A woman is facing felony drug charges after a traffic stop conducted by the Ohio State Highway Patrol in Wood County.

On the afternoon of September 19th, troopers stopped a Dodge Ram cargo van with Texas registration for a turn signal violation on Interstate 75.

Criminal indicators were observed and a drug-sniffing canine alerted to the vehicle.

A probable cause search of the vehicle revealed the contraband and troopers seized 33 pounds of cocaine worth approximately $1,073,000.

The Highway Patrol says, the driver, Paige LaTonya-Katryna Hamilton, 32, of Palm Bay, Florida, was incarcerated in the Wood County Jail and charged with possession and trafficking in drugs, both first-degree felonies.

If convicted, she could face up to 22 years in prison and up to a $40,000 fine.

The Hancock County Engineer’s Office says a road near the Findlay Reservoirs has closed for a bridge replacement project.

The closure of Marion Township Road 205 between Township Road 240 and Township Road 244 began on Monday and will last until approximately Thanksgiving.

Drivers are advised to use alternative routes and to use caution when traveling in the area.

This project is part of the County Bridge Replacement Program and is utilizing $289,562 of Ohio Public Works Commission, local gas tax and license fees.

A man was transported to a hospital after crashing his vehicle into a tree a little east of Findlay.

The crash happened on US 224 near Township Road 243 in Marion Township at around 11:30 Monday morning.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Shadd Snyder, 41, of Findlay was driving a Chevy truck westbound on US 224 when he crossed over the center line and went off the south side of the roadway.

Snyder’s truck entered a ditch and struck a fence before entering a yard and continuing for several hundred feet, ultimately crashing head-on into a tree.

Airbags deployed in his truck and the sheriff’s office says he was wearing his seat belt.

Snyder was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of his injuries.

He was issued a citation for failure to maintain control.

Ohio’s most popular hunting season is underway.

Saturday marked the beginning of the deer archery season, which will continue until Sunday, February 5th.

Ohio law requires anyone older than age 16 who wants to hunt or trap to have a valid hunting or trapping license.

Other popular deer seasons coming up include gun season running from November 28th to December 4th and muzzleloader season from January 7th to the 10th.

You can get your license either through the free HuntFish OH app or online by clicking here.

Friends and colleagues of a local veteran who died by suicide will stand ‘Silent Watch‘ outside the Hancock County Courthouse in his honor.

Titus Allen of Allen-Kramp Wealth Management in Findlay talks about his friend Gaven Smith.

As Titus mentioned in the audio above, Gaven (pictured above) enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after 9/11.

During his nearly four years of active-duty service, he deployed overseas in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Titus said Gaven had PTSD from his time on active duty in the military.

He says, every day, 22 veterans take their own life, and on Thursday, September 29th people will stand ‘Silent Watch’ for 22 minutes at a time to raise awareness for post-traumatic stress disorder and to show our veterans they don’t fight alone.

Opening ceremonies will begin at 7 a.m. with closing ceremonies at 5 o’clock.

This ‘Silent Watch‘ is brought to you by Allen-Kramp Wealth Management in honor of Gaven Smith and his fellow fallen.

Titus was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to talk about the event, and you can hear that full interview by clicking here. 

Police officers rushed to Findlay High School to investigate after somebody called in a report of an active shooter at the high school.

The call came in to the police department at around 1:20 Friday afternoon and police had the high school and Millstream Career Center checked and cleared in about 45 minutes.

We talked with Captain James Mathias outside the school after it was checked and that video is below.

He said the call was a hoax and no shots were fired and no one was injured.

The captain said similar active shooter hoax calls happened in other cities in Ohio as well on Friday.

The Hancock County METRICH Drug Task Force along with the Findlay Police Department and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, executed a search warrant at 1015 South Blanchard Street in Findlay.

The task force says the search of the residence yielded a marijuana grow with approximately 36 plants, a Psilocybin mushroom grow consisting of approximately 23 grow pods in various stages of development, more than 2.2 pounds of marijuana, a small amount of cash and numerous items indicative of drug cultivation and drug abuse.

The task force said the target of the investigation was Joshua M. Scales, 43.

Charges such as illegal cultivation of marijuana, drug possession and drug trafficking are pending further investigation and laboratory results.

Also assisting in the search were Findlay Fire Department, Hancock County Emergency Management Agency and the Findlay City Street Department.

The Hancock METRICH Drug Enforcement Unit is supported by METRICH in Mansfield, Ohio and funded in part by the Office of Criminal Justice Services.

(WTOL-11) – People in Fostoria can now possess up to 200 grams – or about 7 ounces – of marijuana and not face any fines, jail time or have it put on their criminal record.

Fostoria council member Ed Logsdon said the laws in Fostoria have been used to target people of color more often.

“There was a lot of conditions in there that I felt were onerous and used specifically against people that didn’t look like me.”

Now that the ordinance has passed, Logsdon wants to make clear this doesn’t make marijuana legal to consume on the street.

“People aren’t going to be walking around smoking, it’s just been decriminalized in that there’s no real penalty as long as the amounts were minor amounts.”

Liberty-Benton High School has announced its 2022 Homecoming Court.

The Homecoming football game will be Friday, September 23rd with the coronation festivities starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Homecoming dance will be Saturday, September 24th at Liberty-Benton High School.

The Homecoming Parade is Thursday, September 22nd.

The parade starts at 7 p.m. and will travel from the middle school to the high school.

Oktoberfest Findlay will be taking place from 2 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, September 24th on South Main Street in downtown Findlay.

Oktoberfest Findlay has become one of the largest single-day events in the region, with more than 6,000 people attending.

Oktoberfest Findlay, presented by Premier Bank, is a fun, family-friendly event celebrating German Heritage in Hancock County with live music, polka dancing, contests, children’s activities, German food, and a large selection of beer and wine.

Polka band, Fred Ziwich and the International Sound Machine will take the stage at 2 p.m.

Ziwich was inducted into the International Polka Music Hall of Fame in 2017. At 4 pm, the official tapping of the firkin will take place at the contest stage (South Main Street and Hardin Street) along with opening ceremonies for the festival’s many contests, including a stein endurance challenge and bratwurst eating competition!

The Duane Malinowksi Orchestra will take the stage at 6:30 pm. Duane has been ranked on numerous country music charts throughout Europe and Australia, and has been the opening act for The Charlie Daniels Band, The Bellamy Brothers, Bobby Vinton and Brenda Lee.

Children of all ages will enjoy German crafts and games in the Kinderplatz! Kid’s Zone, sponsored by Freudenberg NOK, from 2-7 pm.

Throughout the day, guests will enjoy a great selection of food vendors and libations! Vendors include Schmidt’s Sausage Haus, Saum’s Meat Market, and many more.

Oktoberfest Findlay will have more than 30 different kinds of import, domestic, and craft beers to choose from, with ten regional microbreweries in attendance.

Admission is $5 for 21 and over and $3 for under 21.

A complete schedule of events is available at oktoberfestfindlay.com.

Proceeds from Oktoberfest Findlay benefit the Hancock Historical Museum, a privately funded 501c3 organization tasked with preserving the rich heritage of Hancock County.

The Hancock Historical Museum provides programming for more than 20,000 people annually, including more than 4,000 Hancock County schoolchildren.