The Ohio Department of Transportation says litterbugs are costing taxpayers millions of dollars each year.

ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning posted a video of an ODOT crew picking up litter along Interstate 75 in Dayton.

He says ODOT collects about 400,000 bags of trash a year.

“The sad thing is, this crew tells me they’ll come back here in about a week and you won’t even be able to tell they’ve been here…it’s disgusting,” Bruning said.

He says litter is 100 percent preventable, and is asking people to simply keep their trash inside their vehicle until they can properly dispose of it.

He said litter is an issue that costs taxpayers around $4 million a year.

A teenager was life-flighted from the scene of a crash in northern Hancock County.

The crash happened at 2:16 a.m. Saturday at State Route 613 and County Road 140 in Allen Township.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Anthony Coppes, 19, of Deshler, was driving north on County Road 140 and entered the intersection and was struck on the driver’s side by a semi going east on State Route 613 being driven by Robert Barr, 52, of East Point, Georgia.

Anthony was trapped in his car after the crash and was extricated by the Allen Township Fire Department.

He was then life-flighted to St. Vincent Medical Center in Toledo.

Barr was not injured in the crash.

The sheriff’s office says the crash remains under investigation.

A large COVID-19 vaccine clinic was held at the University of Findlay’s Koehler Complex on Saturday.

Hancock County Health Commissioner Karim Baroudi was happy with how community health partners and volunteers worked together to put on the 2000+ dose clinic.

“Literally in this arena you can see the finish line, it’s right there where the vaccine is being offered, and we want everyone to take advantage so we can get this over with,” Baroudi told WFIN at the clinic. Get more of our conversation with Baroudi in the video below.

Laura, from Findlay, (pictured above) told us that she received the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The two-dose Moderna vaccine was also administered at the clinic.

Baroudi said as the county receives more of the vaccine additional clinics will be scheduled.

People can call Hancock Public Health at 419-424-7105 and select option 1 for COVID-19 vaccine information and scheduling.

The state’s COVID vaccination dashboard shows that more than 2.3 million Ohioans have started the vaccination process.

In Hancock County, around 14,000 people have started the process, which is about 18 percent of the county’s population.

Two people were injured when a motorcycle and bicycle collided on North Main Street in Findlay.

The crash happened at around 4:15 Friday afternoon near the intersection of North Main Street and Southcliff Drive.

The Findlay Police Department says a juvenile was riding a bicycle on North Main Street along the east side of the road and attempted to cross the road from a private drive.

The police department says Joseph Judy, 36, of Lima, was driving north on North Main Street on a Suzuki motorcycle and struck the juvenile in the middle of the road.

Both Joseph and the juvenile were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital with injuries that are not life-threatening.

The juvenile was issued a citation for failure to yield.

The Hancock Park District says it’s evident that spring is coming at the county’s parks.

On Friday morning, Hancock Park District Natural Resource Assistant Grant Kinsinger surveyed a trap that set Thursday night at Oakwoods Nature Preserve as part of a Spring Salamander Survey.

Although no salamanders were captured, the trap did offer a good study of a leopard frog and a fairy shrimp.

A similar trap was set at Blanchard River Nature Preserve, resulting in a tangle of salamanders and a turtle.

Wetlands, such as those that will result from the current H2Ohio-funded Wetland Restoration Project at Oakwoods Nature Preserve, provide important habitat for amphibians and other wildlife.

Learn more about the Hancock Park District’s Oakwoods Nature Preserve Wetlands Project by clicking here, and in the video below the turtle.

(pictures and story courtesy of the Hancock Park District)

While Findlay High School won’t be having a traditional prom this year, they will be holding their first-ever Senior Promenade.

Assistant Principal Christine Siebeneck says the seniors-only event combines the glamour of prom while keeping the seniors safe and healthy during the ongoing pandemic.

She explained why this event is so important for the Senior Class.

She says the evening will consist of a formal dinner, a live band, recognitions, and memories.

The event will give seniors a chance to celebrate their accomplishments, reminisce about their years at FHS, and look forward to their futures.

The Senior Promenade will be held on Saturday, May 15th from 7-11 p.m. in the Findlay High School Courtyard.

Governor Mike DeWine says Ohio is on track to meet the COVID-19 vaccine goal set by President Biden.

During a live address to the nation on Thursday night, Biden challenged all states to make the vaccine available to everyone by May 1st.

DeWine on Friday that Ohio is well on its way making sure every adult in the state who wants the vaccine will get it, possibly even before the President’s proposed deadline.

Hancock Public Health held a 600-dose clinic at 50 North on Thursday.

Hancock Public Health, Blanchard Valley Health System and the University of Findlay are teaming up for a 2000+ vaccine clinic at the University of Findlay on Saturday.

All appointments for that clinic are filled.

People can call Hancock Public Health at 419-424-7105 and select option 1 for COVID-19 vaccine information and scheduling.

An adult and two children are okay but their family pets were lost in a house fire in southwest Hancock County.

The Southwestern Hancock Joint Fire District says a call came it at 4:22 p.m. Thursday about a house fire at 6313 Township Road 34 in Rawson.

Firefighters arrived to find heavy smoke and flames at the rear of the house.

They went to work on the fire and had it extinguished in about 45 minutes.

Fire officials say the residents arrived home to find smoke in the house.

The residents were not injured but two dogs, two cats, a snake and an iguana perished in the fire.

Fire officials say the fire started in the rear of the house in a laundry room, and the cause is under investigation.

The fire did extensive smoke and fire damage to the house.

The Red Cross was contacted to assist the family.

Hancock Public Health held a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at 50 North on Thursday.

Shannon Chamberlin, director of community health services with Hancock Public Health, says they administered around 600 doses of the vaccine.

She said about half of those 600 doses were the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

She says the people that got the two-shot Moderna vaccine will be notified when to come back for their second dose.

Hancock Public Health, Blanchard Valley Health System and the University of Findlay are teaming up for a large vaccine clinic at the University of Findlay on Saturday.

Governor DeWine is giving the go-ahead for county fairs to take place this year.

DeWine said that as long as the events follow COVID-19 safety guidelines like social distancing and mask-wearing they’ll be allowed to go forward.

The governor added that grandstand spectators will be limited to 30-percent capacity.

DeWine said it’s possible that by the time we get to fair season we may be off the health orders if things continue to go well.

He said he’ll release guidelines for other events like proms and graduation ceremonies soon.

Last year’s Hancock County Fair was canceled.

The Putnam County Fair was held last year but without rides or games.

Hancock County Fair Board President Jeff Cole was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss the preparations for this year’s fair.