(Swanton)- “Did you hear the boom?” That was a common question being asked on social media by residents throughout the Scioto Valley Wednesday night, after sonic booms were heard as a result of Ohio Air National Guard night flying training that’s taking place this week.
(Photo Courtesy of Ohio Air National Guard 180th Fighter Wing)
The 180th Fighter Wing, based in Swanton, Ohio near Toledo is conducting the night training in the region Monday through Thursday.
“Training flights normally take place during daylight hours, but F-16 pilots and maintenance personnel are required to conduct night operations as part of their overall readiness training,” the spokesperson said.
F-16’s might be heard until about 9pm each day this week.
As it has done for many years, the Fairfield County Fair in Lancaster is closing the Ohio county fair season with their annual run through October 16th.
This is year 171 for the Fairfield County Fair.
Attractions include bull riding, truck & tractor pull, horse pull, demolition derbies, mule races and harness racing. There are also exhibits and rides for all ages.
Auto Demo Derby concludes the fair, with Friday and Saturday events at 7:30pm each night.
(View from Mount Pleasant)
For a full slate of activities and entertainment, go to our link to the. Fairfield County Fair website. CLICK HERE:
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—In remembrance of the more than 500,000 Americans who have died due to COVID-19, including more than 14,000 Ohioans, Governor DeWine has ordered that the flags of the United States and the State of Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout the state until sunset on February 26th, 2021.
This order was issued today in accordance with the order issued by the President of the United States of America.
The milestone in U.S. deaths caused by the virus comes as the number of positive COVID-19 cases have been dropping in recent weeks.
The global number of new coronavirus cases has declined by 16 percent over the past week, the World Health Organization said, even as more virulent strains of the virus spurred outbreaks in multiple regions. There has been a similar reduction in the global number of deaths, the agency added.
New daily cases in the U.S. have dropped below 100,000 each day, except two, over the last couple of weeks.
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced key staff changes within his administration.
Governor DeWine named LeeAnne Cornyn his Director of Cabinet Affairs. Kristi Burre will serve in Cornyn’s previous capacity as the Director of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative.
“Moments after being sworn in as governor, I signed an executive order to prioritize success and opportunities for all of Ohio’s children,” said Governor DeWine. “I know Director Burre will continue a strong and unparalleled advocacy for addressing problems that affect children the most, including economic disadvantage, the educational gap, foster care, and physical and mental health. I’m grateful for the dedicated leadership of Director Cornyn leadership over the past two years. As the Director of Cabinet Affairs, she will take on an even greater role in my administration, as a liaison between myself and my executive cabinet.”
Ryan Burgess, Governor DeWine’s previous Director of Cabinet Affairs, has begun a new position as the CEO of Goodwill Columbus.
Kristi Burre, Director of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative
Having worked as a caseworker, supervisor, administrator, trainer and director, Burre has over 20 years of experience in the child protection field at the county and state level. For the last two years, Burre headed the Office of Children Services Transformation, a foster care reform initiative launched by Governor DeWine through another executive order he signed after being sworn in. Before that, she served as the Deputy Director of Protective Services at Fairfield County Job & Family Services.
Additionally, Burre has been a trainer for the Ohio Child Welfare Training Program and the Safe & Together Institute. She has held leadership positions for many state and local organizations committed to better protecting children, including the Fairfield County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Board, the Ohio Children’s Trust Fund and the Ohio START Leadership Committee. Burre holds a Bachelor of Arts from Capital University and Master of Arts from Ohio University.
LeeAnne Cornyn, Director of Cabinet Affairs
Cornyn has spent nearly seven years serving Governor Mike DeWine, including in his role as Ohio’s Attorney General. She began her state service as an Assistant Attorney General in 2014, and in 2015, she was named Director of Children’s Initiatives in the Attorney General’s office. Cornyn was among Governor-elect Mike DeWine’s first cabinet appointments, being named as the Director of the Governor’s Children’s Initiative in 2018. In this role, Cornyn focused on coordinating efforts between agencies to improve outcomes in maternal and child health, early childhood education, and foster care.
Cornyn holds a Bachelor of Arts from Miami University and a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. She is a former Teach for America corps member, having taught 8th grade science in Los Angeles.
During his news conference Monday afternoon, Governor Mike DeWine said 90% of Ohio’s retail shops will be open for business come Tuesday May 12th.
Those businesses are also expected to follow the Responsible Restart Ohio guidelines SEE MORE HERE.
“Each individual business will determine if customers will be required to wear face coverings” said DeWine.
Next in the phase to reopen Ohio, salons, barbershops and outdoor dining at restaurants Friday May 15th with indoor dining May 21st. READ MORE HERE
The Governor said his team isn’t ready to make an announcement regarding Child Care Services.
As for Ross County, Chillicothe-Ross Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Mike Throne said while guesting on The City of Chillicothe Ohio’s Facebook Page with Mayor Luke Feeney, “Follow the rules. Now’s not the time to decide you’re gonna try to do something outside of the rules.” Throne was citing his words to Chamber members last Friday.
“It’s time to get things together and start opening and hopefully start your business’s recovery.”
***UPDATE: Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections reports Chillicothe Correctional Institute has one inmate testing positive for COVID-19 and one in isolation. SEE ODRC DASHBOARD
“The world we are going to see is a different world” Governor Mike DeWine said during his Thursday afternoon news conference. “… and the world in the workplace is going to be different.”
DeWine said Ohio will begin reopening for business once the stay-at-home order is lifted May 1st. DeWine says officials are working on a plan which he will detail in the coming days towards the expiration of the order. Exactly which businesses will be reopened is yet to be determined.
Businesses that have remained open during the stay-at-home order have been in a type of trial run for how businesses will operate. DeWine said he’s talked with Ohio’s hospital leaders to report with the types of services the can resume doing and maintain safety. One of the challenges he says is “businesses putting into place” the safe guards being used by those essential businesses practiced during the order.
The Ohio Department of Health continues to advise safe distancing, wearing masks and
DeWine strongly suggested Ohioans to make wearing a mask an every day practice when in public. “It’s the courteous thing to do, it’s the safest thing to do, is to wear a mask. This is going to be the thing we do until we’re done with the virus.”
The number of COVID-19 confirmed cases has risen to 8,239 in Ohio with 2,331 hospitalizations and 389 total deaths.
As of 2pm Thursday, Pickaway County continued to lead our region with cases (196). Fairfield county was second (96). Ross County Health District reported (25) and Fayette County (12).
Ohio’s prison system has been a concern during the pandemic. Pickaway County Correctional Institute has 152 inmates in isolation with 132 having tested positive and three deaths. Marion Correctional has 92 inmates in isolation and tested positive.
As for the two prisons in Ross County, Chillicothe Correctional Institution has just one inmate in isolation and Ross Correctional has none impacted. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections COVID-19 report was updated Thursday afternoon showing CCI with one inmate testing positive. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE UPDATED ODRC DASHBOARD
