A very happy St. Patrick’s Day. Hopefully, everyone had a fun, and safe, holiday. Following the festivities of the weekend, here’s a chance to catch all of the news that happened this week before Monday comes. As always, the good things are first.

Good stuff

• A local duo partnered to giveaway a complete prom package to two deserving seniors in Muskingum County with the help of many local businesses. The teens were announced on Saturday, March 16. Full story.
• The warming shelter that spontaneously opened due to a need to keep the homeless warm through below freezing temperatures recently closed for the coming seasons. A member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church said the outpouring of community support for the shelter was something truly amazing. Full story.
• The Muskingum County Planning Commission recruited a vast variety of community members to become involved in Muskingum County’s new comprehensive plan for the next ten years. Members dove into their roles Tuesday evening. Full story.
• In honor of the 2019 March for Meals Community Champions Week,  Muskingum County Commissioners, as well as the Board of Trustees and members of the Muskingum County Senior Task Force delivered meals to seniors utilizing the home-delivery meal program on Friday. Full story.

A few incidents

• A Zanesville Police Officer on duty at the John McIntire Library arrested four people suspected of dealing drugs in the rear parking lot Thursday evening. Full story.
• A 21-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured Wednesday evening after crashing into a utility pole on SR 60 near the Muskingum County Speedway. Full story.
• An inmate escaped from the Muskingum County Jail on Tuesday, but don’t worry, he jumped into the river and was rescued before being taken back to jail. First story. He was later identified (follow-up story) and appeared in court Wednesday for arraignment on his original charges. Court follow-up.

Court corner — and a large corner it was this week

• Michael Law, the Zanesville High School coach and teacher’s aide accused of having a sexual relationship with a student, was sentenced to seven years in prison on Monday. Full story.
• A New Lexington man, Thomas Unger, accused of impersonating a sheriff’s office deputy before raping a woman he offered a ride to was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Full story.
• The man accused of assaulting a police officer after hopping a median and crashing into a deputy’s cruiser head-on during a pursuit on Maple Avenue pleaded guilty to several charges from three cases Wednesday morning. Full story.

• The man at the center of a December arson investigation has returned to Ohio after spending some time in Maine’s criminal justice system for his arrest on a warrant out of Muskingum County. He pleaded not guilty during his arraignment. Full story.
• The 25-year-old getaway car driver involved in the aggravated robbery of Little Caesars in May last year changed his plea to guilty Monday afternoon. Full story.
• A Michigan man that was on his way to sell drugs in Pennsylvania was pulled over in Muskingum County last year. Devonte Kitchen was sentenced to seven years in prison for all the illegal substances found in his car. Full story.
• A man that was a former dealer was sentenced to six years in prison. His defense attorney argued for a lesser sentence as James Norris stopped drug dealing before he ever knew he was in trouble as he was previously involved in a CI sting operation. Full story.

Events

• The Zane Trace Players production of Shrek the musical kicked off this weekend. The nearly 60-member cast is performing at the Renner on March 15 through 17 and 22 through 24. Showtimes are at 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. on Sundays. Full story.
• For the business people of the community, online sales expert Britni Ross is hosting a seminar for anyone who’s looking to move their business, ideas, products or services online. The seminar is on Wednesday, March 20, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Full story and registration.