August 11, 2011
Panels review planned Beulah Park move By SARAH SOLE
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Penn National Gaming’s plan to move Beulah Park racing facility from Grove City to Dayton is waiting for decisions from the Ohio State Racing Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission. The lottery and racing commissions are working through timelines and rules regarding video lottery terminals, said
Connie Wehrkamp, spokesperson for Gov. John Kasich’s office. If video lottery terminals are authorized, Penn National would seek permission from the state racing commission to relocate both Beulah P ark and Raceway Park in Toledo to Dayton and Youngstown, respectively, said Bob Tenenbaum, spokesperson for Penn National. Tenenbaum said the process is just
beginning. Though the Ohio General Assembly in mid-July approved legislation that begins the process of allowing lottery terminals at racetracks, it still requires action by the lottery and racing commissions. “We’re still a long way from full authorization by the state,” he said. House Bill 277, which sets up a framework to transfer racing permits, doesn’t become law until the middle of
October, said Robert Schmitz, Ohio State Racing Commission chairman. “It’s my intent for the racing commission to set up rules for the procedure,” he said, saying the commission has from now until October to discuss it. H.B. 277 allows a horse-racing permit holder who is eligible to become a video lottery sales agent to apply to the racing commission to move its track to another location.
Tenenbaum said the lottery terminal authorization is the “driving factor behind the move.” Other contributing factors include decreased revenue at all Ohio racetracks and the fact Penn National plans to open Hollywood Casino Columbus at the former Delphi site at West Broad Street and Georgesville Road. That location See PANELS, page A2
More restaurants coming to the city
FUN IN THE MUD
By SARAH SOLE
ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Photos by Adam Cairns/ThisWeek
(Above) Tyson Roberts of “Uncle Frank’s Kids” smiles after diving into the mud for a ball during the 22nd annual Grove City Mud Volleyball Tournament at Beulah Park on Aug. 6. (Left) Brookelyn Sowers of “The Honey Badgers” returns a shot. (Below) Charlie Alexander, right, tries to get to the ball hit by Jason Fisher, left, during a match on Saturday. Visit www.ThisWeekNews.com and click on slideshows to see more of the action.
Water tower nearing completion By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers
Grove City’s new water tower should be up and running by early November. The 120-foot water tank is complete, and the tower is being painted,city service director Les Spring said. Weather permitting, the painting probably will be completed in 35 to 45 days,and landscaping,
fence work and the parking lot will be completed this month. The new tower, at Fryer Park, 3899 Orders Road, has a 1.25-million-gallon capacity, and cost about $3.1 million. Contractor Chicago Bridge and Iron started construction in September 2010. The tank has about 2,100 square feet of groundlevel space, some of which might be tak en up by a room that houses the tank’ s controls. The
size of the control room is about 412 square feet, and isn’t yet completed, Spring said. Interior work will be completed in late October. The city also paid $771,448 from its w ater fund for a 16-inch water main that extends 2,250 feet from the water tower along Haugh Road, stopping just short of the Interstate 71-state Route 665 interchange. See WATER TOWER, page A5
State report card on the horizon for district By SARAH SOLE Ohio Department of Education had ThisWeek Community Newspapers informed him of the date. “We will continue to work toSouth-Western City School Dis- gether with parents and the comtrict expects to receive its state re- munity to ensure our children have port card by Aug. 24. the quality of life the y deserve in Superintendent Bill Wise at the the future,” Wise told The Record. district’s Aug. 8 meeting said the SWCS earned a designation of
“excellent” on its report card for the 2009-2010 school year, improving in 14 of 26 indicators. Ranging from lowest to highest, the designation levels include “academic emergency,” “academic watch,” “continuous improvement,” “effective,” “excellent” and “ex-
cellent with distinction.” The Ohio Graduation Test, Ohio Achievement Assessment, attendance and graduation rates are all factors included in the assessment. Performance index, which reSee STATE REPORT, page A5
City residents soon might have two new restaurants on Stringtown Road from which to choose. Panera Bread will open in Grove City this fall at 1786 Stringtown Road, the space formerly occupied by Cici’s Pizza. City Barbeque is looking at property at 2261 Stringtown Road at the former site of Fiesta Mariachi, which moved across the street to a larger facility, said Michael Boso, the city’s chief building official. City Barbeque is looking to locate in a multi-tenant strip facility, Boso said. “We have received some preliminary drawings for the layout,” Boso said. The city hasn’t yet received any formal plans for a building permit. “They’re still working through the design element,” he said. “We’re excited about the prospects of coming to Grove City and we’re what we can to get there,” said Rick Malir, president of City Barbeque, saying no deals have been set yet. Covelli Enterprises, a franchisee of Panera Bread, will open the 1786 Stringtown facility, said marketing and public relations director Crystal Bevins. Based in Warren, Covelli Enterprises, along with affiliated Covelli Family partnerships, owns and operates more than 190 Panera Bread bakery-cafes in Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky, Florida and Canada. The roughly 5,270-square-foot location is being remodeled, and construction is under w ay. Bevins said the company tentatively plans to open the second or third week in November. Bevins said Covelli is humbled by the support that Grove City has already given them. “The loyal customer base there definitely spoke and we have listened,” she said. See RESTAURANTS, page A2
Flex credit offers learning alternatives By SARAH SOLE ThisWeek Community Newspapers The South-Western City School District is nearing its second year in which high school students will have the chance to be more creative in earning course credit. About 12 students participated during the f irst year of the district’s flex credit program, mandated for high schools by the Ohio Department of Education for the 2010-11 school year. Assistant superintendent of curriculum John Kellogg described the program as “cost neutral,” saying the only associated costs were staff hours used to develop the process. “It’s more of an in-kind cost,” he said. Development started during the 2009-2010 school year. Students participating in flex credit are responsible for paying for any education received outside of the district. While high school students can earn credit by testing out of a class, Kellog said that hasn’t been a popular option, so far. Instead, students have more commonly opted to design their o wn curriculum. Credit can be earned for any course the district ofSee FLEX CREDIT, page A2