(From the Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce)

The 38th annual Blaze of Lights holiday celebration, including the lighting of the Ream collection of vintage Christmas Folk-Art, is scheduled for Saturday, November 30 in downtown Bluffton, Ohio. The Ream display and thousands of lights in the surrounding trees are available for nightly viewing on the lawn of Bluffton Presbyterian Church, 102 N. Main Street, Bluffton from November 30 through January 1.  The community joins in the Blaze spirit with numerous residential holiday light displays and folk-art decorations throughout the Village located off I-75.

Activities on November 30 begin with Small Business Saturday specials at downtown businesses.  One of the largest holiday parades in the area begins on Snider Road at 5 PM and travels up Main Street to College Avenue. Following the parade, entertainment will be offered on the main stage.  At 6:30 p.m. the lighting ceremony will begin with the reading of the Christmas story followed by the lighting of the Ream display. 

After the parade, you can visit Santa, drop off your letters to Santa, ride the Romick Railway, and ride the Allen County RTA Trolley for a tour of decorated homes all at no charge. 

The After Blaze returns this year on Vine Street with selections of beer, bourbon pours, spiced wine, and hot chocolate, along with food trucks, local food vendors.  You can hang out around one of the firepits, or enjoy live music under a heated tent.

The Blaze of Lights celebration is sponsored by the Village of Bluffton and Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce.  For more information about the event, visit www.explorebluffton.com or contact Jim Enneking, Bluffton Area Chamber of Commerce executive director at 419-369-2985.

(From the City of Findlay)

The City of Findlay will be picking up leaves from November 18, 2024, through December 6, 2024. City employees will collect leaves that have been placed in biodegradable PAPER bags at the curb. Plastic bags and loose leaves will not be picked up. Bagged leaves are to be placed by the curb.

Limbs that are placed beside the bagged leaves will also be picked up. The limbs will be picked up separately from the leaves.

Crews will start picking up leaves on November 18, 2024. Crews will make several rounds throughout the whole City through December 6, 2024.

Biodegradable bags are readily available at local hardware, building supply, and some grocery stores.

Raking leaves into the street has many negative aspects. Leaf piles in the street can be a dangerous temptation to children who like to play in the piles and in many areas reduce the traffic to one lane or cause drivers to drive around the piles into oncoming traffic. Piled leaves tend to wash into and clog storm sewers, causing maintenance issues and potential localized flooding during storm events. Residents who blow or rake leaves onto City streets are in violation of long-standing City Codified Ordinance 311.01(d). Complaints should be forwarded to the Police Department.

City residents may continue to drop leaves at the green waste site located at 330 North Cory Street at no charge. The current hours for the site are Tuesday through Friday 2pm-7pm and Saturday 8am-1pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Beginning November 4, 2024, hours for the site will be Tuesday through Friday 1pm-6pm and Saturday 8am-1pm, closed Sunday and Monday. Beginning November 16, 2024, Saturday hours will be 8am-4pm. The green waste site will be closed on Monday, November 11, 2024, in honor of Veterans Day and November 28, 2024, for Thanksgiving. It will be open on November 29, 2024, and November 30, 2024. The last day for the green waste site will be December 7, 2024.

The green waste site is intended for residential use only. No contractors are permitted to use this site. Only tree trimmings, brush, leaves, and grass clippings can be dumped in designated areas at the site.

Millstream Career Center will be undergoing a $3.4 million expansion project thanks to a career tech grant from the state of Ohio.

The expansion project will enable Millstream to add a Manufacturing and Industrial Robotics program and expand its Engineering and Robotics program.

Millstream Director Pam Hamlin is excited about this expansion and how many more students will be able to utilize the programs as they are currently on a wait list.

Pam Says if everything stays on schedule the new programs should be ready to go for the beginning of next school year.

See video of the indoor groundbreaking, as it was rainy on the day of the announcement, below.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

The Armes Family Cancer Care Center, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, will close its front lobby entrance for renovations on Monday, December 9.

the closure will last approximately 30 days. During this period, patients will need to use alternate entrances.

Construction is taking place to fully renovate the front lobby and patient check-in area. This is the latest phase of renovations of the entire facility, which are underway to ensure a brighter future for AFCCC patients and the community.

The field of cancer care is ever-evolving, and the large project will incorporate the latest medical technology and design to ensure BVHS patients receive the best care and experience. Once construction is complete, the center will have nine new exam rooms, eight new infusion chairs, an expanded pharmacy, an expanded lab, a new advanced linear accelerator, and a fully renovated front lobby and patient check-in area.

In addition to advanced technology and equipment, the renovated cancer center will offer improved privacy and comfort. The team at the AFCCC is committed to keeping disruptions to a minimum and remains dedicated to patient care.

Patients should use the front entrance, and park in the front lot, to visit the following physicians and providers: Dr. Omar Al Asad, Dr. Ike Onwere, Dr. Derek Thomas, Dr. Sandra Hazra, Mara Hummel, APRN-CNP, and Brian Jones, APRN-CNP. This entrance is also recommended for patients coming to infusion therapy appointments (with or without a lab appointment) and those coming solely for a laboratory appointment.

Patients should use the back entrance, and park in the back lot (behind the building), to visit the following physicians and providers: Dr. Stephen Lutz, Dr. Ankit Modh, Dr. Sharon Cole, Dr. Anjalika Gandhi, Dr. Adam Walter, and Mary Beth Brown, APRN-CNP. This entrance is also recommended for patients coming for radiation therapy treatments.

A map can be found at https://www.bvhealthsystem.org/media-center/news-article?news=2066

Anyone with questions can call 419.423.5522.

For more information on cancer care at Blanchard Valley Health System, please visit bvhealthsystem.org/cancer

(From the Marion Township Trustees)

The Marion Township Trustees have announced, weather permitting, their annual leaf pick-up service in the residential only communities, WILL BEGIN IN THE BEECHWOOD SUBDIVISION  Monday, November 18th and continue throughout the township until completed. 

Leaves must be blown within four feet (4′) of the curbside and away from mailboxes or cannot be removed.

No bagged leaves will be collected. 

This is a one-time only pick-up only. 

Crews will not be able to operate if there is rain or snow covering the leaves. 

(From Lgbtq+ Spectrum of Findlay)

Join us for our 2nd annual Thanks-Gay-Ving Community Meal!

From 1 pm to 5 pm on Saturday, November 16th, we’ll be serving up a full spread at the LGBTQ+ Spectrum of Findlay office. Everyone is welcome so bring the fam!

We’ll also have all of the regular Queermunity Service resources available.

You are more than welcome to bring a dish or items for the pantry if you like, but it’s not required – we just want to come together as a community!

The Spectrum office is located at 211 E Front St in Downtown Findlay. We’re in the old CASA building, behind Details Auto Spa. Our door is on the east side of the building.

For additional parking, Findlay Inn and Conference Center is allowing us to use their parking lot – please park ONLY in the back row of their lot up against the alley between Findlay Inn and the Spectrum office.

The Sherman House is also allowing us to use their parking lot – please park ONLY in the row closest to the Spectrum office up against the guard rail.

Please do not park in the lot behind Findlay Car Craft Collision!

(From the Navy Office of Community Outreach)

Ensign Francesca Bejarano, a native of Findlay, Ohio, will graduate from the Navy’s Officer Candidate School (OCS) on Nov. 22.

Bejarano is a 2020 graduate of Findlay High School and a 2024 Ohio State University graduate.

“I joined the Navy to experience new opportunities such as meeting and leading diverse groups, traveling around the world, serving my country and continuing my family tradition of service,” said Bejarano.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Findlay.

“My hometown community taught me respect, initiative and inclusivity,” said Bejarano.

“Those values will help me become a transformational naval officer in the fleet.”

Learn more about Bejarano by clicking here.

The Findlay Police Department has released the bodycam footage of the fatal officer-involved shooting that occurred on October 28th.

At a news conference at the Findlay Municipal Building, Police Chief James Mathias said the officer acted appropriately when he returned fire after being fired upon by the juvenile suspect.

“I’m extremely proud of all of our officers, sworn and civilian personnel, for the work that they do each and every day for the citizens of Findlay, Ohio.” “We promote a safe and secure community through fair and professional policing.”

“My thoughts and prayers go out to all that were part of this critical incident as a department and also the loss of a life.” 

The other officer on the scene did not fire his weapon.

Police say the gun the juvenile used to shoot at the officer was recovered at the scene. 

Both are on leave as the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation continues its investigation.

Below is a description of the incident from the police department and the bodycam footage is at the bottom of the story.

The police department said, On October 28, officers were dispatched to Bernard Park (1105 Bernard Ave.) for a report of three juveniles consuming alcoholic beverages.

Officers arrived and located the three juveniles at the park.

During the investigation, a male fled on foot and an officer pursued.

During the foot pursuit, a male juvenile suspect discharged a firearm at the pursing officer.

The pursuing officer returned fire, striking the juvenile suspect.

Officers on scene immediately rendered first aid.

The juvenile was transported to Blanchard Valley Hospital and later to a Toledo area hospital in critical and died the next day.

The Lucas County Coroner’s Office identified the teen as Kalvin Darapheth, 17.

The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was contacted and has been leading the investigation.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Bridge Hospice Bereavement Services, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, will hold its Holiday Memorial Wreath-Making event in Findlay and Bowling Green in November and December.

The holidays can be a difficult time of year after experiencing the loss of a loved one. Community members attending these sessions will learn to create and display a wreath  in memory of their loved ones this holiday season. This activity is open to the entire family.

Bridge Bereavement Services will provide the materials needed to create a live evergreen wreath for participants to take home and decorate in a manner that reflects your loved one who cannot be physically with you this holiday season. Two sessions will be held for individuals and families, with bereavement staff and volunteers on hand to assist.

The Findlay sessions will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, November 27 at The Old Millstream Centre, Hancock County Fairgrounds, 1017 E. Sandusky St., Findlay.

Sessions in Bowling Green will take place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3, at the Bowling Green Community Center, Classroom B, 1245 W. Newton Road, Bowling Green.

Sessions will be scheduled in half-hour increments at both locations.

Pre-registration is required by November 22. Sessions are expected to fill quickly. Once spots are filled, registration will be closed. The event is free of charge.

To RSVP or learn more, please contact Bridge Hospice Bereavement Services by calling 419.423.5351.