CELINA - Instead of the junior fair's annual live auction, this year's Mercer County Fair will feature a showcase honoring participants and a website where donors can make contributions.

Due to a combination of factors, including low auction attendance and success with online contributions, the Mercer County Agricultural Society recently decided to do away with their annual live auction, fairground executive director Cara Muhlenkamp told The Daily Standard. [More]

NEW BREMEN - Minster built a big lead early in the game which helped soften the blow of all the missed opportunities late in the game.

The Wildcats hit into four double plays and stranded 14 base runners but still had enough gas to cruise past New Bremen, 12-6, in Midwest Athletic Conference softball action Tuesday evening on the Cardinal diamond. [More]

NEW BREMEN - State and local officials responded quickly Sunday to a call about a military explosive device homeowners found while clearing out a house.

"Yesterday, one of our officers was stopped by a resident (who) notified him of a small or [More]

It was a Hawkeye kind of weekend at the annual Drake Relays in Des Moines.

Both the University of Iowa men's and women's track and field team captured team championships.

The Hawkeye women won their second straight title with 37 points while the men hoist the cup for the first time since 2022. [More]

CELINA-Though not yet countywide, most farmers in Mercer County's southern half have started planting in the last two weeks, county ag educator Ryan McMichael told The Daily Standard.

Though he did not have an exact percentage on how much of the county's crops have been planted, McMichael said that due to recent heavy rains, producers in the county's central and northern portions haven't quite kicked things off. [More]

FORT RECOVERY - The produce growing inside of Fort Recovery Middle School isn't just a science project - it's what's for lunch.

In a collaboration with the school's food service department, science teacher Crystal Fullenkamp, with some help from her students, has successfully grown two life cycles of Green Star and Romaine lettuce inside her classroom using a hydroponic tower system. [More]