10/1218 – 7:10 A.M.
The cat that made national headlines after it was rescued from a drainage pipe at Findlay’s Donnell Middle School passed away. Piper was rescued from the pipe in 2014 at the age of 12. She was adopted by a local family and passed away on Tuesday.
Piper was stuck in a downspout pipe after possibly being chased into the sewer system by another animal. It took two days to get the cat out of the pipe. The incident had gained national attention and even reached overseas.
10/12/18 – 5:28 A.M.
The Hancock County Commissioners passed a resolution to oppose Issue 1 during their Thursday meeting. The issue is a proposed amendment to the state constitution that aims to reform drug sentencing laws. The commissioners met with Findlay Municipal Court and Hancock Common Pleas Court judges last week. The judges voiced concerns about the local impact that approval of the ballot issue would have on the drug court as well as city and county finances.
The Issue reduces fourth and fifth-degree drug possession felonies to misdemeanors. The judges have called this an oversimplification of a complex issue that does not need to be a constitutional amendment. The issue faces widespread opposition and will be in front of Ohio voters on November 6.
10/12/18 – 5:19 A.M.
ODOT is looking to hire snow plow drivers for this winter. There will be a hiring event at the ODOT Hancock County maintenance garage from 3 – 7 p.m. next Tuesday. There are 36 temporary positions available for Allen, Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Wyandot Counties.
Applicants must have a CDL and will undergo a driving record check. You will also have to take a physical abilities test.
The positions pay a little over $17/hour but have no benefits since they are temporary positions.
10/12/18 – 5:06 A.M.
The I-75 Widening Project will see some major changes coming to Findlay next week. ODOT Project Engineer Rob White explained that Lima Avenue is going to close for about a year.
White explained that Lima Avenue will close on both the Cooper Tire side and the Findlay Airport side. The ramps to 68 will be maintained as long as possible while ODOT finishes the roundabouts.
He added that there is constant motion to roundabouts rather than stop and go traffic.
White explained that Lima Avenue will close on both the Cooper Tire side and the Findlay Airport side. The ramps to 68 will be maintained as long as possible while ODOT finishes the roundabouts.
Aside from the roundabouts, ODOT is working to restore access to Logan Avenue. They are also planning to reopen State Route 12 by November 10.
10/11/18 – 4:47 P.M.
There have been reports of raccoons damaging crops in the area. Hancock County OSU Extension Educator Ed Lentz said that raccoons don’t typically go for field corn.
Lentz said that you can protect your sweet corn with a low laying electric fence. He added that there isn’t much you can do to protect field corn. Not all hope is lost though. Lentz said that you can call for help if raccoons cause a lot of damage.
10/11/18 – 9:00 A.M.
OSHA is fining a Carey auto parts maker more than $100,000 for alleged safety violations. The agency says Continental Structural Plastics failed to train employees on lockout procedures to disable a press before changing dies. OSHA says that amounts to an amputation hazard.
The agency also says Continental did not inspect the legs of a shelving unit in a die storage area. An investigation allegedly found damaged legs for the shelving, exposing employees to hazards from the equipment kept on the shelves.
MORE: The Courier
10/11/18 – 8:40 A.M.
A two-car crash injured one person on U.S. 68 in Hancock County Wednesday afternoon. The Hancock County Sheriff’s Office says the collision happened at the intersection of the highway and the exit ramp from eastbound State Route 15 around 2:30 p.m.
63-year-old Stephen Holcomb of Columbus was trying to turn north onto U.S. 68 when he hit an SUV driven by 35-year-old Phillip Simmons of Bowling Green. Holcomb went to Blanchard Valley Hospital for treatment of his injuries.
The crash remains under investigation.
10/11/18 – 8:29 A.M.
The former St. Wendelin Elementary School is set for demolition later this year. The parish will hold a goodbye ceremony for the building on October 20. The event starts at 4 p.m. with a Mass at 4:30. A spaghetti dinner will follow in the parish hall.
Director Jon Hay says while they initially planned to move the kindergarten through eighth-grade students back into the building, it would have cost around $1 million to renovate. Hay says the building is no longer safe, and has mold and structural issues.
St. Wendelin stopped using the building in 2010, when they moved all students into the high school due to declining enrollment. St. Wendelin closed its high school in 2017.
MORE: The Courier
10/11/18 – 8:18 A.M.
A Putnam County woman pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud last week. The Putnam County Sentinel reports 51-year-old Jennifer Edelbrock entered the pleas in the U.S. District Court last Thursday. The charges stemmed from an investigation that revealed Edelbrock fraudulently took money from her clients’ bank accounts. The money was supposed to pay for things like payroll and tax obligations.
A federal indictment says Edelbrock spent or transferred more than $914,000 of her clients’ money.
A judge could sentence Edelbrock to 30 years in prison for each count. Assistant U.S. District Attorney Noah Hood says sentencing guidelines make it more likely Edelbrock will spend 41 to 51 months in prison. Sentencing is set for January 28.
MORE: Putnam County Sentinel
10/11/18 – 7:07 A.M.
Cooper Tire Europe might stop making tires for cars and light trucks. The company, a subsidiary of Findlay-based Cooper Tire & Rubber, reported the news Wednesday. Cooper says that its Melksham, United Kingdom facility would still remain its European headquarters. They would also continue to make motorcycle tires there.
Cooper says the Melksham facility is older and smaller. The company adds it doesn’t offer economic scale.
The move could result in around 300 jobs lost. Around 730 people work at the factory.