News Briefs Week Of 8/15/2022
Oregon Police
accepting applications
The Oregon Police Division is accepting applications for the police officer eligibility list, in anticipation of openings in late 2022 and early 2023.
Those who are interested in becoming an Oregon Police officer may visit Oregon.ohio.org/Job_Opportunities/testing-dates.html, or call Civil Service Clerk Sandy Garverick at 419-698-7095 for more information.
Testing and applications must be completed by Sept. 30.
Applicants must be at least 21 years and less than 35 years of age at the time of appointment, per Ohio Revised Code 124.41. Applicants are not required to have previous experience or academy certification to be eligible for employment.
The City of Oregon offers a range of benefits. Current salary during the police academy, if needed, and field training is $29.77 per hour. Once field training is completed, pay ranges from $31.27 to $37.72 per hour. Overtime opportunities are available on a regular basis.
For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Sgt. Ryan Kantner, public information officer, at 419-690-7313.
Registration open for
Clean Your Streams
Volunteers can join Northwest Ohio’s largest watershed cleanup, led by Partners for Clean Streams, Saturday, Sept. 24 by registering at partnersforcleanstreams.org/cys26/register.
Every September since 1997, volunteers have undertaken a Northwest Ohio environmental tradition of removing marine debris from their local streams, rivers and ditches on Clean Your Streams Day.
The Sept. 24 event, presented by Partners for Clean Streams and collaborating organizations, will feature seven kickoff locations around the greater Toledo area. To date, more than 360,000 pounds of trash have been removed from area waterways by more than 13,000 volunteers.
Volunteers can register online for one of the kickoff locations on Sept. 24, or choose to join the week long clean-on-your-own remote kickoff, taking place between Sept. 17 and Sept. 24.
Remote kickoff participants can arrange to borrow clean-up supplies and are encouraged to ask Partners for Clean Streams about suggested waterway sites.
On the morning of Sept. 24, volunteers at each location will be provided supplies and safety training before spreading out to their assigned waterway clean-up sites. Following the clean-up, all volunteers are invited to an appreciation picnic, where they’ll enjoy food, door prize, and friendly-yet-competitive Challenge Awards.
Kickoff sites include:
• City of Oregon Municipal Building.
• International Park, Toledo.
• Woodland Park, Perrysburg.
• Monroe Street United Methodist Church, Toledo.
• Secor Metropark, Sylvania Township.
• Side Cut Metropark, Maumee.
• University of Toledo Law School.
Partners for Clean Streams, Inc. is a 501(c)3 nonprofit community organization supporting local and regional water quality improvements in the metro-Toledo area. Partners for Clean Streams works toward abundant open space and a quality natural environment; adequate floodwater storage capacities and flourishing wildlife; stakeholders who take local ownership in their resources; and rivers, streams and lakes that are clean, clear and safe.
For more information, visit PartnersforCleanStreams.org
Nominations sought
Are there staff members at the Wood County District Public Library who always go the extra mile for you and your family when you visit the library?
Say thank you to library staff by nominating them for the John M. Gibson Award, a tradition begun by the library’s Board of Trustees in 2005 to recognize excellence in customer service.
Any WCDPL employee (with the exceptions of the library director and the deputy director) may be nominated for the Gibson Award. The board of trustees select the recipient from nominations submitted by both library users and WCDPL staff members, and then recognize all nominees when the award is presented Friday, Oct. 7.
Nomination forms are available at the main library in Bowling Green, at the Walbridge Library and on the Bookmobile. Nominations may also be submitted online at wcdpl.org/john-gibson-award.
All nominations are due by Monday, Sept. 12 at 5 p.m.
For additional information about the John M. Gibson Award, visit wcdpl.org/john-gibson-award or call 419-352-5104.
Donors needed
About 62 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood. But, only about 3% does. By making an appointment to help save lives with the American Red Cross in August, donors can pump up the blood supply and keep it from falling to shortage levels. Platelet donors are especially needed now.
As a thank-you, all who come to donate blood from Aug. 1-31 will be automatically entered for a chance to win gas for a year, a $6,000 value. There will be three lucky winners. Everyone who comes to give blood or platelets in August will also receive a $10 e-gift card to a merchant of choice. Donors can schedule an appointment to give using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities Aug. 9-31, Toledo Blood Donation Center
3510 Executive Parkway, Toledo, Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Tuesdays, Thursdays: 10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
School safety
discussion
The public is invited to attend a discussion on school safety issues Aug. 17 at 7 p.m. at St. Peter’s UCC Church in Millbury.
The discussion, part of the Millbury area Neighborhood Watch meeting, will address issues parents and guardians should be aware of as school goes back into session this month.
Topics to be covered include steps parents can take to make sure their children have a safe environment while they are at school.
The church is located at 28505 Main St., Millbury. If weather permits, the meeting will be held in the outdoor shelter on the north side of the church. Otherwise, it will be conducted in the church basement.
County GOP to
open headquarters
The Ottawa County Republican Party will open its 2022 campaign headquarters Aug. 16 at
the Commodore Perry Inn & Suites, 255 W. Lakeshore Drive, Port Clinton from 4-6 p.m.
Candidates and elected officials will be in attendance, including J.R. Majewski and Rep. D.J. Swearingen. Light refreshments will be served.
The headquarters will initially be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.
For more information, contact Jill Stinebaugh at 419-367-3630.
Search warrant
yields cocaine
On Aug. 3, the Ottawa County Drug Task Force and the Sandusky County Drug Task Force performed simultaneous search warrants at the Vasquez Taco Stand, W. State Street, and a residence at 611 S. Park Ave. both in the City of Fremont and owned or managed by Octavio Vasquez.
During the search at the residence, authorities recovered approximately four kilograms of suspected cocaine and more than $50,000 in U.S. currency.
Vasquez was charged with trafficking in drugs and possession of drugs, both first degree felonies. Additional charges will be presented to the Sandusky County Grand Jury at a later date.
The investigation included the Ottawa County Drug Task Force, the Fremont Police Department, the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office, the Sandusky County Prosecutors Office, the Ottawa County Prosecutors Office, Clyde Police Department and the Sandusky County Drug Task Force.
Anyone who has any information about drug activity in Sandusky County may contact the Sandusky County Drug Task Force at 419-334-5918, and in Ottawa County please contact the Ottawa County Drug Task force at 419-898-3155.
Injury accident
On Route 420
A Millbury man sustained minor injuries Aug. 6 in a two-vehicle accident on State Route 420 in Lake Township.
Roy Bargy, 68, was driving an International truck northbound on Route 420 when it collided with another truck driven by Dorde Kastratovic, 29, Chicago, Illinois, who was attempting to make a northbound turn onto Route 420, from a designated U-turn access.
According to the Ohio Highway Patrol, Bargy failed to stop at a red light, and struck Kastratovic’s truck, causing Bargy’s truck to overturn, spilling a load of limestone onto the roadway.
Bargy sustained minor injuries as a result of the crash, was treated at the scene, and released. Kastratovic sustained no injury. Both drivers were wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash.
As a result of the load being spilled, the northbound lane was shut down for several hours as crews from VJ’s Towing and Wright’s Towing worked to clear the roadway.
The Highway Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Lake Township Police Department, Lake Township Fire and EMS and the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Body in ditch
identified
An autopsy on a body found Aug. 4 in a ditch along Rymers Road in Erie Township has identified the man as John Whittecar, who suffered a fatal gunshot.
The Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with relevant information to contact Det. Jonah Boyer, 419-734-6249.
Deputies were dispatched about 7:38 p.m. to the area after the sheriff’s office received a report of a body sighted in the ditch.
Abuse investigator
to be recognized
An investigator in the Office of the Wood County Prosecuting Attorney will be presented the Purple Ribbon Law Enforcement Partner of the Year Award.
Todd Curtis, a former sergeant with the Perrysburg Township Police Department and now senior investigator with the prosecutor’s office, is being recognized for bringing awareness to domestic violence and advocating on behalf of victims.
The award is sponsored by Domesticshelters.org and Theresa’s Fund. Curtis has worked with organizations such as Standing Courageous, Inc. and the Cocoon Shelter, providing training and advocacy.
He has been a voice in the Ohio legislature for laws addressing strangulation as a felony offense.
Child endangering
charges filed
By Press Staff Writer
A proceeding was held Aug. 4 to bind a couple facing child endangering charges over to Wood County Common Pleas Court.
The charge is a third degree felony.
Jason Sosnowicz, 42, and Tabetha Sosnowicz, 38, also are under a no-contact order, which prevents them from having contact with each other and three children.
According to an affidavit filed with Perrysburg Municipal Court, a Northwood police officer was dispatched July 22 to a room at the Baymont Hotel on Oregon Road to check on the safety of a 12-year-old boy.
The officer wrote that the 12-year-old was on the floor with his wrists tied behind his back with shoe strings and his wrists were tied to his ankles.
Jason Sosnowicz, the boy’s stepfather, told the officer that the youth was tied up because he “gets into things.”
The boy’s mother, Tabetha, arrived a short time later and advised that she knew the boy was tied up.
She stated that they tie him up to keep him from getting into candy while they are sleeping.
The boy was tied up at approximately 3 a.m. and remained bound until found by police at 12:30 p.m. – about 9 1/2 hours, the affidavit says.
The boy and adults were living at the hotel room.
On July 29, the no-contact order was issued against the Sosnowicz’s, preventing them from having contact with each other and three children, including the victim and two other minors, 15 and 7 years old.
The case has been assigned to Judge Molly Mack.
Water district
open house
After two years of cancellations due to the pandemic, the Northwestern Water and Sewer District's open house will be held Aug. 16 from 3-7 p.m.
The district building is located at 12560 Middleton Pike, Bowling Green,
District staff will be on hand to guide attendees through a tour of the facility. There will also be a special presentation at 4 p.m. to show how the district supports economic development in Northwestern Ohio.
Attendees can also meet members of the board of Trustees.
Food and entertainment will be provided.
For information visit the district Facebook events page @NWWSD.