UPPER SANDUSKY — An Upper Scioto Valley High School graduate was recently named the Professional of the Year by the Chamber of Commerce Executives of Ohio at its conference in Newark. Kathy Shepherd Grasz is the president and CEO of the Wyandot County Chamber of Commerce.

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.

The parishioners of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church raised $400 during the annual Souper Bowl of Caring fundraiser for Kenton’s S.O.U.P. kitchen on the weekend of Feb. 4.

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.

ADA — Ohio Northern’s players and coaches knew that it was hard to beat the same team three times in one season. On Thursday night the Lady Polar Bears found out just how hard it is when they faced Marietta, a team they had defeated by 40 points five days earlier, in the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament.