(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Effective January 20, Blanchard Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, will relocate its EasternWoods Women’s Health office to 1917 South Main Street in Findlay. The following providers associated with the move include Lorie Thomas-Schultz, DO, Aubrey Marcum, PA-C, Jodi Bollenbacher, PA-C, and Sarah Weihrauch, PA-C. The practice phone number will remain 419.425.8131.

“The team at Blanchard Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology is committed to providing quality gynecologic and reproductive care for women throughout their lives,” said Kelly Shroll, chief operating officer of ambulatory services. “These healthcare professionals tailor personalized care to each woman’s unique needs. Existing patients can expect the same high level of care at the new location. Additionally, we welcome new patients who may not have a regular women’s healthcare provider.”

The providers at Blanchard Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology have extensive experience caring for a wide range of diseases and conditions, including pelvic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, prolapse, urinary incontinence, menopause symptoms, fertility, and more. They can assist with family planning and contraception questions.  For gynecological conditions requiring surgery, our physicians will talk to patients about various innovative treatment options and develop an individualized treatment plan. Many procedures are performed using minimally invasive techniques, such as robotic surgery.

In addition to two Findlay locations (South Main and Wallace Streets), the Blanchard Valley Obstetrics & Gynecology team sees patients in Bluffton, Carey, and Ottawa. For more information, please visit bvhealthsystem.org/women

To make an appointment with a primary or specialty care provider at any Blanchard Valley Medical Practices location, please call 419.422.APPT. New patients are welcome.

(From the Findlay Police Department)

Officers were dispatched to 212 Ellis Ave around 0034 hrs. on January 10 for a report of an assault.

Officers arrived on scene and did not receive an answer at the door and were not able to make contact with any involved parties.

Around 0242 hrs. officers were dispatched back to 212 Ellis Ave for the same caller, this time reporting she was being assaulted and threatened with a gun.

She also stated the first time officers were at the residence the suspect refused to let her answer the door and took her phone so she could not call for help.

Officers arrived on scene and upon approach heard a male voice yelling inside the residence.

Contact was attempted with the subjects inside and they refused to answer the door.

Due to the reports of the victim being threatened with a gun and held against her will more attempts were made to call the occupants out of the house.

The Findlay Police Department Emergency Response Team was activated and a warrant was obtained to enter the residence and attempt to locate and check the welfare of the victim.

Final attempts were made to call the occupants out and two males exited the residence.

A search was then conducted and a third male was located inside.

The female victim was not located inside.

This incident will remain under investigation until the female victim can to located and interviewed.

Charges will then be requested at that time.

A second Chick-fil-A restaurant is coming to Findlay.

The Findlay City Planning Commission approved the site plan review for a Chick-fil-A at 1165 West Trenton Avenue.

The restaurant will be located on the south side of West Trenton Avenue, west of the intersection with Independence Square.

The restaurant will have 62 seats inside, 16 outside, and 79 parking spots.

It will have a two-lane drive-thru as seen at the Tiffin Avenue location, pictured above and below. 

Findlay and Hancock County are included in a Winter Weather Advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

The Winter Weather Advisory goes from late Friday afternoon until Saturday at 4 a.m.

Forecasters say 2 to 4 inches of snow is expected to fall during that timeframe.

Drivers should plan on slick driving conditions and slow down while traveling.

Get the latest forecast, weather alerts, and road alerts by clicking here.

(From the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts)

Marathon Center for the Performing Arts will host the Northwest Ohio Poetry Out Loud Regional Semifinal, beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 14. Students from the following schools will be participating, Toledo Early College and Millstream Career Center. Participants will be reciting poems in two rounds and one will be selected to move on to the Ohio Poetry Out Loud Finals in Columbus on February 7, 2025. The event is free and open to the public.

Poetry Out Loud encourages students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about literary history and contemporary life. Created by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud is administered in partnership with the State Arts Agencies of all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Teachers, librarians, or administrators register their high schools each year with the Ohio Arts Council and organize contests with one class, several classes, or a whole school. Contests, workshops, and multimedia program materials, including curricula, are free. Poetry Out Loud is aligned with Common Core and NCTE standards.

This is the ninth year that Marathon Center for the Performing Arts has served as the Northwest Ohio Regional Partner for this program which is sponsored by the Ohio Arts Council.

A man who was very instrumental in community development and was a well-respected businessman has passed away.

James Koehler has died at the age of 91.

Learn more about Jim and his full life in his obituary below from Coldren-Crates Funeral Home.

James Craig Koehler, age 91 of Findlay passed away on Monday, January 6, 2025 at his residence. He was born in Findlay on November 14, 1933 to the late Ralph and Gladys (Binau) Koehler.

Jim first married Jane L. Snyder, they later divorced and she is deceased. He then married Bonnie Kuhlman on February 12, 1988 and she survives. Also surviving are four children, Jeffrey James (Brenda Rickle) Koehler, Lisa Jane Chubb, Susan Elizabeth (Keith) Joy and James Craig (Tracy) Koehler II; step-children, Heath (Lisa) Rider and Heather Wilson; eleven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was also preceded in death by a daughter, Julia Jane Koehler and brothers, Henry E. and David L. Koehler.

From an early age of 8, Jim learned working for his family was expected and nonnegotiable. He came from a family of 5, with two older brothers who all had a hand in making their Nursery and landscaping business a success. Making flower deliveries to Churches on Sundays, during weddings, and funerals began at age 13. The only time off would be granted for playing baseball, football, or basketball. It was during his senior year of high school when he met his first wife that he learned there was a different way to earn a living. His then father-in-law, Pete Snyder was in real estate, played golf, and drove a new car while Jim and his family worked in the greenhouse 7 days a week. After spending time in the Air Force and attending college at The Ohio State University and graduating from Bowling Green State University where he earned his Brokerage license upon graduation, Jim began a very successful real estate career. He has developed over 85 subdivision plats with over 3,000 acres of ground in 75 years of hard work and determination. His vision for taking land and turning it into residential and commercial opportunities has helped put Findlay, Ohio on the map as the country’s top micropolitan city for economic development.

If you couldn’t find Jim at his corporate office in Findlay every day, you could catch him on the golf course or at a horse race. Jim was involved in the horse business for over 60 years, owning hundreds of top standardbred harness race horses with notables such as Won the West (currently residing at the Kentucky Horse Park Hall of Fame), Downbytheseaside (One of the top Studs in North America, Australia and New Zeeland, and most recently Pebble Beach (Son of Downbytheseaside standing stud in Ohio, Australia and New Zeeland). James was also noted for his philanthropic endeavors. He gave a large donation in the memory of his mother Gladys and father Ralph for the Koehler Center at the University of Findlay and he recently donated money for the ice arena renovations at Bowling Green State University. He was also a champion of Habitat for Humanity and the YMCA. He loved Findlay, Ohio.

A Celebration of Jim’s life and reception will be held at The Findlay Country Club on Sunday, January 12, 2025 from 12pm-3pm. A private funeral will be held at COLDREN-CRATES FUNERAL HOME on Monday, January 13, 2025 with Ken Zirkle officiating. Burial will follow in Maple Grove Cemetery, on the Koehler family plot. The Hancock County Veterans Memorial Squad will present full military rites. In lieu of flowers, donations can be directed to the James C. and Bonnie L. Koehler Scholarship Endowment Fund, sent to: University Advancement, University of Findlay 1000 N. Main St., Findlay, OH 45840. Online condolences can be shared with the family by visiting coldrencrates.com.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

Therapy animals are transforming healthcare settings by reducing anxiety, encouraging communication, and promoting faster recovery for all ages.

A little tail wag can make a world of difference.

Learn more in this “Weekend Doctor Column,” written by Heather Schalk, volunteer services coordinator, at Blanchard Valley Health System, by visiting https://bvhs.info/405fDeK.

Blanchard Valley Center, the Hancock County Board of Developmental Disabilities, has earned another 3-year accreditation from the state.

The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities conducts a review once every three years to determine compliance with state laws.

The accreditation team reviews the board’s policies and procedures including how well they provide support to people in Hancock County with developmental disabilities.

“A 3-year accreditation awarded by the state is a direct reflection of our continued efforts to exceed expectations set forth by state standards,” said Nadine Weininger.

Nadine added that one thing she believes they do exceptionally well is identifying the evolving needs of the population they work for and adapting as warranted.

Blanchard Valley Center serves people with developmental disabilities from birth through their entire lives.

Blanchard Valley Center is located at 1700 East Sandusky Street in Findlay.

(From the Ohio Department of Agriculture)

Ohioans can start planning visits to all of their favorite fairs across the state. The Ohio Department of Agriculture has released the official dates for the 2025 fair season, which includes Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair.

The Paulding County Fair will kick off the 2025 fair season on June 7, and the season will wrap up on October 11 with the Fairfield County Fair.

The Putnam County Fair will be held from June 23 – June 28 in Ottawa.

The Hancock County Fair will be held August 26 – September 1 in Findlay.

For the complete schedule, click here.

In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is responsible for helping to assure the safety of fair amusement rides, monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition, and coordinating animal health efforts with local veterinarians.

(From Seneca County)

Since he first took office, Seneca County Sheriff Fredrick Stevens has focused on renovating the jail and improving conditions for inmates. Extensive work throughout the jail created a healthier and more professional environment. Among many other projects, workers painted walls and replaced carpets, and exercise bikes and bigger televisions were added to the jail blocks.

One of the biggest obstacles Stevens faced was aging boilers that made heating the building difficult. The problem was addressed when the Seneca County Commissioners approved funding for an energy efficiency improvement project at the jail, which included the purchase of new boilers and new air handlers. The HVAC project began late last summer.

“This provides everything needed for heating and air-conditioning in the building, every day, 24/7,” Sheriff Stevens said.

The new boilers were scheduled to be installed first, to prepare the jail for the winter months, and then the air handlers were to be added, along with a remotely controlled operating system that would allow the jail’s maintenance supervisor to monitor and adjust temperatures off-site.

The original September completion date for the boilers was pushed to mid-October by the contractor, which subsequently pushed back the installation date of the air handlers. Currently, the boilers are installed, but installation of the air handlers is incomplete. Until the air handlers and remote control project is completed, the maintenance supervisor must adjust temperatures inside the jail manually.

Over the Jan. 4 weekend, an equipment problem caused the temperature to drop to a low of 66 degrees in one block. The boiler never quit working, and no part of the jail was without heat during the entire weekend. Throughout the months-long HVAC replacement project, the heat in the jail was only off once. During the first week of October, the jail was temporarily without heat, but the temperature in the block never dropped below 65 degrees.

The National Institute of Corrections requires an active response, such as issuing extra blankets to inmates, when the interior temperature drops below 68 degrees. During the heating issues over the Jan. 4 weekend, the lowest registered temperature was 66 degrees in the one affected block, just two degrees below the requirement. All jail inmates in the affected block were offered an extra blanket.

Because the heating problem was confined to only one block and only two inmates complained of being cold, jail staff did not believe the issue justified contacting maintenance. Had they done so, the maintenance supervisor would have willingly traveled to the jail to address the problem, just as he has done on many weekends and holidays.

“Our maintenance supervisor comes on weekends and holidays when needed. He is very dedicated,” Sheriff Stevens said.

When the maintenance supervisor arrived at the jail on Monday morning, he was soon able to address the problem and raise the temperature to 70 degrees, and the jail has experienced no further heating problems. On Jan. 6 and 7, temperatures inside the various blocks were 70 degrees or higher.

Once the contractor finishes the air handlers project and the remote system is in place, the maintenance supervisor will be able to monitor and adjust every block’s temperature remotely.

“After the air handlers are installed, we shouldn’t have any issues,” Stevens said.

Compassionate and responsible leadership has epitomized Sheriff Stevens’ term in office. He said he has worked hard the past four years to improve infrastructure and cleanliness at the jail, as well as the way his staff interacts with the public.

“As sheriff I take my responsibility seriously as I preach to my staff that every traffic stop or call for service on the road, every phone call answered by dispatch or staff, and every inmate in our jail should be treated like a family member of ours because it can be one of our family members,” Sheriff Stevens said.  “We have to have empathy and understand that we are charged with their health and welfare. That keeps me up at night.”