Local Archived News

Several county offices undergoing renovations
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
Visitors to the Union County office building on Sixth Street will notice some changes the next time they pass through.
Work is being done on several of the offices inside the building including updates to the engineer’s office, treasurer’s office and the public area outside the commissioners’ hearing room.
Assistant County Administrator Letitia Rayl said some spaces at the 233 West Sixth Street building are getting renovated while some will just be reorganized.

May election will bring voting changes
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T Reporter
The final day to register to vote in May is rapidly approaching and local officials are warning that this election will have some big changes.
Early voting for the May 2 election opened Tuesday, meaning the last day for citizens to register to vote is Monday.

Short-term homeless shelter set to open
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T Reporter
Marysville is on the verge of having Union County’s only shelter for the homeless.
Impact Station, 1140 Charles Lane, will host a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Friday.
Impact Station is a short-term, emergency shelter. Residents can stay at the facility a maximum of 90 days, though the hope is they are back on their feet with permanent housing within 45 days.

Cardington man charged in Richwood storage unit theft
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T Reporter
A Cardington man has been charged with theft and breaking and entering at a facility in Richwood.
Donald E. Bocook, 42, of Cardington, was charged with one count each of breaking and entering and petty theft.
According to court documents, on Sept. 23, Bocook allegedly broke into a storage unit on Blagrove Street in Richwood.

Richwood Farm Market seeking new funding
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
The future of the Richwood Farm Market is uncertain as the organization searches for new funding sources.
At the regular meeting Monday night, Kelly Jerew, who works with the market and previously served as manager, approached Richwood Council about a possible sponsorship to aid in keeping the market afloat.
She told council a contribution of $1,000 to $1,500 per year could help to get the organization to a more stable place but would welcome whatever the board could offer.

UCSO IDs phone scam
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
Two attempts to scam Union County residents have the Sheriff’s Office urging residents to be on alert.
The current scam involves a phone call from a person claiming to be associated with Publisher’s Clearing House. Chief Deputy Tom Morgan said one incident was “fairly aggressive.”
“One involved a threat to shoot a man,” Morgan said.

UCSO outlines new distracted driving laws
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
Ohio’s new distracted driving law took effect this week and the Union County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind residents of new penalties for those caught using their cell phone while driving.
The law comes from a bill signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in January and went into effect Tuesday. Though actions such as texting while driving were already made illegal in Ohio, this new measure takes the rules a bit further.

County to receive more opioid settlement money
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
Union County will continue receiving funds from the OneOhio opioid settlements that began disbursement last summer.
After another series of settlements were recently negotiated between drug companies and the State of Ohio, Union County Assistant Prosecutor Thayne Gray recommended to the commissioners that the county sign on to participate in the latest set of settlements.

Marion theater working to expand volunteer help
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
The Marion Palace Theatre is looking to expand its volunteer services.
Palace volunteer coordinator, Morgan Schwartz, will meet with potential Palace volunteers during an upcoming orientation session. The Palace hopes to continue building its volunteer program with individuals ranging from high school juniors and seniors to adults of all ages who wish to give back to the community.

Free meal conversation continues at North Union
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
While conversations around free meals continue at North Union, district officials said the summer meal program is going forward.
At the regular monthly meeting Monday, Superintendent Rich Baird said the program can happen this year and families will be able to take the meals to go.
“They don’t have to sit there and eat the meals. Families can actually come and pick up the meals at a location and take them home,” he said. “We were thinking maybe the high school and the village hall in Magnetic Springs.”

NUHS junior receives perfect score on ACT
Student among less than 1% of all test-takers to do so
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
North Union has another student who received a perfect score on the ACT.
Lindsay Willis, a junior at North Union High School, is the second student in five years in the district to receive a perfect score of 36 on the American College Testing exam which is administered to high school students to test their college readiness.
The test covers English, reading, mathematics and scientific reasoning.

Study looks at health of UCSO employees
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
The first bits of data from an ongoing research program at the Union County Sheriff’s Office have been shared with county officials. The program looks at the stress that comes with a career in law enforcement.
At the recent meeting of the county commissioners, Dr. Joel Robertson presented the first part of his findings after working with staff members in the patrol and dispatch divisions of the Sheriff’s Office over the last year.

National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week observed
By Mac Cordell, Marysville J-T Reporter
Local officials and the Ohio Department of Transportation are joining other departments of transportation across the country to mark National Work Zone Awareness Week.
“It is so important to slow down and focus when you are going through a work zone,” said Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton. “There is a reason that we have a reduced speed in a work zone, to slow the public and help protect the motoring public and also those crews that are working there.”

Brass band will be next Union County Community Concert
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
Residents will have the opportunity to see a unique, live music event in concert this month, thanks to the Union County Community Concert Association.
On Wednesday, April 19, the Scioto Valley Brass and Percussion Company will be coming to Bunsold Middle School to the play from, “The Great American Song Book.”
The SVBPCO is a “British-style brass band” which contains cornets rather than trumpets and other instruments including flugelhorns, trombones, horns and tubas along with a percussion backing.

Richwood Municipal Building project on hold
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
A project dealing with the windows of Richwood’s municipal building is now on hold.
During Monday night’s regular meeting, Richwood Village Council discussed the project, which would add some new graphics to the municipal building’s front and side windows.
The initial proposal, first discussed earlier this month, showed new and historical photos being printed on large vinyl window covers to be added to the building’s 15 windows.
The plan was to have photos gathered and taken and then council would vote on the choices for window graphics.

NU FFA Agronomy Team gets 26th state title
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
The North Union High School FFA agronomy career development event team will be recognized as the state champions at the 95th Ohio FFA Convention and Expo. This will be the 26th state title for the team, which will compete at the national level in Indianapolis in November at the 96th National FFA Convention. The team consists of five students: Allison Stacklin, Aubrey Brown, Madelyn Zimmerman, Kaylee Rensel and Wesson Schilling. The team took the top four overall individual placings and placed first over 30 teams competing. The Agronomy team is coached by Mr. Jared Evans.

Agency seeks to streamline administration of county plumbing codes
By Kayleen Petrovia, Marysville J-T Reporter
The Union County Health Department and Building Department are working to “disentangle” the county’s plumbing program, which is currently operated between both agencies.
“There’s overlap in a lot, a lot of areas,” said Chief Building Official Sam Cronk.

Opera House committee to hold tea party
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
Tea lovers in Richwood should mark their calendars.
On Saturday, May 6, residents can go to a spring neighborhood tea party in the village, put on by the Richwood Opera House Revitalization Committee.
Member Sue Bails said the tea party will function as a regular fundraising event for the spring season.

County drainage project sees progress, goes to bid
By Michael Williamson, Richwood Gazette
The Morris-Beery ditch project, which encompasses more than 2,300 acres north of Pharisburg between Sandusky Road and Route 4, is out for bid. Stauch said the county should receive those bids on May 17.
“That project is primarily a drainage assessment project for the northern part of the county,” he said.
County officials have gone through the necessary steps in the process, which include hearings and land owner exceptions. The initial estimated cost of construction was $458,000 and would also include work on land north and south of Askins Road, on the eastern side of Route 4, all of which drains into Fulton Creek.

Union County Vets Services to hold event to connect veterans
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
The Union County Veterans Service Office, in conjunction with the Union County Military Family Support Group, is hosting an event for military veterans and their significant others. This event will focus on resiliency skills, finding available related resources and connecting with other veterans.
The event, the Veteran and Family Resiliency Symposium, will be held at the Union County Freedom Center, 835 East Fifth Street in Marysville on May 16. The doors will open at 6 p.m., with the event beginning at 6:30 to 8 p.m. Space is limited. Please see the R.S.V.P. information at the end of this article if you are interested in attending.

May is National Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month
From Richwood Gazette staff reports
Ohio drivers should expect to see more motorcycle riders on the road as peak riding season gets under way, according to Motorcycle Ohio, a division of the Ohio Traffic Safety Office. Motorcycle Ohio is raising awareness about motorcycle safety ahead of National Motorcycle Safety Awareness month in May.