(From the City of Findlay)
On March 13, 2025, George Street will be closed between Main Street to Cedar Avenue for a sewer repair. This closure will be from 7am-3pm.
On March 13, 2025, Morey Avenue will be closed between Swing Avenue to Davis Street for tree-cutting work being done by Hancock County. This closure will be from 8am-3pm.
Motorists are advised to avoid these areas.
The City of Findlay will release updates on information and schedules when it becomes available.
(From Putnam County Habitat for Humanity)
Putnam County Habitat for Humanity (PCHFH) will host their annual “Tool & Purse Bingo” on Thursday, March 20 at American Legion Post #63, 218 West Main Street, Ottawa. All proceeds from the evening will support PCHFH’s new home and critical home repair programs.
“Habitat for Humanity is all about building hope,” said PCHFH Executive Director Anne Coburn-Griffis. “We use a lot of tools to get the work done. People can play bingo and maybe take home some real, rugged tools of their own.”
What makes the PCHFH event different from other bingo games is that games will celebrate those tools by alternating designer handbags with name-brand tools as game prizes. Tool brands include DeWalt and Craftsman. Designer handbags will include those created by Michael Kors, Kate Spade and Dooney & Burke.
The Master of Ceremonies for the evening will be 106.3 The Fox’s Big Kahuna. The evening will include 22 bingo games. The hosts will also offer $2 tickets for drawings for baskets that highlight local businesses, 50/50 and a French macaron box prize.
Attendees may also purchase five-dollar tickets that will offer a chance to win a handmade play house.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. Games begin at 6 p.m. Food will be available. Tickets are $35 each or tables of eight for $280. Those reserving a table may decorate their table for a chance to win a prize. Tickets are on sale online at www.putnamohhabitat.org, in person at Putnam County Habitat for Humanity, 150 N. Oak Street, Ottawa 45875, Monday–Thursday, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., or at the door (as space permits.)
Since its inception in 2009, PCHFH has built 13 new homes and rebuilt an entire house. Homeowners purchase their homes through low- or zero-interest mortgages. Critical home repair projects completed by Putnam County Habitat for Humanity include bathroom remodels, roof repairs and replacements, electrical repairs, window replacements, wheelchair ramp additions and replacements.
(From Christian Clearing House)
Treasure Hunt for a Cause – Annual Benefit Garage Sale!
Shop for incredible bargains on household items, books, toys, furniture, collectables and more—all while supporting Christian Clearing House’s mission to assist neighbors in need.
Event Dates & Times:
Saturday, March 15 – 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM
Sunday, March 16 – 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM
The presale is March 13 6-8pm (requires a ticket $50)
Location: Brinkman’s Country Corner 1800 E Sandusky St., Findlay, Ohio
Treasures Galore!
A felonious assault charge against a Findlay man has been dropped.
David Spiegel was previously indicted on the charge after allegedly stabbing his brother Gary in the face multiple times.
On January 22 Spiegel was arrested after officers responded to a call where they found an injured man and woman dead at a home on Lester Avenue.
The woman was Spiegel’s mother, Kathleen.
Foul play is not suspected in Kathleen’s death but her cause of death is still being investigated.
The Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office said the case was dismissed at the request of the victim.
(From Blanchard Valley Health System)
Please join us in congratulating Jillian McClarren, RN, in the Bridge Home Health & Hospice unit at Blanchard Valley Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, on being named the February DAISY Award honoree!
Jillian made a meaningful impact on her hospice patient and his wife while they were in her unit at Blanchard Valley Hospital. She would come in early to check on her patient and was consistently there for his wife, making sure she had everything she needed. In fact, his wife, who nominated Jillian for this award, stated, “Jillian is an amazing soul. Please, with all my being, let her have this award. If I tried to say everything she did in the few short days my husband was there, I could go on for hours. She greatly impacted my life, and I will forever be grateful God put her there when I needed it the most. On her days off, I would have gladly paid her wages to have her there. She explained everything that was happening.”
Wow, thank you so much, Jillian, for representing the heart of BVHS. You and the work you do are so appreciated.
Pictured are Kelly Shroll, chief operating officer, ambulatory services, Jillian McClarren, RN, DAISY recipient, Kyle McGraw, director of operations for Bridge Home Health & Hospice, and BJ Pasztor, chief operating officer of acute care services and chief nursing officer.
(From the Findlay-Hancock County Public Library)
The Findlay-Hancock County Public Library is seeking the community’s help in finalizing the judging of our Youth Library Card Design Contest.
In February, children and teens were encouraged to showcase their artistic talents and submit a design for use on all new Youth library cards. We were overwhelmed with the response, and received 51 entries. The artwork was judged in the first round by a design contest committee from the library, and was based on creativity, design, and how well the message of “Why do you love your library?” was communicated. The committee narrowed the entries down to three finalists.
The library is now turning the judging duties over to the community to choose a final winner. Voting takes place from March 12-26 at the Main library in the Children’s Department, at the Arlington Branch and at Bookmobile stops.
The winner will be announced as part of National Library Week, April 6 – 12, and our theme for the week of “Drawn to the Library”. Stay in touch and keep updated at www.findlaylibrary.org, on our Facebook page, facebook.com/fhcpl, on Pinterest at pinterest.com/findlaylibrary, and on Instagram @ fhcpl.
(From Findlay City Schools)
Please mark your calendars for our final scheduled two-hour early release on Friday, March 14th, so teachers can complete end-of-quarter tasks!
Buildings will run a normal dismissal routine, but it will be two hours earlier than normal.
If you submitted back-to-school forms via Final Forms with unique early release transportation for your child, those plans will be followed.
Otherwise, please plan for students to be transported home like any normal day.
(From the United Way of Hancock County)
United Way of Hancock County will host its Annual Meeting from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, March 27, at its office at 318 W. Main Cross (second floor).
The event is open to the public and will celebrate volunteers, donors, and organizations committed to United Way’s mission of measurably improving people’s lives in Hancock County.
Those attending may RSVP by emailing marketing@uwhancock.org or calling 419-423-1432.
(From Children’s Mentoring Connection of Hancock County)
Join us for the 42nd Annual Bowling for Kids Event.
This is our signature fundraising event supporting Children’s Mentoring Connections youth mentoring programs both in the community and at school.
Fun for all!
Register today at https://cmchancock.org/events or call 419-424-9752.
Stacy Shaw and Jennie Hammond were on with WFIN’s Chris Oaks to discuss Bowling for Kids and that interview can be heard below.
(From Seneca County Sheriff Fred Stevens)
With the upcoming April retirement of longtime County employee, Ken Majors, I thought it appropriate to have a story done on how his impact here at the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, albeit a short time in his overall County service, helped turn our medical program into what it is today.
Ken was instrumental in modernizing and improving every aspect of the medical office and deserves all the accolades. He assembled a great team in that beginning period and all of them were instrumental in making the necessary changes to move ahead.
-Sheriff Stevens
——————————————————————————————————————————————
New staff needed for jail medical department made better by Ken Majors
By Sheri Trusty, Public Relations / Community Engagement Coordinator
When Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens began his first term in 2021, he had a vision of a better, safer, and more efficient jail. He set out to improve the building and the procedures, and he created a foundation for that vision by surrounding himself with good people. Among them was Ken Majors, who was hired in 2022 as the RN Supervisor to head the jail’s medical department.
Majors embraced the sheriff’s vision, and, together, they transformed the medical department into a modern facility that offers efficient medical care in a safe environment that consistently meets the demands of state and federal requirements. But when he started, Majors and his staff of one cared for the medical needs of close to 200 inmates – including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inmates – utilizing antiquated equipment and procedures.
Majors brought years of medical experience to the position. He started his career as a firefighter/paramedic with Tiffin fire on April 1, 1995, while concurrently attending nursing school to become a registered nurse. His career brought him to Mercy St. Vincent Life Flight, where he eventually served as a regional supervisor, and he also served as the Seneca County EMS director from 2013 to 2022, where his impact is still felt today.
During his time as EMS director, Majors became a charter member of the Ohio EMS Chiefs Association.
“I got to know people at the state and served on the State Board of EMS,” Majors said. “I was on the Rural EMS Committee and the EMS Systems Development Committee. It was just me when I started, and I recruited people to join me.”
Majors procured a federal grant that funded an EMS study in Seneca County. That study created the opportunity for Majors to have a voice in early EMS system designs, which laid the foundation for current countywide EMS improvements.
“I’m very proud of what we designed,” he said.
When Majors joined the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office in 2022, his system design skills were invaluable as he and Sheriff Stevens sought to modernize the jail’s medical department.
“Sheriff Stevens had a vision to upgrade the department to streamline services and provide better care for inmates, and he asked me to redesign the program,” Majors said. “I can’t say enough about Sheriff Stevens. He listened to everything I said.”
The medical department’s improvements include new carpet, paint, cabinets, and a remodeled bathroom. New computers were purchased, and online procedures replaced paper documents. The improvements created an efficient environment that impressed inspectors from both Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections and ICE.
“We got rid of a lot of paper and embraced technology. We got all the things to run an office. We had to start over,” Majors said. “Since then, we’ve passed all of our inspections.”
New staff was added, and today, Majors works with a medical tech, an LPN, and a health services administrator, who is also a paramedic, but more staff is needed. Majors, who has served the county in various capacities for 30 years, will retire on April 4, and the sheriff is looking for support staff to help maintain the department’s high standards.
“We’re looking for healthcare providers, which can be an LPN, medical assistant, or paramedic,” Majors said.
Majors said the positions offer competitive pay and benefits, Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) benefits, and 12-hour shifts, which creates more time off. Anyone joining the medical department staff will work in a modern facility where they are well-cared for by the corrections officers as they care for the medical needs of the inmates.
“You are part of a family here. These people open their arms up and bring you in. You feel safe. These guys take care of us,” he said. “A lot of people don’t realize how talented the corrections officers are. They are the unsung heroes of the criminal justice world.”
When Majors retires next month, he can walk away knowing he helped create a medical department that will impact staff and inmates for years to come. As new employees are hired into the department, they will have the privilege of working in an environment where they can offer the best medical care possible to county inmates.
The medical department is hiring LPNs, med techs, EMT-Bs, paramedics, and medical assistants for fulltime and part-time positions. Starting pay is $25.07. For more information, contact Lt. Cunningham at wjcunningham@senecacountyohio.gov, visit www.senecacountyso.org, or pick up an application at the dispatch window of the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office, located at 3040 S. State Route 100 in Tiffin.