Wednesday, July 17th, 2019

Man pleads guilty to attempted arson

Fire damaged Montezuma mobile home

By Sydney Albert
CELINA - A Germantown man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to an amended charge of attempted aggravated arson in connection to a fire he set in March that damaged his and his wife's Montezuma mobile home.
Ricky L. Miller, 60, agreed to plead guilty to the amended charge in exchange for the dropping of one first-degree felony charge of aggravated arson and a fourth-degree felony charge of arson. Another condition of the plea deal was that Miller would pay $1,462.80 in restitution to the Ohio State Fire Marshal.
Miller and his wife owned a mobile home in Park Grand Resort at 6620 Bruce Road, which the couple used for vacations. Assistant Mercer County Prosecutor Erin Minor said on or about March 7, Miller entered the mobile home and started a fire at the north wall before leaving the home and locking the door behind him. Montezuma Fire Chief Lee Braun previously told the newspaper that investigators had found no source, including electrical issues, that could have caused the fire in the area where the flames had ignited.
At the time of the fire, Park Grand owner Buzz Goodwin reportedly was renovating the park and older trailers were being removed from the premises, Braun said. Investigators believed Miller either didn't want to pay or didn't have the money to have the mobile home removed from the lot, he added.
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Subscriber and paid stories on this date
ROCKFORD - Parkway Elementary School Principal Mark Esselstein will receive a 1% pay raise as part of a one-year contract for the upcoming school year.
CELINA - The Shelly Co. of Findlay next month is expected to begin a $2.07 million paving project in Mercer County.
County commissioners recently awarded the paving project to the sole bidder, Shelly. The completion date is Sept. 28.
CELINA - A woman was hospitalized in critical condition Tuesday after reportedly being struck by an all-terrain vehicle on Burrville Road.
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MINSTER - The village could soon face litigation from residents affected by severe basement flooding in May after heavy rains and a pump failure on Second Street.
CELINA - The jury trial of a Fort Wayne, Indiana, man charged with rape has been postponed after doubts arose as to whether his attorney would be able to represent him adequately due to health issues.
ROCKFORD - Village council members on Tuesday evening heard second reading of an ordinance to prohibit peddling, soliciting and canvassing.
Residents have lodged complaints about people "bugging them," village administrator Jeff Long said.
CELINA - Eight hopefuls will take the stage for Celina Lake Festival's 64th annual scholarship pageant on Monday in the Celina Education Complex auditorium.
Ryan Bruns is a Flyer again.
The former Marion Local hoops standout and All-American at Ohio Northern has agreed to join University of Dayton Flyer alumni on a team dubbed the "Red Scare" in The Basketball Tournament, a 64-team event which begins this week and includes a prize of $2-million.
Couple open new restaurant
MINSTER - A New Bremen couple have combined their knowledge of barbecue to serve the community their homemade versions of the food they love.   
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