The Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved a 1.118 percent, seven-year Job Creation Tax Credit for Whirlpool Corporation in Ottawa.

Whirlpool expects to create 100 full-time positions, generating $3.7 million in new annual payroll and retaining $23.5 million in existing payroll as a result of the company’s expansion project in Ottawa.

In November, Whirlpool announced it would investing more than $65 million over the next several years into its factory in Ottawa.

Whirlpool says the investment in the Ottawa operation is part of the company’s ongoing efforts to position the plant as the Premium Refrigeration Factory in its North American Region.

The investment will include an expansion of the Ottawa plant to accommodate production of premium refrigeration products, including Built-In Refrigerator production.

Expansion of the facility’s existing footprint will begin in mid-2022, with Ottawa assuming full production in 2023.

Whirlpool says the plant expansion will create more than 100 additional jobs.

The Kahuna All-Star Christmas Jam benefiting Toys for Tots that was scheduled for Wednesday night at Alexandria’s in Findlay has been postponed.

The event was postponed out of an abundance of caution due to some of the band members having reported feeling ill.

Organizers of the event are seeking an alternate date on which to reschedule.

People are asked to continue supporting Toys for Tots this holiday season at the numerous drop-off points in the area.

The Findlay Police Department says it continues to seek improvements in the quality of the services it provides to the people of Findlay and Hancock County.

And that’s why they’re asking people to complete a citizen survey and to share their opinions about the police department.

The police department says the anonymous survey will help them place resources where they are most needed and address the concerns of residents.

The survey should take up only about five minutes of your time and can be completed by clicking here.

Paper copies may also be picked up at the Findlay Municipal Building at the front desk.

Surveys will be accepted until Friday, December 31st.

State Representative Jon Cross has announced a new piece of legislation named the GROW (Graduating and Retaining Ohio’s Workforce) Ohio Act.

The Republican from Kenton says the new initiative will help Ohio rebuild its population and future workforce with the creation of state incentives in partnership with Ohio’s institutions of higher education and business.

“I’m excited to be joined with leaders of higher education and business to announce fresh ideas and creative solutions to help recruit and retain Ohio’s future workforce, increase our population and widen our tax-base for a more robust and stronger economy,” Cross said.

He says the primary focus of the legislation is to incentivize Ohio’s younger population to live, learn, work and prosper in Ohio instead of leaving the state after graduation.

The bill will offer four key incentives that are centered around college recruitment, degree advancement, business-education partnerships and workforce retention.

The highlights of the legislation are as follows:

– If a graduating college student takes a full-time job offer in Ohio vs. out-of-state employment, they can receive a 100 percent refundable state income tax payment for up to three years of employment.

– Ohio does not currently offer any merit-based scholarships until now! Under the Choose Ohio First Program, 100 scholarships of $25,000 will be made available for out-of-state students enrolling to any of Ohio’s four-year colleges/universities if they are in the top 5 percent of their high-school graduating class AND pursuing a degree within a STEM field. In addition, the scholarship will be a forgivable loan if they remain in Ohio after graduation.

– To better incentivize paid internships with Ohio businesses, an Ohio employer will earn a refundable credit of 30 percent of paid wages for students who engaged in internships, apprenticeships and co-ops.

– Students who have completed their associate degree and wish to pursue a bachelor’s degree may obtain an additional Ohio College Opportunity Grant.

The legislation will also codify into the Ohio Revised Code the Governor’s Workforce Development Board to include the Chancellor of Higher Education or a representative named by them.

The legislation also has wide support from Ohio’s higher education institutions and business associations. Those attending the announcement included the Ohio Chamber of Commerce President Steve Stivers, University of Findlay President Katherine Fell, Ohio State University President Kristina Johnson, University of Cincinnati President Neville Pinto, Bowling Green State University President Rodney Rogers, University of Akron President Gary Miller, University of Dayton President Eric Spina, Malone University President David King, Ursuline College President Sister Christine De Vinne, Marietta College President William Ruud.

“I am honored to join Rep. Cross for the introduction of the GROW Ohio Act, a piece of legislation that will be vital in our quest to grow Ohio’s workforce,” said Ohio Chamber of Commerce President Steve Stivers.

“Young people are a valuable asset for a thriving economy. In conjunction with other partnerships and strategic plans, this bill will make it more attractive for this population to build their careers and lives in Ohio, strengthening our state’s position as a leading force in business.”

The legislation is a collaborative effort between the Ohio legislature and Ohio’s institutions of higher education and businesses.

The bill has been filed with the Ohio House Clerk’s Office to start the legislative process.

The Findlay Police Department and Hancock County Sheriff’s Office could end up getting body and cruiser cameras through a new state grant program.

On Monday, Governor DeWine announced a $250 million grant program to help first responder agencies counter increases in violent crime and to mitigate impacts to staffing levels and first-responder wellness caused by the pandemic.

The grant program will be paid for by funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Local communities will have flexibility in how they would be allowed to use the funds.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn and Findlay Police Chief Robert Ring were on stage with the governor at the news conference in Columbus and Mayor Muryn was welcomed to the podium by the governor.

As Mayor Muryn said in her comments in the audio above, Findlay may look at getting body cams for its police officers and dash cams for their cruisers through this grant program.

However, that’s not official just yet, and the mayor said there might be other items that make sense to apply for through the program such as dealing with crime lab backup issues and other technology to help police solve crimes.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says it will be looking at acquiring body and vehicle cameras through this new grant program.

The new grant program still has to be approved by the Ohio Legislature.

The Ohio Tax Credit Authority has approved a 1.567 percent, eight-year Job Creation Tax Credit for the new R+L Carriers facility that’s coming to Findlay.

R+L Carriers expects to create 199 full-time positions, generating $9.9 million in new annual payroll as a result of the company’s new project in Findlay.

The Findlay City Planning Commission reviewed and approved a site plan for R+L Carriers in July.

The operation will be located east of McLane and Campbell’s Soup, north of East Bigelow and south of County Road 212.

Construction on the facility will begin early in 2022.

R+L Carriers is a family-owned, freight shipping company built on the idea that a satisfied customer is their number one priority.

Governor DeWine held a news conference Monday to announce a proposal to direct grant funding to law enforcement and other first responder agencies across Ohio.

The governor said the $250 million First Responder Resilience and Recovery Grant program will help first responder agencies counter increases in violent crime and to mitigate impacts to staffing levels and first-responder wellness caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grant program will be paid for by American Rescue Plan Act funds.

$175 million of the funds would be dedicated towards supporting state and local efforts in solving crimes and holding violent offenders accountable.

He said the funds would build upon things they’ve already done to give police officers and criminal justice officials the resources they need to keep Ohioans safe.

The governor said $75 million of the funds will go towards supporting the resilience, recovery and recruitment of Ohio’s first responders.

He said the grant funding will allow agencies to provide more services to first responders to help them deal with the traumas of the jobs they hold.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn spoke at the news conference, saying the grant funding will help Findlay put money towards issues in the community that they haven’t been able to move the needle on quickly enough.

She says Findlay will likely look at getting body cams for its police officers and dash cams for their cruisers through this grant program.

However, that’s not official just yet, and the mayor said there might be other items that make sense to apply for through the program such as dealing with crime lab backup issues and other technology to help police solve crimes.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office said it will be looking at acquiring body and vehicle cameras through the new First Responder Resilience and Recovery Grant program

The new grant program still has to be approved by the Ohio Legislature.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn is being honored by the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) for her work to advocate for U.S. global leadership as an imperative and effective approach to strengthening our country’s local communities.

USGLC will pay tribute to Mayors across America at its virtual 2021 Tribute Celebration on December 7th at 8 p.m., an event free and open to the public.

USGLC is recognizing Mayor Muryn for her outspoken advocacy on how leading globally matters locally.

Mayor Muryn has said, “We are a global economy and diplomacy plays an important role in making sure that we have a strong and secure country and world. Anything that we can do to continue to position the United States as a global leader is not only going to have positive ramifications for our country but for our local communities in Ohio as well.”

In addition to serving as a member of USGLC’s Ohio Advisory Committee and speaking at national USGLC events, Mayor Muryn serves as the Midwest Membership Committee Chair for the Advisory Board of the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

“USGLC is proud to honor Mayor Muryn because she has been an influential advocate for strengthening American global leadership to support our communities here at home,” said Liz Schrayer, President and CEO of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition.

“Let’s face it, mayors across the country are on the frontlines every day, addressing global issues that are now kitchen table issues – from the pandemic to our economy – that matter to their constituents. They uniquely understand that America simply can’t ignore what happens outside our borders.”

“Mayors, like Mayor Muryn, are stepping up, knowing that diplomacy and development are essential to the health, safety, and economic interests of every American family. It’s exciting to recognize them,” Schrayer added.

Former U.S. Senator Norm Coleman, USGLC Co-Chair, and Michael Bloomberg, former New York City Mayor and head of Bloomberg Philanthropies, will join USGLC’s Tribute to America’s Mayors, which will highlight Mayor Muryn among a bipartisan group of mayors across the nation being honored for their leadership.

The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition is a broad-based influential network of 500 businesses and NGOs; national security and foreign policy experts; and business, faith-based, academic, military, and community leaders in all 50 states who support strategic investments to elevate development and diplomacy alongside defense in order to build a better, safer world.

The City of Findlay says it’s moving forward with plans to ensure that the benching area east of North Main Street not only serves its primary purpose of flood mitigation but also provides a broader community benefit.

The city is taking the lead with support of other local entities to find a firm to assist in developing plans on how the benching area can be used for recreation purposes or as a gathering area in conjunction with its flood reduction benefits.

“Over the past decade a large area of downtown has been cleared as part of ongoing flood mitigation. This 19-acre area is soon going to provide 8 inches of benefit in storm events but we also want to ensure it provides functional and practical benefits to our community around the clock,” said Mayor Christina Muryn.

Any features of the area must meet the deed restrictions placed on the properties by the various grant agencies, must not negatively impact flood mitigation benefit, and must be able to withstand flood events.

Potential consultants are being asked to look at the area from North Cory Street to North Main Street and from North Main Street to the CSX Railroad on the East.

Additionally, consultants are asked to look at plans for the Hancock Park District’s Findlay Downtown Riverwalk which runs along the south bank of the Blanchard River from Cory Street to Anchor Park at Front Street, an approximate 1,850 linear feet path.

The Request for Qualifications that the City has released calls for statements of qualification to be submitted to the City of Findlay by 5 p.m. on Friday, December 17th.

“My hope is that we will be able to create an environment that is welcoming, accessible, and continues to support the thriving energy of our community,” said Mayor Muryn.

The project area aligns with the Phase 2 Benching that the Hancock County Commissioners have been working towards as ongoing flood mitigation in the Findlay-Hancock County area.

According to Project Manager Steve Wilson, the benching is targeted to begin construction in Fall of 2022 and take approximately 18 months.

Hancock Public Health is warning the community about an increase in counterfeit prescription tablets containing fentanyl.

The agency says that fake prescription tablets that look like Xanax and Oxycontin are being sold in Ohio.

They contain fentanyl, a powerful drug that can kill, and other contents that could cause death.

The Ohio Narcotics Intelligence Center points out that fake tablets are not being given out by licensed healthcare providers.

They often are sold online through social media or on dark web hidden websites as well as person-to-person.

Health officials warn the public that you should never take a tablet or any prescription medication that is not from a licensed healthcare provider.

Hancock Public Health reminds the community that it has the overdose-reversing medication Narcan available.

Call Gary Bright or Jamie Decker at Hancock Public Health 419-424-7420 or email gbright@hancockph.com or jdecker@hancockph.com to answer a few simple questions and arrange safe pick up or delivery of your kit.