ST. MARYS - Finding a new safety service director is taking longer than anticipated, but the position should be filled soon, according to mayor Pat McGowan.

ST. HENRY - The final leg of the box culvert project along Eastern Avenue should be completed this year.

The village plans to continue in June the venture that began approximately two years ago.

MINSTER - The home of a local dentist received extensive damage in a Tuesday morning fire that is thought to have started in the basement. No one was injured in the blaze.

CELINA - Mercer County Commissioners on Tuesday opened five sealed bids from companies seeking to oversee a waterline project from the city to the Ohio Department of Transportation facility on state Route 29.

NEW BREMEN - Village and school officials will be sharing the cost of upgrading two ball diamonds at New Bremen High School.

Mercer Group Inc., athletic field contractors based in Troy, will do the work at an approximate cost of $40,000.

COLDWATER - The value of Common Core standards were debated during the board of education meeting Tuesday.

Board member Todd Bills has vocally opposed the standards at recent meetings and raised questions about the content of the new guidelines adopted by the Ohio Department of Education.

FORT RECOVERY - Mercer County Sheriff's deputies were called to a local company Tuesday after the body of a 47-year-old man was located in an office area.

Celina interim police chief Cal Freeman credits an observant neighbor with preventing a possible crime involving a 5-year-old girl.

Authorities continue to investigate the incident that occurred shortly after 5:45 p.m. Monday.

For Marion Local to continue its softball tournament run, it will take a great effort against the top team in Division IV as the Flyers (14-15) take on undefeated Covington (28-0) at Tippecanoe High School on Thursday in the Division IV regional semifinals.