08/31/17 – 5:22 P.M.

Ohio could become the next state to legalize recreational and medicinal marijuana. Ohio State Representative Robert Sprague was on WFIN and said that there are investors that want to create a monopoly.

Robert Sprague

He added that the state house of representatives is working to combat this. He said that there will be additional legislation called House Joint Resolution 4 put on the ballot to help break up monopolies.

Robert Sprague

Sprague said that the amendments to the Ohio Constitution will be side by side in this coming ballot.

08/31/17 – 1:24 P.M.

The Findlay High School football game has been moved from Friday to Saturday this weekend. The move was scheduled because of the threat of bad weather in Cincinnati tomorrow evening. The Courier reports southwestern Ohio could see two to three inches of rain.

Kick off will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday.

8/31/17 – 10:58 A.M.

The opioid epidemic continues to take its toll on the Hancock County budget. The County Commissioners approved another $80,000 for indigent defense funding during their Thursday meeting…

Audio: Mark Gazarek

The commissioners also approved another $100,000 for Job & Family Services to find foster homes for children in the county…

Audio: Mark Gazarek

Gazarek says the state requires the county to pay for both items. He adds those costs continue to mount as the opioid epidemic continues on.

Gazarek says the money comes from funds set aside for unexpected assessments. He added that the fund is getting closer to zero with four months left in the year. If it gets to that point, it’s possible the county could start making cuts from other departments to pay for state mandated legal items.

8/31/17 – 6:52 A.M.

A Findlay-based grocery store chain is rebranding some of the stores it recently bought. A release from Generative Growth II says the Marsh stores it bought in Indiana will now carry the new “Needler’s Fresh Market” brand name. Generative Growth is the parent company of Great Scot. 12 Indiana stores and three Ohio locations will carry the new brand.

Fresh Encounter is also a Generative Growth company and will manage the Fresh Market stores. It expects to finish rebranding the former Marsh locations by the end of October.

The company will convert the Marsh’s location in Van Wert to a Chief’s Supermarket.

8/31/17 – 5:35 A.M.

A two-car crash injured two people on North Main Street in Findlay Wednesday night. The Findlay Police Department reports the collision happened at the intersection of Foulke Avenue around 6:15 p.m.

77-year-old Dannie Vermillion of Findlay was driving west on Foulke when he pulled into the path of a southbound car driven by 67-year-old Daniel Smith of Findlay. The impact of the crash caused Vermillion’s pickup truck to roll three times.

Hanco Ambulance took Vermillion and his passenger, 61-year-old Patricia Smith, to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of their injuries. Police cited Vermillion for failure to yield.

8/31/17 – 5:29 A.M.

If you buy something off of Craigslist or the Facebook marketplace in Putnam County, there’s now a safe spot to complete your sale. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office has created a “safe exchange zone” in the parking lot of the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Brian Siefker says the zone is well lit and free to use. It also takes place in an area with video surveillance so a dispatcher can watch.

Siefker says people can also use the space to exchange children as part of custodial agreements and court orders.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is at 1035 Heritage Trail in Ottawa.

8/31/17 – 5:19 A.M.

Putnam County officials want to upgrade video equipment used by law enforcement. The Putnam County Sentinel reports the county’s Police Chief’s Association is looking to buy video redactive software for cruiser video and security cameras. Kalida Police Chief Jim Gulker tells the newspaper the software can automatically blur out faces and names, as well as mute sensitive dialogue.

The software can also work with body cam video.

MORE: Putnam County Sentinel

8/31/17 – 5:10 A.M.

Day two of the Hancock County Fair has plenty of junior fair and open class activities on the schedule today. Aside from the standard shows, a cookie and pie eating competition is also on the schedule for 4 p.m.

Tonight’s grandstand events include harness racing in the south grandstand at 6:30 p.m. and a calf scramble at 7:30 p.m. in the north grandstand.

Today’s Schedule:

All day: Gospel pavilion open.
8 a.m. — Junior fair horse show, north grandstand, along with junior fair draft horse decorating in the draft horse barn, and junior fair draft horse show, north grandstand.
8 a.m. — Junior fair Boer goat show, south show arena.
9 a.m. — Open class antiques and canning judging, Grange Building.
10 a.m. — Junior fair dairy feeder show, north show arena; Open class poultry judging.
11:30 a.m. — Junior fair sheep showmanship, south show arena, followed by junior fair market lamb show.
1 p.m. — Open class theme basket judging, Grange Building.
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. — Junior fair premium pickup for Wednesday’s shows, junior fair office.
4 p.m. — Kathy’s Korner Cookie Eating Contest, followed by Kathy’s Korner Pie Eating Contest, both at mini park.
5 p.m. to 9 p.m. — HCAS Ninja Warrior open time.
5 p.m. — Open class rabbit show, south show arena.
6:30 p.m. — Harness racing, south grandstand.
7:30 p.m. — Calf scramble, north grandstand.
11 p.m. — Fairgrounds closes.

8/31/17 – 5:03 A.M.

Despite a foggy start, Wednesday’s beautiful weather helped boost attendance at the Hancock County Fair. Ticket Chairman Aaron Smith estimated the day one attendance was 22,500 people. That’s around 6,000 more people than the average opening day.

Smith says there was “decent attendance” for harness racing Wednesday. Harness racing continues this evening.