(From the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library)

WinterREAD, a reading program that gives participants a chance to win amazing prizes, is underway at the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library. Readers can register to join the winter fun at findlaylibrary.readsquared.com. 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.

Below is the obituary for Ohio State Highway Patrol Sergeant Matthew Cook from Kirkpatrick-Behnke Funeral Home.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office responded to Sgt. Cook’s home in rural McComb on December 31 and found him deceased.

Sgt. Cook worked at the Defiance Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and previously at the Findlay Post. 

“Our thoughts are with Sergeant Cook’s family, the Findlay District and the Patrol family as a whole,” the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. 

On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, Matthew Robert Cook, Jr., beloved companion, son, father, brother, and friend, went home to be with the Lord at the age of 39.

Matt was born on May 16, 1986, in Toledo, Ohio, to Matthew and Lisa Cook. In 2024, he met and fell in love with Tory Sevitz, and in January 2025, they were blessed by the birth of their wonderful son, Kellan Matthew. Together, they poured endless love, laughter, and joy into raising him. Matt took Kellan everywhere with him – doting on him, teaching him, and sharing life’s everyday adventures side by side.

Matt attended Carmel Schools and Perrysburg Schools and spent several years being homeschooled. He was active in student life at Westgate Chapel, playing guitar on the Student Ministries Worship Team. Later, he earned a degree in Criminal Justice from Owens Community College. After working at FedEx for a short time, Matt entered the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy. While awaiting his academy start date, he worked with high school youth at church, mentoring young men in their faith and leading the Student Ministry Worship Team.

During his time with the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Matt received numerous commendations and awards, including the distinguished honor of being named Trooper of the Year in both 2016 and 2020, He was promoted to Sergeant in April of 2024.

His calm and steady nature, kindness and compassion earned him trust and respect from his fellow officers and made a lasting impression on all who knew him, he cared deeply for people and the community he served. He served them well.

Matt loved his home in the countryside west of Findlay. He could often be found outdoors, working on his property, bird watching, feeding wildlife or taking in strays. He always had his loyal dog, Coby, by his side. He also loved playing his guitar and making music. Matt truly loved the simple joys of life.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents Jack and Kathy Cook, and grandfather Jack Gates. He is survived by his grandmother Lois Gates; his beloved Tory Sevitz; his cherished son Kellan Matthew; his parents Matthew Sr. and Lisa Cook; his siblings Tyler (Courtney) Cook, Jonah (Meggan) Cook, and Lacey Cook (fiancé Collin); and fourteen beloved cousins (3 preceded in death). Matt was adored by his nieces and nephew, and he adored them just as much.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Gateway Church, 9555 County Road 9, Findlay, Ohio.

A private viewing for family and close friends will take place at the church on Thursday, January 8, 2026, from 4:00–8:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Responders Bridge, https://firstrespondersbridge.org/.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at www.kirkpatrickbehnke.com

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Matthew Robert Cook Jr., please visit our Tree Store.

(From Liberty-Benton Local Schools)

Hey Liberty-Benton Alumni!

We want to hear from YOU! Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, we’d love to spotlight your story.

-Highlight alumni from all years

-Feature many careers

-Celebrate those near and far

-Build a strong alumni network

Select 1–2 photos and tell us where life has taken you after LB!

Submit your alumni info here: www.liberty-benton.org/alumni

Let’s show Eagle Nation where our wings have taken us!

Republican candidate for Ohio governor Vivek Ramaswamy has chosen Ohio Senate President Rob McColley as his running mate in the 2026 election.

“I’m excited to announce Rob McColley as my running mate to be the next lieutenant governor of Ohio,” Ramaswamy said.

Ramaswamy calls McColley a proven conservative leader who is committed to making Ohio the best state in which to live, work and raise a family.

McColley says Ramaswamy will be one of the boldest leaders in the history of Ohio, and he’s honored to help execute his vision.

Democrat Amy Acton, Ohio’s former health director, is also running for governor.

Governor Mike DeWine is term-limited and in his final year as governor.

(From Vanlue Fire Chief Steve Baum)

This morning, at 0805 hours, your Vanlue Firefighters were dispatched to a medical call for a vehicle stopped on SR 15, just west of the Vanlue exit.

Dispatch advised that the female passenger in the vehicle was going into labor and thought the baby was coming.

Our firefighters responded quickly and arrived on scene a short time later.

Upon arrival, the baby’s head was visible and our crew knew that they needed to act quickly.

The Hanco Squad was traveling in the east bound lanes, as they approached the scene, they stopped and the Chief of Hanco jumped out and ran across the lanes of the highway to assist.

As the squad pulled up, a beautiful, healthy baby boy was born right there in the vehicle.

They named the baby Axel!!

I did a follow up an hour later, we were told both baby and momma are doing fine at the hospital!!

I couldn’t be more proud of our crew and the Fighting 600!

Unfortunately, our calls don’t always turn out well, but today was a great day!

Our guys assisted with bringing a life into this world and seen him take his first breath!!

We would also like to thank Hanco Squad personnel for their assistance as well!!

(From the American Red Cross of North Central Ohio)

The American Red Cross of North Central Ohio needs local volunteers to respond to disasters in Hancock County. To help recruit and train new volunteers, the Red Cross will be holding an informational presentation on Wednesday, January 28, 6:00 pm at the Hancock County Red Cross office, 125 Fair St. in Findlay.

The Red Cross responds to more than 60,000 disasters every year, said Executive Director Todd James. The majority of those disasters are local home fires. “People see major disasters in the news, like tornadoes and hurricanes, and they know the Red Cross is there providing shelter, food and comfort,” James said. “But it’s here at home where we handle most of our disaster responses, helping families who have lost their homes to fire or a local flood or storm.”

James said the Red Cross, like many other organizations, are still feeling the affects the COVID-19 pandemic had on their volunteer teams. “We had a lot of volunteers who had to step back from helping and haven’t been able to return. It’s vital that we have trained volunteers ready to answer the call for help at all times.”

James said he knows that there is a commitment of time and effort to being a local Red Cross volunteer disaster responder, but the return is well worth it. “Our volunteers will tell you that the feeling that comes with helping a family after a fire or other disaster is worth more than gold, knowing that on someone’s darkest day they are the light of hope.”

At the information session, attendees will learn the requirements to be a Disaster Action Team volunteer and will have the opportunity to speak with current volunteers to ask questions and learn about their experiences. Refreshments will be provided at the event and attendees will receive a Red Cross appreciation gift. RSVPs are requested but not required. For more information or to RSVP, contact the Red Cross at northcentralohio@redcross.org or call (419) 422-9322.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Become a Red Cross volunteer to help ensure families don’t face emergencies alone. Visit redcross.org/VolunteerToday to learn more and apply.

(From the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts)

Marathon Center for the Performing Arts (MCPA) is excited to announce the start of Lunchtime Live Inside, a free afternoon indoor concert series featuring local artists. The series kicks off Tuesday, February 10, 2026, and will be held every second Tuesday of the month from 11:30 AM to 1 PM in Armes Hall at MCPA.

Lunchtime Live Inside brings the fun of MCPA’s popular summer concert series, Lunchtime Live, indoors for the colder months. Held in Armes Hall, this free monthly series offers the same great live music experience, perfect for enjoying local talent. The series is presented in dedication to Doug Thomas, honoring his lasting impact on Findlay.

Attendees are invited to bring their own lunch and enjoy a relaxing midday break filled with live music. The 2026 lineup includes:

• February 10: Two Groovy
• March 10: Cat Dailey (in MCPA Lounge and Atrium)
• April 14: Classic Mellow Rock Show
• May 12: Bliss

For more information, visit MCPA.org/LunchtimeLiveInside

Lunchtime Live returns to Riverside Park this July, bringing back free outdoor lunchtime concerts, followed by the return of Lunchtime Live Inside in September for cozy indoor performances.

(From the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine)

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine reaffirmed that Ohio has strong safeguards in place to prevent fraud and misuse of taxpayer dollars in the state’s publicly funded childcare system and emphasized the importance of the public in reporting suspected fraud.   

“Ohio takes allegations of fraud in our child care system seriously,” said Governor DeWine. “We have built multiple layers of accountability into our system, and we actively encourage Ohioans to report concerns so we can investigate and take action.”

The Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) has taken numerous steps to combat fraud in 2025, and will implement additional safeguards in 2026. Those steps were detailed in a statement Governor DeWine released last Wednesday. 

• Since the creation of DCY, daycare attendance has been verified by requiring a personal identification number (PIN) with a photo confirmation or a location-specific QR code.
  • In June 2025, DCY began an anti-PIN-sharing enforcement process. More than 65,000 families were reminded that PINs must never be shared with providers. As a result, over 7,500 families reset their PINs.
• DCY also conducts unannounced health and safety inspections and reviews family eligibility and financial management practices.

In calendar year 2025, because of the Department of Children and Youth’s annual, unannounced visits, 38 childcare centers were closed and the efforts to close two more are going through administrative hearings.

In total, last year, the Department of Children and Youth conducted over 10,000 unannounced visits to daycare centers in Ohio.

• Prior to the statement Governor DeWine released on December 31, 2025, the Department of Children and Youth had received 124 tips from the public. Of those tips, 61 have resulted in daycare centers being required to pay back overpayments to the State. They have also resulted in the Department of Children and Youth closing 12 programs. Further, it was found that 30 of the daycare centers identified through the tips are operating in accordance with state and federal laws. And, 26 are still in the final stages of review.

After the Governor’s statement on the 31st, DCY received an additional 26 tips that have now either been investigated or are in the process of being investigated.

• The Department encourages the public to send in tips on potential fraud. Since the creation of the Department of Children and Youth, a toll-free hotline (1-844-234-5437) has been in place and also a dedicated fraud reporting email address. A “Report Fraud” tool on the front page of the Department’s website is designed to help the public send in tips about potential fraud.

(From the Office of Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague)

As of January 1, 2026, the federal ABLE Age Adjustment Act has extended eligibility for ABLE accounts by raising the age of disability onset from 26 to 46. This impactful change will allow thousands more individuals to save and invest without affecting federal benefits. This includes adults who developed disabilities later in life, veterans with service-connected disabilities, and guardians or Authorized Legal Representatives supporting adults with disabilities.

“This new eligibility expansion will allow so many more Ohioans to take advantage of the empowerment, independence, and financial security that STABLE Account offers to those living with disabilities,” said Treasurer Sprague. “Our office is excited to share the news about STABLE Account with more communities, while continuing to offer benefits like the STABLE Account Enrollment Incentive to those in our state and beyond.”

Under Treasurer Sprague’s leadership, Ohio’s STABLE Account program has gained popularity, with overall participation growing from fewer than 10,000 accounts in January 2019 to more than 52,000 active accounts today.

STABLE accounts are 529-like specialized savings and investment accounts for people living with disabilities. The accounts allow individuals to save and invest their money without fearing the loss of means-tested benefits like Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Accountholders can save up to $20,000 annually without losing federal assistance, and they can save an additional $15,060 each year if they’re employed. Earnings on STABLE accounts grow tax-free if they are spent on qualified expenses, which include housing, transportation, living expenses, healthcare, assistive technology, and more.

In 2024, Treasurer Sprague announced the launch of the STABLE Account Enrollment Incentive to encourage more eligible Ohioans to open an account. Through the incentive, STABLE Account matches the first $25 that an eligible individual contributes when opening a new account. This matched contribution provides new accountholders with an instantaneous boost toward growing their money and beginning their investment journey. Beginning this year, the Enrollment Incentive will be available nationwide to anyone wishing to open a STABLE Account and begin their savings and investment journey.

Through STABLE Account, Ohioans living with disabilities can enjoy a higher quality of life and build a strong financial future. Signing up for a STABLE account takes about 20 minutes and can be done online from home. For more information about STABLE accounts and to sign up, visit www.stableaccount.com.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

As a reminder, with the passage of Ordinance No. 2025-108, the following parking fines are now in effect:

Changes to penalties for Ord. 351.19:

• Ord. 351.19 – Timed Parking violations increase from $5 to $15 for the initial offense; $30 for additional offenses
• If not paid within 5 days (120 hours), the late penalty will increase to $50, plus the initial ticket(s) fine amount.

Changes to penalties for Ord. 351.03a section:

• 351.03(a)(2), (3), (4), (5), (7), and (9) are increasing. Violations of these sections now have a $50 fine. These sections are the following:

o (2): In front of a public or private driveway

o (3): Within an intersection

o (4): Within ten feet of a fire hydrant

o (5): On a crosswalk

o (7): Within thirty feet of, and upon the approach to any flashing beacon, stop sign, or traffic control device

o (9): Within fifty feet of the nearest rail of a railroad crossing

• Other violations of 351.03(a) are now a $25 fine.
• If violations of 351.03a are not paid within 5 days (120 hours), the late penalty will increase to $50, plus the initial ticket(s) fine amount.