(From Blanchard Valley Health System)
Happy New Year!
The first baby of 2024 delivered at Blanchard Valley Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, was born at 9:46 a.m. on Monday, January 1.
The parents welcomed a little boy, Jaxen Hendren, son of Reygin and Austen Hendren of North Baltimore.
Congratulations to the Hendrens!
(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reporting six fatal crashes resulting in seven fatalities on Ohio’s roadways during the 2023-2024 New Year’s holiday according to provisional statistics.
Of the seven fatalities, five of those killed were not wearing an available safety belt.
This is a decrease from the four-day reporting period last year when 13 fatalities were reported.
The four-day reporting period began at midnight on Friday, December 29, 2023, and ran through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, January 1, 2024.
Troopers made 3,259 traffic enforcement contacts; including 272 OVI arrests, 106 distracted driving and 409 safety belt citations.
The public is encouraged to continue using #677 to report dangerous or impaired drivers, as well as drug activity.
The Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation’s ‘Fun for All’ series of free community events will continue in 2024.
According to the Community Foundation’s website, the first event of 2024 will be ice skating at The Cube from 1 – 2:50 p.m. and 8 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, January, 13th.
“We’ve heard time and time again that finding affordable, family-friendly activities is a challenge in Hancock County. The Community Foundation is proud to provide Fun for All to help bridge the gap,” said Community Foundation President and CEO Brian Treece.
Brian says the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation is thankful to its community partners for making the events possible.
The Fun for All series started in January 2023.
(From the Ottawa Police Department)
On December 31, 2023, at approximately 11:47 hrs. Ottawa Police Department units were dispatched to the area of St Rt 65 at West Third Street, Ottawa, for a suspicious male complaint.
Officers arrived on the scene and located a male subject matching the description given.
While speaking with the male subject, officers became alerted by suspicious behavior and alarming statements made about the contents of the vehicle.
Due to public safety concerns, Officers then requested the assistance of the Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad.
At this time, this incident remains under investigation.
Agencies assisting with this incident include: Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Putnam County EMA, Putnam County EMS, Ottawa Fire Department, Northwest Ohio Bomb Squad (Toledo Police Department).
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says a driver led authorities on a pursuit after refusing to stop for a deputy.
It began at approximately 12:27 a.m. on Saturday, December 30th in the 1100 block of West Trenton Avenue in Findlay.
The sheriff’s office says a deputy tried to pull over a pickup truck for driving recklessly as it was leaving a gas station.
The driver refused to stop and led authorities on a pursuit westbound on US 224 into Putnam County at speeds upwards of 100 miles per hour.
The driver eventually crashed in the area of Road M-6 and Road 7-L.
Two occupants of the vehicle were located; a 22-year-old man from Findlay and 24-year-old woman from Fremont.
The driver of the vehicle was not located after fleeing from the crash.
The total distance of the pursuit was around 22 miles.
The investigation is ongoing.
Here are some of the many pictures, in no particular order, taken by WFIN News while covering stories in 2023. Have a Happy New Year!
May – Officer Bormuth of the Findlay Police Department (above) places his cap on a youngster’s head just as the Memorial Day Parade was about to begin on a sunny and warm Memorial Day.
May – A family poses for a picture with their new University of Findlay graduate after he completed the traditional Arch Ceremony after commencement on Saturday afternoon.
January – A look at a snowman some kids made next to Donnell Middle School on Wednesday as some heavy, wet snow was falling in Findlay.
February – Snapped a pic of whatever was going on here outside the Hancock County Courthouse yesterday while waiting for the light to change. Hope everyone had a good Valentine’s Day!
April – Saw this pack of pups enjoying a stroll on a nice Friday afternoon in Findlay just as they were about to come across a squirrel.
April – Dozens of people from a variety of countries became U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony at the University of Findlay.
April – A look at a couple of bald eagles in their nest just outside Findlay on a nice day earlier in the week.
May – Officer Dominic Francis was added to the Hancock County Fallen Officers Memorial in Findlay during the annual memorial ceremony.
May – It’s another hot one out there, and Harper’s mom tells us business has been brisk at her daughter’s lemonade stand on Center Street in Findlay, just down the street from the pool.
June – A look at the lunch crowd at Miller’s Root Beer and BBQ Stand across from Cooper Tire during their grand opening Monday.
June – The kids at Camp 911 in Findlay had a fun time learning about Officer Atkins and his K9 partner Deke.
June – Through the smoke and haze, the Hancock County Courthouse can be seen in the distance Wednesday afternoon in Findlay.
July – A look at some youngsters enjoying the Findlay 4th of July Parade.
August – A look at the Findlay Trojans student section celebrating a big play by the Trojans during last week’s season-opening loss to Central Catholic.
September – A look at some folks participating in the ‘Silent Watch’ event outside the Hancock County Courthouse this week to bring attention to the issue of mental health and suicide prevention involving our nation’s Veterans.
October – A look at the changing leaves in a Findlay neighborhood.
October – A lot of people lined both sides of South Main Street for the Findlay Halloween Parade earlier in the week with youngsters getting their hands on plenty of candy.
November – An excited pooch trying to say hi to a few dog friends on the sidewalk while his human was stopped at a light in Findlay the other day.
November – A local Vietnam Veteran claps as he and other fellow Veterans are honored during Chamberlin Hill Elementary’s 26th annual Veterans Day Program on Friday.
December – It was slow goin’ as crews moved a piece of an apartment building across town. This is a shot of it going south on South Main Street.
December – Findlay firefighters brightened the holidays for several kids by taking them Christmas shopping during the Shop With a Firefighter program in conjunction with Hope House and Walmart.
December – Findlay area police officers took kids Christmas shopping during Cops and Kids Go Shopping.
December – Wreaths Across America Day was on Saturday, and in this picture, a man salutes after placing a wreath at a Veteran’s grave at Findlay’s Maple Grove Cemetery.
The sentencing hearing was held for a man who previously pleaded guilty to charges related to a shooting in Findlay in April.
Isaiah J. Moore, 21, was sentenced to six to nine years in prison during his sentencing hearing on Friday in Hancock County Common Pleas Court in Findlay.
In November, Moore pleaded guilty to two counts of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, in connection with the April 8th shooting at a building on East Front Street that wounded two men.
The police department says officers responded that night to a building at 230 East Front Street in reference to a fight involving shots being fired.
The two men who were shot were treated at Blanchard Valley Hospital and are still recovering from their injuries.
Court records show that Moore had a jury trial scheduled for January but in November entered a plea of guilty to the two charges.
As part of the plea deal, a gun specification was dropped.
(From the Ohio Department of Transportation)
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) will close the rest areas on U.S. 23 in Wyandot County and U.S. 30 in Van Wert County on Thursday, Jan. 11, for demolition and replacement.
The work is anticipated to close the rest areas for approximately one year. The locations will be entirely closed with barricades, including the parking lots.
In Wyandot County, the northbound rest area is located near the village of Carey (mile marker 20.5), and the southbound is located near the city of Upper Sandusky (mile marker 17). The rebuild in Wyandot County will replace all existing structures and construct additional parking areas.
The Van Wert County rest areas are located on U.S. 30 near the village of Convoy (mile marker 8.5). The Van Wert project will replace all existing buildings and resurface parking areas.
The new facilities are expected to open in 2025.
The contractor for both projects is Mosser Construction, Fremont. The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) is administering the construction contracts.
The new structures will be a lodge-style design with everything under one roof, including larger restrooms with adult changing tables, a lobby area with vending and regional tourism information, and an attached and covered outdoor picnic area. Included in the new design are landscape upgrades that include Ohio native plants.
ODOT District 1 Deputy Director Chris Hughes notes that with the closures of the rest facilities, larger numbers of commercial trucks in the area may park for extended periods along highway entrance and exit ramps.
“We don’t anticipate any issues with the expected increase in trucks parked along ramps, but it is something to be aware of as a passing motorist,” he said.
Through the inconvenience during the closures, Hughes hopes the end result will remain the focus. “We’re excited to provide a fresh and welcoming travel experience for all motorists,” said Hughes.
The nearest open rest areas on U.S. 23 will be those just south of the city of Marion, and on U.S. 30, those to the east in Allen County, near State Route 65, north of the city of Lima.
In May, Governor Mike DeWine announced a plan to update 33 rest areas across 17 locations with all new buildings. Additional parking is also being added where possible. Ohio has 85 rest areas located along major highways, not including those maintained by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed House Bill 68, a Republican-backed bill that would have banned gender-affirming treatments for minors and transgender athletes from participating in girls’ sports.
The governor said these are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents with information from their doctors.
“These tough, tough decisions should not be made by the government. They should not be made by the state of Ohio. They should be made by the people who love these kids the most, and that’s the parents.”
The bill previously passed by large margins in both the Ohio House and Ohio Senate, and lawmakers could seek to override the veto.
Watch the news conference that aired on the Ohio Channel by clicking here.
People are invited to kick off 2024 with a New Year’s First Day Hike at Van Buren State Park.
The hike will go from 9 to 10 a.m. along the Yellow Trail on Monday, January 1st.
Hikers will meet at the Horse Camp parking lot located off Township Road 218.
The hike is weather dependent and hikers are reminded to dress for the weather.
Contact the Nature Center for more information at 419-836-9117.