(ONN) – A political group backed by Barack Obama and Eric Holder is looking to influence how Ohio draws its congressional lines.

Cleveland.com reports Ohio is among the 12 priority states designated by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, founded in 2017 to increase democratic representation in congress by influencing the state-by-state process of drawing district maps.

Republicans currently control 61 of Ohio’s 99 house seats.

But if Democrats net more seats, they would have more say in how the maps are drawn under the new redistricting rules Ohio voters approved in 2018 meant to make the process more fair.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is mobilizing a unit of the Ohio National Guard to assist in relief efforts in Puerto Rico.

DeWine announced that he was authorizing the Ohio Air National Guard’s 200th Red Horse Squadron to deploy in support of earthquake relief efforts on the island.

The squadron is stationed at Camp Perry, near Port Clinton, with the Red Horse designation standing for Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineers.

Puerto Rico was hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake and aftershocks this month, prompting a declaration of emergency from the territory’s governor.

People are being invited to pay their respects to Harley Dilly.

The family of the Port Clinton teenager says a public visitation is set for January 25th so the community can say goodbye.

A private funeral will be held at a later date.

Port Clinton businesses are collecting money for funeral expenses and a scholarship in his name.

Harley’s body was found in the chimney of an abandoned home, nearly a month after he disappeared.

It looks like we’re in store for a messy wintry mix to start of the weekend.

Friday will be partly sunny with a high around 30, but then late Friday night and into Saturday morning is where things get interesting.

Forecasters say we could get 1 to 3 inches of snow from late Friday night until about 5 a.m. Saturday, and then it will turn into a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.

And then temperatures will reach into the mid 40s on Saturday as the precipitation turns over to all rain.

It’ll also be windy on Saturday, with gusts up to 40 miles per hour.

Then temps plummet Saturday night when the low is forecast to be 13 with a wind chill of -1. It’ll be mostly cloudy and windy on Sunday with a high of only 18.

Hancock County and surrounding counties will be under a Winter Weather Advisory from Friday night through Saturday morning.

MITEC Powertrain, Inc. announced that they will be ceasing all operations in Findlay by the end of this year.

Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development Director Tim Mayle said that they plan to help the employees losing their jobs.

Mayle said they are working very closely with MITEC to know when employees will be laid off so economic development can help them get somewhere new.

He added that they are also looking at options for the facility and said he thinks they should be able to find a new manufacturer to take the space.

MITEC opened the manufacturing facility in 2012 but parent company, MITEC Automotive Group suffered bankruptcy in 2018.

In late 2019, the assets of  MITEC Automotive Group in Eisenach, Germany were sold.

Mayle said American Axle and Manufacturig Inc. bought the European Unit but the North American division remained under MITEC AG.

This closure marks the winding down of the parent company.

You can listen to the full interview with Tim Mayle below.

Findlay Brewing Company is working with GhostFish Brewery out of Seattle, Washington to raise money for ALS research.

FBC Co-Owner Aaron Osborne said they are excited to offer Ghostfish’s Resilient IPA.

He said they will have the beer available for pints and in four-packs.

Osborne said the event will be Thursday from 5-10 p.m. at FBC.

A portion of the proceeds from all sales from kegs and cans will go to benefit ALS Research.

You can learn more about the event here.

The Findlay Police Department is seeking help in identifying a theft suspect.

Police believe a man entered the Trenton Avenue Walmart yesterday and stole several laptop computers.

We have the suspect’s picture posted below.

Anyone with information is urged to call police dispatch at 419-424-7150 and can reference case number 2020-1150.

Volunteers are needed to pick up wreaths that were placed at veterans’ graves at Findlay’s Maple Grove Cemetery in December for Wreaths Across America Day.

The wreath retirement process will begin Saturday morning at approximately 10 o’clock.

Volunteers are asked to pick up only those wreaths that were placed in December, leaving any other wreaths or decorations in place.

People volunteering should bring a stick, pole, rake or something equivalent to support carrying multiple wreaths.

Volunteers are reminded to dress for the weather and wear gloves and waterproof footwear.

December 14th, 2019 was National Wreaths Across America Day and dozens of people came out to Maple Grove Cemetery to lay wreaths at the graves of local veterans.

More than 1,100 wreaths were placed during the event.

The mission statement of Wreaths Across America is Remember, Honor, Teach.

Remember all fallen U.S. veterans, Honor those who serve our country and Teach future generations about the sacrifices made to preserve our freedoms.

Two people were injured in a two-vehicle rollover crash south of Findlay.

The crash happened at about 1:15 Wednesday afternoon at the intersection of Township Roads 168 and 179 in Jackson Township.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says James Wagner, 75, of Arlington, was heading east on Township Road 168 when he failed to yield to a car at the intersection with Township Road 179.

His car struck the driver’s side of a vehicle that was northbound on Township Road 179 being driven by Angela Walker-Vollmar, 25, of Arlington.

The impact sent Angela’s car off the right side of the road and into a yard where it rolled several times and came to rest against a barn.

Wagner’s car went off the side of the road and came to rest in a yard.

The sheriff’s office says both drivers were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital by Hanco EMS with unknown injuries.

Wagner was cited for not yielding at the stop sign.

The Ohio Department of Health is urging Ohioans to test their homes for radon gas in January during National Radon Action Month.

“Long-term exposure to high levels of radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer overall and the top cause of lung cancer among nonsmokers,” said Dr. Amy Acton, the director of the department of health.

Free testing kits are available to households with an income of less than $80,000, and at a reduced price for other Ohioans.

“Running this easy, inexpensive test is an important first step in protecting your family from a devastating disease that kills thousands of Ohioans each year.”

If radon is detected, a contractor can be hired but it’s also sometimes possible to remedy the situation for yourself at less cost.