The Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging drivers to slow down after recently stopping a driver for going way, way over the speed limit.

The Highway Patrol says a trooper from its Lebanon Post in Warren County pulled over a driver on Interstate 75 who was going 149 miles per hour in a 65 mph zone.

The Highway Patrol says, since 2018, there have been more than 162,000 speed-related crashes on Ohio roadways.

The Highway Patrol says the warmer it gets the more dangerous the roads become, and that’s why Memorial Day to Labor Day is considered the 100 most deadly days on Ohio roads.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says there has been an increase in motor vehicle thefts in the Washington Township and Fostoria areas of the county recently.

The sheriff’s office is reminding people to make sure their motor vehicles are locked and the keys/fobs are secured at all times when not in use.

Additionally, people are urged to not leave motor vehicles with the motor running and unattended.

The sheriff’s office says owners and users of classic or restored vehicles should take extra precautions and anti-theft measures, surveillance cameras, alarms, anti-theft steering wheel locks, etc.

Anyone with information about the recent motor vehicle thefts is asked to contact the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Detective Barry Boutwell at 419-424-7234.

The City of Findlay is answering some common questions about things like grass height and construction projects as residents begin or continue their spring cleaning.

The city listed the following as the most common questions they get.

High grass – Grass height may not exceed 6 inches in height.
Junk Vehicles – Vehicles must be fully operable and have current registration
Garage Sales – Each resident may have up to two a year per code
Swimming Pools – Anything over 14 feet in diameter or length must be permitted and location verified prior to construction
Fences, Decks, and Sheds – A permit must be obtained and location must be verified prior to constructing

People who need to file a complaint can do so by clicking here.

People with questions may contact the Zoning Department at 419-424-7108.

Family Resource Center has an open house scheduled to show off its newly renovated headquarters in Findlay.

The open house for the facility, located at 1941 Carlin Street in Findlay, will be held on Monday, May 8^th from 3 to 7.

People attending the open house will get a tour of the renovated facility and mental health and substance abuse disorder information will be available. Refreshments will be provided.

FRC Director of Administration Allison Yeager said one of the great things about this renovation is that they will be able to offer adult and youth services under the same roof.

“This will help make things more convenient for families to access care together.”

Family Resource Center provides mental health and substance use disorder services for adults from their location at 1918 North Main, and for youth from their location at 2515 North Main in Findlay.

They plan to bring all those services together under one roof at the renovated Carlin facility.

Funded in part by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and a Community Development Block Grant, the renovation project also includes the addition of an on-site pharmacy and meeting space for groups such as adventure therapy and other community support groups to gather.

An open house is planned for Monday, May 8^th from 3 to 7.

Dozens of employees from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 garages competed in the annual truck and loader roadeo competition at the Allen County Highway Maintenance Facility in Lima.

District 1 encompasses Hancock, Putnam, Wyandot, Allen, Hardin, Defiance, Paulding and Van Wert Counties.

A competitive driving event held in the spring, the roadeo began in 1988 and is held in each of ODOT’s 12 districts. The contestants are scored on a pre-trip equipment inspection, and a test of rules and laws pertaining to holders of a commercial driver’s license (CDL). Then, their operator skills are put to the test as they navigate through a series of obstacles with various clearances with precision and while working against the clock.

This year, the Hancock County crews took home the top spots in both the loader and truck categories.

Tom Mellinger, who works as a highway technician in the Hancock County garage, won the truck competition with a score of 1,910 points. Finishing second, Michael Mulvaine of the Wyandot County garage scored 1,900 points in the truck competition. Third place goes to Dylan Neff of the Wyandot County garage with 1,855 points.

John Rinker and Wyatt Price of Hancock County took home the top spots in the loader competition with a score of 2,225 and 2,100 points, respectively. In third place, Todd Utrup of the Van Wert County garage scored 2,075 points.

Advancing to the Director’s Cup of the ODOT Truck and Loader Roadeo to be held in Columbus in August, the top two spots in each category will represent District 1. Mellinger and Mulvaine will compete in the truck competition, while Rinker and Price take on the loader competition. Third-place winners, Neff and Utrup, will join the team as alternates.

“The roadeo is an opportunity to hone our skills and recognize ODOT’s talented men and women,” said Chris Hughes, deputy director of ODOT District 1.

“Each obstacle in the course is meant to demonstrate the challenges they face as heavy equipment operators as part of their jobs building and maintaining our highway system.”

(ODOT District 1’s roadeo team traveling to Columbus the Director’s Cup Truck and Loader Roadeo in August, from left to right: Todd Utrup, Dylan Neff, Michael Mulvaine, Tom Mellinger, John Rinker, and Wyatt Price – Picture courtesy of ODOT)

Hancock Public Health invites the public to their Community Baby Shower on Saturday, May 6^th at The Findlay Village Mall from 10 to 2.

Health Educator Jessica Halsey and the Help Me Grow team will be on hand to check car seats, conduct safe sleep demonstrations and give away door prizes and raffle items to those in attendance.

The featured guest speaker is Dr. Susan Grace, Pediatric Hospitalist at Blanchard Valley Health System.

She will be speaking at noon about the importance of safe infant sleep.

Another guest speaker, Ms. Sara Stalets, will be presenting on the benefits of infant massage at 11:30 a.m.

Resource tables will be full of information and giveaways for new and expecting mothers and fathers.

“We could not have pulled any of this off without the support of our partner agencies!”

The partner agencies are Blanchard Valley Health System, CareSource, Humana, Findlay YMCA, United Way of Hancock County, Hancock County Job & Family Services, Blanchard Valley Center, HHWP Community Action Commission Head Start, Hancock County WIC, Women’s Resource Center, OSU Extension office, FOCUS Wellness & Recovery Center, Toledo/Lucas County CareNet and lastly, The Findlay Village Mall.

“We are honored to work alongside agencies that offer support and services to families in Hancock County.”

The Fifth Third Bank Wall of Fame at the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts welcomed two more deserving individuals.

WFIN legend Richard E. “Dick” Daugherty and Producing Director and Chief Marketing Officer at Shadowbox Live in Columbus, Julie Klein, were inducted during a ceremony at MCPA.

The Wall of Fame recognizes those who have academic, professional and/or civic ties to Findlay/Hancock County, and whose impact has been recognized at the highest level in music, dance, theatre and visual arts.

MCPA says Klein has received two Central Ohio Theatre Roundtable awards for “Excellence in Acting” and “Excellence in Directing”; two Columbus Dispatch Theatre Critics “top acting performances of the year” and a “Best Director of a Musical” award from Broadwayworld Columbus.

Shadowbox Live celebrates its 35^th Anniversary in 2023 and is now the nation’s largest ensemble theater company.

Richard “Dick” Daugherty was synonymous with promoting local music, particularly big band, dance and jazz.

Dick’s daughter, Linda, spoke during the ceremony about her dad and the other people on the Wall of Fame and how they’ve all influenced her.

WFIN caught up with Linda after the ceremony.

“What a terrific honor. The fact that his beloved Findlay still remembers him 15 years after he passed is quite a tribute to everything he did for the community. He loved everything about Findlay.”

The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation, which hosts the Richard E. Dick Daugherty Scholarship, says Daugherty hosted the first commercial remote radio broadcast and the first live television broadcast in Findlay.

He was proclaimed Mister Findlay Rotary and wrote and illustrated a book titled The History of the Findlay Rotary Club which is registered in the Library of Congress.

Daugherty received the Findlay Rotary Club’s first Lifetime Achievement Award which was later renamed the Richard E. Daugherty Lifetime Achievement Award.

In 2001, the mayor of Findlay proclaimed “Dick Daugherty Day in Findlay.”

Hancock County Taps – Honoring Those Who Served, a new local program with the goal of ensuring a live rendition of Taps at Hancock County military funerals, is actively seeking local musicians to help honor local Veterans.

The program represents a collaboration between the Hancock Leadership Class of ’23, the Hancock County Veteran Services Office, and Hancock County Taps founder Carl Hayslett.

 The sounding of Taps at ceremonies is the most sacred duty a bugler can perform. Every effort should be made to sound a perfect Taps in keeping with the solemn occasion of a military ceremony or funeral.

Any standard trumpet, cornet, or bugle may be used to sound Taps for military funeral honors or memorial service.

According to Hayslett, who is a 2021 graduate of the Hancock Leadership program and also serves as Hancock County Magistrate, “there is a shortage of live buglers to meet a growing need. Musicians who can deliver a high-quality performance of Taps on a bugle or trumpet are able to thank our Veterans for their service and honor their passing.”

As a result, the Hancock Leadership Class of ’23 is developing a system to audition local musicians and build a robust registry of live buglers to be paired at funerals and memorial services of local Veterans. Hayslett identified high school or college band members, buglers, and trumpeters as being a natural fit to Hancock County Taps. Interested individuals will be required to audition and agree to a code of conduct that outlines how to accept volunteer assignments, appropriate dress, and best practices.

The Hancock County Veterans Memorial Squad provides Taps at all military funerals using a ceremonial bugle with pre-recorded Taps for an average of 100 funerals a year, according to Doug McKinniss, HL ’92 graduate and Memorial Squad Treasurer. 

“With the Hancock Taps program the family will be able to request a live bugler and the Hancock County Memorial Squad will still provide final military burial rites.”

People interested in auditioning to join the Hancock County Taps registry should send an email to hancockleadership@findlayhancockchamber.com. 

The public can support Hancock County Taps in 3 ways; GIVE – consider making a monetary donation towards the project, PLAY – audition to join the pool of musicians to play Taps at funerals in Hancock County, or HONOR – request a live rendition of Taps for your Hancock County Veteran’s funeral service.

The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is working to address the need left in the community after The Dental Center of Northwest Ohio closed its Findlay Smiles office at The Family Center in Findlay on Monday.

The Community Foundation, whose supporting organization Hancock Properties Foundation owns and operates The Family Center, says it is working with other nonprofit organizations to address the local need.

“The Dental Center’s services will be missed at The Family Center,” said Brian Treece, President & CEO of The Community Foundation.

“Dental health is critical to whole-body health, and we are working with other organizations to ensure those who need it will have access to dental services locally.”

The Dental Center will be communicating with patients via mail in the coming days.

To contact the Dental Center about your treatment plan or access to medical records, call the Toledo office at 419-241-6215.

For other information or help with records, contact Cheryl Miller at Hancock Public Health at 567-250-5192.

In the meantime, Hancock County residents in a treatment plan with financial concerns should contact Christian Clearing House at 419-422-2222 or visit their office at Suite 107 at The Family Center for support.

“In the interim, Christian Clearing House and Hancock Public Health are great resources,” said Treece.

“In the long-term, the Foundation, along with other trusted local partners, is looking at options to make sure affordable dental care and hygiene are available in the community.”

The Community Foundation will provide updates as needed and as they become available.

The Hancock Properties Board, which oversees The Family Center, will discuss the open space at the building at their May board meeting.

“Dental services are a crucial part of the services offered at The Family Center,” said Patty Lucas, chairperson of the Hancock Properties Board.

“The Hancock Properties Board is grateful to the other organizations stepping up to support those in need in the meantime.”

The Hancock County Farmers’ Market opens for the season on Thursday, May 4th from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Hancock County Farmers’ Market is held in the parking lot of Marathon Center for the Performing Arts at 200 West Main Cross in Findlay every Thursday afternoon from May through the end of October.

“Our local farms and small business owners appreciate your making the first market day a success. Send them home with empty baskets.”

B and M Nursery

Bakedby Bells

Betts Maple Syrup

Bread, Butter & Beyond

Kathleen’s Kitchen

Keller Bison

kimberly’s honey

Lawrence Produce

My Own Backyard Herbs & Flowers

Pearl Oaks Flower Farm

Riehm Produce Farm, LLC.

Roger’s Honey

Sweet Dream Gourmet

Sweets on the EDG

Taste Tempters

Whiskey Creek Woodworking

Wild Vine Farm

Will’s Sharp-it Shop

Windy Wild Acres