Weekend Wire 03.11.18p
This is the WHIZ Weekend Wire. Covering headlines from the week past and featuring what will be happening locally during the week ahead.
Local Doctor Plans to Retire
Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department Medical Director Vicki Whitacre will retire at the end of March, after 36 years of service.
A public reception to honor Dr. Whitacre will be held Wednesday, April 4, from 3-5 p.m. in the Muskingum Room, on the second floor of the public health department facility.
Dr. Jack Butterfield Jr. M.D. will take over for Whitacre.
Tri-Valley High School Loses Football Coach
Tri-Valley High School football team Head Coach Justin Buttermore will not return for a 13th season, after leading the Scotties to a Division 3 state championship runner-up title.
Buttermore has led the Scotties to the playoffs 10 out of the last 12 seasons and will head to Granville to coach the Blue-Aces, where in 2017, they went 8-3 and made the playoffs.
This marks the fourth head coaching change in the Muskingum Valley League for 2018, adding Tri-Valley to the list that includes: Crooksville, Morgan and New Lexington.
Road Closures and Improvement Projects
The Muskingum County Engineer’s office recently announced road closures scheduled for the week.
Church Hill Road at Culbertson Road will be closed Monday, March 12, for crossover pipe replacement from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Bagley Road at Limestone Valley will be closed Tuesday, March 13, for crossover pipe replacement from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Stone Church Road at Ferncliff Road will be closed Wednesday, March 14, for crossover pipe replacement from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Dawson Road between Chipmunk and Guernsey County line will be closed Thursday, March 15, for crossover pipe replacement from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Hamby Hill Road between Pike Road and Leonardville Road will be closed Friday, March 16, for crossover pipe replacement from 8:00am to 3:00 pm.
Additionally, the Ohio Department of Transportation announced that I-77 from just south of State Route 541 to the Tuscarawas County line will be repaved. The project will reduce traffic to one lane and alternate closures of the entrance and exit ramps to 541.
Zanesville Community High School Receives Grant
The Ohio Facilities Construction Commission announced the Zanesville Community High School will receive a grant of just under $300,000 for a new facility on Muskingum Avenue.
The award allows for the construction of a new structure that is intended to be the hub of the Career Technical Education Vocational Agriculture program.
The grant is a matching grant, which means Zanesville City Schools and Zanesville Community High School will match the $298,679 dollars from the grant. The project is expected to total $600,000.
Jesse Owens Park
Ohio Governor John Kasich announced during his State of the State speech the purchase of property that will be turned into a state park and named in honor of Ohio-Olympian Jesse Owens.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources struck a deal with American Electric Power in August to purchase a major portion of a 60,000-acre parcel known as ReCreation Land.
Dubbed the largest state park in Ohio’s history, the land spans parts of Guernsey, Morgan, Muskingum and Noble counties. It would be used for a wide range of outdoor recreational opportunities including hunting and fishing.
There hasn’t been mention of who will control the mineral rights and revenues.
Community Blood Drive
The American Red Cross routinely holds blood drives throughout Muskingum and surrounding counties.
A blood drive offers people an opportunity to donate a valuable resource to others who have been injured or need transfusions in order to live.
The Red Cross usually holds these collections at a public or non-profit place and encourages the public to take part.
For more information about blood drives in your area, contact 1-800-RED-CROSS, or see the community calendar at whiznews.com.
Free Concert
A Scottish Fiddling Concert by Melinda Crawford and Dan Perttu will be held 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 17 at Ohio University Zanesville.
