(ONN) – The Ohio Board of Education passed a resolution regarding new, mandatory Title IX requirements from the Biden administration.

The resolution rejects President Biden’s amendment to Title IX designed to protect LGBTQ students from discrimination.

The resolution also requires school districts to tell parents when their child questions their gender identity or wants to be identified by another name or pronoun.

The board of education vote was 10-7 in favor of the resolution to opt out of the new requirements.

The vote came after months of debate and personal testimony from the public.

The Ohio Board of Education will now send a letter to school districts saying it opposes the Biden Administration’s plan to add LGBTQ protections into Title IX.

Title IX is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools that receive funding from the federal government.

https://twitter.com/EqualityOhio/status/1602715902717399045

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.

The Hancock Historical Museum’s final Classic Movie Night of the year is coming up on Friday, December 16^th at 7 p.m.

The museum always shows a Christmas movie for its December movie night and this year the movie is The Man Who Came To Dinner.

Starring Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, and Monty Woolley, the comedy was directed by William Keighley.

In the movie, lecturer Sheridan Whiteside slips on the ice on his way into the home of a prominent Ohio family. The local doctor says Whiteside must remain confined having broken his leg and he begins to meddle with the lives of everyone in the household.

Other December movies the museum has shown for Classic Movie Night include White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut, Miracle on 34^th Street and The Shop Around the Corner.

Classic Movie Night is free and open to the public.

Popcorn and refreshments are provided.

Seating is limited and reservations are encouraged, but not required.

People may call 419-423-4433 for more information.

There will be historical information shared before the movie and a discussion afterward.

The Hancock Historical Museum is located at 422 West Sandusky Street in Findlay.

Birchaven Village residents with dementia recently created lasting works of art for the public to admire, in a collaboration between Blanchard Valley Health System and the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum.

A group of BVHS volunteers first received training in the Dementia Friends USA approach, which teaches community members how to better understand what it’s like to live with dementia, and how to interact with and communicate with people experiencing memory challenges.

Lindsey Buddelmeyer, leadership education and training specialist at BVHS, explained that “volunteers encounter people who have been diagnosed with dementia in a variety of settings, and the greater their understanding of what their lives are like, the better they will be able to meet their needs.”

These volunteers and residents looked together through children’s books supplied by the Mazza Museum. Residents then created artwork inspired by scenes in the picture books that resonated with them.

In addition to giving the residents a chance to express their creativity, the project allowed volunteers and residents to bond with one another on a one-on-one basis.

Buddelmeyer has found that residents with dementia are capable of more than people may realize. The artistic effort gives them a chance to keep their minds active.

“They are amazing people,” she said. “Creating art allows them to express themselves in a way that is truly, authentically them. These residents are gaining confidence, while BVHS volunteers meanwhile can further develop their own skills in working with those they serve. Forming these strong social connections is also healing for both the residents and the volunteers.”

The completed artwork will be taken to the Mazza Museum to be framed and displayed on the 1-2-3 Remember Me Wall. The pieces will be on display for one year, at which point they will be replaced with new artwork created by residents.

“I look at that wall as a wall of strength, a wall of abilities,” Buddelmeyer said. “Community members, and visitors to the museum, will enjoy admiring the residents’ artwork. And they just may be surprised at the depth of these residents’ talents, and at how much they still have to share with the world.”

Hancock County health officials have issued an overdose spike alert after two more fatal overdoses in Findlay and Hancock County.

Hancock Public Health on Tuesday said that Hancock County has experienced two fatal overdoses in the past two days.

That makes a total of four fatal overdoses in Hancock County over the past seven-day period.

The health department said the county has never had more than four fatal overdoses in one month, and now there’s been four in one week.

They say they do usually see more illegal drug usage and overdoses over the holidays.

Anyone who suspects an overdose should call 911 immediately.

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

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

The 8^th Annual Kahuna’s All-Star Christmas Jam raised a lot of money and toys for the local Toys for Tots chapter.

The annual event featuring The Big Kahuna of 106.3 The Fox and his All-Star Band was held at Alexandria’s in Findlay on December 7^th.

“We had musicians who are in their 60s, all the way down to an 11-year-old who played lead guitar,” Kahuna said.

“I’m especially proud that this year, we had a father/daughter play together on one song, and a father/son play together on another song.”

There was no cover charge and people were asked to donate a new toy or make a monetary donation to Toys for Tots.

The All-Star Christmas Jam this year brought in $1,041 in monetary donations and three boxes full of toys.

Wreaths Across America Day is approaching.

The Findlay Wreaths Across America event takes place at Maple Grove Cemetery, and other area cemeteries are participating as well.

Sherri Garner Brumbaugh, President of Garner Trucking and coordinator of the Findlay event, was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss it.

In December of 2021 wreaths were placed at the graves of 1,200 Veterans and Sherri says they’re working toward one day being able to recognize each and every one of the 5,000 Veterans who are buried at Maple Grove 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.

Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, December 17th.

People can enjoy some tasty soup and help out local food pantries at the same time at an event at Millstream Café at Millstream Career Center in Findlay.

Bowls for Souls is an all-you-can-eat soup buffet.

For $15, people can enjoy all the soup they can consume in a handmade bowl made by the Findlay High School Art Department. And when you’re done with the soup, you get to keep the handmade bowl.

All the money raised will go to a local food pantry.

Bowls for Souls will be held on December 14^th and 15^th from 11:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Millstream Café.

The Findlay City Planning Commission has approved Meijer’s plans for a pharmacy drive-thru at the location at 2200 Tiffin Avenue.

The drive-thru will be located on the west side of the building where the garden center is currently located.

The drive-thru will accommodate six vehicles and a curbed island will allow people to cross the main parking lot to the garden center.

The site plan also indicated some changes to the facade of the Meijer, which would include moving the home goods store entrance further east and adding a glass foyer on both entrances to the store.

People are being invited to celebrate the Christmas season with Masha and the Nutcracker at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts.

The ballet follows the story of a young girl as she is gifted a Nutcracker on Christmas Eve.

With the Nutcracker by her side, Masha battles the evil Mouse Queen, dances through a snowstorm, and dreams of dancing sweets from an array of countries.

This year’s production features dancers from Black Swamp Fine Arts School’s Pre-Professional Company, Resident Artists, and Enrichment Dance Program.

There will be three shows on Saturday, December 17^th, at 1, 3, and 7 p.m.

MCPA says the toddler-friendly performance at 1 p.m. is adapted from the original production but with their littlest friends in mind. The cast will perform a shortened version, approximately 30 minutes.

Get more information about this and other shows at MCPA by clicking here.