Ohio lawmakers have approved another $30 million for the Eagle Creek Floodwater Storage Basin project just south of Findlay.

That brings the total amount of state money approved for the basin to $60 million, which is the estimated cost of the project.

State Rep. Jon Cross was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss the project, and you can listen to that interview by clicking here.

Project Manager Steve Wilson previously told WFIN he believes the storage basin will have a big impact on flood reduction in Findlay once it’s completed.

He says the basin will reduce the 100-year flood elevation on the Blanchard River at Main Street in Findlay by around a foot and a half, which is on top of the benefits being seen from other flood mitigation projects like benching and removing flood-prone properties.

The 600 to 800-acre storage basin will be constructed west of U.S. 68 and just north of Township Road 49, just south of Findlay.

Wilson says they’re still working on some property acquisition and final design of the basin, and hope to begin construction in the second half of 2023.

In July of 2021, the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District Court voted to add the Eagle Creek Floodwater Storage Basin to their official plan.

Deputies with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office convinced a suicidal person to drop the knife they were holding to their throat.

The sheriff’s office says deputies responded to an address on Township Road 236 in Cass Township at 5:37 Thursday morning in reference to a suicidal subject.

Upon arrival, deputies observed a male outside the residence holding a knife to his throat.

Deputies began negotiating with the person to drop the knife.

The male began walking north on Township Road 236 while continuing to hold the knife to his throat.

After about a half-mile, deputies were able to talk the person down and they were taken into protective custody without incident.

The male was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Assisting the sheriff’s office at the scene was Hanco EMS, Bloomdale EMS and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.

This weekend is Findlay Pride Weekend with several events planned.

Pride in the Park at Riverside Park will go from 10 to 4 on Saturday.

Get the full list of events by clicking here.

Dr. Jasmin Bradley, director of LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay says it’s more important than ever to speak up for marginalized voices, and more and more people want to be a part of that voice.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn issued a proclamation declaring June 2022, as LGTBQ+ Pride Month in Findlay.

The mayor’s calling on all citizens to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

(above pic courtesy of LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay on Facebook)

Republicans in the Ohio Legislature have passed a bill allowing public school teachers and staff to carry guns on school campuses and in classrooms.

The passage of the legislation comes just over a week after 19 students were killed in a shooting at an elementary school in Texas.

Governor DeWine is expected to sign the bill into law.

The Ohio Capital Journal is reporting that local boards of education would need to opt in to allow their teachers to arm themselves, with training of up to 24 hours.

School boards could choose to mandate additional training, but it wouldn’t be required.

Under current Ohio law, teachers need the consent of a school board and more than 700 hours of training to carry a gun in school.

At a committee hearing this week, the overwhelming majority of speakers who testified spoke in opposition of the bill, including many teachers and representatives from the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police.

A lengthy standoff between police and two barricaded subjects at a Findlay hotel came to an end on Wednesday night.

Police responded to the Drury Inn & Suites on Trenton Avenue near Interstate 75 at around 9:30 Wednesday morning in reference to a domestic incident that began in St. Clair County, Michigan.

Police said a BOLO (be on the lookout) was put out for the suspect’s car which was seen at the hotel.

Officers attempted to contact the man and woman at the hotel but they refused to exit the room and barricaded themselves inside.

The standoff lasted about 12 hours until the woman exited the room and then, following further negotiations, the man surrendered.

The man, Gabriel Charles Wagner, 52, of Saint Clair Shores, Michigan was arrested on warrants out of Michigan and more charges are possible.

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office said the man forced his estranged wife into a car early Wednesday and fled the area and were later located at the hotel in Findlay.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn said she’s extremely proud of the work of the Findlay Police Department Emergency Response Team and other agencies that assisted at the scene.

“This was an unfortunate and extremely stressful situation that our team executed impeccably,” the mayor said.

That thunderstorm that blew through Findlay and the region on Wednesday night brought down quite a few trees and wires, causing some outages.

In the video below, a tree came down on lines on the University of Findlay campus, knocking out power to the light at Howard and Cory.

Over on Myrtle Avenue, a transformer caught on fire and ignited a tree on fire.

In other areas of the north side of Findlay other trees and lines were down.

The damage was worse in the McComb area, where several poles were down, bringing wires with them.

The roofs were torn off a few barns as well.

The forecast will calm down the next few days, with partly cloudy skies on Thursday with a high around 70, and then sunny and 74 Friday.

UPDATE 10:30 p.m. – The standoff at a Findlay hotel came to a peaceful conclusion on Wednesday night. Click here for the details.

UPDATE 10 p.m. – The Findlay Police Department says the woman involved in the standoff exited the room at 9:03 p.m., and the man remained barricaded inside. The woman is being interviewed by authorities from the sheriff’s office in St. Clair County, Michigan.

6:15 p.m. – The Findlay Police Department provided an update on the standoff at the Drury Inn & Suites on Trenton Avenue by Interstate 75.

At about 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, the police department said the situation was continuing and people are asked to avoid the area.

Police responded to the hotel at around 9:30 Wednesday morning in reference to a domestic incident that began in St. Clair County, Michigan.

The St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office says the man is accused of kidnapping his estranged wife, and you can get more on that in the Facebook post below.

Police said a BOLO (be on the lookout) was put out for the suspect’s car which was seen at the hotel.

Officers attempted to contact the man and woman at the hotel but they refused to exit the room and barricaded themselves inside.

Negotiators from the police department have been in communication with both subjects and are still trying to resolve the situation.

A Hanco ambulance is staged outside the hotel in case it is needed.

The video below is from earlier in the day after WFIN arrived at the scene.

The University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum will be having a busy summer.

Among the activities at the museum this summer will be, a new exhibit honoring Juneteenth, the reopening of the Mazza Gallery at The Toledo Zoo, Young Artist Workshop, and Summer Conference.

Get more on the Mazza Gallery at The Toledo Zoo by clicking here.

Get more on the Juneteenth Exhibit by clicking here.

Get more on the Summer Conference by clicking here.

Get more on the Young Artist Workshop by clicking here.

A man’s car was hit by a train after he crashed and became stuck on the railroad tracks.

It happened at State Route 613 near County Road 257 in northeast Hancock County at 2:52 a.m. Wednesday.

The sheriff’s office says Jiquon Jones, 41, of Flint, Michigan, was driving eastbound on State Route 613 when he went off the roadway to the right and his car became stuck on the train tracks.

Jones was able to get out of the vehicle before it was hit by a CSX locomotive.

There were no injuries.

The Findlay Police Department says a man was arrested after running from police when they attempted to identify him.

Police stopped out at the parking lot behind 1739 Tiffin Avenue (Rancho Fiesta) on Tuesday night to investigate people gathered behind the restaurant, which was closed.

While attempting to identify the people, one of them ran off.

Police caught up with the subject and he was identified as K’Caleeb Gonzalez, 24, of Findlay.

He was found to have two active warrants through area agencies.

Police say his vehicle was in the parking lot and a bag of marijuana was on the hood.

Inside the vehicle was another bag of suspected drugs, as well as two handguns, one of which was stolen.

Gonzalez was arrested and booked at the Hancock County Jail on charges of receiving stolen property and obstruction of official business.

The drugs are being sent for testing and charges could be filed later.

The other people on the scene were released with no charges.