Local news updated daily for Wyandot County, Ohio residents

Third Person Pleads Guilty In Kirby Tire Fire
A third person has pleaded guilty to starting a fire in 1999 at the state's largest tire dump.

Scott Harer, 22, of Bloomville, pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges of arson and attempted aggravated arson. He will be sentenced on Aug. 1.

Brent Young, 22, formerly of Bloomville, and Michael Schindewolf, 22, of Bucyrus, also have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Sending "Snail Mail" Getting A Little More

Expensive
The price of mailing a First-Class Mail letter will increase 3 cents on June 30, 2002, from 34 to 37 cents - about 45 cents a month for the average household. New 37-cent First-Class Mail stamps are available now. A new 3-cent "Star" stamp is also available, to add to 34-cent stamps customers may still have on hand.

If you don't want to leave your home or office, you can go online to The Postal Store at usps.com to order stamps. The Postal Store is selling special rate-change combo packs containing both 37-cent and 3-cent stamps and a handy rate card. You can also order stamps by phone by calling 1-800-STAMP24.

Customers depositing mail in collection boxes should be careful to note the next scheduled pickup posted on the box. If no more pickups are scheduled before Sunday, June 30, the new postage rate should be affixed. Complete rate information is available by clicking here.

Wildlife Officers Use Fast Food To Catch Wandering Bear
A small black bear, which had been tracked from Athens County and seen in Franklin County last weekend, was captured Wednesday, June 26, with a little help from McDonald's.

A story in the AP says, state wildlife officers used chicken McNuggets, fish sandwiches, hamburgers, cinnamon rolls and honey to lure the bear from a tree in Audrey Manning's yard about a quarter-mile from West Jefferson. A cage was set up in the yard, and the bear took the bait about 1:30 a.m. Thursday.

Manning said finding a bear in her back yard was definitely a surprise. "I just saw a bear in the tree and called my son-in-law," the 77-year-old woman said. "He thought I was joking. And I said, 'I have a B-E-A-R out in the tree.'" Click here to read more of this story from the AP.

EPA Set To Begin Cleanup Of Little Scioto

River
Praising the community for their work and cooperation involving the Little Scioto River, U.S. EPA officials are prepared to beginning the long job of cleaning the second most polluted river in Ohio.

The three year project is expected to cost up to $10 million and will be headed by Mark Durno, On Site Coordinator for Region 5 of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Durno was the coordinator for the Kirby Tire fire cleanup in Wyandot County and was responsible for the anthrax cleanup effort at the Hart Building in Washington D.C.

The funding for the cleanup will come from the Oil Pollution Act as creosote, which is the river's major contaminate, falls within that Act. The project will involve removing up to 40,000 cubic yards of material from the half-mile North Rockwale Ditch and 3.5 miles of the Little Scioto. The ditch will be cleaned first, estimated to be completed in August of 2002, and then the river. (Pictured are Ohio Senator Larry Mumper to left of Marion Mayor Jack Kellogg) Click here to read more of this story on our sister site Marion Online.

Craft Bazaar To Benefit Local Council On Aging
The Wyandot County Council on Aging is holding a craft bazaar in the Senior Center during Wyandot County's Family Fest, July 11-13.

Choose from a large selection of household items, decorator accents and heirloom-quality handwork. Or indulge in delicious home-made cookies or fudge. Shop in air-conditioned comfort July 11 from 4 pm to 9 pm, and July 12 and 13 from 10 am to 9 pm.

All proceeds help the Center continue to make nutritious home-delivered meals and congregate meals, transportation, housekeeping services and a wealth of referral information available to Wyandot County Senior Citizens.

State Reverses, Will Make Payments To Schools
Governor Bob Taft said Wednesday, June 26, that schools, including some in Wyandot County, will receive all property tax relief payments that budget officials had considered delaying to ensure the state budget was balanced. However, Taft said the Office of Budget and Management still could decide to delay payments to local governments that do not operate on the same fiscal year, which ends Sunday.

A story in the AP says, Taft said delaying the payments even a few days could impose undue hardships on the school districts. Local school officials had said that the state told them it was withholding the payments so it could end the year on Sunday in the black, as required by law.

But school districts operate on the same fiscal year and the law also requires their budgets to be balanced at the end of it. On Tuesday, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials sent Taft a letter saying it was concerned that districts would have to borrow money to make sure their budgets were balanced if the state withheld the payments. Click here to read more of this story from the AP.

Two Ohio Congressmen "Shocked" By Pledge

Of Allegiance Decision
On Wednesday, June 26, the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional endorsement of religion and cannot be recited in schools and two Ohio congressmen expressed their disagreement.

U.S. Senator George Voinovich (R-OH) issued the following statement in reaction: “This ruling on the Pledge is just beyond comprehension. I am shocked, saddened and exasperated by liberal efforts to eliminate any and all references to God in our country. I fought this fight with liberal interest groups as governor of Ohio when our motto “With God All Things Are Possible” was challenged. We eventually prevailed when the motto was ruled constitutional by the Sixth Circuit.”

U.S. Representative Michael G. Oxley (R-Findlay), who was the lead sponsor of a 2000 congressional resolution that expressed support for the Ohio state motto of "With God All Things Are Possible" when it was ruled unconstitutional, issued the following statement:

"This is an absurd decision. But it's something we have already been through in Ohio, when our state motto 'With God All Things Are Possible' was challenged and ultimately upheld. The Pledge of Allegiance is as much a part of America as our flag. To insinuate in any way that it's harmful or oppressive flies in the face of common sense." Click here to read more of this story on our sister site Marion Online.

Second Half Property Tax Bills Are In The Mail
Bills for second half property taxes have been sent to Wyandot County residents. The final day to pay these taxes is July 12.

If you own real estate within Wyandot County and have not received your tax statement, contact the Wyandot County Treasurer at 419-294-2131. Failure to pay the taxes due can result in fines and other penalties.

Several area banks will accept tax payments, including; First Citizens National Bank in Carey, Nevada, and Wharton; First National Bank in Sycamore and McCutchenville; Commercial Savings Bank in Carey and Harpster; Sky Bank in Carey.

Wyandot County Red Cross Preparing Packages For Local Troops
The Wyandot County American Red Cross is joining other Red Cross Chapters throughout the nation to send care packages to active military personnel deployed in "Operation Enduring Freedom" and other hostile areas throughout the world. According to the Red Cross, sending these care packages is a way the community can let the troops know that the people back home are thinking of them and care about them.

Anyone who knows of a Wyandot County resident who has been activated and deployed out of the U.S. to serve during this time should contact the Wyandot County Red Cross or Sharon Gill with the name and address so they can receive a personal care package.

Businesses and organizations are encouraged to hold their own collection drives. Packing day for the shipment will be July 9 at the Red Cross office. Volunteers are welcome to help, contact the Red Cross at 419-294-1935 or Sharon Gill at 419-396-6581. Click here to read more about how you can help, including a list of needed items.

Upper Sandusky Class Of 1977 Reunion
The class of 1977 at Upper Sandusky High School will be celebrating its 25th Reunion on Saturday, June 29th. They will be meeting at the north parking lot at the high school at 5pm and riding a bus to board the Good Time 1 in Sandusky.

The cost is $25 per person. For more information, contact your class president.