The northern half of Hancock County is still listed as being in Extreme Drought in the latest map released by the U.S. Drought Monitor on Thursday, and the overall Extreme Drought designation has expanded.
The southern half of the county is listed in Severe Drought. Click here to see the map.
The Extreme Drought designation also extends up into Wood County and over into parts of Putnam and Henry Counties and even further west.
Get the latest forecast and weather alerts by clicking here.
(From the Findlay-Hancock County Community Foundation)
Congratulations Findlay City Schools!
The Allan H. Davis Fund has awarded its annual civic education grants.
$150,000 will support incredible programs like Youth in Government, We The People Competition, Trojan Trailblazers, and Blue & Gold student publications.
These funds help prepare our next generation of civic leaders!
(ONN) – The Ohio Senate has voted to override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto regarding property taxes.
The Ohio House voted to override the property tax veto in July and now the Ohio Senate has followed suit.
Ohio will be eliminating both emergency and replacement property tax levies that schools and local municipalities rely on for funding.
The Cincinnati Enquirer reports that the measures will not provide meaningful property tax relief but will have a direct negative impact on school districts.
This comes just one day after a DeWine task force released a 20 point plan to address property tax relief.
(From the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum)
A new exhibit, “A Storm of Horses: The Art of Ruth Sanderson,” will be unveiled at the University of Findlay’s Mazza Museum on Thursday, October 9.
Author/illustrator Sanderson will present her equine-themed work at an opening ceremony from 6 to 7 p.m. Following her presentation, there will be book sales and autographing in the Mazza Gift Shop.
The public is invited to learn more about her subject matter – French artist Rosa Bonheur, a unique 19th century painter of horses – and enjoy a campus visit of real-life horses, courtesy of UF’s equestrian program.
Dan Chudzinski, director of the Mazza Museum, said the exhibition features Sanderson’s original art – from storyboards and preliminaries to her final, published oil paintings.
“Ruth created an inspiring picture book telling the story of Rosa Bonheur, who wanted to be a famous painter in the 1800s, at a time when female artists typically painted scenes from family life,” he noted. “But Rosa was committed to capturing the unbridled wild beauty of horses.”
Sanderson’s book explains how Bonheur’s masterpiece, The Horse Fair, which is eight feet tall and 16 feet wide, propelled her to become a celebrated artist with paintings in museums and galleries worldwide. It is now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.
Sanderson has more than 90 published children’s books, including many fairy tales. She illustrated the first Black Stallion paperback covers and has illustrated many chapter book horse stories, including the Horse Diaries series.
A graduate of Paier School of Art in Connecticut, she has always loved horses, and her first oil painting at age 14 was a horse portrait, Chudzinski noted.
After visiting Mazza for the first time in 2022, Sanderson felt that her equine-themed illustrations should become part of the museum’s permanent collection, he explained.
“Ruth loves to share her artistic techniques to inspire other horse-loving young artists,” said Chudzinski, adding that Sanderson will be presenting to students from Arlington and Ridgedale schools earlier in the week.
She recently created a book Drawing Horses that is a guide to drawing realistic horses and suggested for aspiring artists ages 8 and older.
The “Storm of Horses” exhibition and event are part of UF’s Homecoming celebration that takes place from October 9 to 12.
The event is also a collaboration with and a prelude to the University equestrian studies program’s 50th anniversary that will be celebrated in 2026.
(From the Findlay Police Department)
Officers were dispatched to a report of a robbery that had taken place at Dick’s Sporting Goods (1960 Tiffin Ave) at 1757 hours on 10/1/2025.
It was found that four suspects had stolen approximately $6500 worth of merchandise from the store.
Store employees attempted to take pictures of the suspects and one suspect threatened to shoot the employee for doing so.
The suspects then fled the area in a black Jeep Compass with a temporary registration.
Officers located this vehicle on CR 99 approaching I-75 and initiated a traffic stop with it.
As a result, the four suspects were taken into custody and the stolen property was recovered.
Also recovered were criminal tools used to remove magnetic tags from items.
Suspects are as follows – Shanae R Grier (22yoa) Toledo, OH Antionna F Boone (19yoa) Sylvania, OH
Two juveniles
(From Blanchard Valley Health System)
Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) is pleased to announce that longstanding community cardiologists, Greg Gerschutz, MD, and David Meier, MD, will join Blanchard Valley Medical Practices (BVMP), effective November 1, 2025. Each physician brings over 20 years of dedicated service to BVHS—their integration into the medical group—alongside Mike Denike, MD, and Pamela Reed, MD—marks a significant milestone in the evolution of the cardiovascular program.
As part of this transition, we are also excited to welcome Jeremy Clark, APRN-CNP, and Amy Sloan, APRN-CNP to BVMP. Clark and Sloan are experienced advanced practice providers who have worked closely with Drs. Gerschutz and Meier, and their addition further strengthens our commitment to comprehensive, team-based cardiovascular care.
“At BVHS, our mission is rooted in ensuring access to high-quality, compassionate care close to home,” said Kelly Shroll, FACHE, Chief Operating Officer, Ambulatory Services.
“Through strategic partnerships, advanced technology, and the recruitment of experienced physicians and providers who embody the patient-first philosophy, we are building a cardiovascular program that delivers exceptional care while keeping the patient at the center of every decision.”
As part of the initiative to bring Dr. Gerschutz and Dr. Meier on board, BVMP is investing in a second Findlay clinic location – Heart & Vascular Specialists of Northwest Ohio – Lake Cascades. The new office, situated at 1721 Medical Blvd, Suite A, is conveniently located near Blanchard Valley Hospital, making integrated care easy to access. Dr. Gerschutz and Dr. Meier will continue to perform interventional procedures at BVH as they have in the past.
With this expansion and BVHS’s partnership with The Ohio State University (OSU) Wexner Medical Center’s Heart & Vascular Network, BVHS is strengthening its dedication to making high-quality cardiovascular care more accessible.
“Welcoming Dr. Gerschutz and Dr. Meier into BVMP represents a pivotal moment for the cardiovascular program,” said Lisa Lawrence, MBOE, Director of Heart & Vascular Services at BVHS. “By uniting all of the cardiologists under the BVHS umbrella and strengthening the partnership with The Ohio State University, we are creating a seamless, patient-centered approach that will expand access, improve outcomes, and reinforce the commitment to delivering exceptional cardiac care for the community.”
Unifying BVHS’s cardiovascular care will provide a smoother experience for patients. This will be accomplished through standardizing care protocols, consolidating outpatient testing, and streamlining documentation and communication. Additionally, improved transitions between BVHS and OSU will strengthen continuity of care, ensuring smoother and more efficient collaboration between the two organizations, ultimately leading to even better patient outcomes.
Access to high-quality cardiovascular services is now more attainable than ever, with BVHS expanding care through satellite offices in Bluffton, Carey, North Baltimore, and Ottawa. These convenient locations ensure that patients across the region can receive advanced, patient-centered cardiovascular care close to home, reducing barriers to treatment and strengthening BVHS’s commitment to keeping care local.
Dr. Gerschutz, Dr. Meier, Clark, and Sloan are now accepting new patients. To schedule an appointment at the new Heart & Vascular Specialists of Northwest Ohio – Lake Cascades location, please call 833-204-3278. To learn more about cardiovascular services at BVHS, please visit bvhealthsystem.org/hearts or call 1.833.20.HEART.
(From the City of Findlay)
Today, we were honored to host Andy Wilson, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, for a tour of the STRICT Center at Findlay Fire Department Station 4.
The visit highlighted the critical role the STRICT Center plays in preparing our emergency responders for real-life situations and ensuring they have the training and resources necessary to keep our community safe. We are proud to be a state leader in providing this type of innovative facility, setting an example for how communities can invest in preparedness and collaboration.
Director Wilson, City, and County leadership also discussed the importance of working across agencies and Ohio’s continued commitment to the safety and well-being of all residents. We are grateful for the opportunity to showcase this facility and proud of the dedicated professionals who serve and protect our community each day.
Pictured (Left to Right): OSP Lt. Slates, Mayor Christina Muryn, Sheriff Mike Cortez, ODPS Director Andy Wilson, OSP Staff Lt. Crow, Service-Safety Director Rob Martin, Police Chief Jim Mathias, Fire Chief Josh Eberle
(From the Ohio State Highway Patrol)
The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) is reminding all drivers and passengers of the importance of wearing a safety belt. This is the single most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in the event of a crash.
“Wearing a safety belt is not just a law – it’s a lifesaver,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “It’s a simple step everyone can take to protect themselves and their families every time they get in a vehicle.”
Ohio law requires all front-seat occupants of a passenger vehicle to be buckled up, as well as all passengers under 15 years old, regardless of where they are seated in the vehicle. Although the safety belt law remains a secondary violation in Ohio, troopers will have zero tolerance when motorists are stopped for other violations and are found to not be wearing their safety belt.
According to Patrol statistics, 2,808 people who were not wearing an available safety belt were killed in crashes since 2020. A total of 73% of occupants age 21-40 killed in crashes were not wearing an available safety belt. During that same timeframe, troopers issued more than 340,000 safety belt and child safety seat citations.
“We urge all Ohioans to make a commitment to safety and to always wear their safety belt,” said Colonel Charles A. Jones, Patrol superintendent. “Our troopers see firsthand the devastating consequences of not being buckled up. A safety belt can be the difference between a minor injury and a fatal outcome.”
To further stress the importance of this life-saving habit, the OSHP offers these essential safety tips for all motorists:
By following these guidelines, we can all contribute to making our roads safer for ourselves and for others traveling on Ohio’s roadways.
The Patrol remains committed to ensuring the safety of all who travel on Ohio’s roads. Troopers will continue to enforce safety belt laws as part of their daily patrol duties, with the goal of reducing fatalities and serious injuries. By taking just a few seconds to buckle up, you can protect yourself and your loved ones.
The public is encouraged to safely call #677 to report impaired drivers, drug activity or stranded motorists.
The Hardin County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal stabbing.
The sheriff’s office says a call came in to the 911 dispatch center at 12:03 a.m. on Wednesday regarding a stabbing incident in Mount Victory.
Responding deputies arrived to find James Collins, 48, of Mount Victory, in the street suffering from stab wounds.
He was treated at the scene and taken to Hardin Memorial Hospital where he died a short time later.
The sheriff’s office said a suspect, Andrew McCafferty, 46, of Mount Victory, was taken into custody and charges are pending.
Findlay Municipal Court is providing people with driver’s license restrictions an opportunity to resolve their issues.
The 7th annual Findlay Municipal Court DUS Day Clinic will be held on Thursday, October 16.
The DUS workshop is for individuals with a suspended driver’s license to help resolve their licensing issues and get them back on the road legally.
Appointments are preferred but walk-ins are welcome
For more information click here, or to schedule an appointment contact the Clerk’s office at 419-424-7141.