5/8/18 – 10:06 P.M.
Area residents voted in favor of four school renewal levies in Hancock County. Liberty-Benton’s two emergency levies both passed by 66 to 34 percent.
Arcadia’s passed by 56 to 44 percent.
Cory-Rawson’s three-quarter percent income tax passed by 55 percent to 45 percent.
5/8/18 – 9:46 P.M.
Hancock County Commissioner Tim Bechtol has retained his county commissioner seat. 59 percent of the ballots cast in the commissioners’ race between Bechtol and Paul Craun went in favor of the incumbent. Bechtol says he’s thankful for the support both area residents and the county GOP have shown him…
Audio: Tim Bechtol
Bechtol says one of the biggest challenges over the next four years will be trying to improve child and adult protective services without extra money…
Audio: Tim Bechtol
Bechtol adds he’s excited to see the Blanchard River benching project come to completion as a commissioner. He said a lot of work over many boards of commissioners went into getting the project ready.
05/08/18 – 5:49 P.M.
The committee looking at the rules and procedures for Findlay City Council met to discuss decorum. Committee chair Grant Russel explained that they want to have fair meetings.
He said that they will make it easier by adding specific rules that they want to have followed into the procedures. This includes speaking in turn, which will allow all council members to be heard before someone can ask a second question.
Currently, there are no council rules regarding decorum.
5/8/18 – 10:59 A.M.
Last Friday, the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District approved an extra $675,000 for the Blanchard River widening project in Findlay. Today, Hancock County Commissioner Brian Robertson said while the money is additional, it wasn’t unexpected…
Audio: Brian Robertson
Robertson says the commissioners feel the $675,000 amendment to the contract is needed in this case. He adds change orders are common in any engineering project.
The conservancy also approved an additional $45,000 for design fees during their Friday meeting.
A 2016 memorandum of understanding between Hancock County and the conservancy authorizes the conservancy to approve Blanchard River enhancement projects…
Audio: Brian Robertson
The agreement says the county will pay for the work out of money raised from a quarter percent sales tax.
5/8/18 – 7:25 A.M.
A February disorderly conduct arrest in Hancock County could land a Findlay man in prison in Indiana. The Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne reports 23-year-old Daniel Heffner appeared in an Allen County, Indiana court Monday. A judge is considering revoking Heffner’s probation.
In 2014, Heffner pleaded guilty to reckless homicide for his role in a fatal crash in Indiana. He received a six-year prison sentence, with five years suspended.
Court documents show Heffner violated his probation when authorities charged him with disorderly conduct in Findlay.
MORE: Journal Gazette
5/8/18 – 7:11 A.M.
Polls are open in Ohio for the May primary election. There are several contested races on the local ballot. Hancock County Republicans will have to choose between incumbent Tim Bechtol and challenger Paul Craun in a county commissioners race. The winner will be uncontested in November.
Another race on the Republican side that’s garnered much attention is in the 83rd Ohio House District. Both Cheryl Buckland and Jon Cross are vying for the GOP nomination. The winner will face Mary Harshfield in November.
Hancock County Job and Family Services has a 1.2 mill, 10-year levy on the ballot. The measure would fund children’s and adult protective services.
Voting locations are open until 7:30 p.m. We’ll have election coverage starting tonight at 7 p.m.
5/8/18 – 6:43 A.M.
Authorities in Auglaize County have arrested a woman wanted on felony theft charges in Seneca County. The Lima News reports officers from the Waynesfield Police Department took 29-year-old Samantha Helton into custody Saturday. She was a passenger in a car driven by her husband when officers pulled them over.
Investigators say Helton has outstanding felony warrants for her arrest in Ohio and Indiana.
MORE: Lima News
5/8/18 – 6:35 A.M.
Heads up if you are driving south this morning. ODOT says crews will slow traffic on I-75 in Allen County near Bluelick Road today. Workers for Charter Communications are raising a utility line over the interstate in that area between 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
5/8/18 – 5:21 A.M.
Village employees in Carey are closer to getting raises. Village council heard the first reading of an ordinance that sets new pay ranges during their Monday meeting. Council also heard the first reading of an ordinance that gives raises to the fire chief and assistant fire chief.
Representatives from a Lima human resource company say Carey village employees make less than employees in similar towns. It will cost about $61,000 the first year to get all employees on the new wage scale. That includes a minimum 3 percent increase.
Fire Chief Chad Snyder’s annual pay would increase from $3,000 to $7,500, and Assistant Fire Chief Keith O’Flaherty’s annual pay would increase from $1,300 to $2,500.
If approved in June, the employees would see a pay bump in the July 8 period.
5/8/18 – 5:11 A.M.
Arlington residents talked to village council members about storm water drainage issues Monday night. They say they’re having problems with slow drainage in the area of Wilch Street. After a lengthy discussion on the issue, council agreed to study the matter further.
Council also heard more complaints about a fire-damaged home on North Main Street. The owner of the home hasn’t repaired the building, and trash, tarps, and insulation are visible. Village officials say Arlington lacks a maintenance code that could specify what the owner needs to fix.
MORE: The Courier