A Union County resident shared his concern this week about the decision by county officials to seek legal assistance in blocking a solar project south of Richwood. Chuck Warner, a Taylor Township resident planning to lease land in the proposed Richwood Solar project area, told the county commissioners Wednesday that he had questions about their decision. “One of my questions I had is my concern about what I read in the paper here about a week ago about the county commissioners and the township trustees seeking legal counsel to take away my property rights,” he said. “Who’s going to pay…
Author: Michael Williamson
For the second time in less than six months, Union County residents voted down a Fairbanks tax levy. Following Tuesday’s primary election, the school’s district’s ballot measure failed with 1,260 votes, or 55%, against it and 1,019, or 44%, for it. Fairbanks also spills over into Madison County where residents in those precincts also voted it down, 65-41. Superintendent Adham Schirg said while the defeat is not the best news, the district can still move forward with some of its plans for facility work with what has already been approved. “I appreciate the feedback the community has given us. The…
After a brief search beginning earlier this year, Fairbanks has found its new high school principal. At the March board of education meeting, school officials voted to confirm the recommendation of Jerry Obney as the new principal at Fairbanks High School. Superintendent Adham Schirg announced the position in a letter to the community last week but the vote Monday night made it official. A committee of 29 parents, students, staff and administrators was formed and looked at 14 individuals before three were selected for interviews, Schirg said. “The committee provided feedback and recommendations on the candidates,” he said. “Based on…
This camper near Orchard Island, at the southern edge of Indian Lake in Logan County, was hit by nearby vehicles and toppled over when a tornado passed through the area Thursday night. The camper belonged to Union County resident Douglas Robinson who said no one was hurt when the storm went through just before 8 p.m. (Photo submitted) — Strong storms that produced an EF2 tornado pushed this trailer off its foundation Thursday night between Russells Point and Orchard Island. While the trailer, owned by Union County resident Roy Heflin, was occupied at the…
Don Stevens, director of the Perkins Observatory in Delaware, gives a presentation to visitors of the Plain City Public Library Tuesday on the upcoming solar eclipse April 8. Stevens said Plain City is in the path of totality and residents will be able to see the event start just before 2 p.m., reaching totality just after 3 p.m. (Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson) —
The Jonathan Alder Board of Education has a couple of months to review Plain City’s planned Economic Development Incentive Policy (EDIP) before the plan is put in place. Jason Stanford, the village’s development manager, presented the draft at the regular March board meeting Monday night and told school officials that he hopes the board will be supportive. He said it’s important to the village that the school be brought to the table earlier in the process so it has a say in how growth and development is handled – especially in the way tax incentives are doled out. Right now,…
Ayden Hawkins, (left) a senior at North Union High School, holds up a fireplace circuit he worked on as part of the district’s engineering program. North Union will receive nearly $400,000 from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce’s Career Technical Education (CTE) Equipment Grant Program. The grant will allow the district to purchase FANUC robot arms that assist in building circuits like the one pictured. Also pictured are engineering students Montana Donohue, center, and Jacob Weigand, right. (Photo submitted) — North Union staff and administrators have been hard at work over the years building the district’s engineering and…
The Union County Commissioners read out the board’s annual proclamation earlier this week naming March 17-23 National Ag Week in Union County. Each year, the county celebrates the efforts of local farmers by declaring the week of recognition. Pictured from left to right are Commissioner Dave Burke, Organization Director Melinda Lee, Farm Bureau member Anne Scheiderer, Commissioner Steve Robinson, Farm Bureau member Ralph Stonerock and Commissioner Dave Lawrence. (Journal-Tribune photo by Michael Williamson) — Ahead of National Ag Week, the agriculture community in Union County is already at work organizing 4-H projects, holding meetings and having discussions about the…
Editor’s note: The following story is the first of a three-part series detailing issues and candidates who will appear before the Union County voters on the March 19 ballot. Friday’s installment will detail candidates in the contested state representative race and Saturday will see profiles of Republican sheriff’s candidates. — In just under two weeks, Union County residents will head to the polls to cast their votes in the March primary. Two main issues on the ballot include tax levies for Fairbanks Local Schools and the Village of Richwood. Both levies will be familiar to residents voting that day as…
Fairbanks will kick off its annual State of the Schools next week with a series of informational talks. The event is one of a two-part communication effort the school rolls out early in the year, which includes the State of the Schools and the district-wide mailer, Measurements that Matter. Since State of the Schools started in 2021, the district has taken a different approach to the format and this time, it will be offering a weeklong series of videos that each focus on different areas of interest, rather than a single day of presentations. “This year, because we did the…
North Union High School teacher Tom Jolliff was named as a finalist for Ag Teacher of the Year through the Golden Owl Award. Pictured from left to right: Amy Jo Baughman, Ohio FFA Foundation; Ranae Sherman, AgCredit; Derek Snider, AgCredit; Maria Hoewischer, America’s Trusted Insurance Group; Jolliff; Melinda Lee, Ohio Farm Bureau Foundation; Andrea Dicke, Farm Credit Mid-America; Wesley Chapman, America’s Trusted Insurance Group and Betsy Baer, Farm Credit Mid-America. (Photo submitted) — A North Union High School teacher is now a finalist for the national FFA educator award. Last week, Tom Jolliff, an agricultural teacher at North Union, was…
One of a series of variances is on hold for property near the newly proposed Kia dealership site in Jerome Township. Union County Commissioners voted to approve a series of requests including setbacks and road extensions Wednesday but tabled one variance that asked to delay an extension across an existing ditch. County officials said they wanted to wait to approve anything until affected parties could discuss a potential cost-sharing agreement for who would foot the bill for the work. “I was thinking table it and have that discussion and say, ‘here’s what we’re thinking.’ Through the developer’s agreement, we’ll have…
A man takes his dog for a jog near the corner of West Fourth and North Maple streets Tuesday. Residents have been able to take advantage of some non-traditional February activities due to the unseasonably warm temperatures. (Journal-Tribune photo by Aleksei Pavloff) —
Lance Emberling, lead investigator at the Union County Coroner’s Office, said Union County is currently seeing fewer fatal overdoses than it has in a decade. According to statistics from the Union County Coroner’s Office, in the decade between 2014 and 2023, Union County had 76 accidental fatal overdoses, with just six in 2023 and only one through the first two months of this year. “I think it is because of Narcan distribution and community interventions,” Emberling said. Narcan is a nasal spray of Naloxone, designed to rapidly reverse the effects of a life-threatening opioid emergency. Narcan is used to revive…
Richwood resident and comedian, Lee Mays, will tape his first stand-up special in Utah on March 30. The comedy show will then be available to purchase through Dry Bar Comedy, an online platform with more than 150 million monthly views. (Photo submitted) — Lee Mays has the kind of second job some people only dream of. “I’m basically a nurse aid by day and a comedian by night.” Mays, who lives just west of Richwood, works as a state tested nurse aid (STNA) in his daily life but has been actively involved in the comedy world for more than a…