Fostoria Economic Development Corporation President Renee Smith gave the organization’s successful 2015 progress report to City Council last night.  Smith talked about the FEDC’s efforts that included $51 million investment in the city by new and existing companies.  She said 374 new jobs were created in Fostoria within the last 18 months and over $300,000 in grants were obtained through the office.  The FEDC also gave out over $14,000 to six downtown building owners last year as part of the Downtown Facade Enhancement Program.

Pay raises were a topic at last night’s Findlay City Council meeting.  A change in Findlay’s 2016 pay ordinance allowed the administration to grant a 22 percent raise to Findlay’s safety service director without City Council’s authorization.  Previous pay ordinances required the administration to consult council when giving a pay raise greater than 8 percent to a non-elected official.  That restriction was not in this year’s ordinance.  Council members Tim Watson and Holly Frische want council to have a say in large pay increases.  Legislation was then introduced at Watson’s request, would require the administration to seek authorization from council for raises of more than 4 percent.

The Seneca County Prosecutor's Office filed a motion Tuesday to dismiss a charge against Charles V. Schaeffer of Fostoria who was found guilty of charges in connection to a fatal fire in 2014.  Prosecutor Derek DeVine said Schaeffer is already serving a life sentence based on the case, and it seemed to him it was not worth the expense of a second trial to get the same result of Schaeffer serving a life sentence.  Shey Weiker who is serving a life sentence and Timoth D. Hall who is serving a 30-month sentence are also incarcerated for their roles in the fire.

The University of Findlay released its latest enrollment numbers.  A total of 3,925 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled for spring 2016, up 6% from the spring 2015 semester.  The university said it is the seventh consecutive semester that enrollment has increased.

Former Findlay resident, Ismael Gonzalez, who was wanted on a parole violation led law enforcement on a 50-mile chase from Findlay to Sandusky County before he was apprehended Tuesday afternoon.  Officers from the Special Assignment Unit of the Findlay Police Department attempted to stop Gonzalez’s vehicle on Tiffin Avenue.  According to police, Gonzalez fled eastbound on Tiffin Avenue before heading north on county roads into Wood County.  The chase continued east into Sandusky County.  The chase ended when Gonzalez’s car crashed into a ditch on Sandusky County 106, northeast of Lindsey.  The pursuit lasted more than a half-hour.  Gonzalez is facing a charge of aggravated possession of drugs in Hancock County Common Pleas Court.  On Jan. 6, he failed to report to the adult probation department as directed, and a warrant was issued for his arrest

North Baltimore officials expressed frustration that the CSX rail yard has not brought the anticipated economic development to the area.  Wade Gottschalk, director of the Wood County Economic Development Commission, said his office has been trying to lure prospective businesses to that area.  Gottschalk suggested that council concentrate on developing zoning, utilities and traffic access to other economic development sites in North Baltimore.