Local students named to honor roll at online school

COLUMBUS — Virtual Community School of Ohio (VCS Ohio), recently named 14 southern Ohio students to the honor roll for the first semester of the 2009-10 school year. Students were selected based on stringent criteria for their grade level.

 Erin Brown, Portsmouth, OH 45662, Scioto County, Grade 7

Justin Brown, Portsmouth, OH 45662, Scioto County, Grade 9

Timothy Causey, Wellston, OH 45692, Jackson County, Grade 2

Jennifer Cox, Jackson, OH 45640, Jackson County, Grade 11

Emily Gullion, Portsmouth, OH 45662, Scioto County, Grade 4

Molly Gullion, Portsmouth, OH 45662, Scioto County, Grade 4

Katherine Gullion, Portsmouth, OH 45662, Scioto County, Grade 7

Jeffrey Jordan, Jackson, OH 45640, Jackson County, Grade 4

Lani Lear, Gallipolis, OH 45631, Gallia County, Grade 11

Brandon McCorcle, Ironton, OH 45638, Lawrence County, Grade 11

Casey Meadows, Jackson, OH 45640, Jackson County, Grade 5

David Meadows, Jackson, OH 45640, Jackson County, Grade 5

Chelsea Menikheim, Chillicothe, OH 45601, Ross County, Grade 10

Jacob Mylar, Chesapeake, OH 45619, Lawrence County, Grade 10

VCS Ohio students choose to attend school online for a variety of personal and philosophical reasons.

Cleanup efforts on SR327 continue

JACKSON — While cleanup from a rock slide along State Route 327 in Jackson County continues, officials from the Ohio Department of Transportation have determined that closure of the route will be necessary to advance crews’ efforts to remove additional rock from the hillside and clear the roadway of debris.

Currently, the route is reduced to one lane near the 19.50-mile marker, immediately south of Township Road 207 and traffic is being maintained with temporary traffic signals. A full closure of the route is scheduled to be imparted next week.

The route will be closed at approximately 10 a.m. Monday, March 15, and continue through Friday, March 19. While it is closed, motorists will be detoured by way of state Route 93 at Wellston to U.S. 50 and S.R. 327 in Vinton County.

Rep candidate pushes for Honor and Remember Flag

PORTSMOUTH — Dr. Terry Johnson, candidate for state representative in Ohio’s 89th District, has sent a letter to Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and other state leaders urging them to adopt the Honor and Remember Flag as an official state symbol.

The Honor and Remember Flag is the first flag designed specifically to honor fallen service members, regardless of whether or not they were killed in an official conflict. It was designed by George Lutz, whose son Tony was killed by a sniper’s bullet in Iraq in 2005.

“The Honor and Remember Flag is a powerful gesture of gratitude, reverence, and remembrance towards America’s fallen heroes,” Dr. Terry Johnson said. “It honors everyone who has been killed in service, regardless of which conflict, regardless of branch of service, and regardless of duty.”

On March 2, the Virginia General Assembly voted to make the flag an official state symbol by a margin of 97-0. In his letter to state leaders, Dr. Terry Johnson urged Ohio to do the same.

“As a 19 year veteran and current member of the Ohio National Guard, as a veteran of the Global War on Terror, as a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, as a member of the American Legion and as an executive committee member of the Gold Star Family Project, I reserve a very special place in my heart for the men and women who defend our country,” said Dr. Johnson. “I believe those who have given their life in the cause of freedom are our most precious of heroes.”

“We owe them our gratitude. We owe them our remembrance. It is my deep and sincere belief that we owe them this flag.”

The Honor and Remember Flag has been endorsed by a large number of Veterans organizations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Officers Association of America, Vietnam Veterans of America, Veterans of Modern Warfare, and more.

Dr. Terry Johnson is a colonel in the Ohio National Guard and commander of the Medical Detachment. He has served as the Scioto County Coroner since 2002.

To learn more about the Honor and Remember Flag, visit www.HonorAndRemember.org.

Ohio Northern releases dean’s list for winter quarter

ADA — Nicholas E. Hall, son of John and Vicki Hall of Chesapeake, has been named to the Ohio Northern University dean’s list for the winter quarter 2009-10. He is a sixth year pharmacy major.

Kirt R. Shipley, son of Kenneth and Brenda Shipley of Pedro, has been named to the dean’s list as well. He is a third year pharmacy major.

The dean’s list includes students who attain a grade point average of 3.5 or better on a 4.0 grading system.

Rep. Book, House vote to set up livestock board

COLUMBUS – State Representative Todd Book (D-McDermott) and the Ohio House of Representatives this week approved legislation to create the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board. The Board was part of State Issue 2 approved by Ohio voters in November.

The legislation includes language supported by Rep. Book to ensure that the rules of the board do not apply to animals used in agricultural, biological or biomedical research, or to animals confined in medical facilities.

“Protecting and providing standards for Ohio’s livestock animals will ensure the safety and quality of our food supply, and I am glad to have been part of this process,” Book said. “In particular, the steps we’ve taken in supporting Ohio’s growing bioscience industry are going to have a positive effect in our state for decades.”

House Bill 414 was approved by the House with a unanimous 98-0 vote, and includes the legal steps necessary to create the Standards Board. The constitutional amendment requires the General Assembly to issue language outlining the make-up of the board, its duties and members, and funding.

HB 414 now goes to the Ohio Senate for consideration.

Agency on Aging needs volunteers

Looking for an opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others? If so, the Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. (AAA7) has an opportunity for you or someone you know who may be interested in helping some of our most vulnerable citizens – nursing home residents.

Through AAA7’s Volunteer Ombudsman Program, these special helpers visit nursing home residents on a regular basis to provide them with a link to the outside world. Through these visits, Volunteer Ombudsmen help to lessen the isolation and loneliness many residents experience. Volunteers also provide an essential voice for residents, providing advocacy and assistance for those who have concerns about their care.

Volunteer Ombudsmen plan their own schedules, are permitted to visit any day of the week, and are provided hands-on training and technical assistance by the AAA7’s Ombudsman Program Staff. Volunteers are recognized during an annual event and invited to various AAA7 training programs and conferences at no cost.

Gallipolis resident John Brewer feels he is giving back to the community when he volunteers his time in the Ombudsman Program. “I experience a lot of enjoyment and satisfaction through my time as a Volunteer Ombudsman,” Brewer comments. “I am always welcomed with open arms by residents I come in contact with as they know I have their best interests at heart.”

Anyone interested in volunteering for an organization that makes a difference in the lives of others, please contact Cindy Oakes, Volunteer Coordinator, or Kaye Inoshita, toll-free at 1-800-582-7277.

Your local Area Agency on Aging District 7, Inc. serves the following counties in Ohio: Adams, Brown, Gallia, Highland, Jackson, Lawrence, Pike, Ross, Scioto and Vinton. Services are rendered on a non-discriminatory basis. The Agency’s Mission is “Assisting individuals to maintain independence and personal choice by providing resource options and services.” Those interested in learning more about the services provided through the Area Agency on Aging District 7, can also call toll-free at 1.800.582.7277.

OSHA safety and fall hazard awareness training offered at Shawnee State University

PORTSMOUTH — Two courses on safety awareness using OSHA standards are being offered at Shawnee State University.

The first course on Fall Hazard Awareness focuses on slips, trips, falls and falls from heights in the workplace.

This course is from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursday, March 18 at SSU’s University Center, Room 214. Participants are introduced to OSHA and ANSI standards and the daily practices involved with preventing slips, trips, falls, as well as the focus on fall arrest equipment, fall protection systems and rescue equipment.

The cost is $195 with .5 CEUs credit awarded.

The second course is the OSHA 10-hour Construction Industry Safety Awareness Training Course.

Topics covered are fall protection, excavation, scaffolding, lifts, electric and more.

The program is intended to provide entry level construction workers general awareness on recognizing and preventing hazards on a construction site. The training covers a variety of construction safety and health hazards that a worker may encounter at a construction site.

OSHA recommends this training as an orientation to occupational safety and health. Workers must received additional training on hazards specific to their job.

Training emphasizes hazard identification, avoidance, control and prevention and OSHA standards.

Registration is $139 ($99 for Southern Ohio Safety Council members). Instructional materials and lunch are included.

The course is from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. each day on Wednesday, March 31 and Thursday, April 1 at the Scioto County Welcome Center, 342 Second Street, Portsmouth. Tim Roberts is the instructor.

To register or for more information, contact SSU University Outreach Services at (740) 351-3281 or toll free at (866) 672-8778.

OLBH gets grant from Walmart Foundation

RUSSELL, Ky. — Officials from Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital’s (OLBH) Meals on Wheels program have announced the program has been awarded a $11,250 grant from the Walmart Foundation to fight senior hunger.

Financial support is needed as many Meals On Wheels programs across the country have been effected by the current economic downturn. The Walmart Foundation Impact Grant is intended to help OLBH continue to meet the equipment needs of providing meals to area seniors with the funding being utilized for a walk-in freezer.

This year, the Walmart Foundation is spending more than $2 million nationwide to make sure Meals On Wheels programs have the equipment they need to maintain their operations into the future.

“Seniors have been hit especially hard in this economy and we feel a responsibility to help,” said Margaret McKenna, president of the Walmart Foundation. “We’re proud to support Meals on Wheels programs across the U.S. who work on the front lines of ending senior hunger.”

OLBH assists with meals being delivered five days a week to elderly or disabled people with food being prepared by a variety of vendors and delivered by volunteers. OLBH’s local Meals on Wheels routes include the communities of Bellefonte, Burnaugh, Catlettsburg, Flatwoods, Russell, South Ashland, and Westwood, which are served by the OLBH program, and Grayson, Greenup, South Shore and Worthington area volunteers coordinate programs to serve those areas with advisory support from OLBH.

“Thanks to the Walmart Foundation Impact Grant, we now have better tools to keep feeding seniors for years to come,” said Mary Ellen Conley, OLBH Senior Services coordinator.

Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness.

From February 1, 2008 through January 31, 2009, Walmart – and its domestic and international foundations – gave more than $423 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally.

For more information on how to assist in serving the hunger needs of Ashland-area seniors, call (606)-833-3398 or toll-free at 1-877-827-7012.

KDMC grief group to meet April 8

ASHLAND, Ky. — A grief support group for those who have experienced the loss of a loved one will meet each Thursday, beginning April 8 through May 27, at King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC).

“Understanding our Grief” will be the focus and the group meets from 6 to 8 p.m. at KDMC’s Health Education Center (located in the lower level of the Lexington Avenue Parking Garage), 2201 Lexington Ave.

To register or for additional information, contact KDMC Pastoral Care Services at (606) 408-4560 or (606) 408-6118. To learn more about other KDMC support groups, call 1-888-377-KDMC (5362) or visit us online at kdmc.com.

Pendleton hosting forum on organ, tissue donation

ASHLAND, Ky. — In April, Pendleton Art Center will have Joy Adkins, a representative of KODA providing an informative display on organ and tissue donation.

KODA is a federally designated organ procurement organization that provides the option of organ and tissue donation to families who have lost a loved one.

There will be an opportunity to join the KY Organ Donor Registry, see the Donor Family Memorial Quilt and learn about Ky’s new “Donate Life” license plate.

The Pendleton Art Center at 1537-1539 Winchester Avenue, Ashland, KY, houses the working and retail sale studios of artists and craftsmen from the Tri-State Area with a wide range of talents. Pendleton Studios are open on the first Friday of the month from 5-9 p.m. for the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Ashland and from 6- 9 p.m. on the next day for 2nd look Saturday. Some studios are open daily; some are open by appointment with the artist.

Contact information for artists is available in the lobby.