6/25/18 – 6:43 A.M.
The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a registered sex offender. A post on the sheriff’s Facebook page says Branden Roby is wanted on a felony probation violation warrant. If you have information on where he is you should contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office 419-354-9001.
We have a picture of Roby posted on our website.
6/25/18 – 5:41 A.M.
The Putnam County grand jury indicted the mayor of Cloverdale late last week. The Lima News reports Judd Spencer’s case now moves to the common pleas court as a result. Authorities charged Spencer with domestic violence, using weapons while intoxicated, and carrying a concealed weapon last month.
Spencer has pleaded not guilty to all counts. He is free on a conditional bond. He’s not allowed to have contact with his wife or to drink alcohol while free on bond.
MORE: Lima News
More than 100 people came to the Oakwoods Nature Preserve in Findlay over the weekend. The group took pictures of dragonflies and damselflies so they could count how many species are in our area.
Shane Myers is the northwest regional coordinator for the Ohio Dragonfly Survey. He says the insect can be a test of local water quality. Some species only live where there isn’t much sediment or pollution. Dragonflies also eat mosquitos.
Hancock County has around 67 species of dragonflies.
MORE: The Courier
6/25/18 – 5:27 A.M.
Fair season is underway in northwest Ohio. The 163rd Putnam County Fair opens today. The six-day event kicks off with the ringing of the county bell at 10 a.m.
Grandstand events tonight include a tribute to veterans at 6:30 p.m., the king and queen ceremony at 7 p.m. and the Marching Band Spectacular directly following.
Veterans get in free all day today.
The fair runs through Saturday.
6/25/18 – 5:18 A.M.
A few new road projects start in Hancock County this week. ODOT says they’re closing State Route 103 between County Road 698 and Township Road 59 for five days starting today for culvert repair.
On Wednesday crews will reduce I-75 to one lane on the southbound side of the interstate north of State Route 613. They are repairing guardrails in that area. ODOT says they’ll also restrict traffic on eastbound State Route 15 just west of State Route 330 for guardrail repair on Wednesday.
Elsewhere other projects continue. State Route 330 over State Route 15 near Vanlue remains closed. Crews are replacing the bridge deck there. ODOT says crews are still restricting I-75 to one lane at times on the interstate between State Route 103 and Bentley Road in Bluffton. The restriction is for a bridge repair project over Riley Creek.
U.S. 224 between Road 276 and Road 23 in West Independence remains closed for a bridge overlay project.
State Route 103 between County Roads 9 and 65 remains closed for a culvert replacement. The work is taking place between Jenera and Arlington.
6/25/18 – 5:04 A.M.
The Hancock County ADAMHS Board dedicated two recovery homes in Findlay late last week. The organization honored two board members who helped launch the recovery homes in the city.
ADAMHS dedicated the men’s home on West Melrose Avenue to Brian Clark. He was the local ADAMHS chair when the recovery homes opened. They dedicated the women’s home on West Hardin Street to Carl Etta Capes. Capes has been on the board since 2008.
ADAMHS hung a plaque at each home to commemorate the occasion.
The board bought the two homes in 2015. Focus on Friends, a local recovery support center, runs the programming.
MORE: The Courier
6/22/18 – 10:49 A.M.
Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik recapped her trip to the U.S. Mexico border Friday. During an interview with WFIN’s Chris Oaks, Mihalik said she made the trip with 9 other mayors because they didn’t think other methods would get anyone’s attention…
Audio: Lydia Mihalik
Mihalik says one goal of the trip was to influence the people the mayors represent to reach out to their Senators and Congressman to speak their mind about immigration policy.
Mihalik says even though President Trump signed an executive order that at least temporarily stops the separation of children from illegal immigrant parents at the border, there’s a lot of work to do…
Audio: Lydia Mihalik
She wants to see a clear framework for how they are going to reunite families. Mihalik adds the government doesn’t have a good record of keeping track of children stopped at the border.
Mihalik also says she doesn’t believe this should be a partisan issue…
Audio: Lydia Mihalik
Mihalik says at the very least she hopes the attention brought to this issue sparks serious discussion about immigration policy in Washington D.C.
6/22/18 – 8:38 A.M.
College First Church is hosting a mobile food pantry in Findlay on Saturday morning. The event will take place at their location at 1100 North Main Street. The pantry opens at 8:15 a.m. They ask that recipients not arrive before 7 a.m.
A representative from each family must attend to receive a food box. You’ll need a picture ID and proof of current address.
CHOPIN Hall and the West Ohio Food Bank are helping coordinate the pantry. For more information call 419-422-6401.
6/22/18 – 8:31 A.M.
Kalmbach Feed’s newest facility officially opened in Wyandot County recently. The new 180,000-bushel corn bin is located just north of Upper Sandusky along County Road 44, between U.S. 23 and State Route 199. The operation also includes two finish feed loadout bays with separate control rooms.
A 650,000-bushel bin is still under construction at the location. It took three years to finish construction on the facility.
MORE: The Courier
6/22/18 – 8:25 A.M.
North Baltimore is taking steps to handle tall grass and weeds faster. The Sentinel-Tribune reports that under the new plan, the village will deliver the complaint in person or with a door hanger. Once that happens, the property owner has five days to mow. If they don’t, the village will mow the yard and assess the owner the cost.
If the property owner lives out of town the village will send them a certified letter. If it is undeliverable, the village can mow right away. If it is not returned, the village will run a notice in a local newspaper and then mow the yard.
Residents had complained the current system takes to long to work through.
MORE: Sentinel-Tribune