CELINA - A new visitation center will offer a more inviting environment for parents and children to bond during court-mandated visitations, Mercer County Job and Family Services officials say.

County commissioners last year approved director Angela Nickell's request to convert part of a basement storage room in the Mercer County Central Services Building. The space will host visits between parents and children who are under foster care. [More]

MARIA STEIN - Minster coach Mike Wiss has been looking for a clear-cut ace on his pitching staff to emerge ever since the graduation of Aaron Ernst last year.

Sophomore left-hander Austin Brown is making his case.

Coming off a no-hitter against Versailles last week, Brown encored with a complete-game, three-hit effort in a 7-1 victory over Marion Local on Tuesday at the Airport in Maria Stein. [More]

WAPAKONETA - The second St. Marys teen in a week has died from injuries suffered in and automobile accident on U.S. 33 in western Auglaize County.

Heaven L. Bolinger, 18, was traveling southbound on Kettlersville Road in a 1998 Oldsmobile four-door at about 3 p.m. Monday, when she reportedly failed to stop at the stop sign at the intersection with U.S. 33, according to a news release from the Wapakoneta Ohio State Highway Patrol Post. [More]

NEW BREMEN - Village council members on Monday approved final reading of an ordinance establishing an eight-year, 45-percent tax abatement for the New Bremen Brewing Co.

Business owners James and Diane Gilberg plan to open a microbrewery on the west edge of the village in the Bunker Hill Industrial Park, directly east of the Fastenal building and fronting State Route 274. The planned building would be 3,600 square feet with seating for up to 85 people. [More]

CELINA - After having endured a rough weekend of baseball and facing a tough week ahead, Celina needed something to spark the team as it faced state-ranked St. Henry on a rainy Monday afternoon.

Nash Weimert did his part with a 109-pitch effort and the Bulldogs took advantage of St. Henry's early struggles finding the plate in posting an 8-3 win at Montgomery Field. [More]

MARIA STEIN - More than 1,000 people are expected to descend on Marion Township Park on Sunday to participate in The Grey 5k Run/Walk to benefit local teacher and coach Dan Thobe.

Thobe, a Maria Stein native, has been diagnosed with a grade 3 inoperable brain tumor, family friend and 5K organizer Kim Habodasz said. Due to the nature of the tumor, it can't be removed without possibly changing Thobe as a person, but the family is looking into alternative forms of treatment. [More]

MINSTER - Fifteen Minster Rocket Club members have earned a trip to compete in a national championship.

This is the first time three Minster teams have qualified for the Team America Rocketry Challenge, according to team mentor/adviser Ted Oldiges. The club began in 2009 and has qualified at least one team in each of the past seven years for the fly-off. [More]