OPEN HOUSE TOURS OF COUNTY'S HISTORIC JAIL THIS FRIDAY FROM 4:00PM TO 8:00PM - COST $10 FOR ADULTS

In collaboration with the Newark Downtown Association’s (NDA) Final Friday event this Friday, July 27th, the Licking County Historic Jail located at 46 South 3rd Street will open its doors for the first time to the public since the late 1980’s when the new County Jail was opened. From 4:00 – 8:00 p.m., visitors can step back in time by touring the Historic Jail’s former Sheriff’s quarters and two floors of prisoner cells, as well as receiving their own souvenir (photo) mug shots. The Downtown Newark Association will also provide a history walking tour of downtown Newark this Friday evening. At the Historic old County Jail the doors opened to its first offenders in November of 1889 and the cells were occupied for the last time in 1987. The jail housed murderers, drunkards and even adulterers, and served as the county’s primary lockup for more than 100 years. On July 8, 1910, the jailhouse was the scene of a lynching that made national news. In 2010, the Licking County Commissioners allowed several paranormal groups to explore the building. There is unexplained activity and two paranormal investigators have recorded voices of the dead “living” in the jail. Tickets will be sold at the door and are $10 for adults, and free to children under the age of 12 years. All proceeds and donations benefit the “Save the Jail” fund, which provides for the preservation and restoration of the Historic County Jail. The ultimate goal of the restoration is to allow this facility to be open for tours year-round, similar to the former Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio.

154ST HARTFOD FAIR SET FOR AUGUST 5TH THRU 11TH - I WILL SEE YOU AT THE FAIR

The ‘Center of the Ohio County Fair Circuit’ will be the community of Croton in northwestern Licking County as ‘The Hartford Fair’ Takes Center Stage in early August. I am joined by Commissioners Brad Feightner and Doug Smith in inviting you to join us each day at the 2012 Expo in Hartford Township. It begins Saturday, August 4th and this set-up day culminates at 7:00pm with the King & Queen Contest. Sunday, August 5th is Tech International Day and finishes with Pick-up Truck and School Bus Races at the Grandstand. Monday, August 6th is Nuway Services Day with a 7:30 Grandstand Concert featuring David Nail & Jason Michael Carroll. Tuesday, August 7th is Park National Bank Day and the Grandstand entertainment at 7:30pm is the OSTPA Truck/Tractor Pull. Wednesday, August 8th at the Fair is Heartland Bank Day and features the Demolition Derby at the Grandstand at 7:30pm. Thursday, August 9th is Lash Chevrolet Day and the Grandstand feature is Motocross Racing at 7:30pm. Friday, August 10th is Washington Carquest Auto Parts Day and the popular Rough Truck Competition is at 7:30pm. The 154th annual Hartford Fair concludes on Saturday, August 11th with the Championship Horse Pull at 7:30pm at the Grandstand, and Wayne King and his Hoe Downers at the Pavilion at 8:30pm. For detailed information visit the Fair Website at www.hartfordfair.com On Wednesday August 8th join your County Commissioners at 1:00pm as they host and judge the annual Wild Game Cook-Off is the beautiful Natural Resources Park on the Fair Grounds. The following day, Thursday, August 9th at 10:00am the Commissioners will be joined by County Recorder Bryan Long in the judging of the annual “Sweet Treats to Eat” in the 4-H Building. Licking County Government also welcomes Fair visitors to visit the local government booths under the Grandstand along the midway. Organizations represented with booths and displays include…County Records and Archives, County Commissioners, Convention & Visitors Bureau, Licking County Transit, Licking County Area Transportation Study, County Coroner, Homeland Security, County Health Department, Developmental Disabilities, City of Newark, County Treasurer, County Auditor and County Engineer. Displays in the Natural Resources Park include…County Litter and Recycling, County Soil & Water Conservation and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists.

COMMISSIONERS ENACT TOBACCO BAN ON COUNTY GOVERNMENT OWNED PROPERTY

The Commissioners last week passed a resolution banning the use of all tobacco products on County owned property. This ban affects the 19-County owned work sites in Licking County. The action, championed by Commissioner Doug Smith, had been advocated for by the County Board of Health for several years. This applies to employees and the public as well. The County reserved the right to create designated smoking areas, more than 100-feet from a building entrance, for employees and the public if deemed necessary. While the ban applies to all tobacco products, Commissioner Smith cited his concerns over second hand cigarette smoke as a major factor in the action. This is an administrative action and no active enforcement is anticipated.

LICKING COUNTY JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER DEVELOPMENT MOVING FORWARD

Plans continue toward the creation of the new Licking County Joint Communication Center (LCJCC) for both 9-1-1 (fire and emergency management services) and Sheriff (law enforcement) dispatching. In the next month the Robertson Construction Company, of Heath, will begin converting the former corrections facility at 119 East Main Street in Newark to a modern communications center. Also, in the last month the Commissioners received a $254-thousand bid for the 250-foot communication tower which will be constructed at the site. Negotiations continue with the State Department of Public Safety to add the statewide digital MARCS system to the package, which is seen as a major enhancement for future years for local safety forces. *In an early first use – the LCJCC was pressed into service as the headquarters for the response to the major wind storm of June 29th. Daily media briefings, to the community, originated from the new Center.

SCHOLARSHIP CAMPAIGN RAISES MORE THAN $20-MILLION FOR COTC & OHIO STATE NEWARK

The Next Generation Challenge scholarship campaign at Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) and The Ohio State University at Newark has surpassed its $20-million goal making it the most successful fundraising effort in the history of the two institutions. The campaign began in April 2010 and culminated last month, with a final donation that propelled the grand total past the goal. The preliminary total is $20,847,506.53. Unique about this scholarship campaign was the matching opportunity, a rare chance to double the impact of every donation. Granville philanthropists J. Gilbert Reese and Louella Reese challenged the community in April 2010 by personally matching all gifts, multi-year pledges and planned gifts dollar-for-dollar up to $10 million to support the growth of endowed scholarships at both schools. Culminating the campaign was the final gift, a combined $2 million from Ariel Corporation and Ariel Foundation, headquartered in Mount Vernon, Ohio. Karen Buchwald Wright, President and CEO of Ariel, has a long-standing relationship with COTC and was instrumental in establishing a permanent home for the COTC Knox Campus in downtown Mount Vernon. The $2 million gift will benefit Knox County students attending either COTC or Ohio State Newark. “I am absolutely thrilled to be able to say the Next Generation Challenge was not only met, but exceeded its $20 million goal,” said COTC Dr. President Bonnie Coe. “We are so appreciative to the Reeses for their tremendous generosity, to Karen Buchwald Wright for pushing us past our goal, and to the many, many community partners who have made the Reeses’ vision to grow endowed scholarships a reality.” The Newark Campus Development Fund, a permanent locally controlled endowment that provides funding for innovative projects and scholarships at COTC and Ohio State Newark, served as the primary recipient of scholarship gifts for the campaign. Donors were able to designate their gift to benefit students at either COTC or Ohio State Newark or they could make an unrestricted, cost-shared gift to benefit students of both institutions. “Today, more than 50 years since its founding, the campus remains true to ensuring accessibility to an Ohio State education,” said William L. MacDonald, executive dean of the regional campuses and dean director at Ohio State Newark. “I am so grateful to Lou and Gib, and to all of our donors, for their incredible generosity and foresight in helping to create a better future for our community.” The first Next Generation Challenge scholarship awards will be allocated during autumn semester 2012. With over $10 million in community gifts, matched by $10 million from the Reeses, COTC, Ohio State Newark and NCDF will ultimately be able to award the equivalent of ‘five hundred’ $2,000 student scholarships annually in perpetuity.

SAFETY SUGGESTION FROM SUPPORTER JOAN GRUBE

When walking on the bike path or the walking path in eastern Granville, I am often approached from behind by bike riders. I wish they would learn the simple polite warning of "on your left" to let walkers know that they are about to pass. Many walkers wear iPods and don't always hear approaching bikers. This is something parents should teach their bike-riding children (although many adults are guilty of not giving any audible signal as well). All it would take is a walker side-stepping to avoid a broken sidewalk or a branch on the path to cause a serious accident by stepping in the path of an approaching biker resulting in major injuries to the walker. It would be nice if the media would do an article featuring this problem. I know parents feel that having their children ride their bikes to and from Granville on the walking path rather than on busy Newark-Granville Road is a safe choice; but it isn't necessarily safe for walkers who have to be concerned with kids zipping up behind them without warning and cutting it very close when passing. Last summer I actually had two boys come up from behind and one passed me on the right and the other on the left all at the same time. I always say "thank you" to bikers who offer an audible signal.

SUMMERTIME TIPS FROM SUPPORTER CARRIE DOTSON

Ah, the warm summer months are here, which means more time spent outside running around enjoying the outdoors. It also means occasionally battling the bugs, the sun, and the heat. To ensure that these and other common summer annoyances don’t derail your summertime fun, here are 10 smart tricks that can help make your summer a little sweeter... 1. Keep a dryer sheet in your pocket to keep bugs away. You can spend tons of money buying bug spray, and you’ll most likely end up feeling sticky, smelling like bug spray, and getting bitten by bugs anyway. An easy solution is to carry a dryer sheet with you, which is something most people have at home already anyway. By carrying it in your pocket you can ward off bugs; something about the smell keeps the bugs away from you. 2. Sprinkle baking soda in sweaty shoes. Running around in your shoes without socks is a regular occurrence during the summer time because everyone just wants to slip shoes on and go. Unfortunately, this also causes extra unwanted odor in your shoes. To fix this problem sprinkle the inside of the shoes with baking soda to absorb the odors. If you’d rather not have the powdery look in your shoes, you can create a sachet by using a rubber band wrapped around a few tablespoons of baking soda in a handkerchief. Just put a sachet in each shoe and the odors will disappear. 3. Trap fruit flies with apple cider vinegar. Did you bring home fruit flies from the farmers market? Fill a glass jar half full of cider vinegar and screw the lid back on. Punch several holes in the lid and leave the jar where you have seen the fruit flies. They will be gone in no time. 4. Cool a sunburn with white vinegar. Unfortunately, with the warm summer months comes the occasional sunburn. To take the sting out of a sunburn soak clean soft cloths in white vinegar, wring them out and lay them on the sunburned skin. 5. Coat feet with petroleum jelly and cover with socks at bedtime. This trick will keep your feet soft and sandal ready all summer. A little petroleum jelly on your elbows and knees will make sure they stay soft and smooth for all of those revealing summer outfits. 6. Mix a can of cola with ketchup for a quick and easy barbeque sauce. Figure out about how much sauce you want and add the cola to the ketchup to thin it out and add flavor and sweetness. Brush on chicken or ribs during the last stages of cooking on the grill to avoid burning. 7. Use conditioner to shave your legs in a pinch. Did you forget to pack your shaving cream for your vacation? That’s okay; you can use the sample bottle of conditioner that most hotels give you. This will leave your legs smooth and silky soft. 8. Apply coconut oil to bee stings and bug bites. Coconut oil has anti-inflammatory properties and will help heal the sting or bite as well as soothe the pain. 9. Straws make great strawberry hullers. Take a normal straw and push it up through the base of the strawberry and come up under the hull. Keep pushing and the hull will usually come right out. Practice makes perfect with this, but it really works well when you get the hang of it and you won’t have all those strawberry seeds under your finger nails. 10. Use cute cupcake papers to cover your drinks this summer. When the weather turns nice eating and drinking outside becomes standard, and almost mandatory. The problem with eating and drinking outside is keeping the bugs away from your food and drinks. Get yourself some cupcake papers and use them to cover your drinks. If you’re having a party the cupcake papers can even match the theme. To make a drink cover you just need to punch a hole in the cupcake paper and stick a straw through. Just make sure there are no bugs inside the straw before you drink.

LICKING COUNTY RESILIANT FOLLOWING SEVERE SUMMER STORM

Licking Countians Resilient Following Severe Summer Storm … The storm of June 29th has been characterized by meteorologists as a ‘super derecho’, however I think most of us will remember that Friday evening as ‘The Big Blow of 2012’. When emergency responders plan for such situations they typically plan for a multi-layered disaster situation and that is what we all experienced. Beginning with a severe straight line wind storm that traveled some 600-miles in 10-hours across several mid and eastern U.S. states, by 5:30pm Licking County saw extensive property damage, literally hundreds of tons of downed trees, impassable roads, and a heavily damaged power grid that threw a majority of residents into the dark. On top of that the final disaster layer was a severe weeklong heat wave. What next? The good news is the 170-thousand residents of Licking County are a resilient bunch and we survived the best ‘mother nature’ could throw at us. As a County Commissioner here I am proud of the thousands of heroes who in so many ways stood tall and did their part to assist in the recovery. Workers at the township, village, city and county level worked tirelessly to reestablish the roads and infrastructure. Residents of all ages and ability worked to help their neighbors and neighborhoods recover. Social service agencies quickly responded to the need. And the two local electrical utilities marshaled their forces and many others who came to assist to rebuild the power system in fairly short order. Frankly, we may be the only nation anywhere that can take that kind of a multi-state storm hit, with billions of dollars worth of damage, and basically recover as quickly as we have. Indeed there is plenty left to do from continuing to clean-up public and private property, repair of damaged structures, replenishing the supplies of the Food Pantry Network, and generally getting back to work and back to business as it was. However, we would also do well to take a moment and thank a higher power for allowing our county to survive this disaster without any storm related loss of life. A final thought on the quality of the power system. Usually after a wind or ice storm that causes outages, we hear the call for putting all of our power lines underground. We can’t afford the trillions of dollars to do that, and it doesn’t make practical or economic sense. In my view we should instead be reinvesting extensively in the above ground system, much of which is nearly a century old. There is often resistance to higher utility rates that would generate the many millions of dollars needed to update and enhance the above ground primary and secondary system. However, as a country, we can’t allow our power system to deteriorate and become third rate. It is time to update our transmission, substation and distribution systems. The other issue is the reluctance to allow the utilities to trim out their right of ways, both pruning and removing trees. In a windstorm such as that of June 29th the electrical grid would have survived to a much greater extent without tons of rotted and old trees falling apart and downing lines. Just like the capital improvements that are called for, it is time to remove trees that pose a great risk and start planting the next generation of shade trees away of the utility right of ways.

COMMUNITY TO BENEFIT FROM CONSOLIDATION OF TRANSIT SYSTEMS

The long discussed merger of the Licking County and Newark-Heath transit systems will be a reality by the end of this year. Recently Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb, the President of the County Transit Board, was joined by Heath Mayor Mark Johns and Newark Mayor Jeff Hall in announcing the cooperative agreement to improve service and reduce costs. The Newark Earthworks Transit System will be dissolved on the final day of December, and Newark and Heath will no longer be the recipient of Federal Transit grant dollars. The established County Transit Board will become the sole recipient of transit funding, and will provide continued full ‘’curb to curb demand service’ now in all of Licking County. This consolidation of these local transit functions has been a point of discussion for a number of years, and will allow for efficiencies in dispatching and maintenance, enhanced technology, increase the potential to leverage state and federal funds, and reduce administrative costs. The Licking County Transit Board has been part of other transportation consolidations in the past, providing services for the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities and Licking County Job and Family Services. Commissioner Bubb says he anticipates a smooth transition, and Newark and Heath will remain actively involved in improving the system.

COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER BENEFITS FROM INNOVATION GRANT

The ambitious Licking County project to consolidate and upgrade 9-1-1 Fire and Emergency Dispatching, and the Sheriff’s Office law enforcement dispatching received a major shot in the arm this week with the announcement by the state of a major interest free loan benefiting the project. The County will receive a $500-thousand no interest 10-year loan to facilitate this public safety project. Earlier this year the Licking County Task Force planning this consolidation and cost saving project made application to the State’s new Local Government Innovation Fund. The Innovation Fund is a competitive statewide program providing loans and grants which are intended to benefit communities doing projects to consolidate services, improve efficiencies and ultimately cut costs. The Ohio Department of Development received 105 grant applications and 12 loan applications in nine areas including: technology, public safety, facilities, economic development, fleet management, public works, administration, health and human services and educational instruction support. In the first round the State selected 51-project amounting to $3.4-million in grants and $2.9-million in loans. The Licking County project will combine two major emergency services dispatching operations in a facility acquired last year from the State, a former community based corrections facility. Located on East Main Street in Newark, this new Licking County Joint Communication Center (LCJCC) will feature new state of the art technology in an expandable and innovatively designed central location. In addition to accommodating existing radio technology, the Center will include a new 250-foot transmission tower and full connectivity to the statewide MARCS 800 Megahertz radio network, allowing local agencies to utilize that resource. Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb says, “Construction to adapt the administrative areas of the former incarceration facility to a telecommunications center will begin this summer, as will tower construction. The conversion and installation of new equipment will be complete in early 2013, and it is anticipated the new LCJCC will ‘stand up’ in the second quarter of 2013.” He adds, “This $2-million plus project will also benefit from a Federal Grant in conjunction with the MECC Center in Franklin County for new dispatching technology, as well as County capital funds and wireless funds intended to upgrade dispatching technology.”

DOLLARS FOR DEMOS COMES TO LICKING COUNTY

Some two months ago the Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced that Licking County would be eligible for $1,029,355 for the demolition of abandoned, vacant and blighted residential structures. The County agreed that Newark City would be the lead agency seeking the grant for the County. Newark will take the lead in working with municipalities throughout the County on such demo projects. The County’s Community Development Department will coordinate in unincorporated areas. The first $500-thousand of the grant money, which comes from the national settlement with the banks over improper lending practices, is match free. However, for the any entity in the County to use the additional $529, 355 it will require a $1 for $1 match. The work begins late this summer is done by the communities and reimbursement comes from the AG’s Office.

NEW PELOTONIA ROUTE INCLUDES LICKING COUNTY

This year, for the first time, the Central Ohio Pelotonia Bike Event will travel through a large portion of Licking County. The event is planned for Saturday and Sunday, August 11th and 12th. The route travels up from Pickerington, through western Licking County to New Albany, and then returns eastward through Jersey Township, St. Albans Township and into Granville. It then turns north up Loudon Street, travels into McKean Township. The route then splits into two optional routes. One goes into Hartford, the other goes through Burlington and Washington Townships into Utica. Ultimately, the bikers finish in Gambier on Sunday. Thousands of participants are expected for this event which raises funds in the battle with cancer. Residents of western Licking County should be aware of this major event that weekend. A large contingent of security and medical personnel will be on our local roads in support of this event.

COMMEMORATION OF THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR OF 1812

Commemoration of the Beginning of the War of 1812… On June 18th Licking County sponsored the commemoration of the War of 1812 with a Flag Raising Ceremony on June 18th in downtown Newark at the Veteran’s Park on North Sixth Street. The statewide commemoration honored the Ohioans who served and died in this second conflict with Great Britain. Emily Larsen, of the County Historical Society, summarized the War of 1812 as having had a lasting impact on Ohio bringing about the creation of new towns, spurring settlements, and cementing the cultural and geographic boundaries of the great lakes region that exist to this day. From big battles (Battle of Lake Erie and Fort Meigs) to small skirmishes across much of the state, to life on the home front, there are numerous stories to be told about the impact of this conflict on individuals, families and communities. Soloist Kerrill Foster sang the National Anthem as a large 15-star replica American Flag was raised by the Licking County Veterans Service Commission. The ceremony concluded with the ringing of Newark’s downtown church bells. Groups that participated in the flag raising event event included Licking County and Newark City Government, Newark Kiwanis, The County Historical Society and the County Veterans Service Commission. A photo of the actual flag raising…

SUMMER SAFETY TIPS FROM COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Here are Some Summer Safety Tips from your County Health Department… The end of the school year means more children are out and about, especially in neighborhoods. Parents and caregivers play an essential role in keeping kids safe while enjoying summer activities. The Licking County Health Department offers the following summer safety tips: • When driving, pay attention and scan the entire area around you. • Look for children playing near the street and slow down. Children are often unpredictable and unaware of danger around them. • Slow down around children and other pedestrians. • Watch for people about to step off the curb at crosswalks. • Teach kids to appreciate and respect EMS professionals, firefighters and police officers, and when and how to dial 911 in an emergency. • Always wear a helmet when biking, skateboarding, roller skating or riding a scooter. • Always stop at STOP signs and look both ways before crossing the street. • Use sunscreen and wear sunglasses to protect your skin and eyes from harmful solar rays. • Use care when eating foods like hotdogs, grapes and hard candy or cut them into smaller pieces to prevent choking. • Never allow unsupervised children to play near or swim in streams, pools, retention ponds or other bodies of water.