The Toledo Police Department has released details about the funeral for Officer Brandon Stalker.
The funeral will be on Tuesday, January 26th at 10 a.m. at Savage Arena on the University of Toledo campus.
The funeral will be open to the Stalker family, friends and law enforcement only.
The police department is encouraging residents to line the route of the funeral procession, once it’s finalized and announced, beginning at around noon Tuesday.
The funeral procession will end at Toledo Memorial Park for a private service.
Officer Stalker, 24, died after being shot while working the perimeter during a standoff with a suspect on Monday.
He leaves behind a fiancee and two children.
People wishing to donate to the officer’s family can click here for more information.
Big changes are planned for the Interstate 75/County Road 99 Interchange on the north end of Findlay.
The Ohio Department of Transportation, the City of Findlay, and the Hancock County Engineer’s Office have announced the decision to proceed with the design of a diverging diamond interchange at that location.
The option was one of four presented to the public during a virtual public involvement meeting in August.
The project will also include upgrading intersections along County Road 99 between North Main Street and Technology Drive.
ODOT says the improvements will combat congestion at the important economic hub while reducing the risk of crashes and making travel in the area easier and safer.
Transportation officials say a DDI shifts the eastbound and westbound traffic to the other side of the bridge at signalized crossovers which eliminates left turns across traffic and the traffic signals for left turns.
The benefit is that all traffic can enter the interstate in a free flow movement to the ramps which reduces the long start and stop times of trucks at signals.
A successful example of a DDI is located in Perrysburg at I-475 and State Route 25.
“A DDI will ensure the sustainability of the economic opportunities in this corridor,” said County Engineer Doug Cade.
“With increased commuter and truck traffic comes the need to take steps to improve the efficient movement of our labor force and goods to and from this area so that we can continue to see prosperity and be ready for future opportunities,” he added.
A separate multi-use bridge for pedestrians and bikes that would connect Miracle Park with future development on the west side of I-75 was also considered but will not move forward at this time.
It remains an option for future development.
Funding for the project has not yet been approved.
The construction timeline will depend on when funding is approved.
Hancock Public Health’s vaccine clinic for residents 80 years of age and older got underway this week.
On the first day of the clinic on Tuesday, Hancock Public Health says it was graced with the presence of Lois Poling, a 100-year-old Hancock County resident.
Clinics will run throughout the week and are by appointment only.
People 65 and older who would like to register for Phase 1B should go to hancockph.com and fill out the registration link.
As they receive more vaccine staff will call people who have registered to set up an appointment to receive their shot.
People are being asked to remain patient as vaccines are still in limited supply.
A stretch of East Bigelow Avenue in Findlay is closed for gas line work.
The city says East Bigelow will be closed to through traffic from Main Street to Crystal Avenue from Wednesday, January 20th through Friday, February 5th.
Businesses and residents will have access on Bigelow, but will not be able to cross the railroad tracks.
A detour is set up to direct traffic around the closure.
Columbia Gas is boring a new gas main under the tracks.
The city says the Engineering Department will release updates on information and schedules when it becomes available.
Blanchard Valley Health System is asking people to remain patient during what’s been a slow rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine.
They posted the following on their Facebook page about how people can help the vaccine distribution go as smoothly as possible.
BVHS is working in collaboration with Hancock Public Health and the City of Findlay- Mayor’s Office to initiate COVID-19 vaccine clinics across our community. At this time, scheduling for the different age groups is taking longer than anticipated. This is due to the limited number of vaccine doses that HPH is receiving on a weekly basis. We respectfully request that community members remain patient. Additionally, do not sign-up for multiple vaccine clinic locations and do not register for time slots outside of your age category. These types of issues are causing the vaccine clinic process to slow even further. Please visit bvhsvaccineconnect.com to learn more about registering for the vaccine clinics in your county of residence. Additional communication on vaccine clinic locations, dates and times will be released once they have been scheduled. Thank you for your understanding as we attempt to protect our community from COVID-19!
Anyone in Phase 1B that has not pre-registered and is interested in receiving a vaccine must pre-register in advance by visiting www.hancockph.com and completing the form located at the top of the page.
People in Phase 1B without online access may also call 50 North at 419-423-8496 or HPH at 419-424- 7105 to be registered by phone.
Joe Biden took the oath of office and became the 46th President of the United States a little before noon on Wednesday.
Kamala Harris was sworn in as America’s first female vice president.
President Biden’s inaugural address focused on a commitment to unity.
“In another January, on New Year’s Day in 1863, Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. When he put pen to paper, the president said, and I quote, “if my name ever goes down into history, it’ll be for this act, and my whole soul is in it,” Biden said.
“My whole soul is in it,” Biden continued to applause. “Today, on this January day, my whole soul is in this: bringing America together, uniting our people, uniting our nation. And I ask every American to join me in this cause.”
Three former presidents, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush were in attendance for the ceremonial transfer of power.
He says more than 18,000 inactive voter registrations are back in the state’s good graces after record-high participation in elections last year.
He says some 10,000 of them cast a vote in the November election.
“Getting rid of bad voter data from the voter rolls helps prevent fraud, makes it easier for county boards of elections to do their jobs, and strengthens the confidence Ohioans place in our elections,” LaRose said. “I’m proud we’ve developed a way of doing this that empowers both the voter and the voting rights community, all while fulfilling my obligation to maintain accurate voter lists. There’s no question – we’re providing a successful model for other states to follow.”
To remain a registered voter requires action, such as voting, updating a registration, requesting an absentee ballot or visiting the BMV.
There is another setback for the seven-story building that looks like a giant basket and once was the home of the Longaberger Company.
Developers intended to turn the unique building into a boutique hotel, but Ceres Enterprises canceled the project, saying the pandemic put too much of a strain on company finances.
So, the basket is back on the market once again, this time selling for $6.5 million.
That price is a far cry from the $32 million it cost to build it in the late 1990s.
The 180,000 square foot building in Newark, Ohio once housed around 500 Longaberger employees when the Longaberger Company was a $1 billion company with more than 8,000 employees in 2000.
