Local Archived News

County eying ARPA funds to clean up log jam
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T reporter
Union County officials are looking at options to help property owners pay for repairs to Mill Creek.
At a recent meeting, the county commissioners explored the option of using funds from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA) to pay for cleanup of the Mill Creek.

Personal needs pantry to relocate later this month
Richwood Gazette
The North Union Personal Needs Pantry is relocating to Richwood Greene Apartments, 235 Grove St., in mid-December with a new director.
Carola McMahan was selected to manage the personal needs pantry by Richwood Civic Center Executive Director Susie Pfarr.
“She was chosen mainly because of her heart for the community,” Pfarr said.

Officials explore funding options for multi-district wastewater system
By Ally Lanasa, Richwood Gazette
Local officials met on Nov. 23 to discuss funding for the proposed multi-district wastewater plant based in Richwood.
Union County Commissioner Dave Burke, former County Engineer and former County Commissioner Steve Stolte, Assistant County Engineer Bill Narducci, the Village of Magnetic Springs Mayor Martha “Kathy” Cantrell and Village of Richwood Mayor Scott Jerew met with Craig Mescher, a project manager at Access Engineering Solutions at the Union County Commissioners Office, 233 W. Sixth Street Suite 1178 in Marysville.

NU aids pantry
By Sherryl Sheets, Richwood Gazette
Students in the North Union Local School District will be helping families in the school district with hunger issues this month. Students and school staff will be donating non-perishable food items until Dec. 17 at the elementary, middle and high schools. The donations will be taken to the Richwood Emergency Assistance Program (REAP) food pantry in Richwood.

42K staff hours part of UCHD grant spending
By Kayleen Petrovia, Marysville J-T reporter
The Union County Board of Health approved the health department’s 2022 budget Thursday and reviewed COVID-19 spending throughout the pandemic.

Narducci sees opportunities in county administrator role
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T reporter
Bill Narducci has signed a conditional offer to become Union County’s administrator.
“Being in this county 12 years, I kind of feel this is a great opportunity for me to learn more and have a say in how the county government is run,” Narducci said, adding that while he doesn’t live in Union County, “this is a county I feel at home in.”

TRCC announces partnership with UA starting fall ’22
Submitted by Tri-Rivers Career Center
The University of Akron (UA) and Tri-Rivers Career Center (TRCC) entered into an agreement that will allow Marion and surrounding area students the opportunity to complete college-level academic courses while in high school, earning valuable college course credits toward a degree at UA. The new partnership is called the Tri-Rivers Early College High School.

NU alumnus lights up the park for holiday festivities
By Ally Lanasa, Richwood Gazette
Justin North, a North Union alumnus and Troop 440 Eagle Scout, is lighting up the Richwood Park for the holidays for the second consecutive year on Dec. 11 from 7-10 p.m.
Last year, North invited the public to donate Christmas lights, decorations and ornaments and asked for volunteers to display them in Richwood Park as part of a project for his agriculture class at North Union High School.

Johnston of Troop 440 earns Eagle Scout award
Submitted by Reddy Brown
Logan Johnston, of Boy Scout Troop 440 was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest recognition in the Boys Scouts of America on Nov. 26 by the Eagle board of review. He is the son of Richwood residents Paul and Michelle Johnston.

Richwood receives $2.6M water grant
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
The Village of Richwood will receive a $2.6 million grant to replace the existing water treatment facility in Ohio BUILDS water infrastructure grants.
As a result of continued corrosion and deterioration, the current condition of the treatment equipment threatens the village’s ability to produce safe, drinking water.
The village plans to replace the entire water treatment facility using similar treatment methods.

Committee receives quotes from architects for opera house design
By Ally Lanasa, Richwood Gazette
The Richwood Revitalization Committee recently received two official quotes from architects for design services.
During the meeting last Monday, Vice Chair Aaron Smith said TRIAD Architects Ltd. of Columbus quoted a total of $42,100 for services, including $6,800 for base drawing and development, $16,300 for conceptual design and report, $2,500 for structural engineering, $11,000 for mechanical and electrical engineering and $5,500 for 3-D renderings.

Council seeks grants for park projects
By Ally Lanasa, Richwood Gazette
The Village of Richwood Council is applying for grant funding for projects at the park and a walking path.
Mayor Scott Jerew said the village is applying for Capital Bill funds for a splash pad and workout equipment around the trail at the Richwood Park as well as a small shelter house, tables and a fence at 17 Lynn St.

Richwood man indicted in serial strangulation's, rapes
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T reporter
A Richwood man could be facing life in prison, accused of repeatedly raping, kidnapping and assaulting several women.
Alan Buckland, 36, of 30100 Alder Road, Richwood, is charged with 15 counts of rape with a specification that he is a sexually violent predator, 10 counts of felonious assault with specifications that he is a sexually violent predator and that he committed the crime with a sexual motivation, seven counts of kidnapping with specifications that he is a sexually violent predator and that he committed them with a sexual motivation, and one count each attempted rape with a sexually violent predator specification and kidnapping with a sexually violent predator specification.

NU board talks calendar options
By Ally Lanasa, Richwood Gazette
The North Union Local Schools District continued the discussion from the November meeting about four calendar options for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 academic years.

Council passes resolution, policy
By Sherryl Sheets, Richwood Gazette
Due to the Christmas and New Year holidays, council held their end-of-the-year meeting Monday night with barely a quorum in attendance. Councilmen Von Beal and Reddy Brown were both absent from the meeting.