With slick travel likely this week, Allen County Emergency Management is encouraging drivers to restock that emergency kit or create one. If you must travel in winter weather, drivers should carry basic items like blankets, flashlights, and washer fluid, along with non-perishable food and bottled water. A spare phone charger is also recommended in that kit if you do have to call for help.

Lima Police, the Lima Fire Department, and the Allen County Sheriff responded to a call that a male had been struck by a vehicle while crossing the Market Street and Nixon Avenue intersection. The driver and a witness were interviewed on scene and the victim was transported to the hospital with injuries, but in stable condition. 

Back in August of 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court overturned the state law prohibiting trains from blocking intersections for more than five minutes. Due to federal regulations, local government officials are no longer able to control the movement or the standstill of trains passing through our area.

DeWine said the bill he signed into law is about more than just pulling people over, it is about changing the culture of distracted driving. Under the previous law, distracted driving was a primary offense only for juvenile drivers. So officers could not stop adult distracted drivers unless they were committing another primary traffic violation, like speeding or running a red light.

According to provisional statistics, 11 people killed on Ohio roadways this New Year holiday. During the four-day reporting period, from Friday, December 30, at 12 a.m. until Monday, January 2, at 11:59 p.m., 11 people were killed in nine fatal crashes. Impairment was a factor in six fatalities, while eight were not wearing safety belts.