South Messenger - May 2nd, 2021

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PAGE 8 - MESSENGER - May 2, 2021 www.columbusmessenger.com Lockbourne area cemeteries are rich in history By Linda Dillman Staff Writer The history of Lockbourne is written both on the land and in its cemeteries. Pioneer graves dating to 1811 and graves of those who aided or served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, and Civil War can be found on these hallowed grounds. North of Lockbourne, along the east side of Lockbourne Road, is the Landes Cemetery, a small patch of land in the middle of a farm field with approximately 30 graves and long thought to be a “plague” cemetery where the burials were a result of a devastating disease. The earliest recorded grave in this cemetery is for Jacob Landes, who passed away at age 12 on May 12, 1811. “Jacob Landes’ family lived in Lockbourne and Landis Street is named after the family,” said Lockbourne Mayor Christie Ward. The last interment in Landes Cemetery is John Plum’s, who was 10 when he passed away in February 1859. With more than four decades between the first and last burials and no identifiable clusters of deaths within a specific year, the idea that a majority of the burials was due to a plague comes into question. What is not disputable is the grave of Messenger photo by Linda Dillman Peggy Mefferd, a relative of Revolutionary War patriot John Decker and a member of the Worthington Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, pauses at Decker’s gravesite in Lockbourne. The chapter sponsored the placement of a memorial plaque at the foot of Decker’s tombstone. Messenger South John Decker in the Decker Cemetery, a family plot in a field near the Lockbourne Post Office. Decker passed away in 1828 and his burial site is commemorated with a plaque noting Decker’s history as a Revolutionary War Patriot. Pvt. John Reid–a veteran of the War of 1812 and John Decker’s brother-in-law– was born in 1792, passed away in 1838 and is also buried in the Decker Cemetery, along with fellow War of 1812 veteran Pvt. Luke Decker, the son of John Decker. Civil War veterans Jacob Mourer and Pvt. John Parkinson are buried in other village cemeteries–which include the Old Lockbourne Cemetery and the Ray Watkins Cemetery–along with World War I veteran Oscar Ruechel, who served in the U.S. Army in 1918. “These veterans are part of Lockbourne’s history and are to be remembered for their service in preserving our freedoms. We are thankful for their commitment to this country,” said Lockbourne Village Administrator Jane McJunkin. The interment generating the most public interest of its day was for Israel Jordan, who passed away at age 80 in 1903 following a four-day search, according to uncredited newspaper articles of the time. Jordan walked away from his home in Pharisburg, Ohio (Near Marysville) without notice on Feb. 4, bought a train ticket to Cincinnati and, after a relative notified police of his great uncle’s disappearance, was discovered two days later in a Kentucky stable. Jordan, in poor health and suffering from exposure, was taken to an infirmary in Cincinnati. A doctor in his hometown offered to provide a place for him to stay if he could be transported back to Pharisburg, but before a distant relative could pick him up, he passed away in Cincinnati on Feb. 7. Lockbourne Veterans Park The village of Lockbourne is fundraising for its new Veterans Park. The flag packages for the American and military flags have been sold, however, the park is still in need of donations for a gazebo and two pergolas with swings. If you would like to make a donation, contact the village office at (614) 491-3161. He was later buried in the Decker Cemetery. According to Ward, Lockbourne is responsible for the upkeep of cemeteries within village limits. “In 2013, Operation Flag led by Joe Testa with ROTC students from Grove City High School, Franklin Heights High School and Westland High School restored the tombstones in the Old Lockbourne Cemetery,” said Ward. “A rededication ceremony was held on May 27, 2013.” Lockbourne Council Lockbourne Village Council meets the second and fourth Mondays of each month at 7 p.m. Council meets in-person at the Lockbourne Historical Hall at 206 Vause St., Lockbourne. The public may join the meeting virtually through Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting, go to the village website at www.lockbourneohio.us and click on the link to the meeting.
www.columbusmessenger.com May 2, 2021 - MESSENGER - PAGE 9 MORPC’s air quality report reveals ozone levels The Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission released its annual air quality report. The report provides a summary of air quality data from November 2019 to October 2020. Findings from the 2019-2020 air quality season show low ozone levels during the shutdown in the spring, along with a typical number of high ozone pollution days in the summer. “While we experienced more days that fell in the ‘good’ range of ozone pollution due to a rainy spring and a decrease in the number of cars and trucks on our roadways during the pandemic shutdown during the past year, we still experienced a hot summer, with two days of high ozone pollution — on par with the past five years,” said Brooke White, MORPC senior air quality specialist. Ground-level ozone levels peaked when warm temperatures and sunlight, mixed PROJECT Continued from page 1 space needed by the schools to address growth. “It’s a beautiful area and we don’t want to see it sullied with warehouses,” said Davisson, who expects the development to take up to 20 years for a full build out. Spring Clean-up Day A Spring Clean-up Day is scheduled for May 14 on Obetz’s normal trash collection day. Waste Management is sending more trucks to the area to pick up additional waste. Household appliances and other large items will be collected. However, Freon must be removed from refrigerators by a certified technician and a sticker attached, along with removal of doors. Swing sets and similar large items should be broken up into pieces no larger that four feet in length. Mattresses, couches and padded chairs should be wrapped in APARTMENTS Continued from page 1 the intersection to the village corporation line. A multi-use path will be constructed along Bixby Road.” Corbitt said the turns lanes “will provide a safer intersection while providing additional capacity to Groveport Road.” The intersection handles a large traffic flow, especially on Groveport Road during peak morning and afternoon rush hours. The intersection’s current configuration often sees traffic back ups on Groveport Road when drivers attempt to turn left onto Bixby Road. Residents of nearby Fairchild Estates have noted it is difficult at times to access Groveport Road from their subdivision due to the traffic. “The highest a.m. peak hour is approximately 1,100 vehicles and the highest p.m. peak hour for traffic is approximately 1,200 vehicles,” said Corbitt of the intersection. plastic. Carpet bundles should not exceed four feet in length or two feet in diameter. Paint or paint cans that do not exceed five gallons are acceptable and must be empty or ensure the paint is dry. Place all yard waste in a refuse container or paper bag no larger than 40 gallons/60 pounds. For a full list of unacceptable materials including concrete, asphalt, rocks, soil, oils, propane, fuel, auto parts and household hazardous waste visit the Waste Management Website. The village is also conducting a Spring Tire Disposal on May 14, 4-6 p.m. and May 15, 9-11 a.m. in the dumpster at the Street Department building, 4100 Orchard Lane. There is no cost, but there is a limit of 12 tires per household and you must show proof of Obetz residency before dumping tires. Other proposed Groveport Road apartments rejected by Groveport Last December, Groveport City Council rejected plans for a proposed 144-unit apartment complex on 8.3 acres on the north side of west Groveport Road on property bounded by the Groveport Church of Christ on the west, storage units across the road to the south, and a single family lot to the north and east. Groveport City Administrator B.J. King said the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission did not recommend the proposal for approval citing that the city’s overall plans for the area call for commercial and industrial development; the possible impact of more students to the Groveport Madison school district the development could bring; and potential traffic issues on busy west Groveport Road. with pollutants, enhanced the formation of ozone. This resulted in unhealthy levels of air pollution triggering air quality alerts. July 6 and July 9 were the only days that air pollution levels reached the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range for ozone on the air quality index. The index value was measured at 101 on both days. There were not any days when particle pollution reached the “unhealthy for sensitive groups” range during the 2019-2020 season. MORPC issues daily air quality forecasts and notifies the public when ozone and particle pollution levels are considered to be unhealthy for sensitive groups of people. On days with an air quality alert, children, older adults, and those with lung illnesses such as asthma can begin to experience symptoms like shortness of breath and wheezing. Over the past 28 years, the number of days with high ozone has generally declined in central Ohio, driven mostly by emissions reductions from vehicles. In addition, above-average precipitation in Ohio over the past year helped to achieve a higher number of days with “good” levels of air quality in regard to both ozone and particle pollution. The monthly average of ozone concentrations in 2020 were lower than the 2015- 2019 averages, most significantly in March, April and May. In March through May, Ohio experienced lower levels of travel by as much as 40 percent compared to 2019. However, the region also experienced markedly cooler, wetter weather during these months, which led to less ozone creation. “While 2020 was certainly a unique and challenging year, it also was an opportunity to measure the impact of less vehicle emissions on our air in a very real way,” said MORPC Planning and Sustainability Director Kerstin Carr. “These positive data points can help us advance the important programs and initiatives that contribute to cleaner air.” Local mobility providers and programs, such as MORPC’s Gohio Commute program, Downtown C-pass and Smart Columbus — that encourage ridesharing, driving electric vehicles, riding transit, biking and walking — all help in keeping harmful pollutants out of the air. The Central Ohio Air Quality End of Season Report can be viewed at morpc.org/airquality, where residents can find additional information and sign up to receive free air quality alert notifications. Capital Crimes Report Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost issued the 2020 Capital Crimes Report, an annual accounting and procedural history of each case that has resulted in a death sentence in Ohio since 1981, the year the state’s current death penalty law was enacted. From 1981 through 2020, according to the report, a total of 140 death sentences remained active, with many under review in state and federal courts. Last year, one individual received a death sentence and was added to death row. Since the law’s creation 40 years ago, 336 people have been sentenced to death in Ohio. Five of those people received two death sentences, resulting in a total of 341 death sentences. Fifty-six of the death sentences — one of every six — have been carried out, according to the report, noting that nearly the same number of death row inmates have avoided execution, either by having their sentences commuted (21) or by dying of natural causes or suicide before the sentence could be imposed (33). Eight have been removed because they are intellectually disabled and, therefore, constitutionally ineligible for the death penalty. Delays in the judicial system have compounded the issue. For example, at the end of 2020, there were 23 death penalty cases that had been pending for more than 10 years in federal district court. An additional nine federal cases have seen no activity for two years. There were seven cases pending in state courts that have seen no activity in the past two years. There were 11 death penalty cases for which state and federal reviews have been completed but the prosecution has yet to file a motion with the Ohio Supreme Court to set a date for the sentence to be carried out — a pointless act in the current stalemate over the method of execution. “In short, Ohio imposes death sentences on perpetrators of brutal and revolting murders, then spends years debating, reviewing, appealing and failing to act on those decisions,” according to the report.
Page 1 and 2: Messenger South May 2-15, 2021 www.
Page 3 and 4: www.columbusmessenger.com Photos co
Page 5 and 6: www.columbusmessenger.com Active Li
Page 7: www.columbusmessenger.com Active Li
Page 11 and 12: www.columbusmessenger.com Blues and
Page 13 and 14: www.columbusmessenger.com Columbus
Page 15 and 16: www.columbusmessenger.com May 2, 20

South Messenger - May 2nd, 2021

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?