Withrow chosen for council seat
Jun. 11—SOUTH POINT — The filling of a vacant seat led off business at the meeting of the village council in South Point last week, but, due to issues of residency requirements with the person chosen, the seat will remain vacant until the August meeting of council.
Marlene Arthur, who served on council for three decades, died April 29 at age 87.
According to Ohio Revised Code, the council has 30 days to name someone to fill the seat or the duty falls to the mayor to appoint someone to the seat.
As the May meeting of council took place only a few days after Arthur's death, the mayor and council agreed to deal with the matter at their June meeting, which took place on June 3.
Three applicants expressed interest in the seat: Eric Rawlins, Charlie Withrow and Sandy Daniel.
However, prior to the meeting, Rawlins withdrew his name from consideration.
In the days preceding the meeting, Mayor Jeff Gaskin said discussions with council had resulted in a 2-2 tie between Withrow and Daniel and no consensus had been achieved. He said he was prepared to appoint Daniel to the position.
However, at the start of the meeting, it was announced by members that council member Chuck Austin would be voting, along with Mary Cogan and Brad Adkins, for Withrow.
Cogan said council members had been contacted by Lawrence County Commissioner Colton Copley, who is Arthur's grandson, and he had expressed strong opposition to Daniel filling Arthur's seat.
Gaskin then called for a vote on the matter, stating he would appoint the council's choice.
Cogan, Arthur and Austin voted for Withrow, while members David Classing and Rocky McCoy voted for Daniel.
Each member simply stated the name of their choice, except Adkins, who, in voting for Withrow, added the remark, "He has business experience. He's not anti-business."
This prompted a response from one of Daniel's supporters, who said, "She is not anti-business."
"That's not what the yard sign said," Adkins responded, before Gaskin cut him off and called for order, as Daniel and her sister left the meeting.
Following this, Gaskin went to his office to get a Bible and proceeded to administer the oath of office to Withrow.
However, following the meeting, complications with the seat arose, as it was discovered that Withrow does no meet the residency requirements for the seat.
"He will on Aug. 1," Gaskin told The Tribune on Monday, stating that a one-year residency is required.
Gaskin said the code says the mayor "shall appoint" in the case of a vacancy, according to ORC. "But it doesn't say when."
Gaskin said he intends to wait until the council's meeting in August, which will fall on the fifth of that month, to officially appoint Withrow. The seat will remain vacant for the council's July meeting.
"It was the council's choice," he said.
Gaskin pointed out that Arthur's seat was on the ballot this November, and her term expires at the end of the year.
"So it's only six months left," he said.
He said candidates, including Withrow, should he choose to run, have until Aug. 6 to file petitions for the board of election for the November election.
In other business at the June 3 meeting, the council:
—Heard from several residents, led by Michael Chapman, who sought for the village to vacate an alley behind their homes on Mulberry Street.
Chapman stated the alley is grassy and graveled and that he and other residents maintain it.
"The property is not being used," he said. "And it hasn't in years."
Gaskin asked Chapman what he planned for the property and he said he hoped to extend his garage into his portion. He said the residents would split the alley between them.
He said they were able to get signatures from five of the six property owners in favor of the village vacating the alley.
The group was advised they would need to come back and present a request with six signatures for the council to consider a vacation.
—Heard from Jeremy Clay, of Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation, who gave an update on projects at The Point industrial park.
Clay's visit, previously scheduled, came days after it was announced that health food company Azure plans to open a facility in South Point, bringing 150 jobs with it. The facility is expected to open in July 2026.
"And they are bringing no one with them," Clay said of the jobs at the new location. "They will be hiring top to bottom. This is a big win for the community."
—Heard from Linda Main, of People for the Point, who reminded the room that the nonprofit's Party in the Park will take place July 5 at the village park, with fireworks set for 10 p.m.
—Voted to repeal an ordinance, passed earlier this year, in which public employees would pay 10 percent of their benefits. This reverted to the previous setup, in which the village paid 100 percent of benefits.
—Heard from Gaskin, who said the village is receiving $200,000 from the Ohio General Assembly in its capital projects legislation, to build an outdoor amphitheater. Gaskin said the structure, which be approximately 50 feet long, would be used for concerts and showing movies.
—Authorized Gaskin to request a grant from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for improvements on the village's riverfront. The village received $1.2 million last year from the General Assembly in funds Gov. Mike DeWine set aside for the state's Appalachian counties. The funds Gaskin is seeking would be used for that project.
—Heard from fire chief Mark Goodall, who said the village's new fire truck, a 2025 model, was brought to Lawrence County and made an appearance in the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade, before being returned to the manufacturer for additional work and completion.
You Might Like
News
Area students named to OU's Spring 2025 President's List
News
DeWine, mental health leaders unveil 988 license plate
News
Concert series returns Tuesday night
News
DeWine announces Ohio Missing Persons Working Group recommendations
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
4 days ago
- USA Today
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus singer blasts Donald Trump supporters: 'Don't come to my shows'
Red Jumpsuit Apparatus singer blasts Donald Trump supporters: 'Don't come to my shows' President Donald Trump may have won the popular vote, but he doesn't have a fan in The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. The alternative rock band's lead singer, Ronnie Winter, spoke out against supporters of the controversial president in a fiery video shared on his Instagram page. "If you're Christian and you're watching this and you voted for Donald Trump, shame on you," Winter, a self-identified Christian, said in the June 14 post. "You are not allowed to come to my shows. I don't want you there. Don't come to my shows." Winter's comments come as several celebrities have criticized the Trump administration amid sweeping deportation efforts targeting undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. Stars react to ICE sweeps in LA: Jimmy Kimmel slams Trump, calls him 'arsonist with a hose' "Don't come to my shows because you're going to hear a lot of propaganda, and you're going to hear like the actual words of Jesus," Winter, 42, continued. "You're going to see a lot of acceptance from all areas of life and races, and you're just going to see a lot of harmony, OK? That's not what you're about, OK? Don't come. Refunds are available. Forever, don't come." Winter doubled down on his politically charged stance in a follow-up Instagram post on June 18. The post included a quote from fellow rock singer and Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, which read, "If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of a different color, or women, please do this one favor for us. … Don't come to our shows and don't buy our records." "Voting for Trump doesn't make you a bad person," Winter wrote. "Who are you to judge when you directly go against the moral framework that you follow listed in the Bible? I say this (with) love (and) as a Christian; stop attempting to ostracize those you disagree with. "We are stronger together than separate. Let music bring people together (and) set aside their differences. Wishing you the best." 10 bingeable memoirs to check out: Celebrities tell all about aging, marriage and Beyoncé Winter has served as lead vocalist for The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus since its 2003 inception. The emo rock group is best known for its 2006 hit "Face Down," which peaked at No. 3 on Billboard's Modern Rock Tracks chart and No. 24 on the Hot 100.
UPI
4 days ago
- UPI
Senate committee grills Hegseth on protests and the Middle East
1 of 3 | Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth denied ordering troops to shoot Los Angeles protesters during a Senate Armed Services Committee budget hearing at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo June 18 (UPI) -- Some members of the Senate Armed Forces Committee and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparred over Los Angeles troop deployments and the Israel-Iran war during a hearing on Wednesday morning. Hegseth appeared before the committee to answer questions about the proposed $961.6 billion Fiscal Year 2026 defense budget, but the questioning quickly turned to current events. Sen. Elise Slotkin, D-Mich., said Hegseth deployed 4,700 military personnel to Los Angeles and asked if he had "authorized uniformed military to detain or arrest protesters" there. "You're not a protester if you are throwing concrete at law enforcement officers," Hegseth responded. Slotkin agreed "100%," and said, "Throw them in jail," before adding, "What you're doing is something different." She again asked if Hegseth gave an order for 4,000 National Guardsmen and 700 Marines to "detain or arrest" protesters in Los Angeles. Hegseth said his orders to the troops in Los Angeles are a matter of public record and they are there to protect law enforcement and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents while they try to do their jobs. "If necessary, in their own self-defense, they could temporarily detain or hand over to ICE, but there's no arresting going on," Hegseth said. "You know this better than anyone," he told Slotkin and accused her of "playing political games." Slotkin also asked Hegseth if he had "given the order ... to be able to shoot at unarmed protesters in any way." Hegseth asked what basis Slotkin had to ask the question and what evidence she had to suggest such an order ever had been given. Slotkin cited a book written by former Defense Secretary Mark Esper in which Esper said he rejected a similar order by President Donald Trump in 2020. "Senator, I'd be careful what you read in books and believing it, except the Bible," Hegseth responded. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., chastised Hegseth for the troop deployments in Los Angeles and for discussing pending military strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen in Signal chats. "I wonder when you will actually focus on our nation's warfighting mission," Duckworth said. "We know that California is just a deliberate, systematic, political and dangerous campaign led by you." When Duckworth asked if Hegseth plans to remove troops from Los Angeles, he said he will respect a federal appellate court's decision allowing the deployments and not a district court judge's decision against them. Democratic Party Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire asked Hegseth if Trump had ordered him to create options for military strikes in the Middle East. Hegseth declined to answer Shaheen's question. "If I had or had not, I wouldn't disclose that in this forum, senator," Hegseth told Shaheen. Hegseth and Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., also exchanged barbs as the senator asked if he would fire a staffer who is accused of making anti-Semitic comments. Rosen cited comments attributed to Defense Department press secretary Kingsley Wilson. "Since I don't believe the characterization of many officials in the news media, I would need to see precisely what's being characterized," Hegseth responded. Hegseth said Wilson "does a fantastic job" and accused Rosen of engaging in hyperbole. Rosen then accused Hegseth of not being "serious" about "rooting out [and] fighting anti-Semitism within the ranks of the Department of Defense."
4 days ago
Hegseth spars with Democratic senators during congressional hearing
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth sparred with some Democratic senators as he was grilled at a congressional hearing Wednesday about the Trump administration's latest military actions. The former Fox News host, who faced a contentious confirmation hearing, got into a heated exchange before the Senate Armed Services Committee with Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who questioned him over the military's authority to arrest and detain protesters. "It's sort of amusing the extent to which the speculation is out there," Hegseth said. "So what is the order? Then list it out for us. List it out for us. Be a man. Did you authorize them to detain or arrest?" Slotkin, a former CIA analyst who served in Iraq, said. The senator questioned Hegseth about the possibility of an order given for the military to use lethal force against protesters. "I'm just asking the question. Don't laugh," Slotkin said after Hegseth brushed off the question. "What is that based on?" Hegseth responded. "What evidence do you have that that order has ever been given?" Slotkin responded that his predecessor, Mark Esper, didn't accept such an order during the first administration. "He had more guts and balls than you because he said, I'm not going to send in a uniformed military to do something that I know in my gut isn't right … You're pooh-poohing this," the senator said. Hegseth testified that there was "zero indication that an order was given to shoot protesters and that has not happened." But when she asked whether troops could use force against unarmed civilians, Hegseth wouldn't say. "I'd be careful what you read in books and believing it. Except for the Bible," he said. Hegseth responded similarly when questioned by Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Ariz, earlier in the hearing. Rosen asked about the firings of several top national security officials, including the director of the National Security Agency, Gen. Timothy Haugh, that were allegedly done at the request of far-right social media influencer Laura Loomer. "She's been denounced even by Republicans, and the idea is that any leaders within our agency responsible for our nation's security, somebody would be dismissed based on the advice of a social media influencer," Rosen said. Hegseth reiterated that the panel should not be "believing everything you read in the media." "I don't discuss who I talk about anything with, but ultimately, this is my decision and he serves at the pleasure of the president and that's why he's no longer there," he said. "Do you believe it's appropriate for social media to influence personnel decisions in your department, yes or no?" Rosen asked. Time then expired. The chairman left a moment for Hegseth to answer the question, as witnesses often do after a lawmaker has asked their final question. Hegseth took a beat, and said, "I believe your time is up." Rosen pushed back. "Oh, it is not up to you to tell me when my time is up. I am going to say, Mr. Secretary, you're either feckless or complicit. You're not in control of your department," she replied. "You [are] unserious. ... I yield back and I don't appreciate the smirk, sir. You are the secretary of defense."
