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MONDAY, DA NOVEMBER 5TH DAY,
THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
W E E K E N D E D I T I O N - O C TO B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 8
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR!
Fire rips through Swine Barn – called ‘total loss’ RYAN BERRY
MANAGING EDITOR editor@earlybirdpaper.com
GREENVILLE - Shortly after 9 p.m. on Thursday, fire crews were called to the Darke County Fairgrounds on the report of a fire. The crews found the Swine Barn fully engulfed, which quickly turned into a three-alarm fire. Fire departments from across the county quickly joined the City of Greenville and Greenville Township in an effort to bring the fire under control and protect other nearby buildings, including the new Beef & Dairy Barn. City of Greenville Fire Chief Russ Thompson said the call came in around 9:15 p.m. “We initially went to a second alarm and a third. And then we went a little bit further than that without going to a fourth (alarm).
Eight Darke County departments from around the county were on the scene, in addition to a ladder truck from Piqua and a unit from Burkettsville. Ansonia and Union City covered Greenville’s jurisdiction during the fire. With other buildings within a few feet of the Swine Barn, Chief Thompson said his main concern was the other buildings and crews immediately began to protect the new Dairy & Beef Barn, Cattle Show Arena and Poultry Barn. All of the nearby buildings showed signs of smoke damage on the outside, but were intact. The barn, according to Darke County Fair Board President Dean Neff, was “secure and closed up tight” when the Secretary’s office closed at 4:30 p.m. Neff called the barn a “total loss” and said the roof
Former county facility now Michaels Group Home SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – The former Darke County Home became Michaels Group Home this past week, when 10 juvenile males moved in to one wing of the facility on Monday. Last fall, county commissioners announced plans to close the county home, sending residents to reside with family or in other approved group homes. In June of this year, after learning the Tri-County Board of Mental Health was no longer interested in purchasing the county home, commissioners decided to put the facility to use by offering it to the Michaels Home juvenile program. According to Robin Blinn, county clerk, maintenance personnel spent between $2,000-$3,000 updating and renovating one wing to meet state code. Gracie Overholser, director of Job and Family Services, which oversees the Michaels Home program, said the state required the installation of a single use shower. “The cost was not astronomical,” Overholser said of the project. “We only made some small modifications, general cleaning and weeding.” The work was done by county personnel, she said. The move from the former location to the county home “was essential for space,” for Michaels Home, Overholser explained, noting “the potential it gives us to increase.” In June, commissioners said the facility would give the group home space to house between 35-40.
As of now, there are 13 employees at Michaels Home, which requires staffing 24/7. The Michaels Group Home serves male juveniles ages 12-17 who have been placed into the custody of Children’s Services. Occasionally, a juvenile may be placed into the program through the court system, Overholser said. Of the 10 now residing at Michaels Home, nine are attending Greenville City Schools, with one enrolled in the ACES Gateway Youth education program. “Two are in the ROTC program,” at GHS, Overholser said, with two others involved in the school’s sports programs. Overholser said the move was positive for the teens. “They like having their own rooms. They like the space and like being outdoors,” she said. Not all of the residents are from Darke County. Several other surrounding counties rely on the Michaels Home program – and pay for its services – as do the families who are able. Commissioners also announced this past summer they are looking to turn the former Michaels Home into a program for juvenile girls. Overholser called the plan “the ultimate goal. It’s a long-term goal.” Commissioner Mike Rhoades said this week the former Michaels Home will be winterized for now, with plans to look at the conversion at a later date. Also, plans call for the Council on Rural Services’ ACES Gateway Youth program to move to the remaining wing of the former county home, Overholser said, following Christmas break.
had collapsed from one end of the barn to the other. When daylight broke on Friday morning, it was evident that all of the walls had collapsed and only a concrete wall around the base of the building remained. “This time of year the building is used for storage,” said Neff. According to the fair office, 11 pieces of equipment were being stored and they were a mixture of vehicles, tractors and campers. Chief Thompson said the investigation continues, but the cause of the fire remains undetermined at this point.
The Darke County Fair’s Swine Barn was a “total loss” according to President Dean Neff. (Gaylen Blosser photo)
Sheriff to cut at least $500,000 from 2019 budget SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – Sheriff Toby Spencer confirmed Monday he will be cutting between $500,000 and $600,000 from his department’s budget for 2019. Earlier this month, Darke County Commissioners announced they had been meeting with various county departments to revisit budget requests for next year. In July, commissioners were presented the proposed 2019 general fund budget from county auditor Carol Ginn, reflecting appropriations totaling $21,946,230.57 – a more than $1,000,000 shortfall due to the county’s loss of approximately $800,000 caused by the elimination of Medicare and Medicaid sales taxes. The sheriff’s department will be submitting their new appropriations request to commissioners sometime in the next two weeks, Spencer said. “We’re researching all the different avenues
about what we’re going to have to do. We’re trying to make it as feasible as possible,” Spencer said. “The union has graciously extended the contract without negotiating for raises for another year. That’s a tremendous help for the county. Not sure if that’s going to save jobs,” Spencer noted. Currently, the Darke County Sheriff’s Office employs 16 road deputies, 18 corrections officers, two drug detectives and five general assignment detectives. “We may lose some detective positions,” Spencer said. “And I’m short three corrections staff now. I really need to fill those because those three create a lot of overtime. We may have to fill those three positions with existing staff, with road patrol, which will deplete my road patrol.” Spencer also said detective positions may be put on road patrol. “It all flows downhill, so to speak, from one division to the next,” Spencer said of reassigning personnel. Cutting detective positions will put a limit on drug enforcement, he add-
Sheriff Toby Spencer has been asked to cut half a million dollars from his 2019 appropriations.
ed. “It’s not a good scenario at this time,” when most crimes can be attributed to drug activity. The sheriff’s office currently has some part time positions, which may be cut, Spencer said, “so full time employees can maintain their jobs.” The Darke County Sheriff’s Patrol also may be used more often. “But there’s only so much they can do,” Spencer said. “Most of them work full time jobs elsewhere. There might be some things I can ask them to do.” Those interested in joining the patrol may call the sheriff’s office at 548-2020
for information. Upgrades at the county’s 911 Dispatch Center “are continuing,” Spencer explained. “It was already in the works and coming out of a different fund. But it is impacting personnel we were anticipating hiring.” Current dispatchers will continue to work 10-12 hour shifts, Spencer said. Spencer is hoping “things will be a little bit better than what they (commission) are painting the picture to be. I certainly don’t want to cut services to the citizens of Darke County.”
Couple finds bullet – urges shooters to use caution LINDA MOODY
CORRESPONDENT
ANSONIA – A rural Ansonia couple, who asked to remain anonymous, urges those who are hunting with guns or just shooting them off, to be more careful. They found where a bullet struck the window of their garage at the north end of their house recently. The couple lives south of Ansonia. The bullet remains lodged between the outside window and the storm window inside of the garage along with broken glass. “Someone could have gotten hurt,” said the wife. “I had been working in my garage and cleaning
out my car and, if I’d been there when it happened, I would have been hit. And, our neighbors have four children, who could possibly have gotten hurt.” She said she noticed the broken window on Oct. 10, but said it could have happened within a week or two before that. The Darke County Sheriff’s Department came to the scene, but was unable to find anything and was unable to do anything about it, even though the deputy said he had never seen anything like it before, with the bullet still being there. No one knows for sure from where the weapon was shot but she said that a pistol with stray bullets
The bullet hole in the garage window at the home is shown in the top right pane, with the bullet lying on the sill separating the top panes from the bottom ones. (Linda Moody photo)
can go a distance. “We couldn’t find any more bullets... it was like
the bullet was at the end of its trajectory,” she said.