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.
32° 32° Mon 47° Mon 47° 29° 29° Tue 53° Tue 53°
Thursday, September 25th, 2008

Ex-Fort Recovery police chief accused of stalking

By Margie Wuebker
A former Fort Recovery police chief has been indicted on charges he allegedly threatened the well- being of an area woman and watched places she is known to frequent.
James A. Champ, 70, 402 S. George St., remains incarcerated at the Mercer County Jail on a $250,000 bond pending an Oct. 1 arraignment hearing in Mercer County Common Pleas Court.
Champ faces charges of menacing by stalking and aggravated menacing stemming from reported threatening comments he made on or about Sept. 12 to his estranged wife.
The Fort Recovery Police Department received information that Champ had been making comments of a threatening nature regarding the woman. Champ allegedly claimed to have a .32-caliber revolver that was untraceable and had never been fired.
He reportedly stated there were only two ways out of a situation he found himself in - "boom, boom" or "boom, boom, boom." He claimed he would be uptown at 5 a.m. to watch as the woman went to work, the report says.
According to an affidavit filed by Fort Recovery Police Chief Jared Laux in Celina Municipal Court, numerous complainants alerted his agency that Champ had attempted to identify the vehicle the woman currently drives and trying to identify with whom she is acquainted. Additionally, he allegedly has been seen watching the residences of people she temporarily lived with as well as locations around her Fort Recovery home and place of employment.
Laux's complaint states Champ's conduct has been escalating since dismissal of a court case in January.
On Jan. 15, Fort Recovery Police filed a domestic violence complaint against Champ in municipal court with a temporary protection order issued in the case. Firearms were confiscated and held during dependency of the case, which was dismissed by Aug. 26. The protection order was dismissed, and the firearms returned to Champ at his request.
Champ served as a police officer in Fort Recovery from June 1973 to July 1996. He is represented by attorney Matthew Gilmore.
The menacing by stalking charge is a fourth-degree felony, which carries up to 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine upon conviction. Aggravated menacing is a first-degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in prison and a $1,000 fine.
Additional online story on this date
COLDWATER - There's a new book in town. In fact, it's about the town and the history of Coldwater American Legion Post 470.
Compiled by Coldwater residents Don Wellman (post historian) and Roselyn Post (graphics assistance), the 380-page book recently was printed. [More]
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