(From Fostoria Economic Development Corporation)

The Splash Pad-Soak Park at City Park in Fostoria is slated to break ground next summer. In May, Vision 2020 with the assistance of volunteer fundraising chair, Don Mennel, began raising funds to demolish the dilapidated swimming pool at City Park along with the bath house, slide, and concession stand and replace them with a Splash Pad – Soak Park. The initial cost estimates for the Splash Pad were $550,000. Vision 2020 set out to raise $200,000 from private donations. These donated funds were to be combined with a $150,000 allocation from the Ohio State Capital budget, City of Fostoria’s $100,000 allocation from the 2024 budget and $100,000 from the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation.

Vision 2020 successfully collected $274,686 from local donations with $35,500 in multi-year pledges still coming in. In addition, Vision 2020 secured grants from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for $446,770, Findlay Hancock County Community Foundation for $25,000, Terhune Foundation for $25,000, Henry H Geary Memorial Foundation for $10,000 and The Andersons Foundation for $10,000, allowing us to not only construct a better Splash Pad-Soak Park but also construct an ADA compliant bath house with restrooms from the $1,116,456 raised thus far.

Don Mennel, Volunteer Fundraising Chair, “We are so pleased with the tremendous support of this community project. The Splash Pad-Soak Park fundraising, planning and construction demonstrates the success achieved when public/private partnerships are used to achieve a Vision for the youth of Fostoria.” According to Mayor, Eric Keckler, “The Splash Pad is an example of what can be accomplished when various entities, individuals, and businesses work together for a community project. I am excited to see this project come to fruition in 2024.”

Poggemeyer Engineering/Kleinfelder is assisting with the project and have worked with Vision 2020 and City leadership to select a theme and tentative design with the goal of project completion next summer.

Vision 2020 is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a mission of supporting community initiatives.

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Freeze Warning issued by the National Weather Service.

The Freeze Warning will be in effect from 10 p.m. Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Forecasters say sub-freezing temperatures as low as 26 are expected.

Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.

Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

Get the latest forecast by clicking here. 

The Findlay Police Department says a person was found dead inside a vehicle that had entered a retention pond.

Police say it happened near 1020 Interstate Court at around 6:15 Saturday night.

The first officers arrived on the scene as the vehicle sunk below the water approximately 30 yards from the bank.

Witnesses advised they did not see anyone exit the vehicle.

The Hancock County Dive Team was contacted and arrived on scene to recover the vehicle.

Once the vehicle was recovered it was learned the driver and sole occupant was still inside and was deceased.

Police identified the driver as Eric Czaplicki, 33, of Findlay.

Assisting on scene was the Findlay Fire Department, Hanco EMS, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Hancock County Coroner’s Office, Dick’s Towing, and Life Flight.

Police said the incident remains under investigation but no foul play is suspected.

A Hancock County jury has found a man guilty in the shooting death of a police drug informant in Findlay.

Eric A Reed, 50, of Fort Worth, Texas, was convicted of aggravated murder and two counts of having weapons while under disability.

Authorities say Reed killed Brian McQuistion in 2017 as retaliation after McQuistion gave police information resulting in drug charges against Reed’s nephew.

Reed will be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon in Hancock County Common Pleas Court.

He could be sentenced to life in prison.

(From the Hancock Park District)

To celebrate International Bat Week, we are happy to announce the conclusion of our Bat Condo at Aeraland Recreation Area, a project which started in late summer.

The condo is 8’ x 8’ wide & 8.5’ high, and is designed to hold up to 10,000 mother bats and their young.

Hancock Park District would like to give a special thank you to Brandon Burrow and all volunteers, Marathon Petroleum Company, Alvada Construction & Hancock-Wood Electric for making this project possible.

It is estimated that approximately 400 volunteer hours went into this project.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to slow down after pulling over a driver for going more than 100 miles per hour on Interstate 75.

The Highway Patrol posted a picture on social media of the traffic stop made by a trooper from the Lima Post.

“No matter how safe of a driver you think you are, there is no excuse for 109 mph! Speed limits aren’t a suggestion, they are the law. Since 2018, there have been 1,910 speed-related fatal crashes on Ohio roadways.”

Chamberlin Hill Elementary School held its Halloween Parade on Friday afternoon.

The youngsters dressed up in their favorite costumes and walked down the sidewalks outside the school as family members cheered them on and took pictures.

Other Findlay City Schools also had Halloween Parades for the kids and families to enjoy.

See video from the parade below.

Findlay’s Trick-or-Treat is on Saturday from 6 to 8 p.m.

(From the Office of the Governor)

In accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America and in remembrance of the victims of the shooting in Lewiston, Maine, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the State of Ohio until sunset on October 30, 2023.

(From the Tiffin Police Department)

Over the last three weeks’ officers of the Tiffin Police Department have been participating in mandatory Continuing Professional Training (CPT). The State of Ohio requires all law enforcement officers meet the requisite number of hours of professional training every year. The Tiffin Police Department took the training a step further by moving shifts and schedules so that every officer was able to participate in both the classroom instructional training and all the practical applications by not only meeting but exceeding the required hours by the state.

The topics of training this year included legal updates, arrest search and seizure review, crime scene processing updates, Taser recertification, critical incident response, school threats and safety, anti-harassment training, OVI updates, emergency management resources, force on force exercises, multiple search techniques, tactical proficiency, requalification on various firearms, wellness and resiliency, and host of other additional hands-on and classroom instructional training.

I provided this information because I want this community to understand that this police department strives to be the best law enforcement agency it can be. To be the best you must train and practice like it’s the real thing and that takes effort. There was no lack of effort during these past three weeks of training. The Tiffin Police Department’s dedication to continuous improvement should serve as reassurance to the Tiffin community of our commitment to provide exceptional police services at the highest of standards. Professionalism is not the job you do; it’s how you do the job. This community deserves a professional law enforcement agency that gives 100% effort every day. Whether in our training or our day to day interactions with the public, the Tiffin Police will continue to strive to earn your continued support and trust.

Special thanks to following for assisting the Tiffin Police Department with providing and exceeding the professional training hours required:

Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy

Fostoria Fire Department

Harbor/Lighthouse Wellness

First Presbyterian Church

Seneca County Fairgrounds

Izaak Walton

Seneca County EMA Administrator John Spahr

Director of Human Resources Deb Reamer

Lt. Jake DeMonte

Lt. Mark Marquis

Sgt. Scott McDole

Sgt. Eric Aller

Sgt. Jared Watson

Det. Eric England

Officer Chris Perry

Officer Doug Skornicka

Thanks, Chief David Pauly

Project HOPE’s annual Trick-or-Treat on Horseback fundraiser is coming up.

It will be held on two weekends; October 21st and 22^nd, and on the 28^th and 29^th at 6645 Township Road 215, east of Findlay.

Project HOPE (Horses Opening People’s Eyes) is a nonprofit organization offering equine-assisted therapy.

The organization uses horses to help people dealing with emotional and behavioral challenges.

Learn more about the organization by clicking here, sign up for the Trick-or-Treat on Horseback by clicking here, and see video from previous years by clicking here.