A record number of Ohioans are voting absentee, but Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose says people who choose to vote early in person or wait and vote in person on election day can feel safe about doing so, even during the pandemic.

As LaRose mentioned, board of elections have a 61-point checklist to follow to ensure the safety of voters as COVID cases continue to rise.

The checklist includes having a separate entrance and exit and the frequent cleaning of surfaces.

“If you feel comfortable going to the grocery store, you should feel comfortable coming to your polling location,” LaRose said.

LaRose on Tuesday said that 2.2 million Ohioans have already cast their ballot, surpassing the early and absentee voting totals for the entire 2016 election.

More than 3.2 million Ohioans have requested an absentee ballot, far surpassing the 1.6 million Ohioans who did so in 2016.

See what candidates and issues are on the ballot in Hancock County by clicking here. 

The number of active and overall cases both took a big jump in the Wednesday coronavirus data released by Hancock Public Health.

The agency says there are 178 active cases of the virus in the county, which is an increase of 64 from the previous numbers that were released on Friday.

Total cases increased by 119, up to a total of 1,182.

The number of deaths increased by three, up to a total of 29.

State data shows Putnam County has had 1,189 cases and 28 deaths.

Hancock and surrounding counties are all considered “high incidence” counties.

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

Putnam County is still at level 3, or the red level.

The new map will come out on Thursday.

Statewide, 2,607 new cases were reported on Wednesday along with 17 deaths.

As of Wednesday, there were a total of 205,347 cases statewide and 5,256 deaths.

50 North has announced it will be closed for two weeks, beginning on Wednesday, due to a positive COVID test by a staff member.

The facility says its board of trustees, working directly with Hancock Public Health, has determined that for the safety of its members and staff, the facility will close for 14 days.

Services that are essential for at-risk seniors will continue, such at mobile meals and grocery delivery.

Outside chore work and virtual fitness classes will also continue, and social services will be available.

50 North, located at 339 East Melrose Avenue in Findlay, says it will continue to work with the Hancock Public Health and follow the guidelines of the CDC and local, state, and federal authorities.

You may notice Findlay police officers sporting more and more facial hair as the month of November progresses.

Findlay police officer Brian White says officers will be participating in “No Shave November” and raising money for the organization Blue H.E.L.P., which assists officers and their families with issues of mental health and suicide.

He says if officers donate one dollar a day to the organization Blue H.E.L.P., they don’t have to shave.

Typically, the department’s uniform policy dictates that on duty officers may only sport a mustache but for “No Shave November” anything goes.

The police department will be posting pictures during the month and people can vote on their favorite.

Learn more about Blue H.E.L.P. by clicking here.

The Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County has some Halloween and trick-or-treat advice for pet owners.

1. Keep your pets in a secure place INSIDE- room, crate, etc. so they do not run out the door when you are handing out candy.

2. Make sure your dog has their dog tag on their collar. For a cat, a break-away collar and some tag to identify them and a way to contact you if they get out.

3. Even if your pet normally likes strangers, remember that these strangers will be dressed up and may stress out your animal – keep a close eye on your pet!

4. Do not force your pet to dress up. If he/she does not want to be dressed up for Halloween, respect their wishes.

5. Keep candy/treats out of your pet’s reach! It can be dangerous – even lethal.

People are also being reminded, when going trick-or-treating, that it’s not okay for children to run up to strange dogs.

Even if the dog seems friendly they may be stressed out from all the excitement.

Click here to see the animals up for adoption at the Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County.

The pictures with this story are from the Humane Society’s Howl-O-Ween event last year.

Ohio is allocating nearly $420 million in CARES Act funding to help ease the burdens caused by the pandemic.

The funding package includes money for small businesses, restaurants and bars, hospitals, higher education, arts, nonprofits and low-income Ohioans impacted financially by the pandemic.

Governor DeWine says this money is essential in helping Ohioans stay in their homes and to pay off outstanding bills accrued during the pandemic.

The City of Findlay is encouraging people to check out the programs below or by clicking here.

Putnam County has the highest occurrence of COVID-19 cases in the state based on population by a wide margin.

Data from the Ohio Department of Health shows Putnam County has had 294 cases over the last two weeks, leading to a rate of 868.3 cases per 100,000 people.

Putnam County’s population is 33,861.

Putnam County has had a total of 1,156 cases and 27 deaths.

Putnam County is “red”, or level three, on the state’s COVID-19 alert map.

Hancock County is still “orange” or level two.

State data shows Hancock County on Tuesday was at 1,159 cases and 29 deaths.

Hancock County and all surrounding counties are considered “high incidence” counties.

The Ohio Department of Health on Tuesday reported 2,509 new cases of the virus statewide along with 22 new deaths.

Statewide, total cases as of Tuesday stood at 202,740 and total deaths were at 5,239.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has a message for people who plan to vote absentee but have not yet requested their mail-in ballot.

Do it now.

Officially, the deadline for requesting a mail-in ballot is Saturday at noon, but LaRose says that if you wait until then, you may not receive that ballot until after the election is over.

And he’s also advising people not to hold on to those ballots when they get them, but to return them as soon as possible.

A ballot must be postmarked no later than November 2nd for it to be counted.

People can also place their absentee ballot in the drop box (pictured) at the Hancock County Board of Elections up until 7:30 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, November 3rd.

A record number of voters have requested an absentee ballot for this election.

Click here for a list of candidates and issues on the ballot in Hancock County.

It was a sad conclusion to the search for a missing boy in Kenton.

The city says 4-year-old Quinton Ellcessor’s body was found in the Scioto River on Monday afternoon, about two miles east of where he was last seen walking on Thursday afternoon.

A K9 team with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources located the boy, who was autistic.

The city says the investigation will continue, pending an autopsy.

The City of Kenton is thanking the community for the outpouring of support during this difficult time and local, state and federal agencies for their assistance.

(picture provided by the City of Kenton)

Findlay City Schools will have an operating levy on the November 3rd ballot.

Superintendent Troy Roth says the levy is smaller than the one that was defeated in a special election in August and in the primary in April.

As Roth said, since the millage is lower, even if this levy is approved, the district will still have to make some cuts to personnel and in other areas.

The 3.9 mill levy would cost taxpayers significantly less than the 5.9 mill levy that voters twice rejected.

The school district says the 3.9 mill levy on the November 3rd ballot will cost a homeowner $136.50 annually for each $100,000 of home value.

The 5.9 mill levy that failed would have cost a homeowner $206.50 for each $100,000 of home value.

Get more on the levy here.