A handful of anticipated flood mitigation projects in Findlay should be happening over the next few years.

We spoke with Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn about the projects, which she says will lower 100-year storm event flood levels in downtown Findlay by 3 feet.

The Phase 2 Benching project will take place along the north side of the Blanchard River in downtown Findlay from North Cory Street to the CSX railroad. As part of the Phase 2 Benching project the city wants to put in a Downtown Recreation Area, and you can click here for more details on that.

The Norfolk Southern Railroad Bridge over the Blanchard River west of Cory Street will be replaced with the new design eliminating a choke point on the river and helping flood mitigation.

The project will replace the current 150-foot span bridge that is more than 100 years old with a new bridge with a 300-foot span.

The enlarged opening will allow the flow of the Blanchard to pass more efficiently and will reduce the 100-year flood elevation by 0.4 feet immediately upstream.

The bridge is anticipated to be constructed in 2024.

The Eagle Creek Floodwater Storage Basin will be constructed south of Findlay.

The basin is expected to lower flood levels in downtown Findlay in a 100-year storm event by 1.5 feet.

Construction is targeted for 2024.

Get more on the upcoming projects by clicking here.

Findlay’s previous flood mitigation efforts have included the Phase 1 Benching project along the Blanchard River west of downtown, near Swale Park, and removing flood-prone properties along it.

(From The Cleveland Guardians)

The Cleveland Guardians and Marathon, the retail brand of Ohio-based Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC), announced a new jersey patch featuring Marathon’s new Endurance logo on the sleeve of the Guardians jerseys starting July 3, 2023 thru the end of the 2026 season.

A Cleveland Guardians corporate partner since 2021, Marathon’s new deal will also feature their logo on the first-base side of Progressive Field as well as the continuation of home plate signage.

“With our Ohio roots and just over a decade separating our founding’s, we think it’s fitting to be the Cleveland Guardians inaugural jersey patch sponsor,” said Marathon’s Senior Vice President of Global Clean Products Brian Partee.

“While we can both be proud of our past, it’s the future we’re most excited about, including this partnership. As a bonus, many of our employees and customers are generational and passionate fans of the celebrated ball club.”

“We look forward to expanding our relationship with Marathon as our inaugural jersey patch partner,” said Cleveland Guardians President of Business Brian Barren.

“When we started to look for a partner to don on our jersey, we knew we wanted an Ohio-based brand that was recognizable to our fans and had been a part of the Northeast Ohio community for as long, if not longer, than we have.

Marathon checked all those boxes, putting down Ohio roots as far back as 1887, and we look forward to partnering with them in our community and with our fans for years to come.”

As part of the agreement, Marathon will be featured on two jersey fan giveaways for each of the 2024-2026 seasons.

The Guardians become the 12th MLB team to feature a jersey patch, joining:

Cincinnati Reds

San Diego Padres

New York Mets

Boston Red Sox

Los Angeles Angels

Houston Astros

Atlanta Braves

St. Louis Cardinals

Detroit Tigers

Arizona Diamondbacks

Miami Marlins

Hancock County health officials say there’s been a recent spike in suspected overdoses in Findlay and Hancock County.

Hancock Public Health on Friday said there had been three overdoses within the last 24 hours.

The health department sends out a spike alert when three overdoses occur within 24 hours.

Hancock Public Health reminds people that they have the overdose-reversing medication Narcan available through Project DAWN (Deaths Avoided with Naloxone) as a way to combat the opioid overdose epidemic.

“It looks pretty clear to us that the more Narcan kits we get out there, in the hands of folks who may potentially overdose, the less fatal overdoses we’re going to have,” said Gary Bright with the health department.

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

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

Anyone who suspects an overdose should call 911 immediately.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says it will be highly visible and cracking down on impaired drivers during the Fourth of July holiday reporting period.

The Patrol’s zero-tolerance policy is part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign aimed at removing impaired drivers from the roadways.

“Many Fourth of July celebrations involve alcohol, which increases the possibility of impaired driving. Therefore, the Patrol urges motorists to buckle up, drive safely and follow all traffic laws,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent.

During last year’s Fourth of July reporting period, a total of 16 fatal crashes killed 16 people. Of those, 11 crashes and 11 fatalities involved alcohol and/or drugs. The Patrol also made 447 OVI arrests during the reporting period.

Of the seven fatalities in which safety belts were available, five were unbelted. There were seven motorcyclists and two pedestrians also killed during this time frame.

“Too often our troopers see the tragic side of holiday celebrations,” Colonel Jones added.

“When you operate a vehicle impaired, you’re putting the lives of everyone on our roadways at risk.”

Hancock County Job and Family Services is offering its fall School Clothes Program again this year.

Director Randall Galbraith says the program gives eligible families up to $225 per child for clothing for the school year.

As Randall mentioned in the audio above, eligibility requirements are that families live in Hancock County, have school-aged children ages 5 to 18, and be at or below 150 percent of the federal poverty level.

He says people are welcome to call 419-429-8083 for more information or stop by their office at 7746 County Road 140 in Findlay.

A Findlay business was raided amid an investigation into complaints of human trafficking and prostitution.

The Findlay Police Department said a search warrant was executed at Massage Max at 1100 Croy Drive Suite B on Thursday morning.

Police said the search warrant stemmed from an investigation into complaints against the business of alleged human trafficking and possible sex work.

Police said the business is owned and operated by Xiaohong Jiang, of Arlington, and possible charges of promoting prostitution, prostitution and trafficking of persons are expected at the conclusion of the investigation.

The police department said Open Arms Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Services of Findlay assisted in the investigation.

(ONN) – Former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the largest corruption scandal in state history.

The 64-year-old Republican from Perry County is expected to appeal the sentence.

A jury convicted Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges, ex-chair of the Ohio Republican Party, of racketeering in April.

Jurors found Householder orchestrated a $60 million bribery scheme secretly funded by Akron-based FirstEnergy to secure the speakership, elect allies, and then pass and defend a $1 billion bailout of two FirstEnergy-affiliated nuclear plants.

Borges’ sentencing in the scheme is scheduled for Friday.

The Ohio Department of Transportation says a project will close State Route 568 east of Findlay.

ODOT says State Route 568 between Township Road 253 and Township Road 196 will close on Monday, July 10^th for approximately five days for a culvert replacement.

The suggested detour can be seen in the tweet below and by clicking here.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Blanchard Valley Pain Management, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, is announcing it has expanded its services to provide pain management care in Kenton.

The new office, which is now scheduling patients, is located at 75 Washington Blvd., Kenton. Appointments can be made by calling 567.712.7741.

This Kenton location joins several others in the region, meaning pain management treatment is now available throughout Northwest Ohio.

The team of trusted providers at Blanchard Valley Pain Management is committed to helping patients return to doing what they love. Their goal is to provide the least invasive, most effective treatment possible to help patients feel better and enjoy life.

The new location in Kenton offers patients in the surrounding area easier access to exceptional health care.

Treatments provided by the pain management team reflect the most recent advances in the management of pain for conditions such as back pain, neck pain and pinched nerves, persistent pain after back or neck surgery, arthritis pain in the neck or low back, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, headaches, sciatica pain, nerve damage pain, chronic pelvic pain, shingles pain and muscle spasm pain.

“Effective pain treatment can be life-changing,” said Kristen Parkins, RN, lead nurse for Lima Pain Management and Blanchard Valley Pain Management. “All too often, our patients have had to stop doing things they love, like playing with their grandchildren, because of their pain. Sometimes they can’t even get out of bed. Our providers find they can improve patients’ quality of life and, often, even give them back the opportunity to do activities they had assumed were a thing of the past.”

Providing pain treatment to rural areas that previously hadn’t had it available means these life-changing opportunities are accessible for residents of those communities, closer to home.

“We saw a need in Kenton and Hardin County,” said Jenn Reese, director of pain management. “We are excited to serve the Hardin County community and make it possible for residents who suffer from chronic pain to get back to their daily lives with manageable pain levels.”

Other Blanchard Valley Pain Management locations are scheduling patients in Findlay, Bluffton, Carey, Lima and Ottawa. For more information, please call 419.423.5555 or 1.888.458.5550, or visit bvhealthsystem.org.

The Hancock Historical Museum’s Annual 4^th of July Ice Cream Social is coming up on Tuesday, July 4^th.

“Celebrate Independence Day with an old-fashioned ice cream social on the front porch of the Hull House!”

Museum facilities will be open with free admission.

Children’s activities and crafts will be available.

Click here for more information or check out the Facebook post below.