Elijah Diefenbach has been drawn to cemeteries for as long as he can remember.

He said they give him a sense of peace he doesn’t find elsewhere.

Every day Mr. Diefenbach walks from his home to Collingwood Cemetery, his dog Azula — named after the Avatar: The Last Airbender character — runs by his side. He lets Azula off her leash and bends down next to a gravestone. For the next two hours, Mr. Diefenbach will clean, moving from headstone to headstone.

Collingwood Cemetery is located off Phillips Avenue and is tucked behind the United Church of God.

“Nobody knows it’s here. Would you ever know if you drove past? You would never,” Mr. Diefenbach said. 

Collingwood Cemetery is considered an inactive cemetery, which means that new burials no longer take place. According to Mr. Diefenbach, the last known burial was in the 1980s. 

Mr. Diefenbach, 37, works as a line operator at Toledo’s Jeep plant but is on medical leave. He fills his time by caring for the headstones at Collingwood, which is a 15-minute walk from his home.

He took it upon himself to volunteer at the cemetery, where he routinely uncovers headstones that have sunk into the ground and notes that many others are chipped or cracked.

Collingwood Cemetery’s biggest problem, however, is groundhogs, he says. The animals burrow into the ground and create tunnels that run into caskets, which at the time of burial were not surrounded by plastic, concrete, or metal grave liners, Mr. Diefenbach said. He worries that the groundhogs could chew through some of the wooden caskets. 

“I just did a walk-through, and every time I looked up, there was [a groundhog] looking at me from a tunnel,” Mr. Diefenbach said. 

Since 2020, Woodlawn Cemetery and Arboretum, the historic nonprofit cemetery with more than 175 acres of green space, has been responsible for maintaining the city’s municipal cemeteries. Mr. Diefenbach said he believes Woodlawn’s care of Collingwood Cemetery extends little beyond mowing the grass.

Woodlawn officials disputed that characterization.

“If there’s a crooked marker or something, we fix it,” said Lawrence Sloane, director of Woodlawn Cemetery. “And if there’s something like the groundhogs, we try to deal with it.”

Mr. Sloane said that Woodlawn has filled the holes created by the groundhogs, grated them, and contacted both the city and the state to help with the issue. Mr. Sloane added that the issue is particularly difficult to remedy because no entity deals with groundhogs, and it is illegal to poison them. 

Still, groundhog burrows dot Collingwood Cemetery, and the animals periodically pop their heads above ground in a scene reminiscent of whack-a-mole.

An avid animal lover, Mr. Diefenbach would like to see the groundhogs trapped and relocated. He has contacted the city but was told that the animals are very difficult to live-trap and that past attempts were unsuccessful. Even if they could be trapped, the city said, there would be nowhere to relocate them to.

“Nobody wants a bunch of groundhogs dropped at their property,” Joe Fausnaugh, director of parks, recreation, and youth services for the city of Toledo, wrote in an email to Mr. Diefenbach.

Mr. Sloane supports the idea of relocation. 

“We don’t want to poison them,” Mr. Sloane said. “We’re trying to get them to move to a different place where there’s not a cemetery, just an open green space.”

For Mr. Diefenbach, Collingwood Cemetery means everything. He has his own business where he offers headstone cleaning services and hopes to one day make a living from that. Deeply interested in genealogy, Mr. Diefenbach will often take pictures of headstones in the cemetery and post them for relatives of the deceased through the website Find A Grave. 

“I’m kind of just taking care of everybody,” Mr. Diefenbach said. “I think everybody is important; you never know who you’re finding in the cemetery.” 

Despite its small size and remote location, Mr. Diefenbach says, Collingwood is home to vital parts of Toledo’s history. For example, Addison Q. Thacher, who was Toledo’s mayor from 1932 to 1933, has a monument in Collingwood. According to Mr. Diefenbach, that makes the cemetery an integral part of Toledo.

“Toledo loves Toledo,” he said. “This is part of Toledo, and we should preserve it.”

Jerome Davis has never been the loudest student, but he can hear the hush that falls over the room every time he stands up to speak.

“I’m not big on leadership,” he said. “When I speak, I don’t speak out loud, but I do speak with a certain determination and confidence.”

Before this summer, Mr. Davis also did not consider himself a leader — only someone who is ready to step up in his classroom or on the football field when the moment calls for it. 

And that is exactly what Marvin Whitfield noticed.

“He caught my attention,” said Mr. Whitfield, CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Ohio. “He already had what we call command presence. He can walk in a room, and people say, ‘Okay, that’s a leader.’”

Mr. Davis, a recent graduate of Central Catholic High School, joined the Big Brothers Big Sisters’ Empowering Future Leader program in June. The six-week summer program brought 56 youths together for workshops and activities aimed at building leadership, emotional intelligence, life skills, and career readiness. 

By finding the leader within them, Toledo youths are learning to think for themselves, avoid violence, and prepare for self-led success, Mr. Whitfield said.

“If you teach a child how to be a leader and make their own decisions, they’re the best decisions,” he added. “You’re less likely to get yourself or others in trouble”

Before teaching how to lead, the program begins by mentoring participants, many of whom are at-risk youths, in coping with life challenges and negative emotions.

“A lot of these kids grew up seeing trauma and violence,” Mr. Whitfield said. “We teach these kids how to deal with that anger, how to deal with PTSD, how to deal with trauma; that was the first piece.”

On a Monday afternoon at the Wayman Palmer YMCA, Mr. Whitfield asks a group of students: “Why is it so important that we’re able to recognize how we feel, and why we feel that way?”

One stands and responds, “So it’s easier for me to control my own emotions.”

“Roger that,” Mr. Whitfield said. Later, he asks another student to read aloud one of the program’s ten affirmations: I control my emotions; they don’t control me.

“I know at my school, there’s a lot of people that get detention, because they fight when they get mad,” said Kayla Green-Thomas, 11, a participant in the program. “I feel like if they knew how to control that instead of lashing out, it would help a lot more.”

A systemic approach

While Big Brothers and Big Sisters traditionally supports one-to-one mentoring relationships, Mr. Whitfield, who worked in law enforcement for more than two decades, wanted to create a more intensive, systemic approach to equipping Toledo youths with tools to make better decisions and enhance life readiness.

“I spent my whole career putting them into the system. So I wanted to get back and keep them out of the system.” 

Each day, Mr. Whitfield leads interactive workshops directed by a learning goal. Participants from age 8 to 18 are divided into three age groups, allowing facilitators to tailor activities and conversations to the specific needs of each cohort. 

“They give me something to look up to,” Kayla said of the older students in the program. 

Group scenarios and workshops train communication and problem-solving skills while preparing young students for real-world challenges. One asked the high school-age students what to do when facing a friend group about to attempt something they know is risky.

“They say ‘everyone’s doing it’ and look at you,” the scenario read. “You feel torn between fitting in and doing what’s right.”

Peer pressure serves as one of the major drivers of juvenile crime. Mr. Davis, however, believes that through leadership training, the youths can be equipped with the tools to make healthy choices. 

“I don’t want to blame the youth because that’s how we grew up,” Mr. Davis said. “But I feel like there’s a point where they could see that as wrong, and change their mindset and the decisions that they want to make.”

As the city grapples with youth crime and limited school resources, intern Shivella Vonner believes youth leaders will improve their local communities by leading by example. 

“They know themselves. They’re able to recognize things in others. 
They’re confident to speak up,” Ms. Vonner said. “They know the power of choice.”

In the fall, Mr. Davis is heading to Ferris State University on a football scholarship, where he plans to study mechanical engineering. He said the program has empowered him to become a better public speaker, making him feel more equipped for college and his future.

“I’ve learned how to project my voice, how to talk clearly. It’s good getting past the things that you struggle with the most.” Mr. Davis said. “I’m excited about the future of the program. I’m excited for my future. I’m just excited overall just to get into it.”

Thirty-seven years after America was formed, it scored a stunning victory over the British navy during the War of 1812’s Battle of Lake Erie.

That much is true.

But two leading historians believe, in retrospect, that Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s famous victory on Sept. 10, 1813 wasn’t a game-changer.

Without trying to minimize Perry’s achievement, Rob Whitman and John Thompson said that battle’s place in history is often misunderstood.

The Battle of Lake Erie was more of a symbolic victory and confidence-builder for our young nation than it was a strategic turning point, they said.

“It’s one of those tough things [to explain],” Mr. Whitman said about the battle’s place in history. “It’s an important victory. [But] it’s like chopping the limbs off at the top of a tree. The tree’s still gonna live.”

Mr. Whitman is the National Park Service’s chief of interpretation, education, and volunteers at Perry’s Victory & International Peace Memorial in Put-in-Bay. Mr. Thompson is manager of historic programming at the Fort Meigs Historic Site in Perrysburg.

First, they noted, the Battle of Lake Erie occurred halfway through the War of 1812. and did nothing to end it.

“It’s not like Britain surrendered at that point,” Mr. Thompson said. “It’s not a battle of annihilation that ends a war. And, really, no battle in the War of 1812 is like that.”

Both countries had scored victories before then, with no clear winner in sight. The United States and Great Britain didn’t come to terms on a peace agreement until Dec. 24,1814. Some fighting continued after that, such as the Battle of New Orleans on Jan. 8, 1815.

The War of 1812 officially ended when the United States and Great Britain exchanged their ratified agreements on Feb. 17, 1815 in what became known Belgium 15 years later.

Perry’s victory was significant because it was the first time U.S. and British squadrons clashed over control of the Great Lakes. From that point on, Britain would not have unfettered access, Mr. Thompson said.

Up until then, ships had engaged in one-on-one fighting.

“No one was clearly winning,” Mr. Whitman said. “It was a roller-coasterish war.”

Led by the U.S. brig Niagara, Perry had the advantage, nine boats to six.

Yet he was still considered the underdog because his unproven navy was going up against the mighty British Navy, one of the most feared in the world. The U.S. commodore’s fleet went headfirst into the wind, then was aided by a sudden wind shift that put the wind at its back.

“The wind shifts at the right time, giving him the advantage.” Mr. Whitman said. “It is definitely a battle that could have gone either way, depending on the situation. I hate saying that, because it is an important battle.”

News of Perry’s victory spread “like wildfire,” boosting morale throughout the fledgling United States, Mr. Thompson said.

“Perry is exalted as a hero,” he said. 

A phrase often attributed to Perry, “Don’t Give Up the Ship,” became a rallying cry for decades, although those were actually the last words of his close friend, James Lawrence. Lawrence was a Navy captain who’d died in battle three months before the Battle of Lake Erie aboard the USS Chesapeake near Boston Harbor. Perry had a flag made with those words to inspire his men.

Also notable was Perry’s Sept. 10, 1813 dispatch, “We have met the enemy, and they are ours,” to Gen. William Henry Harrison, a future president.

The War of 1812 was the first time that American-born citizens were fighting for their country. They admired colonists who created it by winning the Revolutionary War, Mr. Thompson said.

Fort Meigs was the site of two major battles itself in 1813. It “represents the point in which America stopped backing up,” Mr. Thompson said.

The two historians agree that the public, at large, is less interested in the War of 1812 than other conflicts.

Mr. Thompson said that’s because there were no clear winners, just losers. Heading the list of losers were Native Americans who were displaced, he said.

Many people don’t realize that what became known as Ohio experienced 60 years of almost nonstop fighting, from the 1750s to 1815, Mr. Thompson said.

“This is our story,” he said “It’s our job to know that story and it’s our job to tell that story.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation is investigating a Thursday morning West Toledo bank robbery.

Around 9:45 a.m., a Black male wearing all back went into the Citizens bank at 5911 Lewis Ave. brandishing a firearm. He handed a teller a bag and told him to put all the money inside, Toledo police said.

The robber fired one round from his gun before running from the area with the cash.

No one was hurt, according to police.

A man is dead and an 11-year-old Toledo girl is missing after what authorities believe is a series of related incidents involving a boat on Lake Erie on Thursday.

Investigators are trying to determine whether Angelique Cunningham’s disappearance is connected to a woman who reported swimming to shore from the boat, a distress call involving the boat near the Toledo water intake crib, and the recovery of the boat owner’s body.

Search operations for the girl have transitioned to a recovery effort, officials said late Friday morning. Crews are concentrating on a specific area of interest in the western basin of Lake Erie where they believe the boat was last seen.

Jerusalem Township Fire Chief Tony Parasiliti said emergency crews responded to a distress call at 10:15 a.m. from a boat near the Toledo water intake crib.

The search ended with the recovery of an adult man’s body floating near the water intake, Lucas County Sheriff Mike Navarre said. Sheriff Navarre said the man owned the boat. The body was taken to the Lucas County Coroner’s Office. It is unclear who made that distress call.

Sheriff Navarre said dispatchers had earlier received a call around 1:30 a.m. from a woman who “indicated she swam to shore from a boat.”

“We haven’t confirmed that story,” the sheriff said.

At 5:30 a.m., Angelique, 11, was reported missing by her mother, who believed she had gone to a marina in Michigan, though information gathered by law enforcement indicates otherwise, Sheriff Navarre said.

Authorities believe the girl was last at Meinke Marina-West in Jerusalem Township near Reno Beach.

Sheriff Navarre said he and other law enforcement officials believe all three incidents are related.

The woman who said she swam to shore is being interviewed by law enforcement officials, he said.

Though law enforcement believes the incidents are related, Sheriff Navarre said authorities cannot say whether Angelique was on the boat.

“We [have] this witness that showed up at a house in Jerusalem Township, which was ours, Lucas County Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “We have a body that was found in Lake Erie, that was ours because it was in Jerusalem Township. Then we have a missing 11-year-old in Toledo.”

Lt. j.g. Samuel Rodriguez of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit said personnel from Air Station Detroit, the Reno Beach Police, and U.S. Border Patrol assisted in the search.

Mary-Chris Kay of Perrysburg was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in August, 2020.

Since then, the retired nurse, athlete, and popular swim instructor and coach at the Fort Meigs YMCA has continued coaching despite chemotherapy and multiple surgeries. She has also donated to the Y.

On Thursday, her colleagues, students, and family met to honor her and announce the launch of the Mary-Chris Aquatics Fund, which has already raised about $40,000, according to event organizers.

About 150 people attended the five-hour reception at the YMCA in Perrysburg, including local elected officials and leaders of the Greater Toledo YMCA.

One of the country’s top Renaissance athletes, the 72-year-old competes in everything from the javelin and long jump to swimming and volleyball at the biennial National Senior Games. 

When asked about her feelings Thursday, Ms. Kay, mother of nine, grandmother of 49, and great-grandmother of two, said she feels embarrassed and got emotional.

“It’s just me,” she explained. “I’m honored, but I’m humbled, and I don’t know how to express it, except to cry.”

Asked why she keeps staying active as a swim coach, she said, “Because it makes me feel alive. I give my thanks to God every day I’m alive, and it gives purpose to that.”

She wants the fund to help “people in need to do everything they can do in aquatics here at Fort Meigs [YMCA].”  

Attendees, including colleagues, former swim students, as well as friends and family, spoke about the inspirational influence Ms. Kay has had on them and others.

“God bless you, Mary-Chris,” said Lucia Sharp, an event organizer. “Always remember that with every stroke in that pool, you create a ripple effect that will last forever.”

Ms. Kay’s immediate supervisor at the Fort Meigs YMCA, head swim coach Dave Stannert, expressed similar feelings about her.

“She takes interest in the whole person, not just the kid as a swimmer,” Mr. Stannert said on the sidelines of the event. “And it does help the coaching, because the kids then feel special and they want to make Mary-Chris happy by doing their best.”

“She is amazing,” he said. “She has a great ability to identify kids who have swimming talent and to develop that talent. And her commitment to the kids and the Y is incredible.”

The day’s highlights included the reading of “Life Here and Now,” a poem written by Ms. Kay, followed by the performance of a song to those lyrics by two of her former swim students, Kim Buehler and Paul Cummings, who wrote the music.

When in her 30s, Ms. Kay battled thyroid cancer, then nearly lost her life in an accident in 1996, when her car was rear-ended and careened into oncoming traffic. She had fractures in her neck, back, ribs, and leg, along with a dislocated ankle and a punctured lung. 

“Lord, this struggle, please suspend,” the poem goes in part. “Here’s not where I wish to be, but here’s where I am right now, and here is where you want me.”

Speaking at the event, Perrysburg Mayor Mark Weber said Ms. Kay “inspires people around her by the example she sets.”

The aquatics fund in her name is “a lasting way to ensure that protection, dedication, and love for athletics will continue to impact others for generations to come,” the mayor said, “because excellence is not only just about what we accomplish personally, it’s about creating opportunities for others to follow behind us.”

Toledo City Council will consider placing a proposed temporary 0.25 percent municipal income tax before voters at its July 14 meeting.

The tax would be in effect from Jan. 1, 2027, through Dec. 31, 2030. Revenue would be dedicated to neighborhood safety initiatives and police and fire operations, including efforts to disrupt criminal gangs, according to an agenda review packet released Thursday. It is expected to generate $25 million annually. 

If council approves the proposal, it will advance toward placement on the Nov. 3 ballot.

Vanice Williams, council president, said that the measure is an effort to cut into the city of Toledo’s $49 million deficit. 

“We’re gonna be trying to save jobs,” Ms. Williams said. “... Trying to cut the deficit so we can save jobs.”

She said the proposal for a public safety tax came after officials considered several other ways to address the deficit, including an event or ticket tax, license plate fees, and trash fees.

“Everything has been under consideration,” Ms. Williams said. “We’ve exhausted everything to try to cut this deficit in half.” 

Though instituting a new tax on the community is never a first option, Ms. Williams said that it would be up to the voters to decide if this is something they want. 

“Everybody is struggling now. I am struggling right now financially to figure out what to pay and how to pay it,” Ms. Williams said. “... That is why we are not making that decision for our community.”   

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said that a big reason the city currently has a deficit is that since 2008, the state of Ohio has cut $288 million from the city of Toledo. That works out to about $16 million per year or about the amount of income tax the city gets from the Jeep plant. 

“Another way to think about it would be this ... what the state legislature has done to Toledo is to impose the same amount of financial pain as would occur if our Jeep plant closed every year for 20 years,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. 

He added that the city’s bond rating is the highest it has been since 1980, which means it is managing the public’s money better than ever. That does not mean the city has enough resources, though, and alternative measures, like this new tax, are needed to close the gap.  

“We got to a point where a public safety levy made the most sense,” the mayor said. “Especially when you think about what our needs are, the fact of the matter is, given the cuts from the government, without a public safety levy, we’ll certainly be looking at police layoffs, public safety layoffs, massive cuts in public service.” 

He said that after the shooting of 12 people at the Old West End Festival last month, the revenue should be directed toward meeting the public’s needs.  

“I believe the public wants more public safety investment, not less,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “We think this is the best way to accomplish it.”  

Toledo’s current 2.5 percent municipal income tax consists of a permanent 1.5 percent tax and two voter-approved, renewable taxes that expire every four years unless renewed. A 0.75 percent tax, first approved in 1982, supports general city operations, while a 0.25 percent tax approved in 2020 is dedicated to road improvements. Both renewable taxes were most recently extended by voters in 2024.

The proposal would raise Toledo's municipal income tax rate to 2.75 percent, placing it among the highest in Ohio and above the rates in Columbus, Cleveland, Akron, Dayton, Cincinnati, and the state's other largest cities.

Owens Community College has received an Ohio Department of Higher Education loan totaling nearly $1 million to support the demolition of the Health Technologies building and Bicentennial Hall, officials said Thursday.

The five-story Health Technologies building is the most recognizable landmark on the Toledo-area campus, crowned by the iconic Owens-Illinois “O” that was donated to the college in 1979.

The college relocated its nursing and health professions programs to the new Healthcare Education Center, a $27.8 million renovation and expansion of the former library and audio/visual classroom buildings.

“These buildings helped shape generations of healthcare professionals and represent an important chapter in our history,” said Dr. Dione D. Somerville, Owens president. “We honor that legacy while recognizing our responsibility to prepare the college for the future. Our students now learn in state-of-the-art facilities designed for modern healthcare education, and the state investment allows us to continue transforming our campus in ways that best serve students and our region.”

ADRIAN — In Adrian College’s Hickman Gallery, a dark mahogany spiral curls from a black pedestal, suspending a small cabinet and a single rose in a delicate feat of balance.

Now the school is using its hands-on model to help train workers in another skilled trade: historic preservation.

The institute recently became an approved training provider for the Campaign for Historic Trades’ nationally recognized registered apprenticeship program, which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Labor and state work force agencies. Under the partnership, eligible classes at Sam Beauford can count toward the classroom instruction apprentices need to advance in designated preservation trades.

For Luke Barnett, the school’s founder and president, the new approval answers a growing need.

“Preservation is a very large trade,” Mr. Barnett said. “You have all these old buildings that, rather than tear down and rebuild modern, you have to preserve them. It takes very specific skills.”

Mr. Barnett, an internationally renowned Windsor chair maker, started the school in 2015. Since then, the institute has expanded to include continuing education classes and a selective accredited trade program that draws students and employers from around the world. 

“We get people who are experienced woodworkers who just want to deepen their knowledge of a particular technique or students that have never been in a woodshop before,” Peter Densmore said.

Mr. Densmore, the institute’s chief of staff, completed the institute’s wood-design program in 2025 and now teaches there. He said the preservation training fits naturally with the school’s mission and goals.

While historic preservation has long been a larger trade on the East Coast, where buildings tend to be older, Mr. Barnett said the need is growing in the Midwest as its own buildings age.

“These specialized skills are only being more and more in demand,” he said.

The work can range from repairing an old house to meeting strict landmark standards, sometimes requiring craftspeople to match original materials and methods.

The school’s qualifying classes include timber framing and historic window restoration. In a historic window class, students make a window while learning both traditional hand-tool methods and more modern machine-based approaches.

Mr. Barnett said the goal is not to use old tools just because they are historic, but to teach students how to choose the most effective method for the job.

“The carpenters who built Mount Vernon would certainly have used automation if it was available at that time,” he said.

The approval comes as the institute prepares to expand into a 24,000-square-foot campus with wings devoted to preservation, furniture making, and timber framing, a relocation Mr. Barnett said is needed because demand has outgrown the school’s current space. 

Marissa Bennett, 1 of 24 students in the wood-design class of 2026, relocated from Traverse City, Mich., with virtually no woodworking experience.

“My background is in hospitality, so learning how to make these beautiful pieces has just been incredible,” she said.

Along with new skills, she found a tight-knit, uplifting community.  

Although furniture making can be a solitary activity, Mr. Densmore and Mr. Barnett both agreed students learn faster when they share mistakes and discoveries. The expansion into historic trades is another way students connect craftsmanship with opportunity and community.

“It’s an opportunity for employers to get skilled people,” Mr. Barnett said. “And an opportunity for the students to make a living doing something that they love.”

The Toledo Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating a serious vehicle crash on State Rt. 2 just west of Albon Road in Springfield Township. 

William S. Peniston, 61, of Walton, Ky.,  was driving a tractor-trailer east on State Rt. 2 just after 1 p.m. Wednesday when he veered into the westbound lanes and struck a car driven by  Deborah A. Walters, 56, of Toledo, police said. 

Mr. Peniston then hit a minivan operated by Joseph W. Hall, 68, of Swanton and then a pickup being driven by Kenneth Stout, Jr., 75, of Delta, Ohio. The tractor-trailer then went off the north side of the road and overturned.

Multiple people were injured and taken to the University of Toledo Medical Center, according to Lt. Rustun Schack of the Toledo Post.

Toledo police are renewing their plea for information on the slaying of 26-year-old in West Toledo in 2025.

Cole Lepkowski, 26, was fatally shot near his home on the 2900 block of West Lincolnshire Boulevard about 10:15 p.m. on June 30, 2025. A suspect in the shooting has not yet been identified, and police have not provided additional details on the ongoing investigation.

The shooting appears to have spilled over from a party at a nearby Airbnb, which clogged the streets of the quiet neighborhood as cars constricted the road to a one-way drive.

Mr. Lepkowski was shot in the back of the head and collapsed outside his vehicle. He was transported to ProMedica Toledo Hospital, where he later died.

Anyone with information about the murder is asked to call or text the Crime Stopper program at 419-255-1111. Callers may remain anonymous and could be eligible for a reward.

MONROE — A person died in a two-vehicle crash on South Dixie Highway in Monroe Township on Wednesday, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office reported. 

Mark A. Anderson, 69, of Monroe, was exiting a private drive on the west side of South Dixie near Elmwood Drive at 7:16 p.m. when his vehicle was struck by a southbound vehicle driven by Holly L. Downing, 57, of Erie, Mich., officials said.

Ms. Downing’s vehicle spun around and came to a stop on the east side grass shoulder while Mr. Anderson’s car spun around and came to a stop across the north and southbound lanes. 

Mr. Anderson was taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital where he was pronounced dead. Ms. Downing was also taken to Toledo Hospital with serious injuries, officials said.

Ms. Downing wore a seatbelt, while Mr. Anderson did not. 

The halls of Harvard Elementary may be silent, but a group of South Toledoans is rallying to ensure the 99-year-old building continues to live on. 

“We don’t have the kind of wealth and/or stability we once had,” said Carty Finkbeiner, a former Toledo mayor.

He cited all the things South Toledo has lost in recent decades, including Southwyck Mall and the South Toledo YMCA that was once located near Woodsdale Park.  

“Along comes a historic school with a historic name, and with all the other school buildings in this city, they choose to walk out of Harvard?” Mr. Finkbeiner said.  

Mr. Finkbeiner, a South Toledo resident, is a leader in a community group he is calling “Harvard — Onward and Upward” that is looking into options for repurposing the school building.

Harvard, located at 1949 Glendale Ave., was one of eight buildings chosen for closure earlier this year by Toledo Public Schools.

TPS officials said the closures were a means to help address a budget deficit of around $70 million. James Gault, Toledo Public Schools chief of educational development, said in April that low enrollment was a factor in Harvard being among the buildings marked for closure.

“Honestly, in my heart, I believe that besides the zoo, the UTMC, that can be a rock-solid gold piece for the South End,” Mr. Finkbeiner said of Harvard. 

Alongside John Irish, who lives next door to the elementary school, Mr. Finkbeiner presented a series of renderings Wednesday showing that repurposing the school as some sort of mixed-use development with apartments, senior living, or upscale condominiums would be most prudent.

Potential for gym, retail, or restaurant space is also mapped out in the renderings. 

The two men were called to action after seeing the hundreds of people who gathered at the “goodbye” event held at the school last month. About 30 people are now in their group. 

Adam Martinez, the Toledo city councilman representing District 2, which includes the neighborhood around Harvard, said that something with residences is also top of mind for him. 

“The Harvard Terrace area and the Beverly neighborhood are being reinvigorated with new families moving in,” Mr. Martinez said. “Then older families that would like to stay there can’t necessarily stay there because of steps or age. ... We want to make sure that the community has a place to stay in the event that they choose to stay and maybe move into something there [at Harvard].” 

The goal of the “Onward and Upward” group right now is to bring more attention to the cause. Mr. Irish said the group will be at the Walbridge Park Fourth of July Celebration on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. They are planning on giving out information about their group and signing up more people for their meetings, which have been held at the Maumee River Yacht Club. 

Toledo City Council voted unanimously in April to “temporarily halt the acceptance, review, and approval of demolition permits for buildings of historical community importance” until Dec. 31, and the group is working within that timeline.  

They are also working on historic designation for the Harvard building through the state of Ohio. 

“I have talked to Paula Hicks-Hudson, the state senator for this neighborhood, and she is going to scout in Columbus for financial support for this,” Mr. Finkbeiner said. “They’re pretty generous with historical buildings in Columbus.” 

Mr. Finkbeiner and Mr. Irish said it is too soon to calculate the cost for turning the school into a multiuse development in the way they are proposing. They did note that projects in town like the Four Corners area in downtown Toledo have received millions of dollars in historic preservation tax credits from the state of Ohio, and they hope they can secure something similar for Harvard. 

According to Mr. Martinez, a study done by the Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commission found several preservation targets in the city that could benefit from historical designations through the state of Ohio. He confirmed this effort will include Harvard Elementary and should be done sometime this fall.  

“It doesn’t look like some of the warehouse places they’ve redone downtown, but there’s interest in redoing these buildings,” Mr. Irish said. 

Mr. Martinez said he appreciates the work Harvard — Onward and Upward has already done. 

“We have got to find a developer, and it is a long process, but we want to make sure that whatever the end use is, that the community of the neighborhood has some input on a good, appropriate use,” Mr. Martinez said. “I appreciate them organizing so they can come up with not just demands but potential solutions to help the school board in their decision-making process.” 

A 66-year-old man died after his SUV went off the side of the road and hit a tree in Oak Openings Preserve Metropark.

John L. Matulewicz, of Stryker, Ohio, was driving south on Girdham Road near Monclova Road at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday when his vehicle went off the left side of the road and struck a tree, according to the Toledo Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. 

He was taken to the University of Toledo Medical Center where he died.

A city of Toledo project to improve safety and walkability along Front and Main streets will receive federal funding after all, according to U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio).

However, the city will receive about $9 million less than it would have under a previous federal grant that was canceled due to the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. 

In August, Mr. Husted incorrectly stated the bill did not affect the project grant. His office did not respond to a question seeking clarity on those remarks. 

The project is now receiving approximately $19.5 million through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development grant program. Mr. Husted’s office included the East Toledo project in an announcement featuring two different projects that the senator advocated for with letters of support.

“I fought for these projects because they will improve safety, support economic growth, and help Ohio communities compete and thrive for decades to come,” Mr. Husted said.

“From improving access to major transportation corridors to creating new spaces for businesses and families, these investments will strengthen our economy and improve quality of life for Ohioans,” he continued. “It’s great to see these critical projects receive the funding they need to keep Ohio moving forward.”

While it appears Mr. Husted didn’t write an official letter supporting the Toledo project, a spokesman from his office said he does not oppose the project and supported the underlying appropriations legislation that provided funding for it.

“He was pleased to see the city of Toledo receive this funding, as the project will benefit both the region and the state as a whole,” the spokesman said.

“Senator Husted consistently supports thoughtful infrastructure investments across the state,” the spokesman continued. “Through mechanisms such as the Water Resources Development Act submissions and Congressionally Directed Spending requests, Senator Husted has, and continues to, advocate for projects that improve infrastructure and promote economic growth in Toledo and throughout the state.”

Other officials react

Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said he is grateful for the federal government’s support.

“This investment will fully fund planned improvements along Front and Main: prioritizing safety, leveraging Metroparks Toledo’s investments along the riverfront, and encouraging new business development throughout the corridor,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said, noting the city is not required to provide any local matching dollars for the grant.

The mayor said the city was able to use about $3 million from the previous federal grant — before it got canceled — to conduct the assessments and do the design work necessary to ensure the project was ready for construction. 

“The grant didn’t need to be as large,” Mr. Kapszukiewicz said. “When we lost the previous grant ... it was disappointing, but we said to ourselves that we’re going to go forward and continue to get this project shovel-ready so when the political winds change and we can win this back, we’ll be ready to go.”

The mayor said the funding amount is still a bit less than it would have been under the previous grant — but he’s happy the city received anything from the Trump Administration. 

“There might be a few less bells and whistles. ... The scope is the same, but there are a couple cases where things that we were going to do on the road maybe turned into a walking path — just little things like that to scale it back a little bit,” he said. “We’re not far off. And to be perfectly honest, as recently as a week ago, I personally was thinking that this was gone.”

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) expressed frustration with the process.

“It’s a darn shame Toledo had to lose a year of momentum and received millions less after people in Washington played politics with federal funds awarded for East Toledo’s Front and Main Street improvements,” Ms. Kaptur said. 

“I fought for the first award; I fought for this award, and I will fight to get more of our money back home for all our communities that are in need of improved infrastructure,” she continued. “I will never stop fighting for northwest Ohio, and will work with administrations of either party to get things done and position our region for a bright future."

Project summary

The project is expected to create a suite of safety and mobility improvements on Front and Main streets, two key corridors linking East Toledo residents to downtown Toledo and the Maumee Riverfront.

According to a summary of the project provided by the mayor’s office, access to the downtown riverfront is being constrained by outdated road designs, poor infrastructure conditions, and a history of severe crashes.

“This project will improve traffic safety, reduce modal conflict, and enhance efficiency for all road users moving through and across the corridor, particularly at key connections to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Bridge and the Craig Bridge,” the project summary says.

Improvements include intersection realignments, traffic calming measures, medians, signal upgrades, and enhanced pedestrian crossings. New horizontal street elements at two Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority bus stops are intended to better accommodate families with young children and people with disabilities. 

Construction is expected to begin in 2027 and be completed by the end of 2028.  

Click on icons in the map to find details of reported crimes. For a full list of all reported crimes in Toledo this week, consult the table below.

Larry Boyd’s decision to leave Scott High School after his freshman year shaped the next five decades of his life.

Mr. Boyd dropped out in 1970, a decision he would later regret.

“Back then, I just did not like school,” said Mr. Boyd, of Toledo. “Now I wish I would have kept going back then.”

He has worked various jobs throughout his life and now works in transportation for Joyful Living Care in Toledo.

“I was told that I would need to get my GED to continue working,” Mr. Boyd said. “To be honest, I am really now doing it to show my kids, grandkids, and other young people how important it is to get your diploma.”

Fifty-six years later, he is attending Penta Career Center’s Aspire classes to prepare for the General Educational Development test.

“This is all new to me, really,” Mr. Boyd said. “I never did any of this before. Now it is important to me to accomplish what I should have done back then.

“Second, I talk to young people, and I tell them to keep going to school. Get their diploma now. If not, get your GED now while you are young. Learn from me. It is not easy to do this after being out of school for so long.”

Penta Career Center’s Aspire program offers free GED test preparation and other skill enhancement classes at 16 locations in Lucas and Wood counties. The Aspire program provides adult learners with instruction that focuses on reading, math, writing, language, science, and social studies to help them earn their high school equivalency

Jessica Arbuckle, supervisor of Aspire, said the free program is run through the Ohio Department of Education. Penta’s program serves approximately 800 students per year.

“Our instructors help students improve their skills to prepare for the next step in achieving their goals,” Ms. Arbuckle said. 

Drew Cleaver, an Aspire instructor, has worked as a financial adviser but said he has since found a passion for teaching.

“It is so cool being able to help adult students achieve a goal,” Mr. Cleaver said. “Being able to see what they can accomplish and where it takes them is really something.”

Mr. Boyd has passed the social studies, science, and language sections of the test. He now just needs to pass the math portion.

“I missed passing it by six points,” he said. “Algebra is my problem. Drew is trying to help me so I can pass it.”

Mr. Cleaver said he has high hopes that Mr. Boyd will pass his math test.

“Larry is a wonderful student,” Mr. Cleaver said. “He brightens up the room. He works really hard as well.”

Mr. Boyd said he is on a mission to make sure young people get their diploma. Of his six children and one stepchild, only two have not graduated from high school.

“I am trying to get them to get their GED too,” he said. “Maybe seeing me get mine will help. I hope it inspires others because getting your diploma or GED can help you achieve so much, like a better job.”

Mr. Cleaver said he tells his students that getting the GED will have a major impact on their lives.

“It will expand their possibilities with life,” Mr. Cleaver said. “They can go on to higher education, get a college degree. It opens up job prospects. I tell people to tell themselves that they can do it.”

Mr. Boyd said he is now looking into what his next step might be.

“I am looking at maybe going to college for social work,” he said. “Maybe Owens Community College. ... I would like to help others.”

Ms. Arbuckle said the Aspire administrative offices have moved from Penta’s main campus in Perrysburg Township to Penta’s satellite campus located at 1205 Corporate Dr. in Springfield Township.

Aspire class locations in Lucas County include Penta’s main campus and Holland-Springfield campus, the ProMedica Ebeid Center, East Toledo Senior Center, and several branches of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library. 

In Wood County, classes are offered at the Perrysburg Heights Community Center and the Wood County Public Library. Most classes are held two days per week for three hours each day.

“Those interested in taking our free classes can begin by contacting the Aspire office to register and then attend a mandatory orientation at one of our convenient classroom locations,” Ms. Arbuckle said.

For more information, visit pentacareercenter.org/ASPIRE.aspx or contact Penta at 419-491-8433.

A Toledo police lieutenant has pleaded guilty to vehicular assault and operating a vehicle under the influence stemming from an off-duty crash in Perrysburg.

Lt. Adam R. Fish entered guilty pleas Wednesday to aggravated vehicular assault, a fourth-degree felony, and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a first-degree misdemeanor, according to Wood County Prosecutor Paul Dobson.

The felony charge comes with a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison.

The charges stem from a multivehicle crash at Roachton Road and State Rt. 25 just before 9:30 a.m. Dec. 20 that sent one person to the hospital.

Lt. Fish had originally been charged with aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony, before prosecutors reduced the charges in response to motions filed by the defense and the consent of the victims, the prosecutor said.

Toledo police said Lt. Fish has been relieved of duty pending the outcome of the criminal case and an ongoing investigation by TPD’s internal affairs bureau.

He is a 14-year veteran of the department and was promoted to lieutenant in July, 2025.

Sentencing has been set for Nov. 19 before Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman.

Oregon’s Navarre Avenue Safety Improvement project is now in Phase 3 and will connect previous work that started at I-280, city officials said.

The $6 million project is creating a variety of safety improvements along Navarre between Isaac Streets Drive and Coy Road. Deputy City Engineer Rodney Shultz said the goal is to reduce crashes and improve overall safety for motorists, pedestrians, and nearby businesses.

“The first two phases were really stand alone. Phase 3 is just closing the gap between the two,” said Public Service Director Paul Roman. “The improvements now will be continuous from I-280 all the way to Coy Road.”

The third phase is expected to be completed in October, officials said.

Preliminary underground work related to traffic signals has been completed. Roadway construction started in May.

The project extends from Isaac Streets Drive to just east of Kroger Drive, about 500 feet west of Coy Road.

Phase 3 is a continuation of safety improvements along Navarre Avenue that started four years ago at I-280 to Isaac Streets Drive. The second phase was at the intersection of Coy and Navarre.

The third phase, currently under way, includes construction of a center median and new traffic signals at Harbor Drive, Kingston Court, and Kroger Drive, including ADA-compliant pedestrian signals and U-turn bulb outs. It also includes roadway resurfacing and updated pavement markings, overhead lane-use signage, landscaping, and streetscape enhancements consistent with the previous phases. 

Pedestrian crossings at the traffic lights will be added for safety.

“Without the pedestrian crossings, people will jaywalk, which is not a good thing,” Mr. Roman said. “It will promote a more uniform way to cross the road.”

There will also be a few street pole banners in the median that will celebrate the holidays and show civic pride. Currently, there are banners honoring local military veterans, Mr. Shultz said. 

Oregon Mayor Steven Salander said the improvements will help reduce traffic in anticipation of the completion of construction of the Chick-fil-A and Olive Garden restaurants on Navarre.

“Yeah, it’s a little disruptive to traffic right now, but once it’s done, it’s going to look very nice, and will definitely improve safety from increased traffic we expect from the new development that is happening on Navarre,” Mr. Salander said.

“I’m excited for those who travel through our city, as well as our residents, to have a safer way down Navarre,” the mayor said.

The improvements were sparked by a traffic study showing a high accident rate on Navarre Avenue from I-280 to Isaac Streets Drive.

“That was a big deal,” Mr. Roman said. “It was the main driver.”

The first phase, from I-280 to Isaac Streets Drive, has resulted in an 80 percent reduction in traffic accidents, Mr. Roman said. “The safety improvements did well, and we know it’s safer.”

The city held several stakeholder meetings before the first phase to address concerns by businesses and property owners along Navarre about the impact of the project, Mr. Roman said.

“A lot of the businesses were bothered. They now know it is safer and can actually handle more traffic. It is well accepted,” he said.

He added that there probably won’t be another phase of safety improvements along Navarre heading east anytime soon. 

“The real purpose of the median was to stop left turns from private drives onto Navarre because you’re going across three lanes of traffic. There are a lot of drives between I-280 and Coy, but not as many from Coy to Lallendorf,” Mr. Roman said.

Funding for the project includes $5 million from the Ohio Department of Transportation Highway Safety Improvement Program, and $592,682 from the Ohio Public Works Commission. 

A 10 percent local match provides the remainder of the funding, said Mr. Roman, which will cover costs associated with colorful bollard lights and other aesthetics.