Eight more people have died from COVID-19 in Hancock County, according to the health department.

Hancock Public Health is reporting 356 new cases, 17 new hospitalizations and eight new deaths for the week of November 19th through the 26th.

Hancock County averaged 44.5 new cases per day over that period and cases per 100,000 is 469.76.

Community transmission in Hancock County remains “high” as defined by the CDC.

770 people have been hospitalized with COVID in Hancock County since the beginning of the pandemic and 173 have died.

The health department is urging people to continue to take COVID precautions over the holidays.

Santa Claus himself was on hand as the biggest City of Findlay Christmas Tree ever came aglow Friday night at Dorney Plaza in front of the Municipal Building.

Santa helped Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn with the countdown and then the tree lit up as the crowd cheered.

People then took some time to get a few pictures in front of the glowing tree. (video below)

The city says the 45 foot tall blue spruce is the biggest Christmas Tree they’ve ever had, and it stands just about as tall as the municipal building.

The city thanks John and Joanne (Smith) Davis for the tree and to Miller Rigging for helping with it.

Millstream Career Center students designed a topper for the tree. Get more on that by clicking here.

Family Resource Center, in partnership with the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services is opening a new residential stabilization facility in Findlay.

The Steady Path Stabilization Center, located at 2627 Crystal Avenue in Findlay is a 24/7 monitored, short-term, step-down and diversion residential center that provides a safe place for stabilization services for individuals with persistent mental health concerns and those with co-occurring disorders.

“At times, the weight of mental health concerns, stress, or suicidal ideations can make getting through the day so difficult that you need a place apart from the whirlwind of the world to get stable before going back out,” said Aeryn Williams, Chief Clinical Officer at Family Resource Center.

“The Steady Path provides a welcoming short-term living environment providing a guided path to wellness. Time spent here will be highly individualized based on the needs of those we get the privilege to serve.”

In addition to mental health services, The Steady Path Stabilization Center will offer programming designed to help transition individuals from higher levels of care, such as psychiatric hospitalization and incarceration, to their independent living environments.

“We will be offering educational groups on money management, job resources, and health education as well as behavioral health groups focusing on emotional regulation and healthy coping strategies,” said Georgianna Smolenski, Program Manager at The Steady Path Stabilization Center.

“We want the care that we provide to include tools that residents can use throughout their journey to wellness.”

The Steady Path Stabilization Center will begin services in mid-December.

The public is invited to an open house for the new facility on Monday, November 29th from 3 to 6.

Family Resource Center President and CEO John Bindas will share some remarks along with Hancock County ADAMHS board chair Mark Rimelspach.

The Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce will host an official ribbon cutting at 4.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting extra patrols over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The sheriff’s office says the extra patrols will run from Wednesday through Sunday.

The sheriff’s office is reminding everyone to drive responsibly and designate a sober driver if consuming any intoxicating beverages.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was the busiest crash day for them over the course of the holiday weekend last year.

Law enforcement agencies are warning against drunk driving over the holiday, and especially on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, which is a popular bar night out.

Northwest State Community College is collaborating with OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County and the City Mission of Findlay to offer an Introduction to Welding program at the Fostoria Learning Center.

The program is providing seven individuals from the City Mission the opportunity to earn valuable welding skills and an OSHA 10-hour certification.

The program is designed to provide a pathway for skill attainment, employment with a livable wage, and ultimately a pathway out of homelessness and poverty.

Timothy McDowell, Operations Program Manager at the City Mission says this program can be the first step out of poverty.

“The City Mission is excited for the opportunity to partner with Northwest State Community College, OhioMeansJobs, and the Fostoria Learning Center, to provide our guests with training and skills that will open doors to a new career and a livable wage. This course provides more than the opportunity to learn a trade, it is the first step to a new beginning, to rebuilding families, and to halting generational poverty.”

This is Northwest State Community College’s first collaboration with OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County.

With the growing workforce needs in Hancock County, Workforce Supervisor, BriAnna Ybarra, believes this can not only assist individuals in poverty, but can also serve as way for local companies to fill vacant positions.

“OhioMeansJobs-Hancock County is excited to assist this group of motivated individuals obtain training that can lead to careers in an in-demand job field,” Ybarra said.

“In addition, we are certain that once this training has been completed, we will be able to help these same individuals secure employment, helping the unemployment rate in Hancock County. We believe this is the start of a great partnership.”

Ohio is joining a growing number of states whose highway patrol troopers are equipped with body cameras.

Governor DeWine joined Highway Patrol Superintendent Richard Fambro to announce the program’s kickoff.

DeWine said the $15 million program includes distribution and installation of 1,550 new body cameras.

“The Patrol has been using in-car cameras for decades, but as technology continues to advance, body cameras are now an essential tool,” the governor said.

The new body cameras will link to new in-car systems to ensure that all cameras record simultaneously when lights and sirens are activated.

They will be distributed in batches through May.

The Highway Patrol says the new body cams will roll out in the Findlay District in April of 2022.

Ohio’s new map of congressional districts is facing a constitutional challenge alleging it represents partisan gerrymandering by Republicans.

The lawsuit was filed in the Ohio Supreme Court by the National Democratic Redistricting Committee’s legal arm on behalf of a group of Ohio voters.

It challenges a map of U.S. House districts passed last week without Democratic support and signed into law Saturday by Republican governor Mike DeWine.

According to the suit, the map is “even more rigged than its predecessor.”

Ohio’s ruling Republicans assert that the map does not unduly favor either political party.

When you check out Findlay’s Christmas Tree this year know that the star at the top was made by students at Millstream Career Center.

Mayor Christina Muryn says she asked the construction, welding and engineering students to create a topper for the tree and that they jumped at the challenge.

She says the students came up with two designs and prototypes and she met with them and chose which one will be displayed atop the tree.

She says the students then met with the City of Findlay to go over how the star would be secured and how electricity would be run to it.

“I’m really proud of these students,” Muryn said.

The star was placed atop the tree on Tuesday and the tree was decorated.

You have your first chance to see the star light up along with the rest of the tree during the Findlay Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Friday night at 6 at Dorney Plaza, in front of the Findlay Municipal Building.

The annual Thanksgiving Day Community Meal put on by StoneBridge Church will have a different look again this year.

Usually, the church auditorium is packed with people enjoying a meal together, but with the pandemic lingering dine-in will not be available for the second straight year.

People will need to order a meal for drive-thru or delivery like they did last year.

Delivery is available within the city limits of Findlay only. The delivery order deadline was noon Tuesday.

The drive-thru will be open from 9 to 1 on Thanksgiving Day. People are asked to call ahead and place an order. The number is 567-208-0643.

Reverend Michael Wise, lead Pastor at Stonebridge says they’re preparing to serve up to 2,400 meals and that this is truly a community endeavor.

“I cannot reiterate enough, this is not just a Stonebridge thing, so many people in the community make this possible with the volunteering and donations.”

He thanks everyone who has signed up to volunteer, and says additional volunteers are welcome to join them on Wednesday night from 3 – 7 p.m. and Thursday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Get more details on the meal and learn how you can help by clicking here.

StoneBridge Church is located at 2111 Stonehedge Drive, off of Fostoria Avenue.

Ohio hunters, age 17 and under, took far more deer during this year’s youth hunt than last year.

Last weekend was Ohio’s annual youth hunt for deer.

The Ohio Division of Wildlife says Ohio’s young hunters took around 7,600 deer – up from around 5,800 last year.

The top five counties were Tuscarawas, Coshocton, Holmes, Knox and Guernsey.

More than 38,000 youth deer permits have been issued this year by the state.

Archery season is already underway.

The general week-long deer gun season in Ohio begins on Monday, followed by another weekend on December 18th and 19th.