VETERAN’S DAY 2017
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THE EARLY BIRD NEWSPAPER
WEEKEND EDITION - NOVEMBER 12, 2017
THE OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE GREAT DARKE COUNTY FAIR!
Commission moves ahead with State Route 242 closure SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Commissioners on Wednesday approved a resolution to vacate a portion of Old State Route 242, which lies at the west end of the Darke County Airport. The portion of road is being closed to accomodate an upcoming runway extension project. Commissioner Mike Rhoades said he expects the closure to take place by Thanksgiving. Prior to voting on the resolution Wednesday, commission conducted a public hearing for those wishing to ask questions. Mike Oliver, who resides on a portion of State Route 242 not affected by the change, was present. Oliver said he had been asked to be in attendance by Judi York, who was unable to attend
the hearing. York’s property is located on the portion of roadway scheduled to be closed. York has had concerns about the size of the culde-sac county workers constructed for traffic needing to turn around at the closure. York told the Early Bird she didn’t believe the improved cul-de-sac was large enough for fire equipment to be able to turn around. She also said she was concerned about her property in case of an emergency. “I’d like the fire department to be able to service my home,” York said. “When they do close this road it’s going to be a problem.” Oliver’s questions in behalf of York included asking if the county was going to enlarge the cul-de-sac, citing snow plows, school buses and safety equipment may be impeded from con-
ducting a safe turn around. Commissioner Mike Rhoades answered Oliver’s concerns. “(Jim) Surber (county engineer) is going to add on to that,” Rhoades said of the turn around. “Will they be able to turn around?” following the planned update, asked Oliver. “Yes,” stated Surber, who also was in attendance during the public hearing. “It’s in the process of being done,” Rhoades said. Some mis-information about the York property being serviced by fire and other emergency equipment was answered by Versailles Fire Chief Brian Pearson
Charges against former New Madison fiscal officer dropped CLINTON RANDALL
STAFF WRITER crandall@earlybirdpaper.com
NEW MADISON – Though she is ordered to repay more than $8,000 – criminal charges against former Village of New Madison fiscal officer Wanda Lacey have been dismissed. An audit released Thursday by Auditor of State Dave Yost shows that Wanda Lacey was consistently late in remitting federal, state and school district income taxes, and filing quarterly tax reports during 2013 and 2014. Although Lacey properly withheld the required taxes, she delayed paying federal withholdings for the second half of 2013 and all of 2014 until July 2015. By the end of 2014, the amount owed to the IRS had ballooned to $23,894 for back taxes, in addition to $8,166 in penalties and interest. “This fiscal officer forced taxpayers to shoulder the consequences of her negligence,” Ohio Auditor Dave Yost said in a press release. “She could have avoided these penalties by simply doing her job.”
At the same time, the village sat on $3,362 in state and school district income taxes that Lacey withheld but failed to pay to the Ohio Department of Taxation. Auditors issued an $8,166 finding for recovery against Lacey and her bonding company for the federal penalties and referred the state matters to the Ohio Department of Taxation. “The payment of penalties and late charges is not considered to serve a proper public purpose and would have been avoided had the funds been remitted as required by law,” auditors wrote. Lacey was previously indicted and arraigned on one count of Theft in Office, a felony of the fourth degree. Normally a felony of the fifth degree, the charge is more severe due to the total amount being more than $7,500. Darke County Prosecuting Attorney Kelly Ormsby could not be reached for a statement at the time of this report. See full report for the State Auditor’s office at ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/detail. aspx?ReportID=132204
Old State Route 242 is now closed to thru traffic. (Susan Hartley photo)
Church leaders admonish caution, awareness in shooting aftermath SUSAN HARTLEY
STAFF WRITER shartley@earlybirdpaper.com
(Clinton Randall photo)
last week. Pearson said the local public safety entities had been made aware of the impending closure and that the York property would be treated as any other property with a long lane. Pearson said his department had hoses and equipment available to service a fire on the closed portion of Old State Route 242. “We have a game plan,” Pearson said of the York property. Also Wednesday, commissioners approved a resolution moving the maintenance of Chase Road from Richland and Wayne townships to the county engineer.
DARKE COUNTY – Father John White of Greenville’s St. Mary’s Church believes last Sunday’s mass shooting at a church in Texas “should raise our awareness on how vulnerable we are.” What should have been a peaceful break from worldly woes turned in to a deadly nightmare for congregants at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas, with 26 killed and another 20 wounded. It was reported mid-week that about half of those gunned down were children. Investigators say a history of domestic violence led the 26-year-old former Air Force serviceman to conduct the mass shooting. “Our ideas are not,” White said of worshippers during Mass or service, “’do I have to be afraid of being a target of someone’s anger, frustration or political statements’? We really are vulnerable where we gather,” be it in “church, school, the public square, walking down the street.”
What are local congregations doing to ensure they are safe from an active shooter situation during worship services? At St. Mary’s, White said, there has been a renewed emphasis put on safety – both for the rectory and St. Mary’s School across the street. “Our parish had a safety check,” White said, following the June 2016 mass shooting at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, S.C. where nine people were gunned down during an evening prayer service. White said part of the parish’s safety plan included the installation of cameras, both at the school and at the church. Noting that this step would be more effective to help with the aftermath of any violent incident, White said it still offers a sense of security. “There’s always, now, that kind of threat whenever the doors are open, and of course the church doors are open,” White said. Over at Greenville’s EUM on Sater Street, the doors also remain open for wor-
shippers. “During services, front doors are unlocked, but they are being watched, also,” explained Lead Pastor Jeff Harper. Not only are the front doors under security observation, areas including the church’s Children’s Ministry also are locked with assigned security personnel actively patrolling during services and activities. “We have a safety team that’s been in place for maybe two years,” Harper said. “There are police officers and sheriff’s deputies on the team – they are armed.” Others who have CCWs – Conceal Carry Weapon permits – have been trained by the EUM safety team, Harper explained. “We want them to be trained, we just don’t want people sitting with guns in the congregation,” said Harper, who admitted he took the training along with safety team members. “They must qualify, go to the range and make sure they know how to use” a firearm. EUM safety team training takes place two to four times per year, Harper said. “I feel like we have a real
strong safe place,” Harper said of his church. “Even during the mid-week service, AWANA, there’s security there also.” Harper said he has had members of his congregation come to him and ask if “we are safe at church. I tell them about our security team. Yes, I’ve had people come up and ask.” East Main Street Church of Christ in Greenville may be one of the county’s smaller congregations, but a couple church members who have CCWs are carrying during services, said Equipping Minister Jim Morehouse. “Some of our members who have a CCW have asked if they could carry their weapons with them. We certainly trust them and said that would be fine.” Morehouse said as he was watching the coverage of the Texas shooting, he realized his congregation didn’t really have a safety plan. “We need to address that. As a small church, you never know about these things. It really is a concern in our world today. We need to be thinking about it, be cautious.”
Annual Community Christmas Drive set to begin CLINTON RANDALL
STAFF WRITER crandall@earlybirdpaper.com
DARKE COUNTY – Volunteers for the traditional Community Christmas Drive will begin ringing their bells the day after Thanksgiving again this holiday season throughout Darke County. The annual fundraiser will begin Nov. 24 and run every Friday and Saturday until Dec. 23. Donations will be accepted at most locations from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Various churches throughout the county will are once again volunteering at the following locations: KitchenAid Experience,
Eikenberry’s IGA and WalMart Supercenter in Greenville; Sutton’s Super Value in Arcanum; Greenville National Bank in Ansonia; and the New Madison Mini Mart. Donations will also be collected for both the Community Christmas Drive and Salvation Army at Kroger and Rural King in Greenville. Dave Knapp Ford, Lincoln and the main office of Greenville Federal will also be collecting funds. A special fundraising effort is scheduled Monday, Dec. 4 at Bob Evans in Greenville. Last year over $30,000 was raised and donated to Darke County food banks, including FISH, Community Unity, the Grace Resur-
(Clinton Randall photo)
rection Community Center, the Faith United Methodist Food Bank in Arcanum, the Ansonia United Methodist Food Bank and the Castine Area Food Bank. In addition to the various locations listed, donations can also be made by mail
to the Darke County Community Christmas Drive at P.O. Box 433 – Greenville, Ohio 45331 or to Mike Boyer at the main branch of the Greenville National Bank. Questions about the drive can be directed to Joseph Soley at 937-547-0533.