The Ohio Senate passed a bill that would require school districts to develop a cell phone policy and limit its use as much as possible during the school day. Members of the Ohio House have introduced their own version, which would also have restrictions tied to social media and require school districts to teach about the harms of social media.
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April 25, 2025, Press Release from the Southern District of Ohio United States Marshals Service: Columbus Ohio – The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) is alerting the public of several imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals, court officers, or other law enforcement officials. During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest due to a claim of identity theft, failing to report for jury duty, or other civil process issues. They then tell victims they can avoid arrest by making a payment first. Often that means withdrawing cash and transferring it to the government by depositing cash into bitcoin ATMs. Scammers use many tactics to sound and appear credible.
The Findlay Police Department went to the high school around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday and found that no one in the school was aware of what the caller had stated. The school was advised to initiate a lockdown and shelter in place as police went from room to room, sweeping the building. The roads around the high school were all blocked off during the sweep. Law enforcement found nothing and determined the call was a hoax.
Lima Police Department is investigating an early morning shooting on the north side of the city that left one person injured and another in custody.
April 4, 2024 Press Release from the Ohio State Highway Patrol: COLUMBUS – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month and the Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging motorists to commit to eliminating distractions while behind the wheel. Ohio’s distracted driving law became a primary offense last April after Governor Mike DeWine signed SB 288. When the law took effect, motorists were given a six-month grace period before the law became enforceable. During that time, officers stopped motorists for illegally using an electronic device, educated them on the new law and warned them for the violation. The new law became enforceable in October and during the final three months of last year, troopers issued 3,575 citations for distracted driving violations. This was a 119% increase from the same time period in 2022.
Officials say that we all have a responsibility to report suspected abuse or neglect of a child by making that phone call. Allen County received more than 830 reports of abuse and neglect that were screened and investigated in 2023. Officials say that you can help lower those numbers and protect a child by coming forward and making a report.
March 28, 2024 Press Release from the Office of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost: (COLUMBUS, Ohio) — One of the co-owners of a shuttered robocall business is facing contempt charges for defying a court order prohibiting him from placing or facilitating robocalls, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and seven other state attorneys general announced today.
March 15, 2024 Press Release from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Natural disasters can have an enormous impact on people, including survivors, first responders, eyewitnesses, and even those who watch related media reports on television. The Disaster Distress Helpline, at 1-800-985-5990, can provide immediate crisis counseling to anyone affected by severe weather and tornadoes across the central United States, including Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Arkansas.
March 6, 2024 Press Release from FBI Cleveland Division: [March 6, 2024 - Cleveland, OH] With the FBI release of the 2023 Internet Crime Report and National Consumer Protection Week upon us, FBI Cleveland Special Agent in Charge Greg Nelsen reminds the public about scams and frauds originating from across the globe that target Americans, leaving a trail of victims from coast to coast, including right here in Northern Ohio.
New details emerged Tuesday night from Putnam County as the National Weather Service confirms one landspout tornado touched down. On Tuesday afternoon, a Your Hometown Stations crew traveled to Putnam County and found one residential house damaged on Road H-5 about 3 miles south of Leipsic. On scene, our crew discovered large sections of the roof torn off with damage to the siding as well. The tornado also destroyed an attached garage and lifted a recreational vehicle off the ground. Large chunks of the roof were curled up and thrown into a nearby field with smaller pieces of insulation and debris continuing for at least a quarter-mile. Officially, the National Weather Service did not issue a tornado warning, and we spoke with Putnam County EMA Director, Brian Hilvers, about how Tuesday's event unfolded.