Tuesday, August 13th, 2019

St. Henry community center tops board meeting

By Tom Stankard
ST. HENRY - Athletic booster club members are ready to take the next steps toward creating a proposed community center.
Club president Jeremy Schwieterman told St. Henry school board members during Monday's meeting the club has received bids for the project from Bruns Construction, Brakett Builders and Muhlenkamp Construction.
They plan to present the lowest bid to school board members during the Sept. 9 meeting and hope for their approval by October.
To be built in the lot east of the high school, the project could feature a 20,863-square-foot community center, a 15,980-square-foot multipurpose room and a 3,043-square-foot weight room.
Plans call for two indoor basketball and volleyball courts, two batting cages that can be lowered and raised, a walking track surrounding the courts and a weight room.
The club will fund the project using a combination of interest-free loans and fundraisers, Schwieterman pointed out. More than 300 donors have supported the project so far, he added, smiling.
Village employees should be able to help the club install utilities and move dirt, village administrator Ron Gelhaus has said.
Also during the meeting, superintendent Julie Garke told board members the district has received a $38,392 grant from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to help purchase key fobs and a standing floor sweeper.
Members also met in executive session for about 50 minutes to discuss the purchase of property. No action was taken after the session, Garke said.
Additional online stories on this date
$30,000 donated for cameras
CELINA - An anonymous donor infuriated upon learning of vandalism at the new amphitheater has given the city $30,000 to help officials purchase security cameras for the Bryson Park District and prevent similar incidents in the future. [More]
Parkway softball coach steps down after 33 years
ROCKFORD - Mark Esselstein spent more than a quarter-century coaching girls whom he considered family.
But his actual family comes first now. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
CELINA - A new Mercer County Fair exhibit that offers a quick look at the business side of raising livestock for market has proven to be a hit with the kids, county fairground summer intern Rachel Reichert said.
CELINA - A Dayton/Cincinnati-based developer wants to put up townhouse-style apartments off Irmscher Boulevard, a move mayor Jeff Hazel said would be tremendous for the city and the area.
CELINA - School board members agreed to eliminate two more Head Start bus driver and bus aide positions during Monday's meeting.
Members voted to
COLDWATER - Thefts continue to be a problem around the village.
Police chief Jason Miller told council members at Monday's meeting that most of the thefts are from vehicles.
ST. MARYS - The city's streets and sidewalks committee will discuss a draft ordinance that would create inspection and registration requirements for
MARIA STEIN - School board members met briefly to discuss the upcoming school year and approve a handful of items.
Elementary school principal Nick
NEW BREMEN - Village council members on Monday accepted seven bids totaling just under $1.8 million to purchase equipment for the planned north substation.
ST. HENRY - Council members on Monday learned two additional tornado sirens have been ordered and could be installed by the end of November.
Village administrator Ron Gelhaus said they are to be installed at South Park and near the new fire station on Western Avenue.
Improved Celina beats Bluffton in opener
CELINA - Jan Morrison could see the difference.
After struggling with a young team last season, Celina opened the 2019 girls tennis season in fine fashion with a 4-1 win over Bluffton on Monday at the Booster Club Tennis Complex.
Area Roundup
Compiled by Colin Foster
St. Henry began its Midwest Athletic Conference girls golf championship defense by defeating Coldwater 191-215 on Monday at the Mercer County Elks Golf Course.
Cele Gonzalez was the winner of the Burkett 5K race on Saturday in Burkettsville as the Mercer Health 5K Challenge concluded.
Gonzalez finished in 18:04.43. Parkway runner Aaron Bruns was second with Kyle Minnich third, Seth Brandt fourth and Brian Homan fifth.
NEW BREMEN - The 45th annual Bremenfest is bringing the #commUNITY together this Friday through Sunday.
The festival kicked off early on Sunday wit