(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

The Hancock Historical Museum’s annual Christmas Open House will take place on Saturday, December 9th from 5-8pm, and Sunday, December 10th from 1-4pm.

The museum facilities will be decorated for the holidays, with activities, games, and crafts for all ages to enjoy.

Get into the holiday spirit with a visit to the museum and enjoy the season with a bit of history.

The facilities will be decorated for the holidays, with activities, games, and crafts for all ages to enjoy.

The historic Hull House will include a special display of antique German nutcrackers, smokers, and Christmas pyramids from the private collection of Mrs. Waltraud Mullinger.

Saturday evening features live music by Findlay String Factor Quintet from Findlay High School.

Admission is only $1 per person!

(From the Black Heritage Library & Multicultural Center)

A celebration of life for Darnell Parker and Darnell Dayon Parker Jr. is being held today and Tuesday at Black Heritage Library & Multicultural Center, 817 Harmon St.

Darnell Parker was the founder and director of Adult and Juvenile Diversion program for Hancock County. He died in 2020 at the age of 64.

His son, Darnell Dayon Parker Jr., was a former Findlay High and Bluffton University basketball player and Loveland High School girls head coach. He died in 2022 at the age of 44.

Judge Mark Miller, of Ohio’s 3rd District Court of Appeals, will speak at about 5 p.m. today at the celebration of life. Other activities today and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, will include music, DVD presentations, memories shared by loved ones, friends, police officers, officials, teammates and coaches.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol kicked off its 173^rd Cadet Class with a signing day event.

Recruits gathered at their closest District Headquarters with family and friends to sign a letter of intent to become a member of the next Academy Class.

The Findlay District had several cadets sign to join the Highway Patrol and pictures can be seen on their social media below.

The 173rd Cadet Class training commences on Tuesday, December 5 at the Ohio State Highway Patrol Training Academy in Columbus. 

https://twitter.com/OSHP_NWOhio/status/1731696475506143698

(From the City of Findlay)

City of Findlay water customers have a new way to view their bills.

SmartBill, the third party that currently prints City of Findlay Water Bills, has upgraded its electronic platform for viewing utility bills.  

Starting today, City of Findlay customers who have been receiving their bills in their emails will receive an email with the subject line “City of Findlay | SmartPay Works Registration”. The email will come from noreply@smartpayworks.com.  We want to ensure our customers that this is not a spam email and they should follow the prompts to ensure they continue to receive their bills electronically. 

If there is no response to the first email, another will be sent in 7 days and another in 14 days.

For those who are not currently using the online viewing feature, you can register by going to https://findlayohio.smartpayworks.com and following the prompts for registration.

Please make sure you have a copy of your bill or contact the Utility Billing Department to confirm the way your name is indicated on your water billing account.

Once you confirm the way your name is on the account, continue with the online registration.

The new login page looks like the image below.  Once you enter the details and click “Register”, you will be asked to go to your email to finish the registration.

Please note:  Although the company is identified as ‘Smartpayworks’, this portal is not to make online payments.  Also, this portal will not allow you to see usage other than what is listed on the bill, this feature is specific to viewing your utility bill before it goes to the post office.  

Traffic will be affected on some Findlay streets as crews move an apartment building.

A developer is moving the apartment building that was previously on Grand Avenue near the YMCA to West McPherson Avenue to serve as the bones for a new apartment project.

The move, according to officials, will take place between 9 and noon on Tuesday.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol will assist with traffic.

The route the building will take is west on East Lincoln Street, South on South Main Street, and then west on West McPherson Avenue.

The city says the building move will cause expected street closures on East Lincoln Street from Blanchard Street to Main Street, on South Main Street from Lincoln Street to McPherson, and on West McPherson from South Main Street to Summit Street.

People are being asked to avoid those streets from 9 to noon Tuesday as crews move the building.

The Findlay City Planning Commission previously approved the site plan for a 16-unit apartment building.

The plan that was approved for the apartment building on West McPherson Avenue was downsized from the original plan.

Initially, the plan called for a 24-unit apartment building on the south side of McPherson Avenue a little east of Hurd Avenue.

However, that plan needed a variance to increase the allowed total units from 16 to 24, but the Board of Zoning Appeals voted against granting the variance.

The three-story apartment building will be located in the 300 block of West McPherson Avenue, east of the AEP substation.

(ONN) – A federal grand jury has indicted the former chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio who is accused of bribery and embezzlement crimes.

Samuel Randazzo is charged with 11 counts, including wire fraud and making illegal monetary transactions.

He resigned from being chairman in November 2020 after being accused of receiving more than four million dollars from First Energy in exchange for giving the company special treatment.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

The long-awaited indictment marks the latest development in what has been labeled the largest corruption case in Ohio history.

A jury convicted former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and lobbyist Matt Borges, ex-chair of the Ohio Republican Party, of racketeering in April for their roles in the scheme.

Householder was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Borges five years.

(ONN) – The Ohio State Buckeyes confirmed on Monday that quarterback Kyle McCord has entered his name into the transfer portal.

He entered his third season with the Buckeyes this year as the most experienced quarterback on the roster and won the starting job early in the season after competing with Devin Brown.

McCord threw 24 touchdown passes and just six interceptions, but two of those picks were thrown against Michigan in the team’s only loss.

Ryan Day told the media on Sunday, quote, “I think he’s a good quarterback, I do. After every year, you evaluate everything and try to figure out what to do next.”

(From the Ohio EPA)

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio EPA Director Anne M. Vogel announced $16.7 million in H2Ohio water infrastructure grants for 14 projects across the state. 

Governor DeWine launched H2Ohio in 2019 as a comprehensive strategy to improve water infrastructure across Ohio and provide increased access to clean, reliable drinking water. 

“Projects like the ones we’re announcing today speak to the very heart of why we created H2Ohio,” said Governor DeWine. “This funding will help Ohio communities pay for much-needed infrastructure that will not only improve water quality but also the quality of life for people who live in these neighborhoods.”

Findlay is receiving $2 million to help repair deteriorating sewer pipelines in the Eagle Creek neighborhood and support the Spring Lake Subdivision Sewer Rebuild.

Findlay Mayor Christina Muryn says the H2Ohio funds have been critical in investing in Findlay and Hancock County.

This new round of H2Ohio funding focused predominantly on supporting the regionalization and consolidation of drinking water and wastewater systems. This included extending water  and sewer services to underserved areas and the elimination of inadequate treatment systems. Regionalization provides opportunities for communities to share the costs associated with building, operating, and maintaining the infrastructure needed to provide safe and clean water to those communities.

Among the grants, $1 million in funding will go to Ravenna Township in Portage County to help regionalize a large unsewered area known as the Chinn Allotment, which contains nearly 200 households. The new wastewater collection system will address ongoing water quality violations cited by the Ohio EPA and the Portage County Combined General Health District.

“We’re very happy that we have a source of funding to address a very specific need in Ravenna Township,” Director Vogel said. “Our goal is always to help communities find solutions to problems like these – particularly when there is a risk to public health and the environment. A great thing about the Governor’s H2Ohio initiative is that it has the unique ability to fill funding gaps that might not be addressed in other existing programs.”

Additional grants include $2.5 million for Toledo to design the replacement of a raw water main that conveys Lake Erie water nine miles to a water treatment plant.

To learn more about Ohio EPA’s H2Ohio work, as well as that of the Ohio Department of Agriculture and Ohio Department of Natural Resources, visit h2.ohio.gov. 

(From the Fort Findlay FOP Foundation) 

The Fort Findlay FOP Foundation is gearing up for its annual “Cops & Kids Go Shopping” event. This unique program pairs income-challenged and at-risk children with local law enforcement officers for an impactful holiday shopping experience.

The event is exclusive, with participating children referred by local teachers and school counselors to ensure those who would benefit most from this opportunity can take part. By fostering this interaction, the Foundation aims to instill trust and community support between youth and law enforcement.

Teresa White, Fort Findlay FOP Foundation Development Director, highlighted the ongoing opportunity for donations to support this meaningful initiative. This year’s fundraising theme, “Be a Cops & Kids Champion,” emphasizes the Foundation’s dedication to nurturing positive relationships between law enforcement and the younger generation.

Teresa was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks. 

“We firmly believe in the power of positive experiences,” said White. “The ‘Cops & Kids Go Shopping’ event isn’t just about shopping; it’s about forging connections, building trust, and creating enduring memories that can profoundly impact a child’s future.”

Those interested in supporting this cause can make donations through fortfindlayfop20.org/cops-and-kids or by mail to Fort Findlay FOP Lodge 20, P.O. Box 1335, 1769 S. Romick Pkwy, Findlay, OH 45840.

For further information, please reach out to Teresa White, Development Director, at copsandkidsfindlay@gmail.com or 833-LODGE20 (833-563-4320).

Cops & Kids Go Shopping will be held on Sunday, December 10th at the Findlay Meijer. 

Learn more about other Cops and Kids programs the FOP Foundation puts on by clicking here and see video from last year below.

(From the Fostoria Division of Police)

On 11/27/2023 the Fostoria Police Department with the assistance of the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, and members of the Seneca County Drug Task Force METRICH Enforcement Unit, executed a Child Pornography related search warrant, at 330 Boston Ave in Fostoria Seneca County, Ohio; the home of Robert E. Ware, 51 YOA.

The search warrant signed by Judge Jay Meyer of the Seneca County Common Pleas Court, revealed images and videos of Child Pornography. Early indications from evidence are estimating there to be around 10,000 files of images and or videos of children involved in sexual poses or acts. As of now, these videos do not appear to be homemade, created locally, or contain Mr. Ware.

Mr. Ware was arrested on 5 counts of Pandering Sexually Oriented Matter Involving a Minor, ORC 2907.322 (A)(5) all felonies of the 4th degree. However, because of prior convictions of this charge, all of Mr. Ware’s charges have been enhanced to Felonies of the 3rd degree. Mr. Ware is currently incarcerated and being held at the Seneca County Jail.

The investigation was spearheaded by Fostoria Police Detective Kyle Reinbolt, (an ICAC Task Force Member), along with assistance from Ohio ICAC and the Tiffin Police Department.

“Whether the images and videos of the children possessed by Mr. Ware are from other countries or not is irrelevant to me, they are of children. As I have said in the past, there is no greater threat than those who prey upon children. We will continue to go after these individuals, giving them each their day in court and bring them into the eye of the community!”

Gabe Wedge – Chief of Police – Fostoria Police Department