2/21/18 – 10:28 A.M.
Vandals caused the cancellation of classes at an area school district Wednesday. Riverdale Superintendent Jeff Young says someone snapped valve stems off of tires on 10 of the district’s 14 buses. He adds they’ve repaired the damage and classes are on schedule for tomorrow.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the case.
2/21/18 – 9:40 A.M.
Sales tax collections remain down in Hancock County compared to 2017. The latest report from the county auditor’s office shows $2.4 million in collections for 2018 so far. That’s down from the nearly $2.6 million collected through two months of 2017.
The numbers are slightly behind the $2.44 million collected during the same time period in 2016, and ahead of the $2.3 million reported in 2015.
February sales tax number reflect sales made in November.
2/21/18 – 7:18 A.M.
Fostoria is moving forward with a plan to reach a settlement with a former employee. The Review-Times reports city council voted to allow Mayor Eric Keckler to enter into a separation agreement with former city engineer Dan Thorton during their Tuesday meeting.
Thorton had a contract with the city through 2020, so the city has to settle his contract.
Fostoria officials let Thorton go in mid-November as part of a reorganization plan.
MORE: Review-Times
2/21/18 – 6:42 A.M.
Update – 9:02 A.M (More information on fire)
Fire destroyed a home in northwest Putnam County this morning. The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office reports dispatchers received a 911 call from someone at 3734 State Route 634 just before 4 a.m. The caller said everyone in the home made it out okay.
Continental firefighters saw flames coming out of the home when they arrived. EMS crews treated one firefighter for minor smoke inhalation.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
The blaze caused deputies to close State Route 634 between State Route 15 and Road D.
2/21/18 – 5:30 A.M.
Putnam County has earned recognition for its recycling efforts. WLIO-TV reports the League of Ohio Sportsmen recently presented the county with an award. Commissioner John Love tells the TV station that their industry customers have a 98% recycling rate. beyond that, their commercial and residential customers have a 95% recycling rate.
Putnam County has a 24-hour recycling center in Ottawa and has also set up bins at schools in the county.
MORE: WLIO-TV
2/21/18 – 5:22 A.M.
The Hancock County Drug Court got a funding boost from a local organization Tuesday. The Courier reports the Findlay Moose Lodge donated $1,500 to the court. Members raised the money at their New Year’s Eve party. Lodge governor Dan Schumacher tells the newspaper they typically raise money for local charities.
He says his fiance’s son is a graduate of the drug court, so the donation had a special connection for him. Judge Reginald Routson performed with the Reunion Band at the party. He had asked the organizers if the proceeds could go to the court.
MORE: The Courier
2/21/18 – 5:14 A.M.
We saw a record high temperature in Findlay Tuesday. The Water Pollution Control Center says the mercury hit 72 degrees. That’s four degrees higher than the previous record, which was set in 2016.
The Water Pollution Control Center keeps track of Findlay’s weather records.
2/21/18 – 5:10 A.M.
Findlay City Council debated subsidized housing during their Tuesday meeting. A developer plans 50 low-income homes for Bishop Lane on the city’s north side. The Courier reports Councilman Tom Shindledecker spoke about distributing subsidized housing more evenly across the city. He said his concern was a strain on some of the city’s schools.
Shindledecker says more than 70 percent of the students at Washington Preschool and Jacobs Primary School are receiving free and reduced-price lunches. The number is much lower at other schools in the district.
Both Councilmen Jeff Wobser and John Harrington contended the school system does a great job with students regardless of demographics. Mayor Lydia Mihalik said the developers have met all permit requirements.
MORE: The Courier
02/20/18 – 9:14 P.M.
The City of Findlay could be seeing the resolution soon of the lawsuit against the state for House Bill 49. City Law Director Don Rasmussen explained that the arguments are over.
Rasmussen added that the bill allows the state to collect taxes through an online gateway and give it back to a municipality. They get to keep a portion of that money though. The lawsuit is supported by several municipalities across the state to try and stop this.
Findlay City Council passed an ordinance in case the judge rules in favor of the state. Rasmussen said that if that happens then the city’s tax ordinance from the beginning of the year until now would not have been in line with House Bill 49. This makes sure that the city can collect taxes if it fails.
Rasmussen said that they wanted the city be covered just in case things don’t go as planned. If the municipalities win the lawauit then this tax ordinance will go back to being nothing since the current ordinance will be in compliance.
02/20/18 – 8:43 P.M.
A Findlay church held a prayer vigil to honor those that passed away in the school shooting that happened in Parkland, Florida last week. First Christian Church senior pastor Reverend Dr. Jack Sullivan Jr. said that the incident was felt everywhere.
The vigil offered thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families. They also prayed that mass killings like these come to a stop.