Preble County: 209 Years and Growing
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S1 Preble Proud 2017 Preble County: 209 years and growing By Eddie Mowen Jr. [email protected] Preble County Commissioners PREBLE COUNTY — Rodney Creech Chris Day Preble County was settled Denise Robertson in 1798 by John Leslie Commission Staff and was established as a Connie Crowell, county in March of 1808, Commission Clerk five years after Ohio was Kim Keller, admitted to the Union in Administrative Assistant March of 1803. The coun- Sara Wilson, Deputy ty was named for Commo- Clerk dore Edward Preble who served as the Commander munities throughout the of the American Naval county as well. Fleet in the Mediterranean In addition to the city during the Tripolitan War, of Eaton, there are sev- as well as in the Revolu- eral villages located in the tionary War and the War county: Camden, College of 1812. Corner, Eldorado, Gratis, Preble County has only Lewisburg, New Paris, one city, Eaton (the coun- Verona, West Alexandria, ty seat,) which was named West Elkton, and West for William Eaton, the U.S. Manchester, and there are Consul at Tunis during the a dozen townships: Dixon, Tripolitan War. This war Gasper, Gratis, Harrison, influenced not only the Israel, Jackson, Jefferson, naming of the county and Lanier, Monroe, Somers, its only city, but the names Eddie Mowen Jr. | The Register-Herald of many streets and com- See PROGRESS | 12 Groundbreaking for the new facility at the Preble County Landfill was held in November 2016. Eaton growing with affordable housing 2016 Chamber awards By Kelsey Kimbler [email protected] Businesses, individuals honored EATON — The new year will bring affordable By Eddie Mowen Jr. [email protected] housing to the City of Eaton. Eagles Point apart- ment complex is slated to open their doors in the EATON — The Preble County Chamber of near future. Built in the former Eaton High School, Commerce turned its annual awards dinner into a the H.I.T. Foundation re-purposed the space to bring holiday day gala, celebrating a year of business and one, two, and three bedroom apartments to the com- professional successes and enjoying the Christmas munity at an affordable price. season on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2106. The pet friendly community will include 40 resi- This was the 35th year the chamber took a spe- dential apartments as well as community space. The cial evening to honor businesses and individuals complex will include a business center, media room, nominated by chamber members. fitness center, and a community room with a kitchen Jason Moles, 2016 Preble County Chamber and dining area. Kelsey Kimbler|The Register-Herald Board Chairperson, welcomed those in attendance, Applications are currently being accepted. Future residents are set to move into the affordable apartments at and honored outgoing board members Dave Weber, Eagles Point in the near future. See HOUSING | 8 who was unable to attend, and Joanie McDaniel, who was presented a special award for her service. Moles was later honored as outgoing board chair. Home Is The Foundation employee Toni Morgan was recognized as the chamber’s Citizen of the Year. Preble business climate thriving Morgan is a program coordinator for HIT, who Ec. Dev. Director shares update Director Brenda Latanza shared “Last year Henny Penny Cor- helps people “because that’s the person she is,” success stories, business updates poration celebrated the opening Moles said. “Honestly this recognition has very little do By Eddie Mowen Jr. and insights into potential future of their new training center,” she [email protected] growth for the area. said. “This $8 million investment about me,” Morgan said. “You’re only as good “There is no better marketing in a 46,000 square foot facility as the people you surround yourself with. I have EATON — At recent Preble strategy than the demonstration includes a test kitchen, auditori- a championship team.” Morgan recognized and County Development Partner- of a successful and thriving busi- um, training room and additional thanked her family, coworkers, and others. ship investor and chamber of ness climate,” she began. manufacturing and office space. See AWARDS | 9 commerce annual events, Preble Businesses small and large were See PCDP | 11 County Economic Development part of Latanza’s presentation. Your Local Hometown Florist Serving Preble County Since 1978 SAME DAY DELIVERY EATON We Specialize in Wedding & AVAILABLE Funeral Arrangements WORLDWIDE FLORAL, LLC DELIVERY 937-456-6151 1-800-386-6359 Order directly from your local florist and get the most of your floral gift. 1320 N. Barron St. Eaton • Located in Five Points Centre See website for more arrangements: www.eatonfloral.com M-F 9-5:30 • Sat 9-1 40962949 S2 2 Wednesday, March 1, 2017 PREBLE PROUD Register-Herald Bales’ Funeral Home (formerly Nein Funeral Home) Burial Arrangement Prearranged Services Cremation Service The loss of a loved one can leave you with a lot of unanswered questions, feelings of stress and anxiety and grief that makes events difficult to handle. The experienced funeral directors at Bales' Funeral Home will guide you through the aspects of the funeral service with compassion, dignity and respect. Our staff of dedicated professionals is available to assist you in making funeral service arrangements. From casket choices to funeral flowers, the funeral directors at Bales' Funeral Home provide individualized funeral services designed to meet the needs of each family. Our honest service and commitment to excellence have served our customers well, and you can rest assured that we can assist you in your time of need. Whether you have come to our site for information about an upcoming service or to make arrangements for one, we hope the information you find here will be helpful. 249 N. Main St. Camden, OH 45311 937-452-3111 [email protected] 40963031 S3 Register-Herald PREBLE PROUD Wednesday, March 1, 2017 3 Community Preble Proud 2017 Fairgrounds updates highlighted 2016 R-H Staff The whole building is engineer ($132,737.19), new. They ripped out and the City of Eaton EATON — The Preble the old concrete, put in ($238,650.11). County Fairgrounds new concrete, new stalls, “That’s definitely the has a new look after an everything. And it’s ADA biggest improvement,” $875,000 facelift overseen compliant. Roughly Creech said of the repav- by county commissioners, $70,000 was spent on ing. “The county engi- the County Engineer’s that, and we’re very happy neer, Kyle Cross, really Office, and the City of with it.” stepped up and helped Eaton. Old barns on the out, and out of a quarter Grant money from the property went unused million dollar project, he state was heavily utilized for years because they covered almost half of for the work, recently appeared unsafe, Creech it. We would never have completed after beginning said, when in fact the been able to do it without in the fall of 2015. Reno- buildings were structur- him coming in and help- vations included major ally sound but badly ing us like that.” work on the grandstands, weathered. The fairgrounds is The Register-Herald | File photos new paint and roof work comprised of six parcels A refurbished, grandstands is just one item on the list of renovations at the Preble County Fairgrounds. “We went through the Most of the grant money went to fixing up the grandstands, according to commissioners. for all but three buildings proper channels and made totaling 112.4 acres, with on site, demolition and sure they were in solid the main portion sitting replacement of the public shape,” he said. “You on 50 acres. More work is restroom building, and don’t want to put $15 or planned for the property. a major repaving of the $20,000 into a building Another $400,000 in new entire fairgrounds. and then tear it down a state grant money will “When we were in the few years later. But, if an allow the installation of early stages with this old building is still sound, bathrooms, showers, and grant money,” Commis- it’s cheaper to make it possibly meeting rooms sioner Rodney Creech look good than to replace in the Expo Center. The said last summer, “there it. Now we have horses small sheriff’s building were three things we in the barns, and we’re will be razed, with the focused on. The first was generating revenue from county and sheriff’s office safety, the second was them.” collaborating on ideas for economic development, The restoration of replacement. Two build- and the third was aesthet- the ticket booth at the ings near the entrance, in ics. We tried to come entrance has garnered less sturdy shape than the through everything where major positive feedback other structures, were not we saw safety risks, and since its completion two renovated; commissioners we started there. For weeks ago, said Creech. are still working to deter- example, most of the Some $10,000 in county mine whether they will money went to fixing dollars were used to bring be restored or removed. up the grandstands. It it back into shape, along Creech said commis- would take a lot of money with the help of several sioners also hope to sell to replace those, so our local volunteers and a annual sponsorships for goal was to reinforce it roofing donation from each of the structures and keep it in shape. The Sherriff-Goslin Roofing of on the fairgrounds, with beams were rusting, and Richmond, Indiana. each building sporting the those were replaced, and The newly paved roads name of a different area they painted the roof were a major effort. business. and the structure. The Neglected for many “We’ve already gotten work on that alone took years, they made driving a lot of calls from people months, and they just fin- through the fairgrounds who can’t believe how ished it last month.” a difficult and sometimes much better it looks,” he “The bathrooms were hazardous experience said.