Shelby County United Way awards 4 grants
Barr
SIDNEY The Shelby County United Way special projects committee reviews grants on a monthly basis that impact the community in the areas of Health, Education, and Financial Stability.
The committee approved requested grants in January and February. Agape Distribution was awarded $3,500 in January to assist with security and lighting upgrades as they have been victim to multiple acts of vandalization, including damage to the mobile pantry. The First Presbyterian Church’s Munch Bunch was awarded $5,000 to assist with weekend backpack hunger. They deliver bags of food to the Sidney Elementary buildings and to Hardin-Houston School District.
COVID-19 pandemic top story of year
SIDNEY The year 2020 was a year unlike one that Shelby County residents had never experienced in their lifetime. The year had individual events which changed lives but non like the coronavirus pandemic which started in March and continues to today.
The editorial staff selected what they felt were the top stories of 2020.
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic dominated the news cycle and affected lives more than few, if any, events ever have.
The Sidney-Shelby County Health Department has reported more than 3,000 cases of COVID-19 in the county. More than 100 residents have been hospitalized because of the virus, and there have been 18 confirmed deaths. At times Shelby County had one of the state’s highest incidence rates.
Teen sentenced for role in 15-year-old’s death
By Melanie Speicher - mspeicher@sidneydailynews.com
SIDNEY A 16-year-old Shelby County teenager was sentenced Monday afternoon in the stabbing death of Cody Powers, 15, of Sidney.
The teen was sentenced in Shelby County Juvenile Court by Judge Jeffrey Beigel on an indictment of murder with a specification of being a serious youthful offender. The teen was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison on the charge.
The teen, who was 15 at the time of the stabbing, was also sentenced to a juvenile amended complaint of juvenile delinquency based on a charge of murder. He was remanded to the Ohio Department of Youth Services until he is 21 years of age.
A change of plea
By Melanie Speicher - mspeicher@sidneydailynews.com
Family friends of a juvenile murder victim hold up signs asking for justice for the victim outside of the Shelby County Courthouse while the juvenile defendant in the murder case was inside attending their change of plea hearing on Friday, Dec. 11.
The murder suspect listens to Shelby County Juvenile Court Judge Jeffrey J. Beigel during a change of plea hearing on Friday, Dec. 11.
Handcuffs are removed from the juvenile suspect in a murder case before the start of a change of plea hearing in Shelby County Juvenile Court on Friday, Dec. 11.