Marathon Petroleum has donated hundreds of thousands of pieces of PPE (personal protective equipment) to healthcare workers and first responders in the battle against the coronavirus.

More details from the company are below

As part of the nation’s critical infrastructure, our priority at Marathon Petroleum is to protect our employees, contractors and the communities we serve while fulfilling our responsibility to provide the essential fuels and other products that keep the country running.

We support local communities, especially those providing healthcare services, by matching essential supplies to what they need and can handle, at the right time.

Starting the week of March 23, Marathon Petroleum has deployed its entire stock of personal protective equipment (PPE) to hospitals, healthcare organizations and its own facilities across the country.

Over 500,000 pieces of PPE, including N95 respirator masks and gloves have either been delivered or are in transit to 45 hospitals and healthcare organizations in 20 states.

Delivery is expected to be completed by Saturday March 28.

Marathon Petroleum has had a pandemic response plan in place for many years.

Since January, as the COVID-19 outbreak has spread, we have reviewed and updated our plan, guided by global health experts including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, local health authorities, and state and federal governments.

In order to reduce the probability of spreading the virus from otherwise healthy people to those most at risk, Marathon Petroleum has reduced its facility staffing to only essential personnel and implemented remote working programs wherever feasible.

A special meeting of the Findlay City Council will be held on Tuesday, March 31st.

The city says the meeting will address time-sensitive matters that would’ve been addressed at the March 17th meeting that was canceled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

No public will be admitted to the March 31st meeting due to ongoing coronavirus concerns.

The meeting, which begins at 7 p.m., will be aired on WFIN and WFIN.com, as well as the City of Findlay’s website and local cable through Spectrum.

The following items are on the agenda:

• Ordinance No. 2020-020 (third reading) = annual street resurfacing/curb repairs 2020
• Ordinance No. 2020-029 (second reading) = 3rd Capital Improvement appropriation
• Ordinance No. 2020-030 (second reading) = Rutherford Avenue 6-inch waterline
• Ordinance No. 2020-036 (first reading) = 2020 CUBE parking lot repairs
• Ordinance No. 2020-037 (first reading) = CR 180 drainage plan
• Ordinance No. 2020-038 (first reading) = 4th Capital Improvement appropriation

As of Thursday afternoon there were 867 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in Ohio and 15 deaths.

Hancock County reported its second confirmed case on Thursday. Look over the complete numbers here.

At the Thursday update, Dr. Amy Acton said, based on the best data we have, the state could see 6 to 8, thousand new cases a day during the peak surge around May 1st.

“The more we can push that surge off, the better hospitals can prepare their systems,” she said.

Governor DeWine said what we do now will determine if our hospitals get overrun.

“If we overrun Ohio’s hospitals and get to a situation where our medical teams are making life and death decisions. We don’t want to be in that position. I worry about this every day. Stay home.”

The governor also said it is possible that schools will not return this academic year, and he says teachers, administrators and parents are doing amazing work with distance learning.

A local group of investors is working to save Red Hawk Run Golf Course.

The golf course, on U.S. 224 east of Findlay, was sold to the Red Hawk Run Community Association and another buyer last fall.

Now a group of investors needs to raise $700,000 in the form of memberships and shares of stock to have Red Hawk Run open this spring.

Gene Fernandez, treasurer of the Red Hawk Run Community Association board, knows the timing couldn’t be worse to try and raise the money in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic.

“Are we nuts for trying to do this, probably, but we’re putting it in God’s hands, if he wants it to be a golf course he’ll turn it into a golf course.”

He says they only have until Tuesday, March 31st to raise the money, because after that the grass will really start growing and the course will get away from them.

A share of stock is going for $5,000 and the memberships range in price from $400 to $2,000 a year.

“You’d be helping to save a course that’s known in this region as one of the premier courses,” Gene added.

Get more details on the effort to save the course here.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association has announced that the winter sports tournaments of wrestling, basketball and hockey, which were postponed indefinitely on March 12th, are now canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

It is anticipated that schools will not be able to reopen for many weeks, which prevents interscholastic athletics from taking place.

“We are just devastated that the tournaments cannot be completed,” said OHSAA Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass.

“But our priority is the safety of our student-athletes, coaches, communities and officials.”

He says the start of the OHSAA’s spring sports of softball, lacrosse, baseball, track and field and boys tennis is still postponed, which coincides with schools not being open.

The OHSAA says these four winter state tournaments and a few events during World War II are the only sports cancellations in the history of the OHSAA, which was founded in 1907.

Three Findlay Trojans, Jake Noon, Jonah Smith and Hudson Goebel were competing for a state title in wrestling.

The Ottawa Glandorf Boys Basketball team was set to play Evergreen in the regional final at BGSU before the tournaments were postponed, and then ultimately canceled.

Findlay City Schools has been recognized by the Ohio Auditor of State for its clean audit report.

Details are in the following news release from the auditor’s office.

Recent financial audits of the following entities by Auditor of State Keith Faber have returned a clean audit report. Their record keeping has qualified them for the Auditor of State Award with Distinction.

· Athens City School District (Athens County)

· Findlay City School District (Hancock County)

· Springfield Local School District (Lucas County)

· Austintown Local School District (Mahoning County)

“These districts have kept clean and accurate financial records,” Auditor Faber said. “Their hard work has demonstrated their commitment to transparency and I am glad to present them with this award.”

The Auditor’s Office presents the Auditor of State Award with Distinction to local governments and school districts upon the completion of a financial audit. Entities that receive the award meet the following criteria of a “clean” audit report:

· The entity must file financial reports with the Auditor of State’s office by the statutory due date, without extension, via the Hinkle System, on a GAAP accounting basis and prepare a CAFR (Comprehensive Annual Financial Report);

· The audit report does not contain any findings for recovery, material citations, material weaknesses, significant deficiencies, Uniform Guidance (Single Audit) findings or questioned costs;

· The entity’s management letter contains no comments related to:

o Ethics referrals

o Questioned costs less than the threshold per the Uniform Guidance

o Lack of timely report submission

o Bank reconciliation issues

o Failure to obtain a timely Single Audit in accordance with Uniform Guidance

o Findings for recovery less than $500

o Public meetings or public records issues

· The entity has no other financial or other concerns

Ohio-based Kroger will be installing sneeze guards in all their stores over the coming weeks.

The plexiglass partitions will go in checkout lanes and at pharmacy and Starbucks registers and are meant to block sneezes and prevent the coronavirus from spreading.

The grocery store chain is also adding social distancing floor decals for line control and is allowing their employees to wear masks and gloves.

They are also stepping up their efforts in cleaning and sanitizing carts.

Kroger operates more than 2,700 stores nationwide, including Ralphs, Fred Meyer, and Harris Teeter.

As of Wednesday afternoon there were 704 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ohio and 10 deaths.

Hancock County was still at one case. You can look over the complete numbers here.

Governor DeWine says Ohio has received its share of PPEs, personal protective equipment like masks, gowns and face shields, but it’s not enough.

“That is why we have ordered elective surgeries to be postponed – including dental surgeries and elective veterinary services. This will make a difference for our first responders.”

The governor says he is very appreciative of other businesses sharing their PPE, as are career and technical schools, construction businesses and others.

“To all those who are sharing their supplies of PPE – #ThankYou! If there are any of you who can add to this, we appreciate it!”

People experiencing coronavirus symptoms of shortness of breath, cough, fever of 100.4 or higher and fatigue should call the Blanchard Valley Hospital COVID-19 testing center at 419-423-7890.

For local information and resources people can call the Hancock County Resource Call Center at 419-425-9999.

March 22nd through the 28th is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Ohio.

Hancock County EMA Director Lee Swisher understands everyone’s focus is on the coronavirus now, but says with families at home together, now’s the perfect time to talk about severe weather safety and to make sure your family is prepared.

He says families should run a tornado drill so everyone knows where to go in the house in the event of a tornado.

Also, people should have a NOAA weather radio in their emergency kits along with a flashlight, water and food and medications.

Swisher says tornadoes get all the headlines but that lightning is one of the most dangerous things during severe weather.

He points out that lightning can strike where you are even if the storm is way off in the distance.

“Lightning can reach out ahead of storms and behind of storms, that’s why we say when thunder roars, go indoors.”

The Statewide Tornado Drill that was scheduled for Wednesday was canceled due to everyone’s focus being on the coronavirus.

Get more severe weather safety tips here.

A community blood drive will be held at the Old Mill Stream Centre at the Hancock County Fairgrounds in Findlay on Thursday.

The Red Cross is facing a severe blood shortage due to so many drives being canceled because of the coronavirus.

“To date we’ve had over 7,000 drives canceled, resulting in more than 200,000 blood collections that haven’t happened,” said Todd James, executive director of the North Central Ohio Chapter of the American Red Cross.

“And that blood is still needed every day in our communities for people who have had emergencies, and car accidents and cancer treatments, everything that that blood is used for every day to save lives.”

James says they’re taking even more precautions on top of their already stringent health and safety guidelines for donors.

“We only accept donations from people who are healthy at the time of donation, and we still do health checks on everyone beforehand and now we’re also taking temperatures and placing the beds further apart to follow social distancing guidelines.”

The blood drive is being hosted by Blanchard Valley Health System.

It will be held on Thursday, March 26th from 7am to 7pm at the Old Mill Stream Centre at the Hancock County Fairgrounds on Sandusky Street in Findlay.

To schedule an appointment click here, use sponsor code BVH or call 419-423-5337.