A summertime shutdown at the Lima Ford Engine Plant will be shorter than normal this year.

Ford Motor Company released news on Wednesday- stating that they will add an additional 200-thousand units of straight-time capacity- meaning its summer shutdown for the traditional 2 weeks will be reduced to just 1 week.

Ford also said they are looking to add close to 35-hundred hourly jobs to meet customer demand for new vehicles.

Hancock and Allen Counties have had O-V-I checkpoints over the past few weeks- and now its Mercer County's turn.

A Checkpoint- hoping to deter impaired drivers on Ohio's roads- will be set up from 9 to 11 tonight on Lakeshore Drive in the city of Celina.

This time of year also brings on the "Click it or Ticket" campaign- where law enforcement want to make sure you are buckling your safety belt.

The Red Cross will be holding local information sessions tonight at 6 p.m. for community members interested in volunteering to assist those affected by a disaster in Northwest Ohio and around the country.

Sessions will take place at the Lima- Findlay- and Toledo Red Cross offices.

Also- a semi trailer is being filled with donated items at Auglaize Embroidery in Wapakoneta on North Wood Street.

You can drop off items until 9 tonight- and they're hoping to leave for Oklahoma on Friday night.

People who wish to make a donation to support the Red Cross response can visit red cross dot org, call 1-800-REDCROSS or text REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 dollar donation.

A Community Based Approach to Teen Pregnancy Prevention seminar took place in downtown Lima on Wednesday morning.

The guest speaker was Carol Haddix- a coordinator with the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department.

She talked about what she covered in the 3 hour session.

The tables were filled with statistics about teen pregnancy rates in Ohio.

A 2-car accident took place in northern Allen County on Monday night.

The State Highway Patrol said 47 year-old Curtiss Bowers of Forest was eastbound on State Route 696 at the ramps for U-S 30.

66 year-old Edwin Wendorf of Homer Michigan had a green light and was attempting to turn left onto 696- when Bowers failed to turn onto U-S 30 and drove straight through the intersection and struck the side of the semi that was being driven by Wendorf. 

Bowers was trapped in the vehicle and had to be extricated by Beaverdam Fire and E-M-S.. He was transported to Lima Memorial.

Bowers was not wearing his seatbelt and alcohol is considered a factor on his part.

A rally led by the Mental Health Recovery Services Board of Allen- Auglaize- and Hardin Counties took place on Monday in front of the law offices where local State Rep Matt Huffman practices.

At issue- the expansion of Medicaid in Ohio.

Janis Sunderhaus from Health Partners of Western Ohio spoke about the possibility of federal money going to other states- if Ohio chooses not to expand Medicaid.

Mike Schoenhoffer also spoke- and said veterans and the poor could reap the benefits of Medicaid expansion.

A 30 year-old man from Saint Mary's is now in police custody- after an incident Sunday morning at a residence on State Route 29 west of Saint Mary's.

The Auglaize County Sheriff's Office says deputies responded to a call just after 6:30am- where a man was threatening to commit suicide- had a weapon- and was holding a 15-month old child hostage.

Jonathan Halbisen surrendered without incident- and he is now facing several criminal charges.

The Wapakoneta Post of the State Patrol is investigating the death of a pedestrian struck and killed by a vehicle on U-S 33 near Saint Mary’s over the weekend.

32 year-old Joshua Wingate of Cridersville was apparently standing in the westbound lane.

The driver of the Ford Flex was 34 year-old Rebecca MacWhinney of Saint Mary’s- and she was not injured in the accident.

The accident took place on U-S 33 just west of Townline-Kossuth Road just before 2am Sunday- and it remains under investigation.

Close to 700 vehicles passed through an O-V-I Checkpoint in Allen County on Saturday night.

The Checkpoint was operated on State Route 309 (Elida Road) by The Ohio State Highway Patrol, American Township Police Department, and the Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

There were no arrests made during the checkpoint.

The area Click It or Ticket campaign kicked off with local law enforcement back on Friday.

They were joined at the Fairgrounds by members of the 4-Wheel Jamboree- who were showing their support for seat belt safety issues.

Evelyn Smith from the Safe Community Coalition said it was a perfect combination- to catch the attention of young male drivers.

Extra law enforcement will be out- and will be issuing tickets for those not buckled up- now through Memorial Day weekend.