Do you have a dish that ALWAYS makes people ask for the recipe? Look inside this edition for more details on entering the 2017 Recipe Contest!
THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
S U N D A Y, M A R C H 2 6 , 2 0 1 7
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR!
Second information session delivers different angles on heroin epidemic CLINTON RANDALL
STAFF WRITER crandall@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – A second information session was held Saturday evening to help bring heroin awareness to the Darke County community. After the first meeting in Arcanum, Saturday’s session was held at the First Heavy Metal Church of Christ in downtown Greenville. The events are the idea of organizer Samantha Wolfe, who has been directly impacted by the devastating affects of heroin. “I just want to help educate the public and let the
people out there know there are resources available…all they have to do is ask for help,” Wolfe said. In addition to Wolfe, those in attendance heard from George Kenworthy of White Horse Ministries, Joe Van Vickle of the Darke County Coroner’s Office, John Wiltshire from Hope In Recovery, Tisha Shepherd of Recovery & Wellness and a personal testimony from recovering drug addict Justin Powell. The meeting was followed by a question and answer session for the panel of speakers. “These are the ones we need to ask questions too,” Det. Eric Hanes of the Darke
Experts and individuals talk about the causes, impacts and resources for fighting the heroin epidemic. (Clinton Randall photo)
County Sheriff’s Office said about the recovering addicts. Attending the information session were members of local law enforcement, adult probation, school district administration, local
pastors and a local judge… to name a few. Wolfe says she hopes to hold more sessions in the near future – dates will be posted once confirmed and scheduled.
office. Harter said she’s enjoyed working with the different elected commissioners during the past 12 years. “Their different personalities have made it very interesting,” she said with a laugh. “Every day is different when you come in and there’s always something new. The commissioners have all been very good to work with. They’ve all been very concerned about the wellbeing of their constituents.” Working with the public also has been enjoyable for Harter. “When I first started at the county offices I had no idea how the county worked,” Harter said. Today, Harter not only
answers the phone and connects callers to the person they’re looking for, she also pays invoices for maintenance and utilities for county buildings, fills in for Bliss during commission sessions. She also schedules appointments for the three commissioners as well as other county employees with offices in the county’s administration building, next to the courthouse. Harter said she decided to retire in order to spend more time with her family, which includes two sons, Tim Harter and Todd and his wife Jody Harter and their three daughters, Cali, 11, Libby, 9, and Ellie, 4. Harter also plans to spend more time with her husband and “slow down and enjoy life” with her hobbies, yard work, flea markets and garage sales. The couple are planning a trip south during the 127 Yard Sale this coming summer. Callers and visitors to the county commission office will now be greeted by Charity Hutt, who was hired earlier this month to fill Harter’s position. Hutt, who also serves as the Adams Township elected fiscal officer, lives with her husband Rob in Darke County. They are parents of two children, Amber, 17,
a junior at Greenville High School and Alex, 15, a GHS freshman. Hutt previously worked in the Miami County Commission office and says she’s happy to be working in Darke County. “It’s closer to home and family, my kids and their activities,” she said. Amber is a dance student with Barbara Rethlake Dance Studios in Greenville, plays tennis for GHS and also sings with the high school’s Collage singing group. Alex plays year-round soccer as well as with the GHS varsity soccer team and also participates in track. A 1991 GHS graduate, Hutt attended Lima Tech, earning an associate’s degree in business management and computer programming. Prior to working the past 10 years in the Miami County Commissioners’ office, Hutt worked 11 years with Upper Valley Medical Center in Troy with their HR and IT departments as well as working as a secretary for the hospital’s maintenance department. Now spending a couple of weeks training with Harter, Hutt says everyone she’s met “is wonderful. They’re so nice. And its family-oriented. This is home.”
sell Thompson, the fire department’s share of the grant is $47,000, which will not only outfit the department with new radios, but also pay the first year’s user fees. Chief Thompson looked at MARCS only radios that could sit on the shelf for a couple years while the county transitions to the new radio system and dual-band radios that could replace its aging radios now and then transition to MARCS. Originally, he thought the department would get 16-18 single band radios or 10-12 dual band radios. Kenwood, radio manufacturer, offered a special promotion that
gives the city 20 dual-band radios at a cost of $44,097. However, the city must act quickly to receive the promotional price. Council is expected to approve the purchase at its next regular meeting. Safety Service Director Curt Garrison also informed council local residents who are not under contract with another electric supplier are receiving letters from Dynergy. According to Garrison, Dynergy is the company the city has entered into contract with through the aggregation process to provide electricity to the community at a rate of 5.29-
cents per kilowatt hour. Council learned if residents want to receive the rate they don’t need to do anything and they will automatically be enrolled. However, if they want to continue to pay their current rate or look for a lower rate they have a short period where they can call Dynergy and opt out of the plan. Residents under contract with another energy supplier are not eligible to enroll until they have completed their current contract. Residents will continue to receive one bill from DP&L that will indicate Dynergy’s usage rate.
Edison State Community College works for you Edison State Community College was chartered in 1973 under provisions of the Ohio Revised Code as the first general and technical college in Ohio. The college thus emerged without special local taxation as a two-year, public, co-educational, state-supported institution of higher learning. Under its charter it is authorized to offer studies in the arts and sciences, technical education and continuing education. By virtue of legislative ac-
tion, the College’s name was changed in 1977 from Edison State General and Technical College to Edison State Community College. After some years of using the revised name of Edison Community College, the College re-instituted the name Edison State Community College. After some years of using the revised name of Edison Community College, the College re-instituted the name Edison State Community College.
‘Bright spot’ set to retire; Hutt hired SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY - After working in the Darke County Commission office for 12 years, assistant clerk secretary Patty Harter is retiring at the end of the month. When she went searching for a full time job a dozen years ago, Harter said she wanted to “find something where I didn’t have to work nights or weekends. And the county was a perfect fit.” Prior to her job with the county, Harter and her husband JL ran a furniture company from their home. “We were self-employed, with Harter Furniture, our family-owned business. But it came time for a change,” she said of finding a job with county commission. Commissioner Mike Rhoades said he recalls the day Harter came in to apply for the position. “She just walked in,” Rhoades said. “After the interview, Robin (Bliss) came in and said ‘you’ve got to hire that girl.’ I’m going to miss her. She’s been a bright spot in our office.” Bliss, who serves as the county’s administrative clerk/secretary, said she will “probably cry” on Patty’s last day working in the
Left, Patty Harter, will be retiring at the end of the month as the assistant clerk/secretary for the Darke County Commission office. Charity Hutt, right, was hired by commissioners to fill the position. (Susan Hartley photo)
GFD wants council to go with MARCS deal RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – The city of Greenville’s fire department is moving forward with the eventual changeover to the Multi-Agency Radio Communications Systems (MARCS) proposed by the Darke County Commission. At its March 21 meeting, Greenville City Council learned the MARCS Grant administered through the State of Ohio Fire Marshal’s office will give the city a head start in preparing for the new system. According to Chief Rus-
The Greenville RadioShack store is located at 535 Wagner Ave.
Local RadioShack faces closing, but not on first list RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE – The list of RadioShack closings is out and the Greenville store is not on the list of nearly 200 stores that are expected to close on or around April 1. That doesn’t mean Greenville is safe from the ax. On March 8, General Wireless Operations, Inc. (d.b.a. RadioShack) filed for voluntary petitions under Chapter 11 in the United States Bankruptcy Court. On March 20, the initial list of store closings was submitted to the court. The signs at the Greenville location would lead one to believe the local store is on the chopping block – “Everything Must Go,” “Entire Store On Sale” – but a source who was not authorized to speak on behalf of the company is hoping for a better outcome. Greenville was given a May 31 closing date, but that date has not been set in stone. Employees are holding out hope the store that has been part of the Greenville community for 50 years will continue to provide electronics and phones to local residents. The source pointed out RadioShack stores across the nation, even those not threatened with immediate closing, have similar signs. Stores facing closure in the next couple of weeks have signs offering merchandise up to 90 percent off. The company’s public relations firm, Joele Frank,
Wilkinson, Brimmer, Katcher, has refused to confirm or deny a letter has been sent to the Greenville store with a May 31 closing date, stating, “There is no company-wide list of store closings to share at this time. You can check the status of individual stores in your area here: https:// www.radioshack.com/ apps/store-locator. The RadioShack website shows the Greenville, Ohio, store at 535 Wagner Ave. as still open. A press release issued by RadioShack points out “The company is closing approximately 200 stores and evaluating options on the remaining 1,300. The company and its advisors are currently exploring all available strategic alternatives to maximize value for creditors, including the possibility of keeping stores open on an ongoing basis.” RadioShack emerged from bankruptcy two years ago as a privately owned company. Dene Rogers, RadioShack’s president and CEO, said, “Over the course of the past two years, our talented, dedicated team has worked relentlessly in an effort to revitalize the company the RadioShack brand, while providing outstanding service to our customers. We greatly appreciate their hard work and dedication.” RadioShack is pointing to a “surprisingly poor performance of mobility sales, especially over recent month,” as one of the reasons they have begun the Chapter 11 process.