Seeing 2020 (Oct-Dec.) and charging into 2021

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This is Part 4 of the News Journal’s 4-part annual Year in Review of selected local stories and photos.

OCTOBER

WC ag program earns honor

WILMINGTON — “Wilmington College’s course of study in agriculture has earned yet another accolade as Learn.Org ranked WC third in the nation for ‘Best Agriculture Degrees’ for 2020-21. Learn.org evaluates schools on factors ranging from degree options, tuition costs and graduation rates to how schools provide their students with experiential learning opportunities.”

No HoliDazzle this year

WILMINGTON — “There will be no HoliDazzle parade in 2020. ‘After our board talked it through, there were just too many questions we couldn’t answer,’ explained Myron Hale, Main Street Wilmington Board Chair. ‘There is still a state mandate in effect that says no parades. No matter how we tried to re-configure the parade and the crowd, there was just no way to do it’.”

New housing is needed

WILMINGTON — “A detailed housing study as well as a new county comprehensive plan will get financial support from the Board of Clinton County Commissioners, who called the projects investments. At an appointment this week with county commissioners, Clinton County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) Executive Director Taylor Stuckert said, ‘I think all of you have heard at one time or another from realtors, from individuals in the community about the need for residential development in this county’.”

Blan wins playoff game

BLANCHESTER — “Three touchdowns in 3:11 of the fourth quarter turned Blanchester’s first home playoff game in 14 years into a rout, as the Wildcats defeated Madison Plains 55-33 Saturday night.”

Haines icon of the arts

“The spirit of a local icon with a passion for music, theater, students and his community will live on in the countless lives he touched. Steven Haines died Wednesday at age 70 after a long illness.

“A 1968 graduate of Wilmington High School, Haines was well-known for his involvement with music and the arts.”

Passing of Coach Craycraft

“East Clinton High School girls basketball coach Jeff Craycraft died suddenly. He was preparing for his fourth season as head coach of the Lady Astros, a season he had been looking forward to for many months.”

Bates named WC president

WILMINGTON — “Wilmington College will begin its second 150 years in January with Dr. Trevor M. Bates as its 19th president. He described the opportunity as ‘the greatest honor of my professional life’. The Board of Trustees announced Wednesday the successful completion of WC’s presidential search by naming Bates, the chief academic officer at Mercy College of Ohio, to lead the College into the future.”

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NOVEMBER

Nutrien Ag eyes new facility

UNION TWP. — “Wanting something more state-of-the-art, Nutrien Ag Solutions plans to develop a new agricultural retail facility at the intersection of Gleason and Prairie Roads northeast of Wilmington. On a 20-acre lot, it will include three buildings — dry fertilizer, warehouse, and office — plus a 1-million-gallon liquid fertilizer tank, along with site improvements such as a detention pond and a contained loading area.

All election issues pass

Seven tax renewal questions and a local liquor option all received voter approval on the general election ballots in Clinton County.

$16.8M gift for college

WILMINGTON — “Wilmington College’s students of today and tomorrow are once again the beneficiaries of alumni generosity resulting from a nearly lifelong relationship with the institution. The College has received another record-breaking gift — $16.8 million from the estate of a 1950s era graduate [anonymously]— only months after receiving a then-record $13.5 million estate gift.

WC campus shut down

WILMINGTON — “Wilmington College has achieved success so far in limiting the number of positive COVID-19 cases on campus — and wants to keep it that way. As such, the remainder of most fall semester classes will be presented online after Friday, Nov. 20.

“College officials reasoned that bringing the entire student body back for two days this Monday and Tuesday (Nov. 23 and 24) and then again following the five-day Thanksgiving recess (Nov. 25-29) might present an elevated risk at what, for many, is the most academically critical time of the term.

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DECEMBER

Another EC tragic loss

“East Clinton Local Schools suffered its second unimaginable loss in as many months with the passing of Director of Athletics and Assistant Principal Jim Marsh, just weeks after EC girls basketball coach Jeff Craycraft died suddenly Oct. 27.”

Miko makes bust

WILMINGTON — “The Wilmington Police Department’s new K9 officer made his first bust. Miko, who started his tour of duty with Officer Jordan Ianson on Nov. 25, sniffed out narcotics during a traffic stop.”

Guilty verdict, 20 years

WILMINGTON — A local man pled guilty to four of 20 charges related to a two-vehicle accident that injured a teacher and her three children in 2019. Justin Lemmings would later be given a 20-year prison sentence.

8 more COVID deaths

“Eight more Clinton Countians have died from COVID-19, the Clinton County Health District reported Monday morning. Sixteen local residents have now died from coronavirus-related causes within an 18-day period. “As of Sunday afternoon, the CCHD reported there have been 1,784 local cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, with 620 active cases including 21 new hospitalizations in the past week.”

CVS crasher indicted

WILMINGTON — Michael Eli Current, 35, was charged with two counts of felony 3 aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of felony 4 vehicular assault, and one count of misdemeanor 1 driving under the influence for the August incident in which his SUV crashed into the CVS store and he then led a foot chase.

Vaccines received

WILMINGTON — “The Clinton County Health District (CCHD) received its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine Monday morning, prompting the district’s director of nursing to remark she was ‘beyond thrilled’ and that it made for an early Christmas.”

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Wilmington’s Claire Burns would advance to represent Clinton County at the state tennis tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Burns would be the first girls tennis player from a Clinton County school to participate in the state tennis tournament.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_burns-tennis-1.jpgWilmington’s Claire Burns would advance to represent Clinton County at the state tennis tournament at the Lindner Family Tennis Center. Burns would be the first girls tennis player from a Clinton County school to participate in the state tennis tournament.

In this composite photo, at left, in the Region 16 semifinal versus Waverly, the game came down to the leg of Clinton-Massie’s Trevor McGuinness who drilled a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give Massie a 31-28 win; at right, Wilmington players and coaches celebrated as Isaiah Rigling raced 43 yards for the first touchdown of the game as Wilmington defeated Marietta 56-14 for the first-ever playoff football win in WHS history., The Board of Clinton County Commissioners recognized Paul Butler as a recent inductee with the 2020 Class of inductees into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. The proclamation expresses the commissioners’ gratitude “for Paul’s dedication and commitment in military service as well as his exceptional post military advocacy and volunteerism for the veteran community.”
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_Butler-award-1.jpgIn this composite photo, at left, in the Region 16 semifinal versus Waverly, the game came down to the leg of Clinton-Massie’s Trevor McGuinness who drilled a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give Massie a 31-28 win; at right, Wilmington players and coaches celebrated as Isaiah Rigling raced 43 yards for the first touchdown of the game as Wilmington defeated Marietta 56-14 for the first-ever playoff football win in WHS history., The Board of Clinton County Commissioners recognized Paul Butler as a recent inductee with the 2020 Class of inductees into the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame. The proclamation expresses the commissioners’ gratitude “for Paul’s dedication and commitment in military service as well as his exceptional post military advocacy and volunteerism for the veteran community.”

Dr. Trevor Bates leads Wilmington College as its new president.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_Trevor-Bates-1.jpgDr. Trevor Bates leads Wilmington College as its new president.

Saluting the American flag at Clinton County’s annual Veterans Day Remembrance held at the Veterans Memorial in downtown Wilmington on Wednesday morning
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_veterans-wide-shot-1.jpgSaluting the American flag at Clinton County’s annual Veterans Day Remembrance held at the Veterans Memorial in downtown Wilmington on Wednesday morning

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The Wilmington High School tennis team won its third straight SBAAC American Division championship this season, claiming the title with its second consecutive unbeaten league season. Claire Burns, the top player on the team, continues her Division I Sectional tournament competition this morning at Centerville High School [and she later advanced to state]. In the photo, from left are Emilee Pham, Gracie Conger, Jenna Taylor, Emma Lewis, Chandni Sharma, Claire Burns, Ella Zeigler, and coach Doug Cooper.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_WHS-tennis-champs-1.jpgThe Wilmington High School tennis team won its third straight SBAAC American Division championship this season, claiming the title with its second consecutive unbeaten league season. Claire Burns, the top player on the team, continues her Division I Sectional tournament competition this morning at Centerville High School [and she later advanced to state]. In the photo, from left are Emilee Pham, Gracie Conger, Jenna Taylor, Emma Lewis, Chandni Sharma, Claire Burns, Ella Zeigler, and coach Doug Cooper.

Dozens of volunteers worked the first pop up COVID-19 testing at the Clinton County Engineer’s Office.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_pop-up-testing-1.jpgDozens of volunteers worked the first pop up COVID-19 testing at the Clinton County Engineer’s Office.

Bob McClain of Wilmington, center foreground, arrived about 7 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 for the first day of early in-person voting at the Clinton County Board of Elections offices at the County Annex Buildin. Voting began at 8 a.m. and a line of others had joined him prior to then. Second in line was Bob Thobaben, seated in a chair in the right foreground.
https://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2020/12/web1_voting-first-day-1.jpgBob McClain of Wilmington, center foreground, arrived about 7 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6 for the first day of early in-person voting at the Clinton County Board of Elections offices at the County Annex Buildin. Voting began at 8 a.m. and a line of others had joined him prior to then. Second in line was Bob Thobaben, seated in a chair in the right foreground.

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