Metro 10/06/14

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Water crisis tarnishes region’s brand By J. Patrick Eaken Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com Because of droughts, fires, and water shortages elsewhere, all we’ve heard for years is how someday the rustbelt Great Lakes cities will someday profit because of our access to fresh water. Oregon City Administrator Mike Beazley says that promise took a big blow when the City of Toledo made national news because it had tainted drinking water for a weekend in early August. That weekend, about 500,000 residents who receive City of Toledo water had reason to be alarmed because they were told not to drink their tap water. The Ohio EPA said the water was contaminated by a toxin called microcystin that is produced by an invasive algal bloom in Lake Erie. While not all algal is harmful, the type seen in the huge blooms in the western part of Lake Erie and other inland Ohio lakes can produce nerve and liver toxins, which are especially dangerous for pets, children, the elderly and those with comprised immune systems. Virtually all of Northwest Ohio’s groundwater drains into the western basin, and the water brings with it toxins from sewage systems and fertilizers from farm fields and residential yards. In addition, southeast Michigan and Detroit contribute and there are other factors, like climate change and residential runoff.

Justice for Elaina

The Lucas County Land Bank recently demolished 704 Federal Street, the property where the murdered body of baby Elaina Steinfurth was found. The new vacant lot will be split and sold to each of the adjacent neighbors who have agreed to maintain the land. Top left, Marsha Holbrook, grandmother of Elaina, is overcome with emotion at the razing. Bottom right, neighbors chant “Justice for Elaina” as the house comes down. (Press photos by Ken Grosjean)

House bill considered

Ignition interlocks for first time OVI? After five hearings, a bill to require first-time drunk driving offenders who want driving privileges to have an interlock breathalyzer installed on their vehicles is still pending before the Ohio House Judiciary Committee. Current Ohio law requires the use of the devices for repeat offenders wanting driving privileges but leaves it as an option for first-time offenders. H.B. 469 would expand the use of ignition interlocks for first-time offenders with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or greater by also requiring them to use the devices when granted any type of driving privilege for the duration of a license suspension. Authored by Rep. Terry Johnson,

Lastly, the legislature has been opposed to using a driver’s license as a tool for punishment.

By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com

R-McDermott, the bill has drawn the support of several organizations, including Mothers Against Drunk Driving, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, National Safety Council and others.

The Ohio Judicial Conference and the Ohio State Bar Association, however, have recently expressed opposition to the bill, citing a loss of judicial discretion. “Judicial discretion is paramount in these types of cases with relatively low recidivism rates,” a letter to the committee from Todd Book, the association’s director of policy and government affairs, says. “Second, it will increase the number of trials and administration license suspension hearings; thereby further burdening the criminal justice system. Lastly, the legislature has been opposed to using a driver’s license as a tool for punishment. The extra burden created by the mandatory interlock restrictions will serve as such a punishment.” The device is wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A motorist convicted

‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ To make his point to Eastern Maumee Bay Chamber of Commerce guests, Beazley quoted the classic poem “Rime of the Ancient Mariner” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, modifying it slightly to draw an analogy. Beazley, who majored in English Literature in college, was the keynote speaker at a chamber breakfast held at Arbors of Oregon nursing and rehabilitation center last Monday morning, “In some ways it’s like the ‘Rime of the Ancient Mariner’ — there’s water, water everywhere, but for a weekend we had nary a drop to drink,’” Beazley said. “And it was something that hurt our image of ourselves Continued on page 4

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Serious illness raises tough questions.

ToughQuestionsStraightAnswers.org © 2014 Hospice of Northwest Ohio

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We sang out loud to ourselves in an attempt to generate heat for our core muscles.

Continued on page 2

Let our experts help with what’s weighing on your mind.

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Metro 10/06/14 by Press Publications - Issuu