High water blocked streets and roads as the Blanchard River reached moderate flood stage in Findlay last night.  The National Weather Service predicts the river will reach 13 feet today.  In Bluffton, Riley Creek spilled over its banks and closed northbound I-75 yesterday morning.  Eagle Creek began receding last night.  The weather service estimated the creek would fall below its 9-foot flood stage by morning. 
 

Even though the area is weeks away from peak algae season, but experts say they are already paying attention to an algal bloom that has been spotted in Lake Erie.  The bloom is about three and a half miles away from the City of Toledo water intake facility and was discovered by a charter boat captain.  According to Sandy Bihn of the Lake Erie Waterkeeper Association, blooms are not normally see until mid to late July.

Fostoria City Council gave first reading to an ordinance to place renewal of the city’s five-year, 1 percent income tax on the November ballot.  The current tax expires in 2015 and accounts for a sizable portion of the city’s budget.  From the tax, a total of $600,000 is automatically earmarked for expenses such as street repair, capital improvements, infrastructure and citywide cleanup, with the remaining balance being placed into the general fund to keep the city’s operations moving.
 

In the face of a lawsuit filed against the city this month, Bowling Green City Council introduced an ordinance Monday that would remove a controversial limit on taxicab licenses in the city.  Currently, the city's codified ordinances states: "The maximum number of licenses issued shall not exceed one taxicab per 2,000 people. The population figure shall be based on the last federal census."  Municipal Administrator John Fawcett and City Attorney Mike Marsh, in separate documents, had recommended the change, noting that there is no information as to why that language was enacted in the first place and there is no apparent benefit to the city in retaining the language.  The controversy over the ordinance began June 3 with the filing of a lawsuit against the city by Green Cab, an Athens, Ohio-based cab company looking to expand in Bowling Green.

 A state Senate panel is poised to vote on a sweeping budget proposal that would increase Ohio's tobacco taxes, boost higher-education funding and eliminate state taxes for certain small business income. The Senate Finance Committee plans to debate its latest revisions to the two-year $71.3 billion state operating budget, before possibly voting on the spending plan, this morning.

Captains Joshua Eberle, Timothy Hassan or Jeff Rampe is expected to be named to be named the new Findlay Fire Department Chief today.  Each interviewed for the chief position Tuesday.  In a related story to the Findlay Fire Department, Findlay City Council rejected an Appropriations Committee report that recommended former Department Chief Tom Lonyo be paid $10,360 in accrued sick time, the minimum figure the city could pay.  Lonyo’s payout was tabled and referred back to the Appropriations Committee for more discussion.

The Ohio House State Government Committee has scheduled a possible vote for today on an expanded version of the state's concealed weapons law that would allow guns in places such as colleges and day cares and on private aircraft.  The bill still permits those places to ban guns if they want.

Ohioans could register to vote online under a proposal slated for a possible vote by a legislative panel.  The bill would direct Ohio's elections chief to create a secure, online registration process for voters.  Applicants would need to provide an Ohio driver's license or state ID card number to register using the online system.  Currently, Ohio voters can update their addresses online.