MINSTER - A school district administrator on Thursday night said the district's new random drug testing policy was spurred by a "surprising" amount of students who have talked about drug related activity over the past few years.

Roughly 100 school district residents attended an informational and sometimes turbulent meeting with superintendent Brenda Boeke, high school principal Austin Kaylor and Kyle Prueter, owner of Great Lakes Biomedical, which will conduct the testing. [More]

WAPAKONETA - After clawing back from a 4-2 deficit, Fort Recovery ran out of steam in the seventh inning.

Starting pitcher Jackie Homan returned to the circle in the top of the seventh and got shelled for six runs as Lincolnview buried the Indians 10-5 in the Division IV district final at Wapakoneta on Friday. [More]

The public has been advised to avoid all contact with water at the four public beaches on Grand Lake after tests detected unsafe algal toxins, according to notices released by the Ohio Department of Health.

Recreational Public Health Advisories due to algal bloom/toxin were issued by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources on Thursday afternoon for the main west, main east, state park campground and Windy Point beaches. [More]

CELINA - Mercer County commissioners on Thursday voted to deny a proposed amendment that would have restricted short-term rentals of dwellings in East Jefferson Township.

However, they indicated the issue needs to be addressed in the zoning code and said they plan to pursue their own set of text amendments "as expeditiously as possible with a target adoption date yet this fall," according to a news release signed by commissioners Jerry Laffin, Rick Muhlenkamp and Greg Homan. [More]

ST. HENRY - St. Henry's Nolan Schmitz tied his own school record with 16 strikeouts and allowed just one ball out of the infield in a 2-0 victory over Marion Local in the Division IV sectional final Thursday at the Wally Post Athletic Complex. [More]

For many adults, the adage "make new friends, but keep the old" is easier said than done.

Most people would agree it was easier to make friends when they were children because they grew up alongside their peers as neighbors or classmates over a period of time. Making friends in adulthood is a different matter. [More]

MINSTER - School board members during their Monday meeting hired Covington High School Principal Josh Meyer as the district's next superintendent under a two-year contract.

Superintendent Brenda Boeke in her report said Meyer's annual salary will be $103,000 and his contract becomes effective Aug. 1. Boeke retires July 31. [More]

WAPAKONETA - Fort Recovery reached its first softball district final in memory as two other Midwest Athletic Conference teams bowed out in the Division IV district semifinals in Wapakoneta on Tuesday.

In the opener, the Indians withstood several blows from Minster before delivering the knockout with two runs in the top of the eighth to secure an 8-6 win. In the nightcap, New Bremen surrendered eight runs in the fourth inning on the way to a five-inning, 12-2 loss to Lincolnview. [More]