Happening Around The Ville

I'm telling you with being retired I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger! Running here and there checking out different things keeps you going. I'm loving every minute of it. It's something I've been wanting to do for some time now. Let's catch up on some of the things that you may be interested in around here. Some of them I almost missed mentioning.

Going on right now is the annual Wellsville Clean-up. It started Monday and finishes up Saturday, May 9. Dumpsters are located behind Village Hall for stuff you want to get rid of to "rid up" your house & yard. No tires, batteries, paint, household garbage or appliances with freon are permitted. Anything else is fair game and it's free. The Mayor said they hope to have a tire collection later on this year. They have to make arrangements with a different company for tires. They are asking business owners & residents to shovel & sweep the winter dirt into a pile on the street. Village Street Specialist will come along to pick it up.

Don't confuse this with the Fix-up/Clean-up Committee which got started last Saturday. They meet on the first Saturday of every month through September. If you got a little time to spare they start out at Village Hall on Saturday mornings at 10 A.M.

"Hubba, Hubba the musical" put on by the WHS Ebony & Ivory group will be doing two performances at the high school, tonight at 7 P.M., and next Tuesday, May 12, at 5 P.M. Donations will be accepted at the door.

The ville's Carnegie Library currently has a "wipe away late fees for a food donation" going on. The opportunity to get your late fee debt cleaned up will be going on all the month of May. All you need is something that is non-perishable which will be given to area food banks. They'll even accept food from folks that don't owe anything, if you care to donate.

The Paint-the-Town project is gearing up for the fourth year. This all volunteer group is run by the village's Ministerial Association and is aimed to help folks with low income, seniors, or people with disabilities. Right now they are looking for suggestions on houses that could use painting, volunteers and donations. The deadline for suggestions is May 15. Houses have to be owner occupied and located within the village limits. For more details contact Pastor Dirk Hall @ 532-1813.

News out of Village Hall yesterday was that the EPA is releasing the remaining money for the STAG funds. This is the money that has been tied up until officials came up with cancelled checks or receipts for the portion of the grant that was already spent. They justified almost everything from $1.2 million down to $12,000. This grant goes back to the Traficant days nearly 30 years ago. Charlie Wilson's office got involved and went to bat for the village with the EPA for the small portion left over after determining there was no evidence of malfeasance.

This is the money that is earmarked for finishing up work started last year at the sewage plant and the Highland Avenue project. Because that money was tied up the sewage plant has only been operating on one digester and that is basically a sludge tank until they get it renovated. They kept one digester empty so they can get quickly started once the funds were released. It will probably take two months in converting a digestor to aerobic. Consequently the odors are returning and you can get a whiff of it on warm & windy days. United Water is using lime to do everything they can to hold the smell down.

Mayor Joe Surace is traveling to Cambridge on Friday to attend an OMEGA meeting. OMEGA stands for Ohio Mid-Eastern Government Association. They are a collective body of member government agencies to provide chances in economic and community development. They act as a go between for communities with the state and federal agencies that dole out our tax dollars. Last year East Liverpool got a nice grant through OMEGA. Surace said he is going to apply for funds for the new semi-truck road in the lower portion of town. That's the new street for trucks to use to get in and out of town through the Port Authority area. I was told that for $1 million you can build a new road one half to three-quarter miles in length. That's just with curves and pavement. That would just about cover the proposed street.

Word on the street is that Rev. Bruce Ballantine is leaving us. Hate to see him go. He's got a whole congregation that will testify that he's a good man. There's a whole lot more of us that will
agree with that. He's done a lot for the good of the village since coming to town. God bless you Reverand and good luck to you and your family.

County Commissioners will decide this month on where the CDBG money will go for this year's chip & seal program. The ville has a bid in for some of that.


The MJ endorsed the idea of Wellsville switching from the county to EL's Municipal Court. State Senator Jason Wilson advised EL officials in a letter that their request to shut down their court would have to undergo a State Supreme Court study. With Wellsville wanting to change there may be a chance that EL will have a change of heart on the matter. Wilson basically indicated that he wants EL to clarify which way they want to go before he requests a Supreme Court study. Both communities cited it was money saving moves in requesting the changes.

From last month's Board of Education meeting it was announced that high school principal Greg Davis, middle school teacher Bill Miller, and high school teachers Cathy Wollam & Linda Golaszewski are retiring at the end of the school year. The kids always called Linda "Mrs. G". Together these educators gave the ville 136 years. Thanks to all for your efforts and enjoy your retirement.

Eric Dillard's murder trial got underway yesterday with jury selection and a tour of the crime scene for those selected. Dillard is accused of murdering Jamie Farley a little over a year ago in front of his home. Dillard admitted to shooting Farley but claims it was in self-defense. With the list of witnesses it is expected the trial will last two weeks.

It was announced in the papers this morning that funds to purchase properties for the Baard site will be released to the Port Authority. There are 17 properties that the Ohio Dept. of Development is giving $4.5 million to enable the Port to buy. The Port already has options on these parcels. Baard will eventually purchase the land from the PA. Once the Port gets ownership land preparation will begin to start construction next year.

Finally, I have to mention what I think is pretty low for low lifes. Whichever culprit copped a ceramic angel from a Commerce Street resident's porch has got to rank right down near the bottom. That statue represents someones guardian angel. What were you thinking you cad?

ole nib