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    🚨 Michigan Avenue Family Crisis Highlights Ongoing Struggles to Protect Children 

    West Portsmouth Shooting

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    🏈 Locker Room Bullying Turns Violent — Mom Demands Justice  

    Police Officer Killed After Golf Cart Hit by Young Driver 

    Portsmouth

    Who Stole the Democrats’ Seat? Exclusive NEW Details on Portsmouth’s Missing Bench 

    Gun Scare at Mound Park: Call Leads Police on Evening Hunt 

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    From Classroom to Courtroom? Portsmouth Parents Call Police Over School Clashes 

    DUI Driver Arrested After Wreck at Elementary School

    🚨 From Crash Site to Cell Block: Woman Busted for OVI in Portsmouth 

    Fired Trucker Takes Company Rig on Wild Ride Across State Lines  

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    🐾 Price of a Pup Tag Set to Climb — Scioto County to Raise Dog License Fees Amid Worsening Shelter Crisis 

    Family & First Responders Save the Day in Wheelersburg Scare  

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    Timmy’s Terror: Loose Pit Bull Sparks Dogfight, Death Threats, and Arrest 

    Police Activity

    Midnight Round-Up: Wanted Locals Learn the Hard Way

    Joseph Coby Portsmouth SWAT

    🚨 SWAT Roll-Out Over Missed Court Date: When Skipping Court Goes Too Far 

    Suspect arrested

    Suspect Busted at Mike’s Auto Sales: Drugs, Damage & a Rap Sheet a Mile Long 

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    Drunk, Armed & on a Lawn Mower: Lucasville Man Arrested After Wild Claim 

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    💔 Heartbreak in Wheelersburg: First Responders Face Sensitive Task After Child Finds Deceased Woman 

  • Lawrence County
  • Politics
    Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis

    Bryan Davis Arraignment Set, New Judge Assigned 

    Bryan Davis

    Why Commissioner Davis Staying in Office Raises Big Problems 

    Scottie Powell

    Powell Calls on Commissioner Davis to Resign 

    Scioto County Bryan Davis Scandal

    🗓 Timeline of a Scandal: How Scioto County’s Economic Development Crisis Unfolded 

    Bryan Davis

    Commissioner Bryan Davis and Wife Indicted in Scioto Scandal 

    Joey Sandlin

    Joey Sandlin Announces Inauguration Ceremony  

    Erie Canal Lock 50

    After Nearly a Decade of Talk, Scioto County Moves Closer to Restoring Historic Lock 50 

    Portsmouth City Council 2023

    Portsmouth City Council Considers More Cash for Lawsuit Defense 

    West Virginia SNAP

    🚨No More Free Pop? West Virginia Bans Soda from SNAP—Should Ohio Be Next?🚨 

    We Don’t Do Roads!: Scioto Commissioners Clarify Who’s Really in Charge of Road Repairs 

    “I’m Not Here to Replace Cathy”: New Commissioner Merit Smith Says He’ll Lead with Life Experience 

    Merit Smith

    Merit Smith Chosen to Fill Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    Scottie Powell

    “Run on Vision, Not Attacks”: Powell Offers Advice to Candidates Vying for Cathy Coleman’s Seat 

    🌿 Bamboo Gets Fast-Tracked at City Hall — But the Homeless Crisis? Still Stuck in Neutral 

    Who Will Carry Cathy’s Torch? GOP to Choose Coleman’s Replacement July 29 

    Cathy Coleman

    Commissioners Back Senior Housing Project Championed by Late Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    “Bad and Quirky” Lucasville House Targeted for Demolition as County Cracks Down on Blighted Properties 

    ‘A Great Addition to Heaven’: Commissioners Honor Cathy Coleman, Reflect on Her Legacy and Who Might Carry It Forward 

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    Scioto County Mourns Commissioner Cathy Coleman 

    🚨TRIAL TWIST! Horton Corruption Case on Ice—For Now 

  • Feel Good
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    Tips for Staying Calm During Police Encounters

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    Shawnee State University SSU

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    BREAKING: Commissioners Make Shocking Decision—Halloween to Remain on Halloween 

    Escape to the Hills: A Summer Reading List Set in Appalachia 

    Scioto County Champs: Lady Trojans and Word Wizards Bring Home the Gold 

    “I Held Those Keys Tight” — One Man’s Harrowing Journey from Addiction to Hope 

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    Cops Rescue Lost Man 

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    Kid Misses Bus, Deputy to the Rescue 

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    Hidden Gems: Community Strategies for Mental Wellness

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    Man Says He’s Trapped in Armory 

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  • Obituaries
    Janet Forbes

    Janet Forbes, 88 of South Shore

    Robert David Dean

    Robert David Dean, 75 of Piketon

    John Kenneth Kellerman, Jr

    John Kenneth Kellerman, Jr., 67 of Portsmouth

    Blenda Sue Forester Fitch

    Blenda Sue Forester Fitch, 76 of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Charlotte Pollitt, 79, of Piketon

    Ms. Shannon Renee Wyatt

    Ms. Shannon Renee Wyatt, 46 of Charleston

    James Collins

    James Collins 82 0f Portsmouth

    Rick L. Newsome 57 of Wheelersburg

    Anthony Carl White

    Anthony Carl White, 67 of Stout

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore

    Samantha Kay Carver-Lattimore 42 of Portsmouth,

     Mildred Jean Sullivan

     Mildred Jean Sullivan, 81 of Portsmouth

    William McGinnis

    Jonathon Robert Chanti, 69 of Gallipolis

    Harold Richard Smith, Jr. , 45, of Waverly

    Barbara Williams

    Betty Jane Bowman, 83 of Portsmouth

    Kay Kelly

     Kay Kelly, 73 of Portsmouth

      Jeffrey Paul Steele

      Jeffrey Paul Steele, 49 of Portsmouth

    Zackery Hatfield

    Zackery Hatfield, 42 of Lexington

    Anthony Wayne

    Anthony Wayne Payne, 48 of Portsmouth

    James M. Lewis

    James M. Lewis, of Stout

    Barbara Williams

    Laura Frances Benner, 89 of Lucasville

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Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Ain’t All Fun and Games

Mark Craycraft by Mark Craycraft
4 years ago
in Politics, Public Safety
Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Ain't All Fun and Games
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Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Ain’t All Fun and Games

There are 14 parks in Portsmouth, three of which have been the subject of contention. One of those issues was resolved at Monday night’s Portsmouth City Manager’s meeting. It remains to be seen how the other two parks will be managed moving forward. Let’s break down the issues and the proposed resolutions.

York Park

On the riverfront is York Park. During an exclusive conversation with Betty Smith of SCDN, Joseph Pratt of Main Street Portsmouth talked about the problems with the playground equipment, the anonymous donor, and the other equipment that has been ordered. Visit our Facebook page and enter #SCDNlive to catch a glimpse of that discussion and our other live streams.

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Currently, Main Street Portsmouth is asking the city for $25,000. The proposal is aimed at matching a pledge from an anonymous donor to be used toward enhancing York Park’s playground. According to Pratt, the sense of urgency is literally at your feet. Around the playground, the rubberized padding on the ground has begun to wear away. At this point, he estimates that 90% of the soft ground cover can still be saved. But the 10% of the surface that is damaged is allowing water to seep underneath the surface. Pratt stressed that the continuous freezing and thawing caused by the coming winter may, potentially, damage the site so much that it will be beyond repair.

Pratt stated in a brief statement to the council Monday night, “If we don’t do this now, all we are doing is hurting ourselves” 2nd ward council member, Charlotte Gordon, said “It’s important to look at all of our parks. But, it starts with one park at a time”

Mound Park

In regards to Mound Park, there are two opposing viewpoints. In simplest terms, one is long-term and the other short-term. The long-term plan is grandiose, but that’s all. No definite plan has been developed. According to 5th Ward councilman Edwin Martell “We’re trying to put together a group of enough people that know enough people to be able to something about Mound Park. It’s going to be pretty costly.”

This second approach is more immediate. Those who have echoed the plan say it will cost the city little or nothing. It is not the freezing and thawing that is making them so anxious, but rather injuries and potential lawsuits. Mound Park is the largest and busiest park in the city. There are dilapidated picnic shelters and a dangerous playground. In fact, the playground has been closed by the city. However, that has not been a deterrent to children, teens, and adults using the playground area.

Mound Park Neighborhood Watch co-founder, Karen Hill spoke to the council and said, “We want it gone.” Previous discussions concerning Mound Park have largely centered around the cost of having an archaeologist on-site during any type of construction. To answer that Hill said, “We don’t really have to dig to get people to come and get this wood.”

Nostalgia and Pride

The nostalgia and pride involved in building that playground still remain in the minds of many. At the time, there were hundreds of volunteers involved in this project. It was a beautiful project. One of those volunteers told SCDN, “I was honored to be there. It was hot and the work was hard. Each morning I woke up sore but eager to get back to work.” In a moment of candor, the volunteer made an interesting point. They said, “We bought a new car right off Glockner’s showroom floor that same summer. It was wonderful and we loved it but we don’t still have it. It would be falling apart and not safe for anyone to drive today.” Another local resident told us, “I helped build that thing but will not let my grandkids play there now.”

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Gary Jenkins, a candidate for the 3rd Ward, issued a public statement that read, in part. “After years of neglect, it isn’t a safe place for the city’s children to play anymore.” He continued by stating, ” We should remove this hazard until the city is able to replace it. Nothing at all is better and safer than the dangerous structure that is currently in place.” Karen Hill said directly to the council “We want it gone.”

Reclaimed wood is desirable for various projects, and the price of lumber is on the rise. Therefore, one would expect significant interest from contractors and hobbyists alike to incorporate reclaimed wood in their projects.

Promises, Promises

In her closing remarks regarding Mound Park and the Neighborhood Watch program, Hill asked the council, “We were promised cameras. What happened to our cameras”? She did not hold back and continued with, “Why is our park not being utilized like Tracy Park? We have the largest park in the city. We want our park utilized”. With regards to the Neighborhood Watch Program, she noted that they no longer have the two liaisons from the police department. They were reassigned and have not since been replaced.

Who Got Money?

At the beginning of the article, we said that one issue with a local park has been resolved. After a brief discussion in the city manager’s meeting, Mckinley Pool got $400,000 from the city and $400,000 from a state grant for a total of $800,000 in April of 2022. This grant is a reimbursement. So the city must front a total of $800,000 of which half will be returned. This passed unanimously.

To recap, $25,000 for York Park to match a pledge from a citizen and receive, according to Main Street Portsmouth, $80,000 in playground equipment is still up for discussion. The plan to remove the unsafe equipment at Mound Park, with a current price tag of zero dollars, has not been officially entertained by the council even as the citizens have said “Nothing is better than something that is dangerous”. The City has happily committed $800,000 to obtain a grant for maintenance at McKinley pool.

Tags: FeaturedNewsletterPortsmouth City Council
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