Thursday, December 11th, 2008

Crown lays off employees

By Margie Wuebker
Officials at Crown Equipment Corp. have confirmed reports of layoffs at plants in New Bremen, Celina, New Knoxville and Fort Loramie as a result of declining orders.
Randy Niekamp, vice president of human resources, declined to give specific numbers adding he was not at liberty to do so since such information could be of use to competitors.
When asked whether the layoff was of major proportions, he added any layoff has a major impact on the workers involved. Affected workers were notified this week that Friday would be their last day on the job for the time being.
"We've seen a steady weakening as a result of the global economic downturn," Niekamp told The Daily Standard on Wednesday afternoon. "Our orders have been off significantly the last month or so."
Officials are not sure what the future holds at this point or whether there is a possibility of additional layoffs in the future. They continue to monitor the situation closely, according to Niekamp.
Crown Equipment designs, manufactures, distributes, services and supports material handling products ranging from hand pallet trucks to turreted lift trucks.
Additional online story on this date
Cafeteria cooks wage a daily battle with finicky eaters and slim school budgets that test their culinary skills and creativity.
Homemade dishes such as oven-baked pasta dishes have almost disappeared from school menus because of high labor costs and their unpopularity with students. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
A St. Marys man arrested last week for drug trafficking died this morning at the Auglaize County Jail.
Correction officers found Thomas J. Moyar, 51, Parkway Drive, unresponsive in his cell at 12:24 a.m. Wapakoneta Rescue Squad responded to the scene and determined Moyar was dead.
Five area schools have been honored by U.S. News and World Reports as being among the best high schools in America.
Minster High School earned silver ranking while Coldwater, Fort Recovery, Marion Local and Versailles high schools garnered bronze awards.
A proposal to increase lifeguard wages resulted in a heated dispute between two Celina city council members during a meeting Wednesday.
Councilman
Festival of trees open to the public now until Dec. 27
FORT RECOVERY - Fort Recovery Library has been turned into a winter wonderland as dozens of multi-colored and different themed Christmas trees have been set up throughout the building.
Mendon, Coldwater, Burkettsville depts.will use federal funds to buy equipment
Three local fire departments - Mendon, Coldwater and Burkettsville - have been awarded more than $150,000 in federal grants in the last six months to purchase needed equipment.
A Celina man will spend at least 30 days in jail after pleading no contest to an amended charge of aggravated trespassing in Celina Municipal Court.
WAPAKONETA - Auglaize County Health Department staff will receive across-the-board raises of 3 percent that become effective Jan. 1.
The action too