SIDNEY — The list of cancellations continues as the COVID-19 pandemic grows.
• The Sidney City Council workshop session meeting that was scheduled for Monday, April 6, 2020, has been cancelled due to safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Sidney Recreation Board that was scheduled to meet Monday, April 6, 2020, has been cancelled due to safety concerns amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The Sidney City Schools Hall of Honor induction ceremony slated for Friday, April 17, 2020 will be postponed. To be inducted are U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson (SHS 1988), Eric Harlamert (SHS 1976), Erin Johnson (SHS 2000, co-valedictorian), and the late Rob Joslin (SHS 1971). Further details about a rescheduled event will be released at a later date.
• The annual city of Sidney spring mulch giveaways have been cancelled.
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Gary Clough said the spring mulch giveaways, originally scheduled for April 25, May 2, and May 9, 2020, have been cancelled. Reduced staffing levels and minimum inventory levels at the city’s compost facility have necessitated the cancellation. “We definitely don’t have as much material as we typically do at the facility, so we’re cancelling the spring event, but will plan to hold the annual fall event again this year,” Clough said.
• Spring hydrant flushing in the city of Sidney has been postponed until further notice.
Assistant City Manager/Public Works Director Gary Clough said, “City-wide hydrant flushing for the spring was scheduled to begin Monday, April 20, 2020, but we have decided to postpone the work until further notice. We may only do one round of hydrant flushing this year instead of two depending on when we can safely return to full staffing levels.”
Clough continued, “This type of work requires two city staff members to be in close proximity of each other to complete the work. The distance is well below the social distancing guidelines of six or more feet currently ordered by the Ohio Department of Health. We are also at minimum staffing at this time and they are responding to emergencies and line locates only. So for the health and safety of our employees, we have postponed this work for now.”
For additional information about how the COVID-19 pandemic as it pertains to city operations, please visit the city’s COVID-19 update website at www.sidneyoh.com/465/COVID-19-Update.
• Honda announced Thursday it has extended the production suspension for all of its automobile, engine and transmission plants in the United States and Canada through April 10.
Honda began its automotive production suspension on March 23, including at the Anna Engine Plant, in response to the continued steep decline in market demand across the automotive industry due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economy.
• In light of the recent emerging health crisis, The Edison Foundation at Edison State Community College looks to provide a sense of certainty among students through scholarship support.
Accommodating Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Stay-at-Home Order, The Edison Foundation has cancelled their fourth annual Girls’ Night Out—Little Black Dress event, which provides scholarships to local female students.
“While we have a lot of fun with this event, the focus on women’s education is very purposeful: supporting women through full-ride scholarships at Edison State,” said Rick Hanes, Executive Director of The Edison Foundation.
Recipients of the scholarship are selected annually based upon their academic achievement and extracurricular activity. In 2018, the scholarship was awarded to Andie Emerick, and in 2019, the scholarship was awarded to Teresa Hess. Both of whom are in their final year of education at Edison State.
Emerick and Hess, along with other Edison State students, have had to readily adapt to the distance learning model that has been presented to them during this health crisis while enduring disruption to their normal career and home lives.
“Based on the current economic climate, the Little Black Dress scholarship will possibly be needed more now than in any previous years. It would be great to continue this newly formed scholarship tradition for next year through donations made specifically for Little Black Dress scholarships,” added Hanes.
Unity National Bank is leading the way in continuing to back the event by converting its premier sponsorship into a direct scholarship donation of $1,000 to go towards the 2020 Girls Night Out–Little Black Dress event.
While the event is no longer happening, its mission will remain––to provide a sense of monetary security to students in pursuit of higher education and improved well-being––perhaps at a time when it’s most needed.
The Edison Foundation plans to revive the event in 2021. “We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone involved with the event, including, guests, volunteers, and sponsors. We look forward to hosting Girls Night Out–Little Black Dress in 2021, which will carry over the ‘Dressed for the Derby’ theme,” added Hanes.
For more information or to donate to the Little Black Dress scholarship fund, visit www.edisonohio.edu/lbd.
• In accordance with Ohio’s Stay at Home order, Shelby County Master Gardeners and Amos Memorial Library are canceling the April 21 gardening seminar, “Ready, Set, Grow.” The status of future programs in the series will be determined as conditions warrant.
In accordance with Ohio State University policy, the OSU Extension office remains closed with staff working from home. Shelby County Master Gardeners are still able to provide home gardeners with research-based horticultural information. Requests for information, including plant and insect identification, should be emailed to [email protected].
• The Shelby County Animal Shelter’s “Cans for Canines & Felines” fundraiser set for Saturday, April 18 has been cancelled.
• The Piqua Public Library will continue to remain closed through May 2 and all programs scheduled have been cancelled. Late fees will not be charged while the library is closed and resources are still available online by visiting piqualibrary.org.
