The Ohio State Highway Patrol is collaborating with five other states on a distracted driving enforcement initiative.

The 6-State Trooper Project got underway on Monday and will go through Monday, October 12th.

The high-visibility enforcement will include the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Indiana State Police, Kentucky State Police, Michigan State Police, Pennsylvania State Police and West Virginia State Police.

Since 2015, there have been 75,411 crashes in Ohio which involved on or more drivers who were distracted by something within their vehicle.

Of those, 227 were fatal crashes which resulted in 248 deaths.

“You are putting your life and the lives of others in danger any time you take your eyes off the road,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol Superintendent.

“Distracted driving can have devastating consequences for families.”

Ohio law bans all electronic wireless communication device usage for drivers under 18.

Texting while driving is illegal for all drivers.

 

If Republican Secretary of State Frank LaRose wants to expand the number of ballot drop boxes beyond one per Ohio county, he can – but an appellate court won’t force him to.

That was the essence of a ruling that left the fate of LaRose’s order restricting counties to one drop box each in his hands.

Curbside dropoff of ballots has been a growing trend amid the coronavirus pandemic and postal cutbacks.

Ohio’s 10th District Court of Appeals agreed with a trial judge that LaRose’s directive was not reasonable, but said it didn’t violate state law so shouldn’t be blocked.

LaRose has said he would prefer to have more drop boxes in each county, but that the state legislature would have to permit it.

The Hancock County Board of Elections has a drop box outside its building at 201 East Lincoln Street in Findlay.

 

It was the day a single mother of four had been working toward for a long time.

On Saturday, Habitat for Humanity of Findlay/Hancock County held a dedication ceremony for its 45th overall build and its 2020 Apostle Build.

The home at 1410 Logan Avenue in Findlay’s West Park neighborhood is for Allison Bowyer, who has been working hard to get ahead and do better for her kids.

Allison prepared for her new home by attending home ownership and Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University classes.

She also put in 400 hours of sweat equity into building the house and working at the ReStore.

An Apostle Build is where 12 churches partner together to each cover 1/12 of the cost.

Allison’s new home was dedicated on Saturday morning and you can see video from the dedication here.

 

 

Before you can make your voice heard in the November election you need to be registered to vote.

Jody O’Brien, Republican Director of the Hancock County Board of Elections, is reminding voters that the voter registration deadline is Monday, October 5th.

 

 

Jody says the Hancock County Board of Elections will be open until 9 p.m. Monday for the last day of voter registration. You can also register online by clicking here. 

Jody says absentee ballots that were requested will then start to be mailed out to voters on October 6th, which is the same day early voting begins.

She’s asking people to not procrastinate in sending back their absentee ballot.

She says the last day an absentee ballot can be postmarked is November 2nd, the day before the election.

You can also just drop it in the drop box outside the board of elections at 201 East Lincoln Street in Findlay.

 

 

 

A man was killed in a crash just south of Leipsic.

The crash happened Saturday at about 8:09 p.m. on State Route 65 near road F-6.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol says Jeremy Diemer, 46, of Leipsic, was driving his SUV south on State Route 65 when he went off the right side of the roadway, down an embankment and rolled.

Diemer was ejected from the vehicle which came to rest in a field on its top.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by the Putnam County coroner.

The highway patrol says the crash remains under investigation.

 

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has issued a proclamation declaring Sunday, October 4th as a Day of Prayer related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The governor says the Day of Prayer is for President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who recently contracted the coronavirus, and for all of those suffering from or impacted by the virus.

DeWine and his wife Fran met in person with Trump during his September 21st rally near Dayton.

Both the governor and First Lady were tested for COVID-19 on Friday and the results came back negative.

(above picture courtesy of Governor DeWine)

 

.@LtGovHusted and I have issued a proclamation declaring Sunday, October 4, as a Day of Prayer. The Day of Prayer is for President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who recently tested positive for COVID-19, as well as all those suffering from or impacted by coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/tl8Fk1SxJW

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) October 3, 2020

Hancock Public Health on Friday was reporting a total of 779 cases of the coronavirus, of which 70 are active.

The agency also reported another death from COVID in the county, bringing the total number of deaths to 13.

A total of 62 people have been hospitalized from the virus in Hancock County since the beginning of the pandemic and five are currently.

Hancock County is still at level 2, or orange, on the state’s COVID-19 alert map.

State data shows Putnam County had 646 cases and 27 deaths as of Friday

Putnam County is still at level 3, or the red level on the alert map.

 

Governor DeWine in a COVID-19 update on Friday said more than 1,500 new cases had been reported over the last 24 hours, a number he calls “very alarming.”

The governor said he’s particularly concerned because the rolling 21 day average is back over one-thousand new cases per day.

DeWine also sent his well wishes to President Trump and the First Lady for a speedy recovery from their cases of the coronavirus.

DeWine and his wife met in person with Trump during his September 21st rally near Dayton.

Both the governor and First Lady were tested for COVID-19 on Friday and were awaiting the results.

Hancock Public Health on Friday was reporting a total of 779 cases, of which 70 are active, and 13 deaths from the virus.

[fbvideo link=”https://www.facebook.com/TheOhioChannel/videos/2736836626574761/” width=”800″ height=”400″ onlyvideo=”1″]

The City of Findlay has coordinated Trick or Treat festivities with other Hancock County communities using guidance from Hancock Public Health.

The city says, as long as the county is at Level 1 or 2 on the state’s COVID-19 Alert Map, Trick or Treat will be allowed to proceed.

Hancock County is currently at Level 2, or the orange level.

The City of Findlay’s Trick or Treat will be held on Saturday, October 31st from 6:30 to 8, rain or shine.

Arlington, Van Buren and Jenera will hold their Trick or Treat at the same time as Findlay.

Benton Ridge will not be having Trick or Treat.

Bluffton will be following the Allen County plan. October 29th, 2020 from 6:00-7:30pm

Vanlue will be hosting their normal community event on October 29th.

McComb will be October 31st, 2020 from 6:00-7:00pm

Fostoria will be October 31st, 2020 from 5:30-7pm

Mount Cory will be October 31st, 2020 from 6-7pm

Participating ghouls and goblins are asked to observe the following guidelines:

– If any member of your household is ill, stay home.

– All participants should wear masks, unless exempt by the State Mask Mandate.

– Social distance when possible.

– If passing out candy, be on front porch or sidewalk to avoid doorbell ringing.

– Hand out candy one by one rather than having Trick or Treaters reaching into common bowl.

– Stay in your own community and neighborhood.

– The State mass gathering ban is still at 10 people.

– If gathering with a group within the guidelines of the mass gathering ban, we recommend outside gatherings with no communal food or drinks.

 

#FindlayOhio #TrickorTreat2020 #Halloween2020 pic.twitter.com/UL7xqqbuhx

— City of Findlay (@CityOfFindlay) October 2, 2020

 

All of northwest Ohio is included in a Frost Advisory from the National Weather Service.

The advisory goes from 12 a.m. to 8 a.m. Saturday.

Forecasters say temperatures in the mid 30s will result in widespread frost that could damage or kill sensitive outdoor vegetation.

Temperatures on Saturday in Findlay are forecasted to reach the upper 50s with partly sunny skies.

Sunday’s forecast is calling for mostly cloudy skies, some showers and a high in the upper 50s.

 

A frost advisory will be in effect from midnight to 8am EDT Saturday. #clewx #ohwx pic.twitter.com/TWZahnvOd6

— NWS Cleveland (@NWSCLE) October 2, 2020