(ONN) – At the Ohio Statehouse, a bill was recently introduced by a Democrat from Columbus that aims to keep the state’s election workers safe by keeping their personal information such as home addresses private.

State Senator Bill DeMora wants to protect election workers from any type of threat or intimidation.

DeMora says he was shocked to hear how common it is for poll workers to be threatened, adding that the bill has support from people on both sides of the aisle.

If passed, it would not go into effect until the next election.

Senate Bill 173 would hide the address information of election workers, the same way people like police officers and judges have their addresses shielded from the public.

The Findlay Police Department is reminding parents and kids about some Halloween safety tips as Trick-or-Treat events approach.

Findlay Crime Prevention Officer Brian White was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss Halloween safety.

He reminds parents to make sure their child can safely get around in their costume and can see well if they’re wearing a mask.

He says bright costumes and those with flashing lights are great ideas.

Brian reminds Trick-or-Treaters to stay in groups and to cross at designated crosswalks and intersections.

He also reminds drivers to keep an eye out for kids, especially in neighborhoods that don’t have many sidewalks.

He advises parents to check candy before allowing their kids to start eating it.

Brian says extra police officers will be out and about during Trick-or-Treat and the Halloween Parade.

Parents are encouraged to check the Sex Offender Database to see what offenders might be living in the area.

Get more Halloween safety tips in the audio above.

The 2023 Cops & Kids Findlay Halloween Parade will be held on Tuesday, October 24^th at 7 p.m.

Findlay’s Trick-or-Treat will be on Saturday, October 28^th from 6 to 8 p.m.

(From Dr. Bill Kose with Blanchard Valley Health System)

With a little over two months remaining in 2023, many people may be thinking about medical tests and procedures they need to get done before the end of the year.

Or, if you are not yet making these healthcare plans, perhaps now might be a good time. We at Blanchard Valley Health System advise community members to start this planning in October. If you leave making those calls until mid-December, it may be harder to schedule the things you need done. Both you and your healthcare provider will benefit from starting the process now.

After all, it can be a busy time. Many insurance plans offer incentives for wellness screening programs that should be done once a year, so patients who haven’t yet scheduled those might be trying to do so at the end of the year. Some screenings may take longer than others and be more likely to require scheduling ahead of time.

Patients may be deciding when to schedule some surgical procedures, too. Surgery to fix a hernia or a sinus problem may be necessary but not an emergency. Patients may be waiting to see whether they’re likely to meet their 2023 deductible before deciding whether to schedule these surgeries this year or next.

However, often these procedures require at least one doctor’s appointment ahead of time. So, you must allow time to schedule these appointments first and then schedule the surgery itself. In addition, while many of these surgeries can be put off for a while, if you put them off for too long, the medical situation could become more complicated. So, it’s better not to wait too long.

Keep in mind that many other people will also be trying to schedule appointments and procedures around the end of the year.

And there is another aspect of the season to consider. Around Thanksgiving, families come into contact with loved ones they haven’t seen in a long time, many of whom have traveled on planes. This, combined with more people spending time indoors rather than socializing on the patio as the weather gets colder, means there is far more opportunity for infectious disease to spread. Some hospital beds may be filled with COVID-19 or influenza patients, which may also make it harder to schedule the procedures you need.

Financially, it would be ideal to plan all of this at the start of the calendar year. However, health issues often involve surprises, and many people don’t know what to expect or whether they’re likely to meet their deductible until much later. In addition, people may want to schedule medical procedures around the holidays when they have time off to recuperate or when family can stay with them to provide care.

It makes sense that many people are thinking about this now rather than in January. But suppose you need a colonoscopy, a hernia repair, or any other type of procedure in 2023. In that case, we’d encourage you to make the initial phone call as soon as you can, especially if multiple appointments may be required. If you aren’t sure what screenings you need, you can always check with your primary care provider.

We are here to serve this community, and we are committed to providing excellent care for the remainder of 2023, all of 2024, and well into the future. But patients and providers alike will benefit from planning ahead. We’d encourage you to think about it now to ensure you’re more likely to start 2024 as your healthiest self.

William Kose, MD, JD Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System

(From the University of Findlay)

University of Findlay students, faculty, staff, and community members will come together to donate canned food and other non-perishable items for the 18th annual Helping Hands event on Wednesday, November 1st, 2023 from 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Center for Student Life and College of Business (CBSL).

Throughout the day, volunteers will be collecting, inspecting, sorting, weighing, and packaging items for delivery. All items will go to Christians Helping Other People in Need (CHOPIN) Hall food pantry.

In addition to the on-campus collection of items, University of Findlay and Sodexo Food Services have partnered with Walmart (Tiffin & Trenton Ave.), Brinkman’s, and Great Scott (Broad Ave.). Off-campus locations will be collecting from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

In 2022, a total of 238,732 pounds of food was collected during the event. Two semi truckloads were needed to move 64 pallets of food that were collected and delivered to CHOPIN Hall. To date, more than 1.2 million pounds of food has been collected and donated by the University of Findlay and Sodexo.

The event will conclude in CBSL on Thursday, November 2, when awards will be handed out and the final total weight of food donations will be announced. For more information on the event, visit Helping Hands online.

Hancock Public Health has a couple of community flu and COVID clinics coming up in the next few weeks.

One will be held at Liberty Benton Elementary/Middle School on Wednesday, October 25^th from 4 to 6 in the gym at the school at 9190 County Road 9.

Another clinic will be held on November 3^rd from 8 to 4 at Dorney Plaza in Findlay as the health department’s Mobile Clinic will be on site.

The health department says appointments are also available Monday – Friday by calling 419-424-7441.

The health department says those 18 and older who receive a flu or COVID vaccine and complete a short survey will receive a $50 gift card.

(From the Northwestern Water and Sewer District)

On or around Monday, October 30th, 2023, the Northwestern Water and Sewer District (The District) will be switching the Village of McComb’s water source from water supplied by the McComb water treatment plant to water supplied by the Village of North Baltimore.

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO TO PREPARE
Customers should not notice a difference in their water service during the changeover. However, if you have home filters in refrigerators, ice makers, taps, and elsewhere, or maintain other home conditioning systems, you should plan to change those filters out or have them serviced following the flushing date.

WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE SWITCH

As part of the water source switch, District crews will be flushing fire hydrants. During this time, customers may notice the following changes in water due to the flushing process:

• A temporary drop in water pressure during flushing periods
• Occasional water discoloration after hydrant flushing

Should discoloration occur, run your cold water tap for a few minutes until the water clears. If it does not clear the first time, wait a few minutes, and run the water again. Avoid washing clothes until the water clears.

The District has completed all required testing to comply with Ohio EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) standards prior to this changeover. We expect the changeover process to last for 24-48 hours beginning Monday, October 30^th.

UPDATES AND SECOND NOTICE
A CODE-RED emergency notification (phone call, email, or text) will be sent out one to two days before the water source changes over.  If you are not signed up for the Code Red Notification, please visit our website: www.nwwsd.org to sign up. This will notify customers of any changes to the scheduled date. Additional information and updates will also be provided on our website: www.nwwsd.org and on Facebook and Twitter accounts @NWWSD.

If you have additional questions regarding the changeover, please contact The District at 877-354-9090, option 2, weekdays from 7:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.

The Seneca County Sheriff’s Office said a bomb squad was called in after a resident brought an old grenade to the sheriff’s office.

The resident said they found the grenade while cleaning out their basement.

“This grenade was over 50 years old had signs of rust and other issues around the cap,” the sheriff’s office said.

“All precautions were taken and the Toledo Bomb Squad was contacted and came and collected the device. If any military type ordnance is found while cleaning out basements, garages, attics or barns, please call us and have us come check it out in place. Better to be safe than sorry and even though it may not look live or appears to be inert, the detonators inside could be corroded or volatile and movement can cause them to go off.”

(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

Theeey’re heeeere!! The Creepy Dolls are back!

We’re bringing you some of the creepiest dolls in our collection to get you in the Halloween spirit!

Our Creepy Doll contestants are hidden throughout the spookily decorated Hull-Flater House, ready to give you a fright!

Check out our social media to see featured shots and learn a little history about these dolls for Creepy Doll Week!

Cast your vote for the creepiest doll by entering their number in the comments below!

Need a close up?

Each doll will be featured over the next weeks culminating on October 31st with the winner!

The Findlay Trojans football team finished the regular season with a dominating 48-0 win over Northview at Donnell Stadium Friday night.

The Trojans finished the regular season with a record of 8-2 and are NLL champions.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association on Sunday released the first-round pairings for the playoffs.

The Findlay Trojans will host Olentangy Liberty (3-7) on Friday night, October 27 at 7.

Liberty Benton (9-1) will host Marengo Highland (5-5) Friday night at 7.

Click here for more playoff pairings.

(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

The Hancock Historical Museum’s Board of Trustees announces that Sarah Sisser will step-down as Executive Director effective November 22^nd as she begins her new position as Executive Director and CEO of CreativeOhio.

“We applaud Sarah for her leadership these past several years and thank her for her contributions, which have helped shape the Museum as we know it today. We are well-poised to attract an energetic successor who can continue to build on this success.” said Susan Harms, President of the Hancock Historical Museum’s Board of Trustees.

Sisser has served as Executive Director of the Museum since 2013. During her tenure, the museum has seen exponential growth in attendance and revenue, while cultivating collaborative relationships at the state and local level. The privately-funded historical museum maintains nine buildings and programming that reaches more than 25,000 people annually, including more than 4,000 Hancock County schoolchildren. In recent years, the museum has received statewide recognition for its programmatic accomplishments, including the Scenic Ohio Award and the Ohio State Historic Preservation Office’s Public Education and Awareness Award.

“It has been a privilege to lead our museum through an era of transformative change and growth,” said Sisser. “It is a true gift to be able to do something you love each day with people you enjoy and respect. With the efforts and expertise of a dedicated staff and Board of Trustees, coupled with tremendous community support, the Museum has become a much-beloved local resource and one of the most comprehensive and well-respected institutions of its kind in the state.”

The museum’s Board of Trustees has begun a comprehensive search for the organization’s next Executive Director.

The following news release is from Creative Ohio announcing Sisser’s hire.

The CreativeOhio (CO) Board of Directors announced Sarah Sisser as the organization’s new Executive Director and CEO following a national search. Sisser brings ten-plus years of experience as a nonprofit administrator, community planner, and advocate for funding of public humanities and cultural institutions at the local, state, and federal levels. The CO board vote to hire Sisser was unanimous.

The CO Search Committee unanimously selected and recommended Sisser to the board given the alignment of her leadership skills, organizational experiences, and advocacy successes with both the job requirements and CO’s strategic priorities.

“We are delighted Sarah will take the leadership helm of CreativeOhio and apply her many

talents and expertise to our work,” said Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, President of the CO board. “She is uniquely qualified to execute our strategic plan, build organizational capacity, leverage our rebranding efforts to expand our membership, and create and sustain our local, regional, and national alliances and networks, all of which are needed to advance CO’s advocacy work on behalf of Ohio’s creative sector,” stated Brown-Ellis.

Sisser joins CreativeOhio from the Hancock Historical Museum, a non-profit history museum serving Findlay and Hancock County, where she has served as Executive Director since 2013. During her tenure, she raised and stewarded $1.2 million in special capital projects; managed $3 million in annual operating and endowment budgets; implemented programmatic, fundraising, and marketing changes resulting in exponential growth in attendance and revenue; and cultivated collaborative relationships at the state and local level.

“I am honored to help lead this next chapter of organizational development for CreativeOhio, ensuring we provide the necessary support and leadership in advocacy to our community partners driving the creative sector in our state,” said Sisser. “Our creative industries collectively represent tremendous economic impact, while advancing quality of life for Ohio’s citizens.”