Glass City Jungle

This in via e-mail from the Northwest Ohio Charter School Coalition (NWOCSC):

Northwest Ohio Charter Schools Issue Statement of Support for Senator Wagoner

(Toledo, OH) – The Northwest Ohio Charter School Coalition gathered recently for a monthly coalition meeting where they agreed to issue a statement of support for Ohio Senator Mark Wagoner (R – Ottawa Hills) in his fight keep funding for Ohio schools and educational choices left with families.
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This in via e-mail:

Local State Legislators, Area Residents Ask Ohio Senate Not to Make Further Cuts to our Libraries

Toledo – State Reps. Edna Brown(D-48 ) , Matt Szollosi (D-46) , Peter Ujvagi (D-47) , and Sen Teresa Fedor (D-11) and community members called on Senate Republicans to avoid making any deeper cuts to Ohio’s libraries. The Senate has rejected the balanced budget framework put forth by the Ohio House and has proposed no alternative solutions, leaving a nearly $1 billion shortfall in the state biennium budget. Without the revenue to cover this shortfall, Ohio would be forced to bear the blow of even further cuts, possibly affecting area libraries.
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NBC24 has the story:

Shortly after the shooting, the Ottawa Hills Police Department contacted the Ohio Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification (BCII) to look into the incident.

After processing of all evidence at the scene as well as analysis of all images recording by police vehicle cameras at the time of the incident, the BCII decided to issue an indictment against Officer White.

White has been indicted on one count of felonious assault with a gun specification. He faces up to 11 years in prison if convicted.

The Blade has coverage of the story. WTOL has a short update, WTVG also references video evidence from both police cars.

Szollosi, Waniewski, Webb, Brown, Collins, Craig, McNamara, and Sarantou were present, since there was no Council President and the pro-tem person was Shultz and she’s still out ill, Szollosi was voted on by those present to chair this meeting. The meeting today was to vote on the proposed contract with the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association and the City of Toledo. The main language of the ordinance is after the fold and at the end of the transcribed notes from the discussion today.
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This in via e-mail from the Moody for Mayor campaign:

TPPA and City Administration Have “Sold Out Toledoans”

“According to all the reports I have seen, the biggest loser in the TPPA/City contract are the citizens of Toledo and the still laid off police officers,” said mayoral candidate Jim Moody. Adding, “This contract does little to address the costs of safety officers to the citizens of Toledo, insures the city of Toledo will have a huge debt to pay in two years for which there is no plan to pay for and leaves our streets with fewer police officers than just a few short months ago. Our parents and children are now less safe than before. By accepting this contract, the professional politicians of this city will have pushed Toledo further towards the brink of bankruptcy and the TPPA leadership has left a huge number of their members to fend for themselves, accomplishments of which both parties should be ashamed of.”

With as political as the whole discussion of fire hydrants has become, it is nice to be able to point out that a local resident, Edward Howard made a suggestion that could solve the immediate problem. Citizen’s low-cost idea to add fire hydrants gets city’s notice:

Mr. Howard said he looked at a neighborhood map and realized the potential of installing hydrants on the larger, 6-inch water mains on or near Mount Vernon Avenue.
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This in via e-mail from the Brunner for Senate campaign:

U.S. Senate Candidate Jennifer Brunner: The Public Option isn’t Optional in Health Care Reform

While President Barack Obama’s administration and states across the nation champion health care reform, U.S. Senate Candidate Jennifer Brunner called on Republican and Democratic members of both houses of Congress to join the fight for inclusion of a public insurance option rather than bow to pressure from the powerful insurance lobby to keep all payment for universal health care in the hands of private insurers.
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This in via e-mail:

Mayor Finkbeiner holds Press Conference to address unkempt properties

Today, at 2:00 p.m., Mayor Finkbeiner and city officials will hold a press conference to address unkempt properties and the City of Toledo’s responsibility for enforcing housing, nuisance, and zoning codes. The press conference will be held at CMT Limited & State Line Group LLC - 210 W. Alexis.

Admin addition - that address and company name sounded familiar, because it is the same address and same company name involved in the recent lawsuit filed against an employee of the City of Toledo, Sue Fredericks.

From a copy of the lawsuit:
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From the Blade:

A year-long focus on discipline problems at Toledo Public Schools has led to double-digit reductions in days lost due to suspensions and expulsions.

The 2008-09 school year had a 20 percent decline in suspension days compared to 2007-08 and an 18 percent drop in expulsion days.
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This Saturday is the tenth annual 4th of July Celebration on Harvard Circle, it starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at noon. See below the fold for the flyer for more details.

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This in via e-mail from the Dillin Corporation:

PERRYSBURG, OH - Dillin Corp. announced today that the property at Lake Erie Business Park in Port Clinton, Ohio will be developed by Dillin Corp. and marketed by Dillin Properties. The Lake Erie Business Park is a 436 acre site located on State Rt. 2 in Port Clinton, Ohio and has made a significant commitment to manufacturing and commercial property growth in Ottawa County through implementation of several alternative energy initiatives.
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Fox Toledo has the story, it’s not known what the exact number was at this point (I have heard unofficially it passed by 29 votes) but:

TOLEDO, Ohio - Union members with the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association voted by a slim margin to pass a contract deal with the Finkbeiner administration Wednesday evening.

According to FOX Toledo’s Shaun Hegarty, there was a 90-percent turnout for the vote, which concluded at 7 p.m.

Now that the contract is ratified, City Council will hold a special session Thursday at 9 a.m. to endorse the agreement.

Updated 9:36 p.m. - Statement from Mayor Finkbeiner on TPPA vote:

“I appreciate the efforts and support of Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association President Dan Wagner and his negotiation team in finalizing contract negotiations with our Police Patrol Officers.
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To My Friends & Other Ohioans Interested in Ohio’s Future:

As some of you know, for the past six months I actively explored entering the Democratic primary for the United States Senate seat being vacated by Senator George Voinovich. As part of that process I spoke at length with personal friends and advisers in Ohio and nationally; as well as with both of the already announced Democratic candidates, Lt. Governor Lee Fisher and Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. For a variety of personal and political reasons–and despite my strong desire to be an agent of change in the public realm–I ultimately decided entering this particular race, at this particular time, would not be in my party’s, or my, best interest.
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This in via e-mail from the office of Ohio House Representative Barbara Sears:

Representative Sears To Be Appointed To Auto Industry Task Force

COLUMUBUS – State Representative Barbara Sears (R-Sylvania) today announced the creation of a legislative task force to study Ohio’s changing automobile industry. Sears will soon be appointed as member of the study group.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve on this task force,” Sears said. “It is absolutely crucial that we study all the laws that affect Ohio’s automotive manufacturing industry, and we need to look at how our franchise laws and consumer protections impact the needs of Ohioans and the industry.”
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At the beginning of agenda review the following were present, Szollosi, Waniewski, Ashford, Brown, Collins, Craig, McNamara and Sarantou. (As noted Webb and Copeland arrived)

Appropriation for engineering & planning by Tetra Tech of Municipal Solar Field, $110,000 Water Imp

Authorizing the appropriation and expenditure of an amount not to exceed $110,000 from the Water Improvement Fund for the purpose of planning and engineering a Municipal Solar Field; further authorizing and directing the Mayor and Commissioner of Purchases and Supplies to enter into an agreement with Tetra Tech, the low bidder, for the planning and engineering for a Municipal Solar Field; and declaring an emergency.
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This in via e-mail from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:

Governor Signs Interim Budget, Renews Call for Republican Budget Solutions

Columbus, OH - Governor Ted Strickland today signed a seven-day interim budget to ensure critical state services continue at reduced funding levels.

The interim budget was included in House Bill 16, the biennial budget bill for the Industrial Commission.
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This in via e-mail from Environment Ohio:

Dependence on Fossil Fuels Could Cost Ohio $993.6 Billion By 2030

Environment Ohio Call on Ohio’s Decision Makers to Repower America with Clean Energy

Columbus, Ohio - A new report, The High Cost of Fossil Fuels: Why America Can’t Afford to Depend on Dirty Energy, shows that Ohioans are already spending thousands on fossil fuels, and that cost is only expected to increase. At the same time, pollution from fossil fuels is the number one source of air and global warming pollution and a leading source of water pollution, said Environment Ohio in their new report.
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I get tired of the scare tactics used by both political parties to try to raise money and to get volunteer support. I dislike this no matter which side is doing it, even if it’s my party. It’s not “support us because we are the party that best meets your political philosophy, who is working the hardest for you” — It’s things like this in trying to raise money for the Democratic Governors Association from an e-mail yesterday:

Why governors? Because the party that controls the statehouse controls the 2011 redistricting. Republicans know they can’t win fair and square - so they’re trying to gerrymander their way to a majority instead. And if we don’t stop them, everything President Obama is trying to accomplish for America will be jeopardized.

One today from a different Democratic Governor:

Rather than adapt to voters’ demands for change, they’ve decided to try to sneak their way back into power. Their plan is to win enough governorships in the next two years to manipulate the redistricting process that will follow the 2010 census. They would redraw district boundaries and give GOP congressional and state legislative candidates an unfair advantage for the next decade. And if they succeed, President Obama’s agenda to move America forward could be stopped dead in its tracks.

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We’ll find out more tomorrow at Toledo City Council’s agenda review, but in anticipation of that, via the Blade:

After several false starts, multiple financing plans, and more than one missed deadline, the Finkbeiner administration says it now has the best deal yet to jump- start the planned mix of private and public investment for a new Marina District in East Toledo.
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Rumors have been out there the past few weeks as to would current District 2 Councilman D. Michael Collins run for mayor or not. I talked to him Friday and he was not ready to publicly confirm whether he was going to run but said he’d be making the decision in the next few days. Fox Toledo is reporting that Collins is going to make it official tomorrow…

Updated Tuesday via e-mail from the Collins for Mayor campaign:

“Together We Can Save Toledo”

Today, June 30, 2009 at 10 a.m., in front of One Government Center, Toledo, OH, D. Michael Collins will announce his candidacy for the 2009 election of Mayor of Toledo. He will be running as an Independent and his campaign will be based upon the platform that “Together we can save Toledo.” We invite you to attend.

This in via email from Brian Kaiser, Lucas County Green Jobs Coordinator:

EVENT LINKS ENTREPRENEURS TO OPPORTUNITIES IN THE GREEN ECONOMY

Are you interested in starting a “Green” Business but don’t know where to begin? Do you currently own a small business and want to know about opportunities to expand into the emerging green economy? If so, don’t miss the Earning Green by Going Green Entrepreneurial Resource Fair on June 30th, 2009 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. in the McMaster Center at the Main Library, 325 N. Michigan, Toledo, OH 43604.
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I guess you should always make sure that before you do a press conference that none of the neighbors are against you. It’s mentioned in the Blade article about the press conference held earlier today:

After moving his press conference one block to avoid a heckler, Mr. Konop stopped along the way to tell residents along Winthrop that they live on a block supplied by a 4-inch main.

Maggie had a link from her blog to the blog of Justin Billau who is a cameraman for WTVG and has the video of the heckler incident on line.

Ben kept a sense of humor about, it which is all you can realistically do and then the press conference went on…WTVG’s video minus the heckler…

One point I think should be raised is currently hydrants are inspected at least once a year, according to City officials, so it doesn’t seem as if inspecting every five years would be ideal.

This in via e-mail:

Tentative agreement has been reached between the City of Toledo and the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association

Mayor Finkbeiner and TPPA President Dan Wagner announce a tentative agreement has been reached between the City of Toledo and the Toledo Police Patrolman’s Association. The package will be presented to the TPPA for ratification on Wednesday, July 1st.

A special meeting of City Council will be requested on Thursday, July 2nd for Council approval.

This in via e-mail from the office of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur:

Kaptur Announces $688,690 Stimulus Award Award To Toledo-Based Neighborhood Health Association

TOLEDO – U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) today announced a $688,690 federal award for capital improvements to Neighborhood Health Association.

The award was made by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

Neighborhood Health Association was among 1,500 health center sites to receive a total of $851 million in funding under the Recovery Act Capital Improvement Program for construction, renovation and repair. Health centers in Ohio received approximately $21.3 million in grants. More than 650 centers will use the funds to purchase new equipment or health information technology systems or for expansion of the use of electronic health records.

This in via e-mail:

CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE LEAVES TEAMWORK TOLEDO

The group of six candidates running as Teamwork Toledo will see itself whittled down to five candidates as David “P.R.E.Z.” Washington, the last of the six to join the team has decided to leave as of today.

When asked what prompted him to make the decision, P.R.E.Z. commented, “It’s become apparent that we simply have very different methods on how to attain and reach our goals. After a time of prayer and contemplation, it became clear that it would be best for me to move on and pursue things separately.”
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This in via e-mail:

Toledo Science Center’s new name is…

After months of work and thousands of suggestions from the public, the Toledo Science Center, formerly COSI Toledo, has a permanent name…

“The name really does a great job of describing exactly what our science center is all about,” said Robert C. Savage, chair of the Create a Great Name Committee. “Eleven different individuals suggested the name during our call for entries.”
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This in via e-mail:

Mayor Finkbeiner Announces Healing Prayer Vigil for Robert Brundage

Mayor Carty Finkbeiner announced that there will be a healing prayer vigil for Robert Brundage, Community Social Justice Activist, who was attacked on the corner of Collingwood Blvd. and Victoria Place on June 22nd. The prayer vigil will be held this Monday, June 29th at 6:00 p.m. outside and on the grounds of St. Vincent Medical Center where Mr. Brundage is a patient in the intensive care unit.

Mayor Finkbeiner is working with the Brundage family, Central Catholic High School and St. Vincent Medical Center on the prayer vigil. Those participating, should park outside of the Central Catholic High School Football Stadium from 5:00-5:30 p.m. Participants will walk from the parking lot to St. Vincent’s arriving outside the hospital at 6:00 p.m. The prayer vigil will last 30 minutes and participants will then return to their cars.

The Brundage family expressed their gratitude for the prayers on Robert’s behalf. Dick Brundage, Robert’s brother, and members of the Brundage family will be attending the prayer vigil. All friends, clergy members and citizens who would wish to participate are welcome.

This in via e-mail from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:

Governor Statement on Legislative Budget Discussions

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement after the legislature cancelled a scheduled conference committee for the second day in a row.

The legislature is responsible for sending the governor a balanced budget by Tuesday, June 30. To balance the operating budget, a $3.2 billion gap must be addressed.
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Minutes after the airing of this week’s Conklin & Company on WTVG a release was sent out by the Moody for Mayor campaign:

Moody “Straightforward” on Conklin and Company

Mayoral candidate Jim Moody, joined by two other mayoral candidates, Ben Konop and Keith Wilkowski, was the guest of Lee Conklin of WTVG’s Conklin and Company today, June 28th. “I think today once again demonstrated why Toledoan’s have so much faith in our campaign,” said Moody. “I was the only candidate to truly answer the questions asked, instead of speaking scripted talking points. I am concerned that if the other candidates can’t answer questions in a straightforward manner as a candidate, what we can expect of them as a Mayor?”

First Segment but it is not really three separate segments, Bell was invited but for some reason was not able to attend, he’s going to be on the program by himself as well as the other three will have a segment to themselves before the primary.
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I wondered if any of those who called in to the WTVG newsroom asking about the perceived double standard actually called the police or the city’s 24 hour number to complain. It does however clearly suggest there is a double standard, especially since people are profiting from violating the law when it comes to parking on the grass. It’s not as if the issue of parking is one that is being ignored by Crosby Gardens, they offer free parking and a free shuttle. It’s been a situation that like those who have parked on gravel pads next to their driveways has been allowed for years.