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.

Monday, July 28th, 2025

Man saved from pit of poultry manure

By William Kincaid

GIBSON TOWNSHIP - A 56-year-old Fort Recovery man was rescued Saturday afternoon after reportedly crashing through a floor into a manure pit at a poultry farm outside Fort Recovery.

The Mercer County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call at 1:06 p.m. of a male trapped in a manure pit at 150 Watkins Road, Sheriff Doug Timmerman told The Daily Standard, noting that details were scant as the office's computers went down over the weekend.

The sheriff's office, Southwest Mercer Fire District and Burkettsville Community Fire Department responded to the scene, according to Timmerman.

Ivan Keller was on the second story when the flooring reprtedly malfunctioned, causing him to fall into a manure pit below.

"The deputy said they had him freed by the time he got there," Timmerman told the newspaper.

Keller was transported with non-life-threatening injuries to Mercer County Community Hospital in Coldwater, Timmerman said, noting there were concerns about Keller's possible exposure to ammonia fumes.

Deadly gases produced in confined spaces such as silos and manure pits are a major local concern as Mercer County is one of the top agricultural producers in Ohio.

In August 2021, three brothers died from the toxic fumes in a manure pit on their family's St. Henry farm. The men were reportedly performing maintenance on a manure pump before the accident occurred.

A family farm safety seminar was held a few months later in response to the farm-related fatalities.

Experts said confined spaces have a limited opening for entry and exit, have poor ventilation and contain or produce dangerous air contaminants. On the farm, this can include sewers, underground pits, tanks, manure storage structures, grain bins and silos.

Manure pit gases are the biggest concern for health and safety around manure handling and storage pits, according to Ohio State University Extension office.

A field specialist and manure nutrient management said there are four main gases in a manure pit that are a cause for concern.

Hydrogen sulfide is highly toxic, smells like rotten eggs and can lead to death. Carbon dioxide is non-toxic, colorless and odorless and is a normal product of decomposition. Ammonia smells like urine. It can irritate the eyes and in high concentrations can cause shortness of breath. Methane is odorless and highly explosive, according to the presentation.

One of the experts stressed the importance of ensuring proper ventilation before entering a manure pit or a silo. It's also important to do such work with another person.

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When someone calls 911 for help, they should be specific in what they need and where the emergency is located on the farm. Farmers should also be mindful of the fire department's response times.

Archive of July 28th, 2025

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St. John Church, gutted by fire, is hallowed ground

Worshippers hear inspiring message

MARIA STEIN - The beloved St. John the Baptist church may have been hollowed out by fire, but the charred structure that survived the May 29 conflagration remains hallowed by faith, the Rev. Ken Schnipke proclaimed Sunday afternoon to a throng gathered at the Knights of St. John Hall.

Going for the full pull

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

After rain washed out the first night of action on Friday, tractor pullers were able hook up to the sled in two sessions on Saturday at the National Tractor Pullers Association's Fort Recovery Grand Nationals held at Ambassador Park.

Mariners drop finale

Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry

Grand Lake ended its Great Lakes Summer Collegiate League season on Saturday with a tiebreaker loss to Muskegon at Marsh Field.