102 years young
FFA award winners
Scout earns Eagle badge
COMMUNITY • 2A
AGRICULTURE • 8A
LOCAL • 1B
THE EARLY BIRD Weekend Edition of the Daily Advocate
Breaking news at DarkeCountyMedia.com
All content © 2021 The Early Bird. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
Sunday, March 21, 2021 • $1
Weekend edition
Council defeats rate increase measure Will reexamine water, sewer rates by May on Nov. 1. The legislation would also have the city switch to monthly utilities billing, effective May 1. The legislation was tabled during GREENVILLE — An ordinance council’s Mar. 2 meeting. to increase water and sewer rates Though the measure was defeatwas unanimously defeated during ed, the rationale behind the rate Greenville City Council’s Tuesday increases — long-term infrastrucnight meeting. ture — has not gone away. During Council voted 6-0 against the discussion, Councilman Jeff Whitameasure. The proposal, as it stood, ker pointed out that not only do the would have water rates increase 50 Darke County Media image percent effective May 1, 2021, and main water lines need replaced, but Greenville City Council Members voted “No” on a water and sewer rate an additional 18 percent Nov. 1, the city’s water storage capacity hike for city residents at its Tuesday night meeting. The measure, however, 2021. Sewer rates would increase 25 needs upgraded to meet EPA stanwill be reexamined by the city’s Utility Committee for potential future percent May 1, and 10 percent more dards. consideration. By Erik Martin
DarkeCountyMedia.com
“Most of the people I’ve heard from and have called in have pretty much expressed their agreement with the infrastructure needing to be repaired and updated,” he said. However, to alleviate financial stress on residents, Whitaker proposed doing 25-percent increases over the next three years. “We need to do something. We can’t just kick this can down the road forever,” he said. The city’s Utility Committee will review the legislation once more and report back to council by the May 4 meeting. See COUNCIL | 3A
Davidson hosts annual farm forum Talks new COVID-19 relief bill, trade negotiations By Nathaniel Kubik DarkeCountyMedia.com
VERSAILLES — Congressman Warren Davidson addressed topics ranging from the most recent COVID-19 relief bill, to the impact of trade negotiations on agriculture markets at the annual Farm Forum event last Saturday morning. The event was hosted at Versailles High School by Versailles FFA students, and featured speeches from Rep. Davidson, State Rep. Kyle Koehler, Darke County Commissioner Matt Aultman, and Senior Director of State and National Policy with the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Jack Irvin. Davidson, a Republican representing Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, weighed in on a number of hot topics surrounding the COVID-19 debate in Washington D.C., and how it relates to local farmers and ranchers. Davidson noted that the most recent coronavirus bill, known as The American Rescue Plan, is more than likely the final round of COVID-19 relief. He informed those in attendance that around $24 billion, of $30 billion planned for ag-related relief, has been distributed. “I’ve talked to folks with row crops, and it [the relief money] translates to approximately $100 per acre, but that’s not always the case uniformly with all the different programs,” said Davidson, as he delved further into the other assistance programs. He noted that the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) is one of the larger programs, and there is no clear cut decision on whether the CFAP assistance counts as income. The consensus, Davidson continued, is that CFAP assistance is regarded as a top line form of revenue from a different source — making it count as income. Davidson also spoke on what he believes to be an unconstitutional, racially biased aspect of the new COVID-19 relief bill. See FORUM | 5A
Carol Marsh|Darke County Media
Versailles Area Historical Society Board Member Tom Mendenhall (left) and Board Secretary Arlene Luttmer welcome patrons on reopening day last Sunday at the Versailles Area Historical Museum, located at 554 S. West Street, on the corner of West and State Route 121, in Versailles. The next Museum open house will be Sunday, April 11, 2021, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Keeper of moments and memories
Versailles Area Museum reopens to the public By Carol Marsh
DarkeCountyMedia.com
VERSAILLES — As we
await the annual return of spring this month, we are reminded that, although
hours can be easily altered by turning the hands of a clock, the indefatigable pace of life, itself, sets forth the swift passage of real time. While some of
our most enduring recollections seem to reside in the photos, mementos, and heirlooms collected over a See KEEPER | 5A
Darke County now offering vaccine for 18 and over County seeing dropoff in vaccination appointments By Erik Martin
DarkeCountyMedia.com
DARKE COUNTY — Darke County healthcare providers announced
Thursday they will begin vaccinating those ages 18 and older for COVID-19. The announcement comes a full week before the state said it would
begin vaccinating those in the 18-and-older age range. This past week just saw the age limit drop to those 40 and older. Wayne HealthCare’s
Director of Wellness Jordan Francis said the quick push to vaccinate younger adults has come as a result of a dropoff in See VACCINE | 3A
OH-70226486
FOR GRADUATING SENIORS IN EDISON STATE’S SERVICE AREA. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT
www.edisonohio.edu/waiver