Cartoon by Steven J Athanas for the Toledo Press.
Nature’s Nursery Critter Crawl
Creepy and spooky, but important to our environment
WATERVILLE – Some animals are just naturally spooky, eerie and even downright scary, but that doesn’t mean they should be feared or – worse yet – mistreated. That’s why Nature’s Nursery and BluSky Renovation are inviting the public to meet up close and personal the animals most associated with Halloween.
Critter Crawl will be from 4:30-6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24, at BluSky’s facility at 1300 Michigan St. in Waterville. It’s family friendly and free, but guests are encouraged to donate an item to Nature’s Nursery.
The purpose of the event is to have the public “learn about and interact with a variety of animals that don’t always get the love they deserve: bats, toads, snakes and more,” said Allison Aey, Nature’s Nursery executive director. “While often associated with the spookiness of Halloween and fall, these animals are not nearly as scary as the season portrays them to be.”
Nature’s Nursery is a local nonprofit that provides care for injured, orphaned or ailing wild animals, and conducts conservation educational programs for the public. Its wildlife experts will be at Critter Crawl to “introduce you to these fascinating creatures, bust some myths and give you a chance to meet them up close,” Aey said.
“Bats get such a bad rap,” she said, adding they’re good for the ecosystem because they eat insects that harm crops. The local bat population is down about 80 percent in Northwest Ohio, she said, which has resulted in a rise in insects. Farmers are using more pesticides to kill the bugs, “but pesticides are bad for crops and other insects, and they run into waterways,” she explained.
According to Aey, misunderstanding of bats and other creatures the public tends to fear leads to their being trapped or killed “because people don’t understand their purpose to the ecosystem. Our goal is to teach people that they’re not so scary and not so creepy and the value they bring to the environment.”
Nature’s Nursery’s wildlife experts will share fun facts and give informative talks.
BluSky is opening its site for the event, not only for people to see and learn about the animals, but to showcase its facility. BluSky restores homes damaged by floods, fires and other disasters. BluSky representatives will provide pumpkin decorating, coloring and other fun activities.
Brittany Bostdorff, BluSky’s business development manager, said that in December longtime company J&R Restoration became part of BluSky, a national business. “We want to show the Waterville community that we’re still the same people, the same company,” she said. “We’ve just grown.”
Bostdorff added, “We want to show people our space and have them get to know us, see the animals, get to know Nature’s Nursery; they can always use more donations. We are excited for that exposure for both of us.”
Attendees are encouraged to bring items such as paper towels, cleaning supplies, wood chip animal bedding, piddle pads and grocery store gift cards to help Nature’s Nursery.
Aey said Nature’s Nursery rescues, rehabilitates and releases into the wild about 3,000 animals a year. In its busy season, as many as 800 animals are at their facility at one time. The nonprofit is transitioning from its longtime Whitehouse base to its new location in Waterville.
“We want to teach people to have a cautious respect for these animals, not a fear,” Aey said. “They’re still wide animals, and they can bite. If you see them in the wild, appreciate them, but let them be. Understand the job they do in the environment.”
Nature's Nursery's mission: To improve the well-being of Northwest Ohio wildlife populations and habitats through public education and rehabilitation with an emphasis on coexistence.
Sylvania hosts fall fest
Businesses, community gather for parade, crafts, games
Story and photos by Steven Bieber
SYLVANIA – Thousands of people gathered on Main Street this weekend for fun, live music and a parade at the 38th annual Sylvania Fall Festival.
A highlight of the weekend fest was the Nite Lite Farmers Market, featuring crafts and vendor booths illuminated by colorful, festive lights. There were about 65 booths on Saturday and 100 on Sunday, including Sweet Stache Farms, Shaman and the Bear, Timbo’s Licorice Ropes and A&J Landscape.
Attendees could participate in the 4th annual cornhole tournament and the annual Dino Dash, which involved young kids and adults dressed in dinosaur costumes and competing in races. There was also a Trick or Treat on Main Street and a Pumpkin Patch for the kids.
The main event of the festival was the annual parade, which showcased approximately 30 organizations from the community. Town crier Mike Lieber was the grand marshal, and participants included Sylvania Mayor Craig Stough; marching bands from Northview, Southview and Evergreen; Lourdes University cheerleaders; and dinos.
Tiffany Bosch, president and CEO of the Sylvania Chamber of Commerce since 2021, said this is a good time to hold the fest.
“I think it’s a fun time of the year in the midwest. The leaves are changing; there’s a huge push for apples, apple cider, pumpkins, pumpkin spice lattes; and it’s just a fun time that everybody really enjoys before the holidays,” she exclaimed.
Bosch discussed how the festival has grown and its ability to bring people from northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan together.
“It’s a great way for us to highlight Sylvania during a very busy time of the year for festivals and markets,” she said.
Although the festival has been going on for 38 years, the Chamber of Commerce has been coordinating the festival since 2017. Bosch explained that it’s their job to help facilitate the committee that involves community members, organizations, and first responders.
Bosch said the festival is good for Sylvania because it puts the city on the map.
“There’s tens of thousands of people from all over who come enjoy this. It’s not just for our residents, but it’s a way for Sylvania to be highlighted,” she said.
“They might not purchase anything that day, but they’re coming back. There is huge tourism, and visitors push from outside of the Sylvania area that attend, so it’s a great way for us to highlight our community and really showcase who we are every year.”
Bosch added that the festival offers something for everyone. The Saturday Nite Lite Farmers Market could make for a great date night, while the events on Sunday make for a great family outing with the kids. She also mentioned that the parade gets bigger every year.
Don and Lori Claar traveled from Northwood to attend the festival and watched the parade. The couple heard about it from a friend who owns Olive’s on Main restaurant.
Don said the festival is “something to do on a nice, beautiful day like this. I couldn’t just sit around watching football.”
Trick-or-Treat 2024
Here’s when and where to find the Halloween treats
Whether your family enjoys traditional neighborhood trick-or-treating or attending trunk-or-treat parties, there are plenty of Halloween treats to be found in the Toledo area during October. Below is our roundup of events for 2024.
Toledo-area Trick or Treat Times
The city of Toledo, and most of the surrounding communities in northwest Ohio, have traditionally set neighborhood trick or treat times for Oct. 31.
Those who wish to welcome visitors are asked to turn on their porch lights.
Local officials urge motorists to be on the lookout for children who may be crossing the streets in costumes after dusk; sunset will happen about 6:30 p.m. that night. Some streets might also be closed to vehicle traffic during trick-or-treat times, particularly in Ottawa Hills, which has made an announcement to that affect.
The following times are posted on the city/village/chamber of commerce websites, on social media or were confirmed by phone calls.
Grand Rapids: 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26, activities following at fire hall, 1776 Wapakoneta Rd.
Bowling Green: 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Genoa: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
Holland: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Ottawa Hills: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Luckey: 6 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.
Maumee: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Northwood: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
Oregon: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Perrysburg: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Rossford: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
Springfield Township: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Swanton: 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 31.
Sylvania: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
Toledo: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Wauseon: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
Whitehouse: 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31.
Trunk or Treat and Halloween parties
Here are some of the family Halloween activities in the Toledo area that are publicly posted on websites or social media by city offices, chambers of commerce or the host sites. All are free admission, except where otherwise noted.
A trunk-or-treat features decorated cars in a parking lot amid a tailgate party atmosphere.
Oct. 22
Maumee Chamber Trunk-or-Treat, 4 to 7 p.m. Oct. 22, Appliance Center parking lot, 321 Illinois Ave., Maumee.
Oct. 23
Trunk or Treat, 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 23, Majestic Care of Toledo, 131 N. Wheeling St., Toledo.
U-Haul Trunk or Treat, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23, U-Haul Moving & Storage, 1739 W Alexis Rd., Toledo.
OFats Trunk or Treat, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 23, OFats Auto Spa, 5242 Angola Rd., Toledo. Face painting, music, candy.
Trunk or Treat Extravaganza, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 23, Genoa Retirement Village, 300 Cherry St., Genoa.
Oct. 24
Trunk or Treat, 6-7 p.m. Oct. 24, Franciscan Care Center, 4111 N. Holland-Sylvania Rd., Toledo. Photo opportunities, snacks, concessions, candy.
Fall Fur All Family Night, 4 to 8 p.m. Oct. 24, Toledo Zoo. Live performances, bounce house, character meet and greets. Admission fees apply. Details at toledozoo.org.
Trunk or Treat, 4 to 5:30 p.m. Oct. 24, Zepf Center, 424 W. Woodruff Ave., Toledo.
Indoor Trunk or Treat, 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 24, Jim White Toyota, 6123 W. Central Ave., Toledo. Visits with characters, University of Toledo Lady Rockets basketball players, food trucks.
Oct. 26
Muddy and Muddona’s Trick or Treat Trail, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 26, Fifth Third Field, 24 N. Huron St., Toledo. Snacks, photo sessions, magicians, haunted rides, candy. Admission fees apply. Details at hensvilletoledo.com.
Trunk or Treat, hosted by Iron Bandogs – Glass City Chapter, supported by Toledo Women Together, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26, 1758 Sylvania Ave., Toledo. Pumpkin painting, snacks, concessions, candy.
Halloween Hoopla, 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 26, Main Street, downtown Swanton. Hosted by Swanton Lions Club, local businesses and community volunteers.
Trunk or Treat, 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 26, Lucas County Canine & Control’s care center, 410 S. Erie St., Toledo. Food truck, photo sessions, games, candy. Pets welcome.
Chosen Kids’ Trunk & Treat, 5 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, The Docks at International Park, 20 Main St., Toledo.
Trunk or Treat, hosted by East Toledo Family Center, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Oct. 26, Waite High School, 301 Morrison Dr., Toledo. Intended for children age 13 and younger.
Trunk or Treat, 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26, Toledo First Assembly of God, 2324 W. Alexis Road Toledo.
Trunk or Treat, 1 to 6 p.m. Oct. 26, 1907 N. Reynolds Road, Toledo. Hosted by Luck Landscaping. Snacks, food trucks, games, candy.
Trunk or Treat, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 26, The Coughie Shop, 2053 Woodville Rd., Oregon.
Trunk or Treat, 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 26, Genoa Trinity United Methodist Church, 313 S. Main St., Genoa.
Oct. 27
Trunk or Treat, 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 27, 4346 Secor Rd., Toledo. Hosted by A Village Learning Center and Spin and Splat Art Studio. Snacks, face painting, crafts, vendors. Minors must be accompanied by an adult.
Trunk or Treat, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct 27, Refined Gaming, 5960 Angola Rd., Toledo.
Trunk or Treat, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 27, Compassion Toledo, 3327 Airport Hwy., Toledo. “Nothing scary here, just fun,” the announcement said.
Trunk or Treat, 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 27, UAW Local 12 Union Hall, 23009 Ashlane Ave., Toledo. Hosted by Local 12 Women’s Committee.
Trunk or Treat, 2 to 3:30 p.m. Oct. 27, St. Petri Lutheran Church, 3120 S. Byrne Road, Toledo. Snacks, candy.
Fall Fest & Trunk or Treat, noon to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 27, St. Mark Lutheran Church, 611 Woodville Rd., Toledo. Costume parade, scavenger hunt, crafts, lunch, candy.
Trunk or Treat, 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 27, Swanton American Legion, 200 S. Hallett Ave., Swanton.
Oct. 29
Trick-or-Treat, 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 29, participating businesses in Uptown Maumee. Hosted by Maumee Uptown Business Association.
Halloween Trunk or Treat, 6 p.m. Oct. 29, hosted by United Steelworkers Local 1, USW Local Hall, 2910 Consaul St., Toledo.
Trick or Treat, 6 p.m. Oct. 29, Landings of Oregon, 3450 Seaman Rd., Oregon.
Oct. 30
Trunk or Treat, 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 30, hosted by Famed Studios, Spyda’s 3-D Complex, 2610 W. Central Ave., Toledo. Bounce house, games, snacks, candy.
Oct. 31
Wauseon Trunk or Treat, 4:30 to 6 p.m. Oct. 31, Fulton Street, Wauseon. This is just before trick or treat begins.
Whitehouse Halloween activities start at 5 p.m., Oct. 31, Village Park, 6751 Providence St., Whitehouse. Trick or treat at nearby businesses. This is just before neighborhood trick or treat begins.
Trunk or Treat in the Old South End, 6 to 8 p.m. Oct. 31, 1 Aurora L. Gonzalez Dr., Toledo. Hosted by Vision Church South Toledo Campus and Vision Church Waterville Campus.
Hands-free law working
Distracted fatal crashes dropped 19% in past year
MAUMEE – Just one year after Ohio’s hands-free motor vehicle law took effect, it appears drivers are heeding the call.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan Purpura said during a press conference on Tuesday at the ODOT Maumee garage that the effectiveness of the distracted driving law has been “truly successful.”
He credits the success to a six-month educational campaign conducted by law enforcement, which took place between April, when the law passed, and October 2023, when it went into effect.
The Patrol reported a 19-percent reduction in fatal crashes attributed to distracted driving over the previous year, despite issuing 25,000 citations this year. He also noted there were 15,400 fewer crashes.
For those unfamiliar with the law, it prohibits drivers from dialing a phone number, updating or browsing social media, browsing online, playing games, sending text messages, video calling or FaceTime, watching videos, or recording or streaming videos.
Drivers over the age of 18 can use hands-free devices that includes speakerphone in the cradle, earpiece, wireless headset, electronic watch and connecting a phone to the vehicle. These devices can only be activated or deactivated with a single touch or swipe.
Purpura pointed out that distracted driving is not limited to electronic equipment. A driver could be day dreaming, reaching for something, applying makeup or eating.
“Anything that takes your eyes off the road is considered distracted driving,” he said.
There are a few exceptions. Drivers may use their phone to report an emergency or when parked on the side of the road.
Purpura, a spokesman for the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Heather Jendruch, ODOT highway technician, urge drivers to put down their phones and stay focused on the road. It is especially important when driving in construction zones, particularly when crews are working at night, Jendruch advised.
“Pay attention. It’s not only our lives, but theirs too,” she added, “It’s important to be safe. We all want to get home safely at the end of the day.”
To learn more about the hands-free law, go to HANDS FREE.
Fire levies on the ballot
Area fire departments seek funding through levies
In these polarized political times, marked by bitter presidential and congressional rivalries, issues on the local front can be all but drowned out.
And when it comes to local issues, there are plenty. Among the most pronounced are fire levy requests.
Voters in 10 Lucas and Wood county communities are asked to support either a renewal or additional funding for their respective departments.
In Wood County, Freedom, Montgomery and Troy townships, along with the Village of Wayne and City of Rossford, are seeking renewal of existing levies for personnel, equipment, fire and ambulance protection services.
Renewal levies will not cost a homeowner any additional money on their property tax duplicate.
Of the remaining five seeking funding, three are in Lucas County: Springfield Township, Harding Township, Sylvania/Sylvania Township, and two in Wood–Lake and Plain townships.
Springfield Township fire chief Jonathon Ziehr said the department is asking voters to support a five-year, 2.5-mill renewal with an increase of 3.5 mills.
Combined, the six mills would cost the owner of a $100,000 home $190 annually, an increase of $10.21 per month. Ziehr said the increase is needed to maintain the current level of service and keep pace with inflation.
“Since 2020, fire truck costs have increased 15 to 20 percent annually, and defibrillators have increased 33 percent over that time,” he stated.
Medications and other supplies also have risen. Coupled with that are personnel costs for recruitment and retention, a challenge for all departments, he noted.
Should the levy pass, the funds will be used on upgrades to three fire stations, additional personnel and EMS capital equipment purchases.
Ziehr said the levy’s failure could mean elimination of the drone program, Safety Town, specialized training and HERO .
HERO is done in conjunction with Sylvania Township and provides tools for older residents to be able to remain in their homes through modifications to exterior entries or interior rooms. In addition, 30 employees would be eliminated and staffing would only take place at two stations.
Harding Township’s levy is related to Springfield, in that the latter contracts with the former for first responder services.
To continue that service, Harding is asking voter approval of an additional 1 mill, costing the owner of a $100,000 home $35 annually.
Sylvania utilizes Sylvania Township for fire services, and voters in both jurisdictions are being asked to approve a 2.5-mill continuing levy, which will cost $88 for each $100,000 of valuation.
Sylvania fire chief Christopher Nye explained that higher costs are just one component of the levy.
“We try to be good stewards of taxpayers money,” he said, working to maintain equipment for an extended time frame.
“We have applied for and been awarded multiple grants from various entities. These grants offset the cost of items, such as self-contained breathing apparatus and department portable radios,” Nye added.
But of greater concern to the chief is the ability to recruit and retain staff. “Quite frankly, since COVID-19, it’s been a challenge. It’s a free-agent market.”
Passage of the levy would allow the department to add six to nine personnel in the coming years. Nye emphasized the need for additional personnel, pointing out there have been times when calls overlap, which depletes resources. It leaves no one available to cover should another call come, resulting in a mutual aid call.
Nye crunched the data recently and found that the department has had up to three hours over a 24-hour period when no one was available at their station due to overlapping calls.
He commended area fire departments for their prompt response on those occasions. “We all work well together,” he said.
The chief worries that failure of the levy would only worsen the problem and affect response times. “That’s a big concern for us.”
Across the Maumee River in Wood County, officials echoed their Lucas County counterparts.
Plain Township is seeking a five-year, 2-mill replacement levy, which will generate additional funds for fire services.
Township trustee Jim Rossow said the township contracts for fire/EMS services with four of its neighbors – Bowling Green and Middleton, Washington and Weston townships.
“The bottom line is we know when our contracts are up. We know everyone will want more money,” Rossow said.
The trustees chose a replacement levy at the same millage to cover the projected additional costs, including expenses, overhead and state mandates. He noted that township residents will be paying the equivalent of what those jurisdictions’ residents pay for the service.
“We need that [levy] to keep up with the level of service we get. We have four good fire departments,” Rossow said. “We will be happy if it passes.”
Also on the ballot for additional funding is Lake Township, seeking renewal of 1 mill with an additional 1.5 mills.
Lake Township fire chief David Henninger said if approved the funds will be used strictly for hiring paramedics.
According to the township’s website, the levy “is vital to continue to operate the fire department,” and the chief pointed out that his department, like others throughout the state, are in need of and competing for paramedics.
“This will give us four full-time paramedics. Ours now are all part time,” he added.
If passed, it will cost the owner of a $100,000 home $53 annually or $4.42 per month.
The chief is optimistic it will pass. Reaction by the community, he said, “seems to be positive. These young people want and deserve full time with benefits.”
The color of sumac
Fall makes beauty known in our neck of the woods
SWANTON – Fall is making its mark, encouraged by shorter days and a few doses of colder weather.
The yellows, golds and reds of the hardwoods are coming on, but the best color is still along the edges where sumac, sassafras, wild grapes, Virginia creeper, poison ivy, and a variety of ferns continue to glow.
This recent image features the brilliant reds of a stand of sumac invading a tall grass prairie in Oak Openings Preserve. Nearby, an entire upland forest floor is dotted with thousands of colorful young sassafras. The sassafras understory segues into a different understory in a wet forest dominated by the golds, yellows and bronzes of ferns.
The idea of peak fall color implies that there’s a single best time to get outdoors. But peak color in the prairie is different from peak color in the oak-dominated forest, which is different from a maple and tuliptree forest, which is not the same timing as peak color in bottomland forest, and so on.
Fall color has been with us for several weeks and will continue to evolve and cycle, each species in its own time, into November.
Savor it. Many parts of the world aren’t blessed with fall color like ours.
