Community News

The 17th Annual Lilac Festival is happening this Saturday, May 14th.

The Lilac Festival is filled with street fairs and many things you can do downtown. There are arts and crafts vendors, unique food vendors, and children's activities!

It it a very fun event where over 400 people every year go to!

Bentleigh Bachman, 6th grader at Defiance Middle School, says, “I've never went but I'm going this year and I heard it's really fun.”

Beth Rath, retired, quotes, “I've gone every year and I always have fun bringing my grandchildren. We always try being one of the first people there so we can get a free Lilacs.”

Whether you are old or young, big or small, the Lilac festival can be fun for anyone.

As the temperatures in the town of Defiance rise and people anticipate the return of summer, local ice cream shop Dad’s Dairy Depot opens once again for the summer.

Dad’s DD can be found at 1845 Jefferson Ave., just near Cabin Fever and our very own Defiance High School. People shared their thoughts on the local business and its return.

Kaden Salaz, a freshman at DHS, said “I’ve stopped by Dad’s Dairy Depot multiple times, and the ice cream is fantastic.” Salaz spoke positively about the ice cream offered at the Dairy Depot, but regarding the food, “I’ve only ever tried it once, and it wasn’t really anything remarkable but I’d be willing to give it a second try for sure this summer.”

Nikita Fernandez, another DHS freshman, mentioned Dad’s Dairy Depot, “I’ve visited it only once, when we were in softball, and I enjoyed it.”

When asked if she’d be willing to try it again, Fernandez exclaimed, “Sure! I live pretty close to it and I don’t doubt that sometime this summer we’ll visit it.”

If at any time in the coming weeks you find yourself wanting some ice cream on the walk home from school, or you live in the area and are wanting something cool and refreshing, stop by Dad’s Dairy Depot this summer.

Roe v Wade, a landmark decision of the Supreme Court in the early 70’s that had cemented the rights of women’s bodily autonomy. Recently it has come into public knowledge that Roe V Wade is in the likely process of being overturned, which has once again sparked massive outrage and debate over not only women’s right over their own bodies but also the concept of abortion in America. Many people nationally and locally have a wide array of thoughts on the ordeal.

Breanna Wagner, a DHS student, spoke highly negatively of the decision, believing that an overturning of Roe v Wade would set a regressive precedent for women’s rights in America’s future, stating, “Historically, women have always had to fight for rights that were normal to men. I’m not encouraging abortion for the sake of abortion but when it comes to women’s safety and security sometimes it is a necessary action. Roe v Wade being overturned doesn’t mean it ends there, either, as contraceptives and birth control are definitely possible to be up for grabs next.” Wagner took a stance of concern that many other women, and even men in this country have taken as they believe that this Supreme Court decision could set back women’s and individual liberties in general in America by years. Had a decision been made to regulate men’s bodies, Wagner also made it clear that the results would be very different to her, as she said “Men have been in a situation where most things have been in their favor, so I doubt they’d lose sleep over it because it would work out for them. When men are not in the same position as women who are repeatedly denied basic dignities and services, they can’t be painted as hysterical crybabies that run on emotion. Mostly, they don’t need to fight to be taken seriously in contrary to women. Had the decision been made by a council of women, that men had to get vasectomies, outrage would be of a much greater size, because they’d be losing control over their bodies as well.”

An anonymous resident of Defiance, who also wished to share their opinions, gave a different viewpoint of Roe v Wade being overturned based on their religious convictions, and they said, “I don’t understand how any human in their right mind could kill a child of god’s intention. God brought that child to earth with a purpose and allowing abortions in this nation is a horrendous sin. I believe in freedom but not freedom to kill innocent life that had not had a chance to begin yet.” The Defiance resident believes life to be sacred and abortions to be intolerable, and in their eyes this decision was a step forward for this country. Upon being asked how this situation would be different if men’s bodies came into question, they believed that, “Men do not have the part to give birth to a living child, and that is where the difference lies. There is no justification for restricting the male body in the first place, unlike women who have the capacity to have children develop in theirs.”

Regardless of where your beliefs and ideals lie, it is undoubtedly that the overturning of Roe v Wade will be a big change in this nation as well as political discourse for the next few years.

Have you ever thought to yourself that Defiance is a pretty bland place to live? Well, you're not alone.

Emma Radner says, “Places like Fort Wayne and Maumee are all so much cooler than defiance and theres like nothing cool here to do.”

Radner strikes a good point. Defiance is all about being minimalistic and a lot of people would happily change that if they had the authority to do so.

Bryce Jones stated, “If I had the chance i would probably add something here like a skating rink closer to Defiance or something."

Adding more things to Defiances community would be a great way of getting more people to live here.

Riley Sidorov said, “I hate this place and I just want to move. Thats all I know.”

Well Sidorov, a lot of us can agree with you.

Defiance's community is one of the many things that truly makes this town beautiful.

On Thursday, April 28th, from 11AM to 8PM, there will be the 12th Annual Chocolate walk.

You get the ability to walk downtown and enjoy Defiance in all of its natural beauty, while also enjoying some delicious chocolate!

Brian Sampson, welder, quotes, “I've never tasted so much diversity within chocolate in one day. And it's not even bad either!”

Colben Bachman, student at Defiance Middle School, says, “I honestly don't like chocolate, but it was fun.”

Like Bachman and Sampson said, this could be a fun experience for all chocolate lovers. If you don't like chocolate, then maybe this isn't the event for you.

That's it Defiance, have fun!

We all know that the gas prices have been ridiculously high. Some would argue its the wrong-doings of a bad president, and some would argue it's just the environment.

Either way, gas prices have been high everywhere and not too many people are happy about it.

Kayla Sampson, worker at Moose, quotes, “You cant drive anywhere without spending like 60 bucks for a full tank. It used to be $20."

Like Sampson said, this is just a quick assumption. But, prices are very close to being $5.00 a gallon.

Woody Foor, worker at Baughman Tile, says, “The only reason we have to pay so much for gas is because of the president not knowing what he's doing and I'm mad about it.”

I think we can all agree that it's absurd, whether Biden is to blame or not.

Last week on March 27th, an uproar was caused throughout the internet and nationally when Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage during the live broadcast of the Oscars, due to a joke/comment made regarding his wife Jada and her shaved head. The shocking incident has been a big topic in the days since the event for better or worse, and many celebrities have felt the need to give their opinion on the matter publicly.

An anonymous resident of Defiance was largely skeptical about the event, and had a lot of criticisms of it, saying, “Truthfully I find that this whole incident serves as a great diversion from the actually important things going on in our lives. Moments like this serve as the perfect distractions for governments and corporations that do not want their citizens to pay attention to how badly they are screwing them over.“

They also showed disgust with the celebrity aspect of the slapping incident and stated, “I do not think there is a single person that could slap someone that could be worth talking about for days. Everybody that has nothing to do with this feels the need to inject their useless opinion into this topic and it only further creates a distraction from important things going on right now.“ The anonymous person also claimed that we could benefit as a society from drawing our attention away from celebrities from time to time.

Caden Hazelton, a student at DHS, spoke more about the conflict in question rather than in a broader sense and had this to say, “At first watching the clip afterwards it had caught me off guard, and it was absolutely funny to see Chris Rock's reaction, which is completely indicative of this not being scripted as he completely tanked the hit.“

Hazelton found a lot of amusement in the amusement of the situation but also thought that Chris Rock had it coming to some extent, “In some regards I have to say that Chris should have expected this reaction. It was super wrong for him to make a comment like that about Jada since she suffers from a genetic condition.“

Since the night of the event, The Academy has been in talks about revoking Will Smith of the award he received at the Oscars due to his violently charged retaliation. Whether Smith saw this outcome, this may do a great deal to bite him in the butt in the future.

Defiance has been a wreck, let's be honest. Almost everyone is tired of this weather and just wants summer to hurry up!

Belinda Mack, senior citizen, says, “it is cold.”

Like Mack said, it sure is cold! We are in the middle of spring and experiencing weather still below 30 degrees!

With cold weather, it also means we are experiencing ice. This week, as some observations were made, it has rained and then get very cold.

Mike Mack, senior citizen, quoted, “I don't even want to talk about the roads! Every time I go to work I'm nervous because of how icy it is. We also have those kids running around not knowing what to do when there is ice.”

We can all agree that ice is a total bummer. Mack has a point about the high schoolers and kids. Though, they may get taught how to deal with it, how do we know they will always remember? Or won't swerve out of panic?

Cold weather and rain do not mix. And that's what we have been seeing recently.

Make sure to drive safely!

On Tuesday, March 15th, The Defiance varsity and junior varsity quiz teams won the Defiance County Quiz Tournament with a combined score of 1180 points. Members of both teams were pleasantly surprised to learn that they won by a mere 5 points, as the competition looked pretty tough this time around. Both the Varsity and JV teams won ¾ of their games this Tuesday. Students from both teams were asked to give their thoughts on the win and what they could work on in the future.

Caden Hazelton, a DHS Junior and member of the varsity team, said, “Ï'm satisfied with the victory, but it is very clear that as a team we have a good deal of subjects to work on. Quiz team encompasses a wide variety of subjects and there are without a doubt a few of them that we don't exactly excel at.“

Hazelton showed approval of the team's effort put in throughout the course of the tourney, but emphasized the elements he thought they needed to work on, saying, “Our literature knowledge does not seem to be at the levels it should be, and sometimes is not on par with other schools. I also notice that our knowledge of poets and writing in general needs a lot of work. Regardless, Quiz Team requires that we're always sharp and even if we were the best team in the league we'd still have to strive to do better every match.“

Hazelton is hopeful for the future of his team as they continue to create study sets and branch out in their fields of knowledge.

Jack Kost, a member of the JV team and freshman at DHS, was also enthusiastic about the win, saying, “We had a bit of a slip up in that first game, but we got our act together and I was very proud of my teammates for our victory on Tuesday.“

Kost also agreed with the sentiment Hazelton expressed and went on to say, “We still have a lot to work on during the duration of this league and future ones. Some of us are working on our mythology and famous paintings at the moment and we plan to begin studying operas, plays, and musicals in the future.“

There are future matches to come, and both teams anticipate overcoming obstacles such as buzzing in quicker, studying efficiently, and most importantly, cooperating as a team. The recent victory at the Defiance Country Quiz Tournament was undoubtedly a morale booster for the teams.

Gas prices are skyrocketing and they will only get higher from here. Citizens from not only Defiance, but also in the US, are outraged by the prices.

The average price of gas in the US is anywhere between $4.32-$5.00.

Rob Cupp, CEO of Snap On, said, “This wouldn't have happened if Trump could have stayed in office. The gas prices are so ridiculous it makes me not want to go anywhere.”

Kim Cupp, Moose, quoted, “I understand why they are so high but what about not-so-wealthier people? I mean, in hind sight, if Biden were to admit he was wrong, then it would go back to normal.”

People all over the US are complaining and talking about how Biden made gas prices higher.

Whether that is true or not, he is still our president.

Kristen Bachman, Snap On driver, says, “I'm not too worried about us. But what about the kids who are just now driving and not making a buttload of money? I don't know, it just doesn't sound right to me.”

Like Bachman said, If gas prices keep increasing, this could be worrisome for younger children.

After passing through very rough snow storms, very hard thunderstorms, and devastating ice, Defiance is experiencing some light, finally. The past week has been filled with temperatures of 30 degrees and above. According to Fox, within the past month or two, we have been seeing weather 20 and below.

Holly Stevens says, “I really like, enjoy the hotter weather, y’know? We just went through a history breaking snowstorm, I think we deserve somethin’.“

Like Stevens said, we do need some justice with some warmer weather.

An anonymous source quotes, “I don't care about the weather cause I never go outside. But, I do prefer hotter weather because I can go swimming. I just want it to be summer”

I think we all want it to be summer, ASAP.

At this moment we are currently witnessing an unprecedented event for many people worldwide, witnessing two significant European Countries engage in conflict on a scale that has not been seen in decades. On a local scale even, the people of Defiance have expressed their surprise and thoughts on the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.

Caden Hazelton, a student at DHS made it clear that he believed, “Russia is in the wrong and anyone who disagrees with this is strictly against freedom and the sovereignty of nations, Ukraine in particular.” Hazelton thinks that Russia’s government is immensely predatory and willing to annex or fight neighboring countries to further its interests, further elaborating by saying, “Russia is unjustly invading a neighbor because they don’t want them allied with NATO or Europe in general. We have seen this in the past and this will not be the extent of Russia’s ambitions.”

Tyler Taylor, also a DHS student, spoke more so on the reality of the event as a whole and said “Truthfully I find all of this awfully surreal. Of course, recently months back witnessed the fall of Afghanistan, but this Russia versus Ukraine debacle is unlike anything people my age have lived through.” Taylor expresses a sentiment that many people his age surely relate to, and he also states, “Ultimately I hope that somehow this doesn’t escalate any further, but that’s just wishful thinking.”

The only thing that is for certain at the moment is that we are living through the pages of a history book. The many possible outcomes of this event have sparked speculation worldwide, such as the inclusion of the US or rest of Europe, and a possible world conflict in the making. Regardless, the only thing we can do at the moment is wait and see.

Recently, students at DHS received a much appreciated 5 day absence from school due to the three cancellations that came from the amounts of snow and ice present last week. Cancellations serve as a surprise and a celebration for many students in schools nationwide but also serve a more important purpose -- keeping students and staff safe.

Josh Emerling, a student at DHS had this to say regarding the necessity of cancellations, “When the weather poses a threat to the safety of students and faculty it’s pretty much a priority to keep them safe over continuing school.” Emerling acknowledges that snow days can be a good way to unwind during the week but stresses the safety component over all, saying “Although too many cancellations may result in the extension of school a few days into June, it’s worth it if it keeps people safe in the end.”

Anonymous student had this to say regarding the more laid back side of snow days, “I admittedly slip up on keeping up with work sometimes so it’s a relief to have a surprise cancellation or even delay, to spend time doing more work and kicking back.” The student also mentioned that there can be a downside to too many cancellations, in their opinion and stated “It can get awfully degrading being in a 5 day long break like last week though, with not much to do after a while you end up feeling like you’re in a cage.”

Whether or not you enjoy cancellations yourself it seems to be the general consensus that snow days are important in order to insure the safety of the members of this community.

From Tuesday, February 1, through Thursday February 3, we are expecting historic weather changes. A blockbuster snow storm is scheduled to get around 12’’+ of snow. (WTOL11)

Along with snow, there is possible blowing and drifting snow as well.

There is no surprise if you have heard some gossip going around on social media and at school about the storm. Many people are scared about scarce amounts of food and frozen pipes.

If you happen to go to any grocery store, I am sure you have not seen very much merchandise, as COVID and the storm is selling it all out.

Aurora Reeves, freshman at Tinora, says, “This is surprising cause I never really thought we would get this much snow in the middle of February.”

Eliseo Hernandez, sophomore at Defiance. Also says, “I'm not nervous about this because we can miss school.”

The storm is inevitable and the most somebody can do is prepare for it.

Stay indoors!

Christopher Franklin was reported missing January 21, and has not been seen or heard from since January 16th. (Fox59)

Hometown Stations reports his wife, Heidi Lynn Grant, was the first suspect. Heidi later confessed to shooting Franklin, along with burying him under cement.

Fox59 stated, “Grant said she took Franklin’s body to the basement and spent the next two days covering him with 11 bags of cement, the affidavit said. She dumped a rug from the home in a dumpster just over a mile away.”

Grant was charged with aggravated murder and is currently in the Paulding County Jail.

Her bond was set to $10 million.

Temperature drops call for major precautions. If you always have your windows open or if you do your casual porch-sitting every day, we can assure you that you will most likely change both of those.

Kim Cupp states, “We always have salt on our driveways to make sure that when we wake up, we don't have to be in a hassle. We also always have our heat on most of the time if needed.”

Mark White also states, “We try to avoid going outside to prevent any kinds of colds spreading.”

Like White said, now with COVID going on you have to be extra careful. COVID is so easily spread and you're lucky if you haven't had it throughout the past 2 years.

Cold weather isn't the best unless you're warm-blooded, and we can all agree!

On New Year’s Eve of 2021, beloved actor renowned actor Betty White, passed away at 99. This news was considered by many to be an unfortunate way to end the year and was met with disappointment by countless people both in real life and on the internet. People shared their thoughts on the woman publicly over the last few days.

Caden Hazelton, a DHS student, believes, “It was a tragic thing to take place at the tail end of last year, as she was just weeks away from celebrating her 100th Birthday. She was an American icon that lived a long fulfilling life and it’s sad to see her go.”

Betty White was known for playing roles in sitcoms such as The Golden Girls and Mama’s Family, as well as countless other contributions to television. She will be dearly missed and remembered by people for years to come for the numerous shows she played a pivotal part in.

Are you for or against masks? Though they may “help” out our situation, is a piece of cloth really protecting us from a life-threatening density dependent virus?

Savannah Roth, a student at FourCounty, states, “I think it's a good idea. Only because with the masks, it may be possibly preventing people from getting COVID, but you're breathing in your own germs and bacteria. So even with masks, you're getting sick."

David Piasecki, Defiance High School student also states, “It should be lifted. I think that if it was lifted people would be able to understand people's emotions better."

Like Piasecki said, "masks are limiting our ability to read people. Though it may not seem very important, when you're at school, it's hard to tell if someone is upset or distressed with just their eyes."

You could have COVID and be asymptomatic, and as Roth said, you'd be breathing in your own germs, causing you to become even more sick. But, without a mask, you would be spreading it.

What is your opinion?

On Friday, December 3rd, from 12pm-8pmthe Defiance Development and Visitors Bureau and the Defiance Public Library System is hosting, “Santa Claus is Coming to Town!”

There will be a variety of different festivities. That includes children's activities at the Defiance public library, Santa arrives Downtown, Storytime with Santa, Visit Santa's house, and you can even take a trip on the Holiday Trolley to gaze at the Christmas decorations!

Olivia Barrera, a sophomore at Defiance High School, says, “I think it'll be a fun activity for people of all ages. Especially since you get to spend time with your family and make new friends.”

Make sure to stay safe and have fun!

Here in Defiance, many citizens of the city, especially younger ones, tend to scoff upon hearing the Defiance motto “a great place to live”. There are many people that believe that this town has seen better days, whether that be their recent observations of the town as a whole, or viewing the town’s past with rose-tinted glasses. Many others, however, believe that this is mostly unwarranted criticism of an otherwise normal town.

Tyler Taylor, a high school student taking classes at Defiance College, described Defiance as “A town with quite a few problems, but mostly the downtown area which seems quite a bit inconsistent in its style. We should definitely hold a town meeting discussing what style we should stick to.” Taylor brings up an interesting point whether you agree with him or not, and as well as this he also mentioned the mall. “Despite the fact that in the last year or so more people have begun to visit it again, it still feels so lifeless, and like it doesn’t know what it wants to be.” Taylor’s sentiment about the mall seems to be a common opinion shared throughout many people in Defiance.

Another Defiance citizen, who wished to remain anonymous, believes, “Although there are many things to criticize the town for, I can’t help but feel a lot of it is unnecessarily harsh.” They went on to further explain their opinion by saying, “The town definitely isn’t as thriving as it was decades ago, but that’s perfectly fine. There are thousands of other towns in America just like this one, and people acting like they’re suffering here are overreacting.” A lot of the anonymous citizen’s opinions have to deal with younger people acting like Defiance is worse than any other town in the country, when in reality this town isn’t all too different from every other small town in the country.

Regardless of whether or not you believe Defiance to be “a great place to live,” we can all agree that it is not the worst place to live. There are plenty of amazing things to find in this town, as well as a fascinating history behind its foundation.

Following the extended lockdowns that consumed 2020, shutting down many businesses, services, and traditions that the citizens of Defiance looked forward to every year, the city was eager to see 2021 return to normalcy. This October 30th, the people were able to once again witness the annual Halloween Parade, which had been canceled last year due to COVID. Since it has been 2 years since the previous Halloween parade, this one was very significant as it meant a return to festivities that had been previously canceled for a large period of time.

One anonymous attendee had this to say regarding the quality of the parade compared to others “I am willing to bet that it was a little tougher to get this one set up, as they were getting back into the swing of things this year. I understand that this is a possible case, but I definitely think it made the parade a little less exciting overall.” Admittedly, many people likely share this same opinion about the parade, but we definitely should not ignore the fact that the people who set up the parade this year still did a spectacular job putting the parade back up after an extended hiatus.

Attendants were also asked what costume they decided to wear, and the anonymous attendee said “You know, I got pretty lazy this year, so I picked up a cheap mask and threw together a costume with stuff from home, I don’t really know what it’s supposed to be…”

Lydia Fernandez, a student at Defiance High School, attended and shared her thoughts on this year’s parade. “It felt shorter, and less big of an event, but it felt great being able to meet up with a bunch of my friends!” Fernandez also spoke a bit about her costume “I dressed up as Josuke Higashikata from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, it took me an hour and a half just to style my hair.”

Overall, people seem to be patient and aware of the fact that returning to traditions this year meant a Halloween Parade that may not meet every expectation they had for it, and despite this still had a great time this year.

This Thursday, people costumed up and celebrated one of the nation’s favorite holidays, Halloween, or more specifically, Trick-or-Treating! People around town dress up as their favorite creatures or characters and demand treats on the streets of Defiance with the hopes of coming home with a big haul of candy. Several participants in the festivities were asked what their costumes were and what their hopes for this Thursday were.

A student from Four County, who wished to remain anonymous, said “This Thursday I dressed up as John Wayne, not a lot of men can say they died with 9 pounds of steak in their stomach, he’s an American icon.”

When asked what they thought about being an older trick-or-treater, they responded “I don’t really pay much attention to it anyways, it’s free candy, I can’t turn that down.”

Modern times have certainly changed people's opinions of when it is taboo to quit trick-or-treating, as it seems more accepted that teens of older ages still take part in the festivities. “I think that as long as I’m respectful in public I should still be able to do this one more year.”

Wyatt Ellison, a student from Defiance High School, talked a bit about his costume. “I dressed up as Hitachi from Naruto again, because I didn’t feel like getting a new costume and I like this character a lot.” They seemed to be on the same board as the other student, as he also said “I don’t really care if I get looks for being older and still trick-or-treating, most people pass out candy now but where I live no one really trick or treats so I come out here and do this.” Ellison also stated “I don’t think that people should have a problem with me trick-or-treating because I’m not doing any harm by getting free candy.” Regardless of your opinions on trick-or-treating, it is good to see that many people came home satisfied and with a good haul of candy this Thursday.

People of all ages are excited for Halloween this year. On Thursday October 28, defiances Trick-or-Treat will be going on from 6pm-7:30pm. Following Trick-or-Treat, Saturday, October 30th, is the Halloween parade.

Every year, everybody of all ages come and gather around to watch their siblings, friends, and family perform at the Halloween Parade.

Briceton Sampson, a 7th grader at Defiance Middle School, says, “I haven't been in the parade but it is fun to watch and see different people show off their talents.”

Make sure to stay safe and have fun!

People of all ages are excited for Halloween this year. On Thursday October 28, defiances Trick-or-Treat will be going on from 6pm-7:30pm. Following Trick-or-Treat, Saturday, October 30th, is the Halloween parade.

Every year, everybody of all ages come and gather around to watch their siblings, friends, and family perform at the Halloween Parade.

Briceton Sampson, a 7th grader at Defiance Middle School, says, “I haven't been in the parade but it is fun to watch and see different people show off their talents.”

Make sure to stay safe and have fun!

As the Pandemic approaches nearly two years, citizens nationwide--including the local Defiance area--, have grown to a point of unrest as many have come to a point of no tolerance for masks. There have been countless individuals throughout the pandemic that have shown distaste with mask mandates;, others being either indifferent or in support of masks. However, many of these individuals have become more vocal as protests have been organized at government buildings such as courthouses, which happens to be the case in the instance of Defiance.

One resident of Defiance, who wishes to remain anonymous, stated, "Masks have not affected my life in any way. I often work far away from other people. The only thing that changed was my experience in stores, very minimally."

It seems as though an individual's experience and opinion on masks is mainly based on that of their career or lifestyle. "No, they do not really bother me at all," Anonymous stated, upon being asked if they were irritated by the mandates.

Lastly, they were asked when they believed it would end, or when they hoped it would, "Probably within the next year, that my hope at least."

Despite difficult times that require a lot of cooperation on the part of the citizens of our nation, many people seem to be able to keep their head up and hope for the best.

On the other hand, some people have a less than favorable outlook on masks as a whole. Another individual residing in Defiance, who also decided to remain anonymous, said, "Masks have made it a lot more difficult to breathe, I feel as though I have been muzzled." Upon being asked how they felt about masks, they said, "I am at the point where I cannot stand these things any longer, and I no longer wish to wear them."

They stated upon being asked how they feel about masks. "I don't think they'll leave anytime soon, first it's masks and half a year from now it will be something new."

Many individuals share this sentiment, but it is important for discourse in this country not to be divisive as a result of our different opinions. In the end, none of us really want this to happen, we all need to be in this together.

Construction is always a big problem regarding traffic jams, slow transportation, and delayed schedules. Nothing is worse than already being late somewhere and being stuck in traffic.

Jayden Hernandez, a graduated defiance student, says, “construction is manageable, but being put in a situation where you have to change your path is a pain.”

Regardless if you drive or not, we can all agree that construction is painful but it helps out a lot of things.

“Nothing is worse than an emergency happening, and you get stuck in the middle of something that didn't even need fixed.” claimed Hernandez.

“Especially the new roundabout being put in, it's changing everything around it and it's just overall hard to navigate.”

Though the roundabout is not needed, it will certainly be effective when it's done.

Defiance always has some sort of construction going on, but after all, this is a pretty old place. Construction may be annoying but when it's needed, they need to be on the job!

Each year in the fall, from August to early October, a clothes drive is sponsored by the DAF, with the goal of benefitting children in need of new outfits. It is always important that everyone has a few good outfits, and there's no better way to demonstrate the kindness of Defiance citizens than taking a look at the good Clothes for Kids does annually.

In 2016 alone, 98 children in the Defiance County area received clothing from the program. Programs like these, and others such as food drives, go a long way to not only prove the generosity of the people of Defiance, but also help those who happen to be less fortunate and unable to afford conveniences such as clothes or food.

Gas prices in Defiance have been increasing, and fast.

Josh Palonco, a graduated student, said, “You either pay more or get less gas. It's a lose-lose.”

Gas prices have been high, going from $2.99 to $3.16 from the start of covid, to now. Whether it's because of politics, shortage, etc, it's a lot more expensive then what it used to be.

“I work and make money, just to spend most of it on gas. I don't want to go anywhere anymore, with how expensive these things are now.” said Palonco.

This isn't affecting just teenagers, either.

Mark White, Baughman Tile CO Boss, replied with, “I haven't had any problem with the gas, but i do agree when people say that gas has been high recently.”

It's not up to us how expensive things are, especially gas. Will it ever go back down? We do not have any insight on it, yet. There is a possibility that it could go up, then what do we do?

Since July 6th of this year, the intersection of Cleveland Avenue and Ottawa Avenue has been closed in order to reconstruct the intersection, and any other projects that may lie within the jurisdiction. The given time frame of construction was 90 days from July 6th, meaning that this upcoming Monday, October 4th, should be the expected time of completion given that no extension is announced.

The ongoing construction since this summer has meant that those who wished to get places in that area would have to take a detour, which has caused a slight annoyance for some in the area. Zach Smith, a senior at Defiance High School noted that “At the end of the day it just meant I had to go slower, which wasn’t the end of the world but still bugged me a bit.” When asked about the construction’s estimated completion this Monday, Smith had this to say, “Ultimately, it was only a bit obnoxious but it is good to know it won’t last much longer.¨

Many people had less favorable opinions on the construction, such as Caden Hazelton, a junior here at Defi, who had stated, “It forced me to change the route of my commute to school, and also made Karnes Avenue more dangerous.” Hazelton recognized the importance of such construction, but still made an effort to point out the consequences of said construction. “Many people go through Karnes, the street right next to Ottawa, and 35-45 miles per hour, when it is a 25 miles per hour road.“ The junior at DHS is looking forward to the construction coming to a finish, as it means a return to normalcy for those who rely on the intersection to get to school.

Even with all of the Chaos going on within the community, Eli still managed to perform and show off his amazing magic show for all of us to go and see. On Saturday, September 18th, people gathered around to witness Eli's show downtown on 319 Wayne street.

Eli, the youngest winner in the history of IBM, answered a few questions.

Eli has been doing magic since he was 6 years old, winning medals and competitions. “I grew up doing this, it was like a constant thing. Like if I lived on a farm, I would be a farmer.” Eli stated. Though he started very young, his love for it has only grown stronger. He had won his first international magic competition and began to get bookings for his own magic performances.

Eli says, “The audience. Performing for people is the best thing ever. When you have an audience with you, they clap, they cheer, they shout, it's the best feeling ever.”

When asked, Eli laughed and said “I already accomplished everything i've set out to do when I was a kid. I have a big show.” Eli does Magic for fun, and as a career. Though, he just wants to make people happy with his Million Dollar Smile!

This Saturday, September 25th, the City of Defiance will be holding its 14th annual Rib Fest on 325 Clinton Street. As the name implies, the festivities will include several rib vendors, and additional features such as concessions and live performances.

The Rib Fest begins at 3:30, and the $10 admission fee gets you into the 7 and a half hour long event. The opening band, The Odd State, was formed by three students in attendance here at Defiance High School, guitarist and lead vocalist Zach Stephens, drummer Abram Tracy, and bassist Drake Wenniger.

Tracy had this to say regarding this year’s Rib Fest, “It’ll help to relieve people’s stress in the times of the pandemic.” Although COVID-19 has been a prevalent part of our daily lives for a year and a half now, this has not discouraged the people of Defiance from maintaining a positive attitude in the midst of unfortunate events.

“My favorite things about being in a band is making music with my best friends and performing for people in the community, and I love drumming,” Tracy said, proud that he is able to both do what he enjoys and give to the community at the same time. “Personally, I don’t particularly enjoy ribs, but anything like brisket or smoked turkey or chicken I enjoy.”

Although he does not prefer ribs himself, this should not discourage you from digging into a hot rack of ribs served by one of the various vendors available this weekend at the Defiance Rib Fest.

Austin Carr, a teacher at Defiance High School, has moved from Kabul, Afghanistan to Kuwait. Austin was stationed in Kabul while all the turmoil and hatred was in full effect. Carr was in the Kabul airport when the bomb that killed thirteen Americans and injured many civilians went off.

As troops were quickly pulled out of Afghanistan, Carr was one of the last to be shipped off to safety. Carr is currently safe and is ready to get home. “I'm excited to get back to my friends, family and students as soon as possible." stated Carr. “I have been on deployment for over half a year now and my family needs me back home."

As students wait for a teacher back in the classroom, parents wait for a son to come home, and athletes wait for a coach and mentor back in the room, everyone is eager for Carr to come home. Carr hopes to return in the next few weeks from Kuwait, and get back to his normal schedule in Defiance. His heroic actions for his country will never be forgotten.

Tension is currently rising in the Middle East. A specific area where the tension is currently the highest is Afghanistan, which is being overthrown by an Islamic group called the Taliban. With the United States evacuating troops as fast as they can, this leaves many brave men and women still in danger. One hometown hero and teacher, Austin Carr, is currently overseas in Afghanistan where the danger is high.

Carr graduated from Ayersville High School and immediately decided to join the Ohio Air National Guard after graduation. Carr stated, “I wanted more out of my life and wanted to stand for something bigger than myself.”

Once he completed his training to become a member of the Guard he enrolled in school at the Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. There he studied to become a teacher and an administrator. After college, Carr applied for a job as a middle school teacher at Defiance City Schools and was hired.

While Carr was a teacher and a coach at Defiance, he was still enlisted in the Air National Guard. Last April Carr got news that he would be shipped overseas with his squad. Carr is currently stationed in the country of Afghanistan. While saving lives and being a hero overseas, Carr was contacted by faculty members at Defiance City Schools. In regard to the school year beginning while Carr was still overseas, he only asked “What can I do to stay caught up?”

Carr was also told by many to stay safe and come back home to Defiance. His response was “I have to worry about others safety first, then I will worry about myself.”

Carr is a hometown hero and an inspiration to kids and students around the town of Defiance. Thoughts are prayers are sent out to Carr as he is still currently overseas in Kabul, Afghanistan. Carr hopes to come home in the next month.

On‌ ‌Thursday, ‌May‌ ‌13,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Defiance‌ ‌Community‌ ‌announced‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌Kingsbury‌ ‌Pool‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌reopening‌ ‌this‌ ‌summer. Due‌ ‌to‌ ‌COVID‌-19,‌ ‌the‌ ‌community‌ ‌of‌ ‌Defiance‌ ‌was‌ ‌not‌ ‌allowed‌ ‌to‌ ‌swim‌ ‌last‌ ‌summer.‌ ‌But‌ ‌now,‌ in‌ ‌2021,‌ ‌city‌ ‌officials‌ officially‌ ‌announced‌ ‌that‌ ‌they‌ ‌were‌ ‌reopening‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌2021‌ ‌summer‌ ‌season.‌ ‌The‌ ‌city‌ ‌director‌ ‌of‌ ‌service‌ ‌Rob‌ ‌Cereghin‌ ‌told‌ ‌the‌ ‌Crescent‌ ‌News‌ ‌that‌ ‌15-16‌ ‌lifeguards‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌hired‌ ‌at‌ ‌Kingsbury‌ ‌Pool,‌ ‌but‌ ‌some‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌new‌ ‌lifeguards‌ ‌need‌ ‌their‌ ‌lifeguard‌ ‌certification‌ ‌prior‌ ‌to‌ ‌beginning‌ ‌their‌ ‌job.‌ ‌

‌

Senior‌ ‌student‌ ‌Dawson‌ ‌Hoeffel‌ ‌and‌ ‌junior‌ ‌student‌ ‌Xander‌ ‌Valle‌ ‌share‌ ‌their‌ ‌thoughts‌ ‌and‌ ‌opinions‌ ‌about‌ ‌Kingsbury‌ ‌Pool‌ ‌reopening. ‌

‌

Valle‌ ‌says, "I‌ ‌think‌ ‌that‌ ‌it‌ ‌will‌ ‌cause‌ ‌some‌ ‌problems,‌ ‌but‌ ‌I‌ ‌think‌ ‌it‌ ‌should‌ ‌be‌ ‌fine‌ ‌as‌ ‌long‌ ‌they‌ ‌will‌ follow‌ ‌COVID‌ -19‌ ‌regulations.‌"

‌

Hoeffel‌ ‌says, "‌I‌ ‌think‌ ‌that‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌really‌ ‌great‌ ‌idea‌ ‌that‌ ‌they‌ ‌are‌ ‌reopening‌ ‌the‌ ‌pool‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌people‌ ‌because‌ ‌people‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌outside‌ ‌more."

‌

The‌ ‌community‌ ‌of‌ ‌Defiance‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌doing‌ ‌great‌ ‌things‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌past‌ ‌few‌ ‌days‌ ‌like‌ ‌bringing‌ ‌back‌ ‌major‌ ‌festivals‌ ‌but‌ ‌now‌ ‌people‌ ‌are‌ ‌going‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌happy‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌pool‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌reopening‌ ‌soon‌ ‌and‌ ‌people‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌going‌ ‌outside‌ ‌more‌ ‌since‌ ‌we‌ ‌couldn’t‌ ‌last‌ ‌year‌ ‌since‌ ‌the‌ ‌pandemic‌ ‌started.‌ ‌

Ohio governor Mike DeWine has announced that most health orders, including the mask mandate will be lifted on June 2nd.

He has stated that this is due to the work of Ohioans and their efforts to get vaccinated, with almost half the state having at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccination.

“Everyone can now control their own health,” DeWine said. “Everyone can now control their own destiny. So it is time. It’s time to end the health orders. "

“This is due to everyone who has gone out and followed the guidelines and been vaccinated,” Registered Respiratory Therapist Molly Roerhig said. “People have made it possible to get this virus under control.”

DeWine also made it clear that just because health orders are being lifted doesn’t mean that the virus is gone. He stated that businesses, citizens, and schools have their own right to decide if masks are necessary or not.

Thanks to the hard work of everyone around, we have been able to start the process of moving on from this virus. Make sure to stay aware and be safe throughout this summer.

Summer is almost here, school is almost over and major festivals are coming to Defiance. Due to COVID, Defiance had to cancel major festivals in Defiance, like the Lilac Festival, Ribfest, and even the Fourth of July Fireworks. Mayor Mccain of Defiance said, ‘’We’re happy that things are going the way they were. Life is going to be normal for this year.’’

Two junior students from Defiance High School, Gabe Thompson and Zach Smith, share their thoughts and opinions about the major festivals coming to Defiance.

Thompson says, “I'm really glad they are bringing back these festivals that they have been doing for years and I was really bummed that they didn’t do it last year because of COVID-19. I hope everything goes well for these festivals.’’

Smith says, “I’m super excited about the festivals coming back to Defiance. I've been going to the Lilac Festival and the Fourth of July fireworks ever since I was a little kid and I'm proud that the mayor is bringing them back.’

With the end of the year and summer coming up, Sauder Village has opened up for its 45th year. Last year was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but this year it is opening up at the normal time.

People will still have to wear masks while indoors, but can take off their masks outside if practicing social distancing. There will be many events, especially the Sauder Village Quilt Show. This is one of the largest quilt shows in the area.

“This is a good sign for the surrounding community and tourists that come into Northwest Ohio. It’s good to see some things coming back to normal,” said Defiance Senior Brandon Morgan.

“This is from all of the guidelines that people have followed and the increased number of vaccinations. We just need to stay careful and continue to be cautious,” said Registered Respiratory Therapist Molly Roehrig.

Many things are returning this year, however we must stay vigilant and follow health guidelines to keep these things around.

This past week at DHS, we have seen an increase in COVID-19 exposure and cases. This has caused many of our students to be quarantined for the time being.

From April 27th to April 28th at 1 PM, there have been 7 cases recovered and 10 lab confirmed cases according to the Defiance County Health Department. This brings the total number of active cases to 122 in Defiance County. Many students have been quarantined due to close contact with an individual who had tested positive for the virus.

“I think that people just need to be more careful now than they were before,” said Defiance senior Brandon Morgan. A lot of these quarantines were due to guidelines not being followed, but some were for things like sitting at the same lunch table.

“I think these quarantines were necessary for some people,” Josh Horvath said. Some people were in contact with people who tested positive for COVID-19 without a mask.

To try and stay away from quarantine, make sure to wear your mask properly when necessary and try to avoid the virus at all times.

On Monday, April 26, the Elks Lodge in Defiance donated $1000 to the Defiance High School Relay For Life Program. This is a generous donation to the program, and it assists people with cancer. It is good for the business, and it shows positive things about the Elks Lodge and the Relay For Life Program.

Defiance High School teacher Tom Held and senior student Zac Loose share their thoughts about the Elks Lodge donating $1000 to Relay For Life.

Held says,’’Both of the Elks and Relay For Life are great organizations who continue to give back to our great Defiance Community. Whenever you see one organization help another, it shows that the organization cares about the Relay For Life program.’’

Loose says, “I think it is a great idea that the Elks are donating $1000 dollars to the program and it shows that the Elks Lodge cares about the program.”

The Elks Lodge has been supporting the Defiance community for years, donating money to different programs and charity events in the Defiance community. It is nice that they donated to Relay For Life to help and support kids and adults that are fighting with cancer.

Sometime in late April to early May, a type of cicada will emerge from the ground. This group of cicadas only emerge about once every 17 years. These cicadas shouldn’t cause any damage to crops, gardens, or anything on houses.

Although they don’t do any damage, these cicadas are loud. When in groups, they can reach a sound of 100 decibels. These sounds have been compared to the sound of electricity. Defiance County is supposed to have some of the largest concentrations of these cicadas.

The people at Defiance High School don’t seem so concerned however. With an anonymous student saying “It might be a minor inconvenience, but it won’t be that big of a deal.” Brandon Morgan said that “I know they’re about to be pretty loud at night, it also might be annoying during the day.”

Although cicadas are about to emerge, don’t worry too much about it. They are basically harmless, but might be a minor inconvenience this summer.

On Sunday April 11th, the community of Defiance was talking about donating CPR Training Kits to local schools in the Defiance area. CPR Training Kits will teach students what to do in a potential emergency situation. The kits include inflatable mannequins, AED simulators, and lesson plans. These kits and plans will help make sure that every student, teacher, and staff member at Defiance High School are safe.

Two teachers from Defiance High School, Rick Weaver and Rhonda Haviland, share their thoughts and opinions about the CPR Kits.

Weaver says, “I think it's a great idea. Everyone would benefit from being trained in CPR.”

Haviland says, “It is a great idea. I was required to be trained on one a few years ago, as was the rest of the staff.”

These CPR Kits at the local school will be a great addition to the school so that everyone can train for a situation that requires any sort of CPR. Students wouldn’t have to watch videos about CPR: they would actually train with the CPR mannequins. This will change the local schools by helping to save more lives at local schools.

On Monday, Ohio governor Mike DeWine announced that the state will simplify the statewide health orders. These health orders will be simplified into one order. In this announcement, he made it clear that events like prom and graduations can be held.

This combined order will include wearing masks in any indoor location that is not your residence, social distancing, limiting large gatherings, good hygiene, hosting events outside whenever possible, and other things.

As stated by DeWine, a lot of these topics in the order are “common sense.” He made it clear that if the people follow these guidelines, we should be able to return back to normal quicker.

Molly Roehrig, a registered respiratory therapist, says that “I agree with continuing the COVID precautions in order to prevent future resurgences in our area. It has been shown that COVID-19 has many possible side effects even after recovering from the virus including cardiac and clotting complications. I also believe that the key to overcoming this pandemic is for as many people as possible to get vaccinated. If you look back on history, vaccinations are how the country and the world have eradicated many past deadly diseases.”

Although we are almost through this pandemic, we are not out of the woods yet. Remember to wear a mask and wash your hands. But most importantly, we are all in this together!

On Wednesday April 7th, the Defiance County General Health District is implementing changes. These changes help promote social distancing and mask wearing. These changes are not only in the Defiance community, but will eventually be worldwide. The changes that are going to be worldwide are these examples:

• The DCGHD office lobby will be limited to two people in the office at one time.

• Masks shall be worn according to state guidelines

• All essentials meeting are conducted to go virtually

These changes are going to promote great things during the pandemic. If people follow these procedures, maybe the Defiance community will not have to wear masks or socially distance anymore.

Defiance High School teachers Hans Zipfel and James Kerr share their thoughts and opinions about the new changes in the Health District.

Zipfel says, “I think governmental boards of all kinds and most sorts are developed and contrived to address the mean...therefore, they are great for the greatest number of persons. They shall ever be short on serving the needs of the outliers or exceptional. It is this way by design, but not necessarily by intent. I think most people want to help all people, but each person is not all people. “

Kerr says, “Recently, I heard a commentator discuss our recent progress against the spread of the Covid-19 virus. The analogy was a good one if you enjoy a victory on the football field. Our progress is great. We are going to win. We are running towards the goal line, but just before victory is in our hands, we spike the ball at the 5 yard line. While significant progress is being made through extensive immunization of the public, the ultimate victory over Covid-19 will not come unless we continue to practice social distancing, appropriately wearing masks, and washing or sanitizing our hands regularly. While severe progress has been made, new variations of the Covid- virus that are contagious and cause more hospitalizations and death are moving through our community

These changes are going to be good worldwide and in the Defiance community. When these procedures are followed, people prevent the spread of COVID-19 and maybe will not have to social distance and wear masks anymore.

On Monday, March 26th, Chipotle in Defiance officially opened for business. People love Chipotle, and have been waiting for this moment for a long time. Before this franchise opened in Defiance, people usually went to Fort Wayne or even Toledo just to eat at this fan favorite restaurant.

Senior student Daniel Hoffman and manager Kaelyn Ford both work at Chipotle and have their thoughts and opinions about Chipotle opening.

Hoffman says, ‘’Chipotle is one of my favorite restaurants but I feel like Defiance may have a chance to ruin it just like they have to Panda and to Wendy’s. But if it stays good then it will be a top three restaurant in Defiance.”

Ford says, “I'm really excited that we opened on Monday. But business has really been looking good so far and we have had a lot of customers all week and that my staff and employees are happy to serve this kind of food to the people that love Chipotle.”

The people of Defiance think Chipotle will be a great addition to the Defiance community. Hopefully, the business will be successful and people will no longer have to drive to Fort Wayne or Toledo to eat there.

The soccer fields at Riverside Park are currently under renovation. The fields are getting graded, new goals are being installed, and drainage is being installed. Riverside has been a topic of discussions when it comes to renovations and repairs.

Junior Nolan Morgan thinks this is a good thing for the surrounding community, “Many people including myself believe that this is something that is somewhat overdue. With the amount of activity there and the name it has in the community, it’s about time that it got some well deserved renovations.”

This is just one of the renovations that parks have been getting as of late. One example of this is Eastside Park. They got new equipment, a new shelterhouse, and new basketball courts. This also helps with reports of parks being a hit with the recent warm weather, and this might attract more traffic to Riverside Park.

On Monday March 8th, Officer John Williamson was chosen by the Ohio's Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) organization as the state's top law enforcement officer. This was such an honor for Officer Williamson since he has been working nearly three decades with the city department as a patrolman , detective, and a school resource officer.

Defiance high school teacher Hans Zipfel and Officer Williamson share their thoughts about the award.

Zipfel says, “I believe it is outstanding that Officer Williamson was chosen by the VFW as its top police officer. He has always been nothing but nice to me in my personal and professional dealings with him as a member of the Blue and when not in uniform. Also, he brings positive notoriety to the VFW 3360, Defiance High School, The Great City of Defiance, The DPOA, and Northwest Ohio! He and it speak volumes to how Defi is ‘a great place to live.’”

Williamson says, “I am extremely proud, humbled and appreciative of their recognizing my law enforcement career and accomplishments along the way. It sounds a little cliche, but I absolutely couldn't have done it without the support of my wife and kids. They sacrificed a lot at times to allow me to do some of the things I believed in and wanted to do. They were my "Rocks" that I could always count on for assistance in some of the things I did. I have had the privilege of working with many great co-workers over the course of my career that have supported and helped me achieve goals I set for myself.

In conclusion Officer Williamson is a good officer and resource officer. The Defiance community is proud to have such a decorated officer protecting and serving them.

The Defiance County Health Department is reporting an increase of 3 lab confirmed cases and 1 recovered case as of March 4. This brings the total number of cases in Defiance County to 3,715. The number of active cases is 82.

Defiance County is at a Level 3, this indicates that Defiance County has triggered 4 to 5 of the indicators. Level 3 is described as “Very high exposure and spread. Limit activities as much as possible. Follow all current health orders.”

The Defiance County Health Department does daily updates on their website sometime after 2 PM Monday through Friday.

Remember to wear a mask, social distance, wash your hands frequently, and most importantly that we’re all in this together.

On Tuesday, February 23rd, the Defiance City Board of Education is seeking a bid and deed for the old 1918 building (Old Middle School). Since the teachers of Defiance High School/Middle School got vaccinated on Friday, the Board of Education had extra maintenance work for the 1918 building. This gave maintenance workers extra time to clean and prepare this historic Defiance building.

Defiance senior Thomas Nafziger and High School teacher Hans Zipfel have their thoughts and opinions about the bid and deed about the 1918 building.

Nafziger says, “I think it's kind of cool, they're trying to keep it under the city's name.”

Zipfel says, "It will be in the best interest of the Defiance community to resolve the 1918 Building question sooner rather than later. Both sides, those who believe it should be razed and new development cultivated and those that love it still and venerate it, would agree that neither perspective wants to see it dilapidated before our very eyes and become an eyesore and taint our communal memory of our former educational temple. I have confidence in the city fathers forming a plan and having the resolve and vision to see it through. They proved this with Slocum, Anthony Wayne, Spencer, and Brickell...also all treasured educational icons in our community: two repurposed for the benefit of the city and two removed and new additions built upon their hallowed grounds. We must be patient; it will work out in the end."

In conclusion the bid and the deed are a good thing for the community because people grew up and went to school in that building throughout their middle school years.

On October 17, 2020 the Defiance Community announced that we will be getting a new Chipotle in Defiance where the old Northtowne Motor Company was.

A few months have passed since construction began on the new restaurant, which will open on March 13 and will be open to the public to everyone in Defiance

Will Chipotle's popularity take away business from other local restaurants, such as McDonald's and Arby's?

Chase Smith, a 2018 graduate from Defiance High School, and Kaelyn Ford, a 2019 graduate from Defiance High School and upcoming supervisor for Chipotle’’, have their thoughts and opinions about Chipotle.

Smith says, “This will be a great addition to the Defiance area. People from Defiance have to drive to Toledo or Fort Wayne to go to this restaurant and I'm happy that we will be getting a fan favorite restaurant in the Defiance area.”

Ford says, “Since I will be managing this new restaurant I think that the business will be great, better than other fast foods areas in the area.”

In conclusion having a Chipotle will excite Defiance locals, and will make their trip to get a burrito much quicker and people will not have to drive to different cities and towns.

A winter storm has hit Defiance this past week. With 7 to 10 inches of snow and ice covering the roads, the school has had to cancel 2 days this week.

When asked about the winter storm, Nolan Morgan stated: “I think it was necessary to close the schools these past days, the conditions have not been the best.”

Dawson Hornish said that “The school closing was needed because of the storm. It is inconvenient because it does mess with the learning pattern, but it was needed in this case.”

This has been an odd time due to the closures for school, but it has been not the best weather.

Make sure to dress warm for the next few days and make sure to be careful on the roads!

This past weekend Defiance experienced it’s biggest snowfall so far this year. However, the cold temperatures are still to come according to the forecast.

This snowfall is supposed to be followed up by very cold temperatures next week. Starting on Saturday and going until next Friday, the highest temperature is supposed to be twenty two degrees. Making it possibly the coldest week this year.

When asked about the cold front coming, Nolan Morgan stated “I could definitely see this coming at one point, we have had some cold weather this year, but usually we have this kind of weather at some point in the year.”

Dawson Hornish said that “Hopefully the weather can somehow help us cancel again. I could definitely use another day off.”

Definitely make sure to bundle up this next week and dress warm!

On Friday January 22nd Defiance County General Health district , Defiance County Emergency Management Agency, and local pharmacies are partnering to vaccinate those individuals in phase 1B. Phase 1B of Ohio's vaccination program will be focused on reaching critical groups with the ages of 65 and older for the first doses of the vaccines. When a new range opens for the second doses for the vaccines for the teacher and kids for the school all throughout the United States they will notify the people. Two students from Defiance High School Thomas Nafziger and Daniel Hartnet have their opinions on the vaccine coming to Defiance.

Nafziger said ’’I'm not sure if the people in the town will choose to get it. But it does seem to be a good idea for the older folks to get it so it's safer for them to go outside of the house.’’

Hartnett said ’’I think it is a good thing that the COVID Vaccines are coming to Defiance, maybe if they get the vaccine out fast enough here and all around the country sports here as well as around the country will be back to normal. I think that the majority of people will get it except for the people that ironically need it the most, the older people that believe it is all fake. Other than them everyone will take it and everything will go back to normal.”

In conclusion I think that the health departments of the Defiance County are really helping out the people of Defiance trying to get people healthy and not letting them get COVID and that is a good thing to do for the people of Defiance.

According to the Defiance County General Health District (DCGHD), there have been 3 more deaths in Defiance County due to COVID-19. The three deaths were “a female in her 60’s with underlying health conditions, a male in his 50’s with underlying health conditions, and a male in his 60’s with underlying health conditions.”

Along with this there have been 20 lab confirmed cases, 4 probable cases, 1 case hospitalized, and 72 cases recovered from 1/12 at 1:00 pm to 1/13 at 1:00 pm.

This brings the total number of cases to 3,023 reported and 942 active cases in Defiance County.

Defiance County is still in Level 3 for the COVID-19 pandemic. Level 3 advises to “limit activities as much as possible. Follow all current health orders.”

To stop the spread of COVID-19 as much as possible, make sure to wash your hands, social distance as much as possible, and wear a mask.

On Wednesday January 6th, the Defiance Council approved a contract for a really big water plant upgrade for Defiance. This will be a big step for Defiance for the water plants because the project unfolding at the city’s Baltimore Road water treatment is the installation of a new granulated-activated carbon (GAC) filtration system. This will remove the trihalomethanes and will treat and remove the taste and odor from our drinking water. This will be a big step in 2021 for Defiance and the rest of the people. Evan Brown a student at Defiance High School and Hans Zipfel a teacher at Defiance High School share their honest opinions about the water plant contract.

Brown says “I think that this will help our community strive towards a better future.’’

Zipfel stated’’I believe the water plant upgrade is wise for the City of Defiance because I live out in the country now and have my own reverse osmosis filtration system and we pull from our own well and our water is as good as any bottled water. When I visit my parents, within the friendly confines of the fair city, I am not impressed with its quality of water. Matter of fact, when I was a youth in the polis, I remember drinking water from the tap and from the water fountains of Slocum School, Middle School, and High School and the water tasting as if it were the nectar of the Gods! It is a far cry from that presently. Thus, huzzah huzzah for city governance and its quest to insure Defiance continues to be a great place to live."

In conclusion I think that the Defiance Council is doing a great thing for the water plants of Defiance and it is going to be helping the community and environment very much.

Last‌ ‌week,‌ ‌Ohio‌ ‌Governor‌ ‌Mike‌ ‌DeWine‌ ‌announced‌ ‌a‌ ‌change‌ ‌in‌ ‌school‌ ‌quarantine‌ ‌protocols.‌ ‌The‌ ‌change‌ ‌allows‌ ‌any‌ ‌student‌ ‌or‌ ‌staff‌ ‌member‌ ‌exposed‌ ‌to‌ ‌someone‌ ‌who‌ ‌is‌ ‌COVID-positive‌ ‌to‌ ‌remain‌ ‌in‌ ‌school.‌ ‌The‌ ‌change‌ ‌only‌ ‌applies‌ ‌to‌ ‌exposures‌ ‌that‌ ‌occurred‌ ‌in‌ ‌classrooms‌ ‌while‌ ‌masks‌ ‌were‌ ‌being‌ ‌worn.‌ ‌ ‌

‌The‌ ‌change‌ ‌follows‌ ‌the‌ ‌release‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌preliminary‌ ‌evaluation‌ ‌conducted‌ ‌by‌ ‌Ohio’s‌ ‌School‌ ‌COVID-19‌ ‌Evaluation‌ ‌Team.‌ ‌The‌ ‌evaluation‌ ‌found‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌is,‌ ‌“no‌ ‌discernable‌ ‌difference‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌risk‌ ‌of‌ ‌contracting‌ ‌the‌ ‌coronavirus‌ ‌between‌ ‌those‌ ‌in‌ ‌close‌ ‌contact‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌COVID-positive‌ ‌person‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌classroom‌ ‌and‌ ‌those‌ ‌who‌ ‌were‌ ‌farther‌ ‌away.”‌ ‌ ‌

‌“This‌ ‌evaluation‌ ‌confirms‌ ‌for‌ ‌us‌ ‌that‌ ‌Ohio's‌ ‌classrooms‌ ‌are‌ ‌a‌ ‌safe‌ ‌place‌ ‌for‌ ‌our‌ ‌students,”‌ ‌Governor‌ ‌DeWine‌ ‌told‌ ‌the‌ ‌media‌ ‌last‌ ‌week,‌ ‌“and‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌commitment‌ ‌our‌ ‌schools‌ ‌have‌ ‌made‌ ‌to‌ ‌keeping‌ ‌kids‌ ‌safe‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌classroom‌ ‌is‌ ‌working.”‌ ‌

Sofia‌ ‌Castillo,‌ ‌a‌ ‌Defiance‌ ‌High‌ ‌School‌ ‌senior‌ ‌who‌ ‌was‌ ‌quarantined‌ ‌for‌ ‌exposure‌ ‌earlier‌ ‌this‌ ‌semester,‌ ‌is‌ ‌troubled‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌decision.‌ ‌

‌“As‌ ‌someone‌ ‌who‌ ‌has‌ ‌seen‌ ‌COVID’s‌ ‌effects‌ ‌first‌ ‌hand‌ ‌throughout‌ ‌my‌ ‌family,‌ ‌I‌ ‌know‌ ‌how‌ ‌detrimental‌ ‌the‌ ‌spread‌ ‌of‌ ‌it‌ ‌can‌ ‌be,”‌ ‌Castillo‌ ‌states,‌ ‌“I‌ ‌don’t‌ ‌understand‌ ‌why‌ ‌we‌ ‌would‌ ‌change‌ ‌protocols‌ ‌now‌ ‌as‌ ‌we‌ ‌expect‌ ‌a‌ ‌surge‌ ‌in‌ ‌cases‌ ‌following‌ ‌the‌ ‌holidays,‌ ‌while‌ ‌also‌ ‌being‌ ‌just‌ ‌weeks‌ ‌away‌ ‌from‌ ‌widespread‌ ‌access‌ ‌to‌ ‌vaccines.”‌ ‌

‌DeWine’s‌ ‌announcement‌ ‌stated‌ ‌that‌ ‌schools‌ ‌should‌ ‌continue‌ ‌to‌ ‌require‌ ‌quarantines‌ ‌for‌ ‌exposed‌ ‌students‌ ‌in‌ ‌situations‌ ‌where‌ ‌masking‌ ‌and‌ ‌distancing‌ ‌protocols‌ ‌were‌ ‌not‌ ‌followed.‌ ‌He‌ ‌also‌ ‌noted‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌new‌ ‌guidance‌ ‌does‌ ‌not‌ ‌apply‌ ‌to‌ ‌after-school‌ ‌activities,‌ ‌including‌ ‌sports.‌ ‌ ‌

Within the next few months, four new businesses will be setting up shop in Defiance. In the Northtowne area, Kay Jewelers, Tropical Smoothie Cafe, and Chipotle have already begun construction on their respective buildings. On the east side of town, a brand new O'Reilly's Auto Parts is already set to open its doors to the public.

Perhaps the most highly anticipated among them is the Mexican restaurant chain, Chipotle. The chain boasts over 2,700 locations in the United States alone; however, the Defiance store will be the first in the six county area.

Many Defiance High School students and community members are elated that a local store is opening. Chipotle enthusiast and DHS senior, Porsha Wolfum states that she, “currently drives to Fort Wayne at least once a week to get it,” and is, “excited to have one here in town.”

The restaurant, set to open in mid-February, will be located at 1796 North Clinton Street, the former site of Northtowne Motors. Just across the street, Kay Jewelers and Tropical Smoothie Cafe will split the vacant space that last was occupied by Mattress Firm. Both of those businesses are targeting opening dates some time in late spring.

O’Reilly’s Auto Parts has already finished construction of their new building at 1829 East Second Street. The site formerly housed Dolce Vita Mexican and Italian Restaurant, before it was demolished last fall. The store offers a wide variety of parts, tools, and accessories for every type of automobile.

Noah Jordan, a Defiance High School sophomore, says he is excited to have an O’Reilly’s in town. “I don’t have a car,” Jordan states, “but I can’t wait to have a new store to walk around aimlessly at 7:30 on a Thursday morning.”

The store will be open 7 days a week, starting today, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays.

On Sunday, December 6th, Defiance County held a parade honoring our veteran and active-duty first responders including law enforcement, firefighters, and EMTs. The parade made a route all over Defiance County and concluded in a gathering at the Northtowne Mall, where they then donated gifts and other items to Christmas For Kids.

While donating to a local charity is a generous act in itself, these people deserve to be honored and commended for the work they do everyday. Hence why many community members were delighted that the parade was held on Sunday.

Hans Zipfel, a Defiance High School teacher, states, “I think anytime we can publicly acknowledge our responders apriorate and modest way befitting their humility, sacrifice,and devotion to the public good is excelsome.”

James Kerr, a fellow Defiance High School teacher, also believed the parade was of value. ’’Anytime is a good time to acknowledge these public servants,” Kerr states, “a parade provides a perfect avenue to say thank you.”

These hometown heroes are part of what makes Defiance a great place to live.

The halls of Defiance High School were, once again, bustling with energy Monday morning, as students returned to the building for the first time in two weeks. Citing a rise in COVID-19 cases and quarantines within both the school and community, DHS had switched to a remote learning plan from November 23 thru December 4.

Defiance County currently has over 700 active cases of COVID-19, with over 1,000 individuals under a quarantine. Compared to statistics from Defiance County General Health District, Defiance has seen a near 100% increase in cases since November 13th, jumping from 353 to 706 active cases in the time frame.

In addition to a rise in cases, Defiance County has seen a dramatic increase in COVID-19 related deaths. Less than a month ago, the total sat steady at 17. The death toll has since risen to 46, including four deaths being reported yesterday alone.

With this in mind, as well as the fact that only 10 school days remain in between now and winter break, some students are calling the decision to return foolish and careless. Defiance High School senior Anna Bustamante is among those students. “While I’m happy to be back in the building, I believe we should’ve stayed remote through at least mid-January,” Bustamante states, “with the holiday season right around the corner, an increase in cases seems inevitable.”

Gabby Fabiano, another DHS senior, also believes classes should have stayed remote through winter break. “We should not have come back till after Christmas because, no matter what, people are going to be gathering for the holiday, and there is no way to ensure they will be wearing masks and social distancing,” Fabiano notes, “cases will only continue to rise exponentially through the holiday season. It’s simply not safe to be here. In the two days being back, we have already heard of four new cases among students.”

While many students remain frustrated with the administration's decision, Defiance High School plans to continue in-person learning for the foreseeable future.

On Tuesday December 1st, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a three-week retail curfew running from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. to slow the spread of the coronavirus as cases stay at near-record high levels. DeWine said this measure, effective Thursday December 3rd, is needed to reduce cases and stop the state's hospitals from being overrun. These accusations are not good for businesses because they are going to be affecting the business hours and less people are going to be going to the restaurants and people are not going to follow the curfew rules.

Thomas Nafziger, a senior from Defiance High School, states his thoughts about the new curfew, “I think it won't help because how are they going to tell people to stay home after 10 PM but they can still go through the drive through. A cop isn't going to pull you over for being out past 10 PM, and if they do your most likely on your way home.”

Christian Stork, a senior from Defiance High School, also has opinions on the new curfew law, “In my opinion, I feel like the curfew is useless. Posing restrictions on people to tell them to be home by a certain time is called martial law, and with everything going on, the last thing DeWine wants to do is call martial law, deeming the curfew almost useless. I personally do not follow the curfew. When I was out around 10:32 on a Thursday night, people were still out driving around. I can see the usefulness for companies like Walmart or Menards.”

With these kinds of statements in mind, it seems this new curfew will not deter people from going out and business from staying open. Its effects could be little if not properly followed.

LoomThe Defiance County General Health District (DCGHD) has announced that Defiance County has increased to a Level 3 (red) as of Oct. 29, due to very high exposure and spread. Residents are asked to limit activities as much as possible and follow all current health orders. Among the Level 3 indicators met were: new cases per capita; sustained increase in new cases; proportion of cases not in a congregate setting; and sustained increase in outpatient visits.

With this rise, many are wondering what will happen to businesses in the Defiance area. Will they still be open or will they, once again, be forced to close down?

James Kerr, a teacher at Defiance High School, believes we can prevent another shutdown. “I think that a shut down of business will not be necessary if everyone follows the prescribed guidelines. Some have compared our task to a nation at war. We are at war against a virus that can destroy both health and economy,” Kerr states, “I hope that everyone is thinking of their personal responsibility to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Humans are the vectors, so we have been given directions on how to limit the spread. If everyone wears masks (covering the nose and mouth), as well as keeping the suggested six foot social distance and washing hands regularly, we are all doing our job to support community health.”

Evan Brown, a senior at Defiance High School, also believes that the rise to a Level 3 will not close business. “I think that business won't necessarily shut down, but I do believe that more restrictions will be put into place for a safe and working community”.

While cases rise across the state, the uncertainty about businesses being able to stay open grows.

A COVID-19 pop-up testing site will be available in Defiance County this Friday, November 20th, from 1-6 p.m. at the George M. Smart Athletic Center, located at 1000 Webster St. on the campus of Defiance College. Anyone can get a no-cost test at the event, which is a partnership among the Defiance County General Health District, Defiance College, the Ohio National Guard and the Ohio Department of Health.

Test results are typically available within two-three days, but may take longer. Attendees of the event are asked to stay home until test results are returned if they have had COVID-19 symptoms, or have suspected or known exposure to the virus. Attendees are asked to monitor their health and call their health-care provider if they develop symptoms.

TJ Nafziger, a senior at Defiance High School, offers his opinion on the free testing in Defiance. “Well personally, I feel that it is a great opportunity to get a test if you feel like you need one,” Nafziger says, “but if you don't have symptoms then there's no need to get a test unless you feel it's necessary.”

Hans Zipfel, a teacher at Defiance High School, also believes free testing in Defiance County to be favorable . "Free COVID-19 testing is a very beneficial service to the community and could save lives in certain situations, thus I very much encourage it,” Zipfel states, “One life lost is one too many! I truly believe that.”

With free testing in Defiance, everyone has the opportunity to do their part in stopping the spread of COVID-19 and keeping our community happy and healthy.

Among the many small businesses of Defiance is Putt-Putt Golf and Games, a mini golf center that offers exciting attractions for a low price. Their mission, as it states on the website, is “to provide families with a safe, clean, wholesome entertainment venue where they can have an enjoyable experience for a reasonable cost in their own community.” Putt-Putt offers golf, go-karts, laser tag, batting cages, and arcade games.

With golf starting at just $6 a person, it’s pretty easy to have a day full of fun while still keeping your wallet intact. In the summer, Putt-Putt offers weekly specials, such as Trio Tuesday where you can buy any three attractions for $14. The workers there are always doing their best to help make sure customers get the best deal possible.

It’s a relaxed environment that makes it easy to let go and have a good time. Juanito Tavares, a junior at Defiance who has been working at Putt-Putt for four months, said it’s a fun job, and that his favorite part is “the slushies and socializing with people down at go-karts.”

Lisa Becher, the owner, is an amiable people person who has kept the business running for 20 years. Her husband and daughters all have a hand in helping make sure things stay running smoothly. Part of the reason Putt-Putt caters to families so well is because it’s a family-run business itself.

Despite the cold weather, Putt-Putt is open year round. The tickets there never expire, so if you have left overs from the summer you can use them this winter, or even wait till next summer. Whenever you choose to go, Putt-Putt will be ready to put a smile on your face.

Defiance County, along with every other county in Ohio, has seen a recent spike in cases of the novel coronavirus over the past few weeks.

According to the Defiance County Health Department, there are now 894 total cases of the virus within the county. That number includes the 353 active cases, 524 recovered cases, and 17 deaths. There have been 80 hospitalizations, including 16 in this past week, and 1,861 incidents of quarantines, 765 of which are ongoing.

These numbers show a steep increase compared to months prior. The increase has also resulted in a shift from a Level 2 to a Level 3 on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System. The system, instilled by Governor Mike DeWine, operates on four levels to indicate severity of the spread of COVID-19 at a county level. Only one out of Ohio’s 88 counties remain at Level 1, however all counties are reporting high incidence of transmissions.

Defiance County ranks fifth in the state for highest occurrence with 659 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 people, while neighboring Putnam County ranks first with 1,266.9 cases per 100,000. The bordering counties of Paulding, Williams, and Henry also rank within the top 20 for highest occurrence.

With Northwest Ohio becoming a hotbed of cases in the state, many concerns are rising. Marissa Jordan, a LPN for Defiance City Schools and Mercy Defiance Hospital, expressed some of them.

“I am concerned that people will not be able to receive the care they need. This concern is nothing new, it is why we were hearing "flatten the curve" months ago. COVID-19 is causing more complications which require hospital care than other viral illnesses. My concern is that we run out of hospital beds, and possibly ventilators,” Jordan states, “there is also a risk of a shortage of medical personnel as we too are at risk of catching the virus. While we don full PPE at work, we are still at risk of community spread via our children and spouses. If we fall ill in mass numbers, who will take care of the public?”

The question Jordan raises is a good one and can also be related to the school building. Teachers and school administrators are also susceptible to the virus, so how will students be taught if their teachers are forced to quarantine.

This has become a major discussion point, as the use of virtual learning once again becomes increasingly possible. Defiance senior Madison Shock says she is torn on the subject, “Obviously I want to be in school as much as possible, as this is my senior year, however, I know that if cases continue to rise, going virtual is a much safer option.”

As of today, Defiance City Schools plans to continue in-person learning while still taking the necessary precautions to further prevent the spread of COVID-19.

A new marketplace has opened up in Defiance, though it may offer more than you think. D-Town is a collection of different vendors located at 875 South Clinton Street. Some offer food, others offer hand-crafted jewelry, and all of it is tied together with a beautiful mixture of art and music.

Some static vendors remain inside the D-Town building, while others have food trucks outside. Most people setting up shop at D-Town are local families. The food trucks sell items ranging from honey to coffee. There are a few bakers who make treats such as bread and cupcakes.

Tom Hart and his wife, Jennifer, moved here from Arizona, where he says there were lots of large events they would attend. They wanted to bring something of that sort to Defiance. “It’s really cool to see the community get together,” Hart says. It’s true, Defiance has never had any permanent, collaborative vendors, but the change is certainly welcomed.

Hanging around a local marketplace can be more than just a good way to spend a few dollars. According to Thrive Global, spending time with your community can not only be a great way to meet new people, but can also improve your mental health. Connecting with others is an important factor when it comes to mental health, and with COVID-19 it can be even harder to get out there, that’s why D-Town is a great, mask-friendly place to meet up with your friends or get to know someone new.

Community based events are something we see in Defiance maybe once every couple of months, and the pandemic certainly hasn’t helped. Having small town pride is difficult when you don’t really know the people around you. Local events like Ribfest help to bring everyone together, but it’s definitely nice for something to be there more than just one day a year.

When asked whether or not they’d remain open for the coming cold months, Hart replied, “Maybe. We have some possible business deals going through with some vendors that might work inside throughout the winter.” Regardless, D-Town is committed to bringing the community together and supporting local businesses.

The day has finally arrived! Today, Tuesday, November 3rd, marks Election Day and all eyes are on the presidential race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. While federal elections are important to withholding democracy in the United States, local elections can make more of a direct impact on communities.

“Many people in our country, besides those in Washington, have the power to greatly affect our society,” Defiance High School history teacher Joe Voll states, “because of this, state and local elections are beyond important to everyone. These elections decide on local revenue and tax spending, law enforcement and fire prevention, and our school systems just to name a few.”

Despite this, participation in local elections fails to compare to those of federal elections. The National Civic League suggests that, on average, only 15-27% of eligible voters participate in local elections across the United States. In 2016, over 55% of all eligible voters casted their ballots in the presidential race.

Why does such a discrepancy exist? Hans Zipfel, another Defiance High School history teacher, believes that exposure from the media could be at fault. “Media exposure is the major culprit in this monumental oversight.” Zipfel states, “Local elections tower in gravity as per relation to your daily life as compared to national elections...Beyond that there is no greater misnomer in American governance. It is very frustrating as a social studies teacher. Local elections are the life-blood of this federal democratic republic."

As voters head to the booths today, several local elections will be on the ballot. On the federal level, Republican incumbent Bob Latta runs for reelection while facing fierce competition from young, Democratic challenger Nick Rubando in Ohio’s 5th Congressional District. Another Republican incumbent, Craig Reidel, also seeks reelection in the 82nd District of the Ohio House of Representatives. His sole opposition is write-in candidate Elecia Wobler of Antwerp.

At the county level, two County Commissioner seats are being contested. In the first race, Republican incumbent Mick Pocratsky faces off against current Democratic City Councilman John Hancock. In the second, Republican David Kern and Democrat Diane Mayer fight to fill the seat vacated by Gary Plotts.

Voters have until 7:30 p.m. tonight to decide who will represent them in these positions. Regardless of who they choose, these officials are certain to make an impact on the Defiance community.

Defiance's Karnes Avenue has been resurfaced and is open to traffic. The recent reopening follows replacement of the street's failing concrete surface with asphalt between Summit Street and Ottawa Avenue, as well as the installation of new curbs, sidewalks, and drainage.

This reopening means that cars once again use Karnes instead of having the intersection at Ottawa and Cleveland. This is especially beneficial for those that are traveling to Defiance Middle/High School or the YMCA. These major changes are certain to reduce traffic on Ottawa Avenue and reduce drive time for some school commuters.

Mr. Zipfel, a teacher at Defiance High School, states has thoughts about Karnes Avenue reopening, “I like Karnes Avenue. Obviously, it was more bumpy than an ordinary road when it was still cement and pothole laden. It was a travesty. Now that it is resurfaced it should be much more pleasurable.”

Chase Smith, a 2018 Defiance grad, shares a similar view on the resurfacing, “I really love the new improvements that they have made to Karnes Avenue. The new paved road is better than the old road because this road is really smooth rather than the old one which was really bumpy and it could damage the bottom of your car when you drove on it. Since it reopened it is easier to go to the YMCA because I work out instead of going out all the way near Shell and Marathon.”

With these changes to Karnes Avenue, many traffic headaches are sure to be relieved from residents of Defiance’s East Side.

From Sasquatch sightings across the Pacific Northwest to reports of a flying Jersey Devil along the Atlantic coast, America is filled with tales and folklore of dozens of mysterious creatures.

Unfamiliar to many younger, local residents, one of these creatures has a rich history right here in Defiance: the Dogman. First encountered in the early morning hours of July 25, 1972, rumors of a tall, hairy beast circled around the city that entire summer.

Ted Davis, a rail worker, was the first local that spotted the Dogman. Davis stated that as he was working on the tracks, he saw two large, hairy paws in front of him. As he looked up, a hairy creature, which he claimed to be standing around eight feet tall, stood before him, hunched over and carrying a wooden board. Before he was able to react, the creature struck Davis over the shoulder with the board and then fled into the woods.

Just a few days after the initial encounter, Davis and fellow rail worker, Tom Jones, saw the creature again. However, this time the two men were able to scare the creature away. Soon the whole town was sent into a werewolf hysteria. Hundreds of citizens reported sightings of the creature over the following days. The Defiance Police Department even opened an official case and investigation into the Dogman.

No evidence or breakthroughs in the case ever occured. As weeks passed, fewer and fewer sightings were reported. The mysterious creature had vanished just as swiftly as it had arrived. All it left behind were stories for those who had lived through the wild time.

Ayissa Hernandez, a Defiance High School senior, says she learned of the story of the Dogman from her great-grandmother. “She told me about the story when I was younger,” Hernandez says, “she likes to scare me because I scare so easily.”

However, local folklore is not the only way the legend of the Defiance Dogman lives on. The tale is quite fabled in the world of cryptozoology. Paranormal writers Lauren Coleman and Jerome Clark have both released works detailing the story of the Dogman.

Defiance also served as the host of the first ever Dogman Symposium in 2016. The event featured panels and exhibits from several notable Dogman experts, including event organizer, Ken Gerhard. Gerhard is an author and lifelong cryptozoologist. He is perhaps best known for his appearance and contribution to the History Channel program, The Real Wolfman.

Gerhard attests to the prominence of the story in the field of cryptozoology, citing the tale as one of the main reasons for hosting the event in Defiance. “The story of the Defiance Werewolf predates the term ‘dogman’ itself,” Gerhard states, “I knew that with its history and centralized location, it would serve as a great location.”

While it is unlikely that a second symposium nor Dogman sighting will be coming to Defiance anytime soon, the stories and folklore of the werewolf capital will continue to live on.

Businesses are starting to reopen following the closures due to COVID-19, and residents of Defiance are happy. Vanity Hair Designs is one of the local hair salons that has reopened its doors in the area. However, there are few changes with the business due to COVID-19 and the policies the Governor of Ohio has implemented.

One major change is that the business is only allowed one client inside the salon at a time. People were shocked about how there is only one client in at a time and that is going to make a very big change in the hair salon business.

These guidelines are really going to change the way the business operates because the lack of the customers coming in at once means they have to work with one customer at a time, which they are not used to doing in the salon.The reason why these actions are being taken in to order is because the business want to follow what Governor DeWine established in Ohio and do their part to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Vanity Hair Designs owner, Fran Johnson, says she's frustrated with these changes. “Since reopening the business we have been really slow due to the new changes of the hair salon,” Johnson states. “I think these changes are going to be bad for business as we are not going to be making a lot of money.”

Shannon Smith, a long time customer of Vanity Hair Salons, has some thoughts on these changes as well. “I have been going to Fran's hair salon since she opened up the business a couple years ago and I think that these changes are really bad because she is not going to be making money and business is going to be really slow for her”.

Despite these new changes and restrictions, Vanity Hair Designs remains committed to providing quality service to all of its clients.