The annual Child Safety Identification Program, “Safe Surfin”, will be held at
the Buckeye Imagination Museum on February 10th 2024, from 10:00 AM –
2:00 PM.
This event will be held in conjunction with the Lexington Moose Lodge #2511
and will include representatives from many of our local law enforcement
agencies. “Safe Surfin” is a free event where officers will record each
participating child’s information, fingerprints and pictures to put on a disc to
give to the parents for safe keeping. No information on the child is kept by the
officers or other agencies. Children of all ages are welcome.
Buckeye Imagination Museum will be giving out free passes for a future visit
to children that participate in the event. Come out and meet the officers who
protect your community on a daily basis. If anyone has questions, please feel
free to contact Sgt. Jon Ahles of the Mansfield Division of Police at 419-755-
9740.
Ashland Police Division Officer Abe Neumann’s heroic rescue of a dog from a frozen pond
In a heartwarming tale of bravery and compassion, Ashland Police Division Officer Abe Neumann risked his own safety and braved freezing temperatures to rescue a dog from a treacherous icy pond. The incident unfolded when Officer Neumann responded to a 911 call from a frantic owner whose dog had fallen through the frozen surface of Brookside Park’s pond. Despite the dangerous conditions and the dog’s coat making it difficult to stay afloat, Neumann showed incredible courage in his rescue efforts.
Upon arriving at the scene, Officer Neumann realized the dire situation unfolding before him. While initially assuming the dog was simply on the ice, he soon discovered that the poor animal was struggling to stay afloat in the freezing water. Neumann recalls, “When I got on scene, I didn’t know he was in the water till I got here and saw him. I heard some yelling. I ran over there, I was able to see the dog struggling to stay afloat, I saw him go under the water a couple of times. He was definitely struggling. There were times where all I could see were his eyeballs. At that point, I knew I had to get to the dog, so I walked out onto the ice.”
Crouching down on all fours to disperse his weight, he cautiously made his way towards the edge of the pond where the dog was desperately fighting for its life. Unfortunately, disaster struck as the ice gave way, plunging both Neumann into the frigid waters with the dog.
Despite the shock of the icy cold, Officer Neumann managed to secure a hold on the dog and lifted it onto the ice, ultimately saving its life. However, he soon realized that he was unable to pull himself out of the freezing water. It was at this critical moment that his fellow officer, Joe Artrip, arrived on the scene.
Without any hesitation, Officer Artrip immediately rushed on the ice, inching his way forward on all fours, Artrip extended his hand to Neumann, providing the much-needed lifeline to safety. With the assistance of two off-duty Ashland firefighters, Abe was pulled to safety, averting what could have been a tragic outcome.
The Ashland community is known for their deep love and care for their furry companions. This incident serves as a prime example of the community’s dedication to preserving both human and animal lives. The 911 caller expressed her profound gratitude for the Ashland City Police Department and the Ashland Fire Department, praising their swift response and life-saving actions.
Ashland Mayor, Matt Miller, commended the officers for exemplifying the true essence of a public servant. He emphasized that the police department seeks individuals who understand their role as community leaders and true public servants. Neumann and Artrip’s fearless actions embody the compassion and dedication that Ashland values in their police force.
Officer Abe Neumann’s selfless act of bravery in rescuing a dog from a frozen pond is a testament to the expertise, and trust present within the Ashland Police Division. Despite the bone-chilling temperatures and the inherent risks involved, Neumann demonstrated unwavering courage in his determination to save a life. His fellow officer, Joe Artrip, further exemplified the values of Ashland’s police department by rushing in to rescue his colleague.
The Ashland community’s appreciation for both human and animal lives shines through in this heartwarming story. The actions of these officers serve as a reminder of the extraordinary lengths individuals will go to protect and preserve the well-being of their community members, whether they walk on two legs or four.
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Earl Whipple. Whipple is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office for rape. Whipple, 49, is described as a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall. Whipple has ties to the cities of Mansfield, Shelby Ohio, and High Springs Florida.
Earl Whipple
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Mario Jester. Jester is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Adult Parole Authority for a parole violation on the original charge of aggravated robbery. Jester, 54, is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5 feet 6 inches tall. Jester has ties to the city of Mansfield.
Mario Jester
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Quinness Howell. Howell is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for trafficking in drugs. Howell, 19, is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall. Howell has ties to the city of Mansfield.
Quinness Howel
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Calvin Brooks. Brooks is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Richland County Sheriff’s Office on a probation violation on the original charge of aggravated burglary. Broks, 52, is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5 feet 8 inches tall. Brooks has ties to the city of Mansfield.
Calvin Brooks
If you have any information in reference to Earl Whipple, Mario Jester, Quinness Howell, or Calvin Brooks please contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED or Text keyword WANTED and tip to 847411 (tip411). Tipsters can remain anonymous and reward money is available.
The Mid-Ohio Delta Waterfowl chapter is proud to hold its annual banquet March 2, 2024 at Mount Vernon Estates in Ashland.
Located at 1041 US-250 in Ashland, the chapter is expecting more than 200 patrons to enjoy an evening supporting waterfowl conservation & hunting.
There are several ticketing options available. All event admission tickets include your annual Delta Waterfowl membership and dinner. Dinner will consist of pulled pork, pulled chicken, baked beans, macaroni & cheese, salad, and dinner rolls.
The banquet will have several raffles including a silent, live and card games. Prizes include waterfowl hunting gear, more than 12 firearms and various local company donations. All firearm background checks will be processed on-site.
The Mid-Ohio Delta Waterfowl chapter has been holding event banquets since 2016 and has continually grown each year.
Ashland Police Division to hold “Coffee with a Cop” event February 9th
Opportunity for community members to meet local police officers
Ashland, Ohio— The first Coffee with a Cop of 2024 is set for Friday, February 9, in Goldberry Roasting Company’s new home, located at 1262 Franklin Avenue, Ashland, Ohio. All are welcome to attend any time between 7:30-8:30 a.m. to discuss community issues, build relationships, and enjoy a free cup of coffee with your local APD officers.
“This program encourages positive interactions between officers and residents,” says Chief David Lay. “Please join us for some coffee and conversation.”
The mission of these events is to allow the opportunity for community members and local officers to get to know each other one-on-one without any set agenda or discussion topic.
“We have hired some outstanding young men and women to serve as police officers here in our great city, and these events are a great way for our residents to get to know these important safety officials.” said Mayor Matt Miller.
If your organization is interested in hosting Coffee with a Cop, please contact Amanda Furman at (419) 289-4181.
In a small town like Ashland, Ohio, the disappearance of a teenager sends a chill through the community. Nevaeh “Lilly” Kitchen, a 15-year-old girl, vanished into thin air sometime after 6pm this evening. As the night grew darker, the search for Nevaeh intensified, but the answers seemed elusive.
Nevaeh Kitchen was last seen in the 200 block of E 8th Street, headed south. Her physical description painted a picture of a petite girl with dark red hair and brown eyes. She was dressed in a black sweatshirt with red writing, black yoga pants, and shockingly, no shoes.
The Ashland Police Division immediately launched a search operation, allocating every available resource to find Nevaeh. Lieutenant Aaron Kline spearheaded the efforts, coordinating with other agencies. However, the initial search yielded no tangible leads.
Amid the growing urgency, the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Drone Team was brought in to cover larger areas and Ashland’s wooden terrain. Aerial surveillance, combined with the tireless efforts of the Officers and Deputies, proved fruitless. Without any breakthroughs.
With no concrete leads to follow, law enforcement turned to the public for assistance. The authorities appealed to the community, urging them to come forward with any information that could help unravel the mystery.
Although Police believe it is a case of a runaway child. So, the question remains, what happened to Nevaeh?
Ashland University’s 2023-24 Environmental Lecture Series, featuring a theme of “Does green infrastructure improve urban environments?” will kick off on Thursday, Feb. 1, with special guest Jean-Michel Guldmann, professor emeritus and Academy Professor of City and Regional Planning at Ohio State University’s Knowlton School of Architecture. He will present “Tree and Building Shade for Urban Heat Migration: Measuring Shade Temperature Effects and Population Exposure in Columbus, Ohio” at the Ronk Lecture Hall inside AU’s Dwight Schar College of Education, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The event is free and open to the public. There is also an option to attend via a webinar; participants must register at this link for the webinar.
Guldmann will discuss the climate change and temperature increases that are expected to impact cities more harshly due to the urban heat island effect. Urban heat island refers to metropolitan areas being warmer than the rural areas surrounding them because of the buildings, roads and other infrastructure that absorb and re-emit the sun’s’ heat. A critical urban planning and policy issue is devising natural and design-based solutions to stem the urban heat island, which can be detrimental to public health and energy consumption.
Guldmann’s presentation will include analytical research on shade effects from buildings and trees, using geospatial and statistical techniques applied to sites in the Columbus area. Tree canopy volume has distinct effects on land surface temperature and modeling simulates such impacts of neighborhood tree greening scenarios and identifies population groups that are shade-deprived.
Guldmann was a professor at KSA from 1977-2012 and served as its interim director from 2005-07. He taught courses on optimization, decision analysis, population/economic forecasting and energy and regional modeling at OSU, as well as Capital Normal University in Beijing and Gazi University in Ankara, Turkey. He has supervised to successful completition the dissertations of 31 Ph.D. students and authored a book, “Industrial Location and Air Quality Control: A Planning Approach,” and more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles.
“For more than 30 years, the AU Environmental Lecture Series, has connected AU students, faculty and members of the North Central Ohio community with leaders and experts in environmental problems and solutions,” said Patty Saunders, who serves as director of the environmental science program and organizes the series with input from other environmental science faculty. “We are always excited to learn more about specific case studies and research stories, and we especially like these opportunities for our students to learn about different careers and career paths.”
Current support for the AU Environmental Lecture Series is provided by donations from individuals and support from Ashland University, while previous series have been supported by AU and grants from the National Science Foundation, the Lubrizol Foundation, the GTE Foundation and the Fran and Warren Rupp Foundation.
Green Township- On Wednesday January 24, 2024 at approximately 6:15 p.m. the Ashland Highway Patrol Post was advised of an injury crash involving a church bus and a passenger car on State Route 39 near Township Road 749.
A 2015 Chevrolet Equinox was operated southbound on State Route 39 by 71-year-old Rickie Bilger of Loudonville, Ohio. A 2011 Thomas Built bus was operated northbound on State Route 39 by 68 -year-old David Switzer of Loudonville, Ohio.
The Chevrolet and Thomas Built bus collided within the middle of both travel lanes. The Thomas Built traveled off of the west edge of State Route 39, struck a ditch line and came to rest. The Equinox was redirected facing northbound and came to rest in the southbound travel lane adjacent to the west edge of State Route 39.
There were four passengers on the bus and one occupant was taken to Wooster Community Hospital by Loudonville Fire Department.
Bilger was taken by Perrysville Fire Department to Ohio Health Mansfield and was pronounced deceased.
Bilger was not wearing a safety belt at the time of the crash.
Drugs and/or alcohol are not suspected as factors in the crash.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Loudonville Police Department, Perrysville Fire Department, Loudonville Fire Department, and Bate ’s Garage and Towing.
State Route 39 was closed for approximately 2 hours while the crash was investigated and the vehicles recovered from the area.
The crash remains under investigation at this time
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is offering a reward for information which would lead to the capture of fugitive Mario Jester. Jester is wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Adult Parole Authority for a parole violation on the original charge of aggravated robbery. Jester, 54, is described as a black male with black hair and brown eyes, standing 5 feet 6 inches tall. Jester has ties to the city of Mansfield.
Joe Lyons •
January 30, 2024
The Mid-Ohio Delta Waterfowl chapter is proud to hold its annual banquet March 2, 2024 at Mount Vernon Estates in Ashland.
There are several ticketing options available. All event admission tickets include your annual Delta Waterfowl membership and dinner. Dinner will consist of pulled pork, pulled chicken, baked beans, macaroni & cheese, salad, and dinner rolls.
To purchase tickets, visit: 
Nevaeh “Lilly” Kitchen
Ashland University’s 2023-24 Environmental Lecture Series, featuring a theme of “Does green infrastructure improve urban environments?” will kick off on Thursday, Feb. 1, with special guest Jean-Michel Guldmann, professor emeritus and Academy Professor of City and Regional Planning at Ohio State University’s Knowlton School of Architecture. He will present “Tree and Building Shade for Urban Heat Migration: Measuring Shade Temperature Effects and Population Exposure in Columbus, Ohio” at the Ronk Lecture Hall inside AU’s Dwight Schar College of Education, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
