Millions of Americans are under winter weather advisories and if you’re one of them, it’s important to make sure you’re staying safe – especially when shoveling snow. “Snow removal is actually pretty dangerous. Most commonly, we see people that strain their lower back while shoveling all the snow, mostly because snow is deceptively heavy,” said Carole Parsons, MD, emergency medicine physician for Cleveland Clinic. “A lot of people choose to scoop and throw the snow when it may actually be a little bit safer to try and push it instead.”

With the new year arriving Tuesday night, the Lima Police Department is reminding residents to not use guns to ring in 2025. Officers say "what goes up must come down" meaning any bullets fired into the air will have to come back down to the ground at some point. That means if someone fires a gun into the air to celebrate the new year, there is still a risk of a bullet striking property, an animal, or even another person causing possible injury or death. On Monday afternoon, we talked with LPD about the possible legal consequences if someone is caught shooting a gun into the air.

Just after 12:15 pm, Bath firefighters responded to 5250 Reservoir Road, where they found flames and smoke coming out of the rear bedroom of the house. Firefighters put out the flames in about 10 minutes. 

Multiple fire departments responded to a two-alarm house fire in Allen County this afternoon. First responders got the call to 3025 North Cool Road just before 2 p.m. Thursday. On arrival they found flames coming from the eaves all around the structure. Crews had to deal with high winds and cold temperatures but were able to get inside to fight the fire before the roof began collapsing.

November 20, 2024, Press Release from Mercer Health: Mercer Health will be offering Preventative Healthcare 101, a free community education series developed to empower the community to live a healthier life. The first session will be held on Tuesday, December 10, at 6:00pm at Mercer County Community Hospital, 800 W. Main St., Coldwater, and will feature Dr. Wilfred Ellis and Michelle Ashman, CNP, with Mercer Health’s Disease Management Center. They will provide tips on how to prevent infectious diseases and lower extremity complications from conditions such as diabetes and chronic wounds.

Shawnee Township first responders are getting some new equipment thanks to Marathon Petroleum. The Lima Marathon Pipeline and the Lima Marathon Terminal donated a combined $9,600 to the Shawnee Township Police and fire departments. The police department will be using the donation toward a couple of portable MARCS radios, and the fire department will be getting 8 communication headsets for their trucks.

November 13, 2024, press release from the Van Wert County Sheriff's Office: The information provided allows for a timely snapshot of events in our community. The crimes reported here are preliminary investigations, taken in the field by deputies, and may or may not be assigned to a Detective for further investigation. The information provided may be found after further investigation to be incorrect or false. Certain details of these incidents have been removed due to potential follow-up investigation into the incident and/or for privacy rights.

Lima Refining Company is responding to a release of gasoline vapors from a tank vent, which contributed to benzene readings in an isolated area for a short time. Shawnee Township Fire Department and EMA are on the scene. As a precautionary measure, community members were asked to avoid Buckeye Road. That road has since been opened. There may be an odor; local air quality is being monitored. There are no detectable readings at this time. There has been no directive from local authorities or Lima Refinery to alter daily activities. Activities can continue as normal. “There is no shelter-in-place order, no danger to the public,” stated Shawnee Township Fire Chief Austin Miller.

Multiple fire departments battled a barn fire Monday afternoon just east of Fort Jennings. Just past 3 p.m., the Fort Jennings volunteer fire department responded to 19773 Road 20 in Putnam County, where they found flames shooting through the roof of a barn and approaching two adjacent buildings, one housing pigs.