High school football gets back in action tonight.  On ESPN Radio 1430 WFOB, Fostoria travels to Oak Harbor.  On sister station Mix 96.7 WBVI McComb visits Carey.  Both games follow the Northwest Ohio Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Psyche Up show at  6pm that airs live from Fricker’s in Findlay.

Fostoria Civil Service Commission has announced tentative dates for comprehensive examinations of prospective firefighters and police officers.  The exams for both departments will include three components: a physical agility test, a written exam and an oral interview.  Civil Service Commission Chairperson Linda Cohen said the tentative dates for the physical agility test/oral interview for police candidates are either Sept. 17 or Sept. 24. The commission was unable to determine a date for the firefighter exam, but Cohen said a date would likely be selected by Tuesday.

A proposed noise-reduction wall along Western Avenue in Findlay will not be constructed because of a lack of support from the affected neighborhood.  The proposed 16-foot-high wall would have begun at the Western Avenue intersection with U.S. 68/Ohio 15 and continued north to West Lake Court near Lake Cascades.  The decision not to proceed with the wall was based on results of a survey conducted this summer, according to the transportation department.

Jolly's Drive-In has found a new home in downtown Tiffin.  Owner Diane Hassing signed a lease Thursday for space in the Laird Arcade building.  She said the restaurant would open after Christmas, at the earliest.  Hassinger said she plans to have limited seating and a small counter, but she said she expects most business to be from people calling in orders and picking them up at a drive-through window in the alley behind Laird Arcade.

Seneca County law enforcement removed 100 marijuana plants during the county's annual marijuana eradication effort yesterday.  The eradication, funded by a grant from the Drug Enforcement Agency, was an eight-hour event that featured a helicopter that searches the county for marijuana plants in fields.  An estimated that $100,000 of marijuana was taken off Seneca County streets.

First Federal Bank’s parent company, First Defiance Financial Corp. of Defiance, is buying Commercial Bancshares of Upper Sandusky, parent company of Commercial Savings Bank, for about $63 million.  Commercial Savings Bank will merge into First Federal Bank.  Upon completion of the purchase, the combined organization is expected to have about $2.8 billion in assets.

Seneca County Administrator Stacy Wilson says a $500,000 state loan for information technology upgrades can be used while an application is refiled for a $500,000 state grant, The zero interest loan, in conjunction with Tiffin, will allow the purchase of laptops and combine technology between the county and city so building technology can be connected to serve the two government entities.  North Central Ohio Regional Council of Governments, part of the North Central Ohio Educational Service Center, secured the loan.

Seneca Regional Planning Commission Executive Director Charlene Watkins met with township, village and county personnel Thursday night and made a presentation on potential assessment increases to partially fund a land use plan, which is estimated to cost $100,000 to $130,000.  It has been 15 years since a new plan has been put in place and would take about a year to complete. The planning commission is expected to vote on an assessment plan during its Oct. 5 meeting.

Tornado sirens were heard throughout the Tri-County area last night as storms raced through northwest Ohio.  No storm damage was reported in Hancock, Wood and Seneca Counties...

A spokesman for the state Emergency Management Agency says damage was reported at a mobile home park and other sites across four northwest Ohio counties after storms that spurred multiple twisters in Indiana moved across the state line. Spokesman Jay Carey said Wednesday night that there was damage in Defiance, Henry, Paulding and Van Wert counties. Officials in Van Wert County say at least two tornadoes touched down there. In Defiance County, a mobile home park sustained the most damage.

Sandusky County Sheriff Kyle Overmyer pleaded not guilty to charges he stole medications from prescription drug disposal drop boxes, deceived doctors into giving him painkillers and misused department funds.  Overmyer faces six felony charges in a 43-count indictment released Tuesday night.  A judge ordered him to turn over his county property and told him not to contact anyone from the sheriff’s office.  Overmyer was released from jail a short time later on a $150,000 bond.  A special prosecutor said she would begin the process of having him suspended from his job.

32 year old Bradley Stemen of North Baltimore who pleaded guilty in June to amended charges  of permitting drug abuse and obstructing justice in connection to a 2015 overdose death was sentenced to five years of community control on Tuesday.  Stemen and his codefendant 34 year old William Patterson also of North Baltimore, were indicted last year on one count each of reckless homicide and involuntary manslaughter in the May 27, 2015 death of 35 year old Todd Williams of  North Baltimore.  Stemen was also sentenced to pay a $1,000 fine to the North Baltimore Police Drug Fund.

Marathon Petroleum Corporation is donating $250,000 to aid in flood recovery efforts in Louisiana.  The Red Cross will receive $100,000; United Way will receive $50,000; and various local organizations with critical needs will receive the remaining $100,000.  The company's refinery in Garyville, Louisiana, is the third-largest refinery in the nation…At least 10 percent of its employees were also impacted by the devastating floods.

At Findlay’s Income Tax Review Board meeting, Findlay Auditor Jim Staschiak raised several questions about staffing and funding for staff.  The board met to discuss the possible transfer of $155,000 from one fund in the income tax department to another, in order to pay for temporary staff that has been provided through an accounting agency.  During the meeting, Staschiak questioned how using temp workers affects the integrity of the department, whether temporary workers would be more likely to share confidential information, and if the $155,000 request was the most exact estimate.

Stantec, the Canadian-based engineering firm hired by the Hancock County commissioners in July, has completed the first stage of its review of the Army Corps of Engineers’ flood-control plan for the Blanchard River at Findlay.  Hancock County Commissioner Phillip Riegle provided an update saying the company found more surveying of the river is needed and that it would like to create an unsteady-state model to account for all elements to determine flooding impact.

A Sandusky County grand jury has indicted Sandusky County Sheriff Kyle Overmyer on 43 counts, including 38 felony charges following an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).  The charges include deception to obtain a dangerous drug, tampering with records and theft.  The BCI was asked to conduct an investigation back in September of 2015 after local police chiefs in Sandusky County expressed concerns regarding alleged unusual behavior by Overmyer in prescription drug disposal drop box collections. 

Repair of Fostoria’s Rock Street is nearly complete after KS Energy replaced natural gas lines several months ago.  Two large pits have been filled and seeded.  The only work to be completed is the replacement of a small portion of sidewalk on the northeast corner of Rock and Walnut Streets.

Regional Income Tax Agency, also known as RITA, will begin assisting the City of Fostoria with tax collections beginning October 1.  The move comes on the recommendation of the state auditor’s office after the City was placed on fiscal emergency.  RITA will collect unpaid taxes due to the city.

The Hancock County Republican Party submitted the names of two potential nominees to the governor’s office on Tuesday to replace retiring Findlay Municipal Judge Robert Fry.  Hancock County Prosecutor Mark Miller and Findlay Assistant Law Director Alan Hackenberg were named as candidates for the seat…They were the only two who applied.  The governor’s office will schedule interviews with the candidates and make the selection with a decision possible in a month.

The seventh Seneca County Farmers Market in downtown Tiffin is this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on South Washington Street between Market and Perry streets.  The market will feature a wide variety of products including baked goods, fresh produce, plants, flowers and more.  Other events taking place include the 2nd Annual Downtown Tiffin Garage Sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. featuring wares from most Downtown merchant locations.

Opening ceremonies for the Blanchard Valley Health System’s Miracle Park at the Marathon Diamonds Sports Complex in Findlay are slated for tomorrow morning at 1:15.  The park is a custom baseball field with a cushioned, rubberized surface that allows players with disabilities to play baseball.  The first games are at 2, 3 and 4.  The $1.6 million park, paid for entirely by public and private donations, also features an inclusive playground.

Former Hancock County assistant prosecutor Elizabeth Smith pleaded guilty this week in Putnam County Municipal Court to drunkenly driving a vehicle this spring.  Smith, of Kalida, was fired following an internal investigation by the prosecutor’s office after she was arrested on a drunken driving charge on April 17.  She was sentenced to 33 days in jail with a one-year license suspension.  Thirty days of the jail sentence were suspended on the condition that Smith attend a driving intervention program, and she will be given three days of jail credit upon completion of the program.

After receiving complaints about large holes left on Rock Street in Fostoria, KS Energy Services began repair work yesterday.  The holes were created when a natural gas line was replaced.  Former Fostoria Mayor Jim Bailey began calling officials from Columbia Gas, KS Energy, and the city several months ago to ask the sidewalks be fixed and two large open pits be filled in because of safety concerns of children walking to school.  Riley School Principal Kori Bernal said until the work is completed, adults will be in the area before and after school to make sure students stay safe as they traverse the hazards.

Findlay Municipal Court Judge Robert Fry’s will serve his final day on the bench today as his retirement from public service begins.  Fry was appointed as municipal judge in January 2007 to fill the unexpired term of Judge Vernon Preston, who became an appeals court judge.  Fry was then elected to a full six-year term as municipal judge in November 2011.  Gov. John Kasich will appoint a replacement who will complete Fry’s six-year term.

This Friday, the City of Fostoria, Fostoria Economic Development Corporation and Fostoria Area Chamber of Commerce will recognize 97 year old Ray Dell by dedicating the parking lot on the southeast corner of Dell’s Restaurant in honor of him.  The restaurant was founded in 1934 by his father.  In addition to the ribbon-cutting, a new sign will be unveiled naming the parking lot in Dell’s honor.

Bowling Green City Schools is considering drug testing students in the future.  Superintendent Francis Scruci says the idea of implementing drug testing of students recently came up.  He says they've already done drug sweeps at the high school in the past, so randomly testing students and or student athletes would just be another way the district can keep their students free from drugs.  The plan would initially focus on high school students and then could expand to other grades. But Scruci says nothing will happen without consulting the community first.

Fostoria City Council has table proposed legislation to expand the city’s central business district.  A public hearing will take place on September 20 to discuss the zoning change.  The city planning commission recommended the expansion on July 14, which calls for re-zoning several parcels of land along a corridor of Perry Street to officially join the roster of downtown businesses.

Findlay City Council has approved a resolution that allows officials to seek a grant of up to $50,000 from the state’s “Local Government Innovation Fund” to analyze how cost-effective it might be to convert some city vehicles to use alternative fuels.  Findlay City Schools and Hancock County may join the city if it is awarded money for the study.  The city would not be required to contribute any funds to the study, except for labor to compile information about the city’s fleet.

Seneca County Commissioners are looking into potential parking issues that may arise when construction begins on the Seneca County Joint Justice Center.  The Commissioners have talked with the Elks Club about using a portion of its parking lot.  Arrangements have been made for designated parking for Court Street businesses.  Also, the City of Tiffin administration has agreed to allow county employees with a county parking sticker to use other city parking lots.

Bowling Green City Council members chose Scott Seeliger to fill the vacant 4th Ward council.  Seeliger has been a resident of BG since 1979 and most recently was the athletic director and head football coach at Bowling Green High School.  He has since retired.  Seeliger was among six residents who applied for the open seat after former 4th Ward councilwoman Theresa Charters Gavarone resigned to fill the remainder of Tim Brown’s seat as 3rd District Ohio House representative. 

Fostoria City Council will hear a second reading tonight of proposed legislation extending the city’s central business district down Perry Street to include businesses such as Kroger, Red’s Pizza, Little Caesars Pizza and the future Fostoria Learning Center.  Officials say expanding the central business district would create more opportunities for economic growth in the downtown area and allow more local businesses to seek specialized grant funding.

Julie Baker has been named the new executive director of Owens Community College’s Findlay campus.  She replaces Melissa Green, who resigned this summer to take a position elsewhere.  Baker currently serves is the campus director at Brown Mackie College in Findlay.

The Seneca County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is looking for volunteers in the Fostoria area to supplement their emergency service in the event of a disaster.  A new round of classes are set to begin soon to bump up the volunteer base in Fostoria. It’s a vital tool for the entire community in the event of a disaster.  CERT began in the 1980s and was revived following the attacks on September 11.  It’s a way for private citizens to receive training in first aid, light search and rescue, disaster psychology, and terrorism response.  Applications for the CERT training can be found on the Senaca County CERT Facebook page.  The first of nine sessions begin on September 15 at the Fostoria Fire Department.

Tiffin Fire Rescue Division has been awarded a $1 million Federal Emergency Management Agency grant to put toward the purchase of a new aerial fire truck.  The grant leaves the city responsible for $100,000 of the $1.1 million vehicle purchase.  The need for the new aerial truck - which will replace a 35-year-old truck -  was found in a needs assessment conducted for the department 10 months ago.

Starting August 31, new rules will be enforced that will affect trash collection for Bowling Green residents.  Some changes include keeping container lids closed at all times, on collection days, containers must be placed with the lid opening facing the street and removed by 7am the next day and on non-collection days, containers, including dumpsters, shall be stored within an enclosed area or in the side or rear yard of the premises adjacent to the structure with the lid closed.

Ohio Means Jobs-Hancock County will introduce some new programs for individuals seeking work and possibly experiencing barriers to employment.  Beginning at 2 p.m. today, “Getting Ready for Employment Workshops” will be held for those searching for work.  Subjects to be covered include resume writing, interview skills, registering with Ohio Means Jobs, dressing for success, training needs, and mock interviews.  The free workshops will be held at 2 p.m. every Tuesday and at 9 a.m. every Thursday at the Ohio Means Jobs office, 7746 Hancock County 140.
 

Four Fostoria businesses have been awarded grants as part of the Downtown Façade Enhancement Program.  The Fostoria Area Historical Society, United Way of Fostoria, Second Wind Music Center and  Motte and Bailey Assets LLC are the recipients.  The grants are made possible by the Community Investment Corporation, in partnership with the Greater Fostoria Community Foundation and the Geary Foundation.

The Village of Arlington is in the market for a new street commissioner.  On Aug. 4, former street commissioner Kyle Crist submitted his letter of resignation, which will go into effect Friday.  The village has received 12 applicants and full council will review all resumes.

26 year old Robert Roy of Risingsun was arrested early Thursday after firing his gun following a crash west of the village.  His actions caused the Wood County Sheriff’s Office to issue an alert for residents in the area of the crash to stay inside.  Roy crashed into a pole and upon the authorities arrival, he fired a gun three times.  The Sheriff’s office believes the incident stemmed from a family dispute earlier Wednesday evening.  Roy has been charged with inducing panic, discharging weapons while intoxicated and criminal damaging.

65 year old James E. White of Tiffin man was found guilty in the sexual assault of four children between 1995 and 2008.  White’s bond was revoke and he was ordered to be held in Seneca County Jail until his sentencing.  Due to one of the victims being less than age 10 at the time of the offense, White faces life in prison with no possibility of parole.

19 year old Luke Bowman of Mount Blanchard was sentenced to 120 days in the Hancock County jail for assaulting and abducting a 17-year-old boy at a Riverdale High School football game last year.  He was also placed on five years of community control sanctions.  His co-defendant, Brandon Bowman, was sentenced last month on an abduction charge.  The Bowmans believed the victim had stolen a gun from the Bowman family.

The Wood County Sheriff's Office has located 10-year-old Zachary Reilly of Bairdstown.  Police say he was found around 11 p.m. in the 1500 block of Bairdstown Road.  Police say the boy went missing around 3:35 p.m Thursday.  His family told police that this is not the first time he has run away from home. 

The Village of Pemberville is working to fix things, after recent test showed elevated levels of lead in two homes.  Village officials believe the high levels are the result of plumbing in the homes, and not an issue village-wide.  The owners of those homes have been notified, and the village is continuing with testing to determine if the issue exist in other areas. 

23 year old Joshua Chavez of Fostoria was found unresponsive in the restroom of the Pit Stop on Perry Street in Tiffin yesterday afternoon.  Police found a syringe and possible heroin after a brief physical altercation with the suspect.  Chavez was arrested on outstanding warrants unrelated to the incident and was charged with possession of drug abuse instruments.

Former Fostoria City Council Clerk and President Dave Clark died Wednesday after a two year battle with lung cancer.  He was 57 years old.  Clark first served on city council from 2001-2005.  He then became clerk of council, but ended his 8 year term  when he was diagnosed with the disease in July, 2014.  In 2016, Clark returned to public service by winning the November 2015 election for council president.  A 1978 graduate of Fostoria High School, Clark received an associate degree from Terra Technical College in Fremont. He would then go on to work as an engineer for the Roppe Corporation, retiring after more than 30 years.

The City of Tiffin saw a steep decline in its crime rate in 2015.  According to the Uniformed Crime Report, Part I Crimes decreased for the third consecutive year. Part 1 crimes are murder, rape, robbery, grand theft auto, larceny theft, assault and arson.  TPD Chief Fred Stevens said the decrease occurred partly because of a change in strategy of solving cases faster.  54 percent of follow-up investigations were solved last year. The report states the national average for 2015 was 23 percent.

Tiffin Community Reinvestment Group received 14 entries in a contest to win rent-free office space in the Laird Building for one year.  The contest deadline was Aug. 1, and property manager Tyler Shuff said he reviewed all the applicants during the past 10 days.  Shuff and reinvestment group members are to narrow the field to eight finalists in the next few days, and finalists will have about a month to put together a 15-minute PowerPoint or other types of presentations about their business plans.  Each entrant will be invited to present his or her plan before a panel of seven judges Sept. 21.

Shots being fired in Risingsun prompted the Wood County Sheriff’s Office to tell residents in the Bradner and Bay Roads area to stay inside.  The advisory was issued at 11:45 last night and lifted at 3:19am this morning.  The sheriff's office asked at that time that people in that area remain in their homes until further notice while officers investigate activity there.

Hancock-Wood Electric Cooperative will break ground on a solar project east of Findlay at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19.  The OurSolar array will offer a green-energy option for the nearly 11,000 residential homeowners served by Hancock-Wood.  The project will place 300 panels east of Findlay at the northwestern corner of U.S. 224 and Marion Township 215.  Funded through Ohio’s electric cooperatives and maintained by Hancock-Wood, the solar station is expected to be ready for use in late summer or early fall, Walton said.

FindlayOhioFinances.com has gone live and anyone can now look at the Findlay’s finances dating back to 2012.  Users can see what payments have been made, how departments are spending their money and every city government employee’s salary.  The website will be updated weekly.
 

Fostoria City Council has approved the zoning change of five properties on North Countyline Street that will become the location of a new Tim Hortons.  The properties — 1030-908 N. Countyline St. — will be converted from residential lots to business lots so MCV Acquisitions LLC can break near the intersection of Countyline Street and Park Avenue.  A new traffic light will be installed outside the business with the traffic flow expected to increase.
 

20 year old Diondre Nathaniel Brown of Fostoria (formerly of Toledo), was arrested and charged with possession of crack cocaine after a drug related search warrant was served at his Bugner Street home.  Brown lives at the residence with 31 year old Danelle Settles and 28 year old Anthony Armstrong.  Additional charges of trafficking crack cocaine, possession of crack cocaine, possession of criminal tools and permitting drug abuse are all pending on the residents with the conclusion of the entire drug investigation.

The Hancock Park District commissioners on Tuesday took no action on a resolution to discontinue hunting at Litzenberg Memorial Woods.  The hunting, which is offered through an annual August lottery, has been available since 1993.  As a result, the lottery, usually held in August, will be scheduled soon.  The program allows 35 permit holders to hunt on the 56 acres of park district-owned, mostly wooded property on the south side of U.S. 224…The program operates from Sept. 1 through Jan. 31. The area is closed to the public during these months, except those with a permit to hunt or trap.

Changes to office locations in the Findlay Municipal Building will be taking place at a cost of $350,000.  The moves will create more space for the municipal court on the second floor.  Also, part of the Police Department will be relocated.  The project will be paid for by the court’s improvement fund.

The first meeting of Fostoria’s Financial Planning and Supervision Commission takes place today.  The meeting will officially trigger the 120 day timeline for the city to find a solution to Fostoria’s budget crisis.  If the city does not come up with an answer to Fostoria’s projected deficit of $800,000 for 2016, the state will take over.  In order to get out of fiscal emergency, city officials must eliminate Fostoria’s deficit and then present a five-year forecast showing those conditions will not arise during the five years.

The Findlay City School Board of Education extended Superintendent Ed Kurt’s contract for an additional five years upon the end of his current one that ends in 2017.  Kurt’s new contract includes a salary raise to $150,000 in the first year of the new contract and subsequent raises of 2 percent for each year of the contract.

The Village of McComb began discussions of the installation of an ice rink over the village parks’ basketball courts during the winter.  One option would be for village workers to install a roofing-like material over the courts and surround the rink with plywood at a cost of $9,900.  A second plan would be to obtain an ice rink kit, which could cost $4,300. That sum could be reduced if the village provided the plywood.  Village officials estimated a rink would require 11,000 gallons of water, probably drawn from a reservoir.

An effort to provide several school bus stops inside the village of Carey has been delayed because of a lack of bus drivers.  There is a shortage of substitute bus drivers in the school district, too.  Efforts to advertise for more bus drivers have been unsuccessful.

An electrical fire at a Bascom residence caused extensive damage, but no injuries.  The Bascom Joint Fire District responded to the fire Saturday afternoon at 673 Elm Street.  No one was home at the time of the fire…Brandy Cook and three others who lived in the home have been displaced and are receiving assistance from the American Red Cross.

The Ohio Department of Transportation is seeking public comments about the widening of I-75 in Findlay, which is now slated to begin next year.  The state plans to reconstruct and widen about five miles of I-75 through Findlay, to improve safety and traffic flow. Construction work will begin just south of the Hancock County 99 interchange and extend south beyond the Harrison Street overpass, about one mile south of the U.S. 68/Ohio 15 interchange.  Comments can be made be made by contacting Nate Tessler at ODOT District 1in Lima.

The commercial bids in this year's Seneca County Fair livestock sale increased by more than $40,000 from 2015.  This year’s total was $284,000.  Part of the increase can be attributed to the return of birds to the fair this year.  Last year, there was a statewide ban on live bird exhibits.

Seneca County commissioners approved a resolution Thursday to allow Holly Stacy, board president, to sign federal grant papers and related documents to receive funds for paving projects at the county airport.  The county received two bids for the almost $182,000 project.  The federal money is funneled through the state Department of Transportation.  The county will fund the project and then get reimbursed.

Findlay City Council received an introduction to Findlay Ohio Finances dot com yesterday.  The website was created by the Findlay Auditor’s Office and Tyler Technologies to will allow citizens to review the city’s finances.  It is different than the state’s website Ohio Check Book dot com in that it shows both revenues and expenses.  It will be released to the public in the coming weeks.

In other news on Findlay’s finances, the City’s revenue is becoming more dependent on its income tax.  Findlay Auditor Jim Staschiak told council that Findlay’s 1% income tax now accounts for 72% of its revenue.  He has called for more diversification of the city’s revenues.  On the plus side, Staschiak reported the city’s cash balances to be in excess of $60 million.

Marathon Petroleum’s profits fell 3% in the 2^nd quarter of the year.  Last year, an $801 million profit was reported.  Industry-wide fuel surpluses were the main reason.  Profit fell about 63 percent last quarter for MPLX, Marathon Petroleum Corp.’s logistics and natural gas processing subsidiary.

With rumors swirling on social media, iconic Bowling Green restaurant Myles Pizza Pub owner Chip Myles says the restaurant isn’t up for sale.  In a video statement posed Wednesday to the Myles Pizza Pub Facebook page, Myles himself said that, while the building that houses the restaurant has been up for sale, the business itself is not.  The pub, located at 516 E. Wooster near the Bowling Green State University campus, has been a fixture of the city’s food scene for decades.
 

The Fostoria Community Arts Council’s Summer Concert Series is presenting the Carl Acuff, Jr. Show this Sunday at 7:30pm at the Wainwright Amphitheatre in Foundation Park…Other upcoming FCAC concerts include The Cottonwood Jam String Band at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 and the Fostoria Guitar Fest from 5-9 p.m. Aug. 21. Both events will take place at the Wainwright Amphitheatre.  FCAC will also host one final Lunch on the Lawn, featuring Doug Pahl, from noon-1 p.m. Aug. 10 on the Fostoria Municipal Building lawn.

The Findlay Municipal Court has implemented a new program to allow tickets, bonds and other court costs to be paid online and over the telephone.  Since July 1, the municipal court has been using GovPayNet.  To make a payment, citizens can go to www.GovPayNow.com or by calling 1-888-604-7888. A service fee is attached to each transaction.  GovPayNet accepts Master-Card, Visa, American Express, Discover and debit cards.  People can continue to pay fines in person at the municipal court clerk of courts office.

Fostoria’s Emergency Food Program will close operations Tuesday.  Program coordinator Reverend Susan Hatfield states the reason in not the lack of funding but the aging of volunteers.  The majority of volunteers are in their 60’s and 70’s and have difficulty performing all the work needed.  Other food assistance programs will continue to be available, such as ones operated by High Street United Methodist Church and Fostoria Baptist Church on Lytle Street and Pantry Plus on Main Street.

Arlington Village Council began moving toward placing a continuing levy on the November ballot.  The levy will be used for upkeep of the village park and swimming pool.  Council will ask the Hancock County Auditor’s Office to calculate how much revenue a levy would generate. Council probably will pursue a 2-mill continuing levy.  Aug. 10 is the deadline for council to get the issue on the November ballot.

The former Alt’s Music Center in Fostoria will reopen on August 1 as Second Wind Music Center.  Josh Thomas, who is a former band director, purchased the property.  Seneca Wind Music Center will have band instruments, guitars, pianos, accessories and plans to offer lessons in guitar, drums, strings and piano.

The Ohio Department of Transportation announced the Interstate 75 widening project through Findlay will begin a year early, beginning in spring 2017, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced Thursday.  From South Harrison Street/ Hancock County 144 to the Hancock County 99 interchange, contractors will spend an expected three years reconstructing the existing pavement, adding a third travel lane in each direction, and upgrading the roadway to modern highway standards.  The $133 million project was originally scheduled to begin in 2018.

The Ohio Elections Commission has ruled that there was no illegal coordination between Rich Focht's campaign for Seneca County commissioner and the political action committee Citizens for Seneca County.  The Seneca County Board of Elections and Seneca County Board of Commissioners President Holly Stacy - Focht's opponent in the March 15 Republican primary election - filed complaints with the commission in June, alleging improper coordination between the campaign and the PAC.

A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 10am this morning for the new Seneca County Joint Justice Center.  The new center is expected to be finished in 16 months.  The ceremony will take place on Courthouse Square in Tiffin, to site of the former courthouse.

The Mennel Milling Company has tentatively reached a deal with General Mills Inc. to purchase its Martel-based bakery mix and packaging facility.  Mennel mills wheat into flour for a variety of clients and has locations in Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, Indiana and Illinois.  With the acquisition of the facility, the company will be able to offer a full line of bakery mix products to big box, commercial, wholesale and bakery customers and marketplaces.  The sale should be completed before November 1.

During a town hall meeting following a Fostoria Finance Committee meeting, city officials and residents once again discussed solutions to the city’s financial crisis.  In the most productive meeting to date, solid suggestions of possible solutions were discussed.  Ideas included adding a service fee to water service, eliminating the city’s income tax credit for those who live in Fostoria but work elsewhere and annexation.  State Auditor Dave Yost placed Fostoria in a state of fiscal emergency on May 26 with a projected deficit of approximately $800,000.

Findlay City Council voted Tuesday to demolish the former Huber School at 1001 Blanchard Ave. for about $59,000.  The 101-year-old structure will be razed by October.  The demolition costs will be added to the property tax bill of the building’s owner, Yusheng Ji of California.  Ji has been difficult to contact for city officials, so the city also may have to file a lawsuit against him to recover its money.

The Seneca County commissioners have adopted the Seneca County Museum Task Force's recommendations regarding creation of an advisory board for the museum.  The board will have nine members - three representatives for the Seneca County Historical Society, three for the Barnes-Deinzer Seneca County Museum Foundation and three appointed by commissioners.  The county will maintain the building and hire and pay a director and other staff "in a manner consistent with county employee policies."

The Wood County’s commissioners approved a tax break needed to build a large solar farm north of Bowling Green.  The measure approved Tuesday allows NextEra Energy and American Municipal Power to make yearly payments in lieu of the taxes that would otherwise be due on the $43 million estimated value of the solar field.  Instead of about $13.6 million in taxes based on the depreciating value over 30 years, the companies will pay about $5.4 million. More than half of that will go to Bowling Green Schools, with smaller payments for Center Township, Penta Career Center, Wood County and other agencies.

The fifth Seneca County Farmers Market in downtown Tiffin is scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday.  The market will feature a wide variety of products including baked goods, fresh produce, plants, flowers and more.  Gabriel and the Grove will be the featured entertainment on the Courthouse lawn.

Wood County commissioners will likely approve today a $14.6 million tax credit for a solar field planned north of Bowling Green.  American Municipal Power and NextEra Energy want to construct more than 85,000 solar panels on around 140 acres of land to be leased from Bowling Green in Center Township.  NextEra would construct the solar array and sell power to AMP, which would then sell to BG 13.75 megawatts of the solar field’s planned capacity of 20 megawatts.  That power would represent on average about 4.5 percent of the city’s overall usage.

The Fostoria Police Department is seeking public assistance in identifying the driver in a hit and run accident.  The accident occurred Monday morning at the Lytle Street Circle K in which a man was struck by a vehicle.  The driver is a white male driving a white sedan with collision damage on the front end.  Anyone with information regarding the accident is asked to contact the police department.

Carey Council President Armand Getz has will become the village’s next mayor.  After the death of former mayor Steve Smalley, village law Director Bob Maison was named mayor.  However, it was later determined that the council president should succeed Smalley based on the type of government Carey operates under.  Getz, a resident of Carey for 21 years, will be sworn in today.

The 7^th Annual Jeff Shiff Run the Res 5 and 10K raised $5600 for the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Foundation.  The annual event took place April 17 and featured 250 runners and 40 children.  Over the last six years, the event has raised more than $36,600 for the ProMedica Fostoria Community Hospital Cancer Fund benefitting patients and families at the hospital’s Cancer and Infusion Center.

Construction of the new Seneca County Joint Justice Center will kick-off with a Ground Breaking Ceremony on Friday, July 22 at 10 a.m. on Courthouse Square in Downtown Tiffin.  The Leadership Team for the new Justice Center has asked the Seneca County Historical Society and the Tiffin Historic Trust to organize a group of local historic representatives to coordinate the assembly of a time capsule to be sealed into an interior wall of the new 36,000 square foot facility.  Citizens interested in making suggestions can do so during the Seneca County fair or by sending the to the Seneca County Commissions via mail or e-mail.

The voter registrations of about 12,000 people in Hancock, Allen, Hardin, Henry, Putnam, Seneca, Wood and Wyandot counties were deleted in 2015, as Ohio’s elections boards did their annual maintenance of voter rolls.  People were deleted from voter rolls if they died, if they had duplicate voter registrations, or if they did not vote or update their voter registration during a six-year period that included three federal general elections.  More than 10,000 registered voters can expect to receive a letter by July 29, inquiring about the status of their voter registration. The letters are being sent to registered voters who have been flagged by the National Change of Address system, as required by federal law.

Nominations for the 2016 Spirit of Wood County Awards are being accepted through Aug. 15.  There are seven award categories this year, including Agricultural Leadership; Industrial/Economic Development; Education for Civic Responsibility; Liberty through Law/Human Freedom; Religion and Liberty; Self-Government; and the Lyle R. Fletcher Good Citizenship Award.  Nomination forms and category descriptions are available on the Wood County website, www.co.wood.oh.us, by following the “Spirit Awards” link. 

Hancock County commissioners voted to seek bids for the demolition of several buildings in the 200 block of North Main Street in downtown Findlay.  The commissioners have received permission to raze the buildings from the State Historical Preservation Office.  The buildings were once home to Miller’s Luncheonette, Star Pawn Shop  and the Sour Flower Trading Post pawn shop, which closed in October 2014…Demolition will be paid for through the county’s flood mitigation fund.

Gov. John Kasich (KAY'-sihk) has signed a $2.6 billion capital budget bill that includes funding for public works, community and school projects over the next two years.  The budget signed into law on Tuesday provides $650 million for K-12 schools and $500 million for public works projects. The state Department of Rehabilitation and Correction received $150 million. Community projects received $160 million.  Projects to receive funding include the Family Learning Center in Fostoria, Terra Community College and the Seneca County Historical Museum.

Findlay City Police confirmed that 56 year old Randy L. Grose was found dead inside his Sherry Street residence around 2:35 a.m. Saturday.  The suspect in the case has been identified as 34 year old Joel M. Drain, of Findlay.  According to Findlay police, Drain fled from the Sherry Street home in Grose’s vehicle.  He eventually turned himself in to the Sidney Police Department, who notified Findlay police to check on Grose’s welfare.  An autopsy indicated strangulation as the cause of death…Drain had just been released from jail earlier this month following his arrest on an assault charge involving his father.
 

The annual Fostoria Clean-Up Day is this Saturday starting at 9am…Clean-up Day — which is part of the one percent tax towards “green city funds” — encourages residents of Fostoria to get outside and help clean up the community.  Participants will meet up on the front lawn of the city building.  Once everyone is gathered, volunteers will distribute gloves, bright orange bags and vibrant green T-shirts to clean-up day participants so they can easily be seen.  Participants are then free to roam wherever they please, whether that is around the city building, their own neighborhoods, or near the underpasses. 
 

Fostoria City Council approved an agreement between the city and the Regional Income Tax Agency for the purpose of collecting any back taxes owed to Fostoria.  Contracting with the agency would cost the city approximately $120,000 per year.  Also at the meeting, council adopted legislation establishing new requirements for mobile homes located in residential neighborhoods.  Under the new law, any manufactured home placed in a residential area must be built to resemble that of a conventional or “stick built” home. 

The Bowling Green Downtown Farmers Market opens today.  The market is now in its sixth year at the corner of Clough and Main streets.  Hours are 4-7pm, rain or shine.  Produce, flowers, plants, crafts, food and live music will be available.  The market will have a full 22 week schedule running every Wednesday through October 12.

Wagner Mazda in Fostoria has been sold to William Gaietto, John Coppus and Stephen Hook, and is now Mazda Direct.  The dealership will be increasing its new car inventory by 30 percent to 60, and doubling its used car inventory to 60.  Meanwhile, Wagner Ford in Carey will be moving into a new, bigger location by year- end.  Construction of a new 13,000-square-foot Wagner Ford building at 1200 S. Vance St., Carey, will start soon near the U.S. 23/Ohio 15 highway and completed by year end.

Findlay Police continue to investigate the death of 56 year Randy Grose who died at this Sherry Street residence Saturday.  Police are calling the death suspicious, but have not confirmed Grose as the victim because of the on-going investigation.  Physical trauma to the body was reported.  An autopsy was conducted yesterday with the results pending.

Karim Baroudi has been named as health commissioner for Hancock Public Health, and Dr. Nathaniel Ratnasamy was appointed medical director.  Hancock Public Health was formed when the Hancock County and Findlay health departments merged at the beginning of this year.  Baroudi comes to Hancock County from the Ohio Department of Health, where he most recently served as the Northwest Ohio Food Safety Program specialist.  Ratnasamy is currently a member of the medical staff of Blanchard Valley Hospital.

Bowling Green State University will name Bob Moosbrugger its next athletics director, according to a news release late Monday night.  Moosbrugger, a 1994 BGSU graduate, has been at San Diego State since 2007.  His most recent title was the deputy director of athletics/chief operating officer.  Moosbrugger was a two-time letter winner on the baseball team at Bowling Green State University, where he earned his degree in sport management.

Tiffin's City Council has begun to take steps to sell bonds to fund the city's portion of costs for the proposed joint justice center and to pay for the city's outstanding sanitary sewer system improvement bonds.  Ordinances that provide for the issuance and sale of bonds had their first readings at Monday’s meeting.

The Ohio Department of Transportation will hold a public meeting to discuss a proposed wall along the east side of U.S. 68/ Ohio 15 to potentially reduce noise in the area of Western Avenue in Findlay that was requested by residents.  In response to the request, which was made in summer 2015, ODOT completed a noise analysis.  The results of the analysis, and the noise wall process, will be presented at the meeting.  At the conclusion of the meeting, ODOT will provide affected property owners the opportunity to vote for or against the construction of a noise wall.  The meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Chamberlin Hill Intermediate School’s gymnasium, 600 W. Yates Ave.

Former U.S. Rep. Delbert “Del” Latta, who represented Ohio’s 5th Congressional District for 30 years, died Thursday morning in Bowling Green. He was 96.  Latta was born in Weston, and attended school in both North Baltimore and McComb.  He graduated from McComb High School in 1938, and later attended Findlay College and Ohio Northern University. 
In 1952, while teaching at ONU and practicing law, Latta won a seat in the Ohio Senate, where he served three terms. He then ran for and was elected to the 5th District seat in 1958. Latta was re-elected to Congress 14 times before he retired in 1989.
 

The Paint the Town Foundation in Fostoria is looking for volunteers to help renovate Jackson Park.  Next Wednesday, local contractors will replace the pavilion roof and install a new electrical system and lighting.  Meanwhile, volunteers will be assigned with painting all the metal playground equipment, repairing benches and tables and installing rubberized mulch.  The group is just shy of their $10,000 goal to do all the work and needs a little financial push and as many volunteers as possible to get the work done in one day. 

59 year old Clinton D. Berry of Findlay was sentenced to 36 years in prison on two counts of rape, and one count each of aggravated burglary and kidnapping with a sexual motivation specification.  Berry broke into a Mount Cory woman’s home in March 2015, handcuffed her to a bed and raped her.  He received credit for 232 days served, and he was also classified as a Tier III sex offender.  He will be 95 when he completes his sentence. 

The City of Fostoria is looking at different avenues to deal with the massive deficit from last year.  One possible solution looked at was eliminating local dispatchers from the Fostoria Police Department.  A savings of between $200,000 and $300,000 could be made.  Officials emphasized that the move is not a certainty, but one possibility being explored.

The Hancock County commissioners will to travel to the Buffalo offices of the Army Corps of Engineers next week to discuss the local flood-control plan.  All three commissioners and Steve Wilson, a project manager for the Hancock County Engineer’s Office, will make the trip on May 20.  Commissioner Brian Robertson said the trip will be the quickest way to get the corps’ team and all three commissioners at the same table.

A resolution adopted by the Hopewell-Loudon Board of Education will save district residents on their tax bill.  A revision of the bond levy for construction of the new school will allow for a half-million dollars savings over several years.

The Seneca County Park District's board approved a resolution declaring the necessity of a 10-year, 0.5-mill levy and notifying the Seneca County Board of Elections the levy should be placed on the Nov. 8 ballot.  The levy would generate $575,000 per year, and cost the owner of a $100,000 home $17.50 per year.

The Wood County Park District has approved distribution of money to grant recipients announced last fall under a program that has grown since the district first committed to awarding grants in 1989, now handing out $100,000 every year.  Most grants from Wood County villages and townships will go toward playground equipment and safety surfacing.

Qualifying 16- to 24-year-old Hancock County residents from low-income households can get summer jobs paying $10 an hour through the WSOS Community Action Commission’s Youth Employment Program.  The agency, tries to match workers with employers in their areas of interest, such as landscaping, serving ice cream, doing construction work or auto detailing work.  Participants will work 20 to 40 hours per week, depending on their age.  Interested persons should contact WSOS at 419.429.8040.

The Village of Arcadia has formed a committee to organize ideas submitted for upgrading the village with the help of a state revitalization grant.  A public forum has been slated for 6:30 p.m. June 9 at the Arcadia Community Center in the park to present the suggestions for improvements to the public.

The Ohio House has passed a proposal to legalize medical marijuana in the state.  The bill would bar patients from smoking the substance but allow them to use it in vapor form.  Under the legislation, a nine-member Medical Marijuana Control Commission would set rules for cultivating, distributing and licensing cannabis.  Communities could opt out of hosting dispensaries.  Employers who want to maintain drug-free workplaces would be protected from liability.  The Senate plans to begin hearings on the measure today.

The Hancock County commissioners met with a group of county, city and private officials to discuss the release of a study by the National Center for State Courts which is expected next week.  The study is to develop recommendations on how to best improve security at entrances of the Hancock County Courthouse and County Probate and Juvenile Court.  At this time, the security report on the court entrances does not include price estimates for the proposed options.  Judge Joseph Niemeyer, who led the discussion with the commissioners, said the center will be asked to provide those numbers in the final report.

Kroger is holding a nationwide hiring event to fill 14,000 open jobs across all its supermarket chains.  Candidates can apply online at jobs.kroger.com and show up to a store Saturday between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. for an interview.  Many of the openings are for part-time associates who bag groceries, stock shelves or ring up items at the cash register.  The company says the jobs are permanent.  The company says it created 9,000 new jobs last year and 20,000 new jobs in 2014. The 14,000 open jobs that it is currently looking to fill are a mix of new and old positions.

The Seneca County Commissioners passed two resolutions for issuance of bonds to fund the county’s share of the joint justice center construction.  The $9.5 million in “sales tax supported” bonds will fund a majority of the estimated more than $14 million project.  Tiffin will pay a maximum of $3 million and the courts will pay about $1.5 million.  County personnel will attend a meeting in New York City Friday to meet with bond counsel to determine a county rating for the sale.  The bonds will be for 28 years.

Findlay City Council’s Appropriations Committee approved a request to contribute another $50,000 to the Miracle Park project at the Marathon Diamonds.  The $50,000 would be appropriated to a nonprofit that is in charge of the project, which will include a baseball field and playground that can accommodate wheelchairs, walkers and canes.  The city’s contribution would help fund the construction of a new restroom that would be more handicapped accessible.  Full council will now vote on the recommendation.

Former City of Findlay computer services director Justin Weddington entered guilty a plea in Hancock County Common Pleas Court to charges stemming from an August traffic accident.   Weddington was charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular assault and operating a vehicle under the influence.  He was driving with a suspended license when he was involved in the August accident where three Findlay residents were injured.  After the August accident, Weddington was put on paid leave by the city and was later fired.

The owner of the former Victory Inn and Suites on Wooster Street in Bowling Green has been denied the permit to build a new extended stay motel on the same property.  The owner has now filed an appeal.  Last year, the Victory Inn hotel was investigated several times, and the city of Bowling Green tried to get the owners to comply with health codes.  Eventually, more complaints surfaced, and the owners were fined. The hotel was eventually shut down and demolished.  City officials have said the fact that it was previously a problem with keeping the hotel up to code was not a factor in why the request was denied.

18-year-old Izaha Akins who impersonated a state senator and spoke to students at Mohawk High School back in December is now headed to prison.  Akins was sentenced to 90 days at the Wyandot County Jail for impersonating a peace officer.  Back in December, Akins claimed to be state Senator David Burke's replacement during a visit to school.  During sentencing, Akins was given credit for 53 days already served, so he will now only have to serve just over a month in jail.  In addition to the time served, Akins was also ordered to pay $138 in restitution to Reineke Family Dealerships, who he fooled into providing him a car and driver for his visit to the school. 

The Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees approved a collective bargaining agreement with the BGSU faculty.  The current contract — the first between BGSU and the Faculty Association – is set to expire June 30.  Faculty will receive 3hree-percent annual increases in pay for faculty over a period of three years and academic reconfiguration without faculty loss.

According to Corps officials, the Army Corps of Engineers is continuing to work on the Blanchard River flood control plan, and new computer modeling of river flooding looks promising.  However, an estimated $300,000 will be needed to finish the $9 million flood study, the corps says.  Using new computer modeling can make the economically viable.  Recently, under a plan proposed by Findlay Mayor Lydia Mihalik to the county commissioners in March, local officials would abandon the corps report and federal funding, and instead rely on local and state funding to build the channel.

Four juveniles — two from Ottawa County and two from Huron County — will go before a judge in each of their respective home counties for disposition, or sentencing, hearings for their role in a series of arson fires in Wood County.  The foursome appeared before Judge David Woessner Wednesday for their adjudication hearings, during which they admitted to involvement the between March 22 and 27.  They were each originally charged with arson, aggravated arson, breaking and entering, and possession of criminal tools.

The Village of Arcadia held a second public hearing to allow residents to provide input on how to improve the village.  Arcadia is applying for a Neighborhood Revitalization Fund grant that could give the village $500,000.  Potential projects include upgrading the village park, improving street lighting on Main Street, replacing sidewalks, repaving village streets and adding trees.  Village officials will hold one final session with residents before the mid-June deadline for submitting the grant application.
 

The Wood County Health District received more than $800,000 in grant money to add an expansion.  The addition will be added on to the Health and Wellness side of the building.  The new area will be used to provide more option for affordable dental care.  The health district hopes to have construction done and offer dental services in the next few years.