Area fire departments responded to a fire at Findlay Pallet on Thursday afternoon.
The business is located at 300 East Bigelow Avenue in Findlay and the road was shut down at the railroad tracks as firefighters responded.
The Findlay Fire Department posted on its Facebook page thanking firefighters from other departments for their help, including Washington and Allen Township.
The fire department says there was great teamwork and collaboration between the responding departments.
The Findlay Municipal Court will be holding its 6th Annual Safe Surrender Day on April 27th from 9 to 4 p.m. in conjunction with Second Chance Month.
April is Second Chance Month, which aims to inform and highlight the many opportunities for state and local governments and community-based service providers to build meaningful second chances for our community members.
Over the past five years, the court has assisted 383 individuals in clearing up their legal issues by clearing 450 bench warrants.
“Safe Surrender Day has been a great success for the court, law enforcement and the community by reducing the number of active bench warrants issued to area law enforcement and affording offenders a chance to address their legal issues without immediately going to jail.”
Individuals with active FINDLAY MUNICIPAL COURT bench warrants who report to the Court on that day will not be arrested and will work with designated court staff to clear their warrants. Some examples include:
Individuals who failed to attend a court hearing will be seen by the Judge, Magistrate or court staff that day.
Individuals who failed to perform community service will be reassigned to a work location. If the individual missed a community service contempt hearing, the hearing will be conducted to and the person will be permitted to reschedule their community service;
Individuals who did not complete counseling for mental health or substance abuse will be allowed to re-engage in treatment.
Individuals who did not attend a status conference will meet with a magistrate or court staff to review their financial ability to pay outstanding fines and to establish a new payment plan;
Individuals who did not report to serve a jail sentence will be issued a new date to report;
Staff from the City of Findlay Law Director’s Office will be available along with staff from the Hancock County Public Defender’s Office to meet with their clients. Upon reporting to the Court on Safe Surrender Day, the warrant will be lifted and recalled from law enforcement. This is a one day only event. The Court currently has 2858 active bench warrants. Individuals who are unsure if they have an outstanding bench warrant can view a list of active Findlay Municipal Court warrants here.
Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are also accepted. To schedule an appointment or for more information call the Clerk’s office at 419-424-7141.
U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno made a campaign stop in Findlay.
The businessman from Cleveland stopped by Dietsch Brothers to talk to people and take some pictures.
He then got a behind-the-scenes look at the iconic Findlay business from owner Erika Dietsch-Brokamp.
Moreno is hoping to win the GOP nomination to go up against Democrat Sherrod Brown in the fall of 2024.
We asked Moreno about the rail safety legislation being proposed by Senators Vance and Brown, and he said he supports it and that Norfolk Southern should be required to make East Palestine even better than it was before the toxic train derailment in February.
As for what kind of chocolate he likes. He said he prefers milk chocolate and that he would be picking up some dark chocolate from Dietsch’s to take home to his wife.
The Cleveland Browns are holding a dog logo contest.
Fans are being encouraged to design their ideal Cleveland Browns dog logo.
Fans can submit a design for the new logo on the team’s website or post submissions on social media.
People can vote on the designs and the Browns will pick them to feature on their website.
The design that gets the most votes will then go up against three designs from northeast Ohio artists.
The final round of voting starts on May 10th.
The City of Findlay is inviting people to join Mayor Christina Muryn for a litter clean-up walk at Riverside Park during Earth Week.
The walk will be held on Tuesday, April 25th from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Riverside Park, located at 231 McManness Avenue.
The city says the walk will be a great way to get active and help keep the community clean at the same time.
Gloves and trash bags will be provided.
The walk is part of the mayor’s Move With the Mayor initiative, which the city was recognized for in December.
(From Dr. Bill Kose, Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System)
While no one likes to think about facing a serious health crisis, the truth is that one could strike at any time. Healthcare professionals regularly see that making high-stakes decisions in these situations goes more smoothly and is less painful when families have talked about it ahead of time.
We at Blanchard Valley Health System are encouraging community members to complete advance directives, which spell out who would make decisions for them if they could not, and what their wishes might be.
Only a small fraction of hospital patients, locally and nationwide, have completed these forms. One reason for this may be that people generally don’t like talking about death. Some people may worry that an advance directive might result in a healthcare provider being less likely to give them thorough care, though this is untrue.
The decision process may also feel intimidating. But try not to make it too complicated.
Start simply with a conversation. Gather your family around the dinner table. Talk about what you would want. There’s no right or wrong answer. What is most important to you? What does a good quality of life look like to you?
The conversation may feel awkward, even uncomfortable, at first. But should the time come, your family will be glad that you have had the discussion.
These situations are always emotional. But when there is a greater sense of clarity, those emotions may include sadness or shock, but less guilt or confusion – and less second-guessing afterward.
Think of this not only as a way to ensure that your own wishes are respected, but also, in a way, as a gift to your family. Hopefully, they won’t need to refer back to the conversation any time soon. But if they do – and some families must face this every day – they’ll have greater peace of mind knowing you had talked about it.
Assigning someone to be your healthcare power of attorney means that person is in charge of carrying out your wishes. But you yourself can decide what those wishes are, ahead of time. And if, after a health crisis that leaves you mentally incapacitated, you later regain the capacity to speak for yourself, the power to make decisions reverts back to you.
Think about who you would want your power of attorney to be. Be sure to talk it over with that person, and make sure they are comfortable with the role.
When someone is older or seriously ill, these conversations may happen naturally over time. But we encourage younger adults to have them, too. When an emergency strikes a younger person, the emotions may be even more heightened because the crisis is sudden. Having something in writing, just in case, can spare the family added stress.
You may wish to revisit the conversation every several years, if your health or family situation should change. For more information, talk with your primary care provider, or with our Bridge Hospice social workers by calling 419-423-5351.
Once the advance directive forms are completed, they will help you and your loved ones have greater peace of mind.
William Kose, MD, JD Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System
The United Way of Hancock County’s sweet new fundraiser, the Downtown Chocolate Tour, will be held from 10 to 2 on Saturday, May 13, falling on Mother’s Day weekend and Downtown Findlay’s Second Saturday.
Ticketholders will make their way to each of the participating retailers and restaurants at their leisure during this four-hour window, collecting chocolate treats and taking advantage of special offers at each stop.
The event will include around 25 local food establishments and retailers, including Dietsch Brothers of course.
Some establishments located outside the downtown area will be paired with shops downtown to allow their participation in the event.
Ticket sales for the event directly support United Way’s Vulnerable Children’s Initiative, dedicated to programs helping kids find a better path in life. Tickets are $25 each and can be purchased by clicking here. Only 300 tickets will be sold.
“This new event is a great way to show your support for youth in our community and the organizations that serve them. That it falls on Mother’s Day weekend makes it all the sweeter,” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of United Way of Hancock County.
United Way of Hancock County for many years has funded local efforts to support children and is currently partnered with various local agencies championing children’s needs.
Bags and maps can be picked up at the United Way office, 318 W. Main Cross St. (above Kan Du Studio), from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11-12; and at Hancock Hotel (a stop on the tour) beginning at 10 a.m. the day of the event.
Call the United Way office at 419-423-1432 for more information.
(Story and picture courtesy of the United Way of Hancock County)
The many ways caring individuals can get involved in the lives of youth were highlighted at the “Not Our Kids” Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Luncheon and Panel in Findlay.
The event outlined simple efforts to help kids, such as reading to children at the library or packing weekend meal bags for students, to high-level commitments like serving as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) for a child in the legal system or becoming a foster parent. Regardless of their level of involvement, attendees were assured that their efforts would have a direct, positive impact on the youth they serve.
“There are so many ways to get involved in children’s lives, from mentoring to coaching, all the way up to serving as a foster parent for one of the approximately 50 foster children in Hancock County’s care at any given time,” said Randy Galbraith, director of Hancock County Job & Family Services. “I guarantee you that no matter what avenue you take to help, that child will be set on a better path.”
Galbraith expressed thanks to the many local agencies working to keep kids safe, noting that the community is rich in resources dedicated to serving youth. He added that each organization has a need for volunteers or help in some capacity.
“What if we are a community that says, ‘We are not going to lose one of our vulnerable children,’” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of United Way of Hancock County.
DeBoskey noted that through its partnerships with local agencies dedicated to helping kids, United Way can make introductions for new volunteers and help them discover the various ways they can get involved. Call the United Way at 419-423-1432 to get started.
Galbraith offered special thanks to all of Hancock County’s foster families. Anyone interested in learning more about fostering children can call JFS at 419-429-8065.
A recording of the presentation can be seen on the Hancock County Job and Family Services Facebook page below.
The Kiwanis Club of Findlay presented Findlay Fire Chief Josh Eberle with a nice check to go towards the new STRICT Center.
At their Wednesday meeting, the Kiwanis Club handed the fire chief a $15,000 check that will be used for a Search House within the STRICT Center. Get more details in the video below.
The STRICT Center will be a regional training center for first responders, with STRICT standing for Simulated Tactical Response & Incident Command Training.
The new multi-agency training complex will be located behind Findlay Fire Station 4 on County Road 236.
Fire Chief Josh Eberle says the structures will allow for live fire training, technical rescue, law enforcement, EMS and other training scenarios. He calls the facility a “game-changer” for first responders in Hancock County.
“An exciting aspect of the STRICT Center is the ability for our safety agencies to train together. At almost every emergency, there is a fire department, law enforcement and an EMS component all working alongside each other. Currently it is difficult for these agencies to train as a unit, even though we respond together. The STRICT Center will allow that joint training to happen on a regular basis.”
The estimated cost is around $2.4 million with funding coming from a combination of public funds, donations and grants.
The city says its 2023 Capital Budget has $884,000 allocated for the project, and it has acquired more than $700,000 in grant money for the project.
The facility could be ready to go by September or October.
The Hancock County Republican Party says Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene will be a special guest at an upcoming fundraiser.
The U.S. Representative from Georgia will make a guest appearance during a fundraising luncheon for the Hancock County Republican Party on Saturday, April 29th at the Hancock County Fairgrounds.
U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is expected to join her, as are several other elected officials from the county, the district and the state.
The event for VIP ticket holders begins at 1 p.m., while general admission and student ID ticket holders will be admitted at 2 p.m. The ticket purchase includes lunch.
For ticket purchases and price information, visit the Hancock County GOP website by clicking here.
