Friday, December 19th, 2014

Celina man named Trooper of the Year

By Shelley Grieshop
WAPAKONETA - A Celina resident was named local Trooper of the Year and is a candidate for the statewide award.
Trooper Steven G. Posada was selected as the 2014 Trooper of the Year at the Wapakoneta post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. He also won the Piqua District Trooper of the Year award, which makes him eligible for the state competition.
Posada was selected for his outstanding service during 2014. Fellow officers chose him based on leadership abilities, professional ethics, courteous treatment of others, enthusiastic work attitude and cooperation with supervisors, peers and the public, according to a press release.
He also earned the award for physical fitness and safe driving.
Posada, who also has served as a field training officer, joined the OSHP in 2006 and has served at the Van Wert and Wapakoneta posts. He is a 2003 Celina High School graduate.
Posada served with the U.S. Army National Guard and performed a tour of duty in Iraq before joining the state patrol.
Posada and his wife, Becky, have two children, Preston and Maria.
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Ball State official talks to village, school representatives
FORT RECOVERY - Ball State University archaeologist Chris Thompson hopes to gain the support of several village organizations to boost her department's chance of winning a $50,000 federal grant to design interpretive signs detailing the historical battles waged in the area. [More]
CELINA - Celina gave Bath all it could handle in the first half of Thursday's WBL girls basketball game, with the Bulldogs holding a three-point lead on the unbeaten Wildkittens. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
COLDWATER - Only a few lamps, end tables, rugs and knick-knacks remain inside Gross's Furniture and Floor Co., the sprawling family-owned business on Main Street where loyal customers have shopped for 61 years.
COLDWATER - A local snack-food manufacturer faces more than $58,000 in fines for safety violations prompted by employee injuries.
  The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently cited Basic Grain Products for two repeated and five serious safety violations.
Local officials say they will continue to help pay the salary of the leader of the watershed protection group.
Abbey Tobe, Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance coordinator, reported the news to the Alliance's board of supervisors at a meeting Thursday.
CELINA - Police officials are warning Celina residents to beware of people stealing holiday packages left outside.
Police chief Tom Wale said someone stole packages from the 600 block of North Sugar Street between 2-4 p.m. Thursday.
COLDWATER - It wasn't pretty by any means, but Marion Local exited the Palace with a 55-41 victory over Coldwater on Thursday night to remain unblemished on the season.
MINSTER - After starting the Midwest Athletic Conference portion of the schedule with tight losses to Versailles and New Knoxville, Minster was starving for a victory in conference play.
Thursday's Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
New Knoxville outscored Versailles 12-8 in the fourth quarter to rally and beat the Tigers 42-39 in MAC girls basketball action in Darke County.
CARTHAGENA - Becoming a nun wasn't always a sure thing for Precious Blood Sister Martha Bertke.
Bertke, who retired just before Thanksgiving as man