The football game between Van Buren and Liberty-Benton that was set for Friday has been canceled due to a number of Van Buren players being unable to play.

The Van Buren Athletic Department posted on Facebook that the game was canceled due to COVID-19 quarantining protocol.

The post says any tickets purchased for the game will be refunded.

Both the varsity and junior varsity games have been canceled for Van Buren.

Liberty-Benton was able to find a new JV opponent for Saturday and will face Pioneer North Central.

Liberty-Benton also tried to find a new varsity opponent but was unable to.

Liberty-Benton’s game against North Baltimore earlier in the season was also canceled due to COVID concerns at North Baltimore, but they were able to find a new opponent.

Click here to check out the Van Buren Schools COVID dashboard and click here for Liberty Benton’s.

A deputy with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office has been presented an award by the Blanchard Valley Center.

Crime Prevention Specialist Corey Hartman was awarded the 2021 Hurdle to Success Award.

Deputy Hartman received the award at the BVC Effects Awards Ceremony.

The recipients of the Hurdle to Success Award are recognized for overcoming obstacles for individuals with developmental disabilities.

To be nominated for the award, nominees had to promote opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities in Hancock County.

A successful nominee had to create and foster opportunities for individuals to live, learn, work, and be part of the community.

Blanchard Valley Center says it is endlessly grateful to the people who share their effort in helping others live their lives with meaning and purpose.

Deputy Hartman is pictured above with Nadine Weininger of the Blanchard Valley Center.

Other award winners include;

2021 Extra Mile Award
Barb Myers, CSI

2021 Kenny Bender Award
Jennifer Dietrich

2021 Kelli Grisham Award
Brendon McCaskey, Kohl’s Distribution Center

The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is bringing an interesting event to town that’s now being held in more than 80 countries.

It’s called the Human Library, and it engages people of different backgrounds in conversation by providing a non-judgmental environment for people to speak one-on-one.

The library’s Joel Mantey, on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks, says human volunteers act as “books” and are “checked out” for 15 minutes, to afford the participant, or the “reader” a chance to ask questions they might normally feel uncomfortable asking.

He says the interactions people get from participating in the Human Library help them better understand each other as human beings through conversation and engagement.

The event will be held on October 16th at Findlay High School.

Get more details by clicking here and listen to the full interview with Chris Oaks by clicking here.

(above pic courtesy of the Human Library Organization)

(ONN) – Fatal crashes are increasing across Ohio, and a new report has revealed the deadliest stretch of highway in the state.

The Ohio Department of Transportation reports that traffic deaths are up by 12 percent this year and, if that pace continues, Ohio will mark a rise in traffic deaths in seven of the past eight years.

A new report that analyzed federal traffic crash data found that the five-mile stretch of I-71 between Morse Road and 11th avenue in Columbus is the deadliest five-mile stretch in the State of Ohio.

10 fatal crashes were reported in that stretch between 2017 and 2019.

The report also found that Franklin County had the most deadly crashes of any of Ohio’s 88 counties.

A driver crashed their car into the side of a house near McComb.

It happened at 6223 State Route 613 at around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says Boss Brown II, 29, of Tiffin, was westbound on SR 613 when he failed to maintain control and went off the left side of the road.

His car went up into the yard and then struck the side of the house, knocking out a window and doing damage to the side of the house.

The sheriff’s office says airbags deployed in the car and Brown was not injured.

Two people were inside the home when it was struck.

They were hit by some falling debris but were otherwise uninjured.

Brown was cited for failure to control.

Ohio is considering using National Guard members to drive school buses.

It’s a step already taken in other states and Governor Mike DeWine says it’s also a possibility here.

Drivers are needed statewide as some families struggle with canceled routes due to a bus driver shortage.

In some districts office staff, mechanics and substitute teachers with the proper license are driving buses.

Columbus City Schools is even considering paying parents to drive their children to and from school.

The United Way of Hancock County’s Fall Days of Caring is happening this week.

We stopped by the City Mission of Findlay on Tuesday where Donna and some coworkers from First National Bank were helping prepare dinner.

Donna (on the right in the above pic) says it’s very rewarding giving back to the community and her workplace volunteers as often as they can.

As Donna said in the audio above, she was working on a green bean casserole when we spoke with her, and she joked, “don’t tell my family I cook.”

Donna and another coworker work at First National Bank of Pandora, while the other two volunteers who were helping prepare dinner work at branches in Findlay and Bluffton.

This is the first time the United Way has held two Days of Caring in one year.

During the Days of Caring event in May of this year, more than 550 volunteers from area corporations completed 79 projects for 15 agencies.

The fall event happening this week is smaller, with about 150 corporate volunteers tackling 24 projects for local non-profits.

The City of Tiffin says City Council has approved the creation of the Tiffin Municipal Arts Commission, which is the first of its kind in the city’s history.

The Arts Commission will promote and oversee public art in the city of Tiffin.

The new Arts Commission is the result of the work of the Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership’s (TSEP) Downtown Design Committee, part of Downtown Tiffin’s Main Street program, together with Tiffin Mayor Aaron Montz and the City Administration.

“I am very pleased to see Tiffin continue to be proactive and progressive in enhancing the quality of life of our community,” Montz said.

“Public art is an important part our Downtown Strategic and Comprehensive Plans, and we believe it will build community pride, strengthen our downtown and tourism, and celebrate talent residing in our community.”

The Arts Commission will help develop public art sites, support artists, provide policy input, coordinate artwork installation and signage, serve as a liaison between stakeholders, serve as a resource to the City on art-related matters, develop a planning process, and other matters.

Get more on the new Tiffin Municipal Arts Council by clicking here.

Exciting News: During a meeting Monday evening, @TiffinOhioGov Council approved the creation of the Tiffin Municipal Arts Council, the first of its kind in the city’s history.

Read full story here: https://t.co/eO5TBlGBXx#publicart #communitydevelopment #citygov

— Tiffin-Seneca Economic Partnership (@TiffinSeneca) September 21, 2021

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Flood Watch issued by the National Weather Service.

The Flood Watch goes from Tuesday at 8 p.m. through Thursday morning.

Forecasters say rainfall amounts could be between 2 to 4 inches with locally higher amounts in the heaviest rain.

There is a possibility for widespread flooding resulting from small streams and creeks flowing out of their banks and flooding from main stem rivers.

People are reminded to never attempt to drive through high water.

The graphic below from the National Weather Service puts Findlay in the 3 to 5 inches range.

The heaviest rain is expected to fall late Tuesday and through Wednesday.

You can get the latest river levels by clicking on our river levels link here.

⚠️Weather Headlines⚠️
💦Flood Watch for NW Ohio tonight through Wednesday night
☔️Heavy rainfall and localized flooding threat
⛈️Marginal severe weather risk Wednesday east of I-71
🌬️Windy Wednesday and Wednesday night#OHwx #PAwx #NWS #Cleveland #Ohio #CLEwx #weather pic.twitter.com/lCUIObYSYX

— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) September 21, 2021

Main Street Deli is expanding its operation in downtown Findlay and will be combining the current deli with a new bar and arcade they’re building next door.

It will be called Main Street Deli Bar and Arcade and will include a full bar and 30 to 40 classic arcade games and pinball machines.

We spoke with General Manager Andrew Crom about what games they’ll be getting and the nostalgia that comes with them.

The classic arcade games will all be on free play. However, the pinball machines will cost some quarters.

The games will be lined up against the wall with the exposed brick.

In addition to all the fun games he says they’ll have craft beer on tap, a great liquor selection and of course all the great food from the deli.

Crom says they built a walk-through so people can easily get from the deli to the bar/arcade.

Crom says they wanted to bring something fun to downtown Findlay and thinks people will really enjoy it.

He said they plan on opening in October and people can get the latest updates on their Facebook page. He said they have extended the deli’s hours in anticipation of the opening of the bar and arcade.

The Main Street Deli is located at 513 South Main Street in Findlay.