Since becoming the head coach at Toledo, Tod Kowalczyk has made his mark recruiting transfers. Now he has added another to his stable.

Ohio State forward J.D. Weatherspoon will be joining the UT men’s basketball program after sitting out this year due to NCAA transfer rules. He will be eligible to play beginning in 2013 as a junior.

Tod Kowalczyk, photo by Nick Kneer

“J.D. brings a great deal of athleticism and excitement to our program and we are happy to welcome him to our Rocket family,” Kowalczyk said. “He’s a forward that plays above the rim and is a very good rebounder at both ends of the floor. I think a year to sit out and work on his skill level will benefit J.D. greatly, and we look forward to him being an impact player for us as a junior.”

Weatherspoon, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound forward from Columbus, averaged 3.0 points and 1.1 rebounds in 25 games as a sophomore. Although he played just 6.3 minutes per game last season, Weatherspoon shot a team-high 61.7 percent (29 of 47) from the field in limited action.

In his freshman season, Weatherspoon played in just 10 games before being ruled academically ineligible for the second half of the season. He averaged 1.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 2010.

Weatherspoon scored a career-high 10 points on Nov. 23 against VMI. He also was featured on ESPN’s news program SportsCenter in its “Top 10 Plays” segment with a dunk against Miami (OH) on Dec. 22.

Among the transfers who have played under Kowalczyk are senior guard Dominique Buckley (Iowa State), junior guard Rian Pearson (Wisconsin-Green Bay), senior guard Curtis Dennis (New Mexico), junior forward Matt Smith (Wisconsin-Green Bay), and former forward Anthony Wright (Michigan).

Toledo closed out its non-conference schedule on May 15 with a 10-1 loss on the road at Ohio State.

The Rockets (27-24, 16-8 Mid-American Conference) can now focus on the critical three-game series they host this weekend against Eastern Michigan (24-25, 15-9 MAC), which is two games back of UT for first place in the MAC West Division regular season championship. Toledo is also trying to hold off Central Michigan (28-25, 15-9), which is one game back of UT and has won 10 of its last 11 and eight straight league games. The Chippewas have a three-game series this weekend against Western Michigan (23-25, 13-10).

Against the Buckeyes (30-22), Toledo took an early lead before OSU scored 10 straight runs to grab the victory.

UT senior first baseman Mark Lapikas, courtesy of UT Athletic Department

On the mound, junior starter Jared Locke (3-7, 5.03 ERA) struggled to hold down Ohio State allowing three runs on five hits in five innings of work. Locke has lost his last three outings giving up 10 runs (eight earned) in 15.1 innings.

Freshman Alec Schmenk followed Locke and gave up four runs (one earned) on two hits and three walks in 0.2 innings. Classmate Andrew Marra relieved Schmenk with one run in 1.1 innings before sophomore Trever Gast gave up two unearned runs in the ninth.

At the plate, senior first baseman Mark Lapikas (1 for 1, HR, 2 BB) scored the lone run of the game with his team-leading seventh home run of the season. He also walked in his other two at bats against the Buckeyes.

Senior second baseman Joe Corfman, who went 2 for 4 at the plate, was the lone Rocket to record a multihit effort. With his double in the first inning, Corfman became UT’s all-time hit leader (256).

The Rockets’ crucial weekend series against EMU begins at 3 p.m. May 17 at Scott Park. Sophomore Ryan Wilkinson will get the start, holding a 7-3 record with a 2.74 ERA on the season.

Dancing with the Stars: Cardio Dance for Weight Loss (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

Keep a water bottle nearby as you dance the pounds away with professional dancers Kym Johnson and Mark Ballas from ABC’s Dancing with the Stars television show. Get fit by shaking your body to samba (abdominals), salsa and the challenging swing (legs) rhythmic workouts with great instructions that gradually increase the heart rate. The physical challenges get easier with each viewing while achieving the same activity level. The simple dance routines reach an intermediate level workout by the end of this enjoyable DVD where participants can get considerable health results for the cardio focused workouts while learning some great dance moves that do not require a partner. The DVD contains the standard warm up and cool downs and has a suggested retail price of $14.98, but many stores list a lower price. The 14th season Dancing with the Stars finale episodes will be televised on Monday, May 21 and Tuesday, May 22 (both starting at 8 p.m. EST).

They met three months ago, but they already laugh easily and finish each other’s sentences like best friends. They are all working artists who share a passion for art cooperatives and have big ideas for enhancing Toledo’s art community.
Kimberly Adams had founded “tart :: projects” and was organizing Toledo’s first PechaKucha Night when she met Crystal Phelps, a fellow renter of studio space in the Davis Building. Phelps had recently met Tim Gaewsky after contacting him about getting involved with his newly founded Launch Pad Cooperative. Phelps introduced the two and all three hit it off.
“I’ve always been the networker. I always bring people together,” Phelps said. “It’s important once you find those like-minded people to get everybody together and just start doing stuff.”
“It’s great meeting like-minded people,” Gaewsky agreed. “It’s exciting. We’re supporting each other. That’s the beauty of this whole dynamic.”
“We all have the same goals in mind, which really, really helps,” Adams said.
“We’re on the same wavelength,” Phelps said.
All are relatively recent transplants to Toledo.
Phelps, 24, grew up in Sylvania, but left to attend college in Arizona. She moved back in December after living in Phoenix for a few years after graduation.

Tim Gaewsky, Kimberly Adams and Crystal Phelps are bringing new ideas to the local art scene.

Adams, 30, grew up in Salineville, in rural eastern Ohio. While an undergraduate at Bowling Green State University, Adams founded the Arts Extravaganza, an event still held annually. After working and going to school in Tampa, Fla., she moved to Toledo about 10 months ago.
Gaewsky, 33, earned degrees in his native Cleveland as well as Vermont and worked in Detroit before moving to Toledo three years ago to take a job as an art handler at the Toledo Museum of Art (TMA).
tart :: projects
tart :: projects, which Adams founded last year, aims to provide a platform for dialogue among artists and community members.
Its first exhibition, “The Cabinet of Curiosities,” featuring work from the private collections of five local contemporary collectors, will run through June 2 at the Davis Building Gallery. Hours are regular business hours Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and closed Sundays.
Another tart :: project event will be Neighborhood Watch: Projection Walk, set for 9-11 p.m. June 2 during the Old West End Festival. A group of people will walk from house to house with a projector, projecting images, films and slides onto houses. Adams, who teaches art at BGSU and Eastern Michigan University, got the idea from a similar event in Tampa.
“It’s activating another space,” Adams said. “It’ll be Toledo’s first one and it’s something we’d like to do in different neighborhoods.”
Adams’ long-term goal for tart :: projects is to establish a multidisciplinary artist-in-residency program that would house emerging artists from around the world. With lengths of stay ranging from two to six weeks, the project could house more than 250 artists in a year.
“There’s nothing like it Ohio,” Adams said.
Adams said she loves Toledo’s sense of community.
“In Tampa everything is spread out; here it’s tightknit,” Adams said. “It just felt like there was the potential for so much more to build and expand. When I first came here 10 months ago, I already liked what was going on, so I didn’t want to change it, but I wanted to enhance it.”
PechaKucha
Adams also brought PechaKucha to Toledo. Pronounced “peh-chak-cha,” it is a networking event where up to 16 speakers are each allotted six minutes, 40 seconds to share ideas, stories, inspirations and passions in a format consisting of 20 slides for 20 seconds each. Derived from the Japanese term for the sound of conversation (“chit-chat”), PechaKucha events have taken place in more than 500 cities worldwide, Adams said.
“It’s a global community. It’s a big movement that’s going on,” Adams said.
The next PechaKucha is set for 7:30 p.m. June 12 at the Main Library, 325 N. Michigan St.
Launch Pad
Launch Pad Cooperative is an artist-run gallery dedicated to the cultural enrichment of the greater Toledo area. Based at the Davis Building, 911 Jefferson Ave., Launch Pad will open its inaugural exhibition June 15.
Gaewsky’s vision for Launch Pad is to provide artists and writers with support, collaboration opportunities and learning experiences through lectures, panel discussions, film series, poetry readings, critique sessions and more. He is networking with co-ops in other cities about doing exchange exhibitions to help broaden exposure for Toledo artists. He also plans to establish a mentoring program pairing aspiring artists with co-op members.
“I want there to be more excitement about art,” Gaewsky said. “I really want to engage the community, especially the arts community, in a way I really haven’t seen happen here before. I want to go beyond exhibitions and gallery openings and get more in-depth with what’s going on in the art world outside of Toledo. It’s important to inform the arts community of Toledo that we can be a part of this ongoing dialogue that’s happening on a national and international level within the greater arts community, that we can participate in that.”
Gaewsky credits Toledo with providing the opportunity to start Launch Pad.
“You couldn’t really do this in a bigger city like New York or Chicago,” Gaewsky said. “Toledo is the perfect location for this to happen.”
Grassroots
A thriving arts community can help stem “brain drain,” Phelps said.
“When I was in high school, I was like, ‘What the hell is going on here? There’s nothing.’ And that’s why I left. I can’t be the only person who grew up here and did that,” Phelps said. “Don’t get me wrong; it’s great for everybody to leave and go do their thing, but long-term, as far as sustainability is concerned, you really need to find a market to keep those people here. Those bigger cities that everybody leaves for, that’s what they have.”
After graduating from college, Phelps joined an arts collective in Phoenix. The area — with pockets of untouched downtown space and residents largely sticking to the suburbs —  reminded her of Toledo 10 years ago. She said the cooperative helped draw people to the area, making it a destination and attracting other businesses.
“Even though I’m only 24, I went and experienced these things and I was a key player in these other developments and if I can bring those skills here, I would love to give that back,” Phelps said. “I’ve seen it happen in other places and it gives me hope for a place like Toledo.
“It’s starting to happen, definitely. It’s happening on St. Clair and Adams streets. There’s a lot of really exciting stuff that’s starting to happen, so between us and the other people we haven’t met yet, I’m sure things can really just balloon and improve overall.”
Phelps decided to move back after coming to town for a friend’s wedding last summer and being impressed by what she saw happening in the arts community.
“I stumbled into the Art Supply Depo and said, ‘What’s this? What’s going on here?’ I met a couple of people and said, ‘Direct me to the artists. Take me to your people. I want to see what’s going on here,’” Phelps said, laughing. “And that was basically that.
“Since coming back, I really enjoy seeing these grassroots things starting to take what seems to be a more permanent root and that gets me really excited. It’s already starting to happen, it’s already starting to take shape.”
New voices
Kelly McGilvery, co-founder of Artomatic 419! and longtime collaborator with the Arts Commission, said established members of the Toledo art community are always happy to hear fresh ideas and perspectives.
“Tim is a good friend, and I have met Kim and Crystal several times and admire all their hard work, ingenuity, creativity and smart projects,” McGilvery said in an email to Toledo Free Press Star. “Personally, I’m really excited to see people investing so much of themselves, their energy and efforts on the arts in Toledo. These projects are bringing something new to the discussion and evolution of creativity in this city, and that will only enhance other initiatives already in motion. The more perspectives represented by our arts community, the better. The character of the region is deepened when its arts community is enriched by new voices.”
Toledo artist Dustin Hostetler also welcomes newcomers.
“I’m not involved in anything they’re doing, but I’m really excited to see what’s happening,” Hostetler said in an email to Toledo Free Press Star. “Artists are inspired by other artists, so when you have new people doing new things it encourages others to get off their butts and do new projects as well. Toledo’s art community, from my perspective, is very welcoming and encouraging of new ideas. I certainly hope these three feel the same and are getting positive reinforcement from the old-timers.”
Arts Commission Executive Director Marc Folk said the organization is always interested in engaging artists in conversation about ideas to enhance the arts community.
“It’s fantastic. The more stuff we have happening here, the better from the arts community perspective,” Folk said. “What’s not to like about other people moving to Toledo and moving the community forward? It’s a real easy thing to like for me. I think they deserve kudos for stepping up and trying to take things forward.”

On the Web

• www.facebook.com/Tartprojects
• www.pecha-kucha.org/night/toledo
• www.nhwproject.info
• www.launchpadcooperative.com

The success of last year’s “My Music is Major Art Showcase,” or “M3,” inspired its creator, Jelise Roberts, to tweak, add and expand the event. The show’s theme, “music through art,” benefits the scholarship fund named for Roberts’ grandfather, Toledo music legend, Charles W. McDaniel. He was a music mentor to many musicians in the city and played a pivotal role in the music community as the first African-American secretary treasurer at American Federation of Musicians Local 15286. All proceeds from the sale of artwork will benefit the Charles W. McDaniel Scholarship, which is a faction of the Jeremy Lincoln Foundation and is given to high school seniors pursuing a degree in the arts.

At 5:30 p.m. May 19 at Fort Industry Square Building Upstairs Ballroom, 136 Water St., M3 will honor McDaniel’s memory while featuring music and art from the youth in the Toledo area. Talented juniors and seniors will display their art with music provided by  Bowsher High School’s Jazz Band.
The focus of the show last year was Roberts’ amazing artwork, which featured portraits of music legends like Dizzy Gillespie and this year will feature her Whitney Houston piece. Due to the close musical relationship her grandfather had with youth, it seemed natural to add their music and art to the show.
“My grandfather was always about uplifting the youth, making sure they have a voice and making sure they’re being mentored,” Roberts said.
“M3” is receiving positive support from area schools. There will be artistic representations from Rogers, Bowsher and Scott  high schools and Toledo Christian School, to name a few. “M3” follows the beliefs of McDaniel to remain dedicated to giving a voice to youth by providing guidance and mentorship using music and art. “M3” plans to spread not only the show, but also its message in various artistic shows beyond Toledo. Roberts is driven by her concern about the elimination of music programs in schools and her desire is to have Toledo’s professional artists mentor and continue to uplift and encourage creativity in young artists the way she was encouraged in her youth.
At the showcase, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase Roberts’ and Toledo native artist Eric Jefferson’s original work and/or prints. There will be judging of the student art. At the event, “M3” will introduce a paint-by-numbers concept, “The Brush,” which will allow everyone at the show to interact and become part of one community piece.
McDaniel’s commitment to connecting and uplifting creativity in Toledo lives on through “My Music Is Major Art Showcase.” For the future endeavors of “M3,” Roberts will be looking for artists, musicians and volunteers to help carry out the program’s youth initiative. She can be contacted at Jelise.Roberts@gmail.com or at (419) 535-3126.
As we continue on …

With the release of “The Dictator” on May 16, the young summer movie season has reached one of its major milestones: the first wide release not based on an existing franchise.
Sure, Sacha Baron Cohen — the twisted mind behind “Borat” and “Bruno” — is kind of a franchise in his own right. But at least the movie he’s releasing features original characters and situations. In modern Hollywood, that is damn risky filmmaking.
It’s not hard to understand the motivation behind the trend toward the familiar. During the summer months, Hollywood has more money on the line than at any other time. The studios feel it is far too important a season to risk precious screen space on an unknown commodity. So, in addition to the countless sequels that are produced, we see movies draw inspiration from almost any already-successful resource imaginable.

This summer will have multiplexes filled with flicks sired from novels, comic books, self-help books, fairy tales, musicals, toys, freakin’ board games (Dear Universal: “Battleship?” Really? Love, Jeff) and more. A look over the movie schedule sees it filled with more shameless name brands displayed than if a UFC fighter drove a NASCAR racer down Broadway with Mr. Peanut in the passenger’s seat.
With this in mind, let’s take a second to recognize the exceptions to the rule: movies being released over the next few months that, if nothing else, are trying to do something different.
May 25: “Chernobyl Diaries.” Oren Peli, the director of “Paranormal Activity,” wrote and produced this new shocker directed by Bradley Parker, an effects wizard who directs for the first time here. The movie focuses a group of tourists visiting the site of the nuclear disaster only to find (dramatic pause) that something strange is happening.
June 8: “Prometheus.” Is it or isn’t it? Ridley Scott’s new space epic was originally conceived as a prequel to his seminal 1979 thriller “Alien,” but apparently during the course of its development the film veered into its own path, completely separate from its source material. So can we really say this is still part of a franchise, or is it something original? The question can only be properly answered when the film is released.
June 15: “That’s My Boy.” Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg as father and son. There’s your high concept. By the way, according to the plot summary, Sandler’s character became a father by impregnating his teacher when he was 13. Ha ha, isn’t statutory rape hilarious? In any event, this’ll probably draw Sandler’s usual big audience, while those of us who remember that the guy can actually be good in movies (“Punch Drunk Love,” “50 First Dates,” etc.) will have to wait for next time.
June 22: “Brave.” Even more than Cohen, the artists at Pixar have become a brand name, so to say that “Brave” is a work unsupported by a franchise would be inaccurate. That said, it is a very promising original story, the only one coming out of Pixar in a while (its previous films were “Toy Story” and “Cars” sequels, and the next is a prequel to “Monsters, Inc.”), so it will be a treat to see the company tackle a new universe.
June 29: “Magic Mike.” What’s great about director Steven Soderbergh is that you never quite know what he’s gonna do next. His last (“Haywire”) was a well-received action flick starring MMA star Gina Carano, and here, it’s a low-budget comedy starring Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer as male strippers. Seriously. While the concept alone (supposedly based on Tatum’s own experiences as a stripper) may appeal to many young female fans, Soderbergh’s direction and the script by Reid Carolin may reel in others, as well.
July 13: “Ted.” “Family Guy” creator Seth MacFarlane finally gets to work on the big screen, directing and co-writing the story of a teddy bear who comes to life when his young owner makes a wish. But when the kid is grown up (and played by Mark Wahlberg), the bear (voiced by MacFarlane) is still around. The concept isn’t blindingly original, really (sounds kinda like a cross between “Toy Story” and the awful “Drop Dead Fred”), but MacFarlane’s oddball humor will hopefully make it something new and fun.
July 27: “The Watch.” Well, now here’s a fine how-do-you-do. Originally this sci-fi comedy starring Ben Stiller and Vince Vaughn was called “Neighborhood Watch,” and featured a poster with the familiar sign riddled with bullet holes. Then, the Trayvon Martin tragedy suddenly made it the single most tasteless ad campaign in America. So, a quick change of title and a quick recall of posters and presto! The film’s really about dads defending the Earth from aliens, anyway, so it was a good move shifting away from such blatantly offensive imagery. Will the movie be able to stand on its own merits?

Email Toledo Free Press Star Pop Culture Editor Jeff McGinnis at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

Tony Packo’s added a new piece to its signed bun collection on May 12, and the addition did not come far from home.
Alyson Stoner, an acclaimed actress, singer and dancer, contributed her signature to the collection during a ceremony  at Packo’s at the Park in Downtown Toledo.
Stoner, a Toledo native, has showcased her talents through roles in “Cheaper by the Dozen,” “Camp Rock,” “Step Up,” “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody” and “Phineas and Ferb.”

Alyson Stoner signs a Tony Packo’s hot dog bun May 12 while Alana Packo observes.

Stoner said taking part in this tradition was more than an honor to her, and noted that she was humbled to be part of a collection that incorporates so many outstanding people.
“I tried to think of a clever catch phrase to write on the bun, so I am going to say, ‘Let me know when you’re hiring, work is slow in LA,’” Stoner said.
Stoner said she is a huge fan of Tony Packo’s, and has their product shipped to her residence in Los Angeles.
“I can’t even tell you how many jars of relish I have at my house right now,” she said.
The bun-signing tradition began in 1972 with Burt Reynolds.  Now, the collection incorporates more than 2,000 buns and has a spot in the “Guinness Book of World Records.”
“Just about every week, there is a bun being signed somewhere,” said Tony Packo Jr. “We have five presidents, and even an astronaut who took our sauce on the shuttle into space. We can truly say our food is out of this world,” Packo joked.
The collection was started using real hot dog buns, but now uses foam buns, modeled after the originals.
“They are made out of foam material, but molded after our real buns and then airbrushed to get different looks,” Packo said.
The collection of signed buns, including Stoner’s, is housed at the original Tony Packo’s restaurant, located at 1902 Front St. on Toledo’s East Side.

If you’re a fan of a comics character with a new film heading into theaters, you just have to love the synergy that comes into play between comics and celluloid as the movie countdown begins. While the rest of the world reels in the throes of passion for “The Avengers,” DC Comics is working feverishly to insure their boy Batman is well-covered in print before “The Dark Knight Rises” hits screens in July. Night of the Owls, a multi-issue crossover between almost all of the Batman titles — 10 of them — spreads its wings to reinforce the Bat-brand in the hearts and minds of consumers.
“This is the first major league crossover that DC has attempted since the advent of the New 52, and it is particularly fitting that it should spread out among the Batman family as these tend to be tighter-knit than other books in the DC Universe,” said Ed Katschke of Monarch Cards & Comics. “The story follows the events of one tragic night in Gotham City as a secret cabal called the Court of Owls attempts to cement its control over the city by sending its undead assassins out to murder prominent citizens. The call to arms goes out to all Batman allies and they scramble across the city trying to save as many targets as they can. It’s a simple yet reliable plot point and one that successfully brings the many disparate segments of the Batman family together in a coherent and exciting way. The best thing of all? You don’t have to read all of the tie-ins to follow the main story — that’s being covered in Batman  — but you’ll miss a rare treat if you don’t check out at least a few of the myriad chapters.”
The crossover titles include Batman and Robin, Nightwing, Batwing, Catwoman, Batgirl, Birds of Prey and others. DC is also promoting the May 23 return of superstar writer Grant Morrison to the Batman stable with a new Batman, Incorporated No. 1 and is busy soliciting loads of “The Dark Knight Rises” busts, statues and other merchandise through its in-house collectibles brand DC Direct.

Eric Hillenbrand, owner of 20 North Gallery, will celebrate the debut of his gallery’s 20th season on May 25 with family, friends, artists and food. It’s hard to believe that nearly 20 years ago, he felt a little lonely at work.
“There was one other business in a four-square-block area. Often at nighttime, in this end of town, there would not be a single light on for blocks in any direction … but there’s the gallery. At times when it was on the corner, you could see it for blocks on Monroe Street, it would just light up the whole area,” he said. Now 20 North is surrounded by restaurants, galleries, businesses and Fifth Third Field. The gallery, the oldest independent Toledo gallery, was located at 20 N. St. Clair St., before moving to 18 N. St. Clair St. in 2005.
Hillenbrand, also owner of Hillenbrand Investment Properties renovation company, had sought to open an artists’ colony in the early ’90s, but found that idea morphed into something else. “The gallery really grew out of the response we had from the artists saying we need to display our work,” he said.
It wasn’t long before the gallery became a Downtown draw. “The gallery very quickly took on a life of its own and I was very fortunate early on to have an incredible art director, Peggy Grant,” Hillenbrand said. Grant came on in 1994, bringing many of her artist connections with her. Many of these artists are on display at “20 North / 20 years: The Debut Exhibit of Our 20th Season,” leading up to the May 25 gala.

Eric Hillenbrand, Peggy Grant and Condessa Croninger

“Because of my love of art and Toledo, I found out about many of the artists who are showing in this exhibit right now. We have a tremendous amount of excellent talent,” Grant said.
Grant, a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art, came to Toledo from Detroit in the ’50s after the paint-by-numbers company she worked for transferred her and her husband. Her husband, Adam Grant, was a Polish painter who survived a World War II concentration camp by painting for his captors.
After working for the paint-by-numbers company, Grant went on to curate for Owens-Illinois and later work for Northshore Displays. One of the exhibits Grant started during her time with O-I was the Black History Month display, still an annual occurrence at 20 North and something the staff is very proud of.
“I look for artists of African-American heritage to exhibit their art and get them recognition because so many are not recognized,” Grant said of what is the longest-running Black History Month arts event in the city.
About five years ago, Condessa Croninger, a former colleague of Grant’s, joined 20 North as associate art director, also bringing her connections. Before Croninger was a gallery employee, she was a fan.
“I am happy to say I attended the very first exhibit … and I have seen every show and I’ve been to almost all of the opening receptions,” she said.
Croninger and Hillenbrand are also very proud of the fact that exhibits organized by Grant at the gallery have gone on to museums.
“To have a commercial gallery in a market like Toledo create a quality exhibit sought after by museums says a lot about Peggy’s ability to find these fabulous artists,” Hillenbrand said.
One such exhibit was the 1997 “Baltimore Realists,” which went on to the Midwest Museum of American Art, the Salem, Ohio, branch of the Butler Institute of American Art and the Washington County Museum in Hagerstown, Md.
The exhibit “Adam Grant: Figure Master” started at 20 North before continuing to the Toledo Museum of Art, the University of Toledo and Collegius Maiues in Krakow, Poland. Grant still curates her late husband’s work, which is on display at the Midwest Museum of American Art until July 8.
Greatest accomplishment
But, the greatest accomplishment of 20 North may be its impact on the Toledo arts community. Grant, Hillenbrand and Croninger have all served on the board for the Arts Commission and the area where their gallery is located is an “arts hotspot.”
“It’s been wonderful to have the opportunity to work through other organizations like the Arts Commission and see the industry develop in Toledo. It is a totally different ballgame [from when 20 North started],” Croninger said.
20 North also honors its Toledo home with its latest exhibit. Nineteen of the 20 artists included are local. The 20th is painter Joseph Sheppard, who studied with Grant in Maryland and was included in the “Baltimore Realists” display. Both Grant and Sheppard studied under Jacques Maroger, former technical director of the Louvre.
Michael Sheets, the first artist to exhibit at the gallery in May 1993, also has work on display in addition to paintings by Adam and Peggy Grant. David Eichenberg, whose work is included in the BP Portrait Award exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery in London, will also unveil a commissioned portrait at the gala. The subject of the portrait is a surprise.
Other artists on display include Leslie Adams, Kimberly Arden, Mike Basista, Aaron S. Bivins, Michelle Carlson, Wil Clay, Steven Conine, Joe Ann Cousino, Philip Hazard, Skot Horn, Tom McGlauchlin, Elaine Mikel, Kelly Sheehan, Mike Sohikian and Bruce Works.
“This particular show is not unique to the extent that all but one of the artists in this exhibit are local artists,” said Hillenbrand, whose gallery has survived many changes in the art market over the years.
“When we first started the gallery, there was a real push in the corporate business world for art and then that changed,” he said. “It really moved from corporate buying to purchasing on a very individual level. The trend now is I see a lot more interior designers and architects approaching us for work in conjunction with spaces they are designing.”
For the future, Grant hopes 20 North becomes recognized as the pacesetter he believes it is.
“We’re equal to what you see in New York City or Washington, D.C.,” said the usually humble art director. “If it weren’t for Eric Hillenbrand, we would not have this dynamic Downtown.”
The gala anniversary reception for “20 North / 20 Years: the Debut Exhibit of Our 20th Season” is 6-9 p.m. with recognitions at 7 p.m May 25. The reception and exhibit, which runs until May 26, are free and open to the public at 18 N. St. Clair St., Toledo. Gallery hours are noon-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday or by appointment. Call (419) 241-2400 or visit www.20northgallery.net for more information.

More than 100 harpists and harp enthusiasts are set to travel to Sauder Village for the fifth annual The Harp Gathering.
The festival runs from May 18-20 with an optional extra day May 17 at the Sauder Village and Heritage Inn near Archbold. The event, which features exhibitors, workshops and concerts, was started by the music duo TAPESTRY.
Denise Grupp-Verbon is the wife/harpist of the musical duo with her husband/guitarist Michael. The couple decided to start their own festival, now one of the three major harp festivals in the country, after their own experiences with harp events.
“When we played festivals over the years, we thought, ‘Well, we could do that,’” said Grupp-Verbon, who has played the harp since the fifth grade.

TAPESTRY

Grupp-Verbon said she had always wanted to host an event at the Sauder Village and Heritage Inn. “It’s a beautiful space, even when you’re in the public spaces, you could probably see a place where you could sit and relax,” she said.
The couple started organizing the Harp Gathering in December 2006 and the first festival occurred in May 2008. Now the event gets attendees from all over the country and Canada.
Registration for the festival is “never closed,” Grupp-Verbon said. Last year, one couple from Independence, Mo., “had just decided the day of, ‘Let’s go to The Harp Gathering.’ They called the inn, there was one room, and they flew their plane to the gathering,” Grupp-Verbon said.
The festival’s three concerts are open to the public for $15. At 7 p.m. May 18, TAPESTRY kicks off the show, followed by Frank Voltz. At 7:30 p.m. May 19, Timothy Harper will play before Lisa Lynne and Aryeh Frankfurter. At 11:15 a.m. May 20, the Harp Ensemble will play, followed by Martha Gallagher. Gallagher and Frankfurter are new to the festival, Grupp-Verbon said, adding that she tries to keep variety in the mix every year.
The Harp Gathering also features a harp giveaway contest. The harp, courtesy of Lewis Creek Instruments and Harps, is valued at more than $4,000. Grupp-Verbon will draw the winner and said, “I’m the first one to see the card and you can imagine how cool that is.”
The event includes several educational workshops with topics like “Copyright Mysteries Solved” put on by Grupp-Verbon at 12:30 p.m. May 18, “Jazz Techniques” led by Voltz at 3 p.m. May 19 and “Getting Your Music Out into the World” with Lynne at 9 a.m. May 20.
One of the great things about the Harp Gathering is reconnecting with friends, Grupp-Verbon said.
“I have made friends that I would never have known if we hadn’t been at the festival at the same time,” she said.
Many of the harp lovers and friends come back year after year. “We have a lot of people that have been every year and they’re looking to, ‘Oh, when’s next year?’” Grupp-Verbon said.
The Harp Gathering begins at 5:30 p.m. May 17. On-site registration is $425 for harpists. For a breakdown of the costs of individual events and the full schedule, visit http://harpgathering.com. Fees do not include a hotel room. Sauder Village is at 22611 State Route 2, Archbold. For more information, call (419) 478-4177.

Officials gathered May 14 to support Toledo Public Schools’ (TPS) 6.9-mill levy. The levy will appear on the Nov. 6 ballot. The resolution for the levy was approved by the Board of Education at an earlier meeting, along with the decision to reinstate some junior high school and freshmen sports programs into the district.

If passed, the permanent levy will cost the owner of a $60,000 home $126.79 per year, or 35 cents per day. The money would fund the district’s current transformation program and balance the budget beyond the 2012-13 school year. While the 2012-13 budget is currently balanced, a failed levy in November would mean drastic cuts the following year.

“Without additional funding at this time, the district will have to cut an excess of $15 million before the beginning of the 2013-14 school year,” Toledo School District Superintendent Jerome Pecko said.

Lisa Sobecki and Bob Vasquez

Pecko said that the proposed levy would allow the district to pursue a new district-wide discipline program, a unified student data program for parents and teachers, and employee evaluations based on student performance.

School Board President Lisa Sobecki said the school district’s transformation program cannot be completed without the funding from the levy; its amount was chosen by the finance committee after a variety of millages were studied.

Sobecki said some highlights of the transformation program include the developments of a gifted and talented program for grades 3-6, extracurricular programs for grades 7-12, the continuation of early high school programs for grades 7-8, the implementation of online digital classrooms and electronic grade-books, and of thematic-based high schools.

The School Board’s plan of thematic-based high schools allows each school to concentrate on a specific area. Bowsher would focus on arts and medicine, Woodward on renewable and innovative sources of energy, and Rogers on sports medicine, among others areas of specialization.

University of Toledo President Lloyd Jacobs gave his “unqualified and unequivocal support” for what he believes to be “one of the best investments for the social fabric of our community.”

In addition to Jacobs, city council President Joe McNamara, Representative Fedor, City Council Member Bob Vasquez, Mayor Mike Bell and TAAP President Don Yates spoke at the news conference.

In November 2010, TPS proposed Issue 5, a 7.8-mill levy which voters rejected. That levy, which would have generated roughly $21.6 million, was the second to fail in 2010 as TPS attempted to meet its $40 million deficit.

Issue 5 would have been the highest millage amount passed for Toledo Public Schools in the past four decades, and the first levy passed for TPS since 2001.

With hard-charging Central Michigan nipping at its heels, Toledo swept Bowling Green on the road this weekend to remain one game up in the race for the Mid-American Conference West Division crown.

The Rockets (27-24, 16-8 MAC) needed every win of the weekend to hold onto sole possession of first place with the Chippewas charging. Central Michigan (28-25, 15-9) has won 10 straight games, including eight against league opponents, as it remains one game behind UT. Toledo has three league games left against Eastern Michigan (24-25, 14-10), which is also in the running two games back, while CMU has a three-game series against Western Michigan (23-25, 13-10) remaining.

Junior center fielder Ben Hammer, courtesy of UT Athletics

In the final game of the series, Toledo clinched the sweep, defeating the Falcons 2-1 in 11 innings.

Junior center fielder Ben Hammer played the role of the hero with the game-winning RBI single in the top of the 11th to bring home senior second baseman Joe Corfman. Hammer recorded three hits in four at bats on the game.

Corfman (4 for 6, 2 R) was effective throughout, recording a team-high four hits while crossing the plate twice for UT’s only runs. Freshman right fielder Dan Zuchowski (1 for 5, RBI) drove home the Rockets’ only other run.

Starter Michael Hamann recorded another promising outing, giving up just one run on seven hits in six innings, striking out seven. After posting an 8.16 ERA in his first nine starts, the junior has recorded a 2.23 ERA in his last four outings and has allowed less than one run in three of those games.

Senior reliever Tyler Scott replaced Hamann and allowed just one hit in 3.1 scoreless innings. Classmate Lincoln Rassi (3-0) recorded his third win of the season in relief, giving up two hits in 1.2 innings. With their outings, Rassi and Scott have lowered their ERAs this season to 1.44 and 2.23, respectively.

With a three-game series with major conference championship ramifications approaching against EMU on May 17, the Rockets will take a small break from MAC play to take on Ohio State (30-22) in Columbus at noon May 15.

Toledo football continues to make its mark in free agency following the NFL Draft.

Running back Adonis Thomas and wide receiver Kenny Stafford both signed professional contracts on May 13 and have joined NFL rosters.

Thomas won’t have to go far from Toledo to find his home as a professional. The Newark, N.J., native signed with the Cleveland Browns and will compete for a roster spot for the upcoming season.

Adonis Thomas (left) and Kenny Stafford (right), taken by Nick Kneer

Cleveland lost starting running back Peyton Hillis in free agency but replaced him with No. 3 overall pick Trent Richardson. The other running backs on the roster include Montario Hardesty, Brandon Jackson, Chris Ogbonnaya and Armond Smith.

Despite breaking his arm last season, which caused him to miss three games, Thomas finished 17th in the nation with 107.1 rushing yards per game and 23rd in the nation with 142.1 all-purpose yards per contest.

Thomas wasn’t the lone Rocket to sign on May 13; Stafford also found a new home in Atlanta.

Stafford, who is best known as being Chris Carter’s nephew, finished fourth on the team with 21 catches and 272 yards with one score on the season.

The Columbus native saw his stock rise at Toledo’s pro day with one of the most impressive performances of the event. Stafford ran a 4.37 40-yard dash, which would have put him fourth among the 40 wide receivers who participated at the NFL Combine.

The Falcons’ wide receiving corps is led by one of the top duos in the league, Roddy White and Julio Jones. They did not take a receiver in the draft.

With the signings of Thomas and Stafford, a total of seven Rockets have signed as undrafted free agents. Among the signings: wide receiver Eric Page (Denver), tight end Danny Noble (Tampa Bay), offensive linemen Mike VanDerMeulen (Tampa Bay) and Phillip Manley (Atlanta) and cornerback Desmond Marrow (Houston).

The Rockets jumped out to a 12-2 run on the road and remained atop the Mid-American Conference West Division with a 16-8 win over Bowling Green on May 12.

Toledo is now 26-24 on the season with a 15-8 record in MAC play. They lead Central Michigan (27-25, 14-9 MAC), which has won nine straight games, by one game and Eastern Michigan (23-25, 13-10) by two. The Rockets have just four games against league opponents remaining, including a three-game series at home against the Eagles beginning on May 17.

UT senior first baseman Mark Lapikas, courtesy of UT Athletic Department

Despite a rare poor performance from senior starter Matt Kuna, the Rockets hitters still managed to pull the team to a victory. Kuna (6-1, 2.78 ERA), who entered the game leading the MAC with a 2.09 ERA, gave up a season-high seven runs (six earned) on 10 hits in 4.1 innings of work. In his eight previous starts this year, Kuna had never given up more than three runs.

Senior reliever Alex Radon (1-5, 6.40 ERA) picked up his first win of the season giving up one run over 2.2 innings before junior Cody Umbright finished the game with two scoreless innings.

A day after racking up 14 hits and nine runs, the UT offense continued to roll, recording a season-high in both runs (16) and hits (19).

Senior first baseman Mark Lapikas (4 for 5, 2 R, 2 RBI) paced the team with a career-high four hits and has recorded a hit in eight consecutive contests.

Sophomore catcher James Miglin (2 for 3, 4 R, RBI) crossed the plate four times while junior designated hitter Matt Delewski (2 for 4, R, 3 RBI) and junior third baseman Wes White (1 for 3, 3 RBI) each drove home three. Senior second baseman Joe Corfman (3 for 5, 2 R, RBI) and junior center fielder Ben Hammer (3 for 6, 2 R, RBI) also recorded multihit efforts.

After securing the series victory, Toledo will look to sweep the Falcons at 1 p.m. May 13. Junior starter Mike Hamann (2-5, 6.51 ERA) will take the hill looking for his third win in five starts.

With tax season a recent memory, many retirees are likely wondering why they pay so much of their hard-earned money in income taxes to the IRS. Perrysburg-based financial adviser Jeff Bucher believes Roth IRA conversions are one plausible solution for many to consider.

“Roth IRAs offer a number of benefits for pre-retirees and retirees who want to avoid a tax burden later in life,” said Bucher, president of Citizen Advisory Group. “By converting to a Roth IRA today, you could potentially help yourself tomorrow by reducing your tax liabilities in retirement.” But Bucher warns that, ”Roth IRAs are not for everyone, so it’s important to know all the rules and how they might impact your specific financial situation before making a decision.”

Jeff Bucher

Benefits of a Roth IRA include tax-free withdrawals in retirement and no required minimum distributions (RMDs). If done correctly, a Roth IRA can help maximize savings and minimize taxes, although the rules can be complicated to understand. Bucher offers three tips to consider before converting your 401(k) or traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.

Determine if a Roth IRA conversion is right for you.

There can be a lot of expensive fees involved if a conversion is done incorrectly. Income taxes are due on the amount of money converted to a Roth IRA in the year converted, which means you will need to have to pay now in order to be able to take advantage of the benefits later. A Roth conversion may not be right for you under the following scenarios:

• You will be in a lower retirement tax bracket. Converting to a Roth may not make sense if your retirement tax bracket will be considerably lower than it is today. You could end up paying more now on the conversion than you’d pay later on the withdrawal of funds in retirement.
• You will need to dip into your retirement account to afford conversion taxes. Taking money out of your IRA or 401(k) account to pay for the conversion taxes can result in a 10 percent early withdrawal penalty. You would also end up having less money saved for retirement. Paying the taxes out of pocket can help you avoid this fee.

Know how to convert correctly.

Roth IRA conversions can be costly, incurring extra penalties and/or taxes if done incorrectly. Following are a few common mishaps that could affect the value of your account:

• Failing to do a direct transfer. A direct transfer is the best way to receive the funds from your traditional IRA or 401(k) to a new Roth account. To complete a direct transfer properly, your former IRA or 401(k) custodian needs to put the funds directly into your new account. In addition, if you do not complete a direct transfer and are younger than 59½, you could have to pay an early withdrawal penalty.
• Avoiding the 20 percent withholding trap. If you have the check issued in your own name and deposit it into the new Roth IRA account yourself, you will be subject to a 20 percent withholding tax.
• Rolling over your required minimum distribution to a Roth. Those who are required to take an RMD from a traditional IRA or 401(k) should not roll over the RMD in converting to a Roth. Doing so could push you past the amount you are allowed to contribute every year, resulting in a 6 percent excise tax for every year the excess amount remains in the account.

Understand which accounts are eligible for a Roth IRA conversion.

Not all funds are eligible to be converted to a Roth IRA. That means you need to be careful that you do not get penalized for trying to convert ineligible funds. Here are a couple situations to avoid, as they could result in costly penalties:

• Postponing conversion for 60 plus days. If you wait too long to put funds into a Roth IRA, they could become ineligible for conversion. This mistake can happen when a direct transfer is not completed because the account owner is then responsible for depositing the check. If the check is not deposited within 60 days, the funds are no longer eligible.
• Converting inherited IRAs or dividends from employer stocks. These accounts are ineligible for conversion and could cost you a 6 percent excise tax for each year they stay in the account.

Bucher adds, “The good news is if your account is worth less after the first year, you can convert back to a traditional IRA, penalty free. This is called a recharacterization and you have until October 15 of the following year to change your mind. A qualified financial adviser can assist you with ‘un-doing’ your IRA.”

Jeff Bucher is co-founder and president of Citizen Advisory Group, an independent financial advisory firm serving the greater Toledo area, specializing in retirement planning. He is an investment adviser representative under AlphaStar Capital Management LLC and is a licensed life and health insurance agent with the state of Ohio. For more information about Jeff M. Bucher and Citizen Advisory Group, please visit www.CitizenAdvisory.com.