Millions of birds killed to fight bird flu
OHIO – According to the Centers for Disease Control, Ohio currently has the highest number of avian flu cases in the U.S.
As one of the top three egg-producing states, along with Iowa and Indiana, the outbreak has had a detrimental impact on Ohio’s poultry industry. Since December, nearly 15 million birds across Ohio have been killed to stop the spread of the disease.
When I was a 12-year-old living on a small farm, one of my jobs was to kill one of our chickens for Sunday dinner. They had the run of the place, so catching them was challenging. It wasn’t pleasant, but it was a regular part of life for a country boy. Humans kill animals for food.
To me, chickens were very interesting. I remember them being smart with individual personalities – some were quiet and laid back, while others were outgoing and feisty. Most people think of them as just being dumb birds to turn in to McNuggets and wings. I know better.
Chickens are a mainstay of American life, but the way we raise them now is a far cry from how my family (and many other families) did when I was young. Raising them on factory farms may be increasing susceptibility to diseases, such as bird flu.
Today’s mega factory farm, which is common in the industry, often raises more than 500,000 chickens per year. These farms usually have multiple broiler houses. A broiler is a chicken raised for meat, and most of them are killed when they are 5-7 weeks old.
Each house holds between 20,000 and 40,000 chickens, each occupying approximately .8 to 1.0 square feet of space.
According to the Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio is the No. 2 egg farming state in the U.S. and produces 10 billion eggs each year; Ohio chicken farms produce 554+ million pounds of chicken annually; and Ohio ranks 9th in the nation for turkey farming.
Avian flu outbreak
In February, Ohio confirmed its first human case of bird flu. The individual, who worked at a farm in Mercer County and had contact with infected birds, tested positive for the virus.
According to the CDC, cases of bird flu in humans in the United States caused by the Avian Influenza A(H5) virus have mostly been mild. Infections mainly occur in people who work closely with sick or infected animals. Symptoms are variable, but often include eye redness, fever and respiratory issues. Serious illness caused by this virus is possible, so continued prevention and monitoring are needed.
In an interview on News 5 Cleveland, Dr. Erika Sobolewski, Summit County’s public health medical director, stated that “sure, the bird flu news is always concerning, but really, it’s a low risk to the average Ohioan. At this point in time, the people who should really be cautious are any of those people who work with poultry, particularly anyone who has sick or dead poultry or even wild birds. Those are the people who should really be taking precautions.”
Speaking for herself and not for the University of Toledo, Dr. Joan Duggan, a UToledo professor of medicine specializing in infectious diseases, said the current state of avian flu “is something we’ve been worried about since the late 1990s, when we first started to see this specific strain start to move through the avian population. We have been getting ready for it over the last 20 years, with some vaccines, with some strategies, and considering different medications.”
So, the current state of play with avian influenza is that we’re seeing outbreaks, not unheard of before, but we’re seeing outbreaks with both migratory birds and domesticated birds, that spill over into the mammal world – cows specifically – and that’s what gets everybody very nervous, because, as we have everybody in close contact together, cows, chickens, humans, everybody’s mixing viruses back and forth.
Dr. Joan Duggan
One worry is that the bird flu viruses will continue evolving so that they will be able to infect many more animals beyond their natural reservoir in wild birds. The bird flu has already moved from wild birds into domestic poultry, pigs, cats and dogs, and wild mammals, including seals and humans. At present, while humans can be infected, the bird flu does not appear to be transmitted between humans.
Bird flu has also killed house cats, raccoons, skunks, seals, leopards, and several other mammals. In the United States, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu since 2022, with the first death reported in January 2025. The risk to the general public presently remains low due to the lack of person-to-person transmission.
There is a controversy about the possibility that housing 20,000 to 40,000 birds in close quarters might make it easier for the avian flu virus to mutate, potentially becoming more problematic for humans.
Some of the proponents of the present system say that since the birds are housed inside, the risk of them catching the avian flu is minimal. Those on the other side of the debate say that the conditions in factory farms can, in fact, potentially lead to concerning viral mutations. They also say that while birds are housed inside, workers can bring the avian virus inside on clothing, footwear, machinery and contaminated feed.
As stated earlier, to date, the disease is not presently transferable from human to human, and only one death has been reported in the United States.
If you find a dead bird you suspect might have avian flu, Mike Reynolds, with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, offered some advice.
“The public needs to know that we really need you to stay away from sick or dying wildlife. Call the experts. Call the Ohio Division of Wildlife. We’ll tell you what to do,” he said.
“And if you have kids or pets, and you really need to get the dead animals out of the area, we’re going to have you wear personal protective equipment, like rubber gloves and an N95 mask or goggles, or a face shield, and put those birds in a double bag and dispose of them properly.”
For information on backyard flocks, go here.
The Division of Wildlife asks people to call 1-800-WILDLIFE (1-800-945-3543) and report sightings of dead birds in groups of more than six.
Georgetown students study Ohio environmental issues
OHIO – Students from Georgetown University toured Ohio towns earlier this month to learn about the impact of factory farms that Ohioans are addressing.
Guided around Toledo by Mike Ferner, of the Lake Erie Advocates, the 11 students, tour leader Paul Aversa and a faculty member Akanksha Sinha, an environmental justice fellow with the Center for Social Justice & Earth Commons at Georgetown, made a pit stop to the Toledo area, focusing on agriculture and pollution in relation to Lake Erie.
They also toured East Palestine, Cincinnati, Dayton, Yellow Springs, East Liverpool and Columbus. They returned to Georgetown March 7.
The group was a part of the Alternative Breaks Program (ABP) with the Georgetown Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching and Service. ABP provides students, faculty and staff the chance to take part in meaningful social justice experiences during fall and spring breaks.
The program encourages dedication to service and social justice by working directly with communities. Students engage in hands-on activities and learn through immersion, building stronger connections with community partners. These experiences are brought back to the Washington D.C. university, where they are encouraged to have conversations about actions that support long-term change.
The tour started on March 2 at Tony Packo’s on Front St., but I spoke with three students – El Mlawski, Olivia Tomaselli and Adhithi Rajesh – after their tour. Each student highlighted an issue with an Ohio community.
El Mlawski
Studying: Government and Spanish with a minor in environment and sustainability
Location: Toledo
In Toledo, we primarily focused on issues surrounding agriculture and pollution. With the Lake Erie Advocates, including Mike Ferner, we talked a lot about CAFOs, the concentrated animal feeding operations, and how the different kinds of waste produced at CAFOs can be really harmful to Lake Erie, seep into the groundwater and affect the entire ecosystem.
Lake Erie Advocates is taking multiple steps in response to issues surrounding water pollution. For example, they’re doing a lot of education work, presenting to schools and community centers to raise awareness for the issues surrounding CAFOs and access to clean drinking water. In addition, they are doing direct advocacy work, lobbying to Congress and the Ohio legislature in an effort to pass bills to protect clean water sources and prevent agricultural runoff.
And then, we were learning about Markie Miller, who is with Toledoans for Safe Water. She and a number of other people on their team pushes for what is known as the rights of nature. That concept refers to the inherent value of something, like Lake Erie, and how it should be protected independent of human activity. It should be protected and conserved, because it has a right to exist. Giving Lake Erie rights similar to those of human beings.”
Location: National Underground Railroad Freedom Center located in Cincinnati
This was an opportunity for us to think about the history of different marginalized groups. And so, we started with the Indigenous Adina people and their Miamisburg mound, and then we continued at the Underground Railroad Freedom Center. And there we explored the history of enslavement and Black rights and the importance of equal protections under law in modern times. And that was really interesting to see; they had really beautiful and very thought-provoking exhibits, including artwork and historical representations and artifacts.
It was definitely a heavy and interesting experience because I previously was not as aware of the Underground Railroad in Ohio.
Olivia Tomaselli
Studying: Environment in economics; women and gender studies
Location: East Liverpool, Ohio
Amanda Kiger, who is a director of River Valley Organizing, has been fighting against the hazardous waste incinerator for a long time, because of its track record of violations and health problems. She was a great guide around the community.
East Liverpool has a large hazardous waste incinerator, with a history of violations, operated by Heritage Environmental Services. There have been instances with the incinerator where the toxic smoke has covered the next-door neighborhood in ash. And looking at the health effects of that and how it continues to affect these people, the question is, ‘Why do people still live there with the health effects?’
Housing is scarce. It’s expensive. You know, people can’t always leave.
It’s also very tricky, because these people work there. These are their jobs. So they kind of look at…how do you put pressure on things like this and make the community a more environmentally friendly place, when these are people’s jobs, and people need this type of work?
Adhithi Rajesh
Studying: Psychology and pre-med
Location: Antioch College in Yellow Springs
We went to Antioch College, where we spoke to Shane Creeping Bear, who is head of admissions. We discussed how they are specifically geared around the Indigenous community, and how a lot of their techniques for maintaining the environment and things like that have been basically appropriated by society, taken by white researchers and termed as different things. And the credit hasn’t gone back to that community, which does a lot of things.
Firstly, they don’t get credit for the work they’ve done, and a lot of times they’re shunned as just using ‘magic’ or just not taken seriously. And, second of all, they’re not taken seriously when it comes to issues of how to further preserve the environment. Their techniques aren’t seen as valid because they were termed differently and taken over by researchers who claim to have discovered these new methods of cultivating land.
Mainly, they promote regenerative farming rather than simply sustainable farming. They advocate that we should be stewards of nature while farming. So, that’s what they focus on, the fact that we’re not just here to take some nature; we’re also here to give back to it and maintain a reciprocal relationship.
Regenerative farming is what the indigenous community in Antioch was talking about: restoring and enhancing the productivity and health of ecosystems. For example, plant extra so that nature and animals can sustain themselves. It’s about focusing on altering it in a way that’s beneficial for both humans and nature…like invasive species. Don’t let them get into certain areas and things of that nature.
Location: Dayton – Black Indigenous People of Color Food & Farming Network
BIPOC is a group and collective where everyone who’s farming and people of color who don’t have access to other resources and information can come here, learn from others and just work together in that sense.
The Edgemont Solar Garden was a community farm to have more fresh food options for the people in that community; it was kind of a food desert in terms of not having a lot of access to fresh fruits and vegetables. So these guys came together and developed this farm growing a lot of different plants. They had banana trees and collard greens and things of that nature that people wouldn’t normally be able to have access to. So, they really showed how, even in a smaller space with not a ton of money, you could really develop a lot of these plants with just the proper sunlight and water and care.
And the kitchen incubator was basically a space for people starting food businesses, restaurants and such [to] rent out a space. They could have this kitchen space where they could either operate it as a ghost kitchen where they just make the food and deliver it, or they could operate it as a restaurant.
So, they did the work to give their community a wider variety of access to both healthier foods, and also give small businesses the chance to kind of operate in this area. We really saw that a lot of these small businesses weren’t able to develop as much in the area, so [the incubator] gave them a chance to do that without having to put down a really big investment.
They also educate a lot of the younger people in the area about eating healthy. One of the people we talked to said that you can grow all these vegetables as much as you want, but unless the kids actually want to eat it, there’s no real benefit there. Side-by-side, they teach the kids about healthy foods and vegetables, show them how it’s actually grown and get them excited about so they eat healthy in the future as well.
George Thomas: The Fair Housing Center | CEO
On this episode of Behind the Byline, host Jaden Jefferson has a conversation about a national housing crisis with George Thomas, CEO and general counsel of the Fair Housing Center in Toledo.
On March 17, the Fair Housing Center put out a press release announcing that two of their awarded grants were abruptly terminated in February by DOGE and HUD. The cuts were made because of the current administration’s recent attempt to cancel fair housing civil rights, according to Thomas.
Thomas talks about:
- how the grants would have helped the Fair Housing Center with education and advancing racial equality in housing
- the role of the Fair Housing Center
- what the community loses by losing those grants
- the difference between equality and equity
- how investing in people helps our community grow
- how the Fair Housing Center studies ongoing discrimination
Behind the Byline is a production of the Toledo Free Press.
UT Bash hosts 39th annual BASHCon
TOLEDO – The gaming community was in for a treat this past weekend when the University of Toledo campus unleashed BASHCon. UT Bash, a student organization, hosted the 39th annual event at the Lancelot Thompson Student Union.
Most of the event was in the auditorium on the third floor of the Student Union. Visitors could purchase art, board games, shirts and accessories for role-playing games, such as Dungeons and Dragons. Guests could also choose from several board games to play at a table.
Attendees played arcade games on the second floor. There were also more active events, such as Belagarth, where participants could join a live combat simulation to experience what dueling was like in medieval times.
Bryan and Ian engage in a duel hosted by Belegarth Medieval Combat Society. (TFP Photo/Raymond Bieber)
Board games could be bought and sold through the annual bazaar, an auction-style event where anyone could bring a board game they wish to part ways with.
About 450 visitors attended the event, including 17 vendors and four vendors.
Christian Pieri, BASHCon lead coordinator, said Toledo BASHCon started in 1986, one year after the student organization began.
“After a year of hanging out, playing tabletop RPG games like Dungeons and Dragons, everyone realized, ‘Hey, a lot of people like this. We should run an event for a bunch of people from all over to come attend, and they started Bashcon,’” said Pieri, who wants attendees to be part of the gaming community.
“The big thing I want people to take away from BashCon is the community that you can find,” he said. “We have all these open play tables set up so the people who’ve never talked before – never seen each other before – can sit down and just have fun, even though they don’t know each other.”
Pieri discussed how board games provide a more friendlier competition than sports.
“It’s a lot more ‘I am against my opponent,’ whereas you sit down at a table with three other people to play a game of Commander for Magic: The Gathering, and most of the time you all just end up having an entirely separate conversation away from the game,” explained Pieri. “While it still can be hyper competitive and there are tournaments and such for it, it’s also so easy to just sit down and play with your friends. It’s a great way to tell a story and get immersed in a world so different from our own.
“My pitch to someone who’s never been to Bashcon before would be if you’ve ever played a board game and had fun, if you’ve ever played a card game and had fun, you could attend Bashcon and at least find one thing you’ll enjoy with all of the vendors, from tabletop RPGs to Magic to figure fighting. We have everything [for] anyone who enjoys board games.”
To have a successful board game convention, there has to be reliable vendors selling board games. One vendor has been a reliable distributor of board games and accessories in Toledo for several years.
Ken Solo, owner and CEO of Checkmate Games and Hobbies, has been part of UT BASHCon since 1986, and Checkmate has been at the event for the last 14 years. He said the mission of Checkmate Games and Hobbies is to get kids away from screens and “interacting with other real live human beings face to face.
“A convention is just to get a whole bunch of people of similar interests to convene. Having a board game is great, but having someone else to play it with makes it worthwhile. We, as upright mammal human beings, need to interact with somebody else, and video gaming can only get you so far.”
Solo discussed the need for human interaction and how too much online gaming can lead to anxiety and depression. He also talked about the learning benefits board games can offer.
“We learn things like forward thinking strategy, or, even in the case of some kids who are playing Pokemon, just reading comprehension. Just doing basic math. Once you do play a card game long enough, you don’t need to pull out your pocket phone so you can use a calculator. You already know that math instantaneously because you do it in your head all the time as you’re playing games.”
One student there to pursue their interest in D&D and board games was Autumn Cerniak, a sophomore media communications major, who attended to visit a friend working at the event and for D&D. She said the role playing aspect draws her to the game.
“It’s really nice to have a space like this for people like me, and it’s nice to meet up with people to support local vendors. D&D is important to me, and D&D and other board games are very important to these people.
Cerniak also gave a pitch to people who have never attended.
“If they’re a student, I would just say, it’s free. But for someone who’s not a student, you can go check out a bunch of local vendors, play a bunch of board games with your friends. What more could you ask for?”
Toledoan Jamiya Neal goes to the Big Dance
TOLEDO – Jamiya Neal’s feet will never get stuck in cement.
The Toledo native, who helped Rogers’ boys basketball team reach the regional semifinals in 2020, has been, shall we say, on the move over the past several years.
Thursday night, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Neal and the ninth-seeded Creighton Bluejays (24-10) will take on eighth-seeded Louisville (27-7) in a South Region opener in Lexington, Ky.
Neal, a 6-foot-5 senior guard, is the only Creighton player to start all 34 games for coach Greg McDermott’s squad.
“I’m pretty excited,” Neal said. “I’m happy we get this opportunity to play another game with our teammates and my coaches. I want to try to extend my senior year as long as I can.”
This will be Neal’s third game playing in an NCAA Tournament game. He played in two NCAA games as a sophomore guard at Arizona State two years ago. He scored a career-high 16 points in the Sun Devils’ 98-73 win over Nevada at the University of Dayton that season.
“It was my first time playing close to home,” Neal said. “I had a lot of family and friends there.”
The Sun Devils lost to TCU, 72-70, on a last-second shot in their second NCAA game.
Neal spent his freshman and sophomore years at St. Francis de Sales High School, then transferred to Rogers for his junior season.
“I was ready to move on from that situation,” Neal said. “One of my best friends was going to Rogers and we knew all those guys at Rogers.”
Eighth-ranked Rogers was set to take a 22-3 record into the 2020 Division II regional semis against top-ranked Lima Shawnee when the Covid-19 pandemic forced officials to cancel the tournament.
“I’m grateful for Rogers and the opportunity to go there,” said Neal, who averaged 10.9 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in his lone season with the Rams. “I’m still a Ram for life. We had a good shot to win state. There were a lot of seniors on that team and they didn’t get to finish their season.”
Fearful that his senior season at Rogers might get canceled due to Covid, Neal transferred to Hillcrest Prep Academy in Gilbert, Ariz. for his final year of high school. He averaged 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game for the Bruins and still had to decide where to go to college.
“I was playing AAU ball that summer and [Arizona State’s staff] happened to be at one of the tournaments,” Neal said. “We had conversations, and then I went out [to ASU], toured it and decided to go there. It was what I needed; playing with other players who had Division 1 offers, playing against better competition. It got me better prepared had I stayed in Toledo. I’m so happy I made that decision.”
Neal still wasn’t done moving around. He learned about Creighton basketball and decided to transfer to the Omaha, Neb. campus to play for McDermott and the Bluejays.
“It just felt like the right fit,” Neal said. “I was searching for something and they had everything where I could grow as a basketball player and as a man. The weather [in Omaha] is kind of the same as Toledo, and it has a little bit of a Toledo feel. You get a big sense of community here, and I like that.”
McDermott, who has led Creighton to five straight NCAA Tournaments, said Neal “has been a breath of fresh air for our program.”
“He came here and has played every role we’ve asked him to play, and he’s become ‘us’ rather than forcing us to become ‘him,’” McDermott said. “That’s not easy when you’re in your last year of college basketball. He comes to work every day with a smile on his face and has really worked hard to get better.
“It’s been fun to watch him connect with his teammates. His assist numbers are as good as they’ve been at any time in his career. I think that’s a sign of trust in your teammates, when you’re willing to share the basketball like that. He understands that they’re going to share it with him as well.”
The Bluejays finished second behind sixth-ranked St. John’s in the Big East standings during the regular season. Creighton got past DePaul in double overtime and then beat two-time defending NCAA champion Connecticut, 71-62, in the Big East Tournament before falling to St. John’s in the championship game at Madison Square Garden in New York.
“I’ve never played at Madison Square Garden,” said Neal, who tied for the team lead with 19 points against UConn, and scored 13 against St. John’s. “It was kind of a surreal feeling. You hear it’s the best arena in the world, and you feel it when you go in.”
The Bluejays took a hit eight games into the season when junior guard Pop Isaacs underwent season-ending hip surgery. Isaacs scored 27 points in the Bluejays’ home win over top-ranked Kansas.
“We were still trying to figure out our identity and we were just finding our groove,” Neal said. “We beat Kansas, then we had to figure it out again. Everybody had to step up and do different things. Everybody had a role to step into and they were prepared to do it; they were capable of doing it. I think that’s why we’ve been so successful.”
Neal, who is majoring in business leadership, is averaging 11.5 points and 6.1 rebounds entering the NCAA Tournament. His 150 assists is second on the team, and he is shooting 44 percent from the field.
“He’s exceeded my expectations,” McDermott said. “He came into a very difficult situation. When Pop Isaacs went down with the injury, his role changed again and he had to play a bigger role on the team than what he was earlier in the season. He’s handled that with a lot of maturity.”
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ANNOUNCEMENTS
BGSU partners with Toledo on $2M grant to combat gun violence
BOWLING GREEN – Bowling Green State University researchers are partnering with the City of Toledo to strengthen community-based violence prevention programs as part of a $2 million federal grant to combat gun violence.
During the three-year project funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance, BGSU researchers will evaluate existing program initiatives to better align efforts with evidence-based violence intervention and prevention services.
Dr. Nichole Fifer, director of the BGSU Center for Regional Development (CRD), will lead the project for the University, which is supported by a $250,000 subaward from the Community-Based Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative (CVIPI) site-based grant.
Docherty shared recent findings as part of the study on April 16 at the main branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. Presented by the BGSU Institute for the Study of Culture and Society, the presentation offered insight on community sentiment around gun violence, explore prevention strategies and highlight support systems for survivors and victims’ families.
UToledo, Cenovus Energy celebrates new partnership
The University of Toledo and Cenovus Energy will celebrate a new partnership to support students during a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, April 17.
The integrated energy company recently committed $1 million to UToledo, supporting student organizations and scholarship programs in the College of Engineering and College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics. In recognition of this support, the College of Engineering is renaming its High Bay Atrium, a shared programming and event space in the North Engineering Building, the Cenovus Energy Hub.
Cenovus’ gift will directly fund the Cenovus Energy STEM Student Scholarship Program, supporting high-performing students and ensuring they are able to complete their programs and enter the workforce without being limited by financial barriers, and the Cenovus Energy STEM Student Organization Grant Program, supporting student organizations at both the engineering and natural science and mathematics colleges with access to funds for programming, service and research projects, and conference attendance.
Cenovus Energy is headquartered in Canada and operates the Cenovus Toledo Refinery in Oregon, Ohio. The company also operates a refinery in Lima. (04/17)
ECHL Hockey Operations is Department of Year of the Award
(Toledo, OH) – The ECHL on Wednesday, April 16, announced that the Toledo Walleye are the 2024-25 recipient of the League’s Hockey Operations Department of the Year Award.
The award is presented annually to the team judged to have the best hockey operations department in the league and is determined by a vote of ECHL coaches.
The Jacksonville Icemen finished second in the voting, followed by the South Carolina Stingrays, Florida Everblades and Kansas City Mavericks.
Toledo finished the 2024-25 season with a record of 44-17-11 for 99 points, and captured the Central Division regular-season title for the second consecutive season and the seventh time in the last 10 seasons. Walleye head coach Pat Mikesch was selected as the Western Conference coach on the ECHL Midseason All-Star Team. (04/17)
Walleye announce 2025 Kelly Cup playoffs roster
TOLEDO – The 11th overall and 9th consecutive Toledo Walleye “Run for the Kelly Cup” hockey gets underway at the Huntington Center on Thursday, April 17, as the Indy Fuel return to the Huntington Center to begin the Central Division Semifinals.
Fourteen total forwards make the Kelly Cup playoff roster: Will Hillman, Sam Craggs, Cole Gallant, Billy Moskal, Brandon Hawkins, Tyler Spezia, Trenton Bliss, Conlan Keenan, Nolan Moyle, Brandon Kruse, Darian Pilon, Mitchell Lewandowski, and Colby Ambrosio, along with Carson Bantle, who currently with Grand Rapids.
Eight total defensemen make the roster: Jalen Smereck, Nick Andrews, Matt Anderson, Brendan Michaelian, Bobby Russell, Colin Swoyer, Jed Pietila, and Dylan Moulton.
The goaltenders are Jan Bednar, assigned from Grand Rapids, and Carter Gylander, assigned from Grand Rapids by Detroit.
The active roster will consist of Hillman, Craggs, Gallant, Moskal, Bliss, Keenan, Moyle, Kruse, Pilon, Lewandowski, Ambrosio, Smereck, Andrews, Anderson, Michaelian, Swoyer, Pietila, Moulton, Bednar, and Gylander.
Hawkins, Spezia, and Russell will begin the playoffs on reserve, while Bantle is on the playoff eligible list. (04/15)
BGSU remains a top choice for graduate education in 2025
BOWLING GREEN – Reflecting continued momentum at Bowling Green State University, several of the University’s graduate degree programs have once again been nationally recognized in U.S. News and World Report’s 2025 Best Graduate School rankings.
BGSU remains a top choice for graduate education, supporting students’ career advancement and leadership development, while positioning them for success in ever-evolving industries.
Topped-ranked programs include sociology, speech-language pathology, applied stats, RING Center for Experiential Learning in Art and Design, clinical psychology and public administration. (04/15)
Toledo ranks 3rd in most affordable U.S. city to buy happiness
TOLEDO – A new report by Vegas Aces has revealed the top U.S. cities where money makes Americans the happiest, including the most affordable cities where money can buy happiness. Vegas Aces determined the ranking by analyzing the average household incomes, life expectancies, quality of life scores, and depression rates of the 150 most populous U.S. cities.
Toldeo ranks as the #3 most affordable city where money can buy the most happiness. With an average household income of $62,023 among its more than 265k residents, locals benefit from a lower cost of living while still enjoying the comforts of a fulfilling lifestyle.
The city has a livability score of 66 and life expectancy of 73.8 years, suggesting that even on a modest income, substantial quality of life remains within reach. While the depression rates stand out at 22.8 percent, Toledo’s access to plenty local attractions and a strong sense of community reinforce the idea that happiness isn’t just about wealth.
For the full study, please visit here. (04/15)
Arts Commission launches free digital public art guide
TOLEDO – The Arts Commission’s Art in Public Places program, which
manages the City of Toledo’s public art collection via the One Percent for Art
Program, is launching a new digital public art guide as a free resource via the
Bloomberg Connects platform.
The guide is available as both a mobile app and web browser, with a wide array of
features to equip all visitors to explore Toledo’s Public Art collection, including
on-site tours, a live map showing user location for wayfinding within the
collection, audio descriptions for selected works, and a slate of accessible
features including translation and screen reader capabilities, transcripts, subtitles,
alt-text, and more. Select works also include individual on-site accessibility notes
highlighting transit, parking, seating, and other site conditions.
This guide is the result of an ongoing accessibility initiative for the Art in Public
Places collection, informed by an accessibility audit completed in 2024 in
partnership with The Ability Center, and supported by an Ohio Arts Council
ArtsNEXT grant.
The guide contains over 50 major sculptures throughout the city, and The Arts
Commission aims to expand access to include other works in the Art in Public
Places collection including murals, benches, bike racks, and signal box wraps.
The Digital Public Art Guide can be found here. (04/11)
Kat Cole, CEO at AG1, announced as keynote speaker for the
2025 Women’s Leadership Summit presented by Owens Corning
TOLEDO – The 2025 Women’s Leadership Summit announces this year’s event theme, “Driving Excellence Through Mentorship” and will feature Kat Cole, CEO of AG1 – a global health company focused on foundational nutrition – as the keynote speaker.
The 2025 event will be held on Thursday, July 10, at the Glass City Center. In its ninth year, the Summit will continue to empower women, develop individuals and give back to the community. This year’s event launches a new format that will provide networking and mentorship opportunities throughout the year.
Cole is CEO at AG1, a global health company focused on foundational nutrition. In her role, she is responsible for leading AG1’s next phase of growth, global expansion, and innovation. Cole is a seasoned business leader and sought-after advisor with more than 20 years of operational, brand, and executive leadership experience. She has been a Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, a member of the United Nations Global Entrepreneurs Council, and named to Fortune’s annual 40 Under 40 list.
Funds raised will benefit local northwest Ohio children’s charities.
Sponsorship opportunities are available including Full Tables for $5,000 (10 seats), Half Tables for $2,500 (5 seats) and Individual tickets for $500, which include the luncheon and full day of programming. Individual tickets for the program only are available for $50.
For more information or to purchase tickets, call Savannah Wagener at 419-531-3277 or email at swagener@toledoclassic.com. (04/11)
Olga’s Kitchen opens new host kitchen in Toledo
TOLEDO – Olga’s Kitchen, owned and operated by Michigan-based TEAM Schostak Family Restaurants (TSFR), has announced that the Mediterranean restaurant launched a new host kitchen in Toledo in partnership with Mainstreet Ventures Restaurant Group.
The new host kitchen, which offers a variety of fan-favorite menu items — from Olgas (gyros) to snackers — is now open for delivery and pickup orders out of Zia’s Restaurant. Carryout orders can be picked up at 20 Main Street. Delivery orders can be placed on olgas.com or through Uber Eats and DoorDash.
“We know that fans in Toledo have a deep love for our unique Mediterranean menu, and Olga’s is forging a new partnership to meet that demand,” said Ryan Jones, vice president of operations at Olga’s Kitchen. “Working with a trusted partner like Mainstreet Ventures Restaurant Group allows us to offer fan-favorite menu items to Toledo with the same fresh ingredients used in our other locations.” (04/07)
Brent Courson, executive chef at the group, agrees. “We’re proud to bring Olga’s original recipes to the Toledo community.”
For more information about Olga’s Kitchen, visit olgas.com.
Commissioners seek people to serve on boards, commissions
TOLEDO – The Board of Lucas County Commissioners is inviting residents to take an active role in shaping the future of their community by applying to serve on various boards, commissions and advisory committees.
These appointments provide an opportunity for individuals to contribute their expertise, insight and passion to local government, ensuring that Lucas County remains a thriving, well-managed community.
“Public participation is essential to good governance,” the Lucas County Commissioners said in a joint statement. “By lending their talents to serve on a board, residents will have the chance to weigh in on key decisions, advocate for important issues, and help guide policies that impact the lives of their fellow residents.”
Residents from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply. Whether you have experience in business, public service, law, or another field, there are numerous opportunities to make a meaningful impact.
Lucas County is currently accepting applications for the following boards:
- Toledo Regional Transit Authority Board of Trustees
- Lucas Metropolitan Housing Board of Commissioners
- Lucas County Children Services Board of Trustees
- Keep Toledo/Lucas County Beautiful Board of Directors
- Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Lucas County Board of Directors (04/07)
Individuals interested in applying can find more information and submit an application by visiting the Boards and Commissions page on the Lucas County website.
For questions or assistance, contact the Lucas County Commissioners office at (419) 213-4821.
BGSU alumni support student success through scholarships
BOWLING GREEN – Three distinguished Bowling Green State University alumni inspired by the remarkable stories of students in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program have collaborated to establish a scholarship to support the educational journeys of 20 students over the next three years.
Brad Seaman ‘82, his brother, Spence Seaman ’79 and Eric Nowlin ‘82, together with their wives, Lindsay Waite, Sue Seaman ‘76 and Jackie Nowlin, established the Pathway to Excellence Scholarship to support Thompson Achiever Scholars.
Thompson Achievers demonstrate academic success and financial need during their first year at BGSU and are awarded a scholarship in their second year. The scholarship is renewable for up to four additional semesters based on continued academic success. BGSU awarded a combined $6.6 million in scholarships to the most recent cohort of Thompson Achiever Scholars at the end of March.
The Thompson Working Families Scholarship expands access to higher education by removing obstacles that could inhibit success while empowering students to focus on academic excellence, leadership development and public service. (04/07)
To learn more about how to support the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, visit here.
Arts Commission awardees for Intersection Glass Program
TOLEDO – The 2025 Intersection awardees have recently been selected from
four finalists. The Arts Commission is pleased to announce that three
internationally recognized artists will be creating new work for exhibition this fall
as part of the Intersection Program. The awardees are Anjali Srinivasan, Justin Ginsberg, and Kagen Dunn.
Intersection is a program that connects artists, designers, and industry
professionals at Pilkington Glass North American (Nippon Sheet Glass, Co., Ltd.)
for collaboration and development of new, innovative artworks. Inspired by the
studio glass movement, The Arts Commission seeks to provide opportunities
which connect applicants of glass as an artistic medium with the glass
manufacturing processes.
The exhibition is scheduled for Sept. 11 – Oct. 18. The opening reception is to be held on Sept. 11. Both the exhibition and opening reception will be free and open to the public and will be held at the River House Arts gallery in the Secor Building. (04/06)
Walleye Shuttle connects fans to playoffs
The Toledo Walleye are in the ECHL playoffs for the eighth full season in a row, and the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA)’s Walleye Shuttle will be there to make it easy for fans to catch every home game this postseason.
The Walleye Shuttle offers a $3 round-trip ride to the Huntington Center from five area park-and-ride locations during the playoffs, which begin the week of April 14. Regular riders of this service will notice slight differences from the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides.These include a new park-and-ride location for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.
Regular riders of this service – which allows fans to see the Walleye go after the Kelly
Cup while avoiding paying for parking downtown – will notice slight differences from
the regular season Walleye Shuttle rides. These include a new park-and-ride location
for Sylvania, and an adjusted timetable for the Sylvania and Waterville locations.The Walleye Shuttle will pick up customers at:
Sylvania, Lourdes University Franciscan Center, 6832 Convent Blvd., pick-up
one hour and 15 minutes before puck drop
Waterville, Kroger, 8730 Waterville Swanton Road, pick-up one hour and 15
minutes before puck drop
Miracle Mile Shopping Center, 1727 West Laskey Road, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Maumee, Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key Street, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Oregon, Starr Elementary School, 3230 Starr Avenue, pick-up one hour
before puck drop
Each shuttle will head back to park-and-ride locations 20 minutes after the conclusion
of the game. (04/03)
Schmucker’s sells out of pie on Pi Day
TOLEDO – Customers at Schmucker’s Restaurant made raising money for charity as easy as pie.
On March 14, also known as National Pi Day, $1 of every pie sale was donated to the Cherry Street Mission, regardless of whether customers bought a whole pie or just a slice.
It wasn’t by coincidence that the fundraiser took place on National Pi Day, which has occurred every March 14 since 1988, when physicist Larry Shaw, a staff member at the Exploratorium in San Francisco, linked the date March 14 (3/14) with the first three digits of pi (3.14).
Schmucker’s Restaurant owner Doug Schmucker said the fundraiser, going on for more than a decade, is a way to give back to the community.
“Our relationship with God is foundational to who we are,” he said. “We feel called to give back. This is our 77th year [in business] and we wouldn’t be at this place without the support of the community. And what better way to say thank you to the community than to give back to the community and give back to Cherry Street Mission?”
But Schmucker’s Restaurant was not the only business that gave back on Pi Day.
Savage and Associates, a financial advising company in Maumee, agreed to match Schmucker’s Restaurant’s donations dollar-for-dollar. Together, the businesses raised $5,000 ($2,500 + $2,500) for the mission this year.
This is the fifth year Savage Associates has supported the pi day event, which started after Schmucker asked his friend from the gym, Sean Savage, if he would like to participate.
Cherry Street Mission offers a variety of services for members of the Toledo community. According to their website, “Cherry Street Mission endlessly seeks to eradicate poverty of the body, soul and spirit by connecting individuals to the resources they need, creating health and community sustainability.”
“Cherry Street Mission is in the work of bringing people up out of difficult situations, which in turn makes our community a better place,” Schmucker said.
Schmucker’s customer Dean Barton was one of many who came to support the fundraiser by purchasing pie with his meal.
“I support the Cherry Street Mission,” said Barton. “I know people who have been to the Cherry Street Mission. They come out sober.”
Barton said he planned to order two or three flavors of pie, deliberating between the cherry crumb, cheesecake and Dutch apple pies.
Schmucker said this is the first year they have held the fundraiser on National Pi Day, rather than National Pie Day, which is on January 23. While last year he said they had 100 pies leftover, this year they made more. They sold out by 4 p.m. and had to make more to keep up with all the orders.
Due to this year’s success, Schmucker said they will likely hold the fundraiser on Pi Day next year.
“I wanted to make it more impactful for Cherry Street. I mean, it’s not about Schmucker’s, right? Sure, it’s fun to eat pie. But it’s about Cherry Street and what they do for our community,” he said.
Pie/Pi Day is not the only fundraiser Schmucker’s Restaurant does, however.
Schmucker said their other fundraisers have been for Sunshine Children’s Home, a facility which helps support children with medically complex needs. Their last fundraiser was during Schmucker’s Restaurant’s 75th year in business, where 75 percent of proceeds went to support Sunshine.
Schmucker said when Schmucker’s Restaurant reaches their 80th year in business, they plan to do a fundraiser where 80 percent of the proceeds go to Sunshine.
Though Schmucker said the restaurant has donated to other organizations, the Cherry Street Mission and Sunshine fundraisers are the most significant.
“Those are the two big ones that are near and dear to my heart,” Schmucker said.
