Lorain County Community Guide 3-28-24

Ross denied monofill rezoning

Carissa Woytach

The Community Guide Eaton Township residents soundly rejected the rezoning of land owned by Ross Environmental Services to make way for a potential monofill, in the primary election.

The vast majority of voters rejected the change of 65 acres to heavy industrial, with 1,377 votes, or about 84 percent, voting against the rezoning, according to unofficial results. In support of

the rezoning were 265 residents, or about 16 percent of voters, according to unofficial results.

Residents placed a referendum on the March ballot after contentious meetings surrounding the rezoning of acres of land from light to heavy industrial to allow the incineration company to build a monofill on Giles Road for ash created as a byproduct of its operations.

Ross has operated in the township since the late 1940s, and its incinerator has been in business since the late 1950s.

But after a train carrying hazardous waste derailed in East Palestine on Feb. 3, 2023, and Ross received hundreds of tons of debris for incineration at its plant, many Eaton Township residents expressed concerns about the waste being shipped to the community.

Karen Johnson, one of the residents behind the community group Stop Toxic Spread that pushed for the referendum, said the group was happy with Tuesday’s results.

“It seems like the people of the township have spoken,” she said. “We were at the polls today and we had a lot of people giving us thumbs up. And quite a few came up to us and said ‘Why would anybody vote yes?’”

She said the next step for the

Never

Lauren Hoffman

The Community Guide

too old for love

OBERLIN — Dave Liedorff knew from the moment he laid eyes on June that they were destined to be together forever.

He had just made his way to the lobby and there was June reading a book, taking in the sunlight coming through the windows.

“I was sitting in the lobby reading and he just came up to me and started talking and then the next day he did it again and I told him I didn’t even know his name,” June said. “Well, he introduced himself and it went from there.”

The pair quickly began hanging out, playing cards and enjoying dinners together. Then a few months later it developed into something more. Late-night conversations and hand-holding became common occurrences for the two.

Finally in February, just a few months shy of June’s 90th birthday, Dave, 82 proposed. The rest of the nursing home was ecstatic.

“It is truly one of the biggest honors to be able to celebrate love in these walls,” said Heidi Freas, thirdgeneration owner and operator of Welcome Nursing Home in Oberlin.

“People assume that you come to a nursing home and that’s the end of it, but there’s so much love

and so much life that happens inside these walls and June and Dave are a perfect example of that.”

group is to see the heavy industrial zoning removed from Eaton Townships zoning codes entirely.

Jessica Houze wipes away tears as Judge Chris Cook sentences her for pepper-spraying two principals at Hamilton Elementary School in Elyria. Story on A2. ELECTION

“I used to say I didn’t have much time left but now I have all the time in the world to be with him,” June said, smiling at her husband. “I am happy to now be Mrs. Liedorff.”

“We woke a lot of people up in the community,” she said. “A lot of people didn’t even know it was here.”

She said the group’s intention is not to remove Ross Environmental Services entirely, but to have a healthy relationship between the company and its residential neighbors.

Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.

County fair announces 2024 lineup

to bring in good ones.”

WELLINGTON — The Lorain County Fair has announced its two headliners for the 2024 fair and released the schedule of grandstand entertainment. Headlining the fair Aug. 19 is Sara Evans. The Marshall Tucker Band headlines Aug. 20. Both shows begin at 8 p.m.

This will be Evans’ second time performing at the fair. She appeared in 2004 with Kenny Rogers.

“These are both really good and really popular acts and one thing that is important to us is that the bands are family-friendly and these two are,” said Brian Twining, a member of the fair’s entertainment committee. “Our committee has worked with Klein’s Entertainment out of Chicago for quite some time now and has continued

Sara Evans is a country singer-songwriter from New Franklin, Missouri. Evans had No. 1 singles in the early 2000s including “Born to Fly”, “Suds in a Bucket” and “A Real Fine Place to Start.”

She has said that her music is influenced by honkytonk and neotraditional country but has shifted to country pop ballads after the success of her second album.

In 2011 and 2012, Evans served as the opening act for Rascal Flatts on their Flatts Fest Tour.

Tickets for Evans begin at $27 and go up to $47.

The Marshall Tucker Band was founded in 1972 in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and is known for the hit “Can’t You See,” featured on the Kevin Costner film “Swing Vote,” and “I, Tonya.”

Mom pepper-sprays principals

Lauren Hoffman

The Community Guide

LAUREN HOFFMAN / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Bridegroom and bride Dave and June Liedorff share dinner together at the Bride and Groom table after getting married at Welcome Nursing Home in Oberlin.

The bride and bridegroom, 90 and 82, exchange a look after exchanging vows during their wedding celeebration.

Marshall Tucker band to perform

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Thomas A. Piraino Jr.

Elyria mom who pepper-sprayed principals gets 6 months in jail

Dave O’Brien

The Community Guide

Thomas A. Piraino, Jr., 74, of Cleveland Heights., Ohio. Loving husband of Barbara McWilliams; dear father of Margaret McWilliams-Piraino (Nathan Miller) of Media, Pennsylvania, Ann McWilliams-Piraino (Gerald Dixon) of Cleveland Heights, and Molly Hall (Andrew) of Leesburg, Virginia; brother of Michael S. Piraino (Carin) of Bainbridge Island, Washington, and David W. Piraino (Karen) of Brecksville, Ohio.

Thomas Piraino Jr.

The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in his name to the YMCA Hayo-Went-Ha Camps hayowentha. org/donations or the Cleveland International Film Festival https://www.clevelandfilm.org/.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, March 28, 2024 at 11 a.m. at The Church of St. Dominic, 19000 Van Aken Blvd, Shaker Heights, Ohio. Friends may call at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd, Shaker Heights, Ohio Wednesday, March 27, 2024 from 5 to 7 p.m. Interment, Westwood Cemetery, Oberlin, Ohio.

For additional information, complete obituary and guestbook, please log online to: www.Brown-Forward.com

Norton joins LCCC trustees

The Comunity Guide

Benjamin P. Norton of Avon has joined the Lorain County Community College board of trustees.

Norton was appointed by the Lorain County Board of Commissioners on Jan. 8 for a term that runs through January 2029. He was officially sworn in at the trustees’ meeting on Thursday.

The nine-member board includes three members appointed by the governor and six appointed by the county commissioners.

Norton is the president and CEO of Buckeye Community Bank, based in Lorain County. He has been with the company since its founding in 1999 and has served as president and CEO since 2019.

“I’m honored to join the Lorain County Community College District board of trustees and help further strengthen the bonds between the community and a great institution,” Norton said in a news release.

“This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to an impressive community college that serves its students and our broader region. LCCC has shaped countless lives over the years, and I look forward to contributing to its future.”

Norton’s appointment to the board continues a family tradition. His mother, Jane Norton, served on

Norton

the LCCC board of trustees for 15 years, as well as the LCCC Foundation Board of Directors for 35 years. Jane and Ben G. Norton contributed to the development of LCCC’s culinary arts program, leveraging Jane Norton’s expertise in diet and nutrition and helping make possible the Ben and Jane Norton Culinary Arts Center at LCCC. Benjamin P. Norton’s grandfather, C. Paul Stocker, served as an early trustee of the LCCC Foundation and was the champion for creating Ohio’s first fine and performing arts center on a community college campus: The C. Paul Stocker Fine Arts and Humanities Center at LCCC, which houses the Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery. Norton also has served on leadership boards for organizations in Lorain County and across Northeast Ohio, including The Stocker Foundation, The Norton Family Foundation, Lorain County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Lorain County Junior Achievement, Elyria Memorial Hospital, the Lorain County Strategic Planning Commission, Lake Ridge Academy and others.

An Elyria mother who pepper-sprayed two principals at Hamilton Elementary School in Elyria nearly a year ago during a confrontation on school grounds will serve up to six months in the Lorain County Jail for the assaults.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Chris Cook sentenced Jessica Houze, 28, of Middle Avenue, to two years on probation. Up to the first six months of that, she will spend behind bars.

Her attorney, Jeanette Robinson, said Houze was upset that her young son, who has special needs, was allegedly being bullied on the school bus. That concern escalated into a series of poor decisions.

Cook ordered Houze to report to the jail by April 10. He said he could let her out early if she behaves in jail, or send her to prison if she doesn’t.

Houze pleaded guilty to two counts of felony assault in February for pepperspraying Assistant Principal Katie Huff, who was eight months pregnant at the time, and Principal Joel Melvin.

The maximum penalty under Ohio law on each of the assault charges, both fifth-degree felonies, is six to 12 months in prison, but Ohio law presumes defendants will get probation. Still, Cook told Houze there is a price to pay for her behavior.

“... I’m sure everybody in this room has a different opinion on what that should be, but I’ve given it some thought and I’m gonna proceed accordingly,” he said.

He added later that he had “an obligation to send a message that I’m not gonna tolerate physical assaults on school personnel during the times that they are at the school.”

Huff and Melvin both have civil protection orders against Houze and she is banned from school grounds.

“If you pick up any new crimes or offenses or go to the school or there’s any problems between today and that day (April 10), all bets are off, prison is on the table,” Cook told Houze.

Houze said she understood.

Victims speak

Huff, who has since given birth to a son, gave a lengthy victim impact statement to the court.

She said she goes to work in fear “of what an angry parent might do to me or my students.”

“Will someone come to the door with mace again, will it be a gun next time?” she wondered aloud.

Houze “came to our school with the intent to harm,” tried to get in though an unauthorized door, “yelling obscenities in front of children, demanding to speak with Mr. Melvin.”

The pepper spray in her pocket “could have easily been a gun or a knife,” Huff said.

“‘I don’t care if you’re pregnant or not,’” Houze told Huff, according to Huff’s statement, “showing her lack of concern for what she would soon do to me and my unborn child,” Huff said. “I saw that the fear of what the stress could have done to me and my body and my baby.”

Hamilton Elementary School is a family, Huff said, and students and staff alike were excited and supportive for her pregnancy, but she had to wait seven weeks to find out if the assault had any effect on her baby while still caring for more than 400 students and 70 staff.

“The crime that took place that day did not just become local news, not just state, not even national. It was world news. Why? Because of how extreme the lack of concern for innocent children and adults that are just trying to live their dayto-day lives in what they believed was a safe space,” Huff said. “It’s been nearly a year later and I’m still angry and I’m still fearful.” Worse was when Houze took to social media after the incident and posted “’Yes, I will pepper spray they ass. I should have put my hands on them too,’” Huff told the judge. Huff said she wanted justice for herself, Melvin, and for her son.

“I want our schools to be safe. I want our children to be safe. I want our educators to feel safe to be able to do their job without the worry that someone might harm them if someone isn’t happy with their decision

making,” she said. “Violence cannot be condoned.”

Melvin called the day of the assault “terrifying in more ways than one … not just the assault on me, but as Mrs. Huff stated, the fact that we have 440 kids in that building, and somebody just assaulted two staff members in front of kids during the school day on school grounds during arrival,” he said.

Melvin recalled that Houze also verbally challenged him.

“... and I quote, ‘What are you looking at? I’ll knock you in your f------ head too. I’m just as big as you are,’” he recalled her saying.

Melvin asked Cook to not let that behavior go unpunished, as the event “took place during the school day on school grounds against school personnel with many little kids around. And it’s something that they should never have to go through nor should we as leaders of any school system, not just Elyria but something that no educator should have to endure.”

‘A mother’s love’

Houze apologized in court to Huff and Melvin.

“I would like to offer my sincere apologies to both of you guys. I’m deeply sorry for the harms that I am responsible for inflicting upon each of you. I’m praying that you guys both will accept my apology and move forward with your emotional and spiritual healing,” she said. “I apologize to this court and the community for my behavior I demonstrated on that terrible day.”

“This is not who I am as a young and caring mother. I am a single mother raising two beautiful children that I love with all my heart,” she said.

“I was very stressed and very concerned about my child upon being informed by the bus driver in a daycare witnessing that things was going on with (my son), your honor.”

She said she felt frustrated and “when I went to the school to talk to the principal tempers flared and things got out of hand.”

“This is an experience I have learned from and it will not recur again,” Houze said. Houze has been in counseling since shortly after the April 18, 2023, incident at

the elementary school on Middle Avenue in Elyria, defense attorney Jeanette Robinson said in court.

“This case is primarily about a mother’s love,” Robinson said. “However, the way that love was acted upon went horribly wrong.”

Robinson said her client went to the school “repeated times to try to get this addressed and try to be informed of any incidents and another incident that happened during the day in question.”

“Jessica went to the school out of love for her child, not with the intention of harming anyone but to try to get this addressed so that her son did not have to continue being the victim of ongoing bullying,” Robinson said. “When she got there, however, help was not forthcoming.”

“And in fact, the door was slammed in her face. It was only then that she reacted by pulling out the pepper spray or mace,” she said.

Robinson didn’t dispute her client “made many poor choices that day, including the social media post,” but also turned herself in to police once she calmed down and has been in counseling since shortly after the incident.

“Yes, she made poor choices with the social media. Yes, she made poor choices with spraying the school officials on school property,” Robinson said, “but she is trying to turn things around so that she doesn’t have an incident in the future where she can’t control her emotions or control them in a way that is not legal or socially acceptable.”

Apologies matter

Cook said Houze’s apologies mattered to the victims and the community. As a judge, he also said he is responsible for sending a message about what type of conduct is OK.

The case was unique in his legal career, disturbing “on so, so many levels,” and filled with irony, Cook noted.

Houze “essentially assaulted and bullied two people in response to your son being mistreated.

“How is that the way to advocate and protect your son and go to bat for him by doing essentially the thing he was being subjected to, to other people?”

Lauren Hoffman

The Community Guide

AMHERST — Amherst City Council has tabled a decision on the controversial construction of Quarry Creek Residential Neighborhood.

Council members voted unanimously to table the decision until April 9, giving the developer time to investigate a solution that will appease both Council and community members.

Proposed for land off of North Dewey Road in Amherst, the 174-unit neighborhood has been a point of discussion in Council and the community, particularly regarding safety concerns.

Residents who live along Dewey and North Ridge Road like Meghan DuBois have gone before Council to ask that safety be paramount in building the new neighborhood.

“North Dewey is skinny, it has no curbs and my main concern is safety if something were to occur and emergency vehicles couldn’t get into the neighborhood,” DuBois said.

“Imagine if someone in the trailer park or one of the new proposed homes had a heart attack while no cars including emergency vehicles could get through.”

Following the council’s March 11 meeting, DuBois presented petitions to residents in the Amherst Village mobile home park along North Dewey Road, asking them to sign to show the developer and Council the number of people with medical issues in the neighborhood that would be affected if an emergency access road was not put in.

“I got to 75 people in the neighborhood with the homes over there in the trailer park and more than half of the people are elderly so it really is a

concern that EMS could be needed,” Dubois said. “This back way is a necessity for them.”

Quarry Creek Residential developer Greg Sommers of Sommers Real Estate Group out of Chardon said he has heard the residents’ concerns and wants to look into solutions. Sommers’ father, Richard, previously had come before Council to discuss the neighborhood.

Sommers said the idea is to look into building an emergency access road bridge across the creek at the end of North Dewey.

“We have had extensive discussions about safety being a major priority and if there is any way to accomplish a second emergency access road,” Sommers said. “Although it would be a significant, expensive undertaking, we have decided to hire a hydrologist and a separate engineering firm to explore the possibility of making this happen as part of the proposal.”

Sommers said the road, if possible, would be a gated access road off of Spruce Tree Lane in the adjacent Rock Creek Run neighborhood on Leavitt Road.

“The road would not be a through street under any circumstances and will instead be used only in the case of emergencies,” Sommers said.

“We would also build a culvert bridge over the creek in that area so emergency trucks can get across.”

Sommers said the road, if viable, will be 22 feet across.

Amherst Council member Matt Nahorn said he was pleased with the developer’s response.

“As someone who is in that area multiple times a week, I understand the concerns and questions regard-

ing the proposed development,” he said. “I am very pleased with the responsiveness of the developers, particularly in response to their request for time for further research, discussion and ultimately a proposal for a second emergency access road that will not only serve the proposed development but also the current homes in that area.”

Residents said they still have concerns.

“I strongly suggest that flashing lights coming down toward Dewey be put in at least,” said Lee Nagel, a resident of Dewey Road. “I get why you decided to not put in a light but we need those flashing lights at least because hopefully people will slow down when coming down that road.”

A traffic study conducted in the area by Andy Comer and TMS Engineers concluded that a traffic light would not be needed in the area but a 150-foot left turn lane would be.

“With the traffic counts, the traffic volumes and the projected traffic volumes, we found that a traffic signal is not warranted at that intersection,” Comer said.

Aaron Appell from Bramhall Engineering, the city’s developer, said the neighborhood is expected to generate 85 cars in the peak hour of the morning and 99 cars in the peak hour of the afternoon.

If approved at the April 9 meeting, the development will be built in five phases. Home units will include duplexes and triplexes and will begin at $285,000 and will include a homeowners association.

Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 328-6902 or lhoffman@chroniclet.com.

Kids make galaxies out of ‘STEM slime’

The Community Guide

AMHERST — Young library patrons learned how to make their own galaxies from slime as part of the Amherst Public Library’s latest STEM activity.

Hosted by Youth Services librarian Megan Karhusz, Tuesday afternoon’s event was a way to combine STEM and the upcoming eclipse into a fun activity, Karhusz said.

“This is a special program that we wanted to do be-

cause the eclipse is coming and while the library will be closed on that day, we wanted to have some type of STEM project ahead of time,” she said. The library’s previous STEM activities have included bubbles and snow and were well received, Karhusz said.

In addition to learning how to make their own galaxy-themed slime, participants also were given the slime recipe so they could try it at home.

“We also have moon sand and a recipe for that in the back to add to the sensory experience,” Karhusz said. Children like 8-year-old Edison enjoyed watching the gooey substance transform from a sticky liquid to a moldable putty throughout the activity. “I made slime and I love it,” Charlotte, a 3-year-old, said as she waved it around.

“It’s purple and it’s fun.”

Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 328-6902 or lhoffman@chroniclet.com.

Lauren Hoffman

Charlotte, 3, molds her galaxy slime at the Amherst Public Library.

LAUREN HOFFMAN / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Students head home from Firelands High School after “Drive Your Tractor To School Day.” The annual event is sponsored by the Future Farmers of America and is the celebration at the end of National FFA Week.

at Mount Zion Baptist Church, highlighting “unsung sheroes” in the community.

Led by Mona A. Atley, Women in the NAACP (WIN) chair, the event recognized women advocates for equity, diversity and inclusion.

“We started this off several years back when they were having women’s marches in Washington, D.C.,” Atley said. “Because we couldn’t get up there and march with them, we marched here.”

Atley said marches in both D.C. and Ohio focused on building women’s ability to stand stronger, take leadership roles and continue with economic development. 2024’s event had a closer focus on the original marches, looking at women who work in the background, Atley said.

“Today we celebrate the women who work in the background, the women you hardly ever hear or talk about,” she said. “These women are experts in cooking and they share their gifts with the community. Some are people who take others to doctor’s appointments at no charge other than to show love. Others are soldiers or people who work in the public behind the scenes.”

Nine women from the community were recognized by the NAACP. They also were celebrated by keynote speaker Theresa Buchanan, first lady of Community Baptist Church in Lorain.

“We were being brainwashed into believing our lives are not important, that we are not special in our own way, and today I want to focus on what we have,” Buchanan said.

Buchanan discussed the importance of courage, character and commitment to each of the nine women and how the three traits combine to bring out the best in people.

“I went over and over in my mind — who should be

hon keynote speaker Theresa Buchanan, first lady of Community Baptist Church in Lorain. ored but whose name is not often called out?” she said. “Women in court systems like judges, attorneys, clerks, women who have survived domestic violence, doctors, cancer survivors, EMT workers, nurses, hospital cooks and janitors, teachers and secretaries, crossing guards, bus drivers, armed service members and grandmothers who had to step up into the front line; these women are sheroes. These women have risen up, and we celebrate them today because they have courage, they have true character and, most of all, they are committed.”

The honorees

Dorothy Blackburn was the first honoree. Known as “Sister Dot” to her community, Blackburn is a member of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Elyria where she serves as a cook, nurse, a lady Zionite and a member of the Mother’s Deaconess Board and Missionary Board.

Toni Duncan is a servant leader who gives her time, talent and resources wherever needed including work at Lorain County Community College in the Talent and Business Innovation Department. Duncan is known for her Toni’s

tea parties, warm hospitality, event decorating and general craftiness.

Farah Emeka has been a practicing attorney for over 20 years and is in her seventh year as prosecutor for Oberlin. She also serves on the Oberlin school board as president and chair of the Ruby N. Jones Community Scholarship, Family Planning fund, MAD* Factory board, League of Women Voters of Lorain County and many others. She intends to run for Oberlin Municipal Court judge next year.

Betty Halliburton is an Emmy award-winning journalist, film producer, multimedia architect and ordained minister. She currently serves as the director of communications for Dr. Airica Steed, president of the MetroHealth System in Cleveland. Elizabeth Meadows is a Lorain County Community Action Agency Board member, serves on Oberlin’s Social Equity Steering committee and on the Oberlin Underground Railroad Implementation team. She worked in the public sector and was a member of the Oberlin City Council for 10 years.

Maddie Johnson is known for her cooking where she prepares food for families in bereavement and also makes homemade soups and cornbread for holidays. This past

Christmas, Johnson and her husband dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus to bring holiday cheer and presents to clients at the Nord house in Oberlin.

Charlene T. Searcy-Shelton, is a retired first sergeant in the U.S. Army after 24 years of service. She is on the pastoral staff of the New and Living Way Ministries in Lorain and regularly does missionary work in Kenya and Uganda, where she teaches and provides counseling and clothes and books to those in need. In 2018, SearcyShelton founded a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, The Children’s Bread of Deliverance: Peace and Prosperity International Ministry Inc. Terrie Randleman Smith is a nurse who worked in Cleveland with an orthopedic surgeon who taught her how to meet patients where they are. Randleman Smith has worked in the ER, colonoscopy lab, intensive care units and retired as director of nursing and emergency services at Mercy Health-Allen Hospital in Oberlin.

Sharon West is a dedicated member of Bethany Baptist in Elyria where she teaches children Sunday school and vacation Bible school.

The Oberlin High School (OHS) senior honored for the month of December is Kyra Lopez.

Lopez has been active in the OHS Student Council. She was treasurer in her junior year and president in her senior year. She is also Senior Class Vice President. Lopez has been a varsity starter in volleyball throughout her high school career and is co-captain this year. She is a varsity cheerleader and theater and dance are her passions. She is in the OHS drama club, choreographing and playing the lead last year in “High School Musical, Jr.”

Lauren Hoffman

The Community Guide

OBERLIN — Firelands freshman Ethan Hozalski had been dreaming of this day since he was in kindergarten. As he started up his grandfather’s tractor ahead of the school day he beamed with excitement.

Hozalski was one of 32 kids who participated in Firelands Drive Your Tractor to School Day last week as part of celebrations for National Future Farmers of America Week.

“Firelands FFA members are leaders of tomorrow,” group adviser Shanna Finnegan said. “They are driven, perceptive and willing to help others through community service … and FFA gives many young people an important push to consider their futures — what kind of people, citizens and professionals they intend to be.”

The tradition has been a staple of the Firelands FFA program for over 50 years. Finnegan said it is a perfect closer to National FFA Week celebrations.

“Today is magical, honestly,” said Shelby McCarty, Firelands FFA’s other adviser. “You don’t tend to get nostalgic for high school but when this event comes around, that all changes.”

McCarty said that Friday’s event was a source of pride, recognition and fun.

“We have a lot of open enrollment here at Firelands and so some of our students like Anthony LaForet come from as far as Parma,” McCarty said. “When he first came here last year he said this day was one of the things he was most looking forward to.”

Finnegan and McCarty said the day also served an important educational purpose for all students.

“We had a scavenger hunt for pre-K through fifth and another one for middle schoolers on the tractors, we had art teachers come out and do paintings and drawings of the different aspects of the tractors, one math class came out and estimated and measured the tractor’s footprint and one of our teachers even had students measure the tractors and scale them down into smaller forms with toy scaled tractors,” Finnegan said.

This year’s event was the largest turnout Finnegan and McCarty have ever seen, and it also brought some of the biggest tractors.

“The really big articulated tractors like the Case H that was out here was 500 horsepower and I believe it was the biggest tractor we’ve ever had here,” McCarty said.

“While the John Deere articulated was probably the heaviest.”

Josh Kovach drove the John Deere he borrowed from Dovin Farms. Senior Logan Becker, drove the other large tractor, the Case H from his job at H.A. Farms.

Lopez is rehearsing for the role of “Narrator” in OHS’ production of James and the Giant Peach to be performed at OHS April 12 - 14. This production was accepted for the Cleveland Dazzle Awards. As part of Dazzle, Lopez and her castmates have been able to attend workshops led by theater professionals in all aspects of theater production. Lopez attended a dance workshop led by the Cleveland Cavaliers Dance Team. Judges from Dazzle,

including the CEO of Playhouse Square, will attend the show in April to hand out awards. Lopez also has been active with the Olde Towne Hall Youth Theater and MAD Factory Camp Lopez and her father have assisted with food distribution at the Second Harvest Food Bank. After OHS graduation, Lopez plans to study music production in college. She is currently auditioning at several schools and hopes to hear from them in April.

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE

LAUREN HOFFMAN / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Back row, from left: Elizabeth Meadows, Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert, Betty Halliburton, Farah Emeka, and Claudia Jones. Front row, from left, Maddie Johnson, Charlene T. Searcy-Shelton, Terrie Randleman Smith, Toni Duncan, Dorothy Blackburn and Sharon West.

Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide OBERLIN — The Metro Central NAACP held its ninth annual Women of Passion in Purple Program recently

Keynote speaker Theresa Buchanan, first lady of Community Baptist Church in Lorain.

Kyra Lopez

RECAPPING THE 2024 PRIMARY

Gallagher upsets Hung

rain County Board of Elections.

The Community Guide

In an upset victory, challenger Martin Gallagher defeated incumbent Lorain County Commissioner Michelle Hung in the Republican primary on Tuesday, enabling him to go on to run in the November election.

His opponent will be Democrat Tony Dimacchia, who won a fourway race for his party’s nomination for commissioner on Tuesday.

Gallagher thanked his supporters “from the bottom of my heart” on Tuesday night.

Their support “means a lot to me,” he said.

Gallagher said he now plans to give to the county as best he can.

“That’s my biggest attribute, and the honor they bestowed on me by voting for me,” he said.

With all precincts reporting, Gallagher had 16,104 votes, or 69 percent, to 7,178 votes, or 31 percent, for Hung, according to complete but unofficial results from the Lo-

“That tells me I worked hard and got their faith and I have every intention of doing my best for them,” Gallagher said of voters who backed him.

Hung’s term ends Jan. 2, 2025. Messages seeking comment were left for her Tuesday.

Hung’s term has been controversial, with an extramarital affair between her and a subordinate, Harry Williamson, who was Lorain County 911 director at the time. Hung’s fellow commissioners fired him in August 2021 after the affair was revealed.

Hung also faces an Ohio Ethics Commission probe for allegedly trying to get county jobs for family members, and she frequently sparred with her fellow commissioners, first with former Commissioner Matt Lundy, a Democrat, and then later Commissioners David Moore and Jeff Riddell, fellow Republicans.

Despite attacks that he blamed on the Hung campaign, Gallagher said he wished Hung “the best of luck.”

That Hung didn’t get along with

her fellow commissioners hurt the county, Gallagher said, but he said he can get along with Moore and Riddell.

“I think that’s important, to get along with your co-workers,” he said. “The county was fractured. I think we can rebuild it.”

Dimacchia Dem winner

With all 204 precincts reporting, Dimacchia, an at-large member of Lorain City Council, had 7,224 votes, or 40 percent, followed by former Sheffield Village Councilwoman Carolyn White with 5,902 votes, 33 percent.

Amherst City Councilman Martin

Heberling III came in third with 3,482 votes, or 19 percent, while Charles Brown got 1,522 votes, or 8 percent, according to complete but unofficial results.

From the Italian American Veterans Club in Lorain, Dimacchia thanked his supporters for making him the Democratic nominee.

Heberling did not return messages left for him election night.

Contact Dave O’Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet. com.

Donna Freeman Dem winner

Carissa Woytach

The Community Guide

LORAIN — Attorney Donna

Freeman is one step closer to a seat on the bench in Lorain County.

Freeman won the Democratic primary for the Lorain County Common Pleas judge seat held by Judge John Miraldi against fellow attorney Matthew Bobrowski.

Freeman carried 12,133 votes, or 68 percent; Bobrowski carried 5,690 votes or about 32 percent, according to unofficial results.

Freeman was humbled by the results, she said, and thanked those who supported her at the polls. She joined Democratic candidate for Commissioner Lorain Councilman Tony Dimacchia, D-at large, at a watch party at the Italian American

Veterans Post No. 1 in Lorain. She said she worked hard ahead in the election. “I love helping families and I’m just truly honored tonight to win this and I will continue to fight hard for everybody,” she said “… My 12-year-old son told me to run, he’s super excited. I’m very happy to tell him I won tonight.”

Bobrowski congratulated Freeman on her victory, noting she ran an excellent campaign and the voters of Lorain County “clearly made their choice” of a “well-qualified candidate.”

He also thanked his supporters and appreciated the democratic process. Freeman will face Republican Richard Ramsey in the general election. Miraldi did not seek reelection.

Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.

Incumbent next for winner Walther

Elections.

The Community Guide

Dawn Walther cruised to victory Tuesday in the Democratic primary race for the Lorain County recorder’s seat, overcoming Chief Deputy Recorder Jeff Bearer.

Walther, of Lorain, defeated Bearer 11,569 votes to 6,037 votes, taking nearly 66 percent of the votes, according to complete but unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of

“I am thrilled,” Walther said. “I am so humbled by the support this community has given me and it’s a testament to the faith that was placed in me to uphold those responsibilities.”

Bearer did not respond to a request for comment made Tuesday night. Walther will now move on to the general election in November where she will face county Recorder Mike Doran, a Republican seeking a second term. Doran was unopposed.

County sees low turnout

The Community Guide

Despite it being a presidential primary, voter turnout Tuesday was a meager 22.1 percent, according to unofficial results from the Lorain County Board of Elections.

That is even lower than the 24.89 percent turnout of the 2020 primary election, which was beset by the initial outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Up until 2014 we were a part of Super Tuesday,” Adams said.

“So you might have to go back a significant way to find a presidential primary where both contests had already been determined to find a comparable turnout.”

“This may be the lowest presidential primary turnout in the county in a significant amount of time,” elections board Director Paul Adams said. Adams said that the low turnout was possibly due to the fact that both the Republican and Democratic presidential nominations had already been clinched, by former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden.

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE

It may have been a light turnout but it was still a heavy load for these election officials carrying ballots into the Board of Elections for counting after the polls closed.

Latta wins in U.S. 5th

The Community Guide

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bob Latta, R-Norwalk, will move on to the general election, after defeating a primary challenger.

Latta defeated fellow Republican Robert Owsiak Jr. and will continue on to the November election to face Democrat Keith Mundy for a chance to retain his seat in Congress.

Districtwide Latta carried 69,135 votes or about 83 percent; Owsiak carried

14,253 or about 17 percent, according to unofficial results.

In Lorain County. Latta won 16,179 votes, or 76 percent. Owsiak held 5,109 votes or 24 percent.

In a statement to The Chronicle-Telegram, Latta said he was humbled by the strong support from voters across Northern Ohio.

He said serving the residents of Ohio’s 5th District is the greatest honor of his life.

LORAIN COUNTY COMMISSIONER

LORAIN COUNTY COMMON PLEAS JUDGE

LORAIN COUNTY RECORDER

BRUCE BISHOP / CHRONICLE

Donna Freeman celebrates with Tony Dimacchia and campaign director Bambi Dillon after hearing she won at the Italian American Veterans Post No. 1 in Lorain.

Lorain County Girls All Stars

Photos by Russ Gifford, The Community Guide

North Ridgeville’s Grace Kingery hits a three point shot in the second Senior All Star game. Kingery was named the Lorain County D1 Most Valuable Player.

Columbia’s Elise Champagne drives baseline past Elyria’s Kloie Troutman in the second Senior All Star game. Champagne was named DIII Co-Player of the Year along with Keystone’s Brooklyn Barber.

North Ridgeville’s Grace Kingery captured the Lorain County Miss Basketball award, as well as being acknowledged for setting the Lorain County Girls Basketball scoring record of 1,926 points.

Amherst’s Kayla Ferancy Drives to the basket in the second Senior All Star game.

Elyria Catholic’s Isabelle Niederst gets two points in the second Senior All Star game. Niederst was named the DII Lorain County Player of the Year.

In 2023, combined E-ZPass use by the Ohio Turnpike’s passenger

was 74.1 percent.

The modernization of the toll collection system is the largest construction project in Ohio Turnpike history since its completion in October 1955.

20 gates removed Motorists entering the Ohio Turnpike with EZPass have been experiencing features of the new toll collection system since early 2023.

SHAKESPEARE

More significantly, 127 lanes at these interchanges were upgraded with new electronic tolling components, including sensors and other equipment to read E-ZPass transponders, and to classify vehicles by the number of axles and vehicle height.

Automated toll payment machines, which accept cash and credit cards, were installed at all 20 toll plaza interchanges as well as the four mainline toll plazas.

The first phase, which permanently opened the entry gates in all E-ZPass toll booth lanes, was successfully deployed at 20 interchanges from Toll Plaza 52 (Toledo AirportSwanton) in Lucas County to Toll Plaza 209 (Warren) in Trumbull County.

The lane conversion

process also included the installation of message signs, which provide travelers with messages in the toll booth lanes when entering and exiting the toll road.

When the new system goes live, following the completion of testing, the exit gates in all dedicated E-ZPass lanes from Toll Plaza 52 to Toll Plaza 209 will be opened.

When driving through the toll booth lanes, even though the gates are up, motorists are reminded to always follow the posted 10 mph speed limit for their safety, the safety of other motorists, as well as the safety of Ohio Turnpike staff.

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