Images Licking County, OH: 2008 by Journal Communications

2008 | IMAGESLICKINGCOUNTY.COM | VIDEO VIGNETTES TM

OF LICKING COUNTY, OHIO

EINSTEIN WOULD BE PLEASED New labs, creative space planned for premier facility

ROLLING IN THE DOUGH Menus serve up handmade pasta, pastries and tortillas

It’s All a Big Act Restored Midland Theatre attracts major performers

SPONSORED BY THE LICKING COUNTY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

2008 EDITION | VOLUME 4 TM

OF LICKING COUNTY, COUNTY OHIO

CO NTE NT S F E AT U R E S 8

EINSTEIN WOULD BE PLEASED With new artistic space planned, something special is always in The Works.

12 NEWARK’S RENEWAL A downtown revitalization plan includes commercial and residential developments.

16 ROLLING IN THE DOUGH Three local restaurants serve up handmade pasta, pastries and tortillas.

39 CALLING ALL STUDENTS The Last-Dollar Grant program helps students get money for college.

IT’S ALL A BIG ACT The restored Midland Theatre attracts local, national and international performers.

LICKING COUNTY BUSINESS 26 A Crushing Success Screen Machine credits local efforts with a decision to expand in Licking County.

30 Biz Briefs 33 Chamber Report 35 Economic Proﬁle

D E PA R TM E NT S 4 Almanac: a colorful sampling of Licking County’s culture

21 Portfolio: people, places and events that deﬁne Licking County

36 Image Gallery 45 Health & Wellness 46 Community Proﬁle: facts, stats and important numbers to know

42 THEY’RE BACK ON TOP Newark Catholic High School has reclaimed a familiar title – state champion.

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ON THE COVER Photo by Antony Boshier Swasey Chapel, Denison University

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What’s Online More lists, links and tips for fo orr newcomers o n new

IMAGESLICKINGCOUNTY.COM

WEB SITE EXTRA

MOVING PICTURES VIDEO 1 INSIDE LOOK Join us on a virtual tour of Licking County through the lenses of our award-winning photographers at imageslickingcounty.com.

VIDEO 2 COCO KEY WATER RESORT The Coco Key Water Resort is open yearround for family fun. Splash around in our online video at imageslickingcounty.com.

VIDEO 3 GLASS-MAKING AT THE WORKS The Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology, known as The Works, provides space for artists to create and visitors to learn and be inspired. Watch artist Aaron Buchholz create an original work in glass in our video at imageslickingcounty.com.

PLUS SEARCH OUR ARCHIVES Browse past issues of the magazine by year or search for speciﬁc articles by subject. INSTANT LINKS Read the entire magazine online using our ActiveMagazine™ technology and link instantly to community businesses and services. EVEN MORE Read full-length versions of the magazine’s articles; ﬁnd related stories; or read new content exclusive to the Web. Look for the See More Online reference in this issue.

GOOD NEWS FOR GARDENERS The growing season here is fairly long, lasting from about mid-May to mid-October, allowing gardeners plenty of time to enjoy their labors. Find out more at imageslickingcounty.com.

FARM FRESH IN THE MIDWEST Traditional Midwestern cuisine can be summed up in three words: simple and hearty. Dairy, especially cheese, is a staple in many dishes. Get a taste of regional cuisine at imageslickingcounty.com.

A B O U T T H I S M AG A Z I N E Images of Licking County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is sponsored by the Licking County Chamber of Commerce. In print and online, Images gives readers a taste of what makes Licking County tick – from business and education to sports, health care and the arts.

“Find the good – and praise it.” – Alex Haley (1921-1992), Journal Communications co-founder

jnlcom.com

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A Basket Case What a Pane A.H. Heisey & Company produced glassware in Newark from 1896-1957, and a museum showcases many of their elaborate pieces. The National Heisey Glass Museum opened in 1974 and is run by the Heisey Collectors of America, Inc. It is located downtown in Veterans Park and houses more than 4,500 pieces of glassware produced by the company. Hundreds of patterns and all known colors are on display, including pressed glass, brown, etched, cut and colored glass. The museum also consists of the historic Samuel D. King residence, an 1831 Greek Revival-style home that was saved from demolition and moved to Veterans Park in July 1973.

You could really have a big picnic with this basket. The world’s largest basket also serves as the seven-story corporate headquarters of the Longaberger Basket Company. The basket is a replica – 160 times larger – of the company’s medium market basket. The building is 192 feet long by 126 feet wide at the bottom, spreading to 208 feet long by 142 feet wide at the roofline. Dave Longaberger, who founded the company, was the business visionary who dreamed up the idea. His employees were still somewhat astounded when they moved into the building in December 1997.

Kicking and Screaming Life is a ball for many kids in Licking County, thanks to soccer. The Newark Area Soccer Association has more than 1,000 families signed up, and the organization’s mission is to help young people advance in the sport. The NASA has established many divisions and age groups for boys and girls who want to play. The association is fully insured and, besides leagues, sets up travel tournaments and hosts professional and international games on occasion.

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Almanac

Things Are Going Swimmingly

Fast Facts

C’mon inside, the water is fine. The CoCo Key Water Resort is an indoor waterpark attached on the ground level to Cherry Valley Lodge. The lodge also has a traditional swimming pool located inside the hotel. CoCo Key is available to registered overnight package guests of Cherry Valley Lodge, and day passes are offered on a capacity availability basis. Besides the CoCo Key waterpark, Cherry Valley Lodge has 200 oversized guest rooms, including 16 suites with Jacuzzi tubs.

Q Licking County is the second-largest county in Ohio. Q The Licking County chamber is one of the oldest in the country, having been established in 1915. Q The county has an amazing 59 sites that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Splash around at Coco Key Water Resort in our online video at imageslickingcounty.com.

Q More than 50 companies in the Fortune 500 are now doing business in the county, including corporate giants such as Bayer, Boeing, Dow Chemical, Owens Corning and State Farm Insurance. Q The world’s largest basket also serves as the seven-story corporate headquarters of the Longaberger Basket Co. in Newark.

We All Scream

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Get a taste of this frozen treat in our online video at imageslickingcounty.com.

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Velvet Ice Cream has become an ironically tasty landmark in a county with the name of Licking. The Utica-based company was established in 1914 and has become a Midwest ice cream manufacturing powerhouse. It’s Ye Olde Mill production facility is so popular that public tours of the ice cream-making process occur from May 1-Oct. 31. Ice cream flavors include buckeye classic, strawberry shortcake and lemon cream pie, while Velvet also produces eight light ice creams and eight sherbets. The company has gross annual sales of about $20 million and is Ohio’s largest independent ice cream maker.

Q Newark has a winery downtown. The Buckeye Winery includes a tasting room and sells kits to customers interested in producing their own vintages.

SEE MORE ONLINE | For more Fast Facts about Licking County, visit imageslickingcounty.com.

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Almanac

This Ice Is Nice It was icing on the cake when the Newark City Council decided to renovate the Newark Ice Arena in 2005. Six months later, nearly $1.2 million in cash in largely private donations produced a multiuse, multi-season facility for hockey, figure skating and curling. The name was changed in 2006 from the Newark Ice Arena to the Lou and Gib Reese Ice Arena because of the large donation made by the Reese family to the renovation effort. Skating lessons also are offered at the facility, and it is available to rent for corporate outings, family reunions and other functions.

A Gorgeous Gorge A narrow gorge cut by the Licking River is becoming increasingly well known for its spring wildflowers. Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve is 956 acres of winding river, forested ridges and beautiful displays of wildflowers. The east-west gorge cuts through the Black Hand sandstone formation, whose name originated from a dark, hand-shaped American Indian carving that was engraved on the face of a massive sandstone cliff along the north side of the river. Besides the woodland spring wildflowers, trees that grow wild along the gorge include yellow birch, cherry birch and eastern hemlock.

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Check out the new ice arena in our online video at imageslickingcounty.com.

Licking County | At A Glance POPULATION (2006 ESTIMATE) Licking County: 156,287 Newark: 47,242

Licking County

LOCATION Licking County is in central Ohio, about 30 miles east of Columbus. Hartford

BEGINNINGS Three settlers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; G.W. Burnet, John Cummins and William C. Schenck â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are credited with the official founding of the county in 1802. The county was named for the Licking River, and the county seat is Newark.

L IC KING Alexandria 16

Columbus m

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St. Louisville

Johnstown

Pataskala Kirkersville

FOR MORE INFORMATION Licking County Chamber of Commerce 50 W. Locust St. PO Box 702 Newark, OH 43058-0702 Phone: (740) 345-9757 Fax: (740) 345-5141 www.lickingcountychamber.com

Utica

62 37

Granville

Hanover

Newark Heath

Hebron Buckeye Lake

Gratiot

SEE VIDEO ONLINE | Take a virtual tour of Licking County at imageslickingcounty. com, courtesy of our awardwinning photographers.

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Einst Would Be

SEE MORE ONLINE | Watch artist Aaron Buchholz create an original work in glass in our video at imageslickingcounty.com.

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ein Pleased

NEW LABS, CREATIVE SPACE, OFFICES AND MORE PLANNED FOR PREMIER FACILITY

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE

STAFF PHOTO

he Works seems to have it all: a wood shop, print shop, motions and forces lab, optics lab, art gallery, glass blowing studio, invention lab, health lab, a tyke lab and an outdoor summer concert series. But like the steam engines once built at the site, The Works doesn’t idle for long. For the Smithsonian affiliate museum, 2008 is a big year. A Zap Lab, geared toward fifth-graders and focused on electricity and renewable resources, opened in January. In April, the facility dedicated a new 8,000-square-foot administration building. The summer will bring the installation of echo tubes, “Pipes of Pan” made from PVC tubing, and xylophone

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The Works is a multifaceted facility that offers creative space for children and adults, as well as art classes, exhibits and performances.

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benches in the courtyard so kids can experiment with sound. “Our goal is to be the community’s cultural center, provide art classes, crafts and artists-in-residence three or four times a year in shops,” says director Marcia Downes. “My focus is getting kids turned on to science, especially females.” That, too, was the vision of founder Howard LeFevre, a local businessman who invested $15 million to launch The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology and also was behind the Ohio State University’s Newark campus. He was worried women didn’t have a fair shot at higher education and made sure daycare was available for university students, Downes said. “He made his money in trucking and put every cent back into the community,” she says.

LeFevre, at 101, is still going. The office expansion came courtesy of another $1.2 million gift from him. The community has embraced his vision and the vast educational and cultural offerings The Works provides. Mary Downard has been bringing her third-grade class from Bremen Elementary School to the facility for at least 12 years. Depending on the day, the students will pound on computers and take them apart, build their own race cars or touch some slime as part of a physics lesson on matter. “They love it,” Downard says. The expansion means The Works comprises more than 90,000 square feet in 13 buildings. Constantly inventing new ways to reach students and adults makes sense for a facility located in a county that was the source of the

third patent ever filed, for a piece of farm equipment. A big focus is understanding “why industry thrives on invention and why our future has to be invention-geared,” Downes says. Artists benefit as well. Anna Walker, a printmaker, took up residency in the print shop during the summer of 2007. She worked with children enrolled in the “Art of the Book” camp, helping them bind their final products. “It is a nice aspect of an artist-inresidency. You want to get your art out there but also reach out to the community,” says Walker, who is now working on her masters of arts administration at Indiana University. The Works, she says, “is a neat gem in terms of where it is in Ohio. It really fits in well with Newark.”

The Works: Ohio Center for History, Art & Technology invites teachers to bring students into the facility to experiment with technology and explore their world. Right: Exhibits and activities also cater to younger children.

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STAFF PHOTOS

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Newark’s

Renewal DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION PLAN INCLUDES COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS

STORY BY BETSY WILLIAMS

STAFF PHOTOS

he term “pioneer” often brings to mind visions of covered wagons and dusty trails, but pioneers are what downtown Newark is seeking. Urban pioneers, that is. “We’ve got a lot to offer here,” says Steve Herb, a local developer/broker interested in Newark’s downtown revitalization, especially as it relates to trendy residential loft development. “Our downtown is large enough to offer a lot of opportunity and small enough for downtown revitalization to be achievable.” Dave Brenner, tapped by the Licking County Chamber of Commerce to chair

Developer Steve Herb is working to revitalize Newark. Right: Loft developments are on the downtown wish list.

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STAFF PHOTOS

the steering committee charged with formulating a revitalization strategy, agrees. “Newark is poised for rapid growth, mainly because of the transportation improvements on Highway 16 and 161, which connects us with Columbus,” says Brenner. “Our downtown, which has so much potential, can take advantage of that growth.” Downtown revitalization is a process, Brenner stresses, and the tendency to expect instant results can be disheartening. “We’ve made the commitment that we are going to resist the temptation to get impatient and cynical,” he says.

“We want to be celebratory in our small accomplishments and small successes. It’s more than us coming up with a plan; it’s a comprehensive strategy that will yield tangible results.” While the committee is working with the city of Newark in terms of some professional assistance, the group is currently functioning on its own financially, depending upon the strengths of its business members to perform the fundamental due diligence during this initial period. Once the committee was established in 2007, Brenner explains, the group

used its own resources to immediately analyze and map the conditions of 794 commercial and residential properties in the downtown area. What they saw was that the downtown area has an impressive stock of historic buildings, and most of them are in good condition. “We have several architecturally significant buildings downtown,” says Brenner. The Licking County Courthouse, built in 1879 in the French mansard Victorian style, is at the very top of the list, considered to be one of the finest in the state. Other strengths include the potential

Public art and a gazebo enhance the park area in the downtown square while The Midland Theatre lights up the evenings. Right: The Licking County Courthouse, the centerpiece of downtown, also displays art on its lawn.

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for residential development in the upper stories of many of the buildings around the courthouse square and the fact that a strong residential core exists in the western area of downtown. “In my opinion, that will enable redevelopment to take place,” says developer Herb. “You can’t reproduce this feeling and these buildings out in suburbia.” Possible candidates who will be targeted for downtown living include Newark’s Ohio State University students and young professionals. Anchors in the downtown, other than government, include The Midland Theatre, a turn-of-the-century theater that serves as both a performance and movie venue, and The Works, a Smithsonian affiliate featuring museums, art studios and other cultural activities. Founded by philanthropist Howard LeFevre, the facility is housed in a 19th-century former steam engine plant on First Street. Newark is no different from many other mid-sized American cities dealing with the flight of businesses and residents to the outlying areas, and Brenner says they know the challenges. The biggest is risk-taking, he says. “There is no question that it is a risk for a developer to come in and do residential units, but the highway-widening project is going to be key in the success of that.” Other challenges include traffic flow, parking solutions and infrastructure improvements. One local businessman, Jerry McClain, has grabbed the proverbial bull by the horns and begun physical improvements at Newark’s front door. “You only have one time to make a first impression,” says McClain, a general contractor/developer and Newark native. He and Newark attorney Gib Reese have demolished identified eyesores at the corner of Fourth and Locust streets, and McClain hopes that Fourth Street can become a welcoming venue in the city with decorative lighting, customized sidewalks and an improved bridge. “We are trying to develop this into something very nice,” says McClain. LICKING COUNT Y

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Rolling in the

Dough

LOCAL ESTABLISHMENTS SERVE UP HANDMADE PASTA, PASTRIES AND TORTILLAS

STORY BY CAROL COWAN

Adornetto’s attracts a lively crowd for lunch and dinner. Left: The pasta at Adornetto’s is handmade daily for the spaghetti and meatballs and other Italian specialties.

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STAFF PHOTOS

ou won’t find anyone counting carbs or banishing breads at these Licking County restaurants. That’s and La Paloma Mexican Restaurants make their dough by making dough. From fluffy dinner rolls and flaky, home-baked pies to fresh, made-from-scratch pasta to hearty tortillas and authentic sopapillas, these flour-based foods garner rave reviews from customers who keep coming back for more. Riley’s Bakery, at 19 W. Church St. in Newark, is the thirdoldest business in town, and after 83 years still makes all its bread, rolls, pies, cakes, cookies and ever-popular doughnuts from scratch, with no preservatives. Riley’s also caters and

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grateful we can give back to the community.” In addition, Adornetto’s makes its own sauces and handrolls about 1,500 made-from-scratch meatballs every week. And a single order of lasagna, one of Adornetto’s top sellers, is enough for a couple of meals, Sarap says. When La Paloma Restaurant founders Gabriel and Marcia Buena came to Licking County in 1975, they brought their old family recipes with them. Today, their children and grandchildren carry on their legacy, operating La Paloma restaurants in Newark, Heath and Mount Vernon – all still serving delicious, authentic Mexican food. “The family recipes have been handed down for generations,” says Cheryl Leach, manager of the La Paloma store in Heath. “Everything is made fresh daily, from scratch. Our sopapillas are our main seller.” The iconic La Paloma sopapilla is made from a specialrecipe dough, rolled out, wrapped around a filling – such as beef and cheese, beans and cheese, chicken or veggies – and then deep fried. Marcia Buena created the special dough to resist oil absorption, Leach says. “You get a nice, flaky crust without the grease.”

STAFF PHOTOS

bakes custom-decorated wedding and special-occasion cakes. Passed down from the founding Mr. Riley to his sons, the bakery finally passed out of the Riley family into the ownership of Aileen Hudnall 11 years ago. But new ownership didn’t bring any big changes. “I’ve been here 52 years,” Hudnall says. “I started working here when I was 22 years old – I’m 74 now. I guess I’m the only one who knew enough to take over when Mr. Riley retired. But he still comes in and bosses me like he used to,” she laughs. Meanwhile, over at Adornetto’s Italian Restaurant, owner Mike Sarap and staff crank out some 200 pounds of homemade spaghetti every week. Sarap says the process is time-consuming, but he believes in serving fresh, authentic cuisine made from the best semolina and durum flours, eggs, olive oil and salt. He even imported his pasta machine from Italy. “We also sell a ton of pizza,” Sarap adds. “Our dough is made from scratch fresh every day. If we don’t use it that day, we throw it away.” And speaking of dough, Adornetto’s raises a bunch for local schools. “We do fundraisers almost every Tuesday. We have raised more than $50,000 in the last four years,” Sarap says. “We are

Riley’s Bakery & Catering has been serving fresh doughnuts in Newark for more than 80 years. Right: Aileen Hudnall’s macadamia nut pies are a highlight of the menu at Riley’s, along with pastries, cakes and fresh-baked bread.

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Portfolio Singer Shawna Corder first gained notice when she competed in the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program.

Service Is a Song for Her SHAWNA CORDER HELPS HER COMMUNITY WHILE PURSUING A CAREER

hen singer Shawna Corder and her band, the Corder-Roys, are not performing with some of Nashville’s top entertainers, she is busy supporting organizations that make Licking County a better place to live. “It’s the least I can do. When you rely on people in your community to boost your career, it’s important to give back to the community that gives to you,” says Corder, who has opened for stars including Brad Paisley, Trick Pony, Sawyer Brown and others. She has sung the national anthem for NASCAR’s Power Stroke 200, the Baltimore Orioles, Tampa Bay Devil LICKING COUNT Y

Rays and at other sporting events. Corder won a scholarship and valuable notice when she performed in the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program. “The scholarship was a great springboard for me,” says Corder. Armed with a Master’s of Business Administration degree, she is exceptionally well prepared to manage her career with an independent record label, New Colony Records, located in Chillicothe. Her CD, “Shawna,” is available through her Web site, www.shawnacorder.com, along with T-shirts, hats and photographs. “In a music career, you have to have a business background. The

Internet has opened a lot of doors. You’re able to have a wider market. Someone from Hungary can find me, or Nebraska. You don’t know who is going to hear your music,” she says. Growing professional success enables Corder to give back to the community. She sings during the Relay for Life, a 24-hour event that supports the American Cancer Society, with a performance that keeps the participants energized. She also supports Hospice of Central Ohio, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Hospital of Columbus and All Children’s Hospital, among other charities. “I just love what I do,” Corder says. I M AG E S L I C K I N G C O U N T Y. C O M

Portfolio

Centratech Helps Clients Compete F

or almost two decades, businesses throughout the Newark region and beyond have relied on Centratech for their communications technology needs. Centratech’s services include design, installation and maintenance of business telecommunications systems, voice mail-unified messaging, paging and intercom systems, structured wiring solutions and data network solutions. One reason for the company’s success is the fact that Todd Harrold, Centratech’s president, has so much in common with his customers, who range from small businesses to Lowe’s, the chain of do-it-yourself home improvement stores. “You drive by a small business at 6 in the morning and you see lights on,

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and again at 7 p.m. and they are still there. At the end of the day, you know you’ve put in a good day’s work,” says Harrold, who founded Centratech in 1990 in a friend’s living room after becoming convinced that the communications needs of businesses were not being met adequately. “I worked for another company and thought, ‘I can do this better.’ I had to try it,” says Harrold. Centratech has grown to 24 employees who share Harrold’s entrepreneurial spirit. He says the company is big enough to meet the needs of any customer but small enough to remain f lexible and responsive. In fact, Centratech’s size helps it compete with companies that are many times larger.

“If you have a big ship, it can be hard to turn that around. We can respond much quicker,” he says. Centratech’s responsiveness and technical expertise led to a close relationship with Lowe’s. “We go in when a store opens and put in all the telephones, computers, cash registers, the scan guns,” says Harrold. Centratech frees its large and small clients to concentrate on their businesses while it keeps up with the latest trends that are changing business communications technology and helps them be competitive. “That’s important whether they have four or five phones or 450,” Harrold says.

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Foundation Meets Needs

embers of the Energy Cooperative are changing lives, 50 cents at a time. By signing up for Operation Round Up and rounding up their monthly bills to the next dollar, customers have provided more than $425,000 to charities, service organizations and individuals since 2005, when the program began. The average contribution is $6 per year, or 50 cents a month. More than threequarters of the Energy Cooperative’s customers are participating, says Brad Byrd, the cooperative’s director of marketing and public relations. “When it’s one or two people, it’s not a lot of money. When it’s 40,000 people, it’s a nice chunk of change,” Byrd says. Through Operation Round Up, the Energy Cooperative’s members are addressing needs and improving the quality of life in the region, he says. “The real benefit of Operation Round Up is that it cuts through the red tape that a lot of organizations have to go through,” Byrd says. The importance of responding quickly was proven not long after the program began. The Salvation Army needed support for its Coats for Kids program, which provides coats to keep children warm in the winter. Operation Round Up made a $3,000 donation. It was the first of the many donations that the program has made to worthy causes. The value of a fast response was proven again when Habitat for Humanity needed help replacing stolen tools. Operation Round Up stepped in so work on a family’s new home would not be delayed. “A few pennies a month from a lot of people makes a big difference. What we’re especially proud of is the number of members who are participating,” says Byrd. Operation Round Up has provided financial support to several organizations in the Newark region.

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Changing Lives Through Work W

LICCO client Stacey Blanton works to assemble emergency brake parts.

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hen local businesses need the assistance of highly motivated and well-trained workers, they know they can rely on LICCO Inc., which provides employment opportunities for individuals who have physical or developmental disabilities. “Any potential customers who come here are amazed by the capabilities of our employees and what we do,” says Brett McClintock, sales manager for LICCO, located at 600 Industrial Parkway in Heath. The company employs 200 individuals who work each day in LICCO’s 25,000-square-foot production area or report for work at a customer location. The workers primarily perform packaging and assembly work, which helps customers grow their businesses while controlling costs. LICCO also produces creative, custommade puzzles, says McClintock. “If you want a puzzle of your child, you e-mail us a photo and we create a puzzle from it,” he says. Customers are quick to praise LICCO. Tom Moske, human resources manager for THK Manufacturing of America, says LICCO’s employees provide invaluable service. A team works at THK every day. “They do a tremendous job. They really help us keep up with demand while controlling costs,” says Moske. “Our people love them. The nice thing is they really feel part of our company.” LICCO customers get top-quality assistance and experience the satisfaction of helping people with disabilities live more independently. “We’re here to serve people with disabilities, and we serve them through work. They are contributing members of the community. We try to connect people with the community,” McClintock says. LICKING COUNT Y

Portfolio

Civic Experience Put to Good Use H

eath Mayor Richard J. Waugh says a career in business and years of active involvement with civic organizations, including Sertoma, the Jaycees and Ducks Unlimited, have prepared him to seize opportunities to strengthen the economy and quality of life as the city continues to grow. “Business and civic involvement was a great training ground,” says Waugh. Before becoming mayor in May 2007, Waugh served on the Heath city council. His civic commitment to the community earned him recognition as 2007 East Central Ohio and Great Lakes Regional Sertoman of the Year. As a businessman, his commitment to serving the needs of his clients brought success as an independent health insurance agent and, for 10 years before that, as a licensed mortician.

“As an insurance broker, I had clients in a variety of small businesses, typically five to 20 employees. That provided great insight into their goals and needs,” says Waugh. He has found similar insights in other places, as well. One of Waugh’s fondest memories is chairing a Tball, softball and baseball league for children ages 5 to 17. As mayor, he looks back on the lessons of that enjoyable team-building experience to help prepare Heath for the challenges and opportunities of serving the needs of a growing population and competing for tomorrow’s jobs and business expansions. “I’m convinced that if we can look

into the future and see what our needs are going to be, we will certainly be successful. Heath is in a good position,” he says. His first steps include appointing a public task force to explore the possibilities of expanding broadband Internet service and fiber optics inside the city, as well as making Heath a citywide hot spot for wireless service. He is also planning road improvements to foster economic development and preparing for construction of a milliondollar water tower. Waugh says his goals are summed up by the motto on the city logo: “City of progress, citizens with pride.” – Stories by Bill Lewis

LET OUR FAMILY TAKE CARE OF YOURS LOCAL & OUT-OF-TOWN

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522-8588 1890 W. Main St.

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24-Hour Service • Licensed by the State of Ohio The Only Company in Town Locally Owned Since 1971

Mayor Richard Waugh relies on his civic and business experience as he leads Heath into the future.

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Business

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Crushing Success

SCREEN MACHINE CREDITS LOCAL EFFORT WITH DECISION TO EXPAND IN LICKING COUNTY

STORY BY PAMELA COYLE

S STAFF PHOTOS

creen Machine Industries Inc. moved to its expanded Licking County plant less than two years ago, and its awards are attracting almost as much attention as its equipment. In 2007, Screen Machine received the Governor’s Excellence Award in community development for meeting – and beating – job creation targets. That same year, Road and Bridges magazine gave the company its prestigious Gold Award for a new impact crusher. In 2006, the U.S. Department of Commerce honored Screen Machine with its Export

Screen Machine Industries is one of the largest manufacturers of portable, tracked shredding and screening plants in North America. Left: Vice President of Engineering Doug Cohen, left, and Steve Cohen, president.

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Business

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Achievement Award for a deal in Yemen that involved a large crushing and screening plant. The company builds portable machines that can crush, screen and wash nearly anything. Customers can break down construction materials such as concrete, which is crushed, sized and reused for new projects. Other rigs break up wallboard, separate the paper backing, and tumble the gypsum for its reincarnation. Screen Machine’s equipment also cleans up contamination at old coal mining and Superfund sites. Portable equipment, President Steve Cohen says, travels to the project, eliminating the need for expensive trucking. Recycling, whether of scrap metal or construction materials, is the company’s biggest growth area. “The price of raw materials is so expensive and permitting is getting so it is tougher to bring products out of the ground, plus landfills are more restrictive about what they’ll let in,” Cohen says. The company, which holds six patents, got its start in 1966 and had its headquarters near Columbus and plants in Pataskala and West Virginia. Cohen’s father started the business; a brother, Doug, is chief engineer; their sister is head of human resources. Screen Machine sought to move out of Columbus and consolidate. The company credits Licking County with making the local expansion possible. West Virginia was offering a host of incentives. To keep Screen Machine in Pataskala, local leaders didn’t have to move a mountain but faced a task nearly as daunting – getting permission to dig under a federal interstate to run water and sewer lines. “Fifty-two times I was told it couldn’t be done,” says Rob Klinger, Licking County’s economic development manager. He also counted 48 people from 26 different entities who worked to make it happen. Using a combination of federal comA welder, Allen Zogleman, works in the manufacturing warehouse located in Licking County.

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munity block grants, a state grant and $110,000 in local money, the team came up with the $310,000 cost. Screen Machine stayed in Ohio. The $6.5 million project included construction costs, equipment and inventory. “This project was just so cool to put together,” Klinger says. “They’ve kept their commitment, kept the employees, added more.” And more jobs are likely. In 2007, business grew by about 50 percent. Cohen

declines to give sales figures but says the company sells up to 200 machines a year, with prices ranging from $30,000 to $700,000. The industry itself is growing. Screen Machine is spreading its geographic reach, and the boon in recycling means business should be brisk. “They are one of the most interesting companies I’ve ever worked with,” Klinger says. “These people have invested in the community.”

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NEW HOME, EXPANDED SERVICE The Greater Licking County Convention and Visitors Bureau had a nice spot in downtown Newark for three years, just off the town square. But the agency couldn’t pass up a bigger space at one of the region’s tourist destinations – a historic pilgrimage site for Native Americans. And the price was right: The Ohio Historical Society spent $300,000 renovating the museum offices and building. And the bureau gets its space rent-free. The museum’s grand re-opening was May 3 at the Great Circle earthworks and featured Aztec dancers and other performances. The site is up for World Heritage status, a designation held by only 20 other U.S. earthworks sites, says Susan Fryer, the visitor center’s executive director. The new offices, at 455 Hebron Road in Heath, mean more traffic and extended hours. From April 15 through Oct. 15, the visitor’s center will have longer hours, be open on Sundays (from 1 to 5 p.m.) for the first time and also remain open on federal holidays. For more information call 800-589-8224 or go to www.lccvb.com.

In addition to traditional cheese and pepperoni pies, Pizza Cottage offers interesting combinations such as the Philly Cheese Steak Pizza.

THREE’S A CHARM Kevin Gorham picked Dec. 26, 2007, to open the third Pizza Cottage in Licking County, on Mount Vernon Road in Newark. “It’s an extremely busy day in the pizza business anyway,” he says. His parents started the first Pizza Cottage in Carroll in 1972, and Kevin was part of the family business from the beginning. He was 12 years old and stood on a case of pizza sauce, adding toppings before his dad put the pies in the oven. Newark was a good place to expand. The new shop is far enough from the 30

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other restaurants in Buckeye Lake and Lancaster that it won’t draw business away and is in a high-traffic area that is growing, says Gorham, who is the managing partner. Gorham says he’s been “extremely happy” with the volume of business on Mount Vernon Road, which is cranking out about 5,500 pizzas a week. The Pizza Cottage trademarks are quality, fresh toppings, homemade dough crafted every day at each location and a thin crust. For more information, menus and directions, go to www. pizza-cottage.com.

BRICKS OF DISTINCTION Bowerston Shale Co. has been making bricks for more than 70 years, using raw shale from its own reserves and turning out face bricks and paving bricks with a distinctive touch. The company keeps a sculptor on its staff so it can offer residential, commercial and architectural customers one-of-a-kind treatments. Some of its local work can be seen at Licking Valley High School, Newark Public Library, the Newark fire and police stations, the Newark Advocate and the Newark Elks. President Mark Willard said one of its larger projects involved a massive, three-section mural featuring animals in a jungle setting for the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans. “There was a lot of detail. It was very intricate,” Willard says. The custom work has interior as well as exterior applications. Sculptor Allen Moran creates each brick to be part of a LICKING COUNT Y

Business | Biz Briefs

larger assemblage, whether for signage at a subdivision entrance or something different over a great room fireplace. The company employs about 70 people at its plants in Bowerston and Hanover. For more information, go to www.bowerstonshale.com. A WINDFALL FROM WINDSTREAM Windstream Communications is a rural communications company with 3.4 million customers in 16 states. In devising an advertising strategy to broaden its reach, the company took advantage of two necessities of modern life: shopping and eating. It sponsored the food court renovation at Indian Mound Mall in Heath, working out a deal that allows advertising on tabletops, poles, overhead entrance areas, formerly blank walls and the tables themselves. “I have a very high volume of people who said it stood out,” says Steve Grissom, Windstream’s district area manager. “The food court is an advertising program that we came up with as opposed to getting a billboard,” he says. Windstream is a spin-off of Alltel and opened for business in July 2006, offering traditional phone lines, broadband Internet access and digital television. Indian Mound Mall is located at 771 S. 30th St. For more information, go to www.indianmoundmall.com. For more information about Windstream, go to www.windstream.com.

Executive Director Jerry Billman says the average age is 86.3, but Chapel Grove differs from many retirement communities in its ratio of men to women. The industry average is about 13 percent to 15 percent male. At Chapel Grove, 30 percent of the residents are men. Of the five directors on site, four are owners. “We try to treat our residents like they are our own parents and grandparents,” Billman says. “We are here every day, and we want to make sure things get done right and that our residents are comfortable.” For additional information, visit www.chapelgroveinn.com. – Pamela Coyle

Windstream Communications helped give the food court at Indian Mound Mall a brightly colored makeover.

COMFORT AND SECURITY Chapel Grove Inn, a retirement complex in Heath, has a waiting list. The facility, which opened in August 2003, has 91 private suites and offers varying levels of care, with a nurse on staff around the clock. Each suite has a kitchenette. The complex has an activity center for crafts and organized activities, an outdoor walking trail, a chapel and a library. Personal aide and other services are available as residents’ needs change. The staff pays particular attention to nutrition and hydration. LICKING COUNT Y

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Business | Chamber Report

STAFF PHOTO

A game show event was a success for the chamber. Events Coordinator Lois Ridgley and President Cheri Hottinger

Chamber Puts Twist on Show ‘DEAL’ FUNDRAISER UNITED COMMUNITY AND RAISED $5,500

ot a day goes by that someone doesn’t ask Lois Ridgley if the Licking County Chamber of Commerce will put on another fundraiser like its “Deal or Not A Deal” spin-off last fall. The answer is yes, on Nov. 20, again at the renovated Midland Theatre in downtown Newark. The inaugural event included the involvement of 80 local high school students and sponsorship by four pizza companies and four local banks. It raised $5,500 for the chamber, and President Cheri Hottinger credits Ridgley, the agency’s events coordinator, with pulling it all together. “She put her own twist on it,” Hottinger says. A $12 ticket gave random audience members a chance to win up to $1,000 in this local version of the popular game show. Instead of briefcases with money, the chamber used donated pizza boxes; a secret banker and the host tried to tempt participants to give up their boxes with offers of cash. Instead of using models like the television show, the chamber tapped local high school students to hold the pizza boxes for four rounds; each round had a different theme, including young ladies in formal wear and young men in athletic garb. That decision not only delighted the youngsters, it also brought out their friends and relatives, Ridgley says. “It was a great way for them to show their school spirit,”

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she says. “It was just a huge community effort, tying in everyone,” she says. Brayan Gault, a freshman at Lakewood High School, had a blast. She took part in the first round, wearing a hot pink halter dress, and in the final round, wearing a cheerleader outfit. “I had fun doing it,” she says. So did her mother, an audience member who won $35. Ridgley credits the pizza restaurants (Pizza Cottage, Christy’s Pizza, Domino’s and Donato’s) and the banks (National City, Park National Bank, First Federal Savings and Cardinal Federal Credit Union) with much of the event’s success. Casey Claxon, who acted as the show’s host, also draws praise. Ridgley assisted her aunt and uncle in making the big board used on stage. “The board we had was incredible,” Hottinger says. Other local businesses helped by donating door prizes that included a television, large gift baskets and wine with a customized “Deal or Not a Deal” label, Ridgley says. During “commercial breaks” that mentioned the donors, random seat numbers would be announced designating that break’s winner. “The door prize donors were not banks or pizza companies, but they wanted to be involved,” Ridgley says. – Pamela Coyle I M AG E S L I C K I N G C O U N T Y. C O M

Where you and your family are our #1 priority and meeting your family’s financial needs is our business!

34 Licking View Dr. • P.O. Box 2216 • Heath, OH 43056 • (740) 522-5277 www.harvestfcu.org

Log on with friends.

A YMCA membership offers the less virtual, more actual worldwide experience.

Belong WHY NOT BELONG? Memberships so POWERFUL, the entire community is strengthened.

Licking County Family YMCA 470 W. Church St. • Newark, OH 43055 (740) 345-9622 • www.lcfymca.org

We build strong kids, strong families, strong communities.

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Business | Economic Profile

LICKING COUNTY BUSINESS CLIMATE Manufacturing industries and agriculture almost equally make up Licking County’s economy. The county is the fourth-largest agricultural producing county in the state and is home to more than 100 manufacturing, research and development businesses.

Taxes Owed $282.65 plus 4.038% of excess over $15,000

Renter-occupied housing units, 14,212, 24.2% Housing Characteristics

TRANSPORTATION Airports Newark Heath Airport (740) 522-6968 Port Columbus International Airport, (614) 239-4000 Rickenbacker International Airport, (614) 491-1401 Highways A network of highways connects Licking County with major markets in Ohio and neighboring states: I-70 – a major east-west interstate – connects with I-71, I-75 and I-77, the major northsouth highway. U.S. 40, State Routes 16 and 161 cross the county east and west. The Hebron Bypass is a new 2.9-mile, four-lane highway that includes a four-ramp interchange at U.S. 40 connecting to I-70. U.S. Route 62 and State Routes 13, 30 37, 79, 586 and 661 run north and south. Railroads CSX, (800) 327-5405 Ohio Central Railroad (740) 622-8092

Single-family, owner-occupied homes, 33,587

Amount Earned $20,000-$40,000

Median value, $110,700

Taxes Owed $484.55 plus 4.845% of excess over $20,000

TAXES

Amount Earned $40,000-$80,000

Sales Tax Licking County: 7 percent

Taxes Owed $1,453.55 plus 5.653% of excess over $40,000

State Income Tax Amount Earned Up to $5,000 Taxes Owed .808% of Ohio taxable income Amount Earned $5,000-$10,000 Taxes Owed $40.40 plus 1.6157% of excess over $5,000 Amount Earned $10,000-$15,000 Taxes Owed $121.15 plus 3.230% of excess over $10,000

FOR MORE INFORMATION Licking County Chamber of Commerce 50 W. Locust St. Newark, OH 43055 (740) 345-9757 Fax: 345-5141 www.lickingcountychamber. com

Sources: www.lcounty.com, www.lickingcountychamber. com, www.naco.org, www.census.gov

Amount Earned $15,000-$20,000

EMPLOYMENT Occupation

No. Employed

Employed civilian population 16 years and older

72,422

Management, professional and related occupations

21,1 3 4

Sales and office occupations

20,034

HOUSING

Production, transportation and material-moving occupations

12,826

Total housing units, 58,760 100%

Service occupations

10,491

Occupied housing units, 55,609, 94.6% Owner-occupied housing units, 41,397, 70.5%

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Construction, extraction and maintenance occupations Farming, fishing and forestry occupations

7,626 311

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Image Gallery

The Bell Tower Circle of Friends on the COTC/OSUâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;N Campus

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANTONY BOSHIER

The Dawes Arboretum

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Mortgage Services 345-8882 Investment Services 322-6250 Small Business Banking 345-8901 HEATH OFFICE 586 Hebron Rd. Heath 522-2166

BUCKEYE LAKE OFFICE 5097 Walnut Rd. Buckeye Lake 929-2060 JOHNSTOWN OFFICE 39 S. Main St. Johnstown 967-1015 NORTHTOWNE OFFICE 1760 N. 21st St. Newark 349-8430 PATASKALA OFFICE 7200 Hazelton Etna Rd. Pataskala 927-2767

www.nationalcity.com

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Member FDIC “2008 National City Corporation”

CHURCH STREET OFFICE 68 W. Church St. Newark 349-8431

8 0 0 . A C S . 2 3 4 5 / c a n c e r. o r g

Your Place to Bank in Licking County

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Education

Calling All Students LAST-DOLLAR GRANT PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS GET MONEY FOR COLLEGE

ewark issued a call, and almost 5,000 high school seniors answered, to the tune of nearly $1.4 million. The call? To attend college, with assistance provided in the form of a scholarship known as the Last-Dollar Grant. “The goal is to break down a lot of the barriers that may keep a young person from attending college,” explains Diane DeLawder, Call to College program director. “These are gap scholarships. The grants are based upon need and not on scholarship, although students must maintain a 2.5 GPA.” Started through the vision of Louis A. Mitchell and nurtured by the late Jane C. McConnell (who chaired the program for several years), funds for Call to College have been raised from Newark High School alumni and Licking County businesses. “They challenged Newark High School graduates to donate money that would then be matched by Licking County Savings Bank,” says DeLawder, explaining how the program began. Now with an endowment valued at well over $4 million, the program provides funds for students who would not be able to afford college. “We have been very, very blessed, with donations by graduates, friends, businesses, returning students, class reunions, memorial contributions, even from staff members who donate through payroll deductions,” says DeLawder, who is now in her 16th year as program director. But it isn’t only money that the staff and dedicated volunteers provide; it’s also assistance in working through

the myriad of forms and documents parents and would-be college students must complete. “The need is here, and we have a number of first-generation students,” DeLawder says. “So the college process can be foreign and intimidating to them.” Evening workshops are held with volunteers who are trained to guide applicants through the completion of forms. “We educate parents and students on how to utilize and access the funds that are available to them,” says DeLawder, noting that the program’s volunteer base is extremely strong. “We have volunteers who commit to one day a week and meet with juniors and seniors individually a minimum of three times to get them on the right timeline and let them know what needs to be done when.” No stipulation is made on where students must attend college, as long as the college is accredited and accepts federal funds. Students must attend school full-time, and some certification programs are also eligible. Thanks to the Last-Dollar Grant, students have also been able to leverage the funds against other grants and loans, says DeLawder. “We can’t do it all, but what we do, we do well.” The Call to College Governing Board deserves much of the credit for the program’s success, DeLawder says. “Everyone is active,” she says. “They donate their professional expertise to help this program. We are so blessed to have this board.” – Betsy Williams

Diane DeLawder, program director for “A Call to College,” says the endowment totals more than $4 million.

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• A family-owned distributor, established in 1928 • Featuring Anheuser-Busch products • Gift shop on premises offering Anheuser-Busch merchandise • Chamber gift certificates accepted HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 8-5, Sat. 9-Noon “We are dedicated to building awareness of effective solutions within our communities to promote responsible drinking, and prevent underage consumption and drunk driving.”

1190 E. Main St. • Newark, OH 43055 • (740) 349-8686

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Arts & Culture

It’s All a Big Act RESTORED MIDLAND ATTRACTS LOCAL, NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PERFORMERS

able to experience a professional setting such as the Midland.” The Midland Theatre first opened in 1928, and in 2008 is marking its 80th anniversary. It began as a grand venue, showing the big films from the Golden Age of Hollywood, such as Gone With the Wind, Ben Hur and Dr. Zhivago. But attendance declined and the Midland closed in 1978. Disrepair would be a kind description of the conditions that existed when the Longabergers purchased the building. The roof was gone. More than six feet of water and debris had turned the orchestra pit into, well, a pit. That mess is now a memory. “We were given a totally restored theatre,” Morris says. – Pamela Coyle

The historic Midland Theatre in downtown Newark has a new life as a venue for the performing arts.

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STAFF PHOTO

ike Morris doesn’t tire of walking into the renovated Midland Theatre. He gazes up at the 1,700-pound, handcrafted alabaster chandelier, takes in the grand staircase rebuilt from original drawings and appreciates the intricate gold details signifying the magnificent theatre’s original opulence. “We are in here every day, and it never gets old,” Morris says. He’s been the theatre’s executive director since it reopened in 2002 after an $8.5 million, 10-year renovation by the Longaberger Company, a Newark institution that made its name with fine handcrafted baskets. Dave Longaberger, then head of the company, bought the derelict, shuttered theater in 1992 with plans to restore it. He died in 1999, and the family carried on with the project in his name, ultimately transferring ownership of the reborn facility to The Newark Midland Theatre Association, a local volunteer, non-profit organization created to run it. “Dave was a visionary,” Morris says. “He didn’t get to see it completed, which was a real tragedy.” No doubt he’d be pleased by what he started. Even more, Longaberger envisioned the Midland Theatre as a hub for downtown development, a community resource and a tourist draw. It’s turned into all three. About 20 percent of the Midland’s audience comes from outside Licking County, drawn by an impressive and diverse roster of national and international acts. The 2007-08 season alone introduced a dance series with Ailey II in November and Russia’s St. Petersburg Ballet in January, and performances by singer Ronnie Milsap in December, actor Hal Holbrook in “Mark Twain Tonight!” in February, the Robert Cray Band in March, and music star Amy Grant in May. Between the touring acts and local groups, the Midland last year had 100 show dates, meaning a production every three days, Morris says. The association also brings artists into local schools as part of its outreach programming and makes the Midland available to community groups for performances, fundraisers and meetings. The Central Ohio Youth Ballet uses the Midland for its performances of The Nutcracker each holiday season. “It is a phenomenal experience,” says Melinda Moore, a parent and the ballet’s president. “Very seldom are dancers of any age

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Save Money. Smell the Flowers.

DESIGN BUILD GENERAL CONTRACTORS Please Contact: Rich Irelan P.O. Box 370, Dublin, OH 43017 (614) 889-1445 www.dublinbuilding.com

38 Years of Experience

Samuel Strapping – Heath, OH

People Customers Trust Packaging Corporation of America 205 S. 21st St. Newark, OH 43058 (740) 344-1126 www.packagingcorp.com

Looking for ways to save money on gas and help the environment? The EPA wants to share some smart driving tips that could give you more miles per gallon of gas and reduce air pollution. Tips like making sure your tires are properly inflated and replacing your air filter regularly. And where possible, accelerate and brake slowly. Be aware of your speed ... did you know that for every 5 miles you go over 65 mph, you’re spending about 20 cents more per gallon of gas? If you’re shopping for a new car, choose the cleanest, most efficient vehicle that meets your needs. If we each adopt just one of these tips, we’d get more miles for our money and it would be a little easier to smell the flowers. For more tips and to compare cleaner, more efficient vehicles, visit

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles.

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Sports & Recreation

STAFF PHOTO

Coach Bill Franks led the Newark Catholic High School football team to a 2007 state championship title.

They’re Back on Top NEWARK CATHOLIC ALUM GUIDES FOOTBALL PROGRAM TO ITS EIGHTH STATE TITLE

ewark Catholic High School has reclaimed a familiar title – state champion. One of Ohio’s most celebrated football programs, the Green Wave won the Division 6 championship in 2007. The title was the school’s eighth overall, the second most in Ohio history. Newark Catholic already held the state record for most playoff appearances with 30 and the most playoff victories, now 62. But the championship was the school’s first since 1991, an eternity for a program with such a pedigree.

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“It was a great feeling to bring it back to that level,” says Bill Franks, the coach of the Green Wave since 2002. It was particularly meaningful for Franks, who vividly recalls the era when a state championship was almost expected. He played for Newark Catholic from 1983-86, when the Green Wave was in the middle of a stretch of four straight state titles. Despite such a storied past, it was a new approach from him and his fellow coaches that paid dividends for Newark Catholic in 2007. The coaching staff,

which includes former players Dale Backlund, Darby Riley and Wes Poth, an assistant on all eight title teams, determined that the football program needed a little injection of fun. “It had been kind of a tense environment,” Franks says. “We decided one great difference-maker would be if we were a little more relaxed. We decided to look at each and every day as a gift.” Fortunately, the coaches had a group of players, and seniors in particular, who could function with that kind of approach. “It helped we had a mature team,” Franks says. “They knew when it was time to work, we worked.” The Green Wave went 8-2 in the regular season, losing to rivals Fishers Catholic and Newark Licking Valley. The playoffs were a different story, as Newark Catholic rolled off five consecutive wins, culminating in the 28-14 victory over Hopewell Louden at Canton’s Fawcett Stadium. In the championship game, the Green Wave built a 28-0 lead at halftime, then “just kind of hung on,” against the top-ranked and undefeated Chieftans. Hopewell Louden was the third straight undefeated team the Green Wave beat en route to the championship. Though the title run wasn’t quite expected, it wasn’t really a surprise either. “The guys worked so hard. There’s a great sense of confidence when you work hard,” Franks says. With another championship in the books, Newark Catholic is already working on starting another run like the one enjoyed during Franks’ playing days. The junior varsity went 8-0 in 2007, and attendance in early morning speed drills in 2008 was promising. “Our goal is to reload,” Franks says. – Dan Markham I M AG E S L I C K I N G C O U N T Y. C O M

Health & Wellness

Comforting Care EMERGENCY, SURGERY SERVICES UPGRADED AT LMH’S JOHN & MARY ALFORD PAVILION

As in the emergency department, privacy is paramount. All pre-operative and post-operative rooms are private, and include flat-panel televisions and other amenities for patients and their families. The project came with a $40 million price tag, which was funded through debt, hospital reserves and cash-flow through operations. Thanks to several solid financial years leading up to construction, the hospital used less of its reserves than originally anticipated. The hospital also received several sizable contributions from the community, led by the $3.5 million donation by Barb and Mike Cantlin in memory of her parents, John and Mary Alford. Several $100,000 donations were used to upgrade the aesthetics both outside and inside with the goal of providing a more soothing atmosphere. The completed project has generated the kind of reaction hospital officials had hoped. “The response has been outstanding,” says Montagnese. “The public has responded positively to the level of privacy, the level of technology and the level of comfort and relaxation provided for what could be a very stressful experience.” – Dan Markham

STAFF PHOTO

menities are plentiful in the new John & Mary Alford Pavilion at Licking Memorial Hospital. Privacy, comfort and quality care can be found in every room. The Newark hospital opened its 100,000-square-foot pavilion in July 2007 to accommodate two of the hospital’s most urgent requirements: more space for emergency care and larger, more up-to-date surgical facilities. “Those two items were identified as the most pressing needs and drove the design and focus of the project,” says Robert Montagnese, president and CEO of Licking Memorial Health Systems. The first floor of the pavilion is devoted to emergency care, which now offers 48 private examination rooms, plus greater privacy in waiting areas. Each room is equipped with a computer to allow health-care providers instant access to relevant medical data. Before the project was undertaken, the hospital was logging 50,000 emergency visits annually, well above the facility’s 35,000-visit capacity. With the new space, the hospital can accommodate up to 100,000 visits per year. “We anticipate volumes will increase,” Montagnese says. Surgical services are performed on the pavilion’s second floor, with 10 new surgical suites and four smaller suites. More important than the number of rooms is the size, with most suites as large as 900 square feet. “With the introduction of all the new technology, the surgery suites have to be larger,” Montagnese says. And that technology hasn’t been ignored. The facility features state-of-the-art interventional radiology, with singleplane and biplane imaging systems. These systems limit the need to reposition patients, minimize radiation dosages and shorten procedure times.

Licking Memorial Health Systems expanded its campus and services with the John & Mary Alford Pavilion.

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Community Profile

LICKING COMMUNITY COUNTY SNAPSHOT In terms of land size, Licking County is the second-largest county in Ohio. However, it is the 17th-largest and the 17th-fastest growing county in Ohio, according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

Electric American Electric Power (800) 672-2231

MEDICAL FACILITIES

The Energy Cooperative (800) 255-6815

CLIMATE Average annual temperature 51.4 F Average July temperature 73.2 F

Genesis–Bethesda Campus Zanesville, 454-4000

Gas Columbia Gas of Ohio (800) 344-4077

Average January temperature 27.2 F

Genesis–Good Samaritan Campus, Zanesville, 454-5000

The Energy Cooperative (800) 255-6815

Average annual rainfall 41 inches

Licking Memorial Hospital Newark, 348-4000

Telephone Windstream, 349-8551

Average annual snowfall 26 inches

Newark Surgery Center Newark, 788-6001

Ameritech, (800) 660-1000

Mount Carmel/St. Ann’s Hospital, Westerville (800) 826-9346

Sprint/United Telephone

Mount Carmel East, Columbus (800) 543-5018

Ohiotelnet.com Inc., 345-1689 (800) 407-5411 Water Granville, 587-0165 Heath, 522-1420

Children’s Hospital Columbus (614) 722-2000

Hebron, 928-3726

Knox Community Hospital

Licking County, 349-6540

Mount Vernon

Millersport, 467-2374

(800) 393-6807

Newark, 349-6730

Johnstown, 967-1139

Pataskala, 927-6867

UTILITIES Cable Time Warner, (800) 934-4181

St. Louisville, 745-1051 Southwest Licking, 927-0410 Utica, 892-2841

EDUCATION Public School Systems Granville Exempted Village Schools 587-0332 Heath City Schools 522-2816 Johnstown Monroe Local School District 967-6846 Lakewood Local School District 928-5878 Career and Technology Education Centers of Licking County, 366-3351

THIS SECTION IS SPONSORED BY

Excel Academy Inc.

Serving K-12 Special Needs Students in Licking and Surrounding Counties Learning Disabilities | Mental Health Needs Autism Spectrum Disorder | Behavior Issues Chartered by The State Of Ohio, Licensed Mental Health Provider

(740) 323-1102 | 116 W. Church St., Newark www.excelacademyohio.org

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Licking Heights Local School District 927-6926 Licking Valley Local School District 763-3525 Newark City Schools 345-9891

Over 125 Years of Health Care Experience • • • • •

Locally owned & operated Chef-prepared meals Chauffeured transportation Personalized care plans 24-hour nursing staff

North Fork Local School District 892-3666 Northridge Local School District 967-6631 Southwest Licking School District 927-3941 Private/Parochial Schools Blessed Sacrament Elementary, 345-4125 Christian Fellowship 366-4074 Grace Christian School, (614) 861-0724 Granville Christian Academy, 587-4423

1400 Chapel Way • Heath, OH 43056 • (740) 522-HOME (4663) • www.chapelgroveinn.com

Licking County Christian Academy 522-3600 Newark Catholic High School, 344-3594 Par Excellence Learning Center, 345-0687 St. Francis De Sales, 345-4049 Private/Independent Schools Excel Academy, 323-1102 Welsh Hills School, 522-2020

FOR MORE INFORMATION Licking County Chamber of Commerce 50 W. Locust St. PO Box 702 Newark, OH 43058-0702 Phone: (740) 345-9757 Fax: (740) 345-5141 www.lickingcounty chamber.com

Sources: www.lickingcounty chamber.com, www.census.gov

T h e a r e a c o d e f o r L i c k i n g C o u n t y i s 74 0 .

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OF LICKING COUNT Y SENIOR EDITOR KIM MADLOM COPY EDITOR JOYCE CARUTHERS ASSOCIATE EDITORS LISA BATTLES, BILL McMEEKIN, ANITA WADHWANI ASSISTANT EDITOR REBECCA DENTON STAFF WRITERS CAROL COWAN, KEVIN LITWIN DIRECTORIES EDITOR KRISTY WISE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT JESSY YANCEY CONTRIBUTING WRITERS PAMELA COYLE, BILL LEWIS, DAN MARKHAM, BETSY WILLIAMS INTEGRATED MEDIA MANAGER DESHAUN GOODRICH SALES SUPPORT MANAGER SARA SARTIN STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS JEFF ADKINS, TODD BENNETT, ANTONY BOSHIER, IAN CURCIO, BRIAN M CCORD CREATIVE DIRECTOR KEITH HARRIS WEB DESIGN DIRECTOR SHAWN DANIEL PRODUCTION DIRECTOR NATASHA LORENS ASST. PRODUCTION DIRECTOR CHRISTINA CARDEN PRE-PRESS COORDINATOR HAZEL RISNER SENIOR PRODUCTION PROJECT MGR. TADARA SMITH PRODUCTION PROJECT MGRS. MELISSA HOOVER, JILL WYATT SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS LAURA GALLAGHER, KRIS SEXTON, VIKKI WILLIAMS LEAD DESIGNER JANINE MARYLAND GRAPHIC DESIGN JESSICA BRAGONIER, CANDICE HULSEY, ALISON HUNTER, LINDA MOREIRAS, AMY NELSON WEB PROJECT MANAGER ANDY HARTLEY WEB DESIGN RYAN DUNLAP, CARL SCHULZ COLOR IMAGING TECHNICIAN CORY MITCHELL AD TRAFFIC MEGHANN CAREY, SARAH MILLER, PATRICIA MOISAN, RAVEN PETTY CHAIRMAN GREG THURMAN PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER BOB SCHWARTZMAN EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAY LANGEN SR. V.P./CLIENT DEVELOPMENT JEFF HEEFNER SR. V.P./SALES CARLA H. THURMAN SR. V.P./OPERATIONS CASEY E. HESTER V.P./SALES HERB HARPER V.P./SALES TODD POTTER V.P./VISUAL CONTENT MARK FORESTER V.P./TRAVEL PUBLISHING SYBIL STEWART V.P./EDITORIAL DIRECTOR TEREE CARUTHERS MANAGING EDITOR/BUSINESS MAURICE FLIESS

Visit Our Advertisers Amanda Hills Pure Spring Water www.amandahills.com Business & Industry Institute www.businessandindustryinstitute.com Central Ohio Technical College www.cotc.edu Cherry Valley Lodge www.cherryvalleylodge.com Coldwell Banker – King Thompson www.kingthompson.com

MANAGING EDITOR/TRAVEL SUSAN CHAPPELL

Main Hardware & Supply Company Matesich Distributing Company www.beeresponsible.com MedBen www.medben.com Midland Theatre www.midlandtheatre.org National City Bank www.nationalcity.com

PHOTOGRAPHY DIRECTOR JEFFREY S. OTTO CONTROLLER CHRIS DUDLEY ACCOUNTING MORIAH DOMBY, RICHIE FITZPATRICK, DIANA GUZMAN, MARIA McFARLAND, LISA OWENS RECRUITING/TRAINING DIRECTOR SUZY WALDRIP COMMUNITY PROMOTION DIRECTOR CINDY COMPERRY DISTRIBUTION DIRECTOR GARY SMITH MARKETING DIRECTOR KATHLEEN ERVIN IT SYSTEMS DIRECTOR MATT LOCKE IT SERVICE TECHNICIAN RYAN SWEENEY

Newark Public Library www.newarklibrary.info

HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER PEGGY BLAKE

Ohio State University – Newark www.newark.osu.edu

SALES COORDINATOR JENNIFER ALEXANDER

Courtesy Ambulance Dublin Building Systems www.dublinbuilding.com

Packaging Corporation of America www.packagingcorp.com

Excel Academy & Learning Center www.excelacademyohio.org

Sir Speedy www.sirspeedy.com/heath

Fiberglas Federal Credit Union www.ﬁberglas.org

The Boeing Company www.boeing.com

First Federal Savings www.ﬁrstfedohio.com

The Chapel Grove Inn www.chapelgroveinn.com

Harvest Federal Credit Union www.harvestfcu.org

The Dawes Arboretum www.dawesarb.org

Heath/Newark Hampton Inn www.heathnewark.hamptoninn.com

The Energy Cooperative www.theenergycoop.com

Hospice of Central Ohio www.hospiceofcentralohio.org

The Jerry McClain Companies www.jerrymcclainco.com

Kendal at Granville www.kag.kendal.org

The Works www.attheworks.org

Licking County Chamber of Commerce www.lickingcountychamber.com

United Way of Licking County www.lcuw.net

Licking County Educational Service Center www.lcesc.org

Weathervane Playhouse www.weathervaneplayhouse.org

Licking County Family YMCA www.lcfymca.org

Welsh Hills School www.welsh-hills.org

Licking County Job & Family Services www.theonestop.org

Wilson, Shannon & Snow, Inc. www.wssinc.net

Licking Memorial Health Systems www.lmhealth.org

Windstream www.windstream.com

Colours by Design www.coloursbydesign.com

CUSTOM SALES SUPPORT PATTI CORNELIUS OFFICE MANAGER SHELLY GRISSOM

CU S TO M M AG A Z INE M ED I A

Images of Licking County is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed through the Licking County Chamber of Commerce and its member businesses. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by e-mail at info@jnlcom.com. FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT: Licking County Chamber of Commerce 50 W. Locust St. • Newark, OH 43055 Phone: (740) 345-9757 • Fax: (740) 345-5141 www.lickingcountychamber.com VISIT IMAGES OF LICKING COUNTY ONLINE AT IMAGESLICKINGCOUNTY.COM ©Copyright 2008 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member

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THANK YOU In Beautiful Downtown Newark

for 75 years of community support and caring.

67 W. Main St. Newark, OH 43055 (740) 345-4470 (740) 345-7515

1933-2008 www.lcuw.net

CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS www.wssinc.net

Bookkeeping • Tax Estate Planning • Auditing Financial Planning • Computer Consulting 10 W. Locust St. • Newark, OH 43055 (740) 345-6611 Serving Licking County for Over 50 Years

RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL | REMODELS SENIOR LIVING | ASSISTED CARE

51 N. Third St. | Ste. 701 | Newark, OH 43055 | (740) 345-3700

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