Jobless numbers in Williams County and northwest Ohio rose slightly prior to the COVID-19-related shutdown of Ohio businesses. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the state rate for March was 5.5 percent, up 1.4 percent from February. The U.S. rate is at 4.4 percent…which is where Williams County’s is at …

Matthew J. Gonzales, age 45, of Columbia, Ohio, passed away at 5:32 P.M. on Monday, April 20, 2020, shortly after admittance to Community Hospitals and Wellness Centers in Montpelier, Ohio.  He was an owner/operator truck driver, driving for Kopf Leasing, Inc. of Elkhart, Indiana, for the last twenty years.  Matt …

Fairy F. Riter, age 80, of rural Stryker, passed away unexpectedly at her home on Monday, April 20, 2020. She was born on December 24, 1939 near Stryker to Calvin F. and Louella (Clark) Riter. Prior to her retirement she had worked at many local businesses, including Sauder Woodworking, Spangler …

The Bryan City Council and the City School Board approve an updated agreement for the school resource officer program…for COVID-19, or any other state of emergency. Under the agreement, first approved in July 2018, the city pays the salary of one officer while the school district pays for two others. …

Crews in Montpelier respond to a basement fire on S. Monroe St., near the fire station. They say someone welding a riding lawn mower, may have touched off the gas tank. Some damage to a few items are reported. No injuries in the blaze…and none of the residents had to …

Schools across Ohio will stay closed for the remainder of the school year while classes continue remotely…Gov. Mike DeWine makes the call. The governor says no decision has been made about the fall but said a blend of in-person and online learning might be an option for districts. He urged …

Indiana’s governor is easing restrictions on hospitals from performing elective surgeries, even as the state health commissioner remains concerned over whether coronavirus infections are slowing in the state. Gov. Eric Holcomb says while he was extending the statewide stay-at-home order until May 1, hospitals would be allowed to resume procedures …

Steven K. Brown, 71 of Milan, Ohio passed away Saturday, April 18, 2020 at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.  He was born on September 3, 1948 in Wauseon, Ohio to Maynard J. and Edith D. (Brannan) Brown.  Steve graduated from Montpelier High School in 1966 and then went to …

Len E. Mitchell, 85, of Pioneer, passed away on Sunday, April 19, 2020 at the Defiance Area Inpatient Hospice Center. He was born on July 17, 1934 in Pulaski, OH to Blake A. and Vera (Campbell) Mitchell. Len graduated from Montpelier High School in 1952. He honorably served his country …

Williams County has one more confirmed case of coronavirus. Health officials say the county has eight patients down with COVID-19. In all, there have been three hospitalizations and one death. The county has the second-lowest number of cases out of the surrounding counties, with Henry County only reporting three. Fulton …