January is School Board Recognition Month and Findlay City Schools Board of Education members were recognized at the recent board of education meeting.

“Our board members devote hours of their time and energy to propel this district to excellence, opportunity, and belonging,” the school district said on Facebook.

The school district says, over the next few days it’ll be sharing the “why” behind each board member’s selfless service to the community.

Members of the FHS Student Leadership Class attended Monday night’s board meeting to share their experiences in leadership and to celebrate the leadership of the Findlay City Schools Board of Education.

Board members are Mr. Matt Cooper, Dr. Kathy Siebenaler Wilson, Mr. Chris Aldrich, Mrs. Susan Russel, Ms. Laura Eier.

The Seneca County Drug Task Force executed a drug-related search warrant with the assistance of the Fostoria Police Department.

Authorities say the search warrant was executed at 912 South Poplar Street in Fostoria, that being the residence of Robert A. Hall, 42, and Brittany Garner, 33.

The task force says the search revealed suspected fentanyl, meth, and other items indicative of drug trafficking.

Hall was arrested for an active warrant in Seneca County and Garner for obstruction of official business.

Police Chief Gabe Wedge said that address has been the source of numerous drug complaints and the collaboration between agencies is an example of the proactive police work necessary to combat drugs in their communities.

(From Tiffin Police Department)

The Tiffin Police Department is now accepting applications for its annual Citizen’s Police Academy.

The Tiffin Police Department Citizen’s Academy is for area citizens who are interested in learning more about how their police department operates and the policing challenges our community faces. The Academy training will consist of classroom and hands on training, with emphasis on student involvement. The program is designed to develop positive relations between the police and the community through education.

The Academy will begin Sunday, March 17th, 2024. Classes will be held for ten consecutive weeks, every Sunday afternoon, from 12:30 PM until 3:00 PM. No classes will be held on Easter Sunday. Graduation will be on May 26th, 2024 at 2:00 PM. Participation requires a commitment to attend a majority of the class dates. Classes will be held in the Tiffin Police Department training room. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and have a valid Ohio driver’s license or ID card. Applicants must agree to a background check.

If you are interested in participating in the Citizen Academy, please pickup an application packet at the Tiffin Police Department, 51 E. Market St., Tiffin, Ohio. Class size is limited to 18 students. The deadline to turn in completed applications is February 16th, 2024.

Please contact Sgt. Jared Watson at 419-447-2323 or email jmwatson@tiffinohio.gov with any questions.

One Energy provided the following statement about the failure of one of its wind turbines in Findlay on Monday.

At approximately 11:55 am today, a wind turbine owned by One Energy experienced a blade failure in Findlay, Ohio.

The blade fell directly to the ground below the wind turbine.

There were no injuries and no damage beyond One Energy’s property.

By 12:00 pm, One Energy personnel were on site to immediately secure the scene and perform a full drone inspection of the wind turbine and site.

Out of an abundance of caution, all wind turbines owned by One Energy have been shut down while a preliminary investigation is underway.

One Energy will continue to communicate with the public as it has additional information.

(pictures provided by One Energy)

The United Way of Hancock County says it’s already busy scheduling appointments for its free income tax preparation service, called VITA.

“The lines just opened today, so please try back if you get a busy signal!” the United Way said on Facebook on Monday.

This IRS program is open to people who live or work in Hancock County and whose combined household income is $64,000 or less.

Call 567-250-1955 to set your appointment.

Callers will be asked a series of questions and will be informed of the items they must bring to their tax preparation appointment.

The appointments will begin on February 5th and continue into April, based on demand.

Click here for more information.

(From City of Findlay)

Findlay area non-profits will receive a $10,000 DollarWise Economic Mobility Grant. The grant is administered by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in partnership with Bank of America and is aimed to encourage or promote innovation in advancing economic mobility.

Grant categories include removing barriers that prevent economic advancement, creating economic opportunity, and building assets to create intergenerational wealth. They received a grant for removing barriers that prevent economic opportunity. The funds will be used to allow individuals with convictions to petition for a Certificate of Qualification for Employment (CQE). A CQE is a “certificate granted by the Common Pleas Court that removes obstacles to employment for individuals with a prior criminal conviction.”

The program involves collaboration from local nonprofits Raise the Bar Hancock County (a workforce development agency changing how people along the cradle-to-career continuum learn about and prepare for careers in Findlay), the Habitat for Humanity Financial Opportunity Center (engages and educates individuals and families to build a better future through selfsufficiency), and Legal Aid of Western Ohio (helps individuals eliminate barriers to employment and increase opportunities for families living in poverty).

Together, the three entities will work to educate employers on the purpose and benefits of CQEs, assist eligible individuals with completing CQE paperwork, and strive to help CQE individuals pursue the training and job readiness assistance they need to be employed in quality, indemand occupations in Findlay/Hancock County.

The three partners will create a standardized presentation that will be delivered to nonprofit agency representatives and community mentors. Individuals eligible to petition will then receive one-on-one assistance with filing to the Hancock County Court of Common Pleas.

Grant-Funded activities will involve raising community awareness that CQEs are an option for employment. Funds will be spent on (1) contracting Legal Aid to verify accuracy of produced materials and presenting to nonprofits and individuals; (2) covering the filing fee for petitioners; and (3) creating and disseminating all marketing and outreach materials.

“Not one CQE petition has been filed in Hancock County in 11 years,” says Mayor Christina Muryn. “These grant dollars will allow our local non-profits to assist individuals seeking to work and contribute to our local economy by breaking down the barriers that are preventing them from doing so. Thank you to the U.S. Conference of Mayors and Bank of America for supporting this cause and selecting our program.”

“Through these monies, our community will be able to more effectively support residents who face barriers to employment,” says Tricia Valasek, Executive Director of Raise the Bar. “Helping individuals overcome convictions and get back on their feet with strong-paying jobs is a win-win-win for the job seeker, employers, and our community.”

(From Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce)

Mark your calendars for Chocolate Walk 2024 on February 8, from Noon – 7:00 PM.

This year, we’ve got 23 amazing stops for you to indulge your sweet tooth!

Only 200 tickets will be sold, so grab yours before they’re gone! Tickets are only $10.00 each and can be purchased at the following participating businesses:

BLACK LAB TRADING CO.

BOUTIQUE 415-POLISHED

ROOTS BY STRATTONS

SHIRLEY’S GOURMET POPCORN CO.

This year, the Chocolate Walk will kick off at Family Hardware, 111 Cherry St. Pick up your official Chocolate Walk 2024 bag, generously donated by PromoHits, LTD., and grab a map for all the scrumptious stops along the way.

Get ready for a chocolate-filled day of fun and treats! Don’t miss out on this delicious experience – see you there!

(From the Tiffin Police Department)

On January 18, 2024 a shoplifting offense occurred at Tiffin’s Walmart store, 2801 W. State Route 18, Tiffin, OH. Mathew Jay Morris (DOB: 5/2/1991) of Medina, OH was stopped by Walmart Asset Protection employees after they witnessed him concealing merchandise on his person and exiting the store without paying for said merchandise.

When confronted, Mathew produced a can of pepper spray / mace and pointed it at the Asset Protection employees, threatening to spray them. Mathew fled the store with the stolen merchandise but was quickly stopped by Tiffin Police Department Officers in the area of Tiffin Mercy Hospital.

Mathew was taken into custody on one count of Robbery (2911.02(A)(2) of the Ohio Revised Code), a felony of the second degree, and the warrants Mathew had for his arrest.

He has been incarcerated at the Seneca County Jail pending his initial appearance in court. Recovered from the scene were the merchandise items and the can of pepper spray / mace.

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Winter Weather Advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

The Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from midnight tonight until noon on Tuesday.

Freezing rain is expected. Total ice accumulations of one tenth to two tenths of an inch.

Precipitation is expected to transition to all rain by early Tuesday afternoon.

Slow down and use caution while traveling. Prepare for possible power outages.

Get the latest forecast, weather alerts and road alerts by clicking here, and school delays and closings by clicking here.

The Findlay Police Department recently gave Findlay City Council an update on how the police department’s body camera program is going.

The police department went live with its body worn cameras (BWC) on August 14^th, 2023.

The police department said, that aside from a few minor learning curves, it has been a very successful program so far.

The following are some statistics as of December 15th, 2023:

• 65 Officers, Detectives, Sergeants, or Lieutenants have used the BWC system to submit evidence.
• 12,139 individual BWC videos uploaded to evidence.com by members of the Findlay Police Department.
• 5,274 photos and/or videos uploaded to evidence.com using Axon Capture.
• Over 500 photos and/or videos uploaded to evidence.com through 195 uses of Axon Community Request.
• 5.26 terabytes (TB) of storage has been used so far on evidence.com.
• 28 videos have been shared with partner agencies (County Prosecutor, Law Director, CSB) through 6 records requests.
• 128 BWC videos shared with individuals through 42 different public records requests.
• Over 1,800 photos have been shared with partner agencies and records requests.
• City of Findlay Police Department Sergeants have reviewed 75 videos through Axon Performance Reviews (0.006% of all videos submitted).

Since going live, the police department has had issues with two of the body worn cameras.

The Axon support provided the return authorization within minutes of the request and the replacement body worn cameras arrived within three days.

The Signal Sidearm devices have been purchased and installed that will automatically activate any device within 35 feet whenever an Officer’s weapon is removed from the holster.

Police Chief James Mathias says the use of body cameras is increasing transparency and accountability while enhancing officer safety.