The Ashland Kroc Center is excited to announce the return of the Outdoor Spray Park which is planned to open Summer 2023!
Pictured for our Ground Breaking is our own Mayor Matt Miller, State Representative Melanie Murphy Miller, Major Elijah O. Kahn from The Salvation Army NEOSA Division and Majors Billy Francis & Annalise Francis.
We are indebted to The Norma Foundation (also in attendance Annette, Abby and Ryleigh) and Jan & Bob Archer for making the return of this beloved aspect of the Ashland Kroc Center possible.
On Friday, March 24th, the Ashland County Historical Society happily welcomed Col. Robert Springer back to the museum. We are incredibly grateful for Col. Springer’s generous donation of his memorabilia to our museum. These items will be treasured and displayed with great pride to our community.
We are so lucky to have an individual such as Col. Springer, who continues to care so deeply about his hometown. He is a decorated Vietnam War Veteran and has experienced life as a Navy Test Pilot and NASA astronaut. His spectacular career features 4,500 hours of flying time and 237 hours in space. Col. Springer is a hometown hero in Ashland, as his example of stewardship and service during his military years, his innovation and resourcefulness throughout his NASA career, and his integrity throughout his lifetime serves as inspiration to anyone who visits us to see and hear his life story.
Not only did Col. Springer spend precious time with the Ashland County Historical Society dedicating his exhibit with a ribbon cutting ceremony, but he also spoke at the Fraternal Order of Eagles on March 25th about his time flying F4 Phantom fighter jets and Huey helicopters over Vietnam.
If you have driven down Cleveland Ave lately, you may have notice some changes at the Transformation House. The new fresh look, with part of the apartments gone and the area cleaned up and fresh landscaped makes one take a second look.
I contacted Transformation Network Executive Director Kelly Smith, who said, “The organization is working on improving the quality of living space for their New Steps Participants. All but two rooms have been renovated.”
“The two old trailers have been removed from the property and a shared kitchen is slated to be added soon. A new roof has also been put on the building as well.” Smith commented, “Transformation Network is also working on converting an old barber shop on Claremont Ave into an efficiency apartment. Renovations will start as soon as Transformation Network has the permits.”
“Transformation Network is a Non-Profit organization that provides transitional housing and work for individuals who need second chances at life. Transformation Network believes in a holistic approach in helping individuals overcome their life circumstances.” Smith went on to say, “Transformation Network started to be more intentional in their ministry in 2020, creating New Steps. This approach focuses on heart transformation through a relationship with Jesus, daily bible studies, personal action plans, life skills classes, recreational activities, and WORK. In Life Skills Classes they learn Soft Skills (conflict resolution, ethics, priorities, etc.) and Hard Skills (basic car maintenance, cleaning, cooking, etc.)”
Howard Hall, a New Steps participant stated, “Transformation Network has given me a new outlook on life. New steps has transformed my negative thinking to positive thinking. I look forward to going to work every day. If I can change, anyone can change.”
“God has blessed us with a new warehouse on Cleveland Ave. where we will be doing fulfillment work and relocating our offices in the near future. We are looking for more people to join our program and businesses to partner with. Now is the time to view work differently. Many businesses are having issues finding staff to do their work. We have people that need to work, but don’t meet the qualifications\restrictions that organizations have. If we can partner to allow the guys in our program to do the work, it will be a WIN, WIN,WIN! The New Steps participants can gain full employment (WIN), local businesses can get work done off site and still meet the demands of their customers (WIN), and Ashland keeps the jobs local (WIN) ” said Smith “This transition will allow for more room to do fulfillment work and it will help get their ministry all under one roof.
Transformation Network provides staffing, recruitment, and HR services. This office is located at 1311 Claremont Ave and it will remain at that location when the corporate office and fulfillment center moves to the Cleveland Ave. building.
Local lifelong Ashland/Richland county resident speaks on upcoming election, and current state of our country.
I am 90-years-old, and I have lived most of the time within a mile of the Ashland/Richland County line, near Olivesburg. I consider both counties “Red” (Republican), mostly.
The “first” thing you and I need to do is get Donald Trump voted into the White House again!
He is not a Republican and the Democratic Party is now dead! The current, “so called,” Democratic Party is nothing more than a band of American haters. They cheat and lie to get their way. For example, they open borders for anyone and everyone to come in. Spend (waist) our tax dollars breaking EVERY law to get their way in their political position in Congress.
The Republicans are a do nothing, lazy, phonies who only whine! Donald Trump proved he CAN and WOULD get our country back like when he left the White House. Giving us law abiding citizens, strong military, controlled borders, Etc.
Let’s vote him back in for our President, and vote Congress in to HELP support him. More Senator’s like Jim Jordan for example. We can then gain our Country back and hold our heads up high once again!
After a Press conference at UH Samaritan, located at 663 East Main Street, some of those attending broke out in a song of Happy Birthday, to Ashland Main Street Executive director, Sandra Hedlund Tunnell.
How old is she? You may ask. Well, my response would be $29.99 plus shipping and handling!
After receiving multiple messages asking. what’s going on with the Tornado sirens going off near the Ashland Fire Station No. 2, at 2115 Mifflin Ave.
I was quickly informed that today is National Tornado Drill Day, and all across Ohio, the sirens could be heard, around 9:50 a.m. this morning, reminding residents to prepare for nature’s fearsome storms.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Division, Ashland Fire Department & EMS responded to a two vehicle accident at US Route 42 and County Road 995 this afternoon.
Minor injuries reported.
Gibbs Towing & Gearheart’s Towing removed the wreckage.
What is the “Game Changer?” It is called “MX908 Handheld Mass Spectrometer for Trace Vapor Detection”
The Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, UH Samaritan Foundation, Ashland County Community Foundation, James and Barbara Chandler, and local Law Enforcement leaders held a press conference today at 1:30pm, at UH Samaritan, at 663 East Main Street, in Ashland to talk about the new technology soon to be utilized by our local Law Enforcement, in combating drugs in Ashland County.
“The MX908 is a handheld machine that can be used by local officers to identify suspected narcotics in minutes.” Ashland County Prosecuting Attorney Christopher R. Tunnell said, “The report it generates is laboratory quality and fully admissible in every court. This level of innovation at the local level will revolutionize the way we as a community respond to illegal drugs.”
“To understand why this is such a huge game changer, you need to understand the hole in our current system. Law enforcement and the mental health community have had a long-standing partnership when it comes to the drug epidemic in Ashland County. Appleseed and ACCADA have placed on-site resources inside the Ashland County Jail,” Commented Tunnell.
Tunnell went on to say, “Those agencies coordinate care with the jail’s medical staff, which consists of around the clock nursing staff and a supervising physician. The jail serves as the initial point of contact for the vast majority of addicts in Ashland. They are detoxed in a controlled setting, under appropriate medical care. There are also linkage programs that put them in touch with recovery services both in and out of jail.”
“Currently, laboratory confirmation of the suspected narcotics is needed to maintain a criminal charge. The substances we see on the street are so corrupted with all the things dealers add to extend the product, the presumptive testing officers could conduct is often not reliable. In short, we don’t know what is in the bag of drugs and neither do the addicts.” Tunnell explained. “If we arrest the suspect, the clock begins to run on an evidentiary hearing at which the State must present evidence to sustain the charge. We can’t carry that burden of proof in the absence of a lab report. In our large quantity cases (quantity of drugs are in excess of the bulk amount), we do have the ability to prioritize the testing within the time frame for the evidentiary hearing. We are immediately arresting those folks and initiating prosecution. Those are almost always people who are dealing. It’s the day to day addicts who carry just enough to use that this machine concerns. The “low level” cases.”
“Those lab reports take four weeks to six months to complete. Officers who come into contact with the suspects relieve them of the suspected drugs, but must release the suspect so as not to trigger the court clock. Those addicts are asked to attend treatment of course, but there isn’t any mandatory motivation brought by the criminal justice system until the labs return. In the meantime they continue doing what they do.
Unfortunately, the bulk of non-drug crimes are committed by exactly these people. That’s to say nothing of concerns about the suspect’s health or the ongoing impact addiction has on their families.” Tunnell Concluded with, “This machine, on site in Ashland, used by officers from every agency countywide, would allow the immediate arrest of the suspect, the immediate end of doing what they do, the immediate entry into a controlled environment where they can receive both help and consequence. The presence of an MX908 would make an immediate and lasting impact on every citizen in Ashland County.”
Tunnell announced that generous donations from UH Samaritan Foundation, ACCF, and the James and Barbara Chandler Charitable Fund have been made to the Prosecutor’s Office, for the acquisition and deployment of a MX908.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help to identify two females, in regard to an incident at the Fin Feather Fur in Ashland, on March 14th 2023.
If anyone can identify the two females pictured , please contact the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office at 419-289-8362. Wanted for questioning in regard to an incident at the Fin Feather Fur in Ashland.
Joe Lyons •
March 24, 2023
If you have driven down Cleveland Ave lately, you may have notice some changes at the Transformation House. The new fresh look, with part of the apartments gone and the area cleaned up and fresh landscaped makes one take a second look.
“The two old trailers have been removed from the property and a shared kitchen is slated to be added soon. A new roof has also been put on the building as well.” Smith commented, “Transformation Network is also working on converting an old barber shop on Claremont Ave into an efficiency apartment. Renovations will start as soon as Transformation Network has the permits.”
“Transformation Network is a Non-Profit organization that provides transitional housing and work for individuals who need second chances at life. Transformation Network believes in a holistic approach in helping individuals overcome their life circumstances.” Smith went on to say, “Transformation Network started to be more intentional in their ministry in 2020, creating New Steps. This approach focuses on heart transformation through a relationship with Jesus, daily bible studies, personal action plans, life skills classes, recreational activities, and WORK. In Life Skills Classes they learn Soft Skills (conflict resolution, ethics, priorities, etc.) and Hard Skills (basic car maintenance, cleaning, cooking, etc.)”
Howard Hall, a New Steps participant stated, “Transformation Network has given me a new outlook on life. New steps has transformed my negative thinking to positive thinking. I look forward to going to work every day. If I can change, anyone can change.”
“God has blessed us with a new warehouse on Cleveland Ave. where we will be doing fulfillment work and relocating our offices in the near future. We are looking for more people to join our program and businesses to partner with. Now is the time to view work differently. Many businesses are having issues finding staff to do their work. We have people that need to work, but don’t meet the qualifications\restrictions that organizations have. If we can partner to allow the guys in our program to do the work, it will be a WIN, WIN,WIN! The New Steps participants can gain full employment (WIN), local businesses can get work done off site and still meet the demands of their customers (WIN), and Ashland keeps the jobs local (WIN) ” said Smith “This transition will allow for more room to do fulfillment work and it will help get their ministry all under one roof.
