Hey Ohioans, the May 5th primary is fast approaching, and you only have until April 6 to register or fix any issues with your registration.

Because of the GOP-led Ohio Statehouse voter registration shenanigans, you should check to make sure you’re properly registered to vote. Ohio secretary of state Frank LaRose is on a mission to purge voters, so don’t take it for granted that everything is fine. It’s not.

• To check out the qualifications to vote in Ohio, go HERE

• To register online to vote or update your address, go HERE

We are fighting an uphill battle to turn Ohio blue again, so PLEASE vote in the May 5 primary and the Nov. 3 election! Every vote DOES count!

FYI: April Tuesday - 4/7- First Day of Early Vote - 3737 W. Sylvania Ave., Entrance C, Toledo, OH 43623 (April 7, 2026 - May 3, 2026)

• Tuesday - 4/7 - Absentee Voting by Mail begins (Contact BOE for questions, 419-213-4001).

A big thanks to my subscribers!

Thanks to you, this Definitely a King podcast made a very brief appearance on Substack’s Top 100 Bestsellers in News list! We peaked to #94 after I posted the No Kings Rally episode, but I don’t post enough content to stay there.

I hope to change when I ramp things up in mid-May, after this semester is over and I come back from a two-week vacation. For those who may not know, I’m currently an adjunct instructor at the University of Toledo and Wayne State University in Detroit. I’m teaching two courses at UToledo - News Writing I and Digital Design for Media Communication - and a podcast & audio reporting class at Wayne State.

Those classes take up much of my time, as expected. But teaching multimedia journalism to the next generation of storytellers is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. I’m privileged to be able to share with students what I’ve honed throughout my career.

I’m looking forward to offering more consistent episodes, including:

• a weekly rundown of what Democrats are doing

• continued coverage of Trump’s latest shenanigans

• and finally launching the Dem Dames show (more on that soon)

FYI: As of April 5, nine months after this podcast was founded, I’ve grown to 140 subscribers, including 15 paid supporters.

Thanks again for supporting this mission. As the unofficial podcaster for the Lucas County Democratic Party, your support truly matters. If you believe in what I’m building, help me grow it by sharing this podcast and spreading the word. Let’s get it back into Substack’s Top 100.

Trump’s shameful shenanigans continues

It’s really, really hard to keep up with everything Trump and his monarchy are doing to destroy much of what this country has built in the last 250 years.

This LA Times headline for a Voices column says it all: The ‘USA’ brand was 250 years in the making. It just took 100 days to trash it.

In that column, written in 2025 by Jackie Calmes, she claimed that “…Trump took what economists considered a ‘stellar’ economy and crashed it, while deputizing minions to tear holes in the safety net and take chainsaws to the federal government and the rule of law.”

And she quoted this guy, Ken Griffin, a Republican billionaire donor, who admitted this:

“We’re eroding that [USA] brand right now,” Griffin lamented at an economic forum. Everything that “USA” has long stood for - financial stability, military strength, cultural prestige and more - undermined. “It can take a very long time,” Griffin warned, “… to remove the tarnish.”

The erosion hasn’t slowed; it’s accelerated. The doubts are deeper, the divisions sharper and the damage to that “USA” brand more visible - not just at home, but around the world. And the longer it continues, the harder it becomes to restore what was once taken for granted: trust, stability and credibility.

These are just a few highlights of what happened last month:

• He issued 10 executive orders in March, totaling 253 in his second term. Here are just three of them:

  • EO 14394: Removing regulatory barriers to affordable home construction. Sounds good, but regulatory barriers actually help prevent fraud and abuse. Duh!

  • EO 14398: Addressing DEI Discrimination by Federal Contractors. This actually means by eliminating ‘racially discriminatory DEI activities’ by federal contractors, the EO protects the opposite of who it’s supposed to protect.

  • EO 14399: Ensuring citizenship verification and integrity in federal elections. Striving to “guarantee a republican form of government to every State in the Union,” which means forcing citizenship verification in federal elections.

  Going along with EO 14399, Ohio secretary of state Frank LaRose actually gave the complete voter registration list of 8 million Ohio voters to the Justice Department. That basically means Trump is trying to make it harder for people to vote by mail, which he does himself. How hypocritical can you be?

And then there’s the war in Iran that Trump started, then says it’s over while bombs and drones are still bursting in air. He started that war for ‘reasons unknown’ to us, but we are all suffering the consequences: skyrocketing gas prices at the pump and rising prices on just about everything else.

Oh, and lest not forget that our reputation as a trusted superpower is diminishing by the day. Trump now wants to pull out of the EU because they won’t play ball and just ‘take’ the Strait of Hormuz, which he claimed in his national address this week will “open up naturally” at the conclusion of this war.

Speaking of war, Pete Hegseth is continuing to fire longtime generals, like U.S. Army Chief of Staff Randy George. He gave no reason but we can assume it’s because the Army suspended the two pilots who made an unauthorized helicopter pit stop to MAGA singer Kid Rock’s Nashville home.

Of course, Hegseth ceased that investigation and declared there will be no punishment for the pilots. There is no doubt other generals who refuse illegal orders are also being purged from the military. For a more complete list of his military firings, go HERE.

And finally, again, make sure you’re registered to VOTE in May and November so we can begin the healing process and get back to some normalcy.

I’m going to leave you with this Instagram Thread video, which pretty much sums up what’s happening right now with the Trump regime: Click HERE.

April Democratic Events

· 4/6 - Voter Registration Deadline for May 5th Primary

· 4/8 - Amy Stoner Kickoff Fundraiser - 5 pm @ Georgios Downtown

· 4/9 - LCDP Spring Happy Hour Fundraiser 5 pm - 9 pm @ Riverside BBQ

o Tickets HERE

· 4/9 - Acton for Governor Fireside Chat and Fundraiser

o Doors open at 6:30 pm

o RSVP 614-450-2283 or rsvp@actonforgovernor.com

o RSVP for the address.

o Contribute Online HERE

· 4/11 - Multi-County Democratic Dinner in Fulton County

o Please purchase tickets by the end of March. Speakers - Judge Myron Duhart • Bryan Hambly • Allison Russo • Dave Swanson • Erika White

o Dinner & Community Gathering Meet the candidates, greet your neighbors, and enjoy raffles, door prizes, and community‑donated items.

o Proceeds support the Fulton County Democratic Party.

o Learn more here

· 4/13 - April LCDP Executive Committee Meeting 6:30 pm @ LCDP HQ

· 4/16 - Save the Date - Ohio Secretary of State Candidates forum at Trinity Episcopal.

· 4/22 - Rep. Michele Grim Re-election Fundraiser 5 pm @ The Casual Pint.

o Help Rep. Grim kick off her re-election campaign at the Casual Pint.

o Get your tickets at this link

o FB event: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fm2xuN6rp/

· 4/22 - Toledo Repro Happy Hour + PACP Kit Making - 5 - 7 pm @ The Attic

o Join us for the first Toledo reproductive health happy hour of the year! We’re partnering with our friends at Toledo Abortion Center Escorts and Abortion Forward for an Abortion Care Basket Packing Party, which provides materials to assist patients in their post-abortion recovery process.

o RSVP at this link: https://secure.ngpvan.com/E5Ru1Coxo0-3aFJhufuC2w2

· 4/23 - Roots of Resistance - Stonewall Dems Plant Swap

o 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm at Ernest Breworks - Southside

o Small house plants, seedlings, sprouts, and cuttings to propagate are all welcome for trading. We will also have succulents and native seed packets for purchase, which will support Stonewall Dems’ future efforts. In addition to all the plant fun, attendees will have the opportunity to learn more about LGBTQIA+ issues in Ohio and discuss additional ways to get involved and make a difference here in our community. We hope to see you there, and that 2026 will be your year to grow your “Roots of Resistance!”

May

· 5/2 - A More Perfect Union - LCDP Adult Prom Spring Fundraiser 7 pm - 10 pm

o Get your best prom look ready for a fabulous night of democrats and dancing on the river at the National Museum of the Great Lakes. Flyer attached.o If you want to volunteer, donate a prize for the silent auction, or have a business that would like to sponsor the event, reach out to Kristen Angelo: kristenmangelo@gmail.com

o Get your tickets at this link

o FB event here: https://www.facebook.com/share/1aeNe3ixGk/

· 5/5 - Primary Election Day

· 5/11 - May LCDP Executive Committee Meeting 6:30 pm @ LCDP HQ

· 5/15 - Sam Melden’s Spring Gold Scramble

o 4-person teams

o Registration 8 am

o Shotgun Start 9 am

o Register your team at this link

o Donate at this link

o See attached flyer for more details

· 5/23 Sydney Madison Memorial Golf Outing

o 9 am Shotgun

o Hole, team and banner sponsorships available

o First 25 teams to pay get a reserved spot

o Sponsorships and Registration: Mike Nino mnino@tejatc.org

o All proceeds go to help IBEW Apprentice softball and Her Spark Sydney Madison Foundation

o Donate via Venmo: @mike-nino-44

· 5/26 LCDP Listening Session - Holland

Important Election Dates

· 10/5 - Voter Registration Deadline for November General Election

· 11/3 - November General Election

First, the bad news: As if journalism hasn’t been decimated enough already, on Feb. 4, Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos and the powers laid off more than 300 employees, including nearly half of the newsroom.

The sports department. Gone.

The photo department. Gone.

Theater, food and tech reporters and critics. The national health reporter. Foreign correspondents. All gone.

What’s being silenced isn’t just jobs — it’s vital coverage from around the world. It’s scrutiny. It’s accountability. It’s the exposure of corruption and greed. And when that erosion happens in Washington, D.C., the very center of American power, it is a direct threat to democracy. That’s not hyperbole. It’s reality.

Heartbroken doesn’t begin to cover what I feel for those editors, reporters and photographers — professionals who’ve now joined a club nobody ever wants to belong to.

When billionaires like Bezos, the Ellison empire, the Murdochs and Elon Musk consolidate power over the information ecosystem, we should all be paying attention. Newsrooms don’t just disappear quietly. With every shuttered desk and darkened photo lab, our democracy is diminished.

I’ve been assigned by the National Press Photographers Association to report on the dismantling of the Post’s photo department. I will help shine a light on what’s being lost — not just jobs, but institutional memory, visual storytelling, and the watchdog role that photography plays in a functioning democracy. I will share that story when it’s published.

Awareness matters. We all must understand what’s disappearing and fight like hell to prevent journalism from going silently into that newsroom desert. Sunlight has always been journalism’s most powerful tool. Now, it may be our last line of defense.

Washington Post’s slogan is ‘Democracy Dies in Darkness.’ How pathetically ironic.

Please support local journalism!

Toledo Persists swag

Now for some good news: Toledo Persists has new swag!

If you’ve been reading this newsletter for a while, you know how important local organizing is — especially right now. Toledo Persists has become a steady, reliable source for Democratic activism and information in our region. They show up. They organize. They keep people informed.

And now you can quite literally wear that support.

I just ordered my sweatshirt and can’t wait to sport it around town. It’s a small thing — but small things add up. Every purchase helps sustain a grassroots group that works hard to keep our community engaged and informed.

If you believe local activism matters, this is an easy way to back it. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’ll arrive before the March 28 No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings protest, but you’ll have it for the next one!

You can order it through JupMode’s Here for Good 2026 campaign HERE!

Best of Toledo Award

I want to take a moment to thank everyone who voted for me in the Toledo City Paper’s Best of Toledo Awards. Because of you, I was honored to be named the winner in the Print Journalist category.

Truly — thank you.

Your support — your readership, your encouragement, your willingness to stay engaged — has really helped me stay the course. I’m grateful, and I’m not going anywhere.

That said, I’m cordially inviting you to celebrate with me at the Best of Toledo Awards party on April 3! Raise a glass!

March Democratic Events

· 3/4 - TPS Community Meeting - 5 pm - 6:30 pm @ Waite High School

· 3/9 - LCDP Executive Committee Meeting 6:30 pm @ LCDP HQ

· 3/11 - TPS Community Meeting - 5 pm - 6:30 pm @ Scott High School

· 3/15 - Oregon Democratic Club’s Polish Dinner - 2 pm - 5 pm @ USW Local 1-346

o Tickets $25 | Donate here

· 3/18 - Stonewall Democrats, Bi-Monthly Meeting - 6:30 pm @ LCDP HQ

· 3/19 - Dave Fournier Campaign Kick Off - 5 pm - 7 pm

o Georgio’s Grill & Bar - in Sylvania (5577 Monroe St. Sylvania)

o Join Davie Fournier to kick off his campaign for House District 44

o Contribute here

o FB Link

· 3/19 - LCDP Listening Session for East Toledo & Oregon - 6pm @ Oregon Branch Library

· 3/26 - Build the Bench Fundraiser - 4 pm - 6 pm @ NW OH Building Trades Council (1600 Front St.)

o Suggested donation of $100 includes cocktails, appetizers, and mingling with Democrats.

o Join LCDP and NW OH Building Trades to support our endorsed judicial candidates on their journey to the bench.

o Make checks payable to the Lucas County Democratic Party Judicial Fund.

· 3/28 - No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings. - 2 pm - 4 pm

o Save the date for our next big protest at Promenade Park.

o FB Link

· 3/30 - Central Committee Meeting & Precinct Organizing Training

o 6:00 pm @ UAW Local 12

o Anyone interested in precinct (neighborhood) level organizing for this year is welcome to attend this meeting.

o An official notice for this meeting will be sent to all Central Committee Members. Only Central Committee members will be able to vote.

Next up: LC Dem Club’s the Democratic Feminist Alliance.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Patriotic Brunch

What: A Patriotic Brunch with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. Build community over a (free) meal, hear from Marcy about what’s at stake this election, and strategize on how we can win this November.

When: Saturday, Feb. 21 from 10 a.m.-noon

Where: Toledo (address provided closer to the event)

Why: This election will be the toughest we’ve faced, and Marcy needs your help to win this November. This is a perfect event for folks like you who have been involved in past years, or for individuals who have never even thought of volunteering with a campaign.

[Sign up for the Patriot Brunch here]

No Crowns. No Kings Protest

Join us at the next No Kings rally on March 28 from 2–4 p.m. at Promenade Park in Toledo. Show up, stand together and make your voices heard — be sure to mark your calendar! Despite me being a born and bred king, I’ll there, mic in hand, amplifying your thoughts from the crowd.

Know of other No Kings protests across the region? Send them my way and I’ll help spread the word.

LC Democratic Party Highlights

February

• Saturday 2/14 - Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson Campaign Kick-off Brunch

  • 10 am - 12:30 pm @ Indiana Ave Missionary Baptist Church, 640 Indiana Ave. Toledo, Ohio 43607

• Sunday 2/15 - Rep. Elgin Rogers - Difference Makers Celebration - 4 pm @ 2340 N. Holland Sylvania Rd

  • A black history month celebration of leaders in our community who have made a difference.

• 2/17 - Mardi Gras Fundraiser - hosted by Bernie Quilter in support of Auditor Katie Moline

  • 5 pm - 7:30 pm @ UAW Local 12

  • Get your tickets HERE

• 2/19 - Whistle Kit Making w/ Toledo Persists & LCDP

  • 6:30 - 8 pm @ Maumee Branch Library

  • Join us to make (at least) 1500 whistle kits! You can also take kits with you to distribute. Can’t make it or want to help financially? A $7 donation will sponsor 25 kits. $27 will sponsor 100 kits. This can make a huge difference in supporting our immigrant community. Donate via Venmo @toledopersists

  • FB event

• 2/23 - LCYD Roses are Red Democrats are Blue Happy Hour - 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm @ Ernest Brewworks Downtown

  • Join Lucas County Young Dems for this all-ages happy hour, learn about the work of LCYD this year, and connect with other democrats from around Lucas County.

March

• 3/15 - Oregon Democratic Club’s Polish Dinner - 2 pm - 5 pm @ USW Local 1-346

  • Tickets $25

  • Donate HERE

• 3/19 - Dave Fournier House District 44 Campaign Kick Off - 5 pm - 7 pm

  • Georgio’s Grill & Bar - in Sylvania (5577 Monroe St. Sylvania)

  • Contribute HERE

• 3/19 - LCDP Listening Session for East Toledo & Oregon - 6pm @ Oregon Branch Library

• 3/26 - Build the Bench Fundraiser - 4 pm - 6 pm @ NW OH Building Trades Council (1600 Front St.)

  • Suggested donation of $100 includes cocktails, appetizers and mingling with Democrats.

  • Join LCDP and NW OH Building Trades to support our endorsed judicial candidates on their journey to the bench.

• 3/30 - Central Committee Meeting & Precinct Organizing Training

  • 6:00 pm at UAW Local 12

  • Anyone interested in precinct (neighborhood) level organizing for this year is welcome to attend this meeting.

Go to Lucas County Democratic Page Events HERE

New Look. Same Mission

I’m excited to announce that Definitely A King has a new look, thanks to graphic design artist Julia Trendel.

Julia designed a new logo and banner for my Substack website, and is also working on new biz cards and swag art, which is planned for the near future. I will promote her work and share contact information in the March newsletter, so stay tuned.

I’m so happy to swap out the former logo, which I hastily designed myself using a template in Canva. Yes, it sucked!

Welcome to the team, Julia. And thanks for sponsoring the Definitely A King podcast!

Upcoming Podcasts:

• Paula Hicks-Hudson Campaign Kickoff Brunch

• LC Dem Feminist Alliance Club

• Mardi Gras Fundraiser in support of Auditor Katie Moline

Share