front A DHI Media Publication serving Van Wert, Delphos & Area Communities A Joint Product of the Times Bulletin and Delphos Herald Newspapers SATURDAY, MARCH 21 & SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2015 Volume 145 | Edition 197 | $1.00 RAIDERS DEFEAT JAYS LOCAL/STATE NEWS OPINION Wayne Trace pulled ahead at the The Salvation Army received a Readers speak their minds about end of a close game to defeat $2,500 donation from Farmers local topics on the Opinion page. Delphos St. John’s 65-56 in re- Grow Communities, a Kalida Turn to pages 6-7 to read letters gional finals. The Raiders will now man is indicted for false financial to the editor, thumbs up/down, travel to Columbus to compete statements, and three were hurt and columns from our staff. at State. in a crash near Grover Hill. 6-7 10-11 3-4 Ohio unemployment remains steady for February BY ED GEBERT Total nonfarm wage and salary rate refers to the number of people and hospitality (3,200) and in trade, February county unemployment DHI Media Editor employment for February rose to who are either employed or are ac- transportation, and utilities (2,200) rates in Ohio will be released on [email protected] 5,387,200 while the number of un- tively looking for work. The number as well as 6,100 jobs in government. March 24. Rates were higher in Jan- employed fell to 291,000. The num- of people who are no longer active- Over the last 12 months, the state uary over December’s numbers due VAN WERT — Unemployment ber of unemployed has decreased by ly searching for work would not be has seen a growth of 13,600 jobs to end-of-the-year readjustments. in the Buckeye State remained 66,000 in the past 12 months from included in the participation rate. In in manufacturing and service jobs Van Wert County’s rate in January steady in the February report from 357,000. Ohio, the number of working age in the private sector increased by was up to 5.2 percent while Allen the Ohio Department of Job and According to the Employment population is 9,119,000 while the 66,900. County’s rate hit 6.1 percent, Pauld- Family Services. The rate was un- Situation Indicators for Ohio re- number working or actively seeking The U.S. unemployment rate for ing County hit 5.8 percent Putnam changed for January at 5.1 percent leased Friday, despite the 5.1 per- work was 5,751,000. February was 5.5 percent, down County was at 5.2 percent and Mer- as the number of workers on the job cent unemployment rate, the labor Job gains in February were seen from 5.7 percent in January, and cer County was at 4.2 percent in increased by 3,300 and the number force participation rate was still in construction (2,900) and manu- down from 6.7 percent in February January. of unemployed dropped by 2,000. only 63.1 percent. The participation facturing (1,500) as well as leisure 2014. Economic Development Award New program brings college to high school students BY NANCY SPENCER DHI Media Editor [email protected] Ohio high school students will have more opportunity to complete college-level courses and receive high school and college credit at the same time. The College Credit Plus program encompasses the Post Secondary Enroll- ment Options program and in many cases will allow the student to stay at their high school and receive instruction alongside their classmates while earning the extra college credit. Jefferson High School has three college credentialed staff members, including Judy Bevington (math), Josh Vasquez (English) and Missy McClurg (accounting, business and computer). “The valuable thing we are doing for the 2015-16 school year is our students will be able to take our of- fered college courses on our campus and will taught by our teachers,” High School Guidance Counselor Martin Ross said. “Students who take these courses will not have to travel or use online course offerings.” Jefferson has partnered with Rhodes State College for eight courses, including College Algebra, English Com- position, Public Speaking, Creative Writing - Fiction, Corporate Accounting Principal, Computer Apps in the More eco dev recognition for Van Wert Workplace, Personal Finance and First Year Experience. COLLEGE/16 Recognition was given at a ceremony Thursday for northwest Ohio cities earning special mention in economic development awards. The reception was hosted by the City of Findlay and Hancock County and was held at the Findlay Country Club. Shown are Van Wert Mayor Don Farmer (far right) and Van Wert City Economic and Community Development Director Cindy Leis (just to the left of Farmer) and representatives of three other cities in the region and representatives from Regional Growth Partnership, Jobs Ohio, and Site Selection magazine. (Photo submitted) Area schools promote healthy eating, active lifestyles BY STEPHANIE GROVES choosing their own weeks to cele- Drive, students will bring in pack- DHI Media Staff Writer brate early and avoid any conflicts ages of canned low-sodium food [email protected] with state testing or other school items and Thursday, with the Food activities. and Fitness classroom project, stu- The Ohio Action for Healthy Fort Jennings Elementary dents will do a variety of activities Kids Zone 2 Committee, which in- School will promote Every Kids in their classrooms. cludes representatives from public Healthy Week with healthy eating “On Try Day Friday, students health, extension, school facilities and healthy lifestyle themed days have the opportunity to try kiwi, in member counties and dietetic March 23-27. dried cherries and cooked spinach,” interns from Bluffton University, Cafeteria Manager Cheryl Schnipke said. “If students try the challenged area elementary schools Schnipke said the kids are excited foods, they get a sticker to take to to come up with ways to promote and they have been asking a lot of the classroom and affix to the board. healthy eating and active living questions about the events and the The classroom with the most stick- habits among their students with a food involved in them. ers gets a healthy snack as a prize.” contest. The week shines a spotlight “Monday’s theme is My Plate On April 9, Van Wert Elementa- on the efforts our schools are doing Obstacle Course where students ry School will observe Every Kids to improve student health and well- will have different activities they Healthy Week with “Family Get ness. perform related to the five food Movin’ Night.” Physical Education In recognition of Healthy Kids’ groups while going through an Teacher Betty Holliday said the eve- Every Kid Healthy Week, a na- obstacle course,” Schnipke said. their heads (fruit), jump across on start green bean, melon, peas, car- ning will kick off at 6:15 p.m. with tionally dedicated week typically “They will have milk cartons they green spots representing lettuce on rots and other seeds indoors, plant “Jumpin’ Jammers” — a jump rope celebrated April 20-25, many area bowl over (dairy), act like popcorn the floor (vegetables), etc.” them outside when it warms up, and team comprised of third- through schools in Allen, Auglaize, Han- popping by hopping through a Hu- Schnipke said Tuesday’s Plant it harvest them to serve in the cafete- fifth-graders. cock, Hardin, Logan, Mercer, Put- la-Hoop (grains), carry red bean Grow It, Eat it! project is classroom ria. nam and Van Wert counties are bags - which represent apples - on oriented where students plant and For Wednesday’s My Plate Food HEALTHY/16 Bulletin Board Index Classifieds ........ 12-14 Local/State ...........3-4 Sports ............... 10-11 he City of Van Wert is instituting a new brush pick- Comics & Puzzles ....9 Obituaries .................2 Today’s World ...........5 up program. The new pick-up dates are as follows: Real Estate ..............15 History ......................8 Weather ....................2 TMonday, May 4; Monday, July 6; and Tuesday, September 1. Bulletin Board Vol. 145, No. 197 Brush will be picked up throughout the city on those he Annual Rockford dates. Brush should be placed at the curb by 7 a.m. Has Talent variety ou must do the Please note that the city is changing from monthly brush Tshow will be held Fri- pick-ups to the three dates listed above. day, March 27, and Saturday, ‘Ything you think The city will not pick up limbs larger than four inches in March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in the you cannot do.” diameter or more than ten feet long. Parkway High School Audito- The city will not pick up brush that has been left behind rium. The audience will vote -Eleanor Roosevelt by professional tree trimmers or private contractors. If a for the winners. Tickets are $7/ homeowner uses a trimming service, they are responsible adult and $5/children under for disposing of the tree. 12. Tickets can be purchased at the door. All profits go to com- Brush placed in bags or boxes will not be picked up. munity charitable projects and student scholarships. for the record 2 Saturday, March 21 & Sunday, March 22, 2015 Times Bulletin/Delphos Herald OBITUARIES Off-duty officer in LOCAL WEATHER Edward C. fatal wrong-way crash Today Tomorrow Monday Murphy had left strip club LINDEN, N.J. (AP) — A car carrying three off-duty New Jersey police officers from a visit to a strip club drove the wrong Sept. 28, 1936 - March 18, way down a New York City highway and crashed head-on into 2015 a tractor-trailer early Friday, killing an officer and a civilian mostly sunny partly cloudy partly cloudy and critically injuring two other policemen.