Darke County Ohio Community News

Eagles says ‘Thank You’ to members
Greenville Eagles 2177 held its annual “Thank You” picnic for members recently at beautiful Eagles Shade Road Park to show appreciation for their support in a variety of community activities throughout the year. The most volunteer intensive event sponsored by FOE 2177 is the Annual Independence Day Celebration, in which more than 3,000 area residents and visitors enjoyed two days… read more

Darke County Center for the Arts… BASF supports Arts in Education
BASF has recently donated funds to sponsor Darke County Center for the Arts’ 2011-2012 Arts in Education program. “BASF has been a great supporter of DCCA for many years; their commitment to enhance the quality of life in our community through the arts is very much appreciated,” stated Executive Director Julie Strait. BASF is the world’s leading chemical company. The Greenville, Ohio plant… read more

Darke County Parks Prairie Days… Old Fashioned Fun, By Naiesha Thobe, Teen Scribe
Photos by Bob Robinson - The past weekend held the annual Prairie Days at Shawnee Prairie, and the turnout was as promising as ever. It seemed that the turnout was actually larger than usual; one volunteer, Stephanie Mikesell, said that they “expected 5,000 people” before the two day spree was over. Throughout the reserve were many different types of entertainment to keep all busy. The… read more

Gourd Artistry, Perfection & Color lead to awards, By Elaine Bailey
Visitors entertained with Appalachian, Folk, Didjeridu music, and Tribal Dancing - “We love coming to this gourd festival … we missed it last year. But counting this year, we’ve attended three years,” Barb Beckmann enthusiastically declared as she watched her grandchildren decorate miniature gourds. “Oma,” as her grandchildren call her, said that her children and grandchildren traveled from… read more

Darke County Parks - Prairie Days 2011… a treasure trove of history, By Bob Robinson
Darke County is full of history, festive events, natural and historic wonders, and the pioneers – old and new – who made this small, rural group of communities a treasure trove of literary and historic richness. Darke County Parks’ Prairie Days ranks near – if not at – the top of the wonders our communities have to offer… and the word is getting out. Visitors had to be shuttled by Greenville… read more

Mississinawa Valley Spirit High despite Home Turf Defeat, By Elaine Bailey
Although Mississinawa Valley fans were handed a defeat on their homecoming night by Twin Valley South with a score of 35-6, spirits ran high as the community came together on that crisp autumn evening. Students brought bagfuls of enthusiasm accumulated throughout the week while participating in numerous activities centering on the theme “Candy.” Class banners were created and hallways… read more

Illumination Festival 2011, By Christy Riley, Teen Scribe
Sunday, September 18th - Sunday, September 18th was the 5th Annual Illumination Festival held at the fairgrounds. This year showcased Coffeehouse bands (local amateur bands), such as: More Than a Show, Turnaround Band, Chris Cantrell Trio, Levi Monk, Radiant, A New Creation, and Faith Walkers. For concertgoers the subsequent bands played: Manfest, Samestate, Krios… read more

Darke County Center for the Arts... Vectren Supports Arts in Education
Vectren Foundation has recently donated funds to sponsor Darke County Center for the Arts’ 2011-2012 Arts in Education program. According to Julie Strait, DCCA Executive Director, “DCCA appreciates Vectren’s continued, generous support of the educating students through the arts, enabling the fulfillment of our mission to bring cultural enrichment to the children of our… read more

Ohio Supreme Court... Students Speak with Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor
Court Receives First Field Trip Tour of the Season - When high school junior Michelle Yang stepped into the Ohio Judicial Center for the first time, she was in awe. She and nearly two dozen upperclassmen from Hathaway Brown School, an all-girls school in Shaker Heights, visited the home of the Supreme Court of Ohio and listened in on oral arguments. After touring the Visitor Education… read more

Community Action Partnership... Medical Transportation to Dayton/Troy now available for seniors 60 and older - Community Action Partnership of the Greater Dayton Area – Darke Co., would like to inform area seniors, 60 and older, that Medical Transportation Service to the Dayton/Troy area is available through the CAP office for medical appointments on Tuesdays, between the hours of 9 a.m. to1 p.m. The van will leave Greenville at 8 a.m. and return to Greenville leaving Dayton at 2 p.m… read more

Edison Community College Announces Spring 2011 Dean’s List
Edison Community College recently recognized 106 students for excellence in academics on the 2011 Summer Semester Dean’s List. To be eligible for the Dean’s List, a student must have at least a 3.5 grade point average and carry a minimum of 12 hours for the semester. The college is proud of these high-achieving students. The list includes 23 students from Ansonia, Arcanum, Bradford, Greenville and Versailles… read more

Big Brothers Big Sisters... Mescher, Knight match of the Month
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County announce Big Sister Mandy Mescher, of Sidney, and Little Sister Kenna Knight, of Sidney, have been selected as August Match of the Month. Kenna is the daughter of Julie Curtner and Anthony Knight. Mandy and Kenna have been matched since February, 2011. Mandy was inspired to become a volunteer Big Sister mentor after a… read more

Christina’s... A unique place to shop, By George Starks
GREENVILLE - Christina Nestor has always catered to others in her consignment business. Having spent many years outside of Greenville, on St. Rt. 121 by the fairgrounds, Nestor moved Christina’s Consignment to Broadway. Nestor’s business deals with women but not just any women. “All my clothes are for plus size women only,” said Nestor “I was always told when you get… read more

Ohio Supreme Court... Social Studies Teachers Learn More about the Judicial System
Sept. 19, 2011 - More than 100 social studies teachers from across Ohio gathered for the 21st annual Law and Citizenship Conference sponsored by the Ohio Center for Law-Related Education (OCLRE). The two-day conference (Sept. 18-19) focuses on helping educators learn more about the judicial system, federalism, technology in the classroom, and financial literacy… read more

Darke County Visitors Bureau... New mixes with old in Downtown Greenville
Two Antique Car Clubs visit Greenville Tourist Attractions - GREENVILLE – Model A Fords, Model T Fords, Overlands and more lined South Broadway from the Circle down to Fourth Street on Tuesday morning. Two clubs - the Ford Model A Club and Snapper’s Brass & Gas Club - put Greenville on their tour stop in order to visit Garst Museum, KitchenAid and other quality shops and restaurants… read more

OSU Extension, Darke County... Fall Weed Management, By Justin Petrosino, ANR Extension Educator
There are rumors around Darke County that a few corn fields are shelled. Corn fields around Urbana and Springfield that were planted early, early being a relative term this year, are also harvested. At Farm Science Review yields are averaging 170 bushels to the acre. For most of us harvest is still a few weeks out and 170 bushels would be a blessing. In the meantime it may be pertinent to think ahead… read more

New hospice orientation DVD effective way to reach nursing facilities
State of the Heart Hospice is taking a new approach to educating nursing facilities about hospice care. Kelley Hall, Education Coordinator with State of the Heart, has created a new DVD for this purpose that can be used during staff in-services and new-hire orientations. Medicare requires hospice organizations to orient nursing facility staff who have contact with hospice patients, according to Hall. The new… read more

Illumination a big success, By George Starks
GREENVILLE- The fifth annual Illumination Festival went off without a hitch Sunday at the Darke County fairgrounds. With headline acts performing, it was featured artist Jeremy Camp who wrapped things up at the end of the night. Along with Camp, big name acts like Hawk Nelson, Fireflight, Chasen and Superchick were on hand along with four other bands, with Samestate kicking… read more

Union City Birthday Bash... Three-Year-Old steals show at Cruise In-Bike Show, By Elaine Bailey
9/17/11 - Three-year-old Nathan Mayfield of Union City stole the show with his 2010 battery operated, red Power Wheel Scooter. When asked how many miles he had on it, he shyly shrugged and said, “A lot.” He was one of 45 participants who rolled down Columbia Street to attend Union City’s 162nd Birthday Bash Cruise In-Bike Show. However Nathan, oblivious to the award that was being nestled… read more

Big Brothers Big Sisters... BBBS Fishing Day
Sponsored by Shelby County Bassmasters - A group of Big Brothers Big Sisters Volunteers and assigned Littles recently enjoyed a beautiful day at the Hungates Pond near Anna, when they attended a fishing derby hosted by the Shelby County Bassmasters. Around 40 Volunteers and Littles attended the annual event, which was held September 10th. The outing included a cookout for all… read more

VFW presents POW-MIA flag to city, By Bob Rhoades
On Friday morning around 10 AM a small but significant ceremony was held on the Public Square in downtown Greenville. VFW Post 7262 Commander Scott Reed and VFW Auxiliary President Lyn Bliss presented a new POW-MIA flag to the city to fly on the Circle with the State of Ohio and U.S. flags. The Veterans of Foreign Wars has a commitment to forget no service man or woman… read more

Coffee with the Commissioner
On September 21st, September 28th, and on October 7th, 2011, Commissioner Mike Stegall will be having coffee and speaking with the residents of the Brethren Retirement Community. The September 21st meeting will take place at 9:00 a.m. in the main facility. The Sept. 28th meeting will convene 9:00 a.m. at Chestnut Village, and the October 7th meeting will be in the Brick Room of the main facility… read more

FOE 2177… Greenville Eagles has busy weekend
The Greenville Fraternal Order of Eagles had a busy weekend recently as it provided lunch to hundreds Greenville Car Show visitors and participants on Saturday, and hosted lunch to its Greenville Bowling Team and Annual District 15 Meeting on Sunday. During the Car Show Saturday, Eagles volunteers held their annual tenderloins and fries from noon until 7 p.m., or until sold out. They… read more

Darke County Photo Club... Cabeen and Jeffers Best of Show
Best of Show winner is Mel Cabeen; Student Best of Show, Erika Jeffers - Darke County Photo Club Announces Winners of Annual Competition - On September 9 - 11, 2011, the Darke County Photography Club held the fourth annual “A Moment of Time” photography competition. The Photo Club would like to thank our sponsors and judge Glen Eppleston of Troy, Ohio, for helping to make our show a success. We would… read more

Monnin, Green debate at BPW meeting, By Elaine Bailey, Senior Scribe
Incumbent Julie Monnin and challenger Jesse Green spar over their approaches to the elected position of Muncipal Court judge - In a recent meeting at the Brick Room of the Brethren Retirement Community, the first of the year for the Greenville Business Professional Women’s Club, Julie Monnin, sitting Muncipal Court Judge, debated her challenger, Jesse Green. The candidates were… read more

HOPE Foundation Funds Family Theater Programming
Darke County Center for the Arts is pleased to have recently received a contribution from the HOPE Foundation of Darke County, supporting Family Theater Series programming in the 2009/2010 season. HOPE Foundation administers the Jean Louise Thieme Children’s Theater Fund. A lifelong interest in and support for the arts led Jean Louise Thieme to establish a Children’s Theater Fund… read more

9-11 Ceremony & Parade, By Christy Riley
September 11, 2011 - This Memorial Plaque inside the Greenville Fire Department garage depicts the mood of the day as Darke County gathered to remember those who perished ten years earlier on Sept. 11, 2001. Ceremony photos included Greenville High School Band girls, GHS Band Drummer, Baton Twirler and Clarinetist. Many will recognize Darke County Commissioner Diane Delaplane… read more

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR serves in Remembrance Event
On Sept. 11, 2011, hundreds of individuals and organizations gave their time and efforts to prepare for and participate in the day honoring the lives lost a decade earlier on Sept. 11, 2001. Among them were volunteers from the Fort GreeneVille Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The local DAR chapter presented a wreath… read more

Senior Moments hold September Meeting, By Lyn Bliss, Senior Scribe
Randall and Carolyn Clay were absent from Senior Moments for the September meeting. They were replaced by Max and Vernita, who led the well attended afternoon off with a great selection of musical favorites – both spiritual and patriotic. They then entertained with a few reminiscences of military life – in a humorous vein – along with comments regarding retirement… read more

Darke County Cancer Association... 30th Annual Annie Oakley Golf Tournament Results
Results are in from the 30th Annual Annie Oakley Golf Tournament held July 25, 2011 at the Greenville Golf Course. Ninety-six golfers teed off in the annual event. When the last golfer finished the course, the GTI (Greenville Technologies Incorporated) team claimed winner in the low gross score division; the winning team consisted of Brad Parsons, Cary Hathaway, Doug Spohn… read more

Greenville 9/11 Remembrance
Photos & Video - Greenville and Darke County Ohio honored those fallen during the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the Twin Towers in New York City, The Pentagon and the plane destined for Washington, D.C., that had been brought down by its passengers. Nearly 3,000 people of all nationalities perished on that day, followed by thousands of American soldiers as the United States responded… read more

Greenville Memorial to the 10th Anniversary of 9/11
Greenville held a Parade and Memorial in remembrance of the Tenth Anniversary of the devastating attack on America that cost nearly 3,000 innocent lives on Sept. 11, 2001, and thousands of lives since then. Editor Bob Robinson had a commitment that had to be kept, so County News Online put out a call to volunteers to send photos… photos received with story will be published… read more

CHIP assistance offered at CAP
Community Action Partnership (CAP) has received funding from the Darke County Commissioners Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP) for rental and utility assistance in Darke County for those that are in threat of eviction. A three-day eviction notice with complete wording of why the person is being evicted or is homeless and receiving… read more

Downtown Greenville Car Show… More than 330 cars and counting, By Bob Robinson & Elaine Bailey
There were easily a thousand people wandering the streets of downtown Greenville about 6 p.m. Saturday evening… and more had left for the day, or were still planning to attend before top entries were awarded at 8:30. Cars ranged from the vintage and classic to the humorous and ludicrous. They depicted decades of America’s “Love Affair” with its cars… cars with “personalities” that existed before… read more

Does it pay to scout soybeans in September? By Justin Petrosino, OSU Extension, Darke County
As we make the transition from fair season to football season most farmers are busy preparing for harvest. Combines are readied in the barn, commodity prices are constantly checked, and decisions are being made about next year’s crop. However, right not is a great time to be out in the field to find what did and didn’t work for this year’s crop. After soybean plants reach the R6 growth stage (full seed) leaves… read more

Tour de Donut brings riders from across the USA and Canada
By Jenilee Braun, Key Club Bulletin Editor - Photos by Bob Robinson - Just under 1000 people from places all over the USA and Canada came to participate in the annual Tour de Donut. The bicyclists started at Brumbaugh Fruit Farm and made their way to the finish line. Some landmark areas included Pitsburg and Bear’s Mill, which served as pitstops. Early into the race, an accident between… read more

East Elementary School Runners Compete, By Lyn Bliss, Senior Scribe
East Elementary School (EES) students took part in a 5K Breast Cancer Awareness Run on July 30. The girls who ran were quick to point out that 5K equals 3.1 miles. “This is the first year for some and others have done two or three races.” said East Principal Kitty Zumbrink. “These are all good students and good kids – great role models at East.” Students running from EES are… read more

Phyllis Mong & the Big Red Machine
Mong gets a taste of “Quint 2” during Fire and Police Appreciation Event - “That was an evening I really had fun and will never forget getting into that Big Red Machine Quint 2.” Greenville businesses stay open late during the first Friday of each month, and it’s usually a time for “First Friday Events.” This month was the Circle Fire and Police Appreciation Evening. Main Street Greenville’s Debbie… read more

Bring those “Feet on the Street” into your business
GREENVILLE – A catchy phrase that many in the tourism industry use is, “heads in beds and feet on the street.” It means people sleeping in our hotels, enjoying our shops, attractions and recreation and spending their money in our community. The focus of the Darke County Visitors Bureau is educating people who are interested in putting their heads in our beds and their feet on our streets. Many marketing tools are used by the bureau to do so, such as the internet, www.VisitDarkeCounty.org… read more

Great Darke County Fair… The Last Day, By Bob Robinson
I’d never been to the fair in the evening on the last day. From everything I’d heard, traffic was supposed to be minimal, vendors would be shutting down left and right and all involved would be putting everything in wraps until next summer. I didn’t see that at all. Sure, there were locations on the fairway that were closed. Around nine, vendors and other organizations in the Coliseum started wrapping up (or had… read more

Great Darke County Fair… Ag Equipment, parents part of Darke County Fair History
By Bob Robinson - While most of the attention seems to be focused on the rides, special events, 4H and FHA competitions, harness racing and vendors, there are two unsung heroes that have had their place at the Great Darke County Fair since its first offering in 1853. One is the agricultural equipment that has evolved over the last century and a half, and without which there could be no fair… read more

Big Brothers Big Sisters… New BBBS Volunteers Announced
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County is pleased to announce the newest volunteers in the core mentoring program. Bethany Martin has been a volunteer for an after-school program through Hands On West Central Ohio. She wants to continue mentoring as a Big Sister because she enjoys volunteering and helping others. Bethany enjoys walking her dogs at Tawawa Park, reading, scrapbooking, playing video games, and watching movies. She likes that children have a lot… read more

Great Darke County Fair... Rage “teaches” fire safety to children, By Elaine Bailey
Rage Takes Front Seat at the Main Entry of the Great Darke County Fair - “Animals can teach us something… children can relate to them.” With donations, grants, personal time and money, Allen Keaser and his wife Nancy take Rage, a three-year-old Dalmatian, to teach fire safety to children at festivals, fairs, parades, and area schools. “We’ll go to any classroom as long as it’s okay with the rescue… read more

Ohio Supreme Court & Judicial Center... Visitor Education Center Accepting Applications for Grants
Ohio schools can now apply for one of 100 grants to help pay for field trip transportation costs for students to visit the Ohio Judicial Center. Visitor Education Center Coordinator Julie Manning said the center is accepting applications through Sept. 15, where schools could be awarded grants up to $400. The grants are not funded with taxpayer dollars. “If we could contribute $200 to $300 towards that bus transportation I really think that means we’re going to get some kids here, some schools… read more

Bear’s Mill for the First Time, By Jessica Transue, Teen Scribe & Greenville IMTV Senior
My assignment was to take a trip to Bear’s Mill, an old building from the late 1840s in Greenville, Ohio. Going to an antique place to “look around” didn’t seem like much fun, but walking around with my best friend and taking pictures of such unique architecture and pieces of art was overwhelming. I took so many pictures; everywhere I turned I saw something new and different. There were blue… read more

2011 Great Darke County Fair… The UNSPEAKABLE Mime, By Bob Robinson
Photos by Robinson and Elaine Bailey - How many of you remember this guy? The first set of photos (seen at the end of this photo set) were taken in 2007 at the 151st Great Darke County Fair. The featured entertainers were Terri Clark, Jason Gracin… and the Unspeakable Mime. He was almost as big a hit with the crowd as were the entertainers who performed later on the big stage. Since then he has likely… read more

Great Darke County Fair... The Friday Sampler - A Patchwork of Creative Ideas
By Elaine Bailey - Seats remained filled throughout the day for The Friday Sampler: A Patchwork of Creative Ideas. The first session was “Something ‘Gourd’geous,” a 101 class on how to grow gourds and how to create interesting and beautiful items such as birdhouses, vases, and jewelry. The session was conducted by Terry Sipple, Jennie Moss, and Tim Moss, members of The Ohio Gourd Society… read more

Greenville City Schools… GSD introduces new staff and honors retirees
Greenville City Schools Board Members and Supt. Susie Riegle welcomed new Greenville High School Principal Ken Neff and Woodland Hills Principal Tammy Stritenberger, along with 16 new teachers at a recent reception in the Anna Bier Room of St. Clair Memorial Hall. Also recognized for their service were 12 retiring Certified and Classified employees. Neff replaces Chris Mortensen, who… read more

Greenville Schools Levy... Let’s Build It! The Future is Our Kids
“Everyone Will Benefit” - Greenville School’s proposed building plans include provisions impacting the entire student population in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade. The passage of the issue on the November 8th ballot will provide the funding needed to construct a new K-8 facility and renovate Greenville High School. This facility plan will enable the district to… read more

Great Darke County Fair… Parsons and Kreusch top winners in Make-Up Review
By Bob Robinson - Revue - Miscellaneous & Make-up Projects — Youth Building - Following runway presentations from several individuals on a wide variety of categories, plus another presentation as requested by the judges, the top two “Miscellaneous & Make-up Projects” winners were selected. They were Paige Kreusch for her specialty bread and Cassie Parsons, Outstanding of the Day… read more

Great Darke County Fair… Nearly 500 Domestic Arts Winners Named
List Prepared and Photos by Elaine Bailey - Domestic Arts officers and assistants catalogued 971 entries at the 2011 Darke County Fair this year. Half of the entries received awards. Congratulations are extended to the following winners. The ten categories are: Household Arts, Knitting, Crocheting, Embroidery, Home Sewing, Miscellaneous Needlecraft, Miscellaneous Crafts… read more

Darke County Red Cross... Prepare for Emergencies! Build a Kit!
Make a Plan and Be Informed - Darke County, OH September 1, 2011 This National Preparedness Month, the Darke County Red Cross is calling on families, businesses, schools and organizations to take steps now to become better prepared for the next emergency or disaster. Disasters can strike at any time – from earthquakes to hurricanes to terrorist attacks like those that occurred on 9/11 ten years ago. National Preparedness Month provides our nation with the opportunity… read more

2011 Darke County Fair... Narrative, Descriptions & Pictures, By Christy Riley, Teen Scribe
The first picture is of Jenna King and her pig “Big Daddy” who is a Bluebutt swine. In the Domestic Art building, I took many random photos, such as ones of knitted quilts and blankets. In one picture, Marilyn Leisure is knitting a shawl while sitting in the Domestic Arts building (also called Grange Building. My next stop took me to the Veterans Building where I chatted with WWII Veteran Joseph Henry. I was then… read more

Darke County Animal Shelter... Pets of the Week
We have 11 mixed breed puppies at the Darke County Animal Shelter. We have both boys and girls. They will be 8 weeks old on September 7th and will be ready for adoption at 10am. These puppies will grow to around 40 pounds. They are sweet little guys and girls, are current on their shots and will make great companions. Shelby is a 3-year-old Akita mix. She is brown and white with short… read more

Darke County Fair... Returning Performers Entertain 2011 Darke County Fair Goers
By Elaine Bailey - It is not surprising that most of the two dozen performances scheduled for the Darke County Fair Gazebo were returning musicians and singers. They are well-liked by fair goers, and the Great Darke County Fair is well-liked by the performers. The musical artists presented a wide spectrum of music genre with passion, heartfelt vocals, and deep-rooted commitment to their message. The… read more

BRC needs volunteers for the library
You don’t have to know the Dewey Decimal System to “play librarian” for one local retirement community! Brethren Retirement Community needs volunteers to assist residents with checking books, magazines and other materials in and out from the organization’s on-site library. Volunteers will also return items to shelves as needed. This opportunity is available to volunteers who are at least 18 years old every Tuesday from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. or Tuesday and Friday… read more

A Little of This, a Little of That, By Naiesha Thobe, Teen Scribe
This & That Photos by Lyn Bliss, Elaine Bailey & Bob Robinson - One of the most visited places at the Darke County Fairgrounds is none other than the Coliseum. Despite the heat and crowds of people making it rather miserable, there was not a shortage of activity in that building this year. Raffles and drawings took place during the entire nine days. Whether it was guessing the weight of the… read more

Six Bands, One Cause, By Dorothy Gilbert
On Saturday, August 27, six bands from the Winchester/Richmond gathered together in support of the U.S. troops overseas. Cougar Bait, The Benefit, Missunderstood, Pure Violation, Right Way to Nowhere, and 4Ever Loud played 1-1/2 hour sets each at Goodrich Park in Winchester, Indiana. Although the show was free, donations were accepted. All monetary donations were given to the… read more

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