Officials are saying that as more retail comes to Union County, so does more organized theft. “We see this more and more with these larger retailers,” said Union County Prosecutor Dave Phillips. The prosecutor said that as large box retail has come to the county, the crime has changed. Phillips said that for many years, theft from stores was predominantly shoplifting. He explained that as the number of large retailers increased, so did the instances of coordinated, targeted theft. “Any larger retailer has been targets — whether it is Wal-Mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s, even Meijer,” said Phillips. He said that…
Author: Mac Cordell
A former inmate at the Ohio Reformatory for Women is under indictment after allegedly plotting to kill a local guard. Sonya Hawkins, 44, who is currently an inmate at Dayton Correctional Institution, has been charged with one count each of attempted aggravated murder and possession of a deadly weapon while under detention. According to court documents, on Dec. 21, 2018, Hawkins was an inmate at Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. Several inmates reported to corrections officers that she had a homemade weapon. When officials went through the woman’s cell, they found what was described as “a pen with razor…
I have often said that Marysville has one of the best city staffs I have ever seen — from the city manager to the summer worker who took time to explain exactly what he was doing in the park, why he was doing it and how it would benefit the users. (His name was Noah Arbogast, and while he does not work for the city any longer, if you know him, thank him!) But good employees don’t just happen. It starts at the top and it starts with good hires. There has been a lot of praise for the city’s…
As local election officials prepare for next month’s presidential primary, they want to make sure voters are ready as well. Brandon Clay and Tina LaRoche, director and deputy director of the Union County Board of Elections, each said they get frequent questions about all elections, but especially primary elections. This year’s primary election will be held Tuesday, March 17. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. A primary election is the opportunity for members of each political party to select the candidate they believe should be their party’s candidate to run against the…
The Union County Board of Elections has been going through a series of security precautions to ensure the March primary election. Part of the security involves bipartisan teams loading and auditing each machine. The machines are then double locked until they are set up for election day. Above, Michelle Forrider, a republican elections specialist, and Brandon Clay, the democrat board director, work to secure voting machines at the board office. (Photo submitted) Local and state election officials are pleased with the work done to ensure the security of next month’s primary election. “We are ready,” said Brandon Clay, director of…
Representatives from the Union County Drug Free Coalition were at Marysville City Council’s meeting Monday to honor the community school resource officers. UCDFC named the officers as Community Champions. Above, Zavon Ahern, a sixth grader at Creekview Intermediate School, spoke to council about the impact of School Resource Officer Steve Hardy. (Journal-Tribune photo by Mac Cordell) City officials are pleased to have police and fire union negotiations behind them and even more pleased with the process that got them there. At Monday night’s city council meeting, the group gave final approval to a police union contract through 2022. Last year…
Would be located in area of reservoir Marysville City Council is expected to vote tonight on legislation allowing the city to borrow up to $50 million to replace its water treatment plant. Officials have said they are writing the legislation allowing the city to borrow up to $50 million, though they do not believe they will need the full amount. City officials say they believe the plant, which will sit near the city’s upground reservoir on Raymond Road, will cost between $46- and $48-million. The city will also need to extend water lines and other infrastructure to the site and…
Law enforcement officials found a loaded handgun inside a compartment in the car of Muhidin Muktar Mohamed following a low-speed chase in Marysville. He is facing gun and other charges following the incident that ended at the man’s home on Meadows Drive. Mohamed is already under indictment on other gun charges. (Photo submitted) A Marysville man is facing gun charges following a traffic stop. Muhidin Muktar Mohamed, 29, of 684 Meadows Drive, Marysville, was arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop. About 3:09 p.m. Wednesday, Mohamed was driving a 2011 Chevrolet north on North Maple Street in the school zone near…
A disturbance at a Jerome Township restaurant has led to an indictment against a New York man. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Brandon Hairston, 38, of Rochester, New York, charging him with one count each of receiving stolen property, obstruction of official business and failure to disclose personal information. According to court documents, on Jan. 15, deputies were at a fast food restaurant in Jerome Township on a call of a man causing a disturbance. While there, the deputies received a call about an abandoned Chevy Trailblazer. Investigators determined the vehicle was stolen out of North Carolina. Deputies…
One cat is dead, another is recovering and the Mill Valley man who allegedly attacked them is under indictment. The Union County Grand Jury has indicted Bret Michael Collins, 20, of 669 Gallop Lane, charging him with two counts of cruelty to companion animals. “It is a horrible case of abuse of animals,” said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Chase. Chase said prosecutors believe Collins did not like cats anyway and then was allegedly bitten by one of the cats, prompting him to allegedly attack the animal. Court documents allege that on Jan. 18, Collins attacked the cats — Charlie…
Marysville City Council is continuing to work on a project to make meetings more accessible. At Monday’s council work session, City Manager Terry Emery explained that about a year ago he asked city staff to review options to post video of council meetings online, “to determine what might be the best way for us to approach this moving forward.” As part of that effort, last year’s city council appropriated $57,000 in the 2020 budget to make the process happen. City IT Director Aaron Story said the project has been “on the burner, off the burner for years, depending on the…
Marysville City Manager Terry Emery, left, Streets Superintendent Joe Tracey, center, and Public Service Director Mike Andrako, right, discuss the possibilities of a heated outbuilding on the Chestnut Street site of the former Ohio Department of Transportation garage facility. The city is working through plans to purchase the site from the state. (Journal-Tribune photo by Mac Cordell) The City of Marysville is moving forward with a plan to purchase a former Ohio Department of Transportation facility. Friday, representatives from the city, ODOT and EMH&T, an engineering firm contacted to conduct an environmental assessment on the site, toured the former ODOT…
School districts around the state are closing, at least temporarily, a result of the flu. While local districts have not closed, they have been keeping an eye on flu activity. Jonathan Langhals, assistant superintendent at Marysville schools said district officials “are monitoring the situation due to the volume of other districts choosing to close and what appears to be a spread of the flu.” He said that even with the flu, the district has, “not seen a significant decline in attendance” with the daily attendance at more than 92% this week. Rich Baird, North Union superintendent, said the absentee rate, “since…
The Union County Commissioners have adopted a policy outlining how the county will manage debt. “We know that in a growing county, there is always going to be a need to issue debt, we know we are always going to have to issue debt,” Commissioner Steve Stolte said. “We want to have some policy in place that guides us as we go through this.” He said some of the policy is actually dictated by state law, other portions are the preference of the commissioners. According to the policy, the goals and objectives of the policy is to guide decision making…
The homeowners at 322 S. Plum St. were at city council Monday to express concern about plans for the building at 222 E. Eighth St. The owner is planning a brewery for the building. The home at 322 S. Plum St. was recently built by Habitat for Humanity and does not appear in the photo above, included in the brewery application. (Photo submitted) A Plum Street mother is expressing concerns about a proposed brewery in the area. Paige Sponseller, of Plum Street, was at Marysville City Council this week to discuss the impact a proposed brewery could have on her…