(From Blanchard Valley Center)

Findlay resident Molly Dible has been appointed to the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (DD Council) for a second two-year term by Gov. Mike DeWine.

Dible currently serves as vice chair of the DD Council. She will continue sit on the DD Council with fellow Hancock County resident Matthew LaFontaine. Dible and LaFontaine both receive supports from Blanchard Valley Center (Hancock County Boards of Developmental Disabilities).

“I am so proud of Molly and Matthew,” said Blanchard Valley Center Superintendent Kelli Grisham.

“The governor thought enough of the job Molly did in her first term to appoint her to a second term to the DD Council. That’s so awesome. They both do a great job of proudly representing Blanchard Valley Center and Hancock County.”

Dible has been involved in Blanchard Valley Center-sponsored advocacy groups since 2012. Locally, she has served as secretary for Aktion Club of Hancock County, is a member of the Speaks Out advocacy group, is a statewide trainer for Project Steps Toward Independence and Responsibility, served as secretary of the Northwest Region of the Ohio Self Determination Association, and is an advocate for We Thrive Together.

At the DD Council, Dible is a member of the Community Living Committee, Outreach Committee, Leadership Committee, Bylaws and Policies Committee, and Children and Health Committee.

“Molly is very organized at her meetings,” said Danielle Fisher, a Blanchard Valley Center employee who assists Dible at the DD Council meetings. “She is really on top of things and makes sure to voice her concerns at the meetings.”

Her second term will run through 2026. Dible works with a provider for transportation needs in Hancock County. She receives a waiver that pays for assistive technology to ensure her safety in her home.

In her free time, Dible enjoys attending Challenged Champions Equestrian Center, doing yoga, and being a substitute for a bunco club. The DD Council is a 30-member board appointed by the governor.

DD Council members are people with developmental disabilities, parents and guardians of people with disabilities, representatives from concerned state agencies, nonprofit organizations, and local agencies providing services to people with disabilities.

(Dible is pictured above with BVC’s Nadine Weininger in a picture provided by BVC)

(From Owens Community College)

More than 150 area Girl Scouts (grades K-12), their leaders and caregivers will participate in STEAM Day at the Owens Community College Findlay Campus on Saturday, February 3rd, where they will take part in hands-on activities related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEAM).

Girl Scouts will rotate through stations with Owens faculty, including:

• Biology (dissecting cow eyes, seeing a virtual cadaver)
• Mechanics (program robotic arms, play with hydraulics)
• Nursing (use stethoscopes and blood pressure cuffs)
• Welding (virtual welding)
• Physical Therapy (strength and mobility exercises)

The day’s activities are designed to help Girl Scouts think both analytically and creatively. A majority of girls who attend events like this report being more confident in their science and math abilities after participating—an important impact on their future education and careers. (Women comprise about half of today’s workforce, but only 34% of the STEM workforce.)

The event is sponsored by Girl Scouts of Western Ohio and Marathon, in partnership with Owens Community College.

(ONN) – There is a new development in the fight over transgender rights in Ohio.

The ACLU of Ohio says it is planning to sue the state over House Bill 68.

The lawsuit will specifically target the part of the bill that bans gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors.

Just last week the Ohio Senate finalized a veto override vote for House Bill 68.

The bill bans transgender-affirming care and hormone therapies along with banning transgender girls from playing girls’ sports. 

(From City of Findlay)

Main St. from Lincoln St. to Lima St. will be closed to allow AEP to remove wire. The closure will begin on Tuesday, January 30th at 9:30am and continue for approximately one hour.

During this time AEP will have signage and flaggers on-site to help direct traffic in this area.

Avoid these blocks if possible. Short delays are expected in these areas. Weather and Contractor schedule is permitting.

The Findlay Engineering Department will release updates on information and schedules when it becomes available. Please do not hesitate to contact them if you have any questions about any of these projects at 419-424-7121.

The first-ever winter ArtWalk in Findlay will be held on Friday, February 2^nd.

From 5 – 9 p.m. you’ll be able to hear live music, meet artists, and even purchase a piece of art during the event in downtown Findlay.

See the schedule and learn more about ArtWalk by clicking here.

ArtWalk is a free event that is open to the whole family and now takes place four times a year – the first Fridays in February, May, August, and November. 

(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

The Hancock Historical Museum will host its monthly Brown Bag Lecture, Thursday, February 1st at noon.

Retired teacher and local author Teresa Straley Lambert will talk about the history of banned books.

Teresa volunteers at the Hancock Historical Museum, loves to travel, is an enthusiastic reader, and is the author of ABCs of Gravestone Symbols and Lost Hancock County, Ohio.

Thursday’s lecture is free for museum members, and $3 for nonmembers.

For more information, please call the Hancock Historical Museum at (419) 423-4433, or visit hancockhistoricalmuseum.org.

(From Liberty-Benton Local Schools)

The Liberty-Benton High School baseball field was awarded “Field of the Year” at the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association clinic held in Columbus.

We are very thankful for everyone who has supported our program to make this award possible.

We are truly honored!

The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library has been undergoing some changes to freshen things up.

They added some color to the walls, removed the security gates, and also added a welcome window that welcomes people to the library in all the languages spoken in Findlay.

One of the big changes still to come is the moving of the circulation desk back further to cut down on congestion when people enter and exit the main level.

That will happen in March and the library will have to close for a day.

We spoke with Library Director Sarah Clevidence about the changes.

Sarah says some of the upgrades are being funded by a grant through the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation.

The new first responder training facility in Findlay is nearing completion and already held its first class.

The STRICT Center (Simulated Tactical Response & Incident Command Training) is located behind Fire Station 4 on County Road 236.

The facility includes two structures; a training building and a burn building.

“An exciting aspect of the STRICT Center is the ability for our safety agencies to train together,” said Fire Chief Josh Eberle.

“At almost every emergency, there is a fire department, law enforcement and an EMS component all working alongside each other. Currently it is difficult for these agencies to train as a unit, even though we respond together. The STRICT Center will allow that joint training to happen on a regular basis.”

Chief Eberle says the community has been extremely supportive of the project and more than half of the $2.4 million price tag is being covered through grants and donations.

He anticipates a ribbon cutting to be held for the facility in the spring. 

Learn more about the new facility here and in the Facebook post below.

The Ohio Legislature recently overrode a veto from Governor DeWine, meaning a law that allows local governments to regulate tobacco shops will be lifted.

The move takes away a city’s ability to regulate tobacco products and restrict flavored vape products.

Nick Hanek is vice mayor in Brunswick – a city where they recently placed a moratorium on new shops selling tobacco products.

“I agree wholeheartedly with Governor DeWine. I think children are a priority in this state. I think these are predatory products to children.”

Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman has said that banning businesses from selling tobacco products is not in Ohio’s best interest.