The Ohio High School Athletic Association says all fall sports are allowed to begin practicing on Saturday.

Those sports are girls tennis, girls and boys golf, field hockey, girls and boys soccer, girls and boys cross country, volleyball and football.

While all fall sports can begin practicing only golf, tennis and volleyball have been approved to hold contests between schools.

The OHSAA says it continues to work with Governor DeWine’s office on approval for contests in football, cross country, field hockey and soccer.

The OHSAA recently suspended scrimmages in the four fall contact sports that have not yet been approved by the governor for school versus school competition.

OHSAA Board of Directors on Friday reaffirmed their position that the fall sports season will go forward as planned.

“It is important to keep athletic activity moving forward,” said Dan Leffingwell, president of the OHSAA Board of Directors and superintendent of the Noble Local Schools in Sarahsville.

“And with that, we believe our member schools provide our student-athletes with the safest possible environment to return to play and that our school programs are the best avenue to help students learn lifelong lessons and provide social, emotional and physical benefits that other programs cannot. Moving forward allows those students to continue to be engaged with their school coaches and teammates. Membership data also supports this decision.”

The Ohio Liquor Control Commission on Friday morning adopted Governor DeWine’s request for an emergency rule for bars and restaurants to end alcohol sales at 10 p.m.

Over the course of about a half hour the commissioners heard from more than half a dozen bar and restaurant owners and attorneys from around the state who told them that limiting hours for alcohol sales will devastate the industry.

Commissioners asked them no questions and voted to approve the new rule without discussion.

Attorneys have said they will sue over the new rule.

The governor said he’s mindful of the economic impact but says we need to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

Governor DeWine was expected to sign an executive order on Friday meaning the new rule would be in effect for Friday night.

People who order alcohol in a bar or restaurant by 10 p.m. are permitted to remain and consume the drink until 11 p.m.

The commission also agreed with the governor’s request to raise the number of liquor and mixed drinks that can be purchased with a carryout meal from two to three.

Three people were injured in a crash west of Fostoria and one had to be lifeflighted to a hospital in Toledo.

The crash happened on County Road 226 just west of Township Road 261 at about 12:15 Friday afternoon.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Darren Lee Harrold, 33, of California, was driving west on County Road 226 when he went into the eastbound lane to pass two vehicles.

His truck went off the left side of the roadway and back on several times before going off the north side of County Road 226 and rolling into a bean field.

Two passengers in the truck, 48-year-old Bonnie Mullens and 52-year-old Valeria Armstrong, both of Fostoria, were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital by Hanco EMS.

Harrold was lifeflighted to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo.

The sheriff’s office says the crash remains under investigation.

A man has been indicted in connection with a road rage shooting from July 18th.

Police say Richard L. Swartz, 32, of Findlay, was indicted by a Hancock County grand jury on charges of felonious assault and having a weapon while under disability.

Felonious assault is a 2nd degree felony while having a weapon under disability is a 3rd degree felony.

A pre-trial hearing has been set for August 21st.

The shooting happened at 11:01 the night of Saturday, July 18th near the intersection of South Main Street and Lima Street.

The Findlay Police Department says the victim was shot by a male passenger in a white SUV that was driven by a female.

The victim was able to get himself to Blanchard Valley Hospital where he was treated for a gunshot wound described as not life-threatening.

The Oktoberfest Findlay Committee says, while there will be no downtown festival this September due to the pandemic, they are developing a week-long community celebration.

Beginning September 18th, several Findlay businesses will be participating in the fun, offering special discounts, German food options, live music, and your favorite libations. You’ll be able to purchase Findlay Brewing Co. Oktoberfest (the official beer of Oktoberfest Findlay) in growlers and crowlers at the tap room, and in cans that will be distributed regionally! Our week-long celebration will culminate on September 26th with a special appearance by Schmidt’s Sausage Haus at the Hancock Historical Museum, with an all-day drive thru and the chance to stock up on the best Bahama Mamas and cream puffs in the state! You’ll also be able to purchase our limited addition T-shirts for this year’s event with the perfect slogan for 2020…the year it all went to schnitzel!

Get more details here and enjoy some brat-eating contest action from last year below.

A special event is planned to help a Findlay woman celebrate a momentous birthday.

Eleanor Ronez, who lives at The Heritage senior living community, is turning 107 years old on Monday.

Family members have planned a drive-by parade for Saturday morning to help Eleanor celebrate her birthday.

We met Eleanor last year when she was still just a youngster and was turning 106. You can read that story here.

On Saturday, people are invited to join the parade that will be lining up at 10 a.m. at Findlay First Church of the Nazarene at 2501 Broad Avenue.

The parade of vehicles will then head up the street to The Heritage at 2820 Greenacre Drive where Eleanor will be outside to bask in the adulation of family, friends and strangers.

Last year we asked Eleanor what the secret to living a long and healthy life has been.

“No smoking, no drinking and no swearing,” she said.

Eleanor enjoys fishing, bowling, bingo, gardening and going on long car rides.

WFIN and The Courier both had a chance to meet Eleanor, and she was especially enamored with The Courier photographer’s camera.

We joked that The Courier would be taking on a new intern in the photo department.

Eleanor has six children and 149 total grandchildren.

Two people were taken to the hospital after a two-vehicle crash in Findlay.

The crash happened at around 3:30 Thursday afternoon at the intersection of South Blanchard Street and East Sandusky Street.

The Findlay Police Department says Ashton McDonald, of Findlay, was facing northbound in the center lane on South Blanchard in a Dodge Avenger waiting to turn left onto East Sandusky when he turned and struck a Chevy Cruze that was traveling southbound on South Blanchard.

Both cars sustained heavy front end damage and were towed.

Two passengers in the southbound car were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for minor injuries.

Police issued a citation to McDonald for failure to yield when making a turn.

State Representative Bob Cupp has been selected as the next Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.

The Republican from Lima is a former Ohio Supreme Court Justice and has served in the House since 2015.

Cupp replaces Larry Householder who earlier on Thursday was ousted as Speaker after being charged in connection with an alleged $60 million dollar bribery scheme to bail out two Ohio nuclear power plants.

It marks the first time in the state’s history that House lawmakers voted to oust their leader.

In his comments after being elected, Cupp said it is imperative to restore the public’s trust in elected officials.

Governor DeWine congratulated Cupp on his election as Speaker and says he looks forward to working with him.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine says he continues to have grave concerns about the spread of COVID-19 at establishments that serve alcohol for onsite consumption.

The governor is asking the Ohio Liquor Control Commission to enact an emergency rule that would stop the sale of alcohol at bars and restaurants at 10 p.m. nightly.

Guests would have to finish drinks they already have in front of them by 11 p.m.

The rule would also raise the number of drinks people can purchase with to-go orders to three.

If the commission approves the rule at an emergency meeting on Friday morning, the governor says he would sign an executive order to make it effective Friday night.

The governor said he’s mindful of the economic impact but we must slow the spread of the coronavirus.

(ONN) – Members of the Ohio House of Representatives have voted 90-0 to remove Larry Householder as speaker after he was charged in a multimillion dollar bribery investigation.

The House action came less than an hour after an announcement came that Householder has been indicted by a federal grand jury.

Householder’s removal as speaker is effective immediately, but for now the Perry County Republican keeps his seat in the legislature.

A decision on scheduling a vote to elect a new House speaker would be up to the assistant majority floor leader.

Householder faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy to commit racketeering.

Householder and four associates are accused of a pay-to-play scheme involving legislation to bail out Ohio’s two financially struggling nuclear power plants.