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From the 7/11/07 Lima News: Dana may move work to Lima Bart Mills | [email protected] - 07.11.2007 LIMA — The loss of jobs at a Kentucky plant could mean more work for Lima. Dana Corp. announced Monday it will shift some production away from its plant in Louisville, Ky., and move it to its Lima plant. Dana officials did not say how much work would be moved or how many jobs it might affect. Public Relations Director Chuck Hartledge told the Louisville Courier Journal the company will consolidate production of heavy duty drive shafts to Lima “no later than the fourth quarter of 2008.” Officials at Dana’s corporate office in Toledo and local officials were not available for comment Tuesday. MORE: http://www.limaohio.com/story.php?IDnum=40473

Link contains a photo. From the 6/5/07 Blade: Developer rethinking plan for Southwyck Revision to delay work on center until fall By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER Local retail developer Larry Dillin said yesterday that he went to a shopping center convention last month in Las Vegas with a specific vision for a redeveloped Southwyck Shopping Center. But the man who created Perrysburg's Town Center at Levis Common said he came back with a revised notion. Redeveloped Southwyck, instead, could have a closer mix of housing and stores than was originally proposed, he said. The change stemmed from suggestions by retailers and others at the convention. Contact Jon Chavez at: [email protected] or 419-724-6128. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070605/BUSINESS05/706050395/-1/RSS04

From the 5/18/07 Blade: Dillard's commits to Southwyck Decision brightens picture for redevelopment of mall By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER The long-stalled plans to redo the Southwyck Shopping Center in Toledo took a significant turn for the better yesterday with the revelation that Dillard's Inc. has made a commitment to remain at the center through 2011. Contact Jon Chavez at: [email protected] or 419-724-6128. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070518/BUSINESS07/705180390/-1/RSS04

From the 4/26/07 Blade: GRAPHIC: Stautzenberger: At a glance STAUTZENBERGER COLLEGE 2-year school plans to leave Southwyck Slow pace of mall makeover is cited By MEGHAN GILBERT BLADE STAFF WRITER Stautzenberger College, the first major tenant that signed on for the Southwyck Shopping Center renovation, announced yesterday it is moving to Maumee. The private business school, which has been at its Southwyck location since 1979, needs a larger and more up-to-date facility, but plans to get that at the proposed Village at Southwyck have stalled, college President George Simon said. Contact Meghan Gilbert at: [email protected] or 419-724-6134. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070426/NEWS21/704260364/-1/RSS

From the 7/10/07 ABJ: Fomo joins Romig Road corridor Norton company that produces spray foam renovates Marc's site By Betty Lin-Fisher Beacon Journal business writer Where there once were aisles of toys and groceries, there are now rows of spray foam insulation tanks. The building that was once a Children's Palace toy store and Marc's discount store has a new life as the Spray Foam Production Center for a local manufacturer, Fomo Products... http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/17476287.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_business

All from the 6/10/07 ABJ: With Rolling Acres for sale, supporters believe it can be reborn for mixed use A loyal few keep site's doors open By Betty Lin-Fisher Beacon Journal business writer Eli Choueiry remembers Rolling Acres Mall's heyday. The food court vendor, who has been at the mall for 24 years, recalls when the area in front of his stand was packed with customers. "It was a full house. A full house. All the time. It was the most popular place to hang out, especially for teenagers,'' said Choueiry... http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/17350081.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_business

From the 5/15/07 PD: Once-packed mall: exercise in futility? Tuesday, May 15, 2007 Laura Johnston Plain Dealer Reporter Akron -- Mall walkers face no obstacles at Akron's Rolling Acres. With no pesky crowds and only an occasional open store, they can power around the 1.1-mile perimeter, dodging no one, hearing only the squeak of their sneakers and the soft-rock music tinkling overhead. "I think it's pretty sad," said Karen Kirkendall of Akron, who regularly walks six miles around the now-deserted concourse. "It's nice for the walkers. . . . It seems like the stores are kind of falling by the wayside."... http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1179218287175560.xml&coll=2

From the 4/12/07 ABJ: Homeless man finds hideaway inside mall Akron police arrest squatter in vacant store at Rolling Acres By Carl Chancellor Beacon Journal staff writer At least there is one guy in Akron who loyally frequented Rolling Acres Mall, although his patronage at the troubled shopping center was seriously curtailed with his arrest Tuesday night. According to Lt. Rick Edwards, Akron police spokesman, Brandon Shawhan, 24, whom he described as homeless, had been living in a vacant mall store for about a month... http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/17065798.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_news

From the 4/4/07 ABJ: Rolling Acres owner remaining upbeat about mall's future No buyer after five months. Developer hoping for joint venture, comes up with 35 potential uses By Betty Lin-Fisher Beacon Journal business writer Although it has been five months since Rolling Acres mall was put up for sale, and the retail center's occupancy rate has declined again, the owner said he's as excited as ever about the property's potential. Interest is high in the mixed-use concept for the 570,000 gross square feet of space on 49.5 acres, said Michael Mirharooni, president and founder of Invest Commercial LLC, on Tuesday from his office in Beverly Hills, Calif. The asking price is $4.9 million... http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/business/17024429.htm?source=rss&channel=ohio_business

From the 6/15/07 DDN: Challenger to Dayton's residency rule gains support Victor Pate went back to work Thursday without any problems By Joanne Huist Smith Staff Writer Thursday, June 14, 2007 DAYTON — Victor Pate says it was business as usual the day after he informed the Dayton City Commission he planned to move to Jefferson Twp. and challenge the city's employee residency rule. Pate, a traffic signal engineer, said he fully expected to be fired Thursday. Instead he just carried out his job. Another surprise, Pate said, is the support he's received from fellow employees. "I have yet to have an employee say anything negative about my decision to move," Pate said. "I'm totally in awe at the support." Pate said other employees told him they plan to follow his lead, if the 17-year-employee doesn't get fired. "One fellow said he plans to put up a (for sale) sign in his yard," Pate said. Last week, the city lost a battle in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court to require that all city employees reside within Dayton's boundaries. After the ruling, Mayor Rhine McLin warned employees not to leave the city. "City employees do not move. You move at your own risk," she said. The city had sued the state, claiming a new law curtailing residency requirements violated the city's home rule provision. Dayton officials sought to have the state law deemed unconstitutional. That didn't happen, but the city is expected to file paperwork in the Second District Court of Appeals next week to continue the fight. Dayton voters approved the city's residency requirement in 1987. Pate feels it may be time to reconsider the requirement at the ballot box, if the city is successful at getting the decision overturned in the courts. http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/06/14/ddn061507residencyfolo.html

From the 7/7/07 Blade: NEW LOOK COMING TO ONE SEAGATE PHOTO

From the 5/24/07 Blade: Harbor Capital’s move to be done by September Harbor Capital Advisors Inc., a mutual-fund firm based in Toledo’s One SeaGate for two decades, will complete the move of its headquarters to Chicago between late July and September, a company spokesman, John Hoff said yesterday. The company, a spinoff from Owens-Illinois Inc., of Perrysburg, was sold six years ago for $490 million to Robeco Groep NV, of the Netherlands, which announced the headquarters move 11 months ago. Harbor, which has 16 funds with total assets of $36 billion, will move 25 of its 85 workers to Chicago, 5 others have retired or will soon, and the other 55 will be laid off, Mr. Hoff said. http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070524/BUSINESS03/70524014/-1/RSS04

Link contains a photo. From the 5/3/07 Blade: Riverfront One SeaGate office tower up for sale Expert says buyer from area unlikely By JON CHAVEZ BLADE BUSINESS WRITER The owners of One SeaGate - downtown Toledo's premier office building - have decided to put the 32-story tower up for sale. Insurance firm RVI Group Inc., of Stamford, Conn., which took ownership of the building in September for $1 million and assumption of a $32 million mortgage, said the signature tower along the riverfront has been stabilized to where it is an attractive buy for commercial real estate investors. Since owning the building, RVI has inked a deal with Fifth Third Bank to move its Toledo headquarters and some suburban office workers to One SeaGate, and rename the tallest structure downtown to Fifth Third Center at One SeaGate. There is no specific asking price for One SeaGate, although prospective buyers usually make bids after reviewing such properties, said Harlan Reichle, of CB Richard Ellis/Reichle Klein in Maumee, hired locally to market the site. The building last year was valued at $41 million by the state, but local real-estate experts estimated its value at $20 million to $31 million. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070503/BUSINESS05/705030378/-1/rss13

From the 4/3/07 Blade: Fifth Third Bank maps plan for One SeaGate By HOMER BRICKEY BLADE SENIOR BUSINESS WRITER Peering out the window on the 23rd floor, Robert LaClair looked southeast to take note of the Maumee River, the Anthony Wayne Bridge, and much of downtown. "I like this view," said the president and chief executive of Fifth Third Bank (Northwestern Ohio). He was picking out his new office in One SeaGate, downtown Toledo's tallest building. The bank will lease 127,000 square feet of the 32-story structure and expects to move in 350 workers late this year. "It's a done deal. Now the fun part begins," Mr. LaClair said. The bank, moving from its headquarters several blocks away at Huron Street and Madison Avenue, said it will lease floors 4, 21, 22, and 23 as well as a major part of the service, or sub-basement level, where it plans to build a secure loading dock for armored cars. It plans to open a full-service branch on the lobby floor. FULL ARTICLE: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/BUSINESS05/704030358/-1/RSS04

From the 7/10/07 Lorain Morning Journal: Project hits ballot: Voters will decide how Sandusky waterfront will be redeveloped By RICHARD PAYERCHIN, Sandusky Bureau Chief 07/10/2007 SANDUSKY -- City residents in November will have their say on redeveloping Sandusky's waterfront City Hall with condominiums, hotel and a redesign of Battery Park. Sandusky City Commission agreed to have city residents vote on the project known as the Marina District. The vote would guide city leaders in negotiating a development agreement for City Hall, 222 Meigs St., and surrounding land, the Sandusky Sailing Club, Battery Park and the marina and the former Surf's Up Wave Action Pool, which operates as the Sandusky Bay Pavilion. http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18567547&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6

Here are the totals that were in the Enquirer: CINCINNATI CITY COUNCIL FUNDRAISING TOTALS Candidate Money raised Money on hand June 30 Melanie Bates $29,502 $21,817 Jeff Berding $133,335 $100,368 Chris Bortz $165,081 $86,932 John Cranley $120,966 $84,600 David Crowley $122,752 $41,110 John Eby $23,510 $15,329 Pat Fischer $135,730 $129,026 Leslie Ghiz $103,590 $88,747 Greg Harris $18,846 $7,533 Joan Kaup $29,754 $29,008 Sean Lackey $501 $501 Sam Malone $15,925 $14,615 Chris Monzel $78,785 $55,993 Christopher Smitherman $16,150 $25,913 Jim Tarbell $450 $30 Cecil Thomas $18,950 $12,417 Curtis Wells $155 $26 Charlie Winburn $119,680 $88,661 Wendell Young $1,010 $585 George Zamary $500 $418

From the 7/10/07 Blade: Jobe's attorneys ask to suppress evidence No attorney at scene of questioning Attorneys for Robert Jobe, accused in the Feb. 21 shooting death of Toledo police vice Detective Keith Dressel, hope a jury will never hear some of the statements the 15-year-old North Toledoan made after his arrest. David Klucas and Ann Baronas filed a motion yesterday in Lucas County Common Pleas Court to suppress statements the teen made Feb. 22 to police Detectives Kermit Quinn and James Couch. The motion said the teen requested an attorney "no less than four times" in response to his initial Miranda warnings and was never provided one. ... More at: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/NEWS02/707100383/-1/NEWS

From the 7/10/07 Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: New Meijer store slated to open in Canal Winchester sometime next year By NIKKI G. BANNISTER The Eagle-Gazette Staff [email protected] CANAL WINCHESTER - Canal Winchester is one of seven sites Meijer, Inc. has chosen as a spot to open one of its hyperstores - or grand-scale bargain supermarkets - in 2008. Other stores are planned to open in Michigan, Illinois, Grove City and Huber Heights. The projected location of the supermarket is just off the new Hill-Diley Road exchange and will be about 210,000 square feet. Meijer authorities, including its real estate department, selected its stores after researching demand and demographics for many areas. Canal Winchester is one of the fastest-growing communities in the state, so the site was a perfect choice, said Kim Rankin, president of the Canal Winchester Area Chamber of Commerce. Full story at http://www.lancastereaglegazette.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070710/NEWS01/707100308/1002/rss01

From ThisWeek Big Walnut, 7/8/07: Sunbury a city by 2010? Not likely, officials say Sunday, July 8, 2007 MARK MAJOR ThisWeek Staff Writer Sunbury may be among the 50 fastest-growing municipalities in Ohio according to recently released federal estimates, but it could still be as many as 15 years before the village grows into a city. Though some local leaders speculated as recently as last year that Sunbury could qualify as a city by 2010, estimates released June 28 by the U.S. Census Bureau put village population at 3,252 as of July 1, 2006, up from a head count of 2,630 during the 2000 census. If the estimate is accurate, Sunbury is 1,748 residents shy of crossing the 5,000-resident mark that would make it a city. Sunbury's estimated 22.6 percent population increase put it in 27th place statewide in a list ranked by estimated growth rate since the 2000 census. For more information, visit census.gov. MORE: http://www.thisweeknews.com/?story=sites/thisweeknews/070807/Sunbury/News/070807-News-382709.html

From the 7/10/07 Dispatch: 2 police officers accused of coercion Incident involves woman baring her breasts Tuesday, July 10, 2007 3:26 AM By Theodore Decker THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH Columbus Police Officer Scott Shepard told internal-affairs investigators that it was a "silly, slap-happy conversation" and "extremely stupid" in hindsight. The 22-year-old Ohio State University student saw it differently. She told investigators that her chance meeting with Shepard and Officer Donny Smith in March amounted to coercion, ending when she exposed her breasts out of fear that she and her boyfriend would be arrested if she didn't. Now, Shepard, 27, and Smith, 26, are in the process of being charged departmentally. They are accused of violating police rules of conduct in their contact with the woman and of failing to arrest her boyfriend on a valid traffic warrant. Full story at http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/07/10/TWOCOPS.ART_ART_07-10-07_B1_LD78BHI.html?type=rss&cat=21

From the 7/10/07 Enquirer: Another Meijer coming to town? BY SUE KIESEWETTER | ENQUIRER CONTRIBUTOR FAIRFIELD TWP. – Meijer is interested in building a 200,000-square-foot superstore here, company officials confirmed this morning. The store is planned for the Graceworks property at the intersection of Ohio 4 Bypass and Hamilton-Mason roads, said Roger DeHoek, a real estate manager with Meijer’s Grand Rapids, Michigan home office. No date has been set yet for construction. But if approved, the proposed store and related projects would finally settle a decade-long argument over development at this nearly 200-acre site that included an annexation dispute between Fairfield Township and the city of Hamilton. “This has been a long endeavor. We’re not planning (a start date) until everything is squared away,’’ DeHoek said. “We are interested in being in Fairfield Township at that location.” The first step in the process will be taken today when the Butler County Planning Commission reviews a zone change request that would allow Meijer’s to build at that site. Oberer Land Developer has filed a request on behalf of Graceworks Lutheran Services to rezone 111 acres of a 187-acre site from agriculture to general business. The request also asks that 76 acres be rezoned from residential planned unit development to multiple family. The portion Meijer is interested in would be east of Gilmore, with the residential portion planned for west of Gilmore, said Greg Smith, a project manager with Oberer. Graceworks officials would not say what might be developed on the property, but township officials say there are plans for two "big-box" stores, including a Meijer and possibly a Menards home-improvement store. “Graceworks is keeping all options open, pending the outcome of litigation and zoning requests," said Larry Ramey, spokesman for Graceworks. Nearly two years ago, plans for a Meijer superstore on the Graceworks property were withdrawn. Last year, Fairfield Township appealed a court decision allowing Graceworks to request annexation into Hamilton despite a 1996 agreement prohibiting annexation. No annexation request has been filed and oral arguments on that appeal are scheduled for Aug. 13. Earlier this month, trustees sent a proposal to Hamilton that would put a halt to most annexations and provide a plan for both communities to share equally income tax receipts from certain commercial properties. They expect a response later this week. Trustee Joe McAbee said it was his understanding that Meijer is interested in the Graceworks property. He also said he was in favor of the rezoning. “I’ve not seen anything from the township perspective that would make me against this," McAbee said. "In an ideal situation, we can work something out that's fair to everybody." Township Administrator Michael Rayhall said representatives of Oberer and Vandercar Holdings Inc., which is also involved in the Graceworks project, met with township officials at the Butler County Engineer's Office to discuss road improvements that would be needed at the site should Meijer locate there. http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/AB/20070710/NEWS01/307100054/ From the 7/10/07 Hamilton JournalNews: Bypass Ohio 4 project funding short ODOT is providing less than anticipated for engineering phase. By Tim Tresslar Staff Writer Tuesday, July 10, 2007 HAMILTON — Local communities likely will have to shoulder a larger share of the engineering costs for the proposed Bypass Ohio 4 widening as the state grapples with limited funds for transportation improvements. Engineering for the proposed project will carry an estimated $2.7 million price tag, said John Fonner, director of the Butler County Transportation Improvement District. Local officials had hoped the Ohio Department of Transportation would kick in about $1.3 million for that phase, but now anticipate receiving less than that, Fonner said after Monday's TID meeting. During the next two to three months, local officials will be working with ODOT to determine how much it can provide for the engineering of the $32 million widening project, Fonner said. "I think going into the fall, we'll really know where we stand," he said. ODOT's Transportation Review Advisory Council doles out funding for major improvement projects such as the bypass widening. But the council has too many projects vying for too little money, said Scott Varner, an ODOT spokesman. In addition, the legislature has required the council to fund first tier projects — those close to construction with identified funding sources, Varner said. During the next five years, the agency faces a $1.5 billion deficit as it pays for projects at that stage. Fonner said a loss of state and federal money wouldn't derail the project but could force local communities to pay a bigger share of engineering fees and also lengthen the time the project will take. "It's not unusual for projects like this to get done in phases over a multi-year period," he said. TID officials also hope to receive ODOT approval by August for a preliminary engineering report for Bypass Ohio 4, Fonner said. The report needs the state's OK before engineering consultants, M-E Companies, can begin design work, Fonner said. Also at Monday's TID meeting, the board approved a measure calling for the agency to buy six parcels of property needed for the Liberty Interchange project. The total for the acquisitions can't exceed $7.1 million. Fonner said the purchases should close within two weeks, giving the county about 70 percent of the right of way needed for the project. Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2122 or [email protected]. http://www.journal-news.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/10/hjn071007TID.html

From the 7/10/07 DDN: Antioch University has no plans to sell Yellow Springs holdings WYSO manager and Glen Helen chairman work toward independence. By Stephanie Irwin Gottschlich Staff Writer Tuesday, July 10, 2007 YELLOW SPRINGS — — Antioch University has no immediate plans to sell or close its other Yellow Springs-based entities when it closes Antioch College in 2008, university chancellor Toni Murdock said. Since the university's announcement last month that it will close the undergraduate residential campus until 2012 because of a large projected deficit, alumni have raised concerns that the university would sell off significant assets such as WYSO-FM (91.3) or the 1,000-acre Glen Helen nature preserve. Full story at http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/10/ddn071007antiochassets.html

From the 7/10/07 Springfield News-Sun: Turbine proposal breezes into Ohio Generally, land is leased for about $4,000-$6,000 a year, and farmers later share in royalties. By Rick Rouan Staff Writer Tuesday, July 10, 2007 REYNOLDSBURG — The common misconception about wind turbines revolves around the public's image of San Diego Wind Farms with hundreds of turbines spinning quickly. But the reality for Ohio is that the turbines most likely would be built in sets of 10, Dale Arnold, director of Energy Services for the Ohio Farm Bureau, said Monday. Arnold and other state and local officials met at the Ohio Department of Agriculture to discuss the relationship between farmland preservation and construction of wind turbines. There's currently a proposal to build turbines in three townships in eastern Champaign County. During the meeting, Arnold outlined key points related to the environmental, economic and aesthetic effects of the energy-generating turbines. He also shed light on what contracts between wind energy companies and land owners generally contain, a topic of interest for a Champaign County couple trying to slow the wind-testing and turbine-construction processes near their home. Full article at http://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/content/oh/story/news/local/2007/07/09/sns071007turbines.html

From the 7/10/07 Youngstown Vindicator: Chambers cooperate on plant The chambers of commerce want to help companies working on the project. By D.A. WILKINSON VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU EAST LIVERPOOL — Should information that could be helpful to a proposed coal to liquid fuel plant be stored on paper or electronically? That question will be answered in time, Pamela Hoppel, chief executive officer of the East Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, said Monday. The chambers of commerce in Columbiana County have agreed to work together to support the proposed $4 billion Baard Energy plant that may be built near Wellsville. Read more at: http://www.vindy.com/content/local_regional/298399716768263.php

From the 7/10/07 Martins Ferry Times Leader: Local pipeline ‘detour’ mapped By BETTY J. P0KAS, Times Leader Area Editor The Rockies Express Pipeline project, which originates in the Rocky Mountains, apparently will involve a “detour” in Belmont County when it reaches the Slope Creek Reservoir between Barnesville and Somerton. Pipeline officials proposed a new route, slightly south of the reservoir, Monday night during the Barnesville Village Council session. “I think everything worked out real well,” said Barnesville Village Administrator Roger Deal, this morning. “We asked the Rockies folks (for a change so the pipeline wouldn’t go through the reservoir). They did what they said they would do. They worked with us to resolve this issue.” Village council appeared pleased, but did not vote at Monday’s meeting concerning the new route for the natural gas pipeline. “I assured the Rockies folks that the vote would be coming at the next council meeting,” said Deal. “I think the result will be positive.” Full story at http://timesleaderonline.com/news/articles.asp?articleID=8335