The Ohio Department of Transportation is seeking public comment on a U.S. 30 resurfacing project in southern Hancock County.

The public comment is being sought in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act of 1966.
HANCOCK COUNTY

ODOT is proposing to resurface the roadway on U.S. 30 in Hancock County from the State Route 235 interchange (approximately three miles north of the village of Ada) to the railroad bridge just east of the U.S. 68 interchange (approximately 0.25 miles south of Williamstown).

Construction may result in temporary ramp closures at the State Route 235 and U.S. 68 interchanges.

If ramp closures are required, vehicular traffic at the ramps will be detoured temporarily.

Construction is anticipated to begin in the spring of 2023.

Written comments regarding these projects may be sent to: Ohio Department of Transportation District 1, Attn: Nate Tessler, 1885 N. McCullough Street, Lima, Ohio 45801; or to nate.tessler@dot.ohio.gov

Comments should be provided by Thursday, January 6, 2022.

To help expedite a response, people should provide the project name and PID number provided above as well as contact information.

Comments without contact information cannot be responded to.

ODOT says project-related issues the public may wish to comment on include, but are not limited to, historic or cultural resources, ecological resources and environmental justice issues.

Ohio hunters harvested 9,392 deer during the extra weekend of gun hunting on Saturday, December 18th and Sunday, December 19th, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife.

That number is down from the 15,203 deer that hunters harvested during the extra weekend in 2020.

Over the past three years, hunters checked an average of 12,734 deer during the same two-day period.

The top 10 counties for deer taken during the 2021 two-day deer gun season include: Coshocton (307), Tuscarawas (287), Licking (256), Guernsey (236), Ashtabula (232), Knox (229), Carroll (220), Muskingum (219), Ashland (210), and Holmes (208).

After hunters checked 70,413 deer during the weeklong deer gun season November 29th – December 5th, the total harvest during the 2021 gun hunting season was 79,805 deer.

Hunters harvested an average of 78,014 deer during the nine days of deer gun hunting over the past three years.

In addition, young hunters harvested 7,634 whitetails during the two-day youth gun season, November 20 – 21, and archery hunters have checked 82,145 deer through Sunday, December 19th.

The Division of State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigation Bureau is seeking tips from the public regarding the identity of a man suspected of intentionally setting the fire at the Super Wash Car Wash, 1003 North Prospect Road, in Bowling Green.

The suspect was also seen breaking into the City of Bowling Green utility drop box on November 30th, the same night as the car wash fire.

The suspect was captured on camera and investigators are hoping the public will help in identifying him.

The investigation is being conducted by the State Fire Marshal, Bowling Green Fire and Police Departments.

A reward of $10,000 is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for these fires.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by the Blue Ribbon Arson Committee as well as an additional $5,000 offered by the car wash owners to encourage witnesses to come forward and hold those accountable for their actions.

Anyone who has information on the identity of the suspect should contact the State Fire Marshal’s tip line at 800-589-2728 or the Bowling Green Fire or Police Departments.

The Findlay Police Department has promoted Brooks Deidrick and Dan Griffith to the position of Sergeant.

They were sworn in by Mayor Christina Muryn at the Findlay Municipal Building on Monday.

Sgt. Deidrick (on the left) began his career with the Findlay Police Department in 2011 as a Patrol Officer.

Sgt. Deidrick has served in the Patrol Division as a Field Training Officer, a member of the Department’s Honor Guard, and a firearms instructor/armorer.

Sgt. Deidrick is also a squad leader on the Crisis Management Team.

He is a graduate of Findlay High School and he has an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Owens Community College.

Prior to college, Sgt. Deidrick served in the U.S. Army Airborne, doing tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Sgt. Deidrick was the Findlay Police Department’s Officer of the Year in 2020 and he will be assigned to the Patrol Division.

He lives in Findlay.

Sgt. Griffith joined the Department in 2014 as a Patrol Officer.

He has served as a Field Training Officer, an ALICE and field sobriety testing instructor, and a chemical munitions instructor.

Sgt. Griffith is also an assistant squad leader on the Crisis Management Team and a member of the Honor Guard.

Sgt. Griffith is a graduate of Eastwood High School, attended the University of Toledo, and earned his Peace Officer Certificate from Owens Community College.

Sgt. Griffith will also be assigned to the Patrol Division.

Sgt. Griffith and his wife, Candace, reside in Forest with their children, Logan and Lyla.

Hancock Public Health and Blanchard Valley Health System are collaborating on a drive-thru Pfizer booster clinic.

The clinic will be held on Wednesday, December 22nd from 10 to 1 at the Cube Ice Arena at 3430 North Main Street in Findlay.

No appointment is necessary but people interested should click on this link to fill out the required form ahead of time.

The Findlay Police Department is working to identify where a large amount of gifts found near Findlay High School came from.

The police department says both wrapped and unwrapped children’s gifts were located in the area of the high school on Saturday.

Police said the gifts appear related to a theft or burglary but no cases have yet been identified.

It was also confirmed that the gifts were not related to the Toys for Tots theft in November.

Anyone with information relating to the case can call the police department at 419-424-7150 and contact Officer Bortel #194 and reference case 2021-28044.

The charity Best Christmas Ever surprised three Findlay area families over the weekend who fell on hard times this year.

The organization on Sunday afternoon surprised the Wolfe family in Findlay with gifts and a trip to Disney World.

Jaclyn Pessel, of Best Christmas Ever, says Emily Wolfe had spent a lot of time and effort raising money for breast cancer research after her mother-in-law got breast cancer, and then Emily herself was diagnosed with breast cancer and has battled the disease this year.

“So she had spent all that time raising money for people she didn’t know only to find herself in that same boat, and she was nominated by a good friend of theirs.”

Emily, her husband Ryan and their three girls all came out to the porch when Jaclyn knocked to announce the surprise as dozens of people looked on.

Jaclyn said they also surprised two other families over the weekend, and that it wouldn’t be possible without this generous community.

“You get more out of giving than you do receiving, and you can see by how many people were here that people want to give and to help and there’s so many good people out there.”

The Fort Findlay FOP held its Cops and Kids Go Shopping event over the weekend.

Local police officers took around 150 kids Christmas shopping at the Meijer on Tiffin Avenue.

The kids had $200 to spend on themselves.

Once some clothes and necessities were purchased they headed to the toy section where the kids really had fun picking out some toys.

This is the 20th year Findlay police officers have taken needy kids shopping for Christmas.

This year was the first year for Cops and Kids Go Shopping as it replaced Shop With a Cop.

Get more on that change by clicking here.

You can see video from the event below in which we talk with Sgt. David Hill.

A teenager suffered life-threatening injuries in a crash in Putnam County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says Tonna Gossard, 17, of Columbus Grove, was driving westbound on State Route 12 at 4:22 Saturday afternoon when she went off the road near County Road 4.

Her car struck a tree and several cemetery headstones.

Tonna was taken to a Lima hospital and then later transported to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

The Highway Patrol says Tonna was wearing her seat belt and that the crash remains under investigation.

The Findlay Police Department says two people are facing charges after a fight at Brew U on North Main Street.

Officers were dispatched to the bar at 12:26 Sunday morning for a fight in progress.

Officers say they located two victims with significant injuries to their head and face and they were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital.

The police department says Robert Carillo and Rafael Carillo III were taken into custody at the scene.

They were booked at the Hancock County Jail on charges of felonious assault and assault.

Police say additional charges against other people involved in the fight may be filed at a later time, as the investigation is ongoing.