Organizations in Findlay and Hancock County are coordinating their efforts to ensure students in need have access to meals during the school closings due to the coronavirus threat.

Beginning Tuesday, March 17th, Findlay City Schools will offer a grab-and-go meal Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Glenwood Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School for children ages one through18 from Hancock County. Children must be present to receive the meals.

The meals include a lunch for the current day and breakfast for the following morning and meals can be picked up at Glenwood’s rear entrance and at Lincoln’s west cafeteria entrance.

Additionally, the Findlay YMCA’s Feed-A-Child program will be present at eight Findlay City primary and secondary schools on Tuesdays and Fridays from 4 – 6 p.m. weekly to distribute one food bag to every child in need.

The pick-up locations include Whittier Elementary, Wilson Vance Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Chamberlin Hill, Lincoln Elementary, Jacobs Elementary, Bigelow Hill and Northview Elementary. Each bag contains two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners, and two snacks.

The United Way of Hancock County has established the United Way of Hancock County Relief Fund at First Federal Bank to donate in support of Hancock County residents impacted by recent events and our current public health crisis.

All funds donated to this account will be used to meet local needs including supplemental meals such as the Feed-A-Child program which is a funded program of United Way.

Contributions can be made in any amount at any First Federal Bank location in Northwest Ohio. Additionally, checks can be sent to United Way of Hancock County, 245 Stanford Parkway or online at http://www.liveunitedhancockcounty.org/give with “Crisis Response” in the check memo or online comment section.

For a comprehensive list of supplemental meals and other basic need resources, people are being urged to visit www.hancockhelps.org

UPDATE – On Monday, the governor recommended moving the primary to June.

The Hancock County Board of Elections needs some help with Tuesday’s primary election.

“We are in desperate need of poll workers,” said Director Jody Beall O’Brien.

“We are losing poll workers right and left.”

She says they do pay, so if you can give them the day on Tuesday to give them a call at 419-422-3245.

The governor previously stated that the primary election will continue despite the coronavirus threat, saying it’s not a mass gathering, which he banned.

A lot of drivers will be forced to take a detour for several months as crews replace a bridge deck just south of Findlay.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says, beginning on Monday, March 16th, the U.S. 68 bridge over State Route 15 will close for approximately four months as the bridge deck is replaced.

ODOT says the ramps to State Route 15 east and U.S. 68 north/State Route 15 west will remain open.

State Route 15 traffic will be maintained under the bridge although periodic lane closures may be necessary.

U.S. 68 northbound traffic will be detoured onto State Route 15 eastbound, to State Route 37, to state Route 15 westbound, back to U.S. 68.

County Road 221/Main Street southbound will be detoured onto the ramp of U.S. 68 north/State Route 15 west, to Interstate 75 northbound, to state Route 12, to Interstate 75 southbound, back to U.S. 68.

Crossover access on State Route 15 will be limited in two locations during the project.

ODOT says they will monitor a nearby bald eagles nest during the project.

The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is doing its part to lessen the spread of the coronavirus.

Director Sarah Clevidence says the decision to close was difficult but necessary.

“We as a library are very passionate about being here for our community when we’re needed, and it’s a really unusual circumstance for our community to need us to close.”

We spoke with Sarah on Saturday afternoon a few hours before they closed and there were a lot of people there stocking up on books and other items.

“We have been very busy today, and our patrons have just been amazing and very understanding of the situation, which we appreciate.”

The library closed at 5 pm Saturday and will remain closed at least through Sunday, April 5th.

They encourage patrons to take advantage of all their online resources during the closure.

More details are in the following news release from the library.

The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is committed to the health and safety of our patrons, staff and community and have made the difficult decision to close all library branches beginning Saturday, March 14 at 5 p.m. through at least Sunday, April 5. The latest information available from Governor DeWine’s office indicates “aggressive early social distancing” is critical to stemming the spread of coronavirus.

As previously reported, we will be working with Lisa Wingate and the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts to reschedule our CommunityREAD Feature Event with Ms. Wingate. Your tickets will be honored for the new date.

The library provides many online resources for our cardholders, such as eBooks, eMagazines, eAudiobooks, music and movies through the Ohio Digital Library and Hoopla. Checkout limits for Hoopla will be increased from 10 to 20 per month during our closure. Additionally, many research and online learning tools are available in our online databases. You can find these resources on the library’s website: www.findlaylibrary.org.

Patrons are asked to hold on to their checked-out items rather than return them. Items currently checked out will have their due dates extended. If you have an item on the holds shelf it will remain there until the library reopens.

We know this is a difficult time for our community. We will resume service as soon as is appropriate. You can find the latest updates on the library’s website or Facebook.

50 North wants to make clear that it is continuing to provide Mobile Meals and grocery delivery services to its most vulnerable seniors in Hancock County.

The senior center in Findlay closed on Thursday due to coronavirus concerns.

They say it blew up on Facebook that they had stopped supplying the Mobile Meals, but that was never the case.

50 North says it’s working to ensure that seniors who do not have family, caregivers or neighbors in Hancock County are getting the nourishment and assistance they need.

The Marathon Center for the Performing Arts says people should assume that any event over the next three to four weeks is canceled.

Governor DeWine on Thursday issued an order banning gatherings of more than 100 people to help lessen the spread of coronavirus.

MCPA says they’re working diligently to reschedule as many performances as possible.

They will provide updates and details to ticket holders directly through emails or phone calls, and also continue to post the most up-to-date information on their website and social media pages.

“Thank you in advance for your patience as we work through this challenging and unprecedented situation. We look forward to welcoming the community back at MCPA when the public health threat eases.”

Findlay and Hancock County officials came together at a news conference at the Findlay Municipal Building to talk about their response to the coronavirus threat.

“It’s not time to panic, it’s time to prepare,” said Hancock Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi.

He said the public health infrastructure in Hancock County is strong and is urging everyone to get back to the basics of proper handwashing.

Social distancing is also an important factor in avoiding the virus, he said, so people should try to stay at least six feet away from others.

He says they don’t know much about the virus yet but they’re trying to learn more every day.

Findlay City Schools Superintendent Ed Kurt also spoke at the news conference.

Schools are being closed for three weeks as a precaution. Get more on that here.

Read more about the city and county response to coronavirus here.

Blanchard Valley Health System is limiting visitation as a precaution to the coronavirus.

Details are in the following media release from BVHS.

In the wake of the current healthcare climate, Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS), will be limiting visitation to all areas of the organization. The new guidelines allow for one visitor per day per patient. No children (under 16 years of age) will be permitted to enter patient care areas.

BVHS is closely monitoring the Coronavirus outbreak and working with the Hancock County Department of Health, Ohio Department of Health, and following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

At this time, there have been no changes to scheduled appointments. However, this is continuously being evaluated. For general questions about the Coronavirus please call the Ohio Department of Health at 1.833.4ASKODH (1.833.427.5634).

For all personal health-related questions, please contact your primary care provider.

Findlay City Schools says Friday, March 13th will be a staff professional development day in preparation for the state-mandated three-week school closure.

No students will be in attendance on Friday.

And then Monday, March 16th begins the three-week closure of K-12 schools that the governor ordered on Thursday to lessen the spread of coronavirus.

The district says teachers will be working to be prepared in the event that they have to proceed with remote learning.

The district says, effective Friday, March 13th, they’ll be operating under the following guidelines:

-All field trips at this point are suspended for an indefinite period of time. Out of district travel will occur only with permission by the superintendent or designee.
-All after school indoor and weekend activities are suspended for an indefinite period of time.
-March 13, 2020 will be a staff training day to prepare for the possibility of moving to a remote educational delivery model. (Previously referred to as blizzard bags). The training day agenda
for teachers will be directed by the building principals. Employees will report to work — students will not be in session.
-Parents should begin to prepare for the possibility of childcare solutions.
-During school hours on Friday, buildings will be open to any students needing to gather essentials for remote learning.
-Students should not report to school on Friday, March 13th. (Unless picking up personal items)
-Students should not report on Monday, March 16th and then for a three week period.

Superintendent Ed Kurt says Findlay City Schools appreciates the continued support and understanding as they deal with a situation that truly is unprecedented and continues to evolve.

He says the district will continue to work with Hancock Public Health and take the appropriate steps necessary to protect students, staff, and school community.

Governor DeWine has ordered all K-12 schools in Ohio to close as a precaution to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.

Schools will close on Monday and remain closed for three weeks, and then the situation will be reviewed.

The governor said, from what they can tell based on what has happened elsewhere, unless a child has another medical problem, the risk of death from coronavirus for a child is not very high, but kids are potential carriers.

During a news conference on Thursday it was announced Ohio has a fifth confirmed case of coronavirus, in Trumbull County in northeast Ohio.

Also during the news conference on Thursday, the director of the Ohio Department of Health, Dr. Amy Acton, signed an order that bans mass gatherings of 100 or more people.

The order prohibiting mass gatherings includes auditoriums, stadiums, arenas, large conference rooms, meeting halls, cafeterias, or any other confined indoor or outdoor space.

It also includes parades, fairs, and festivals.

It does not apply to typical office environments, schools, restaurants, factories, or retail or grocery stores where large groups of people are present but it is unusual for them to be within an arm’s length of one another.

Officials also said the primary election will still be held on Tuesday, as it’s not considered a mass gathering.

“We are in this together, whether we like it or not. We all have to take care of each other as we move forward. We are going to get through this, and we’re trying to get through it without losing too many of us,” DeWine said.

Get more advice on coronavirus here from the Ohio Department of Health.