From Urbana Daily Citizen

Clearview Solar, a Champaign County-based subsidiary of Open Road Renewables, is currently working with landowners using lease agreements to utilize acreage for a photovoltaic (“PV”) electric generation facility to be located north of Rosewood in Adams Township.

Clearview Solar’s plan allows for a maximum generation capacity of 144 megawatts of electricity.

According to the company’s website, the approximated fenced area is 1,061 acres. The foundation is to be made from driven pilings, making a concrete foundation unnecessary.

Thousands of interconnected solar modules are to be mounted on racking attached to the steel pilings. The proposed site has a maximum height of 15 feet and an estimated ground coverage ratio of 31%.

Like any other major utility facility in Ohio, Clearview Solar is required to obtain a certificate of environmental compatibility and public need from the Ohio Power Siting Board (OPSB) before construction can begin.

A typical OPSB certification process can take anywhere from 9 to 12 months. After several months of going through the standard application process through OPSB, the solar project is in the final stages of approval.

After meeting with the Champaign County Commissioners at the beginning of June, Vice President of Development at Open Road Renewables Doug Herling agreed to be available for a public meeting after the commissioners expressed concern about lack of community awareness.

However, according to Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Jane Napier, the solar project is too far into the process for community members to be successful in any oppositions that may arise.

The commissioners requested that a public meeting would be scheduled in order to spread word of the project.

The public meeting will be Tuesday, June 22 at 9 a.m. in the auditorium of the Champaign County Community Center.

Herling will be there in person to give a presentation. There will be a question-and-answer session where the public will have the opportunity to ask questions concerning the proposed solar project.

Later this summer, Scioto Street is scheduled to be resurfaced under a separate Ohio Department of Transportation project from Locust Street to the US 36/SR 29 split.

The Freeman Avenue Improvements Project involves the replacement of select sidewalks, all drive approaches and all curb and gutter on Freeman Avenue between Miami Street and Union Alley. Curb ramps at intersections will also be updated. Finally, the street will be milled and paved along its entire length. J&J Schlaegel, Inc. is the project contractor, and the concrete flatwork will be completed by their subcontractor, Oglesby Construction, Inc. The paving will be subcontracted to Wagner Paving, Inc.

The total cost of this project is $193,886.50.

The city has successfully obtained Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, administered through the Champaign County Commissioners, in the amount of $136,000. In addition, the remaining local match funding of $57,886.50 will come from the city’s Capital Improvement Fund and will pay for curb ramp installation and paving. The contractor anticipates that the project will start on Monday, June 14 with all work to be substantially completed on or before Friday, July 30.

During the work on Freeman Avenue, some areas will have on street parking restricted. The contractor will be working on one side of Freeman Avenue at a time. Due to width constraints, the city and contractor have opted to make Freeman Avenue a northbound, one-way street during the project with appropriate signing. This temporary change will reduce vehicular conflict points during ongoing construction.

In addition to the project on Freeman Avenue, a separate project to replace the curb and gutter along Scioto Street between Locust Street and East Lawn Avenue/Patrick Avenue is scheduled to start on Monday, June 14. M&T Excavating LLC is the project contractor, and the concrete flatwork will be completed by their subcontractor, Oglesby Construction, Inc. Completion of this project is anticipated in July. This project is under contract for $250,239.74, and this project is being completed after a resolution of necessity was passed by Urbana City Council to require that property owners replace curb and gutter within this project area. Traffic will be maintained on Scioto Street during the curb and gutter replacement project, but some on street parking will be restricted.

Earlier this spring, the Powell to Bon Air Sanitary Sewer Project was completed. This project commenced in October of 2020 and involved the installation of a new sanitary sewer main between Bon Air Drive and the Champaign County Fairgrounds. This $834,863.05 project came in under the original contract amount with the project being funded through a grant and a no-interest loan obtained through the Ohio Public Works Commission. This project addressed a bottleneck/capacity issue within the city’s sanitary sewer system and extended sanitary sewer service into an unsewered area.

The Phase 2A Water and Sanitary Sewer Replacement Project is anticipated to be completed on or before the original project completion date of June 26. This project commenced in August of 2020 and involved the replacement of the sanitary sewer main from Jefferson Avenue to Bon Air Drive.

In addition, water main replacement was completed on Scioto Street from Jefferson Avenue to Berwick Drive; Crescent Drive between Ames Avenue and Finch Street; Ames Avenue between Scioto Street and Amherst Drive; and Finch Street between Scioto Street and Amherst Drive. This $1.786 million project is being funded by low interest loans obtained from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the water portion and the Ohio Water Development Authority for the sanitary sewer portion. All utility work on the project is now complete, and the contractor is working to complete restoration and punch list work items.

Later this summer, Scioto Street between Locust Street and the US 36/SR 29 split will be resurfaced under a separate contract through the Ohio Department of Transportation. The resurfacing project for Scioto Street is funded with 80% federal funding through ODOT’s Urban Resurfacing Program and a 20% local match of $123,984.

“I rode my bike from Springfield, Ohio to Florence, Oregon following the trans American cycling route,” said Poole. “The trip was 45 days in total and just over 3,500 miles. Two weeks into my trip I decided I wanted to help children who aren’t as fortunate as me and who are unable to physically complete something like this. I am really fortunate and I take a lot for granted like walking and riding my bike, so I decided to raise money for the Shriners Hospitals for Children.”

Shriners Hospitals for Children provides care for children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate regardless of the families’ ability to pay. There are 22 locations throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.

“So far, we have raised over $3,502 for those children and I would love to raise more for them,” said Poole. He started a new goal of $5,000.
Poole discussed the hardest parts of his trip.

“The wind was so defeating. The wind was blowing 20 miles per hour and I had to keep going,” said Poole. “I was a little nervous at the beginning, I hadn’t really ridden on the road before this trip, so I was nervous with the cars. I only had a few close calls.”

He listed several reasons why this trip was exciting.

“It was pretty exciting being able to know I helped out the kids that are in need,” said Poole. “I met a lot of people on the way, bikers and people in the small towns I was going through. I saw a lot of places I had never seen before.

“The world we live in is so fast-paced,” said Poole. “Being out here really slowed things down. I got to see things from a different perspective and that was really awesome.”

will include autograph signing by former OSU Buckeyes, live music, food trucks, and so much more! This event will take place at the former Urbana University which is located at 579 College Way, Urbana, OH 43078.

If you would like to have your own booth at the career fair, click here!

scouters, friends and family attended the outdoor ceremony at Camp Shiffer. The program was held in the shelter house near the climbing wall, which had been Samantha’s Eagle project. Guests visited the wall prior to the ceremony.

The wall will benefit youngsters in the YMCA programs for generations to come. Master of Ceremonies for the event was Bethann Thompson, Tecumseh Council Vice President of Camping. Colors were posted, and the Pledge of Allegiance and the Scout Law were led by Cub Scout Jake Stanforth and Scout Evan Meyer.

Thompson welcomed guests and Scouting members. The Invocation was given by Dr. Janet Ebert, longtime participant in Scouting and Troop 11 activities.

Ebert also brought greetings and congratulations from Urbana Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution, who were among the project sponsors, and from the First Presbyterian Church of Urbana congregation, which for decades has been a Chartering Organization for Scout Troop 11 and Cub Scouts.

The Meyer family scouts attending were: Samantha’s grandparents (grandfather is an Eagle); her parents Michael (an Eagle) and Janice, who is Scoutmaster of Troop 11G; Brothers Mikey (an Eagle) and Evan (Life Scout). Many other family members also were present.

Among the other Eagles attending were Bob Hemmerly, Vice President for Administration for Tecumseh Council and Authorization Team Leader on the National Camp Accreditation Program, David Greenlee, Troop 11B Scoutmaster, Nick Pettit and Kullen Lockwood. Mikey Meyer, Pettit and Lockwood were called upon for some rather lighthearted remarks.

The Eagle Ceremony consisted of The Call of the Eagle by Lockwood, The Charge to the Eagle (with Samantha standing at the front) by Orrin Stanforth, which was followed by the Eagle Pledge repeated by all Eagles present, and finally the presentation of the Award by Thompson. Samantha placed Eagle pins on her father and mother and then expressed her response as recipient of the Rank of Eagle Scout.

Samantha is a graduate of Global Impact STEM Academy and is currently a sophomore at Ohio University studying engineering. She spoke about the wall, the work of the Scouts, and her enjoyment of scout activities with her family, even before the national opening for girls to participate.

She acknowledged the many persons, groups and businesses (including Pioneer Electric, Ultra-Met Company and Bundy Baking Solutions) who assisted with donations. She especially thanked her parents and family members for their part in her success. She was grateful for the extension granted for the completion of her project.

Following the event, a picnic dinner was provided for attendees.

By Dani Schipfer - Mechanicsburg FFA Reporter- Submitted to Urbana Daily Citizen
MECHANICSBURG – On Friday, May 14, the Mechanicsburg Future Farmers of America (FFA) Chapter hosted its 2020-2021 banquet.

During the banquet, there were refreshments as well as treats provided by Mr. Kindle, the Mechanicsburg High School science teacher.
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