Wednesday, January 17th, 2018

Local influenza vaccinations soar

By Ed Gebert
CELINA - Mercer County residents are stepping up to receive their flu vaccine, with 1,048 administered in December, according to Mercer County Health District Director of Nursing Julia Shaffer.
Shaffer told health board members on Tuesday that only 636 flu shots had been given by district personnel from January through November last year. The total number for 2017 - 1,684 - was the same as in 2016.
Also, 21 cases of flu-related hospitalizations were reported in Mercer County between Dec. 15 and Jan. 11, Shaffer said. As of last week in Auglaize County, seven cases had been reported in December and another seven were reported in January. The common influenza strain circulating this season is the H3N2 variety, she added.
"The vaccine is protecting against that, but there is more than just one strain of the H3N2 that is going around," Shaffer said.
All reported H3N2 cases have been the influenza A variety. According to Shaffer, 20 of the 21 Mercer County cases have been influenza A.
Shaffer also noted that 14 of the 21 cases have been in people aged 65 and older and three cases were children under age 12.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 20 pediatric influenza-related deaths have occurred in the U.S. so far this season. Nearly 90 percent were the H3N2 strain, Shaffer said. Two pediatric flu deaths have been reported in Ohio, a 4-year-old Montgomery County boy and an 18-month-old Lucas County child. The Ohio Department of Health has reported 3,854 flu-associated hospitalizations since October.
Shaffer said she continues to recommend all people aged 6 months and older get the vaccine, and if people get sick, they should stay home until 24 hours after the fever is gone without medication.
Also on Tuesday, board members,
• voted to lease a 2018 Ford Escape locally for $280 per month. A 1998 Ford Expedition will be traded.
• voted to increase the pay scale of all eligible employees hired prior to July 1 by 2.2 percent.
• passed a functional needs policy for the district.
• passed an updated edition of the health district bylaws.
• passed a revised copy of the district's strategic plan needed for accreditation.
• gave first reading to revisions of the property maintenance code.
• heard a report from workers with the Bureau for Children with Medical Handicaps, which is a tax-supported health care program that helps support any child under age 21 who is a resident of Ohio and has an eligible, chronic, medical diagnosis.
Additional online story on this date
Celina defeats Bath for first victory of season
CELINA - Celina boys basketball coach Jay Imwalle couldn't ask for a better start from his Bulldogs on Tuesday night.
The finish was much sweeter. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - Mercer County elections officials continue to mull over what type of voting machines to purchase when the time - and money - come to replace the current ones.
Rockford council relieves Crocker of his radio post
ROCKFORD - WRKD radio station manager Jim Crocker on Tuesday was relieved of his duties by village council members.
Members came to the decision af
Minster
MINSTER - Two new volunteer firefighters, Caleb Ranly and Rob Wente, were welcomed at village council's Tuesday meeting.
Both men were raised in families whose members had served on the department in the past.
CELINA - The annual Craft Beer and Wine Tasting Event will return to the Mercer County Fairgrounds on Saturday to benefit the Cancer Association of Mercer County.
Wabash River Conservancy District board members approved 2018 appropriations totaling $33,900, conservancy secretary Lil Knapke reported after the conservancy's recent meeting.
Parkway board authorizes measure
ROCKFORD - Parkway Local Schools employees will be able to administer epinephrine and asthma medications in emergencies.
Board members on Tuesday approved policies to purchase epinephrine auto injectors and asthma inhalers to be used in emergency situations.
ST. HENRY - A teenager who reportedly had overdosed was revived by a St Henry Police police officer on Monday morning.
The officer and a Mercer C
CELINA - Celina Tent has finished a new 97,200-square-foot distribution center north of its facility on State Route 29 in Celina, a $3 million project that had been under construction since March.
ST. MARYS - Scoring the basketball was an issue for New Bremen in a loss to Fort Recovery last week.
It was a non-issue on Tuesday, though.   
Jane Homan scored 16 points, Kelly Naylor had 14 and Macy Puthoff 11 as the Cardinals rebounded with a 49-33 victory over St. Marys at Murotech Court.
Compiled by Colin Foster and Gary Rasberry
Fort Recovery rallied from a nine-point halftime deficit to improve to 11-1 with a 39-33 win over South Adams in an interstate girls' basketball game at the Stardome in Berne, Indiana.