The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is providing several counties with grant money to use for prescribed fire programs.

Details are in the following media release from the ODNR.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry is a leader in promoting and using prescribed fire as a resource management tool in Ohio. Through the Prescribed Fire Supplies, Tools, Education, and Personal Protective Equipment (STEP) Grant program, the Division of Forestry recently approved grant funding for 21 projects totaling $46,058 for land management agencies in Ohio.

“This is a great opportunity to improve prescribed fire programs around the state,” said Division of Forestry Chief Dan Balser. “Providing our partners with the right tools is key to ensuring healthy ecosystems for the future.”

Counties with agencies receiving STEP grants include Allen, Clermont, Crawford, Erie, Franklin, Guernsey, Knox, Licking, Lucas, Montgomery, Richland, Sandusky, Summit, and Wood.

Prescribed Fire STEP grant projects are focused on supporting Ohio land management agencies by helping them to build and expand their prescribed fire programs. Items that grant recipients purchased through the STEP grant program include personal protective equipment, radios, tools, weather data devices, pumps, equipment parts, and signage.

For many land management agencies in Ohio, prescribed fire is a critical tool to maintain important habitats and ecosystems. Native prairie species are dependent upon disturbance to thrive, and prescribed fire has proven to be the most effective technique to promote growth and effective establishment of native prairie during restoration projects. Oak-hickory forests rely on fire as a disturbance to set back growth of other species so that oak seedlings can become established as a dominant species in the stand.

The Division of Forestry’s STEP grant program allows for cost-sharing to help prescribed fire programs succeed at state agencies, county park districts, metro park organizations, and other local conservation facilities. STEP grant funding is provided to the Division of Forestry by the U.S. Forest Service.

State Representative Jon Cross requested a performance audit for Van Buren Schools.

Cross explained that he has had concerned residents reach out to him and talk about the projected deficits the district has.

He said that he believes the performance audit is necessary to provide transparency but could also provide the district with some cost-saving measures.

Cross sent his request to State Auditor Keith Faber.

Van Buren School District was placed on a precautionary financial watchlist earlier this month. You can read more about that here.

Former Hancock County Commissioner Steve Oman sold 264 acres of land to the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District for the proposed Eagle Township flood basin project.

Tim Mayle serves Blanchard River Watershed Solutions and explained that they and Hancock United for a Better Blanchard both make sure this project has minimal impact on residents’ homes and farmland but also stayed close to the city.

He added that they will continue buying land for the project.

Mayle explained that they will need around 7,000 acre-feet, which is based on area. This means the basin can be anywhere between 7,000 acres and 1 foot deep or 1-acre and 7,000 feet deep.

Mayle said they hope to have more details and actual designs available before May so they can see about getting the plan approved.

So far the conservancy district has bought 417 acres.

You can learn more from project manager Steve Wilson here.

The Findlay Fire Department rescued a man and a dog from a house fire Sunday night.

The fire department says they responded to 215 Jefferson Street at 7:30 Sunday night.

When they arrived they could see smoke coming from the second floor and fire showing on the first floor.

Firefighters found a man trapped in a second floor bedroom and pulled him to safety.

He was taken to a hospital for evaluation.

Firefighters also found a dog in the house and saved her as well.

Firefighters had the fire out in about 15 minutes.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The Findlay Police Department says a woman was cited for leaving the scene of a crash.

The crash happened at the intersection of West Sandusky Street and Western Avenue a little before 5 p.m. Sunday.

Police say Jessica Keeton, 34, of McComb, and Corey Iliff, 42, of Fostoria, collided in the intersection.

Police say Keeton then fled the scene of the crash and was located on Trenton Avenue.

She was cited for leaving the scene of a crash.

Iliff was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for possible injuries.

Neither driver was cited for the crash due to conflicting stories about how it occurred.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn will deliver her State of the City Address on February 13th, 2020, at 5:30 p.m. at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.

Included with the mayor’s address will be the presentation of the annual John Edward Seman Award for Employee Excellence recognizing a city employee whose service, dedication, integrity, and commitment to the city and community are exemplary.

The award is named after Assistant City Engineer John Seman who passed away in 2004.

The city says John’s distinguished character and passion for excellence established a high standard for others to follow.

Meantime, Governor Mike DeWine will deliver his State of the State Address in the Ohio House chamber on March 31st.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder announced the date.

In his official invitation to the governor, Householder said he looks forward to DeWine addressing “the important issues that are on the horizon for Ohio.”

The Findlay Police Department says a driver fled the scene of a crash on Tiffin Avenue that left a woman injured.

It happened a little after 5 p.m. Friday in the 2000 block of Tiffin Avenue.

Police say Stephanie Lentz, 35, of Fostoria, was going east on Tiffin Avenue when she was rear-ended by 57-year-old Gordon Barker, of Tiffin.

Police say Barker left the scene of the crash and was caught in the 500 block of Tiffin Avenue.

Police say Barker was arrested for operating a vehicle under the influence and was ticketed for leaving the scene of an accident and failure to maintain assured clear distance.

Lentz was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.

Dozens of Findlay firefighters had a part in battling a house fire on Saturday.

The fire department was dispatched to 3307 Ridgeview Drive just before 5 o’clock Saturday morning.

Firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the roof of the house and the garage.

The two homeowners were out of the house and okay.

Firefighters went to work on the fire and had the bulk of it under control within an hour.

Firefighters stayed at the scene throughout the morning and into the afternoon to put water on hot spots.

Captain Joel Rampe says a total of 30 firefighters responded to the fire.

He says the cause of the blaze is under investigation.

The house is a total loss.

The Red Cross is assisting the family with accommodations and immediate needs.

The firefighters in the video below returned to the scene later in the day to make sure there were no hot spots that could flare up.

The University of Findlay was awarded around $350,000 in scholarships to support students going into computer science.

The money came as part of the Choose Ohio First Program funded by the Ohio Department of Education.

The scholarship money is available to current graduating high school seniors from Ohio entering the University of Findlay for the 2020-2021 academic year.

Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Randy Gardner announced the decision to support over 35 colleges and universities with over $20.5 million over the span of 5 years in late 2019.

Get more here.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s 166th Academy Class graduated after 30 weeks of intense training.

The class consisted of 42 cadets, 3 of which will be coming to the Findlay post.

The cadets completed courses in crash investigations, criminal and traffic law, and detection of impaired drivers to name a few.

Coming to the Findlay area are; Krystal Rodriguez-Jiminez from Puerto Rico, David Lopez II from Toledo, and Francisco Chavez from Defiance.