News Briefs Week Of 11/7/2022
Water tower
completed
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District has completed the Lemoyne Road Water Tower project in Lake Township. The tank is located off of Lemoyne Road, between Latcha and Hanley Roads.
The tower will distribute water from the City of Toledo and serves approximately 6,500 homes and businesses in Rossford, Northwood, and Walbridge, as well as Lake, Troy, and Perrysburg townships.
“This is the 10th elevated tank in our water system. It will assist in meeting the needs of the growing population and industry in Northern Wood County. The tower will also help the district continue to meet requirements of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency,” said district engineer,
Tom Stalter.
Construction included building a 1.5 million-gallon elevated storage tank and a 16-inch diameter water main to provide for better flow within the district’s water distribution system. The additional storage improves water quality and flow during operations and provides redundant capacity during a water emergency.
The project was completed by Landmark Structures for approximately $4 million.
Conviction upheld
The Ohio Sixth District Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction of a man for two counts of rape and disseminating matter harmful to juveniles.
James E. Carter, who died while his appeal was pending, had been convicted in Ottawa County Common Pleas Court.
He was indicted in December 2019 on allegations that in 2006 and 2007 he engaged in sexual acts with the victim, a female who was under 10 years old and knew him as her mother’s stepfather.
Carter denied all the allegations and in his appeal he contended his court-appointed trial attorney was ineffective; the court violated his Sixth Amendment rights by prohibiting him from questioning the alleged victim about her previous allegations of rape by a third party, and the court erred when it allowed a licensed clinical counselor to testify as an expert witness even though she never met the victim and didn’t have any specific insight into the details of the case.
The appeals court rejected all three points.
Carter was living in Walbridge when he was indicted at the age of 79 but the alleged offenses occurred in Ottawa County.
Turnpike travel
on the upswing
The number of travelers, vehicle miles traveled, and E-ZPass use on the Ohio Turnpike have increased through nine months of 2022, according to figures compiled by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.
The combined number of passenger cars and commercial trucks that traveled on the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike from January through September 2022 was 37,534,377, an increase of 1.5 percent compared to the same nine-month period a year ago. Passenger cars (27,725,141) were up 1.3 percent, and commercial trucks (9,809,236) were up 2 percent.
Total vehicle miles traveled was 2,316,160,610 year-to-date through the third quarter of 2022, an increase of 1.7 percent compared to last year. Passenger cars traveled 1,384,665,074 miles, up 0.5 percent, and commercial trucks traveled 931,495,536 miles, up 3.5 percent.
In addition, E-ZPass use on the Ohio Turnpike continued to increase. Through nine months of the year, 63.2 percent of passenger car customers used E-ZPass, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to the same period a year ago; and 89 percent of commercial truck customers used E-ZPass, up 1.7 percent.
Ohio E-ZPass customers can save an average of 33 percent on toll rates, which are calculated and deducted from prepaid account balances.
Magruder lab
screening
Magruder’s next monthly community lab screening will be Nov. 10, from 8-11:30 a.m. at the Magruder Community Clinic 730 Jefferson Street in Port Clinton.
The main lab test is a CBC, CMP & Lipid Profile, which includes liver and kidney function, fasting blood sugar, cholesterol, HDL/LDL, Triglycerides and a complete blood count (red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in the blood) for $50.
The screening also offers add-ons that you can add to the testing above, or request on their own:
Lipid Profile: $20
Hemoglobin A1C: $20
Prostate Specific Antigen: $30
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone: $25
Vitamin D: $35
Lab screenings are held on the second Thursday each month. Appointments are required and can be made by calling 419-301-4304. Participants are asked to fast for 12 hours prior to their appointment, but they can have water. No insurance accepted – payment can be made by cash, check or credit card (no American Express).
Eastwood community Wreaths Across America seeks support
The 4th Annual Eastwood Community Wreaths Across America campaign is underway.
Chad and Victoria Albright, the Eastwood Key Club, Freedom American Legion Auxiliary Unit #183 Pemberville, Troy-Webster American Legion Auxiliary Unit #240 Luckey, Laurie Limes, Mary Morgan, Christine and Rick Greulich are spearheading the effort to put wreaths on veterans’ graves in the Eastwood district for the Christmas holiday.
This year, the group will cover veterans’ graves in eight cemeteries, including Webster Township, Old & New Belleville Ridge, Salem, Pemberville Union, Fish, Eisenhour and Troy Township.
The wreaths cost $15 each, and approximately 1,500 are needed to assure that every veteran buried in these cemeteries has a wreath on their grave. “This year, we will again have the buy-two, get-free agreement with Wreaths Across America,” said Becky Dippman, president, Freedom American Legion Auxiliary.
To support the project, donors may make a check payable to Wreaths Across America for $15 times the number of wreaths they wish to sponsor. Sponsorship forms are available on the Eastwood Community Wreaths Across America Facebook page, at Eastwood High School, and from any committee member. The sponsor form includes a QR Code to scan.
Those who wish to sponsor wreaths online may visit wreathsacrossamerica.org/pages/162817 for a secure online transaction. Use the Fundraising Group ID: OH0225, location OHWTCP. Orders must be received by Wreaths Across America before Sunday, Nov. 20 to be credited for this year.
Wreaths will be shipped directly to the location, not to individuals. The placement ceremony will be held Saturday, Dec. 17 at 10 a.m. in the Eastwood High School Auditorium. The groups will move to the respective cemeteries immediately following the ceremony.
Family members of the veterans will first be asked to place a wreath on their loved ones’ graves, then volunteers will place the rest of the wreaths.
“As longtime advocates of veterans and their families, we can’t think of a better Christmas gift,” Dippman said, adding, “A special thank you to Chad and Victoria Albright for bringing this project to our community.”
For more information or to sponsor wreaths, contact:
Chad and Victoria Albright at 703-298-7435.
Nathan Howard, Eastwood Key Club, at 419-340-4256.
Anne Michel, president, Freedom Unit #183, 419-308-0142.
Becky Dippman, president, Troy-Webster Unit #240, at 419-409-6032.
Laurie Limes, Middleton Township Fiscal Officer, at 419-344-4992.
Mary Morgan, community member, at 419-419-9010.
Rick Greulich, Troy Township Trustee, at 419-392-2305.
Christine Greulich, community member, at 419-779-7543.
Letters of interest
sought for park board
Wood Count Probate Court Judge David Woessner is accepting letters of interest and resumes for appointment to the Wood County Park District Board of Commissioners.
Letters of interest for appointment, as well as resumes or supporting material must be received at the Wood County Probate Court by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23. The mailing address is Wood County Probate Court, One Courthouse Square, Bowling Green, OH 43402. The probate court is located on the second floor of the Wood County Courthouse.
Materials may also be emailed to probatecourt@wood countyohio.gov.
Village to replace street lights
Walbridge Village Council heard the first reading Wednesday of an ordinance to contract with Toledo Edison to replace street lights with LED bulbs.
Mayor Ed Kolanko said the ordinance will cover replacing all the street lights in the village, several of which are not currently working.
He estimated the replacement will cost about $43,000 and the village could recoup the cost over nine or 10 years in energy savings.
“We have a lot of lights out in the village and it’s very difficult to get them fixed or replaced. I’ve toured other communities that have installed LED lights and I think it’s worth it to make the investment,” the mayor said.
The village will have the option of using federal grant money it has received for the replacement cost, he said.
Help for grandparents
This holiday season, the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. is holding its ninth annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Holiday Outreach Project, partnering with Wood County Job and Family Services.
The project is intended to provide aid to applicants with gifts during the 2022 holiday season to help relieve the financial burden on grandparents raising grandchildren.
A completed application must be submitted to determine eligibility. One application per household with grandchildren ages 0-17 will be considered annually. The deadline for applications is Dec. 1, 2022.
Applications may be returned to any of the eight senior centers of WCCOA. For questions or to receive an application, contact the WCCOA Programs Department at 419.353.5661 or toll-free at 800-367-4935. The application is also available online at: https://wccoa.net/activities/special-events/