8/14/18 – 5:13 A.M.
You’ll see railroad repair work at a few Findlay crossings this week. CSX says crews are planning repair work on George, Cherry, and Olive streets, as well as Crystal Avenue and Clinton Court. The work should finish by the end of the week.
8/14/18 – 5:08 A.M.
Installation of “The Boot” classroom safety device continues in Hancock County. The sheriff’s office says every classroom in the Cory-Rawson, Riverdale and Van Buren school districts now has the door barrier. Crime prevention specialist Beth Baker says installation is also finished at the Blanchard Valley Center.
With the exception of the high school, the boot is now available throughout schools in Findlay as well.
The boot is a steel plate that can withstand 16,000 pounds of pressure. It’s designed to keep intruders out of classrooms.
Baker says they’ll continue to install the device in classrooms during the school year. The sheriff’s office still needs around $94,000 to completely fund the safety initiative. That would put a boot in more than 1,800 classrooms in the county.
You can go to crimepreventionfhc.com for more information.
MORE: The Courier
8/14/18 – 4:58 A.M.
An effort to put technology in the hands of every Findlay City Schools student starts this week. Third, sixth, and ninth-graders are getting Chromebooks. The district bought 1,380 Chromebooks for this year’s rollout. Information technology director Martin White says they’ll hand out the laptops to kids in the third, sixth, and ninth grades every year until every student has a device.
Each Chromebook costs around $250. Parents and guardians will pay a $25 fee per laptop for a technology protection plan. They also have to pay a $10 labor charge for repairs if needed. The district is waving the fee but not the labor charge for families who qualify for free or reduced-price lunches.
White says they’ll pass out the devices within the first few days of school. Students will learn about internet safety and won’t take the Chromebooks home overnight at first.
MORE: The Courier
08/13/18 – 6:37 P.M.
There were more West Nile-infected mosquitoes found in Hancock County. Hancock Public Health says that the Ohio Department of Health collected and tested the mosquitoes between July 26 and August 2 as part of a countywide program. So far there have been no human cases of West Nile virus reported in the county. Health officials are increasing efforts to control the adult mosquitoes in targeted locations.
You can help by removing any standing water from around your home and property. You can limit your risk as well by limiting your activities outside during dusk and dawn. You can also use an insect repellent containing DEET.
08/13/18 – 6:14 P.M.
The Hancock County Fair is coming up at the end of the month and the OSU Extension is getting things ready. Extension Educator Cassie Anderson said that you should check out all of the youth projects.
She said that there will also be other youth projects around the fair.
Anderson added that there is a ton of work put into the projects both before and during the fair. The fair this year will start on August 29 and last until September 3.
08/13/18 – 5:10 P.M.
Findlay Digital Academy has grown into a successful alternative for at-risk students in high school. That was the message from superintendent Rosemary Rooker at a Findlay Rotary Club meeting.
Rooker said that she thinks the difference between Findlay Digital Academy and other E-Schools is the drop-in mentoring lab. Students that are struggling can stop into the lab and receive help from retired teachers and other professionals. Rooker said that this has helped them get one of the highest graduation rates for e-schools in the state.
She added that state changes in funding have proven to be difficult though.
Rooker said that it is difficult to measure the hours of participation and some students finish the program early which affects funding.
Not all is lost though. Rooker explained that Ohio State representative Bob Cupp is meeting with her to discuss the academy’s success. She said that Cupp will take the information back to study committees looking at E-School funding.
8/13/18 – 5:30 A.M.
Local gas prices continue to decline. OhioGasPrices.com reports the average price for a gallon of regular in Findlay is $2.59 today. That’s a five cent drop from last Monday. A month ago we were paying $2.93 per gallon.
The average price in Findlay is below the state average of $2.68. The state average is 10 cents lower than it was last week.
Drivers in Ottawa report paying $2.69 per gallon today. That’s down five cents over the last seven days.
8/13/18 – 5:23 A.M.
The school year kicks off for many area districts this week. In Arcadia middle school and high school students can pick up their schedules and pay fees between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. today. Orientation for seventh-graders and new middle and high school students is set for 5:30 p.m.
The elementary open house is Tuesday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Students can bring school supplies, meet their teachers and pay school fees.
The first day of school in Arcadia is Wednesday.
8/13/18 – 5:18 A.M.
Ag Credit wants to expand its operations in Hancock County. To do that, it needs more space. Branch manager Dean Recker met with the Hancock County Commissioners to talk about the issue late last week.
Recker presented several options. He said Ag Credit could sign another lease with the county at the end of the year, and then look for a larger location to move to in the coming years. He also presented options to renovate the existing space in the Agricultural Service Center on Hancock County Road 140. Recker also suggested that Ag Credit could buy the building from the county.
Commissioner Mark Gazarek says state law prevents the county from selling property directly to someone. They would have to put it up for auction.
MORE: The Courier
8/13/18 – 5:08 A.M.
State Route 189 west of Columbus Grove is open again following a culvert replacement.
Elsewhere in Putnam County, ODOT says resurfacing work continues. You’ll see crews on State Route 65 in areas between Leipsic and the Henry County line. State Route 109 between Leipsic and the Henry County line is also reduced to one lane in some areas for repaving.