File photo. A bed mattress is seen wrapped around a tree, Monday, Nov. 18, 2013, after strong winds destroyed a home in Jerry City, Ohio. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

One way the Sentinel-Tribune can measure interest in a story is by the
number of hits it gets on our website. Based on that criteria, the most-read story in 2013 was about the
Pemberville man who killed a neighbor’s dog in front of the family’s children. That story got 9,962
hits.But the number of hits cannot be equated with the most newsworthy stories of the year, since there
are times when the top-read stories of the week include police blotter, recipes, obituaries, accident
reports or lists of graduates.So in an effort to remind our readers of some of the most important
stories of the year, our newsroom staff looked at the most read web stories, plus listed stories they
felt carried a great deal of public interest.Here are those stories:DISASTERS BREED LOCAL TRAGEDY• A
propane leak was believed at fault in an explosion that leveled a home and killed two residents near
Luckey in September. Jahn Richards, 63, and her son, Andrew Schulte, 37, were killed as a result of the
blast at the single-story dwelling, and at least three others in the home were injured. More than 45
firefighters from three departments were called to the scene. Reports indicated that debris could be
found more than a quarter-mile away from the scene.• Two tornadoes that ripped through northern and
southern Wood County in mid-November knocked out power to more than 1,500, damaged businesses and either
destroyed or heavily damaged two homes in Jerry City and North Baltimore. At least one injury was
reported as a result of the storm. The tornadoes – one touching down in Perrysburg Township and a second
that touched down between North Baltimore and Jerry City – were classified as EF-2 and EF-1
respectively, reaching speeds of more than 100 mph.• Straight-line winds late on July 7 took down 15
electric transmission poles on North Dunbridge Road, leaving several businesses and a couple of homes
without power for several days. City damages were in excess of $250,000. Private damages were not
announced.

File photo. Christopher Zimmerman leaves court. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT•
Thomas Boyer, 53, Custar, was indicted this month on charges of attempted murder and felonious assault
in the Nov. 20 shooting of William Morris, 42, Rutland, outside of Boyer’s Defiance Pike residence. The
incident was apparently related to a foreclosure case – Morris was a subcontractor for a company working
with One West Bank, which had foreclosed on the home in September, and was there to change the locks and
winterize the home if it was not occupied. Morris was shot in the back with a shotgun and taken to
University of Toledo Medical Center. The shooting took place across the road from St. Louis Catholic
School, which was briefly placed on lockdown. Boyer remains in custody; his case is scheduled for
arraignment on Jan. 6.• Christopher Zimmerman, 64, now of Tennessee, was indicted on charges related to
the shooting of a dog outside his former residence in Pemberville in a case that spurred local ire.
Zimmerman, who faced charges in Bowling Green Municipal Court, was later indicted in Wood County Court
of Common Pleas on two counts of endangering children after he reportedly shot and killed a dog with a
.45 caliber handgun in the presence of two children of a next-door-neighbor, who owned the dog.
Zimmerman claimed the 6-month-old dog, named "Puppy," was going to attack him. The case is
pending.• More than seven months after it was first reported, the death of a former Bowling Green State
University professor and administrator was ruled a homicide. Dawn Glanz, 66, Bowling Green, died May 9
as the result of a "sharp force injury to the scalp" according to the Wood County Coroner’s
Office. Glanz died at her Kensington Boulevard home and the death had been labeled suspicious by the
BGPD.• Richard Schmidt, 47, Toledo, was sentenced to just under six years in prison on federal gun and
counterfeiting charges in U.S. District Court this month. Schmidt, who owned Spindletop Sports Zone at
the Woodland Mall, was reportedly selling counterfeit goods, including sports memorabilia, at the store,
catching the eye of law enforcement. The story later took a sensational turn when a stockpile of 20
guns, 40,000 rounds of ammunition, and thousands of other "survivalist" supplies and gear were
found during police searches, as well as items linked to the white supremacist movement. A list naming
black and Jewish leaders in Ohio and Michigan was also reportedly found, prompting the FBI to warn
individuals featured in the document.

File photo. Brian Steinmiller addressing the court during his sentencing. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

•
A Bowling Green mother and father both pleaded guilty to charges relating to the 2012 death of their
infant son. Brian Steinmiller, 32, was sentenced this fall to 14 years in prison in the death of
3-month-old Carter. He pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and two counts of endangering children
as part of a plea deal. The child’s mother, Rebecca Steinmiller, 26, pleaded guilty to an endangering
children charge in October and is to be sentenced Jan. 28. She could receive up to three years in
prison. The child suffered numerous injuries throughout his short life, including 23 rib fractures,
burns, and skull injuries. The cause of death was determined to be abusive head trauma.• Nathan Brenner,
36, Liberty Center, was sentenced Monday to 11 years in prison on two felony endangering children counts
in the death of 2-year-old Emma Zehnpfennig, Bowling Green, in 2012. The child died of abusive head
trauma. Brenner was reportedly living with the girl’s mother at the time of the offense. The defense had
contested a number of findings in the case, and Brenner entered an Alford plea, which does not admit
guilt but admits the prosecution could prove the charge.• Two men associated with the band Of Mice and
Men were arrested for felonious assault in April after a concert at the Clazel on North Main Street.
Lead singer Austin R. Carlile, 25, Huntington Beach, Calif., and Loniel M. Robinson, 27, Escondido,
Calif., had reportedly struck a man in the 100 block of North Main Street. The charges were later
amended to misdemeanor assault.IN THE PUBLIC SPOTLIGHT• On July 1 Democrat Robert Piasecki was elected
to fill the Fourth Ward Bowling Green City Council seat vacated by the resignation of Republican Greg
Robinette, who left to fulfill a military commitment. Piasecki was defeated in November by Theresa
Charters-Gavarone.• In November, Perrysburg elected council member Mike Olmstead to replace two-term
Mayor Nelson Evans. Voters also chose to replace Joe Lawless and Sarah Weisenburger on city council,
with Barry Van Hoozen, Rick Rettig and Jim Matuszak to join council in January. The Perrysburg Board of
Education will also have at least two new members, Cal Smith and Sue Larimer, after election losses by
Valerie Hovland and Mark Schoenlein. Van Hoozen’s election to city council has left another position
vacant, with applications due Friday for the seat which will be filled by council later in January.•
Perrysburg will take a staggered approach to renovating its parks after unveiling an ambitious $26
million plan over the summer that would install multi-use paths and expand recreational opportunities
near the Maumee River. City council voted to approach the plan in phases, looking at the paths first and
putting on hold aspects like reconstruction of the waterfront area.• The Wood County Board of Health
voted Sept. 12 to fire Bill Ault, then director of administration of the Wood County Health District.
Several of his subordinates filed complains that Ault, who had been with the district since 2007,
contributed toward a hostile work environment and made inappropriate comments to employees.• In Lake
Township, the fire chief and two paramedics resigned in February. The three had attended the wedding of
firefighter Steve Sims, and at the reception they became concerned about the level of intoxication of
his brother, Scott Sims, a police sergeant. The paramedics decided to treat Scott Sims with two bags of
saline solution from a township fire station. Bruce Moritz was hired as the new fire chief in August.
The Sims’ father, Ron, did not win re-election as a trustee in November.• Walbridge Mayor Dan Wilcyznski
quit in January after some legal research showed he had missed too many council meetings over the last
two years and would probably be forced out. Councilman Pat Fox quit along with him, and Nathan Eikost
left in May. Council President Ed Kolanko was elevated to mayor, and ran unopposed in November.• Rudolph
Libbe was named Wood County Corporate Citizen of the Year• Dr. Sherri Thomas was named Wood County
Champion of Children.

File photo. Victory Inn along Wooster Street in Bowling Green. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

HARDLY BUSINESS AS USUAL•
The Victory Inn and Suites on East Wooster Street was ordered to pay a $3,000 fine after proceedings in
Bowling Green Municipal Court this fall. The hotel, located at 1630 E. Wooster St., had faced health
violations after a number of issues, including bedbugs, dog feces, stained bedding, and a lack of smoke
alarms, came to light.• Wrangling over the dilapidated Woodville Mall in Northwood didn’t stop this year
– even after a Wood County judge ordered the already-closed facility to be demolished by May of 2014.
The City of Northwood had said that demolition plans submitted by mall owners Ohio Plaza Shopping Center
LLC were inadequate, while an attorney for the owners accused the city of attempting a "land
grab" of the site by blocking the demolition.• Luckey Farmers and Sunshine Cooperative reached
agreement on a proposed major agricultural hub near Bradner on U.S. 6. The expanded location of a Luckey
Farmers site is along a rail line that would provide increased markets for grain farmers in the wide
area served by both co-ops.• Calphalon opened a 363,000-square-foot warehouse near the southeast corner
of Ohio 25 and Ohio 582.• After months of debate Bowling Green City Council created a new zoning
classification that opened the door to redevelopment of the former Ohio National Guard Armory and
Deck-Hanneman Funeral Home property on the south side of the 200 block of East Wooster Street for a CVS
Pharmacy, and the north side of the same block into Market Square to house commercial and residential
units.• Big-box retailer Costco is still looking at a Perrysburg location, but several meetings to
consider the project have been canceled and not yet rescheduled. Residents have expressed concerns about
already-heavy traffic at the proposed location on Ohio 25 near Eckel Junction Road.• In Bowling Green,
DOWA, Lubrizol, Clark Fixture Enterprises and Southeast Container undertook expansions, while Henry
Filters got its old name back.• Home Depot is building a 1.63 million square-foot facility near the
southwest corner of U.S. 20 and Pemberville Road. Eastwood schools will receive $675,000 per year as
part of the tax abatement agreement, and Penta will receive $69,000 per year. The facility is expected
to bring to the area 125 full-time jobs and another 30 part-time positions.• The Ohio Department of
Transportation announced plans to widen Interstate 75 from two to three lanes between Perrysburg and
Findlay over several years.

File photo. Bowling Green State Univeristy Athletics Director Christopher Kingston, left, presenting a BGSU jersery to Dino Babers, BGSU’s new football coach. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

ATHLETICS SCORE
INTEREST• Bowling Green State University women’s assistant basketball coach Ali Mann resigned after her
relationship with a student came to light.• Chris Kingston was named athletics director at BGSU to take
the place of Greg Christopher, who resigned after 6 1/2 years to become the AD at Xavier. Kingston came
to BG after serving as the executive senior associate director of athletics at North Carolina State
since August 2010.• The BGSU football team won its first Mid-American Conference championship in 21
years and played Pittsburgh in the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl in Detroit.• Head coach Dave Clawson was
scooped up by Wake Forest prior to the bowl game and BGSU hired Eastern Illinois head coach Dino Babers
to replace him.• The contract of Bowling Green High School boys basketball coach Von Graffin wasn’t
renewed, even though Superintendent Ann McVey insisted he was neither fired nor not renewed. The Bobcats
were 111-43 during Graffin’s 11 seasons.• Gary Gardner was hired to replace Graffin, but less than a
month later, he resigned from the position.

File photo. Dorinda shelley walks her dog back in October in front of the home she feard would be lost. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

WIN SOME, LOSE SOME• The Ohio Department of Transportation opted to install
retaining walls on Ohio 64/65 near Grand Rapids to correct slope erosion. Public complaints surrounded a
proposal to relocate the road further inland from the Maumee River, as it would have required demolition
of a historic home that served as a stop on the underground railroad. ODOT will require some property
acquisition for the project, but no homes will be required to be torn down• Despite strong opposition
from residents, the Five Point sewer project will proceed as proposed by the Northwestern Water and
Sewer District.• The Perrysburg Heights neighborhood endured much turmoil during 2013, first voting to
end paid positions in the community association and part ways with Anita Serda, a long-time board member
and organizer of a yearly festival. The event was renamed this summer and experienced alleged sabotage,
and problems didn’t stop there. Current board members of the Perrysburg Heights Community Association
have vowed to cooperate fully with an investigation into its finances by the Ohio Attorney General’s
Office prompted by several complaints.SCHOOLS TRY TO MAKE THE GRADE• Perrysburg’s school board approved
an optional performance-based pay system for teachers on Dec. 10. Perrysburg’s plan, one of the first
like it in the state, ties pay raises to measurables like certifications and achievement in students’
measured growth during the school year. A one-time incentive awards teachers $1,500 for signing on by
Jan. 6 or $1,000 for joining in 2014-2015.• Bowling Green Schools closed Ridge Elementary in May and
then drew the ire of parents with a planned redistricting of its elementary school attendance lines. The
key considerations for the new district boundaries included the distribution of the student population
and the number of existing classrooms, but parents were upset with the short notice.• The closing of
Ridge came before a property tax levy was soundly defeated in the city: The final tally on the 6.75-mill
property tax request in May was 4,118 opposed (65 percent) and 2,174 in favor (35 percent). The tax
would have brought $3.945 million into the district’s coffers. Its failure, some have indicated, came
after a Citizens for Financial Responsibility campaign circulated misleading information about how the
school district spends its money, particularly on teacher salaries. After the levy failure, the school
system immediately implemented a pay-to-participate program for the middle school and high school, not
only for athletics but for clubs with a paid adviser. The fee is to help offset the $500,000 the
district spends on high school and middle school athletic programs.• BG City Council purchased the Ridge
School property for $25,000 and announced plans to demolish the structure. The area will remain green
space.• The Common Core has school districts across the state amending course selections for the 2014-15
school year to prepare for formal assessments in mathematics and English language. The initiative
details what K-12 students should know in English and math at the end of each grade. School officials
have pointed out the number of hours students will be prepping for and taking tests will detract from
actual teaching.• BGSU had a contentious year, starting with the administration announcing plans to cut
100 faculty members, unfair labor complaints being filed by the administration and the faculty union
against each other, and then additional faculty cuts proposed this fall.• The university administration
also brought in an international consultant to find ways it could cut operational costs.• Enrollment at
both BGSU and Owens Community College declined in the fall.• BGSU adopted a no-smoking policy for
campus, starting Jan. 1.

Jeanettie Zamarripa (right) of Dying To Be Pretty Salon, gives a haricut to a guest during Project Homeless Connect at Saint Marks Lutheran Church in Bowling Green, Ohio. (Photo: Enoch Wu/Sentinel-Tribune)

COMMUNITY REACHES OUT• For the
first time, homeless people were welcomed to local services in one concentrated effort called Project
Homeless Connect.• The Bowling Green Christian Food Pantry worked hard to keep shelves stocked and to
find a more suitable location to serve the hungry. So far, no new site has been found.• Alicia’s Voice,
a group that reaches out to domestic violence victims, nearly closed down when funding was in doubt.•
"Not in Our Town" was formed as a city-university effort in response to racist tweets made by
white BGSU students about fellow African American students at a local bar.WORLD COMES TO WOOD COUNTY•
Music legend Bob Dylan’s dark growl voiced new songs and old favorites at the Stroh Center.• South
African musician and anti-apartheid activist Hugh Masekela visited BGSU in April, paying tribute to his
friend and hero Nelson Mandela, who died later in the year.• The iconic Beach Boys appeared in concert
at the Wood County Fair. The eternal "Boys" concert was a sellout and helped boost the fair to
record attendance.• Elizabeth Smart shared her story of kidnapping and survival, speaking at BGSU.•
Daoud Nassar, a Christian Palestinian who lives and farms outside Bethlehem on the West Bank, visited
both Perrysburg and Fostoria. His tours are designed to increase Americans knowledge of his perspective
and challenges to establish his family’s ownership of a farm in the sensitive area.• Brahmrishi Shree
Kumar Swami Ji, the spiritual leader of Ancient Traditional Science Secrets, appeared at a spiritual
convention in Bowling Green, where he drew more than 200 followers from up to 15 states and Canada to
the location.• Vice President Joe Biden made a stop at CSX intermodal hub near North Baltimore.• Civil
rights activist and Freedom Rider Diane Nash told a BGSU audience that her work is not
done.ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES• After months of discussion Bowling Green voters soundly rejected a proposed
amendment to the city charter that proponents said would have prevented hydraulic fracturing being used
in the city for oil and gas exploration.• In October, manure which had been applied to a farm field for
fertilization found its way into a ditch. The temporarily contaminated ditch is located on the west side
of Reynolds Road, just to the south of Greensburg Pike in Portage Township. Officials said the
contamination was minimal, due to the heavy rains which diluted the manure and the quick action of the
landowners and officials from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Wood Soil and Water
Conservation District. The cause was determined to be a leak in one tile and other tiles which had not
been identified and thus were not blocked for the application.IN MEMORIAMAmong those who died in 2013
were notable residents including: David C. Miller, Joan Gordon, Doug Valentine, Al Baldwin, Pat
Fitzgerald, Max Rayle, Floyd LeGalley, Chuck Duricek, Beryl Stewart, Nancy Germann, Darrel Hentges,
Robert Herringshaw and Bill Snook.

File photo. A lifeguard (left) keeps watch while people use the lazy river during the grand opening of the Bowling Green City Pool. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

JUST PLAIN WEIRD•
"Poopetrators" cost the BG pool about $5,000. On several occasions the new $4 million complex
at City Park was shuttered because fecal material was found in the water. Officials investigated the
problem and did ban one youngster from the complex. The pool drew record attendance despite those
problems and a cool summer.• A Pemberville couple was banned from the Wood County Fair for the first of
three years. The Senior Fair Board imposed the ban following an incident at the 2012 fair. Just prior to
this year’s county fair, a judge refused to grant a temporary restraining order which would have
permitted their attendance. Their children did participate at the fair, both earning championships with
their livestock.• Earlier this month, Angela West, 30, Bloomdale, was arrested at Elmwood Local Schools
for disorderly conduct and resisting arrest after her son was not picked up by a school bus. The issue
apparently stemmed from a paper that the boy had not gotten signed by a parent related to a prior minor
disciplinary episode on the bus. West reportedly wasn’t aware of the reason for him being left and,
after not receiving satisfactory answers at school, she became "irate" and was arrested.• A
North Baltimore police officer was disciplined after shouting at a mother who left her child in her car
while she went into a grocery store.• Gun and ammo sales shot up as people feared stricter gun laws
would be put in place after the Newtown, Conn., school shootings. Their concerns emptied stock at local
firearm and ammunition stores.