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Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Joe Biden Visits Uptown Maumee To Make A Case For Change

BY NANCY GAGNET — MIRROR REPORTER
Restoring hope for middle class America was the message brought to uptown Maumee this week when Democratic vice presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden made a historic visit Wednesday morning.
“When I grew up I was told if you worked hard and played by the rules, you would be successful,” he said.
“We did it, we believed it and that’s the way Barack and I are running our administration,” said Biden, who was selected as Barack Obama’s running mate for the November 4 presidential election. “When people have a voice, the United States is the most decent and honorable place to live.”
With the Maumee High School Marching Pride behind him and several hundred spectators in front, Biden stood on a stage in the middle of the 100 block of West Wayne Street under a banner that simply read “Change.”
“I’m here for the firefighters and the cops, the teachers and the unions and the engineers and all the folks who deserve a government as good as they are and as strong as they are,” Biden said.
The current job and economic conditions are the result of failed Republican policies, Biden said, citing eight straight months of job losses, 46 million Americans with no health insurance and the average income of the middle class decreasing while grocery and gas prices continue to rise.
“On these issues, John McCain is out of touch,” Biden said.
“John McCain said that we have made great economic strides during the Bush administration,” Biden said, describing McCain’s economic philosophy “as bankrupt as Lehman Bros.”
“If McCain admitted the truth he’d be forced to stop doing the same things over again,” he said.
Biden said McCain is now calling for regulations after bragging that he would shred the regulations that tether large corporations down.
“All of a sudden he says, ‘My goodness there’s greed on Wall Street,’” Biden said.
With a record number of home foreclosures, Biden also said McCain has promised to fight for those who lost real estate investments, yet he’s leaving homeowners behind.
“What about the small borrower who doesn’t invest, but lives in the home?” Biden asked.
“(McCain) just doesn’t think we have a responsibility to help those who are hurting.”
According to Biden, voters have two choices: John McCain’s ticket that offers a market of big corporations that can do whatever they want, or the Obama ticket with common sense oversight that looks out for families.
He promised 5 million new jobs in wind and solar technology. He also plans to change the bankruptcy laws so families facing foreclosures can stay in their homes.
Biden promised a tax cut to middle class families, which he describes as anyone who can’t go more than two paychecks without getting in trouble.
He described recent political attacks as the “politics of misrepresentation.”
“Here comes Karl Rove – and the attempt to not talk about you, your life and your future,” he said.
Biden said middle class Americans should be able to pay their mortgage, have decent health care and a decent job, afford a child’s college education and enjoy pure air and water.
“It’s time for America to get up on its feet – I’m ready, Barack Obama is ready, so let’s get up and change this country. We will do this.”
Maumee Mayor Tim Wagener described Biden’s visit as “overwhelming.”
“You can’t beat a day like this regardless of your party affiliation,” he said.
According to Wagener, the last time a major party candidate spoke in uptown Maumee was when Richard Nixon visited in 1956.
At 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, street crews closed the 100 block of West Wayne Street as well as the nearby alleys and parking lots.
The city spent $1,000 in extra personnel costs for the Biden visit, which will be invoiced to the campaign.

Toledo Family Gets More Than Just A Home Makeover

BY KRISTEN SCHWEITZER — MIRROR REPORTER
About nine months ago, Judy Frisch registered her son as a potential recipient for an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition project.
“I asked Aaron to send an e-mail also,” she said, hoping it would increase his chances of winning.
According to Judy, Aaron Frisch wasn’t quite sure he made the midnight deadline, hitting the send button a little too late.
Leaving Judy in the dark, Aaron found out he was still in the running a few months later.
“He was in the final 30 but he didn’t tell me. He knows how excited I get,” Judy said.
Once Aaron was among the top five candidates, Judy was let back in the loop.
“I really began to pray in earnest. When they got the message, our prayers were answered,” she said.
The Frisch family found out they would soon have a brand new home on September 7, just a day before construction began, and a week before they would move in to the new home.
The EMHE team budgeted 106 hours to build the new home for the family – Jackie and Aaron Frisch, their three biological children and their eight adopted children.
Jackie is an ordained minister and Aaron is a firefighter. After a mission trip to Haiti, Jackie wanted to adopt five boys from an orphanage. The family adopted three more children from Toledo.
Jackie Frisch also has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a disease that affects the body’s connective tissue, and has had a series of strokes. The left half of her body is paralyzed.
Before their new home was built, the family was living in a one-story, three-bedroom ranch without air conditioning.
Their old home was demolished and over the course of the week, a new, larger home was put it its place.
More than 4,000 volunteers registered to help with the project. According to Aaron’s mother Judy, volunteers were turned away due to the large turnout.
“The support and love the community has shown is just incredible,” she said. “It’s a very humbling experience.”
During the construction, the Frisch family was sent on a vacation to Disney World, accompanied by an Extreme Makeover producer and two Disney employees.
“They are being treated like royalty. They don’t have to wait in line for any of the rides,” Judy Frisch said.
Judy called the trip “the dream trip of a lifetime,” for the family. She said Jackie and Aaron had wanted to take their children to Disney World for years, but had never been able to afford the trip.
The Frisch family saw their new home for the first time on Sunday, just one week after they learned they were chosen for the project.
There were tears, gasps and many thanks from the family upon seeing their new home.
With so many volunteers, the home was finished on schedule and the Frisch family received their keys on Monday.
Businesses from all over Northwest Ohio were involved in the project, donating furniture, computers, food, massages for volunteers and much more.
Buckeye Real Estate was chosen as the builder for the project.
Buckeye was chosen because “they had the strength to reach out to their community and gather necessary sub-contractors and trades to pull off a project of this magnitude,” according to Conrad Ricketts, EMHE executive producer.
Buckeye Real Estate has been an active builder for Habitat for Humanity, building six homes since 1996.
“I think that the big picture is that the city’s focus is all on something very positive for the community,” said Tim Schlachter, Buckeye president.
According to Schlachter, over 1,300 skilled trades volunteers helped in the construction of the house.
Schlachter pointed out one volunteer who was 84 years old.
“He shouldn’t be doing what he’s doing, but he wanted to help,” he said.
The volunteers worked all hours.
“They get here and it’s infectious. They get caught up in the energy,” Schlachter said.
Creative Elements Furniture Studio of Grand Rapids, Ohio, was the main furniture supplier for the Frisch home, donating about $35,000 worth of furniture.
“Having 11 boys under one roof obviously creates a challenge for picking out furnishings for the home,” said Chris Chamberlin, co-owner of Creative Elements. “Through the entire furniture selection process we have been impressed by how meticulous the Extreme Makeover design staff has been. The needs of the family are first priority and it has been great for the Creative Elements staff to assist in putting it together with them.”
Chamberlin was contacted by one of the design producers after someone suggested Creative Elements to the EMHE team.
“It’s really neat to say someone recommended us – a great testament to our store and staff,” Chamberlin said.
Restaurants from all over donated food for the thousands of volunteers.
According to Lynda Kalucki, volunteer food services coordinator, nearly 50 different restaurants contributed to the project in various ways.
The building of the Frisch home will air on ABC’s EMHE in November, during the show’s sixth season.


Music, Games, Businesses And Parade Part Of The Roche de Boeuf Lineup

BY KAREN BERGER — MIRROR REPORTER
Expanded children’s activities, plenty of free entertainment, a larger motorcycle and car show and nearly 200 vendors will fill the streets of Waterville on Saturday, September 27 during the 35th annual Roche de Boeuf Festival.
A pre-Roche de Boeuf Party kicks off the weekend on Friday from 6:00 p.m. to midnight on the newly renovated Third Street.
“We’re inviting people to see the finished product,” said Ferd Seipel of the Waterville Rotary Club.
The Rotary and Mad Anthony’s are sponsoring the 21-and-over event, which will feature music from The Transitions, a cornhole tournament and plenty of food and drinks.
Revelers will be able to dance in the brick street and eye the improvements to the streetscape under new lights. At North Third Street and Farnsworth Road is a 618-square-foot clock tower with restrooms as well as parking. Construction began on May 28 and is to be complete by September 25.
Third Street on both sides will be jammed with vendors – from crafters to businesses – on Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., said Dawn Bly, executive director of the Waterville Chamber of Commerce.
The parade begins at 10:00 a.m. from the corner of North Street and River Road, heading south on River Road to Waterworks Park.
After filling up on parade treats, kids will want to check out the carnival at the old Waterville School, inflatables behind Peddler’s Alley, midway games on Farnsworth and free games on the Zion Lutheran Church lawn. Zion will also sell sandwiches and soups in the church basement.
The performing stage near Zion and the chamber office has a lineup that includes Roger’s Dance Studio at 11:30 a.m., Dance Centre of Northwest Ohio at 12:30 p.m. and 2:15 p.m., Aegela Centers for Middle Eastern Dance (belly dancing) at 1:30 p.m. and the Maumee Senior Singers at 3:15 p.m.
Elvis impersonator Bob Rosencrantz and his son will roam the festival from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and a clown will create balloon animals from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., said chamber member Jo McElheney.
Cars, trucks and motorcycles will fill the Jo-Jo’s Original Pizzeria parking lot at South and Third streets for an expanded car show that now includes motorcycles and monster trucks, said chamber member Louann Artiaga.
Check-in for the show begins at 9:00 a.m. and the public can vote from noon to 3:00 p.m. The $10.00 day-of-show entrance fee includes a dash card for the first 100.
Car categories include Golden Oldies, 1950 and before; Classic, 1950s and older; Modified; and Toys for Boys. The bike categories include bagger, street custom and full custom. Trophy winners will be named in each category as well as an overall winner for bikes and cars.
The band Alter Ego will play throughout the show, and Milan Dragway will display race cars.
Parking for the Roche de Boeuf Festival is available at Something Special Learning Center and LifePointe Church on SR 64 just west of Waterville. Shuttles will arrive beginning at 9:00 a.m. to pick up festival-goers for delivery to the BP Station. Shuttles stop running at 4:30 p.m. Handicap-accessible parking is available in the village and First Federal of Delta parking lots.
The festival is named after Waterville’s historical Roche de Boeuf landmark, an outdcropping of rock in the Maumee River just south of the village, where native Americans were said to have gathered.

Harrison Rally Day Featured In Perrysburg This Weekend

Downtown Perrysburg will celebrate Harrison Rally Day on Saturday, September 20 with live entertainment, children’s activities, artists’ booths and food from local restaurants.
The annual community festival is named after an 1840 political rally held at Fort Meigs, where 40,000 people gathered to hear presidential candidate William Henry Harrison on his whistle stop tour.
Presented by the Perrysburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the Perrysburg Area Arts Council, Harrison Rally Day will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Several streets will be closed to vehicle traffic and more than 200 artist and vendor booths will line both sides of the streets.
The festival has several distinct areas, including a marketplace of area businesses and community groups, a juried fine arts show, non-juried fine arts and crafts, the Taste of Perrysburg food court, Busy Bee Town children’s craft area and two entertainment stages.
A parade will take place at 10:00 a.m.
The juried art fair will feature more than 100 professional artists whose work includes ceramics, fiber, glass, jewelry, photography, sculpture, wood and more.
Busy Bee Town, open from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., will feature make-and-take crafts for kids with an “Under the Sea” theme.
The main stage at the corner of Louisiana and Second Street will present entertainment by the Lori LeFevre Quartet at 11:00 a.m., Cottonwood String Jam Band at 12:30 p.m., Bobby May and Dry Bones at 1:00 p.m., Perrysburg High School dance team at 2:30 p.m., High Country Ramblers at 3:00 p.m. and the Ballet Folklorico Imagenes at 4:30 p.m.
The youth band stage, located on the lawn of the Commodore Building, will kick off with a performance by local band Gazebo at 11:00 a.m., followed by bands from the Toledo School for the Arts for the remainder of the day.
Parking Lot Party
The Rockin’ at RiverPlace party will continue the festivities into the evening. The Perrysburg chamber sponsors the 21-and-over parking lot party from 8:00 p.m. to midnight at the Shoppes at RiverPlace, SR 25 at Eckel Junction Road.
There is a $5.00 admission fee, and the event will include live entertainment by Velvet Jones, beer and food.

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