Chopper flight spurs call to police. How common are overtime lawsuits like one filed against Honda? And the 2025 Master Gardeners Tour is Sunday!
Give us a few moments and we'll serve up what matters in Marysville on Saturday, July 12, 2025
In this edition, sponsored by the Union County Foundation:
We officially have a two-person race for Union County's seat in the Ohio House
Texas floods provide a good reminder to be weather aware—even here in Union County
Northwestern Fire District has been creative in sourcing fire protection
The 2025 Master Gardener Tour is Sunday!
And the airport breaks ground on the T-hangar project
But first, a word from today's sponsor
Attention bicyclists! The 11th Annual Covered Bridge Tour is coming up!
The Union County Foundation invites you to the 11th Annual Covered Bridge Tour on August 30.
Enjoy the low-traffic, gently rolling roads of Union County on the way to historic covered bridges. Four different routes are available.
All routes include sections of the Big Darby Plains Scenic Byway, featuring historic covered bridges, century farms, cemeteries, homes of interest, and access to Big Darby Creek!
Routes range from a 20-mile ride to a 70-mile ride, tailored to the rider’s ability.
Registration is open for this year's ride. Click here for more details!
Helicopter spurs resident call to police
Above: Courtesy of Jason Axe, posted on NextDoor
Marysville Police received a call regarding a potential aircraft crash on Thursday afternoon on SR 4.
But there was no crash, according to Chief Tony Brooks.
Residents should be aware that a helicopter is working in the county to repair high-tension electrical lines across the area.
Note: You couldn't pay me to do that job! 😅
Davis officially enters race to replace Tracy Richardson
Jerome Township Trustee Wezlynn Davis made it official this week, announcing her candidacy to replace State Representative Tracy Richardson at the State House in Columbus next year. She issued a press release to make it official on Thursday.
Richardson is term limited.
Davis will face a primary election race with newcomer Ben Weber, who announced his candidacy for the seat last week. She ran in the last cycle and lost to Richardson.
Drawing on her experience as a Jerome Township Trustee, Davis highlights her record of leadership in one of Ohio's fastest-growing communities.
"From my seat on the Jerome Township Board—a booming, high-income community—I’ve led one of the fastest-growing areas in our state with conservative, common-sense results," she said. "I’ve balanced budgets, fought overdevelopment, and defended homeowners from being crushed by rising property taxes. I’ve done it all while raising a family, running and building multiple businesses with my husband Eddie."
Her platform:
Eliminate Ohio's income tax: "Families and small businesses deserve to keep more of what they earn."
Property tax relief: "The system is broken. Growth must pay for growth, not the families who’ve lived and invested in these communities for decades."
Border security: She highlights Ohio's status as a border state due to the influx of drugs and human trafficking.
Mr. Weber positions himself as a constitutional conservative who is "running to fight back against radical government overreach, protect our traditional values, and champion small-town prosperity and pro-America policies that put Ohio First."
It's yet to be seen if any other candidates will throw their hats in the ring for the plum assignment on Capitol Square to represent Union County and part of Marion County.
Texas floods are a stark reminder of weather awareness
If there is one common thread in the discussions many of us have had this week, it is the tragic flooding in Texas.
It's a reminder to be prepared and aware of weather threats.
Union County has been subject to multiple tornadoes over the past few years, the most damaging being the storm that ripped through Indian Lake and damaged properties across the central part of our county as a weakening storm.
Union County Emergency Management Agency Director Brad Gilbert says our local public safety agencies collaborate when it comes to communicating weather threats to the community.
"Our office receives advance weather information from the National Weather Service Wilmington Office when forecasts show the potential for severe weather (Snow, Ice, wind, flooding). We then share that information with all of our partners in the county via email."
He notes that severe weather can happen without notice, but when information is available, they do their best to share it with other agencies.
Remembering severe weather can happen with limited notice, or not be forecast, and therefore, advance weather information may not be available.
Ohio isn't immune to events like the floods in Texas.
"Flash Flooding can happen at any time when an isolated area receives a high volume of rain in a short period of time," Mr. Gilbert said. "Union County saw many roads have flash flooding on April 5th this year. The floods of 1997 saw many parts of the County have severe flooding in areas that may not normally see that amount of water."
He encourages residents to have multiple ways to be weather aware, including:
Nixle 360 is a free opt-in system to get weather notifications specific to your area for severe weather. Visit this website to register.
Union County Sheriff’s Office mobile app provides weather alerts
NOAA Weather Radio is also an option.
He advises caution when using social media for weather alerts.
"Be sure it is a trusted source, such as an official agency. Remember this source should not be relied upon for quick, real-time information."
Local TV and radio, as well as free mobile apps, are also available.
How common are lawsuits like the overtime class action filed against Honda?
Honda is the target of a class action lawsuit accusing the company of failing to pay non-exempt employees for overtime.
Plaintiff attorneys commonly receive up to a third of settlement payouts
The suit was filed by attorneys for Joab Scott late last month in US District Court, Southern District.
Scott, a Honda line associate at the Marysville plant, states he is paid $35.00 per hour for 40 hours a week.
He claims Honda owes him and others money for the 30 minutes before and after his shift, claiming it takes that time to suit up to be ready to begin work at the start of a shift. It's time, Scott alleges he should be compensated with overtime pay.
The suit is seeking 6% of unpaid overtime wages and damages.
I've reached out to Honda offering the opportunity to comment on the case. They declined on Friday, stating they do not comment on pending litigation.
How common are overtime suits?
Mr. Scott is represented by the Lazzarro Law Firm, based in Cleveland. According to it’s website, the firm is a plaintiff outfit that specializes in filing cases like this against big corporations.
Overtime class action suits are filed quite frequently. For instance, Walmart settled an overtime case for more than $600 million in litigation unrelated to the Honda case.
Plaintiff attorneys commonly receive up to a third of settlement payouts, underscoring the financial incentive—and lucrative opportunity—to shop for plaintiffs and file against companies with deep pockets.
The rules surrounding overtime pay can be complex. The US Department of Labor has reported a significant increase in FLSA lawsuits.
The litigious end game?
The Lazzaro Law Firm web site boasts two dozen cases, most, if not all, of which never made it to trial, but resulted in settlements:
"In the fifteen years after founding the firm, Mr. Lazzaro filed approximately 20% of all of the privately-filed Fair Labor Standards Act cases brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio. Mr. Lazzaro currently files cases nationwide."
Corporate targets often find it cheaper to settle than engage in drawn out, costly litigation.
Northwestern Fire District is creatively managing resources
When word came out earlier this week that the USDA was granting a $4 million low-interest loan to expand the Leesburg Fire Department, it was an example of creative management of resources.
The USDA loan allows for the expansion without raising taxes on residents.
"They never really built it for people to spend 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in it," NW Fire Chief Dave Hawkins told me. "When Leesburg merged with Northwestern, we ended up basically taking an office and a storage room and converting it into a bunk room."
He said they've made do, and that Leesburg Township provided a nice building, but a full-time department wasn't in the cards in 2007.
The USDA loan allows for the expansion without raising taxes on residents.
"We are just spreading the payments out over 20 or 30 years," Chief Hawkins said.
The loan application has been in the works for more than a year.
The District is also creatively acquiring new equipment. It recently approved the purchase of a new fire truck in May.
"It was a demonstrator, so the pricing was based on 2024 prices," he said.
The truck was purchased for $795,000.
"If I tried to buy that truck this year, it would have been $1.1 million, and we wouldn't be able to get it in three years."
The new truck is being prepped for service. Hawkins expects it to be available for runs in the next month or so.
As for the planned expansion of the Leesburg station?
"We're not trying to build a Taj Mahal here. We're trying to build a building that will serve our needs for the next 30 years."
Woman arrested for Walmart robbery
A 50-year-old Marysville woman was arrested by police following an incident at Walmart on Thursday evening around 8 p.m.
Shedla Wiley is facing a first-degree felony charge of robbery.
Wiley was arrested for Robbery. Due to medical issues, Ms. Wiley was admitted to Memorial Health.
She was advised that her charge will be sent for indictment.
The 2025 Tour of Gardens is on Sunday
The Master Gardeners of Union County present the 2025 Tour of Gardens on Sunday from 12 to 5 p.m.
Suggested donations of $10 are requested, by cash or check only, and will benefit Marysville Food Pantry.
The Tour will feature eight beautifully landscaped public and private gardens in the Marysville area, including a full-service garden center.
Visitors will experience a variety of flowers, plants, herbs, and vegetables. The tour also includes memory and fairy gardens, and demonstration gardens at the Union County Ag Center.
Tickets will be available the day of the tour at the Agriculture Center, 18000 SR 4 in Marysville, and on the 14000 block of Buxton Meadows.
Airport breaks ground for new hangar project
Above: Board members (left to right) Ken Denman, Philip LaPointe, John Popio, Carrie Godfrey (treasurer), County Commissioner Tom McCarthy, Steve Koenig, Bruce Rausch, and Shaun Bailey
The Union County Airport recently broke ground for a new hangar project.
"The $1.9 million T-hangar was funded by FAA grants and Airport funds. The project should be completed by October and is already full. The project is the first new build at the airport since 2009," according to Steve Koenig, the president of the Union County Airport Authority.
Koenig said they are also celebrating the acquisition of FAA certification of the airport’s grass runway updates.
"$500,000 in funding was provided by an ODOT-Aviation grant. The grass runway is used extensively by tailwheel airplanes and to permit pilots to relive the barnstorming era."
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Thanks again to our sponsor, the Union County Foundation!
Have a great weekend, y'all!
-Joe C.