Weekend Wire 03.03.18
This is the WHIZ Weekend Wire. Covering headlines from the week past and featuring what will be happening locally during the week ahead.
Local First Responders Honored for Heroism
Zanesville Assistant Fire Chief Doug Hobson and Zanesville Police Officer Alan Etters were recently honored for performing acts that went beyond the call of their duty.
Hobson witnessed and notified the police of a domestic incident that was getting out of hand last September. When one of the individuals at the scene grabbed the responding police officer, Hobson selflessly jumped in to assist the officer.
Etters assisted a female shooting victim in January by using a tourniquet to slow her bleeding before paramedics arrived.
Philo Joins Online Checkbook
In an effort to provide government transparency, the village of Philo recently joined Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel’s ohiocheckbook.com.
Philo’s online checkbook data includes 760,000 plus transactions totaling to more than $213,000.
Columbia Gas of Ohio Customers Should See Lower Prices
Columbia Gas of Ohio Customers should expect lower bill payments heading into spring due to warmer temperatures and federal tax reforms.
Columbia Gas of Ohio’s Communication Manager Dave Rau said a warm February has brought the market price for natural gas down and that tax cuts will aid its Infrastructure Replacement Program. Taking some of the burden off the customers.
Local Projects Receive State Funds
State Senator Troy Balderson announced local projects that have been awarded funding from the state’s $2.6 Billion capital budget. The Ohio General Assembly approves a capital budget every other year for the maintenance and upkeep of public facilities and services.
Included in the budget was $4 Million for colleges and universities, $750,000 to the MVHC in Cambridge, $700,000 to The Wilds, $400,000 for the Buckeye Lake Feeder Channel Restoration to improve the lake’s water quality, and $250,000 to the Zanesville Performing Arts Theater.
Local Officials Discuss Regional Jail
The Muskingum County Commissioners met with federal and state legislators along with commissioners from surrounding counties to discuss the possibilities of a regional jail.
The discussion resulted from the failure of a jail levy that appeared on the 2017 ballot, overcrowded facilities and the idea of possibly spreading the costs by sharing resources with surrounding counties.
The commissioners and legislators will meet again in the coming weeks to decide the logistics of the project and who will be willing to participate.
Ohio Weights and Measures Week
March 1-7, marks Ohio Weights and Measures Week, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture along with the county auditor recently measured the commercial scales used by local businesses to ensure their accuracy.
Department of Agriculture Director David Daniels said, we want to make sure that when customers come in to buy something, they get the exact amount they’re paying for.
Operation Outreach
Overdoses have hit an all-time high and now pastors, first responders, and addiction recovery resources are beginning ‘Operation Outreach.’
Rushing Wind Biker Church’s Pastor, Michael McGuire has teamed up with the Salvation Army to hold ‘Operation Outreach,’ a five-day session, where local churches and community members can pray for those effected by substance abuse. Additionally, local recovery resources will be available to assist with getting people into recovery.
‘Operation Outreach’ will take place at the Salvation Army Monday, March 5, through Friday, March 9, between 9:00 A.M. and 10:00 A.M. For more information call the Salvation Army at (740) 452-8350.
