Seventh and eighth graders in Kenton Middle School’s Dimensions show choir will be “dreaming big” this year. “Dream Big” is the theme for the 2015-16 Dimensions show. The director is Todd Daquino.

ADA — The population of Ada will double this weekend with visitors coming from throughout the area to War Memorial Park for the 102nd annual Farmers and Merchants Picnic. President Bernie Mackey said between 4,000 and 5,000 people normally attend the event and with nearly perfect weather expected, he is predicting a capacity crowd.

A section of the Kenton High School marching band works on its on-field routine during the third day of band camp on Wednesday. For its first show, the band, led by first-year director Travis Wissman, will be performing the songs “I Can’t Turn You Loose,” “Gimme Some Lovin’” and “Everybody Needs Somebody to Love.”

FOREST — In 1973, the depot which had been the hub of the Forest community, had fallen on hard times. The Pennsylvania and New York Central railroads had closed the door in the decade earlier and the huge brick building was considered a nuisance.

GAHANNA — AEP Ohio awarded a Rate Stabilization Program, Retention and Expansion Grant to International Paper that helped secure a 250,000 square foot expansion of the Kenton plant, doubling its manufacturing space. The facility is part of International Paper's Foodservice business, which manufactures fiber-based hot and cold cups, food buckets and containers, plates and lids for the foodservice industry.

VFW Post 6817 and its Auxiliary donated 45 classroom flags and a 4-foot by 6-foot flag for the commons area at the new Ridgemont PreK-12 building that will open later this month. The ceremony took place at the former elementary school, where the flag pole is dedicated to Donald Dugan, a Ridgemont graduate and the only American solider to die in the Bosnia War.

Mark Tice of Tice Construction levels out the wet concrete in the barn of the Hardin County Farm Museum. A group of volunteers, headed up by Sheena Striker, raised $15,700 to have the floor finished with Tice Construction also making a donation to the project.

Remembering exchange students who have studied at Kenton High School through the years just got easier thanks to a pair of exchange students from the 2014-15 school year. Flags representing most of the exchange students’ countries who have attended KHS are now featured in a display in the main hall.

Throughout her professional life, Jayme Minix has taken leaps of faith. Her latest jump has landed her as the interim director of Hardin County Hospice.

Kenton Kids Day was a big success with Mayor Randy Manns estimating at least 1,500 people took advantage of the free activities at Wharton Park on a sunny Saturday afternoon.