An event is being held to update the community on the Riverside Dam Restoration Project in Findlay.

The community update will be held at the Waterfall Pavillion at Riverside Park from 10 to noon on Friday, September 23rd.

The Blanchard River Watershed Partnership says the event will include discussion on the importance of the ecological restoration of the dam and reservoir area.

The findings of an engineering study that was completed over the summer will also be discussed.

People interested in attending are asked to RSVP to BRWP Watershed Coordinator, Lauren Sandhu, at coordinator@blanchardriver.org.

Hancock County has been named to a select group of Stepping Up Innovator Counties in the United States for its expertise in collecting baseline data on the number of people in its jail who have mental illnesses.

The Stepping Up initiative was launched in May 2015 by the National Association of Counties (NACo), The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center and the American Psychiatric Association (APA) Foundation to mobilize local, state and national leaders to achieve a measurable reduction in the number of people in jail who have mental illnesses.

Since that time, more than 475 counties, including Hancock County, representing 45 percent of the U.S. population, have committed to the Stepping Up goal.

Hancock County was chosen as one of a small group of Innovator Counties using the Stepping Up suggested three-step approach to collect and analyze timely data on the prevalence of people in their jails with serious mental illnesses (SMI).

These steps include establishing a shared SMI definition for their Stepping Up efforts across criminal justice and behavioral health systems, ensuring everyone booked into jail is screened for mental illnesses, and regular reporting on this population.

“Stepping Up has helped us grow as a county jail by expanding services that are more tailored to those who become incarcerated and have mental health illness,” said Hancock County Sheriff Captain Ryan Kidwell.

Kidwell said one example is the use of an evidenced-based brief mental health screener. The jail’s corrections staff and supervisors work side-by-side with our community mental health partner, Family Resource Center, which allows the professionals to take the responses received from the completed screener and develop a more individualized and specific approach to providing inmate programming and reentry services while incarcerated.

That, Kidwell noted, helps the individual transition back into the community, continuing services beyond the confines of the jail.

“Ultimately our collaborative efforts are to reduce the number of individuals with mental health illness incarcerated at the Hancock County Justice Center and to keep them engaged in community mental health services,” Kidwell said.

Hancock County joined Stepping Up on February 23, 2016, and has taken significant steps toward reducing the number of people in its jail who have mental illnesses, such as implementing the use of a standardized definition of mental illness; universal screening; expanded on-site services; information exchange; and increased efforts to improve discharge planning and linkage to services upon discharge.

“The level of cooperation and collaboration between the Hancock County Justice Center and Family Resource Center to serve this population has been outstanding”, stated Precia Stuby, Executive Director of the Hancock County ADAMHS Board.

As an Innovator County, Hancock will help other counties improve their data collection efforts by participating in training sessions, taking part in presentations, sharing information and experiences through the Stepping Up website, and more.

This is National Railroad Safety Week, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other safety agencies are asking people to refresh their knowledge about railroad safety.

Operation Lifesaver says, in 2021, there were 2,145 highway-rail incidents leading to 236 deaths and 668 injuries.

William Miller, public safety director for Norfolk Southern was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to remind people, among other things, that railroads are made for one reason – to carry trains, and that it takes trains a long distance to stop.

The ongoing “Stop Track Tragedies” public awareness campaign from Operation Lifesaver shows the impact that rail-related incidents have on families and communities.

The Findlay Fire Department and Hancock Public Health are teaming up for a car seat check event.

It will be held on Friday, September 23rd from 10 to 2 at Findlay Fire Station 4 located at 7047 County Road 236.

A trained professional from the Hancock Public Health team will check to make sure your child’s car seat is correctly installed and provide tips on how to buckle them in to help make their journey as safe as possible.

The event is part of National Child Passenger Safety Week.

Hancock County health officials say there’s been a recent spike in suspected drug overdoses.

Hancock Public Health says, since September 13th, there have been eight suspected drug overdoses in Findlay and Hancock County, which is an unusually high number.

The Hancock County Quick Response Team (QRT) will be following up with overdose survivors to offer assistance.

The QRT is a service that works with law enforcement to help survivors of non-fatal overdoses get into treatment. (details below)

Hancock Public Health also reminds people that they have the overdose-reversing medication Narcan available through Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided with Naloxone) as a way to combat the opioid overdose epidemic.

“It looks pretty clear to us that the more Narcan kits we get out there, in the hands of folks who may potentially overdose, the less fatal overdoses we’re going to have,” said the health department’s Gary Bright.

He says while Narcan can rapidly reverse an overdose it’s still important to call 911 because the opioid is still in the person’s system.

Click here for more information about Narcan and how to receive a kit.

People can also call 419-424-7420 (or email gbright@hancockph.com / jdecker@hancockph.com ) to answer a few questions and arrange safe pick up or delivery of a kit.

A Putnam County man was killed when he crashed his motorcycle in Allen County.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the crash happened on Chapman Road near Bible Road, in Bath Township, at around 5:38 p.m. Saturday.

Crash investigators say James Walker, 42, of Fort Jennings, was driving his Yamaha motorcycle on Chapman Road when he failed to negotiate a curve and crashed into a mailbox and a fence.

He was pronounced dead on the scene.

The Highway Patrol says speed appears to have been a factor in the crash and that Walker reportedly was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

The crash remains under investigation.

A motorcyclist from McComb was flown to a hospital after being hit by an SUV.

The crash happened at around 1 o’clock Saturday afternoon on Park Drive South and Southcrest Drive in McComb.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Randall Shank, 67, was southbound on Park Drive South on his 1990 Honda motorcycle and Shirley Ries, 65, of McComb was stopped at the stop sign on Southcrest Drive, facing west.

The sheriff’s office says Ries entered the intersection and struck Shank, causing him to be thrown from his motorcycle.

Both vehicles came to rest on the west side of the intersection.

The sheriff’s office says Shank was life-flighted to a Toledo hospital for treatment of his injuries while Ries was treated at the scene.

The crash remains under investigation.

Hancock Public Health says, effective Monday, September 19th, they’ll be offering COVID vaccines for 1st and 2nd doses, as well as booster shots (including the updated COVID-19 booster) every Monday and Friday from 9-11:30 a.m. and 1-3:30 p.m. while supplies last.

The updated COVID-19 booster helps protect against the original COVID-19 strain and the omicron variant.

The health department says if it has been at least two months since you received your primary COVID vaccine series or most recent COVID booster, you can get the updated booster dose.

This would include two Moderna vaccines, two Pfizer vaccines, one Janssen vaccine, or a booster of either of the three.

There are two updated COVID-19 booster options available, Moderna single dose booster for those 18 years of age and older, and Pfizer single dose for those 12 and older.

Monovalent boosters are still available for those less than 12 years old.

People with questions or concerns may call 419- 424-7441.

Kroger says union leadership for its central Ohio stores is authorizing a strike.

The authorization doesn’t mean there is a strike, and workers are asked to report as usual.

Union workers voted down what Kroger is calling its last, best, and final offer that provides wage increases, affordable health care and investments in the Cincinnati-based company’s pension plan.

If there is a strike, it could impact more than 80 stores and nearly 1,300 workers extending to Toledo.

The union represents workers in two-thirds of Kroger stores nationwide.

There are just over 200 Kroger stores in Ohio.

Findlay Municipal Court is providing people with driver’s license restrictions an opportunity to resolve their issues.

The 4th annual Findlay Municipal Court DUS Day Clinic will be held on Thursday, October 6th.

The goal of the clinic is to help people resolve their legal issues and get back on the road legally.

Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome. For more details and to set up an appointment, call the clerk’s office at 419-424-7141.

Over the last three years, the court has assisted more than 250 people with their license suspensions and got them on the right track to obtaining a valid license.

Some people may even leave their appointment with their driving privileges restored.

Get more information on the clinic by clicking here.