'Threatening letter' puts North Baltimore schools on alert

10/4/2013

NORTH BALTIMORE, Ohio -- Schools in the North Baltimore Local School District remained on alert today after the district board of education received "a threatening letter" Thursday afternoon, according to the city police.

The letter was received about 2 p.m., initiating a search of both schools, heightened police presence there, and an option for parents to keep their children at home for the duration of the alert, Police Chief Allan Baer said.

The search of the Powell Elementary School and North Baltimore High School & Middle School buildings "for anything suspicious" turned up nothing, but the alert continued today, he said.

Chief Baer would not reveal the specifics of the threat or say how many children stayed at home because of it.

Marlene North, the schools' superintendent, could not be reached for comment.

North Baltimore, which is in Wood County, is about 32 miles south of Toledo.