When Alex Ramsey of Lakewood, Ohio, graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2010, he wasn't ready to give up competitive running.

Since then, he has completed marathons and ultramarathons. But over time, he said, his reason for running has changed.

“I’m in a state of joy, and my reason for joy is the inspiration that I experienced along the peace run route that has allowed me to see an aspect of humanity that brings us all together,” he said. “It’s about the people and infusing in them, hopefully, a more peaceful state, so that it can spread.”

The 41-year-old analytics engineer spoke in an interview Wednesday before joining a three-mile peace run through Toledo’s Old West End, part of a global peace torch relay.

Part of the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run’s 2026 United States 10,000-mile relay through 50 states to honor America’s 250th Anniversary, the Wednesday run started from Toledo’s Spain Plaza, 1840 Collingwood Blvd.

About 40 people participated in the Wednesday event, including about 13 relay runners from about a dozen countries and about as many Toledo-area runners.

The event included the rededication of Toledo as a Sri Chinmoy Peace City. Toledo first received the designation in 1993, and its bronze plaque, removed during construction at Glass City Metropark, was reinstalled Wednesday.

Following the ceremony, participants joined in carrying the peace torch on the free three-mile run.

“To be a part of the peace run is ... to put the torch in a little kid’s hand and watch them close their eyes and see a natural smile light up, or to see a person on the street that may be having a bad day and they say, ‘What are you guys doing?’ and all of a sudden they smile,” Mr. Ramsey said. “You know, these are the moments for me that stick out.”

He was referring to the runners’ stop at Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo earlier in the day.

Another runner, Devashishu Torpy, the European director of the Sri Chinmoy peace run, also was moved by the way the runners were received in Toledo.

“People here were very hospitable, very kind, really interested in the international world,” he said. “They liked to see people from different countries. They were really fascinated to hear from us.”

The Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run was founded on April 27, 1987, by Sri Chinmoy, a spiritual leader who believed sports could unite people across cultures. The peace run has since expanded into a global relay that travels through more than 160 countries, with runners carrying a torch to symbolize a shared vision of peace.

Luminaries who have held and handed off the torch include Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Pope Francis, Mikhail Gorbachev, Muhammad Ali, renowned primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, and tennis legend Billie Jean King.

On Wednesday, it was Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz.

“We’re not a perfect city,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said before handing off the torch. “We get a lot of things wrong. There’s no doubt.

“But one thing we’ve always done well is to welcome everyone, to accept everyone, and to be a part of trying to coexist on this desolate rock we call Earth.”

Two people were injured, one seriously, in a Thursday crash in Wood County’s Lake Township, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. 

The crash happened at 2:48 p.m. at the intersection of U.S. 20 and Tracy Road, said Matthew N. Geer, a patrol spokesman.

Laura Lubinski, 50, of Toledo was driving a Chevrolet Cruze southbound on Tracy Road, and Christopher Beekley, 49, of Perrysburg, was traveling westbound on U.S. 20, he said.

“The Chevrolet failed to yield the stop sign southbound and was struck by the westbound Ford,” he said. “Both vehicles traveled off the south side of the roadway where they came to final rest.”

Ms. Lubinski was transported to Mercy St. Vincent’s Hospital with life-threatening injuries. Mr. Beekley was treated at the scene and released. 

Visitors to the Perrysburg Farmers Market browsed everything from eggplants to pup treats on Thursday.

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JOLIET, Ill. — The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has abruptly halted construction of the multibillion-dollar invasive carp barrier near Chicago that is designed to keep highly destructive invasive carp from getting into the Great Lakes.

At stake is the region’s $7 billion fishery, anchored in the western Lake Erie region near Toledo.

“The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers issued the stop-work order,” agency spokesman Gene Pawlik said Thursday in an emailed statement. “The project is under administration review.”

He declined to provide an explanation for why construction was halted or when it might resume.

The barrier, a combination of electric currents and other deterrents, has been in the making for years.

The barrier site is at the Brandon Road Lock near Joliet, Ill., about 45 miles southwest of Chicago. Its purpose is to keep invasive carp from reaching Lake Michigan and, thus, destroying habitat and food supplies for native fish throughout the entire Great Lakes.

There are four types of invasive carp — silver, bighead, grass, and black carp — but the silver and bigheads are considered the two most destructive. Silvers are the only one of the four species that leaps from water when startled by boats.

The barrier project has received bipartisan support from Congress.

U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Toledo) said she is incensed about the work stoppage.

“That is terrible news for our Great Lakes,” said Ms. Kaptur, ranking member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water and a co-chairman of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force.

“Invasive carp do not belong here,” she said. “If they reach the Great Lakes, they will destroy our native ecosystem. Lake Erie holds more fish and more boats than all the other Great Lakes combined. Ohio has as much at stake in this fight as any state in the basin — and so does every family that fishes, boats, or earns a living on Lake Erie and in our precious freshwater kingdom.”

She said the Trump Administration’s unexplained work stoppage “sends a red alert across the Great Lakes basin.”

The work must be resumed at once, Ms. Kaptur said. 

“Congress has spoken. The governors from the Great Lakes States have spoken. This project is under construction, and it must be built,” she said. “There is no excuse for delay, and as a leader of the bipartisan Great Lakes Task Force, I stand fully ready to use all the tools in our arsenal to ensure this vital work resumes with great haste.”

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission in Ann Arbor is stunned, as well.

“We don’t know why, we don’t know the cause. Everyone we have called who should know doesn’t know,” said Greg McClinchey, the commission’s director of policy and legislative affairs.

He said it is vital the project get back on track as soon as possible.

“Fish don’t care about politics,” Mr. McClinchey said. “This is our last opportunity. It’s the linchpin before the fish can find their way into the Great Lakes system. If they get in one, they get in all of them. This project has to be done, and every minute we waste is a huge, huge problem.”

Paul Pacholski, a longtime Lake Erie charter boat captain, said Ohio and other parts of the Great Lakes region have patiently waited years for the project to be finished.

“We haven’t had a choice. We’ve had to be patient,” he said. “I would like a thorough explanation.”

An unexplained halt is “not right in so many ways,” Mr. Pacholski said.

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Department of Transportation on Thursday announced its preferred route for a freeway connecting U.S. 23 and I-71.

From south to north, the proposed connector begins at I-71 just south of State Route 521 in Morrow County and runs north along the Delaware County line before turning sharply west just north of the village of Ashley in central Ohio. The connector then weaves northwest into Marion County and connects with U.S. 23 just north of the village of Waldo.

ODOT spokesman Matt Bruning said the alignment was chosen for a variety of reasons. 

“It’s really kind of a balance between where we would see the biggest traffic volume use and the environmental impacts,” Mr. Bruning said. “This is the option that we feel would have the least amount of impacts but still be able to get the traffic volume that would make sense given the parameters we’re working in.”

The final preferred route was selected after the department conducted an analysis of five routes — all of which would have been located in Delaware, Morrow, and Marion counties. 

Central Ohio residents have expressed opposition to the freeway connector, while the Toledo Chamber of Commerce supports the idea.

The Ohio General Assembly directed ODOT to complete the feasibility study as part of the transportation budget. 

Mr. Bruning said the project would likely cost between $600 million and $700 million. 

Gov. Mike DeWine said the state would not be able to afford the connector or other similar projects without a new revenue stream.

Romancing the Glass City, a bookish event featuring more than 120 vendors and authors, takes place Saturday at the Lucas County Recreation Center.

Sponsored by Pages of Glass, the second annual event is a celebration of independently published romance novels and small businesses, organizers said. 

The day includes shopping as well as three panel discussions on diversity in love stories, tools on getting started as a writer, and working with influencers and others to market books. Other scheduled activities are trivia games with blind date with book prizes, raffles, spotlight sessions featuring seven premium sponsors, and a food truck corral.

Admission is $5 at the door or online with fees. The 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. event is at 2901 Key St., Maumee, with activities in Hall 1 and the Clubhouse. Parking is free. 

More details are on the Pages of Glass Facebook page.

City and state environmental officials investigated reports of a chemical odor Thursday after residents in part of Oregon reported the smell and several people sought medical evaluations.

The odor was first reported about 9 a.m. in an area generally bounded by Pickle Road to the south, York Street to the north, Lallendorf Road to the east, and Coy Road to the west, according to Oregon Fire & Rescue Department.

Since the initial call, crews have responded to 13 related service calls and evaluated nine patients who reported symptoms they believed were connected to the odor.

Firefighters, working with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, have intermittently detected a faint chemical smell but have not recorded hazardous levels on gas monitors.

Propane and natural gas have been ruled out. The odor is believed to be linked to another chemical, but it has yet to be identified. 

“The safety of our residents remains our highest priority,” Fire Chief Clayton O’Brien said in a news release. “Although our firefighters have intermittently detected a faint chemical smell, our monitoring equipment has not identified hazardous atmospheric conditions or the presence of propane or natural gas.”

As a precaution, firefighters will continue working with partner agencies “until we have determined the source and can confidently assure our community that the area is safe,” he continued.

Officials said there is currently no evidence of an immediate life-safety hazard but urged residents with severe or persistent symptoms, such as breathing difficulty, chest pain, or confusion, to immediately move to fresh air and seek medical evaluation, or call 911.

An Oregon couple have both been indicted on involuntary manslaughter charges in their newborn daughter’s Feb. 25 death.

Justin Soll, 32, and Shannon Wester, 29, were indicted Wednesday by a Lucas County grand jury on four counts arising from a police investigation that started with a Feb. 22 emergency call at the couple’s home in the 2900 block of Luverne Avenue.

There, responding police and medical personnel found the 5-day-old girl with vomit in her airway and not breathing.

She died three days later at Nationwide Children’s Hospital-Toledo on the Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center complex.

Along with two counts each of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, Mr. Soll and Ms. Wester were indicted on single counts of third-degree endangering children and fifth-degree cocaine possession.

Police reported finding drugs and drug paraphernalia in the basement bedroom where the defendants and the child both slept. They reported seizing six crack pipes with burn marks, a plastic straw and a plastic container with residue on them, syringes, and suspected “rock” cocaine.

Investigators also said the bedroom was “cluttered and messy” and had infant supplies intermixed with drug paraphernalia.

The police report did not indicate whether the drugs’ presence played any role in the child’s death, however.

Officers said the couple were “extremely distraught” when emergency crews arrived at 4 a.m.

Mr. Soll said they had fed the baby about two hours earlier, then placed her in her crib.

Mr. Soll later awoke and arose to get some cereal for himself when he noticed the baby was not breathing. He began chest compressions while calling for help, the police report said.

Ms. Wester told the officers the baby had vomited.

One of the arriving police said he did a “finger swipe” to try to clear vomit from the baby’s airway “but there was too much.”

The case has been assigned in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to Judge Joe McNamara, and warrants for their arrests were issued Thursday.

People soak up summer along downtown Toledo's Maumee River waterfront Thursday, enjoying the scenic views while grabbing a bite from local food trucks during Lunch at Levis.

Click through the images above to view the full gallery.

OAK HARBOR, Ohio — Two people in a U-Haul truck were arrested after a pursuit through multiple northwest Ohio counties.

Toledo resident Christopher M. Harris II, 57, and Detroit resident Elisa Arbitter, 38, were taken into custody after allegedly stealing numerous items from a retail store in Erie County and fleeing from law enforcement Wednesday.

The Erie County Sheriff’s Office notified law enforcement officials in Ottawa County that a U-Haul truck allegedly involved in the theft was believed to be traveling that way.

A deputy with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office spotted the vehicle on State Rt. 2, near South State Rt. 53, officials said. The deputy tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the driver sped off.

The driver led deputies on a high-speed pursuit through Ottawa County, forcing multiple drivers off the roadway.

Deputies deployed stop sticks near Lickert-Harder Road in Benton Township, puncturing the U-Haul’s tires, the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office said. However, the vehicle continued into Lucas County with the damaged tires.

In the city of Oregon, the U-Haul hit a minivan before continuing westbound on Route 2 toward I-280. One person in the minivan sustained minor injuries, officials said.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, assisted by the Oregon Police Department, used a vehicle containment tactic to stop the U-Haul. The U-Haul hit an Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle causing minor damage.

Deputies took Mr. Harris and Ms. Arbitter into custody.

Mr. Harris was charged with failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer, and Ms. Arbitter was charged with complicity to failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer.

Both were also charged with receiving stolen property and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office said additional charges are pending as the investigation continues.

MONTPELIER, Ohio — Ohio Attorney General D. Andrew Wilson’s office is seeking thousands of dollars in penalties from an Indiana couple it claims illegally built a concentrated animal feeding operation, or CAFO, for more than 1,000 cattle some 18 months ago.

The allegations against James N. Schmucker, Catherine E. Schmucker, and their teenage son, James S. Schmucker, Jr., all of the same residence along South 1000 East near Angola, Ind., were filed Monday in Williams County Common Pleas Court.

The 10-page document, filed by Assistant Attorneys General Eliza Vanness and Greta Raser, said the state is seeking more than $25,000 in fines for violations of Ohio’s CAFO laws. They said in their filing that they are entitled to seek up to $10,000 per violation per day.

The plaintiffs also seek a court order requiring the Schmuckers to obtain the necessary Ohio Department of Agriculture permits within 90 days. They need separate permits to build their structures and to operate them, the complaint states.

The Schmucker-owned site is in a rural part of Williams County’s Superior Township, just east of the Indiana-Ohio state line.

According to the complaint, the Schmuckers began building two side-by-side beef cattle barns, each capable of holding up to 999 cattle, in February, 2025, without obtaining the required permits. The size of those barns and their proximity to one another effectively made the operation one large CAFO, the state attorneys general said.

Under Ohio law, more than 1,000 cattle housed at any one location is considered a CAFO.

The document states that the Schmucker couple purchased the two Superior Township parcels on or about Nov. 14, 2024.

The ODA’s Division of Environmental Livestock Permitting was notified in February, 2025, about the two barns being constructed. That information came from another division within ODA.

Then, on Feb. 26, 2025, ODA was tipped off by a Williams County resident that the structures would be used to house beef cattle.

On March 6, 2025, the chief of ODA’s Division of Environmental Livestock Permitting visited the site and confirmed with defendant James N. Schmucker that the two barns would together hold more than 1,000 beef cattle. The ODA’s Division of Livestock Permitting chief is Sam Mullins, though he was not mentioned by name in the court filing.

Just shy of three weeks later, on March 26, 2025, defendants James N. Schmucker and Catherine E. Schmucker transferred ownership of the west parcel at the site to their teenage son, James S. Schmucker, Jr., the document states.

Two months later, on May 22, 2025, the Schmucker couple appealed the $5,000 penalty that the state agriculture department sought to impose.

The proposed fine was eventually upheld by a hearing officer. ODA Director Brian Baldridge issued an order on Nov. 3, making the fine official.

As of Monday, the $5,000 penalty had not been paid, the attorneys general said in their complaint.

The Schmuckers also had not complied with an April 14, 2025, order from Mr. Mullins to cease all construction and to depopulate the barns until the permits are obtained, the court filing states.

James N. Schmucker did not respond to requests for comment.

Jennifer Jarrell, ODA chief communications officer, acknowledged the court filing, but had nothing to add.

“We are familiar with this case, as ODA was the referring agency,” she said. “Because the matter is currently pending in court, it would not be appropriate for us to comment beyond what is stated in the complaint.”

Neither of the two assistant attorneys general responded.

Hannah Hundley, Ohio Attorney General deputy press secretary, only acknowledged receipt of the interview request.

“The complaint was filed on behalf of our client, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, alleging failure to obtain permits to install and operate a concentrated animal feeding facility,” Ms. Hundley said.

Sherry Fleming, spokesman for the Williams County Alliance activist group, said the situation likely arose because Ohio has a reputation for lax enforcement of its own CAFO laws.

The Schmuckers are part of a broad cattle operation with corporate ties that has moved into the Ohio-Indiana-Michigan region, she said.

“When the state prioritizes the needs of industrial scale livestock operations over the health and welfare of rural communities and the environment, we shouldn't be surprised that some feel empowered to take advantage of a system of laws filled with loopholes, created in large part by powerful corporate interests,” Ms. Fleming said. “The cattle feeding network expanding in Williams County is a blatant example.”

Pavement repair and resurfacing that was to have closed part of northbound I-475/U.S. 23 this weekend has been postponed because wet weather is forecast.

The National Weather Service office in Cleveland said Thursday that precipitation is 60 percent likely during the day Saturday and 50 percent likely Saturday night. Showers, with thunderstorms after 2 p.m., are in its forecast. Skies are expected to be sunny Sunday.

An Ohio Department of Transportation contractor is repairing concrete joints, then repaving northbound I-475 between I-75 in Perrysburg and U.S. 24 in Maumee, requiring the freeway to be closed for four weekends from Friday evening until Monday morning. The first of those weekends’ work was completed last weekend.

The postponement is similar to three that occurred during previous repair and resurfacing on southbound I-475/U.S. 23 in the same zone.

A West Toledo man pleaded guilty Thursday morning to involuntary manslaughter and two other counts arising from his girlfriend’s shooting death nine months ago.

Jeffrey Townsend, Jr., 36, of the 1700 block of Talbot Street, and prosecutors agreed to a 30-year prison sentence as part of the plea bargain, but Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Stacy Cook delayed sentencing until Monday so the victim’s relatives could prepare statements.

Jacquelin Garza, 36, died of a single gunshot wound to the torso in the Oct. 19 shooting in front of Townsend’s home. She was seated in the driver’s seat of a car when a gun Townsend carried fired once through the window, Brooks Fowler, an assistant county prosecutor, said in court.

Ms. Garza died at ProMedica Toledo Hospital shortly after the shooting.

Jeff Crowther, Townsend’s lawyer, said the shooting was accidental and, had his client told police that right away, he could have been charged with crimes less serious than the murder count he faced had he gone to trial.

But Townsend instead initially lied to investigators, according to a statement Toledo police issued at the time.

Along with the reduced charge of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, Townsend pleaded guilty to first-degree discharge of a firearm on or near prohibited premises and third-degree cocaine trafficking.

During the plea hearing, Townsend agreed with Mr. Fowler’s statement that police found 11.4 grams of powder cocaine and 4.2 grams of crack cocaine in baggies in his house.

The 9-mm Beretta pistol he carried is to be forfeited and destroyed.

As part of the plea bargain, Townsend agreed not to seek early judicial release. He will be eligible for time reduction for good behavior but also subject to up to 5½ years of additional time if he misbehaves in prison.

Additional counts to be dismissed at sentencing included an alternative murder count, felonious assault, having weapons while under disability, possession of and trafficking in fentanyl, and several other drug possession and trafficking charges.

Townsend also faced a repeat violent offender specification in his indictment for which he could have faced up to 10 years in prison beyond his sentences for the underlying charges.

Toledo Takes on ALS will host its annual summer tasting event on Friday.

The tasting event features craft beer, cider, and wine. Attendees can also participate in raffles with all proceeds going to support ALS research.

ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. It is a progressive nervous system disease that destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to loss of muscle control. 

The event will be from 5 to 9 p.m. at Fifth Third Field. 

Admission costs $20 and includes one drink ticket and a souvenir tasting cup. Additional tasting tickets are available for purchase inside the venue.

To purchase a ticket or donate, visit fundraise.als.net/toledo2026.

Ohio residents are being asked if they believe enough has been done to keep Maumee Bay State Park visitors safe from exposure to beach bacteria and algal toxins.

The query comes in the form of a 47-page report put out for public comment by the Ohio Lake Erie Commission and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. It can be viewed at lakeerie.ohio.gov.

Comments are to be submitted by Aug. 14.

Bacteria advisories issued by the Ohio Department of Health have not gone away at the park and others along the Lake Erie coastline.

The latest one at Maumee Bay State Park went into effect Tuesday morning.

Scientists also have confirmed that western Lake Erie’s 2026 algal bloom formed just a few days ago.

On Monday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said satellite imagery shows its present size to be about 100 square miles.

It is thickest between Toledo and Monroe, but it also hugs much of the Lake Erie shoreline as far east as Port Clinton. 

Water samples show the current toxin level is low, though, for a bloom that it is expected to become moderate in size and canvass much more of the lake during its peak 30-day period.

The Ohio Lake Erie Commission is the statewide policy board for Lake Erie issues that is comprised of directors from Ohio’s government agencies.

It is working in conjunction with the Ohio EPA on a plan to remove the “beach closings” category from a checklist of 10 issues being addressed at Toledo-area waterways under a blueprint for long-term restoration called the Maumee Area of Concern. 

Toledo-area waterways are collectively one of 43 areas of concern, or pollution hotspots, across the Great Lakes region.

The 43 areas were identified by the U.S. and Canadian governments under 1987 amendments to the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement that the two nations originally signed in 1972. 

Problems keeping each area of concern from meeting their objectives are called “beneficial use impairments.”

The Maumee Area of Concern has thus far met its objectives in four of 10 categories. Meeting the objectives of the “beach closings” category would be its fifth.

The report put out for comment states that bacteria, while still prone to occasional spikes at the park, has been reduced since the 1990s.

The Lake Erie beach is “meeting the bacterial target,” said Kris Patterson, Lake Erie program administrator for the commission.

“The AOC program has done all that it is able [to do] to address the source of impairments,” she said.

Beach advisories are influenced by big storms, wildlife droppings, and heat waves.

The area of concern program is focused “on improvements that were feasible,” Ms. Patterson said. “There are many conditions that occur naturally and cannot be predicted or altered.” 

The report credits wetlands work done outside of the park over many years, including that by the city of Oregon and the University of Toledo.

It also cites better efforts within the park to deter geese. Other improvements mentioned include $10 million in Oregon sanitary sewer extensions to reduce bacteria coming from failing septic systems.

The report acknowledges lingering problems with algal blooms. 

But it also stated the Ohio EPA has determined that many nutrients feeding them come from outside the boundaries of the Maumee Area of Concern. A beneficial use impairment can be delisted if the source of it comes from outside of the area of concern, according to the report.

Comments about the recommendation are to be emailed to Cherie Blair, Ohio EPA Maumee Area of Concern coordinator, at Cherie.Blair@epa.ohio.gov.

Ms. Blair declined comment.

So did Bryant Somerville, press secretary for the Ohio EPA.

In OLEC’s release, the commission stated that inviting the public to comment on the plan for removing “beach closings” as a beneficial use impairment is “a milestone that reflects years of improving water quality and healthier conditions for recreation.”

The Maumee Area of Concern encompasses 787 square miles across Lucas, Wood, and Fulton counties, including Toledo and 56 other communities. It has about 45 miles of Lake Erie shoreline, and more than 1,900 miles of tributaries. The latter includes the lower 23 miles of the Maumee River, Swan Creek, the Ottawa River, the Toussaint River, and multiple other creeks, as well as a portion of Lake Erie’s Maumee Bay.

The Lucas County Coroner has ruled in the following deaths:

Timothy Swartz, 62, of Toledo, April 21, at home. Accident, combined drug toxicity (cocaine, oxycodone).

Makenzie Sykes, 18, of Willard, Ohio, June 8, at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. Suicide, gunshot wound of the head, shot self while in the 800 block of South Main St., Willard, Ohio.

Tonya Trent, 58, of Toledo, June 17, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio. Accident, sacral fracture aggravating hypertensive cardiovascular disease with end-stage renal disease and calciphylaxis from a fall from standing position outside a grocery store in the 1400 block of S. Reynolds Rd., Mau- mee.

Larry Truckor, 87, of Swanton, June 10, at ProMedica To- ledo Hospital. Accident, blunt-force head injury and complications from a witnessed fall at home.

Robin Ward, 53, of Toledo, May 8, at home. Accident, combined toxicity of fluoxetine with amphetamine.

Marquan Whitiker, 22, June 10, at Mercy Health St. Vincent Medical Center. Homicide, gunshot wound of the face, shot by another person in the 800 block of Woodward Ave.

Births

Mercy Health

St. Vincent Medical Center

Sarah and Andrew Varga, of Oregon, girl, July 20.

Angela Olivares and Ibrahaim Basudan, Toledo, girl, July 21.

Anna Sancho, of Toledo, boy, July 21.

Paige and Corey Johnson, of Toledo, boy, July 22.

Brianna Vinson and Brian Bugaj, of Oak Harbor, Ohio, girl, July 23.

Candice Neckal, of Toledo, girl, July 24.

Stephany Lozano, of Toledo, girl, July 25.

ProMedica Bay Park Hospital

Alyssa and Dale Hager, of Millbury, Ohio, girl, July 22.

ProMedica Toledo Hospital

Alexis and Tristen Stevens, of Maumee, girl, July 18.

Jaronica Swain, of Toledo, boy, July 18.

Sierra Godwin, of Maumee, girl, July 22.

Madison and Levi Coward, of Blissfield, Mich., girl, July 23.

Makayla White, of Toledo, girl, July 25.

Marriage licenses

Lucas County

July 21, 2026

Jacob Lukitsch and Carly Kieffer, both of Ohio.

Brenton Balazsi and Alicia Chavarria, both of Michigan.

Marcus Crawford and Diane Pereck Ndum Njabon, both of Ohio.

Seth Welch and Catherine Kaczor, both of Ohio.

Joshua Forgash and Elizabeth Tracy, both of Ohio.

Jonathan Cooper and Ashley Judnich, both of Ohio.

Ruben Lopez, of Michigan, and Diana Sanchez, of Canada.

Ryan Opial and Laurie Pokrywka, both of Ohio.

Eric Cook, Jr., and Alexandra Etter, both of Ohio.

July 22, 2026

Thomas Sullinger and Maria Sullivan, both of Ohio.

Mark Ryba and Briana Hutchison, both of Ohio.

Monty Griffin and Catherine Sutton, both of Ohio.

Zachary Radcliff and Jennifer Harrison, both of Ohio.

Aaron LaMothe and Arthur Brown, both of Ohio.

Darren King and Shaquondre Berry, both of Michigan.

William Townsend IV and Lindsey Dazley, both of Ohio.

Kyle Ryan and Gionna Braddock, both of Ohio.

Mellisa Richards and Sydney Poutous, both of Ohio.

D’Mai Hudson and Nikyah Perry, both of Ohio.

Andrew Haughwout and Stephen Davidson, both of Ohio.

Paul Burden and Hayley Wysocki, both of Ohio.

Devin Burnham and Valerie Deighton, both of Ohio.

Cody Downour and Elena Sevilla, both of Ohio.

July 23, 2026

David Soto and Julia Snyderwine, both of Ohio.

Dylan Brown and Anna Chumchal, both of Ohio.

Thanh Duong and Doan Pham, both of Ohio.

Aaron Campbell and Jordan Edberg, both of Ohio.

Joseph Andrzejewski, Jr., and Tiffany Cathers, both of Ohio.

Daniel Weisenburger and Tamara Lublin, both of Ohio.

James Coykendall and Doreen DiCarlo, both of Michigan.

Zachary Campi and Melissa Lankard, both of Tennessee.

Shawn Streight and Leah Sarty, both of Ohio.

Christopher James, of Ohio, and Nicole Leiss, of Michigan.

Nathaniel Reiter and Ariel Jarchow, both of Ohio.

Julian Kelson and Nicole Burns, both of Ohio.

Phillip Collins, Jr., and Cecillia Bollinger, both of Ohio.

John Vigorito and Holly Dye, both of Ohio.

Todd Smith and Kimberly Diebert, both of Ohio.

Dondre Cook and Amina Al Souqi, both of Ohio.

Marcus Edwards and Michelle Rheubottom, both of Michigan.

July 24, 2026

Seth Sorkin and Amanda Jerzykowski, both of Ohio.

Chad Yenrick and Alison Bowlick, both of Ohio.

Bryan Buyer and Shannon Kerimian, both of Michigan.

Lawrence Nino Hernandez and Khloe Manuel, both of Michigan.

Thomas Bruno, Jr., and Amanda Miles, both of Ohio.

Troy Toro and Kristen Jokinen, both of Michigan.

Dorian Yates and Alexandria Barnes, both of Ohio.

Ryan Johnson and Jessica Bayus, both of Ohio.

Michael Norman and Ricki Nelson, both of Ohio.

Liam Anderson and Savannah Wagener, both of Ohio.

Conelious Smith and Tiffany Moore, both of Michigan.

Nicholas Koontz and Danyel Willis, both of Ohio.

Alexander Jarowyj and Tety- ana Chernyshova, both of Illinois.

William Barnes, Sr., and Michelle Grainger, both of Ohio.

July 27, 2026

Joseph Staud and Julia Stengle, both of Illinois.

Jesse Santellana and Janet Hurt, both of Ohio.

Robert Skaggs, of Michigan and Kara Cannon, of Ohio.

Benjamin Mahan and Crystal Lastima, both of Ohio.

Justin Troutman and Morgan Klavinger, both of Ohio.

Tyler Rook and Katryna Griner, both of Ohio.

Xander Churchill, of Michigan, and Alondra Rivera Morales, of Ohio.

Charfedine Soudana and Colleen Lautzenheiser, both of Ohio.

Spencer Hastedt and Claire Billinghurst, both of Ohio.

Rickey Ramirez, Jr., and Claudia Viveros Hernandez, both of Ohio.

Carlos Pleites Marquez and Christiana Barber, both of Ohio.

Tracy Rossman and Delwin Skelton, both of Michigan.

Casey Rambo and Chloe McCammon, both of Ohio.

Gaberial Walter and Yesenia Lopez, both of Michigan.

Mitchell Fink and Elizabeth Brady, both of Ohio.

Musgrave and Katelyn Charville, both of Ohio.

July 28, 2026

Austin Patnode and Alexandra Stevens, both of Ohio.

Craig Lawson and Chantelle Foster, both of Ohio.

Devin McNair and Sophia Bittel, both of Ohio.

Jeremy Ulinski and Janelle Petro, both of Ohio.

Michael Skiver and Suzanne Faunt, both of Ohio.

Juan Figueroa and Kristin Sorrels, both of Ohio.

Ronald Johnson and Alexandra Coronado, both of Ohio.

Derek Douglas and Samantha Pletcher, both of Ohio.

Verlon James, Sr., and Vera Gee, both of Ohio.

Alex Spangler and Macie Copic, both of Ohio.

Austin Hiner and Ryanne Cobb, both of Ohio.

Ian Clement and Hailey Dickey, both of Ohio.

Divorces granted

Lucas County

Edward Sneed from Dawn Sneed

Ashley Watson-Jones from Devon Jones.

Robert Osby, Sr., from Nicole Reno.

Anthony Oliver from Cortney Stewart.

Montriese Floyd from Keishe McCarver.

Michael Leach from Jennifer Leach.

Jennifer Leach from Michael Leach.

Lars Ellison from Jordyn Ellison.

Crystal Reams from Michael Wong.

Colleen Pizzo from Procopio Pizzo.

Lena Arnett from Keith Baptiste.

These days, you can shop online for just about anything, but local leaders asked: What if you could shop online for developable land?

The city of Toledo and Lucas County hope their new Public Land Opportunities Dashboard will make that possible.

“Everyone in this world is very used to online shopping,” said David Mann, the president and CEO of the Lucas County Land Bank. “This is probably a little bit more complex than that, but it was clear that if we had a map that people could use at their own pace ... it would show them where those opportunities existed, that they would have a better start to actually work with us to see that happen.”

When users visit the dashboard, they are greeted with a map of the city of Toledo, dotted with yellow boxes. Each of those boxes represents a plot of public land owned by the city or the land bank. 

Clicking on a yellow box brings up the site’s address, parcel number, zoning information, and acreage. It also includes a link to the property’s AREIS summary, which is an online database of public real estate information kept by the Lucas County Auditor’s Office.

“Citizens can visualize on a map where available parcels are located and easily view the official county real estate record for that parcel,” said Katie Moline, the Lucas County auditor.

Lucas County Treasurer Lindsay Webb, who is also chairman of the land bank’s board, said the map reflects the work the county and city are doing to use technology to reduce barriers to redevelopment, teasing that even more resources could be rolled out in the future.

“The goal is to make it easier to understand, to make it easier to use, and hopefully, by extension, easier for the people specifically in our community to identify opportunities for investment,” Ms. Webb said.

The zoning of available properties ranges from residential to industrial, and the map highlights just under 2,000 individual parcels. It is updated every night.

Mr. Mann said the map helps local residents better understand what opportunities are available to them.

“I think more often than not, what we were going to see with this is folks who are reaching out because they do want to think about urban farming, or they do want to think about that side lot, or they do have some goal of building a new house,” he said.

The land bank president said the map can be utilized by out-of-town investors as well, but the land bank will work with them to ensure the project is beneficial to the neighborhood.

Ms. Webb said there are many different avenues out-of-town investors use to buy properties in Toledo, but her office tracks those sales to see who is buying them up.

Mr. Mann emphasized that just because a prospective buyer identifies a parcel on the map and comes to the land bank, it won’t be sold to the buyer immediately.

“You have to demonstrate that you are current on your taxes, that you are compliant with the building and property maintenance code, that you have a sustainable plan for the property,” he said.

Although the redevelopment opportunities are endless, Mr. Mann said he hopes the market will take advantage of the transparent information and create projects that benefit the community.

To view the dashboard visit lucascountylandbank.org and click on public land opportunities.

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.

COLUMBUS — U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are not expected to immediately begin ramping up operations in Ohio following the expiration of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants, Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday.

“Federal officials are now telling us that they do not have any plans — they have received no instructions to have any kind of raids in Springfield,” Mr. DeWine said. “That could change ... but what they’re telling us at least is they don’t have any plans at this point to do that.”

Haitian immigrants’ legal protections were terminated Monday following the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision allowing the Trump Administration to move forward with the policy. 

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which includes ICE, said the department does not discuss ongoing or future operations.

“Temporary Protected Status is exactly that — temporary,” the spokesman said. “For too long, TPS has been allowed to function as a de facto amnesty program despite Congress never intending it to be permanent.”

The spokesman added that Haitian immigrants may be eligible to receive a $2,600 check and a free flight to Haiti if they sign up to self-deport through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Home Mobile App. 

The governor said President Trump’s policy is a mistake that will unnecessarily harm Haitian immigrant families, Ohio communities, and local businesses. 

“They are part of the resurgence of Springfield,” Mr. DeWine said. “Haitians came in and they started businesses, started restaurants, fixed up houses, and they filled jobs that were not being filled.”

The governor also pushed back on the general idea that immigrants are bad for the country, saying immigrants make up about one-third of the work force for home-care and nursing-home services. 

“So you start depopulating them and taking millions of people out, a lot of Ohioans will suffer,” Mr. DeWine said. “It won’t just be the people they kicked out of Ohio; it will be the people they are helping.”

In early 2026, it was estimated that 30,000 Haitians lived in central Ohio, 15,000 lived in the city of Springfield, and 1,000 lived in the city of Findlay. 

Mr. DeWine said there is still a significant Haitian population in Springfield but said there are almost certainly fewer now.

“Over time, some of them have seen the writing on the wall and made the decision to leave,” he said. “What the social service agencies have been doing there is to try to help them make sure that their children, who have been born in the United States and who are U.S. citizens, have passports so they can travel with them when they leave and go to another country.”

The governor said Haitian immigrants are likely not returning to Haiti, noting the Caribbean island nation has “never been more dangerous.”

“It’s almost total chaos no matter where you go,” he said. “Fran and I have been traveling to Haiti for over 30 years, and we’re told it’s worse today than it has ever been during that period of time.” 

Local leaders weigh in

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn said a “large portion” of the city’s immigrant population has already left the area over the past year.

“We do not have a clear understanding if our foreign residents have already received a different legal status,” Ms. Muryn said. “We will continue to enforce the law in our community and work with immigration as appropriate.”

Springfield Mayor Rob Rue said Haitian immigrants have become an important part of Springfield and urged federal policymakers to take action allowing them to stay.

“I encourage Congress to enact immigration reforms that secure our borders while creating a clear legal pathway for those who have demonstrated through their actions that they want to work, obey the law, pay taxes, and contribute to the United States,” Mr. Rue said. 

“Lasting solutions require leadership,” he continued. “I hope Congress will seize this opportunity to modernize our immigration system in a way that upholds the rule of law, strengthens our economy, and reflects the values that have long made the United States strong.”

Springfield religious leaders also called on Congress to take action during a news conference Wednesday, urging U.S. Sens. Jon Husted (R., Ohio) and Bernie Moreno (R., Ohio) to support U.S. House-passed legislation that would extend Temporary Protected Status for Haitians for three years.

Carl Ruby, pastor of Central Christian Church, said he doesn’t expect Mr. Moreno to support the bill considering his recent statements. However, he said he’s still optimistic about Mr. Husted, a former lieutenant governor under Mr. DeWine.

“It’s time to put our ideology aside and focus on saving the lives of families,” Mr. Ruby said.

He said he has spoken with individuals who are terrified of returning to Haiti.

“These are people who have seen friends raped and killed. Rape is endemic in Haiti right now,” he said.

“If all of the Haitians who are in Springfield and have been on TPS are sent back to Haiti, some of the teenage girls who have sat in our city schools next to our own children are probably going to be subject to that,” Mr. Ruby continued. “We are all responsible for what we do with that. If we allow that to happen, we are complicit.” 

Ohio senators’ views

A spokesman for Mr. Husted said the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Temporary Protected Status was intended for temporary relief.

“Senator Husted supports the rule of law and complying with the law,” the spokesman said. “If any individual has a legal claim to continued residency in Ohio, our office is willing to assist. And for others, the senator hopes there will be an orderly and thoughtful process to enforce this order.”

Mr. Husted’s office did not respond to questions about where the senator stands on legislation extending legal protections for Haitians for three years.

Mr. Moreno said the U.S. Senate should reject that bill.

“The House’s bill is an insult to the millions of people patiently waiting in line and a tacit approval of [former President] Biden’s border invasion where TPS became de facto amnesty,” Mr. Moreno said.