Earthmovers and bulldozers have already started moving dirt, but an official groundbreaking for Logan Elm School District’s new K-12 campus is scheduled for May 10th.
The ceremony will be at 4:30pm that day on their current Band and Athletic Practice Field. The school is located at 9575 Tarlton Road, just southeast of Circleville.
Voters approved levies to construct the new campus, after several previous tries failed at the ballot box.
The current Logan Elm School District campus has been at the Tarlton Road site since the early 1960’s. The new campus will be constructed just west of the current buildings.
(Chillicothe) — The Ross County Heritage Center Museum, at 45 West 5th Street, Chillicothe, will reopen on a regular weekly schedule, Tuesday through Saturday, 1pm-5pm beginning May 4, 2021.
In the interest of COVID safety, group tours will be limited to no more than eight (8) people all of whom must either be members of the same family or household, or arrive in the same vehicle. (Individuals will be given individual tours.)
Face masks are required. (Disposable masks will be provided at no charge to anyone arriving without their own.)
The Ross County Historical Society’s McKell Library will remain closed until further notice, but research requests may still be made by phone by calling (740) 773-1896, 1pm-5pm, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; and anytime by email at info@rosscountyhistorical.org.
Please visit the Ross County Historical Society’s website at www.rosscountyhistorical.org for more information and updates.
There has been another extension approved by the US Department of Homeland Security the for enforcement of REAL ID requirements.
The latest extension for updating your drivers license to REAL ID, which will enable you to fly on commercial domestic airlines, has been moved from October 1st, 2021 to May 3rd, 2023.
The REAL ID is aimed at establishing a consistent security standard for issuing driver’s licenses and other identification.
Image Courtesy of Ohio BMV
Congress passed the post 9/11 anti terrorist measure in 2005, and originally gave states until October 1st, 2020 to get the changes in place. Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which backed that deadline to October 1st, 2021, and now again to May 3rd, 2023.
Once enforcement is in effect, travelers age 18-years-old and older will need to have the REAL I.D.-compliant driver’s license or other state photo identity card, which should be marked by a star on the top of the card. Passports and other forms of approved identification will still be accepted.
The Department Of Homeland Security blamed the latest extension on limited operating capacity at state driver’s licensing agencies during the pandemic, which has delayed renewals of expiring licenses.
All 50 US states, Washington, DC, and several US territories are compliant with REAL ID security standards, but only 43% of US IDs are currently compliant, as a result of pandemic-era limitations, according to DHS.
With the announcement from the Centers For Disease Control relaxing some COVID-19 mandates Tuesday, look for more government and civic groups to return to in-person public meetings.
In a survey of city councils in our region, most have returned to some form of public gathering, while maintaining social distance requirements.
Chillicothe City Council President Bruce Arnold has announced they will return to in-person sessions on May 10th, after meeting by Zoom over the past year.
City councils in Washington Court House, Circleville, Hillsboro, Jackson, Portsmouth, Lancaster and Logan have already returned or kept in-person sessions.
Each of the above mentioned are meeting with some type of mask wearing/social distance limitations for spectators in attendance as well as among council members.
The Village of Waverly is still meeting by Zoom, with Council Clerk Shelly Anderson saying she was not sure when they would return to in-person sessions.
(INDIANAPOLIS) — In an effort to increase participation in high school swimming and diving, standing forward takeoffs have been approved, effective with the 2021-22 school year.
This significant addition to high school diving was one of several rules changes recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Swimming and Diving Rules Committee at its March 21-23 meeting held virtually this year. All of the committee’s recommended rules revisions were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The addition to Rule 9-5-2 states that for standing takeoffs, “the diver will assume a starting position that includes an upright head and body with arms straight and in a position of the diver’s choice. The diver may move the arms to various preparatory positions provided there is no attempt to start the dive.”
The new language also notes that just before or after the starting position is assumed, the diver shall stop oscillating the board. For standing takeoffs, the diver cannot oscillate the board more than four times, cannot let one or both feet leave the board during an oscillation prior to the final spring from the board, and cannot permit an oscillation to be too large to disrupt the tempo of the dive.
“The standing forward takeoff is a critical part of the educational process in teaching new dives,” said Sandy Searcy, NFHS director of sports and liaison to the NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee. “This provision allows divers to participate in competition sooner, even if they have not mastered all parts of the dive, and it encourages growth in the sport.”
A new article in Rule 9-3 notes that if a diver elects to perform a standing forward takeoff, he or she must declare intent to the diving referee before performing the dive. When a diver performs a standing forward takeoff, a two-point penalty is assessed since all components of the dive are not being completed. In addition, if a diver doesn’t declare intent to perform a standing takeoff, it will be an unsatisfactory dive, and the diver will receive a score no higher than two points.
In other diving rules changes, Rule 9-2-1 now allows for diving boards to be open for practice during championship meets if breaks between sessions extend longer than 10 minutes – unless the meet director establishes specific guidelines prior to the start of competition. A change in Rule 3-3-5c now permits divers to use temporary adhesives during competitions.
In addition, a new Rule 9-6-4 states that if a dive is executed other than that which was announced, and is properly listed on the scoresheet, it will be judged as a correct dive and considered an announcer error. If the diver completes a dive as announced and it is determined that the announcer was in error, the diver will be allowed to immediately perform the correct dive.
Among changes in swimming rules, new Rule 3-3-5 permits competitors, for religious reasons, to wear suits that provide full body coverage without obtaining prior state association authorization – as long as the suit meet requirements in Rule 3-3-4b(1-3). The NFHS Swimming and Diving Rules Committee is the fifth NFHS sports rules committee to adopt or adjust a rule this year related to the wearing of equipment for religious purposes.
A revision in Rule 3-2-5 now states that in relays, the leadoff swimmer must be declared at the specified time and place prior to the start of the event.
A complete listing of the swimming and diving rules changes will be available on the NFHS website at www.nfhs.org. Click on “Activities & Sports” at the top of the home page and select “Swimming and Diving.”
4-H members interested in learning more about sewing can do so by joining the Zoom clinic series presented by 4-H Master Clothing Educator volunteers from across the state.
You will expand your sewing knowledge and learn skills to help you with your projects. Attend all of the sessions or the ones that interest you.
(Atlanta) — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has eased guidelines on the wearing of masks outdoors for people fully vaccinated, stating further that “Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore unless they are in a big crowd of strangers.”
And those who are unvaccinated can go outside without masks in some cases, too.
The CDC had been advising Americans to wear masks outdoors if they are within 6 feet of each other.
More than half of U.S. adults have gotten at least one dose of coronavirus vaccine, and more than a third have been fully vaccinated.
The CDC says that fully vaccinated or not, people do not have to wear masks outdoors when they walk, bike or run alone or with members of their household. They can also go without a mask in small outdoor gatherings with fully vaccinated people.
The CDC says as those who have yet to receive both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the one-shot Johnson & Johnson formula — should wear masks at outdoor gatherings that include other unvaccinated people. They also should keep using masks at outdoor restaurants.
Fully vaccinated people do not need to cover up in those situations, the CDC says.
However, everyone should keep wearing masks at crowded outdoor events such as concerts or sporting events, the CDC says.
And the agency continues to recommend masks at indoor public places, such as hair salons, restaurants, shopping centers, museums and movie theaters.
In Ohio, Governor Mike DeWine announced in his Tuesday press conference that; “Fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to quarantine if they come into contact with positive tested COVID-19 individuals.”
(ATHENS) – The ninth annual Appalachian Ohio State of the Region Conference will gather public officials, economic development experts, and business and organizational leaders virtually May 11 to May 13 to foster collaboration and share innovation in Appalachian Ohio.
Sponsored by Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs Economic Development Administration University Center, the conference will focus on infrastructure-related topics, particularly transportation, site development, workforce innovations, clean water initiatives and broadband development in the region. Sessions will take place between noon and 2 p.m. each day.
“The past year has highlighted how important it is for regional partners to work together and share information vital to develop projects and improve communities,” said Gina Collinsworth, public information coordinator at the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission. “Our region quickly adapted and still continues to make headway, thanks in part to the resiliency and trust built on regularly coming together to partner on issues.”
The conference will feature more than 20 speakers from the Appalachian Drinking Water Initiative, Hocking Athens Perry Community Action (HAPCAP), Meigs Industrial Park, Muskingum County Industrial Business Park, Ohio Development Services Agency, Ohio Means Jobs, Survivor Advocacy Outreach Program, the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund, and Youngstown SMART2 Network from the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments, among others.
“The local development districts and economic development partners are the boots on the ground for the region,” Collinsworth said. “When we come together to coordinate on projects, we are utilizing resources for the biggest impact and learning how to leverage influence to benefit the most.”
The Voinovich School drew on its long-standing partnerships with the Buckeye Hills Regional Council, the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association, the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission and the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments to help organize the conference.
“Jointly planning this conference allows us to feature new innovations and opportunities across the 32-county Appalachian Ohio region,” said Dr. Jason Jolley, professor of rural economic development and director of Ohio University’s EDA University Center. “Developing a shared understanding of our challenges and opportunities is key to building more resilient communities.”
Wellston City-Wide Spring Cleaning and Big Haul Week.
Fees for excessive garbage and large items will not apply during the week of May 3rd-7th.
All furniture must be wrapped and sealed in plastic before being picked up. All trash must be bagged or boxed and not to exceed 50 pounds; carpet and rugs must be cut into small pieces and bagged.
Items that will not be taken are as follows: tires; paint; building materials/shingles; hazardous materials; propane tanks; motor oil; and scrap metal.
Anything recyclable can be taken to the bins on New Hampshire Avenue.
Chillicothe Mayor Luke Feeney says this spring and summer will see a few more things return after a year-off due to COVID-19.
The mayor says July 4th Fireworks are scheduled to come back and the Chillicothe Municipal Pool will also be open this summer.
Mayor Luke Feeney announced the City of Chillicothe will provide a large item pick-up service to city residents beginning the week of May 31, 2021.
Items the City crews will pick up include: carpet, sofas, chairs, mattresses, and other similar pieces of furniture. Paint cans will be collected as long as the paint has been dried out or mixed with sawdust.
Items not permissible for pickup are stoves, washers, dryers, refrigerators, freezers, hot water tanks and heaters, old radios, computer equipment, air conditioning units, and televisions. Construction materials from demolitions or remodeling will not be collected, nor will tires, batteries, chemicals and hazardous materials.
Large items must be kept separate from regular trash pickup and should be placed at the curb. There will be no pick-ups in alleys and Service Department employees are not permitted on private property. Residents are asked to place their items at the curb. The schedule below outlines when large item pick up will take place in your neighborhood.
If your garbage is picked up on:
Monday: Large Items will be picked up May 31 – June 4, 2020 (please have items out by Monday, May 31)
Tuesday: Large items will be picked up June 7 – June 11, 2021 (please have items out by Monday, June 7th)
Wednesday: Large items will be picked up June 14 – June 18, 2021 (please have items out by Monday, June 14th)
Thursday: Large items will be picked up June 21 – June 25, 2021 (please have items out by Monday, June 21nd)
Friday: Large items will be picked up June 28 – July 2, 2021 (please have items out by Monday, June 28th)
If you have questions, please contact the Service Department at (740) 773 -2700.
