Geauga County Maple Leaf 3-28-2024

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Vol. 30 No. 13 • Chardon, Ohio

www.geaugamapleleaf.com

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Japanese Nurses Visit DDC Clinic

By aNN WishaRt aNN@kaRlovecmedia.com

Cohen’s syndrome drew some very different cultures together at the DDC Clinic Center for Special Needs Children in Middlefield last week.

Eleven nurses from around Japan visited with the small staff at the clinic to learn how the center diagnoses and treats children and adults in the Amish community

See Clinic • Page 4

Morrissette Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder

Former West G Student Also Admits to Gun Charge

By BRiaN doeRiNg BRiaN@kaRlovecmedia com

“We requested that he continue to be held without bond and the court did order that. He's going to remain at the Geauga County jail with no bond and then the court ordered a pre-sentence investigation,” Flaiz said. “Then, they're going to schedule a sentencing, but that has not been scheduled yet.”

Morrissette was indicted May 2, 2023, by a Geauga County grand jury for bringing a 9mm handgun with three loaded magazines to West Geauga High School April 3, 2023.

He was arrested that morn-

Brandon Morrissette, 18, the West Geauga High School student who brought a gun to school last year with plans to kill several students, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and illegal possession of a weapon in a school zone March 21. Morrissette, of Lyndhurst, faces a maximum possible prison term of 16 and a half years for the attempted murder charge, a first-degree felony, and six to 12 months for committing the crime of possessing a firearm in a school safety zone, a fifth-degree felony, said Geauga County Prosecutor Jim Flaiz.

ing after fellow student Casey Orloski, 17, dis covered a bullet in the men’s bathroom.

Court re cords show when interviewed by Chester Township Police Chief Craig Young and Capt. Jeff Sherwood, Morrissette admitted he planned to open fire on students in the school library and that he chose the location because of the large number of students who would be there at that time.

A 9mm Smith & Wesson handMorrissette

See Morrissette • Page 3

Skygazers Prepare for Celestial Show

By Rose NemuNaitis

editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

With Geauga County being in the path of totality for the upcoming historic solar eclipse, many event organizers are asking, “Where will you be on April 8?”

All Geauga County school districts will be closed that Monday, while many people are taking vacation days to participate in eclipse watch parties or step outside to celebrate the natural phenomenon at home.

“It’s a lifetime natural spectacle that’s coming right to Geauga County,” GPD Naturalist Chris Mentrek said.

On average, Earth experiences a total solar eclipse every 18 months. The last total eclipse visible from Geauga County happened on June 16, 1806 — it will not experience another until Sept. 12, 2444.

The phenomenon occurs when the moon passes between

“The most-exciting part of the eclipse will be when the moon totally blocks the sun — the moment of totality. In Geauga County, this will happen right around 3:14 p.m. This is the time when eclipse-viewers will want to take off their eclipse-viewing glasses and enjoy the view with their unaided eyes. It’s an amazing sight.” – Chris Mentrek

Budget Commission Asks for Clarity On Board of Disabilities Revenue

By amy PatteRsoN amy@kaRlovecmedia com

The Geauga County Board of Developmental Disabilities was asked March 18 to submit financial reports with more clarity on revenue sources during a public hearing before the Geauga County Budget Commission.

Geauga County Treasurer Chris Hitchcock, Auditor Chuck Walder and Prosecutor Jim Flaiz — who make up the commission — flagged concerns over unclear revenue reports and what they see as taxpayer subsidization of private businesses.

During the hearing, which lasted a little over an hour, Walder said he struggled with the revenue line of the budget “commingling” rent payments with fees collected by the GCBDD for background checks and other miscellaneous purposes.

“It's hard to put your hands around how much money's coming in from leases, how much money is coming in from fees associated with background checks … if they're all coming in under one bucket,” Walder said.

GCBDD Superintendent Don Rice said $114,000 of the $225,000 in the agency’s lease-related revenue is an annual payment from West Geauga Schools for capital expenses to build a shared bus garage.

Walder said when he last checked, the GCBDD had five or six leases in operation.

“I saw your December deposit was like $60,000. So, if you move that out to 12

Morrissette

from page 1

gun with three loaded magazines was found during a search of Morrissette’s book bag. He also had a lock blade-style knife secured to the exterior of his pants, according to officials.

Morrissette had originally pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, then changed his plea to not guilty Nov. 8, 2023, after appear-

months, that's three quarters of a million dollars. It's well over $225,000,” he said.

“If you look at (the 2023 budget), the income in that fee’s line item was $609,000,” Flaiz added. “Where the heck did that come from?”

Rice said the 2023 revenue line included fuel purchases and other items. Walder said lumping all of those revenues together is a problem.

“I think it creates a cloud that it's hard to disseminate what is revenue and what are expenses that are being reimbursed, versus what are actual expenditures in excess of what you're getting for revenue,” he said.

In February, Rice told Geauga County Commissioners the GCBDD was hit with a large tax bill after Walder flagged a lease to provider Emerald Rose.

Rice said the intention of the board in leasing portions of their property in Chester Township to nonprofit providers was never to make profit or lose money.

“If you're losing money on these leases, then some other revenue stream has to be making up the difference,” Walder said.

“Correct," Rice responded, adding it would come out of the general fund.

“But, if (the lease) is for a private entity, that's using levy money to pay for a private entity's advantage,” Walder said. “It's subsidized.”

Some of the services performed by Emerald Rose were outside of what GCBDD would

ing remotely for a hearing about the results of his second psychological evaluation.

Morrissette suffers from depression but “knew the wrongfulness of his behavior,” according to a doctor’s statement read in court that day.

Morrissette was set to appear before Geauga County Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Paschke for his jury trial at 8 a.m. April 16.

“We didn't expect a change of plea on Thursday. It was just set for an attorney conference, but the defendant was there and

ordinarily provide, meaning, it is not permissible to divert tax dollars to cover potential losses in renting, Walder said.

“We should not permit that as a budget commission any more than (we would approve) somebody taking levy money at a township for roads and applying it to a cemetery, or applying it to a fire department,” Walder said. “Even though it's all government, it's all for the good of the people, you can't commingle, you can't mix that money around.”

Hitchcock asked Rice to provide a budget submission that indicates how much tax money is being used to subsidize non-Geauga County residents.

“We cannot allow Geauga taxpayers to subsidize non-Geauga taxpayers,” he said.

Only one entity renting from GCBDD — the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio — serves those outside the county, Rice said, adding the ESC pays rent.

"That's why we've been trying to charge rent appropriately,” Rice said. “That's been our effort all along, because yeah, we don't believe that we should subsidize Cuyahoga County residents. Also, I don't think we should subsidize somebody who's not (developmentally disabled).”

Due to the budget commission rejecting GCBDD’s submission, it will have time to resubmit a budget prior to the August deadline.

Geauga County Budget and Finance Manager Adrian Gorton weighed in to say he would be assisting in the process.

his father was also there,” Flaiz said. “After talking to his attorney, they said they wanted to do this. I don't know the reason why, but, they ultimately made a choice to do that.”

This sentencing might take a little longer than most, Flaiz added.

“I expect this sentencing will take maybe a little longer than the pre-sentence investigation because they're going to have to go through the multiple psychological reports out there,” he said.

Community Meetings

less otherwise noted. To have a public meeting included in this section, fax information to 440285-2015 or email editor@geaugamapleleaf. com no later than Monday noon. These meeting notices are NOT legal notices.

Geauga County: April 1, 6 p.m., Airport Authority, at 15421 Old State Road, Hangar 3 Pilot Lounge, Middlefield; April 2, 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: April 1, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless otherwise indicated.

Burton Township: April 1, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Administration building, 14821 Rapids Road, unless otherwise noted.

Chardon Township: April 1, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; April 3, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees.

All meetings are held at Township Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, unless otherwise noted.

Chester Township: April 3, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; April 4, 5:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Claridon Township: April 1, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees. All trustees meetings are held at Administrative Building, 13932 Mayfield Road, unless otherwise noted. All Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals meetings are held at Town Hall, 13930 Mayfield Road.

Hambden Township: April 1, 6 p.m., Zoning Commission; April 3, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 13887 GAR Highway, unless otherwise noted.

Huntsburg Township: April 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Town Hall, 16534 Mayfield Road.

Montville Township: March 28, 7:30 p.m., Zoning Commission; April 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Montville Community Center, 9755 Madison Road, unless noted.

Newbury Township: April 3, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road, unless noted.

Parkman Township: April 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Community House, 16295 Main Market Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell Township: April 4, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Thompson Township: April 3, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees; April 4, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting to conduct interviews at Thompson Branch of Geauga Public Library; April 6, 9 a.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting to conduct interviews at Thompson Branch of Geauga Public Library. January through April all trustees meeting will be at Thompson Branch of Geauga County Public Library, 6645 Madison Road and May through December at Town Hall at 6741 Madison Road.

Troy Township: April 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees; April 4, 7 p.m.,

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Listed are public meetings and executive sessions in the county for the coming week, un-

Clinic from page 1

with Cohen’s syndrome, said Bea Fultz, the center’s registered nurse.

Individuals with the disease can have a variety of symptoms, but are usually intellectually delayed, have low muscle tone, are late starting to walk, are often sick and struggle in school, Fultz said.

“It’s very common here,” she said during a March 22 interview. “Our medical director, Dr. (Heng) Wang, is one of the leading experts in Cohen’s syndrome.”

The clinic, on state Route 528 in Middlefield Township, celebrated its 20th anniversary last year.

Because of the stable and growing Amish population, Wang has been able to study the genetic disease and develop a world-class lab for testing and treating the many children afflicted with Cohen’s syndrome, she said.

The small gene pool among the Amish means the disease is much more common in their communities, although other families come in from all over the country and from as far away as Australia for diagnosis and treatment, Fultz said.

“We see it the most in Middlefield. There’s quite a few children with Cohen’s,” she said, attributing the anomaly to the founder effect.

An online article titled “Understanding Evolution” from the University of California Berkeley said, “A founder effect occurs when a new colony is started by a few members of the original population. This small population size means that the colony may have reduced genetic variation from the original population and a non-random sample of the genes in the original population.”

The 11 Japanese nurses, accompanied by an interpreter, spent March 21 with the clinic staff learning the techniques used to diagnose and treat Cohen’s syndrome, Fultz said.

They also visited the Amish birthing center in Middlefield and had a tour of University Hospital’s Geauga Medical Center March 22.

The nurses were especially interested in the nursing care the DDC clinic offers individuals with the disease, she said.

“The cultural differences were very interesting. Japan has no nurse practitioners or nurse midwives,” Fultz said, adding in Japan, the nurse’s main role is in daycare situations.

Researching heredity among the Amish is made easier by their practice of keeping careful records of family histories in volumes at the Geauga Historical Library on Nauvoo Road in Middlefield.

“The Amish can track their family histories back so far – it’s impressive,” she said.

Because Cohen’s syndrome is genetic, Wang encourages young Amish couples thinking about marrying to be tested for the disease so, if both carry the gene for it, they can be prepared, Fultz said.

“There’s a risk if both carry the gene,” she said, adding, in that case, they have a 25% chance of having a child with Cohen’s syndrome.

While a test isn’t usually done during pregnancy, parents can find out shortly after birth.

“We can have a genetic report done a few weeks after the baby’s born,” Fultz said.

Aware of the ongoing issues with Cohen’s and other genetic proclivities, five Amish families got together 25 years ago and hired Wang as their doctor, Wang said, adding the syndrome was unknown in the local medical world at the time.

the group had enough money to buy the land at 14567 Madison Road in Middlefield Township and the clinic, bright and welcoming, was built 20 years ago — a testament to compassionate care, Wang said.

“We built based on our needs,” he said, adding people began arriving and he has since met with families from 37 states and seven countries to consult, treat and learn.

“The impact is global,” he said. “That’s how the group from Japan found us.”

There is more research to do.

Wang, who has been a U.S. citizen for 30 years, said there are 273 different known genetic conditions, some of which are found among the Amish.

The clinic has a staff of 11, including Dr. Vincent Cruz, charge nurse Valerie Sency and Executive Director Eli Miller, who provides cultural advice and performs community outreach, Fultz said.

He also runs the daily clinic operations, she said.

Fultz said children with Cohen’s syndrome or other disabilities attend Amish schools for students with special needs, such as the Rainbow of Hope

in Geauga County or the Sunny Hope School in Garrettsville.

Once they are out of school, they are encouraged to contribute to the community.

Fultz said she knows of at least two area individuals with Cohen’s syndrome who are in their 50s and are cared for by their community.

“There’s always someone in the family who’s going to take care of them,” she said.

A few years ago, the Sunshine Training Center was built near the center to teach each person an occupation and provide a workshop.

School

Dr. Vincent Cruz talked to visiting Japanese nurses about the compassionate care the DDC Clinic provides for Amish and others with Cohen’s syndrome.

Chardon Township

Road to New Funding Comes to Successful End

By cassaNdRa shofaR cassaNdRa@kaRlovecmedia com

It’s been a long and bumpy road — no pun intended — for Chardon Township.

But, after eight long years and several attempts, voters finally passed a streets, roads and bridges levy March 19. The additional five-year, 3.0-mill levy passed with 747 voting in favor of the measure and 585 voting against it, according to the final unofficial results of the Geauga County Board of Elections.

The levy will collect $672,000 annually and cost homeowners $105 per year per $100,000 property valuation, Trustee Michael Brown said in an interview March 25.

Township officials are breathing a collective sigh of relief, as they have been trying to get a roads levy passed since 2016, Brown said.

“We’re very, very thankful,” he said. “We had some citizens groups come forward to promote the levy, which was phenomenal. We

have to attribute the passage to their help.”

In 2016, trustees sat down with the Geauga County Engineer’s Office to look at the township’s road conditions and determined additional funding of approximately $500,000 over a five-year period would be necessary to catch up on road projects, township officials said in a levy presentation to the public.

Until last week, Chardon Township voters had not voted on any new millage for roads and bridges since 2001, while the cost of road construction has almost tripled in the past 23 years, resulting in the township working with a third of the funding it originally had, according to the presentation.

The 3.0-mill levy is part of a five-year plan, in which the township aims to use its revenue to complete one to three road projects per year.

Every penny of the new levy will go toward road reconstruction and resurfacing, Brown said Monday.

“We’ve already started working with the

“We’ve been very hamstrung over the last several years and now it’s our turn to do our jobs as trustees.”

– Michael Brown

Geauga County Engineer’s Office in grading all of our roads — putting a condition grade on them — and trying to determine where we’re gonna go first,” he said. “This will all be discussions made in public meetings. We wanna be ready to put the first road project up for bid at the beginning of 2025 … because we’re not gonna be getting revenues from this until 2025.”

While Brown said he did put some ideas about specific road projects in the township levy presentation, plans for which roads will be targeted first will remain fluid.

“With the spring thaw coming up, we’ll know better how the roads fared over the winter,” he said. “We’re not just pulling something out of the hip here, we’re going to spend a lot of time to determine where can we go first, where can we stretch these dollars as far as possible.”

Brown extended a “big thank you” to all voters who supported the levy last Tuesday.

“Now, we can do our jobs,” he said. “We’ve been very hamstrung over the last several years and now it’s our turn to do our jobs as trustees.”

West Geauga BOE Questioned on Transparency

By BRiaN doeRiNg BRiaN@kaRlovecmedia com

Chester Township resident Erica Zaffiro voiced concerns regarding West Geauga Schools Board of Education transparency during the public comment portion of the board’s March 18 meeting.

She asked the school board whether the district would suppress the tax collection of its 3.4-mill emergency levy in 2025, as previously reported.

“I appreciate the (Geauga County) Budget Commission’s vigilance in protecting our taxpayer dollars from potential unlawful tax collection,” she said, referring to recent

property reappraisals that have significantly impacted property taxes. “I was wondering if you can explain to me how it is that you asked for emergency levy money and you were able to bank in excess of $26 million.”

Geauga County Budget Commission members asked West Geauga Schools to suspend collection of a $2.35 million emergency levy Feb. 28 to alleviate the reappraisal tax burden on residents.

The commission, comprising Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder, Prosecutor Jim Flaiz and Treasurer Chris Hitchcock, said the money would be returned to voters.

In a March 1 email, West Geauga Schools

Superintendent Rich Markwardt said the cut would come from one of two emergency levies the district has on the books. The levy in question passed in 2019 as a renewal of an emergency levy originally passed in 2005.

“It doesn’t sound like it was much of an emergency to me if you were able to bank so much of that,” Zaffiro said. “I’m sure many of the taxpayers in this community could have spent or banked that money for themselves instead of giving it to you. How do we trust that you will responsibly utilize tax monies for a new school or will you bank that money, as well?”

In a follow-up interview March 25, Markwardt said Zaffiro is entitled to her opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinion.

“I'm not saying that I agree with the budget commission's conclusion. A renewal levy was placed on the ballot in 2019 and the district did face a deficit,” he said. “ Keep in mind, one of the reasons why the district has the fund balance it currently has is because of the merger with Newbury in 2020. We didn't have Newbury in 2019, so I think the renewal levy was certainly justified. I don't know what prompted her to get up (and speak) other than to criticize the district.”

Amish Youth Center Scores 2 Variances in Parkman

By aNN WishaRt aNN@kaRlovecmedia com

The Haven Board’s second swing at developing an Amish Youth Center got the project to first base at the Parkman Township Board of Zoning Appeals meeting March 12.

The board voted to grant a use variance and an area variance allowing construction of the center for supervised groups of young Amish at 18040 Tavern Road.

Haven Board member Rob Yoder said the Haven Board has yet to acquire the property and plans are in the early stages.

BZA Chair Joe Keough said the hearing, which lasted well over an hour, gave time for people for and against the plan to speak.

The acreage, including a house and outbuildings, is zoned residential and has been used agriculturally, he said.

That was why the use variance was necessary and why the BZA viewed the request to change the zoning to institutional through an updated lens, Keough said.

“A use variance, by the old standard, would only be granted if the parcel was unique and couldn’t be used as zoned,” he said. “There have been nation-wide changes where a use variance can be granted if the intended use would inherently benefit

the community.”

Most of the opposition to the variance came from neighbors concerned about noise from the ball fields, Keough said.

“After listening to both sides, we thought the Haven Board put together a well-thoughtout and viable plan based on it being ‘inherently beneficial to the community,’” Keough said, adding he doesn’t expect there will be more noise than would come from a school playground.

“Overall, I think it’s an excellent idea,” he said.

The Haven Board’s pledge that all activity at the Amish Youth Center on Tavern Road be actively supervised convinced the BZA to grant the variances, he added.

Keough estimated 35 residents attended the hearing at the Parkman Township Community Building.

“It was pretty crowded,” he said.

The irregularly-shaped, 12.36-acre parcel only has a little more than 56 feet of frontage and the Parkman zoning code requires a minimum of 60 feet for a driveway, Keough said, adding the BZA approved an area variance for the frontage, so a driveway will be allowed onto Tavern Road (state Route 168).

Parkman Township Trustee Henry Duchscherer Jr., who attended the BZA hearing, said March 21 he didn’t think there was a

strong legal argument against the Amish Youth Center, adding he thinks there are about 2,500 Amish in the township.

He also discarded the concern young people using the outside softball and baseball fields would be overly loud.

“I don’t think they’ll play ball all night, either,” Duchscherer said.

Last fall, the Haven Board presented the concept to the BZA on property on Hosmer Road and requested a variance, but the Hav-

en Board decided against the project when it became apparent some of the non-Amish residents opposed the location.

Eclipse

from page 1

the sun and earth, completely blocking the face of the sun and casting a shadow on Earth. The moon’s shadow is narrow, so only a small strip of the United States will see a total solar eclipse. Other sites will experience a partial solar eclipse, according to multiple sources.

“Of the 88 Ohio counties, 55 will see the total solar eclipse. The remaining will see a partial eclipse,” said Allyson Kobus, member of the Geauga County Planning Commission.

“In Geauga County, totality will last about three-and-a-half minutes,” Mentrek added. “The exact amount of time that a particular spot will experience totality will vary by a few seconds depending on where it is within the path of the moon’s shadow. In general, places to the southeast will experience totality for slightly less time than places towards the north and west. For example, we’re predicting that totality will last for about three minutes and 43 seconds in Thompson, compared to about two minutes and 56 seconds in Parkman.”

Mentrek provided the following additional details and tips for eclipse-viewing:

• In Geauga County, the eclipse should last from about 1:59 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Since the moon’s shadow sweeps from southwest to northeast, places toward the southwest will catch it a few seconds earlier than the northeast;

• For about the first hour and 15 minutes, viewers will need to use some kind of eye protection to view this “partial phase” of the eclipse. Eclipse-viewing glasses, filtered telescopes and other sun-safe viewing aids are all great options;

• The most-exciting part of the eclipse will be when the moon totally blocks the sun — the moment of “totality.” In Geauga County, this will happen right around 3:14 p.m. This is the time when eclipse-viewers will want to take off their eclipse-viewing glasses and enjoy the view with their unaided eyes.

So, grab a pair of safety eclipse viewing glasses and pack your patience as you head out to one of these area events, or simply head outside.

GPD Hosts Watch Party on Fairgrounds

Geauga Park District has partnered with The Great Geauga County Fair board to host a free large-scale viewing event at the Geauga

County Fairgrounds in Burton.

The event kicks off at 11 a.m. and the park ing lots open at 10:30 a.m., with pre-eclipse activities held until 2 p.m., followed by view ing of the eclipse with free eclipse-viewing glasses while supplies last, and various oth er activities, according to GPD, which asked that people leave pets and drones at home.

A variety of food trucks will be on site and bleacher seating will be available, or partici pants are welcome to bring their own picnic and lawn chairs/blankets.

Additional features include a pop-up na ture store with eclipse merchandise, multiple viewing stations with various equipment, citi zen science projects, multiple photo opportu nities and more.

Eclipse on the Square in Chardon

A free eclipse-view event will also be held on Chardon Square from noon to 3:30 p.m.

Organizer Becky Repasky said she is anticipating more than 1,000 people on the square that day.

Parking will be available at Chardon Library, the gravel lot behind Geauga Theater, and parking lots behind Main Street buildings and around the square.

There will be food trucks, a student art show, featured speaker and eclipse-inspired activities, Rapasky said.

A presentation called, “Totality Explained Simply - Eclipse on Chardon Square,” will be given by Maria Rybak — who holds a master’s degree in astrophysics and medical physics, a master’s degree in astrophysics from Nicoulaus Copernicus University in Torun, Poland, and a master’s degree in medical physics from Cleveland State University — inside the Geauga Theatre at noon and 1 p.m., Rapasky said.

The Heritage House will also host a student art show and face-painting and the Rotary Club of Chardon will provide complimentary viewing glasses at the Heritage House beginning at noon, she said.

Family activities and crafts will be held in the Park Elementary School auditorium and commemorative T-shirts will be on sale for $12 and are available at Chardon City Hall, she added.

“I had someone from Oregon email me for a T-shirt we are selling,” Repasky said. “I thought, this is huge. Someone wants a ‘Chardon’ shirt featuring the eclipse time of totality … I did not fully understand that magnitude of the event until meeting with Tom Vencl, deputy director of emergency management for Geauga County, (who) shared what

he was anticipating. Up until this point, just the committee was meeting to discuss activities to have for visitors.

“I then had to shift to inviting the police and fire chiefs to plan for various scenarios,” she added. “While making sure everyone has a great time, it shifted to making sure we as a city are prepared.”

Century Village Museum

Hosts 3-Day Event

Century Village Museum, 14653 E. Park Street in Burton, is hosting a Solar Eclipse Festival April 6, 7 and 8.

Daily gate fees will be $10 for adults, $6 for ages 4-12, and free for kids 3 and under, and events include daytime entertainment, daily activities and vendors, according to the museum, which added fees would go toward the village and farm upkeep, educational resources and artifact preservation at the museum.

Donations of non-perishables for the Veteran’s Food Bank are also welcomed.

For the big day, “Community Shoe” will provide live music and participants are welcome to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Primitive camping will also be available, according to the museum, which directed those interested to its website for more details.

Farmer’s Almanac Talks Weather

“The path of totality will run from Texas and Arkansas up through the Ohio Valley and

into northern New England. Parts of Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will also witness totality,” according to Old Farmer’s Almanac 2024. “Weather will likely play a more significant role in viewing this time than it did for the U.S.’s west-to-east eclipse in August 2017, as a completely overcast sky is less common during the summer, and clouds are more likely in the spring.

“Now, because the April eclipse will be tracking across eastern U.S. and Canada — where storms regularly move through — the probability of cloud cover over the path is greater than it was before,” the almanac added. “Viewing will be more of a gamble in spots like Cleveland, Buffalo and Montreal, where clouds are more common. Although our April forecast does call for rain in the Ohio Valley on the 8th, skies do look to be mainly dry from the Great Lakes and New England up into Quebec and Atlantic Canada.”

Last year’s weather brought cooler temperatures, sun and clouds.

Fox8 Cleveland’s Meteorologist Scott Sabol said earlier this month if it was Las Vegas, the odds would be stacked against Ohio for sunny and 75.

“I’d put the historical odds with a clear day at 20% to 25%, but hey, this is Cleveland we are talking about. Anything is possible off the shores of Lake Erie,” he said.

“It will hopefully be a beautiful day and we are prepared,” GPD Special Events Coordinator Holly Sauder added.

A sign at Observatory Park during the 2017 partial eclipse highlighted the total solar eclipse countdown.

very well is host large events,” said Geauga County Department of Emergency Services Director Tom Vencl.

Chardon Square’s event organizer, Becky Repasky, noted Chardon police will be helping direct traffic out of town after the event; the Chardon Fire Department will be on stand-by for any emergencies; the street department will be posting signs directing visitors to events; and the eclipse committee will be identifiable via yellow lanyards to assist people with questions or concerns.

Burton police are working with GPD Sgt. Mike Rose and Vencl to ensure their community events are covered, said Burton Police Chief Rick Smigelski.

“The Burton Street Department will be assisting with any detours that might have to be implemented,” he said. “The Geauga County Historical Society is also hosting an event. We will be assisting them in any needs they might have with traffic and patrol during this event. Please keep an eye on our Burton Police Facebook page for further updates.”

GCSO Chief Deputy Thomas Rowan provided the following tips:

• When you leave the house, bring an extra battery charger for your cell phones;

• It’s always a good idea if you’re going to be in a big crowd somewhere to take a picture of your child and what they’re wearing so that if you get separated, the GCSO has a good description of what they look like;

• Have a plan with your group in case you are separated;

• Do not look directly at the eclipse unless you are wearing appropriate eclipse safety glasses;

• Do not stop in the roadway to watch the event. If you are driving, pull off to a safe area to do so.

Litke, Lark: Butternut Dump Site Within Regulation

By allisoN WilsoN editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

Following accusations a Burton resident made about the state of a septic dump site on Butternut Road Feb. 28, Gary Kaufman appeared at the March 20 Geauga County Board of Health meeting to defend himself.

At the February meeting, Wes Hellegers alleged Kaufman, owner of G. Kaufman’s Sep tic Tank Cleaning, has been dumping large amounts of sewage onto 22 acres of land on Butternut Road.

Hellegers expressed concern for the surrounding community, including a nearby Amish school, the Kent State University –Geauga campus and Camp Burton. He also noted concerns about runoff into local wet lands, rivers and streams.

“We went out there and we took the rules with us, actually, and walked through the property,” Environmental Health Director Dan Lark said. “(We) saw everything we could at that time. We measured distances from property lines. Everything seems to be right in line with all the rules and the requirements of what they’re doing.”

pared to Kaufman’s operation on the land, which has been going for 20 years.

“It’s like a completely different story than what we heard last month,” board member Carolyn Brakey said.

Kaufman also reported he was not contacted for comment in the news article about sewage dumping, however, the Geauga County Maple Leaf emailed Kaufman March 6 detailing the allegations, to which he did not reply.

Board member Dr. Mark Hendrickson asked Kaufman what was being delivered to the plot of land.

Kaufman confirmed he only deals with residential septic tanks and is not a commercial septic cleaner.

As he only does residential work, there should not be heavy metals like the sort found in a commercial aeration tank on the dump site, he added.

Kaufman confirmed the sewage is being treated properly to kill pathogens.

Lark was unable, however, to witness the application of sewage, as it isn’t the appropriate time of year, he said, adding he intends to return in the drier months to finish the investigation.

“So far, we’ve been happy with what we’ve seen,” he said.

Health Commissioner Ron Graham apologized to Kaufman on behalf of the board.

“If you’re out there, you’d never think that people are applying sewage there,” Lark said. “It looks like a grass field, really.”

At the Febrary meeting, Hellegers brought up a splash fence installed on a neighbor’s property to keep runoff off of their land.

Kaufman said he doesn’t go near the fence, and countered that when it rains, manure from one of the neighbor’s pastures runs into his property.

Kaufman said the appearance of the property would surprise many people, a sentiment Lark agreed with.

“It is what it is,” he said.

Kaufman also noted the distances Hellegers provided to the board between his property and other nearby buildings are incorrect, including the distance to an Amish school.

Hellegers said the distance to the school is 150 feet. The actual distance is 650 feet, Kaufman said.

Health Administrator Adam Litke confirmed Lark had measured the distance and found it sufficient.

The school is also relatively recent com-

Former Environmental Health Director David Sage has been inspecting the property for the past 20 years, Kaufman said, adding he still has those papers on file.

“It’s hard enough to run a business right now, but to have them allegations against you and somebody that doesn’t know probably has a lot of questions,” he said. “But, I’m here to specify that I’m doing everything that I should be doing and I want to keep it that way.”

When contacted following the March meeting, Kaufman declined to comment further.

Pam Claypool Clarifies Previous Curriculum Comments

By BRiaN doeRiNg BRiaN@kaRlovecmedia com

West Geauga Schools Board of Education member Pam Claypool clarified her position on reviewing the district’s curriculum during the board’s March 18 meeting.

Claypool explained her remarks at a previous board meeting intended to address how public review of class curriculum is handled.

“I didn’t mean to imply that I had any concerns about the curriculum,” Claypool said. “If it's not a program of studies and it’s actually a curriculum, then I think we should call it that.”

After the board approved West Geauga Middle School’s program of studies for the 2024-2025 school year Feb. 26, Claypool had asked when the board would review the district’s curriculum.

Assistant Superintendent Nancy Benincasa briefly explained the process for the program of studies during the meeting, to which Claypool responded the board’s responsibility is to approve the curriculum according to the Ohio Revised Code.

“I get the programs. I get what it is. At some point, I would think we would review the curriculum. It’s part of our responsibility,” Claypool said.

In a follow-up interview Feb. 29, Benincasa said the program of studies is a representation of the curriculum.

“The program of studies lists the courses available to students,” Benincasa said. “Each course has a detailed curriculum, which is generated by our teaching staff based on the Ohio Learning Standards.”

At the March 18 meeting, school board President Christina Sherwood suggested defining curriculum through units and lessons.

“Units are our broad basis covering large pieces of overall standards and as a public school in the state of Ohio, we use the Ohio state standards. If I was going to be teaching a unit on literature, then that’s the broad overreaching unit that I’d be working with,” Sherwood said. “Then, I move down into lessons, which are our day-to-day instructional components. These are both the way we are going to be teaching and the way we are going to be assessing it so we can gauge our student's learnings.”

Claypool said there are aspects of a curriculum that lie between a lesson plan and a high-level program of studies.

“I think there are some specifics and I understand they’re available. Are they readily available? Can I go online at home and look at the health course?

I’m not sure,” Claypool said. “Can I get a better feel for what Second Step is and how it is integrated into our curriculum?”

She added, “I don’t want to start this off by implying that I have concerns, I certainly don’t. I think it just goes to a little bit more transparency with the public if we, as a board, see some things with the curriculum and review it.”

Sherwood explained how uncomfortable she would be sharing her daily lesson plans with the exception of sharing within her departments.

“From a teacher’s standpoint, we get very protective of the work we do. We work very hard to develop lessons that are both rigorous and diverse enough that we can modify those for a wide range of abilities in the classroom,” Sherwood said. “I would be really

uncomfortable putting it out there because anybody can take my intellectual property at that point.”

Sherwood called “readily available” a subjective term.

“We (district residents) live in fairly close proximity to each other to get to a school. We are not traveling long distances to get there to look at it,” Sherwood said.

Claypool was not sure she agreed.

“I understand intellectual property, but best practices should be shared with everybody,” she said. “If we're that proud of what we have, I'm not sure what we would be afraid of if other people are teaching their kids at the same level we're teaching our kids. I come from business and we would share best practices. Public education is about all students. We all benefit.”

School board member Mary Michelle Coleman-Walsh mentioned lesson plans from her children’s teachers have been emailed to her upon request, to which Claypool said she is trying to stay a level above lesson plan.

“I’m not asking for a daily lesson plan and I've seen what parents get with regard to the lesson plan,” Claypool said.

She said she plans to take her questions regarding what curriculum-related choices are in the hands of the board of education to Benincasa, who oversees curriculum.

Claypool

SCREENSHOT- GEAUGA ADP

Gary Kaufman, of G. Kaufman Septic Cleaning, appeared at the March 20 GPH meeting to defend his operation.

Trustees Grant Knights $10K for Field Repair

By allisoN WilsoN editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

Newbury Township Trustees voted to increase the township’s contribution to baseball field landscaping from $2,000 to $10,000 March 20.

Luke Short, a board member of the Geauga Knights of Baseball youth league that leases the fields from the township, appealed to trustees for additional funds to get the weeds under control on the former Newbury Schools property on Auburn Road.

The property belongs to West Geauga Schools and Newbury Trustees lease it from the district and sublet it to the league.

The four fields are in need of significant work, Short said.

“We understand that the lease agreement, we’re a year into it, we got four more years on it. We’re hopeful to still get our younger teams to continue growing on those fields,” Short said. “But, to get them going and get them going right, there’s just a lot

more work, a lot more elbow grease that we have to put into it.”

The trustees previously allocated $2,000 to the baseball fields at their March 6 meeting. Short said he was hopeful for a little bit more.

Ten to 15 truckloads of dirt will be required for the colt field while the pony field will need between eight and 10 loads, he said.

Weeds on the fields also need to be killed properly, and about an inch and a half of dirt needs to be taken off and flipped, Short said. According to Knights Treasurer Brad Schultz, $600 was spent last year on weed killing alone.

“We had it looking really nice, but if you don’t get rid of them, they come back. If you walked out there now, it looks like we didn’t do anything,” he said.

After being allowed to grow up for three years, the weeds are well-established and there is a sapling in one of the fields, Trustee Bill Skomrock said over the phone March 26.

“There’s a lot of weed infestation and grass growing in the infield,” he said.

Schultz compared the current yearly upkeep to putting a Band-Aid on a gaping flesh wound.

“Our game plan was getting the fields going this year and then Luke and I were actually gonna take care of those dugouts ourselves. We’re gonna put our own manpower and money, sweat-equity into those dugouts and get those up and going,” he said.

The dirt on the infields is in poor condition, Short said.

“There’s a process. We kill the weeds, scrape it off, then you can redo the dirt,” he said. “It helps with the maintenance and we’ll be maintaining it from then on.”

He said the request for more money was a one-time thing.

“What’s your commitment for year three, four and five (years), then, as far as maintenance and mowing and that kind of thing,” Skomrock asked.

Short said they would be operating in phases, with phase one being work on the colt and pony fields, and phase two being the field closer to the parking lot.

Schultz later clarified while the Knights have access to four fields, their priority is the first two.

Skomrock confirmed the group would be committed to upkeep such as mowing and dragging the fields.

Short reiterated the type of work the fields need is a one-time project.

“There’s a lot of work that can be done to prevent this from happening and (the fields) haven’t really truly been killed, let alone flipped, and bringing a whole bunch more dirt in,” he said. “As an organization, we’re dedicated to the fields for the entirety of the lease agreement.”

Short said the group will also be fundraising.

Skomrock motioned for the trustees to increase their financial contribution from $2,000 to $10,000. The motion passed.

Kenston Teacher: BOE Lack of Transparency ‘Astounding’ Educator Questions District Decision to Hire Firm for Superintendent Search

By BRiaN doeRiNg BRiaN@kaRlovecmedia com

Kenston High School teacher Maggie Colicchio recently called the district’s decision to hire a firm to help find a new superintendent bewildering.

“At the March 4 board meeting, I spoke to some of you expressing my desire to have a voice heard not only as an educator in this district, but as a parent and a long-time community member in the search for a new educational leader,” Colicchio told Ken ston Schools Board of Education during its March 18 meeting.

“Many members of the community and teachers who were in attendance that night agreed that selecting a new superintendent deserved transparency — something that this board says they hold in the utmost regard.”

hired two years ago to conduct our treasurer search,” Troutman said.

Troutman noted Finding Leaders offered to conduct the search at no cost while the ESCWR gave the district a $5,000 quote, with costs for possible additional services.

“The board had a chance to look at the proposals and weighed the benefits and cons,” Troutman said.

Colicchio said community members and teachers had been under the impression a decision would not be made until March 18, when public comment would be permitted.

Vice-President Jennifer Troutman said during a March 6 special meeting the district was presented with two proposals — one from Finding Leaders and the other from the Educational Service Center of the Western Reserve — for services to aid the board in its superintendent search after Steve Sayers announced Feb. 26 his decision to resign by July 31 for family reasons.

The board decided to go with Finding Leaders.

“Finding Leaders is the company we

“I understand the need for urgency in the superintendent search, but what I don’t understand is the clandestine nature of these moves and the desire to keep the voice of the community out of this discussion,” Colicchio said. “What I don’t understand is how you can say this is no cost to the district when we have already paid this company tens of thousands of dollars for no result other than an interim treasurer who happened to be the son of the person who owns the company.”

Colicchio questioned whether the contract was “truly free.”

“Is there a fee incurred after someone is found? We haven’t seen any kind of contract or terms and conditions,” she said. “A lack of communication and transparency is quite honestly astounding.”

Colicchio highlighted the firm being unable to come up with sufficient candidates in the summer of 2022.

“The candidates that were presented to us ultimately didn’t meet the needs of our dis-

trict. Our voices, interests and values must be represented at every level,” Colicchio said. “An outside firm will never have the ability to share our interests and values, nor can they represent our vision for our district and our community.”

Colicchio added it is her understanding Finding Leaders only sends the top five candidates and does much of their vetting internally.

“We should see all of the candidates who have expressed an interest in leading this district,” she said. “There are high-quality candidates who have expressed interest in this position we are aware of outside of this firm.”

The firm should have a chance to be scrutinized by the public if it is of no cost, Colicchio said.

“I do believe the board has good intentions at heart. Hiring a service gives us the appearance of impartiality and perhaps this is a way to ensure the community you are going to conduct a thorough and well thought out search,” she said. “Instead, it feels that

the trust of the community is being eroded and I don’t blame people for being at least confused and, at worst, misled.”

The district needs a leader who will honor its traditions and culture while also being committed for the long term; and a leader who looks to the future by attracting and maintaining a high-quality staff, investing in student learning and experiences, and leading through transparency, Colicchio said.

“I hope that you all will consider our desires as teachers in the community moving forward and I hope the district I care about so deeply will continue to be an amazing place for generations to come,” she said.

Troutman reiterated Finding Leaders is conducting the search at no cost and added the firm is completely different from other search firms previously used.

“I just want to clarify for everybody’s benefit,” she said. “They conducted our search for (Treasurer) Seth (Cales) and for Steve (Sayers). I just wanted to clarify that because it is a valid concern and I just wanted to acknowledge that.”

Colicchio

Bainbridge Explores Levy Options for November

BRiaN@kaRlovecmedia com

After Bainbridge Township voters soundly rejected a continuous additional 4.75-mill ambulance and EMS levy last May, officials took their message to heart and went back to the drawing board.

Trustee Kristina O’Brien emphasized the need for a levy during the March 25 Bainbridge Township Trustees meeting, but lamented trustees have been struggling to find the right millage amount to go back to voters with in November.

“We do need to get it passed,” she said. “We need our department to … remain strong.”

The previous levy — which failed with 1,755 votes against it and 338 votes in favor — would have covered employee wages, benefits and training, the purchase and repair of ambulances and equipment, and other EMS-related operations for an estimated 10 years.

Since its defeat, Bainbridge officials have been crunching numbers and doing research to come up with a levy amount and term they hope voters will support.

“We have come two times in 30 years to

Fire Chief Lou Ann Metz said. “Our depart ment has grown, we have met the needs of the residents, we have transitioned to some full-time people and we’ve been living on $2.4 million (annually).”

The Bainbridge Township Police Department brings in about $4 million per year and the roads department brings in about $3.6 million per year, Metz added.

“We are the largest department in the township,” she said. “If we are guilty of anything, we are guilty of not coming soon enough. But, we didn’t want to come until we absolutely needed the money.”

Trustees are currently considering a few options for the November ballot, including an additional 3.4-mill, five-year levy, which is 1.35 mills less than the previous levy and has a five-year term — allowing voters the option to renew or reject it after five years.

O’Brien provided numbers on millage yields and costs to homeowners per $100,000 property valuation ranging from 1 mill to 3.4 mills.

A 1-mill levy would yield $822,561 per year and cost homeowners $35 annually; a

and cost homeowners $70; a 2.5-mill levy would yield $2,056,402 annually and cost homeowners $87.50; and a 3.4-mill levy would yield $2,796,706 and cost homeowners $119, she said.

Trustee Jeff Markley said he’s had many conversations over the last several weeks, noting one discussion he had with a resident the night of last year’s election.

“I asked how he would feel if it was a (renewable levy) at a lesser amount and he said, ‘I support this department, I always support the department. You asked for too much last time,’” Markley said.

He added his thought process has changed a bit from the March 11 trustees meeting.

“I don’t have a number. I don’t want to pull one out of the air because it could be anything, but it needs to be based on facts,” he said. “It could be 3.4 mills, 2.5 mills or it could be 2 mills. I just don’t know. I’m not entirely sure how to get there.”

Markley said he would support a general agreement for either a five-year, 2.25-mill levy or five-year, 2.5-mill levy and have Metz and

“I would be interested in seeing what those numbers are,” he said.

Trustee Michael Bates said his point of view hasn’t changed and he has also spoken with residents about the levy.

“I keep coming back to what does the department deserve. To me, it would be a billion dollars. We have such a quality department that there’s no amount that I don’t think they deserve,” Bates said. “I’m somewhere between the 2-mill to 2.5-mill range as far as what I feel is passable.”

Bates said he’s more concerned with going too high.

“If we go too high and it’s something that people won’t support is where I am,” he said. “I’m just frightened of that.”

O’Brien concurred.

“We should not go another election cycle and not have this pass,” she said. “It’s not just pass it to pass it. We have to have a functioning budget and a functioning department that can move forward.”

The trustees are aiming to have a general agreement on a levy amount at their next regular meeting April 8.

Dines Road Residents Concerned about Paving Project

By allisoN WilsoN editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

Repaving and widening Dines Road brought several residents to the Russell Township Trustees meeting March 21.

One resident said he was surprised to see how far in the process the project was and asked why the township didn’t reach out ahead of time to gather input from residents.

Trustee Jim Mueller said there is a lot of engineering prep work involved in projects like this that take time to complete.

The resident said he didn’t know what the trustees were planning to do.

“We’re gonna repave the road. And we’re gonna widen it from 18 feet, which has been declared unsafe by the county engineer, to 20 feet, which is the standard with that type of road,” Rambo said.

The resident, who said he has lived on Dines since 1990, denied any safety issues.

Just because the county has certain standards doesn’t mean the road isn’t driveable and it doesn’t mean the road has to be wider, he said.

The options the township had were to

widen the road or do nothing, Rambo said.

People already speed through the area and residents don’t want the road to become a speedway or a cut-through, the resident said, adding his wife walks on both Dines and County Line Road and she saw an increase in speed on County Line after it was repaved.

Trustee Kristina Port responded the safety of the road was a key component.

“When they’re looking at 18 feet versus 20 feet, there’s issues with fire department trucks passing each other, or larger vehicles trying to pass each other,” she said.

As mentioned at the last trustees meeting, there has been an incident involving two rescue vehicles.

Port and Rambo said, according to the county engineer, the rate of accidents on Dines is higher than average.

“It’s usually people running into the ditch because the road’s not wide enough,” Rambo said.

A woman in the audience said other roads in the area also need repairs.

Port explained how funding for projects like Dines are obtained.

If there is money left over, the township will see if it can be used for roads like Hunt-

ing Hills Drive and Squire Lane, she said, adding if there is no money left, those roads will be top priority next year.

If they don’t do the Dines Road project soon, the township will lose their place in line for their grant, Port said.

Funding through the Ohio Public Works Commission also stipulates the road must be 20 feet wide, she said.

Another woman asked if there had been a survey of foot traffic on Dines.

If the road became a cut-through, the lives of pedestrians would be at risk, she said.

Port said there would still be a shoulder along the road.

Rambo asked if any pedestrians had been struck. Nobody at the meeting was able to answer.

Resident Eileen Fisco suggested putting up cameras to keep the road speed under control. Another woman suggested putting in a walker’s path, as walkers on Dines Road already have issues with cars speeding.

Charlie Butters rebutted the idea a narrow road would keep down speed.

“If you repave the road 18 feet or repave it at 20, I don’t think it’s going to make any

difference in how high the speed’s going to rise, either one,” he said. “The worst way to control speed on a road is to have a crappy road. That’s the most unsafe way to control speed on a road.”

Board of Trustees Administrator Melissa Palmer said Dines Road west of Caves Road will have a wider south side, while east of Caves, Dines will have a wider north side.

Throughout the meeting, residents emphasized feeling under-informed about the project. A man in the audience suggested a newsletter for better transparency in order to avoid residents feeling blindsided in the future.

Port said future meetings may be livestreamed from the community building. Rambo said he will get residents the plans for Dines if possible.

Construction is expected to begin in late summer.

According to a March 25 email from Palmer, the county engineer is reviewing the Dines Road contract documents to find tasks that could be done at a later date, lowering the project estimate of $1.1 million.

Trustees appropriated the funds necessary for the project.

Septic System O&M Program Rolling Out in Troy

By allisoN WilsoN editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

The rollout of Geauga Public Health’s Operation and Maintenance Program will soon reach Troy Township, Environmental Health Director Dan Lark said at the trustees’ March 19 meeting.

“There’s a state mandated program that we have to roll out called operation and maintenance where we have to start tracking maintenance on every septic system throughout the whole county,” Lark said.

O&M rules were passed both as a public health measure and to minimize pollution, per GPH’s website, gphohio.org.

The 2012 Clean Watershed Needs Survey report says 31% of household sewage treatment systems in the state are experiencing some degree of failure.

All systems in the county should be enrolled in the program by 2030, Lark said.

Spray irrigation and National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Systems are the current focus.

The rollout occurred in three phases, starting in November of 2023 with Chardon and Chester townships. The current — and third — phase encompasses Troy and 10 other townships.

This phase is likely to only affect 20-30 households in Troy, Lark said.

“Over the next five years, we’ll end up meeting with everybody in the county at some point to remind them to get their tanks pumped and send us a receipt of the tank pumping,” he said. “That kind of stuff will be the kind of maintenance required in a lot of the systems.”

Lark encouraged anyone impacted by the rollout to attend public meetings and ask questions.

About 1,300 people with these systems have been enrolled, yet only about 40-50 people have shown up to meetings, he noted.

The program is state mandated, not state funded, so operation permit fees have been established, according to the program overview, which is available online.

Individuals with systems that require sampling can also expect to pay sampling fees.

“I know a lot of people have leach fields in town. So, if they’re working alright, they’re fine?” Trustee Sharon Simms asked, to which Lark replied, “Yes.”

“So, every five years or so, just take a septic tank pumping receipt,” he said. “And the pumpers are supposed to send those to us already.”

A man in the audience questioned how often inspections would be, to which Lark responded GPH does not have the staff to do inspections.

Another man asked if the systems currently under the rollout had been causing problems with contamination.

Lark confirmed systems had been failing and putting out untreated sewage, often due

to a lack of maintenance.

“That ‘For Sale of Property’ program that was in place the last 20 years, those were failing at almost 40% of those systems,” he said.

Another man asked if residents would ever be forced to replace septic tanks.

“The only way we can make anybody replace something is if we can prove a public health nuisance,” Lark said, noting this is state law.

On another topic, Simms asked about the line powering the Troy Volunteer Fire Department station well, which lost power prior to the trustees’ February meetings.

“Can we go ahead and get that electric line fixed so it’s not across the parking lot for months and months?” Simms asked.

“I would recommend we don’t,” trustee Len Barcikoski replied, noting that burying the line would be expensive.

“If we’re gonna bury that line, we might as well forget about a new well,” he said.

Burying the line would cost $8,000, both Simms and Barcikoski said.

While the line could be buried, road contractor Bob Humr said they would have to tear up the parking lot to do so.

Simms asked if it would be possible to run the line through an already existing culvert pipe in order to get it off the driveway.

“We can take a grate off and bring that wire up through the grate, but we still gotta get it from the ditch enclosure to the building so they don’t mow over it,” Humr said.

The trustees are currently waiting on a grant for a new well. As the timeline is uncertain, Humr warned about going through the effort of moving the line.

“I just hate to go through all that problem and then find out we got the grant, they’re gonna put a new well in,” he said.

Fire department Interim Chief Nick Bushek said power at the station well is fine for now.

Humr said the line may be hit when mowing starts back up, but he would look for a way to hide the line.

A map of the county available on GPH’s website depicts each phase of the rollout.

Uptown Girl Salon Opens in Downtown Burton

By aNN WishaRt aNN@kaRlovecmedia com

With spring just around the corner, the Uptown Girl salon in Burton is ready to glam orize brides, bridesmaids, prom queens and anyone wanting to look their best for those special occasions.

Offering custom coifs and long-lasting, air-brushed makeup applications, the salon’s owner, Aimee Knopp Hoar, aims to apply her experience in making clients confident in their appearance.

Her updated space at 14543 North Cheshire St. in Burton Village is familiar ter ritory to most residents. Until Hoar leased it last year, it was the Uptown Barber Shoppe where Larry Moore clipped, buzzed and shaved customers for three decades.

Hoar felt it was an ideal location for a slightly different service.

Having operated the Pin-up Beauty Salon in Mentor for 11 years, Hoar said she was looking for a second shop closer to home and the empty unit appealed to her.

“I just like the vibe of it,” she said, adding she does typical haircuts for any gender or age.

“I welcome any of Larry’s clients here,” she said. “Men will come in — they don’t care if the chairs are pink. A lot of people loved Larry — he was always telling jokes.”

When her husband, Scott Hoar, and her father, Robert Knopp, started to gut the shop to remodel it to meet her design, they uncovered the brick wall she shares with the neighboring hardware store.

“With the other stylists, we could do a party of 12 to 18 ,” Hoar said.

Her network includes the Cleveland Glam Squad and when she gets a call from Jocelyn Emerson to be second stylist, Hoar plans to travel. Updos by Jocelyn has more than

She opted to keep the exposed brick as bridal stylists who will assist her in the shop as she helps them when called.

and Emerson have been friends for years.

“She knows I’ll show up for a job,” said Hoar.

Most of her clients are in Northeast Ohio, but the Burton resident has traveled as far as Kentucky to style for a wedding.

Emerson boosted her following when she put styling tutorials on her site during the COVID-19 shut-down, Hoar said.

“Jocelyn is definitely an inspiration to

With high school prom season coming up, Hoar recommended clients book hair and makeup appointments in advance and avoid the last minute rush.

Meanwhile, she is basking in the atmosphere of her renovated shop and hoping people will stop in to enjoy her boutique.

“This has always been my dream and now it’s finally all becoming a reality,” she said. “It’s been fun doing it.”

SUBMITTED

Winners of the 21st annual Huntsburg Grange Chili Cook-Off on March 16 were (l to r) Jack Sowers, third place; Rich Lockhart, second place; and VFW - Liz Hudzinsky, first place. The event was sponsored by Ohman Family Living at Blossom.

ANN WISHART/KMG

Aimee Knopp Hoar opened Uptown Girl bridal salon and boutique in Burton Village in November, redesigning the former Uptown Barber space to accommodate bridal parties and anyone who wants a little glam for a special event.

S P O R T S

Snyder, Rus Lead Toppers to 15-4 Victory Over WG

By alaN koRNsPaN

sPoRts@kaRlovecmedia com

After close contests against Mentor and St. Ignatius, the Chardon Hilltoppers boys lacrosse team defeated the West Geauga Wolverines, 15-4.

Senior captain Jason Rus spoke postgame about the energy, motivation and goals the Hilltoppers had for this cross-town rivalry game they hosted March 21.

Rus said many of the players know each other, which provided extra motivation for the Hilltoppers to try to get the victory.

The focus going into the contest was to play well together as a team and try to score as many goals as possible, he said.

Nick Snyder, Chardon's leading goal scorer and University of Cumberlands commit, said the Hilltoppers thought they had an offensive advantage coming into the game. Thus, they wanted to start the game with a lot of energy on the offensive attack.

“We came in knowing we could run offense on these guys however we wanted,” Snyder said. “We stepped out hard on the gas pedal and we didn't let off.

“We didn't give these guys any sort of breathing room, and when they did score, we tried to follow it back up. (We tried) to move the ball around and get everyone involved today. And that's what we did. It was a really good team win.”

As Rus and Snyder mentioned, the Hilltoppers started the game with a lot of energy, motivated to score a lot of goals.

Striking first for the Hilltoppers was Snyder, who scored the first of his three first quarter goals with 9:06 remaining.

Just a few seconds later, he scored again with 8:55 left in the first quarter to make the score 2-0.

West G then scored two goals in the first quarter to tie the game at 2-2.

After the Wolverines tied the game at 2, the Hilltoppers scored the next eight goals of the game.

Adding two more for the Hilltoppers in the first quarter were Snyder and Edyn Haueter.

Leading 4-2 going into the second quarter, Chardon scored five more goals before halftime. Snyder and Rus both had two second quarter goals, and Andrew Platz added a goal as well.

Rus credited his teammates for providing excellent passes that allowed him to put the ball in the net.

“They're all dip and dunk (goals); I'm an inside guy,” he said. “All my goals are (a credit) to my teammates. They put the ball in the right place, I just place it in there.”

In the second half, the Hilltoppers added six goals and the Wolverines netted two to

make the final score.

Chardon was led offensively by Snyder, who scored seven goals. Other Chardon scorers were Rus (3 goals), Edyn Haueter (2), Max Hannen (1), Nick Meyer (1) and Andrew Platz (1).

Leading the Hilltoppers in assists against the Wolverines were Rus and Adam Zielinski, who both had two. Platz and Jaret Paglio each had one.

In Chardon's 7-5 victory over the St. Ignatius Wildcats on March 19, the Hilltoppers scored six goals in the first half and added one more in the fourth quarter.

Leading the Hilltoppers offensively against the Wildcats was Platz, who had three goals. Also scoring one each were Haueter, Meyer, Rus and Peter Wolf.

Chardon will next take the field April 2, taking on the Bulldogs in Stow.

BILL FUGATE/KMG

Chardon’s Jacob Heintz helped his Hilltoppers beat West Geauga 15-4 March 21 at Memorial Field.

Bombers Defeat Lions, 18-5

Alexis Black Nets Nine Goals

By alaN koRNsPaN sPoRts@kaRlovecmedia.com

Kenston's girls lacrosse team traveled cross-town March 19 to take on the NDCL Lions.

The Bombers were dominant early, jumping out to a 7-1 first-quarter lead, then extended their lead in the remaining three quarters by an 11 additional goals to defeat the Lions, 18-5.

Afterward, Kenston Coach Becky Parker said junior midfielder Carmella Nilsson did a great job of leading the Bombers throughout the game.

In particular, Nilsson's winning of many draws was integral to their success, Parker said. Her 11 draw controls helped the Bombers gain possession of the ball after the draw.

When the Bombers had possession, Coach Parker wanted her players to stay in control and be methodical in setting up their offensive attack.

Executing the game plan against the Lions, Parker stressed to her players to make excellent passes to open teammates and, when not in possession of the ball, to make good off-ball movements.

Certainly, excellent passing and moving well without the ball were evident as Kenston's offensive attack netted 18 goals against the Lions.

Parker noted that many players contributed goals throughout the game.

Scoring half of the goals against the Lions was senior Alexis Black.

In fact, with 30 seconds left in the second quarter, Black reached an incredible career milestone when she scored her 100th career goal.

Post-game, Black discussed this amazing achievement.

“My goal since freshman year was to hit my 100th career goal,” she said. “So it's just kind of been something I worked at. I was a little short last year, so I knew this season I wanted to get it really quick.

“So that's just kind of been my goal. And my team obviously helped me so much, moti vated me. I do it all for them.”

Black also said she often likes to play from behind the net as an X player.

“I knew I was on my 100th goal, so I really wanted that one,” she said. “I just kind of made a move and was able to get past the defender and hit the upper corner shot.”

Coach Parker said Black scored one goal as a freshman and just kept improving.

Black also does a great job of sharing the ball, her coach said, as she sets her teammates up for goals and is a team leader in assists.

Another Bombers milestone came in the fourth quarter, when freshman Cora Dunnam scored her first varsity goal.

Afterward, Dunnam discussed goals for her career.

“I got my first varsity goal as a freshman, which is great, and Lexi scored 100, which is just awesome for her, and it was just a great game for everybody, ” Dunnam said. “A hundred (goals) would be absolutely amazing

throughout my four years. I would love to do that. Being captain my junior or senior year would (also) be perfect.”

Numerous other players also contributed to the Bombers offensive performance, including Nilsson (4 goals), Maggie Nelson (2), Drcar Ava (1) and Charlotte Cowan (1).

Leading Kenston in assists were Black (3 assists), Nilsson (3) and Mariela Macias (1).

After facing the Lions, the Bombers traveled to Canfield on March 21 to take on the Cardinals, and won 14-6, managing five goals in the first half and nine goals in the second half.

Scoring against the Cardinals were Black (4 goals), Macias (3), Cowan (2), Juliana Heiman (2), Ashlyn Hunter (1), Nelson (1) and Cate Zoltowicz (1).

Kenston will next face the Orange Lions on April 2.

Geauga Public Libraries

GCPL Closed April 8

The Geauga County Public Library announces the temporary closure of its libraries and the cancellation of all scheduled programs on April 8. The decision is made in response to the anticipated influx of visitors to Geauga County since roadways may be extremely busy surrounding the highly anticipated eclipse event.

The decision to close the library and can-

cel programs aligns with guidance from local authorities and experts, who emphasize the importance of exercising caution during celestial events such as the eclipse.

Regular operations and program schedules will resume the following business day.

For more updates and information regarding library hours and programs, visit GeaugaLibrary.net.

Health & Wellness

Help for Mental Illness

NAMI Geauga offers mental health support groups and classes for families and persons affected by mental illness. There is no charge to participants. All offerings are 100% peer led and meet in person or on Zoom.

Check out NAMI’s calendar online for the latest listings: www.namigeauga.org.

Bloodmobile

American Red Cross urges donors to make and keep blood and platelet donation appointments by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-733-2767.

March 29, Middlefield Library, 16167 East High St., Middlefield, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

April 2, Centerville Mill, 8558 Crackel Road, Bainbridge Township, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

April 2, Bainbridge Library, 17222 Snyder Road, Bainbridge Township, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

April 3, University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, 13207 Ravenna Road, Claridon Township, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

April 3, Geauga Library Admin., 12701 Ravenwood Dr., Chardon, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

April 4, Centerville Mill, 8558 Crackel Road, Bainbridge Township, 12-6 p.m.

April 5, First United Methodist Church, 14999 South State St., Middlefield, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

April 12, Munson Town Hall, 12210 Auburn Road, Munson Township, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

April 17, Mayfield Church, 7747 Mayfield Road, Chester Township, 1-6 p.m.

Area Easter Egg Hunts

Burton Chamber of Commerce

March 30, 11 a.m.

Burton Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Easter egg hunt at SchoolYard Productions West Field.

Chardon

March 30

Chardon Square Association (CSA) will host a pancake breakfast with the Easter Bunny at Pilgrim Christian Church on Chardon Square from 9-11 a.m. There will be photo opportunities with the bunny. Contact the CSA for more information and pricing.

At 11 a.m., Chardon Chamber of Commerce hosts a free Easter egg hunt for children 10 and under in the park. Bring a basket.

Middlefield UMC

March 30, 1 p.m.

First United Methodist Church is having an Easter Egg Hunt at the Middlefield Methodist Pavilion, 14715 Old State Road, Middlefield. In case of rain, the event will be held inside the church at 14999 South State Ave.

Montville Fire Department

March 30, 10:30 a.m.

Montville Fire Department will hold a community Easter egg hunt for children ages preschool through 10 at the Montville Com-

munity Center pavilion and ball field, 9755 Madison Road. Easter Bunny arrives at 10:30 a.m., with the egg hunt to follow.

Dress for the weather; event will be held outside, rain, snow or shine. Bring baskets for gathering eggs.

Munson Township

March 30, 10:15 a.m.

Munson Township will hold its annual Easter egg hunt, rain or shine, at Munson Township Park, 12641 Bass Lake Road. The Easter bunny will arrive at 10 a.m. to greet children and watch them hunt for eggs.

Bring a basket or bag to collect the eggs, which will be turned in for a bag of goodies. Children will be divided into two age groups: 2-5 years and 6-9 years.

Contact the township office at 440-2869255 or www.munsontwp.com

Geauga Park District

For more information and registration, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit www.geaugaparkdistrict.org.

Time For A W-A-L-K?

Dogs and your humans, take a W-A-L-K to enjoy the sights and sounds of springtime with Naturalist Karie Wheaton and other park-going pooches – no registration required!

Hound Hikes with Naturalist Karie Wheaton are all Sundays from 9:30-10:30 a.m.: April 7 at The West Woods, May 5 at Headwaters Park and June 23 at Burton Wetlands.

Hosted entirely outdoors, the hikes are enjoyable for all if rules are followed. Before coming out, pack a bowl with water, poop scoop or bags for cleanup and towels for paws. Only one dog is permitted to attend per handler; pets must be kept under control at all times on a leash not exceeding eight feet; and participants displaying aggression or excessive barking will be asked to leave.

Cold Nose Companions, a dog training center located in Chardon, also plans to at-

tend each hike to share some helpful tips and tricks to practice along the walks.

The Great Geauga

Total Solar Eclipse

April 8

Experience the Great Geauga Total Solar Eclipse at the Geauga County Fairgrounds. The free event will hook visitors up with free eclipse-viewing glasses upon entry at gates 1, 4 or 9 starting at 10:30 a.m. Activities kick off at 11 a.m., but the actual eclipse will last from 2-4:30 p.m., with the totality at 3:15 p.m. for 3 minutes 27 seconds bringing complete darkness to the middle of the afternoon.

Regional traffic will be slow due to the influx of people in the area, so it is recommended to arrive early and stay late. Support numerous food trucks or bring a picnic; snag a bleacher seat or bring lawn chairs. Additional features include multiple viewing stations with various equipment, a pop-up nature store with exclusive Geauga eclipse merchandise, citizen science projects, special eclipse-themed photo ops and more. No dogs or drones will be permitted.

East Geauga Kiwanis Honors Outstanding Third-Graders

East Geauga Kiwanis Club recently recognized outstanding third-graders from Jordak and Berkshire elementary schools for their performance in the classroom during the third grading period. Each student received a certificate and four literature books from the club. They are Jordak third-graders Lydia H, Daxton P. and Lucas K. and Berkshire third-graders Damien Burnett, Madelynn Wieser, Scarlett Balazs, Weston Gunther and Genevieve Toth.

New Promise Church

March 30, 10 a.m. to noon

Journey To Easter: Travel through Jerusalem while enjoying an egg hunt, bounce houses and more at New Promise Church, 8671 Euclid-Chardon Road in Kirtland.

Parkman Chamber

March 31, 11 a.m.

Parkman Chamber of Commerce is hosting an Easter egg hunt at Parkman Overlook Park.

Obituaries 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

Food Pantry Open

March 29, 10 a.m. to noon

The food pantry at the Chester Christian Center church is open to anyone in the community in need of food. One does not need to be a member of the church to attend. The church is located at 11815 Chillicothe Road in Chester Township.

Free Community Dinner

March 29, 5-6:30 p.m.

Mayfield United Methodist Church is hosting dinner at the church located at 7747 Mayfield Road in Chester Township. Carryout is available.

ALM Pancake Breakfast

March 30, 7 a.m. to noon

Enjoy all-you-can-eat buttermilk pancake breakfast with real maple syrup at Abundant Life Ministry Center, 13724 Carlton St. in Burton.

There are three varieties of pancakes along with sausage for $10. Add a side of eggs for $1. Check out the book sale with elementary library books and desks.

American Legion Pancakes

Sundays through April 14, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

American Legion Post 459 is serving its annual all-you-can-eat pancake, breakfasts every Sunday through April 14, excluding Easter Sunday, at the post located at 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton.

Geauga Skywatchers Club

April 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Geauga Skywatchers Club for “Solar Eclipse” at the Chardon Library Branch. Learn more about the upcoming eclipse on April 8. Eclipse glasses will be distributed to registered participants. To register, visit www.geaugalibrary.net.

GCRTA To Meet

April 2, 11:15 a.m.

The Geauga County Retired Teachers Association will meet at the E.O.U.V. Club, 8636 Pekin Road in Russell Township.

Gathering time will be followed by a business meeting at 11:30 a.m. and chicken schnitzel luncheon at noon. Member Sandra Milton will share her story of two families - one black and one white - and how their lives intertwined.

A 50/50 raffle and free lunch raffle will follow the program. For more information, call Judy Miller at 440 487-4324. Remember to bring paper products or canned goods for Geauga County Job and Family Services.

Young of Heart

April 5, 11:30 a.m.

Geauga Young of Heart will meet at St. Anselm Church in Chester Township. Bring a brown bag lunch; snacks and beverages are provided. Storyteller Ginny Jescheling will present the “Ghosts of the Griffin Disaster on Lake Erie.”

Upcoming trips include a visit to the Atlas Movie Theatre behind Eastgate on April

12 for a noon movie; a May 9 trip to Bucyrus; and a July 16 visit in conjunction with the West Geauga Senior Center to the Ohio Star Theatre in Walnut Creek to see “Ruth.”

Call Kimber at 440-668-3293 for reservations and information. Everyone is welcome on Young of Heart trips.

Learn to Square Dance

April 5, 7-9 p.m.

Learn how to square dance at 10222 Bundysburg Road in Middlefield. For more information, call 440-632-1074 or email rlmarsch@windstream.net.

Indoor Flea Market

April 6, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Munson Township’s indoor flea market will be held at the Munson Town Hall and Fire Station Bay, 12210 Auburn Road.

The $1 entrance fee for shoppers will go toward the Munson Township Scholarship Fund. Youth 12 and under are free. Contact the township office at 440-2869255 for more information.

FGP Explorers Series

April 6, 10 a.m. to noon

Join Foundation for Geauga Parks to explore a new park featuring an elevated scenic observation deck and boardwalk at Troy Wetlands, 18725 Claridon Troy Road, Hiram Township. For information or to register, visit foundationforgeaugaparks.org or call 440-564-1048.

LCRTA Lunch Meeting

April 9, 11 a.m.

The Lake County Retired Teachers Association will meet at the Kirtland Party Center, 9270 Chillicothe Road, Kirtland. Social time will be followed by the program at 11:30 a.m. and lunch. Guest speaker Christopher Gillcrist, of the National Museum of the Great Lakes, will present the “Top Ten National Stories of the Great Lakes.”

For reservations, contact Karen Sawitke, 9399 Ridgeside Drive, Mentor, OH 44060 by March 29. For more information, visit lakecountyrta.weebly.com

Genealogical Society Meets

April 9, 6:30 p.m.

Judy MacKeigan, Cleveland Metro Park historian and archivist, will present “The Canal That Created Cleveland” at the next meeting of the Geauga County Genealogical Society at the Chardon Library, 110 E Park St. Registration is required for the free program; visit www.gcgsoh.org.

Red Wagon Spring Dinner

April 10, 4:30-8 p.m.

The Christ Child Society of Geauga County is holding its 31st annual Red Wagon spring fundraiser dinner, raffles and auction at St. Noel Banquet Center in Willoughby Hills. Guest emcee is Jen Harcher, Channel 8 meteorologist. Tickets are $50 per person. Email Jeanette Bussoletti at jbussoletti@yahoo.com or call 216-401-8190 for more information and reservations.

Kenneth Joseph Ceroky

On March 19, 2024, Kenneth Joseph Ceroky went to his eternal home to be with his Savior. Although it was very unexpected, he went peacefully.

Our father Ken was born June 1, 1946, in Chardon. He spent his childhood days in Huntsburg Township.

Growing up in the country cultivated a love for the outdoors and nature. As a boy he enjoyed spending his time hunting and fishing with his dogs. Most of his adult life was spent in Chardon in a house he built with the help of his father-in-law.

Ken attended Cardinal Schools, in Middlefield, and graduated in 1964. He continued his education at Kent State University, where he studied and graduated with honors earning a bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, with a minor in Mathematics. He later went on to earn a master’s degree in education.

When Ken was 16 years old, his life changed forever when he saw the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He was smitten immediately and told his sisters, who were with him at church, that the girl he was going to marry had just walked through the doors. Six years and many fairs, movies and dates later he got his wish. On Aug. 17, 1968, he married his sweetheart, June (nee Gingrich) Ceroky. After 55 years of marriage, Ken would tell you that his love and devotion for June grows stronger with each passing day.

Ken could have been anything he wanted. He had an exceptional appetite for knowledge and learning, and a need to share that knowledge. While he could have gone in any direction, he chose to pursue education. The evolving field of biology fulfilled his love of learning and his desire to educate, but it didn’t end there.

Ken wanted to help young people achieve whatever their goals were and guide them in the direction to be their best selves. This crossed over to sports, where he coached baseball, volleyball, wrestling, track and football. His passion for helping people achieve is evident in his 39-year legacy of successful students and athletes. He will forever be remembered for his crucial role in leading young people to be their best in every endeavor.

Following Ken’s retirement from teaching, his love of people and connection led him to his latest endeavor: driving for the Amish community. He provided service to the community for the last 10 years. More than a job, he felt he was providing a needed service to

the new friends he made along the way. He was received in such a loving manner that he committed to driving until his unexpected passing.

At the very core of who Ken was, what gave him his devoted love for people, his great thirst for truth and his strong work ethic to do everything to the best of his ability was his deep love for his God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Raised in a Christian home, attending Huntsburg Baptist Church and the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Claridon Township during his growing years, he gave his heart to Jesus at the early age of seven. Ephesians 2:8-9 states, “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

He spent his life sharing that truth, the simplicity of God’s offer of salvation, feeling it so vitally important for people to understand that it’s purely grace given and not earned or lost with good or bad behavior. He was an avid student of the Bible, leaving behind bookshelves filled with notes on what he learned. Numerous lives were affected with the knowledge he shared and the encouragement he gave people to not just take his word for it, but to study their Bibles. He did this through years of Sunday School teaching, countless Bible study groups, and conversations with people.

Ken “fought a good fight, finished his course, and kept the faith.”

He will be missed by all of those he touched, but most of all by his family, including his beloved wife, June; daughter, Jacqueline Anne (nee Ceroky) Burton; sonin-law, Robert Burton; son, Kenneth Owen Paul Ceroky; daughter-in-law, Cindy Ceroky; six grandchildren, Joshua (Jaclyn) Burton, Andrew (Wynter) Burton, Caleb Burton, Evelyn Burton, Bleu Ceroky, Kylie Ceroky; five great-grandchildren, Elysia, Jonah, Matthias, Luanna and Annwyn Burton; and sister Carol Jean (nee Ceroky) Cooper; and mother-inlaw, Hester Gingrich, and family.

He joined his parents, Joseph and Violet Ceroky; and sister Virginia (Ceroky) Tincher in heaven.

Visitation and funeral services were held at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon, on March 24, 2024.

A private family burial will be held at Huntsburg Township Cemetery.

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

Rosie Ann Woods

With profound sad ness, yet deep grat itude for a life welllived, we announce the passing of Rosie Ann Woods, age 94, of Chardon, who peace fully passed away on March 16, 2024, at the David Simpson Hospice House in Cleveland.

Rosie was born on July 9, 1929, in Prarie Point, Miss., to Alf and Mulisey Manningham (nee Sanders), the youngest daughter among nine cherished siblings.

Rosie's journey was one defined by love — love for her family, and above all, love for her Creator.

She married the love of her life Thomas Henry Woods, and together they embarked on a beautiful journey of love and devotion, exchanging vows in Cleveland. Their union was a testament to the enduring power of love, strengthened by their shared faith in God.

At the heart of Rosie's life was her unwavering devotion to her faith community. She was deeply involved in service, as a member at The Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church of Christ in Cleveland, ever since the church doors were opened. When travel was difficult, she would attend The First Congregational Church of Claridon. Her presence brought warmth and joy to all who knew her.

Rosie's love for God was not merely a belief; it was a way of life, reflected in her kindness, compassion and boundless generosity.

Rosie leaves behind a legacy of love and devotion that will continue to inspire all who knew her.

She is survived by her beloved husband, Thomas Henry Woods, of Chardon; her devoted sons, Aubrey Woods, of Huntsburg Township, Theo (Elizabeth) Woods, of Akron, and Ricardo Howard, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.; and her cherished grandchildren, Leanne (Ramon) Burnham, Randi Woods, Lauren (Brandon) Cajuste, Jennifer Woods, Melissa Woods, Leah Woods, Sabrina Woods, Kina Danner, Shyanne Rosa-Howard and Ricardo Rosa-Howard Jr.; and 11 great-grandchildren.

Rosie is reunited in heaven with her parents and seven siblings.

A Memorial Service celebrating Rosie's life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on April 12, 2024, at The Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 1754 E 55th St., Cleveland.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon. Those wishing to extend their condolences and share cherished memories may do so online at www.burrservice.com.

In celebrating Rosie's life, let us remember her unwavering love for God and her family, which illuminated her path throughout her journey. Her legacy of faith and devotion will continue to inspire and uplift those whose lives she touched.

Helen Miller Wagner

In loving memory of a devoted educator and beloved friend,

Helen (nee Calvin) Miller Wagner, peace fully passed away on March 5, 2024, in Newberry, Fla., at the age of 86.

Helen was born on Oct. 27, 1937, at Corey Hospital in Chardon, to proud parents Paul H. and Thelma B. Calvin, as their cherished fourth child, Helen Amanda.

Helen's life was defined by her unwavering commitment to education and her deep love for her students. She embarked on her journey in academia, earning her Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University in 1959, followed by a master's degree in education from Kent State University in 1964. For 31 years, Helen dedicated herself to teaching in Chardon, leaving an indelible mark on the lives of countless students whom she guided with wisdom and compassion.

Beyond her passion for education, Helen found joy in the simple pleasures of life. For 55 consecutive years, she cherished the companionship of many Welsh ponies at "The Cardinal Pony Farm," a testament to her enduring love for animals and the outdoors.

Helen's heart was touched by love twice in her lifetime. Her first marriage to Kenneth W. Miller Sr. brought her the love of her two stepsons, Kenneth W. (Katy) Miller Jr. and Keith (Margaret) Miller. After Kenneth's passing in 1983, Helen found companionship once again when she married Lee Ernie Wagner in 2001. Together, they embarked on a new chapter of their lives in the warmth of Florida.

Helen's legacy of love extends to her stepdaughter, Laura (David) Badenship and family, and stepson, Scott L. (Christina) Wagner, as well as to her nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Special recognition is bestowed upon her dear nephew David (Helen) Calvin and niece Bonny (Brian) Carrier, whose unwavering support was a source of comfort in her time of need.

In addition to her human companions, Helen found solace and joy in the company of her faithful canine buddies, Scooter and Freckles, who brought light to her days with their unwavering loyalty and companionship.

Helen asked us to mention the impact on her life by the ones she adopted as her own extended family, made of friends and former students alike. Among those who she held so dear are Keith Miller, Angel Chudzik, Andrea Hauter, Christine Martin, Donna Temple and Kevin Shea. She will be greatly missed by so many.

A Memorial Service to celebrate Helen's life will be held at 1 p.m. April 6, 2024, at the First Congregational Church of Claridon, 13942 Mayfield Road.

The memorial service will be livestreamed by The First Congregational Church of Claridon. For those unable to attend in

person, please email claridoncongregationalchurch@gmail.com to receive the livestream link and join us in commemorating her life.

In honoring Helen’s memory, she requested donations be made to the First Congregational Church of Claridon Endowment Fund or a charity of your choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon. Condolences and cherished memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.

In honoring Helen's memory, let us carry forward her legacy of love, kindness and dedication to education. She will forever be remembered for her warmth, her wisdom and the profound impact she had on all who were fortunate enough to know her.

May she rest in eternal peace, surrounded by the love she so generously shared with the world.

Sharon R. Haynes

It is with pro found sorrow that we announce the peace ful passing of Sharon R. Haynes on March 3, 2024, at Maplev iew Country Villa in Chardon. Surrounded by the love of her hus band, she embarked on her journey to eternity, just 16 days before her 77th birthday. While our hearts ache with her absence, we find solace in knowing that she is now free from pain and united with her beloved savior, Jesus Christ, in the embrace of heaven.

Sharon graced this world on March 19, 1947, in Buckhannon, W. Va., born to Earl and Jean (nee Golden) Cunningham. In 1966, fate intertwined her path with Richard Haynes at an interchurch event and, on March 30 the following year, they pledged their love in marriage. Their bond, lasting 57 years, was a testament to their unwavering commitment and deep affection for each other.

A beacon of compassion and kindness, Sharon dedicated herself to serving others. Her altruistic spirit led her to volunteer for numerous organizations, including “Casa for Kids,” The Jail and Prison Ministry and “The Friends Support Group.” Recognition for her selfless devotion came in the form of plaques commemorating her years of service.

Sharon’s creative talents shone brightly through her passion for writing and photography, earning her countless ribbons and accolades. She used her skills for many local area newspapers.

Despite her diverse professional experiences, it was Sharon’s compassionate nature that led her to work at the Corinne Dolan Alzheimer’s Center and Blossom Hill Nursing Home, where her caring heart found fulfillment in serving those in need. In these roles, she undoubtedly touched countless lives with her empathy, dedication and unwavering commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

An avid traveler, she found joy in exploring new destinations and cherishing the warmth of Bed and Breakfast Homes. Her heart always remained tethered to her roots in West Virginia, she loved her visits there with cherished relatives.

Parkinson’s disease may have dimmed her physical mobility, but Sharon’s spirit remained undaunted. Her infectious smile, twinkling eyes and words of encouragement continued to touch the lives of all who crossed her path.

Sharon leaves behind a legacy of love and cherished memories, forever etched in the hearts of her devoted husband, Richard Haynes; beloved son, Philip (Julie) Haynes; cherished daughter, Rachel (Shaun) Harry; sisters, Amy Zenner and Annita Michelow; and brother, Wynn Cunningham.

She is preceded in death by her grandparents; parents; and infant daughter, Jessica.

Family and friends are invited to honor Sharon’s life during a visitation at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 13, 2024, followed by a Memorial Service at 2 p.m., at the Chardon Christian Fellowship Church, 401 South St., Chardon.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to a charity of one’s choice.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon. Condolences and cherished memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com

In our hearts, Sharon’s light will forever shine, illuminating our path with memories of her warmth, generosity, and boundless love. May she rest in eternal peace.

Betty Lou Spencer

Betty Lou Spencer, 94, of Hopedale, Ohio, passed away March 21, 2024, at Universi ty Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.

Betty was the second oldest of nine children, born on April 7, 1929, in Mid dlefield, to the late John and Sarah Farmwald.

She married Roger Spencer in January 1955 and together they raised five children. They moved to Hopedale in 1975.

Betty enjoyed her family and was an excellent cook, baker and seamstress. Friends, relatives and loved ones were regular recipients of her homemade pies and candies, as well as her handmade quilts and blankets.

Betty was a member of the Colonial Baptist Church in Wintersville, Ohio, where she served faithfully for many years. She loved the Lord and was eagerly awaiting spending eternity with her Savior.

Betty will be sadly missed by her children, Gaylord (Terri) Spencer, Dawn Spencer, Bryan (Laurie) Spencer, Ryan (Shari) Spencer and Jared (Debbie) Spencer; as well as her siblings, Sally (Ervin) Miller and James (Eddie) Farmwald.

The funeral service was held March 27, 2024, at Sly Family Funeral Home, 15670 W. High St., Middlefield, with Pastor Randy Sells officiating.

A private burial will take place at a later date at Zion Cemetery in Hopedale.

In lieu of calling hours, friends and family are invited to lunch following the funeral service.

Memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.slyffh.com.

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Congratulations to all the Cardinal Huskies who were recently accepted into Auburn Career Center.

The first-grade classes recently did a science experiment with Mr. Z. to see what golf ball would go down the ramp the fastest.

Many high school students completed CPR and AED training the week of March 18.

Sophomore Thomas Colosi, right, won the first-place prize in the annual Chardon Rotary speech contest on March 18 at The Lodge at Bass Lake. Impressed by his speech on social media, the Rotarians awarded Thomas $300. He will move on to represent NDCL at the dis-

filled with learning, fun and friendship for the West Geauga sixth-grade class. Students spent three days and two nights away with their classmates enjoying a variety of activities such as horsemanship, archery, a Lake Erie study, teambuilding, songs, campfires and outdoor cooking. They have now returned with many fond memories of the experience.

Thank you to the parents, middle school staff, high school student chaperones and Camp Fitch for providing a wonderful opportunity.

The Little Mermaid Jr.

An under-the-sea experience was brought live to the stage at Lindsey Elementary School. Students in the fifth-grade class entertained audiences with “The Little Mermaid Jr.” musical. The cast and crew, with the help of many parent and staff volunteers, organized this production in an impressive six-week timeframe.

A special thank you goes to the PTO for supporting the musical and raising funds so the shows can continue in future years.

Congratulations to the West Geauga High School bands on their outstanding performances at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) District 7 Contest. The concert band received an overall rating of “II-Excellent,” and the symphonic band received an “I-Superior” and got “Straight I’s, which is the highest possible score from all four judges for their performances. Their teachers are Mr. Branch and Mrs. DeSapri.

WGMS Science Experiment

Students in Mr. Skotzke’s sixth-grade science class were highly engaged in a lesson about how the properties of matter are affected by temperature. For example, at lower temperatures, particles of matter move more slowly, affecting their properties. To demonstrate, one experiment showed that placing a fresh banana in liquid nitrogen will cause it to freeze solid, making it hard enough to use as a hammer. Students couldn’t wait to predict the outcomes as temperatures changed in various different items.

Chardon

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Chardon Middle School Family Literacy Night keynote speaker Malcolm Mitchell hangs out with Chardon Middle School principal Adam Tomco in the school gymnasium on March 7 while preparing for a long-range throw of the football prior to his presentation on literacy.

Animated Music Video

Chardon High School art teacher Erik Hauber submitted a significant compilation for Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon 50th Anniversary Animated Video Competition earlier this year. The file represents months of work completed by Mr. Hauber and 16 of the school’s art students.

Students chose the Pink Floyd song “Eclipse” to develop a frame-by-frame, handdrawn music video, which comprises 721 pencil drawings that incorporate rotoscoping techniques from reference footage of one of the art students playing the song on the bass guitar.

Mr. Hauber stated, “I'm really proud of the class — the students for sticking through this, seeing the vision and keeping that goal in mind. In my mind, I want this to be a good teaching moment that great things do come. It takes time and hard work, and it'll pay off. Really, what it is, is a celebration of art.”

Family Literacy Night

Chardon Middle School's Family Literacy Night, hosted at the school on the evening of March 7, was jam-packed with engaging, hands-on reading and writing activities followed by a highly anticipated presentation by keynote speaker Malcolm Mitchell.

Each student received a free copy of his book “The Magician’s Hat”. Mitchell is a retired New England Patriots Super Bowl champion turned children's book author and founder/CEO of Share the Magic Foundation. He shares his success story of rising above his literacy challenges later in life.

Community partners leading the Literacy Night activity stations included Geauga County Public Library, United Way Services of Geauga County, and Dillon Stewart, Cleveland Magazine’s editor-in-chief.

Key event organizer and CMS English language arts teacher Cher Culliton stated, "It was an amazing night seeing students

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Chardon Science Olympiad Division B team members Colby Sapp and Ben Majetich showcase their smiles, a wave and two thumbs up after their second-place win of the Fossils event at the SO Northeast Ohio Regional tournament at Baldwin-Wallace University on March 2. Colby and Ben are eighth-grade students at Chardon High School.

enjoying all of the literacy activities throughout the building and then gathering to hear Malcolm’s message. He tossed the football around with the kids in the gym before his presentation and stayed after to sign autographs for every kid.”

Literacy Night was made financially possible by funds from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's Reaching All Students Through Language and Literacy grant awarded to Chardon Schools in 2022

Science Olympiad Advances

Chardon's award-winning Science Olympiad Division B and Division C teams are holding fast to their multi-decade streak as state qualifiers. Chardon B and C teams, which collectively encompass students in grade levels 6-12, emerged from the Northeast Ohio Regional tournament at Baldwin-Wallace University on March 2 as state qualifiers.

Division B and Division C achieved fourth and seventh overall team placements, respectively, with B also earning 12 individual medals and C garnering six.

Qualifying for this year's state tournament marks the 28th consecutive year of such attainment for Chardon Division B and the 26th year for Chardon Division C. The 2024 state competition will be held April 27 at The Ohio State University.

District Science Fair

Chardon Middle School seventh-grade student Addison Fabian participated in the Ohio Academy of Science District 5 Science Day Fair at The University of Akron on March 16 where she earned an excellent rating for her project, Molecular Gastronomy, just two points shy of a state qualification.

Molecular Gastronomy, the culmination of months of research and testing, first debuted at the CMS third annual Juried Science and Fine Arts Fair earlier this year. As a finalist in the school's juried science event, Addi qualified to participate at the district level.

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 22-F-000398

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, Plaintiff vs. JULIE A. SOLLARS, NKA JULIE RICE, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Montville to wit:

Situated in the Township of Montville, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio: Known as being Sublot No. 25 of the Mont-Mere Colony Subdivision No. 1 of part of Original Section 5 of Montville Township as recorded in Volume 9, Page 96 of Geauga County Records of Plats, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Commonly known as: 8494 Murphy Road, Thompson, OH 44086.

Prior Deed Reference No.: Book 1459, Page 404

Said Premises Located at: 8494 MURPHY ROAD, MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 20-006720

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover. Said Premises appraised at ($285,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($190,000.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT

A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio

Austin R. Decker, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000103

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORPORATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FREDDIE MAC SEASONED LOANS STRUCTURED TRANSACTION TRUST, SERIES 2021-1, Plaintiff vs. CAROL DEAN, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Newbury to wit:

A copy of the complete legal description can be found in the Geauga County Recorder’s Office, 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, Ohio 44024.

Said Premises Located at: 11658 PEKIN ROAD, NEWBURY TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 23-297500, 23-297600

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises appraised at ($125,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($83,334.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thir-

ty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio

Robert R. Hoose, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000398

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORPORATION, AS TRUSTEE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE FREDDIE MAC SEASONED CREDIT RISK TRANSFER TRUST, SERIES 2021-1, Plaintiff vs. MARILYN S. ALESNIK, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Munson to wit:

A copy of the complete legal description can be found in the Geauga County Recorder’s Office, 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, Ohio 44024.

Said Premises Located at: 9957 SHERMAN ROAD, MUNSON TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 22-000150

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises appraised at ($355,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($236,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio Robert R. Hoose, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000416

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC, Plaintiff vs. MELISSA A. GUARDO, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Chardon to wit: Situated in the Township of Chardon, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: and known as being part of Lot No. 161, Tract #3, of said township, and further described as follows:

Beginning at a point in the center of Thwing Road, which is the Southerly line of Chardon Township, at the intersection of the Southwest corner of a 6.6 acres parcel of land, deeded by Millard M. Thwing to Durrell D. Thwing, as recorded in Vol. 178, Page 618, of Geauga County Deed Records.

Thence N. 86 deg. 12’ 10” W. 1966.11 feet, along the center of Thwing Road, to the principal place of beginning.

Course No. 1: Thence N. 86 deg. 12’ 10” W. 108.90 feet along the center of Thwing Road.

Course No. 2:

to survey of W. E Holland Engineering Company, Chagrin Falls, Ohio, February 1956.

It is the intention hereby to convey Sublot #7 of Berkshire Heights Estates Subdivision, proposed.

There is reserved herein to Olmar Construction, Inc. its successors and assigns, an easement over the front ten (10) feet of the within described premises which easement is established for the purposes of installing, repairing, maintaining and/or removing sewer lines, water systems, electric, gas, and/or telephone lines and other utilities necessary for the welfare of the Grantee and owners of all other sublots of the said subdivision, Olmar Construction, Inc., hereby reserves and retains the right to transfer this easement to the pertinent governmental bodies or utilize companies equipped to handle the aforesaid services, without the consent of the grantees, their heirs or assigns, be the same more or less but subject to all legal highways.

More commonly known as: 10844 Thwing Road, Chardon, OH 44024.

Said Premises Located at: 10844 THWING

ROAD, CHARDON TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 06-088400

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises appraised at ($200,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($133,334.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio Bethany L. Suttinger, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000514

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

THE MIDDLEFIELD BANKING COMPANY, Plaintiff vs. DOUGLAS ALAN HATCH, AKA DOUGLAS ALLAN HATCH, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Middlefield to wit:

Situated in the Township of Middlefield, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio:

And known as being a part of Lot 43 in Middlefield Township and further described as follows:

Beginning at a point in the centerline of Bridge Road (60’ R/W) and the north line of Lot 43 and being N 88° 40’ E, 954.06’ from an iron pipe found at the intersection of said road centerline with the centerline of Adams Road; thence N 88° 40’ E, 270.00’ along the centerline of Bridge Road and the north line of Lot 43 to a point; thence S 1° 20’ E, 741.18’ to an iron pipe set and passing over an iron pipe set 30.00’ from the road center; thence S 88° 40’ W, 270.00’ to an iron pipe set; thence N 1° 20’ W, 741.18’ to the beginning and passing over an iron pipe set 30.00’ from the road center.

Containing 4.594 acres of land, be the same more or less but subject to all legal highways, as surveyed in September, 1996 by Edward J. Collier, Registered Surveyor No, 7141.

Being a parcel of land divided out of property deeded to D.K. Reese, D.W. Hatch, T.A. Hatch and D.A. Hatch in Volume 816, Page 320 in the Geauga County Records.

Said Premises Located at: 16659 BRIDGE ROAD, MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 18-000100

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by

Containing

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises appraised at ($235,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($156,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio Anthony J. Gringo, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000636

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: CITIZENS BANK, N.A., Plaintiff vs. JAMES T. BARKER, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 25th day of April, 2024, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 9th day of May, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Chester to wit: Situated in the Township of Chester, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio and known as being Sublot No. 5 in Sherman Hills Subdivision No. 1, as recorded in Volume 10, Pages 1, 2, and 3, Geauga County Records of Plats, be the same more or less but subject to all legal highways.

This being the same property conveyed to Cathleen Barker, married, dated 05/24/2013 and recorded on 07/08/2013 in Book 1954, Page 1176, in the Geauga County Recorders Office.

Address: 12238 Shiloh Dr., Chesterland, OH 44026.

Prior Deed Reference: Book 1954, Page 1176, Instrument No. 201300862291

Said Premises Located at: 12238 SHILOH DRIVE, CHESTER TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 11-249600

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises appraised at ($375,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($250,000.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.

TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio Johna M. Bella, attorney Mar28Apr4-11, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

23-F-000634 – Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County, Ohio, Plaintiff vs. Scott Stewart, et al., Defendants. Unknown Occupants, if any, of 14874 Standish Ave., Middlefield, OH 44062 whose last known address is 14874 Standish Ave., Middlefield, OH 44062 address is unknown, and cannot, with reasonable diligence, be ascertained shall take notice; and, if deceased, their unknown heirs, devises, legatees, administrators, executors, and assigns will take notice that on the 23rd day of October 2023, the Treasurer Of Geauga County, filed a Complaint in the Court of Common Pleas, Geauga County, 100 Short Court Street, Chardon, Ohio 44024, entitled Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County vs. Scott Stewart, et al., Case No: 23-F-000634, against the above-named parties, praying that the premises hereinafter described be sold for the collection of delinquent real estate taxes, owed and unpaid, is $15,355.51 together with accruing taxes, asLegal

WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.

Thursday, March 28, 2024

sessments, penalties, interest, and charges; as well as court costs. Said premises is described as permanent parcel number(s) 19-060800. A complete legal description of the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Recorder’s Office. The volume and page number for the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.

The object of the action is to obtain from the Court a judgment foreclosing the tax liens against such real estate and ordering the sale of such real estate for the satisfaction of delinquent taxes.

Such action is brought against the real property only and no personal judgment shall be entered in it. However, if pursuant to the action, the property is sold for an amount that is less than the amount of the delinquent taxes, assessments, charges, penalties and interest against it, the Court, in a separate order, may enter a deficiency judgment against the owner of record of a parcel for the amount of the difference; if that owner of record is a corporation, the Court may enter the deficiency judgment against the stockholder holding a majority of the corporation’s stock.

The above-named parties are required to answer on or before 28 days after the last date of publication. Such answer must be filed with the Clerk of Courts, and a copy must be served on the Prosecuting Attorney.

By Kristen Rine, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Attorney for Plaintiff.

Mar21-28 Apr4, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

24-F-000098 – United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC, Plaintiff vs. Tonya Romig, et al.,

Defendants

The Unknown Heirs at Law or Under the Will, if any, of Rodney Miller, Deceased. whose last place of residence/business is Address Unknown, but whose present place of residence/ business is unknown will take notice that on February 9, 2024, United Wholesale Mortgage, LLC filed its Complaint in Case No. 24-F000098 in the Court of Common Pleas Geauga County, Ohio, 100 Short Court Street, Chardon, OH 44024 alleging that the Defendant(s) The Unknown Heirs at Law or Under the Will, if any, of Rodney Miller, Deceased. have or claim to have an interest in the real estate described below:

Permanent Parcel Number: 01-063570; Property Address: 18812 Ravenna Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023. The legal description may be obtained from the Geauga County Auditor at 231 Main Street, Suite 1-A, Chardon, Ohio 44024, 440-279-1600.

The Petitioner further alleges that by reason of default of the Defendant(s) in the payment of a promissory note, according to its tenor, the conditions of a concurrent mortgage deed given to secure the payment of said note and conveying the premises described, have been broken, and the same has become absolute.

The Petitioner prays that the Defendant(s) named above be required to answer and set up their interest in said real estate or be forever barred from asserting the same, for foreclosure of said mortgage, the marshalling of any liens, and the sale of said real estate, and the proceeds of said sale applied to the payment of Petitioner’s Claim in the proper order of its priority, and for such other and further relief as is just and equitable.

THE DEFENDANT(S) NAMED ABOVE ARE REQUIRED TO ANSWER ON OR BEFORE THE 9TH DAY OF MAY, 2024.

UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC

By Reimer Law Co., Ronald J. Chernek, Attorney at Law, Attorney for Plaintiff-Petitioner, P.O. Box 39696, Solon, Ohio 44139. (440) 600-5500.

Mar28 Apr4-11, 2024

NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING

Russell Township

Notice is hereby given that the Russell Township Board of Zoning Appeals will have a Public Hearing for appeals, for variances to the Russell Township Zoning Resolution on Monday, April 8, 2024, at 7:00 p.m. at the Russell Township Town Hall.

Variance Application #558 continued: submitted by Christopher Weeder of 14493 Chillicothe Rd, Two parcels, 26-123600 & 26-214050. The Applicant is seeking to consolidate two lots with the intention of re-splitting and creating two lots, both with variances required for road frontage and one variance for lot width.

Variance Application #559: Submitted by John Cunningham of 14445 Hartwell Trail, PP# 26-115571.The Applicant is seeking to install a structure within the side yard setback, located in the R5 district, the Applicant would be seeking a 40ft variance, in lieu of the 50ft required.

Variance Application #560: Submitted by

Neil Butara of 14540 Russell Ln. PP#26098000. The Applicant is seeking to construct a new portion of deck inside the 120ft Riparian setback. Ch.4.16(H)(1).

Variance Application #561: Submitted by Clint Ballash of 8200 Chagrin Mills, PP# 26087900. The property is in the R5 district with less than three acres, the Applicant is proposing a side yard setback of 9ft, resulting in a variance request of 21ft, in lieu of the 30ft required.

The Board of Zoning Appeals welcomes factbased testimony to assist in making an informed decision.

C. Birli, Secretary Mar28, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

Geauga County

Sealed bids will be received at the office of the Board of County Commissioners, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 350, Chardon, Ohio 44024, for the:

GEAUGA COUNTY COUNTY PARKING LOT REPAIRS

GEAUGA COUNTY MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT

during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, until 1:45 pm (local time) on April 24, 2024, at which time the bids shall be opened and publicly read at 2:00 p.m. in the Commissioners Chambers, Room B303.

Printed plans and specifications may be obtained from the Geauga County Maintenance Department, 13211 Aquilla Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024-1068, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. An electronic set of plans and specifications may also be requested via email to msieracki@geauga.oh.gov, or by calling Matt Sieracki at (440) 279-1759.

There will be a mandatory contractor prebid meeting at 1:00 p.m. on April 10, 2024 at the Geauga County Maintenance Department, 13211 Aquilla Road, Chardon Ohio, 44024.

A copy of this legal notice is posted on the Geauga County’s website. Go to bocc.geauga. oh.gov/public-notifications/bid-openings/ and click on the project name to view this legal notice.

Envelopes containing the bid and other required documents shall be sealed and clearly marked: “BID - GEAUGA COUNTY PARKING LOT REPAIRS, Attention: Clerk, Geauga County Board of Commissioners, 12611 Ravenwood Drive, Suite 350, Chardon Ohio, 44024.”

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 153.57.

Each bid must be accompanied by a bid bond or guaranty in the amount of 100% of the total amount bid, or a certified check, cashier’s check, or money order in an amount not less than 5% of the total amount bid. The bid bond or guaranty must be submitted as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and its performance properly secured.

The bid bond or guaranty shall be issued by an approved surety company authorized to transact business in the State of Ohio and said company shall have local representation. The bond or guaranty shall meet the satisfaction of the County Prosecutor.

The Geauga County Commissioners reserve the right to waive any informalities and to reject any or all bids received or any part thereof. Terms of payment shall be as described in the bid specifications.

BY ORDER OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF GEAUGA COUNTY Christine Blair, Clerk Mar28 Apr4, 2024

HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP

LEGAL NOTICE DUST CONTROL BID

The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees will receive sealed proposals until 3:00 p.m. on April 16, 2024, proposals will be opened and read aloud at 8:00 pm during the Trustees’ meeting on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 for the Spraying of MC70, CRS OR AEP and the spreading of washed # 8 limestone on Township Roads in Huntsburg Township, during the 2024 construction season.

Bid proposals may be obtained by calling the Huntsburg Township Fiscal Officer at 440636-5486 or mailing to P.O. Box 280, Huntsburg, Ohio 44046. All bid proposals shall be submitted on forms provided by the Board of Trustees.

A bid bond or certified check, cashier’s check, or money order, on a solvent bank or savings and loan association, in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid amount, and liability insurance for injury to persons and/ or damage to property in an amount not less than $1,000,000.00 and property damage li-

ability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000.00, shall accompany each bid. The bid shall be let on a unit price basis.

The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any informalities or irregularities in the bids received, and to accept any bid or bids which are deemed most favorable to the Board at the time and under conditions stipulated, all in accord with the applicable provisions of the laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Board of Trustees.

Legal notice shall be considered as part of the bid specifications. Address all bids to The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees, P.O. Box 280 Huntsburg, Ohio 44046, and identify sealed envelopes as “Proposal for the Spraying of MC70, CRS OR AEP and brooming off stone if requires for CRS applications, Spreading of # 8 washed Limestone on Various Roads during the 2024 Construction Season”.

By Order of the Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees.

Michele A. Saunders, Fiscal Officer

Mar28 Apr4, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPEAL FOR VARIANCE TO PARKMAN TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Parkman Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an appeal for a USE Variance to the Parkman Township Zoning Resolution on Tuesday the 9 day of April 2024, at 7:00 o’clock p.m. at the Parkman Township Community House located 16295 Main Market Road Parkman, Ohio.

This application submitted by, Mr. James Mudri appellant, 15358 Kinsman Road, Middlefield, Ohio is requesting a Variance from the Parkman Township Zoning Resolution for property located at, 17400 Reynolds Road, Parkman Township (Parcel # 25-000310 and Parcel # 25-112511). Ohio which shall be in accordance with all of the applicable regulations for the District and the following regulations:

ARTICLE 1V Section 402.1 Permitted Principal Buildings, structures, and Uses.

Jan Helt, Secretary Mar28, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Village of Middlefield

On Thursday, May 9, 2024, Council for the Village of Middlefield will hold a public hearing on the matter of Ordinance 24-119.

AN ORDINANCE REZONING 2 PARCELS OF LAND ON KINSMAN ROAD FROM “R-1”, SINGLE-FAMILY RESIDENTIAL” TO “GC, GENERAL COMMERCIAL,” AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

The hearing will be held at 7:30 PM in the Village of Middlefield Council Chambers located at 14860 N. State Avenue, Middlefield, OH 44062.

All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard.

Leslie McCoy, Village Administrator Mar28, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Village of Middlefield

Notice is hereby given that during the Council Meeting held on March 14, 2024, The Village of Middlefield passed the following legislation:

RESOLUTION 24-04 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

RESOLUTION 24-05 A RESOLUTION

APPROVING A LOAN TO AMISH COUNTRY MARKET LLC, IN THE AMOUNT OF $130,000.00, FROM THE VILLAGE’S LOCAL REVOLVING LOAN FUND, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-113 AN ORDINANCE TO MAKE PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS

FOR CURRENT EXPENSES AND OTHER

EXPENDITURE OF THE VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD, STATE OF OHIO, DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2024, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-114 AN ORDINANCE HIR-

ING BROOKE DAUGHTERS AS A FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER, CONTINGENT UPON HER COMPLETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF

SECTION 139.01 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES, AT THE PAY RATE OF $24.87 PER HOUR, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-115 AN ORDINANCE HIR-

ING CODY NAFTZGER AS A FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER, CONTINGENT UPON HIS COMPLETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF

SECTION 139.01 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES, AT THE PAY RATE OF $33.34 PER HOUR, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-116 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A TRAINING REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT WITH OFFICER ROBERT HAMILTON, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

RESOLUTION 24-02 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE ARCHIVIST TO ACT AS THE DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE MEMBERS OF THE VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD COUNCIL FOR PURPOSE OF REQUIRED PUBLIC RECORDS TRAINING.

ORDINANCE 24-101 AN ORDINANCE REVIEWING THE SCHEDULE OF FEES IMPOSED BY THE VILLAGE PURSUANT TO SECTION 135.09

ORDINANCE 24-102 AN ORDINANCE ACCEPTING THE ANNEXATION OF 25.34 ACRES OF LAND IN MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP TO THE VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-103 AN ORDINANCE IMPLEMENTING SECTIONS 3735.65 THROUGH 3735.70 OF THE OHIO REVISED CODE, ESTABLISHING AND DESCRIBING THE BOUNDARIES OF COMMUNITY REINVESTMENT AREA IN THE VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD AND A TAX INCENTIVE REVIEW COUNCIL, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

The Complete Text Of These Resolutions And Ordinances May Be Viewed Or Obtained At The Office Of The Fiscal Officer, 14860 N. State Ave., Middlefield, Ohio During Regular Business Hours.

Cindy Detweiler, Administrative Asst. /Billing Clerk Mar28, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING ON MOTION PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

O.R.C. SECTIION 519.12 (G)

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing on a motion which is an amendment, identified as number ZC-2024-2 to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution at the Chester Town Hall located at 12701 Chillicothe Road, at 7:00 p.m. on April 18, 2024.

The motion proposing to amend the Zoning Resolution will be available for examination at the Chester Town Hall from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from March 21, 2024 through all Public Hearings.

It is also available at www.chestertwp.com/ upcoming-zoning-amendments/.

Kathleen McCarthy, Zoning Administrative Assistant Mar28, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

23-F-000718 – The Bank of New York Mellon, f/k/a The Bank of New York, as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Trustee for Home Equity Mortgage Trust Series 2005-3 Home Equity Mortgage PassThrough Certificates, Series 2005-3, Plaintiff vs. Jean Sulik, et al., Defendants Oak Street Mortgage LLC, whose last known address is 101 West Ohio Street, Suite 2100, Indianapolis, IN 46204, will take notice that on December 1, 2023, The Bank of New York Mellon, f/k/a The Bank of New York, as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Trustee for Home Equity Mortgage Trust Series 2005-3 Home Equity Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-3 filed its Complaint in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas at 100 Short Court, Suite 300, Chardon, OH 44024, assigned Case No. 23-F-000718 and styled The Bank of New York Mellon, f/k/a The Bank of New York, as successor to JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., as Trustee for Home Equity Mortgage Trust Series 2005-3 Home Equity Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates, Series 2005-3 vs. Jean Sulik, et al. The object of, and demand for relief in, the Complaint is to foreclose the lien of Plaintiff’s mortgage recorded upon the real estate described below and in which Plaintiff alleges that the foregoing defendant has or claims to have an interest: Parcel number(s): 29-054300, 29-054200, 29-054301

Property address: 5116 Chillicothe Road, Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

The defendant named above is required to answer the Complaint within twenty-eight (28) days after the last publication of this legal notice. This legal notice will be published once a week for three successive weeks.

By Justin M. Ritch, Manley Deas Kochalski LLC, P. O. Box 165028, Columbus, OH 43216-5028, 614-220-5611, jmr3@manleydeas.com. Mar28 Apr4-11, 2024

Legal Notices Geauga Sheriff’s Report

PUBLIC NOTICE

NOTICE OF RECEIPT OF 401 APPLICATION AND PUBLIC HEARING

Geauga County

Public notice is hereby given that the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) Division of Surface Water (DSW) has received an application for, and has begun to consider whether to issue or deny, a Clean Water Act

Section 401 water quality certification for a project to construct a new bridge carrying Butternut Road across the Chagrin River. The application was submitted by Geauga County Engineers Office. The project is located at Butternut Road, Munson, OH, 44024. The Buffalo District Corps of Engineers Public Notice Number for this project is LRB-2021-00673. The Ohio EPA ID Number for this project is 249156A.

Discharges from the activity, if approved, would result in degradation to, or lowering of, the water quality of two wetlands and the Chagrin River. Ohio EPA will review the application, and decide whether to grant or deny the certification, in accordance with OAC Chapters 3745-1 and 3745-32. In accordance with OAC rule 3745-1-05, an antidegradation review of the application will be conducted before deciding whether to allow a lowering of water quality. No exclusions or waivers, as outlined by OAC rule 3745-1-05, apply or may be granted.

Starting March 28, 2024, copies of the application and technical support information may be inspected on Ohio EPA-DSW website: https://epa.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/epa/divisions-and-offices/surface-water/permitting/ water-quality-certification-and-isolated-wetland-permits

Ohio EPA will hold a public information session and public hearing relative to issues of lower water quality on May 22nd, 2024, at 6:00 p.m. at Geauga Co. Library West Branch, 13455 Chillicothe Rd, Chesterland, OH 44026. The public hearing will end when all interested parties have had an opportunity to provide testimony related to the project.

All interested persons are entitled to attend or be represented and give written or oral comments on the proposed project. The purpose of the hearing is to obtain additional information that will be considered by Ohio EPA prior to any further action on the application. Ohio EPA will continue to accept written comments on the application through the close of business on May 29th, 2024. Comments received after this date may not be considered as part of the official record of the hearing. Anyone may submit written comments or requests to be placed on a mailing list for information by email to epa.dswcomments@epa.ohio.gov or writing to: Ohio EPA-DSW, Attention: Permits Processing Unit, P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216-1049.

To request a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, visit: https://epa.ohio.gov/ada.

Mar28, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

The Asphalt Resurfacing of Various Roads Chester Township, Geauga County, Ohio Bids will be received by the Chester Township Board of Trustees digitally via Bid Express® or in a sealed envelope at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024 by 10:00 AM local time on April 12, 2024 and read publicly thereafter at the

above address.

The bid shall be let upon a unit price basis. The estimated cost for this project is $1,400,000.00. Proposal, plans, and specifications may be obtained from the following website: https:// www.bidexpress.com/. Bidders and subcontractors can view and download information free of charge. All digital Bidders must register with Bid Express® (allow time for processing).

Submission of a digital bid requires a fee paid directly to Bid Express®. This fee is charged on a per bid or monthly basis. Paper bid documents are also available free of charge at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024.

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 153, the bid must be accompanied by an original sealed document (uploaded for digital bids) in the form of a bond for the full amount of the bid (100%). Otherwise, each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or letter of credit in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid amount pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1305. All digital Bidders must submit original documents within three (3) business days of the bid opening.

All contractors and subcontractors involved with the project will, to the extent practicable, use Ohio products, materials, services, and labor in the implementation of their project. Bidders must comply with the prevailing wage rates on Public Improvements as determined by the Ohio Department of Commerce.

Bids may be held by the Chester Township Board of Trustees for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from the date of opening, for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding the contract. The Chester Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informalities or irregularities in the bids received, and to accept any bid or bids which are deemed most favorable to the Board at the time and under conditions stipulated, all in accord with the applicable provisions of laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Chester Township Board of Trustees.

This legal notice is posted at the following website: https://www.geaugacountyengineer. org/projects-bids/legal-notices/.

BY THE ORDER OF THE CHESTER

TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Patricia Jarrett, Fiscal Officer Mar28, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Village of Middlefield Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Village of Middlefield Planning and Zoning Commission on Tuesday, April 9, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Middlefield Municipal Center, 14860 North State Street, Middlefield, Ohio.

1) To hear a request filed by Ron Weich of 15853 Grove Street, located in an R-2 Two Family Residential zoning district, for a variance from section 1155.04(b) for a proposed accessory detached garage twenty-eight feet (28’ - 0”) in height, where 15’-0” is permitted. All interested persons are encouraged to make public comment concerning this variance request at the hearing provided.

Leslie

McCoy, Village Administrator Mar28, 2024

The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office March 15 to March 21, 2024.

ANIMAL PROBLEM

March 15

7:52 p.m., Mentor Road, Chardon. Neighbor's dogs came on to her property and killed two of her turkeys. The dogs coming on her property is an on-going issue. Caller wants to make a report. Neighbor lives directly next door. Dog Warden paged. Dog Warden spoke with the complainant over the phone and the incident will be handled tomorrow.

March 16

10 a.m., Munn Road, Auburn Community Park, Auburn. Her dog was attacked by three other black and white herding dogs. Doesn't think her dog is injured. Complainant advised that three dogs were off leash and attacked her dog. Her dog did not have any injuries. Complainant was given a injury report number and advised to notify the Dog Warden.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

March 15

6:31 a.m., Forest Road, Claridon. Caller states he'd like an escort to this address to remove a couch that belongs to him. Caller and his girlfriend had a fight about 45 minutes ago. Caller states she punched him in the face and kicked him out. Caller states he does not want to pursue charges for domestic. Both parties made allegations towards the other. Information was gathered and a report will be forwarded to the police prosecutor.

PROPERTY DAMAGE

March 16

1:51 a.m., South State Avenue, Middlefield. Downstairs neighbor damaging her vehicle. Have it on camera: male hitting her car with a shovel. Doesn't know males name or his address but can describe location of his unit to officer when they arrive. See report.

SUSPICIOUS

March 15

9:44 p.m., Kile Road, Claridon. Truck parked out front for a while. Truck went into neighbor's driveway. Caller and friend went to confront the driver. Caller and friends had guns. Guy in truck started yelling and saying he was a cop and was able to park there. Vehicle was gone upon arrival. Provided advice to the callers. Unable to locate the vehicle in the area.

March 19

5:02 p.m., Old State Road, Hambden. Just got home and noticed that someone had shot my mailbox. The bullet went right through the mailbox. It had to of occurred sometime between yesterday and today.

Our house is pretty far off the roadway, haven't noticed any damage to the house and my mother who was home is also OK. Deputy checked the mailbox and observed a entry and exit on both sides of the mailbox consistent of a bullet hole from possibly .45 cal pistol.

March 21

1:08 p.m. Eden Park Drive, Chardon. Would like to speak to a deputy about a suspicious package she got through Fedex. Complainant advised she received her Target order, but other items were inside that she did not order. Complainant was worried about the bag of compress face towel tabs that look like drugs. K9 Rotar was deployed around the items and showed interest, but did not provide a final response. Complainant requested the Sheriff's Office take the tabs and dispose of them. Item collected, advice given. Cleared.

March 21

1:55 p.m., Old State Road, Middlefield. Female in the lobby of Sheriff's Office to report that she believes her husband is poisoning her. Female advised the incident ocurred in Indiana. Advice given.

THEFT

March 15

3:15 p.m., GAR Highway, Hambden. Has on camera a female coming into the yard and called dog over and picked the dog up and left. She drove away in a white SUV. The dog;s name is Charlie Asked (Shitzu) to no block driveway (Child coming home shortly). Passerby saw caller's dog out in the yard and believed it was a stray; he stopped and picked it up and brought it to a vet to check for a chip. Upon Deputy arrival, the female arrived on scene and advised she was unable to get anyone to come to the door so she assumed the dog got out. Owner and dog reunited and female was sent on her way. Complainant did not want charges.

March 17

9:27 a.m., Hobart Road, Parkman. Firestick stolen out of package. Complainant advised she does not know if anything was taken, she further advised all of her orders have been delivered. Advised complainant to contact Amazon for further info.

TRAFFIC CRASH

March 20

1:01 p.m., Aquilla Road, Burton. White jeep Cherokee looks like she ran into an outdoor shed called in by passerby and states it's the homeowner. Caller states she is still in the car and it looks like a few thousand dollars worth of damage. Homeowner and husband are going through a disagreement. Homeowner drove her car into their shed and drove the car into the yard where it became stuck. Homeowner's sister arrived and will take the homeowner to her home, and stay with her.

AUTOS & PARTS

2013 Ram 4x4: remote start, 5.1L HEMI, quad cab, 6.5’ bed, tonneau, Big Horn, hitch, bluetooth, 126,000 miles, recent brakes, tires, oil; $12,999/OBO. 440487-5494.

FOR RENT

4BR Ranch, Chesterland. Remodeled and updated. References. 1st, last, and security deposit; $1,250/month. 440-247-5597.

Warehouse or storage building: Washington St. near Rt. 44 in Auburn. 32X56, 12X12 overhead door, concrete floor, electric, and additional parking. $725/month. 12-month lease. 440-552-0228.

Chagrin Falls: 1BR with garage, heat, water, cable, pool. In a nice area. $1,000/mo. Available 4/1/24. 234380-3491.

Office Space in Chardon: second floor, Main Street, approx. 535 square feet. $600/month, includes HVAC and water. Call 440-285-2247.

FOR SALE

Lesco Commercial Lawn Aerator, self propelled, 24” wide, 42 tines, roller, Honda engine; $1,500. 440376-8733.

Bicycle: Classic English Racer 25.5” frame by famed English frame builder Colin Laing, Campy equipped, 1970 vintage, like-new condition, really!!! $800. 440548-2414.

2017 Kubota Riding Mower: T2080 20-HP 42” deck, well maintained, maintenance by Kubota every year, immaculate condition; $1,8000/OBO. 440-668-4773.

Meyers Snow Plow: with lights and wire harness, $700.

Snow Tires: Four(4), like new, with heavy duty aluminum Chevy rims, P245/75R16, $400. 440-622-9201.

John Deere Lawn Tractor: Model 314, 14-HP, hydraulic 3-blade 46” cutting deck, w/snow plow and trailer; $1,200. 440-564-1172.

Taking orders for fresh brown eggs. 440-313-1804. Century 230 watt stick wedler, $150. PowerMate 6200 watt generator, $400/OBO. 440-272-5736.

2012 Toro, AC start, two-stage snow blower, 205cc Briggs & Straton, 22” cut, EC; $450/OBO.

Firewood: Seasoned Hardwood. Average length 17”. Free delivery within 10 miles of Chardon. 4’x8’x17” $120. Fresh cut firewood discounted now. 440-6875404.

Solid Cherry Corner Desk: like new, 78” tall, 48” depth, 64” wide, paid $2,250, asking $1,480/OBO. Antique French round marble table w/4 chairs, $1,600/OBO. 440-338-3563.

HELP WANTED

Caregiver Needed: for bed ridden senior citizen in Chesterland. Part time hours, flexible, days or nights. May become full time. Work references required. 440-3390519.

Housekeeper: 16 hrs per week for bachelor in a large house on a 40-acre estate, Chardon area, flexible days and hours, must have own transportation, call Roger at 216-798-2633.

Normandy Products in Middlefield has immediate openings on all shifts for Press Operators, Material Handlers, Mold Setters, and Process Technicians. Our highly competitive pay rates start at $17/hour for Press Operators with and additional $1/hour for 2nd and 3rd shift. We offer a complete benefits package including paid vacation and sick time in your first year. We are safety focused, and provide on the job training. Apply now at jobs.crh.com.

PETS & ANIMALS

Sammy needs an indoor home! Large, handsome, black & white 6-yr old cat. Very sweet. Loves being petted & brushed. Neutered, vaccinated. Rebecca 440321-2485.

Black and White Bunnies for sale. 440-632-9651.

Wanted to purchase: Twelve(12) 4-H Feeder Pigs. Please call 440-636-5747.

For Sale: Miniature Poodle Puppies: a variety of colors, had shots and dewormer, 1-year health guarantee; $400/each. 440-313-3542.

MISCELLANEOUS

FREE fact: lots of kids are buying marijuana at licensed marijuana dispensaries across the U.S. It’s illegal! Want one near you?

REAL ESTATE

$79.9k .34 acre lot, a part of sought-after Lake Lucerne. Gas, Electric, Sanitary Sewer, Well Water all available. Listed on Zillow. 440-596-2608.

SERVICES

Albert’s complete tree service, land clearing, firewood, excavation and sewer work. 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. Retired man looking for a few lawns to mow. References and insured. 440-635-1901.

Newbury Cares Inc (non-profit domestic corporation) serving Newbury township residents, will offer a $1,000 scholarship for post high school graduates this year. Details to follow.

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.

Offering special discounts for interior and exterior painting and staining. 20+ years experience. Professional and insured. Call Dan 440-342-4552.

WANTED TO BUY

4-wheelers, 3-wheelers, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, go-carts, golf carts, gators, farm tractors/equipment, trailers, riding mowers, snowplows. Paying cash. 440-413-3119. Old fishing tackle wanted: fishing lures (wood or plastic), mouse to bear traps, wooden duck decoys. Call Lee 440-313-8331.

Buying all Stanley Bailey planes and machinist tools. Call Karl at 440-812-3392.