Celina Daily Standard

01/24/2025

Since its formation in 1983, Tri Star has evolved from being a provider of vocational education with a certain type of student in mind to a sophisticated, multifaceted career and technical institution preparing area youth for college and careers.

Tri Star Assistant Director Paula VanTilburg, halfway through her first year at Tri Star, offered an update on the career compact at this month's Celina City Schools Board of Education meeting.
"Vocational education was a wonderful thing. It served its purpose. It was for a specific person," VanTilburg said. "It was probably for somebody who was not interested in college. It might have been somebody who was struggling with grades, struggling with school, struggling with attendance, only interested in maybe ag or trade."

01/24/2025

St. Marys celebrated the win in Western Buckeye League wrestling on Thursday night, but it was a bit dampened by an injury in the final bout of the night.
The Roughriders leveled their league mark to 3-3 with a 57-21 win over Van Wert at Grand Lake Health System Court.

ST. MARYS - St. Marys celebrated the win in Western Buckeye League wrestling on Thursday night, but it was a bit dampened by an injury in the final bout of the night. The Roughriders leveled the ...

01/24/2025

COLDWATER - Health care systems across the country face a litany of challenges this year, including persistent workforce shortages, supply chain ruptures and high levels of inflation, according to the American Hospital Association.
Mercer Health Chief Financial Officer Jon Dingledine at Wednesday night's hospital board of governors meeting highlighted findings from AHA's 2025 Environmental Scan report, a comprehensive look at key data and insights shaping the health care landscape.
From 2018 to 2022, the number of hospitals in the U.S. shrank from 6,146 to 6,120 and the number of community hospitals dropped from 5,198 to 5,129, Dingledine pointed out.
"We've seen that most recently here in our region with the closing of Hicksville (Community Memorial Hospital)," Dingledine said about the now defunct hospital in Defiance County. "So certainly our region is not immune to some of the issues that are being faced by hospitals."

COLDWATER - Health care systems across the country face a litany of challenges this year, including persistent workforce shortages, supply chain ruptures and high levels of inflation, according t ...

01/22/2025

The United States government has moved to dismiss the federal cases against a Celina couple and Coldwater man who were charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
The motions come just a day after President Donald Trump pardoned, commuted the prison sentences or vowed to dismiss the cases of about 1,500 people charged with crimes related to Jan. 6, including people convicted of assaulting police officers.

CELINA - The United States government has moved to dismiss the federal cases against a Celina couple and Coldwater man who were charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. The motions ...

01/22/2025

The shooting by both New Knoxville and St. Marys was at times as frigid as the outside, but the Roughrider defense brought some warmth to Grand Lake Health System Court on Tuesday night.
St. Marys jumped to an early big lead and came close to getting the running clock in the fourth quarter in the Roughriders' 55-35 win over the Rangers in non-league girls basketball action.

ST. MARYS - The shooting by both New Knoxville and St. Marys was at times as frigid as the outside, but the Roughrider defense brought some warmth to Grand Lake Health System Court on Tuesday nigh ...

01/21/2025

A 36-year-old Lima man linked to a string of car break-ins in several Mercer County towns was indicted last week on felonious assault charges following an incident with an inmate at the Mercer County Adult Detention Facility.
Travis E. Neer was charged with one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony.
On or about Dec. 12, 2024, while an inmate at the Mercer County Adult Detention Facility, Neer allegedly caused serious physical harm to an unidentified inmate, according to county prosecutor Erin Minor.
At the time of the altercation, Neer was incarcerated at the county jail on seven counts of theft, a fifth-degree felony; and one count of burglary, a second-degree felony.
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-21/stories/51613/suspect-in-car-break-ins-charged

01/18/2025

Friday photo albums:

Celina vs Kenton boys basketball:
https://dailystandard.com/albums/2025-01-17/7581/377425/celina-vs-kenton-boys-basketball

Parkway vs New Bremen boys basketball:
https://dailystandard.com/albums/2025-01-17/7580/377371/parkway-vs-new-bremen-boys-basketball

Marion Local vs Delphos St. John's boys basketball:
https://dailystandard.com/albums/2025-01-17/7579/377242/marion-local-vs-delphos-st-johns-boys-basketball

01/18/2025

With two weeks remaining in January, it may be time to ask: "How are those resolutions going?"
Experts say choosing an attainable, realistic and healthy resolution takes a bit more thought than the typical goals of losing weight, quitting smoking or saving money.
Resolutions that stick often require smaller, more specific goals. For some, those resolutions can mean a refresh, while others may feel pressure and dread. Another option is to dust off a passion project and pick up a hobby to get a renewed sense of purpose.

CELINA - With two weeks remaining in January, it may be time to ask: "How are those resolutions going?" Experts say choosing an attainable, realistic and healthy resolution takes a bit more thou ...

01/16/2025

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) detection in Mercer County Tuesday involving 4,525 commercial turkeys, according to an Ohio Department of Agriculture news release. HPAI, commonly known as bird flu, is a contagious viral disease that is a major threat to the poultry industry and animal health.
ODA does not identify individual farms during active cases, the release states. As required by ODA, the commercial facility in Mercer County where HPAI was detected is under quarantine and the birds have since been depopulated to prevent the spread of disease.
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-16/stories/51585/bird-flu-detected-in-mercer-co

01/16/2025

Developers have pulled the plug on a proposed 300-megawatt solar farm in Allen and Auglaize counties.
Birch Solar 1 LLC requested that the Ohio Supreme Court dismiss its appeal against the Ohio Power Siting Board, which denied it permits and a request for a rehearing.
An attorney who made the court filing on Jan. 9 indicated that Birch Solar 1 LLC "has elected to suspend further development of the solar facility at issue in the appeal."
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-16/stories/51587/developers-pull-plug-on-auglaize-solar-farm

01/15/2025

BLACKCREEK TOWNSHIP - A 47-year-old Celina man was killed Tuesday evening after driving left of center into the path of a semitrailer on State Route 707 in northwest Mercer County.
Anthony Cole was pronounced dead at the scene in Blackcreek Township, marking the first county traffic fatality of the year, according to a news release from Mercer County Sheriff Doug Timmerman.
The semitrailer driver, Todd Lotter, 56, of Berne, Indiana, was not injured, Timmerman told The Daily Standard.
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-15/stories/51580/1-dead-in-tuesday-night-crash-on-sr-707

01/15/2025

FORT RECOVERY - Both St. Henry coach Eric Rosenbeck and Fort Recovery coach Bob Leverette used "grind" in their postgame comments on Tuesday night.
St. Henry fought off a determined Fort Recovery squad and left Fort Site Fieldhouse with a 46-42 victory in Midwest Athletic Conference boys basketball action.
The Redskins were up as many as seven points late in the third quarter, only for the Indians to tie the game twice, including at 39-all with 4:19 to play. St. Henry regained the lead with three minutes to go and held on to bounce back from last Friday's loss to Coldwater.

FORT RECOVERY - Both St. Henry coach Eric Rosenbeck and Fort Recovery coach Bob Leverette used "grind" in their postgame comments on Tuesday night. St. Henry fought off a determined Fort Recover ...

01/14/2025

A former Celina city councilman with a heap of experience in the public and private sectors was selected to fill out retired Mercer County Auditor Randy Grapner's unexpired term, a period of a little more than two years.
The Mercer County Republican Party Central Commitee, consisting of about 30 members, on Monday night unanimously voted for Jeff Larmore to take over the reins as county auditor.
The all-Republican board of Mercer County Commissioners on Dec. 31 moved to appoint Larmore as the acting county auditor until the county party determined a full-time successor, which ended up being the same man.

CELINA - A former Celina city councilman with a heap of experience in the public and private sectors was selected to fill out retired Mercer County Auditor Randy Grapner's unexpired term, a period ...

01/14/2025

A feasibility study will determine if Tri Star can be changed from a career compact to a collaborative compact, a move that could relieve Celina schools of financial administration of Tri Star.
School board members at Monday night's regular meeting approved a motion to hire former district treasurer Tom Sommer for $50 an hour "to assist Tri Star Career Compact in becoming a Cooperative Compact," according to the meeting agenda.
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-14/stories/51567/study-to-look-at-tri-star-as-separate-entity

01/14/2025

ST. MARYS - The St. Marys City Council on Monday night approved an agreement between the city and the police department's union regarding wages and benefits.
The agreement, effective Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026, between the city and the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, was passed as an emergency ordinance. Some of the changes included in the agreement were: the addition of President's Day as a paid holiday; an additional two days of vacation for employees with 20 years or more of service; the addition of dental and vision coverage; an increase in sick leave payout upon retirement; and an increase in wages.
https://dailystandard.com/archive/2025-01-14/stories/51569/st-marys-raises-pay-for-police

01/13/2025

CELINA - After nine years of sniffing out narcotics, tracking down suspects and conducting all-around exemplary community service, Celina Police Officer Peng has earned his gold watch, officially retiring at the end of December.
The pointy-eared, long-tongued K9 hailing from Germany will live out the rest of his life with his long-time partner, Sgt. Gabe Bartlett and his family.
"Over the years Peng proved to be a vital member of the department in combating narcotics and tracking suspects, in the city and surrounding area. Peng also gained a few friends along the way," the police department said in a statement.

CELINA - After nine years of sniffing out narcotics, tracking down suspects and conducting all-around exemplary community service, Celina Police Officer Peng has earned his gold watch, officially ...

01/11/2025

Friday night's Basketball albums:

Marion Local vs Parkway:
https://dailystandard.com/albums/2025-01-10/7570/376592/marion-local-vs-parkway-boys-basketball

Coldwater vs St. Henry:
https://dailystandard.com/albums/2025-01-10/7571/376652/coldwater-vs-st-henry-boys-basketball

01/10/2025

ROCKFORD - Following a lengthy investigation by the state fire marshal that took over a year, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office has closed an investigation into a fire that decimated an auto repair shop and defunct bar and grill in Rockford in the spring of 2023.
In September 2024, assistant county prosecutor Anthony Miller and state fire marshal investigator Frank Reitmeier determined that there was "insufficient evidence to support the filing of criminal charges"; therefore the case is closed, according to state fire marshal incident reports obtained by The Daily Standard through a public records request.
However, the case could be reopened if pertinent information is received. For now, the cause of the fire is classified as undetermined.

ROCKFORD - Following a lengthy investigation by the state fire marshal that took over a year, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office has closed an investigation into a fire that decimated an auto r ...