9/10/18 – 5:03 A.M.

A reminder that the ramps to and from State Route 12 along northbound I-75 closed today. ODOT says the I-75 widening project is closing the entrance and exit ramps for 60 days.

If you need to exit at Route 12, you can drive north to the U.S. 224 exit and then south back down the interstate to 12. ODOT says if you need to get on the interstate from 12, you should use County Road 140 to drive north to U.S. 224, and then head to the interstate from there.

In the meantime, the closure of Lima Avenue under the U.S. 68 overpass won’t happen until early next month.

9/10/18 – 4:54 A.M.

A former Toledo Corrections Institution employee will spend 30 days in the Hancock County jail for pulling a gun on a teenage girl. Hancock County Common Pleas Judge Reginald Routson sentenced 45-year-old Bryan Jameson of Toledo late last week. Jameson faced charges stemming from a May 2017 incident at the Twin Lakes Park north of Bluffton.

Hancock County Assistant Prosecutor Lora Manon says Jameson stopped a car driven by a 16-year-old girl and pointed a gun at her. He demanded the girl open her trunk. Jameson said he was looking for his fiance’s 14-year-old son. He added they thought the boy had been abducted after he went missing from their campsite.

Jameson will serve five years of community control when he gets out of jail.

MORE: The Courier

09/07/18 – 6:46 P.M.

Issue 1 is coming before voters this November covering punishments for drug offenses. Hancock County Common Pleas Court Judge Jonathon Starn said that it removes the teeth that courts have.

Jonathon Starn

Starn said that this oversimplifies drug offenses.

Jonathon Starn

Starn explained that there is a lethal difference in someone carrying 20 grams of painkillers and 20 grams of Fentanyl. Starn said that 20 grams of Fentanyl could potentially kill 10,000 people.

Starn added that he doesn’t believe that this will help people get treatment. He urged voters to vote against the issue.

09/07/18 – 11:27 A.M.

We’re expecting a lot of rainfall in our area this weekend with some possible flooding. WTOL Meteorologist Chris Vickers said that the rain will be coming in on Sunday.

Chris Vickers

Vickers said that we can expect the heaviest rainfall to come on Sunday afternoon. He added that the storm could cause some flooding.

Chris Vickers

He said that flooding will most likely happen late Sunday afternoon into the evening.

Vickers recommends that you make sure your gutters and storm drains are clean and ready to go.

We will monitor the situation and provide updates over the weekend.

9/7/18 – 9:01 A.M.

The exit ramp from northbound I-75 to U.S. 224 is open again. ODOT says the exit reopened Friday morning.

Next week brings new changes to the widening project. Crews will close the northbound ramps at State Route 12 for 60 days starting Monday.

9/7/18 – 5:22 A.M.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation is making moves ahead of the company’s bid to buy San Antonio-based refiner Andeavor. The San Antonio Business Journal reports Marathon entered into a pair of revolving credit agreements worth $6 billion at the end of August.

One agreement is for a $5 billion, five-year credit line. The second is for $1 billion and lasts 364 days. A consortium of 16 banks are financing the loans.

The stockholders of both companies vote on Marathon’s bid to buy Andeavor on September 24. If approved, Marathon will become the largest refiner in the nation in terms of capacity.

MORE: San Antonio Business Journal