The state system of funding public schools and educational service centers must be fixed.
That was part of the message Superintendent Andy Smith of the Mercer County ESC delivered to the Ohio Senate Finance committee last week.
MINSTER - Second reading of an ordinance on using park land for a high school practice football field drew lots of conversation at Tuesday's Minster Village Council meeting.
St. Marys City Schools will host graduation in McBroom gymnasium on Sunday at 2 p.m.
Laura Vogel, daughter of Mike and Eloise Vogel, has earned the
Celina
Memorial Day services will be held 11 a.m. Monday at the Celina Veterans Memorial on Main Street, according to the American Legion of Celina.
The American Legion, The Veterans of Foreign Wars, both of Celina, and the Vietnam and Disabled Veterans will conduct Memorial Day services.
Talk to any local baseball fanatics about dynasties and the conversation will likely begin and end with Coldwater.
While the Cavaliers have domina
When Eldora Speedway swings the gates open for a late model event, it is a sure bet one of the first cars in line will be the Mike Lawrence Motorsports entry.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
The Celina pole vault duo of Todd Hertel and Tom Burden reached new heights in qualifying for next week's regional meet after the first day of Division I district track at Tiffin Columbian.
Thriftiness and healthy living seem to be themes for vacationers this year, and the Grand Lake area fits the bill in both areas.
"Trying to have a
The 49th annual Coldwater Community Picnic is slated for Aug. 1-2 in the village's Memorial Park. Proceeds from the picnic benefit the park and Coldwater Library.
The annual Coldwater K of C Picnic will be held June 6-7 at the Holy Trinity Church grounds in Coldwater.
The improved children's fun tent and play area will be back with the inflated rides in operation on Saturday and Sunday and free Lininger pony rides on Sunday.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) Benefit Softball Tournament has been held at Memorial Park in Coldwater for nearly three decades with this year's benefit slated for Aug. 12-16.
New features ranging from entertainment to hearty breakfast fare will be on tap at the 35th annual Bremenfest. The event takes place Aug. 14-16.
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Food, games and entertainment top the list of attractions for the 88th annual New Bremen Firemen's Picnic on July 25. The event, sponsored by the New Bremen-German Township Fire Department, takes place in Jaycee Park on West Plum Street.
The Fort Recovery Ambassadors Club once again will host Grand National truck and tractor pulling this summer.
The 2009 event, scheduled for Aug. 28 and 29, will be at Fort Recovery's Ambassador Park.
Mendon Firecracker Festival, sponsored by the Mendon Lions Club, is set to run June 4, 5 and 6 at Mendon Ball Park, which is the former school grounds. Admission and parking are free and so is the entertainment.
New this year at Rockford Community Days, to be held June 19-21, will be wiener dog races at noon June 20 at Shanes Park.
According to information
Children who like carnival rides will have a ball on the first night of the 104th annual Fort Recovery Harvest Jubilee, scheduled for June 18 to 21.
"For $10 they can ride for 10 hours," Village Administrator Randy Diller said.
Former Cincinnati 700 WLW radio personality Gary Burbank will visit Fort Recovery this summer with a band of blues musicians and alter egos.
The ra
The 2009 Summerfest gets underway with the Miss Summerfest pageant on Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Center at the high school, followed by the Little Miss Summerfest on Aug. 12, same time, same place.
The village of Montezuma on the south side of Grand Lake will be a busy place during Zuma Days, June 19-20. Festivities will be held at Zuma Park.
Big cats, square dancing tractors and a variety of musical entertainment for all ages will be on tap for the 22nd annual Maria Stein Country Fest. The event will take place June 26-28 on the grounds of the Maria Stein Center.
Lee Greenwood, best known for his hit "God Bless The USA," will perform at this year's Freedom Days Picnic in Celina.
"One of our members just decided he would give it a shot ... it just worked," committee member Bob Howell said when asked how the festival was able to book such a national act.
Fireworks, games, rides, pet parades and the popular Firecracker Cruise-In again will be on tap for this year's St. Henry Community Picnic from July 3 to 5.
Nine new musical acts are scheduled to play this year's Celina Summer Concert Series, including seasoned musicians specialized in the traditional sounds of Americana.
Several festivals will be held this year at the Mercer County Fairgrounds, including the 13th annual Fall Harvest Festival Antique Tractor & Engine Show, Sept. 11-13.
The parade route for this year's Celina Lake Festival will be altered due to road work on Johnson Avenue, from Main to Holly streets.
"There's goin
The annual Immaculate Conception Parish Picnic is scheduled for July 17-19 on the parish grounds.
Prizes for this year's big raffle drawing include a 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan Minivan donated by Bud's Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep in Celina and Bud's Chevrolet-Buick in St. Marys.
Grand Lake will host the Ohio Governor's Cup Regatta on Aug, 22 and 23, bringing in top American Power Boat Association (APBA) Hydroplane boat racers from across North America for the event. This will the 15th year of the revived event, which originally ran on the lake from 1958 to 1975.
Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum, Wapakoneta
Located along I-75 (exit 111), the museum is named in honor of astronaut and Wapakoneta native Neil A
The Grand Lake area in Mercer and Auglaize counties has numerous hotels/motels and a state park to stay at, depending on your taste in accommodations
WAPAKONETA - This year the 2009 Auglaize County Fair welcomes motorcycle racing, war wrestling, more of the Extreme Truck Challenge as well as most of the rides and events a county fair brings to mind.
Labor Day would not be complete locally without the century-old Durbin Bean Bake.
For over 100 years, since 1898 to be exact, people have been gath
The committee for the Holy Rosary Festival in St. Marys is bringing in national acts to entertain for this year's event set for June 12, 13 and 14 on the church grounds at the corner of Pine and East Spring streets.
The Tommy Castro Band will headline the 2009 Riverside Bluesfest set for Sept. 5 and 6 at K. C. Geiger Park in St. Marys, supported by several other nationally known blues entertainers.
The Burkettsville Community Picnic in August will include free bus rides to and from the village of St. Henry to promote safety on area roadways.
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The 95th annual Chatt Farmers Picnic will continue its long-standing tradition with numerous events slated for July 30.
The festival takes place each year on the last Thursday in July along Tama Road, about 21/2 miles east of Chattanooga.
Visitors to the 31st annual Chickasaw Community Picnic will have an opportunity to dance to area bands, sample festival fare, court Lady Luck and howl at the moon for entertainment. The event takes place June 12, 13 and 14.
This Auglaize County community will roll out the red carpet Oct. 2-4 for the 35th annual Minster Oktoberfest. Some 80,000 people are expected to participate if prior festivals are any indication.
When it comes to entertainment ranging from singers to banjo pickers to Elvis and Sinatra impersonators, the gazebo at Minster Machine Centennial Park will be the place to be this summer.
A living statue and a musician with a funny but educational wit for kids are expected to draw big crowds to this year's Mercer County Fair from Aug. 14 to 20.
Everyone is sure to have a "berry" good time at the 2009 Ponoma Strawberry Festival on June 4 at the Unity Grand Hall on St. Anthony Road.
The meal
The 26th annual St. Joe Homecoming takes place Sept. 12 and 13 on the St. Joe parish grounds, rural Fort Recovery, with Jerry and Becky Metzger and Steve and Ginny Post serving as co-chairmen.
The New Bremen Giant Pumpkin Growers are putting the finishing touches on this year's Pumpkin Fest schedule.
The fifth annual event takes place Se
The New Bremen Historic Association will hold its annual picnic June 7 at its museum located at 120 N. Main St. The picnic, which features food, beverages and entertainment, takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Arrowhead Park Golf Course
Location: Minster
Directions: Take Ohio 66 south out of St. Marys to Minster. Once in Minster, take a right onto First Street and follow it to Canal Road. Turn left on Canal. The course is located on the corner of Canal and Dirksen.
Area community swimming pools announce their opening dates and ticket prices as follows:
Celina
Bryson Memorial Swimming Pool, 801 W. Market St., opens for the summer season on May 30 at 1 p.m.
Visitors to the Grand Lake area have a variety of choices when it comes to lodging in the Mercer and Auglaize county area.
The Grand Lake St. Mary
Sunday, May 24 - Johnny Appleseed Classic featuring Sunoco American Late Model Series with NRA Sprint Invaders/SOD Sprints and Eldora Stock Cars
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Date Team Site Time
Sat., June 6 Geneva (DH) H 4 p.m.
Sun., June 7 Portland (DH) H 2 p.m.
Mon., June 8 Geneva H 7:15 p.m.
Wed., June 10 Portland H 7:15 p.m.
