed in a big fancy theater like that, it’s going to be really nice and different,” Stoll said.
Performances of  “Nutcracker” are Nov. 27 at 4 p.m. and Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. Each year BTT also performs an advance show for special needs individuals and their families.
“It’s something nice for the community.  I know a lot of people who would like to go and see a show may have a child with a disability and may not otherwise be able to attend,” he said.
BTT is a not-for-profit dance studio. The studio teaches both male and female dancers.
Tickets to “Nutcracker” are $18, $28 and $38 depending on the section.  To purchase tickets to “Nutcracker,” visit www.valentinetheatre.com or call the Valentine Theatre box office at (419) 242-2787.