A two-car crash injured two people east of Findlay Thursday afternoon. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office reports the collision happened at the intersection of U.S. 224 and Marion Township Road 237 just before 3:30 p.m.
62-year-old Thomas Mellott of Findlay was driving north on Road 237 when he ran a stop sign and hit an eastbound car driven by 38-year-old Misty Blair of Fostoria. Hanco EMS took both drivers to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of unknown injuries.
Deputies cited Mellott for failure to yield the right of way from a stop sign.
The Arlington school district is planning for its future. The school board bought 35 acres of land west of the school last month. Superintendent Kevin Haught says at some point in the future the district will pursue a new building. He adds there isn’t a timeline for that.
Haught says the district is no longer landlocked. The district could use part of the land for a new bus compound and for a new softball field.
Hancock County saw a 4 percent increase in sales tax receipts this month. Numbers from the auditor’s office show Hancock County collected more than $1.19 million in April of 2018, compared to $1.14 million last April.
For the entire year, sales tax dollars are still down around 3 percent compared to 2017.
Sales tax numbers collected in April reflect sales made in January. Ohio collects the taxes at the point of sale and then returns the county portion three months later.
The Hancock County Commissioners have approved $1.3 million in funding for road paving projects this summer. The contract with Shelly Company includes work in Washington, Van Buren, Pleasant, Jackson, Marion and Liberty townships.
The county is using money from motor vehicle and gas taxes to pay for the paving. You can see the full list of road projects in today’s Courier.
Last week the commissioners approved $1.5 million in paving projects. The money for that part of the summer road work is coming from the Ohio Public Works Commission.
The three Republicans running for the nomination in an Ohio Senate Race met for a forum Thursday. State Senator Robert McColley of Napoleon, Robert Barker Jr. of Van Wert, and Craig Kupferberg of Findlay discussed several topics, many of which they shared similar opinions. One of these discussions surrounded what to do about the opioid epidemic. McColley said that we need to look at what different counties are doing.
The other prongs included education, medical collaboration, supporting families, and figuring out why Ohio is a target. Barker had a different take on the issue, saying we need to keep heroin and fentanyl out of Ohio.
Hancock County Commissioners are moving forward with a lawsuit against pharmaceutical companies that pushed opioids. Commissioner Tim Bechtol said they aren’t alone in the fight.
The lawsuit is part of an effort to hold the pharmaceutical companies accountable. It will also help reimburse the entities involved for their efforts against the opioid epidemic.
The parent company of the McComb cookie plant will have new owners later this year. The private equity firms Charlesbank Capital Partners of Boston, and Partners Group of Switzerland announced today they have bought Hearthside Food Solutions.
Goldman Sachs and Vestar Capital Partners currently own Hearthside. They expect to close the deal by June.
Hearthside makes nutrition bars, cookies, cereals and other baked foods and snacks. The McComb plant makes Nabisco brand cookies.
A semi rollover injured a Findlay man in Allen County this morning. The State Highway Patrol says the crash happened around 5:20 a.m. on State Route 115 just north of U.S. 30.
53-year-old Kermit Netherton was driving a semi filled with milk when the trailer went off the right side of the road and hit a ditch and utility pole. Cairo EMS took Netherton to St. Rita’s Medical Center in Lima for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Talking about a video game at school may have landed a Kenton High School student in hot water this week. WKTN radio reports police officers responded to the school Monday after a 17-year-old reportedly made threats. Police Chief Dennis Musser says detectives talked to the student and decided there wasn’t a serious threat.
The student apparently was talking about the “Call of Duty” video game. He didn’t have access to weapons.
The school has temporarily suspended the teen, and he could face an inducing panic charge.
