Flood Watch issued September 20 at 1:07PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE...Portions of Indiana, including the following counties, Dearborn, Fayette, Franklin, Ripley, Union and Wayne and Ohio, including the following counties, Adams, Auglaize, Brown, Butler, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Darke, Delaware, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Greene, Hamilton, Hardin, Highland, Hocking, Licking, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Miami, Montgomery, Pickaway, Pike, Preble, Ross, Scioto, Shelby, Union and Warren.
* WHEN...From 7 PM EDT this evening through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain will impact the area overnight. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are expected with locally higher amounts. The heavy rain combined with saturated ground will lead to potential flash flooding.

Flood Warning issued September 20 at 1:05PM EDT until September 21 at 8:00AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)

...Forecast flooding changed to Minor severity and increased in duration for the following rivers...
St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast.
* WHERE...St. Marys River at Rockford.
* WHEN...Until Monday morning.
* IMPACTS...At 13.0 feet, State Route 117 near Route 118 north of Rockford is water-covered and closed.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 12:40 PM EDT Sunday the stage was 13.0 feet. - Forecast...The river is expected to rise to a crest of 13.0 feet this afternoon. It will then fall below flood stage just after midnight tonight. - Flood stage is 13.0 feet.

Tuesday, December 1st, 2020

2 men arrested on theft charges

By Sydney Albert

CELINA - Two Muncie, Indiana, men were arrested on Thanksgiving Day on grand theft and breaking and entering charges after they were reportedly found hauling a stolen trailer and ATV.

Lee M. Peterson, 28, and Stanley L. Justice-Keeton, 37, are being held in the Mercer County jail on $100,000 bail, subject to a 10% cash option. They are each charged with fourth-degree felony grand theft and fifth-degree felony breaking and entering.

Deputies received an alarm at 11:57 p.m. Nov. 25 from 5228 State Route 118 in Coldwater, the site of Lefeld Implement, according to a Mercer County Sheriff's Office news release. When deputies arrived at the scene, they reportedly discovered a John Deere Gator ATV was missing and advised other deputies to be on the lookout.

Later, Deputy Kyle Fink reportedly spotted a white truck pulling a flatbed trailer holding a new John Deere Gator on State Route 219, near State Route 49, heading westward.

The sheriff's office had received a notice earlier in the day from the Decatur Police Department advising local agencies to be on the lookout for a white truck, which was involved in the theft of a trailer in that city, the release stated. With this information, Fink reportedly stopped the truck.

Fink was able to confirm the Gator was stolen from Lefeld Implement and the trailer had been stolen from Decatur, Indiana, according to the release.

Peterson and Justice-Keeton were arrested and processed into the jail on Thanksgiving morning. Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey said the pair are suspects in other reported thefts in Ohio and Indiana. His office is reportedly working with law enforcement in other jurisdictions to clear cases there as well.

Mercer County Prosecutor Matt Fox assisted with reviewing the case and prepared charges early Monday morning, according to the news release.

Grey said in the release that having local agencies share information and the deputies being vigilant had made the arrests possible.

The investigation is ongoing.

Archive of December 1st, 2020

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Additional online story on this date

First Furious Flurries

First plows of the season hit the streets

CELINA - Mercer County encountered its first accumulating snowfall of the 2020-2021 winter, with between 11/2 and 2 inches piling up on the ground by 4 p.m. Monday. [More]

Subscriber and paid stories on this date

St. Marys wants permanent income tax levy

ST. MARYS - City administrators are considering asking voters to amend a 10-year, 0.5% income tax levy first passed in 1985 to make the tax permanent

11 area residents die from COVID-19

Deaths occurred since Wednesday

CELINA - Eleven more area residents have died of COVID-19 since Wednesday.

The deaths of eight Mercer County residents raises the county's toll to 53, while Auglaize County officials reported three new deaths, raising its total to 29.

Woman pleads guilty to charges

CELINA - A Celina woman pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated and possession of drug-abuse instruments after reportedly being involved in a minor injury accident on Sunday afternoon.

Residents reminded of snow rules

Mercer County Engineer Jim Wiechart reminds residents of his office's policy on replacing and repairing mailboxes damaged by county crews plowing snow.

Scoring slump

Scoreless quarter stymies St. Henry

WAPAKONETA - When the game started to get away from St. Henry, it was gone in a hurry.

St. Henry led 11-9 after the first quarter, but couldn't find the basket in the second quarter, allowing Wapakoneta to get into a rhythm on the way to a 58-30 loss at Wapakoneta High School on Monday night.

Bulldogs split with Cougars

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Celina earned a split with Van Wert in Western Buckeye League bowling action on Monday night at Olympic Lanes in Van Wert.