POST Wednesday, July 14, 2021 • Vol. 15 No. 5 • FREE
Cardinal Terminates Gresko’s Contract Ex-Football Coach Pleads Not Guilty to Charges By Ann Wishart ann@geaugamapleleaf.com Cardinal Schools Board of Education voted unanimously June 30 to terminate the employment contract of head football coach George Gresko, as of July 2. Gresko, 28, who also occupied the position of district student success coach/alternative placement supervisor until being placed on paid suspension last month, was fired after the school board met with Superintendent Bill Kermavner for over an hour in executive session, the first action on the agenda. Last Wednesday, Gresko was arraigned in Geauga County Common Pleas Court on two felony charges: tampering with records and unauthorized use of a computer. He
entered a plea of not guilty to all charges and his case was assigned to Paschke’s courtroom for future proceedings. If found guilty, he faces up to 48 months in jail and fines of up to $12,500. The school board’s two-anda-half-page resolution concluded, “the board of education hereby acts to terminate, effective 12:01 a.m. on July 2, 2021, Mr. George Gresko’s employment contract … for good and just cause due to his unprofessional behavior, misconduct, incompetence, dishonesty, immoral conduct, insubordination, neglect of duty, willful and persistent violation of reasonable regulations of the board and other failure of good behavior.” The resolution claims the violations constitute “good and just
ANN WISHART/KMG
George S. Gresko, center, consults with his attorney, right, in the Geauga County Courthouse hallway before his arraignment June 30.
cause for his termination pursuant to Article 15 – Disciplineof the negotiated agreement between the board and the Ohio Association of Public School Employees Local 4,
By Ann Wishart ann@geaugamapleleaf.com
SUBMITTED
The winner of the Rotary Club of Burton Middlefield Maple Splash raffle, Mark Varner, of Middlefield, was presented with keys to the 2020 Ford F-150 pickup truck at Preston Ford Dealership in Burton July 5. Pictured are, from left, Rotarian Larry Fox, David Bowden, Mark Varner, Pat Preston, Jackie Preston Franck and Rotarian Jim Dvorak.
vehicle July 5. It’s not the first time he has bought tickets to support the Burton Middlefield Rotary’s annual fundraiser. “I bought some last year and won $1,000,” Varner said. Owner Pat Preston handed the keys over in front of Preston’s Ford dealership July 5. The fundraiser was celebrated with a festival, held at Century Village Museum in Burton Village,
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Free Fresh Produce
July 17, 9-11 a.m. Newbury United Community Church hosts fresh produce giveaways the third Saturday of each month through August at the church located at 14961 Auburn Road. Please bring ID and bags.
Free Sundaes with Dems
AFSCME/AFL/CIO, Local #616 and Ohio Revised Code Section 3319.081.” The board’s actions were based See Gresko • Page 3
Middlefield Couple Wins Ford F-150 in Raffle When Mark Varner bought raffle tickets at White House Chocolates in Middlefield, he didn’t know he’d be accepting the keys to a shiny black 2020 Ford F-150 at Preston Superstore July 5. Seeing the truck on display moved Varner, of Middlefield, to buy a couple of tickets in May. He bought the third ticket recently and thought no more about it. Until his sister called him after the drawing and told him he had won the truck. “She said, ‘You won that truck.’ I couldn’t believe it,” he said. When Rotarian Jim Dvorak called right after Varner hung up and verified he had won the Rotary Club of Burton Middlefield Maple Splash Raffle, he was still surprised, he said July 6. Now, he has a choice to make. “I haven’t decided if I’m going to take the cash or the truck,” Varner said. “I’ll probably take the truck. I need it bad.” His choices were explained to him and his wife, Brenda, just before he posed for a picture symbolically accepting ownership of the
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which donated the extensive facility for the sold-out event. “We filled the (Century Village) park,” said Larry Fox, Rotary member and chairman of the festival. All 5,000 tickets were sold since December at $20 each, with the funds to be donated to a number of nonprofit service organizations in the area, Fox said. The festival wrapped up the raffle purchasing. “When ticket sales were coming to a close at 7:45 p.m. July 3,
Bob Voss, past Rotary assistant district governor, and Marie Lovas, of Beaches and Dreams Travel Co., bought the last 120 tickets,” Fox said. Other prizes were: $2,500 to Ellen Martanchik, of Chardon; a diamond pendant from Steven DeFranco Jewelers to Brian Wendl, of Chardon; $1,500 to Paul Davis, of Auburn Township; a chain saw package from First Quality Power Place to Doug Thompson, of Tennessee; $1,500 to Tim Weidner, of Solon; a 60-inch flat screen TV from RadioActive Electronics to Chip Chakford, of Akron; $1,000 to John P. Weaver Jr., of Middlefield; and a Toro battery powered snow blower from Alvord’s Yard and Garden Equipment to David Harrison, of Middlefield. Other sponsors included Geauga Financial Advisors, Arm’s Trucking, McCaskey Landscaping & Design, Dumpster Bandit, LLC, First Quality Power Place, Alvord’s Yard and Garden Equipment, B & J Environmental Inc., KBR Solutions Inc., Kleve & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc., Geauga Mechanical, Taylor Plumbing Contractors Inc., Kinetico Water systems Inc., Geauga Door, O’Reilly Equipment and Designs by Dianna, LTD.
July 17, 12-4 p.m. Join the grand re-opening of the Geauga Democratic Headquarters, 12420 Kinsman Road in Newbury Township. Held rain or shine under the tent.
Parking Lot Party
July 20, 6-8 p.m. Lake Geauga United Head Start is hosting a parking lot party at 12406 Madison Road, Huntsburg Township. Tour a Head Start classroom and bus and learn what the program is about.
Rubber Stamp Sale
July 31, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Montville Crafters will hold their third annual sale of new and gently used rubber stamps and paper crafting supplies at Montville Community Center, 9755 Madison Road, Montville Township.
Red Cross Blood Drive
July 31, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. American Red Cross will host a blood drive at Parkman Community House, 16295 Main Market Road, Parkman Township.
Huntsburg Grange Concert
July 31, 6-8 p.m. Huntsburg Grange summer concerts in the gazebo park located at the corner of state routes 528 and 322 returns with True Country featuring Jim Hein. Food will be available along with a 50/50 raffle and cakewalk. Concert will be held rain or shine; bring a lawn chair.
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