Geauga County Maple Leaf 9-26-2024

Chardon Library Announces

Future Site of New Branch

By amy patteRSon amy@kaRlovecmedia com

The Geauga County Public Library has found a new site on Park Avenue for its Chardon branch and hopes to close on a purchase agreement for a portion of property owned by Bridle Downs, LLC by the end of October.

Last year, GCPL announced it would no longer be feasible to have a branch on Chardon Square, as necessary upgrades would push the building past its property line into land owned by Chardon Schools.

See Site• Page 5

Plank Road Tavern Fire Causes Significant Damage

Staff RepoRt

Sixteen fire departments responded to a fire at the Plank Road Tavern in Montville Sept. 17 that caused significant damage.

The call for the fire came in at 4:09 am., with Montville Township Fire Department arriving on scene at 4:18 a.m., Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Briskey said in a phone call Sept. 20.

The fire caused state Route 6 to be temporarily closed, with the Ohio Department of Transportation being called in to help.

Briskey confirmed it is still unknown if the building will be considered a total loss, or what the estimated damages are.

“It’s still … under investigation with the Geauga County Fire Investigation Unit and the state fire marshal,” he said.

How Do You Like Them Pumpkins?

Rose to Display Giants at Huntsburg Festival

By ann WiShaRt ann@kaRlovecmedia com

Geauga County’s pumpkin king, Jerry Rose Jr., returned to his Huntsburg Township farm late Sept. 22 with the fruits of his labor in tow — a 1,201.5-pound pumpkin.

The pumpkin earned third place at the Great Pumpkin Commonwealth Weigh-Off at Robert’s Family Farm near Gaston, Ky., over the weekend.

His son, Jerry Rose III, of Huntsburg, brought home a fourth-

place ribbon for a 1,149-pound pumpkin that was also voted the prettiest pumpkin in the weigh-off patch, his dad said.

“This was his first year growing by himself,” Rose said Sept. 23.

The third-place pumpkin is his “smallest” giant pumpkin this growing season, he said.

Rose’s pumpkins will be on display at the annual Huntsburg Pumpkin Festival Oct. 5 and 6. Admission is free for the event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.

A hearty pancake breakfast, served from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., will kick off both days’ festivities, which include a parade, car show, craft show and pumpkin run (four miles) or walk (one mile), according to the festival’s web site.

Breakfast will be held in the basement of the town hall at the in tersection of state routes 322 and 528. All-you-can-eat buttermilk and pumpkin pancakes are served with sausage and the real maple syrup is made right in Huntsburg.

Cost is $10 for adults, $5 for chil-

dren ages 5-12 and children under 5 eat free with a purchasing adult. Breakfast is cash only. For more information, visit www. huntsburgpumpkinfestival.com.

West G Taps Benincasa as Next Superintendent

Residents Question Process, Due Diligence

By alliSon WilSon WilSon@kaRlovecmedia

com

Despite audience concerns about process and fiduciary responsibility, West Geauga Schools Board of Education voted 4-1 Sept. 23 to hire Nancy Benincasa as successor to Superintendent Richard Markwardt.

In August, Markwardt announced his decision to retire at the end of his contract next summer.

Benincasa, who currently serves as the district’s assistant superintendent, will be stepping into the role at the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

West Geauga parent Steve Goden questioned the district’s

decision to fill the position internally.

“Having sat on numer ous corporate boards over the past 30 years, whenever those organizations faced leadership changes, those boards always conducted comprehensive searches and selected the best candidate,” Goden said. “My perception, which may not be correct, is that that has

not been the case with Dr. Markwardt’s upcoming retirement at the conclusion of the school year.”

Goden told the board if a search had been conducted, they should disclose the facts surrounding it and their reasoning.

Board action without a thorough and comprehensive search

See Benincasa • Page 4

Benincasa

SUBMITTED

The fire at the Plank Road Tavern in Montville Township Sept. 17 that caused significant damage to the building remains under investigation.

Parkman Township

Security to Be Stepped Up for Gazebo, Bell

By ann WiShaRt ann@kaRlovecmedia com

Parkman Township’s gazebo and the old school bell hung under it will soon be repaired and security enhanced after both were recently vandalized.

Parkman Township Trustee Joyce Peters said during the trustees’ Sept. 17 meeting she met with Tim Yoder, who hung the bell from an aluminum frame this summer.

The bell and the frame were vandalized last month, possibly by individuals who loiter on the township square and charge their phones using the electrical outlets there, she said at the Sept. 3 meeting.

Yoder recently checked the stability of the rods holding the bell up and told Peters they might have to be replaced, but that is not all that needs to be repaired.

“The posts are not stable — that was his biggest concern,” she said, adding the frame may have to be taken out and reset before it

is safe to rehang the bell that came from the Parkman school building.

Also, the solid aluminum frame is powder-coated and Yoder wasn’t sure if he could fix the scratches in the paint, Peters said, adding Yoder will provide the trustees with an estimate of cost so she can turn the vandalism in to the insurance company.

“He was very disturbed because those guys took a lot of pride in that project,” Peters said, referring to the workmen the township hired for the job.

Although the idea of aiming security cameras at the gazebo was dismissed earlier, she said Radioactive told her they can use the WiFi from the road garage and install cameras so the gazebo can be secured.

Peters said the cost is worth it.

“$3,511.60 is a lot better than the $22,000 it cost us (to install cameras) at the park,” she said. “It’s a shame we have to have cameras at the gazebo.”

Resident John Augustine recommended

Kenston Schools

hanging the bell in the community house where it would be safer, but a straw poll of the trustees showed no interest in that option.

Trustees also discussed decreasing collection of a road levy to mitigate the tax burden on residents caused by recent property revaluation and tax increases. Trustees mitigated the road levy last year, but decided not to do so this year.

“We really could use that $40,000 for our roads because that’s where we took it off,”

Trustee Lance Portman said. “How many townships are going to be mitigating this year?”

By cutting the road levy, residents saved between $12 and $53 per year, depending on their home valuation, he said.

“That’s like nothing. It’s better to use it for the roads,” said Trustee Henry Duchscherer.

Peters said she’ll find out more and trustees could make a decision at the Oct. 1 meeting.

Student Committee to Combat Racism Starts Strong

By alliSon WilSon WilSon@kaRlovecmedia com

Kenston Schools Superintendent Bruce Willingham provided an update on the ongoing efforts the district is taking to combat racism Sept. 16.

“I spent a lot of time last month just kinda talking about what we were doing as a district and how we were going to begin building upon this,” Willingham said during the Kenston Schools Board of Education meeting. “We had some eloquent students here at the last board meeting and we had talked about putting together a student voice committee at the high school.”

Willingham said 28 students attended the first committee meeting at the high school.

“(Assistant Superintendent Kathleen Poe) and I got to sit with (High School Principal Tom Gabram) and the kids in this room and just start talking a little bit,” he said. “They’ve got some great ideas. They’ve got some great direction on things that they wanna tackle.”

For change to happen, the students must be the ones leading the charge, something that was emphasized to them at the meeting, Willingham said.

“They were a little all over the place with some different ideas, but that’s a great first

meeting,” he said.

Willingham suggested the students approach the issue in a way similar to strategic planning — start by brainstorming a lot of ideas, then pare them down.

“We’ve really focused on juniors and seniors at this point to start and then we’ve asked them to go back and get some other friends and some other students who want to be a part of it, begin recruiting,” he said. “Then, the next step is really bringing the group together and beginning to pare down the direction they wanna go.”

He added, “I’m really proud of them, it was really a great meeting.”

Willingham also took time to address four common questions the district has received regarding an upcoming permanent improvement levy, which is set to be on the ballot in November.

“The first one is about the new weight room. More than anything else, people wanna know, ‘Why do you need a PI levy if you’re building a weight room?’” he said.

The weight room was a donation and did not cost Kenston any money, Willingham saisd.

“The second one, obviously, in light of the shooting that took place in Georgia, safety and security have been high on everyone’s priority,” he continued, referencing the Sept. 4 mass shooting at Apalachee High School.

Safety and security are things that can be addressed with PI funds, he said.

“ZeroEyes has been a very big thing that we’ve all been looking at recently. We’ve done demos of it, we’re getting quotes of that now,” he said, noting the school’s cameras have been checked to see if they can handle it.

ZeroEyes is an AI software that can detect firearms and will notify local authorities of them, he explained.

The Ohio Safety Team was present the same day the district did their ZeroEyes demo and reviewed safety plans, the superintendent added. They are currently planning a walk around campus.

Inflation has also been a concerns.

“While we understand that any ask for our community is a huge ask, when we look at food service and just the increase in commodities, and we look at transportation especially, we look at (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), those things have gone up exponentially,” Willingham said.

Specific examples of rising costs are available on the levy FAQ, which can be found on the district’s website under “Levy Facts/Finance,” he said.

Residents also asked whether PI money can be used for playground equipment, to which Willingham provided an affirmative.

Community Meetings

Listed are public meetings and executive sessions in the county for the coming week, unless 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: Sept. 26, 9:30 a.m., Board of County Commissioners (moved from Sept. 24 due to Perry Nuclear Power Plant drill); Oct. 1, 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. Burton Township: Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Town-

ship Administration building, 14821 Rapids Road, unless otherwise noted.

Chardon Township: Oct. 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, unless noted.

Chester Township: Oct. 2, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; Oct. 3, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Hambden Township: Oct. 2, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 13887 GAR Highway, unless noted.

Huntsburg Township: Oct. 1, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Town Hall, 16534 Mayfield Road.

Montville Township: Sept. 26, 7:30 p.m., Zoning Commission; Oct. 1, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Montville Community

Center, 9755 Madison Road, unless noted. Newbury Township: Oct. 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road, unless noted.

Parkman Township: Oct. 1, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Community House, 16295 Main Market Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell Township: Oct. 3, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Russell Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Thompson Township: Oct. 2, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All trustees meeting will be at Town Hall at 6741 Madison Road.

Troy Township: Oct. 1, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees; Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, unless noted.

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Auburn Teachers’ Union Requests Lien on District

School Attorney Vows to Continue Appeals Process

By amy patteRSon amy@kaRlovecmedia com

Through their attorney, Jeff Geisinger, Auburn Career Center staff requested a lien be placed on the school for almost $1.5 million — an amount Lake County Court of Common Pleas Judge Patrick Condon has ruled the school must pay after a 13-year court battle.

ACC’s attorney, Matt Markling, said the school will appeal Condon’s ruling, based on a November 2023 order in which Condon said the school must pay the balance to two dozen teachers, “less governmental withholding and the stipulated amounts owed” to the State Teachers Retirement System.

“As Auburn believes that this order is in error, Auburn timely requested that the Ohio Supreme Court review this order,” Markling said in an email Sept. 23. “To date, the Ohio Supreme Court has not issued any decision on Auburn’s request.”

In a phone interview Sept. 20, Geising-

Benincasa

from page 1

would be an abdication of their fiduciary responsibility, he said.

“By no means does this imply that Dr. Benincasa isn’t the best person to lead our district after Dr. Markwardt retires,” Goden added. “Dr. Benincasa may very well be the best candidate. But none of us know that unless a comprehensive search process has been conducted.”

Parent Hannah Harris shared similar concerns, asking the board to make sure they were doing what is best for the community and students.

“I also don’t know whether or not the candidate is the best one for the job. But, I’m not sure that you do either,” she said.

When it came time for the board to vote on the resolution, each member commented about their decision.

Board member Bill Beers said when hiring superintendents, the primary areas the board looks at are the person’s academic rig-

er said the school is appealing the ruling because of a disagreement over whether the payout — which is meant to fulfill a contractual obligation for teachers who (worked through their planning periods) — should include the school’s 14% contribution to STRS.

That issue was settled multiple times over the course of the legal case, including in a joint stipulation filed in March 2021 in Condon’s court, Geisinger said. That document shows both parties agreed on the dollar amounts owed to teachers, which had accumulated between the 2011-12 and 2021-21 school years, and the amounts would be paid to teachers in addition to the school’s contribution to the STRS.

“(T)he parties agree that Exhibit A contains the total amount of damages that the board owes to each member for those years and the total amounts that are to be remitted to the (STRS) on behalf of each member for those years with the exception that any damages owed by the board shall continue to accrue through the date of final judgment and,

or and ability to assemble, lead and work with a team.

As Benincasa has been with the school district for over 10 years, the board has had the chance to see her performance first hand in many different situations, Beers said.

“She has been integral in moving and guiding our district to a top 10 ranking three times in the last three years, (and) has demonstrated the ability to find, hire and grow others in the district,” Beers said. “It’s for those reasons that I think it’s important that we hire Dr. Benincasa as our next super intendent.”

Board member Kathy Leavenworth, pre vious president of the Ohio School Boards Association and long time board member, noted she has worked across the state with numerous districts and that there is no set procedure for how schools select administra tors.

Hiring without a search is also not un precedented, she said, recalling a previous high school principal the district had con sidered to be such an outstanding candidate, they hired him without a search.

accordingly, payment of the 2020-2021 school year amounts shall be prorated through the date of final judgment, including amounts due to STRS,” the 2021 joint stipulation says.

Geisinger said the court had already determined how the school should pay STRS.

“Everything that’s happened in the last year is completely unreasonable and completely illegitimate on the part of the board,” he said.

In their opinion issued in May, three members of the eleventh district — presiding Judge Eugene Lucci and judges Matt Lynch and Robert Patton — told the board its motion to once again appeal the ruling ordering it to pay was overruled.

“As emphasized in previous judgments, this matter has been lingering for too long. Despite the board's dissatisfaction, the issues in this litigation have been fully and finally resolved. The Supreme Court of Ohio has declined jurisdiction over the board's attempt at a discretionary appeal and there is nothing in the record or in the law to support the filings adjudicated in this judgment

entry,” Lucci wrote.

However, Markling said the school is still awaiting another appeal before the Ohio Supreme Court.

Additionally, Markling objected to an attempt by the Career and Technical Association – the teachers’ union – last week to place a lien against Auburn’s property.

“To be clear, CATA never should have requested a lien in the first place, as such a lien is in violation of the law,” he said. “As a result, Auburn will oppose this request.”

Geisinger said the union did not want to have to file a lien against a public school.

“You typically don’t do a lien against a governmental entity — they generally have immunity from execution on judgments, but there are some exceptions to when you can,” he said, adding this is uncharted territory.

“We’re really hoping that the district complies with the court order. That’s what we expected the whole time, that a government entity would comply with a lawful court order,” he said. “We thought this was over the last time we finished that line of appeals.”

Leavenworth said Ohio’s school community knows people who have worked a long time in a position.

“I can assure you that our assistant superintendent … has that respect and has that elevation within the state,” she said.

Board member Mary-Michelle Coleman Walsh also emphasized Benincasa’s respect outside the district.

“Every district that I talk to thinks of her so very highly and as a person who does have children in this district, I would not want anyone leading my children’s academic future other than Dr. Benincasa,” she said.

Pam Claypool — who casted the sole dissenting vote — believed the district would have benefited from conducting a search.

“I am going to be voting no, but I want to make a couple points,” she said. “First of all, it does not diminish my support for Dr. Benincasa. I don’t have the experience (the rest of the board has), but in the short tenure that I have had here, I’ve been impressed with her work.”

She later added, “I just come from a different view and I thought that the process should have included a search.”

Board President Christina Sherwood not-

ties before bringing them on full time.

“Dr. Benincasa has been here in a fulltime capacity and we have had the absolute privilege of watching her work and learn alongside and with a team of administrators, a team of teachers who were a little bit skeptical when she first came in and started doing her thing,” she said. “And at that time, we were 133 in the state.”

Transitions can be difficult, Sherwood added.

“This is one way that this board can successfully mitigate any stress in the transition, not just for our students, who are at the primary focus of our concern, but also our staff,” she said. “This sends a message that we are confident and we appreciate the work and support the work that Dr. Benincasa has done and will continue to do for this district.”

Outside searches would have been fruitless, Sherwood said.

“Nobody would be able to perform as well as she has already, for the last 12 years, and it just felt unnecessary in my opinion,” she said.

Benincasa expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the district.

“I am proud to represent West Geauga

as being so much larger than me,” Benincasa said following the vote. “I am one person representing a great big community.”

Benincasa said she has benefited from Markwardt’s mentoring and is committed to making the community proud.

“Even if I don’t have your support perhaps today, I hope that through the continued work of this team of people and my staff and our students, that we will earn your respect and your trust as we move forward,” she said.

Though he was not involved in the hiring process, Markwardt was in favor of Benincasa as his successor.

“As I look over my time in education, I have had a direct role supervising and training probably 13 individuals who have gone on to be assistant superintendents or superintendents in Ohio,” Markwardt said.

Of that roster, two stand out as incredibly strong, one of those two being Benincasa, he said.

“One of the things that I see as valuable in a person is not only how well they do the job they’re assigned, but how well they can go beyond the job description and fulfill other responsibilities. And she does that,” he said, adding if she ever needs his advice, he will be a phone call away.

South Russell Village

Officials Express Concerns about Proposed Bike Path

By SheRRy Gavanditti editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

Two South Russell Village residents who recently proposed creating a mayor’s committee for safe bicycle, pedestrian and transport were met with some pushback and concerns about structure Sept. 23.

Kelly Estes and Carrie Schloss appeared before South Russell Village Council Monday to talk about the committee’s objectives and gauge support.

Estes mentioned hearing from the community that there was not a lot of council support for the committee and reiterated its objectives were to engage and learn from the community about safe bicycle and pedestrian needs; make recommendations to village council on the selection of bicycle and pedestrian projects; work with staff to promote bicycling and walking in safe and healthy modes of transportation, including safe routes to schools; and assist staff in the planning and maintenance of bicycle and

Site

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When Chardon Schools Board of Education rejected a sale of that land — which is used as play space for children at Park Elementary School — last October, GCPL Director Kris Carroll said the branch could move to a new location.

In an interview Sept. 20, Carroll said both the GCPL board and the property owners had signed a $1.2 million purchase agreement, which she said was a good deal for the library.

GCPL is working with the seller and the city to split 20 acres off of the existing 26-acre lot.

The remaining acreage contains one dwelling, which the Geauga County Auditor’s Office lists at 5,682 square feet.

“It became clear we did not want to purchase houses and then become quasi realtors — that’s not our expertise,” Carroll said.

Although new townhomes are scheduled to go up on a site to the east of their spot on Park Avenue, Carroll said the sellers felt strongly they did not want their land developed for homes.

“That’s one of the reasons they were happy to work with us,” she said. “We’re a government agency, we’re a library, we serve everybody. We were sort of what they were looking for in a buyer.”

Carroll said the property, which sits across the street from a trailhead and parking lot that accesses the Maple Highlands trail, can be used in future partnerships with the city or with local parks.

However, no longer having a GCPL branch on the square will be “bittersweet,” Carroll said.

“For many years, (the library branch has) been a central part of the town square,” she said. “We explored every possible avenue to remain there, from partnering with different people to buying private homes — I can’t think of anything that we didn’t explore. Eventually, we had to make a decision to move forward.”

GCPL has set up a special website, at geaugalibrary.net/chardon-branch-news, for updates about the planned new branch.

The new building will include modern amenities, enhanced meeting spaces, improved accessibility, dedicated quiet spaces,

pedestrian facilities in the village.

“We’re hoping to meet monthly on the last Friday of the month and would love to use this space, (council chamber) and advertise in the village newsletter,” Estes said.

After some discussion, Mayor Bill Koons stopped an ordinance from being written that would officially endorse the committee, citing concerns about whether the committee would have a council representative — making it an ad hoc committee that could use the village hall, newsletter and village council meetings to disseminate information, which would add cost to the village — or whether it would be an independent committee.

“I just want to make sure we are comfortable operating under the village’s guidelines,” Koons said. “I don’t think we’ve got an issue at all. I don’t like to spring things on council. I think I’d rather take my time.”

Council member Dennis Galicki said the Ohio Revised Code has some “pretty strict guidelines about paths, including the width

and the buffer zone of paths.”

“Be advised that when you are talking about people’s private property, that these paths will go through, there will be some concerns about that, and in large extent, the way that many laws are written now is that sidewalks and paths, sidewalks especially, are basically funded from the property owner and they are assessed accordingly,’ he told Estes and Schloss. “So, just be advised as you go forward there are going to be some big issues that have some big impact on the community because many people who don’t have to pay for them support them, and many people who have to pay for them are not so excited.”

Council member and chair of the village parks committee Ruth Cavanagh said the village worked hard to get a bike path put in in 1992 and “at the final bell, it tanked.”

She said she believes there is support for the committee, but she wasn’t sure how the group planned to make crossing Bell Road safe with the volume of traffic, or how the

routes would get financed and maintained.

Galicki added taking up to 15 feet from a property owner’s front yard to make a public path may cause a lot of pushback from property owners.

“Getting it done financially and making everybody at least moderately happy is very tough,” Cavanagh added.

Galicki said a bike path on one or both sides of Bell Road would also encompass covering up the ditches and piping them, which would become a stormwater issue because ditches have a better capacity to carry water than pipes.

He speculated every homeowner, especially those downstream, would be impacted.

“I’m not being negative and it’s a great idea, but there are practicalities that have to be addressed,” he said.

Schloss said the group has many members who are savvy in “looking for public options and finding funding.”

The mayor said they would continue the discussion Oct. 14.

The Geauga County Public Library has negotiated a $1.2 million deal for a 20-acre portion of a 26-acre lot on

improved and expanded parking, expanded early learning spaces and improved local history services, the site said.

Carroll said as the process is just beginning, the timeline is hard to predict.

However, a conservative estimate is the new building could open in 2027 — if everything with the sale, design and construction phases goes smoothly.

In 2017, voters approved a $24 million bond issue for GCPL to remodel and build facilities. Carroll said the library put aside some bond money — which was used for projects in Middlefield, Bainbridge and Thompson — to pay for the Chardon branch, but it will not cover the entire cost.

“We have been saving money since (2017) to do this,” Carroll said. “So, we are doing

this with the expectation that we will not be asking the taxpayers for more capital funds.” Carroll said the library is excited to be a part of Chardon’s growth.

“Every time I drive through Chardon — multiple times a week — I see something new,” she said. “I think it is a really exciting time in Chardon and it’s great that the library gets to be a part of that.”

VIA CITY OF CHARDON

Park Avenue in Chardon.

Troy Township in Need of Road Safety Signs

By alliSon WilSon WilSon@kaRlovecmedia com

Troy Township may be gaining new safety signs in the coming future, with Trustee Len Barcikoski bringing up a grant he had been looking at to road contractor Bob Humr at the Sept. 17 trustees meeting.

“I was reading that there was a grant available for safety signs. How are our signs doing?” Barcikoski asked.

The township could use more “road closed” signs, Humr responded.

Barcikoski asked him to draft a list of signs and how many are needed, noting the grant includes “poles, mounting, the whole works.”

Humr asked if the grant could be used for the fire department, too, noting they could use more “road closed” signs.

“The last storm we had — I mean granted, it was a big one — but, we didn’t have near enough signage. I used all mine, they used all theirs,” Humr said. “I mean, we didn’t have

anything else to put up.”

Barcikoski said he believed the grant can be used either way.

There are two grants, Interim Fire Chief Nick Bushek said — a $2,000 one for safety equipment and a $1,000 one for signs.

Barcikoski said he believed Bushek was referencing a different grant because the one he had been looking at does not reference a specific amount.

In other news, dumping of garbage in the township’s dumpster has proved a nuisance.

“I took the couch and stuff that was here out,” Humr said. “But, it just seems like it keeps coming back.”

Trustee Sharon Simms noted the problem is likely why several other townships have gotten rid of their trash facilities, a sentiment Humr agreed with.

“It gets to a point it gets to be a pain,” he said.

Barcikoski pointed out it may not even be Troy residents doing the dumping.

“I know Parkman (Township) proved it

Gino Notarian Sentenced To 5 Years Probation

By ann WiShaRt ann@kaRlovecmedia com

Gino Notarian, 90, of Chardon, was sentenced to five years of community control Sept. 18 for his part in laundering $1.8 million from his brother’s estate, a third-degree felony.

Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Carolyn Paschke also sentenced Notarian to 21 days in the Geauga County Safety Center, for which he received credit for time served, according to the court case details.

Five other counts against Notarian were dismissed, including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, a first-degree felony; theft from a person in a protected class, a first-degree felony; receiving stolen property, a third-degree felony and another count of money laundering.

The court agreed to suspend restitution to the estate of Notarian’s brother, Anthony Notarian, until its affairs are resolved. Anthony, known as Tony, passed

away in 2020 after a long illness. He was born in Motta Santa Lucia, Italy, and was a lifelong resident of Chester Township.

Several family members were charged with criminal activities regarding the handling of his estate.

Liana K. Gigliotti, of Middlefield, daughter of Gino and niece of Anthony, was sentenced Aug. 14 to 15 days in jail and five years of community control for her part in the money laundering, a third-degree felony.

Gigliotti’s brother, Joseph Notarian, of Chester Township, was charged with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, theft from a person in a protected class, receiving stolen property and three counts of money laundering. His case is set to go to trial Oct. 1.

A warrant was issued for his arrest Feb. 28, 2023, and he was arraigned March 22, 2023.

Gigliotti’s husband, Agostino Gigliotti, was charged with intimidation of a crime victim, a third-degree felony, and has a trial management conference set for Sept. 23.

wasn’t,” he said. “Parkman proved it was Warren, or non-Parkman residents.”

Parkman has license plate readers and cameras, and has caught people throwing away garbage when they shouldn’t on multiple occasions, Humr said.

“The sheriff comes down and watches the camera, and goes and does what he has to do,” he said.

When asked about non-residents dumping trash, Parkman Road Superintendent Eric Matthews told the Geauga Maple Leaf Sept. 24 that while they have cameras and a license plate reader, he is unaware of where the offenders are from. Three littering tickets were issued by the sheriff last week, he added.

The dumping isn’t limited to township dumpsters only — Humr recalled two mattresses being left on Nash Road.

A member of the audience asked how the ongoing search for a fire chief is going.

Trustee Donn Breckenridge replied there’s another upcoming round of interviews Sept. 30.

Another audience member asked who monitors the township email, saying he sent in a public record’s request about who was in the second round of interviews and didn’t receive a response.

Fiscal Officer Jane Grudowski said the emails go to her, with Breckenridge adding she then sends them to the trustees.

“Jane and I talked about it. You’ll get a response,” Breckenridge said.

The request was sent in before the second round of interviews, the resident said.

Grudowski said she usually gets back with public records quickly, but didn’t have the information he was looking for.

“I want to keep the integrity of this process going forward,” Breckenridge said. “These are not applications, they’re resumes. Resumes are different than applications.”

Breckenridge said he would have to ask each of the applicants if they are okay with certain information on their resumes being put out.

“Some of those resumes can get quite involved, personally,” he said.

North Carolina Fugitive Set for Extradition

Staff RepoRt

Following his Aug. 12 arrest in Geauga County, North Carolina fugitive Matthew Dolan is set to be ex tradited back to his former state with a governor’s warrant for his extradition fi nally issued.

Dolan — who is facing charges of first-degree murder, first-degree arson and cruelty to animals — appeared before Geauga County Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Stupica via video on Sept. 17.

Originally a habeas corpus hearing was set for the day, something Stupica noted there was no jurisdiction for.

“However, we kept this date as yesterday, the state's notice of governor’s warrant was filed with the court,” she said.

Stupica asked Dolan’s attorney, Paul Grant, if he had any challenge to the validity of the warrant. Grant did not.

“Having said the same, either the deputies of North Carolina can come get him, or the Geauga County (Sheriff's Office) can transport him to North Carolina forthwith,” she said.

Per the court docket, Dolan was released to the sheriff for transportation back to North Carolina the same day.

8-Year-Old Drives Self to Target

Staff RepoRt

A missing 8-year-old from Bedford drove herself to the Bainbridge Township Target the morning of Sept. 15, said Bedford police.

Both the girl and her family’s car were reported missing, with family members last seeing her around 7 a.m., according to the police report.

A neighbor provided both family and police with footage from their ring doorbell

showing the girl climbing into the vehicle and driving off, police said, adding they received a call regarding a child driving a vehicle on Rockside Road and the vehicle was later caught on camera on Pettibone Road.

Bainbridge police located the vehicle in the Target parking lot and officers found the child inside the Target, according to the report.

The child said she struck a mailbox while driving. She was brought home safe, Bedford police said in a Facebook post.

Newbury Worker Seriously Injured By SUV While Mowing Cemetery

Staff RepoRt

A 57-year-old Newbury man was seriously injured when a 2021 Ford Explorer struck the lawnmower he was driving around 8:30 a.m. Sept. 18 on Music Street in Newbury Township, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

John Mansfield, 57, was on a riding lawnmower on the south side of Music Street when the eastbound vehicle driven by Bryan M. Batts, 60, of Newbury, struck him, said Sgt. Ryan Purpura, OSHP public information officer, last Wednesday.

The Newbury Volunteer Fire Department transported Mansfield to University Hospi-

tals Geauga Medical Center before he was flown to MetroHealth Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, Purpura said.

The accident is under investigation and no charges have been made, he said.

According to the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office blotter, Batts’ airbag deployed in the crash, but he told emergency medical personnel he was not injured.

Mansfield, a long-time employee of Newbury Township’s service department, works part time mowing the township parks and cemeteries.

Township Trustee Greg Tropf said he would not comment on the accident during last week’s trustees meeting.

Dolan

Senior Health Fair to Host 35 Vendors Oct. 7

By caSSandRa ShofaR caSSandRa@kaRlovecmedia com

Whether to enjoy a mini chair massage, sample healthy eats, or get free screenings, giveaways and information, this year’s Senior Health and Wellness Fair will be robust with vendors and activities for the public.

Held from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Oct. 7 at the Geauga Family YMCA, 12460 Bass Lake Road in Munson Township, this year’s event includes 35 vendors offering health screenings, information, samples, freebies and goods for purchase, said Diane Gorom, active older adult coordinator for the Geauga YMCA.

“As the Geauga YMCA active older adult coordinator, I design programming to help older adults stay active and healthy. This health fair is the perfect way to help me do that,” Gorom said. “The wonderful thing about this event is that so many vendors — also dedicated to senior health and wellness — are doing health screenings, providing information on services, giving free samples and giveaways, and selling items.

“I love that we are able to connect so many seniors to different goods and services around the area all in one day and all in one place. Admission is free and is open to the public,” Gorom added, extending a thank you to Sage’s Apples for donating 300 apples to hand out, and to CCM Rental for donating 25 tables.

Vendors new to the scene include The Olive Scene, which will have samples of different olive oils and balsamic vinegars to try and will offer them for sale.

“They will also sell some gift sets for the upcoming holiday season,” Gorom said.

Mar-Lou Shoes will be bringing a handful of styles to showcase what they have available.

“They specialize in hard-to-fit sizes carrying very small and/or narrow shoes to very large and/or wide shoes,” Gorom said. “They also will explain the orthotics that they sell and how they can help you.”

Haas Healthcare Solutions will have information on navigating the Medicare maze of options and D's B's Honey will be selling raw honey, naturally flavored honey, lip balms and natural soaps, Gorom said.

“Mary Kay will be giving away ‘post-workout’ skincare samples and doing a raffle for

a gift card and an anti-aging pampering session,” Gorom said, adding DoTerra Essential Oils will showcase their essential oils and have some to try out, and Habitat For Humanity will have information on their program that helps seniors stay in their home longer.

“Habitat helps with repairs, ramps, exterior and interior lighting, tub/shower replacements, etc.,” Gorom said.

Services for Independent Living will offer information on their organization, which secures services for the disabled in Lake and Geauga counties, she added.

"I think it's wonderful to see so many vendors all showing or selling their products and offering information about their services,” said Penny Dougherty, 75, of Chardon.

Judy Fox, 78, of Newbury Township, added, "I loved the free mini massages last year. They were so nice."

As in previous years, University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center is partnering with Geauga YMCA to host the event.

“This health fair is just one way to connect and provide resources, education and screenings for older adults,” said Amanda Rowan, a registered nurse at UHGMC. “It’s an event that should not be overlooked. UH Geauga will be providing glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure and bone density screenings, along with preventative risk screenings, and balance and grip screenings. UH clinical pharmacy specialists will also be available to answer questions about medication management, side effects and safe practices.”

Larry Scheps, 81, of Chardon, emphasized the importance of health screenings.

"It is always a good idea to get all the free health screenings done,” he said. “It is important to check those numbers."

Barbara Collier, 90, of Chagrin Falls, said when she went to the health and wellness fair last year, she discovered Alert Care Medical Systems, a life-changer for her.

“I am a widow and live alone,” she said. “After speaking with the Alert Care person at the YMCA health fair, I learned about a watch that I could wear so I can alert someone if I need help. It's so easy and I feel so much safer now. They are local and I wouldn't have known about their company had I not attended the senior health fair at the Geauga YMCA.”

Returning vendors include:

• Chardon Integrated Wellness, which will be offering free mini chair massages;

• Heinens, of Chardon, which will be giving free samples of their "Good For You" superfood snacks and drinks;

• Second Sole, of Lyndhurst, which will be selling discounted popular athletic shoes offering great foot support for exercising, walking and running;

• The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, which will be collecting expired or no-longer-needed medications for disposal and also have info on the latest fraud/scams;

• Captel, which will demonstrate their captioned telephone that shows word-forword captions of everything the caller says. It also displays captions of the messages on an

answering machine;

• Chardon and Chesterland Family Eyecare, which will be providing information on state-of-the-art testing equipment and advanced treatments, as well as giving out free lens cloths and glasses cleaner.

Other vendors in attendance include: Alert Care Medical Systems, Sounds of Life Hearing Center, Your CBD Store, Salty, Ohio Walk-In Showers, Claudia Brown, Esq, Via Raes, Geauga Transit, Dr. Cherie Lechner-Lunato, Geauga Farm Bureau, Care Patrol, Geauga Park District, Avon, Clear Captions, Alzheimer's Association, Geauga County Public Library, Geauga Department on Aging, United Way, Dennis Atkins - Independent Medicare Agent, Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging and CBD Tree.

State Report Cards Showcase Geauga Schools’ Strengths

By amy patteRSon, ann WiShaRt and alliSon WilSon editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

The Ohio Department of Education released its annual district-level report cards for schools across the state Sept. 13, and the data show students are receiving solid, high-ranking education across the county.

Only 68 districts in the state received a five-star rating — three are in, or serve students in, Geauga County.

Of the six schools serving the county, two received five stars in each category, an achievement only 18 districts in the state reached.

The gap closing category — which the ODE uses to measure the reduction in educational gaps for student subgroups such as race, disability or economic disadvantage — earned the highest ranking across all of the county’s schools.

The ODE ranks districts according to a performance index score, which is based on test scores for students in grade three through high school on Ohio’s state tests.

“The performance index score accounts for the level of achievement of every student, not just whether they score a proficient level on the tests. Each test a student takes is assigned an achievement level based on the test score, with higher scores resulting in higher achievement levels,” the ODE said in their official guide to the state report cards, found online at education.ohio.gov.

Each district responded to questions from Geauga County Maple Leaf reporters regarding their performance on the 2023-24 report cards. Their answers below are edited for length and clarity.

Berkshire Schools

Berkshire Schools’ overall three-star rank ing and performance index score of 85.9 place it near the mid dle of the pack in Ohio schools, but a program to provide students with clear pathways to future careers and the ODE’s addition of indicators to the state report card’s careers section gave the district a significant boost in an unrated column this year.

Berkshire Schools Superintendent John Stoddard said the district’s college, career, workforce and military readiness component jumped from 44% last year to 75.2% based on last year’s data.

“That’s a huge increase. Last year, it wasn’t even addressed,” he said in a phone interview Sept. 20.

This time, the ODE was looking for credentials students earned, College Credit Plus credits, apprenticeships and career tech preparation — all items which Berkshire has been emphasizing for the last two years or more. This year, the district went from a three-anda-half-star rating to a four-star rating, exceeding state expectations for students, Stoddard said.

“Our goal is always to set (students) up for success,” he said, adding that other state report card indicators don’t always reflect those efforts.

However, Berkshire also has four-star ratings in gap closing and graduation columns and three stars in achievement, progress and early literacy sections, giving the district a solid overall rating of four stars.

Graduation went from three stars to four

stars since last year with a 95.3% graduation rate, Stoddard said.

Progress in early literacy, a component in which Berkshire received three stars, was slowed while district teachers adjusted to new curriculum materials in math and English language arts, he said.

However, it met the state standards and Stoddard said the district is making progress, little by little.

“We’re not where we want to be,” he said. “We’re constantly trying to make improvements.”

Berkshire is adding more career pathways in collaboration with neighboring Kent State University – Geauga, with a program for students to earn paralegal credits. A program that would provide business experience for high school students is in the works, Stoddard said.

While on one hand, the district wants to improve report card scores, Stoddard said it’s vital to the community that students come

out of high school with opportunities. College is expensive, so those students who are college-bound need as many credits as possible before they have to pay tuition, he said.

Of the 104 students who plan to attend college, the report card found 82 Berkshire students are ready for that challenge.

Cardinal Schools

Cardinal Schools’ annual ODE report card had good news and not-so-good news for the 2023-2024 school year.

The district fell in the lower three-quarters of state rankings, with a performance index score of 82.3.

The good news was the district’s gap-closing score of four stars — exceeding state standards — which was up from one star the year before, said Cardinal Schools Superintendent Jack Cunningham.

Mentioned in the report were improvements in the number of students who passed honors classes and of those who earned credentials from vocational classes. Also, 85.5% of Cardinal students took the ACT in 20232024.

“We’re pretty pumped up,” he said, crediting the professional development program and enhanced instructional efforts staff and administrators have made over the last two years.

“We know, as a district, we are redefining the process,” he said.

When those aspects, which are being continually refined, are implemented, the students benefit, he said.

“We like where we are at. I’m encouraged,” Cunningham said. “Our goal is always to provide the best possible instruction.”

The district’s overall score for all five categories was three stars out of a possible five stars, he said, adding the work done at

from page 8

the high school improved Cardinal’s building category score from three stars to four stars.

The building-level information is not available on the main page of the online report card, but it was a solid plus for the district, he said.

The district fell short overall in the progress category, but there were some bright spots, according to the report.

Although scores in grades four through eight were not stellar, high school scores in biology, history and English II “exceeded expectations by a larger magnitude,” while scores in geometry and American government met expectations.

Test scores in algebra, however, fell short by a larger magnitude.

“I’m disappointed with the algebra (section), but we had a slight gain in geometry. Those are a bugaboo for most districts,” Cunningham said.

When he was interviewed about the report card results on Sept. 20, Cunningham said he was scheduled to meet with the school principals this week, so he didn’t have their input at the time, but he noted the results of the report card will be included in their plans moving forward.

Chagrin Falls Schools

Chagrin Falls Schools are once again one of the state’s top school districts, with a performance index of 111 and a five-star rating across all categories.

“For more than a decade, Chagrin Falls Schools’ commitment to excellence has solidified a reputation of academic distinction ranking the district as #3 in the state,” the district said in a statement.

Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski said the achievement is a testament to the efforts made by the district’s students, as well as the commitment of its teachers, support of the staff, leadership of the administration and collaboration with the community.

“Every star earned recognizes the unity, passion and excellence that define our district,” she said. “This year’s results celebrate our growth and inspire us to continue to challenge our practices, creating new high-quality experiences for all of our learners.”

Sarah Read, principal of data and assessment, said the district’s continuous growth in recent years shows thoughtful planning and collaboration.

“The report card data provides valuable insights to the success we are seeing through our commitment to personalized learning,” she said, adding the data will continue to be analyzed for more insights.

Lisa Salyers, a chemistry teacher at Cha-

grin Falls High School and president of the Chagrin Falls Education Association, said the district’s educators will “continue to work hard to learn, grow and improve the education delivery to our students and our services to students, families and the Chagrin Falls’ community. Furthermore, we will maintain a persistent focus on our students — all that they are and all that they can become."

Chardon Schools

With five-star rankings in every category except for the ODE’s progress metric, Chardon Schools’ 4.5-star overall ranking and performance index score of 101.85 puts the district in the top 10% in Ohio.

Chardon received three stars on the state’s progress metric — the only category in which it did not receive a full five stars.

Superintendent Michael Hanlon said according to the ODE, a three-star rating “demonstrates evidence that the district met growth expectations."

“The district will continue to evaluate student achievement in relation to the progress component as we focus on our mission. We commit to high achievement for all students,” he added.

Assistant Superintendent Ed Klein said student performance is measured through testing across multiple years.

Chardon Schools will continue to focus on aligning classroom instruction with state standards, he said, including by enhancing tier one instruction — the regular instruction all students receive — and ensuring interventions are also aligned with the standards

Klein added the district is pleased with its performance index score.

“We are pleased with the efforts occurring in all of our schools and grade-levels to ensure that our instruction is aligned with the state standards and that students are demonstrating high achievement,” he said.

The district has been awarded $1.4 million in competitive grants for literacy for preschool through seventh grade, Klein said, adding the funds have been used for ongoing professional development, intervention programs for students and a summer extended learning program that supports elementary students in developing reading skills.

Those efforts have paid off with increases in student achievement scores at the district’s two elementary schools, as well as the middle school, Klein said.

“Chardon Schools have led efforts in the state to implement high-quality instructional materials and teaching methods aligned with the science of reading,” he said.

Hanlon said the district is fortunate to have a community that supports its schools by providing the resources necessary to maintain its curricular materials, instructional technology and staffing levels to sup-

port instruction in a wide range of academic courses in Chardon Schools.

“The work of our staff and administrative personnel reflects a continued focus on high quality instruction, engaged learning and high achievement in Chardon Schools,” he said.

Kenston Schools

Kenston scored a performance index of 104.78, with a five-star overall rating, and was one of only a few districts in the state to achieve five out of five stars in each category of the ODE report card.

The district’s scores put it in the top 5% in the state.

“I am immensely proud of the strides we have made together,” Superintendent Bruce Willingham said. “Our school district is not only a place where academic excellence is nurtured, but also where each student is valued, challenged and supported. Our high standards reflect a shared belief that every student can reach their full potential and we are seeing the results of that belief in the exceptional outcomes of our students.”

Kenston students have demonstrated exceptional academic performance across multiple benchmarks, including standardized testing, college readiness and national recognitions, he said.

Those achievements highlight the “unwavering commitment” of district teachers and staff, who Willingham said go above and beyond to create an environment that fosters growth, curiosity and success.

“This success is not ours alone — it belongs to our parents, community members and partners who continuously invest in our students’ futures. Your involvement in our schools, whether through volunteerism, participation in school events, or simply encouraging your child’s education, plays a vital role in maintaining the high standards we have set for ourselves,” he said.

The district is committed to building on its accomplishments, with a priority on rigorous academics, innovative programs and the holistic development of each student.

“On behalf of the board of education, the administrative team, our teachers and staff, we are incredibly proud of our students' hard work and perseverance. While we know this is one measure, we are proud of our students' performance in comparison to other districts

in the state,” Willingham said, thanking the community for being a part of the district’s journey towards excellence.

“Together, we will continue to create bright futures for all students in Kenston,” he said.

West Geauga Schools

West Geauga’s performance index score of 108.2 puts it at number 10 in the state. The district also received five-star rat ings in every measure and an overall rating of five stars.

Superintendent Richard Markwardt said the district’s improvement in its early literacy score was due to an adjustment in how early off-track students are identified at the elementary level.

“Two years ago, we assessed students as soon as they arrived from summer vacation. Last year, we postponed the assessment for a month, so our teachers had time to work with students to bring them up to speed,” he said. “We did the same this year, so we actually have too few students off track in the early elementary grades to count for reporting purposes.”

Markwardt said he does not anticipate the district falling from its five-star rating in early literacy next year — rather, the new method should strengthen student performance.

“Staff members at West Geauga are accustomed to success on the ODE report card,” he said. “The district has been top 10 in performance index among Ohio's 607 school districts for the last three years.”

Additionally, Markwardt said West Geauga was one of only seven Ohio school districts to earn both a top 10 performance index ranking, as well as a five-star rating with a full five stars in each subcomponent category.

“That said, there is always room for improvement. We will continue to assess areas of needed growth,” he said.

West Geauga's success is not the result of luck, Markwardt added, but is a result of the dedication of the district’s staff to inspire learning and rests upon the support of the community and the board of education.

“In West Geauga, we believe that every child deserves, at a minimum, to be proficient,” he said. “We aspire to have every child reach his or her potential.”

As September Wraps, Officials Talk Emergency Preparedness

By RoSe nemunaitiS editoR@kaRlovecmedia com

Chances are if you lived in Geauga County, Aug. 6 and the days that followed were less stressful if not everything was left to chance.

Five EF-1 tornadoes and widespread straight-line wind damage swept throughout Northeast Ohio, causing lengthy power outages and downed trees throughout the area.

For local safety forces, the storm served as a powerful reminder of the importance of being prepared.

“With September being Emergency Preparedness Month, we would like to highlight that last month’s storm was a good example of why having an emergency preparedness kit and a plan is a great idea,” said Chardon Fire Department Capt. John Blauch in a recent interview.

Blauch has been involved with fire and emergency services for 41 years, helping in disaster planning for amusement parks, universities, high schools and special events such as large concerts, festivals and visits from dignitaries.

As a public safety instructor at Auburn Career Center, he teaches students about disaster and terrorism response.

After 9/11, several major courses related to the National Incident Management System were developed, which all fire and EMS personnel are required to take for certification.

“Tornadoes and other natural disasters do happen here,” Blauch said. “For us, the most common disaster is a sustained power outage due to a summer storm or a winter snowstorm.”

On the front line of any natural, man-made and technological disaster is the Department of Emergency Services of Geauga County. The integrated emergency management system coordinates emergency response organizations, support services and the private sector to help save lives and protect property.

ESGC Director Roger Peterson said by Aug. 7, between 63-68% of FirstEnergy customers in Geauga County were without power.

ESGC works with local government agencies, county government agencies, police, fire and private agencies in coordinating the county’s resources in events such as these, he said.

The Geauga County Sheriff’s Office dispatch center monitors weather alerts and provides advance notice to area-specific events, notifying first responders.

“Even though our role may be specific, our deputies are out there 24 hours a day, seven days a week,” GCSO Chief Deputy Thomas Rowan said. “In fact, during the last storm, we had deputies using chainsaws to help clear roads. Our guys did an amazing job to help open roads up for ambulances and fire apparatus to get to where they need to go.”

Chester Township got hit the hardest with a tornado.

“We had approximately 50 calls for service, mostly wires and trees down,” Chester Township Fire Chief William Shaw said. “We did have some EMS calls, as well. Thankfully, most of the calls were not severe. The storm came through around approximately 5:30 p.m. and we began receiving calls soon after. We delayed response to calls until conditions were safe for responders.”

In the following days, they continued to receive calls for wires and trees down and also noticed an increase in the number of open burning complaints.

“Fire personnel walked some of the hard-

est hit areas to check on residents and assess if we could assist them,” Shaw said. “We did find the residents of Chester Township are very resilient and self-reliant in trying circumstances.

Support Networks Are Key

“During times of disaster, you may not be able to sustain all your needs,” Peterson said.

“This is truer the longer the emergency lasts. This is why having a great support network is vital to your success.”

He recommended people who do not have access to certain resources create a list of contacts who do offer those resources.

“This is something that everyone can do that doesn’t require lots of money,” Peterson said. “You should also have a few backups just in case your first sources fall through.”

Look to family, friends, neighbors and community partners to make up a network, Peterson said.

“The larger your network, the better chance you have to successfully endure an emergency situation,” he said. “Remember, you can be a big help to others, as well, being in their network. This is probably the most important thing people can do, especially senior citizens.”

By Aug. 9, only 32% of customers in Geauga were without power.

“So, the utility did a good job of restoring power to about 36% of Geauga County customers in about three days,” Peterson said. “For how widespread the issue was, there was a fairly quick response in restoring 50% of the lost power.”

It took the next week to restore power to the remaining customers and took longer to restore power to homes where lines were ripped from houses.

“We saw and heard of many instances where neighbors helped neighbors and strangers helped strangers during the last storm,” Shaw said. “The community really pulled together to help each other, which we don't see often enough now.”

Lessons Learned

Peterson recounted several lessons learned from the August storm, particularly addressing misinformation and confusion on resources.

“Water was a big concern for lots of people. This was for drinking, as well as other uses like flushing toilets or bathing,” he said.

“Even though this was a big concern for many, there was water still available at most stores for purchase.”

Disaster assistance was a huge point of misunderstanding for most people, Peterson recalled.

“There were lots of misconceptions. First, it should be known that any potential financial assistance that may or may not be available is not going to be immediate,” he said. “In reality, if there is financial assistance, it may take weeks or months for something to materialize. Second, financial assistance is largely a reimbursement, meaning that people will need to upfront funds themselves regardless.

“Another major point regarding assistance

is that disaster assistance has to do with damage to homes — not to your lawn,” Peterson added. “The county needs to meet a threshold of uninsured damages to dwellings before being able to apply for assistance, and even then, there is no guarantee of reimbursement.”

In the case of last month’s storm, the county had major storm damage to roadways and properties, but not a lot of damage to homes, he said.

Private property cleanup was also a challenge for many, Peterson said.

“Many people had lots of downed trees in their yards that created messes that were too big for them to handle. Municipality departments were focused on clearing roadways and helping the utility companies access power lines,” he said. “These departments cannot clear private properties. This is the biggest gap in government disaster aid.”

However, groups like Crisis Cleanup and other volunteer groups, can help, he said, adding Ready.gov is also a good resource to learn about emergency supply kits.

agencies prepared for emergencies. Pictured, from left, are Chardon Fire Capt. John Blauch, Chardon Fire Chief Justin Geiss and Clayton Kovats, head of Geauga County’s dive team.

S P O R T S

Badgers Continue Dominance vs. Cardinal

5th Straight Over Huskies

By haley adamS

SpoRtS@kaRlovecmedia com

Four consecutive games the Berkshire Badgers have claimed victory over their longtime rival, the Cardinal Huskies. In all four contests, the Badgers have swept the Huskies 3-0 in dominating fashion.

Entering the latest contest Sept. 17, stakes were high for both teams.

In a five-set thriller, the visiting Huskies had just picked up a huge win over conference opponent Crestwood, while the Badgers lost a heartbreaker to the Kirtland Hornets in their own five set matchup.

A fight to stay atop the conference was on the line.

“As for the win streak, this is still a rivalry game and always brings some extra energy to the gym, so lately we have been able to use that to our advantage,” Berkshire Head Coach Joni Prots said.

Sophomore Maddie Bower helped her team get comfortable with an ace to start the contest. A quick 1-0 lead eventually grew to a

See Girls Volleyball • Page 14

Bombers Show Resilience Against Lake

lan koRnSpan S@kaRlovecmedia com

Sometimes the scoreboard and record of a team is not indicative of how well they have played.

For Bombers Football this season, that is certainly the case.

To say that the Kenston Bombers football team has had a challenging schedule this year may be somewhat of an understatement.

They are currently in the midst of taking on three top teams in the state of Ohio, including the Lake Catholic Cougars, Villa Angela-St. Joseph Vikings and the Chardon Hilltoppers.

Against these top ranked teams, over the past two weeks, the Bombers have shown courage, determination, and resilience.

On Sept. 13, the Bombers took on Villa-Angela St. Joseph who is currently ranked sixth in the state in Div. III.

At halftime, the Bombers and Vikings were tied at 21-21.

Midway through the fourth quarter against the Vikings, the Bombers were within 5 points of the lead, at 40-35. However, the Vikings pulled away in the final minutes to claim a 56-35 victory.

A week later, faced with a similar task, the Bombers took on the state of Ohio's second

BILL FUGATE/KMG

Kenston’s Lucas Kaltenbach dives toward the goalline in the 34-20 loss to Lake Catholic.

Hilltoppers Humbled On Homecoming

By matt JaWoRSki SpoRtS@kaRlovecmedia com

The word humbling might be best used to describe Chardon’s 41-9 nonconference loss to Bishop Watterson on homecoming night.

Watterson (5-0) was simply too much for the Hilltoppers (3-1), who could not match the speed, playmaking ability and toughness of the Eagles.

“That’s the best team in the state of Ohio, and they might be one of the best teams I’ve ever seen,” Chardon Head Coach Mitch Hewitt said. “They are physical, and I thought we flinched tonight.”

Added Chardon senior linebacker Alexander Ash: “That’s a great team who's very physical and comes to play. Our preparation could have been better this week. We were all over the place and killed ourselves tonight.”

The speed and athleticism of Bishop Watterson was on display from the get-go.

For the first time this season, Chardon won the coin toss and elected to defer to the second half.

That move backfired as senior Jake Uhlenhake took the opening kickoff and returned it 95 yards to the house for a score.

Chardon responded; junior quarterback Drayton Allgood engineered a drive that ate more than four minutes off the clock. He con-

nected with multiple receivers, and the running game kept the Eagles guessing — even on Allgood’s 25-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7.

“I thought that was our best drive of the season,” Hewitt said.

Unfortunately for the Hilltoppers, the wheels fell off and it was all Watterson from there.

After Chardon kicked off, the Eagles needed one play to score, as junior quarterback Drew Bellisari connected on a 75-yard touchdown reception with Uhlenhake to make it 13-7.

Bishop Watterson tacked on another score before the end of the first quarter to extend its lead to 20-7.

An 11-yard touchdown reception from Bellisari to senior tight end Dominic Theado midway through the second quarter was the last score of the first half.

In the second half, the Hilltoppers scored when a bad punt snap deep inside Eagle territory led to a blocked punt that Watterson fell on in the end zone.

It was the second safety of the year for Chardon, whose defense also recorded a safety in week one.

Watterson tacked on two more touchdowns in the second half, resulting in a rare

PASTOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Chardon looks on during the team’s 41-9 loss to Bishop Watterson during the team’s Homecoming game.

See Hilltoppers • Page 15

Huskies Offense Strong But Trojans Prevail

By alan koRnSpan SpoRtS@kaRlovecmedia com

Throughout the years, high school football has changed a lot. While some teams still focus on running the ball between the tackles, many have moved to a spread or air raid pass heavy offense.

Under first year Cardinal Head Coach Rich Turner, who was the 2004 Division II Ohio AP Coach of the Year, the Huskies have implemented a more contemporary air raid offense.

This offensive passing attack was on display early on Sept. 21 against the Trinity Trojans in the CVC Game of the Week at Ralph P. Adams Stadium in Cuyahoga Heights.

From the first play of the game to the last offensive play of the game, the Huskies passed, and then passed the ball some more.

This offensive strategy was successful as the Huskies scored two touchdowns in the first quarter.

However, after matching touchdowns with their opponent, the Huskies gave up three unanswered touchdowns as the Trojans took a 34-13 lead into halftime.

Both teams added two additional touchdowns in the second half as the Trojans went on to defeat the Huskies, 49-25.

Afterward, Coach Turner explained that the Huskies defense became overly energized and lost focus at times during the first half.

The Huskies defense was much improved during the second half.

“In the second half, our defense played much better than they did in the first half,” Coach Turner said. They just got to trust the defensive coordinators to do what their supposed to do, and do what their supposed to do the whole game, not just half. We just got to put together a full game, offensively and defensively, and we'll be able to win some games.”

Offensively, Coach Turner noted that the offensive line was much improved this week which gave quarterback Cal Ciminello more time to throw.

And with that additional time, Ciminello threw for three touchdowns for over 300 yards. In addition, he also had a rushing touchdown.

Ciminello's main targets on the night were senior receivers, Reese Soltis and Dominic Naples.

These quarterback to receiver connections helped to account for all four of the Huskies touchdowns.

On their first touchdown, the Huskies lined up five wide and Ciminello found Soltis in the end zone against single coverage. Soltis then made a leaping catch over the defender to put six points on the board with 10:51 left in the first quarter.

To set up the Huskies first touchdown, on the second play of the game, Ciminello connected with senior wide receiver Dominic Naples for a 43-yard pass reception.

Shortly thereafter, with 5:40 left in the first quarter, Ciminello and Soltis connected for their second touchdown of the game.

This time, Soltis ran a fade route to the See Huskies• Page 15

ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG

Cardinal QB Cal Ciminello and his Huskies’ offense scored 25 points in what has become a high-flying offense but Cardinal still lost 49-25 by game’s end.

Girls Volleyball

from page 11

7-2 advantage for the Badgers, forcing firstyear Cardinal Head Coach Michael Chaffee to call a timeout.

Looking at the Badgers on the court, they certainly had the height advantage, including 5-10 hitter Jillian Smetana and 6-1 middle blocker Kirsten Shaffer. Looking at the

Badgers on paper, they also returned four starters from a season ago. They return experience, a group that finished 18-5 overall and 9-1 in the Chagrin Valley Conference and finished in a first-place tie to clinch the conference championship.

A conference championship repeat might feel like a guarantee for Coach Prots, who makes her 20th appearance at the Badgers' helm.

With these aforementioned advantages,

Berkshire was able to get its offense rolling with Shaffer and Smetana orchestrated by junior Marissa Rish and Ava Chuha as the team’s setters. Behind an aggressive game plan at the service line and an unpredictable offensive attack, the Badgers seem to execute well in the first set.

Another timeout would be called by Coach Chaffee after his team began to trail 12-5. Rish would record three straight aces to stretch the lead to 15-5. After a service error by Rish, the 8-0 run would be stopped. The Huskies would give the Badgers set point on a hitting error, but after a kill recorded by junior outside hitter Ali Puruczky, a hitting error from the Badgers, and a Shaffer kill out of the middle, set one would eventually go to the Badgers, 25-20.

To start the second set, the Huskies made some adjustments and tied things at four apiece after senior middle blocker Morgan Csontos notched a kill out of the front row. The Huskies went on to score four straight points where their opponents registered three hitting errors.

Coach Prots called her first timeout on the night when her Badgers trailed 8-4 early in the second set.

It felt like momentum had shifted in favor of the Huskies. Kills would be recorded by Csontos, Puruczky, and sophomore outside hitter Natalie Soltis. The Huskies seemed to increase the amount of aggression in their offense, using the tool of the Badgers’ block to stretch their lead to 18-8.

But on back-to-back kills from Rish, the Huskies called their first timeout in the second set. Rish was able to catch the Huskies defense sleeping and picked up two points on a tip kill.

The Badgers pulled within two, then, on back-to-back kills from Sahffer, and all momentum had shifted to the home team. Junior Kate Miller tied things up at 20, then Puruczky and Soltis each notched things up again at 22 and 23 even. A kill off the block for Rish set the Badgers up for first set point, and an ace from Bower gave the Badgers the 2-0 advantage, capturing set two 25-23.

“We needed to keep staying aggressive and hitting it deep against them,” said Delana Kellogg, the Badgers’ libero. “We finally loosened up; we were playing scared, and

that didn’t help us.”

“Set two was us making more errors than we did in set one,” Coach Prots said. “Cardinal came out stronger than us, which is something we have to work on. It was awesome to see us battle back, and I am glad we pulled out the win, which shows our perseverance and teamwork.”

Back and forth the third set would start before an overpass kill and a miscommunication forced the Huskies to call their first timeout in the third set. Cardinal gave the Badgers all they had and would get as close 21-20, but the Badgers rattled off three straight points then to take the set 25-22 and the match 3-0.

Experience and height differences had proven too much for the Huskies. Leading the way offensively for the Badgers was Jillian Smetana with 10 kills, while Shaffer added nine. Junior Kate Miller recorded nine kills on 20 swings. Rish also contributed with nine kills on 18 total swings. Rish and Chuha added 19 and 18 assists, respectively.

Senior Amber Zeiler and Shaffer each added two blocks, while Miller held the back row down with 13 digs. Smetana added 10 digs, while Rish and Chuha recorded nine and eight digs. The Badgers recorded 11 aces with Rish pacing the way with four, while two other Badgers each added three.

“Our game plan was to attack the line and the setter, where we wanted to stay in zone one,” Miller said.

Cardinal was paced by Puruczky with 10 kills. Soltis added five. Maddie Ehrhardt led the way with eight assists, while Adelyn Grant led the defense with 18 digs. The Huskies also recorded 11 aces with Grant and Puruczky each adding three.

The Huskies fell to 7-6 overall and 2-1 in the conference, while the Badgers improved to 6-2 overall and also 2-1 in the conference.

“It took a team effort to battle on Tuesday,” Coach Prots reflected. “Kirsten Shaffer, Jillian Smetana and Marissa Rish had some important kills, while Kate Miller, Maddie Bower and Delana Kellogg played some great defense. Ava Chuha and Marissa distributed the ball consistently.”

Added Miller, “The loss on Thursday (against Kirtland) was what made us want to come into tonight’s game and show that we shouldn’t have lost to Kirtland. That game gave us momentum for tonight’s game.”

Wolverines Easily Victorious for Homecoming

By BRian lavRich SpoRtS@kaRlovecmedia com

The West Geauga football team gave its alumni plenty to cheer about, dominating Ashtabula Edgewood, 42-14, on homecoming Friday night at Howell Field.

The Wolverines scored touchdowns on five of their seven first-half possessions, and by the time they scored on their first drive of the third quarter, they'd essentially put the game away with a 42-0 lead.

The victory was the second straight for West G (2-3), while Edgewood fell to 1-4.

West G Head Coach Matt Rosati saw a complete effort from his team.

“The defense played really well and flew around,” Rosati said. “Our defensive front has been good all season. Before the season, that’s what we thought would be our strength. They all played very well.”

The Wolverines got going on their second possession after recovering a fumble by Warriors quarterback Nate Stewart on the Edgewood 38. Just five plays later, Matthew Osters scored on a four-yard touchdown run,

Bombers

from page 11

ranked Div. lV team, the Lake Catholic Cougars.

In this contest, the Bombers trailed 17-3 at halftime. However, after receiving the ball to start the second half, the Bombers quickly marched down the field with a sense of urgency.

That opening drive culminated in a Bombers touchdown when freshman running back Ethan Burge scored from three yards out to close the Cougars lead to just seven points. Both squads added 10 points each throughout the rest of the third and most of the fourth quarter leading to the Bombers needing a crucial 4th down stop.

The Cougars then got the ball back with 4:41 left in the game. Starting on their own 35 yard line, the Cougars gained nine yards on three plays. The Bombers then called time out with 2:54 left in the game, right before 4th down.

Needing one yard, the Cougars were able to get two yards to pick up the first down.

Hilltoppers

from page 12

running clock on Chardon.

A year after falling 14-10 to Watterson in Columbus, the Hilltoppers had no answers as the Eagles punched Chardon in the face. With multiple players on their roster who are the sons or relatives of former NFL or Ohio State players, their opponents won the battle on both lines all night.

“They got dudes,” Hewitt said. “We got our butts kicked, and hopefully there’s a lot of lessons learned. We got to get a whole lot tougher if we’re going to win another game.”

The contest was thought to be a matchup of two of the three best teams in the Division III, but in reality, it was a one-sided affair.

“I knew we were overrated,” said Hewitt, who explained that the rankings are more based on what last year’s team did.

While humbled, Ash said he wants to use the loss as a learning experience in order to get better and also believes the team should

followed by a successful extra point by Adison Cook with 6:15 left in the first quarter. Osters led West G with 68 yards rushing on eight attempts, as Rosati had several players run the ball.

After a Warrior three-and-out, West G got the ball back and went right down the field again, and Finn Keenan threw a 24-yard touchdown pass to Cooper Vosicky for a 14-0 first quarter lead.

Keenan finished seven-of-nine passing for 120 yards all in the first half. His favorite target was Vincent Vecchio, who caught three passes for 69 yards.

But the Wolverines were just getting started, as they scored three touchdowns in the second quarter.

Keenan threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Paros for a 21-0 lead with 8:38 left in the second quarter.

Then Quentin Artino set up the next touchdown with an interception and 17-yard return down to the Warrior 5. On the following play, Artino scored on a 5-yard touchdown run for a 28-0 advantage. Artino rushed 10 times for 56 yards.

The Cougars scored a final touchdown with 1:37 left in the game to make the final score 34-20.

“Credit goes to Lake Catholic,” said Kenston Head Coach Jeff Grubich following the contest with the Cougars. They got the push when they needed it. You know, I got to find a better way to get our guys to finish.”

Although they did not get the victory over the Cougars, both the offense and defense made great plays to keep the Bombers in the game.

One of the biggest plays made by the Bombers was a key interception by senior defensive lineman Sam Meeks.

With the Cougars leading 24-10 with less than 30 seconds to go in the third quarter,

not be judged on one game.

“The real season starts in the postseason, and that’s where we come to play,” Ash said. “We’re Chardon. Don’t count us out.”

Chardon will next focus on its upcoming Western Reserve Conference schedule, which kicks off with a short trip to Geauga County rival Kenston.

Kenston (2-3) fell to Lake Catholic (5-0) Sept. 19 in Mentor, 34-20.

“It’s going to be a war,” Hewitt said of the upcoming rivalry game. “The only good thing is we got out of this one relatively healthy, which was not the case in Avon Lake, so we should be a little bit more at full strength.

“But if we’re not tough, we’re nothing. Ultimately, if I’ve had six or seven weeks of coaching and we’re not tough enough, then it’s a reflection on me. Somewhere along the way, we haven’t given them enough opportunities to grow in that area.”

Ash, like his coach, looks forward to Kenston, who defeated the Hilltoppers at Chardon last year, 21-13.

“This is our game, this is our rival,” he said.

It appeared the half would be over, but Artino wasn’t done and returned a punt 50 yards to the Warrior 13 with just 1:33 left in the half. Daegan Katz scored on a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Wolverines up at halftime, 35-0.

Rosati was asked to evaluate the Wolver ines at the midway point of the season.

“We are winning games we should be,” Rosati said. “But we have to win more games to qualify for the playoffs. That’s our goal: to qualify for the playoffs.”

The Warriors went three-and-out to start the third quarter. That set up their most im pressive drive of the game, as they method ically marched 85 yards on 14 plays capped by a 17-yard touchdown run by Bobby Parisi.

With the running clock in effect, the home team led 42-0 with 11:41 left in the fourth quarter.

West G's next challengers at Howell Field will be the Hawks (4-1).

“Hawken is a really good team, and well coached,” Rosati said. “They’re going to give us a good game just like last year.”

West G won that game, 22-15, at Hawken.

Meeks leaped up in front of the Cougars quarterback to intercept the football.

“We've worked on screens,” said Meeks. “We played another team, WG, who threw screens just like that and we just worked on it. And I saw the quarterback, he was looking at me, and I was like alright, somethings wrong, so I caught it and started running.”

Leading the Bombers against the Vikings was quarterback Lucas Kaltenbach who was

Huskies

from page 13

outside and Ciminello threw a beautiful ball landing perfectly into the outstretched arms of his receiver at the 6-yard line. After Soltis hauled in the catch, he ran into the end zone untouched for the 33-yard touchdown reception.

On the third Huskies touchdown, Naples was instrumental in leading the Huskies down the field.

In fact, Naples had three straight catches on the drive, including a 57-yard reception to bring the Huskies down to the Trinity one yard line. Ciminello then ran the ball one yard for the touchdown.

On the fourth and final Huskies touchdown, Soltis made his third touchdown catch of the night on a 11-yard pass from Ciminello.

The Huskies will take their high flying offense back to Middlefield as they host their rival, the Berkshire Badgers in the

West Geauga’s Dominic Paros caught a 14-yard touchdown pass from Finn Keenan to give the Wolverines’ a 21-0 lead in the second quarter en route to a 42-14 Homecoming win over Edgewood.

16-27 for 184 yards. Cohen Clark led the Bombers with 105 yards on 17 carries and he also had 4 touchdowns against the Vikings.

Against the Cougars, the Kenston offense focused on the run as they gained168 yards for the game. Leading the Bombers on the ground was Burge who ran for 88 yards on 24 carries and Kaltenbach who had 80 yards on eight carries.

Summing up the past two weeks against the Vikings and Cougars, Meeks spoke of the Bomber’s great effort and the importance of improving each week.

“Back to back, we've played great teams, they're well coached,” said Meeks. “Them and Joe's, they're two good teams, and this is just going to make us better. I know it didn't go our way, but we fought to the end. That's all I'm proud of. So, we’re on to Chardon.”

Kinsman Cup on Sept. 27.

“Hoping to get that Kinsman Cup back,” said Ciminello after the game. “It's been too many years without it.”

Added Soltis, “The goal is to get that Kinsman Cup back.”

Agnes Regina Blackley

Agnes Regina (nee McLaughlin) Blackley, 90 years of age, lately of Chardon, passed away Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024, at Universi ty Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.

Agnes was born on Aug. 31, 1934, in Elyria, to the late Anna (nee Ross) and James P. McLaughlin. She was a 1952 graduate of Notre Dame Acade my.

In 1953, she met a handsome young sol dier from Chester Township named Andrew K. Blackley Sr., and they were married on Oct. 23, 1954. She resided there in Chesterland as a loving wife and homemaker for the next 70 years, raising nine children on Ranch Drive.

James Joel Alvord

James Joel Al vord, age 88, passed away at home from natural causes sur rounded by family on Sept. 14, 2024.

He was born Sept. 18, 1935, in Chardon, to Paul and Carolyn Alvord (nee MacNaughton).

Obituaries

Agnes was a founding member of St. Anselm Catholic Church in Chesterland and a devout Catholic who lived her life in faith, hope and charity, with forgiveness always in her heart. She touched the lives of many and was loved by all. A highlight of her faith journey was the pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Medjugorje with her sisters in 2008.

She was an active volunteer in Birthright of Geauga for many years and had been named ‘Volunteer of the Year’ for Geauga County.

Agnes is survived by her children, Andrew (Deborah) Blackley, Patrick (Mary Beth) Blackley, Ann (Jon) Waldmuller, Terrence (Kathy, deceased) Blackley, Mary (Charles, deceased) Rogers, Michelle (Dennis) Malone, Timothy (Ellen) Blackley, Michael (Denise) Blackley and Robert (Susan, deceased) Blackley; as well as 26 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

She also is survived by her sisters Stella (Ted, deceased) Joyce and Mary (Peter, deceased) Kenny; brother William McLaughlin; and her sisters-in-law, Bonnie McLaughlin and Joyce McLaughlin.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Andrew K. Blackley Sr.; son Joseph; sister Ann Mary McLaughlin, SND; and brothers Charles (Bonnie) McLaughlin, Dennis (Gladys, deceased) McLaughlin, James (Joyce) McLaughlin and Gerard (Carol, deceased) McLaughlin.

Her family will receive visitors at the Gattozzi and Son Funeral Home, 12524 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, from 12-4 p.m., on Sunday, Sept. 29, 2024.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 12969 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, followed by private inurnment at the Chester Township Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to https://www.stjude.org/

Jim fell in love with and married Jeanette Haase on June 30, 1956.

Jim was a friendly, kind soul, and a re spected man throughout the Chardon com munity. He graduated from Chardon High School and was class president his senior year. He went on to earn an agricultural degree from The Ohio State University, where he was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.

Jim started working at the Alvord Insurance Agency with his father in 1959. He was a proud and active member of the Chardon Square Association for over 20 years.

Jim was a lifetime member of the Chardon United Methodist Church, where he was an active member of many committees, including finance, chairman of the trustees and on the administrative board.

He was a member of the Chamber of Commerce and held many positions over the years, including director and state director.

Jim volunteered with the Cub Scouts, managed Little League Baseball, including all-star teams.

Jim was an active member of the Chardon High Alumni Association and the Booster Club.

James is survived by his four children, Beverly (Kevin) Chuha, William (Dawn) Alvord, James (Kimberly) Alvord and Jennifer (Michael) Gambale; eight grandchildren, Benjamin (Tamara) Chuha, Lucas (Elizabeth) Chuha, Daniel (Sara) Alvord, Julie (Leland) Thomas, Amanda (Aaron) Gartner, Cody Alvord, Brandon Gambale, Brian Gambale; eight great-grandchildren, Ava Chuha, Cheyenne Conkey, Ivan Chuha, Landon Tucker, Ashton Chuha, Brooke Thomas, Hunter Thomas and Olivia Gartner; and sister, Susan Brown.

James is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Jeanette Mabel Alvord.

James enjoyed golfing, bowling and spending time with his family. He was a loving, caring and giving person to everyone he met.

James and Jeanette will both be dearly missed. They instilled family values that live on in all their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life was held Sept. 19, 2024, at Chardon United Methodist Church, 515 North St., Chardon.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home in Chardon. Information and condolences online at www.burrservice. com.

Phyllis Ditto

Phyllis Ditto, at 98 years old, passed away peacefully on Sept. 18, 2024, with her family by her side, at Maplewood Assisted Living in Chardon.

Phyllis was born on June 29, 1926, to her mother, Alma G Barstow (nee Tucker), and father, Lewis E Barstow.

She is predeceased by her brother, Glenn Barstow; and husband, Roy Ditto.

She had a big heart and was always generous and giving. She also loved coloring, cooking and shopping, and enjoyed Roy taking her dancing on Friday nights at the Painesville dance hall, playing cards with friends on Saturdays and taking time to spend with her children, Peggy Havlicek, Nancy Aloi and Dale Ditto.

Phyllis was married to Roy Ditto for 77 years and they spent all their lives living in Chester Township in the home Roy built for her.

She worked at P&M Plumbing and Osborne Inc. in 1959 until her youngest son, Dale, went to school.

Phyllis is survived by her daughters, Peggy Havlicek (Tom, deceased) and Nancy Aloi (Phillip); son Dale Ditto; granddaughters, Stacie Malone (Jeff), Lindsey Nelson, Tiffanie Petty (Virgil), Kelly Alisesky (Dan), Karen Roderick (Josh), Anita Memhmood (Asher); grandsons, Timothy Howson, Bob Havlicek (Karianne) Brad Aloi (Brittani); great-granddaughters, Lauren Malone, Allison Malone, Jordan Malone, Megan MacCartney, Greyson Howson, Maggie, Harper, Laurel, Emma, Ella, Dani, Morgan, Nayah; greatgrandsons, Cody Howson, Liam Nelson, Austin MacCarney, Xavier, Kasen, Zion; great-great-great grandson, Cole Schneider (Allison Malone); and great-granddaughter, Bailey Aloi (Brad Aloi).

She will forever be missed but knowing she is back together with Roy brings our family lots of joy and happiness.

Family and friends called at Gattozzi and Son Funeral Home, 12524 Chillicothe Road, Chesterland, on Sept. 22, 2024, with services held Sept. 23, 2024.

Internment in Western Reserve Memorial Gardens in Chesterland.

Memorial donations in Phyllis’s name may be made to Hospice of the Western Reserve at www.hospicewr.org; or Rescue Village https://www.rescuevillage.org/

Alice Roselyn Bender

Alice Roselyn Bender (nee Nicolet), age 87, of Madison, formerly of Hambden Township, peacefully passed away on Sept. 19, 2024.

Born to Roy and Maude (nee Cunningham) Nicolet, in Cleveland, Alice was a shining example of hard work, love and devotion.

Her life’s journey took a beautiful turn when she met Charles Bender while working at the Thompson Drag Raceway. The two fell deeply in love and married on Oct. 7, 1961, in Montville Township, building a life together filled with love and laughter.

Alice was a part of the Thompson Drag Raceway family from its very beginning in 1958 and continued working there until 2010. She also spent decades as a dedicated bookkeeper at AJ Goulder Electric in Chardon from 1961 until her retirement.

Known for her incredible work ethic, Alice juggled several jobs at once, always giving her best while never seeking recognition for herself.

But Alice’s true legacy is the love she gave to her family and community. She and Charles created a warm and welcoming home in Chardon, where they raised their three children.

Alice’s selflessness knew no bounds — she always put the needs of others before her own and was happiest when she was caring for her family, friends and neighbors.

A longtime member of the Hambden Congregational Church, her faith and commitment to helping others were constant and unwavering.

Alice was cherished by everyone who knew her. She was a woman who radiated kindness and warmth, never asking for anything in return. She found joy in the simple pleasures: watching the Cleveland Indians, working on word searches, reading a good romance novel and enjoying a scoop of her favorite ice cream.

She gave so much love to the world and never asked for anything more than time spent with those she held dear.

Alice leaves behind a legacy of love and dedication, survived by her children, Caryl Bump, of Madison, Ronald (Tina) Bender, of Chardon, and Donald (Julie) Bender, of Estero, Fla.

She is also survived by her sister Caryl Feiler, of Arkansas; 12 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and her dear brothers- and sisters-in-law. Her gentle spirit and unconditional love will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know her.

Preceded in death by her beloved husband, Charles; parents; son-in-law, Lance Bump; two brothers; and a sister.

Alice is now at peace, reunited with those she loved.

Visitation for family and friends and a funeral service were held Sept. 23, 2024, at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon. Interment will take place in Hacker Valley, W. Va.

The family suggests donations in Alice’s memory be made to Hambden Congregational Church, 13840 GAR Highway, Chardon, OH 44024.

Arrangements entrusted to Burr Funeral Home. Online condolences may be shared at www.burrservice.com.

Ellis M. Wellman

Ellis M. Wellman, 86, of Chardon, peacefully passed away on Sept. 20, 2024, at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center.

Obituaries

Bulletin Board

First Congregational Church of Claridon, 13942 Mayfield Road, Huntsburg Township, on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024, at 10 a.m.

A private family graveside service will be held at a later date at Miller’s Station Cemetery in Cambridge Springs, Pa.

Ellis was the son of the late Durward V. and Vora Wellman Long. He was born on Feb. 2, 1938, in Union City, Pa.

Ellis was a graduate of Academy High School in Erie, Pa., and Case Institute of Technology, BSME in Cleveland.

He was a mechanical engineer in research and development for The Weatherhead Company (Dana Corp), CE Cast Equipment Company and Samuel Moore Company (Eaton Corporation). He held nine patents on various mechanical devices.

Ellis was a lifelong collector and rebuilder of antique natural gas, gasoline and kerosene stationary engines and tractors.

He was also a member of the Chardon United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Marcia (nee McDivitt) Wellman; son, Reid (Cindi) Wellman, of Burton; grandchildren, Brandon (Courtney) Haycox, of Painesville, Jacob Haycox, of Burton; and great-grandson, Henry Holden Haycox, of Painesville.

The family is grateful for the extraordinary care provided by the Intensive Care Unit of the UH Geauga Medical Center.

A memorial service will be held at the

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Ellis’s name to American Heart Association or the Coolspring Power Museum-Endowment Fund.

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

Dennis Sheffield

Dennis Sheffield passed away on Sunday evening, the 15th of September.

He lived in Avondale, Ariz.

He was a 1965 graduate of Newbury High School.

Dennis served in the Air Force from 1965 through 1988. He also served three tours in Vietnam.

Dennis is survived by his son, Ken Sheffield, of Washington, and Tina Millhoupt, of Garden Valley, Pa.; sister, Donna Byler, and her husband, Al, of Arizona; and brother, Eric Sheffield, and his wife, Debbie, of Aurora Colo.

He was preceded in death by parents, Otis and Adelaide Sheffield.

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

Sept. 27, 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.

Spaghetti Dinner

Sept. 27, 5-7:30 p.m.

Geauga County Women’s Republican Club is hosting its annual all-you-can-eat spaghetti and meatballs dinner at Munson Town Hall, 12200 Auburn Road. Call Joanie Windnagel at 440-339-6894 for more information.

Free Community Dinner

Sept. 27, 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.

VFW Walleye Dinner

Sept. 27, 5:30-7 p.m.

Chardon VFW Post 6519 will serve a walleye dinner at the post located at 752 Water St. Open to the public, the event will also feature quickie boards, 50/50 and drink specials. Tickets are required.

The club participated in Style Revue in July and the club was able to have multiple state fair qualifiers who went on to accomplish amazing things at states. Emily Tessean won Outstanding of the Day and the clock trophy for her Self-Determined Quilt and Audrey Knaus won Outstanding of the Day for her You Can Quilt project. Kate Moore won Outstanding of the Day for her photography project and the clock trophy for Best of Show photograph. Also, Helena Haar was selected as a finalist for the master clothing Educator Award in the senior division for her Dress Up Evening Wear. Anne Drockton was awarded Outstanding of the Day in the Sew Fun junior category. All of the girls chosen to represent Geauga County did a great job at states.

for the Geauga County Dog Shelter in July. Members also made no-sew blankets for the veterans that were given to them during the Geauga County Fair.

The club's year concluded at the Great Geauga County Fair, where they displayed their garments and projects in their fair booth in the junior fair building. The club also participated in the fair’s style show and other events, including the milkshake booth.

The year has gone better than the club could have guessed and everyone is proud of each other.

Anyone interested in joining 4-H may contact the OSU Extension Office for more information at 440-834-4656. (Submitted by Isabelle Violette, news reporter)

Park, 17484 Munn Road, Auburn Township. Vendors must preregister by Sept. 25 at www.auburntownship.com. For information, call Nancy at 440-543-7028.

SND Barbecue & Boutique

Sept. 29, 12-5 p.m.

The annual Sisters of Notre Dame chicken barbecue and boutique will be held in the Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin gymnasium on the Notre Dame Center campus located at 13000 Auburn Road in Chardon. Takeout is available. For information, call 440-279-1178 or visit www.sndusa.org/bbq.

Young of Heart

Oct. 4, 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 will be provided. Speaker Melinda Redding will share her father’s experience as a POW in Japan during World War II. A trip to the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum has been planned for Oct. 13-15. Also planned is the Dickens Victorian Village Tour in Cambridge, Ohio, on Nov. 20. For trip reservations, call Kimber at 440-668-3293 or Kit at 216-543-4442.

FGP Explorers Series

Oct. 5, 10 a.m. to noon

Burton Antiques Market

Sept. 28, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The 63rd annual Burton Antiques Market will be held rain or shine at the Geauga County Fairgrounds in Burton. There will be more than 400 dealers. Early bird admission is $25 from 8-10 a.m. followed by general admission at 10 a.m. For more information, call 740-998-5300 or visit www. burtonantiquesmarket.com

Sign Pickup

The Geauga County Republican Women’s Club will have signs available for pickup every Saturday and Sunday through Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 400 Water St, Chardon. For more information, contact Joanie Windnagel at 440-339-6894.

Saturdays In the Country

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Burton Chamber of Commerce sponsors Saturdays in the Country at the Burton Log Cabin. Enjoy a day of food, artisans, craft vendors and free entertainment.

Auburn Community Picnic

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Join for live music, games, prizes, food and fun at Auburn’s Community Picnic at Auburn Community Park, 17484 Munn Road. For information, visit www.auburntownship.com.

Junk in the Trunkfest

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sell items from one’s trunk or set up a table at Junk in the Trunkfest held in conjunction with Auburn Township’s annual community picnic at Auburn Community

Join Foundation for Geauga Parks for “Park in the Raw,” exploring Hambden Hills, one of Geauga Park District’s newest land acquisitions located at 14849 Rock Creek Road in Chardon. For information or to register, visit foundationforgeaugaparks. org or call 440-564-1048.

Pet Blessing & Care Fair

Oct. 6, 12-2 p.m.

Celebration Lutheran Church will host a pet blessing and care fair for companion animals and service animals in the parking lot of the church at 10621 Auburn Road, Chardon. The fair will be held indoors if the weather is inclement.

Bring pet food donations for local pet food banks. Visit with representatives from area rescue and animal therapy organizations. For more information, call 440-2855402 or visit www.celebration-lutheran.org.

Leadership Geauga Fall Mixer

Oct. 9, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Join Leadership Geauga for its Fall Mixer at Hemly Tool in Thompson Township. Enjoy appetizers, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and music trivia from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Come early to explore Hemly Tool’s store, featuring a wide selection of hardware, gifts, yard items, clothing and more. The event is open to LG alumni and the general public. For information and to register, visit leadershipgeauga.org.

Christmas Boutique Vendors

St. Anselm Women’s Guild is accepting vendors for its Christmas Boutique on Nov. 9. If interested, contact Shirley Chambers at 216-832-5158 or shirlthewhirl76@yahoo.com.

Health & Wellness

Bloodmobile

American Red Cross stresses the critical need for blood products to ensure patient care. Donors of all blood types are asked to give now to keep blood supply levels rising after a summer shortage.

Donation appointments may be made by downloading the free Blood Donor app, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-7332767.

Sept. 29, St. Helen’s Catholic Church, 12060 Kinsman Road, Newbury Township, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Oct. 1, Adam Hall, 11455 E. Washington St., Auburn Township, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Oct. 3, Centerville Mills, 8558 Crackel

Road, Bainbridge Township, 12-6 p.m.

Oct. 8, Chardon Library, 110 E. Park St., Chardon, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Oct. 9, Middlefield Library, 16167 East High St., Middlefield, 12-6 p.m.

Oct. 9, Bainbridge Library, 17222 Snyder Road, Bainbridge Township, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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.

Seniors

90th Birthday Celebration

Burton Public Library

Burton Library is located at 14588 W. Park St. No registration is required unless otherwise noted. For more information, call 440-834-4466 or visit burtonlibrary.org.

I Wish I Knew How

Sept. 30, 5-7 pm

Each month, participants will explore how to do something they have always wanted to know. In October, learn how to braid hair from basic to more elaborate, from feminine to masculine.

Film Fest Entries

Entries for the Burton Public Library Independent Film Festival will be accepted Oct. 1 through Nov. 25. Films must be 15 minutes or shorter. All films need to be family-friendly. The film festival on Dec. 2 from 6-7:45 p.m. will feature short films created by artists living in Geauga County. Patrons will enjoy the creative endeavor with popcorn, family and friends.

SUBMITTED

The Geauga County Department on Aging held its annual 90th birthday party on Sept. 20 at St. Mary’s in Chardon, honoring senior citizens 90 years old and older. Over 170 people attended, with more than 75 of them being 90 or older. The event was sponsored by the Western Reserve Area Agency on Aging, with meals catered by Heather Hill and birthday cakes donated by University Hospital Geauga Medical Center.

D&D Fall Campaign

Oct. 1, 15 and 29, 3:15-5 p.m.

Fans of Dungeons and Dragons in grades five and above may join in a DMed campaign every other Tuesday through Nov. 26. All materials will be provided. Register if interested in attending any or all sessions.

Geek Game Night

Oct. 7, 5-7 p.m.

Join other fans of Pokemon and Magic the Gathering. New to advanced players of all ages are welcome to play the table games.

Burton Book Buddies

Oct. 9, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Teens ages 12-18 may join a monthly book club the second Wednesday of each month through Dec. 11. The group will be reading an award-winning book from each decade, 1960 through 1990. Teens will discuss the book and participate in an activity based on the story.

Book Club

Oct. 10, 1:30-3 p.m.

The Thursday Afternoon Book Club meets on the second Thursday of each month in the large meeting room or outside. The discussion leader rotates among the group.

Lego Tournament

Oct. 16, 11 a.m. to noon

Youth can put their building skills to the test in the monthly Lego tournaments. All materials will be provided. Show up by 11 a.m. to be entered.

Read & Relax with Therapy Dogs

Oct. 16, 12:30-1:30 pm

Drop in at any point to read and relax with therapy dogs! Books will be available.

Intro to Anthropology

Oct. 18, 3 p.m.

Explore the interesting science of anthropology in all of its many applications, including cultural, biological and archeological.

Teen Advisory Board

Oct. 19, 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Youth in grades five and older will meet their peers and learn about an ongoing project to improve the library. Teens can get volunteer hours by participating. Pizza will be served. Registration is required.

Kids' Art Show Drop Off

Oct. 21-28

Youth ages 3-15 may submit up to three pieces of artwork up to three pieces of art in the categories of photography, drawings or 3D art. Enter artwork by 5 p.m. Oct. 28.

Inside Circle

Oct. 21, 6-7 p.m.

Develop music skills with RockAbility members. The group will use music therapy techniques to develop rhythm and melody skills. Adults with developmental disabilities and their caregivers are welcome. Bring an instrument or use one of the library’s. The program is in partnership with NPower Services.

Homeschool Circle

Oct. 23, 2:30-3 p.m.

The lightly facilitated social circle for parents and students ages 0-18 of the homeschooling community meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Parents and students will have their own circles to talk, share, play and support each other.

Pumpkin Decorating

Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m.

Decorate a pumpkin and celebrate Halloween with pumpkin-themed crafts and snacks.

Interplay, A Project

Oct. 25, 3:45-4:45 p.m.

Interplay is interactive, inclusive and fun for all ages of individuals with developmental disabilities and their caregivers. In partnership with NPower Services, participants will play by using their bodies, voices and words.

Kids' Art Show

Oct. 31 – Nov. 29

The Burton Public Library Kids' Art Show is a showcase of some of the best youth artwork in the Geauga area.

Kick-off Costume Party

Oct. 31, 6-7 p.m.

Celebrate the start of the Kids’ Art Show with a costume party for all ages. Games, snacks and art will be provided.

Berkshire

The Berkshire Badger Lab announces a successful start to its fourth year in the vo cational program, providing students with in valuable career and life skills to prepare them for their time after high school and beyond. Students continue to gain real-world experience at local businesses, showcasing the strength and impact of the program.

The Badger Lab is grateful for its ongoing partnerships with many local businesses and establishments. One such local partner providing paid internships is Vinny's Ital-

Cardinal Welcomes New CRO

Cardinal Local Schools welcomes Officer Brooke Daughters as the new community resource officer for the 2024-25 school year. Officer Daughters, a graduate of Lakeland Community College Basic Police Academy, has joined the district to build positive rela tionships with students and staff, while en suring their safety. The initiative was intro duced at the July 24, 2024, Cardinal Board of Education meeting by Lt. Aaron Graley of the Middlefield Police Department, with support from local officials.

Officer Daughters' role is part of the dis trict's broader effort to increase safety, which includes new security measures like bolo sticks to barricade doors and Zero Eyes, an AI-based firearm detection system. These steps align with the district's focus on protecting students and staff.

business specializing in essential oil products for body care, including soaps, sprays and more. The internships are a testament to the program’s mission of preparing students for post-secondary success.

With the support of our staff and community partners, the Berkshire Badger Lab continues to empower students with the skills they need to thrive in their future careers.

SUBMITTED

“We play simulated nine-inning games using random number generators and first-quadrant coordinate planes. We will crown our own championship teams by competing in our ‘divisional’ Core math classes, and then, on to interleague play between Team A (American League) and Team B (National League) in our own World Series,” seventh-grade math teacher Steph-

The Ohio Academy of Science recently named Chardon Middle School as well as nine current and former staff members as recipients of the Governor’s Thomas Edison Award for Excellence in STEM Education and Student Research for accomplishments during the 2023-24 school year.

The students have been using baseball as a fun way to improve their math skills.

Daughters expressed her passion for community policing, emphasizing her goal of fostering trust with students and helping them feel safe. She highlighted her enjoyment in connecting with students daily, both in the hallways and during after-school activities. Her presence is seen as a key addition to school safety and culture, supported by both elementary and high school principals.

Cardinal joins Berkshire, Chardon, Kenston and West Geauga as other school districts that use a community resource officer in Geauga County.

Students in Math 7 have been busy drafting their own fantasy teams by analyzing current player data from the 2024 season. Using comparative statistics to select players for their teams, students create nine-player grids based on percent and probability and will create visual models for each player.

Chardon staff from the 2023-24 school year who were named in an academy news release include Becky Mele, Beverly Mysyk, Bob Francis, Brent Hilston, Jackie Brown, Kayla O’Brien, Melissa Bryan, Nicole Diehm and Shane Quin.

Chardon Middle School is one of only 40 Ohio schools to receive the honor. 436 teachers throughout the state were recognized according to the academy.

Officer Brooke Daughters joins Cardinal Local Schools as the district community resource officer.

A Chardon Middle School student takes a swing at a wiffle ball during baseball day on Sept. 13.

Legal Notices

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 Alias 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 10th day of October, 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 24th day of October, 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 Sep12-19-26, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 21-F-000660

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: THE HUNTINGTON NATIONAL BANK, Plaintiff vs. BARN STAR PROPERTIES, LTD., ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Alias 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 10th day of October, 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 24th day of October, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Hambden to wit:

Situated in the Township of Hambden, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio known as being part of Original Hambden Township Lot 25, Bond Tract, further known as being a part of land conveyed to Dorsey G. Apthorp, by deed recorded in Volume 1879, Page 1079 of Geauga County Records (Parcel #15-053700):

Beginning at the intersection of the centerline of Walking Stick Lane (60 feet wide) as shown by plat Sunset Ridge Subdivision recorded in Volume 39, Pages 97-98 of Geauga County Records of Plats, with the centerline of State Route 608, (Old State Road - 66 feet wide), said point being South 55° 48’ 37” West, 33.00 feet from a 1 inch iron pin monument found; Thence North 34° 16’ 37” West, along the centerline of said State Route 608, 1274.76 feet to the principal place of beginning; Course I thence continuing North 34° 16’ 37” West, along the centerline of said State Route 308, 279.19 feet to the most Southerly corner of land conveyed

to Gregory E. Dombrowski by deed recorded in Volume 766, Page 11 of Geauga County Records; Course II thence, North 68° 34’ 47” East, along the Southeasterly line of said Dombrowski, at 33.85 feet passing through a 5/8 inch iron pin found in the Northeasterly sideline of said State Route 608, 444.56 feet to a 5/8 inch iron pin found in the Southerly line of land conveyed to Camino Construction, Inc. by deed recorded in Volume 505, Page 707 of Geauga County Records (Parcel #15-011500); Course III thence, South 89° 38’ 19” East, along the Southerly line of said Camino Construction, Inc., 267.78 feet to a 5/8 inch iron pin (ID: Polaris) Set; Course IV thence, North 88° 02’ 14” West, at 467.76 passing through a 5/8 inch iron pin (ID: Polaris) set in the Northeasterly sideline of said State Route 608, 510.68 feet to the principal place of beginning, containing 5.0000 acres of land (217,800 square feet), 4.7822 acres of land (208,312 square feet) excluding the right of way of State Route 608.

Subject to all easements, covenants, conditions, reservations, leases and restrictions of records, all legal highways, all rights of way, all zoning building and other laws, ordinances and regulations, all rights of tenants in possession, and all real estate taxes and assessments not yet due and payable.

Being the same property conveyed by deed recorded in Volume 1906, Page 1300 of the Geauga County, Ohio Records.

Property Address: 9145 Old State Road, Chardon, OH 44024.

Said Premises Located at: 9145 OLD STATE ROAD, HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP, OH

Permanent Parcel Number: 15-053700

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 ($275,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($183,334.00). 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

David J. Demers, attorney Sep12-19-26, 2024

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 24-F-000247

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: QUEST TRUST COMPANY, FKA QUEST IRA INC., FBO ANNA W. LAWSON IRA #1416221, Plaintiff vs. DERRICK R. PILARCZYK, 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 10th day of October, 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 24th day of October, 2024 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Burton to wit:

Parcel One:

Situated in the Township of Burton, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio: And known as part of Lot No. 59 in Burton Township bounded: Beginning at a point South 2294 feet .07 inches from the intersection of White Road and State Route 87 at their respective center lines; Thence Westerly 250 feet; Thence Southerly parallel with the center line of White Road 200 feet; Thence Easterly 250 feet to the center line of White Road; and Thence Northerly 200 feet to the center line of White Road to the place of beginning, containing about 1 acre of land.

Parcel Two:

Situated in the Township of Burton, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: Being part of Original Lot 59 within said Township and further described as follows: Beginning in the center line of White Road at a point which is North along said center line a distance of 405.0 feet from the Southeast corner of said Lot 59, said Southeast corner also being the Northeast corner of land conveyed to H. Springer by deed recorded in Volume

225, Page 125 of the Geauga County Records of Deeds; Thence South 89 deg. 48’ West along a line parallel with the South line of said Lot 59, a distance of 250.0 feet; Thence North parallel with the centerline of White Road, a distance of 12.0 feet; Thence North 89 deg. 48’ East parallel to the first described course, a distance of 250.0 feet to the center line of White Road; Thence South along said road center line a distance of 12.0 feet to the place of beginning, containing 0.068 acres of land according to the survey of J. Arthur Temple, Registered Surveyor #4671, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Property Description: 15150 White Road, Middlefield, OH 44062

Said Premises Located at: 15150 WHITE ROAD, BURTON TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 04-040800, 04-040900

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

Chris Manolis, attorney Sep12-19-26, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Village of Middlefield

Notice is hereby given that during the Special Council Meeting held on September 19, 2024, The Village of Middlefield passed the following legislation:

ORDINANCE 24-153 AN ORDINANCE DECLARING A MORATORIUM ON NONESSENTIAL USE OF WATER, ENACTING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SECTION 911.24 ENTITLED “AUTHORITY TO DECLARE MORATORIUM,” 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 Naftzger, Administrative Asst. /Billing Clerk Sep26, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Village of Middlefield

Notice is hereby given that during the Council Meeting held on September 12, 2024, The Village of Middlefield passed the following legislation:

ORDINANCE 24-134 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SECTION 1157.04 ENTITLED “NUMBER OF OFFSTREET PARKING SPACES TO BE PROVIDED.”

ORDINANCE 24-136 AN ORDINANCE MAKING CHANGES TO LOT COVERAGE REQUIREMENTS BY AMENDING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SECTION 1155.01 TO MODIFY THE PERCENTAGE REQUIRED, AMENDING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SECTION 1131.05 TO INCLUDE A DEFINITION OF “LOT COVERAGE,” AND FURTHER AMENDING SECTION 1131.05 TO MODIFY THE DEFINITION OF “STRUCTURE.”

RESOLUTION 24-14 A RESOLUTION ACCEPTING THE AMOUNTS AND RATES AS DETERMINED BY THE BUDGET COMMISSION AND AUTHORIZING THE NECESSARY TAX LEVIES AND CERTIFYING THEM TO THE COUNTY AUDITOR, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

RESOLUTION 24-15 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING POLITICAL SUBDIVISION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE STATE OF OHIO COOPERATIVE PURCHASING PROGRAM, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

RESOLUTION 24-16 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE TRANSFER OF FUNDS AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-145 AN ORDINANCE AC-

CEPTING THE WOODSONG PHASE 13 OAK HILL DRIVE EXTENSION PLAT FOR DEDICATION PURPOSES PURSUANT TO SECTION 1115.02 OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES AND SECTION 723.03 OF THE REVISED CODE.

ORDINANCE 24-146 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE SPIDALIERI ENTERPRISES, LLC & MIDDLEFIELD VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT LOT SPLITS AND CONSOLIDATIONS PLAT, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-147 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING AND RATIFYING A GRANT OF EASEMENT BY THE VILLAGE TO THE CLEVELAND ELECTRIC ILLUMINATING COMPANY OVER A PORTION OF THE MAPLE HIGHLANDS TRAIL, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-148 AN ORDINANCE HIRING AUSTIN ADLER AS A PARTTIME POLICE OFFICER RETROACTIVE TO AUGUST 21, 2024, AND CONFIRMING HIS APPOINTMENT AS A FULL-TIME POLICE OFFICER, AT THE RESPECTIVE PAY RATES SET FORTH HEREIN, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-149 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING A CONTRACT WITH HISSONG KENWORTH OF RICHFIELD IN THE AMOUNT OF $228,187.00 FOR THE PURCHASE OF A NEW 2024 KENWORTH T480 SNOW AND ICE TRUCK, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-150 AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR TO ENTER INTO A PARKING EASEMENT AGREEMENT WITH THE OWNER OF PROPERTY AT 15163 BURTON WINDSOR ROAD, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 24-152 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE LOT SPLIT AND CONSOLIDATION PLAT SUBMITTED BY SCANNELL PROPERTIES, LLC FOR CONSOLIDATION OF PPN 19-080933, 19-081107 AND 19-072864, AND WAIVING ANY DEED RESTRICTION ON PPN 19-072864 RELATING TO ITS CONVEYANCE, AND DELCARING 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 Naftzger, Administrative Asst. /Billing Clerk Sep26, 2024

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

O.R.C. SECTION 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-2024-3, ZC-2024-4 and ZC-2024-5 to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution at the Chester Town Hall located at 12701 Chillicothe, at 6:30 p.m. on October 16, 2024.

The motion proposing to amend the Zoning Resolution will be available for examination at the Chester Town Hall during regular office hours and available on the Chester Township website through all Public Hearings 2024. It is also available at www.chestertwp.com/upcoming-zoning-amendments/ Kim Bican, Administrative Assistant Sep26, 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 8th day of October 2024, at 7:00 o’clock p.m. at the Parkman Township Community House, located at 16295 Main Market Road, Parkman, Ohio.

This application submitted by, Robert Miller appellant, 17134 Farmington Road, Farmington, Ohio is requesting a Variance from the Parkman Township Zoning Resolution for property located at, Hosmer Road (parcel # 25-012000) Parkman Township, Ohio which shall be in accordance with all of the applicable regulations for the District and the following regulations: ARTICLE 1V Section 402.5 Minimum lot frontage and width shall be two hundred (200) feet. Jan Helt, Secretary Sep26, 2024

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

24-F-000247 – Quest Trust Company f/k/a Quest IRA Inc. FBO Anna W. Lawson IRA #1416221, Plaintiff vs. Derrick R. Pilarczyk, et al., Defendants

Derrick R. Pilarczyk, whose last place of residence/business is 15150 White Road, Middlefield, OH 44062-9215, and Unknown Spouse, if any, of Derrick R. Pilarczyk, whose last place of residence/business is 15150 White Road, Middlefield, OH 44062 but whose present place of residence/business is unknown will take notice that on June 10, 2024, U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as owner trustee for RCAP Acquisition Trust, filed its Answer and Cross Claim in Case No. 24-F-000247 in the Court of Common Pleas Geauga County, Ohio, located at 100 Short Court Street, Suite #300, Chardon, Ohio 44024, alleging that the Defendant(s) Derrick R. Pilarczyk, and Unknown Spouse, if any, of Derrick R. Pilarczyk have or claim to have an interest in the real estate described below:

Permanent Parcel Number: 04-040800 & 04040900; Property Address: 15150 White Road, Burton, OH 44021. 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 24th DAY OF OCTOBER, 2024.

BY: REIMER LAW CO. Donald Brett Bryson, Attorney at Law, Attorney for Defendant/ Cross-Claimant, P.O. Box 39696, Solon, Ohio 44139. (440) 600-5500. Sep12-19-26, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

SALE OF REAL ESTATE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

Case No. 24-F-000107 - Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, as Trustee for the benefit of the Freddie Mac Seasoned Credit Risk Transfer Trust, Series 2019-2, (Plaintiff) vs. Ippolito, Barbara, (Defendants)

In pursuance of an Order of Sale directed to me in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public online auction the following described real estate: Property Address: 9364 Bascom Road, Chardon, OH, 44024

Legal Description: A full legal description of the property may be obtained at https://gryphonusa.roup.com/Auctions/Details/2833

Parcel Number: 15-047300

Said Premises Appraised At: $200,000.00 Minimum Bid: $133,333.33

Location of Sale: https://gryphonusa.roup.com/ Auctions/Details/2833

Online Bidding Opens: 10/2/2024 1:00 PM Online Bidding Closes: 10/9/2024 1:00 PM unless extended under anti-snipe rules

Provisional Sale Date: 10/23/2024

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the amount of $5,000.00 is due in accordance with the terms and conditions of the online auction. The balance is due within thirty days after confirmation of sale.

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

The auction is subject to postponement and cancellation.

Richard F. Kruse, Private Selling Officer psoauctions@gryphonusa.com

Sep12-19-26, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

Sale of Real Estate

GEAUGA COUNTY

Foreclosure Auction

Case# 23-F-000143 - NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A MR. COOPER vs EVELYN M. ROWLANDS, et al.

The description of the property to be sold is as follows:

Property Address: 12075 FORESTWOOD DRIVE, BURTON, GEAUGA, OH, 44021;

Legal Description: Full Legal Listed on Public Website; Parcel Number: 23-087320

Bidding will be available only on www.Auction.com opening on October 15, 2024, at 10:00 AM for a minimum of 7 days.

Property may be sold on a provisional sale date should the third-party purchaser fail to provide their deposit within the allotted time.

Provisional Sale date: October 29, 2024 at 10:00 AM. Sales subject to cancellation. The deposit required is $5,000 to be paid by wire transfer within 2 hours of the sale ending. No cash is permitted.

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

To view all sale details and terms for this property visit www.Auction.com and enter the Search Code 23F000143 into the search bar. Sep19-26 Oct3, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE SALE OF REAL ESTATE

In the State of Ohio, County of Geauga,

Case No. 22-F-000547 - BankUnited NA (Plaintiff) vs. Kenneth E. Williams Jr., et al, (Defendants)

In pursuance of an Order of Sale directed to me in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public online auction the following described real estate:

Property Address: 116 Chardon Ave., Chardon, Ohio 44024

Legal Description: A full legal description of the property may be obtained at: www.buddybartonauctions.com.

Parcel Number: 10-105350

Said Premises Appraised: $105,000.00

Minimum Bid: $70,000.00

Location of Sale: Online Bidding at www.buddybartonauctions.com.

Bidding Open Date: October 23, 2024 at 9:00

AM

Bidding Closes Date: October 30, 2024 at 2:00

PM 2nd Provisional Open Date: November 6, 2024 at 9:00 AM 2nd Provisional Close Date: November 13, 2024 at 2:00 PM

Terms of Sale: A deposit in the amount of $5,000.00 is due by wire transfer within 48 hours upon conclusion of the auction. Funding must take place within 30 days of confirmation of sale. A 5% Buyer’s Premium shall apply. The auction is subject to postponement and cancellation. Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient. Ross Barton III, Private Selling Officer, info@buddybartonauctions.com, 330-4641375 Sep26 Oct3-10, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPEAL FOR AN AREA VARIANCE TO THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application identified as number ZA-2024-10, on an appeal for an Area Variance to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution on the 14th day of October, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Chester Town Hall; 12701 Chillicothe Road.

The applicant, Allan C. Szczepinski requests an Area Variance for property located at 12473 Bentbrook Drive. He proposes building an Accessory Building larger than the 2,500 square foot allowed per Section 5.01.03 of the Chester Zoning Resolution.

Kathleen McCarthy Administrative Assistant Sep26, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPEAL FOR AN AREA VARIANCE TO THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application identified as number ZA-2024-11, on an appeal for an Area Variance to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution on the 14th day of October, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Chester Town Hall; 12701 Chillicothe Road.

The applicant, Timothy W. Kramer requests an Area Variance for property located at 11546 Ferry Rd. He proposes constructing an accessory building exceeding the allowed square footage permitted in Section 5.01.03. of the Chester Zoning Resolution.

Kathleen McCarthy Administrative Assistant Sep26, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

APPEAL FOR AN AREA VARIANCE TO THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application identified as number ZA-2024-12, on an appeal for an Area Variance to the Chester Township Zoning Res-

olution on the 14th day of October, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at Chester Town Hall; 12701 Chillicothe Road.

The applicant, Louis Monaco is requesting an Area Variance for property located at 7635 Chesterbrook. He seeks to retain his detached garage located in a manner not permitted by Section 5.01.03 of the Chester Zoning Resolution.

Kathleen McCarthy Administrative Assistant Sep26, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VARIANCE TO THE CHARDON TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Chardon Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing for Conditional Zoning Certificate Renewals on Tuesday, October 8, 2024 at 7:00 o’clock p.m. at the Town Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, Chardon, Ohio.

CASE 2024-4 – The below businesses located in Chardon Township, Ohio request to renew their Conditional Zoning Certificates. According to Section 803.00(B) of the Chardon Township Zoning Resolution, a conditional zoning certificate shall be valid for a period not to exceed five (5) years from the date of issuance.

- Celebration Lutheran Church (Pastor Laura Barbins), located at 10621 Auburn Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

- Envirotest Systems Corp. (Prentiss Taylor), emission testing, located at 10632 Auburn Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

- Lake Church of Christ (Pastor Dave Roberts), located at 8435 Auburn Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

- Thomas A. Hall Excavating & Contracting Co., Inc., (Thomas Hall) site contractor/landscape contractor business, located at 10226 Mentor Road, Chardon, Ohio

- U-Haul Business (John Krizman), located at 11114 Chardon Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

- Reel’s Auto Sales (Papa Holdings LLC), located at 11115 Chardon Road, Chardon, OH 44024.

- Giorgi Commercial Contracting LLC (Chris Giorgi), located at 11145 Chardon Road, Chardon, OH 44024.

Linda Kerry, Secretary Sep26, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Russell Township

Russell Township Board of Zoning Appeals will be holding a public hearing on Monday, October 7, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. at the Russell Township Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, Novelty, Ohio to consider the following appeals.

Application #564: Submitted by Vocon Partners, LLC. On behalf of Laurel Schools Butler Campus, located at 7420 Fairmount Road, Parcel #26-707034. This meeting is a continuance from the June 10, 2024, Hearing. The Applicant is seeking a Conditional Use Approval for the construction of an Environmental Science Building, approximately 11,950 square feet, and an outdoor amphitheater.

Application #566: Submitted by Pantuso Architecture, on behalf of Mr. Alan Kraus, for property at 14070 Watt Rd. The applicant is seeking a variance to construct a New Residents while living in existing home, he will demo existing home when Occupancy permit is obtained for new home.

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

Shane Wrench, Zoning Department Sep26, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING APPEAL FOR VARIANCE TO CLARIDON TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Claridon Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application, identified as number V24-4, on an appeal for a variance to the Claridon Township Zoning Resolution on the 10th day of October, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at the Claridon Administration Building. This application, submitted by Russell Pasquale, requests that a variance from Section 402.01, Permitted Uses in the Commercial Zoning District be granted for the lot located at 12989 Mayfield Road.

Chris Alusheff, Secretary Sep26, 2024

CHARLES E. WALDER

AUDITOR

GEAUGA COUNTY

FORFEITED LAND SALE

The land, lots, and parts of lots in the County of Geauga forfeited to the state for the nonpayment of taxes, together with the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, interest, and costs charged on them, agreeably to law, and the dates on which the lands, lots, and parts of lots will be offered for sale, are contained and described in the following list. (In accordance with ORC 5723.01, all properties listed have been transferred to the State of Ohio. The name(s) listed in parenthesis indicate the prior owner, as it appeared on the Auditor’s tax list).

Parcels are to be sold on Thursday, October 3, 2024. The sale is to begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. at the Geauga County Courthouse. The Auditor’s Office will be following County and Courthouse guidelines. There is also the opportunity to pre-register for the sale and we strongly suggest you do so by visiting the Auditor’s website at: https://auditor.geauga. oh.gov/. Please search Forfeited Land Sale for the forms.

Notice is hereby given to all concerned, that if the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, interest, and costs charged on the list are not paid into the County Treasury, and the County Treasurer’s receipt produced for the payment, before the respective dates mentioned in this notice for the sale, each tract, lot, and part of lot, so forfeited, on which the taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, interest, and costs remain unpaid, will be offered for sale on the respective dates mentioned in this notice for the sale, at the Courthouse in Geauga County, in Judge Ondrey’s Courtroom, in order to satisfy such taxes, assessments, charges, penalties, interest, and costs, and that the sale will be adjourned from day to day until each tract, lot and part of lot specified in the list and manufactured home specified in the list has been disposed of, or offered for sale.

If the tract, lot, and part of lot, so forfeited, 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 last owner of record of the tract, lot, or part of lot, before its forfeiture to the state, 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.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN TO ALL CONCERNED, THAT THE FORFEITED TRACTS, LOTS, AND PARTS OF LOTS THAT ARE OFFERED FOR SALE PURSUANT TO THIS NOTICE MAY BE SUBJECT TO A FEDERAL TAX LIEN THAT MAY NOT BE EXTINGUISHED BY THE SALE OR SUBJECT TO THE RIGHT OF THE UNITED STATES TO REDEEM ANY TRACT, LOT, OR PART OF A LOT THAT IS SUBJECT TO A FEDERAL TAX LIEN, AND PURCHASERS OF ANY OF THE FORFEITED TRACTS, LOTS, OR PARTS OF LOT ARE URGED TO SEARCH THE FEDERAL TAX LIEN INDEX THAT IS KEPT BY THE COUNTY RECORDER TO DETERMINE IF NOTICE OF A FEDERAL TAX LIEN HAS BEEN FILED WITH RESPECT TO ANY OF THE FORFEITED TRACTS, LOTS, OR PART OF LOTS.

The following parcels will be offered for sale on Thursday, October 3, 2024: Parcel 14-084400 State of Ohio (forfeited from Mary A. Briggs) Part S/L 4H Lake Aquilla Estates Company’s Sub #1, V/L Aquilla Blvd., 0.02-acre, Aquilla Village Parcel 14-084300 State of Ohio (forfeited from Mary A. Briggs) Part S/L 3H Lake Aquilla Estates Company’s Sub #1, V/L Aquilla Blvd., 0.07-acre, Aquilla Village

Parcel 14-070700 State of Ohio (forfeited from Mary A. Briggs) Part S/L 2H Lake Aquilla

Estates Company’s Sub #1, V/L Aquilla Blvd., 0.07-acre, Aquilla Village

Parcel 14-043400 State of Ohio (forfeited from Mary A. Briggs) Parts S/L 22H Lake Aquilla

Estates Company’s Sub #1, V/L Cuyahoga Blvd., 0.04-acre, Aquilla Village Parcel 02-148700 State of Ohio (forfeited by Steve Hall) Parts S/L 1325 and S/L 1326 Chagrin Falls Park Sub., 16679 Lorain Street, 0.12acre Bainbridge Township Parcel 02-148900 State of Ohio (forfeited by Ruby Hall) Parts S/L1319, S/L 1320, S/L 1321, and S/L 1322 Chagrin Falls Park Sub., V/L Lorain Street, 0.24-acre, Bainbridge Township Parcel 02-149000 State of Ohio (forfeited by Stephen Hall) Parts S/L 1323 and S/L 1324 Chagrin Falls Park Sub., V/L Lorain Street, 0.12-acre, Bainbridge Township Parcel 02-148800 State of Ohio (forfeited by Steve Hall) Parts S/L 1339 and S/L 1340 Chagrin Falls Park Sub. V/L Medina Street, 0.12acre, Bainbridge Township Parcel 02-149100 State of Ohio (forfeited by Steve Hall) Part S/L 459 Chagrin Falls Park Sub, Woodland Ave., 0.06-acre, Bainbridge Township

CHARLES E. WALDER GEAUGA COUNTY AUDITOR Sep19-26, 2024

Following is a list of real estate transfers for the week of Sept. 16, 2024, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.

AUBURN TOWNSHIP

Anthony and Karen A. Savioli, 18835 Thorpe Road, to Michael A. Weilacher and Laura S. Barnard, $444,000. (2.12 acres)

Bryan K. Wilson, 10970 Taylor May Road, to Mario Testani Jr. and Phyllis Elisabeth Hager, $730,000. (1.70 acres)

Glenn W. and Jill A. Watt, 16700 Orange Lane, to Suzanne M. and Jeremy J. Williams, $670,000. (2.29 acres)

Kyah Rae Fernandez, 150 Kensington Court (Unit 10), to Tyler N. and Abby Lovell, $425,000. (0.00 acres)

BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

Frank and Jennifer Kraft, 18784 Elmwood Lane, to Jane Sarver, $315,000. (1.50 acres)

Leonard S. and Mary Elizabeth Russo, 9440 Stafford Road, to John and Anne Paulin, $216,000. (5.04 acres)

Jared T. and Kathleen M. Fraher (trustees), 18050 Elliott Drive, to Hannah Lynn and Paul Pacifici, $615,000. (1.07 acres)

Kitchen and Bath Etc. Inc., 16544 Snyder Road, to Savage Homes Inc. and Kitchen & Bath Etc. Inc., $258,300. (10.21 acres)

Douglas and Debra Frano, 18000 Chillicothe Road, to Davian Holdings LLC, $405,000. (8.71 acres)

BURTON TOWNSHIP

Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB (trustee), 16243 Roselawn Drive, to Tare Creek Properties LLC, $75,000. (0.96 acres)

CHARDON CITY

Deena F. Adams, 130 Center St. (Unit 108), to Papa Holdings LLC, $160,000. (0.00 acres)

Zlatko and Ankica Grahovac, 348 Karen

Real Estate Transfers

Drive, to Jennifer Viola Barrett and Mary Beth Aldridge, $239,500. (0.21 acres)

U.S. Bank National Association (trustee), 145 Center St., to Jonathon Victor Bilicic, $106,100. (0.63 acres)

CHARDON TOWNSHIP

Peter G. and Susan L. Mekesa (co-trustees), 10680 Fincherie Drive, to Andrew Mayercik and Meredith Driscol, $610,000. (4.82 acres)

Jeffrey Merrell Gold (TOD) and Eric Paul Taylor (TOD), 9002 Mentor Road, to Stuart Bradley and Suzanne Elise Gair, $925,000. (12.87 acres)

Joshua C. Hanson, 9970 Chardon Road, to John S. and Diane Tizzano, $350,000. (1.00 acres)

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Laura L. Dalessandro and Lynette M. Averill (successor co-trustees), 9159 Cedar Road, to Keith and Alaina O’Connell, $405,000. (5.01 acres)

Richard A. and Heidi Burns, Chillicothe Road, to Jerome P. Flesher, $10,000. (0.33 acres)

CLARIDON TOWNSHIP

William D. and Darlene K. Glaser, 14238 Chardon Windsor Road, to Hepler Land Holdings LLC, $76,000. (5.65 acres)

Wendy B. Bergant (trustee), 12032 Claridon Troy Road, to Trenton E. Kruse, $200,000. (2.40 acres)

Michael A., Rodney L. and Randy L. Dudinsky, 14090 Chardon Windsor Road, to Thomas F. and Heidi M. Dassatti, $230,000. (2.00 acres)

HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP

David P. Nye, Hinsdale Drive, to Jeremiah and Cara Kelly, $100,000. (3.25 acres)

Arthur Jr. and Carol T. Straniero, 9604 Venus Road, to Jason Donald and Stephanie Kristine Beyer, $575,000. (1.00 acres)

Legal Notices

LEGAL NOTICE

BURTON TOWNSHIP

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received by the Burton Township Board of Trustees by hand delivery to the Burton Township Administration Building at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021 or by mail until 2:00 P.M. on Friday, October 11, 2024. Sealed bids will be opened and read at 2:30 P.M. on Friday, October 11, 2024 at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021.

Sealed bids will be received for the construction of a Maintenance Garage for Burton Township (“the Project”). The architect’s estimated cost of the Project is $800,000.00. Copies of plans, specifications and contract documents are available from TMA Architects. Please email Sean Thompson at sean@ tmaarch.com. Contractors will then be registered as bidders for the Project and documents emailed out. There is no fee for Registration or Documents, but is required so that Addenda can be properly distributed. The Architect will not distribute printed sets, but sets will be available at local plan rooms. Bidders must follow this procedure to register for the project in order to receive addenda and other bid notifications. A copy of all documents will be available for public inspection at the Burton Township Administration Building at 14821 Rapids Road, Burton, Ohio 44021. Each bid must be accompanied by a certified or cashier’s check or an irrevocable letter of credit pursuant to Chapter 1305 of the Ohio Revised Code, in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bid guaranty in the amount of one hundred percent (100%) of the bid amount, such check or bid guaranty to be made in favor of the Burton Township Board of Trustees and

MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP

Roy A. and Andrew R. Erb, 17097 Kinsman Road, to Andrew R. and Esther Erb, $79,600. (2.37 acres)

MIDDLEFIELD VILLAGE

NVR Inc., 15249 Timber Ridge, to Michael P. and Riva L. Haspel, $409,800. (0.21 acres)

NVR Inc., 15255 Timber Ridge, to Kathleen Marie Moss (trustee), $364,000. (0.21 acres)

NVR Inc., 15257 Timber Ridge, to Stephanie and Nicholas Haspel, $358,400. (0.21 acres)

Janice M. Koster, 15100 Lake Ave., to Brian Guarniere, $36,000. (0.25 acres)

MUNSON TOWNSHIP

Kimberly Hasson, 11321 Highland View Drive, to Michael Katzenmeyer, $412,500. (2.16 acres)

James F. Novotny Jr. (TOD), Paula M. Siller and Katherine Ann Briggs, 9758 Mulberry Road, to Jessica L. Rosenbaum and Nicholas R. Goryance, $312,000. (1.73 acres)

NEWBURY TOWNSHIP

James A. Iacampo, 11262 Pekin Road, to Ethan Pawlak, $302,500. (1.50 acres)

PARKMAN TOWNSHIP

Allan F. and Marcia J. Yoder, 17817 Swine

Creek Road, to Allen M. Yoder, $175,000. (3.50 acres)

David E. Miller, 16507 Bundysburg Road, to Allan F. and Marcia J. Yoder, $350,000. (12.37 acres)

Raymond L. and Ida Mae Byler, 16385 Bundysburg Road, to David E. Miller and Lori Beth Troyer, $15,000. (0.73 acres)

RUSSELL TOWNSHIP

Catherine A. Wineland, Amy E. Briggs and David A. Turner, 9520 Kinsman Road, to Daniel William Sell II, $420,000. (1.50 acres) The Barbara Ann Weist Trust of January 18, 2022, 13696 Sperry Road and Sperry Road, to Brian Marsh, $300,000. (11.00 acres)

SOUTH RUSSELL VILLAGE

Wendy P. Pierce (trustee), 504 Laurelbrook Drive, to Olivia Rose Rowland Murphy and Sean Charles Murphy, $775,000. (1.26 acres)

Mitchell G. (TOD) and Elizabeth S. (TOD) Blair, 1484 Bell Road, to Christopher A. and Ashley L. Wakefield, $700,000. (2.25 acres)

Samuel S. and Shauna S. Suder, 15 Kimberwick Court, to Brendan Michael Burdett and Christey Mader, $560,000. (0.33 acres)

THOMPSON TOWNSHIP

Thomas D. Kangas, 6772 Madison Road, to Tammy J. LJubec, $51,900. (0.11 acres)

shall be held as a guarantee that in the event the bid is accepted and a contract awarded to the Bidder, the contract will be duly executed and its performance properly secured. To be considered, proposals must be made on the Bid Proposal Forms furnished by the Burton Township Board of Trustees in the Instructions to Bidders.

The envelope containing the bid and other required documents should be sealed and clearly marked “Bid for Burton Township Maintenance Garage Building”, 14821 Rapids Road, P.O. Box 355, Burton, Ohio 44021. Prevailing wage rates are applicable to the Project regardless of any contractual relationship which may be said to exist between the Contractor or Subcontractor and such individual.

The successful bidder is required to furnish a bond for the faithful performance of the Contract in a sum of not less than one hundred percent (100%) of the total bid price for the complete work, said bond to be that of an approved surety company authorized to transact business in the State of Ohio meeting the requirements of the O.R.C. Section 153.54.

A copy of the legal notice will be published in the Geauga County Maple Leaf and will be posted on the township’s internet website at: www.burtontownship.org

The Burton Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to waive any formalities, irregularities, or to reject any or all bids. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of sixty (60) days after the scheduled closing for receipt of bids on October 11, 2024.

BY ORDER OF THE BURTON TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES Katie O’Neill, Fiscal Officer Sep19-26 Oct3, 2024

Geauga Sheriff’s Report

The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office Sept. 13 to Sept. 19, 2024.

CITIZEN ASSIST

Sept. 13

11:07 a.m., Bass Lake Road, YMCA. Requesting a phone call for political signs that are being place in front of the YMCA. Someone keeps placing "pro choice" signs on the property of the YMCA. The workers from the YMCA take the signs down, but a short time later more appear. The address on the sign is 545 E. Town Street, Columbus, Ohio, according to Map Quest, the address comes back to attorneys in Columbus for election.

SUSPICIOUS

Sept. 15

12:55 p.m.., Snow Road, Auburn. Suspicious male came to the house and was watching her young children. Older white male, wearing a plaid T-shirt in a silver GMC pickup left south. Male stopped on the road in front of the house and was watching the kids. He then saw the caller was also outside and he said "he was just admiring the little guy" and they said "he is so fortunate to have someone with him who is paying attention." Responded to speak with suspect. He would not come to the door to speak with deputy on scene. Responded to neighbors. Neighbors called suspect on the phone. Advised he would not come outside to speak with deputy. He was advised to stay away from complainant's residence and suspicious behavior will be documented.

THEFT

Sept. 18

7:16 p.m., Shedd Road, Middlefield. Sedan with four young persons keep taking produce from the stand without payment. Last seen 30 to 45 minutes ago last seen heading toward Route 168. Owner made them put pumpkins back but they have been at the produce stand multiple times. They gave the caller a fake phone number for their parents. Female stated four teenagers attempted to take pumpkins without paying but she caught them. The female just wanted the parents made aware of the issue. Deputy left a voicemail for the registered owner of the vehicle.

VANDALISM

Sept. 17

2:26 p.m., Mayfield Road, Munson. Someone through a rock through her window and she was driving. Did not see anyone. She is pulled off the side of the road. Determined large truck kicked up from roadway by an unknown passing vehicle.

WEAPON OFFENSE

Sept. 14

12:54 a.m., Park View Drive, Newbury. Caller states someone is shooting weapons nearby and is loud. Caller is upset because the shooting is very loud. Caller state she was woken up from the sounds of the gunfire. Upon arrival, deputies heard gunshots but could not locate where the shots were coming from. The gunshots stopped while deputies were in the area.

AUTOS & PARTS

2002 Chevy Z71 4-wheel 1/2-ton Truck: Excellent motor, transmission, rear end. Body and frame rusted. Factory steel bed. Asking $1,000. 440-313-1178.

1997 Jeep Wrangler: manual shift, 4-cylinder, runs good, gauges don’t work, frame needs repair, top like new, good tires & rims, 100k mi. $950. 440-3365044.

2007 Dodge Dakota SLT: silver, automatic, 6-cylinder, 6’6” bed w/liner. Call for details 440-223-9471.

2008 Nissan Xterra: Nice, MUST SEE, 134k, Winter Ready, Well Maintained. Also, 2002 Harley Davidson Sportster: 10k, Great Shape. MAKE OFFERS 330-8583213.

FOR SALE

Electric Eel Drain Opener: self-feed, $300. Singer 401A Sewing Machine, with cabinet and lots of accessories, $50/OBO. 440-272-5736.

Portable Generator: Briggs gasoline engine. 5,500 continues wattage. 8,500 peak. Runs Great. Supplies power for 14 hrs on a tank of gas. $500/OBO. 216956-6478.

Tractor: Cub Cadet LX42” XT2 Enduro series, Kohler 22HP, 7000 series, with never used snowblower. $3,000/ OBO. 440-321-1171.

5-foot Rollback Porch Swing: treated wood, new, $195. Also, Octagon Picnic Table, new, $495. Also, wood pallets, Free. 440-548-2657, let ring.

Snow Blower: Ariens ST824, 8-hp, like new, $425. Sears Rototiller: VGC, $395. Little Wonder Leaf Blower: nice condition, $395. Garden Tractor: Cub Cadet, heavy duty hydrostatic, 14-hp, all good metal, incl. wheel weights, deck, rear box, $450/OBO. 440-313-5896.

Sundowner 2-horse bumper-hitch trailer: excellent condition, custom tack room; $5,000 firm. 216-618-0416.

Full Electric Hospital Bed: rails, mattress and remote. Used for 3 days. ProBasics brand. $200. Call 440-3131411.

Crocks: Large20 $200, Large15 $150. 2 jugs $150/ each. 440-655-9999, leave message. Can send pics; they are in good condition. SHED: VGC, 10x14, you move; $2,500.

Hitzer Coal Stove, GC, $750. Honda Generator: 5500 watts, $275. Yamaha Inverter Generator, 4500 watts, $475. 440-636-6370. Also, New Dog House: light gray metal.

Benelli Super Black Eagle 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun, 26” barrel, EC, $1,400. 440-564-1172.

Classifieds

Beautiful Love Seat: cream color, only 4 months old. 62”W by 39”T by 37”D. No pets, no smoking. Only $200. 440-773-5557, Chesterland.

FREE CARPET: blue/green, 21-feet by 14-feet and 11feet by 13-feet. Call Barb 440-503-6444, Middlefield. Firewood for sale: $200 per cord. 440-338-5201.

2000 Craftsman Garden Tractor: 25-hp, three bin rear bagger, 48” cut, one owner, 1,025 hrs, well maintained, new battery, extra blades, belts. $600/OBO. 440-7291808.

Coleman Camp Stove for hunting cabin, $20. Additional camp stove, VGC, $40. Brown couch $100. 440-8348816.

SHED: VGC, 10x14, you move; $2,500. Also, 25 Totes, $5 each, one or all. 440-655-9999, Newbury.

Howard Rototiller: 42” wide, for compact tractor. Cat 1 three-point hitch. $1,800. 440-487-2955.

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES

Sept 26-28, 14835 Meadowlark Ln, Middlefield. Tools, generator, tool chest, sockets, compressor, kitchen appliances, large oak bookcase, antique wedding china, Longaberger baskets, more!

Barn Sale: Oct 4-6, 9a-4p. 8354 West Craig, Bainbridge. Large roasters, kitchen items, many many tools, landscaping lawn mower, table saw, large kiln, glassware, art supplies, holiday decorations, and so much more!

Sept 27-29, 9a-5p, 18440 Shaw Rd, Auburn. Tools, power equip. Old records, albums, CDs, cassettes. Much misc. Cash only.

Estate Sale: Sept 27-28, 9a-1p, 9600 Fairmount Rd, Russell. 70yrs accumulated items, including kerosene lamps, chairs, rockers, clocks, oil lamps, pottery, copper kettles. Cash Only.

Second Hand Treasures. A unique shopping place. Something for everyone! Weekly Sales: Thursday, Friday, Saturday. 9a-5p. Many $1 bargains. 9098 Old St Road, Rt.608, Chardon.

HELP WANTED

Help Wanted: Brush hogging small pasture, Chardon area. 440-286-3840.

PETS & ANIMALS

Kunekune piglets for sale. Born 7/25. AKKPS registered. Boars and gilts. Call or text 440-223-9023.

Free: Colorful, beautiful Bantam Roosters. Limited amount of Bantam Pullets available at $5 each. 440321-8152.

Barn homes needed for semi-feral cats, as their elderly caretaker is being evicted. All cats are being fixed & vaccinated. Rebecca 440-321-2485.

Free Kittens: born June 22nd, assorted colors. 440313-1804.

MISCELLANEOUS

FREE fact: recovery from marijuana addiction is not easy. So don’t start!!! Warn others, especially the young!

REAL ESTATE

Homes & Land Wanted: any condition or situation! Fast, friendly, local. Serving Geauga and surrounding counties. Text or call Wayne at 330-269-9595.

SERVICES

Home Organization from Top to Bottom. One room, or more! Garage too! Call for a free consultation. 440321-8838. References available. Joe Eicher doing roofing, siding, remodeling, cleanout houses, we do most anything. Call between 8a-4p, 440-813-4272. No answer, leave message. Did you know Karlovec Media Group prints business cards? Prices start at only $30 for 500 (B&W, 1-sided, no bleed). Call 440-729-7667 or email ads@karlovecmedia.com.

Albert’s Complete Tree Service: 45+yrs experience! Competent in all aspects of Arboriculture, Forestry and Land Clearing. Also, Firewood, Excavation and Sewer Work. Free Estimates. 440-687-5404.

North Coast Property Solutions: Insured. Senior, Veteran, and First Responders Discounts. We offer: Tree Trimming/removals; Storm Damage, Debris, Trash Removal; Gutter Cleaning; Window Cleaning; Chimney Cleaning, Etc. Call Mitchal at 440-662-2049 for your next project, you won’t regret it.

WANTED TO BUY

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.