Madison Messenger - February 24th, 2019

PAGE 2 - MADISON MESSENGER - February 24, 2019
Scholarships for veterans
American Legion Post 201 of West Jefferson would like all Ohio
veterans to know that the American Legion Department of Ohio
has scholarship money available to veterans and their children for
higher education. Applications are due by April 15. Visit ohiolegion.com/programs/scholarships.
Dean’s list at Kent State
Rachel Herman of London was named to the fall 2018 dean’s list
at Kent State University. She earned a 4.0 grade point average.
DO IT ALL MOM’S
HELPING MOM’S KEEP UP WITH THE DEMANDS OF LIFE
DO YOU NEED HELP JUGGLING EVERYTHING? CALL US!
Dwyer Chiropractic
Dr. Heather Dwyer & Dr. Penny Shepherd
139 S. Main St., London, Oh
740-852-1965 ~ www.dwyerchiropractic.com
www.madisonmessengernews.com
Interim athletic director hired
By Michael Williamson
Staff Writer
Madison-Plains Local Schools has a new
interim athletic director.
In a 3-1 vote on Feb. 19, the district
school board approved the hiring of David
Brandon Wright to the interim position.
Wright, an assistant athletic director in Circleville,
will officially begin his 68-day contract
on March 1.
Board member Cory Coburn cast the single
vote against the measure. (Board member
Kelly Cooley was absent from the
meeting.) Coburn cited a lack of conversation
about the responsibilities of the position
and of the future full-time director.
“I look at this position as a potential cost
savings, and it challenges (the board) to get
creative with the position,” Coburn said. “I
have a hard time supporting the hiring of an
interim director for, essentially, three
months, without us having that conversa-
MT. STERLING
Continued from page 1
“We have a lot of empty storefronts I
want to see filled. I’d like to see our downtown
area improve,” he said.
As for what he brings to the council table,
Bennett said, “Good common sense.”
Hix is a 29-year resident of Mount Sterling.
He retired six year ago as a machinist
at Armaly Brands in London following a 43-
year career with the company. He and his
wife raised three daughters who all graduated
from Madison-Plains Local Schools. He
tion.”
Coburn added that the district has not had an athletic director
for the last two months and he hoped to have research ahead of the
Feb. 19 meeting on “creative” ways to better utilize the position beyond
athletics.
Superintendent Chad Eisler said there was a “tremendous
amount of work to be done,” including wrapping up the 2018 athletic
year and securing schedules for the upcoming spring and fall.
“We agreed to hire this position and then do the research,” Eisler
said. “Going without an athletic director, in my strong opinion, is
not an option.”
Eisler agreed to regularly update the board on his research into
how other districts structure their athletic director positions.
Also at the meeting, the district spotlighted several student
achievements, including the efforts of district and county spelling
bee participants and the Quick Recall team. Fourth-grade spellers
Chevy Jewell and Brooklyn Fraley were named champion and runner-up,
respectively. Sixth-grader spellers Addison Hawkins and
Matthew Harris were named champion and runner-up, respectively.
The next regular school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m.
March 19.
currently volunteers as a courtesy cart driver at Madison Health in
London.
“I plan to stay living here for a long time, so I want to see the
village improve and get better,” Hix said of his decision to apply for
one of the vacant council seats.
He said he’d like to see a grocery store back in town, adding that
it would help to attract more residents.
Bennett and Hix will serve out the remainder of the unexpired
terms, as will the third appointee. All of the seats that were vacated
expire on Dec. 31, 2021.
About the initial pool of applicants, council member Becky Martin
said she was impressed with the amount of interest. As for what
stood out about Bennett and Hix, she said, “Their demeanor, levelheadedness
and sense of pride in the community.”
MURDER
Continued from page 1
take a stash of marijuana and cash from the roommates at gunpoint.
In the ensuing melée, all four men were shot, with one bullet
striking and passing through Jackson before striking and fatally
injuring Coffey.
Jackson claimed self-defense as his defense against the charges,
as it was Edmond who fired first and that he was defending himself
from Benson.
Jackson had previously told authorities that he had been shot
by an unknown assailant while in Springfield.
Evidence showed that Benson had been lying on his back at the
time that he was shot, with his assailant on top, and that his body
bore two muzzle burns on the chest, indicating firing at extremely
close range. The bullet, recovered after Benson’s body was removed
from the scene, was buried approximately 9 inches into the ground.
A magnum .357 revolver matching the bullet used to kill Benson
was found at the fence line of the apartment complex. The DNA in
blood samples taken from the fence and the revolver matched Jackson’s
DNA.
After the gun battle, Jackson drove himself to Springfield Regional
Medical Center for treatment before being transferred to a
hospital in Dayton. Edmond, who was not charged in the incident,
was driven to Madison Health by a neighbor. Coffey was transported
to Grant Medical Center in Columbus where he later succumbed
from his injuries. Benson died at the scene, on the ground
outside of the apartment.
On Feb. 15, a tearful Jackson looked to the audience and said, “I
love you, Mom,” before being escorted out of the courtroom.
Sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. March 8.