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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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