This is Part 1 of a six-part series looking back at some of the key stories in the pages of the Record-Herald throughout 2023.

JANUARY

Father and son bond through running

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Jan. 5) — It’s typical for a father and son to bond over anything from music, movies, sports, or other forms of entertainment. For Allen Griffiths and his son, Derek, they have bonded over running. More specifically, they have bonded over running marathons.

Allen is a local optometrist in Fayette County, and Derek currently resides in Colorado where he is the owner of Colorado Runner Magazine. Both are members of the Washington High School Athletic Hall of Fame.

Recently, the duo accomplished the task of running a marathon in all 50 U.S. states.

Longtime health commissioner retires

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Dec. 31) — Dr. Robert G. Vanzant, DVM, retired from the role of Health Commissioner at Fayette County Public Health on Dec. 31, 2022, following 40 years of public service. He was celebrated by staff, board members, and family at a recent retirement party held in his honor.

“Now that I have retired from the position of Fayette County Health Commissioner, I will be able to concentrate more on my veterinary practice which I want to continue doing as long as mother nature and my health permits,” said Dr. Vanzant. “ I will turn 80 on my next birthday, January 2, 2023.”

Dr. Vanzant’s four decades with the health district began in 1982, shortly after he opened his veterinary practice across the street from Morrow Funeral Home. He was invited to apply for an upcoming vacancy by funeral director David Morrow, a longtime member of the board of health. He took over the position after spending a few months with the former health commissioner, Dr. William E. Covert, who was also a veterinarian.

Cannon named new health commissioner

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Jan. 1) — Leigh N. Cannon, MPH, has been promoted to the position of health commissioner by the Fayette County Board of Health.

Cannon has 17 years of experience in public health, all served at the local public health district. She started her career as the emergency preparedness coordinator and led the county through the H1N1 response. She has also served as the accreditation coordinator. She was promoted to deputy health commissioner in 2010.

Cannon received her undergraduate degree from the Ohio State University and her master of public health from Cappella University. She is a member of the Association of Ohio Health Commissioners (AOHC) and serves on several local boards.

Former OHSP trooper sentenced for rape

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Jan. 3) — A retired Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper was recently sentenced to five years in prison for the rape of a minor.

Robert Ruth, 58, formerly of 21 Residence Drive in Washington C.H., pleaded “no contest” in Fayette County Common Pleas Court to the second count of the grand jury indictment — first-degree felony rape— as part of a plea agreement with the Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office. Two counts of first- degree felony rape and one count of third-degree felony sexual battery were dismissed.

Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Beathard found Ruth guilty of the charge, and on Jan. 3 Ruth was sentenced to five years in prison. Ruth was also designated as a Tier III sex offender, the most serious sex offender designation in Ohio. He will be subject to sex offender registration and verification requirements every 90 days for life.

Williamson resigns as WHS football coach

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Jan. 20) — Chuck Williamson announced on Friday, Jan. 20 that he is stepping down as head football coach at Washington High School, effective immediately.

Williamson spent the past seven seasons at Washington, leading the Blue Lions to a record of 42-27. Washington was 1-3 in the playoffs (those games being played in 2020, ‘21 and this past season.) Washington defeated Columbus South in a high-scoring playoff game on Oct. 28, 61-54.

Williamson, 61, will be the new head football coach at Marion Harding High School.

Judge David Bender sworn in

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Jan. 21) — David Bender was sworn in on Jan. 21, 2023 to the office of Judge of the Fayette County Common Pleas Court, General and Domestic Relations Division. He will assume the duties of this new office on Feb. 9.

Judge Bender began practicing law in Fayette County in 1987 as an associate of James Butler. He later became a partner in Butler and Bender before starting a sole practice in 1999. In 2004, Bender was elected as Fayette County Prosecuting Attorney.

He maintained his private practice and his role as prosecuting attorney until May of 2011 when he was appointed as judge of the Fayette County Probate/Juvenile Court. After being elected to that position in three elections, Judge Bender was elected to fill the General and Domestic Relations Division portion to replace retiring Judge Steven Beathard.

FEBRUARY

Local couple sent to prison for child abuse

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Feb. 7) — A local man and woman have been sentenced to prison time for the prolonged abuse of their four children.

As part of a plea agreement with the Fayette County Prosecutor’s Office, Joshua Lee Smith, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree felonious assault and four counts of third-degree felony endangering children. His wife, 32-year-old Ashley Smith, pleaded guilty to four counts of third-degree felony endangering children as part of an agreement.

Fayette County Common Pleas Court Judge Steven Beathard sentenced Joshua Lee Smith to a determinate term of five to six years in prison. Ashley Smith was sentenced to four years in prison.

On Aug. 2, 2022, Washington Police Department officers responded to a residence within the city to assist Children Services (Fayette County) in removing four children from the home.

Officers were made aware that the children had allegedly been abused, with one of the children possibly receiving serious physical harm, according to reports.

The Children Services investigation began after the children had placed a letter in a neighbor’s mailbox advising that their father, Joshua Lee Smith, physically abused them.

JobsOhio backs Honda plant with $237M

FAYETTE COUNTY (Feb. 8) — JobsOhio — the state’s privatized economic development office — has finalized an agreement with Honda to infuse another $237 million into development of a massive battery plant project in Fayette County that the Japanese auto-maker plans to use to transform the state into its North American electric vehicle hub.

JobsOhio posted details of the package of three grants on Wednesday. They include a $140 million economic development grant for the plant Honda is building jointly with LG Energy Solution of South Korea, a $10 million workforce grant for the project itself and $87 million to retool Honda’s existing facilities.

The factory will be located at the Fayette County mega-site at I-71/US 435.

The money, payable over the next 10 years, comes on top of the approximately $156.3 million in tax incentives and infrastructure improvements from the state of Ohio — which has begun to position itself as a regional epicenter of leading-edge technology.

A true Panther: The life and legacy of Sonny Walters

FAYETTE COUNTY (Feb. 3) — The number of lives impacted, in ways small and large by Sonny Walters, would be difficult to measure. Suffice it to say that the number would be in the thousands.

Walters, a long-time fixture at Miami Trace Local Schools, passed away on Feb. 3 at the age of 85.

Though born in Pike County and a graduate of Waverly High School, Walters lived most of his life in Fayette County.

Walters had a life-long affinity for sports and especially for the young people who participate in athletics.

Walters was a member of the football, basketball and track teams at Waverly High School and his love for sports continued with him during the many decades he lived in this community.

Bryan Sheets, the principal of Miami Trace High School, has memories of Sonny Walters that go back at least to Sheets’ junior high football days in the early 1980s.

“All of the coaches helped out,” Sheets said. “Sonny was the freshman coach then, I think. He was always around.”

“Sonny was always positive,” Sheets said. “He wasn’t afraid to tell you the truth, but he also cared enough to help you out. He always found good in everybody. No matter who it was, he always had something positive to say.”

“When Sonny talked, he was a strong, stern guy,” Sheets said. “He had that way with people. He would put his arm around you and console you.”

Walters was and will continue to be synonymous with Miami Trace.

“When you think of Miami Trace, Sonny Walters is one of the first individuals to come to mind,” Sheets said.

Record-Herald is changing with the times

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Feb. 21) — In upcoming weeks, the Washington C.H. Record-Herald will undergo some of the biggest transitions in its 165-year history as it reduces the number of printed editions each week while expanding local news coverage at recordherald.com.

With these changes, the Record-Herald will continue to be Fayette County’s source for news and information.

Beginning March 1, the printing and distribution of the Record-Herald will change. Our subscribers will start receiving their printed newspaper and digital e-edition Wednesdays and Saturdays along with expanded daily updates seven days a week on our website.

The printed paper will continue to be delivered either by carrier or the post office.

The Record-Herald website has been enhanced with changes: freshening the site with a sharper, crisper, cleaner easier-to-read look; tailoring categories that are important to our readers; and adding more content throughout the day. The new website will be flush with not only local news, but regional, state, national news and events. The website will also have lifestyle news, events, puzzles and comics – it’s all part of your subscription package.

3 arrested on drug-related charges

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Feb. 10) — Three people are incarcerated on drug-related charges stemming from two separate but related Lark incidents in the past week concerning alleged drug trafficking in Fayette County.

According to Fayette County Sheriff Vernon Stanforth, on Friday, Feb. 10, sheriff’s office detectives were conducting surveillance in the 1300 block of Forest Street just outside Washington Court House when a suspected drug transaction was observed. During contact with a male subject on foot — later identified as Tony Wood, 40, of Dayton — deputies made verbal contact with Wood, who reportedly failed to comply with verbal commands by deputies. A brief struggle ensued between deputies and Wood before he was taken into custody without further incident.

Subsequent to the arrest of Wood for obstructing official business and resisting arrest, a search of his person led to the alleged discovery of suspected illicit drugs. A presumptive field test of the substance showed the presence of a controlled substance.

During the warrant operation, the person identified in the warrants was allegedly observed arriving at the business establishment being followed by a second vehicle. Detectives observed interaction between the individuals followed by the alleged exchange of a duffel bag.

As law enforcement approached the individuals, the person identified in the arrest warrants as Vercie L. Lark, 41, of Dayton, reportedly discarded the duffel bag and fled on foot from law enforcement personnel, but was captured following a brief foot chase. The individual in the other vehicle — identified as Carla A. Doctor, 51, of Washington Court House — was taken into custody without incident. Subsequent to the arrest of Lark and Doctor, detectives found the duffel bag to contain multiple pounds of a substance suspected to be methamphetamine, according to Stanforth.

MT 7th grader publishes novel

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Feb. 24) — Most junior high students spend their free time playing sports, hanging out with friends, or playing video games. While Miami Trace Middle School seventh grader Breanna Keller does enjoy playing softball and running, she also has a passion for writing.

She recently completed a remarkable feat of writing and publishing a novel that is over 350 pages in length. The book is titled “The Wolves and Esta,” and is available for purchase online on Amazon as well as Barnes & Noble.

The description of the book on Amazon states, “The lives of three 17-year-old girls struggling to get everything together while their worlds fall apart. Alessia, a human girl in a family household of all werewolves, will she remain human? Together with her best friend, Layla, they struggle to find their way in the world.

And then there is Nyx, a magic wielder and werewolf who has trouble nipping at her heels. Explore this harrowing adventure between friends of conflict, romance, and the community of werewolves. Will all of them survive the harsh realities or ultimately fail to save their worlds?”

Keller said that she’s written other pieces in the past, but this was her longest story by far, and the first that she published. The novel took her between three to five months to write. While she loves to write stories, she said that she has no plans to pursue writing books as a career. She plans to be an ER nurse in the future but would love to continue writing on the side.

Last call for firefighter

WASHINGTON COURT HOUSE (Feb. 24) — On Friday morning, a funeral service for retired Washington Fire Department firefighter Darrell D. Michael was held at South Side Church of Christ. Following the service, the procession passed by the Washing- ton Fire Department building, where a display was set up featuring two firetrucks displaying a large American flag.

According to his obituary, Darrell was born October 28, 1941, in Fayette County to Leslie C. and Edith Anders Michael. He was a member of the McNair Memorial Presbyterian Church; was a proud veteran of the United States Army, serving during the Vietnam War; was a member of the Fayette Lodge F&AM #107 and formerly was a member of Washington Chapter #129 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks.

Washington Fire Department Chief Tim Downing shared some comments about Michael and the legacy that he left behind.

“He left a legacy of people who live a life of service much like he did. Each time I met him, he was very kindhearted and liked to laugh. He was just a good person,” said Downing. “His son, Brian Michael, I worked with him when he was in the fire department, and he is a good friend and was a good firefighter. His grandson, Bill Michael, currently works in the firehouse full-time for us. He was newly hired this past fall and he’s doing a fantastic job. He has excelled in every aspect of the fire service at this point, in comparison to his experiences. He really fits in well and does a great job.”