Metro 9/4/17

Page 1

P

The

Since 1972

Oil Barrel Trophy See Sports

Ottawa Co. drug response team formed

RESS September 4, 2017

FREE

‘Bully’ in P-ville See Entertainment

Serving More Than h 33 33,000 000 H Homes & B Businesses i iin 4 C Counties ti

M

By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com Trevor Johnson, of Port Clinton, has been appointed director of the newly-formed Drug Addiction Response Team (DART) in Ottawa County. James VanEerten, county prosecutor, announced the hiring last month after the prosecutor’s office cited the need for additional resources to battle the opiate epidemic in Ohio. “With the number of fatal and non-fatal overdoses on the rise in the county, this program will provide criminal investigation and linkage services to overdose survivors and their families,” VanEerten said. He described DART as a collaborative diversion effort involving law enforcement, mental health providers, drug addiction counselors and other medical service providers to ensure that addicts receive needed help. DART officers will respond to reported overdoses in the county and treatment options will be offered to overdose survivors. They, in turn, can avoid criminal charges by complying with the recommended testing by completing a period of being supervised by law enforcement agencies. Criminal charges can be filed if program participants don’t comply with the requirements. VanEerten said there is currently little follow-up on non-fatal overdose cases due to limited resources and changes in state law. Consequently, there are few criminal investigations into those cases. A more common scenario, he said, is the overdose survivor is transported to the hospital for treatment and law enforcement involvement ends there, resulting in a revolving door of addicts who overdose continually. As a result, there are no repercussions like mandated treatment or criminal liability. VanEerten said the program will provide follow-up services to addicts in need of treatment as well as investigations needed for prosecuting those who refuse treatment. He said the county program is seeking Continued on page 5

Q uote

of The Week

— but overall, the benefits outweigh the sacrifices. Northwood Supt. Greg Clark

See page 4

German American fest kids

At left, Stella Franke, age 2, of Oregon, likes that her pink glasses matches her pink ice cream. At right, Rachel Burnett and Katelyn Fighter ham it up in a German style cut-out. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)

Oregon Municipal Court

Public forum for judges Thursday By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com There are four candidates vying for the Oregon Municipal Court judge seat in the November 7 General Election. The candidates will appear at a public forum at the Oregon Municipal Complex Community Room on Thursday, Sept. 7 at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. The candidates are Anne M. Brossia, Scott A. Winckowski, Lou Kovacs, and Clint Wassserman. One of them will replace Jeffrey B. Keller, the current municipal court judge, who is retiring. Brossia Anne M. Brossia has been a trial attorney with The Kitch firm in Toledo for nearly 16 years. She has focused on medical malpractice defense and professional licensure defense. The majority of her practice involves litigation. Brossia also was an intensive care unit nurse at the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital for 22 years, and a nursing clinical instructor at Owens

Brossia

Kovacs

Community College. Brossia was born and raised in the Hungarian neighborhood of Birmingham in East Toledo, where she attended St. Stephen’s Elementary School. She graduated from Cardinal Stritch High School in 1979. She received a diploma in nursing from Mercy School of Nursing in 1985, and graduated Summa Cum Laude from Lourdes College in 1993 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in nursing. She received her law degree from the University of Toledo College of Law in 2000. Brossia has been an active member of the Toledo Bar Association, donating her

Wasserman

time as an investigator of the Grievance Committee, and as a member of the Law Related Education Committee. She is also a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, and a charter member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, Zeta Theta Chapter. Brossia has been a member of the Oregon Recreation Board for the past several years. She is also a member of the Oregon Jerusalem Historical Society, and a life-long member of St. Stephen’s Church. She is also an inductee into the Birmingham Hall of Fame.

Silent Sale...650+ New & Used Cars & Trucks Priced at XTRA-Low Prices

No Sales People Sun. & Mon. (Labor Day Weekend)

419-693-3000 www.dunnchevybuick.com

Ad See Our age P on Back

Winckowski

Continued on page 5


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.