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.

Wednesday, May 1st, 2013

City wants to create detention area for flooding

By William Kincaid

CELINA - City officials want to create a detention area on U.S. 127 near Beaver Creek to temporarily capture high waters strewn during heavy rains.

Mayor Jeff Hazel this morning called the project critical to protecting nearby businesses during floods.

The city has applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a $213,425 hazard mitigation grant. Officials likely will find out in the next three to four months if the application is approved. The grant would pay for the entire project.

"I think we've got a decent chance, particularly ... because of the (Celina) Medical Center," Hazel said.

If rejected, the city would try to pay for the detention area itself because it's so important to protect businesses from flood damage, Hazel noted.

The detention area with 35,000 cubic yards of storage capacity is planned for immediately north of Beaver Creek on a large, empty city field behind Bella's Italian Grille.

"It would just take over this whole area," Hazel said.

The area would not be designed to hold water all of the time, just during heavy rains and flash flooding - thus the designation of detention instead of retention, Hazel pointed out.

It would be used to detain overflowing water from Beaver Creek to prevent flooding northwards, he said. The captured water eventually would release back to the creek once the heavy rains or flooding stops.

"The medical center is our key target because they're low enough - this protects them," Hazel said.

The Celina Medical Center also is looking into installing its own storm pump, Hazel said.

The project could start this fall or next year and likely would take about a month to complete depending on the weather.

The detention area also would protect the city's nearby lagoons.

Officials in the past have talked about moving the three sludge lagoons along U.S. 127 to the renewable energy center. Hazel this morning said the city is still dealing with odor problems in the lagoons and would like to find a solution before moving the problem to somebody else's backyard.

"We are working on a couple different solutions on dealing with that where it's at now," Hazel said. "I really want them moved, but the smell is the key issue."

Both organic and chemical sludges from the water treatment plant are pumped to the three ponds, where they remain until cleaned out by Mike's Sanitation at a price of about $60,000 a year.

Archive of May 1st, 2013

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County seeking TIF

Action diverts funds from schools, other entities to pay for road improvements

MARIA STEIN - Mercer County Commissioners are seeking a 10-year tax deferment on improvements to an agribusiness to fund road improvements in the area.

New Bremen Dental Associates takes over previous practice

Eight dentists rotate among group with offices in Lima, New Bremen and Spencerville

NEW BREMEN - New Bremen Dental Associates has taken over the practice of the late Dr. Ronald Riebel.

The dental office is owned by Dr. Erik Risolva

Niemeyer in command as Wildcats down Cavs

MINSTER - As far as Adam Niemeyer was concerned, there would be no need for extra innings this time around.

A year after the teams battled for 15

Redskins edge out Panthers

ST. HENRY - The St. Henry baseball team broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the fifth inning and Jeff Paul pitched a four-hitter to lead the Redskins to a 2-1 victory over Parkway in Midwest Athletic Conference action on Tuesday at the Wally Post Athletic Complex.

Flyer girls, Coldwater boys win at tri-meet

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Marion Local's girls and Coldwater's boys won the points standings as the Flyers hosted a four-team event featuring St. Henry and Russia on Tuedsay at the Flyer Athletic Complex in Maria Stein.