(From the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office)
Next time you are visiting us at the office, look for our new kiosk that makes checking in for your appointment and/or directing you to the correct division, so much easier!
If you have any questions when you get here, ring the bell and we will be there to assist you!
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is located at 200 West Crawford Street in Findlay.
Their number is 419-424-7097.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife reminds people that, after the holidays, live-cut Christmas trees can be repurposed as habitat for wildlife.
Trees donated to the Division of Wildlife are bundled together and weighed down so they sink to the bottom of waterways, attracting and providing cover for fish.
Decomposing trees also feed zooplankton, which provide food for aquatic invertebrates and attract larger fish.
On land, donated trees are useful as wildlife-friendly brush piles, compost, and mulch.
Click here for more information.
(ONN) – State Treasurer Robert Sprague’s office is starting a new program called ‘Ohio Homebuyer Plus‘ that will help Ohioans save for a down payment.
Essentially, it’s a savings account designed to encourage home ownership.
It works by giving qualified homeowners a savings account with a higher interest rate so their money grows faster to put down a down payment on a home.
Sprague says affordable housing is a big issue in Ohio.
To participate in the program must be an Ohio resident and your savings can’t exceed $100,000.
Get more details by clicking here.
(From Blanchard Valley Health System)
Happy New Year!
The first baby of 2024 delivered at Blanchard Valley Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, was born at 9:46 a.m. on Monday, January 1.
The parents welcomed a little boy, Jaxen Hendren, son of Reygin and Austen Hendren of North Baltimore.
Congratulations to the Hendrens!
(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting six fatal crashes resulting in seven fatalities on Ohio’s roadways during the 2023-2024 New Year’s holiday according to provisional statistics.
Of the seven fatalities, five of those killed were not wearing an available safety belt.
This is a decrease from the four-day reporting period last year when 13 fatalities were reported.
The four-day reporting period began at midnight on Friday, December 29, 2023, and ran through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2024.
Troopers made 3,259 traffic enforcement contacts; including 272 OVI arrests, 106 distracted driving and 409 safety belt citations.
The public is encouraged to continue using #677 to report dangerous or impaired drivers, as well as drug activity.
The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation’s ‘Fun for All’ series of free community events will continue in 2024.
According to the Community Foundation’s website, the first event of 2024 will be ice skating at The Cube from 1 – 2:50 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, January, 13th.
“We’ve heard time and time again that finding affordable, family-friendly activities is a challenge in Hancock County. The Community Foundation is proud to provide Fun for All to help bridge the gap,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Brian Treece.
Brian says the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is thankful to its community partners for making the events possible.
The Fun for All series started in January 2023.
(From the Ottawa Police Department)
On December 31, 2023, at approximately 11:47 hrs. Ottawa Police Department units were dispatched to the area of St Rt 65 at West Third Street, Ottawa, for a suspicious male complaint.
Officers arrived on the scene and located a male subject matching the description given.
While speaking with the male subject, officers became alerted by suspicious behavior and alarming statements made about the contents of the vehicle.
Due to public safety concerns, Officers then requested the assistance of the Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad.
At this time, this incident remains under investigation.
Agencies assisting with this incident include: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County EMA, Putnam County EMS, Ottawa Fire Department, Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad (Toledo Police Department).
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says a driver led authorities on a pursuit after refusing to stop for a deputy.
It began at approximately 12:27 a.m. on Saturday, December 30th in the 1100 block of West Trenton Avenue in Findlay.
The sheriff’s office says a deputy tried to pull over a pickup truck for driving recklessly as it was leaving a gas station.
The driver refused to stop and led authorities on a pursuit westbound on US 224 into Putnam County at speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour.
The driver eventually crashed in the area of Road M-6 and Road 7-L.
Two occupants of the vehicle were located; a 22-year-old man from Findlay and 24-year-old woman from Fremont.
The driver of the vehicle was not located after fleeing from the crash.
The total distance of the pursuit was around 22 miles.
The investigation is ongoing.