Two Huron County men face initial appearances in Norwalk Municipal Court in connection with state authorities raiding the Bronson Norwalk Conservation Club, a social club which failed to have an alcohol license. "We can't comment on the amount of people there, because we don't keep track of that, but we did issue two summonses," said Scott Pohlman, deputy director of the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU).

MONROEVILLE It came down to a final routine and it had to be better than the one from the day before. The Monroeville cheerleaders were up to the task as they successfully defended their small varsity non-mount traditional division winter cheerleading championship, a competition sponsored by AmeriCheer.

HURON EHOVE Career Center and Firelands College of BGSU Firelands are hosting an open house for prospective college tech prep students at BGSU-Firelands from 5:15 to 7:45 p.m. Tuesday. Inclement weather necessitated the change from the original Feb. 13 date. New students and their parents are invited to the Cedar Point Center on the BGSU Firelands campus in Huron for orientation and open house. Pizza and refreshments will be provided at 5:15 p.m., followed by speakers and orientation at 5:45 p.m. Juniors and their parents who are interested in the senior-only teacher academy and legal careers programs are also encouraged to attend this open house.

Q: Are my children safe riding the bus? A: The United States Department of Transportation and other authorities agree that school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school. Riding in a school bus is much safer than any other form of transportation, including personal vehicles, railroads, and airline travel. According to the Transportation Research Board, a child is 13 times safer in a school bus than in other modes of travel. The American School Bus Council suggests the following things that you and your child can do to help keep your child safe:

Question of the Week: Share your winter storm stories with us.

In some ways the California Gold Rush of 1849 had as great an effect on our area as any other event in American history. A surprising number of young men (and some we'd consider middle-aged or older) either crossed the Great American Desert or went around the "Horn" to reach the gold fields. One of the older men who made the trip and returned was Norwalk merchant John V. Vredenburgh, who built the original part of the house at 133 W. Main St.; one who did not return and who awaits Judgment Day in California soil is Norwalk attorney Thaddeus Sturges, who built the house at 99 W. Main St.

COLLINS Western Reserve junior Brandon Sommers told the board of education Wednesday his work on the Western Reserve Memorial Garden is completed. Sommers, a member of Boy Scout Troop 242, worked on the memorial as his Eagle Scout project, and the board thanked him and agreed with Wendy Pickett that it is, "a great asset for our school."

The Townsend Township Zoning Board has a new addition Becky Conklin. She joins Ed Voght, Mike Leimeister, Julie Schlessman and Jodi Moehlman, who serves as secretary.

Paul Efaw's defense attorney called the allegations of child abuse and an uncontrollable temper surrounding her client "unsubstantiated poppycock." Attorney Laura Perkovic said the comments by Willard attorney James Martin in a wrongful death civil lawsuit came from "off-the-cuff remarks" made by Efaw's ex-wife during a "heated custody battle" for the man's biological children.

The Huron County Commissioners denied that an upcoming agency review of the department of job and family services was a "shakedown" and said director Erich Dumbeck's job is not in any danger. Dumbeck came to the commissioners and said he wanted to do a review of the Huron County Department of Job and Family Services (HCDJFS), said commissioner Mike Adelman, but in order to do that he needed more time. Therefore, HCDJFS Assistant Director Bonnie Richards will temporarily assume some of Dumbeck's duties for about six months so he can focus on children services.