Judge Ingraham Addresses Worth Graduates

(NOTE TO READER) HERE YOU WILL FIND SOME STORIES THAT ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN ANOTHER FILE. (Updated November, 2008)

This file includes stories from October, September, and August, 2008, Add November, December, January, 2009 (added February, March, April, 2009

Kent Hinton, Jared Ebbing, and Carla Beining discuss East Jefferson Phase III Plans with Mercer County Commissioners

(editor’s note: exclusive knappsnews report ) On Thursday, April 30, 2009 knappsnews attended the meeting between Mercer County Commissioners John Bruns and Jerry Lafffin and Jared Ebbing of Fanning/Howey & Associates, Inc. and Kent Hinton, Director and Carla Beining, Project Manager of the Mercer County Solid Waste Department.

As reported last week by the Associated Press, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency announced their priority list of stimulus money for helping to fund projects in 74 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Specifically Mercer County that was ranked 42 will receive $1.05 million in stimulus funds and $1.05 million in Water Pollution Control Loan Funding (WPCLF) for the East Jefferson Phase 3 Sanitary Sewer Project.

As Commissioner Jerry Laffin explained to the news media, these two sources of funding will make it possible to resume the Phase 3 East Jefferson project for $2,500,000 that was put on hold a couple of years ago. It is my understanding that Administrator/Clerk Kim Everman and the Solid Waste Department worked together in applying for the funds.

Thursday morning, April 30, a lengthy discussion was held with the Commissioners on how best to proceed. Of course with the availability of the Stimulus and WPCLF funds, the Phase III East Jefferson project will be pulled off the shelf and moved back up the list of active projects.

Both Ebbing, Hinton, and the Commissioners agreed that there were several changes they want to make before proceeding with the project. Arcadia Engineering Firm of Toledo completed the initial work. Any changes made now with the project by the County and Jared Ebbing of Fanning/Howey will need to be signed off by Arcadia.

The agreement was that a list and map of proposed changes need to be completed first and then Commissioner Laffin will contact Arcadia so a joint meeting can be held to decide how the engineering work will proceed for the East Jefferson Phase III project. More information will be forthcoming soon.

Hi! My name is Ann Post and I love going to Cheryl Ann to work and to see my friends. The staff at Cheryl Ann listen to me. They help me get through hard times. I like my co-workers and my supervisors. I especially love when we have a party. Please vote yes to continue funds for Cheryl Ann.

Vote Yes Cheryl Ann

MR/DD Board Renewal Levy

May 5, 2009

Chief Laux of the Village of Fort Recovery Police Department announces today that his Department is now trained in the use of and carrying Tasers which are described as Electronic Control Devices. The Police Department extends their thanks to two local businesses who understood the need for Tasers and came forward with a $1000.00 each and to the Fort Recovery Car Club who donated $500.00 to go towards the specific purchase of two Taser X-26s. The Village Council support and community support for this project is greatly appreciated. Chief Laux would also like to thank Coldwater Police Chief Randy Waltmire who provided Certified Taser Instructor Officer Luke Wolfe to the Police Department.

Tri Star Career Compact Med Prep students Megan Darland and Andrea Helmstetter are pictured presenting information on the consequences of smoking and tobacco to St. Marys elementary students as part of the school’s annual health fair. Junior and senior Med Prep students along with staff from Joint Township District Memorial Hospital had booths on a variety of topics such as brushing and flossing, bleeding and first aid, animal safety, heart health, alcohol, and sun safety. All first through sixth graders at St. Marys East and West Schools participated in the event.

Tri Star Career Compact’s junior Med Prep students hosted the annual Med Prep pinning ceremony for seniors on Tuesday, April 21st in St. Marys at the Frank Dennings Vocational Building. Approximately 100 parents, relatives, friends, school staff and administration filled the Med Prep classroom for the celebration.

The ceremony began with a brief video review of memories of the seniors’ two years in the program. Senior Tonya Jutte gave the seniors’ thoughts and the senior superlatives were also presented. The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the caduceus pin to each senior from Med Prep instructor Janet Nelson. Pinning marks the time in which seniors enter the last few weeks of their high school career in the Med Prep program. They will wear the caduceus during final observations of various medical professions and throughout their future medical careers. Each senior was also presented with a career passport from Tri Star Director Tim Buschur. Following the pinning, a candle lighting ceremony was held which is a symbolic gesture of the passage of knowledge from teacher to seniors and from seniors to juniors. To end the evening Nelson gave some closing thoughts and encouragement to the seniors for their future endeavors.

From Celina: Megan Darland plans to attend the University of St. Francis to major in Registered Nursing, Savannah Jones, Katie Kennison, Alyssa Myers and Cassandra Van Trees all plan to attend Rhodes State College for Registered Nursing.

From Coldwater: Ramon Brusnwick plans to attend Rhodes State College for Registered Nursing, Jenny Goettemoeller plans to attend University of St. Francis for Registered Nursing, Tonya Jutte plans to attend Kettering College of Medical Arts for Respiratory Therapy, and Annie Woeste plans to attend Sinclair Community College for Registered Nursing;

From Marion Local: Jessica Bryan plans to attend Rhodes State College for Physical Therapy Assistant, Lisa Gehret plans to attend Ohio Northern University for Registered Nursing, Sara Heitkamp plans to attend Rhodes State College for Physical Therapy Assistant, Jessica Pohlman plans to attend Wright State University for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Brittany Roeckner plans to attend Rhodes State College for Occupational Therapy Assistant, and Brittany Smith plans to attend Rhodes State College for Registered Nursing;

From New Bremen: Megan McClurg plans to attend Rhodes State College for Occupational Therapy Assistant.

From St. Marys: Andrea Helmstetter plans to attend Eastern Michigan University for Registered Nursing, and Jessica Highley plans to attend Rhodes State College for Occupational Therapy Assistant.

Left to right - Tri Star Director Tim Buschur presents a career passport to senior Ray Brunswick and Janet Nelson prepares to pin the next senior.

Left to right - Senior Jessica Bryan, junior Jenny Garmen and seniors Megan Darland and Lisa Gehret at the candle light ceremony.

COLUMBUS – State Representative Jim Zehringer (R- Ft. Recovery) today announced that he was recently selected to serve on several committees with the National Conference of State Legislatures. His appointments include posts with the Agriculture and Energy, Environment, and Transportation committees.

“I am very excited about this new opportunity to advocate for important issues in my district before a national body in Washington, D.C.,” Zehringer said. “I feel so fortunate to have a seat on three of the twelve standing committees that make up NCSL.”

The National Conference of State Legislators is a bipartisan group that works with the all 50 states legislatures, commonwealths and territories to provide research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers. NCSL is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of state governments before Congress and federal agencies.

Representative Zehringer also announced that he is being considered for an appointment to the Agriculture and Natural Resources committee with the Council of State Governments Midwestern Region.

Mercer County Pheasants Forever #745 April 13, 2009 Minutes

Minutes: (Brian) Distributed via email. Mort Pugh made motion to approve minutes, Sean Finke second – motion passed.

Treasuree’s Report: (Pat) Current balance – $27,234.88 Ryan Garrison made motion to approve treasurer's report, Pat Schmitt second – motion passed.

Habitat: (Sean) Sean report that there is currently 80 acres of warm season grass projects that =$4,000. Sean and John Wallace to work on habitat programs and contract Daily Standard and Ivan Knapp for article about Chapter's cost share program.

Budget:(Bill) See attached Pat Schmitt made a motion to accept proposed budget, Sean Finke second - motion passed.

Farm Bill Biologist: (John Wallace) See attached report. John presented SWCD place mat contest and soliciting funding. Ryan Garrison made motion to fund at $100.00, Mort second - motion passed. August 8^th mid term management Seminar in Darke County further to come.

Youth Programs: (Jonas) Ringneck Day will be held in mid September. Sean Finke reported that Conservation Day will be sponsored by PF, NWTF & DU July 18 at Mercer County Sportsman. 4-H shooting sports need help May 16^th at the Mercer County 4H camp. Contact Laura Walker if you can help with archery.

Motion to Adjourn: Pat Schmitt made motion to adjourn, Sean Finke second – motion passed.

Respectfully Submitted: Brian Miller

The last month has been quite crazy. On March 9^th, my wife and I welcomed our son, Adam, to the world. The wife and baby are doing well. I took two weeks off to be with them and get used to waking up at all hours of the night. Once I got back to work, I finally had access to my computer and many more doors have opened. I can now create maps for landowners to show them the possibilities on their property.

Even after taking two weeks off, I have contacted more landowners over the last month, than any other since I have been hired on. Things are starting to pick up. I have also been helping out my offices with a new program called the Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP). Basically, if a landowner has a piece of property that has flooded in the last year or more than twice in the last 10 years, that landowner is eligible to come in and fill out an application. This program works like an easement, the government pays the landowner a one-time payment to control the land use.

I also attended the Auglaize PF banquet on March 28^th and it went pretty good. They had approximately 280 people show up for the first banquet at the Auglaize county fairgrounds.

I have been very busy with landowner appointments in all my counties and have several more lined up in the next few weeks.

I also had a chance to help the guys down at Rush Run Wildlife Area with prescribed burns at Rush Run and Woodland Trails Wildlife Area. Both burns went really well.

Last week, I had Technician Development Program (TDP), learning the basics of surveying. I also had basic Toolkit training; this will help me to develop better maps for landowners.

I had a chance to meet with Andy Stachler on his property in Darke County. Sergio, USFWS private lands biologist, John Kaiser, wildlife specialist, and I were able to talk about different options he might be eligible for. We also took a tour around the property.

Conservation Poster Contest

The Mercer Soil and Water Conservation District recently teamed with The Lake Improvement Association, The Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance, and the Mercer County Chapter of Pheasants Forever to hold a conservation poster contest for county students. The contest theme was “DIG IT – The Secrets of Soil” to coincide with the 2009 Soil and Water Stewardship Week theme. The participants were asked that their posters focus on the idea that soil is arguably one of the Earth’s most critical natural resources. It is a substance that few people understand and most take for granted. Soil makes up the outer layer of the earth’s surface, it nourishes the plants we eat, the animals and the thriving underground kingdom of bacteria, fungi, protozoa, earthworms and other microbes that are critical to the planet’s food web. It supports forests, wetlands, grassland, tundra and even aquatic ecosystems.

A team of local judges selected nine winning posters. The winners were Riley Muhlenkamp and Katie Alig who are both first graders at Coldwater Elementary School; Kayci Schmitmeyer and Eva Stammen who are in 3^rd grade at St. Henry Elementary School; Dee Anna Huffman who is a fourth grader at Parkway Elementary School; Breanna Schulze who is a 4^th grader at St. Henry Elementary School; Jennifer Osterholt who is in 6^th grade at St. Henry Middle School, and Ariel Hein and Clay Chapman both of whom are seniors at Coldwater High School. Each of these students has been awarded a McDonald’s gift certificate and their winning posters were sent on to represent Mercer County at area judging.

The judges also selected five of these winning posters to display on placemats at local restaurants during Soil & Water Stewardship Week, which is celebrated April 26 to May 3, 2009. Look for these special placemats as you enjoy dinner out in Mercer County during Stewardship week!

The Mercer County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, The Grand Lake/Wabash Watershed Alliance, The Lake Improvement Association and The Mercer SWCD Board of Supervisors and staff hope that this contest has inspired an early appreciation for conservation of our natural resources. We would like to congratulate the nearly 300 students who submitted posters on their outstanding work.

On Wednesday, May 6 at 2 p.m. there will be a dedication ceremony of the St. Marys River-Grand Lake St. Marys Important Bird Area at the St. Marys Memorial Park, Chestnut and South Streets in St. Marys. There will be exhibits and refreshments.

This dedication is sponsored by the Tri-Moraine Audubon Society with offices in Lima, Ohio. www.tri-moraineaudubon.org

Please join the many partners along the Miami and Erie Canal to officially open the newest section of the towpath trail in Noble Township, Auglaize County on Saturday, June 6 at 10 a.m. at the Noble Township Hall, along SR 66

This is an American Hiking Association’s National Trails Day celebration and will include the Auglaize Outdoors Show which runs from 9 a.m. to noon.

CELINA, OH – Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey reported that his office is investigating a double traffic fatality that occurred at the intersection of SR 29 and SR 118 N in West Jefferson Township. The sheriff’s office received a 9-1-1 call of the crash at 1106 AM, today, April 23

The investigation revealed that a 2000 Mack Dump truck was eastbound on SR 29, stopped for traffic waiting to make a northbound turn. The truck was driven by 54 year old Michael Evers, 1267 Wendel Road, Fort Recovery. While the truck was waiting on westbound traffic to clear the intersection so it could turn, it was struck in the rear by an eastbound 1995 Buick Park Avenue. The Buick was driven by Jacqueline Yoss, age 57, Ossian, IN. A passenger in the vehicle, 93 year old Delbert Yoss, Geneva, IN was in the front seat.

Jacqueline and Delbert were trapped in the vehicle and had to be extracted by Celina Firefighters with the jaws equipment. Both Jacqueline and Delbert were transported to Mercer Health by Celina EMS. Jacqueline was pronounced dead upon arrival at Mercer Health. Delbert was transported by a medical helicopter to a Dayton Hospital where he expired a short time later.

The crash marks the fourth fatal traffic crash in Mercer County this year and the fourth and fifth fatalities. The incident remains under investigation.

Sealed bids were open for the Carthagena Road Improvement Project at the Mercer County Commissioners meeting on Thursday, April 23. County Engineer Jim Wiechart explained that the project is to widen four miles of the shoulder of Cathagena Road east to SR127 and replacement of culverts. He said the estimated bid for the project is $495,200.

Several representatives of construction companies who had submitted bids were present for the bid openings. Lowest bid was submitted by CDA Construction Group, Celina, Ohio for $454,353. Next lowest bid was submitted by Tumbusch Construction, St. Henry, Ohio for $469,671.

County Engineer Jim Wiechart will review the bids and report back to the commissioners.

At the April 24 meeting, the Mercer County Commissioners approved the Coldlwater-Schmitmeyer Group Ditch Improvement Project as recommended by the Board of Supervisors of the Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District. Legal hearing was held on April 9, 2009

Estimated assessments by land owners is as follows. Luke and Mildred Schmitmeyer, 105.72 acres with 34.7 acres benefited for $16,137.97 and $590.82 maintenance assessment.

Luke and Mildred Schmitmeyer, 59.93 acres with 43.6 acres benefited for $28,959.70 and $1060.19 maintenance assessment.

Daryl C. and Tonya Siefring, 39.191 acres owned with 7.1 acres benefited for $4405.33 and $161.28 maintenance assessment.

Dorothy Siefring, 37.509 acres owned with 7.8 acres benefited for $5,341.05 and $195.54 maintenance assessment.

Wenning Acres Inc. (village of Coldwater) 17.1 acres for $26,181.37 and $414.42 maintenance assessment.

Mary Helen Wenning (Village of Coldwater) 2.8 acres for $1291.79 and $47.28 maitendance assessment.

At the April 24 meeting, Dale Borger, Executive Director of Job and Family Services updated the Board of Commissioners, He said the Cathy Snider will be retiring as of May 31. The position will be posted internally. He reported that there will be no further changes in the state budget for JFS for the rest of this fiscal year (which is still the end of June).

In other business, the Commissioners renewed various bond anticipation note in the reduced amount of $156,200.

At their regular monthly meeting held on April 22, the Mercer Health Board of Governors approved a policy to help protect against identity theft.

In her presentation to the Board, Cindy Berning, Chief Financial Officer, explained that the policy is being established to aid hospital personnel in the detection, prevention, and mitigation of identity theft in connection with the opening of a patient account or a breach of an existing account and to provide for continued administration of an Identity Theft Prevention Program.

Berning told the Board, “It’s no secret that identity theft is a major problem in this country. The Federal Trade Commission spends nearly a quarter of their time investigating this type of theft. Health care institutions are among the many agencies that are susceptible to identity theft. We have taken steps to minimize that risk.”

The new policy is in compliance with a new law that requires hospitals to have a procedure in place beginning May 1, 2009. Berning says, “Identity theft can be harmful to the care of the patient on many different levels. It can affect their care if someone else steals their identity. It can affect them financially in payment for treatment that they did not receive, and can affect their treatment for future illness by giving an inaccurate history of their medical condition.”

In other business before the Board, they granted staff privileges for Dr. James Reichart, a new surgeon who will be coming to the area in July of this year. They also granted privileges to Dr. N. Dabis, Pediatrician, who has an office at the Community Medical Center, Celina.

On the financial side, Chief Financial Officer Cindy Berning reported expenses over income for March, the last month of their fiscal year, of $302,831. Mercer Health ended their fiscal year with an income of $788,859.

Hi, I’m Ella. I am 3 years old. I have 2 sisters, a big sister Ava and a little sister Cora. Ava is special. She has a genetic disorder called MPS. Some days we pray for miracles and some days we go to Cheryl Ann. I like Cheryl Ann. Sometimes, me and Cora get to play while Ava works on making her brain bigger and her muscles stronger, but sometimes my mom brings us there and she starts talking with the big people. Then she talks and talks and laughs and sometimes cries. Ava doesn’t talk, either does Cora, but I know they agree with me. Cheryl Ann is a wonderful place to be.

Vote Yes Cheryl Ann

MR/DD Board Renewal Levy

May 5, 2009

CELINA, Ohio – It all began with a “Toothy Tale.” When the producers of the Prehistoric Predators series on National Geographic Channel set out to film a program on the gigantic sharks of the past, the creative group took notice of a paper titled “A Toothy Tale of Evolution: Convergence in Tooth Morphology Among Marine Mesozoic-Cenozoic Sharks, Reptiles and Mammals,” written by Dr. Chuck Ciampaglio, Associate Professor of Geology at the Lake Campus of Wright State University. The collaborative effort with Duke University’s Gregory Wray, in addition to a second research endeavor by the duo, looked at the ancestry of the Great White Shark and discussed questions about the teeth of the beasts. These papers provided the in-depth research that the producers needed for the content of their program, and soon a crew from California descended upon Celina, Ohio, to film for their series.

Nearly a year later, the editing and behind-the-scenes work is complete and Prehistoric Predators: Monster Shark is set to air on the National Geographic Channel on April 28 at 10 pm EST. According to Ciampaglio, the paper’s focus on shape analysis of shark’s teeth proved to be a key part in the television program.

For the paper, Ciampaglio and his fellow scientists took about 3 years to look at the shape of the teeth of the giant shark Megalodon and the Great White shark, throughout the past 15 million years. Using 10 separate measurements, analysis revealed that the teeth could be grouped into five designs with distinct eating functions. According to a review of the paper in New Scientist magazine, “this was the first time anyone had done quantitative analysis of their respected teeth.”

This landmark research led to the call from National Geographic. The producers were looking to build a model of shark teeth for their program, and kept meeting obstacles in the design phase. After consulting with Ciampaglio about the specifications, the group finally decided it would be best to just have the professor build the jaws. One thing led to another, and soon Ciampaglio was ordering cases of red gelatin for the teeth to tear into, and narrating the activity of the moving model for the program.

“We mixed the gelatin about 6 times the normal strength, right in the Lake Campus cafeteria,” laughs Ciampaglio.

The Lake Campus cafeteria staff are just a few of the people involved in the all-day shooting, which took place in March of 2008. Ciampaglio credits his student assistants, Bob Holthaus of Minster and Matt Overman of Celina, with a lot of the legwork. Both young men were on-site for the shoot, and helped operate the jaw and pull the gelatin through the teeth. Ciampaglio’s pride for his student’s work is evident.

“Think about it – these students had the chance of a lifetime to take part in this,” Ciampaglio says. “Sure, this is cutting-edge research, done by collaboration with other institutions. But it’s incredible that the students could be involved, and be involved at this level.”

The show’s airdate was originally set for later this year, but fortunately, Creative Design, the producing group, was able to complete the editing in time for this month’s schedule. Working with the television producers was certainly an experience, but Ciampaglio is glad to see the finished product come together. Always focused on his teaching, he recently took a small group to southern Mississippi, where they dug for fossils and used a barge built by students studying physics at the Lake Campus with Dr. Guy Vandegrift. Ciampaglio is also planning a trip this summer to Arcadia, Fla., to dig for teeth near the Peace River.

However, on April 28, the professor and his friends and family will be watching Prehistoric Predators on national television.

04_20_09 model.jpg: Wright State Lake Campus associate professor Chuck Ciampaglio, geology, and Geoffrey Sharp of the California producing group Creative Design discuss the shark tooth model Ciampaglio built for Prehistoric Predators: Monster Shark, a program to air on the National Geographic Channel on April 28 at 10 p.m. Photo by Will Jones, Wright State University Photographer.

04_20_09 teeth upclose.jpg: Dr. Chuck Ciampaglio, Wright State Lake Campus, compares the model teeth to the fossil. Photo by Will Jones, Wright State University Photographer.

04_20_09 TV shoot.jpg: A camera crew came to the Lake Campus March 2008 to film Dr. Chuck Ciampaglio for Prehistoric Predators: Monster Shark, a program to air on the National Geographic Channel on April 28 at 10 p.m. Photo by Will Jones, Wright State University Photographer

Columbus – State Senator Keith Faber (R-Celina), is pictured above with members of the Mercer County Adult Leadership in Action. The group visited the Statehouse today as part of a leadership program sponsored by the Celina-Mercer County Chamber of Commerce designed to increase the quality and quantity of men and women capable of accepting community leadership roles in various organizations.

Visiting with the group was Celina Mayor Sharon LaRue (pictured center in the red jacket), who chairs the Adult Leadership Committee.

“As someone who lives in Celina, I know firsthand that Mercer County is a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Faber said. “These men and women are willing to give of their time and talents to keep it that way. I look forward to working with them and doing my part at the state level to further their efforts.”

COLUMBUS – State Representative Jim Zehringer (R- Ft. Recovery) today welcomed the Mercer County Leadership Group to the Statehouse.

“It was a privilege to meet with these dedicated individuals and share how our state government operates,” Zehringer said. “I want to commend all of the members of this group for giving their time in order to learn about agricultural, industrial and governmental issues in Mercer County.”

While in Columbus, the group received a tour of the Ohio Supreme Court, Representative Zehringer’s office, the House chamber and they were recognized on the floor of the Senate. Over lunch, Representative Zehringer and Senator Keith Faber (R-Celina) discussed in depth the state budget process and their respective roles in crafting a responsible budget for the next biennium.

The group includes representatives from education, local business leaders, elected officials and members of local corporations interested in raising awareness of issues facing local and state government.

The Wassenberg Art Center of Van Wert, Ohio, will present a new watercolor techniques class in June for adults 18 and over. "Creative Watercolor" will run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Mondays, June 1, 8, 15 and 22. The cost is $45 for members, $55 for non-members. Pat Rayman is the instructor. Preregistration is requested.
This class will offer exciting ways to spice up your watercolors using pastels, ink and patterned paper. It is aimed at people with some watercolor experience, but beginners are welcome.

Participants will need to bring the following supplies: Watercolor paper, brushes, watercolors, a surface to mix watercolors (palette, white plate, disposable palette, etc.), water container, paper towels, ink pen with fine to medium tip. All other materials will be provided.

There will be no refunds after May 27. The Wassenberg Art Center cannot refund any portion of class fees for missed classes unless pre-approved by the art center Director.

To register or for more information, contact: Wassenberg Art Center, 643 S. Washington St., Van Wert, OH 4589; 419-238-6837 or toll free 1-888-238-3837; or e-mail wassenberg@embarqmail.com. Information on current art center activities and exhibits can be found at www.vanwert.com/wassenberg under "calendar."

St. Henry High School will be holding a meeting for parents of high school juniors pursuing education beyond high school on Wednesday, April 29 at 6:30 p.m. in the St. Henry High School Commons.

All junior parents are invited to attend. Topics covered will include testing requirements, applications procedures for college, scholarship application process, college visits, and financial aid.

The greatest concern parents have is paying the bill. You will leave the meeting with an understanding of the costs, and the procedures you must follow to secure financial aid. You will understand your expected family contribution, and be aware of deadlines that effect your eligibility for financial assistance. If this is your oldest child, the meeting is a must.

Jill Klepaski from Wright State University Lake Campus and Van Wright from BGSU will be present to answer questions and provide advice on the college transition process.

On Thursday, April 30th, the Wright State Lake Campus Reading Center will present An Evening at the Fair. The special event will celebrate the publication of Celina resident Michelle Houts’ first novel, The Beef Princess of Practical County. Ms. Houts, a Celina Schools special education teacher, WSU adjunct faculty member, and long-time Reading Center supporter will donate all proceeds from the event to the Lake Campus Reading Center. The special event will take place at the Mercer County Fairgrounds Community Building and will include several activities.

From 5:00-6:30 p.m., a special roast beef sandwich dinner will be available for either eat-in or carryout. From 6:30-7:00 p.m., there will be a free author presentation by Ms. Houts. From 7:00-8:00 p.m., attendees may have books signed and enjoy a free dessert. There will also be opportunities during the evening for photos with the author.

The Beef Princess of Practical County is a chapter book for readers of all ages that chronicles an important year in the life of Libby Ryan… a Nowhere, Indiana farm girl growing up and learning to let go as she participates for the first time in both the annual steer judging and the Beef Princess competition at the county fair.

For information or to purchase advance dinner tickets, contact Paula Bryan or Judy Brewer at the Lake Campus Reading Center, 419-586-0323.

View From the Statehouse

One thing I never thought I would be debating in Columbus was the return of passenger rail to Ohio. While my personal feelings on this issue are mixed, I recently voted against the transportation budget because I feel this is the wrong time and the wrong budget to contemplate this issue.

I have always been fascinated by and delighted with trains. As a boy, I grew up not far from the tracks in Fort Recovery. Today, I am pleasantly reminded of these happy memories every time I hear the whistle from my downtown office in Greenville. I have been fortunate enough to do some traveling, and I always enjoyed traveling on the safe and inexpensive rail systems in Europe. While the European system is usually crowded with travelers due to their unique geography and culture, I am not at all convinced that there is a demand for this type of service in Ohio.

When the light rail issue was pitched as a way to connect Cincinnati, Columbus and Cleveland, I vowed to keep an open mind and not let my emotions dictate my stance on this issue. Unfortunately, the more I heard about the proposal, the less I considered it to be a good policy decision for Ohio.

Trains historically lose money, and to my knowledge, there is not a single train system in the world – including the rail service in Europe – that is financially solvent. Trains systems all over the world require taxpayer money through government subsidies to continue operations. While the idea of hopping on a train to Columbus from Eaton, Greenville or Celina is attractive, the current proposal does not support service to these areas.

Another major concern is that the current rail proposal does not call for “high-speed” service that many modern countries employ. I believe this to be a fatal flaw to the proposal because it means that taking a train could likely take longer than driving by car to the same destination.

I have serious concerns about whether this proposed rail system would have adequate support from Ohio’s citizens. Ohio voters in the past have rejected state efforts to resurrect a passenger rail service. According to a recent news article, the last time passenger rail service linked the "3-C Corridor" was in 1971.

While the allure of stimulus dollars from Washington, D.C. has given this idea new life, it seems like a lot of what we do in Columbus is geared toward Ohio’s three biggest cities. In my opinion, now is the worst time possible to be asked to subsidize a rail system for Ohio’s biggest cities, especially when there is not enough data to show cost, ridership, maintenance expenses and future upkeep. Although the emotional pull of this issue is strong, I feel that this issue is too important to let emotions dictate bad policy.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about budget issues or other concerns. I can be reached by calling (614) 466-6344 or by writing to State Representative Jim Zehringer, 77 S. High St., 11 Floor, Columbus, OH 43215.

The Celina Police Department has received notification of stimulus funding that is available for local law enforcement agencies. Under the U.S. Department of Justice Administration, Recovery Act: Justice Assistance Grant Program, funding of $14,380 is available to the Celina Police Department, to assist Celina PD and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office with law enforcement responsibilities.

This is a one-time grant award that is based on FBI UCR crime statistics filed by the Celina Police Department. Since prisoners arrested by officers of the Celina Police Department are housed by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office, a portion of the funding will be shared with that agency.

The application deadline for the grant program is May 18, 2009. Part of the application process will be public comment forum that will be scheduled before the deadline date. The Celina Police Department intends on applying for this grant award and using their share of the funding to upgrade technology within the agency.

The Grand Lake Area Safety Council held its annual safety awards banquet at Romer’s on Wednesday, April 15^th. Guest speaker, Greg Ferguson who is Risk Manager for Laurel Health spoke to the group about taking care of your injured worker. Safety awards were handed out to several companies from the BWC. These awards are the Group Award that goes to the company with the lowest incident rate in each group. (Group categories are companies with similar number of employees.). The 100% Award goes to each company that works the entire year without an injury or illness resulting in a day away from work. The Achievement Award goes to each company that decreases its incident rate by at least 25% from the previous year. The Special Award goes to each company that accumulates at least 500,000 hours and at least six months without an injury or illness resulting in a day away from work.

Another award given out that day was the Tom Southard Award which is given to an individual who goes over and above to keep their company and the employees safe.

Jan Tindall, Safety Facility Services Safety Supervisor, received The Tom Southard award in recognition of outstanding dedication to the practice of safety during The Annual Grand Lake Area Safety Council Banquet, April 15, 2009.

The Grand Lake Plant (Celina) of The Reynolds and Reynolds Company received The Achievement Award that was given to a company that decreases its incident rate by at least 25% from the previous year.

Below is a picture of Jan Tindall, center, with Director of Printing Operations, Steve Kuhn (left) and John Hewitt, Director of inventory, distribution, warehousing and engineering (right) with the awards received at The Annual Grand Lake Area Safety Council Banquet. For more information on the Grand Lake Area Safety Council call the Celina Mercer County Chamber of Commerce.

Formal charges have been filed against two individuals in connection with a theft offense that occurred at the Celina Auto Zone on Friday, 04-17-09. Kevin James Miller, (36), 724 Avenue A, Knoxville TN and Marcus W. Beard, (32), 3030 Lydia St., Newton, NC have each been charged with one count of misdemeanor theft, (M-1), and one count of participating in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity, (POCA), a second degree felony.

Both subjects appeared in Celina Municipal Court on Monday afternoon where each was ordered held on a $100,000 bond, which is subject to 10%. Additional charges are a possibility as officers continue follow-up interviews with Auto Zone employees from other jurisdictions. It has already been established that the suspects were involved in a similar incident at an Auto Zone in Greenville, before coming to Celina. It is believed that several other Auto Zone locations may have been targeted.

A search warrant to gain access to the suspect’s vehicle was issued on Monday afternoon. There were several auto part items observed in the vehicle when it was seized by Van Wert authorities. However, the exact role the auto parts play in the theft offense(s) being investigated has yet to be determined.

We would like to inform you that the Med Prep will be having a Pinning Ceremony. The Pinning Ceremony is similar to a graduation for the Med Prep seniors. It will be taking place at the Dennings Building in St. Mary’s on April 21^st at approximately 7:00 pm. We encourage you to come to congratulate and support the seniors on their hard work during the past two years. During the Ceremony they will be receiving their caduceus pin and their passport. There will be a candle lighting ceremony which is symbolic for Mrs. Nelson passing her knowledge to the seniors and the senior’s knowledge to the juniors. We would greatly appreciate it if you could make it on this special evening. If you have any questions or comments feel free to contact us at the Tri-Star Dennings Building at 419-394-7435 or janet.nelson.@smriders.net.

Here is a list of the Seniors and there Home Town.

Coldwater                               Celina                              New Bremen

Ray Brunswick                       Megan Darland               Megan McClurg
Jenny Goettemoeller              Savannah Jones
Tonya Jutte                             Katie Kenninson
Annie Woeste                         Cassie Vantress
                                                Alyssa Myers

Marion Local                          St. Marys

Jessica Bryan                          Andrea Helmstetter
Lisa Gehret                              Jessica Highley
Sara Heitkamp
Jessica Pohlman
Brittaney Smith
Brittaney Reockner

Sunday, April 26th is Celina Day at the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati. Tickets are half price and can be purchased online at www.reds.com/celina. Banners were donated by First Financial Bank, Celina Insurance Group, American Red Cross, and the Chamber of Commerce.

The Celina Mercer County Chamber has a few seats left on the charter bus to Cincinnati from Celina. Bus only is $25 per person. You must purchase your own tickets. To reserve your seat on the bus, call the Chamber at 419 586-2219.

Pictured in photo from left to right: Pam Buschur, Chamber Director ; Mark Wulfhorst, WKKI Radio Station Sports Announcer

ARTWALK IN DOWNTOWN FINDLAY

Come to ArtWalk in Downtown Findlay, Friday evening, May 1, 2009 from 5:00 to 9:00pm and enjoy a unique cultural experience! ArtWalk is a FREE downtown gallery hop where you can enjoy the many fine art galleries, artists’ studios, merchants and restaurants, that downtown Findlay has to offer.

The Findlay Art League will showcase their annual May Show. A reception will be held Friday, May 1^st from 5:00 – 9:00p.m., with awards given at 7pm. The Findlay Art League is located at 117 W. Crawford Street.

The Jones Building Artists will open many of their studios. Come meet with the artists, see their works and enjoy a lively social atmosphere! Studios are located at 400 ½ South Main Street above the Findlay Art League.

Make sure to visit the great participating local merchants to see the many unique items offered in Downtown Findlay and get your shopping done early for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduations, and other special occasions. The participating businesses include DorAnne’s Gifts and Gourmet, Gaslight Gifts, Inside Innovations, Red Wing Shoes, Rieck’s Gallery, and TRENDS! on Main. Many of these businesses will be offering special sales, samples and door prizes. Stop by The Wine Merchant for a wine tasting and great selection. Dine at one of our great local eateries participating in ArtWalk including the Bistro on Main, Tavern at the Inn and Joey Fratello’s Pizzeria. Visit Fifth Third Bank’s silent art auction, featuring the works of great local artists and benefitting The Arts Partnership and United Way of Greater Hancock County. Don’t forget to stop by the live remote of WKXA from 5-7pm outside of the Bistro on Main to visit with on-air personalities. ArtWalk has also been generously supported by Marathon Petroleum Company, WKXA, WFIN, and The Courier.

Call The Arts Partnership Box Office at 419-422-4624 or stop by the office at 618 South Main Street in Downtown Findlay for more information regarding ArtWalk. The Arts Partnership Box Office Hours are 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Monday – Friday. TTY/TDD use Ohio Relay Service 1-800-750-0750.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Apr. 17, 2009 – The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) supported an April 16 decision by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) compelling Dominion East Ohio to amend its filing authorizing the assessment of late fees to delinquent ratepayers.

The filing would have enabled the utility to charge a 1.5 percent late fee to customers failing to pay their natural gas bill in full within 14 days of the date that the statement is issued. This action was at odds with an agreement among the OCC, PUCO staff, Dominion and others as part of the utility’s distribution rate case which allowed for collection of the fee for balances unpaid in the next billing cycle.

“We are pleased with the action taken by the Commission to enforce the terms agreed to in the rate case,” said Consumers’ Counsel Janine L. Migden-Ostrander. “While we understand the need for utility companies to receive timely payments from customers, every effort should be made to extend latitude to families who may be struggling to keep their household bills current during these troubled economic times.”

Dominion enforced the new policy on statements generated this week. Customers who pay a fixed monthly budget bill will not be assessed a late fee for leaving an unpaid balance provided they pay the budget amount or entire balance, whichever is less, by the next billing cycle. Customers enrolled in the Percentage of Payment Plan (PIPP) also will not be affected by the policy as long as the PIPP amount is paid by the next billing cycle.

Customers charged a late fee who believe it was unfairly assessed should call the OCC at 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622).

President, Jim Keller called the April meeting of The Marion Community Development Organization to order by reciting The Pledge of Allegiance. The meeting was held April 14, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. at the Marion Township Building. Minutes were approved as read.

COMMITTEE REPORTS

Thank you for your patronage to the MCDO. Bill Winner will be contacting previous business members who have not joined in 2009 to encourage them to renew their membership and support our organization. If you have a question about the status of your membership, please contact Barb Kahlig. (419) 925-6301.

There will be an Ag Ed Council meeting on Monday, April 20 at 8pm at the Chickasaw Firehouse. The agenda will cover fundraising, promotion of the Ag Ed Program and the possibility of using an available shop. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Bob Unrast reported that Street Lights are being installed on existing streets in Chapel Hill.

John Bruns reported that the contractual agreement for the Maria Stein area tap-in to the Chickasaw sewage system has been approved.

OLD BUSINESS:

The Annual MCDO Community Address was held on April 5. We had a great turnout of folks who came to listen to Jim Zehringer speak about the Regulatory Reform Task Force for Ohio. The Osgood State Bank and the Marion Local School Board and Administration received this year’s Distinguished Developer Awards. A special thank you goes to Mary Dahlinghaus for her excellent food, to Floral Designs by Amy (Amy Pierron) for the beautiful decorations and Barb Kahlig for her coordination of the event. Thank you for your support of our organization.

The next Quarterly Business Luncheon will be held on Wednesday, April 29, at 12 noon. Our guest speaker will be Greg Homan, Assistant Professor of organizational leadership at Wright State University – Lake Campus. Greg will be speaking about his recent research that focuses on Rural Youth Retention and Workforce Preparation. A $5.00 donation will be taken at the door for pizza and beverages provided by The Chickasaw Qwik Stop. If you are interested in attending, please contact Barb Kahlig (419) 925-6301 or Jim Keller (419) 925-4764.

Jim Keller continues to explore the possibility of a locally owned wind energy company in this community. There is no significant new news to report. With energy prices falling substantially in recent months, the “green energy” initiatives in the United States have lost much of their appeal. If anyone has questions please call Jim at (419) 925-4764

VILLAGE, TOWNSHIP AND SCHOOL REPORTS

Chickasaw Park Board Report – For information on renting the park shelters, call Sandy Niekamp at 925-4960.

They will be starting the resurfacing of the streets within the next few days, weather permitting. The project will take 10-14 days from start to finish.

Osgood Park Board Report – For information on renting the park shelters, call Alan Wendel at 419-582-4502.

Marion Township Park Board – For information or concerns about the park, call Ron Hartings at 925-4804.

Elaine Pierron reported that the school board has approved contracts for some certified and non-certified employees and also the winter sports coaches.

Safety week was a success. A special thanks goes out to the sheriffs department for all of their help in running the week long drills.

The recipient of the Franklin B. Walters award is Tara Hartings, with Ms. Lynn Yates as her most influencial teacher.

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:55 p.m. by a motion from Bob Unrast and seconded by Virgil Puthoff.

The next meeting of the MCDO is scheduled for Tuesday, May 12, 2009, at 7:00p.m., at the Marion Township Building.

On April 16, about two dozen law enforcement officers and half a dozen reporters including Steve Baker from Channel 7 gathered at the Lake Campus to hear the official announcement of the expansion of the local police academy to include the possibility of both an associate and bachelor degree in Criminal Justice. This represents an important step forward both for the efforts of the local Police Academy under the leadership of Kip Wright, Commander of the Grand Lake Police Academy and the Lake Campus of Wright State which will continue to provide a training center for area law enforcement officers as well as an opportunity now to receive college credit and a college degree for their efforts.

On hand for the announcement were Dr. James Sayer, Dean of Wright State Lake Campus who welcomed the group. Chairing the meeting was Kip Wright, the Grand Lake Police Academy Commander.

Mr. Wright also introduced Dr. Jim Steinberg, associate professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice and Dr. Dennis Buhlen, associate professor of Criminal Justice who will be teaching many of the courses.

Highlight of the presentation was given by Deputy Attorney John Lenhart who was present to give his blessing and encouragement to the expanding program. Mr. Lenhart who is from Jackson Center has held a variety of positions, including Shelby County Sheriff and superintendent of the Ohio Bureau of Investigation and Identification explained to the media although he had retired the new attorney general Richard Cordray came on, he convinced Mr. Lenhart to come to work for him as Director of Law Enforcement as Ohio Deputy Attorney General.

Mr. Lenhart praised the local efforts and said always “be ready when the knocks come, it may be a knock of opportunity.” He said law enforcement continues to advance thanks to technology. He recalled thinking as a young law enforcement officer that there will come a time when a cigarette butt at a crime scene will help solve a case, and now with DNA that time has come.

Mr. Wright gave a brief history of the local police academy, explaining it was initiated seven years ago and now students who also enroll at the university can simultaneously earn 24 college credits. He reminded the listeners that by enrolling in college classes, students will also be eligible for financial aid. This year’s police academy will begin in August, 2009.

For more information about the Police Academy and/or the Department of Criminal Justice, call 419-586-0300, Kip Wright Academy Commander at 419-586-2407 or 419-305-2697; Dr. Jim Steinberg, 419-586-0342, or Dr. Dennis Buhlen, 419-586-0371.

Joanna Snyder, daughter of Ed and Laura Snyder and senior at Fort Recovery High School was selected as the 1990 Franklin B. Walter student of the year at this year’s annual banquet..

She named Robyn Armstrong, high school science teacher as the teacher who had the most positive influence on her life.

She, her parents, and county superintendent Dr. Andy Smith will attend a luncheon in Columbus on April 22 honoring Franklin B. Walter finalists across the state.

Other school winners and their teachers are Celina High School, Alyssa Mastin and her high school science teacher David Scott.

St. Henry High School Gwen Fullenkamp with her choir teacher Candy Hemmlegarn. All teachers should be fortunate enough to be honored as these teachers were at the Franklin B. Walter dinner.

The annual DARE Boosters Scholarship Luncheon was held on April 16 at the Mercer County ELKS. President Key Taylor welcomed the students, teachers, members and special guests to the luncheon. Commissioner Jerry Laffin gave the invocation. Mr. Taylor thanked the Elks Club who furnished the lunch and use of their facilities.

Mercer County Juvenile Judge Mary Pat Zitter who was the guest speaker referred to a quotation from Shakespeare’s Hamlet about being true to yourself.