Archive - Jan 2013 - News Article
January 25th
ST. MARYS — Senior Roughrider Luke Leffel, 17, is all about sports, the outdoors and meeting people.
These passions are reflected in the many activities and organizations in which he participates, both within the walls of Memorial High School and outside it.
Leffel is a member of the school Sportsmanship Committee. During his freshman year, one of Leffel’s peers recommended him for the committee and he went along with it.
ST. MARYS — The first 200 students of a revised DARE decision-making curriculum in St. Marys graduated in the middle school auditorium Friday morning.
Deputy Sam Blank, in his fifth year of teaching the program, said the new decision-making curriculum left him skeptical initially.
“But then it just clicked. It made sense,” he said.
ST. MARYS — A countywide organization recognized a slew of volunteers who helped make a difference in the lives of their neighbors.
The United Way of Auglaize County held a Celebration and Appreciation Luncheon Thursday afternoon at the St. Marys Eagles. The event was a celebration of the accomplishments of the past year, an opportunity to recognize the hard work of its volunteers and present awards and to announce the results of its 2012 campaign.
January 24th
ST. MARYS — A former mayor has decided to seek a seat on St. Marys City Council this year.
Greg Freewalt confirmed to The Evening Leader he will seek the Democratic nomination for the 3rd Ward City Council seat in the May primary. Current 3rd Ward Councilor Bill Slemmons announced he plans to retire at the end of the year — opening the door for Freewalt to seek the position.
NEW BREMEN — For New Bremen residents Ben Tuttle, 15, and Paul Luft, 16, life as typical high school students changed entirely when their guitar teacher Jeff King approached them with the idea of creating a country band.
“He kind of put us together,” said Luft, the band’s lead vocalist.
Luft had been taking lessons from King for about a year, then stopped for a year.
Around the time he resumed lessons, Tuttle also started taking lessons from King.
“It was pretty exciting,” Ben said.
January 23rd
ST. MARYS — Trishina Thomas, a mother of three, remembers her big sister, Robbi Burke, in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program when she was a child.
“She had a different lifestyle than I had,” said Thomas, who now has three children in the program. “That gave me hope.”
ST. MARYS — Residents in the 2nd Ward of St. Marys will have a new face representing them on city council next year.
Dennis Vossler, who has served on St. Marys City Council for 18 years, confirmed to The Evening Leader he plans to retire and will not seek re-election this year. Vossler will leave office once his term expires on Dec. 31.
“I knew this was going to be my last year,” Vossler said. “I’ve been at it for 18 years and now it’s time to let someone else take a swing at it.”
January 22nd
ST. MARYS — While the rest of the world may make resolutions to get better every January, Michelle Evans encourages patients and spouses at the first meeting of the year of the St. Marys Parkinson’s Support Group to set a goal to maintain what they have.
“To stay the same is huge,” said Evans, co-coordinator of the group.
ST. MARYS — A Wapakoneta resident was honored Saturday night for her dedication to the field of law enforcement and her community.
Members of the Auglaize County Fraternal Order of Police presented Mary Wagner with its law enforcement officer of the year award. Wagner, who has worked for the Ohio Adult Parole Authority for 18 years as a parole officer, said she did not expect her name to be called during Saturday’s ceremony.
January 21st
“Leader Look Back” is a collection of stories and headlines from 75, 50 and 25 years ago this week. This week’s edition examines stories from Jan. 15 to Jan. 21, 1938, 1963 and 1988.
75 years ago: St. Marys City Councilors discovered a previously approved pay raise could not pertain to them because under Ohio law, pay increases for council would go into effect for the next group of city councilors after an election.
Ralph Siferd, of Wapakoneta, announced his candidacy as a county representative.
