Despite the frigid weather some people still lined Main Street in Findlay for the Veterans Day Parade and attended a service afterward.

The parade started at Lincoln Street and South Main and went north to the Hancock County War Memorial where a short service was held.

The Findlay Trojan Marching Band performed the National Anthem and TAPS at the service, which you can see below.

After the service, the Hancock Historical Museum held an event honoring Veterans in which local Veteran Bob Weinberg spoke about his time watching over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Veterans Day was on Friday, at Chamberlin Hill Elementary held its annual salute to Veterans. Read more about that by clicking here. 

The City of Findlay’s leaf collection this year will run from Monday, November 14th through December 2nd.

The city will pick up leaves that have been placed in biodegradable paper bags at the curb.

The city makes clear that plastic bags and loose leaves will not be picked up.

The city is reminding people to not rake leaves into the street, as leaves tend to wash into and clog storm sewers, causing maintenance issues and potential flooding.

City residents may continue to drop leaves at the green waste site at 330 North Cory Street at no charge.

The green waste site is for residential use only.

No contractors are permitted to use the site.

Only tree trimmings, brush, leaves, and grass clippings can be dumped in designated areas at the site.

The last day for the green waste site for the season is December 3rd, 2022.

A traffic light is in the works for an intersection just east of Findlay.

The traffic signal project is planned for the intersection of U.S. 224 and Township Road 237.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says traffic there is near the threshold of warranting a signal, and traffic will increase even more once further development occurs on the north side of the intersection.

ODOT says they also want to get a signal in place there before the bridge replacement project occurs involving the bridge over the Blanchard River on State Route 568.

That bridge project is planned for 2024 if funding is available, and no later than 2025.

The bridge project will close State Route 568 for four months in two locations: between Township Road 234 and County Road 236 over the Blanchard River, and between County Road 236 and Township Road 237 over Glauner Ditch.

The traffic signal project planned for U.S. 224 and Township Road 237 is expected to go out to bid in August of 2023, and construction could take place in the fall of 2023 or spring of 2024.

Students at Findlay’s Chamberlin Hill Elementary saluted local Veterans during their 25th Annual Veterans Day Program on Friday.

When Deb Wickerham started the program 25 years ago she said 25 Veterans were in attendance, and she’s happy to see how much it has grown over the years.

The tribute featured several performances by the kids, including the 3^rd graders singing “Oh I Love America” and the 5^th Graders doing “God Bless the USA.”

There was also a moment of silence and then TAPS was played to honor the fallen.

The Veterans in attendance were then treated to lunch from Harlan’s BBQ.

The school also had artwork from the students in the halls and a Vietnam War Memorial in the library.

Findlay’s Veterans Day Parade is on Sunday at 2 o’clock, and the Hancock Historical Museum is holding a special reception for Veterans that afternoon as well.

Blanchard Valley Health System will no longer be doing temperature screening at its facilities.

Blanchard Valley Health System says it continues to review and adjust policies as needed based on current COVID-19 transmission levels and recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

BVHS says the CDC has lifted the requirement of active screening at healthcare facilities and is allowing signage to qualify as screening.

As a result, effective Monday, November 14th, 2022, temperature screening at BVHS facilities, including Blanchard Valley Hospital, Bluffton Hospital and outlying locations, will no longer be in place.

BVHS points out that Birchaven Village and Independence House are required to follow their own criteria and may be more stringent in their protocols.

People are asked to follow posted instructions when entering those facilities.

The Hancock Park District is encouraging people to enter their Photography Contest.

People who took a great photo in the Hancock Park System, on the Blanchard River Greenway Trail, or on the Blanchard River this year are urged to submit an entry.

Entries must be received no later than December 4^th.

All qualified entries in the Photography Contest will be posted on the Hancock Park District Facebook page between December 5, 2022 and December 15, 2022 where the public can vote for one “People’s Choice” winner.

The photograph with the most “likes” will be named the People’s Choice winner.

The Hancock Park District will notify the winner via the email address used to enter the photograph at the time of entry within 10 days of December 15, 2022.

A cash prize of $200, along with a plaque will be awarded.

(the above pic was taken at Oakwoods Nature Preserve in September)

A dump truck driver is now charged in a fiery crash that injured an Ohio Department of Transportation worker in northeast Ohio.

Police say Gregory Pree, 51, swerved off of Interstate 77 and hit the parked ODOT truck, causing both trucks to burst into flames.

The crash happened back in May.

Pree has been indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular assault and DUI.

Police say he was also driving without a valid license.

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

On Thursday, Hancock Public Health said there had been three overdoses in the past 24 hours and eight in the past week.

People are being asked to spread the following Harm Reduction messaging in their circles in the hope of avoiding future overdoses.

1) Always have naloxone on hand. Project DAWN

2) Never use alone. Never Use Alone Inc. – 800-484-3731

3) Use fentanyl test strips. BIDPP or SOAR

4) Check in on friends, families, neighbors and coworkers to share this information.

5) Call QRT for outreach to an overdose survivor: QRT

Anyone who suspects an overdose should call 911 immediately.

Children’s Mentoring Connection of Hancock County has moved to a new location.

Children’s Mentoring Connection is now located in The Family Center at 1800 North Blanchard Street, Suite 126.

“This move will allow us to serve our clients, mentors, and mentees while continuing to provide quality programming,” said Executive Director Stacy Shaw.

“In addition, our new location will encourage continued collaboration with agencies serving many of our clients.”

She said the decision to move out of their little red house on Lincoln Street was a difficult decision for the board.

However, due to the increased costs of maintenance of the aging facility, they’ll be better stewards of their funding to positively impact lives one meaningful connection at a time by relocating to The Family Center.

Stacy is advising people to stay tuned for the announcement of Grand Opening festivities at their new location.

Children’s Mentoring Connection was founded in 1972 and through their programs creates meaningful connections that positively impact the lives of youth and adults in our community.

The Findlay Planning and Zoning Committee on Thursday voted to deny a request to rezone a residential property that would be part of a proposed McDonald’s on the south side of town. Their recommendation now goes on to full Findlay City Council which will make the final decision.

The Findlay City Planning Commission also previously voted to deny the rezoning request.

A property owner wants to put a McDonald’s in place of the Fifth Third Bank at the northwest corner of South Main Street and Sixth Street/Lake Cascades Parkway in Findlay.

To make the plan work, they would have had to get a house on West McPherson Avenue that’s behind the bank rezoned to commercial.

Traffic and pedestrian safety concerns were among the biggest issues raised by residents who spoke out against the proposal, and from members of the committee.

The Findlay Planning and Zoning Committee’s recommendation to deny the rezoning request now goes on to the full City Council which will make the final decision at their next meeting on Tuesday, November 15^th.