Chesterland News 1-4-23

WG Board Signs Newbury Lease Agreement

By Brian Doering Brian@karlovecmeDia com

After two years of conversations and negotiating a lease agreement for athletic facilities on the former Newbury Schools campus, the West Geauga Schools Board of Education closed the deal Dec. 20.

During the special meeting, school board members unanimous ly approved a resolution for the lease agreement with Newbury Township Trustees for the use of the athletic fields and bus garage.

“The lease is the culmination of general conversations that have occurred over the last two years and, specific to the lease, over the last several months,” said Super intendent Richard Markwardt. “I believe that both the West Geauga board of education and the New bury Township board of trustees see the lease as a good means, whereby West Geauga residents will be able to use the property for community recreational pur poses.”

Back on Dec. 12, school board members established a deadline of Dec. 19 to enter into an agreement with the trustees.

As detailed in the agreement, leased premises include athletic facilities on the property at 14775 Auburn Road, including

equipment.

The agreement excludes buildings scheduled for demolition, such as a pavilion, restroom facility, concession stand/ticket booth, as well as a wooden playset.

The leased premises also includes

foot service bays that West Geauga Schools will have exclusive use of.

The lease term is for five years, commencing Jan. 1 of 2023, and expiring Dec. 31 of 2027.

Newbury will pay a base rent to West Geauga in the amount of $100

“The board of education has no immediate plans to sell the property or to develop it, so the lease by the township will permit the community to enjoy the athletic fields for years to come,” Markwardt said.

Russell Sunoco Owners Pumped Up About Opening

By ann Wishart ann@karlovecmeDia com

The Sunoco station in the middle of Russell Township supplies fresh sandwiches, Amish fry pies, Mad Batter donuts and select cigars in a tall, glass-fronted humidor.

The cozy, clean, modern store has a wide inventory of candy, chips, cookies and pop, but a large section is reserved for a variety of wines.

Within a few months, owners Steve and Kristen Gaetjens expect to have a kitchen for preparing breakfasts and lunches that can be taken to-go or, come spring, eaten on the new patio behind the building.

They have traveled a long and often rocky road to arrive at this

point in their venture.

Back in 2007, the couple leased the gas station on the southwest corner of Chillicothe and Kinsman roads from long-time owner Ann Tanner and family.

“(They) ran it for many years as a Shell station,” Kristen said.

The couple had a partner and they planned to renovate the build ing and add indoor plumbing to re place the outdoor job johnny.

It took time and money to re solve the well and septic tank prob lems and that wasn’t all.

“We had no heat for a year,” Steve recalled.

Fixing up the business that first year was a project, but Kristen said the $8,000 they spent on the interi or was worth it.

Russell Township

Citizens’ Park Board Building Bridges to the Future

By ann Wishart ann@karlovecmeDia com

The Russell Township Citizens’ Park Board has been busy building bridges, literally and metaphorically, for two years.

They include a bridge over a stream at the Upper Chagrin Preserve and relationship-bridging with Russell Township Trustees, the Chagrin River Watershed Partners, Western Reserve Land Conservancy, several schools and Geauga Park District naturalists.

Now, with a six-year lease with the township giving them long-term access to the property, board Chairman Roy Podojil is hoping to get another bridge built over a stream leading to the Chagrin River and to strengthen the board’s relationship with township voters.

“We’re happy with what we’ve been doing,” he said Dec. 21. “We’re turning UCP into a learning center.”

Partnering with the Geauga Park District, Podojil said two of its naturalists are involved in setting up a system to monitor the Chagrin River that flows along the southern border of the park.

“Geauga Park District is taking the lead on this,” he said, naming district naturalists Dottie Drockton and Linda Gilbert as the ones spearheading water-testing of the river in the preserve to indicate the health of the tributaries.

Drockton said she and Gilbert hope to set up stream-quality monitoring stations along the river in partnership with Becky

Donaldson, of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources.

“We’re scouting it out. Becky is excited about this being a site,” Drockton said.

Meanwhile, the board is planning a bridge for foot traffic across another stream to the footpath along the abandoned Interurban Railroad, Podojil said.

“We don’t want to pollute anything, but

we want to get the Interurban line open for walking,” he said.

Keeping hikers out of the Chagrin River tributaries and pristine vernal pools is a priority, so a bridge across the stream is vital.

“We’re trying to preserve the property. I think we’re on the right track,” he said.

Consulting with the WRLC on the location and angle of the bridge is important

because no one wants to cause blockage or erosion along the stream and river, he said.

The first bridge wasn’t an issue because there were existing abutments that were used to span that part of the stream. The angle of the next bridge is an issue, he said.

“The WRLC want to insure the bridge is in the right place and not a hindrance to water,” Podojil said. “We want to keep it as natural as possible and make sure the bridges blend in with the environment.”

The WRLC holds the conservation easement on the preserve. About 150 acres were given to the township on the condition it be used for educational purposes and to allow horseback riding. However, Podojil said he’d prefer only foot traffic on the trails, so studies can be made of the unique species of flora and fauna in the wooded acreage.

The preserve is a passive park and the board is following the deed restrictions, one of which is maintaining a low volume of foot traffic.

More passable trails are also on the to-do list.

“It’s a struggle. That property has been neglected for years,” Podojil said.

As a retired biology teacher, Podojil is passionate about ensuring the next generation of scientists and biologists appreciate the Chagrin River and its sources.

Hence, the board is coordinating with area schools’ science classes to take on projects to help sustain the preserve’s environment under close supervision, Podojil said.

Lantern of Chagrin

Why do we as Lantern of Chagrin Valley exist?

Our purpose is to create opportunities for our elderly to live at their highest level of independence. Our care programs and services will inspire our elderly to live their life to their fullest and to their preference and desire. Our daily commitment is to make our elderly’s life fun and invigorating.

What makes us different from others?

Our SVAYUS environment design, JIVE and SVAYUS program makes us unusual and unique. The JIVE program focuses on therapeutic exercises and activities. Our cognitive program SVAYUS is a unique and holistic program that facilitates positive interactions and direct contact with simulated nature for mental, social, emotional, and spiritual development.

Why consider Lantern of Chagrin Valley?

The staff will do what is humanly possible to ensure that the residents are happy, satisfied and fulfilled. The staff and the leadership are very passionate about care and services. It is personal to them. It is a community with a tenured staff that have numerous accomplishments and new methods of care. They help find purpose and joy in a resident’s life. Honesty and integrity are the basic core and foundation of Lantern’s care and service culture.

What makes the dining program at Lantern of Chagrin Valley exceptional?

We create a unique dining experience that is built around Lantern’s culture and resident’s preference. We delight in residents and burnishes Lantern’s reputation, reflecting the heartbeat of our residents and making the dining experience one-of-a-kind. All the meals are prepared fresh and served dining room style right to their table. Alternative menus are offered for our residents’ pleasure.

What safety features or security measures do we have to protect our residents?

The residents use an Emergency Pendant. The pendant has a button that they press when assistance is needed. We also have motion sensors in our Memory Care neighborhood which detects a fall or if a resident gets out of bed. Our community is secured with the state-of-the-art security system. A secure key fob is required to enter and exit the community and in some instances certain spaces within the community. We have security cameras inside the community and in every entry and exit point.

What is our unique proposition?

Our unique State-of-the-art community was designed by an occupational therapist. The neighborhoods are designed based on five SVAYUS principles. The overall SVAYUS environment is healing and therapeutic. The objective and the goal of SVAYUS is to enable the residents to function at their best ability and highest potential. Svayus hypothesizes that having an individual live in an environment that is serene, tranquil calming and peaceful diminishes the unnecessary clutters such as anxiety, depression, memory conflicts and agitation. The environment creates opportunities for individuals to be at peace and free of unnecessary emotions that potentially could be a hindrance and barrier for optimum brain function.

SUBMITTED

Darci Sanders, nature-based learning coordinator at Gilmore Academy, and Gilmour Academy senior science students look for indicator species in the Chagrin River at Upper Chagrin Preserve in Russell Township on a nice day in October.

“What we had was cute,” she said, adding they soldiered through the 2008 recession like many small businesses.

Both were working at the time, so they hired a mechanic and then another, and then…

“We had five different mechanics until, in 2016, we said we’re done with mechanics,” she said.

They closed the garage and continued to sell under the Shell name, competing with Circle K on the diagonal corner for customers along the two heavily-traveled state roads.

They started planning to turn the empty garage space into a larger store, but their dream hit another roadblock when Circle K took over the entire northeast corner and built a huge convenience store, as well as installed multiple pumps in 2019 after two years of permitting and community objections.

“Competition is so fierce in the gas station business. We had no idea how hard it is,” Kristen said. “It’s marketing, marketing, marketing.”

They realized they needed to up their game, but the property was still owned by Tanner and family, so they hesitated to invest any more to upgrade it to a complete convenience store.

“Finally, they agreed to sell it — just before COVID hit,” Steve said. “It took a year to get everything designed and approved.”

In January 2021, the couple started demolition of the interior to build new walls that separate the kitchen, storage and cooler areas from shopping areas.

Conservation

from page 2

“We don’t want people damaging it,” he said, noting the owner of a property that backs up to UCP wants to take part in the stewardship of the land and water.

The data gathered by environmentalists, schools and various agencies will be made available to the public as studies are completed, he added.

Another challenge the board faces is providing access to the acres of woods and streams, so those studying different aspects have someplace to park.

Currently, visitors walk under Cleveland Electric Illuminating’s high power lines to enter the preserve. The board hopes to work

It got to a point where they closed the doors while they were renovating the interior.

“We had to close from May through October in 2021. We just couldn’t accommodate people safely anymore,” Steve said.

Kristen recalled the sign they hung out that said, “See you in July,” had to be updated every month through October.

“On November 3, we finally opened,” she said.

Since then, they have been waiting to have their kitchen grill, stove and ovens installed. The items were ready at Dubick Fixtures and Supply Inc. in Cleveland nearly a year before the kitchen area was prepared for them, Steve said.

Supply chain problems were a big reason for the holdup, he said.

Meanwhile, heavy winter snow took down the canopy over the gas tanks, necessitating a new installation preceded by pouring a concrete pad — and more delays.

The canopy concrete was finally poured in October, so both the tanks and the store finally are open and ready for business, Kristen said.

Customers who had to go elsewhere for gas and donuts are trickling back in, but she said she keeps looking for familiar faces and hoping they will stop by.

Kristen is also planning to wallpaper part of the store’s interior with a vinyl wrap around the beer cooler showing historic sites or events in Russell Township. Anyone with pictures of historic Russell can email her at manager@Russellsunoco.com.

“In the spring, we’re going to have a grand opening,” Kristen said. “We will make it a party.”

with CEI to establish access and perhaps a parking area.

“We’re kinda in limbo on that,” Podojil said.

Primarily, the park board is keeping Russell Township Trustees informed regarding plans for the river source and woodlands, and seeking funding for the projects they feel need to be done.

The board relies on the trustees for some tax money, but Podojil said more would be appreciated.

“We don’t have a good source of income,” he said, adding the township voters might pass a levy to provide a steady source of income if residents understand the plans for the UCP.

“We want to make sure people are happy with what we are doing,” he said.

Town Crier

Genealogical Society Meets

Jan. 10, 7 p.m.

Deborah Abbott will present “You Only have a Death Announcement, Now What?” via Zoom at the next meeting of the Geauga County Genealogical Society. The program will begin after the short business meeting.

Registration is requested; visit gcgsoh. org and click on Programs and Links to receive a confirmation email and instructions from LibCal.

Red Cross Blood Drive

Jan. 16, 12-6 p.m.

The American Red Cross will host a blood drive at Geauga West Library, 13455 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township. Walk-ins are welcome.

Visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800733-2767 to make an appointment.

Geauga Skywatchers Club

Jan. 16, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Geauga Skywatchers Club for “Make a Spectroscope” at Burton Public Library. Visit www.GeaugaLibrary.libcal.com to register.

Outreach Spaghetti Dinner

Jan. 19, 6-7 p.m.

Christ Presbyterian Church offers free drive-thru spaghetti and meatball dinners the third Thursday of each month. Salad and dessert are included.

The church is located at 12419 Chillicothe Road in Chester Township.

karlovec group

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Phone 440-729-7667 FAX 440-729-8240 ads@karlovecmedia.com editor@karlovecmedia.com

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Circulation

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Happy Tails Hopes ‘Holiday Spirit’ Inspires Donations

Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, like many or ganizations, is feeling the pinch of inflation.

The mostly cage-less, no-kill cat sanctu ary in Newbury Township is in need of dona tions to ease its rising costs, especially with regards to cat food, litter, cleaning supplies, pharmaceuticals and veterinary treatment.

“We hope ‘the holiday spirit’ will inspire people to make donations to the sanctuary,” said Happy Tails President Tom Vasko. “In addition, Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary is rec ognized by the IRS as a nonprofit charitable organization.”

One of the pharmaceuticals consistent ly needed is insulin for diabetic cats, said media contact Doreen Lazarus-Harris, add ing currently, there is a diabetic cat at the sanctuary, as well as another one in foster care and Happy Tails pays for the insulin for both.

“The diabetic cat at the sanctuary is 11-year-old ‘Luigi.’ He is very sweet and it would be great if he gets adopted into a good home where his condition can be kept under control,” she said. “However, it’s very possible that he will spend the rest of his life at Happy Tails. The diabetic cat in foster care is ‘Zsa Zsa,’ who is elderly and quite frail. There are, of course, other cats at the sanctuary, as well as in Happy Tails foster homes. Some are adoptable, but there are also old, feral and/or special needs cats in the facility.” Checks or money orders can be mailed to: Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary, P.O.

Luigi, age 11

SUBMITTED

Box 581, Chesterland, OH 44026, or donations can be transmitted via PayPal at www. HappyTailsCatSanctuary.org.

Email questions to HappyTailsCatSanctuary@gmail.com or call or text Doreen at 440-759-0076.

Water, Wastewater Assistance Available

staff report

The Ohio Department of Development and Geauga County Job and Family Services will help income-eligible Ohioans with water and wastewater assistance.

The Low-Income Household Water Assistance Program provides eligible Ohio residents who are threatened with disconnection or in a past-due status with assistance paying water and wastewater bills, according to a Dec. 15 release. Other types of assistance with residential water service also are available.

The program is available until Sept. 30, 2023.

Geauga County residents should contact

Geauga County Job and Family Services to apply for the program, the release stated. A phone interview is required.

Applicants will need to provide copies of the following, along with completing the interview:

• Copies of their most recent water/ wastewater bills,

• A list of all household members and proof of income for the last 30 days or 12 months for each member, and

• Proof of United States citizenship or legal residency for all household members.

For more information, contact Geauga County JFS at (440) 285-9141. Additional information can also be obtained by visiting www.energyhelp.ohio.gov or by calling (800) 282-0880.

Community Meetings

Listed are public meetings and executive sessions for the coming two-week period, unless otherwise noted.

Geauga County: Jan. 4, 5 p.m., Board of Health, Ste. 303, special meeting to discuss future planning and operations of Geauga Public Health including the review of applicants for the Administrator and Environmental Health Director positions; Jan. 5, 9:30 a.m., Geauga County Commissioners, regular session and annual organizational meeting; Jan. 10, 7:30 a.m. – Planning Commission, Ste. 380, 9:30 a.m. – Geauga County Commissioners; Jan. 18, 6 p.m., Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services, at 13244 Ravenna Road, Munson; Jan. 19, 9:30 a.m., Geauga County Commissioners. All county meetings are held at the Geauga County Administrative Building,

12611 Ravenwood Drive (Ste. #), Claridon, unless otherwise noted. County commissioners meetings are held in Suite 350.

Chester Township: Jan. 9, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals; Jan, 11, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; Jan. 12, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell Township: Jan. 9, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees; Jan. 19, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees . All meetings are held at Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

West Geauga BOE: Jan. 9 , 6;45 p.m., annual organizational meeting and regular meeting. All meetings are held at the BOE Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell FD Cheers Two New Assistant Chiefs

By ann Wishart ann@karlovecmeDia com

Russell Township Fire Chief John Frazier swore in two newly-promoted assistant chiefs at the trustees’ meeting Dec. 15.

Nick Sambula and Sam Brown took the oath of office in front of a large crowd of department volunteers at the beginning of the meeting.

“A call for help for the fire department sounds somewhere in our nation every oneand-a-half seconds,” Frazier said, tracing firefighting to major fires in the American colonies.

He listed the Jamestown fire in 1608, the

Seniors

Matter of Balance Classes

Geauga Department on Aging and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center are sponsoring Matter of Balance classes to Geauga seniors 60 and older interested in improving balance, flexibility and strength and in preventing falls.

Class will be held every Tuesday and Friday from Jan. 10 through Feb. 3 from 12:302:30 p.m. at the Chardon Senior Center, 470 Center St., Building 8 in Chardon.

To register, call Melissa Wheeler at 440279-2167. Class is free for registered seniors, but space is limited. Lunch is available for registered seniors at noon.

Plymouth Plantation fire in 1623, the Boston Warf fire in 1652 and the New Amsterdam fire in 1655.

“The first-known fire pumper appears in Boston in 1654,” Frazier said. “Benjamin Franklin is often said to be the father of the American Fire Service by organizing the first volunteer fire company in Philadelphia, the Union Fire Company, with many

other notables serving as volunteer firefighters.”

The Russell Fire Department was organized in 1951 and is one of 27,180 fire departments in the U.S., he said.

“The oath given to these two today represents not only an old mission to our organization, but a new vision for the future of the Russell Fire Department and community,”

Frazier said.

In a later phone conversation, Frazier said Assistant Chief John Bryan recently retired, so Brown and Sambula will be taking his place as training officers in the department. Having two training officers will make the scheduling of training sessions easier for the all-volunteer department, he said.

Russell Fire Department Assistant Chief Sam Brown was given his oath of office by Chief John Frazier at the Russell Township Trustees meeting Dec. 15. Also pictured are Brown’s wife, Allison, and children Sammy, 8, Lilly, 6, and Kate, 3.

Russell Fire Department Assistant Chief Nick Sambula was given his oath of office by Chief John Frazier at the Russell Township Trustees meeting Dec. 15. Also pictured are Sambula’s wife, Amanda, and children Gianluca, 9, Dominic, 6, and Vincenzo, 2.

Chester Township Government Update

The Chester Township Board of Trustees meeting on Dec. 15 began with an executive session to consider the purchase and sale of property. Realtor Vic Cizek, Fiscal Officer Patricia Jarrett and Township Administrator Mark Purchase also participated in the session.

No decisions were made upon re-entering public session, and the board then moved into a public hearing for zoning amendments Z2022-4 and Z2022-5. One amendment dealt with increasing the allowable size for accessory buildings based on property acreage and the other was simply a language cleanup, which passed. After good discussion and input from the public, the board decided to continue the public hearing to Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. so proposed language changes amending the resolution can be more clearly presented for consideration.

Funds in the amount of $5,200 were approved for Kalida Equipment for a toolbox for truck #515 and $3,209 to MES for fire equipment and the sale/disposal of various items that are either no longer of value or considered obsolete or scrap. Monies in the amount of $38,964 were also approved to Millstone Management Group as the township is nearing completion of the fire station remodel. The board approved hiring of Nicholas Angie as a full-time firefighter effective Dec. 26,

2022, and welcomes him to the team. Angie is replacing firefighter James Hess who took a full-time position with Kirtland, which was the department he originally started working at as a firefighter.

The board also approved the hiring of Richard Ivans to part-time assistant zoning inspector effective Dec. 18. Once up to speed, Ivans, a 30-plus year resident of Chester, will handle the majority of field work and inspections under the direction of Mark Purchase.

The board also approved a proclamation for Charles Pona for his service on the Chester Board of Zoning Appeals.

Monies in the amount of $810 were approved for the Chesterland Rotary to cover the Winterfest expenses and the use of Parkside Park by the West Geauga Baseball Federation was also approved.

Patricia Jarrett provided an update on expenditures related to various paving projects, noting that Mr. Excavator has been paid $401,194.13 and Chagrin Valley Paving’s first payment of $629,555 was also made.

The 2023 temporary budget in the amount of $9,215,563.39 was unanimously approved, which enables the township to start spending appropriated funds with the beginning of the new fiscal year on Jan. 1, 2023.

Submitted by Ken Radtke Jr., Chester Township Trustee

Arts & Entertainment

Fairmount Speaker Series

Jan. 8, 3-4 p.m.

Fairmount Center for the Arts continues its “Pull Back the Curtain” speaker series with “In Conversation: Yaron Kohlberg” at the center located at 8400 Fairmount Road in Russell Township. A renowned pianist and president of Piano Cleveland, Kohlberg will perform and discuss his career.

Light refreshments will be served. Advance reservations are recommended by calling 440338-3171 or visiting fairmountcenter.org.

Fairmount Winter Registration

Registration is open for the winter session of dance, fitness, music, theatre and

visual arts classes and workshops at Fairmount Center for the Arts. The session for preschoolers through seniors begins Jan. 6.

Current and prospective students are invited to learn more about Fairmount’s offerings at the Winter Warm-Up on Jan. 7 from 10 a.m. to noon. Attendees can tour the facility, meet instructors, see dance performances by the student Fairmount Dance Company and Hip Hop Crew performing groups and enjoy art-making activities.

For more information or to register for classes, visit www.fairmountcenter.org, call 440-338-3171. Scholarships and payment plans are available.

Fairmount is located at 8400 Fairmount Road in Russell Township.

Heating Assistance Available

The Ohio Department of Development and Geauga County Job and Family Services want to remind Geauga County Residents that assistance is available to help with their home energy bills.

The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) helps Ohioans at or below 175% of the federal poverty guidelines pay their heating bills. Ohioans who are threatened with disconnection; have been disconnected from their utility service; transferring service; establishing new services; or at or below 25% bulk fuel may be eligible for the HEAP Winter Crisis Program (WCP) that runs through March 31, 2023.

Geauga County residents may apply for the WCP through Geauga County Job and Family Services by calling 440-285-1299. Application for the WCP is by telephone interview only and appointments are currently being scheduled.

Ohioans can visit energyhelp.ohio.gov to apply online, download a copy of the application or find contact information for a local energy assistance provider. Individuals will need to have copies of the following documents to include with their application:

• most recent Utility bills

• a list of all household members, birthdates and Social Security numbers

• proof of income for the past 30 days for all household members

• proof of citizenship or legal residency for all household members

• proof of disability, if applicable

HEAP benefits are applied to an individual’s energy bill after Jan. 1. Residents needing immediate assistance with their energy bills should contact Geauga County Job and Family Services, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 150, Claridon Township, at 440-285-9141.

Geauga West Library

13455 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township, 440-729-4250. Registration is required unless otherwise noted. Visit www.GeaugaLibrary.net.

Winter Reading

Jan. 1 - Feb. 28

The Winter Reading Challenge returns for another snow-filled year. Sign up and complete a reading or activity log each week to be entered into a prize drawing, which will take place at the end of the event.

Storytimes

Join for a storytime that is sure to engage, connect and inspire children. A variety of dates and times to choose from for targeted age groups are located on the website’s programs calendar.

Why and How of Plant-Based Eating

Jan. 5, 7-8 p.m. • Virtual

YouTube sensation Jane Esselstyn, co-author of the “Prevent and Reverse Heart Dis-

ease Cookbook” and the “Be a Plant-Based Woman Warrior Cookbook,” teams up with her husband Brian Hart to present a program highlighting the benefits and how-tos of plantbased eating.

Passport Fair

Jan. 7, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

GCPL has partnered with the Geauga County Clerk of Courts to provide a one-stop shopping experience to help one complete the necessary steps to get a passport. No registration is required.

Book Group

Jan. 10, 6:30 p.m.

Join to discuss “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt.

Switch Showdown

Jan. 18, 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Youth in grades 3-5 will compete against each other on Nintendo Switch games.

West Geauga Schools

WG Spelling Bee Qualifiers

Congratulations to the students at Lindsey Elementary School and West Geauga Middle School who qualified to complete in their school spelling bee. Each building will hold their spelling bee in early January, with the winners then advancing to the district spelling bee competition later in the month.

Qualifying students include: Anthony Finizia-Boisselle, Camille Edwards, Matthew Grabinski, Jeremiah Holt, Collette Johnson, Genevieve Jones, Sylvia Kobella, Andrew McNamara, Emily Mullett, Hannah Nevar, TJ Percy, Mary Alice Stevenson, Skyler Stauffer, Molly Moidell, Vera Caudill, Caleb Wright, Darren Price- Wright, Ray Hederstrom, Alana Rogaski, Grace Brobeck, Vito Carcioppolo, Madison Demaske, Caroline Yeager, Aron Oklander, Makenna Yonchak, Ella Grill, Morgan Savage, Joey Lubonovich, Katherine Bailey, Jackson Kovacs and Olivia Pausch.

West Geauga Students Celebrate

The month of December has brought much fun and celebration for students in all four buildings. The middle and high school bands and choirs had their holiday performances. Elementary students enjoyed gifting to others with their purchases from the Holiday Shop, classroom party festivities and a Snowflake Sing Along Assembly. Middle school students enjoyed a special cookies and cocoa treat.

The final week of classes was Spirit Week, which allowed students to be festive and creative with pajama wearing, crazy hats, dressing like their teacher and even bringing their belongings to school in anything but a backpack. All of the events rounded out a fantastic first semester leading into a well-deserved winter break.

Thank you to the teachers, families and Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) for helping to make these fun events possible for the students.

Real Estate Transfers

Following is a list of area real estate transfers for the weeks ending Dec. 16 and Dec. 22, 2022, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Florian Bremec, 11746 Lyman Road, to Robert Mchugh and Jaclyn Griffith, $289,900. (1.03 acres)

Donald E. and Joanne T. Liebenauer (TOD), 8407 Cedar Road, to Thomas J. and

Janice E. Varney, $285,000. (1.50 acres)

Ashley M. Doles, 8845 Ranch Drive, to Jessica M. and Robert J. Plavic II, $325,000. (1.75 acres)

RB Trout LLC, 9432 Wilson Mills Road, to Byron R. and Marilyn M. Tabbut (trustees), $275,000. (1.93 acres)

RUSSELL TOWNSHIP

Dorothy E. Robbins, 48000 Mather Lane, to Eliza H. Saada (trustee), $700,000 (6.40 acres)

Classifieds

AUTOS & PARTS

$CASH$ for Junk Vehicles. Free towing. 440-679-7293.

FOR RENT

Room for Let, $600, Russell. Call for details 440-338-5201.

For Lease: Arena/barn for workshop or self-care stalls. Private retreat for your enjoyment. 440-564-7363. Hawks Nest Farm, Newbury.

Chesterland 2 bedroom home for rent, 2.5 acres, available now. $1,400/mo. Call Peggy 440-554-5524.

EVENTS

Try something NEW for the New Year! “Marschmellow Squares” will have a FREE introduction to Square Dancing Sunday January 8th 2:30p-4:30p at 10222 Bundysburg Road, Middlefield. For more information call 440-6321074 or email: rlmarsch@windstream. net.

FOR SALE

Antique clocks, many; Oak crank wall phone $369; Humpback chest $79; Wooden rocking horse $79. Rocker/gliders $59/$89. 440-338-3563.

Kubota Snowblower: Model BZZZA, rear mount, 3pt hitch $495. Elliptical exercise machine: w/books, tools, pulse monitor $50. 440-313-1178.

West G Band jacket Drumline, wool/ leather, size medium with extra long arms, take off name and patches, only $25. call/text 440-668-8768.

Mattress Topper: Queen size, “My Pillow” brand, Paid $300, asking $150. 928205-3945

5-piece patio set, includes cushions and umbrella $100/OBO. Single bed, good shape $50. 440-632-9675.

HELP WANTED

PETS & ANIMALS

Four wonderful cats need indoor homes. Nine & 10 years old, abandoned by owner. They’re fixed/vaxxed.

or unorganized. Call or text Rich at 440-552-0691.

Old fishing tackle wanted: fishing lures (wood or plastic), mouse to bear traps, wooden duck decoys. Call Lee 440-313-8331.

4-wheelers, 3-wheelers, dirt bikes, minibikes, go-carts, golf carts, gators, farm tractors/equipment, trailers, riding mowers, snowplows. Paying cash. 440-413-3119.