Glass City Jungle

This in via e-mail from the City of Toledo for the Something Nice category:
OTTAWA PARK ICE RINK OPENING
The Ottawa Park Ice Rink is now open for DROP in HOCKEY, OPEN SKATING, TEAM PRACTICES/GAMES and PRIVATE PARTY RENTALS. The rink may be rented for $150.00 an hour for hockey games, practices and private parties.
Cost of [...]

Last week Representative Ujvagi sent out a release on the Xunlight loan as did the Governor. This release from the office of Representative Matt Szollosi repeats that information but the 6.9 million for construction management for Toledo Public Schools to be performed by LGB is new, it’s after the fold:
Rep. Szollosi Announces State [...]

This was a bit odd to receive with the recent media reports that it was feared there would be vaccines left over? But? This in via e-mail from the Ohio Department of Health:
ODH ORDERS ADDITIONAL H1N1 FLU VACCINE
Restrictions lifted; H1N1 vaccine available to all Ohioans
COLUMBUS – The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) submitted orders [...]

While it does not impact us directly up here in Toledo, I’ve been following the casino story in Columbus, since one of the problems some elected officials had in Columbus was the location of where the casino was to be located. Since questions were raised in Toledo as to did the site by the [...]

With some of the at times heated discussion we had here on who should be able to get the H1N1 vaccine, comes this from WTOL, Officials worry they may have flu vaccine surplus:

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Some central Ohio health officials are concerned they may end up with a surplus of swine flu vaccine as [...]

While I would put Gnarls Barkley’s “Crazy” as one of my favorite songs, I actually play it and sing it often, I admit I was surprised to see it be the number one song of the past decade…

Not surprisingly, there are some reading the Rolling Stone’s 100 Best Songs of the Decade who are really [...]

I do actually have access to the internet this time, in attendance so far is Joe McNamara, George Sarantou, Betty Shultz, Wilma Brown, Tom Waniewski, Steve Steel, Adam Martinez, Rob Ludeman and D. Michael Collins. Also in attendance is Gerald Dendinger, Clerk of Council and Julie Gibbons, Assistant Clerk of Council. Ignazio Messina [...]

Over 75 of you expressed either on the blog or via e-mail that you were interested in coverage from today’s Toledo City Council retreat, I would have liked the number to be a bit higher, but? It’s clear some of you are interested in what could potentially be discussed this morning.
The past two retreats [...]

What was interesting is the ban in Michigan will exempt all of the casinos, it doesn’t exempt bars or adult establishments with the exception of casinos. As the Detroit Free Press reports, Gov. Granholm is expected to sign it. One question with the casino exemption is how it will impact NWO since the [...]

In the Something Nice category, in via email to share with readers of GCJ:
CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS DECORATED BY LOCAL FOLK ARTIST TO BE DISPLAYED ON WHITE HOUSE TREE.
Baba (Magdelene) Ujvagi, a Hungarian folk artist from the Birmingham neighborhood of Toledo has been asked by the White House to design and decorate a series of [...]

While none of this round of tax credits are in Lucas County, some of you may be interested in this latest release sent from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:
Governor, Patt-McDaniel Announce Round Three Historic Preservation Tax Credit Awards
Columbus, OH – Governor Ted Strickland and Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel today announced [...]

Both of these releases came in today while I was at work, so since they are on a similar topic, I’m including them in the order they were received, first, the announcement of Executive Staff for the new Administration, then the first round of appointments to the Citizens Special Investigation (CSI) task force was announced: [...]

Some of you have noticed on the left sidebar there is a link to a Facebook page for Glass City Jungle that I started a few weeks ago, it’s where I’m posting short notes and links to videos. Just a few moments ago I added video taken from my upstairs window of the automated [...]

As a reference point, the material shared in the coverage of last week’s Agenda Review may be useful for those of you wanting more detail.
Appointment – Board of Community Relations (BCR) – confirmed with the exception of Ashford who voted no.
Appointments – Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) – confirmed
Appointment – TARTA
Nuisance Abatement Trust [...]

This in via e-mail from the office of Ohio Treasurer Kevin Boyce, an interesting link to also visit is here where you can see the variation in starting salaries paid to Census workers in Ohio. A quick example, Census workers in Toledo would earn $14.25 an hour; in Bowling Green it’s listed as $12.25 [...]

Yesterday a release from the office of Governor Strickland referenced the Xunlight loan as a part of a larger release. Today a release via e-mail from the office of Representative Peter Ujvagi shares some specific details to the Xunlight loan agreement.
Rep. Ujvagi Announces State Loan for Xunlight
Money Will Boost Ohio’s Commitment to [...]

I watched this last night, Jennifer Brunner was on FOX Toledo, interviewed by Shaun Hegarty, and it’s a recommended watch for those of you interested in Brunner’s position on healthcare, abortion and other topics that may be discussed during the campaign for the open US Senate seat. Link to video.

This last election, there were three spots open for the Lucas County Educational Services Center Board and only two individuals who ran, which means there is a vacancy for the one seat. Judy Hansen who had served on the board for over a decade did not run for re-election, Joseph Rutherford and Joan [...]

New story from Toledo Free Press, South YMCA 270 memberships short of goal as deadline nears. While the original goal of 500 members was reduced, only 108 memberships resulted from the membership drive designed to save the South Toledo YMCA location.
Friday, December 11th – I was told off the record that it [...]

For the Something Nice category from Rossford Public Schools system via e-mail:
Rossford High School Peace Council Collects Blankets for Shelter
The Rossford High School Peace Council had a “Warm up the Holidays” blanket drive and collected 35 blankets that will be donated to the Cocoon Shelter in Bowling Green. Members of the council [...]

This release in from the office of Governor Ted Strickland, I’ve edited it to move up Xunlight since that was the only company in Lucas County receiving funding, the rest of the release is included in full without editing:
Governor Announces Latest Round of Ohio Bipartisan Job Stimulus Awards for Advanced Energy
Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor [...]

This in via e-mail, back in July this was a topic that was raised, I recommend the video that I placed on the blog back then as well as the resource material links shared here as an additional point of information in addition to this release from the office of Representative Michael Skindell:
Rep. Skindell [...]

I received several releases today from the Ohio House of Representatives, some of them were not related directly to our area as far as the representative, but they may be of interest to you with the topics covered. Hence, the releases from Sears & Szollosi first, then the others, Rep. Celeste and Garland on [...]

This in via e-mail:
Bell Names Transition Team
Mike Bell today announced the members of his full transition team who will be charged with offering suggestions and strategies for implementing the Mayor-Elect’s platform. The Team is made up of representative from all parts of the community including business,
labor, neighborhood organizations, education, clergy, social services and our [...]

In via e-mail from Environment Ohio:
EPA’s Climate Announcement: Most Significant Step Yet
Columbus, Ohio – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today will finalize its proposed finding that carbon dioxide and other global warming pollutants threaten the public health and welfare of current and future generations, setting the stage for regulating the pollutants under the Clean Air [...]

This in via e-mail from the office of District 2 Toledo City Councilman D. Michael Collins:
District 1 Councilwoman Wilma Brown and District 2 Councilman D. Michael Collins will co-host a public meeting on the City of Toledo’s Transition to Automated Refuse & Recycling Collection
WHAT: Public Meeting on the Transition to Automated Refuse [...]

There is a movement out there to try to force Congress to be required to use whatever healthcare plan is created by them for those who do not have insurance. I received an e-mail forward yesterday from a friend who is a conservative, and I noticed there is a new facebook group created by [...]

This in via e-mail from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:
Governor Announces New Unemployment Compensation Eligibility to Educate More Ohioans for Jobs
Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Doug Lumpkin and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut today announced that the Strickland Administration has expanded [...]

Items of interest from District 5 Toledo City Councilman Tom Waniewski’s newsletter received via e-mail:
Peterson Ditch Cleaning
Toledo City Council at its last meeting gave the go ahead to accept state EPA money ($1.5 million) and combine it with local storm fund dollars (another $1.5 million) to clean up Peterson Ditch. The city will begin [...]

Take Three is back, with Schylar Meadows and Tom Waniewski, filling in for Bob Reichert who was ill, on Conklin & Company on WTVG; and it was back with a bang as you can tell by the post title. The first topic was Lucas County Republican Chair Jon Stainbrook’s press conference focusing on Democratic [...]