Will be taking position with Franklin County Marysville Public Service Director and Deputy City Manager Mike Andrako has resigned. ANDRAKO Andrako has accepted a position with the Franklin County Engineer’s Office. He will serve as the office’s mobility engineer, overseeing things like traffic signaling, signage, striping, traffic flow and access management for the unincorporated areas of Franklin County. It is a position Andrako said he is looking forward to, calling traffic “my passion.” “Traffic engineering is one of the things I have enjoyed most about the positions I have held in the past,” Andrako said. “I always find it…
Author: Mac Cordell
Lt. Shawn Cook, commander at the Marysville Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, has a message for local drivers. “Every time someone takes their eyes or their focus off the road, even for just a few seconds, they put their life and the lives of others in danger,” Cook said this morning. The commander’s message comes at the start of a week-long initiative to make drivers aware of the dangers that come with distracted driving. The Ohio State Highway Patrol will be partnering with state police departments from Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Pennsylvania and West Virginia State Police for the…
A local sex offender has been charged again for similar crimes. MILLER The Union County Grand Jury recently indicted James Richard Miller, 64, of 630 E. Sixth St., Marysville. Miller is charged with one count each of rape and attempted rape and two counts of gross sexual imposition. The charges stem from an alleged series of incidents between 2009 and 2013 when the victim was 6 to 9 years old. Phillips said the girl did not come forward at the time. Now a young woman, the victim has come forward. “It is not unusual for children not to reveal…
Acciona is planning to build a large solar farm in Union County. While traditional farming is difficult, the company will seed the land with hopes that it can be used for other agricultural purposes. Above, sheep graze this Acciona facility, south of Pamplona in Spain. Company officials said they hope to do the same thing at the local facility. (Photo submitted) Some residents oppose energy operation that would pump millions into local tax coffers York and Washington townships already have a variety of farms — beans, corn, dairy and beef. But they could soon be getting a solar farm and…
Fairbanks hits the breaks on five-day school week Citing an outbreak of cases in the district, Fairbanks school officials have decided to hold off on a plan to reopen the buildings at 100% capacity. “We are pausing our transition to Learning Level 1 to gather additional information and observe the impact these recent cases have on our school community,” Superintendent Adham Schirg said Thursday morning. Last week Fairbanks announced it would move from Learning Level 2, which has half of the students in the building for two days and learning remotely the other days, to Learning Level 1 where students…
Officials at the Union County Prosecutor’s Office are working to identify additional funding and cut services for local victims of crime. Last week, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office learned funding for the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) program would be cut 37 % “It has been tough,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips. “We anticipated something, but not 37%.” VOCA funds are passed from the federal Department of Justice to state attorney generals who distribute the money to local entities. VOCA funding helps provide direct services and support for crime victims and survivors, including courtroom advocacy, medical care, mental health…
A Columbus man is facing first-degree felony cocaine charges after a local traffic stop revealed thousands of dollars’ worth of cocaine. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Timothy Gilbert Ferguson, 39, of 2480 Peekskill Dr., Columbus, charging him with one count of first-degree felony possession of cocaine. According to court documents, on May 15, Fergusson was the passenger in a vehicle stopped at Route 4 and U.S. 33 for failing to stop at a stop sign. The deputy who initiated the stop smelled alcohol, but did not believe the driver was impaired. The deputy noted that the passenger was…
Nearly a year after it was introduced to council the first time, a new zoning code is once again going through the approval process. “This is a long overdue product,” Council Member Alan Seymour said. “I am looking forward to it coming to a close.” Nearly three years ago city staff and officials began the process of updating the zoning code to modernize it and bring it into line with the comprehensive plan. City Planner Ashley Gaver said the new code modernizes definitions, reorganizes chapters so they are more intuitive and uses charts and graphs to help readers better understand…
A Marysville man could be facing more than a decade behind bars after allegedly breaking into a home to threaten a former girlfriend. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Brandon Huff, 27, of 425 W. Seventh St. Huff is charged with one count each of aggravated burglary and menacing. HUFF According to court documents, about 11:39 p.m., April 3, Huff arrived at an apartment in the 400 block of Wind Mil Drive. According to court documents he was “uninvited and unannounced.” Huff went to the back of the apartment where his brother and his ex-girlfriend were sitting around…
Marysville officials are looking at exploring options for a third fire station. A feasibility study recommended putting the station in the southeast portion of the city on Industrial Parkway. Stars on the map represent the two current and one proposed fire stations. Shaded areas indicate the areas that could be reached within four minutes, which is the recommendation of the National Fire Protection Association for response time. (Graphic submitted) Marysville officials are moving forward with the planning process for a third fire station. In 2018, the City of Marysville commissioned a study on the need and feasibility of a third…
An Ohio State Trooper who lives in Marysville has been arrested, charged with allegedly raping a teenage girl. John David McLeod, 40, of 22261 McAdow Road, has been charged with two counts of rape, two counts of sexual battery and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs. He is an OSP trooper assigned to the Springfield post. According to court documents, earlier this month a deputy from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office spoke with the mother of a 17-year-old girl. MCLEOD The woman said that in June, her daughter had been staying with a relative at a home in…
Marysville officials got their first look at the 2021 budget earlier this week. “In spite of COVID-19, we are able to provide a balanced budget with no deficit spending,” said City Finance Director Brad Lutz. Lutz presented the first copy of the 2021 budget at a special meeting of city council. He said that while the final budget will not look exactly like the proposal, it will likely look similar. Emery said this first review step is important in “trying to get our minds wrapped around what we are seeing going into 2021.” He said many of the projections and…
The historic Avalon Theatre is being demolished this week to make room for a new theatre. Organizers had hoped to preserve portions of the building after a June storm took the roof and walls of the building, but the structural integrity of the building would not allow it. Above, a view from the alley behind the theatre shows what little remains of the front of the building. Below, a Marker Construction employee watches as a backhoe demolishes the front wall of the theatre. (Journal-Tribune photos by Mac Cordell) The Avalon Theatre is coming down. Demolition began this week on the…
When tax bills are contested some are reduced; others go up The Union County Board of Revision has finalized its process for the year. This year, 398 property owners filed appeals with the county’s board of revision, which hears complaints about property appraisals. Every six years, the county auditor is required to complete a value assessment for every property in the county. The value is used to determine property taxes for each property. That revaluation was completed in 2019 and appears on 2020 tax bills. Those who disagree with their property valuation can file an appeal with the Board of…
As the COVID-19 numbers begin to shift, schools are evaluating their next steps. Jonathan Alder is preparing to welcome students back to the classroom, all day, every day. “That is our intention,” said Misty Swanger, assistant superintendent for Jonathan Alder Local Schools. Currently, the majority of Jonathan Alder students attend class in-person two days a week and remotely two days a week. District officials announced that over the next month, students from each building will return to in-person learning five days a week. Marysville Superintendent Diane Allen said her district is not currently planning a return to five-day, in-school instruction.…