09/14/18 – 6:52 P.M.
It’s National Library Card Sign-Up Month and the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library has a giveaway. The library is encouraging children to obtain library cards. Patrons that register will be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card. The gift basket will include a Kindle.
For more information, you can call the library at 419-422-1712.
There will be a wiffle ball game this Sunday as part of Play Ball. Findlay mayor Lydia Mihalik explained that this is a program designed to keep families active.
All ages and family members are encouraged to come take part. The games will be held at The Miracle Park from 6-8 p.m. and there is no cost to attend. There will also be hotdogs and drinks available.
09/14/18 – 6:19 P.M.
Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik was in Dayton earlier this week for an education attainment conference. She said that the conference was done to try and figure out how to prioritize higher education.
She said that by making sure there is top-tier public education, today’s youth will help grow the economy.
Mihalik said that she plans to continue the discussion
9/14/18 – 5:26 A.M.
A Seneca County fire department is getting a grant to buy protective equipment for its firefighters. The Bascom Joint Fire District is getting more than $14,000 to buy one extractor and 34 washable gloves.
The money is coming from the state Bureau of Workers’ Compensation under a program to protect firefighters from carcinogens and other harmful health hazards.
9/14/18 – 5:20 A.M.
The former fiscal officer for Union Township in Putnam County pleaded guilty to theft in office charges Thursday. The Lima News reports a judge granted treatment to Kyle Unverferth during the hearing.
Unverferth says he took a computer from the Union Township Trustees after he made an error in the township checkbook and panicked. He added he shredded documents and threw the computer away to hide his mistake before an upcoming audit.
A judge sentenced Unverferth to treatment in lieu of conviction. He’ll go through a two-year rehabilitation program and spend 10 days in jail with credit for one day served.
MORE: Lima News
9/14/18 – 5:10 A.M.
A third woman charged in the death of a resident at the Hilty Home in Pandora is considering a plea deal. WLIO-TV reports Putnam County Prosecutor Gary Lammers offered the deal to 32-year-old Megan Schnipke Thursday. The deal says the state will drop a charge of patient neglect in exchange for guilty pleas to a felony count of forgery and a misdemeanor count of gross patient neglect.
Schnipke has until October 17 to consider the deal. 20-year-old Destiny Fenbert and 36-year-old Rachel Friesel have already taken plea deals in the case.
The state charged all three women following the January death of 76-year-old Phyllis Campbell. She wandered outside of the facility on January 6 and died from hypothermia.
MORE: WLIO-TV
9/14/18 – 5:00 A.M.
We’ve seen fewer overdose deaths in Hancock County so far this year. Hancock Public Health says seven people have died from overdoses through the beginning of this month. That’s five less than the same period in 2017.
Hancock Public Health injury prevention coordinator Krista Pruitt says there’s not a specific reason for the decline. She says the opiate issue is very complex.
The coroner’s office has yet to rule on 14 deaths in the county. Pruitt says it’s unlikely that all 14 are overdose deaths.
MORE: The Courier
09/13/18 – 6:41 p.M.
The Annual Chalk-A-Walk is coming to Findlay this weekend. The Findlay Art League’s Paul Sears explained that it is a drawing competition with a twist.
Sears said that the drawing will be done from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. this Saturday on the sidewalks on Main Street in Downtown Findlay. Anyone can participate and teams are made up of 2 – 5 people. Sears said that the winners will receive $100.
Entry to the competition is $10.
09/13/18 – 6:22 P.M.
The Miracle League All-Star Game is coming to Findlay this weekend. Executive Director Diane Alford said that this game provides children with special needs an opportunity to have new experiences.
Alford said that there will be people coming in from all over the nation.
The miracle league brings the game of baseball to children that have special needs. The All-Star Game will open this Friday with a street party/meet and greet at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts starting at 5:30 p.m.
The games will be this Saturday at the Blanchard Valley Health System Miracle Park.
09/13/18 – 3:02 P.M.
The state has released the report cards for school districts across the state. Arcadia, Arlington, and Liberty Benton received B’s overall. Findlay, McComb, Riverdale, Van Buren and Vanlue got Cs. Cory-Rawson received a D. The report cards are new this new and are based on results in the six component areas that were graded in previous years.
In the past, school administrators have disapproved of the report cards because the grading metrics change. Findlay City Schools Superintendent Ed Kurt explains…
Kurt added that they will use the report card to look at what areas they need to improve. He said that he thinks they do have a comprehensive plan for growth though.
The schools were graded on metrics such as achievement, graduation rates, and preparedness for success. In the achievement category, Van Buren earned the highest grade with a B. Arcadia, Arlington, and Liberty Benton got C’s. Cory-Rawson, Findlay, McComb, Riverdale, and Vanlue all received D’s. The achievement category represents how well students did on state tests.
Arcadia, Arlington, Liberty Benton, McComb, Van Buren, and Vanlue all scored A’s in the graduation rate component. Findlay, Liberty Benton, and Riverdale schools all got B’s. The graduation rate component looked at which students are successfully finishing high school with a diploma in four or five years.
Preparedness for success measured how well-prepared students are for the future. This could mean training in a technical field or preparing for college. The highest grades from this category came from Arlington and Liberty Benton with C’s. Arcadia, Findlay, Riverdale, Van Buren, and Vanlue all got D’s. Cory-Rawson and McComb got F’s.