New University of Findlay students performed the university’s most sacred tradition on Friday as they walked through Griffith Memorial Arch to symbolize the start of their journey at UF.

We spoke with freshman Sarah Scarpill after she completed the Arch Ceremony.

Sarah says she’s looking forward to walking back through the arch, in the other direction, when she graduates.

Until then she says she’ll be steering clear of the arch, as tradition says students must not walk back through the arch until commencement, or they won’t graduate.

From the UF website, “The tradition of not walking through the Arch is taken so seriously that in 1990 the University put sidewalks around the outside of the Arch because students were wearing a path in the grass avoiding jinxing themselves by walking through the Arch.”

Sarah, who is from Pennsylvania, will be playing golf for UF and studying hospitality management.

In May, we met a couple who were brand new UF grads and completed the Arch Ceremony on their own because there was no commencement due to the pandemic.

You can read that full story by clicking here. 

The Interstate 75 reconstruction and widening project in Findlay is just about done.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says the last significant pieces of the project, the ramps at the U.S. 68 / State Route 15 interchange, will be open by Monday morning.

We spoke with ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks on one of those new ramps on Friday morning.

Also by Monday morning, traffic on Interstate 75 between Harrison Street and Sandusky Street will be switched into its final traffic pattern. All lanes of I-75 in that area have been traveling on the southbound side.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn is excited to see the 4-year $114 million project wrapping up.

The project reconstructed and widened about five miles of I-75 from just south of the Harrison Street overpass up to the County Road 99 interchange.

Notable features of the project included construction of a third lane in each direction on I-75 and the redesign of the interchange at Lima Avenue with U.S. 68 / State Route 15 into a double roundabout.

There is still some paving, striping and other work to be completed and the project in its entirety will be finished in October.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Advisory that includes NE Hancock County, SE Wood County and NW Seneca County.

The advisory goes until 10:45 Friday night.

Forecasters say as of 7 p.m. Friday up to two inches of rain has already fallen and more is possible.

Minor flooding is forecasted.

Some locations that will experience flooding include Fostoria, North Baltimore, Arcadia, New Riegel, Bloomdale, Risingsun, Cygnet, Portage, Jerry City, West Millgrove and Bairdstown.

There is also a Flood Advisory in effect until 9:30 p.m. for NW Hardin County.

Hancock County health officials say the number of active COVID-19 cases has dropped.

The Friday update from Hancock Public Health says there are 61 active cases in the county, a drop of 19 from Wednesday.

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

Total cases went up to 418 on Friday, an increase of 18 from Wednesday.

38 people have been hospitalized from the virus in Hancock County since the beginning of the pandemic and three residents have died.

Seven patients were currently hospitalized as of Friday.

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

The Findlay Police Department says a driver struck a bicyclist with their car and then drove away from the scene.

The crash happened at around 9:20 Thursday night in the 2600 block of South Main Street.

Police say Courtney L. Burkheimer, 22, of Findlay, was riding a bicycle southbound on South Main Street when she was hit by a southbound Chevy Cruze.

Burkheimer and her bike came to rest on the side of the road.

She suffered minor injuries and was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital by private vehicle.

The Cruze left the scene of the crash but police say the driver stopped by the police station about 45 minutes later.

The driver was identified as Sasha Whalen, 25, of Findlay.

She was ticketed for leaving the scene of a crash.

Burkheimer was cited for not having lights on her bicycle.

It’s a busy time on the University of Findlay campus.

The university welcomed new students to campus on Thursday during move-in day and the parent welcome was also held.

And then on Friday the Arch Ceremony will be held.

Parents and students we spoke with said the move-in was going smoothly and they believe the precautions and procedures the university has in place will keep students as safe as possible during the pandemic.

“I think they (the university) are doing as much as humanly possible,” said Dennis, who was helping his daughter move in to her residence hall.

As part of the Oiler Start Safe & Stay Safe Plan face coverings are required in all campus buildings and outside when six feet of social distancing isn’t possible.

Dennis’ daughter Bailey is looking forward to studying equine training and equine business management at the University of Findlay.

Classes begin on Monday

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine says racism is a public health crisis.

During his Thursday COVID-19 briefing, the governor declared racism a public health crisis and said it’s something we need to work on every day.

“We have to do better, we can do better.”

The governor released the recommendations of his Minority Health Strike Force which was formed to examine how the coronavirus has disproportionately affected African Americans and Latinos.

The group’s final report gives several recommendations, which include dismantling racism, removing obstacles to public health and improving data collection to better understand disparities.

Ohio Democratic lawmakers have asked that the state declare racism a public health crisis to acknowledge the ways that race plays a role in disparities.

Governor DeWine in his Thursday coronavirus briefing said he’ll be releasing details on Tuesday about the fall high school sports season.

He said the decision about whether to have sports will ultimately be made by parents and schools.

He said the number of fans will be restricted and hinted that spectators will be limited to parents and immediate family members.

“This will be a little disruptive for some people but what we want to make sure is that the parents, people who mean a lot to that particular child have the opportunity to see them,” the governor said.

He said everyone wants to see the young athletes competing and to have their season, but it will need to be done as safely as possible.

DeWine’s Tuesday and Thursday coronavirus updates are typically held at 2 p.m.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association recently announced an adjusted football schedule for the upcoming season.

The Findlay YMCA has selected its new CEO.

After a nationwide search the Board of Directors has chosen Steve Crone to be the next CEO of the Findlay YMCA.

Crone is the former CEO of the YMCA of Bucyrus-Tiffin and most recently was District Executive Director of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland.

Crone led the Tiffin and Bucyrus YMCAs through a management agreement that ultimately led to the merger of the two Ys.

He was named the Ohio Alliance of YMCAs 2018 CEO of the Year.

“We are excited to have Steve join the Findlay YMCA,” said Christy Kisseberth, YMCA Board Member and chair of the CEO Search Committee.

“With Steve’s wealth of experience serving at other YMCAs, his familiarity with the Findlay area, and his cause-driven leadership he is positioned well to lead our Y and collaborate with others to meet the needs of our community.”

Crone will take over as CEO on September 8th, and will succeed the retiring Paul Worstell.

Learn more about Crone in the full news release from the YMCA here. 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol confiscated a lot of drugs during separate traffic stops in Wood County.

On Monday, the highway patrol says troopers found four pounds of cocaine worth about $90,000 during a traffic stop on the Ohio Turnpike.

The driver, Angel Padilla Torres, 44, of Milwaukee, was booked at the Wood County Justice Center and charged with possession and trafficking in cocaine, and receiving stolen property.

Then on Tuesday, troopers say they found heroin and cocaine worth about $11,000 during a traffic stop on Interstate 75 in Wood County.

The highway patrol says the driver, Cortez Peterson, 28, Southfield, Michigan fled on foot and was taken into custody a short time later.

He was booked at the Wood County Justice Center and charged with possession and trafficking in heroin and cocaine, resisting arrest and obstructing official business.