Is there any more that can be said about the Trump-incited mob that attacked the U.S. Capital Building yesterday that has not already been voiced by someone? I’m sure there will be, but will it change what happened? Of course not. Will it make any difference? We can only hope and pray. The tragic event that took place on Capital Hill on January 6, 2021 will now take it’s rightful place in the “Where Were You When” category of American history under the “Shameful, Needless and Preventable” sub-group.
So, who do we blame? Better yet, who do we not blame? We all saw it coming and we all let it happen. Donald Trump began constructing this bomb since the beginning of the 2016 Presidential campaign. When, to the surprise of many, including Donald himself, he won the election, he moved his bomb making lab into the White House. From there he began to perfect his weapons of mass distraction and test fired one every time he found himself in political hot waters. Yesterday he launched his most destructive and lethal one to date. And, hopefully, his last.
Finally, after yesterday’s insurrection which failed to achieve Trump’s objective, Donald is agreeing to a “smooth and peaceful” transition of power. If true, it comes two months too late. But nobody will be holding their breath waiting for it to happen. Regardless, Donald and the Trump family will be out of office in less than two weeks. The next question is how do we recover and where do we go from here?
Undoubtedly, it will take many years, a lot of work and a lot more understanding, compromise and forgiveness to heal our nation. We have never been more divided in a four year stretch since the years of 1861 to 1865. Obviously, our differences and disagreements over past four years pale in comparison to what took place 160 years ago so it gives us much hope that we come back from this and return to the great nation and role model to the rest of the world we used to be.
For now, the causes behind the self-inflicted black eye American suffered on Capital Hill yesterday will be analyzed and debated in search of a vaccine that will protect us from repeating a similar attack of our democracy. Many will still argue in support of the violence but their voices will fade and reason will take hold. I still have faith in America.
My name is Bill O’Connell and I live in Swanton, Ohio, a village of approximately 3700 residents located about 15 miles west of Toledo. I retired in 2012 and began helping my family restore and re-open a shuttered bowling center and banquet hall which took just over one year. Several months after it was up and running I began working as a sub-contracted sports journalist/photographer for the Swanton Enterprise and Fulton County Expositor. Just short of two years with those two weekly papers I took a similar position with the Village Reporter, a weekly publication that covered Fulton and Williams County and held that for almost four years. While with the Reporter I covered virtually every type of event from sports to festivals to council and school board meetings to business ribbon cuttings.
Now I am trying something very similar in substance but very different from a technology aspect, a blog and website. My plan is to continue covering local sports, including all seven Fulton County school districts with photography and short articles along with human interest stories from around Fulton County. I will also write editorials on various subjects and will continue a daily cartoon called “About Face” that I now post on my Facebook page. To start, there will be very few postings on my site but my goal is to develop it over the next few months. Also, any photos I publish can be copied for no charge. I will be looking for an easier way to make my photos available. Please let any of your friends and relatives know about my site if you think they may be interested. Thank you.
The Delta Boys Golf Team improved their record to 3-0 with a win over Oak Harbor at White Pines Golf Course. Leading the Panthers was Keegan Clapp with a 5 under par 31. Keegan’s 31 set a new school record in a 9-hole match. The Boy’s Golf Team also set a nine-hole team scoring record of 148.
Oak Harbor Rockets: Landon Ish (40), Jacob Lalonde (49), Aden Belcher (42) Ethan Briggs (54), Griffin Gahler (50), Davin Cunningham (47), Total = 178
Delta Panthers: Lane Lopez, (38), Keegan Clapp (31), Luke Spiess, (38), Brady Kile (41), Dylan Funk (46), Randy Wyse (43), Total = 148
Shortly after the conclusion of the 2026 Swanton High School softball season, the school administration informed Coach Lauren Yoder that her supplemental contract would not be renewed for the 2027 season. News of the decision sent shock waves through the community, given the Lady Bulldogs softball team had just finished a record setting season with 22 wins, had broken multiple team and individual school records, and had won an OHSAA Division V Sectional Championship.
The decision to not renew Ms. Yoder’s contract, for what would have been her fifth year as the softball coach, followed an investigation into allegations made into her conduct and behavior and decision making during the season. A summarized report dated 6/5/26, titled “Updated Administrative Analysis of Alleged Violations” was submitted to the Swanton School Administration with the following list of source documents: Student interviews, witness statements, coaching staff concerns, and written complaint materials.
It is important to note, as stated in the summary, “This analysis summarizes allegations only and does not constitute factual findings. All allegations would require formal investigation and corroboration.”
The report concluded with the following statement: “Based upon the totality of the statements, the most substantial and recurring allegation is not sexual misconduct, but rather an alleged boundary-crossing relationship between a coach and a student-athlete that resulted in favoritism, unequal treatment, and disruption of the educational and athletic environment. Multiple witnesses independently described a pattern of preferential treatment, excessive personal involvement, special communication channels, and coaching decisions influenced by personal relationships.”
At the Swanton Board of Education meeting on August 19th, members of the public were given the opportunity to comment on the school’s decision not to offer Ms. Yoder a contract for the coming softball season. The first to speak was Amy Remer, a mother of one of the returning players and the wife of BOE member, Ben Remer. Ms. Remer, who did not agree with the decision, took exception to the way the investigation was conducted, the effect it had on the players, and the timing of the decision to end the school’s relationship with Ms. Yoder.
“Before the start of the investigation, there were concerns brought forth before the end of the season, as reported by the administration, yet you chose to do nothing about it until after the season ended because the girls were having ‘such a great season and you didn’t want to disrupt that.’ That is very concerning. If the safety of the players was at stake, as evidenced by your investigation report, you should’ve taken action immediately rather than allowing the players to remain in an environment where, per your report, professional boundaries were being violated, emotional manipulation and abuse of authority was taking place, and it was hostile and harmful,” she stated.
Ms. Remer continued, “After the investigation and informing the softball coach you’d be moving in a different direction, you did nothing to help with the fallout and failed to address the emotional well-being of the players…your own students. No follow up, no conversation, no chance for players to talk to anyone, nothing. You knew darn well that many of these girls adored Lauren as a coach, they told you themselves in their questioning, and they had just come off the most historic season in Swanton softball, yet you made a decision that directly impacted them and did nothing to support them in the aftermath. It seems you may have again failed to follow the Ohio Educator Licensure Code because according to your report, ‘Educators must: promote emotional safety, maintain respect for students, and avoid conduct that harms student welfare.’”
Following Ms. Remer’s remarks, four players spoke, three of which individually praised Coach Yoder for what she had done for them with respect to teaching them the game of softball and encouraging them to believe in themselves in times of self-doubt. One player gave a statement explaining her experience was more in line with some of the allegations. The two assistant coaches, Gary Hamrick and Morgan Hamrick, also addressed the Board. They both said they were friends of Ms. Yoder, having coached with her for several years, but did not always agree with her methods. They also strongly advocated for all decisions regarding the softball program be made in the best interest of the student-athlete.
Swanton High School principal Anthony Menna was the final speaker. He gave a statement that read in part:
“Every decision I make may not be popular, but the question I continually ask myself is simple: What is right for our students and our school? There is a simple principle that guides me. What is right is right and what is wrong is wrong.
That standard does not change depending who is involved. A last name does not matter to me when determining what is right. A person’s status, popularity, or influence does not change the expectations we have for our students. Every student who walks through the doors of Swanton High School deserves to be treated fairly, consistently and with dignity.
I will not have one set of expectations for one student and another for someone else. Fair does not always mean easy, and it does not always mean everyone will agree with the outcome. Fair means applying our standards consistently and with integrity. I was hired to make tough decisions and that is exactly what I will continue to do. My responsibility is to do what ism right for our students and our school. There are things in leadership on which we can compromise. Ethics are not one of them.”
Photo: Swanton Board of Education August 2026 meeting
At the beginning of tonight’s Swanton Village Council meeting, Mayor Neil Toeppe made the following statement:
I want to make my position regarding Administrator Shannon Shulters very clear.I have the utmost confidence in Shannon’s ability to lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the Village. For more than four years, I have had the opportunity to work closely with her and have seen firsthand her commitment to this community, her professionalism, and her willingness to devote significant personal time to the advancement of the Village.
During that time, Shannon has strengthened our administrative team, improved the operation of our departments, taken on difficult and complex projects, and helped build an organization that I believe is second to none for a community our size. Her knowledge, experience, work ethic, and commitment are valuable assets to the Village.
After discussions regarding her decision to resign, Shannon and I have reached an understanding that she will remain as Village Administrator.
Her decision to stay does not mean that we simply return to business as usual. She has appropriately identified several areas that need attention if we are going to make this position sustainable for the long term. Those include maintaining a clear administrative chain of command, establishing appropriate expectations for Council and committee meetings, supporting the transition of our new Fiscal Officer, improving communication, and establishing reasonable boundaries around the Administrator’s workload and personal time. Over the next six months, Shannon and I will work with Council to reassess and evaluate how our administrative structure and working relationships are functioning. This is an opportunity to establish greater clarity, better communication, and a stronger understanding of the respective roles of Council, the Mayor, the Administrator, and our department heads.
Council has an important role in establishing policy and providing legislative oversight. The Administrator has an important role in managing the day-to-day operations of the Village. Those roles are complementary, and the Village is best served when they work together with mutual respect, clear communication, and a common understanding of their responsibilities.
My expectation—and my hope—is that this next six-month period will result in a stronger, healthier, and more productive working relationship between Council and the administration.Most importantly, I believe Shannon wants to continue serving this community, and I believe the Village is better because she has chosen to stay. She has made it clear that she is willing to continue giving the Village her leadership, experience, work ethic, and commitment. Our responsibility now is to create an environment in which she can do that effectively and sustainably.
I believe we have an opportunity here—not simply to resolve a personnel issue, but to strengthen the way our Village government works for the benefit of the entire community.
Following the Council meeting and the subsequent Executive Session, Ms. Shulters issued the following statement:
“After careful consideration, I have formally withdrawn my resignation as Village Administrator for the Village of Swanton. My decision to withdraw my resignation is rooted largely in my loyalty and commitment to the leadership team we have built and to the Village as a whole. We have a strong team in place that works well together, and there are important responsibilities and initiatives currently underway that I believe deserve continuity in leadership. I am committed to seeing our team through the upcoming budgeting process, supporting the transition within our fiscal operations, and ensuring that other outstanding projects and priorities are brought to completion. As Fiscal Officer Elmore continues to grow and become established within her new role, I will remain actively involved in providing the support, institutional knowledge, and leadership necessary to ensure a smooth transition. Establishing stability within the fiscal office and successfully navigating the budgeting process are priorities for both the administration and the Village.
The concerns and time constraints I previously expressed remain important. Mayor Toeppe and I have had productive conversations regarding those concerns and will continue working together to ensure those boundaries are respected while maintaining the needs and responsibilities of the Village. A majority of those considerations will naturally evolve as Fiscal Officer Elmore becomes more established and independent within her position. I have a great deal of respect and loyalty toward the employees and leadership team who continue to show up and serve this community every day. Ultimately, I believe withdrawing my resignation is the right decision for the continuity of our team and for the Village of Swanton at this time. My focus remains on supporting our employees, completing the work currently before us, strengthening the transition within the fiscal office, and continuing to move the Village forward.’’
Click on the link above to access the photos of the Swanton Marching Band and Cheerleaders from the football game at North Central High School. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Swanton placekicker Brenden Upham drilled an extra-point kick over the defensive line, through the thickening fog and between the uprights to give the Bulldogs heart-stopping 13-12 victory over the North Central Eagles on their home field in Pioneer, Ohio. The win ended almost four years of frustration, disappointment and unrewarded effort, that had festered into a school record 37-game losing streak, the longest running streak in the state of Ohio at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
“I need to get it,” said Upham after the game, relating what was going through his mind before the attempt. “It was a lot of pressure but I felt like I let down my teammates in the first and second quarter,” he added, referring to one blocked and one missed long field goal attempt earlier. But this kick was true and the entire bench and Swanton student body stormed the field to celebrate the long-awaited win and the end of the agonizing victory drought.
The Bulldogs had almost no offense in the first half. However, their defense was tight, allowing only a touchdown pass on a broken coverage that gave the Eagles a 6-0 lead at halftime. Early in the second half, following a North Central fumbled snap while attempting a punt deep in their own territory, Swanton took over the ball at the Eagle’s 21-yard line. Two running plays culminated in Lucas Fray stretching out over the goal line as he was being tackled to tie the game at 6-6 after the PAT was blocked.
Swanton tightened down on Central’s offense the rest of the half, keeping the Eagles from creating any real scoring opportunities. The Bulldogs were also unable to put any points on the board, missing two field goals, and the game went into overtime.
The coin flip was won by Swanton and they chose to play defense first. With the ball placed at the 20-yard line to start the OT, the Eagles put together a seven-play drive, scoring on a reverse running play. Central attempted a two-point conversion but failed and led 12-6 with the Bulldog offense coming on the field with a chance to tie or win the game.
Facing a third down and 11 yards to go from the 21, quarterback Dennis Robinson found Julian Ramirez behind the Eagle’s secondary and hit him with a strike in the end zone for the tying score. Upham, also a standout on the Bulldogs soccer team, put the kick over the crossbar, giving Swanton their first football victory since the third game of the 2022 season.
“Thirty-seven games is a long time to wait for a win. But these kids bought into what we have been doing all summer. They believed in themselves, fought to the very end and they pulled it out,” said first-year Coach Matt Horen. “I commend Upham on that, the kicker, too. We had missed a couple earlier in the game and for him to just walk in and everybody to get a good snap and get that thing down was awesome.”
The Bulldogs will return home for their next game against the Montpelier Locomotives, who also won their game last Thursday night to open the season. It will be Senior Night for all the Swanton Fall sports teams. Kickoff is 7:00 PM.
Click on the link above to access over 400 photos from the game. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CARE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Photo: Bulldog Lucas Fray reaches the football back into the end zone for a Swanton touchdown
The game wasn’t over before it started as it is sometime suggested in a blowout, but if you were five minutes late to your seat for the Swanton vs Rossford boys’ soccer match, the game was essentially over for you. Swanton’s Brandon Upham scored in the first minute of the match and Eli Bolyard kicked in two of his four goals within the next two minutes and the rout was on as the hometown Swanton Bulldogs defeated the visiting Rossford Bulldogs 13-2.
Colby Sharrit matched Eli Bolyard’s four goals in the match. Brendan Upham had three scores and Evan Reinhard and Jackson Rico had one goal each. Rico also had two assists as did Landon Bolyard and Eli Bolyard added one assist. The win evens Swanton’s record on the season to 1-1. They will entertain the Whitmer Panther this afternoon at 4:30 PM.
Click on the link above to access photos from the match. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
Photo: Colby Sharrit drives one past the Rossford goalie for one his four scoreson the day
A young Swanton Lady Bulldog soccer team opened the 2026 season at home against a very talented Rossford Lady Bulldog team and fell to the visitors 11-0.
Click on the link above to access photos from the match. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website.
On Saturday morning, Tri-County Block & Brick, located in Swanton, held its annual golf outing at White Pines Golf Course to help raise funds for Courageous Community Services (CCS) in Whitehouse. Approximately 30 four-man teams competed in a best ball scramble. The event raised over $14,000 for the cause.
Since 1963 CCS, formerly known as Camp Courageous, has provided meaningful, inclusive opportunities for individuals with disabilities and their families through advocacy, education, and engaging recreational experiences while serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
Click on the link above to access photos from the outing. Photos are in the jpeg format to allow for editing and can be downloaded and shared for NO CHARGE courtesy of the fultoncountymedia.com website
Delta High School senior Lane Lopez fired a school record 70 at White Pines Golf Course yesterday and his fellow golfers followed suit, combining for a team record 306 in an 18-hole tri-match against Fayette and Hilltop high schools. The double record-setting performance led to a very easy 68-stroke victory over Fayette’s 374 and 108 strokes better than Hilltop’s 414.
In addition to the 70 shot by Lopez, Keegan Clapp had a 74, Brady Kile fired a 79, Luke Spiess with an 83, Dylan Funk finished with a 94 and Sullivan O’Brien came in with a 106. Congratulations Boys Golf Team and Coach Bob Schrock!
Photo: Lane Lopez is congratulated by Coach Bob Schrock for his score of 70. The 2026 Delta Panthers broke the school record with a 306
Earlier this year, the Shortland family of four from the United Kingdom (UK), England to be specific, travelled to America to experience the United States in a very up close and personal way. Recently, they, husband Tom, wife Ros and boys, Lawrie, who is 10, and Wilfy, who is 4, stopped in the very welcoming community of Fayette in Fulton County Ohio. They are an obviously adventurous family as Tom explains in his own words below:
We are from the south west of the UK in Devon but migrated to Portugal for a better quality of life for our oldest son in 2019. Since we moved to Portugal, we have had another son and connected with so many people, travelled all the way up to Norway again, spent last winter in Sri Lanka then came up with the crazy idea of buying an RV in the USA and hitting the road with no real plan. So far everything is working out great and we have fallen in love with the USA. We hope one day to be able to legally move here. Specifically, to northern Idaho. We absolutely love it up there!
So far on this trip we have travelled more than 8,000 miles through 18 states, visiting cities, small towns and communities across the country. We have met some wonderful people along the way, but after spending a few days in Fayette we felt we had to tell someone locally just how much this little village has stood out.
We originally came to Fayette because Mayor Dave Borer had added an overnight RV stop in the village through Harvest Hosts. Fayette was somewhere we might otherwise have simply driven past, but we enjoyed it so much that we decided to stay another night. The following day we met Dave and his wife Mary, who immediately made us feel welcome and gave us lots of suggestions for places to visit locally.
That evening, severe weather moved into the area and tornado warnings started appearing on our phones. Coming from the UK, tornadoes are not something we have much experience with, particularly while living in an RV. We texted Dave to ask what we should do. He came straight over.
Dave drove ahead of our RV and personally showed us the way to a local church, where we sheltered safely in the basement with around a dozen members of the community. A lady at the church, whose name, unfortunately, we didn’t get, immediately made sure everyone was comfortable. She found pencils and pens for the boys to draw with and did a wonderful job of keeping everyone calm and in good spirits.
Dave was outside with the Fire Chief during the storm and, once the all-clear had been given, came back to the church to check that everybody was okay. We already thought that was an extraordinary way to treat a visiting family, but the kindness continued the next day.
Mary had recommended a nearby thrift store where our four-year-old Wilfy found a child’s fire chief costume. Naturally, he wore it for the rest of the day. Later we visited Normal Memorial Library. The staff were incredibly welcoming, the head librarian gave the boys dinosaur activity packs, and they spent a brilliant time playing with LEGO, looking through Minecraft books and reading in the children’s library.
Mary happened to come into the library and saw Wilfy dressed as a fire chief. She said she would try to find him a fireman’s hat. We told her not to go to any trouble. About thirty minutes later she came back with fire-themed gifts and fire helmets for both boys.
Mary also suggested that we visit the Fayette Fire Department. After lunch we went down and were given a fantastic tour. The firefighters showed the boys around, explained how everything worked and let them sit inside the fire engines.
The Police Chief then came down and let Lawrie hold a riot shield, sit inside his police pickup and turn on the sirens. The Fire Chief also came to meet us and was wonderful with Wilfy, who was still proudly dressed in his little fire chief outfit. Before we left, he even gave the boys a fire-themed water pistol.
After travelling more than 8,000 miles around America, what struck us about Fayette was that it wasn’t simply one or two people being friendly. It seemed to be everybody. People wave as you pass. The park and splash pad are lovely. The library is fantastic. We enjoyed the local pizza. The police and fire departments were incredibly welcoming and proud to show the boys what they do.
Dave’s decision to put Fayette on Harvest Hosts also seems like a brilliant example of how a small community can encourage travellers to stop rather than simply drive through. It certainly worked with us. We arrived looking for somewhere to spend the night. We stayed longer, used local businesses, explored the village, met the people who live there and are leaving with a genuine affection for Fayette. After 18 states, it takes something pretty special for a small village to stand out this much.
Photo: The Shortland Family – Tom, Larrie, Wilfy and Ros
Fulton County Ohio Media 