toledoblade.com --

As a veteran leader of the Toledo Neighborhood Block Watch program, I ask all Toledoans to vote "yes" on Issue 1 to maintain police and fire services. Not passing this 0.75 percent renewal would deal safety forces a devastating setback. To those citizens who consider Issue 1 an impromptu referendum on Mayor Carty Finkbeiner, I warn you: You have much to lose and nothing to gain; it's not about Carty. Please see through the political fog and realize what keeps you and your loved ones safe: police and fire services.

Crime statistics, on average, are declining in our fair city and we are winning the fight to keep Toledo a very safe city. Our fire department is superlative. We are doing more with less and getting the job done against significant opposition.

But opposition to our mission of crime and nuisance abatement, and promoting fire safety, comes from many points. Curious to me, and perhaps unknown to some who benefit most from our efforts, it comes from residents opposing Issue 1. If we do not pass this levy renewal, hundreds of police and fire personnel will be laid off, and the fight we are now winning will take a giant step backward.

The outcome, to me, is obvious: more crime, more blight, a lesser quality of life, and more people turning to Block Watch for help. Without adequate safety personnel, it will be up to you to get involved and make the change. Are you ready for that commitment? If not, stick with adequate safety forces and vote yes on Issue 1. It's the right and smart course of action.

Michael Dearth

West Benalex Drive

Vitucci is right pick for hockey coach

Toledo made its first right decision in the whole arena project saga by hiring Nick Vitucci back as the coach for the hockey team. Was this cleared through Mayor Carty Finkbeiner before it was finalized? I would hate for him to be sent home too.

Amanda Bias

Rossford

Local firms shunned in team logo design

It's unbelievable that the administration of Toledo Arena Sports Inc. totally shunned northwest Ohio's creative design professionals by not giving them the opportunity to create the Toledo Walleye's team logo and identity.

Instead, an out-of-state firm was awarded the contract. It's hard to get hooked on the team when it does not consider local businesses that are worthy enough to create highly successful identities for firms not only locally, but throughout the country and into the all-important global market.

The Walleye management would not have been sacrificing quality to keep the job local. In fact, the result may have been better than what was produced. As a local business owner, this is very frustrating and it's a slap in the face to the creative community.

The new hockey franchise will require a significant amount of local support to make it successful. So I'm wondering why that same sense of commitment is not demonstrated back to this community from the Walleye management.

It's hard to get excited about the new fish in town.

Joe Pinciotti

Adams Street

'Baboons' would be obvious team name

The name for Toledo's new hockey team really should be obvious, and would receive instant attention nationally: "the Toledo Baboons."

Hand me a banana, I'm off to a hockey game at the new arena.

John O'Neil

Holland

Hockey name, logo are terrific choices

I think the name and logo chosen for Toledo's new hockey franchise are terrific. I am also glad that one of the other choices for the team name was not picked. It could serve a better use. The suggestion by a contributor to the Readers' Forum for a sculpture of Mayor Carty Finkbeiner with his foot in his mouth, to be placed on the lawn of Government Center, could be aptly inscribed with the rejected name: Peckerhead.

Be safe, Marines and Toledo police officers.

Don Rice

Temperance

Public input a sham in naming franchise

Reading the story on Toledo's new hockey team's moniker and how the name Walleye was first sought as a patent in 2005 just further leads me to believe that this was not a public decision but rather an inside job by the Mud Hens and Ben Konop.

So go ahead, call the hockey team whatever you want. But please don't try to tell us it was a public decision. It obviously was not.

Greg Harley

Curtice

Avian theme opens up many possibilities

How about the name "The Aviary" for the future downtown arena? Where birds of a feather flock together. The Mud Hens, Crane Creek, and Swan Creek are all nearby. Names of the stores nearby could be Frog Town, Amphibians Hop, and Toad Hall, which would have toad stools and hot toady drinks.

The teams could have names such as Old Buzzards (seniors' team), Little Chicks (children's team), and Gulls (girls' team).

Rest rooms could be called Peacock Lounges; a dress shop could be Fancy Feathers; a maternity dress shop might be called The Stork's Nest. A band could be called Penguin Strutters.

Dorothy Schabeck

Oak Alley Court

Team officials made bad situation worse

They just keep striking out. First the powers that be decided Toledo could not afford top minor league hockey. They said something like: "To keep the price of tickets, hot dogs, and beer down, Toledo will stay in the East Coast Hockey League." I've talked with a lot of hockey fans. Every one said that they would love to have the American Hockey League here in Toledo. Just like the Mud Hens, we can relate to a player who goes from Toledo to the NHL.

Now, to make matters worse, they have chosen a terrible team name and logo for our new hockey team.

I was with a group of about 40 people yesterday and not one liked the name or logo. In fact, it was brought to my attention that the fish in the logo has square teeth. When have you ever seen a fish with square teeth? Besides Nick Vitucci, I am sure there is not one hockey person involved in any of this process. Let's think about these people - they wanted to name the arena football team the Woodpeckers!

Joe Szenderski

Chalice Way

'Marines' would let city show patriotism

To show other parts of our country and the world how Toledo residents really feel, and to counteract Mayor Carty Finkbeiner's stupidity, the new arena football team needs to be named "the Mariners."

Sue Alheim

McGregor Lane

Maintaining ditches would stop flooding

With all the money the Metroparks have, instead of trying to buy all the property in Spencer Township, why don't they clean out prairie and wire grass ditches? They flow through Secor Park into the Ten Mile Creek.

Prairie Ditch has flooded Bancroft Street, Dorr Street, and Frankfort Road for years when it backs up. It is my understanding that Lucas County would do it for free if the Secor Park board would allow them access to their property. Because they won't, people southwest of the park have to suffer every time it rains.

The county tries to maintain the ditches but the bottleneck seems to be Secor Park. Ditches were meant to flow; that's why they were put there.

Jack Gulvas

Holland

'Walleye' don't roar; they flop

What's in a name? Storm. Can't you hear it roar? Walleye. Can't you see them flopping on the dock?

EILEEN FOLEY

Lowe Road

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