(ONN) – The Ohio State Highway Patrol says fatal and serious injury crashes are down by 20 percent over the last year.

But, there’s still room for improvement and the state is requesting $150,000 to study the effects of distracted driving zones.

There are 12 distracted driving zones in the state of Ohio but the Highway Patrol is focusing on four of them, including one in Delaware County along Interstate 71.

Distracted driving zones have a dedicated Highway Patrol trooper to watch people if they’re on their phones.

A company called Cambridge Analytics plans to pull driving data from mobile devices to see whether or not people who are driving in these areas are touching their phones while driving.

Based on their studies, these distracted driving zones could be moved to other areas where drivers are at greater risk.

In 2020, the stretch of Interstate 75 between Findlay and Beaverdam was designated a Distracted Driving Safety Corridor with extra enforcement and higher fines.

A stretch of State Route 568 is closed for construction of the pedestrian bridge portion of the Blanchard River Greenway Trail extension project.

The City of Findlay says the closure began on Monday, October 30th and will go from Bright Road to County Road 236, lasting for approximately 45 days.

The pedestrian bridge will be located north of the existing State Route 568 bridge and take people over the Blanchard River.

This extension of the Greenway Trail will take it to County Road 236, and in the future, the city says it wants to extend the Greenway Trail from County Road 236 out to Riverbend Recreation Area.

Anyone with questions about the project may call the City of Findlay Engineering Department at 419-424-7121.

(From Troop 308)

Hancock County’s first female Eagle Scout, Lydia Eckleberry, was recognized at Troop 308’s Court of Honor on Sunday, October 29th.

Lydia is a founding member of St. Mark’s Troop 308.

Earning the rank at 12 years old when passing her Board of Review on May 18th, making her one of the youngest Eagle Scouts ever.

After earning the rank, she went to National Youth Leadership Training. Then to Camp Berry’s 100th anniversary summer camp. And on to the 2023 National Jamboree.

For her Eagle project she worked with American Legion Post 3 to Retire 1,460 American Flags.

She collected flags from The American Legion, The Amvets, The VFW, The Scouts BSA office, and The City of Findlay.

The Findlay Police Department has released the name of the person who was found dead inside a vehicle that had entered a retention pond.

Police say it happened near 1020 Interstate Court at around 6:15 Saturday night.

The first officers arrived on the scene as the vehicle sunk below the water approximately 30 yards from the bank.

Witnesses advised they did not see anyone exit the vehicle.

The Hancock County Dive Team was contacted and arrived on the scene to recover the vehicle.

Once the vehicle was recovered it was learned the driver and sole occupant was still inside and was deceased.

Police identified the driver as Eric Czaplicki, 33, of Findlay.

Police say no foul play is suspected but the incident remains under investigation.

Assisting on scene was the Findlay Fire Department, Hanco EMS, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Hancock County Coroner’s Office, Dick’s Towing, and Life Flight.

(From Fostoria Economic Development Corporation)

The Splash Pad-Soak Park at City Park in Fostoria is slated to break ground next summer. In May, Vision 2020 with the assistance of volunteer fundraising chair, Don Mennel, began raising funds to demolish the dilapidated swimming pool at City Park along with the bath house, slide, and concession stand and replace them with a Splash Pad – Soak Park. The initial cost estimates for the Splash Pad were $550,000. Vision 2020 set out to raise $200,000 from private donations. These donated funds were to be combined with a $150,000 allocation from the Ohio State Capital budget, City of Fostoria’s $100,000 allocation from the 2024 budget and $100,000 from the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation.

Vision 2020 successfully collected $274,686 from local donations with $35,500 in multi-year pledges still coming in. In addition, Vision 2020 secured grants from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for $446,770, Findlay Hancock County Community Foundation for $25,000, Terhune Foundation for $25,000, Henry H Geary Memorial Foundation for $10,000 and The Andersons Foundation for $10,000, allowing us to not only construct a better Splash Pad-Soak Park but also construct an ADA compliant bath house with restrooms from the $1,116,456 raised thus far.

Don Mennel, Volunteer Fundraising Chair, “We are so pleased with the tremendous support of this community project. The Splash Pad-Soak Park fundraising, planning and construction demonstrates the success achieved when public/private partnerships are used to achieve a Vision for the youth of Fostoria.” According to Mayor, Eric Keckler, “The Splash Pad is an example of what can be accomplished when various entities, individuals, and businesses work together for a community project. I am excited to see this project come to fruition in 2024.”

Poggemeyer Engineering/Kleinfelder is assisting with the project and have worked with Vision 2020 and City leadership to select a theme and tentative design with the goal of project completion next summer.

Vision 2020 is a 501(c)3 charitable organization with a mission of supporting community initiatives.

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Freeze Warning issued by the National Weather Service.

The Freeze Warning will be in effect from 10 p.m. Monday until 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Forecasters say sub-freezing temperatures as low as 26 are expected.

Frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly.

Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.

Get the latest forecast by clicking here. 

The Findlay Police Department says a person was found dead inside a vehicle that had entered a retention pond.

Police say it happened near 1020 Interstate Court at around 6:15 Saturday night.

The first officers arrived on the scene as the vehicle sunk below the water approximately 30 yards from the bank.

Witnesses advised they did not see anyone exit the vehicle.

The Hancock County Dive Team was contacted and arrived on scene to recover the vehicle.

Once the vehicle was recovered it was learned the driver and sole occupant was still inside and was deceased.

Police identified the driver as Eric Czaplicki, 33, of Findlay.

Assisting on scene was the Findlay Fire Department, Hanco EMS, Hancock County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team, Hancock County Coroner’s Office, Dick’s Towing, and Life Flight.

Police said the incident remains under investigation but no foul play is suspected.

A Hancock County jury has found a man guilty in the shooting death of a police drug informant in Findlay.

Eric A Reed, 50, of Fort Worth, Texas, was convicted of aggravated murder and two counts of having weapons while under disability.

Authorities say Reed killed Brian McQuistion in 2017 as retaliation after McQuistion gave police information resulting in drug charges against Reed’s nephew.

Reed will be sentenced on Tuesday afternoon in Hancock County Common Pleas Court.

He could be sentenced to life in prison.

(From the Hancock Park District)

To celebrate International Bat Week, we are happy to announce the conclusion of our Bat Condo at Aeraland Recreation Area, a project which started in late summer.

The condo is 8’ x 8’ wide & 8.5’ high, and is designed to hold up to 10,000 mother bats and their young.

Hancock Park District would like to give a special thank you to Brandon Burrow and all volunteers, Marathon Petroleum Company, Alvada Construction & Hancock-Wood Electric for making this project possible.

It is estimated that approximately 400 volunteer hours went into this project.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers to slow down after pulling over a driver for going more than 100 miles per hour on Interstate 75.

The Highway Patrol posted a picture on social media of the traffic stop made by a trooper from the Lima Post.

“No matter how safe of a driver you think you are, there is no excuse for 109 mph! Speed limits aren’t a suggestion, they are the law. Since 2018, there have been 1,910 speed-related fatal crashes on Ohio roadways.”