At approximately 8:10 a.m., a Chevrolet Colorado traveling northbound on Route 31 near Route 347 swerved to the right of the roadway to avoid a semi-truck traveling southbound that was left-of-center on the roadway. The driver of the Chevrolet veered off the roadway and into a nearby pond. Officials at the scene did not have the names of either driver, but said no one was injured in the incident. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia)
Author: Kayleen Petrovia
Jonathan Alder Local Schools are hosting a series of community conversations throughout the month of October. Superintendent Gary Chapman said he will speak about current and projected student enrollment, the growth of the district and school building capacities at each of the 30-minute conversations. The conversations will take place on Thursday, Oct. 10 at 6:30 p.m. at the Plain City Public Library; Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 6:30 p.m. in the Pleasant Valley Fire Department Community Room; and Friday, Oct. 25 at 8 a.m. at Der Dutchman. Cory Guindon, administrative assistant for the district, said Chapman frequently hosts similar events to…
As Plain City Council reviews the 2020 budget, it is considering potential raises to the village’s water and sewer rates. During a work session following Monday’s council meeting, Village Administrator Nathan Cahall said village staff members suggest a 5% rate increase starting in January. He said the village hasn’t altered water and sewer rates in several years, but felt doing so would be beneficial to maintaining the upcoming budget. “It’s always good to tweak around the edges instead of sitting on your rates for 10 to 15 years,” Cahall said. If the rates are not increased in the near future,…
Although Plain City Council decided against adding parking to Maple Street several weeks ago, the choice was met with opposition during Monday’s meeting. Business owners from the Maple Street area were at this week’s council meeting to voice their disapproval of council’s decision. Dr. Daniel Lynn, of the Plain City Animal Hospital, which is located on the corner of Maple and Main streets, said he isn’t personally affected by parking on Maple Street but still feels it is a major issue. “If there are people in this town who don’t think parking is a problem… I don’t know what they’re…
Jim Bisenius, a child and adolescent therapist, was at Triad High School Tuesday night to share strategies as to how students can “bully-proof” their lives. Over 75 students and parents were in attendance to learn response strategies that deter bullying. (Photo submitted) Triad Local Schools are working to “bully-proof” their students. On Tuesday, Triad hosted Jim Bisenius, a child and adolescent therapist who specializes in teaching targeted students how to handle bullying situations. He has developed response techniques that he has shared at hundreds of schools. Throughout the day, Bisenius visited Triad’s elementary, middle and high schools and shared strategies…
The Mental Health and Recovery Board of Union County (MHRBUC) was recently awarded $4 million to increase access to mental health care for children and expand available care. The grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), will provide nearly $1 million each year for four years – the largest grant awarded to communities for children’s mental health. Dr. Phil Atkins, executive director of MHRBUC, said grant money will be used to develop partnerships, coordinate services, improve prevention and wellness initiatives and provide support for parents. Atkins submitted the grant proposal in an effort to connect every…
It will soon be easier for residents to make payments to the Union County Health Department (UCHD). At Wednesday’s Board of Health meeting, the board approved a resolution to accept credit card payments over the phone. UCHD previously accepted credit card payments, but only in-person. “I’ll be the first to admit, I don’t remember the last time I mailed in a bill,” Health Commissioner Jason Orcena said. The biggest concern in adding the new payment option is the potential for fraud to occur, according to Orcena. However, he said fraudulent charges are largely avoidable because most charges are directly attached…
As part of discussions about parking on Maple Street, Plain City Village Administrator Nathan Cahall created a series of drawings, showing how parking blocks the sight lines for drivers entering or crossing Maple Street. (Photo submitted) After months of discussion, Plain City Council has decided against adding on-street parking to Maple Street. The topic was brought up in the past several village council meetings, both by local business owners and residents. Following the completion of construction on Maple Street, on-street parking was eliminated because the roadway was not wide enough to accommodate for it and two-way traffic. This explanation was…
In a world that chants “fake news,” I’m often the odd one out when I advocate for the importance of the press. Between citizen journalists, bloggers, and social media reporters, I can definitely see how people feel overwhelmed by unreliable information. It’s inconvenient, but I think it’s worth it to weed through all of that to get to the real journalism, the kind that holds governments accountable and serves citizens. But, when your job is to relay that information to the public, you become the first scapegoat for public officials to divert responsibility toward. Instead of admitting that they’ve done something that…
Bunsold Middle Schoolers took time Wednesday to remember the victims of 9/11 and honor the first responders involved. Several local first responders who helped in New York during the aftermath of the 9/11 terror attacks spoke at an assembly for the middle schoolers. The panel featured Mike Palumbo, regional K-9 coordinator for Ohio Homeland Security; David Applegate, Union County Coroner; and Lieutenant Joe Daniels of the Marysville Fire Department. They each acted in a different capacity in the aftermath of 9/11, but all shared the importance of the event – even for those who weren’t born until after it occurred.…
After nearly 60 years of gardening, Dick Westfall isn’t slowing down any time soon. Westfall, who turned 86 in July, is President of the Greater Columbus Dahlia Society, which will host the 54th Annual Dahlia Show in Marysville this weekend. The show will feature several hundred dahlias grown by exhibitors throughout Ohio and the surrounding states, with Westfall as one of the top competitors. Growing dahlias is no small task, especially for Westfall, who currently has a garden of about 150 dahlia plants in his backyard. It’s a craft he’s mastered since he began growing dahlias in 1961. “I used…
Despite rules against it and notices and signs reminding drivers of the prohibition, cars still park along Maple Street. Village leaders say the street is not wide enough to have two-wat traffic and on street parking. (Journal-Tribune photo by Mac Cordell) Monday’s Plain City Council meeting featured the familiar topic of parking, this time with advocates for it and those in opposition. Since the Aug. 26 meeting, Village Administrator Nathan Cahall sent a letter to residents on Maple Street to inform them of the possibility of making the street one-way to allow for on-street parking. Jennifer Shugert, who co-owns the…
A concrete decision regarding Plain City’s solicitor position has yet to be made. Discussion surrounding the termination of the village’s current solicitor, Paul Lafayette, began during the last council meeting, but was left off of Monday’s agenda. The Aug. 26 council meeting included an executive session followed by the first reading of a resolution dismissing Lafayette as village solicitor. The draft minutes of the meeting stated the resolution, “will move to 2nd Reading at the next Council meeting on September 9th.” However, the second reading did not appear on Monday night’s Village Council agenda. During the approval of minutes, several…
Bunsold Plumbing and Heating will no longer have the family name, but the business will carry on. The longtime business was recently purchased by The Rooter Works Plumbing and Drains, a business based in Columbus. “My mom and dad started this business in 1951, so it’s been hard. It’s been emotional,” said Bill Bunsold, owner of Bunsold Plumbing and Heating. Bunsold said The Rooter Works purchased the rights to the phone number and client list of Bunsold Plumbing and Heating, although the business will not operate out of the same location or use their equipment. However, he said The Rooter…
Fran DeWine, wife of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, left, speaks with Mya Stump, right, an inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women participating in the prison’s nursery program. Through the program, Stump is able to maintain custody of and raise her daughter, Oaklee, who was born while Stump was incarcerated. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia) The Ohio Reformatory for Women (ORW) recently opened new nurseries for a program that allows pregnant, incarcerated women to raise their children. On Thursday, ORW unveiled two new nursery buildings, called the Hope House and the Wheeler Building, named after former warden Martha Wheeler. ORW…