Friday, February 8th, 2008

Local man sent to prison for break-in

By Shelley Grieshop
A St. Marys man who broke into the Lucky Steer restaurant in St. Marys in late January was sentenced to a year in prison for his crime.
Andrew S. Miller, 27, 402 S. Ash St., pleaded guilty this week to breaking and entering, a fifth-degree felony, and theft, a first-degree misdemeanor. Auglaize County Common Pleas Judge Frederick Pepple ordered Miller to serve 12 months in prison for the more serious charge and 180 days in jail for the misdemeanor. The time was ordered to run concurrently.
However, Miller will be serving extra time in prison for crimes committed in Mercer County. Pepple ordered the Auglaize County sentence to run consecutively to a 10-month prison sentence Miller received last week in Mercer County, after he violated terms of his probation stemming from a cocaine possession conviction in 2007.
During Miller's sentencing this week in Auglaize County, he also was ordered to pay $350 to the owners of Lucky Steer along Celina Road, and costs of prosecution. Miller had claimed indigency and was represented by a court-appointed attorney.
Miller broke into the Lucky Steer on Jan. 24 and stole cash from the business within hours of being released by the Mercer County court for the probation violation.
Miller has an extensive criminal background in both counties.
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Several area roads remain impassable today and floodwater aren't disappearing very fast due to the colder temperatures, officials said.
Also, light showers are possible late tonight through tomorrow morning as temperatures drop from a high of 41 to near freezing.
The livestock industry in Ohio will face huge challenges in the next two years as feed input costs continue to increase, said Sandy Kuhn, executive director of the Ohio Livestock Coalition.
A 20-year-old Miami County woman faces charges of aggravated vehicular assault and vehicular assault stemming from an April 20 traffic accident at the intersection of state Route 119 and U.S. 127, west of Maria Stein.
Rural site may finally begin receiving debris
Health officials have approved an amended operating license agreement for an unused landfill in rural Rockford that plans to be operational in the future.
ST. HENRY -The Ohio Department of Transportation will replace a deficient culvert in the village.
But there's one catch: work on the project isn't scheduled to begin until 2013.
A Minster man has been indicted for allegedly driving drunk, striking a trooper with his car and leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase along Interstate 75 in late January.
Mercer County commissioners held the first public hearing to discuss the 2008 Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) which usually brings in thousands of dollars to the county each year.
Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District technicians have looked into a few manure application and water pollution complaints over the last few days, after heavy rains saturated the area.
Most gardeners agree that winter is a good time to give your house plants some extra tender loving care.
In the winter, there's fewer daylight hour
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
The heavy rain and flooding in the area prompted several postponements of Thursday's girls basketball games.
Celin