Editor’s Note: Toledo Free Press, United Way of Greater Toledo and 13abc’s “Bridges” with Doni Miller are profiling 12 education initiative programs in Northwest Ohio. This is the third story in the series.  All Education Champions coverage may be found here.

CLIPP, Collaborative Learning and Instructional Pre-school Project, provides free kindergarten readiness to low-income families in Toledo.
The program started in 2002 and is a collaboration between Head Start and Toledo Public Schools (TPS).
“The premise for this is No. 1, getting children ready for kindergarten,” said Sue Culver, assistant director of the program and former TPS principal. “The other thing is to keep them and retain them in Toledo Public Schools. Show them so they are used to the school, they know the principal and the teachers … and that will hopefully retain them in TPS.”

CLIPP started after Arlene Tucker, director of the program and then-principal at Franklin Elementary School, noticed her kindergartners were starting school between a 3½- and 4-year-old ability. Tucker approached the school board about having 4-year-olds come in three days a week for pre-kindergarten classes and the board asked her to expand the idea to outside her school as well, she said.
The first year the program served roughly 60 kids at Franklin and Nathan Hale Elementary School. CLIPP now serves 275 to 300 students in 10 classes at seven different locations, Tucker said.
For children to qualify for CLIPP they must be 4 years old by Sept. 30 of that current school year and their families must meet Head Start’s income eligibility, at or below 100 percent of the poverty level.
When students enter CLIPP they are pretested to see what they already know, Culver said. The data is then used to help the teachers instruct.
“We show the teachers how to teach using the data,” Culver said. “If you know Johnny is doing poorly in beginning sounds, you need to do that with him at the center. If Suzy knows her sounds, you need to take Suzy and move her up the scaffolding.”
CLIPP teachers come from Head Start and many of them have two-year associate degrees, Tucker said. As a result, the curriculum is designed for any teacher — experienced or new to the profession — to teach, she said.
“We have a guided plan throughout the day and the teacher’s job is to get in the material but in a developmental way,” Tucker said. “We don’t want to drill and kill. It’s still appropriate for 4-year-olds and is fun.”
Results from the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy (KRA-L) test given to all incoming kindergartners, shows CLIPP students are entering prepared for school.
Tucker gathers and aggregates KRA-L data from the entire system and breaks it down by school, classroom and child, she said. The data is given to the kindergarten teachers so they know what they need to focus on with their students.
The information is also used to critique CLIPP and compare its students to all incoming kindergartners, Tucker said.
In the 2009-2010 school year, the average KRA-L score for TPS was 17.25, out of 29 possible points, and the average CLIPP student’s score was 17.20.  It’s the first time the district average has scored higher than CLIPP students, Tucker said.
She noted, however, that the district-wide average includes all students, while CLIPP averages include only those at or below 100 percent of the poverty level. Statistically, children from poverty don’t score as high, Tucker said.
When comparing CLIPP’s averages with TPS schools that have a 90 percent or higher rate of free and reduced lunches, CLIPP students scored much higher. Schools with a high percentage of free and reduced lunches scored an average of 15.23 on the KRA-L.
“What we’ve done is eliminated the poverty factor,” Tucker said. “Our kids have kept with other TPS kids regardless of where they came from.”
Head Start provides teachers and materials for CLIPP’s curriculum, while TPS selects the curriculum and provides administrators and overhead such as space and janitorial services.
Culver said she and Tucker meet regularly with Head Start and TPS about the program, so the two are constantly “bouncing balls in the air” to get the job done.
Tucker and Culver negotiate with six different unions for CLIPP, three each from TPS and Head Start, but the pair doesn’t find it to be a problem.
“It’s a nice little juggling act. We never had a problem doing that when we were principals. It’s a dance you learn, but it’s not something that’s a roadblock,” she said. “I’ve found everyone very willing to compromise as long as the purpose is the right thing; this is for the kids it’s not anything for a personal gain.”
CLIPP has an operating budget of $100,000 annually, which mostly covers administrative costs and minimal supplies, Culver said. Funding for the program comes from three separate entities; $25,000 from Head Start, $25,000 from TPS and $50,000 from Title I.
“We try to keep it on a shoestring because money is an issue,” Tucker said. “We don’t have money, but that’s not a reason not to do something. So we look at how can we use money that is already being spent and make it work.  Head Start is in existence, and [TPS] is in existence, we just share resources.”
Tucker and Culver would like to see CLIPP implemented in every TPS elementary school, free to every student, they said. The biggest roadblock to reaching more children and providing more children with kindergarten readiness is funding and space, they said.
Currently CLIPP isn’t in all the TPS elementary schools because there is no space in the schools for a CLIPP classroom.
“We have some empty classrooms, but as the school system tries to cut back on their buildings and cut teachers, we end up getting crunched,” Tucker said. “If you close a building, those kids are going to go into the empty rooms. If we’re in one of them, we get bumped out. Toledo Public Schools’ needs supersede our needs, even though we’re Toledo Public, because [CLIPP is] not a mandated program.”
Tucker and Culver would also like some form of free kindergarten readiness programs implemented statewide in every public school, to prepare younger children for K-12 education and to prevent them from experiencing culture shock. The pair has been working with different organizations and government leaders with the hope of providing kindergarten readiness for more students.
Studies have shown that early childhood education pays off by cutting dropout, juvenile delinquency and prison rates, Tucker said.
“You don’t build a house without a foundation and this is a foundation for children as a stepping stone to get to a higher level,” Culver said.
With Head Starts throughout the state, Tucker and Culver don’t see why that organization and other school districts in Ohio couldn’t at least collaborate.
“People look at early childhood as if it isn’t necessary, but kindergarten curriculum is very aggressive. It’s really what use to be first grade,” Tucker said. “There are some that say we should change kindergarten, but until that happens we can’t ignore it. Otherwise we’re just setting them up for failure. It is what it is, let’s get the kids ready for it.”

The Jan. 30 issue of Toledo Free Press, featuring an interview with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roesthlisberger, is available as an electronic ediiton.

Right from the beginning it did not appear that the Jan. 15 swearing-in ceremony for Michael Ashford’s new position as State Representative of District 48 was going to be ordinary.

It wasn’t the location of Indiana Missionary Baptist Church; swearing-in ceremonies have probably taken place in church halls.  It wasn’t the number of people in attendance; swearing-in ceremonies have probably had more than 200 in attendance.

As Ashford’s wife, Ruth, gave the welcome, she shared a story about the Bible that was going to be used to administer the oath of office. It was given to her by her grandmother, who raised her. She had put it away in a plastic bag to preserve and save it. When Michael told her he wanted to use that Bible, she got it out of the bag, and a yellowed piece of paper fell out that said, “Matthew 19-26,” so she said she turned to that passage.

“But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible,” she quoted.

At another point in the ceremony, at least 30 ministers from area churches surrounded Michael and Ruth Ashford. As they laid hands on each other and on the Ashfords and prayed, some in the audience had  tears on their faces.

“Toledo needs you,” was the closing refrain of the prayer led by Reverend John E. Roberts before the crowd gave a resounding, “Amen.”

Near the end of the program, the former District 4 Toledo Councilman made his remarks.  He said the main focus of what he was going to say was directed at the youth who were present. He hoped what he would say would inspire or motivate them.

“God has a purpose for you and he had a purpose for me,” Michael said.

After thanking those who had supported him and sharing a few personal stories about some of those who were there, he stated he was going to share something that few people knew about. Something that he had not told his wife of more than a decade until three years ago, something that had happened almost 45 years to that date.

He said he first needed to share some of his family history for context. He was originally from Omaha, Neb. His paternal grandfather had 11 children one after the other. Due to this large family, he had “a ton of cousins” who were all fairly close in age.

Ashford said every Saturday night they would go to one of the relatives’ houses and watch old scary movies.  He reminisced about the popcorn they made and the bond they shared.

“So one night, myself and two brothers, along with two other cousins were supposed to go visit my Aunt Margaret, who had four kids, so I think she was going to end up with eight kids that night, maybe 11 at this stage. But because we were poor and we had unreliable transportation, myself and my two brothers did not attend the sleepover. Nor did my other two cousins.  So the only people who were at my Aunt Margaret’s house were her four kids.

“I was very disappointed, as kids are. I’d never missed a single scary night hangout with my cousins in about a whole year since we had developed this.  The next day my mother woke me up to say my cousins had died in a fire.

“God had protected me.

“It wasn’t luck, it was God,” Ashford said.

He said from that moment his mission to serve others was clear.

“It’s not the elected officials who can move this community forward, it’s people who are entrenched in our neighborhoods,” he said.
Ashford said there is much work to be done in Columbus. He has been assigned to serve on four standing Ohio House of Representatives Committees: Finance and Appropriations, Financial Institutions, Housing and Urban Development, Insurance and Public Utilities.

If you ask the lifelong Democrat, who said he prays every morning — he’s old fashioned in that he gets down on his knees every night to pray again — how he’ll face the upcoming challenges, he credits those who love and support him in his family and the community and his personal relationship with God.

“I stand on your shoulders because you made it possible,” he said.

Toledo Free Press contributor Lisa Renee Ward operates the political blog GlassCityJungle.com.

H. Jon Benjamin has many live action credits, but his true calling is apparently breathing life into animated characters. He has performed on “Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist,” “Aqua Teen Hunger Force,” “Family Guy” and the PBS children’s show “Word Girl,” and now voices two title characters, Sterling Archer on “Archer” and Bob Belcher on “Bob’s Burgers.” During a telephone interview with Toledo Free Press Star from his New York City home, Benjamin ducked some questions, took some head-on and treated all of them as part of the absurd theater of his line of work. His delivery is slow, deliberate and funny in a way cold words on the page cannot completely convey.
Star: There is a lot of adult content in “Archer,” but you have quite a few adult shows in your background.
Benjamin: I started in porn, so I’m working my way slowly toward more mainstream stuff.
Star: Even with different characters on completely different shows, your cadence is distinct. I told my wife, “That voice on ‘Word Girl,’ that’s Archer!”
Benjamin: Just you and your wife watch “Word Girl?”
Star: We have a 4-year-old who watches.
Benjamin: I was going to say, if it’s just you and your wife, you know, that’s cool, if you’re like, “I work all day, then go home to the wife and watch ‘Word Girl.’ We learn three new words a week; what do you do?”
Star: Talk about working on the tone and pace of the dialogue when you’re recording separate from the cast.
Benjamin: You make it sound hard, but it’s really in the editing and scripts. I am as surprised when I see it as you were. If you were surprised. I don’t know if you were.
Star: I was surprised that as much as the show depends on the back and forth in the delivery of lines, that none of you ever work together.
Benjamin: It is surprising. I didn’t meet the cast until the second season.
Star: I knew you weren’t together, gathered around a microphone like on “Prairie Home Companion,” but even crediting the technology, if the performances weren’t special there’d be nothing there.
Benjamin: Well, you know how terrible “Prairie Home Companion” is, but it is interesting how well it comes out.
Star: Do you have a favorite line from the first season?
Benjamin: Every time I say “mother.” It makes me feel like, oh, my mother. I love her.
Star: Are you happy with the quality of Season Two?
Benjamin: The stories are great; there are lots of surprises. I have one storyline that covers three episodes; no one’s getting lazy yet.

Star: Do you have any voice-over actors that you consider inspirations?
Benjamin: There aren’t that many famous for just voice-overs. Can you think of any?
Star: Dan Castellaneta from “The Simpsons.”
Benjamin: Yeah, but he’s my age, so I should probably resent him. Under duress, I would say Jonathan Katz is an influence. I worked with him on “Dr. Katz,” the first animated show I did. I never planned this path.
Star: You earned an Emmy nomination for best voice-over work for “Archer.”
Benjamin: I had never been nominated for anything.
Star: That had to be cool to wake up to.
Benjamin: It’s never cool waking up for me, no matter what happens, but I was excited; I’m a big fan of the show.
Star: You lost to Anne Hathaway for her guest spot on “The Simpsons.”
Benjamin: I didn’t know that.
Star: Sorry to break that news.
Benjamin: No, I knew I lost (laughing). You didn’t break that to me. That would be funny though, if I had still been waiting: “Hey, when are they going to decide on that?”
Star: Looking forward to more seasons?
Benjamin: That would be great. Great for me, great for you, great for everybody. I was just checking “The Simpsons,” they’re past 20 years. I’d like to see Archer that old.
Star: I can’t imagine they can keep him alive that long.
Benjamin: That’s true, but James Bond’s still kicking.
Star: Yeah, but they have to go through different actors. You don’t want that.
Benjamin: I would actually vote for a different actor every four seasons so Archer could directly follow the Bond reference. So after me they have to find a Roger Moore.
Star: He’s probably available.
Benjamin: (Laughing) A Roger Moore type, not Roger Moore. But that would be great if they replaced me with Roger Moore.
Star: They’d have to get George Lazenby first, for just one show.
Benjamin: Right!
Star: You’re also the lead voice on “Bob’s Burgers;” any difficulty in switching back and forth between Archer, Bob and the other voices you do?
Benjamin: They’re stuck with what they get, unfortunately, but it seems to be working. One day I did both on the same day, and “Bob’s Burgers” does six-hour recording sessions, with a lot of improv. I don’t want to sound like an ass—, but that was one rough day; I worked, like, seven hours. I guess I do sound like an ass—.

Michael S. Miller is Editor in Chief of Toledo Free Press and Toledo Free Press Star. E-mail: mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

There has been a flood of news swirling around local utilities — electric, natural gas and water.
Randall Frame has been named regional president of Toledo Edison for FirstEnergy Corp. Frame will take control after the completion of the proposed merger of FirstEnergy and Allegheny Energy, as early as Feb. 1.
As Toledo Free Press Senior Business Reporter Duane Ramsey reported, Frame will be responsible for approximately 400 Toledo Edison employees in Northwest Ohio but not directly for any power generation employees at the Bayshore or Davis-Besse facilities.

Frame has worked at FirstEnergy for 28 years, joining the company in 1982 as an engineering assistant.  In 1990, he was promoted to engineer and in 1994 was named industrial marketing supervisor. In 1997, Frame was promoted to director of sales, and in 2004 was promoted to director, Energy Delivery Supply Chain.  He was named as director of  Utility & Corporate Sourcing, Supply Chain, in 2009.
Trent A. Smith, regional president of Toledo Edison, will be relocated to The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company. Smith is a good man and strong leader; his presence on many local boards will be missed, and we wish him well.
On Jan. 26, Columbia Gas of Ohio announced a 12 project, 32-mile natural gas infrastructure upgrade in Toledo for 2011. As Special Sections  Editor Kristen Criswell reported, the upgrade represents $18 million in investment for Toledo and is part of a 25-year, $200 million investment across Northwest Ohio. By the project’s completion, Columbia Gas will have invested $2 billion throughout the state and replaced roughly 400 miles of natural gas lines in Northwest Ohio.
For this investment, Columbia Gas has hired and contracted 12 employees to install the new lines. It is estimated that for every dollar spent on the project there is a $1.60 economic impact in Northwest Ohio, according to Chris Kozak, communications and community relations manager. Obviously the city will greatly benefit from this work and investment.
On Jan. 25, Toledo City Councilwoman Lindsay Webb, in a technically allowed but faint-hearted maneuver, left Council chambers rather than cast a vote for a proposed rise in water and sewer rates (a proposal she helped craft). Rather than vote against the proposal to kill it, or for it and leave the tiebreaking vote to Mayor Mike Bell, Webb timorously vanished before the vote.
As a result, a very necessary but very unpopular proposal that would have been politically tied to Bell now sits and stews while water infrastructure continues to deteriorate. This was not a thoughtful strategy; this was Webb reacting without considering the consequences. City business is just that — a business — and it needs to be treated as such, not toyed with to make vague and unsupportable political points.
It is a good thing Council is not in charge of the electric and natural gas companies in Northwest Ohio; nothing of import would be accomplished in a timely fashion. Let’s hope Webb and Council get plugged in and find a way to move forward, with expedience and the serious-mindedness this deserves.

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

Below is the prepared outline for the remarks Mayor Michael P. Bell made at the 2011 State of the City Address:

2011 State of the City

Michael P. Bell, Mayor

January 27, 2011

Good evening and welcome.  Thank you for being here this evening.

Thanks also to the University of Toledo for hosting us this evening at Nitschke Auditorium.

I’d like to take a minute to recognize some of our leaders who have come out tonight.

• Recognize Council and other dignitaries.

Since we were here last February, all of these leaders have helped Toledo come through some difficult times. But I believe we are stronger in 2011 because of the difficult decisions we have worked together to make.

When I began my term last January, and delivered my first State of the City in February, Toledo was facing a $48 million deficit.

I believe I assessed the situation as a 3-alarm fire.

• no rainy day fund

• $48 million deficit

• carry over of nearly $13 million from 2009

• staggering labor contracts that we were not able to afford

By working together, we were able to balance the budget.  We have nearly eliminated the $48 million deficit.  This was only possible through the work of an entire team.

• Union concessions played a major part in setting the City on the right course for 2010.

• Appreciate them stepping up to the table.  It’s not easy, but it was necessary.

• Temporarily raised some fees.  Those have been reduced, as we promised they would be.  The tax reciprocity was reinstated for those who work outside of city limits and the refuse fee was reduced.

• This was possible because voters passed the measure allowing us to transfer money from the CIP fund back to the general fund.

• Our law and finance departments have also been aggressive in pursuing those who have evaded their tax liabilities.

• Our delinquent income tax collections are up nearly $4 million as a result of their efforts.

• Our challenges are not over.

• Water system faces eminent danger; need for rate increase.

• Broken pipe at home – call a plumber.  He tells you it will cost $400 to fix the problem.  You tell him you’ll pay $200.  Plumber will leave and your basement will flood.

• Fix it properly, or do nothing.  Only providing half of the funding to maintain the system will not fix the problems and will only serve to upset rate payers without actually achieving results.

Despite the difficult budget situation we faced, we were able to maintain the services that our citizens depend on.

• Our crime statistics show an overall 9% decrease over 2009 and Toledo’s homicide rate was the lowest of any major Ohio city.

• Our fire and police department worked together to make 35 arrests following investigation of a wave of arsons in the city.

• We swore in a fire class and police class and continue training these new recruits who will graduate this spring.

• And we continue recruiting for future classes to ensure our safety forces are adequately staffed.

• The Department of Neighborhoods demolished 352 units that were blighted and bringing our neighborhoods down – a record in recent history for the city.

• The department also provided assistance through the federal Neighborhood Stabilization program to repair or renovate 621 homes across Toledo to strengthen our neighborhoods.

• They further assisted another 442 clients through homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing to ensure Toledoans could stay in their homes during this difficult economy.

• Much of this would not have been possible without the nearly $15 million in federal funds our city was awarded through the Department of Neighborhoods.

• Despite transferring funds from the CIP to general fund, we still constructed 44 lane miles of roadway throughout the city in addition to the many state funded projects you see around Toledo.

• Our Division of Engineering Services has secured nearly $12 million in grant funding to design and construct road projects to upgrade the streets of the city.

• We’ve also worked to replace and upgrade our sewers and improve our ditches to remove homes from the costly designation of flood plains.

• We purchased 60 new police vehicles – replacing some that had nearly 200,000 miles on them.

• In addition, we continued to trim trees, maintain our parks, cemeteries and public lands, collect leaves, and clear and salt the streets.

• I have to recognize our workforce for maintaining the excellent level of service for our citizens – I’ve received letters, phone calls, emails and man-on-the-street comments about how pleased residents are to see that the basic things are being done – I can’t take all of the credit because it’s our workforce who make it happen.

We also worked this year to build relationships around the region.

Toledo was also approached by the Village of Ottawa Hills about coordinated fire and rescue services.

• It previously cost Ottawa Hills nearly one million dollars annually to operate an independent fire department that employed ten full time and eight part time firefighters.

• Toledo was facing staggering overtime in our fire department, which we only anticipated would grow as we see more retirements that outpace our ability to hire and train.

• There was an opportunity for us to help each other deliver services and save money through the merging of our fire departments.
• By absorbing Ottawa Hills fire department and retaining their full time firefighters, Toledo would save nearly $1 million on overtime.

• While that savings is offset by the salaries and benefits for ten retained firefighters, we receive an additional $430,000 in service fees.

• Ottawa Hills saves a half-million dollars by contracting with Toledo for fire and rescue services and maintains a fully staffed fire station in their community.

• Toledo makes nearly a half-million dollars along with the benefit of a station in an area with a demonstrated need for further service.

• This merge is good policy and an example of regional service sharing that makes sense for both communities.

• I thank Chief Wolever for his leadership in the effort, and I thank Mayor Gilmore and his staff in Ottawa Hills for their patience and trust in the City of Toledo as we worked through groundbreaking public policy for the region and the State.

• This merge has brought up the word Unigov in public discussion once again.

• Let me be clear – I’m NOT looking to develop Unigov for northwest Ohio.

• I AM looking to take advantage of efficiency when it makes sense.

• There are other opportunities for service sharing that I will pursue.

• The proposal to eliminate our refuse operation and contract with the County for this service is one immediate example.

• Toledo cannot, ON ITS OWN, provide Cadillac service on a Pinto budget, but working with our neighbors when it makes sense will enable us to afford our residents the service they expect at a more affordable price.

• If our neighbors are willing to partner with us, I am willing to join in those discussions.

Also exploring the possibility of partnering with the County to provide trash collection.

• Is there a better way to deliver this service at a rate residents can afford?  That’s what I’m pursuing.

• I’m not looking to place blame for why the system is in the condition it is… It’s just my job to fix it.

Early in 2010 we approached TMACOG about opening a dialog about water utilities with surrounding communities.

• Toledo provides nearly 26 billion gallons of water to 134,000 customers across the region.

• And for those who live outside of the City, we have varied and staggered rates to sell that water from one community to the next.

• We depend on our water system to continually provide clean, healthy water for Toledo and our surrounding neighbors – and this resource is an asset as we seek development across the region.

• Like any asset, we need to coordinate with our users how we can appropriately utilize, market and distribute that resource.

• We’ve had productive discussions with our neighbors and we continue a dialog to ensure that Toledo’s water system will remain both a resource and an asset, not only for the City, but to add value to the region.

We looked to build relationships internationally.

• You may have heard about a little trip we took in September to China.

• It was mentioned on the news once or twice.

• There has been a lot of discussion about the merits and value of this trip.

• This week we saw what will hopefully be the first of many investments to come to fruition as a result of the relationships we established.

• Toledo is no longer competing in a local economy, a regional economy, a state economy, or event just the national economy.

• Toledo is and must compete in the global economy, and China is a part of that.

• If I travel to Fort Wayne, Grand Rapids, or Louisville to recruit a manufacturer to move here I haven’t accomplished much.

• Sure, Toledo may gain 100 jobs, but one of those other cities loses 100 jobs.

• And you’re probably asking yourself why that matters – as long as Toledo is gaining jobs.

• The truth is, it probably doesn’t right now.  But we also have to look 10 or 20 years down the road.

• If that company was willing to leave Fort Wayne for a better deal in Toledo, what is to stop them from leaving Toledo for a better deal elsewhere in 10 or 20 years.

• We’ve seen this shell game in our national economy for years – companies moving from one part of the country to another based on who has the best tax incentives, economic development loan funds and other perks.

• If we’re truly going to move the needle on job creation and help to establish growth in our community, we need to recruit new development as opposed to stealing from somewhere else.  Because there is nothing to stop someone from stealing it from us down the line.

• Aside from traveling to China, we have sent representatives to Mexico and have received visitors from Turkey, Hungary and China.

• We all know the merits of this region.

• We’re at the intersection of the Maumee River with Lake Erie.

• We have railroads crisscrossing the region, highways traveling north-south and the turnpike crossing east-west.

• There are limitless educational, research and development opportunities, including but not limited to here at the University of Toledo.

• We have rich ethnic heritage, cultural and leisure activities.

• This is a community that is ideal for families, young professionals, and experienced executives alike.

• We all know the merits of this region – and now it’s time that we tell the rest of the world.

• I do plan to travel again as a representative of this city to build relationships with foreign investors and I do expect that doing so will result in jobs for Toledo and northwest Ohio.

We also worked hard to make progress on the development front.

• Last year I told you Toledo had little to no REGIONAL outreach in our development efforts.

• This year, I am happy to report that Toledo has rejoined the roundtable discussion about economic development.

• For so long we have tried to be all things to all people in development, but this prevents us from specializing in anything.

• Working with our partners at the Port Authority, RGP, LCIC, the Chamber and our Universities has helped the City to be a part of the discussion and planning for Toledo and has enabled us to focus where we are needed and can provide the greatest contribution.

• By working with the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce we’re helping connect more small business owners and entrepreneurs with the Small Business Development Center.

• Here they can access one-on-one counseling as they develop or grow their business, increasing their chances of success.

• By joining with Lucas County Improvement Corporation we are able to fund two dedicated specialists who call on existing Toledo businesses.

• Most new jobs are created by the expansion of existing businesses, not new businesses moving in with hundreds of new positions to fill.

• While pursuing new companies to locate in Toledo is important, we cannot forget those employers who have for many years made a contribution to our local economy and we need to ensure that they continue to have the tools they need to succeed and thrive locally.

• The City also had the opportunity this year to participate in the Diversified Contractors Accelerator Program managed by the Port Authority.  The program allows greater participation by minority and women-owned businesses in publicly bid work – including city projects.

• This is an important step in growing and supporting investment and development in greater Toledo – like all small businesses, these entrepreneurs are simply looking for opportunity so they can in turn make a contribution to northwest Ohio’s economy.

In 2010 we also reinforced a relationship with Penn National Gaming.

• the Hollywood Casino in Toledo was first to break ground in Ohio after a state constitutional amendment passed in 2009.

• The city has worked with Penn to streamline site-plan reviews, permitting, and approvals in a process we hope will be replicated to move forward all major development projects in Toledo.

• I thank our Department of Inspection and the Plan Commission for their expedience in this process.

• This project has made great progress since breaking ground in August, and its being led by our local contractors at Rudolph Libbe.

• Northwest Ohio construction workers have completed nearly forty thousand man hours on this project.

• This has helped move this project along to the state we see today – concrete foundations have been poured, underground utility work completed, stairwell and elevator masonry installed; and just before Christmas, the project went vertical with the installation of steel frames.

• Penn National has become a good faith partner with this community, contributing jobs for our workforce and opportunity for our business owners.

• I look forward to their continued contributions to Toledo and northwest Ohio.

We worked on relationships closer to home as well.

• As I’ve mentioned, we had some very difficult decisions to make last year in balancing our budget and ensuring that we maintain services.

• I will admit I proposed some difficult policy decisions and I asked for Council’s help in accomplishing those goals.

• We may not have always seen eye to eye, but I’ve worked hard to develop a respectful relationship with council.

• We can disagree and be civil about it.

• The hard decisions are not behind us, but I will never ask Council to join me in policies that are detrimental to this City.

• In fact, I believe the hardest decisions we make are the ones that hold the greatest potential for progress in the future.

• Nevertheless, I recognize I can’t make it happen all by myself.

• I hope to continue building on our relationship and I commit to continuing a mutually respectful and civil dialog with you.

I further commit that I will pursue policies that are going to put Toledo ahead, both today and in the future.

• I have seen over the last year that many of the decisions I am faced with will have unpopular results.

• They are difficult choices to make, but that is what I was elected to do.

• I have dedicated my career to making the choices that are in the best interest of the City.

• I will continue to do that as we work to turn the city and the region around.

• We made great strides in 2010 and will continue that momentum in 2011.

I always like to end on a positive note.

• last week I had the opportunity to attend the US Conference of Mayors Winter Meeting.

• This was a chance to network, not only with other Mayors, but representatives of federal agencies, congressional representatives, and even a trip to the White House.

• As I listened to the issues these other Mayors were facing, it took me back a year – when we were overwhelmed, over budgeted, and had limited options to change our own destiny.

• Yet, a year ago, we began making the difficult decisions that have changed our path and today we are in better shape for it.

• Communities across the country are still facing the issues we successfully faced a year ago – yet not all of them have realized the fortitude to make the decisions that will take them down the path of survival and success.

• As a community, we collectively deserve the credit for choosing our own destiny.

• I believe we have made the right choices.

Thank you again for your support and your trust.

Good night.

The Greater Toledo Auto Show opened Jan. 26 at the SeaGate Convention Centre with the latest developments and new vehicles presented by the Toledo Automobile Dealers Association (TADA). The show continues through Jan. 30.

“It’s a show for anyone who’s in the market for a car or just wants to check out the latest features and models. You have access to every single vehicle at the show, which is not always true at the larger shows,” said Nikki Bragg, auto show manager for TADA.

Most of the major auto companies participate in the show, providing exhibits and  some of the cars with others coming from local dealers. Most of the area dealers are involved in the show through the companies they represent, Bragg said.

“It’s a great way for everyone to see all the new cars inside where it’s warm. It’s good for dealers and people who are thinking about buying or just looking at cars,” said John Yark, past president and board member of the dealers association.

Toledo still has a lot of auto manufacturing in the area with GM’s Powertrain plant, Chrysler’s Jeep plant and numerous suppliers to the auto industry that support the auto show. It unites everyone working together to make it a successful event, Yark said.

Dave White Jr., current president of TADA, was out of town and unavailable for comment.

Auto Dealers United for Kids presented “The Cars are the Stars VIII” Jan. 26 to raise money for children’s charities, including the Adopt America Network, American Red Cross Youth Services, Imagination Station Summer Camp, Mom’s House, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and ADUK Scholarship Fund.

“The charity event is a good way to kick off the auto show and a great way to give back to the community,” said Yark, vice president of the Yark Automotive Group of dealers.

The group expects about 700 people to attend the event this year, raising about $100,000 and possibly surpassing a total of $1 million in contributions to charities that benefit children.

“That’s a very significant contribution to the community,” Yark said.

The show also benefits local businesses by bringing thousands of visitors Downtown.

The Park Inn Toledo is the official hotel for the auto show and offered a special rate of $95 per night plus tax for the show.
A lot of security and set-up people followed by models coming in for the show occupy about 35 rooms per night in the 400-room hotel, according to Mike Sapara, general manager of the Park Inn.

Exhibitors at the Toledo Auto Show include in alphabetical order: Acura, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Harley Davidson, Honda, GMC, Jeep, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercedes Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Scion, Suburu, Toyota, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The Greater Toledo Auto Show is open Jan. 28 from noon to 9 p.m. featuring Seniors’ Day with a special $3 admission for senior citizens from noon to 5 p.m. The show is open Jan. 29 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Jan. 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $5 for adults and children age 12 and under admitted free when accompanied by an adult.

For more information, visit www.toledoautoshow.org

People have different ways of handling stress. Some run from it, some bury it and some find a way to deal with it. Depending on the individual’s position or social status, some are forced to face it head on, often turning to God or a higher power for help in the process. Such is the case with Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback and Findlay graduate Ben Roethlisberger, who in the most tumultuous season of his career said faith has meant everything.
“It’s helped bring a lot of inner peace, and if people know about inner peace, they know how great it is,” Roethlisberger told Toledo Free Press Jan. 27 in the Steelers locker room. “None of this would be possible without Him. It’s an awesome thing.”
From his motorcycle accident in 2006 to allegations of sexual assault that cost him the first four games of the 2010 season without pay after being suspended by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, Roethlisberger’s off-the-field issues have been well-documented. Though Roethlisberger’s character may be questioned long after his playing days are over, his talent and focus on the field will not.
At age 23, Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl when Pittsburgh defeated Seattle 21-10 at Ford Field in Detroit in 2006. In 2009, Roethlisberger’s touchdown pass to former Buckeye Santonio Holmes with 35 seconds left in Super Bowl XLIII lifted the Steelers to a 27-23 victory over Arizona, giving him his second championship ring in four years. Even after missing the first four games of 2010 and undergoing mandatory “comprehensive behavioral evaluation by professionals” per Goodell’s punishment, Roethlisberger has been spectacular. In just 12 games, he passed for 3,200 yards with 17 touchdowns and five interceptions, then led Pittsburgh to playoff wins over the Ravens and Jets en route to his team’s third Super Bowl appearance in six seasons.

“I think he’s just being himself,” said Pittsburgh left tackle Max Starks, whose locker has been next to Roethlisberger’s for his entire career. “I think for a long time he kind of felt sheltered and guarded off just because of all the attention people place on him, wanting to see the expectations instead of just letting him be himself. I think now he’s finally just said, ‘You know what? I’m just going to be myself.’ That’s what you want to see in your quarterback.
“You want him to feel like he can be an individual and just relax. I think that he’s done that this year and it shows. He’s a pretty consistent type of person, and we were happy to have him back.”
Since his high school days with the Findlay Trojans, it was obvious Roethlisberger had a gift to play the game. At 6 feet  5 inches tall and 241 pounds, his nimble feet and agility for a man of his size have made him one of the toughest quarterbacks in the NFL to defend. Roethlisberger is a big reason why the Steelers are headed to the franchise’s eighth Super Bowl, tying the Dallas Cowboys for the league record.
“It’s great,” Roethlisberger said. “I love being a Steeler. I’ve always loved being here. I want to play my whole career here, so it’s an awesome thing. The fans are awesome. My team’s awesome. It’s really a blessing to be here.”
Roethlisberger is also thankful to have been blessed with some great coaches. While playing at Miami (Ohio) under the tutelage of the late Terry Hoeppner, Roethlisberger finished his career with the RedHawks as the school’s all-time career leader in total offensive yards (11,075), passing yards (10,829), passing touchdowns (84), passes attempted (1,304) and passes completed (854).
Under longtime Steelers head coach Bill Cowher, Roethlisberger became the first quarterback in NFL history to guide his team to the conference championship game in his first two seasons, the second of which ended with Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl XL victory. Roethlisberger and the Steelers have thrived under current head coach Mike Tomlin, who in his second year at Pittsburgh became the youngest head coach in league history to win a Super Bowl when he led the team to a championship in 2008.
“Everyone obviously knows — they should know — how close Coach [Hoeppner] and I were,” Roethlisberger said.
Hoeppner was 59 when he died of complications from a brain tumor June 19, 2007.
“That’s one of the hardest things about doing this, is knowing that he’s not here with me to enjoy at least the process, but I know he’s got the best seat in the house. It’s been an honor to be able to play for a Hall of Fame coach like Cowher and I feel a future Hall of Famer in Coach Tomlin.”
If the 28-year-old Roethlisberger can lead the Steelers to another Super Bowl victory when his team takes on the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV on Feb. 6 in Cowboys Stadium, he will become just the fifth quarterback in NFL history with at least three championships under his belt, joining the ranks of Tom Brady and Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw, Joe Montana and Troy Aikman.
Not bad for a kid from Northwest Ohio. While Roethlisberger’s parents no longer live in the Northwest Ohio area, he said he appreciates the support from local fans, adding that he changed his hometown from Findlay in the player guide because he once attended school at Cory-Rawson and “wanted to show them a little bit of love.”
Love him or hate him, “Big Ben” is the real deal on the football field. Only time will tell if the Northwest Ohio product has changed for the better, but it’s not for us to judge. If Roethlisberger truly is a man of faith and has found inner peace, he knows one day he will have to answer to a much higher judge.

When sexual desire fades for a woman, a question often arises. Could hormones be responsible? And if so, might a pill be available to remedy the problem?

The pharmaceutical industry has been searching for more than a decade for the holy grail of sexual medication, a female version of Viagra. The market for so-called “female sexual dysfunction” is estimated at $2 billon.

To be sure, the loss of sexual desire is widespread, with 23-52% of women reporting this problem. Clearly, many women want and need help as both personal distress and relationship upset is often significant.

And big pharmaceutical companies have tried like crazy to provide that help, though so far, to no avail.

The first “Female Viagra” drug flopped earlier this year, failing to increase desire for women. Now, many are still turning to testosterone supplements.

Although positive results for testosterone had been hyped, the supporting research had focused only on small subsets of women such as women whose ovaries had been removed while evidence of effectiveness remains inconclusive for women at large.

And the risks to women are significant. University of Pennsylvania researchers found that women with high testosterone levels are three times more likely to get heart disease that those with normal levels, and associations with increased breast cancer risk are still unclear. For those reasons, the FDA advisory committee unanimously denied approval back in 2004.

Yet these concerns have not stopped physicians from prescribing testosterone “off-label” (giving testosterone intended for men to women) to more than 1.8 million women with low desire. As CFO of BioSante (manufacturer of testosterone gel) Phil Donenberg told the Associated Press, “Doctors are willing to write prescriptions for testosterone off-label and women are willing to take it.”

Some have criticized the FDA denial for leaving women without needed care. But searching for care in the medicine cabinet may not be the most helpful place to start.

While future potential may exist to help a larger population with medication, there are many critical issues contributing to low sexual desire other than hormones. Too much focus on the chemistry involved may distract people from real underlying reasons that often account for most of the problem.

As a sex therapist specializing in helping clients turn low sex/low excitement relationships into fulfilling intimacy, I first look for reasons for loss of sexual desire that rarely have to do with hormones.

And I rarely meet a couple with desire problems in which at least one of these issues is not wrecking havoc.

A sense of obligation, exhaustion, feeling unappreciated, focus on performance rather than intimacy, and emotional disconnect, among others, are often responsible for obliterating feelings of sexual desire for women.

Our fast paced lifestyle encourages the idea that intimacy can be squeezed into leftover scraps of time. For example, common advice given to mothers with low libido says, “Use the baby’s nap time for a quickie!” Many men might say, “I’ll take it!” but it feels too mechanical for many women who crave time to relax, connect, and linger.

In other words, many women don’t simply lose sexual desire because their bodies fail them. More precisely, women lose sexual desire because the sexual relationship is occurring in a context that is not working for them.

But as I see with my clients, the desire for real intimacy is still very present. And I find that the majority of couples are fully able to experience a beautiful spark again once they know where to focus their energies.

Helping couples create an intimate lifestyle means reducing adherence to obligation and performance focused models of sex and instead broadening the palette for sensual connection. Creating an environment in which physical affection can flow freely without signaling sex creates more room for intimate touch that both people tend to deeply enjoy. And when couples learn skills to help them listen more closely and share feelings honestly, they feel intimately understood and connected, becoming better lovers throughout the relationship and in the bedroom.

For several quick ideas, please see, Toledo Free Press – Ways to keep the flame alive

Perhaps pharmaceutical companies will eventually develop a pill that helps when medical problems genuinely account for low libido.

But if real intimacy is the goal, then there is no need to wait.

Padraig Harrington became yet another victim of a television viewer e-mailing tournament officials that his ball had moved after he had replaced his marker on the 7th green during the first round of the European Tour’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Harrington finished at -7 under par and was in second place after the first day of play. Rules officials approached Harrington on Friday morning as he was preparing for the 2nd round, questioned him about the alleged incident and viewed video of the infraction.

After viewing the tape Harrington acknowledged that the ball had indeed moved. He explained that at the time he could not discern any movement of the ball. It was setting with the logo exactly as it should have been as he prepared to line up his putt. Thus he continued play, finished his round and signed his card. This is where the problem arises. Once a Tour Player signs his card it becomes official and cannot be altered or changed. When the rules officials decided that an infraction had occurred as Harrington failed to replace his ball to the original spot after it had moved he incurred a 2 shot penalty. His correct score then would have been -5 under par 67 rather than the -7 under par 65 that he had been recorded. Rules officials then had no option than to disqualify Harrington from the tournament.

Most golf rules were made a long time before every snap hook or yipped short putt was missed on television for the whole world and every hacker that thinks he is a real golfer to analyze, ruminate, and generally over visualize on his 42 inch, high-def, wide screen television. This is the second disqualification of a professional golfer for signing an incorrect scorecard due to a viewer notifying the rules officials after the fact thus far in 2011 and we are only into the third tournament of the year. Camilo Villegas was disqualified from the Hyundai Tournament of Champions for inadvertently touching the line of the golf ball with his club as the ball rolled back downhill toward him. There are also examples of similar disqualifications over the last couple of years on both the LPGA and PGA Tours.

Television viewers that e-mail golf tournament rules officials from the comfort of their couch armed with their trusty laptop computers and smart phones affect the player’s score as well as the event as a whole. This hi-tech virtual golf tournament involvement is beginning to get slightly out of control. It is fantastic that the general viewing public and the armchair golf fanatic has access to all of the tournaments that are on television. It is, however, unfair for the best players in the world. Proportionally their shots are shown with more frequency than that of the average player. Thus the better golfer has more opportunities for inadvertent rules infractions to be reported on from the over eager rules abiding golf fan out there in television land.

Not only that but it is one of the basic tenets of golf that the player calls his own fouls. There is a long history of players that have called penalties on themselves when no one else could see the ball move or some other rules infraction that has ultimately cost them a tournament win or prize money. Disqualification of the player during a tournament for an unsuspecting rules violation reported by a television viewer well after the fact is wrong. The “Golfing Fathers” could not have foreseen the modern day techno-wizardry that is beamed into every duffer’s living room and the instantaneous worldwide communication systems that now exists in the 21st century.

Come On Already!! USGA, Royal & Ancient, PGA, European Tour and all the other golf officials of the world get it together. Update this silly farce and let’s get on with the golf.