The Community Development Consultants (CDC) of Ohio has a recommendation to Union County for its upcoming grant application process. Thomas Perry, a planner at CDC, visited the county commissioners’ regular session recently and told the board that Unionville Center should be a funding priority followed by Richwood and Magnetic Springs. He said, as his office looks at the current “application season,” it makes the most sense to pursue Community Development Block Grant funds for those village projects as applications are due next month. “I think we’re going to have May 22, I believe, is going to be our second public…
Author: Michael Williamson
Federal disaster assistance is now available for Union County and other areas affected by the tornadoes that passed through the state in March. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced Thursday that President Joe Biden approved a “Major Disaster Declaration” for Ohio that includes assistance for Union, Logan, Delaware, Auglaize, Crawford, Darke, Hancock, Licking, Mercer, Miami and Richland counties to supplement recovery efforts in those places. Union County EMA Director Brad Gilbert said FEMA will visit the county in the coming weeks to offer information on the process. He said officials would “set up somewhere in the county,” making themselves…
Union County is considering an electrical aggregation program that could save residents money on electric bills. At the regular commissioner meeting Wednesday, the board met with members of Palmer Energy, a Toledo based energy consulting firm that partners with the County Commissioners Association of Ohio (CCAO), to discuss joining in the organization’s program. According to information provided by Palmer, electrical aggregation is allowed “for communities – such as townships, cities, villages and counties – to form aggregated buying groups to purchase electric generation on behalf of their citizens.” By being part of a larger collective, that gives the group the…
After six years leading the Hope Center, Becky Bolt is stepping down. The executive director announced earlier this week that she will be retiring from the role effective May 31. She said the decision was a “bittersweet” one but necessary. “It is with great sadness that I will be leaving the people I have had the privilege to work beside,” she said in a statement. “These are some of the most loving and giving people I have ever known. This brings me comfort in knowing that the Hope Center will go on, as it was intended, even after I am…
While solar companies have dominated the conversation in Union County lately, they aren’t the only ones looking to be part of the energy discussion. Mitch Given with The Empowerment Alliance (TEA), an organization that supports natural gas expansion, told the county commissioners Wednesday that gas is what the county should be looking toward. “We just want to, number one, get out and remind people the good news of natural gas and the shale play in Ohio and how that’s changed things as far as energy in Ohio and our ability to grow,” he said. According to the U.S. Department of…
I went by a Chick-fil-A the other day and saw the line once again wrapped around the building, an apparent fact of life for that restaurant these days. While that particular establishment seems to see the largest of the crowds, fast food joints that serve fried chicken, either as sandwiches, tenders or traditional legs and thighs, seem to be going through a moment and have been for the last several years. The phenomenon set me thinking about why. What is suddenly different about those restaurants or those products that is driving a fried chicken renaissance? It’s not like fried chicken…
Construction on the Cadence Solar project is set to start soon according to an updated timeline from Invenergy, the company behind it. Erin Saal, renewable development manager with Invenergy, said while there were slow-downs in the beginning, the project is now on track to begin its construction phase next month. Cadence will be located in York, Liberty, and Taylor townships between Routes 47 and 347, bisected in the center by Route 739. Some early work was done last year including tree clearing and the installation of some access roads, but Saal said the company paused in December until further details…
Organizers with North Union Softball for Girls are looking to update operations at the ball fields over the next few months. Ken Crumb and Wendy Wilson, both NUSG members, talked to Richwood Council on Monday about several updates to the fields at Richwood Park. One of the key items was seeing how the organization could go about getting insurance on fields and equipment. “We’re having trouble getting insurance for our equipment in the building, we need it in the building. We’re having trouble getting insurance on the fields and our new lights because we don’t own the property,” Wilson said.…
The Union County-Marysville Rideshare Program now has its first full quarter of data and officials say it’s doing well but they want to increase numbers. Eric Phillips, the economic development director for the county and city, updated the county commissioners last week on the pilot program with Uber, which now has data from Jan. 1 to March 31 and has started collecting through the first part of this month. Phillips said the results so far are positive. “It’s some really detailed data about where we are three and half months into this program,” he said. “And I’m really happy with…
Companies installing two of the area’s solar projects will repair roads in the northwestern part of the county later this year. While Union County and Acciona Energía already had a road-use maintenance agreement (RUMA) done ahead of construction, the energy company said it would also cover additional work not originally listed in the agreement. Engineer Jeff Stauch told the county commissioners last week that Acciona, which is looking to build a 325-megawatt solar project in Washington and York townships, would repair miles of roadway used during the construction of the project, as outlined in the RUMA. “The company’s agreed to…
Magnetic Springs Mayor Chad Wilson, who took the role after the resignation of Kathy Cantrell in March, has a 10-year plan for the village. Wilson outlined 10 key areas of focus, pictured above, that range from community engagement to connectivity all with the hope it will position the village to grow and prosper moving into the future. (Graphic submitted) — Magnetic Springs’ new mayor is nearly a month into his leadership position and he said while he sees the challenges ahead for the village, he’s optimistic it’s moving in the right direction. Chad Wilson, the council president who moved into…
A group of current and former Fairbanks teachers, parents and administrators started an education foundation aimed at raiing money for school projects not covered under regular district funds. At the Monday board of education meeting, two retired educators, Mark Lotycz, once a principal in the district and Debbie Hegenderfer, a former teacher, formally introduced the board to the Fairbanks Education Foundation, started in 2023. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with a mission to “support Fairbanks students by enhancing their access to educational opportunities,” according to information from the group. Lotycz said the FEF started after Hegenderfer pitched him the…
The Union County Sheriff’s Office will soon have some new deputies on the roadways. Sheriff Jamie Patton told the county commissioners Wednesday that the new deputies will not all go out at once, but the new three will take solo patrol shifts by the end of May. “Our new-hires are progressing well. As it stands, we have one slated to go solo patrol May 18. The second one to go solo patrol is May 25. The third will go solo patrol May 29,” he said. “We still have one in the early stages that are training.” That is Joe North,…
The Ohio Power Siting Board set a date and time of the first public hearing for the Richwood Solar project. Residents and property owners can provide sworn testimony to the board on June 25 at 5 p.m. at North Union High School. Information was posted on the OPSB website detailing how the hearing will be conducted. “The purpose of the local public hearing is to allow individuals to provide sworn testimony regarding the proposed facility,” according to the OPSB. “Testimony will be limited to three minutes per witness and the hearing transcript will become part of the case record considered…
Jonathan Alder students show board of education members Tuesday how they break down and examine words as part of the district’s reading program implemented earlier this year. Teacher Bryce Swartz gave a presentation that further explained the Orton-Gillingham methodology that seven of the district’s teachers are getting certifications in. Pictured from left to right are Steve Votaw, board member; Laurel Bookman, student; Bruce Hooley, board member; Erica Detweiler, board member; Maggie Zornes, student; Sonia Walker, board president; Beau Zornes, student and Bill McCartney, board member. (Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson) — Several Jonathan Alder teachers are working toward certification…