Madison Messenger - August 29th, 2021

More documents

Recommendations

Info

PAGE 4 - MADISON MESSENGER - August 29, 2021 www.madisonmessengernews.com Dog park upgrades, park benches, EV chargers By Kristy Zurbrick Madison Editor Recent and upcoming improvements in the city of London run from fun stuff for pooches to installation of personalized benches and charging stations for electronic vehicles. Dog Park The city’s dog park, located at the corner of Elm Street and Keny Boulevard, now features play equipment for visiting canines. The new features include two tunnel runs, a jump obstacle, a t- bar with tug-o-war ropes attached, and a walkup structure with a ramp on one side, steps on the other, and a shaded landing at the top. The features are located on the side of the park reserved for larger dogs. “It’s a big, nice open field for dogs to run. This just gives them a little more stuff to play on and enjoy themselves,” said Mayor Patrick Closser. The new equipment cost $6,900. City council approved covering the cost with general fund money. The city eliminated pricey installation fees by using a combination of volunteers and in-house employees. Members of the London City Schools administrative team and street department employees installed the equipment on Aug. 3. “Anytime we get playground equipment, we do this. It really saves a lot of money,” said Closser, who also helped with installation. The city opened the dog park in October 2018. The fenced-in area provides dog owners with a place to let their dogs run freely. Other amenities include doggie drinking fountains and a shelter house. Benches The city has started a project whereby individuals or groups can sponsor new benches at Cowling Park. The benches cost $750 each. The cost includes a personalized plaque. Sponsors can honor loved ones or recognize local community organizations on the plaques. “People are loving these benches,” Closser said, “but I’ve also heard and seen people saying that they’re so expensive.” He noted the benches are of high quality and built to last. They are six feet long, made out of recycled materials, feature cast aluminum frames, and attach to concrete pads. He emphasized that **** FRIDAY SPECIALS **** 20 lb. Cylinder..............Fillied For Only........$9.00 30 lb. Cylinder..........Filled For Only....$13.50 40 lb. Cylinder..........Filled For Only....$18.00 100 lb. Cylinder........Filled For Only....$45.00 Buy 10 Bags of Softener Salt & Get One FREE! (pickup only) Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7:30 am - 4:00 pm (740) 852-3709 - (888) 852-3709 731 Rt. 42 S.W., LONDON, OHIO CALL FOR DETAILS the project is not a money-maker for the city. The benches themselves cost $750; the city covers the cost of the engraved plaques and cement pads on which the benches sit. “We actually lose a little bit (of money) by doing each one, but it’s a great thing for our community,” Closser said. To date, the city has installed four benches around the Park’s playground equipment, giving parents places to sit and watch their children play. A sponsor for a fifth bench recently contacted the city. As more sponsors come in, the plan is to continue to add benches where needed and replace existing benches. For details about sponsoring a bench, contact Amy Rees at the city administrative office, 20 S. Walnut St., Suite 100, (740) 852-3243, arees@londonohio.gov. Electronic Vehicle Charging Stations The city is one step closer to installing charging stations for electronic vehicles at two downtown sites. On Aug. 19, city council members voted to set aside $30,000 to purchase three charging stations. Once the stations are installed, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will reimburse the city for the expense. Rees, executive assistant for the city’s administrative offices, spearheaded the project, applying for and receiving the EPA grant. Initially, the grant was going to cover two Josie, a 4-month-old Boxer pup, tries out one of the new tunnel double port charging stations. Prices have runs at the London Dog Park. Josie’s human, Amy Rees, is executive assistant for the city of London’s administrative offices. dropped, Rees said, so the city is adding a single port station to the project’s scope. ing Park, across from Madison Health. One of the double port stations will be located in the city’s public parking lot at the rather than for full charges. All three stations are designed for users to top off their vehicles corner of Oak Street and Second Avenue. A While the grant program permits the city to charge users for the single port unit will sit along the curb on electricity they consume, Rees said there are no plans to do so at Second Avenue. this time. The other double port station is destined The city has ordered the stations. Installation will take place for Park Avenue in parking spaces at Cowl- later this year. BOE certifies Boerger’s petition By Kristy Zurbrick Madison Editor One candidate whose petition was rejected has won his way onto the Nov. 2 general election ballot. Michael Boerger had submitted a petition to the Madison County Board of Elections to run for one of the Pike Township trustee seats up for election. Upon initial review of Boerger’s petition, the bipartisan board found issues that invalidated three of the 27 signees, leaving Boerger one signee short of the required number. Trustee candidates must collect at least 25 valid signatures from registered voters, along with accurate accompanying information. Boerger secured legal counsel to protest the board’s decision. At the board’s Aug. 23 meeting, Boerger’s legal counsel presented two notarized affidavits. One of the affidavits was from an individual who printed his name on the petition rather than signing it which meant it didn’t match the signature the board had on file. The individual confirmed his identity as the person who printed his name. The other affidavit was from an individual whose handwriting made his address difficult to read. He confirmed his address. The board accepted the two signees as valid and certified Boerger for the ballot. Boerger was the only person to file for the Pike Township trustee race. Two seats are up for election. Write-in Candidates The deadline to file as a write-in candidate for the fall election was 4 p.m. Aug. 23. The board of elections received three write-in applications prior to their morning meeting on Aug. 23. They certified all three. Charles Peters III is a write-in candidate for Deercreek Township trustee. He and Robert J. Turvy Jr. are running for the two seats up for election. John E. Griffith and Joel Daniel Call are write-in candidates for the Range Township trustee race. They and Dennis K. Marshall are running for the two seats up for election. The board received a fourth write-in application after their morning meeting on Aug. 23 and before the 4 p.m. deadline. They will meet on Aug. 31 to review David A. Junk’s application to run as a write-in candidate for the Range Township trustee race.
www.madisonmessengernews.com August 29, 2021 - MADISON MESSENGER - Page 5 Health commissioner: Wear a mask indoors According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 Data Tracker, community transmission of COVID-19 has reached the “high” threshold in Madison County. In the first three weeks of August, more than 160 new cases of COVID- 19 have been reported to Madison County Public Health. This nearly equals the total number of cases reported during the months of May, June and July combined. In response to the rapid increase in cases, Madison County Health Commissioner Chris Cook is asking everyone age 2 and older to wear a mask when indoors. Cook notes this is neither a mandate nor a recommendation. “I’m going to call this what it is. It’s a plea,” Cook said. He is urging vaccinated and unvaccinated people to wear masks now while transmission is high. “Wear a mask indoors at church, schools, indoor events, meetings, and in the workplace,” he advised. The CDC’s four-tiered system measures the level of community transmission in each county in the country based on population. “Low” transmission for Madison County is considered to be no more than five cases per week. “Moderate” transmission is considered to be between five and 21 cases per week, while “substantial” transmission is 22 to 45 cases per week. “High” transmission is more than 45 cases per week. During the last week, 59 new cases have been reported in Madison The 100th Phillips family reunion was held Aug. 1 at the home of Tim and Dorothy Phillips Amling, four miles east of London. The Amlings have hosted the reunion for 23 or 24 years. The reunion was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID- 19 pandemic. That would have marked the 100th consecutive year. The reunion was started the first Sunday of August around town County. Cook cites the sudden surge in cases and the unique aggressiveness of the delta variant as the reasons why even vaccinated people should be wearing a mask right now. “Our COVID-19 vaccines do an amazing job at preventing severe illness, but they do not stop all transmission of the virus,” he reported. Compared to early variations of the virus, the delta variant multiplies much more quickly. “The delta variant turns your body into a high-speed photocopier. It’s overwhelming what it can do in a short amount of time,” Cook noted. Unvaccinated people have a high risk of getting very sick and ending up in the hospital while vaccinated people have a very low risk. “The pandemic is not over. When we have this much transmission of a new variant, everyone needs to do their part and wear a mask,” Cook said. The COVID-19 delta variant is currently the predominant strain in Ohio. Experts estimate that the delta variant is 50 percent more contagious than the alpha variant, which is itself 50 percent more contagious than the original virus that started the pandemic. Until vaccine becomes available to all ages, Cook said the need to protect those who cannot yet get a vaccine has never been greater. “We have a vastly more contagious variant of the virus, and those under 12 cannot get vaccinated yet. Phillips family holds100th reunion 1920 at the farm house of William (Billy) Phillips in Pickaway County. Forty-two family members attended this year’s celebration. At 1 p.m., everyone enjoyed a delicious meal. The rest of the afternoon was spent in fellowship, while the youth enjoyed swimming, fishing, tennis and paddle boating. Masks are key right now,” he said. When worn correctly and consistently, masks work to keep droplets carrying the virus contained behind the mask. They also help keep airborne droplets from being inhaled. Masks work best when everyone wears them, according to Cook. “Masks are for now, not forever,” he said. “We need to recognize what is going on around us, act like a community, and make respectful choices.” Contact t us toda y to find out how you can save money on your home insurance Dwyer Insurance Agency 63 N. Main Street London, OH 43140 (740)852-0654 Ashley Winebrenner, Agent Prepare for unexpected power outages with a Generac home standby generator REQUEST A FREE QUOTE! 844-334-8353 FREE 7-Year Extended Warranty* A $695 Value! Limited Time Offer - Call for Details Special Financing Available Subject to Credit Approval A FREE ESTIMATE 15 10 5 YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE * 1-855-995-2490 % % % OFF + OFF + OFF An independent agency representing *To qualify, consumers must request a quote, purchase, install and activate the generator with a participating dealer. Call for a full list of terms and conditions. SENIOR & MILITARY DISCOUNTS YEAR-ROUND CLOG-FREE GUARANTEE TO THE FIRST 50 CALLERS! ** | Promo Number: 285 The Phillips family held their 100th reunion on Aug. 1 near London. Madison-Plains Scholarship Foundation The Madison-Plains Scholarship Foundation will not be holding its annual October fundraising dinner due to COVID-19. Since we will continue to award scholarships, we still appreciate all donations. Please send donations payable to the Madison-Plains Scholarship Foundation, care of Richard Schneider, at the following address: 12460 Fralick Road, South Solon, OH 43153. Thank you for all your years of support.
Page 1 and 2: FALL 2021 SPORTS REPORT pages madis
Page 3: www.madisonmessengernews.com August
Page 7 and 8: www.madisonmessengernews.com Ox Roa
Page 9 and 10: www.madisonmessengernews.com FALL S
Page 21 and 22: www.madisonmessengernews.com commun
Page 23 and 24: www.madisonmessengernews.com August
Page 25 and 26: www.madisonmessngernews.com xLegal
Page 27 and 28: www.madisonmessengernews.com Homes

Madison Messenger - August 29th, 2021

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?