By Portia Williams

[email protected]

Haverhill Chemicals, LLC, has announced Friday that the Haverhill Chemical Plant it will begin the suspension of operations at the facility, effective immediately.

According to a release provided by Tom Wells, vice president, since acquiring the plant three years ago from Sunoco, the company has incurred tens of millions of dollars in unbudgeted and unanticipated expenses required to improve the condition and reliability of the plant. That unexpected investment of time and capital made operations unsustainable.

During the shut-down phase, the company will be seeking a solution that may allow the plant to resume operations.

Wells had no comment after announcing the suspension on Friday, but on Thursday he told the Daily Times there have been numerous problems at the Haverhill Chemical Plant.

“This facility has never operated based upon what our expectations were,” he said. “And that has led to additional problems as you know. The company had a fatality last year in the BPA Unit. The BPA Unit was down for a number of months and that clearly had an economic impact. It has been a significant capital investment made in that plant, which has a financial impact as well.”

According to Wells, the Haverhill Chemical Plant employs 141 people.

Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.

By Portia Williams

[email protected]

Haverhill Chemicals, LLC, has announced Friday that the Haverhill Chemical Plant it will begin the suspension of operations at the facility, effective immediately.

According to a release provided by Tom Wells, vice president, since acquiring the plant three years ago from Sunoco, the company has incurred tens of millions of dollars in unbudgeted and unanticipated expenses required to improve the condition and reliability of the plant. That unexpected investment of time and capital made operations unsustainable.

During the shut-down phase, the company will be seeking a solution that may allow the plant to resume operations.

Wells had no comment after announcing the suspension on Friday, but on Thursday he told the Daily Times there have been numerous problems at the Haverhill Chemical Plant.

“This facility has never operated based upon what our expectations were,” he said. “And that has led to additional problems as you know. The company had a fatality last year in the BPA Unit. The BPA Unit was down for a number of months and that clearly had an economic impact. It has been a significant capital investment made in that plant, which has a financial impact as well.”

According to Wells, the Haverhill Chemical Plant employs 141 people.

Reach Portia Williams at 740-353-3101, ext. 1929, or on Twitter @PortiaWillPDT.

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Joseph Pratt | Portsmouth Daily Times
June Business After Hours and the naming of Founders Plaza at SSU

Joseph Pratt | Portsmouth Daily Times
June Business After Hours and the naming of Founders Plaza at SSU

Joseph Pratt | Daily Times Dr. Rita Morris talking amongst peers at the June Business After Hours and the naming of Founders Plaza at SSU.

By Joseph Pratt

[email protected]

Shawnee State University President Dr. Rita Morris hosted a formal naming ceremony in “Founder’s Plaza” at the university on Thursday. The ceremony was also the location of this month’s Business After Hours — an event held for members of the Portsmouth Area Chamber of Commerce.

During the naming ceremony, Morris announced it would be her final appearance as acting president of the campus, before she retires in just a few weeks.

“You’re standing in what I’ve been calling the heart of campus. Founders Plaza,” Morris said. “This square symbolically connects our past with our present – and our future.”

Morris went on to explain how the newly names Founders Plaza fits into relation with surrounding Shawnee areas.

“We have the James A. Rhodes Athletic Center immediately to the west and the Vern Riffe Center to the north. These buildings were named for two leaders who had a shared vision for higher education in this part of the state – and made Shawnee State University possible. As you entered the plaza, you passed Trustees Grove – where a line of dogwood trees serve as a special recognition to those who furthered the Shawnee State University mission, through their service as trustees. To the east, we are connected to our academic core and center of student activity. And, to the south, we have the entryway to our new commencement platform – where students receive their Shawnee State University degrees and begin making plans for how they will use those degrees in this – and other communities all over the world.”

Morris said that the spring commencement was held on the new stage and she shook the hands of 534 graduates. She explained that 4,000 friends and family surrounded the spot that she stood, which gave her the realization that the new space encapsulates everything Shawnee stands for.

Morris also spoke about her retirement and leaving the community.

“As you may have heard, I’m retiring in a couple of weeks. Today’s dedication is my final public act as President of Shawnee State University,” Morris said. “As I look out at friends, colleagues, supporters – and in some cases, partners in crime – I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and pride. You welcomed me and Jim into this community 12 years ago and through the years, we accomplished a great deal together. We took what Rhodes, Riffe, and other founding leaders started here, and we made a difference in the lives of students and those who live in this community.

“It’s fitting, for me, to end my career from Shawnee State University, dedicating a space that serves as a visual reminder of how we began and the lives that are impacted through the education they receive here.”

Reach Joseph Pratt at 740-353-3101, ext. 1932, or by Twitter @JosephPratt03

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

If you are one of those people who like to learn something new every day, here’s a couple of things you may not have known. There is an investigative unit attached to the Ohio Department of Public Safety and agents from that unit are going to be watching you if you attend a concert this summer.

As the top names in the music industry play to sold out crowds at some of Ohio’s best and biggest concert venues, and multi-day music festivals, undercover agents from the Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) will be keeping an eye on you to make sure you obey the laws.

Agents of the OIU want all concert-goers to remember to drink responsibly, don’t drink if you haven’t turned 21, and do not furnish alcohol to anyone under 21 or to anyone who is already intoxicated.

For many of these concerts, OIU will have undercover agents working alongside local law enforcement officials, looking for various alcohol and also drug offenses.

“Several concert-goers begin drinking hours before the show starts and are often extremely intoxicated by the time the opening act(s) takes the stage,” Enforcement Commander Eric Wolf said. “We want the concert experience to be safe and enjoyable for everyone inside the venue and outside by the tailgating and camping sites. By following the law everyone can have a safer and more enjoyable concert experience.”

Anyone convicted of providing or purchasing alcohol to a person under 21 years of age may face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine.

Another common violation agents see at concerts is the use of false identification. If you’re caught with a fake ID or if you have furnished your ID to someone to obtain alcohol, penalties may include six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. Also, the person furnishing their ID could lose their driver license for a year.

If you are under 21 and are caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .02 percent or higher, a level that can be reached after just one or two drinks, you can be arrested. Punishment is suspension of your driver license for at least 90 days up to a maximum of two years, plus four points added to your driving record. Having an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle is also illegal.

Penalties for drug violations depend on the type and the amount of drugs.

Wolf said – “By stopping senseless tragedies associated with illegal underage alcohol consumption and public intoxication, we are committing to making a safer Ohio. If you have information about a bar; store or carryout selling beer and/or liquor to persons under the age of 21; or you have information of alcohol violations at a concert venue, please notify the Ohio Investigative Unit by calling #677 on your cell phone and your complaint will be investigated.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

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Courtesy photo
The West High School Marching Band performing at Disney, crossing the front of Cinderella’s Castle.

Courtesy photo The West High School Marching Band performing at Disney, crossing the front of Cinderella’s Castle.

By Joseph Pratt

[email protected]

Members of Portsmouth West High School Marching Band became stars of their own Disney show on June 3, when they entertained resort guests at the Magic Kingdom Park.

Fifty-five students, under the direction of Mike Pierce and Sonja Thompson, entertained Magic Kingdom Park guests as they marched through Frontierland and around Cinderella Castle onto Main Street, U.S.A. before the “Festival of Fantasy Parade.”

“Every student worked very hard to make this trip possible, from selling fruit to working bake sales,” Pierce said. “Every single student was ecstatic. For many of the students, it might be the only chance they have to experience Disney. I think they will remember it for a very long time and maybe never even forget.”

Pierce said that a trip to Disney has been a goal of his since he began directing the band eight years ago, but it escaped him between competitions and the attempt of receiving new uniforms.

“The trip was sort of put on the back burner, but then Becky Lovins came in last year to assist with color guard, and one of the first things she suggested was the trip to Disney,” Pierce said. “It actually brought my time there whole circle from the first time I stepped in front of the band.”

This trip was the last one Pierce will take with the West Portsmouth High School Marching Band, since he has officially retired from education after 34 years.

The band performed the school’s song, as well as a medley of Disney songs.

“The trip to Disney and the marching in the parade was just a great way to culminate my career,” Pierce said.

Vocal, instrumental and dance ensembles from all around the world perform each year as a part of Disney Performing Arts at both the Disneyland Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort. Once selected, they are given the opportunity to perform at the resort for an international audience of theme park guests.

Many entertainment outlets throughout the country submit applications to perform in the daily parade, but few receive the honor. Pierce said that the band had to submit a video of a performance and a list of achievements and awards to receive a spot in the parade.

“There were a few bands to march and perform, but we led the parade,” Pierce said. “It is a very select opportunity for skilled bands. Only one of 20 bands that apply are chosen to perform.

Ryan Urban has been hired as the new band director and the students have already received their music and are preparing their upcoming season.

Reach Joseph Pratt at 740-353-3101, ext. 1932, or by Twitter @JosephPratt03.

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

Zachary Dunn will spend the rest of his life behind bars for the 2013 kidnapping and rape of a six-year-old Jackson County girl.

Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney Justin Lovett and Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine said Dunn, 32, of Jackson, has been sentenced to serve life in prison without parole following his conviction. Dunn was found guilty of three counts of kidnapping with sexual motivation specifications, one count of abduction, one count of rape, two counts of gross sexual imposition, and one count of felonious assault.

On Thursday, Judge Christopher J. Regan sentenced Dunn to life in prison without parole. As part of his sentence, Judge Regan also classified Dunn as a Tier III sex offender.

“This defendant committed one of the most heinous crimes imaginable, and with today’s sentence he will never have the chance to hurt another child ever again,” DeWine said. “Those who target children in this state will be met with the full force of the law.”

Dunn was arrested in July of 2013 after reportedly kidnapping the six year old from her Jackson home. DeWine said Dunn sexually assaulted the victim and abandoned her in a Liberty Township cemetery before she managed to reach a nearby residence for help.

“Zachary Dunn is a callous child predator who still shows no genuine remorse for the terrible acts he committed against a defenseless six-year-old girl,” Lovett said. “and he is most deserving of nothing less than the maximum possible punishment that was handed down today.”

Members of Attorney General DeWine’s Crimes Against Children Critical Response Team assisted the Jackson Police Department, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, and multiple other law enforcement and public safety agencies in the investigation and search for the child and suspect. The Jackson Police Department was the lead investigating agency on the case.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

On Tuesday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20) introduced an amendment to increase funding for police body cameras. The amendment that overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives allocates an additional $10 million to the Body Worn Camera Partnership Program of the Department of Justice (DOJ), bringing that funding up to $25 million, though it remains $25 million below what has been requested by President Barack Obama.

Portsmouth Police Chief Robert Ware has previously commented on the proposed use of body cameras.

“There are benefits and there are concerns,” Ware said. “There are many law enforcement executives across the country that are using or considering using body worn cameras as a means to reduce civil liability and more closely ascertain the true circumstances behind an encounter.”

Now Scioto County Sheriff Marty Donini, in response to questions from the Daily Times, has also weighed-in on the issue.

“As a law enforcement manager, I have no problem with body cameras being worn by law enforcement officers. There’s no doubt that when people know that their behavior is being monitored they tend to make an extra effort to behave more appropriately and law enforcement officers are no exception to this concept,” Donini said. “What manager wouldn’t want their employees behaving more appropriately and doing things the correct way?”

Donini said, according to research, nearly 25 percent of all law enforcement agencies have implemented some sort of body camera program for their officers. He said research also shows that nearly a third of them have failed to implement the most important part of the body camera program and that is having a policy to regulate the use of the cameras. Developing a policy is so essential, Donini said, because it clarifies the expectations of both, what the law enforcement agency expects from the officer and what the public can expect from the use of the body cameras including any limitations.

“I believe some of the public has developed unrealistic expectations concerning the use of body cameras in law enforcement. The cameras will not pick up everything, nor will it be appropriate for law enforcement to video tape all encounters with the public,” Donini said. “Talking to rape and sex crime victims, talking to witnesses and informants would be some examples of incidents that should not be recorded because all of these recordings would now become part of the public records and could further jeopardize the safety of victims and/or witnesses. I’m sure there will also be incidents where law enforcement officers either negligently or intentionally fail to activate the cameras.”

Donini said he believes the most difficult part of implementing the program would be developing a policy regulating the use of the cameras and more importantly assuring that the policy is being followed by routinely checking the videos to verify that the officers are activating the cameras in accordance with the policy and if an officers violates the policy, he or she should be disciplined. Donini said implementing the body camera program without a policy or failing to invest time enforcing the policy will simply further tarnish law enforcement credibility.

Funding the program is a separate topic because not only does it include the purchasing of the product but it includes the ongoing training of officers to use it and understand the policy implemented to regulate it. Donini said another factor to include is the need to replace and/or repair the cameras as technology improves and produces more quality video and audio results.

“Sure this office would be interested in receiving financial funding to purchase the cameras and implement the program,” Donini told the Times.

Castro’s amendment is on H.R. 2578, the Commerce, Justice and Science (CJS) appropriations bill, on which the House is expected to vote in the next few days.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

There is apparently no correlation between a murder case and missing women case in Ross County and women missing in Scioto County.

Portsmouth Police Chief Robert Ware said on Thursday morning officers from the Portsmouth Police Department met with officials in Ross County to discuss the working group focusing on missing girls in the Chillicothe area, and Ware says, at this time, there does not appear to be any direct connection to any Portsmouth Police Department investigations.

“It is very important to the families of those affected that false hope is not created as a result of information being reported in the mainstream media, social media, or through other information sources,” Ware said.

The initial report centered around the death of Timberly Claytor, 38, whose body was found on Trego Creek Road near Massieville Road, and mentioned the case may be tied to some missing women cases in Ross County, Columbus and Scioto County.

At that time, Ware received a request to have his department work with a task force in an attempt to solve the case.

“As of this time, the Portsmouth Police Department is not an active participant in the working group or task force that has been set up by Ross County authorities,” Ware said. “However, in the best interest of the public, the Portsmouth Police Department will continue to communicate with members of the working group to exchange information that may be of importance to their investigations as well as any investigations we have where such exchange could result in bringing closure to the families and resolution to open investigations.”

As with the Ross County authorities, Ware said all the agencies involved owe it to their communities to explore every possibility in order to solve their respective cases. Ware said if a direct connection develops between the Ross County cases and any case under the jurisdiction of the Portsmouth Police Department, then the Portsmouth Police Department’s participation in the working group will increase accordingly.

In another development, authorities arrested Jason McCrary, 36, a registered sex offender, on a charge of failure to update his address information, and, while not charging him in any of those cases, did refer to him as a person of interest.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.

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Woods

By Frank Lewis

[email protected]

Ross County authorities are looking for two suspects they believe stole a tow truck and may be headed for the Waverly area. The suspects are identified as Daniel “Danny” Woods, 30, and 24-year-old Felicia A Holbrook.

Woods is 5 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Woods is said to have numerous tattoos over his upper body, a tattoo on his neck “OHIO”, and when his eyes are closed his eye lids have “GAME OVER” on them.

Holbrook is described as 4 feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 110 pounds with blonde hair, green eyes. Holbrook has tattoos on both wrists, and on both legs.

Sheriff George W. Lavender, Jr., is looking for the suspects he said stole a tow truck at approximately 10:30 a.m. Thursday morning at an address in the 100 block of Penwell Hollow Road. Lavender said deputies made contact with the two suspects on U.S. 23 Just south of Massieville Road where they fled on foot.

Both suspects were believed to be heading south toward the Waverly area. Lavender said anyone with information should contact the Ross County Sheriff’s Office at 740-7731185, Southern Ohio Crime Stoppers at 740-773-TIPS (8477), or your local law enforcement agency.

Reach Frank Lewis at 740-353-3101, ext. 1928, or on Twitter @franklewis.