Two to be inducted into the Clay High Hall of Fame

While serving as chief, he was appointed to serve on the State of Ohio Emergency Medical Service Board for 12 years, where he helped craft regulations for Ohio’s EMS professionals.

In 1997, he was presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association for his leadership and commitment to the fire service. In 2006, he received the State of Ohio Distinguished Fire Service Award.

As chief he worked with local businesses, including BP, Sun, Toledo Edison and Davis Besse, to design and build a state-of-the-art fire and safety training facility that is used by groups and businesses throughout the region to provide real-world disaster and fire training.

He served 12 years as a member of the Oregon Board of Education and volunteered 15 years as assistant varsity coach under Ted Federici. He was also former president of the Clay Athletic Boosters Club, and received the Super Booster Award in 1979.

He continues to be a member of the Oregonian Club, Toledo Swiss and Christ Dunberger American Legion Post 537.

A storied newspaper career
Walton, a 1961 Clay graduate, began his career at The Blade in 1965 after graduating from Bowling Green State University. He spent several years as a reporter on the State Desk and City Desk before becoming chief of the paper’s Columbus bureau in 1972.

In 1975, he was named assistant manager of The Peninsula Herald in Monterey, California, which was at the time a Block-owned newspaper. During his 14 years in Monterey, he was appointed managing editor and later, editor. He returned to Toledo in 1988 to become editor of The Blade. He was named vice president of the company in 1995.

Walton hosted a weekly public affairs television show called, “The Editor” for 19 years until his retirement in 2007.

In retirement, he has written a regular commentary column for The Blade, which appears every other Monday on the Pages of Opinion. His commentaries may also be heard every other Monday during “All Things Considered” on WGTE FM-91 public radio in Toledo.

Walton received a number of awards for his writing from the Associated Press Society of Ohio, the California Newspaper Publishers Association and the Inland Press Association. His editorials on the local “Coingate” scandal were nominated for a Pulitzer Prize.

He also has a passion for baseball and still plays adult baseball every summer at Ned Skelton Stadium in Maumee.