"Save the Date" for Semi-Annual General Policy Council Meeting: Oct. 20
Buckeye Hills will host its Semi-Annual Meeting Oct. 20 at the Marietta Country Club. Please note the date change due to the Annual ARC Conference being hosted in Athens Oct. 27.
Staff to Speak at Trustee Event
Michelle Hyer of the Buckeye Hills Development staff will be a guest speaker at The Ohio Township Association (OTA), Summer Conference and Trade Show July 29 - August 1.
She will participate as a speaker in the Applying for and Receiving Public Works Funds educational workshop.
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June Ohio
Unemployment Rates
Ohio's unemployment rate was 11.1 percent in June, up from 10.8 percent in May. The U.S. unemployment rate for June was 9.5 percent, up from 9.4 percent in May. The BUckeye Hills region has an average rate of 12.9%.
Rates in the region:
Athens: 8.9%
Hocking: 11.5%
Meigs: 15.9%
Monroe: 12.6%
Morgan: 16.2%
Noble: 13.7%
Perry: 13.8%
Washington: 10.4%
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Visit The Fair!
The Ohio State Fair:
July 29-Aug. 9
County Fairs In the Region:
Athens: Aug. 7-15 Hocking: Sept. 14-19 Meigs: Aug. 17-22 Monroe: Aug. 24-29 Morgan: Sept. 8-12 Noble: Aug. 31-Sept. 5
Washington: Sept. 5-8
(Perry was July 20-25)
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Buckeye Hills Broadband Committee Established
A Buckeye Hills Broadband committee has been established to participate in shaping the region's broadband voice to state and federal resources.
 Recently, members of the committee and Misty Casto, Exec. Director, attended a program presented by U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown. Casto was asked to share the rural perspective with media present and to visit with Dallas Tonsager, USDA Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development during his visit to Ohio. Shown from left are: David Hodapp, Community Liaison for U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown; Roger Wise, President of the Ohio Farmer's Union; Dallas Tonsager; Misty Casto, Exec. Director of Buckeye Hills; Greg DiDinato, Exec. Director of OMEGA; John Hemmings, Exec. Director of OVRDC; Ken Kuchno, Dir. of the Broadband Division, RUS, USDA Rural Development and Lisa Zaina, Chief of Staff, Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Shown at left is BH-HVRDD Exec. Dir. Misty Casto with Belpre Mayor Mike Lorentz at the Broadband seminar.
"With broadband services in rural Ohio, we can open new opportunities for jobs, innovation and economic growth in smaller communities," said Casto. "Our local governments, businesses and commerce parks, our medical centers, universities and other nonprofits will each benefit from the expanded opportunities broadband will ultimately bring. It will help level the playing field as rural America seeks to attract jobs and offer residents a better quality of life." Click here for a link to the article from The Columbus Dispatch Buckeye Hills to Host Regional Town Hall Forums
A town hall meeting is an informal public meeting where everybody in a county is invited to attend, voice their opinions and share ideas on how to work toward a better community, county and region. Join us for the town hall meeting in your area and let's talk!
Meeting participants will have the chance to voice their thoughts on a variety of topics and share ideas for partnerships and working toward solutions. As a result, the true voice of those living in the county and region will be gathered, offering needed insight for future planning. The perspectives raised in these meetings will help Buckeye Hills learn how to best serve people living in the 8-county region.
2009 Schedule:
Meigs County - Aug. 11 · 10-noon
Rio Grande Meigs campus
42377 Charles Chancey Dr. in Pomeroy
Hocking County - Aug. 13 · 10-noon
Logan high school - 14470 SR 328 in Logan
Monroe County - Aug. 27 · 10-noon
Monroe County Library - 96 Home Ave. in Woodsfield
Perry County - Sept. 15 · 10-noon
Hocking College Campus - 5454 SR 37 in New Lexington
Noble County - Sept. 17 · 10-noon
Community Building at the Noble County Fairgrounds in Caldwell
Morgan County - Sept. 21 · 10-noon
Morgan County Library - 358 E. Main St. in Mcconnelsville
Athens County - Sept. 28 · 10-noon
Community Center - East State Street in Athens
Washington County - Oct. 1 · 10-noon
Buckeye Hills Office 1400 Pike Street in Marietta |
| AROUND THE DISTRICT:
Athens County: Shelton Named Development Director
Athens County Economic Development Council chair Lenny Eliason announced that Tod Shelton was named director of the Council in mid-July. Shelton has served as interim director since March and joined the organization in January. Prior to joining the Council, Shelton worked for U.S. Sen. George Voinovich as his personal aide from 2005-2008. He was born in Cleveland and graduated with a bachelor's degree in political science from Kent State Univ. He resides in Nelsonville.
O'Bleness Health System Names New CEO
O'Bleness Health System named Clifford E. "Skip" Young, a 40-year O'Bleness employee as its new CEO. He has served as the Senior Vice-President for Clinical Services. Shawn ball was appointed as Assistant Vice President of the hospital.
Hocking County: Brownfield Clean Up Continues
Hocking County Commissioners recently agreed to apply for a Phase 3 grant for the General Clay building across from The Hocking County Fairgrounds. If approved, it will include demolition of three buildings and the removal of hazardous soil on the property. The idea is to create a marketable property for jobs. All three phases of the project total more than $900,000 which has been mostly secured through grants and in-kind contributions.
Hocking College Names New President  Dr. Ron Erickson of Rosemount, Minnesota has accepted an offer to become Hocking College's second president. Erickson, vice president of academic affairs and institutional planning at Dakota County Technical College, follows Dr. John Light, the 42-year veteran president, who retired in June. The board found Dr. Erickson to be the right new leader for Hocking College after considering the qualifications of 78 applicants.
Monroe County: Voith Hydro Receives Job Creation Tax Credit
The Ohio Dept. of Development has awarded Voith Hydro, Inc., a 60 percent job creation tax credit for a seven-year term in support of the company's new location in the Village of Hannibal. The value of the tax credit is estimated at $191,281 over the term, and the company would be required to maintain operations at the project site for 14 years. Voith was founded 139 years ago and manufactures and assembles hydro-electric generators and turbines. This $4.6 million project is expected to create 40 positions.
Morgan County: Health Center Receives Stimulus Funding
The Muskingum Valley Health Center of McConnelsville received a grant through The Recovery Act Capital Improvement Program (CIP). These grants will support the construction, repair and renovation of over 1,500 health center sites nationwide. More than 650 centers will use the funds to purchase new equipment or health information technology (HIT) systems, and nearly 400 health centers will adopt and expand the use of electronic health records.
Health centers deliver preventive and primary care services at more than 7,500 service delivery sites around the country to patients regardless of their ability to pay; charges for services are set according to income. Health centers serve more than 17 million patients, about 40 percent of whom have no health insurance. Community Health Centers are the responsibility of the Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). |
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Nominations for Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame
Annual Induction Recognizes Outstanding Achievements and Contributions
The Area Agency on Aging District 8 requests nominations for outstanding older individuals to be inducted into the Ohio Senior Citizens Hall of Fame. The hall honors outstanding Ohioans age 60 and older for their extraordinary achievements and contributions. Individuals and organizations interested in nominating a neighbor, colleague, family member or friend may download a nomination form or submit a nomination online by visiting www.goldenbuckeye.com/hof/. AAA8 will accept nominations through August 15, 2000. Honorees will be inducted to the Hall of Fame in a ceremony in the Spring. Nominees must be age 60 or older and be native-born Ohioans or a resident of the state for at least ten years. Posthumous nominations will be accepted. For more details, contact Gwynn Stewart at 800-331-2644.
 SAVE THE DATE!
Nov. 12 Area Agency on Aging 8 Hosts Choices Expo:
Living Healthy, Wealthy & Wise
Marietta Comfort Inn - Free Admission! Exhibits, Activities, Free & Reduced-Rate Testing, Food and more! Sponsored by: Title Sponsor: Results Radio; Gold Sponsors: Marietta Memorial Hospital and The Marietta Times. Additional Sponsors Needed - Call Mindy Cayton at 1-800-331-2644 for a sponsor/exhibitor brochure. |
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American Recovery and Reinvestment Act: ODOT Announces Additional Stimulus Projects in Morgan & Monroe Counties
Projects on SR 376 in Morgan County and on SR 379 in Monroe County, were awarded to The Shelly & Sands Company, from Zanesville in July.
The $1.23 million SR 379 project in Monroe County is an 8.07 mile infrastructure enhancement project designed to strengthen the existing asphalt pavement. The project begins near SR 78 and ends at the Belmont County line.
Similarly, the $1.36 million SR 376 project in Morgan County is a 9.74 mile infrastructure enhancement project, with curb and sidewalk upgrades. The project will begin near CR 107 and continue through the Village of McConnelsville, Windsor, and Malta Township, then ending at SR 60.
Of the thirteen total Transportation Stimulus Projects in District 10, the Monroe and Morgan County projects are the second and third projects to be sold, the first being the seven-mile infrastructure enhancement project on SR 7 in Meigs County.
ODOT District 10 has received over $156 million for stimulus transportation projects, including the Nelsonville Bypass in Athens and Hocking Counties, various county bridge rehabilitations, and other infrastructure enhancements. Three other stimulus projects, Washington County SR 60 enhancement, Vinton County SR 50 enhancement, and Morgan County guardrail project are in process.
"These stimulus projects are vital to our region's economy and future infrastructure," explained Misty Casto, Executive Director of Buckeye Hills-Hocking Valley Regional Development District. "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and Department of Transportation are improving our region by creating jobs for Appalachian families and advancing our infrastructure through transportation projects." | |
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