4/5/17 – 4:40 A.M.
The financial troubles appear to be over at Owens Community College. School officials say they have been released from “fiscal watch” status a year ahead of schedule after budget cuts and conservative spending. One of the last pieces of Owens’ financial puzzle is dropping enrollment, something the college is working to reverse through marketing, academics and support services.
04/05/17 – 1:12 A.M.
Findlay City Council passed the ordinance to provide funding for the Dorney Plaza Project. Mayor Lydia Mihalik said that she is excited to see the project moving forward.
The ordinance did not get full support though. Mihalik said that there were some concerns about the project.
Councilman Jeff Wobser and Councilwoman Holly Frische voted no. Councilman Tom Shindledecker voted yes but added that he was reluctant to do so.
04/05/12:00 A.M.
The bed tax committee made more headway Tuesday after talking with Findlay Law Director Don Rasmussen. He said that religious events cannot get city funds. Committee chair Grant Russell said that this does not apply to location.
Russell added that he will meet with Rasmussen and city auditor Jim Staschiak to work out the process of the grants. The committee is working to establish a process for organizations to apply for bed tax funds for their events. This will allow organizations to be reimbursed for their events if they meet the requirements.
04/04/17 – 3:16 P.M.
West Hardin Street in Findlay will be closed part of this week for installation of new water lines. The engineering department reports that the street will be closed between Main and Cory Streets on Wednesday and Thursday. The project is part of the Main Street Alley Reconstruction Project.
You are urged to avoid the area if possible. You can call the engineering department at 419-414-7121 if you have any questions.
04/04/17 – 2:32 P.M.
Flag City Morning Rotary is selling petunias as a fundraiser to help end polio across the world. The flowers are $12 for a flat of nine plants and are available in two sets of colors. You can get “Findlay Mix”, which is a mix of pink and coral flowers, or “Rotary Blue”, which are denim blue flowers. Hanging baskets are also available and cost $20 each.
The deadline to order is tomorrow. The petunias can be ordered from any Morning Rotary Club member or online at flagcitymorningrotary.org. You will be able to pick up your flowers at the back parking lot of The Courier on May 5 between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
4/4/17 – 10:48 A.M.
Construction equipment seen near the Blanchard River at Liberty Street in Findlay is not related to flood mitigation. Project Manager Steve Wilson says there’s been some confusion about the issue…
Audio: Steve Wilson
Wilson says the contractor on the sewer project likely won’t get started for a few weeks.
4/4/17 – 9:01 A.M.
Four recent overdose deaths have law enforcement in Lima concerned that someone could be selling a deadly batch of heroin in the community. The Lima News reports the deaths all happened within a week starting last Monday. The Lucas County Coroner’s Office is investigating each case and running toxicology reports.
It could take six to eight weeks to get the results from the coroner’s office.
In the meantime, police found the body of 23-year-old Shae Dickerson of Findlay in Lima last Friday. Lima Police Detective Steve Stechschulte tells the newspaper they are still treating the case as a homicide for now.
MORE: Lima News
4/4/17 – 8:45 A.M.
Police in Fostoria say a local woman unwittingly took part in an identity theft scam. The Review-Times reports the FBI alerted the Fostoria Police Department about a woman buying expensive things with credit card accounts belonging to people from all over the nation. Investigators followed up with the woman and found she had unknowingly used other people’s accounts to fund a con man in Nigeria.
Officer Cory Brian says the scammer contacted the woman on Facebook and started an online relationship with her. He said he was an American soldier stranded in Nigeria without enough money to buy ammunition. Investigators think the man hacked random credit card accounts and added the woman as a second user. At the direction of the con man, she spent roughly $75,000 since last May.
The Fostoria Police Department isn’t pressing charges. However the victims of the scam could sue her in civil court. Brian says other law enforcement agencies could press charges.
MORE: Review-Times
4/4/17 – 4:00 A.M.
Findlay police are investigating an armed robbery that happened outside of a bar early this morning. Police responded to Nicki’s Bar at 139 North Main Street around 2:30 a.m. Two men told officers that as they were leaving the bar two other men approached them in the rear parking lot. The suspects were holding handguns and demanded money. The victims gave them men cash. One of the suspects hit one of the victims on the side of the head with his gun, knocking him unconscious. The victim refused medical treatment when EMS crews arrived.
Police say the suspects ran away toward Clinton Street following the incident. Investigators say both suspects were young white men, around 20-years-old and 5’7″ tall. They were skinny and had white t-shirts over their faces. One suspect had brown curly hair and the other had short dark colored hair.
The case remains under investigation.
4/4/17 – 5:35 A.M.
Arlington officials want to speed up how long it takes to complete projects in the village. The Courier reports village council talked about adding time frames on smaller contracts. Normally council applies time limits to contracts worth more than $50,000 and go through the bid process.
Street Commissioner Dean Glick told council the small projects can drag on since there is no deadline for contractors to meet. Village Solicitor Don Rasmussen said he would add language to contracts for these jobs.
MORE: The Courier