Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued March 22 at 9:27PM EDT until March 22 at 10:15PM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

SVRILN
The National Weather Service in Wilmington has issued a
* Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Shelby County in west central Ohio... Northwestern Champaign County in west central Ohio... Western Logan County in west central Ohio... Darke County in west central Ohio... Southern Auglaize County in west central Ohio... Southeastern Mercer County in west central Ohio... Miami County in west central Ohio...
* Until 1015 PM EDT.
* At 927 PM EDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near New Bremen to near Fountain City, moving east at 55 mph.
HAZARD...Quarter size hail.
SOURCE...Law enforcement.
IMPACT...Minor damage to vehicles is possible.
* Locations impacted include... Troy, Sidney, Piqua, Bellefontaine, Greenville, Tipp City, West Milton, New Bremen, Minster, Versailles, Covington, Arcanum, Newport, Bradford, Anna, Fort Loramie, Jackson Center, Russells Point, De Graff, and Pleasant Hill.
This includes I-75 in Ohio between mile markers 67 and 106.

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.

Tuesday, March 6th, 2018

Fort votes to comply with state tax law

By Sydney Albert

FORT RECOVERY - Council members have amended the village income tax ordinance to comply with a controversial state law.

More than 100 municipalities have challenged in court the constitutionality of the law known as House Bill 49, which allows the state government to collect business income taxes on behalf of municipalities and charge an administrative fee for the service. The state argues the new system will make filing taxes easier for businesses, while opponents have said the law is an attack on home rule.

Village grants administrator Erin Minor and village administrator Randy Diller have been keeping council members updated on the lawsuit, but the village had not officially joined the collective of municipalities challenging the law.

Minor told council members at their Monday meeting that a Franklin County Common Pleas judge recently denied the municipalities' request for a preliminary injunction and had entered a final judgment in favor of the state.

"In summary, the judge said that the municipal income tax provisions of House Bill 49 are constitutional because the Ohio constitution says that the state has the right to limit municipalities' power to levy taxes," Minor said.

Given the decision, the provisions of House Bill 49 allowing businesses to file their taxes using the Ohio Business Gateway will remain in place, requiring council members to change the village tax laws.

Minor noted the municipalities have appealed to the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, however, and village officials would continue to monitor the case.

Diller said the main issue isn't the money the village would lose under this new system but what other authority the state might try to centralize.

"That's what we're afraid of, that they keep eroding what we can and can't do, and that's what we see happening," Diller said.

Archive of March 6th, 2018

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Additional online story on this date

School threats on rise locally, across nation

Schools in Celina and throughout the country have been reporting an increase in the number of threats and incidents since the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

Parents urged to check kids' social media use

Social media can be a great tool, but it can also be a huge danger, Celina Middle School guidance counselor Amy Spriggs said.

This is why it's important for parents to check up on their kids' social media use, she added.

Deputies seeking escaped prisoner

Subject may be threat to himself

CELINA - Mercer County Sheriff's deputies are asking for help as they search for an escaped prisoner, Ryan William Wuebker.

Wuebker, 37, Celina, re

Two arrested on drug-related charges

ST. MARYS TOWNSHIP -Two Mercer County residents were arrested on Friday after suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia were located in their vehicle.

Dogs keep on rolling

2018 Division I Boys State Bowling Preview

The last time Celina's boys' bowling team made it to the state tournament, the current seniors were barely in school.

The Bulldogs make their first trip to state since 2008 this Friday at Wayne Webb's Columbus Bowl in the Division I state tournament.

Wildcats face young Patriots

Division IV Regional Girls Basketball Preview

For the third straight season, the Minster girls are playing in the Division IV regional tournament.

This time around, the Wildcats look to get two wins at the Student Activity Center in Vandalia and play for a state title next week.

Local players to play in Division II tourney

College Notes

The NCAA Men's Division II basketball tournament starts later this week and a number of local graduates will be taking part.

Ohio Dominican made a

Eberle signs with Rio Grande

ST. MARYS - Days after helping St. Marys compete in the state girls bowling tournament, Brianna Eberle officially signed to bowl at the University of Rio Grande.