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Teen indicted for role in November slaying, car fire
A juvenile charged with murder for the Nov. 9 shooting of a man whose body was found in a burning car in East Toledo was indicted Thursday. Kristaun Self, 17, was indicted for murder, aggravated murder, aggravated robbery, and felonious assault, all with firearms specifications. He was also indicted for aggravated arson, arson, tampering with evidence, and abuse of a corpse. The Self youth was one of two people being sought by police in connection with the Nov. 9 death of Josiah Gill, 20, of Toledo’s Point Place neighborhood. Toledo firefighters found Mr. Gill’s body in the back seat of a burning car in the grass under Veterans’ Glass City Skyway bridge, near the northbound I-280 exit ramp to Front Street.
Toledo football: 3 storylines for 2024 season ahead of MAC media day
Talkin’ season is underway. The Mountain West, Pac-2, Big 12, and SEC have all conducted their annual circus also known as media day(s). Friday is the Mid-American Conference’s turn. Coaches and players from the MAC’s 12 teams will gather at the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton to tell reporters how great they feel about their team and why 2024 is the year they’ll win the MAC.
Analysis: Sorting out Mid-American Conference football in 2024
Although there hasn’t been a repeat winner in the Mid-American Conference since the early 2010s, there has been a noticeable trend in the last 11 seasons. A handful of teams have won multiple league titles since then, and any one of them could hoist the trophy at Ford Field again this year. Defending MAC champion Miami will try to become the first back-to-back winner since Northern Illinois in 2011 and 2012. The RedHawks (11-3 overall, 7-1 MAC), who have some key veterans returning, are coming off their best season since 2003 when they went 13-1 and won the league title. Toledo, the 2022 MAC champion, fell to Miami a year ago in Detroit. Both teams, along with Bowling Green, have won two MAC titles since 2012, while Northern Illinois has won three.
New charge filed against man bit by K-9 at traffic stop
A new charge has been filed against a Toledo man who was bitten by a police dog at a traffic stop on April 11. Brandon Upchurch, a 38-year-old Black man, was pulled over after a license-plate reader mistakenly identified his pickup’s plate as stolen. Even though police determined the plate was not stolen, Mr. Upchurch was arrested for obstructing official business and resisting arrest. Now, three months later, a third charge has been added: failure to comply with the order of a police officer. According to the police report and body cam videos from the officers at the scene, the responding officer — with his gun pulled — for two minutes continuously ordered Mr. Upchurch to shut his vehicle off and toss the keys out the window, and Mr. Upchurch did not comply.
Republicans decry early voting but urge supporters to do it anyway
LAKE GENEVA, Wis. — The chairman of the Ohio Republican Party has hit the message hard to his delegation on a daily basis: It's OK to vote early. In fact, it's encouraged. It's a message that former President Donald Trump — usually the loudest critic in the room when it comes to the integrity of the early vote — has also hit every night via video at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. “The way we win is to swamp them,” Trump says. “If we swamp them, they can't cheat. It just doesn't work out. But if you can't make it [on Election Day], you need to make a plan, register, and vote any way possible.” That message directly conflicts with a plank in the just-approved, scaled-back Republican platform, which calls for a return to strictly same-day voting, a decision that is typically made on a state-by-state basis. The platform also calls for mandatory voter identification, proof of citizenship, and more sophisticated paper ballots.
Boy shot accidentally while playing with a gun
Two 12-year old boys were playing with a gun in a West Toledo home when one was accidentally shot in the leg, police said. The boys were in a bedroom of a house in the 3800 block of Watson Avenue around 6:20 p.m. Wednesday when the shooting happened. The victim was taken to ProMedica Toledo Hospital by a parent for treatment.
Leyland greatest moments countdown No. 3: Epically entertaining ejection in 2011
Leading up to Sunday’s Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony for Perrysburg native Jim Leyland, we’re counting down our five favorite Leyland moments. No. 3: Epically entertaining ejection The worst parts about instant replay and the managerial species evolving — or devolving — from old-school characters to analytics puppets? No more legendary rants.
We simulated Battle of I-75 in ‘College Football 25.’ Here’s what happened
How do the University of Toledo and Bowling Green State University stack up in the virtual version of the Battle of I-75? The Blade ran a simulation of the rivalry game in EA Sports College Football 25, which was released Monday for those who pre-ordered and will be widely released on Friday. We used current rosters for a contest with 15-minute quarters. Here is a look at Toledo’s home entrance. In this iteration at least, the Battle of I-75 was indeed a battle.
Unusual spaces: Worshipping in non-traditional settings
Pastor Eric Slack grew up attending church in a traditional sanctuary on Oakwood Avenue. Now, he leads worship services out of an event space in downtown Toledo. “That's still part of my DNA; I do miss it sometimes,” he said. “Now I'm in a different place and doing a different type of ministry. I think that evolution will definitely be able to transform some lives and do some good in the community.” Pastor Slack opened New Creation Ministries Church in September. Feeling the need to plant an urban church, he connected with The Summit on the corner of Summit and Monroe streets. The event space, complete with its stage, sound, lighting, and screen, is “perfect for our presentation,” the pastor said. And it has a “nice, cozy feeling” for the 15 to 20 people who attend each week.
Religious Offerings: Trinity Lutheran Church and School celebrate 150 years
■ Trinity Lutheran Church recognizes its 150th anniversary with an outdoor worship service and picnic on Sunday. The service will begin at 10:30 a.m. at 4560 Glendale Ave., Toledo. The Rev. Kevin Wilson, president of the Ohio District of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, will be the guest preacher. There will also be inflatables, a pie baking contest, and a classic car display. All are welcome to attend. Trinity will also hold an anniversary banquet on Nov. 3 with former pastor Charlie Brandt as the guest preacher. The German-speaking church formed in 1874 by members of St. John’s Luther Church in Adrian who moved to Toledo. The July 19 signing of its constitution officially established the congregation, and one signer, Heinrich Ketel, is related to the church’s current president, Al Pilz. Originally located at the northeast corner of Vance and Ewing streets, the congregation relocated to its current location in 1958.
Special events: Pizza Palooza and 80s Rock Invasion highlight the weekend
Who’s got the best pizza in the Toledo region? Come down to the 12th annual Pizza Palooza at Centennial Terrace running 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. both Friday and Saturday. A true celebration of pizza, Pizza Palooza draws attendees from all over northwest Ohio, engaging pizza restaurants both near and far. The event is presented by Grogan’s Towne Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, Charlie’s Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, and Sofo Foods. Come vote for your favorite pizza as pizza chefs strive to take home the People’s Choice Award. Centennial Terrace is located at 5773 Centennial Rd. in Sylvania. Admission is $8 for...
First Solar dedicates 1.3M-square-foot facility in Wood County
A research and development center believed to be the largest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere was commissioned Thursday by First Solar Inc. The Jim Nolan Center for Solar Innovation encompasses 1.3 million square feet in Wood County’s Lake Township, near First Solar’s other Perrysburg-area properties. That project and its upcoming perovskite development line, planned to be commissioned at First Solar’s Perrysburg campus later this year, together represent nearly another $500 million of investments in northwest Ohio. They are expected to create 300 new jobs, mostly at the Nolan Center, the company said. The new research and development facility is dedicated to the late James “Jim” F. Nolan, a former member of First Solar’s Board of Directors and the architect of the company’s cadmium telluride semiconductor platform. A private dedication for the family is planned.
World and American cuisine collide at Cooper's Hawk
The first thing you see upon entering Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant is the Napa-style tasting room where wine club members or customers can taste and purchase their favorite wines. You can see immediately why reservations are highly recommended for this casual yet upscale dining experience, a medium-sized chain with locations in 12 states. When first seated, the waitress will take your drink order and offer three free tastings of a chosen wine list. A hot pretzel bread with butter is brought out before your meals arrive. ★★★★ ½
Completing the mission: Documentary bookends local painter's place in Ohio's outer space history
When Bill Hinsch set out to paint a 9-by-12 foot painting of Ohio’s most famous astronauts commissioned for the statehouse rotunda in 2023, he wasn’t sure if he could complete the job. He was 69 years old. He had just had two hip replacements. The painting would require him to stand on a scaffold for hours a day, working at a scale much larger than he had worked before. Yet one year, and some 1,000 hours of work later, Bill Hinsch, a Perrysburg resident, finished Ohioans in Space. The painting now hangs in the statehouse, in homage to Ohio’s remarkable astronaut legacy. Now, Bill Hinsch’s son, Alex Hinsch, has directed a documentary about his father’s painting. The documentary, titled Cradle of Astronauts, will highlight Bill Hinsch’s work on the painting and also tell the story of Ohio’s role in the history of NASA – bringing focus to the state’s “small-town heroes” who left their mark on U.S. space history.
Outdoor concerts make the summer Pops
COLUMBUS — Nothing says summer more than a crowd of all ages sitting on a blanket or in lawn chairs on a sultry evening, watching fireflies dart around, and scratching the occasional mosquito bite while listening to music: a big brass band, a folk concert with sonorous guitars, raging rock or rap, or perhaps a mix of pop and classical music. That happens in various places in northwest Ohio and the rest of the Buckeye state, including the state’s capital city, Columbus, which offers more than football, hockey, and a General Assembly. Nationwide Picnic with the Pops and Popcorn Pops take place at the Columbus Commons, with the orchestra playing from the Columbus Bicentennial Pavilion. The Columbus Commons is a green space wedged in among the big, imposing skyscrapers that house Columbus’ titans of business, including the Nationwide building. The insurance firm that pledges to be on your side appears to also be on the side of the arts. A major donor to the CSO, Nationwide also put up a chorus to perform with the orchestra, and they sang the “Star Spangled Banner” to start the show.
19th Hole Party marks early Dana Open festivities
THURSDAY is the first official day of the Dana Open at Highland Meadows Golf Club. The Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament, with a purse of $1.75 million in prize money, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. In addition to seeing some great international women’s golfers, the folks who really benefit are the children’s charities. Since 1984, the Dana Open has contributed more than $13.9 million to area children’s charities. Dana Open board chairman Sydney Williams-Birch said it best: the Dana Open is a Champions for Children event. This year’s recipients include: the Jamie Farr Scholarship Fund of Greater Toledo Community Foundation, the Maumee Habitat for Humanity: Women Build, Nationwide Children’s Hospital-Toledo, ProMedica Russell J. Ebeid Children’s Hospital, and Ronald McDonald House Charities of NW Ohio, the first charity recipient way back when. The fun actually started on Monday with the kickoff Pro-Am and the Universal Metals team won first place. More Pro-Ams continued through Wednesday.
Editorial: STRS Minnesota meddling
Ohio educators fighting to reform the State Teachers Retirement System are facing concentrated government power to dilute their success. Since teachers have elected enough board members to gain majority control of STRS, Gov. Mike DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost have launched a court case to remove two members. Now a special committee on STRS, created by the Ohio Retirement Study Council, is noodling a plan to combine all state pensions and stack the new board with enough government-appointed members to assure the upper hand permanently. Read more Blade editorials
Editorial: Toledo’s flawed partner
Toledo and Fifth Third Bank are linked by the wonderful downtown ballpark where the Mud Hens play 71 normally well-attended games every season. Unfortunately, Fifth Third has tarnished the connection with shameful business practices that prompted a $20 million fine from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read more Blade editorials The Cincinnati-based bank must refund insurance fees they forced on 35,000 car loan customers, who already had coverage. The extra expense enriching Fifth Third caused 1,000 of its customers to have their cars repossessed.
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