(From the Findlay Police Department)

On 06-05-24 at 0336 hours the Findlay Police Department received a 911 call regarding a female being strangled by her boyfriend in their room at the TownePlace Suites on Tiffin Avenue. Officers arrived on scene and located the victim. She had injuries consistent with being strangled. She reported that her boyfriend, 31 year old Jamie Hoverman of McComb, Ohio, was intoxicated. She reported that he assaulted her and strangled her to the point of unconsciousness several times throughout the evening. He had fled the hotel room on foot prior to police arriving on scene.

While officers were interviewing the victim, a separate officer located a pickup truck driving recklessly on Tiffin Avenue near Bright Road. The officer attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The pickup truck lost control and crashed on Bright Road near Shore Blvd. The driver, later identified as Jamie, fled from the crash on foot. The pursuing officer deployed a Taser on Jamie, subduing him and placing him under arrest.

The suspect (pictured below) complained of injuries from the traffic crash and was transported to BVH by HANCO EMS for treatment. After being medically cleared, he was transported to the Hancock County Justice Center for incarceration. It was then determined that the pickup truck Jamie had been driving was stolen from a nearby hotel. Jamie Hoverman was issued a traffic citation for driving with a suspended license, failing to maintain control, and not wearing a seat belt.

Jamie Hoverman was incarcerated at the Hancock County Justice Center on the following charges: Kidnapping (Felony 1) Strangulation (Felony 3) Receiving Stolen Property (Felony 4) Obstructing Official Business (Misdemeanor 2) Resisting Arrest (Misdemeanor 2) Failure to Disclose Personal Information (Misdemeanor 4).

(From Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County)

Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County held a home dedication ceremony for its 58th home on Tuesday.

Talisha Balicki and her two daughters will reside in Home #58 on Logan Avenue in Findlay.

Talisha is a single mother currently working as a state-tested nurses aid at the Heritage.

She began her journey with Habitat in 2021, frustrated with not having a stable place to raise her daughters.

“Home means roots being put down. A place to build memories, a place to gather no matter what age,” said Balicki. “Somewhere you’re comfortable and accepted and can always be yourself. Home is a place where my kids can always come to.”

Habitat will officially finish construction of its 59th home during a Home Dedication ceremony open to the public on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, at 4:30 p.m.

The ceremony on June 18 will be held at the build site, located at 201 Durrell Street, Findlay, Ohio. The program for the dedication will include a blessing, words from the new homeowners Troy and Morgan representing the Daughenbaugh-Gossman family as well as comments from Wendy McCormick, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County and Kelly Croy, Habitat’s Board President.

Troy, Morgan and their two daughters will reside in Home #59 on Durrell Street. Troy currently works at ValFilm and Morgan became a substitute teacher once both of their daughters were old enough to attend school. Although they both hold steady jobs, and work together to support their family, they were still unable to afford a home on their own.

They began their journey with Habitat in 2021, admitting financial stability has always been a challenge. Their decision to partner with Habitat, and the Financial Opportunity Center, has led them to a brighter future where they have paid off extensive credit card debt, and were selected as a partner family.

These are the first homes to be built by Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County in 2024. Both homes were built in just 10 weeks by nearly 600 volunteers representing many corporate build teams and organizations that enable their employees and team members to take part.

Both homes are Signature Homes, which are financed by the donors who bought a “piece of the house” during Habitat’s 2023 Signature Fundraiser. The presenting sponsor was Marathon Petroleum Corporation. Dream Builder Sponsors were Tim & Paula Aydt, Jon & PJ Burkin, Gary & Jane Heminger, Dave & Melissa Heppner, Rick & Tracy Hessling, Lynn McCord, Rodney & Barbra Nichols, Ohio Logistics, Brian & Stephanie Partee, Garry & Kathy Peiffer, Premier Bank, Scott & Laura Rhodes, State Farm – Dan Maciejewski, and Don & Carrie Templin. Many thanks to all the corporations and organizations that provided build teams for the home.

Through donations of money and materials and volunteer labor, Habitat is able to build a Habitat Home and sell it at an affordable price. The Balicki and Daughenbaugh-Gossman families qualified as a low-income family unable to qualify for a conventional loan who were willing to partner with Habitat and complete at least 400 sweat equity hours.

Habitat for Humanity is accepting applications from families now for new homes. To apply for a home or a home repair, visit habitatfindlay.org or call 419-429-1400.

(ONN) – Bowling Green city leaders are asking for the community’s input on a proposal to keep people from feeding wild animals.

The ordinance is a response to increased reports of aggressive wildlife throughout the city.

It would restrict any intentional feeding of wild animals including deer, squirrels, and turkeys.

Officials point out that the ordinance will not impact properties with bird feeders.

The ordinance will have a third reading at Monday’s city council meeting.

It will either be voted on or tabled for further discussion.

(ONN) – A new Ohio bill would cap the rate at which property taxes increase each year.

Some Republicans at the Ohio Statehouse think they have a solution to increasing property taxes.

A new amendment being proposed to the Ohio Constitution would see property taxes capped at 4 percent per year.

The proposal still needs to make it through the House and the Senate, and then the Secretary of State before it is passed.

The Wood County Sheriff’s Office says a bicyclist from Findlay died after being hit by an SUV.

The crash happened at around 5:20 Monday afternoon on State Route 281 at the Slippery Elm Trail in Rudolph.

The sheriff’s office says Andrew Bell, 32, of Findlay, was riding northbound on the trail and failed to stop at State Route 281, entered the roadway and was struck by an SUV.

Bell was life-flighted to a Toledo hospital where he died.

The crash remains under investigation.

The Findlay Police Department says the county 911 coordinator was notified of an issue with AT&T wireless calls on Tuesday afternoon. 

AT&T is advising that customers may or may not be able to call 911.

This is a nationwide outage for AT&T.

“Should you have an emergency and cannot contact 911 please try our non-emergency numbers,” the police department said. 

The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office number is 419-422-2424

The Findlay Police Department’s number is 419-424-7150.

Hancock County also has text to 911 that’s available and is working for AT&T users.

The police department said AT&T is advising of a repair date early morning on June 5th.

(From the United Way of Hancock County)

Shoppers are expected to spend over $2,000 in SNAP tokens this season at the Hancock County Farmers’ Market through a collaboration with United Way of Hancock County, the farmers’ market, Habitat for Humanity’s Financial Opportunities Center and the OSU Extension – Hancock County Office.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (called SNAP, and previously known as food stamps) can be exchanged for tokens each week at the farmers’ market. These tokens can be used to purchase market items including fresh produce, honey, hot sauce, baked goods, food plants and more.

Additionally, with each SNAP token, the customer receives a 1 to 1 match, up to $25, in Produce Perks. Tokens through the USDA-backed Produce Perks program can be spent on fresh fruits and vegetables and may be saved for use later.

Bobbie Sue Grenerth, volunteer interpretive planner for the Hancock County Farmers’ Market, said $2,461 in SNAP sales were captured during the 2023 market season. This, combined with $1,627 in Produce Perks sales utilized by 52 local households, yielded 1,914 servings of fresh fruits and vegetables accessed through these incentives.

Feeding America estimates that 11% of Hancock County residents are food insecure. Grenerth noted that partnerships such as this help market shoppers to stretch their food dollars further while supporting over 30 local vendors.

“Programs like these not only directly provide assistance to those in need of nutritional resources, they also support local farms and small business owners,” Grenerth said. “The farmers’ market is deeply appreciative of community partnerships with United Way of Hancock County, OSU Extension of Hancock County and the Habitat for Humanity Financial Opportunity Center to make these programs possible.”

Angela DeBoskey, CEO of United Way of Hancock County, explained the SNAP partnership with the farmers’ market was initiated in 2022 in direct response to anticipated cuts to emergency SNAP allocations brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As SNAP allotments were projected to fall, the United Way stepped in to help fill this gap by securing state funding for the project.

“In Hancock County, 2 out of every 5 kids don’t have enough food,” DeBoskey said. “We have wonderful partner agencies that are committed to feeding hungry people in our community. This collaboration complements those efforts well by giving families a unique, seasonal opportunity to choose their favorite produce items.

“We are happy to connect families to local producers, and we thank the Hancock County Farmers’ Market and county government officials for their partnership.”

The Hancock County Farmers’ Market is open every Thursday from 4-6 p.m. through the end of October at 200 W. Main Cross St. in downtown Findlay. Visit the Welcome canopy with your Ohio Direction card to get started using your SNAP benefits at the market.

Additional market programs include:

• Senior Nutrition Program: Vouchers are distributed to senior citizens by the local Agency on Aging. These state funds can be spent at grocery stores or the farmers’ market, and can be used on items similar to those for the SNAP program.
• POP Stars (Power of Produce): Kids ages 4-15 can sign up to receive $4 in tokens each week throughout the summer at the farmers’ market, to be spent on produce. This program, made possible through a partnership with Blanchard Valley Health System, is designed to encourage youth in food exploration and to build healthy habits.
• Third Thursdays: In addition to the traditional farmers’ market vendors, Third Thursdays include booths from service organizations, charities and community groups, along with performing artists and live cooking demonstrations.

(From the Hancock Historical Museum)

Community members are invited to shop the Hancock Historical Museum’s Book Sale taking place on the front porch of the historic Hull House on June 6 – 8.

Enjoy food from local vendors each day while browsing a variety of reference books and other historical works available for suggested donations of $10 or less.

“We have a variety of books that are not part of our collections and do not fit our collections policy, encompassing topics from history and law, to maps and many others,” said Sarah Foltz, Executive Director of the Hancock Historical Museum.

“We figured a fun book sale would be perfect to free up much needed storage space, and ensure each book makes it in the hands and on shelves of those who will care for them most.”

Book Sale Hours

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday, June 6 Featuring Pull Up & Grill Food Truck (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Friday, June 7 Featuring King’s Concessions Food Truck (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.)

9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Saturday, June 8 Featuring Bluffton Baking Co. Gourmet Cookies & Coffee (9 a.m. – 12 p.m.)

All proceeds from the book sale will go directly toward the museum’s annual operations.

In addition to the book sale, the museum’s gift shop offers a variety of local history and children’s books.

The gift shop is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday – Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

For more information about the event or the Hancock Historical Museum, visit Hancockhistoricalmuseum.org or call 419-423-4433.

(From the Hancock County Solid Waste Management District)

The Hancock County Commissioners, with the cooperation and approval of the Hancock County Solid Waste Management District have contracted with a 3rd party service provider, Rumpke of Ohio, Inc., to provide new collection bins and collection services that will replace the existing units throughout the County.

The current 40 yd blue pre-sorted recycling units will be removed and replaced with single stream 8-cyd collection bins. These new collection bins do not require the public to separate the materials for donation and will be serviced by the contractor.

The Hancock County Solid Waste Management District will still oversee the program and we are confident that these units will be serviced timely and regularly by Rumpke, reducing the onsite debris and contamination.

This change in service will be a benefit to our community as well as an improvement to Hancock County residents’ ability to use the collection bins at any time or times that they choose.

We are attempting to coordinate the removal of the old bins with the delivery of the new bins at all locations that have been available in the past, though these efforts may not be seamless at every site.

We are asking for your patience and understanding during this program transition. There may be delays or short interruptions in your ability to recycle at remote locations however recycling units will be available at all customary locations within a few days of removal of the old bins, at most.

Please be patient as we work together to improve the servicing of your recycling needs. The transition of units may take a few days, however remote recycling will be continuing.

With your continued support, we believe this recycling opportunity will make the recycling process easier and simpler for the public, promote the growth of the local recycling efforts, and further efforts to protect our environment.

In the midst of this transition period, please do not leave your recyclables on the ground in the absence of a collection unit.

If you encounter no bins at any of the usual remote recycling locations, the Litter Landing Facility, 1720 E. Sandusky Street, Findlay, has updated Rumpke bins in place to collect your materials during the transition.

Or, you can just wait a few days for the delivery of new bins to the site you are used to using.

Finally, please be aware that a county-owned empty lot at the northwest corner of East Main Cross Street and South Blanchard Street is being used for the storage of the old collection bins before they are disposed of. This is not a new collection site. Please refrain from leaving your recycling at this location, either in or out of the bins.

Again, thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during this transition. We look forward to continually working with you to provide recycling opportunities for our neighbors.

(ONN) – Oil and gas exploration and development continues in Ohio’s state parks.

A 2023 law requires the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to allow fracking for natural gas in Ohio’s public land and state parks.

Fracking is the process of injecting liquid into the ground a high pressure to extract gas and oil.

A request has been made to the state to open an additional 2,300 acres under Salt Fork State Park in Guernsey County for drilling.

Earlier this year, Infinity Natural Resources of Virginia acquired drilling rights there for $59 million plus a portion of royalties.

The state can, in fact, now offer these opportunities to the highest bidders.

There are 75 state parks in Ohio.