Gov. Mike DeWine, it is time to continue your legacy of leadership for northwest Ohio by improving the highway connection between Columbus and NW Ohio. This connection is vital and has a long history of improvement during our lifetimes. The improvements should not stop now.
As a graduate of the Ohio State University and a frequent traveler to Columbus, I am very familiar with the route. The connection has been regularly improved and made safer and more efficient with limited access highway segments, grade separations, and removal of traffic lights.
In recent years, however, economic development north of I-270 has led to the installation of 38 traffic lights between Waldo and I-270. The route is clogged with traffic every day, both local and intercity. The closer you get to Columbus, the more urban sprawl has taken place, and U.S. 23 is no longer a viable and timely path to the State Capital.
It is time to continue improving this important highway connection by building the Delaware bypass. The Gordie Howe International Bridge from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, will provide many more lanes for moving freight efficiently between the United States and Canada. The only obstacle for Ohio to fully accessing this expanded international trade connection is the bottleneck north of Columbus, Ohio in Delaware County.
Governor DeWine, you have shown great leadership for NW Ohio with your H2Ohio program to improve Lake Erie, and for all of Ohio by bringing Intel to central Ohio. Now continue your legacy of leadership by overruling ODOT’s recommendation and improving this vital highway connection.
CRAIG STOUGH
Mayor, city of Sylvania
Yes on Metroparks
We live in a truly outstanding city.
Toledo is made up of hard-working citizens that have great pride in their work and equal pride in raising their families.
The city of Toledo has many iconic assists. We have the Mud Hens and Fifth Third Stadium, the Walleye in Huntington Arena and the world-wide iconic Jeep Plant.
We have more restaurants by far than most other cities our size. We are experiencing a revitalization in our Public School System under Romules Durant. We have outstanding parochial Schools. We are surrounded by excellent colleges and fantastic hospitals.
Our Metroparks are one of the true pillars of our beloved Community along with the aforementioned assets. Our Metroparks are tops in the country and provide a unique form of recreation. They are a direct connection to nature providing aesthetically designed trails for the citizens of Toledo to enjoy every day. The joy that the Metroparks bring to Toledo’s citizens and their families every day is off the charts.
Issue 7 is vital for our incredible Metroparks to continue to maintain, grow, and prosper. Issue 7 is not a new tax. For a home owner of a $100,000 home the tax would cost $2.08 a month.
To keep our great city moving forward and maintaining an excellent quality of life please support our Metroparks and vote for Issue 7. Thanks so very much
TOM COLE
South Toledo
Past is prologue with ProMedica & UT
A kerfuffle between ProMedica Health System and University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, the former Medical College of Ohio Hospital, involving their 2015 clinical affiliation agreement and money?
Who could have possibly seen this coming?
With apologies to Claude Rains’ Capt. Louis Renault in Casablanca, I could pretend to be shocked — shocked — that these two institutions aren’t getting along.
But guess what?
We’ve seen this movie many, many, many times before — the old tempestuous, mercurial MCO-ProMedica relationship that now has been inherited by University of Toledo and with new actors and new plots.
Who can forget, for example, that classic film noir, World-Class Medical Center, a story about the messy, doomed three-year merger discussions starting in 1993 with MCO selling its teaching hospital to ProMedica as part of an effort to create what the MCO president at the time called “a world-class medical center?”
Who remembers that 1999 gem, Fighting’ Hospitals, a tale of ProMedica unilaterally severing its academic affiliation with MCO in retaliation after MCO Hospital closed its inpatient pediatric unit to join then St. Vincent Medical Center to create a children’s hospital?
Toledo Hospital already had a children’s facility in its building.
Sure, it’s all ancient history, but provides some meaningful context for the latest imbroglio.
For the sake of medical education in northwest Ohio, let’s hope the parties can work things out.
But it is probably too much to ask for “the start of a beautiful friendship” like that of Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine and Claude Rains’ Captain Renault.
Toledo is not Hollywood.
JIM WINKLER
Gainesville, Fla.
Editors note: The writer worked in several communication positions at MCO and UT for more than 30 years and is one of four editors of the book, A Community of Scholars: Recollections of the Early Years of the Medical College of Ohio.
Ignorance by arrogance
As Mark Twain observed: “No amount of evidence will ever persuade an idiot.”
After over 30 years on the Juvenile Court bench I have come to the conclusion that with regard to understanding, there are four kinds of people.
There are those who understand because they have thought about the issue or topic and appreciate its complexity. They also know there is more to learn and are willing to be taught.
There are those who don’t understand but can and are willing. They are curious, eager to learn more so they can better adapt to new situations, and because they love to learn.
There are those who don’t understand and can’t because they don’t have the curiosity or the ability.
Finally, there are those who refuse to understand. They have all the answers to whatever issue or topic under consideration. The question doesn’t matter, they have the answers.
Nuance and different ways to understand the topic, or even testing them is a waste of time. They believe everything they think because they are never wrong. True understanding would violate their “truth”.
“Don’t confuse me with facts, I already know.”
They are Mark Twain’s idiots.
About 55 years ago, one of my seminary professors opined that, we, in the United States were about to enter into a long period of intellectual darkness the world has not known since the Middle Ages. I believe we are in the middle of that intentional ignorance now and have long way to go before we come out of it.
The brightest and most curious are humble enough to know that there is so much more to learn and so much more to understand and they long to grow into it. Those people will show us the way. They don’t have the arrogance that closes their hearts and minds to what they don’t know or understand. They even challenge their own knowledge and understanding so they can know more and understand better. They will rescue us from this quagmire of self-imposed ignorance.
I hope I live to see it.
JAMES RAY
Maumee
The writer is a retired Lucas County Juvenile Court judge.
First Published September 25, 2022, 4:00 a.m.
