Grant helps renovate Whitney Manor
TOLEDO – Unison Health has received a $300,000 grant to renovate Whitney Manor, not only saving a part of Toledo’s architectural history, but also – and more importantly – saving lives.
Unison will use the grant, received from Ohio’s One-Time Strategic Community Investment Fund, to provide permanent supportive housing for unhoused individuals with chronic mental illness.
“By addressing the root causes of homelessness, such as untreated mental illness and a lack of stable housing, we can make a real difference in the lives of those who are the most vulnerable,” explained Jeff DeLay, Unison’s president and CEO,
Unison acquired Whitney Manor, on North Cove Boulevard near the intersection of Monroe St. and Upton Ave., from the City of Toledo in 2023, and has been working with state and local officials to raise money for renovation and raise awareness of the need to provide supported housing.
At first, Unison lodged individuals in need there, but after a few months it became clear the roughly century-old building was unlivable. “We moved everybody into hotels for up to six months,” DeLay said. “We worked with every individual to get them into supported housing.”
In the meantime, other funds arrived, and Unison has put them to use. “We redid the roof, put in new windows and doors, updated the exterior lighting for safety,” DeLay said.
With the grant, he said there’ll be a full upgrade of all electrical components, plumbing, heating and cooling. The timeline is for work to begin in April and end in May of 2026.
“The bones are super strong,” DeLay said of the manor. “There’s a lot of character we want to preserve.” Yet, he said, “We made the decision to do a full interior renovation. It’s going to be a brand-new building on the inside.”
The plan is for the manor to house 20 individuals in 1,000-square-foot apartments, with Unison staff available “to help them take care of whatever needs they have – to support that individual to keep them living independently.”
Unison said Whitney Manor will provide a continuum of care that includes mental health services, substance use treatment and workforce skills training, all of which is an integrated approach to put individuals on a path toward recovery and stability.
The grant was awarded through bipartisan support from Northwest Ohio’s Senate and House lawmakers.
“I was proud to support Unison Health’s Whitney Manor project,” said State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green). “This project will be transformational and have a positive impact on the community for generations to come.”
State Rep. Michele Grim (D-Toledo) said the project “is a welcome display of the state’s support for the continued preservation of historic communities and structures. It’s a fantastic opportunity that we can preserve this historic building while using it for the purpose of rehabilitation and housing. It is my hope that Whitney Manor will stand as an example for future opportunities.”
Grim added, “Many members of the General Assembly, regardless of party, understand the importance of supporting our most vulnerable Ohioans and how a lack of resources makes the road to recovery all the more difficult.”
More funds are needed, but DeLay said they are on the way. A $1.5 million grant is pending, and after the first of the year fundraising efforts will begin to secure $1 million to $1.5 million.
“Toledo has a lot of abandoned buildings,” he said. “We did not want this to be another.”
He added that Unison’s partnership with the city and other entities is significant. “This is an exciting project.”
DeLay said the project sends a message: “Let’s be creative and help some of the most vulnerable individuals in the community, but at the same time save the legacy of what made Toledo a beautiful city.
“It’s not just about renovating a hundred-year-old building, but raising the awareness of the homeless, especially during winter months.”
Iconic Owens CC silo demolished
Age, decay reasons for downfall of landmark
By Jeremy Schneider (Press Release)
PERRYSBURG – It has stood at the intersection of Oregon Rd. and Biniker Dr. before there was an intersection; before there was even an Owens Community College. Now, the iconic silo that’s welcomed visitors to campus for nearly 60 years is gone.
Due to its age and resulting safety concerns, demolition of the silo began Monday morning, and it only took 15 minutes to wipe out that 40-foot landmark.
Noticeable leaning of the structure prompted Owens officials to evaluate the silo. Marietta Inspection Services recommended that the silo be demolished because of its age and condition and noted it could not be preserved.
The Klumm Bros., a demolition contractor out of Lucas County, dismantled the silo from the top down. The debris was hauled away and will be recycled.
A first inspection was completed on the silo in 2016 because of leaning, but it was determined to be structurally safe at that time.
There is no known documentation to specify exactly how old the silo is, but it was in place when Owens made its first land purchase from Clarence and Mary Biniker in 1971. Two more purchases, in 1986 and 1991, brought the total land purchased from the Biniker family farm to approximately 65 acres, leading to the completion of the east side of the Owens campus.
Nearly 20 percent of the Owens Toledo-area Campus’ 368 acres was formerly part of the Biniker family farm.
The silo, along with the Biniker farmhouse, was part of the 1991 purchase. That land is now the site of the Galleria Complex, which includes the new Healthcare Education Center, Center for Fine and Performing Arts and the Student Health and Activities Center, among other facilities.
“What a story that silo could tell if it could talk. From the foundational practice of farming in Ohio to the development and growth of Owens Community College, the silo has stood guard over the Biniker farm and Owens,” Owens president Dr. Dione D. Somerville said. “As Owens approaches its 60th anniversary, we must consider the continued evolution of our physical structures and their safety and footprint on our campus.
“We are saddened by this development as the silo represents an important part of Owens’ history, but the safety of our college community is always our top priority,” she said.
The east-to-west roadway through the eastside of campus is named in honor of the family whose sale of the land led to the expansion of the Toledo-area Campus.
Ray Chapman’s tragic story
Cleveland author’s book profiles the Toledo Mud Hen
It was the top of the fifth inning when Ray Chapman settled his 5-foot-10 frame into the batter’s box at the Polo Grounds in New York City.
The Yankees’ pitcher that day was right-hander Carl Mays, an infamous “headhunter” who was known for intentionally throwing at opposing hitters. Chapman, nearing the end of his career as the shortstop for the Cleveland Indians, knew this.
Chapman was not wearing a batting helmet. None of the players wore helmets back then. The day was Aug. 16, 1920. Less than 12 hours later, the 29-year-old Chapman, known for his speed and rifle arm, would die from a depressed skull fracture.
The fastball Mays threw hit Chapman in the temple with such force that Mays said later he thought the pitch hit the end of Chapman’s bat. Mays simply fielded the ball and threw to first base.
This tragedy has long been a part of baseball lore. To this day, Chapman, the son of a coal miner from Beaver Dam, Ky., is the only player to die in a major league baseball game.
Author Scott Longert, 70, a Cleveland native now living in Beachwood, knew parts of Chapman’s tragic story and chose the topic for his seventh book, Love and Loss: The Short Life of Ray Chapman. The book is 177 pages and was published by Ohio University Press in late August.
“I had this idea maybe three years ago,” Longert said. “I thought about Chapman for a while. Ohio University gave me a contract, and I did the research and we went from there. Chapman wasn’t born in Ohio, but he played in Toledo and played in Cleveland, so there was a good Ohio connection to it.
“Quite a bit about Chapman’s life was a rags to riches story. He played semi-pro ball and played for the Mud Hens for two years. He was considered the best shortstop in the American League.”
Chapman married Katie Daly, whose father, Martin, owned the Cleveland-based East Ohio Gas Company, the largest gas company in the country for many years.
“Katie was a very accomplished woman,” Longert said. “She went to school in Toledo, and her family had a house in the West End. They moved to Cleveland, and that’s where she met Ray. They had the perfect life.
“His father-in-law built them a home as a wedding present, and he was set at the height of his career. Life was great. He served with the Navy in World War I and probably would have gone on to great things. I just wanted to tell this story so people could learn about him and what he was about.”
One of Longert’s other books, Addie Joss: King of Pitchers (1998), profiles Hall of Fame pitcher Addie Joss, who pitched for the Mud Hens from 1900-01 and wrote sports for the old Toledo News-Bee. Joss also went on to play for the Indians.
Thom Ovacek, a commercial producer at WTOL in Toledo, met Longert a few years ago while making a video on Joss. The video includes interviews with Longert and Mud Hens historian and author John Husman.
“The strange similarities are Chapman and Joss both played for two years for the Mud Hens before moving to Cleveland,” Ovacek said. “I work at WTOL and we were looking for something to do for opening day (2021). I did a three-minute video for the news and a 10-minute version.
“It was the 110th anniversary of the passing of Addie Joss (tuberculous meningitis) and I wanted to put a Toledo spin on it. I grew up in Cleveland and loved Cleveland baseball, and Scott was a connection from Toledo and Cleveland. I read his book (on Joss) and decided we should tell this story on the news if possible.”
Longert said Love and Loss covers Chapman’s life from when he was a young boy through the aftermath of his death, and what became of his family, notably Katie and their daughter, Rae.
“People still go to his grave in Cleveland and leave baseballs and gloves,” Longert said.
Whatever happened to Mays, the pitcher who threw the fastball that ended Chapman’s life?
“This did not really affect his career at all,” Longert said. “He came back to pitch five days later and never showed any remorse. That just made his reputation worse and was probably what kept him out of the Hall of Fame.”
Love and Loss: The Short Life of Ray Chapman can be ordered online at ohioswallow.com.
Toledo Air Show returns after six years
Thunderbirds to make appearance at 2025 air show
SWANTON – A loud disruption forced emcee Senior Master Sgt. Beth Holliker to pause her speech during a press conference at the Grand Aire Hangar. A distant, low-rumble of an F-16 Fighting Falcon jet crescendoed and passed by before she resumed.
It was a fitting disruption during the press conference to announce the 2025 Toledo Air Show to be held in May at the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport in Swanton.
“Military aircraft come here all the time,” reacted Holliker, 180th Fighter Wing public affairs superintendent and chief enlisted manager, as she stood in front of an F-16 on display inside the hangar on Tuesday.
The press conference was led by Thomas J. Winston, president and CEO of the Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority, Col. Curtis Voltz, deputy wing commander of the 180th Fighter Wing, and Lance Woodworth, president and CEO of Destination Toledo.
The press conference was kicked off with a short highlight reel that championed the unbridled power and spirit of pilots and aircraft.
Winston said the Toledo Air Show will be great for the community, and called it a celebration of innovation, skill and in the spirit of aviation.
“And we have secured the Thunderbirds!” he exclaimed. “We’re happy to have them back after nine years.”
Eight pilots make up the elite United States Air Force Thunderbirds squadron, and more than 100 supporting personnel help make the performance and precision of the Thunderbirds’ aeronautical stunts a memorable and safe occasion.
“We express interest every year,” Winston said about the Toledo Air Show committee’s dedication to bringing large acts to Toledo. He cited this tenacity as the reason for securing the Thunderbirds.
He noted that Toledo’s last air show was in 2019, and that scheduling and availability of flying acts dictate the frequency of the shows.
Other acts confirmed for the event on May 10-11 include performances from Toledo’s own 180th Fighter Wing’s New England pilot Rob Holland, the Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Show, and vintage planes associated with “Class of 45.”
Winston hinted that other potential air show acts were being considered, and that Toledo had representatives at the International Council of Air Shows (ICAS) in Las Vegas, Nevada this week vying for other flyers to come to Toledo in May.
“This event is important for our region. It’s a boost to the local economy, showcasing our city and airport to a national audience” said Winston.
Woodworth estimated the event would pull in 50-70,000 people for the weekend, and figured about a $1 million in sales would be totaled, based off of the 2016 revenues from the last time the Thunderbirds were in town.
“While it is big fun, it is big business,” Woodworth said.
In the upcoming weeks, Woodworth said he is looking forward to preparing Toledo for the national stage. And for those who are new to Toledo, he described it as “a first date with our destination,” making it clear he intended to leave a good impression.
“Toledo is for everyone,” he said, citing Toledo’s “midwestern hospitality” as the city’s strongest asset. “It isn’t like that everywhere.”
Holliker explained that the civilian side of the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport will be working together with local first responders to make the event happen.
“We just pull them altogether in one event and it should be pretty seamless because we do this regularly,” she said.
The Toledo Air Show invites military and first responders in uniform and kids 3 and to attend for FREE.
To buy tickets and parking passes: Ticket Office
DAILY DOSE | THE HUMORISTS
Editorial cartoon by Don Lee for the Toledo Free Press.
Felony flag on the play!
Addressing resistance to childhood vaccinations
The question I am often asked is whether or not parents should vaccinate their children. In fact, in our practice, there seems to be more resistance to vaccinations since COVID.
I personally feel that one of the reasons there is an increase in resistance is the recent fear that COVID vaccinations were going to be made mandatory across the board. Although my personal stance is in support of the majority of vaccines, I also believe that it should be a parent’s choice.
In human nature, when we tell somebody they “have to do something,” there is usually resistance and often a reaction to do the opposite. As strongly as I believe in most vaccines, I also feel as strongly that parents should have a choice.
As providers, I believe it is our job to educate parents about the risks and benefits of vaccines. We should be educating them about the diseases vaccines prevent, as well as teaching them about the repercussions of contracting the diseases. That should be in both verbal and written form at all of their well care visits. This is another important reason to have their scheduled well care visits, as set by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
I have frequently been asked, especially by other providers, why I will continue to see patients whose parents will not allow their child to be vaccinated. And I have a few reasons. To reiterate, I believe it is the parent’s right to make that choice for their child. It is also not the child’s choice; it is the parent’s choice, so by not seeing the child who are we, as providers, punishing?
If there are no providers that will see children who are not vaccinated, they will have to resort to using urgent cares and emergency rooms, as this will be the only form of healthcare available to them. Not only does this overwhelm the urgent cares and the emergency rooms for issues that should be seen in primary care office, it is also not good continuity of care for the child.
Also, in an urgent care or ER, you do not always see the same provider, and there is not a fluent record that can be read and obtained with each visit.
I think as providers we have to ask ourselves, why did we get into medicine to begin with? For me, it was to take care of patients, and I feel the best way to do that is to provide them with adequate education, good continuity of care, and to be available to them when they are ill. If I do not see unvaccinated children, I am not providing the care I feel is best for them.
With all that being said, here is why I think children should be vaccinated:
- Vaccines have been successful, in that we no longer see many of the diseases that used to cause severe illnesses and lasting disabilities. For example, whooping cough, tetanus, polio and meningitis are rarely seen in children anymore.
- There is a lot of information online that scares parents away from getting vaccines. Here is a video directly from the American Academy of Pediatrics’ healthychildren.org, where you can also find a lot medically researched information, access to immunization schedules, the specific vaccines and the diseases that they prevent.
In conclusion, I do support the majority of vaccines, but I also strongly support the parent’s right to choose. I can respect any choice a parent makes, as long as it is an educated choice – and when I say an educated choice, it needs to be one that is made from medically sound, researched information, not from just anything that pops up on a Google search.
It is our job as providers to present that information and educate our parents, and then allow them to make the choice.
