1/19/18 – 5:03 A.M.

Former Ohio Northern University students who attended a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on campus in 1968 spoke to current students Thursday. The Courier reports ONU is commemorating King’s visit with a series of events on campus this year.

Monty Siekerman was the university’s director of public information fifty years ago. He told Thursday’s audience that King’s speech was the “epitome of oratory.” He added, “people listened to what he said.”

Joel Weaver was a pharmacy student in 1968. He said, “He educated the entire crowd. There were no protesters outside. There were no hecklers in the front row. The place was absolutely quiet and everyone listened and became educated.”

Sadicka White was a student at the time. She also was a founding member of the Black Student Union. She said the day King spoke at ONU left “an indelible impression in my life.”

MORE: The Courier

01/19/18 – 2:30 A.M.

The United Way of Hancock County and the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation presented the results from the community conversations they had last year. They discovered five key areas that the community worries about. Those areas are housing, safety, transportation, mental health and substance abuse, and economic development. United Way president and CEO John Urbanski said many organizations are already working on these areas.

John Urbanski

Community Foundation president and CEO Katherine Kreuchauf said this validated their efforts. She also agreed that local organizations should work together to tackle these issues.

Katherine Kreuchauf

You can read the report on either organization’s website. You can also view the presentation below.

01/18/18 – 5:05 P.M.

ODOT has spent more money clearing roads this year than last year so far. ODOT reports that last year at this time the county spent just over $397,200. As of yesterday, clearing the roads of snow and ice has cost over $574,400. Crews have also had to drive almost double the distance from last year and used more salt. They covered just under 39,000 miles and used over 3,400 tons of salt. Crews have covered over 72,500 miles and used a little more than 5,600 tons of salt this year.

01/18/18 – 4:54 P.M.

You’ll hear more about carbon monoxide poisoning during the winter months. Findlay Fire Inspector Kevin Shinise said that’s because more appliances are running.

Kevin Shinise

Shinise said that it is important to have a carbon monoxide detector. Unlike other gas leaks, carbon monoxide is harder to detect.

Kevin Shinise

Shinise said that you should check to make sure your detector is working at least once a year. You should replace it twice a year.

01/18/18 – 4:23 P.M.

An Indiana man died near Pandora after a barn roofing accident caused him to fall. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reports that 21-year-old Elmer Christner of Geneva, Indiana fell around 10 a.m. today. He was removing sheet metal from a pole barn when a cross member supporting him broke. He fell 26 feet and suffered severe injuries.

The Putnam County Coroner said his injuries were fatal and Christner was pronounced dead on scene. OSHA and the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the incident.

1/18/18 – 11:14 A.M.

Hancock County could see a change in subdivision regulations for the first time since 2008. Commissioner Brian Robertson says the Hancock Regional Planning Commission has been working on proposed changes over the past couple of years…

Audio: Brian Robertson

Robertson talked about what some of the proposed changes deal with…

Audio: Brian Robertson

One proposed change would require developers to install sidewalks at the time of street construction. They would have the option to defer sidewalk construction for up to five years while they build the rest of the subdivision.

Hancock Regional Planning will have a public hearing on the matter on February 21 at 7:30 p.m. on the third floor of the Findlay Municipal Building.

1/18/18 – 6:42 A.M.

A collision between a car and semi-truck killed a Kenton man earlier this week. WKTN Radio reports the crash happened on U.S. 68 north of Kenton Tuesday night.

45-year-old Joseph Hoey was driving south when he tried to pass a semi. He pulled into the path of a northbound semi driven by David Cherry of Canada.

Medical examiners pronounced Hoey dead at the scene of the crash. The BKP Ambulance District treated Cherry for minor injuries.

The crash remains under investigation.

MORE: WKTN Radio

1/18/18 – 5:36 A.M.

A human trafficking awareness event is coming up in Findlay next week. The Hancock County Chapter of the Northwest Ohio Rescue and Restore Coalition is hosting its first awareness event on January 25. It will include a panel of local, state and federal experts in the field. A human trafficking survivor will also share their story.

The event takes place at 6 p.m. in the University of Findlay’s Alumni Memorial Union. It is free and open to the public.

1/18/18 – 5:30 A.M.

A jury has found a teenager accused of fatally stabbing a man in Fostoria not guilty. The Review-Times reports the two day trial of 18-year-old Cristian Brown of Pittsburgh wrapped up Wednesday. Brown faced a murder charge in the stabbing death of 18-year-old D’Andre Gehring of Fostoria last January.

Seneca County Prosecutor Derek DeVine said evidence showed Brown was with a group of people trying to buy marijuana from Gehring. The group got into an argument, and Brown got into a fight with Gehring. The prosecution argued Brown stabbed Gehring in the neck with a butcher’s knife during the fight. However, video evidence of the fight wasn’t clear.

The defense suggested 19-year-old Arlando Crowe Jr. of Fostoria could have stabbed Gehring. Crowe pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice in the case. He plead the fifth when he took the witness stand during the trial.

MORE: Review-Times