Making a difference for our readers – Chillicothe Gazette

As we start the new year, the Chillicothe Gazette looks back at some of the stories that impacted our community in 2022.

One of the biggest roles media can play is in keeping people informed about the topics that affect their lives. It’s no different here in Ross County.

VA center

Perhaps there was no bigger story to have a widespread effect on our community than the possibility of the closure of the VA Medical Center in Chillicothe.

The closure would have been devastating for veterans who would have had to travel far away for health care, not to mention the job loss for the region.

It was scary. There was no other way to describe the news of what would have happened if it had been shuttered. Our reporter Megan Becker chronicled many facets of it, from the initial report to the community meetings and public officials’ visits to discuss it. The Gazette followed it every step of the way until we had a sigh of relief when it was learned that the VA center was saved.

Health Board

Shelby Reeves has been the Gazette’s go-to reporter when it comes to city council coverage for the past year. One of the major topics has been who the city would appoint to the Health District Board.

Coming fresh on the heels of the heights of the Covid-19 pandemic, the importance of the health board was perhaps even more prevalent.

The appointment became controversial when Mayor Luke Feeney proposed Dr. John Gabis and Ceil Corcoran take the two open seats. But several city council members voted against it. The action prompted residents to show up in force to voice their opinions about the move. Still, the city council rejected Gabis as a possibility.

The discussion about who to appoint began in January of last year, but it wasn’t until October that the council finally appointed Dr. Brandy Spaulding and Dr. Richard Villarreal to the board.

Huntington Township

Last year was one of turmoil for the Huntington Township Fire Department, which saw its chief quit and, at one point, was down to only one full-time firefighter.

In May, the Huntington Township Board of Trustees voted to cut the hours of the Huntington Fire Department firefighters in a bid to save money. The township’s anticipated 2022 budget included a shortfall of $47,000.

In a meeting three days later, the board reversed its decision.

Still, the action ultimately resulted in chief Larry Cuckler resigning his post. By the end of June, the department had only one full-time firefighter left.

While the department ended up getting another fire chief, there were still budgetary issues to be addressed so the township placed two levies on the ballot in November which did pass.

Board of Elections

In the May primary, an issue with the sign-in machines made some poll workers anxious that the county could fall victim to voter fraud.

Before people are allowed to vote, the poll pad systems used to sign in are updated with information on which voters have already cast an absentee ballot. The machine checks with the input data to make sure anyone who already has voted does not vote again.

Workers say while updating the systems on Election Day this spring, the machines reverted to voter information from the previous November election. This mistake was not immediately noticed at all the locations resulting in some poll workers using the pads as usual. Once the mistake was noticed, poll workers were told to switch to checking in voters through a physical book.

While the Board of Elections found no evidence of fraud, safeguards were put into place by the time voters made their Aug. 2 primary choices.

These safeguards include additional checks on the digital poll pads before they are delivered to polling stations and more comprehensive paper back-ups.

Gay teacher let go

During the last school year, a substitute teacher, Jay Bowman, was let go from the Huntington School District, which he said was because he was gay. The district however said Bowman violated board policies.

In a public statement, Superintendent Pete Ruby said the substitute, Jay Bowman, violated board policies by speaking to students about political and religious topics, as well as distributing LGBTQIA+ bracelets. 

Dozens of community members showed up to a school board meeting afterward to express their opinions on the matter – most in support of Bowman.

One of those people was Isaiah Lowery, a senior at the time, who also identifies as gay. It prompted him to work on creating a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) at Huntington

Starting a GSA was on Lowery’s mind before, but Bowman being let go from the district sparked his interest again, “It’s time to get on the ball with it.” He said he wanted to leave something positive behind at the school after he graduated.

Continuing commitment

The Gazette will continue to be committed to the local community and tell its stories. Whether it is our coverage of new and existing businesses, featuring local athletes, reporting on your tax dollars or your schools, our staff wants to highlight Ross County and the impacts made every day.