The City of Findlay has been busy preparing for the solar eclipse of April, 8th 2024.

Findlay is within the path of totality and will experience a total solar eclipse of an estimated 3 minutes and 44 seconds beginning at 3:10 p.m.

Service Safety Director Rob Martin says ensuring it’s a safe and enjoyable event for everyone is all about the planning and getting everyone on the same page.

However, there are still many unknowns.

“We know we’re going to have an influx of people, but how many people, we don’t know.”

Rob says from talking to other communities Findlay’s size that have experienced similar eclipses, the city’s preparing for an influx of 3 to 4 times the city’s population.

He says their preparations are focusing on getting safety services ready and the flow of traffic.

Rob’s asking people to be patient as it likely won’t be easy to get around town on the days leading up to and on the day of the eclipse.

He says schools will either not hold classes that day or will do so remotely, to prevent school buses from being on the road at around the same time the eclipse will be happening.

The Findlay-Hancock County Chamber of Commerce has created a website with information about the eclipse.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is letting drivers know of some temporary ramp closures along U.S. 30.

ODOT says the U.S. 30/U.S. 68 interchange and U.S. 30/State Route 235 interchange will have temporary, short-term ramp closures (1-2 hours) beginning Wednesday, June 7^th.

The temporary ramp closures will allow crews to perform pavement repairs in preparation for resurfacing.

The temporary ramp closures will last for approximately three days.

Detour: SR 235 to CR 304 (old U.S. 30) to U.S. 68, back to U.S. 30.

The Village of Ottawa is celebrating the beginning of its Main Street Corridor project.

Local, regional and state officials will gather to celebrate the kickoff of the downtown revitalization project which is designed to foster small business growth and economic development.

The corridor project will redevelop multiple historic buildings including The DuMont building at 202 West Main Street, and The DeFord block of buildings at 301, 305 and 315 East Main Street.

Included in the revitalization will be new professional offices, overnight lodging, retail, dining and hospitality, co-working and event space.

The kickoff celebration is being held on Wednesday, June 7^th at 4:30 p.m. at 202 West Main Street, with a tour to follow.

The Findlay Police Department says two people were injured in a crash that was caused by one of the drivers running a red light.

The crash happened at around 1:47 p.m. Monday in the 1900 block of Tiffin Avenue.

Police say Corey Decker, 35, of Findlay, was eastbound on Tiffin Avenue and ran the red light at Croy Drive, striking a vehicle that was turning from Croy Drive onto Tiffin Avenue.

Police say Decker and a passenger were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for possible injuries.

Decker was issued a citation for running the red light.

The Findlay Fire Department battled an overnight fire that destroyed two structures and left two others damaged.

It happened in the area of Pine Avenue between North Main Street and Cory Street beginning around 3:15 a.m. Tuesday.

We’re told the fire destroyed a barn and a garage and two nearby homes on Pine Avenue were severely damaged.

Nobody was injured in the fire. The cause is under investigation.

We were told on the scene that power will be out in this area and possibly a wider area as crews replace damaged poles and lines.

Pine Avenue and Defiance Avenue in the area were closed.

The Findlay Police Department will be participating in the Findlay leg of the 2023 Ohio Special Olympics Torch Run.

The Torch Run date has been scheduled for Friday, June 16^th.

“The Findlay Police Department proudly supports the athletes in the Ohio Special Olympics.”

The police department points out that the Torch Run will impact traffic on Main Street and East Sandusky Street.

Runners will start the run at the University of Findlay Arch on North Main Street at 3 p.m. and head south on North Main to South Main and Sandusky Street.

From there the runners will turn east onto East Sandusky Street and make their way to Blanchard Valley Center where the Findlay leg of the Torch Run will conclude.

People should expect traffic delays in those areas between 3 and 4 p.m.

The Summer Games will take place on June 23-25 with track and field, bocce, bowling, gymnastics, powerlifting, soccer, tennis and volleyball.

More than 3,400 athletes, unified partners and coaches will be participating in this year’s Special Olympics Ohio’s State Summer Games.

The Findlay City Schools Summer Lunch Program is underway.

It began on June 5th and will go until August 10th.

Free lunches will be available for kids from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Glenwood Middle School on Monday through Thursday, and at Journey at Christ Church on Wednesdays.

Meals are to be eaten on site with activities provided as they enjoy their lunch.

Carah Alvaraz has more details on the Summer Lunch Program.

The Summer Lunch Program goes from June 5^th until August 10^th.

It will not be available on June 19 or July 3^rd and 4^th.

More details are in the flyer below.

The Leipsic Community Center held a grand opening celebration for its new Mercy Health Fitness Center.

Community Center Director Brock England is inviting people to come start their fitness journey with them.

“We are very excited about this fitness center, and we have already seen it be used a ton so far.”

The Leipsic Community Center is located at 120 East Main Street in Leipsic.

Click here for their website and here for the Facebook page.

(ONN) – The Biden Administration is handing out more than $570 million in grants to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states just as the industry is increasingly relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs.

The grants will help eliminate more than three dozen crossings that delay traffic and sometimes keep first responders from where help is desperately needed.

More than $7 million will be spent on a new bridge over railroad tracks in the Iron Triangle neighborhood of Fostoria where dozens of trains each day block movement through the city.

The project will eliminate three grade crossings in Fostoria, which will improve safety be preventing collisions between cars and trains.

Around 2,000 collisions are reported at railroad crossings nationwide every year.

Last year 250 people were killed.

Following successful trips to Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Akron, the Hancock Historical Museum will host a guided bus trip to the home of the Football Hall of Fame explore local history and culture.

“We will learn how Canton’s culinary scene has been influenced, as we taste our way through the city!”

The cost of the day-trip is $175 for members and $190 for non-members, and includes guided tours of several destinations, charter bus transportation departing from Findlay, breakfast at 330 Grille, lunch at Bender’s Tavern, samples at Harry London Chocolate Factory, wine and pairings at Gervasi Vineyards, dinner at Chloe’s Diner, and more.

Guests will depart from the museum at approximately 7 a.m. on Wednesday, June 14^th and return to Findlay at approximately 9 p.m.

Reservations for the Historic Taste of Canton Tour are limited and must be purchased by June 7th.