(ONN) – It may still be summer but the Ohio Department of Transportation is already looking for snowplow drivers and they are holding hiring events.

At these job fairs, drivers with a CDL are able to speak with people directly from the ODOT HR department and get an interview on the spot.

Drivers get paid just over $20 an hour and are a huge part in keeping the roadways safe in the winter.

If you do not have a CDL, there is a training program for it.

Find details about upcoming job fairs at transportation.ohio.gov

The month of August is ‘Clear the Shelters Month’ and the Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County is inviting people to stop by and see if they make a connection with one of their shelter animals.

The Humane Society’s Natalie Reffitt was on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss how they work to find the right pet for people.

As Natalie said, they have people fill out an application with certain questions that will help them find the right pet for that home.

The Humane Society and SPCA of Hancock County is located at 4550 Fostoria Avenue in Findlay.

Click here to see what animals they currently have up for adoption. (pictured above is Scuba Steve)

(From the Hancock County Veterans Service Office)

The Hancock County Veterans Service Office currently seeks to recognize the efforts of distinguished men and women who have worn the uniform of our nation’s armed forces during any of the following:

-The Korean War

-Vietnam

-Persian Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm)

-Global War on Terrorism (Operation Enduring Freedom / Operation Iraqi Freedom)

One Veteran’s story from each of the four conflicts will be selected by a panel to be featured on the appropriate one of our next four Heritage Trail Story Walk boards.

DEADLINE for nominations is September 5, 2024.

Click here to learn more about the first four story boards that were dedicated in September of 2023.

(From the Seneca County Drug Task Force)

On Wednesday, August 21st, 2024, the Seneca County Drug Task Force-METRICH Enforcement Unit, along with additional Officers from the Fostoria Police Department, the Sandusky County Drug Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) executed a drug-related search warrant on a residence located at 506 Columbus Avenue, in the City of Fostoria, Seneca County, Ohio, which is the residence of Jamie Jones, 44 YOA and Marlana Jones, 42 YOA.

The search warrant signed by Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court Judge Rhonda Best led to the confiscation of suspected Oxycodone Pills, Crack Cocaine, Cocaine, Criminal Tools, Firearms & US Currency.

The investigation is presently an “ongoing” investigation. The charges of Illegal Possession of Oxycodone Pills, Possession of Crack Cocaine, Possession of Cocaine, Illegal Possession of a Stolen Firearm, and Possession of Criminal Tools are all pending on the residents in the conclusion of the entire drug investigation.

Fostoria Police Department’s Canine Unit was also utilized to assist with executing the search warrant on the residence.

“The cooperation & efforts from the participating agencies were instrumental to the success of this investigation. The Fostoria Police Department, along with the METRICH Unit, continues to focus on the problem drug areas in our communities & with assistance from citizens in our community, we are capable of removing drugs and guns from our streets & prosecuting the offenders,” Chief Gabriel Wedge, Fostoria Police Department, said.

“I would encourage citizens to continue reporting suspicious activity to their local agencies or the Seneca County Drug Task Force – METRICH Enforcement Unit Crime Hotline at Local 419-443-0463, ext. 1140.”

(From the Wood County Sheriff’s Office)

The Wood County Sheriff’s Office will be holding its annual free Citizen’s Police Academy!

Thursday Evenings – starting Sep 5, 2024 through November 21, 2024.

Classes are held from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm

Class size is limited, so reserve your space today!!!

Join us to learn about the operations of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office and the duties of the Office of the Sheriff.

RSVP (space is limited) to complete an application contact Deputy Holland no later than August 29, 2024 by calling 419-354-9088 or email at jaholland@woodcountyohio.gov

(WTOL-11) – Tragedy at the jeep plant in Toledo as a man lost his life while on the job.

The Toledo Fire Department confirmed with WTOL-11 that a worker at the Jeep assembly plant died after being crushed early Wednesday afternoon.

However, officials have not shared who it was or how it happened.

UAW Local 12 released a statement, saying the entire Local 12 family extends our deepest sympathy and condolences to the family of our brother lost today while on the job.

An employee who spoke with WTOL says they heard it happened while others were on break.

(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)

The Ohio State Highway Patrol, in conjunction with the Findlay Police Department, the University of Findlay Police Department, and the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, announced today an OVI checkpoint will be held from 8P.M. to 12A.M. tonight, (Friday, August 23) on Main Street, in the City of Findlay, Hancock County.

The OVI checkpoints, funded by federal grant funds, is planned to deter and intercept impaired drivers.

The checkpoints will also be held in conjunction with nearby saturation patrols to aggressively combat alcohol-related injury and fatal crashes.

If you plan to consume alcohol, designate a driver or make other travel arrangements before you drink. Don’t let another life be lost for the senseless and selfish act of getting behind the wheel impaired.

(From the Findlay Family YMCA)

To prepare for our Early Learning Center groundbreaking ceremony, the Findlay Family YMCA has decided to change the date for its Family Fall Fest.

The event will now be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., which will coincide with the Child Development Center’s annual Trunk-or-Treat.

The festival will still be held at the CDC and across the street at the Downtown Branch on East Lincoln Street.

Food, games, pumpkin painting and more will be offered.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

The City of Findlay Police Department has been live with their Body Worn Cameras (BWC) and Fleet 3 in-Car Cameras for one (1) year as of August 14, 2024. 

The following are some statistics of that program in the past year:

• 71 Findlay Police Department Officers and Auxiliary Officers have used the BWC system to submit evidence.
• 58,489 pieces of digital evidence has been uploaded to evidence.com by members of the City of Findlay Police Department.
• 11,927 photos and/or videos uploaded to evidence.com using Axon Capture.
• 2,568 photos and/or videos uploaded to evidence.com through 726 uses of Axon Community Request.
• 18.07 TB (terabytes) of storage so far on evidence.com.
• 6,079 pieces of digital evidence shared with partner agencies (County Prosecutor, Law Director, CSB) through 508 records requests.
• 12,988 pieces of digital evidence shared with individuals through 322 different public records requests.

The twenty-one (21) marked patrol vehicles were outfitted with the Axon Fleet 3 in-car camera system as of August 6, 2024 with training on this system completed in May and June with all sworn personnel.

The City of Findlay Police Department has had five (5) charging docks replaced due to some of the charging bays not working, and have had seven (7) body cams replaced due to various issues with the devices. 

One (1) dash came was replaced due to internal errors.  Axon support provided the Return Authorization within minutes of the request, and that the replacement devices all arrived within days. 

Overall, aside from a few minor learning curves, it has been a very successful program.

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

(From the Ohio Turnpike Commission)

The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is reminding mobile device owners everywhere to be aware of a resurgence in fraudulent texts from scammers requesting payment for unpaid tolls through fake websites.

The Ohio Turnpike does NOT request its customers to make payments by text. Collections of unpaid tolls and/or toll violations do NOT occur by text either.

The only websites associated with the Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass accounts are ezpassoh.com and ohioturnpike.org.

We encourage all customers to stay alert to these text scams.

For questions about the Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass notifications, contact us through ezpassoh.com or ohioturnpike.org.

What Customers Should Do If They Have Been Victimized:

Mobile device owners who receive suspicious tolling text messages should delete them without clicking on the link.

Anyone who may have clicked on a fraudulent link and provided any personally identifiable information should immediately contact their bank or credit card provider to secure their information and financial accounts.  

Victims of SMS tolling text scams should file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) and be sure to include the phone number from where the text originated and the website listed within the text. 

Individuals with questions about tolls incurred should check their account using the toll agency’s legitimate website or contact the toll agency’s customer service phone number.