Lake Erie’s 2026 summer algal bloom has the potential of being the most significant since 2019 because of heavy spring rain that caused a lot of agricultural runoff.

Although it is still seven weeks away from releasing its official forecast, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its first bulletin of the season on Thursday that a bloom with a severity range of 2 to 5.5 as a likely scenario. 

That would put it in the moderate category. The initial estimate is based on information NOAA had gathered through Monday.

The first bulletin is always highly variable and subject to change. Rainfall and other weather factors that occur through the end of July affect the size and severity of each bloom.

The official forecast will be made June 25 at Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory by NOAA oceanographer Rick Stumpf, who leads a team of researchers from several agencies and institutions involved in the forecasts and follow-up monitoring.

There is no indication yet this summer’s algal bloom will be as bad as the worst on record, which was in 2011.

“Any bloom that does develop will move throughout the summer due to wind and currents,” NOAA said.

OAK HARBOR, Ohio — Let us take a break from the war in Iran, growing anxiety about a deadly threat called Hantavirus, and the cutthroat politics associated with the 2026 election for a different piece of breaking news with global implications.

The little village of Oak Harbor, Ohio, has been named the Warbler Capital of the World.

“If the city of Port Clinton can be the Walleye Capital of the World, the village of Oak Harbor can be the Warbler Capital of the World,” Kim Kaufman, Black Swamp Bird Observatory executive director, said upon making the announcement during Friday night’s opening ceremonies for her group’s Biggest Week in American Birding.

Never mind that the Black Swamp Bird Observatory itself has an Oak Harbor mailing address.

So does the state of Ohio’s Magee Marsh Wildlife Area, the federal government’s Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge, and other Ottawa County landmarks like Vistra’s Davis-Besse nuclear plant — none of which are actually located within the village limits.

But the birding group’s board of directors recently passed legislation naming Oak Harbor the warbler capital, rather than continuing to market the broader northwest Ohio region with that honor.

Why?

Well, there are a few reasons, such as Oak Harbor Mayor Quinton Babcock being an avid birder himself and being part of a movement in the village to ban household cats from roaming outdoors.

Another reason is it’s just plain fun having the moniker attached to a specific community, Ms. Kaufman said.

Mr. Babcock said he has attended Biggest Week multiple times, largely because of the small-town vibe and camaraderie he sees among birders.

“I think the way you guys root for each other in the birding community really resonates with the residents of Oak Harbor,” he told the crowd.

The opening gala was attended by hundreds of birders. Many of them packed around a podium at the Maumee Bay State Park lodge, the 10-day festival headquarters, as speakers gave their remarks. Dozens of surrounding tables hosted vendors, displays, food, and refreshments.

Biggest Week features more than 300 activities, an app, a marketplace, and dozens of tours and lectures.

One of the more interesting factoids came from Biggest Week Board Chairman Mindy Withrow.

She said BirdCast, a real-time, online tool maintained by Cornell University’s esteemed ornithology program, documented 320,000 birds flying through Lucas County on Thursday night.

Think about it: That’s roughly the number of people it would take to fill the University of Michigan’s football stadium three times. Except most of the migratory birds this time of year are warblers, and they’re so small that humans trained to band them can comfortably hold four at a time in their hands — one between their thumb and their forefingers and three between the other fingers.

So, speaking of banding, the BSBO folks who do that were busy at work on Friday, banding 294 warblers that day at their banding station behind the nuclear plant while Biggest Week guests were just starting to hit the trails before the evening reception.

Festival attendees logged one of the strongest days for bird sightings on Friday, identifying 171 different species, said Tyler Ficker, BSBO communications director and festival coordinator.

Those who spoke at the festival’s opening reception included U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo), who last week worked with U.S. Rep. Bob Latta (R., Bowling Green) on introducing bipartisan legislation to declare May 8-17, 2026, as National American Birding Week.

Similarly, a proclamation signed by Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel in support of Biggest Week was read at the event.

Ms. Kaptur said birds bring both parties together.

Ms. Kaufman made a similar comment in her opening remarks.

“At a time in our lives in which everything seems like it’s trying to pull us apart, it seems more profoundly special than ever to have birds and Biggest Week bringing us all together to celebrate our unity and our common love of birds,” Ms. Kaufman said.

This year’s festival welcomes 400 first-timers, she said.

Organizers also paid tribute to the Ohio Young Birders Club, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

“It’s not just the birds. It’s you, the people,” Ben Simon, Shores & Islands Ohio marketing director, told the crowd. “It’s the early mornings on the trails. It’s the conversations between complete strangers and the relationships we all make. The photographers, the families, the first-time visitors, the lifelong birders — we all experience something together that is unforgettable. It represents the power of nature to bring people together.”

The Owens Community College Spring Commencement ceremony took place at the Huntington Center in Toledo on May 8.

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FREMONT — A history presenter will portray former slave-turned-writer and abolitionist Frederick Douglass during a program from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums.

Nathan M. Richardson, a poet and spoken word performer, will act as the civil rights leader, discussing his journey from bondage to activism, how his views on the Constitution and American democracy evolved, and his relationships with national leaders including President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, the library said.

Tickets for non-members are $15, or $7 for children between age 6 and 12. Children 5 and under are admitted for free.

Tickets are available at rbhayes.org.

After listening to 100 Black women ages 19 to 99, author Tara Pringle Jefferson realized that mental health and self‑care can no longer be treated as afterthoughts.

In her new book, Bloom How You Must, she gathers their stories into a blueprint for how Black women can begin to put their own well‑being first.

“My mental health is just as important as my physical health, and that’s one of the things that I noticed,” Mrs. Jefferson said.

On Thursday, as Kent Branch Library played host to a crowd of about 50 women and a few men, the author invited Black women to see rest not as a reward but as a birthright.

Joined by Keianna Wimberly from the Toledo‑Lucas County Health Department’s Commission on Minority Health, Mrs. Jefferson used Bloom How You Must: A Black Woman’s Guide to Self‑Care and Generational Healing to lead an evening of testimony, statistics, and a plan for wellness.

The conversation touched on how generationally, Black women have been expected to care for everyone else first — a role rooted in enslavement, when their bodies and labor were claimed for other people’s comfort long before their own needs were considered.

Mrs. Jefferson’s research revealed that many Black women from older generations are still affected by those expectations.

“They really were raised under that ‘Keep it pushing, keep moving,’ that whole strong Black woman,” she said. “They weren’t really aware of how much it colored their day-to-day decision making and their day-to-day behaviors.”

The “strong Black woman” label has taught many Black women to believe they have to hold everything together, all the time, for everyone, she said. It also convinces others that they never get tired, that their bodies and minds can absorb endless demands.

Along with the pressure to be endlessly strong is a stigma around seeking help and the guilt that rises when they try to put their own needs first.

The book is a call to action, Mrs. Jefferson said.

“It’s overdue for Black women to put some of that care we give everyone else back on ourselves,” she said.

Ms. Wimberly shared stark numbers about Black women’s mental health.

“Reports and data show that 60 percent of Black women are dealing with depression, are dealing with some type of mental health problem, but only 12 percent of us seek help,” she said.

While perhaps culturally uncomfortable, she said therapy is a deeply valid form of care that Black women deserve to access — not a last resort or a personal failure.

“I want to let everybody in this room know it is OK to go talk to someone,” she said to attendees. “It is OK to go talk to a therapist or a licensed clinician of some sort. They’re able to give you a new perspective, because it’s all really about renewing our minds, making sure that we’re rejuvenated.”

Mrs. Jefferson said she wrote the book “specifically for events like this,” places where Black women can gather to talk honestly about healing, mental health, and “all of the factors that we have to deal with as we work on being better versions of ourselves.”

Leigh Miller said she left thinking more deeply about self‑care, and learning from the legacy of others not to continue a history in which many Black women felt obligated to run themselves down.

“Sometimes you can see what a person does — or hasn’t done — to make a difference in your own life,” Ms. Miller said.

In the author’s interviews, she started noticing a generational turn where younger women speak openly about anxiety and depression, even encouraging their mother to take better care of themselves.

Ms. Miller’s daughter, Kenia Quinn, 35, said younger women are trying to release the old script of endless strength.

“With my age group, it’s becoming more common that we’re taking into consideration self care, just being okay with saying I’m tired, not really looking at being strong as a badge of honor,” Ms. Quinn said.

Ashley Benson, who serves on the Greater Toledo board of National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, said she came to support a fellow Black woman working in that space but walked out with more.

“Mental health is really important to me; I champion mental health,” she said. “And as a Black woman, I’ve just begun to notice as I’ve gotten older that the more I pay attention to my mental health, the better I feel, and the better I can do things in my environment, support my community, support my family.”

Ohio’s attorney general has said county officials cannot direct Lucas County’s treasurer to halt new investments in foreign bonds — namely Israeli bonds.

In the opinion issued Friday, Attorney General Dave Yost said that “county investment decisions must not be driven by ideology, and an economic justification must not be offered as a pretext” for decisions.

In August, Lucas County’s investment advisory committee voted 3-2 to halt all future investments in foreign countries. The county holds $6 million in foreign bonds: $5 million issued by Israel, which make up 1 percent of the investment portfolio and mature in December, and a $1 million bond from Canada purchased in March.

Commissioner Pete Gerken, who initiated the push against the bonds, said the opinion’s timing was “highly ironic.” Mr. Yost announced on Thursday that he would be leaving his position as attorney general to lead a conservative legal group’s strategic research division.

“It’s interesting that on his last day in office, as he departs to be lead counsel at a right-wing, conservative, Christian think tank; [Mr. Yost] has chosen to opine on a political issue that the state started in 2017 with this code,” Mr. Gerken said. Mr. Yost has said he will leave his post as attorney general on June 7; a spokesman for his office declined to comment.

Treasurer Lindsay Webb pushed back against letting the bonds expire when they come due, previously saying she believes it violates state law and breaches her duty to manage investments based on financial conditions and returns. 

Ohio law prohibits county officials from making investment decisions “with the primary purpose of influencing any environmental, social, personal, or ideological policy.”

“I can’t look at the investments of the county through the lens of political concerns. My responsibility is to look at yields, and safety, and liquidity,” Ms. Webb previously told the committee.

The attorney general’s opinion said that without economic justification, prohibiting further investment in Israeli bonds after their expiration would resemble a boycott and thus be illegal.

Ms. Webb said Mr. Yost’s opinion offers some clarity for her office but said she will not be making any decision on reinvesting the Israeli bonds until they’re due in December.

“The [opinion] clarifies that investment restrictions must be supported by a bona fide economic rationale tided to the best and safest return of county funds,” Ms. Webb said on Friday.

Mr. Gerken initially introduced a motion to direct Ms. Webb not to renew the bonds after their maturity date but was told by legal counsel that the committee cannot advise on specific investments. 

Mr. Gerken, after discussion, then reintroduced a new motion “to not reinvest in any foreign nation investments upon the maturity of the investment.”

He took his stand at the August meeting “given the past two years’ actions by the Israeli government that is now engaged in a full-blown genocide, starvation tactics by design, and policies of violence, oppression, and displacement,” Mr. Gerken said.

“This is where our money is going, and even though it’s a penny or two in our investment, it’s still the idea our money is being invested in,” he continued.

Commissioner Anita Lopez and Lucas County Clerk of Courts J. Bernie Quilter voted with Mr. Gerken in favor of the policy. Commissioner Lisa Sobecki and Ms. Webb voted against. A spokesman for the Lucas County commissioners declined comment.

Mr. Gerken said he believes the opinion still gives the advisory committee great latitude to influence the investments, and said he plans to review with legal counsel before making a decision in December.

Both the meeting in August and the meeting in November were heavily attended by activists, who expressed concerns about Israel’s actions against Palestinians during the ongoing war in Gaza and about anti-Semitism.

The city of Oregon is expected to name a local official with economic development experience the city’s new administrator.

Oregon city council will consider hiring Brodin L. Walters, the city of Perrysburg’s planning, zoning, and economic development administrator, at its regular meeting on Monday, Mayor Steven Salander said.

At a council meeting on Nov. 25, Oregon Administrator Joel Mazur announced his resignation, effective Jan. 31, to take care of personal matters.

Mr. Walters was one of 13 candidates to fill the vacancy.

A committee consisting of Councilmen Beth Ackerman, Kathy Pollauf, and Paul Gibbs, the mayor, Public Service Director and Acting Administrator Paul Roman, Finance Director Nick Roman, Fire Chief Clayton O’Brien, and Assistant Police Chief Ryan Spangler conducted interviews of the top candidates.

The mayor said Mr. Walters appealed to him because of his economic development experience.

“I liked his background in economic development, and that his philosophy and leadership style are people-centered. Those are things that were excellent traits,” Mr. Salander said.

Paul Roman said he felt confident in choosing Mr. Walters.

“He had very good references,” he said. “People that I knew well made me feel good about him as a person — and his ability.”

Mrs. Ackerman said she was drawn to Mr. Walter’s personnel management skills.

“There are a lot of different facets to the job. I wanted someone who would be able to handle staff, the public, grant writing, economic development, and have an understanding of how to deal with different personalities while representing our city. Pretty much all of us on the committee liked Mr. Walters,” Mrs. Ackerman said

“Ultimately, the administrator has to work closely with the mayor,” she added. “They have to click. I thought Mr. Walters seemed pretty well-rounded.”

She was grateful for the opportunity to be on the committee to participate in the decision-making process.

“We had a pretty good cross-section of people. I appreciated being able to ask questions, and get a good idea of what they were about. That hasn’t been the practice in the past,” she said.

If approved by council, Mr. Walters will be responsible to the mayor and council for the direction and supervision of all service and safety departments, preparation and implementation of operational and capital budgets, supervision of human resource practices, and economic development initiatives. He will oversee about 280 full and part-time employees and a $95 million budget.

Among the issues Mr. Walters will face include a proposed data center, which has had some opposition, and the continued development of the town center.

“I’m really grateful to be considered,” said Mr. Walters, “and even more grateful to be selected.”

Mr. Walters, who lives in Whitehouse, has been planning, zoning and economic development administrator in Perrysburg for the last 18 years.

He applied for the job in Oregon for various reasons, he said.

“Oregon stood out to me because of its size and potential of what it has. It’s a fairly young city, with a population under 20,000,” said Mr. Walters, 41. “It seems like it’s oozing with possibilities. It’s an exciting time to be there.”

Perrysburg, which has a population of about 25,000, is not that different from Oregon, he said.

“It is familiar, it feels comfortable. It’s a close-knit residential community. But the other side of the coin is that Oregon has some of the more aggressive, industrial-type uses as well,” he said.

The public support and energy in the city also appealed to him.

“One of the things that stood out to me during the interview process is the support the people feel for the city. They’re real cheerleaders. The energy and enthusiasm came through crystal clear. That’s what you want. That doesn’t happen in every community,” he said.

Mr. Walters, if approved by council, would start his job May 26. He will be paid $160,000 annually.

The city of Toledo is preparing to award a contract for the excavation and removal of the city’s spent lime from lagoons, and one council member is hoping to avoid a repeat of last summer.

The city’s administration is asking council to allow the mayor to accept bids and award a two-year contract with a one-year renewal option for the removal, hauling, and beneficial reuse of spent lime produced at the Collins Park Water Treatment Plant. The contract would cost the city $5.5 million annually.

Councilman Adam Martinez said he wants to ensure whoever receives the contract is properly disposing of the material and complying with Ohio Environmental Protection Agency guidelines after a previous contractor became embroiled in a zoning dispute tied to disposal practices on Angola Road.

The Collins Park Water Treatment Plant produces approximately 50,000 dry tons of spent lime annually. Spent lime is a byproduct of the water treatment process.

“Through the past years, approximately 88 percent of [spent lime] is new material being removed, and about 12 percent is legacy material,” said Andy McClure, the commissioner of plant operations for Toledo. “So we’re getting ahead a little bit but very slowly. It would take until about 2086 at this rate, if we keep up at this pace, to completely clean the lagoon.”

Sylvania-based company Rocky Ridge Development LLC formerly disposed of the city’s spent lime.

The company became the subject of controversy last summer when it was discovered that it was excavating and removing materials from a site on Angola Road, which is considered mining under the Toledo Municipal Code. The site was not zoned appropriately for mining activities.

The company was filling in the holes at the Angola Road site with spent lime from the Collins Park Water Treatment Plant.

The ordinance in front of council does not state who the contract will be awarded to, but according to Planet Bids, a third-party site that the city uses to post bid opportunities, there were three preliminary bid results for portions of the work.

Rocky Ridge Development submitted a bid at $12,048.88. B.C.A. Express & Bowers Farms, in Genoa, Ohio, bid $50,064.65. Pohlkat LLC, in Piqua, Ohio, submitted a bid at $100,049.29.

Mr. Martinez said he wants to ensure that whoever wins the bid is working with the Ohio EPA to make sure the byproduct is applied appropriately for agricultural use and disposed of properly.

“Part of our due diligence is to ensure that operationally they have capacity to actually dispose of the [spent] lime in an appropriate manner,” Mr. Martinez said.

The District 2 councilman also questioned the timeline surrounding the bidding process. The city began accepting bids on Nov. 14, with bids due on Dec. 9. The city did not submit an ordinance to council that would allow it to award a contract until now.

“I understand there is some in-house review and stuff like that, but it shouldn’t take several months to do this,” Mr. Martinez said, noting that during the time the city was reviewing the bids, it was in active litigation with one of the vendors.

After the Toledo Board of Zoning Appeals decided in September to uphold a notice of noncompliance posted at the Angola Road site, the company filed an appeal in Lucas County Common Pleas Court, calling the notice “unconstitutional.”

Judge Michael Goulding partially reversed the board’s decision, ruling that mining activities are not permitted at the Angola Road property, but the company is able to import materials to the site.

“Did that [litigation] impact the decision-making process?” Mr. Martinez asked. “Did the city hold [the contract award] because of that? Because they wanted to give them a fair shake? I’m trying to understand the rationale.”

Mr. Martinez also wants to ensure that the contract includes language allowing the city to cancel it if the awardee commits violations.

“If whomever gets this [contract] can’t manage it properly or starts doing something outside the Ohio EPA guidelines, do we have the opportunity to cancel this contract?” he asked. “What I’m really trying to avoid is another Angola Road fiasco whether it’s in Toledo or a different community.”

Mr. Martinez recommended that the proposed ordinance receive a first reading at council’s May 12 meeting.

Mr. McClure said if the city is unable to award a contract this year for spent lime removal from the lagoons, the city would lose about eight years of progress.

“What I’m hoping that we learned from previous experience is that this is a real problem that we have in the city of Toledo,” Mr. Martinez said. “We need a real solution with real partners, that’s going to take this as seriously as we do.”

Separate projects that closed two Toledo streets Friday morning will continue for varying periods, the Toledo Department of Transportation announced.

Rocksberry Avenue will be closed for roadway reconstruction and storm sewer work between Copland Boulevard and Stengel Avenue until July 6.

Burbank Drive will be closed for utility work between Hartwell and Hawkins avenues through Tuesday.

No detour route is posted for either closing.

Blade photographers head out every day to capture the triumphs, tragedies, and oddities of life in Lucas County and beyond.

Click the image above and the arrows on the left and right to view the full gallery.

Voices from Toledo’s Asian American Community, an event in recognition of Asian-American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month, takes place Saturday at the Main Library in downtown Toledo.

Eight local Asian-American community leaders will reflect on their lives in northwest Ohio and “the many ways Asian American communities contribute to the region’s cultural fabric,” organizers said.

Speakers include Mely Arribas-Douglas, a specialist at Welcome TLC; Sam Chang, president and co-founder of Midstory; Nina Corder, executive director of Women of Toledo; Lisa Hanasono, communications professor at Bowling Green State University; Dr. Amjad Hussain, cardiothoracic surgeon and UT professor emeritus; Justin Le, president of the Southview High School Asian Culture Club; Vandita Prasad, assistant principal of the Toledo PreMed and Health Sciences Academy; and Yulong Zhu, global casting engineer at Dana Inc.

The event is free, but registration at awareohio.org is recommended. 

The 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. program in the library’s Meeting Room 1 is sponsored by the BGSU Institute for the Study of Culture & Society, AWARE Ohio, and the Better Toledo program of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.

A 38-year-old gorilla at the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium has died, the zoo announced Thursday.

In a post on social media, the zoo said Johari, who was also known as Jo, had been in failing health because of advanced cardiac disease.

The condition was first discovered during an examination in 2025. Her condition was managed with medication and monitored through cardiac ultrasounds, zoo officials said.

“Our veterinary and mammal management teams also carefully tracked her overall health and daily well-being to ensure she remained comfortable and continued to have a high quality of life,” according to the post.

Her health declined over time as the disease progressed, the zoo said.

“This week, it became clear that her comfort could no longer be adequately sustained,” the zoo said. “After thoughtful consideration and out of deep compassion for her well-being, the humane decision was made to euthanize her.”

Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of a North Toledo man in connection with a homicide on April 28. 

Elmer L. Winters, 55, of the 3200 block of Maher St., has been charged with murder and felonious assault for the fatal shooting of Leon Oldham, 44, Toledo police said.

Mr. Oldham was found at 12:30 a.m. April 28 on the sidewalk in the 100 block of Bronson Avenue with at least one gunshot wound after police were dispatched to a report of a person shot.

Mr. Oldham was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police.

Anyone with information 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.

COLUMBUS — U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) will once again hold off a Republican challenger and continue in office as the longest-serving woman currently in Congress, Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Kathleen Clyde said Thursday.

Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex Triantafilou, however, predicted former state Rep. Derek Merrin will defeat Ms. Kaptur in the general election this fall.

The party leaders discussed the 9th congressional district race and other statewide contests during a panel discussion moderated by Holly Harris, executive vice president of advocacy for Arnold Ventures. 

“Republicans have come after Marcy Kaptur time and time again, and every time she defeats them,” Ms. Clyde said during the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Post-Primary Impact Ohio conference at the statehouse.

Ms. Kaptur faces Mr. Merrin after his victory in the five-way Republican primary contest. Ms. Clyde said Ms. Kaptur is a strong campaigner with a good record. 

“She’s been outspoken against Trump’s harmful tariffs that are hurting Ohio businesses and families,” Ms. Clyde said. “She is outspoken against this reckless war with Iran that has caused gas prices to be up hovering around $5 a gallon.”

Mr. Triantafilou said he’s confident that Mr. Merrin will beat Ms. Kaptur this time around.

“She’s been there forever, and delivered virtually nothing for her neighborhood,” Mr. Triantafilou said. “Is Toledo better off with Marcy Kaptur? The answer is no.”

The Ohio GOP chairman said the 9th congressional district is one of 13 districts nationwide in which both President Trump and a Democrat won in 2024. 

“Derek Merrin came out of that race in 2024 having barely lost,” he said, noting Mr. Merrin will work to grow the economy and protect the country.

“He is a much better voice — and is frankly a new voice — in D.C. for the issues that affect northwest Ohioans,” Mr. Triantafilou said. “I love our chances in that race. Derek is going to be super well-funded. He’s a very talented campaigner.” 

Turning to the race for governor, Mr. Triantafilou said Republican Vivek Ramaswamy is clearly a better option than Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton.

“I’ve known him since he was 17,” said Mr. Triantafilou, who is also from the Cincinnati area. “This is a guy who grew up in a middle-class family in Cincinnati, Ohio, who went off to do extraordinary things.”

He said Mr. Ramaswamy will bring a unique perspective to the statehouse.

“If you want somebody from the outside ... somebody who isn’t from this building, somebody who isn’t from this culture, to come here and apply those very same principles, ideas, and genius that it took to build these incredible businesses that have generated life-saving medications ... this is going to be your stark decision,” he said. 

Ms. Clyde said Dr. Acton understands what Ohioans are going through when they struggle with rising prices of everything from energy to groceries.

“She’s lived that experience herself. She came from a tough childhood, tough circumstances, and put herself through college and medical school,” Ms. Clyde said.

She said Dr. Acton also has unique bipartisan credentials, pointing to her service as director of the Ohio Department of Health under Republican Gov. Mike DeWine.

“That’s important to Ohio voters who want to see us work together to get things done,” Ms. Clyde said. 

“She is not focused on issues that are overly partisan,” Ms. Clyde continued. “She is focused on issues that matter here in Ohio — that’s lowering costs for Ohio families, that’s protecting our rights and our freedoms, and that’s doing everything she can to make communities thrive and turn our country and state back around.”

On the U.S. Senate race, Ms. Clyde said Sherrod Brown was successful in lowering costs for Ohioans during his previous tenure in the chamber and will continue to address affordability issues when he returns to office.

“He fought to restore Social Security benefits to Ohio workers. He capped Ohio seniors’ insulin costs,” she said. “He expanded health care coverage for veterans who were exposed to toxic burn pits.” 

Mr. Triantafilou said U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) will win the race to finish out the unexpired term of JD Vance, who left office to become vice president, because he is disciplined and intelligent.

“He understands the contours of what this state needs as well as anyone that’s ever been to Washington,” Mr. Triantafilou said, pointing to Mr. Husted’s experience in the Ohio General Assembly and as secretary of state and lieutenant governor. 

Wilmot Street in East Toledo could soon receive an honorary dedication for Kei’mani Latigue.

On Thursday, Toledo’s Board of Honor met to discuss several honorary designations, including one that would ceremoniously dedicate Wilmot Street to of Kei’mani, who was found dead in a burned-out home on Miami Street last year.

In a majority vote, the board recommended that Toledo City Council approve the honorary sign. The only member opposed was Gary Stookey, representing the city’s department of transportation, who questioned her contributions to society. One of the qualifications for an honorary street sign includes that such contributions must be made by the honoree.

The decision now goes to council. If approved, it would not rename Wilmot Street, but a separate placard would accompany the official street name.

East Toledoan Ronsha Allison spearheaded the effort for the honorary street name. She is not related to Kei’mani, but after hearing what happened to the child, she wanted to get involved with memorializing her.

“I live on the east side, and [her story] just touched my heart,” she said.

She chose Wilmot Street, as opposed to Miami Street where the body was found, because the community already has a memorial established on Wilmot Street.

Darnell Jones, Kei’mani’s father, is charged with capital murder and other counts for her death. He appeared Wednesday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court for a pretrial conference during which the status of evidence discovery and upcoming filing deadlines were discussed.

Jones’ ongoing medical care was then discussed in Judge Michael Goulding’s chambers. Jones has made all of his court appearances in a wheelchair after being shot during his arrest by Columbus police.

His next court appearance is scheduled for May 27, when Judge Goulding is to hear arguments regarding a defense motion to suppress statements Jones gave to police that his lawyers say were obtained in violation of his constitutional rights.

A hearing regarding a defense motion seeking a declaration that Jones had a “serious mental illness” at the time of Kei’mani’s death is scheduled for Aug. 17, while his trial is scheduled to start Oct. 19.

Ms. Allison said she hopes council approves the honorary street sign so it can serve as a reminder for other children that their “life can be taken from them.”

The Board of Honor also unanimously recommended for approval a street sign in honor of Vernon Liddell, the previous owner of Liddell’s Barber Shop. The honorary sign will be at the corner of Junction and Indiana avenues. The recommendation now goes to council.

The board decided to defer for 30 days acting on a request to remove the honorary street sign dedicated to Msgr. Jerome Schmit Way near Fifth Third Field.

The effort to remove the sign is spearheaded by Claudia Vercellotti, with the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, and Lee Pahl, nephew of Sister Margaret Ann Pahl.

On April 5, 1980, Sister Margaret Ann was murdered by Father Gerald Robinson while she was preparing the chapel for Easter Sunday. Robinson wasn’t convicted of the murder until 2006, but in 2002, an honorary sign was dedicated to Msgr. Schmit.

Ms. Vercellotti and Mr. Pahl accused Msgr. Schmit of using his power and influence as a Toledo Catholic Diocesan priest to obstruct the investigation into Sister Margaret Ann’s death.

Tom Antonini, general counsel for the Diocese of Toledo, argued against removing the sign, saying, “No competent authority has ever suggested that Monsignor Schmit engaged in any wrongdoing or otherwise acted inappropriately,” later adding that the accusations were “based on supposition, with no basis in fact.”

The board deferred making a recommendation for 30 days to give members more time to review information.

Staff writer David Patch contributed to this report.

COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost will resign from office on June 7 to join the Alliance Defending Freedom, Mr. Yost announced Thursday.

“This is a moment of unprecedented change and uncertainty, and the stakes for our foundational freedoms could not be higher,” Mr. Yost said.

“ADF isn’t just responding to these threats — it’s leading the charge,” he continued. “I’ve been passionate about religious liberty, free speech, parental rights, and human dignity for a long time, and to now bring my legal and advocacy skills to bear alongside the best constitutional lawyers in the world is an extraordinary opportunity. I’m honored to join this renowned organization.”

Mr. Yost will serve as vice president of strategic research for the conservative legal organization. 

Kristen Waggoner, president and CEO of the Alliance Defending Freedom, said her organization is honored to welcome Mr. Yost.

“General Yost is a proven, bold advocate of First Amendment freedoms who brings decades of government, policy, and litigation experience to the fight for truth — in the courtroom and the public square,” Ms. Waggoner said.

“As censorship accelerates and God-given rights face unprecedented attack, ADF is advancing on new fronts, and we are fortunate to have a leader of General Yost’s stature and conviction standing with us,” she continued. “He doesn’t just understand these issues — he has spent his career fighting for them.”

Gov. Mike DeWine said he is grateful for Mr. Yost’s long career in public service, and wished him the best in his next endeavor.

“Having served as Ohio attorney general, I know how important this office is and the great work done by its employees,” Mr. DeWine said. “I will give the appointment of someone to serve as attorney general thoughtful and deliberate consideration.”

Some of Ohio’s Republican candidates for statewide executive office could end up running as incumbents depending upon whom the governor selects, panelists for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Post-Primary Impact Ohio conference said.

Matt Dole, a communications consultant who is currently working for Auditor of State Keith Faber’s campaign for Ohio attorney general, said it is possible that Gov. Mike DeWine would appoint Mr. Faber as attorney general to fill the position. However, that would leave the auditor position open. 

After Tuesday’s primaries, Mr. Faber is the Republican nominee for Ohio attorney general, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is the Republican nominee for Ohio auditor, and Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague is the Republican nominee for Ohio secretary of state. Former state Rep. Jay Edwards is the Republican nominee for Ohio treasurer. 

“There are lots of people this morning gaming out possible solutions,” Mr. Dole said, noting the governor basically has three options.

“[One is] the musical chairs option, where everybody gets moved to the position that they are now running for, and Jay gets the treasurership,” he said. “I think you could see a possibility where one or two folks move, and then placeholders are placed elsewhere. And of course, you can just do a placeholder going into the attorney general’s office for six months.” 

Others discussing the issue were Republican consultant Bryan Gray of Big Dog Strategies and Democratic consultant Joe Rettof of RT Advisors.

Mr. Gray said the governor will probably appoint a placeholder to serve out the rest of Mr. Yost’s term.

“Option three is probably the most likely, just gaming out how people in the past have acted in these types of situations,” he said.

Mr. Rettof predicted Mr. DeWine would choose the musical chairs option but didn’t elaborate on why. 

Mr. Yost, who is currently serving out the last year of his final term in office as Ohio attorney general, briefly ran for governor before dropping out in May, 2025, after the Ohio Republican Party endorsed biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. 

Before being elected as Ohio attorney general, Mr. Yost served two terms as Ohio auditor. Prior to that, he served terms as prosecutor and auditor in Delaware County. 

Editor’s note: Joseph Molnar’s family has been located.

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding relatives of a man who recently died.

Joseph Molnar, 53, died in an emergency room on Saturday, the coroner said.

Anyone who can connect officials with Mr. Molnar’s relatives is asked to call the coroner’s office at 419-213-3900.

LAKESIDE, Ohio — Manure was such a theme at this year’s annual Lake Erie Waterkeeper conference that founder Sandy Bihn titled the event itself a “manure conference.”

The longtime activist wants the public to make a distinction between animal excrement and commercially manufactured fertilizer.

Both are used as fertilizer, but usage of the former is on the rise and usage of the latter is on the decline.

Ms. Bihn believes the confusion has been deliberate, to deflect attention away from the tons of waste generated by cows, chickens, and hogs at industrial-scale livestock operations.

“In Ohio, we call it the Lake Erie manure cover-up,” she wrote in the opening paragraph of her conference agenda.

The manure conference was Wednesday inside Orchestra Hall, a historic building near the Lake Erie shoreline in Lakeside, Ohio.

It offered a look at how manure is managed well beyond northwest Ohio.

Dwight Dotterer, Maryland Department of Agriculture nutrient management program manager, talked about how Maryland addresses it.

Speakers from Iowa, Oklahoma, the eight-state Chesapeake Bay region, and Indiana talked about how manure is managed in their respective areas, as well.

“We think we have the most restrictive program in the country,” Mr. Dotterer said.

He cited strict adherence to management plans, a moratorium on manure application from Dec. 15 to March 1, and a statewide policy of injecting manure underground instead of across surfaces of crop fields as some of the reasons.

“It’s nice to know somebody is achieving reductions in manure in a responsible way,” Ms. Bihn said.

Much of the northwest Ohio discussion was focused on a network near the Ohio-Indiana-Michigan borders known as Schmucker Farms and one of the region’s newest facilities, Seneca Poultry near Tiffin.

Schmucker Farms has thousands of animals, but most of its facilities keep numbers below the threshold of classification as concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, which are subject to higher permitting requirements.

Susan Catterall, a Hamilton, Ind., activist, gave her perception of Indiana’s situation in Steuben County, which is adjacent to Ohio’s Williams County. She said she gets “disheartened and discouraged” by a lack of response to water quality tests she does in her area.

Williams County resident Tim Bricker said there are simply “too many animals, too much manure, and not enough land.”

“What’s going on here is beyond anything anyone thought could happen in the Lake Erie watershed,” Ms. Bihn said.

Meghan Harshbarger, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency chief communications officer, said that agency “has no outstanding environmental violations with Seneca Poultry or any Schmucker facility.”

“However,” she added, “a court-ordered civil penalty of $72,500 issued to a Williams County property owner, combined between Ohio EPA and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, has not been paid.”

Jennifer Jarrell, Ohio Department of Agriculture chief communications officer, said her agency has four outstanding violations involving a Schmucker owned or operated facility in northwest Ohio.

It has no outstanding violations involving Seneca Poultry, she said.

Seneca Poultry is a CAFO because it has 120,000 chickens. The cutoff for that classification is 82,000.

Rachel Hemminger, a Seneca Poultry neighbor, reiterated many of the concerns she and others raised about the facility when it was in the process of obtaining its operating permit. Those include its close proximity to the Sandusky River and a former Tiffin landfill.

She said opponents tried to convince the ODA that the project was sited in a “uniquely sensitive” area. She and others are now working with Ohio Sen. Bill Reinke (R., Tiffin) on legislation that would give local units of government more control in such issues, Ms. Hemminger said.

John Bolte, Seneca Poultry managing partner, said that facility has “been fully stocked since the end of January” and is in compliance with state law.

“We have done everything that any agency from the State of Ohio has asked us and we have always allowed them on site as requested,” he said.

Harper Stiles, a soon-to-be graduate of Whitmer High School, said he had been feeling more and more lost the closer he got to the end of his senior year.

“I had no sense of direction or purpose,” Mr. Stiles said. “I have always thought about working in a field where I can use my hands. I heard about the 5th Year program and decided to apply for it.”

Now Mr. Stiles said he cannot wait to begin in the program this fall.

“I get the chance to live on my own and have some independence,” he said. “I can explore the trades and college at the same time.”

On Thursday, Junior Achievement of Northwest Ohio celebrated the 19 graduates of its 2026 5th Year program. It also welcomed 50 new students for the 2026-27 academic year.

The JA Momentum Breakfast, held at the Glass City Center, brought together business leaders, educators, policymakers, and community partners to highlight the growing impact of the 5th Year program across northwest Ohio.

Dean Monske, president and CEO of the Regional Growth Partnership, said the 5th Year program has proven its value in the past two years.

“We need everyone who wants to be in the work force to be in it,” Mr. Monske said. “This program helps us do that. I have a vision that this program will be larger than it is. It is something that can be replicated across the country.”

State Rep. Josh Williams (R., Sylvania Township) called the event a celebration of “courage, growth, and resilience.”

“This moment is uniquely powerful,” Mr. Williams said to the graduates. “You had the wisdom to invest in yourself. Your life story is still being written, and you are the authors of your stories. You are stepping into adulthood with wisdom. Your future is waiting for you. Now go and build it.”

Jim Pollock, president of Junior Achievement of Northwestern Ohio and 5th Year founder, said the organization learned a lot with its second year of the program.

“We have had moments that we had to adjust to,” Mr. Pollock said. “Every challenge has made the program stronger.”

In its first two years, 5th Year was housed at Lourdes University in Sylvania. Lourdes announced its closure in February. The program will now be held at the University of Toledo.

“I just want to thank Lourdes,” he said. “The program would not have grown like it has without them.”

Mr. Pollock said the new class will have a great experience being at UT.

“When Lourdes closed, UT stepped up in a big way,” Mr. Pollock said. “UT will be an incredible partner. UT and JA will both benefit from this. Our partnership with UT and the campus experience for our students will be better.”

Mr. Pollock said the program currently has students from 18 high schools in the area including Whitmer, Clay, Waite, Evergreen, Genoa, Ottawa Hills, Maumee, Lake, Otsego, and both Northview and Southview High Schools.

The students will live in Parks Tower at UT for nine months. They will earn money through paid internships and program-related work. Financial assistance will also be available.

Students pay some of their expenses for the program. They will learn to budget, save, and live on less than they make, Mr. Pollock said. Throughout the week, students will participate in several programs including critical thinking, financial literacy, communication, and job searching skills.

Sophia Combs said when she graduated from Lake High School and Penta Career Center in 2025, she had thought about becoming a veterinary technician, but she was unsure.

Now, after taking part in the 5th Year program, she will attend Stautzenberger College in the fall to continue her vet tech education. Ms. Combs said she will continue working at Whitehouse Animal Hospital for the near future.

“I am sad to be leaving this program, but I am excited as well,” Ms. Combs said. “I learned so much about myself and the field, and I cannot thank 5th Year enough.”

Mr. Pollock said he designed the program as a “launch year” rather than a gap year.

Rachel Gardner, Mr. Stiles’ mother, said she was thrilled to hear that.

“The more I learned about the program, the more excited I was about it,” Ms. Gardner said. “He originally wanted a gap year, but this program is a great fit for him. Now he can explore the trades and learn what being at a university is about. It is a gap year with personal growth which is so cool.”

Applications are still being taken until May 15. For more information, go to my5thyear.com.

One of three men charged with a teenage boy’s shooting death last summer pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to involuntary manslaughter and two other charges.

Robert Dorr, Jr., 25, of the 1700 block of Berkshire Place, faces up to 25 years in prison when sentenced in Lucas County Common Pleas Court by Judge Eric Allen Marks.

Police responding to the 5800 block of Dixon Avenue, near Alexis Road, just before sunrise June 22 found Darius Washington, 17, with multiple gunshot wounds. He died shortly thereafter in ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

Indicted in September for murder, Dorr pleaded guilty to an included lesser count of first-degree involuntary manslaughter and an attached firearm specification. He also pleaded guilty to second-degree robbery and third-degree tampering with evidence.

Dorr had been scheduled for a bench trial starting Tuesday.

He made no statement Thursday before Judge Marks, who ordered a pre-sentence report in time for a May 19 sentencing, where prosecutors will dismiss counts of first-degree aggravated robbery and third-degree grand theft involving a firearm as part of the plea bargain.

Charges are still pending in the case against Pete A. Wheatley, Jr., 20, of the 1900 block of Chase Street, and Gage M. Bearden, 20, of the 5500 block of West Alexis.

Mr. Bearden is scheduled to appear Monday before Judge Marks for a pre-trial conference. He also is charged with improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle in a separate case.

Mr. Wheatley’s next court appearance is scheduled for June 22. He has a trial date scheduled for July 20, whereas Mr. Bearden is not yet scheduled for trial.