1/16/18 – 5:34 A.M.

The University of Findlay is holding several events in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week. The school says social activist Sho Baraka will speak on campus Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m. in the Winebrenner Theological Seminary. The event is free and open to the public.

Baraka is also a public speaker and recording artist. He’s spoken throughout the world, including South Africa and Indonesia.

Other MLK inspired events this week included a toiletry collection drive through Friday. Dropoff locations are at the Buford Center, Alumni Memorial Union and the Center for Student Life and College of Business. The Buford Center will then hold a mobile food pantry in the lobby and parking lot of the Davis Street building on Saturday at 7 a.m.

MORE: University of Findlay

1/16/18 – 5:23 A.M.

Arlington residents have a little longer to pay their water bills this month. The Courier reports a problem with a bulk mailing system means that some residents saw a delay in getting their bills. The village decided to move this month’s payment deadline to January 30 as a result. The normal deadline is 15th of the month.

MORE: The Courier

1/16/18 – 5:18 A.M.

Local officials aren’t sure why President Trump mentioned Hancock County when he signed a law meant to combat fentanyl last week. Before he signed the bill, Trump talked about the synthetic opioid, saying “It’s reaching every corner of our great nation and it shouldn’t be. Rural areas like Hancock County, Ohio.”

Sheriff Mike Heldman tells the Courier he isn’t sure what prompted the comment. Hancock County had 19 overdose deaths in 2016. The final numbers for 2017 will likely top 20. Heldman says the problem is higher in the southern part of Ohio when you take population numbers into account.

Precia Stuby is the executive director of the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services. She doesn’t believe Trump was trying to say Hancock County has the worst problem in Ohio. She tells the Courier, “I think what he was trying to get across is that the epidemic is hitting every corner of our country, including small towns and big towns and I think that he just singled out Hancock County.”

MORE: The Courier

1/16/18 – 5:08 A.M.

Liberty-Benton school board members talked about the start of the school year before approving the calendar for 2018-2019 during their Monday meeting. The Courier reports board member Mark Badertscher suggested moving the start of the school year to after the Hancock County Fair. He said not much gets done before the school takes an extended break during fair week.

Superintendent Mark Kowalski agreed that starting in mid-August is early, but said it made sense for a variety of reasons. Kowalski says it gives students extra classroom time before state-mandated testing. He added that starting later would mean ending in June and having less time off around the holidays.

The school board agreed to start the next school year on August 20.

MORE: The Courier

1/16/18 – 4:58 A.M.

Fostoria school officials have finalized plans to get junior and senior high school students back in class. The Courier reports classes resume Wednesday, after several days off due to a boiler room fire at the junior/senior high school building last Tuesday.

Students who take the bus can still take it school. Students who take Seneca County Agency Transportation will have to tell their driver what grade they are in to get a ride to the right building. The Fostoria Learning Center is hosting high school classes. St. Wendelin Catholic school is holding classes for 7th and 8th-grade students.

The high school schedule runs from 7:35 am. until 2:25 p.m. Buses are dropping off kids at the northeast corner of the Learning Center parking lot. Parents can drop students off where the center’s parking lot connects with the Kroger lot. Parents will then exit out of the Kroger lot to West High Street. Student parking includes two rows of spaces on the west side of the Kroger lot.

Junior high students are using the former St. Wendelin High School classrooms on the south side of the west wing of the building. Bus and parent drop-off locations are on that side of the school as well.

MORE: The Courier

1/16/18 – 4:27 A.M.

Federal investigators will arrive in Wood County today to find the cause of a deadly helicopter crash. Sheriff’s deputies say the chopper went down yesterday on Bradner Road in Troy Township, killing both people on board. The victims were inspecting FirstEnergy’s electric transmission lines from the air when the crash happened.

01/15/17 – 8:25 P.M.

Snow and ice didn’t stop over 250 people from taking part in the Unity Walk in Findlay. Black Heritage Library and Multicultural Center Board Chairman Jerome Gray explained that the walk honors the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Jerome Gray

The Unity Walk was short but gained a large crowd. The walk started at the Church of the Living God and headed north to the Winebrenner Theological Seminary. After prayers and some songs, the group headed back to the church for the full program.

01/15/18 – 4:57 P.M.

The Findlay City School District is looking at some revenue concerns in the coming years. Superintendent Ed Kurt explained that they are facing a deficit in their operational costs.

Ed Kurt

Kurt said that the district is prepared to handle the deficit though.

Ed Kurt

Kurt explained that they have already been working on cutting energy costs. Teachers and employees make sure all of the lights are off in the building before they leave. He added that there won’t be any cuts made to staff but positions will be removed by attrition. This means if a staff member leaves the district then their position won’t be replaced.