Chopin Hall’s Mobile Food Pantry will be holding a food distribution on Saturday, October 21st.
It will be held at 300 Davis Street at the University of Findlay beginning at 8:30 and going until the food is gone.
The mobile food pantry is sponsored by the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation and the food is from the West Ohio Food Bank in Lima.
Mobile food pantry events provide food boxes to around 200 families.
Get more details by clicking here.
The Putnam County Health Department and Leipsic Community Center are partnering to provide a walk-in Flu and COVID vaccine clinic.
It will be held on Wednesday, October 18, 2023 from 2 – 4 p.m. at Leipsic Community Center at 120 E. Main Street in Leipsic.
People with questions may call the health department at 419-523-5608.
The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is inviting everyone to Author Fest.
It will be held on Friday, November 3rd from 5:30 to 8 p.m.
During the event people can meet, mingle and support local authors at the library.
Melody Flick, Adult Services Librarian at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library, discusses the event.
Among the authors who will be at the event are Olivia Cornwell, who was born and raised in Findlay and whose specialty is fantasy, and Abbey Easton from Ottawa, who has always enjoyed a good romance.
See the full list of authors who will be at the event and get more details by clicking here.
(From the University of Findlay)
University of Findlay pharmacy students will be putting pen to paper as they write letters to state legislators regarding two bills currently being discussed. During the class, the first group of students will take time to write letters that could change their future careers forever.
House Bill 73 would require pharmacists to fill prescriptions for off-label medications if the physician making the request deems it “medically appropriate.” The bill that started in and passed in the House, gained traction after Ivermeticin was prescribed to treat COVID-19. Due to the medication being off-label and typically prescribed for parasitic worms and skin conditions, pharmacists were declining to fill it. House Bill 73 would require pharmacists to fill the prescription as recommended by the doctor, even if it is against the pharmacist’s professional judgement.
House Bill 80 has been introduced in the House, but has yet to go up for a vote. The bill would authorize pharmacists to conduct screenings, order labs and diagnostic tests, evaluate the results, and treat for influenza, COVID-19, and strep throat. Currently, Ohio pharmacists are able to fill prescriptions to treat these illnesses, but they are not able to diagnose and prescribe the medication themselves, despite their extensive training in recommending medications appropriately. This legislation would change that, and in doing so, increase access to care in the community setting.
Project HOPE’s annual Trick-or-Treat on Horseback fundraiser is coming up
It will be held on two weekends; October 21st and 22nd, and on the 28th and 29th at 6645 Township Road 215, east of Findlay.
Project HOPE (Horses Opening People’s Eyes) is a nonprofit organization offering equine- assisted therapy.
The organization uses horses to help people dealing with emotional and behavioral challenges.
Learn more about the organization by clicking here, sign up for the Trick-or-Treat on Horseback by clicking here, and see video from previous years by clicking here.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says one person had to be flown to a hospital and others were injured after a semi crashed into several vehicles that were stopped on State Route 15 for an earlier crash.
The crash happened at approximately 10:39 Monday night on State Route 15 near Township Road 190, between State Route 37 and Vanlue.
The sheriff’s office said a semi was traveling westbound on State Route 15 when it struck three vehicles and a commercial truck that were stopped in traffic due to the earlier crash.
The crash resulted in one person being flown from the scene by Life Flight with unknown injuries.
Three other people were taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital with injuries.
The crash remains under investigation.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol says two people were seriously injured in a head-on crash on State Route 15.
The crash happened at approximately 9:43 Monday night on State Route 15 west of Vanlue.
The Highway Patrol said Brittany Furguson, 32, of Findlay, was driving eastbound on State Route 15 in an SUV when she drove across the median and into the westbound lanes, striking a pickup truck driven by Robert Kelley, 53, of Michigan.
A semi then struck the SUV and Furguson was ejected from her vehicle.
Furguson suffered life-threatening injuries and was life-flighted from the scene to a Toledo hospital.
Kelley suffered severe injuries and was taken by Hanco EMS to Blanchard Valley Hospital.
The semi driver was not injured.
The crash remains under investigation.
About an hour later, a semi struck four vehicles that were stopped in traffic due to the first crash, injuring four people and getting Life Flight called to the scene again.
The Patrol was assisted at the scene by Vanlue Fire, Hanco EMS, Mercy Health Life Flight, The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, The Findlay Police Department, The Ohio Department of Transportation, Ed’s Towing and Recovery, and BG Towing.
(From the City of Findlay)
The City of Findlay will offer a bulk trash drop-off for Findlay residents from Thursday, November 2, to Saturday, November 4, 2023.
Hours are 8am-7pm or until full on Thursday and Friday and 8am-4pm or until full on Saturday.
Dumpsters will be at the Public Works Department, 330 N. Cory St. where city residents may dispose of unwanted debris.
Hazardous materials, commercial tires, concrete, appliances and electronics will not be accepted. Proof of residency or ID may be required.
The City will accept noncommercial vehicle tires. The tires must be off of the rim. Proof of residency in the City of Findlay and/or ID will be required. Please note that it is illegal to transport more than ten scrap tires at any time without obtaining a registration certificate from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency per ORC 3734.83.
“During the Earth week drop-off event in Spring 2023 over 1,500 tires and 93,000 lbs of trash were collected. We encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and join us in working to keep our community clean!”
(From the Ohio Department of Transportation)
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) District 1 will move ahead with a project to construct an overpass on County Road 193 over State Route 15 between the city of Findlay and the village of Vanlue in Hancock County.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2025.
The location at State Route 15/County Road 193 was selected for an overpass because of its central location between the interchange ramps at either State Route 37 or State Route 330/County Road 197 at Vanlue. County Road 193 provides good access to routes with direct access to State Route 15.
Over the last several weeks, ODOT has collected public comments regarding the proposed project. “Public involvement is an important part of the project development process that helps ensure our planners and designers have all the information available and consider every aspect,” said Chris Hughes, ODOT District 1 deputy director. “Of the comments received, emergency response times were the most common concerns raised for this project,” he said.
In anticipation of this project, ODOT held discussions with local officials regarding how an overpass could impact where emergency turnaround points are needed. To ensure the best access for emergency response and winter snow and ice operations, ODOT agreed to construct two new emergency turnaround points along State Route 15 with its own forces. As a result of the new overpass and additional emergency turnaround points, the emergency response times are not expected to diminish and may improve for some residents.
Loss of access to State Route 15 was another concern voiced during the public involvement phase.
“Changing how folks connect with State Route 15 is a goal of the overpass project,” said Hughes. “The safest place to enter and exit the highway is at interchange ramps,” he said.
The project is estimated to cost $6.3 million including design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction costs. The project secured funding from the County Engineers Association of Ohio (CEAO), ODOT’s Highway Safety Improvement Program, the Hancock County Engineer, and ODOT District 1.
“We have been fortunate to have great partners at ODOT District 1 to find and develop solutions that improve safety and move goods, services, and people throughout Hancock County and our region,” said Hancock County Engineer Doug Cade. “Through this collaboration, we have been able to leverage funds from federal, state, and local sources that are not always available to help projects like this become a reality and improve safety,” he said.
Temporary lane closures on State Route 15 are expected during construction, along with a detour of traffic on County Road 193 across State Route 15.
Two overpass projects along State Route 15 have been underway and are scheduled to be finished in 2023.
One of the overpasses is at County Road 180 over State Route 15 near Findlay and the other is at County Road 169 and State Route 15 near Vanlue.
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 Solar Eclipse Task Force, which is a collaboration of many local entities, has created a website with information about the eclipse.
