2/13/19 – 5:31 A.M.

A tax bill deadline is coming up at the end of the week. Payment of first-half real estate tax bills for 2018 are due on February 14th. Hancock County Treasurer Steve Welton says his office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Friday to accept payments.

There’s also a dropbox inside the entryway of the courthouse if you are paying by check. Certain banks are also taking payments.

If you mail your payment in, it has to have a postmark of February 15th to be considered on time.

2/13/19 – 5:24 A.M.

Plans are underway to replace sliding doors from some of the cells in the Hancock County Jail. Commissioner Tim Bechtol says they’ll go out for bid on the project later this month. The work will likely happen in March.

Part of the $1.5 million the commissioners borrowed for jail repairs will pay for the project. An estimated $1 million of that is earmarked for the sliding doors.

2/13/19 – 5:17 A.M.

Another phone scam is making the rounds in Hancock County. Sheriff Michael Heldman says people are getting calls from someone claiming to be him. The caller tells the target of the scam they are wanted for contempt of court and that deputies are going to arrest them unless they give personal information over the phone.

Heldman says he does not call people who are in contempt of court. If you get a call like this you should just hang up.

2/13/19 – 5:09 A.M.

Winter weather hasn’t helped the Blanchard River benching project in Findlay. Project manager Steve Wilson says wet weather and high river levels have kept workers off the project for the last couple of weeks. On Tuesday, Wilson told the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District that the contractor had removed around 25 percent of the dirt for the river benches.

Work on the benching project began in late 2018. Once completed, it’s expected to lower the 100-year flood level by about a foot in downtown Findlay.

MORE: How river benching works

02/12/19 – 6:00 P.M.

The Hancock County Commissioners got an update on Hancock Public Health’s efforts to get accreditation. Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi explained that they need some upgrades to their facility to get the accreditation.

Baroudi explained that these are minor things like bathroom signs and parking spots. Baroudi said that the state will require health districts to be accredited by 2020. He adds that they are well on their way.

Baroudi said that they are also going to continue searching for a new location so that Hancock Public Health can continue to grow and expand services.

02/12/19 – 2:02 P.M.

The Hancock County Commissioners got an update on a System of Care Grant used by the Family Resource Center. ADAMHS Board executive Director Precia Stuby explained that the grant is being used to facilitate services.

The grant generates $1 million a year for four years. Stuby added that the grant does have requirements such as specific filled positions. .

Stuby said anyone interested in the position should contact Julie Brown at the Family Resource Center.

02/12/19 – 1:38 P.M.

The Farmer’s Share Breakfast is coming up in the middle of March. Laurie Poland from the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce said that the breakfast is meant for the Hancock County Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Poland said that there will be four winners announced the morning of the breakfast. There will also be a presentation from the winner of the regional FFA speaking contest.

The breakfast will be at the Old Millstream Center at 7:30 a.m. on March 14. Tickets are $5 and available at the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce.

02/12/19 – 12:51 P.M.

The exit ramp from Interstate 75 northbound to State Route 12 will close at 9 p.m. tonight for guardrail repair. Traffic will be detoured onto I-75 northbound to the U.S. 224 interchange to I-75 southbound back to State Route 12.