4/12/17 – 9:09 A.M.
A nurse form Tiffin will spend five days in jail. The Courier reports 36-year-old Wendi Baker pleaded guilty to a tampering with records charge last week.
Investigators said Baker made false or misleading statements to get Medicaid reimbursements between May 2013 and June 2016.
Prosecutors initially charged her with two counts of Medicaid fraud and one count of grand theft.
MORE: The Courier
4/12/17 – 9:02 A.M.
The investigation continues into an inmate’s death at the Allen County Justice Center. The Lima News reports officials have identified 23-year-old Brandon Hoop of Kenton as the inmate found unresponsive in the facility Monday. The Lucas County Coroner is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Hoop was getting ready to serve a two-year sentence for theft from the elderly in the Correctional Reception Center in Orient, Ohio . In 2015, Shawnee Township police arrested Hoop and another man for collecting money for a fake basketball trip to Florida.
MORE: Lima News
4/12/17 – 7:32 A.M.
The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a former Riverdale teacher. WKTN radio reports the investigation involved a former 5th grade intervention teacher and Junior High girls volleyball and basketball coach.
Superintendent Eric Hoffman didn’t tell the radio station about the nature of the investigation, only that the teacher cited personal reasons for her decision to resign.
MORE: WKTN Radio
4/12/17 – 7:20 A.M.
A Findlay man is facing charges after he allegedly grabbed an 11-year-old, and took the child into his home to engage in sexual activity. The Courier reports the Hancock County grand jury indicted 59-year-old Jeffery Julien on kidnapping and importuning charges Tuesday.
Julien could spend up to 16 years in prison if convicted on both counts.
The alleged incident happened April 6 at 8240 Hazelwood Drive. The sheriff’s office said deputies had been investigating an older man propositioning children in the area.
MORE: The Courier
4/12/17 – 6:57 A.M.
A committee that includes Findlay’s high school principal recently presented a plan for relaxed graduation standards to the state school board. The Courier reports the state board threw its support behind the proposal Tuesday. They’ll now ask the state legislature to adopt the new standards.
If the plan passes, current juniors will still have to take end-of-course exams. However, they’ll still be able graduate without passing them. The plan allows students to graduate if they take all seven tests and meet two other conditions. Those conditions include a 93 percent attendance rate, a senior year GPA of at least 2.5, or 120 hours of senior year work experience or community service.
FHS Principal Craig Kupferberg has been critical of the current standards. He says they serve as a way to provide data for researchers without serving a purpose for students. He adds the standards put 30 percent of next year’s seniors at risk of not graduating.
MORE: The Courier
4/12/17 – 5:26 A.M.
Plans to improve the Blanchard River channel in Findlay to reduce flooding could move forward next week. The Courier reports the Maumee Watershed Conservancy District will talk about the issue at a Tuesday meeting in Defiance. If the board approves the measure, the plan will go in front of the Maumee Watershed Conservancy Court in early May.
The court consists of judges from the 15 counties affected by the Maumee River.
Lynn Army is the general manager of the conservancy district. He says channel improvements recommended by Stantec Engineering are similar to a project incorporated into the district’s official plan in 1992. That could mean the new plan has a chance to bypass the district’s lengthy process of adding it to their official plan.
MORE: The Courier
A man connected to a fatal shooting in Findlay won’t face charges. A release from the Findlay Police Department says a grand jury heard testimony about the December 9 shooting death of Trey James for more than four hours Tuesday. They returned a “no bill.” That means they did not find probable cause that 22-year-old Travis Baldridge of Findlay committed a crime.
A police report shows Baldridge shot James multiple times in a home at 241 George Street. The report says James went to the home to confront someone for accusing him of stealing money, drugs, and guns from the same home days earlier. After a fight broke out James left, but came back with an AR-15 style rifle and pointed it at Baldridge. Baldridge shot James as he approached steps inside the home.
The investigation of the case took several weeks as police had to track down various witnesses. Some were reluctant to talk or uncooperative because of fear of retaliation. Some of those at the house said they had gang affiliations.
04/11/17 – 7:47 P.M.
The Hancock County Juvenile Court is looking to start a Grand Program. Judge Kristen Johnson said that the program is designed to help people going through custody situations.
Johnson said that they have seen an increase in custody cases.
The Grand Program will connect guardians with the services in the area that will help them get the help they need. Though the program isn’t official yet, it has been given the support by all three county commissioners.
04/11/17 – 6:20 P.M.
UPDATE – 7:21 P.M.
The missing 8-year-old girl in Findlay returned home safe Tuesday evening. Police report that Keyarra Fox returned on her own after being missing since about 11:30 a.m.
The police were still talking to the family after she returned. We will have more information as it becomes available.
04/11/17 – 6:12 P.M.
The weather is warming up and AAA wants you to continue having safe travels. CEO of AAA Findlay Automobile Club Pat Garlock said that tow trucks can be a big cost.
She added that you can avoid these big costs by becoming a AAA member or by maintaining your vehicle regularly. Another key thing to do while traveling is to check in at regular intervals and make sure others know your itinerary.
Garlock added that it is smart to let people know where you are at.
She said it is also a good idea to keep your gas tank fueled. There are areas where you can travel for quite some time without finding a place to refuel.