4/15/19 – 5:29 A.M.
Severe weather missed our area Sunday, but areas to our east weren’t as fortunate. The Mansfield News Journal reports a tornado damaged homes and a business in Shelby just before 5 p.m.
Debris across State Route 39 closed part of the highway, and downed power lines caused a power outage in the city.
An investigator from the National Weather Service will visit the area today to determine the strength of the tornado.
4/15/19 – 5:24 A.M.
You’ll see road work in plenty of familiar spots in Findlay again this week. Crews will close Summit Street to through traffic between Lima Avenue and Lima Street for a waterline replacement project. Stanford Parkway is also closed for waterline replacement work between Westfield Drive and River Road.
Elsewhere, the eastbound lane of Production Drive and the westbound lane of Industrial Drive are closed to traffic. If you’re trying to get into Tall Timbers you’ll need to use Production Drive. To get out you’ll have to use Industrial Drive.
Curb replacement projects will close Hardin Street between Western Avenue and Cory Street, as well as Scarlet Oak between Saratoga Drive and the cul-de-sac. Curb replacement is also closing Fox Run Road between Saratoga Drive and Greendale Avenue and on Greendale Avenue from Bright Road to Fox Run Road.
4/15/19 – 5:14 A.M.
You’ll see road crews on State Route 613 in Putnam County this week. ODOT says workers are removing raised pavement markings between Leipsic and the Hancock County line. The project will reduce the highway to one lane in work areas.
ODOT has a chip seal project planned for that part of State Route 613 this year.
4/15/19 – 5:02 A.M.
A West Virginia woman has pleaded guilty to a charge stemming from a heroin bust made in Hancock County last year. 30-year-old Shawntrina Alford of Huntington, West Virginia pleaded guilty to a count of possession of heroin during a hearing last Thursday.
The State Highway Patrol says Alford and 35-year-old Terrell Walker had roughly a half-pound of heroin in their car when a state trooper pulled them over for a lane violation on I-75 on August 15th. The investigators say the heroin was worth more than $43,000.
Alford’s sentencing date is June 3rd.
4/15/19 – 4:55 A.M.
Fire destroyed a vacant modular home early Sunday morning in Findlay. Firefighters responded to 414 Findlay Street around 1:30 a.m. 21 firefighters stayed on the scene until around 8 a.m.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation. The house was a complete loss. No one was injured in the fire.
Fire Location:
04/12/19 – 8:06 P.m.
Ballreich Snack Food Company announced that they bought Ballreich Bros. Inc. Seneca News Daily reports that Ballreich Snack Food Company is a recently formed group of Northwest Ohio business professionals. They say that they want to see the company continue to grow and remain an area tradition.
The Ballreich Family has been in business since 1920. Brian and Linda Reis are the current owners and say that this will take business to the next level. There will be no change at the current plant and business will continue uninterrupted.
04/12/19 – 7:31 P.M.
The First Friday Republican Luncheon featured the candidates for Findlay’s Council-At-Large and Mayor seats. Newcomer Matthias Leguire said he is running to bring transparency to Findlay City Council.
Current Councilman-at-Large Tom Shindledecker said that being on council means working with others.
Fellow Councilman-at-large Grant Russel agreed, adding that this leads to results such as Findlay earning the number 1 micropolitan spot in the U.S.
The final Councilman-at-Large, Jeff Wobser, said that with Findlay getting a new mayor, you want to make sure that council can work with them, whoever it is.
Mayoral candidates Brian Robertson, Holly Frische, and Christina Muryn talked about a variety of issues. Frische serves as a Findlay City Councilwoman. She said that she would like to see an increase in police and fire personnel.
Robertson talked about getting a new jail without raising taxes and his experience as a Hancock County Commissioner.
Muryn, who is serving as mayor currently, said the next mayor needs to be someone who can work well with others, regardless of whether or not they agree.
The candidates all talked about other issues as well including; legislation, the opioid epidemic, and flood mitigation. You can watch the full video from our Facebook page below.
4/12/19 – 3:00 P.M.
Highway construction season is here, and ODOT is reminding you to take it easy in the work area. Rhonda Pees says that’s especially important in the I-75 construction zone in Findlay. However, data gathered by the State Highway Patrol shows most drivers aren’t taking the work zone speeds seriously…
Audio:
Pees says it’s important to pay attention to the variable speed limit signs on the interstate…
Audio:
Pees says if the beacons are on and the speed limit is 55, then workers are behind a barrier. If the beacons are off there are no workers in the construction area and the speed limit is 60 miles-per-hour.
ODOT held a press conference in Findlay Friday to highlight the importance of looking out for construction workers along the highway. This is National Work Zone Awareness Week.
04/12/19 – 10:43 A.M.
The University of Findlay will be hosting an Arbor Day celebration next week and you’re invited. The event will feature a Hackberry tree planting. There will also be free t-shirts and food available. The celebration will be Tuesday starting at 4:30 p.m. on Cory Street Mall near the gazebo.
They will also be hosting an Instagram contest until April 14. You can learn more by visiting @UFGreenCampus.
4/12/19 – 5:24 A.M.
The mother of a Kenton man who died of an overdose while in custody in Allen County is suing. Jodi Hoop recently filed a lawsuit against the county commissioners, the county sheriff’s office, and Sheriff Matthew Tregalia among others. The suit claims the defendants, “failed to provide adequate protections to Brady Hoop, who suffered an untimely and preventable death by a fentanyl overdose.”
Jail employees found Hoop unresponsive in his cell on April 10th of 2017. The lawsuit claims Hoop had already overdosed once while in custody when he was working at the Humane Society of Allen County as a “jail trustee.”
The suit seeks at least $75,000.