12/15/17 – 5:34 A.M.

Two non-profit organizations that provide mental health services in Hancock County are merging. The Courier reports Century Health and the Family Resource Center plan to combine forces over the next two years. The first step in the process took place when John Bindas Sr. became the CEO of both organizations. Both agencies still have separate boards of directors.

Bindas says the partnership and eventual merger allows the agencies to collaborate on things like billing, accounting, and human resources. He adds they’ll use “economies of scale” and run more efficiently. Bindas adds he does not expect reducing staff at either organization at this point.

Colleen Schlea is serving as the chief operating officer for both organizations.

MORE: The Courier

12/14/17 – 5:28 P.M.

You can help the City Mission provide holiday meals to underprivileged residents in Hancock County. The City Mission offers evening meals seven days a week and gives out food boxes. They will give out Christmas boxes with either a ham or a turkey on December 19 and 21.

You can help by donating turkeys, hams, and other foods such as canned fruit, rice dishes, and boxed potatoes. You can also donate Meijer or Walmart gift cars so they can purchase any items that aren’t donated.

12/14/17 – 5:18 P.M.

A Findlay man pleaded guilty to charges from a March incident where he tried to stab a Tiffin police officer. The Advertiser-Tribune reports that 35-year-old Vincent Fedele pleaded guilty to felonious assault and resisting arrest. He was sentenced to five years in prison.

Fedele was wanted on four warrants. Officers spotted Fedele in the passenger seat of a car on March 14 and followed the vehicle. Officers ordered him out of the car but he reached into his coat. As officers grabbed Fedele, he pulled a knife on the officers and stabbed a protective vest.

He fought with officers as they arrested him and the officers tased him twice.

The City of Findlay and the Hancock County Commissioners are talking about upgrading to the same data recording software. Findlay safety director Paul Schmelzer explained that the new system from Tyler Technologies is an improvement over the current system.

Paul Schmelzer

He added that the system will allow data entry on the field to save time and make more accurate records. County Commissioner Mark Gazarek said it makes sense for the city and county buy in together.

Mark Gazarek

Before moving forward, the commissioners want to look at how payments will be made. The system will cost the county $400,000 and the city will pay around $700,000. Both entities want that cost broken up over the 2018 and 2019 budgets.

12/14/17 – 11:07 A.M.

An eyesore on Findlay’s west side is going away. The Findlay City Planning Commission approved site plans for a used car dealership at 1501 West Main Cross Street. The location sits next to the Pilgrim Restaurant on State Route 12 and was once a convenience store.

Brian Greve of Van Wert says Guaranteed Auto will start operation in the second quarter of 2018. He owns three other dealerships in northwest Ohio. The closest is in Defiance.

12/14/17 – 6:41 A.M.

The Salvation Army needs your help. The organization says it’s around $5,000 behind in donations compared to last year’s figures. Salvation Army Major Herb Carter says people have donated around $35,000 this year. He adds that numbers in December of 2016 were also lower than they had hoped.

The fundraising goal for the Salvation Army is $90,000 this year.

Carter says the drive generally raises more money in the second half of December. However, there is one fewer collection day in 2017 because Christmas Eve falls on a Sunday.

You can also donate by sending a check to the Salvation Army at 301 Center Street in Findlay. Online donations are also an option.

12/14/17 – 5:29 A.M.

Sales tax receipts are up slightly for 2017 in Hancock County. The Courier reports sales tax collections have been up and down all year. Sales tax revenue for November was $1.15 million. That was down around 1 percent from November of 2016. November numbers reflect collections from three months prior.

For the entire year, sales tax collections stand at $13.8 million, up around 1 percent from last year at this time.

The sales tax in Hancock County is 6.75 percent. The state accounts for 5.75 percent of that tax with the rest staying in Hancock County.