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 sixth story in the series.

High student mobility, or how often a child changes schools, can have a negative impact on a student’s education. The Stable Families Collaborative helps fight student mobility in Toledo by providing families with housing assistance.
Since the program’s inception in October 2009, it has helped roughly 124 families, with 85 percent of children remaining in the same school.
The Stable Families Collaborative is a United Way program administered by case workers at Lutheran Social Services of Northwest Ohio. The program is designed specifically to address the issue of student mobility.
“The goal is to decrease student mobility rates.  If you have two kids in the household, it becomes how can we help that family be stable and make sure those kids aren’t missing school and stay in the same school,” said Jason Daniels, vice president of Strategic Initiatives at United Way of Greater Toledo.

Wendy Shaheen is vP of program services at Lutheran Social Services.

“With so many issues in the area of education right now, we believe no kid should have to miss any day for any reason,” he said. “We know when a person is moving or a parent is moving from one place to another even if they have to move into a shelter, most of the time those kids aren’t going to school.”
When children are forced to relocate to a new school, it can have a negative impact on their school performance and peer relationships, said Wendy Shaheen, vice president of program services at Lutheran Social Services and former Stable Families case worker.
“For children and teens their peer group is a huge part of their world. They need that stability, especially if the family is in crisis, whether financially or through divorce,” she said. “With a lot of stress going on in their home environment, plus the stress of having to make a whole new adjustment at a new school with new teachers, that can be difficult.”
According to Education Week, education studies have found problems students face when they move from school to school include lower achievement levels, behavior problems and a greater risk of dropping out.
The Stable Families Collaborative can help fight mobility and prevent future problems for students by helping families remain in their homes.
The program provides financial assistance to families with school-aged children who are in need of rental assistance. Families call United Way’s 2-1-1, where they are screened to see if they qualify for the program.
Since the program is funded by two grants — $300,000 for three years from the Siemer Family Foundation and Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program funds through the Department of Housing and Urban Development — as well as $20,000 from United Way, in order to qualify families must meet a list of criteria.
The most important qualifications are the family must have school-age children and have the ability to earn income after a short period of time, Shaheen said.
If a family qualifies they are then paired with a caseworker who will assist the family with their landlord, help them with their budgeting, refer the adults to other community agencies for employment opportunities or skill building, Shaheen said.
“We work with the clients to see what are their goals beyond getting this rent paid. As well as what are some of the other factors influencing their current situation,” she said.
If a family cannot remain in their home for any reason, often the rapid- rehousing portion of the program can help make sure a child doesn’t miss any school, Daniels said.
After completing work with a social worker, Lutheran Social Services checks up with the family in three months to see how everything is going.
Currently the program accepts one to two families every few weeks, Daniels said. However, since there are only two caseworkers the “pipeline gets clogged” often depending on their current caseload, he said.
Stable Families Collaborative is modeled after similar programs in Columbus and Florida, which receive part of their funding from the Siemer Family Foundation as part of its family stability initiative.
While helping to screen students at a school in Columbus, Barbara Siemer, chairwoman of the Siemer Family Foundation and former teacher, saw only 19 of 116 students to be at grade level. When she inquired with the principal as to what the problem was, he told her of those 116 students only three would start at that school in September and end there in June.
In Columbus she began working with a social worker, the school districts and landlords to help students.
“You can’t stabilize a kid if you haven’t stabilized the family. Preventing homelessness was the only way I could prevent student mobility,” she said.
Siemer established a grant working with local United Ways to help fight mobility issues in different cities in Florida, where she and her husband split their time. Four cities in Ohio and six in Florida receive funds from the Siemer Family Foundation for family stability programs. Siemer hopes to work with more United Ways to administer similar programs, she said.
The Stable Families Collaborative features other community partners including the City of Toledo Department of Neighborhoods, Economic Opportunity Planning Association of Greater Toledo, Family Outreach Community United Services of Toledo, Toledo Area Ministries, Toledo Lucas County Homelessness Board and Treatment Alternatives to Street Crime.

Republicans who swept into power in state capitols this year with promises to cut spending and bolster the business climate now are beginning to usher in a new era of labor relations that could result in the largest reduction of power in decades for public employee unions.

But as massive public protests and legislative boycotts in Wisconsin this week have shown, the Republican charge can be fraught with risk and unpredictable turns as politicians try to transform campaign ideas into action.

The question GOP governors and lawmakers are now facing is exactly how far they can go without encountering a backlash. Do they merely extract more money from school teachers, prison guards and office workers to help ease their states’ budget problems? Or do they go at the very core of union power by abolishing the workers’ right to bargain collectively? Do they try to impose changes by steamrolling the opposition, or by coming to the bargaining table?

“The consequences will be rolling forth for many, many years,” said James Gregory, director of Center for Labor Studies at the University of Washington. “The battle lines have been drawn and will be replicated around the country. This is going to be very tough for unions and public sector employees.”

In Wisconsin, new Republican Gov. Scott Walker is going for it all — the elimination of collective bargaining rights for public employees plus sharp increases in their health care and pension payments. His plan advanced quickly to the Republican-led Senate, despite several days of protests that drew tens of thousands of demonstrators to the Capitol. Then Senate Democrats suddenly fled the state Feb. 17, bringing the legislative process to a halt.

Wisconsin was the first battleground. But it is unlikely to be the last.

A similar proposal to strip public employees of collective bargaining rights drew throngs of protesters Feb. 17 at the Ohio Capitol. Hundreds more have demonstrated in Tennessee and Indiana, where Republican-led committees have advanced bills to restrict bargaining rights for teachers’ unions. And governors from Nevada to Florida have been touting the need to weaken union powers and extract more money from government employees to help balance out-of-whack budgets.

The confrontation comes as organized labor is reeling from a steady loss of members in the private sector. The public sector, with about 7.6 million members, now account for the majority of workers on union rolls, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Among union leaders, a sense of crisis is growing. Labor is preparing to spend at least $30 million to fight anti-union legislation in dozens of states, according to internal budget numbers reviewed by The Associated Press. They’re lobbying local officials, organizing public rallies, working phone banks and buying television and newspaper ads in a desperate attempt to swing public opinion.

“Plans are being put into place to silence workers, lower their wages, cut their benefits and increase the likelihood that they will suffer injuries and fatalities at work,” said Gerald McEntee, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. “It is happening at a breakneck pace and too little attention is being paid.”

Labor plans to spend large amounts of money on battles in Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Ohio, Missouri, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Unions see their goal as not just playing defense — as opponents chip away at bargaining rights _ but going on offense to try to educate the public about the role of unions.

But last fall’s midterm elections, which brought the defeat of many union-supported candidates and victories by pro-business Republican adversaries, show the difficulty the unions face in a climate shaped by the sour economy. In many states, Republican governors have blamed unions in part for the state budget crisis by negotiating flush benefit packages for public workers that have forced states to slash aid to schools, social services and important services.

Wisconsin’s legislation, for example, not only would eliminate collective bargaining rights but also force public workers to pay half the costs of their pensions and at least 12.6 percent of their health care coverage — increases the governor calls “modest” compared with those in the private sector. It’s projected to save $300 million over the next two years to address a $3.6 billion budget shortfall.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, citing an estimated $8 billion budget gap, wants to restrict union rights for state workers and in townships, cities, counties, school districts and publicly funded universities. The legislation would generally eliminate salary schedules.

Kasich drew support Feb. 17 from local tea party leader Ted Lyons, an electronics executive from Troy, Ohio, who said the proposed union changes are long overdue. “The labor unions have become so powerful now on a worldwide basis,” Lyons said. “It’s beyond just the benefits of the membership, it’s about all the spending.”

Lyons’ voice was nearly drowned out by a crowd of protesters.

But some other Republicans are intentionally avoiding the sorts of confrontations that have sparked demonstrations.

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, the former chief operating officer of computer manufacturer Gateway Inc., won election last November on a similar pro-business agenda and also wants savings from public employee costs. But he’s not seeking to abolish collective bargaining rights and has publicly denounced legislative efforts to strike at union membership and fees.

Snyder wants all government employees to pay 20 percent of their health care premiums. But he’s not ramming the change at unions, and went out of his way Thursday to highlight his desire to work with them.

“As a practical matter, we’re asking for $180 million in concessions, and we know we need to go bargain for that,” Snyder told reporters Thursday after delivering his 2011-12 budget proposal. “We want to do that thoughtfully in partnership with our employees. We’re not here to create threats.”

___

Associated Press writers Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio, and Kathy Barks Hoffman in Lansing, Mich., contributed to this report. David Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Mo., and Sam Hananel reported from Washington, D.C.

Oscar Night Fashion

Fashion is a big part of our culture. We are a visual society that has an opinion on what we see. As we all know, the Oscars is not a typical awards show; it is over-the-top in the best way possible — that includes the red carpet. Producers announced in January that the red carpet arrivals show would be extended from 30 to 90 minutes. The expanded coverage will accent the show like the perfect pair of shoes does to a gorgeous outfit. It just makes sense.

As for what to expect on the red carpet, I am predicting a lot of bold and beautiful gowns in a variety of colors. There will be some black staples, but also some rich gem tones and a few pastels. I am hoping for a lot of fabulous shoes and a variety of jewelry toperfectly accent the women’s gowns. For the men, I expect to see a lot of timeless suits and tuxes. I want the men to be well-groomed and I hope the suits fit well.

My suggestions
Annette Bening: I hope she wears something with a bold color, like a rich gem tone, unlike the dark dress she wore at this year’s Golden Globes.
Nicole Kidman: Kidman almost always looks stunning on the red carpet with a variety of beautiful gowns on her red carpet record.  My suggestion for her is to stay timeless in her outfit decision.
Jennifer Lawrence: I want her to wear a bold statement gown with a more subdued color, unlike the obnoxious pink dress at the SAG Awards.  She is beautiful and I think this suggestion will make her stand out in a good way.
Natalie Portman: I would love to see her in a stunning classic black gown, much like the dress that Catherine Zeta-Jones wore when she won the Oscar at the 75th Academy Awards.
Michelle Williams: I have high expectations for Williams because she made my best-dressed list of the decade. I hope she wears something equally as elegant as her 2006 Vera Wang gown.  My suggestion is for her to wear something vintage.

Best and worst Oscar fashions of the decade
Top 3
1) Julia Roberts, Valentino Couture (2001): Julia Roberts looked simply classic in this Valentino Couture elegant black gown with white accents. She truly looked like an Oscar winner and this dress stands out the most for me in the past decade.
2) Michelle Williams, Vera Wang (2006): Not everyone can look as stunning as Michelle Williams did in this unique mustard-hued dress by Vera Wang.  Williams looked absolutely beautiful.
3) Halle Berry, Elie Saab (2002): The 74th Academy Awards made history when the top acting awards went to two African Americans: Halle Berry and Denzel Washington. Berry’s extraordinary Elie Saab gown made fashion history with a specialty gown looking both classic and sexy.

Bottom 3
1) Diane Keaton, menswear? (2004): Diane Keaton has absolutely no excuse for this poor decision. The ill-fitting menswear looked horrible and is at the top of my list for worst Oscar fashion for the decade.
2) Gwyneth Paltrow, Alexander McQueen (2002): Everything about Gwyneth Paltrow’s appearance on the 2002 Oscar red carpet was horribly wrong. The Alexander McQueen dress was see-through and did not flow well; her hair and jewelry looked misplaced on her and on the red carpet.
3) Bjork, Marjan Pejoski (2001): Obviously Bjork’s Marjan Pejoski swan dress had to be on this list because it is so crazy unique and totally inappropriate on the Oscar red carpet. She looked tacky.

By Sarah C. Lowendick – Special to Toledo Free Press Star

The Academy Awards are Sunday, Feb. 27, 2011. Look for full coverage, including all of the fashion,  here at ToledoFreePress.com and TheGoldKnight.com.

A common complaint about the media is that it doesn’t do enough to promote good news; it would rather focus on bad news and controversy.
I was invited to attend a Jan. 28 event at Imaging Systems Technology (IST), which was celebrating patent No. 50. I expected there would be quite a bit of media coverage — 50 patents is a big deal for just about any company, but especially for one that is a small firm here in Toledo.
After learning Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur was expected, and seeing the name cards for dignitaries who were invited, like Mayor Mike Bell, it was surprising when it became apparent myself and my husband, Miguel Roman, who was acting as my photographer, were “the” media and Kaptur was the only elected official.
As part of Kaptur’s comments, she said, “Thank you first for staying in Toledo, for believing in this region, for giving your lives to this region, in research and development in one of the highest tech fields that exists globally. You are really rare and you are crucial to us as we try to build a new future in this 21st century.”

Everyone from IST and Deep Springs Technology (DST) was proud of what they had accomplished. To describe it as amazing would be an understatement.
In addition to the many things they are working on, including military armor, IST created the first large touch screen in 1998 for a 42-inch plasma display and continues to lead in that market, making more than 30 different models.
As part of the celebration, awards were handed out in recognition; Kaptur was asked to present the awards. Donald K. Wedding was the first to receive an award and was given a flag that had been flown over the Capitol by Kaptur.
Oliver Strbik, James Butcher, Ed Peters, Jessica Davis, Robert Wenzlaff, Jeff Guy and Tricia Wedding received their awards to the applause of friends, family and guests.
Then Daniel Wedding II was honored with a “Young Inventors Award” for receiving his first patent, at 9 years old. He developed a unique design for a boomerang. That’s not only an accomplishment, it’s a testament to his parents and his grandfather, Donald K. Wedding, for inspiring such a love of technology and science.
Toledo Free Press posted a news brief Jan. 29 about Kaptur’s comments, patent No. 50 and DST receiving an invitation to participate in the Vehicle Armor Challenge sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the research and development office for the U.S. Department of Defense.
Vicki W. Kurtz, vice president of IST, said on Jan. 31 that IST was formed in 1997, DST in May of 2007 as a spinoff of IST to handle the structural applications of spheres.
“We love this city. It’s a great place to raise a family and you can live comfortably on a modest income,” Kurtz said.
The office of Mayor Bell was contacted Jan. 28 for a comment about IST and responded Feb. 2 via e-mail:
“IST has been a quiet success story, but to achieve a milestone of 50 patents in the company history is certainly remarkable,” said Toledo Mayor Michael P. Bell.  “It is the work of companies like IST and their spin-offs that contribute to technological advancements that demonstrate Northwest Ohio’s research and development capabilities are helping to reinvent our local economy.”
After I shared the news with Councilman D. Michael Collins, he contacted IST and toured its facilities. Collins is sponsoring a resolution to honor IST for its entrepreneurial accomplishments that should be before City Council on Feb. 22.
Journalist and novelist Pete Hamill once said, “The best newspapermen I know are those most thrilled by the daily pump of city room excitements; they long fondly for a ‘good murder;’ they pray that assassinations, wars, catastrophes break on their editions.”
It is exciting to be involved in a breaking news story, to shine a light on things people would prefer to keep in the dark. But good news can create just as many emotions —pride, joy, accomplishment. Just ask anyone from IST.

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

Solar Fields LLC of Perrysburg has concluded the purchase of all shares of solar producer Calyxo GmbH of Thalheim, Germany, and its subsidiary, Calyxo USA of Perrysburg, according to an announcement today by Solar Fields.

Calyxo GmbH has been producing and selling solar modules since 2009. It is the second largest producer of solar modules in Europe behind First Solar, according to the press release.

Calyxo was formerly a joint venture of Solar Fields and Q-Cells of Germany that was launched in 2007. Solar Fields was established in 2003 in a business incubator at the University of Toledo.

Solar Fields will assume 100 percent control of Calyxo’s first 25-mega watt plant in Solar Valley at Thalheim.

A second plant, which is 80 percent completed, will begin production to boost Calyxo’s capacity to 80 mega watts in 2011 and 150 mega watts in the near future. That growth would increase Calyxo’s employment from 200 to more than 400 employees, according to the press release.

Products from the Calyxo plants are being sold in Europe now but are planned to be sold on a worldwide basis later this year. Plans for Calyxo by Solar Fields include developing markets in non-European markets such as the USA or Asia.

Solar Fields currently has eight employees at its research and development facility in Perrysburg, according to the company.

Norm Johnston, CEO of Solar Fields and chairman of Calyxo, was out-of-town and unavailable for comment about the acquisition.

Anyone who doubted, pre-election, that markets thrive on gridlock need only survey recent headlines and earnings reports to realize just how wrong they were.
According to one Bloomberg article, companies are finally loosening their grips on cash reserves, which they have clutched so tightly since the financial crisis of 2008.
What does this mean? It means companies are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, and are willing to a.) invest in expansion projects and, more importantly, b.) hire new employees, albeit at a restricted pace.
One example is restaurant chain Buffalo Wild Wings, whose CEO Sally Smith is quoted in the Bloomberg article as saying that the company will add roughly 5,500 new jobs and 100 new locations in the next year.
Corporations’ optimism, which is fueling increased spending, has been further boosted by earnings reports. Most of those recently released reports have reflected extremely strong performance; in some cases numbers are even nearing pre-crash highs.
All of these factors have lead money managers taking a much more bullish stance on equities, which is a real change in tune over the past three or four months.

With renewed optimism among advisers and big business, the market has done quite well so far this year. Some believe (ourselves included) that we may be approaching a much-needed correction, since the market has rallied substantially in the past 24 months. However, that correction has so far remained unseen.
The market’s performance and the celebration of business has been somewhat overshadowed by political turmoil, most notably the unrest in Egypt and the debate raging in Washington abiut America’s
national budget. It seems that (thankfully) there is going to be a real conversation in this country about what our government is spending, for the first time in a long time.
In the same vein, it now appears that many of the policies that have worried business are mostly dead in the water. Health care, though well-meaning, is being reviewed by several states concerned with its constitutionality. There is also a possibility that Congress will simply de-fund many of the programs. Likewise, little mention has been made of Cap and Trade. Perhaps the strength of the economy and availability of jobs have finally become a more important issue than greenhouse gases.
Now, on to what we expect from here. First, corporations will (hopefully) continue spending, but with cash reserves as opposed to borrowed money. They’ll keep hiring as they’ve begun to do, but be strategic about their hiring, so unemployment figures aren’t likely to improve drastically, at least not initially.
The markets, having staged an impressive rally in two years with only one serious correction are probably due for another pause. September 2008 is still fresh in the minds of many investors, so this market isn’t likely to get ahead of itself due to another bout of “irrational exuberance.”
At any rate, it looks like big business is back in style, and for now the sailing looks relatively smooth, considering everything we’ve had to deal with in the past five years. It’s about time.

Dock David Treece is a discretionary money manager with Treece Investment Advisory Corp and a stockbroker licensed with FINRA. He works for Treece Financial Services Corp and also serves as editor of the financial news site Green Faucet. The above information is the express opinion of Dock David Treece and should not be construed as investment advice or used without outside verification.

Unfortunately, not everyone listens to WSPD or reads Toledo Free Press. If they did, we would be well on the road to solving the embarrassing, expensive and dysfunctional problem that is the Toledo Public Schools (TPS)system. Instead, due to contagious apathy, low standards of schools and parents, unfunded government mandates, fiscal irresponsibility benefiting contractors, and gold-plated union contracts courtesy of parasitic interests (see union tyrants and so-called “officials”), we have those who see “transformational change” as re-arranging the Titanic’s deck chairs.
While TPS President Bob Vasquez and TPS Superintendent Jerome Pecko both have graced WSPD airwaves (when they weren’t trying to get the FCC to yank our license), like most any TPS student, you won’t learn much listening to their erudite comments (podcasted at www.wspd.com). Instead, you’ll get the usual tap dancing, glittering generalities, grandiose but vague promises of “transformational change” that might produce results in two to three or five years. Meanwhile, some TPS students are forced to endure their formative years at schools that have been on scholastic probation longer than they have been alive.
Of course, if we had just passed that levy … despite the fact Toledo Public Schools is currently paying $3,000 to $4,000 per pupil higher than the Ohio average of $10,000. The new TPS motto should be, “We get what you pay for.” Take a look at the perks and bennies Toledo Federation of Teachers (TFT) members have compared to yours. And you’re paying for them. Happy? They sure are.
At bottom (no pun intended but appropriate), when it comes to TPS and its primary constituency, TFT, aka “teachers union,” the worn-out cliché “for the children” should be rewritten, “before the children.”
Speaking of clichés, right about now the Usual Suspects are mouthing, “All WSPD does is complain. Why don’t you come up with some solutions if you’re so smart?”
For the record, “coming up with solutions” is not our job. Lots of taxpayer dollars are being squandered on “leaders” responsible for that. But, indeed, we are “so smart” — because we haven’t been blinded by the prejudice of aggressive ignorance, infected with contagious apathy nor are we addicted to instant gratification. It’s called objective analysis.
But we do offer solutions. On March 2 at 6 p.m. at the Maumee Indoor Theatre, WSPD will host the premiere of “Kids Aren’t Cars.” Like “Waiting For Superman,” some people will not be happy with the message. You can see a trailer at www.wspd.com/pages/hotbutton.html to see if you can handle it.  Let’s see how many TPS board members and TPS teachers show up without requiring a personal invitation or a private showing. The filmmaker, Kyle Olson, will speak at the event. Theater capacity is 300, so come early. Admission is $5.
More solutions: Check out www.stepupforstudents.org. Here is an idea working well in Florida, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Iowa and a fistful of other states showing how businesses can reduce their tax liabilities and cut the cost of getting lower-income/inner-city kids out of their failing “public schools” into learning institutions where the quality of “education” definitely is “higher.”
WSPD continues to have on-air conversations with those who are actually out front on real “transformational change,” not just yapping about their good intentions.
Hear my conversation with “Kids Aren’t Cars” filmmaker Kyle Olson and Cato Institute’s Andrew Coulson, director for the Center for Educational Freedom at www.wspd.com/pages/brianstop10.html.
Watch the “Reason TV” interview with Coulson as he discusses a new and tax-deductable way for parents to get children into private, parochial or charter schools at reason.com/blog/2011/01/28/reasontv-expanding-choice-thro.
WSPD sent Superintendent Pecko a copy of the Reason TV interview with Andrew Coulson discussing the programs mentioned above. He was advised of moring host Fred LeFebvre’s intention to ask about the program when he appeared Feb 10. It seems “Super” Pecko doesn’t set a very good example when it comes to homework. When LeFebvre questioned him about it, Pecko had to admit he hadn’t bothered to watch it.
Rather than complain about WSPD not having any solutions (which isn’t really our job), maybe Vasquez and Pecko, when they get past “intending,” will actually do something to improve the quality of education at TPS, which really is their job. Or are they still spending their time and your money on TPS attorneys to get the FCC to yank our license?
Even more solutions: We have podcasts of interviews with Chad Aldis of School Choice Ohio; Steven Flagg of the Urban Coalition; John Jones of the Greater Toledo Urban League; and Ron Adler, president of Ohio Coalition for Quality Education. All are talking about new ideas and new solutions. And that’s in just the past two months, which doesn’t even include hourlong “Eye on Education” programs on WSPD at 6 p.m., hosted by Fritz Wenzel.
Of course, when the solution to the problem threatens to expose one’s incompetence, indifference, hypocrisy or skullduggery, it is only natural to hear the plaintive wail of the Red Herring, the “shiny thing” to distract the audience from learning the truth. And, of course, the predictable ad hominems from the intellectually bankrupt, which will surely follow this column.
No problem. Good old Ben Franklin addresses that quite eloquently: “Being ignorant is not so much a shame as being unwilling to learn.”

Brian Wilson is news director and program director of 1370 WSPD. E-mail him at Brian@wspd.com.

Toledo Free Press and 107.7 The Wolf are teaming with Lone Wolf Productions to make Loretta Lynn’s Toledo concert a special night.
“The Queen of Country Music” will appear at the Stranahan Theater at 7:30 p.m. April 14, her birthday. Two contest winners will receive front row seats, signed memorabilia and join the audience in a chorus of “Happy Birthday.”
Concert promoter Craig Wolf said he was inspired to bring Lynn to Toledo after seeing a November Toledo Free Press cover story with Lynn and Toledo fan Rick Cornett, who has seen her in concert 400 times, ran her international fan club for several years and publishes an online newsletter with 4,000 subscribers. Cornett said he has approached Mayor Mike Bell’s office about having Bell onstage to present Lynn with a key to the city.
To enter to win the grand prize package, and the second prize of two free tickets to the show, e-mail “Loretta” to news@toledofreepress.com or  thewolf@toledoradiogroup.com. Contest winners will be chosen by April 11.
Tickets go on sale Feb. 19 at 10 a.m. at Ticketmaster.com, all Ticketmaster Outlets, Ticketmaster charge by phone 1-800-745-3000, or The Stranahan Theater box office (419) 381-8851.

When I began brainstorming about the idea of using Housing and Urban Development (HUD) 108 funds differently it was more of a knee-jerk reaction than a bright idea. It really materialized when Toledo City Council voted (10-2) to allow the Berdan Building to use $10 million of a $20 million pool of funds. The development concept of the Berdan Building would be great for Downtown Toledo, but my concerns still linger about the underwriting criteria and how this project was going to qualify for using HUD funds. While Mayor Bell and City Council may have said OK to this project, the ultimate decision is in the hands of the National HUD office.
While there is not much I can do about that project, I began to think about future criteria of what a HUD 108 loan should be. The reality is the city has no concrete public policy on uses for 108 loans, nor underwriting criteria. HUD 108 loans have not been used to their full potential and have not been used very successfully in Toledo. HUD 108 loans are a very powerful tool if used correctly, but the mechanics are complex, the uses are specific, and the penalties and consequences are severe if it is not used appropriately.
In crept the “What ifs … ” We have all had a case of the “What ifs … ” at some point in our lives. The “What ifs … ” taunt us in the back of minds or keep us awake at night; it’s the constant antagonizing of questions with unknown answers. I kept asking myself, “What if there was a better way to do development in Toledo?” “What if there is a better way to use this money?” “What if there was a way to create a public/private partnership to bring jobs to Toledo?” “What if there was a way to use this money — leverage it — but also share the risk?”
So, like any good politician, I held a meeting! I wanted to make sure that meeting was simple and inclusive to ensure all stakeholders were represented. I wanted to ask a few simple questions and most importantly listen to the concerns about 108 loans. I invited members from the various economic development agencies, CDCs and nonprofits, social justice advocates, administrative departments and my colleague Rob Ludeman. I wanted to know if other people had the same concerns about how 108 was being represented.
It was an impressive meeting with the “who’s who” of development in our area. I was very nervous in the beginning, but was confident by the end that I had surrounded myself with professionals who were not afraid to think creatively, understood/respected the constraints of HUD, but were willing to look for creative solutions. There was a lot of talent, experience and passion for Toledo in that room.
The concept is to leverage 108 loan funds with other funding sources. It’s a simple, but innovative approach to trying to figure out how we move Toledo forward, create jobs and help rebuild our economy.
Imagine if we could use the whole $20 million of HUD funds and match that five times over through other financing instruments. Instead of only having $20 million and a lot of risk to the city, we would have $100 million to invest with low risk. Imagine instead of doing one residential building for $10 million and maybe create three to five jobs, we can do a variety of projects, low risk and create thousands of jobs.
This is not a magic silver bullet, but rather a silver buckshot center mass to wound our economic condition. In these tough economic conditions, it is important to be creative, collaborative, inclusive and leave the egos at the door. This loan fund, while still conceptual, is not about me, the organizations or politics; it’s about good public policy, good underwriting, job creation and most importantly, harnessing our economic development power and giving it back to the people of Toledo.

Adam Martinez is a Toledo City Councilman. E-mail him at adam.martinez@toledo.oh.gov.

OK, so it didn’t end up being the biggest blizzard since 1978. Even though it wasn’t, I (Mark) was still thanking God for snowblowers. At the ripe old age of 50, I don’t think my back could have handled shoveling all of the heavy snow. Especially since I am still nursing my injuries from my adventure to Florida for the Detroit Tigers Fantasy Camp.
On Day 2 since I was injured on my graceful flop running to first base, I was informed by my roommate that, like the major leaguers, I could visit the training room if I needed to. My roommate also had several nagging injuries and became a frequent visitor to the trainer, as did I.

Jon Warden, who pitched for the World Series-winning Tigers, had a field day with this at “Kangaroo Court.” Kangaroo Court is a term for a sham legal proceeding in which the outcome is predetermined and commences  quickly. Many major league baseball teams have a veteran player as a judge, jury and executioner who fines fellow players for such infractions as missing a belt loop or not running hard to first base. Warden wears a judge’s wig and is somewhat of a comedian and roasts various players in front of the whole group. The fines collected were contributed to “Jack’s Place,” which is a charity for children with autism.
After losing five games in a row, it did not look good for my team. In Game 6 we were losing 5-1 going into our last at bat. We got a couple runners on base and there seemed to be some faint hope. However, the way we were hitting no one was holding their breath. We managed to get the score tied and my teammate Brian came up with two outs and smacked the game winning “walk-off” hit to win the game. Brian and our entire team exuberantly celebrated and our coach Jim Price was so thrilled to finally get a win that he kissed Brian on the cheek. I was able to take a photo of the moment that Brian would probably never forget for the rest of his life and had it printed so Brian could have former Tiger Jim Price sign it.

Brian’s game-winning hit results in a kiss from coach Jim Price.

During rain delays we took batting practice and stood around listening to the ex-Tigers tell old war stories.
Mickey Lolich, MVP of the 1968 World Series, told one about the great Boston Red Sox hitter Ted Williams and a young rookie pitcher by the name of Hank Aguirre. Aguirre was pitching to Williams and struck him out to save the game. After the game, someone in the locker room suggested that he go get the ball he had struck Williams out with signed. They were pulling his leg of course, but Aguirre took the bait and went over to the Red Sox locker room to ask Ted Williams to sign the ball. Williams looked at him like he was crazy but then agreed to sign the ball. The next day, Aguirre again faced Williams, who hit the ball into the second deck for a home run. As he rounded the bases, Williams yelled to Aguirre, “I’ll sign that one too if you can find the son of a gun”, (he did not say “son of a gun” by the way, he used a more colorful term).
I had so much fun acting like a little boy again playing the game that I grew up loving. Baseball is just a game, but sometimes it is not just a game.
To be continued …

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