Home Blog Page 28

Election 2026: School funding, property taxes, & data centers 

By
Jaden Jefferson
-
0
(TFP image by Jaden Jefferson)

The defining factors in Ohio’s 44th District race

SYLVANIA — Ohio’s 44th House District is vast. It comprises much of western Lucas County, including the communities of Sylvania, Monclova, and Whitehouse. The district then snakes through Wood County, along the Maumee River, to cover eastern parts of Lucas County, including Rossford and Northwood. And if two counties weren’t enough for one state House district, it also encompasses the village of Genoa, in Ottawa County.

State Representative Joshua Williams (R-Sylvania) currently represents the district in Columbus — but with him seeking higher office, as one of multiple Republican candidates vying to represent Ohio’s 9th Congressional District — his seat in the state legislature is up for grabs. 

There are three candidates hoping to replace Williams: one of whom is a Democrat, while the other two are Republicans, who are competing to advance past May’s primary. So, who are these candidates and what do they stand for? All agreed to interviews with the Toledo Free Press. Here’s what they had to say about issues ranging from school funding, to property taxes, to data centers.

Ohio’s 44th House District race. The three candidates running to represent Ohio’s 44th House District. (TFP photo by Jaden Jefferson)

David Fournier

David Fournier. (TFP photo by Jaden Jefferson)

The sole Democrat in this race, David Fournier is an employment benefits attorney who primarily works with union pension and apprentice programs, and occasionally, health plans. He’s a December 2013 graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law and passed the bar in 2014. Fournier started his career at the firm Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick. He told the Toledo Free Press that his entry into politics really began in the “last quarter of 2025 or so,” when he and his wife became involved with the Anthony Wayne Board of Education.

“We disagreed with some of the activities that they had engaged in, including the censure of Shellie McKnight, their sole left-leaning member. So, in the following meeting, I gave a statement, kind of calling them to task.”

Fournier says that led to him getting in touch with AW-area Democrats, including Dave Blyth, who encouraged him to launch his campaign. Blyth previously ran to represent this Ohio House district. A key tenet of his campaign, said Fournier, is public education.

“The voucher program needs to be paired back. Currently, I think Ohio has budgeted, maybe $2 billion, for what has essentially become a universal subsidy for private education — and that’s a lot,” he said. “That is a ton of money that we could be reallocating to schools, public schools, that have an obligation to serve all students, that are accountable to the taxpayer.”

Fournier expressed concern over the lack of transparency that surrounds Ohio’s EdChoice program. The program allows the state funding that school districts receive for a student — to be redirected to a non-public school — if that is where the student and their family chooses to receive an education. Fournier believes non-public schools should be subject to the same transparency requirements as public ones, such as how state dollars are being spent and the performance of students. While he has criticisms about how the program operates, he doesn’t oppose it being narrowed to low-income students from underperforming schools, allowing them to “shop around” for better options.

Because property taxes are a significant chunk of how Ohio’s public schools are funded, the conversation about schools and property taxes are greatly linked. Asked about property tax relief, as Ohioans see their bill grow, Fournier said that “if we were to put that [voucher dollars] back into the public schools, they would not need to go back to the local taxpayers to make up the gap, like they do currently.”

He added, “I think, by adequately funding the schools, you are already going to provide a measure of relief to property owners.”

Another hot-topic in Ohio communities, alongside schools and property taxes, is data centers. Amid the growth in artificial intelligence integration across the economy, demand for data center capacity has grown, and Ohio just so happens to be attractive to big tech. While Fournier believes that “the construction trades jobs would be fantastic” from data centers, he doesn’t know “why we’re negotiating against ourselves.”

“What I don’t understand is why we are in such a hurry to subsidize these mega-corporations’ profits and their stock price by giving them breaks on property taxes and the like, when they are going to be bringing all of these new issues into our communities,” he said.

Fournier said he would like to see, in writing, tech companies be responsible for providing, or at least paying, for 100 percent of the energy they use. He would also like to see more consideration given to the usefulness of these facilities in the future, as technology continues to advance, as well as where they locate. Fournier said he supports legislation that would create a commission to study the impacts from data centers, saying “fact-finding and information-gathering is a great start, but let’s keep it going.”

Edward Schimmel

Edward Schimmel. (TFP photo by Jaden Jefferson)

Northwood Mayor Edward Schimmel is one of two Republicans running to represent Ohio’s 44th House District. As someone who’s been mayor for 11 years, and previously a member of Northwood City Council for eight years, Schimmel said, “I’ve been involved in politics, probably, ever since college, where I was a member of the UT Young Republicans.” Schimmel said he obtained an undergrad degree in political science from the university.

“I’ve been down to meetings in Genoa, I’ve been to meetings out in Whitehouse, I’ve been going door-to-door — everywhere I can go, trying to hit every different community, to hear what different people in different areas really want to see from their state representative,” said Schimmel, who told the TFP that “the core issues that people have are essentially the same in every community.”

On school funding, Schimmel said that “I don’t, myself, have the answers to the school funding problems. Certainly, there’s people in Columbus that have been working on it, and I intend on helping, you know, push forward down that path and figure out how we can fix the school funding problem.”

Asked where those conversations on fixing “the school funding problem” should start, he said that “they need to start in the locality,” adding that “school boards need to look at their long-term plans” on the sustainability of their finances. 

“Some schools, I’m sure they are — and other schools — I think that they do need to look at some cuts. Now, hopefully, those would be short-term cuts, ‘till we can get some of these issues straightened out, but the school funding problem- I don’t see it going away anytime soon, certainly with this group of individuals who want to do away with real estate taxes completely.”

Schimmel said he doesn’t completely agree with the assessment of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, running mate of Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, that schools are receiving enough money, but need to do a better job of spending it.

“I think you need to look at each individual school district to see how they’re spending those funds. Some schools, I know, are already being very prudent with the money that they have. Others, it’s something that they probably should look at.”

On property taxes, the primary source of revenue for local school districts, Schimmel said that “I think what voters are looking to have happen is to maybe connect your increases on your taxes to something like the rate of inflation, or something along those lines.”

He said that “if we’re gonna do tax cuts, we have to do true tax cuts, not replacements with fees and whatnot, so we have to be careful with that. And certainly, not eliminate real estate taxes. I think that is a horrible proposal that would throw our, primarily townships- they would not be able to provide police or fire services, schools would close overnight.”

Discussing energy costs, which have increased, in part, due to data centers, Schimmel shares Fournier’s perspective. Both believe the state needs to produce more energy, including from renewable sources, and that tech companies should pay their own costs.

“The question is: How do we make sure data centers don’t impact our energy bills? And I think it’s requiring them to have on-site energy production or to have some sort of an agreement with an energy provider, so that they’re not affecting the price of energy. As well as water — they need to recycle their water and only be put in communities, such as maybe Oregon or some parts of Toledo, where they have the excess capacity for water service.”

John Rozic

John Rozic. (TFP photo by Jaden Jefferson)

Originally from Lorain, Ohio, John Rozic is a 1973 graduate of Case Western Reserve University, where he earned an accounting degree, and ‘77 graduate of the University of Toledo College of Law, where he earned a Juris Doctor.

“In 2014, I was elected to the Waterville City Council,” said Rozic, who, term-limited, decided that running for state representative would be his next move. While he doesn’t view running for elected office as being an act of politics, but rather public service, running a successful campaign may require political savvy, given the various constituencies that comprise the district he’s hoping to represent.

“My position, basically, is I don’t have all the answers. I have questions, but not all the answers,” Rozic told the Free Press. “I just listen to everybody. Before I make a decision, I listen to as many sides as I can. I did this on city council, I did it with the school board. You just listen, take it all into consideration, and then hopefully make a good decision for the benefit of everybody.”

Rozic was also previously a member of the Anthony Wayne Board of Education. 

“My experience with the school system is it is — especially in Anthony Wayne, and, I think, probably Sylvania and other communities — what holds the community together.”

He expressed disappointment with Ohio’s Fair School Funding Plan having not yet been realized.

“20 years ago or so, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that the way we fund schools is not constitutional. And so, the legislature has had 20 years to fix it and they haven’t fixed it yet.”

Because property taxes are so closely linked to school funding, disparities are created between districts that comprise more affluent neighborhoods and ones whose neighborhoods experience greater levels of poverty. Rozic says he would like to see something done about it.

“We spread funds across the state for other purposes: highways, bridges, police, fire, infrastructure — all those things are done, I think, fairly equitably across the state. But schools have focused on local funding and, in some areas, it works great. In the affluent areas. But in the not-so-affluent areas, they struggle. So that’s something that really has to be addressed, I think.”

Asked whether, in Ohio’s GOP-controlled legislature, there’s the political will to improve Ohio’s public schools, Rozic said, “I think the people I’ve talked to, yeah, they recognize the importance of a successful school system in every corner of the state, and I would hope they would carry that through with appropriate funding.”

He added that, during his time on the school board, “the concern always was” that the state would cut funding, while at the same time, imposing more “requirements for the educational process.”

In his interview with the TFP, Rozic also discussed potential forms of property tax relief. One idea he talked about was linking property taxes to base value, rather than any unrealized gain. Rozic is wary of eliminating the tax altogether, saying, “I haven’t heard a good alternative to the property tax.” He says “the funds have to come from somewhere” in order for the state to carry out its basic functions, which is why he doesn’t support eliminating another tax — the income tax — without an alternative.

On data centers, Rozic spoke to his experience on Waterville City Council, saying they “all of a sudden” became “a very, very hot issue.” Echoing his opponents’ sentiments, he believes “if they’re gonna get the benefit of the increased grid, they should pay the largest portion, if not all, of the cost of increasing the grid, if it’s simply to provide energy for the data center.”

With regard to their location, Rozic said “I think they should be as far away from residential developments, and maybe even commercial developments, as possible.”

He also believes the state should be “careful” about handing out tax breaks, given that they “don’t produce a lot of employment” once construction is completed.


For more on Ohio’s primary election, read Jaden Jefferson’s report on the three things you should know here.

Toledo means business: Brad Morrison

By
London Dennie
-
0
Brad Morrison (left). (Courtesy photo)

How the owner of Maumee Bay Turf Center and Danny’s Cafe got his start

MAUMEE – Brad Morrison, owner of the Maumee Bay Turf Center and Danny’s Cafe, grew up in a blue-collar family, an upbringing that led him to the synthetic turf industry he’s passionate about today.

“I started cutting grass when I was 13, and ended up having a pretty big mowing business for almost 30 years, and it kind of led us into the landscaping business, and then that led us into the athletic field business,” Morrison said.

Morrison earned a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Findlay in 1992 and moved on to earn a master’s degree in education at Bowling Green State University. 

Morrison’s family owned a driving range called The Ball Works Golf Range in Oregon, Ohio. He said that a lot of high schools would come to the range to practice golf, and they would inquire about how the grass was maintained. 

“Pretty soon they started asking, ‘Who takes care of the grass here?’ and ‘Could you do this to our football field?’” he said. “So we started doing that on the side in the fall and got people’s athletic fields ready for the next year, and it just kind of turned into a business.” 

(Courtesy photo)

Morrison is the co-founder and principal owner of the Maumee Bay Turf Center, a business that specializes in athletic field design, construction, consultation, renovation, maintenance and repair. The business has built 260 fields ranging from NFL stadiums to local community fields. 

“We built our first synthetic field in 2008 in Clyde, Ohio, and it’s 2026, and we just finished our 260th field,” he said. “Doing good work, taking care of your customers and building relationships; it’s really what our business has been built on, just quality and wanting to be people’s solutions, not their headache, and with the turf, we’re just surrounded by the most amazing people in the industry.” 

Morrison is also the owner of Danny’s Cafe in Rossford. Since he became the owner four years ago, Morrison and his turf crew have expanded the restaurant and built a place that went from holding 40 people to holding about 500 people. 

“It’s a super competitive business, so the challenge is, how do you make it a place where people choose to spend their evening when they have so many good choices in Toledo? What can we do differently? And that’s kind of the contest,” he said. “It was a dive bar, and I say that in the most respectful and positive way because I think people like that old school step back in time, so we kind of maintain that and we’ve kind of built on that.” 

Morrison said Danny’s Cafe has become a family place, and every day is like planning for a big party. 

“I didn’t want it to be this knockdown party bar like a lot of places are, and we don’t want anything to do with the late-night crowd,” he said. “We’re super big at not over-serving people, and it’s more come have a good time, do it responsibly and get home safely…so it’s a different approach.” 

Morrison said one of the challenges he faced as a business owner used to be people, and he explained how people will worry too much about saving money when hiring, and that’s the opposite of the way he does things. 

“Show me the best people, the best cooks, the best floor manager, the best people involved with hospitality, decor and technology marketing, those are the people I want to hire,” he said. “A lot of people aren’t willing to invest that capital in their people, and if you’re not willing to, you’re really just wasting your money.” 

(Courtesy photo)

He said his favorite part about owning and running his businesses has been all the relationships and people he gets to meet. 

“It’s just a relationship thing for us. We’ve filled a lot of fields, and we make a lot of impacts with a lot of communities,” he said. “Those are pretty visible projects, not only with the sports field and putting in a new stadium, but building a restaurant, a community, doing things for the community and trying to be a giving person. I think that’s the best part of it all.” 

Nature in Action: A new collaborative series

By
London Dennie
-
0
Sacred Grounds Toledo prairie tour participants examine flowers at the Blue Creek Metropark and Seed Nursery in Whitehouse. With an exclusive focus on native plants, the nursery cultivates seeds and seedlings used to restore and preserve natural areas throughout the region. (TFP Photo/Laurie Bertke)

The series is presented by WGTE and Metroparks Toledo to educate and entertain

TOLEDO – WGTE Public Media and Metroparks Toledo are putting out an exciting collaboration titled Nature in Action, a storytelling initiative on multiple platforms that educates and inspires the community to explore regional treasures. 

This project features three multi-episode series that will be featured on YouTube and social media platforms. These series are titled The Living Wild, A Walk in the Park and Nature Clash. 

Shane Potgieter, the executive producer and content and creative services officer at WGTE, said the series started based on a conversation with Matthew Killam, the chief external relations officer for Metroparks Toledo. 

Shane Potgieter, Executive Producer/Content & Creative Services Officer at WGTE Public Media. (Courtesy photo)

“We were talking about how difficult it is to reach the middle school audience, and how do you get kids into our kind of content and into Metroparks again?” Potgieter said. “We had something in common, and we were like, ‘Hey why don’t we see if there is something we could do to work together?’ And that’s kind of where the project started.” 

Potgieter said he wanted to do something similar to MrBeast challenges, as well as come up with other ideas that could attract other age groups and demographics through their programming and the Metroparks. 

Scott Carpenter, the director of public relations for Metroparks Toledo, said the goal of this collaboration is to “spread the good word about Metroparks and the benefits of nature.” 

The Living Wild is a series of short-form documentaries containing five episodes that focus on conservation in the Metroparks. Carpenter said the series will show not only what the Metroparks do, but why they do it, and why that work is so important. 

“It will focus on various aspects of our natural resources management in the Metroparks,” Carpenter said. “It will include things like the prescribed fires that we use, the way we’ve restored and managed wetlands, and some of our research and monitoring that our volunteers do.”

Potgieter said The Living Wild is targeted to an older audience, as well as the latest edition, A Walk in the Park.

A Walk in the Park is a 10-episode podcast series that explores the intersections of work, nature and wellness. Potgieter said Erin Holden, the editor-in-chief of the Toledo Free Press, will host the podcast. 

“It’s her walking in the park with somebody who’s just an ordinary Metropark-goer, just to showcase the different kinds of people that use the parks,” Potgieter said. “Erin is sort of like our Bridget Jones, who goes in the field, speaks to different people who use the park and tries out different things too.” 

Nature Clash is a high-energy series of eight episodes featuring middle-school kids who will participate in a series of mental and physical challenges. These skills include climbing, paddling and other activities that people do in the Metroparks. 

Potgieter said they have a few strong contenders for the host of Nature Clash, and the options will be narrowed down in the next couple of weeks. 

“We have someone who is a biologist who worked on a Netflix program, a UT student who was also very promising and somebody in the community who’s a comedian, so there are quite a few options for us to go through,” Potgieter said. 

Carpenter said he hopes Nature in Action will encourage people to come out to a park they haven’t visited before or try a new activity. 

Potgieter said the big thing is the value of the park system Toledo has and how lucky the community is to have this on its doorstep. 

“It’s uniquely northwest Ohio, and it’s amongst the best in the nation,” he said. “In terms of our mission at WGTE to educate and entertain, I’m hoping that we are able to marry those two ideals and come up with something that is uniquely engaging for all our audiences.”

Toledo Works: “Toledo Creates”

By
Toledo Free Press
-
0

Episode 7 of Toledo Works

This week, Stephen Zenner sits down with three artists from different disciplines who are making a living in Toledo doing what they love. Stephen begins his conversation with fellow photographer Jay Dickerson (AKA Dirty Kics), then speaks with multidisciplinary artist Cyd Gottlieb, and ends the episode with performance artist Krysta Sa.

Everywhere in Toledo, you’ll find people who play a role in making our city tick – from hospitals and factories to restaurants and art galleries – and behind every person is a story. Our program, Toledo Works, highlights those stories from workers’ firsthand accounts. Each week, Toledo Free Press hosts Jaden Jefferson and Stephen Zenner focus on a different topic within the Toledo workforce, exploring their day-to-day challenges and triumphs.

Providence Township considers data center moratorium

By
Karen Gerhardinger
-
0
Providence Township trustees will consider a moratorium on data centers during their Wednesday, April 15 meeting. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

PROVIDENCE TOWNSHIP – Providence Township trustees are considering a moratorium on the construction of data centers.

“If we have one, it will gain us some time,” solicitor David Chamberlain told trustees during their April 2 meeting. He plans to review Waterville Township’s 12-month moratorium and create a similar resolution for Providence Township trustees to consider during their April 15 regular meeting.

If approved, trustees need to use that time to come up with language governing data centers to add to its zoning book, said Zoning Inspector Jim Fischer. 

Providence Township’s zoning book does not currently mention data centers. Trustees Lee Bialecki, Jeremiah Floyd and Steve Kendall discussed options, including whether they could exclude, ban or just not include data centers in their zoning  book.

“You can restrict it, but you can’t exclude it,” Kendall said, adding that while he’s not an attorney, he remembers discussions around attempts to ban adult-oriented businesses a decade or so ago. 

Floyd wondered whether the township could only allow data centers on M-1 Manufacturing – a process that would require rezoning – or limiting them in size. If the township allows property to be rezoned to M-1 and a project falls through, the M-1 zoning would remain, and then it would remain open to any type of manufacturing with little control, Fischer said. 

He recommends following Waterville Township’s lead, and requiring a conditional use permit for data centers to be allowed in A-Agricultural areas, which is the zoning for most of the township. The conditional use permit allows the township and the county to stipulate conditions related to setbacks, lighting, vibration, sound, landscaping.

“It’s bad enough if they end up being here, but at least we have some control in the process,” Fischer said. “The language better be in the book before we write permit No. 1.”

To add zoning language requires at least three to six months, as it gets reviewed at the county and township level, with opportunities for public input. A moratorium would allow time to pause any data center applications until that process is finished. The Providence Township Zoning Commission has been going through a full review of its zoning resolution over the past several months. 

Fischer suggested looking at Waterville Township, for which he also serves as zoning inspector, for guidance. That township enacted a 12-month moratorium in December and appointed a committee of residents to study and make recommendations on data center language and conditions to be added to their zoning resolution.

“The wheels are turning in Waterville Township. That should help in Providence,” Fischer said, recommending that Chamberlain look at their moratorium language as a guide. 

If approved, Providence Township would join a growing list of communities enacting moratoriums, also including Monclova Township and the City of Waterville. At the state level, Ohio Residents for Responsible Development learned last week that it can start collecting signatures to place on the November ballot a constitutional amendment to prohibit the construction of new data centers with a peak load of more than 25 megawatts a month. To get on the ballot, the group needs to collect 400,000 valid signatures from registered Ohio voters in the next 90 days.

During the meeting, trustees also:

-Discussed with Fiscal Officer Julie Ludwig how to handle the continued freeze on a $523,809.23 FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant to cover 95 percent of the cost of a new 3,000-gallon tanker/tender. The partial government shutdown is preventing the release of those funds, but Johnson’s Fire Equipment Company notified the township that it would begin charging 2 percent on the unpaid balance beginning April 3.

After a lengthy discussion on options, trustees agreed to pay the amount from the fire fund, and to replace those funds once the check comes through. If needed, the township can take out a loan from a bank to cover payroll and other expenses – much cheaper than the Johnson’s fine. The township also paid its portion of the truck and add-ons, for a total of $66,206.

-Heard an update on the county’s plans to repave Manore Road, and options for dealing with four concrete driveways that extend into the right-of-way.

-Listened to Floyd say that he spoke to the subcontractor installing boxes for Spectrum, as several were being incorrectly place on private property. 

-Heard Kendall and Fischer say that they were contacted by residents concerned about a man living in an RV on a Meredith Street property that has a home deemed unsafe. Multiple agencies have reached out to the resident, who is a veteran, offering assistance, but he has not followed through. A case is currently pending in Maumee Municipal Court.

-Listened to Fischer say that the township’s land use plan was last updated in 2005 – before the rerouting of U.S. 24 and the addition of a S.R. 295 overlay district. The county recommends an update every 10 years. An update would require hiring a firm, estimated at more than $30,000. He noted that Waterville Township obtained a grant to cover their costs.

-Agreed to hire Glick Electric to correct the electrical hook-ups on the township fuel tanks, at a cost of $5,000. Bialecki abstained, as the original work was done by his brother’s company.

-Approved a contract with TrioTech of Whitehouse to provide cybersecurity services at $36 per month, in order to comply with House Bill 96 requirements.

-Heard that the 2024 ambulance wrecked in a February accident on Neapolis-Waterville Road is estimated to need $120,795 in repairs. A new one costs $230,000 to $310,000, said Fire Chief Rick Triggs.

The insurance company will only declare it totaled if repairs add up to more than 80 percent of replacement cost. While insurance will cover the repairs, Floyd said he’s concerned that the costs may increase when it comes time to recertify the equipment that was in the squad, including the lift cot system.

-Heard that the county is considering giving responsibility for outdoor warning sirens back to municipalities. In total, Providence Township has five, not including an old one at the fire hall that is “band-aided” together, Triggs said. If a siren needs to be replaced, he estimates the cost is $20,000 to $25,000. Kendall noted that sirens are becoming obsolete, as most people have cell phones that receive emergency alerts.

Life is Terminal: Micheline Brewer’s debut novel 

By
Samantha Heywood
-
0
Micheline Brewer holding her debut novel, Life Is Terminal And So Is This Cold Sore. (TFP photo by Samantha Heywood)

TOLEDO – Crafting a novel is a daunting endeavor, but the subsequent challenge of marketing and publishing a final draft is an entirely different world for many authors. Micheline Brewer – a Toledo local and author of Life Is Terminal And So Is This Cold Sore  – found herself wrapped up in this chaos, ultimately choosing to self-publish her work. 

Growing up, Brewer watched her mother produce a novel that never saw publication. Living in a more technologically advanced era, Brewer believed she could bring her own novel to life – fulfilling not only her dream, but her mother’s too. 

“It got to the point where I thought, ‘No one’s getting younger here. What if I just self-publish?’” 

In July 2025, she began working with Book Baby, a self-publishing website that offers global distribution to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and more. While larger publishing houses have strict deadlines for publication, Book Baby provides more flexibility in publishing and printing written work. 

“I would say they’re a bit more of a printer than a publisher. They communicated with me about the changes I needed to make, but there weren’t any deadlines… It would have been harder to navigate a larger publishing house for my first time.” 

Micheline Brewer’s debut novel. (TFP photo by Samantha Heywood)

By September 2025, Brewer had physical copies of her book at her doorstep and an e-book available online. Her official publication date was in November 2025, allowing for Life Is Terminal And So Is This Cold Sore to be carried by Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

While the self-publishing process was quite quick for Brewer, the marketing side of the journey has been a learning curve. 

“The publishing process was painful, but it was nothing compared to the publicity. Especially since I’m not a social media person… It was an easier entry, but that also comes with more books that you’re competing with at any given time.” 

The creative side 

Life Is Terminal And So Is This Cold Sore is a culmination of prose, poetry, and vignettes that were written at various points in Brewer’s life. Most of the dialogue is intentionally absurd, toggling the line between serious and funny. 

“I’ll come up with a commentary in my head about something I’ve been through.”

Brewer says she keeps “folders” in her mind of strange things she’s seen, someone she met during her time living out west in California, a dating experience…and that’s when she jots down ideas.

“I have several topics that I tend to write about. It probably narrows down to around ten topics. I’ve got the dating, and the marriage, and the dogs.”

With a mix of the mundane and the abnormal, Brewer has crafted a very human book.

“You Can Take This Job…”, the first vignette in the book, portrays a conversation between an interviewer and a hopeful job applicant. The conversation is relatable and silly, ultimately reminding readers that everyone is trying their best to make something of themselves. 

In contrast, “Ode to Your Appendectomy” is a poem that showcases the frivolity of life, inspired by a friend of Brewer’s who underwent emergency surgery. 

“It’s about finding the humor within the terminal life we will all have to go through. We’re all here; we’re all going to not be here. We can at least acknowledge the absurd in-between… One of these pieces should speak to everybody.”

More about the author 

Brewer’s book is available both online and in-store at Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Goodreads, and Kobo. At the moment, she is working on a larger novel that is “dialogue-heavy” and centered around the emotional nuances of interpersonal relationships.


“This next one will be released in a couple of years. It contains more situational dialogue than Life Is Terminal And So Is This Cold Sore. Universal themes such as marriage, work, family, societal norms, and, of course, dogs will be included.”

Cartoons by Don Lee: Data Centers

By
Don Lee
-
0
Cartoon by Don Lee

Demolition of iconic bridge: Pleas made to governor & council

By
Karen Gerhardinger
-
0
Save The Bridge Association member Janice Braida and local artist Teri Utz Bersee hold a painting that Bersee completed of the Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge. Bersee plans to drive to Columbus to deliver the painting to the governor's office. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

*Update: as of 4/14/26, Gov. DeWine has given a 30-day extension. Read more here.

WATERVILLE – Over its 118-year life span, the Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge has been a source of transportation, inspiration and exploration. Unless Gov. Mike DeWine reconsiders the March 27 decision to deny a request for another one-year reprieve on its planned demolition, the historic landmark may only be a memory in a few years.

“This is a beautiful asset for our town,” said local artist Teri Utz Bersee, holding a framed painting of the bridge that she is delivering to the governor today, April 7. 

On April 6, Bersee was one of several presenters during a special Waterville City Council special meeting, called by Mayor Tim Pedro just three days ahead of the Ohio Department of Transportation’s date to open bids from construction companies interested in handling the two-year project to dismantle the bridge. Unless Pedro can sway DeWine with “new information” that will change his mind, those plans will go forward.

“We’re at the 11th hour,” said Council Member Scott Jahns, noting that stone for a causeway under the bridge is already being quarried for the project, set to begin in June.

The 118-year-old Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge is set for demolition beginning this June, unless Gov. Mike DeWine can be convinced to reconsider his decision to not allow another one-year pause while supporters come up with a new owner. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

During the 2-1/2 hour meeting, members of the Save the Bridge Association (STBA) presented new plans to stabilize and utilize the bridge .

“We’re talking about an actual preservation project,” said STBA President Barb Bruno, who – along with members Janice Braida, Rex Childers, John Pautz, Bill Vermes and Dave Weber – presented information on a path forward.

Vermes, a civil engineer and bridge inspector who has saved other historic bridges, laid out options for stabilizing the spandrel walls and creating bike and pedestrian paths along the top. Conferring with Pautz, a retired vice president of concrete contractor AA Boos, Vermes said he believes that the project could be done for $6.9 million.

By law, any nonprofit or governmental entity willing to assume ownership and liability for the bridge could be reimbursed with the estimated $4 million set aside by the state for demolition, Vermes said, adding that the project would also be eligible for historic preservation grants to help cover the remaining costs.

Holding up a National Bridge Company book about reinforced concrete bridges by designer Daniel Luten, Vermes said the Roche de Boeuf bridge was built to hold a 45-ton locomotive and last hundreds of years. He rates all but one of the 12 spans to be in fair condition, and notes that with piers embedded three feet into bedrock, there is no danger of a domino effect if one span fails.

It was chunks of concrete hanging from rebar or lying in the Maumee River that caused a Waterville citizen to initially question the bridge’s safety in 2017. In 2018, ODOT hired a private engineering consulting firm to research the condition and, in 2019, held meetings to present nine options and their costs.

The most likely option, as far as cost, is to dismantle the structure, which DeWine noted is in violation of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations. The only way to save the bridge is to find someone else who wants to assume ownership and liability. While STBA members have repeatedly asked city council, as well as adjoining Wood County and area parks districts, no one has stepped forward.

“These are the same questions that have been here since the beginning,” said Council Member Nick Sargent. “Who is going to own it? Who is going to insure it? Who is going to save it?”

Rex Childers, a member of the Save the Bridge Association and a former insurance agent, speaks about options to provide liability on the bridge. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

Council Member Wayne Wagner asked why the STBA didn’t take it over. As a 501c3 entity, ownership could be assumed by the organization, he said.

“We’re small. You’re bigger. You represent 7,000 citizens and the Metroparks is bigger yet,” Weber said, nodding to Metroparks Chief External Relations Officer Matt Killam, who was in the audience.

Farnsworth Metropark, which garners 100,000 visitors a year, has a scenic overlook of the bridge. “We’re not in the business of owning infrastructure,” Killam said, adding that the Metroparks would be willing to be part of a solution, including aiding with grant applications.

Insuring the bridge has been another sticking point for council. Mary Duncan said she walked the bridge with an insurance agent a few years ago and was told “no way, at any time, would they touch that bridge,” she said, adding that she called other agencies and got the same response.

But Childers, who owned an insurance agency in Waterville for over 30 years, said he believes if the city moves forward with a plan for the bridge’s future use, and can provide information that the engineering is sound, that an insurance company would provide general liability.

“Liability can be mitigated and managed,” Bruno added. “Anything is insurable.”

This isn’t the first time that a group has tried to save and insure the bridge, said longtime resident Diana Waugh, who served on a committee that obtained the historic landmark designation for the bridge in 1974. Efforts to raise the $300,000 to fix the bridge at the time – and to fine someone to insure it – fell flat. She also got involved when ODOT first announced its decision to look at demolition in 2019.

“Here we are again. It hurts every time we go back and rip these wounds open again,” she said. “I want us to stop the bleeding.”

She suggested turning the bridge into a positive memory, by inviting artists and photographers to capture its beauty to share, or to sell the rubble to the community.

Braida and Bruno countered that history should be preserved, and not just in photos. Sarah Lockyer, a South River Road resident who moved to Waterville five years ago, urged council to look at other successful examples of bridge restoration, and to not give up.

“I love that bridge,” Lockyer said.

With the presentation of a plan to restore the bridge and use it for walking paths, Pedro promised to call DeWine’s office today to share that new information and see if the governor would reconsider.

In the meantime, the city plan to move forward with plans to use two of the bridge’s piers – the ones straddling South River Road – to create a pedestrian bridge and overlook of the river, utilizing federal grant funding.

Toledo means business: New CEO named at Hart

By
London Dennie
-
0
Marc Paulenich, chief executive of Hart. (Courtesy photo)

 How the new CEO plans to support the agency’s mission and independent growth

TOLEDO – Marc Paulenich was named the new chief executive officer of Hart in January 2026, supporting the agency’s continued growth, independence and success. 

Paulenich follows Mike Hart, who will be transitioning to executive chairman. 

“Hart is a full-service, independent brand transformation agency, with a goal to move audiences from apathy to advocacy through the design and deployment of empowering unified brand experiences,” is the description TFP received from a recent press release from the company. Hart is headquartered in Toledo, with additional offices in Columbus, Washington D.C. and Detroit. 

Paulenich said he moved to Toledo in 2001 after graduating from Hiram College to be closer to his wife. He was looking for a summer position while he worked on his graduate degree at the University of Toledo. 

His neighbor at the time, who was a graphic designer, gave him the suggestion to work at Hart. 

“She said, ‘You’ve got to go talk to those guys at Hart. I’ve known them a long time, and they do wonderful work,’” he said. “I submitted my resume there, got a summer part-time gig and an internship, essentially, for my MBA. Then that led to a full-time job, part-time graduate school and the rest is history.” 

Paulenich has been at Hart for 21 years in total, as he was there for six years, went on sabbatical for about three years and returned in 2011. He has been with the agency for 15 years since his return. 

“There was a desire to give Mike Hart, our owner and longtime CEO, a righthand and someone to complement what he was doing,” he said. “So I came back in a role that was one-half leadership in terms of operations and overall company strategy, but also one-half practitioner, and I was still wearing the hat of our head of strategy and engaging in a tremendous amount of client consultation, improving that product, etc.” 

Paulenich went through multiple senior leadership roles, helping the agency’s independent growth and guiding it through meaningful evolution. These roles included senior vice president of strategy, president and chief operating officer. 

“Five years ago, we made the pivot where Mike, who was the president and CEO, took the president title and gave that to me, and that was kind of part of the plan succession,” he said. “With that became some measure of decreased responsibility from day-to-day client work and in the product per se, and more and more effort focused on where we’re going next, how we continue to evolve and where our growth comes from.” 

As the president, Paulenich helped Hart with an expanded presence and sustained revenue growth. Hart was also named a 2023 Top Workplaces Winner by the Toledo Blade during that time for continuing to invest in its people-first culture. 

Paulenich is currently writing a book that will debut later this year, strengthening Hart’s commitment to forward-looking strategy and thought leadership. 

“It’s a philosophical exploration and research-driven narrative around this moment that we are in from a marketing perspective, and I’ve kind of branded this as how to move consumers from apathy to advocacy,” he said. 

He said more and more media and AI are being consumed these days, causing consumers to burn out, and it’s becoming harder to cut through that to attract customers in the way brands used to, so they have to pivot. He said his book will help answer the question of how to make customers feel aligned with brands. 

“The book is intended to help demonstrate how you can move them [consumers] through these four different areas that ultimately move them from being a more apathetic consumer who just doesn’t really see any difference between brands, to this place of advocacy where they become strong, loyal fans and ultimately help those brands themselves grow long-term.” 

Paulenich said his new role as CEO is a continuation of the direction that Hart has already been heading in, with a bit of refocused intention and long-term plans. He said the ability to tackle another era of change while using some of the same skills and expertise is exciting.

“It’s probably all wrapped up in this ability to continue to operate almost like a fresh-face startup, and having that mindset is what allowed us to move from the organization that was a third of what we are today, and pivot and move and evolve and grow in a moment of tremendous change,” he said. 

Paulenich said that with the changes in consumer behavior and agencies selling out, Hart is staying independent and staying committed to the model they have created over time. He said making smart investments in strategic capabilities, creative capabilities and the right technology along the way is what the business has been built on and will continue to be built on.

Toledo Works: Inside Toledo’s libraries

By
Toledo Free Press
-
0

Episode 6 of Toledo Works

The Toledo Lucas County Public Library has been celebrated for its contributions to our city and throughout the county. Along with promoting literacy as all library’s do, it can be surprising to learn about the array of services the organization provides. In this episode, Jaden Jefferson speaks with Cathy Bartel, the Library’s Director of Public Service, and Zachary Huber, Fact and Fiction manager at the Main branch.

Everywhere in Toledo, you’ll find people who play a role in making our city tick – from hospitals and factories to restaurants and art galleries – and behind every person is a story. Our program, Toledo Works, highlights those stories from workers’ firsthand accounts. Each week, Toledo Free Press hosts Jaden Jefferson and Stephen Zenner focus on a different topic within the Toledo workforce, exploring their day-to-day challenges and triumphs.

1...272829...304Page 28 of 304