Message from Mayor Kapszukiewicz
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The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us. We have a difficult road ahead, but I know in my heart that Toledo and our nation will get through this together. This situation won't be with us forever.
As I
said today
during the health department daily briefing, Ohio has suffered its first death from this virus, right here in Lucas County. I personally knew the victim and I want to extend my condolences to his family. This is an indication that the situation in our area has entered another phase, and we must work together as a community.
Because of events that are happening all around the country, we cannot rely on tests the way we wanted to. That is a reality for our nation. Every community is coming to the realization that testing will not be as much of this process as we wanted it to be, so instead we must rely on each other and the goodness that is contained within all of us.
We are united as people dealing with this crisis. I recall the way Americans treated each other in the days and weeks after 9/11. It is my hope that will be a model of how we unite. That was a terrible event -- the most terrible of my lifetime. We do not yet know how terrible this event will be, although we are prepared and we can assume that it will be as awful as any of us can bear. There is a common humanity and togetherness that, on our best days, are what this country and this community is all about. There is the potential for that common humanity and togetherness to emerge during the extraordinarily difficult time that lays ahead.
I encourage everyone to use this time to do things like making a donation to the United Way, to help children who you know find access to nutritious meals that they may not have because schools are closed, or simply write a letter to someone in a retirement home who can no longer have visitors. I want us to rally around each other as we go through this difficult time. Yes, it will be tough, but we have been through difficult times before.
I encourage everyone to use this time to concentrate on reconnecting with family. My family and I used time this week to do something simple we had not done in a long time: play a board game. If you are my age, call your mom, call your dad. Make this time of sacrifice a time that our humanity shines through.
Please also know, we continue to work with all of our partners -- the health department, Lucas County, health providers, and more -- to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our city and region. We need your help. Please
follow the guidelines
.
We are prepared. There are common sense steps we can all take to make sure that our community can get through this difficult time together.
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REMINDER
: There is a moratorium on water shut-offs until the threat of COVID-19 is diminished.
The moratorium applies to residential Toledo and Lucas County customers.
Toledo Public Utilities will not turn off water service to any residential customer. The city will also restore water service to all residential customers who have had their water disconnected for non-payment. In order to accomplish this, Toledo Public Utilities field services technicians must access properties to obtain a meter reading.
During the moratorium, customers who need assistance, or who have general billing questions, are encouraged to contact Engage Toledo at 419-936-2020. Customers can also email
dpucustomerservice@toledo.oh.gov.
The Customer Service Walk-In Service Center at 420 Madison Ave. is closed to the public. Find more information on city offices during the COVID-19 pandemic
at this link
. (
En Español
.)
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Multilingual Information
Officials from the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department, Lucas County, and the City of Toledo will conduct Facebook Live question and answer sessions on Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Spanish and Arabic for the public at 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., respectively, every Wednesday beginning March 25.
Toledo-Lucas County Health Department Commissioner Eric Zgodzinski and other officials will take questions from the public on COVID-19 or other topics.
The city and health department posted videos in Spanish and Arabic:
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2020 Census and COVID-19
To help support COVID-19 guidelines, 2020 U.S. Census field operations are suspended for two weeks until April 1, 2020. No Census officials will visit homes regarding the census until further notice. In the meantime, you can take the census online, or over the phone.
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How can we help you? The Engage Toledo app lets you make service requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. We are committed to customer service.
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By The Numbers
(year to date)
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35,320
potholes filled
81
water main breaks repaired
398,618
feet of sanitary sewers cleaned
5,518
feet of storm sewers cleaned
748
illegal signs removed
249
trees trimmed
2,031
building inspections
1,282
contractor licenses
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Greater Toledo Community Foundation seeds funds for nonprofits
The Greater Toledo Community Foundation announced Wednesday it has established a COVID-19 Response Fund to help support northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan nonprofits. The foundation will make a seed contribution of $100,000 to respond to the needs of area groups, said Keith Burwell, president of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation.
Neighborhoods spreading cheer with window artwork
In a time of uncertainty, fear and isolation, a fun picture hung in the front window of a home can go a long way. It’s how residents in Toledo’s Old Orchard neighborhood are spreading cheer and keeping spirits high as may practice social distancing in an effort to curb the spread of coronavirus. The state has reported 169 confirmed cases of the virus in Ohio, including two in Lucas County, and a county attorney who died Wednesday was confirmed to have the virus.
Volunteers sew face masks for ProMedica Toledo Hospital staff
As the nation sees a shortage of protective face masks for healthcare workers due to the coronavirus, a local group is responding with their sewing skills. Dozens of people had signed up to lend a helping hand just hours after the initial call to action. It's a passion for Lisa Spalding, owner of
The Quilt Foundry
in Maumee where groups come together to forge friendships through quilting.
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