(From Whittier Primary)

Meet Jules, our beloved school therapy dog!

Jules is more than just a furry friend—she’s a calming presence, a source of comfort, and a big supporter of our young learners and staff too.

Whether it’s a wagging tail during reading time, a gentle nuzzle to ease worries, or simply her joyful energy brightening our halls, Jules helps create a warm and welcoming environment for everyone.

We’re so lucky to have Jules as part of our school family, spreading love and making a difference every day!

The Humane Society & SPCA of Hancock County is reminding people to look out for their pets during this extremely cold weather.

Hancock County Dog Warden Dana Berger says outside pets need to have food, water, and shelter that they can access.

And he says, with as cold as it’ll be the next several days, you should bring in outdoor pets even if just into a spare room or a garage. 

People who have a dog staying in a dog house should consider moving the dog house into a garage or barn.

Horses should be given blankets and have a spot out of the wind.

(From GoFundMe)

Betty Sharrer and her son Robert experienced a devastating house fire, leaving their home a complete loss.

Tragically, they did not have insurance, so they face the overwhelming challenge of starting from scratch.

Betty dedicated 36 years of her life as a beloved school teacher in Arlington, making a positive impact on countless students and their families.

Now, Betty and Robert need our help to rebuild their lives and find hope after this heartbreaking loss.

Any donation, no matter how small, will make a meaningful difference in helping them recover and rebuild.

Thank you for your kindness and support during this difficult time.

(above pic courtesy of Stacy Sharrer via GoFundMe)

(From the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office)

Gage Ebert, a corrections officer with Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office, was nominated by his shift supervisor, Sgt. Mullholand for the “Life Saving Award” stemming from an incident that happened on January 1, 2025.

Ebert was able to stop an inmate that was in the process of inflicting self harm upon themselves. Ebert quickly intervened and was able to save a human life.

We would like to congratulate Gage and present him with the Life Saving Award Certificate and Ribbon.

Sheriff Todd D Frey

The Findlay Police Department says a driver was injured in a hit-skip crash.

Police say John Wright Jr., 63, of Findlay, was stopped for traffic southbound in the 2800 block of South Main Street on Friday afternoon when his Kia Soul was rear-ended by a Cadillac SRX being driven by Joy Risner, 34, of Carey.

Police say Risner left the scene of the collision but was later located by Hancock County Sheriff’s deputies and returned to the scene.

Wright Jr. was taken to Blanchard Valley Hospital for possible back and neck injuries.

Risner was cited for OVI, leaving the scene, and assured cleared distance.

(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)

On January 18, 2025, at approximately 12:40 A.M. troopers with the Lima Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a call on Slabtown Rd. just north of Searfoss Rd, Allen County, for a report of a crash where a vehicle rolled over and the driver was ejected.

Keith A. Lackey, age 56, of Lima, was operating a 1998 Ford Explorer northbound on Slabtown Rd. and drove partially off the right side of the roadway. The vehicle re-entered the roadway and began sliding sideways and drove partially off the left side of the roadway. The vehicle then re-entered the roadway and rolled over several times, ejecting the driver before coming to final rest on the right side of the roadway in a ditch.

Mr. Lackey was transported to St. Rita’s Mercy Health Hospital by Columbus Grove EMS where he was pronounced deceased. Mr. Lackey was not wearing a seatbelt, and alcohol is suspected as a possible factor in the crash.

Assisting troopers on scene were deputies with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, Columbus Grove EMS, Cairo and Monroe Township Fire and EMS and Miller Performance. The crash remains under investigation.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol would like to remind motorists to never drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and always wear a properly adjusted seatbelt.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has selected Lt. Governor Jon Husted to fill the U.S. Senate seat left open when Vice President-elect JD Vance resigned.

Husted will join Bernie Moreno as the other U.S. Senator from Ohio.

Moreno defeated longtime Ohio U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown in November.

Husted will serve in the U.S. Senate through 2026 and would have to run for reelection that fall if he wanted to keep the seat.

Ohio law states that the winner of the November 2026 election would serve the remainder of Vance’s term, through 2028.

Governor DeWine also will have to appoint someone to serve as Lt. Governor for the next two years.

(From Ohio State University)

Urban Meyer, the third-winningest coach in Division I history who led Ohio State to a national championship, three Big Ten Conference titles and seven wins over Michigan during a seven-year tenure as head coach, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame this year as a member of the 2025 class. The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame announced the 22-member class – 18 first-team All-America players and four standout coaches – today.

The 2025 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 67th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 9, 2025, at Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

The inductees will also be recognized at their respective collegiate institutions with NFF Hall of Fame On-Campus Salutes, presented by Fidelity Investments, during the fall.

Meyer coached the final game of a coaching career that places him alongside legends on Jan. 1, 2019 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. His Buckeyes defeated Pac 12 champion Washington, 28-23, to cap a 13-1 campaign.

Meyer’s Ohio State Buckeyes were, for seven seasons, on top of the college football world. The team won the inaugural College Football Playoff national championship in 2014 and won Big Ten Conference titles in 2014, 2017 and 2018. His teams never finished worse than first in the Big Ten’s divisional standings, and his Buckeyes were dominant in Big Ten games with a best-ever 7-0 record vs. Michigan and a 54-4 overall record in Big Ten games, including an NCAA record 30 consecutive conference victories.

His Buckeye teams were 83-9 overall, including the sixth unbeaten/untied season in school history in 2012 (12-0), a record-tying 14 wins in 2014 and the two longest win streaks in school history: 24 and 23 games.

Meyer’s 17 seasons as a head coach featured a record of 187-32 that positions him with the third-highest winning percentage in college football history at .853, trailing only Hall of Fame coaches Knute Rockne and Frank Leahy.  

Off the field, Meyer’s development of players included “Real Life Wednesdays,” a series of speakers – CEOs, money managers, pro athletes, etc. – who addressed the team in life experiences and pursuits to ensure they were prepared for life after football.

Meyer announced his retirement from coaching on Dec. 4, 2018, 18 years to the day he was named to his first head coaching position – Dec. 4, 2000 – at Bowling Green State University.

Urban Meyer Coaching Career
Meyer’s coaching career began at Bowling Green, where he orchestrated a dramatic turnaround, making the Falcons the first Mid-American Conference (MAC) team to go 3-0 against BCS opponents in a single season (2001) and posting a 17-6 record during two seasons.

He then took over at Utah, leading the Utes to a 22-2 record in two seasons, including their first undefeated season (12-0) since 1930, their first-ever BCS bowl appearance (Fiesta Bowl), and the first back-to-back Mountain West Conference (MWC) titles in league history. The Utes finished No. 21 after the 2003 season with a win in the Liberty Bowl. The Fiesta Bowl win made history as the first time a team from a non-automatically qualifying BCS conference played in a BCS bowl, earning the Utes the distinction as the inaugural “BCS Buster.” The Utes would finish at No. 4 in the final AP Poll after the 2004 season, and quarterback Alex Smith (a 2024 Hall of Fame inductee) was a Heisman finalist and eventual No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

At Florida, Meyer won two national championships (2006, 2008) and two SEC titles (2006, 2008) with an overall record of 65-15 during his six seasons in Gainesville. Meyer’s Florida tenure included a 22-game winning streak, one of four separate 20-game winning streaks he achieved across his career—the only coach in major college football history to do so. He also coached 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and 2023 Hall of Fame inductee Tim Tebow, who won the Campbell Trophy.

Meyer’s success continued at Ohio State. When he guided the team to the national championship in 2014, he became the first modern-era coach to win a national championship in two different conferences and one of only two to do it at two different schools (fellow 2025 inductee Nick Saban being the other).

Meyer set a major college record with 165 wins in his first 15 seasons. His postseason success was equally impressive, with a 12-3 bowl record (78.5% win rate), the second-highest in FBS history.

In total, Meyer coached 44 first-team All-Americans, 77 first-team all-conference players, four NFF National Scholar-Athletes (two at Florida, two at Ohio State) and two College Football Hall of Fame inductees. He won seven conference championships overall. He was named the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year in 2004, and he was named the conference Coach of the Year three times (MWC in 2003, 2004 and MAC in 2001).

Beyond football, Meyer has made a lasting impact through civic service, serving on the boards of the Veterans Golfers Association, Folds of Honor, and the Tim Tebow Foundation. He and his wife established the Urban and Shelley Meyer Fund for Cancer Research at Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Meyer earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Cincinnati (1986), lettering one season (1984) with the Bearcats as a defensive back. While launching his coaching career as a graduate assistant with the Buckeyes, he earned his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1988. Meyer’s coaching career also includes assistant positions at Illinois State, Colorado State and Notre Dame. He was the head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021.

He is a member of the Utah Athletics Crimson Club Hall of Fame, the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, and the Ashtabula County Football Hall of Fame. He currently serves as a host and analyst on FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff.

Ohio State Head Coaches in the College Football Hall of Fame (8)
Name – Years at Ohio State   Inducted
Urban Meyer – 2012-18        2025
Jim Tressel – 2001-10           2015
John Cooper – 1988-2000      2008
Earle Bruce – 1979-87           2002
Woody Hayes – 1951-78       1983
Francis Schmidt – 1934-40    1971

(above pic courtesy of Columbus Wired)