(From the Findlay Rotary Club)

Chris Webb was installed as president of the Findlay Rotary Club at the Club’s weekly meeting on Wednesday, July 9, 2025.

Webb, born in Findlay, graduated from Riverdale High School and has a degree in Physical Therapy from The Medical College of Ohio at The University of Toledo and his Executive MBA degree from The Ohio State University. He served 24 years in the healthcare industry, including 14 years at Blanchard Valley Health System, before transitioning to the banking industry in 2019, working as a Market Executive for State Bank. He was previously a Rotarian in Defiance, before joining the Findlay Rotary Club in 2020.

In addition to Rotary, Webb has served on the Hancock County United Way Board of Directors, the Findlay Family YMCA Board of Directors, the Black Swamp Golf Classic and the University of Findlay College of Business Advisory Board.

Webb and his wife, Becky, have lived in their residence on the east side of Findlay since 2002. They have two children, Caleb and Rachel, and three grandchildren, Harper, Eli and Becca.

Other Rotary officers are: Irvin Reinhart, president-elect; Dotty DeWulf, treasurer, John Harrington, secretary; Andy Ritz, sergeant-at-arms; and Leah Brant, immediate past president.

Club board members include Webb, Reinhart, Jeff Fort, Brian Treece, Heather Clow and Sue Lehman. Outgoing board members are Brant, Richard (Dick) Zunkiewicz and Brent Sleasman. Incoming members for 3-year terms are Stacy Shaw, Jeff Young and George McAfee.

(In the picture above, incoming president Chris Webb stands with outgoing president Leah Brant)

(From the City of Findlay)

The Findlay Fire Department has been conducting live burn training this week at the STRICT Center (Simulated Tactical Response & Incident Command Training) at Fire Station #4.

Firefighters are shown here practicing essential techniques in the facility’s burn building, which provides a controlled yet realistic setting for live fire exercises.

Thank you, FFD, for your continued dedication to keeping our community safe!

Fire Chief Josh Eberle on the importance of training at the STRICT Center.

(From Blanchard Valley Health System)

In this “BVHS Minute,” meet the dedicated providers at Wellness Park Primary Care, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System: Angela Harden-Mack, MD; Amy Donnelly, APRN-CNP; Lindsay Hartman, APRN-CNP; and our newest team member, Ailing Chen, MD, a board-certified pediatrician.

With Dr. Chen’s expertise, our team is equipped to deliver exceptional care to patients of all ages. From pediatric visits to routine adult check-ups, Wellness Park Primary Care is here for your family at every stage of life.

Same-week appointments, onsite imaging, and lab services make quality care more convenient than ever.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 419.423.5344 or visit https://bvhs.info/4jN63Uk.

(From the United Way of Hancock County)

New and prospective foster families will be connected to local resources, advocates and those with lived experience at an upcoming event called Open Hearts, Open Homes.

The event will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at Hilton Garden Inn. It is being organized by Fostering Hancock County, comprised of representatives from Hancock County Job & Family Services, YWCA and United Way of Hancock County.

Job & Family Services Director Randall Galbraith said the state of Ohio and Hancock County in particular are experiencing a shortfall in the number of foster homes available to care for youth in the custody of children’s services agencies. This event was designed to address this shortfall by bridging new and potential foster families with essential resources to help them get started on their journey to foster care.

“Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of foster parents in Ohio has experienced a catastrophic decrease,” Galbraith said. “Locally, this has led Hancock County Job & Family Services to place children in our custody wherever we can find a willing home, often far outside of Hancock County, the child’s family, friends, and school. Our mission with this event is to educate and inspire families in Hancock County to open their homes to these youth.”

The evening’s presenters — both children and adults — have lived-experience in the foster system and will be available after the program to answer questions.

Attendance for those who are interested in becoming a foster family is complimentary, provided through community sponsorships.

Sponsorships are available for an individual seat ($35) or a table of six ($210). When making a sponsorship, individuals will have the option of choosing to attend the event themselves, or of simply sponsoring a seat or table for others.

To register as a potential foster family, click here.

To make a sponsorship, click here.

(From the Ohio State Board of Education)

Congratulations to the 11 outstanding Ohio educators who were named as the 2026 State Board District Teacher of the Year cohort!

From this cohort, four will be selected as finalists for the 2026 Ohio Teacher of the Year honor.

The District 1 Teacher of the Year is Chris Monsour of Tiffin City Schools. He is in the upper left in the picture above and his bio is below.

Chris Monsour earned his Bachelor of Science degree in May 1999 from Heidelberg University, originally planning to pursue a career in environmental biology. However, after graduation, he found himself without a job. At the same time, Tiffin City Schools was in desperate need of a high school science teacher. Chris began his teaching journey as a substitute for the first two years, during which he discovered his passion for teaching and the importance of obtaining a formal teaching license.  

Since then, Chris has pursued graduate work in biology, ecology, and inquiry, earning two master’s degrees: a Master of Arts in Education from Heidelberg University and a Master of Science from Montana State University. He has extensive experience developing course curricula and organizing field trips, laboratory exercises, service projects, and other hands-on activities that extend beyond traditional classroom instruction.  

Currently, Chris teaches a variety of advanced science courses, including College Credit Plus (CCP) Environment and Society, CCP Oceanus, CCP Anatomy and Physiology, Honors Biology, and AP Biology. Over the years, he has taught six different CCP courses while serving as an adjunct faculty member at the University of Findlay, Heidelberg University, and Terra State Community College. With 26 years of teaching experience, he has taught a wide range of subjects before finding his true calling in advanced sciences.  

Chris’s teaching background also includes four years as a student study session consultant for AP Biology, ten summers of teaching at the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth, where he served as both an instructor and the Academic Dean for Science and Math, and two summers teaching English as a Second Language at Tianjin Normal University in the People’s Republic of China.  

In addition to his teaching experience, Chris has participated in numerous global expeditions, both on land and at sea, which enhances his ability to keep students engaged and excited about the sciences.

(From Hancock Public Health)

Hancock Public Health is hosting a **Car Seat Check Event** on July 10, 2025!

Join us to make sure your little ones are riding safely and securely.

Time:

– Morning Session: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

– Afternoon Session: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Future events will be held on September 11 and November 13.

This free event is open to all! Bring your car seats, your questions, and let our certified technicians help you get everything adjusted just right. From infant seats to boosters, we’ll make sure your car seat is properly installed and tailored for safety.

Location: Hancock Public Health

No appointment necessary – just drop in! Whether you’re a new parent, a grandparent, or a caregiver, this is a great opportunity to make sure your family is as safe as possible on the road.

Share this post to help spread the word!

We can’t wait to see you there!

(ONN) – A new infrastructure report is out concerning the state of roadways and bridges in Ohio.

The report, from the American Society of Civil Engineers Ohio Council of Local Sections, lumps interstates, local, and rural roads together.

Ohio roads got a grade of D +, the same as national road grades.

Ohio bridges scored slightly above the national grade, receiving a C +.

The report shows 83 percent of Ohio Department of Transportation funding comes from federal and state fuel taxes which don’t go as far as they used to.

The governor’s office recently announced nearly $9 million in funding for the transportation improvement district to support 26 projects across the state.

(ONN) – Ohio lawmakers will return to the Ohio Statehouse in an effort to override some of Governor DeWine’s line-item budget vetoes.

Lawmakers will return to the Ohio Statehouse on Monday, July 21 to convene in the hopes of overriding three of the governor’s line-item vetoes from the state budget.

The Columbus Dispatch reports that the House will need 60 votes and the Senate will need 20 votes to be successful.

On the agenda are the property tax vetoes including the elimination of school district and local governments to levy replacement property taxes, the calculations related to levies and school funding, and county commissioner authority to reduce voter-approved school levies.

(ONN ) – The Cleveland Browns are facing another legal challenge over their proposed new stadium in Brook Park.

A group of Ohio residents is suing to stop unclaimed funds from being used to fund the project.

The lawsuit says it is illegal for the state to take private property for private use without compensation.

$600 million in funding was approved in the new state budget signed into law by Governor DeWine.

The plaintiffs are asking a judge to block enforcement of that law.

(From Hancock County Sheriff Michael Cortez)

To the Hancock County Community,

Thank you for your continued trust, support, and partnership. As your Sheriff, I am profoundly grateful for your collaboration and confident in our shared commitment to transparency, accountability, excellence, and professionalism.

Below is a summary of our key activities and accomplishments for June 2025.

Operational Statistics – June 2025

• Total Incidents Closed: 2441
• Traffic Stops Conducted: 370
• OVI/Reckless Operation Investigations: 23
• Traffic Crashes Investigated: 71
• Court Documents Served: 199
• Arrest Warrants Executed: 54
• Detective Bureau/METRICH Operations: Search warrants and continued investigations.
• Body-Worn Camera (BWC) Program: Maintained full compliance with Ohio Collaborative standards, and we are awaiting the opening of the grant this fall.
• Policy and Procedure Review: Ongoing departmental roundtables held; several revisions implemented and released
• Emergency Communications: 855 calls received through 9-1-1 services
• Corrections Division:

– Average Daily Inmate Population: 76

– Total Book-ins: 125 (including both felony and misdemeanor classifications, male and female)

– Internal Incidents Managed: 118

– Meals Provided: 7,796

Thank you for the continued privilege to serve

Respectfully,

Sheriff Michael A. Cortez