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Vinton County Election Will Feature Contested Races
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Several villages in Vinton County will feature contested races for mayor and council seats in the upcoming November election. Wednesday, Aug. 5 was the filing deadline for candidates to appear on the November ballot. In McArthur, incumbent Mayor Jim Wooddell will face competition from Kim Wortman, who is president pro tem of village council. The… Read More
Hamden Police Chief Resigns Amid Ethics Investigation
By: Sarah Hawley | Athens Messenger staff reporter, Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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HAMDEN — Hamden Police Chief Charles Boyer has agreed to resign for violating multiple state ethics rules upon reaching a settlement with the Ohio Ethics Commission. Boyer, a 33-year veteran of law enforcement, had been serving as chief since Hamden resurrected its police department in 2012. His involvement in being appointed to that role is… Read More
Senate Budget Plan for ‘Food Deserts’ Has Less Funding
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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After a week of political tennis, a portion of the state budget proposal designed to help “food deserts” like Vinton County remains, but features much less funding than it did before. The Healthy Food Financing Initiative was removed from the Senate’s budget plan, prompting Sen. Lou Gentile (D-Steubenville) and Sen. Bob Peterson (R-Washington C.H.) to… Read More
Wild Turkey Festival Full of Heat, Laughs
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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The 31st annual Wild Turkey Festival really brought the heat to downtown McArthur for four sweltering days. And that’s not including when a band member with Mr. Speed blew fire from a torch on Friday night. Warm temperatures, a far cry from some of last year’s chilly festival days, brought sizable crowds to the corner… Read More
Q&A with Deanna Tribe, Author of “Vinton County”
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Deanna Tribe of McArthur is the author of Vinton County, printed by Arcadia Publishing as part of its Images in America book series. The book features 128 pages of photographs and stories of Vinton County history, with many photos submitted by residents or provided by the county’s Historical and Genealogical Society. The book was released… Read More
Plans For Wild Turkey Festival Nearly Set
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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There is no “returning back to normal” for the Wild Turkey Festival a year after the all-out 30th anniversary, organizers hope, as more entertainment and other events continue to be finalized for 2015. This year’s festival is scheduled for Thursday, May 7 through Sunday, May 10. The festival committee has already announced two main acts:… Read More
Vinton County Artist Turns Junk Into Masterpieces
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Flowers made out of recycled metal and animals made out of wrenches and pliers — Lonnie Jones can make artwork out of anything. Even a pile of “junk.” The Radcliff native’s signature piece, a red phoenix with wooden poles as legs and welded parts as feet, is meant to reflect his newfound hobby. Just like… Read More
McArthur Ballot To Feature Police, Streetlight Levies
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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McArthur voters will have two local levies to decide upon in this coming November's general election. Village council members approved placing the levies on the ballot at their regular meeting in June. The levies will replace previously existing property taxes for the police department and village expenses. The McArthur Police levy is a 2.5 mill… Read More
Festival Brings Vinton County Together
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Chris Higbee performs atop a vendor's roof as his band accompanies during opening night of the 30th annual Wild Turkey Festival (photo: Tyler Buchanan/Vinton County Courier) The Wild Turkey Festival, like most others, is a beacon of sensory overload. The sights of children running to and from rides abound. The flashing lights of food vendors… Read More
Vinton County Primary Ballot To Again Feature Senior, Children Services Levy
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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With no contested races in the upcoming May primary election, all eyes are on the county’s senior and children services levy. Residents will again vote on whether to approve the levy — a 10-year, 1.5 mill property tax — after it was narrowly defeated this past November. The levy seeks to raise $260,000 per year… Read More
Ohio’s First Female Sheriff Spotlighted In New Play
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Throughout the rest of March, the Ohio History Center in Columbus is featuring a theater production about former Vinton County Sheriff Maude Collins.
The performance, entitled Sheriff Maude: Lawman, Detective and Mother, will shed light on one of the county’s most well-known historical figures.
County Looks To Demolish Empty Properties
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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The county may be receiving more state money to demolish one or more buildings in Vinton County, continuing efforts to improve the safety and health of local villages. Nearly $50,000 was given to the county in 2012 toward removing vacant properties, according to the development office, with extra money promised to counties in need of… Read More
Vinton County Photo Contest To Capture Local Beauty
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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With several lakes, a forest complete with a haunted train tunnel and countless countrysides, residents and tourists have plenty of photo opportunities throughout Vinton County for this year's photo contest. The Vinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau is accepting photos for the annual contest, which for years has spurred residents to try capturing the county's… Read More
Puckett Pleads Innocent To All Charges In Murder Case
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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A McArthur man accused of killing a woman in 2012 has pleaded innocent to murder allegations. Richard Puckett, 46, appeared in Vinton County Common Pleas Court on Friday and entered innocent pleas to charges that include aggravated murder, murder and aggravated burglary — each contain gun specifications and each are first-degree felonies. Puckett is also… Read More
Wanted McArthur Man Found By Police
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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A McArthur man wanted by police after escaping arrest in December has been located and taken into custody. Gary "Michael" Lemay, 29, was arrested Tuesday night alongside Jessica Barber. The two were both living in a residence on High Street in McArthur until an anonymous tip led officials to their location, according to a report… Read More
Wanted McArthur Man on Loose after Police Chase
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Local police officials are hoping the public can help locate a McArthur man on the loose after a chase with law enforcement. Gary "Michael" Lemay, 29, is wanted on several arrest warrants from the Vinton County Sheriff's Office. According to a McArthur Police Department report, officials recently found that Lemay was living in Hotel McArthur…. Read More
McArthur Applies For Grant To Renovate Downtown Intersection
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Upon being named the 25th most accident prone intersection in the state, McArthur Council has taken measures to eventually revamp the Routes 50 and 93 intersection downtown. There were 28 accidents between 2007 and 2011 at the intersection, including five that caused injuries, according to data from the Ohio Department of Transportation. As a response,… Read More
McArthur Man Killed In Crash
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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A one-vehicle crash on Route 93 Sunday night left one McArthur man dead and a passenger life-flighted from the scene. Mark Foley, 19, of McArthur, was killed after his Ford-150 drove off Route 93 and struck a tree. There were no other vehicles involved in the accident, according to a report from the Ohio State… Read More
Beaver Man Sentenced For Londonderry Thefts
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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A Beaver man has been sentenced to eight years in prison after pleading guilty to June burglaries in the Londonderry area. David. A. Stevens, 25, pleaded guilty to two counts of burglary, both second-degree felonies. He was given an eight-year sentence for both counts, but will serve them concurrently, according to a news release from… Read More
WWII Vet Will Fight Eviction From Daughter In Court
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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An eviction hearing has been scheduled for John Potter, a 92-year-old Zaleski resident and World War II veteran whose daughter seeks to forcibly remove him from the house he built himself. Potter, former mayor of Zaleski and Vinton County Sheriff, is scheduled to battle his eviction at the Vinton County Common Pleas Court on Oct…. Read More
Vinton County Airshow Set For Sept. 15
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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For the pilots and jumpers in the Vinton County Air Show working pro bono, the only green they care about is the lush grass below their thrills amongst the sky. The money, they all agree, should go toward the airport. Pilots from throughout the state will join Bob Church and his Screaming Chicken Skydiving Team… Read More
Man To Be Retried In Arson Death Of Laurelville Man
By: Tyler Buchanan | The Vinton County Courier
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Months after a deadlocked jury led a judge to declare a mistrial, Robert Schall will again face murder charges in Vinton County Common Pleas Court. Schall, formerly of Hillsboro, is on trial for the October 2011 death of Laurelville resident Michael Hunt, as well as arson and robbery. Hunt was found dead and badly burned… Read More