Tuesday, May 24th, 2011
By Shelley Grieshop
A new, public website provides information on breath tests given to suspected drunken drivers.
The online site - publicapps.odh.ohio.gov/BreathInstrument - shows data electronically gathered from Intoxilyzer 8000 breath test machines used by 228 Ohio law enforcement agencies, including several locally. [More]
Longtime Coldwater village mayor says he won't seek re-election
By Betty Lawrence
COLDWATER - Mayor Vern Stammen closed Monday's village council meeting by announcing he would not be seeking re-election in November. He then endorsed councilman Joseph Knapschaefer, who announced he would be running for the seat.
Stammen, 73, will be ending his third, four-year term as mayor in December. He will be closing out nearly 40 years of public service, which also includes 10 years as a councilman and 12 years as a school board member. [More]
By William Kincaid
FORT RECOVERY - A new downtown brick street should be finished sometime this week, weather permitting, village administrator Randy Diller said.
Work on the $130,000 N. Wayne Street project began two weeks ago.  
VTF Excavation of Celina, the same company hired to complete the village's sewer separation project, removed 16,000 square feet of bricks; subcontractor Decorative Paving of Cincinnati is installing the new bricks. [More]
Obituaries on May 24th, 2011
Judy A. Jansen, 68, St. Henry, died at 1:15 p.m. May 23, 2011, at her home.
S [More]
The Rev. Leo A. Hoying, 80, Carthagena, died May 22, 2011, at St. Charles Center. [More]
Marie H. Hegemier, 69, Sidney, died at 5:40 p.m. May 21, 2011, at her home.
She was born Aug. 11, 1941, in Decatur, Ind., to Kenneth and Ruth Holle Ohler. [More]
Virginia R. Metzcar, 88, Versailles, died May 22, 2011, at Versailles Health Care Center. [More]
Local pictures on May 24th, 2011
Subscriber stories on May 24th, 2011
Businesses quietly adding employees
Mercer County had the lowest unemployment rate in the state in April.
The 5.8 percent rate is 0.6 percent less than what was reported in March, according to figures released today by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
CELINA - The city has closed the deal on purchasing 60 acres of land from the Floyd E. & Joanne M. Heiby Trust for the creation of the Celina Renewable Energy Center.
CELINA - Hierholzer Street will be reconstructed later this summer.
City council members on Monday night unanimously passed an emergency ordinance
ST. HENRY - It may cost about $2,000 to change the village's two tornado sirens from broadband to a narrowband radio signal.  
The village was infor
MARIA STEIN - The Marion sewer project is nearing completion in terms of contractual in-ground work, according to reports presented when the Marion Community Development Organization (MCDO) met recently.
Celina
CELINA - Miranda Fiely will be named valedictorian and Nathan Loughridge salutatorian of the Celina High School 2011 graduating class during the commencement ceremony Saturday. The event is 10:30 a.m. at the football field.
MINSTER - Sam Phlipot won't need directions to get to Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium on the campus of The Ohio State University.
He knows the place very well.
MINSTER - Maria Dahlinghaus will continue her running career at the collegiate level after announcing the signing with Bowling Green State University for both cross country and track.
All-WBL Softball
Compiled by Ryan Hines
The Shawnee Indians' softball team won the Western Buckeye League title for the second time in school history and swept the Player and Coach of the Year awards in the process.
All-WBL Baseball
Compiled by Ryan Hines
Defiance's dominance in the Western Buckeye League continued this season as the Bulldogs were rewarded by sweeping the Player and Coach of the Year awards.
The 12th annual Van Wert County Hospital All-Star Football Game will take place June 10 at 7:30 p.m. at Eggress Stadium in Van Wert.
The game pits the top seniors from the Western Buckeye League against top seniors from the Midwest Athletic Conference and Northwest Conference.