The owners of a facility in Upper Sandusky that the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office recently shut down have released a statement saying they are “heartbroken” and are maintaining their innocence. Orville and Debbra Alabaugh, of Tiffin, and owners of a facility at 5046 Ohio 53 in Upper Sandusky, from which 149 alive and one deceased dog were seized in an Aug. 1 search warrant, have said in a release, through their attorney Kelle Saull, they have been “wrongly accused and tried and found guilty in the court of public opinion before they could even grasp what happened to them.”

SYCAMORE — Sycamore Village Council is in desperate need of new council members to fill recently vacated positions. Sycamore Mayor Vicki Weininger read a letter of resignation from council member Summer Rhoad, which said she was moving out of the village and the next meeting Aug. 27 will be her last with the council.

CAREY — According to a statement from CSX, approximately 25 railcars and one locomotive were derailed in a two-train collision at approximately 5:15 a.m. Monday in Carey.

KIRBY — Kirby Village Councilors discussed creating a potential ordinance or ordinances to address property complaints in the village. Mayor Tim Stansbery said several letters have been sent to property owners regarding mowing, and abandoned trailers and vehicles in yards that have not effectively encouraged property owners to do more and to clean up.

MARSEILLES — Marseilles Village Council discussed upcoming work in the village. Holcomb Excavating will be starting work soon to move two catch basins in the village and the county will be completing blacktop work on some of the streets in the village.

Residents at the Wyandot County Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center celebrated all August birthdays Tuesday with a special visit from Angel, a miniature horse and certified support animal.

Audrey R. Horner, Upper Sandusky, was cited for seat belt violation (driver) at the intersection of McConnell and Warpole streets the afternoon of Aug. 10. An Upper Sandusky woman reported unwanted contact from a man on the 100 block of Broadview Street the evening of Aug. 10. The responding officer made contact with the man and advised him not to contact the woman or her daughter.

Dear editor, I saw in the paper about the WHOW (Women Helping Other Women) event being hosted at White Shutter Winery in regards to human sex trafficking. This is a huge deal. Though we live in a rural community, this does not exempt Wyandot County from the dangers, or the severity of the on-going and heightening threat that sex trafficking entails.

CAREY — On July 16, the officers of the Carey FFA chapter traveled together to a cabin near Hocking Hills for the annual chapter officer retreat. Within three days time, the seven officers took part in several team-building activities and worked to prepare for the approaching school year; including everything from improvements to new ideas, which will continue to preserve the education of agriculture.

WASHINGTON — The Sign-up is now open for the Market Facilitation Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture program to assist farmers who continue to suffer from damages because of trade retaliation from foreign nations. Through MFP, USDA will provide up to $14.5 billion in direct payments to impacted producers, part of a broader trade relief package announced in late July. The sign-up period runs through Dec. 6.