Thursday, May 28th, 2020

Jobless rates rise in area

From staff reports
Mercer County no longer has the lowest unemployment rate in the state.
Pandemic-caused job losses caused Mercer County to drop from the state's lowest rate of unemployment to 14th in a three-way tie with Clermont and Fairfield counties. Mercer County had maintained the lowest unemployment rate in the state since March 2016.
Mercer County's unemployment rate soared from 3.5% in March to 14% in April, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Auglaize County's unemployment rate skyrocketed from 4% in March to 19.5% in April. It dropped from the sixth-lowest rate of unemployment in the state to 61st.
Rates in neighboring counties increased across the board. Allen County's unemployment rate jumped from 5.7% to 20.6%.
The rate in Shelby County increased from 4.6% to 21.7%, and Van Wert County's rate increased from 4.4% to 16.2%.
Ohio's unemployment rate soared to 16.8% in April, a significant increase from a revised 5.8% in March, and up from March 2019's rate of 4.1%.
The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in April was 957,000, up 623,000 from 334,000 in March.
The U.S. unemployment rate for April was 14.7%, up from 4.4% in March and 3.6% in April 2019.
Additional online stories on this date
County records 4th virus death
CELINA - A fourth person has died from COVID-19 in Mercer County, and two new cases raised the county's total to more than 200, according to a Wednesday news release. [More]
CELINA - City officials have decided to open Bryson Pool on June 6 but on a limited, private-party-only basis to comply with state COVID-19 pandemic directives, city safety service director Tom Hitchcock said. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - Team coaches were scheduled to meet this morning to discuss beginning athletic conditioning and weightlifting, Celina City Schools Superintendent Ken Schmiesing said.
COLDWATER - Mercer Health CEO Lisa Klenke expressed hope the COVID-19 pandemic would bring about changes in the nation's health care system, and open new avenues, such as telemedicine, for health care access.
MENDON - Village council members met on Tuesday evening to discuss the village's water tower and street resurfacing projects.
Project manager Craig
ST. MARYS - A St. Marys teen has died from injuries suffered in a May 19 accident on State Route 364.
Shelby Jacobs, 16, died on Friday at Miami Va
NEW BREMEN - School board members on Wednesday night approved the resignation of band director Ryan Starcher, district superintendent Jason Schrader said.
Amazing Athletes
The sign of a true star is being able to overcome obstacles to reach their goals.
Jordan Thompson is a prime example of that.
A three-sport sta
Amazing Athletes
Her name is Joy (Hunziker) Ford, and Parkway fans considered her a joy to watch.
A natural athlete, Ford became the first 1,000-point scorer in girls basketball history at the school and was Parkway's top distance runner.
Graduating seniors who missed out on their spring seasons were asked to submit their favorite sports memories.
Note: Not all senior spring athletes replied.