The plan to breathe new life into the Kenton downtown area is closer to becoming a reality following city council’s approval of contracts to not only make the area more attractive but also to function more efficiently.

Robert Carder, who was defeated for a seat on the Hardin County commissioners by two votes earlier this month, has waived his right to an automatic recount, according to Board of Elections Director Sandra Bookmyer. The recount was slated to take place today.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — The Riverdale Board of Education is moving forward in its pursuit of an updated security system for the school. The district’s current security system is about 13 to 14 years old, Superintendent Eric Hoffman said at Riverdale’s monthly board meeting on Monday.

A woman who was considered to be a major drug dealer in Hardin County is headed to prison for five years. A jury of four men and eight women found Jamie Lee Whittaker guilty of 17 counts of drug-related charges on Nov. 16. Monday afternoon, Judge Scott Barrett said he had the responsibility to protect the public from Whittaker and sent her to prison.

Two Kenton men were identified as sexual offenders in separate cases before the Hardin County Common Pleas Court recently.

DOLA — Hardin Northern 7-12 principal Drew Cano, with the help of teachers and staff, has been working to change the cultural mindset of the current generation of students. Cano is in his first year at the position, taking the job after spending the previous 15 years teaching at the school where he had a daily interaction with students.

When most people injure themselves, they hope there is someone nearby to provide first aid until they can be seen by a doctor. The same should be true when someone is suffering from depression or other mental conditions, according to Pastor Jason Manns and OSU Extension Educator Jami Dellifield, and classes are being offered to educate participants on the benefits of mental health first aid.

Last spring, Seth Davis was looking for someone to job-shadow. At that time, he was an eighth-grader at Ridgemont and was hoping to find someone to show him the advantages of a career in maintenance. He turned to Dave Manns and that choice has changed his life.

One of Hardin County’s most visible eyesores may be on borrowed time. The abandoned gas station known as Highway Oil, located at the corner of Ohio 309 and Ohio 235, south of Ada, has gradually deteriorated into a nuisance over several decades of inactivity.

A new program to assist young parents was announced at the Kenton-Hardin Health Board meeting Tuesday night. Cribs for Kids puts a sleeping unit in the home of newborns who have no other place to sleep, said Director of Nursing Cindy Keller. The goal of the national program is to reduce the instances where infants are sleeping with parents.