(From the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office)

Please join us in welcoming Enforcement Lieutenant Charles Seeley to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office! He was officially sworn in on April 14, alongside his family, as he took the oath to serve our community with integrity, professionalism, accountability, and excellence.

Lt. Seeley brings with him years of experience and a strong dedication to public service.

We are confident that he will be a valuable asset to our leadership team and a great mentor to our staff.

We’re proud to have him on board and excited for what the future holds under his leadership. Welcome to the team, Lt. Seeley!

(From Welcome to a New Life)

Welcome to a New Life, in collaboration with FOCUS, the Hancock County Judicial System, and the Family Resource Center, is proud to present the 4th Annual Second Chance Event on Thursday, April 24, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The event will be held at St. Mark’s The DOCK, located at 800 S. Main Street in Findlay.

In recognition of Second Chance Month, this event is dedicated to raising awareness about the challenges faced by individuals with criminal convictions and promoting opportunities for redemption, reintegration, and personal growth, as well as resources for the children and family members of such individuals.

Judge Routson will serve as the event emcee, leading the program with messages of hope, accountability, and community collaboration.

Attendees will enjoy a complimentary lunch generously provided by Heavenly Pizza.

The event will also feature dedicated time for networking and live podcast recording, giving participants a platform to share their stories, connect with resources, and be part of the broader conversation on second chances.

This is a free, public event and all are welcome to attend.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

Officers were dispatched to Burger King (717 W. Trenton Ave.) on 4-15-2025 at 1048 hours for a report of a possible drug overdose in a vehicle.

The vehicle was located parked in the parking lot. Shannon Pullom (36 yoa B/M) was located in the driver’s seat.

Shannon became alert when contacted by officers and advised he was just sleeping.

Hanco EMS and Findlay Fire Department responded to evaluate Shannon.

He advised he did not need medical assistance and declined to be transported to the hospital.

A suspected methamphetamine pipe was observed in plain view inside the vehicle.

A probable cause search of the vehicle turned up an additional 28 grams of suspected methamphetamine, 14 grams of suspected crack cocaine, and three firearms.

The firearms consisted of two 12 gauge shotguns and a .50 cal muzzleloader.

One of the shotguns was found to have been reported stolen out of Lapeer County Michigan in 2021.

Shannon Pullom was arrested for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia (M-4), Receiving Stolen Property (F-4), Having Weapons Under Disability (F-3), Aggravated Possession of Drugs (F-2), and Possession of Cocaine (F-3).

He was incarcerated at the Hancock County Justice Center.

By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations/Community Engagement Coordinator

On April 11, Deacon Titus became the fifth person to earn his GED through the Seneca County Jail’s GED program for inmates. The program, which is offered through a partnership with the Vanguard-Sentinel Aspire Program, gives inmates the opportunity to take GED-prep classes and the GED tests right at the jail.

Students learn math, science, social studies, reading and language arts from Aspire instructor Melissa Blair. She teaches classes twice a week at the Seneca County Jail.

“Our program also talks about career readiness and how to use technology,” Blair said. “I had a 72-year-old student at another jail who had never touched a computer before.”

Titus was honored for his achievement during a GED graduation at the jail. Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens presented him with his diploma and congratulated him on pushing through the hard work to earn his GED.

“Society functions through the educational process. Doors are closed without a high school diploma or GED, so this put you on the path of a better future,” Sheriff Stevens said. “The hard work was done by you, but a lot of people invested time and energy into your success.”

The GED program was implemented in the jail thanks to the efforts of Case Manager Grace Morehart. She created the program from the ground up to help Sheriff Stevens achieve his goal of bringing GED classes to the jail to give inmates a better chance at success post-incarceration.

Morehart reached out to the Aspire program and learned that the jail could not only offer classes but could, after meeting strict requirements, also become a GED testing site, giving students an even greater chance at success. The Seneca County Jail is one of only a few jails in Ohio that offers GED testing.

“It they can’t take the test until after release, they may not follow through,” Morehart said.

Any inmate can request to become a GED student, but sometimes, the timing doesn’t make that possible. Blair is glad Titus was able to join her classes and push through to the end. He will walk out of the jail with a stronger foundation.

“I’m proud of you. Be proud of yourself,” she told Titus at the graduation. “I appreciate having the opportunity to be a part of your success. Keep going. Keep running.”

Titus was thankful for the opportunity to earn his GED.

“It wasn’t easy, but it wasn’t very hard,” he said. “I’m happy to get through it. I plan to keep going.”

Blair is grateful she can help bring the Aspire Program to the Seneca County Jail.

“I’m so thankful I get the opportunity to do this. The GED is hard. It’s not an easy test, and it’s nice to see students finish it,” she said. “They’re not a number. They’re a person, and everyone here at the jail treats them so kind.”

Several first responders and volunteers teamed up to locate a man with dementia who left his home on Road 22-K in Putnam County on Monday night.

A family member contacted a sergeant on patrol and said they could not find their 73-year-old family member and that they had not been seen for an extended period of time.

Various agencies began searching for the missing man, along with drone units and a K-9 unit.

The Putnam County Sheriff’s Office says the man was located at 9:13 Monday night near the Auglaize River stuck in the mud, awake and alert.

The man was pulled from the mud and carried to EMS to be evaluated and suffered only a minor injury.

(From the University of Findlay)

The fast lane of professional auto racing will take the driver’s seat for the May 2 “Fridays at Findlay” presentation at the University of Findlay.

Sam Hornish Jr., Indy 500 winner and NASCAR driver, will speak on “Life Lessons from the Fast Lane of Auto Racing.”

His presentation is open to the public and will take place in the Winebrenner Building, TLB Auditorium on the UF campus.

Doors open at 7:30 a.m. for a breakfast buffet with the presentation from 7:50 to 9 a.m.

A northwest Ohio native, Hornish has spent more than 30 years behind the wheel, starting when he first strapped into a go-kart at the age of 11.

He would go on to win the World Karting Association’s U.S. Grand National championship just four years later – and eventually the Indy 500 in 2006.

In eight seasons, he won 19 races and captured three IndyCar championships.

Hornish will share the lessons he learned as a successful driver in the Indy Racing League and NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Sponsored by Premier Bank, the Fridays at Findlay lecture series encourages continued educational opportunities for members of the community, the campus, and alumni.

Register online by May 1 at www.findlay.edu/FridaysAtFindlay or call University Advancement at 419-434-5334 for more information.

The fee is $12 for adults and $6 for students.

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office, Findlay Police Department, and other police, fire and EMS agencies across the area and country are saluting their dispatchers during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week runs from April 13 – 19.

Sergeant Mark Price with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says dispatchers play a crucial role by providing that initial contact with people to get them the help they need.

“The dispatchers work together to help us as first responders in the field gain the information needed in a timely fashion that we need to do our jobs.”

Price says, while the sheriff’s office and Findlay Police Department each have their own dispatch centers, they work together a lot and work well together.

He’s asking anyone who knows a dispatcher to reach out to them this week and thank them for what they do.

(From Jim Hoops for State Senate)

State Representative James M. “Jim” Hoops declared his candidacy in the upcoming 2026 election for Ohio’s First District Senate seat, which consists of the northwest Ohio counties of Defiance, Fulton, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, Williams, and northern portion of Logan. Ohio’s First District Senate seat is currently held by State Senator and President of the Ohio Senate, Robert McColley, who is term-limited and serving his final term.

“I am excited to offer the citizens of the First Senate District an extensive history and long track-record of common sense, conservative representation in the Ohio Legislature”, stated Representative Hoops. “Senator McColley has set the bar high. It’s imperative that whoever follows in his footsteps will continue moving the conservative agenda forward for the benefit of families and communities throughout the District”, he added.

Jim Hoops is known for his unwavering commitment to protecting the unborn, our second amendment rights and our tax dollars. He is a conservative statesman that stands up for the values of Northwest Ohio.

Representative Hoops is currently serving his fourth and final full term in the Ohio House, after being appointed during the 132nd General Assembly in 2018 and subsequently winning re-elections in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2024. He represents the 81st House District, which consists of Fulton, Henry and Williams counties and the northern portion of Defiance County. Prior to his current term of service, Jim was previously elected and served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1999-2006 before being term-limited.

Jim remains active in the community in Northwest Ohio, including volunteering for the United Way of Henry County, formerly serving on the Henry County Senior Center Board and as Treasurer of the Henry County Humane Society.

He and his wife Deb, reside in Napoleon. They have been blessed with daughter Erica, son-in-law Ross and Grandson Hudson.

For more information about Jim, please visit his campaign website at www.jimhoops.com.

(From the Hancock County Veterans Service Office)

Your Hancock County Veterans Service Office invites you to join us for Coffee on World Voice Day. This is the first of several social events throughout this year that will give you the opportunity to ask questions, interact with veterans and enjoy company and conversation with others. It’s casual so come hang out with our local veterans.

The Coffee Social is April 16th from 4-6pm at Coffee Amici.

Other Social Events happening this year are:

Brewery Social on June 23rd on National Hydration Day

Bourbon Social on July 25th on National Hire a Veteran Day

Coffee Social is back on October 1st which is National Coffee Day

Wine Social on October 14th on National Desert Day

We want to spend time chatting with you over your favorite beverage or desert. Come join us for all of them. Make new friends and enjoy some time getting to know more about our veterans and the services we provide. You don’t have to be a veteran to attend any of our social events.

Make sure you follow us on social media so you will know the dates and times for all of our upcoming social events. You can also find the information by visiting our website www.hancockveterans.com.

(By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations/Community Engagement Coordinator)

When Seneca County Deputy Larry Messer was a freshman in high school, his father was hit by a drunk driver in front of their home. Although his father survived the accident, the experience was traumatic for the family. Deputy Messer remembers the chaos of the accident, the shock that overwhelmed his family, and the calm that the responding Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers brought to the scene.

It was in those harrowing moments that Deputy Messer knew he wanted to work in law enforcement.

“It’s always been what I wanted to do. That was sparked by seeing how the OSP handled the incident,” he said. “It was how they handled the scene and how professional they were.”

Deputy Messer not only fulfilled that dream, but he, like the State Patrol officers who inspired him, has become a law enforcement officer that others admire. On March 24, Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens presented Deputy Messer with the Deputy of the Year Award for 2024. Deputy Messer was chosen by his peers for the honor.

Deputy Messer graduated with a degree in law enforcement in 2019 and accepted positions with police departments in Green Springs, Bloomville, and Republic before becoming a Seneca County Sheriff’s Deputy in 2023. He brought to the position a strong foundation of law enforcement professionalism that he learned from Green Springs Police Chief Amy Dickman, former Green Springs Police Chief Charlie Horne, and former Republic Police Chief Don Holmer.

“They taught me how law enforcement works, and they taught me to always treat people with respect. They taught me how to talk to people – what to say and what not to say,” Deputy Messer said. “They taught me that, if you’re calm, the situation will go better.”

Deputy Messer said those lessons were reinforced by the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office sergeants.

“I also learned that from all of the sergeants here at the Sheriff’s Office,” he said. “I worked with every sergeant here, and I picked up good things from them all.”

One the biggest changes Deputy Messer faced when he transitioned from patrolling a small village to patrolling a county was the amount of area he had to cover.

“The road call volume and the service area are bigger. I didn’t realize how big Seneca County was until I started working here,” he said.

But the larger area also gave him a bigger scope of impact. Now, he has more people to help.

“What I like about this job is helping people and getting to interact with the community, especially kids. It shows them we are human, and if they need help, they can run to us,” Deputy Messer said.

Today, Deputy Messer has the opportunity to bring calm to traumatic moments in peoples’ lives, just like the state troopers who helped the day his father was struck.

“It feels good to know that, when you go to someone’s house and they’re having a bad day, you can have a positive impact and make their day better,” he said.

Deputy Messer’s peers recognized his desire to impact the lives of others when they chose him as 2024 Deputy of the Year. In their nominations, they said he is always willing to help out, never complains, and always takes pride in his job. One person wrote he, “represents our office proudly,” and another said he, “never questions why he is being sent to a call for service.”

One comment epitomized his service: “He cares about Seneca County.” His compassion is the foundation of Deputy Messer’s work in the community.

Deputy Messer was shocked to receive the award, and he is grateful to work where he is valued.

“You feel very appreciated here, especially by Sheriff Stevens and all the sergeants. They definitely care about us,” he said. “Sergeant (Kevin) Reinbolt tells us when we’re doing a good job. He’s always appreciative.”

Deputy Messer is also thankful to work in an environment surrounded by supportive peers.

“It’s the brotherhood and sisterhood of it,” he said. “It’s a weird feeling knowing that no matter what you face, there are people who do what it takes to make sure you get safely home.”