01/29/19 – 6:15 P.M.
We will be experiencing a cold snap to last through the rest of the week which could lead the homeless to seek shelter. Brandon Montague (Mon-tag) of the City Mission of Findlay said that they are ready to serve anyone that needs a warm place to stay.
Montague added that they can also act as a warming center and will have food available for those in need.
01/29/19 – 3:39 P.M.
We have heard plenty of reports about the upcoming bitter cold days and it’s all due to a polar vortex. WTOL 11 meteorologist Ellyn Fritz explained where these temperatures are coming from.
She added that we will go from bitter cold below average temperatures for this time of year to well above the average temperatures in just a few days. Fritz explained that a warm system from the system will push out the cold and we could see a high of about 50 degrees on Sunday.
01/29/19 – 3:14 P.M.
You may have heard that when it is freezing cold out, you should run water to keep your pipes from freezing. Jim Basinger from Basinger Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning said that running a faucet does help.
He added that you want to let both hot and cold water trickle out of the faucet furthest from the water source. Basinger said that if you can’t run both hot and cold, you should run just cold water. This isn’t foolproof though and your pipes can still freeze if temperatures get low enough.
Basinger also talked about heaters not being able to keep up with the temperatures.
He added that you shouldn’t turn your thermostat up to try to reach your desired temperature. He added that you should also keep your heater running because it is more efficient if it is always on.
We have more home preparation advice here.
01/29/19 – 1:30 P.M.
UPDATE – 3:05 P.M. (school closed moving the meeting)
The Sunny Farms Landfill Public Forum is moved to a new date after Fostoria City Schools announced its closure tomorrow. The building will not be available for the forum and it will be moved to February 13. The meeting will be at 6 p.m. with the doors opening at 5:30. All other event details will remain unchanged.
01/29/19 – 12:33 P.M.
Dangerously cold wind chills over the next few days could lead to frostbite in as little as ten minutes. Blanchard Valley Health System’s Doctor Bill Kose explained that frostbite goes through stages.
He said that in severe cases the skin will turn black which means it has completely frozen. He said that in those early stages you should get warmed up. He said that this can be done fairly easily.
Kose explained that you’ll want the water to be around 100 degrees. He added that if the feeling persists then you need to see a doctor.
Children and the elderly are the most at risk of frostbite. Kose said there are several factors that play into frostbite and how quickly it settles in.
He added that touching cold metal can dwindle that time to a mere few seconds.
You can try to avoid frostbite by bundling up with extra layers and not leaving skin exposed. You should also limit your time outside.
1/29/19 – 7:20 A.M.
An early morning crash injured a Findlay police officer on patrol in the city. The police department says Officer J. Sigler was eastbound in the 400 block of Tiffin Avenue around 12:15 a.m. when he noticed a car driving with its lights off. As he turned on his emergency lights he pulled into the intersection with Blanchard Street.
65-year-old Lucinda Morris of Findlay was driving south and had the green light at the time. She drove into the intersection and hit Sigler’s patrol car. The collision caused heavy damage to both vehicles.
Sigler, Morris, and a passenger in Morris’ SUV, 43-year-old Peggy Thomas of Findlay, all went to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
The crash closed the intersection for about an hour for cleanup. The incident remains under investigation.
1/29/19 – 6:49 A.M.
Fostoria’s auditor and director of finance has stepped down. Steve Garner unexpectedly announced his resignation last weekend. In his resignation letter, Garner said, “After much deliberation and careful consideration, I have come to the conclusion that a change in direction for my life is necessary.” He didn’t give any reason beyond that.
Garner had served in the role for 13 years.
Mayor Eric Keckler will interview candidates to fill out the rest of Garner’s term.
1/29/19 – 5:29 A.M.
McComb is looking at ending a parking restriction for part of downtown. Village council held a second of three readings for the ordinance Monday night. If it passes, the measure would drop a two-hour time limit for part of Main Street in the village.
Village council will hear one more reading of the ordinance before voting.
1/29/19 – 5:23 A.M.
The United Way of Hancock County raised more than $3.2 million dollars for the 2018 fundraising season. The organization says the money will help the community in areas of health, education, and financial stability. This year’s total fell just below last year’s $3.3 million.
Community members who serve on volunteer impact teams decide where the money goes from here. The members receive grant review training before looking at requests for the money.
Ginger Jones is this year’s campaign chairwoman. In a statement, she said, “The campaign committee and the community should be proud of the results we have collectively achieved over the course of the past nine months.” She added, “It has been an honor to participate in this campaign and to witness the compassion and responsiveness of our community when it comes to meeting the needs of our neighbors.”
1/29/19 – 5:14 A.M.
Residents in the Liberty-Benton school district will see a building levy on the May ballot. The school board approved a second resolution to put a 35-year, 7.3-mill bond issue in front of voters during their Monday meeting. If passed, the levy would pay to build a new pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade building. It would also fund renovations at the high school and the construction of a new auditorium.
6.8 mills of the levy would pay for construction. The rest would pay for continuing maintenance. The property tax would generate around $25.5 million. The state would pay for the rest of the $45.4 million project.