Ohio’s governor says the state must give foster care families more of a voice in the decisions affecting them and the children in their care.

Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters at an Associated Press forum that he’s heard “horror stories” of children in the care of foster families being moved without them being consulted.

He said that, if a foster parent has had a child for a year or longer, the foster parent should be placed on equal footing to a blood relative with whom a child may not have had much contact.

DeWine said that, in each case, requested revisions to the law should allow what is in the best interest of the child.

The impeachment trial of President Trump is over with Ohio’s senators split on their vote to acquit.

Republican Senator Rob Portman voted to acquit while Democrat Sherrod Brown voted to convict on each of the two articles of impeachment against the president.

The House of Representatives had brought articles of Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress in connection to Trump withholding military aid to Ukraine in exchange for information on a political rival.

Brown released a statement saying he was concerned about the president now doing more things to steal the 2020 election, while Portman said what Trump did was wrong, but his actions didn’t rise to the level of removal from office.

The Hancock County Board of Elections says it has successfully completed the Secretary of State’s required upgrades.

On June 11, 2019, Frank LaRose issued Directive 2019-08, a comprehensive, multi-faceted security strategy for local boards of elections that provides the redundancy required of a strong election system infrastructure.

In order to assure Ohio counties were given a deadline of January 31st, 2020 to complete the requirements within the directive. The effort has made Ohio the national leader in election security.

The directive included a checklist of 34 separate requirements that must be met in order to be considered compliant.

“The voters in Hancock County should be proud of their local board of elections for successfully embracing such a big challenge,” LaRose said.

“By elevating their defensive posture, they’ve helped make Ohio a national model for election security.”

The specifics of this checklist essentially serve as Ohio’s detailed defense plan against adversaries who seek to disrupt our elections. These requirements fall under five separate sectors:

-Physical security assessments and improvements
-Background checks of personnel
-Secure website and email domains
-Cyberattack detection, system hardening and network defense
-Security training

The Secretary of State’s office says virtually every Ohio county has met the requirements of the Security Directive issued in June 2019.

One county, Van Wert, is considered non-compliant and requires corrective action and seven counties have been good-faith partners but have minor additional action required.

All other counties are considered fully compliant.

A manufacturer headquartered in Findlay is opening a new facility in Tiffin.

“We’re very excited to be having MBDS join our business community here,” said Nick Dutro, development manager with Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership.

He says MBDS is utilizing the City of Tiffin’s New Jobs Program, which is a municipal income tax credit program, that city council recently approved.

Dutro says MBDS plans to hire 30 people in the first year and invest more than $100,000 in their Tiffin operation.

“We believe MBDS is going to be a great business partner and be around for many years to come,” Dutro added.

MBDS, LLC – Manufacturing Business Development Solutions – is a multi-million dollar company established in 2003 that supplies products for the major appliance industries and automotive companies such as Honda, Nissan and Toyota.

The company is based in Findlay with a second campus in Upper Sandusky and employs 55 people in the region.

Governor Mike DeWine says he’s close to releasing a proposal for dealing with an issue related to approved relatives caring for children taken from their parents even when the relatives aren’t licensed caregivers.

Ohio has been under pressure from child advocates to follow a 2017 federal court ruling ordering equality in payments to non-licensed relatives and to relatives who become licensed.

The issue has taken on new significance because the opioid crisis has seen a huge increase in the number of children taken from homes because of parents’ or guardians’ addictions.

(ONN) – Police in Lima have issued an arrest warrant following the murder of three men at a downtown bar.

On their Facebook page, police say they’re looking for 24-year-old Deontray Forrest (pictured below) for suspicion of murder.

This comes following the shooting deaths of three men, all in their 20s, at Levels Lounge, a bar in downtown Lima at about 2 a.m. Tuesday.

Police say two victims were found dead inside the bar and the third was on the sidewalk outside.

Police say several other people were inside at the time, but it doesn’t appear that anyone else was shot.

The bar had been the target of a nuisance lawsuit by city officials.

Anyone with information regarding Forrest’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Lima Police Dept at 419 227-4444 or Lima / Allen County Crime Stoppers at 419 229-7867.

All of northwest Ohio is included in a Winter Weather Advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

The advisory goes from 6 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday.

Forecasters say Findlay could get 1 to 3 inches of snow and sleet accumulation late Wednesday into Thursday.

Some freezing rain is also likely and a light glaze of ice is expected to develop.

People should plan on slick driving conditions, which could hamper the Thursday morning commute.

The low Wednesday night will be 28 degrees and the high on Thursday 31.

The Findlay Police Department says a man assaulted an employee while trying to steal two televisions from Walmart.

It happened at about 3:30 Tuesday afternoon at the Walmart on Trenton Avenue.

Police say Mitchell Folk, of Lima, was attempting to take two televisions out the auto maintenance entrance without paying when he was confronted by an employee.

Police say Folk assaulted the employee and fled on foot.

He was soon located at a nearby gas station.

Police say Folk’s accomplice, Jennifer Davis, of Lima, was taken into custody at the store for complicity.

The employee suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment.

Folk was booked at the Hancock County Jail on robbery charges and Davis for complicity.

Cancer Patient Services will be hosting its annual Chili Cook-Off this Saturday.

Executive director Carol Metzger explained that there is going to be a lot of chilies to try.

With each portion coming to about 3 ounces, Metzger said there aren’t many people that get to try every chili recipe.

Metzger said that, though the chili is the main draw, there’s a lot more going on.

She said there will also be ice cream from Dietsch Brothers and other raffles happening during the day.

According to Metzger, the Chili Cook-Off is CPS’s biggest fundraiser with a goal this year to raise over $100,000.

The Cook-Off will be this Saturday at the University of Findlay’s Koehler Center from 4:30 to 8 pm.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children between 6- and 11-years-old, and free for those under 5.

You can learn more at the Cancer Patient Service’s website.

Six GOP candidates will be presenting at the Republican First Friday Luncheon.

There are three candidates eyeing the Sheriff’s seat and three contesting the seat held by Commissioner Mark Gazarek.

In the race for Hancock County Sheriff, incumbent Sheriff Michael Heldman faces Tim Saltzman and Verl Warnimont. No Democrats filed for the position but independents do have until March 16 to file.

Commissioner Mark Gazarek has decided not to run for re-election. William Bateson, Miranda Lobdell, and Michael Recker are all seeking the Republican nomination for Gazarek’s seat this March. The winner will face Democrat Ronald DeCooman in November.

Commissioner Brian Robertson is also not running for re-election meaning Mike Pebble is uncontested in the upcoming primary. He’ll face Democrat Bruce Workman in November.

The meeting will be at the DOCK at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.

It includes a buffet starting at 11:30 am that requires a reservation and costs $10.

The program itself starts at 12 and has no cost to attend.