State and local public health officials in Ohio have confirmed that four reports of severe pulmonary illness after vaping are likely due to vaping. Health agencies are also investigating an additional 11 reports of illness. As a result, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated recommendations on vaping for the public. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued a health alert to healthcare providers on Aug. 23 asking them to report all suspected cases of serious pulmonary illness where the cause is unclear with a history of vaping to local or state public health officials for…
Author: Kayleen Petrovia
Residents from Union County will have to drive a little farther to get their driver’s license. On Sept. 1, the Driver Examination station in Marysville, located at the Union County Bureau of Motor Vehicles, closed permanently. The Marysville station is one of 13 BMV locations that have stopped offering driver exams. Lindsey Bohrer, Assistant Director of Communications for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, said the closures are part of an effort to make the Ohio BMV’s Driver Examination section more efficient. Each of the closing stations were in areas “where demand for (written) knowledge and skills tests is very…
As Hurricane Dorian approaches the U.S. coast, local firefighters are doing their part to help. Three firefighters from Marysville, along with 13 others from Washington, Norwich, Jackson, Concord and Liberty townships, have been deployed to Florida to assist with hurricane relief efforts. The group left for Florida this morning. Despite the looming conditions, Marysville Division of Fire Chief Jay Riley said the crew is looking forward to supporting those in need. “We’re super excited to be able to go down and help them out,” he said. Riley said the group will bring a variety of rescue equipment with them, including…
After two initiatives failed to make the November ballot, Plain City officials are considering the termination of the village’s solicitor. During Monday’s village council meeting, officials went into executive session to discuss the dismissal of a public employee or official. Afterward, council moved to vote on a new resolution to terminate Plain City solicitor, Paul Lafayette. Council member Shannon Pine said the group chose to consider Lafayette’s termination because of missed deadlines for the November election. “There were two things we were really hopeful would get on the ballot that didn’t: the charter committee and the police levy,” she said.…
Parking has been on the minds of many Plain City residents, who once again brought their concerns to Monday’s village council meeting. Residents and business owners from throughout the village expressed frustration regarding a lack of parking on Maple Street, stemming from recent construction in the area. Jennifer Shugert, who co-owns the Plain City Chiropractic Office along with her husband, questioned why parking was removed after being available for the past several decades. “Are we starting a trend here where, just because we have narrow streets in small towns, we take away all parking?” Shugert asked. She also commented upon…
In the midst of back-to-school season, officials throughout Union County are working to combat the teen vaping epidemic. Shawn Sech, director of health promotions and planning at the Union County Health Department (UCHD), described vaping, or e-cigarette use, as “rampant” among youth. “A lot of us thought this would be the first generation to graduate high school tobacco-free… but big tobacco is pulling them back in,” she said. According to the 2018 Union County Youth Risk Survey, 11% of local teens reported using e-cigarettes as of last year. However, Sech said this statistic is likely low due to flaws in…
The Union County Board of Health recently reviewed its supplemental sewage rules, but did not come to a consensus on what to do with unknown systems. At Wednesday’s meeting, the board discussed how frequently “unknown systems,” those with no evidence of failure because there is no evidence of a system, should be inspected. Of the assessments completed through July, Marcia Dreiseidel, director of environmental health, said almost half of the systems have been categorized as unknown. She estimated that equals between 2,500 and 2,800 of these systems. The debate revolved around whether these systems should be inspected annually, as recommended…
The Triad Board of Education is working on a vision for students that will guide their strategic planning in the coming years. The vision, “Portrait of a Graduate,” is essentially a set of skills and characteristics administrators at the school hope students will develop by the time they graduate. Activities and lessons that fortify these traits will be integrated into the elementary, middle and high school’s curriculum. Morgan Fagnani, Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Triad Local Schools, said this set of goals would encourage staff to extend curriculum beyond just academics. “Who do we want our students to be…
Milford Center Council recently approved an ordinance that will affect the billing, late charges and shutoff of water in the village. At Monday’s meeting, council voted unanimously to approve a shorter grace period before water services are discontinued, as well as adding storm water services to water bills. Council member Ronald Payne motioned to declare an emergency, as the ordinance amends one that was approved last month. “These changes don’t affect the substance of what we did, they’re just tweaking it,” Payne said. Council also voted unanimously to approve the emergency motion, which waives the second and third reading of…
In April, my friend Theresa and I ran in the Glass City Marathon and Half-Marathon in Toledo. Theresa is one of the absolute hardest working, most motivated people I know so, naturally, she ran the full marathon and I accompanied her for just half the race. In the midst of my last year of undergrad, I didn’t spend a ridiculous amount of time training, figuring I could get by on being a regular runner and having run a few halves before. On the other hand, Theresa dedicated hours upon hours to her training. There would be weekends when I asked…
Jaden Brake, 8, left, and Caitlyn Kolopajlo, 11, right, watch to see how many pennies a beetle is able to pull. The activity at the first annual Story of Autism STEAM Day on Wednesday allowed students to learn about physics by calculating pulling power. (Journal-Tribune photo by Kayleen Petrovia) —-Marysville Early College High School recently teamed up with a local organization in an effort to teach STEAM skills to every student, including children with autism. The Story of Autism, a nonprofit based in Marysville, hosted the first annual Summer STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) Day on Wednesday. Ken…
The Union County Veterans Service Commission and Mental Health and Recovery Board of Union County are hosting an event to promote the mental health of veterans in the community. Lifting Up Our Veterans will be held Thursday, August 8 at the Union County Veterans Service Office in the Board of Elections Meeting Room, 835 E. Fifth Street. The event will feature a panel discussion and local resource tables, as well as a keynote speech by Dr. Chrisanne Gordon, founder and executive director of Resurrecting Lives Foundation. Gordon, who is also a practicing doctor at Memorial Health, said promoting the mental…
Pictured above is Marti Dodson, lead singer of Saving Jane which will perform from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Saturday at the All Ohio Balloon Fest. The band drifted apart after finding national attention with the song “Girl Next Door,” but will be back together to play at the Balloon Fest. —- The 2019 All Ohio Balloon Fest will welcome Saving Jane back to Central Ohio for one of its first performances since reuniting. Saving Jane will perform Saturday, Aug. 10 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. before Bon Journey takes the stage at 8 p.m. The band, which gained national recognition from its hit song,…
In her first year as Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA), Dorothy Pelanda is taking on a new role – one she deemed “chief of ride safety.” ODA includes the Division of Amusement Ride Safety and Fairs, which licenses and inspects all amusement rides, midway games and concession stands. As Director, Pelanda oversees these at every fair throughout the state. Although this is a new responsibility for her, she said it is something she is both “prepared for and excited about.” She said the state fair and county fairs are important to her mission within ODA – promoting…
Volunteers assist a pilot as he inflates his envelope during the 2018 All Ohio Balloon Fest. The Hope Center will be partnering with the Balloon Fest for its 2019 run from Thursday, Aug. 8 through Saturday, Aug. 10. (All Ohio Balloon Fest photo) –––– The 2019 All Ohio Balloon Fest is partnering with the Hope Center in an event that benefits the community in more ways than one. Since 1975, the All Ohio Balloon Fest has drawn individuals from throughout the state of Ohio and beyond to Union County. The event features a weekend of entertainment, but strives to make…