Investigators are looking for the suspects who vandalized at least 40 new vehicles, including the Acura pictured above, at a Honda of America storage lot overnight Monday. (Photo submitted) Dozens of new vehicles were vandalized at the local Honda plant earlier this week. Chief Deputy Tom Morgan with the Union County Sheriff’s Office said at least 40 “brand new Hondas and Acuras” were spray painted and keyed. Among those damaged were 2021 Honda Accords and 2021 Acura ILXs. He said the Union County Sheriff’s Office was called to Honda of America, 24500 Honda Parkway, just after 8 a.m. Tuesday. Morgan…
Author: Kayleen Petrovia
After a dormant year during the COVID-19 pandemic, Plain City will be bustling during the Miami Valley Steam Threshers Association annual show. Mayor Jody Carney said the show is an integral part of the village. “We want to be known as the home of the Steam Threshers,” she said. The annual show will take place Thursday through Sunday at Pastime Park on North Chillicothe Street. Opening ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. Thursday. The 2021 Steam Threshers show will feature Massey Ferguson-Massey Harrison implements. Carney said the show, which showcases antique tractors and farm implements along with family attractions, “helps…
Plain City officials are working to make the village’s noise ordinance more easily enforceable. While the village does have regulations in place surrounding excessive noise, Mayor Jody Carney said they can be difficult to uphold because the ordinance does not include “specific, measurable details.” Plain City Police Department Chief Dale McKee said this shifts too much of the burden to his officers. “From the very creation of the ordinance, I didn’t like it being up to the discretion of a police officer to determine if something is annoying,” McKee said. Plain City’s excessive noise ordinance prohibits noise that “plainly audible…
First responders were at the scene of a bus crash on Mitchell Dewitt Road Thursday morning. The bus, owned by All R Friends of Westerville, was transporting four local adults with special needs when it crashed. (Photo submitted) A Hilliard woman was cited following a bus crash in Jerome Township while she was driving four local adults with special needs. Sydney G. Phillips, 23, of Hilliard, was issued a citation for failure to control following the incident. The Union County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call that was transferred from the Dublin Police Department at 8:56 a.m. Thursday. The caller…
Jerome Township Trustees recently approved two zoning amendments surrounding the Jerome Village neighborhood. Earlier this week, the board voted unanimously in favor of rezoning two separate areas, after the initial public hearing was held June 14. A 69.59 acre area on the southeast corner of Jerome Road and Blaney Road will be rezoned from Rural Residential District (RU) to Planned Development District (PD). The rezoning will allow for the development of 149 lots for single-family homes. The development will have a density of 2.14 units per acre, with 36% open space. Trustee Chair Megan Sloat noted that medium-density residential developments…
Jerome Township Trustees are hopeful that a police levy will strike a balance between protecting their community without footing the bill for the entire county. The board voted unanimously Tuesday to place a 1.1 mill renewal with a 0.1 mill increase on the November ballot. The funds generated by the levy would be used to fund the Public Safety Officer (PSO) program that places Union County Sheriff’s Office deputies in Jerome Township. Trustee C.J. Lovejoy described himself as “super pro-blue,” but said he is concerned about how much Jerome Township is funding the county’s deputies. “Where do we stop?” he…
Residents listen as Plain City Police Chief Dale McKee, pictured at center, speaks during a tour of the new Plain City Police Department. Directly behind McKee is a door to the department’s safe room, which is open 24/7 to individuals in distress. Those in need can enter a door on the other side of the room, which will lock behind them until an officer is on the scene to assist them. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia) As residents toured the new Plain City Municipal Building, they saw a number of features in the police department designed with them in mind.…
Plain City officials gathered recently to host a ribbon cutting ceremony for the village’s new municipal building. Officials initially planned to hold an open house for the building, which houses the Plain City Police Department and administrative offices, last year but delayed the public celebration until pandemic restrictions were loosened. Pictured are, from left, Council members John Rucker and Sherry Heineman, Former Mayor Darrin Lane, Police Chief Dale McKee, Mayor Jody Carney, Village Administrator Nathan Cahall and Council members Lauren Giaimo and Frank Reed. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
Plain City residents bothered by live music performances in the Uptown district are asking council how much noise is considered too much. Resident Mike Walter spoke during the most recent council meeting surrounding noise specifically from musical acts at The Grainery, 138 W. Main Street. “It is clearly audible, clearly a nuisance and clearly excessive,” he said. Walter said he lives approximately 1,350 feet from The Grainery, but hears music from the restaurant “as if there was a radio right beside me.” He cited local ordinances and EPA regulations, arguing all property owners have the right to “quiet enjoyment” of…
Plain City Council recently upheld a decision from the village’s Design Review Board to reject the proposed deck, modeled from the photo above, at 150 W. Main Street. Council members told property owner Tim Dawson that they felt the design does not fit within the historic district. He was encouraged to explore other design options for a second-floor balcony. (Photo submitted) Tensions flared between a local property owner and a council member, as Plain City Council upheld two denials by the village’s Design Review Board. Tim Dawson, who owns several properties in the Uptown district, appealed recent DRB decisions regarding…
Investigators continue to seek answers in disappearance of Patti Adkins Lt. Jeff Stiers has been trying to answer the same question for the past 20 years: Where is Patti Adkins? He said it’s a simple question with a complex answer. “It’s the most frustrating case I’ve ever had,” Stiers said. Though time has passed, investigators’ desire to solve the case hasn’t waned. “It’s been 20 years and we still talk about it weekly – if not daily,” Stiers said. He knows the exact second Adkins was last seen alive: 19 seconds after midnight on June 29, 2001. She was in…
Well, another week has gone by and I’m still not a millionaire. Gov. Mike DeWine’s Vax-a-Million campaign is over and I’m no wealthier than I was when it started. It’s not the result I was hoping for, but I have to admit that it is the outcome I was expecting. Still, my quality of life has improved dramatically over the past month or so, thanks to the vaccine. Since COVID-19 struck, we’ve been taking cautious, baby steps back toward our old lives. But on June 2 when masks officially came off, it feels like we all started to sprint. Things…
The Burger King on Delaware Avenue is among the first in the nation to be renovated to become the company’s new “Pavilion Building.” The restaurant will showcase a modern design with glass features, as well as a two-lane drive-thru and digital menu boards. (Graphic submitted) Burger King’s new design will cater to drive-thru rather than dine-in A local Burger King will be one of the first locations to reflect the new look of restaurants throughout the U.S. David Laslow, franchisee of the Burger King at 1044 Delaware Avenue, said the restaurant is among the first five to 10 locations nationwide…
Jerome Township Trustees recently initiated the process to create a zoning overlay district for a new Innovation District, depicted above. The proposed zoning district will cover approximately 741 acres designated as a master planned business park. The zoning amendment will now go before the zoning commission to render a recommendation before appearing in front of the trustees to make a final decision. (Graphic submitted) It took Jerome Township trustees only four minutes to initiate zoning changes that will lay the groundwork for a new Innovation District. The Jerome Township Innovation District will be a “pre-zoned, master planned business park” intended…
Health department officials are optimistic about the county’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic. “The story of the last three months is very positive overall,” said Union County Health Commissioner Jason Orcena. During Wednesday’s Board of Health meeting, Orcena noted that COVID-19 case counts have “slowed dramatically” and only seven new hospitalizations were reported in that period. Even so, he cautioned that the pandemic is not yet completely over. “It has not gone away,” Orcena said. He noted that there have been “a fair amount” of outpatient visits among those with COVID-19 recently, but those numbers are also declining. In the…