Air Quality Alert issued July 17 at 12:43AM EDT by NWS Wilmington OH (details ...)
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency has issued a statewide Air Quality Advisory for the entire state of Ohio as smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to adversely impact air quality.
Pollutants across the state are expected to range from the 'Unhealthy For Sensitive Groups' category in the southwest part of the state to the 'Unhealthy' category in the rest of the state. Hourly concentrations at times may reach the 'Very Unhealthy' to 'Hazardous' categories.
It is recommended, when possible, to avoid strenuous outdoor activities, especially those with heart disease and respiratory conditions like asthma. Watch for symptoms including wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, dizziness, or burning in the nose, throat, and eyes.
For additional information, please visit the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency's website at epa.ohio.gov.
72° 72° chance Sat 88° Sat 88° chance 66° 66° Sun 80° Sun 80°
Thursday, December 27th, 2018
Karen Long
Karen R. Long, 78, of Rockford, Ohio, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, December 25, 2018, at Mercer Health in Coldwater, Ohio.
She was born on September 27, 1940, in Dayton, Ohio, the daughter of Ellsworth and Mabel (Sluterbeck) Collins, both who preceded in death.
On August 10, 1963, she married Edwin Long, who survives in Rockford. She moved from Celina, Ohio, to Rockford, upon marrying Ed.
She became a homemaker and a member of the Rockford United Methodist Church. She also babysat for over 30 years, enjoying every child she helped raise. She enjoyed playing cards with the girls in the card club, finding treasures at garage sale, and attending craft fairs. Ed and she had season tickets for Parkway's sporting events - and loved watching the games.
Throughout the years, she had many dogs which she loved and adored, and leaves behind two special little dogs which she and Ed enjoyed, and loved to take for rides on their golf cart. Most of all she loved having her children and grandchildren over to the house for dinner. She loved her children and grandchildren, as well as her German grandchildren, whom she welcomed into her home as her own.
Surviving in addition to her husband, Ed, are their two daughters, Denise Long of Marion, Indiana, and Deb and her husband, Scott Call, of Rockford, along with 2 grandchildren: Eleesha Long and Jordan Feldes. Karen has 3 sisters who survive: Nancy Miller and Dave Kuhn of Galion, Ohio; Celia Yenser of Watertown, Wisconsin; Reni and Jack Mescher of Coldwater, Ohio; many nieces and nephews; and one sister-in-law, Julie Long of Rockford.
Services for Karen will be held on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at 1:00 p.m., at Ketcham-Ripley Funeral Home in Rockford, with Pastor Chip Steffy officiating. Burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, Rockford.
Friends may call at Ketcham-Ripley on Saturday from 2:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m., and on Sunday, one hour prior to the service.
Memorials may be directed to the Rockford United Methodist Church Building Fund.   
Condolences may be expressed at ketchamripley.com
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Jill L. (Colbe) Wierwille May, 75, New Bremen, died at 8:50 a.m. Dec. 24, 2018, at the Heritage Center, Minster. [More]
Mary J. Sunderland, 81, of St. Marys, died Friday, December 21, 2018, at Vancrest of St. Marys. [More]