Hancock and Putnam County stayed at their previous levels on the latest COVID-19 alert map that was released on Thursday.

Hancock County remains at level 2, or the orange level, while Putnam County is still at level 3, or the red level.

Putnam County is one of only five counties that are still red.

According to state data, Putnam County has had 509 cases and 19 deaths as of Thursday

Hancock Public Health was reporting 635 total cases and eight deaths from the virus as of Wednesday

Health officials continue to urge people to wear a mask, wash their hands and follow social distancing guidelines.

While fans aren’t being allowed in Ohio Stadium for the Buckeyes’ home games, the stadium won’t be completely empty.

The players might not hear those huge crowds, but at home games, they’ll still be hearing the sounds of The Best Damn Band in the Land.

The Ohio State Marching Band plans to play.

Marching band members are being fitted with special musicians’ masks and covers for their instruments.

Now, they just need to figure out how to spell out their signature Script Ohio from six feet apart.

(above picture courtesy of Columbus Wired)

The Findlay Mall has been sold to a retail investment group from New York state that converts aging malls into multipurpose centers that include entertainment, shopping and dining components.

Tim Mayle, director of Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development spoke with the new mall owners and says they share the same thoughts on the mall’s future.

Mayle says the new mall owners, Kohan Retail Investment Group, take struggling malls and repurpose the vacant spaces with non-traditional tenants.

He says Kohan’s plans for the mall could include everything from a restaurant component, a call center, to entertainment like laser tag and even drone racing.

He says a residential component is even a possibility.

Kohan’s website says they see the future of aging malls as a community setting where entertainment, shopping, and food come together.

Kohan purchased the mall from J.J. Gumberg, of Pittsburgh who had managed the mall since the mid 80s.

Two Findlay High School sports seasons are on hold after a couple of players tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Findlay City Schools COVID-19 daily-reporting dashboard shows, as of Wednesday, two students have the virus and 109 others are being quarantined.

The school district says one of the students is on the football team and all football games and practices are suspended and cannot resume until Saturday, September 26th.

So the games against Central Catholic on September 18th and Clay on September 25th will not be played.

The next varsity game will be October 2nd at home against Lima Senior.

The freshman team will continue to practice for the home game against Central Catholic this weekend as they were determined not to have had close contact with the infected player.

The other student who has the virus is on the volleyball team and the entire program is under quarantine.

The next volleyball game that will be allowed to be held will be on September 29th at home against Defiance.

The school district says it recognizes the disappointment in the cancellations, but it’s important to follow the instructions provided by Hancock Public Health to keep students safe and healthy.

A Findlay man is behind bars after allegedly trying to flee from police in a vehicle and on foot.

The Findlay Police Department says an officer on patrol observed 35-year-old Jon Pinkney driving on Tiffin Avenue at around 8:30 Wednesday morning and knew he had an active warrant for his arrest.

The officer tried to pull over Pinkney but says he proceeded to drive through the parking lot of Lee’s Chicken very slowly before rapidly accelerating onto Center Street.

Police pursued the vehicle with lights and sirens activated for a short distance and then Pinkney jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving and it struck a utility pole.

Police say Pinkney fell to the ground and then began running.

He was located hiding underneath a vehicle and taken into custody.

Police say suspected drugs were located in his vehicle.

Pinkney, who goes by the alias Shortstop, was booked at the Hancock County Jail on the warrant and a fresh charge of fleeing and eluding.

With election season in full swing, the City of Findlay is reminding people that yard signs cannot be on public property.

The city says there have been a lot of instances where yard signs are being located in the public right of way (the area between the sidewalk and road) and those signs are being removed. (the signs above on South Main Street are appropriately placed)

Yard signs that have been pulled are being taken to the Parker Building at 224 West Crawford Street where the owner can pick them up.

The city also points out that removing, defacing or destroying a yard sign is vandalism and is illegal.

The Presidential Election is coming up on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Get more information on the upcoming election from the Hancock County Board of Elections by clicking here.

A woman was injured in a crash involving a dump truck east of Findlay.

The crash happened at 12:43 Wednesday afternoon on County Road 7 east of Township Road 248.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Thomas Lonyo, 78, of Findlay was going west on County Road 7 in a Mack dump truck loaded with stone when he went off the road at a curve, overcorrected and then his truck started to flip onto its right side going across the roadway.

The dump truck hit an SUV being driven by Nichole M. Bowen, 44, of Forest, in the driver side rear and she went off the road and into a ditch.

The dump truck came to rest across County Road 7 and into the ditch and its load of stone poured onto the road.

Bowen was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital while Lonyo was not transported.

The sheriff’s office says the crash is still under investigation.

The Findlay Police Department says a driver led officers on a pursuit before crashing into a guardrail and trying to run away.

Police say they tried to pull over a car on Trenton Avenue for following another vehicle to closely and for a turn signal violation at around 2:15 Wednesday morning.

Police say the vehicle continued westbound on Trenton Avenue and got onto Interstate 75 northbound before coming to a stop.

Police say as they approached the vehicle, it accelerated heading northbound on I-75 at speeds of more than 90 miles per hour.

Police say the vehicle exited at County Road 99, ran a red light and crashed into a guardrail.

Police say the driver, later identified as Rebecca C. Evans, 41, of Findlay, ran away from the scene and got about 50 yards before being detained by an officer.

Evans was found to have several warrants out of Findlay Municipal Court and from Auglaize County.

Police say she was in possession of illegal drugs.

Evans was arrested and taken to the Hancock County Jail where she faces the charges in the warrants as well as new charges of failure to comply with an officer, a 3rd degree felony, and drug possession, a 5th degree felony.

The Big Ten conference has announced that it will play football this fall after all.

The conference confirmed Wednesday morning that the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted unanimously to have the football season start the weekend of October 23-24.

It will be an 8 game season for each team.

The conference had postponed its entire fall sports season in August because of COVID-19 concerns and how football could be played safely.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren previously stated that the decision to postpone the season would not be revisited.

The conference says it will adopt stringent medical protocols for the season.

(above picture courtesy of Columbus Wired)

https://twitter.com/PresKMJohnson/status/1306225036467073027

The Findlay Police Department is reminding drivers to obey school bus laws and to watch for children getting on and off of buses now that the school year is underway.

Crime prevention officer Brian White says drivers also need to remember to slow down in school zones when children are present.

He says one particular trouble spot is on Bright Road near St. Michaels.

A driver who fails to stop for a school bus that’s loading or unloading students can be fined up to $500 and have their license suspended for a year.

On a two-lane road drivers going the same direction and opposite direction must stop for a school bus that’s loading or unloading students.

On a four-lane road only vehicles going the same direction as the school bus must stop.