More and more stores are requiring their customers to wear a face mask.

Beginning on Monday, Walmart and Meijer stores started requiring people to wear a face covering.

And on Wednesday, a mask mandate will go into effect at Kroger stores.

The stores say people with a legitimate medical condition preventing them from wearing a mask are exempt from the policy.

Customers we spoke with outside the Findlay Meijer and Walmart stores were split on wearing face masks.

Some said they are all for it and have been wearing one for a while, while others don’t think they should have to wear one in public.

People in Ohio counties at a level 3 or 4 health alert related to COVID-19 are required to wear a mask in public.

Hancock County is a level 1. Putnam County is at level 2 and Wood County is at a level 3.

A second Hancock County resident has died from COVID-19.

Hancock Public Health says the patient was a 70-year-old woman.

The county’s first death from the coronavirus was back on April 9th when an 81-year-old man died.

Hancock County as of Monday had 136 cases of the coronavirus and two deaths.

That’s an increase of 24 cases from Friday.

44 of the cases are active, which is an increase of 16 from Friday.

Hancock County as of Monday was at the lowest alert level, the yellow level.

See the full alert level map here. 

The University of Findlay has announced its plan to safely reopen campus for the fall semester on August 17th.

The Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe plan was developed based on recommendations made by the CDC, Ohio Department of Health and Governor DeWine.

Anyone entering any campus building is required to wear an appropriate face covering.

Face coverings are also required in outdoor settings if safe physical distancing of six feet is not possible.

Details on the plan are in the following news release from the university.

University of Findlay has announced a plan for the safe return of students, faculty, staff, and guests to campus. The Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe plan was developed by the University’s Emergency Operations Committee and is based on recommendations made by the CDC, Ohio Department of Health, and Governor Mike DeWine. The fall semester begins August 17 at the University of Findlay.

The Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe plan outlines the steps the University is taking to keep the community safe and includes general information everyone at UF can use to keep themselves and those around them healthy, including:

General prevention guidelines including proper hand washing, sanitizer usage, social distancing plans, and face covering requirements.

Reporting, monitoring, and identifying potential cases through daily self-health assessments, reporting illness and fever to the Cosiano Health Center, COVID-19 testing, and contact tracing.

Maintaining healthy environments through enhanced cleaning and disinfecting, installation of plexiglass barriers in high traffic areas, limiting room capacity, strategically placing COVID-19 safety signage, and converting drinking fountains to touchless bottle filling stations.

Along with the general health and safety of the campus community, the Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe plan outlines how the University will continue to offer a high quality educational and campus experience, including:

Face-to-face classes for fall 2020 will prioritize learning experiences where such interactions are critical to effective learning. Class sizes will be limited to allow for safe physical distancing in the classroom and modified attendance patterns may be used.

Labs and practicums will be instructed via a face-to-face modality but will incorporate video recorded pre-laboratory discussions which students must view before attending the lab.

Hyflex/Hybrid and online course delivery is being planned and some courses typically held face-to-face will be delivered fully online in order to create overall flexibility in classroom usage necessary for safe distancing.

Fall semester will move to online classes after Thanksgiving break, making the last week of classes and final exams will be completed remotely. The semester will still end with finals week December 7-10, 2020.

Campus events and gatherings, including third-party visitors, will be required to follow UF’s COVID-19 protocols.

While the effects of COVID-19 will certainly continue to affect the community for the foreseeable future, the University remains committed to maintaining the health and safety of our whole community. To read through the University’s full plan, visit the Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe webpage. The campus community is encouraged to email questions regarding the Oiler Start Safe & Stay safe plan to coronavirus@findlay.edu.

Ohio’s mask order could cover more counties this week, as COVID-19 cases grow.

Governor Mike DeWine was on Meet The Press over the weekend saying a statewide mask mandate is still a possibility.

About 60-percent of Ohio is currently under a face covering order, which is determined by the virus transmission risk in the area.

This comes as COVID-19 cases surge across the state.

DeWine is asking people to wear face coverings in public and to stay home to avoid spreading the illness.

Hancock County is still at the lowest alert level, while Putnam County is at level 2 and Wood County at level 3.

Masks are required in counties at a level 3 or 4.

A Findlay business was among seven establishments that were cited by the Ohio Investigative Unit over the weekend for violating COVID-19 health orders.

The Ohio Investigative Unit said it had received complaints that the seven businesses were blatantly violating health orders put in place by the Ohio Department of Health to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.

Amy May’s Tacos in Findlay received a citation for improper conduct – disorderly activity.

OIU says agents visited Amy May’s Tacos after receiving a complaint from Hancock Public Health alleging violations of ODH health orders.

During their visit, OIU says its agents found about 10 employees not wearing a mask.

Among the other seven businesses cited was Viaduct, in Tiffin.

OIU says agents visited Viaduct bar after receiving a complaint from the Seneca County Department of Health alleging violations of ODH orders.

During the visit, agents observed several employees not wearing masks.

The Ohio Investigative Unit says, while many bars and restaurants were found in compliance with health orders, a number of warnings were issued throughout the weekend.

The cited cases will go before the Ohio Liquor Control Commission for potential penalties, including fines and/or the suspension or revocation of liquor permits.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is joining state agencies in five other states in cracking down on Move Over law violators.

The patrol says, over the last five years, its troopers were involved in nearly 50 crashes that appeared to be related to drivers not obeying the Move Over law.

One person was killed in those crashes and 49 officers and civilians were injured.

Details on the initiative are in the following news release.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and other members of the 6-State Trooper Project are collaborating to focus on education and enforcement of the Move Over law. This initiative will begin on Sunday, July 19 at 12:01 a.m. and end on Saturday, July 25 at 11:59 p.m. The high-visibility enforcement will include the Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police, West Virginia State Police, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

From 2015-2019, troopers were involved in 49 crashes that appeared to be related to the Move Over law. As a result of these crashes, one civilian was killed and 49 officers and civilians were injured. During that same time period, the Patrol has recorded 23,429 Move Over violation citations.

“When drivers move over, they can help protect the lives of everyone who works on or uses Ohio’s roadways,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent.

“When you see flashing lights, move over and slow down. It’s the law and the right thing to do.”

Ohio law requires all drivers to move over to an adjacent lane when approaching any vehicle with flashing or rotating lights parked on the roadside. If moving over is not possible due to traffic or weather conditions, or because a second lane does not exist, motorists should slow down and proceed with caution. The Move Over law now exists in all 50 states.

The 6-State Trooper Project is a multi-state law enforcement partnership aimed at providing combined and coordinated law enforcement and security services in the areas of highway safety, criminal patrol and intelligence sharing.

A statistical map detailing Move Over violations can be found here.

A man was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash just northeast of Findlay.

The crash happened at the intersection of County Road 236 and County Road 212 at around 1:30 Sunday afternoon.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Samuel M. Schutte, 23, of Troy, Ohio was driving his Yamaha motorcycle east on County Road 212 when he failed to yield at the stop sign at County Road 236.

The sheriff’s office says Schutte crashed into a truck that was pulling a trailer that was southbound on County Road 236.

He was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital with serious injuries.

He was wearing a helmet.

The driver of the truck was not injured.

The crash remains under investigation.

Findlay’s mayor and Marathon Petroleum are among those joining LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay in condemning the vandalization of the group’s ‘Rainbow Ohio’ street painting.

LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay says the painting, at the intersection of South Main and Main Cross, was vandalized sometime early Saturday with the words “STRAIGT PRIDE”.

“We condemn the close-minded, linear thinking, and generational hate that has led to this defacement,” the group wrote on its Facebook page.

“Despite this hate crime, the LGBTQ+ identifying individuals that live in our community, and beyond, belong here!”

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn issued the following statement.

“Over the last few weeks and most recently, last night, our community has seen vandalism on artwork promoting the diversity within our community. This vandalism is unacceptable and is not representative of our community’s values. We believe that all are; created equal, welcome, and valued. The individual(s) responsible for these acts will be held accountable and I encourage all in our community to spread love not hate. To recognize we are all created differently but equally. That our constitution protects all and that we are a community that embraces diversity, inclusivity, equity and belonging. That we must promote mutual respect and appreciation for all residents and visitors regardless of their differences.”

LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay says its longtime community partner Marathon Petroleum issued the following statement.

“As an inclusive organization, Marathon Petroleum strongly condemns this defacement and any act or expression of hate, intolerance, racism or discrimination. We stand with Spectrum of Findlay and the LGBTQ+ community everywhere, and we will continue to work with local leaders, businesses and organizations to ensure our hometown is a place where all individuals feel welcome, accepted and valued.”

The street painting was created to celebrate June being Pride Month.

The entire State of Ohio will be under a Heat Advisory on Sunday as this hot and sticky weather sticks around.

The advisory goes from noon to 8 p.m. on Sunday.

Heat index values as high as 102 are expected.

Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur.

People should drink plenty of water and stay out of the sun and in the air conditioning.

Children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles.

Sunday’s forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies and a chance of thunderstorms.

And it looks like we’ll be staying very hot for much of next week, with mostly sunny skies expected on Monday and a high of 91.

A man was shot during a road rage incident in Findlay.

It happened at 11:01 Saturday night 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 (pictured below) that was being driven by a female.

The shooter is described as a white male with shaggy brown hair, large green ear gauges and in possession of a black handgun.

The female driver was described as white with dark hair and glasses.

After the shooting, the suspect vehicle fled westbound on Baldwin Avenue.

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

The exact vehicle involved is pictured below minutes before the shooting.

Anyone with information on the vehicle or suspects is asked to contact the Findlay Police Department at 419-424-7150.