MOUNT VICTORY — Three projects that have been ongoing in Mount Victory are now either completed or very near completion. Andy Clarridge of Page Engineering visited council at its regular meeting on Thursday evening to update them on the water line project, water tower project and the community building improvement project.

An Ada woman was sentenced to nine years in prison after she pleaded guilty in Hardin County Common Pleas Court to charges stemming from a drug-related fire at her home in May. Julie Ann Music pleaded guilty to illegal manufacturing of drugs in the vicinity of a juvenile, two counts of complicity to aggravated arson and two counts of endangering children.

No one who watched Henry Cole with the Kenton Elementary students Wednesday could accuse him of being boring. The author/illustrator of more than 120 children’s books pranced and joked with the young people who snickered and roared back in response. He was animated in telling the students how he became interested in art at a very early age and the encouragement of his mother.

Col. Tom McBrayer (left) is presented a proclamation by State Sen. Cliff Hite on Wednesday during the Veterans Day service at Kenton’s Walmart. The Senate honored McBrayer, who Hite called “a hero in this area,” for his service to his country and to his community.

MOUNT BLANCHARD — Riverdale High School senior Alec Porter challenged his peers to never forget the veterans who fought for the United States. Porter was the speaker at Riverdale’s 2015 Veterans Day Assembly presented by the National Honor Society on Wednesday morning. The local veterans in attendance were treated to the singing of “Thank You Soldier”...

Kenton, unable to secure a state grant to develop a recreation trail at Wharton Park, will take on the project itself at little extra cost to the city. Mayor Randy Manns told the Times that city workers can dig out the path for the trail, then use road grindings to create the surface.

When Victor May joined the Kenton Elks lodge in 1909, he was given a package of gifts at his initiation, including a silk pocket flag. In the years to come, that small flag would be involved in two world wars, travel around the world and become lost at least twice before it made its way back to Kenton.

RIDGEWAY — Many railroad crossing around the village of Ridgeway are closed, but the crossing council said needs the most attention continues to be ignored by CSX. With the crossing closed on Hale Street and the crossing on Ohio 273 slated to be closed soon, the trip between Mount Victory and Ridgeway has become challenging.

ADA — Members of the Ada Village Council received an update on proposed renovations to the municipal swimming pool at a buildings and grounds committee meeting Tuesday night. Jamie Hall, assistant village administrator, outlined plans for the $1,450,000 project.

ADA — As a result of a past water main break, Parkview Trailer Court on East Lincoln Avenue in Ada will be required to install a backflow preventer box. Ada Village Administrator Jim Meyer informed council at a utilities committee meeting Tuesday evening that, following a water main break in the area, a resident of the trailer court contacted the Environmental Protection Agency.