Monthly Archives: April 2021

Governor Announces Support For Police Reform Bill

(ONN) – Governor Mike DeWine has announced his support for a bill that would change how law enforcement officers in the state are trained.

The Governor spoke about a police reform bill coming from state representative and former sheriff Phil Plummer in the coming days.

Plummer’s proposal would establish a peace officer oversight board, create databases for use-of-force and officer discipline, require independent investigation into officer-involved critical events, and bring in sustainable funding for law enforcement training.

DeWine said these are common-sense reforms that police unions and community activists can agree need to happen.

 

Semi Rollover And RV Fire In McComb

There were a lot of emergency vehicles on County Road 126 a little north of McComb on Wednesday night responding to two separate incidents.

It just so happened that a semi crashed and an RV caught on fire next to a home at around the same time at around 6:15.

The semi driver was okay but the rig leaked some diesel into a ditch.

Hancock County EMA responded to the scene.

The road had to be closed as the rig was righted and removed.

In the other incident, just down the street and closer to town, a Winnebago was totally destroyed in a fire.

(a picture of the RV fire is below and below that is video of the semi rollover)

 

 

 

 

Findlay School Fostering Environmental Leaders

Some students at Findlay’s Chamberlin Hill Intermediate school are learning to be Environmental Leaders by helping the school recycle.

 

 

Third Grade Teacher Jennifer Suermann says the students signed up for the leadership job as part of the Leader in Me program.

She says the school has several leadership teams including students who run messages to classrooms, students who call the buses and students who collect the recyclables and are called Environmental Leaders.

In the picture are third graders Cora and Liam who on a weekly basis take the recyclables from the school to the blue container in the parking lot from Litter Landing.

The 51st Earth Day is on Thursday.

 

Health Department Offering On-Site COVID Vaccinations For Businesses

The Putnam County Health Department is now offering on-site COVID vaccinations for businesses.

The department says it now has nursing staff available to help organize and/or provide vaccination for COVID-19 on-site for employees and their families.

The health department says it has Pfizer in stock and some Moderna vaccine and can get more of either depending on a business’s preference.

Businesses would have to sign up at least a week before so the health department can make sure they have enough vaccines.

Businesses interested should contact the Putnam County Health Department at 419-523-5608 ext. 107.

Ohio’s COVID vaccination dashboard shows that around 12,000 people in the county — about 35 percent — have started the vaccination process.

 

 

Ohio Democrats Pushing For New Gun Laws

(ONN) – Democrats in the Ohio House have unveiled several legislative gun control priorities, though the measures face an uphill battle in a Republican-dominated legislature where lawmakers have pushed to ease many weapons restrictions.

The proposals include universal background checks for gun purchases and a so-called “red flag” law allowing the temporary removal of guns from individuals deemed a risk to themselves or others.

House minority leader Emilia Strong Sykes of Akron says the proposals would reduce gun violence and save lives.

She said shootings have only increased in Ohio since the August 2019 mass shooting in Dayton that killed nine.

 

OSHP: Distracted Driving Safety Corridor Is Working

The Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Transportation gave an update on the effectiveness of the Distracted Driving Safety Corridor that was implemented on Interstate 75 in March of 2020.

We asked Lt. Tim Grigsby (video below) if the corridor, that stretches from Findlay to Beaverdam, is accomplishing what they hoped it would.

“It has, it’s driven injury and fatal crashes down. We haven’t had a single fatality in this particular corridor in the time it’s been active.”

 

 

 

Lt. Grigsby says the purpose of the corridor is two-fold: to educate drivers about the dangers of distracted driving and to make them aware of law enforcement’s intense focus on stopping it.

 

 

The 20-mile stretch of highway includes signs that inform drivers that they’re entering the corridor and there is zero tolerance for unsafe driving behaviors.

The signs also inform drivers of the dangers of driving distracted with one of the signs reading “this could be your last text”.

The I-75 corridor is the second Distracted Driving Safety Corridor in northwest Ohio with the other being established on U.S. 6 in Wood, Sandusky and Henry Counties in 2018.

April is national Distracted Driving Awareness Month.

 

 

 

Findlay Treated To A Spring Snowfall

While there’s no more snow in our forecast, there is another Freeze Warning.

The National Weather Service says Findlay and Hancock County will be under a Freeze Warning from 10 p.m. Wednesday until 10 a.m. Thursday.

Forecasters say sub-freezing temperatures as low as 26 are expected.

Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Findlay picked up some snow Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

It collected on grassy surfaces but had trouble sticking to the pavement.

The heavy, wet snow did bring down some branches.

It will be very cold when you wake up Thursday morning but the temp will rebound to the upper 40s along with mostly sunny skies.

And then we’ll be treated to a high around 60 on Friday.

Findlay also picked up some April snow last year.

 

 

Big Drop In Active COVID Cases In Hancock County

There’s been a big drop in the number of active COVID cases in Hancock County.

In the latest numbers released by Hancock Public Health on Tuesday, there were 85 active cases in the county, which is down from 170 cases on April 9th.

Active cases are defined as cases currently under quarantine or in isolation.

Five people were hospitalized with the virus in Hancock County as of Tuesday, which is down from 11 on April 9th.

Click here for information on scheduling a vaccination through Hancock Public Health and here through Blanchard Valley Health System.

 

 

 

Overnight Lane Restrictions On I-75

A section of Interstate 75 will be down to one lane in Findlay for 12 hours beginning Thursday night.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says Interstate 75 northbound, on the southern end of the city, will have overnight lane restrictions in the two right lanes for bridge maintenance.

The left lane will remain open.

The work zone will begin south of the U.S. 68 interchange and extend to just past the U.S. 68 fly over ramp.

The lane closures will begin on Thursday, April 22nd at 7 p.m. and extend until 7 a.m. on Friday.

 

Winter Weather Advisory Issued

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Winter Weather Advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

The advisory will be in effect from 7 p.m. Tuesday until 7 a.m. Wednesday.

Forecasters say a late season snow storm could drop between 3 to 7 inches of snow.

People should plan on slick road conditions and should slow down and use caution if traveling.

There will also be a Freeze Warning in effect on Wednesday from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m.