SATURDAY, MAY 22, 2021
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COVID restrictions to be rescinded “Today, the Ohio Department of Health amended its remaining health order to conform to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which allows those who have been vaccinated to stop wearing masks. GAREN RHOME
By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
CADIZ – Health orders, at least for Ohioans, who have been vaccinated, are being rescinded as of Monday, according to Governor Mike DeWine
and Lt. Governor Jon Husted’s announcement. Harrison County Health Administrator Garen Rhome relayed the information to the commissioners at their weekly meeting Wednesday morning. “Today, the Ohio Department of Health amended its remaining health
order to conform to the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, which allows those who have been vaccinated to stop wearing masks. Under the CDC's new guidance, those who have not been vaccinated should still wear a mask and socially distance,” per the new health order. Rhome said June 2 is the target date for “most of these orders” meaning generally, that social distancing and the gathering limit for both indoor and outdoors will be no more. Another announcement was that for people who have had their two vaccination shots
will not have to wear a mask any longer. “Fully vaccinated individuals should feel safe and capable of not…breaking any laws by not wearing a mask,” Rhome explained. “That’s the word that just came out on Monday from the Ohio Department of Health.” Rhome did say that private businesses still remain the right to have their customers, or anyone from the public to wear a mask, and as an example, Wal Mart does require their employees and customers to wear one as of now. The county remains at level 2 or, orange status and Rhome said he didn’t
see that dropping any time in the near future. He reminded the board that the orange status means the county is maintaining an infection rate of at least 100 cases per 100,000 of population. “This morning, we had one hundred and twenty-six cases per one hundred thousand over the previous two weeks,” Rhome explained. “So, we’re still in that high incidence category [and] I don’t anticipate that we’ll be moving out of level two orange, or anything anytime soon.” Rhome also said that possibly 85
See COVID - Pg. 2
Jewett attempts to join Silver Spade By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
JEWETT – On Wednesday, Jewett’s council members voted to put their request to join the Silver Spade Ambulance District (SSAD) in writing and if approved, the vote would also take care of placing the issue on the November ballot. Council agreed it should be brought to the voters, which led to discussion on the importance of time, considering the SSAD has a meeting scheduled soon and a deadline for placing it on the ballot, which is Aug. 4, according to Director of the Harrison County Board of Elections, Dion Troiano. In Response, Hopedale Fire Chief Mark Marchetta said they’ve been serving the Jewett area and also New Rumley, which he now said New Rumley has also requested to join. He repeated what he’s been saying leading up to the last election where the SSAD passed a levy and said
Members of the Cadiz Ranchers 4-H spent this past Sunday afternoon at the Harrison County Home operating shovels, spades and rakes. The group planted numerous flower beds around the building one of their annual community service projects. They also recently completed a cleaning day at the New Athens Volunteer Fire Department building. Standing, lr, Heston Shaver, Garrett Bossell, Brodie Yeater, Hayden Bittinger, Kadence Vich, Sydney Powers, Kelsey Power, Abbi Kelley holding Harper Huffman, Hunter Bittinger and Dawson Vich; front row, l-r, Cael Bryant, Brasan Bryant, Audbrey Bryant, Ava Huffman, McKynze Bryant, Alyvia Bryant, Karysa Bryant and Hensley Bittinger. A special thanks is extended to the following who donated to the cause: Laurie Huffman Merryman, Cedar Lane Farms, Wilgus and Company, Chris Vich and Piergallini and Sons. Advisors include Becky Kelley, Tiffany Sedgmer, Beth Cummings and Ashley Huffman.
when the grant runs out, it would have changed the way they answered calls (if it didn’t pass). But with the levy passing, that problem has been solved in some areas but if out of the district, calls to places like Jewett would not be automatically responded to after the grant expires in August. “We have been taking those calls,” Marchetta said referring to the 2018 federal grant they were awarded. “So we know exactly what we’re up against as far as call volume and such,” referring to Jewett. “The whole intent of the ambulance district is to improve service,” he continued. “You know, we don’t want to have to cut service to anybody because they’re not in the district.” Marchetta added that he could not answer for the SSAD board in how they’ll vote but felt Jewett’s request was a positive step. “I can’t speak for the board of
See SCIO - Pg. 2
Dover situation has Harrison County connections By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com HARRISON COUNTY – The situation in Dover regarding Mayor Richard Homrighausen’s approximately year-long absence due to ill health is apparently spilling over into Harrison County affairs, at least according to one concerned citizen who has sent emails to all three county commissioners and at least three media outlets with his complaints. The concern is that Harrison County’s Economic Development Director Nick Homrighausen and son of Dover’s mayor, is spending time helping to run their affairs instead of one hundred percent of his attention on Harrison County business. Mr. Scott Garver is the concerned citizen of Harrison County and has let loose with several accusations via email including “illegal shenanigans” going on in Dover and pointed towards the report on the Dover mayor as evidence. And indeed,
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there is plenty of information regarding Nick’s involvement in Dover but it’s his time spent there and not illegality that is in question. “Nick has learned a lot from his father, especially when it comes to getting paid to sit at home and "fool" everyone into believing you are actually doing the job when you are not,” Mr. Garver wrote in his email. Eight separate affidavits from Dover officials are included in the report, which note Nick’s involvement with one being his request to acquire “a city laptop” for his father’s use but it also notes, “His father did not personally request the computer (Matthew Arnett, technical administrator).” Two other affidavits (Eva Newsome, executive assistant to the mayor and Kelly Elliot, deputy auditor) note Nick’s playing a “much more active role in managing the Mayor’s affairs as they relate to the City,” and, “is making important City decisions by responding to his father’s emails…”
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The areas of concern are highlighted in “Area Two: Regarding Delegation of Authority to Non-City Personnel,” where it states: “In phone and email communications, the Mayor’s son, Nick Homrighausen, has instructed City employees on City affairs, including responding to public records requests from other City ofWicials.” Also citing Newsome’s affidavit, it states, “I have received various instructions… from Nick Homrighausen such as to schedule the Mayor’s City car for service or to put something on his calendar.” The situation has caught the attention of the Canton Repository and the Akron Beacon Journal as they’ve picked up articles by the Times-Reporter (Jon Baker, May 10) stating Dover ofWicials had sent a letter to Mayor Homrighausen earlier in the year requesting that he resign but according to Baker’s story, the mayor has refused to do so. Harrison County Commissioner Paul Coffland responded by stating: “We are
aware of the situation and know the County CIC is as well. We do not comment on employee or personnel matters until all facts are known.” President of the county’s community improvement corporation Dale W. Arbaugh did respond this week with a lengthy statement on the situation. “As President of the HCCIC, I have become aware of growing political turmoil in Dover relating to their mayor, who is the father of HCCIC’s Executive Director. Some of the allegations in Dover have suggested that during the pandemic Nick has not given his full time and attention to his job for our community, and that he has otherwise acted inappropriately in Dover. When I asked Nick about the situation he assured me that he has done nothing wrong or inappropriate in Dover or anywhere else, and that he has always dedicated his full time and attention to his job as our Executive Director. “Our experience has been that Nick has been exceptionally diligent in his job for us,
working long hours on behalf of the Harrison County community. That was true before the pandemic, during the pandemic, and as we gratefully start to come to the end of the pandemic. As a community, we obviously expect and need that type of full time dedication and commitment from our executive director. Our Board expects that of him, the public ofWicials in Harrison County expect it of him, and most of all, the Harrison County community expects it. “At this time, the HCCIC expects the Dover investigative and political process will proceed and we will monitor its progress. We have been making solid progress in Harrison County. While the results of an investigation in Dover might ultimately have an impact on decisions at HCCIC, at this time HCCIC intends to keep our focus on Harrison County,” Arbaugh wrote. Attempts to reach Nick Homrighausen and Dover City’s attorney Douglas O’Meara were not answered.
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Gary Allen Redman Rayland, Ohio
Eugene Constantino Collinwood, Ohio
Emma Kathryn Crownoble Scio, Ohio
Sgt. Paul Howell Scio, Ohio
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