Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued March 22 at 5:43PM EDT until March 23 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 73 IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS
IN INDIANA THIS WATCH INCLUDES 8 COUNTIES
IN EAST CENTRAL INDIANA
FAYETTE UNION WAYNE
IN SOUTHEAST INDIANA
DEARBORN FRANKLIN OHIO RIPLEY SWITZERLAND
IN KENTUCKY THIS WATCH INCLUDES 3 COUNTIES
IN NORTHERN KENTUCKY
BOONE CAMPBELL KENTON
IN OHIO THIS WATCH INCLUDES 32 COUNTIES
IN CENTRAL OHIO
DELAWARE FAIRFIELD FAYETTE FRANKLIN HOCKING LICKING MADISON PICKAWAY UNION
IN SOUTH CENTRAL OHIO
ADAMS HIGHLAND PIKE ROSS SCIOTO
IN SOUTHWEST OHIO
BROWN BUTLER CLERMONT CLINTON HAMILTON WARREN
IN WEST CENTRAL OHIO
AUGLAIZE CHAMPAIGN CLARK DARKE GREENE HARDIN LOGAN MERCER MIAMI MONTGOMERY PREBLE SHELBY
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF ABERDEEN, ADA, ALEXANDRIA, AURORA, BATESVILLE, BEAVERCREEK, BELLEFONTAINE, BELLEVUE, BLANCHESTER, BRIGHT, BROOKVILLE, BURLINGTON, CAMDEN, CELINA, CHILLICOTHE, CIRCLEVILLE, COLDWATER, CONNERSVILLE, COVINGTON, DAY HEIGHTS, DAYTON, DELAWARE, DILLSBORO, DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI, DOWNTOWN COLUMBUS, DOWNTOWN DAYTON, EATON, ERLANGER, FAIRBORN, FAIRFIELD, FLORENCE, FORT THOMAS, FRANKLIN, GEORGETOWN, GREENDALE, GREENFIELD, GREENVILLE, HAMILTON, HIDDEN VALLEY, HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, HILLSBORO, INDEPENDENCE, KENTON, KETTERING, LANCASTER, LANDEN, LAWRENCEBURG, LEBANON, LIBERTY, LOGAN, LONDON, MANCHESTER, MARYSVILLE, MASON, MIDDLETOWN, MILAN, MILFORD, MINSTER, MOUNT CARMEL, MOUNT ORAB, MOUNT REPOSE, MULBERRY, NEW BREMEN, NEWARK, NEWPORT, OAKBROOK, OSGOOD, OXFORD, PEEBLES, PICKERINGTON, PIKE LAKE, PIKETON, PIQUA, PLAIN CITY, PORTSMOUTH, RICHMOND, RIPLEY, RISING SUN, SEAMAN, SIDNEY, SPRINGBORO, SPRINGFIELD, ST. MARYS, SUMMERSIDE, TIPP CITY, TROY, URBANA, VERSAILLES, VEVAY, WAPAKONETA, WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE, WAVERLY, WEST COLLEGE CORNER, WEST JEFFERSON, WEST UNION, WHEELERSBURG, WILMINGTON, WINCHESTER, WITHAMSVILLE, AND XENIA.

Wednesday, July 26th, 2006

Motorists, snow plowers wait to learn who owns the obstructing land

By Timothy Cox

Mercer County Commissioners have agreed to undertake an eminent domain proceeding on behalf of Franklin Township Trustees to clear up a congested area on the south side of Grand Lake.

Township officials want to claim a tiny parcel of land along Circle Drive to create a new cul-de-sac so the area is not so troublesome for snowplows and residents who park their vehicles along the narrow, unimproved road. Township trustees in turn have agreed to reimburse the county for the legal costs associated with the proposal.

But officials have been unable to determine who actually owns the land in question, which has complicated the issue.

Township trustees want the small parcel of land near the bend in Circle Drive, a street that bends 180 degrees, beginning and ending on Bass Drive, just off It's It Road. Gaining the extra land would make it easier for vehicles to navigate the tight turn, especially for snowplows.

The area, located near Kozy Campground, is densely populated with trailers, modular homes and park model homes, which are essentially trailers permanently affixed to concrete foundations. Most of Circle Drive is unpaved. Many of the residents in the area are seasonal inhabitants, staying only during the warm-weather months.

"We just want to make it simpler for everybody," Franklin Township Trustee Tom Rose said. "Everybody wants something done with it. It could be a real good deal for everybody if we can get everything worked out."

Rose also said many residents have expressed an interest in gaining more room for traffic and parked cars.

County prosecuting attorney Andy Hinders' office is researching the ownership of the land and pursuing the eminent domain case. Township trustees have agreed to reimburse the county for its legal costs associated with the procedure.

The likely solution is to create a cul-de-sac so the narrow street does not go all the way through the tightly packed neighborhood, Rose said. Trustees also hope to eventually pave the broken road surface, he said.

"The current road conditions make plowing the road during inclement weather to be hazardous to persons and property," the commissioners' resolution says.

There are no estimates available on the legal costs for the court proceedings.

Archive of July 26th, 2006

Buy this E-Edition

Additional online story on this date

Law enforcement back to using phone

Mercer County officials are mulling a plan to restore statewide radio communications between sheriff's offices after the county's aged unit recently died. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Grand Lake area's gasoline prices average above $3 mark

Ouch!

Although the price of crude oil dropped on Wall Street most of the day Tuesday, local motorists saw some gasoline prices climb above $3, and remain there this morning.

Future of call center

A discussion Tuesday among Mercer County officials about radio communications led to a separate talk about how such high-tech matters will be handled if county officials succeed with their goal to build a new jail.

Library rent doubled

NEW BREMEN - Rent will double for the New Bremen Public Library as a result of action taken by village councilors Tuesday night.

Larry A. James, M.

Auctions bring in funds for school

Public auctions have been held at the Rockford, Mendon and Willshire Parkway Local Schools facilities, bringing in approximately $108,000 for the school system, Superintendent Doug Karst reported this morning.

St. Marys man accused of sex with a minor

WAPAKONETA - A 19-year-old St. Marys man was indicted by an Auglaize County grand jury for having sex with a minor on two occasions.

Daniel Street,

Council may switch back to former health care provider

Village's current plan would increase premiums by $8,000 annually

ST. HENRY - Village council members may soon revert to their former health care provider for full-time employees in the coming months because its current plan will increase by an estimated $8,000 in premiums annually.

Electric cars buzz quietly into St. Marys

People getting plugged in as gasoline prices continue to soar

With the price for regular gasoline topping $3 per gallon locally, motorists are trying to find ways to cut fuel costs.

A St. Marys business may ha

Celina's Club Oasis revamped into sports bar

Restaurant with a full menu, tons of TVs

A long-standing Celina night club is no longer just an oasis of dancing and boozing for the local younger crowd.

Club Oasis, 201 S. Main Street, has undergone extensive renovations that have transformed it into a sports bar and restaurant, said owner Chris Wendel.

From closer to starter, Heyne gets the job done

For the first 35 games of the season Grand Lake Mariners pitcher Kyle Heyne had found his niche as the club closer out of the bullpen.

So when Hey