Warren County Airport

Some Victoria airport tenants paying late rent

Some Victoria Regional Airport tenants haven't been keeping up with their monthly rental fees.

The airport handed a 30-day eviction notice on June 17 to one offender, the Landing Strip Cafe. It was the only restaurant in its terminal.

Jason Milewski, the airport's managing director, called the situation unfortunate. But he added that the airport must be run like a business.

"Otherwise, taxpayers will continue to subsidize this place forever," Milewski said.

The airport receives funding from Victoria County. Last year it got a $108,000 county loan to balance its budget, Milewski said.

Yet the goal is to one day become self-sustaining, he added.

Cafe owner, Arnold Martinez, had asked the airport's commission not to put a $500 security deposit around his neck during the commission's June 16 meeting.

"I went in there to try to fight for our little restaurant," he said.

Martinez had a history of paying his monthly $250 rental fee anywhere from three days to 81 days past due, according to a table provided by Milewski. He has yet to pay the fees for April, May or June.

Yet Martinez said that he was only late a couple of months in 2010, and that he always paid within two weeks. He showed the Advocate a receipt saying he paid his March 2011 rent on time, but couldn't produce the other receipts.

Martinez agreed that he was late in paying the rent for this year's other months.

Milewski said he wishes Martinez the best and agreed that he did provide a good service.

But Milewski said it wasn't fair for airport tenants to be allowed to habitually make late payments.

"They're basically getting a short-term loan from the taxpayers," Milewski said.

These short-term loans are also one reason why the county must loan the airport money from time to time, Milewski said.

Outreach Word Academy, a charter school, has also repeatedly paid its rent late, according to the table. At $3,000 per month, the academy hasn't paid its bills on time since at least January 2010.

The table showed the academy paying one month's rent 65 days late. The closest it came to paying its rent on time was for the February 2010 rent, which it paid 24 days late.

The Advocate was unable to contact Elaine Philips, the academy's director of business, after calling her office, visiting the office in the Crossroads Plaza, as well as the school itself, located on the airport's property.

Army Reserve helicopter makes emergency landing in Warren County

A U.S. Army Reserve HH-60M MEDEVAC Blackhawk helicopter made an emergency landing at Warren County Airport after a possible mechanical problem with one of its two engines, said Company Commandar Major Josh Brooks. The plane was bound for Fort Knox, Ky., from Johnstown, Penn. and landed at approximately 3:20 p.m., Sunday, June 19, 2011. Staff photo by Kareem Elgazzar

TURTLECREEK TWP. — A U.S. Army Reserve medical helicopter landed safely in Warren County after a possible problem with one of its two engines Sunday.

All four crew members of the HH-60M Blackhawk were uninjured after it landed at approximately 3:20 p.m. at the Warren County Airport, airport staff said.

The helicopter was heading to Fort Knox, Ky., from Johnstown, Pa., said Maj. Josh Brooks, company commander of F Company, 1-214th Aviation Regiment. Brooks said the emergency landing was unrelated to the rainy weather conditions. Crew members are inspecting the plane for the cause of the engine problem before continuing their mission to Fort Knox, Brooks said.

The Blackhawk helicopter is the latest of its kind, and is equipped with state-of-the-art onboard medical systems, including environmental control, oxygen-generating system and an external rescue hoist for rescue in difficult landing conditions, according to the Army Reserve. It’s capable of carrying up to six patients and has a range of 275 nautical miles.

Contact this reporter at (513) 755-5112 or kelgazzar@coxohio.com.

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