Chamber calendar

Friday, April 6: Office closed in observance of Good Friday.

Tuesday, April 10: Membership and Events Committee, 11:30 a.m., meet at chamber for trip to Milestone Lodge.

Wednesday, April 11: Leadership Chillicothe Ross session, Community Service Day, starting site to be determined, 7:45 a.m.

Thursday, April 12: Ross County Safety Council, Annual Awards Luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Chillicothe Country Club, Safety Luncheon reservation

Thursday, April 12: Community Development and Advocacy Committee, chamber, 4 p.m.

Tuesday, April 17: Leadership Chillicothe Ross Steering Committee, chamber, 3:30 p.m.

Wednesday, April 18: Business After Business at Herrnstein Hyundai, River Road at Ohio 207 Connector and U.S. 23 north, 5-7 p.m., BAB registration.

What's happening this weekend? Check out the community events calendar.

Click above to go to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce site for small business

Check out photos from chamber events at any time by going to www.chillicothe-chamber.smugmug.com.

For previous newsletter editions, click here

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Copyright 2007

Chillicothe Ross Chamber of Commerce

New, upscale housing subdivision

planned near the country club

Kensington Development’s first phase will have 30 lots, some of which will border on the golf course at the Chillicothe Country Club. The Chillicothe Planning Commission is set to consider the preliminary plat approval at its meeting next Wednesday.

James Cutright, Richard Johnson and Mark Crosier are the developers for Stoneridge LLC seeking the approval. The lots would sell from $65,000 to more than $100,000, according to papers filed with the city. Access to the subdivision would be off Club Drive in Brewer Heights while it eventually could lead to an extension of Fruit Hill Drive in future phases.

The 26.6 acres are coming from the Wells property, country club and John Schwemlein. There would be two roads with a couple cul-de-sacs. Several of the lots will border the No. 6 green and the entire No. 7 hole at the country club. Single-family homes and condominiums are planned. Click here to check out the approximate location: Kensington Development map.

Carlisle situation grows more curious

While it appears the city is making progress in getting the Carlisle Building closer to a resolution with its foreclosure proceeding last week, the situation with the property’s owner gets murkier.

The city’s action on March 27 forces the owner, KG&R Development through Carlisle Building LLC, to make a decision on whether to spend about $33,000 to extricate itself from the suit by paying back taxes and what it owes the city or allow the property to go to a sheriff’s sale later this year.

In the meantime, it seems the primary owner has set up a new company and is working in North Carolina while an Ashland, OH bank loaned or gave him a credit line of up to $121,000 last September on a mortgage on the Carlisle. The paperwork for the loan by First Merit Bank wasn’t signed by Kagy until March 21 and wasn’t recorded legally until Monday (April 2).

Check out the new company of the Carlisle owner, which did repairs to a couple dormers a few weeks back: Alexander Reagan LLC

COUNTY BUILDING PACE QUICKENS; CITY’S SLOWS: Overall, for the first quarter of this year, there are 21 fewer commercial building projects, but the value of the projects is 46 percent more than the same period in 2006. Figures from the city and county Building Departments are a barometer of the local economy, but a couple of major projects, like expansions at Adena and Kenworth can skew the results. Below are the figures, with dollars in millions:

HONEYWELL BRINGING 100 JOBS TO AREA: Honeywell International is looking for about 100 people to help build and install the machines for USEC’s American Centrifuge Plant. The firm’s Oak Ridge, TN office advertised the positions recently on the chamber’s Job Bank for 20 each of operations technicians, quality assurance support technicians, material handlers and production supervisors. Applications are being taken via email. The company is handling rotor assembly, balancing and final machine assembly.

MEETING AT OU-C ON NUCLEAR INITIATIVE: A public meeting on Tuesday at 6 at Shoemaker Convocation Center at OU-C is to gather more comment on the Global Nuclear Energy Partnership proposed by President Bush. The Southern Ohio Nuclear Integration Cooperative (SONIC) is hosting the meeting to provide information on the potential recycling of spent nuclear fuel. The former uranium enrichment plant at Piketon is one of 11 sites nationally being analyzed for the plant. For more information, visit the website: SONIC.

HIRSCH’S GETS SOME NATIONAL BUZZ: Steve Hirsch of Hirsch’s Fruit Farm on Ohio 772 was front and center walking through one of the orchards with Anne Thompson on the national NBC evening news program Wednesday. NBC was doing a story about the extreme shortage of honeybees not only in Ohio, but in many states in the nation. The bees are vital to pollinating the flowering trees for them to bear fruit later in the season. The shortage is being blamed on “colony collapse disorder.”

SAFETY HONORS GO OUT THURSDAY: Carol Morrison from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation will be on hand at Thursday’s luncheon to recognize the members of the Ross County Safety Council which are being honored for their outstanding records in 2006. Receiving special awards will be the City of Chillicothe, Pickaway-Ross Career and Technology Center, Pike County government offices, Ross County Department of Job and Family Services and the YSK Corporation. Check to see if your company or organization is a winner: Safety awards. Reservations are still being accepted: Safety luncheon.

PEDIATRICIAN HONORED FOR DEVOTION TO CHILDREN: Dr. Stephen Fleischer was recognized this week for his compassionate service to children by the Ross County Department of Job and Family Services at its annual Blue Ribbon Breakfast. He was one of the first pediatricians in Chillicothe and championed the health of children for years. Other honorees were Major Jim and Joan Sayer of the Salvation Armey, Coletta Danneker of the Child Protection Center and Pam Allen. The breakfast was followed by the traditional pinwheel ceremony to honor the victims of child abuse.

MARKETING WORKSHOP SET FOR APRIL 30: Several organizations, including Oak Hill Banks, the OSU South Centers and the SBA, are joining to present a workshop on marketing especially for small businesses. You may attend one of the three sessions: April 30 in McArthur, June 12 in Winchester and July 9 in Rio Grande. More information is available from Connie Freeman at 740-286-3282 or by email at cfreeman@oakhillbanks.com.

HIGHWAY PLAN SURVEY ONLINE: If you haven’t given your opinion yet on how to improve traffic flow in Chillicothe and Ross County, it’s easy to do now by going to www.rossplanningandbuilding.com and completing the survey. Results will help in the updating of the county’s thoroughfare plan.

GOLF OUTING SET FOR DOGWOOD HILLS JUNE 21: Make sure to mark your calendars now for the chamber's Annual Golf Outing. We're planning it much earlier than in previous years when it was held in the fall. We're looking at a shotgun start at 9 on Thursday, June 21. More details will be available shortly.

NEWEST MEMBERS: Joining the chamber recently:

• Tecumseh Food Service which will handle concessions at the outdoor drama this season, 615 Emmitt Ave., Waverly, by Paul Adkins, 740-947-0033.
• The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 2225 Citygate Drive, Suite E, Columbus, by Danielle Ford, 614-476-7194.

BUILDING PERMITS: Here’s who’s received permits recently from the Chillicothe and Ross County Building Departments:

• Kingston IGA, Ohio 159, by Tracey Edwards, value $750,000.
• Carl’s Townhouse, 95 W. 2^nd St., fire protection, $1,825.
• Traditions of Chillicothe, 142 University Drive, fire protection, no value given.
• Neff & Neff, 774 N. High St., signs, $3,500.
• Landmark Properties, 48 Consumer Center Drive (Shawnee Square), signs, $850 and $5,600.

VENDORS LICENSES: Here’s who’s received licenses recently from the Ross County Auditor:

• Carl Burgin Jr., 337 S. Pohlman Road.
• Mystical Retreat Reiki Center, 107 W. Main St., Bainbridge.