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By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings Along Route 52 by the viaduct are the “Portsmouth” Hedges. Over time the hedges become overgrown and nature washes away all landscaping. After talking to Mayor Kevin Johnson about the different areas that needed attention in Portsmouth, the Scioto County Young Republicans (SCYR) took it upon themselves to clean up the hedges. The site was Troop 12 Eagle Scout, Andy Bazler’s 2012 service project. They were thrilled to be able to help him with the upkeep this year. Collin Finn is the Chair of the SCYR. We talked to him about the project and what it meant to his group to take on this project. He told us that, “We wanted to show how much we actually care about the community. Politics can seem like it’s only about talking and arguing. We wanted to prove that our conservative vision isn’t just talk- it’s action. In doing this, we decided to pick a visible project that people could see and appreciate. I couldn’t be happier with the way this project turned out” Finn said. “The Republican Party truly wants to Make America Great Again, and we aren’t afraid to get our hands dirty to prove it.” They had sixteen volunteers and Coleman’s Landscaping provided the mulch. They were accompanied by the Scioto County Commissioners: Bryan Davis, Cathy Coleman, and Mike Crabtree. Chairman Finn thanked the commissioners, saying that their leadership was on full display. “The Scioto County Commissioners were a key part of this project,” Finn said. “It was an honor to have them take the time out of their busy schedules to be with us. We are thankful for the hard work of Mike Crabree, Cathy Coleman, and Bryan Davis.” Together, they cut grass, weedeated, picked up trash, spread mulch, and planted flowers. Their most memorable project of the day was the raising of the flag by two of their veteran volunteers. The Scioto County Young Republicans were founded just this January. Their primary focus is to bring young people into the conservative movement. They achieve this through political volunteerism, community service, and social outings. They have and always will uphold the values of the Ohio Republican Party and the Social County Republican Party. In the future, they plan to hold monthly social events, continue to be active in political events and the service projects of other organizations. Check them out on social media! Facebook: @SciotoYRs Twitter: @sciotoyrs

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings Sitting on Gallia Street is a little restaurant that is well known in Portsmouth. Jim Dandy has been a local favorite for years. Stepping into the diner takes you back to the 50s. They also have a drive in with carhops! Joe and Veronica Whitt are the proud owners of this local gem. Veronica runs the business in memory of her dad. He called it God’s little acre. She says that Jim Dandy was his pride and joy. He opened it in 1965 and was always reminding her that, “if you love what you do, you will never work a day in your life.” Veronica says that her employees are the best! They are always by her side to support her even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Her three managers, Cindy, Caylee, and Laura are the best, she says. I asked her what the local support during the COVID-19 pandemic meant to her and she told me, “The local support through this virus has been so amazing! We live in an awesome county! Our customers are awesome! I think still having carhops with the carhop coming out to talk to you in person with a smile to greet you means a lot! People try to get me to put in a drive thru but I insist on keeping it the same as it has been for 55 years! I would like to thank all of our loyal customers and all the new friends we have made through this pandemic!!” They have many great items on their menu, but their favorites are The Big Mo, the Jim Dandy Sandwich, homemade onion rings, and a slice of strawberry pie! What will you try? Check out their menu here!

By Del Duduit | Local Happenings I think I am in elite company when I say that I have coached two young men who have gone on to a higher level in professional sports. With that, I am taking zero credit for their accomplishments. For one baseball season, I was on the coaching staff of the American Legion Post 23 team when Dylan Shockley was on the roster in Scioto County, Ohio. My son also played with him at Minford High School. I also coached Zach Veach, who is from Stockdale, in fourth-grade basketball at Minford Primary School. Today, Shockley is getting ready for his second season with the Pittsburgh Pirates organization, while Veach is preparing for his fourth year behind the wheel in Indy Racing. Both are seeing their wildest expectations come to life in front of them, and they are thankful for the experiences they have gained over the years. “I’m living my dream,” Shockley said. “Every kid who played Little League dreams of this day. I’ve accomplished one goal, but I have a long way to go, and I’m looking forward to the journey.” Veach, will begin his fourth Indy racing season behind the wheel of his No. 26 Honda on June 6 in Fort Worth, Texas at the Texas Motor Speedway. The race will be run without fans. “It’s going to be odd for sure,” he said of racing without spectators. “But at this point, I’m just looking forward to racing again.” Shockley, who was drafted in the 34th round in the MLB draft in 2019, said the biggest adjustment he had to make was learning to communicate with pitchers from the Dominican Republic. “I had to learn Spanish in like a day,” he said, "but I caught on quick and adjusted.” Veach on the other hand, has been patient during his three years of racing at the highest level, and he is ready to collect a checkered flag. His main goal is to win the Indianapolis 500. Last year, he weaved his way up to 4th position. He fell back to 12th when he was involved in a five-car-crash that knocked him out of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing with 25 laps to go. “To win Indy is why we do this,” he said, "each year we’ve done better and made progress, but I’m ready to win.” Both have been home during the pandemic and trying to stay in shape to prepare themselves mentally for their upcoming seasons. Shockley has been using local private buildings and garages equipped with gear to stay fit. “I’m itching to get out on the field,” he said. Veach said his team has shipped in equipment to his home in Indianapolis. He notes the racing simulators and stationary bikes are nice, but they are not the same as the real thing. “I’m ready to race,” he said. There comes a point when you know you have reached your dreams. Shockley is close. He has jumped the first hurdle in being drafted. He must continue to prove himself and climb the ranks of the minor league system. Veach is a member on a team that holds perhaps one of the most hallowed names in racing -- Andretti Autosport. “I grew up wanting to be like [Michael Andretti] and now he is my boss,” he said. “I wake up every day living my dream.” Shockley realized his dream was coming true when he was invited to early Spring Training because he is a catcher, and they are in high demand during organized practice. In the clubhouse in Bradenton, Florida, he watched MLB players with the Pirates being interviewed by the media. “That’s going to be me one day,” he said. For me to know both these young men is an honor. I am proud of them and what they have been able to accomplish. I am looking forward to interviewing Shockley someday after an MLB game where he throws out a runner to win the contest. I can’t wait to congratulate Veach after he drinks the milk and kisses the bricks. Well done, boys. You have made Scioto and Pike counties proud. Thanks for letting me be a small part of your journey. Godspeed Zach, and Take Me Out to the Ball Game, Dylan. Del Duduit is an award-winning writer and author who lives in Lucasville, Ohio with his wife, Angie. They attend Rubyville Community Church. Follow his blog at delduduit.com/blog and his Twitter @delduduit. He is represented by Cyle Young of Hartline Literary Agency.

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings At the end of Second Street sits a hidden treasure of Portsmouth, Ohio. Owned by Bill Harmon, Fork & Finger is a restaurant where you can find all of your favorite home cooked meals at any time of the day. Bill’s favorite is their open face roast beef with mashed potatoes. Yum! They are a family friendly restaurant that is loved by many. It was always Bill’s passion to cook, and it definitely shows when you enter the restaurant and eat their food! The first thing you see when you walk in is the delicious case of desserts just waiting for you. Personally, I have to be pulled away from the case so I can eat my meal first. Over the years they have had to move, and it never fails that their loyal customers are always waiting for them wherever they go. They have been voted best home cooked food and have the #1 server of the year. You will always find people of all ages going in for a meal at anytime during the day. During COVID, their business has been affected by the shutdown. When asked what the local support meant to them during this time they said, “The local support means so much to us! It has in the past helped us raise our families! And now it is keeping us being able to stay open to do “carry out” during this time. We really appreciate all the customers who have been supporting us as we also support locally. I want to say we don’t just have customers, they are like our family, and to us that means so much!! We want to say "thank you" from our Hearts!! We have been very blessed!” The next time you’re in the mood for some delicious home cooked food, visit Fork & Finger. Check out their menu here!

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings The Student Life Department at Shawnee State University is a major support system for the students on campus. From the time they step foot on campus freshman year to the time they leave, they join a family with memories to last a lifetime. Tiffany Hartman is the director of Student Life. They are responsible for many initiatives that support the mission of SSU. These things include their annual Weekend of Welcome “WOW”(for incoming freshmen), Celebrating Student Success (for sophomores and juniors), and the Bear Necessities Pantry (a service that helps students struggling with food insecurity and hunger). When talking to alumni, they often get the feedback that they are the reason they were able to excel in college. Student Life has many departments that fall under them. These include: the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, the Women’s & Gender Equity Center, Student Government Association, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Student Programming Board, and all of the Student Organizations. Their team is made up of Administrative Assistant, Jonna Cook, the Student Life and Diversity & Inclusion Coordinator, Marlita Cadogan, and the Women’s & Gender Equity Center Coordinator, Christina Baker. Marcie Simms, the Dean of Students, oversees the Student Life Department. During the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in all of the students leaving campus for the remainder of the spring semester, a lot of activities and programs were cancelled. Seeing as students are the biggest part of their job and all of the challenges they would now face with online instruction, they knew they had to get creative. They knew without a doubt they had to keep the Bear Necessities Pantry. Even with many students going home, some housing students would remain on campus for internet access and the local commuters would still need the support. For their programming, they came up with a variety of creative ideas. One of the most popular events on campus is the monthly BINGO, so they decided to continue to have it on Facebook Live. They brought in several “special guests” including President Dr. Bauer who spoke about the pandemic, and other guests who spoke about Title IX, and career readiness. With the help of our Communications Office, they were able to have “Spot the Difference” photo contests on Facebook as well. This generated a lot of student, alumni, and community engagement. Even TikTok was used to keep the students entertained and active with Student Life. With many other events that took place, they plan to continue those fun activities into the summer! Their efforts have proven to be successful. They are averaging 8-10 visitors daily at the pantry with 90 students on Bingo. With their last Bingo, they had over 200 students. They are definitely ready for fall semester, and have high hopes that campus will be fully open so they can welcome the incoming freshman, along with the many other familiar faces they see every day. As a current student of Shawnee State, I can say that they are essential to life on campus and they have been a major support system to myself and students campus-wide.

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings The Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1920. It is run by a Board of Directors while the programs and office staff are managed by the director, Lisa Carver. It is made up of about 450 due-paying members. The dues are based off of the number of employees that they have. Memberships are open to anyone who has a business interest within the Portsmouth area (they stress area because they have members in surrounding counties as well as in Greenup Co, KY.) Their mission is to promote business and unify efforts to enhance economic and community development. They keep a clear vision to influence the direction and future of a community where our local businesses flourish, our residents thrive, and our visitors are inspired by our exceptional quality of life. Since COVID has taken over, the Chamber has been closed to the public. Despite this challenge, they have overcome this setback and have continued to serve their members. Since the main function of the Chamber is to bring people together, they had to get creative. All of their programs have been continued virtually including monthly Hour of Power and Leadership Portsmouth. The board has continued to meet via ZOOM, and for several weeks now have hosted a weekly update via ZOOM to educate the public/businesses on the available resources. They have continually been providing resources about staying safe, SBA loans, and now the reopening phases. They have also been a resource for those looking for personal protective equipment. In order to inspire and support businesses that have had to shut down during COVID, they have promoted “Ribbon Tying Ceremonies” in order to symbolize the community being tied together again. Recently, they have been planning for the future and have outlined some plans. These would include: to provide value to Chamber members through education, support, and inclusion. They want to promote positive public awareness and attitude toward business and community; increase visibility and relevance of the Chamber; improve effectiveness and efficiency in carrying out Chamber business. Local Happenings had partnered with the Chamber in efforts to support the local restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been a great resource and support to us during our endeavor.

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings During the warm months, you will see people standing in long lines wrapped around the building just to place their order at Second Street Dari Creme. From little children to the grandparents holding their "patiently" waiting little hands in line, everyone is excited to get their food. This dairy bar is a long time local favorite. Owned by the Born family, the business was started in 1956 by Bob Born. Bob passed the restaurant to his son Jason Born, who has since passed it to his son, Austin. Austin’s favorite menu item is their footers (with everything on them and slaw) with a side of potato munchers. The Dairy Bar has an old-fashioned American Dairy Bar theme, and it definitely shows! Their unique building with bright colors help them to stand out along Second Street. Whenever you see the big ice cream cone on their sign, your mouth instantly starts to water! The famous footer sauce recipe originated from Bob Born, and to this day, it is a mystery to the family on where the idea came from. When I asked them what the local support meant to them during this time, they said, “During this time, local support is everything to small businesses like ours. Local support has kept the Second Street Dairy Bar running for the last 64 years! During this hard time, local support allows us to continue to safely serve our customers.” Make sure to check them out here!

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings David Thoroughman is the recent winner of the Scioto County Sheriff’s Race, and will take office on January 4, 2021. Thoroughman is a graduate of Portsmouth High School. He now resides in Minford with his wife Tanya, and his children; Olivia, Simon, and Carly. Thoroughman has an extensive background in law enforcement with having 32 years of experience. David served our country in the United States Air Force. He served as Security Police, which is the Air Force version of Military Police. He served at the Portsmouth Police Department for 23 1/2 years where he retired as Captain. During his time at the PPD, he also served as the acting Chief of Police. He worked on patrol for many years, working all three shifts. While on patrol, he served as a patrol officer, a sergeant, and a lieutenant. Time on patrol was broken up by his time serving on the Southern Ohio Drug Task Force, which was our county’s local drug task force. After retiring from Portsmouth, he was hired by Shawnee State University to transition the security department into a hybrid department containing both police and security personnel. I asked David why he had ran for Sheriff, and his answer was simple; “to help make our county safer.” He explained to me that he had never even had a desire to run, but so many people had asked him to. He explained that he was very humbled by the number of people who expressed their desire for him to run. He is inspired by their belief in his ability to bring about change. He says that he loves community service and doing what he can for our community. He believes that he can do even more for the citizens of Scioto County in the position of Sheriff than he can in his current position. I talked to David about his plans for the county. He stated that he will enhance school safety, consolidate services (which will result in saving tax dollars), and re-establish the local drug task force and K-9 unit. He wants to pursue the endeavor of building trust and community partnerships with the people whom he serves. He plans to host community roundtables to receive the input and needs of the citizens of Scioto County and to leverage new and improving technologies. He hopes that the community roundtables will make it easier for the community to engage with the Sheriff’s office. He plans to pursue federal and state grants to purchase new equipment and vehicles, to cover overtime costs, and to add additional officers to the streets. A countywide 9-1-1 center will be established, increasing the efficiency of emergency response while also reducing the cost to our citizens. He also plans to work with each township to enhance the quality of life in our community. The Sheriff’s race in Scioto County was a very close one. When I asked him what the local support meant to him, he stated, “ I am so blessed and honored to have the community support me winning this election.  It was the community that asked and encouraged me to run and I am humbled.” He stated that he was grateful to Shawnee State University for them allowing him the opportunity to work for them. He is very grateful to have had “the great honor of building the Department of Public Safety”. As a student at Shawnee State University, I can say we will definitely miss him. He has built a great department and an even greater legacy. He was always there to support us and he was always engaged with us on personal levels. It has been a running joke that he needs to let me take one of the Police side-by-sides for a ride. I asked him when he won if he would let me finally drive one before he left, and I got a very lengthy, “NOOOOO.” So if you see me riding one anyways, you will probably find him chasing after me.

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings Burnside Law is a Tri-State Injury Law firm. Their home office sits on Hutchins street right here in Portsmouth, Ohio. They have always been an organization that supports our local community, so it was no surprise to see them supporting our frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Thursday, May 7th, their team geared up to make sure these frontline workers felt appreciated, and to do what they could to support them during this time. From 7 o’clock pm to 9 o’clock pm they were set up at the Marathon Gas Station, located on the Scioto Trail. The team was assigned different roles in order to make sure this flowed smoothly. Attorney Jeremy Burnside was among some of the people who pumped gas for the frontline workers. They partnered up with Affiliated Financial Group, a growing financial firm in our area, along with the Portsmouth Police Department for help in directing traffic. With this project, they were able to serve over 300 people in only two hours! Over $5,000 was contributed from Burnside Law and Affiliated Financial Group with Burnside Law being the majority contributor. All types of frontline workers waited in line for more than a block to fuel up. This project meant a lot to the team at Burnside Law. To them, it was an honor to support our local frontline workers during these times of uncertainty. They decided to do this because they knew how much time was sacrificed from these workers to their families while working these high-risk situations. When asked why they decided to do this, they said, “We wanted to show our gratitude for all they do. Burnside Law prides itself on its several community initiatives and this time, we wanted to do something special for our frontline workers that work tirelessly to keep us safe.”

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings Sitting on Market Street, is a little cafe named the “Market Street Cafe”. They are most definitely a local favorite. Owned by Mary Rase and Susan and Paul O’Neill, they have created a casual dining place where you can always meet friends for lunch! They started the business after another coffee shop had closed. Wanting to continue to offer some of Jesse’s Java’s favorites, they kept that tradition alive, while also developing a few of their own favorites! Mary’s favorite menu item is the Cafe Grilled Cheese! Susan’s favorite is The Cobb Salad or the Turkey Crunch wrap, while Paul enjoys the Raspberry Romaine Salad and the California Turkey Panini. At Market Street Cafe, they love hiring students from Shawnee State University! They are very proud of all the graduates that they have been able to help with a job during college. During COVID, they have been affected, just like many other restaurants in Scioto County during this time. When asked what the local support meant to them they said, “We are blessed to have the community support during this trying time! Our regulars are coming for take out and are concerned about our safety! We are honored to serve lots of food to the frontline workers and are happy to provide them with healthy foods!! We want to thank all the support and concern that the community has given us! We can’t wait to have the dining room full and we are running around taking care of everybody! We will be patient and keep everybody safe until then!” Make sure to consider Market Street Cafe for your next meal! Click here to view their page on our site!

By Doc Dimento | Local Happenings Sitting out in the northeast corner of Scioto County, Ohio is a jewel of a business whose number one interest is you and me. Oh, you’ve heard stories about car dealers and car salesman, but in this day and age which we live, here’s one that is amazing. At the onset of The Great Depression in 1929, Samuel Hanes, who was your basic wheeler dealer property and equipment farmer, set out to sell cars; Chevrolet cars. Finding it difficult to get funding, Sam eventually sourced $1,200 through a local Morgan-Chase owned bank and with his brother Lester, the two began selling Chevrolet cars out of a horse barn just a few blocks from where the dealership resides today, at the corner of Main Street (SR 140) and Jackson Street (CR 11) in South Webster, Ohio. This gem is just a short 18 miles from Portsmouth, and definitely worthy of a visit. No high pressure, no pushing extended warranties, or filling up the sales agreement with an overload of additional profits, just simple advice, well rounded care, and help when needed. While you’re there you might get to meet Forest and Ginny (dogs), or Pockets the cat. In Scioto and surrounding counties, we are fortunate to find business owners like Gary and Steve Hanes to help us with our transportation decisions. You see, even though we can cut a deal on the internet, who is it that is going to be there when the surprise arrives and the purchase no longer works. Here’s another thing, what if the purchase we want to make isn’t right for us, you know like that regular cab pickup truck we want to load a wife and two kids into? Well, the Hanes’ boys will do their part and talk us out of the sale, even to suggesting we wait. Wow. Carl Hanes, Gary and Steve’s dad, joined the dealership in 1939 as did their mom’s brother, Uncle Alonzo (until 1973). Gary joined the dealership in 1976 after receiving a degree and teaching certificate for Health and P.E. and today runs the sales and operation of the business, while his brother Steven joined three years earlier in ‘73 and serves as the business manager, with financing, insurance, inventory, finances, etc. Add to these two one of the Hanes’ distinctive secret advantages to their businesses success; their team. “The secret to our success is the people that work here. We have the best,” Gary points out. “Without them, we’re just another car dealer.” Their simple, down to earth team, is complimented by their two sales professionals, Mitch McCoy and Bryan McGlone. Today, third generation Gary and Steven Hanes, carry that same philosophy that made Grandpa Samuel and Lester Hanes a success. “Keep it Simple; Give the Customer Free Buying Advise; and above all, Be Honest,” even if it means, telling them to wait to buy a car or turning down a customer from making a wrong buying decision. How about that? It’s hard to find that kind of care, concern, and help, in a difficult investment decision. No finding out how much the customer can afford then park them in what fits the profit line favorably, but making sure the customer gets what they need. For one, I’m in. There are other attributes that make their 94 year history, a success, for one; Customer Service & Care. That’s right, a loaner if your car purchase needs service, even to swinging by and picking it up. That’s worth something if you ask me. What’s more, at their dual corners location they have a full service body shop, latest technology servicing equipment and training, and used cars that are beyond expectation. What I mean by that is this, their used cars are hard to tell from the new ones, and if you can, it’s because that car is headed to the auction. Hanes’ used cars are from former customers. Before putting this article together, I personally surveyed several Hanes’ customers, which in part was my reason for selecting them as my first in this series of “Our Story.” Their customers are loyal, they don’t just like Hanes Chevrolet, they love them. We should be proud to have a car dealer that thinks more of us, the buyer, than themselves . . . hmmmmm . . . where have I heard this before . . . “The Store With A Heart.” Doc Dimento grew up in a small town in southern Ohio. He moved to Pittsburg, PA to help build one of the fastest growing corporations in the United States . He later moved back home with his wife, and is now producing videos, writes screenplays, writing blogs, short stories, and books. Find out more about him on Facebook.

By Audrey Stratton | Local Happenings Perry’s Pizza Barn has been a local favorite for years! Owned by the Jennings family, they are located in Sciotoville. They are a family owned & operated business. Loving their community and always wanting to serve it, you will feel like family at Parry’s Pizza Barn. They bought the business after it had been closed around June of 2019. Perry’s had been open since 1977, when it was started by Dan Perry. The Jennings love all of their menu items, but if they had to choose, their chicken/bacon/ranch pizza, cheese dough, and antipasto salad would be their top three choices! When Dan Perry originally bought the building, it was an old pool hall. When he turned it into a pizza shop, he also had a small grocery shop inside. Mr. Perry also sold candy that he kept behind the counter. When he noticed the kids couldn’t see over the counter, he built a step just so they could see over it. Ask anyone who grew up & went to Perry’s and they will tell you about his candy step! COVID has affected their business, just like it has to all of our restaurants here in Scioto County. When asked what the local support meant to them they said, “Local/community support is extremely important. Our business wouldn’t make it without the support of our community. When people found out that we were reopening Perry’s, they just kept thanking us. Since we have been open, the community support has been amazing. We can’t thank them enough. We just hope that each person who comes to Perry’s Pizza Barn has a good experience & if we make a mistake, which we know will happen, we’ll make it right.” Consider stopping by Perry’s Pizza Barn the next time you’re in the mood for some delicious pizza! Click here to view their menu and new hours.