News Journal Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Fall 2013 Trip 6A
Serving Clinton County, Ohio, since 1838
Wilmington, Ohio
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Joint effort 25 years ago led to shelter Cardboard City fundraising goal: $25,000
The jump-start for a joint effort to set up a local emergency shelter can be traced back to when a mother and two children stood in front of Wilmington City Council and she said she was homeless, a shelter founder said. Linda Eichelberger, former mayor’s assistant and an instrumental person in opening the shelter, recently reflected on the early days as the Clinton County Homeless Shelter marks its 25th year at the Cardboard City event Saturday. A place for the woman and her children to stay was found, and the city’s part in establishing a shelter started that night, said Eichelberger. But opening the shelter didn’t occur overnight. “It probably took two, three
years of trying to find a fit. We were competing with all the big cities [for grant funds],” Eichelberger said. One thing she believes helped the local cause was pointing out that, by being a small rural area, emergency shelter services here could be different in a good way. Instead of “shipping people in and out overnight,” a smalltown shelter could keep them up to 30 days and begin to address some of the circumstances contributing to their homelessness, she said. An effort involving the city, churches and other concerned citizens resulted in a $30,000 grant approval to be matched with local funds, according to a paper on the early history
of the shelter by Donald K. Mertz, vice president of the original temporary board. An early challenge in the work to organize a shelter, said Eichelberger, was the fact the local homeless were not visible. “It was hard for people to believe that Wilmington needed a homeless shelter,” she said. Unless you were a police officer on night patrol you were unlikely to have seen the problem, added Eichelberger. Clinton County Homeless Shelter Executive Director Denise Stryker said that early on a lot of the shelter residents were “single moms with children.” In her position, she said she sees people who are very disSee SHELTER | A6
News Journal photo/Gary Huffenberger
Sharon Benning (left), member of the Clinton County Homeless Shelter board, listens as Linda Eichelberger (right), one of the shelter’s founders, recalls the local effort to start a homeless shelter.
The first Port William Bridge, built in the early 1900s.
Submitted photo
Terry Hoggatt selects delectable chocolates known as “tuttles” (a.k.a. Turtles) from the counter at her Kilwin’s franchise at The Greene in Beavercreek.
Built in 1975, this concrete Port William Bridge was partially replaed in 2002, then completely replaced in 2013. The Port William Bridge, as it currently stands, was opened to the public Monday.
Port William Bridge reopens By ANDREA L. CHAFFIN achaffin@civitasmedia.com Port William’s scenic landscape was returned Monday when the village’s signature bridge reopened for traffic after three months of closure. The Clinton County Engineer ’s Office replaced the bridge, located on State Route 134/Main Street, after discovering it had succumbed to rust and moisture issues, said Jeff Linkous, engineer. The bridge, which overlooks the village’s dam and mill, closed for work June 17.
The new bridge is made from pre-stressed concrete and has a price tag of $539,984. The contractor was John Jurgenson. Federal funding paid for 80 percent of the project, with 20 percent coming from Ohio Public Works Commission. Residents will be happy to have the road reopened, said Mayor Michelle Morrison, following a ribboncutting ceremony. The eight-mile detour from Sabina Road to Starbuck Road made traveling to Wilmington a bit frustrating, she said.
“I think I can speak for all residents and say they’re tickled it’s open,” she said. Morrison complimented the design of the bridge, specifically its rounded concrete railings. “It’s simple, but really pleasing, ” she said. “It adds a nice dressing.” For Maynard Beam, 80, it’s the third bridge he has seen in the village. He remembers the first documented bridge — made from metal trusses and estimated to cost between $10,000 to $12,000. It was built in the early 1900s and
torn down in 1975 when the concrete bridge was built. Beam’s family operates the grain facility adjacent to the bridge, and he has lived on the property since 1933 — with the exception of a few years spent in Germany. As a child, Beam recalls running across the bridge with a “gang of boys” and his brothers into town, where a slew of businesses kept them busy. “We would climb the top of the bridge and try to run up the slope,” See BRIDGE | A6
Peterson addresses Rotary club News Journal staff report
Submitted photo From left: Jerrold Bradley, architect for McCarty Associates; Jason Miller and daughter, general contractor for JM Miller Construction; Susan Shuler; Susanne Kenney; Peggy Dunn, library Director; Mark Johnson, Lori Blackburn, New Vienna Planning Committee); Pat Herring-Curtis (New Vienna library manager); Rick Fair; New Vienna Mayor Keith Collins; Emily Pinkerton; Rhonda Crum, New Vienna Friends of the Library); Loretta McWhorter; Rick Kendall and Chris Schock, Clinton County Foundation.
New Vienna Library breaks ground Sabina Public Library Board of Trustees, library directors and volunteers, New Vienna Friends of the Library, residents and other representatives from around Clinton County attended the official groundbreaking ceremony held on Friday, Sept. 6 to celebrate the construction of a new library in New Vienna.
Susan Shuler, president of the library’s board of trustees, welcomed those in attendance and told about the journey that was taken to reach this step in the community’s dream for a library. She also thanked many individuals, groups, and businesses responsible for helping the library to reach its goal. Inside: Business Page 2 Obits Page 3 Social Page 5 Comics Page 8
State Sen. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) on Monday addressed the Wilmington Noon Rotary Club, talking about job creation in Ohio. “We will not lose jobs to Michigan, Illinois or Kentucky,” said Peterson. “We do lose jobs to Indiana. They have lower taxes. They are more competitive. Indiana is kicking our butt.” Peterson said he considers himself to be Sen. Bob an advocate for lower taxes land less bureaucracy, and the primary Peterson barriers that keep Ohio from attracting business are tax policy, regulatory environment and workman’s compensation. “I am pleased to serve with a governor that is a dynamic driver of change,” he said, referring to Gov. John R. Kasich (R). Peterson said much progress has been made, but there is still much to be done. One of the biggest challenges for Petersen as a senator is getting 50 constituents to agree with your idea or proposal, he said. As a former commissioner for Fayette County, he said, “I only needed one more to agree with me.” Peterson joined the Ohio Senate in 2012 and represents the 17th Ohio Senate District, which includes Clinton County. “I love representing Clinton County,” he said. “My farm borders Clinton and Fayette counties.” Classifieds Page 9 Sports Page 15
Submitted photo
Submitted photo
Three generations of the fam- Mike Hoggatt offers samples ily work at Kilwin’s, includ- from their 36 flavors of ice cream. ing, from the left, Delmar Mahlerwein and Brent, Terry and Mike Hoggatt.
Trio of WC alumni and Wilmington residents making go of Kilwin’s franchise Terry Mahlerwein Hoggatt is amazed at the number of times customers comment, “You place smells like my vacation.” Science has determined that humans’ sense of smell is thousands of times more
sensitive than any other of our senses and the brain’s recognition of smell is immediate. So, it’s no wonder that numerous persons have made the connection between Kilwin’s chocoSee KILWIN’S | A6
WC bringing in theater company to present ‘The Duck Variations’ Program set for Sept. 19; free of charge Wilmington College’s Theatre Department is bringing to campus a live theatre performance of David Mamet’s comedy, “The Duck Variations,” Thursday, Sept. 19, at 7:30 p.m., in Hugh G. Heiland Theatre. Actors Jonathan Putnam and Geoffrey Nelson of A Portable Theatre will be featured in the play, which is being presented free of charge. When two elderly men meet in the park, their chance encounter quickly becomes a comic battle of wits. George and Emil are stubborn, highly opinionated and hilariously misinformed. Who is the wiser of the two? In 14 short scenes or “variations,” they verbally spar like prize-
PARTLY CLOUDY Look for a high temperature of 69 degrees
fighters to find out. And what do they fight about? Pollution, money, the government, outer space, the law, mother nature, the value of friendship, mortality and the majestic life of the duck — imagine George Burns versus Jack Benny. The New York Times called “The Duck Variations” a “welcome gust of laughter” and used the words “fresh and pungent” in describing the play. “It has some of the sound and flavor of the best Second City skits,” the review noted. “Even the wildest statements are dryly understated… The author never loses our attention or his sense of See DUCK | A6