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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2019
harrisonnewsherald.com
County CIC looking to invest ‘old money’ By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
CADIZ – The last of the old coal money, a revolving loan fund the Harrison County Community Improvement Corporation (HCCIC) has in their coffers sitting around, could be invested if a newly formed committee can find a way. The loan situation that the HCCIC discussed at September’s meeting was mentioned again at Tuesday’s meeting. President Dale Arbaugh stated that the actual money is within the county’s treasurer. Board member and Jewett
council member Dennis Hirschbach asked if the money would be invested in the STAR Ohio program. Arbaugh said he wasn’t sure what they would be permitted to do but would check into the matter. “Well again, the treasurer they would maybe cut the check but it’s your money,” Commissioner Paul Coffland told him. “That fund was set up for a revolving loan through the (county) CIC.” After Arbaugh asked for volunteers he then came up with a four-member committee to manage the fund, which now consists of board member Bob Hendricks, Hirschbach, Coffland and HCCIC attorney John
Tabacchi. “We’ve had it sitting there, we haven’t had any active loans for…several years now. We had a couple requests but they didn’t go through for other reasons and so, it’s basically sitting there…” Arbaugh explained. Tabacchi informed them that the regulations that governed that fund “are really old.” He recommended that whoever handles the fund to look into those regulations. Harrison County Economic Development Director Nick Homrighausen said some of those regulations were updated “to mesh with OMEGA because of the new banking laws from the 2008 financial crisis.” He
speculated that it was around four years ago when the HCCIC looked into it. Also, Homrighausen noted in his report the Rural Industrial Park Loan and his efforts to revitalize that nowdefunct money. “We’re in the process of reviewing,” he told the board and reminding him letters of support were written back in the summer. “It was a fund that was there until about the mid-two thousands,” Homrighausen explained. “There was money left from Third Frontier funds as well and with everything that’s been going on in eastern Ohio and around the state, a lot of the counties have
gotten together from economic development standpoints and from APEG…that we should reinstitute that fund to help with getting prepared sites and/or buildings.” He said Ohio’s legislature took testimony from around the state, which Homrighausen was one, passed some guidelines back in August and are now being reviewed. After that, discussion would continue on how the county could use the funds they could possibly receive. He said those funds range from $500,000 at the low end to a whopping $2.5 million at the top of
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Honoring Those Who Served
U.S. Census 2020 is closing in, asks for help By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com CADIZ – The massive U.S. Census, which begins in the early part of next year reared its inquisitive head at Wednesday’s Harrison County Commissioner’s meeting. U.S. Census representative Travis Ressler appeared before the board informing everyone of the importance of the census and asked to get the promotional word out. “We’re trying to get the word out about the census to dispel any kind of misinformation, some fears that people often tend to have and to partner with local government, cities and civic organizations and charities…” Ressler explained. The word is especially directed to the ones who are hard to count, which he said were children under five, where he said nearly one million children were not counted in the 2010 Census. Ressler said around $675 billion is at stake, which he said is the figure that is given out each year and it’s based on census results. He said certain people not counted would not be factored into that money, which means the money would not be distributed to those areas. “Those funds are things for Head Start, school lunch programs…so those children were missed in 2010 are now nine to fourteen and their schools haven’t received federal funds for those children,” Ressler said and added that those funds would have to be made up through taxes and levies. Another group with an inaccurate count are veterans where he said they “don’t respond.” He said veterans and college students for example, are using roads, emergency services and other infrastructure offerings. “This funding goes to pay for hospitals, for roads, schools anything that you can ask for from the government for,” he told the board. “So we’re going out trying to get local governments and those organizations I mentioned just to partner with us to help spread the word.” Ressler said another hard-to-count group is the Amish. He said he needs to get the word out to that group to let them know they are coming, as opposed to just showing up at their doorstep. He also said every census taker will have a federal badge and will be equipped with an iPhone with the census emblem on the face.” “Everything will be secured and locked so there will be no issue with security,” Ressler explained. “The census, it’s safe, it’s necessary, it’s important.” He talked of a program called Statistics in Schools with school packages for children in groups K through 12. Commissioner Don Bethel noted the confidentiality page among the handouts Ressler passed out. In hopes of muting those fears Ressler stated that he and the other census bureau employees, including the “part time enumerators” have taken a lifetime oath. “For each instance of personal identifiable information slippage, we’re punishable up to five years in prison and a two-hundred and fifty thousand dollar fine,” Ressler told the board, “that’s for each instance.” Ressler also added that for the first time the census can be filled out online. For instance, a post card will be mailed to your address but not in name but by the address with a bar code attached. He said along with online service, the choice is also to fill out a form or even call the information in. “The goal of what I’m doing, we’re trying to get selfresponse up. It’s more accurate, it’s quicker and it’s cheaper than us sending around people going door to door knocking…” Ressler explained. He also said they are looking to hire 88,000 jobs within the state of Ohio, which he said would be short term.
HARRISON
Veterans Day celebrated in Harrison County By JD LONG
jim@harrisonnewsherald.com
CADIZ –Monday wasn’t just another day as Veterans Day was honored and the many who have served American military, at home and abroad. And under a beautiful sunny sky where the clouds opened up and everyone welcomed the comfortable temperature, wreaths were laid and Taps was played and the customary three rounds of rifle fire salute followed. Former Marine Major Andrew Foreman was this year’s guest speaker and provided a little background on the origins of this special day as well as promoting the day to go out and serve each other as a day for everyone. Veteran’s Day, which became 100 years old on Tuesday, was originally called Armistice Day and was initially designated to celebrate the end of World War I, he told the well-attended crowd. Foreman spoke of Veterans Day as
Events
being “dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be hereafter celebrated…” “As we engaged in further conflicts in the 20th Century, veterans’ groups lobbied for a change,” Foreman said adding that we now honor all veterans who have been involved in all wars. And as each Veterans Day we hear the speaking out of how precious freedom is Foreman was no different as he emphasized how Veterans Day serves as that reminder and how much it is “worth defending.” Foreman thanked the veterans present who “shouldered the burden” while leaving loved ones behind to go places to an uncertain future. On a personal note he also called his time in the military as “the best of my life.” “Even after I retired, it will stay with me and define me till the day I die,” he said adding that this day is to honor all veterans who have
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Top: A crowd gathers at the square in Cadiz for Monday’s Veterans Day service. Above: Marine Major Andrew Foreman speaks on the origins of the holiday and the essential role veterans play in America’s freedoms.
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Obits Arthur Thomas Albaugh Scio, Ohio Kenneth E. Baker Cadiz, Ohio
Operation Christmas Child gets underway | PG 8
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Veterans honored at Harrison Central | PG 6
Fred Abdalla named Veteran of the Year | PG 7
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Joshua D. Knight Uhrichsville, Ohio
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