National Recording Artist/Songwriter Jerry Salley Pens & Performs Song About His Hometown

Presented By Atomic Speedway

Hear all Jerry had to say in this exclusive interview with Dan & Mike

Ross County native and famed Nashville songwriter/musician Jerry Salley, has a new album out that includes a song about his roots.

Salley composed, performed and made a music video of “I Take The Backgrounds”. Brandon Rickman, a longtime collaborator of Salley’s, co-wrote the song.

Jerry said this about the new song- “I am so excited about my new single, “I Take The Back Roads”, and this very personal video for the song.  We drove the backroads of my hometown area, Chillicothe, OH, for this entire video and visited a few very special places.  Hope you enjoy and thank you friends!”

The song and video mentions local Ross and Pike County landmarks and memories that were special too Salley when he was growing up.

While the music video has struck a cord with people in the Scioto Valley, Salley says he is hearing from acquaintances around the country that have told him the song also reminds them of their home towns.

To buy the song or his new album, go to his website at www.JerrySalley.com or you can purchase it on iTunes.

Scioto County Gets New Storybook Trail

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

Storybook Trail

(STOUT, Ohio)—First Lady Fran DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz celebrated the launch of Ohio’s newest Storybook Trail, now open at the Shawnee State Park Ohio River property in Scioto County, Friday morning.

“Today’s newest Storybook Trail is a great addition that many families will be able to take advantage of this summer,” said First Lady DeWine. “The outdoor trail offers a fun and educational experience for families to enjoy together.”

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, launched the Storybook Trail program in 2019 to promote the importance of literacy, a healthy lifestyle, and connecting with nature. There are currently 11 half-mile Storybook Trails located at state parks in Ohio, each with 15-20 child-height panels featuring pages of a children’s book and an activity to accompany the text on the page.

“We are thrilled to add a Storybook Trail to this newly designed riverfront area for guests of all ages to enjoy,” said ODNR Director Mary Mertz. “Our Storybook Trails encourage families to explore the outdoors together, so we knew right away that the Shawnee Ohio River property was the perfect spot for them to make those new memories.”

This Storybook Trail features the book “Brother Eagle, Sister Sky,” which shares a lesson about the importance of respecting the earth, animals, and nature. The book is illustrated by Susan Jeffers. 

The property, redeveloped for use by visitors and the community, features a new camp store, fuel at the marina, and new hiking and biking trails. Additional improvements include primitive campsites, a lazy river paddling pond, a bicycle pump course, and additional trail miles. Full-service campsites, paved roads, a playground, dog park, archery range, adult fitness area, splash pad, shower house, and additional restrooms are also planned for development at the Ohio River property.

There are currently 286,751 children enrolled in the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library, which provides one free book every month to children enrolled in the program from birth to age five. To learn more about the Ohio Governor’s Imagination Library and how to participate, visit OhioImaginationLibrary.org.

A full list of ODNR’s Storybook Trails, as well as similar trails located at parks and library districts across the state, can be found at ohiodnr.gov. An interactive map of all Storybook Trails can also be found at ohiodnr.gov.

Last Supermoon of 2021

Presented by Classic Brands

The summer solstice occurred last Sunday and the full moon of June 23-26 is the last supermoon of the calendar year 2021.

A supermoon occurs when the moon approaches the earth at its closest point during orbit.

The full moon for June arrived at 2:40pm EDT on Wednesday.

According to Space.com, this supermoon is also known as the “Strawberry Supermoon” because it falls during the strawberry harvesting season in the northeastern United States.

A look at the Strawberry Supermoon from Pike County taken at 12:43am June 25, 2021. Dan Ramey/Litter Media
A look at the Strawberry Supermoon from Pike County taken at 12:45am June 25, 2021. Dan Ramey/Litter Media

Lt. Governor Husted Travels To Jackson/Gallia Counties To Hear Development Success Stories

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

Lt. Governor Jon Husted ventured into southeast Ohio Thursday for visits to a retail business that started in the Gallipolis area, then on to the Jackson County campus of the University of Rio Grande.

The first stop was at Silver Bridge Coffee Company in Bidwell, where Lorraine and Phil Walker started their business in 2008 and now sees their brand of specially brewed organic coffee being sold in various stores throughout Ohio and West Virginia. She also ships her coffee around the U.S. via their website.

Lorraine Walker expanded her manufacturing and distribution facility last fall to keep up with the rising demand for her product. The JobsOhio-SE Ohio team worked closely with Silver Bridge Coffee in providing a $50,000 JobsOhio inclusion grant to assist with machinery and equipment costs. Silver Bridge also received a $10,000 Small Business Relief Grant in 2020 from the Department of Development.

Lorraine Walker of the Silver Bridge Coffee Company in Bidwell, Ohio shows product to Lt. Gov. Jon Husted during a tour of the company Thursday. Photo submitted by Hayley Carducci

According to Silver Bridge’s website, “Lorraine is a Level 2 Certified Roaster with the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA), and is an active member of the Roasters Guild. Silver Bridge Coffee is a member of the SCAA and Fair Trade USA.”

Governor Kasich’s administration appointed Lorraine to Ohio’s Small Business Advisory Council. She is also a member of The National Association of Women Business Owners.

Lorraine is a supporter of other women-owned and -run businesses. She sells several varieties of Café Femenino. The Café Femenino Foundation provides grants for women and their families in coffee-producing countries such as Peru, Columbia and Guatemala.

From there, the Lt. Governor headed to Jackson where he met with individuals concerning the workforce development program at the University of Rio Grande’s Jackson Campus.

Last year, the university in partnership with Jackson County Jobs and Family Services acquired a fanuc robot six Allen Bradley PLC Trainers through a grant awarded by the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission.

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted visits the Jackson Branch of the University of Rio Grande to observe the fanuc robot purchased through a grant awarded by the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission. Photo submitted by Hayley Carducci

URG was advised in the development of a first-ever high school manufacturing class at Wellston High School, where 10 students participated working toward MSSC credentials and received college credit. This coming year, the class will expand to include students from Jackson and Oak Hill to be held on the Jackson Campus.

First Capital Bourbon Dinner

Presented By Rathkamp Financial

One of Scioto Society’s most popular and successful events returns to the Christopher Conference Center on November 12th at 7pm. An evening of bourbon history, lore and of course, sampling.

Tim Knittel is a former Kentucky bourbon industry insider with over a decades experience in bourbon education. He is also a certified Stave & Thief Society Executive Bourbon Steward (often compared to a Bourbon Sommelier) which is the highest classification available for a professional bourbon educator. Tim will be serving up 4 straight bourbons, some which you’re familiar with and some not, while the chefs at the Christopher Conference Center will be pairing each one with a course of food. Dinner is served at 8pm.

This event will likely sell out.

MENU TBA In addition to the tasting menu, several other bourbons will be available at the bonus tasting. VIP tickets are $20 more and include a VIP only flight of three additional bourbons.  Bonus tasting will be available by the glass beginning at 7pm.

A small silent auction of bourbons unavailable in our area will take place prior to the tasting. Free cab rides are available, as are special room rates at the Christopher Inn.

To order tickets, go to the following link. CLICK HERE:

Purple Heart City Status Coming To Chillicothe

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

Chillicothe City Council will meet in Council Chambers in regular session on Monday June 28th at 7pm.

There will be a special ceremony including an Honor Guard and a presentation to the city declaring Chillicothe to be a ‘Purple Heart City’.

The meeting will be streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.

The meeting is open to the public with restrictions and limited seating.

There will be another future ceremony in the Veterans Memorial Park to be announced to also commemorate the designation to the city. That venue will be open to provide a larger public participation.