All posts by John Marshall

Second Seating Added For Findlay Civil Service Exam

The Findlay Civil Service Commission has added a second seating for the next Civil Service Exam for an open position as a Findlay Police officer. As previously announced, the exam will be offered on September 22nd, at 6:30pm in the Findlay High School Cafeteria.
In addition, a second seating has been scheduled for the same date, September 22nd, at 1pm. This edition will be offered at the City of Findlay Training Center, 224 West Crawford Street.

Those wishing to take the test must file an application in advance. The form is available at the Findlay Police station.   You can also find the form here.

Three To Hospital In Saturday Crash

A Saturday afternoon crash in Cass Township sent 3 people to the hospital. According to the Hancock County Sheriff’s office, Sonja Kaufman of Fostoria failed to yield the right of way from a stop sign at the intersection of County Road 18 and Township Road 218. Her Nissan Rogue was struck by a GMC Sierra driven by Rogelio Sanchez of Bloomdale. Sanchez’s vehicle then collided with a Buick Enclave driven by Timothy Clouse of Fostoria.

Sanchez, his passenger Angelina Sanchez, and Michael Ferguson, a passenger in the Clouse vehicle were all transported by Hanco EMS to Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Kaufman was cited for failure to yield from a stop sign.

Continental Under Boil Advisory

At last report, the water customers in the Putnam County village of Continental remained under a boil advisory. The Putnam County Sheriff’s office reports that all water for use in cooking or drinking should be brought to a full rolling boil for a minute due to the threat of contamination. No further details were provided.

ODOT Proposes Overpass for County Road 169

The Ohio Department of Transportation is proposing an overpass for County Road 169, over State Route 15 on the west edge of Vanlue. Currently in the public comment phase of development, the proposed project would allow continued access to the village for all vehicles on CR 169 while eliminating access to State Route 15. Vanlue is serviced by an interchange between SR 15 and State Route 330 at the south edge of town, less than a mile away.

If approved, construction could begin as early as 2023.

Find more on the proposal here.

Covid Vaccination Clinic Friday from 10am to 1pm

The City of Findlay will hold a Covid-19 vaccination clinic on Friday in Dorney Plaza, downtown. The clinic is for those age 12 and over who are not yet fully vaccinated. The shots will be offered between 10am and 1pm. To speed the process, attendees are urged to bring their identification.

As an incentive, the first 75 people vaccinated at the clinic will receive one free adult season ticket to the Hancock County Fair.

Blanchard Valley Health System Establishes New Visitor Policies

In response to rising Covid-19 case number in the area, Blanchard Valley Health System has established new guidelines for visiting patients at any of its locations, including Blanchard Valley and Bluffton hospitals.  These are in addition to ongoing policy requiring masks and health screenings upon entry.

Dr. Bill Kose, vice-president of Special Projects, explained that the measures are to assure the health and safety of both patients and staff.  Kose added that the public has been very accepting of the health system’s policies throughout the pandemic.

The new guidelines vary depending upon department and the patient’s Covid status. They also will change depending upon the number of local cases of Covid-19 have been found in the area.

Find an explanation of the current guidelines here.

Options Considered For Future of Hancock County Jail

David Bostwick, Justice Consultant with HDR, speaks at the Old Mill Stream Centre

Hancock County is considering its options for the future of housing its local inmates. According to Sheriff Mike Heldman the process began before the onset of the Covid pandemic and though slowed, has continued on. The county commissioners and the sheriff’s office have been consulting with two firms on future needs and how best to accommodate the growing jail population. On Wednesday, a broad outline of the anticipated needs was presented at a meeting at the Old Mill Stream Centre at the Hancock County Fairgrounds.

Justice Consultant David Bostwick says that while the study gives a general direction, now is the time for citizens to be involved.

Sheriff Heldman added that it will likely take 2 to 3 more years.  He added that this is an ongoing process and that, at this time, no decisions on how to proceed have been made.

Findlay Man Killed in Bicycle Crash

A Findlay man was killed in a crash at the intersection of Tiffin Avenue and Factory Street on Tuesday morning.  According to a report from the Findlay Police Department, Michael Lafferty was riding a bicycle westbound on Center Street and failed to stop at the stop sign. Rode into the side of a 2019 box truck and was ejected from his bicycle.  Following the crash, Lafferty was taken by Hanco EMS to Blanchard Valley Hospital where he died of his injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

Putnam County Covid-19 Update Released

The Putnam County Health Department released its latest weekly Covid-19 update on Tuesday. The agency noted 67 new cases in the previous week, along with 1 new death and 5 new hospitalizations from the virus. That compares to 38 cases, no deaths, and 5 hospitalizations the previous week. A rate of 115 per 100-thousand in population. That rate of spread qualifies as “High” according to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 87 of Ohio’s 88 counties are in that category.
The CDC recommends wearing a mask while at indoor public places while also maintaining other protocols to reduce the threat of spread.
The Ohio rate of 194 per 100-thousand. Florida currently ranks highest with nearly 700 cases per 100-thousand.