August
Written by Autumn Lee | | news@toledofreepress.com• Local authorities told motorists that bridges in Northwest Ohio are safe to travel and are inspected annually. The notice came in the wake of an Aug. 1 bridge collapse in Minneapolis.
• Some local authorities questioned whether tax money is effectively combating the problem of more than 8,000 homeless cats entering Lucas County shelters each year. Toledo Area Human Society President Gregory Bloomfield said there are few efforts being made to resolve the issue outside of those by the Humane Society and low-cost spay and neutering programs. He said those trying to resolve the problem can’t “get in front of the incoming flood of cats enough to become proactive instead of reactive.”
• Lucas County Commissioner Ben Konop reflected on his first seven months in office, saying he “accomplished a fair amount of change.” Konop said there is a significant human-resources component to the job he did not anticipate.
• Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner made news when television and radio reporters found his dog, Scout, locked in his car for 30 or more minutes on two separate occasions. On one of those incidents, Finkbeiner received a citation for parking in a handicap space. Finkbeiner said he parked in the spot because it was the only one in the shade and he had Scout in the car.
• WLQR-AM 1470 The Ticket announced it would no longer broadcast Toledo Mud Hens games after eight years of carrying Hens baseball. WCWA picked up the schedule.
• The UT Science and Technology Corridor received a $1.95 million federal grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration for infrastructure improvements at the Health Science Campus.
• After a disappointing 2006 season in which his team finished 5-7, the first losing campaign during his time as head coach, UT’s Tom Amstutz told Toledo Free Press, “How you did on the field the previous season doesn’t carry over to the next season. Both [winning and losing] are temporary. That’s the way it is, but it’s also good because there’s always next year.”
• The Salt Lake City Public Library named longtime Toledo-Lucas County Public Library Director Clyde Scoles the lone finalist in its search for a new director. Scoles traveled to Utah to explore the opportunity, but did not take the position, nor was he offered it, he said.
• The leader of an effort to recall Toledo Mayor Carty Finkbeiner declared defeat Aug. 23 when he burned the recall petitions because he said he fell short of a goal of 20,000 signatures. Thomas Morrissey, the 22-year-old head of the “Recall Carty” campaign, said he estimated his group collected around 17,000 signatures. Morrissey said he burned the petition sheets to protect the individuals who signed from retaliatory action by Finkbeiner.
• Wholesale warehouse Costco opened its first store in Toledo Aug. 29 in the revamped Westgate Village Shopping Center.
• A delegation from Yanshan University in China traveled to Toledo for the formal announcement Aug. 27 of establishing Chinese educational programs to be offered at UT. It is believed to be the first partnership of its kind between American and Chinese universities.
• Michigan International Speedway President Roger Curtis said wet weather that pushed the scheduled Aug. 19 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the track back two days cost the venue close to $1 million in lost revenue.
