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Daniels’ comedy See page 4
RESS February 11, 2019
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Kmart site
Shop may close due to development By Kelly J. Kaczala News Editor kkaczala@presspublications.com
Aquatic kids
Five year old Caroline Buehler learns to hold her breath underwater as part of the Infant Swimming Resource held at the Maumee Bay lodge swimming pool. See story in Health, page 10. (Photo by Kym Cragel)
Jerusalem Twp.
Governor’s Award given for Howard Marsh Metroparks Toledo is the winner of the 2018 Ohio Parks and Recreation Association Governor’s Award for phase 1 construction of Howard Marsh Metropark. In addition to the Governor’s Award, Howard Marsh, in Jerusalem Township received a first place award in a category for capital improvements with a budget of $2.5 million or more. Metroparks created the 1,000-acre Howard Marsh – now the second largest in the park system – from agricultural land, converting more than 600 acres to coastal wetland and planting 12,000 trees and shrubs. Located near Lake Erie, the park has a six-mile trail that includes a half-mile boardwalk through a marsh, two kayak launches and fishing platforms. Since it opened at the end of last April, more than 60,000 people have visited the park, which quickly gained a reputation as a place to view shorebirds during the Biggest Week in American Birding festival in May. “Howard Marsh is a fabulous Metropark and the culmination of a decade of partnership between Metroparks Toledo and many state and federal agencies,” said Woody
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This is the single largest project in our agency’s 90-year history. No one agency could pull this off.
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By Press Staff Writer news@presspublications.com
Woodward, executive director of the Ohio Parks and Recreation Association. “It helps to protect Ohio’s most valuable natural resource, promotes tourism and serves as a shining example of the way that parks and recreation agencies can improve the quality of life for the people they serve.” Howard Marsh is the single largest wetland restoration project completed under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Accomplished goals included habitat restoration, enhanced water quality and improved recreation opportunities. The achieved metrics include:
• 571 acres of new restored coastal wetlands • 116 acres of new upland habitat (including 7,500 new trees) • 6 miles of deep water channels for boating and fish habitat • 6.6 miles of new hiking trails and boardwalks • 191 species of resident and migratory song birds, shorebirds and waterfowl have been documented using the restored habitat since opening. The park’s unique design immerses park visitors into a total wetland experience with a spectacular 360 degree view of three interconnected marshland units interspersed with nine restored upland habitat islands. The Governor’s Award was established in 2010 to recognize the one park and recreation program or project that has had the most significant impact on quality of life in the preceding year. The award winner was announced and the award presented at the OPRA Annual Awards Dinner on February 5 at the Kalahari Convention Center in Sandusky. All fourteen winners of OPRA program and project awards were considered
Oregon City Council recently authorized a ground lease/purchase agreement with the owner of the former Kmart property at 2830 Navarre Ave. for a 120 day due diligence period. The city will then decide whether it wants to enter into a 10 year lease with an option at the end of the 10 years to buy the property for $3.7 million, with lease payments of approximately $300,000 per year during that 10 year period. The acquisition is part of the city’s downtown development project. Shawn Kapfhammer, owner of S&K Mow and Snow, which is located on the property, will have to move his business, since all of the buildings at that location will be demolished as part of the acquisition deal. Kapfhammer leases the property for less than the going rate of commercial property at that site. Kapfhammer, who has leased the property from the owners of Kmart for four years, said he was not informed by city officials that he might have to relocate his business. “Not one person came to me for a plan on what we can do, other than what we can’t do,” said Kapfhammer. “The administration did not reach out to even see what they could even do for us.” He said he has another business in Rossford, but it is too small to relocate the Oregon business to that location. “My portfolio to go somewhere is not very big. My place in Rossford is a 2,700 square foot facility. I can’t contain my business and 20 employees in a 2,700 sq. foot facility. I can take a handful with me,” he said “I’m hurting more than everyone in this room put together. Nobody has skin in the game. It’s all tax money. Nobody personally has any other finances in this deal here. I’m the one that is hurt and hurting.” Continued on page 2
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To call someone who died at the age of 22 “the father of rock” is not as farfetched as it might seem. John Whitehead See page 7
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