Thursday, October 3, Vol. 30 No. 40 • Chardon, www.geaugamapleleaf.com
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Chardon
Weighs Repair, Rebuild Costs
District Seeks Input On Next Steps
By Amy PAtterson
Amy@kArlovecmediA com
Even after spending millions of dollars on significant improvements to its facilities, Chardon Schools’ buildings still fall far below state standards.
But, before potentially pursuing a bond issue to address the needs, the district plans to engage the community in conversation over the general state of its structures.
In 2019, voters rejected a 5.3mill bond issue to generate $76 million toward a new high school campus. In 2021, a 0.7-mill, $7.2 million bond to repair district facilities also failed.
See Buildings • Page 5
Cardinal Schools
Jordak Auction Scheduled for March 2025
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
The sale of the abandoned A.J. Jordak Elementary School in Middlefield Village must take place by July 1, 2025.
Cardinal Schools Board of Education President Linda Smallwood told the board Sept. 25 state law gives the district one year to sell a school once it is no longer used for student instruction.
“Or we have to give it to somebody,” she said. “Being that we always need the money, (the date) is a starting point for the board to discuss.”
See Jordak • Page 3
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA.com
Concept plans for a Chardon Meijer store are inching forward, as representatives from the company appeared before Chardon Planning Commission at their Sept. 24 meeting seeking final development design approval.
Senior Real Estate Manager Cris Jones and engineers Abby
Jacobs and Brian Smallwood, who appeared in an informal capacity before the commission in May, also sought approval for nine variances, 11 sign deviations and a conditional use for a gas station.
“What you have before you this evening is a request for final development plan approval for a Meijer, which is a 159,935-square-foot grocery retail store,” Community Development Administrator Steve Ya-
ney explained to the commission.
“Along with it is a 3,373-squarefoot mExpress gas station.”
Everything on the site will require architectural review approval, he added.
“To approve the plan as submitted this evening, all nine variances and 11 sign deviations would have to be approved or modified in some way,” Yaney said.
New Geauga GOP Chair Plans For Continuity, Engagement
PAtterson rlovecmediA com
Joan Windnagel is the new chair of the Geauga County Republican Party after an election Sept. 23 at Celebration Lutheran Church in Chardon.
Windnagel won 33 votes from the GOP Central Committee, while competitors Rich Piraino and Janice Sugarman received 18 and 10 votes, respectively.
Also elected were Vice Chair of the Executive Committee Kathy Johnson and Secretary James Midyette. Vice Chair Kevin O'Reilly — who served as interim chair after the Sept. 6 resignation of previous GOP Chair Nancy McArthur — and Treasurer Joe DeBoth both retained their positions.
In an email to the Geauga County Maple Leaf, Windnagel expressed her gratitude to her fellow party members.
“I would like to thank the central committee
See Republicans • Page 3
See Meijer • Page 4
Progress Continues on West G Bus Routes
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
Work has continued on West Geauga Schools’ bus routes, with Superintendent Richard Markwardt providing an update at the Sept. 23 board of education meeting.
Parents expressed frustration at the start of the school year about long riding times, prompting officials and West Geauga Schools Board of Education members to look at potential solutions.
Though the routes were approved in August, the board has continuously been updated on their status since.
“We’ve been working diligently to improve our routes. In terms of ridership, we want the time to be lower for our students, particularly our Lindsey (Elementary School) students,” Markwardt said.
Jordak from page 1
The board set a tentative timeline beginning with an online auction of any contents that remain in Jordak from November to Feb. 1.
Those items will be removed from the building by Feb. 15 and a walk-through for the public and potential buyers was set for March 1. The auction of the building may be as early as March 31.
“We will need an appraisal update and a title search. We probably don’t need a survey,” Smallwood said, adding a survey was made of the parcel when the neighboring school and bus garage were sold several years ago.
“I talked to the Jordak family and they have
Republicans from page 1
members who took the time to make phone calls and encouraged me to not let the Republican party fall apart,” she said.
Windnagel said her goals as chair are to help Republican candidates get elected, open meetings to the public, reach out to Republicans and mend relationships.
Some incremental gains have been made, including the recent addition of a 24th route, he added.
“We are now in the process of adding a 25th and a 26th route. As soon as we can get people to man those routes and staff them, we will have that in place,” he said.
The district is also looking at a new routing configuration that, if successful, could be rolled out in January.
“We didn’t want to do it before that because we think right now, every few days we’re telling parents ‘watch out, this route is being adjusted, that route’s being adjusted,’ for both absences, resignations, hirings, etcetera,” he continued.
Markwardt emphasized the progress had been a team effort.
“As (Assistant Superintendent Nancy Benincasa) said, nothing that happens in this
requested everything with the name Jordak on it, they would like first dibs on it,” she said.
The board passed a motion to that effect.
The action and discussion followed an hour-long executive session with the reasons advertised as personnel and the purchase or sale of district property.
In other business, the board voted unanimously to increase pay for qualified substitute teachers to $150 per day from $100 per day, beginning immediately, in order to attract or retain them.
The board also heard from two students who attended a five-day leadership conference for high school students during the summer.
Bella McMurray, senior class president, and Oliver Kumher, a junior, spoke about their experiences at Baldwin Wallace Univer-
She also plans to work on a yearly meeting and event calendar, which she hopes will be ready by January. Windnagel said she’d like to give members and guests an opportunity to speak at meetings, which can be held in the same location for continuity.
Additionally, Windnagel intends for meeting notices, agendas and financial reports to be made available more than one day before, or on the day of, a central committee meeting.
Any committee appointments should also
district is a unilateral action on the part of one individual,” he said. “It always involves a team and (Technology and Operations Director Scott Amstutz) and I will be meeting with the drivers tomorrow at 9 (a.m.) and we’re going to be throwing out to them some of the information that relates to this, and then also looking at how we can solicit their help and recruit them.”
Markwardt noted he had recently met with the drivers union.
“I said, you know, in the past my experience with revising bus routes has involved conversations with the drivers,” he recalled. “And, they said, ‘That’s because we know the routes better than anyone else.’”
Markwardt concluded with a thank you to the board for their patience, saying they are working hard to satisfy families with kids on the bus too long.
sity in Berea.
About 40 students from different schools attended lectures, had meals and spent free time together learning a variety of skills and social differences, Bella said, adding students were randomly partnered each day for the work sessions.
“We did a bunch of different exercises over those days to help us communicate better,” she said, adding they were encouraged to talk about the subjects the keynote speakers addressed.
“They wanted to know if (their lectures) changed how you think about something,” she said.
During the event, Bella said she began to realize the cultural contrasts among her peers.
“If you grow up in a different town, you think differently,” she said. “I learned different backgrounds create different people.”
be done at a meeting, she said.
In a Facebook post Sept. 24, Carolyn Brakey, a candidate for Geauga County commissioner and current member of the Geauga County Board of Health, said she looks forward to working with the new board.
“I also want to acknowledge and express gratitude for the other candidates who were not selected,” she said. “I hope they will collaborate with our new leadership and find alternative ways to advance the party.”
Community Meetings
Geauga County: Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Airport Authority, at 15421 Old State Road, Hangar 3 Pilot Lounge, Middlefield; Oct. 8, 7:30 a.m. - Geauga SWCD, Ste. 240, 7:30 a.m. - Planning Commission, Room A334, 9:30 a.m.Board of 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.
Auburn Township: Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees; Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals; Oct. 10, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless indicated.
Burton Village: Oct. 4, 10:30 a.m., Welton Cemetery Board, discuss the annual budget for 2025, a state issued grant and a military plaque; Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Village Council and Board of Public Affairs, joint meeting. All meetings are held at 14588 W. Park St., 2nd Floor, unless otherwise noted.
Burton Township: Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Administration building, 14821 Rapids Road, unless otherwise noted.
Chardon City: Oct. 10, 6:30 p.m., City Council. All meetings are held at Municipal Center, 111 Water St., unless otherwise noted.
Chardon Township: Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, unless noted.
Chester Township: Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
Claridon Township: Oct. 7, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees. All trustees’ meetings are held at Administrative Building, 13932 Mayfield Road, unless noted. All Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals meetings are held at Town Hall, 13930 Mayfield Road. Hambden Township: Oct. 7, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 13887 GAR Highway, unless otherwise noted.
Middlefield Village: Oct. 8, 5:30 p.m. – Streets, Sidewalks & Utilities Committee, 6 p.m. – Planning Commission; Oct. 10, 5:30 p.m. – Recreation, 6 p.m. – Finance & Ordinance, 6:30 p.m. – Safety, 7 p.m. – Village Council. All meetings are at the Municipal Center, 14860 N. State Ave. Munson Township: Oct. 8, 6:30 p.m., Board of
Trustees; Oct. 10, 6 p.m., Zoning Commission, special meeting. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12210 Auburn Road, unless otherwise noted.
Russell Township: Oct. 3, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees; Oct.7, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals. All meetings are held at Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
South Russell Village: Oct. 7, 5:30 p.m., Village Council, special meeting/budget work session; Oct. 10, 8 a.m. – Building Committee, 1 p.m. – Properties Committee, 7:30 p.m. – Planning Commission. All meetings are held at Village Hall, 5205 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
Troy Township: Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, unless noted.
ESC of Western Reserve: Oct. 8, 5:45 p.m., Governing Board, regular meeting. All meetings held at Auburn Career Technology Learning Center, 8221 Auburn Road, Concord, unless otherwise indicated.
Cardinal BOE: Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings held at BOE Office, 15982 E. High St., Middlefield, unless indicated.
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from page 1
Meijer’s Updates
Jacobs began with a review of Meijer’s offerings, noting changes from the original proposal as she reached them.
The supercenter — to be located at the intersection of Water Street and Loreto Drive — would offer general merchandise and include a garden center, pharmacy drive-through and online pickup area, while the gas station would sport a convenience store and six double-sided fuel pumps.
“A traffic impact study was completed that identifies necessary roadway improvements and drive entrance configurations along Water Street and Loreto Drive,” Jacobs said. “We’ve been working through that with the city’s review.”
Stormwater management will be handled through two wet stormwater basins set on the east and west sides of the site, she said, noting additional stormwater quality treatment will occur in environmental catch basins in the gas station parking lot.
Jacobs highlighted an increase in landscaping on the site plan to meet the city’s zoning code.
In terms of the store’s architecture, Jacobs said cornice and additional color variation has been added to the front and sides of the building for visual interest. The size of the Meijer logo on the front has also been reduced by about 80%.
Cornice and color variation was also added to the design of the convenience store, she said, and banding around the gas station canopy was revised from blue to white and gray.
Variance Requests
Jacobs explained each variance requested by the store, including the increase in maximum height of a fence in the rear yard from 6 to 8 feet.
“Those (areas) are the outdoor storage area, the organics bins with organic food waste and the electrical yard that are immediately adjacent to the building,” she said, adding equipment in those areas reaches up to 7 feet high, requiring taller screening.
Jacobs also specified the variance only applied to the fence in the specific area she was discussing — fences in other areas could remain as they were.
Meijer requested two variances from the city’s lighting regulations, including that some outdoor light fixtures and signs remain operational for 24 hours. While a typical Meijer and mExpress operate from 6 a.m. to midnight, Jacobs said gas will be sold 24 hours per day.
Meijer also has third-shift employees and overnight deliveries, Jones added.
The store’s outdoor lighting can be controlled from their corporate office, he said, adding they like to provide a well-lit pathway to employees’ cars.
“The light that remains on, in my mind, is a safety feature for our employees,” he said. Lights in the entire parking lot will not be on overnight and the only signs left on would be on the gas station, he said.
Employees could be told to park in a specific area, with only those lights left on, Jones said.
Meijer also asked to increase the maxi-
City, Meijer Argue Architecture
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA.com
While Chardon Planning Commission approved several variances related to a future Meijer in the city, the commission spent a significant portion of its Sept. 24 meeting hashing out differences in opinion on architecture.
Commission Chair Andrew Blackley brought up recommendations the city’s traffic engineer made.
“He said he has an issue with the … internal roadway that connects the main parking lot — running parallel to Water Street — connecting that to the truck access driveway on the back of the site,” he said.
Blackley said he agreed with issues the engineer brought up, namely problems with queuing and driver’s confusion, and thought the area could be reduced.
“I think you can reconfigure the drivethrough area for the pharmacy differently than what’s shown,” he said, adding eliminating the drive in that area would provide an additional landscape buffer.
Blackley also pointed out the intersection Meijer will sit on — Water Street and Loreto Drive — is aesthetically important to the area.
“I was the village engineer in the 90s and I was involved in the proposals for development on this site by Loreto back in the day,” he said. “At that time, one of the main objections to locating large box retail on this site was that this is the gateway to the city.”
The look of the building and how it presents itself to people entering the city are both important, he told Meijer representatives.
Aesthetic Architecture
Commission member Mary Jo Stark said Dominic Durante, the city’s architect, showed them a Meijer building located in Grand Rapids, Mi., that is much more architecturally appealing than the plan presented to Chardon.
“And then, we’re looking online and there’s some buildings that are much more architecturally appealing in other communities,” she said. “Westerville’s one of them.”
Stark called the Chardon building bland looking.
“I mean, it kind of looks like Walmart. And I’m not putting down Walmart by any means, but Walmart isn’t in the gateway to Chardon,” she said.
Meijer has been in Grand Rapids since 1962 and has 11 stores there, Jones said, adding it’s their headquarters and has a population of around 500,000.
mum commercial driveway width from 35 feet to 50 feet.
“You can see the driveways in red up there that are greater than the 35 feet. Only one of those is 50 feet wide,” Jacobs said, adding they were designed to accommodate trucks turning.
New truck drivers often need to get to know a site and may accidentally use a driveway not intended for truck deliveries, Jones said, adding Meijer would like to provide
“From a business perspective, it’s difficult to compare Westerville, Chardon (and) Grand Rapids,” he said.
When asked by Blackley why some communities get a higher degree of architectural treatment than Chardon does, Jones said Meijer is privately funding the project and they aren’t asking for anything from the city.
Blackley said the planning commission wants reasonable compliance with regulations that existed before Meijer came to the city.
“I’m happy to comply with ordinances,” Jones said. “Some of what’s being discussed right here, to me, overreaches ordinance.”
City Architect Weighs In
Durante said there is a gap between what the city would like to see and what Meijer has presented.
He agreed with Blackley on the visual importance of the intersection and also took issue with the structure’s walls. The city’s design standards say the ground floor of a building that is visible from the street area should have no more than 20 linear feet of wall area without windows, or 6 linear feet of wall area without windows or other architectural features such as piers, columns, defined bays or “undulation of the building.”
Durante said this means the proposed store needs more texture, depth and interest through the building than has been presented.
If the building plan could not be changed, he emphasized the need for more landscaping around the building.
“Unfortunately, the way this site is planned, you kind of have the narrowest landscape buffers against where the building is closest to the street,” he said. “If you can’t make a more interesting-looking building, then as Andy (Blackley) said, and we’ve done in the past, we rely on landscaping to do the heavy lifting for us.”
Smallwood said a walkway could be eliminated to provide more landscaping.
Materials were another point of contention for Durante, who said code requires the use of natural and traditional materials on the building’s exterior, or synthetics resembling natural materials.
The Meijer team produced samples of the materials they plan to use, which included brick and wood patterns, but Durante said the bricks on the imprint are very large.
Smallwood replied it works on the scale of the store and the building would be big enough for the brick to work in perspective.
enough room for a driver to turn their truck.
Meijer asked to reduce the amount of required parking spaces for the store from 640 to 481, and increase parking at the mExpress from 17 spaces to 18. The store also asked to change the sizing of the parking bays.
The commission passed all variances unanimously, as well as the conditional use for the gas station.
It also approved a sign deviation to in crease the maximum height of both the
“We still want our buildings to have a sense of human scale to them,” Durante replied. “We don’t want to just perceive our buildings from half a mile away or 100 yards away.”
Blackley also discussed rotating the store’s gas station so the canopy faces Loreto Drive instead of Water Street.
Durante said rotating the gas station would also better present the convenience store to the street.
Other gas stations in town were re-developments on existing, tight sites, while this is a green site with lots of room, Blackley added.
But, City Engineer Doug Courtney said there might not be as much room as Blackley was thinking, as a necessary culvert cannot be disrupted by a proposed building and the current green space is required by the Army Corp of Engineers.
However, Jones said Meijer would not be making “...those radical changes.”
“It’s our $4 million dollars that’s being spent to build the gas station,” he said.
“And we have to live with it,” Blackley said.
Jones said the store can go to other places.
With the rest of the commission not in favor of rotating the gas station, Blackley let the issue rest.
Resolving Issues
Jones suggested opening a dialogue between Durante and Meijer’s architect and moving the process forward once mutual agreement was reached.
Blackley said the architectural review process is part of the commission’s function and tabling the architectural disagreements would mean having to come back at a later meeting to deal with them again.
“I think it’s gonna take us some dialogue to reach a consensus on this,” Jones said.
Durante agreed to a dialogue with Meijer and encouraged more landscaping around the building to aid with the architecture, noting the two had to be in harmony.
“I think what you have here is a strong design, those big glass entry features are cool. We’re just asking — it needs more human scale. It needs more articulation. It needs more depth. It needs to be a little bit more interesting from a texture, color, material standpoint,” he said.
The big idea is strong and the commission isn’t trying to make it more traditional. They’re trying to make it a nicer piece of architecture, Durante said.
north- and south-facing gas station signs and an increase in size for the store’s exterior walls signs.
The commission allowed only one monument-style sign for the mExpress site.
With the architectural review not moving forward, final development plan approval could not happen that evening, Blackley said. Jones said Meijer would aim to reappear at the next regular meeting in October.
from page 1
In response, the district produced a fiveyear capital improvement plan the Chardon Schools Board of Education approved in late 2023, which includes construction and renovation projects to bring the district’s buildings up to standards. Capital improvement costs have grown from about $5.4 million in 2022 to close to $9 million in 2025. Necessary projects not yet done will cost around $14 million, according to the district’s plan.
In an interview Sept. 20, Superintendent Michael Hanlon said despite all the upgrades, every school building in the district needs repairs that total over two-thirds of the cost to instead build a new facility.
At that point, Hanlon said the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission recommends replacement.
He outlined an additional challenge in asking the public to invest in the district’s buildings.
“Every day, every month, every year that goes by, right now in the environment that we're in, construction costs are dramatically increasing,” he said. “You can't disregard the fact that, just since 2019 to now, the costs have gone up significantly. And the longer we kick this can down the road, the more those costs are likely to increase.”
But, Hanlon said the district and the board are not currently planning to place a bond issue on the ballot. Instead, they plan to engage the community in order to build understanding of the critical issues facing the district’s infrastructure
“The board has not contemplated a bond issue or anything to put before the community at this point, so the focus here is on determining what the vision of the community is for its physical school buildings in the near term and long term, and what does the road look like to get to that destination?” he said. “We need to take that time to gather that feedback and to gather that input and determine what approach is in the best interests of our students and something that our community can support in the future.”
Hanlon said there is no intention to “dust off” the plan presented to the public in 2019, which envisioned a single campus near the existing high school and middle school.
“If there is a different configuration or different way to look at this, again, that meets all of these competing needs and is kind of the best line through all the competing needs, then it may look differently than the plan that was presented to the community in 2019,” he said.
In recent renovations, Hanlon said the district spent significantly to bring the buildings closer to the state’s standards, as outlined by the OFCC.
Spending on maintenance is ongoing, he said, as the buildings must be up to standard safety codes.
The district was faced with conditions that required action to be taken, including roofs and windows at the end of their life cycles.
“We're not, right now, getting at the quality of the instructional setting and the longterm needs for the type of learning environment that would be beneficial to the students of our community. So, those investments that we're making are taking care of short-term, immediate needs, but the long-term need of rethinking educational spaces and how those spaces serve the community, that needs still exists,” he said. “We need to engage the community around that discussion.”
At the Sept. 16 school board meeting, Hanlon and Treasurer Deb Armbruster said the district is projecting the need for an operational levy in 2027. Much of the cost of recent renovations has been paid out of the district’s operating fund, or through a loan leveraged against its permanent improvement fund.
During that meeting, the board heard from representatives of ThenDesign Architecture, who said priority projects, including $3 million in immediate needs at Park Elementary School, currently total about $6.8 million.
When added together with longer-term projects, the total spending needed to keep district buildings up to code in the next decade is projected at almost $98 million.
In response to board member Todd Albright’s question whether new buildings would lower the district’s maintenance costs, Assistant Superintendent for Business Affairs Steve Kofol said even with some higher-cost maintenance items, new buildings would mean the district could stop spending on abatements and replacement materials.
“Those costs go away, obviously,” Kofol said.
Albright also emphasized the need to bring the community into the process and highlight the potential for better academic outcomes for students in modern school buildings.
Board member Andrea Clark said as a parent, she doesn’t need to see outcomes to know her children will be better off in new buildings.
“I know new school buildings are going to help my children, period,” Clark said.
In his interview Sept. 20, Hanlon said it’s important for the community to understand that, in the context of the five-year financial forecast and projected need for a levy, the district does not have the capacity to take on more capital improvement spending.
After the recent spending on buildings and with other financial priorities the district must address in the next five years, there is not an “endless pot of money” for building and repair projects, he said.
“We can't continue to dip into the general fund to do capital projects and further accelerate an operating levy ask. So, really, we're going to be constrained to maintenance and highest-of-the-highest priority improvements to continue to maintain ‘warm, safe and dry.’ New projects are probably going to be very few and far between at this
point,” he said.
Even with the challenges facing the district, Hanlon said the people who work in the district — Chardon’s teachers, administrators, maintenance staff, food service personnel and bus drivers — go above and beyond to achieve an outstanding educational experience for students on a daily basis.
“Our vision for the school district is to be a model school district for other districts
in the state of Ohio,” he said. “The results that we've generated and the quality of education that our staff members create for our students every day is indicative of the effort that they put in to work with the facilities and settings that they have available to them today, knowing that we could accomplish yet so much more with our students in the types of facilities that are available to students today in other school districts.”
Chardon Schools Board of Education heard from representatives of ThenDesign Architecture at their meeting Sept. 16. From left, Superintendent Michael Hanlon and board members James Midyette and Andrea Clark listen as board member Todd Albright, right, speaks.
A table prepared by ThenDesign Architecture shows conditions in all of Chardon Schools’ classroom buildings fall above the two-thirds threshold used by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to determine whether it is more cost-effective to renovate or replace a school building.
Joseph Notarian Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
Joseph Notarian, of Chester Township, pleaded guilty Oct. 1 to money laundering, a third-degree felony, before Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Paschke.
Notarian recently changed his plea from not guilty to guilty on one charge out of six.
Other charges included engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; theft from a person in a protected class, a first-degree felony; receiving stolen property, a third-degree felony; and two other counts of money laundering, according to court records.
A trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday until Notarian agreed last week to a plea on the third-degree felony money laundering charge.
Paschke accepted his guilty plea and said she will order a pre-sentencing investigation. As a result of the plea-deal, the remaining charges were dropped.
Notarian, who spoke softly and answered hesitantly in response to her questions, faces a possible six to 36 months in jail and may have to pay fines of up to $10,000 for his part in laundering $1.8 million from the estate of his uncle, the late Anthony Notarian, a lifelong Chester Township resident.
The defendant's father, Gino Notarian, 90, of Chardon, and his sister, Liana K. Gigliotti, of Middlefield, are serving sentences of community control following similar charges for many of the same crimes against the estate.
They were also dealt down to one count each and were credited with time served.
ADP Space, Geauga Public Health Lease Hit Speed Bump
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
Both Geauga Public Health’s rent amount and finding a home for the Geauga Automatic Data Processing board are up in the air, with GPH’s Operation and Maintenance Program unexpectedly intersecting with both.
O&M is a state-mandated program requiring health departments to ensure the maintenance and function of septic systems in areas under their jurisdiction. GPH has recently been working through rollout, starting with spray irrigation and national pollutant discharge elimination systems.
“If you don’t follow the rules for O&M, the state-mandated rules, the thought process was those persons would be handed off to the (county) prosecutor’s office to handle,” Health Administrator Adam Litke said in a phone interview Sept. 29. “Originally, they were fine with that.”
Things changed when the office was given projections of how many households would be noncompliant with the state-mandated rules in the first five or six years.
“They said that they can’t handle that many,” Litke said. “And, it does somewhat track because the For Sale of Property Program … that was sending over like, 20 or 30 people a quarter I think, and they couldn’t keep up with that.”
For O&M, it would likely be closer to 100 per month, he added.
While GPH was previously in talks with the county about handing over a storage closet and lunchroom in their county office space to ADP, if noncompliant cases are handled inhouse, they’ll now need those rooms.
“The health department would have to handle the noncompliance themselves,” Lit-
ke said. “To do that, I have to probably hire between three and six staff over the next five years.”
In the current space, there’s about two desks left before they run out of room, he said.
“To house three to six more people over the next five, six-ish years, I can’t give up that space to ADP,” he said. “I’m likely going to have to turn our lunchroom into offices (cubes).”
While there is an option to handle noncompliant cases out of house, the matter is complicated.
“Personally, I don’t want to do the noncompliance in the health department because it would mean that we’re gonna be in people’s backyards and doing inspections and things I would probably rather not do and the public would rather me not do,” Litke said. “But, to do that, I gotta go through (County Prosecutor Jim) Flaiz’s office and get a bunch of stuff checked off on and I don’t know the reality of that, like how realistic it is.”
As far as he is aware, Geauga County has one of the highest numbers of septic systems of any county in Ohio, Litke said.
“When we look at these programs, there’s not really a roadmap to follow because nobody’s done it for this many systems in Ohio,” he said. “So, we’re trying to figure out how many will get sent over to the prosecutor’s office, how long it will take to get each one to compliance.”
Severity of noncompliance also varies. There’s a big difference between someone running raw sewage into a ditch and someone who didn’t get their septic pumped, he noted.
Teams handling noncompliant cases will likely cost between $50,000-$75,000 per per-
New Roofs Planned for Munson Road Dept.
stAff rePort
Munson Township Trustees voted Sept. 24 to spend about $63,000 to have metal roofs installed on the township road department equipment building and salt shed, said Trustee Andy Bushman.
Trustees agreed to pay 50% of the bid up front to Somrack Construction LLC, of Newbury Township, for purchase of materials, Bushman said in a phone interview
Sept. 25.
Completion of the project is expected before winter.
Trustees also approved an extension for the dock on Lake Zofia at the Scenic River Preserve to cost about $5,000, he said.
The extension will be built and installed by Metal Craft Docks, of Painesville, a business Munson resident Jeff Ashley owns, Bushman said.
son with benefits, Litke said at the Geauga County Board of Health Sept. 25 meeting.
“There is a thought that possibly someone like (GPH legal representative Bryan Kostura’s) firm or someone similar could do the heavy lifting for us,” he said. “Ballpark, I’d probably look at $12,000-$15,000 a month, at least for those height years. It’s still half of what we’d probably charge if we did it ourselves.”
Litke told the board he’d need approval to ask Flaiz to look at outside firms.
“Whatever we set the current noncompliance at is where we’re at six years from now when we have the whole county online,” he said. “So, this needs to be well thought out and well done, versus fly by the seat of our pants, and we got 40,000 systems.”
Litke confirmed in a follow-up text Oct. 1 the board approved talking to the prosecutor’s office about handling noncompliant cases out of house.
Rent Agreement
The topic pivoted to GPH’s lease, with the board passing a motion allowing Litke to request the prosecutor’s office assign a special prosecutor to review GPH’s lease.
County Administrator Gerry Morgan and Assistant Administrator Linda Burhenne were both present at the meeting to discuss the ADP space, as well as GPH’s lease, a draft of which had recently been provided to the board.
Morgan told the board that while he hadn’t yet spoken to the commissioners about the noncompliance issue, his assumption was they could keep the space if they needed it.
“The biggest issue I saw was this ‘termination for convenience’ language where it
says, essentially, the commissioners can terminate the lease for any reason after giving 60 days’ notice,” said health board member Carolyn Brakey, noting it would take significantly longer than 60 days to find a new space.
Litke estimated it would take six months to relocate.
“Frankly, I think there shouldn’t be any termination for convenience language,” Brakey continued. “If there is a default by GPH, then I think there could be a reason to terminate early, but just terminating for convenience, I just think that should be removed.”
Brakey also pointed out a sentence saying the lessee must generally maintain the same work hours and days of other Geauga County employees, noting the health department sometimes deals with emergencies.
Those notes would need to be sent to the lawyer assigned by the prosecutor’s office, Litke said, adding if the department ends up handling noncompliant cases in-house, further discussions would need to be had with Morgan and Burhenne about furniture and modifications to the space. Brakey suggested including changes like that in the lease.
Burhenne clarified there is still a possibility for ADP to use the space if GPH outsources noncompliance.
“I would imagine, yes,” Litke said, adding it’s his goal to get it outsourced. The lease also can’t be finalized until the square footage is known, Burhenne said, adding, however, she had a suggestion to circumvent the uncertainty.
“Theoretically, we could take out the reference to specific square footage and just have a square foot price,” she said, to which the board was receptive.
Teen Arrested for Brandishing Fake Gun
stAff rePort
A 16-year-old male has been arrested after brandishing a fake gun at a West Geauga football game Sept. 27.
Officers verified the weapon was not real and there was no danger, Chester Police Chief Craig Young said in a follow-up Facebook post.
While West Geauga Schools has been cooperative with police, the juvenile is neither a West Geauga student nor a Chester Town-
ship resident, the chief added.
The juvenile is being charged with three first-degree misdemeanors, police said in an email Sept. 30: illegal conveyance or possession of a deadly weapon or of an object indistinguishable from a firearm in a school safety zone, inducing panic and aggravated menacing.
The matter remains under investigation.
West Geauga Schools did not respond to a request for comment prior to press deadline.
than Blakely.
South Russell Street Commissioner Retires
Torch Passed to Tim Young
By sherry GAvAnditti editor@kArlovecmediA com
After 25 years of serving South Russell Village, Street Commissioner Tim Alder said goodbye to residents and staff Sept. 30 during a special donut and coffee breakfast.
During a recent interview, Adler and Tim Young, who will be filling his shoes as the next street commissioner, said the transition has been natural and Young is getting well-acclimated to the position.
Young echoed Alder, saying he felt ready for anything that comes up.
“There’s just so many different little assets … you don’t know what’s going to come through the door every day,” Young said, as he and Adler examined a map of the village. “Of course, worse case scenarios would be flooding, fire or wind disasters.”
While Young takes over the reins, 66-yearold Adler is making plans to take to the road in his 34-foot Winnebago, and enjoy his newfound free time with travel adventures and visits with friends and family.
“I love camping,” said the Bainbridge Township resident, who has two daughters and a son.
Alder said he prefers going places that are not unbearably hot, however, one of his daughters lives in Florida.
“She comes here,” he said.
Southern Ohio is one of his favorite go-to road trips, Alder added.
“I have friends there and I usually go once a year, but I’d like to go three times a year. I’ll probably do that and I like to stay busy and do a lot of things on the side,” he said. “I’m a morning person. My neighbors on both sides know there’s going to be noise coming from my yard at 8 in the morning. I don’t sleep in, so I get up early and get things done.”
Adler started his career with the village in April of 1999 as a service worker.
“I worked my way up through the ranks to service director or street commissioner. That’s the position I used to work for FirstEnergy,” he recalled. “There was a massive layoff of 500 guys there and I was one of them.
Adler, who was at FirstEnergy for 12 years, said after he lost his job, he did contractor work before hearing about the opening at South Russell Village.
“I was looking for a career job. I thought FirstEnergy was that job, but it didn’t turn out to be,” he said. “I applied for South Russell and Chagrin Falls positions, and South Russell called first and that was 25 years ago.”
Leaving South Russell is bittersweet, he said.
“Yes, I’ll miss the people, the residents. I’ll miss the work. I like to stay busy. I’ll miss the appreciation of doing a good job. The reward is great and I’ll miss that. I won’t miss getting up in the middle of the night,” he said, referring to snowy nights and other unexpected emergencies.
“Right where we’re at, though, we don’t have forest fires or hurricanes. We have snow, storms and occasional tornados,” he said. “I always hear weather people calling the coming winters a payback for the milder ones we’ve had. Eventually, it’s going to happen.”
While Adler plans to enjoy his retirement from the village, he said he won’t stop working on the side.
“I already have a part-time maintenance
to friends, you have to pick up new hobbies or side-work. You don’t just retire and drop off. You don’t stop cold turkey. You ease into it,” he said, adding that he would definitely prefer working outside over being stuck in a Home Depot or another inside work environment.
As he looked back over two decades with the village, he noted accomplishments he was most proud of, such as bringing park property maintenance back to the service department.
“So, on weekends, we made sure families had a nice, safe place to have an event, with the grounds properly mowed in time for the weekends,” he said.
Young Looks to Future
Young has been shadowing Alder and training for the position for the past couple of months and is excited and confident in his abilities, also noting 22 years of experience he gained in various positions at different municipalities, including Pepper Pike, Moreland Hills and Independence.
“I want to bring good work quality and good professionalism to the whole village in general with the way we conduct ourselves,” he said.
The department handles park and grounds keeping, salting, clearing snow and debris from roads, streetlights, potholes and assuring the department stays within the budget and financial goals of the village.
Young said he deals directly with residents, citing a recent call for a line-of-sight issue blocking the stop sign.
“We promptly took care of pruning back the trees and bushes,” he said.
The department also helps with logistics for events such as the upcoming Fall Fest Oct. 6, which was rescheduled from Sept. 29 due to weather.
“Our crew will come in and help with set-up, cooking or whatever the needs of any vendor or person here would have,” he said. “We’ll continue doing what Tim (Adler) did before.”
Other upcoming and ongoing projects for
the department include some driveway cul vert and drainage work, prepping the sight for the installation of restrooms at North Park and preparing salt orders and storage for the winter months, he said.
Young also emphasized his strong relationship with Mayor Bill Koons.
“He's a great guy, really easy to communicate with. He's clear with his directions and his views and opinions,” Young said. “He puts them clearly out there. He's very good about it, which is nice.
“Shadowing Tim (Adler) was kind of the first hurdle to overcome, learning how we do things and how the village of South Russell does things, orchestrating a lot,” he added, noting tasks such as adding berms to some of the village roads, paving and adding topsoil in needed areas.
Residing in Hiram, Young has been married 22 years to his wife, Beth, who is a wound care nurse at University Hospitals. They have
a 21-year-old son, Travis, who works in the service department in Independence, and a 19-year-old daughter, Olivia.
As he’s gotten acclimated to his new role in the village, Young reflected on his new work environment.
“I always say it's a small, quiet community and so far, everybody has been fantastic and friendly and outgoing. It’s very family-centered. It's amazing to deal with everyone and see how — no matter where you are in life — whether you're a young person or an older person, the concerns are important,” he said. “You know, everybody just wants quiet, relaxing and nice clean areas. It's quiet. It's nice here.”
Young said he knew, when working at a previous job, several years ago, he wanted to eventually become a street commissioner and director.
“I feel like I finally achieved that here,” he said.
ELECTION 2024: Letters to the Editor
Mister Wonderful
We have a Republican nominee for president who is the oldest ever nominated for that office by the Republican party. If elected, it is quite possible he may not live to complete his term with the result that J. D. Vance would be president. Vance not long ago compared Trump to Adolph Hitler. Now he thinks Trump is mister wonderful.
Can we really believe anything this opportunist says? He continues to spout off comments about Hattians eating people's pets although there is zero evidence of this.
Can we really believe anything this opportunist says? He wrote a book, "Hillbilly Elegy" that gives the impression he grew up in Appalachia and pulled himself up by his bootstraps and went to Yale and became wealthy.
He grew up in Middletown, Ohio. I thought Appalachia was in or near the Appalachian Mountains.
After searching a map, I discovered Middletown is between Dayton and Cincinnati. Is that Appalachia? Was or is that a community of poverty? My impression it is and was one of the more prosperous areas of Ohio. A major steel mill was going gang busters there when he grew up and that mill is still there pumping out steel.
Can we really believe anything Vance writes or says?
Time to stop believing lies and electing liars to office.
John G. Augustine Parkman Township
Editor’s Note: J.D. Vance was raised by his grandparents in Middletown, in southwestern Ohio, while his mother battled an addiction. He spent a significant amount of time traveling to Jackson, Ky., a city in the Appalachian region, with his grandparents to visit extended family. In his book, he drew cultural similarities between the two cities because many of his Middletown neighbors were Appalachian transplants. Vance grew up in a middle-class household.
Experience Matters
Experience Matters. This election, we have a choice between someone who has practical and valuable experience as an elected judge versus someone who has none.
The election for Geauga County Common Pleas Judge is non-partisan, which means you are not voting for a Republican or Democrat but the person who is best for us, the local citizens.
Mary Jane Trapp and Matt Rambo are both attorneys; but after that, the comparisons cease to exist.
Mary Jane Trapp has 12 years as a judge at the Court of Appeals and has served multiple terms as its chief judge. She has served as a visiting judge on the Ohio Supreme Court. She has held many positions in the Ohio Bar Association, up to and including president. She serves on many judicial committees statewide and nationally and has been tasked by the Ohio Judicial College to teach new and experienced judges how to be good judges. Mary Jane will not have a learning curve and will be ready from day one.
Why does experience matter in this election more than any other common pleas election? The commissioners are putting a
$20,000,000 addition on the back of the present courthouse. The judges will be moving, other county offices will be moving, and it is going to be a logistics nightmare with a lot of kinks to work out.
Mary Jane Trapp’s experience in many different courtrooms definitely will help avoid and straighten out those kinks. The business of the court must still go on and an orderly docket must be maintained. Experience will help make that happen.
In the classroom for new judges, do you want the teacher or the student? Please join me in voting for my neighbor, Mary Jane Trapp for Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge on Nov. 5.
David Komocki Russell Township
Descendants of Immigrants
I’ve been dismayed and appalled by the vicious lies that so-called political leaders in this nation have perpetuated about immigrants to this country.
In a small effort to debunk those lies, I offer a perspective on a local immigrant population, largely from Mexico, which may be instructive for those who may not know members of this community.
Having retired recently, I volunteered to teach English as a second language to Spanish-speaking immigrant adults at HOLA, a nonprofit organization in Painesville that runs a wide array of programs to help the large Hispanic population in the Painesville area.
When we put out a call to the Hispanic community to sign up for the course, the response was overwhelming. About 130 people registered, from which we created a class of about 60 students.
We’re only into our third week, but already I’ve been impressed by the students’ hunger to learn English. Many already have jobs, others are looking for employment, and still others want to learn English simply to communicate better with their children.
But all of them are decent, eager, hardworking people who understand the value of good English-language skills not only to improve their own lives but also to contribute more productively as workers to the local economy and more effectively as citizens to their city, state and country.
Although they revere their Hispanic roots, they are also loyal, patriotic Americans who want to reap the rewards and enjoy the rights that all U.S. citizens strive to possess. They are not murderers, rapists and drug-traffickers, as they are so often portrayed by politicians and in the media. Most are American citizens, no different in their essential values and aspirations from non-Hispanic, non-minority citizens in this country.
For this reason, they deserve to be treated with respect and, given the discrimination to which they are too often exposed, with humble admiration for what they bring economically and culturally to our diverse nation. They remind us that we are all (aside from Native Americans) the descendants of immigrants and that we are all the richer for that fact.
John McBratney Munson Township
NO on Issue One
Issue One was supposed to stop gerrymandering, but the ballot reads: "Establish a new taxpayer-funded commission of appointees required to gerrymander..."
Not only will gerrymandering continue, but it will also now cost taxpayers unlimited dollars.
Since 1812, gerrymandering has been free. The ballot states: "Impose new taxpayer-funded costs on the State of Ohio to pay the commission members, their staff, appointed special masters, professionals, and private consultants the commission is required to hire; and an unlimited amount for legal expenses..."
I cannot imagine giving any commission an open check book for unlimited legal expenses.
Issue One prevents the removal of commissioners for gross misconduct and other vile behaviors except by fellow members. Worse, citizens are prohibited from suing the commission and from communicating with
them regarding certain matters. Why should I vote for Issue One fi it takes away my right to free speech? How egregious. By petitioning to make Issue One an amendment instead of a law, the backers can enshrine their power in the Ohio Constitution. There are no provisions for unintended consequences. For example, what if one of the two major political parties splits into two minor parties? That could create a one-party monopoly.
If supporters of Issue One really wanted to stop gerrymandering, they could draw a map of Ohio and make contiguous circles to incorporate the number of constituents required for every representative. Why should we have to pay commissioners to continue taking their pens to wiggle, jiggle and gerrymander districts to look like amoebas?
Never vote away a right you cannot get back. Vote NO on Issue One.
Eileen Marie Russell Township
Election Letters Policy
Karlovec Media Group welcomes and encourages letters to the editor as well as residents' opinions and endorsements related to primary, special and general elections.
• Letters must be signed with the writer’s real name, address and a phone number where you can be reached with questions and for verification. (Only the name and city are published.)
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Unless otherwise noted, columns on the editorial page reflect the opinions of the writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Karlovec Media Group, its newspapers or employees.
Meditation Garden Planned for Addiction Recovery Home
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
Erin Cole’s proposed project to help create a meditation garden for women recovering from drug addiction met with widespread community support at the Red Tulip Project’s annual dinner Sept. 27.
A senior at Kenston High School, Cole spoke to more than 100 diners during the RTP’s eighth annual Pasta With a Purpose fundraiser at Guido’s Restaurant in Chester Township.
In order to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award, Cole proposed raising funds for garden paths at the Monarch Meadow House in Claridon Township.
“My project will make a difference to people on the path to recovery,” she said.
The garden, located near the recovery house, was designed by Chad George of Lowe’s Greenhouse, Florist and Gift Shop in Bainbridge Township, who spoke at the event.
The garden and 12 meditation paths will measure 250 feet by 180 feet, with the garden making up the body of the butterfly and the paths spreading out to form the wings, he said.
“We designed it so it can be seen from the sky. It was meant to have a scale that mimics the problem we have with the disease,”
Letters to the Editor
Outrageous Deception
I saw a political add for Sherrod Brown on TV and I feel I must speak out. The level of deception is outrageous.
Surgical removal of an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion. The embryo involved would never develop to term in the fallopian tube. The tube would rupture killing the embryo and possibly the mother due to rapid blood loss. Therefore, removal is to save the life of the mother — self-defense in any book of the law.
Doctors are not at risk of being prosecuted for performing surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. It is another attempt from the pro-abortion crowd to create fear among women.
However, an abortion is a deliberate act to end the life of an unborn child. Instead of killing the baby because the mother (for whatever reason) does not want to continue the pregnancy, the mother should be given all the support and encouragement she would need to carry the baby to term and make a positive outcome. The baby would live and she could make a childless couple happy to have a baby.
Can’t our system of government come up with a way to give the support needed during a pregnancy to a woman or young lady considering abortion so we end this abomination of abortion?
Every unborn child is as much a human being as you and I. It is being human and is
the most defenseless among us to defend itself against the abortionist's plot to end its life.
For any woman scarred by abortion, there is forgiveness in our loving Savior. No deed is unforgivable that the blood of Jesus can’t cover. Trust Him.
Carol Brockway Claridon Township
Crazy Little Thing
Bernie Moreno was recently caught saying it’s “a little crazy” for women to care about abortion rights, especially “women that are like past 50.” This is unbelievably insulting. There is nothing crazy about wanting to protect our reproductive rights.
This isn’t the first time that Moreno has disrespected us and disregarded the will of Ohioans. Moreno would support a national abortion ban if elected to the Senate, despite the 57% of Ohioans who voted to protect abortion rights last November. Now, he’s insulting those of us who want to keep women’s personal health care decisions out of the hands of politicians.
We need a Senator who will fight to protect our fundamental rights, not call us crazy while only looking out for himself. This November, we’ll show Bernie Moreno that he can’t get away with insulting Ohioans. On Nov. 5, vote for Sherrod Brown.
Rebecca Gorski Chester Township
George said.
The first phase of the project is complete, according to the RTP Pasta With a Purpose program. Individuals at the house are able to relax in the Madeleine Rose Healing Heart Garden, funded through the Madeleine Rose Foundation.
Once her project is approved by the Girl Scout Council, Cole is planning the next phase to collaborate with sponsors to create the 12 paths or pods that represent the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.
“Each pod is being personally designed by the pod sponsor, Ms. Cole and our friends at Lowe’s Greenhouse. In addition to being a place of focus and retreat for individuals, the garden will serve to attract pollinators to the meadow,” according to the program.
At the end of each path will be a station that can be designed in remembrance of a loved one, with a goal of raising $1,500 to $3,000 per station. Materials and labor for the 12 pathways is estimated to be $15,000.
The crowd watched a video in which women at Monarch Meadow House talked about their experiences with alcohol or drugs and recovery from those addictions.
Cole asked those attending to consider sponsoring a path.
“We cannot do this without you,” she said.
Hartville Hardware to Open Early Fall 2025
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
Construction of the 80,000-square-foot Hartville Hardware store in Middlefield Village is on schedule, no thanks to the layers of sandstone that needed to be excavated so the project could begin last spring.
“We knew the stone was there. We tested it prior to buying the land. We were just uncertain how to break it up,” said Gary Sommers, CEO of HRM Enterprises Inc, parent company of Hartville Hardware.
He and his brother, Scott Sommers, president of HRM in Wayne County, spoke Sept. 26 above a sea of mud surrounding the steelframed structure in the background.
Huge trucks and equipment crawled through the soggy ground, but neither Sommer seemed deterred, noting they were just glad to get the building under roof.
The underlying sandstone is piled up by Kinsman Road until it is used onsite to ameliorate the 30-foot elevation drop from the state route.
“The rock was a little bit of a stumbling block, but since then, (the project) has gone really well,” Gary said.
The long stretches of dry weather over the summer made up for the rock-digging delay, and the project is now on schedule, he said.
The building is clad in bright yellow DensGlass, used in steel construction like plywood is used in wooden-frame construction, Scott said, adding it will be covered with siding before too long.
In March 2024, Sherpa Development LLC, the construction arm of HRM, presented plans to Middlefield Village Planning Commission for the 81,000-square-foot hardware store, 36,120 square-foot indoor drivethrough lumber yard, four-storage structures totaling more than 40,000 square feet, 280 parking spaces, four loading docks and a trash compactor bay.
Overall, Hartville will have more than 175,000 square feet under roof by the store opening — currently predicted for early fall of 2025, Scott said.
“There are no plans for a restaurant,” Gary said emphatically, referring to a previous erroneous report.
Years of Planning
Planning to build in Middlefield Village has taken years.
To connect to village sewer and water, the 20-plus acres had to be annexed from Middle field Township to the village, a process the Geauga County Planning Commission had to approve.
The parcel was rezoned commercial, a delivery driveway created for access on Tare Creek Parkway, and drainage and a detention pond design approved by Geauga County Soil and Water Conservation District.
While all that was progressing, Hartville arranged for Ivan Weaver Construction Inc. of Fredericksburg to be the general contrac tor, Gary said.
Because it is a two-hour drive from his of fice, Weaver started seeking local subcontrac tors, such as J.L. Taylor Co. in Middlefield, who is handling the electrical component of the project, Gary said.
Finding local labor was made easier be cause Hartville bought Centerra LLC in 2020, formerly known as the Western Re serve Farm Cooperative, on East High Street in the village.
Centerra employees have deep connections in the region, Scott said.
“That team has been so good and the community really welcomed the business,” he said.
It was one reason for the decision to build Hartville’s second-largest facility in Middlefield.
The other was a family connection.
“Our grandmother was born in Burton. Her family owned and operated a business there,” Scott said.
Sarah Shrock Miller was Amish born and the Sommers families follow the Anabaptist theology, Gary said.
“We grew up in the Mennonite tradition. Our faith is extremely important to us,” he said, adding they attend the Maple Grove Mennonite Church in Hartville.
the county have all supported the new operation from the beginning.
“I can’t emphasize enough how helpful the local government was about working with us to make this happen. (Mayor) Ben Garlich and Leslie (Gambosi-McCoy) in economic development have had a critical role in helping us get to this point. Not all (governments) have been as welcoming and organized,” he said, also crediting those in the Geauga County Commissioners’ office for their assistance. “It’s been a real good experience with everyone involved.”
That led the largest family-owned hardware company in Ohio to invest an estimated $15 million in the community and receive a 10year tax abatement of 75% on improvements to the parcel, which will become a Community Reinvestment Area, as reported in the
ployees at the Middlefield site.
“Before we hired our general contractor, we had an estimate. We’re really pleased to see them coming in right in line,” Gary said, adding the cost of steel is lower than it was a couple of years ago.
He and Scott have been visiting the site once or twice a month, but, as details in the building interior are addressed, they expect to be in Middlefield once a week, he said.
Middlefield Village Council and Planning Commission have been working with the Hartville group to cement the relationship into the future.
“Hartville Hardware is a valuable asset to our community,” Gambosi-McCoy said in an email. “We are glad to be able to partner with them on this project to ensure their commitment to the village and the area for years to come.”
feet. An indoor drive-through lumber yard, loading docks and four-storage structures are planned for the site.
S P O R T S
Badgers Tsunami Sends Kinsman Cup to Burton
By rich kelly sPorts@kArlovecmediA com
In a season of bright moments interwo ven with moments of problems, the Berk shire Badgers have nonetheless been pretty successful on local gridirons. For the Cardi nal Huskies, it’s been a season of attrition, injury, and moments of being outmanned drastically.
That said, when these neighbors engage on the field of competition, emotions often dictate outcomes. Other factors may come into play as well, and Sept. 27 at Richard A. Moss Stadium, that other factor was rain.
The Badgers seem to draw dark clouds like a plague this year, having also won a con test in a deluge recently in Conneaut, where they jumped to a big lead early.
senior running back Justin Phillips, who scored four times and dominated the game on both sides of the ball, the Badgers also took over early at Cardinal to win this local battle by a 49-6 score.
a season with smaller numbers than usual. Several key players are limited or out, includ ing Max Soltis, with a knee injury. Still, after getting the first possession and just missing hitting on a couple big plays through the air, and as the heavy rains began, it seemed they could stay in contention.
with 7:00 left in the first period, Berkshire (5-1) needed only six plays to go the distance, with Phillips smashing over a hole on the right side of his line from 16 yards out for the score. Roman Percic’s kick was good, as were all his extra point tries on the night.
arsenal: Berkshire then recovered an onside kick at the Huskies 47 yard line. Four plays later, from the five yard line, lineman Daniel Tiller got his fun moment of fame when he was given the ball and took it in for a quick 14-0 lead.
senior, Dominic Naples, to injury, but gave it their best to respond.
Junior quarterback Cam Ciminello fired a second-down pass on the right flank to senior Reese Soltis. Breaking the tackle of a defender who was right there, Soltis escaped and went 74 yards to cut the gap to 14-6 — the last threat the Huskies could put up, as Berkshire continued what it started last week against Wickliffe.
The Badgers played a total, all-out game from start to finish, which they had not done previously.
On the ensuing kickoff, Oliver Miller broke down the right sideline from his own seven yard line, before being pushed out of bounds by Troy Champlin near midfield. On
BILL FUGATE/KMG
TOP: The Berkshire Badgers won the 2024 Kinsman Cup. ABOVE: Berkshire’s Daniel Tiller, a lineman, scores a TD in the Badgers’ 49-6 win over rival Cardinal.
the very next play, quarterback Sam Barcikoski found tight end Brady Wadsworth all by his lonesome over the middle, and the 40yard play made it a 21-6 game after a quarter.
The return to good health for Phillips really showed after that. He scored from the 24 and four yard lines on the next two possessions as Berkshire took a 35-6 lead into the locker room, and he tallied again on the first possession of the third period from 31 yards out.
ALL TIME SERIES Berkshire BADGERS VS.
BERKSHIRE LEADS THE SERIES 37-34-1
Berkshire 27-14
Cardinal 24-15
Berkshire 34-28
Cardinal 14-0
Berkshire 17-14
Berkshire 18-7
Berkshire 34-23
Berkshire 24-7
Berkshire 34-7
Berkshire 23-0
Berkshire 9-7
Cardinal 10-9
Berkshire 35-6
Cardinal 21-0
Berkshire 20-18
Berkshire 36-18
Cardinal 20-12
2007 Berkshire 14-10
2006 Berkshire 26-0
2005 Cardinal 18-15
2004 Berkshire 31-7
2003 Cardinal 34-7
2002 Cardinal 30-7
2001 Cardinal 33-0
2000 Cardinal 28-21
1999 Berkshire 19-14
1998 Berkshire 53-22
1997 Cardinal 21-17
1996 Berkshire 28-21
1995 Cardinal 32-0
1994 Cardinal 22-0
1993 Berkshire 26-0
1992 Berkshire 7-0
1991 Berkshire 20-9
1990 Cardinal 14-13
1971 Cardinal 24-14
1970 Cardinal 26-7
1969 Berkshire 26-14
1968 Cardinal 2-0
1967 Cardinal 14-12
1966 Burton 14-8
1965 Cardinal 12-6
1964 Burton 12-8
1963 Cardinal 18-0
1962 Burton 26-6
1961 Cardinal 34-12
1960 Cardinal 32-12
1959 Cardinal 28-6
1958 Cardinal 22-12
1957 Cardinal 26-0
1956 Middlefield 59-0
1955 Burton 20-12
1954 Middlefield 13-0
Bombers Dominate Chardon in a Surprise
By mAtt JAWorski sPorts@kArlovecmediA com
While poising for a team picture with the scoreboard that showed their 20-3 win over the Hilltoppers, the realization was sinking in for the Bombers that their hard work was beginning to pay off.
Though his team had struggled the last two weeks in losses to Villa Angela-St. Joseph and Lake Catholic, Kenston Head Coach Jeff Grubich saw signs of improvement. Then, as Western Reserve Conference play started, the Bombers (3-3, 1-0 WRC) put it all together and dominated Geauga Country rival Chardon (3-2, 0-1 WRC).
“It’s been a long two weeks for us,” Grubich said. “We weren’t on the right side of the scoreboard, but the thing I’m most proud of is our coaches and our players, every single day, they came back to work and got better.
“I can’t say enough about their toughness and resilience. They could have taken the negative route, but they found the positive and kept working.”
For senior quarterback Lucas Kaltenbach, it was a matter of putting things together.
“We were up 14-0 against St. Joe’s and took our foot off the pedal,” he said. “We just gotta keep grinding and scoring. Other teams aren’t beating us, we’re beating ourselves. Once we get out of our own way, and we still shot ourselves tonight, but if we improve like I think, we’re going to be really scary.”
Kenston played with confidence and authority from the opening kickoff, which the Bombers took and marched right down the field thanks to a balanced attack of their running and passing games.
“We’ve gone through all those plays,” Kaltenbach said. “We knew what we were doing and where we were going. We weren’t thinking, we were just playing.”
While the score on the opening drive was big, perhaps the biggest play of the night occurred with under 30 seconds to play before halftime.
Kaltenbach rolled out to the right and hit a wide-open Tymir Cardona. After making the catch, the senior wideout split both of
got the look we wanted. I rolled out, the safety followed me, and I was looking for Tymir. I’ve never seen anybody turn on the jets like that.”
Added Grubich: “He (Chardon's coach) had all three of his timeouts left, and we figured he would use them after the punt, if we got into that position. So we wanted to take a shot and try to get the first down at the minimum. We’ve got some big-time playmakers like Tymir and a quarterback that can sling it, and an o-line that protects. It (the play) paid off.”
Chardon Head Coach Mitch Hewitt called the touchdown a heartbreaker.
“It was really unfortunate. He had five seconds to throw, so it’s easy to pin it on our secondary, but that’s a long time to sit in the pocket,” Hewitt said. “A kid that talented, with that great of a receiver — that kid (Cardona) has been doing that since he was a sophomore. We tried to double team him as much as we could, but he made plays.”
Besides the two touchdowns, Kenston’s other points came off the foot of their kicker. Junior Grady Kucharson connected on 38and 31-yard field goals.
The 38-yard kick was the fifth longest in school history.
“We talked about him being a weapon for us, and it looked like he was tonight,” Grubich said.
Not only did Kenston’s offense and spe-
in their first three contests this season, but over the last two, have only put 12 points on the board.
Against their rivals, the Hilltoppers offense appeared two-dimensional — mostly junior quarterback Drayton Allgood and senior halfback Caleb Hewitt.
Kenston keyed in on those two players, and in doing so, kept the Toppers out of the endzone.
“Those are two great football players,” said Grubich of Allgood and Hewitt. “We had to take them away, and if we did, then we like our opportunities against the other kids.”
Grubich felt his linemen, both offensive and defensive, set the tones for the game.
“We want to be physically violent at the point of attack, and I think for the most part we did that, and that’s something that we’ve been improving on week by week,” he said. “Obviously we can still get better, but they did a heck of a job tonight.”
Now in his 14th year at the helm of his alma mater, Hewitt admitted Kenston was the more physical team and was left wondering why a good week of practice did not translate onto the field, why his team fell so flat.
“During the week, they do everything they’re asked,” he said. “They practice hard, we run them. We were more physical with them, so there’s a proponent that is perplexing to me. We’re playing a great schedule.”
See Kenston • Page 15
Williams Emerges at West G As Next Great XC Runner
By AlAn kornsPAn sPorts@kArlovecmediA com
The West Geauga Wolverines Boys Cross Country team has had some excellent run ners over the past few years.
In fact, in 2023, Matthew Dienes made the podium at the OHSAA Cross Coun try State Championships as he ran a 15:47 5000m.
After graduating in the Spring, Dienes joined 2023 alum Christopher Whiting and 2022 alum Daniel Kearns as a member of the John Carroll University Cross Country and Track and Field Teams.
Now in the Fall of 2024, another standout Wolverine runner has emerged.
That runner is junior Jacob Willams who has had a great 2024 cross country season.
On Sept. 27, Williams continued his excel lent season as he ran a 16:29.38 5000m at the U Wanna Come Back Madison Invitational. For Williams, this was his all-time personal record for the 5000m.
With his excellent time, Williams finished 5th for the meet.
Afterward, Williams said that the course was very flat, but the running conditions were not ideal due to the rainy weather.
In addition, Williams discussed his strategy during the race.
“I was just trying to stick with people I know I could stay with and it helped me to a good time and a pretty good race,” Williams said.
He also said that he was aware of the previous times of some of the runners on the Chagrin Falls Tigers team.
Utilizing that knowledge, he tried to stick with a few Tigers runners until the final kick at the end of the race.
“So I was just thinking stick with one of them, and hopefully kick in the end, and see how I go from there,” Williams said after the race.
During the race Williams said he has a mantra that he repeats to keep himself focused and motivated.
“I just repeat to myself it's only 15 minutes of running, so do your hardest and and try to get a good place,” said Williams.
John Boylan, Head West Geauga Boys Cross Country Coach said after the meet that he is enjoying watching the strides that Williams has made this season.
“He's learning to run and he is a smart kid,” said Boylan. “I really enjoy watching him run. I was out in the two mile and he was like in 16th place and I knew he would be in the top ten. He's consistently running like that all year.”
As Coach Boylan said, Williams has run well all season.
Starting the season at the Riverside Classic Night Invitational on Aug. 24, Williams ran 16:58.49.
he
a 16:29.38
Then at the McDonough Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 14, Williams finished in third place with a time of 17:08.
A week later, Williams finished ninth at the Cardinal Invitational with a time of 16:44.61.
As a junior, Williams’ times are not far off from where Dienes was in the Fall of 2023.
For instance, Dienes won the 2023 Cardinal Invitational with a time of 16:23.30.
As the season continues, Williams is process focused as his concentration is on giving great effort and trying to keep getting pr's. He is hoping to possibly get into the low 16's for the 5000m.
In addition to Williams, West Geauga had four other runners finish in the top 60 out of 181 runners at Madison including Joey Lubanovich (43 - 18:20.03), Ryan Berdis (48 - 18:29.48), Mason Starr (49 - 18:32.36), and Robert Vash (51- 18:34.36).
The West Geauga Boys Cross Country team will next compete in the CVC Championships on Oct. 11.
West Geauga’s Jacob Williams continued his excellent season as
ran
5000m at the U Wanna Come Back Madison Invitational.
Hawks Storm Back to Defeat Wolverines, 21-17
By AlAn kornsPAn sPorts@kArlovecmediA.com
With meteorologists predicting lots of rain for Northeast Ohio on Sept. 27 because of the remnants of Hurricane Helene, coaches, players and fans of the Hawken Hawks and West Geauga Wolverines were prepared for a rainy night of football.
However, although the deluge never came, that did not prevent the Hawks football team from storming back to defeat the Wolverines.
Down 17-0 at halftime, the Hawks scored 21 unanswered second half points to defeat the Wolverines, 21-17.
Instrumental in leading the comeback for the Hawks were seniors Jordan Johnson and
Will Greenberg, and juniors Kene Obi and Donovan Moorhead.
“We started off slow and we got into the locker room at halftime and it was all about if we wanted it,” said Johnson after the game. It was a gut check game and we came out with a “W”.
Added Will Greenberg, “Once I stepped in that locker room (at halftime) I had that sense with all my guys, there was no yelling at other people, we all just sat there and refocused and got back at it.”
Obi also talked about the importance of the Hawks’ confidence, even though they were trailing by 17 at halftime.
“We knew that we dropped 60 last week, so it doesn't matter if a team spots 17, we
See Hawks • Page 15
ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG
Jordan Johnson scored the go-ahead touchdown in the Hawken’s 21-17 win over West Geauga.
McCandless Hat Trick Leads Badgers
By rich kelly sPorts@kArlovecmediA com
Last week was very interesting for the Berkshire Badgers girls soccer team. Levels of competition were different, yet both contests played during the week required the same con centration and effort .
Sept. 23, the Badgers vis ited a talented West Branch team and managed with a tie score. Then, three days later, they took another road trip, this time north to Ashtabula County’s seat to tangle with an improving Jefferson Falcon squad. Team play and control of the ball were import ant in both matches. Against the Falcons, those qualities established control early, and Berkshire claimed a solid 6-1 non conference victory.
should be able to win most of the time. We’ve got good balance and speed throughout our lineup, and we know we need to use it as much as we can.”
Leading the win for Head Coach Ian Patterson was junior forward Kelly McCandless with a hard-earned hat trick for the Badgers.
“We try to play with high energy all the time, “ McCandless said. “We feel that if we can keep up our speed work attacking, we
Kenston
from page 12
While Kenston enjoyed a second straight win over its rival, the Hilltoppers were left wondering what happened.
“You think you’ve seen it all,” Hewitt said, “and then tonight happens, and it’s unique for me because I have a pretty good sense of where we're at. … This is a bit of surprise.
“We’re gonna see. All you can do is get better. We’re gonna see who’s going to retreat, who’s going to crawl out ,and we’re going to see who’s going to be all-in.”
On the night, Kenston’s offense gained
Kinsman
from page 11
Oliver Miller bulled his way in from a yard out for the final points of the night for Head Coach Josh DeWeese.
“It’s just a huge blessing for us to have Justin back and healthy,” Coach DeWeese said. “He is our leader on both sides of the ball. We missed him in earlier games, and that’s why we just didn’t play complete games like we planned. We finally got it done last week, and tonight it happened again for our kids. Now we get to prepare for Kirtland next week.”
Rains let up after the game ended just in time for Phillips and his fellow teammates to celebrate winning the Kinsman Cup.
“I just really haven’t concentrated on much else other than football lately,” Phillips said. “I just love to play football, and helping my teammates win games is what it’s all about for me. I finally am feeling good, so I want to help provide a good expe-
With just 3:59 gone in the game, McCandless tallied her first score of the night when a rebound of a teammate's missed shot from the far right corner went right into the middle of a large contingent of players from both teams. McCandless was in the right spot from about five yards out and had a clear shot to the left corner of the net.
Two and a half minutes later, she tallied her second goal of the night. A crossing pass from the right side was deflected to the left of the Falcon goal, and Emma Rucinski drilled it back toward the middle, where McCandless headed the ball into the upper right corner.
Six minutes later, Alie Ruchalski, a junior defender, took a pass from Clair Corbett and deposited the ball to the back of the nets, and with a 3-0 lead, the Badgers seemed to have the train running at full speed.
“One thing we try to focus on every game is controlling our possessions until we get
251 total yards: 58 on the ground and 193 through the air.
Kaltenbach threw for 193 yards and one touchdown and ran for 32 yards.
Cardona caught six passes for 150 yards and a score.
Chardon was held to 161 yards of total offense, all rushing.
Allgood led the Hilltoppers with 90 yards on the ground.
The loss marked the fewest points scored by Chardon since the Hilltoppers were shutout 28-0 on Sept. 25 at Madison.
The margin of victory over Chardon was Kenston’s largest since 2017, when Kenston won 34-15. The Bombers topped the Hilltoppers by a score of 37-19 in 2005.
rience for my team every time I go on the field.”
“No doubt about it, we just were outmanned and out numbered again tonight,” said Cardinal Head Coach Rich Turner of his team. “Things changed again for us when we had a player go down early in Dominic, but in football, it’s every man up when the time is called, and our kids gave it their best shot tonight.
“We played hard tonight, we always do, but Berkshire has a good team and they’re tough to beat.”
The Huskies travel this week to tangle with a tough but beatable Crestwood team in Mantua at Jack Lambert Stadium. If they can stay healthy and avoid rains, a win is not out of the question for the guys from Middlefield.
The 175 yards and four scores for Phillips were what the Badgers have lacked this season, but they made up for it at the right times. They will need a repeat effort this week against Kirtland’s powerful Hornets, but dry weather should also help.
good shots,” said Coach Patterson, in his seventh season leading the Badgers. “We have good team speed, but it has to be used wisely. If we can control the ball and take what the defenses are giving us, we feel we will be in good shape to win most games.
“West Branch was very tough, as they always are, but Jefferson has vastly improved the last couple of seasons, so we had to work hard today. That second goal today was huge for us. We kept the ball alive on both sides of the field and worked it back and forth with good crossing passes to get a good shot, and I can’t say enough about how Kelly has played so far this year.”
To that point of the match, Jefferson was simply not quick enough to keep up with the Badgers' team speed, but whereas in previous years they were playing more kickball than soccer, this year’s version in Jefferson, while not winning too often, did know what they were trying to do, and it finally paid off at the 34:20 mark of the first half.
In a scrum in front of Berkshire keeper Liv Masink, in one of her busier moments, Sophia Kereky was taken down about 15 yards in front of the net for a penalty kick, and the freshman midfielder and daughter of Head Coach Brian Kereky drilled her penalty shot home to end the Badger’s scoring run
Hawks
from page 14
can come back from any lead,” Obi said. “Our defense locked in, they barely got any first downs (in the second half). Offense, we scored and we made plays when we needed to, and that's all that matters in the game of football.”
As the Hawks players mentioned, the Wolverines scored 17 first half points.
The Wolverines got the scoring started when running back Joseph Moore scored on a 6-yard touchdown run with 5:09 left in the first quarter. After placekicker Adison Cook (who also plays on the West Geauga Girls Soccer team) added the extra point, the Wolverines led 7-0.
The Wolverines then took a ten point lead with 8:38 left in the first half on Cook’s 24yard field goal.
The Wolverines added an additional 7 points late in the first half on a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Finn Keenan to Dominic Paros. After Cook converted the extra point, the Wolverines took a 17-0 lead into halftime.
To start the comeback, the Hawks scored their first points of the contest with just over a minute left in the third quarter on a threeyard touchdown pass from Moorhead to Tommy Wright.
Trailing 17-7, the Hawks tightened up the game at 17-14 late in the fourth quarter on a short touchdown pass from Moorhead to Johnson.
After the Hawks defense got a crucial stop, the Hawks scored the winning touchdown on Johnson's one-yard touchdown run with 44 seconds left in the game.
Leading the Hawks offense for the game was Johnson who rushed for 89 yards on 15 carries (5.9 yards per carry average) and
and shutout effort.
With just four ticks left before halftime, freshman Emma Rucinski scored for a 4-1 lead at intermission.
The second half was played mostly in the Berkshire offensive areas, but the Falcons did well in avoiding scores until McCandless completed her hat trick just 2:06 into the second half.
With 16:09 gone in the half, freshman Marissa Karl got into the act with a goal of her own.
McCandless had three goals, Rucinski had a goal and an assist, Ruchalski had a goal, Karl had a goal, Corbett had an assist, and Mary Lee also had a helper for the Badgers as everybody got into the act.
When Jefferson did send the ball downfield to put pressure on Masink, who didn't score but had had three saves in the game overall, Ivy Martin and Alie Ruchalski converged on any Falcon in the area of the ball with great energy to stop the thrusts, and that is the key for how the Badgers (6-3-3) usually play their game.
The Falcons drop to 2-9-1 on the season, but as in past years, didn’t compete well. In this game, they were right there, but were not able to match Berkshire's speed well enough to win.
Moorhead who was 17-28 through the air for 116 yards.
Wright (6 catches for 61 yards), Obi (329), Johnson (5-19), and Wright (3-19) led the Hawks receivers for the contest.
Leading the Hawks defense against the Wolverines was Obi who had 12 tackles, including four tackles for losses, and a sack.
In addition, senior Will Greenberg (8 tackles) and his brother, sophomore Mitch Greenberg (7 tackles) combined for 15 total tackles.
The Hawks, now 5-1, have 4 games left in the regular season.
In summing up the importance of this victory, Hawks Head Coach Mark Iammarino said that this game shows his players the importance of never giving up.
“It was a great win for these guys to realize that you are never out of it, and you just (need to focus) on one play after one play” Coach Iammarino said.
The Hawks next host Lutheran West on October 4th, while the Wolverines next travel to Harvey also on Oct. 4.
Carl H. Speck
Carl H. Speck, age 99, beloved husband for 71 years of Nancy (nee Norris); loving father of Cherise Simecek (husband Joseph), Carl Norris Speck (wife Chick) and Susan Speck Callahan (husband David); and his American Field Service son, Reinhard Eisen from Germany. Devoted grandfather of Courtney Speck, Jessica Plickert (husband Daniel), Calvin Callahan (Fiancé Jessica Gonzalez), Luke Callahan and Shane Callahan (Abby Frania) and great-grandfather of Adalynn Rose, Trevor and Cade; cherished son of the late Andrew and Francis (nee Souchek); preceded in death are dearest siblings and their spouses; John Speck, Kathryn Patterson (husband John), Peter Speck (wife Ferne) and Jan Taczy (husbands John and Frank Pokorny); dear uncle and great-uncle of many.
He was a World War II U.S. Army veteran.
Carl was born on June 15, 1925, in Hambden Township, on the family farm.
He was drafted during his senior year of high school to serve his country in World War II as a member of the U.S. Army. He was part of the second wave of D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge.
After being wounded twice in war, Carl was honorably discharged and presented with a Purple Heart. Carl then returned to high school and graduated from Chardon High School in 1947.
Being a hard worker with motivation, he continued his education by earning his bachelor’s degree from Hiram College, where he met his wife, Nancy Norris. Carl married Nancy on June 20, 1953. He then obtained his master’s degree from Kent State University.
Carl worked as a guidance/vocational counselor for Mayfield High School for 29 years. He put his education and worldly experience to excellent use in guiding many students that stayed in contact with him throughout the years.
During his career and after retirement, he enjoyed selling real estate.
Obituaries
He was a kind and gentle man with an easy-going personality. Carl found enjoyment in dancing with his wife, gardening, camping throughout the USA, traveling to Europe and spending the fall seasons in Maui 25 years in a row. He also enjoyed their Florida home in the winter months and working on his stained-glass projects.
This gentle soul passed away on Sept. 27, 2024, and will be lovingly remembered by his devoted family.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in memory of Carl to St. Mary’s Church, 401 North St., Chardon, OH 44024.
Cremation by DeJohn Crematory.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 401 North St., Chardon, at 10:30 a.m. Burial following with military honors at Chardon Cemetery.
Family received friends to pay tribute to and celebrate the life of Carl at The DeJohn Funeral Home & Crematory of Chardon (formerly Ritondaro), 126 South St., Chardon, on Oct. 2, 2024.
Online obituary, guestbook and order flowers at www.DeJohnCares.com.
Dennis Sheffield
Dennis Sheffield passed away on Sun day evening, the 15th of September.
He lived in Avon dale, Ariz.
He was a 1965 graduate of Newbury High School.
Dennis served in the Air Force from 1965 through 1988. He also served three tours in Vietnam.
Dennis is survived by his son, Ken Shef field, of Washington, and Tina Millhoupt, of Garden Valley, Pa.; sister, Donna Byler, and her husband, Al, of Arizona; and brother, Eric Sheffield, and his wife, Debbie, of Aurora Colo.
Craig Thomas Cox
Craig Thomas Cox, of Put-In-Bay, Ohio, passed away suddenly Sept. 19, 2024, in the warm embrace of his wife, Sharon Cox, and with family by his side. He was 68 years young.
Born in Cleveland, on June 11, 1956, to Margaret Elizabeth (nee Negrelli) and Nelson Henry Cox Jr., Craig had a true zest for life up until the end; a lifetime of accomplishments and achievements difficult to sum up in a series of heartfelt words.
In his earlier years, he followed in his father’s footsteps successfully achieving his PE in Mechanical Engineering from Cleveland State University and tackling fruitful careers at Ford Motor Co, Stouffer’s (Nestle) and Patio Enclosures where he embraced every challenge with a solution-minded attitude and care.
Despite years of the motto “C’s get degrees” and countless nightmares of a return to the classroom, Craig set foot on a personal milestone of completing the Executive MBA program at Baldwin Wallace College, proving to himself and his children that you’re never too old to master ‘hunt & peck’ typing nor to forge a new path.
He was preceded in death by parents, Otis and Adelaide Sheffield.
something out of a fairytale, in his later years, Craig reconnected with an old friend, Sharon, with whom would become the love of his life.
On April 28, 2018, Sharon and Craig wed in a joyous celebration on the Bay. In the short time spent together, they seemingly did it all from building racecars to rehabbing homes to woodworking in ‘The Shop’ to traveling the world.
Craig and Sharon shared a love most only imagine. They built a wonderful Brady-Bunch family dynamic of combining two great families into one unified unit, likely his proudest accomplishment. It was the time spent with family that gave Craig the most pride and the raspberry kisses from his ‘Sidekick’, Paxton, which gave him the most joy. Life had come full circle.
Craig is survived by his wife Sharon (nee: Coles-Gronowski); children, Kevin (Nick Barton) Cox, Trish (Soren Germansen) Cox and grandson Paxton Germansen; step-children, Brittany and Zachary Gronowski; brothers, John and Nelson III, and sister, Polly Gray; alongside too many nieces, nephews and friends to count, as well as his former wife, Barbara Ducca (Anthony DiScenzo) with whom he stayed in touch.
With a Bachelor’s, MBA and seasoned experience behind him, Craig’s career pivoted, and he ventured into the world of agricultural manufacturing as owner/president and CEO of Springhill Construction in Dundee, Ohio. Through the next 10 years, he built positive memories, lasting friendships and a love for farm fresh eggs that will continue well into the afterlife.
Despite a career path that was both demanding and fulfilling, Craig pursued it all to support his main true loves: his family and PIB island living. For years, PIB had been his escape, building a summer home there in 2011. Craig ultimately turned this respite into his fulltime paradise when he traded in the daily grind for slow mornings in the sunroom with his retirement in 2020. Never one to sit still, in 2022 Craig joined Put-in-Bay Village Council. He was an influential leader, passionate community activist and councilman up until the very end.
Nevertheless, retirement gave time for hobbies, traveling, family and friends. Like
He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Marie and brother Matthew, as well as lifelong friends Kenny Reed and Jeff Knuth, with whom we are sure he is enjoying a big party up in the sky.
Two Celebrations of Life will be held in Craig’s honor: Nov. 8, 2024, from 4-7 p.m., at Orchard Hills at Patterson Fruit Farm (11414 Caves Road, Chesterland) and another for Family and Friends of the Bay in June 2025. Memorial contributions can be made to the Put in Bay Law Enforcement Foundation in Craig’s name, an organization near and dear to his heart. www.givebutter.com/pibpolicefund.
Craig radiated love and generosity everywhere he went; please let his legacy be forever etched into the stories you tell and the laughter you share.
Cheers to you Craig Cox.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.
Obituaries
Merle Clark Pender
A loving mother and grandmother, friend to many, lover of nature, lakes and flowers, Merle Clark (nee Kucheman) Pender, of Chardon, died peacefully on Sept. 20, 2024, at the age of 103, at Vista Springs Quail Hollow Assisted Living in Concord Township.
Merle is survived by her three children, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren: son, Rick Pender (Joan Kaup), of Cincinnati, grandson Geoff (Danielle) Pender and great-grandchildren Lucas and Siena; daughter Janice McManus, of Painesville, Ohio, grandson Shawn McManus (Richelle Blankenship), of Ashtabula; granddaughter Katie (Jeff) Yeary, of Madison, Ohio, and great-grandson J.J.; and daughter Lynn Marinaccio, of Mahwah, N.J., and granddaughters Kristen and Kelly.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Franklin Pender, of Chardon, (19222003); daughter Patricia Lynn Pender (19511954); and brother, Kent Kucheman, of Akron (1925-2008).
Merle was born on March 5, 1921, in Bellevue, Iowa, to Marc and Frances Kucheman. Her family moved to Akron in 1928 and she graduated from Buchtel High School in 1939 and the University of Akron in 1943 with a major in Latin.
She was an active member of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, both during her college years and beyond through Panhellenic.
During World War II, she worked as a civilian administrative assistant (otherwise known as a “Code Girl”) for the U.S. Army Signal Corps.
Merle married Frank Pender of Akron on June 1, 1946. After living in Akron and Yorktown, Va., when Frank was recalled to active Naval duty in 1951 for two years during the Korean War. After returning to Akron in 1954, the family moved to the Bass Lake community in Munson Township, west of Chardon.
She and Frank were active members and leaders of the Bass Lake Club; she was its secretary for many years. They made many lifelong friends at Bass Lake and she especially loved living near the beautiful lake.
Merle was also engaged in activities at Chardon’s Pilgrim Christian Church.
Merle continued her education at Kent State University, pursuing a graduate degree in library science. She worked for several years in the library at Chardon Middle School.
She served for many years in an administrative capacity for the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, processing jury summons.
Following Frank’s death, Merle moved to the Breckenridge Retirement Community in 2004, made many friends there, and enjoyed an active social life.
In 2019, she moved to Vista Springs Quail Hollow, an assisted living community. In 2021, she celebrated her 100th birthday surrounded by her loving children, grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Her family wishes to express their profound gratitude to the staff at Vista Springs Quail Hollow and Hospice of Western Reserve for their care during Merle’s final days.
Private burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Akron.
Contributions are suggested to the Amer-
ican Cancer Society, The Jimmy Fund or another charity of choice.
Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home in Chardon. Information and condolences online at www. burrservice.com.
Frances M. Prosser
Frances M. Prosser, age 90, of Hambden Township, passed away peacefully on Sept. 23, 2024.
Born in Braddock, Pa., on Oct. 12, 1933, Frances was a beacon of love and kindness in the lives of all who knew her.
In January 1955, she married Eugene Prosser, the love of her life, and together they began a beautiful journey, eventually settling in Hambden. As a devoted homemaker, Frances dedicated herself wholeheartedly to her family, always putting their needs first. Her warmth and nurturing spirit created a loving home filled with laughter and joy.
Janet Lewis
Janet Lewis, 88, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2024.
She was a loving mother, sister, cousin, aunt and grandmother to her family, and a good friend.
Janet was a nurse for many years and a schoolteacher for 30 years.
To those who knew her, Jan was kind, thoughtful — and a little feisty, too! She was always willing to make time for those she loved.
Janet was a beloved sister to the late Betty Ann Ball and Elaine McAffe and aunt to her late nephews Michael and William R. Hill.
She is survived by her son, Kevin; and granddaughters, Amanda Weenink and Emily Herman. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Devra Danforth, Elena Jensen, Nora Hill, David Alvarado, Elizabeth Alvarado and Benjamin Ruiz Sells.
Family and friends called at Gattozzi and Son Funeral Home, 12524 Chillicothe Road, Chester Township, on Oct. 1, 2024.
A funeral mass was held Oct. 2, 2024, at the Church of Saint Anselm, 12969 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland.
bury Township Zoning and BZA into her 80s. Visitation 10 a.m. followed by 11 a.m. funeral mass on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, at St. Helen’s Catholic Church, 12060 Kinsman Road, Newbury.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Tau Beta Pi/The Engineering Honor Society (tbp.org); or Habitat for Humanity International (habitat.org); or Guiding Eyes for the Blind (donate.guidingeyes.org).
A special thanks to our wonderful caregiving team: Miriam, Doris, Nicole, Hannah and Marilyn.
Services entrusted to the Potti & Marc F. Burr Funeral Homes of Madison, Chardon, Painesville & Fairport Harbor. Obituary, online condolences and memorial gifts available at www.marcfburrfuneralhome.com.
Gerald Clinton Lawton
Gerald Clinton “Jerry” Lawton, 88, of Chardon, passed away on Sept. 21, 2024. He was born April 10, 1936, in Norwich, N.Y., to the late Archie and Nellie (nee Weidman) Lawton.
Frances found happiness in the simple pleasures of life. She delighted in tending to her beautiful flowers, immersing herself in books, solving puzzles, playing BINGO and occasionally trying her luck at the casino.
She will be lovingly remembered by her family for her delicious double-layered chocolate cake and her famous peanut butter cookies, which brought smiles to all who gathered around her table.
Frances is survived by her cherished children, Joseph (Bonnie) Prosser, Janet (William) Baxter, Carol Rickert and Laura Plescott. She also leaves behind her sisterin-law, Delores Krisher; stepbrother Frank Jordan; and a host of beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Frances is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Eugene; parents, George and Anna (nee Lynch) Krisher; treasured one-ofa-kind stepfather, Edward Jordan (Pappy); as well as her siblings whom she loved so dearly, George Krisher, Elizabeth (Betty) Jessup, Joseph Krisher, Shirley Taylor, Ruth Yarros, Bernadette Prosser, Corrine Jordan, Joan Homa and stepbrother George Jordan.
The family expresses their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated staff at Ohman Family Living at Briar Hill in Middlefield. Your compassion and hard work made a meaningful difference in Frances's life.
In honor of Frances’s memory, private family services were held.
St. Jude was her favorite charity and the family encourages donations in her name be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or go to www.stjude.org.
Cremation arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home in Chardon. For information and condolences, please visit www.burrservice.com.
Frances M. Prosser will be deeply missed, but her legacy of love and devotion will forever remain in the hearts of her family and friends.
The family has asked, in lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Cancer Society.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.gattozziandson. com for the Lewis family.
Marguerite Joanne Hrabak
Marguerite Joanne Hrabak, born March 27, 1930, died Sept. 26, 2024, age 94 in Newbury Township.
She is predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Mia Jost; and husband, Franklin.
Marge is survived by her sister, Mari lyn Sogo, of San Diego, Calif.; children, Michelle (Don) May, Christopher (Pat), Margo (former son-in-law Matt Pokopac), Karen (Chuck) Walder, Karla (Glenn) Falk; grandchildren, Alexis (Ben) Davis, Aaron (Angie) May, Claire Pokopac, Simon Falk, Kurt Pokopac; great-grandchildren, Skyler (Kristi) Petkosek, Emily (Nikkita) Petkosek, Eleanor May, Caleigh Davis, Gabriel Davis, Marija Davis, Oliver Petkosek; and many nieces and nephews across the country.
He married Irene Tucker on Sept. 20, 1958, in Norwich, N.Y. The couple had resided in Chardon for 43 years.
Jerry graduated from Norwich High School, class of 1955, and served in the U.S. Navy.
He was employed for 20 years at Norwich Pharmaceutical Company and 20 years at Diamond Shamrock (Ricerca), in Ohio, where he retired in May 1998.
Jerry is survived by his three children, Melody (Scott) Judd Bell, of Andover, Ohio, Suzanne Mader, of Chardon, and Jerry (Ruthann) Lawton, of Norwich, N.Y.; grandchildren, Amy Callahan, Keri (Brian) Morris, John Mader, Kelly (Alex) Kimball, Rebecca (Dustin) Lewandowski and Brennen Lawton; great-grandsons, Kobe Callahan, Kaiden Callahan, Karson Aldridge, twins Caleb and Blake Lewandowski; siblings Sharon Amato, Marlene Gould and Richard Lawton; sister-inlaw, Anne Tucker; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Irene Lawton; brother-in-law, Lawrence Tucker; sister Linda Lawton; and sons-in-law, William Judd and John Mader.
Per Jerry’s wishes, there will be no calling hours or funeral. The family will be holding a private burial at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Norwich, N.Y., at a later date.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.
Marge attended Cleveland State University’s Fenn College in 1947 where she met Frank. She was one of two women in a class of 700.
In 1974, Marge enrolled in night school to finish her engineering degree. She worked at Lincoln Electric for 10 years until she retired to run the family engineering business EME. She and Frank renovated the 100-year-old barn in 1991.
Marge’s interests included affordable housing and building innovations, science, history, buying and remodeling rental homes, and knitting. She sang in the St. Helen’s choir for 50 years, was a member/treasurer of the Newbury Kiwanis and held jobs with New-
Notices should be sent in writing by the funeral directors and memorial societies to: Geauga County Maple Leaf, P.O. Box 1166, Chardon, OH, 440245166, faxed to 440-285-2015 or emailed to editor@karlovecmedia.com. The Maple Leaf charges a flat fee of $125 per obituary or death notice, including a photograph.
Chardon Berkshire
Donkey Visits Munson
A recent visitor brought learning to life for students at Munson Elementary School. Firstgrade students have been reading “Waiting for the Biblioburro,” a story about a traveling librarian who brings books to children throughout Columbia on the backs of his two donkeys.
On Sept. 19, students were visited by Shaggy, a 21-year-old donkey, and his owner Mel Milliron from the Donkey and Mule Association of the Western Reserve. Mr. Milliron answered student questions about raising donkeys and helped them make real-life connections to what they have been reading.
Second-Grade Reading
The second-graders in Mrs. Lindsay Montague's class are working hard on reading with decoding, segmenting and blending. As a follow-up to their hard work, they tried out partner reading for the first time this school year. Doing these types of shared activities helps the students develop a love for reading.
Sixth-Grade Camp
The sixth-graders were off to camp at Hiram House. For two nights and three days under camp counselors' guidance, the students enjoyed archery, rock wall climbing, canoeing and different levels of rope courses.
During their arts and crafts time, the students did a beautiful job painting rocks, weaving brightly colored key rings and participating in a friendly boat challenge to see which team could keep their device afloat the longest.
At night they gathered around the campfire for songs, stories and s’mores. A repre-
Outdoor Stream Field Study
On Sept. 19, students in the college credit plus Biology 1170 course at Chardon High School began their outdoor stream field study.
The goal of the study is to construct a stream transect; to measure stream conditions, abiotic factors, flow rates and volume; and to examine how these factors influence biodiversity.
“Students set pit traps and leaf traps to gather aquatic/terrestrial insects for biodiversity data,” science teacher Rebecca Schneider said.
District Partners with GCDA
Berkshire Local School District is partnering with the Geauga County Department of Aging to offer intergenerational learning experiences and opportunities for senior citizens to enjoy school-based learning and students to learn from seniors and their school experiences.
"It is critical that school-age children learn humility and respect for our community elders in order to honor senior citizens' contributions. As part of our PK-12 Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Curriculum, we are teaching students how to be their best and we encourage kindness,” shared Dr. Vanessa Karwan, director of professional learning and community outreach.
The collaboration is mutually beneficial for both seniors and students.
Sandy McLeod, Geauga County Senior Center supervisor shares, “The Geauga Dept on Aging is very excited to provide Geauga seniors the opportunity to participate in these upcoming intergenerational programs with Berkshire Schools. The seniors love interacting with the students and showing their support in the arts by being the audience for the dress rehearsals. The intergenerational book discussions provide the seniors the opportunity to share their wisdom and life experiences with the students, while learning from the students a new perspective and sharing in their enthusiasm and energy. This is a win-win for all."
In addition to arts programming and book studies, Berkshire and Geauga De-
Notre Dame
presented “Raptor Encounters,” where students learned about owls, hawks and fal cons. The students enjoyed three days of playing outside, walking in the woods and making new friends.
partment of Aging plan to offer a spring dance for seniors with a dinner and live music event taking the seniors back to music of the decades performed by the high school’s jazz band. The program will be facilitated by student leaders from jazz band and choir, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, cheerleading, ROX Girls Club, art students and student council.
The district also appreciates its partnership with Fairmount Center for the Arts which will also be providing some line dancing fun with both seniors and students. Anyone who would like to contribute a community raffle prize or a donation for the event may reach out to vanessa.karwan@ berkshireschools.org
"On behalf of the Berkshire Local Schools, I want to extend my deepest appreciation to the Geauga County Department of Aging for their invaluable partnership. This collaboration between our senior citizens and school-age children is an extraordinary opportunity for both generations to learn, grow, and share in the richness of our community. Together, we are creating a vibrant, intergenerational bond that will leave a lasting impact on our students and seniors alike. We are excited to watch this partnership flourish and strengthen the fabric of our community," said Dr. John Stoddard, superintendent of Berkshire Local Schools.
In all, this partnership is certain to be a tremendous learning experience for everyone involved in an intergenerational environment.
SUBMITTED Second-graders (l to r) Evan Schapel and Calvin Canda read a book together in class.
SUBMITTED
Senior class members dressed up for their annual Toga Day during Spirit Week for the Cardinal versus Berkshire
St. Helen
Homecoming King and Queen
The West Geauga student body crowned a new homecoming king and queen - James Javorek and Michaela Platt.
Congratulations to the rest of Homecoming Court who were selected by staff and students: Alexander Schaffer, Aidyn Koshar, Brianna Wiley, Carson Frate, Henry Bartlett, Juliana Faraguna, Madelynn Dunbrook and Madison Spencer.
WGHS Spirit Week
Homecoming week was eventful for West Geauga High School students as the Student Council planned a spirit assembly and themed dress-up day each day. The week concluded with a parade, homecoming football game and the Saturday night dance.
A few notable highlights of the week were the annual powderpuff flag football game where the junior girls beat the seniors. The first annual powderbuff game was held as the junior boys took on the seniors in a game of volleyball. It was the senior class with the victory.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the homecoming parade and lined the streets to support the students.
West G Interact Club
The West Geauga Interact Club recently held its fourth annual volleyball tournament that was open to all high school students. The purpose of the event was to engage students in a fun competition and build camaraderie to start the new school year.
The Interact Club is sponsored by the
They discovered how apples grow and are processed, and they also indulged in a special treat while listening to Johnny Appleseed recount his adventures. Pictured is Kinsley Dufour learning about the different seasons of an apple tree.
football game.
ganization (PTO) hosted its annual Laps for Lindsey fundraiser and surpassed its goal by raising $23,790. The money collected
SUBMITTED
The 2024 homecoming king and queen are James Javorek and Michaela Platt.
Volunteers Needed to Deliver Meals
The Geauga County Department on Aging is in need of Home Delivered Meal drivers in the Chardon area on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The meal routes start at the Chardon Senior Center, 470 Center St., Building 8, Chardon.
The Home Delivered Meal program delivers warm, nutritious lunches from 10:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, to homebound senior citizens in the community.
The department on aging is looking for
area agencies, organizations, church groups and individuals 18 years old or older, with a valid driver’s license, who are interested in volunteering for this program. Training includes filing department on aging HDM volunteer paperwork and a short orientation about the program. Volunteers can deliver meals on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or as needed/substitute basis.
To sign up or for any questions, please contact Nathan Gorton at 440-279-2138.
Geauga Park District
For more information and registration, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.
Free Horse-Drawn Wagon Rides
Oct. 6, 13 and 20, 1-5 p.m.
The park district is offering free horsedrawn wagon rides through the woods of Swine Creek Reservation located at 16004 Hayes Road in Middlefield Township. The Reservation promises much enjoyment of
the sights, sounds and scents of autumn.
Guests are advised to head toward the sugar house for first-come, first-served boarding. Seating is limited by the size of the wagon, pets are not permitted to ride, and each outing lasts about 20 minutes, with the final rides stepping off about 4:30 p.m.
Because inclement weather cancels the experience, call 440-286-9516 between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. to check their status if the day is rainy.
Geauga Public Library
Programs require registration unless otherwise noted. Include an email and phone number when registering for programs to receive updates about all programs. Visit www.geaugalibrary.net.
Storytimes
Join for a storytime that is sure to engage, connect and inspire children with their imagination. A complete list of upcoming storytime programs is available to view on the website’s programs calendar.
Discussion Groups
No registration is required.
• Bainbridge, Oct. 7, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., “Rebecca” by Daphne Du Maurier
• Middlefield, Oct. 10, 5:30 p.m., “Red Rabbit” by Alex Grecian
• Chardon, Oct. 12, 3 p.m., “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly” (1966)
• Thompson, Oct. 15, 2 p.m., “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus
• Bainbridge, Oct. 15, 7 p.m., “The Art Thief” by Michael Finkel
• Chardon, Oct. 16, 7 p.m., “Eternal” by Lisa Scottoline
Teen Night: DIY Terrarium
Oct. 3, 6:30-8 p.m. • Thompson
Teens in grades 6-12 will make a mini moss terrarium and learn how to care for it.
The Labyrinth Experience
Oct. 5, 2:30-4:30 p.m. • Bainbridge
Certified Labyrinth facilitator Susi Kawolics will talk about “Walking the Labyrinth” and how this ancient tool can support one’s spiritual and mental well-being.
iPhone & iPad Basics
Oct. 7, 2-3 p.m. • Middlefield
Learn the basics of navigating an iPhone or iPad.
Lost Ghost Stories of Cleveland
Oct. 10, 7-8 p.m. • Bainbridge
Step back in time with local author and investigative historian William G. Krejci as he explores Cleveland’s history and recounts chilling tales from the city’s paranormal past.
Book Bonanza
Oct. 10, 6:30-8 p.m. • Geauga West
Chat with fellow readers at the library’s Book Café, make a book-themed craft, compete in book trivia and more. No registration is required.
Volunteer Fair
Oct. 11, 12-4 p.m. • Bainbridge
Attend the Geauga County Volunteer Fair and meet with different agencies to learn about volunteer opportunities available in the county. No registration is required.
Art to Go
Oct. 15, 1-2 p.m. • Geauga West
From the Pacific Northwest to the Great Plains, native artisans have been creating beautiful pieces of art for centuries. Come discover these works of art and more.
Features of Curious Creatures
Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to noon • Bainbridge
Youth in grades 3-6 will explore the ocean and learn about all its strange and curious creatures through fun crafts, games and more.
Bulletin Board
Effective Aug. 1, 2023, for-profit and nonprofit organizations or groups will need to purchase a paid advertisement for an event anytime tickets are sold, a fee is charged or a freewill donation is taken. If an organization or group does not wish to buy an ad to promote their event and connect with our readers, Karlovec Media Group will print a simple liner-type ad identifying the event, date/time/place and a number to call for more information. E-mail submissions to: cbb@karlovecmedia.com
Pumpkin Festival
Oct. 5 and 6
Huntsburg Township hosts its 54th annual Pumpkin Festival at the intersection of state routes 322 and 528. There is no entrance fee and all contests, entertainment, attractions and activities are free. There is also free parking and a free shuttle service from the parking areas to the festival grounds. The Pumpkin Festival parade is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on Oct. 6, with a pancake breakfast served each day from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Visit huntsburgpumpkinfestival.com for registration and information.
FGP Explorers Series
Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to noon
Join Foundation for Geauga Parks for “Park in the Raw,” exploring Hambden Hills, one of Geauga Park District’s newest land acquisitions located at 14849 Rock Creek Road in Chardon. For information or to register, visit foundationforgeaugaparks. org or call 440-564-1048.
Pet Blessing & Care Fair
Oct. 6, 12-2 p.m.
Celebration Lutheran Church will host a pet blessing and care fair for companion animals and service animals in the parking lot of the church located at 10621 Auburn Road, Chardon. The fair will be held indoors if the weather is inclement. Bring pet food donations for local pet food banks. or more information, call 440-285-5402 or visit www.celebration-lutheran.org
Burton Library Art Show
Oct. 8-12
The 41st annual Burton Art Show features the work of artists from Geauga, Lake and Portage counties. The free event is open to the public. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For information, call the library at 440-834-4466.
Geauga Skywatchers
Oct. 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Join Geauga Skywatchers Club for “The Nature of Constellations” at the Geauga West Library. Learn the lore and natural history of some of the animal constellations. Visit www.geaugalibrary.net to register.
Gentle Yoga at Chardon UMC
Wednesdays, 10-11:15 a.m.
Join for a gentle, progressive style of yoga suitable for all ages and body types at the Chardon United Methodist Church, 515 North St. No experience is needed.
Bring a yoga mat, light blanket and wear comfortable clothing. For more information, call the office at 440-285-4581.
VFW Wednesday Dinners
Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m.
Chardon VFW Post 6519 will serve chicken pot pie over biscuits every Wednesday in October at the post located at 752 Water St. Open to the public. Call 440-2853699 for carryout dinners.
RC Swap Meet
Oct. 12, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Cleveland Radiocontrolaires is sponsoring the 13th annual RC Swap Meet at 4200 state Route 306, Willoughby. For information contact Patrick at 440-463-7984.
Purses and Pastries Party
Oct. 12, 12-3 p.m.
Friends of WomenSafe will hold its ninth annual Purses and Pastries party at the Munson Township Hall, 12210 Auburn Road. Guests will enjoy brunch, a designer purse raffle, Bingo, purse exchange of gently used purses, games and more. Register online at www.friendsofwomensafe.com or call 440-285-3741.
American Legion Pig Roast
Oct. 12, 4-7 p.m.
Newbury American Legion Post 663 and Auxiliary Unit 663 are hosting their annual pig roast dinner and homemade pie auction at the post located at 11008 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township. Call 440-635-6536 for tickets and information. To-go orders are available.
CWC Luncheon and Raffle
Oct. 15, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Christian Women's Connection of Lake County hosts a ladies’ luncheon and basket raffle extravaganza to benefit Stonecroft Ministries at Pine Ridge Country Club, 30601 Ridge Road, Wickliffe. Featured Stonecroft speaker Laurie Sternburg will present "Cheating Death."
To RSVP by Oct. 10, call 440-488-4351.
Trunk or Treat
Oct. 23, 5:30 p.m.
Geauga County Sherriff’s Office will host its annual Trunk or Treat at 12450 Merritt Road, Chardon. The event is free.
To ensure every child leaves with a full bag of treats, candy donations for the event may be dropped off in the lobby during normal business hours.
For more information, call Jackie Tryon 440-279-2070.
Legal Notices
LEGAL NOTICE
Sale of Real Estate
GEAUGA COUNTY
Foreclosure Auction
Case# 23-F-000143 - NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER vs EVELYN M. ROWLANDS, et al.
The description of the property to be sold is as follows:
Property Address: 12075 FORESTWOOD DRIVE, BURTON, GEAUGA, OH, 44021; Legal Description: Full Legal Listed on Public Website; Parcel Number: 23-087320
Bidding will be available only on www.Auction.com opening on October 15, 2024, at 10:00 AM for a minimum of 7 days.
Property may be sold on a provisional sale date should the third-party purchaser fail to provide their deposit within the allotted time.
Provisional Sale date: October 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM. Sales subject to cancellation. The deposit required is $5,000 to be paid by wire transfer within 2 hours of the sale ending. No cash is permitted.
Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
To view all sale details and terms for this property visit www.Auction.com and enter the Search Code 23F000143 into the search bar.
Sep19-26 Oct3, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
BURTON TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the Burton Township Board of Trustees by hand delivery to the Burton Township Administration Building at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021 or by mail until 2:00 P.M. on Friday, October 11, 2024. Sealed bids will be opened and read at 2:30 P.M. on Friday, October 11, 2024 at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021.
Sealed bids will be received for the construction of a Maintenance Garage for Burton Township (“the Project”). The architect’s estimated cost of the Project is $800,000.00. Copies of plans, specifications and contract documents are available from TMA Architects. Please email Sean Thompson at sean@ tmaarch.com. Contractors will then be registered as bidders for the Project and documents emailed out. There is no fee for Registration or Documents, but is required so that Addenda can be properly distributed. The Architect will not distribute printed sets, but sets will be available at local plan rooms. Bidders must follow this procedure to register for the project in order to receive addenda and other bid notifications. A copy of all documents will be available for public inspection at the Burton Township Administration Building at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021. Each bid must be accompanied by a certified or cashier’s check or an irrevocable letter of credit pursuant to Chapter 1305 of the Ohio Revised Code, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bid guaranty in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the bid amount, such check or bid guaranty to be made in favor of the Burton Township Board of Trustees and shall be held as a guarantee that in the event the bid is accepted and a contract awarded to the Bidder, the contract will be duly executed and its performance properly secured. To be considered, proposals must be made on the Bid Proposal Forms furnished by the Burton Township Board of Trustees in the Instructions to Bidders.
The envelope containing the bid and other required documents should be sealed and clearly marked “Bid for Burton Township Maintenance Garage Building”, 14821 Rapids Road, P.O. Box 355, Burton, Ohio 44021. Prevailing wage rates are applicable to the Project regardless of any contractual relationship which may be said to exist between the Contractor or Subcontractor and such individual.
The successful bidder is required to furnish a bond for the faithful performance of the Contract in a sum of not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the total bid price for the complete work, said bond to be that of an approved surety company authorized to transact business in the State of Ohio meeting the requirements of the O.R.C. Section 153.54. A copy of the legal notice will be published in the Geauga County Maple Leaf and will be posted on the township’s internet website at: www.burtontownship.org
The Burton Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to waive any formalities, irregularities, or to reject any or all bids. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the scheduled closing for receipt of bids on October 11, 2024.
BY ORDER OF THE BURTON TOWNSHIP
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Katie O’Neill, Fiscal Officer
Sep19-26 Oct3, 2024
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Russell Township Russell Township Board of Zoning Appeals will be holding a public hearing on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Russell Township Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, Novelty, Ohio to consider the following appeals.
Application #564: Submitted by Vocon Partners, LLC. On behalf of Laurel Schools Butler Campus, located at 7420 Fairmount Road, Parcel #26-707034. This meeting is a continuance from the June 10, 2024, Hearing. The Applicant is seeking a Conditional Use Approval for the construction of an Environmental Science Building, approximately 11,950 square feet, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Application #566: Submitted by Pantuso Architecture, on behalf of Mr. Alan Kraus, for property at 14070 Watt Rd. The applicant is seeking a variance to construct a New Residents while living in existing home, he will demo existing home when Occupancy permit is obtained for new home.
The Board of Zoning Appeals welcomes factbased testimony to assist in making an informed decision.
Shane Wrench, Zoning Department Sep26, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVANCE NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF DELINQUENT LAND TAX LIST
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, Section 5721.03, notice is hereby given of the forthcoming publication on November 14 and November 21, 2024 of the delinquent land tax list of Geauga County. The delinquent tax list will contain the name of the most current owner and any unpaid tax, penalty, or assessments.
Delinquent taxes may be paid at the office of the Geauga County Treasurer, 211 Main Street, Chardon, OH, 44024, Monday through Friday, (except holidays) between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM on or before Thursday, October 31, 2024 to avoid publication.
Taxpayers who are unable to make full payments may enter into a written agreement (installment plan) with the Geauga County Treasurer to pay unpaid taxes.
Beginning December 1, 2024 an interest charge will begin accruing on all unpaid taxes not having a written agreement with the Geauga County Treasurer.
CHARLES E. WALDER
GEAUGA COUNTY AUDITOR
Oct3-10, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVANCE NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF
DELINQUENT VACANT LAND TAX LIST
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, Section 5721.03, notice is hereby given of the forthcoming publication on November 14 and November 21, 2024, of the delinquent vacant land tax list of Geauga County. Said list are lots and lands on which taxes have remained unpaid for two (2) years after being certified delinquent and that are now subject to foreclosure and forfeiture proceedings as provided in Ohio Revised Code, Section 5721.14 within twenty-eight (28) days after final publication of said list.
Delinquent taxes may be paid at the office of the Geauga County Treasurer, 211 Main Street, Chardon, OH, 44024, Monday through Friday, (except holidays) between the hours of 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM on or before Thursday, October 31, 2024, to avoid publication.
Taxpayers who are unable to make full payments may enter into a written agreement (installment plan) with the Geauga County Treasurer to pay unpaid taxes. Said list will contain the names of the most current owner and any unpaid taxes, assessments, penalties, and interest.
Oct3-10, 2024
CHARLES E. WALDER
GEAUGA COUNTY AUDITOR
LEGAL NOTICE
ADVANCE NOTICE OF PUBLICATION OF DELINQUENT MANUFACTURED HOME TAX LIST
Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code, Section 4503.06, notice is hereby given of the forthcoming publication on November 14, and November 21, 2024, of the delinquent manufactured home tax lists of Geauga County. Said list will contain the name of the most current owner and any unpaid tax and penalties.
Delinquent taxes may be paid at the office of the Geauga County Treasurer, 211 Main Street, Chardon, OH 44024, Monday through Friday (except holidays) between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on or before Thursday, October 31, 2024, to avoid publication.
Taxpayers who are unable to make full pay-
ments may enter into a written agreement (installment plan) with the County Treasurer to pay unpaid taxes.
Beginning December 1, 2024, an interest charge will begin accruing on all unpaid taxes not having a written agreement with the Treasurer.
Oct3-10, 2024
CHARLES E. WALDER GEAUGA COUNTY AUDITOR
LEGAL NOTICE Sale of Real Estate GEAUGA COUNTY Foreclosure Auction Case# 24-F-000339 - Bank of America, N.A. vs Kathleen Kozlowski, et al.
The description of the property to be sold is as follows:
Property Address: 11765 PINEHURST DRIVE, CHARDON, GEAUGA, OH, 44024; Legal Description: Full Legal Listed on Public Website; Parcel Number: 21-176507
Bidding will be available only on www.Auction. com opening on October 29, 2024, at 10:00 AM for a minimum of 7 days.
Property may be sold on a provisional sale date should the third-party purchaser fail to provide their deposit within the allotted time.
Provisional Sale date: November 12, 2024 at 10:00 AM. Sales subject to cancellation. The deposit required is $10,000 to be paid by wire transfer within 2 hours of the sale ending. No cash is permitted.
Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
To view all sale details and terms for this property visit www.Auction.com and enter the Search Code 24F000339 into the search bar.
Oct3-10, 2024
INVITATION TO BID
GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT
Sealed bids will be received by the office of the Director-Secretary of the Board of Park Commissioners of GEAUGA PARK DISTRICT, 9160 Robinson Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-9148, until 10 a.m. local time on October 25, 2024, at which time bids will be publicly opened and read for the 2025 Printing & Mailing Services for Activity Guides. Questions may be submitted to Sandy Ward, Marketing Coordinator, at sward@geaugaparkdistrict.org or 440-226-2544. Complete details can be found at: www.geaugaparkdistrict.org/about-gpd/ planning.
Oct3, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC NOTICE Munson Township Board of Zoning Appeals Munson Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on October 16, 2024 at 6:30 pm at the Munson Town Hall, 12210 Auburn Rd., Munson, OH to consider the following appeals for variances.
CASE 24-21: William Hodel, 11591 Parkway Rd., Chardon OH – requests to construct a 30’ x 30’ home addition with an 8’ x 9.5’ deck 20’ from the north side property line. Violates SEC. 411 Minimum Dimensional Requirements – minimum side yard is 25’.
CASE 24-22: Vito Galati, 10331 Sherman Rd., Chardon OH – requests to construct a 32’ x 40’ accessory building 15’ from the west side lot line and a driveway extension 10’ in width and 7’ from the west side lot line. Violates SEC. 411 Minimum Dimensional Requirements – minimum side yard is 25’; and SEC. 511 (in part) driveways shall be a minimum of 15’ from any lot line and have a minimum width of 12’. Paula Friebertshauser, Secretary Oct3, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO
Case Number 23-F-000745 - Government Loan Securitization Trust 2011-FV1, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as Delaware trustee and U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as Co-Trustee, Plaintiff, vs. Edward T Conklin, et al., Defendants.
The Defendant, Edward T Conklin, whose current addresses are unknown, will take notice that on December 21, 2023, the Plaintiff, Government Loan Securitization Trust 2011-FV1, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as Delaware trustee and U.S. Bank National Associa-
tion, not in its individual capacity but solely as Co-Trustee, filed its Complaint in Case No. 23-F-000745, in the Court of Common Pleas of Geauga County, Ohio, 100 Short Court, Suite 300, Chardon, OH 44024, seeking a foreclosure of its mortgage interest in the real property located at 14777 Ashwood Drive, Newbury, OH, 44065, Permanent Parcel No. 23-021050, (“Real Estate”), and alleged that the Defendant has or may have an interest in this Real Estate.
The Defendant, Edward T Conklin, is required to answer the Plaintiff’s Complaint within twenty-eight (28) days after the last date of publication of this notice. In the event that the Defendant, Edward T Conklin, failed to respond in the allotted time, judgment by default can be entered against them for the relief requested in the Plaintiff’s Complaint.
By Carrie L. Davis (0083281); Michael R. Brinkman (0040079); Yanfang Marilyn Ramirez (0074242); Aaron M. Cole (0091673), Attorney for Plaintiff, Reisenfeld & Associates, LLC, 3962 Red Bank Road, Cincinnati, OH 45227. voice: 1-513322-7000; facsimile: 513-322-7099. Oct3-10-17, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
SALE OF REAL ESTATE
In the State of Ohio, County of Geauga, Case No. 22-F-000547 - BankUnited NA (Plaintiff) vs. Kenneth E. Williams Jr., et al, (Defendants)
In pursuance of an Order of Sale directed to me in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public online auction the following described real estate:
Legal Description: A full legal description of the property may be obtained at: www.buddybartonauctions.com.
Parcel Number: 10-105350
Said Premises Appraised: $105,000.00
Minimum Bid: $70,000.00
Location of Sale: Online Bidding at www.buddybartonauctions.com.
Bidding Open Date: October 23, 2024 at 9:00 AM
Bidding Closes Date: October 30, 2024 at 2:00 PM
2nd Provisional Open Date: November 6, 2024 at 9:00 AM
2nd Provisional Close Date: November 13, 2024 at 2:00 PM
Terms of Sale: A deposit in the amount of $5,000.00 is due by wire transfer within 48 hours upon conclusion of the auction. Funding must take place within 30 days of confirmation of sale. A 5% Buyer’s Premium shall apply. The auction is subject to postponement and cancellation. Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient. Ross Barton III, Private Selling Officer, info@buddybartonauctions.com, 330-4641375 Sep26 Oct3-10, 2024
LEGAL NOTICE
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VARIANCE TO THE CHARDON TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION
Notice is hereby given that the Chardon Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing for a variance to the Chardon Township Zoning Resolution on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 7:00 o’clock p.m. at the Town Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, Chardon, Ohio.
CASE 2024-5 – Nathan D. and Stephanie Hoffmann, 11833 Clarkwood Drive, Chardon, OH, requests to construct an accessory building on the property located at 11833 Clarkwood Drive, Chardon, Ohio. The proposed accessory building would be located eighteen (18) feet from the right-side lot line. Section 500.03 Minimum Yards of the Chardon Township Zoning Resolution requires a minimum of thirty (30) feet from the side lot line in the R-2 Residential District.
Linda Kerry, Secretary Oct3, 2024
Following is a list of real estate transfers for the week of Sept. 23, 2024, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.
AUBURN TOWNSHIP
Ronald J. Losik, 11445 Stafford Road, to Jake Anthony and Isabella Parker Malone, $528,000. (11.18 acres)
BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP
William A. Jackson (trustee), 16685 Heatherwood Lane, to Grandview Homes 1 LLC, $441,000. (5.32 acres)
Gerald W. (TOD) and Judith A. (TOD) Lohf, 17557 Fairlawn Drive (Unit F-1), to Nicole M. Dudas, $225,000. (0.00 acres) 17998 Elliott Drive Ltd., 17998 Elliott Drive, to Jeffrey A. Kolenic, $400,000. (1.17 acres)
BURTON VILLAGE
Justin M. and April L. Woodward, 13742 W. Center St., to Patricia Kovanda, $218,000. (0.37 acres)
Real Estate Transfers
CHARDON CITY
Serena M. Smoker and Kenneth A. Mack III, 493 Myra Drive, to Sandra Smith, $212,500. (0.23 acres)
Green Shamrock Construction LLC, 110 Greta Court, to Claudia Moore, Collin Gregory Moore and Sharna Moore Rozanovich, $499,900. (0.22 acres)
CHESTER TOWNSHIP
Donna J. Banfield (TOD) and Ruth Southwick, 8431 Whiting Drive and Whiting Drive, to Donna J. and Frederick Banfield, $40,000. (1.00 acres)
U.S. Bank N.A. (trustee), 11904 Clearview Road, to Michael Sims, $215,000. (1.46 acres)
Kty House LLC, 8549 Wilson Mills Road, to Chandra L. Wozniak, $650,000. (2.63 acres)
Scott J. and Erin B. Solar (co-trustees), 13118 Marilyn Road, to Brandon and Ashley Zimmerman, $390,000. (1.21 acres)
David and Mary Ann Lombardy, 12959 County Line Road, to Jonathan E. and Marina K. Koslen, $325,000. (1.88 acres)
HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP
Brian and Renae McArdle, 13491 Woodin Road, to Donald L. Foiani III and Kelsey McIntire, $480,000. (5.00 acres)
David Nocifora, 8557 Williams Road, to Dustin R. and Cynthia A. Keeney, $300,000. (14.95 acres)
HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP
Nathan T. White, 15676 Windmill Point
Road, to Cody L.J. and Kayla M. Purpura, $340,000. (1.61 acres)
MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP
Paul J. and Rebekah J. Shetler, 15946 Newcomb Road, to Danny Ray Miller and Saranne Gingerich, $270,000. (2.44 acres)
Nathaniel and Mary Ann Byler, Newcomb Road, to Nathaniel M. Detweiler, $8,000. (0.81 acres)
Larry and Patricia Brockway, 11815 Fowlers Mill Road, to Scott R. and Jaclyn Zenz, $400,000. (8.03 acres)
Vaughn C. Jr. and Melissa M. Fink, 10760 Nollwood Drive, to Chard and Natalie Barker, $749,000. (2.94 acres)
Robert G. and Stephanie E. Bourne, 11530 Autumn Ridge Drive, to Vaughn C. and Melissa M. Fink, $660,000. (2.51 acres)
NEWBURY TOWNSHIP
Bailey L. Stewart, 15815 Grace St., to Alison G. Picha, $235,000. (1.55 acres)
Matthew J. Fife and Alycia N. Drabish, 14696 Dora Drive, to Todd Malenda, $60,000. (2.07 acres)
Robert J. Koubek, Laural Drive (s/l 480, Area J) and Beach Drive (s/l 481-484), to BAO Legacy Holdings 2 LLC, $4,000. (0.43 acres)
PARKMAN TOWNSHIP
Billy B. Jr. and Malinda Mullet, Soltis Road, to Marcus D. Mullet, $70,000. (4.00 acres)
RUSSELL TOWNSHIP
Ilse Wilke, 8778 Music St., to 8778 Music St. LLC, $500,000. (25.00 acres)
Gail Sindell Bishko (trustee), 14550 Watt Road, to Jay S. and Ruth E. Adams, $1,186,000. (11.63 acres)
Janine C. Vieyra (trustee), 8205 Music St., to Connor Roarke and Sara Ryan Von Carlowitz, $562,500. (3.01 acres)
David Fernando and Ann Marie Proano (trustees), 15665 Harmony Falls Lane, to Michael and Ciara D. Querubin (trustees), $329,000. (3.05 acres)
THOMPSON TOWNSHIP
Richard L. Herbert, 17317 Rock Creek Road, to Michael A. Sidley (trustee), $545,000. (12.47 acres)
Robert E. Jr. and Jessica A. Hallbom, 16506 Thompson Road, to David K. Lewis, $194,900. (0.50 acres)
John A. Busler, Rock Creek Road, to Jarrett and Krystal Gerlosky, $197,500. (19.75 acres)
Geauga Sheriff’s Report
The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office Sept. 20 to Sept. 26, 2024.
CITIZEN DISPUTE
Sept. 24
8:11 p.m., Beechwood Drive, Newbury. Caller reports her neighbor is yelling at her kids. Caller does not know the female's name. The female told the kids you need to stop shining flashlights, or I'm going to come over and beat your ass. Dispute between neighbors. No direct threats made. Parties advised to stay away from each other.
THREATENING
Sept. 26
9:27 p.m., Creighton Lane, Auburn. Caller's
son-in-law is threatening her and refusing to leave the house. She is afraid of him. He takes care without permission. He owns an AK47 and keeps it in the basement. He takes several medications and she believes he is not taking them. The ATF was watching her house because he threatened to blow someone up in Texas. She is starting the eviction process tomorrow. Said when she got home she tried to go to her room and they blocked the way. Said she was trying to kill the baby by shutting off the air conditioner. Contact was made. All parties are currently involved in disagreements on living conditions. No violence or threats. Parties were advised tenant landlord dispute and take the matter up in civil court.
Classifieds
AUTOS & PARTS
1996 Toyota Camry Station Wagon with third row rear facing seat. News work. Must be towed. $1,000. 440285-4680, leave message.
2007 Dodge Dakota SLT: silver, automatic, 6-cylinder, 6’6” bed w/liner. Call for details 440-223-9471.
1995 Cadillac DeVille: bright red, black Landau top, 4.9L FWD, 70k miles, new tires, runs, needs some work; $3,000/OBO. 216-536-4608.
1997 Jeep Wrangler: manual shift, 4-cylinder, runs good, gauges don’t work, frame needs repair, top like new, good tires & rims, 100k mi. $950. 440-3365044.
2008 Nissan Xterra: Nice, MUST SEE, 134k, Winter Ready, Well Maintained. Also, 2002 Harley Davidson Sportster: 10k, Great Shape. MAKE OFFERS 330-8583213.
FOR SALE
Air Compressor, Porter Cable 135-psi, lots of attachments, $125. Kenmore Dry Dehumidifier, 70-pints, $75. Craftsman 10-inch compound miter saw, $50. Craftsman electric hedge trimmer, 24-inch blade, $50. Troybilt 5550-watts, portable gas generator, like new, $450. 440-834-1753.
Firewood for sale: $200 per cord. 440-338-5201.
2000 Craftsman Garden Tractor: 25-hp, three bin rear bagger, 48” cut, one owner, 1,025 hrs, well maintained, new battery, extra blades, belts. $600/OBO. 440-7291808.
Howard Rototiller: 42” wide, for compact tractor. Cat 1 three-point hitch. $1,800. 440-487-2955.
Coleman Camp Stove for hunting cabin, $20. Additional camp stove, VGC, $40. Brown couch $100. 440-8348816.
Benelli Super Black Eagle 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, 26” barrel, EC, $1,400. 440-564-1172.
FREE CARPET: blue/green, 21-feet by 14-feet and 11feet by 13-feet. Call Barb 440-503-6444, Middlefield. 1948 Farmall Cub Tractor: $1,850/OBO. 440-2926833.
Crocks: Lg20 $200, Lg15 $150. 2 jugs $150/each. Can send pics; all in good condition. Also Shed: VGC, 10x14, you move; $2,500. 440-655-9999, leave message.
Portable Generator: Briggs gasoline engine. 5,500 continues wattage. 8,500 peak. Runs Great. Supplies power for 14 hrs on a tank of gas. $500/OBO. 216956-6478.
Tractor: Cub Cadet LX42” XT2 Enduro series, Kohler 22HP, 7000 series, with never used snowblower. $3,000/ OBO. 440-321-1171.
Table Saws: Older Sears and Atlas table saws in working condition, $20 for the pair. 440-227-8295.
Full Electric Hospital Bed: rails, mattress and remote. Used for 3 days. ProBasics brand. $200. Call 440-3131411.
Electric Eel Drain Opener: self-feed, $300. Singer 401A Sewing Machine, with cabinet and lots of accessories, $50/OBO. 440-272-5736.
Hitzer Coal Stove, GC, $750. Honda Generator: 5500 watts, $275. 440-636-6370. Also, New Dog House: light gray metal, $95.
GARAGE/ESTATE SALES
Second Hand Treasures. A unique shopping place. Something for everyone! Weekly Sales: Thursday, Friday, Saturday. 9a-5p. Many $1 bargains. 9098 Old St Road, Rt.608, Chardon.
Help Wanted: Brush hogging small pasture, Chardon area. 440-286-3840.
PETS & ANIMALS
Barn homes needed for semi-feral cats, as their elderly caretaker is being evicted. All cats are being fixed & vaccinated. Rebecca 440-321-2485.
Kunekune piglets for sale. Born 7/25. AKKPS registered. Boars and gilts. Call or text 440-223-9023.
Free: Colorful, beautiful Bantam Roosters. Limited amount of Bantam Pullets available at $5 each. 440321-8152.
Free Kittens: born June 22nd, assorted colors. 440313-1804.
MISCELLANEOUS
FREE fact: profit-driven marijuana industry produced THC-infused colorful candies, cookies and drinks. Children (even toddlers) are being treated in hospitals and poison centers!
REAL ESTATE
Homes & Land Wanted: any condition or situation! Fast, friendly, local. Serving Geauga and surrounding counties. Text or call Wayne at 330-269-9595.
SERVICES
North Coast Property Solutions: Insured. Senior, Veteran, and First Responders Discounts. We offer: Tree Trimming/removals; Storm Damage, Debris, Trash Removal; Gutter Cleaning; Window Cleaning; Chimney Cleaning, Etc. Call Mitchal at 440-662-2049 for your next project, you won’t regret it.
Albert’s Complete Tree Service: 45+yrs experience! Competent in all aspects of Arboriculture, Forestry and Land Clearing. Also, Firewood, Excavation and Sewer Work. Free Estimates. 440-687-5404.
Joe Eicher doing roofing, siding, remodeling, cleanout houses, we do most anything. Call between 8a-4p, 440-813-4272. No answer, leave message. Did you know Karlovec Media Group prints business cards? Prices start at only $30 for 500 (B&W, 1-sided, no bleed). Call 440-729-7667 or email ads@karlovecmedia.com.
WANTED TO BUY
Buying all Stanley Bailey planes. Call Karl at 440-8123392.
