WOUB News

Governor's Office Of Appalachia Funding Three Projects In The Region

Atish Baidya — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:12:04 +0000

Wellston, OH

Atish Baidya

The City of Wellston will receive a quarter of a million dollar grant to upgrade its North Water Treatment plant.

The grant is one of three projects in the region to receive funding from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia.

Other grants include $68,800 for renovations to the Family Health Center in Scioto County and $52,100 for new handicap doors and videoconferencing upgrades at Woodland Centers, Inc. clinic in Gallia County.

The Governor’s Office funds projects that will improve the community infrastructure to encourage economic development.

Ottawa Teen Charged With Deaths Of Two Brothers

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 15:33:16 +0000

Ottawa, OH

Associated Press

A teenager who pointed Ohio authorities to the bodies of two dead brothers who had been reported missing has now been charged in their deaths.

A prosecutor in northwest Ohio says the 17-year-old is charged with delinquency in connection with aggravated murder.

The Associated Press previously identified the teen but now is withholding his name because he has been charged as a juvenile.

The brothers' bodies were found hours after they were reported missing May 9.

All three teenagers had been named in an Amber Alert last week after the mother of the two brothers returned to a Putnam County trailer home and found a gun and blood.

The 17-year-old was later found with a missing car in Columbus, about 120 miles southeast of his hometown of Ottawa.

Morning Audio Update For May 17

Atish Baidya — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:21:03 +0000

Athens, OH

Atish Baidya

A McArthur woman in indicted on kidnapping and sexually assaulting a child.

Ohio University has been named one of the most sustainable colleges.

Oil and natural gas output in Ohio's Utica shale region nearly doubled in 2011.

Details in your morning update.

morning update 5-17.Mp3

Man Arrested In West Virginia Awaits Extradition

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:40:13 +0000

Ashland, KY

Associated Press

An Ashland man has been charged in connection with a murder case involving a man whose remains were found after he had been missing last month.

Kentucky State Police said Thursday that James E. Mcwain, 54, was arrested Monday in Charleston, WV, and is awaiting extradition. He is charged in Kentucky with third-degree arson and tampering with physical evidence.

Police believe Mcwain was involved in trying to dispose of evidence related to the death of Christopher M. Frazier, 29, of Westwood, Ky.

Frazier was reported missing April 8. His remains were found 11 days later.

Police said earlier that Carlton Gallman, 36, of Ashland was charged with murder and that Gallman and Aaron W. Gallion, 35, of Ashland were charged with tampering with evidence.

University Holds Bridge Design Contest

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:16:43 +0000

Huntington, WV

Associated Press

West Virginia students are gathering for a bridge design contest in Huntington.

Twenty teams will compete in the Statewide West Point Bridge Design Contest on Friday and Saturday on the campus of Marshall University. The students use software to create structural models and test their designs.

Organizers say the contest allows students to get introduced to new technology, apply math and science skills and learn about the engineering design process.

A first-place prize of $400 will be awarded to members of both the top high school and middle school teams.

On Friday, the contest kicks off with a scheduled stroll across the New River Gorge Bridge catwalk near Fayetteville to give the young engineers an up-close look at bridge design.

Shale Drilling Increases Ohio Gas And Oil Output

Associated Press — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:12:32 +0000

Columbus, OH

Associated Press

Officials say drilling in Ohio's Utica shale region nearly doubled the output of oil and natural gas there since 2011.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources announced Thursday that the drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, in the shale region of eastern Ohio increased the oil output by 93 percent and the natural gas output by 80 percent in that time.

The agency said that during 2012, 87 Utica wells - representing less than 1 percent of all oil and gas wells in the state - produced 12 percent of Ohio's total oil production and 16 percent of the total gas production for the year.

But industry leaders and analysts tell The Columbus Dispatch that there isn't enough information to make any broad predictions about the long-term potential.

Officials Investigate Illegal Dumpsites In Wayne National Forest

Debra Tobin - Logan Daily News Reporter — Fri, 17 May 2013 13:52:42 +0000

Haydenville, OH

Debra Tobin - Logan Daily News Reporter

Some people apparently believe they can use the Wayne National Forest as their personal dumping grounds for tree stumps and brush, as well as other refuse and debris.

However, Wayne National Forest officials think differently and say this is a criminal act and punishable by fines and jail sentencing.

According to Gary Chancey, Wayne National Forest Public Affairs staff officer, the penalty for dumping any refuse, debris, trash or litter on national forestry property is a $325 fine for the first offense with maximum penalties of $5,000 fine and 180 days incarceration.

The fines and potential jail sentence doubles if a business is responsible for the illegal dumping.

These fines and penalties also include the dumping of tree stumps and brush.

“One of the biggest areas of concern is New Straitsville,” stated Chancey. “We have problems with Haydenville and Nelsonville as well, but I believe New Straitsville is the worst. We are now checking into two new illegal dumping sites — one in Haydenville and the other in New Straitsville.”

Within the past few days, someone has used River Road in Haydenville as a personal dumping grounds, leaving huge tree stumps and pine branches along the roadway on Wayne National Forest land.

While officials have an idea of who the alleged suspect is, they will not divulge any names at this time as it is under investigation.

Officials were at the dump site last week to assess the area and talk with town residents to gather more information.

In addition to the Haydenville dumping site, Chancey reported a recent dumping area in New Straitsville, just inside the Wayne on an access road on Monday Creek Township Road 247. This site is a short distance off of Dutch Ridge Road.

Someone has illegally dumped an old sofa and many other items at this site and Chancey is eager to find the culprit or culprits. Anyone with knowledge of those dumping at this site is asked to contact Chancey immediately.

“We don’t take this lightly,” stated Chancey. “No one wants this in their backyard and we don’t want it in the Wayne.”

Dumping sites pop up all over Hocking, as well as Perry and Athens counties, leaving officials in a quandary over cleaning up someone else’s mess.

“It’s not just our area,” stated Chancey. “We see and hear about this all the time.”

Litter remains a pervasive problem, and continues to have a significant impact on our communities and environment. There are over 51 billion pieces of litter on U.S. roadways each year.

According to statistics, the presence of litter in a community decreases property values by seven percent.

Litter clean up costs the U.S. more than $11.5 billion each year, with businesses paying $9.1 billion. Local and state governments, schools, and other organizations pay the remaining costs.

The environmental outcomes of litter can have economic impacts. This includes lost tourism revenues, expenses for repairing vehicles, boats and ships, restoration of ecosystems, wildlife injury, and eventually the cost to human health.

Debris may be carried by storm drains into local waterways with potential for serious environmental contamination.

The following actions are prohibited from dumping in the Wayne National Forest area:

• Depositing in any toilet, toilet vault, or plumbing fixture any substance which could damage or interfere with the operation or maintenance of the fixture.

• Possessing or leaving refuse, debris, or litter in an exposed or unsanitary condition.

• Placing in or near a stream, lake, or other water any substance, which does or may pollute a stream, lake, or other water.

• Failing to dispose of all garbage, including any paper, can, bottle, sewage, waste water or material, or rubbish either by removal from the site or area, or by depositing it into receptacles or at places provided for such purposes.

• Dumping of any refuse, debris, trash or litter brought from private property, including trees, stumps, branches and brush.

“People should remember illegal dumping is unlawful and a criminal act, punishable by a fine and jail time,” stated Chancey.

To report an illegal dumping site within the Wayne National Forest, or if anyone has knowledge of the person or persons responsible for the New Straitsville and Haydenville illegal dumping, contact Chancey at 740-753-0862.

Sawed-Off Shotgun Thrown From Fleeing Car

Kristi Murphy - Circleville Herald Staff Reporter — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:40:43 +0000

Circleville, OH

Kristi Murphy - Circleville Herald Staff Reporter

Three men are in custody after leading Pickaway County Sheriff’s deputies on a chase from the South Bloomfield area to Columbus on Thursday evening.

Ronald E. Nigh, Jr., 35, of Columbus; Tyvis G. Priah, 21, of Cleveland; and Christopher J. Morris, 21, of Columbus, face charges of fleeing and eluding, having weapons under disability and possessing an illegal firearm.

The last two charges are related to a black bag that was tossed from the vehicle during the chase that contained a sawed-off shotgun, according to the sheriff’s office.

Lt. Dale Parish said Nigh has been identified as the driver of the vehicle that was first involved in a minor hit-skip crash at 6:40 p.m. in front of the go-kart tracks on U.S. 23 near the North Court Street intersection.

After Nigh sideswiped another vehicle and did not stop, a deputy tracked him down north of South Bloomfield and attempted a traffic stop at Reeb’s Farm Market; however, Nigh continued north sometimes reaching speeds of 90 mph, Parish said.

As Nigh continued out of the county, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Columbus Police were notified. Parish said the other agencies helped stop the vehicle in the area of Livingston Avenue and Carpenter Street in Columbus shortly before 7 p.m.

Nigh and his two passengers ran from the vehicle, he said, but all were apprehended by 7:06 p.m.

During the chase, Parish said a black bag containing a sawed-off shotgun and some 9mm ammunition was tossed from the vehicle at Picway Road.

The Pickaway County Sheriff’s Office has towed the vehicle back to headquarters in connection with the hit-skip and plans to obtain a warrant to search the vehicle for more evidence.

Parish added that Nigh has an extensive criminal record with charges for drugs, firearm violations, assaults and fleeing and eluding from Columbus, Dayton and Illinois.

All three men have been transported to the Pickaway County Jail.

The incident remains under investigation.

Ohio University Named Among Top 'Greenest' Colleges

WOUB Contributing Writer — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:36:51 +0000

Athens, OH

WOUB Contributing Writer

Ohio University is one of the 322 most sustainable colleges in the U.S. and Canada, according to a new publication from The Princeton Review.

The university is highlighted in the fourth annual edition of The Princeton Review’s Guide to 322 Green Colleges. Schools were chosen based on a 50-question survey of college administrators conducted in 2012 that gathered data about the schools' course offerings, campus infrastructure, activities and career preparation to measure their commitment to the environment and to sustainability.

In a news release, Review publisher Robert Franek said that 62 percent of students the organization surveyed said a college’s commitment to environmental issues would influence their enrollment choices.

“It’s encouraging for Ohio (University) to be recognized for its collective efforts toward sustainability,” said Annie Laurie Cadmus, director of the Office of Sustainability at Ohio University. “Designations such as this allow us to recruit more sustainability-minded students and, thus, advance further efforts on environmental and social health in this region.”

The guide describes OU as “a big school with a lot of swagger when it comes to greening its campus.” The university’s in-vessel composting system is the largest at any college or university in the United States, capable of accepting up to four tons of waste daily. Other sustainability measures described were the OU Ecohouse, the campus community garden and the use of compostable materials in University dining halls. In addition, the article highlighted the considerable research and community activity surrounding sustainability by faculty and students.

Not noted in the article is the university’s commitment to sustainable construction standards, such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, or its efforts to reduce energy costs and emissions through the Energy Performance Contract and decreasing use of coal for fuel.

“These projects allow Ohio (University) to become a leader in current energy trends within higher education,” Cadmus said.

Man Discovers Meth In Car He Bought At Auction

Joe Higgins - Athens Messenger Editor — Thu, 16 May 2013 18:57:16 +0000

Athens, OH

Joe Higgins - Athens Messenger Editor

When Robert Pancake of Valley View Auto Parts in Nelsonville purchased a 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe for only $700, he received a lot more than he expected.

A bag of clothes in the rear cargo area of the Tahoe contained a plastic bag, wrapped in black tape, which concealed a significant amount of a white, powdery substance. Testing of the substance determined it was 777 grams of methamphetamine with a street value of nearly $78,500.

"After being in this business for 30-plus years not much surprises me anymore, but I couldn't believe someone would leave that in there," Pancake told The Messenger.

Pancake said he placed a sealed bid for the Tahoe on the website qcsadirect.com which, according to the site, remarkets all types of vehicles, including commercial, industrial, cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc. Pancake placed the $700 bid on the Tahoe because he wanted to use the vehicle for parts, but when he found the concealed bag he immediately called the Athens County Sheriff's Office.

According to Sheriff Patrick Kelly, Deputy John Morris responded to the business and tested the powder to see if it was cocaine or heroin, but both tests were negative. Morris took the substance back to the office and tested the powder for methamphetamine. It tested positive.

Kelly told The Messenger Thursday that DNA tests are being run on the bag and that he is working with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for background on the Tahoe.

Kelly said the vehicle could have reached auction after being confiscated by a law enforcement agency, it may have been towed and never claimed or could have been taken after an accident. In any case, he said it's not unusual for items to be left in vehicles when they go to auction. However, in this case, leaving nearly $80,000 worth of methamphetamine would qualify as unusual.

Kelly noted that it might be difficult to charge anyone with a crime, however, due to the circumstances in the case. In the meantime, the incident remains under investigation.