Canal Winchester Messenger - January 24th, 2021
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www.columbusmessenger.com<br />
A legacy of learning<br />
By Rick Palsgrove<br />
Managing editor<br />
The Wagnalls Memorial Library and<br />
Wagnalls Memorial Foundation have<br />
always supported and embraced the ideals<br />
regarding the importance of education.<br />
As part of that ongoing educational<br />
legacy, The Wagnalls Scholarship Program<br />
for <strong>2021</strong> is seeking applicants. There are<br />
eight different scholarship categories to<br />
choose from, each one meant especially for<br />
graduating seniors living in Lithopolis and<br />
the Bloom Township area (<strong>Canal</strong><br />
<strong>Winchester</strong> students are eligible as long as<br />
they live in Bloom Township). These<br />
include scholarships for arts and education<br />
degrees, as well as a four-year scholarship.<br />
Visit www.wagnalls.org for more details<br />
and requirements for each scholarship,<br />
including how to apply or call (614) 837-<br />
4765 ext 126. The application deadline is<br />
March 11. Applications for <strong>2021</strong>-22 became<br />
available in <strong>January</strong>.<br />
“Mabel Wagnalls Jones established, as<br />
one aspect of her bequest to The Wagnalls<br />
Memorial Foundation, a fund to provide<br />
scholarships for students residing in Bloom<br />
Township with preference to Lithopolis,”<br />
said Sarah Mayzum, Wagnalls Memorial<br />
program manager. “The first scholarships<br />
were awarded in 1948. She intended the<br />
scholarships be used for attending institutions<br />
of learning, music and arts, subjects<br />
near to her heart.”<br />
Mayzum said that, over the years<br />
American Legion Post 677, Charles V.<br />
Moore and A.B. and Hazel Weiser have<br />
funded scholarships that are currently<br />
<strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> man<br />
sentenced for sex crimes<br />
According to United States Attorney<br />
David DeVillers of the Southern District of<br />
Ohio, a <strong>Canal</strong> <strong>Winchester</strong> man was sentenced<br />
to more than 16 years in prison for<br />
sexually exploiting minor females<br />
Jeffrey A. Fisher, 49, of <strong>Canal</strong><br />
<strong>Winchester</strong>, was sentenced in U.S. District<br />
Court today to 200 months in prison for<br />
sexually exploiting at least three minor<br />
females between February and May 2019.<br />
According to court documents, Fisher<br />
met a 14-year-old girl from Michigan<br />
through an online app and solicited nude<br />
photographs from the girl.<br />
Fisher’s plea agreement details online<br />
conversations between him and the victim<br />
in which he makes sexually-explicit<br />
demands of the victim and states, “That<br />
was a test to see if you would be obedient”<br />
and “im (sic) testing you to see if you’ll obey<br />
and be a good slave.”<br />
During their investigation into Fisher’s<br />
conduct, law enforcement officials discovered<br />
Fisher had also victimized female<br />
minors from Columbus and New Jersey.<br />
Forensic examinations of Fisher’s and the<br />
victim’s electronics revealed sexually<br />
crime news<br />
administered by The Wagnalls<br />
Foundation.<br />
“Last year the Wagnalls Memorial<br />
scholarship committee voted to add several<br />
major-specific scholarship and a volunteer<br />
scholarship to the scholarships offered<br />
from the Mabel Wagnalls Jones fund,” said<br />
Mayzum. “Also new last year is the ‘Style<br />
to a Tea’ scholarship, sponsored by the<br />
annual ‘Style to a Tea’ event held by local<br />
business owner Kathy Moling.”<br />
Mayzum said there are 13 scholarships<br />
available to apply for the <strong>2021</strong>-22 school<br />
year. Students may apply for more than<br />
one scholarship, but only one scholarship<br />
per student will be awarded.<br />
“Although the scholarships no longer<br />
meet the total financial obligation of a student<br />
attending college, The Wagnalls<br />
Memorial is pleased to be able to recognize<br />
the hard work of our local students in a<br />
small way,” said Mayzum. “Because we<br />
serve such a small community, we typically<br />
are able award scholarships to the majority<br />
of applicants.”<br />
She said approximately more than<br />
3,200 students have received scholarships<br />
over the history of the program.<br />
“The amount awarded since the scholarship<br />
program started is over $7 million,”<br />
said Mayzum.<br />
Last year’s Wagnalls Scholarship<br />
Program awardees were: Lane Eggleston,<br />
Jessie Mayne, Lauren Lyons, Abby<br />
Arementrout, Roxy Kuzma, Drew Kotwis,<br />
Annalise Grammel, Kaylee Phillips, Alex<br />
Mobley, Sadie Williams, Skylar Allen,<br />
Jenifer Grote, and Trace Wisecarver.<br />
explicit photographs of the victims.<br />
At the time of his offense, Fisher was a<br />
registered sex offender as the result of a<br />
local 2012 conviction.<br />
Fisher was convicted in Franklin<br />
County Court of Common Pleas of attempted<br />
illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented<br />
material and four counts of unlawful sexual<br />
conduct with a minor. He was sentenced<br />
to five years in prison.<br />
Homicide in<br />
Madison Township<br />
On Jan. 8, Madison Township Police<br />
responded to a domestic complaint on Harbor<br />
Boulevard involving an injured person.<br />
According to the Madison Township<br />
Police, officers arrived on the scene at 8:19<br />
a.m. and located and quickly took the suspect<br />
into custody.<br />
Upon locating the victim, officers<br />
immediately rendered first aid and called<br />
for a medic. However, the victim passed<br />
away around 8:30 a.m.<br />
The Madison Township Police<br />
Department is working with the Franklin<br />
County Sheriff’s Detective Bureau, which<br />
is investigating this incident as a homicide.<br />
Lockbourne winter hikes<br />
A winter hike will be held on the village<br />
of Lockbourne’s Magnolia Trails, 154<br />
Commerce St., on Feb. 20 from 11 a.m. to 1<br />
p.m. See Big Walnut Creek and wildlife<br />
including deer, herons, hawks, and ducks.<br />
Also see the historic Ohio and Erie <strong>Canal</strong><br />
locks in Lockbourne and Columbus feeder<br />
canal remnants.<br />
<strong>January</strong> 24, <strong>2021</strong> - MESSENGER - PAGE 3<br />
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Obetz water plant<br />
At Obetz Village Council’s Dec. 31 meeting,<br />
council, the mayor, and village officials<br />
discussed needed improvements to the village<br />
of Obetz’ water plant. Officials indicated<br />
the water plant cannot control water<br />
hardness and is at its current production<br />
capacity. Officials may discuss a potential<br />
increase in water rates.<br />
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