Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Celina teachers, board tenatively approve contract

By William Kincaid
The Celina board of education and Celina Education Association (CEA) on Tuesday signed a tentative agreement for a two-year contract for teachers, according to Superintendent Matt Miller.
The contract will not become official unless ratified by the CEA at a meeting on Thursday.
"The terms left on the table after 12 hours of negotiation with the help of a federal mediator will be put before the general membership of the Celina Education Association on Thursday evening at 7 p.m.," CEA President Wally Ellinger said this morning. "The ultimate decision is up to the members."
Neither Miller nor Ellinger would release the details of the pending contract.
"I applaud both sides for working hard to get an agreement done - especially in these difficult economic times," Miller wrote in a press release. "I am also encouraged that a tentative agreement was reached prior to the start of the school so that everyone's focus can be on our students."
Federal mediator Steve Anderson was brought into the school on Tuesday morning to revive negotiations between the two sides.
Both sides started negotiations on July 29. After a single, six-hour session, no other meetings were scheduled. Miller had said the two sides were at a stumbling block.
Celina teachers are working on the last year of a three-year contract, which expires Aug. 31.
The last contract, which became effective Sept. 1, 2006, gave teachers a 2.75 percent raise the first year, 2.5 percent the second year and 2.25 percent the third year.
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People can make several excuses why the bathroom scale reading is not accurate.
But all the excuses in the world are useless against the unmerciful scale located at the county auditor's tent at the Mercer County Fair this year.
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MINSTER - Officials unveiled the long-awaited brand - Minster A Great Community - at Tuesday's village council meeting.
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St. Henry came up with plenty of low rounds to take the victory in a five-team invite featuring Mercer County teams Parkway and Marion Local and Darke County teams Ansonia and Mississinawa Valley at The Elks on Tuesday.
A gym for weight lifters has opened in Celina with 24-hour availability.
Muscleheads Gym is owned by Kyle Gray and his fiancee Tonja Hardin, both of Celina. The gym is in the former location of Bonifas garage at 564 Touvelle St.
Grand Lake Flea Market has opened at 418 Logan St. in Celina to sell used household goods.
Elmer Kuess of Celina is owner of the business at the former used vehicle dealership.
Snap Fitness will open an exercise facility in Celina at the end of September, said Jeff Wendel, company spokesman.
The fitness center will be in the Galleria, suite 104, at 909 E. Wayne St., with access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will be 24-hour security as well.