COLUMBIANA CORNER Jocular commissioners get along swimmingly

During a recent Columbiana County commissioners hearing that dealt in part with pollutants entering a stream in Salem's Waterworth Memorial Park, it was mentioned that children sometimes swim in the waterway.
Commissioner Sean Logan asked Don Weingart, city utilities superintendent, if he knows of anyone's swimming in the stream.
Weingart started to refer the question to Mayor Larry DeJane, when Logan quipped, "Are you saying the mayor swims in that creek?"
Amid audience laughter, Weingart responded, "It's possible. He was young once."
Rainy-day fun: With low voter turnout at the Columbiana County polls last week, Columbiana County Board of Elections Director John Payne noted the correlation between voter turnout and the weather.
With few candidates and issues on the ballot, Payne said rain Tuesday also likely contributed to the low numbers. Fewer than 5,000 of the county's more than 26,000 voters went to the polls, a turnout of about 16 percent.
"Any time you want to alleviate drought in Columbiana County, just schedule an election," Payne quipped.
Beer warning: Columbiana County Sheriff Dave Smith said he's preparing soon to publicize a warning to parents about laws banning underage drinking.
Smith said upcoming graduation parties are prompting the publicity effort.
Adults frequently buy kegs of beer for parties and fail to monitor who's drinking from them. Often, young partygoers get into the beer, Smith said.
He noted that adults can be held liable when they supply alcohol consumed by people below the legal age.
XCONTRIBUTORS: Norman Leigh and Nancy Tullis, Vindicator Salem Bureau.