This Week in Toledo

• On Monday, government officials announced that Ukrainian Defense Drones plans to create their first U.S.-based drone manufacturing facility in Holland, Ohio. The $18.4 million plant is expected to create 300 full-time jobs manufacturing unmanned aerial drones for Ukraine and other U.S. allies by December 2029.

• Also on Monday, 71-year-old Richard Scheich and 55-year-old James Delverne, former employees of Northwest Capital, were sentenced to four years in prison for investment fraud. The employees were found guilty of mismanaging $72 million from area investors between 2010 and 2021.

• On Tuesday, two more former employees of Northwest Capital were sentenced to prison for investment fraud. 63-year-old Doug Miller received a sentence of seven years in prison, while 74-year-old Nancy Rathbun received a sentence of 120 days in prison and 100 hours of community service.

• On Wednesday, Toledo set a record high of 99 degrees Fahrenheit. The previous record high for July 1 in Toledo was 98 degrees Fahrenheit, set in 1931.

• Also on Wednesday, Gray Media, owners of the local ABC affiliate 13ABC, announced that it had purchased six television stations from American Spirit Media, including local FOX affiliate WUPW. WUPW has shared services with local CBS affiliate WTOL, owned by Tegna, Inc. since 2012.

• In further Wednesday news, local filmmaker Mike Balonek of Three Pines Production Co. released a 45-minute documentary about corruption and reform within the United Auto Workers (UAW) through the lens of a job selling scheme discovered by Toledo workers in 2012. To view the film, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t5vbKUve0I

• Federal officials announced Wednesday that the Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport would receive $2,836,854 from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for reconstructing a passenger boarding bridge and a passenger baggage handling belt. The Toledo Executive Airport also received $841,136 from the FAA for apron pavement and the reconstruction of taxilanes.

• On Thursday, Owens Community College announced that it had received a $1 million loan from the Ohio Department of Higher Education to use toward demolition of Bicentennial Hall and the Health Technologies building.

• Also on Thursday, former employee of Perfecting Church Shenia Watson, also known as Shenia Brown, was sentenced to 40 months in prison for stealing $350,995.25 from the church between 2019 and 2023.

• Bowling Green State University will receive $750,000 from the Ohio Department of Higher Education for a structured literacy center - one of three universities, along with the University of Akron and Miami University, to receive a state grant for the centers.

• Superintendent of Ottawa Hills schools Adam Fineske has submitted his resignation to the district effective August 2. He has accepted a position as the next president and CEO of WGTE Public Media, a National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.

• Toledo City Council will vote on July 14 to place a 0.25% income tax dedicated to public safety before voters in the November general election. The measure, if approved by voters, would generate an estimated $25 million/year and last for four years, beginning January 1, 2027 and running through December 31, 2030.

• The City of Toledo will receive a $19.5 million grant for safety and mobility improvements on Front and Main Streets in East Toledo from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program. The city was previously approved to receive $28.5 million for the project from the U.S. Congress's 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, but that was canceled by the passage of the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

• The City of Toledo continues work to repair the sinkhole that appeared on Arlington Avenue in October 2024, with sewer replacement estimated to be completed this fall and all street reconstruction estimated to be completed by 2028.

• A community group named "Harvard - Onward and Upward" has formed and is seeking to preserve and repurpose the recently closed Harvard Elementary School. Initial ideas include receiving a historic designation for the building and redeveloping the property into a combination of apartments, condominiums, and/or senior living.

• Lucas County Auditor Katie Moline has discovered that some postcards asking dog owners to renew their 2026 dog licenses were sent in error. The number of erroneous postcards has yet to be determined; approximately 11,000 were sent out.

• The Lucas County Child Protection task force, convened after the death of 13-year-old Kei'Mani Latigue in early 2025, has released a list of eight suggestions to strengthen the local child welfare system. They are: Expand community-based visitation, engagement and prevention spaces; Map services for child maltreatment prevention and improve family navigation and resource access; Implement coordinated prevention networks and post-reunification support; Deliver equity-centered workforce training and front-door practice reform; Embed lived experience leadership across governance, practice and accountability; Launch comprehensive equity-focused kinship and foster care recruitment; Increase coordination to reduce placement disruptions and promote stability of foster youth; and Reestablish a Lucas County ombudsman with public reporting authority.

• Perrysburg-based skate shop Just Skateboarding, open since 1996, announced that it would be moving to 617 Adams Street in downtown Toledo. The new location will double the shop's footprint and will include an indoor ramp.

• This Sunday (July 5), Lucas County Canine Care & Control (LC4) will begin waiving dog adoption fees through July 26. All dogs available for adoption have passed a medical evaluation, received initial vaccinations, undergone deworming and microchipping, and have been spayed or neutered. A dog license must still be purchased.

• Next Wednesday (July 8) at 6 p.m., Decrim Nature Toledo, a grassroots group seeking to decriminalize possession and growing of psychedelic plants and fungi, will hold a free screening of the documentary "Music for Mushrooms" at Black Kite Coffee (2499 Collingwood Blvd.).

• Also next Wednesday (July 8) at 6 p.m., the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library will hold a community reading of the Declaration of Independence at the Main Branch Library (325 N. Michigan St.) for America250. Those interested in participating in the reading are encouraged to arrive by 5:45 p.m.

• Next Thursday (July 9) from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library will host a free concert by Cristina Vane in the Main Branch Library (325 N. Michigan St.) atrium as part of its "Live at the Library" summer concert series. For more information, visit https://toledolibrary.org/music.

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News sources: The Blade, 13ABC

HOW DID THEY VOTE: O-286-26 Amending the existing agreement with Flock Group, Inc. for the Toledo Police Department's Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) for a one-year continuation of services for portable Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs) (6/23/26)

• Summary & Background: "The Toledo Police Department currently utilizes portable ALPRs through Flock Group Inc. This authorizes the annual expenditure not to exceed $14,000 for one year. Flock Group Inc. is the vendor for the current ALPRs. This is a continuation of services for the portable ALPRs we currently have in service and would like to keep in service."

• Full text of proposed ordinance: https://tinyurl.com/8d6vr3n5

• YES Votes: Driscoll, Hobbs, Martinez, Melden, Morris, McPherson, Sarantou, Williams ( 8 )

• NO Votes: Gadus, Jones, Komives, Kramer ( 4 )

• OUTCOME: Passed (8 - 4)

• The Blade: Council debates Flock contract renewal as public safety concerns persist - 6/22/26 (https://tinyurl.com/2tvptzhh)

Quotes: "Ms. Gadus also raised concerns about reports from other jurisdictions involving searches related to immigration and reproductive health."

"Councilman George Sarantou expressed support of the system, echoing that reported misuse cases represent a small fraction of its overall use.

'Only two dozen cases out of at least one billion,' he said."

• The Blade: Toledo City Council approves Flock camera contract extension in 8-4 vote - 6/23/26 (https://tinyurl.com/yeyw7fvh)

Quotes: "'I am not in the mindset to take tools away from police that actually help our community,' Council President Vanice Williams said. 'I am all about giving police what they need to do good work.'"

"However, Ms. Kramer said she remained concerned about the privacy implications of the technology.

'I support TPD in all that they do, but we do need to listen to the residents and look at what is happening across our country,' she said."

• E-mails of council members:
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