Raise the Bar Hancock County has received a third grant from the Ohio Office of Workforce Transformation.

Raise the Bar is among 13 workforce partnerships across Ohio receiving a total of $2.45 million in competitive grant funds through the Industry Sector Partnership Grant program.

Raise the Bar also was selected for the grant in 2021 and 2022.

“We are honored to receive our third round of $250,000 to invest back into Hancock County’s workforce development strategy. Continued progress on our short- and long-term activities that will build our community!” said Tricia Valasek, Raise the Bar’s Executive Director.

Industry Sector Partnerships are designed to develop regional workforce strategies, with the goal of driving collaboration between local businesses, education and training providers, and community stakeholders. These grants will help support the operations of both new and existing Industry Sector Partnerships around Ohio.

The program supports local collaborations that help bring Ohioans into the workforce pipeline while meeting the needs of job creators and the local economy.

The selected partnerships will focus on multiple in-demand industry sectors including information technology, manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and aerospace.

Findlay set a weather record on Tuesday.

WTOL-11 Meteorologist Chris Vickers posted on his social media that Findlay reached 64 degrees on Tuesday afternoon, which set a new record.

The previous record of 62 degrees was set in 1950.

He said Findlay’s record high on Tuesday was 20 to 30 degrees higher than the temps around Toledo because of the lake breeze there.

Findlay’s weather on Wednesday is looking mostly cloudy with a shower possible and a high of 57, and then cloudy and cooler on Thursday with a high around 40.

The University of Findlay Department of Athletics has undergone a change in leadership as Jim Givens, who has been in the department for 25 years, has been named as the next Director of Athletics. He is just the third person to hold that role since the year 2000, following Steve Rackley (1999-2015) and Brandi Laurita (2015-2022).

Givens has spent more than two decades serving in multiple administrative roles for the Oilers, most recently as the Senior Associate Athletic Director. In that role, he was responsible for budget review and allocation of 22 NCAA II intercollegiate programs as well as leading development initiatives within the department.  Givens also oversaw the game management staff as well and coordinates all athletic transportation for program travel.

“Findlay is and has been a very special place to me and I am excited to begin a new role as the next Director of Athletics of this great institution”, said Givens. “While my title may be changing, I will strive to continue in the same manner I have in the past, one that exudes our department philosophy of a personal approach and a championship experience. Our department has been a premier destination in the region for many years because of our people and programs. We will continue to work diligently to ensure that does not change. The future is bright here and I am ready to help guide this department towards continued success. Go Oilers.”

A native of Findlay, Ohio, Givens attended college at Kent State where he was a successful baseball player for the Golden Flashes. After five years in the Detroit Tigers organization, Givens returned to Findlay where, in 1997, he began his time at UF as the head baseball coach. He then transitioned into an administrative role and has served the institution in that capacity ever since.

Vice President for Student Affairs and Athletics and former Director of Athletics Brandi Laurita said, “Over the last year of transition, Jim has made it clear that he possesses the leadership, vision, and passion to lead our Department of Athletics into the future. We are excited to see many future successes under Jim’s leadership.” Laurita will remain involved as the department’s Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).

Givens continued, “I’m extremely thankful for this opportunity to walk alongside the strong leadership team at UF.  It is something I don’t take lightly and look forward to.  Our athletic staff is one I would put up against any in the country.  There is not a group of people I would rather surround myself with to continue to provide a championship experience and serve our student-athletes each and every day.  Our staff believes in our pursuit of our mission of equipping our students for meaningful lives and productive careers.  This is extremely important to all of us and together we will enjoy the wonderful outcomes.”

(story and pic courtesy of UF)

A GoFundMe online fundraiser has been established to help cover funeral costs and grief counseling for the family of a murder victim in Upper Sandusky.

Keris Riebel, 22, was working at the Dollar Tree in Upper Sandusky on New Year’s Day when police say a man entered the store and killed her with a machete.

The suspect was identified by police as Bethel M. Bekele, 27.

He was detained and then booked at the Wyandot County Jail on a charge of murder.

The GoFundMe said that Keris and Jordan Riebel were newlyweds and had a bright future ahead of them before it was ripped away in a matter of seconds.

The initial fundraising goal of $30,000 was quickly surpassed and a new total of $50,000 was created to help give Keris the burial she deserves and for grief counseling for family members.

(ONN) – The U.S. President from Ohio responsible for giving America the federal Christmas holiday is getting a day of his own

Beginning next year, April 27 will be Ulysses S. Grant Day in Ohio, home of the iconic Civil War general.

Grant was born on that date in 1822 southeast of Cincinnati in Point Pleasant.

Governor DeWine has signed legislation creating the day.

As the 18th president, Grant signed legislation creating the Christmas holiday in 1870.

The only federal holiday with a religious association, its constitutionality was upheld in 1999.

The judge said people could spend the day however they wish.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says 11 people were killed in crashes on the state’s roadways over the New Year’s holiday reporting period.

During the four-day reporting period, which ran from Friday, December 30, at 12 a.m. until Monday, January 2, at 11:59 p.m., 11 people were killed in nine fatal crashes. Impairment was a factor in six fatalities, while eight were not were safety belts.

During the reporting period, troopers removed 214 impaired drivers from Ohio’s roads, while citing 67 for distracted driving and 101 for illegal drug violations.

The 11 fatalities is a slight decrease from the previous four-day reporting period when 12 fatalities were reported.

United Way of Hancock County is recruiting volunteers for a number of roles to help run the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program this winter.

VITA is an IRS program that offers free tax preparation services for individuals with a household income of $60,000 or less. Priority will be given to those over age 60; individuals who speak English as a secondary language; and adults who have disabilities. Scheduling for VITA clients will begin Jan. 17, and appointments will be offered at 50 North and the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library.

Volunteers are needed to help prepare and file taxes from early February through mid-April and do not need to be tax experts. Several highly trained individuals will be available at each site to handle any challenges that arise. Help will also be needed to perform general administrative tasks at the United Way office and at each site, such as scheduling tax appointments, making calls and scanning documents.

For the tax preparers, training will be offered in January with the choice of three to four sessions in person, or through a self-paced online program, based on the individual’s experience and comfort level. Individuals may choose to volunteer for several hours or several days per week, depending on their availability.

In 2019, the last time a full VITA season was fulfilled in Hancock County prior to the coronavirus pandemic, volunteers facilitated over 1,600 free tax appointments. This returned $2.8 million to local households.

Those interested in volunteering should call Bridgit Phillips at the United Way office at 419-423-1432 by Jan. 6.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has signed Senate Bill 288, which significantly strengthens laws related to the use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving, including a wide ban on using and holding a phone while driving.

The new law makes distracted driving a primary offense.

“In most circumstances law enforcement will now be able to immediately stop any driver seen manipulating a device instead of focusing on the road,” DeWine said.

Under the new law, a driver may still use their device in specific circumstances, such as when their vehicle is parked or stopped at a red light.

Drivers are also permitted to swipe their phones to answer a call and to hold their phones to their ears during phone conversations.

Emergency calls are also permitted in all circumstances.

It was an honor today to sign SB 288, which will save many, many lives in our state. This bill significantly strengthens distracted driving laws in Ohio and will result in more drivers putting their phones down while they travel our roads. Details: https://t.co/DRyLUzVqgn pic.twitter.com/dhsVbiwoYj

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) January 3, 2023

The Ohio Department of Transportation is reminding drivers to obey the state’s Move Over Law.

ODOT says their workers, equipment or vehicles were struck 135 times in 2022.

The picture above is from I-75 in Wood County on December 24^th when a snow plow was rear-ended by a car going too fast for the conditions.

There were no life-threatening injuries.

ODOT’s Matt Bruning is reminding all drivers to move over and slow down for all roadside workers.

Police in Upper Sandusky say they arrested a man who killed a store clerk with a machete.

Police responded to the Dollar Tree on East Wyandot Avenue at 4:25 p.m. on Sunday on the report of a man waving a machete inside the store and that he had struck an employee.

Before police arrived on the scene, the suspect had left the store.

Police say they arrived at the store to find cashier Keris Riebel, 22, deceased.

A second police officer was searching for the suspect and located him in the 100 block of South Fifth Street.

The suspect was identified by police as Bethel M. Bekele, 27.

He was detained and then booked at the Wyandot County Jail on a charge of murder.

Police say the motive for the attack was unclear, as Bekele entered the store, approached Riebel and struck her several times with the machete.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation responded and processed the scene.

The Wyandot County Major Crimes Unit is investigating the murder.