Weekend in review: Top stories, multimedia

11/26/2007

The historic Valentine Theatre complex in downtown Toledo is structurally sound despite a basement explosion early yesterday that blew out several windows and damaged walls on the lower level of its Renaissance Senior Apartments. Authorities this morning will continue to investigate the cause of the explosion on St. Clair Street that prompted the evacuation of nearly 70 apartment residents.

The Golden Compass is being advertised as "an exciting fantasy adventure" for children set in "a world where witches rule the northern skies, where ice bears are the bravest of warriors, and where every human is joined with an animal spirit who is as close to them as their own heart." But the $180 million Hollywood movie, which opens Dec. 7, is also drawing criticism from religious groups that describe it as "militantly atheistic," "blasphemous," "heretical," and "diabolical."

An autopsy confirmed that a central Toledo man who was shot and killed early Thanksgiving morning died of a single gunshot wound to the head, the Lucas County coroner's office said yesterday.

DENIAL is the first stage of grieving. Democrats seem stuck there when it comes to the war in Iraq. It's odd that his fellow Democrats are mourning success in Iraq, Sen. Joseph Lieberman said in a speech Nov. 8.

Gregg Brandon brushed back his Gatorade-soaked hair before taking a seat in front of a room full of reporters. "Would you like to make an opening statement, coach?" Brandon was asked.

A proud Mayor Carty Finkbeiner set out his claim for Toledo to be named the "most liveable" city of its size in the world in a slick and assured presentation before a panel of international judges in London yesterday. In a rousing speech, with pictures of Fifth Third Field and the Veterans' Glass City Skyway bridge flashing behind him, he declared Toledo "one of America's great cities."

Though it managed to survive Friday's blast, the Valentine Theatre likely will remain idle until at least January. The extended delay goes beyond time needed for repairs: Investigators need more time to sort out what happened.

Joe Stalma won 288 games and posted a .738 winning percentage in 18 years as the boys head basketball coach at Rossford High School. His teams were 85-4 at home during his first 10 seasons and once had a 47-game home winning streak. He took two teams to the state tournament, one of them to the title game. And he has been inducted into just about every Hall of Fame you can imagine.

From its first placard, the exhibition pulled no punches. There, within corridors that were his own creation, came blunt questions of the man's achievement and legacy: "Genius? Fraud? Artist? Who is Frank Gehry?"