Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Local woman wins big on Wheel of Fortune

By Shelley Grieshop

A Celina woman walked away with $81,900 in cash and prizes Tuesday night as a contestant on the TV game show Wheel of Fortune.

Bonnie (Overman) Rutschilling dominated the competition during the October taping. She solved six out of eight puzzles to take home a KIA Soul, a trip to the Smoky Mountains and $500 worth of See's gourmet candy.

To round out her victory, Rutschilling snatched $50,000 in the final bonus round by shouting out the answer "Good guess."

"I knew the answer as soon as I saw "ess," she said.

Several sisters, a friend and her daughter - who had accompanied her to the studio in Los Angeles - immediately raced to the stage, surrounded her and jumped up and down in excitement.

After taking full control of the Wheel for most of the show, she told host Pat Sajak - who she hugged several times - she felt like "such a hog."

She told The Daily Standard she was anything but calm during the taping, despite her appearance.

"Everybody said I looked so relaxed, but I really wasn't," said the Maria Stein native. "I was scared to death."

On Tuesday evening, Rutschilling watched the TV broadcast and celebrated her good fortune with more than 100 friends and family members. By early this morning her phone was ringing off the wall and was filled with messages and texts. Dozens of congratulatory posts lined her Facebook page.

She plans to use her winnings for home remodeling projects and buy a few things for her family, she said. However, her good fortune won't boost her Christmas shopping this year; she must wait up to 120 days to receive her loot, she said.

"It'll be a nice Christmas anyway," she added.

Archive of November 16th, 2011

Buy this E-Edition

Additional online stories on this date

Monument showing its age

FORT RECOVERY - The village's 101-foot tall monument completed in 1913 to memorialize U.S. soldiers killed during the Indian Wars is in need of repair, according to various officials. [More]

Landlords may be responsible for renters' unpaid utility bills

ROCKFORD - Council members on Tuesday agreed to amend a utility ordinance after eight renters left their homes last month without paying utility bills. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Zehringer gets new post

Governor names Fort Recovery man ODNR chief

Fort Recovery native and Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Jim Zehringer has been appointed head of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).

Crown buys vacant facility

MINSTER - Crown Equipment Corp. has purchased the 70,000-square-foot former Safeway Packaging plant in Minster.

Crown, based out of New Bremen, pre

Bonds will reduce interest, pay for improvements

CELINA - City council members this week authorized the issuance of up to $3.25 million in bonds for the wastewater system.

The bonds are necessary

Mercer SWCD holds banquet

District honors recipients, names new board members

COLDWATER - Elections were held and various awards were given out during the 67th annual Mercer County Soil and Water Conservation District banquet Tuesday.

No vote taken on state income tax takeover

CELINA - Councilwoman Angie King's request to table a resolution formally opposing the idea of a state takeover of income taxes was shot down by fellow council members this week.

Childcare business nets 10-year tax abatement

FORT RECOVERY - Mercer County Commissioners on Tuesday penned approval of a 10-year real estate tax abatement for a new childcare business in the village.

Tractor Supply opens in St. Marys

ST. MARYS - A former grocery store location now sells all manner of animal feed as well as rural community needs.

Tractor Supply Co. recently opene

Floyd committed to Wright State

MINSTER - Beaming from ear to ear and decked out in the dark green of Wright State University, Minster's softball standout Hanna Floyd bounced around Minster High School's library on Tuesday afternoon fielding questions from reporters while awaiting the last of the television cameras to arrive.

All-district honors for Versailles' Campbell and Olwin

The Southwest District had plenty of honors for Midwest Athletic Conference football players as all-district recognition was released on Tuesday evening.