Flood Watch issued September 20 at 1:07PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...Portions of Indiana, including the following counties, Dearborn, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Union and Wayne and Ohio, including the following counties, Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Licking, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union and Warren.
* WHEN...From 7 PM EDT this evening through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain will impact the area overnight. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. The heavy rain combined with saturated ground will lead to potential flash flooding.

Flood Warning issued September 20 at 1:05PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

...Forecast flooding changed to Minor severity and increased in duration for the following rivers...
St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHEN...Until Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...At 13.0 feet, State Route 117 near Route 118 north of Rockford is water-covered and closed.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 12:40 PM EDT Sunday the stage was 13.0 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 13.0 feet this afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage just after midnight tonight. - Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

Wednesday, February 28th, 2007

Man enters guilty plea to child rape charges

More charges pending in Mercer County

By Shelley Grieshop

WAPAKONETA - A Camden man pleaded guilty this week to rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition of a child during a hearing in Auglaize County Common Pleas Court.

Gregory L. Deaton Jr., 26, was indicted by an Auglaize County grand jury last fall for raping and sexually molesting a 13-year-old girl on Oct. 4 at a location in the St. Marys area.

He faces a maximum 13 years in prison and a $30,000 fine at sentencing. A sentence hearing has not yet been set.

Deaton also faces a sexual offender classification that could mandate he register his address with the local sheriff's office for the rest of his life.

Another indictment charge of rape and two other counts of gross sexual imposition were dismissed by prosecutors in a plea agreement.

Deaton also is accused of similar charges in a case pending in Mercer County. Authorities have said the same victim was under the age of 13 when Deaton first had sexual relations with her in the fall of 2003 in Mercer County and reportedly continued until 2005. He then moved to Auglaize County.

A Mercer County grand jury indicted Deaton - a former Montezuma resident - on five counts of rape and five counts of gross sexual imposition. On Nov. 8, he pleaded not guilty to those charges. A pretrial hearing in that case is set for March 16.

Deaton faces 57 ½ years in prison for the charges in Mercer County. Because the charges accuse him of raping a child under the age of 13, an additional 1-10 years in prison could be added to each of those charges at sentencing, according to the Ohio Revised Code.

Auglaize County Common Pleas Judge Frederick Pepple terminated Deaton's $250,000 bond. Deaton has been incarcerated in the Mercer County Jail since his arrest in early November.

Archive of February 28th, 2007

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Pair of blowouts at Elida Fieldhouse

Coldwater and St. Henry advance to sectional finals

ELIDA - A pair of overwhelming wins highlighted the semifinals at the Division III sectional at the Elida Fieldhouse on Tuesday.

In the opener, St. Henry shrugged off a sluggish start and pulled away in the second half for a 56-34 win over Parkway. [More]

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Measuring spoon is the magic wand

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Bulldogs nearly pull upset over Bobcats

Questionable calls help propel BG

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Rangers roll, Flyers down Cardinals

COLDWATER - The Division IV boys sectional tournament kicked off at the Palace Tuesday night with a pair of games that couldn't have possibly been any more different.

Elida gets revenge with tourney win over Roughriders

LIMA - Eleven days ago, the St. Marys Roughriders played host to the Elida Bulldogs, and promptly sent their league foe back home with an 11-point defeat.