LATEST NEWS

Oct. 3—LIMA — A Lima man was sentenced to a minimum of 10 years in prison Wednesday in the Allen County Common Pleas Court for drug trafficking and possession. Cortlend Banks, 31, pleaded guilty in September to three of the 11 charges he was indicted on, including cocaine possession and fentanyl trafficking and possession with multiple specifications. Judge Terri Kohlrieser followed the joint ...

Oct. 4—LIMA — A Lima man who prosecutors say abused a child and attempted to cause physical harm to that person via strangulation has received a second plea offer that expires Friday, Oct. 11. Allen County Chief Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Thines put an offer on the official court record in April that called for Patrick Kollars, 46, to plead guilty to one of two second-degree felony ...

Steven Gipson, 53, of Lima, found guilty of persistent disorderly conduct. Sentence: 30 days jail. 0 days suspended. $100 fine. Tina M. Moorman, 45, of Lima, found guilty of DUS-OVI susp. Sentence: 180 days jail. 177 days suspended. $250 fine. Stephen M. Pack, 43, of Wapakoneta, found guilty of OVI...

Oct. 4—LIMA — A plea deal was offered to a Lima man Friday in Allen County Common Pleas Court that will expire on Oct. 11 on a charge of attempted murder, a first-degree felony. Prosecutors offered Daniel Elliott, 26, five years in prison on the charge, but his attorney, Stephen Chamberlain of the Allen County Public Defenders Office, said Elliott still wants to go to trial. A jury trial is ...

Oct. 3—LIMA — A new Dollar General is currently under construction and is slated for a late 2025 opening at 721 Flanders Ave., Lima, according to Emma Hall, Dollar General's public relations coordinator. This marks Lima's 12th Dollar General location. It will be located near Findlay Road/state Route 81, between Summit and McCullough streets. The new location will serve as a DG Market, offering ...

LIMA, OHIO (WLIO) - An Elida man made his first court appearance Friday after the death of his 2-year-old daughter last month in a burning car. A preliminary hearing was held in Lima Municipal Court for 33-year-old Nicholas Stemen. He's facing a felony charge of endangering children, but a grand...

BATH TOWNSHIP, ALLEN CO. OHIO - Two juveniles were arrested after threats were made against students and staff at Bath Middle School. Allen County Sheriff’s Deputies were called Tuesday afternoon to Bath Middle School after a threat of violence was made. During the investigation, detectives arrested two male juveniles that night. The sheriff’s office appreciates the schools prompt action in reaching out to them and the work of the detectives in finding the ones responsible. They encourage students, teachers, and staff to report any threats because the safety of the schools and children are their top priority.

I would like to make a comment concerning the closing of the Dana Corp. plant in Lima, the result being the loss of 280 jobs. The reason for the company given by the company spokesman, Craig Barber, was to enhance efficiency and to adapt to changes in the customer landscape. (“It’s part of our strategy to move operations quite a bit,” he said.)

LIMA — Now that October has arrived, Halloween will soon be here, including trick or treat. Listed below are scheduled trick-or-treat times in the region:. • Cridersville: 6 to 7:30 p.m. Oct. 31; Fall Festival and Halloween Parade at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 28. • Delphos: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m....

LIMA — The City of Lima is accepting applications for Neighborhood Impact Grants until 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 18. Neighborhood associations recognized by the city and 501(c)(3) organizations in Allen County are eligible to apply for and receive a grant award up to $2,000 per awardee to increase volunteer participation.

SIDNEY — The Shelby County grand jury issued indictments for rape, aggravated trafficking in drugs, failure to comply, and assault, among other charges, on Tues. Sept 24. Michelle R. Schmerge, 34, currently in the Shelby County Jail, was indicted on seven counts of rape, a first degree felony, fourteen counts pandering obscenity involving a minor, a second degree felony, and three counts gross sexual imposition, a third degree felony, for engaging in sexual conduct with a male child victim less than two years of age, and knowingly creating and reproducing obscene material that has a male child victim less than two years of age as one of its participants.

On 9-22-2024 an officer on patrol located a female, 18-year-old Mercedes Wallace, of Delphos, who had an active warrant out of Allen County. Wallace was taken into custody and turned over to a Deputy from the Allen County Sheriff’s Office. On 9-23-2024 officers spoke with a female in the...

LIMA, OH (WLIO) - A Lima City Schools tradition only in its second year is rapidly growing in popularity with the students. Athletes, club members, and other students as young preschoolers walked through downtown to Lima Senior for their annual homecoming parade. The high school marching band and cheerleaders from several different grade levels took the opportunity to perform, and many groups showed off their NFL team spirit too. Staff members say students make a lot of fun memories being in the parade, and they leave the experience with even more school pride.

Oct. 3—LIMA — Cenovus Energy and the City of Lima will participate in Ohio's signature event for the 250th birthday of the United States of America in two years. Ohio's Homecoming and Picnic will feature current and former Ohioans celebrating the semiquincentennial with community picnics across the state, including one in Lima. "We're looking forward to having our homecoming picnic and hope to ...

LIMA, OH (WLIO) - ODOT wants your thoughts on an upcoming roundabout in northern Allen County. A public meeting was held Thursday night about the roundabout at Bluelick and State Route 65 that is expected to begin construction as early as late summer of 2027. ODOT explained that there will be some temporary and permanent property acquisition as well as utility lines moved.

If I look hard enough, I can find God anywhere. That sunrise coming up, I can see Him in that. The sweet embrace of a friend or child, I can feel His love. A kind word from a stranger or a good morning note just because — I know God was a part of those.

TOLEDO, OHIO (WLIO) - A South African man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in a 2022 murder in Auglaize County. Anthony Theodorou was sentenced on four federal charges related to the drug that he helped import that caused the death of Timothy Hovanec. Theodorou developed a relationship with Amanda Hovanec when she and Timothy were stationed in South Africa, and during the middle of Hovanec’s divorce proceedings while back in the United States, Theodorou aided in Amanda’s plan to kill her husband, including sending the drug used, and helped dispose of Timothy’s body. Amanda was sentenced to 40 years in prison, and her mother, Anita Green, was also sentenced to 10 years in prison for the crime accessory after the fact, for her part in the crime.

LIMA, Ohio — Some 70 miles or so south of Toledo down I-75, 25 officials from federal, state, and Allen County took part to celebrate this week as the wraps came off an H2Ohio project, one that had its initial conception dating back to the 1990s. The Baughman Ditch Petition was initially pursued in 1997 by Diane Baughman, a local resident who lived in a home and owned a rental in the watershed and wanted to rein in the flooding. The project at the N West Street and Bluelick Road intersection is about three miles north of town. Because of...

The world’s worst band was there for me on one of the most harrowing days of my life. So there I was seated at my desk chair on my lunch break on an unseasonably cold day in August a few years before the pandemic, holding the phone receiver which has gone dead on the other end, and I have one thing on my mind. I need a Green Jelly tattoo. And I need it now. Some background: I’m an at-birth adoptee who had been searching for my birth mother since the ’90s. Finally, thanks to an adoption “search angel” I got a lead. Then came the morning of Aug. 2, 2018. I'd tracked down my birth mother and on that day on my lunch break I decided to reach out and call her. I'd previously sent her a letter with my photograph in it, inviting her to call me but hadn't heard anything back. So I decided to hell with it, I'll call her. Phone rings. Rings again. "Hello?"

Four teams come into this week with 4 and 2 overall records in the W-B-L, including tonight's matchup between Bath and Celina. Our Dewayne Scott caught up with both head coaches ahead of kickoff. Catch all the action tonight at 11:10 on Your Hometown Stations, and check our High School Football Scoreboard at https://www.hometownstations.com/sports/footballscoreboard/ for all the region's scores!