By JC REINDL
BLADE STAFF WRITER
TOLEDO, OH (THE BLADE) - A news conference on the future of the South Toledo YMCA devolved Friday afternoon into shouting matches and a heated confrontation in the branch's parking lot involving neighbors, State Sen. Teresa Fedor, Y President Robert Alexander, and Y employees.
Tempers flared about three minutes into the news conference while resident Cooper Suter, a leading critic of the Y's earlier plans to close the South Toledo branch, said during his turn at the microphones how neighbors "are not pawns" to the Y's "chess game."
The remark caught the attention of a visibly irritated Mr. Alexander, who stood a few feet away from Mr. Suter, Ms. Fedor, and other neighbors giving the news conference. The YMCA chief executive was joined by a quickly-organized contingent of more than 40 people, mostly Y employees.