11/2/17 – 5:01 A.M.

Construction crews working on the downtown Findlay road improvement project made an interesting discovery Wednesday. Workers found old rails that once carried trolley cars up and down Main Street. They were digging into the pavement to make way for a pedestrian island when they found the tracks. The Courier reports the Hancock Historical Museum is taking some of the rail to display it at the museum.

It’s not the first time construction crews have uncovered the old rail system. Crews had to cut through a section of the rails in January of 2014 to fix a water main that ruptured on Lima Avenue.

11/2/17 – 4:54 A.M.

Work continues on several Findlay roads this week. The city’s Engineering Department says Main Street is still reduced to one lane in both directions for the downtown construction project. The outside curb lanes are open between Center and Lima streets.

Paving work will close several roads. They include Central Avenue between Tiffin and Balsey, South West Street between West Main Cross and Sandusky, and East Hardin Street from East Street to Grand Avenue. You’ll also see paving on Allen Avenue from Crystal to Blanchard and on Ellis Avenue between Main and Beecher.

11/2/17 – 4:22 A.M.

Convicted killer Russell Adkins is awaiting a ruling on his appeal. Adkins’ attorneys went before an Ohio appeals court yesterday, asking that his conviction be overturned. They claim there’s a lack of evidence linking him to the 1982 murder of Dana Rosendale in Wood County. Adkins is serving a 15 years to life sentence.

11/01/17 – 6:36 P.M.

The Hancock County Probate and Juvenile Court staff gave tours of the building to show problematic areas. Judge Kristen Johnson explained that there are many parts of the building that are unsafe.

Kristen Johnson

Johnson said that coupled with tight spaces make for an unsafe workspace, especially for a court. The over 150-year-old building has holes in the walls, floors, and ceilings. In some spots, the walls are separating, leaving gaps leading to the outside.

She added that she worries about security and keeping people safe. She said she is concerned about the lack of safety if a fight were to break out in the courtroom.

Kristen Johnson

There was incident earlier in the year that involved a juvenile and a deputy. She said that this scuffle blocked the door to the courtroom leaving the deputy on his own.

Johnson said that Issue 4 will provide funds to expand the jail but added that it will help to move them as well.

Kristen Johnson

11/01/17 – 4:09 P.M.

Helping Hands Food Drive is happening right now to benefit CHOPIN Hall and they are off to a good start. David Harr organized the event and said that they passed the 10,000-pound mark earlier today and there’s more to come.

David Harr

The goal for this year’s food drive is to reach 78,000 pounds of food. Harr said that there are 5 locations to donate at.

David Harr

He added that it is amazing to see how well the community comes together to support others.

David Harr

Harr added that it takes about 600-700 hundreds of hours of volunteer time to handle the event. The food will all go to CHOPIN Hall so that it will stay local.

11/01/17 – 11:31 A.M.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol wants to remind drivers that wearing seatbelts is the easiest way to save lives. According to a release, between 2014 and 2016 over 1,100 Ohioans were killed in crashes who were not wearing their seatbelts. The National Traffic Safety Administration estimates that over 400 lives were saved in Ohio last year because people buckled up.

Lt. Matt Crow of the Findlay Post said, “It’s simple – safety belts save lives and reduce injury in crashes”. He added that troopers will continue zero tolerance enforcement of Ohio’s safety belt law.

11/1/17 – 7:18 A.M.

Wood County authorities are searching for a man who allegedly fired a gun into a home and then broke into the house to steal marijuana. The Sentinel-Tribune reports the incident happened in Bradner late Monday night.

Investigators have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Chase Stradler of Bucyrus. Police say Stradler left the home in a dark-colored SUV.

MORE: Sentinel-Tribune

11/1/17 – 6:56 A.M.

A Tiffin woman is dead after she apparently tried to jump out of a moving vehicle as police officers were taking her to the Seneca County Jail. The Courier reports 35-year-old Jessica Poole died last Friday at Mercy St. Vincent Health Center in Toledo. A medical helicopter took her to the facility following an incident near the jail last Thursday.

Poole had a hearing scheduled in the Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court Friday afternoon. The Seneca County grand jury indicted Poole on three counts of trafficking in drugs last May.

MORE: The Courier

11/1/17 – 6:46 A.M.

American Electric Power is upgrading their infrastructure in Seneca County. The Review-Times reports AEP is investing $7 million to upgrade power lines between Fostoria and Fremont.

AEP is holding an open house to talk about the project tonight. They’ll have information available form 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Old Fort Schools’ Bettsville campus.

MORE: Review-Times

11/1/17 – 5:30 A.M.

Pandora is looking to see if residents are paying enough on their water and sewer bills. The Putnam County Sentinel reports village council approved a water rate study at their latest meeting. Representatives of an engineering firm say the village has to have a rate study in place before they can apply for grants to build a new water tower.

Pandora estimates a new tower will cost nearly $863,000. Grants could cover around $700,000 of the project. Construction on the new tower could begin in 2019.