For anyone who has visited the school - as the editorial board did last month - the need for replacement is obvious. Buckets sit in the gymnasium bleachers to catch leaks from the roof. Extension cords stretch across classrooms to provide power to sections where the outlets no longer function. Kids must navigate a maze of hallways and inclines to get to different parts of the building.
The building operates with a sewage lift station, which has failed in the past, and could cause severe health issues should it fail while school is in session. Classrooms are half the size they should be for proper learning. This small size forced the district to use more hybrid learning during the pandemic to follow social-distancing recommendations.
Newark Advocate
NEWARK A survey of 23 elected officials in Newark, Heath and Licking County governments shows a majority have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
The Advocate asked for a response from the mayors of Newark and Heath, council members from both communities and the three Licking County Commissioners.
Sixteen said they have already received a vaccine and two others plans to do so. Four did not answer the question and one said he is not sure if he ll get the vaccine.
The Ohio Department of Health reports 34% of people in Licking County, or 58,018, have received at least one dose of a vaccine. And, 24% of Licking Countians, or 40,860, are fully vaccinated. The Licking County Health Department has given 30,000 doses.
The Advocate Editorial Board
Newark and Licking County have received tremendous news recently - news that could have lasting positive impacts for decades.
The proposed 108 megawatt solar field on 512 acres of Harrison Township farmland is likely to be a huge win for the area.
The privately-financed project from Union Ridge Solar would place a large solar farm near the AEP Kirk substation on Watkins Road. It must go through a fairly rigorous approval process with the state before it can become a reality. Construction may not be completed until the end of 2022 if things go as planned.
While the construction would likely cause some headaches in the area, once it is operational there will be little traffic to the site.