1/14/19 – 5:17 A.M.

A Findlay resident will continue to serve on the State Emergency Response Commission. Outgoing Governor John Kasich reappointed Randy Van Dyne to the commission last Thursday. Van Dyne will serve a two-year term.

1/14/18 – 5:10 A.M.

Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik resigned Sunday to take a state cabinet position. Mihalik became Findlay’s first female mayor after defeating three Republican candidates in the May 2011 primary. She then beat an independent candidate and a write-in in the November 2011 general election.

Mihalik leaves behind a legacy of job growth, investment from the state, and a more pedestrian-friendly downtown area. Critics took aim at Mihalik’s travels to conferences in and out of the state. However, former and current city officials say they helped get Findlay in front of people. Former service-safety director Dave Wobser says getting involved with national and state associations gives the city recognition when looking for grants.

Findlay has ranked first for business growth for four straight years among 575 small cities nationwide. Mihalik says that’s something that the community achieved.

MORE: A full look-back at Mihalik’s time in office

01/11/19 – 6:36 P.M.

The annual Fire and Ice Gala is coming up later this month to raise money for Camp Fire North West Ohio. The event will feature Dueling Pianos International and food from Mancy’s Steakhouse and Buggy Whip Bakery. You can also take part in a winter buggy ride and with a special ticket, there is a bourbon tasting from The Bourbon Affair.

Aside from entertainment, you can also try to win auctions.

The event will be on January 26 from 6 – 11 pm at the Hancock Hotel. Tickets are $50 and are available online at campfirenwohio.com

1/11/19 – 6:44 A.M.

Residents in the Arcadia school district will see a renewal levy on the ballot in May. The school board voted Thursday to place a 1 percent income tax in front of voters again.

The tax brings in more than $822,000 every year for general operating expenses.

MORE: The school board votes to buy land to help with traffic issues near the school.

1/11/19 – 5:33 A.M.

McComb residents continue to mourn the loss of a well-known artist and voice in the community. Silvio Jimenez died in a car accident last Sunday, three days before his 46th birthday. Jimenez was renowned for his murals, which you can see on buildings in downtown McComb, the high school, and beyond.

Jimenez opened his studio to area children so they could learn about art. He was also part of the village’s “Heart and Soul” team. The group aimed to revitalize and build the community. Heart and Soul Project Coordinator Joe Wasson said “I knew he was something special.” when he met Jimenez.

Jimenez painted a mural in the McComb Public Library in 2009. At the height of the economic downturn, he offered to do it for only the cost of the paint. He also painted a large panther mural on the side of Primrose Flowers and Gifts on Main Street last fall.

MORE: Many more in the McComb community have fond memories of Jimenez

1/11/19 – 5:19 A.M.

73 employees at the Hancock County Department of Job and Family Services will get raises this year, and it won’t impact the county’s general fund. JFS Director Randall Galbraith says the money is coming from state and federal funds received by the department. The raises amount to $232,000 per year.

Galbraith says JFS employees were leaving the department for similar, higher-paying jobs in neighboring counties. Many times an employee would receive training in Hancock County before quickly leaving for a job elsewhere. Galbraith believes this will help slow employee turnover rates.

MORE: Galbraith praises former JFS Director Diana Hoover

1/11/19 – 5:11 A.M.

The Liberty-Benton school board is taking steps to put a building levy in front of voters in May. The board passed a resolution to move forward with a 7.3-mill bond issue. The 35-year property tax includes 6.8 mills for construction and another half-mill for continued maintenance of a new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade building. The plan also includes renovations in the high school.

The tax would pay for the local share of a $45.5 million project. The state would pay or 57 percent of the construction.

If voters pass the levy, the district would start collecting the tax in January of 2020. At the same time, the bond for the high school will expire. The current levy is collected at 1.8 mills, so the actual increase in property tax bills would be 5.5 mills. That amounts to just over $192 per year for a property appraised at $100,000.

The plan includes funding for an 800-seat auditorium. Community surveys showed a new pre-k through eighth-grade building plus a new auditorium was the most popular option.

MORE: Full breakdown of the proposed levy

1/11/19 – 4:27 A.M.

Northwest Ohio State Senator Randy Gardner is joining Governor-elect Mike DeWine’s cabinet. The Bowling Green Republican was tapped yesterday to serve as chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education. Gardner spent 33 years in the Statehouse before taking on the new role.