ONTARIO — After losing to Ontario in the sectional finals last spring, the Kenton baseball team wanted to get off to a quick start in its rematch with the Warriors on Wednesday. The Wildcats did just that, plating two runs in the first inning and another in the second inning before holding off the hosts for a 5-2 win in Division II sectional baseball action.

“Fraud Costs All of Us” is the message the staff of Hardin County Jobs and Family Services is hoping to bring to the public as it promotes Public Assistance Fraud Awareness Month. The vision most people have of fraud abuse cases involves people on assistance “playing the system” and getting caught. Jessica Osborn is the investigator for the Hardin County …

DOLA — The theatrical performances of Hardin County area students were recognized Tuesday night at the Take-A-Bow Awards Ceremony at Hardin Northern High School. The eighth annual event was sponsored by the community theater group, the Hardin County Players. Committee members from the Players attended all the high school productions during the 2016-2017 school year.

The 2017 version of the Kenton Wildcat baseball team made history on Tuesday night. When the Wildcats defeated Celina 10-0 in five innings, they not only clinched second place in Western Buckeye League play for the first time in nearly 40 years, but they finished with seven wins in league play for the first time in school history.

Charlie Jacobsma, of the Columbus Zoo, holds a penguin as Audrey Carlson, 4, gets a closer look during Monday evening’s Fun Activity Motivates Everyone (FAME) event at Kenton Elementary School.

MOUNT VICTORY — The Ridgemont FFA continued its success at the state level last week at the Ohio FFA Convention. The chapter was named tops in the state in the Growing Leaders division of the contest. It also was one of the top ten chapters in Ohio in the Building Communities and Strengthening Agriculture.

The Hardin County Family YMCA wants to help children be safer around water this summer. That’s why next week it is offering a Safety Around Water program for children age 6 (by May 18, 2017) to 10 years old. The program will run Monday, May 15 to Thursday, May 18 at the YMCA pool.

RIDGEWAY — With just two hits through four innings, Ridgemont was looking for an offensive spark against Perry in the first round of softball sectional tournament action on Monday. Taylor Cronley provided that spark in the fifth inning with a leadoff double to right field, setting off a five-run inning for the Gophers on the way to a 6-1 win.

After working outside of Kenton for eight years – five of them on the road – Jesse Purcell was ready to return to the place she had called home and spend more time with her family. In January, Purcell took over as the chamber and tourism director at the Hardin County Chamber and Business Alliance.

Selected as the Kenton Elks Lodge Teenagers of the Year for 2017 were (from left) Hardin Northern’s Cassandra Miller and Garrett Eikenbary, while Sydney Holderman of Riverdale was named the Volunteer of the Year.