Off Campus

VIDEO: Last Wall Standing Comes Down

A demolition crew was brought in to knock down several of the walls that still stood after the Front Street Fire this morning that claimed three businesses.  While full coverage of the demolition will come later, here is vide of the last wall standing coming down with the help of a wrecking ball.

PHOTOS: Front Street Fire Aftermath

Writing on the Mall traveled down to Front and Butler to survey the damage.  The photos that follow are what we encountered.

Marietta Wine Cellar, Front Street Deli destroyed in Fire

According to the Marietta Times, a small fire grew large enough to take out three local businesses.

The Marietta Wine Cellar, Front Street Deli, and Riverside Artists Gallery are all being called a “total loss” by Mayor Michael Mullen.

One firefighter was said to be taken to the hospital.  The Marietta Fire Department received assistance from Belpre and other local volunteer fire departments in the area.

I’ll try to stop down there later today to get some photos of the scene.  According to the story, there is only one wall left.

For more information, check out the whole story at The Marietta Times.

What You Missed Last Week

Here are all the stories we ran last week while you were all off in paradise:

• 98.5 Provides Diverse Listening Opportunities by Joe Dillon
• Forensics Team Adds Life to College by Allison Holton
• Marietta Gourmet Coffee Shop “Stoked” to Serve More College Students by Jen Emmert
• “Pioneer Pledge” to Replace College Creed by Dave Hood
• Career Center, Internships Help Find Your Passion by Chris Miller
• Resident Assistant Positions Growing Interest by Danielle Staub

WotM Weather Center: River Gauge, Marietta Floods, and You

This post is an educational tool for those unfamiliar with the flood plain of Marietta, OH.  Currently, there is a FLOOD WATCH for the Marietta area, with projections of river levels reaching Action Stage by the 16th.  Watch Writing on the Mall for projection updates as they are posted by the National Weather Service.

So you may be wondering what River Gauge is.  It’s the measurement taken at select sites up and down rivers across the country to help better map river levels.  There are two gauge sites near Marietta: one at the confluence of the Ohio and Muskingum Rivers on the Harmar side of the Muskingum, and one at the Willow Island Lock just upriver.

These gauge readings can tell us how close we are to flood stage at certain points.  At Marietta, as you can see on the image above, we start getting worried around the 33 foot mark, which is labeled an Action Stage.  Between 33 and 35 feet, the river threatens to overflow at its lowest points.  Action Stage also serves as a way to alert the community that the floodwaters could raise at any point.

Floodwaters between 35 and 38 feet are considered Flood Stage at Marietta.  Flooding first hits Don Drumm Stadium, as it is one of the lowest areas in town.  It takes 37 feet to affect Fourth Street housing.

Moderate Stage is when flood waters are between 38 and 40 feet.  At this stage, most of the West Virginia area along the river is flooded.  Flooding could affect the Hermann Bowl and areas along the creek.

When you get above 40 feet, you enter the Major Flood Stage, which is where seven of the ten largest floods in Marietta history have peaked.  At 40 feet, a majority of Marietta is flooded, along with Harmar and low-lying areas of Williamstown.  The largest flood in Marietta history topped out at over 58 feet.  You can still see markers on first street to commemorate the largest floods, with more recent markers showing where the 2004 flood was.  The September 2004 flood was nearly 45 feet, while the January 2005 flood was around 44 feet.

UPDATE: Robison Agrees to Plea Deal, Will Be Sentenced in March

According to an article posted today by the Marietta Times, former MC student Tom Robison has agreed to a plea deal.

Robison still faces up to 10 years in prison for the stabbing, but had a third degree felony charge for tampering with evidence removed.

According to court testimony, Robison felt the man he stabbed had money, and followed him from The Locker Room bar.

Robison has been in jail since the stabbing occurred.  He is in jail withough bond, waiting for his hearing on March 15th.

For more on the court hearing today, check out the Marietta Times article.

Anybody Have A Quarter Million Dollars Laying Around?

The Brewery has been foreclosed upon.  Which means its foreclosure auction time!

The Marietta Brewing Company building and its brewing tanks are on the auction block starting at over $168,000, which is two-thirds the appraised value.  For another $60,000, you can get all the items within the Brewery as well.

For now, we will wait and see what the auction, being held on the 15th, will bring in total.  The vultures, in this case creditors, federal, state, and local tax authorities, will be hoping to get their part of the pie.

Anybody holding out hopes that the College may buy it?

(See original article at The Marietta Times)

Recession Watch: The Brewery Closes its Tab

Back taxes and liquor license status confusion have claimed the Marietta Brewing Company as a victim yesterday, according to an article from the Marietta Times.

The Brewery, as it was known in the area, owes nearly $400,000 in back taxes to the federal government, over $30,000 to the state of Ohio, and over $15,000 to a food service company.  Their liquor license was extended back in October, then extended again to allow the sale of liquor and beer until after their tax case had been heard.

According to the article, The Brewery’s liquor license is still good, as the case has not been heard yet.

The Brewery is for sale, but for now, a popular local nightlife location has been closed.  Readers, tell us your thoughts in the comments.

Happy Thanksgiving

Writing on the Mall would like to wish everybody a Happy Thanksgiving.  Enjoy the friends, family, food, and football today!

FLASHBACK: Keep Your Car in Shape for Drive Home, Back

Just throwing it back everybody to remind everybody to check all the things on this checklist so that everybody makes it home and back without any problems.

Many people have begun the pilgrimage back to Marietta College for sports and EXCEL training.  And many more students return to campus over the weekend.  Freshmen move in next Thursday, and the rest of the college community returns over the course of next weekend.

Here are some things to think about before heading back to campus to keep your car in good, safe running condition:

• Check all your fluids and make sure to top them off as needed.  Your engine’s oil, antifreeze, transmission, power steering, brake, and windshield wiper fluids should all be checked.
• Check your tires for wear.  If you notice uneven wear, bulges, balding tires, or other irregularities, consider investing in some good all-weather tires.
• Check your tire pressures.  If your tires have more or less than what is imprinted on the side of the tire, you could be missing an opportunity to get more gas milage out of your car, or be risking blowing out your tire.
• Check your belts and hoses.  If anything looks brittle, torn, cracked, frayed, loose, or excessively worn, it may be time to head to the parts store and get a replacement.
• Consider investing in a AAA membership.  While most people may think of them for maps and directions, they also provide 24/7 emergency assistance.  Run out of gas?  They will bring you you enough fuel to make it to the next gas station.  Flat tire?  They’ll come and put your spare on for you.  Need a tow or a jump start?  you get the idea…its a lot of useful benefits (I mean, there’s even bail money and legal fee reimbursement if things go wrong somewhere).  Basic coverage starts at $50 a year, and gives access to all of their discount programs along with what was described above.

(Information gathered for this article is from CarCare.org and AAA.com)