CHESTERLAND NEWS VOLUME 50 No. 2
Wednesday, May 31, 2017
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Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Convenience Store Victim of ‘Smash and Grab’ Three Men Seen Breaking into Chesterland Market, Allegedly Stole $300-$400 BY CASSANDRA SHOFAR NEWS@CHESTERLANDNEWS.COM Three male suspects are on the run after smashing a minivan into the front doors of the Chesterland Market convenience store at 2:22 a.m. May 25 and stealing $300 to $400 from the cash register, said Chester Township Police Chief Mark Purchase. “Approximately 2:22 a.m. May 25, two minivan-type vehicles pulled into the Guido’s Pizza plaza on Chillicothe Road,” Purchase said, adding a witness had seen the entire incident and reported it to the police. The chief said one of the vans pulled in front of the Chesterland Market convenience store, 12777 Chillicothe Road, was put in reverse and at a high rate of speed, blew through the front door. “The van then pulled forward off the sidewalk and three males entered the store,” Purchase said. The men unsuccessfully
attempted to steal the ATM machine, which was bolted to the floor. Instead, they stole the cash from the register, he said. “The men then abandoned the one minivan in the parking lot and got into the second minivan and fled the scene,” the chief said, adding they traveled westbound on Mayfield Road. The minivan left behind is believed to have been stolen and also had what police believe are stolen license plates (in other words, both the vehicle and the license plates trace back to different owners). “The males were gloved and wearing hooded sweatshirts with the hoods up over their heads,” Purchase said, adding they were not wearing masks. The witness called 9-1-1 to report the crime. All three males were African American according to the witness, Purchase said. The men were “so fast in and
Town Crier Starts on Page 2
Recycling Site Issues Causes Concern See Page 3
Local Athletes Chosen as All Stars See Page3
Travel Agency Moves to Chester See Page 7
PAMELA J. MOLNAR/KMG
Picture of the damage done after three men smashed a minivan-type vehicle into the front of the Chesterland Market convenience store in the Guido's Pizza plaza on Chillicothe Road and stole $300-$400.
out” of the store,” he said. Chester Township Police
Department is investigating the crime, Purchase said.
Clean Up Day Set for June 3 See Page 9
Classifieds Start on Page 11
Leader of Community Church Believes in Power of Dialogue BY JENNIFER TURKOC NEWS@CHESTERLANDNEWS.COM The Rev. Jason Bricker-Thompson's outlook on life stresses the importance of conversations, listening and voices being heard. That's because he strongly believes that political division is a major problem in the country and what people need is “more open dialogue with each other.” “Face to face conversations
bridge differences,” he ing in Thailand for a said in a recent interview. semester. Bricker-Thompson is He was a college the spiritual leader of the chaplain at Hiram for Community Church of nine years. Believing Chesterland, founded in strongly in social justice, 1819. Bricker-Thompson operBorn in Cleveland, ated a small fair-trade B r i c k e r - T h o m p s o n Bricker-Thompson store with students on received his bachelor's campus. degree in religious studies from A fair-trade store sells items Hiram College. The reverend also grown or made by the international received a master's degree in divini- poor, such as coffee, tea, olive oil ty from Vanderbilt University, study- and arts and crafts at a fair price,
making more money for the producers of those products. He also oversaw a farm operated by adults with autism, who both worked and ran the farm. The adults learned both life and farming skills. Since its inception, the Community Church of Chesterland has been very socially active, especially in the 50s and 60s, the reverend said.
About 168 seniors will graduate June 1 from West Geauga High School during commencement ceremonies to be held at Playhouse Square in downtown Cleveland. According to Principal Jay Bishop, this class is smaller than the preceding ones, which have exceeded 200 students. For Bishop, this year’s commencement is a milestone event.
“We grew up together,” he said during the West Geauga Schools Board of Education May 22 meeting. “I began my role here as these students entered as high school freshmen. I have a special attachment to this class and will miss them.” Although Bishop said the incoming senior class is slightly larger for next year, it shows the trend toward the school’s shrinking enrollment and shrinking state funding. See Schools w Page 10
Check it out online at www.chesterlandnews.com. View selected front pages from the paper’s history!
See Church w Page 5
Five-Year Report Shows Deficit in Revenues, Students BY GWEN COOPER NEWS@CHESTERLANDNEWS.COM
Miss the Chesterland News’ 50th Anniversary Special Edition?
Publication Schedule As of May 2016, the Chesterland News switched to publishing every other week. Karlovec Media Group reserves the right to change, cancel or add publication dates at any time.
GWEN COOPER/KMG
West Geauga officials react to five-year forecast figures, from left Dan Thoreson, Ben Kotowski, Tom Phelps and Rich Markwardt.
June 14 June 28 July 12 July 26 Aug. 9 Aug. 23 Sept. 6
Sept. 20 Oct. 4 Oct. 18 Nov. 1 Nov. 15 Nov. 29 Dec. 13
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