05/10/18 – 6:56 P.M.

Your local mail carriers are taking donations to help stop hunger in our communities. Jeff Kranz is from the local chapter of the National Association of Letter Carriers and said that donations are needed this time of year.

Jeff Kranz

Kranz explained that 1 in 6 Americans face hunger every day.

Jeff Kranz

The Stamp Out Hunger event is put on by mail carriers across the United States. Kranz said that to participate all you have to do is leave packaged food items by your mailbox for pickup this Saturday.

05/10/18 – 1:27 P.M.

Senator Sherrod Brown was on WFIN to talk about the opioid epidemic. He said that drug courts have proven their use.

Sherrod Brown

He added that drug courts help people through recovery by holding them accountable.

He also talked about merging drug treatment and job training to help set people in recovery up with a better life. He said that he and a Republican from West Virginia are working across the aisle to do this.

Sherrod Brown

Brown explained that, far too often, people relapse because they can’t find a job after going through recovery. He said that combining job training will ensure that they have the necessary skills to avoid that.

5/10/18 – 11:11 A.M.

Problems stemming from the opioid epidemic and related crime continue to eat into the Hancock County budget, but there’s no extra money available to deal with it. Commissioner Tim Bechtol says they have to do a better job of communicating the impact of the situation…

Audio: Tim Bechtol

The commissioners say the state isn’t offering as much reimbursement money for law enforcement programs. Voters have rejected a jail expansion and money for child and adult protective services.

Commissioner Brian Robertson agrees they have to have a better dialogue. He says the public and private sectors do a good job informing the public when it comes to economic development. Robertson says applying that template to discussing community issues could work…

Audio: Brian Robertson

The ongoing opioid crisis took another bite out of the budget today. The commissioners approved a $13,500 additional appropriation to the budget to pay for felony delinquent care and custody.

The President and CEO of the Findlay Family YMCA is retiring at the end of the month. Brent Finlay announced that he will enter retirement on May 31. He joined the Findlay Family YMCA in December 2012. Finlay said, “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with hundreds of volunteers all devoted to the mission and impact of the Findlay YMCA”.

Until a replacement is found, Paul Worstell will be the acting interim executive director of the Findlay Family YMCA.

5/10/18 – 7:31 A.M.

Democrat Mary Harshfield will appear on the 83rd Ohio House District ballot in the fall. The Courier reports Harshfield received 211 write-in votes during the primary. She had to get at least 50 write-in votes to appear on the ballot in November.

Harshfield ran for the 83rd House seat in 2016. She also ran for Findlay City Council in 2015 and 2017.

Harshfield will face Jon Cross, who won the Republican nomination Tuesday.

MORE: The Courier

5/10/18 – 7:18 A.M.

The construction of a new shelter house at the Riverbend Recreation Area starts later this month. The Hancock Parks District has signed a contract with Helms Construction of Findlay for the project. Helms submitted a base bid of $369,700. The project could cost around $410,000 depending on extra electrical work.

A $250,000 donation from the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is covering part of the cost.

The design for the enclosed shelter house makes it handicapped accessible and includes an indoor fireplace.

MORE: The Courier

5/10/18 – 6:59 A.M.

A study and report by the Walton Family Foundation lists Findlay as one the five best small cities in the nation’s “heartland.” The study listed Findlay and four others as communities that economically outperform other small cities in the rest of the nation.

The report largely chalked up Findlay’s economic growth to the “Findlay formula.” It went on to say that cooperation between businesses, government, and nonprofit organizations creates an environment conducive to company location and expansion.

5/10/18 – 6:50 A.M.

Hancock County is going to tear down another building on North Main Street in Findlay. The Hancock County Commissioners agreed to spend $225,000 to buy a building 130 North Main Street. The structure sits in the flood plain and currently houses Tee Oriental Foods.

The county is using money from the sales tax for flood mitigation to pay for the work.

5/10/18 – 6:43 A.M.

The Hancock County Landfill expansion project is moving forward. The county commissioners approved a $2.77 million bid from Vernon Nagel Incorporated earlier this week. Landfill funds will pay for the project, not general fund money.

The initial estimate for the lateral expansion was $2.89 million.