Blog Archives

Urbana’s Elected Officials Take Oath of Office

12/31/2019

Photos by Christopher Selmek | Urbana Daily Citizen

Urbana officials elected Nov. 5 are sworn into office on Monday, Dec. 30. From left are city council President Marty Hess, council member Rich Ebert, council member Mary Ann Collier, council member Pat Thackery, council member Cledis Scott and Mayor Bill Bean. Municipal Court Judge Gil S. Weithman swore them into office and reminded them of their duty to defend the Constitution of the United States and of the state of Ohio.

Ohio’s Minimum Wage Increases on New Year’s Day

12/31/2019

By Springfield News Sun Staff and wire reports
Ohio’s minimum wage increases Wednesday to $8.70 an hour for non-tipped employees and $4.35 an hour for tipped employees.

The new minimum will apply to employees of businesses with annual gross receipts of more than $319,000 per year.

The increase is mandated by a state constitutional amendment, approved by voters in 2006, which adjusts the state minimum wage based on the previous year’s inflation rate.

Jobless rate falls in Champaign and Clark Counties

12/28/2019

By Hasan Karim, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
The unemployment rate dropped in both Clark and Champaign counties during November.

Clark County saw its unemployment rate decrease from 5% in October to 4.3% in November. Champaign County saw a similar decrease between October and November with the unemployment rate going from 4.8% to 3.6%.

The number of people looking for jobs in Clark County decreased slightly between October and November, according to monthly employment figures released by the state. However, the number of people listed as employed in Champaign county during that period increased.

JobsOhio plans to double grants to $300M to bring new business to state

12/26/2019

Photo: Columbus Bureau

By Thomas Gnau, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
Ohio’s private development corporation plans to double loans and grants to attract more jobs the state, according to the leader of JobsOhio.

Traditionally, JobsOhio – the state’s private development arm — has spent about $150 million in grants and loans from profits drawn from state liquor enterprise sales, its main funding source. That number will approximately double in the future, J.P. Nauseef, JobsOhio’s president and chief investment officer, said at a recent JobsOhio board meeting in Youngstown.

Urbana Township Trustees Meeting Update

12/26/2019

Urbana Township Trustees: Regular meetings scheduled Dec. 26 and Jan. 20 to be replaced by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 14, meeting

Franklin & Urbana University 2020 CBUS Student Hack

12/16/2019

All participants of this program qualify to receive cash prizes and an academic scholarship to Franklin or Urbana University.

Register at cbusstudenthack.org.
For information on sponsoring a team, visit https://cbusstudenthack.org/sponsors/

Revitalization Efforts in Downtown Urbana Focus on Housing, More Shops

12/9/2019

By Hasan Karim, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
With the last piece of needed funding recently locked down, the ‘Legacy Place’ senior housing project in downtown Urbana is one step closer in bringing more than a dozen apartments in the area.

It is something city officials say will have a trickle down effect in downtown. The hope is with more people living there, it will boost business for shops and restaurants that are within walking distance.

In the past five years, the number of living opportunities in the area have about doubled.

Mercy Hospital Unveils New Entrance

12/9/2019

A new patient-friendly front entrance on Mercy Health - Urbana Hospital will be dedicated on Monday, with activities also including an open house at the hospital. Workers are shown on Friday putting the finishing touches on the project. Steve Stout | Urbana Daily Citizen

Mercy Health-Urbana Hospital, 904 Scioto St., will host a 2:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a 3-4:30 p.m. open house on Monday, Dec. 9, at the facility’s new front entrance.

Previously, outpatients registered in the emergency department, which is a set of stairs or elevator ride down from the front entrance. The hospital’s new entrance allows patients to enter and register in the same place and helps separate outpatients from critical patients.

The new entrance is covered and has automatic sliding doors allowing for protection from the elements and improved wheelchair access, improving the drop-off and discharge process.

Donors funded most of the cost of the $800,000+ improvement, which McCall Sharp Architecture designed and Link Construction built.

The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting and open house to see the new hospital gift shop, registration area for outpatients and waiting area for hospital visitors.

These latest improvements at the hospital follow 2017’s $3 million renovation and service expansion project, which included:

Building a 10-bed senior behavioral health unit
Recruitment of an orthopedic surgeon and two general surgeons, which has led to a significant increase in surgery volumes
Doubling of the MRI service capability from two to four days weekly
Internal renovations to modernize the facility

‘Legacy Place’ Senior Housing Project in Urbana Secures Key Funding

12/4/2019

By Jenna Lawson, Springfield News-Sun Staff Writer
The last bit of needed funding has been secured to push forward the ‘Legacy Place’ senior housing project in Urbana.

Sourcing all of the funding has been a tedious multi-year task undertaken by several different parties — but soon residents will start to see the fruits of labor.

“This is going to be a reality,” said Champaign Economic Development Director Marcia Bailey. “It’s not just sketches on a piece of paper. It’s going to be a reality.”

In August, the developers of the project — Flaherty & Collins Properties — applied for a grant through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati with the help of community partners.

Champaign County News