New businesses open as COVID’s impact lessens

0

Editor’s note: Following is a month-by-month look back at the top local news stories from 2021 as reported by The Times-Gazette. We wish our readers a Happy New Year.

April

1 – An digital sign at Colony Park in uptown Hillsboro started operation after it had a test run the day prior. This sign had information for people that pass it about upcoming events. Hillsboro Mayor Justin Harsha said that the sign was bought and paid for by CARES Act funding.

5 – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine toured the mass vaccination site at the Wilmington Air Park. While at the facility, DeWine spoke with the staff, volunteers and people receiving their COVID-19 vaccinations. Over a three-day period at the site, Kroger Health, the clinic and vaccine administrator, gave about 2,500 vaccinations.

12 – Adena Greenfield Medical Center started providing services to people that reported to the emergency department following a sexual assault. The service, called the Adena Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE), was announced to be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to help and support those patients.

23 – The newest version of the Brood X cicadas was about to be unleashed in parts of the state. This version of the cicada comes up from the ground every 17 years. Kathy Garza-Behr, a wildlife communications specialist at the Ohio Division of Wildlife, said that the brood was known for its unique black body and red-eye coloration. Ryan Larrick, a survey technician from the Plant Health Division of the Ohio Department of Agriculture, said that Highland County would “most likely” hear and see residuals from other counties where the brood would be seen in full.

30 – Maplecrest Meats & More conducted its grand opening event that had a ribbon-cutting and included the Highland County Chamber of Commerce as well as family, friends and other people from the community. The business is located at 547 S. High St. and is a “partnership between the Grimes and Holt families.”

May

7 – The Highland County Drug Abuse Prevention Coalition (HCDAPC) unveiled the new Med Collect boxes. There were four new boxes in the county at Corner Pharmacy in Greenfield, Downtown Drug in Hillsboro, the Highland County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsboro and Kratzer’s Hometown Pharmacy in Lynchburg. Nik Beatty, head pharmacist for Downtown Drug in Hillsboro, said that the boxes are better for the environment because the medication isn’t being flushed down the toilet or thrown in the trash.

13 – DeWine announced that the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) would remove all of the pandemic health orders on June 2 other than those at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. DeWine said that the lifting of the orders didn’t mean that the virus was gone or that everyone was safe. He also said that “each Ohio citizen would make their own decisions” on masking and social distancing.

20 – The Rocky Fork Truck Stop was sold, according to Highland County Community Action Housing Director Mark Current. He said the business on U.S. Route 50 near Rainsboro was “supposedly” going to be resurrected. He said that he talked to the buyers and that they said they had plans for it. However, he said that he didn’t know what the plans for the business were.

26 – The Hillsboro Swim Organization, Inc. (HSO) had a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate its reopening as a community pool. Highland County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jamie Wheeler said that the pool shifted to become a 501c3 nonprofit corporation. She said that the pool had season and day passes. HSO President Mel McKenzie said there were multiple phases of upgrades planned for the pool, including improvements to the exterior of the pool house.

June

4 – Southern State Community College (SSCC) held a celebration for 2020 and 2021 graduates with a “Cruise-In Commencement” event at the college’s central campus in Hillsboro. The graduates and their families came to the campus in decorated vehicles where there was a “parade-like procession” and faculty and staff cheered them on from the sidewalk. The graduate could exit their vehicle and walk a red carpet to receive their degree from SSCC President Dr. Kevin Boys.

8 – The Dash for Developmental Disabilities (DD) 5K Color Run hosted by Highco, Inc. returned. The color run took place every year starting in 2015, except for 2020 due to the pandemic. Miranda Newton, CEO of Highco, Inc., said that the company had been operating for over 40 years to try and help people with developmental disabilities with services like everyday needs, getting jobs in the community and working on their daily life skills.

16 – Cade, Paige and Wyatt Cummings, local kids of Hillsboro, took part in the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa. Lisa Cummings, the mother of Cade and Wyatt, said Cade, 13, would compete in tie-down roping, team roping, ribbon roping and goat tying, while Wyatt, 12, would compete in light rifle shooting. Lisa Cummings also said that her niece, 13-year-old Paige, would compete in breakaway roping, ribbon roping and team roping.

21 – Rain caused a 72-inch culvert pipe in the driveway of a North High Street shopping center in Hillsboro to fold in on itself and rise above its normal position. Hillsboro Public Works Superintendent Shawn Adkins said the water underneath the pipe floated it upward and made the bottom of the pipe fold in on itself. Damage to an entryway at the shopping center has still not been repaired.

Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.

The culvert pipe in the background of this photo failed during a Juen storm causing part of the road at The Hillsboro Plaza to collapse.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2021/12/web1_Sink-Hole.jpgThe culvert pipe in the background of this photo failed during a Juen storm causing part of the road at The Hillsboro Plaza to collapse. The Times-Gazette file photo

Pictured (l-r) are Bill Showman, Jeff Meyer and Nik Beatty standing next to a new Med Collect box inside Downtown Drug in Hillsboro.
https://www.timesgazette.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/33/2021/12/web1_medcollectbox.jpgPictured (l-r) are Bill Showman, Jeff Meyer and Nik Beatty standing next to a new Med Collect box inside Downtown Drug in Hillsboro. The Times-Gazette file photo

By Jacob Clary

[email protected]

No posts to display