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.

Friday, December 18th, 2009

Celina planners favor closing two alleys

Council to decide on vacation at Landmark

By William Kincaid

Celina Planning Commission on Thursday night had no problem recommending the vacation of two alleys crisscrossing the property of Mercer Landmark.

Planning members Tom Hone, Eldon Wetter, Ralph Stelzer, Celina Safety Service Director Rick Bachelor and Celina Mayor Sharon LaRue unanimously recommended vacating the alleys after listening to a brief presentation by Mercer Landmark attorney Tom Lammers.

The request now will go before city council members.

Mercer Landmark, located at 4190 W. Market St., wants the alley running north and south between Market and Livingston streets and the alley running east and west from Mill Street to the railroad vacated. Both thoroughfares intersect the business. In fact, the one alley runs between a series of giant grain bins.

Currently, the alleys are open to the public.

"It's more a matter of security and safety," Lammers said.

Because Mercer Landmark owns most of the property on both sides of the two alleys in question, it would acquire all of the property vacated if the request is eventually approved by city council, Bachelor said.

As part of the planning commission's recommendation, the city would obtain easements to allow access to the property if need be.

A sanitary sewer line is located underneath the alley running east and west from Mill Street and power lines run overhead on the alley running north and south between Market and Livingston streets.

Lammers assured planning commission members that Mercer Landmark would not build anything on or restrict access to the easements for city utility crews.

"We'll just need to get our equipment in there if anything comes up," city Engineering Assistant Jeremy Hinton said.

In early November, council's streets and alleys committee unanimously approved the request. Bachelor said most at that meeting agreed the move would be beneficial for all.

After the decision, Lammers said Mercer Landmark would pay additional property taxes on the newly acquired land.

Archive of December 18th, 2009

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Additional online stories on this date

Couple suspected of stealing wrapped gifts from beneath Christmas trees

Local thefts keep law enforcement busy

A man and a woman were arrested this week as suspects in a rash of burglaries in the Versailles area including the theft of gifts from under Christmas trees. [More]

Defense carries Indians past Panthers on the road

ROCKFORD - The Fort Recovery Indians went on the road and took care of business as they used a great defensive effort to defeat the Parkway Panthers, 73-28, in Midwest Athletic Conference action on Thursday night at Panther Gymnasium. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Competitors give low bids for sanitary sewer project

Marion Township

Mercer County officials got an early Christmas gift this week as most bids for a multi-million dollar sanitary sewer project in Marion Township came in much lower than project estimates.

Thieves hitting Chickasaw area hard

Local thefts keep law enforcement busy

The Mercer County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate a rash of thefts involving vehicles, tools and money in the Chickasaw area after receiving three reports in a two-hour period Wednesday morning.

Beaver trapping will be allowed in selected areas

Grand Lake St. Marys State Park

Beaver trapping will be allowed in portions of Grand Lake St. Marys State Park from Dec. 26 through Feb. 28.

Brian Miller, assistant manager at the park, said the state park started getting calls this fall from lakeside residents about beavers damaging their trees.

County bridge work bids under estimate

Mercer County commissioners on Tuesday opened six bids for an estimated $800,000 bridge project on Township Line Road.

The highest bid submitted was $789,937 from R.B. Jergens Contractors of Vandalia. The lowest bid of $658,252 came from RG Zachrich Construction of Defiance.

Councilors revise pay, rules

Rockford Village Council members discussed a variety of topics at Tuesday night's regular council meeting: overtime, the pool committee, banner display, hydrants, to name a few. As well, the January meeting date has been changed to Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m.

Montezuma man found dead

Mercer County Sheriff's deputies responded to a Montezuma-area home Wednesday afternoon and found a 45-year-old man dead of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Take time out for Jesus - the reason for the season

It's the time of year for purchasing gifts, preparing heavenly desserts and spending time with family and friends.

But through the hustle and bustle of the season, it's easy to forget the reason for celebration: Jesus' birth.

Celina dominates the first half

The Celina girls basketball team played a near flawless first half on Thursday night and it was more than enough to beat Defiance.

Defiance was ove

Cavs beat Cardinals for second straight victory

NEW BREMEN - Coldwater shrugged off an early New Bremen fast start and held off a feisty Cardinal squad for its second straight win, and first conference win of the season, in beating New Bremen 56-47 at Cardinal Gymnasium on Thursday night.

St. Henry suffers first defeat to Versailles

Local Roundup

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Versailles used a 20-9 second-quarter burst to pull ahead of St. Henry, handing the Redskins their first loss of the season by a 48-43 margin in Midwest Athletic Conference play at Redskin Gymnasium. The Tigers go to 6-1 on the season and 3-0 in the conference.