Hearing set for auditor candidate’s DUI arrest

CHESAPEAKE — A pre-trial hearing in the misdemeanor case against Independent candidate Jon Ater has been set for Friday in Lawrence County Municipal Court.

Ater, who is running for Lawrence County auditor in November, was arrested Monday night for DUI while driving a tractor. He was allegedly operating a Kubota tractor on State Route 243 in Union Township while intoxicated.

Besides the DUI, he faces charges of having an open container and driving left of center, both minor misdemeanors. The DUI is a first-degree misdemeanor.

Arresting officer was Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Newman, who reported that Ater’s eyes were “glassy and bloodshot” and that he had slurred speech.

“I noticed an open container of Miller Lite was in view on the tractor,” Newman said.

Two empty beer cans and a cooler with some unopened cans of beer were allegedly confiscated from the tractor.

At the time of the arrest Ater denied all charges and called the arrest “politically motivated.”

Ater will face Democrat Stephen Dale Burcham and Republican Jason Stephens for the seat now held by Ray T. “Moose” Duty, who is retiring at the end of the year.

Gallipolis attorney William Eachus is representing Ater.

— By Benita Heath

Senate candidate visits SunCoke to promote jobs plan

FRANKLIN FURNACE — U.S. Senate candidate Rob Portman visited SunCoke Energy Friday to discuss his job creation plan.

The stop in Franklin Furnace was part of a statewide jobs tour highlighting the need for government to create an environment in which the private sector can grow in order to get Ohioans back to work, according to a prepared statement from the Portman campaign.

“Do we want to continue on the path of higher taxes, more regulation and big-government spending of the Washington status quo?” Portman asked. “Or do we want to take a better way and provide Ohio workers and small businesses with the help they need to unleash Ohio’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit?”

Portman spoke with plant employees about how his job creation plan contains proposals for stopping job-killing policies like the cap-and-trade energy tax.

According to the National Association of Manufacturing, cap and trade will increase electricity costs throughout Ohio and could lead to the loss of 100,000 jobs.

“It’s about Ohio’s future, our children’s future and about creating the jobs they’ll need to raise a family here in Ohio,” Portman said. “Throughout this campaign, this is what we’ll be talking about because that’s what this election is about: jobs, creating them, saving them and getting Ohio back to work.”

Red Cross blood drive set for OUS

IRONTON — The American Red Cross will conduct a blood drive Tuesday, May 18, at Ohio University Southern in Ironton.

The event takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Riffe Center, Mains Rotunda at 1804 Liberty Avenue, Ironton.

For more information, contact (740) 533-4600.

Resurfacing work on tap in Scioto

PORTSMOUTH – Construction on will get under way next week in western Scioto County as contractors prepare for a resurfacing project on U.S. Route 52.

Crews from the Shelly Company will undertake a $1.36 million project to pave a 7.16-mile section of U.S. 52 between Township Road 323 (Tipton Road) and T.R. 566 (Malone Cox Road), near Portsmouth West High School.

Construction is scheduled to get under way Monday and while crews are at work, traffic will be maintained in one lane with the aid of flaggers.

A two-lane resurfacing project is also under way on State Route 373 in Lawrence County, where contractors are paving the route’s 3.4 miles between its connecting junctions with S.R. 93.

In a separate contract, the Shelly Company was awarded approximately $404,582 to complete operations on Lawrence-373, which began this week. Traffic will be maintained with the use of flaggers when crews are at work, and the scheduled completion date is June 30, 2010.

For info, visit www.buckeyetraffic.org.

Ironton In Bloom meeting Tuesday

IRONTON — Ironton In Bloom will hold its general monthly meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the city center on Third Street.

All citizens are welcome to come and join the efforts to beautify the city. If further information is needed, call (740) 532-4495.

WNF offering ‘Explore Outdoors’

PEDRO – United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service Wayne National Forest is an official Explore the Outdoors partner and is working with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to enrich Ohio children and families through outdoor experiences.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Explore the Outdoors program is an exciting, hands-on family program that reunites Ohio children with the outdoors and helps them discover the rewards of becoming environmental stewards.

Through the program, all Ohio public school children in grades 1-5 will receive activity guides. ODNR will also provide Wayne National Forest with activity guides to help the Forest lead Ohio’s young people into the outdoors. The guide recommends a variety of fun outdoor activities, including Spot a Bird, Learn from a Naturalist and Splash in a Stream.

The guides will be distributed to young forest visitors and the activities can be completed at area destinations, including Leith Run Recreation Area on the Athens Ranger District-Marietta Unit and Lake Vesuvius Recreation Area located on the Ironton Ranger District. Young people and families with activity guides can also complete activities when they visit participating state wildlife areas, preserves, parks and forests throughout Ohio.

For more information about Explore the Outdoors or to request or download a guide, visit www.exploretheoutdoorsohio.com, email explore@dnr.state.oh.us or call 614-784-7529.

Special competitions to assist Bowl For Kids’ Sake

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — In conjunction with the 24th Annual Bowl For Kids’ Sake to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Tri-State area stock brokers will compete in the “Battle of the Brokers,” law firms will compete in the “Battle of the Barristers” and CPA firms will compete in the “Make Your Deductions Count” competition.

Those employed by any of the aforementioned firms are welcomed to enter your firm in the competition for most funds raised according to category to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The event will be May 17 at Strike Zone Bowling Center in Huntington. Although all lanes at the 7 p.m. shift are full, additional teams are welcomed to bowl as lanes become available, or at 5 p.m.

Teams are comprised of 4-5 persons who will solicit pledges and register to bowl during the event. A minimum of $100 in pledges per person is required for participation.

Those interested may request a team registration packet by calling 304-522-2191, 606-329-8799 or 800-971-2101.

The annual event is a major fundraiser for the agency and helps with the cost of day to day operations and services for children. All funds raised during this event serve children in the Huntington, Ashland and Ironton areas.

Clark Planetarium announces its summer schedule

PORTSMOUTH — The Clyde W. Clark Planetarium public shows for summer semester will be every Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m. in the Advanced Technology Center on the Shawnee State University campus. The shows will continue through Thursday, Aug. 12 and the planetarium will be closed from July 20 through July 31.

All public shows are free and open to the public. School and educational groups may also schedule free private shows at the planetarium.

“During one week of laser shows, we served over 1,000 people and had 300 seats reserved for the public laser shows,” said Arthur Bogard, senior operator. “The community’s continued support of the Clark Planetarium allows us to offer unique services and opportunities at regular intervals.”

For information on scheduling your own private planetarium show, visit the Web site at http://planetarium.shawnee.edu/ or call to reserve the planetarium for group scheduling at (740) 351-3122.

For general planetarium inquiries, call (740) 351-3147 or visit the Web site for upcoming events at the Clark Planetarium.

OLBH celebrates national EMS week with luncheon, education program

RUSSELL, Ky. — National Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week begins May 16 and Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (OLBH) has several activities planned to honor the dedication of those who provide day-to-day lifesaving services including a luncheon and an opportunity to earn continuing education credits.

OLBH will host a National EMS Week luncheon, Thursday, May 20 at 11:30 a.m. at Bellefonte Centre (1000 Ashland Drive). The lunch is open to all EMS workers. The guest speaker for the event is OLBH Emergency Room physician Gregory Spears, M.D. To RSVP for the luncheon, call (606) 833-6203.

Additionally, Wednesday, May 19 has been designated National Emergency Medical Services for Children Day and on that day OLBH is hosting its annual Pediatric Update from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Bellefonte Centre. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

The course is approved for 6.75 hours of EMS continuing medical education credit through the Kentucky Board of EMS, as well as the West Virginia Office of Emergency Medical Services and has been approved by the Kentucky Board of Nursing for 7.8 contact hours. To register or for more information concerning the update, call (606) 833-3458.

“There are an estimated 48,000 ambulances providing front-line medicine in the United States today,” OLBH EMS liaison Greg Priddy, said. “EMTs and paramedics provide care to those in need, often under daunting circumstances. We’re honored to be able to celebrate these community heroes.”