A new urologist has joined Blanchard Valley Health Systems with expertise in robotic procedures. Dr. Joshua Ebel said that robotic procedures have really moved medicine forward.
Ebel added that these surgeries cut down on recovery times as well. He told us that surgeries that left you bed-ridden for a week will now put you under a 24-hour observation period and then you’re free to go.
You can catch the full interview below.
State Representative Jon Cross joined us on WFIN to talk about the newly passed House Bill 6. He said that there have been a lot of reports about the bill increasing electric costs to taxpayers but he says that’s bot the case.
Cross explained that while there will be a new fee on your energy bills, your energy efficiencies will be reduced from $4 on your bill to about 80 cents. This will result in a rate reduction around $1.3 billion. He adds that by 2027 Ohio utility bills will save $2 to $3.
He added that the bill also supports renewable energies such as wind and solar. This gives the state a balanced energy portfolio. Cross said that the portfolio will help bring more business to Ohio.
The bill also received criticism for bailing out nuclear power plants.
The Hancock County Board of Elections has its new voting machines in and tested. Officials tested the machines yesterday before boxing them back up.
Although the machines are operational, they still aren’t ready for November. The machines will need legs to stand on. Officials say that the boxes should be ready to go for the November general election by August.
The machines need to be used in the November general election if they are to be used in the 2020 presidential election.
A few months into the Findlay – Hancock County Public Library eliminating fines on overdue items, library officials say customers are understandably loving it.
Assistant Director Sarah Clevidence says going fine free has changed the tone of many conversations at the circulation desk.
“Instead of having to say, ‘sorry Bob, but you owe us 20 cents because your book is overdue’ now we can ‘Oh, just so you know, your book was due back two days ago and wasn’t able to renew so if you could bring it back as soon as possible we’d appreciate it.”
She says the Findlay – Hancock County Library is joining this new fine free trend early on, and it seems to be catching on at more and more libraries including the McComb Public Library and North Baltimore Public Library.
Clevidence says it just makes sense to go fine free.
“Our patrons, as taxpayers have already paid for the materials, so we don’t want to charge you twice for them.”
She points out, however, that accounts with three overdue items will be frozen and no further items may be borrowed until fewer than three items are overdue.
At 30 days overdue, items will be considered lost and a lost item fee will be assessed.
An attorney for the Seneca County General Health District is scheduled to talk to the board of health today about the Sunny Farms Landfill application to renew its operator’s license.
The Review Times reports this meeting is scheduled 4 days ahead of the requested by the landfill. The hearing was requested after the board of health issued a notice of intent to deny Sunny Farms Landfill’s license. The public hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. this Monday.
The landfill has faced criticism and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency citations in recent years.
You’ve probably seen the demolition happening just north of the Blanchard River along Main Street in Findlay the last few days.
Hancock County is tearing down 130 and 136 North Main Street, two properties that have repeatedly been damaged by flooding.
County officials say the area won’t be redeveloped for business or retail since it’s still in the flood zone.
However, a park and bike paths are being considered for the area.
Since the 2007 flood, the county has acquired about 160 flood-prone properties through a combination of sales tax money and federal grants.
The Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office seized 140 doses of black tar heroin Tuesday.
The sheriff’s office executed a search warrant around 2:30 p.m. at 9768 Township Highway 111 near Upper Sandusky. This followed a 4-week investigation by the sheriff’s office and the METRICH Enforcement Unit.
Officers arrested 38-year-old Luis Diaz-Castillo of Upper Sandusky for trafficking in heroin. 46-year-old Richard Baum Jr. of Kenton was arrested for possession of heroin. 50-year-old Timothy Cole, also of Kenton, was arrested for a probation violation.
Legacy Farmers Cooperative will start construction of a warehouse on the west edge of McComb in a few weeks. The Courier reports the warehouse will be a 12,000-square-foot storage facility and will cost about $475,000.
Legacy Farmers Cooperative CEO Mark Sunderman told the paper that it will be the only storage center for Legacy’s bulk seed business.
Sunderman added that the project will increase efficiency by centralizing its storage.
Cooper Tire’s Tread Wisely Program shared some tips on tire pressure in the summer heat. Manager of consumer relations Bill Geaman explained that the summer heat has a major effect on tire pressure.
Geaman recommends making sure your tires are adequately inflated before you take any trips. He said that you’ll want to make sure your tires are cool before you check them. Driving can heat up the tires and impact getting an accurate reading. The best time to check is in the morning before you drive to work.
You can learn more safety tips on Treadwisely.org
Hancock County Sheriff Michael Heldman has joined a national task force looking to change Medicaid coverage in jails. He explained that current policies kick people off Medicaid before they are found guilty.
Heldman added that most of the treatment procedures such as drug treatments will start as soon as someone is held in jail. This costs taxpayers money for Medicaid doubled with the cost to the jails for the treatment for the suspect, which adds up.
Heldman said that this is a problem affecting jails across the nation, not just in Hancock County.