A second defendant in a botched robbery last year that ended with one of the robbers fatally shot has pleaded out to involuntary manslaughter and other charges.

Gage Bearden, 20, of the 5000 block of West Alexis Road, immediately received a 24-year prison sentence Monday from Judge Eric Allen Marks after entering Alford pleas in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to the charges. His charges also included robbery and grand theft of a firearm.

Robert Dorr, Jr., 25, received a matching 24-year sentence in May for guilty pleas in the June 22, 2025, incident in which Darius Washington, Dorr’s 17-year-old nephew, was shot multiple times by a man from whom the robbers intended to steal a gun during a party at a house in the 5800 block of Dixon Road.

Both Dorr and Bearden received 10-year sentences for involuntary manslaughter from Judge Marks, plus three years for an attached firearm specification and eight years for robbery. The remaining three years in Dorr’s sentence were for tampering with evidence, while Bearden’s final charge was for grand theft of a firearm.

Under the Alford plea, Bearden denied guilt but accepted reduced charges to avoid a more severe punishment if convicted by a jury of murder for young Washington’s death.

Murder and aggravated robbery charges remain pending in the case against Pete Wheatley, Jr., 20, of the 1900 block of Chase Street, whose next court appearance is scheduled for July 20. Bearden had been scheduled for trial July 27.

As part of his plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop a separate gun case against Bearden as well as not to file other charges in a third, unrelated criminal case that was pending.

A Toledo man has been indicted for felony leaving the scene of an accident and misdemeanor vehicular homicide for a fatal crash Christmas night that killed a pedestrian.

A police investigation of the crash at Woodruff and Forest avenues that killed Tiara Moore, 44, identified Adarius Johnson, 25, of the 2500 block of Schroeder Street, as the driver of the car that hit her.

The Lucas County grand jury on Wednesday indicted Mr. Johnson for third-degree leaving the scene plus three misdemeanors: the homicide charge for Ms. Moore’s death and two counts of leaving the scene of a property-damage accident for two parked vehicles that also were struck.

The hit-skip car, a Kia Optima, was westbound on Woodruff at Forest at 8:43 p.m. when it hit Ms. Moore, who was crossing Woodruff from north to south, a police report said. Ms. Moore died at about 4 the next morning at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.

The car then hit the two parked cars and continued west past Detroit Avenue before being abandoned at Woodruff and Smead avenues.

Mr. Johnson’s case has been assigned in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to Judge Eric Allen Marks. A summons shows his arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 3.

Police said four people in all fled the car after it stopped at Woodruff and Smead.

Two passengers, Jessie Dickey, 29, and Diamond Dickey, 25, were charged later that evening with misdemeanors for uncooperative responses to the police crash investigation.

Jessie Dickey pleaded no contest to fourth-degree failure to disclose personal information, and then that charge was dismissed after participation in a diversion program. A first-degree charge of making a false statement to police is pending against Diamond Dickey, for whom a bench arrest warrant was issued after a missed court appearance on May 21.

A third passenger has not been charged. The Optima belonged to Dameshia Dickey, of the 1000 block of Mackow Drive, who was not present during the incident.

The University of Toledo will bring educators together to discuss how to best integrate artificial intelligence into classrooms ranging from preschools to universities in a daylong seminar July 30.

UT’s THInC Forum: Education in the Era of AI runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., in the Thompson Student Union Ingman Room, the university said. 

The event will feature hands-on workshops, collaborative sessions, and networking opportunities, the university said. 

“Educators need practical AI literacy to prepare students for an increasingly AI-enabled world,” said Dr. Michael Toland, a professor of education and director of the Herb Innovation Center.

Continuing education credit can be earned for the conference. To register and for more information, go to utoledo.edu. 

BOWLING GREEN — Resident Rick Netz wants U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) to be re-elected in November.

He credits the policies the senator backs for the perceived strength of the state and national economies.

“He’s been a straightforward, honest guy,” Mr. Netz said. “He’s from Northwestern Ohio, too.”

The 75-year-old Bowling Green resident was one of about 60 people who attended Mr. Husted’s campaign rally Thursday at Mr. Spots, a restaurant in downtown Bowling Green.

Mr. Husted is running against former Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. 

Mr. Netz said he supports Ohio’s junior senator because under his leadership, “we’ve had success in this state like no other, as the fastest growing business state in the Midwest,” noting that CNBC ranked Ohio as America’s top state for business in 2026 earlier in the day.

About 60 people attended the event, sitting at tables facing campaign signs supporting the candidate.

During his 20-minute speech, Mr. Husted blamed Mr. Brown for contributing to high health-care costs, rising electric bills, “defunding” border security and police, and “exporting all of our jobs to China.”

“It absolutely matters who you elect in your local elections, in your state elections, in your federal elections,” Mr. Husted said. “It all matters because if you get the right people in there, they can make the change to put your community, your state, and your nation in a better shape.”

The wrong people would “move in the other direction,” he added. “And that’s what Sherrod Brown has done for our country in the last 32 years.”

Mr. Brown was first elected to public office in 1974, when he was elected to the Ohio House of Representatives.

Patrick Eisenhauer, the campaign manager for Mr. Brown’s 2026 U.S. Senate campaign in Ohio, responded by issuing a statement.

“Jon Husted helps corporations and billionaires, even when it hurts Ohioans — whether it’s taking $116,000 from an Epstein co-conspirator, telling struggling families they are not ‘experienced at navigating the real world,’ or voting to support an endless war in the Middle East that is raising gas and diesel prices across the state,” Mr. Eisenhauer said. “Ohioans are fed up and ready to hold him accountable this November.”

During the 60-minute rally, half a dozen people protested on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.

One of them, Debbie Dalke of Bowling Green, said she came to protest because “Senator Husted makes almost $320,000 a year and expects taxpayers to cover his health insurance while his votes caused over 150,000 Ohioans to lose theirs.”

As she spoke, the retired psychology professor held up a sign that said just that. 

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

● John Leveck, 47, of the 300 block of River Place, who died July 3 at a local hospital.

● Barney Michael Daniels, 73, who died Tuesday in his home in the 3700 block of Monroe Street.

● Russell Zeltner, 69, who died Tuesday in the bedroom of his home in the 5400 block of Rowland Road.

● Anthony Robert McCauley, 79, who died Wednesday in his apartment in the 1000 block of North Huron Street. 

Anyone who can connect officials with relatives of one of the listed individuals can call the coroner’s office at 419-213-3900.

BOWLING GREEN — A former member of the Wood County Fair Board received a maximum 17-year prison term Thursday from a Wood County judge for sexually preying on several 4-H participants.

Before pronouncing his sentence for Brock Abke, 31, of Troy Township, common pleas Judge Joel Kuhlman said, “we’re probably very lucky” that victims reported the abuse before “the level of engagement with these victims increased to something physical.”

Rather than being invisible people on the internet, the victims Abke plied with money, vapes, and alcohol were youth he met through his position of authority with the fair board and specifically targeted by building trust with them before persuading them to send him nude photographs, the judge said, citing a pre-sentencing report.

Abke also used his relationship with the first victim to identify and groom two more, Judge Kuhlman said.

Abke had pleaded guilty May 13 to two counts each of second-degree and fourth-degree pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor, plus fifth-degree grooming and two counts of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

The fourth-degree pandering counts were merged with the second-degree counts for sentencing. Judge Kuhlman gave maximum, consecutive eight-year terms for the pandering counts and a maximum 12 months for the grooming counts. The 180 days for each of the misdemeanors are, by law, concurrent to the felony sentences.

Abke could be kept in prison for up to four additional years if he misbehaves while incarcerated. He will have five years’ parole after release and must register as a Tier 2 sex offender for 25 years after release.

With at least one victim and relatives in the gallery, Abke told the court he was “truly sorry for my actions” and had taken “full responsibility for the choices I made.”

The loss of his job and social relationships had been painful, he said, but “I understand they are the result of my own choices.”

He and defense lawyer Aaron Schwartz asked the judge for a probation sentence, with Abke saying that would allow him “to continue my counseling, pursue employment, and begin rebuilding my life under the court’s supervision.”

“If the court’s ever going to take a gamble on something like this,” Abke would be the proper candidate, Mr. Schwartz said.

But Brian Boos, an assistant Wood County prosecutor handling the case, said that would be a “gamble with public safety” that should not be taken.

And one of the victims, who met Abke at age 13 and is now 17, said in a statement read to the court by Toledo lawyer Christopher Zografides that Abke deserved a maximum term.

“I feel like I have to hide who I am to avoid being judged,” the victim wrote in part while noting the experience has caused him to abandon his prior passion for showing livestock at agricultural fairs.

Abke, he said, “deserves to wake up every morning and think about why he is where he is” and live in shame for his actions.

Addressing the court directly, the boy’s mother added that she feels guilt herself “that I should have seen the warning signs” in her son’s relationship with Abke, which she said became manipulative and coercive once trust was established.

She also asked for restitution for the cost of her son’s ongoing counseling, although Mr. Boos later said prosecutors would not submit such a request.

After serving as the interim Washington Township police chief for less than a month, Eric Hart is expected to be fully appointed to the position on Tuesday, township officials said.

The Washington Township Board of Trustees will meet to appoint interim Chief Hart to the permanent position, where he will take his oath of office. Mr. Hart has been the interim chief since June 15.

Mr. Hart has lived in the township his whole life, according to a news release, but his public safety career didn’t begin with law enforcement.

He joined the township’s fire department in 1983, later working for the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office where he attended the police academy.

He held various law enforcement positions before joining the Washington Township Police Department in 2011 as a part-time officer. He was promoted to full-time status in 2016 and appointed to deputy chief in 2021.

The Washington Township Board of Trustees will meet Tuesday at 2469 Shoreland Ave. in North Toledo at 6 p.m.

COLUMBUS — Ohio is the best state for doing business in the country, according to CNBC. 

The Buckeye State is number one overall in the network’s annual state business rankings — up from number five in 2025. 

Steve Stivers, president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said the ranking is a testament to years of thoughtful leadership and collaboration across the state.

“But rankings aren’t permanent — they’re earned every year. States that stop improving eventually fall behind,” Mr. Stivers said. “If Ohio wants to remain the best state for business, we can’t coast. We must continue to make smart, pro-growth policy decisions every day.”

Wendy Gramza, president and CEO of the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce, said the ranking is excellent news for employers and communities across Ohio.

“It reflects years of investment in work force, infrastructure, innovation, and economic development that have strengthened Ohio’s competitive position,” she said.

“For the Toledo region, it’s further evidence that our manufacturing base, logistics network, and collaborative business community are helping drive the state’s success,” Ms. Gramza said. “While we’re proud of this recognition, it’s also a reminder that we must continue investing in talent, infrastructure, and a competitive business climate to ensure Ohio remains a top destination for business for years to come.”

Gov. Mike DeWine attributed the ranking to hard-working individuals, strong communities, and leaders committed to creating opportunities.

“CNBC has independently confirmed what we have always known about Ohio — we are America’s top state for business,” Mr. DeWine said. “Ohio is outpacing every state in the nation because we have worked together to create a strong economy, pro-business environment, and a work force that is ready to innovate.”

Ranking details

Ohio received its number one overall ranking by scoring well on several metrics compared to other states. The Buckeye State ranked first in CNBC’s top-weighted metric — infrastructure. Ohio also ranked first in the cost of doing business. 

On other metrics, Ohio was ninth for the economy, ninth for access to capital, ninth for cost of living, 10th for technology and innovation, 16th for business friendliness, 18th for quality of life, 23rd for education, and 35th for work force. 

Rick Carfagna, senior vice president of government affairs for the Ohio Chamber, said CNBC’s metrics are invaluable for business leaders and policymakers.

“For example, work force continues to be a bit of a soft spot for Ohio,” he said, noting the state fell from 31st in 2025 to 35th in 2026.

He said Ohio’s high rankings in other categories show the state can improve in the work-force area.

“Let’s apply that same discipline to things like talent, educational attainment, and population growth,” Mr. Carfagna said. 

It’s important for business leaders and policymakers to understand that housing, child care, and transportation options are key work-force issues, he said.

“If you want to have a qualified, reliable work force for all of the tens of thousands of jobs coming to the state, Ohioans need the wherewithal to live in the vicinity of where they work,” Mr. Carfagna said.

“They need to have somebody who is available to watch their children and make it cost-effective for them to go back to work,” he said. “And they need transportation options — whether it’s public transit or just having an arterial system of highways.” 

State leaders weigh in

Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R., Lima) said legislation passed in the Ohio General Assembly over the last 15 years led to Ohio’s top ranking.

“Through responsible policies and investments — including the elimination of Ohio’s estate tax, flattening the personal income tax, business income deductions, regulatory reform, free market energy creation, substantial support for vocational training, tools for state and local economic development, and much more — we have continued to make Ohio the best place to live, work, raise a family, and do business,” Mr. Huffman said. 

Ohio Senate President Rob McColley (R., Napoleon), who is also running for lieutenant governor, said Ohio ranked 34th overall in 2010 — the most recent year a Democrat occupied the governor’s office. 

“Since then, Republican leadership’s commitment to drastically cutting taxes and eliminating regulatory tape has made Ohio a place where its businesses and citizens alike know they can grow and thrive,” Mr. McColley said. “And we’re not done yet.”

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy congratulated Ohio leaders for the accomplishment.

“It’s also worth noting that we surpassed states like Virginia and North Carolina over the last year which floundered due to anti-business policies from newly elected Democrat governors,” Mr. Ramaswamy said. “We cannot and will not let that happen in Ohio.”

North Carolina was ranked second overall in the rankings, followed by Virginia, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Indiana. 

Addie Bullock, spokesman for Democratic candidate Dr. Amy Acton, said Ohio’s working families are not feeling the benefits of the state’s top business ranking.

“Everyday Ohioans are struggling with high costs as our state continues to cater to corporations, billionaires, and special interests,” she said. 

“As governor, Dr. Acton will be laser-focused on lowering costs, positioning Ohio as a leading business destination, and ensuring hardworking Ohioans are the ones who benefit from our state’s success,” Ms. Bullock said.

Policy Matters Ohio Executive Director Hannah Halbert said the ranking doesn’t reflect the reality that the most common jobs in Ohio pay too little to get by. 

“Ohioans still struggle with unaffordable child care, gaps in health coverage, and wages that have not kept pace with inflation,” Ms. Halbert said. 

She said her organization agrees with the Ohio Chamber that child care is a work-force issue, but they disagree with proposals to further cut taxes.

“After 20 years, the benefits haven’t trickled down,” Ms. Halbert said. “Legislators need not sacrifice Ohioans to make the state ‘good for business.’ The sooner they learn that, the sooner working people will start to share in some of the wealth they help create.”

Homicides within the city of Toledo were down 25 percent over the first six months of 2026 compared to the first six months of 2025.

Midyear crime statistics released by the city inside the Toledo Police Department Safety Building on Thursday showed Toledo had 12 homicides between Jan. 1 and June 30, compared to 16 during the same six-month period last year.

Shootings that resulted in human injury were up 12 percent.

But Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz and Police Chief Michael Troendle said that increase is partly attributable to the June 6 melee at the Old West End Festival, which resulted in 12 people being struck by gunfire. That one incident drove the figure in that category to 92, up from 80 before the chaos began. During the first six months of 2025, 82 people were shot.

“I’m praying we never have another incident like that,” Chief Troendle said.

Before getting into the first six-month crime statistics, he and Mayor Kapszukiewicz spent a lot of time remarking about how well the city recovered from the Old West End Festival with two other major events that drew thousands of people to downtown.

Neither of those events — the Metroparks Toledo Watershed Weekend celebration and the Fourth of July fireworks — resulted in violence.

Last year, there were seven homicides spread out across the city over a 72-hour period over the Independence Day weekend.

“I could not be more thrilled with what we saw over the [2026] Fourth of July. It was an incredible victory in terms of safety over that weekend,” the mayor said. “It was a night-and-day experience over where we were a month ago and where we were a year ago.”

Mayor Kapszukiewicz said he knows there are naysayers out there but said it is important to recognize how quickly the city came together with two major events that resulted in everyone being safe again.

“Nothing’s going to stop me from being proud of how we came together as a community,” he said.

One theory about the relative calm during the fireworks is that it was held in tandem with other family friendly events downtown that weekend, Mr. Kapszukiewicz said.

He said officials are now toying with the idea of having next year’s fireworks display on Friday night, July 2, instead of the traditional July 4 holiday because it falls on a Sunday. By doing so, a Friday night show could follow Party in the Park or other Friday night events.

But Mr. Kapszukiewicz stressed that is “not an announcement” because no decision has been made. He and others plan to spend more time exploring the theory of tag-teaming with other events as a way to promote more of a friendly vibe during the fireworks.

As for other crime statistics, thefts from motor vehicles were down 21 percent between Jan. 1 and June 30 this year, compared to the same six-month period in 2025. There were 371 of those kinds of thefts recorded in 2026, compared to 470 in 2025.

But burglaries rose 12.7 percent during the first six months of 2026, from 553 over that same period in 2025 to 623 this January-June.

Robberies declined 16.9 percent over those same two six-month periods, from 148 in January-June of 2025 to 123 during that same time frame this year.

“I’m proud of our stats. We continue to trend downward,” Chief Troendle said.

Although there was an uptick in burglaries, they have been trending downward since 2011, he said.

“We are coming off a 15-year low,” Chief Troendle said, adding that the city once had 9,000 burglaries in a six-month period.

“There is, unfortunately, a floor of crime,” he added. “The reality is, at some point, we can only control crime to a certain level.”

MONROE —  Two people were seriously injured when their motorcycle crashed head-on into an oncoming SUV in Monroe Township at 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Ryan K. Warren, 39, of Taylor, Mich., was driving a motorcycle southwest on E. Albain Road near LaPlaisance Creek Road at a high rate of speed when he crossed the centerline, lost control, and hit an oncoming SUV, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said.

Mr. Warren and his passenger, Ashley J. Kiss, 34, also of Taylor, were thrown from the motorcycle.  They were both wearing helmets and were taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital with serious injuries. 

The driver of the SUV, Tenny G. Gilces-Cedeno, 56, of Hilliard, Ohio, and her passenger, Carlos A. Saavedra-Gilces, 33, also of Hilliard, were wearing their seatbelts and were not injured.

Thousands of pages of records from Cuyahoga County child-welfare officials could delay a key hearing next month in the capital-murder case against Darnell Jones.

Judge Michael Goulding granted a defense motion Wednesday to postpone for a second time an evidence-suppression hearing in Lucas County Common Pleas Court scheduled for July 24.

The judge also scheduled a pretrial conference late next week to hear from several psychiatric experts about how much time they think they’ll need to review the trove of records from Cuyahoga County about Jones’ upbringing and prepare their opinions about how that might have contributed to his alleged murder of Kei’mani Latigue, 13, last year.

Judge Goulding said that information will inform his decision about keeping or postponing the Aug. 17 date for a Serious Mental Illness hearing.

The hearing would involve testimony about whether Jones, the girl’s father, was affected by a serious mental illness at the time of Kei’mani’s death. A positive determination would result in the death-penalty specifications being dismissed from his indictment, which includes multiple alternative counts of aggravated murder along with rape, kidnapping, and other charges.

The judge also granted defense lawyer David Klucas’ request for $500 to pay Greenwood Law Group, a New York-based document-analysis firm, to assess the 11,398 pages of documents the Cuyahoga County Division of Child and Family Services provided in response to a recent subpoena. A different firm has already reported back that the large number of hand-written records among those documents renders them unsuitable for computer-based searching, Mr. Klucas said.

Mr. Klucas said the defense team had already looked at enough of those documents to determine that another expert needs to be retained to prepare the case, for which a trial is currently scheduled in late October.

Postponement of the Aug. 17 hearing would cast in doubt that trial date’s sustainability. Maggie Koch, an assistant Lucas County prosecutor in the case, said any September rescheduling for the hearing would be “exceedingly difficult” because of conflicting preparations for two other trials scheduled for Sept. 21 and Oct. 6.

She said four folders among the Cuyahoga County documents were specifically about Jones. But Mr. Klucas said it would be inappropriate to focus on those documents to the exclusion of other records that could provide mitigating evidence for the hearing.

Arguments were scheduled to be heard July 24 about a motion to suppress statements Jones gave to police that his lawyers say were obtained in violation of his constitutional rights.

Mr. Klucas asked for another delay of that hearing, which previously was scheduled May 27, because co-counsel Ann Baronas has been ill for about three weeks. She is expected to return to work Monday, he told Judge Goulding.

Kei’mani’s battered body was found in a burned-out, abandoned house in East Toledo on March 24, 2025, six days after her custodial grandmother reported her missing. Jones, 35, of the 600 block of Willard Street, was arrested the following day in Columbus after police there shot him in a leg.

Multiple people were stricken by an unknown gas at a central Toledo medical facility Thursday.

Just before 9 a.m., emergency crews responded to the Old West End Community Health Center at 2244 Collingwood Blvd. for a report of a person having difficulty breathing, fire officials said.

Emergency crews ruled out a natural gas leak. As more people began reporting feeling unwell, the Toledo Fire & Rescue Department evacuated the building and collected air samples to identify the contaminant. 

Area hospitals were put on notice about a possible mass-casualty event. In the end, three people were taken to area hospitals with minor injuries, fire officials said. Five other people were evaluated on scene and will follow up with their primary care physicians, if necessary. 

The building was closed most of the day while TFRD officials tried to identify the source of the contaminant and ventilate the building. They subsequently released the building late in the afternoon after the odor had dissipated.

Bill Miller, the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, will serve as Ottawa Hills schools’ interim superintendent after the Board of Education approved his appointment Thursday.

Board President Kathy Lathrop said the contract is for one year and allows the board time to determine what its search process will be for a new superintendent.

Mr. Miller’s contract runs from Aug. 3 through July 31, 2027. His salary is $158,000.

“This is good timing for us,” Ms. Lathrop said during the special meeting. “Dr. Miller will be able to make plans for this year as well.”

The board also accepted the resignation of Superintendent  Adam Fineske, who has stepped down as superintendent effective Aug. 2. Mr. Fineske will serve as president and CEO of WGTE Public Media.

“It is with sadness that we accept your resignation,” Ms. Lathrop said. “But you have an exciting opportunity. Thank you for all you have done for the district.”

Mr. Fineske thanked the board for the last seven years.

“We have had ups and downs in the past, but it is with a heavy heart and a lot more emotion than I thought that I had that I step down,” Mr. Fineske said. “I still have a son in high school, so I will continue to support the district all the way as a parent.”

Mr. Miller said after the meeting “It feels great” to lead the district.

“I would like to thank Dr. Fineske, who has been a great mentor to me,” Mr. Miller said. “My top priority is having a smooth transition for all involved. I want to pause and look at all of the great talent we have, improve ourselves internally, and work with the community.”

Mr. Miller has been with the district since 2000, when he was hired as an English and reading teacher. He earned his PhD in curriculum and instruction from the University of Toledo in 2015. He was named director of curriculum and instruction in 2016.

Mr. Miller acquired his superintendent’s license in 2020 and was named assistant superintendent in 2022.

Mr. Miller said he will be working with the board; Tom Siloy, treasurer/CFO; and the community as the district heads into the next levy season.

“We will begin talking about what a levy in 2027 might look like,” Mr. Miller said. “I plan on having community meetings and focus groups to discuss our options. We have to secure the district’s financial future.”

Advocates of the freedom to grow psychedelic plants and fungi for personal use have announced the launch of the chapter branch of their national organization.

“We are working to remove criminal penalties for naturally occurring entheogenic plants and fungi, so if it grows out of the ground, [people] shouldn’t be punished for possessing it,” said John Fredericks, a member of Decrim Nature Toledo, the inaugural group.

The Toledo factory laborer spoke Wednesday at a free community screening of Music for Mushrooms at Black Kite Coffee in central Toledo.

The exploratory documentary featured personal accounts of psychedelic users.

The purpose of the event was to foster discussion about traditional mental health, healing modalities, and drug policy reform related to psychedelic plants and fungi, organizers said.

Mr. Fredericks, 32, said organizers of the local branch “got their inspiration from Ann Arbor,” which in 2020 decriminalized psychedelic plants and fungi.

“The idea is to be able to cultivate them personally,” he said. “But we don’t want to create a framework legally where they can be licensed and sold by corporations, essentially because we want to increase access to them, and commercialization can actually reduce access, because people would have to get licenses and abide by certain dosages.”

It all boils down to people’s ability to grow such fungi and plants in their own gardens for personal use, Mr. Fredericks said.

Sara Brenner, a retired computer mapping specialist from the Lima area, said she attended to show her support for that goal.

“I’m very supportive of that,” Ms. Brenner said. “I’m a gardener, and I like to be able to grow whatever vegetables and flowers, and the same would be for, you know, mushrooms for my own use in my own home.”

Decrim Nature Toledo is the local branch of Decriminalize Nature — a national grassroots organization started in Oakland that, according to its website, “aims to improve human health and well-being by decriminalizing and expanding access to entheogenic plants and fungi through political and community organizing, education and advocacy.”

Kristin Kiser, cafe owner, said she granted a request to use her shop as a venue for the event “just because we want to support as many community events as we can.”

“Places like local coffee shops need to be involved with the community as a way to give back,” she said. “This neighborhood is very meaningful to us. They have supported us from the very beginning, and that’s what a neighborhood coffee shop is about.”

Along with three organizers, just two visitors, a shop owner, and an employee were present at the inaugural event.

“Many of us are healing from the effects of life’s problems,” Ms. Brenner said. “I experienced the medicine they’re talking about after traditional medicine and traditional therapies weren’t helping.”

Births

Mercy Health

St. Vincent Medical Center

Leah and Brian Doig, of Oregon, girl, June 29.

Alayna Mata, of Toledo, girl, June 29.

Rawan Daraghma and Ahmad Awwad, of Toledo, boy, June 30.

Talyana McNeal, of Toledo, girl, July 2.

Margaret and Zackary DeWitt, of Oregon, girl, July 3.

Brooke and Harold Wads- worth III, of Elmore, girl, July 3.

Taylor Mason, of Toledo, girl, July 4.

Marissa and Joshua Nagy, of Oregon, boy, July 4.

Robin Roberts, of Toledo, boy, July 4.

Krystn Davis, of Toledo, girl, July 6.

Starla Aretessia, of Toledo, girl, July 7.

Sarah and Joshua Ream, of Gibsonburg, Ohio, boy, July 7.

ProMedica Bay Park Hospital

Veronika Shostle, of Toledo, girl, June 30.

June Hill, of Toledo, boy, July 1.

ProMedica Toledo Hospital

Haylee and Gregory Simpson, of Temperance, boy, June 17.

Kendall and Joseph Cook, of Toledo, boy, June 27.

Megan and Benjamin Shiple, of Bowling Green, girl, June 27.

Danielle and Jack Bunge, of Blissfield, Mich., boy, June 28.

Marriage licenses

Lucas County

June 30, 2026

Austin Waganfeald, of Ohio, and Sharatun Russell, of Michigan.

Daniel Barchick and Kaylee Hall, both of Ohio.

Tyler Strayer and Brean Wales, both of Ohio.

Terrance Allen and Delisa Tribble, both of Michigan.

Tyler Litten and Savannah Kirk, both of Ohio.

Chase Potter and Jessica Betz, both of Tennessee.

Myron Glasper and Sabrina Pasha, both of Michigan.

Eric Ruiz and Ashley Ybarra, both of Ohio.

July 1, 2026

Matthew Miller and Cassidy Ferguson, both of Ohio.

Timothy Maloney and Barbara Harness, both of Michigan.

Jamon Calhoun and Jessica Mosley, both of Ohio.

Phillip Chase and Melinda Carsten, both of Ohio.

Matthew Kiser and Megan Daniels, both of Michigan.

Lyndell Gray and Jasmine Tuggle, both of Ohio.

Joseph Witt and Delaney Dempsey, both of Ohio.

Michael Hanf and Jaimie Ard, both of Ohio.

Cody Murnen and Meghan Ashley Maple, both of Ohio.

Joshua Maas and Megan Rowan, both of Ohio.

Bradley Hendricks, Jr., and Katelyn Gahn, both of Ohio.

Edduar Villegas Villegas and Daniela Sambade Carvajal, both of Ohio.

Paul Brant IV and Kylee Brasso, both of Michigan.

Divorce granted

Lucas County

Robert Brooks, Jr., from Melissa Foster.

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.

MILAN, Ohio — One person was killed and three others injured Tuesday in a crash in Erie County’s Milan Township, the Sandusky Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

The 11:15 a.m. crash at the intersection of Huron Avery Road and Scheid Road involved three vehicles, Lt. Shaun J. Robinson said.

A Honda CRV operated by Karam Alananzeh, 31, of Burbank, Ill., was hit by a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by Landon Selka, 18, of Norwalk, Ohio. After that crash, the Honda was hit by a Lincoln MKZ operated by Roberto Quiroz, 38, of Sandusky, Lt. Robinson said.

Luz Guillen, 74, of Chicago, was a passenger in the Honda and died at the scene. Mr. Alananzeh sustained serious injuries, and Mr. Quiroz had minor injuries. Both were transported to Firelands Regional Medical Center.

The other driver had minor injuries and declined treatment, the lieutenant said.

Summer isn’t over yet, but as kids head back to school this fall, one Toledo city councilman is proposing a safety pilot program that would make it easier for police to respond in emergency situations.

The proposal from Councilman Adam Martinez, who represents District 2, which includes most of South Toledo, is two-fold.

One part of the voluntary program will give the Toledo Police Department access to exterior camera feeds on school grounds by connecting the school’s camera system to TPD’s security network with Flock Group Inc.

Additionally, Mr. Martinez plans to install new Flock cameras in the public rights-of-way near schools.

That includes eight new pan-tilt-zoom cameras, one new license plate reader, and two new intersection cameras: one at Reynolds Road and Hill Avenue and the other at the Anthony Wayne Trail and Sherwood Avenue.

The agreement with Flock is a five-year contract. Mr. Martinez is using funds from the council’s District Improvement Program to pay for the first year, which is expected to cost $85,000. After the first year, the participating schools will be required to pay for the gateway system which allows the police department to have access to the exterior camera feeds, while the city will pay $50,000 annually for the Flock subscription.

Mr. Martinez said he reached out to the public, private, and charter schools in his district, garnering interest from 14 locations: Beverly Elementary, Byrnedale Elementary, Glendale-Feilbach Elementary, McTigue Elementary, Rogers High School and stadium, Bowsher High School’s stadium, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. Joan of Arc, St. Patrick of Heatherdowns, St. John’s Jesuit High School, Catholic Youth Organization’s athletic fields, Trinity Lutheran School, Toledo Christian Schools, and Maumee Valley Country Day School.

Most schools in Toledo have school resource officers, cameras, and security plans in place. However, this proposal will give TPD officers an immediate live look at the scene during emergency situations.

“If there’s something going on outside the school, we can pull [the feed] up immediately and offer assistance or direct other responding officers to that scene,” said TPD’s Lt. Leslie Cook. “For the other schools that we don’t have any collaboration with already, it gives us the ability to just respond immediately to those incidents and have eyes on it right away.”

Kelly Donaghy, a spokesman for the Diocese of Toledo, said the Diocese was grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with the city council and the police department.

“We hope that our participation helps with their stated goals to improve emergency response and make the community safer for our students and the surrounding area,” she said.

But Jim Gant, deputy superintendent for Toledo Public Schools, said the district is still reviewing Mr. Martinez’s proposal.

“Our leadership and board members are currently reviewing the details, advantages, and potential impacts of the program,” he said.

“Because these internal discussions and evaluations are ongoing, the district has not made a formal commitment to participate at this time,” Mr. Gant said. “We value our partnerships with local government and law enforcement, and we will continue to carefully review this initiative before making a final determination.”

Mr. Martinez said each school will have a memorandum of understanding with the police department to outline who has access to what cameras and when.

The councilman also held an informational meeting with city leaders, law enforcement, and school officials to address any concerns.

“We went through methodically each concern to address them ahead of time in case there were questions,” Mr. Martinez said. “We are going to work with individual schools to ensure that there’s a good communication strategy, that there is clear and honest information being disseminated, [and] who has access to what and when.”

TPD has already used Flock technology to assist in numerous investigations regarding shootings at local schools.

Flock was used to track the vehicle a suspect used to flee after shooting a student at the Glass City Academy in central Toledo earlier this year.

The technology was also used to identify the blue Dodge Charger that dropped off two people at a Whitmer High School football game in 2022. The pair later opened fire in a shooting that wounded three people.

“My number one goal is to make District 2 the safest district in the city of Toledo, and this is kind of the first step in that initiative,” Mr. Martinez said.

Toledo City Council could vote on the proposal at its meeting this coming Tuesday, and Mr. Martinez said he hopes to have the technology in place by the fall.

Rosa Linda Brown, 70, gushed about moving into her new two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at the Glen in South Toledo.

“I have plenty of closet and cabinet space, I don’t feel closed in at all, and I love the atmosphere here,” she said. “I feel safe. The office staff are wonderful. So far the residents I’ve met have been very pleasant.”

Ms. Brown attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony along with city officials and other housing dignitaries on Wednesday at the Glen, 3440 Glendale Ave.

Before finding her new home, Ms. Brown had difficulty finding affordable housing.  

“I had to put all my stuff into storage at one point and stay with a friend. It was crazy. I was looking hard. I heard about this. I filled out an application and got approved. No problem. It was great,” she said.

One of her goals is to establish a tenant council to get residents to help maintain the building and property.

“My background is in social work, so I have to stick my nose into everything,” she laughed. “It will keep the area clean. We live here, we have to be a part of it.”

Teresa Gott, 67, has lived at the Glen for three months.

“I love every bit of it, especially my walk-in closet. It’s beautiful. I have a nice kitchen area, bedrooms, and bathroom,” Ms. Gott said.

She had moved from another apartment that no longer met her needs, she said. 

Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz joined other officials and dignitaries at ribbon-cutting ceremonies on Wednesday for the Glen and another affordable-housing development, the Grand, at 1157 Grand Ave. in the central city.

“Affordable, accessible housing is one of the greatest needs facing communities across the country, and today we’re celebrating real progress,” the mayor said.

“Our state legislature over the last 19 years has cut $288 million from the city. That is the equivalent of how much income tax we get from the Jeep plant. With that kind of financial pressure facing us, we could reduce city services, like police and fire, raise taxes, or add Toledoans,” he said.

Increasing the population is favorable to the other options, he said.

“Everyone should want that. It is the way we can battle our way out of the mess our state government has caused us. More Toledoans, more taxpayers, all growing together toward the goal we all share,” he said.

“One of the challenges Toledo faces is we’re a little landlocked,” he said. “Our boundaries are pretty well drawn and defined. We don't have acres and acres of soybean fields to plant new subdivisions. So we have to be creative on how we repurpose space.”

He noted the location of the Glen was in the middle of the parking lot of Southland Shopping Center, and the Grand is located on the site of a once vacant, abandoned dairy. 

“Whether it’s commercial space like the Glen or the Grand, we have to be creative on how we reimagine our space that all of us should want to do to protect our future and to protect our pocketbooks, and grow our population,” the mayor said.

There is a total of 72 units in the Glen and the Grand, said developer Pete Schwiegeraht, of Pivotal Housing Partners. The Glen has one and two bedroom units, while the Grand has three and four bedrooms.

Total cost of both housing developments is $28 million, funded by federal dollars, Mr. Schwiegeraht said.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur  (D., Toledo), called the two housing developments “a major success.”

“Housing is fundamental to the stability of families,” she said. “This will provide permanent housing. This is going to change people’s lives. This is beautiful new housing. If you earn under $80,000 per year, chances are you qualify. If you’re a senior citizen, you can apply, too.”

Both housing developments feature on-site management, a fitness center, playground, pavilion, computer and printer stations, and community gathering spaces that encourage resident connection and support.

The Anthony Wayne Area Arts Commission is hosting an educational event Tuesday for kids to dig into history.

Attendees will get an opportunity to try tin punching, rope making, fossil digging, crafting, and more.

Kids can meet actors portraying historical figures Johnny Appleseed and John Pray, attend story time at the Waterville Library, and pet miniature horses.

Food trucks will be on hand and live music in the park gazebo, organizers said.

The Tuesday event, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Conrad Park in Waterville, is free and hosted in collaboration with the Waterville Historical Society and city of Waterville.