It's part of their homeowner assistance fund to assist with various housing expenses. One of those being property taxes. WOCAP staff can assist homeowners to see if they are eligible for help that could save their home from foreclosure due to past unpaid property taxes. WOCAP says they can pay up to $10,000 per household.
The number of individuals relying on credit cards continues to skyrocket, and as interest rates climb, that debt only gets more expensive. While paying that minimum balance might avoid late fees, that method usually leads to long-term debt. We spoke to a local financial advisor who says if you are paying down your debt but the balance isn't budging, it may come down to your payment strategy.
People in the Wapakoneta School District are making sure that everyone has the chance to have Merry Christmas this year. After the Christmas Cheer program ended a couple of years ago, a group of people got together to continue their mission and created the Christmas Jubilee. Businesses and individuals stepped up with money and donations to help fill the requests of over forty needy families in the school district. Each of the Wapakoneta Schools also held a food drive to collect items to give to the families. Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts from Wapakoneta were on hand to help load the many boxes each family got and take a little pride that they helped give someone a better Christmas.
29-year-old Markeisha Blackman appeared for a preliminary hearing in Lima Municipal Court. The Lima Police Department says that on November 22nd, a fire was intentionally set at 125 West O'Connor with four individuals inside. Those individuals were able to get out of the house when the fire started. Blackman declined to sign a waiver for the hearing, which led the prosecution to call Lima Police Detective Steven Stechschulte.
Today, the Lima Salvation Army kicked off their annual Red Kettle Campaign. Their goal is $125,000. Those funds will stay local to help individuals and families that need assistance this holiday season and throughout the year. Most well-known is the Christmas assistance that the Salvation Army provides with the community's help. If you missed their sign up they will be having another opportunity to register on Tuesday, November 15th. They are also looking for individuals, groups, and organizations to donate time to ring the bells this holiday season.
The Allen County RTA will be offering free rides on all fixed routes on Tuesday, November 8th, as well as up-lift rides to voting locations. Those who are interested in up-lift rides will need to make a reservation by the end of the day on November 7th. Allen County RTA says that they wanted to do their part in ensuring that every resident's voice is heard in this upcoming election.
The Winter Crisis Program through West Ohio Community Action Partnership is underway. It's a federally funded program that assists income-eligible individuals with heating costs and furnace repairs during the winter months. WOCAP officials say there are more people in need of heating assistance this year and they are here to help.
11 people were honored for their work in the community by the Marimor Employment Services Department. The ceremony recognized individuals enrolled in the program that have held jobs in the community from 5 to 30 years. In 2022, 11 people were honored who have worked in fields such as community service, childcare, and warehouse jobs. Organizers say an event like this is important to recognize the hard work being done in the local community.
The #NoDeathPenaltyOH coalition made a stop in Lima for their "Ohio Innocence Tour." The featured speakers for the tour include three individuals who were exonerated or freed from death row.