Written Articles

RallyCap Sports: 10 years of breaking barriers and building friendships

The power of inclusion: RallyCap’s mission to defy expectations






Every few weeks in the Bowling Green State University Perry Fieldhouse Track Room, Aaron Cowdrey meets with his friends—a group of people of all ages and abilities who both radiate joy and are excited to play sports together.
That’s exactly what RallyCap Sports, a chapter-based organization at BGSU, does alongside young adults and people who have a disability from...

Wood County residents have higher voter participation rate than state of Ohio’s

Wood County voters are anticipated to vote in the upcoming Nov. 5 election at a higher turnout rate than that of Ohio’s voter turnout rate, according to historical data.
The data comes from a comparison of voter turnout data from public records in Ohio between Wood County voter turnout.
Typically, state-wide voter turnout in Ohio is typically less than 50% during non-presidential election years. But during a presidential election year, voter turnout in Ohio is roughly 70%.However, in Wood County...

Toledo Zoo’s Harvest Fest attracts thousands

Hundreds of children prowled around the Toledo Zoo Oct. 18 donning their favorite Halloween costumes to search for candy during the zoo’s annual Harvest Fest and trick-or-treating event.
Harvest Fest, the zoo’s fall festival, takes place throughout the month of October. The zoo is transformed into a giant fall frenzy with hundreds of pounds of pumpkins, numerous mums and dozens of giant light-up pumpkin displays across the zoo grounds.
“Every year we add more and more mums, flowers and pumpkin d...

Student-conducted survey resulted in Forhan’s Cafe change according to BGSU Dining

Bowling Green State University (BGSU) students and staff said they are both upset and excited after Forhan’s Cafe is no longer serving Starbucks products following a student-led survey.
The cafe, located in the Maurer Center, home to the Schmidthorst College of Business, previously offered a “We Proudly Serve” Starbucks program, which permitted the cafe to serve Starbucks coffee products in a location other than a traditional Starbucks setting up until the beginning of the 2024 fall semester, wh...

Toledo Zoo plans to study how eclipse affects animal behavior

While many wonder how the solar eclipse will affect roads, grocery stores and communication services, what about asking how it will affect animals?
The Toledo Zoo is hosting an event to not only celebrate and watch the eclipse occur but also to see how animal behavior may potentially be affected.
“We’re excited to be in a total path of totality here around 3:13 p.m.,” said Jen Brassil, the Toledo Zoo’s director of PR and communication events. “So, we’re going to be opening up our amphitheater do...

Snag faces criticism from Bowling Green community, store operator responds

Bowling Green residents raised safety concerns about Snag’s scooter delivery operators and while police have noted a few incidents, Snag’s manager said he’s aware of the issue and is working on and open to improvements.
One of the main concerns worrying residents is reckless scooter users and their visibility at night.
“I am worried about the Snag drivers getting themselves into accidents or getting hit by cars,” said Bowling Green resident Christina Wilson. “On multiple occasions, I have seen t...

Dozens shave hair for childhood cancer research at BGSU St. Baldrick’s Shave A Thon

Dozens of people ‘braved the shave’ Sunday as the St. Baldrick’s Foundation hosted its annual Shave-A-Thon.
Those who shaved their heads did so for a variety of reasons ranging from cancer survivors to people who simply wanted to show support for others.
“I chose to shave my head because a lot of people who are going through cancer and cancer treatments don’t get a choice to shave their head,” said Bryna Walker, a student volunteer with the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).
Walker said th...

Local chocolate shop keeping prices low for Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air, but you may have to spend a bit more this year on that special someone for Valentine’s Day.
Taste of Heaven Chocolates, a local small business in Perrysburg, is trying to keep prices low amid rising costs.
“We’re locally owned and we’re not a big box chain,” said Lisa Harris, the shop’s owner. “Everything we do is in-house, homemade and hand dipped.”
Harris is preparing for another Valentine’s Day and is ready for customers sent in by Cupid.
She says her business has somethin...

Bowling Green residents concerned after city’s turbines near end of lifespan

Residents of BG are raising concerns and seeking answers as one of the city’s renewable energy sources is coming to an end.
Four wind turbines, each standing at 391 feet tall, currently sit at the Wood County Landfill and account for part of the city’s renewable energy infrastructure. As the turbines are near the end of their lifespan, one resident is concerned Bowling Green is moving in the wrong direction.
“Bowling Green seems to be going backward,” said BG resident Joseph R. DeMare. “We seem...

Toledo Zoo hosts annual Lights Before Christmas

Now that December is here, you may be looking to do something festive. The Toledo Zoo’s Lights Before Christmas display is one option available to those looking to get into the holiday spirit.
The Zoo’s lights display runs now until the end of December and features numerous lights.
“Our horticulture team does a wonderful job putting up over a million lights—we’ve stopped counting at a million, so it’s definitely more than that,” said Toledo Zoo PR and Communication Events Director Jen Brassil.
T...

BGSU athletic trainer arrested for OVI after striking police cruiser, police say

A university athletic trainer was arrested for operating a vehicle while impaired with a breath alcohol content of 2.6 times the legal limit, and hit-skip after she allegedly struck a Bowling Green police cruiser and left the scene, according to a BGPD report.
Olivia York, 25, is the primary athletic trainer for the university cross country and track and field teams, according to the Bowling Green State University athletics website, which also indicated she previously worked as the primary athle...

Kristan Hawkins to visit BGSU

The woman who “helped kill Roe v. Wade and now wants to end abortion in America,” according to a June 2023 BBC News article, will be visiting Bowling Green State University.
Kristan Hawkins is the founder and president of an anti-abortion group, Students for Life of America. She will be at BGSU on Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Oval, to speak about a variety of topics.
“We are bringing Kristan Hawkins to BGSU because she played a major role in reversing Roe and is the woman who had the ho...

Holiday food resources for students in need

Over 33.8 million people in America, 1.3 million people in Ohio and 14,000 people in Wood County experience food insecurity, according to Feeding America. 
With holidays such as Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa approaching, many resources are available to those in need in the Bowling Green area.
 
Thanksgiving with the Falcon Food Pantry 
Falcon Food Pantry is a food resource on the campus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU). After opening in Central Hall in February 2022, the...

Community reacts to reproductive rights on November ballot

Ohio voters are getting ready to vote on a proposed constitutional amendment that would permit abortions within the state, according to a September 2023 Associated Press article. Bowling Green State University student organizations and a state senator are reacting to the potential changes the amendment could bring. 
Voters will decide on Issue 1, also known as “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” which seeks to allow more options for women’s reproductive he...

New brown bear exhibit at the Toledo Zoo

Hundreds of visitors crowded around the glass at the Toledo Zoo’s new bear exhibit, Thursday, March 16.

The Komminsk Family Kodiak Ridge exhibit is home to two grizzly bears and one Kodiak bear. The exhibit also features 14,000 square feet of space, a 5,000-gallon pool, a 130-square-foot cave and a sensory log.

“The log is hollowed out, so you and the bear can both go into it and feel each other’s breath,” said Nancy Nielsen, a donor to the new exhibit. “It’s very exciting and I have a feeling...

Perrysburg opens inclusive playground

Children of all abilities have a new playground to use after Perrysburg unveiled its new inclusive playground Wednesday, June 21.

The Woodlands Park playground began renovations in February.

“Perrysburg is a welcoming community, and we think it’s important that our parks can be enjoyed by everyone,” said Marie Dunn, a city spokesperson. “We now have two inclusive playgrounds in our city for families to enjoy.”

Though the park recently opened, community members said they are already looking fo...

UPDATED: Dunbridge man sentenced 12-17 years in prison after killing Bowling Green bicyclist

DECEMBER 6 UPDATE:

Dunbridge man will spend 12-17 1/2 years in prison after being sentenced in court on Dec. 5.

James Patrick Lindsay, 54, was indicted on an Aggravated Vehicular Manslaughter charge, Operating a Vehicle Under the Influence of Alcohol charge, and two counts of Attempted Failure to Stop after an accident in July.

Lindsay hit Michael Szabo, 60, on July 1 at South Main Street and Pearl Street around 2 p.m. Szabo was pronounced dead at the scene.

Szabo was on his bicycle when Lin...

PHS Spanish teacher is inspired by students - Sent-trib

By Andrew Kish
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
PERRYSBURG — In Room 169 at Perrysburg High School sits a leather jacket-wearing, two-toned hair-bearing woman using a rolling suitcase to travel the halls, who 30 years ago let one small comment change her life.
Melanie Lyons has been teaching the Spanish language for over 30 years and comes prepared each day beaming with excitement.
However, being a Spanish teacher was not always on her list. Instead, she was planning to do something different, su...

Perrysburg students strive for inclusion of their peers with disabilities in orchestra - Sent-trib

By Andrew Kish
Special to the Sentinel-Tribune
PERRYSBURG — A group of local high school students is bringing more inclusion to the school’s music program by pairing students with disabilities with members of the school’s orchestra.
United Sound, a chapter-based organization with a group at Perrysburg High School, teaches students with a disability, who are known in the group as “new musicians,” to play music using instruments that have been modified to make them easier to learn. Existing orches...