Seneca County Commissioners agreed to convene a 911 committee consisting of county emergency management agency director Dan Stahl, commissioner Holly Stacy, Tiffin mayor Aaron Montz and Fostoria mayor Eric Keckler.  The committee will oversee an update of the county’s emergency calling system to allow better access for cellphone users.  An equipment upgrade will cost about $500,000 that is being paid by phone users.

Commissioners from six counties voted unanimously Thursday to award a $923,000 contract to clear dead ash trees and other leaning trees from the banks of the Blanchard River.  The contract went to H&H Land Clearing, Middlefield.  The contract was approved by commissioners representing the six member counties of the Blanchard River Stream Enhancement Project.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s profit rose 41 percent from a year earlier to $948 million in the July-September quarter.  Earnings translated into $1.76 per share.  Widening price spreads between the oil Marathon buys and refines, and the fuel it sells boosted its profit.  The company’s flexibility to move oil and fuels along pipelines and on barges among its refineries and fuel stations enabled it to get the best prices.

Ballreich's will be closed for a few days due to damage sustained during an oven fire Thursday.  The fire was reported at 2:53 p.m. and Tiffin Fire Rescue Division personnel arrived at the scene at 2:56 p.m.  Tiffin Fire Chief Kevin Veletean of Tiffin Fire Rescue Division said crews extinguished the "well-contained" fire in 20-30 minutes.  Damage was minimal.  The chip producer plans to be running again on Monday.

Speaking to University of Findlay pharmacy students and community members, Ohio Representative Robert Sprague of Findlay said the medical community plays a role in the state’s heroin epidemic.  Sprague says biggest factor is doctors prescribing too many prescription opiates out of the medical system.  The state is taking steps to combat heroin with Ohio House Bill 250 which would require a “medical necessity” to continue an opioid prescription beyond 15 days.  An additional piece of legislation would require insurance companies to cover opioid medications to deter abuse.  One other piece of legislation is the good Samaritan Bill that would give immunity to an individual seeking emergency care for another person who is dying from a drug overdose.

The collection of the additional 3 percent hotel/motel bed tax recently approved by the Hancock County Commissioners begins Sunday.  The increase will benefit the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts and the Hancock County Agricultural Society. The additional 3 percent tax is expected to generate about $349,000 each year for the arts center, and $174,502 a year for the agricultural society, which is known as the fair board.  Starting Sunday, total taxes on hotel patrons in Hancock County will amount to 15.75 percent.  The county’s hotel/motel bed tax will total 6 percent, plus a 3 percent city hotel/motel bed tax, a 1 percent county sales tax, and a 5.75 percent state sales tax.
 

Fostoria citizens are dealing with a larger than usual amount of phone scams and wants citizens to be aware.  According to a release from the Fostoria Police Department many residents have been reporting phone scams.  Fostoria residents are being called by people claiming to be with the IRS, FBI or other federal agencies.  These agencies never will call and ask for credit card information.  If the issue is legitimate, people will be sent a letter or someone will visit their home.  People who receive the calls are advised to hang up on the callers.

The Bowling Green Police Department is warning the community about an overwhelming amount of counterfeit bills circulating around the area.  Suspects seem to be targeting convenience stores and fast food chains, but they've also hit some bigger box stores as well.  Many of the counterfeit bills are 20s and 50s.  If a store clerk receives a bill that they think might be counterfeit, police are asking that you do not give the bills back, but notify them immediately.

Findlay Hancock County Economic Development Director Tony Iriti says Findlay and Hancock County is facing a worker shortage which not only could stunt growth, but force companies to leave.  According to Iriti, in 2016, Hancock County will need 3111 workers to fill already-open position and jobs opening due to retirements and new positions.  Truck drivers are in demand, as are people with applied engineering skills to fix broken machines.

A bill that seeks to avert an unintended tax increase on some small businesses has cleared the state Legislature. The measure comes after an apparent oversight in crafting a tax break during the frenzy of state budget negotiations. It now heads to Governor John Kasich for his expected signature.

Today is the last day to register for the Findlay Hancock County Chamber of Commerce Informal Luncheon on Issues 2 and 3.  Rich Thompson, the Political Programs Director with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce will review the fine points of both issues.  The lunch is on Friday at the Blanchard Valley Hospital from noon to 1pm.  To register call 419.422.3313.

A recent study by the National Center for State Courts of security at the Hancock County Probate and Juvenile Court has recommended up to $500,000 in improvements.  Court security training, security policies and procedures, along with regular emergency and evacuation drills, could increase security at little or no cost, according to the national center’s recommendations.  The most costly recommendation would be remodeling the first floor of the probate and jurvenile court, with an estimated cost between $195,000 and $ 390,000.  Other recommendations include security cameras, additional security staffing, door alarms, emergency generators and locks. 
 

A federal judge has ruled that the state can shield the identity of people or entities involved in obtaining or using lethal injection drugs for executions. The judge says the state's need to obtain the drugs outweighs concerns by death row inmates that the information is needed to meaningfully challenge the source of the drugs.

Blizzard bags were a hot topic at the North Baltimore School meeting on Tuesday.   Blizzard bags allow students to do school work at home when school is canceled.  Books and iPads contain course materials.  Board President Tami Thomas stated that she was not in favor of using the bags again because parents hated them.  In a 2014 survey, 67 out of 100 parents said the bags are not a good idea, while school staff supported the bags.

The Findlay Police Department said that patrolman Aaron Flechtner was following normal police procedures when Jermey Linhart was shot and killed during a traffic stop.  Flechtner found a gun in the vehicle in which Linhart was a passenger and did not remove it from the car.  Findlay Police Chief Greg Horne said Monday that Flechtner did as he was trained.
 

Seneca County Board of Elections and the Seneca County Commissioners continue to work to find or create a more efficient facility for the board of elections.  The Board of Elections is in need of more space and American with Disabilities Act compliance.  One option is the Seneca County Department of Job and Family Services building on Infirmary Road in Tiffin, but it is not move in ready.  Board of elections officials are also looking into the possibility of expanding into Hoperoy’s Shoppe, located next door to its offices at 77 S. Washington St.
 

The Price Is Right Live™ is coming to Toledo in February and this is your chance to get tickets - so you have the best seats in the house!  February 17 will be the day "Come on Down!"  Playing to near sold-out audiences for nearly nine years, the Price Is Right Live! has given away more than 10 million dollars in cash and prizes and sold more than 1.2 million tickets.  Tickets go on sales this Friday, October 30th at the Stranahan Theatre.  For more information call 419-381-8851.

Changes to the traffic pattern and the parking on Crawford Street in downtown Findlay, scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, is delayed until Friday.  Rainy weather expected on Wednesday is being cited for the delay.  Once work is finished Friday, East Crawford Street will reopen, with one-way traffic heading east from Main Street.  West Crawford Street will reopen with one-way traffic heading west from Main Street.  Parking on the south side of Crawford Street will become reverse-angle parking, and parking on the north side of Crawford will remain parallel parking.

The Federal Communications Commission has set an opening bid price of $188.4 million for WBGU-TV in the March spectrum auction.  Because it is a reverse auction, the price for spectrum goes down as the auction progresses.  The Bowling Green State University trustees, who hold the license, have told the administration they can participate in the option as long as the public television station continues to exist.  That would mean moving from the UHF spectrum, which the FCC is seeking, to either the high or low end of the VHF spectrum.  It could also mean surrendering its license and finding a partner to broadcast the signal, though that is considered an unlikely option.

Plumbline Consulting of Findlay won a state tax credit to add 20 local jobs, paying an average of $62,500 per year.  Plumbline expects to add the workers by December 2018. It now employs about 30, including 16 in Findlay.  Plumbline is a software engineering, support and consulting services company, with a focus on Microsoft Dynamics software. 

Mix 96.7 WBVI and Kroger have partnered for several “Pack the Pantry” events to help those in need.  Beginning today, listeners are asked to visit any Kroger in Findlay, Fostoria and Tiffin and the Northwest Ohio Sewer District in Bowling Green and donate non-perishable items that will go to the West Ohio Food Bank.  Containers will be located in the foyer area of each business.  The Morning Mix with Joe Bacon will broadcast live next Friday from Findlay’s Tiffin Avenue Kroger and the following three Fridays at the other Kroger locations encouraging listeners to help “Pack the Pantry”.

High school football is front and center this Friday night as teams jockey for playoff spots.  On ESPN Radio 1430 WFOB, Otsego visits Fostoria.  WFOB Gridiron One has Hopewell-Loudon at North Baltimore on wfob.com.  On sister station Mix 96.7 WBVI Liberty-Benton at Van Buren.  Coverage begins with the Northwest Ohio Orthopedics Psyche Up Show at 6…

Marathon Center for the Performing Arts Executive Director Jim Kreutzberg is out with less than two months until opening day.  Chairman of the center’s board of directors Ed Reading said that departure was a mutually agreed decision.  Kreutzberg was hired in November 2014.  The center will work with Arts Consulting Group to find a replacement.

Five candidates vying for two seats on the Liberty-Benton School Board spoke at a forum held Thursday night.  Mark Badertscher and Kevin Schoonover were critical of open enrollment say it brought in changes the dynamics of the classroom and contributes to overcrowding.  On the topic of the K-8 building, no candidate supported building a new school, but agreed that something needs to be done about overcrowding issues.

Demolition of the former Hancock County offices at 222 Broadway begins today. South Cory Street, between West Main Cross and West Front streets, will be closed during work hours for the demolition.  Half of the parking lot south of the building will also be blocked off for equipment.  The demolition is expected to be completed by mid-November.

The Fostoria Halloween Parade is this Sunday in downtown Fostoria.  The parade starts at 5pm.  Tiffin and New Riegel are also having their trick-or-treat on Sunday.  New Riegel will be from 2-4 and Tiffin from 6-8.

A second robbery at knife point this week took place in Fostoria when an individual robbed Taco Bell early Wednesday morning.  The incident took place around 1:30am.  Witnesses describe the individual as a white male in dark clothing, including a ski mask, and approximately 5 feet, 10 inches and 180 pounds.  He is considered extremely dangerous.  On Monday, a white male dressed from head to toe in black robbed South Side Carryout North Township Road 21, shortly before 10 10a.m.  Information regarding these incidents should be forwarded to Fostoria Police Department.

A Tiffin Middle School eighth-grader was critically injured when she was struck by a car while walking to school Wednesday morning.  14 year old Samantha R. Morehart of Tiffin, was taken from the scene of the South Sandusky Street accident by Tiffin Fire Rescue Division to Mercy Tiffin Hospital.  She then was taken by Life Flight to Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo. She was in critical condition Wednesday night.  Officials said Morehart was crossing Sandusky Street eastbound from Leightner Avenue toward Benner Street.  There was no crosswalk, and the vehicle had the right-of-way.

Crawford Street in Findlay will become one-way at about 3:30pm on Wednesday.  Both East Crawford Street and West Crawford Street will be closed for paint striping starting Wednesday morning.  Once the striping is finished, East Crawford Street will reopen, with one-way traffic heading east from Main Street. West Crawford Street will reopen with one-way traffic heading west from Main Street.  Parking on the south side of Crawford Street will become reverse-angle parking, and parking on the north side of Crawford will remain parallel parking.

The village of North Baltimore’s mayor, clerk and new council members will get raises in 2016.  Council approved the raises at its meeting Tuesday.  The mayor’s salary will increase from $5,000 to $6,000 annually; the clerk’s will go from $3,600 to $6,000; newly elected council members will be paid $3,500 annually, up from $2,500; and council president will be given an additional $250.

An ad hoc committee of Findlay City Council members is considering restrictions on farm animals in the city, and possible limits on dogs and cats.  Committee members said they don’t plan to ban farm animals altogether.  At-Large Councilwoman Anne Spence proposed limiting the total number of dogs, cats, rabbits and fowl on a city property to seven.  Committee members also discussed banning cows, horses, mules, llamas, mink, goats, sheep, roosters and swine from city properties of less than one or two acres.  The committee said it will continue looking at laws that other cities have in place before making an official recommendation to the full City Council. 

Fostoria City Council gave two readings at Tuesday night’s meeting.  A first reading was for a contract between the city and the Fostoria City Schools Board of Education for the district’s two school resource officers.  Fostoria police officers Travis Ricker and Justin Kiser are funded through a grant from DARE and through the school district.  A second reading was given for a $150,000 loan form Fostoria’s Revolving Loan Fund to BMP Maintenance Group for the replacement of several conveyors inside a former fertilizing facility on Findlay St. now owned by Mennel Milling….  he investment would create four full-time jobs at the company.
 

Findlay City Council learned that reverse angle parking will begin on Crawford Street in about one week.  West Crawford Street will become one-way westbound from Main Street, and East Crawford Street will be one-way eastbound from Main Street.  Reverse-angle parking will be added to the south side of the street while parallel parking will remain on the north side.  Officials have called the Crawford Street changes an “experiment.”  The Findlay Traffic Commission will have until Oct. 1, 2016, to reverse the changes or make them permanent.

The Seneca County Board of Elections will continue to explore its options concerning expanding its office or moving.  The board of elections office in the County Services Building lacks sufficient space and is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The board could move to resolve the problems or it could expand into space adjacent to its offices.

Area unemployment rates remained steady.  Hancock County’s rate stayed at 3.2% in September and was tied for the fourth lowest in the state.  Seneca and Wood County’s remained the same, as well.  Ohio’s jobless rate, which is seasonally adjusted, declined to 4.5 percent in September from 4.6 percent in August, the state reported.

The Leadership Team for the new joint Justice Center for Seneca County announced that it has unanimously approved the proposed design for the facility.  The Leadership Team, working with Quandel Construction of Westerville, Ohio, will be sharing this information with the architect and engineering firms scheduled to interview in closed session later this week.  The three firms interviewing for Architect and Engineering services are Silling of Charleston, W.V.; OHM of Gahanna; and Moody Nolan of Columbus.  The Exterior Design stakeholder group included representatives from the county, city, courts and private sector.

The State Medical Board of Ohio suspended the license of Fostoria Doctor John A. Ross retroactive to September 12.  Ross allowed non-physician staff to perform laser liposuction treatments on patients in 2012 and 2013.  He has worked as a gynecologist for North Central Women’s Health Center in Fostoria and as a physician with the Metabolic Weight Loss Clinic, in Findlay.  Dr. Ross said he anticipates that his license will be reinstated at the end of the minimum suspension time, and the weight loss clinic will reopen. 
 

The Tiffin Police Department received an $11,000 grant from the Tiffin Charitable Trust to purchase new tactical body armor for its special response team.  The old armor that was purchased in 2004 is certified by the National Institute for Justice to provide protection for only four years because Kevlar eventually breaks down with exposure to weather and bodily sweat and oils.

The Hancock County Red Cross is now collecting items for the Holiday Mail For Heroes campaign.  The organization will be distributing items to armed forces personnel in Kuwait and Djibouti.  The items will then be packaged and sent to service members.  Items being collected are beef jerky, chips, nuts, crackers, granola bars, hard candy, fly swatters, deodorant, bath items, insect repellant and phone cards.  Items can be dropped off at the Red Cross offices at 125 Fair Street in Findlay.

The Village of Carey is exploring hiring a tax administration agency to handle the village’s income tax collection.  Chuck Hawk, a Regional Income Tax Agency marketing specialist, said his firm would charge Carey $49,500 to $54,500 the first year for overseeing the village’s income tax collection.  Hawk’s agency also provides the service to New Riegel, Bloomdale and Leipsic.  The village is looking at using the service because Chris Rader, utility billing and income tax supervisor, plans to retire in mid-2016. 

The nation's first presidential library is gearing up for its centennial celebration with a $1.3 million overhaul to upgrade its exhibits and make the facility a must-see destination for history buffs and casual visitors.  The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center in Fremont is getting set to undergo an extensive redesign, including a new front entrance that will improve accessibility to the facility.

The Zombie Run for the Red 5K to benefit the Hancock County Red Cross Youth Council is this Saturday.  The run begins at 6pm at Findlay High School.  Cost to enter is only $20 with pre-registration and $25 the day of the race.  After the run, the Zombie Apocalypse Party will take place with music, food and games.  To register, call 419.423.9322 or visit redcross.org/hcohio. 

The University of Findlay’s “Give your Voice To Values” campaigned surpassed its goal of $50 million in results announced over the weekend.  In total, $52.6 million was raised in a campaign that began in September 2010.  The campaign has created 211 new endowed funds, increased faculty research and added classrooms and laboratories to the Davis Street building.

The Blanchard River Stream Enhancement Project voted Thursday to temporarily delay awarding a $923,000 contract to clear dead ash trees and other leaning trees from the banks of the Blanchard River.  Questions about the cost of financing the project caused the delay.  Hancock County Auditor Charity Rauschenberg is seeking financing bids on several county projects, including the river cleaning which won’t be available until next week.  The contract is expected to go to H&H Land Clearing, Middlefield, which submitted the lowest of two bids.

There is plenty of high school football on tap as area teams jockey for a position in the playoffs that begin in four weeks.  On ESPN Radio 1430 WFOB, Fostoria travels to Genoa.  On WFOB Gridiron One on wfob.com, Riverdale will be at Vanlue and on sister station Mix 96.7 WBVI, the Findlay Trojans travel to Toledo Central Catholic.  Coverage for all games begin immediately following the Northwest Ohio Orthopedics Psyche Up show live from Fricker’s at 6pm.

Police body and dashboard cameras were a top topic at last night’s forum for four candidates seeking three at-large Findlay City Council seats.  Democratic candidate Mary Harshfield was the only candidate to fully support the purchase of cameras.  Republican opponents incumbents Grant Russel and Tom Shindledecker and new candidate Jeff Wobser were skeptical because of money and police logistics.  On the topic of Findlay’s practice of deferring income taxes for some businesses, all four candidates called for changes in the practice. 

United Way of Hancock County will host its eighth annual World of Downtown Restaurants tour from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 12.  The self-guided tour will feature 16 downtown restaurants that will provide a sample of their food for “passport holders.”  Passports are $25 each and are available at Buggy Whip Bakery, Coffee Amici and United Way of Hancock County…Only 300 passports will be sold.

Tiffin residents are invited to a meeting to implement a citywide block watch program.  Tiffin Police Department's citizens academy alumni group is meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday at North Central Ohio Educational Service Center to discuss specifics.  Tiffin Police Department Sergeant Jared Wilson will speak about specific details of the program.

Officer Adam Nelson and Sgt. Clayton Moore of the Fostoria Police Department graduated from the D.A.R.E. program in Worthington Friday after completing a two-week training course through the state.  According to Fostoria Police Chief Keith Loreno, the force will continue to provide DARE officers to Fostoria City Schools.  The addition of Moore and Nelson brings the total number of DARE officers in Fostoria to three.
 

With temperatures cooling down, some people have already turned their furnace on.  So how will this year's natural gas prices affect your budget?.  Columbia Gas says for the month of October, natural gas is about 39 cents per 100 cubic feet. That's down from 54 cents per 100 cubic feet last year.  This current price is the lowest they've seen for the month of October since the 1990's.  The company says things like low prices during the summer and a larger amount of natural gas on the market has helped drive the price down.  However, Columbia Gas says it's unclear if this trend will continue.  

The University of Findlay will celebrate its homecoming this weekend.  Friday night’s events also include an alumni firework display in the Davis Street parking lot.  On Saturday, the university will be hosting a 5K run/walk. Registration begins at 6:45 a.m. and entries are $25. Online registration is closed and participants must register on the day of the race.  On Saturday afternoon, the football team will play against Northwood University at 2 p.m. at Donnell Stadium. The homecoming king and queen will be announced during the game. General admission is $5, and reserved seats at $9.

The Findlay Rotary honored three local teachers with their annual Golden Apple Awards.  Lincoln Elementary kindergarten teacher Kristen Lichtle, Glenwood Middle School sixth-grade math, reading and language arts teacher Lindsey Boes and Arlington High School science teacher Kim Cortez were recognized in a ceremony last night.  The Golden Apple Award is in its 25th year, and winners are awarded a $2,500 cash prize.

A large amount of heroin is off the streets in Findlay after a Tuesday night raid.  Detectives from the Hancock County METRICH Drug Task Force searched a home in the 500 block of W. Trenton Avenue and found drug paraphernalia, crack cocaine, marijuana, a stolen handgun, items related to drug trafficking and a large amount of heroin.  20 year old Brianna Bartram was arrested and brought to Hancock County Justice Center after the search.  She faces felony charges for possession of heroin, crack cocaine and receiving stolen property.

Heidelberg University has been chosen to receive funding from the Career Ready Internship Grant from the Great Lakes Higher Education Guaranty Group.  The grant will allow for 170 Heidelberg students with financial needs to have the opportunity to obtain paid internships.  The university will receive $261,000 over a three year period from the grant.

The Seneca County Park District board voted Wednesday to place a levy on the November 2016 ballot to provide operating funds for more than 650 acres of parks and nature preserves.  The amount of the levy is to be decided by a levy committee that is expected to be in place by early December.  Since its inception in 1997, the park district has been operating on limited financial resources of $18,700 per year from rental of farmland.  The park district has received no general funding from county sources since its inception, and has generated no funding from levies.

“Harvest the Past,” the annual fall program hosted by Hancock Park District, will be held this Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Litzenberg Memorial Woods and farm park.  Hayrides, music, a farmer’s market and authentic time-period workshops will be on hand.  Oh, and there will be food, too.  The event is free to all families.
 

Top Hancock County and City of Findlay officials and private business leaders have met to take another look at remodeling Dorney Plaza to improve its appearance and create a public gathering place.  A new plan was introduced which includes mostly green space around the courthouse with gathering spots just outside the Municipal Building.  Several memorials located on the plaza would be moved into a straight alignment south of the courthouse, and would be set among benches and canopy trees.  Areas to the north and south of the Findlay Municipal Building’s entrance would be landscaped.  In July, a version of the revamped plaza got a lukewarm reception from county officials, who were concerned mostly with security around the courthouse.

Findlay police are investigating a gas station robbery.  Officers were called to the Marathon gas station on Trenton Avenue just before 4 a.m. Thursday.  When they arrived, police say the front door had been shattered with a rock.  A cash box was the only thing reported as stolen…No information on the person or people responsible was provided to police.  Anyone with information on the theft should contact the Findlay Police Department at 419-424-7150 or Hancock County Crime Stoppers at 419-424-8477.

It’s football Friday!  Mix 96.7 WBVI will have McComb hosting Hopewell-Loudon in a clash of BVC Division leaders.  On sister station ESPN Radio 1430 WFOB, Rossford visits the Fostoria Redmen.  WFOB Gridiron One on wfob.com has Leipsic visiting Van Buren.  All the action gets underway at 6 with the Northwest Ohio Orthopedics Psyche Up Show live from Frickers!

More than $630,000 in grant funding was rewarded to several organizations offering victim services to Seneca County residents.  According to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's office, CASA of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties, the Seneca County Prosecutor's Office Victim Witness Program, Patchworks House and The Center for Safe and Healthy Children all were given funds.  The funds are part of the Victims of Crime Act grant and the State Victim Assistance Act grant.

President Barack Obama is bringing words of comfort and sympathy to grieving families of victims of the shooting rampage in Roseburg, Oregon, muting his message about the need for new laws to stem gun violence as he visits an area where firearms are popular… Oregon’s staunchly conservative Douglas County is bristling with gun owners who use their firearms for hunting, target shooting and self-protection…A commonly held opinion in the area is that the solution to mass killings is more people carrying guns, not fewer…Obama will talk with family members today at the start of a four-day West Coast trip.

More than $630,000 in grant funding was rewarded to several organizations offering victim services to Seneca County residents.  According to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine's office, CASA of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties, the Seneca County Prosecutor's Office Victim Witness Program, Patchworks House and The Center for Safe and Healthy Children all were given funds.  The funds are part of the Victims of Crime Act grant and the State Victim Assistance Act grant.

Centrex Plastics will be adding 30 to 100 workers by February, along with a planned 60,000-square-foot warehouse addition at 920 W. Lima Street.  Centrex currently employs 153 in Findlay.  The employees to be added will include supervisors, engineers, production and office workers.  Centrex makes storage products for sale at Lowe’s Home Improvement, Menards and Costco.
 

A planned major expansion at the Bowling Green Kroger store on North Main Street has gotten the green light.  The move could add as many as 100 jobs at the facility.  Kroger purchased the shopping center where the current store is located, at 1094 N. Main St., last summer for just under $7.98 million.  The proposed addition to the store, creating a Kroger Marketplace, would encompass just over 53,700 feet.  The northern portion of the shopping center is to be demolished and new construction added. 

The state Bureau of Criminal Investigation has completed its probe of the fatal shooting of Jeremy Linhart by Findlay police officer Aaron Flechtner.  The findings in the case were turned over to the Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday for review.  Prosecutor Mark Miller said his office is still waiting on additional material from BCI. Miller’s office will review all the information and likely take it before a grand jury.  An internal Findlay Police Department investigation has also been completed.  The results of the Police Department and BCI investigations cannot be publicly released until the case is concluded, or later.

Susan J. Phillips has been sentenced to a three-year term of community control for her conviction of taking more than $6,500 from SCAT (Seneca County Area Transportation).  Phillips of Tiffin, is the former executive director of the Seneca County agency.  Specific conditions for community control include payment of restitution to SCAT, payment of court costs, 100 hours of community service, and 45 days of electronic monitoring by the Seneca County Sheriff.

College Choice, an online publication that helps students select colleges to attend, listed Findlay on its 2016 Ranking of Best Midwestern Universities.  The rankings, which can be found at www.collegechoice.net, were based exclusively on factors that actual college freshmen said were the most important to their college decision.  The University of Findlay ranked No. 40 on a list that included 50 colleges and universities.

Local union leaders will vote tomorrow on a proposed deal announced overnight between the UAW and Fiat Chrysler. The deal averts a possible strike at the company's U.S. plants. The agreement comes days after union members at large assembly plants in Toledo and suburban Detroit rejected a previous agreement.

According to the US Energy Department, some U.S. households can expect to save hundreds of dollars this winter with a drop in heating bills, thanks to a combination of lower energy prices and warmer weather across most of the country…The department’s annual outlook calls for lower heating bills, with the biggest savings for those who use propane or oil to heat their homes…People using natural gas and electricity for heat also can expect to see a savings this winter…The outlook is based on a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast that calls for warmer weather across all regions except the West, which is expected to be slightly cooler.

In an e-mail message sent to all members, Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors President Chris Chalfin announced that Sally McDonald is no longer the Chamber Director.  No reason was given.  McDonald was hired as chamber director back in December, replacing Pamela Smith who announced on Oct. 23, 2014 she would be stepping down to lead the Erie County Chamber of Commerce in Sandusky.  Celena Runion will be overseeing operations of the Chamber for the near future.

Hancock County’s commissioners voted Tuesday to immediately increase the county’s hotel/motel bed tax by 3 percent to benefit the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts and the Hancock County Agricultural Society.  Two percent of the additional tax will benefit the arts center, and 1 percent will go to the agricultural society for seven years.  The tax money must be used for improvements to property or for assets with a life of at least five years.
 

The Fostoria Economic Development Corporation has partnered with the Ohio State University to lay the foundation for the renaissance of downtown Fostoria.  Fourteen students — all majoring in city and regional planning — are in the process of developing a realistic and sustainable revitalization plan for Fostoria’s business district.  The students are divided into four groups — Infrastructure; Economic Development; Historic Preservation; and, Parks, Recreation, Entertainment and Culture — to provide a more broad and encompassing focus on all aspects of community development.  The students will present the finished product with supporting documentation to FEDC in December, all free of charge to both FEDC and the city. 
 

Fostoria City Council on Tuesday gave the first of three readings to a $150,000 loan to BMP Maintenance Group, LLC. for the replacement of several conveyors inside a former fertilizing facility at 602 Findlay St. now owned by Mennel Milling.  The $150,000 capital investment will come from Fostoria’s Revolving Loan Fund for the replacement of material handling conveyors and the purchase of a stainless steel conveyor.  Mennel said his company purchased the property last year and employees have been steadily rehabbing it with the goal of storing bulk commodities such as salt and mulch inside it.

High School Football computer rankings are out.  In Division I Region I, Findlay has fallen to 10^th.  In Division III Region 8, Bowling Green is number 8.  Liberty Benton is 9^th in Division V Region 16.  In Division IV Region 20, the Chieftains of Hopewell-Loudon are 8^th.  In Division VII Region 24, McComb is number 3, Arlington 6^th, Lakota 7^th, Leipsic 8^th, North Baltimore 9^th and Tiffin Calvert 10^th.

Findlay officials have chosen Volunteer Energy Services of Pickerington as the natural gas supplier for the city’s aggregation program for the next two years, beginning in December and ending in November 2017.  Findlay residents and small businesses will receive a letter from Volunteer Energy around Oct. 18. Current members of the aggregation program, and newly eligible account holders who receive their gas from Columbia Gas of Ohio, will receive a notice instructing them how to opt out of the program if they wish.  Residents who wish to be part of the program or remain in it will not need to do anything.

 

The City of Findlay announced it will be picking up leaves on November 23, 2015, beginning at 7am.  City employees will collect leaves that have been placed in biodegradable bags.  Plastic bags will not be picked up.  Bagged leaves should be placed by the curbs no later than 7am on November 23rd.  City residents may continue to drop leaves at the green waste site located at 350 West High Street at no charge. 

Findlay police are investigating an early morning burglary Monday in which a man brandishing a machete broke into a home in the 1600 block of South Blanchard Street.  The man living in the home said a man forced his way into the house around 5 a.m., knocking the victim to the floor. The suspect fled on foot after taking undisclosed items from the home.  The victim suffered minor injuries that did not require medical attention, police said.  The suspect is described as a white man with bad breath and poor hygiene. He was wearing a bandana over his face.  The case remains under investigation.

Fostoria police arrested two wanted felons from Toledo in a covert operation Monday afternoon.  Shonquell T. Denson and Dorian R. Williams were arrested after authorities received a tip from the Fostoria Townhouses about two men that were seen around the complex that didn’t belong there.  Upon further investigation, officers discovered both men were wanted felons and were considered armed and dangerous.  Denson is wanted for aggravated robbery and on another warrant and Williams is wanted on a parole violation.  Both are now in the Seneca County jail.

U.S. Rep. Bob Latta spoke to the Findlay Rotary yesterday on several different topics in Washington.   Latta predicted John Boehner’s successor as House speaker will be U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican.  The congressman also decried the Iran nuclear deal, and warned that another 9/11 could occur.  Latta did not name who he supports for the 2016 Republican nomination for president, but said he wants someone who can lead and has vision.

At a public meeting yesterday at St. Andrews United Methodist Church in Findlay, officials from the Hancock County Opiate Task Force criticized TV advertisements in support of State Issue 3.  Issue 3 would legalize medicinal and recreational marijuana in Ohio.  John Stanovich, chairman of the Hancock County Opiate Task Force and assistant dean of the College of Pharmacy at the University of Findlay, said he might support medical marijuana, but he said that also approving recreational use would be a mistake.  Mark Miller, Hancock County prosecutor and a task force member, spoke against legalization and explained potential problems it could create for law enforcement in Ohio and surrounding states.

Plans are moving forward to build Tiffin's Buffalo Wild Wings at 100 S. Shaffer Park Drive.  Mark Steinmetz, engineering tech I in the city of Tiffin's engineer's office, said officials had applied for a zoning permit Monday, and the fire chief was reviewing building plans. The next step is building permit approval through Richard County Building Department.  The site, which is behind Lowe's, had been surveyed, Steinmetz said.  President and Chief Executive Offier Michael Mastro said it probably would be a couple of weeks before the company would close negotiations on the purchase.

The Blanchard Valley Hospital’s new Armes Family Cancer Care Center at 15990 Medical Drive South in Findlay will host a grand opening event Tuesday, October 20 from 5 to 7 p.m. The new $10 million center will be on display for the community and will feature guided tours of the building and grounds Blanchard Valley Hospital.  Attendees will also be able to meet with professionals who will offer services at the new facility.  Refreshments will be available. No RSVP is needed. 

Allyson Murray has resigned as the City of Fostoria Safety Service Director, effective October 30.  She has accepted a similar position with the Village of North Baltimore.  Murray has held the position since March 2012.  Mayor Eric Keckler looks to name an interim to help bridge the gap until a new director is found. 

Death penalty opponents have begun a walk from the Ohio prison where inmates are executed to the Statehouse as part of a capital punishment protest. The seven-day, 83-mile walk started Sunday at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville and will end in Columbus. The walk is sponsored by Ohioans to Stop Executions and other groups. They plan to finish the protest in Columbus on this coming Saturday, the annual World Day Against the Death Penalty.

Hancock County Commissioner Brian Robertson announced that he will seek re-election in 2016.  Robertson said his first four-year term as commissioner has been a successful one and listed his accomplishments which include his push to reduce the cost of the Hancock County engineer’s new garage from $5.1 million to $3.1 million. As of now, Roberson will be facing Findlay City Councilman John Harrington in the March primary.

David S. Turpin and Brittany L. Lesher the two fugitives on the run after being stopped in Seneca County were apprehended in Erie County yesterday afternoon.  The two were accused of running from a vehicle which was searched last week and yielded $2000, suspect heroin and other evidence.  An Erie County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman said the fugitives were caught shoplifting from China Dragon Buffet when they were found.

The Fostoria Community Arts Council will host  a wine and cheese party as its fall fundraiser.  The event will be on Saturday, October 24 from 7-11 p.m. in the Bankquet Room at 125 S. Main Street.  Tickets are available for $20. Purchase of a ticket will enter the attendee for a chance to win one of four $100 cash prizes.  A 50/50 drawing and silent auction along with chances to win prize and gift baskets will take place too.  Tickets are available at the Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce office, The Bookshelf II, Payne’s Florists, or from FCAC board members.

There is plenty of high school football on tap for tonight.  ESPN Radio 1430 WFOB will have the Fostoria Redmen visiting Elmwood.  WFOB Gridiron One on wfob.com will feature Arlington at Liberty-Benton.  On Mix 96.7 WBVI, Leipsic travels to McComb.  Coverage begins at 6pm with Northwest Ohio Orthopedics Psyche Up show live from Fricker’s.

A meeting is planned for today between the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office and local school superintendents.  The meeting could lead to some changes in how potential threats are handled by both law enforcement and schools in Findlay and Hancock County.  Sheriff Mike Heldman said the response to last Friday’s bomb threat at Liberty-Benton Schools will be discussed at today’s meeting.  After Liberty-Benton received an anonymous, “credible bomb threat” last Friday, Heldman instructed all of the county schools to follow “soft lockdown” procedures. 
Heldman said Findlay City Schools and the Center for Autism and Dyslexia were not informed of the bomb threat and were not instructed to follow lockdown procedures.  That may change today.
 

Area government entities will receive funds from the state’s $11.5 million settlement with rock salt producers accused of conspiring to inflate prices.  Findlay will receive $12,700, Fostoria will receive $8,600, Liberty Township, $1,300, the Hancock County Engineer’s Office will get $12,100, North Baltimore $915 and the Wood County Engineer, $22,500.  The state Department of Transportation gets $1.7 million from the settlement as Ohio’s largest single rock salt buyer.

A task force is recommending that colleges and university cut costs by handing dorms and cafeterias to over to private operators, collaborating on health-care costs and providing more digital textbooks and study materials. Governor John Kasich created the Task Force on College Affordability and Efficiency in February. He and state lawmakers received the group's report yesterday.

Ohioans who want to cast a ballot in the fall election have until Monday to register to vote or update their voter information. The November 3rd election includes three statewide ballot initiatives. One would legalize marijuana for medical reasons and recreational use, while another seeks to prevent monopolies from being inserted into the state constitution. A separate measure would overhaul how state legislative districts are drawn.

Fostoria Fire Division is selling T-shirts for breast cancer awareness.  The light pink shirts are decorated with a simple, small design on the front and a large design on the back intertwining the breast cancer ribbon with a firefighting symbol.  T-shirt costs  are $15 for smalls, mediums, larges and extra larges; and $18 for XXL and XXXL.  All proceeds will be donated to the Stephanie Speilman Comprehensive Breast Center.  Shirts can be bought and picked up at the Fostoria Fire Station, 233 W. South St., Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

During his remarks at the Seneca County Republican 2015 Hog Roast, Tiffin Mayor Aaron Montz said the city is working on a project that could result in 300-400 new jobs.  He compared the project to the estimated $10 million joint justice center project with Seneca County.  The project is on the riverfront, but Montz could not offer any more details because the deal is still being negotiated…

The Hancock County commissioners hired a contractor Thursday to demolish a county building at 222 Broadway.  The $56,940 contract went to ALL Excavation & Demolition, of McComb.  The building will be demolished this fall and the lot will be stoned over.  The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library has expressed an interest in building a drive through book drop at the south end of its building.  The drop would be accessible by motorists using a portion of the lot.  No other plans have been made for use of the lot.
 

17 year old Elmwood High School student Derek Sheldon was killed when his vehicle struck a tree in the 2000 block of Bloomdale Road in Wood County early Thursday.  Sheldon was driving south on Bloomdale Road in Bloom Township when he lost control, went into a ditch and hit a tree.  District Superintendent Tony Barton said about 10 counselors were at the school Thursday for students.  A moment of silence is also planned at tonight’s football game.

State Sen. Cliff Hite has been honored by the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics for his work to educate and protect Ohioans from meningitis.  The academy presented Hite with the Dr. Antoinette Parisi Eaton Advocacy Award, which is presented annually to an individual who advocates for children and furthers the mission of the American Academy of Pediatrics.  Hite’s bill requiring Ohio students to be immunized against deadly meningitis was signed into law in July by Gov. John Kasich.

The University of Findlay’s Physical Plant, in cooperation with the Findlay Fire Department, will be performing an annual fire drill for all University academic and athletic buildings today at 9:15 p.m.  Each building’s fire alarm system will be activated simultaneously by security and maintenance personnel.  Building occupants will be expected to exit the building and assemble away from entrances.  Personnel will then search the building, reset each alarm system and inform occupants when they can reenter.  The drill is expected to take between 10 and 20 minutes to complete.

United Auto Workers union members have voted down a four-year contract deal with Fiat Chrysler.  Members at large assembly plants in Toledo and Sterling Heights, Michigan, rejected the pact in voting Tuesday.  Plant-level union leaders were summoned to Detroit for a meeting Thursday to decide the next move.  Fiat Chrysler had previously announced that among those changes, Jeep Cherokee production would leave Toledo and move to the Belvidere plant. In place of the Cherokee, Toledo would produce a new Jeep pick-up truck alongside the Jeep Wrangler.

Seneca County is one of five recipients of the Auditor of the State award given by State Auditor Dave Yost.  The award recognizes an the entity that files timely financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and the audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Single Audit findings or questioned costs.  Other nearby recipients are the City of Waterville in Lucas County and Henry County.
 

Two North Baltimore men were arrested Monday for their involvement in a heroin-related death in May.  Sealed indictments against 34 year old William Patterson and 31 year old Bradley Stemen were issued by a Wood County grand jury on Sept. 17.  The two men have each been charged with reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter.  North Baltimore Police Chief Allan Baer says the charges are related to the May 27 death of 34 year old Todd Williams of North Baltimore…The two men were involved in the sale of heroin to Williams.

Beginning in the spring of 2016, the University of Findlay will be offering a master’s degree progam in applied security and analytics.  The new program is designed to be completed in two years, and will focus on areas that range from secure coding and risk analysis to data analytics and visualization.  The university said it is the only Ohio institution offering this degree.  A detailed list of criteria to qualify for the program, along with other information, can be found on the University of Findlay’s website.