9/5/18 – 7:16 A.M.
Plans are moving forward for a spec building in Fostoria. The Review-Times reports city council voted to approve a $750,000 loan from the Revolving Loan Fund. The loan will help Ohio Logistics pay for the construction of a 200,000 square-foot building at the corner of State Route 12 and Weaver Road.
Mayor Eric Keckler stressed that the money doesn’t come from local finances. The state gives the money to the city to help foster economic development.
MORE: Review-Times
9/5/18 – 7:00 A.M.
A three-car crash sent one person to the hospital in Findlay Tuesday. The Findlay Police Department says the collision happened just before 4 p.m.at the intersection of West Trenton Avenue and Northridge Road.
23-year-old Sarah Ramsey of Findlay had stopped for a red light when her foot slipped off the brake. Her car then rolled into an SUV driven by 36-year-old Paul Delgado of Leipsic. The impact caused Delgado’s SUV to hit a pickup truck driven by 38-year-old Michael Stevenson of McComb.
Hanco EMS took Delgado to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. Officers cited Ramsey for improper starting.
9/5/18 – 6:47 A.M.
A two-car crash injured a Mount Blanchard man in Findlay Tuesday night. The Findlay Police Department reports the crash happened in the 900 block of Vincent Street around 8:45 p.m.
66-year-old James Steen of Findlay was driving south on Vincent when he tried to turn into a driveway and hit a northbound pickup truck driven by 26-year-old Kalieb Osborn.
Hanco EMS took Osborn to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment. Officers cited Steen for failure to yield.
9/5/18 – 5:28 A.M.
An Illinois man is facing prison time for trafficking drugs in Hancock County. 40-year-old Ramone Henry appeared in the Hancock County Common Pleas Court Tuesday. He pleaded guilty to counts of possession of cocaine, possession of heroin, possession of marijuana, and trafficking in cocaine.
Hancock County Assistant Prosecutor Steve Powell says he’ll recommend a five-year sentence.
Members of the Hancock County METRICH Drug Task Force and Findlay Police Department arrested Henry following a November 2016 raid at a home at 1212 South Blanchard Street.
MORE: The Courier
9/5/18 – 5:19 A.M.
Property owners in the Blanchard River Watershed in Hancock County will pay a maintenance assessment. The Hancock County Commissioners approved a $1 per-parcel assessment during their Tuesday meeting. They’ll collect the fee on 2019 real estate tax bills.
They expect the assessment to generate around $55,000 per year to pay for river maintenance. The money will pay for things like the removal of logjams, downed trees, and other debris.
Other counties in the Blanchard River Watershed have approved similar measures.
MORE: The Courier
9/5/18 – 5:11 A.M.
A request by a Findlay city council member to rescind the vacation of two streets didn’t move forward Tuesday night. The Courier reports Councilwoman Holly Frische made the request about the undeveloped roads off of East Sandusky Street. However, Law Director Don Rasmussen told council they couldn’t act on the motion because it was in violation of their own rules. Rasmussen says they can only reconsider the legislation the meeting after it’s enacted. In this case, they would have had to reconsider the street vacations on August 21. It’s also too late for a mayoral veto.
Matthias Leguire owns property at 830 East Sandusky Street and has opposed council’s move. He says he uses the undeveloped area to access the back of his land. However, the neighbor who petitioned for the vacation says kids play in the undeveloped area. Leguire is circulating a petition to reverse the council’s decision on a future ballot.
Monday’s meeting got heated at times. Charles Williams of Fishlock Avenue waived banners that called council corrupt. Council President Ron Monday threatened to have Williams removed from the meeting if he continued to waive the banners. Frische told Monday he was rude to citizens who addressed council and also needed to “change his tone” when addressing her.
Council members debated whether the street vacations truly landlocked any property. One property in question, 730 East Sandusky Street, may not abut the vacated streets. That means under city law the property owner wouldn’t receive notification about a hearing to vacate the street. Mayor Lydia Mihalik said in an email to the council that she is in favor of looking at how property owners receive notification in the future.
MORE: The Courier
9/4/18 – 11:05 A.M.
Your chance to get your kids involved in scouting is coming up later this week. BSA executive Marc Kogan says they’ll hold several events this Thursday…
Audio: Marc Cogan
At the same time, the face of scouting is changing. Boys Scouts of America changed its name to Scouts BSA last year and decided to admit girls. Kogan says there’s definitely national interest in making the change…
Audio: Marc Cogan
Kogan adds they’ll find out how many local girls are interested in the program this Thursday. 14 locations in Hancock County are hosting scouting sign-up events.
Kogan says any new family that signs up for scouting this week will get a free model rocket kit. They’ll be able to use the rockets at two events this fall.
Event Locations:
9/4/18 – 10:38 A.M.
Findlay-based MPLX is entering into a partnership with several other companies to build a new oil pipeline in Texas. MPLX, Energy Transfer Partners, Magellan Midstream Partners, and Delek U.S. Holdings all announced the project Tuesday. The companies say they’ll build a 30-inch carrier pipeline to transport crude oil from the Permian Basin in west Texas to the Texas Gulf Coast region.
They expect the 600-mile pipeline system to begin operations by the middle of 2020.
The project is subject to regulatory approval.
MORE: Announcement Release
9/4/18 – 10:25 A.M.
The University of Findlay scored high marks in a recent survey. Money Magazine ranked the school 338th out of 727 colleges for its 2018 best colleges list. The rankings take into account educational quality and affordability. They also factor in graduation rates and employment outcomes.
The average UF student has $25,000 in student debt. Money Magazine says the average salary for a graduate is just over $46,000 within three years of graduation.
Ohio Northern ranked 298th in the same survey. Bluffton University ranked 688th.
MORE: Money Magazine
9/4/18 – 10:00 A.M.
Paving work continues on a couple of roads in Hancock County this week. The county engineer’s office says you’ll see work on Washington Township Road 218 today and tomorrow. Paving takes place on Hancock County Road 180 south of State Route 15 on Thursday.
You’re advised to avoid the work areas if possible.