6/7/17 – 5:35 A.M.
The chair of Ohio’s Republican Party will speak in Putnam County next week. The Lima News reports Jane Timken is set to appear at the Putnam County Educational Service Center in Ottawa on June 13 at 7 p.m. The event is free but you need to RSVP at PutnamRepublicanParty.org to attend.
The Putnam County GOP planned to host Timken on May 17, but had to reschedule after party officials called Timken to the White House.
MORE: Lima News
6/7/17 – 5:30 A.M.
Fostoria officials say overtime costs in the police department are misleading. The Review-Times reports the police department is on pace to pay more than $204,000 in overtime this year. However Mayor Eric Keckler says that’s at least $30,000 less than the cost of replacing two officers who left the department.
Keckler adds he has concerns about the amount of stress the extra hours put on the city’s 20 officers.
City council talked about the matter during a Tuesday meeting.
MORE: Review-Times
6/7/17 – 5:17 A.M.
A major Obamacare health insurance carrier is effectively leaving the state of Ohio. The move by health insurer Anthem leaves 18 Ohio counties without an insurer selling plans in 2018, including Hancock and Wyandot counties. Anthem sells Affordable Health Care plans known as Obamacare in 14 states. Anthem says it based its decision on what it says is the continued “volatility” in the individual health plan market as well as uncertainty that insurers will continue receiving financial reimbursements. Anthem said it also blames the restoration of a tax on insurers.
Reaction to Anthem’s announcement split along political party lines. Republican Senator Rob Portman blamed the Affordable Care Act. Portman said a lack of true competition in the market is keeping prices high. Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown blamed the potential repeal of Obamacare. He said uncertainty caused by the repeal process led to Anthem’s decision.
State Representative Robert Sprague tells the Courier the decision affects around 1,100 people in Hancock County. Dr. Bill Kose with Blanchard Valley Health System tells the newspaper while that’s not a large percentage of people it’s still not good. He added people without insurance are likely to wait longer to get treatment which can increase the cost.
6/7/17 – 4:29 A.M.
Owens Community College is announcing an interim president. Steve Robinson, the school’s current provost and chief academic officer, will take over on July 1st after the college’s board of trustees approved his appointment on Tuesday. Outgoing president Mike Bower announced in April he was stepping down when his contract expires at the end of June.
06/06/17 – 11:19 P.M.
Findlay City Council approved a grant from ODOT to start the revitalization project of downtown Findlay. Service director Brian Thomas said now that the $1.8 million grant is approved the project will start rolling.
Thomas said that he will get a schedule as soon as possible.
He said that the revitalization project will be done on Main and Cory Streets.
06/06/17 – 10:37 P.M.
AEP Ohio and Hancock-Wood Electric have a disagreement on who should supply power to the new Campbell’s Facility coming to Findlay. Councilman Tom Shindledecker said this isn’t the first time council has been contacted for a dispute between the two.
Shindledecker said that Hancock Wood Electric has asked to have the letter rewritten. They also want it passed by council and added to the minutes so that it is a certified document.
Shindledecker said that if council does this then they want be brought into disputes in the future. Council will address this at their next meeting.
6/6/17 – 1:49 P.M.
Hancock County paid tribute to local veterans wounded or killed in the line of duty Tuesday. A ceremony dedicated Hancock County as an official “Purple Heart County”…
Audio: Nichole Coleman
Veterans Services director Nichole Coleman says every municipality in the county issued declarations recognizing the sacrifice of those who earned a Purple Heart in combat. Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 1974’s Dennis Hanneman adds it’s the first time that has happened in Ohio…
Audio: Dave Hanneman
Hanneman says the organization has 35 local members. The only way to become a member is to receive the medal. Because of that Hanneman says he hopes no one else ever joins because it will mean no one else from the county gets wounded or dies in combat.
The Hancock County Commissioners will now display a flag from the local Military Order of the Purple Heart chapter in their offices.
6/617 – 10:13 A.M.
ODOT is making sure emergency responders have access to I-75 during the ongoing widening project…
Audio: Doug Cade
Hancock County Deputy Engineer Doug Cade says the access ramp gives emergency responders north and southbound access to the interstate.
Crews will start building the ramp next week.
6/6/17 – 6:43 A.M.
After a slight delay the Arlington swimming pool is open. The Courier reports the village had problems with a pump at the facility fixed recently. Even after they fixed the pump, the village still had to wait for the water to reach proper chemical levels.
With the pool back up and running, officials are looking at future projects at the park. The Arlington Festival Committee plans to establish a fund to build a walking path.
Village council also approved plans for an Eagle Scout to build a 10-foot by 10-foot concrete checkerboard at the park.
MORE: The Courier