Some Recent Wellsville Notes

Nice tribute to the late Don Lowe by the Buckeye Online School for Success this past week. They dedicated a meeting room, renaming it the Donald A. Lowe Professional Development & Board Room, in his memory. Mr. Lowe was a lifelong Columbiana County Resident, a teacher, Superintendent in both the Wellsville & East Liverpool School Districts and a CC Commissioner at one time or another.

Morning Journal reporter Tom Giambroni announced some good news and not so good news in separate articles this past week. The not so good news was his report that the CC jobless rate is stalled at 11.2% or 5,900 folks still out of work. The good news was his report that Baard Energy has begun buying land for the proposed Ohio River Clean Fuels plant. It's not only good news, we consider it to be great news and proof positive it's going to happen. So far, according to Giambroni, they have bought 130 acres from three different owners up there. It's a move that's been stalled due to today's economy and difficulty in getting financing. Now they are working on getting financing for the remaining 392 acres to make up the tolal of 522 planned for the coal-to-liquid fuel plant. It's not happening as fast as we had hoped but it is happening. Maybe the unemployment picture will improve when they do get going.

Congratulations to Garfield Elementary Principal Lisa Ferguson on her selection to the Southern Local Athletic Hall of Fame. Ferguson is a member of the SLHS Class of 75 and participated in both basketball & volleyball back in the days before the Title IX program. Her basketball squad went 40&0 in her career and were champions of three Lion's Club Invitational tournaments, in the days before there were female State championships. In addition to her ball playing she was also a cheerleader and still today she is frequently seen at WHS sporting events cheering the hometown teams. We would like to add we believe she is one super lady.

The Wellsville Board of Education had a Special Board meeting this past Tuesday, held in Executive Session, to discuss the on-going negotiations with the teacher's union. It was only Board members and Superintendent Rich Bereschik in the meeting. There were no announcements or action taken following the meeting.

Before the door closed we inquired about the piece of Sterling China property they have expressed interest in for some time now. The property is located behind the high school with a large steel building that would make an excellent garage to store and work on school equipment. Bereschik responed that they are currently negotiating for the property with the owners and remarked that they aren't going to be giving it away.

Finally we would like to say kudos to the Wellsville Police Department for some quick heads up action with solving and making apprehensions in a couple of armed robberies recently in the Village. Arrests were made the same day of the robberies in both cases. Wellsville is fortunate to have these dedicated, professional officers.

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