MOUNT VICTORY — The Southeast Hardin Northwest Union Fire District’s EMS program has been up and running since Dec. 1, 2016, and is now hoping to raise funds for the purchase of state-of-the-art life-saving equipment. EMS Chief and Assistant Fire Chief Travis Bahan spoke to the Mount Victory Village Council at its regular meeting Thursday to provide an update on how the district’s EMS program is going.

MOUNT VICTORY — The Ridgemont School District is seeking input from the community on what should be done with the empty plot of land on West Taylor Street where the elementary school one stood. Ridgemont Superintendent Emmy Beeson was present at the Mount Victory Village Council meeting Thursday night, seeking feedback on what council members believe would be the best use of the land.

MOUNT VICTORY — The Ridgemont Board of Education hopes to have an interim superintendent in place for the 2017-2018 school year at its July 27 regular meeting. The board, at a special meeting Wednesday night, an-nounced it wants to go the interim route as it considers a succession plan.

BELLEFONTAINE — Two area school superintendents face possible prison terms in a rape case involving a 13-year-old victim. According to the Bellefontaine Examiner, charges were filed earlier this summer against Indian Lake Superintendent Patrick O’Donnell. The 52-year-old school leader is facing four charges of rape, four counts of sexual battery, six counts of gross sexual imposition.

If everything goes as planned, one of Hardin County’s most visible eyesores will be gone by the end of 2016. The county commissioners met with representatives from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Ohio Development Services Agency on Tuesday afternoon to receive an update on removing the former Highway Oil property at the corner of Ohio 235 and County Road 45, south of Ada.

ADA — The Ada Police Department is receiving a great deal of support from the community and elsewhere in raising funds to start another K-9 program. Chief Michael Harnishfeger updated Ada Council members, at their regular meeting on Tuesday night, that donations received in the office and from the GoFundMe page are up to $1,380.

Hardin County will be applying for funding through Community Development Block Grants in three villages this year. Regional Planning Director Mark Doll reported to the county commissioners Tuesday that applications for grants in Ada, Alger and McGuffey are ready for submission and a decision on the funding should be announced late next month.

Kenton’s financial picture took another hit during June, with income tax revenue down another 8 percent from a year ago. Figures provided by the income tax department show collections for June at $247,422.85, off more than $21,000 from the $268,519.39 received in June of 2016.

A new building to house committal services at Kenton’s Grove Cemetery will be erected through a $30,000 donation from the American Legion in Kenton. Kenton City Councilwoman Antwilla Davis, who serves as president of the Grove Cemetery Board, announced the project at Monday’s council meeting.

McGUFFEY — The McGuffey council agreed to monitor the water usage at a select number of houses to determine the amount used in the village. McGuffey has had water meters in place for about 10 years, said Mayor Greg Howard, but residents are billed $22 per month on a flat rate. Combined with the $55 for sewer service, customers are billed $77 monthly for the village services.