jpatterson@mariettatimes.com The arraignment of Steven Andrew Osborne, left, 19, of 529 Federal Road, Little Hocking, for attempted murder, felonious assault, tampering with evidence, and having weapons under disability, was facilitated via teleconference Friday between Washington County Common Pleas Court and the Washington County Jail. Also pictured: Judge Mark Kerenyi presiding and attorneys for the prosecution and defense seated at opposing tables in front of a gallery including relations to Osborne.
What’s next:
¯ Osborne would next be scheduled for a competency evaluation to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.
¯ Following such an evaluation a competency hearing would enter that evaluation into the record of the case.
¯ Regular business meeting of the board of commissioners, 9 a.m. Thursday, 1115 Gilman Ave.
Source: Washington County Commission Clerk.
A special prosecutor may soon be appointed to handle misdemeanor animal cruelty and neglect cases.
Washington County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kelly McGilton and board members of the Humane Society of the Ohio Valley met with Washington County Commissioners after their regular business meeting Thursday morning.
McGilton said there has been conversations about possibly appointing Jeff Holland of Medina County as the special prosecutor to help push cases forward.
“They are specialized and there’s a lot that goes into them,” she explained. “We always would appreciate someone who is an expert in the field.”
mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com
Photo by Michele Newbanks
Washington County Commissioner Charlie Schilling struggles to lock the window after Jamie Vuksic, social services director with the Washington County Department of Job and Family Services, pushes the window into place Thursday afternoon at 204 Davis Ave.
The Washington County Board of Commissioners tabled several agenda items Thursday, including two engineer contracts for renovations at 202 and 204 Davis Ave.
The two Davis Avenue properties currently house the OSU Extension office, Washington County Children Services, the Washington County Board of Elections and the Washington County Emergency Management Association.
At the start of the meeting, Commission Clerk Ben Cowdery said a resolution to issue around $500,000 in bonds for the Washington County Department of Job and Family Services facility renovations would be taken off the agenda.
jpatterson@mariettatimes.com
A 24-year-old Fleming man was recently sentenced on a 2018 assault of a Marietta peace officer charge.
Quinton Hart was scheduled to appear for a change of plea and sentencing hearing in Washington County Common Pleas Judge John Halliday’s courtroom today, but Halliday’s bailiff confirmed Monday that’s no longer necessary.
“He already (pleaded) and was sentenced,” explained Renee Marshall.
Hart was initially indicted during the backlog sweeps in the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Coil in 2019.
Hart was indicted on one count of assault on a peace officer, a fourth-degree felony. The indictment stems from an arrest in October 2018 when Hart assaulted an officer of the Marietta Police Department.
mnewbanks@mariettatimes.com
The Washington County Board of Commissioners voted to purchase monitors for 19 lift stations in the county.
Commission President Kevin Ritter said the monitors are part of a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system.
“It’s a high-tech diagnostic tool that enables us to diagnose problems more cost effectively,” he said.
The SCADA will monitor the water flow through the sewer system’s 10 sites to make sure there are no issues.
Ritter added the $66,500 cost of the upgrade will not be taken out of the sewer fund, but from the capital improvements fund.
“This is not going to cost sewer customers directly,” he explained.