All of us in Toledo realize what a true gem we have in our wonderful and expansive Metroparks Toledo system. There are very, very few communities in the America that have an outdoor park system that is equal to this jewel. The only way we can keep it going is to vote “yes” on Issue 7, which is continuation of the way we have supported it in the past. I hope you will vote for it, but, more than that, I hope you will talk it up to all your friends to remind them that this is an absolute opportunity to continue this incredible positive feature of the greater Toledo area.
As you may know, Sue and I made a major gift to the Metroparks Toledo a few months ago to help start another park that will be a huge community asset, serving the people in East and North Toledo. It’s an area where many people are not as mobile, and it will give their families, especially the children, a great place to enjoy outside activities. Please talk this up amongst your friends who have an obligation to cause excitement, because that is certainly what the Metroparks do for us and our families.
BOB SAVAGE
West Toledo
A vote of support for Metroparks
I will vote for Issue 7 in the Nov. 8 election, and I hope you will, too. Why? Because the levy will fund our incredible Metroparks, and, as a renewal levy, there will be no increase in cost to taxpayers.
Whether you like quiet pursuits like hiking, photography, or fishing or prefer the excitement of sledding, tree climbing, or mountain biking, our Metroparks offer something for everybody, and there’s a Metropark within 5 miles of every resident, so they are accessible to all.
If you haven’t been on the banks of the mighty Maumee lately, take a trip to the Glass City Metropark and Riverwalk which are now in development, bringing national, state, and local partners together to make the most of our riverfront.
Our Metroparks are so good that they won the 2020 National Gold Medal Award for excellence in parks and recreation management, the most prestigious honor in the parks and recreation industry!
From their health and recreational benefits to their positive economic, environmental, and community impacts, our Metroparks deserve your support. Please join me in voting for Issue 7!
FRAN ANDERSON
Maumee
Senator DeWine out of step with Governor DeWine
There are many commercials showing Mike DeWine striding purposefully across a factory floor touting his impressive record of protecting manufacturing and jobs in Ohio. But, somehow, I remember it differently.
I remember his record as a U.S. Senator in 2006 when there wasn’t a free trade proposal he didn’t enthusiastically support. Those proposals and his endorsement of them are public record.
Especially notable is his vote to normalize free trade with China, the very thing he is now decrying. Those trade deals, allowing exporting of U.S. manufacturing and the jobs that accompany them, are why the U.S. now finds itself unable to procure the parts and computer chips it needs. And Mike DeWine voted for and supported every one of them.
When his abysmal record on trade is added to his vote to stymy the right of Ohioans to have fair voting districts, he has shown he is not worthy of another term as governor.
Retire Mike DeWine on Nov. 8.
PEGGY ERHART
Maumee
Keep the lights on
The shootings at the Central-Whitmer football game were terrible. The good news is that no life was lost, and we hope for a very speedy recovery for those that were wounded. Kudos to the police, school officials, school security, teachers, coaches, and parents that helped to ameliorate a very dangerous situation.
There are roughly 398 million guns owned by civilians in the U.S. with a total population of 329 million people. That in itself is an inherent problem. We can not solve that issue here but what we could do is take more measures at sporting events to help with the safety issue for kids, parents, coaches, teachers, and fans.
Everyone today has a cell phone. Maybe at sporting events a general cell phone number could be made available to fans attending the games. They could text the number if they see something that they think is suspicious or something that does not look right. Have one person at the game location monitoring those texts and reporting them to police and security people at the game location. Our high school sports are so very important to our student athletes.
The intrinsic lessons kids learn through sports are life lessons that you carry with you forever. We need to be very vigilant and protect our kids and their high school sports. It can be taken away quickly. I played football at St. John’s Jesuit in 1969 and because of trouble at games we started to play all our games Saturday mornings at 10 or Sundays at 1 p.m.
Let’s really be alert, watch, and be aware and help to keep the high school games safe for everyone and keep the Friday night lights on.
TOM COLE
South Toledo
Inflation blame
The current inflation is chiefly the result of supply shortages caused by the pandemic, you know, the one that went away as soon as temperatures increased. If you blame a president for inflation, a stupid proposition in and of itself, blame the one who bungled the response to the coronavirus.
I agree, it is a stupid economic policy to let speculators determine the prices of fuels necessary for the country to survive, but that has been going on for much longer than two years. Perhaps what other letter writers were referring to, and which seems to have been conveniently forgotten, is the daily lying. Former President Donald Trump frequently contradicted himself. Or maybe they remember the childish insults leveled at anyone who displeased Mr. Trump on a particular day.
Perhaps they recall the thinly-veiled racist and misogynist comments or the shout-outs to white nationalist and fascist groups. Maybe they grew tired of the posturing and claims that he would only accept election results if he won. Possibly they became annoyed at the incompetence displayed by someone who has no respect for the office beyond its capacity to increase personal wealth, do favors for family companies, or attract fawning and mindless admirers.
I find it hard to believe that anyone thinks this guy was good for anything much less the country. I firmly believe only three kinds of Trump supporters remain: the wealthy and greedy, racists, and fanatics — admirers who can’t be reached by facts and logic, similar to cultists. These groups are not necessarily mutually exclusive.
BRUCE WORKMAN
Findlay
1 question election
For 2022 the one question to ask any politician is “Was the 2020 presidential election stolen?”
If they answer yes they are proving to you that they can lie to you and the public with a straight face and have no respect for our democracy.
It is possible that they really believe the election was stolen, in which case it goes to show that they are incapable of discerning facts and data and once they get an idea in their head it can’t be changed. Very dangerous for a leader.
A third possibility is they are so afraid of one man that the truth does not matter.
JOHN DOMBROWSKI
South Toledo
First Published October 16, 2022, 4:00 a.m.
