Wapakoneta Daily News | AP iAtom feed

Fulfilling a bet

2013-05-23T14:04:20-04:00

To fulfill a bet regarding the sale of United Way of Auglaize County reverse raffle tickets, the organization's director wagered shaving his head bald if all the tickets were sold.

The tickets were sold in less than a week.

Today, Executive Director Randy Fisher paid the bet with short hair trimmed to the scalp.

Prior to his head being shaved, he said, "I regret that I only have one head of hair to give to my county." For a photograph of him clean shaven, see Friday's edition of the Wapakoneta Daily News.

Results unchanged

2013-05-23T11:05:03-04:00

The addition of 44 provisional ballots to Auglaize County election tallies did not change the outcome of any races or issues.Auglaize County Elections Board Director Carolyn Campbell said they did confirm that there would be an automatic recount for the St. Marys councilor-at-large race between Dan Uhlenhake, who ended up with 590 votes, and Russell Bailey with 583 votes.Automatic recounts are required based on a formula from the state, if the difference is less than eight votes. The formula also calls for the automatic recounting of races when the results are separated by one-half of 1 percent or less. Prior to the counting of the provisional ballots the two at-large candidates were separated by six votes.One randomly chosen precinct in St. Marys is to be counted by hand, while the rest are to be verified by a machine count.The recount has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. next Thursday in the Elections Board Office, in the Auglaize County Administration Building.The Auglaize County Elections Board reviewed 51 provisional ballots during a regular meeting Wednesday, rejecting seven of them.“Most of them were OK, they just moved in or out of the county,” Campbell said. “Five people had no ID with them.”One of the provisional ballots approved was cast by a 17-year-old, who will be 18-years-old by the November election. Her ballot had been placed in the wrong envelope.Three of the ballots were rejected because the person’s voter registration was cancelled because they had not voted or did not have any correspondence with the Election Board Office during the past four years. After two years of no activity, the Elections Board sends notice to the voter and asks them to confirm an address, Campbell said.Elections Board Office personnel is working now on mailing out National Change of Address letters to between 4,000 and 5,000 county residents who haven’t voted in the last two federal elections. The mailing needs to be done every odd year. If residents do not confirm their information or vote within the next two years, their voter registration could be canceled as well.Those who tried to vote but couldn’t because their registration was cancelled or they weren’t registered anywhere in the state, for which four provisional ballots were rejected, will be registered for the next election, Campbell said.She said with there no longer being space on the front of a provisional ballot envelope to write why someone was voting provisional, it took guesswork on the part of the office staff, who has to do research, to figure it out in many cases.“Most of the provisions came from St. Marys, but that’s because most of our voters this election were from St. Marys,” Campbell said.Board members also voted against approving four absentee ballots because they were postmarked after the May 6 deadline, while another absentee ballot was not approved by the board because it had been marked by a postage meter.“We can’t use those because they can change the date,” Campbell said. “There is no way of knowing. The state directive says we can’t use them.”Two absentee ballots mailed back from a local nursing home without an inner identification envelope arrived in time that the nursing home was able to submit the envelopes later and still meet the required deadline.

BFA celebrates Ohio built tractors

2013-05-23T11:02:51-04:00

Tree trouble

2013-05-23T11:00:07-04:00

Help is on the way

2013-05-22T12:02:07-04:00

Viewing the damage from the tornado that struck Moore, Okla. Monday is almost unimaginable for most people, but resident who lives there says to sit through the storm was even more treacherous.

Diane Brandehoff, a native of Ada, saidthe EF5 tornado is an event she will never forget.

At least 24 people, including nine children, were killed by the tornado, measured at 1.3 miles wide at parts, that went through the heart of the community. More than 230 people were injured by the storm and at least 100 have been pulled alive from the storm.

Brandehoff was relieved to be unscathed, but her voice revealed she was still shook up from the event.

Brandehoff, who moved to Moore for a job opportunity several years ago, was watching television at a friend’s home at 2:59 p.m. watching funnel clouds form. She texted her sister and said she was getting in the closet.

“You always hear people describe it as sounding like a freight train,” Brandehoff said. “That is exactly what it sounds like.”

As scary as an experience as it was, Brandehoff said she is thankful after realizing how much worse things could have been.

While still being in the path, she had relocated from an apartment complex on 19th Street in Moore just days before.

Brandehoff, who had packed her belongings, was planning to move to Tennessee in just a few days after resigning from her job on May 2.

The apartments were at the center of the most powerful spot of the storm and are now little more than rubble.

“If I had still been working there, with the hours I worked, I still would have been sleeping,” Brandehoff said. “I am thankful I was not still in my apartment.”

Brandehoff said her family still lives in the Ohio area, but she had several friends and acquaintances in the most damaged areas.

A friend’s home was likely destroyed, but the person was not home due to a trip to Texas. He has not yet been able to return and survey the damage.

Another friend’s daughter lost her home and the friend’s daughter was at school. They survived the storm but lost their home.

“Everyone is kind of numb around here,” Brandehoff said. “It is not a fun place to be.”

To help the storm victims such as Brandehoff, a group of Wapakoneta residents are collecting goods that will be trucked to Moore, Okla.

Judy DuBois, owner of Auglaize Embroidery, has spearheaded a local effort.

“I came to work Tuesday and we talked about it,” DuBois said. “We tried to think of anything we could do.”

DuBois was able to secure two local truckers, Rick Regula and Jake McElroy, who agreed to transport donated items to the area if someone could come up with a trailer.

Stephanie and Jay Fisher donated the trailer.

DuBois is inviting everyone who is able to volunteer to help in collecting good for the effort.

“We will be collecting from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday (today), 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday,” DuBois said. “The truck will leave here at 6 p.m. Friday.”

DuBois said the goods would be boxed up as they came in and loaded on the semi. She said Wapakoneta Redskins varsity football coach Doug Frye has agreed to enlist several football players to help out with the collecting and boxing effort.

“We are looking for anybody that can volunteer,” DuBois said. “If you can help loading or taking donations it would help.”

DuBois said items being collected include work and latex gloves, non-perishable food, formula, powdered milk, bottle water, soap, hygiene and first-aid products, toilet tissue and tissues.

She noted that nothing flammable could be transported.

Anyone wishing to help with the effort can call Auglaize Embroidery at 419-738-6979.

EMA official: Emergency plan should be developed now

2013-05-22T11:59:17-04:00

With a weather pattern conducive to creating tornadoes across the Plains states in the past few days and moving into the Midwest today, an Auglaize County official says the present is a good time to develop or to review household emergency plans for future inclement weather.

Auglaize County Emergency Management Agency Director Troy Anderson predicts the summer of 2013 to be similar to 2012 with more storms likely based on reports issued by national climatologists.

“We are looking at a near repeat of the 2012 season where it was dry and almost like a drought,” Anderson said. “I think in regard to severe weather activity we are going to see more warnings and warning notifications for tornadic because of the way weather patterns are setting themselves up according to the climatologists.

“Of course, our most active point right now is in the next couple of days,” he said.

For more on the story, see Wednesday's edition of the Wapakoneta Daily News at a newsstand near you.

Dog shelter contract OK'd

2013-05-22T11:56:18-04:00

Electing to add six of eight alternates in addition to the base bid, costs for a new dog shelter still remain under the estimate of $460,000.

“We checked with our bidders and went through the numbers,” said architect Brad Garmann, of the firm Garmann-Miller & Associates. “Heyne went through the numbers and they are comfortable with a base bid of $381,600.”

Heyne Construction, of Minster, provided the low bid on the project.

For the complete story on a contract being awarded to construct a new dog shelter in Wapakoneta, see Wednesday's edition of the Wapakoneta Daily News at a newstand near you.

Graduation Publication: Senior pictures needed

2013-05-22T11:53:30-04:00

We have made contact with the school for photos, but we are still missing these seniors photos FOR WAPAKONETA. You have until 4 p.m. today (Wednesday) to turn them in if you want to be included in our Graduation Publication.

MISSING STUDENTS

Michael Bower

Keith Burns

Autumn Coon

Courtney Cottrell

Abigail Craine

Candace Cruz

Morgan Davis

Joshua Denman

Amber Dickerson

Joshua Dodds

Samantha Drain

Abagail Elsea

Ashlee Flever

Nathan Felver

Logan Ferenbaugh

Brittany Florence

Michael Giesige

Michael Grant

Dean Hague

Penny Helman

Alison Hicks

Robert Hoelscher

Amanda Howe

Amy Hume

Zackery Jarrett

Cody Jones

Ashley Kohlhorst

Benjamin Krites

Dustin Lightner

Samantha Lulaks

Rikki Markley

Gwendolyn Mayall

Gabe McPheron

Jordan Meckstroh

Jennifer Moran

Stephanie Mosgrove

Shyann Neeley

Brittni Poynter

Chase Reynolds

Deborah Roop

Walter Schmidthorst Tucker

Brandon Schreiber

Ashley Schwartz

Autumn Seigel

Jacob Shreves

Dalton Smith

Hannah Smith

Taylor Smith

Dylan Steinke

Cole Stombaugh

Anita Thompson

Cole Thuman

Ciera Walti

Jacob Weaver

Cory Winkeljohn

Sara Wofford

City leaders to investigate Tug-Fest complaints

2013-05-21T10:12:21-04:00

With mixed reactions from local residents regarding noise, traffic and trash after the Wapak Tug Fest this past weekend at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds, city administrators intend to review what local enforcement did and what they could do better.

See Tuesday's edition of the Wapakoneta Daily news for the complete story

Power play for land

2013-05-21T10:10:40-04:00

American Electric Power intends to expand its footprint in Wapakoneta with a larger, newer line from its Shawnee substation, so Wapakoneta City Council is considering selling the company 0.057 of an acre.

See Tuesday's edition of the Wapakoneta Daily News for the complete story