Night Sky

Watch set

The Gorman Nature Center will be hosting its monthly informal night sky watch at 8 p.m. March 11. This month’s session will be held only if the sky is clear.

The Gorman Nature Center is located at 2295 Lexington Ave., south of Mansfield.

Call 419-884-3764.

Training program

called a success

In response to the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School Shooting in Newtown, Connecticut, which claimed the lives of 20 children and 6 adult staff members, Buckeye Firearms Foundation launched an emergency response training program here in Ohio for teachers, administrators, and other school staff.

Called FASTER (Faculty/Administrator Safety Training & Emergency Response), the nonprofit program has to date provide high-level training to more than 400 teachers and administrators from 152 school districts in 63 of Ohio’s 88 counties over the last three years.

“The response from Ohio educators has been more enthusiastic than we could have ever imagined,” said Joe Eaton, FASTER Program Director.

“When we first announced that we planned to train teachers in armed response and emergency medical aid,” Eaton continued, “some people said teachers would never sign up. But within days of announcing the program, we had 600 apply for training. In weeks, it soared to over 1,000. Today we have nearly 2,000 faculty members from all over Ohio waiting in line for a chance to get this training. And more are contacting us every day.”

College Night

planned in Ashland

Ashland University and Ashland High School have teamed up to sponsor the Ashland Regional High School College Night. The event, which is intended for all high school sophomores, juniors and seniors who are thinking about attending college and their parents, is set for Monday, March 14, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in Ashland University’s John C. Myers Convocation Center.

The College Night is designed for for sophomores and juniors who are starting to look at colleges and for seniors who are still trying to decide on a college.

It is anticipated that representatives from approximately 60 colleges and universities will be attending the College Night.

Prior to the College Night event, a financial aid seminar will be held at 6 p.m. in the same area. This seminar will feature a brief introduction to financial aid presented by Steve Howell, director of financial aid at Ashland University.

Marion to

hold job fair

Marion Technical College, The Ohio State University at Marion, Ohio Means Jobs – Marion County and iHeartMedia have again teamed up to host the 12th Annual Marion Campus Job, Internship & Education Fair in the George H. Alber Student Center Gymnasium from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.on March 31 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

The event is free and open to the public. The annual event attracts a wide variety of businesses, non-profit organizations, and educational institutions such as Ohio State Marion, Marion Technical College and others from throughout central Ohio.

Report: Ohio insurance

premiums low

Ohioans pay among the lowest rates in the nation for auto and homeowners insurance according to a national industry study released this week by Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor. Taylor who also serves as Ohio Department of Insurance Director quoted from findings of a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) annual study.

“We are focused on cultivating a competitive insurance market that benefits the consumer,” said Taylor. “That focus is generating some of the lowest premiums in the country.”

Ohioans paid an average of $763 (9th lowest) for homeowners insurance and $659 (12th lowest) for auto insurance compared to the national average of $1,096 and $841, respectively. Ohio’s combined average premiums are $515 below the national averages.

Crop insurance

deadline nears

USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) reminds Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio producers that the final date to apply for insurance coverage on spring barley, Burley tobacco, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, dry beans, forage seeding, grain sorghum, green peas, hybrid seed corn, oats, popcorn, potatoes, processing beans, processing pumpkins, processing sweet corn, processing tomatoes, soybeans and sugarbeets is March 15. Current policyholders who wish to make changes to their existing policies also have until the sales closing date to do so.

Crop insurance provides protection against decreases in revenue and crop production losses due to natural perils such as drought and excessive moisture. Producers have a number of coverage choices, including yield coverage, revenue protection and area risk policies.