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Robertsims scores a hole-in-one for community

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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Jack Behnfeldt prepares to tee off on DPC Pebble, a highly-detailed 18-hole replica of Pebble Beach Golf Links on the GSPro golf simulator software. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

NEAPOLIS – When Scott and Beth Robertson decided to create an upscale golf destination in downtown Neapolis, they found backing from a team of fellow Anthony Wayne graduates – including their six grown children and Clarity.Golf co-owners Carson and Wilson Bales.

“I think it’s great that we’re two locally-owned businesses supporting each other to bring something to the community,” said Beth, as she welcomed friends and family for a preview of Robertsims Indoor Golf last week. “Now we have a place for community to gather.”

Sage Tansel takes a swing at Arcadia Bluffs while his cousin, Deion Tansel, looks on. Robertsims offers more than 2,000 golf courses from around the world. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

When the former pizza place in downtown Neapolis closed last year, the Robertsons were brainstorming with friends to come up with ideas for enhancing a community that’s been home to both of their families for generations. Immediately, a golf simulator business emerged. After all, their children – Joseph, Kitty, Jane, Ellie, Charlie and Ted – all golf and have worked for nearby White Pines, where Ellie is still a manager. 

Ted was a member of the General’s state winning 2023 golf team, while Charlie played in the state title-run two years prior. While playing golf for Lourdes University, both regularly used golf simulators to improve their game, and have extensive knowledge on the benefits of different types of software.

in the meantime, Carson and Wilson Bales moved Clarity into a Waterville warehouse last year, as they expand a business they co-founded with their father, Bill Bales, and two other representatives based in other states. 

Bill is known as a pioneer in the golf simulator world, having previously founded AboutGolf in 2001. AboutGolf paved the way for many simulator technologies, including camera-based systems.

The Robertson family gathers in the lobby of Robertsims Indoor Golf in Neapolis. Each family member has pitched in to help launch the business, which opens on Tuesday, April 7 at 10 a.m. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

Clarity represents the next generation of the Bales’ efforts to further these technologies – utilizing advancements in camera processing and artificial intelligence to ensure golfers have accurate instructional feedback and a realistic experience when stepping up to the tee. Clarity customizes its installations to the needs of customers, ranging from the do-it-yourselfer who wants the basics for a basement, to full build-outs with the best equipment for golf professionals or businesses.

“It really is a lot more accessible, whether you want the high end with the bells and whistles or a tracker in your garage,” Carson said.

While Clarity has customers as far away as Cyprus or England – where they transformed a former squash court in a private school into two sim bays last year – many more are closer to home.

“Over the past few months, I’ve put in two in Whitehouse. With the prices coming down and with people having pole barns and larger houses, people have room for them,” Wilson said.

Clarity.Golf co-founders Wilson and Carson Bales join technician Tyler Benore at Robertsims Indoor Golf – for which they installed the Uneekor system with GSPro Software. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

Each one is unique – whether it’s adapting the layout for an odd-sized room or coming up with technology to meet specific needs. One customer, who had been in an auto accident and has difficulty reaching down to pick up a ball or tee up, had the Bales’ install a special ramped floor with an auto return system, along with a machine to tee the ball up. For a nursing home, they added an interactive tablet with simple step-by-step instructors so that even those unfamiliar with technology could figure out how to play the game.

“There are some basic things we can use to create bespoke solutions for people,” Wilson said.

The Robertsons chose to build the four bays themselves, but called on Clarity to design and install tee pads, screens and ball trackers, using the Uneekor EYE X02 with GSPro software.

“This is a premium product,” said Joseph, noting that its three high-speed cameras provide a realistic experience as players hit into a 10-foot by 15-foot screen.

With the Uneekor and GSPro software, Robertsims has the best data in town, Wilson said. And that data can help all levels of golfers, from amateurs to PGA professionals, improve their game. It’s not just about hitting a bunch of balls –  It’s using the information to practice the right way instead of reinforcing bad habits, Carson added.

“If you’re trying to get two more yards out of a club or you want a backspin to be 10 rpm higher, it’s hard to visualize on a driving range. With ball trackers, you can see if the adjustments you’re making are giving you the effect you want,” Wilson explained.

The more than 2,000 courses on the GSPro give players the option of hitting the links on some of the most famous locations – such as Pebble Beach, Augusta National and St. Andrews – or their local course, such as Belmont Country Club in Perrysburg.

“The GSPro software uses outside guys who build the courses. There are things on there that you won’t find anywhere else, like Bushwood, the course from the movie Caddyshack,” Wilson said, referring to the 1980 classic with Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield and Bill Murray.

Dominic Caraccio takes a swing during a friends and family preview for Robertsims Indoor Golf in Neapolis, set to open on Tuesday, April 7.Watching are his twin brother, Vincent, and friend, Brad Montion. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

During the friends and family weekend, Dominic Caraccio stepped up to the tee and swung a ball at the screen showing the fairway of Tobacco Road Golf Course in North Carolina.

“I like that you can play when it’s cold and rainy outside. And it’s a good group activity,” said Dominic, who was playing with his twin, Vincent, and friend, Brad Montion.

In the next bay, Sage Tansel and his cousin, Deion Tansel took some swings on Arcadia Bluffs. And in another, Jack Behnfeldt was hitting at Pebble Beach.

“When the weather’s good, it’s nice to be outside, but with a simulator, you can play any course, anywhere in the world, and get instant feedback on your numbers,” said Carson, a 2014 AW graduate who played on the high school golf team. 

Sim golf has gained in popularity over the past decade, and Joe Robertson is working with sim golf leagues to book times in the new facility. With comfortable seating and adult beverages now available, he envisions Robertsims as being a regular stop for golfers of all ages, or as a community gathering space for families looking for something fun to do.

“This is exciting for our community. We want joy. We want fun. We want to bring something for families to do,” Beth said, adding that the next phase for Robertsims is to add an outdoor area with picnic tables, yard games, food trucks and entertainment. 

Clarity is also gearing up for growth. As a business facilitator for a patent with the University of Michigan, the next offering will be a chip that goes into a ball to provide data on the ball’s path. It’s just one example of how Clarity works with academia, including the University of Waterloo, Queen Mary Institute and Washington State University, to develop new technology.

“A lot of what our dad focuses on is new technology.  He comes to us to produce it and make those things real,” Wilson said, noting that the Clarity team also works on flight and racing simulators, including building models of the F-35, the Bell AH-1Z helicopter and the Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey for the U.S. Marine corps to use in aviation officer recruitment.

For information on these two local businesses, visit Clarity.Golf and Robertsimsgolf.com – which includes online booking for tee times, leagues and private events – or call (419) 376-7594.

Hope for Toledo health care: NW Ohio Cancer Research Institute 

By
Samantha Heywood
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Dr. Jian-Ting Zhang (left) and Dr. Imran Ali sharing a humorous moment during their interview. Together, the two doctors work together on NOCRI. (TFP photo by Lucas Sells)

TOLEDO – According to Dr. Jian-Ting Zhang and Dr. Imran Ali—esteemed medical researchers and professors at the University of Toledo—northwest Ohio is underserved in medical care. For a variety of health problems, patients in the Toledo area are struggling to get the medical answers that they need. 

That’s why the University of Toledo medical team wanted to make a change, ultimately forming the Northwest Ohio Cancer Research Institute. Dr. Zhang—the director of the Northwest Ohio Research Institute—shares the variety of health problems that are plaguing the Toledo area. 

Dr. Zhang is a professor of Cell and Cancer Biology at UToledo. (TFP photo by Lucas Sells)

“Whether you look at cancer or you look at heart disease, people are not receiving the service that they need. We recently had the Lucas County Health Commissioner come and share his report with us, and some of those markers are well below the national average for outcomes.” 

In light of this deficit in care, Dr. Zhang emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary perspectives when facilitating new medical research. With the program only being approved this past December, Dr. Zhang is working to further develop his previous work: drug resistance in the context of chemotherapy. 

“In my previous work, we were able to discover another drug that targets the enzyme that resists breast cancer chemotherapy. So, I brought my research here and said, ‘If I can do it, anyone can.’” 

The Northwest Ohio Cancer Research Institute was granted $13 million to distribute among multiple colleges at the University of Toledo. With these funds, the college of pharmacy, engineering, natural sciences, and mathematics (to name a few) will make Dr. Zhang’s breast cancer research more tangible for the Toledo area. Faculty, professors, staff, and medical students within the University of Toledo’s circle will all collaborate to bring this research to patients in the area. 

Promedica Hospital is also contributing to the program’s beginnings. Dr. Zhang noted that multiple physicians are a part of the advisory board for the institute. 

Dr. Imran Ali discussing the ins and outs of NOCRI. (TFP photo by Lucas Sells)

“We have three physicians working on our advisory board, and we have three other physicians taking part in the institute as well. They will help with our tangible, clinical work. We research; they see patients; They will be the hands-on part of the project.” 

The hands-on labor, also known as “bench-to-bedside” work, fosters breakthroughs in drug prevention, diagnoses, and other medical treatments. 

“Whatever we do as scientists in the laboratory (‘on the bench’) gets translated into bedside care.” 

Medical research of this caliber takes time and resources, which is why both Dr. Ali and Dr. Zhang want to advocate for this institute on a communal level. Not only will there be clinical breakthroughs with this research over time, but the economy will also benefit.

“This is a work in progress,” Dr. Ali says. “We are not sure where we will be in a year; however, being an advocate for the university and the institute, as well as our researchers and clinical faculty, will help. This is a University for Toledo, not just a University of Toledo.”

The Great Gatsby: Musical rendition hits the Stranahan

By
London Dennie
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Samantha Pauly (center) & cast in the Broadway production of The Great Gatsby. © Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

TOLEDO – The Stranahan Theater will be featuring eight performances of The Great Gatsby, bringing F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic story to life for a night of music and fun. 

The Great Gatsby is a Tony Award-winning musical that features marvelous production numbers and melodies. The Broadway musical will be shown from April 7-12, and is recommended for ages 10 and up. 

Joshua Grosso, a musical theater graduate from Carnegie Mellon University, plays Nick Carraway in the musical. His character is a WWI vet who comes to New York looking for a sense of meaning and escape from his past, and serves as the narrator of the show. 

Leanne Robinson, a British actress and singer known for her six-year role as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon West End production, plays Jordan Baker in the musical. Her character is a quintessential alpha female who is independent, speaks her mind and knows all the right people. 

Noah J. Ricketts & cast in the Broadway production of The Great
Gatsby. © Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

“When discovering my version of who Jordan was, the word ‘chameleon’ came to mind,” Robinson said. “Bringing her to life wasn’t too difficult, as I consider myself similar to Jordan in some ways. My life has forced me to move around and step into new spaces alone, and that, along with my parents, has allowed me to really develop a sense of confidence in who I am, no matter what room I’m in.” 

Grosso said the musical honors many key aspects of the stories and characters, but it also gives room for a few cast members to expand upon their own decisions and get a chance to develop their characters as people. 

“The development of specifically our female characters offers a different perspective of the story,” Grosso said. “This is simply my own personal opinion, but I always find an adaptation to be most successful when it not only honors the themes and characters of the story, but it also adds onto the already established lore and cultural phenomena that it is based on.” 

The Broadway cast of The Great Gatsby. © Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Robinson said the show does a good job of modernizing the classic story, without losing its 1920s essence. She noted how details such as costume choices and the added element of music bring a new perspective to the story.

“Jordan in the 1920s would never wear pants, and even to play golf, women would wear long skirts, and choices like that make the show very cool, fresh and relatable,” Robinson said. “Adding the element of music and dance completely heightens the experience of the story. The stage brings all those elements together and places them right in the forefront, and it makes for a very exciting night.” 

Grosso said it’s a privilege to bring the adaptation of a classic American story to audiences and see how people connect with the material. 

“Veteran readers of the book will get their satisfactory easter egg moments with a few surprises; all the while, those who are unfamiliar with the story hopefully feel inspired to pick one of the most culturally definitive books of the last 100 years.” 

Broadway cast of The Great Gatsby (c) Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Grosso said it takes a village to bring such a massive production to life in each city, and it’s a combined effort of their crew and the hardworking, welcoming local crew. Robinson expressed a lot of love to their entire crew, stating it takes an army to get the show up and running every night. 

“Tireless hours of moving, packing sets, washing and preparing costumes and wigs, the list goes on,” Robinson said. “We have so many people supporting us in various ways behind the curtain to make our lives as easy as possible on stage, so we can deliver a stress-free performance for the audiences. We’d truly be lost without them, and quite frankly, there would be no show.” 

Grosso said the fact that he gets to share this production with the audience makes it worthwhile. 

“It’s truly a wonderful, unique experience to not only be a part of the story, but to also get to witness so much of it,” he said. “There are moments in the show where I get the immense pleasure of witnessing my cast members do what they do best onstage, alongside the audience.” 

The Broadway cast of The Great Gatsby (c) Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman.

Robinson said she hopes that audiences feel inspired when they come to see The Great Gatsby. She hopes that audiences have an enjoyable time and feel all the emotions from the show.

“I want people to come to the theater and feel inspired to see more theatre,” she said. “I hope people have a good time, laugh and feel emotions and have a memorable night with us.” 

The Great Gatsby has a run time of about two hours and 30 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission. Free parking is available in the lot around the Stranahan Theater. 

For more information on The Great Gatsby, visit Americantheatreguild.com.

Wild Side: Mourning cloak butterfly

By
Art Weber
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A mourning cloak butterfly. (Photo by Art Weber, nature photographer for Metroparks Toledo)

The onset of spring is an amazing time in nature, beginning with a surprising array of species adapted to its fickle mix of warmth and freezing temperatures. 

Among the most amazing is this species, the mourning cloak butterfly. All of its delicate adult cousins have succumbed to the cold, their next generation relying on eggs laid last season. But mourning cloak butterflies can manage to survive the winter months, taking shelter under bark, in cracks and crevices or other places out of direct exposure to winter’s worst. They’ll emerge on warmer days this time of year and can be seen fluttering about, feeding on tree sap or perhaps the remains of fruits.

Mourning cloaks may be the most long-lived of our butterflies, capable of surviving nearly a year as an adult.

Data Center Committee makes recommendations

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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Data center opponents stood outside the Waterville Township Hall on March 25 prior to the start of the monthly trustees’ meeting. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

WATERVILLE TOWNSHIP – Waterville Township’s Data Center Advisory Committee (DCAC) is researching everything from lighting and setbacks to architectural regulations and public safety – with a goal of recommending changes to the township’s zoning resolution within the next few months, Toby Miller told trustees Kyle Hertzfeld and Julie Theroux during a March 25 meeting.

Any changes to the zoning book require a 3- to 6-month process involving the Lucas County Planning Commission, the Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals – with public hearings along the way. But during the past two meetings, the DCAC found that some changes can be enacted by the trustees right now – resolutions that can provide protections in the event that a data center developer approaches the township, Miller said.

The first resolution is based on Ohio Revised Code 505.373, which authorizes the trustees to adopt standard fire codes to ensure public safety, health and welfare. The code allows trustees to adopt regulations governing fire hazards, prevention and safety systems for buildings and premises. This is specifically focused on high-energy, high-risk facilities, including data centers and fuel storage facilities that present risks of fire and explosions, Miller added.

“We’re not inventing our own fire code. We’re simply saying that we have one and our local officials are empowered to enforce it,” Miller said, noting that the resolution gives the fire and police chiefs a chance to review projects’ fire and safety plans and make recommendations before any decision is made.

The trustees passed the resolution with an amendment specifying that it covers residential units larger than a duplex and all commercial, industrial and other large facilities.

A second resolution covers the conditional use permit (CUP) process. The zoning inspector, Jim Fischer, is the first to receive an application for a CUP – which is what would be necessary for a data center to operate on agriculturally-zoned land. The permit process includes sending the application to the county, the township Zoning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals (BZA) for a final decision. 

With the passage of the resolution, trustees now have an opportunity to review high intensity, high risk projects, and suggest guidelines for the BZA to consider when imposing conditions attached to the permit, Miller said. 

“This says that when we get a conditional use permit application, the trustees are also to be notified. We’re able to convene a review meeting prior to the BZA having their meeting,” he said, adding that the trustees could seek input from the police and fire departments and Toledo Lucas County Health Department when making those recommendations to the BZA. 

“This resolution doesn’t indicate to the BZA which way to vote or change their powers. This just gives the trustees a method to provide input in the process,” Miller said.

The township enacted a 12-month data center moratorium in December to allow time to strengthen its zoning code, using information from the committee. Some committee members – and some of the dozen data center opponents who held signs outside earlier in the evening – were in attendance.

During the meeting, the trustees also:

The township plans to purchase three properties totaling 5.4 acres in order to provide equipment and salt storage for the Lucas County Engineer and Klumm.

-Agreed to purchase three properties totaling 5.4 acres from CP Farms LLC: at 0, 8300 and 8380 Dutch Road. The properties abut both sides of U.S. 24. One portion contains a red barn at the intersection with Waterville-Monclova Road, while the other section is on Fischer Drive – an access road between U.S. 24 and Coventry Glen. Both the Lucas County Engineer and Klumm have asked for space to store road salt and equipment. The barn will likely remain, and the areas along Fischer, which are in the floodway, cannot have structures on them, but could include a gravel parking area or possibly a tarped storage area for salt. Miller said he would seek input from the county engineer.

-Learned that Whitehouse resident Jim Schlievert is retiring from Toledo Police Department and joining the Waterville Township Police Department as a full-time staff member. 

-Heard Miller say that he had productive meetings with Whitehouse officials regarding a request by two landowners to annex out of the township into the village. Trustees had expressed concern that the village might be allowing annexation in an area designated as off-limits in a standing annexation agreement with the village. Negotiations will continue on whether the two properties – one on Finzel south of S.R. 64 and another at the northeast corner of Winslow and Whitehouse-Spencer – will be approved. Miller said part of the discussions include extending the annexation agreement and cooperating on Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDDs) with the village. 

-Listened to Terry Beam ask Fischer for information on how the borrow pit at the northeast corner of Waterville Monclova and Dutch Road – just west of the new Dutch Road Storage facility – will be filled. Geddis Paving plans to use clean grindings to fill in the hole, Fischer said. 

In other township news, the Zoning Commission met on March 16 to consider a request by Dutch Road Storage owners to erect an electronic billboard sign along S.R. 24. Commission Members Bill Burkett, Shelly Hayes, Bob Long, Keith Moosman and Jon Poponak discussed the current language and $10,000 application fee for such signs.

With input from Fischer, Miller and Dutch Road Storage Co-Owner Jim Moline, the commissioners reviewed Miller’s proposal for changes to section 12.8 of the zoning resolution, which governs electronic off-premise billboards.

While the sign proposed by Moline will be on site, it is considered an “off-premise sign” because it will include advertising sold to off-site businesses, Burkett explained.

Only two such signs will be allowed in the township, and only along U.S. 24. Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) has its own set of regulations that must be followed, governing distance from ramps, interchanges, signalized intersections, residences and other electronic billboards. Rules also cover brightness, size and the types of images. The brightness must be reduced between sunset and sunrise, and should prevent glare affecting roadway users or nearby residences.

The maximum height is 35 feet, with 672-square-feet per space. Each image on the sign must remain up for 8 seconds minimum, and cannot include animation, scrolling, flashing or video. It must be capable of displaying Amber Alerts, weather emergencies, road closures and notices from authorized governmental agencies. Up to 10 percent of the display time must be for noncommercial safety or community messaging by governmental or emergency management agencies. 

The commission agreed to recommend that the Board of Trustees review the new language and also consider what type of fee is reasonable instead of the current $10,000 application fee for a conditional use permit – a fee that Miller was advised is “punitively high.”

The proposed revision to the zoning resolution governing the off-premise signs will be sent to the Lucas County Planning Commission for review, then move on to the township Zoning Commission and the trustees for a final decision. Each step of the way will allow for public comment.

Swanton Township welcomes new zoning inspector

By
Karen Gerhardinger
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Ben Mooney is the new zoning inspector for Swanton Township. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)

SWANTON TOWNSHIP – Swanton Township’s new zoning inspector, Ben Mooney, is no stranger to township government.

“Back home, my father was a zoning inspector for Claridon Township and has been a trustee for years,” said Mooney, who grew up around Marion, Ohio before moving to Toledo in 1996. 

In 2021, he and his wife, Danielle, moved to Swanton Township and got involved with the community, helping out at the Swanton American Legion. Ben also was an assistant coach for Swanton Schools’ high school football program last fall.

“We love it out here, and we like being involved with the community,” he said. “When I saw the zoning inspector position, I thought it would be a good way to be more involved.”

As the owner of BMD Renovations LLC, Mooney does home remodeling, with skills and knowledge that will come in handy as zoning inspector. Already, the township trustees have asked him to check out resident concerns. He succeeds Kim Middleton, who served in the role for two years before resigning on December 31.

Township trustees noted during their special March 24 meeting that Mooney accepted the position on March 11 and started immediately.

During the meeting, trustees also:

-Approved the 2026 permanent budget as presented by Fiscal Officer Mindy Curry.

-Heard that work on the temporary 2027 budget will begin in May and include a public meeting.

-Voted to opt out of Dynergy for electric aggregation and agreed to compare rates online with Apples to Apples.

-Approved faithful performance coverage with Hylant Insurance for the fiscal officers, trustees and zoning inspector, at a rate of $385 a year.

-Agreed that the two maintenance employees can alter their work hours to four, 10-hour days during the summer, with one working Monday through Thursday and another Tuesday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Both workers will need to be present in the event of a burial on a Monday or Friday. 

-Discussed a $150 allowance for steel-toed boots and $250 for uniforms for maintenance workers. Curry will come up with a policy for review at the next meeting, which is Tuesday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Toledo Works: “Toledo Gives”

By
Toledo Free Press
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Episode 5 focuses on nonprofits

In this episode, Jaden Jefferson speaks to three guests who are well-versed in the world of nonprofits. Aileen Meyer of Center for Community Impact, Tonya Scherf of Food for Thought, and Bridget Adams of Urban Wholistics all speak about their experience working toward the greater good in Toledo and beyond.

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.

Commissioner Sobecki goes to Washington

By
Stephen Zenner
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Lisa Sobecki, president of the board of Lucas County commissioners, speaks to press about a trip to Washington D.C. to lobby on behalf of the Greater Toledo Region involving the Toledo Regional Alliance right before a Lucas County Commissioners Meeting at 1 Government Center in downtown Toledo, Ohio on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. (TFP photo by Stephen Zenner)

Fresh off a trip to Washington D.C., President of the Board of Lucas County Commissioners, Lisa Sobecki, briefed press on her recent travel to the nation’s capital with the Toledo Regional Alliance (TRA). 

The TRA consists of the following organizations:

  • Lucas County
  • City of Toledo
  • Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)
  • Lake Erie West Regional Council
  • Metroparks Toledo
  • Toledo Lucas County Port Authority
  • Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio (AOA)
  • Toledo Lucas County Public Library
  • Lucas County Land Bank
  • Lucas Metropolitan Housing
  • Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce
  • Greater Toledo Community Foundation
  • University of Toledo
  • Owens Community College

Representatives met with the following federal agencies and lawmakers during working sessions the week of March 15:

  • Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Ohio’s 9th congressional district (D)
  • Congressman Bob Latta, Ohio’s 5th congressional district (R)
  • Senator Bernie Moreno, Ohio (R)
  • Senator Jon Husted, Ohio (R)
  • White House Intergovernmental Affairs
  • U.S. Chamber of Commerce
  • U.S. Department of Commerce – Economic Development Administration
  • U.S. Department of Labor – Employment and Training Administration
  • U.S. Department of Agriculture – Food and Nutrition Services
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
  • U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
  • U.S. Department of Transportation
  • USDA Rural Development

Sobecki said the conversations at the capital were productive, and offered “opportunities to go as a region, to talk about priorities in our region.”

The major categories of discussion for the TRA to lobby for included economic development for the region, water infrastructure, housing and transportation infrastructure.

Conversations around housing were a main highlight of the lobbying, keeping housing affordable in Toledo, creating tax incentives for private capital in the area, expanding the housing stock and providing rental assistance specifically. 

The TRA’s 2026 Federal Agenda document featured a picture of the Glass City Metropark in the foreground of the Toledo skyline with the tagline, “A Great Place To Build.”

2026 TRA Project MAIN 9×12 SPREAD 3.2.2026 (1)Download

Under economic development, the featured highlight was the Glass City Riverwalk, and the policy priorities at the federal level were as follows:

  • * Getting an Economic Development District (EDD) designation for Lucas and surrounding counties
  • * Sandy Spang, executive director of Toledo Metropolitan Area Council of Governments (TMACOG), has previously presented before the board of commissioners about the benefits areas can receive for becoming a designated EDD. 
  • * Asking for greater funding for EDDs from the federal government
  • * Addressing “benefit cliffs” that can sometimes incentivize dependency on government programs
  • * Lucas County’s Benefit Bridge program, in its second year of implementation, is an example of a program designed to wean individuals off of government assistance, incentivizing independence while not setting individuals back through penalizing individuals who cross income thresholds that may compromise their benefits in total. 
  • * Asking for help to develop strategic “opportunity zones” in northwest Ohio
  • * Reduce unnecessary regulation on small businesses 
  • * Expanding tax policies that incentivize advanced manufacturing, clean energy production and industrial reinvestment
  • * Expanding the availability and flexibility of tax-exempt community bonds, which TRA hopes to use to advance public infrastructure and economic development projects across the Toledo region
  • * Defense Community Infrastructure Pilot (DCIP) program, attempting to strengthen defense industries in the area to create a stronger economy in the region
  • * The water infrastructure priorities shown to federal entities were the Lucas County Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) expansion and upgrades followed by the Bay View Water Reclamation Plant improvements. 
  • Lobbied policies dealing with water infrastructure were as follows: 
  • * Increased funding for clean water infrastructure
  • * Increased federal investment in water and environmental infrastructure in the Great Lakes region
  • * Permitting reform around clean water
  • * Improved protections to protect water from PFAS pollution 
  • * Continued federal investment in the Great Lakes restoration initiative 
  • * Rolling out a tax credit for businesses that reuse water in a sustainable way
  • * Long-term planning of Toledo’s water resources for dependable economic development and support for laws that would give rural communities better access to water data 
  • Housing highlighted the AOA’s new Lakewood Campus.

Lobbied policies for housing were as follows: 

  • * Housing affordability and availability boosting through tax credits
  • * Innovative tax incentives to “fill financing gaps” where construction costs exceed rents or sale prices 
  • * Pairing modest federal incentives with private capital to make challenging projects viable in markets where costs routinely exceed return
  • * Enhance policies that help homeowners and communities with aging housing stock to maintain their homes, while preventing institutional investors from buying single family homes
  • * Expanding rental assistance programs

The Monroe Street Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project, Summit Street Grade Separation, TARTA Central Avenue Maintenance/Modernization, Cedar Island Upland Terminal Reconstruction and Route 23 Connection were the highlights of transportation and infrastructure development categories.

Lobbied policies for transportation were as follows:

  • * Reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Law, which provides funding for highways and bridges 
  • * Support federal efforts for shipbuilding, and lobbying for those ships to be built in Toledo’s “underutilized” shipyard
  • * Modernizing and expanding TARTA
  • * Encouraging federal investment in a multimodal freight and logistics hub
  • * Road and utility modernization 
  • * Guaranteed annual federal funding for transportation 
  • * Increased federal investment in trails, walking and biking infrastructure throughout the area
  • * Support for rural transportation planning
  • * Support efforts to connect the highways between Toledo and Columbus

FLOC on recent allegations and commitment to farmworker safety

By
FLOC
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Cesar Chavez in 1966. (Photo credit: Los Angeles Times Photographic Collection at the UCLA Library. Copyright for the photographs in the archive was deeded to UCLA. The bulk of images digitized from the archive have been published by UCLA under a CC-BY 4.0 license.

The Farm Labor Organizing Committee (FLOC) is aware of the recent and deeply troubling allegations regarding César Chávez. We are shocked, saddened, and deeply troubled by the testimonies of those who have come forward. We grieve with them and pray for healing for us all.

Now more than ever, FLOC is committed to dignity, justice, and the protection of workers and families. We take these claims seriously and recognize the courage it takes for individuals to come forward and share experiences of harm. We grieve with them and pray for healing for us all.

Unfortunately, we have had to advocate for the safety of farmworker women far too many times. From rescuing a woman held as a sex slave in a 1990s labor camp to advocating for a union member in 2023 who was sexually assaulted, ensuring her attacker was fired, arrested, and that she qualified for a U visa.

These are not isolated incidents. These harms are reinforced by gaps in our legal and labor systems that leave immigrants and farmworkers vulnerable and without full protection. Agricultural workers are excluded from protections under the National Labor Relations Act which deny us the ability to organize to protect ourselves, and some employers with serious violations can still operate through programs like the H-2A visa program. These conditions allow harm to persist and reflect a pattern we cannot ignore.

Let us not forget the women and young girls in detention centers across the country who continue to face sexual harassment and worse.

FLOC has repeatedly called for their immediate release through a call for amnesty and for rebuilding our immigration adjudication system.

We will continue to stand with farmworkers and immigrant families in the fight for fair treatment, safe working conditions, and systemic change. We are committed to listening, learning, and supporting those who speak and have spoken out.

FLOC’s engagement in the farmworker movement is rooted in organizing, advocacy, and collective action. We remain committed, now with even greater urgency, to doing this work in a way that is safe, respectful, and accountable to one another and to the communities we serve.

Declaración de FLOC sobre acusaciones recientes y compromiso con la seguridad de los trabajadores agrícolas

El Comité Organizador de Trabajadores Agrícolas (FLOC) ha escuchado sobre las recientes y muy preocupantes acusaciones relacionadas con César Chávez. Nos unimos a su dolor y rezamos por la recuperación de todos.

Ahora más que nunca, FLOC reafirma su compromiso con la dignidad, la justicia y la protección de los trabajadores y sus familias. Tomamos estas denuncias con seriedad y reconocemos el valor que se necesita para compartir experiencias de daño. Estamos con quienes han sido afectados y creemos en lo que han vivido.

Por desgracia, hemos tenido que abogar por la seguridad de las mujeres trabajadoras agrícolas demasiadas veces. Desde rescatar a una mujer retenida como esclava sexual en un campamento laboral en la década de 1990, hasta apoyar a una miembro de la unión en 2023 que fue agredida sexualmente, asegurando que su agresor fuera despedido, arrestado y que ella calificara para una visa U.

Estos no son casos separados. Estos daños se ven reforzados por vacíos en nuestros sistemas legales y laborales que dejan a los inmigrantes y trabajadores agrícolas vulnerables y sin plena protección. Los trabajadores agrícolas están excluidos de las protecciones de la Ley Nacional de Relaciones Laborales. Esto no nos permite organizarnos para protegernos. Además, algunos empleadores con violaciones graves todavía pueden seguir trabajando a través de programas como el de visas H-2A. Estas condiciones permiten que el daño persista y reflejan un patrón que no podemos ignorar.

No olvidemos a las mujeres y niñas en centros de detención en todo el país que continúan enfrentando acoso sexual y peores abusos.

FLOC ha exigido repetidamente su liberación inmediata, mediante un llamado a la amnistía y a la reconstrucción de nuestro sistema de adjudicación migratoria.

Seguiremos acompañando a los trabajadores agrícolas y a las familias inmigrantes en la lucha por un trato justo, condiciones de trabajo seguras y un cambio sistémico. Estamos comprometidos a escuchar, aprender y apoyar a quienes hablan y han hablado.

El trabajo de FLOC en el movimiento de trabajadores agrícolas se basa en la organización, la defensa y la acción colectiva. Seguimos comprometidos, ahora con aún mayor urgencia, a hacer este trabajo de forma segura, con respeto y cuidándonos entre todos.

Luke Donald & David Feherty to come to the Valentine Theatre

By
Fred Altvater
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0
This year's Greater Toledo Golf Classic will be a full-field LPGA Epson Tour event played July 17-19 at Highland Meadows Golf Club. (Courtesy photo)

TOLEDO – Toledo-area golf fans are invited to a memorable night of golf stories, humor, and philanthropy at “An Evening with Luke Donald & David Feherty,” scheduled for Tuesday, May 19 at the Valentine Theatre. NBC golf commentator and six-time PGA Tour winner Gary Koch will serve as the moderator. 

Team Europe’s two-time winning Ryder Cup Captain and former World No. 1 Luke Donald will be featured alongside the incomparable David Feherty, golf analyst, former European Ryder Cup player, plus one of the game’s most entertaining storytellers. The evening will include an engaging conversation about their careers and Ryder Cup memories. 

Donald is 2-0 versus Team USA and has been named Captain of the 2027 European Ryder Cup team for the third time. He will attempt to become the first captain in Ryder Cup history to win three consecutive matches when Team Europe and Team USA compete in the 2027, at Adare Manor, in Ireland. 

“We’re delighted to have European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald and golf’s funniest man David Feherty headline this year’s event,” said Executive Director Judd Silverman. “The combination of Luke and David’s stories will provide for a very entertaining and memorable evening.” 

All proceeds from this year’s Greater Toledo Golf Classic will benefit several Northwest Ohio children’s charities. (Courtesy photo)

“An Evening with Luke Donald & David Feherty” is part of the annual Greater Toledo Golf Classic. This year’s tournament will be a full-field LPGA Epson Tour event played July 17-19 at Highland Meadows Golf Club. To date, the tournament has raised $14.6 million for over 200 Toledo area children’s charities. 

All proceeds from “An Evening with Luke Donald & David Feherty” and this year’s Greater Toledo Golf Classic will benefit several Northwest Ohio children’s charities, including Nationwide Children’s Hospital – Toledo, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital, Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity: Women Build, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Northwest Ohio, and the Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund administered by the Greater Toledo Community Foundation. 

To purchase tickets for “An Evening with Luke Donald & David Feherty” please contact the Greater Toledo Golf Classic tournament office at 419-531-3277, or email [email protected].

The EPSON Tour is the Official Qualifying Tour of the LPGA and 2026 marks its 46th season. The EPSON Tour’s mission is to prepare the world’s best female professional golfers for a successful career on the LPGA Tour. The Epson Tour hosts 20 events throughout the year and players compete for over $5 million in total purses. 

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