Utica News

For the second time in less than three weeks, the Utica Care Center at 233 N. Main St.

A fire which destroyed a large barn containing hundreds of round hay bales at 20464 Bell Church Road, on the county line between Knox and Licking counties, burned for several hours Tuesday, filling the sky with smoke driven by steady winds and challenging firefighters into the evening.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Utica firefighters spent several hours at the scene of a barn fire that began before noon Tuesday.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP - The Utica Fire Department is responding to a barn fire at 20464 Bell Church Road.

It was a happy day Friday when Utica kicked off its Fourth of July celebration with an evening full of free entertainment, free admission and free parking.

NEWARK -- Lori L. Torrens, of Utica, recently received a master of business administration degree from Ohio University.

Utica graduate Sierra Fletcher is transferring to NAIA Mount Vernon Nazarene after completing her freshman season at NCAA Division I Longwood .

NEWARK -- Bond was set at $1 million Tuesday for a former Utica man accused of setting another man ablaze in January 2007.

Festivities begin at 5 p.m. with fireworks at 10 p.m. Granville Kiwanis Fourth of July in downtown Granville and Wildwood Park.

NEWARK -- The Energy Cooperative recently announced at its 73rd annual meeting that three new members were elected by mail ballot to its board of directors.

NEWARK - A former Utica man convicted in a Florida beating death has been brought back to Newark to face a 2008 indictment that alleges he set a man on fire.

NEWARK - Two Licking County administrators are on the list of 29 applicants for the soon-to-be open Newark City Schools superintendent position.

A fire completely destroyed an unoccupied house at 12700 Ward Road, south of Brandon, early this morning.

"This could have been horrible," said Utica Mayor Larry Friesel, standing in front of the Utica Care Center at 233 N. Main St.

Marshall and Edna Branstool began growing fruit in 1984 when they planted 1,500 peach trees on 11 acres.

Here's what's happening in Granville and Licking County this weekend: * BIKE RACES IN GRANVILLE - The 17th annual Granville Grand Prix is Saturday, featuring professional racers at 4 p.m. on a 40-mile ride including laps on the in-town race course.

The fifth annual Firecracker Jam basketball tournament will be July 4 at the Utica High School parking lot.

NEWARK -- A Utica Elementary School classroom was the winner of the 2008-09 wellness program sponsored by the Licking County Health Department to combat childhood obesity.

NEWARK - The Licking County United Way expects more than 300 volunteers to be out in the community June 19, working on various projects as part of the 15th annual Day of Caring.

NEWARK -- A 10-year-old boy remains in critical condition at Children's Hospital after a June 6 rollover crash.