6/4/18 – 5:36 A.M.
UPDATE – 7:51 A.M.
Emergency responders were on the scene of a crash on I-75 northbound early today. The Liberty Township Fire Department responded to a crash near the rest area south of Findlay just after 5:20 a.m.
Scanner traffic indicated one car was in the ditch as a result of the crash. The State Highway Patrol says those involved in the crash only suffered minor injuries.
We’ll have more details as they become available.
6/4/18 – 5:32 A.M.
A couple of road projects continue in Putnam County this week. ODOT says you’ll see pavement repair projects on State Route 65 in Columbus Grove and State Route 189 between U.S. 224 and State Route 115. Crews are also doing maintenance work on U.S. 224 throughout the entire county.
State Route 634 is down to one lane between State Route 613 and Continental. Workers are resurfacing the highway in that area.
6/4/18 – 5:27 A.M.
You might want to find a different route around part of the north side of Findlay this week. The county engineer’s office says a resurfacing project will limit operations on County Road 99 between I-75 and County Road 140. They’ll maintain traffic with flaggers, but you’re urged to find a different route if possible.
The engineer’s office says the project will last through Friday.
6/4/18 – 5:19 A.M.
Work on area highways continues this week. ODOT says crews are restricting I-75 to one lane in each direction on the interstate in part of Bluffton. The restriction is for a bridge repair project over Riley Creek. Variable speed limit signs are also in place in the area.
Elsewhere, State Route 330 over State Route 15 near Vanlue closed last week for four months. Crews are replacing the bridge deck there. The project will also cause some lane restrictions on Route 15.
U.S. 224 between Road 276 and Road 23 in West Independence remains closed for a bridge overlay project. State Route 103 between County Road 9 and Township Road 65 also remains closed. Crews are replacing a culvert in that area.
6/4/18 – 5:07 A.M.
Summer is unofficially here, and that means more time outside. Unfortunately, that also means more chances to get bit by a tick. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the number of tick-borne illnesses is on the rise. Ohio had 270 cases of Lyme disease last year. Lyme disease is one of the most common tick-borne illnesses.
The Ohio Department of Health says you should use tick repellents if you are in areas where ticks live. Dr. Tim Stacy of the Tri-County Veterinary Clinic in Fostoria says ticks tend to live in more overgrown areas with weeds and tall grass.
You should also check yourself, family members, and pets after you’ve been in areas where ticks tend to live.
MORE: The Courier
06/01/18 – 4:34 P.M.
Two Putnam County schools made the top 100 in Ohio according to U.S. News & World Report. Kalida High School ranked 18th and Columbus Grove ranked 85th in the state. The study looked at test scores alongside graduation rates and college readiness to rate the schools.
Kalida HS had a 98% graduation rate and a college readiness score of 61.5 earning them a gold medal. Columbus Grove also had a graduation rate of 98% but had a college readiness score of 29.5 earning them a silver medal.
06/01/18 – 4:28 P.M.
I-75 between Bentley Road and State Route 103 will be restricted to one lane at times for a bridge repair project. ODOT reports that work will be done on the County Road 15 bridge over I-75 in Hancock County and on I-75 over Riley Creek in Allen County. The project should be completed by September.
The interstate will be reduced to one lane from June 3 to noon on June 8. Variable speed limits are in place through the work zone.
06/01/18 – 3:16 P.M.
From the Balloon Fest to this year’s inaugural Miracle League All-Star Game, Findlay receives thousands of visitors for summer events. Chamber of Commerce director Dionne Neubauer said that this affects retail, hotel, and food business.
Neubauer said that businesses in Findlay collaborate really well during events to create a fun experience. She said this makes events more successful and keeps people coming back.
You can check for a full list of summertime events at visitfindlay.com
6/1/18 – 7:24 A.M.
One of the last remaining Sears department stores in our area is closing. WLIO-TV reports the company has announced plans to close their location in the Lima Mall. The store could close by early September, with liquidation sales starting by June 14.
The Sears location in the Findlay Village Mall closed in 2014.
Sears Holdings announced it was closing another 60 Sears locations Thursday.
The closest Sears location to Findlay is now in Toledo. The city still has a Hometown Store and an outlet store.
MORE: WLIO-TV
6/1/18 – 7:16 A.M.
The Vanlue School district plans to replace all of the school’s windows this year. The board voted to spend more than $523,000 on the project during a meeting this week. Superintendent Traci Conley says new windows should lower the building’s energy costs.
Work on the project starts in the fall.
MORE: The Courier