Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued June 14 at 1:28PM EDT until June 14 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 333 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
IN INDIANA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 7 COUNTIES
IN EAST CENTRAL INDIANA
FAYETTE UNION WAYNE
IN SOUTHEAST INDIANA
DEARBORN FRANKLIN OHIO RIPLEY
IN KENTUCKY THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES
IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY
BOONE CAMPBELL KENTON
IN OHIO THIS WATCH INCLUDES 32 COUNTIES
IN CENTRAL OHIO
DELAWARE FAIRFIELD FAYETTE FRANKLIN HOCKING LICKING MADISON PICKAWAY UNION
IN SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO
ADAMS HIGHLAND PIKE ROSS SCIOTO
IN SOUTHWEST OHIO
BROWN BUTLER CLERMONT CLINTON HAMILTON WARREN
IN WEST CENTRAL OHIO
AUGLAIZE CHAMPAIGN CLARK DARKE GREENE HARDIN LOGAN MERCER MIAMI MONTGOMERY PREBLE SHELBY
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ABERDEEN, ADA, ALEXANDRIA, AURORA, BATESVILLE, BEAVERCREEK, BELLEFONTAINE, BELLEVUE, BLANCHESTER, BRIGHT, BROOKVILLE, BURLINGTON, CAMDEN, CELINA, CHILLICOTHE, CIRCLEVILLE, COLDWATER, CONNERSVILLE, COVINGTON, DAY HEIGHTS, DAYTON, DELAWARE, DILLSBORO, DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, DOWNTOWN DAYTON, EATON, ERLANGER, FAIRBORN, FAIRFIELD, FLORENCE, FORT THOMAS, FRANKLIN, GEORGETOWN, GREENDALE, GREENFIELD, GREENVILLE, HAMILTON, HIDDEN VALLEY, HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, HILLSBORO, INDEPENDENCE, KENTON, KETTERING, LANCASTER, LANDEN, LAWRENCEBURG, LEBANON, LIBERTY, LOGAN, LONDON, MANCHESTER, MARYSVILLE, MASON, MIDDLETOWN, MILAN, MILFORD, MINSTER, MOUNT CARMEL, MOUNT ORAB, MOUNT REPOSE, MULBERRY, NEW BREMEN, NEWARK, NEWPORT, OAKBROOK, OSGOOD, OXFORD, PEEBLES, PICKERINGTON, PIKE LAKE, PIKETON, PIQUA, PLAIN CITY, PORTSMOUTH, RICHMOND, RIPLEY, RISING SUN, SEAMAN, SIDNEY, SPRINGBORO, SPRINGFIELD, ST. MARYS, SUMMERSIDE, TIPP CITY, TROY, URBANA, VERSAILLES, WAPAKONETA, WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, WAVERLY, WEST COLLEGE CORNER, WEST JEFFERSON, WEST UNION, WHEELERSBURG, WILMINGTON, WINCHESTER, WITHAMSVILLE, AND XENIA.

Special Weather Statement issued June 14 at 1:36PM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

At 134 PM EDT, a strong thunderstorm was located near Spencerville In Allen County, moving east at 40 mph.
HAZARD...Wind gusts up to 45 mph.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects.
Locations impacted include... Ada, Fort Shawnee, Cridersville, Alger, Waynesfield, Mcguffey, Buckland, and State Route 195 at State Route 235.
This includes I-75 in Ohio between mile markers 116 and 118.
If outdoors, consider seeking shelter inside a sturdy building.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch remains in effect until 900 PM EDT for west central Ohio.
To report hazardous weather conditions, go to our website at weather.gov/iln and submit your report via social media, when you can do so safely.

Friday, April 7th, 2017

OHSAA announces divisional changes

Cavs, Flyers, Redskins, Indians will all compete in Division VI football

By Gary R. Rasberry

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Division VI in high school football could be the toughest division this upcoming school season after the Ohio High School Athletic Association released its divisional breakdowns on Thursday.

The 2017-18 school year will be the first to utilize Competitive Balance roster data for football, volleyball and soccer during the fall sports season.

In football, which has 718 participating teams, 75 schools moved up to a higher division due either to a higher base enrollment number or an increase due to the Competitive Balance enhancement.

One of the most notable divisions is Division VI, where defending state football champion Marion Local will be joined by last year's Division V state runner-up Coldwater, which actually dropped a division due to Competitive Balance. Fort Recovery, the Division VII state champion in 2015, moved up to Division VI due to an increase in the base enrollment figures. Also in Division VI, and likely in the same region with Coldwater, Marion Local and Fort Recovery when divisional maps are announced in June, will be Parkway and St. Henry.

The only other team that will shift divisions this upcoming football season will be St. Marys, which drops from Division III to Division IV.

The rest of the area football teams will remain in their 2016 divisions: Celina (Division III), Minster (Division VII), New Bremen (Division VII), Versailles (Division V), Anna (Division V) and Delphos St. John's (Division VII).

Ottawa-Glandorf is the only other Western Buckeye League team besides St. Marys to change divisions, dropping from Division V to Division VI.

In volleyball, Minster will move up from Division IV to Division III this fall while several teams - Fort Recovery, Parkway and St. Henry - will move down from III to IV. Celina and St. Marys remain in Division II and New Bremen, Marion Local and New Knoxville will stay in Division IV.

All the area soccer teams will remain in their 2016 divisions for 2017. Celina and St. Marys will be in Division II for both boys' and girls' soccer and Coldwater stays in Division III for girls soccer.

Another change is the possibility that teams could switch divisions every year. In the past, enrollment breakdowns were down every two years.

Archive of April 7th, 2017

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Additional online story on this date

SWCD's resolution supported

A state organization that protects soil and water resources has endorsed a local resolution to discourage misuse of federal funds and ag conservation structures, Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District board members learned Thursday. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Pact to cut county's electric bill

CELINA - Mercer County commissioners on Thursday approved a new contract for electric service that is expected to save the county $5,782 annually compared with its current rates.

Hospital work to start soon

COLDWATER - Construction on Mercer Health Community Hospital's west wing expansion will begin Monday, according to senior director of marketing and community relations Mindy Kremer.

Area medical student to participate in work experience program in Haiti

MARIA STEIN - A Maria Stein resident will be among the first students in a new University of St. Francis class to visit Haiti to watch medical professionals in practice and to help those in need.

Conservation board approves tile project

CELINA - The Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District board of supervisors on Thursday approved an agricultural drainage tile replacement project east of Celina.

Right of way planting reminder issued

Mercer County commissioners and engineer Jim Wiechart remind those who plant and till the fields this spring to avoid planting in the roadway right-of-way.

St. Marys-area lake to be stocked with trout

ST. MARYS - Anglers will be able to try their hand at catching rainbow trout on Wednesday when the state releases hundreds of the fish into Davis Lake north of the city.

Lonsway, Bulldogs on fire

Diamond Diaries

The pitching performances of Celina's Seth Lonsway have made him a regular in The Daily Standard's Sports section over the past three seasons.

Rec

Mariners' season on the horizon

Two local players to join team in Bettinger, Nixon

In the coming months, 29 collegiate players from across the country will ascend on the Grand Lake area to play summer ball for the Grand Lake Mariners.