Kathy Szelagiewicz "My goal is just to give the kids their gifts and make sure everybody's happy [on] Christmas morning," stated Kathy Szelagiewicz, Coordinator of the Clinton County HoHo Shop, located at 2483 State Route 22 and 3. The HoHo shop, named after a founding volunteer's granddaughter who couldn't say 'Christmas,' provides coats, clothes, and toys to Clinton County children in need. Parents can apply for gifts in early October through the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. According to Kathy, the HoHo Shop will sponsor almost 500 local children in need this Christmas, including children in kinship care. While children up to age fifteen can receive gifts, the HoHo Shop does not refuse gift requests from parents or guardians of older teenagers or adults with special needs. To include parents in the process, the HoHo Shop offers wrapping supplies at gift pickup. Kathy shared that the shop does not deliver gifts, but noted a story of a Christmas crisis, where she recruited the local sheriff to deliver gifts on Christmas to save a family in need. The HoHo Shop is affiliated under the Clinton County Foundation's 501(c)(3) and located at a former communication center for R&L, who also covers their rent and utility costs. Kathy shared that when DHL left Wilmington in 2008, the HoHo Shop was overwhelmed with requests from 1,200 local children needing Christmas gifts until R&L stepped in at the last minute with a $15,000 check and said, "Here, go shopping." The HoHo Shop also receives Christmas gift donations from local churches, Shoe Sensation, Wilmington Auto Center, and the Fraternal Order of the Eagles. Kathy also shared that each year, a local woman donates "cases of coats," and a local man donates roughly 100 hats he hand-knits year-round. To learn more about the Clinton County HoHo Shop, call (937) 383-4646.

Wilmington, OHIO—The Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the holiday season with the return of its $25 Days of Christmas campaign, offering $2,000 in cash prizes and over 40 gifts to local shoppers. Now, in its 17th year, the initiative encourages residents to shop locally while rewarding them for supporting Clinton County businesses. The promotion is part of the Chamber’s 'Local First Clinton County' initiative. “This campaign is one of our favorite ways to give back to the community and highlight the incredible variety of local businesses we have,” said Dessie Rogers, Executive Director of the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce. “Shopping local keeps dollars in our community and helps make this season brighter for everyone.” The promotion kicks off on Black Friday, November 28, 2025, and runs through December 19. Shoppers earn one entry for every $25 spent at participating businesses, with a maximum of four entries per visit. Prizes include five $100 cash awards, two $250 prizes, two $500 prizes, and a variety of gifts donated by local businesses and organizations. Some of the gifts include gift cards to local businesses, books, ice cream, gift baskets, floral arrangements, bike helmets, and more. Additionally, the Local First Clinton County "elves" will surprise random shoppers with cash prizes during the three-week event. Live updates and the weekly cash drawings will be made on the Local First Clinton County Facebook page (Facebook.com/localfirstcc). Some of the participating businesses include: Aging Up Center, Alma's Attic, BDK Feed & Supply, Beauty Bar Salon, CMH Gift Shop, Habitat for Humanity Clinton County Restore, Kava Haus, Lumberton General Store, News Journal, Papsy's Place, Quali-Tee Design, Rome Jewelers, Sams Meats, Seven Hills Pet Clinic- Blanchester, Shoe Sensation, Trail Haus, Sugartree Mill Co., Swindler & Sons, Banned Book Nook, Mini Mercantile, Trail Haus, Wheelies on Mulberry, and more. The complete list of the 38 participating businesses, prizes, and contest details is available at wccchamber.com/25-days-of-christmas.

Clinton County Homeless Shelter & One Mission As the holiday season approaches, many people in our community find themselves in need of support, while others are in a position to want to give. Below are 12 ways to give and receive help this holiday season: 1. Animal Care PAWS Humane Society, at 5312 N US Hwy 68, offers free spay and neuter clinics. Donate pet supplies or volunteer. Visit pawshumane.weebly.com. 2. Child Care Clinton County Youth Council, at 302 W Sugartree Street, offers afterschool care for middle school students. Donate Aldi and Kroger gift cards, or bicycles. Call (937) 382-2828 . 3. Christmas Gifts Clinton County HoHo Shop, at 2483 State Route 22 & 3, provides gifts for children in Clinton County. Donate gifts by calling (937) 383-4646. 4. Christmas Meals Compassion Wilmington, at 627 S Nelson Avenue, will provide Christmas meals from 10am to 12pm on December 13. Visit wilcog.com for information. 5. Clothing Compassion Wilmington, at 627 S Nelson Avenue, is a low cost thrift store. To donate funds, go to compassionwilmington.org. 6. Domestic Abuse Alternatives to Violence, at 37 W Main Street, provides 24/7 domestic violence and crisis intervention. Donate care items. Call (937) 383-3285. 7. Emergency Meals Sugartree Ministries, at 180 E Main Street, serves six hot meals per week. Volunteer to provide or serve a meal. Visit sugartreeministries.com. 8. Furniture Clinton County Homeless Shelter, at 36 Gallup Avenue, offers free furniture. Donate used home goods. Visit clintoncountyhomelessshelter.org. 9. Interview & Work Items OhioMeansJobs Clinton County, at 1025 S South Street, provides work or interview clothing, supplies, and study guides. To receive or donate items, call (937) 382-7762 or email omjclinton@wsu-inc.org 10. Overdose & Recovery Hopeline offers help with substance-use recovery. Donate snacks, self-care items, and toiletries. Call (513) 477-6694. 11. Utilities Community Action, at 789 N Nelson Avenue, offers assistance on energy bills. Visit energyhelp.ohio.gov. 12. Women's Shelter Hope House, at 495 E Locust Street, offers shelter from 8pm to 8am. Volunteer as a hostess or donate by visiting hopehouse45177.org. For more information, categories, and resources, visit realchangewilmington.com and click on the "resources" tab.

Bruce Saunders & Jim Blair “I’m prejudiced to a city manager… I think it’s by far the best way,” stated Jim Blair (R), Washington Court House (WCH) Councilman, at the Wilmington Charter Public Meeting held at the Murphy Theatre on November 11, 2025. Blair, a two-term councilman and Air Force Veteran, spoke about WCH's Charter and gave insight into Wilmington's Charter discussions. Blair focused on the importance of the Charter setup, stating, "[The] setup is so critical. It's so important to have an eclectic group of people on the Charter Commission, and to ensure a timely method of having a charter review takes place regularly." He also emphasized the need for a master plan for the city and transparency. During the meeting, Blair stated, "Educate your citizens as much as possible about your desire to become a Charter City. They should see the benefits of self-rule, rather than depending on state regulations to govern them." He shared that WCH's Charter was signed by “pretty much [a] fifty-fifty” mixture of Republicans and Democrats. Blair also addressed rumors that WCH was considering a return to a mayor-led form of government. He stated, "There's no concerted, organized effort to get a mayor." Blair defended their current form, stating, “To me, the advantage [of] the city manager... is you don't have to worry about a mayor every four years… I think it would break up the continuity that there is with the city manager." Bruce Saunders, Chairman of the Clinton County Trails Coalition and Recreation Representative on the Charter Steering Committee, stated, “That’s the problem with [Wilmington’s] form of government. When you get a new mayor, he hires all his people, and they have to learn the jobs anew, and that can happen up to every four years, so you don’t have any long-term city plan to follow, but you keep changing everybody in the administration.” Residents also participated in workshops, discussing Wilmington’s potential charter. They discussed term length, term limits, elections, partisanship, and more. To learn more or watch previous meetings, visit wilmingtoncharter.com.

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On November 25, 2025, Wilmington City Council held a special meeting at 6pm to discuss a proposed 471-acre Amazon Web Services (AWS) data center, located at 1488 South US Route 68. The meeting began with a presentation from Alex Beres, Executive Director of the Clinton County Port Authority (CCPA), and Josh Roth, Economic Development Director at the CCPA, who said that the data center would essentially help act as a "backbone of the internet" to process, organize, and store data. Beres and Roth shared background on the project, stating that this is the first step of the project and the first time they are able to publicly speak about it. According to Beres, AWS has committed to providing a minimum of 100 permanent jobs with an $8 million annual payroll. The total proposed investment commitment is $4 billion, which includes $25 million for improving public infrastructure, such as city sewer trunk lines. Beres mentioned that the infrastructure improvements could help bring in more housing and allow for development in other areas. He also shared that AWS will replace 2.5 miles of an existing water main line in poor condition, and plans for improvements at their address on US Route 68 and frontage on US Route 730. Beres and Roth both addressed community concerns they have received, including jobs, energy consumption, water consumption, water and air quality, noise and light pollution, and the impact on local government and schools. Regarding jobs:  Roth stated that the 100 permanent jobs will be "highly skilled, highly compensated" positions, provided for at least 30 years. Due to the nature of the jobs, they would not take away current employees from local employers. He also shared that AWS is anticipated to be the 10th largest private employer in the county and the 8th largest private employer in the city. Roth stated that the data center could be a top-five source of income tax revenue for the City of Wilmington. He stated, "While it may be a drop in the bucket to a Cincinnati metro area community, it's actually going to be a significant contributor to the tax base here in Wilmington." Roth added that AWS has surpassed their minimum job commitment in every other community. Regarding energy consumption:  Roth shared that AWS has been working with AES Ohio for over a year. According to Roth, AWS will not “use up all of the electricity that is available”, and there will still be electricity available for other uses and expansion opportunities. In addition, AWS will be responsible for paying “their fair share” for grid upgrades required for their site. “Data centers are a unique opportunity for our electric utility partners to make investments in the grid that are needed, that they would like to do anyway, but because there’s such a large user that’s willing to pay for a significant amount of electric, they then can justify making those investments quicker than they otherwise would,” stated Roth.  Regarding water consumption:  Roth stated that AWS will be required to purchase all of its water from the City of Wilmington and will not be permitted to have any onsite wells. AWS must purchase seven million gallons each day, helping the city "defray a cost it already is incurring," purchasing water from Caesar's Creek. Regarding air and water quality:  Roth stated that AWS will communicate with the City of Wilmington’s Public Service Director, Michael Crowe, about air and water regulations. Roth acknowledged that the wastewater will end up in the city’s water treatment plant, which is regulated by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Regarding noise and light pollution:  Roth stated that the city adjusted an ordinance this past summer to allow "use-specific requirements" on the data center. A noise study will be required as a condition of AWS's site plan approval, and the equipment will be screened for noise mitigation. Roth shared that the closest point of the property to any residential neighborhood is over 500 feet and credited the large plot of land as an extra level of protection. Roth stated, "AWS takes extreme pride in being a great neighbor,” and encouraged residents to visit other AWS data centers in nearby cities. Regarding local schools and city government: Roth stated that the issue will be discussed in more detail when the site agreement is before city council. He acknowledged that AWS is paying for 100 percent of the cost of the infrastructure necessary for the site. Roth stated that he is "proud of [the] infrastructure package that they've gotten out of it," and how they structured the contract, where the local school district could preserve its funding from the state. In lieu of property taxes, AWS will make 30 percent payments to the CCPA. The CCPA will distribute almost half of the funds to the City of Wilmington, almost half to Wilmington City School District, and a small percentage to the CCPA for brokering the deal. Roth mentioned that, unlike taxes, these payments are "unrestricted" and are estimated to total roughly one million dollars a year. In conclusion:  Beres stated, "We are here, and I was brought to this community to facilitate and make sure that development could benefit the community. That is what we’ve done to the best of our ability… We appreciate you listening to our presentation… We’re here to listen. We’re here to provide additional information… We take this seriously. We also take your concerns seriously.” Next steps:  After public comments, the Wilmington City Council agreed to postpone any possible decision on whether the proposed AWS data center could move forward until their next regularly scheduled meeting on December 4, 2025, in order to have more time to review community feedback, visit nearby AWS data centers, and study environmental impacts. City Council President Matt Purkey concluded the meeting by sharing that Beres and Roth will both also be at the next meeting to address any additional community questions and concerns. For more information, visit   chooseclintoncountyoh.org  or   wilmingtionohio.gov .

Dale Kinnison Leesburg, OH (November 21, 2025)— RoofX, a family-owned residential roofing company located in Leesburg, is installing a new shingle roof for a central Ohio veteran at no cost to them. This is the second year that the local, residential roofer has provided a new roof for a hometown hero. Last year, RoofX surprised a U.S. Marine Corps veteran in Hillsboro with a complete roof replacement for his home. This year, the company has selected Dale Kinnison, a U.S. Army veteran from Washington Court House, as the 2025 RoofX for Troops recipient. Dale will receive a new shingle roof for his home, fully paid for GAF, the shingle manufacturer, and installed by the RoofX team. “It’s such an incredible honor to do something special like this for a veteran in our community,” said Galen Yoder, co-owner of RoofX. “There are many proud men and women from our community who have served in uniform. This is just our way of saying, ‘thank you for your service.’” The program continues to grow in visibility and community engagement. RoofX has already received numerous nominations for next year’s giveaway. “I love seeing family members nominate their parent or grandparent who served,” said Jim Good, General Manager of RoofX. “Many of these veterans are too proud to admit they need help, and someone who cares about them steps up. I feel like we are doing something special for those who served our country.” To nominate a veteran for the 2026 RoofX for Troops program, please visit www.roofxfortroops.com . If you are in the market for a new roof, schedule a free in-home roof inspection by calling RoofX at 937-509-8085 or visiting www.roofxusa.com. Article Submitted by RoofX

Sophomore Parker Besener extends his leather glove-covered arm for the Harris' hawk to land during Friday's raptor demonstration for a Wilmington College history class. Wilmington, OH (November 21, 2025)— Wilmington College Professor Carly Maris brought her history class to life Friday (Nov. 21) when officials with the Ohio School of Falconry introduced several birds of prey to students learning about Animals of the Ancient World. Indeed, a barn owl, a Peregrine falcon, Eurasian eagle owl, and Harris’ hawk engaged the students’ rapt attention when they took over the College’s indoor turf field. Maris, assistant professor of history, noted the role of falconry — the ancient art of training and building a partnership with birds of prey like falcons and hawks to hunt wild game — goes back millennia. “My course, Animals of the Ancient World, combines real-life experience with animals, as well as animal science and ancient history,” she said. “In the class, we use practical and scientific knowledge to interpret ancient objects and texts related to human-animal interactions.” This week, the class discussed two historical texts, one about a Viking king and the other by Aristotle, which both describe people hunting with birds of prey. “Our experience today helped students reflect on these historical texts and how hunting with birds of prey helped shape ancient and medieval human society.”  Some interesting facts shared by OSF’s Joe Dorrian and Sean O’Hara. While cheetahs might be the fastest land animals, reaching speeds of 75 miles an hour, Peregrine falcons rule the skies, being clocked as high as 271 MPH and potentially able to fly even faster. Falcons can see prey the size of a tennis ball from a mile away, and at speeds like that, their prey of other birds, don’t have a chance. Owls are essentially auditory predators, as their hearing is off the charts. They can precisely locate rodents moving under snow as they move in to capture their dinner. Article Submitted by Wilmington College

Jamie and her family "Jamie’s story is one of profound resilience, faith, and transformation. Her journey through hardships—domestic violence, homelessness, and the devastating loss of her husband—could have broken her, but instead, it became the catalyst for her ultimate healing and renewal. The pain of being abandoned by her husband and losing contact with her daughter left her feeling lost and isolated. Yet, in the midst of this overwhelming despair, Jamie found solace in her faith in God. Turning to Bible verses like Romans 8:18 and Proverbs 3:5-6, Jamie found hope and strength to persevere. Her daily prayers and conversations with God became anchors, giving her the confidence to trust that, despite her struggles, a brighter future awaited. These verses not only guided her through her darkest moments but also helped her see the greater purpose behind her pain. Through her faith, Jamie was blessed with a new and healthier relationship, the support of family and friends, and a home where she and her children could heal and thrive. Her story is a testament to the power of trust in God’s plan, showing that even in our deepest sorrow, there can be redemption, peace, and hope for a new beginning. As Jamie continues to heal and build a future for herself and her children, her commitment to deepening her relationship with God remains central to her journey. Her story serves as an inspiring reminder that no matter how difficult life’s challenges may seem, with faith and God’s guidance, healing and renewal are possible." Clinton County Homeless Coalition Since 2021, the Clinton County Homeless Coalition (CCHC) has been committed to solving local homelessness and building a better community. The coalition participates in local service initiatives, such as the Clinton County School Supply Drive, Earth Day Clean Up, and more. Currently, they are helping a local veteran stay in his home. Each month, they share success stories of individuals who have been homeless and later changed their lives. Initially formed as a Continuum of Care, an organization responsible for addressing homelessness locally, the CCHC became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in July of 2024. Its board includes members from local businesses, law enforcement, and community members. Learn more by following the CCHC on Facebook.

Pictured with the three horses, from the left are WC equestrians, Isabella Bruss, Braylee Burkitt, and Scout Meyer, the filly Tipsy, equestrian Lauren Murphy, and Hadssah Oliver, Daren Wright (equine program director), the filly Mabel, equestrian Maegan Pearson, President Corey Cockerill, the filly Tito, equestrian Hattie Hobbs, Pam McCory (Board of Trustee Member), and Tammy Shadley (vice president for advancement) Wilmington, OH (November 20, 2025)— Cathy Linderman always wished she had attended a college with an equestrian program. Perhaps her gift of a trio of horses to Wilmington College for its equine program now gives her a semblance of that unique collegial connection. Linderman is a prominent horse breeder whose stables once featured as many as 187 horses. “I was a Westerner (from Idaho), so I went to a school in the West,” she said, noting that most collegiate horse programs are east of the Mississippi. “I have always regretted not picking a college with a horse program.” Enter Linderman’s friend, Pam McCoy, who met her when they both lived in Seattle. Upon retiring, McCoy returned to Clinton County, Ohio, where her parents, Robert and Helga McCoy, served on the Wilmington College staff and faculty, respectively, for decades. McCoy is a member of WC’s Board of Trustees. McCoy mentioned the College’s thriving Equine Management Program and its nationally recognized Equestrian Team to Linderman, igniting a serendipitous dialogue that ultimately resulted in Linderman donating three fillies to the College. Originally a breeder exclusively of Arabians, her interest grew to include a Quarter Horse stallion and some mares, and eventually owning as many as 187 horses. “I am a breeder of nice horses, so I am always happy when trainers come my way for nice horses,” she said. Linderman has downsized her stable to a nearly even split between 35 Arabians and Quarter Horses. “I know that Wilmington has a fantastic equine program, and I had heard of Daren Wright (WC’s program director and an internationally renowned equestrian judge), but I did not put it all together until all this happened (the gift to WC)—which made me very happy!” Wright said the addition of these “three exceptional horses brings a new level of depth and opportunity” to the College’s equine program. “The value they provide to our students’ education and experience is truly immeasurable. We’re so thankful for donors like Cathy Linderman who believe in what we do — such support is what keeps our program thriving!” Tammy Shadley, vice president and chief advancement and alumni officer, noted that Linderman’s gift of the fillies is a “perfect example” of the impact of gifts-in-kind to Wilmington College. “Cathy learned about our equine program from our dear friend and WC trustee, Pam McCoy, and as a result of their conversation, we have three new beautiful horses that will prove to be a tremendous asset to our Equine Program.” The College offers a major in equine business management and a minor in equine studies, as well as hosting what is believed to be the nation’s largest equestrian team with more than 50 members. WC’s Equestrian Team placed 11th in the nation last spring at the International Horse Show Association National Championships. Also, the team won the IHSA Regional competition, and Meagan Pearson was the Overall High-Point Rider at both the Regional and National Semi- Final levels. Article Submitted by Wilmington College

Wilmington, OH— Step into a storybook Christmas as you wander through the historic downtown streets, which sparkle with twinkling lights and festive storefront windows, that fill the air with holiday magic and cheer! On Saturday, November 29th, at 7pm, the 18th annual HomeTown HoliDazzle Illuminated Parade begins the Christmas holiday season in Downtown Wilmington Along with the parade, there will be a train ride and other activities for the children, band and choir concerts, food, and photo opportunities with The Grinch and, of course, Santa Claus! The following weekend, December 6th and 7th, is the 43rd annual Homespun Christmas with over 60 vendors at businesses and houses around the town, with homemade crafts and much more. There are Christmas shows at The Historic Murphy Theatre. The Drowsy Lads Christmas Show on December 6th, the Nutcracker Ballet by Ballet Tech of Ohio on December 13th, and the annual community Christmas Show on December 20th. The Cantabile Annual Christmas Concert is December 13th, 7:30pm at the Methodist Church, and there are many other fun things to do! To round out the season, visit Downtown Wilmington anytime after Thanksgiving and walk around to see all of the great street decorations as well as the wonderful storefront windows decorated like they were in years gone by! And, before you leave the downtown, be sure and look east on Main Street and see the giant U.S. flag painted on the Buckley Bros. Grain Silos. (Believed to be the largest painted flag in Ohio) We look forward to seeing you in Downtown Wilmington…the place to be! Article Submitted by Main Street Wilmington

Wilmington High School 2025 Boys Soccer Team "Fall is always a fun time, for our kids, for our athletes... We've certainly had some exciting times... We've had a lot of success...," stated Troy Diels, Athletic Director at Wilmington City Schools. Troy shared all the fall sports teams' successes, highlighting that the Boys Soccer team went undefeated in their regular season for the first time in school history and were league champions for the second time in the last three years. 2025 FALL SPORTS RECAP Football: Conference (2–2). Overall (5–4). Girls Volleyball: Conference (2–9). Overall (7–16). 1st Team (Miya Nance). 2nd Team (Lauren Diels). Honorable Mention (Anna Niemesh). Boys Soccer: Conference (8–0–2). Overall (14–1–3). 1st Team (Ben Angelica, Scott Hall, Zander Johnson, Jasson Tecu). 2nd Team (Noah Estep, Brydin Plymire). Honorable Mention (Ethan Villa). Girls Soccer: Conference (0–10). Overall (1–14–1). 2nd Team (Alexa Benitez, Meiley Black). Honorable Mention (Ansley Seeger) Boys Cross Country: The team qualified for Regionals. 2nd Team (Billy Skinner, Jacob Vance) Girls Cross Country: Three girls qualified for Regionals. 1st Team (Josey King). 2nd Team (Natalie Connor) Boys Golf: Conference (0–0). Overall (9–4). 2nd Team(Brody Reynolds) Girls Golf: Conference (0–0). Overall (5–3) 1st Team (Brynn Conley, Abi Earley). 2nd Team (Ellie Molt). Girls Tennis: Conference (3–7). Overall (3–8). 1st Team (Jenna Pletcher). Diels hopes to "get as many kids involved as possible" with school sports and continue striving for success. He stated, "Our goal is to finish on top, and I think we're doing some things, and our coaches are doing some things, to help us get to that level..." Parents and students can learn more about upcoming sports at the high school athletic office, on social media, and on FinalForms. Complete 2025 fall team records can be found online at sbaac.com.