2/14/18 – 5:35 A.M.

A Napoleon man won’t face a murder charge in Putnam County despite an alleged confession in the case. The Lima News reports the Ohio 3rd District Court of Appeals recently approved Travis Soto’s double jeopardy appeal. Soto served time in prison following the death of his 2-year-old son Julio Baldoza in 2006. At the time Soto said he accidentally hit the boy with an ATV.

As a result, prosecutors dropped an involuntary manslaughter charge when Soto pleaded guilty to child endangering.

But in 2016, Soto allegedly confessed he beat his son to death. He then argued the state couldn’t charge him with murder since it already dropped the involuntary manslaughter charge. His defense said that involuntary manslaughter is a lesser version of murder.

The appeals court reversed a previous decision and handed the case back to the Putnam County Common Pleas Court.

MORE: Lima News

2/14/18 – 5:23 A.M.

Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik thinks President Trump’s infrastructure plan could help address Blanchard River flooding. Mihalik appeared on NPR’s “All Things Considered” recently to talk about the issue.

Mihalik told host Mary Louise Kelly she met with Trump to talk about flooding last year.  The President would like to see public-private partnerships address issues like these. Mihalik said while Findlay is in a good position to get help from the private sector, she cautioned Trump that not every community is in the same boat.

Mihalik said the private sector is helping push for a fix on flooding because there’s a business case for helping out.

MORE: All Things Considered

02/14/18 – 3:30 A.M.

The Findlay City Council Appropriations Committee met to see a presentation on the 2018 capital improvement plan. Service Director Brian Thomas said that part of plan will be paid for with the capital fund.

Brian Thomas

The plan also includes $7.7 million from the water fund, $5.1 million from the sewer fund, and just under half a million dollars from the storm fund. Thomas said that they also plan to use $6.1 million dollars from grants and other funding sources. This brings the total to over $26.1 million for the 2018 plan.

The plan will be put before council at their next meeting. You can view the proposed projects at findlayohio.com.

02/13/18 – 3:24 P.M.

Hancock County Crime Stoppers is a non-profit organization that gives rewards to information that leads to an arrest. President of the board Jennifer Illif said that people can easily remain anonymous when they call in.

Jennifer Illif

You will be given a reward number if you choose to be anonymous. You can call back with that number to see if you got a reward. The rewards will be kept at the Findlay Police Department for pick up. Illif explained that this can be done anonymously as well.

Jennifer Illif

Illif said that the person you collect from won’t know why you’re collecting the money to help keep it confidential. She added that this applies to misdemeanors as well as high profile cases.

02/13/18 – 2:37 P.M.

Hancock County real estate taxes for the first half of 2017 are due this Friday. Payments can be made at the Hancock County Treasurer’s Office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on the due date or anytime before. Checks can be put in a drop box inside Court House Entry. There are also several lending institutions that can accept your payment.

02/13/18 – 2:32 P.M.

Children’s Mentoring Connection will be raising funds with their 35th annual Bowling for Kids event. Children’s Mentoring Connection’s Stacy Shaw said the organization is meant to help young kids.

Stacy Shaw

The money raised from the event will go towards providing these services. Shaw added that people can form teams to go bowling in. She explained that anyone can form a team.

Stacy Shaw

The event is broken into many sessions over two days at AMF Sportsman Lanes on March 10 and 11. For more details go to hancockmentors.org/events.

2/13/18 – 10:58 A.M.

You’ll be able to take household hazardous waste to Litter Landing for disposal once again this year. Starting in the spring, Hancock County residents can take items like paints, pesticides, and motor oil to Litter Landing for disposal. The service is set to run on Mondays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. from April 9 through August 27, except on holidays.

The Hancock County Commissioners approved a contract with Rader Environmental Services to handle disposal again. The contract with Rader is for $45,000.

The service is not for commercial use.

2/13/18 – 5:24 A.M.

The Carey School District is working to honor distinguished alumni. The Courier reports the school will unveil displays honoring several graduates later this month. A ceremony to unveil the “Legacy Lane Alumni Hall of Fame” is set for February 23 at 5 p.m. at the school.

The first round of honorees includes sisters Mary Jo Kirkwood Cesarini of the class of 1940 and Jackie Kirkwood Rickle of the class of 1946. The school is also honoring Michelle Rickle Bell of the class of 1968. She’s the daughter of Jackie Rickle’s daughter.

Superintendent Mike Wank says the display will honor graduates, “who have gone on to successful careers or have distinguished themselves in some manner.”

Legacy Lane is located in the hallway near the gyms at the rear of the new school building.

MORE: The Courier

2/13/18 – 5:16 A.M.

Plans are moving forward to demolish an abandoned duplex in Ottawa. The Lima News reports Ottawa Village Council members voted to approve an $8,900 bid to tear down the building at 127 and 129 North Grant Street. The 2007 flood damaged the property. It sustained further damage in a windstorm, prompting concerns the roof of the home might fall onto power lines.

Removing asbestos from the building could cost the village between $35,000 and $37,000. Mayor Dean Meyer says they will assess the cost to the property owner.

MORE: Lima News