Most Dedicated Conservationists To Be Honored By ODNR

April 12, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By McDonald’s, I’m Lovin’ It!

(COLUMBUS) – The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is now accepting nominations for the 2021 Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame. Nominees should have demonstrated a commitment to conservation and improving the quality of life in Ohio.

“Ohio is fortunate to have so many people who are passionate about protecting our state’s precious natural resources,” ODNR Director Mary Mertz said. “We want to honor these individuals for their commitment to our natural world and lift them up as role models who can inspire and teach future generations of Ohio conservationists.”

For more than 50 years, the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame has been the state’s top honor for people who have spent a lifetime dedicated to Ohio natural resources management, environmental education, or scientific achievement. Last year’s recipients included a scenic rivers advocate who made significant contributions to the health and protection of our waterways, along with a husband and wife who, individually and together, made conservation a lifetime goal. You can read more about their work here.

To be considered for induction, nominees must have been born in Ohio or made a significant contribution to Ohio natural resources conservation.

For more information on selection criteria and to request a nomination form, please email Stephanie O’Grady at stephanie.o’grady@dnr.ohio.gov. Online and mail-in nominations must be received by Monday, June 14, 2021. Nominations submitted by mail should be sent to ODNR Communications, 2045 Morse Road, Building D-3, Columbus, OH 43229, Attn: Hall of Fame. Inductees will be announced later this summer.

Created in 1966, the Ohio Natural Resources Hall of Fame has proudly honored more than 170 Ohioans to date, including John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed); explorer John Wesley Powell; conservationist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author novelist Louis Bromfield; pioneering botanist Lucy Braun; and farming conservation advocate, Bob Evans.

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State Patrol Unveils New OVI Dashboard

April 12, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(COLUMBUS) – Motorists operating a vehicle while impaired by drugs, alcohol or a combination of them (OVI) continue to threaten the safety and security of citizens across Ohio every day. In an effort to curb these violations, the Ohio State Highway Patrol has released a new dashboard devoted to OVI enforcement and education. The OVI Dashboard is a detailed view of impaired driving crashes and violations across Ohio, and the important work that troopers, Ohio Investigative Unit agents, and our law enforcement partners around the state are doing to reduce the impact of this dangerous and deadly crime. The OVI Dashboard can be viewed at: http://www.OVIDashboard.ohio.gov

“There is never a good excuse for impaired driving, yet there are drivers who choose to get behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol every day,” said Governor DeWine. “By launching this new dashboard, we hope to enhance the public’s understanding of how often OVI crashes are happening and where they’re taking place.”

The new OVI Dashboard is a part of the Ohio Statistics and Analytics for Traffic Safety (OSTATS), a series of internal and public-facing dashboards dedicated to exploration, analysis, and visualization of crash data across Ohio. Users of the public-facing OVI Dashboard have the ability to filter data, find specific county and route statistics and get a front seat view of what our troopers do every day to stop impaired driving. In addition, an interactive map shows videos of troopers enforcing OVI violations.

“We recognize alcohol and drug impaired driving remains a top safety concern for Ohioans and people travelling through our state,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent. “This new Dashboard furthers the Patrol’s prioritization to protecting innocent lives from this devastating crime and is a new tool for the public and our troopers, who are arresting impaired drivers through focused enforcement every day.”

The Patrol is dedicated to using every available resource to make our roadways safer. Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) add to Ohio’s OVI enforcement by utilizing a standardized and systematic process to examine drivers who may be under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or a combination of them. OVI task forces with partnering agencies are also shown on the dashboard, listing partnering agencies in participating counties.

Since 2016, there have been over 71,000 crashes in Ohio attributed to impaired driving, with 2,349 of them being fatal. During the same timeframe, troopers issued over 123,000 OVI citations, with 31% of those being to repeat offenders. As warmer months draw near, safety for everyone driving on Ohio roadways will be an important focus for the Patrol. Motorists are reminded to follow speed limits, always buckle up, and never drive impaired or distracted.

If you see dangerous driving, safely call #677 to contact a local Patrol post.

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Chocolate Crawl Featured By Discover Downtown Chillicothe

April 12, 2021 Mike Smith

Presented By Atomic Speedway

Discover Downtown Chillicothe will host the Chocolate Crawl as part of Third Thursday April 15th-16th.

Wendi Bennett, Small Business Resource Navigator with the Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce says the event is a fundraiser for “Light The Park 2021”, which is another effort to bring more people to downtown Chillicothe.

The Chocolate Crawl will involve 12 shops and gets underway at noon Thursday and runs through noon Friday at the following locations: Buckeye Designs and Engraving, Glitter Mom, Grandpa Joe’s Candy Shop, R Kitchen, First Capital Nutrition, Madlin Boutique, The Pourhouse at Machinery Hall, Rise Realty Company, Chillicothe Antique Emporium, Ivy’s, Family Salon Barber Shop and Kindly at the Fort Collective

Passports are $20 and can be picked up at the Chillicothe Antique Emporium- 59 East Main Street and the Chillicothe/Ross Chamber of Commerce- 45 East Main Street or at www.chillicotheohio.com under “events”.

Passports are limited at 100.