Wednesday, April 1st, 2009

Stimulus money for new jail officers sought

By Shelley Grieshop
The Mercer County Sheriff's Office has gotten the green light from commissioners to apply for nearly $500,000 in stimulus money to pay for five new corrections officers.
If the money is obtained, it would be the largest grant ever received by the agency.
The federal dollars, which are being made available through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, are targeted for "enhancing rural corrections, detentions and jail operations." They require no matching funds and there is no limit to the amount of money agencies can request, said Chief Deputy Gery Thobe, who is currently working on the detailed grant application.
Deadline to submit the application is April 22, Thobe added.
President Barack Obama's $780 million Recovery Act includes more than $4 billion for state and local law enforcement and other criminal and juvenile justice activities.
The sheriff's office is requesting $468,132 to fund the salaries and benefits of five new officers, who will come on board for the new jail being built west of Celina. Operations should begin there later this year.
The grant would help ease expenses at the jail for at least two years - the term of the grant, commissioners said on Tuesday.
Currently, there are nine corrections officers on staff excluding Captain Jody Lange. The five proposed new employees would replace one officer who is leaving for the military, one who quit after only a few months and one who is on a medical disability. The remaining two would increase the jail staff to three per shift, which will be needed when the 50,000-square-foot jail opens, Thobe said.
The estimated $11.9 million jail will house up to 100 inmates. The current jail next to the courthouse has a maximum capacity of 15 inmates.
Mercer County voters in November 2007 narrowly approved a 0.5 percent sales tax levy to fund the construction of the new facility. It is expected to be completed by Oct. 28, although inmates will be transported later after staff members have completed training.
Commissioners on Tuesday morning toured the ongoing construction site and were impressed with the progress. Workers are busy with inside work such as applying dry wall to the various offices in the administration area, Commissioner Jerry Laffin noted.
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MINSTER - The president of the Minster Local Schools board of education faces numerous criminal charges including operating a vehicle under the influence and fleeing and eluding authorities following a March 18 traffic stop near his home. [More]
MARIA STEIN - The Marion Local Flyer baseball team evened their record at 1-1, rallying late on a Ben Smith two-run home run to defeat the Celina Bulldogs, 8-7, in a wild non-league matchup on Tuesday. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Celina workers on Tuesday began cutting down six more trees that are obstructing power lines at Eastview Park.
Once removed, the city will have taken down around 20 trees this year at Eastview Park, Celina Safety Service Director Jeff Hazel said this morning.
Fed tax on tobacco more than doubles today
Tobacco users are paying much more for their vice as a new federal tax on all tobacco products went into effect today.
The federal tax for Class A cigarettes is now $1.01 per pack, up from 39 cents. The tax on a carton went from $3.90 to $10.66.
The state is taking written comments on the expansion of a Fort Recovery layer hen operation from 659,999 chickens to 1.2 million chickens.
James.
About 20 individuals from counties in the Wabash River Watershed in Ohio and Indiana met in Celina on Tuesday to discuss how to decrease hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico.
Beginning this year, Mercer County will pay 3 percent more to incarcerate unruly juveniles at a Troy detention facility.
County commissioners on Tu
A 41-year-old Coldwater man has been indicted on four counts of rape alleging he engaged in sexual conduct with a girl under the age of 13.
Dwayne
ST. MARYS - Bailey Smith was intentionally walked in the third inning of Tuesday's game by Parkway to prevent her from doing damage.
Turned out, it was only delaying the inevitable.
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
Michelle Stout struck out 11 Fairlawn batters to earn the area's first perfect game of the season as the Redskins grounded the Jets 20-0 in five innings at the Wally Post Athletic Complex to go to 2-0 on the season.
Local residents will be able to down a burger and brew or enjoy ice cream while feeling the breeze off Grand Lake when a restaurant reopens May 1.
The former Carter Villa Restaurant will open as the new Breakers restaurant at 725 West Bank Road.
Approximately 25 to 30 people attended the recent Public Financial Seminar to learn about ways to obtain loans for the start-up or expansion of a small business, said Larry Stelzer, Mercer County economic development director.