Monthly Archives: May 2018

One Person Hospitalized Following Fostoria Fire

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 7:31 A.M.

Fire damaged a home on East Fremont Street in Fostoria Wednesday night. Firefighters responded to a home at 344 East Fremont Street around 8:50 p.m.

The blaze sent Marvin Crowe to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. A family living in the upstairs apartment escaped safely. The Red Cross is helping the people affected by the fire.

Investigators believe the fire started in one of the apartments on the main floor of the house. The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Fostoria Not Likely To Open City Pool This Summer

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 7:21 A.M.

It doesn’t look like the Fostoria City Pool will open this summer. The Review-Times reports the facility needs expensive repairs. Earlier this week, Mayor Eric Keckler told city council the pool needs a new liner, fixes to the filtering system, and a leak patched in the baby pool. The repair costs could land anywhere between $100,000 and $500,000.

Keckler says he doesn’t see anyway the repairs can get done in time to open the pool for the season. The city closed the pool last summer as well as part of its fiscal emergency recovery plan.

MORE: Review-Times

Two Injured In Wednesday Crash

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 6:51 A.M.

A two-car crash injured two people in Findlay Wednesday afternoon. The Findlay Police Department says the collision happened at the intersection of East Main Cross and East streets just after 1 p.m.

15-year-old Caitlin Smith of Findlay was driving east on East Main Cross when she tried to turn left onto the Martin Luther King Jr. bridge. She hit a car driven by 60-year-old Gretchen Schellenger of Tiffin. Schellenger and a passenger in Smith’s SUV, 40-year-old Darcy Smith, both went to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of their injuries.

Police cited Smith for failure to yield from a left turn.

Former Putnam County Jail Employee Pleads Not Guilty To Bribery Charge

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 6:43 A.M.

A former Putnam County Sheriff’s Office employee has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery and dereliction of duty. WLIO-TV reports 46-year-old Laurie Watt appeared in Putnam County Common Pleas Court Wednesday.

Investigators say Watt bribed another employee so she could get unsupervised time with an inmate in the county jail. They also say she brought the inmate outside food and drinks.

MORE: WLIO-TV

Women Enter Not Guilty Pleas To Charges Stemming From Hilty Home Death

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 5:30 A.M.

Two women facing involuntary manslaughter charges for the death of a resident of the Hilty Home in Pandora appeared in court Wednesday. The Lima News reports 36-year-old Rachel Friesel and 20-year-old Destini Fenbert both pleaded not guilty to the charges they face. The state is also charging them with patient neglect and gross patient negligence.

An investigation by the Ohio Department of Health says Friesel and Fenbert admitted to falsely documenting bed checks at the Hilty Home on January 7. Employees found the body of Phyllis Campbell outside the facility in frigid temperatures that day.

31-year-old Megan Schnipke made a court appearance Monday. She pleaded not guilty to counts of forgery, gross patient neglect, and patient neglect.

MORE: Lima News

United Way Of Putnam County Get New Director

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 5:19 A.M.

The United Way of Putnam County has a new executive director. The Putnam County Sentinel reports Jan Fuetter started in the position about three weeks ago. She takes over for Jeanne Beutler, who served in the role for almost 19 years.

Fuetter worked at the Putnam County Library for 12 years before taking over at the Y.

MORE: Putnam County Sentinel

Rawson Company Completes Expansion

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 5:08 A.M.

A Rawson company recently expanded its operations. DNC Hydraulics has opened a $1 million, 4,000 square-foot addition. The expansion allowed the DNC to add a new division that focuses on hydraulic pump, hydraulic motor, and valve repairs as well as sales.

The company has added six employees since October, along with three more trucks for pickup and delivery.

DNC employs 30 people and serves customers in six states.

MORE: The Courier

Four Hancock County Fire Departments Getting Grant Money For Equipment

May 17, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

5/17/18 – 5:00 A.M.

Four Hancock County fire departments are getting grants from the State Fire Marshal’s Office. The departments in Arlington, Jenera, and Washington and Liberty Townships are all getting $10,000 for equipment. The departments plan to use the money to buy protective clothing and related items.

State Fire Marshall Jeff Hussey says, “these funds are especially significant for smaller departments that have tight budgets.”

Ohio EPA Holding Session To Talk About Hancock County Landfill Project

May 16, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

05/16/18 – 4:34 P.M.

The Ohio EPA is holding a public information session and hearing on the planned expansion of the Hancock County Landfill. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. on May 29 in the Lindamood Room of the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library.

The proposed expansion will add more than 56.5 acres to the landfill. It includes a request for an exemption from a state rule that says the landfills must be 200 feet from a stream, lake or wetland. If approved, the landfill would be less than 200 feet from three wetland areas.

Gypsy Moth Treatments To Start Soon In Wyandot And Seneca Counties

May 16, 2018Local NewsMatt Demczyk

05/16/18 – 2:19 P.M.

Seneca and Wyandot Counties will be treated for gypsy moths this month. The Ohio Department of Agriculture reports that begin aerial treatments when the weather allows. Treatments need high humidity, low temperature, and minimal wind to be successful. They are administered with a low-flying aircraft.

The treatments are non-toxic to humans, fish, pets, and birds. The treatments will most likely be done in the morning.