Fall 2021 Newscast Stories

Holiday Scams

December 9, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – You've seen the effect of supply chain shortages in some of your favorite stores but wish lists still need to be checked off. That dilemma has many going from in store shopping to online shopping, but be careful; scammers are well aware of the switch and will pull out all the stops to get inside your wallet.

Mark Batchelor is an expert in Cybercrime. He is the Vice President of Community Programs for the Cybercrime Support Network.

"They target people who are looking for holiday deals or in the case of charity scams, scammers are looking to take advantage of the goodness in people who are looking to give more over the
holidays," said Batchelor.

Over the holiday season, the scams you really need to look out for are fake charities, phishing sites and emails, and anyone asking you to pay with a gift card.

"You always want to pay with your credit card. You can dispute a charge and get your money back if something happens," said Batchelor.

When it comes to weeding out the fake charities, Batchelor has some advice.

"Reputable charities have a website. They're going to have their mission statement on there, they're going to have their leadership page, and most of them will have their financials,” said
Batchelor.

You can also research charities on Charity Navigator to ensure they're legitimate. When it comes to phishing emails and sites you might think you’re an expert at spotting them, but they're looking to catch you when you're off your game. Bad grammar is a sure sign of phishing emails or sites.

"I think they do that to weed out the people who are not going to engage. If you're too smart and you delete it because it looks crazy, they don't want to deal with you anyway. You're too smart. If
you're in a rush so you don't notice, and you click on it, those are the people they want," said Batchelor.

COVID Vaccine and Immune System

December 9, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – Many are concerned about COVID as a new variant continues to make headlines. But one group in particular is especially worried the vaccines might not work for them.

Scientists at UTMC are doing a study researching how immunosuppression can affect COVID 19 responses in kidney transplant recipients. They hope this study will help the immune- compromised.

"For me this gets very close to me, because I am a patient myself with an immunocompromised status. I feel anxious every time I hear about this virus. The most important thing is we're helping people learn about their immune response and the strength of the protection that they get from vaccination,” says Dulat Bekbolsynov, a researcher on the project and a postdoctoral fellow at UTMC..

Becky Schell, a kidney transplant recipient, is glad research like this is being done.

"I like details, so being able to answer any kind of question that I may have, whether it's about the COVID vaccine or about how my body is responding to the transplant, I find that the research is beneficial either way," says Schell.

Not only will the study analyze antibodies, it will also analyze white blood cells.

"We're going to do the harder work of evaluating whether vaccinated patients make responses against the virus through their white blood cells and not just through their antibodies," says Dr. Michael Rees, another researcher on this project and a professor of urology at UToledo.

According to Rees, about half of immunocompromised people who get vaccines don't have any immune response to it and while a booster can help, only about a third of people who get a booster shot had any response to that.

It's a two year study, and an anonymous donor gave $700,000 towards it.

Tycen Anderson Profile

December 9, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – Whether it be receiving 1st Team All-Mac honors, becoming a three time captain, you name it! Toledo, Ohio native Tycen Anderson has had quite the career at the University of Toledo. A culmination of Anderson's great deal of hard work recently came as he was able to land an invite to the 2022 Senior Bowl.

This is a big deal for Anderson as only the best college football players in America get the honor of being invited. This event gives Anderson a great opportunity to showcase his overall skill-set in front of NFL scouts. Every NFL prospect at the Senior Bowl will be brining something to the table that NFL teams could fall in love with over time. So the question you might be asking is what potentially separates Anderson from the rest of the pack? If you ask Anderson what his best traits are, he will tell you that it’s his overall football IQ and versatility as a defensive back.

“I would say some of my best traits are my sure tackling ability and being able to process information quickly and communicate it to others. I think I’m a very versatile DB (defensive back) and that just says a lot. If you watch the tape I can play in the box, I can play middle of the field safety, I can play the slot nickel, I believe I can play corner as well," Anderson said.

Since the day he first stepped on campus for the Toledo Rockets, it was very clear Anderson’s raw talent and great leadership qualities were definitely something to behold. Anderson takes great pride in being a great leader on and off the field and has specifically taken the time to leave a good lasting impression on many young football players that will be taking significant snaps for the Rockets in the upcoming years. These types of qualities could be what separates him on many NFL team’s draft boards.

"I once read in a book what good is a leader if he is not leading the ones around him. I kind of got to this position just by truly being who I am. My parents did a great job raising me and kind of putting these leadership skills in me,” Anderson proclaimed.

University of Toledo head football coach Jason Candle is also obviously very high on Anderson's overall talents. But he also endorses the fact that Anderson's great qualities as a human being will allow him to have success potentially in the NFL and with whatever life after football brings.

“If you have those characteristics, you have a chance to be successful after college in whatever you do,” Candle proclaimed.

Another question we can ask ourselves is who would have thought potentially playing in the NFL would have been a possibility for Anderson? Looking back even Anderson is a little shocked with how quickly he has progressed throughout his college career. He is forever grateful for the education he has received and his time playing football at the University of Toledo. While it remains to be seen which NFL team Anderson will land with in the 2022 NFL Draft, he is very excited for the journey ahead and will certainly look to give back to the Toledo community and promises to never turn his back on his hometown.

“I would never turn my back on my city. That’s not in me and that’s just not who I am. I would have never known I would be in the position I am today. Just coming out of high school I knew I had ability but who would have known the hard work would have turned into this. When I get to where I’m trynna go I’m for sure trynna help give back, help my family, and help my community," Anderson said.

Anderson will officially end his great career at the University of Toledo on Friday, December 17 in the 2021 Bahamas Bowl versus Middle Tennessee State. He will then begin training for the NFL, preparing for the Senior Bowl and to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft where his dreams more than certainly could become a reality.

Kids and the COVID Vaccine

December 2, 2021
by Shehbaz Khan

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and The Center for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 to 11. The Toledo Lucas County Health Department partnered with Toledo Public Schools through its districts to provide vaccine clinics for students.

The Rocket Pediatrics of the University of Toledo located in the Rupert Health Center at the UTMC campus is administering COVID-19 vaccines for kids. According to Dr. Valarie Stricklen, Rocket Pediatrics Medical Director, the department has started vaccine clinics a few weeks ago to dose children in the area.

About the difference between the adult and children COVID-19 vaccine, Stricklen said, “The only difference is the actual dose, so it’s the same vaccine that the adults are receiving. It is just one-third of the dose and they did the test to see how much they would need in order to be effective, and they found that one-third of the dose is the same effectiveness as the adult dose.”

The kids can get the same side effects from their dosage of vaccine as adults get, they can have some fatigue, some muscle aches, headaches which are typically the common effects.

“Typically, we just recommend rest, just quiet down on a couch watching a movie or reading a book. And then they can do Tylenol if they feel like they are having any kind of fevers or muscle aches or pain, in general, they want to treat. But usually, they go away in 24 or 48 hours,” Stricklen said.

"A kind of hesitancy is still seen among many parents for getting their kids vaccinated, some giving reasons like the vaccine came out too quickly, it wasn’t studied enough, we’ve heard think like they put a tracker in it so they can track you," Stricklen said.

“The mRNA vaccine has been studied for years. This wasn’t a new vaccine. So even though it did seem to come out quickly, it went through all of the same clearances any other vaccines would go through. I’m a mother of an almost 14-year-old. It can be scary to make this choice for your child. But honestly, the science is there. These vaccines are very effective with minimal risk and the risk of getting COVID-19 and the side effects of COVID-19 can be very scary as well,” Stricklen said.

"COVID-19 affects all ages. Kids usually have more of a mild case but can also affect kids severely and as kids don’t show as many symptoms, they can sometimes be some super spreaders. They can spread it to their grandparents or to their parents or to friends. People who are especially with cancer or immuno-compromised systems are most vulnerable to COVID-19. It is very important to get the children vaccinated," Stricklen said.

Fire Chief Retires

December 2, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio – Fire Chief Brian Byrd is set to retire this month. Being Fire Chief of Toledo for three years, he has reflected on his time throughout his career.

“I was deputy chief from 2008 until 2016 and at that time I chose to go back to the street as a battalion chief, which I did, and not knowing or ever anticipating that I was going to become the fire chief in 2018. Never saw that one coming, so the new mayor asked me to serve as the fire chief in 2018,” said Byrd.

Although he acknowledges his own accomplishments, Byrd takes pride in his team of firefighters and said that there is a lot he could have not have done without them.

“I don’t see anything that has been accomplished as a singular thing that happened because of me. We have a great group of people and a great administrative team up here now and our people out there on the street do what they do everyday. So, the fact that we got through COVID and all the 2020 challenges and our staffing issues. I would say that’s been one of our biggest successes is surviving that as a department,” said Byrd.

However, even though Byrd plans to retire, it will not be for long. He will retire for two months and then has been asked by the mayor to come back as the new director of public safety, with a deputy serving by his side.

“What’s nice about it is, I think, we kind of get to recreate the position so that we can have a balance of supporting our public safety forces and the things that the community needs,” said Byrd.

Overall, Byrd said that this job has taught him to appreciate life, the people around him, and the value of relationships.

Help for the Holidays

Relay for Life

November 18, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio – Relay for Life will be hosted at the University of Toledo Recreation Center. The event is a place where cancer survivors and caregivers can come together to support those who are battling cancer and to also celebrate those who have overcome it.

Chaitanya Koli, Relay for Life Director of four years, said that organizing this event means a lot to him.

“Although I’m fortunate enough to know my family is not affected by cancer, I recognize how important of a cause it is and how it affects people from all walks of life,” said Koli.

Liam Walsh said that he has found a special place in Relay for Life and has been a participant for years.

“My mom was diagnosed with cancer almost a decade ago now when I was in fifth grade. I think the big thing that journey really showed for me was the power of community and how important it is,” said Walsh.

People show up to the event to not only partake in the activities, but to also donate money to the cause. All of the donations to Relay to Life go towards funding cancer research and overall making a difference in patients’ lives.

Organizers assure us that every penny counts. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the cancer community in many negative ways. Karla Batt, Senior Development Director of the American Cancer Society of Northwest Ohio, said the community needs to come together and support one another now more than ever.

“Our goal this year is $50,000 dollars, which is lower. We typically raise around $70,000 dollars. However, with the impact of COVID and income for people and the struggles they’ve had, we’ve lowered the goal a little bit. But really, these students have worked super hard to bring in as
much money as they can,” said Batt.

The event will be hosted on Friday, November 19th, at 6:00 P.M. The theme this year is circus, so there will be many carnival games and a variety of activities for those who attend. For more information, visit www.relayforlife.org/ut.

Inflation and Rising Prices

November 18, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – When you get your bill at a restaurant or receive your grocery receipt, you might notice prices are a little higher than you're used to. Prices are up because of supply and demand. During 2020, you often saw shortages in the form of empty shelves in some of your favorite stores.

Dr. Michael Dowd, Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Toledo, said a self fulfilling prophecy is what's playing a huge role in inflation.

"You have to combat the expectation factor. If people start to expect higher and higher inflation, that by itself will cause higher and higher inflation. People will act in a way to protect themselves from the higher prices," Dowd said.

Dowd is referring to panic buying. Panic buying is when consumers begin to expect inflation so they buy commodities in bulk. Everyone buying the same items in bulk causes the prices for those items to rise.

You saw panic buying at the beginning of 2020 when many bought toilet paper and hand sanitizer in bulk. As a result of that panic buying, those items were often out of stock and their prices rose.

According to Dowd, inflation for consumer prices has jumped from around two percent this time last year to almost six percent. Producer prices, the prices that businesses pay in order to produce goods and services, have soared about eight-and-a-half percent.

"Businesses will have little choice but to pass on those increased costs to consumers," said Dowd.

The burning question on everyone's mind is if we will ever see the pre-pandemic prices again. To this question, Dowd has an answer you might like.

"They will return. Whether or not they go back down to approximately two percent, we have to wait and see if that happens," Dowd said.'

According to economists, one extra thing to note is that Inflation doesn't affect everyone the same way. Those with a fixed income, which is many college students, are affected more by inflation than those with cost of living adjustments. This is because pay raises aren't provided when there's higher inflation.

Lucas County 911 Change

November 18, 2021
by Lauren Hite

TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo Police Department is changing where calls are answered. All of Lucas County’s emergency calls, including those from campus, will now be answered on one centralized 911 system.

Chief of The University of Toledo Police Department, Jeff Newton, wants
to assure the community that nothing will change from the public’s point of view.

“There really should be no change - for a long time we've encouraged our community to dial 911 in emergencies,” Newton said.

This change of dispatch location will not change how the officers respond but you may have to be more particular as to where exactly you are on campus.

“You might need to be a little bit more specific to which campus you’re on, what building you’re located at, or what parking area you’re located in. But with that information they should have no problem getting a UT officer to you,” Newton said.

UTPD guarantees this will only improve their response times. According to Newton, they now will have a "smarter GPS system that they can dispatch so they can dispatch the closest vehicle to the emergency.”

Another change with UTPD recently is the non-emergency line now has a menu option you will hear when you call it.

“The only change - and it’s fairly slight - is when you call the UT Police dispatch number (419-530-2600), you’ll be presented with several options. Most of our phone calls are actually on our fingerprinting services we offer, or maybe someone needs a police report, or maybe some other item that is not related to a police officer going somewhere or doing something," Newton said.

Sports Report - November 18, 2021

Touchstone Awards Promo

Congratulations to the Spring 2021 UT:10 News crew on receiving the Touchstone Award from The Press Club of Toledo.

Catalytic Converter Thefts Update

Thanksgiving Food Shortages

Sports Report - November 11, 2021

November 11, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – Savage Arena is the home of the University of Toledo Men’s Basketball Team. The Rockets, however, aren’t considered your average team – at least if you ask anyone who has recently been a part of the program, which has seen a great amount of success for more than half of the decade. As winning ways have become a habit, the Rockets each year expect to win at a very high level. Head Coach Tod Kowalczyk believes what he has helped establish from the ground up at the University of Toledo is enough for the Rockets to lay claim as the best in the MAC.

"Over the last eight years, I think, if you go all-encompassing meaning winning championships, winning games, graduating players, GPA, doing well in the classrooms, it all encompassing, I'd say we are the best program in the league,” Kowalczyk said.

As the 2021-22 season is officially upon us, the Rockets are looking to field yet another very talented team. Coach Kowalczyk believes a starting five of Ryan Rollins, Ra’Heim Moss, RayJ Dennis, Setric Millner Jr., and JT Shumate is arguably the biggest strength of the team, along with other components as well.

"We've got three, in my opinion, all-conference returning type guys. We also added an impact transfer from Boise State (RayJ Dennis) and Raheem Moss redshirted last year. We have a very talented group of freshmen. I'm excited about our depth and excited about our athleticism," Kowalczyk said.

One of the leaders of the team that the Rockets will rely heavily on in 2021-22 is reigning MAC Freshman of The Year Ryan Rollins who he, along with the Rockets coaching staff, believes has a bright future within the program. Rollins believes his best trait as a basketball player is his overall playmaking ability, along with other things as well.

“I can score off the dribble. I can play off the ball and score. I can create for my teammates. My length, as well, I would say is a strength of mine,” Rollins said.

“He's very coachable, wants to learn, wants to improve, wants to know what he can get better at, but clearly a guy that's a special talent,” Coach Kowalczyk raved.

Anything can happen within a season. However, the Rockets are looking to drain expectations, even if it’s from long distance. Goals have been set very high once again and the potential for the team’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1980 is something the team is certainly striving towards.

“We want to win the MAC Conference. And then win the tournament conference, which will, you know, hopefully take us to the NCAA Tournament," Rollins proclaimed.

Men's Basketball Preview

Election 2021 Results

Toledo Mayoral Race

November 4, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz’s watch party was held at Ernest Brew Works. It started around 7:30 P.M. with just a few attendees, but the night soon picked up and the establishment became packed with loyal supporters.

Kapszukiewicz could see his victory was inevitable way before the night was up. He said this is the greatest gap we've seen between candidates in 30 years.

"Tonight, by a record margin, Toledoans overwhelmingly voted to embrace the future and reject the past,” said Kapszukiewicz.

He had many people to thank including his family and the organizations that supported him. Daniel Brown-Martinez is the Battalion Chief of the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department and stands behind the mayor full-heartedly.

"He stood true to his word. He was going to increase our force, which he has. He also gave us the best contract and we're not talking about monetarily. We're talking about things like ballistic safety vests, things that are going to protect us," said Brown-Martinez.

Kapszukiewicz couldn't be happier with the outcome of the race and looks forward to his next four years in office.

"We’ll continue to build the momentum we started so that we can embrace a truly limitless future," said Kapszukiewicz.

Some of the mayor's accomplishments that he's most proud of are growing the size of the police force, developing long vacant properties that went unused for decades, and signing the regional water deal.

Scam Alert

November 4, 2021
by Shehbaz Khan

TOLEDO, Ohio – There has been a sharp rise in students receiving malicious emails and spam calls in schools across the United States according to the University of Toledo’s Assistant Director, Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS), Tracey Hidalgo.

Scammers, with their improvised and modern methods, target indiscriminately. And international students often become their easy targets. UToledo has a vast international student population.

"Our international population, you know, is a very vulnerable group of students. These are students who are usually new to the United States. These are students who, you know, don't necessarily have a support network," Hidalgo said.

Xinren Yu, UToledo’s Assistant Director for the Center for International Studies and Programs (CISP), said that in the past two weeks, two students reached out to tell that they had received suspicious mail. There was a check from a bank with a letter explaining the steps they need to take to deposit the check and get the money out.

"Another very popular type is people might call you and ask you to stay on the phone. They will tell you that you cannot get off the phone until you provide your personal information, bank account information, because they'll threaten you, saying that if you get off the phone there will be consequences and you'll get into more trouble," Yu said.

"As soon as someone calls you and they say you have to pay money to stop any type of adverse action that is definitely your first sign that it is a scam," Hidalgo said.

“I think the best way to proceed is actually to reach out to either the OISSS or reach to out to your academic advisor or your success coaches, just to double check to see what their opinions are on these kinds of situations. It’s always good to ask for a second opinion before you proceed with anything,” Yu said.

“In addition to the emails that we send out to students when we have our new student orientation, we also try to inform students that scams are something that they may come into contact with when they are here in the United States. So, we try to inform our students to different stages of their life cycle here at the university of Toledo,” Hidalgo said.

Please reach out to the OISSS or CISP to seek help or more information. You may also view resources on how to stop unwanted robocalls from the FCC and FTC.

Sports Report - November 4, 2021

November 4, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, Ohio – After coming off a big win against Western Michigan, the Rockets played Eastern Michigan earlier this week. It was a cold evening for MAC-tion, but both teams were up to the challenge.

The first half featured a lot of offensive firepower with each of the two offenses getting touchdowns on their opening drives. Rockets would score again on their second drive, with running back Bryant Koback scorching the defense for a 67-yard touchdown, helping him to move up to the sixth all-time rushing yards in Toledo.

Both teams continued to be explosive before the intermission with the Rockets taking a 28-24 lead into the half thanks, in part, to a 97-yard kick return for a touchdown by running back Jacquez Stuart.

Toledo came out flat in the second half and EMU would take advantage, outscoring the Rockets 21-8 in the third quarter. The Rockets would try mounting a comeback in the fourth, but they just didn't have enough time. Eastern would take down the Rockets, winning the game 52-49.

The Rockets will be traveling to Bowling Green for the “Battle of I-75” next week to take on the BGSU Falcons.

UT:10 News and WGTE Public Media Partnership (Commercial)

The University of Toledo's Department of Communications is proud to announce a new partnership with WGTE Public Media. The UT:10 News broadcast and Rocket Talk will both air on WGTE Public Media on Fridays at 6:30 P.M.

A Story Worth Living

October 28, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio – Vanessa Leonard is doing great... but that wasn't always the case. Before she became an award-winning filmmaker, she was diagnosed with a mood disorder about 10 years ago. It’s a struggle she knows and shares with countless others.

"I think it definitely took a lot of self-care, a lot of treatments, a lot of coping mechanisms," Leonard said.

One way to cope? To share a life saving message. Specifically, her film, "A Story Worth Living".

"I knew two things. I wanted to write a drama film and I wanted it to be on mental health. I really just wanted to highlight mental health in a very raw and authentic way," Leonard said.

It didn't take long for the film to gain success and recognition. Leonard achieved the Best Feature Film Award at the Up Next Film Festival in Atlanta and the award-winning film will be coming to the Toledo area with the first stop being at the Maumee Indoor Theater on November 20.

In addition to the accolades, Leonard now has a sponsor. She teamed up with ARCA driver Brad Smith to have the title of her movie be on his car. The car will be showcased at Imagination Station Theatre on November 27, where the second showing of the movie will take place.

For the people who go out to see this film, Leonard wants to remind them that everyone has a story to tell.

Leonard said, "Life is what you make it and life is how you perceive it and to really just keep going after your dreams and fulfilling your dreams because each of us we all have a story worth living."

Tickets can be purchased online at www.eventbrite.com or they can be purchased at the door. A portion of ticket sales will be donated to the Zepf Center.

If you or someone you know is dealing with mental health, you're not alone. Visit www.mentalhealth.gov or call 1 (877) 726-4727 for assistance.

Event Centers Reopening

October 28, 2021
by Justin Cook

TOLEDO, Ohio – As the live entertainment industry ramps back up, many people are eager to experience their favorite musical artists and sports teams perform.

According to statistics by Live Nation Entertainment, the live events industry will bring in a revenue of 31 billion dollars from now through 2024. Along with this increased revenue, more jobs will become available as those employees who were furloughed return to their positions.

Huntington Center’s Assistant General Manager, Frannie Cruz stated, “The return of events is great because we have all been cooped up for so long, majority of people are ready to come outdoors and have fun.”

With the return and opening of venues, this also benefits performers because a majority of their income is via shows and merchandise sales.

Toledo saxophonist Mike Williams stated, “I am excited to perform whether that is for big or small crowds.”

Entering the post-pandemic era will be an exciting and new experience for live entertainment professionals and fans alike, but with proper precaution and regulations in place, it shall be a smooth transition.

Sports Report, October 28

October 28, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, Ohio – After losing their last two games, the Rockets were desperate to get back into the win column. Like the past couple of games for the Rockets, the team got out to another slow start.

After a 32-yard punt return from Sophomore Devin Maddox set the Rockets up in good field position, the offense was only able to get three points on the drive. This would end up being the only points of the quarter for either team.

In the second quarter, you could feel both teams starting to heat up, with Toledo scoring a touchdown and another field goal and Western Michigan getting two touchdowns and field goal.

The 15-13 lead that Western took into the half would end up being their only lead for the rest of the game for Toledo came out of halftime ready to roll. Rockets were able to score 21 unanswered points in the third quarter, which gave the Rockets a lead that the Broncos were not able to come back from.

Toledo was able to run out the clock in the fourth quarter and win the game 34-15.

Junior Running Back Bryant Koback was able to quietly get 100 rushing on the day. Koback now has 3,268 rushing yards which is the seventh best in Toledo history. Koback is only 68 yards away from the next best rusher and has a chance to move up the all-time rankings on November 2 when the Rockets will be home to play the Eastern Michigan Eagles.

Rocket Volleyball Ready for MAC Tourney

October 28, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – The University of Toledo Women’s Volleyball Team realistically has a shot to extend its season into MAC Tournament play for the first time in several years. However, many are asking what has been different in 2021 compared to the past few seasons.

“I think we have really good team chemistry on this team. We all hangout on and off the court and I think that really shows when we play together. But also, the culture, I think that it’s changed a lot over the years,” Team Captain Ryann Jaqua said.

“The leadership and the character of our program has been growing every year. But this year, it’s been top notch," Head Coach Jason Oliver claimed.

A special milestone for one particular Rocket also has been reached along the way during the 2021 season. Jaqua recently reached the mark of 1,000 career digs. She is forever grateful for the accomplishment, as are her teammates.

“I mean, it’s exciting and it just shows that hard work pays off. But, obviously, I couldn’t do it without my team,” Jaqua said.

With the MAC Tournament starting on November 22, and being more than within reach, the Rockets down the stretch will look to take their play to the next level. An appearance in the MAC Tournament has been a major goal since the start of the season.

“The way that we’re going to do that is by playing consistent volleyball - really brining it every single day in practice so that we learn how to play at a high level every day,” said Oliver.
The University of Toledo Women’s Volleyball Team realistically has a shot to extend its season into MAC Tournament play for the first time in several years. However, many are asking what has been different in 2021 compared to the past few seasons.

“I think we have really good team chemistry on this team. We all hangout on and off the court and I think that really shows when we play together. But also, the culture, I think that it’s changed a lot over the years,” Team Captain Ryann Jaqua said.

“The leadership and the character of our program has been growing every year. But this year, it’s been top notch.” Head Coach Jason Oliver claimed.

A special milestone for one particular Rocket also has been reached along the way during the 2021 season. Jaqua recently reached the mark of 1,000 career digs. She is forever grateful for the accomplishment, as are her teammates.

“I mean, it’s exciting and it just shows that hard work pays off. But, obviously, I couldn’t do it without my team,” Jaqua said.

With the Mac Tournament starting on November 22, and being more than within reach, the Rockets down the stretch will look to take their play to the next level. An appearance in the MAC Tournament has been a major goal since the start of the season.

“The way that we’re going to do that is by playing consistent volleyball - really brining it every single day in practice so that we learn how to play at a high level every day,” said Oliver.

Catalytic Converter Thefts

October 21, 2021
by Daisy Caruso

TOLEDO, Ohio – UToledo student Courtney Jagielski makes inspirational TikTok videos, but last month she had a different message.

“Please keep an eye on your cars, check if that’s happening because two minutes longer, if I was in the gym, my catalytic converter would have been stolen,” Jagielski said in her video.

She said the attempted theft happened at her gym Super Fitness off of Telegraph and Alexis roads.

“It was in the middle of the day, like it was sunny out, it was in a parking lot with not that many cars at a gym where people were walking in and out. So, the guy had some pretty big guts on him to do that,” Jagielski, said.

Mechanic Jim Piasecki, co-owner of Piasecki Complete Auto Repair, knows why these catalytic converters are getting stolen.

“They’re worth a lot of money. There’s three precious metals in there that are really expensive.” Piasecki said.

A person would know if their catalytic converter was stolen. And older cars are more likely to be targeted because their catalytic converters often have more precious metals than newer models.

Piasecki said, “As soon as they start up the car it would be pretty obvious because you wouldn't have any muffling to it. Now it's going to be a straight exhaust going right out, it's going to be very loud."

Jeff Newton, Director of Public Safety and Chief of Police at the University of Toledo Police Department said, “The best thing you can do is report suspicious activity, park in a well-lit place. Most of our lots are well-lit, but the better the lighting, the less likely someone will target it. You can set your car alarm sensitivity, where in some cars where it will go off if someone is messing around with your car. Granted, it may cause your alarm to go off if someone bumps into it, but, nonetheless, it is a step you can take."

UToledo Vaccine Mandates

October 21, 2021
by Tiara Medley

Sports Report, October 21, 2021

October 21, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, OH – Rockets volleyball team started off strong in each of their two matches - but how they finished were different stories. It was a night that the Rockets may have thought they could get out in three sets, but the Western Michigan Broncos had other ideas in mind.

Western was close in the first two sets, but Toledo was able to squeeze by with scores of 26-24 in the first set and 25-22 in the second set. By the time the third set came around, Toledo had gotten an early 8-2 lead in the set and all they had to do was not blow it.

The Broncos would then go on an 11-1 run and, near the end of the set, there was a lot of back and forth before the Broncos would outlast the Rockets, winning the set 25-22.

The Broncos would use that momentum from the previous set to get out to a 16-5 lead that Toledo was never able to come back from, which allowed the Broncos to win the fourth set 25-18.

It all came down to the fifth set and the Rockets just didn't have any answers for the Broncos. Maggie King's five kills helped lead the way for the Broncos to come back from being down two sets to winning the match, ending the Rockets five match winning streak.

Sophomore Taylor Alt was able to get a season-high 26 kills for the Rockets, but it was still not enough to win the match.

The night before for Toledo had left a bit of a bad taste in the mouths of the Rockets, and they did not want to lose back-to-back matches. Toledo again was able to take hold of the first two sets, winning the first set 25-21 and the second set 25-17.

In a bit of dejavu, the Broncos were able to avoid getting swept in three sets and won the third set 25-22. The fourth set was beginning to feel eerily similar to the match from the night before. Western was able to get a 21-17 lead before Toledo began clawing back.

Toledo would then go on to score the next eight points and win set the 25-21. This allowed them to avoid going to a fifth set for a second straight night by winning the match in the fourth set.

Taylor Alt once again let the way with 21 kills on the night for the Rockets, followed up by Junior Sina Uluave who had 15 kills and 15 digs, giving Uluave her fifth double-double of the year.

-----

The University of Toledo has lost one of its own. Rockets Alumni Sara Tumfong lost her battle with cancer earlier this week.

The Toledo Athletic Department released a statement that says, in part, “We mourn the passing of former women's golfer Saranlak Tumfong. We extend our deepest condolences to Sara's family, friends, teammates and coaches. You will forever be in our hearts.”

She was also a Department of Communication student. Professor Dr. Jacqueline Layng said of Sara that, “She was sweet but strong and a fighter, and I know she will be missed by many.”

Other former professors in the department and the golf team have expressed how much she will be missed.

Dr. Gregory Postel Interview

October 7, 2021
by Lauren Hite

OHP Trooper Shot

October 7, 2021
by Lauren Hite

Toledo Businesses and COVID

October 7, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce represents over 2,000 businesses in the Northwest Ohio area and has many goals in mind to help uplift the community towards promise. One specific goal the organization has in mind is to help businesses fully recover from the effects of COVID-19. President and CEO of the company, Wendy Gramza, is more than aware of how COVID-19 has affected local businesses. With that said, Gramza is also very confident in the organization’s ability to create new job opportunities, as well as help individuals, along with businesses, land back on their feet.

“We need to kind of meet people where they are. Don’t just assume that there are plenty of jobs out there, so if anyone wants a job, they’ve found one. That’s not the case. Some industries actually saw an increase in business during COVID. But for the most part, businesses especially in retail, entertainment, restaurants, hotels, literally saw their businesses shut down overnight,” Gramza said.

Some local restaurants in the Toledo area, oddly enough, massively upgraded in many unique ways while COVID-19 was still on the rise. Restaurants like Chevy’s Place used COVID-19 to their advantage by taking the time to renovate and create a fun and more interactive space during the pandemic.

“First, before we created our brand-new rooftop, we renovated our bathrooms. We had a lot of issues with a single bathroom with as busy as we were. And, believe it or not, when we first opened, we already knew that we wanted to create a rooftop patio at some point,” Co-Partner of Chevy’s Place Paul Swanson said.

The Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce wants local business owners to know that tools are available to help them overcome obstacles caused by COVID-19. For all of these reasons, many believe excitement is brewing once again in the local community.

Fight to Save Wetlands in Oregon

October 7, 2021
by Zeke Fravor

OREGON, Ohio – Fighting over land. Neighbors in one local community say city leaders are going too far. They're trying to stop the city from purchasing wetlands and converting it into commercial property.

The City of Oregon is attempting to buy around 400 acres of land between Bury Road and North Curtice Road. Homeowners in the area are uneager to sell. Just west of Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon has a large, commercially zoned area for its refineries.

Now, the city wants to move inland and buy over 400 acres of land bordered between State Route 2 to the north and Brown Road to the south. Some of the landowners in the area refuse to sell. Beth Ackerman owns a farm in the area, and she has already declined to sell once

Avian veterinarian and expert Dr. Susan Orosz said an industrial park could disrupt the environment.

"In that particular wetland, there's a nesting pair of bald eagles, so they don't like disruption. Even if you put like a warehouse in there, you have people moving around, you have light pollution, you have distractors," Orosz said.

The area is also home to many species of birds, which would lose their habitats should the industrial complex be built.

"Birds, on average, to change their migratory bird route, takes them about 100 years," Dr. Orosz said.

The City of Oregon has not responded to a request for comment by the time of publishing. The "Save Oregon's Wetlands - No Industrial Park" Environmental group has a Facebook page where they post updates about their cause.

Trickle Down Effects of New Abortion Policy

September 30, 2021
by Daisy Caruso

TOLEDO, Ohio — Texas's new abortion laws have caused discussion and energized protestors across the country, including those outside of Capital Care in Toledo.

Texas’s policy bans abortions at around six weeks of pregnancy, when a fetal pulse can be detected. It does not make restrictions for rape or incest, although it does sometimes allow medical exceptions if a case is deemed severe enough.

Could this influence policy in Ohio? Sam Nelson, a doctor in political science, at UToledo said yes.

“A bunch of states are looking to pass similar laws to what Texas did, kind of following their example. Ohio hasn’t started that process yet. Ohio certainly has a number of abortion bans that have been debated in the legislature, that have been passed, that have been discussed, so we might very well see an even bigger push in Ohio towards limiting or eliminating abortion rights," Nelson said.

Kristin Hady, an employee at Capital Care, worries about how this may affect the clinic's patients.

“With abortion trap laws, it’s a domino effect. One state passes, every other state takes notice, and they’ll do the same thing. We already know these bills are being filed in other states. It’s only a matter of time before they come here, and we have to be prepared to fight them back," Hady said.

Peter Range, the director of the Office for Life in Toledo for the Catholic Diocese hopes to see more policies like Texas's implemented across the country.

"For me, the abortion issue is about bringing about a culture of life. So any legislation which advances the ball forward to creating a culture of life, I would be all for," Range said.

Excitement Brewing at Levis Commons

September 30, 2021
by Ghiman Mckinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – Many people are striving to bring new and original ideas to the table at Levis Commons which is located in Perrysburg, Ohio; a suburb in the Toledo area. Construction has already begun for several new shops, restaurants, and offices with the idea of bringing a new lifestyle and more job opportunities to the Toledo area.

Real-estate agent Rick Prokup of Danberry Realtors along with several other local business owners believe Levis Commons has more than moved on from setbacks caused by COVID-19 and the great recession. Advocating with sheer optimism, Prokup believes the future is more than bright at Levis Commons and expects the new additions to cater towards people’s overall needs, along with offering more jobs, as well.

“Levis Commons is actually extremely successful. I know people see some empty store fronts, but a lot of the stores that went out were simply COVID-related. We think this is the next evolution of it. It’s more of what people are looking for today. Just with Danberry, there’s roughly 60 to 70 jobs. The whole building probably has about 80 to 90 jobs attached to it. We’ve also leased another space to Tanlines, there’s some new restaurants going in, there’s new apartments. They all feed off of each other," Prokup said.

The goal is to have all of these projects fully constructed by February 2022 with the hopes of elevating the Toledo community.

New Oregon Central Fire Station

September 23, 2021
by Zeke Fravor

OREGON, Ohio — Oregon Fire Station 41 has been around for decades. It has hosted many chicken dinners and the building has helped saved countless lives. Now, the station itself is in disrepair.

Enter the Oregon Central Fire Station. The ceremonial groundbreaking was in late August and construction officially begins this week and is expected to take 420 days.

The new station will be located at 1040 South Wynn Road, near Pearson Park and next to the Gardens of Saint Francis nursing home. The station will be 20,000 square feet and have dorms for the firefighters and six bays for vehicles.

I spoke with neighbors in the area of the new site who are excited about the prospect of having a fire station so close.

Assistant Fire Chief Mark Mullins said the new station won't have an impact on taxes for Oregon residents.

"No there's no impact on the community because it was through a bond. We got a great rating on that bond, and they borrowed 12 million dollars. Out of that 12 million dollars, 7 million dollars is gonna be spent on the fire station," Mullins said.

Station 42 on Wheeling Street and Station 43 on Bayshore Road will continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

There may be a new station coming, but don't expect too many changes.

"Response times now are two to three minutes out the door, where before it was eight to thirteen minutes, so that time has increased significantly by adding staff," Mullins said.

The station is expected to open in the fall of 2022.

TARTA Changes

Tiara Medley, Reporter

September 23, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Tiara Medley, Reporter

September 23, 2021

Farmers' Market

September 23, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio — Fall is here, but The University of Toledo Farmers' Market will hold three more events this year. Items like plants and artwork are usually for sale during the four-hour event.

Yasmeen Hamdah, a practicum student for the Office of Student Involvement and Leadership, and the organizer of the Farmers' Market said the goal is to connect students with the business community.

"One thing I was hoping for was students being able to get to know local businesses and get to know the faces behind them, so being able to interact with them has been amazing. And so I'm excited and I think that this will hopefully strengthen relationships between students and local businesses for, you know, years to come."

There will be three more farmers' markets coming up. The next one will be held this Monday, September 27 at the Mulford Library on UT's Health Science Campus.

Men's Golf Preview

September 23, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – Fans believe that UT Men’s Golf player Barend Botha may only be scratching the surface regarding his potential on the golf course. The South African sophomore sensation is looking to build off a fantastic freshman season in which he was named MAC Freshman of The Year and First-Team All-MAC. Head Coach Jeff Roope also has been very impressed with not only Barend’s play on the field, but his leadership qualities as well.

While last season brought some bright spots to the program the Rockets are looking to improve tremendously & take a huge leap forward in 2021. Coach Roope believes the comradery of the team as a whole, along with Barend’s resounding impact, will help guide the Rockets towards what is hopefully a very successful season which beings on the road at the Husky Invitational in Bremerton, Washington.

“Barend can hit shots that, you know, a small percentage of people can hit, and he sees the golf course at a higher level. His expectations are pretty high when it comes to the leadership role that he needs to play with this team,” Roope said.

After a 15th place finish on day one of the tournament, the Rockets were able to move up four spots in the final round of the Husky Invitational. Strong performances from sophomores Jamie Tofte Nielsen & Barend Botha helped lead the way.

Mental Health and the Holidays

December 9, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio – Now that many holiday celebrations are returning back to normal, some students may be seeing family they have not seen in a while and going home to difficult or toxic family situations. Kristin Bruce of the Zepf Center said this can have a negative impact on students.

“They’re coming home to an environment that may be really busy, maybe some family dynamics that aren’t very healthy, and maybe they don’t have the supports around them, their activities, their friends, their self care routines that they normally have had or that they’ve built during the school time,” said Bruce.

She also had some advice on how students can positively manage some of the negative interactions they may have with family. She has broken it down into both physical and emotional tips.

“Sleep is fundamental to our health, it restores our bodies, it helps us consolidate memory, it helps us manage our emotions from day to day, and so without the adequate amount of sleep, we’re really not kind of being our best selves anyway in order to go home and manage all of that stress,” said Bruce.

An emotional tip she also had is setting healthy boundaries with family.
“You want to go out and see some friends and maybe there’s something else going on at the same time. Working on saying no in a respectful way is good or if you have to say no maybe you come up with a plan that you can see somebody at a different time. Doing that allows us to plan our days a little bit more effectively and feel a little bit more in control which contributes to positive mental health usually,” said Bruce.

If a student is not sure where to turn to for some support during the holidays, Bruce tells us that one thing students can do is dial their Crisis Care Helpline. It operates 24/7 and is staffed with a mental health professional who can help talk students through some of these tough situations. The phone number is (419) 904-CARE.

Holiday Shipping

Female Fire Chief in Fulton County

Walleye Announcer Returns to the Booth

Travel Safety and OSHP OVI Task Force

December 2, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio – With the holiday season around the corner, you're going to have to be more careful on the road. As temperatures begin to drop, it can cause problems for drivers who aren't prepared. Ice and slick roads won't be the only obstacles for drivers. Highways may be more congested and you may see an increase of highway state patrol cars to enforce traffic safety.

Sergeant Ryan Purpura of the Public Affairs Unit for the Ohio State Highway Patrol shared what precautions can be taken while you're driving during the winter.

“It's important to as, we go into this winter season, that you slow down, you know, you drive appropriately for the conditions, just because the speed limit sign on the interstate says 65 or 70, you know, that's not always appropriate speed,” Purpura said.

He also advised drivers to wear their seatbelts while in the car, eliminate distractions, and not to drive while under the influence of alcohol.

There were just over 12,000 crashes in Lucas County during 2020. Of those, 381 involved alcohol, 458 were distraction related, and just about 3,800 were unbelted incidents. In comparison to this year, we've already surpassed these numbers with about a month left of the year.

Looking forward to the future, Governor Mike DeWine announced last month that 23 million dollars has been awarded to improve traffic safety and reduce fatalities. The money will be divided up into four categories with most of it going to Statewide Programming.

Lucas county was one of ten counties that received a grant for Countywide OVI Task Forces. Not every county is eligible to receive funding and Director of Ohio Traffic Safety Office Felice Moretti explained why.

“If you're an agency who is fortunate enough not to have any fatalities in their jurisdiction, we wouldn't have a whole lot of funding available for you. But if you're an agency who has a disproportionate number of fatalities, we encourage them to partner with us,” Moretti said.

To read more about Governor DeWine's funding for public safety, visit the Ohio Department of Public Safety website.

Carter Hall Demolition

December 2, 2021
by Daisy Caruso

TOLEDO, Ohio – Carter Hall is getting demolished. The dorm has remained mostly unused for years, aside from housing some students in quarantine for COVID-19.

Project manager Chris Levicki stated that the demolition portion of the project will be completed by January 28 and the entire project will be done in late March 2022.

The project costs just under $2 million. Carter Hall East was built in 1964.

"We, at this point, have more than adequate housing existing on campus without Carter, so Carter was getting to be kind of a money pit, if you will, for maintenance,” said Levicki.

Administrators say, for now, the area where Carter Hall stood will be turned into a grassy field.

Sports Report - December 2, 2021

Online Scams

November 18, 2021
by Shehbaz Khan

TOLEDO, Ohio – “Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, people tend to use online resources more as they work from home, study from home, and so the number of online activities has increased dramatically. And as we get more involved with social networks, the digital society needs to be more mindful, “Professor and Program Director for Cyber Security Programs, The University of Toledo, Dr. Weiqing Sun said.

Because for scammers, digital platforms are a good place to identify and find the information and then they are able to use that information to create all types of spam message, spam emails, or even by sending fraud checks in mail.

“We must understand, across all kinds of social network environments, pay attention to the information we share on the social network. What information do we share and where should be shared, be mindful,” Sun said.

Many people receive scam emails from big brands like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and many other famous brands offering refunds or rewards within a very short deadline.

“Pay attention to the address, web address… Attackers try to misspell some portion of the URL look very much like amazon.com, but not exactly, okay? They might replace the “O” with a zero. To the user they look the same, right?” Sun said.

Information from social media accounts is also used to attack you with spam calls and messages.

“If you are using IOS or Android, no matter IOS or Android, they have some built-in feature to enable users to block unwanted calls. Different mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile they all have some kind of basic services for their subscribers to use. So, you can bar these shady numbers by blocking them through your handset settings – or via third-party apps,” Sun said.

People often connect to free or public Wi-Fi. While visiting any stores, restaurants, shops, or any public Wi-Fi.

“But you have to pay attention. Public Wi-Fi is not secure. Attackers can easily find a way to read information. I do recommend that you use VPN software or VPN app on your phone to at least encrypt information being transmitted on top of public Wi-Fi that will be your actual layer of protection,” Sun said.

“Pay attention to your online accounts, choose a strong password to protect your online accounts, change passwords regularly. An important tool would be to activate credit monitoring services on the bank accounts. Banks will notify if there is some activity on the accounts and they are able to freeze the accounts immediately so that you don’t lose money. A lot of banks provide these services for free. Check with your bank,” Sun said.

Ottawa River Water Quality

November 18, 2021
by Shehbaz Khan

TOLEDO, Ohio – Dr. Nina McClelland’s chemistry lab in The University of Toledo develops new strategies to measure environmental contaminants, pharmaceutical pollutants, and micro plastics in water sources. The lab has developed a method that will just take three minutes to extract the pollutants from the water and a couple of minutes to analyze with a special instrument. These types of methods are called ‘Hight Throughput’ because they are very fast and at very large scale for testing hundreds of samples.

“They are actually time efficient. So, like government institution testing lab can efficiently use these methods to test large amounts of samples,” Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Dr. Emanuela Gionfriddo said.

“We picked up this sample from Ottawa River around the kayak landing just going through campus, through a large one-liter plastic bottle, twice,” Ronald Emmons, graduate student at UToledo said.

“It was an analysis we meant to show that there are pesticides, but actually found cocaine and methadone instead, which was verified later that it is exactly what was in that water. It was not very high percentage,” Emmons said.

“This indicates that it is important to monitor the quality of the water that flows through the UToledo campus because that can also affect the wildlife that populates the river and the surrounding areas,” Gionfriddo said.

“It’s very difficult to mitigate the presence of environmental pollutants in the environment. However, we can find methods to screen them and hopefully learn how to manufacture filters that will be applied to this water in order to remove all the harmful chemicals and have some clean drinking water or surface water for our rivers,” Gionfriddo said.

“Next step would be to test Ottawa River for perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics. The lab is developing testing and detecting methods for these class of contaminants to study the interaction between microplastics and environmental pollutants to have a comprehensive idea of how this chemical distributes in water,” Gionfriddo said.

Other river rehabilitation projects by The University of Toledo can be found at www.utoledo.edu/commissions/river/.

UToledo Has Eyes on the Sky

November 18, 2021
by Daisy Caruso

TOLEDO, Ohio – The James Webb telescope will be the largest telescope to ever be launched into space and has a lot of cutting-edge technology that will allow astronomers to discover things they didn’t have the ability to discover before. The telescope also uses a lot of infrared technology. The James Webb telescope is so massive that they needed to make it foldable so it can fit in the rocket to go up to space, and then, once the telescope reaches space, it will detach from the rocket and unfold into its true size.

UToledo astronomers were selected by NASA to lead some of the first research projects using data from the James Webb telescope. Astronomers at UToledo got five separate projects approved and they’re the only five proposals that got accepted in the state. UToledo also ranked sixth worldwide in terms of proposals for the first round of observations on the James Webb telescope.

“We have been thinking about and preparing for a long time for Webb. We have deep expertise in the infrared wavelengths, and then, I think we just have a really strong team of researchers. We know what the cutting-edge questions are, and we were able to convince panels that they were some of the most important questions to answer,” said Dr. Rupali Chandar, an astronomy professor at UToledo.

St. Francis High School Hockey Preview

Ohio Abortion Bill

November 11, 2021
by Daisy Caruso

TOLEDO, Ohio – House Bill 480 was recently proposed in the Ohio House of Representatives. It would ban abortion in Ohio. It, like the Texas bill, relies on private citizens to enforce the law by reporting people who have abortions and promoting lawsuits against abortion providers.

"The Texas-style bill that Ohio is debating right now is not currently constitutional, but that question is in front of the Supreme Court right now. So, it's an interesting thing for Ohio to propose this bill at the time when the constitutional status of it is up in the air. I think it does have a chance of passing, but some people in the state might think, 'Well, why should the State of Ohio spend a bunch of money defending this law in court when Texas is already doing it?'," says Samuel Nelson, a professor of political science at the UToledo.

State Representative Jena Powell co-wrote the bill and partnered with a pro-life group called "Live Action". Noah Brandt, the Director of Government Affairs for Live Action has high hopes for this bill.

"The bill dropped in the Ohio House with over 30 sponsors, I think 33 sponsors overall, which is an impressive showing for legislation like this. So we're confident Representative Powell can get it done," said Brandt.

Art in a Box

November 11, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio – The Toledo Arts Commission is getting ready to launch its annual Art Box.

"The Art Box is a specially selected set of supplies that is for all ages, all skill levels, and all interests," said Natalie Tranelli, Art Loop Manager.

Tranelli said that the box serves two purposes, and one of those is to give those who are interested in art something creative to work with at home.

"There's a lot of different points of interest for people to step into this box and make something that is interesting to them with a lot of different mediums," said Tranelli.

The other purpose is to educate people about local and regional Toledo artists and bring light to their work, many of which have public art in the city, such as murals downtown.

The Art Box also comes with two public art guides, one for children and one for adults. These guides help people identify different art works and who created them around the city. The Toledo Arts Commission believes this is a great way for the city to engage with public art.

There is also a book inside the box that features instructions on how to use the supplies for different works of art from eight local artists. There are different artists featured in the book every year. The Arts Commission website showcases the eight local artists that are featured in the book for 2021.

"It's a really great way to kind of get to know your local and regional artists and understand that when you see a work of art in public, you start to connect what the artist is and who the artist is that made that and why that piece was created where it was," Tranelli explained.

All of the proceeds from the Art Box go back into a fund for The Toledo Arts Commission to continue to launch projects like this in the future. Each box costs $50 and contains $65 worth of supplies.

Sales for the Art Box launch November 11 and can be purchased at www.theartscommission.org.

MAC Cross Country Championship

Jordan Strack Profile

November 4, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – You won’t find many who are more passionate about what they do compared to Ohio native Jordan Strack. He has been the sports director at WTOL 11 since 2008. Strack has done many things for the company and throughout his career, whether it be covering many unique stories, live sporting events, appearing on television, and so much more. However, he has always had a love for sports from the jump.

“I grew up loving sports and it’s the only thing that I’ve ever really known. I’ve been around it my entire life and once I realized I wasn’t going to be good enough to go play professionally or in college or anything, I figured, you know, this is the next big thing. I get paid to go in and watch sports and do these incredible things. So, it started there. I grew up listening to Ernie Harwell. He was like my number one inspiration,” Strack said.

He was able to land his first job at BCSN at the age of 18 and started to appear on live television for the first time at the age of 20.

"I started in this business really, really young. And then, they put me on TV at 20 years old which was certainly a challenge that, you know, looking back, maybe I wasn’t ready for. But they took a chance on me, and I am forever grateful for that opportunity,” Strack said

While Strack will be the first to tell you there are many growing pains when it comes to the media industry and covering sports, he has certainly withstood the test of time.

"I've been all over the world. I've been able to go to Italy and Spain and England. I've been able to cover two World Series. I was at the National Championship game in 2014 when the Buckeyes beat Oregon to win the National Title. I've covered NCAA tournaments. I've covered Stanley Cup playoffs. I've basically done almost everything you can do in this business. And I've done it all while I get to work in my hometown market. That’s not something everyone gets to do. I think people try for the most part of their career to work to get back home. I was fortunate enough that I never had to leave home. My whole family is here, my friends. I get to do it all in my hometown and that is as special as it gets,” Strack believes.

Giving back to the local community is something Strack embraces and never takes for granted. He sees great value in helping young, aspiring broadcasters and journalists during their journey towards potential promise in the future while understanding the realities of the media industry he has witnessed first-hand.

“I always tell young broadcasters, ‘If you love your nights and weekends, this probably isn’t the job for you; if you are not willing to work those extra hours, this might not be for you.’ I love going to college classrooms and visiting campuses and talking to young students. I want to try to prepare the next generation of journalists. Getting to tell people’s stories is a special privilege,” Strack claims.

His biggest piece of advice to younger individuals is to not be afraid and embrace new challenges.

Strack said, “You have a chance while you're a junior, senior in high school and all through college to go out and make mistakes. So that's the one number thing I would say is try different things.”

Oregon Mayoral Race

Suicide Rates on Campus

November 4, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – Suicide rates among college students are rising across the country and it is believed COVID-19 could be playing a part in that. Dr. Sammy Spann, the Dean of Students at the University of Toledo, gave his reason as to why suicide attempts are rising.

"Society is moving around as if this pandemic is normal, but it's not, and students are getting the realization that it's not. It's a lot of isolation and loneliness that are bringing about these moments of mental health concerns,” said Spann.

It’s important to pay attention to warning signs and bring in experts when needed. The University of Toledo Campus Advocacy, Response, Evaluation, and Service (CARES) Team watches out for reported concerns in student behavior.

“We have these things we call touch points. If the student is displaying depression, loneliness, or lack of connection, we typically try to reach out,” said Spann.

Anaejah Abdullah is a student at the University of Toledo who has had a long battle with depression.

"Things that have helped me and brought me through my depression are just talking with family, going to see my therapist regularly, and trying to get out more instead of being in my own head,” said Abdullah.

If you are concerned about a student, you can go online to www.utoledo.edu/report to share your concerns about their behavior.

When Abdullah was asked if she had any words of wisdom for others struggling with depression and thoughts of suicide, she gave a wonderful message.

“There's always a light at the end of the tunnel, and things will get better if you just hang in there and try to see things through,” said Abdullah.

Some of the resources we have on campus are the University Counseling Center (where all appointments are free and confidential), Success Coaches, and the Office of Student Advocacy and Support. For those looking to report a student's behavior, you can remain anonymous when filing the report.

The Lucas County Suicide Coalition is open around the clock to assist anyone struggling with thoughts of suicide. Their number is 1 (800) 273-8255. Another resource is the Hopeline. This is for people who may not be suicidal but would still like to talk to someone. Their number is 1 (800) 567-4673.

Broom Ball League

November 4, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio – Brooms strike the ice as the Glass City Broomball League prepares to start its first season. It was established in 2021 to give high school girls in the Toledo area a chance to compete in the sport. The league is open to girls in grades 8-12 and there are no fees for joining.

The concept is similar to hockey with the main difference being the athletes use brooms instead of sticks to try to score the ball into the goal.

Its executive board is hoping for a very positive experience this upcoming season, and it has many years of experience with broomball. Member at Large Tiffany Eckert and League Manager Monica Steele are on the executive board and looking forward to the start of the season.

"I want to see girls have healthy competition. I want to see girls having fun. And I want to see girls going out into our community, from our league, and helping others - and helping each other. I want to see smiles," Eckert said.

Despite being a club league, this is something the board members take seriously, and they hope this season can spark more interest.

"I want to be able to pack the stands with as many spectators, and especially high school spectators, so that then next year, they're wanting to sign up to play because they've seen how much fun these other girls are having," Steele said.

All games for the upcoming season will be played at the Toledo Ice House on Alexis Road. For more information about Glass City Broomball, visit www.glasscitybroomball.org.

UT:10 Special Report - Suicide Rates on Campus (Commercial)

Next week, Tiara Medley covers a story you don't want to miss. Tune in on November 4 for the livestream or view the airing on WGTE Public Media at 6:30 P.M. on November 5.

Fighting Gun Violence

October 28, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio – Through a two-year grant by the federal government, there will be a new Lucas County Prosecutor working to get guns off the streets. David Borell is the prosecutor who has been asked to work solely on these cases.

“I think the critical change or difference now is that I’m going to be working directly with the Crime Guns Information Center and Safety Building to assist from start to finish in crimes we’re going to focus on here at the Prosecutor’s office,” said Borell.

He said he and the Toledo Police Department have a plan.

“We have a couple of tools that we are using to help us locate problem areas in the city, help us identify individuals that are creating these problems, and help us link together the actions and individuals, and prosecute them and get them off the street, as well as the guns,” said Borell.

According to TDP records, there have been 64 homicides this past year in Toledo. From January 1 to September 13, there were 269 teens involved in a felonious assault case and there have also been three mass shootings since June. This is according to the Gun Violence Archive.

Although gun violence comes in many different forms, Dave Ross, a community activist, recognizes it a lot in the youth that he works with. Due to his past experiences, Ross said he has an understanding with many inner city teens and why they partake in gun violence.

“What I try to teach them is decision-making skills and valuing different things. I teach them valuing life, valuing what makes you who you are, and your experience. I teach them values like love, trust, strength - things they are not aware of,” said Ross.

He thinks another thing that needs to be done is work within the community, and a lot of that starts with teens’ home lives.

“We need to teach parents to have foundations that these kids can fall back on,” said Ross.

He believes that without trying to understand the youth and without trying to establish trust within a community, success will not be achieved.

“No one person can solve violence or reduce it, it’s a village effort, you know what I mean,” said Ross.

David Borell said that his position was created to get guns off the streets and that if this plan works over the next few years, authorities will continue to use it.

Cancer Warrior Shares Her Story

October 28, 2021
by Lauren Hite

Trick or Treat Around the Area

October 28, 2021
by Lauren Hite

Referee Shortage

October 28, 2021
by Zeke Fravor

TOLEDO, Ohio – Whistles and cheers fill the air throughout most fall and winter weekends at Sylvania Tam-O-Shanter. It's so loud that you can barely hear. But it could soon be silent unless more people sign up to referee.

Numbers are lower than ever before, and Beau Rugg, Ohio High School Athletic Association Director of Officials, said there are a couple of reasons for that.

"The number one reason is really the environment, the caustic environment of fans, and the COVID pandemic has really taken a bite out of a lot of officials," Rugg said.

How can more officials be retained?

Rugg said, "Getting officials connected initially to groups that can help get them games and those types of things.”

The low number of officials is felt at arenas around the area, including Tam-O-Shanter here in Sylvania. Local assigner Bill Himmel said he uses an automated assignment system in order to more easily offer games to officials.

Rugg also said games could be canceled if numbers don't start to go up.

Arthritis Vaccine Research at UToledo

October 21, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio – University of Toledo’s Dr. Ritu Chakravarti has been studying the protein 14-3-3 zeta for about eight years. Initially, she thought the protein to be bad for your health, but, around 2018, they used the protein to test the hypothesis and found quite the opposite. The protein helped rid their testing animals of inflammatory arthritis.

"So we put in this protein with a kind of even adjuvant to stimulate the immune response. We put it into animals that were prone to inflammatory arthritis and we saw very, very efficient protection," said Chakravarti.

Their next step is finding out if the vaccine can cure pre-existing arthritis. They have initiated the disease in animals and were able to cure it before it became symptomatic. They, however, don't know if the vaccine could work once the ailment has settled in. Their goal right now is to make sure the vaccine is safe and doesn't initiate other diseases.

"Once we figure that out and we are confident, then the immediate goal will be to start the human clinical trials," said Chakravarti.

According to Dr. Chakravarti, one percent of the population is affected by this disease. According to the CDC, 23% of adults in the U.S. suffer from it, with one in four of those adults reporting severe joint pain. Researchers are hopeful. Jenna McGowan is Dr. Chakravarti's research assistant and believes the vaccine has a great deal of potential.

"It was pretty amazing, actually, just how effective the 14-3-3 protein was at preventing arthritis. It's like night and day if you look at the inflammation between animals that were treated with 14-3-3 and those that weren't," said McGowan.

With there being different models of arthritis, more research needs to be done to determine which model the vaccine would work best for. According to Dr. Chakravarti, if they receive enough financial support from the community and industrial partners, in just five years, we could be seeing a roll out of the vaccine.

True Crimes & Violence

October 21, 2021
by Trent Croci

Yana Kabina Profile

October 21, 2021
by Ghiman McKinney

TOLEDO, Ohio – Whether it was her smile that brightened the day or her ability when it came to track and field, many at the University of Toledo remember the dazzling individual that is former track and field student athlete Yana Kabina.

The former Rocket traveled nearly 5,000 miles from her hometown of Kyvi, Ukraine to the University of Toledo to take on a challenge that surely had ups and downs. But in the end, Kabina decided to run towards the unique opportunity.

Kabina believes she certainly benefited from being a student athlete at the University of Toledo. Receiving an education that has allowed her to get a running start on some of her biggest goals is something for which she is forever grateful.

"There [were] many ups and downs. But overall, I would not want to go through college without doing sports. Yeah, I developed discipline, developed my personality… If I would have a chance to go back, I would still do it again,” Kabina said.

Since receiving her Master of Science in Applied Business, Kabina recently became a member of the Owens-Illinois Financial Leadership program. This now allows her to work in a field she loves while also pursing some of her biggest goals for the future.

“It’s really [given] me an opportunity to put my career in the future on, like, a much higher level,” Kabina stated.

As for what's next, Kabina hopes to one day start her own business within the field of corporate finance.

Building New Toledo Businesses

October 7, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio – Vendors fill the lots of Toledo's Farmers Market once a week with help from the Business Building Movement. They are a group that helps up-and-coming businesses grow and market themselves.

Every Sunday, these businesses and artisans are given the opportunity to network with each other and share what they have to offer. They welcome vendors to the corner of Market and Superior Streets to walk through the outdoor market where they set up shop.

Rashawn McDonald Sr., the founder of the Business Building Movement, expressed the importance of building and why it’s important for the community to get involved.

"A lot of people don't understand the concept of building – they think building is just outside building in, and, realistically, we can help one another build one another up in the business and we can help build our community up."

Empowering small businesses is a vision that McDonald Sr. has in mind and holding this event is a steppingstone for them to succeed.

"We want small businesses to become big businesses. So it's about, you know, just trying to empower one another, help build one another, do more events – just become, you know, like the movement that we should be."

Many vendors have their own stories and experience, but the main goal is to build a strong community. The general public is welcome to explore these different businesses and to learn more about how they can help.

"When you create a structure of helping one another in business, it helps one another in the community because when you bring about the money in, it allows you to go into the community to be able to do more things," McDonald Sr. said.

The Business Building Movement will have just a few more events from 3:00 to 7:00 P.M. each Sunday, with their last event on October 31st to wrap up the year.

Sports Report - October 7

October 7, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, Ohio — In women’s soccer, with two teams that had not lost a conference game, something had to give. The Rockets didn't start off the way they had wanted to, which allowed Kent State to score the first goal off of a free kick in the thirty-first minute.

Toledo did come back stronger in the second half though, with the two freshman McKenna Shultz and Olivia Dault connecting on a score to tie the game up in the forty-ninth minute.

In the winding moments of regulation, each team was able to get a big save that helped extend the game into overtime. The Golden Flashes, though, were able to close out the game in the 95th minute, with Alisa Arthur kicking in her own rebound for the game winning goal.

This game was not just the Rockets first MAC loss, but also their first overtime loss this season.

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The Rockets volleyball team had better success against the Golden Flashes last weekend than the women’s soccer team did. The volleyball team was able to kickstart their weekend against Kent State with a three-game sweep.

It would not come easy at times with Kent State getting a few early leads, but this would not intimidate the Rockets as they would go on multiple six-point runs throughout the night.

The first set Toledo won pretty handedly with a score of 25 to 18. The second set was much closer, with a lot of back and forth, before Toledo won with a 26 to 24 score. Kent State got the early lead in the third set but that would be their only lead of the set. Toledo would win the third set 25 to 16 to complete the sweep on Friday night.

Junior Sina Uluave led all players with 11 kills, with classmate Olivia Vance getting five kills of her own along with five blocks.

Day two of the weekend series featured a lot of the same. The only time Kent State led in the first set was after they scored the first point. From then on, it was all Toledo who took hold of the first set with an 8 to 2 lead and went on to win the set 25 to 18.

For a second straight night, the second set was more competitive than the other two sets.
This set was neck and neck for a while, being tied up at 18 before Toledo pulled away at the end, winning the set 25 to 20.

Hoping to avoid getting swept again, Kent State was able to get an 11 to 9 lead in the third set. This was until Toledo scored the next six points. With the Rockets up 15 to 11, there was hardly any doubt of the Rockets completing the sweep. Toledo did accomplish the sweep with a 25 to 16 score in the third set.

Sophomore Taylor Alt had 11 kills while Junior Olivia Vance got ten kills on the night.

Animal Shelter

September 30, 2021
by Tiara Medley

TOLEDO, Ohio — The Toledo Animal Rescue has been running strong for 94 years but at the beginning of 2020, business stopped. And when they reopened, operations weren’t the same. Business was now to be done by appointment only with masks required at all times.

The director of the Toledo Animal Rescue, Steve Kiessling, was just starting out at the shelter when the pandemic started.

"Our organization basically shut its doors to intakes and adoptions in March [2020] because everything was so uncertain. We kind of kept with that in April ."

With the shutdown came the turning away of animals and even when it reopened, adoption rates just weren’t the same.

"April last year we did two animals, we adopted out two animals," said Kiessling.

Then something strange happened, adoptions suddenly spiked. While 2019 didn't bring in as many adoptions as 2020, adoptions for 2021 have surpassed both years' rates. Another shelter in the area has experienced this same thing.

Sarah Baker is the manager at Paws and Whiskers and says their adoption rates have never been better.

There is, however, a potential problem that could impact the growth of those numbers and that’s the recent rise in COVID-19 cases. Baker doesn't believe the business will shut down again, but operations could change yet again.

“We would go back to a very strict appointment only [policy], only one person, wait in your car until you come in, that sort of thing,” said Baker.

The Toledo Animal Rescue and Paws and Whiskers would hate to shut down because of how negatively that affects animals. When they close, no new animals are taken in and no animals in the shelters are adopted out.

While shutting down isn’t really an option, Baker said the safety of her employees and adopting families is her number one priority.

Big Changes at Oak Openings Metropark

September 30, 2021
by Lauren Hite

Voter Registration Deadlines

September 30, 2021
by Lauren Hite

GRAZE! Shared Kitchen Open in Perrysburg

September 30, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

PERRYSBURG, Ohio — GRAZE! Shared Kitchen is a new restaurant that just opened in Perrysburg. It features favorite food items from several local restaurants and combines their menus under one roof.

“We have the Sandwich Factory here, Big Knuckle Burgers, Wings Up, and Mozza Italian Take features. Each one of them has their own special flair for different types of items. We do have a regional restaurant system looking at adding some of their favorites here as well,” said Leonard
Wetzel, General Manager.

This has been a huge convenience for families.

“For a family, if the kids want pizza, we have that. If the parents want something, a salad or some type of a rueben or a deli-type sandwich, then they can get that. And they can get all that delivered from one place,” said Wetzel.

The restaurant plans on adding more local restaurants to their kitchen. As a newly opened restaurant, Wetzel is trying to get the word out about what they have to offer.

Wetzel says “I think once everybody in the area really realizes we are here, our sales will drastically increase.”

GRAZE! Shared Kitchen is located at 1121 Louisiana Avenue in Perrysburg and is open Monday through Saturday from 11:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. They offer dine-in, drive through, and no-contact delivery services.

September 30th UT:10 Sports Report

September 30, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, Ohio — This past weekend, two Rockets sports teams opened up MAC play. The women's soccer team has a few MAC games under their belt now, but first, the football team went to Muncie, Indiana with vengeance on their mind.

Toledo vs Ball State Football

The beginning of the game appeared to have the makings of a potential shootout with the Ball State Cardinals marching down the field on their opening drive to get a field goal. The Rockets quickly answered with Quarterback Carter Bradley hitting Wide Receiver Devin Maddox for a 69-yard touchdown.

After struggling to get the ground going a week prior, the Rockets seemed to have no issues running the ball at Ball State.

The Rockets rushed for 272 yards with Quarterback Dequan Finn leading the way with 106 yards rushing. 70 of those yards coming on Finn’s touchdown run.

Bryant Koback added to the Rockets' efforts on the ground with 84 yards rushing along with Jacquez Stuart, who rushed for 58 yards.

The Rockets defense stepped up again for another week now, having back-to-back weeks without allowing an offensive touchdown. Four sacks from the defensive line helped to stop the Cardinals from getting anything going on offense.

The Rockets would end up getting their revenge on the Cardinals, after losing to them the last two seasons, with a final score of 22-12.

As exciting as it was to win, Head Coach Jason Candle doesn't want to overthink this win.

Candle said, “We just played a really good football team. You know, we just beat everyone’s favorite to win the conference on their home field. So that's a great feeling and a lot of momentum there and something to continue to springboard and build off of. But if we disrespect the process and really what practice looks like next week, then we'll be sitting here with our heads down next week. So, we got to get to work and get this one put to bed and move on to the next one."

Western Michigan v Toledo Soccer

It was a beautiful day for some soccer at Paul Hotmer Field, and the women’s soccer team did not disappoint. After winning their first MAC game last Thursday against Northern Illinois, the Rockets came into Sunday’s game hoping to start MAC play with two wins.

In doing so, this required a strong performance from Emma Boutorwick, who did not allow a single one of Western's shots on the goal. This is now Boutorwick's sixth shutout of the season.

Sophomores Ellie Poole and Grace Turski each scored a goal for the Rockets, with Turski getting one in the 37th minute and Pool getting one almost immediately after halftime in the 46th minute.

The Rockets would go on to beat the Broncos 2-0.

Freshman McKenna Shultz also played a major role in the Rockets getting two shutouts this weekend - which allowed her to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Parking Changes

September 23, 2021
by Kiera Jacobs

TOLEDO, Ohio — Thanks to the collapse of Surfside Condominium in Florida, national conversation has sparked about the safety of concrete structures. This conversation has had a big impact on the University of Toledo, and there will now be less parking on campus this semester. Both main campus parking garages have been torn down.

“We will lose approximately 1,000 parking spaces on campus overall,” said Jason Toth, Senior Associate Vice President of Administration.

However, the administration feels positive this will not be an issue because of declining enrollment. There are fewer students on campus this semester according to their count of Full Time Students.

“We’re confident that we’ll still have ample parking available for faculty, staff, students, and visitors,” said Toth.

The deconstruction of these parking garages comes at a huge cost.

Toth said, “Overall, the project, when we talk about the demolition and restoration of the surface lots, will be in the range of three-and-a-half million dollars.”

Although the cost for this project is high for the university, Toth said it needed to be done.

“Even though it was late in the summer and it's created a little bit of disruption on the campus in terms of the normal flow, it was the right decision so we didn’t put ourselves in a situation where we had a major failure of those garages while students, faculty, and staff were on campus,” said Toth.

Since 1976, both the West Ramp Parking Garage and East Parking Garage have stood tall until the recent deconstruction. The university plans on replacing both of these garages with flat surface lots. The demolition clean up is expected to last until mid-September, and until then, it is
unclear when the flat lots will be officially installed.

The new asphalt surface lots will be located in Lots 2 and 13 where the East Ramp Garage and West Ramp Garage used to stand.

Downtown Toledo Historic Buildings

Tiara Medley, Reporter

September 23, 2021

COVID-19 Vaccination Required

September 23, 2021
by Jordan Sansom

TOLEDO, Ohio — You may have received the vaccine but the University of Toledo wants you to prove it. Students and employees need to upload proof of vaccination or approved exemption by November 15.

Administrators said that just more than 30-percent of the people on campus have done this, making it difficult for the University to get an accurate count of who's been vaccinated.

"We're trying to do some things to get students to upload their vaccine cards into our registry. So, until we have more people do that, it's really super hard to understand how many people have been vaccinated," Senior Vice Provost of Academic Affairs Dr. Amy Thompson said.

Students who don't upload vaccination proof will have to speak to an administrator and take periodic COVID tests to stay on campus.

Students and employees will need to go to the University's vaccine incentive program webpage to upload their vaccination cards. For more information on how to get started follow this link.

Wet Weather

Jordan Sansom, Reporter

September 23, 2021

Sports Report

September 23, 2021
by Caleb Gill

TOLEDO, Ohio — After a tough loss at Notre Dame the week prior, the Toledo Rockets football team was hoping to come back strong. However, the Colorado State Rams had other ideas in mind.

In a game that featured very little offense and a whole lot of defense penalties, the Rockets were never able to get a lead against the Colorado State Rams.

Star Running Back Bryant Koback was only able to attain 32 yards rushing on the day. This after having 114 yards the week prior at Notre Dame.

The score at half time was 3-3, with Colorado State getting a field goal in the first quarter and Toledo getting one in the second.

The Rockets also fumbled the ball in Colorado State territory later on which set the Rams up for another field goal.

The only touchdown of the game was scored on a 70 yard punt return for a touchdown by Colorado State's Thomas Pannunzio.

The Rockets would end up losing the game 22-6.

Rockets Quarterback Carter Bradley finished the day with 254 passing yards and Bryce Mitchell as the leading receiver with five catches for 87 yards.

For Colorado State, Tight End Trey McBride had 109 yards receiving on nine receptions and Running Back David Bailey rushed for 132 yards.

The Rockets will be in Muncie, Indiana this upcoming weekend, September 25th, where they will open up MAC play versus Ball State. Their next home game will be on October 9th against Northern Illinois for the Homecoming game.