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Commish. hear concerns about road repair
Saturday, August 6, 2022
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 2022
HARRISONNEWSHERALD.COM
Local craft show has a rich history
COVID, lyme BY REBECCA BRATTEN WEISS Harrison News-Herald Staff Writer
July saw an increase in covid numbers in the area, with Harrison County moving out of “medium” and into the red zone, during the weeks ending on July 15 and July 22, respectively. This means that during that time, the county was experiencing a high level of community covid burden, according to the present measure utilized by the CDC. However, following this spike, the numbers decreased again. For the week ending on July 29 and at least by the middle of the week following, the county is back down to “medium.” Health administrator Garen Rhome
BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter The weekly commissioner's meeting took place on August 2nd in the courthouse. Commissioners Don Bethel, Paul Coffland, and Dale Norris were in attendance. The commissioners passed several purchase orders/vouchers. One was for the Harrison County Board of Developmental Disabilities for $78,000. They also approved the Department of Job and Family Services purchase orders/ vouchers for the Public Assistance fund, Children's Services, and Workforce Investment Opportunity totaling approximately $106,000, and an appropriation for an increase at the Auditor's office for the battered spouses' fund for $1,500. The Juvenile/Probate Division had appropriations approved in several categories, fully funded by grants. The appropriations totaled approximately $75,000. The commissioners approved transfers for the Prosecutor's Office to correct payroll benefits taken from incorrect accounts. They sanctioned the move of $31,000 between accounts and agreed upon a transfer for County Water for $15,000. The commissioners authorized Batch #4778 for $260,490.80 and a Mandated Share for the Department of Job and Family Services. The final total and payment request for the Harrisville Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Project were brought before the commissioners. The total cost was $437251.07, and the final pay request was $8,890.09. Commissioner Coffland noted that Deb Knight is the new director of Job and Family Services after Scott Blackburn's retirement. The county engineer said that the County Road 6 resurfacing project begins Monday, August 8th. The commissioners announced that August 2022 is officially Child Support Awareness month. “Ohio realizes that even though parents may live apart, children still need the love and support from both parents,” Coffland read from Resolution 35-22. “Ohio is committed to helping families access community resources that can help them overcome barriers to paying child support.” Concerned New Athens resident Frank Battilochi attended the commissioner's meeting to explain that his road desperately needs repair. "The berms on that road are so bad, the water won't even drain off the road into the ditches," said Battilochi. He said he has attended many township meetings and was informed that they were awaiting grants. "They told us they can't get no grant to fix the road," Battilochi said. "We go every second Tuesday of the month, and we never get any satisfaction; we just get the runaround." Commissioner Bethel asked about the road being a township or county road. Because the road is a township road, there isn't much the commissioners can do to repair it. The county engineer said that unless the township asks him to do something, he can't do anything about it. "They're never going to ask you," Battilochi said. "The stone trucks run through there every day, pretty much… If you look up my road, it's nothing but holes, mud, and drop-offs." Commissioner Norris wondered what grant the township was applying for and suggested that would be an excellent place to start moving forward. Battilochi thanked the commissioners for their time and left as the meeting adjourned.
Health Dept. talks
See HEALTH Pg.- 4 Ruth Blackburn with a photograph of her mother and father and an afghan her mother made by hand when Blackburn was in fifth grade.
BY CORNELIA GRACE Harrison News-Herald Reporter Jewett resident Ruth Blackburn holds the annual craft show close to her heart. Her mother, Virbel Kimmel, started organizing the Jewett Craft Guild in early 1965. Kimmel brought together about ten women who loved to craft and learn new things. They wanted time with friends and found crafting was an excellent reason to get together regularly. The group grew to 25 regular members who attended monthly, while others came whenever possible. In 1969, the core group of 25 decided to put on a craft show to benefit the Jewett Volunteer Fire Department. They held the first show at the Archer Township School building on Route 9. The fees for the crafting tables, all donations, and the money collected from the raffles giving away $100, a hand-crocheted afghan, and a handmade quilt were donated to the Jewett Firehouse. The craft show moved to the Jewett Firehouse the following year, with more crafters and customers attending. Each year the show continued to grow until it required all three rooms of the firehouse and the school gymnasium, which is ½ block from the firehouse. Over 80 crafters were showing up for the event. Blackburn said they have always been selective about the crafters they let into the show. She said it used to be that only one vendor would be allowed for each product, "If I'm in that show with hand quilting, nobody else gets in there. If you make carved candles, nobody else gets in there." Now, they are less likely to maintain exclusivity but focus on quality. As the show grew, other organizations opened their doors for crafters, including a few churches and many individuals offering their front lawns for the tables. The crowds grew to over 4,000 attendees. Customers came by car, train, and chartered bus—the waiting list to get in as a crafter was five years. All items had to be handmade, and no food was allowed unless it was for a nonprofit organization, which remains the rule 52 years later. Virbel passed away on Thanksgiving day in 1988 and was buried on the day of the craft show. Her funeral procession went through Jewett on the way to the cemetery. The following year, the firefighters continued the show, which remained a tradition for decades. Through the years, there have been many firehouse leadership changes. When the show moved into the firehouse, Dale Miser was chief, with Denny
Kovarik as assistant chief. When Miser passed away, his son, Dick, was named assistant chief, with Kovarik moving up to the chief position. Kovarik and Dick Miser passed on the same day years later, and the torch passed to Kovarik's son, Damian, and Kevin Arbaugh took over as assistant chief. Blackburn said that the more changes are taking place, the more it feels like no one remembers her mother was the one who started the show. "The sad part was, we have three new council members, so there's six of us plus the mayor. Only one person out of seven knew that my mother started that craft show. I was dumbfounded." This show is her mother's legacy, and she wants to ensure that it's remembered. "Mom was just very community oriented. She wanted to do whatever she could." Kimmel spent much of her life serving the community and managed to coordinate the craft show while working full time and raising a family. "She gave her all to help others and do things for the village." Kimmel instilled this love of community in Blackburn as well. In addition to being on the city council, "I volunteer to do work for the village. The year after my husband died, I spent 200 and 300 hours weeding, mowing, and painting whatever needed to be done." Blackburn said. The craft show has not been held for the last two years but is finally resuming this year. The department said, "The Jewett Fire Department is very proud to start again this year to continue the tradition Virbel & Earle started and one that the firemen's families helped to build." The fireman created a craft show committee for the 2022 craft show. This committee includes four JVFD members, two village council members, two Jewett Wildcat Center members, two private citizens, and two representatives from Harrison Hills Church. The show takes a lot of work and volunteers, and they are all working together to make the 2022 craft show a great event. The craft show will take place on November 26, 2022, at Jewett Firehouse, Jewett Wildcat Center, and the Pentecostal Church from 9 am-3 pm. They are still accepting crafter applications; however, the committee requires that vendors send product images for review before acceptance to the show. Email jewettcraftshow@gmail. com for an application and then return that with three photos of your crafts.
Kids’ street racing poses problem in Jewett BY ALEXIS CORDER Harrison News-Herald Staff Writer JEWETT—At the Jewett Village Council meeting on August 3, some serious concerns were brought to light regarding kids using the village streets and alleyways as their own personal race tracks. During Chief of Police Ron Carter’s routine report, various council members expressed their worries. “They’re riding anything they can get. There’s golf carts, there’s tractors–kids hanging off of the tractors… It’s not safe,” stated Jewett Council Clerk Linda Ager. “They’re using these roads as a racetrack… They’re not stopping at the stop signs, they’re racing side by side… They’re gonna get hurt.” Council member Tammy Verhovec also stated that she’s seen kids racing as well, reporting that she’s even seen go karts being driven by fairly young kids that don’t look to be of age to be on the roads. In addition to the safety issue that this creates, it’s also putting those that do follow the law when riding golf carts and various other vehicles around town at risk of having that option taken away. Police Chief Ron Carter addressed the concerns by assuring the council that he would make sure his team knew to keep a close eye out for racers so they can do their best to keep everyone in Jewett–especially the kids–safe. Though the NASCAR-esque kids were a large area of concern, this wasn’t the only safety issue brought up during Carter’s report. According to Carter, the department has been getting a lot of calls about a suspicious resident that has been making women uncomfortable at various locations around town, including the bars and gas stations. This resident has been seen riding a bike around town, standing on the side of the road opposite from said bike watching traffic, and even allegedly trespassing on personal property. Though it’s unclear whether or not this man poses any actual threats, it’s important that residents–especially women out by themselves–are staying aware of their surroundings when going out at night. In lesser news, the council reported that all of the projects they have been working on as of late–including the park project and the demolition projects–were still steadily coming along, though no new progress updates were reported.
OBITUARIES Merle Foutz Lillian Myers USPS Publication No. 236-080 One Section, 12 Pages Vol. 55, No. 13
Ronald Carlon