News Briefs Week of 5/04/20

Woodville 4th of July Celebration canceled
The Woodville 4th of July Celebration Committee announced that the 78th Woodville 4th of July Celebration, planned for July 2-4, will not be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Celebration Committee, President Lynn Bunn, Vice President Jim Taylor and Secretary/Treasurer Rene Dix, said they made the decision with “a heavy heart” and guidance from the Village of Woodville, the Woodville Police Department and the Woodville Township Fire Department.
As of April 27, parades, fairs, festivals and carnivals remain on the State of Ohio's list of events that are to remain closed until further notice. “Not knowing when the order will be lifted makes it impossible to move forward with either planning the celebration or fundraising to offset the cost of the fireworks,” the announcement said.
“While saddened at the thought of not having this Woodville summer tradition, the health and safety of all involved with the event is at the forefront of our minds. Over the years, not even torrential downpours, extreme heat or a flood could shut us down. We did everything possible to hold the celebration for the community. Unfortunately, there is very little we can do against a pandemic and so in 2020, we must postpone the celebration for the safety of our community. Many considerations were taken before arriving at this difficult decision.
“Although we must postpone the celebration until next year, we did incur expenses this year and would appreciate any donations to help offset these expenses,” the announcement said.
Learn more by visiting the Woodville 4th of July Celebration on Facebook and Twitter.
Next year’s celebration is set for July 1-3, 2021.

Drive-through
food pantry
The LIGHT Neighborhood Pantry at Elliston Zion United Methodist Church will be open as a drive-through pantry on Wednesday, May 6 from 5-7 p.m. or until supplies run out.
The pantry is open to residents of Ottawa County struggling with food or financial insecurity. ID or proof of residence is required. Visitors will drive to a check-in station and volunteers will place items in the trunk or back seat. Visitors will remain in their vehicles.
The LIGHT Neighborhood Pantry is also accepting donations of non-perishable food items, especially spaghetti sauce, canned soup, boxed spaghetti and pasta, canned meat, peanut butter, cereal and fruit. Donations may be left at the church outside the door in the “Giving Box.”
The LIGHT Neighborhood Pantry is located off Elliston Trowbridge Rd just south of Martin-Moline Road. For more information, email ellistonzionoffice@aol.com or visit the pantry on Facebook.

Meeting canceled
The Mental Health and Recovery Services Board of Seneca, Sandusky and Wyandot Counties has canceled its April 30 Board Meeting.
Visit www.mhrsbssw.org for more details.

Masks required;
landfill drop-off
Wood County Commissioners Doris Herringshaw, Craig LaHote, and Ted Bowlus, in cooperation with the county elected officials, remind citizens that effective April 29, all people entering the courthouse complex and all Wood County buildings are required to wear a mask, scarf or other covering on their face prior to entering.
Visitors are asked to be prepared; the county is unable to provide masks to visitors.
Masks must be worn in all public areas of all buildings, and social distancing of at least 6 feet must be maintained. Additionally, all visitors will have their temperature taken and be asked health questions before being permitted to proceed. If they have a fever greater than 100 degrees, they must wait while a representative of the office they wish to visit is contacted.
As Wood County offices and departments work to comply with Gov. Mike DeWine’s re-opening plan, visitors are encouraged to call before going to the county courthouse complex and county buildings, since access to many county offices and departments is restricted.
Phone numbers to county offices and departments are listed online at www.co.wood.oh.us, To obtain information by phone, please call 419-354-9000 or 1-866-860-4140 (toll free).
Landfill drop-off –The public drop-off area of the Wood County Landfill will reopen Friday, May 1. This area has been closed since Gov. DeWine issued the Stay at Home Order. All people coming to do business at the landfill are required to wear a mask, scarf or covering on their face while at the payment window.
For additional information, contact Andrew S. Kalmar, Wood County Administrator.

Tornado memories
The Press Newspapers is seeking your recollections of the tornado that hit Millbury and its surrounding area on June 5, 2010, as part of an upcoming series of articles on the 10 year anniversary of the deadly twister. If you have any memories of that day and/or its aftermath that you would like to share with our readers, please contact The Press Features Editor Tammy Walro at twalro@presspublications.com or write to The Press, 1550 Woodville Road, Millbury, OH 43447, by May 25.

Title office open
by appointment
The Wood County Clerk of Courts office has announced that starting the week of May 4 the public will be able to schedule an appointment with the auto title office to process personal vehicle titling matters.
The office hours will be on a temporary basis from to 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Call the office at 419-354-9182 to schedule an appointment.
COVID-19 protocols will be followed, including masks, and social distancing. No one will be allowed into the title office at this time without a scheduled appointment.

Libraries open for partial service
The Harris-Elmore Public Library and its Genoa Branch will re-open for no-contact curbside service beginning May 4.
The new library hours will be 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Patrons may either call the library or place an online order Monday-Friday between 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and staff will have items checked out, bagged, labeled with your name and ready outside of our doors for pick-up before 5 p.m. each day.
Patrons may call the library at 419-862-2482 (Elmore) or 419-855-3380 (Genoa) to place an order. Online orders may be placed via the chat function on library website (www.harriselmorelibrary.org), on the Curbside Delivery Page at https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/curb-side-service or reserve items from the libraries in the consortium at https://ohio.ent.sirsi.net/client/en_US/ell/?dt=list (the last one is not same day pick-up).
The libraries are also allowing limited faxing and copying services by appointment only. Call or use the online chat function during library hours to make an appointment. Leave your documents and payment in the provided boxes outside the door and staff will complete the transaction and return the items to the boxes provided.
Patrons may also access online collections 24/7 at https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/digital-collections or https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/local-history-genealogy. Additionally Wi-fi is accessible from the library parking lot and with limited circulation of our library hotspots.
Physical programming is cancelled and meeting room reservations will not be taken. The library will continue virtual programming throughout this time, which can be accessed on the library social media pages or on https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/virtual-programs.
The Virtual Summer Reading Program will begin June 1 and run through August 8. Please visit https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/summer-reading on how to sign up, get your prizes, and attend summer programs.
Both libraries are also now fine free as of March 30. There are no fines on overdue materials (with the exception of hotspots), but fees for lost or damaged items still apply. Check https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/fines-fees for details. Additionally, the library has changed some restrictions on existing and new library cards. View the changes at https://www.harriselmorelibrary.org/get-a-library-card.

Services resuming
The Village of Elmore on May 4 will resume some services, including curbside limb pickup, unlimited trash collection and the reopening of the village office two days a week.
Curbside limb pickup will follow the same guidelines as in the past. Limbs and sticks must be placed on the curb and a village employee will pick them up.
Unlimited trash collection will be held on the second and fourth Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through October but with some changes. Residents are required to stay in their vehicles at all times. Village employees, only, will remove trash. Employees will be wearing protective masks and will be practicing social distancing.
The village utility office will be open on Tuesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.until further notice. Visitors are urged to wear protective masks and continue using the utility bill drop box outside of the police station. Residents are encouraged to continue to use the village online bill paying system. All online fees will be credited through August.