COLUMBUS—The Ohio House of Representatives yesterday passed Substitute House Bill 2, the state’s two-year construction budget for capital projects throughout the state, announced State Representative Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland). The bill will allocate more than $4.2 billion for capital projects, including $717 million in one-time project funding from the Strategic Community Investment Fund.
“I am so pleased that we were able to secure these state funds for these important local projects. These projects will be transformative for many of our local communities and institutions,” said Miller. “Many of these projects would not happen without these funds from the State of Ohio.”
Miller secured millions in one-time funding from the Strategic Community Investment Fund that will directly serve the 67th House District which includes Ashland and Medina Counties. Area projects that these state dollars include:
Ashland County:
$1,100,000 for the Ashland County Fair
$1,000,000 for the Cinnamon Lake Sewer District Lift Station
$910,000 for the Charles Mill Marina Houseboat and Path Renovation
$248,554 for the Hugo Young Theatre
$200,000 for the Davy McClure Outdoor Education Shelter
$200,000 for the Ashland Fire Training Facility
$76,000 for the Hickory Street Sanitary Sewer Lift Station
$30,000 for the Rowsburg Community Center
$25,000 for the Hayesville Pedestrian Walkway
Medina County:
$2,500,000 for the City of Wadsworth Brickyard Athletic Complex and Fixler Reservation
$1,500,000 for Lake Medina
$1,400,000 for Akron Childrens Medina Health Center
$1,000,000 for Medina County Career Center Modular Fire Training Tower
$500,000 for Oenslager Nature Center
$396,000 for the City of Medina Multi-Use Uptown Loop Phase 1
$350,000 for the Medina County Radio System Seville Tower
$300,000 for safety enhancements to the Medina County Sheriff Office Jail
$200,000 for the Equine Assisted Mental Health Community Campus
$200,000 for the Majestic Equine Connections
$150,000 for the improvement of the Main Street Medina Façade
$100,000 for the Medina County Achievement Center Renovation and Innovative Vocational Building
$65,000 for Serenite Restaurant and Culinary Institute Roof/Gutter Repair
$62,000 for the Main Street Medina South Town Gateway
$60,898 for the VFW Medina Post 5137 Roof Repairs
$36,834 for the Homer Township Tornado Siren Project
$35,000 for the Chippewa Lake Area Emergency Siren
Miller also secured the following capital investments that will positively impact Ashland and Medina Counties. Area projects that these state dollars include:
Ashland County:
$500,000 for Davy McClure Outdoor Education Center Site Improvements
$101,129 for the Foundations Community Childcare Inc.
Medina County:
$350,000 for the Integrated Community Solutions Community Center
$300,000 for upgrades to the Wadsworth Inclusive Playground at Valley View Elementary
$250,000 for the McDowell-Phillips House Museum Interpretive Center
$250,000 for the Black River School Playground Surface and Walking Track
$250,000 for the Village of Seville Inclusive Playground, Fitness Equipment and Walking Trail
$170,000 for the Wadsworth Emergency Radio System Infrastructure
$45,000 for the York Township Historical Society Museum and Educational Center
$25,000 to replace the outdated HVAC system in the historic school building, built in 1925, to protect archived artifacts, documents, photographs and textiles at the Weymouth Preservation Society
Substitute House Bill 2 now heads to the Ohio Governor for a signature.
Today at 4 PM, the Ashland County Combined Law Enforcement Team and the community will gather for the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run, a cherished event dedicated to raising funds for the local Special Olympic team, the Dale-Roy Dragons.
The run will commence at the Ashland Police Department, with participants from the Ashland Police Division, Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Ashland Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol. The runners will make their way to Dairy Queen, where they will be joined by the athletes of the Dale-Roy Dragons. Together, they will continue to Corner Park, where a celebration awaits.
All proceeds from the event will go directly to the Dale-Roy Dragons, providing them with the resources they need to compete and excel in the Special Olympics. The event is sure to be a heartwarming display of community spirit and support for these dedicated athletes.
Everyone is invited to join in the festivities at Corner Park, cheer on the runners, and celebrate the achievements of the Dale-Roy Dragons.
ASHLAND, Ohio – While the Sedwick Charitable Foundation’s has been generous to The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center in Ashland, this year they turned up the heat to meet the increased need of the food ministries. In addition to matching last year’s gift of $40,000 to support the Hunger Assistance Program, the Sedwick Foundation generously gave an additional $18,700 to help with the purchase of a new cook stove and two convection ovens in the kitchen.
“The new equipment will serve a variety of our food ministries, including our daily community lunch, and the Summer Food Service Program, says Dan Lawson, PhD, Director of Community Relations and Development for the Ashland Kroc Center. “We are so grateful for the local, ongoing support of Armstrong Utilities and their parent company through the Sedwick Charitable Foundation.”
“With rising food costs and the growing demand for our Hunger Assistance Program, the timing couldn’t be better,” Dr. Lawson adds.
The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center helps Ashland County residents who are faced with food insecurity through the following services:
Food pantry groceries
Community lunch served daily, from 11 to 11:30 a.m., Monday through Friday
In conjunction with The Cleveland Food Bank, the Ashland Kroc Center’s Summer Food Service Program helps children who receive free or reduced-price lunch during the school year by providing free, healthy meals each weekday from June 10 to August 9 for children ages 0 to18 years. The lunches are served from 12 to 12:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, on the back patio.
“In 2023, The Ashland Kroc Center served a total of 28,080 Ashland County residents to help prevent food insecurity, including 10,409 hot meals served to the community and the distribution of groceries to 5,584 individuals from the Food Pantry,” explains Dr. Lawson. “This gift from the Sedwick Charitable Foundation will help us continue these vital services and keep up with the increased demand.”
The Food Pantry is located in the Annex building of The Salvation Army Ray & Joan Kroc Corps Community Center, 527 East Liberty Street, Ashland. It is open on Mondays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you or someone you know needs food assistance, please call the Food Pantry at (419) 282-4223.
Madison Township – The Ohio State Highway Patrol, Mansfield Post, is investigating a fatal crash involving a 2024 Toyota RAV4 on Ashland Road (US-42), near the eastbound entrance ramp to US-30.
Ronald Scheurer, age 84, of Mansfield, was driving northeast on Ashland Road (US-42), when the vehicle traveled off the right side of the road, through a gore and into a ditch prior to striking a culvert and a tree. The crash occurred on June 25, 2024 at approximately 2:47 P.M. Mr. Scheurer was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The Mansfield Post was assisted by the Richland County Sheriff’s Office, Madison Township Fire & EMS, Richland County Coroner and Ronk’s Towing.
COLUMBUS- State Representatives Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland) introduced legislation last week which would allow midwives to help meet the needs of Ohio’s pregnant women by creating a midwifery licensure, protect traditional midwifery, and create an advisory council for midwives in the state of Ohio. House Bill 545 had its second hearing today in the Health Provider Services Committee.
“The miracle of birth is an awe-inspiring event and isn’t simply a procedure to be rushed as long as mom and baby are doing well,” said McClain. “Midwives provide a time-tested approach to prenatal care and childbirth that guides the mother through the natural processes to bringing a healthy baby from their womb into their arms.”
The bill creates a pathway for midwifery licensure for those who wish to do so. Certified midwives and licensed midwives are required to be licensed by the Ohio Board of Nursing (certified nurse-midwife or certified midwife) or the Department of Commerce (licensed midwife). House Bill 545 also creates eligibility requirements that certified and licensed midwives must meet to receive their license, including training and instruction. It also makes sure that traditional (lay) midwives can continue to operate without a licensure as they always have, as long as they received informed consent from their clients and carry out their limited scope of work, most notably, prohibiting the administration of drugs.
“I believe this legislation will benefit existing midwives, encourage others to become midwives, and reduce the number of maternity health deserts in Ohio,” said Miller. “If a woman wants a midwife for pregnancy, there are many types she can choose from that will give her different levels of care.”
The legislation will also create a Licensed Midwifery Advisory Council within the Ohio Department of Commerce and requires it to advise and make recommendations to the Department regarding the practice and regulation of licensed midwives. The Council will consist of nine (9) members including:
• One (1) certified nurse-midwife and one (1) certified midwife or certified nurse-midwife appointed to the Board of Nursing
• Four (4) licensed midwives, including one practicing in an urban setting and one serving a plain Amish or Mennonite community
• One (1) physician who is board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology and with experience consulting with midwives
• One (1) physician who is board-certified in neonatal medicine and with experience consulting with midwives
• One (1) member of the public who has experience utilizing or receiving midwifery services in locations other than hospitals.
“Allowing midwives to flourish in meeting the needs of pregnant women will lead to better outcome for Ohio families,” said Miller.
House Bill 545 will continue to have hearings in the Health Provider Services Committee.
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office recently participated in mediation in the lawsuit filed by the estate of Maggie Copeland and has been asked to comment publicly. As the process is not complete, it would be inappropriate to comment upon the terms of any proposed settlement.
It is an unfortunate reality that heroin and other illegal drug abuse is a public health emergency in our community. Not only does drug abuse destroy lives and families, but it also places great strain on the delivery of public services and on our dedicated public servants.
At the Richland County Jail, we conduct extensive training of our corrections staff to provide these services in the challenging setting of a drug abuse inflicted community. Any settlement of the Copeland case would be with the participation of other Defendants and would reaffirm that the Richland County Sheriff’s Office denies any liability or fault in the allegations brought by the Estate of Maggie Copeland.
We look forward to the completion of this case so that Captain Blunk and our other dedicated public servants can keep their focus on providing the best services possible to Richland County.
Mansfield, OH – June 22, 2024 — A serious collision involving two semi-trucks resulted in a road closure on Interstate 71 Southbound at the 168-mile marker on Saturday morning. The accident, which occurred at 10:34 AM, multiple emergency services, including the Mansfield Post of the Highway Patrol Troopers, Richland County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, Washington Township Fire Department & EMS, Mansfield Fire Department, Aber’s Towing & Crane Center, Ronk’s Auto & Truck Towing Inc.
According to the Mansfield Post of the Highway Patrol, Said Gelle, 39, of Grove City, Ohio, was driving a 2007 Freightliner southbound on I-71 when he failed to maintain an assured clear distance and struck the rear of a 2015 Freightliner driven by Shafqat Ali, 38, of Columbus, Ohio.
Emergency services arrived, with the initial call reported at 10:34 AM. The report indicates that Said Gelle was trapped in his vehicle and had to be extricated by mechanical means, a process that concluded at 11:48 AM. Gelle sustained serious injuries and was subsequently life-flighted to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio.
All southbound lanes of I-71 were closed to traffic following the accident, causing significant delays. The closure remained in effect until 4:58 PM as authorities worked to clear the scene.
The accident is currently under investigation by the Mansfield Post of the Highway Patrol to determine the exact cause and any potential contributing factors.
Motorists are reminded to maintain safe distances and remain vigilant while driving, especially on busy highways. Updates on the condition of Said Gelle and the progress of the investigation will be provided as more information becomes available.
Ham radio operators from the Ashland Area Amateur Radio Club in Ashland, Ohio will be participating in a national amateur radio exercise from 1PM on Saturday until 3 PM on Sunday, June 22 – 23 at Brookside West Park (back pavilion) The event is ARRL Field Day (www.arrl.org/FieldDay), an annual amateur radio activity organized since 1933 by ARRL, The National Association for Amateur Radio in the United States.
Hams from across North America ordinarily participate in Field Day by establishing temporary ham radio stations in public locations to demonstrate their skill and service. Their use of radio signals, which reach beyond borders, bring people together while providing essential communication in the service of communities. Field Day highlights ham radio’s ability to work reliably under any conditions from almost any location and create an independent, wireless communications network.
Some hams from all across Ohio will also use the radio stations set up in their homes or taken to their backyards and other locations to operate individually or with their families. Many hams have portable radio communication capability that includes alternative energy sources such as generators, solar panels, and batteries to power their equipment.
This year’s event is also noteworthy given that a particularly active hurricane season is predicted. “Hams have a long history of serving our communities when storms or other disasters damage critical communication infrastructure, including cell towers,” said Robert Palm, (call sign KD8FTR). “Ham radio functions completely independently of the internet and phone systems and a station can be set up almost anywhere in minutes. Hams can quickly raise a wire antenna in a tree or on a mast, connect it to a radio and power source, and communicate effectively with others,” Palm added.
During Field Day 2023, more than 26,000 hams participated from thousands of locations across North America. According to ARRL, there are more than 750,000 amateur radio licensees in the US, and an estimated 3 million worldwide.
Among the tenets of the Amateur Radio Service is developing and practicing skills in radio technology and radio communications, and even contributing to international goodwill. Hams range in age from as young as 9 to older than 100.
Joe Lyons •
June 27, 2024
The Richland County Sheriff’s Office recently participated in mediation in the lawsuit filed by the estate of Maggie Copeland and has been asked to comment publicly. As the process is not complete, it would be inappropriate to comment upon the terms of any proposed settlement.
