Flood Watch issued September 20 at 1:07PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...Portions of Indiana, including the following counties, Dearborn, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Union and Wayne and Ohio, including the following counties, Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Licking, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union and Warren.
* WHEN...From 7 PM EDT this evening through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain will impact the area overnight. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. The heavy rain combined with saturated ground will lead to potential flash flooding.

Flood Warning issued September 20 at 1:05PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

...Forecast flooding changed to Minor severity and increased in duration for the following rivers...
St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHEN...Until Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...At 13.0 feet, State Route 117 near Route 118 north of Rockford is water-covered and closed.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 12:40 PM EDT Sunday the stage was 13.0 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 13.0 feet this afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage just after midnight tonight. - Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

Thursday, April 5th, 2007

Man going to prison on drug trafficking charges

By Margie Wuebker

A St. Henry man has been sentenced to prison in connection with a drug trafficking case in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.

Travis J. Lange, 23, 332 Kenneth St., received consecutive sentences in the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction - 16 months for a third-degree charge involving cocaine and 10 months for an amended fifth-degree felony offense.

Judge Jeffrey Ingraham imposed no fine but ordered restitution totaling $1,740. Lange also must pay court costs and assigned legal fees.

In exchange for a guilty plea, the state amended one count of trafficking in marijuana in the vicinity of a school and dismissed another also dealing with the sale of marijuana.

Defense attorney Matt Chapel described Lange as a man who has turned his life around during dependency of the case. The defendant also apologized for his actions.

"The court today believes this is an appropriate sentence," Ingraham said adding its purpose is to punish the offender and protect the public.

He also alluded to the likelihood of a judicial release motion being filed at some point. While not promising approval, Ingraham said any decision would be dependent on the defendant's response to programs available in prison.

The charges stem from an undercover investigation by the Grand Lake Task Force with the offenses taking place in November 2005. A grand jury returned the three-count indictment in August of last year.

Archive of April 5th, 2007

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Additional online stories on this date

Commissioner given power to evaluate weather conditions

Employees may be sent home but still receive pay

The Mercer County Health Commissioner was given the power this week to declare inclement weather and give employees a paid day off.

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Raterman hoping to build on junior year

There are just some players who look like they naturally belong on a basketball court.

Justine Raterman is one of those players.

She has a storied bloodline as her older sisters were established players who took their game to the collegiate level. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

State takes steps to avoid contaminating Grand Lake walleye

To thwart the spread of a fish killing virus, the state will not collect walleye eggs from the Maumee River this year for stocking in Ohio waterways, including Grand Lake.

Mercer County sales tax up in first quarter

Mercer County sales tax collections through the first quarter are up slightly over 2006, and the March revenue reflects a strong holiday shopping season last year.

State nixes septic system permits

The Ohio Department of Health has rejected the local health department's plea to make an exception for nearly four dozen people who were denied septic system permits under the state's old rules.

What happens next

Local health officials will decide case by case which residents will be granted variances allowing new septic systems to be built closer to seasonal water tables than rules allow.

Officials to dip into nuisance fund to help couple

Local health officials have decided to open the county's pocketbook to fix a resident's sewage system that has become a county health hazard.

Board

Coldwater principal up for state award

COLDWATER - Elementary Principal Molly Hay recently was selected as one of two finalists in the entire state for the 2007 Ohio Distinguished Principal Award.

Celina woman charged for writing bad checks

A Celina woman now faces three counts of passing bad checks totaling more than $3,000 at Celina area businesses.

Lee Ann Saintignon, 28, 2551 Mud Pike, was indicted Dec. 15 after she allegedly wrote a check on or about Sept. 30 for $1,490.95 to Francis Furniture knowing it would be dishonored.

Stonebraker's hard work paying off

Jacki Stonebraker returned to her alma mater of Versailles after a successful collegiate basketball career to see if she could coach the game she played.