The United Way of Hancock County is accepting Secor Scholarship applications and references through Jan. 16, 2023. The $2,000 renewable scholarship was established as a memorial to the generosity of the Steven and Doris Secor bequest.

The scholarship is awarded to a Hancock County high school senior possessing a 3.5 grade point average or higher. Applicants must have plans to enroll full time in an accredited institution of higher learning to pursue any undergraduate field of study in the 2023-24 academic year.

The ideal candidate will exhibit a strong emphasis on character, leadership and service. These components will be evaluated through the application and through letters submitted by three separate references in relation to each category.

The award for the first academic year will be $2,000 and may be renewed annually for three additional years for a total of $8,000.

The United Way of Hancock County Foundation designates a Secor Scholarship selection committee comprised of current and past United Way board members and volunteers who evaluate applications, interview finalists and select one scholarship recipient each year. Students related to anyone on the selection committee or United Way of Hancock County paid staff are not eligible to apply.

Paper applications or references will not be accepted. The entire application must be completed electronically through the United Way of Hancock County’s website by clicking here.

For additional guidance, contact Brenna Griteman at marketing@uwhancock.org or 419-423-1432.

The organization Best Christmas Ever surprised four Findlay-area families with a custom and unique Best Christmas Ever over the weekend.

The charity Best Christmas Ever Hearts of Gold helps out families who have fallen on hard times at no fault of their own.

They surprised two of the families on Saturday and two on Sunday.

Jaclyn Pessell, of Best Christmas Ever, says this wouldn’t be possible without the generous community we live in.

She invited WFIN News to tag along as they surprised the Schnipke Family on Saturday afternoon.

Stephanie Schnipke lost her husband Neil to cancer over the summer and is now raising four kids on her own.

Get more on the surprise in the video below, and learn more about Best Christmas Ever by clicking here.

A lot of people came out on Saturday to participate in the Wreaths Across America event at area cemeteries.

The Findlay event was held at Maple Grove Cemetery.

During this year’s event volunteers placed wreaths at the graves of 1,500 Veterans at Maple Grove Cemetery, which is an increase of 300 from the previous two years.

300 wreaths were also placed at the graves of Veterans at nearby St. Michael Cemetery.

The mission statement of Wreaths Across America is Remember, Honor, Teach.

REMEMBER our fallen Veterans, HONOR those who serve, and TEACH your children the value of freedom.

Volunteers were shown how to correctly place the wreaths and asked to speak the Veteran’s name aloud.

The Fostoria Police Division held its Shop with a Cop over the weekend.

The police department posted a picture of the kids who participated on their Facebook page and said they were awesome.

The police department thanked the Fostoria FOP and other local donors who make the event possible.

The Findlay Police Department recently held its Cops and Kids Go Shopping event and you can read more about that by clicking here.

The Findlay Police Department is among law enforcement agencies across Ohio receiving funding from the state to cover costs associated with body camera programs.

Governor DeWine’s office announced that the state will award $4.9 million in grant funding to 112 agencies as part of the Ohio Body-Worn Camera Grant Program.

Of those agencies, 44 will use the funding to create a new body camera program, including the Findlay Police Department.

The Findlay Police Department will receive a $91,926 grant.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office is receiving $77,636 in funding.

See the full list of the second round of funding by clicking here.

“Body cameras are an essential tool for policing, and the funds awarded today will help agencies purchase around 1,660 new body cameras and associated technology,” the governor said.

This second round of grant funding comes after the initial round was announced in January which provided funding to 109 agencies.

Over the summer, we spoke with Findlay officials as the police department was testing out different body cams, and you can read that story by clicking here.

https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1603852967332847616

The Hancock Park District has announced the winner of its 2022 Photography Contest.

Scott Bechtel’s picture titled “Bald Eagle Fly Away” (pictured below) received the most likes of the photos entered, which makes it the People’s Choice.

The Hancock Park District says the photo was taken near Riverbend Recreation Area on the Blanchard River.

In November, people who took a great photo in the Hancock Park System, on the Blanchard River Greenway Trail, or on the Blanchard River this year were encouraged to enter the contest.

The park district received many entries and they were posted on the park district’s Facebook page with Scott’s picture getting the most likes from the public.

Scott will be awarded a plaque and $200.

Abbott has selected a site in Bowling Green for a new manufacturing facility that will produce specialty and metabolic powder nutritional products.

According to JobsOhio, Abbott will invest $536 million into the new facility and create 450 permanent new jobs in the northwest Ohio region.

“Abbott’s history in formula production goes all the way back to Columbus in the early 1900s, and we’re glad Abbott is advancing its future here in Ohio as they bring a cutting-edge facility to Bowling Green that will support job growth and improve the supply chain for critical formula products nationwide,” said Governor DeWine.

“The addition of this new facility will help to ensure that life-sustaining formulas are available and accessible when needed.”

Abbott is a multinational healthcare company whose technologies and products span diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals, and branded generic medicines.

The project will expand the U.S. supply of essential formulas, some of which serve as the sole source of nutrition for people with extreme allergies to most food products and other dietary and metabolic conditions.

In honor of the life and service of Wyandot County Sheriff’s Deputy Daniel J. Kin, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Wyandot County, the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center, and Rhodes Tower.

Flags shall remain lowered until sunset on the day of Deputy Kin’s funeral.

All other public buildings and grounds throughout the state may fly the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio at half-staff at their discretion for the same time period.

Deputy Kin was killed in a crash in Pickaway County on Thursday while transporting an inmate.

Kin previously served the Carey Police Department and Seneca County before joining the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office in 2021.

Kin’s funeral and burial will take place on Thursday, December 22^nd.

His funeral will be held at Our Lady of Consolation and burial will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Carey.

https://twitter.com/GovMikeDeWine/status/1603827166457708545

People can review the City of Findlay 2023 Budget In Brief and full budget on the city’s website.

The city recently held its 2023 budget hearings and you can watch the hearings below or by clicking here.

Mayor Christina Muryn said although the 2023 proposed general fund budget does have a deficit projection of around $3.4 million, she’s confident that their team will continue to manage operations throughout the year to ensure that a strong cash position is maintained.

The mayor says the main changes in the 2023 proposed budget are wage increases of 3 percent permanent and 3 percent temporary adjustment, along with increased costs in fuel, chemicals and construction supplies.

As for 2022, Mayor Muryn said, through careful management of taxpayer dollars, department operations are projected to come in around $2 million under the revised budget.

Additionally, she said the City of Findlay income tax revenue has come in stronger than expected and is anticipated to be around $38 million by the end of the year.

Mayor Muryn says she’s excited for the future that is ahead of Findlay.

“With a strong team, diverse economy, strong fiscal and strategic planning, we are well positioned to continue to be a world class community.”

The United Way of Hancock County is seeking donations of new and used technology as it prepares to reinstate the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in 2023.

The VITA program offers free tax preparation services for qualifying individuals, and public sign-up information will be released in the coming weeks.

In preparing for this volunteer-led program, the United Way is seeking tax-deductible, in-kind donations of:

• New and used laptop computers that will run Windows 10 or 11
• Desktop printers
• Associated cables, keyboards, etc.

Tech-savvy volunteers are also needed to help prepare the donated items.

Should the United Way collect more than the VITA program requires, the donated equipment will be made available to other local nonprofits and organizations dedicated to helping others.

Companies and individuals wishing to donate tech items may contact United Way of Hancock County at 419-423-1432 to arrange for drop-off.