As the race to become Ohio's next governor enters its final two weeks, Jon Husted, who is running for Lt. Governor on the ticket with Mike DeWine, encouraged Hardin County Republicans to get out the vote for their candidate. "There is a lot at stake in this election," Husted told the Republicans at their headquarters in Kenton on Monday.

Thanks to an ambitious young police officer and a generous community, the Kenton Police Department has a new K-9 on its force. Patrolman Melvin Yoder introduced 13-month-old police dog Christo at Monday night’s Kenton City Council session.

Ground was broken Monday on an addition to the We Care Center on Eliza Street in Kenton, which is expected to start offering mental health services to the county's youth in the spring. Michael Schoenhofer, executive director of the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Allen, Auglaize and Hardin Counties, said the $700,000 project is expected to be completed in March or April. It is the first construction project sponsored by the board in any of the three counties in at least the last 25 years, Schoenhofer said.

Winners of the Ada Halloween Parade contest were announced on Monday evening.

Costumed creatures are invited to seek their Halloween treats at a community Trunk-or-Treat, set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Kenton’s First United Methodist Church, Kenton Full Gospel Church and St. John’s United Church of Christ.

ADA — As the office manager at Metz Petz Veterinary Clinic near Ada, Cody Long is rewarded with seeing the animals who come in for treatment improve over the course of their visits. Cody has been with Metz Petz since first volunteering in June of 2008. Hired on shortly after as an assistant, he has spent the past 10 years working up to where he is now.

A pair of draft horses wait patiently in a long line of wagons to give guests at the annual Forestry Field Day a ride through the woods at the farm of Tom and Judy Williams on County Road 60 near Ada on Sunday.

OTTAWA — The Kenton High School girls cross country team qualified for regionals, finishing fourth of 11 teams at the Ottawa Division II district on Saturday. The top four teams and individuals in the top 16 qualified for Saturday’s regional cross country meet in Tiffin.

VAN BUREN — After suffering a 1-0 loss on the road to Van Buren just over two weeks ago, the Riverdale Falcons were looking to flip the score in their favor in Saturday’s Division III sectional final between the two Blanchard Valley Conference teams.

Stillwater Metal owners Dustin McCullouth (left) and Sam Hostetler stand with some of the machinery at the facility on Friday. A ribbon-cutting and open house allowed visitors to see the building and witness the process of transforming the sheets of metal into custom siding and trim.