(From The Hancock County Naturalists)

The Hancock County Naturalists will host a hands-on winter sowing workshop led by members Amy Downing and Jennifer Mates at the group’s next meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 8, at Oakwoods Nature Preserve, 1400 Oakwood Ave. Participants will learn a simple, effective, and budget-friendly method for sowing native plant seeds outdoors during the winter months.

Downing grew up in rural Hancock County near the river and surrounding native fields, where she developed an early love of nature, wildlife, and open spaces. As an adult, her gardening experience initially focused on lawns and small planting beds, but her approach shifted after she began incorporating native gardens and observed increased diversity among the birds and pollinators they attracted. Over the past 20 years, she has focused on rebuilding a balanced ecosystem in her yard to support birds, butterflies, bees, and other wildlife.

Winter sowing became a natural extension of that effort, providing an economical way to expand her native plantings while staying engaged with gardening during the winter. Downing enjoys sharing this technique with others and encouraging residents to cultivate habitat in their own backyards.

Jennifer Mates has spent her life deeply connected to the natural world. She enlisted in the Civilian Conservation Corps at age 18 and worked alongside the Shawnee State Park Naturalist, developing a passion for hunting, hiking, and nature photography. Her gardening journey began in 1994 as a source of mental therapy and expanded in 2011 when the discovery of a cedar waxwing sparked a deeper interest in birds and biodiversity. Mentors within the Hancock County Naturalists helped guide her growing fascination with native species and ecological balance. After relocating in 2017, Mates transformed her new backyard into a thriving native meadow that supports birds and wildlife. Winter sowing has become one of her favorite practices, offering an economical way to increase plant diversity while sharing knowledge, cultivating peace, and contributing to the health of her small corner of the earth.

At the upcoming meeting, Downing and Mates will demonstrate the winter sowing process and guide attendees in preparing and planting seeds in a take-home container that can be set outdoors for natural germination.

The meeting is open to the public for those age 15 and older, but reservations are required for a Winter Sowing Kit (only 20 available). Those interested in a kit can reserve one at hancockcountynaturalists.org and click the “Reserve Winter Sowing Kit” button.

(From the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library)

WinterREAD, a reading program that gives participants a chance to win amazing prizes, will soon return to the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library. Readers can register to join the winter fun at findlaylibrary.readsquared.com beginning January 5. The program runs through January 31.

WinterREAD registration is open to all ages, infant through adult. This winter, the library is again using an online platform, READsquared, to keep track of reading progress. Once registered, participants can earn great prizes by logging reading, writing a book review, or completing fun activities. For those that prefer not to track reading online, there will be paper forms available at the library to log reading progress.

Be sure to check the library’s Facebook page at facebook.com/fhcpl for updates, surprises, and entertaining WinterREAD fun. For more information, and to view the fantastic prizes waiting to be won, visit findlaylibrary.org/winterread.

(ONN) – Two new laws that directly impact Ohio schools will be in effect in 2026.

Every Ohio school district is required to have a policy in place prohibiting cell phone use during the school day.

Lawmakers say the goal is to cut down on distractions and help students stay focused in the classroom.

Another new law sets clear rules for schools that choose to carry Narcan, the overdose reversal drug.

Schools must follow specific guidelines for storage training and how to respond if it’s used.

They’re also required to report each use to the state and notify families if administrators see a pattern or heightened risk.

(From The Ohio Department of Natural Resources)

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife is reminding Ohioans that a live-cut Christmas tree may be repurposed after the holidays as habitat for various species of animals. Before you discard your tree, remember that it can find life after the holidays for Ohio’s birds, fish, and mammals.

A live-cut Christmas tree can be recycled as the centerpiece of a wildlife-friendly brush pile. Place the tree in a desirable location and layer limbs around it in a square arrangement. Cover the top with additional brush to create a unique and valuable shelter for small animals.

Songbirds including cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, and wrens travel in and out of brush piles for food, nesting, and to escape predators. Small mammals such as rabbits and chipmunks also use brush piles for shelter and raising young. Brush piles are valuable shelter for overwintering insects like bees, moths, and butterflies, as well.

Before repurposing or disposing of a live-cut Christmas tree, remember to remove all trimmings including tinsel, garland, lights, and ornaments as these can be harmful to the environment and wildlife. Please obtain proper permission before discarding your tree on public or private property. Discarding trees without permission could result in a litter violation.

Live-cut Christmas trees are also useful as compost, mulch, and more. 

Each winter, the Division of Wildlife places recycled live-cut Christmas trees at select wildlife areas and public lakes around Ohio. The trees are bundled together and weighed down so they sink to the bottom of lakes, attracting fish and providing cover. An interactive lake map showing where trees are placed is available at wildohio.gov and on the HuntFish OH mobile app. Anglers can target these spots, which are often productive for both panfish and their larger predators. Sunken trees provide structure for baitfish, which attract sport fish like crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass. Decomposing trees also feed zooplankton, which provide food for aquatic invertebrates and attract larger fish.

Private pond owners may also want to consider repurposing trees to add habitat to their ponds.

(From the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office)

On Tuesday, December 30, 2025 at 5:33PM, the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office responded to a vehicle versus pedestrian injury crash on SR 12 at TR 218 in Washington Township.

Through the investigation it was learned John Waaland (67 y.o. male) of Arcadia, OH was operating a 2010 Volkswagen Beetle eastbound on SR 12.

John struck a pedestrian in the roadway identified as Miranda Wildman (42 y.o. female) of Fostoria, OH.

Miranda was airlifted to Saint Vincent Medical Center in Toledo with life-threatening injuries.

Assisting at the scene was Hanco EMS, Washington Township Fire, Life Flight and Dick’s Towing.

The crash remains under investigation.

(ONN) – There are several programs available to assist Ohioans having trouble paying their heating bills.

The Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, is a federally funded program that helps eligible people with their energy bills.

The HeatShare Program is a partnership between the Salvation Army and Columbia Gas of Ohio.

Columbia Gas also has the Warm Choice Program which can help income eligible customers receive free winterization of their homes.

And, Columbia Gas also offers a special reconnect order so those with outstanding fees can pay $175 dollars to have their service reconnected or avoid disconnection — and then set up a payment plan to pay back overdue bills.

The customer service number for Columbia Gas of Ohio is 1 800 344 4077.

University of Findlay Dining Services has announced that all on-campus dining locations will no longer accept cash beginning January 1, 2026.

Accepted methods of payment will continue to be credit and debit cards, Derrick Dollars, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Wallet.

Get more details below.

(ONN) – Ohio’s drug task forces were busy in 2025.

Attorney General Dave Yost announced law enforcement task forces established under the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission thwarted drug traffickers in 2025 by confiscating more than $75 million worth of illegal drugs, 440 firearms, and $4.1 million in cash.

The drug task forces are composed of local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies and investigate drug trafficking throughout the state, seizing illegal narcotics, weapons, and cash before they impact Ohio communities.

(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)

As Ohioans ring in the new year, troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) will be highly visible and enforcing safe driving across the state.

“Welcoming in the new year should never end in tragedy,” said Governor DeWine. “If you’re celebrating, please take personal responsibility and plan ahead by designating a sober driver.”

The New Year’s holiday reporting period runs from Wednesday, December 31 through Sunday, January 4 and during this timeframe, anyone traveling on Ohio’s roads is urged to drive responsibly, designate a sober driver or use a rideshare service.        

The 2024-2025 two-day New Year’s holiday reporting period recorded two fatal crashes which killed three people. Of those, one crash and two fatalities involved alcohol and/or drug use.

To combat preventable tragedies, the OSHP will be increasing patrols throughout the holiday reporting period. Troopers will be focusing on removing impaired and distracted drivers from the roads, maintaining a zero-tolerance policy on dangerous driving.

“Making sure everyone gets home safely is a shared responsibility,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “The cost of an impaired driving conviction is minor compared to the lifelong burden of unnecessarily taking a life.”

Drivers are encouraged to safely call #677 to report impaired drivers, drug activity or standard motorists on the roadway.

(From the Ohio State Fire Marshal)

Investigators with the Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal have ruled a residential fire in Sandusky County as arson and are now seeking tips from the public to identify those responsible.

At 3:40 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 28 and again at 3:03 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 29, the Bradner Fire Department, along with other mutual-aid departments and the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residential structure fire at 6638 W. State Route 6 in Gibsonburg.

When crews responded to the initial call on Sunday, they found smoke coming from the two-story, single-family home. After entering the home, they found a fire in one of the interior rooms and extinguished the fire without further incident.

Early Monday morning, when crews were called to the home a second time, they encountered the home engulfed in flames. The wind-driven fire burned the home to total collapse.

It was later determined that the home was unoccupied and that all of the utilities to the home were disconnected. 

Investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Fire and Explosion Investigations Bureau (FEIB) responded to the scene and determined both fire were intentionally set. The FEIB is investigating along with the Sandusky County Sheriff’s Office and the Bradner Fire Department.

A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered by the Blue Ribbon Arson Committee for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the State Fire Marshal’s tip line at 800-589-2728 All tips will be thoroughly investigated.