PR E S S
The A flash at Kent State See page 18
Lack of demolitions big concern
January 21, 2013
FREE
11 Chinese students come to Eastwood See page 8
Serving The Eastern Maumee Bay Communities Since 1972
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By J. Patrick Eaken Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com
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How could a good deed go so wrong? John Szozda See page 11
Historical society razes home Lieutenant Commander Vidal Valentin and Harbor View Historical Society President Sam Bonifas in front of the house being torn down by the Navy Seabees. See story on page 6. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)
City warns
Beware of door-to-door salesmen By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com Oregon City Administrator Mike Beazley urged the public to use discretion when dealing with salesmen who have been spotted in the city going door to door, particularly representatives from natural gas and electric suppliers. The city staff, he said, often get calls from the public when salesmen come knocking on their doors. “They get calls from the public when folks are going door to door for natural gas or energy sales,” he said at a council meeting on Jan. 14. Residents should make “apples to apples” comparisons of prices and terms of service with their utility companies and other companies wanting their business to ensure they are making the right decisions on paying the lowest prices, he said. “Citizens have the right to do anything they want — it’s a personal decision,” he said. But residents should be sure to ask “good questions,” he added, particularly when it comes to making decisions about choosing natural gas or electric companies. “It’s a very confusing subject for folks. The next thing they know, they’re signing up for something and they’re paying more than they intend. We just want to encour-
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The next thing they know, they’re signing up for something and they’re paying more than they intend.
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Home demolitions, or rather the lack of demolitions, in East Toledo brought out distraught residents when Lucas County Land Bank executive director Cindy Geronimo arrived to speak to the East Toledo Club. Over 40 residents jammed into the East Toledo Senior Center at Navarre Park expressing concerns over nuisance homes that have been a menace to the neighborhood, in some cases, for a decade. One man said, “I invested in my home on the east side 13 years ago and my branch manager over here from the bank will attest to that I invested again this year. After years, I’ve looked at three (dilapidated) properties on my street — one of them I see right outside my front door and one of them I see right outside my back door. That’s what I get to look at, and another one is two doors down next do my daughter who has a newborn baby, (and that house) has been burned down.” The man continued by saying he repeatedly telephoned the city’s nuisance abatement line, and nothing came of it. Another woman talked about a garage that had burned three years ago and still stood, despite her attempts of repeatedly calling the city’s nuisance abatement hotline. Story after story followed from local residents until one man became raucous, blaming the whole housing situation on the banking industry and faulty loans. Geronimo explained that the Lucas County Land Reutilization Corporation (or land bank), a community improvement corporation created to strengthen neighborhoods by returning vacant and abandoned properties to productive use, seeks to alleviate the situation. In July this year, the land bank was awarded a $3.6 million grant from the Ohio Attorney General. With matching funds from the City of Toledo, the land bank has $6.8 million available through December 2013. Geronimo said in 2011, the first year of the land bank’s existence, 50
age our citizens to ask good questions and know exactly what they’re signing up for. They can do what they want. But we do get a lot of calls. It is a challenge,” he said. Councilman Jerry Peach said he had recently learned of the natural gas salesmen in the city. He also noted that there are two men associated with the proposed gas fired electrical generating plant doing an assessment of historic architectural structures. “They are driving around, taking pictures. This is just one of the steps that is necessary in the permitting process. If anyone [on council] is contacted by the public about a light gray Suburban driven by a couple of individuals taking pictures within a three mile radius of the plant, it’s
probably those individuals,” said Peach. Beazley said the assessment is needed to show that the plant “will not be in an inappropriate location.” “I think they will find it will fit in well with our industrial section of Oregon,” said Beazley. Known as the Oregon Clean Energy (OCE) project, the power plant would convert clean natural gas to electricity and will be constructed just south of the BP Husky Refinery, between Wynn and Lallendorf roads. Councilman Sandy Bihn asked Beazley if salesmen need permits to go door to door in the city. Beazley said they have to file applications with the city beforehand. “And we do a record check,” said Beazley. “Before you can go door to door, we do have the authority to reject companies and individuals. We reject people with criminal records. We rejected the application of one company because we felt they were not complying with our rules. They had some problems with `after hour’ issues, the time of day they’re allowed to knock on the door, where they can go. Oregon has a fairly reasonable rule on that. It is not something we are perfect at. We can’t make many value judgments about what they’re selling. But public awareness is good.” Peach said the requirement has been
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