Mercer County is shaping up.

The overall health of its nearly 41,000 residents inched from sixth place in 2013 to fifth place this year in the annual County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report released today for all 88 counties.

CELINA - Common Core Standards will lead to a dumbed-down, superficial education, diluting the great Western tradition in public schools, author and professor Terrence O. Moore told hundreds of people gathered Tuesday night.

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Supreme Court this morning ordered the Department of Natural Resources to show why it should not be held in contempt for the second time in three years for failing to compensate property owners for flooding their land along Beaver Creek.

NEW BREMEN - Village council members Tuesday night approved the purchase of a $42,000 transformer to accommodate an expansion project at Crown Equipment Corp.

CELINA - The newly created Lake Facilities Authority has officers.

Mercer County Commissioner Jerry Laffin was elected as the group's chairman and

MARIA STEIN - Officials are kicking off a third expansion of the Marion Township Industrial Park.

Mercer County Commissioners on Tuesday set 2 p.m. April 10 as the date to open sealed bids for work on the estimated $610,000 construction project.

As the University of Dayton Flyers relished in their role of dragon-slayer in the opening two rounds of last week's NCAA men's basketball tournament,

The 2014 Grand Lake Crappie Series will start this Sunday and will run through the fall.

For information on the tournament, contact Jeff Toben at 4

The Fort Recovery Friends of the Arts will sponsor Fort Recovery Night during the July 3 Dayton Dragons game at Fifth-Third Field. The evening will include a postgame fireworks show.