Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

Rockford school alum leaves $50,000 for park

State grants permit to hunt turkey vultures

By Tom Stankard
ROCKFORD - A 1951 Rockford High School graduate left $50,000 from her estate to the village, village council members learned during Tuesday's meeting.
Collette Dugan specified in her will that the money be used to benefit Shanes Park, councilor Greg Pontsler told members.
She died on June 21 at the age of 84, according to her obituary. Dugan attended Bowling Green State University, earning a bachelor's degree in elementary education. During her career, she taught in the Celina, Parkway and Crestview school districts, the obituary stated.
Council members thanked the Dugan family for the donation. They discussed what to do with the money, including possibly building a smaller shelter house.
"There are lots of ideas being thrown around," village fiscal officer Lisa Kuhn said. She urged members to continue exploring ideas.
In other business, Pontsler said Steve Thompson has resigned from the village zoning board after seven years of service. Anyone interested in filling Thompson's vacant seat on the three-person board should contact the village office, village administrator Jeff Long told the newspaper.
Members also discussed meeting once a month instead of twice. Council president Steve Gehle said this has been brought up before, and he opposes the idea.
"When we need to do something that requires three readings, you're talking about three months," he said. Members agreed to discuss the matter in the future. One meeting has been canceled so far this year due to a lack of quorum, Kuhn noted.
Kuhn read a statement from police chief Paul May, notifying members the Ohio Department of Natural Resources has granted Parkway Local Schools a hunting permit to help fight an invasion of turkey vultures at the football field.
"This permit will allow for the destruction of up to five buzzards in the area," the statement read. The hunt will occur at about 9 a.m. Saturday, Kuhn said. Area residents can expect to hear gunshots at this time. Police will be on hand to ensure everyone's safety. All questions can be directed to the police department at 419-363-3032, ext. 2.
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Organization's work praised
CELINA - The city's first and longest-running service club celebrated its 90th anniversary on Tuesday night at Romer's Catering, reflecting on nearly a century of goodwill on both a global and local scale. [More]
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MINSTER - After a brief executive session, council members passed an ordinance authorizing the purchase of 140 acres of land east of town at a price of $12,600 per acre for industrial development.
MINSTER - Board of education members accepted junior/senior high school principal Jason Spencer's resignation on Monday, to take effect July 31.
Bo
ST. MARYS - A St. Marys man has been indicted on 11 counts of rape of a minor younger than 13 years old, a first-degree felony, and three counts of gross sexual imposition with a minor younger than 13 years old, a third-degree felony.
CELINA - Java lover Jonathan Sell has opened his second Biggby Coffee store, this one at 615 Grand Lake Road.
Following the positive feedback from
Divisions III-IV All-Ohio Boys Basketball
Marion Local senior Nate Bruns was named first team All-Ohio in Division IV as the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association released its all-state honors for Divisions III and IV in boys basketball on Tuesday.
2018-19 Division IV Girls Basketball State Champions
Roster:
#  Name  Pos.  Ht.  Gr.
3  Mara Schmiessing  G  5-5  10
4  Ivy Wolf  G  5-8  10
5  Averi Wolf  F  5-9  11
10  Jenna Heuker  G  5-6  10
12  Danielle Barh
CELINA - The 2018 baseball season was a learning season for Celina.
With no seniors on the roster, the Bulldogs went 3-21 with seven shutout losses.
CELINA - After a 9-10 campaign in 2018, the Celina girls softball team will look to its leadership to improve.
While coach Nicole Driggs lost three seniors from last season's squad, she has back all three pitchers and some key players in the lineup.
COLDWATER - Coldwater baseball coach Brian Harlamert has a unique issue as the season gets underway this weekend.
While the team looks set after u
COLDWATER - Coldwater softball coach Katie Berno has had some work to do in the offseason.
Graduation, injuries and departures have forced Berno to assemble a new infield this season and the team will also have two new outfielders and a new catcher.
FORT RECOVERY -  The old phrase "Can't tell the players without a program" might hold true for Fort Recovery's baseball team.
After going 21-5, wi
FORT RECOVERY - After going 7-65 the previous four seasons, the Fort Recovery softball program experienced a big upward swing last season, going 9-13 and winning a sectional title.
MARIA STEIN - Thirty-eight players are out for the Marion Local baseball program.
Ten of them are seniors.
Second-year coach Paul Utendorf is optimistic this will be the year the Flyers produce wins - and many of them.
MARIA STEIN - Last season, Marion Local went .500 overall and placed sixth in the MAC with a 2-5 mark.
Head coach Jerry Moeller thinks his group will finish a little higher in the MAC standings this spring.
MINSTER - While head coach Mike Wiss was busy guiding the girls basketball team to a second straight Division IV state championship, the Minster baseball team has been working in getting ready for the season as they try to return to the regional after last season's 22-8 run.
MINSTER - Third-year Minster softball coach Robb Hemmelgarn could easily use one of last season's lineup cards this season.
The Wildcats return eight of 10 regular starters from a team that went unbeaten in the MAC before falling in the district final to Parkway in going 21-7 and 7-0 in MAC play.
NEW BREMEN - With 13 retuning letterwinners, New Bremen will be looking to threaten the top of the Midwest Athletic Conference baseball standings this spring.
NEW BREMEN - A new manager will be in the New Bremen dugout for the first time in 20 years.
Elly Puthoff takes over the head-coaching duties from Craig Griesdorn, who fronted the program for two decades.
ROCKFORD - Parkway has a roster of hard-working and skilled players this season.
The key for success will be how the team performs in tough situations, coach Luke Clouse said.
ROCKFORD - Parkway lost a lot of talent from last year's team.
The Panthers are stacked with returning talent, though, and expectations are again high for the MAC's all-time winningest program.
ST. HENRY - St. Henry baseball coach John Dorner has had a front-row seat to watch the Redskin basketball team on their run to the Division IV state tournament.
ST. HENRY - The St. Henry softball program has a new head coach this season.   
She just so happens to be homegrown.
Ashley Knapke, also on the v
ST. MARYS - Adam Graves, a St. Marys alumnus, takes over in the dugout for the Roughrider baseball team this spring. Graves, an assistant on Jeff Dieringer's staff last year, also has been an assistant coach at Toledo Whitmer and New Knoxville.
ST. MARYS - Kendra Solomon begins her third season as the coach of the St. Marys softball team with a mix of veterans and youth.
The Roughriders are coming off a season in which they finished 4-16 overall and 2-7 in the Western Buckeye League.
CELINA - Before the track and field season begins, Celina is usually out towards the front of the field as favorites to win the Western Buckeye League championships.
COLDWATER - One of Mark Bruns' key missions as Coldwater track coach has been to get the program's numbers up.
"We're up to 67 now," said the Cavs
FORT RECOVERY - After a successful track season in 2018, which included several state qualifying efforts and a couple of All-Ohio performances, Fort Recovery's track and field program is looking to build on this season.
MARIA STEIN - Kyle Grabowski and Doug Jutte are sharing coaching duties for Marion Local this season.
And they have a large number of athletes with whom to work.
MINSTER - For the second straight season, Minster girls track coach Jessie Magoto has had to wait on some key athletes to finish a successful basketball season to have a full camp.
NEW BREMEN - Having logged many years as an assistant coach, Chad Williams will pick up the reigns from legendary coach Sue Burnell and guide the New Bremen track teams this spring.
ROCKFORD - The Parkway boys track and field team has finished near the middle of the pack in the MAC during the last few seasons.
Coach Steve Fisher may be singing "The Jeffersons" theme song entering this season, because he thinks the Panthers will be movin' on up.
ST. HENRY - Matt Thobe's key word this season is flexibility.
The second-year St. Henry coach said that's what it will take for the Redskins to have success.
ST. MARYS - Both the St. Marys boys and girls track teams will be seeking strides toward improvement this spring.
Roughrider coach Rob Cisco begins fifth season at the helm of the program with deep, but young rosters.
CELINA - Changes will be in abundance for the Celina boys' tennis team in 2019.
After finishing 7-2 in Western Buckeye League play and finishing t
ST. MARYS - First-year coach Andrew Wilker has a wealth of returning experience as he takes over the reigns of the St. Marys boys tennis program.
The Roughriders sport 10 returning letterwinners from a team that finished high up in the standings.