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WednesdAY, December 11, 2013
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Quick-thinking teen save the day during fire
Will E Sanders
Staff Writer wsanders@civitasmedia.com
PIQUA — The actions of a quick-thinking 17-year-old female reduced the severity of what could have been a large house fire in the 100 block of Linden Avenue on Monday morning. The fire department was dispatched to 134 Linden Ave. at approximately 10:15 a.m. after a mattress and a box spring in an upstairs bedroom caught fire inside the residence, said Piqua Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Vince Ashcraft. Fire officials said some of the burning debris was pushed through a second-story win-
dow, which landed on the home’s roof, and the smoldering remains of the mattress and box springs were taken outside through the front door. The teenager, who was home from school, took her brother, a toddler, out of the home, and later ran to a neighbor’s home and called 9-1-1. In addition, another adult also fled the home. First to arrive on the scene was Piqua police officer Todd Voskuhl, who was on his way to an unrelated crash scene when he heard the call. Since he was close to the scene Voskuhl responded. “As I pulled up there was smoke coming out of the residence and a male was dragging
a portion of a twin-sized mattress that had been completely burned up (out the front door),” Voskuhl said. “I asked if anybody else was inside and I … noticed some items on the roof, part of the mattress, on fire. I grabbed my fire extinguisher out of my cruiser and went upstairs and extinguished them the best I could before the fire department showed up.” Voskuhl said a neighbor also assisted first responders during the fire. Ashcraft applauded the actions of the teen and said only minor fire damage was reported as a result of the fire. “She did everything right,” he said. “She called 9-1-1, she
Mike Ullery | Daily Call
Piqua firefighters work the scene of a reported structure fire at the intersection of Linden and Young Streets on Monday morning.
told them what was going on, and helped get everybody out of the house. She just did everything right.” No injuries were reported as
a result of the fire. As of Tuesday afternoon the cause of the fire was listed as undetermined, according to Piqua Fire Chief Mike Rindler.
Phase One of demolition of old power plant
Pilot program looks to stay Bethany J. Royer Staff Writer broyer@civitasmedia.com
Mike Ullery | Daily Call
Phase I in the demolition of concrete outbuildings and metal structure on the east side of the old Piqua Power Plant nears completion with Homrich Inc., of Carelton, MI., at the helm Tuesday afternoon. City leaders hope to have the work completed by Memorial Day.
PIQUA — After facing a series of cut-backs over the last few years, limiting the ability to do detailed follow-ups on property and property-maintenance complaints and looking for a way to remedy the situation, Piqua’s health department turned to outsourcing. “They have the experience and staffing to do that,” explained Gary Huff, city manager, of National Inspection Corporation (NIC) based out of Dayton and now six-months into their work with the city of Piqua on maintenance and zoning issues. According to Huff, outsourcing has proven to be a far more cost-efficient method than having to See NIC | Page 2
Health Partners hires ACA The gift of a Christmas Jar marketplace navigator Sharon Semanie
Will E Sanders
Staff Writer wsanders@civitasmedia.com
TROY — Health Partners Free Clinic, 1300 N. County Road 25-A, Troy, now has an Affordable Care Act marketplace navigator at their facility to assist the clinic’s patients with getting enrolled in the program. Executive Director Justin Coby said Health Partners now has a part-time ACA marketplace navigator, Stephanie Morris, and she will be offering assistance to clients of the free clinic to enroll in the nationwide health care program. Coby said some of the patients that use Health Partners either need help with enrolling or are not familiar enough with how to use the Internet to register for the program, which is where Morris comes in. “She is able to help individuals with navigating the site and understanding the process,” he said. “She will help walk people through the website and help them navigate it. … In our demographic at Health Partners this is vital to us because a lot of the people who (come here) don’t have access to the Internet or are not familiar with it. To have her here is a really great benefit to us.”
Since last month Morris has started helping clients at Health Partners with enrolling them in the program so they can start receiving the benefits of the ACA. “The process is taking longer than we originally expected,” Coby said. “It’s been slow, but steady.” The services of Morris were acquired thanks to a grant from the Ohio Association of Food Banks and administered through the Ohio Association of Free Clinics to various clinics around the state, including Health Partners, Coby said. The grant that is paying for the services Morris is providing will continue through this coming summer. The aim of the non-profit organization, which was established in 1998, is the increase the availability of health care for uninsured and under-insured county citizens by providing a clinic for all ages and staffed by health care professionals. To schedule an appointment with Morris, call her at (937) 3320894, extension 207. “For our folks this is a great resource to use to get insurance,” Coby said. “We celebrate when someone gets insurance at the clinic. People want the care, and the deserve the care.”
For the Daily Call pdceditorial@civitasmedia.com
PIQUA — In between the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping, baking cutout cookies and decorating the tree with bright-colored baubles, there are indiscriminate acts of human kindness, which remind us about the true meaning of Christmas. One heartwarming gesture occurred this week in a local beauty shop when a stranger appeared with a wrapped gift addressed to one of its employees. The stylist — who wishes to remain anonymous — didn’t recognize the woman who quickly disappeared upon placing the package on the counter. After her last customer left the premises, the hair stylist discovered her name on the gift tag and, upon gently unwrapping the box, reached inside and felt what she thought was a Christmas candle. Instead was a glass jar
Provided photo
Jason F. Wright’s book, Christmas Jars, was incentive for a special holiday surprise last week at an area salon.
containing an enormous amount of loose change and $1, $5 and even $10 bills which, when counted, totaled more than $129. The good Samaritan did not leave her name; however, accompanying the jar was a book entitled “Christmas Jars” by Jason F. Wright. The book has appeared on the New York Times
For home delivery, call 773-2725
best sellers list and is available at Jay and Mary’s Book Center in Troy. What is a Christmas jar? one might ask. According to the book’s author, it’s a pickle jar, peanut butter jar, Mason jar or whatever is taking up space in a kitchen See JAR | Page 2
Do you have special ‘pay it forward’ holiday story you’d like to share? The Daily Call will be accepting examples of service and giving through Dec. 19. Email pdceditorial@ civitasmedia.com with your name, phone number and a brief description of your story.