(From the Findlay Family YMCA)

Men Who Cook is BACK!

But will it be the return of the brisket mac-and-cheese?

Spend your Saturday, Nov. 1, with us at the Findlay Inn & Conference Center for food, football, and fun in support of a great cause.

Your participation supports the Open Doors Community Scholarship Campaign, which helps families in need access YMCA memberships and vital programs.

This year, local amateur and professional cooks will dish out tailgate-themed fare, all competing for the coveted winner’s apron (and your tips)!

With Coach Cliff Hite as our emcee, a cash bar, and football on the big screens, it’s going to be a night to remember.

Get your tickets now and help us open more doors for our community: https://tinyurl.com/yc3mz5kx

-Save the date: Saturday, Nov. 1

-Findlay Inn & Conference Center

-Who will earn your tip?

(From Owens Community College)

Owens Community College president Dr. Dione Somerville welcomed in a special year with the State of the College address, delivered at both campuses on Monday. The 2025-26 academic year is the 60th anniversary of Owens providing education and training to northwest Ohio.

Owens opened in 1965 as part of Penta County Technical Institute with 200 students, becoming Michael J. Owens Technical College in 1972 and finally Owens Community College in 1994.

During her speech, Dr. Somerville mentioned the more than 500,000 students who attended Owens for credit in its history.

“Milestones like this are rare, and they give us the chance to reflect, honor and look ahead,” she said. “We’ve navigated challenges that have reshaped higher education, including an enrollment cliff, a global pandemic and challenging legislation. And yet, through it all, Owens has remained steadfast. We’ve never lost sight of who we are or why we exist: to provide life-changing education and build stronger communities.”

The college has activities and celebrations planned throughout the school year to honor its 60 years. It started with an update of the college timeline on the walls of College Hall and includes a special commemorative commercial, featuring Owens alumni Dr. Angela Jackson, an optometrist, Al Mitchell, a nurse, and Wood County Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn.

More information on Owens’ 60th anniversary, including an updated list of events, can be found at owens.edu/owens60.

Coming on the heels of the exciting announcement of Owens’ first bachelor’s degree last week, Somerville talked about the Bachelor of Science in Nursing Completion Program. As it has done many times before, Owens has stepped up to help fill a need in the region, this time with a shortage of qualified nurses.

The BSN will be built on Owens’ well-established Associate of Applied Science in Nursing and will allow bachelor’s degree-seeking students to complete the BSN coursework online, making it a flexible, accessible option for busy professionals.

“This new program marks a bold step forward for both Owens and the region as we aim to meet growing workforce demands and expand access to affordable, high-quality education,” Somerville said.

The keynote speaker was Dean Monske, president and CEO of Regional Growth Partnership Northwest Ohio. Monske spoke about the importance of Owens training and educating the workforce in the region and its longstanding partnerships in various industries. Avi Zaffini, the president and CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, was also in attendance and spoke.

Dr. Somerville also recognized the winner of the Presidential Teach Award, Dr. Genesis Downey, a professor of English and director of the Honors Program. Downey received her Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Toledo, a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of Michigan and a Doctorate of Philosphy with a focus in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. She started at Owens as an adjunct faculty member in January 2002 before becoming a full-time faculty member eight months later. The Presidential Teaching Award selection is based on quality and innovation in teaching and commendable service to the college and/or profession. … Eligible faculty must be full-time tenured or tenure-track and have been with the institution for at least 1 full academic year.

Dr. Somerville also used the six objectives of the college’s strategic plan to highlight some of the recent successes and future plans:

Building a community of belonging

• Owens has been designated as a Voter Friendly Campus for 2025-26 by the Fair Election Center’s Campus Vote Project and NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education, demonstrating the college’s commitment to helping student register, stay informed and exercise their right to vote.
• Owens will welcome author Marian Schembari as the special guest for this year’s The BIG Read. Schembari is the author of “How an Autism Diagnosis Finally Made Me Whole,” the book being read during the yearlong event.

Expanding our partnerships

• Owens will welcome high school students on campus in October for the annual Jill of All Trades, which offers hands-on experiences to young individuals and introducing them to the possibilities of a career in the skilled trades.
• Owens continues a strong partnership with the Northwest Ohio Innovation Consortium, which supported the development and deployment of STEM summer camps at the college.
• This year, Owens joined with four other Ohio community colleges in receiving a share of a $5.7 million U.S. Department of Labor grant to train the next generation of manufacturing engineers and technicians.

Developing an agile framework

• Starting with Summer 2025 registration, Owens moved its student interface to Workday Student. It is the primary system of record for all student services, including course registration, advising, financial aid, student finances, grade submissions, transcripts and degree awarding.
• A feasibility study of the Findlay area is wrapping up. It will help Owens understand the current enrollment patterns at the Findlay-area Campus and explore opportunities for increased enrollment. Findings and recommendations will be released later in the Fall 2025 semester.

Deepening employee engagement

• The Employee Engagement Committee, which meets monthly throughout the year, has assisted in multiple events around campus, including the Health and Wellness Fair, Meal of Thanks, Healthcare Education Center Open House, Employee Service Awards Recognition and Toledo Pride Parade.

Ensuring a sustainable organization

• The new Healthcare Education Center represents a commitment to preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals for the region and beyond. With cutting-edge labs, modern classrooms and hands-on training environments, the Center gives our students the opportunity to gain the skills and confidence they need to succeed in high-demand careers.

Telling our story

• The award-winning Conversations podcast, where Owens president Somerville talks with a local or regional leader, is in its fourth season and continues to gain followers.
• The Owens.edu website is undergoing a redesign to make it more modern and user-friendly with more visuals and easier-to-navigate icons.

(From Liberty-Benton Local Schools)

GARNER TRUCKING NIGHT is almost here!

Join us this Friday, August 22, 2025, at Liberty-Benton Schools as we celebrate our partnership with Garner Trucking, Inc., the proud sponsor of our brand-new video scoreboard, generously gifted by the Brumbaugh Family Trust!

The Ottawa-Glandorf Pot is already at $1,000 and expected to grow to over $6,000 by the drawing at the end of the 3rd quarter — you won’t want to miss your chance!

-Gates open at 5:30 PM

-Game kicks off at 7 PM

Hosted by the LB Athletic Boosters and the School – thank you to all our amazing sponsors! #WeAreLB

The City of Findlay has received a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Forestry to hire an urban forester to conduct a risk assessment of trees within the city, create action plans to implement a Community Forestry Management Plan, and train city staff and the Shade Tree Commission.

The city says, if there are trees that are identified that need to be removed for safety/maintenance issues, the Urban Forester and Public Works Department will follow ODNR best practices to do so, which is a strict requirement of the grant guidelines.

The city says up to 300 trees could be replaced, many of which have been unmanaged and are in decline and pose a hazard for overhead and underground utilities as well as infrastructure like streets, curbs, and sidewalks.

Part of the grant funds will be used to plant 300 trees.

Findlay residents may request a tree on the city’s website through the Request a Tree Program.

The program planted 374 trees in 2024.

The Shade Tree Commission’s next meeting is September 3 at 3:30 p.m. at 318 Dorney Plaza Room 310. 

(ONN) – There’s news about the Ohio State football quarterback battle.

Head football coach Ryan Day announcing Julian Sayin as Ohio State’s starting quarterback against Texas.

Sayin is a junior from California and took the field four times last season against teams like Purdue and Western Michigan, totaling 27 snaps.

He and Lincoln Keinholz have been battling for the position all summer.

Day spoke about his decision for Sayin to start.

Ohio State hosts Texas on August 30 at noon. 

(From the Findlay Police Department)

The Findlay Police Department is pleased to announce the hiring of two new police officers, Brooklynn Downing and Emily Bornhorst. Both were officially sworn in this morning by Mayor Christina Muryn.

Downing, 21, is a graduate of McComb High School and attended Owens Community College with the goal of earning an Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice.

Bornhorst, 21, graduated from Newton High School and went on to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Bowling Green State University. She previously completed a 400-hour internship with the Findlay Police Department.

Both officers will attend the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy at the Ohio State Highway Patrol to obtain their Ohio Peace Officer Certification. Upon successful completion of the academy, they will be assigned to the department’s Patrol Division.

(From the Miracle League of Findlay)

Miracle League families, volunteers and supporters, it’s an exciting time for the Miracle League and the City of Findlay.   After several years of planning, community design and fundraising we are now ready for the final step in our $450,000 expansion. 

Installation of the fitness equipment! 

The project team elected to do a community build for the Fitness Park which results in a savings of approximately $38,000 worth of labor value vs having the vendor install the equipment.  By having the community build it provides a way to let the community participate and support this great project.  It also allowed us to maximize the amount of equipment for the Fitness Park.

The equipment has started to arrive and the site work will begin later this month. 

Final step is a call for volunteers who want to help with the 2-3 day process to install the fitness equipment.   We need individuals that are handy and can work with their hands and follow written instructions.   We will be installing 36 pieces of exercise equipment around the ballfield.   We will have supervisors from the vendor to lead us and help with the installation.  

One important role we need is someone that can layout the parts and equipment for the various work teams for each day.  If this is something that you would like to do please let me know.  Tools will be minimal –  impact drills, screwdrivers and wrenches.   Each day we will have two 5 hour shifts for a total of 10 hours each day.  We would prefer a 10 hour day but can handle 5 hour shifts if that works better with your schedule.  Lunch and water will be provided each day.   

For planning purposes we are looking at the following tentative schedule: Weather permitting

 Day zero  September 22nd (Monday), (no volunteers needed, layout of the site by Penchura, City of Findlay and the Project Team):

 Day 1 – September 23rd (Tuesday),   7:30am to 12:30 and 1pm to 6:00pm    

 Day 2 – September 24th (Wednesday),   7:30am to 12:30 and 1pm to 6:00pm  

 Day 3 – September 25th (Thursday),  7:30am to 12:30 and 1pm to 6:00pm (contingency day)

We need 20-25 volunteers for each hour of work.   We will break up into smaller independent teams and assemble the fitness equipment around the outside of the Miracle Field.  Please feel free to pass this onto family and friends who might like the opportunity to help out in this final step.   

Send Brad Koller your name, dates and times you want to help.   He will build a schedule and send it out to the daily volunteer teams. 

If you have any questions or want additional information please contact Brad Koller at (734) 395-5725.   If you can volunteer please email back at (goclev31@aol.com). 

(ONN) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine is sending the Ohio National Guard to the nation’s capital.

150 members of the Ohio National Guard will aid in the president’s federalization of law enforcement as added security.

None are active law enforcement in Ohio.

The governor’s announcement comes as demonstrators against the federal takeover gathered to shine a light on the president’s actions.

More than 700 National Guard troops are already patrolling the city.

The president says the National Guard is needed to combat crime and make the city safe.

(From Findlay City Schools)

Get ready, Trojan Nation!

Join us for the Trojan Country Kickoff on Friday, August 22 from 5:00–6:30 PM at Donnell Stadium — right before the first home football game of the 2025 season!

Bring the whole family for:

-Bounce Houses

-Obstacle Course

 -Face Painting

 -Concessions

-District Support Organizations

 -Trojan Spirit Wear

…and so much more!

Let’s fill the stands with Trojan pride and kick off the year together! Don’t miss out! 

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Birchaven Village, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS), is pleased to announce a new partnership with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Through this collaboration, Birchaven Village is now accepting VA insurance, opening the door for more local veterans to access high-quality senior care services and residential options.

This partnership allows eligible veterans to use their VA benefits to help cover the cost of living expenses and care at Birchaven Village. This includes short-term rehabilitation stays, long-term care, and memory care. The new agreement further supports Birchaven’s mission to provide exceptional, compassionate care while honoring those who have served our country.

“We are deeply committed to serving the needs of our community, and we are especially privileged to work with the veterans in our area,” said Judith A. Bishop-Pierce, LNHA, Director of Residential Care at Birchaven Village. “Our team is proud to provide the highest standard of care and support for those who have served our country, and this partnership with the VA ensures they have greater access to the services they deserve.”

Birchaven Village offers a full continuum of care to seniors living in Hancock County and the surrounding region. For those looking to simplify their lifestyle, Birchaven provides condominiums that are available for purchase within a vibrant and welcoming community. For individuals needing a bit more assistance, the campus features both independent and assisted living apartments available in various floor plans to suit personal preferences and care needs.

Birchaven also offers adult day services in the memory care unit. The Julien A. Faisant Adult Day Center serves the dual purpose of maintaining an individual’s maximum level of independence while providing relief, support, and education to caregivers and families of the participants. The Center provides family members with the necessary support to allow them to work outside the home or enjoy much-needed respite time.

For seniors recovering from surgery, illness, or a recent fall, Birchaven is recognized as Findlay’s premier rehabilitation destination. It offers skilled nursing and personalized therapy services. Additionally, Birchaven provides long-term care and specialized memory care, delivering support in a warm and respectful environment that prioritizes dignity and quality of life.

Veterans and their families who want more information about eligibility, available services, or how VA insurance can help cover care costs are encouraged to call Birchaven Village at 419.425.3850 or visit our website at birchaven.org.