News Briefs

African Safari
to open March 25
African Safari Wildlife Park will open for its 55th season on Saturday, March 25.
“Early spring is a great time to visit the park because most of our animals are totally unbothered by the chilly-to-mild weather,” said park director Kelsey Keller. “You may even be lucky enough to witness the birth of a deer or alpaca!”
The park’s popular Drive-Thru Safari, which features zebras, bison, llamas, alpacas, elk, exotic cattle, emus and more, will be open daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. with the last car admitted at 4 p.m. The park’s warm-weather animals, such as giraffe and antelope, will generally not be visible unless the air temperature is above 60 degrees.
The Walk-Thru Safari, which features gibbons, lemurs, kangaroos, warthogs, parrots, camel rides, educational animal shows and animal-feeding experiences, will open in mid-May.
To celebrate opening day, the park is offering general admission tickets for $16.95 – a savings of up to $13 per person – which can be used anytime during the 2023 season. This promotional price, available through March 28, can only be purchased online at africansafariwildlifepark.com and is not available at the gate.

Job & Career Expo
The Maumee Chamber of Commerce, along with Maumee High School, will host a Job Fair & Career Expo Wednesday, March 29 from 3-6 p.m. in the gym at Maumee High School, 1147 Saco Dr. Job seekers should enter the school through doors 27 and 28.
The event is free for jobs seekers and open to the public. Registration is not required. Job seekers will have the opportunity to network with as many as 40 Toledo-area employers who are seeking individuals to fill open positions.
Employers include the 180th Fighter Wing, AllianceOne, Athena Career Academy, Beach House Leading Families Home, Bella's Lawn & Landscape, Browning Masonic Community, Chick-fil-A Perrysburg Plaza, Directions Credit Union, Divine Healthcare, Double A Solutions, Farmasi, Glovation Circus, HealthMarkets, Insulators Local 45, Kingston Healthcare, Lucas County 911 Regional Council of Governments, Maumee Assembly & Stamping, Maumee City Schools, Meredith Party Rentals, Piping Industry Training Center/UA Local 50, Pro Edge Lawn Care, ProMedica, Raising Cane's, Sunshine Communities, The Andersons Inc., The Toledo Clinic, Woodforest National Bank and YMCA of Greater Toledo.
Employers will be recruiting for positions in the areas of healthcare, sales, food service/restaurant, education, insurance, retail, customer service and more.
Job seekers are encouraged to dress professionally and bring resumes. For more information, visit maumeechamber.com/job-expo/.

Winter heating help
deadline March 30
Residents in need of winter heating assistance have until Thursday, March 30 to apply for help through the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) Winter Crisis Program.
The program is available for eligible Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca, and Wood County households that have disconnected utilities or are at risk of a utility disconnect. Residents who need to replenish propane, wood pellet or other fuel supplies may also seek help through the program if their fuel supplies are 25% supply or less.
To qualify, residents must be at or below 175 percent of federal poverty guidelines (e.g. $23,783 annual income/household of one; $48,563 annual income/family of four). Applicants must also provide a list of all household members, including Social Security numbers and birthdates; proof of citizenship for all household members; proof of income for all household members for the previous 30 days or 12 months and copies of recent utility bills.
For more information on the Winter Crisis Program, visit glcap.org/winterheating or call the scheduling hotline at 567-432-5046.

Fisk Jubilee Singers
to perform April 2
The world-renowned singing group that gave Nashville its moniker of “The Music City” will perform Sunday, April 2, in Fremont as part of President Rutherford B. Hayes’ 200th Birthday Celebration.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers, from Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, will give a public concert at Grace Lutheran Church, 705 W. State St., Fremont. The Hayes Presidential Library & Museums is bringing the group to Fremont as one of the major events in the ongoing commemoration of President Hayes’ 200th birthday, which was Oct. 4, 2022.
The concert will begin at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served after the performance.
Tickets are $10 for ages 18 and older, $5 for ages 13-17 and free for kids 12 and younger. Tickets are available online at rbhayes.org/fisk.
The Fisk Jubilee Singers, students at Fisk University, have sung for audiences worldwide since the original group was formed in 1871 to help raise money for the university. At that time, Fisk was the only university that offered a liberal arts education to young men and women irrespective of their race, and it was struggling to stay open.
The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced “slave songs” to the world and were instrumental in preserving this unique American musical tradition, known today as spirituals.
They broke racial barriers in the United States and abroad in the late 19th century. They sang for U.S. presidents and, in Europe, entertained kings and queens. During their first tour of Europe in 1873, they raised more than $150,000 for Fisk University. This money was used to build Jubilee Hall, the first permanent building in the South used for educating African Americans.
One of the presidents for whom they sang was President Hayes. They came to Spiegel Grove for two days in May 1882.
Hayes noted their visit in his diary. Although he did not specify what they sang or where they performed at the Grove, he noted that they made an excellent impression on him.
“We are thrilled to have the Fisk Jubilee Singers return to Fremont,” said Christie Weininger, Hayes Presidential executive director. “Not only are they an outstanding musical ensemble, but their institutional history and connection to Spiegel Grove makes their performance very meaningful.”
The Fisk Jubilee Singers received the National Medal of the Arts in 2008, have been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, Music City Walk of Fame and have received the Tennessee governor’s Folklife Heritage Award.
President Hayes’ 200th Birthday Celebration is sponsored by Croghan Colonial Bank. For a schedule of birthday celebration events, visit rbhayes.org/rbh200.

Jazz ensemble to play
in Pemberville April 1
T-Bone Paxton & The Old Town Stompers will bring the spontaneous spirit of traditional jazz to the Pemberville Opera House Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m., as part of the ongoing Live! In the House Concert Series.
Tickets are $12 and are available in advance at Beeker’s General Store, 226 E. Front St., Pemberville, or by calling Carol at 419-287-4848, or at the door on performance night.
T-Bone & the Old Town Stompers began when, roughly a century after the repeal of prohibition, a troupe of musicians gathered in a dimly-lit nightclub in Lansing, Michigan’s Old Town neighborhood to partake in a soirée celebrating the history and aesthetics of the 1920s. The ensemble, curated by bandleader John “T-Bone” Paxton, gave their inaugural performance with such immediate joy, ease, excitement and chemistry, that it seemed as though they had been working together for decades. The event was such a success that they began getting called on for more performances.
The band takes inspiration from historic recordings by the likes of Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, Sidney Bechet, Jimmie Noone, Bix Beiderbecke, Frank Trumbauer and so many more. Learn more at pembervilleoperahouse.org. In addition to Paxton (vocals/trombone/bandleader), the band includes Scott Gwinnell (piano), Chris Tabaczynski (clarinet/saxophones), Alex Belhaj (guitar) and Erik McIntyre guitar/banjo).

Alzheimer’s program
The Alzheimer's Association Northwest Ohio Chapter is partnering with Brookdale Senior Living to present a virtual program to help caregivers better understand their personal caregiving style to improve outcomes for their loved ones and families.
Amanda N. Leggett, Ph.D., FGSA, assistant professor, Institute of Gerontology and Department of Psychology at Wayne State University, will be the featured presenter for the virtual event scheduled for Wednesday, March 29 from 5-6:15 p.m. Interested individuals should register through Zoom at brookdale.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0kfuiqqj0pG935h2Ui3OhE6M9FmvbOH7Gc.
“When it comes to dementia care, there is no one-size-fits-all approach,” said Pam Myers, program director of the Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio and Central Ohio Chapters. “It’s important to be well-versed in various caregiving styles and to know which approach will yield the best results for loved ones being cared for and the entire family.”
During this virtual program, Dr. Leggett will help caregivers understand their own particular style of caregiving. Once the style of caregiving is identified, the caregiver will be better equipped to deliver interventions that can improve caregiving outcomes. She will provide actionable tips on caregiving for each caregiving style defined.
For more information about the program or other programs and resources available through the Alzheimer’s Association Northwest Ohio Chapter, call 419-537-1999.

Town hall to address
rail safety legislation
A town hall event to discuss rail safety legislation will be held Saturday, April 1 from 1-3 p.m. at the Oregon Branch Library, 3340 Dustin Rd.
Panelists will include State Rep. Michele Grim (D-Toledo), State Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), John Esterly, State Legislative Chairman, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen; State Rep. Josh Williams (R-Oregon) and Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio).
Area residents are invited to the forum to hear the panelists and ask questions regarding rail safety and related legislation.

Jurassic Quest
tickets on sale
Jurassic Quest dinosaur experience will return to Toledo’s Glass City Center with photorealistic herd and prehistoric activities March 31-April 2. Hours are noon-8 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday. Glass City Center is located at 401 Jefferson Ave.
Since 2013, Jurassic Quest has been touring epic dinosaur experiences, treating visitors to an as-close-as-you-can-get look at the giants that ruled the Earth and sea millions of years ago. Developed with leading paleontologists, each dinosaur has been painstakingly replicated in every detail, including the most realistic likenesses, movement and sound.
Advance online ticket purchase is recommended at jurassicquest.com to ensure desired date and availability. Tickets will also be available on-site.
General admission tickets include access to the dinosaur and marine exhibits, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur shows. There are rides and activities that require activity tickets available on site, or guests can upgrade to the Kids Unlimited Ticket. Admission is free for children under age 2.

Amendment bill
introduced
State Senators Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) have introduced Senate Joint Resolution 2, to protect the Ohio Constitution from what they claim have been constant attacks by well-funded special interest groups.
The resolution requires a 60 percent vote of the people for constitutional amendments to pass on election day.
“The current process to amend Ohio’s Constitution has been exploited time and time again by well-funded, out-of-state special interests who pay millions to get their preferred policies into our founding document,” Gavarone said. “SJR 2 will put Ohioans back in charge of the Constitution and preserve the integrity of our founding documents to ensure that our state remains the best place to live, work and
raise a family.”
Once approved, the resolution will go before the voters during a special August election, the date for which will be determined by Senate Bill 92, which was introduced alongside SJR 2.

Controlled burns
planned at refuge
Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge will be conducting prescribed burns on approximately 100 of its 10,500 acres, beginning as early as March 20 and no later than June 30. Prescribed burns improve grassland habitat by discouraging the growth of shrubs and trees and rejuvenating native grasses and wildflowers. Burning marsh habitat helps restore a balance between open water and wetland plants, creating food and cover for migratory birds and other wildlife. Prescribed burning also lowers the risk of wildfires.
The refuge is located in Ottawa and Lucas counties in Northwest Ohio. The refuge entrance is located on State Route 2.
Hunting opportunities are available, along with fishing, wildlife observation, photography, and environmental education. For information, call 419-898-0014 or visit the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge website, http://www.fws.gov/midwest/ottawa.

Meeting change
The Northwestern Water and Sewer District has rescheduled the board meeting set for March 23 to March 30 at 7:30 a.m. The meetings are held at 12560 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green.

Body found
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a female whose body was found March 20 along N. Route 590 in Benton Township.
Deputies received a call about 7:10 a.m. of a disabled vehicle in the area of 3000 N. State Rt. 590. The vehicle was partially in the roadway and the body was nearby.
There were no indications of foul play.
The identity will be released once all of the family has been notified.

Road closure
The Ottawa County Engineer’s Office has closed Plasterbed Road, from Lockwood Road north to the railroad tracks through March 31.
No vehicles are permitted through the area.

Finding against
former fiscal
officer issued
A finding for recovery of $43,011 was issued last week against the former fiscal officer of the Village of Risingsun, who was convicted in 2022 of stealing from the Wood County community, Auditor of State Keith Faber said.
The finding is included in a special audit that outlines the investigation into Robin L. Hindall, who pleaded guilty in July 2022 in Wood County Common Pleas Court to a felony count of theft in office. She was sentenced August 2022 to five years of community control and ordered to make restitution totaling $39,272.50, which included $18,306.50 in audit costs.
The auditor’s Special Investigations Unit received a complaint in September 2019 after the new Risingsun fiscal officer found discrepancies in the village’s financial records, including cash withdrawals made by Hindall from two accounts.
SIU identified four schemes Hindall perpetuated for her own benefit from Nov. 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019, including improper cash withdrawals totaling $21,087; donations totaling $2,500 that were not deposited into the village’s bank account; $718 in improper gross wages, vacation, and compensatory time payments to herself, and $400 in stolen park rental receipts.
Risingsun Mayor Rick Whetsel and his bonding company are jointly and severally liable for the $718 in improper payroll, as Whetsel was responsible for oversight of Hindall’s timesheets.

Industrial policy
bill introduced
Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, ranking member of the House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, and representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (PA), Haley Stevens (MI), Jenniffer González-Colón (PR), Elissa Slotkin (MI), Mikie Sherrill (NJ), Grace Napolitano (CA), André Carson (IN), and Mary Sattler Peltola (AK) introduced the bipartisan Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy Act to create a new Office of Manufacturing and Industrial Innovation Policy overseen by a Chief Manufacturing Officer in the Executive Office of the President.
The new office will help strengthen America's manufacturing industry and workforce and improve global competitiveness following the coronavirus pandemic, Kaptur said.
The bipartisan legislation will also develop a long-term plan to ensure the growth and national security of the U.S. manufacturing industry and workforce and coordinate efforts to support manufacturing across the federal government, improve workforce development and job creation, and enhance research and development, she said.