News from BG: September 8, 2021
Bowling Green to Recognize the 20th 9/11 Anniversary with Ceremony

Community members are invited to join the City of Bowling Green on Saturday, September 11th to honor and remember those who lost their lives 20 years ago as a result of the attacks on September 11, 2001. The ceremony, organized by City Employee, Les Southwick, will include members of the Police & Fire Honor Guard and words from Mayor Mike Aspacher, Fire Chief Moorman, and Imam Ahmad Deeb, Islamic Center of Greater Toledo.

The City’s 9/11 Memorial Ceremony will be held outdoors at the Veterans Memorial located at Bowling Green City Park (in front of the Veterans Building). Attendees should arrive by 8:30 AM and are invited to bring a chair.

“It’s hard to believe that twenty years have passed since the September 11 attacks. I think we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first heard the horrifying news on that fateful day,“ Mayor Aspacher said. “I look forward to continuing to work with Les and other members of our community to ensure that we continue to remember the events of this day. We will never forget.”
Black Swamp Arts Festival

In conjunction with the annual Black Swamp Arts Festival scheduled for September 10, 11, and 12, certain street closures and parking restrictions will be imposed in downtown Bowling Green.
 
Beginning at 6:00 am on Thursday, September 9, the eastern portion of City Parking Lot 2 will be closed. The entire lot will be closed beginning Friday, September 10 at 6:00 am.
 
At 3:00 am on Friday, September 10, on-street parking will be prohibited in the following locations: Main Street between Clay and Pearl; Prospect between East Wooster and Clough; Clay between Main and Grove; East Court, between Main to Prospect; West Oak, between Main to Church; and Clough between Main and S. Prospect. Any vehicle parked in these restricted areas after 3:00 am on Friday will be towed at the owner’s expense.
 
At 9:00 am on Friday, September 10, Main Street, between Clay and Pearl, will be closed to vehicular traffic. While Main Street is closed, no through traffic will be permitted on Oak, Court, Clough and Washington Streets. Wooster Street will remain open for east and westbound traffic throughout the festival. 
 
During the Main Street closing, detour routes for local and truck traffic will be posted.
 
Throughout the event, shuttle buses will pick up visitors at the Wood County Fairgrounds, and Meijer. The buses will drop visitors off downtown at the Bowling Green Police Division.

Handicap parking will be available in remaining public parking lots and at the City Administrative Services Building, 304 N. Church St.
 
All streets will reopen and parking will be reinstated on Sunday evening.
Parks & Recreation Plans Restoration Project

In 2019, the City installed drainage tiles to address the flooding issues in the front of the Wintergarden/St. Johns Nature Preserve. Now that this issue has been addressed, a native short grass prairie will be planted. This project will include a variety of flowers throughout the growing season and additional walking trails. The existing ball diamond and open lawn for picnics, reading, free play, and other recreational activities will remain.

As mentioned above, additional trails will be incorporated into the restoration project and will connect the northern portion of the preserve to the recent 20-acre addition. This project will continue to allow for the existing passive use of the space, while providing valuable natural habitat for monarchs and other pollinators within the lesser used front section. The native plants and flowers will also increase scenic values and promote biodiversity and stewardship of our natural heritage...continue reading restoration project
Fire Division Earns AHA National Recognition

The Bowling Green Fire Division has received the American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline® EMS Gold Achievement Award for implementing specific quality improvement measures to treat patients who suffer severe heart attacks.  
    
Each year, more than 250,000 people experience an ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), the deadliest type of heart attack, caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart that requires timely treatment. To prevent death, it is critical to restore blood flow as quickly as possible, either by mechanically opening the blocked vessel or by providing clot-busting medication. 

The American Heart Association’s Mission: Lifeline program helps reduce barriers to prompt treatment for heart attacks – starting from when 9-1-1 is called, to EMS transport and continuing through hospital treatment and discharge. Optimal care for heart attack patients takes coordination between the individual hospital, EMS and healthcare system...continue reading AHA Award
League of Women Voters
Honesty in Education

The Bowling Green League of Women Voters invites the public to attend the Honesty in Education Forum on Wednesday, September 8, 2021, from 7:00-8:30 pm via Zoom. Moderator Jerry Anderson will lead the discussion with a panel including students, teachers, administrators, and educational law experts.

The purpose of the forum is to examine the effect of HB 322 and HB 327 on Ohio’s schools, particularly with respect to our country’s history regarding racism, slavery, sexism, and other controversial topics. Ohioans want to know: What is currently being taught about these topics? What instructional methods are teachers and administrators using? How do students feel about their educational experiences regarding these issues?

The outcome of these bills will be decided soon. This forum will explore how they would potentially impact the way history is being taught. 

Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend this virtual event. Advance registration is required:

The public is also invited to submit questions for the panelists. Please submit questions for consideration to info@lwvbg.org. 

Questions about the LWVBG Honesty in Education Forum can be directed to Lee McLaird at lwvbgmeetings@gmail.com
September Brush Collection
The window to schedule a September Brush Collection will be open from September 1 to September 13. Residents may GO ONLINE, beginning September 1, to register their address for this month’s collection!

Residents may also call 419-354-6227 to be added to the list of locations where crews will stop.

Collection is scheduled to begin on September 20. Those who do not register by September 13 will NOT be included on the collection route! The next brush collection will be held in October.
Splash Pad to Remain Open for Longer
The Bowling Green Parks & Recreation Department is pleased to announce that even though BG City Pool has closed for the season, the Splash Pad at Bowling Green City Pool will remain open and free for use to everyone beginning Tuesday September 7th, from Noon - 5:00 PM.

This opportunity will be free of charge to the community on a first come, first serve basis and will continue while chlorine supplies last.
WOOD COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Weekly Talking Points (Release Date: 9/3)
Federal officials have recently announced that COVID vaccine boosters may soon be recommended for people who have received two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Details are still to come based on scientific review. We do not yet know:

  • Who will be eligible,
  • How long after the two-dose vaccine series boosters should be administered, and
  • If boosters should be the same vaccine that was administered initially.
 
Wood County is experiencing high community transmission of COVID and the Delta variant is the dominant strain across the state. We all have a greater risk of getting sick than we did just a few weeks ago. It is important that everyone step up prevention measures: 
 
  • Vaccines remain highly effective at preventing serious illness.
  • Wear your mask—it’s proven to reduce your chance of getting COVID.  
  • Move gatherings outside to enjoy the fall weather. 
  • Stay home when you feel sick and test for COVID if you have symptoms. Stay away from others for as long as you could spread illness, whether it’s COVID or another disease.    
  • Regularly wash hands, cover coughs and sneezes and maximize ventilation. 
 
Students are adhering to these guidelines at school, and we can all do the same to help them stay in school. When you’re running errands, at work or attending a game, follow these guidelines.
 
Wood County Health Department is currently administering third doses of the Pfizer vaccine to people who are immunocompromised. People who are immunocompromised may not build sufficient immunity after the initial two-dose series and may benefit from receiving a third dose:

  • This includes people who have: been receiving cancer treatment for tumors or blood cancer; received an organ transplant and are taking medication to suppress the immune system; received a stem cell transplant in the past two years; moderate or severe immunodeficiency; advanced or untreated HIV infection; active treatment of high-dose corticosteroids.
  
The Food and Drug Administration announced full approval of the Pfizer vaccine for individuals 16 years of age and older:

  • This means that the Pfizer vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of all approved products, having undergone its standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.