Author: Ally Lanasa

The Village of Richwood Planning Commission’s review of a proposed zoning amendment to regulate livestock led to tense discussions Wednesday night. The zoning amendment was drafted by Village Solicitor Julie Spain and Brad Bodenmiller, director of the Logan-Union-Champaign (LUC) Regional Planning Commission. It proposes to prohibit all livestock except for chickens and rabbits and to regulate livestock through the size of fenced acreage. The proposal also defines an animal unit as three rabbits and a bird unit as three chickens with a maximum of six chickens per parcel. Council and committee member Reddy Brown said the significant part of the…

North Union Board of Education President Brian Davis presented several facility projects, particularly in the high school gymnasium, he would like included in the budget during the board meeting on Monday. His primary concern in the high school gymnasium, which recently housed the Richwood-North Union Alumni Banquet and graduation, is the failing lights. “Why can’t we keep the lights on in the gym?” Davis asked.  CFO and Treasurer Scott Maruniak replied that the lights are under warranty and the replacement parts have not arrived yet. The board members agreed that some lights are failing every time they attend an event…

The Leesburg Township Fire Department intends to merge with the Northwestern Joint Fire District. Leesburg Township Trustees Bill Lowe and Jeff Robinson informed the Northern Union County Fire and EMS District (NUCFD) Board about the plan at its meeting on Thursday evening. “Tentatively, we’ve worked out – I don’t want to say a deal but – a path forward for us to join that district,” Lowe said. “And that decision didn’t come easily to any one of us because we appreciate everything you guys have done for us in the past. We hope that this further enhances Leesburg’s ability to…

The Northern Union County Fire and EMS District Board voted to increase part-time rates for medics and basics beginning July 3 during its meeting on Thursday. Currently, medics earn $16.06 an hour and basics earn $13.76. “We’ve been comparing our part-time rates for our medics and our basics with surrounding departments. I didn’t even use Marysville because Marysville’s not within our realm,” said Chief Randy Riffle. “Northwestern is paying $18 an hour for a medic and $16 for a basic. Allen Township just upped theirs to $17.15 and $15.58.” The board voted to increase the rates to $17 for medics…

A number of local organizations hosted a Fatherhood Festival in Partner’s Park Tuesday evening to celebrate the community’s dads as Father’s Day approaches. Wings Support and Recovery, The Mosaic Project, PASS (Prevention Awareness Support Services) and the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Union County teamed up to host the family-friendly community resource fair. The event included make-your-own crafts, like the birdhouse painting pictured above, a “dad joke” competition, a cooking demonstration and free meal from food trucks. (Journal-Tribune photo by Ally Lanasa)

The Village of Richwood is moving forward with a multi-district wastewater plant, which will service Magnetic Springs and any future growth. The village council approved the first reading of a resolution to adopt the Magnetic Springs-Richwood Sanitary System on Monday. “It’s a win-win for everybody,” said Council member Pat Morse. The resolution also declares an emergency for Magnetic Springs. Access Engineering conducted a study for Magnetic Springs’ wastewater treatment system in June 2020. According to the Sanitary Sewer Preliminary Engineering Report, the Ohio EPA and the Union County Health Department were “aware of the deteriorated condition of the water resources…

Municipalities in Union, Logan and Champaign counties have endured power outages as a result of severe thunderstorms Monday night. Bellefontaine, DeGraff, East Liberty, North Lewisburg and surrounding areas were the most severely impacted, according to AES Ohio. Mary Ann Kabel, director of corporate communications at AES Ohio, said winds were reported to be about 100 mph combined with heavy rainfall, causing trees or branches to fall on power lines. Kabel said roughly 38,000 customers were impacted in the northeastern part of the company’s service area. She added that Bellefontaine’s substation was damaged and would take at least 10 hours to…

Local property owners sought clarification about how the proposed amendments to the Village of Richwood Zoning Ordinance will impact their properties during a Richwood Planning Commission public hearing on Monday evening. Chairman Reddy Brown explained that the purpose of the proposed zoning amendments is “to clarify unknown properties from the old map that wasn’t official.” Douglas and Patricia Wilson own commercial vacant land and other commercial structures on Franklin and Grove streets. They believed their properties were zoned for commercial use, but the planning commission could not confirm the existing zoning of the parcels in government records or The Richwood…

The Richwood Farmers Market opened for the season Thursday. Shauna Chapman, manager of the market, distributed hot dogs and fruit on opening day. The market will take place every Thursday throughout the summer from 3-6 p.m. in the parking lot of the Richwood-North Union Public Library. (Photo by Ally Lanasa)

The Richwood Revitalization Committee voted to hire Jeff Meyer of Meyer Restoration, Inc. to search for and repair the “catastrophic” leaks in the clock tower of the Richwood Opera House. “The leaks are large,” said Chairman Reddy Brown. The committee received a quote from Meyer not to exceed 80 hours for normal repairs at the expense of $9,158, which the committee will fund. “If the clock tower falls down, the rest of the building is kind of a moot point,” Brown said. The committee also agreed to ask the village council to provide $1,040 to remove the antenna from the…

The Marysville Public Library partnered with Bring the Farm to You to offer a petting zoo on Wednesday afternoon in front of the building’s Plum Street entrance.  Pictured are local children visiting the live farm animal exhibits. A pig, goats, a rooster, chicks, chickens, sheep, ducks, a turkey and bunnies were onsite in handmade wooden pens for the hands-on event. (Journal-Tribune photos by Ally Lanasa)

Council members Donnie Ridgeway and Reddy Brown recently traveled to Pennsylvania to pick up the patriotic lighthouse for Blake Taylor’s Eagle Scout project at Richwood Lake. The installation of the lighthouse was delayed because of vandalism concerns in the village park. Pictured, from left, are Ridgeway, Brown and Taylor in a bay at the Richwood Opera House, 101 S. Franklin St. (Journal-Tribune photo Ally Lanasa) — The installation of a lighthouse for an Eagle Scout project is being delayed as a result of vandalism at Richwood Lake Park. At the latest Village of Richwood Council meeting, Mayor Scott Jerew announced…

The state capital budget, known as House Bill 687 and Senate Bill 343, will provide funding for multiple community projects in Union County. The legislation, which was passed by the 134th Ohio General Assembly on Thursday, was sent to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk to sign into law. “I thank the General Assembly for their partnership in supporting these important projects across Ohio which will make a tremendous impact and continue job growth in our state,” DeWine said in an issued statement Thursday. “House Bill 687 also creates a significant and historic investment into our state parks, which are true gems…

The Avalon Theatre recently hosted the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) for its monthly meeting, which featured a spotlight and tour of the newly renovated local theatre. Pictured in front of the stage, from left, are Cheryl J. Lyman, executive director of the OFCC; Mary Mertz, voting member of the OFCC and the director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources; Kimberly Murnieks, chair of the OFCC and director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management; and Ryan Garber, assistant director of the Ohio Department of Administrative. Garber was at the meeting on behalf of Kathleen C. Madden, who…

Samsung C&T Corporation America and HULL officials held an open house Monday evening about the proposed Richwood Solar Project at the Leesburg Township Fire Department on Route 347. According to the exhibits, the construction of the solar plant is expected to begin between the end of 2026 and the beginning of 2027. The Richwood Solar Project is planned for 1,200 acres between Magnetic Springs and Richwood. (Journal-Tribune photo by Ally Lanasa)