Staff report

News briefs
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/29/2015/07/web1_Afternoonupdate4.jpgNews briefs

ASHLAND SETS PARADE FLOAT WINNERS – The Ashland Bicentennial Committee and the Ashland County Historical Society have announced the float winners for the “Star Spangled Celebration” parade held in downtown Ashland on the Fourth of July. The Ashland Wendy’s store served as parade sponsor.

Judging of the units took place during the parade, with a $500 first place, $200 second place and $100 third place prize awarded for the top entries in the following categories: patriotic, historic and unique; with a commercial and non-commercial division for each category. The judging was based on creativity, theme related and overall appearance.

The winners were:

Historical Category/Commercial Division —

1st Place – Pioneer National Latex, with its use of red, white and blue balloon sculptures.

2nd Place – Bill Harris Auto Center, with its float of an American picnic scene with family and serviceman.

3rd Place – Ashland University, with its purple and gold float with AU’s mascot “Tuffy” and cheerleaders.

Historical Category/Non-Commercial Division —

1st Place – Ashland Symphony Orchestra, with its float featuring a larger-than-life cello.

2nd Place – The Friendly Calliope, with its 43-brass pipe calliope in a circus type wagon.

3rd Place – Ashland Business and Professional Women, with its float of a replica of the old BPW clubhouse.

Unique Category/Commercial Division —

1st Place — Grandpa’s Cheesebarn float, with a replica of the Cheesebarn and silo.

2nd Place – Armstrong, with the Mohican Valley Haflingers eight-horse hitch.

3rd Place – Gregg Orthodontics, with the themed float “Go Bananas for Gregg Orthodontics.”

Unique Category/Non-Commercial Division —

1st Place – Friends of the Ashland County Park District, with its float featuring trees, paths and stuffed animals.

2nd Place – Mansfield Shrine Club, with its van, truck, two floats and eight miniature trucks.

3rd Place – The Salvation Army Kroc Corp Community Center, with its float featuring a number of mascots.

Patriotic Category/Commercial Division —

1st Place – Donley Ford Lincoln of Ashland, with its 200-year birthday cake.

2nd Place – T-Zerz Salon – with its entry featuring America’s small business work force salon inspired theme.

3rd Place – Samaritan Hospital, with its red, white and blue entry put together by the Nutrition Service Dept.

Patriotic Category/Non-Commercial Division –

1st Place — Marine Corps League, with the float featuring six Marines reenacting the raising of the flag on Iwo Jima.

2nd Place – Fraternal Order of Eagles, with the “Happy 200th from the Eagles and Uncle Sam” float.

3rd Place — Dan Bicker with the Vietnam era truck and trailer hauling veterans.

TAYLOR ANNOUNCES INSURANCE FRAUD SENTENCING – Lieutenant Governor Mary Taylor announced today that Patricia Wills, former owner of the House of Wills Funeral Home in Cleveland, was sentenced on July 9 in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to one year of probation for insurance fraud, theft and forgery and ordered to pay $12,290.66 in restitution.

An investigation by the Ohio Department of Insurance, based on a referral from the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, found Wills, also a former licensed insurance agent, submitted a pre-need life insurance claim in November 2012 on behalf of a client who was alive at the time. Believing the person was deceased, the insurance company paid $12,290.66 to Wills, who misappropriated the money for personal use. Pre-need life insurance is intended to pay the expenses associated with a policyholder’s funeral and burial.

“Ohioans who purchase pre-need funeral services should not have to worry whether the money will be there when their loved ones need it most,” said Taylor, also Director of the Ohio Department of Insurance. “Fortunately, with assistance from one of our state partners, the Department’s investigative team helped ensure this individual was brought to justice.”

BABY PYGMY SLOW LORIS BORN – The Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is home to some pretty amazing creatures, especially the unique prosimians housed in the building’s nocturnal wing.

On your next visit, in order to see the newest addition to the Zoo, you’ll have to look close! One of the exhibits that houses pygmy slow lorises, located in the nocturnal wing, is a baby loris weighing just 130 grams.

The baby loris, whose gender has yet to be determined, was born on May 18 to mom Tevy, 12, and dad Tai, 9. The baby, who has yet to be named, is currently on exhibit daily with its mom in the Primate, Cat & Aquatics building.