9/5/17 – 4:32 A.M.
The head of a local Red Cross chapter is urging the community to get involved in helping survivors of Hurricane Harvey. Todd James of the Findlay-based North Central Ohio chapter says the need for cash donations and volunteers isn’t going away as floodwaters recede across south Texas. The Red Cross expects to be on the ground for several months after serving a half-million meals and providing shelter for thousands of people in the past two weeks.
09-05/17 – 4:30 A.M.
The use of service dogs to treat PTSD and other medical disabilities is becoming more common. U.S. Army Veteran and local paramedic Louis Belluomini said that having PTSD doesn’t always affect someone’s ability to work.
Belluomini said that service dogs go through intense training. He added that his dog Star is very well behaved on the job.
Star is the first dog allowed on an ambulance in the country. Belluomini said that Star is there to help maintain the bond between dog and handler and not to help him do his job. Star is the first dog allowed on an ambulance in the country.
Belluomini said that you should make it a bonus for your employer.
Star is trained for search and rescue and helps to keep Belluomini’s co-workers relaxed.
Belluomini added that employers should look past the service dog and focus on the candidate. If they are a good fit and the most qualified then they should be given a chance.
09/01/17 – 4:09 P.M.
There’s plenty going on at the Hancock COunty fair this weekend. Starting at noon you can get your practice in for the HCAS Ninja Warrior competition. The youth qualification will be at 6 p.m. and adults will qualify at 8 p.m. on Saturday. The Finals will be held at the same time on Sunday.
Throughout the day on Saturday, you can watch the horse shows and competitions in the North Grandstands. At 7 p.m. in the South Grandstand, you can watch the Broken Horn ROdeo.
Tractor pulls will start at noon in the South Grandstands. The best dressed small animal contest will be at 3:30 p.m. in the show tent.
You can see a list of all of the events online at visitfindlay.com
09/01/17 – 3:55 P.M.
If you’re looking for a ride then you could download the lyft app. The Associated Press reports that the transportation service is expanding their service to passengers in 32 states. The move will give Ohio statewide coverage. This includes rural areas. The company said that it does expect to take a loss, but hopes that new markets will get carved.
Along with the move, Lyft will be adding more drivers to their crew. You can apply at lyft.com.
09/01/17 – 3:32 P.M.
The United Way of Hancock County will be collecting items to help victims of Hurricane Harvey. The collection event will be next Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at many locations. On Friday, you can go to Walmart on Trenton Avenue or Meijer on Tiffin Avenue. On Saturday, You can go to Great Scot on Broad Avenue or Kroger on Tiffin Avenue.
Volunteers will be available to hand out lists of items that are being accepted. If you want to help out at the locations, you can sign up at volunteerhancockcounty.org/need.
09/01/17 – 1:52 P.M.
The State Highway Patrol is cracking down on impaired driving for the holiday weekend. In a release, the patrol says that the will focus enforcement efforts on getting these drivers off of the roadways. Last year, there were 15 fatal crashes over Labor Day weekend that killed 15 people. Four of those fatalities were OVI related. OSHP made a total of 749 OVI arrests over the long weekend.
The enforcement efforts will last from now until late Monday evening.
09/01/17 – 11:40 A.M.
Marathon Petroleum Corp. sold $1.05 billion in its joint-interest ownership in some pipelines and storage facilities. The Courier reports that the company sold the assets to its subsidiary MPLX. The assets are projected to generate about $138 million in adjusted earnings. That is before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.
Chairman and CEO Gary Heminger, said that this is all a part of Marathon’s strategic planning.
09/01/17 – 11:20 A.M.
Lima Police Department is investigating a shooting that left a woman hospitalized this morning. Lima Police report that around 12:15 a.m. officers responded to shots fired in the 600 block of Harrison Street. They found that unknown suspects had fired shots at 626 Harrison and hit 21-year-old Paris Odom in the lower back.
Lima Fire Department took Odom to Lima Memorial Hospital. Her condition is unknown at the time. If you have any information on the shooting, you can call the Lima Police Department at 419-227-4444
9/1/17 – 5:25 A.M.
An animal rights group wants the Hardin County fair to cancel a planned exhibit at this year’s event. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals recently wrote a letter to the fair board, urging them to cancel plans to host The Great Bear Show.
Bob Steele runs the bear show. PETA says Steele has a history of Animal Welfare Act violations. The group says they have also sent a complaint to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The letter urges officials to conduct a new inspection of the show.
9/1/17 – 5:17 A.M.
A North Baltimore man will spend 11 months in prison after a judge sentenced him on multiple charges last week. The Sentinel-Tribune reports part of the sentence stems from the overdose death of another North Baltimore man in 2015.
36-year-old William Patterson pleaded no contest to one count of negligent homicide, one count of aggravated possession of drugs, and a count of permitting drug abuse. Authorities pressed those charges following the overdose death of 35-year-old Todd Williams.
Patterson also faced unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and failure to appear charges. Patterson is already serving a 16-month sentence for theft and failure to appear charges in Hancock County. He’ll start the new 11-month sentence once the current sentence ends.
MORE: Sentinel-Tribune