Glass City Jungle

Both 13abc (link) and WTOL (link) have a story up about a Toledo Police lieutenant and a sergeant who received a letter from the City of Toledo telling them they have to retire either at the end of the year if they signed a memorandum of understanding or by July 2.
According to 13abc the letter [...]

According to govtrack.us Representatives Marcy Kaptur and Bob Latta voted no on the conference report for HR 4173 -Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010. Part of what Kaptur said on the floor, as reported by Allison Bell, (link):
“The bill doesn’t appear to encourage prudent credit accumulation,” Kaptur said, according to a version of [...]

The give and take of politics continues with the media coverage ramping up about House Minority Leader John Boehner’s specific reference to raising the retirement age to 70. According to MSNBC there was a press conference held today by Ohio House Democrats where the expected political outrage took place and Boehner’s office said there [...]

Two releases sent out today by the office of Governor Ted Strickland, the first is on the creation of the Northwest Ohio Solar Energy Hub and the second calls upon the United States Senate to pass an extension for unemployment benefits.
Strickland Announces Northwest Ohio Solar Energy Hub in Toledo
Toledo, OH–Governor Ted Strickland today [...]

We discussed this ballot initiative in the past here. This release in via e-mail from the office of Governor Strickland, an additional release sent out by the Humane Society can be read at this Cincinnati Enquirer link:
Ohio Governor Ted Strickland, the major organizations representing livestock producers and other agricultural interests and the Humane [...]

Since we’ve followed this story in detail, I thought some of you would be interested in this release I received via e-mail from Anneke M. Kurt, Marketing Director & Owner of Market Ink:
On May 23, 2009, Mike McCloskey – then just 24 years old – was shot by an Ottawa Hills police officer during a [...]

Representative Nancy Garland is not from our area, but I think it’s important to see what other General Assembly members are doing for their districts compared to NWO and the topic of the job creation aspect of this new technology may also be of interest to some of you:
Rep. Garland Urges U.S. Dept. of [...]

This in via e-mail from the Yost for Auditor campaign?
Yost Calls for Performance Audits of All State Agenncies
Looming Fiscal Crisis Demands Statutory Authority for State Auditor
(Columbus) – As the State of Ohio draws nearer to a projected $8 billion deficit in its next budget, Ohio Auditor candidate Dave Yost today called for new authority [...]

If you head over to FOX Toledo, (link) they have some of the documentation that was shared at tonight’s special TPS Board meeting, including the concessions made by the Toledo Teachers.
The vote tonight passed 3 to 2 – Larry Sykes and Jack Ford voted no…
I’ve been told the total number of layoffs will total [...]

McNamara, Waniewski, Webb, Ashford, Brown, Collins, Ludeman, Martinez present – Sarantou, Steel, Copeland and Craig absent – Copeland arrived shortly after the meeting began.
Resolution – Street Lighting – Ogontz Avenue
Resolution – Street Lighting – A portion of Royer Road
Resolution – Street Lighting -A portion of Belmont Ave. – All three were given SEP
Resolution- [...]

A local man is attacked by a pit bull mix dog, his family says his genitals were “ripped off” — the dog owner admits the dog is vicious:
And when asked if the dog has ever attacked before, Clark says, “Yeah, he’ll attack any human being that will raise a foot or anything. You can’t throw [...]

Comments made by House Minority Leader John Boehner have been getting some media attention, as reported in the Hill, (link):
“We’re all living a lot longer than anyone ever expected,” Boehner said in a meeting with the editors of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “And I think that raising the retirement age — going out 20 years, [...]

At the risk of hate mail and comments, I personally could care less if LeBron James stays in Cleveland, goes somewhere else to play basketball or retires. If he leaves Cleveland, that shows he is the one who doesn’t care about the fans. Though he’s been labeled as a “huge economic driver for [...]

The latest Quinnipiac Ohio Poll has been released – (link) with the basic news — Democrats support Strickland, Republicans support Kasich, independents support Strickland over Kasich by 3%. The other variant is between the sexes and religion. White Born Again/Evangelicals support Kasich over Strickland, 54% to 29%; the sexes — 38% of [...]

This in via e-mail from the Ohio Democratic Party:
Ohio Democratic Party Names Camilo Villa As Latino Caucus Director
COLUMBUS – Today, the Ohio Democratic Party announced Camilo Villa has joined its team as Latino Caucus Director. In this role, Villa will facilitate outreach to Hispanic/Latino communities as part of the Ohio Democratic Party’s continued efforts [...]

Also in this week’s Friday packet is a new resolution that will be before Toledo City Council calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Opposing Human Trafficking and Unscrupulous Employment Practices. For those of you interested in this topic, the new resolution and the previous legislation are both included below:
Calling for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and [...]

The following piece of legislation was given to members of Toledo City Council on Friday from the Bell administration; it is expected to be discussed at this week’s Agenda Review. If passed by Council the issue would then go on to be decided by Toledo voters at the November 2010 election:
Providing for submitting [...]

Some of those who comment here have expressed anger and levied insults at the Obama administration because FEMA denied the federal disaster determination for our area after tornado/storm damage reported by the Red Cross on June 8 of: 39 homes completely destroyed, 42 damaged beyond salvage and over 700 homes affected. Add to that Lake [...]

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 [...]

Precise numbers and vote counts have not been released but it has been reported that of the more than 2,100 members of TFT, those who attended the vote today, June 26, overwhelmingly approved the concessionary deal that was negotiated between TPS and TFT.
Full details at this point as far as what the exact concession [...]

I haven’t listened to the audio from yesterday’s Toledo City Council committee meeting yet, I’ve updated this again and re-published to move it up the page since I have now completed listening and writing notes from the earlier joint Economic Development & Neighborhoods Committee meeting. I know this is long, it’s over 4,500 words [...]

As an FYI out there for any of you Korean War veterans who may not be aware of this, in via e-mail from the office of Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur:
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur will honor Korean War veterans on Saturday morning, June 26, at 10 a.m. during a free brunch at Michael’s Bar and Grill, 901 Monroe [...]

This in via e-mail from Lon Mitchell the Manager of Public Information for Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities:
Special Olympians Depart for Summer Games
What: More than 55 Special Olympians from Lucas County will depart Friday morning, June 25, for the State Summer Games. They will join 2,500 athletes from all across this weekend in [...]

This in via e-mail from the office of Mayor Mike Bell:
Toledo Fire & Rescue Seek Information On Suspicious Fires
Reward Of Up To $10,000 For Information Leading To An Arrest
The Toledo Fire & Rescue Investigative Unit continues to investigate suspicious fires that have occurred throughout the city and are asking for residents’ help. The [...]

On June 16 it was reported that the Ohio Republican Party chairman Kevin DeWine filed an election complaint with the Ohio Supreme Court against Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Eric Brown, Dayton Daily News link. Earlier today a release was sent out by the Ohio Democratic Party stating that Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern [...]

This in from the office of Governor Ted Strickland:
Governor Statement on Denial of Federal Assistance for Storm-damaged Northwest Ohio
Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today released the following statement on the denial of assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the areas of Northwest Ohio affected by a damaging tornado that [...]

I’ve received two e-mails from the Yost for auditor campaign this week. First was a fundraising e-mail where it was suggested that previous donations from people like Rosie O’Donnell to David Pepper required Yost supporters to help him “Keep Hollywood values out of Ohio” — I checked the database at the Secretary of State’s office [...]

This in via e-mail from the Buckeye Forest Council:
National Biomass Energy Debate Coming to Ohio.
June 23, 2010
Recent news reports covering the downside of biomass energy proposals have generated articles in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Biomass Magazine and Environment and Energy Daily. This debate on biomass energy generation is now coming home, making Ohio [...]

This in via e-mail from the office of Representative Edna Brown:
Governor Signs Rep. Brown’s Prince Hall Masonic License Plate Legislation
4,000 Ohio Masons can soon buy these special plates
COLUMBUS – Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland this afternoon signed language sponsored by State Representative Edna Brown (D-Toledo) making a special Prince Hall Masonic license plate available to [...]

This in via e-mail from the Secor Artists:
The June Thursday Art Walk boasts 16 venues and hundreds of local and regional artists! Come on out, stretch your legs, eyes and mind, and peruse and purchase some of the best art in the city. 6 -9 pm
Don’t forget to sit down and take a break [...]