The Office of the Comptroller of Currency on Tuesday approved the merger of Commercial Savings Bank, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Commercial Bancshares Inc., into First Federal, a wholly-owned bank subsidiary of First Defiance Financial Corp. The acquisition includes seven, full-service Commercial Savings Bank offices in Hancock, Wyandot and Marion counties …

Barbara Avona (Johnston) Eschhofen, age 87, of Bryan, Ohio passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016 at her home. Born April 14, 1929 in Edgerton, Ohio, Barbara was the daughter of Carleton D. and V. Hope (Farnham) Johnson and was a graduate of Bryan High School. She married LaVon C. Eschhofen …

The Pioneer Village Council discussed baby boxes at its meeting Monday evening, though no action will be taken until the law is finalized. The Ohio General Assembly legalized safety incubators, or “baby boxes” – a padded, heated, enclosed box where mothers can anonymously surrender unwanted newborns – as part of …

A Fremont man and his passenger escaped harm when their vehicle was struck by a train just east of here Saturday night. According to the Toledo post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, at 11:05 p.m., a vehicle driven by Casey Lovell, 21, Fremont, was westbound on Fulton County Road D, …

Members of the Central Local School Board expressed regret over the loss of high school principal Phil Witker, whose resignation was accepted during a brief regular board session Monday. Witker, who has been with Central Local for two and a half years, is leaving as of Dec. 30 for personal …

Williams County Sheriff Steve Towns says his satellite office at the county fairgrounds in Montpelier helps him better serve the public. The Bryan Times reports the sheriff’s office, though, may have to share or vacate the house. Commissioners on Monday invited the county Department of Jobs & Family Services to …

Carmon G. Wade, age 81, of Bonita Springs, Florida and formerly of Bryan, Ohio passed away Tuesday, December 6, 2016 at Physician’s Regional Hospital in Naples, Florida. Mr. Wade worked in maintenance at Pet Milk and General Tire before retiring to Florida. He was a US Army veteran of the …

Leonard L. Ewers, age 81, of Ney, Ohio passed away Saturday, December 10, 2016 at the Toledo Hospital. Mr. Ewers was a supervisor at Bryan Metals prior to his retirement and was a US Army veteran. He was the primary caretaker for his parents and enjoyed fishing with his family. …

Two men escaped with their lives intact after they were forced to flee from a vehicle before it was struck by a train in Archbold over the weekend. The Ohio Highway Patrol said the 21-year-old men were in a car traveling about a mile east of Archbold when the driver …

A Fulton County man died following a one-vehicle crash near Evansport Saturday night. According to the Defiance post of the Ohio Highway Patrol, 30 year old Jacob King of Wauseon, was driving his car westbound on Defiance-Williams County Line Road at approximately 11:20 p.m. Saturday when he drove off the …