The Findlay Police Department, Findlay Fire Department, and Hanco EMS conducted active shooter training at Donnell Middle School ahead of the new school year beginning.

Drills were also conducted the previous week at Glenwood Middle School.

Police Chief James Mathias says the training is very important to get each agency on the same page in the event that a major emergency response is needed.

In the fall of 2022, police responded to two active shooter hoax calls; one at Findlay High School and the other at Liberty Benton High School.

Then in April of 2024, the high school fell victim to another swatting hoax.

This will be the second school year that all schools will be equipped with the SafeDefend active shooter protection system that allows emergency responders to be notified of an active threat immediately and what area of the building the system was activated.

See some video of the training below.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Blanchard Valley Pain Management, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, is expanding to North Baltimore.

Providers from Blanchard Valley Pain Management had previously seen patients for several years at St. Luke’s Hospital in Maumee, which closed in May 2023.

“When St. Luke’s closed, many of those patients wanted to stay with our providers,” said Jenn Reese, director of pain management. “Some now come to Findlay for their appointments. However, we kept hearing from residents of Wood County who were looking for care closer to home. We’re excited to bring our providers to North Baltimore to give these patients that opportunity.”

Heather Auxier, APRN-CNP, will see patients at the North Baltimore Medical & Diagnostic Center, 209 Briar Hill Road, North Baltimore. Beginning in September, appointments will be available on Fridays.

“We know that there is a need in Wood County,” Reese said. “Chronic pain is more common as the population ages. The Wood County area also is home to many adults working in factory and industry jobs who might benefit from our care. As always, we want to remind people who are experiencing chronic pain to get it checked out rather than simply resigning themselves to living in pain.”

Reese added that various treatments exist. Many patients find relief after interventional procedures and significantly improve their ability to function.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call 419.423.5555. Self-referrals are welcome.

Other Blanchard Valley Pain Management locations are scheduling patients in Findlay, Bluffton, Carey, Kenton, Lima, and Ottawa. For more information, please call 419.423.5555 or 1.888.458.5550, or visit bvhealthsystem.org.

(From the Ohio Treasurer’s Office)

Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague announced a credit rating upgrade from Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings (S&P) to AA+ for Ohio’s Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue Bonds. S&P cited the “expectation that pro forma maximum annual debt service (MADS) coverage will remain very strong” as well as “Ohio’s demonstrated history of maintaining an adequate level of lawfully available funds” and “strong federal and state programmatic support” among reasons for the upgrade.

“This key credit rating upgrade is a testament to strong fiscal management by our office, as well as our ongoing partnership with the Ohio Department of Transportation,” said Treasurer Sprague. “The AA+ rating from Standard & Poor’s will lower the costs of financing for ODOT and help them use federal Title 23 money more efficiently when funding construction projects around the state.”

The AA+ rating indicates a high degree of creditworthiness and can be attributed to the office’s timely repayment to bond holders, efficient management of Title 23 monies, and a commitment to prudent management of the Highway Operating Fund. The improved rating from Standard & Poor’s comes in connection with a Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue bond issuance to be used by ODOT for construction projects. These bonds are debt-financing instruments that are eligible for reimbursement using future Federal-aid highway funding under Title 23. Some of these projects include bridge replacements, pavement rehabilitation, and lighting upgrades. Ohio’s Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue bonds are also backed by a secondary pledge of other lawfully available funds in the Highway Operating Fund.

In December of 2023, S&P Global Ratings upgraded the state of Ohio’s issuer default and general obligation bond ratings to AAA. The Major New State Infrastructure Project Revenue bond rating was not included in the upgrade at that time, due to the fact that investors are repaid from federal reimbursements. The last time these bonds were upgraded by S&P (to the AA rating) was over 20 years ago, in 2003. Ohio’s issuer default rating and general obligation bonds hold the highest ratings possible of “AAA/Aaa/AAA” from S&P Global Ratings, Moody’s Investors Service, and Fitch Ratings.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

On July 30th Officers Hackworth and Bormuth were dispatched to 522 College St. for a welfare check.

During the investigation, Officers observed suspected drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Subsequently, Officers obtained a search warrant for the residence and located 6 grams of suspected fentanyl, a hypodermic syringe containing an unknown substance, approximately 70 scheduled prescription pills, numerous items of drug paraphernalia, over $9,000.00 in U.S. currency, and items indicative of drug trafficking.

The suspect was arrested on an unrelated arrest warrant.

Additional charges are expected pending laboratory results.

(ONN) – 2024 is one for the record books as Ohio notches its 65th tornado of the season.

In southwest Ohio, the National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado touched down in Warren County in the early morning hours of Tuesday.

The tornado had an eight-mile path that lasted 10 minutes with wind speeds nearing 100 miles per hour.

The tornado also impacted Clinton County.

This is the 65th tornado of this year, further adding to the total that makes this the most active season in recorded history.

The previous record was 62 tornadoes in 1992.

The tornado caused some damage to the homes in its path.

(From Visit Findlay)

Findlay ArtWalk will be happening in Downtown Findlay from 5-9 p.m. this Friday, August 2nd.

Whether with friends or solo, stroll from place to place to take in the local art scene.

Enjoy work from local artists/artisans, live music and good vibes!

For more information head to:

visitfindlay.com/artwalk

ArtWalk, a favorite event in Findlay, is an event taking place four times a year – the first Fridays in February, May, August, and November. 

This is a free event that is open to the whole family.

(From the United Way of Hancock County)

Looking for a teambuilding opportunity outside your office’s 4 walls?

Or maybe you’re a nonprofit agency in need of some helping hands?

Registration is open for our Fall Days of Caring, where we’ll match volunteer teams with projects around the county.

Visit https://www.liveunitedhancockcounty.org/days-caring to register your team or project today!

The dates have been announced for Findlay’s Trick-or-Treat and the Cops and Kids Findlay Halloween Parade.

Trick-or-Treat will be held on Saturday, October 26, 2024, from 6 to 8 p.m.

The Cops and Kids Findlay Halloween Parade is scheduled for Tuesday, October 22, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The parade is organized through the Fort Findlay Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 20.

See some video from last year below.

An open house and ribbon-cutting will be held for the new Little Panthers Learning Center in McComb.

It will be on Thursday, August 1 from 1 to 7 p.m.

Little Panthers Learning Center is located at 321 Park Drive South in McComb.

Village officials have said the new childcare center will be a blessing for the people living in the community who have been scrambling to find sitters.

Officials said some parents go to Findlay and Bluffton for childcare and this new facility will make a big difference in many lives.

(From Hitchings Insurance Agency)

With heavy hearts, we share the passing of our former agency owner and insurance agent, Lee Hitchings, after a courageous battle with brain cancer.

Words cannot describe how much he will be missed, especially his contagious smile and laugh. Lee never really met a stranger.

He was a friend to so many!

We are so thankful for the time we shared with him and cling to the memories.

Click here to watch a video tribute to Lee on the Hitchings Insurance Agency’s Facebook page.