Dogs and peace
Lady Wave tennis
500th blood donation
COMMUNITY • 4A
SPORTS • 9A
LOCAL • 1B
THE EARLY BIRD Weekend Edition of the Daily Advocate
Weekend edition
Breaking news at DarkeCountyMedia.com
Sunday, August 16, 2020 • $1
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Darke Co. sees COVID-19 upsurge Health Dept. urges continued precautions
tive for the virus. In reference to the two WHIO articles, The Daily Advocate spoke extensively By Nathaniel Kubik DarkeCountyMedia.com with Darke County Health Commissioner, Dr. Terrence Holman, about the spread of GREENVILLE — A pair of the virus in the county. Holman recent WHIO articles highcontinued to extol the virtues ed that Rest Haven, a nursing lighted Darke County as a hot of taking proper safety precauhome in Greenville, recorded spot for COVID-19 cases. the largest outbreak of corona- tions when out in public. The first report indicated “As it currently goes, the that Darke County, along with virus cases for long-term care virus is here to stay,” said facilities in Ohio this week. Nathaniel Kubik | The Daily Advocate Mercer and Champaign, are in As it currently stands, 55 resi- Holman. “It is of the utmost Dr. Terry Holman of the Darke County Health District the top ten counties in Ohio is urging community members to continue taking for active coronavirus cases per dents and four staff members importance that we keep the safety precautions in light of the spike in COVID-19 capita. The second report stat- at Rest Haven have tested posi- spread as low as possible by
continuing to practice proper safety measures and taking good care of each other in public settings.” Holman furthered this by explaining that coronavirus cases in Darke County are split about fifty-fifty between community spread and longterm housing facilities such as nursing homes and jails. Community spread refers to cases that are not in housing facilities, and have spread as a result of someone contracting
See UPSURGE | 2A
cases in the county.
Darke fair board discusses junior fair, concession vendors By Nathaniel Kubik DarkeCountyMedia.com
GREENVILLE — The Darke County Fair Board met Wednesday evening to discuss plans for the junior fair livestock sales and concessions. The junior fair this year will operate for six days, August 21 to 26, and is not open to the public. A drive thru food pick-up system will operate August 27, 28, and 29, which allows for the general public to drive through the fair grounds to pick up food from a limited number of vendors. The details on how this can be done safely and efficiently are still being worked out. “We hope to have around 20 to 30 vendors,” noted Brian Rismiller, the fair manager. “Right now, we are working out a system in which cars enter the fairgrounds from one side, get their food, and exit from another. We are just trying to keep people safe and keep a solid flow of traffic.” All parking for the junior fair will be south of the coliseum, with no general parking allowed anywhere else on the fairgrounds. General admission to the junior fair will not be granted without an entry wrist band, and patrons are not permitted to walk the fairgrounds as usual. Each exhibitor participating in the junior fair gets one wrist band for themselves, plus six additional wristbands for family members to attend their showing. Junior fair advisors will also receive one wrist band each. The wrist bands will be distributed through the junior fair coordinators, similar to how parking passes have been distributed in previous years. By Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s mandate, all visitors permitted into the fairgrounds must, at all times, wear a mask when unable to consistently maintain six feet of distance from other attendees. Exhibitions in the junior fair are limited to 10 participants at a time, and wearing a mask is not required by those participating in an event, but social distancing measures are to be followed whenever possible. The meeting featured a lengthy public forum in which members of the community presented on issues ranging from cleaning duties to the sale of livestock from the junior fair. One attendee was particularly upset about the sale of his children’s hogs when, as he argued, he would be better suited to keep the animals due to rising meat prices caused by See FAIR | 5A
Provided photo
20,000 chicken dinners will be sold during the 69th annual Poultry Days in Versailles.
Poultry Days BBQ moving forward VERSAILLES — Versailles will offer its 69th annual Poultry Days barbecue August 14 through 16, 2020. While COVID-19 related restrictions didn’t allow the social portions of the festival this year, the Ver-
sailles community is moving forward with the annual barbecue, preparing 20,000 chicken dinners to be sold over the weekend. The Poultry Days festival is rooted in 69 years of community and family involvement, bringing
neighbors, family, friends, classmates, and community together. Although Poultry Days will not host a large gathering, we encourage the community to embrace the spirit of Poultry Days. Get out your chicken decorations. Invite your friends
and neighbors. Set up lawn chairs and games for the kids. Rekindle old friendships. Most importantly, enjoy that World Famous Poultry Days chicken! Each dinner costs $8 See BBQ | 5A
Farewell to Versailles Village Administrator Hale leaving for Florida By Carol Marsh
DarkeCountyMedia.com
Hale
VERSAILLES — Summer’s end often brings fond memories of enjoying fun at the fair, sip-
ping sweet tea and catching the a few more rays at the beach before the school year starts. This year, the season has endless possibilities for Versailles Village Administrator Rodd Hale, who will be leaving his position August 28 to become the new
Assistant City Manager of New Port Richey, Florida. As longtime residents of Darke County, Hale and his wife, Brenda, have many cherished memories of their lifetime. As a See FAREWELL | 7A
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