(Announcements are compiled from press releases and in order received)
NEWS SHORTS BRIEFS ARE UPDATED DAILY
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Arts Commission awardees for Intersection Glass Program
TOLEDO – The 2025 Intersection awardees have recently been selected from
four finalists. The Arts Commission is pleased to announce that three
internationally recognized artists will be creating new work for exhibition this fall
as part of the Intersection Program. The awardees are Anjali Srinivasan, Justin Ginsberg, and Kagen Dunn.
Intersection is a program that connects artists, designers, and industry
professionals at Pilkington Glass North American (Nippon Sheet Glass, Co., Ltd.)
for collaboration and development of new, innovative artworks. Inspired by the
studio glass movement, The Arts Commission seeks to provide opportunities
which connect applicants of glass as an artistic medium with the glass
manufacturing processes.
The exhibition is scheduled for Sept. 11 – Oct. 18. The opening reception is to be held on Sept. 11. Both the exhibition and opening reception will be free and open to the public and will be held at the River House Arts gallery in the Secor Building. (04/06)
Toledo teen represents Boys & Girls Clubs as Ohio Youth of Year
TOLEDO – Tyreese Blue II, a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo’s Schoenrock Family Club is the Ohio Youth of the Year. Youth of the Year is Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s signature leadership award. The honor began in 1947 and includes local, state, regional and national competitions.
Blue competed with representatives from Boys & Girls Clubs from across the state and delivered his speech during a luncheon at The Athletic Club of Columbus.
He shared how being born to a teenage mother could have made him a statistic.
“I’m here to say that it’s not the circumstances that define you; It’s the community you choose to surround yourself with and the bold steps you take that define your success,” he said.
As the Ohio Youth of the Year, Blue received a $15,000 scholarship. He will travel to Chicago to compete in the Midwest Youth of the Year competition in June.
“On behalf of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo Board of Trustees, I would like to congratulate Tyreese on his most prestigious and well-deserved Ohio Youth of the Year Award,” said Tiffany Cavanaugh, board president.
“I could not be more proud of Tyreese’s representation of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo – his character, poise, professionalism, and leadership are unmatched. Likewise, he has a true heart for serving others and an unstoppable drive to succeed. Tyreese truly is an example of the Great Futures that start at Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo,” she said. (04/06)
Walleye Shuttle connects fans to playoffs
The Toledo Walleye are in the ECHL playoffs for the eighth full season in a row, and the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)’s Walleye Shuttle will be there to make it easy for fans to catch every home game this postseason.
The Walleye Shuttle offers a $3 round-trip ride to the Huntington Center from five area park-and-ride locations during the playoffs, which begin the week of April 14. Regular riders of this service will notice slight differences from the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides.These include a new park-and-ride location for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.
Regular riders of this service – which allows fans to see the Walleye go after the Kelly
Cup while avoiding paying for parking downtown – will notice slight differences from
the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides. These include a new park-and-ride location
for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.The Walleye Shuttle will pick up customers at:
Sylvania, Lourdes University Franciscan Center, 6832 Convent Blvd., pick-up
one hour and 15 minutes before puck drop
Waterville, Kroger, 8730 Waterville Swanton Road, pick-up one hour and 15
minutes before puck drop
Miracle Mile Shopping Center, 1727 West Laskey Road, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Maumee, Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key Street, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Oregon, Starr Elementary School, 3230 Starr Avenue, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Each shuttle will head back to park-and-ride locations 20 minutes after the conclusion
of the game. (04/03)
180th Fighter Wing holds Change of Command ceremony
SWANTON – Col. Curtis W. Voltz will assume command of the 180th Fighter Wing from Col. Chad E. Holesko at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 5, at the 180th Fighter Wing.
Brig. Gen. Francisco Dominguez, deputy assistant adjutant deneral for Air, Ohio National Guard, will preside over the ceremony.
Voltz’s career spans 29 years as both an enlisted airman and a commissioned officer. He enlisted into the 180th Fighter Wing in 1996 as a weapons load technician, before earning his commission in 2005 as an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, assigned to the 112th Fighter Squadron.
Voltz has served the wing in various positions throughout his career, including instructor pilot, chief of weapons and tactics, director of Operations, Operations Support Squadron commander, Maintenance Group commander and Operations Group commander, before serving in his current role as the wing’s deputy commander. (04/02)
Commissioners supports Issue 2, State Capital Improvement
TOLEDO, Ohio – The Board of Lucas County Commissioners on Tuesday officially voted to support State Issue 2 and the renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program (SCIP), administered by the Ohio Public Works Commission. Issue 2 will appear on the May 6 ballot statewide.
Voter approval of State Issue 2 will allow the issuance of general obligation bonds up to $250 million per year over 10 years to fund local infrastructure improvements across the State of Ohio and will create an estimated 35,000 construction jobs.
This long-standing State Capital Improvement Program provides critical funding for local infrastructure projects, including roads, bridges, water systems, and wastewater treatment facilities — without raising taxes.The current SCIP authorization is set to expire July 1, 2025.
A “yes” vote on Issue 2 would renew the program, preventing a funding gap that could delay crucial infrastructure projects across Ohio. Voters have overwhelmingly renewed this program three times in the past, recognizing its impact on local communities. (04/02)
Owens volleyball coach receives NJCAA award
Owens Community College volleyball coach Sonny Lewis has collected his fair share of awards during his 24 seasons with the Express. Lewis recently added another honor as one of the first coaches to receive the NJCAA Coaches Legacy Award, which recognizes the all-time winningest coaches in the association’s history.
He was one of 13 volleyball coaches to be recognized with the award, and one of only nine to spend his entire career with one school. There were approximately 200 coaches across 28 sports on the list. For a complete list of honorees, visit this link.
Lewis’ Express finished 22-14 last season and earned a spot in the NJCAA Division III national tournament, finishing eighth. Lewis won the 800th game of his career this season as well, now sitting with a career record of 807-240. He is second in wins among active coaches.
All honorees will be recognized at a special luncheon on Tuesday, June 17, in Charlotte, North Carolina, preceding the 2025 NJCAA Hall of Fame and Awards event.
Directions Cares for Classrooms Winter 2025 Winners Announced
TOLEDO – Local teachers in the region are getting a little extra boost to help with their classroom needs. Directions Credit Union is announced 16 winners from the Directions Cares for Classrooms Grant Program Winter 2025. Five of the winners are from the Toledo area (Names listed below).
Directions Cares for Classrooms grant program provides educators with small grants up to $500 each to be used for a variety of projects and materials, including books, software, calculators, math manipulatives, art supplies, audio-visual equipment, lab materials and more.
Rachel Shell – Crim Elementary School – Ms. Shell will use the funds to purchase adaptive play equipment for an inclusive playground. This will allow students of all abilities to play together.
Luke Reed – Autism Model Community School – The funds will be used to purchase supplies to create homemade decorations in support of the school’s community dance. The students will be able to be involved in ordering, creating and distributing the items to their peers. This years’ theme is “Under the Big Top”
Shannon Schoen – Washington Local Schools – The funds will be used to purchase items to create five room transformations which will include Math and STEM activities for students. The transformations will include Beach Day, Super Bowl Day, Outer Space Day, March Madness Day and Dino Day!
Heidi Meyer – Elmwood High School – Ms. Meyer will use the grant to support student attendance at the Ohio Model United Nations program sponsored by the Ohio Leadership Institute. The student teams each represent a member nation of the UN.
Cheri Copeland-Shull – Springfield Schools –The grant funds will go to the purchase of 10 teepees which students can use when they are having difficulty self-regulating. In addition, three carts will be purchased that will allow students access to sensory tools that will support their self-regulation. (04/01)
