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.

Saturday, October 3rd, 2009

I.C. School closed due to student illnesses

By Shelley Grieshop

Immaculate Conception School in Celina closed its doors at 10:45 a.m. Friday because half of its student population was absent with flu-like symptoms, according to school Superintendent Kathy Mescher.

Mescher initially canceled only kindergarten classes on Friday after half of the 21 students were absent on Thursday. Most of those children reportedly were experiencing flu symptoms including vomiting, she said.

"We talked to the health department and they agreed it was best to send everyone home," she said. "We have no regrets doing that."

Mescher said the action was necessary to allow ill students to recover during the weekend and prevent the spread of whatever virus is plaguing the school.

The Catholic school educates about 225 students ages preschool to sixth grade. Mescher said she believes this is the first time the entire school has closed for an illness outbreak.

At Mescher's request, local health officials came to the school on Friday to provide support and guidance. As a precaution, they also examined food and preparation methods and found no problems, Mescher said.

None of the students' illnesses were diagnosed as H1N1 - a type of flu that has become widespread across Ohio and the globe. Health departments and physicians all over the U.S. have been instructed by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention to only test patients who are hospitalized with flu symptoms or when mass outbreaks are reported.

It wasn't determined on Friday whether any of the ill students will be tested for the H1N1 virus, which overall produces only minor cases of the flu.

As of Friday, no other school system in the Grand Lake area had reported high absenteeism, according to health department officials in Mercer and Auglaize counties.

Archive of October 3rd, 2009

Buy this E-Edition

Additional online story on this date

Roughriders rally for victory

WAPAKONETA - The St. Marys Roughriders and the Wapakoneta Redskins met for the 104th time on the football field Friday night and added another great chapter to the rivalry as the Roughriders used a huge fourth quarter to rally and post a 28-17 Western Buckeye League win at Harmon Field. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Trust fund will pay for 2 new restrooms

The Bryson Trust fund will provide $235,000 to build two restroom facilities at Celina's Eastview Park.

Celina Safety Service Director Rick Bachelor made the announcement on Thursday night at a city council park and recreation committee meeting.

New seat law effective soon

Every family trip is a lesson in patience for Chris and Deb Heitkamp who squeeze all six of their children in child safety seats in their minivan.

Celina man indicted for stalking estranged wife

Steven Shoupp also under investigation in Colorado for disappearance of his first wife 19 year ago

A 54-year-old Celina man faces multiple charges stemming from incidents involving his estranged wife.

Certain aspects of the case also bear similarities to a continuing investigation in Colorado stemming from the disappearance of his first wife 19 years ago.

Flyers lose third straight game

MARIA STEIN - Things started badly and slowly got worse for the Marion Local Flyers on Friday night at Booster Field, as a disastrous beginning foreshadowed another rough night for the hosts.

Redskins get beat for the first time

ANNA - Things looked good for St. Henry as the first quarter was coming to a close.

After stopping Anna near the goalline on the first series of the game, the Redskins had the Rockets backed up to their own seven-yard line with just three seconds left in the first quarter.

Bulldogs roughed up by the Indians

LIMA - There are plenty of offensive weapons for the Shawnee Indians football team and they were on display in the first quarter.

Shawnee had four

Mauk lights up Bath for seven touchdowns

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Maty Mauk threw for seven touchdowns as Kenton opened with a 30-point first quarter en route to shutting out Bath 62-0 at Robinson Field.

Tigers pass their way past Wildcats

VERSAILLES - The Versailles Tigers used their spread offense to dominate a diminished Minster Wildcat squad from the first series of the game. Derek

Rohr has big night for Cardinals

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Spencer Rohr dominated the ground attack at Cardinal Field on Friday night, going over the 1,000-yard mark on the se