St. Marks United Methodist Church in Findlay will be holding a Live Nativity experience on Saturday.
“Experience the story of the first Christmas, and then join us in the DOCK for refreshments, crafts, and a chance to see Santa!”
Senior Pastor Dan Metzger says they like to do a live nativity to help people remember the true meaning of Christmas.
The Live Nativity will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, December 2nd at St. Marks United Methodist Church at 800 South Main Street in Findlay.
(From the Ohio Department of Development)
The Ohio Department of Development today announced the release of more than $5.3 million in funding to support business growth and community enhancement.
During its Monday meeting, the Ohio Controlling Board approved the release of more than $1.6 million through its Regional 166 Direct Loan program to benefit a pair of businesses and more than $3.7 million in Roadwork Development Grants to assist in a trio of construction projects.
“Through strategic partnerships with businesses across Ohio, we’re creating environments that directly support economic growth and job creation in communities large and small,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Department of Development. “Infrastructure improvements are seldom pretty, but the millions of dollars we’re investing in these projects are investments in the lives of Ohioans and the futures of the places they call home.”
The Regional 166 Direct Loan Program provides low-interest loans to businesses with limited access to capital from private funding sources. Through the Regional 166 Direct Loan program, Flormak Developments USA, Inc., will receive $1 million, and Advance Apex, Inc., will receive $640,000.
Flormak Developments USA, Inc., is a real estate holding company that will receive the loan, along with coborrowers Kamrolf Developments, Inc., Marnat Enterprises International, Inc., Defifoods Group International, Inc., Group Defi Inc., Karlo Flores, and KFM Foods International, Inc., to assist in financing the purchase of a new HVAC system and climate control upgrades at 1340 W. High St. in Defiance. The project will create 10 new full-time-equivalent jobs, and four existing jobs will be retained.
Funds from the Regional 166 Direct Loan escrow account will also assist Advance Apex, Inc., in financing the purchase of two new Makino DA300 5-Axis Vertical Machining Centers at 2375 Harrisburg Pike in Grove City. Through the project, three new full-time equivalent jobs will be created and 43 existing jobs will be retained.
Three communities will benefit from the Roadwork Development Grant, also known as the 629 program.
The Village of Bluffton will receive $1.22 million for public roadwork improvements in support of the GROB Systems, Inc., project in Hancock County. The proposed roadwork consists of constructing a single-lane roundabout on State Route 103 at the intersection with Navajo Drive and the reconstruction of Navajo Drive from State Route 103 moving south and then west to the intersection with Pocono Drive. As a result of the project and state assistance, 200 full-time equivalent jobs will be created, and 838 full-time equivalent jobs will be retained.
Dan Sheaffer is Director of Findlay-Hancock County Economic Development.
Annette Heslep is CFO of GROB Systems, “GROB Systems appreciates the support shown by Findlay Hancock County Economic Development. the Ohio Department of Development, Jobs Ohio and the Regional Growth Partnership. Their ability to facilitate not only the funding, but a partnership as well, has allowed GROB the opportunity to expand our facility here in Bluffton. We are pleased to continue the growth of our facility and our workforce here in the greater Bluffton area.”
The City of Brookville will receive $1.5 million for public roadwork improvements to assist the Dmax, Ltd. project in Montgomery County. The proposed roadwork involves the extension of West Campus Boulevard by 2,800 linear feet to the south boundary of the Brookville Retail & Industrial Campus. As a result of the project and state assistance, 814 full-time equivalent jobs will be retained.
The City of Columbiana will receive $1 million for public roadwork improvements in support of the S-P Company, Inc. project in Columbiana County. The proposed roadwork involves the reconstruction and widening of 2,350 linear feet of West Railroad Street from Columbiana-Lisbon Road to Main Street, and 625 linear feet of West Street from Union Street to West Railroad Street. West Railroad Street will be widened from 26 feet to 32 feet to allow for improved truck access. As a result of the project and state assistance, 14 full-time equivalent jobs will be created, and 167 full-time equivalent jobs will be retained. The Ohio Department of Development empowers communities to succeed by investing in Ohio’s people, places, and businesses. Learn more about our work at development.ohio.gov.
(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)
According to provisional statistics, eight people were killed in seven crashes on Ohio’s roadways this Thanksgiving holiday, resulting in the fewest deaths since 2018. The five-day Thanksgiving reporting period began on Wednesday, November 22 at midnight and ran through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 26,
Of the eight people killed, one was not wearing a safety belt and one crash involved impaired driving.
During the reporting period, troopers arrested 319 people for operating a vehicle while impaired and 111 for illegal drugs. Troopers also issued citations for 526 safety belt and 181 distracted driving violations. Throughout the holiday reporting period, troopers also assisted 1,567 motorists.
A statistical analysis of the Patrol’s enforcement activity over the holiday is available here.
(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)
Ohio State Highway Patrol Dispatcher Ashlee Tyree has been selected as the 2023 Dispatcher of the Year at the Findlay Dispatch Center.
Tyree, 38, was honored in recognition of outstanding service of the past year at the Findlay Dispatch Center. Sworn officers and dispatchers chose Tyree based on technical job knowledge and ability, enthusiastic work attitude, teamwork, and prompt and courteous response to the public’s requests for information and assistance.
Dispatcher Tyree joined the Highway Patrol in 2014 and has served at the Findlay Dispatch Center since joining the Division. Originally from Tiffin and a graduate of Tiffin Columbian High School, Dispatcher Tyree has an Associate’s Degree from Brown Mackie College. Dispatcher Tyree was Dispatcher of the year for the Findlay Post in 2018, 2019 and 2022. Dispatcher Tyree was the Findlay District Dispatcher of the Year in 2022. Tyree is a field training officer and has also received the Dispatcher Criminal Patrol Award in 2018.
Dispatcher Tyree resides in Tiffin, Ohio.
(From Dr. Bill Kose with Blanchard Valley Health System)
When you think of Blanchard Valley Health System, you may think of Blanchard Valley and Bluffton hospitals, but we are much more.
BVHS includes more than 50 physician offices, and we offer home health, hospice, imaging, laboratory, and rehabilitation services. But the organization is not simply the sum of all of those pieces – it is one integrated system in which the pieces seamlessly connect to one another.
After all, our mission is “Caring for a Lifetime.” We want residents of Northwest Ohio to feel confident that we will provide quality care throughout their lives.
Our obstetricians/gynecologists deliver babies after caring for their mothers throughout their pregnancies and can then connect those babies and their families with BVHS pediatricians. As the children reach adulthood, we have primary care providers available throughout the region, as well as specialists in fields ranging from endocrinology to surgery.
If an older person can no longer live in their own home, then Birchaven Village in Findlay or Independence House in Fostoria could be an ideal residence for them.
And our hospice program can help people through the end of their lives, just as our providers have supported infants through the beginning of theirs. While the end of life isn’t pleasant to think about, we are committed to helping our community through all these stages.
Technology makes it easier to be connected today than before. Electronic medical records are shared throughout our system, making it possible for a provider to quickly access a patient’s health history and order lab testing through electronic means.
But, while modern technology adds some efficiency, being a connected, integrated system has been a priority at BVHS for decades.
Throughout our existence, we’ve looked at the gaps in health care in this community and adjusted our services to ensure we meet those needs. For example, in the 1980s and 1990s, we added new services such as home health, hospice, and palliative care because we saw that our community needed them.
Becoming not merely a collection of offices and practices but one cohesive organization was a conscious decision by the organization’s leadership. We believe this allows us to provide the best in patient care throughout a person’s lifetime.
Additionally, we have strong partnerships with other organizations that offer services we do not, such as Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, among many others. Our membership in the Mayo Clinic Care Network offers many additional benefits. One example is that our providers can get a second opinion from Mayo providers on the best treatment plan for their patient’s cancer.
We also recognize that we must offer various services and ensure our patients can easily move between them. BVHS employs care navigators, for example, who can guide patients dealing with complex health issues requiring many appointments.
Providing many types of care here in Northwest Ohio creates more convenience for patients, who might otherwise have to take time off work and spend money on gasoline to go to an appointment out of the area.
But it also can contribute to a sense of comfort and trust. Patients want someone nearby who they know to call if they have a question. We encourage patients to build a strong relationship with their primary care provider. Still, they can also feel assured that that provider, in turn, can easily contact specialists throughout BVHS. (If you need a primary care provider, call 419.422.APPT to set up an appointment.)
In short, BVHS includes much more than you may realize as an integrated system committed to addressing our community’s needs.
We’re here for you.
William Kose, MD, JD Vice President of Special Projects, Blanchard Valley Health System
State wildlife officials are continuing to watch for chronic wasting disease as deer-gun season begins in Ohio.
The Ohio Division of Wildlife is reminding deer hunters to watch for chronic wasting disease in the state’s surveillance area of Hardin, Wyandot, and Marion Counties.
Officials say sampling is mandatory for all deer harvested in the surveillance area during the weeklong gun season, which ends on Sunday, December 3rd.
CWD is a fatal neurological disease that affects deer and other similar species, including mule deer, elk, and moose.
No evidence exists that CWD can spread to humans, pets, or livestock.
A good crowd of people came out for the lighting of the Findlay Christmas Tree on a cold Friday night.
The crowd helped Santa Claus with the countdown and then the 40 foot tall blue spruce came aglow to the delight of the crowd.
People then got pictures with the tree and spent some time with Santa across the street at Kiwanis Santa’s House at St. Andrews United Methodist Church.
See video from the tree lighting ceremony below.
The Findlay Police Department says a driver was arrested after leading an officer on a short pursuit.
Police say an officer tried to stop a possible drunk driver in the area of Western Avenue and West Main Cross Street on Saturday but the vehicle fled the traffic stop.
The vehicle began traveling 35 to 40 miles per hour down West Main Cross.
Police say the vehicle came to a stop after traveling about 3,500 feet at Interstate 75.
Police said the driver, Kelley Zehender, 59, was arrested for OVI and failure to comply.
The new overpass on County Road 180 over State Route 15 south of Findlay opened on Friday afternoon.
ODOT posted on its social media that the overpass opened to traffic at 4:15 in the afternoon and expressed their gratitude to everyone who made the project a reality.
Another overpass over State Route 15 is set to open soon, at County Road 169 near Vanlue.
And, ODOT has plans to construct yet another overpass over State Route 15, with this latest one going up at County Road 193 in 2025.
We recently spoke with ODOT officials and Hancock County Engineer Doug Cade about the projects (video below) and how they will improve safety along the State Route 15 corridor.
The Findlay Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol has announced its 2023 Trooper of the Year.
The selection of Trooper Brian T. Schneck, is in recognition of outstanding service during 2023 at the Findlay Post. Fellow officers stationed at the Findlay Post, chose Trooper Schneck based on leadership abilities, professional ethics, courteous treatment of others, enthusiastic work attitude, and cooperation with supervisors, peers, and the public.
Trooper Schneck joined the Highway Patrol in 2017 and has served at the Mansfield Post and Findlay Post since then. Trooper Schneck graduated from Tiffin University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.
Other Highway Patrol awards received in the past include: the Safe Driving Ribbon, Physical Fitness with excellence Ribbon, and Field Training Officer Ribbon.
Trooper Schneck and his wife, Faith, reside in Allen County with their child.
Below is a picture from 2022 when Trooper Schneck took Congressman Latta on a ride-along.
