News Staff Defiance County commissioners focused on beekeeping and apiary activities during their Thursday session. A meeting with Jamie Walters of the Black Swamp Beekeepers Association…soon to be the president of the Ohio Beekeepers Association…was the only agenda item handled by commissioners. Their main discussion point with Walters was how to maintain certain parts of the county-owned … Read more
In Bryan…Stephen Alspaugh is sworn in as council member in chambers. Alspaugh was picked among five candidates for the Ward 4 council seat. In the short term, Alspaugh expects to lean on fellow council members and city staff while he learns the inner workings of the city. He will officially begin Jan. 1. He has … Read more
The Williams County Port Authority discussed an offer made on one of its houses before deciding to make a counteroffer. If accepted, the interested party would purchase an as-of-yet unbuilt house in Stryker on Curtis St. for $158,000 dollars. The initial purchase offer was for $155,000, but came with a few contingencies. Officials say…the buyer … Read more
An Edon woman appears in Williams County courtroom…and pleads not guilty on multiple charges. Nicole Schmig, 23 was indicted by a grand jury on charges of felonious assault, a felony of the first degree…two counts of failure to comply with order of a police officer…operating a vehicle under the influence…and improperly handling firearm. Officials tell … Read more
A Wolcottville man is in the hospital after a single-vehicle crash in DeKalb County Wednesday afternoon. Officials tell reporters…46-year-old Tony Lung was heading south on County Road zero W…just north of County Road 12…when he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel and struck a telephone pole. Medical personnel transported Lung to a hospital for treatment … Read more
After serving as a place of worship for nearly 100 years, the First Lutheran Church in Bryan will close just before the new year. Pastor Mary Beth Smith-Gunn, who has served five years as the pastor at the church, said this was a longtime coming. Members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) in … Read more
Indiana’s initial estimate for Medicaid expenses is nearly $1 billion dollars short of its now-predicted need, state lawmakers learned in a report that ignited concern over the state’s budget and access to the low-income healthcare program. A December outlook found that Medicaid is predicted to need $984 million more than what was thought in April, … Read more
Indiana’s Court of Appeals questioned attorneys this week on exceptions to the state’s abortion ban in a case involving residents who are suing on grounds that it violates a state religious freedom law. The class action lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana on behalf of five anonymous residents and the group … Read more
An Indiana county judge dismisses a lawsuit filed by the state…accusing TikTok of deceiving its users about the level of inappropriate content for children on its platform and the security of its consumers’ personal information. A pair of lawsuits filed in December 2022 accused the app of misleading its viewers…particularly children. They alleged the app … Read more
After the health department’s levy failed in November, Health Commissioner Jim Watkins and the board of health are exploring other avenues to fund the Williams County Health Department’s proposed new Bryan location. The health department has been operating out of two buildings, one in Montpelier and one in Bryan, which they have said makes daily … Read more