Monthly Archives: October 2021

News

Area Wildlife Area To Receive Ring-Necked Pheasant Releases

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(Columbus) – Ring-necked pheasant releases at wildlife areas and other public hunting locations are scheduled to begin during Ohio’s youth hunting season on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23-24, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. Pheasant releases will continue into late October and November.
 


Caption: Rooster pheasants are released at 25 sites across Ohio during October and November to provide additional hunting opportunities to pursue this popular game bird.

 
Rooster pheasants are released at 25 public hunting areas, providing hunters with multiple opportunities to pursue this timeless game bird. More than 14,000 ring-necked pheasants are scheduled to be released in Ohio to provide put-and-take opportunities for new and veteran hunters. (widow)
 
The Division of Wildlife will release pheasants for the following dates:

  • Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23-24 (first youth weekend).
  • Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 30-31 (second youth weekend).
  • Friday, Nov. 5 (opening day).
  • Saturday, Nov. 13.
  • Thursday, Nov. 25 (Thanksgiving Day).

Pheasants will be released in the following locations:

  • Central Ohio: Delaware Wildlife Area.
  • Northwest Ohio: Killdeer Plains Wildlife Area; Oxbow Lake Wildlife Area; Resthaven Wildlife Area; Ringneck Ridge Wildlife Area (by permit only, find additional information from the Sandusky County Park District); Tiffin River Wildlife Area; and Wyandot Wildlife Area (no youth releases).
  • Northeast Ohio: Camp Belden Wildlife Area; Charlemont Metro Park; Berlin Wildlife Area; Grand River Wildlife Area; Highlandtown Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Spencer Wildlife Area; West Branch Wildlife Area (no youth releases); and Zepernick Wildlife Area (no youth releases).
  • Southeast Ohio: Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area; Pleasant Valley Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Salt Fork Wildlife Area (no youth releases); and Tri-Valley Wildlife Area.
  • Southwest Ohio: Caesar Creek Wildlife Area; Darke Wildlife Area; Fallsville Wildlife Area (no releases for Oct. 23-24 or Nov. 13); Indian Creek Wildlife Area (no youth releases); Rush Run Wildlife Area; and Spring Valley Wildlife Area.

 
A valid Ohio hunting license is required to pursue pheasants and other game birds. An Ohio apprentice hunting license is available to individuals of any age who want to try hunting but have not yet completed a hunter education course. The apprentice hunting license is a great way to introduce someone to hunting and provide a positive experience in the field.
 
For more information on how to get started hunting,  explore the interactive Introduction to Upland Game Birds online learning module and related resources as part of the Wild Ohio Harvest Community at wildohio.gov.
 
Ohio’s pheasant hunting season is open from Friday, Nov. 5, to Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, with a daily harvest limit of two birds (males only). No hens (females) may be harvested. Statewide hours for pheasant season are sunrise to sunset.

News

Logan Elm Leave Your Legacy Campaign Still Growing

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(Photo from Logan Elm Schools)

The Logan Elm Board of Education and the LEave your LEgacy Committee says the community’s effort to support their capital campaign continues to grow. 

To date, the campaign has received $1,268,960 in donations.  This is 84% of their goal.

Donations will be used to pay for additional programs and or items not covered by capital construction or improvement dollars from the state and levies approved by taxpayers.

News

Ohio University President To Visit Area Regional Campuses

Presented By Classic Brands

(Athens) — Ohio University President Hugh Sherman will visit the University’s regional campuses during the fall semester to engage with the campuses and local communities.

President Sherman will be visiting the Chillicothe campus Friday, October 15 in a tour of the Ross County Outreach and Recovery Center tour from 3pm to 4pm.

Bennett Hall on the campus of Ohio University Chillicothe. Dan Ramey/Litter Media

President Sherman will be at the OHIO Lancaster Campus on Tuesday, Oct. 19. He will tour the Fairfield County Workforce Center, at 4465 Coonpath Road NW in Carroll, and will also meet with invited community members, students, faculty and staff throughout the day.

Brasee Hall, Ohio University Lancaster Campus.Photo by Chris Franz
News

Chillicothe Leaf Collection Schedule

Presented By Atomic Speedway

(Chillicothe) — Fall leaf collection gets underway for the City of Chillicothe on October 18th.

Leaf collection is handled the same way as the City’s large item collection program, with a neighborhood’s collection week corresponding to that neighborhood’s trash collection schedule. Neighborhoods with Monday trash collection will have their leaves picked up during the first week of the program, and neighborhoods with Tuesday trash collection will see their leaves gathered during the second week, and so on.

The program kicks off this Monday, October 18th and continues through Friday, October 22nd for neighborhoods with Monday trash collection. The program will be held in two rounds lasting five weeks each. The second round of the program will begin in late November.

Leaves need to be gathered by 7am on the Monday of a neighborhood’s collection week. The City asks that residents rake their leaves to the curbside grassy area outside their homes, and not into the street where they can be washed down into the storm sewers. Yard waste and debris is prohibited.

Residents should be mindful of where they park during their collection week. If a vehicle is blocking access to a leaf pile, those leaves will not be collected.

The full leaf collection schedule is as follows:

Monday Trash Pickup:

  • October 18th to October 22nd
  • November 22nd to November 26th

Tuesday Trash Pickup:

  • October 25th to October 29th
  • November 29th to December 3rd

Wednesday Trash Pickup:

  • November 1st to November 5th
  • December 6th to December 10th

Thursday Trash Pickup:

  • November 8th to November 12th
  • December 13th to December 17th

Friday Trash Pickup:

  • November 15th to November 19th
  • December 20th to December 24th
Sports

American Rally Association 2022 Schedule Shows Southern Ohio Forest Rally June 9-11

Presented By Classic Brands

With the end of the 2021 American Rally Association Presented by DirtFish National Championship in sight, and multiple winners already crowned, it’s time to start looking toward next year, and the ARA is excited to announce a nine-round championship for 2022.

The 2022 national championship will start off as it always does with a stop in Atlanta, Mich. for Sno*Drift Rally. The race will return as a two-day event for 2022, maintaining its later event date of February 18 and 19 that it switched to from January for the first time this year. The event is working on bringing back several popular features, including a spectator-friendly Super Special that was absent the past two years.

After the frigid start, teams will head to the ever-unpredictable Rally in the 100 Acre Wood. Being run on March 18-19 in and around Salem, Mo., this rally is known for being one of the fastest on the calendar, and one of the most well attended by drivers with 87 cars starting in 2021.

The championship then heads to its first West Coast event, the Olympus Rally in Shelton, Wash. on April 23-24. This event will show teams the biggest elevation changes yet, and if the past few years have been any indication, plenty of wet conditions.

About a month later on May 21-22, the second West Coast event will take place. Oregon Trail Rally will return to its normal spot in the calendar, after having to reschedule to November for this season due to COVID-19 concerns. Oregon Trail will be highlighted by the fan-friendly night of racing at Portland International Raceway.

Southern Ohio Forest Rally will serve as the mid-point for the 2022 ARA National Championship. The tight and technical roads staged will be run across three days this time, from June 9th through the 11th.

Moving up the calendar two weeks is New England Forest Rally, now on July 15-16. This year the round played host to the most high-end competition the US rally circuit has seen in years and is sure to continue to be one of the highlights of the calendar in 2022.

Looking towards the end of the championship, teams will travel to Detroit Lakes, Minn. for the Ojibwe Forests Rally, promising some of the most beautiful roads of any round of the entire championship. Historically, Ojibwe has been held on the final weekend in August, but the event will be moving up one week on the calendar with two days of racing August 26-27.

The penultimate round will be the Susquehannock Trail Performance Rally. After running as an ARA Regional round this year and being cancelled due to the pandemic in 2020, fans and drivers alike will be eager to return to the forests surrounding Wellsboro, Penn., as well as the famed Waste Management Special Stages on September 16-17.

Finally, the championship will all come to an end after Lake Superior Performance Rally on October 14-15. The rally has played host to the final before, but due to other scheduling issues hasn’t been able to wrap-up the championship chase since 2019. It’s return to the calendar in 2021 showcased a mix of old and new, with the rally moving from the picturesque Houghton to the more-populated Marquette, Mich.

Along with the nine Super Regional events that are tied into the ARA National Championship, the ARA will sanction a minimum of eleven regional events in 2022. The Bristol Forest Rally will add a strong event to the ARA’s regional championships. Confirmed events for next season including: Headwaters and Nemadji (Minn. events), Rally Nevada, Missouri Ozark and the Show-Me Rally, Tour de Forest, Rich Olmstead Regional Rally (part of the Oregon Rally Group and are finalizing details for several other events. The ARA will release the final regional schedule in the coming weeks.

News

ODOT Stresses Motor Safety In “Move Over Day”

Presented By Atomic Speedway

(Columbus) – Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, AAA, the Ohio Turnpike, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and The Risk Institute are recognizing Move-Over Day, Saturday, Oct. 16, by reminding Ohio drivers to move over and slow down for any vehicle with flashing lights parked on the roadside.

This effort is part of a larger multi-agency campaign that includes social media messaging every Monday with the hashtags #MoveOverMonday and #MoveOverOhio.

Crash Data:
According to a new crash analysis from ODOT, 546 crashes have occurred so far in 2021 when drivers failed to move over or slow down for a stationary vehicle with flashing lights. This has caused 21 deaths and 59 serious injuries. Between 2015 and 2020 a total of 5,561 move over-related crashes occurred in Ohio.

“It’s alarming to see the rise of crashes happening throughout our state,” said Governor Mike DeWine. “It’s critically important that all drivers remember to avoid distractions, pay attention, and stay focused on the road.”

The death of a AAA tow provider, Glenn Ewing, 32, highlights how dangerous it is for individuals who work regularly along the shoulders of Ohio’s roads. Ewing was killed while placing a disabled vehicle on the back of a flatbed near Cincinnati on July 4, 2021.

“The men and women who work on our roads have a simple request for drivers: ‘Help us get home safe at the end of the day.’ Moving over and slowing down allows them to do that,” said ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks.

Lack of Understanding Among Drivers:
A survey conducted by The Ohio State University found gaps in Ohioans’ knowledge of the state’s Move Over law, especially when it comes to construction crews and tow trucks.

“Survey data shows that many Ohioans still don’t move over for tow truck operators, construction vehicles or disabled vehicles,” said Executive Director Ferzan M. Ahmed, P.E., Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. “Since 2015, two tow truck operators have been killed on the Ohio Turnpike. Their families will have to bear the loss of their loved ones for the rest of their lives. People have the responsibility to obey the law in order to keep all roadside workers and motorists safe from injury and death.”

All 50 states and the District of Columbia have a Move Over law to protect individuals on the roadside. Ohio’s law requires all drivers to move over and slow down for any vehicle parked on the side of the road with flashing lights, no matter the color of the lights or the number of lanes.

Startling new data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety finds:

  • Nearly a quarter (23%) of drivers are unaware of their state’s Move Over law.
  • In addition, 42% of drivers who do not comply with Move Over laws at all times said they thought their behavior was somewhat or not dangerous at all to roadside emergency workers.

“The recent AAA Foundation data demonstrates that drivers may not realize how risky it is for those working or stranded along highways and roads close to moving traffic,” said Kimberly Schwind with the Ohio Conference of AAA Clubs.

Enforcement and Education are Key: 
Those who do not comply with Ohio’s Move Over Law are subject to charges and fines. The law is strictly enforced. In fact, in 2020, the Ohio State Highway Patrol issued 7,829 citations for those failing to move over or slow down. So far this year, there have been 3,576 citations issued.

“Moving over or slowing down for stationary vehicles with flashing lights isn’t just the law; it’s the right thing to do,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. “By motorists making this a standard practice, we can make Ohio safer for everyone working along our roadways.”

Law enforcement is not immune to the consequences of not moving over. On Sept. 4, 2021 a vehicle struck Sergeant Fernando Chavez’ Ohio State Highway Patrol car while he was completing a traffic stop on the shoulder of U.S. Route 24 in Defiance County. Sergeant Chavez sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but the passenger in the vehicle that struck him died, and the driver sustained life-threatening injuries.

“The Risk Institute stands with other organizations in support of efforts in Ohio and nationally to raise awareness to Move Over Laws and creating a one lane buffer for all emergency response and service vehicles stopped on our highways,” said Phil Renaud, executive director of The Risk Institute. “Please protect our Public Safety and Emergency Response workers.”

Videos and campaign materials are available for download MoveOver.Ohio.gov.

News

Local M.A.D.E. Rally To Be Held At V.A. Memorial Stadium This Fall

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

There is a location change planned for this fall’s Ross County M.A.D.E. Rally. Instead of being in front of the Ross County Courthouse in downtown Chillicothe, the October 29th morning rally will be held at the Veterans Affairs Memorial Stadium.

M.A.D.E. stands for (My Attitude Determines Everything) and is geared toward positive messaging in an attempt to keep young people away from various types of abuse, including substance abuse.

Organizers estimate there could be as many as 1,800 students attending the 9:30am-noon event on October 29th, coming from schools in Ross, Pickaway, Pike and Highland counties, among possibly others.

American Idol finalist Phillip Murphy will be featured as he will be singing and giving his personal story that should prove appropriate for the M.A.D.E. audience.

The rally is free to all M.A.D.E. members, with membership sign-ups available at the school where high school students attend.

Sports

Former Waverly Baseball Coach Headed To State Hall Of Fame

Presented By Classic Brands

(Photo Courtesy of Waverly Athletic Department)

Retired Waverly High School Baseball Coach Tom Monroe has been notified that he will be inducted into the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame, during their winter baseball clinic this January.

Monroe coached baseball for 26 of the 30 years he taught in the Waverly School System, where he won three SOC championships and seven sectional tournament titles.

Many of Monroe’s former players went on to play college baseball, but two standouts eventually made it to the big leagues. John Shoemaker, who played both basketball and baseball at Miami University, later signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he eventually spent 46 years- mostly as a coach and manager. Another player for Monroe to be drafted in pro baseball was Tim Tackett in the early 1990’s, going to the Boston Red Sox.

Monroe also had some success as a golf coach at Waverly, with his teams placing fourth and sixth at the state tournament in 1993 and 1994.

After retiring from baseball, Monroe coached girls softball at Waverly for two seasons.

Tom is a native of Grove City, Ohio but has spent most of his life in the Waverly area.

News

Bainbridge Fall Festival of Leaves Returns After Year Off

Presented By Hometown-Motors, Inc.

(Above Photo: Sue Johnson, Dan Ramey, Dusty Countryman)

The Bainbridge Fall Festival of Leaves is back this fall after taking last year off due to COVID-19.

This will be year 54 for the festival according to festival committee members Sue Johnson and Dusty Countryman. Sue told Litter Media’s Dan Ramey- “It’s great to be back, least year was a bummer. We were hit hard as we lost 3 members of our committee (to COVID). We hope this will be a wonderful comeback.”

Countryman says it was- “It was definitely different last year (without the festival), as the community had a street fair, which was nice for the community. Since skipping a year, we have added a few things and hope to mix the old with the new, with some new entertainment options that will make it bigger and better.”

The festival was started more than a half-century ago by the Bainbridge Lions Club. After disbanding for a number of years, Bainbridge once again as a Lion’s Club, according to Sue Johnson.

To see Litter Media’s Dan Ramey interview with committee members Sue Johnson and Dusty Countryman, CLICK HERE:

Thursday, October 14th is Preview Night between 5pm-9pm, along with the ribbon cutting and the Queen Pageant Paxton Theatre.

Entertainment on Friday will be Dallas at 6:30pm, followed by the Nashville trio- The Woods. Saturday will feature Aron Jones and the Kool Kats followed by Sean Poole and Buck ’n Wild along with Cincinnati Circus on the Village Green.

Activities go through Sunday afternoon’s parade.