3/29/19 – 9:42 A.M.

Bridge Home Health & Hospice wants to make sure area residents learn more about advance health care planning. They’re inviting social workers and care navigators to a presentation on the subject next month. The session will talk about the importance of discussing healthcare wishes with family members. It will also provide instructions on creating a health care power of attorney and living will.

The event will take place on April 18th at 9 a.m. at 50 North. For more information, you can call 419-423-5351.

3/29/19 – 9:20 A.M.

The University of Findlay took steps to secure finances for the long term this week. The school announced its first public bond issuance. UF secured more than $39.3 million in Ohio Higher Educational Revenue Bonds through the Ohio Higher Educational Facility Commission.

The University will use the money from the bonds to refinance outstanding debt obligations. In a statement, vice president of business affairs Thomas Lause said, “this is a significant step forward for the University of Findlay as we continue executing our plan for growth and increased regional distinction.” Lause adds that before the bond the school’s debt was “very biased toward short term debt with variable interest rates and having an excess concentration with one financial institution.”

3/29/19 – 5:28 A.M.

The Sunny Farms Landfill has bought 180 acres of land next to their facility in Seneca County. The landfill says they’ll use soil from the land to cover trash and to create buffer areas at the landfill. Senior vice president of operations for the landfill Matthew Neely says “this land purchase is a strategic acquisition that will ensure we can manage the landfill to the best of our ability.”

Complaints about landfill operations have exploded over recent months. The facility sits around four miles south of Fostoria. Residents of the city say the smell from the landfill is overbearing at times. The Seneca County Board of Health has said they don’t plan to renew Sunny Farms’ operating license. The landfill has until Monday to appeal that decision.

MORE: Sunny Farms details corrective steps

3/29/19 – 5:18 A.M.

Sales tax collections were strong in the final month of 2018 in Putnam County. The Putnam County Sentinel reports the county collected more than $425,500 in December. It was the second highest amount ever collected for the month for Putnam County.

Auditor Robert Benroth credited the strong numbers with an increase in motor vehicle sales tax collections. Benroth says there was a more than $25,000 increase in that category compared to December of 2018.

MORE: Putnam County Sentinel

3/29/19 – 5:11 A.M.

A flood mitigation group wants to increase the Blanchard River’s capacity in Putnam County. The Lima News reports members of Citizens United For A Better Blanchard met with the Putnam County Commissioners Thursday to talk about improvement ideas. Dan Ellerbrock says the goal is to allow for a wider flood plain, which he says would, in turn, create a more uniform flow depth.

Ellerbrock says widening narrow parts of the river would cost around $2.3 million per mile. There are nearly 10 miles of waterway between Glandorf and the Auglaize River.

Citizens United For A Better Blanchard also talked about using cover crops to slow down field runoff into the river.

MORE: Lima News

3/28/19 – 4:08 P.M.

Litter Landing is once again accepting glass for recycling. Facility manager Courtney Comstock says they started accepting glass again Thursday morning, and by midday the bin was about half full.

Comstock stresses they are only accepting glass jars and bottles. However, you don’t have to sort the glass by color.

3/28/19 – 3:58 P.M.

The important numbers in Hancock County are trending in good directions. That was one of the messages from the Hancock County Commissioners during their state of the county address today. Commissioner Tim Bechtol says they have money in the bank to take on big challenges…

Bechtol spoke about the quarter percent sales tax that recently expired. He said he expects to see more projects sooner rather than later.

Commissioner Brian Robertson covered developments in safety services. He says having a quarter percent of the sales tax set aside for jail and court improvements will pay off down the line…

Robertson added that it’s important to bolster safety services because too many criminals believe there’s not enough room in the jail to hold them for very long.

The Commissioners also talked about county operations. Bechtol and Brian Robertson said the county works very efficiently to keep costs down. They say that helps the county operate smoothly with one of the lower sales tax rates in Ohio.