The City of Nelsonville announces that the intersection of Burr Oak Boulevard and Chestnut Street will be changed from a 2-way stop, to a 4-way stop on Wednesday, October 11, 2023.

Remember, when two drivers approach or enter an intersection at approximately the same time from different roads, the driver on the left must yield to the driver on the right, allowing them to pass first.

If four drivers show up at a 4-way stop at about the same time, the drivers should go in the order that they arrived. No matter who shows up at the stop sign first, all drivers must come to a complete stop whenever they’re at an intersection and must allow pedestrians to cross before proceeding. Under Ohio law, bicyclists must follow the same rules that vehicles follow.

The City of Nelsonville announces that due to a scheduling conflict with a High School football play-off game on Friday, October 27^th, Nelsonville Trick-Or-Treat; Beggar’s Night has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 28, 2023, from 6:30PM to 7:30PM.  Drivers are urged to use extreme caution while driving in the Nelsonville area and watch out for children during these times.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in coordination with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, beginning at 2:20 p.m. The national test will consist of two portions, testing WEA and EAS capabilities to ensure that the systems continue to be effective means of warning the public about emergencies, particularly those on the national level.

The WEA portion of the test will be sent through the Integrated Public Alert & Warning System (IPAWS), a centralized internet-based system administered by FEMA that enables authorities to send authenticated emergency messages to the public through multiple communications networks. The alerts are sent to participating wireless providers, which deliver the alerts to compatible handsets in geo-targeted areas. To help ensure that these alerts are accessible to the entire public, including people with disabilities, the alerts are accompanied by a unique tone and vibration.  The national WEA test will use the same tone and vibration. The test message will display “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”

Ohio’s open burning ban is now in effect October 1^st through November 30th, restricting when residents can set fires during the spring months.

What does the ban say?

The state law bans open burning outdoors in unincorporated areas statewide from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in March, April and May, as well as again in the fall during October and November.

The ban includes burning yard waste, trash and other debris.

This is on top of Ohio EPA regulations that bans open burning in village or city limits, as well as burning food waste, dead animals and materials containing rubber, grease, asphalt, or any petroleum product at any time.

The Ohio EPA defines “open burning” as any set outdoor fire that doesn’t vent into a chimney or stack, including burning in a proper burn barrel.

Open burning is also not allowed when air pollution warnings, alerts or emergencies are in effect.

Why the seasonal ban?

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, the ban was put in place because of heightened wildfire danger at times in the spring and fall.

In spring, wildfire danger is higher before plants have turned green, and in fall the danger is higher due to dry leaves and dead grass. In both seasons, the risk is higher due to warm, windy weather.