Five new inductees were added to the Agriculture Hall of Fame Thursday night for their outstanding contributions to farming and their work in helping others in the ag community. The 2021 class includes Gene McCluer, Clyde Ditto, Kewpee Hamburgers and Jay Begg and Gerald Brooks posthumously. The Allen County Ag hall of fame was started in 2013 by the Lima Allen County Chamber of Commerce and has 29 inductees. Last year, they were joined by Nutrien to honor those unsung heroes who feed America.

The Ohio Fair Managers Association has announced that the late Jay Begg has been inducted into the class of 2021 Hall of Fame. Begg started his career as a 4-H member exhibiting dairy cattle at the Putnam County Fair. He would go on to become a 4-H advisor and started the Rockport Ag 4-H club. He would go on to become the Allen County Fair manager in 1995 where he served until 2012 when he decided to run for Allen County Commissioner.

Begg passed Monday night from the injuries he sustained last November while working at his home. Begg took office in 2013 and was a commissioner until March of this year. The Republican chairman says Begg had a special ability to bring two sides together to find a resolution. The commissioners say they will miss him and his dedication to service. Begg was previously the Allen County fair manager for 17 years and served on the fair board. He could still be seen every day at the Allen County Fair when he was a commissioner.

Tonight, the Allen County Republican Party held a press conference to appoint a new county commissioner. Beth Seibert was appointed the role of the Republican county commissioner. She will fill the unexpired term of former commissioner Jay Begg until the end of the year. She calls the moment bittersweet because she admires Begg but she believes she has what it takes to handle the new role.

The postponement of the Primary Election has impacted the Allen County Republicans' decision to fill the commissioner's seat.The party had planned to fill Jay Begg's seat for the remainder of the term with the winner of the Republican Primary race. Now that's on hold because the party's council cannot meet due to gathering concerns from Covid-19. Last week it was announced Begg would not return to his commissioner role. He suffered an injury at his home last fall and will exceed the days allotted by the Ohio Revised Code for elected officials to be outside their respective office. The ORC allows 90 days plus an additional 30 days for medical issues.

When County Commissioner Jay Begg decided not to run for re-election, seven candidates stepped up to take his place, including five Republicans who will be going up against one another in the March Primary. They introduced themselves to the Allen County GOP on Friday. 

Allen County commissioners met in special session today(1/6/20) getting ready for 2020. The reorganization meeting has placed Cory Noonan as president and Greg Sneary as vice president. Commissioner Jay Begg remains on medical leave. The 2020 general budget was passed at 29.2-million dollars. This is the fund for the day to day operating expenses of the county. It's up slightly as 133-thousand dollars is earmarked for additional needs of the board of elections for the presidential election this year. 

We have an update to a story we brought you more than a month ago where we told you Allen County Commissioner Greg Sneary would be retiring by the end of the year. Now that's changed.

During a press conference Monday the Allen County Republican party chairman announced that commissioner Jay Begg will no longer serve as a candidate for the seat he has held since January of 2013.

On Saturday, November 9, Allen County Commissioner Jay Begg suffered an injury while doing some work at his residence. He is recovering well after a successful surgery and will be returning to work. During his recovery, Commissioners Noonan and Sneary will maintain the day to day operations of the Allen County Commissioner’s Office.