Glass City Jungle

My “Shredding the Curtain” column, Patterns of precedents in this week’s Toledo Free Press is an attempt to raise awareness as to the precedent related to the City of Toledo paying the employee portion of the pension pick up. Some members of Toledo City Council have been advocating for having their own private legal [...]

When I sat down last Wednesday to decide what I was going to focus on the “Shredding the Curtain” column I write for the Toledo Free Press each week, I had few different topics I could have focused on. The Maywood Project caught my attention since it’s been something I’d been following when [...]

The cover story for the Toledo Free Press this week is the result of an interview with Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur done by Kristen Rapin of the Toledo Free Press – “Kaptur criticized for circumventing new earmark ban” (link) is a recommended read for those of you interested in more of the story than what was [...]

After writing Looking through the windshield in the Toledo Free Press that came out Sunday, the thoughts that inspired that column are still with me. As I wrote at the time, it really didn’t matter which superintendent candidate TPS selected, the question raised in my mind by the comment made by Tom Watkins exists [...]

I understand the symbolic gesture that is the motivation behind Toledo City Councilman Adam Martinez’s resolution, the text of which was shared here before (link). Since the City’s FTP server is still down, I have not yet listened to the three hours worth of audio to determine what was said at the committee meeting [...]

There has been a lot of discussion about Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop’s proposed charter changes, the cover story of this week’s Toledo Free Press written by Michael Stainbrook on this topic, is a recommended read, (link). Stainbrook points out a few things that have not gotten discussion, like term limits and the fact [...]

Earlier today it was reported that an unnamed person jumped from the fifth floor of the parking garage at the Toledo Hospital and died from the fall. Around 1:30 p.m. people started to contact me, the rumor at the time was that it was Larry Kaczala who was the person who had died. [...]

Back in April the settlement discussion before Toledo City Council related to Jeffrey Sauger and Jim West, was the focus of one of my Shredding the Curtain columns for the Toledo Free Press, (link). A short time ago I received a Press release from attorneys connected to the case:
Lawsuit Settlement Brings Fairness [...]

Despite it being reported earlier by Billboard Magazine and some local media sources, Toledo Free Press editor in chief Michael Miller spoke to Crystal Bowersox earlier today and she says that’s not true, (link).
*This update provided for all of those “Crystal addicts” out there.

This in via e-mail, additional story on this press release reported by Toledo Free Press (link)
SIMPSON FILES A PROTEST WITH BOE ON STAINBROOK RECRUITS
Jeff Simpson Charged that Jon Stainbrook has recruited People who don’t live in the Precincts in which they were Elected. Asks Board of Elections not to Certify those Elections.
Jeff Simpson, the [...]

Former Lucas County Dog Warden Tom Skeldon was interviewed by Brandi Barhite, that’s the cover story for this week’s Toledo Free Press, (link). It’s a highly recommended read for those of you who followed the controversy that even after Skeldon retired still continues.
Also worth pointing out for those of you who didn’t [...]

Wednesday night as I sat down to write my column for the Toledo Free Press I did some research/reading, which included the section of the Ohio Constitution on the forming of a County Charter Commission and the Ohio Revised Code sections that pertained to county government. If you did not read the Constitutional amendment [...]

With tomorrow being Mother’s Day the cover story for this week’s Toledo Free Press local mom and District 6 Toledo City Councilwoman Lindsay Webb, who had her first child, Frank E. Carter in April, (link).
In “Shredding the Curtain” a primary election summary is my focus, (link) as the stats show local Republicans were more [...]

News story from the Toledo Free Press (link) on the YMCA of Greater Toledo receiving a response they sought from the Attorney General’s office regarding the investigation that was started in 2009. While it was stated the Attorney General’s office was going to suggest some minor adjustment in best practice areas, there were no [...]

After reading the Blade piece today by Ignazio Messina (link), there were a few glaring errors. First:
The 11th District Senate race between State Sen. Edna Brown and Toledo Councilman Joe McNamara features two of the local party’s powerhouse elected officials vying to replace term-limited Sen. Teresa Fedor (D., Toledo).
Edna Brown is not [...]

In this week’s Toledo Free Press the cover story highlights two guest posts. One written by Toledo Public Schools Superintendent John Foley (link) and one written by former Toledo Public Schools Board member Darlene Fisher (link). This came out in print today for those of you with home delivery, on Friday for many [...]

The Toledo Free Press has a story online about a press conference held today by Jeff Simpson & Paul Hoag where they called into question not only the residence of several of the Stainbrook Central Committee faction, but criminal records. (link). Part of the article:
During an April 30 press conference, Simpson said [...]

I grew up listening to the comedy stylings of Bill Cosby, if you are a fan too then this week’s Toledo Free Press cover story is one that you’ll enjoy, Vicki Kroll’s “Conversation with Cosby” (link). It made me go searching for one of my all time favorite Cosby skits, “Chocolate Cake for Breakfast” [...]

This week’s cover in the Toledo Free Press focuses on the first 100 days of the Bell administration. What has been accomplished, what is still coming and how Bell did on promises made before he was elected Mayor are a part of what was covered. Bell’s first 100 days focused on budget [...]

Back when the idea of an arena was still a gleam in the eye of some of the Lucas County Commissioners, it was originally stated that suites and naming rights would generate 14 million dollars, that’s when the price tag for the arena as a whole was $81.85 million. We can flash back to [...]

Back on March 12, Terry Biel wrote an opinion piece for the Toledo Free Press on the current stand off between union members and the American Red Cross, (link). It also created some discussion here. Earlier today on the WTVG website, it was reported that a protest is scheduled for tomorrow, (link). Part [...]

This week’s Toledo Free Press is the big (80 page) edition that has a special pull out section for Mud Hens Opening Day, which is April 8. In addition to the schedule and the roster you’ll find quite a bit more information, as an example, ever wonder how those Hens uniforms get cleaned? [...]

Now that Judge Jensen said no to the temporary restraining order, the process of some of the unions fighting the City of Toledo continues, just in a different format. If all of the unions agreed to what Local 92 (Fire fighters) did, the reality would be a temporary solution until next year would take [...]

The cover of the Toledo Free Press tells the story…inside this week’s pages you’ll find coverage from those happy about the passage of the health care bill and those not so happy. I personally enjoyed Tricia Taylor’s guest piece though I’m sure some of you will prefer Jenifer Christiaanse’s. Kristen Rapin talked to [...]

A Republican Primary Debate between Rich Iott and Jack Smith will be held tomorrow at the Fraternal Order of Eagles #2562, 2301 Detroit Avenue in Maumee. The doors open at 6:00 p.m. the debate will begin at 6:30 p.m. The panelists asking the questions will be Kristen Rapin of the Toledo Free [...]

This week the Toledo Free Press has two print covers both in connection to the cover story, on the popular musical Wicked which has become one of the hottest tickets to have in this area. Elphaba is one cover, Glinda the other.
Don Burnard focuses on Stepford Republicans while Tim Higgins is looking for the [...]

I meant to post this last night, the Toledo Free Press reported that the Ohio Environmental Review Appeals Commission (ERAC) granted summary judgment to FDS Coke Plant LLC.
What this means is that the legal issues concerning did FDS still retain a valid permit to install have been ruled on. The court stated the [...]

Some of the columns/news pieces from the Toledo Free Press have already be referenced in other posts but there are a few that I’d like to point out, especially those that are exclusively online. Terry Biel’s, Bleed donors, not workers is a recommended one, I was not aware of the union/management saga taking place [...]

Since Thursday I have been trying to find a way to share the presentation that Kiernan Sanders gave at the March 11, Neighborhoods, Community development & health committee, the animations that Sanders added don’t appear in full in the powerpoint shared by the Blade, nor did they when I used slideshare. There are some [...]

As promised, a detailed post on this topic. For those of you interested in the short version of what has been stated about ERP, there is my column this week in the Toledo Free Press, A series of unfortunate events. For those you who want more details as to what was said at [...]