10/30/18 – 5:09 A.M.
UPDATE – 10/30/18 – 5:09 A.M. (Updates succession process)

Hancock County’s engineer is stepping down next month. Chris Long says he’ll go on disability on November 17 so he can deal with the effects of multiple sclerosis.

Long has been the engineer since Steve Wilson retired in 2012.

The Hancock County Commissioners will appoint an interim engineer following the resignation. After that, the Hancock County Republican Party Central Committee will meet in special session to appoint a successor to fill the rest of Long’s term.

10/30/18 – 5:03 A.M.

Findlay school officials say that if the security levy passes next week, nearly half the revenue from it will pay for mental health services. Superintendent Ed Kurt says the district would use the money to pay for either new school employees or contract with outside agencies to provide services.

Kurt says the exact number of people hired depends partly on their qualifications. Salaries would vary based on years of experience.

Kurt also says while the ADAMHS board recently received a $4 million grant for children’s mental health services, that work will take place outside of schools. He adds that ADAMHS isn’t going to use the money to hire three counselors.

The 1.5-mill levy would generate $1.2 million every year for five years if voters pass the levy.

MORE: The Courier

10/30/18 – 4:30 A.M.

Bowling Green State University will lead national research into the best ways to protect lakes from toxic algal blooms. The school received a five-million-dollar grant yesterday to establish the Lake Erie Center for Fresh Waters and Human Health. BGSU researchers will work with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Science Foundation to identify the causes of toxic algae and prevention methods.

10/29/18 – 10:17 P.M.

The two candidates for state treasurer met for a public forum on Monday. Robert Richardson is running as a Democrat and Robert Sprague is the Republican in the race. Richardson said that he wants to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the opioid epidemic…

Robert Richardson

Richardson said that this will put pharmaceutical dealings in a more public light. Sprague disagreed saying that the state could benefit from social impact bonds.

Robert Sprague

Sprague said that this will force private companies to take part in trying to fix the opioid epidemic. He said it would also save the state money.

Sprague added that he didn’t think holding big pharmaceutical companies is part of the job for the state treasurer.

Robert Sprague

Richardson disagreed saying that Ohioans deserve to know how money is used in their state.

Robert Richardson

Richardson added that there are more powers to the state treasurers office than just being a fiduciary.

You can catch the full forum from UFTV below.

10/29/18 – 6:41 P.M.

Sodexo’s 13th annual University of Findlay Helping Hands Food Drive is coming up next week. The goal is to raise 100,000 pounds of nonperishable foods. If they meet that goal, then they will have beaten another one of their records. Last year they collected over 94,000 pounds of food which was the most out of any colleges taking part in Sodexo’s nationwide effort.

You can drop food off at the Alumni Memorial Union building from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on November 7. There will also be off campus collections at both Findlay Walmarts.

10/29/18 – 3:38 P.M.

Several Findlay addresses are under a boil water advisory. The Findlay Water Distribution Department issued the advisory for the 500 and 700 blocks of Scott avenue as well as 730 Milton Avenue. They are repairing a water main on Scott Avenue.

If you live in the affected area, you’ll want to boil your water for at least one minute before using it.

10/29/18 – 11:47 A.M.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash involving a flatbed truck this morning. The crash involved one other vehicle and happened at the intersection of U.S. 68 and State Route 15 just before 11 a.m. The truck was reportedly leaking fuel.

We’ll have more details as they become available.

10/29/18 – 7:53 A.M.

Local gas prices are up for the most part as we head toward the end of October. OhioGasPrices.com reports the average price for a gallon of regular in Findlay is $2.63 today. That’s up 10 cents from last Monday.

However, drivers in Ottawa have seen prices drop slightly over the last week. The average price is down two cents, to $2.54 per gallon.

The statewide average is $2.64 today. That’s up 8 cents from a week ago.

10/29/18 – 7:28 A.M.

Cooper Tire & Rubber’s third quarter net sales were relatively flat to 2017, but operating profit dropped by more than 26 percent between July and September of this year. Cooper filed it’s quarterly earnings report this morning. Net sales came in at $738 million for the third quarter of 2018. That’s up from $734 million during the third quarter of 2017. Operating profit for the third quarter of this year was $81 million, down from $111 million a year ago.

CEO Brad Hughes says unit volume improved in the U.S. over the last three months. He added, “Cooper also achieved year-over-year operating profit improvement in our International segment, as well as unit volume growth in our truck and bus radial tire business.”

Raw material costs continue to be an issue for the tire maker. A release from the company says the third quarter raw material index increased 12.4 percent from the third quarter of 2017.

MORE: Cooper Tire