It was a full house at St. Marys City Council as a federal official from Washington D.C. traveled out to Auglaize County. On Monday evening, United States Ambassador for the Embassy of the Republic of The Marshall Islands, Charles Paul, spoke to council and residents. Ambassador Paul's visit was due to public concerns made in the October 28th council meeting that Marshallese communities are buying churches in St. Marys to house multiple families. In an interview last Friday with St. Marys Mayor Joe Hurlburt Jr., Mayor Hurlburt stated that a church was previously purchased but only as a place for worship. After council, we spoke with Ambassador Paul about what key messages he addressed.

A United States ambassador to the Marshall Islands will be traveling to St. Marys to address public concerns raised at the October 28th St. Marys City Council meeting. According to St. Marys Mayor Joe Hurlburt Jr., several members of the public raised concerns that Marshallese communities are buying churches in St. Marys and surrounding communities to house multiple families.

November 7, 2024, Press Release from the Ohio Department of Development: (COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik met this morning with several officials from the Ukrainian region of Kharkiv Oblast for the signing of a Memorandum of Cooperation aimed at strengthening Ohio’s support for the war-torn country.  Among those attending the signing ceremony from Ukraine were Head of the Kharkiv Oblast Regional Council Tetiana Yehorova-Lutsenko and Ukrainian Ambassador to the United States Oksana Markarova.

Lima's Mayor Sharetta Smith welcoming the Harima-cho Deputy Mayor, Board of Education Staff member, and Collaboration Promotion Dept. Chief to Lima on Monday.  The group took tours around the city, and at the Ford Engine Plant, before attending the Lima City Council Meeting Monday night.  

Lima Sister Cities Association is celebrating a 25-year relationship with Harima-cho, Japan. To help mark the quarter century of friendship and collaboration, the organization is starting a large project to document the history of the sister city partnership. They are looking for old photos, videos, and even some short letters either from trips to Japan or from people hosting representatives of Harima-cho here in Lima. The project will not only show the cultural exchange between the two cities but also the growth of the program over the last two decades.

Ambassador of the Year is a chamber member who is a cheerleader for other businesses, attending ribbon cuttings and grand openings, and being a liaison between the members and the chamber. This year's ambassador is Adah Ellerbrock.

Since its inception in 2015, the coalition has been working with the Sight Center of Northwestern Ohio connecting individuals who are visually impaired with services in the region. The group also hosts events including employment fairs, blind bowling, nature hikes, and even trips to sites like "Cosi". To assist in providing these events, they are holding their first ever "Dinner in the Dark".

Mothers Against Drunk Driving was established on September 5th, 1980, and 42 years later they are still working to stop impaired drivers from being on the roads. Nationally, the group has helped pass 2,300 anti-impaired driving and underage drinking laws. The Lima Chapter of MADD is looking for new members and you don't have to be a mom to join.

One of those camps is the Global Problems and World Peace camp. The students delve into a variety of global issues during the camp and work on solutions to the problem. The students each became an ambassador to a different nation, then on the final day, they gave presentations to the mock UN on a specific topic from the view of their country. The goal is to talk about worldwide issues and find ways to fix them.

The Ottawa River Coalition’s annual “Good Friday Fish Fry” has become a tradition in Allen County as hundreds come out for a great meal. But they are also supporting the coalition’s efforts to educate the public about the importance of the river and its watershed to our region. They offer a variety of programs about the river for all ages.