Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio hosted a community information session on the Ohio Microenterprise & Customized Employment Demonstration Project.
The session, “Discovering How Customized Employment Will Enhance Your Organization’s Bottom Line,” took place at the Toledo Club on Feb. 23 with about 30 people from area agencies and businesses in attendance.
The Ohio Microenterprise & Customized Employment Demonstration Project is designed to create individualized employment opportunities for people with disabilities and explore how customized employment can help increase a company’s profitability.
“People with all disabilities should be able to work in jobs that are meaningful to them,” said Julie McComas, director of the project for RSC.

McComas

“The project will become a program to offer customized employment to job seekers across Ohio connecting with people looking for work in a new way. We want them to find work suited to their skills or talents.”
Goodwill Industries was selected by RSC to facilitate one of six employment projects in the state funded by a grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The pilot program was introduced in October in Toledo, Akron, Columbus, Marietta and Youngstown.
The project is already helping people find customized employment or start their own businesses in the Toledo area.
“It’s really a great program. Consumers are not put in jobs where they’re not going to be successful. It’s essential for success that jobs are paired with the abilities and talents of disabled persons,” said Kathy LeRoux, project manager at Goodwill Industries.
“We meet the people and get to know them and their abilities to make it work,” she said.
LeRoux brought proof of the project’s success to the session. She worked with a local artist, Jeannine Dailey of Toledo who has a vision disability, to help her develop a business for her fine art and calligraphy.
Dailey is starting a mural-painting business for consumers and businesses with the help and guidance of the resources made available to her through the customized employment project.
“This program has given me my dream of having my own business. I want to see the program become a model for all the other states,” Dailey told the audience at the session.
Her business developed so well that she is giving overflow calligraphy work to another disabled person she met through the program.
“It gives them a focus on an area of employment for them. Some people have no idea what they want to do so you need to discover what a person has a passion for,” said Lisa Washington, an independent consultant working with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) on the project.
“One of the goals of the project is to have an easy process for people to follow and we’re going to see results,” Washington said.
The SBDC in Toledo is very involved in the program, offering accommodations to allow people with disabilities to develop and implement a business plan, said Roger Shelley of Griffin-Hammis Associates, a consulting firm helping to facilitate the project in Ohio.
“We need to incorporate customized employment into our culture and business so the people we serve are satisfied with employment that has changed their lives,” McComas said.
Garry Mulkey, kitchen/facilities manager at COMPASS in Toledo, is working with Goodwill to find much-needed workers for the food service industry. He has found success in training workers and giving them skills to perform work that gives them self-confidence and mobility.
Community business involvement and leadership is one of the key ingredients for successful customized employment, according to Shelley. Development of jobseekers’ interests and skills to prepare them for work trials or internships is also important.
“Keeping money for services needed in your community is economic development for the area,” Shelley said.
A Community Action Team is being formed in Toledo to help facilitate the project here. Area agencies that work with disabled persons, community and business leaders are joining the effort to make it work, McComas said.
Teams of business owners and entrepreneurs will begin training for the project in mid-March and continue through September.
For more information about getting involved in the project, contact Kathy LeRoux of Goodwill Industries at (419) 255-0070 or visit the website  www.goodwillnwohio.com.

In Columbus, things have been heating up concerning Senate Bill 5, to the extreme that legal threats were needed to allow entry for the thousands gathered at the Statehouse on Feb. 22.
In Toledo, things heated up at the Feb. 22 City Council meeting when a resolution, “Discouraging State Legislators’ support of Senate Bill 5’s attack on organized Labor” was presented by Councilman Phil Copeland.
Deputy Mayor Steve Herwat said Mayor Mike Bell and the administration support collective bargaining for public employees.
“We have to realize in this economy that there is a limited amount of resources that the public is willing to give us as elected officials and that bargaining has to take place within that context,” Herwat said.
Councilman George Sarantou said he was in full support of collective bargaining, but he wanted to delay the passage of this legislation. Senator Mark Wagoner had told him several amendments were going to be introduced “that will absolutely change what Senate Bill 5 as proposed is all about,” Sarantou said.
Bound copies of the more than 700-page bill were given to Council members by Councilman Rob Ludeman. He supported Sarantou’s request to delay passing the resolution.
“It would be premature to support or be against it until we’ve had a chance to digest it,” Ludeman said.  He wanted a couple of weeks to “make a logical decision based on what we have in front of us and not in the newspapers,” he said.
“Senate Bill 5 is on a fast track, we need to make our position as a Council known,” Councilwoman Paula Hicks-Hudson said. “We have to be very clear; there are already mechanisms to handle questions as it relates to budgetary shortfalls.”
The ability to read the analysis by the Legislative Service Commission was pointed out by Councilman D. Michael Collins; it was about 42 pages instead of  776.
“This bill eviscerates every single right of a public sector employee — make no mistake about it — it’s an evisceration or gutting of a bill that has legislative history for 28 years,” Collins said.  To go back to the 1970s would create nothing less than “collective begging for public sector employees.”
Resolution sponsor Copeland said, “When I decided to go with this resolution, I did it from the bottom of my heart, because I believe in it, this is the way I plan to vote tonight, from the bottom of my heart.  But … I don’t want to be a part of trying to kill this slowly.”
“I would add that I don’t know what amendments would have to be made to Senate Bill 5 that would change my vote; it would have to be pulled from consideration,” said Councilman Steve Steel. He said he could not support a “continuous attack on the middle class.”
Ludeman suggested changing some of the language. He said if they did that he’d support it.  Councilman Tom Waniewski asked for an opinion from the law department. He felt Steel’s position as an adjunct instructor at Bowling Green State University created a situation where Steel should abstain.
Councilman Adam Martinez said both he and Collins were both in similar teaching positions. Steel said he was hired by management and was not eligible to be in the union and then questioned Waniewski’s motivation for making that point. Lourdes Santiago from the law department said there is no conflict of interest.
“This is serious. I don’t understand how the mayor can at once say he supports collective bargaining and then simultaneously support Senate Bill 5 or make suggestions to tweak Senate Bill 5,” Councilwoman Lindsay Webb said. She said it was “disingenuous.” “I do believe in my heart of hearts that the labor unions that represent the City of Toledo have done a fair job of providing a significant amount of concessions.”
Ludeman’s amendment failed; only the three Republicans voted for it.
The vote on the resolution split along party lines, three Republicans voted no, eight Democrats and one independent voted yes. Nine, as Webb pointed out, was veto-proof, since there had been speculation the mayor would veto this resolution.
While resolutions hold no legislative power, Council has spoken — now all eyes turn to Columbus.

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

Tired of being stuck in the house all winter? Escape the boredom and come out to WinterFest 2011.

Destination Toledo, Inc. has partnered up with area attractions to celebrate its second annual WinterFest Feb. 25-27.

Area attractions will be offering discounts during the weekend to boost sales this winter. Imagination Station, Toledo Zoo, Toledo Museum of Art, Valentine Theatre, Tam-O-Shanter Sports and Exhibition Center and local restaurants including Zia’s, Real Seafood, Maumee Bay Brew Pub and The Blarney are participating in this event.

Cathy Miller, director of tourism for Destination Toledo, Inc., said, “There are plenty of quality family activities in the winter, but we sometimes need a little added incentive to go out in the cold. WinterFest incorporates what is already available to families, but includes online coupons for special admission rates and discounts. Add great hotel discounts and packages to the mix and you are set for a great get-a-way weekend.”

Imagination Station will be offering buy one adult admission and get one free child admission.

Frozentoesen continues at the Toledo Zoo with half off admission. Activities include ice carving demonstrations, cabin fever feeds, indoor family games and magician Chris Clark.

Toledo Museum of Art is offering $1 off admission to The Egypt Experience: Secrets of the Tomb. Other activities include live music, presentations and public tours at no charge.

Tam-O-Shanter Sports and Exhibition Center in Sylvania is offering buy one, get one free admission during public skate.

Book your get-a-way to the Holiday Inn Splash Bay Indoor Water Park, Maumee Bay Lodge and Conference Center or the Hampton Inn Toledo South Maumee which are all offering special weekend packages.

Miller said last year was a huge success. “I think the big plus here is that we have some fantastic things in our own “backyard.” We had several replies from participates last year thanking us for the suggested discounted activities. We are happy to once again highlight member offerings with scheduled events over this weekend.”

For a complete schedule of events, restaurant discounts, coupons and special hotel rates and packages, visit www.doToledo.org.

Charlie Mars made a hot video for “Listen to the Darkside” that features Mary-Louise Parker.

Coincidentally, the singer-songwriter-guitarist has been linked romantically to the star of “Weeds.”

“That song came from a day where I was talking to a friend on the phone; she was having a bad day,” Mars explained. “She was in Texas, and I was in Mississippi, and I hung up the phone, and I was listening to Pink Floyd and engaging in extracurricular activities, and that song just sort of popped out.”

Charlie Mars

The Mississippi musician is flying high on his fifth disc, “Like a Bird, Like a Plane.”

“That song is about the ability of a relationship to elevate me to a new place and a free place, and the inevitability of people who are supposed to be together coming together,” Mars said of the title track.

During a call from New York City, he also talked about “No Place Like Home,” a song featured on an episode of “Cold Case” last year.

“There’s an existential difficulty of being in a constant state of flux; it creates something that is piecemeal and strange over time in your brain. And there’s something about the idea of being home in your own house in your own bed that really starts to feel like it can bring some sanity.”

Mars, who appeared in Esquire and Vogue last year, will play at 8 p.m. at the Ark in Ann Arbor March 1. Griffin House will open. Tickets are $15. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.

Any doubts about his career vanished when Mars toured with R.E.M.

“I grew up listening to [R.E.M.], and they’re one of two bands I would consider myself a rabid fan of,” he said. “If I had insecurities about whether I was good enough to be doing what I was doing, there’s something about being able to look across the stage and see people who are my heroes who have chosen me to be with them. It really changed me for the better.”

Lyrics are important to the Southern Methodist University graduate who majored in English.

“I always was attracted to music and books that had a literary quality,” Mars said.

“I think the best songs, poems and books are the ones where you connect with them emotionally, yet you haven’t quite heard something that defines whatever the situation is going on and, in that way, it sheds a new light on something and, hopefully, a deeper light so you can see it more clearly than you did before.”

www.charliemars.com

The Rockets have been making a case game-in and game-out this season as to why they are in fact the No.1 overall team in the Mid-American Conference. On Feb. 23 at home against Eastern Michigan, humble junior guard Naama Shafir made the case as to why she deserves strong consideration for MAC Player of the Year, scoring a game-high 32 points as she went 14-of-15 from the free throw line and notched seven assists as Toledo hung on for a 65-64 victory over the Eagles. Shafir routinely got in the paint against Eastern Michigan, creating opportunities for both herself and her teammates as she scored her highest point total ever in Savage Arena.

“It takes the heat off a lot of players because you can tell she gravitates toward the ball whenever the game’s on the line,” Toledo head coach Tricia Cullop said of Shafir’s performance. “You’ve got to love that about her. She’s not someone that’s going to shy away from an intense moment. She thrives in those kind of opportunities, and we’ve seen it night-in and night-out.

“I hope she’s a candidate for [MAC] Player of the Year in this league because I think she put on that kind of a performance tonight.”

The victory clinched the Rockets of the MAC West Division title outright and at least a share of the MAC regular season title, their first since 2003 and eighth overall in school history. Sophomore center and Start graduate Yolanda Richardson also scored in double figures for Toledo, finishing with 10 points.

“It’s a big win,” Shafir said. “It’s [an] important win. We had to win to achieve our goal. We didn’t start good. I don’t really know what the reason is. We could easily just let the game go, but we came back and stayed together.”

In the first half, it looked like business as usual for the Rockets (21-6, 13-1 MAC) as senior guard Jessica Williams knocked down a three-pointer eight seconds after the opening tip. That’s when things got ugly for Toledo. Eastern Michigan (18-10, 9-5 MAC) scored 13 unanswered points and held a 10-point lead by the 16:01 mark. Sophomore forward Lecretia Smith ended the Rockets’ scoring draught with 14:08 remaining when junior guard Haylie Linn found her in the lane for the layup to make it 13-5.

After an Eagles’ turnover on their next possession, Shafir got the and-one on her layup and made it 13-8 at the 13:52 mark. Back-to-back treys from Tavelyn James extended Eastern Michigan’s advantage to 20-8 with 12:12 left to go in the half, forcing Cullop to call a timeout as James got her 11th point of the period. Toledo cut the deficit to single digits and trailed 36-31 at halftime in large part due to Shafir, who had 16 points and four assists at the break.

“It was all of us,” Shafir said. “They’re [Eastern Michigan] really physical. They play strong, and I just tried to stay strong and go to the basket a little bit more.”

Shafir continued to get to the basket in the second half as the Rockets battled their way back into the game. Trailing 44-35 at the 16:06 mark, Toledo went on a 10-0 run and took its’ first lead since its’ first basket of the game after Shafir knocked down her 11th consecutive free throw to make it 45-44 with 12:13 remaining in the game. Following senior forward Melissa Goodall’s floater off the glass to tie the game at 53 apiece, Shafir scored six-straight points to give the Rockets a 59-53 edge with 5:43 left to play.

Richardson scored her eighth point of the half when her layup put Toledo up 62-60 at the 3:39 mark, but India Hairston countered with a jumper on the Eagles’ ensuing possession to tie the game. However, Shafir came up big again for the Rockets, nailing a three-pointer as the shot clock expired with 55 seconds to go to give Toledo a 65-62 lead. Kristin Thomas answered with a putback layup to make it 65-64 on Eastern Michigan’s next trip down the court, but the Eagles decided not to foul on the Rockets’ ensuing possession and were unable to get the ball back as Toledo hung on for the win.

“It was great,” Richardson said. “We knew that we had to come out here and try to play our best because we had a big, heavy sack on our backs, so we knew we had to come out here and play intense.”

For Cullop, the win marked not only a personal accomplishment, but also a big accomplishment for the seniors in Goodall and Williams.

“It means an awful lot,” Cullop said. “I think the thing that would mean more is to win it outright. It’s neat to see that these seniors are going to go from 14 wins their freshman year to at least a minimum of a share of the MAC title. That’s a great career.”

The Rockets will be in action again Feb. 26 when they head to DeKalb, Ill. to face Northern Illinois (11-16, 5-9 MAC) at 4 p.m.

Toledo Green Drinks got its start in 2007 from meetings of the then-forming Lake Erie Western Alliance for Sustainability (LEWAS). Someone brought information about Green Drinks events in cities around the world and said, “Stacy, you should organize this in Toledo.” So I did. Green Drinks is a monthly get-together for people interested in networking and holding conversations about environmental and ecological topics. It is informal and usually held at a bar, hence the ‘drinks’ part. There are Green Drinks held each month in Aarhus, Denmark, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Almaty, Kazakhstan, 70 countries, and Toledo, Ohio, United States of Amerika.

It’s kind of like an eco-conscious happy hour, where conversation sways from passive solar power to growing and harvesting quinoa in an urban setting; from “greening your business” to the algae in Lake Erie; from renewable fuels to GMO’s to rooftop gardens. Sometimes there will be a speaker or discussion facilitator on a specific topic, like the presentation for Stop Nisource! in January 2009 at the Attic. Other months there is a movie screening in partnership with the Media Decompression Collective (www.mdctoledo.org), like “King Corn” in November 2008 at Downtown Latte or “What a Way to Go” in December 2010 at the Ottawa Tavern. Each winter Green Drinks hosts a book swap and many of the events are just casual gatherings.

Toledo has a small but strong grass-roots environmental sustainability movement. Sustainable means it is lasting, unlike the fad of ‘green’ labeling, as found with “eco-friendly” plastic water bottles, the Hybrid-Hummer, or Wal-Mart having green business practices (ha!). Organizations like Toledo GROWs, however, are local and dedicated and provide tangible environmental, economic and community benefits in the short and long term. Its community gardens are amping up the volume of not only local produce but small livestock as well, all in an urban setting. T Grows allows urbanites a chance to get dirty in the soil and re-connect with the source.

On the technology front, Toledo is on the international radar with solar companies Xunlight, First Solar and Solar Fields, LLC and their recent acquisition of Calyxo. Bowling Green is home to Ohio’s first Wind Farm. On a smaller scale, households in the greater Toledo area are equipped with solar panels and windmills, providing off-the-grid power for their residence. Additionally, locally-modified vehicles fueled by batteries and waste vegetable oil are cruising the streets of T-town. Bicycle transportation is increasing, although dodging treacherous potholes and inconsiderate and/or oblivious car drivers is customary. (Please share the road!)

We can’t talk about the environment in Toledo without mention of the mighty Maumee and lovely Lake Erie. We are so fortunate to be seated in this gem of an aquatic convergence. Western Lake Erie is the warmest, shallowest, “fishiest” and most biologically productive of all the Great Lakes. The Maumee River estuary is home to many species of fish and wildlife but is threatened by toxic runoff from farms upstream, human pollution and industrial pollution right here in Toledo and Oregon. It is so important that we recognize the intrinsic value in the Western Lake Erie watershed and place a higher worth on clean water and food over the perceived value of yet another industrial power plant facility like the proposed FDS Coke Plant. Remember that ‘greenwashing’ I mentioned…there’s no such thing as a ‘green-powered’ electrical plant or ‘clean coal’.

Toledo Green Drinks a great opportunity to bounce around creative ideas and share information. The crowd is diverse, ranging from kids to seniors and professionals to students. Toledo Green Drinks has bounced around almost every bar and some restaurants downtown, including Glass City Café for almost a year, has ventured to a couple of Metroparks and the Toledo Zoo, and held a potluck at the Secor Building. Green Drinks loves partnering with non-profits, community organizations like MDC and Food Not Bombs!, and amazing local businesses that are so happy to host the meetings.

More often than not, Green Drinks is held the last Monday of the month from 5:30-8:30. February Green Drinks will be at the Attic on Adams on February 28th from 5:30-8:30. Attendees are invited to read Mother Earth News’ June/July 2010 article, “The Truth About Vegetarianism” by Lierre Kieth and participate in a stimulating and challenging discussion about the food we eat. Join Toledo Green Drinks on Facebook or e-mail greendrinkstol@gmail.com.

Kayleigh Moore’s edgy black attire and vibrant red hair may emit a dangerous rocker-chick vibe, but her music suggests a gentler character.
Moore’s melodies are an interesting mix of acoustic experimentation and poetic lyrics.
“It doesn’t really sound like any other acoustic music, but lately I’ve been getting that I don’t sound like anyone else at all. I like that better,” Moore said. “Although I have gotten that I sound like Evanescence and Fly Leaf before.”
The most important part of Moore’s music is the lyrics, which she emphasizes in her songs by keeping the accompanying sounds simple.

Kayleigh Moore opens for 9 p.m. shows every Thursday at Tequila Shelia’s in Downtown Toledo.

“I try to push lyrics more these days because the stuff on the radio has nothing. To me it’s less about the song and more about each individual story,” she said. “I like my rough sound because it makes people focus more on what I’m saying instead of just listening to the background music.”
Moore’s passion for wordplay began long before her Thursday nights at Downtown’s Tequila Shelia’s, where she opens for the 9 p.m. shows.
“I’ve been writing since probably the fourth grade, but then I started putting things together,” Moore said. “I didn’t start writing songs until my sophomore year in high school. I had a guitar since the ninth grade, but I didn’t start playing until the next year. I taught myself.”
Although Moore has a knack for lyrics, she said her singing career preceded her pursuits as a songwriter. She was even the lead singer for a short-term band project.
“Singing has always been my thing,” Moore said. “But I have awful stage fright. I never sang in front of people. When I was in eighth grade, my next-door neighbor made me sing in front of everyone she knew and made me come to all her little parties. She’d have bonfires with her family and she’d make me sing absolutely everything until I was hoarse.”
Moore’s neighborhood party songs have paid off. For now, her goal is to become locally known, especially since the fans she brings in remain close to her heart.
“I like playing at Tequila Shelia’s because it’s a really cool venue,” Moore said. “And the audience is great. It means a lot to me when they come, and it’s always people I’m not expecting. I get so excited about that. I go up to each individual person and tell them how much I appreciate them being there.”
Moore not only gets support from local fans, but from a few personal helpers such as her manager, Jason Kelley, whom Moore said has been a great help and is the main reason her career is accelerating. Moore is scheduled to start recording her acoustic-grunge album with Sixtyten Studio. Moore said she is hoping to eventually book enough gigs to leave her Great Clips day job behind, but for now she is just happy to have gotten as far as she has.
“Don’t doubt yourself. Someone’s going to like you,” Moore said. “You just can’t ever stop loving it. A lot of people who turn something they love into a job stop liking it — that’s one of the biggest things. And other people do this because they want to be big, but don’t focus on that. Just focus on your growth at the moment, because that’s way better than worrying about never getting signed or not making money. You’ve got to do it because you love it.”

Blair Bohland wrote this report

Promoting its album “To The Wolves,” The World We Knew is set to run riot at Frankie’s on  Feb. 27.
“We’ve played Frankie’s probably three times and we’ve played at the Zodiac with Chimera, too. We always do really well in Toledo,” said vocalist Frank Fanelli.
The New York-based metal group is working on a new album set to release early this summer.
“We’ve been in the studio since early February and we will be in here until the day we leave for tour,” Fanelli said. “It’s a busy time for us, we have 11 songs to track in little more than two weeks, and then we start a new tour.”
Guitarists Tim Howley and Justin Whang with Jorge Sosa on the drums support Fanelli.
“We had a big lineup change last summer and when we found Justin and Jorge we would just sit around the practice space and let the ideas flow,” he said.

The World We Knew will play tracks from its latest CD, ‘To The Wolves,’ at its Feb. 27 show at Frankie’s.

With a new tour usually comes new territory, Fanelli said. “New places are always awesome because you meet new people and if people are singing along during the show it’s a new place you’ve conquered.”
Regardless of the venue, Fanelli said, “I’d rather play in front of 50 kids that really want to be there than 500 kids that don’t care. We may not be huge, but it’s not easy out there.”
He said nonstop recording and heavy national touring is demanding for the people involved, “even if we’re only making $5 to $10 a day, per person, we don’t care because it makes us feel good, even if it is on a small level. This is the only thing I’ve ever put my mind to; when it comes to music this is all I’ve ever done.
“Every job I’ve had has been dedicated to music. To be able to write my thoughts down on paper and have people scream that back at me during a show is very surreal. It’s just awesome that I can connect with people I don’t even know in a way that I understand.”
The World We Knew plans to play several tracks from “To The Wolves” as well as two or three new tracks off of its upcoming release.
“The new album should come out in late May or early June but there isn’t a set date yet. We’ll play a few songs from the new album at Frankie’s so people can hear what we’re doing,” Fanelli said.
Doors for the show open at 6 p.m. and tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Life has come full circle for Li Yu.
He and his wife, Sara, recently opened a sushi and Asian fusion cuisine restaurant in Holland at the same location his father ran a popular Chinese eatery for years.
Spicy Tuna Sushi Bar & Grill opened in late December at 7130 Airport Highway, where Fu Yi Chinese Restaurant operated for more than 15 years before closing in the mid-2000s.
“We kept a good portion of the recipes from Fu Yi and in addition to that we have the sushi menu, which consists of over 70 different items,” Yu said. “And then I wanted to add some American cuisine; however I kind of altered it with Asian flavor, so if you order steak, it has an Asian barbeque flavor and if you order the burger or wings, it’s got an Asian flavor to it. So it’s kind of combining the two cultures together.”

Li Yu and his wife Sara at Spicy Tuna Sushi Bar & Grill.

Yu, who grew up working at Fu Yi, in positions ranging from dishwasher to manager, said many former regulars were excited as word spread that a family member had returned.
“It’s gone pretty good so far,” Yu said. “I think we’re drawing a lot of attention. We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from customers.”
An old Fu Yi favorite — hot and sour soup — has been a top seller at Spicy Tuna Sushi as well, Yu said.
“Since the beginning, our hot and sour soup was known to be the best hot and sour soup by far and we had people drive even a couple hours to buy large quantities,” Yu said.
After Fu Yi closed, a steakhouse opened in the space, but when that closed and the location sat empty for a while, Yu started thinking about opening another restaurant.
“Just seeing the plaza space empty for, I think, over a year and a half now, I thought why not give it a shot and see what happens,” Yu said. “I realized there really wasn’t another sushi restaurant in this area. Most are in the Central and Monroe area. So a lot of people are happy about that.”
Yu’s brother-in-law, Eric Park, is the head sushi chef. Sake and imported Japanese and Thai beer are featured at the bar. There is also live music, karaoke and a daily special, including discounts for veterans, police and firefighters.
Yu said he wanted to create a relaxed, cozy, welcoming atmosphere that would have the feel of an outdoor patio, even inside during winter. There is also an actual patio that will be open in warmer months.
To set it apart from other sushi venues, the family added TVs and a game room to create a sports bar vibe, Yu said. The walls in the game room, which includes a pool table and several game machines, are being painted with colorful murals related to Japanese culture, including Godzilla, samurai, ninjas and a geisha.
“With the former Fu Yi family, we’ve been a large part of the community and have been here a long time, so coming back kind of feels like home,” Yu said. “We really do appreciate everyone’s support and just look forward to working and serving people.”
Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday.
For information, visit www.spicytunasushi.com or call (419) 720-9332.

Licensed video games suck.

At least, that’s the common perception, and has been for many years. When hardcore gaming fans or journalists learn of an upcoming game based on an existing property — whether it be a movie, TV show, comic book, cartoon or anything — the general tendency is toward extreme pessimism. It can’t be any good. Licensed games never are.

To be fair, gaming history is full of reasons to buy into this belief. Ever since the earliest days of home consoles, gamers have come to expect that when a title comes out based upon something, the actual game play experience will be lacking. It can probably be traced back to two simple letters: “E.T.” Yes, the most famous flop in the history of the Atari 2600, based upon the then-most popular movie of all time.

As the Atari faded out of existence, making way for Nintendo, a whole new generation of bad games based on beloved franchises would enter homes. Universes as diverse as “Star Wars,” “Ghostbusters,” “Back to the Future,” “Friday the 13th” and more would find themselves shoehorned into mindless 2D sidescrollers, all of which would have only the vaguest of connections to their source material. The hideous work of game designer LJN alone in this field has kept modern critic The Angry Video Game Nerd in business for years.

It’s not hard to figure out the basic problems. Usually, developers who land the rights to make a game based upon a movie or whatever are faced with a time limit, as they want to get their game out as close to the original product’s release as possible. For a process as meticulous and difficult as game design, this can be an easy recipe for disaster. And even in the best of circumstances, developers end up having to serve multiple masters — not only those who own the license, but the expectations of fans. Often, in making sacrifices to all these masters, the basic needs of a good game can be lost.

So, yeah, anyone with an eye toward history has plenty of reasons to be cynical about licensed games. But maybe we should be a little more open-minded about the future. In the past few years, several shining examples of good-to-excellent games have been released — despite the famous name that comes attached to them.

For comic book fans, games have always been a sore subject, never letting players really feel like they were taking control of their favorite characters. That began to change during the PlayStation era, as an excellent adaptation of “Spider-Man” gave way to a series of games that actually started to do justice to some costumed adventurers. (Some, not all — Superman is still waiting for his first good game.) The high watermark of the genre was reached in 2009 with the release of the excellent “Batman: Arkham Asylum.” Its sequel is one of the most anticipated games of this year.

Animation fans saw a rise in quality releases based on Disney franchises in the mid-90’s, as most every animated film out of the House of Mouse came accompanied by a pretty good game on Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. The quality of these adaptations had waned in the recent years, but 2010 saw the release of both “Epic Mickey” and “Toy Story 3,” two excellent games.

And the cupboard isn’t bare for movie fans, either. Classic games like “Goldeneye 007” and “Chronicles of Riddick” were actually better than the movies that inspired them. And a new generation of game designers seems dedicated to correcting the mistakes of the past and releasing games that do justice to characters we loved as kids. 2009 saw the release of a tremendously entertaining “Ghostbusters” game that was like a breath of fresh air for those who remembered the lousy games of the 8-bit era.

“Back to the Future” is getting its just due as well, thanks to a company called Telltale Games, which has specialized in making thoroughly entertaining adventure games, often based on classic franchises. Doc and Marty are currently getting a 5-part adventure on PC and PS3, the first parts of which have met with great response.

So, while it’s probably a good idea to maintain a healthy skepticism, maybe we can relax a bit on the idea that licensed games will ALWAYS fail. There are enough counter examples to let a little optimism in, as well.

Email Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com