Ohio Northern University student Devin Pennington makes a one-handed catch of a football thrown by a companion as he plunges into the chilly waters of a pond on the ONU campus on Saturday morning. The leap was part of the annual Polar Bear Plunge sponsored by the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity to raise money for the American Red Cross. Normally, …

HARROD — Holding just a six-point lead over Crestview after three quarters, Upper Scioto Valley opened up the fourth with an 11-0 run, propelling them to a 57-41 Division IV sectional final girls basketball win on Saturday at Allen East. The win improved the No. 2 Rams to 19-3 and advanced them into a district semifinal contest against No. 3 Marion Local at 6:15 p.m. Thursday at Wapakoneta High School.

LIMA — Ada’s Chase Sumner is looking to make a repeat trip to the Division III state wrestling tournament in a couple weeks. The junior, who finished fourth in Ohio at 138 pounds last winter, took the first step to getting back to Columbus on Saturday by winning the Lima Central Catholic sectional crown in the 138-point weight class.

Kelly and Steve Dickinson are the new owners of the Dairy Barn in Forest. They are planning their grand opening for March 3 with a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m.

When Judd Robinson was growing up, the Erie- Lackawanna Railroad was just 60 feet outside his family home’s front door. When a freight train rolled through, Robinson said, the walls of the house would shake, but he “got used to it.”

Members of the Ohio Northern University’s College of Pharmacy guide participants in Friday’s Lunch and Learn session at the Hardin County Family YMCA in Kenton through searches which will lead them to reliable health sites on the internet.

CELINA — With the sectional tournament just a few days away. Kenton coach Matt McCullough is feeling pretty good about how his Kenton Wildcats are playing.

ADA — The Hardin County Chamber and Business Alliance named Deb Curlis its Citizen of the Year Thursday evening during its annual meeting. Curlis is the marketing and events coordinator at Community Health Partners in Ada, where she has been described as being an invaluable asset to her organization, said Jesse Purcell, Director of Chamber and Tourism in her introduction.

It has been 20 years since Mark Sutherin attempted to convince Hardin County to become a part of the Rails to Trails project which would have connected Marion, Hardin and Allen counties with a bicycle/walking path on the abandoned Erie Lackawanna Railroad bed. Even now, Sutherin’s eyes light up when he talks about the potential of the program for Hardin County.

The members of the OSU Extension Master Gardeners Volunteer Program all joined Dave McPheron on stage to accept the Community Service Award at Thursday’s Hardin County Chamber and Business Alliance Membership Meeting and Awards Ceremony at Ohio Northern University.