5/15/17 – 5:33 A.M.

The first African-American Ohio State Patrol trooper passed away recently at the age of 85. Louis Dale Sharp graduated from the Patrol Academy in 1955 and his first assignment was to the Findlay patrol post. A post on the Ohio State Patrol’s Facebook page says at the time, Sharp was the only minority member out of 700 employees.

According to the post, Sharp would later become the mayor of Urbancrest, Ohio. He also served on several charitable boards and civic associations.

Sharp was recently inducted into the Ohio Civil Rights Hall of Fame.

5/15/17 – 5:22 A.M.

Ohio BCI is investigating two more Putnam County Sheriff deputies. The Putnam County Sentinel reports the agency is looking into alleged issues with Zeb Dulle and Tony Recker.

Sheriff Brian Siefker told the newspaper the Dulle investigation relates to an alleged telephone harassment complaint. Siefker added the Recker investigation stems from allegations of improper use of computer equipment. No other details in the cases are available.

Both investigations are separate from an ongoing investigation into former Road Patrol Deputy Jared West and Corrections Officer Gina Meyers.

MORE: Putnam County Sentinel

5/15/17 – 5:12 A.M.

Two eminent domain cases in Putnam County head to court next month. The Courier reports pretrial hearings are set for early June, with jury trials slated for later in the month. The cases involve two properties on the west side of Ottawa. They involved land the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District plans to use for a 4,000 foot Blanchard River diversion channel.

The conservancy district voted to enter into the eminent domain process last year. Eminent domain gives the government the right to take private property for public use. The law requires the government to give property owners “just compensation.”

An independent appraisal of property owned by Robert and Rosaline Buescher and their children showed the land was worth more than $146,000. The same appraisal set the value of land owned by Theresa and Alan Kuhlman at nearly $121,000. The assessments are for the land planned for the diversion channel, not the entirety of the property owned by the families.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says the proposed diversion channel will speed up the flow of water from the Blanchard River out of Ottawa. Plans from the U.S. Army Corps of engineers say the channel could drop flood levels in Ottawa by up to 9 inches. A redesigned Road I-9 bridge could drop flood levels by six inches on its own.

MORE: The Courier

05/12/17 – 4:45 P.M.

Findlay Brewing could have shut down after the fire a year ago but they are climbing back up. Co-founder Aaron Osborne said that they were already looking to expand when the fire helped speed things up.

Aaron Osborne

They will be expanding to a new location soon. Osborne said that they have the plans and designs set but are still working on dates. The expansion will allow them to support a new system to make more beer and be labeled a microbrewery.

05/12/17 – 3:38 P.M.

The worker shortage is the top challenge facing manufacturers in the area. It will also be the topic of discussion for a free panel on May 25th. Accounting firm Gilmore Jasion Mahler are sponsoring the event at the Findlay Country Club. They are bringing in local experts and political figures to talk about the worker shortage and efforts to fix it.

The panel will be from 11:30 a.m to 1 p.m. and is open to Construction executives. Financial executives from manufacturing and distribution businesses and their human resource representatives are also invited.

05/12/17 – 3:29 P.M.

Findlay letter carriers are taking part in the Stamp Out Hunger campaign. Food Drive Coordinator Don Bonnell said that this has been done for a long time.

Don Bonnell

Bonnell said that you can join in their efforts by leaving canned goods in or under your mailbox tomorrow morning. Your mail carrier or local volunteers will be collect the food to be given out to local food pantries.