Huntington Local Schools Board of Education has hired new varsity basketball coaches for their boys and girls programs.
Former Adena Coach Kyle Bradley has been hired as the new Huntsmen boys coach, while former Circleville assistant coach and Huntington High School graduate Kyle Uhrig will lead the Lady Huntsmen squad.
Bradley comes to Huntington after five seasons at Adena, leading them to SVC and sectional titles this season. He fills the vacancy left by the resignation of Eric Snyder.
Uhrig returns to his alma mater, after recently resigning his administration post at Circleville City Schools. He fills the vacancy left by the resignation of Tiffany Carroll.
In other area coaching news, Rod Bentley has stepped down as girls head coach of Vinton County after 7 seasons. Bentley led VC to 120 wins, 5 TVC & sectionals titles, a district and regional crown. He also led this past season’s Division 2 state runner-up team and was named Division 2 Ohio Coach of the Year.
(COLUMBUS)—Governor DeWine has announced special election dates for the 15th Congressional District to fill the District’s upcoming vacancy. The states will be the same as the separate 11th Congressional District special election, with a partisan primary occurring on August 3, 2021, and the general election occurring on November 2nd, 2021.
Rep. Steve Stivers formally communicated with the Governor his resignation effective May 16, 2021. The formal communication of the resignation allows the Governor to call the special election and issue a Writ of Election.
IMPORTANT DATES:
May 17th: Declaration of candidacies for partisan candidates must be filed with the Franklin County Board of Elections by 4:00 p.m.
May 28th: Declaration of candidacies for write-in candidates must be filed with the Franklin County Board of Elections
June 1st: The county board of elections must certify the names of the candidates that will appear on the special primary ballot
July 6th: Eligible Ohioans who want to cast a ballot in the Special Congressional Primary Election must register to vote by this date
August 3rd: The Special Election Congressional Primary takes place
October 4th: Eligible Ohioans who want to cast a ballot in the Special Congressional General Election must register to vote by this date
November 2nd: The Special Congressional General Election
November 23rd: Boards must complete and certify official canvass
Photo from ODOT of one of their vehicles struck by a motorist in a construction zone.
National Work Zone Awareness Week, in its 21st year, is a national public awareness campaign that spreads the message that we are all responsible for work zone safety. The Ohio Department of Transportation joined several other partners in safety to kick the week off with an event at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
Monday’s event featured an ODOT truck that was struck by a semi-truck on March 2. Allen County crews were sweeping the bridge decks at night on I-75 just south of SR 81 in Lima. Caleb Vorhees was in the truck hauling the arrow board and was on the side of the road, right of the white line. A semi left the driving lane, hitting the driver’s side doors. The semi bounced off and came to rest in the median. Vorhees, who is married and the father of two young children, suffered bruises and burns from the impact of the truck and side airbags as well as seatbelt injuries across his chest. He was off the job for two weeks due to his injuries.
ODOT crews were struck 125 times last year and have already been hit more than 60 times this year.
“These men and women are working to ensure transportation in Ohio is safe for all travelers,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “All they ask in return is for drivers to pay attention and give them the room they need to get this important work done.”
Despite lower traffic volumes in 2020 due to the global pandemic, there were 4,540 crashes in Ohio work zones. Eighteen of those crashes were deadly, resulting in 19 deaths. Following another vehicle too closely is by far the top factor in work zone crashes.
“Driving requires all of your attention, but work zones require even more,” said Ohio Department of Transportation Director Jack Marchbanks. “Things can change quickly and if you’re not paying attention the risk of a crash skyrockets.”
Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show there were 762 fatal crashes in work zones across the United States resulting in 842 deaths in 2019. In addition, 135 roadway workers were killed in work zones in 2019. The vast majority of people killed were motorists, passengers and pedestrians.
“We all need to realize that the speed limit is in place to protect our lives. We have members working on our roadways every day and they have the right to get home safely to their families and not have the worry of being injured or killed by someone speeding, driving impaired, texting, or just not paying attention. We all share in the responsibility of keeping the men and women working in and driving through our highway work zones safe,” said Ralph Cole, business manager and secretary treasurer of the Laborers’ District Council of Ohio.
(COLUMBUS) – For the first time, a Saturday opening day and weekend start to Ohio’s spring wild turkey hunting season resulted in 3,875 birds taken by hunters on April 24-25, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. The 2021 spring wild turkey hunting season started on a Saturday instead of the traditional Monday following a change approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council in 2020.
Wild turkey hunting was open in Ohio’s south zone only beginning Saturday, April 24. Hunting in the northeast zone, comprised of five counties in Ohio’s snow belt, opens Saturday, May 1.
The top 10 counties for wild turkey harvest during the opening weekend of the 2021 south zone include: Columbiana (149), Belmont (132), Guernsey (129), Meigs (124), Jefferson (117), Muskingum (117), Tuscarawas (113), Adams (112), Monroe (112), and Brown (107).
As of April 25, the Division of Wildlife issued 47,560 wild turkey permits, valid throughout the spring hunting season. In addition to the opening weekend results, youth hunters harvested 1,473 wild turkeys during Ohio’s youth season on April 17-18.
In 2020, 3,566 birds were checked during the opening two days in the south zone. More information about previous turkey seasons can be found in the Spring Turkey Harvest Summary.
Ohio has two zones for 2021 spring wild turkey hunting: the south zone and the northeast zone. Hunting in the south zone is open until Sunday, May 23. The northeast zone is open from Saturday, May 1 to Sunday, May 30. Hunters are required to have a hunting license in addition to a spring permit. Find complete details in the 2020-2021 Hunting and Trapping Regulation Booklet.
The spring hunting season limit is two bearded wild turkeys, but hunters may harvest only one bearded turkey per day. A second permit may be purchased at any time throughout the spring season. A turkey is required to be checked no later than 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest using the new HuntFish OH mobile app, the automated game-check system, by phone at 877-TAG-IT-OH (877-824-4864), or at a participating license agent.
The free HuntFish OH mobile app provides convenient resources while out in the field. HuntFish OH is available for Android and iOS users through the app store. Wild turkey hunters can use the app to check a harvest, even without a connection. When a hunter checks game without a clear signal, information is recorded and stored until the hunter moves to a location with better reception. Users can also purchase licenses and permits and view wildlife area maps through the app.
Anyone interested in learning to hunt or becoming a mentor to a new hunter can visit the Wild Ohio Harvest Community page for information on how to get started, hunting-related workshops, as well as special hunting opportunities for mentors and new hunters.
The mission of the Division of Wildlife is to conserve and improve fish and wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainable use and appreciation by all. Visit wildohio.gov to find out more.
ODNR ensures a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources for the benefit of all. Visit the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov.
Editor’s Note: A county list of all wild turkeys checked by hunters during the opening weekend of the 2021 south zone is shown below. The first number following the county’s name shows the harvest numbers for the first two days of turkey hunting in 2021, and numbers for the first two days of turkey hunting in 2020 are in parentheses. Harvest numbers below are subject to change.
(COLUMBUS) – U.S. House Representative Tim Ryan has become the first Democrat to launch a bid for Rob Portman’s U.S. Senate. The announcement came Monday morning.
The Youngstown area resident officially announced his campaign after several months of speculation that he would seen the Ohio U.S. Senate seat to Republican Rob Portman, who is not seeking re-election. He is the first Democrat to officially announce his bid for the seat.
“I am running to fight like hell in the U.S Senate to cut workers in on the deal,” Ryan said in a release Monday. “Ohioans are working harder than ever, they’re doing everything right, and they’re still falling behind.”
Ryan had an unsuccessful bid in 2016 to unseat Nancy Pelosi as the Democrat minority leader in the U.S. House.
Ohio based Velvet Ice Cream has issued a voluntary recall on all its ice cream and sherbet products made after March 24th due to a possible listeria contamination, according to a company press release.
Products impacted had been shipped to Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia stores.
Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people and those with a weak immune system.
The company says there have been no illnesses or injuries reported with the products.
Velvet Ice Cream is working with the FDA.
Anyone who has one of the recalled products should throw it away immediately or return it to where you bought it for a refund.
The below items are under the recall:
21104 Buehler’s Chocolate Pail
21104 Buehler’s Neapolitan Pail
21104 Buehler’s Vanilla Pail
21089 Discount Drug Mart Chocolate Swirl Pail
21106 Discount Drug Mart Neapolitan 56oz
21095 Discount Drug Mart Strawberry 56
21091 Discount Drug Mart Vanilla 56
21083 Discount Drug Mart Vanilla Pail
21096 North Star Frog Spit
21097 North Star Frog Spit
21098 North Star Frog Spit
21099 North Star Frog Spit
21089 Whale of a Pail Chocolate Fudge Pai
21090 Whale of a Pail Cookies n Cream
21104 Whale of a Pail Neapolitan
21103 Ruggle’s Orange Sherbet Quarts
21104 Whale of a Pail Vanilla Chocolate
21089 Whale of a Pail Vanilla
21090 Whale of a Pail Vanilla
21090 Super Dip Chocolate Pail
21103 Super Dip Chocolate Swirl Pail
21083 Super Dip Chocolate Swirl Pail
21089 Super Dip Chocolate Swirl Pail
21083 Super Dip Cookie n Cream Pail
21106 Super Dip Neapolitan 56oz
21104 Super Dip Neapolitan Pail
21095 Super Dip Strawberry 56
21106 Super Dip Superfriends 56oz
21091 Super Dip Vanilla 56
21083 Super Dip Vanilla Pail
21103 Super Dip Vanilla Pail
21089 Super Dip Vanilla Pail
21090 Super Dip Vanilla Pail
21106 Super Dip Vanilla/Orange 56oz
21106 Velvet erVanilla Lovers Trio 56oz
21091 Velvet Banana Cream Pie 56
21088 Velvet Birthday Cake 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Black Walnut 3 gallon
21099 Velvet Blackberry Cobbler 56
21095 Velvet Blueberry Cheesecake 56
21095 Velvet Buckeye Brownie 56
21091 Velvet Buckeye Brownie 56
21095 Velvet Buckeye Classic 56
21096 Velvet Buckeye Classic Pint
21102 Velvet Buckeye Sandwich 12/10pk
21096 Velvet Butter Pecan & Cashew Pint
21105 Velvet Campfire Smores 56oz
21100 Velvet Caramel Pecan 56
21106 Velvet Chocolate Pint
21096 Velvet Chocolate Pint
21105 Velvet Cookie Dough Extreme 56oz
21105 Velvet Cookie Dough Extreme 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Cookie n Cream 3 gallon
21092 Velvet Cookies n Cream Pint
21103 Velvet Cotton Candy 3 gallon
21092 Velvet Dutch Chocolate 56
21089 Velvet Dutch Chocolate 3 gallon
21102 Velvet Dutch Chocolate 3 gallon
21099 Velvet Elephant Ear 56
21084 Velvet Elephant Ear 3 gallon
21092 Velvet Homemade Vanilla 56
21105 Velvet Homemade Vanilla 56oz
21100 Velvet Kentucky Praline Pecan 56
21085 Velvet Lime Sherbet Quart
21103 Velvet Lime Sherbet Quarts
21091 Velvet Mint Chocolate Chip 56
21102 Velvet Mint Chocolate Chip 3 gallon
21091 Velvet Moose Tracks 56
21095 Velvet Moose Tracks 56
21096 Velvet Moose Tracks Pint
21092 Velvet Olde Tyme Vanilla 56
21105 Velvet Olde Tyme Vanilla 56oz
21102 Velvet Olde Tyme Vanilla 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Orange Sherbet 3 gallon
21085 Velvet Orange Sherbet Quart
21103 Velvet Orange Sherbet Quarts
21091 Velvet Original Vanilla 56
21084 Velvet Original Vanilla 3 gallon
21089 Velvet Original Vanilla 3 gallon
21100 Velvet Original Vanilla 3 gallon
21102 Velvet Original Vanilla 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Pineapple Sherbet 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Pineapple Sherbet Quart
21085 Velvet Pineapple Sherbet Quart
21103 Velvet Pineapple Sherbet Quarts
21103 Velvet Rainbow Sherbet 3 gallon
21103 Velvet Rainbow Sherbet Quarts
21085 Velvet Raspberry Sherbet Quart
21084 Velvet Sea Salt Caramel Toffee 3 gallon
21099 Velvet Summertime Peach 56
21099 Velvet Summertime Peach 3 gallon
21084 Velvet Summertime Peach 3 gallon
21092 Velvet Triple Chocolate Chunk 56
21100 Velvet Vanilla Bean 3 gallon
21088 Velvet Vanilla Pint
21106 Velvet Vanilla Pint
Consumers with questions may contact Velvet Ice Cream at 800-589-5000 x237 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday. Or visit its website at www.velveticecream.com/contact-us.
Mark your calendar for Adena Mansion and Gardens annual plant sale focuses on “heirloom” plants.
An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit, or heirloom vegetable is an old cultivar of a plant used for food that is grown and maintained by gardeners and farmers, particularly in isolated or ethnic minority communities of the Western world.
The plants at Adena are believed to be many of the same varieties used when Thomas Worthington lived at the mansion in the early 1800’s.
This year’s sale is set for Saturday, May 1, through Sunday, May 16. Hours will be 9am-5pm and Wednesdays through Saturdays and noon-5pm on Sundays. They are closed on Monday and Tuesday.
(COLUMBUS) — The Ohio Department of Health will add a new dashboard Monday that will show the number of positive COVID-19 tests in each of Ohio’s 88 counties.
“What we had before was aggregate reporting, which really was a lot manual reporting from the lab where they would gather up their data, positivity and negativity and send us aggregate information,” said Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff.
The new dashboard will allow people to see in each county, the number of positive tests in a two-week time frame. It will be updated every Monday.
“What this actually does is provide us an electronic feed, with an indication of that positive or negative result of the residents’ location of the person with the positive or negative. So now this electronic feed actually allows us to feed information at a county level,” said Vanderhoff.
The federal Health and Human Services Department issued guidance back in June 2020 for states to report individual-level data with a deadline of August 2020. However, it’s only now that the state of Ohio is doing this.
Ohio Department of Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff says it took a while to build.
“This is not as simple as turning a switch. This is information that has to be accurate, it has to be valid and for an electronic system to work and one that you can rely on, it’s got to have the vast majority of your hundreds of labs actively providing that feed,” said Vanderhoff.
The dashboard could also mean local health officials could determine if restrictions are put in place rather than the state.
“The more granular our information is, the more local the decision-making can be. But that’s a step or two away from where we are,” Vanderhoff.
(COLUMBUS)—Following the recommendation from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization (ACIP) that the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccine resume in the U.S., Governor Mike DeWine has released the following statement:
“Our country’s vaccine safety system has worked as designed – these extremely rare, serious blood-clotting events were reported into the CDC’s Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), and the vaccine distribution was paused to allow a thorough review of the facts and time to educate healthcare providers on the rare events. Now, a comprehensive analysis by the independent medical professionals on the ACIP has resulted in the recommendation that the benefits of Johnson & Johnson vaccine outweigh the risks, and that vaccine administration resume. The CDC and FDA have accepted those recommendations, lifting the pause on the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine. Providers in Ohio are permitted to immediately resume administering Johnson & Johnson vaccines in Ohio, provided they continue to follow all guidance by the CDC and FDA.”
The Ohio Department of Health is issuing guidance to providers to ensure they have access to the latest information on the use of Johnson & Johnson vaccines, and that healthcare providers are aware of treatment methods for these extremely rare but potentially life-threatening cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS).
According to the FDA, people who have received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and develop shortness of breath, chest pain, leg swelling, persistent abdominal pain, neurological symptoms (including severe or persistent headaches or blurred vision), or petechiae beyond the site of vaccination should seek immediate medical care.
Additional information on mass vaccination clinics, mobile vaccine strategies, and specific sites resuming Johnson & Johnson are not available at this time. Officials with the Ohio Department of Health will continue to follow this situation closely.
(Chillicothe) — Karlene Kellis of Frankfort has joined Ohio’s “Saved by the Belt” Club after her safety belt saved her from sustaining life-threatening injuries. The crash occurred on state Route 104 in Ross County on February 5.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Timothy J. Karwatske, Chillicothe Post commander, presented her with a “Saved by the Belt” certificate signed by Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Thomas J. Stickrath and Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent.
“Karlene is a living testimony to the effectiveness of safety belts,” Lieutenant Karwatske said. “Everyone needs to buckle up every trip, every time.”
Provisional data from 2020 shows 487 people in Ohio were killed in traffic crashes where a safety belt was available, but not in use.
The “Saved by the Belt” Club is a joint effort by the Ohio Department of Public Safety and more than 400 Ohio law enforcement agencies. This club is designed to recognize people who have benefited from their decision to wear safety belts.
Karlene also received a “Saved by the Belt” license plate bracket.
