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.

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

Auglaize fair nears record attendance

Smaller counties appear to draw crowds better than cities

By Shelley Grieshop

Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard

Area 4-H members show off their entries during judging in the Junior Fair Market Hog Show at the Auglaize County Fair on Wednesday.

Attendance figures are near record highs this week at the Auglaize County Fair despite low numbers at other fairs across Ohio.

"It's been terrific," says fair secretary Fred Piehl, as he roams the grounds on Wednesday. "Yesterday was the best Tuesday attendance we've had in five years."

Specific gate tallies were not yet available.

Smaller counties appear to be drawing their usual crowds or, in some cases, larger than normal. But for some of Ohio's bigger fairs, such as those held recently in Hamilton (Cincinnati) and Franklin (Columbus) counties, gate receipts have been gloomy.

The Ohio agriculture officials say metropolitan-area fairs have experienced huge drops in attendance this summer. Officials blame a lack of volunteers and cash to spruce up the grounds, as well as a poor economic situation and gas prices.

Piehl says it was difficult early on to estimate how the public would react to the change in this year's fair schedule. For the first time ever, the fair began on a Sunday, instead of a Monday. Festivities will end on Saturday.

"We had a good showing on Sunday," he said. "We just weren't sure how people would respond to starting this on a weekend."

The number of exhibits is up "just a bit," he said. And keeping all those livestock animals cool in the heat is always trying, Piehl said.

"We have a tremendous amount of fans. It's good we've kept up with electrical upgrades," he added.

It's been hot and muggy so far this week with high temperatures in the upper 80s and low 90s, but folks who came for the rides and shows - or perhaps the Walking Tacos, Orange Zippy drinks or Wiener Dun in the Bun - didn't seem to mind. After all, it's late July in Ohio and sultry days are expected, Piehl said.

Fair patrons were greeted with overcast skies and even an occasional breeze on Wednesday. The possibility of a shower or two fades after today and sunny skies will prevail through the last day of activities on Saturday.

Grasping a cold bottle of soda, Piehl scans the sky as beads of sweat roll from his forehead.

"I think it's going to be another good day," he says. "I think we'll squeak through."

Photo by Shelley Grieshop/The Daily Standard

Laina Wireman, 19, uses tail adhesive to spray down her heifer while sprucing the animal up for an upcoming show at the Auglaize County Fair on Wednesday. Wireman of Waynesfield said the spray is similar to hair spray but much, much stronger and won't ever touch her own locks.

Archive of July 31st, 2008

Buy this E-Edition

Additional online stories on this date

Three Fort Recovery graduates plead innocent to school vandalism

Three recent Fort Recovery High School graduates entered not guilty pleas Wednesday morning to charges stemming from a senior prank gone wrong

Memb [More]

Mariners polish off the Locos

Grand Lake sweeps the four-game season series over Lima

Don't tell the Lima Locos that the Grand Lake Mariners are the worst team in the Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League.

Grand Lake ended an eight-game losing streak with a 4-3 win over Lima in 11 innings as the Mariners swept the four-game season series from the Locos. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Celina council to vote on staff pay increases

Twenty-eight department heads and other non-union Celina city employees will get raises for the next three years if council members pass a proposed ordinance.

Dog park progressing; more volunteers needed

The fence is up at the planned Rotary Dog Park on West Bank Road and now volunteers and more funds are needed to finish the job, said project organizer Deb Borns of Celina.

Trio brings the blues to St. Marys

ST. MARYS - Three local guys are givin' birth to the blues again this year in a second Riverside Bluesfest concert featuring Elvin Bishop, who years

New screen house will be built for water filtration if ordinance approved

A new water intake structure, commonly known as the screen house, will be built on West Bank Road if council members approve a proposed ordinance to appropriate up to $150,000 for the project.

Resident brings parking ticket complaint to Celina council

A Celina resident doesn't think people should be punished for leaving their vehicles parked downtown overnight to avoid driving home drunk.

During

Bradford man struck by car

A 23-year-old Bradford man was seriously injured late Tuesday night after he was struck by a car while putting gas in his scooter along a road east of Greenville.