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Volume 53, No. 21
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, March 2, 2022
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Chester Officials Swear in New Fire Chief By Valerie S. Clause editor@karlovecmedia.com William Shaw officially stepped in as Chester Township’s new fire chief Feb. 9. A previous fire chief in Willoughby and Solon, Shaw brings over 36 years of experience to the township. “I’m very proud of this moment,” he said, after being sworn in during the Chester Township Trustees meeting. “This department has impressed me and quite frankly – after a few months here — it was the staff that attracted me.” Shaw has been acting as interim fire chief since September 2021. At the time, then Fire Chief John Wargelin was placed on paid administrative leave, pending an
independent review and analysis of the township’s fire department. Clemans Nelson & Associates, a human resource management and consulting firm, was hired to see if any statutory provisions of the Ohio Revised Code applicable to the fire department had been violated. At a meeting on Jan. 4, 2022, trustees voted to approve the severance agreement between Wargelin and the township, but did not comment on whether Wargelin resigned or was terminated. Trustees said both the township and Wargelin were declining to comment for a period of 90 days. In other fire department business, firefighter and EMT Jeremy Scalese was promoted to paramedic lieutenant. See Chief • Page 4
VALERIE S. CLAUSE/KMG
The Feb. 9 Chester Township Trustees meeting included updates to fire department staffing. William Shaw, left, was sworn in as the new Chester Township fire chief and Jeremy Scalese, right, was promoted to paramedic lieutenant.
Elements Fitness Studio Stronger Than Ever By Grace Hare editor@karlovecmedia.com Elements Studios in Chester Township is working on building back a better health and wellness community as they transition back to in-person services. Lisa LaBanc, a serial entrepreneur, runs and owns the fitness and wellness studio at 8508 Mulbuerry Road, which offers more than 60 classes per week. LaBanc said she was motivated from a young age to run her own business. Shortly after graduating from college, she and her father started PSI Product Specialists, an air dryer and air pressure supplier company that she still runs today. During the last 30 years, LeBanc also created other manufacturing-based businesses, such as Ice Box, which creates freezers for companies like Nestle.
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Elements Studios in Chester Township offers a variety of classes each week, including yoga, cycling, climbing, barre and one called “Rebounding” that uses small trampolines.
However, yoga was always LaBanc’s passion in life, so in October 2018, she decided to start her own yoga studio. “My love for yoga is what drove
me to open my studio. Yoga has changed my life and I even trained to become an instructor,” LaBanc said. “I also love being a business owner, so I decided to combine the
two and opened up Elements Studios.” The studio started as one building focused on teaching yoga classes. See Elements • Page 5
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