Policies and decisions made during Gov. John Kasich's first two years in office, notably the reduction of local funding, served as a gut check for many municipalities.

CELINA - Plans for an expo center at the fairgrounds are growing and include a partnership with the local university.

Mercer County Fairgrounds Manager Cara Muhlenkamp said Wright State University-Lake Campus' agricultural program hopes to utilize the building as a training and educational center. [More]

ST. MARYS - A newly formed organization in Auglaize County helps handicapped residents help themselves.

The Auglaize chapter of People First formed

ST. HENRY - The St. Henry boys basketball team took control of the game midway through the second quarter by dominating the paint and maintained a share of the Midwest Athletic Conference lead with a 58-43 win over Fort Recovery at Redskin Gymnasium on Friday night.

MARIA STEIN - A pair of teams searching for their first Midwest Athletic Conference win of the season were battling neck and neck on Friday night, but within a span of just five minutes, Marion Local took control of the game. [More]

DELPHOS - Curtis Geise hit a last-second shot to tie the score in regulation and the Delphos St. John's Blue Jays then rallied again in overtime to pick up a 64-57 win over New Bremen in Midwest Athletic Conference play on Friday night at The Vatican.

CELINA - The strategy for Celina's defense was to try and stop Dakota Mathias and test the firepower of Elida's role players.

The role players step

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Garet Fledderjohann's career-high 40 points weren't enough to prevent a St. Marys loss as Van Wert left Murotech Court with a 60-52 win over the Roughriders in Western Buckeye League action on Friday night.

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Coldwater's 26-of-29 performance at the free-throw line helped the Cavaliers edge New Knoxville 64-62 in Midwest Athletic Conference action on Friday night at Ranger Gymnasium.

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

St. Marys' Jared Deubler earned a berth for the state swimming meet, while the rest of the local swimmers will have to wait until Sunday to learn if they qualified after Friday's Division II district meet at Bowling Green State University.

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Coldwater's boys bowling team had a dominating day on the lanes in winning the sectional title and advancing to next week's district tournament after Friday's action at Community Lanes in Minster.

MARIA STEIN - Senior Night is special by nature, but when a senior can put together a career-best performance on his big night, well, it doesn't get any better than that.