There is some good news of business expansion in the Chillicothe area. Ross County Community Improvement Corporation has announced the sale of 6.44 acres located in Gateway Interchange Industrial Park to Chillicothe Steel.
The family-owned company, currently leasing space in the McArthur Street Industrial Park, has been operating in Chillicothe for nearly 30 years. The company sells products throughout Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky, and to customers in other areas. The company’s expansion is expected to create eight new full-time jobs.
In a press release, company president Jeff Crace said- “At Chillicothe Steel, we take great pride in our excellent service and customer satisfaction. We are pleased to contribute to the growth of the Chillicothe area”
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio High School Athletic Association and the University of Dayton have announced that the upcoming OHSAA girls and boys basketball state tournaments will be held at UD Arena in March after the Ohio Department of Health and Public Health – Dayton and Montgomery County approved a variance to allow a greater number of fans at each game.
The girls state tournament will be held Thursday, March 11, through Saturday, March 13, while the boys state tournament will be held Friday, March 19, through Sunday, March 21. For both state tournaments, the semifinals will be at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and the championship games will tip off at 10:45 a.m., 2 p.m., 5:15 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. The divisional order of play this year is Division IV, III, II and I. Spectrum News 1 will televise the championship games, while the semifinals will be streamed live through OHSAA.tv.
“We are so excited that the University of Dayton has such a strong desire to host our basketball state tournaments and for all they did to receive a variance to allow more fans to attend,” said Doug Ute, OHSAA Executive Director. “We thank the health department officials for their cooperation as we worked through this request and we are committed to following the safety protocols they have in place. Our schools have gone through so much since last March and we are thrilled that the season will culminate with the state tournaments at such a great venue as UD Arena.”
The specific number of fans permitted per game will be announced at a later date.
“We thank the Ohio Department of Health and Public Health – Dayton and Montgomery County for working with us to provide high school students with the opportunity to play here at UD Arena,” said Scott DeBolt, University of Dayton Senior Associate Athletics Director and Executive Director of UD Arena. “The state tournament is an experience that the players, coaches and fans will remember for the rest of their lives and we are proud to be able to host these great events this year.”
Last May, the OHSAA announced the University of Dayton would host the OHSAA girls basketball state tournaments in 2021, 2022 and 2023, but the COVID-19 pandemic put the location of the 2021 state tournament in question due to spectator limitations and costs associated with the tournament.
“We especially thank Scott DeBolt and the staff at UD Arena for working with us on the financial side to allow the state tournaments to happen there this year,” Ute said. “We all can’t wait for the future when we can get back to normal attendance and pack the arena for the state tournaments.”
The 2021 OHSAA boys basketball state tournament was scheduled to be held at St. John Arena at The Ohio State University, but that facility is not available due to the pandemic.
Shutterbugs and professional photographers are invited to enter the Pickaway County Park District 2021 Photo Contest.
The deadline to submit your entries is midnight April 4th.
The top 25 photographers will be notified of their entry to exhibit on April 12th with the top 25 needing to confirm their intention to submit photos to the exhibit by April 15th.
All photos entered in Gallery go Live on the Parks District Website by April 19th.
More details about the contest can be found on the Pickaway County Park District website on our link. CLICK HERE:
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—In remembrance of the more than 500,000 Americans who have died due to COVID-19, including more than 14,000 Ohioans, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the state until sunset on February 26th, 2021.
This order was issued today in accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America.
The milestone in U.S. deaths caused by the virus comes as the number of positive COVID-19 cases have been dropping in recent weeks.
The global number of new coronavirus cases has declined by 16 percent over the past week, the World Health Organization said, even as more virulent strains of the virus spurred outbreaks in multiple regions. There has been a similar reduction in the global number of deaths, the agency added.
New daily cases in the U.S. have dropped below 100,000 each day, except two, over the last couple of weeks.
The Highland County OSU Extension Office is reporting that “a team of OSU business and meat science specialists have compiled a Meat Processing Business Tool Kit for people who are exploring the meat processing business”
The article appears on the Highland County Extension website, which points to the “decision-making aid for people exploring investing in or expanding a meat processing facility, this online tool kit can help entrepreneurs evaluate the business and navigate business planning”
Lynn Knipe, PhD, associate professor of food science and technology at Ohio State says the COVID-19 pandemic led to consumer shortages of meat in large supermarkets caused by disruptions in large packing plant operations. “As a result, consumers started shopping at smaller, local meat shops, that didn’t have shortages of meat. “This, in turn, increased business for the smaller meat processors to a point that people who were used to taking animals to their local slaughterhouse, had to schedule their animals much farther out than normal,” Knipe said.
For more details on the Meat Processing Business Tool Kit, go to the Highland County OSU Extension Office website article link provided below: CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS
(Chillicothe, Ohio) – Motorists traveling into extreme southeast Ohio are being alerted to possible delays on multiple routes in Lawrence County.
These routes will be subject to traffic restrictions as crews begin the lengthy process of clearing and removing debris from state and U.S. routes following last week’s ice storm. These impacts will be in effect between 7:30 AM and 5:30 PM until Friday, February 26.
On two-lane routes, traffic will be maintained using flaggers, with short term closures possible.
On four-lane routes, traffic may be subject to shoulder closures, and single lane closures.
(State back road in Lawrence County where crews are working to fix damaged areas. – Photo Courtesy of Governor Mike DeWine twitter post.)
Earlier in the week, the Oakley Collins Bridge was closed for half-a-day due to the danger of ice falling onto vehicles from the bridge super-structure.
Motorists are advised to exercise caution and expect delays. Crews will be moving to different locations across multiple routes as needed.
The number of new COVID-19 cases in Ohio’s nursing homes has dropped significantly to 343 new cases last week compared to the peak of 2,832 new cases in December.
As the number of nursing-home cases continues to drop due to vaccinations in long-term facilities, Governor DeWine today reminded nursing home staff and families of nursing home residents about the status of visitation in Ohio’s nursing homes. Visitation is permitted at nursing homes in Ohio if the facilities meet the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) criteria to allow visits:
No new onset of COVID-19 cases in the last 14 days;
The facility is not currently conducting outbreak testing; and
CMS reports the COVID-19 county positivity rate at less than 10 percent.
Compassionate care visits, which are special visits in which a family member or other visitor provides comfort, support, and assistance to a resident whose well-being is suffering or at risk, are always permitted regardless of the criteria above.
Governor DeWine sent a letter today to all nursing homes in Ohio reminding them to check their county positivity rate every week to determine their visitation status and to remind them to allow for compassionate care visits.
If you have a loved one in need of a compassionate care visit but are having trouble scheduling a visit, contact Ohio’s Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman at OhioOmbudsman@age.ohio.gov or 1-800-282-1206.
PROGRESSION OF VACCINE ELIGIBILITY
Governor DeWine provided information on the progression of vaccine eligibility in Ohio. Because those ages 65 and older make up approximately 87 percent of all COVID-19 deaths in Ohio, no additional age groups are eligible for the vaccine at this time. Once the demand for the vaccine has been met for those 65 and older, those ages 60 and older will become eligible. After a period of vaccination for this age group, those ages 55 and older will become eligible, followed by those ages 50 and up.
Individuals in specific small groups that could have an increased risk of exposure to the virus may also potentially be included in the 60 and older vaccination phase.
PHASE 1B MEDICAL CONDITIONS
Last week, vaccine eligibility opened up to those Ohioans born with or who have early childhood conditions that are carried into adulthood, which put them at higher risk for adverse outcomes due to COVID-19. Today, Governor DeWine asked Ohio hospitals and doctors with access to the vaccine to begin to proactively reach out to these patients with the specific medical conditions outlined in Phase 1B to schedule vaccination.
(Governor DeWine shows off a South Point High School, where he recently conducted a meeting with Lawrence County officials concerning ice storm damage)
WEATHER DELAY UPDATE
Due to last week’s winter weather, the delivery of some Pfizer vaccines and all Moderna vaccines were delayed. Some providers used second doses that they had already received to avoid clinic cancelations. Those second doses will be backfilled with the shipments they receive this week.
Additional delayed shipments of Pfizer and Moderna will arrive between today and Wednesday.
For providers who canceled appointments last week, Governor DeWine is urging them to expand their appointment schedules to include evening and weekend hours to catch up.
If you’re hoping to see the Best of Ross County Art Show has its final run this week at the Pump House Center For The Arts in Chillicothe’s Yoctangee Park. The show runs through February 28th.
2021’s schedule is filled for those who appreciate the arts.
The Pioneer Center Art Show will be featured March 4th through 21st followed by the Chillicothe Art League Spring Open April 1st through May 1st. The Earth Gathering in Yoctangee Park is scheduled for April 17th.
The Pump House is accepting suggestions for shows to fill May and June.
July 8th-31st, “Generations” features works by Savannah Fout and Sharon Hille.
August heats up with “Barns Around Ohio” by Dr. Robert Kroeger, August 5th through 29th.
“The Hills” competition is scheduled for September 2nd through 30th.
David Pepper’s Art Show in Oils will be featured October 7th through 31st preceding a Salute to Veterans Art Show November 4th through 14th.
The Gift Shop Holiday Open House will take place in conjunction with the Downtown Open House November 19th-21st followed by the Christmas Art Gallery November 18th through December 24th.
The Pump House Center for the Arts will be closed for the Holidays December 25th – 31st.
For current updates on the Pump House events, follow them on Facebook.
Despite snow and ice being on the ground in most Ohio communities, Monday, February 22nd represents the start of the Spring Sports season for Ohio High School Athletic Association member schools.
This includes, baseball, softball, lacrosse and track and field. Boys tennis practice then begins March 8th. While regular season contests for lacrosse can begin on March 19th, the other spring sports can begin play on March 27th.
This is a welcome sign for thousands of Ohio high school athletes after their spring sports seasons were cancelled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The OHSAA Board of Directors has approved the tournament regulations in softball, baseball, track & field and boys tennis, with those state tournament venues to be:
Boys Tennis: Lindner Family Tennis Center, Mason, May 28-29
Softball: Firestone Stadium, Akron, June 3-5
Baseball: Canal Park, Akron, June 10-12 Softball: Firestone Stadium, Akron, June 3-5
Track & Field: Division I at Hilliard Darby High School; Division II at Pickerington North High School; Division III at Westerville North High School
ODOT is presenting Walk.Bike.Ohio, Ohio’s first statewide plan for active modes of transportation. The themes, strategies and action steps contained in Walk.Bike.Ohio will address the plan’s goals of safety, equity, network connectivity, network utilization, preservation and quality of life.
Many of Ohio’s residents depend on walking or bicycling to remain mobile and connected; and so many also are choosing and prioritizing healthy, sustainable lifestyles.
ODOT is inviting your feedback on this draft plan. Feedback and comments are essential to ensure Walk.Bike.Ohio outlines the key steps ODOT and its partners should take to improve the safety and comfort of pedestrians and bicyclists throughout the state.
The City of Chillicothe and other Ohio communities are expressing an interest in getting more walking and biking paths available for use for students and staff to walk or ride to school as well as others riding to their work places.
After reviewing the draft, ODOT asks that you share your feedback by taking a brief survey at: PublicInput.com/Walk.Bike.Ohio by Friday, February 26.
