Record-Herald sports editor Chris Hoppes, left receives a commemorative gift from Washington High School student Mason Mullins at the 14th Athletic Hall of Fame induction Saturday, May 6, 2023.
R-H file photos
This is Part 3 of a six-part series looking back at some of the key stories in the pages of the Record-Herald throughout 2023.
May
The Blue Jacket: Aubrey Schwartz
COLUMBUS (May. 4) — Aubrey Schwartz recalls being asked to recite the FFA Creed as a freshman in high school. “I panicked. I cried when I gave the Creed,” she said, noting that public speaking is regularly identified as many persons’ greatest phobia — and that was true for her.
“I didn’t want to do it. Now I’m speaking in front of 10,000 people — it’s crazy.”
The Washington Court House native went from that shy and reserved young teen to earning the American FFA Degree, the organization’s gold standard, and spending the past year serving as Ohio’s Future Farmers of America president. Her presidency culminated this week (Thursday and Friday) when she presided at the 95th State FFA Convention at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus.
“It’s been seven years wearing the blue jacket,” Schwartz said about the iconic attire that symbolically binds generations of FFA members from around the country.”
This year, she and her FFA leadership team visited more than 200 of Ohio’s 340 high school chapters, where they put the FFA motto, “Learning by Doing,” into practice by presenting workshops on communication and leadership for many of the state’s 27,703 FFA members.
20 inducted to WHS Athletic HOF
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (May 6) — The Washington High School Athletic Department hosted the 14th Athletic Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, May 6 at
7 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. Prior to the ceremony, inductees and their guests were treated to a chicken noodle dinner in the high school cafeteria.
The co-masters of ceremonies were Jon Creamer and Terry Feick.
Chris Hoppes, sports editor for the Record-Herald, was among the inductees. He has been reporting on Blue Lion and Fayette County sports for 30 years, starting at the paper in July, 1993.
Hoppes shared some comments during his induction speech.
“This came as an unexpected honor for sure. I would like to thank Mr. Dale Lynch, and anyone who had anything to do with this. Jeff Pollard hired me at the Greenfield Daily Times and also at the Record-Herald so thank you, Jeff.”
“I would also like to thank Roger Ross and John Wend. They were on the staff at the Greenfield Daily Times when I first started. I would like to thank Ryan Carter, editor of the Record-Herald. I’ve appreciated him very much these past few years. Thank you to all the coaches and different athletic directors, it’s been a lot of fun to watch these young people throughout the years.”
Roundabout coming to county
FAYETTE COUNTY (May 10) — A roundabout is expected to be in place by 2025 as a funding application was approved to move forward with the project, according to Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) officials.
The roundabout will be constructed at the intersection of US Route 22 and Jamison Road — an intersection that has seen 20 accidents since 2018, including two that were fatal. The Record-Herald recently met with members of ODOT, members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, and Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth to discuss the next steps in this process.
Brooke Ebersole, public information officer for District 6 at ODOT, shared some information about the roundabout and the short-term plan until the roundabout is officially implemented.
“We’ve now had a funding application approved to move forward with a roundabout at the intersection of US-22 and Jamison Road. However, the funding piece is really just the first baby step as these things take time. We’re now in the process of designing the round- about and moving it to construction as quickly as we possibly can, but it’s not going to happen overnight. We are eyeing 2025 for the implementation of a roundabout at this intersection. However, people still have to drive this intersection every day.”
According to Ebersole, the roundabout will be between 18 and 20 feet wide and will also include a mountable curb or “apron” that is designed for larger vehicles.
Ebersole closed with a message to the community.
“Anytime the first roundabout accident happens in a community, there is always an uproar and there’s resistance. Community members insist it will raise the crash rate and it will be unsafe, but we are just asking the community to trust us on this one. The data backs up what we’re asking you to trust us on.”
Mongold recommendation removed from agenda
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (May 12) — The recommendation of Jason Mongold as the next head girls varsity basketball coach was removed from the agenda at Monday’s Washington Court House City School District Board of Education meeting.
The district’s board agenda sent out Friday included the recommendation of Mongold as the interim girls varsity basketball coach for the 2023-24 season. Early in the meeting Monday, WCHCS Superintendent Dr. Tom Bailey recommended the deletion of this recommendation, and the board approved the deletion.
Mongold is currently a part-owner of Champions Grill and the Greens Golf Course of Fayette County.
During the public participation section of the board meeting, a high school student, two parents, and a former colleague shared their support for Mongold.
Another spectator asked why the recommendation was being deleted from the agenda and Bailey stated that it was his decision. Bailey declined to comment as to why that decision was made.
WHS assistant principal placed on administrative leave
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (May 18) — The woman just hired to become the next Washington High School principal has been placed on administrative leave for an indefinite period of time, according to an email sent out Thursday from Superintendent Dr. Tom Bailey to WHS parents.
Jennifer Miller, who is currently the assistant principal at the high school, was named principal for the upcoming 2023-24 school year at the Washington Court House City School District’s May Board of Education meeting. She was set to become the first female principal at Washington High School in its history of over 120 years.
The following is a copy of the email that was sent out to WHS parents on Thursday:
Parents,
I am sorry to bring you this news so close to the end of the year, however I want to let you know that Ms. Miller, assistant principal of Washington HS, has been placed on administrative leave for an indefinite period of time. This leave is not a result of anything that has taken place at school nor does it involve any issues with staff or students at school. After an investigation is conducted, a determination will be made about her return to Washington HS. Thank you for your patience as we work to bring this to a quick resolution. Given that this is an ongoing personnel matter, the District cannot release any further information at this time.
Respectfully, Dr. Tom Bailey
Miller was allegedly involved in an incident Monday at the Little League complex on Lewis Street.
According to a Washington Police Department report, Little League president Chapman Fluent told officers that “issues had arisen involving a juvenile throwing bats and helmets. The coach had warned the juvenile several times and the juvenile was not stopping, to the point that another child was struck by the bat the juvenile had thrown.”
The coach, president, vice president and umpire reportedly tried to speak with the mother of the child, Jennifer Miller, about her child being suspended for two games. “The mother then blew up yelling, cussing and causing a scene,” the report states.
June
4-year-old dies as result of tragic accident
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (May 30) — A 4-year- old boy died as the result of a tragic accident Tuesday morning on the Fayette County Fairgrounds.
At 10:15 a.m., the driver of a truck with a horse trailer hooked to the back was turning and slowing to park in the grass area at the northeast end of the horse barn, according to a Fayette County Sheriff’s Office accident report. The driver told authorities that two small children ran around the corner of the barn away from where the truck was parking.
Once the truck was parked, a witness advised he came around the corner and observed a child underneath the front tire of the vehicle. The witness pulled the child — identified as Waylon Winters — from underneath the vehicle and called 911, according to reports.
Fayette County Emergency Medical Services arrived, began life-saving procedures, and transported the boy to the emergency room. Authorities were informed that the boy did not survive.
“It’s a very sad day,” said Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family. The loss of a child, especially in an accident like this, is beyond imagination.”
Stanforth added, “Our first responders also felt this tragedy deeply, although it’s nothing like the family is going through. Unfortunately, we’ve had to deal with situations like this before, and they become embedded in your memory. You’re left with the feeling of wishing you could’ve done more, even though there was really nothing else that could be done.”
Remarkable run ends
AKRON (June 9) — The remarkable run of the Washington Blue Lion baseball team (27-1) came to a heartbreaking end on Friday, June 9 as they fell to the Ontario Warriors (16-14) by a score of 2-1 in the second game of two D-II State Semifinal contests at Canal Park.
Blue Lion head baseball coach Mark Schwartz reflected on the game and the season following the loss.
“It was a pitching duel. Their pitcher kept us off balance and they got the big out when we had runners in scoring position. We just didn’t make enough plays. I still think we’re the better team but you know in baseball the best team doesn’t always win. I’m super proud of our effort from our guys. They didn’t give up and they fought like they have all year. They might not realize it now but it’s been a pretty special season. To win 27 games and only lose two is pretty special. Obviously, we didn’t get the outcome we want- ed. We wanted to play tomorrow but we’ve done something that only four teams have done in the history of the school.”
He spoke about the seniors that will be moving on.
“It’s gonna be hard to replace those guys. We lose the pitching we have with Titus, A.J., and Tanner, and the big stick Jonah Waters who was an awesome catcher all year and seemed to always get a big hit when we needed it. R.J. Foose was hurt early and made it back and contributed big time offensively in the last three or four weeks. We lose Collin Southworth who understood his role and probably didn’t get to play as much as he wanted, but he understood his role and accepted it and was a great teammate. We brought up Andrew Ingram-Shaw from the JV team and it has been great to have him as a part of this. It’s gonna be hard to replace those seven guys and all of the talent and leadership they provided us. Those guys are gonna have bright futures in whatever they do, and I’ll sure miss them.
“I want to say thank you to the Fayette County community for supporting this team. We had a big week before we came up here with lots of work getting us a bus and setting up team meals and everything. We’ve got the best fans around and the best parents. This is the best group of parents I’ve ever had in my coaching career and it’s gonna be hard to replace them too. Thank you to everyone in the Washington Court House City School District, especially athletic director Greg Phipps. They were a big part of our run.”
WCHCS hires new administrators
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (June 12) — At the Washington Court House City School Board of Education meeting on Monday, June 12, three administrators were hired for the 2023-24 school year. Brady Streitenberger was named the new principal at Washington High School, Scott Landrum was named assistant principal at Washington High School, and Megan Griffith was named assistant principal at Washington Middle School.
Streitenberger was hired as the assistant principal at Washington Middle School in April of 2019 where he has served since. Prior to that, he taught at Greenfield Middle School.
Landrum is coming to district from Amanda-Clearcreek Local Schools where he most recently taught seventh grade world history. Griffith has been a contracted employee with the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center where she was assigned as an intervention specialist at Washington Middle School for the past six years. Prior to that, she served as a school improvement consultant with SOESC.
Honda reaches major milestone
JEFFERSONVILLE (June 19) — LG Energy Solution and Honda marked another major milestone of construction for its new joint venture EV battery facility this week when the first steel beam was installed at the plant site in Jeffersonville.
The companies have committed to invest $3.5 billion, with plans to create 2,200 jobs, in the over two million square feet facility, with an overall investment projected to reach $4.4 billion.
“There are many beginnings when you form a new company to build a new facility, but today is an important milestone for the LGES-Honda team, for the local community and everyone working at the site to create our new EV battery facility,” said Bob Lee, CEO of the new LGES-Honda joint venture. “Construction is on track and we look forward to reaching many more milestones on the way to starting production of EV batteries in 2025.”
The new joint venture facility — located at the Fayette County mega-site at the I-71/US 35 intersection — is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2024, with an annual production capacity of approximately 40GWh. The joint venture aims to start mass production of pouch-type lithium- ion batteries in 2025, to be supplied exclusively to Honda auto plants to produce EVs to be sold in North America.
Lemaster wins 55th Christman Award
WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (June 28) —
The Record-Herald and the Washington Shrine Club are pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Clarence A. Christman Jr. Award.
Washington High School Class of 2023 member Tanner Lemaster is this year’s winner.
Lemaster is presently on campus at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he will continue his education and play football for the Wildcats, a member of the top collegiate football conference in America, the Southeastern Conference.
Lemaster was a stand-out football, basketball and baseball player for four years at Washington High School. He earned three varsity letters in football and four each in basketball and baseball.
Lemaster was a key member of the Blue Lion baseball team that won back-to-back District championships, as well as a Regional championship and a trip to the State Final Four in Akron in 2023.
He was nominated for the award, which has been presented since 1969, by his basketball coach, Shannon Bartruff.
“I think what most people fail to realize is the inordinate amount of pressure that has been put on this young man over the past four years,” Bartruff said. “Once Tanner started to get recruiting offers from Division I schools, there was a target on his back. It didn’t matter where Tanner was, there were eyes on him. I was really impressed with how Tanner handled this side of being an outstanding small town athlete.”
“It’s such an honor to receive an award that is this highly-respected,” Lemaster said. “Receiving the Christman Award is something that I’ve wanted to do for quite a while.
“It was really my goal to achieve that kind of excellence,” Lemaster said. “In sports, in the classroom and in the community. I’ve worked hard in the classroom, as well as on my sports. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my parents (J.R. and Melissa Lemaster) and all my family supporting me and pushing me to be as good as I can be. I want to give a thank you to the Record-Herald and the Shrine Club for (sponsoring this award).”
