Inside the Radbill Center for Life Design. (BGSU courtesy photo by Craig Bell Photo)
BOWLING GREEN – Audrey Rowland did not have a college major in mind as her senior year at Sylvania Southview High School was winding down in 2023.
“I did so many things in high school and I have so many interests,” the Sylvania Township native said. “I’m a first-generation college student, and I had no idea what college looked like. I just knew I wanted to go.”
Rowland, now 21, toured the Bowling Green State University campus in 2023 and was introduced to the school’s Life Design program, which was launched in 2020 under current BGSU President Dr. Rodney Rogers.
Audrey Rowland, from Sylvania Township. She is a junior at BGSU and on track to graduate in 2027. (BGSU courtesy photo)
“It was just what I needed to figure out college and how to be a college student,” Rowland said. “I didn’t have anyone in my life who had been to a four-year university. I didn’t know what college would look like.
“I was jumping into it without a lot of knowledge and I needed a lot of guidance. I went in undecided.”
Life Design changed her life.
The program’s goal is to help BGSU students build confidence in their decisions, build a framework on how to differentiate their experience, and empower them with the skills they need to navigate their career and life in general.
Adrienne Ausdenmoore, the associate vice president and executive director of the Radbill Center for College and Life Design at BGSU (BGSU Courtesy photo)
Adrienne Ausdenmoore is the associate vice president and executive director of the Radbill Center for College and Life Design at BGSU. Originally from West Virginia, she attended the University of Dayton and has been at Bowling Green for four years.
She has been involved with Life Design since 2022 and said her role within the program is to “focus on integrating Life Design throughout campus.”
“The idea for Life Design was to really build a framework for success at BG,” Ausdenmoore said. “A lot of things make it special. One in particular is we are being really intentional with how we’re setting up students for success when they get to BGSU, such as problem solving and what they want out of life or their career and their college experience. It’s really important, and it’s infused throughout campus.
“It’s not very often you have a campus that speaks the same vocabulary with the same mission,” she added. “We focus a lot on taking action, being curious and being problem solvers. We want students to be able to design their future. How are they being intentional about what they want out of college and what they want out of their future careers.”
More than 10,000 students have been involved with Life Design since 2020. (BGSU courtesy photo)
Life Design is open to all BGSU students. Some students, Ausdenmoore said, take a course with Life Design as part of their major. Many first-year students are involved.
“We have a team of Life Design coaches who are able to walk along students to support them,” Ausdenmoore said. “Any student can be involved at any time and it’s part of their tuition. One-on-one coaching is included. It’s one of the perks of being a BGSU student in general.”
She said more than 10,000 students have been involved with Life Design since 2020, and thousands more have been exposed to it via workshops, coaching and other programs.”
Students who are still undecided on a major or what career to pursue can participate in a class where they spend their first semester together with a life center coach exploring majors and careers.
“A vast majority have picked a career or a major by the end of that semester,” Ausdenmoore said. “The idea is to do that intentional work and explore and talk to people on campus and people in different industries.”
Life Design welcomes transfer students from other institutions, offering a one-credit class that helps them feel more connected to the BGSU campus.
Inside the Radbill Center for Life Design. Life Design is open to all BGSU students. Some students, Ausdenmoore said, take a course with Life Design as part of their major. Many first-year students are involved. (BGSU courtesy photo by Craig Bell Photo)
Student athletes also take advantage of the program. Ausdenmoore called it a “partnership with athletics” at BGSU.
“All of our student athletes take the Life Design class together, and one of their Life Design professors leads that class,” she said. “There is also an upper-level class to help them decide on what to do after their athletic careers are over. It’s really focused on life after sports.”
Rowland scheduled to graduate in 2027
Rowland is in her junior year at BGSU and is a liberal studies major specializing in communication and design. She has a 3.6 GPA and is on schedule to graduate in 2027.
Rowland said meeting with a Life Design life coach on her initial visit to campus in 2023 was an eye-opener.
“I was sold after that experience,” she said. “It was only BG for me. Life Design really taught me about what college actually is, like how to be in college and make my experience meaningful. It’s the reason I have my major. It was so helpful to be in that community of other students who didn’t figure it out. I found what major suited me.”
Rowland added that, based on her college experience over the past few years, she wouldn’t change a thing.
“I’ve had so much support within Life Design and I’ve been so involved and gained so many amazing experiences,” she said. “I tailored myself to my goals. I’ve had so much support navigating that, and I’m very satisfied.”
Stephen Zenner leads the conversation about women’s reproductive healthcare in Toledo by speaking to Shelly Varelli, certified midwife and advocate for women who want an autonomous birth experience. He then speaks with Amelia Stower, who still works for the Toledo Women’s Center despite the stress of running Toledo’s lone abortion clinic in years past.
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.
TOLEDO – Dana, Inc., a longtime stalwart in Toledo’s automotive community, in January completed the sale of its off-highway business for $2.7 billion to an Indianapolis-based leader in the manufacture of automatic transmissions.
“We are now a more-focused company dedicated to serving light- and commercial-vehicle customers with both traditional and electrified systems,” said R. Bruce McDonald, chairman and chief executive officer of the Maumee-based Dana.
He added, “Closing this transaction marks an important step in Dana’s evolution.” McDonald said it will “strengthen our balance sheet, improve margins, reduce complexity, and position us to accelerate innovation and growth in our core markets.”
Dana, which set up shop in Toledo in 1929, makes axles, driveshafts, transmissions and more for a wide range of vehicles.
Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc., purchased the off-highway group, which makes drive and motion systems for heavy-duty vehicles used in agriculture, construction, mining, and other industries.
“We are excited to welcome our new colleagues from Dana to Allison,” said David Graziosi, Allison chair, president, and CEO. “Together, we have an expanded market reach and broader portfolio of high-quality and reliable products.”
Allison is a leading designer and manufacturer of vehicle propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles, the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions, and a leader in electrified propulsion systems.
McDonald said the proceeds will enable Dana to reduce debt by about $2 billion, and to return $1 billion to shareholders through 2027.
Responding to the sale, the credit-rating agency S&P Global, formerly Standard & Poor’s, raised Dana’s credit rating to BB.
“Our upgrade reflects Dana’s material debt reduction achieved through the sale of its off-highway business and significant progress in cost-cutting initiatives,” the agency said. “We believe Dana is well-positioned to outperform the market due to its scale and leadership in key product categories.”
Gracie Hunter (left) and Hannah Tam (right). (TFP photo by Lucas)
TOLEDO – From November of last year to early March, students from around the Toledo area will be pursuing a philanthropic goal of raising as much money as possible for Blood Cancer United (BCU), a fundraising program designed to raise both funds and awareness for blood cancer, a disease that is most commonly recognized in conditions like lymphoma and leukemia.
An estimated 1,759,461 people in the U.S. are living with or in remission from leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), or myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), per BCU’s website.
This year, a pair of students from Notre Dame Academy are striving to reach their goal by their March 7 deadline. Sophomores Gracie Hunter and Hannah Tam are friends that met in their freshman year at Notre Dame, and together they decided that this year they were going to participate in BCU. The pair talked about what motivated them to participate in the challenge.
“We’d seen people do it before, and the amount of money they raised. [We saw] the impact it had. We just thought it would be something cool to do,” said Hunter.
Staying motivated is always necessary, and the daunting goal of $100,000 is enough motivation for the pair to keep working, but BCU also offers other incentives for the students participating. Along with fiscal rewards like trips to New York, BCU also offers letters of recommendations from the CEO, but the most sought-after reward is the title of National Student Visionaries of the Year. The title is awarded to the team that can raise the most money for the year.
Hannah and Gracie hold a sign to celebrate the beginning of their campaign in November of last year. (Courtesy photo)
But apart from fiscal rewards and letters from business executives, Hunter and Tam felt they have learned invaluable life skills that they feel will prepare them for the real world. Through coming up with pitches to convince companies to donate and coordinating those meetings, the pair has learned more than just how to fundraise.
“I think I’ve learned how to talk to adults and be confident, because before, I would never have been able to do something like this,” said Hunter. “Like sending a random email out, asking for thousands of dollars, and giving a pitch to a big company. I’ve gained skills through the program.”
Early on, the two found that even when pursuing an altruistic goal like raising money, frustrations still arise. Trying to find ways to approach donors and occasionally hearing only radio silence in response was deterring to say the least.
“I think the hardest part is just knowing where to start and what to start doing,” Tam remarked. “And I think it is frustrating when you reach out to some potential donors and they don’t even give anything that you expected.”
To help students find opportunities, BCU occasionally sends out “challenges” for participants. One of these challenges that the pair had participated in was sending the most emails in the month of November. Their reward for winning this challenge was the opportunity to pitch a meeting to a local company to ask for donations. Challenges like these, according to the two, help keep participants focused and give them direction.
For Hannah and Gracie, this challenge has developed a lot from an initially vague interest in the fundraiser to a nearly half-year long journey of growth and determination to raise as much money as possible. If you are interested in learning more about this project, visit their donation page.
A bag of goodies that the duo have received during their campaign. (TFP photo by Lucas Sells)
A Blood Moon, captured by Art Weber, nature photographer for Metroparks Toledo.
They call it a Blood Moon, a phenomenon that briefly turns the bright white appearance of our full moon a dark – or blood – red.
There’s nothing magical at work; it’s simply a total eclipse that will occur when our earth is positioned just right between the sun and the moon. The deep red occurs when the moon is totally covered with earth’s shadow, and it’s only the sunlight’s long red wavelengths that can bend to reach it.
The only total eclipse – solar or lunar — we’ll see this year will occur in the early morning hours of Tuesday, March 3. Maximum coverage will be about 6:33 a.m. Provided the skies are clear, best viewing will be in dark-sky locations with minimal light pollution. Metroparks will host a special free program for viewing at Howard Marsh Metropark. For program information and to register visit MetroparksToledo.com and search for “Star Struck: Total Lunar Eclipse.”
Robert Hawkins, a retired resident of the mobile home park, shows a home a few spots down from his home that is in poor condition at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park in Swanton, Ohio on Saturday January 17, 2026. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
SWANTON TOWNSHIP – Looking out his back patio door at the frozen Arrowhead Lake last month, Army veteran Robert Hawkins recalled the reasons why he moved to the Swanton Township mobile home community years ago: affordable rent, friendly neighbors and a view of the lake.
A retiree, Hawkins invested $8,000 into fixing up a $100 mobile home in Arrowhead Lake Mobile Home Park (ALMHP), where he lives with his Shih Tzu, Mia. While he’s invested in his home, Hawkins points out that many have been abandoned and left to deteriorate, many turned over to the park’s owner but not maintained.
Robert Hawkins, a resident of Arrowhead Lake and retired Army veteran, holds his dog, Mia, 7, in a reclining chair inside of his home at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Hawkins is one of several residents – some speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of repercussions from the management – who have lived in ALMHP for years, but have seen a more rapid change in the past decade: climbing lot rents, additional garbage and water utility fees, deteriorating property conditions and numerous water boil advisories due to water line breaks on a system that the Ohio EPA has said must be repaired or replaced.
“There are many layers to the problems here,” said Kim Middleton, who has lived in the park since 1997.
Located on S.R. 295 between the Ohio Turnpike and the railroad tracks, Arrowhead Lake Mobile Home Park was originally a campground, with the lake created when the Ohio Turnpike was built in the 1950s. With large trees and an aerator in the pond, the park was clean and well kept while it was under private ownership, Middleton said. Now just 45 percent of the 285 lots are occupied, and many of the vacant homes have multiple violations.
Zoning Violations
For two years ending on Dec. 31, Middleton served as the Swanton Township zoning inspector, so she understands code violations. On December 19 – shortly before she resigned – Middleton sent a six-page letter from Swanton Township, detailing “multiple reports and complaints concerning the deplorable conditions,” to the three entities involved with the park. Arrowhead Lake LLC purchased the property in 2017 for $4,057,900. The park’s owner, MHC Capital and management company, FTI Management, are both based in Los Angeles. Requests to speak with representatives from these companies were not returned.
“Arrowhead Lake” on water facility at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
The six-page letter from Swanton Township, dated Dec. 19, 2025, details “multiple reports and complaints concerning the deplorable conditions.”
“The complaints include conditions which invite both vagrants and an abundance of nuisance critters. Residents have reported trespassers to local law enforcement on several occasions. Nuisance critters have taken up residence in the vacant/abandoned homes, causing damage to properties and health risks to residents,” the letter states, detailing raccoons, squirrels, opossums, vermin and feral cats.
The letter lists 69 properties, the majority of which have been vacant for over five years, that need to be repaired, made habitable, or removed. The violations include missing skirting, overgrown vegetation and trees, fire damage, accumulated junk and refuse, inoperable vehicles, and homes that are no longer habitable due to fire, natural disaster or other physical deterioration.
The county requires that no structures, planting, fencing or mounding be within 25 feet of ditches and creeks, but Wiregrass Creek is filled with growth and debris, the letter states.
“They just let the weed trees grow up through the homes and porches,” Middleton said, pointing out several homes overgrown with weed trees. “They say that their maintenance man walks the park daily. If he did, he would see all these things.”
Vacant mobile home left in poor condition at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Trees Posing Danger
“One of our biggest issues here is dead, decaying, falling trees,” Middleton said. “They don’t want to spend the money to take care of anything. They think we’re just complaining, but I’ll show you why.”
Mobile home left in poor condition at Arrowhead Lake. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
She drives past a home where, on Dec. 29, a large tree fell through the roof, narrowly missing a sleeping occupant. Management states that residents are responsible for caring for the first 10 feet of a tree from the ground up, Middleton said. This one was huge, and crushed the roof, leaving gaping holes and dangling wires. Middleton said the park manager told the family to use space heaters to stay warm. So she contacted the Springfield Township Fire Department for help. Fire Inspector Scott Bockelman and Assistant Chief Andrew Sauder came out to look.
“Scott is everyone’s hero here,” she said, noting that Bockelman stayed on the phone with the FTI corporate office until he had assurances that the family could be located into a different home. The family was provided a vacant home, but Middleton learned a few days later that it didn’t have water due to a leaky water tank – an issue she pushed management to rectify.
Water Issues
Two residents filed suit against Arrowhead, FTI and MHC for failing to comply with their obligations to operate a public water system under the Safe Drinking Water Act. From July 2015 through February 2020, the property owners failed to properly maintain the system, resulting in water failing to meet basic hardness, radionuclide and chlorination standards, according to a U.S. District Court filing. The company was ordered to take several actions to address multiple violations, including replacing the deteriorating clear well – a storage tank for water – and doing regular testing on the water. While some smaller measures were completed, the clearwell remains unchanged.
(AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Last July, the Ohio EPA sent a notice of violation to FTI Property Management following a sanitary survey showing multiple violations still outstanding. In December, FTI’s environmental compliance department informed the EPA that, instead of repairing or replacing the clear well, it instead plans to hook up to City of Toledo water with a private line that will run under the railroad tracks – once it has permission from the railroad for access and has approval from the Lucas County Sanitary Engineer of its design. On Jan. 8, the EPA sent the park owners a notice of violation (NOV) for elevated levels of hardness in its water supply and for not providing enough bottled water – at least one gallon per person per day – which is required as part of its contingency plan.
Dina Pierce, an Ohio EPA spokesperson, said the EPA received an after-action report from ALMHP about the Jan. 8 NOV on Feb. 6.
“According to the after-action report, increased water hardness was caused by a blockage in a water-softening system line. The blockage was removed, the line was repaired, and the water hardness has returned to an acceptable level,” Pierce said. “Ohio EPA is working with the park to revise its contingency plan for responding to elevated hardness levels regarding notifying residents and providing bottled water. The facility continues to work with Toledo and the Lucas County Sanitary Engineer’s Office to connect to the city’s public water system.”
Several residents shared a concern that their problems won’t end if the park hooks up to city water. Many of the lines are original from when it was a campground, and could burst under the pressure of city water. One resident said a mainline has burst under her home twice, causing extensive damage.
On Jan. 31, residents were notified that an emergency main line water repair was taking place, and that all water would be shut off. Water would need to be boiled as “disease-causing organisms may have entered the water supply.”
Many residents share a sense of frustration for the ongoing problems.
“It’s stall, avoid, play dumb, say you’re waiting on estimates. The EPA is just as guilty as Arrowhead. The EPA doesn’t hold them accountable. They give them firm deadlines and say there are consequences, but they don’t follow through,” said one resident.
Hawkins, like many others, resorts to spending money on buying bottled water for drinking and brushing his teeth. But that doesn’t replace the water he uses to shower.
“My skin is bad, dried out. You flush the toilet and it smells like bleach,” he said.
(AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Laurie Langenderfer, who has lived in the park since 1998, recently spent $800 for a plumber to analyze every pipe under her home, trying to determine why her water usage doubled in the fall and winter to over 11,000 gallons a month.
“He went to the park office to say that he checked it from one end of the home to another, and there is no leak – he thinks it’s a main line,” she said, noting that a main line should be repaired by the park.
To save from using too much water, she fills jugs at work, buys bottled water and has cut back on shower usage and toilet flushing. In the meantime, she’s still trying to come up with $499.66 that Universal Utilities – the third party billing company for water – said is due March 4. And while the water bill is high, her sewer rates have doubled as well, Langenderfer said.
Several residents noted that the community’s two wastewater treatment plants that, on warm days, can have an overwhelming odor. One resident said she took a photo of what appeared to be raw sewage on the ground near the treatment plant at the front of the community.
What can be done?
As of Feb. 16, the company missed the Jan. 20 deadline set by the township to correct the dozens of issues. Mike Nowicki, the Swanton Township trustee handling zoning until a new inspector is appointed, confirmed that he has not received any response from the owners. So he’s asked the county’s assistant prosecuting attorney, John Borell, for help.
If a zoning violation is not appealed to the Board of Zoning Appeals or corrected, typically the next step is for the township would be to file an action in Common Pleas Court, Borell advised.
“We will have to look for ways to correct the situation without cooperation from the owners. The fact that the situation involves mobile homes…it is a little more legally complicated,” he said.
Manufactured homes are regulated by the Ohio Department of Commerce, more specifically the Manufactured Homes Program and Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4781-Manufactured Homes, said Springfield Township Assistant Fire Chief Andrew Sauder.
“The Ohio Fire Code has not completely identified these properties and their requirements as it has other commercial or multi-residential structures,” Sauder said, adding that the Fire Prevention Bureau is limited to fire lanes, turning radius and private water mains when it comes to enforcement of mobile home communities.
“Unfortunately, there is no local governmental agency that would take immediate action such as the Lucas County Building Regulations or local zoning departments as they are not the Authority Having Jurisdiction,” he added.
He recommends that the township enact a property maintenance code, which would allow the local zoning department to take action rather than rely on other governmental agencies like the health department to deal with rodent infestations, for example.
Referring to the fallen tree on the home in Arrowhead Lake in December, Sauder said such a property maintenance code would allow the township to take immediate action on health, safety and security, as opposed to awaiting action from the state.
Robert Hawkins, a resident of Arrowhead Lake mobile home park, shows different ways he has attempted to clean up his neighborhood at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Franklin Freytag, public information officer for the Department of Commerce, said the Division of Industrial Compliance regulates the development and maintenance of the physical premises and infrastructure of manufactured home parks.
“While the division has exclusive authority to license manufactured home park operators, it’s important to note that numerous other governmental entities can have regulatory authority over a manufactured home park or part of a park,” Freytag said, referring to the Ohio EPA’s jurisdiction of the water system as an example.
He confirmed that Arrowhead MHC, LLC does have an active operator license, which is required for each calendar year. Every park is inspected for compliance with the Division of Industrial Compliance’s rules, but renewal of a license is not contingent or tied in with such an inspection – but any violations found during an inspection could be cited and issued to the park operator for correction, he said.
Kim Middleton, a resident of Arrowhead Lake and retired code enforcement worker, showed AWFP different mobile homes left in poor condition at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park in Swanton, Ohio on Saturday January 17, 2026. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
Increasing Costs
Many of the residents in Arrowhead Lake have lived there for decades. While it was privately owned, the sense of community was strong and the cost of living affordable, they agree. And then the park went through several ownership changes. With each one, fees went up.
Langenderfer, a widow on a fixed income, pointed out that she has to pay a pet fee for her dog, even though she owns her home. When she first moved in, the water and garbage were included in the rent.
In January, FTI Property Management notified residents that rents were increasing from $454 to $527 a month, to cover the cost of park maintenance. A new fee for utility monitoring was added a few years ago, and garbage rates are increasing for the park, which doesn’t use the township’s pickup.
“A lot of people here live on very fixed incomes. That increase of $58 for rent and trash pickup will put a lot of people in a very serious financial bind. The ever-increasing price of water and sewer isn’t helping anything,” said Middleton.
Despite the problems, Hawkins said he can’t imagine moving. Finding another place with low rent and a great view would be a challenge. And he likes his neighbors, including fellow veterans. Middleton and her husband plan to move to Michigan after retiring in a few years.
“Our kids are mad at us for not moving years ago. Our home is paid for, and all we pay for is the lot,” she said. “We’ve been fighting this for a while. I’m not going to stop just because I know we’re moving.”
MHC Capital is owned by Kwame Granderson, a Harvard-educated real estate attorney who owns hundreds of mobile home communities, and who hosts seminars for vetted investors to learn how to “acquire communities at favorable prices at favorable prices from largely mom and pop sellers with unsophisticated management who are nearing retirement and lack access to capital,” according to an MHC Capital investment overview. MHC owns 22 communities in the tri-state area, including Arrowhead Lake, Grand Rapids Estates, Sylvania Estates and and Twinwall Mobile Home Community in Toledo.
While MHC might be focused on making a profit, Arrowhead’s residents just want them to make things right: provide clean, safe drinking water; fix the sewage system; take out the dangerous trees; and haul out or fix the decrepit homes.
Th creek at Arrowhead Lake mobile home park is green. (AWFP photo by Stephen Zenner)
The aftermath of the crash that took Joey's life. (Courtesy photo)
On Monday, September 20, 2010, we were sitting in the living room watching Swamp People, one of my son Joey’s favorite shows. He was a mama’s boy and a gentle giant at six foot three.
Joey was a senior at Piqua High School and planned to go on a farm science trip with friends the next day. I went to bed early because I had to be up at 3 a.m. for my nursing shift, so I told my boys goodnight and that I loved them. As I walked away, Joey said, “I love you too, Mom.”
The next morning a friend asked to take Joey’s place on the trip. My husband Ron was off work and decided to drive to Dayton with Joey to pick up a riding lawn mower, something Joey would have turned into a demolition derby project, one of his favorite hobbies.
At 1:45 p.m., I received a call from my sister Penny, a State Trooper. She never called me at work. She told me to meet her at the BMV in Troy. When I arrived, Penny and two other troopers were waiting, unable to look at me. I remember asking, “Why does my heart tell my feet to run?”
Laura’s son, Joey. (Courtesy photo)
Penny finally told me there had been a serious crash involving Ron and Joey. Ron had been Care Flighted, and they did not know if he would survive. Then she told me my son Joey was gone.
How do you go from kissing your child goodnight to being told you will never see them again? Joey was dead.
That same morning, a woman named Leanne had bought compressed air at Meijer, inhaled it in the parking lot, and then chose to drive. Impaired, she crossed the center line on State Route 718 and hit our truck head on at nearly 80 miles per hour.
Joey tried to avoid her by steering into the ditch, but she struck them driver-to-driver. The impact tore the truck apart. Joey was ejected, broke his neck, and died instantly. Ron survived, but with lasting injuries, including multiple fractures to his back.
There was no hospital goodbye, no final moment. Joey’s senior year never came. No prom. No graduation. A funeral 70 years too soon.
I kissed my son goodbye and walked away knowing nothing could fix what had happened. The smile that lit up every room, the laugh that brightened every day, the mama’s boy who gave the best hugs, the big brother to Brian, gone in an instant.
Our family will never be the same. A piece of each of us died with him. His death was completely preventable. If Leanne had simply taken the compressed air home, she would not have been impaired. She spent only an hour in a holding cell before being released. She died later that year from a drug overdose.
The HALT Drunk Driving Law, passed by Congress in 2021 with bipartisan support, requires new vehicles to include technology that can detect and stop impaired driving before it begins. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates it will save more than 10,000 lives every year. Joey would have been one of those lives saved.
Yet more than four years later, the federal government has missed multiple deadlines to implement this law. Meanwhile, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) continues to question why sober drivers should have impaired-driving prevention technology in their vehicles.
Joey wasn’t impaired when the crash took his life and that’s exactly why this technology matters. Impaired driving threatens everyone on the road. The only ones who need to worry about this law are impaired drivers. The technology exists. The solutions are ready.
I urge my fellow Ohioans to contact lawmakers and tell them to support the HALT Law and demand its implementation.
This is not about politics. It is about preventing families from experiencing the heartbreak that shattered ours. Every day of delay risks another preventable tragedy. Every day risks another family losing their Joey.
Members of the Save the Bridge Association, including (from left) Olivia Murphy, Barb Bruno, Frank Butwin and Janice Braida, are working to save the 118-year-old Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)
WATERVILLE – With a little more than a month left before the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) seeks bids to demolish the 118-year-old Roche de Boeuf Interurban Bridge, a volunteer group is seeking another reprieve from Gov. Mike DeWine.
“We’re still fighting to save our bridge,” said Save The Bridge Association (STBA) President Barb Bruno, addressing Waterville City Council on Feb. 9. Bruno, along with STBA member Janice Braida and Secretary Dave Weber, encouraged council to sign a letter of support in asking DeWine for an extension.
On April 7, 2025, DeWine issued a one-year halt on the demolition of the bridge, just days before ODOT was set to seek bids. In following months, the STBA was formed as a 501c3, with volunteers focusing on finding alternatives to demolition, including new construction methods for preserving the 12-arched bridge, grant funding and nominating the structure for Historic Civil Engineering National Landmark Status with the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE).
“ODOT sees the bridge as a problem. We see it as an asset,” said Braida, adding that it has become an iconic symbol of the city, even featuring prominently on the city’s logo.
In a summary of the progress made by the STBA, Weber states that ODOT stopped helping the group find alternatives, and instead has been focused on transferring ownership to another political entity.
“We were only recently informed of the importance of ODOT not owning this bridge, so we need more time to find an owner. We spent our time mostly on evaluating alternatives,” he stated in the memo.
“It’s a heavy lift to expect a citizens group to find a new owner in eight months,” Braida added, noting that the group has contacted several organizations, including the city, to see if any would have interest in taking ownership.
“It was made clear in the first meeting that whether the bridge comes down or not, ODOT will not be the owner of the property,” countered ODOT District 2 Director Pat McColley. “A government entity needs to be identified and the transfer of the property, including the bridge, needs to take place before demolition bids open.”
The project to demolish the structure is currently scheduled to be placed out for bid in April, with demolition work beginning after June 1.
The city of Waterville obtained a grant to build a pedestrian walkway and overlook using two piers along South River Road. (Courtesy rendering)
Designed by Daniel Luten of Indianapolis, the 13-arch concrete bridge includes spandrels, arches and piers – including one that rests atop an outcrop of erosion-resistant limestone named “Rock of Beef” or “Buffalo Rock” by French traders. The rock was used as a meeting place by Native Americans prior to the 1794 Battle of Fallen Timbers. About a third of its mass was removed during construction in 1908.
Originally used as an interurban trolley line for the Ohio Electric Company, the bridge was abandoned in 1937, although used briefly for automotive traffic in the 1940s when the Waterville bridge was damaged and steel for repairs wasn’t available. In 1972, the bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is a Registered Historic Place with the National Park Service and a state of Ohio Designated Historic Space.
In the years since, the bridge served as a party spot for teenagers, a backdrop for photos and paintings, and a place to explore when the river is low. With its impending designation as the Maumee River Water Trail, Waterville City Council began discussing concerns for the safety of boaters. Chunks of the bridge rest in the river, while others dangle from rebar. The city shared its concerns with ODOT in 2017. At the time, the bridge was thought to be owned by the city. Instead, it’s owned by the state.
Through engineering studies and core samples, those concerns were confirmed: the bridge was in dire shape. In 2019, ODOT presented multiple alternatives, ranging from complete rehabilitation (removing and replacing it) for $15 million, $3.9 million to save one arch, or $2.2 million to remove it. ODOT also tried to sell the bridge at an auction, but the potential buyers were unable to prove an ability to insure and secure the bridge.
“The bridge has continued to deteriorate over the years, including since the original feasibility study was performed, as evident by the common eye,” McColley said.
Simply placing signs underneath to divert water traffic will not alleviate the state’s liability to the Army Corps of Engineers or the safety of the public, which is why the bridge is slated for destruction, he said.
Weber, a retired engineer, said other ideas were not explored in full, such as securing the bridge using a technique involving carbon fiber reinforced polymer to keep the pieces in place. A $135,000 investment into testing the strength of the bridge and designing the mothballing process would be worth the effort to save a landmark, Weber said. He estimates that the work could be done for $1.7 million.
“The reference estimate was created by a private citizen, not a professional engineer, and ODOT has a very low level of confidence in the figures proposed in the estimate,” McColley responded, adding that ODOT looked at many alternatives, including mothballing.
One outcome of last year’s delay is that the city had time to apply for a grant for a pedestrian bridge and overlook using two abutments. Waterville received a $557,652 federal grant to cover 80 percent of the cost of the Roche de Boeuf Overlook and Shared Use Path Improvement Project, said City Administrator Jon Gochenour. Two of the existing bridge abutments – on the north and south sides of South River Road – will be used to create an overlook of the Maumee River and the Roche de Boeuf Island.
“The project will recognize the historical and cultural significance of the site to Native Americans and the historical development of the State of Ohio and the United States,” Gochenour said. “The site will be connected to the city’s existing shared use path system on the Anthony Wayne Trail and to the pedestrian path system of Farnsworth Metropark.”
While the project will save a portion of the Roche de Boeuf Bridge, the city still supports local efforts to save the entire bridge, Gochenour said.
STBA submitted its nomination for the bridge for Historic Civil Engineering National Landmark Status with the ASCE on Feb. 6. The bridge would be the first multi-arch concrete bridge to be recognized by the ASCE and the second oldest reinforced concrete arch bridge recognized by ASCE in the world.
“The interurban bridge was an engineering first it its day,” Weber said. “This bridge deserves a preservation plan – something we are fighting to make happen.”
New board member Amy Barrett (center) was joined by her family prior to being sworn into office. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)
Anthony Wayne Local Schools now has a new partner in supporting and promoting academic, artistic and athletic excellence.
Generals for Generations Foundation is a new 501c3 nonprofit organization designed to connect generations of Generals in support of those efforts, Foundation Board President Mike O’Shea told Anthony Wayne Board of Education during its Feb. 9 meeting.
“We don’t aim to maintain what already exists but to make it better,” O’Shea said.
In addition to serving as pastor at Waterville Community Church and raising three children in the district, O’Shea has served as a substitute teacher, bus driver, coach and member of a crisis response team during his 13 years of living in the district. It was during his experience as a member of the AW For Kids levy campaign in 2024 – one that failed by just a few votes – that O’Shea realized more needed to be done.
“It opened my eyes to the hard reality of school funding. If a district like Anthony Wayne wants to fund innovative programs to keep pace with evolving student needs, it will have to be done privately,” he said.
“It’s important to recognize that this is a private philanthropy that aims to have a strategic partnership with the school. It is neither beholden to the school board and district leadership, nor is it a rogue agency doing its own thing regardless of the school’s strategic plans. We hope that there is a great working relationship between the foundation and schools to identify innovative projects and programs, and then fund those privately,” he added.
O’Shea credits Superintendent Kevin Herman for having the vision to move forward with the foundation. In August 2025, a core group began working with Jenny Perin of Shift Consulting to prepare the framework for the foundation along with a system of fund development, alumni relations, communications, donor stewardship and donor recognition. Throughout last fall, representatives met with community members with a reputation for demonstrating pride and support of the district. These individuals will make an impact on the success of the foundation through volunteerism, philanthropy and strategic guidance.
“The purpose is to build a concentric circle, with a broader network of ambassadors,” O’Shea said.
In addition to O’Shea, the Generals for Generations board includes Angie Barney, Jen Harder, Tom Hertzfeld, Jason Hood, Shaunacy Miller, Andrew Nowicki, Lisa Schaller, Jon Schwanz, Jamie Smeltzer and Trey Tollstam.
Mike O’Shea is the first president of the board of directors for the new Generals for Generations Foundation. He spoke to the board about the goals of the nonprofit organization. (AWFP photo by Karen Gerhardinger)
By the end of this year, the goal is to identify a flagship program that no other philanthropic organization in the AW area would be able to do, O’Shea said. Over the next three years, Generals for Generations should be ready to fund and execute that program.
In 50 years, O’Shea envisions Generals for Generations to have built up a $50 million to $75 million endowment that generates $3 million a year for innovative programs – all managed professionally be a day-to-day director and supervised by a board of trustees.
“It’s been an absolute joy working with Mike. His expertise in this area has helped us move the entire idea of a foundation forward,” Herman said. “The 10 individuals on this board have a lot of strengths and expertise in different areas. They are motivated. I’m very excited about the possibilities of where this foundation will be down the road. I’m thankful to Mike and the board for getting us to this spot.”
During the meeting, the board also:
-Welcomed new member Amy Barrett, who took the oath of office.
-Listened to an update on the financial forecast from Treasurer Kerri Johnson, who also outlined the potential impact of house bills on school finances.
-Approved overnight trips, including the varsity baseball team’s trip to Destin, Fla. and Fort Walton Beach, Fla. to participate in spring training on March 28; and the varsity softball team’s spring training trip to Orange Beach, Ala. March 29 through April 3. Costs will be paid for through fundraising. Students will travel with their families.
-Thanked retiring bus driver Barry Vincent and special education aide Shelly Bankey for their service. The board also approved the resignation of third grade teacher Lauren Dusseau at the end of the school year and the resignation of food service worker Melissa Pavlovic.
-Approved the early graduation of Donny Skiver with the class of 2026.
-Authorized Johnson to advertise for three 84-passenger school buses.
-Accepted the Ohio Attorney Generals Safety Grant of $17,109, which will be used to fund the high school’s facility dog, Jasper, and other school facility dogs in the district.
-Thanked high school teacher Bryan DeKay and his students for creating new 3-D printed name plates for the board members.
-Congratulated the high school dance and cheer teams for their winning Game Day routines. Dance took first place in the state competition while the cheerleading team won in the America’s Cup competition.
-Listened to residents Lyn Cox and Joe Ballmer speak about possible impacts of a data center on the school district’s finances. Both stated that any tax incentive offered by a data center developer might seem like a good deal but, in reality, would destroy property values in the district – thus driving down the district’s portion of property tax revenues, they said. Herman said that the district has not been approached by anyone proposing a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement or any other incentive for a data center.
Fans get up close and personal with musicians at the 17th Annual Acoustics for Autism in 2025. (Courtesy photo by Toni with an eye)
MAUMEE – The 19th annual Acoustics for Autism event will be held on March 1, bringing the community together for a fun-filled day with music, family, friends and impact.
Acoustics for Autism is a free music festival in Uptown Maumee that is open to all ages. The festival was created to raise awareness for Project iAmto help provide resources, scholarships and opportunities for local families impacted by autism.
Nicole Khoury, organizer of Acoustics for Autism, performs with her band Arctic Clam in 2024. (Courtesy photo by Toni with an eye)
Nicole Khoury, the founder and executive director of Project iAm, said the organization was launched in 2008 and has been supporting families ever since.
“I saw a need for people in the area, families living with out-of-pocket expenses for autism spectrum disorders,” Khoury said. “We did a concert one time and raised about $10,000. 19 years later, we are still doing it.”
The festival contains local and regional musicians who perform across 10 stages. This year’s festival features a variety of bands, and live music will begin at 11:45 a.m. on select stages.
“There are 107 bands, such as Arctic Clam, The Skittle Bots, Distant Cousinz, The Grape Smugglers, Not Fast Enuff, Blitzen and The Beef Carvers,” Khoury said.
Jeff Stewart, one of the performers, said he has been with Acoustics for Autism since the beginning, and it means everything to be able to perform there.
“I love performing because I get to connect with people who haven’t seen me play in a while,” Stewart said. “It’s a beautiful day of the year.”
Festival goers may wonder how the event makes money if admission is free. Funds are raised from things like the silent auction that will go live Feb. 23, merchandise that people love year after year, beer sales, activities and raffles.
All event proceeds go towards families living with autism spectrum disorders. Khoury said all of the money raised goes into a scholarship fund as people apply and are granted scholarships, and over $1.3 million has been distributed since the organization started.
There are three different kid-centric areas for parents to choose from, and each area is filled with different activities tailored to the type of environment kids would prefer to be in. These areas either have a busy environment with other kids and music, a quiet environment with sensory-friendly activities, or a calm environment with crafts and light acoustic music.
“In the Maumee Indoor Theatre, we have a sensory family area for families that is first-come, first-served,” Khoury said. “Musicians will be doing a music therapy demo, and the movie ‘Trolls Band Together’ will be shown.”
To help with traffic, shuttles are being provided from three convenient locations. Shuttle pick-up and drop-off is being offered at the Hollywood Casino, Leroy and Margaret’s and the Anderson’s Old Lot.
The shuttle at the Hollywood Casino is free for festival goers, while the shuttle at Leroy and Margaret’s is free with a minimum $10 purchase inside, or $10 cash for a round-trip. The shuttle at Anderson’s Old Lot costs $5 cash for a round trip.
Stewart said Acoustics for Autism is a beautiful opportunity if people are looking to experience a community inititative, meet great people, and come across a lot of different food trucks and local businesses.
“I think now more than ever, community is important, and I think we’re all yearning for that,” Stewart said. “We’ve raised so much money for these kids, and at the end of the day, that’s the important thing.
Khoury said Acoustics for Autism is the only event of its kind, and a pure love fest where everyone has a good time. To learn more about Acoustics for Autism, visit acousticsforautism.com.
