Tuesday, November 14th, 2017

Walmart tells reason food discarded

By Sydney Albert
CELINA - Walmart officials have been forced to respond after a video showing carts of food being thrown away after the Nov. 5 tornado went viral on Facebook.
The grocery chain said the food had to be thrown away because it was unsafe to eat or be donated due to the power outage from the storm.
The video shows a man identified as Gary Joe Ahrns behind the Walmart on Havemann Road rummaging through carts of food that had been brought out of the store presumably to be thrown away. A manager shows up to stop him from taking food, and Ahrns asks repeatedly the reason why store employees won't let anybody take the food. Employees and managers can be heard explaining at different points in the video that the food is not safe to eat before Ahrns is asked to leave.
Ahrns does not mention in the video that a tornado had come through Celina, causing Walmart and every other Havemann Road business to lose power nor the extent of the damage that caused most of the road to be blocked off for days.
Walmart recently posted a response on the Celina store's Facebook page:
"We have fielded a number of calls regarding a video circulating on Facebook showing our associates throwing out food, and we wanted our customers and community to understand the situation. Unfortunately, due to a tornado that affected our store in Celina, Ohio, on November 5, the food being disposed of was unsafe for consumption after the store lost power for 14 hours. Per internal and health department policies, we followed proper procedures by disposing of the food."
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Council weighing end to practice of rehiring retired village employees
NEW BREMEN - The practice of rehiring retired village employees may be abolished in the coming months
Council members on Monday gave first reading of an ordinance to eliminate the practice with councilman Dennis Burnell casting the lone opposition vote. [More]
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CELINA - Community members showed their true strength by banding together to assist businesses and residents affected by Nov. 5's EF2 tornado that ripped though the city, knocking out power and inflicting severe damage to numerous buildings, mayor Jeff Hazel said.
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DUBLIN TOWNSHIP - A rural Celina man was arrested on Monday morning after having been involved in an car accident in a vehicle that was later determined to have been stolen.
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NEW BREMEN - Paige Jones has set the record books ablaze in Ohio.
The New Bremen senior will now look to make her mark in a different state.
Oh
Area soccer players earned district and state honors in awards announced recently.
Coldwater senior Maura Hoying earned first team All-District hon
2017 Division IV Volleyball Champions State Champs
Roster:
#  Name  Gr.  Pos.
0  Blake Snider  11  L
1  Katie Howell  9  S
2  Abbi Thieman  11  S
3  Diana Heitkamp  9  OH/DS
4  Ashton Heitkamp  10  RS/OH
5  Josie
Several federal programs are available to help Mercer County farmers affected by the Nov. 5 tornado that struck the western part of the county and destroyed numerous livestock and other farm buildings and killed livestock.
One candidate is running unopposed for a spot on the Mercer County Farm Service Agency committee, while three candidates are running in a contested race for one spot on the Auglaize County FSA committee.