NEWARK MAN INDICTED

A Licking County grand jury has returned a four-count indictment against a 27-year-old Newark man accused of selling drugs.  Zachary Blankenship faces three counts of aggravated trafficking in meth and one count of aggravated trafficking in drugs.  Blankenship does have prior theft convictions.  He is being held at the Licking County Justice Center on $250,000 bond.

RIBBON CUTTING IN HEATH

Tuesday was an exciting day in Heath.

That's Behr Paint COO Phil Markes. Behr received a nearly 1.4%, seven-year tax credit for its new manufacturing and distribution facility in Heath's industrial corridor.

DRUG BUST

A Lancaster man faces charges following a drug bust in New Lexington. According to the Perry County Sheriff’s Office, Monday afternoon authorities conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was suspected of transporting illegal narcotics. Deputies searched the vehicle and found suspected meth and a loaded gun. Jason Kramer was arrested and is being held on drug and gun charges.

ROAD WORK

The Ohio Department of Transportation has announced that beginning Monday, May 6 the Interstate 70 eastbound off-ramp to Ohio 37 is scheduled to close for approximately 18 days for pavement replacement. The SR37 project is part of a larger I70 resurfacing project that is scheduled to be completed later this year.

HORRIBLE HUNDRED

The Humane Society of the United States is out with its annual Horrible Hundred which lists the problem 100 puppy breeders in the U.S. and Ohio checks in at No. 2 with 20 problem puppy mills. For the 12th year in a row, Missouri has the highest number with 23.

COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY

A new poll from Lumina Foundation-Gallup finds few Americans seem to understand the cost of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. Doctor Michele Taylor, president, College Now Greater Cleveland says its one thing to understand the cost.

During the 2021-22 academic year, the average cost of attendance ranged from $10,000 per year at public two-year institutions to more than $56,000 per year at private four-year nonprofit colleges.