$1.25
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020
harrisonnewsherald.com
Health Administrator gives COVID-19 Update By BONNIE RUTLEDGE Garen Rhome, the county’s health administrator, briefed the commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday morning. There have been 14 confirmed cases of COVID19 since the pandemic began in March. With one more reported recovery, there is currently one active case and no probable cases known to the hospital. Harrison Community Hospital contacts its COVID-19 patients a couple times a day
if they are recovering at home, along with tracing and monitoring any persons in close contact with the patient. The hospital has been at its record high for close contact tracing with 25 people under quarantine. “This is alarming,” he said, “but we have no positive test results. Some could be very mild and not show on tests. In six months, an antibody test could show they had it. But for us, they are not positive so they are just under quarantine.” The county’s advisory level is yellow, meaning that while known active spread
is a reality, the county has qualified for zero of the indicators on the advisory scale to warrant an orange or red ranking. Harrison county would need to trip two or three of those seven key indicators to become a level two “orange” advisory. Rhome noted that he did not anticipate that happening this week since the everchanging environment of coronavirus monitoring happens on a week-to-week basis. In proximity to the county, Belmont county dropped from orange to yellow last week, but Jefferson county trended
upwards with a significant spike in cases and some hospitalizations. Statewide, there are some 77,200 confirmed cases in Ohio. The average 21 day trend is about 1,200 cases per day. There were, however, 1,670 some cases in one day, which is the highest Ohio has seen (Rhome did not speak to the number of tests administered at the beginning of the pandemic versus present day). Average testing results are 6 percent positive and authorities say they would like to see that number drop. Ohio has seen
By BONNIE RUTLEDGE Little league, play time with friends and Batman are sure marks of a little boy’s childhood. But a fatal cancer diagnosis? No parent could ever brace themselves for that. Back to school pictures, doctor visits, treatments; this was a heart wrenching reality for the Palmer family. Their son, Drew, was diagnosed in August of 2015 with Ewing Sarcoma. Elisha and Andy Palmer spent months coordinating Drew’s treatments and childcare for
out candy. He vowed to go back to the hospital once he got better to hand out candy, and Elisha and Andy have faithfully followed through each fall with Drew’s mission. The family returns each year to hand out treat bags that include a picture of Drew, gift cards, meal vouchers and personal hygiene products to children and families at the Ronald McDonald house and the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital. The Palmers keep in contact with families and children they grew to know and love who are still patients. “We check on kids and families, even just to see how they are”, said Elisha,
their other children, spending every possible moment in the hospital and championing their son to be strong as he battled for his life. Doctors became family and hospital personnel became friends as Drew had to spend more and more time at the hospital. Masks and IVs replaced fun costumes. Elisha and Andy did all they could to make Drew’s hospital time sweet, but In August of 2016, Drew’s body succumbed to the cancer. He was eight years old. One of Drew’s favorite things to do was dress up for halloween and pass
See UPDATE - Pg. 2
Bowerston Council discusses vacant seat
Turning Pain into Positivity Local family honors son’s memory
approximately 3,200 deaths, almost 10,000 hospitalizations and 2,300 ICU admissions throughout the state. Rhome reminded the meeting that hospitalizations and deaths lag behind the case numbers, so as more and more younger people are diagnosed, the hospitalization and death rate numbers will likely improve. Last week the Ohio Investigative Unit
BOWERSTON- At the July meeting of the Bowerston Village Council, Councilman Allen Case presented a letter of interest for the Village’s vacant council seat. Case was appointed to Council in January of 2020, and returned at the July meeting after missing four consecutive meetings. Case presented a letter from former Mayor Milo Baker. Mayor Jacquie Humphrey reported that she also had two letters of interest and suggested that the vacant seat be advertised prior to Council making a decision. Humphrey inquired of Councilman Bob John how he would feel about Baker’s return, considering John had left his position as Village Administrator due to multiple conflicts with Baker. Councilman Jon Humphrey said that he would not support Baker for the vacant seat, as did Council
See TURNING - Pg. 2
President Paula Beamer. Humphrey and Beamer are the only two elected Council members for the Village. Councilman Humphrey noted that Baker had physically threatened him at the November 2019 meeting of Council and cited several other issues of misconduct by Baker. Case inquired why Baker wasn’t dealt with at the time, he was advised that Baker was Mayor, not a Council member at the time. Case assured Council that he would deal with such actions in the future, should Baker return. A lengthy and heated discussion took place. Both Case and John said they would support Baker for the seat, Humphrey and Beamer said that they would not. Appointed Council member Polly Wolfe said she felt Baker should be
See COUNCIL - Pg. 3
Cadiz’s dead trees to be replaced By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
Elisha’s advice to parents dealing with childhood cancer: “It is so hard. The only thing I would have done differently is gone back and enjoyed even more of the time we had. You don’t know what you’re going through while you’re in it. The overwhelming support that we've always received from family, friends and strangers has been so inspiring and kept us going!”
Vintage Fitness: relocated and revamped By BONNIE RUTLEDGE CADIZ - Cadiz’s gym moved a few buildings down from its original location right as the COVID-19 pandemic began. They closed for two weeks to remodel, and then were shut down for nine weeks due to government mandates. “It was a shame because the gym is a huge part of people’s lives, but we took the time to get the building up to what we think the people in this town want and deserve,” noted Trevor McCue, gym owner. The gym is again open 24 hrs a day, seven days a week, located at 157 W
HARRISON
NEWS-HERALD
Market Street, which was previously Valley Rentals. Vintage has taken extra precautions to ensure members' safety. Hand sanitizing stations, heightened staff cleaning, and better wipe-down practices by gym members themselves have become the new norm in order to ensure a safer environment for gym goers. Apollo cleaning performed a “fogging” on Saturday the 18th to further cleanse surfaces and equipment. “We are just happy to be reopened and happy to see our old and new members enjoy our new facility,” said Trevor. The top floor of the building is dedicated to cardio with 10 new pieces of equipment to cater to a plethora of
Sports
Alumni, Husky softball game a big success | PG 6
harrisonnewsherald.com
cardiovascular activity. This includes seven treadmills, two stepmills, two ellipticals, one bike and one tread climber. On the top floor you can also find tanning beds available to members and an apparel section with a wide variety of items and new pieces monthly. Vintage is proud to be kid-friendly, complete with a children’s table stocked with books, activities, a couch and a tv to keep kids occupied while their guardians use the facility. A classroom is also located on the top floor in the back that now holds classes
See VINTAGE - Pg. 2
CADIZ – The issue of the dead trees in Cadiz, which were pulled the day after last week’s meeting has risen again. The issue centered around Kevin Jones, the contractor who planted the trees over the past year and a half where everyone on council agreed at least 14 trees were already dead when planted. Last Friday (July 10) Cadiz council agreed to pull the trees and replace those areas with mulch. But now, things have changed again as Jones said this past Friday during lunch that he would replace the trees at no cost to the village. Jones said he dropped off a letter to the village stating his commitment in writing, which Village Administrator Ted Andrzejewski confirmed. When Vermillion was contacted last Friday he had not heard of the letter but gave a statement via text stating that the village’s street department had removed all dead trees “due to no warranty per Mr. Jones. So we moved on to getting trees replaced.” It’s assumed that getting the trees replaced meant spreading those
Events
Antique car show at Sauder Village | PG 10
Region
Buckeye Career Center announces restart plan | PG 7
facebook.com/harrisonnewsherald
areas with mulch, which is what council decided at their last meeting. “We appreciate the letter in keeping his commitment to plant the trees but I’m still skeptical that it will get done,” Andrzejewski said Friday. Jones never said he would not replace the trees but that there were no guarantees, which Council Member John Vermillion confirmed at last week’s meeting when Village Administrator Ted Andrzejewski said Jones would not honor his commitment. But the village of Cadiz allowed the contract they had with Jones to expire and it became unclear what would happen next. “I’m not doing it because of the city administrator, I’m doing it because I love the village of Cadiz,” Jones said last week. He added that the re-planting would be done in the fall when the trees will suffer less exposure to heat. Jones also said when the trees were stored during last winter he was told to do so by former Village Administrator Charley Bowman because of some holdup with some other project. Jones said the new trees would be the same Bradford Pears, a variety called the Cleveland Select.
Obits Edward E. Kimmel Albion, Ind. Robert Bingham McClain Bowerston, Ohio Phyllis Jean Stewart Flushing, Ohio Myron Wayne Price New Athens, Ohio Jerold Dwight Wells Cadiz, Ohio Raymond Arthur Sowers Cadiz, Ohio
newsroom@harrisonnewsherald.com