News Briefs - Feb. 17, 2025

College & Career Night
The East Toledo Family Center (ETFC), in partnership with Toledo Tomorrow, will present the 2nd Annual College and Career Night, Wednesday, Feb. 19, from 4-6 p.m. in the ETFC gym. 1020 Varland Ave.
 
Attendees will have the opportunity to explore a range of educational institutions and employment organizations. Confirmed partners attending include:
        • Bowling Green State University
        • Defiance College
        • Goodwill Industries of Northwest Ohio
        • Lucas County Children Services
        • Owens Community College
        • Terra State Community College
        • Toledo Area Ironworkers
        • The University of Toledo
 
All community members — students, families and job seekers — are invited to attend and learn about resources and opportunities available to help them achieve their education and career goals.
 
Holiday closure
The Ottawa County Board of Elections office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 17, in observance of Presidents Day. 
 
Office hours will resume on Tuesday, Feb. 18. For more information, call 419-898-3071.
 
Presidents Day open house set
Bowling Green State University is expecting to welcome a record number of prospective students and families to campus for the annual Presidents Day Open House on Monday, Feb. 17., from 8:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
 
Now in its 29th year, the annual visit day is one of the largest in Ohio, with thousands of prospective students and their families set to attend.
 
The all-day experience is held when classes are in session, allowing future students to experience active classrooms and research labs, meet with current students and faculty and explore the University's state-of-the-art facilities and vibrantcampus life. First-year residence halls will also be open for self-guided tours.
 
For more information and to register for this year's BGSU Presidents Day Open House, visit BGSU.edu/PresidentsDay.
 
Court announces study
The Toledo Municipal Court is partnering with the Access to Justice Lab at Harvard Law School to conduct a randomized control study of the Court's Community Diversion Program.
 
This randomized control study, supported by Arnold Ventures, is considered the gold standard in empirical research.
 
The Court’s diversion program, launched in 2018, is grounded in procedural fairness. It is intended to disrupt contact with the criminal justice system for persistent low-level offenders.
 
The court created the diversion program curriculum with the expertise of the Center for Justice Innovation, as part of Lucas County's Safety + Justice Challenge grant from the MacArthur Foundation. The study will follow participants for two years and will look at the impact of the program on recidivism (re-offenses), employment, mental and physical health and housing security.
 
Toledo Municipal Court Judge Timothy C. Kuhlman said, “This program could represent an innovative approach to disrupting frequent, low-level contact with the criminal justice system. Its cost-effectiveness makes it accessible to jurisdictions around the country.”
 
The study is scheduled to launch in March. The Access to Justice Lab has hired local staff to coordinate the study.