The United Way of Hancock County’s Days of Caring service event has been rescheduled for September.

With COVID-19 project-specific safety protocols in place, the United Way of Hancock County says it will be holding its Days of Caring service event from September 21st through the 25th.

Days of Caring is typically held in May but it was postponed due to the pandemic.

Days of Caring is an annual week-long event where employees of area businesses and corporations help local organizations with projects like landscaping, painting and construction.

Last year about 1,100 people volunteered their time for the event.

“While traditionally Days of Caring has been organized in a corporations helping agencies kind of format, we love that the event is expanding into all facets of the community – an all hands on deck, community building event,” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of UWHC.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to help the organizations that serve our community, with clear COVID guidelines keeping volunteers safe.”

Learn more about Days of Caring and how you can help out by clicking here.

The governor’s office has released details about the health orders under which fall high school sports will be allowed to be played in Ohio.

The order also applies to college, amateur, club and professional sports.

The governor previously said that spectators will be limited to family members and people close to the athlete.

The state order shows that a limited number of fans will be allowed at sporting events.

According to the order, outdoor spectators will be limited to 15 percent of the venue’s capacity or 1,500 people, whichever is less.

For indoor venues, it’s 15 percent of the venue’s capacity or 300 people, whichever is less.

The order says the primary purpose for allowing spectators is so that family members are be able to watch.

The order says family members must sit together, socially distanced from other individuals and family groups.

The order says coaches, volunteers, athletic trainers, and officials must wear a face covering at all times, and players must wear face coverings when not on the field or court of play.

Read the full order here.

Parishioners of St. Michael the Archangel Parish in Findlay gathered to pray for the victims, the parish, school and community a day after their pastor was arrested on child sex abuse charges.

Kerry organized Wednesday night’s candlelight prayer vigil.

And Kerry  is asking people who don’t attend St. Michael Parish to say a prayer for them during this difficult time.

Father Michael Zacharias was arrested on Tuesday morning on charges of coercion and enticement, sex trafficking a minor and sex trafficking an adult.

The offenses he has been charged with allegedly involve two boys from Catholic schools in Toledo.

The FBI believes there are additional victims they are unaware of and is asking anyone who had contact with Zacharias and was inappropriately touched or sexually assaulted by him to contact the FBI at 216-622-6842.

In a letter to the Big Ten community, Commissioner Kevin Warren said the decision to postpone fall sports will not be revisited.

“The decision was thorough and deliberative, and based on sound feedback, guidance and advice from medical experts,” Warren wrote.

“Despite the decision to postpone fall sports, we continue our work to find a path forward that creates a healthy and safe environment for all Big Ten student-athletes to compete in the sports they love in a manner that helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protects both student-athletes and the surrounding communities.”

He says the Big Ten has assembled a Return to Competition Task Force to plan for the return of fall sports as soon as possible.

“We have tremendous appreciation and understanding regarding what participation in sports means to our student-athletes, their families, our campus communities and our fans. We will continue to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.”

Read the full letter here.

https://twitter.com/bigten/status/1296204856873680902

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has announced that voters will be required to wear a mask if voting in person this fall.

However, Jody Beall O’Brien, Republican Director of the Hancock County Board of Elections says people who don’t want to wear a mask will not be turned away.

The deadline to register to vote in the November 3rd Presidential election is October 5th, and Jody says in-person early voting at the Hancock County Board of Elections will begin the following day.

She says a lot of people have been requesting an absentee ballot, and is anticipating that about half of voters will cast their ballot early in person or via absentee ballot.

Get details here about requesting an absentee ballot application.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is seeking input from the community.

The sheriff’s office has a link to a survey on their Facebook page.

The survey asks a variety of questions, such as how would you rate their professionalism and responsiveness.

The survey also asks people to rate their overall satisfaction with the sheriff’s office.

Another question asks people what they think are the sheriff’s office’s biggest challenges over the next two years.

The survey ends with a section for other comments and feedback.

The sheriff’s office is asking people to take a few moments and help them out by filling out the survey.

Health officials say a fourth Hancock County resident has died from COVID-19.

The patient was a 49-year-old man, according to Hancock Public Health.

In the Wednesday data, the number of total cases increased by 20, to 455.

The number of active cases dropped to 65 from 72.

Active cases are patients who are currently under quarantine or isolation.

39 people have been hospitalized from the virus in Hancock County since the beginning of the pandemic and four residents have died from it.

Hancock County is still at level 2, or orange, on the state’s COVID-19 alert map.

Small businesses in Hancock County affected by the pandemic could be eligible for financial assistance.

Details are in the following news release from the Hancock Regional Planning Commission.

The Small Business Relief Program will provide Hancock County small businesses with some monetary relief from business interruption costs caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Eligible small businesses can apply for up to $5,000 in Grant Funds. The grants will be disbursed by a lottery system of complete/eligible applications. Hancock County is funding the grants through the CARES Act.

Applications must be submitted to Hancock Regional Planning Commission by August 31st, 2020. For more information and a copy of the application please visit Hancock Regional Planning Commission’s website www.hancockrpc.org or call 419-424-7094.

Other loans are also still available including Revolving Loan Funds and Findlay Small Business Catalytic Loans.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says troopers confiscated more than $50,000 worth of heroin and arrested two people during a traffic stop in Hancock County.

The traffic stop was conducted on Friday night at 6:13 on Interstate 75.

The highway patrol says the driver, Jonathan Arceneaux, 27, of Houston and a passenger RaShawn Jones, 27, of Detroit, were booked at the Hancock County Justice Center on a charge of possession of heroin, a first degree felony.

Troopers say 455 grams of heroin was seized, worth approximately $51,175.

Former Ohio Governor John Kasich says he will be voting for former Vice President Joe Biden for President this November.

Kasich spoke virtually at the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, describing himself as a life-long Republican who will vote for Biden because these are not normal times.

Kasich said his loyalty to the Republican party holds second place to his loyalty to the entire country, and a Biden presidency is best for the nation right now.

Kasich served as a U.S. Congressman from Ohio’s 12th District for 18 years and as governor of Ohio for two terms.