Category: News

People lined the parade route June 11 for the Augusta Strawberry Festival parade which brought out 32 entries.Winners included:Heavy Duty Engine, 1,250 gallons per minute (GPM) and over: Hanover Twp. Fire Dept. (FD).Engines and mini pumpers (1,000 GPM and under): Bergholz FD.Tanker: Fox Twp. FD.Emergency medical unit or rescue unit: Carroll County Hazmat.Oldest Fire Truck: 1947 Dodge WJ-57, Craig and Stephanie Speedy.Four Wheel Drive (grass or brush fire type unit):

Bob Johnson lands first feature win after nine years in the driver’s seat By Leigh Ann Rutledge CCM Reporter May 15 was a special day for Bob Johnson. Johnson, of Harlem Springs, won the Mini Truck Class feature race at Midvale Speedway. His first feature win in a lengthy racing career. He began racing in the street stock class in 1994 and ran until 2002 with his dad, Bob; uncle,

By Carol McIntire Editor Ask John Slunt what he’s doing on any given day of the week and the reply you’ll likely get is, “Going fishing!” When Slunt, a Harlem Springs resident, is not on an area lake in his bass fishing boat, he’s likely on the water sailing one of his three sail boats. “I love the water and I love being outside,” Slunt enthusiastically stated during a recent

CCM Staff Report A Richmond man led law enforcement on a three-county chase last week before crashing a vehicle at the intersection of Miller Station Rd. and SR 646 in Harrison County June 3. The driver of the vehicle, 31-year-old Christopher Cutri of 5844 SR 152, Richmond, is facing charges of a third degree felony charge of Failure to Comply with the Order or Signal of a Police Officer in

Gold award boosts Air Force entry rank for Hailey Edie When Hailey Edie joined Girl Scouts in second grade, the 2021 Carrollton High School graduate had no idea how far the organization could take her, she was simply following in her mother’s footsteps. “Mom was a Girl Scout and she wanted me to join as well so, in second grade, I did,” Edie said during a phone interview last week,

Memorial Day weekend opening planned By Leigh Ann Rutledge Associate Editor The “Home of the Fighting McCooks” is opening Memorial Day weekend for the season under the guidance of a new manager. The Carroll County Historical Society (CCHS), which operates the McCook House Civil War Museum in Carrollton, appointed Kathy Horn as the manager. She replaces Shirley Anderson, who retired in December 2019. (Due to COVID-19, the McCook House was

Remembering the fallen Decorated Vietnam veteran Michael Maiorca is scheduled to speak during the Carrollton Memorial Day service May 31 at Westview Cemetery. Maiorca was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army when he graduated from Youngstown State University in 1968. The Carrollton resident attended officer training at Fort Benning, GA, and Jump School at Fort Sherman, Panama. He was then stationed at Fort Hood, TX, where he was

Gary D. Lee, Jr.’s prison sentence on child pornography convictions was reduced seven years during a resentencing hearing Monday in Carroll County Common Pleas Court. Lee, of Carrollton, was found guilty of two counts of pandering sexually oriented material involving a minor and two counts of pandering obscenity involving a minor by a county petit jury Jan. 27, 2020. Judge Michael V. Repella, II sentenced Lee to 10 years in

By Leigh Ann Rutledge CCM Reporter The murder case of Audrey Branch was bound over to the grand jury during a preliminary hearing in Carroll County Municipal Court May 12. Branch, 34, of 6344 Arbor Rd. NE, Mechanicstown, is charged with murder and felonious assault in connection with the shooting death of Matthew Michael Mott, 32, of the same address May 3. Branch, who appeared in court, was represented by

The Senior Friendship Center is celebrating Older Americans Month and planning the re-opening of the 100 Kensington Rd. NE facility. Director Tonya Myers said this year’s theme -Communities of Strength – is the perfect theme for the past year.  “We feel very blessed to live in a caring, giving, and supportive community,” she said “There have been ups and downs in the last year with the pandemic and we are pleased

By Carol McIntire, Editor Carrollton Exempted Village School District officials set the wheels in motion to open a new Pre-K through fifth grade school in 2024. Board of education members agreed to move two mills of “inside millage” to fund the district’s portion of the $21 million project and approved an agreement with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) that secures $8.5 million in state funding. The local share will

Seth, Julie Halfhill say God led them to open their home to foster children By Carol McIntire Editor Seth and Julie Halfhill are using the gifts God gave them to help others. As foster parents for Carroll County, the couple has opened the doors of their home to provide a temporary home for children who cannot safely remain with their primary families. For the young couple, the decision to foster

Bond set at $1 million for Audrey Jean Branch in shooting death of Matthew Mott By Carol McIntire, Editor A Mechanicstown man is dead and his girlfriend is in the Carroll County Jail, charged with his murder. Bond was set at $1 million cash for Audrey Jean Branch (who is also known as Audrey Cole), 34, of 6344 Arbor Rd. NE, Mechanicstown, during a video hearing this afternoon before Judge

John, Jeanine Moody say becoming Christians changed their lives By Carol McIntire Editor When a young soldier, who took a year of French in college, met a young French woman in 1950, it sparked a love story that has spanned 70 years. The young soldier, John Moody of Carrollton, and the young French woman, Jeanine Dulac of Chambersburg, PA., met when both attended an event at the officers’ club of

Carroll County Sheriff Dale R. Williams confirmed a fatal shooting occurred last night in the Mechanicstown area. The Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) is leading the investigation. Williams said no other details are being released due to notification of family members. Follow the Messenger for updates as they become available.

By Leigh Ann Rutledge CCM Reporter The Carroll County General Health District is going to change how they distribute COVID vaccinations. Kelly Engelhart, director of nursing, explained they are moving away from mass vaccinations to outreach and community based during the April 21 meeting. “We will be going to where people live, work and play,” she stated, even though it will be slower (way to vaccinate), but the steady way

CCM Staff Report Gary D. Lee will be resentenced via video conference from the Lorain Correctional Institute May 24 at 1:30 p.m. The resentencing hearing is a result of an appeal filed by Lee’s attorney, Aaron Kovalchik of North Canton, with the Seventh District Court of Appeals of Lee’s conviction in Carroll County Common Pleas Court Jan. 27, 2020, by a jury. The court reversed and vacated two convictions for

CCM Staff Report Arlen Allen Atkinson of 2101 Bellflower Rd., Malvern, was found incompetent to stand trial during a competency hearing April 12 in Common Pleas Court. Atkinson, 53, is charged with one count of Aggravated Murder, two counts of Murder, two counts of Aggravated Arson, two counts of Kidnapping and one count of Felonious Assault in connection with the Jan. 23 fire and death of his roommate, 58-year-old Scot