Tuesday, August 30, 2016

COMMISSIONER’S CORNER

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August has come and gone. Hot, humid weather, followed by flash rain storms and in some places flooding, the start of High School football, schools going back in session, and of course, the 9 day run of the Great Darke County Fair. Sounds like a typical August in the Miami Valley and in Darke County!

First of all, the Darke County Commissioners wish to congratulate Clayton Murphy of New Madison for his outstanding Olympic accomplishment of a Bronze medal in the 800 meter finals! I am sure that everyone in Darke County was yelling at the television when Clayton, with his classic last lap kick, was catching and finally caught the 3rd place runner and became the Olympic Bronze medalist! Congratulations to Clayton and the Murphy family for raising such and inspiring young man. Darke County is certainly proud of you!!

Of course, one of the biggest happenings every year is the Great Darke County Fair. Thank you to all the Fair Board members, Fair Manager Daryl Riffle, and the entire maintenance staff for all the hours of preparation and hard work you do throughout the year to make our fair the best in the Country! This year, despite the weather and rain, the fair seemed to be as vibrant as ever. The Commissioners talked to several people from other states, some as far away as Texas, California, and Missouri, who really enjoyed themselves and thought they would come back. We will bet not many County Fairs anywhere can say that! The Commissioners would also like to thank all of the 4H, FFA members, Cheerleaders, Band members, and everyone else who performed and showed their projects at the fair. We realize these young people are the backbone of the fair, and their accomplishments through hard work and dedication are making them into outstanding adults. The parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles and advisors who help with guidance of these young people should be proud of the efforts and rewards these young people have received for their hard work. Once again, “Thank You” to all who made this year’s fair another success!

There has been some real excitement happening in Darke County this month. We would like to Congratulate Mayor Mike Bowers as August is his last month as Mayor of Greenville. Mr. Bowers is taking over as the new Economic Development Director for the County starting in September. Mike was the perfect pick for the job, as he worked very closely with the former director, Marc Saluk, who left to be close to his home of Philadelphia.

The Commissioners, the C.I.C, and Partnering 4 Progress wish Mike the best of luck, and continued economic success for Darke County. Another great event for the County was the announcement and ground breaking for the new Whirlpool distribution system. The new building will be around 325,000 square feet, and will be state of the art. This is another example of the commitment Whirlpool, and the city and county have made to continue their success here. The Dayton Business Journal has been covering Darke county extensively for the past several months, and have highlighted our successes. Whirlpool should start the building process shortly, and they hope to be in by late spring. None of this is possible without a vibrant, talented and dedicated workforce. The people we have working in our manufacturing facilities continue to impress the managers and C.E.O.’s to the point that Darke County is where they want to locate, and stay! Thank you to all the hard workers who have made Darke County successful! The new MARCS radio tower has been purchased and should be going up in the future. The tower will be located in the Union City, Ohio area, and will much improve radio communications in the northern part of the county,

As we roll into September, and hopefully cooler and more stable weather, things continue to look up for Darke County. We would like for everyone to be informed of all that happens here, and the best way for that is for you to attend a regularly scheduled session. We meet every Monday and Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. at 520 S. Broadway in Greenville, just south of the Courthouse. Hope to see you there!

The Darke County Commissioners

GREENVILLE AREA DOG CLUB OFFERS DOG TRAINING CLASSES

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GREENVILLE – The Greenville Area Dog Club fall obedience, and conformation classes begins September 13th. Through the years more classes have been added to meet the growing interest in dog training and many people like the variety of classes available.

The Greenville Area Dog Club will be offering classes at the former U.S. Chemical building, located in the 5400 block of State Route 49.

Conformation Class will offered by request. This class is for the pure breed owner who wishes to begin training their dog to perform in the breed show ring. Please contact 548-0338 for more information.

Obedience classes begin Tuesday, September 13th. and will include, Puppy (12 weeks to five months),and Beginner Obedience. For those who have completed the beginner class and wish to continue on with their training, Novice & Advanced Rally Obedience class will be offered this 8 weeks. An Advanced Obedience class will be offered.

“Our puppy and beginning obedience classes are designed to teach basic house manners, grooming and care of the dog, heeling, sit, down, stay, come and other commands,” said Barb Rhoades, Director of Obedience Training.

She also added that a new class will be offered to those who have completed beginner or have some past training in classes and want to continue with training. The Novice and Advanced Rally Classes is for students who want to try something new in obedience and challenge themselves and their dog. The requirement for Rally Novice and Advanced obedience class is that the dog and handler be able to execute all the basic obedience commands without much difficulty.

The goal of the Rally class is to introduce students to a new form of Obedience which involves walking a course with your dog and performing the exercises as illustrated on numbered signs along the path of the course. This class also preps the team of dog and handler to work towards a Novice title in AKC Rally if interested.

The classes are designed to be building blocks in obedience. We start with puppy and continue to build upon that training thru each of the later classes. However, if you missed the puppy class when your dog was a baby, you can still get great results with the dog starting with our Beginner classes.

YOU MUST PREREGISTER WITH BARB 548-0338 OR BECKY 337-0292 FOR ALL CLASSES.

Registration for obedience classes is from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. Tuesday September 13th. with orientation and classes to follow registration.

Wine Tasting Fundraiser to Benefit Walk to End Alzheimer's

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Got Waterhemp? What now?

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Mark Loux has spent a lot of time educating and warning about Palmer amaranth, but while we were doing this, waterhemp has become a more widespread problem.

AT the fair this past week I was asked what are we going to do about the neighbor’s waterhemp. Thus I share with you this article containing Mark Loux’s recommendations.

Waterhemp is only a little less fun to deal with than Palmer amaranth, and has a tendency to fairly rapidly develop resistance to any new sites of action used repeatedly against it in POST treatments.

Waterhemp infestations can be found around the state, with a concentration in west central Ohio. We assume all waterhemp populations are resistant to site 2 herbicides (ALS), but in our screening so far, not all populations are resistant to glyphosate.

Populations in western Ohio tend to be glyphosate-resistant at this point, but populations in other parts of Ohio not necessarily so. Some populations that are glyphosate-resistant appear to have developed at least a low level of resistance to site 14 (PPO) herbicides as well.

In areas of the corn belt further west where waterhemp has been the major glyphosate-resistant weed problem for some time, the evolution of multiple resistance is common.

Recent surveys by the University of Illinois determined that approximately 60% of Illinois waterhemp populations were resistant to glyphosate and also to site 2 and 14 herbicides. Due to the tendency for waterhemp to evolve resistance to new sites of action used against it, the U of I recommends a strategy of not using a new site of action (usually PPO) until resistance to glyphosate has been confirmed.

So in a field situation where a grower is unsure about resistance, they suggest applying glyphosate to small waterhemp plants, and then monitoring to determine if the population is responding. If there is no response, the next step is immediate application with a PPO inhibitor.

The drawback here of course is that glyphosate-resistant waterhemp will continue to grow during this brief period of evaluation following glyphosate application, possibly reducing the effectiveness of the PPO herbicide.

Waterhemp requires a combination of residual and POST herbicides, with the goal of applying POST herbicides to plants not more than 6 inches tall. In a number of Ohio fields with waterhemp that we know of, growers were either unaware they had waterhemp and inadvertently let it get far bigger than this.

Waterhemp produces a lot of seed and one or two years of this approach will guarantee the presence of waterhemp for years to come.

It’s largely too late to provide much helpful guidance for this summer’s waterhemp control programs. What’s essential to accomplish still this year though, for future planning, is to figure out whether a waterhemp population is resistant to glyphosate and/or site 14 herbicides. Fortunately, there is a painless way to do this, through a service offered by the University of Illinois Plant Clinic. Link to the U of I newsletter article that provides the needed info - http://bulletin.ipm.illinois.edu/?p=3619.

In a nutshell, you collect five new leaves that have developed following an herbicide application, and send them to U of I via rapid delivery along with one sample submission form per sample. Cost is $50 per sample, which includes screening for both glyphosate and site 14 herbicides.

We highly recommend making this investment where resistance characteristics of a waterhemp population are unknown. This information will inform future decisions on herbicides for control of waterhemp, ensuring that appropriate herbicides are used and that the population does not develop resistance to site 14 herbicides as rapidly.

The LibertyLink soybean system is, of course, another option for management of waterhemp, as well as Xtend and Enlist soybean systems whenever they become available.

It should be noted that: 1) use of glufosinate, dicamba, or 2,4-D to help manage this weed does not change the approach, and these herbicides must be applied to small plants to control waterhemp; and 2) the assumption is that inappropriate and continued use of these herbicides would lead to the development of resistance to them. And in fact there are already some populations of waterhemp farther west with resistance to 2,4-D.

For more detailed information, visit the Darke County OSU Extension web site at www.darke.osu.edu, the OSU Extension Darke County Facebook page or contact Sam Custer, at 937.548.5215.

Red Cross seeking virtual volunteers to aid Louisiana

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Relief Effort Seeks New Internet-Based Volunteers to Assist 3,000+ in Shelters

Greenville, OH, August 24, 2016 — The American Red Cross remains on the ground, with volunteers across nearly half of Louisiana, helping thousands who lost everything in recent devastating floods—the worst natural disaster since Superstorm Sandy in 2012. To further aid community needs, the relief organization is building a new volunteer contingent to deploy “virtually” (read: working from home) to support the efforts currently underway thousands of miles away in the ravaged flood zone.

“The situation in Louisiana remains critical and so does our need to adapt by recruiting a new type of volunteer – virtual volunteers,” says Lynne Gump, Executive Director of the Northern Miami Valley Ohio Chapter of the American Red Cross. “I’m urging everyone to please consider becoming a new virtual volunteer. People desperately need help right now. By working from the comfort of your own home, you can make a real difference for people in Louisiana who have lost theirs.”

The organization seeks to add an additional 250 virtual volunteers as soon as possible. Opportunities include virtual caseworker and call center positions. More than 17,000 calls from people seeking information and help have already been handled.

As waters go down, the Red Cross is able to get into more and more neighborhoods, and volunteers on scene are working tirelessly to provide assistance. Nearly 90 response vehicles are fanning out through affected neighborhoods to distribute food, water and relief supplies such as personal hygiene items, insect repellant, cleaning kits and bleach. Local officials estimate more than 110,000 homes have been damaged.

To date, more than 1,900 Red Crossers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are supporting Louisiana relief efforts. Since the onset of the flooding, the Red Cross and partners have served more than 260,000 meals and snacks, in addition to distributing nearly 60,000 relief items. Mental health disaster workers are visiting shelters to offer comfort. Health services volunteers are helping with things like lost eyeglasses and medications.

To become a virtual volunteer, individuals simply visit redcross.org and submit an application. The safety of the people the Red Cross serves and the volunteers who help them is of utmost importance to the Red Cross. We have procedures in place to track who is volunteering to help keep people safe. This includes running a background check on all volunteers who will work directly with the people who turn to us for help or have access to funds. Volunteers also sign an agreement to abide by our code of ethics and conduct.

Student Ambassadors Represent MVCTC with Pride

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Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) Student Ambassadors for the 2016-2017 school year from Darke County – Left to right – Amanda Shook (Ansonia), Kylie Furlong (Franklin Monroe), Nolan Archer (Franklin Monroe), Jared Quigney (Tri-Village), Emily Fraley (Versailles), Spencer Warren (Mississinawa Valley, and Chole Price (Arcanum). Not pictured – Lance Hundley (Franklin Monroe).
Englewood, Ohio – The Miami Valley Career Technology Center (MVCTC) has 44 senior students who will serve as Student Ambassadors during the 2016-2017 school year. These students learn leadership skills and public speaking to represent MVCTC as spokespersons for the school.

The MVCTC Student Ambassadors visit the 27 MVCTC partner school districts in the fall to share their experiences, career technical programs, and career goals with high school sophomores. All of the sophomores from the 27-partner school have the opportunity to select two career programs to visit at MVCTC during the annual Sophomore Career Days in December. For more information about Sophomore Career Days or visiting MVCTC, please call 937-854-8056.

MVCTC Ambassadors from Darke County for the 2016-2017 school year are:

  • Nolan Archer, Game Programming & Web Applications student from Franklin Monroe
  • Emily Fraley, Allied Health Technologies student from Versailles
  • Kylie Furlong, Criminal Justice student from Franklin Monroe
  • Lance Hundley, Electrical Trades student from Franklin Monroe
  • Chloe Price, Biotechnology student from Arcanum
  • Jared Quigney, Animal Care and Management student from Tri-Village
  • Amanda Shook, Graphic Commercial Art student from Ansonia
  • Spencer Warren, Cosmetology student from Mississinawa Valley

For more information about MVCTC, please visit www.mvctc.com.

For over 45-years, MVCTC has been providing career technical education for 27 partner school districts encompassing five counties, including Darke, Miami, Montgomery, Preble, and Warren Counties. MVCTC is dedicated to providing in-demand workforce training for youth, adults, and organizations in the Miami Valley.

Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR Donates to Angel Paws

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The Fort GreeneVille Chapter sponsored the Second Annual Thank a Vet 5K. This year's event commemorated the 75th Anniversary of WWII. The final amount of money raised was $4000 and was presented to Angel Paws Founder and Director Sandra Bohle. Angel Paws is an organization that trains rescue dogs to help change the lives of local veterans who are suffering from physical disabilities and PTSD.

Gathering at the Garst Story Time

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Fort GreeneVille Chapter DAR held a story time during the Gathering at the Garst. In period dress, Dar member Karen Burkett and HoDar John held the story time at their encampment tent in order to give a visual of the time period. Karen told the story of the American Revolution. Afterwards a coloring book, "Story of the American Revolution" by Peter Copeland, was awarded to Haylee Marie Moore. The book was donated by the Garst Gift Shop to the DAR chapter's literacy program. Afterwards members of the chapter provided refreshments and a game of buttons to the participating children.

Haylee Moore with DAR chapter members Shirley Hughes and Karen Burkett.

Upcoming Events at The Arcanum Public Library

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School is starting across Darke County. That means homework, new family schedules, sports activities, and more. The Arcanum Public Library is offering plenty of activities to add to the list of things to do! We are kicking off the school season with a “Reboot Your Brain” Jeopardy game for kids on Thursday, September 1st. Come on over after school at 3:00 until 4:30 for an afternoon filled with a variety of Jeopardy games. What to do with all of the papers that come home from school? How about a portfolio to put them in for safe keeping? Drop in to the library on Friday, September 2nd anytime between 3 and 4:30, and make a portfolio of your own.

The very popular Storytime for preschool kids will be back beginning on Monday, September 12th. There are two sessions each Monday, at 10:0am and at 11:00am. Come for a morning filled with stories, crafts, singing and fun! Also on Mondays will be the afterschool program, AfterWords, for kids in grades 1-4. Kids can come over from 3:45 until 4:45 and play games, learn new things, make a craft, and hang out with friends. The first AfterWords will start on Monday, September 12th. The library is starting a new program for kids in grades 5 and up. TNT (Tweens and Teens) will meet on Thursdays after school from 3:00 until 4:30. The first TNT will be on Thursday, September 15th. Join us to help make this the place to be after school with learning, crafts, experiments, games, snacks, book reviews and more.

After a short break, the crochet group is back in business. Whether you are a complete beginner, or are in the middle of a project, join us for a great time. The group will start back up on Thursday, September 1st at 6:30, and will meet every Thursday at the same time.

Our movie for the month of September will be shown on Saturday, September 17th. We will show “The Goonies” at 10:00am and popcorn will be served. What a great way to start the weekend as Monday, September 19th is “Talk like a Pirate” day. If you come into the library on that day, we will have activities to do on your own to help celebrate the fun day.

Another brand new program we think will be a big hit is our “Coffee, Cocoa, and Coloring” time for adults. Head over to the library on Wednesday, September 28th at 10:00am for a morning of hot beverages and coloring sure to relax and de-stress! Stay tuned to see if this turns into a regular program here.

We hope you have a chance to try out one or more of our activities this month. As always, if you have any questions, just give us a call at 937-692-8484. You can also check our website at www.arcanumpubliclibrary.org, and find us on Facebook.

Prairie Days Log House and Blacksmith Shop

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Shawnee Prairie log house during the 2015 Prairie Days festival
Prairie Days will be a flurry of activity at the log house and blacksmith shop at Shawnee Prairie Preserve. Not only will they both be open, as they are almost every Saturday from 1pm to 4pm, but they also will both be housing all kinds of demonstrations. The log house was built from 2003 to 2006 and is based on a turn of the 19th century log home. It opened at the 2006 Prairie Days which makes 2016 the 11th anniversary of the log house at the festival. It was then and still is a work in progress as it grows in volunteers and items donated every year to support the specific theme and time period. At Prairie Days this year, the log house will feature many historic trade demonstrations.

The blacksmith shop opened in 2013 and features a working forge, bellows, and tool display accommodating almost any project a blacksmith had to tackle. Like the log house, community support played a huge role in its inception. It was built with volunteer labor and donated logs, and the tools, benches, and bellows all were provided through donations. A blacksmith was essential to any community as he made everything from the heaviest axle and tire to the smallest rivet in a wagon. From the weather vane to the butcher knife, the blacksmith touched almost every aspect of life. Volunteers will be working in the blacksmith shop throughout the weekend, and visitors will see all types of skills demonstrated and observe useful everyday items like “S” hooks and sticks and tommy forged. Follow the sound of hammers ringing to learn more about one of the most essential trades for hundreds of years.

Come explore all these demonstrations, talk with the historical interpreters, and enjoy all the other fun, educational, and family friendly activities at the 2016 Prairie Days festival, September 24th from 10am to 5pm and September 25th from 12pm to 5pm. The event has plenty of free parking and free admission. For questions or more information, call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165.

High school “Big Buddy” mentors needed to make BIG impact in the lives of local children

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Alyah Taborn who is the daughter of Leigh Allspaw of Sidney
and Big Buddy mentor Shelby Baker who attends Sidney High School.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County is excited to announce that another great year is in the works for the Big Buddies after-school program. For our 17th program year, we are seeking fun and energetic high school students who want an opportunity to give back to the community. This is a great opportunity to obtain community service hours, as well as make a difference in the life of a child.

The Buddies program is a nine-month commitment where high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors volunteer to work with and mentor elementary school students two times per month. During these meetings, the high school students, under the supervision of Big Brothers Big Sisters staff, work with one or two children on different educational and recreational activities. This year’s program will focus on 7 Habits of Happy Kids and will also promote social and educational enhancing activities.

High school mentoring programs have become a widespread component of many nationally affiliated Big Brothers Big Sisters agencies. Studies prove that children who spend time with a positive role model are more likely to become healthy, productive adults. The Big Buddies program has proven beneficial not only for the “Littles” but for the high school volunteers as well.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor in our High School Buddies program please call 937-492-7611 or 937-547-9622, email us at info@bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org, or visit our website at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org for more information.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby & Darke County is a United Way member agency and an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America. If you would like more information about becoming involved or information about our other programs, you may visit the agency web site at www.bigbrobigsis-shelbydarke.org or call the Sidney office at 937-492-7611 or the Greenville office at 937-547-9622.

DCP Offers Project WILD Training

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Students learn about lifecycles by investigating the wide
variety of new life inhabiting a decomposing log.
Darke County Parks invites teachers and educators of all types on Saturday, October 1st from 9am to 4pm at Shawnee Prairie Preserve Nature Center, to explore the fascinating world of wildlife and ecosystems using fun and hands-on educational activities. Whether you are a regular classroom teacher or an informal educator, you will learn adaptable activities for all age levels and receive both the Project WILD and Project aquatic WILD K-12 activity guides.

Project WILD is a supplementary education program emphasizing awareness, appreciation, and understanding of wildlife and natural resources. Project WILD teaches young people how to think about wildlife, not what to think. Students in kindergarten through twelfth grade learn basic concepts about wild animals, their needs and importance, and their relationships to people and the environment. The hands-on, diverse activities help develop problem-solving and decision making skills in determining responsible human actions.

The program is endorsed by the National Council for the Social Studies and is consistent with the recommendations of the National Science Teachers Association. The Project WILD curriculum has been aligned with Ohio's PreK-12 academic content standards in Science. Project WILD books are only available to individuals who attend a workshop. Find new ways to get kids outside and learning while meeting curriculum standards, networking with others in the field, and earning continuing education credits. Preregistration is required by September 9th. Lunch is not provided, so please pack your own lunch. A microwave and refrigerator are available.

For questions about this program or any other program offered by the Darke County Parks or to register for this free program, please stop by the nature center, call (937) 548-0165, or email info@darkecountyparks.org.

Monday, August 29, 2016

Martin Street Subway Robbed Again

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On August 28, 2016 at approximately 1:l6pm, Greenville Police Department officers were dispatched to Subway Restaurant on Martin St. due to a robbery.

Suspect is a white male with dark shirt and dark blue hat who demanded money from employee. The suspect fled on bike.

Anyone with additional information, please contact Det. Roberts 548-1103.

A video is forthcoming.

Anyone with information regarding any crime is asked to contact the Greenville Police Department at 937-548-1103, or the Darke County Crime Stoppers tipline at 937-547-1661. All callers may remain anonymous.

First Presbyterian Church's LOGOS Program to Begin September 14th

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LOGOS, the free Wednesday night children’s program at the First Presbyterian Church, 114 E. Fourth St., Greenville, Ohio will be starting on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 and will run through April 5, 2017. The program is for children age 2 through 5th grade.

The Time Schedule:

  • Preschool 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.
  • K-5th Grade 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

We encourage all parents to bring their children and their children’s friends to this FREE community outreach every Wednesday. The kids are going to have fun with music, games, sound Biblical teaching and a family meal. The children will learn to experience God through learning about Jesus and the Bible, to have better relationships with others, and to praise and worship God. “Believe in God, believe also in me.” John 14:1

Parents will be able to register their children on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. in the Narthex. Registration forms will also be available in the church office. Let us Hear, See, and Live Our Belief in God! For more information, call Marnelise van der Walt at (937) 548-3188.

Mother Arrested for Possession of Meth during Traffic Stop Last Wednesday

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On August 24, 2016 at approximately 12:18 a.m., a Darke County Deputy Canine Unit conducted a traffic stop on a 2004 silver Buick Rendezvous for a lanes of travel violation. The stop occurred near the intersection of Greenville Celina Road and Childrens Home Bradford Road.

The female driver was identified as Ambre N. Landis (34) of New Weston, Ohio. Her seven year old child was a passenger in the vehicle. During the traffic stop, the deputy deployed his canine partner for a free air sniff of the vehicle and the canine made a positive indication for narcotics. With the assistance of the Greenville Police Department, Ms. Landis was found to be in possession of a large amount of methamphetamines.

Ms. Landis was arrested and transported to the Darke County Jail on charges of Possession of Methamphetamines and Endangering Children. Her child was released to the custody of a family member.

Sheriff Toby L. Spencer takes a strong stand against the use of illegal drugs and drug trafficking in our community. Citizens are encouraged to contact the Darke County Sheriff’s Office at (937) 548-2020 with information regarding any criminal activity. Citizens may also contact Darke County Crime Stoppers at (937) 547-1661 or www.darkecountycrimestoppers.com. Information can be left anonymously.

For more information, please visit the Darke County Sheriff’s Office online at www.DarkeCountySheriff.org or www.Facebook.com/DarkeCountySheriff

Reid Health Sponsors SUNshine 5K

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Reid Health physicians present a check to the Darke County Foundation in support of the SUNshine 5K on Sept. 17 in Greenville City Park. From left: Jonathan Hein, Foundation trustee and SUNshine 5K race director; Christy Prakel, Foundation director; Dr. Henry Chong of Bethel Cardiology; and Dr. Mario Lee of Reid Orthopedics.

Reid Health is proud to serve as leading sponsor of the SUNshine 5K Run/Walk on September 17 in Greenville City Park. Hosted by the Darke County Foundation, the event will feature hundreds of participants and raise funds for 5 local non-profit organizations: AddieGirl for Dayton Children’s, Brethren Retirement Community (Senior Fitness), Bunco 4 Breast Cancer, DeColores Montessori School and St. Mary’s School (Greenville). Groups receive $15 for each person registered under the group’s name.

Headquartered in Richmond, Indiana, Reid Health opened a Greenville facility at 1101 Jackson Street in 2015. The 34,000-square-foot complex houses Bethel Cardiology, Reid Orthopedics and other specialties offered by the Reid Health system.

Runners and walkers at the SUNshine 5K will enjoy a scenic 5K route with age-group awards, great door prizes, and a variety of post-race drinks, snacks and homemade cookies. Free childcare is available. To register, visit www.darkecountyfoundation.org. Entry fee is $15 if registered by Sept. 7 (includes long-sleeve performance shirt); $20 after Sept. 7 (limited shirts available); and $5 for kids age 14 and under (no shirt). The race begins at 8:30, with a free kids 800-meter fun run at 8:20. The SUNshine 5K is part of the Darke County Wellness Challenge.

The Darke County Foundation enriches the quality of life for Darke County residents by receiving, administering and distributing charitable gifts for the benefit of the community. For more information, call 548-4673 or visit www.darkecountyfoundation.org.

Sue Homan, Registered Pharmacist at Kaup Pharmacy, to speak to Living With Cancer Support Group

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The Cancer Association of Darke County will hold their quarterly support group at Wayne Health Care on Thursday, September 1 at 7:00 pm. The group will meet on the first floor in the board room (down past the lab to the left at the end of the hall)

Sue Homan, Registered Pharmacist, will share information regarding hormones and how they affect people’s health.

Sue provides personal, confidential hormone consultations ranging from thyroid, adrenal, estogen, testosterone, and nutraceutical therapy for men and women to effectively manage andropause and menopause, improve mental clarity, boost energy, build lean muscle, reduce hot flashes, decrease risk of osteoporosis and enhance overal well-being.

Sue has been employed by Kaup Pharmacy since graduating as a Registered Pharmacist from Ohio Northern University in 1990 with a Bachelor of Pharmacy Science Degree. She began specializing in Bio-Identical Hormone Restoration Therapy compounding in 1995. Sue has given many BHRT presentations in different locations in West Central Ohio including a one-day BHRT Conference held at Ohio Northern University. She has attended PCCA conferences, and she is a member of the Ohio Pharmacy Association.

Sue and her husband, Larry, are proud parents of six children ages 7-23.

She also enjoys being a Religion instructor for Mary Help of Christians Church for the past nine years. Their leisure activities center around family oriented events, such as volleyball, basketball, baseball, and soccer games. When she finds time, Sue enjoys reading, traveling, and horseback riding.

Phone Number to reach Sue Homan's office is: 419-375-2092.

Mark your calendar to attend this very informative meeting. Sue always has the latest information for a healthier way of life.

There is no charge for the event and the public is welcome. Refreshments will be provided.
Cancer Association of Darke County provides benefits to cancer patients living in Darke County. Support is provided by local individuals, businesses, grants, fundraisers and Corporate Sponsorships. Current corporate sponsors are: American Legion 140, Boots Breaden, Brothers Publishing Co., First Assembly of God, Greenville National Bank, Greenville Technology, Inc., Hittle Buick, GMC, Johnston Chiropractic Clinic, Kiwanis Club of New Madison, Members Choice Credit Union, Mercer Savings Bank, North Star Hardware and Implement, Osgood State Bank, Scott Rudnick, Second National Bank, VFW Post 7262.Whirlpool Corp. Williamson Insurance, LLC. United Way Partner.

Fall Hiking Series: Goldenrods and Asters Hike

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The air is turning crisp, as the autumn season grows closer. It’s time to hike! We are entering one of the best time to get out doors, and Darke County Parks has a variety of walking programs to offer. To kick off the season, meet a naturalist for a goldenrods and asters hike on September 1st at 6pm at Turkeyfoot Preserve on Bishop Rd. just off of State Route 121 South of Greenville. Participants will explore the stunning colors of these fall-blooming flowers. For more information about this or any of the other exciting hikes in this season’s series or other Park District programs, please call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165.

Canada Goldenrod is typically one of the first plants to colonize an area after disturbance (such as fire) and rarely persists once shrubs and trees become established.

Pet of the week

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GREENVILLE - The Darke County Animal Shelter has many pets available for adoption, including several breeds of dogs, as well as cats and kittens. The Shelter chooses pets to feature each week, this week they've selected:


Dobhie is a 3 year old Chihuahua. He is tan with short hair. He is a sweet little guy who weighs less than 5 pounds. He is a people dog who loves to be held. He will make a wonderful lapdog and indoor companion. He is current on his shots and is looking for a new place to call home.

The Shelter hours are 8am till 4:30pm Monday-Friday and 9:00 till noon on Saturday. The Shelter is located at 5066 County Home Road in Greenville, and the phone number is 547-1645. Be sure to keep your companion animals up to date on their shots. They will be happier and healthier. Be sure to keep your dog license on your dog so the shelter can get them back home if they get loose.

You can get your license online at www.doglicense.us/oh/darke . ALL DOGS OVER 3 MONTHS OF AGE MUST HAVE A LICENSE. For more information you can contact the Animal Shelter at 937-547-1645.

To see the dogs they have, go to their web site at www.darkecountyanimalshelter.com. Please visit also the website of the Friends of the Shelter: www.darkecountyfriendsoftheshelter.com

Coin Club Donates to Library

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The Darke County Coin Club recently donated a generous check to the Greenville Public Library to buy sixteen new books on coins and coin collecting, plus seven DVDs on the subject. Some of the titles include Coin Collecting for Fun and Profit, The Expert’s Guide to Collecting & Investing in Rare Coins, Numismatic Art in America, and The Secret History of the First U.S. Mint. They are a “numismatic” club that enjoys learning about and collecting coins and currency.

The Club was started in March 1963 and today has 40 members. They meet the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 7:00 p.m. at Spirit Medical Transport, 5484 South State Route 49. Interested persons and new members are always welcome! There is an auction at every meeting. Come and take part in the “Hobby of Kings.”

The Club’s annual Coin Show takes place at Paws Bingo on Martin Street the 2nd Sunday of March from 10:00 to 3:00. You can also find them on Facebook for more information.

Pictured is Director John Vehre with Rich Edwards, President, and Kathy Daughtry, Secretary. John Magoteaux is Vice-President. The Library appreciates the Club’s generosity and being able to provide these interesting materials to its patrons.

VERSAILLES HEALTH CARE CENTER TO HOST BACK TO SCHOOL FOR SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS

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Versailles Health Care Center would like to invite the public to a FREE four-part Long-Term Care Educational Series, featuring speakers on financial considerations for seniors and vets, decisions on downsizing or transitioning to a condo, assisted living, or nursing facility, Elder Law planning, and recent changes in Ohio Medicaid. BACK TO SCHOOL FOR SENIORS and their caregiver classes will be held in September and October at Versailles Health Care Center. Coffee and dessert will be served.

The first class will take place on Tuesday, September 13, 2016, from 6-7 pm. Steve Temple with Ohio Financial Services will present on Financial Considerations for Seniors and Vets.

The second class will be on Tuesday, September 20, 2016, from 6-7 pm. Amy Zumberger with Ask Amy Staging will speak about the challenges of moving from a well lived-in home, filled with a lifetime of memories, to a condo, assisted living, or nursing facility such as Versailles Health Care Center.

The third class will be held on Tuesday, September 27, 2016, from 6-7 pm. Attorney Tom Guillozet will present on Elder Law planning and Medicaid changes.

The fourth and final class will take place on Tuesday, October 4, 2016, from 6-7 pm and will be led by Jennifer Kreiger of Covenant Care. Versailles Health Care Center is owned and operated by Covenant Care. She will review the Ohio Medicaid changes effective August 1, 2016.

Call Angie at 937-526-5570 to RSVP for any or all of this series! Attendees of each class will be entered to win a $50 gift card to The Inn at Versailles. Attendees of the entire series will be entered to win a $200 Kroger gift card. Versailles Health Care Center is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that offers long-term care, short-term rehab services, and outpatient. For more information about Versailles Health Care Center, please call 937.526.5570, or visit on the web at www.versailleshealthcare.com.

Women's Untold Stories: An Evening of Music, Dance, and Theater

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 L to R: Performers Brenda Morand and Lottie Tweed.
Music, dance, and theater are coming to the Robinson Theater at Edison State Community College in Piqua on Thursday, September 22, 2016.

Sponsored by the Diversity Committee as a benefit for the Edison Foundation's General Scholarship Fund, the program will feature women from the college and the community displaying their talents as they salute girls and women.

At 7 p.m., the show will begin with dancers from the Center Stage Academy in Troy.

For the evening's main event, 18 area college students/employees, community leaders, and teens will take the stage and deliver monologs in answer to poet Muriel Rukeyser's question, "What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life?"

The monologs are original and feature diverse themes from sex trafficking to emotional and physical poverty to communication lapses.

Following the theater production, the audience and performers will be invited to dance to the piano music of Brenda Cobbs-Allen.

Admission is free of charge, and those who would like to make contributions to the Edison Foundation's General Scholarship Fund are encouraged to do so.

The Diversity Committee at Edison Community College is committed to advancing the College's academic mission and goals in the areas of diversity, equality, inclusion and human rights by leading efforts to define, assess, and cultivate diversity as both an institutional value and an academic priority.

For more information, contact Dr. Vivian Blevins at vblevins@edisonohio.edu or (937) 778-3815.

Friday, August 26, 2016

Driver and Passenger Airlifted After Head On Collision with Semi

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On August 25, 2016 at approximately 3:26 PM Darke County Deputies along with Rossburg Fire, Ansonia Rescue, Union City Rescue and CareFlight were dispatched to the 12,400 block of State Route 49 North in reference to a head on injury accident involving a semi tractor trailer and a motor vehicle.

Preliminary investigation revealed a light blue 2003 Buick Lesabre driven by Christopher A. Wilson, 32 of Winchester, Indiana was traveling southbound on State Route 49 when he traveled left of the centerline striking a northbound 2015 white Volvo semi tractor trailer driven by Jerry B. Sturgell, 59 of Greenville, Ohio. Both vehicles came to rest off the roadway.

Sturgell was treated and released from the scene. Wilson and his passenger, Angela C. Paris, 26 of Ft. Wayne, Indiana were transported to Miami Valley Hospital by CareFlight. Wilson is listed in fair condition and Paris is listed in serious condition.

The Darke County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team and the Ohio State Patrol Motor Carrier Division also responded to the scene for further investigation.

This accident remains under investigation by the Darke County Sheriff’s Office.

FIRST FRIDAY FEATURES OUTDOOR MOVIE

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The movie “Minions” will be featured during
Main Street Greenville’s September First Friday event. 
Greenville, Ohio: Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family, and friends for an outdoor showing of “Minions”! The event will take place on Friday, September 2nd in downtown Greenville.

Main Street Greenville encourages everyone to dine, shop, and enjoy other activities starting at 6 pm, with the movie starting at dusk (around 8:15 pm).

In the movie, Stuart, Kevin, and Bob are recruited by Scarlet Overkill, a super-villain who, alongside her inventor husband Herb, hatches a plot to take over the world.

Theater on Third is an outdoor movie experience and will be located in the parking lot behind Bach to Rock. The movie will be projected onto the Canteen Shop building (120 W. Third St.). The event is free and open to all, kindly sponsored by Greenville National Bank and Interim Healthcare.

Pop, water, and candy will be available for purchase, with all profits donated to Main Street Greenville. In addition, First UMC will have free popcorn (while supplies last).

As with every First Friday, many downtown businesses will be open late! Some will also offer fun specials or promotions, including:

  • Sadie Grace will celebrate 4 years of business - champagne, door prizes, anniversary sales, and a photo booth from 6-8 pm, located at 530 S. Broadway
  • Live music at The Coffee Pot by John Kogge, located at 527 S. Broadway
  • Raffle for locally made items at the Canteen Shop, located at 120 W. Third St.
  • Bread of Life Christian Bookstore will host local author/pastor, Chris Cobb from 7-8:30 pm for a book signing of his newly released and very timely political fiction book, titled “The Candidate”, located at 533 S. Broadway
  • Send your college students back to school in style, stop in Greenville Hallmark to see their Vera Bradley Colligate Collection, located at 524 S. Broadway
  • Open house for the new F45 Training, located at 120 W. Third St.
  • Pizza special at The Don’s Pizza: 12” cheese for $5 and or 12” Pepperoni for $7, located at 617 S. Broadway
  • Danny’s Place will offer all you can eat fish and/or shrimp from 5-8 pm and live music by Levi Driskell from 6-9 pm, located at 308 S. Broadway
  • Chillz Frozen Yogurt will offer walking tacos and free samples of new menu items (while supplies last), located at 331 S. Broadway
  • Greenville National Bank will grill free hamburgers and hot dogs during the lunch hour (11 am - 1 pm) on Friday, Septmber 2nd, located at 446 S. Broadway

In the event of inclement weather, the movie will be moved inside First United Methodist Church at 202 W. 4th Street. Visit our facebook page or website for any updates concerning the event.

Main Street Greenville is a non-profit organization committed to stimulating and supporting revitalization efforts, historic preservation and economic growth in Historic Downtown Greenville. To learn more about the organization, visit www.DowntownGreenville.org or call 937-548-4998. You can also follow the organization on Facebook or Instagram to receive updates on a regular basis.

Mary Knapke to be Featured with the Greenville Municipal Jazz Band

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The Greenville Municipal Jazz Band will continue the Summer Concerts in the Park this Sunday, August 28th at 7pm at the Marling Band Shell in the beautiful Greenville City Park. This week the jazz band will feature and nice variety of jazz and pop music featuring the high powered vocals of Mary Knapke.

Mary has been a performer for many years and was prominently featured in TV and radio promos for Pepsi-Cola while she lived in North Carolina. She has been active in live theater for many years and had many leading roles. She is well known for her singing with big bands, such as the Hal Harris Orchestra, The Hauer Swing Band, Frank Neville Orchestra and Swing Era Big Band. Mary will sing great jazz standards such as Straighten Up and Fly Right, Blue Skies, Feelin’ Good and the great jazz standard Route 66.

The band will also feature Bill Westfall on the great guitar feature Sleepwalk and Jon Slonaker on Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Many more wonderful tunes and soloists are programmed for the evening.

Please plan to join us this Sunday, August 28th at 7pm at the Marling Band Shell in the Greenville City Park and invite some friends. We have had tremendous attendance this summer and we thank you. Seating is available or you may bring your own lawn chair or blanket. As always, our concerts are free and open to the public.

Hospice Volunteers Needed

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Our next orientation is September 12th - Sign up today!!!!

  • We work around your schedule
  • A Perfect way to give back to the community
  • High School Students Welcome - Great community service project

Register for Lead the Way Tractor Cruise

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Live United and Ride United on Saturday, September 24, 2016 for the 11th Annual Lead the Way Tractor Cruise presented by Jordan Insurance Agency.

ANYONE with a tractor is invited to ride in the Darke County United Way Tractor Cruise, and the community is invited to come out to watch the tractors and enjoy shopping locally. This event is being held in conjunction with Days of Harvest in Downtown Greenville and Prairie Days at Shawnee Prairie, so spend the entire weekend in Greenville! The Tractor Cruise will be parading through town at 10:00 am, beginning at the Fairgrounds, traveling down Fair Street to Washington, from Washington onto Broadway, around the traffic circle, onto Main Street, and traveling back to the fairgrounds via Chestnut St/Fort Jefferson Ave. We would like to give special thanks to the City of Greenville, Greenville Police Department, and the Darke County Agricultural Society for help with this event.

The Tractor Cruise embodies the heart of Darke County, agriculture, and brings it front and center into the United Way’s event to help those in need. We would love to have at least fifty tractors in this year’s parade. Please call the United Way office at 547-1272 to register. Registration is $15 and includes lunch and a Tractor Cruise t-shirt. All proceeds support the Darke County United Way’s local programs to strengthen education, health and stability. We encourage all riders to collect pledges for the United Way. There will be prizes for the largest amount of pledges collected. Please register today. We would like to have registrations turned a few days before the event. Pledges can be turned in to the United Way office on Friday, September 16th or the morning of the ride. If you are riding please meet at the fairgrounds at 8:00 am on Saturday, September 24th.

The Lead the Way Tractor Cruise would not be possible without the support of our amazing sponsors which include Jordan Insurance Agency; Cooper Farms; Cornerstone Construction; Crop Production Services; Dave Knapp Ford Lincoln; Farm Power of the Past; Keller Grain & Feed; Medicine & More; Rebsco, Inc.; Second National Bank; SISCO – Superior Implement & Supply Co.; Trupointe Cooperative; and The Whistle Stop Bar & Grill.

For more information, to register a tractor, or to sponsor this event, please contact the United Way office at 547-1272 or via email at christy@darkecountyunitedway.org. We hope to see you in downtown Greenville on Saturday, September 24th for our 11th Annual event.

An Opportunity to Help the Monarch Butterfly

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Pollinator populations across the country are in decline, including the Monarch Butterfly. A reduction in the number of milkweed plants in Ohio and surrounding states and a loss of wintering habitat due to logging, weather and human encroachment have contributed to the population decline of the Monarch Butterfly.

There are ways that we can help, even in Darke County. Starting on September 1st through October 31st, the Darke Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD) will be collecting seed pods from the Common Milkweed plant. The Monarch relies on the milkweed plant as a host plant, to lay eggs and as a food source. Whether as an individual, or a group, you can make a difference in the Monarch Butterfly population by collecting these seed pods. Once collected, the seed pods will be sent away to be dried and cleaned. A portion of the seed will be sent back to Darke County to be incorporated with other seed mixes that will be planted for pollinator species.

If you would like to help, please call the Darke SWCD office at 937.548.1752, visit our website www.darkeswcd.com, or follow us on Facebook or Twitter to find out where the seed pods can be dropped off.

Pitsburg Church of the Brethren Fall Concert Series

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The Pitsburg Church of the Brethren will begin their fall concert series on Sunday, September 4, 2016 @ 6 PM, by holding their semi-annual hymn sing. What better way to start off the fall season than by giving praises to God through song! This is the time for guests to call out their favorite hymn and join the entire congregation singing it. Please plan to attend and try to stump our musicians with your requests. (song books provided) The church is located at the west edge of Pitsburg, Ohio, at 8376 Pitsburg-Laura Road.

VERSAILLES HEALTH CARE CENTER TAKES PART IN THE 2016 GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR

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L to R: Kathy Galentine of Greenville plays Spin to Win at
Versailles Health Care Center’s booth with VHCC
Director of Business Development, Rebecca Detling.
Versailles Health Care Center recently participated in The 2016 Great Darke County Fair. Hundreds of fairgoers stopped by VHCC’s booth and played “Spin to Win” for a chance to spin the wheel and win a variety of VHCC novelty items for adults and bubbles for kids! This year’s booth featured information on upcoming events at Versailles Health Care Center.

In addition to VHCC’s monthly Power Over Parkinson’s and Joint Replacement classes, information was available about Versailles Health Care Center’s BACK TO SCHOOL FOR SENIORS and their caregiver classes in September and October. This will be a four-part Long-Term Care Educational Series, featuring speakers on financial considerations for seniors and vets, challenges on downsizing or transitioning to a condo, assisted living, or nursing facility, Elder Law planning, and recent changes in Ohio Medicaid.

Versailles Health Care Center is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation center that offers short-term rehab services, outpatient therapy, and long-term care. Versailles Health Care Center sent home 197 patients who utilized its short-term rehab services in 2015 and 118 so far in 2016! If you are interested in learning more about Versailles Health Care Center, please call us at 937.526.5570, or visit on the web at www.versailleshealthcare.com.

DR. CHAD WEBER AND VERSAILLES HEALTH CARE CENTER OFFER FREE JOINT REPLACEMENT CLASS ON SEPTEMBER 13, 2016

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Dr. Stephen Winner & Dr. Chad Weber
Versailles Health Care Center would like to invite anyone considering joint replacement surgery to a FREE Total Joint Replacement Class. The class will take place on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 6 pm in The Rehab Clinic at Versailles Health Care Center. Dr. Chad Weber, Orthopedic Surgeon and Rehab Medical Director, along with Versailles Health Care Center Therapists, will provide information about the joint replacement journey. Information about preparation, hospital procedures, risks, and rehab will be discussed. This class will be beneficial for anyone, whether you are in the beginning stages of contemplating joint replacement surgery or have your surgery scheduled. The class will include handouts and a question/answer session. Light refreshments will be provided.

Call Stephen Winner at 937.526.0130 for more information or to RSVP for this exciting event.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

A.R. WINERY’s 1st YEAR ANNIVERSARY FALL FESTIVAL!

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A.R. Winery is excited to celebrate their first anniversary on Saturday, September 3rd from 2pm-10pm at their winery located on the farm at 3564 Gordon Landis Rd. in Arcanum (just off Route 49)! They’ve expanded their winery with a new covered porch & an outdoor brick oven for pizzas. They are also happy to announce their wines are now officially in 26 stores!

SEPTEMBER 3RD WINERY EVENTS:
2:00 pm – Open to the Public.
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – Registration for Corn Hole Tournament (limited registration).
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm – “Yappy Hour” – Meet the Famous Face on the Wine Labels, FUEL.
4:00 pm – Corn Hole Tournament Begins.
4:00 pm – 5:00 pm – Happy Hour.
7:00 pm – Live Music by Jerry Gerace.

Wild Bill will be offering wood carving demos throughout the day along with other vendors onsite. On their new winery porch, they’ll be cooking brick oven pizzas along with hot dogs & hamburgers on the grill. In the wine tasting room, try a flight of their amazing one-of-kind sweet wines, their new wine slushies or wine floats with two scoops of ice cream and your favorite A.R. wine topped with a cherry. They will also be bringing El Loco Lime back in limited edition (55 bottles) so make sure to stop in and grab one while they’re available!

Check out Facebook, their website www.arwinery.com, follow them on Twitter @a_r_winery or call Russell at 937-417-0565 to keep up-to-date on all events happening on the farm!

DARKE COUNTY CENTER FOR THE ARTS ANNOUNCES ANNUAL MEETING

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The Darke County Center for the Arts will hold its annual meeting on Thursday, September 8, 2016, at 7:00 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room on the third floor of the Greenville Public Library, 126 W. Fourth Street, Greenville. All DCCA members are invited to attend. The agenda includes election of officers and trustees and reports from the last fiscal year. Immediately following the annual meeting, the board of trustees will convene for their regular monthly meeting.

Darke County Center for the arts encourages cultural enrichment in the community by presenting high quality performing and fine artists. In addition to offering an Artists Series and a three-performance Family Theatre Series at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall, DCCA presents Special Performances, a Coffee House Series at local venues, and Arts In Education outreach programming which brings professional performers to inspire creativity in the students of all Darke County Public and Greenville City Schools. Additionally, a summer theater residency is offered for local youth and DCCA on the Road transports patrons to an event outside Darke County’s borders.

Darke County Center for the Arts is also committed to the preservation of Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall and welcomes all patrons regardless of race, color, religion, socioeconomic background, or physical impairment. The beautifully restored, historic Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall offers an access ramp, handicapped-accessible restrooms, and accommodations for wheelchairs, as well as maneuverable space in halls, aisles, and the Anna Bier Gallery. The elevator uses Braille as well as traditional lettering, and upon request, hearing aid devices are available, for the hearing impaired. Also, interpretive signers are provided upon request for all performances. DCCA is committed to making the arts accessible to all, and will do its utmost to accommodate special needs.

For more information on the Darke County Center for the Arts contact our office on the 3rd floor of the Greenville Public Library (937) 547-0908 or visit our website CenterForArts.net.

Welcome to the 2016-2017 School Year - by Greenville City Schools Superintendent Doug Fries

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Welcome to the 2016-2017 school year. Our administration and staff are eager to begin another year with the students, parents, grandparents, and community members throughout our district. We hope to have everyone work together to make this another successful instructional and enjoyable year for all.

I trust each of you have had a relaxing and enjoyable summer with your family and friends. I hope your vacations, special trips, and family gatherings have been fun, safe and educational. As September is upon us, I hope all of you are looking forward to another exciting and rewarding school year. As you return to school, notice the new K-8 facility is nearing completion with the hope of moving in during winter break. The high school has also had renovation work since last May that includes a new front parking lot, many sidewalks, cleaning of terrazzo floors, and adding technology access points. I hope you all share the same excitement and enthusiasm I have about our new and upcoming enhanced school facilities prepared for twenty first century education and learning.

At the K-8 facility the masons are nearly complete, short the brick and block work at the front entrance and back dumpster areas. They also have some rubbing of block and patch work to complete on the interior. Around the outside of the building perimeter drainage progresses including downspouts and boots. Concrete walks, curbs, playground pads have been developed. Likewise, two courtyards and exterior perimeter walls have been installed. Soon asphalt walking paths and parking lots, as well as entrance drives will be beginning. The green metal roof panels continue to advance. Storefront glass and entrance doors also continue to be installed. Many of the exterior windows have been set. On the inside of the facility, finishes are advancing. The wood gym floor is going down in one gym. Gym equipment and baskets have been installed, as well. The kitchen cooler, freezer and hoods are installed. Hallway terrazzo floor is being installed, grinded and polished. Ceramic tile is going down in restroom areas. Casework, lighting and plumbing fixtures are being installed in several areas of the building. Drywall finishes and ceiling grid progress throughout the building. Two elevators have been set, one on each end of the building. The painters are working on block fill, first and final coats of paint in various parts of the complex. Hallway lockers and music room cages are on site being put together and installed. The perimeter of the building will be totally secured shortly and a major push to complete interior furnishings and final exterior parking lots will progress through November. We sincerely appreciate the hard work and dedication of all the contractors working hard through the heat of the summer on our new state of the art K-8 facility.

We continue to enjoy our experience with Shook Touchstone Construction Manager at Risk and Garmann Miller Architects and Engineers as we move toward the final phase of the construction project. We also continue to post construction site pictures on the home page of our website at www.greenville.k12.oh.us.

Our district will participate in two approved waiver days this year. These are non-instructional days for students that allow for additional professional development for our staff. These two days are scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, January 9th and 10th, 2017. These days come at the end of our extended winter break this year which is December 17th, 2016 through January 6th, 2017. We also have a staff work day scheduled for January 11th, 2017. Therefore, parents can plan now for an extended winter break with the scheduled first day of school in our new K-8 facility set for January 12th, 2017.

Greenville Schools has a tradition of excellence and we certainly are working to continue the excellence. The entire district wants to lead the way by making sure our students are ready for higher education and also jobs of tomorrow in a global economy.

Curriculum implementations our district is continuing with at the elementary level this year include our one to one iPad technology initiative at grades Kindergarten through second grade, as well as our ESpark program. Likewise, at all elementary and junior high grade levels we are participating in Measurement of Academic Progress (MAP) testing ongoing throughout the year to keep a close measure on our alignment to end of year required state assessments. At the high school we will continue for the second year with the College Credit Plus program, as well as our high performing Career Tech programs. Some of our high school classes will also participate in MAP testing and we also will be involved in required state end of course exams and American Institute for Research (AIR) assessments. This year’s junior class will also be required to take the ACT test in the Spring. This is scheduled presently to be a paper version of the test.

Our district is on a rotation basis to purchase textbooks and supplemental materials beyond the required College Credit Plus textbook purchases. This year our district purchased many new English Language Art textbooks and materials and are piloting some supplemental language art materials at some elementary levels, as well.

The district has added many new wireless access points at the high school to improve the technology delivery. The district has added staff to the technology department to help manage all the new technology and online testing. We are looking to increase our curriculum supervision personnel to help oversee our testing achievement data and provide additional help to our instructional delivery process and involvement with our coordination in the Ohio Improvement process.

This Fall we will contract with the City of Greenville to provide us with two school resource officers. One will continue to be housed at the high school while the other will begin traveling to all elementary buildings and ultimately end up at the new K-8 facility when it opens. The SRO’s will assist us with safety and security, but also provide educational programming.

We look forward to our Advanced Manufacturing labs being used by our Career Tech program this year as well as some adult programming held in the evening coordinated by a joint agreement between Edison State and Greenville City Schools.

Please join me in welcoming the following new employees to the Greenville School District. We look forward to working with each of them in our educational delivery and are glad they have joined the Greenville School District team.

Stephanie Shafer – School Psychologist
John Lestinge – School Psychologist
Ryan Borowske – K-8 Resource Officer
Kristi Homan – CT – Marketing at the High School
Kathleen Kubander – English at the High School
Jessica Sommer – Family & Consumer Science at the High School
Dustin Yingst – Athletic Director
Tracy Andrews – English at the High School
Kyle Joseph – Athletic Support Services at the High School
Erin Eberwein – Assistant Principal Secretary at the High School
Derek Sumner – Intervention Specialist at the Junior High
Jinna Walters – Language Arts at the Junior High
Jon Tipton – Intervention Specialist at South School
Shelby Rehmert – Intervention Specialist at Woodland Primary
Kathy Unger – Bus Driver – Part Time
Andrew Grasty – Transportation Supervisor
Nichole Sommer – Enrollment Secretary at Memorial Hall

I invite everyone in the community to attend and support our students in the various extracurricular activities that take place throughout the school year. Your attendance is appreciated by the students and the school system.

Remember, the entire Greenville School faculty and staff is here to assist you – our students, parents and community. If we can be of assistance, please feel free to contact our principals or myself. I can be reached by phone at 937-548-3185. I can be reached by email at dfries@gcswave.com. Let’s all work together to make 2016-2017 an outstanding school year and keep Greenville Schools a great place for students to learn and teachers to teach.

Help Sought From Korean War Era Veterans and Families

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In preparation for a program to honor Korean War Era veterans at Edison State Community College, the program coordinator, Dr. Vivian Blevins, is seeking the help of the community in two ways.

First, Blevins is requesting photos of those from the Miami Valley who were in all branches of the service during the period for a unique display on November 10. The photos may be scanned and sent as attachments to Blevins' email address at the college. The prints may also be mailed to Blevins at the college, and she will scan them and promptly return the originals to the senders.

Because both Korean War Era veterans and their spouses/widows will be recognized at the program, names, addresses, and telephone numbers are being requested so that invitations and information may be mailed.

The program on November 10 will begin with lunch at 11:45 a.m. provided by the Piqua VFW Post 4874. The Piqua Community Foundation is providing expenses for the remainder of the program. There will be music, a speaker, a panel of three Korean War veterans discussing their experiences, displays, and tokens of appreciation for veterans and their spouses as well as for widows, and a flag retirement ceremony.

Admission is free, and the public is invited to attend this program to honor those in the military during what has been termed "the Forgotten War."

For more information, contact Vivian Blevins by emailing vblevins@edisonohio.edu or calling (937) 778-3815. Photographs may be mailed to the college with attention to Vivian Blevins at 1973 Edison Drive, Piqua, OH 45356.

Having Fun and Staying Safe at the Great Darke County Fair

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Darke County, OH 45331 August 19, 2016 The tents are going up, animals are getting baths and you can smell the funnel cakes; nine days and nights of rides, exhibitions, grandstand entertainment, 4-H shows and food, providing those who attend a marvelous time at the great Darke County Fair! To insure that you continue to have a marvelous time, the American Red Cross offers these safety tips for fairgoers:

  • Be aware of the animals around you and their environment. Cows still kick, horses still bite, chickens still peck-even if they are on their best “fair” behavior. If your child isn’t growing up with livestock, talk to them about petting, standing, too, close to animals and respecting their space. Even if your child is raised in an environment where they are used to animals, animals, not their own may respond differently than what they are used to dealing with and the livestock at the fair, is out of their normal environment.
  • When allowing older children to enjoy the fair independently, make sure you meet up with them frequently, which will allow them their fun, but also allow you to keep tabs on any ongoing situations. Make sure that children coming to the fair alone have a way to contact you at all times. In case of an emergency or if any medical treatment is needed, children under eighteen will need a parent’s or guardian’s signature to be released from emergency medical services care.
  • Establish with your younger children what do to if they become separated from you and “you” become lost. Tell them, who they should ask for help, where to go, who can they trust and how to deal with strangers. The Red Cross maintains a comfort station near EMS and Sheriff at the North End of the grandstands. This makes an excellent meeting place.
  • Carry with you a compact “first-aid kit” consisting of Band-Aids, pain relievers, emergency phone numbers, and antacids. Sunscreen is also a commonly forgotten item when attending the fair.
  • Pace yourself-there is plenty of fair and the time to enjoy it. Especially with hot weather, make sure that you drink plenty of water before you arrive. There are a variety of comfort and respite centers across the fairgrounds, stop in for water and rest your feet. Be aware of heat exhaustion symptoms, especially in the very young and the elderly who are the most susceptible.

For more information on family safety contact the American Red Cross Northern Miami Valley Ohio Chapter at 548-1002 or go online to www.redcross.org./NMVO

BPW LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE TO HOST CANDIDATE FORUM

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Greenville, OH. August 9, 2016 – Members and guests for the Greenville Business and Professional Women’s Club monthly meeting on September 8th will hear from local candidates for County Commissioner and Prosecuting Attorney. The meeting will be hosted by the Legislative committee members Gail Snyder (chair) and Diane Delaplane.

Candidates for County Commissioner, Matthew Aultman, Republican and Leon Rogers, Democrat will have an opportunity to speak to members. Also speaking will be candidates for Prosecuting Attorney, R. Kelly Ormsby III, Republican and David A. Rohrer, non-party.

Following the forum, plans will be discussed for the next meeting which is the annual guest night on October 14th to raise scholarship funds. The theme again this year will be “What a Girl Wants” and will include a silent auction, super raffle and vendors.

The dinner meeting will begin at 6:30 pm at the Private Dining Room at the Brethren’s Retirement Community, 750 Chestnut, Greenville. The Greenville BPW Club would like to invite women interested in learning more about the Club to the meeting. Contact Marilyn Emmons at 548-5024 or demmons@embarqmail.com by noon on Monday, September 5th, 2016 to make a reservation to attend this meeting. The cost is $12.00 per person. The Greenville BPW Club’s mission is to achieve equity for all women in the workplace through advocacy, education and information.

“Switching Gears” Summer Youth Program Helps Students

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(L to R) Chad Beanblossom, Dean Edison State-Darke County; 2016 “Switching Gears” Summer Youth participants; Kathryn Osborne and Cheryl Pressly (Summer Youth Instructors).
The “Switching Gears” Summer Youth Program through the Darke County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Darke DD) helps students focus on career exploration, employment preparation and life skills. The five week program ran Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from July 12 through August 11, 2016 and was open to Darke County students, ages 14 and 15, who receive services from Darke DD. Most sessions were held at Edison State Community College’s Darke County Campus. Students participated in a variety of activities to help them build skills in communication and teamwork. Continuing to fund, coordinate and support a variety of programming to individuals with disabilities, this program is just one way Darke DD assists individuals with transition skills and with coordinating services between school, home and job-readiness training to help students develop a post-graduation plan.

During their first week students focused on communication by participating in hands on activities, listening to a guest speaker and completing a business tour. One favorite activity was “People Search Bingo” where students cover a bingo square by finding someone in the class with whom they have things in common. Although the students attend six different schools, this activity allowed them to learn more about one another and to develop bonds. Another activity was titled “Marvelous Me” whereas; each student received a snack sized bag of M & M’s. Before eating each M & M the students answered a question aloud based on the color of the candy. These activities and others helped them practice talking about their strengths, abilities, and interests. The guest speaker for week one was John Rediger. John previously worked with Darke DD to assist in his job search and was more than happy to share his experiences of working at Kroger, volunteering, driving, and being engaged in his community. John encouraged the students to aim high, work hard and never give up on their dreams. On Thursday, the students enjoyed a tour of The Merchant House. Cassie Campbell, Managing Partner, and her team treated the students to a delicious pizza that the students topped themselves. While touring the Merchant House they learned about a variety of jobs in food service and what it takes to be successful in that field.

Teamwork was the focus on week two and students competed to build the tallest structure using marshmallows and spaghetti. Throughout this activity the students learned the importance of working together and practicing clear communication to reach their goal. On Thursday, students visited Brookdale Senior Living Solutions to learn more about job opportunities in the health care field. Tina McClanahan, Sales Manager, provided a tour and told students about the jobs and skills needed for entry level positions.

Life skills and self-advocacy was the focus for week three. On Tuesday, students met in the OSU Extension Learning Center where they prepared their lunch of Taco Grande and Simple Apple Pie. This activity taught them the importance of food safety, hygiene, kitchen cleanliness, using measurements and following a simple recipe. On Wednesday, Sue Huston, Darke DD Community Connections Coordinator, and Brett Brinley, self-advocate, shared with the students about the importance of advocating for oneself throughout their entire life. Students learned how to participate in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) meetings and how to speak up for themselves during life’s transitions. Brett also shared with the students about his disability, his strengths and the many large and small ways that he advocates for himself. On Thursday, Kristen Alspaugh, Employee Relations Manager, guided students through a tour of the Greenville Kroger store. Associates in each department shared their job duties and stressed the importance of customer service and giving back to their community.

Weeks four and five included more cooking classes at the OSU Extension Learning Center, more hands on learning experiences and a tour at Whirpool. Assuredly, the students learned more invaluable information regarding Darke County commerce and the skills it takes to be successful in their community. August 11 concluded the 2016 Switching Gears summer youth program and the students deserved a day filled with games, stories, learning exercises, graduation events and a pizza party!

The 2016 Switching Gears summer youth program has been a huge success for the students and staff alike. Darke DD could not have made this event a success without having wonderful partnerships with Edison State Community College, The Merchant House, Brookdale Healthcare, OSU Learning Center, The Kroger Co., Whirlpool, Marcos Pizza, Petermann Transportation and the Darke County Community as a whole. For all of your accommodations and support, Darke DD would like to give a huge THANK YOU to all!

Darke DD serves approximately 325 individuals with disabilities in various areas including; service and support administration, transition services, employment supports, volunteer coordination, and community connections. For more information, visit our website www.darkedd.org and be sure to like us on Facebook! Those who would like to learn more may also contact Rodney Willis, Community First Director at 937-459-4626 or rodneyw@darkedd.org.

ANSONIA HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY BLOOD DRIVE IS AUG. 31

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DON’T MOOSE AROUND! LAST CHANCE TO WIN ALASKA ADVENTURE

CBC “Blood Donors Don’t Moose Around” t-shirt design.
DAYTON, Ohio – Ansonia High School will host a community blood drive Wednesday, Aug. 31 from 8 a.m. to 12 noon in the gym, 600 East Canal St. The blood drive is open to students and community members. It comes during the final week of the “Wild About Alaska Summer Blood Drive” with a last chance to win an Alaska vacation for two. Donors are encouraged to schedule an appointment online at www.DonorTime.com or call 1-800-388-GIVE.

Everyone who registers to donate will receive the “Blood Donors Don’t Moose Around” t-shirt, the final Alaska t-shirt in the summer blood drive campaign. The shirt is green and the design features an Alaska moose under a full moon in the snow-covered wilderness.

Everyone age 18 and older will be entered in the Community Blood Center “Wild About Alaska Adventure for Two Summer Blood Drive” drawing to win a custom-designed Alaska vacation for two. The summer blood drive campaign ends Sept. 3 and the winner of the Alaska vacation for two will be announced in mid-September.

The grand prize includes air travel to Alaska, deluxe accommodations during your week-long stay, and options for a cruise or land travel. The vacation is for the winning donor and a travel companion.
Donors can double their chances of winning by entering the drawing a second time when they register for a second donation before the summer blood drive ends on Sept. 3. Official rules are available at www.givingblood.org.

ZIKA TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS NOW INCLUDE FLORIDA’S MIAMI-DADE CO.

Community Blood Center is taking additional precautions against the Zika virus by asking anyone who has traveled to Florida’s Miami-Dade County in the last four weeks to refrain from donating blood.

Several residents of a Miami neighborhood have contracted the Zika virus and health experts believe it was transmitted locally by mosquito bites.

CBC is currently deferring potential donors for 28 days who have traveled to Zika endemic areas in the Caribbean, Mexico and Central or South America.

CBC has expanded the 28-day deferral to include potential donors who have traveled to Florida’s Miami-Dade County.

Adding new travel restrictions has the potential to impact the available blood supply by further limiting the number of people able to donate. Zika travel deferments already in place, and stricter FDA requirements for hemoglobin level and pulse screening that went into effect May 23, already represent a two percent potential impact on the donor deferral rate.

Oinkers Painting Event

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The Preble County Art Association and the Preble County Pork Festival have teamed up once again to present Oinkers for Art. Pigs are being painted on August 27th from 8am-1pm at the Eaton Earlybird Farmer’s Market. Selected teams this year include: Essence of Wellness, Preble Trails, Preble County District Library, Summit Chiropractic, Blue Star Mothers of America, Greenbriar Senior Campus, Spicy Bois, and painter Hannah Wojcik. Painted pigs will be displayed along the parade route, then it is off to the races as they will be moved to the fair grounds in front of the Rotary Junction for voting on Saturday, September 17th.

The winning pig will earn its painter $100, with 2nd place earning $75, and 3rd earning $50. Winners are determined by votes earned at the Pork Festival. Each pig will have its own penny voting bin where voters can cast a few cents or a few bucks for their favorite pig. All pigs will be up for auction on the 17th at Rotary Junction immediately following the announcement of awards at 5pm.

Give us a call at 937-456-3999 or stop in to visit us at 601 Hillcrest Drive. We are open 1pm to 6pm, Tuesday to Friday and until 8pm on Thursday. The Visual Art Center is operated by the Preble County Art Association. Visit www.takepartinart.net to learn more about the Art Association.

DCP Volunteer Bingo A Blast!

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Volunteers enjoyed an evening of food and bingo.
Darke County Parks would like to send a huge thank you to all of their volunteers. Whether they regularly help with school groups, maintenance, animal care, historical interpretation, special events, habitat healing, or anything in between, the park district board and staff truly appreciate all their hard work and dedication! The staff hopes all the volunteers have enjoyed the past year at the park and will continue to volunteer for many years to come!

Last month, volunteers gathered for an evening of fun, food, and friendship at the Nature Center to celebrate a year’s worth of volunteer accomplishments. After a light supper, volunteers enjoyed an ice cream sundae bar where they could create the perfect cool treat for a hot summer evening. Then everyone played bingo and received a plethora of prizes including fairy garden planters, gift cards, Pampered Chef cookware, and even a Kindle Fire all donated by staff and local businesses. A special thank you goes to KitchenAid Experience and the Darke County Visitors Bureau for donating a KitchenAid blender won by Robert Wiest in a very lucky bingo.

Volunteer Coordinator, Kathi McQueen, who organized the event, said, “Our park volunteers are so generous with their time. I took over this position early this year, and they have worked so hard to help make the transition smooth.” She also encouraged anyone who may be thinking about volunteering to give her a call or an email to discuss the wide variety of opportunities available.

To inquire about volunteer opportunities or any of the exciting programs offered by Darke County Parks, call the Nature Center at (937) 548-0165 or email info@darkecountyparks.org.

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