C o n t i n u i n g To P r o u d l y S e r v e C a r r o l l C o u n t y S i n c e 1 8 3 1 $1.00
Thursday, April 16, 2020
freepressstandard.com
Rocket Center Project is on hold for now By JACQUIE HUMPHREY
FPS Correspondent At the March 26 meeting of the Conotton Valley Board of Education, careful consideration was given to the Rocket Center Project. The Board expressed concerns about making this commitment because of the uncertainty of both the status of the Rover appeal and the current uncertainty of the economy. In the end, they agreed to wait until the April meeting to make a decision. Supt. Todd Herman said, “The job of the Conotton Valley Board of Education is to be fiscally responsible and to establish policy by which the school operates. This board is not afraid to make difficult decisions and always maintains a focus on doing what is best for our students and community. Although we are all disappointed that this decision has to be made, I am proud to be a part of this group of leaders. We will re-evaluate the scope of the project and make the best decision possible.” In other action, the Board: - Approved employment of Garrett Rice as high school boys track coach for the 2019-20 school year at a stipend of $3,773.10; - Approved the resignation of Jen
Hiles as varsity girls basketball coach, effective at the conclusion of the 2019-20 end of season coaching responsibilities; - Approved the employment of Ty Carrothers as associate/assistant varsity football coach for the 2020-21 school year at a stipend of $3,018.48; - Approved the employment of Kenneth Baker as a part-time groundskeeper at a rate of $10.30 per hour, on an as-needed basis, up to 25 hours per week; - Approved a continuing contract for Stephanie (Jacobs) Staples, effective April 18, 2020, as a bus driver; - Approved the 2019-20 student activity budget for softball; - Approved a contract with Procore Technologies, Inc. to provide project management services for the Rocket Center construction project as a cost of $12,782.66 for the period of March 13, 2020 through March 12, 2021; - Approved payment of expenditures totaling $630,060.58. - Heard mutual fund balances reported at $1,144,237.37 in Unified Bank and $1,051,777.74 in Star Ohio. The balance of the Star Construction Fund was reported at $5,069,841.22 and the balance in the US Bank at $17,166,947.70; - Set the next regular board meeting for Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. in the high school cafeteria.
Malvern Elementary teachers Carrollton council OKS hiring part-time worker send message to students A unique online message from Malvern elementary teachers has been sent to their students and community on the Malvern schools Facebook page. According to Malvern Elementary Principal Danielle Hawk, the photo collage message (pictured above) was put together by Jessica Simms, a first grade teacher. “The Malvern Elementary School staff wanted a fun and creative way to communicate to our students and our community that we are all thinking of them and to encourage them to keep working hard,” Hawk said.
The message is the result of state-ordered cancellation of classes due to the current COVID-19 Coronavirus pandemic. If you read the squares from top left to bottom right, the message reads as follows: “Dear Malvern Elementary Students, We miss you all so very much! You are amazing. Keep up the great work, smile often, dream big, be creative and work hard! Love, Your Friends at Malvern Elementary School” (Hornet photo).
See TEACHERS, PG. 3
Commissioners learn about storm damage, receive COVID-19 update By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent Using new protocols, Commissioner Robert Wirkner was seated in the meeting room and commissioners Jeff Ohler and Lewis Mickley were in their individual offices as the April 9 meeting was broadcast via a Zoom webinar and Facebook Live.
Carroll County Health Department Director of Nursing Kelly Engelhart advised commissioners that at that time there were nine confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county. Cases have been confirmed in Augusta, Brown, Center, Harrison and Rose Townships. An additional 23 people have been exposed and are being monitored and quarantined for 14 days. Tom Cottis, Director of the Emer-
gency Management Agency, updated commissioners on damage caused by recent storms in the county. Several trees were downed, and a camper was destroyed in Sherrodsville. Power outages did occur and the ground is just very saturated right now, according to Cottis. Damage assessment is continuing.
See STORM, PG. 3
By NANCY SCHAAR FPS Correspondent
Carrollton Village Council held its only meeting for the month on Monday, April 13. Council members unanimously approved an ordinance presented by Mayor William Stoneman declaring a state of emergency for the village of Carrollton. Additional ordinances and resolutions were presented including: - An ordinance was approved to hire a seasonal part-time laborer for the street department at $12 per hour for a maximum of 64 hours bi-weekly with no benefits. - An ordinance was presented declaring an exemption for paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for public employees as outlined in the
Families First Coronavirus Response Act. - An ordinance was heard that will vacate a portion of an unimproved alley that runs south to north from 5th Street NW to an unnamed intersecting alley. - An ordinance was heard authorizing Village Administrator Mark Wells to enter into an agreement to purchase a Rosenbauer pumper with a commander chassis, that meets village specifications, from All American Fire Equipment of Canton, at a cost not to exceed $529,648. - A resolution was heard approving the village’s participation in the Ohio Department of Transportation’s road salt purchase plan. In other business council: - LEARNED five unneeded items were sold for a total of $31,669. - REMINDED residents that blowing grass clippings, leaves and brush into the street is punishable by a fine of up to $150 per incident.
Carrollton schools changes meal distribution location
Starting Tuesday, April 21, the weekly food distributions for the Carrollton Exempted Village School District has been changed to a new location at the new Carrollton High School/Middle School, according to Barbara Burns, Food Service Director. Parents should pull up to the entrance of the new school on SR 332, south of Carrollton, between the hours of 10:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Burns also said a bus drop off time
and location has been changed in Augusta. Due to safety concerns, a parent will pick up their meals at the former Augusta school from 10:30-11 a.m. The Kensington Greene drop off location on SR 9 has been changed to 11:15 -11:45 a.m. According to Ed Robinson, Director of Programs, students receive seven breakfasts and seven lunches each Tuesday.
COVID-19 by the Numbers
Photo courtesy of Stacy Sanders
A camper in Sherrodsville was destroyed by a large tree during the storms that rolled through the area last week. Fortunately, no one was hurt.
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These statistics are as of presstime Tuesday, April 14. Ohio - 7,280 confirmed cases; 2,156 hospitalized (654 ICU admissions); and 324 deaths. Median age is 54. Carroll County - 13 confirmed cases in Augusta, Brown, Center, Harrison, Loudon and Rose townships; 1 probable case; 5 hospitalized; and 0 deaths. Of those confirmed cases, there were one that is 80 or older; four that are 60-69; two that are 50-59; three that is 30-39; one that is 20-29 and one that is 0-19. Seven are females and seven are males. Columbiana County - 115 con-
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firmed cases; 74 hospitalized; and 8 deaths. Jefferson County - 24 confirmed cases; 7 hospitalized; and 0 deaths. Harrison County - 0 confirmed cases; 0 hospitalized; and 0 deaths. Stark County - 171 confirmed cases; 44 hospitalized; and 17 deaths. Tuscarawas County - 28 confirmed cases; 7 hospitalized; and 0 deaths. Ohio’s stay-at-home order has been extended to May 1. It is now being recommended for residents to wear masks when they are out in the public or in stores. For more information, please see coronavirus.ohio.gov.
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