🌱 ODOT Demands $99K From Marietta + Police Chief Celebrates 1 Year

Hello, everybody! It's me, Miranda Fraraccio, your host of the Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Saturday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 90 Low: 60.
• Sunday: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 86 Low: 60.

From our sponsor:

Today’s Marietta Patch newsletter is brought to you in part by T-Mobile. T-Mobile has invested billions to light up their best network ever, covering 99% of people in America with LTE, which helps to keep communities like ours informed and connected. We thank T-Mobile for their support and for making today’s Marietta Patch newsletter possible.

Here are the top three stories in Marietta today:

1. The City of Marietta is facing additional financial challenges as it receives a notice from the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) demanding $99,000 for work done on Lancaster Street in 2020. The city council is planning to discuss the matter with ODOT and explore potential solutions, including requesting ODOT to address the ongoing issues at their own expense. The charges seem to be a combination of change order overruns, shared excavation costs, and higher administration costs than usual, as per initial assessments by Finance Committee Chair Mike Scales and Engineer Bob Heady. Additionally, a recent legal ruling has halted the city's lawsuit related to the Ohio River Trail landslip repair unless they choose to appeal within 30 days. (Marietta Times)
2. Marietta Police Chief Katherine Warden is approaching her one-year anniversary in the role, having been sworn in on Jun. 6, 2022, as the first female police chief in Marietta's history. She aims to inspire girls by showing them that women can hold positions of authority in law enforcement. Throughout her tenure, Warden has prioritized team efforts to expand the department's budget, boost officer morale, and even acquire a therapy dog for the school resource officer. Looking ahead, she plans to implement a holistic health and wellness plan for officers, expand the dispatch center, and develop a comprehensive five-year plan for the police department. (WTAP)
3. Marietta Main Street hosted a Downtown Art Walk for their June First Friday event on Jun. 2, which was the first of three art walks happening this summer. The event closed down the block of Butler Street from Front Street to Second Street, allowing vendors and artists to showcase and sell their work. According to Jen Tinkler, the executive director of Marietta Main Street, this Art Walk was sponsored by Hall Financial and differs from the next two, as the July event will take place on the Armory lawn. The next First Friday Art Walk will run from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Jul. 7. (WTAP)

Are you a real estate agent in Marietta struggling to get leads in the current housing market? It's tough out there, but there is a way to stand out from the crowd and attract new clients. Our exclusive sponsorship in the Marietta newsletter can help you do just that. Click here to learn more and discover how you can take your business to the next level today.

Today and tomorrow in and around Marietta:

Saturday, June 3

• River City Farmers Market At 200 Butler St. (8:00 AM)
• Pride In The Park At Parkersburg City Park, West Virginia (12:00 PM)
• Black Stone Cherry At Adelphia Music Hall (7:00 PM)

Sunday, June 4

• 2023 Summer GP Series Round 4 At Wildwood Lake Raceway, Little Hocking (11:30 AM)

From my notebook:

• Marietta College Softball offered its congratulations to 1B Rachel Kazmirski, who has been named the first-ever NFCA All-American. (Marietta College Softball via Facebook)
• Are you looking to fill your social calendar this week? Check out the list of events happening in and around Marietta this week at the link! (Marietta Ohio's First Adventure)
• Need help with adjusting your car seat? Marietta has specific Car Seat Fitting Stations where certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians can provide education and help install your car seat. Click the link for locations. (Marietta Ohio via Facebook)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (Jun. 6)
• Add your event

You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you around.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners. She is a graduate of the University of Rhode Island, where she earned degrees in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or practicing film photography.