CARTHAGENA - Though the exact date of their graduation remains in question, one thing is for sure - Harold Kleinhenz and Ray Koesters are the two surviving members of the Maria Stein St. John High School class of 1940.
COLDWATER - A pair of local civic groups are stepping up to fight a serious global health problem.
Three billion people cannot afford to buy shoes. [
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CELINA - Superintendent Jesse Steiner is one of eight candidates being considered for the top spot at a Springfield school district.
Steiner, who h
ST. HENRY - Eighty-four high school seniors received diplomas on Sunday in the high school gym.
Four members of the class earned the honor of valedictorian: Ryan Muhlenkamp, Megan Post, Olivia Stahl and Elizabeth Uhlenhake. Class salutatorians are Scott Knapke and Andrea Watercutter.
CINCINNATI - The Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has ordered the state Third District Court of Appeals to consider an accident reconstruction created by an expert for a former Chickasaw man serving 24 years in prison for a 2008 quadruple traffic fatality.
Division IV District Baseball Championship
COLDWATER - After giving up two runs in the bottom of the first inning, things were a little heavy on the Fort Recovery side.
By the final out, though, the Indians were floating on air and punching their ticket to territory not ventured in more than 60 years. [
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Division III District Track and Field
SPENCERVILLE - Cassie Francis jetted down the homestretch to give the Minster 4x400-meter relay team a new Division III district track and field meet record. Then Minster's Eli Wolf passed up Delphos St. John's Tyler Conley to give the Wildcats the title in the boys 4x400.
ROSSBURG - The calendar said it was Memorial Day weekend but it was more like Veterans Day Sunday night at Eldora Speedway. Track veterans Matt Mille
All-WBL Baseball and Softball
The Western Buckeye League's two Grand Lake-area baseball coaches were honored as the league released its all-league team.
Celina's Andy Mikesell and St. Marys' Jeff Dieringer shared the coach of the year honors after leading their teams to a share of their first league titles in many years.
Continued reports of improved fishing on Grand Lake and the release of positive tourism figures are making local officials optimistic about this year's vacation season.
COLDWATER - The Knights of Columbus will host the group's 48th annual picnic June 6-7 on the grounds of Holy Trinity Catholic Church.
The festival is an annual fundraiser with all proceeds directed to the community.
ST. ANTHONY - Savory strawberries and homemade biscuits will again highlight the menu at the annual Mercer County Pomona Grange Strawberry Festival on June 4.
CHICKASAW - Event organizers are excited about the changes they've made to this year's Chickasaw Community Picnic.
"This year's picnic doesn't off
COLDWATER - The Taste of Coldwater returns June 9 for a third consecutive year.
The Coldwater Area Chamber of Commerce will host the event from 5-1
ST. MARYS - Holy Rosary Catholic Church will hold its annual festival June 12-14 in downtown St. Marys and will feature amusement rides and popular musical acts.
BURKETTSVILLE - Officials hope this year's Burkettsville Picnic is bigger and better than ever.
The event takes place June 11-14 at the village park.
ROCKFORD - A special poker run and auction have been added to this year's Rockford Community Days events.
The Fox Family Ride for Autism will be he
MONTEZUMA - The T-102 Country Star Playoffs is coming to Zuma Days, set for June 18-20 at the village park.
After another venue canceled, organizers of the country music competition reached out to Zuma Days committee members who were more than happy to oblige, organizer Lee Braun said.
Festival kicks off with softball tournament, tug-of-war and movie
FORT RECOVERY - The 110th annual Fort Recovery Harvest Jubilee is scheduled for June 18-21 at Fort Site Park and Ambassador Park.
Rides, food stand
ROSSBURG - The 62nd season of racing at Eldora Speedway features top drivers from the world of sprint cars and another visit by the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
Plenty of lodging options are available for visitors to the Grand Lake area.
Numerous campgrounds can be found in Mercer and Auglaize counties inc
The Grand Lake Mariners summer collegiate baseball team is back for its 26th season and will open its campaign at the beginning of June.
The team
The Maria Stein Country Fest for the first time this year will feature the Freestyle Motocross-Big Air Insanity Show.
The 28th annual festival, June 26-28, also will honor wounded veterans and host several other new attractions on the grounds surrounding the holy relic shrine in Maria Stein.
CELINA - The 11th annual Freedom Days celebration is July 3-5 at Lake Shore Park.
The three-day event will feature a grand fireworks show, mechanical rides, a 5K run/walk, a motorcycle poker run, pontoon rides, fishing derby, petting zoo, pony rides and lots of live music.
ST. HENRY - The 2015 St. Henry Community Picnic is July 3-5 with live entertainment each night and activities for everyone.
Ohio Brewed Band - an a
CELINA - The Immaculate Conception Parish Festival will take place July 17-19 on the church grounds.
Food stands, a raffle, rides, an auction and g
CELINA - The fifth annual Taste of Celina is 5-10 p.m. July 10 on Main Street, between Market and Warren streets.
Many restaurants and businesses will participate in the evening's block party extravaganza, organized by the Celina Merchants Association.
CHATTANOOGA - The 2015 Chatt Farmer's Picnic is July 30 and promises to be fun for all, according to organizer Barb Hileman.
The event has been celebrated the past 100 years along Tama Road, about 2 1/2 miles east of Chattanooga.
NEW BREMEN - A 5K run and a Wiffle Ball tournament will kick off this year's New Bremen Fireman's Picnic.
The picnic will be held July 25 at the C
CELINA - The 2015 Celina Lake Festival will be rocking and rolling after the parade July 25 with KISS tribute band Mr. Speed.
Festival activities take place July 24-26 at various locations throughout the city.
COLDWATER - Pre-picnic music at the park, a human foosball game and baseball challenges are just a few of the new activities at this year's 55th annual Coldwater Community Picnic.
FORT RECOVERY - This year's nationally sanctioned truck and tractor pull is July 31-Aug. 1.
The action takes place at Fort Recovery Ambassador Park
WAPAKONETA - The 163rd annual Auglaize County Fair is Aug. 2-8 and this year will feature Weide's Big Bear Show as a new attraction.
The 70-year fa
CELINA - The 127 Yard Sale - known as the World's Longest Yard Sale - is Aug. 6-9 and spans 690 miles from Addison, Mich., south to Gadsden, Ala.
Roadways will be jammed as shoppers stop at numerous vendors in parking lots, fields, yards and other available lots along the way.
ST. MARYS - The 32nd annual St. Marys Summerfest is Aug. 13-16 at Memorial Park.
Opening ceremonies are 6:45 p.m. Aug. 13 as part of Supper and Sou
COLDWATER - The 36th annual Muscular Dystrophy Association Benefit Softball Tournament will be held this year at Coldwater Memorial Park from Aug. 12-16.
NEW BREMEN - A new company will provide rides, games and food stands at the 41st annual Bremenfest celebration Aug. 13-16 at the Crown Pavilion.
A
CELINA - Country concerts, a rock band and a weeklong circus are just a few of the show-stoppers at the 163rd Mercer County Fair in August.
County
ST. MARYS - The fifth annual Waynestock-Living for the Rock Christian concert and fundraiser Aug. 22 will host local and national talent.
The free
The Ohio Governor's Cup Regatta has been a staple of summertime in Mercer County on and off since the 1950s.
It returns this year for the 19th edition of the modern regatta on Aug. 22-23.
ST. MARYS - The blues will return Aug. 29 to K.C. Geiger Park with six bands scheduled to perform.
The St. Marys Riverside Bluesfest will begin at 1 p.m. Proceeds will benefit the park.
DURBIN - The oldest festival in Mercer County will return Labor Day, Sept. 7, in a 5-acre woods west of Celina on Erastus-Durbin Road.
The event debuted in 1898 as the Bean Supper for area Civil War Veterans and later was renamed the Durbin Soldier's Bean Supper Association.
NEW BREMEN - This year's Pumpkinfest offers new activities as well as a variety of old favorites.
The event will take place Sept. 25-26 at the Crown Pavilion in New Bremen. Proceeds benefit an endowment fund of the New Bremen Foundation to support the parks and recreation programs.
ST. JOE - This year's St. Joe Homecoming Festival is Sept. 12-13 and will debut the sounds of acoustic cover band Matt & Ashley.
The festival is held on the grounds of St. Joe Catholic Church in St. Joe.
CELINA - Exciting changes such as more lake views from the course and unique amenities for runners should make the Grand Lake Marathon one of Ohio's premier events, organizers say.
MINSTER - German food, polkas and a plethora of entertainment will return for the 41st Minster Oktoberfest, Oct. 2-4.
Returning favorites this year
The 2015 Mercer Health Countywide 5K Challenge allows area road runners to compete at 3.1-mile races throughout the summer.
The challenge series fe
Lake Shore Park will play host to series
CELINA - The Celina Summer Concert Series will provide a variety of entertainment at Lake Shore Park. The free performances begin at 6:30 p.m. on Sundays.
FORT RECOVERY - The Fort Recovery Friends of the Arts is sponsoring the 24th annual Summer Concert Series at the Hein Amphitheatre in Van Trees Park.
Most of the free concerts are set for 8-9:30 p.m. on Sundays.
MINSTER - Local band Top Shelf will debut this year during the Minster Summer Concert Series.
The cover band that prides itself on providing "an upbeat atmosphere through a wide range of music" will perform Aug. 2, Minster parks director Ryan Geise said.
NEW BREMEN - This year's New Bremen Concert Series will take place May 31-Aug. 30 and feature a variety of family-friendly entertainment at the Crown Pavilion.
ST. HENRY - A wide variety of entertainment is scheduled again this year for the St. Henry Freedom Amphitheater Concert Series.
The free concerts w
ST. MARYS - The St. Marys Rotary Club's summer concert series will offer again this year a variety of entertainment.
The concerts are at 7 p.m. at
Neil Armstrong Air & Space Museum, Wapakoneta
Located along Interstate-75 (exit 111), the museum is named in honor of astronaut and Wapakoneta nati
Arrowhead Park Golf Course
Location: Minster
Directions: Take state Route 66 to Minster. Turn right onto First Street and then left onto Canal Road. The course is located at the corner of Canal and Dirksen roads.
