Friday, November 20th, 2009Absentee rate not soaring at schools Most school districts continue to report only slight jumps in absenteeism this fall, a good indication that prevention works in combating swine flu, said Findlay Deputy Health Commissioner Barb Wilhelm. more >>Drainage plan approved for Liberty Dold FarmsThe Hancock County Commissioners on Thursday approved the drainage improvement plan for the Liberty Dold Farms Subdivision. more >>Two charged after robberyFOSTORIA -- Two Fostoria men were arrested early Thursday after a pizza delivery woman was robbed at knifepoint late Wednesday night. more >>Officials discuss storm, sanitary sewer problemsOTTAWA -- Engineers with URS Corp., Columbus, told the Putnam County Commissioners Thursday that they could determine how much storm water is getting into the sanitary sewer system. more >>Area man struck by refuse truckLAFAYETTE -- A Bluffton man was taken by helicopter to St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima, after a refuse truck backed over his leg Thursday on Mehaffey Road, about three miles northwest of Lafayette, the Allen County Sheriff's Office reported. more >>Extra enforcement slated for Saturday due to big gameThe Hancock County Sheriff's Office will be stepping up its traffic enforcement on Ohio 15 on Saturday because of the Ohio State-Michigan football game. more >>Public RecordDocket more >>Marathon cuts 2010 capital spendingNEW YORK (AP) -- Marathon Oil will cut capital expenditures by about $1 billion in 2010, the company said Thursday, with a larger percentage of funds going toward exploration and production and a smaller percentage toward its hard-hit refining business. more >>Local News Absentee rate not soaring at schoolsBy DENISE GRANT Staff Writer Most school districts continue to report only slight jumps in absenteeism this fall, a good indication that prevention works in combating swine flu, said Findlay Deputy Health Commissioner Barb Wilhelm. Asked if the worst of the H1N1 threat has passed, Wilhelm was hesitant to answer. "We certainly are seeing no significant trends," Wilhelm said. "I do think we have a lot of things going for us. I'm seeing more people washing hands and covering coughs than I ever have, so people are practicing good hygiene." So far, Findlay and Hancock County health departments have hosted three major vaccination clinics and several smaller clinics. "Obviously, the more we vaccinate, the better protected the community will be," she said. "We have had no deaths (attributed to H1N1), although I know we have had some hospitalizations. People have been ill." Kathleen Crates, director of student services for Findlay City Schools, said absences are dropping. She believes the district may have hit its peak with H1N1 on Nov. 9, when absences hit a high of 497, or 8 percent of the student population of about 6,098 students. The numbers have been dropping since then. Crates said teachers have done a good job teaching students to cover their coughs and wash their hands. "I think this made a difference," she said. "And we have been cleaning and cleaning and cleaning." McComb Superintendent Michael Lamb said his district is averaging an absentee rate of about 6 to 7 percent. "My principals tell me that this is consistent with what we have had in the past, when the cold and flu season hits us. So, we're actually not up from previous years," Lamb said. While some schools are no longer asking for a doctor's note to excuse an absence during the flu outbreak, Lamb said he is asking principals to use "some good, old-fashioned common sense." "One of the many advantages of being a small school is that we know the children (and parents) well, and no one is attempting to take advantage of this situation by skipping school," said Lamb. "There are too many exciting and neat things going on here at McComb. And again, that's the problem. Youngsters who are feverish are coming to school and the principals have to send them home, which is a good problem to have." Health officials recommend that children be fever-free for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Arlington Schools saw a slight spike in absences last week. "We are not necessarily seeing confirmed H1N1 cases," said Superintendent Kevin Haught. "I think parents are being a little more cautious sending children to school who may still be ill." Haught said the school is continuing to sanitize classrooms, drinking fountains, restrooms and bus seats. "These efforts are helping to keep the spread of germs to a minimum ...," said Haught. "I realize that this flu season will be a challenge for all of us, parents, students, staff and the medical community." Grant: 419-427-8412, denisegrant@thecourier.com Drainage plan approved for Liberty Dold Farms By LINSEY MAUGHAN STAFF WRITER The Hancock County Commissioners on Thursday approved the drainage improvement plan for the Liberty Dold Farms Subdivision. Plans include deepening the neighborhood's detention pond and installing a valve duct to regulate water flow between the pond and a nearby stream. Installation of a storm sewer that was previously considered by the commissioners, and which was opposed by Liberty Dold residents because of its cost, was not approved as part of the plan. The estimated cost of the project is $166,000, and anyone owning property in the neighborhood will be responsible for paying a portion of the cost. Hancock County Engineer Steven Wilson said the expanded detention pond should do a better job of protecting the neighborhood from flooding. “The capacity of the detention pond was originally designed to handle a five-year storm. That's a rainfall that you could expect to see once every five years,” he said. “The size is being expanded to handle a storm you could see once every 100 years.” The plan involves deepening the pond from about three feet deep to about eight or 10 feet deep, but will not alter the area of the pond much. Wilson said that when rainwater collects in the streets of the subdivision, the water will flow into the pond. The pond's increased depth will prevent water from stagnating in the streets as it has in the past. Additionally, the valve duct to be installed will regulate water drainage from the pond to the nearby stream. “Right now what's happening is there's not enough storage volume in the pond,” Wilson said. “So if the stream is high, it actually backs the water up so the water lays in the streets in the subdivision. By increasing the size of the pond, we're confident the water will be able to get out of the streets in the subdivision and into the pond.” Wilson said the commissioners' action on Thursday has “given us the authority to proceed to get competitive bids for doing the improvements to expand the detention pond.” But plans could still be subject to change, according to Wilson, because property owners in the Liberty Dold subdivision have 30 days to file an appeal. Wilson said the cost per property owner is estimated at just above $900. Starr Commonwealth for Boys, which is the largest landowner in the subdivision, will be charged just under $49,000. The payments can be made either in one lump sum or can be added to each property owner's property taxes over a period of years. If there is no appeal, Wilson said bids could be accepted after the start of the new year, and work on the project could begin during the winter months if the ground is acceptable. The project should take no more than two months to complete. “I think it will be a good improvement and it should help to alleviate the street flooding that's occurred,” he said. The neighborhood has flooded multiple times in the past few years, and Wilson said some residents have had water leak into their basements. But he said the basement problems are most likely unrelated to the streets flooding. “We don't think the street flooding in and of itself has caused those problems,” he said. “It may be just a case that the basements were constructed improperly. Once repaired, basement problems have gone away.” While the pond work should stop the streets from flooding, trouble could still loom ahead for some residents. “By no means are we guaranteeing these improvements will eliminate the basement problems,” Wilson said. Two charged after robbery FOSTORIA -- Two Fostoria men were arrested early Thursday after a pizza delivery woman was robbed at knifepoint late Wednesday night. Fostoria police reported that the delivery woman, who was not identified, fought back and cut one of the attackers with his own knife before he ran off with her money bag and cell phone. Rodney D. Hampton, 40, faces charges of aggravated robbery, tampering with evidence, and disrupting public service, while Jonathon L. Zickefoose, 40, has been charged with complicity to felony drug possession, according to a Fostoria Municipal Court clerk. Hampton was a star football and baseball player at Fostoria High School and was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies after high school. The two men reportedly lured the delivery driver to a pay phone in front of a South Countyline Street business, according to Police Chief John McGuire. Police reported that one of the men, later identified by police as Hampton, approached the woman and grabbed both of her arms. According to McGuire, the man demanded her money bag and produced a utility knife when the woman said she did not have it. Hampton, listed by police as 6-foot-2 and weighing 260 pounds, wrestled the woman to the ground, police reported, and during the struggle, the woman was able to grab the knife from his hands and cut him. Hampton allegedly took back the knife, ran to the delivery driver's car, took the money bag and cell phone and fled the scene on foot, McGuire reported. Hampton and Zickefoose were arrested after police officers responded to a call at 12:14 a.m. from a Findlay Street resident who reported a suspicious red vehicle with two occupants was parked alongside the street with its lights turned off. When an officer approached the vehicle, Hampton fled on foot, cutting through several yards in the neighborhood, police said. One officer remained with Zickefoose and later took him into custody, while another officer pursued Hampton, police reported. The officer chasing Hampton noticed a "large amount of blood throughout the neighborhood and yards," according to McGuire. Police followed a trail of blood through neighboring yards to a property in the 400 block of West Crocker Street, where Hampton was found hiding beneath a tarp draped over a swing set and bleeding from the hand. Hampton was uncooperative with police and had to be ordered out by gunpoint, police reported. Hampton was taken into custody and transported to Fostoria Community Hospital for treatment of the laceration on his hand. Drug paraphernalia with residue was found in Hampton's possession and was sent to the lab for testing, police reported. During a search of the area, the money bag and cell phone taken in the robbery were found on a shelf in a garage at a nearby property, and the knife had been thrown on the garage's roof. "It was a nice job by the officers, not only in tracking him down, but in finding the money bag and the victim's cell phone, and even the utility knife used in the robbery," said McGuire. Hampton is being held in jail on a $350,000 bond with his next court hearing scheduled for Nov. 23. Zickefoose, is being held on a $25,000 bond and is due in court on Nov. 24, according to the court clerk. Officials discuss storm, sanitary sewer problems OTTAWA -- Engineers with URS Corp., Columbus, told the Putnam County Commissioners Thursday that they could determine how much storm water is getting into the sanitary sewer system. Mike Frommer and Tiffaney Maag said the company can measure for infiltration and flow of storm water in the sewer system, Frommer said, by using dyed water to test downspouts. The company can also use closed circuit television cameras to inspect for leaks. The cost was not discussed Thursday and the commissioners took no action. The company approached the county about the issue after hearing of large amounts of sewer water in the county's Sewer District I on the eastern edge of Ottawa. The county has three sewer districts. The additional storm water increases the amount received at the wastewater treatment plant. Commissioner Vince Schroeder said the county gets billed for treating sewer water and residents in the district each pay a portion. Sewer district residents are paying more because of the higher water volume. Some residents have removed their downspouts and sump pumps from the sanitary sewer system, he said, but are still paying a higher amount. The property owners in the area have organized in order to seek a solution to the problem, Commissioner John Love said, and the commissioners will get the property owners involved once a long-range plan is developed. The county may seek state Issue 2 infrastructure money to rehabilitate storm water and sanitary sewers, commissioners said. Separately, the commissioners approved a new salary schedule for the Putnam County Job and Family Services, which will merge with Putnam County Child Support Enforcement Agency on Jan. 1. It includes no pay raises. Area man struck by refuse truck LAFAYETTE -- A Bluffton man was taken by helicopter to St. Rita's Medical Center, Lima, after a refuse truck backed over his leg Thursday on Mehaffey Road, about three miles northwest of Lafayette, the Allen County Sheriff's Office reported. Aaron Koogler, 26, of Bluffton, is reported in serious condition, the hospital reported. Koogler, an employee of Koogler Refuse, Beaverdam, was in the road when a refuse truck backed over his left leg at 8:50 a.m. Thursday, the sheriff's office reported. The accident is under investigation, the sheriff's office reported. No further details were available this afternoon. Extra enforcement slated for Saturday due to big game The Hancock County Sheriff's Office will be stepping up its traffic enforcement on Ohio 15 on Saturday because of the Ohio State-Michigan football game. The extra patrols, which will be present both before and after the game, are being paid for through a federal grant from the Ohio Traffic Safety Office, according to Lt. John Clevidence. Deputies will be concentrating on drunken driving enforcement, right of way, speeding and seat belt violations, according to Clevidence. The goal of this increased enforcement is to reduce traffic fatalities, drunken driving-related injuries and increase use of seat belts, he said. Public Record Docket From the public records of the Findlay Police Department and the Hancock County Sheriff's Office: Police Department Wilson's Sandwich Shop, 600 S. Main St., was broken into Thursday. Police observed several candy machines outside the shop broken into and change missing. A pop machine at Bright Road Beverage, 1700 Romick Parkway, was pried into on Thursday. A Pheasant Run home was broken into on Thursday. A van was spraypainted on Thursday while parked on Second Street. An 11-year-old Donnell Middle School student had his bike taken from him on Wednesday. Police later arrested a male for receiving stolen property in the bike theft. Two people traveling from Bowling Green to Findlay to buy marijuana were arrested on Wednesday. One of the men was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and the other for falsification. An attempted break-in was reported at 1860 Huntington Drive on Wednesday. A man who appeared to be high while driving on Interstate 75 on Wednesday was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia for having 6.25 grams of marijuana in the car he was driving. He told police he and his friend were returning from a rock concert in Detroit. An unknown suspect nabbed several Blu-ray discs from Walmart on Tiffin Avenue on Wednesday. A car was spray painted in a parking lot at 122 E. Crawford St. on Wednesday. A juvenile was cited for curfew violation on Hardin Street on Wednesday. A 1995 Buick was spray painted in the 600 block of Bennett Street on Tuesday. A Findlay City Schools bus driver reported a car whisked by her school bus at the intersection of Crystal and Bishop Lanes on Tuesday while the bus stop lights were activated. A man was later cited for the incident. Unruly/runaway charges were requested against a Clinton Street juvenile by police on Tuesday. Sheriff's Office A Benton Ridge woman reported that someone had set her garden on fire on Sunday. A Liberty Township couple reported that someone had driven a car through their lawn on Springfield Road on Tuesday. Loud music was reported at 8863 Hancock County 313 in Eagle Township on Tuesday. Anyone with information about a crime can call Findlay/Hancock County Crimestoppers between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays at 419-425-TIPS, or visit the Web at www.HancockCrimeStoppers.org. Callers may remain anonymous. Courthouse From the public records of Hancock County Common Pleas Court: Common Pleas Court Larry A. Smith, 43, of Lima, pleaded guilty on Thursday to domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was originally indicted for felonious assault, a second-degree felony, but accepted a plea deal that lessened his charge. Smith assaulted a woman on Oct. 2 in Findlay, according to his indictment. He will be sentenced by Judge Joseph Niemeyer on Jan. 21 following completion of a pre-sentence investigation. Albert W. Mizen, 23, of Tiffin, pleaded guilty to three counts of trafficking in cocaine, two of which were fifth-degree felonies and the other a fourth-degree felony. On three occasions in February, Mizen sold cocaine in Findlay, once within 1,000 feet of Washington Intermediate School, according to his indictment. He will be sentenced on Jan. 4 by Niemeyer following completion of a pre-sentence investigation. Dustin W. Hayman, 32, of Findlay, was sentenced to 11 months in prison by Niemeyer after being found in violation of probation. After being convicted of trafficking in cocaine, a fifth-degree felony, Hayman was sentenced to five years of community control sanctions. However, he was found in violation of these sanctions for possessing a firearm, admitting to using cocaine and alcohol and in picking up a new charge in Findlay Municipal Court, according to Assistant County Prosecutor Drew Wortman. Richard A. Schofield, 26, of Findlay, pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana, a fifth-degree felony. He was found in possession of more than 200 grams of marijuana in Orange Township on May 31, according to his indictment. He will be sentenced by Niemeyer following completion of a pre-sentence investigation. Chase H. Breitigam, 23, address unknown, was sentenced to four years in prison by Niemeyer for violating his probation. Since being sentenced to five years of community control sanctions for four counts of trafficking in cocaine, Breitigam has been charged with trafficking in cocaine in Wood County, according to Wortman. He also has admitted to using alcohol and marijuana, he said, which are all in violation of his community control sanctions. Divorces, Dissolutions Deanna C. Miracle and Jason R. Miracle, dissolution. Shelly A. Spitnale and Shaun R. Spitnale, dissolution. Carolyn Maa and Shane T-J Maa, dissolution. Angela Smith from Linden Smith II, divorce. Linden Smith II from Angela Smith, divorce. Kimberly D. Cass and David M. Cass, dissolution. Jennifer Reddish from Bryan Reddish, dissolution. Charissa Nigh from Daniel Nigh, dissolution. Jacqueline Clouser and Thomas Clouser, dissolution. Wendy A. Stahl-Pocock and Gerald L. Pocock, dissolution. Melissa L. Beatty and Daniel J. Beatty, dissolution. From the public records of the Hancock County auditor's office. No money changes hands in some real estate transfers between family members, in some bank repossessions, and in some other transfers. Real Estate Transfers Laurie J. and David A. Cody to Jerome E. and Irma L. Bell, 1306 Forest Park, Findlay, $300,000. Woody T. Heimann to Dustin S. and Danielle L. Schloemp, 15392 Bent Tree Drive, Findlay, $163,000. Julia A. and Paul E. Hinshaw and Trust to Ryan A. and Michele D. Fisher, 1857 Lippincott Ave., Findlay, $225,000. Debra A. and Warren K. Beal to Joshua A. Rich, 511 Winfield Ave., Findlay, $125,000. Kevin J. and Nicole L. Duling to Justin K. Aydt, 418 Colorado Ave., Findlay, $146,000. Dustin S. and Danielle L. Schloemp to Jason M. Kitchen and Stefanie M. Gabel, 103 Jackson Road, Benton Ridge, $95,200. Jasen A. and Jessica J. Cairns to Samuel J. and Jennifer J. Daniel, 3326 Byrnwyck Drive, Findlay, $226,010. Dan and Peggy A. Caudill to Roberta Morgan, Lot 54, Crawford St., Vanlue, $2,200. Brant P. Brooks to Lois J. Brooks, 100 E. North St., Vanlue. Lois J. Brooks to Toby A. Brooks, 100 E. North St., Vanlue, $5,000. Seneca Wire & Manufacturing Co. to Burns Petroleum LLC, Lot 7, Vine St., Fostoria, $10,430. Chad E. and Paula A. Miller to Adam C. and Melissa C. Heiserman, 730 W. Tiffin St., Fostoria, $56,000. Hancock County sheriff and John H. Samsal to Federal National Mortgage Association, 12609 Hancock County 216, Findlay, $71,000. Hancock County sheriff and Alyssa D. Spires to Fannie Mae and Federal National Mortgage Association, 651 Van Buren St., Fostoria, $26,667. Hancock County sheriff, Matthew C. and Alesha Anne Logan to John H. and Naomi Shepherd, 420 Carnahan Ave., Findlay, $53,000. Julie A. Nye to Robert Wagner, 622 South St., Findlay, 209 Marshall St., Findlay, 418 Walnut St., Findlay and 524 E. Lincoln St., Findlay. Julie Ellis to Nicholas M. Hamlin, 7460 Hancock County 304, Forest and part of Section 10, Hancock County 304, Forest, $10,000. Fire Calls From the public records of the Findlay Fire Department: Wednesday 2:36 p.m., 821 Summit St., power line down. 7:04 p.m., Interstate 75, vehicle accident. Thursday 10:51 a.m., 2531 Tiffin Ave., alarm malfunction. 12:07 p.m., 2500 Tiffin Ave., emergency medical service call. 2:57 p.m., 401 Lima Ave., smoke scare. Marathon cuts 2010 capital spending NEW YORK (AP) -- Marathon Oil will cut capital expenditures by about $1 billion in 2010, the company said Thursday, with a larger percentage of funds going toward exploration and production and a smaller percentage toward its hard-hit refining business. Investors had expected the company, based in Houston, to focus even more on the exploration of new finds off Angola and huge natural gas plays in North America, said BMO Capital Markets analyst Jim Byrne. Shares of Marathon Oil Corp. fell 4 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average fell by 94 points Thursday during a broad sell-off and shares of most large energy companies retreated with oil futures tumbling nearly 3 percent. At its investor day meeting in New York, the company said 2010 capital expenditures would be about $5 billion, compared with the $6 billion it expects to invest by the end of 2009. Marathon is the fourth-largest U.S. integrated oil company, meaning it's involved in exploration and production as well as refining and marketing. Margins for refining oil have been under severe pressure this year. While crude prices have more than doubled to around $80 per barrel since December, demand for gasoline, diesel and jet fuel remains weak. Companies have been forced to spend more to buy oil, which hasn't translated into larger profits when that crude is processed into fuel. Marathon reported earlier this month that third-quarter income from refining, marketing and transportation operations fell to $158 million from $771 million a year ago. Most major oil companies have maintained capital spending even during the economic downturn. However, ConocoPhillips, the third-largest U.S. oil company, said recently it would cut spending by 12 percent. Marathon shares fell $1.37 to close at $33.33 Thursday. |
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