News

VAN WERT — The Vantage Culinary Arts students dusted off their rolling pins and fired up the ovens, making their favorite Christmas cookies that were donated to the Van Wert American Legion Post 178.

SHANGHAI (AP) — The mourners in Shanghai lit candles and placed flowers. Someone scrawled “Urumqi, 11.24, Rest in Peace” in red on cardboard — referring to the deadly apartment fire in China’s western city of Urumqi that sparked anger over perceptions the country’s strict COVID-19 measures played a role in the disaster.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is being warned about the potentially dire consequences of a case next week involving a Christian graphic artist who objects to designing wedding websites for same-sex couples.

FOSTORIA — AgCredit, one of northern Ohio’s largest lenders for farmers, rural homeowners and agribusiness, today announced that it is awarding $121,000 in Mission Fund grants to 23 community organizations in support of their efforts to improve the quality of life in communities primarily within the cooperative’s 18-county service territory.

LIMA — The American College of Cardiology accredited Lima Memorial Health System as a chest pain center with primary percutaneous coronary intervention, a non-invasive surgical procedure to relieve heart disease symptoms or reduce damage from a heart attack.

BLUFFTON — Citizens National Bank has named Kristen Yost as Branch Operations Manager of their Bluffton office. In this position, Yost is responsible for branch oversight, including daily operations, sales and financial performance.

LIMA — Attorney Mindi Wells, founder and managing attorney of Wells Law, was selected for the HR Impact Award by Columbus Business First, which recognizes excellence in human resource professionals from micro to large companies across Central Ohio.

PANDORA— First National Bank has announced that Andrew Rager has joined the team as Mortgage Lending Manager. Rager will be responsible for originating home loans within local communities, developing competitive and practical mortgage products that serve the needs of customers, and supporting the success of our team of mortgage originators.

WAPAKONETA — A former Wapakoneta utility clerk has been indicted on 15 felony charges stemming from the alleged theft of more than $150,000 from the city, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

CONTINENTAL — In accordance with OAC rule 901:10-6-01, public notice is hereby given that the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) is accepting comments on a draft Permit to Install (PTI) and a draft Permit to Operate (PTO) for a facility to be called “NASA Farms LLC”. This facility, if approved, will be located at 16760 Road G, Continental, Ohio 45831 in Putnam County, Palmer Township in the Auglaize Watershed. If the final permits are issued, the PTO would be valid for five years and the PTI would be valid for two years.