Ross Expo on target to open at fair
Garrett Looker
The Community Guide
The new Ross Exposition Center at the Lorain County Fairgrounds is nearing completion, officials said, as they met Wednesday night at Main Street Wellington’s annual meeting.
Judy Key, Lorain County fairgrounds facility manager, said they are on schedule to have the building finished when the Lorain County Fair starts.
“There’s been a lot of planning to make this new structure as versatile as possible,” she said. The next step in construction of
the 67,000-square-foot exposition center is to pour the concrete, Bill Spreng, a volunteer that has helped with the project, said at the meeting.
Ground was broken for the project in June.
Key said $11.9 million has already been raised for the $12 million project.
“As soon as we have the $12 million covered, they will start going into the other buildings,”
Key said.
“The beef barn will be the first one.” Funding for the new exposition center at the fairgrounds
has come from several different sources, Spreng said.
“County commissioners pledged $1.5 million to match what the senior fair board had pledged. So now we’re off to the races,” Spreng said, adding that Ross Environmental Services — a local hazardous and industrial waste management company — has committed $4 million over 10 years.
To Key, building the exposition center creates an opportunity to open up the fairgrounds to more opportunities. Outside of the small amount
of time each year that the space would be used for the fair, she said that it will be open for the public to rent.
“The goal is to create a place for all to join in on the events being held at the fairgrounds, and to come together to give them the opportunity to celebrate their hobbies and interests,” Key said.
Community members will be able to start submitting bookings to rent the space next month, she said.
“I really think it’s going to bring growth,” Key said.
“The other part of this project,
Wellington residents b-b-brave the cold for luminaria hike
About 50 Wellington residents braved the cold for a 2-mile hike along a trail lit by luminaries on Saturday. The hike, which wound around the Wellington Reservation to its observation point, was lit by small paper lanterns across the trail. For more information on activities at Wellington Reservation or other parks in Lorain County, visit loraincountymetroparks.com/programs.
Man arrested with 12 fake credit cards
Owen MacMillan
The Community Guide
A New York man arrested in Avon is charged with allegedly using fake or stolen credit cards at a number of businesses across Northeast Ohio.
Daniel Diaz, 30, of Brooklyn, is charged with theft and possession of criminal tools after he was arrested at Walmart in Avon earlier this month.
According to a search warrant acquired by The Chronicle-Telegram, Avon police were alerted on
Jan. 7 to a suspect and vehicle that were allegedly involved in a number of fraudulent credit card transactions in North Olmsted and in Solon earlier that day.
Avon Lake police alerted Avon that the suspect vehicle, a silver Toyota, had been spotted in Avon Lake heading toward Avon. Using traffic cameras, Avon police determined that the vehicle was in the area of the Avon Commons shopping center in the city. The vehicle was found
in the Walmart parking lot and officers watched the suspect, later identified as Diaz, returning to his vehicle with a number of items in Walmart bags.
Avon police pulled the vehicle over for an improper turning violation and took Diaz into custody.
Police said that upon his arrest Diaz had a credit card writer and reader, 14 credit cards with the name “Daniel Diaz” printed on the front and merchandise and a receipt matching an alleged false transaction at
a Tractor Supply in Solon. He also had receipts from other stores in Avon as well as from Rocky River, Mentor, Painesville and New York state.
The warrant said that Avon police later determined that only two of the 14 credit cards that Diaz had in his possession came back as a match for his personal information.
An employee of Walmart also told police that Diaz had attempted to purchase several items with a card that was declined.
it is truly kids and community,” Spreng said.
“Those are the two driving forces. This is why we’re doing it. This will be here for the next 75 years.” Building the exposition center expands the possibility of not only children in Wellington but in the entire county, she said.
“We stand on the shoulders of giants, that’s how we got where we are today,” Spreng said.
“We need to build on that legacy.”
Contact Garrett Looker at glooker@chroniclet. com.
Two from here among freed for Jan. 6 riot
Garrett Looker
The Community Guide
Four years ago on the grounds of the United States Capitol, Michael and Clifford Mackrell — father and son, then of Wellington — assaulted law enforcement by striking and pushing officers as they joined the front line of rioters, authorities said.
In one instance, Clifford Mackrell “reached under an officer’s riot shield and grabbed at the officer’s face and eyes. The officer can be heard screaming in agony on a body-worn camera during the assault,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
In March 2024, both Mackrells pleaded guilty to counts of assaulting and resisting certain law enforcement officers, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They both were sentenced to 27 months in prison with differing additional time of supervised release.
On Monday, President Donald Trump issued pardons and commutations for the roughly 1,500 defendants involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection, including Clifford and Michael Mackrell.
“These people have already served years in prison, and they’ve served them viciously,” Trump said of the hundreds of defendants. “It’s a disgusting prison.
“It’s been horrible. It’s inhumane. It’s been a terrible, terrible thing.”
Trump’s action grants “a full, complete and unconditional pardon to all other
individuals convicted of offenses related to events that occurred at or near the United States Capitol on January 6, 2021,” according to White House’s proclamation.
At an address listed for Clifford Mackrell, a message seeking comment was left for both individuals early Wednesday afternoon. An individual who answered the door did not identify himself, but he said he knew both Mackrells and that he would pass along the message. Bob Meilander, committee chairman for the Lorain County Republican Party, said they deserved pardons.
“I think it’s completely right,” Meilander said. Meilander justified the Jan. 6 pardons and commutations by comparing them to some of the last official acts of former President Joe Biden, who preemptively pardoned family members with minutes remaining in his presidency.
“This is assault charges,” Meilander said. “He pardoned people that were murderers. He pardoned people that weren’t even convicted of anything yet, because they’re guilty.”
On his final full day as president, Biden issued full and unconditional pardons for members of Congress who served on the Select Committee to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the United States Capitol, including former GOP Reps. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, and Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff of California.
RICHARD PERRINS / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Countdown to spring
Annual home and garden show opens at I-X Center
John Benson The Community Guide
Nothing solves cabin fever better than thinking about spring at the Great Big Home + Garden Show.
This year’s event, which runs through Feb. 9 inside of the I-X Center, once again aims to inspire homeowners with more than 475 exhibits featuring kitchen and bath, landscaping, décor and flooring ideas.
“Spring is just around the corner at The Great Big Home + Garden Show, with our exhibitors getting ready in less than a month to bring Northeast Ohioans the latest in home and garden design,” show manager Rosanna Hrabnicky said.
“Many exhibitors will
also be offering great show specials only available at our show, making it the ideal event to not only find some great new ideas for your next home project but also get the best deals, too.”
Attractions include home front entrance ideas with “Doorway to Spring” featuring doors inspired by 10 local designers. There are also six feature gardens from Northeast Ohio’s top landscapers in the Garden Showcase and exhibits from Mulberry Creek Herb Farm, Your Garden Specialist, The Plant Shop and Pandy’s Garden Center. JR Pandy, co-owner of Pandy’s in Elyria, said his family business, which has
14 acres of trees, shrubs, perennials and greenhouses along with two goats (Phoebe and Michael Jordan), has been a staple at the home and garden show for nearly four decades.
“Houseplants are hot right now in the lawn and garden industry. We have a huge 2,500-square-foot space (at the Great Big Home + Garden Show) where we showcase our gorgeous plants. You can actually purchase them right on the spot.
“The Great Big Home + Garden Show is great exposure for our business. It reminds people we are here in Elyria and it encourages many people to make a one-tank trip and view our facility.”
IF YOU GO WHAT: The Great Big Home + Garden Show WHEN: Through Feb. 9 (times vary) WHERE: I-X Center, One I-X Center Drive, Cleveland TICKETS: $15 ($13 when purchased online), $11 seniors purchased at show box office (Monday through Thursday), $5 children ages 6 to 12, children 5 and under free INFO: Greatbighomeandgarden.
In addition to appearances by HGTV’s Mina Starsiak Hawk of “Good Bones” (Feb. 1) and Dave and Jenny Marrs of “Fixer
to Fabulous” (Feb. 8 and 9), the show also has the latest home design trends at the JDM Homes Waverly Idea Home, Weaver Barns Backyard Oasis and Xtend Technologies Theater Barn. Ohio Garage Interiors, which provides high-quality polyaspartic garage floor coatings that are nonporous, stain-resistant and have a permanent bond to the concrete.
Chief Executive Officer Chad Gleske said the Brunswick-based company has appeared at the exhibition for most of the last 20 years.
“We return every year because it’s a great time to meet potential new clients who get to ask questions.”
Avon Lake man charged in stabbing
The Community Guide An Avon Lake man who allegedly tried to kill his wife on Dec. 3 at their Wedgewood Drive home is now facing five felony charges. Woodie Francis, 78, was indicted Thursday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on one count of attempted murder, two counts of felonious assault, and one count each of disrupting public services and possession of criminal tools, all felonies. He also is charged with one count of domestic violence, a misdemeanor.
The charges allege that he stabbed Deborah Francis with a knife in an attempt to kill her and tried to prevent her from calling for help by dialing 911 or communicating with emergency services.
He’s being held in Lorain County Jail on $500,000 bond, according to jail records. The case has not been assigned to a judge, and he has not yet been arraigned before a judge or entered a plea.
Attorney Kevin Spellacy, who is representing Woodie Francis on the charges, said Friday that he hadn’t yet seen the indictment. He said he and his client are working on posting bond. According to the Avon Lake Police Department, Woodie Francis called police just before 9 p.m. Dec. 3 and told them he had stabbed his wife and she needed help.
Officers responded and found Woodie Francis in the garage at the couple’s home in the 700 block of Westwood Drive.
At a Dec. 11 preliminary hearing in Avon Lake Municipal Court, an officer testified that Woodie Francis had blood on both of his hands when officers arrived and admitted to stabbing Deborah Francis.
She was found in a recliner in a home office, bleeding heavily and got first aid from responding officers. The knife allegedly used to stab her was found on a table.
Deborah Francis was found with “obvious wounds” to her neck, chest and hands according to the police and testimony in Avon Lake Municipal Court.
She was taken to University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, where police said she was in stable condition as of Dec. 11.
The couple has four sons; three of whom attended their father’s preliminary hearing in Municipal Court on Dec. 11 and hugged him before he was returned to the Lorain County Jail.
Deborah Francis filed for divorce from Woodie Francis, according to Common Pleas Court records.
PHOTO PROVIDED
PHOTOS COURTESY DENNIS SADOWSKI
A stampless cover from the 1850s mailed in Plato indicates that the 3-cent postage rate was paid by the sender.
Amherst post office was known as Plato
In Amherst’s early history the town’s name didn’t necessarily match that of the post office.
Jacob Shupe founded a settlement in northern Amherst Township when he cleared an area in 1811. He arrived in Black River Township a year earlier and then relocated south to land along Beaver Creek in Amherst Township. By 1815 he established saw and grist mills and a distillery.
But it really was Josiah A. Harris, a native of Becket, Massachusetts, who arrived in Amherst Township on July 2, 1818, and began developing what became the “downtown” area of Amherst about a mile and a half south from Shupe’s settlement, according to the account of George F. Wright in his 1916 book “A Standard History of Lorain County, Ohio.”
The town at first was known as Amherst Corners. The village plat officially recorded in 1836 simply named the community “town plat of Amherst.” Around 1839 the village became known as Amherstville.
None of those names, however, matched the name of the post office when it opened Feb. 28, 1827: Plato.
Harris was the first postmaster of Plato and held the position off and on for 41 years until his death in 1868 at age 84, U.S. Post Office Dept. records show.
The origin of the name is uncertain and the location of the first post office is unknown, George Siss of the Amherst Historical Society told me.
A map dating from 1857 shows a post office on the west side of Main Street just north of the railroad line (which still exists) in the center of Amherstville. The map is reproduced in “Postal History of Lorain County, Ohio, in the 19th Century” by Elyria postal historian Jack Standen.
The Plato name remained until May 6, 1872, when both the town and the post office became known as North Amherst. The name was differentiated from the nearby village of Amherst (South Amherst). The post office there originally was named Brooks when it was part of Cuyahoga County, then Black River from 1824 to 1830, and finally Amherst before eventually closing in 1901.
In addition to running the post office, Harris devoted his life to building Amherst Corners/Amherstville. William Brothers, writing in “History of Lorain County,” published in 1879, described Harris as a “remarkable and truly great man, not alone in ability, tact and enterprise, but in justice, purity and honesty.”
Harris was elected justice of the peace (judge) in 1821, serving for 36 years. He also was Lorain County’s first sheriff. In 1827 he was elected to the Ohio General Assembly representing Cuyahoga County and later representing Lorain and Medina counties. He also served in the Ohio Senate.
“No man in the township exerted a wider or more potent influence for good; no man was more active in promoting the
A post-Civil War piece of mail sent to Oberlin was postmarked with the standard circular date stamp for Plato and a carved star with a hollow circle in the center. An accompanying letter is dated Nov. 11, 1865.
best interests, material and moral, of the community. No man was longer or more closely identified with its growth and improvement, and no man, living or dead, has a larger share of the popular appreciation and admiration than Judge Josiah Harris,” Brothers wrote.
Surviving mail with a Plato postmark is uncommon. Four examples I have seen date from the 1850s and 1860s. Each one is postmarked with a 30 mm diameter circular date stamp, but they are accompanied by other markings indicating the postage paid or obliterating the stamp or postal stationery indicia.
The earliest in my collection includes the notation “Paid 3” in a circle indicating that the 3-cent postage rate had been paid on a letter to Sennett, Cayuga County, New York.
Another style of “killer” used to cancel a stamp is a simple circular grid. A different killer, carved in the shape of a star with a negative circle in the center, was used on a piece of mail to Oberlin sent after the Civil War in 1865. The year was determined by the dated letter in the envelope.
Such postmarks may seem like minutia to the average person, but for those with an interest in local history they trace important facts about the country’s postal operations.
North Amherst mail is far more common with various styles of postmarks being used over the 37 years the name existed. North Amherst’s name was changed to Amherst on Aug. 3, 1909, leading to a corresponding change in the post office name as well.
Dennis Sadowski can be reached at sadowski.dennis@gmail. com.
Clearview puts emergency renewal levy on ballot
The Community Guide
SHEFFIELD TWP. — Voters in Clearview Schools will see an emergency renewal levy on the ballot this spring.
The renewal, a 2.52mill levy will generate $352,690 per year for 10 years if approved by voters. It will continue to cost the owner of a $100,000 home $88 per year. The first tax year the renewal would go into effect is 2027.
The board unanimously approved the resolution to
put the matter on the ballot during a special meeting last week. There was no public discussion. Superintendent Jerome Davis said the current levy expires at the end of 2026. Like a 2.86-mill emergency levy renewed in 2022, the money collected by the proposed renewal levy is not something the district can go without, he said.
“A renewal doesn’t change anything,” he said of the amount of property taxes voters will pay.
“We’re hoping that everyone will understand that
and everything will be status quo.”
The board adjourned to an executive session to discuss its financial plan for the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, a requirement due to its looming deficit projected in the district’s most recent five-year forecast.
Clearview’s fall five-year forecast update projects a more than $2 million cash deficit in fiscal year 2027 — the 2026-27 school year. It anticipates spending against its cash reserves until then.
Dennis saDowski
First Girl Scouts DreamLab in Ohio opens
The Community Guide
SHEFFIELD — Jane Christy-
son met Jane Norton when she became CEO of the Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio in 2013.
Twelve years later, Christyson honored Norton as a lifelong Girl Scout-turned community leader by opening the Jane Norton Girl Scout DreamLab in Sheffield — the first of its kind in Ohio and one of just 10 in the country.
More than 50 people crowded into the facility, at 5255 Detroit Road, to mark the opening last week.
“She really wanted to make sure every girl got the opportunity to get the full Girl Scout experience, to make them a leader in the community,” Christyson said of Norton, who died in April 2023. “This is a way for us to plant the flag.”
The facility is small but packed with activities.
On one wall, several girls
attempted to clamber up a rotating climbing wall. On another, Girl Scouts huddled over small tables, creating designs with 3D printing pens.
Christyson said each of the activities corresponded with a Girl Scout badge. But they were also selected to encourage an interest in STEM fields, she said.
The Girl Scouts as an organization has four pillars, Christyson said — the outdoors, life skills, entrepreneurship and STEM. The DreamLab offers an opportunity for girls to spark an interest in an underrepresented field, she said.
“We really feel like we can make a difference, particularly with younger girls,” Christyson said.
“This makes it fun, engaging. It lets them try something and fail in a safe space.”
FUNDRAISERS
Food St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church nut roll sale, noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays at 2711 W. 40th St., Lorain. Frozen nut rolls can be purchased for $20 each. Cash or check accepted.
The Amherst Historical Society’s Super Bowl fundraiser, doors open 5 p.m. Feb. 9 at Amherst Historical Society Hall, 113 S. Lake St., Amherst. Ten-foot screen, tailgate food, 50/50 raffle, basket raffles and more. BYOB — pop and water will be available. Cost is $10 per person. Super Bowl squares are also available for $50 per square and include free entry to the event. Squares are limited. For more info or to RSVP by Saturday, (440) 988-7255 or office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County Night at the Races, 6-11 p.m. Feb. 15 at Nick Abraham Auto Mall, 1111 E. Broad St., Elyria. Tickets are $50 each and includes a buffet of appetizers and dinner, an open bar and fun. The actionpacked evening features 10 exciting thoroughbred races with a chance to name your horse and participate in a 50/50 raffle and a silent auction. To buy tickets, sponsor, or contribute an auction item go to 2025BigRace.givesmart.com. For more information call (440) 277-6541.
Our Lady Queen of Peace Church reverse raffle, doors open at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 15 at 708 Erie St., Grafton. Dinner catered by Fligner’s will begin 7 p.m. Tickets are $50 and include dinner, open bar and a chance at the grand prize ($1,500). There will also be sideboards, a 50/50 raffle and a basket raffle. Tickets can be obtained after weekend masses and at the church office, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays. For additional information, contact Joanna at (440) 926-2364 or Chuck at (440) 225-4644 evenings and weekends.
Lorain County 4-H endowment dinner and auction, doors open at 5 p.m.; buffet begins at 5:30 p.m. March 1 at German’s Villa, 3330 Liberty Ave., Vermilion. Buffet includes honey-glazed ham, lemon pepper chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, tossed salad and dinner rolls, coffee and iced tea. Tickets are $35 per person and must be purchased by Feb. 14. Tickets are available from any 4-H Endowment Board member, at the OSU Extension Lorain County, 42110 Russia Road, Elyria. Must be 21 and older.
Miscellaneous
EVFW Post 1662 Auxiliary remembrance and honor bricks sale, bricks will be placed by the post flagpole. Bricks are $40 each, cash or check and can be personalized with or without a graphic. Brochures with more information and order forms are available at VFW Post 1662, 165 Cleveland Ave., Amherst. Elyria Evening Lions Club flagpole fundraiser: American-made telescoping flagpoles and flag sale, available sizes are 17 feet or 21 feet for $295 and $350 installed. Call Lion Kerry at (440) 670-7746 for information. Elyria-area Parade of Flags sponsored by Elyria Kiwanis Club. Elyria Kiwanis will provide, install, remove and properly store the flag for holidays for $30 per calendar year. Visit www.elyriakiwanis.net for form.
Girl Scouts climb the
Sheffield.
FIRE DESTROYS URN WITH DAUGHTER’S ASHES
Family loses everything
Garrett Looker
The Community Guide
After losing nearly everything in a house fire Tuesday, CJ and Erin Swander have sifted through the rubble of their home — their hands and gloves blackened with soot as they held mangled bits of what remained.
Day after day, the Swanders were looking for the urn that held the ashes of their late daughter, Leigha Esabelle Swander, who had passed away in July.
Leigha was 4 days old.
But on Sunday, the Swanders found the cremation tag of their daughter.
“We found our baby Leigha. Her urn did not make it, but this is her cremation tag that was inside. This is the closest thing we have to our daughter,” CJ Swander wrote in a social media post. “You’re safe now, babygirl.”
Hours before finding Leigha’s tag, the Swanders were joined by friends and community members to help look through what remained of their home along Prospect Road in Huron County. Heavy machinery dug through dark soil and small raking tools peeled back the rubble.
Early Sunday afternoon, CJ — a firefighter with the Wellington Fire District recently recognized as the firefighter of the year — posted on social media that it would be the final day of searching.
Having known the heat of a fire, mixed with the cold water used to douse the flames, CJ said he and Erin had begun to accept that the urn may have been lost to the fire.
“We’re kind of at the point, my wife and I are content knowing that through the massive heat — well over 2,000 degrees of fire, and all that cold water going into the house — I’m sure that the urn busted or blew up, or it melted,” CJ said as he stood near where the home once stood.
“At the end of the day, all we wanted to do was find the ashes,” CJ said.
To remember her — as well as the two dogs killed by the fire and the ashes of a dog the Swanders lost in December — CJ said ash from the several areas of the home would be collected in a single urn.
The urn will be made by a fellow firefighter, CJ said, and include photos of the family’s dogs and a photo of Leigha.
“We’re just going to have all the ash together, and that will just keep every one of us together,” CJ said. “I don’t know if it will be enough, but it will be enough to give us some kind of closure.”
As CJ walked around what remains of the Swanders’ property, he said that they were not the only ones to lose nearly everything.
John Hostal, Erin’s brother, was living with the Swanders at the time of the fire. Hostal’s two cats perished in the fire, CJ said.
“We lost everything,” CJ said. “But we also lost Erin’s brother’s everything, too.”
As the flames ripped through the house, the Swanders felt the heat from the road roughly 500 feet away, CJ said.
“We tore through Norwalk and pulled up here to
CJ Swander and community members sift through the debris of the remains of a home along Prospect Road in Huron County on Sunday. After a house fire Tuesday, the remains were searched for the urn containing ashes of CJ and Erin Swandler’s late daughter, Leigha Esabelle Swander. Instead of the urn, the cremation tag was found.
Community members help the Swander family search for the urn containing the ashes of CJ and Erin’s late daughter Leigha in what remains of the house on Sunday. Leigha passed away in July at just four days old.
the house fully involved,” CJ said. “All four corners had flames showing.
“The center of the house had the most, it was about 60 feet tall in total of flames.”
After seeing the devastation and all that was lost, Carrie Benton, a coworker of Erin’s at the Wellington O’Reilly Auto Parts, began a donation effort through GoFundMe.
“(W)e decided long ago that we wanted to give
back anytime there was a need — that’s one of the culture values we implement every day,” Benton wrote in a message Sunday.
“The community never fails to rally around anyone when we put out a need to the social media world. The community of under 5K has the heart of a big city. No one fights alone, regardless of battle.
“The community and my team amaze me every time we do something like this.”
GARRETT LOOKER / COMMUNITY GUIDE
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE
rotating climbing wall at the Jane Norton DreamLab on Detroit Road in
Playing the Lord’s music
Dorothy Rand, 85, honored for her 40 years at UMC
The Community Guide
GRAFTON — When she went to church Sunday, a local organist had no idea she would be in the spotlight, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the first time she played there.
Doris Rand, 85, of Elyria, has been the organist at Grafton United Methodist Church faithfully for 40 years, starting there in January 1985.
“They called and wanted to surprise her and recognize her for her many years of service,” said Rand’s daughter, Cindy Griffiths. “She doesn’t like a fuss over her. She’s proud of her talent and knows she is doing the Lord’s work, and she’s humbly appreciative.”
Still she was surprised by the recognition, Griffiths said.
And she has no plans to slow down.
Growing up on a farm in eastern Indiana, Rand started playing piano when she was 8 years old because she wanted to be like her older cousin, who was taking lessons. She started playing for
the church she attended when she was 14 and hasn’t stopped since.
“At that time, in the 1940s, there was not a whole lot of extra money around,” Griffiths said.
“But her parents made sure she had those lessons.”
Eventually, Rand moved to North Ridgeville with her first husband, the late Phil Trout, a high school principal.
She began filling in at Fields United Methodist Church in North Ridgeville, where she and her family attended, in the late ‘70s after the regular organist had fallen and broken her hip. She ended up being hired in 1977 and worked there until 1984, moving to the Grafton church a month later.
Although she didn’t know how to play the organ at the time, she figured it out, Griffiths said.
In addition to playing at church, Rand would accompany her granddaughter on piano for high school competitions and play at weddings and funerals.
“She has played so many weddings and funerals, and
“She doesn’t like a fuss over her.
She’s proud of her talent and knows she is doing the Lord’s work, and she’s humbly appreciative.”
Cindy Griffiths, Doris Rand’s daughter
so many church services,” Griffiths said. “So many people know her from that. Her dedication is amazing even now. She rearranges vacations so that she doesn’t miss a Sunday.”
After all of these years, she still makes sure to practice once a week.
“She’s down there today,” Griffiths said. “It amazes me that she feels she still needs to practice. I still remember her practicing at home on the piano. Growing up, I would sit and watch her play.”
Although Rand has three biological children, Brian Trout, of Sheffield; Patti Carpenter, of North Carolina;and Griffiths, of Elyria, none of them
Wild animals rescued from fur/urine farm
Humane Society saves hundreds at Grand River near Ashtabula
Kirsten Peek The Humane Society
ROME — The Humane Society of the United States and Ohio authorities completed the rescue operation of hundreds of animals from a fur and urine farm in Rome, which is located about 20 miles southwest of Ashtabula, on Saturday.
The Ashtabula County Commissioner’s Office requested the assistance of the Humane Society of the United States after the owner of Grand River Fur Exchange died in late December 2024, escalating an already-dire animal welfare crisis on the property.
Foxes, raccoons, wolfdog hybrids, skunks, opossums and coyotes were living in filthy wirebottom cages with little to no protection from the frigid conditions. Some of the animals had missing toes, ears, tails and limbs.
Veterinarians determined that animals likely lost toes due to the cages’ wire flooring, while the animals missing limbs and paws had likely been caught in steel-jaw leghold traps found around the property. Many were emaciated and severely dehydrated, and several animals were found deceased and covered in snow. When responders arrived on the property, they found a coyote dying slowly, caught in a leghold trap.
The animals were being raised and slaughtered for fur, bred for sale as exotic pets, and held captive for urine farming. Predator urine is advertised for use in hunting, trapping, dog training, and ironically, as a “humane” wild animal deterrent for gardeners. Some of the animals were bred in captivity while others were apparently imprisoned on the property after being trapped in excruciatingly painful leghold traps.
seemed to inherit the music gene.
“She tried,” Griffiths said with a laugh. “It just didn’t stick. My older brother played trombone in middle school and my younger sister played flute in high school, but that was it.”
But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a great appreciation for what she does.
“When they were young, all of the grandkids would run up to see her after she played,” Griffiths recalled.
In addition to her three biological children, Rand has five stepchildren with her late husband, John Rand, and 15 grandchildren, biological and by marriage, as well as many great-grandchildren.
Family gathered Sunday to hear Rand play and celebrate her milestone with cake and coffee after the church service, which also included a performance by the Sonshine Chorus.
Rand is retired from General Industries, where she worked in accounts payable.
Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@ chroniclet.com.
suffer immensely, both in their daily lives and when they are killed, often with methods like gassing, anal electrocution or clubbing, which result in slow, painful deaths and are commonly used on fur farms because they prevent damage to the pelt. Responders found electrocution tools on the property.
In the U.S., there are no federal regulations related to the welfare, care or slaughter of animals farmed for their fur.
While Grand River Fur Exchange was licensed by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Ohio does not have laws or standards of care for fur farms or slaughter. In fact, New York’s ban on anal and genital electrocution of foxes is the only state-level law on fur farm welfare.
“Ohio must end the suffering of wild animals being farmed for fur or urine, or to be sold as pets. These inherently exploitative industries profit from animal cruelty and are radically out of step with the values of our state,” said Mark Finneran, Ohio state director for the Humane Society of the United States.
“While I’m proud of the efforts made to help the animals on this farm, we can never allow this horrific treatment of animals to happen in Ohio again.” For several weeks, responders from the Humane Society of the United States provided daily care to the animals on the property while assisting Ohio authorities with arranging placement for the animals with licensed wildlife rehabilitators and accredited sanctuaries around the country. On Jan. 25, the rescue operation concluded when the last groups of animals were removed from the property.
“This is one of the most horrific situations I have ever seen—the terror and pain was palpable,” said Adam Parascandola, vice president of the Humane Society of the United States’ Animal Rescue Team.
“Our team is exposed to immense cruelty in the criminal cases we regularly respond to like dogfighting and severe neglect, yet this stands out both in terms of suffering and because these fur farming practices are legal. It’s haunting.”
Animals in the fur trade
“I’m incredibly grateful to the HSUS for stepping in to assist our county with this animal welfare case. The situation arose right around Christmas, during some of the worst possible weather conditions, and we simply didn’t have the local resources to manage it effectively or ensure the animals were cared for humanely,” said Casey Kozlowski, Ashtabula County Commissioner. “My hope is that, as a result of this situation, we can implement greater safeguards at the state level.”
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Ice slows but doesn’t stop the flow at the East Falls on the Black River in Elyria.
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Doris (Trout) Rand, who started playing in churches when she was 9, plays the piano at Fields United Methodist Church in North Ridgeville, left, and at the LaPorte United Methodist Church in 2021.
Christina Jolliffe
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Berea-Midpark beats Amherst in double-header
The Amherst girls fell behind early, trailing 17-13 at the end of the first quarter. Berea-Midpark took complete control in the second quarter and completely overwhelmed Amherst, leading 42-21 at the half. Amherst only managed four points in the third quarter and one point in the fourth quarter.
Berea-Midpark cruises to a 64-27 win over the Amherst girls.
The second game of the double-header was more exciting. Amherst scored the first 9 points of the game and led by 11 at the half (47-36) in a fast paced, high scoring game. However Berea-Midpark took the momentum in the third quarter and closed the gap to just 5 points by the end of the quarter at 65-60.
Berea-Midpark took their first lead of the game in the fourth quarter and held on to defeat Amherst 84-81 to give them the sweep of the night.
Firelands beats Wellington
Wellington hosted Firelands in their second meeting of the season, looking to avenge a December loss. Wellington scored the first 11 points of the game and led throughout the first three quarters. The Dukes led 33-26 at the end of the third quarter. However, Firelands roared to life in the fourth quarter and scored 16 points, while Wellington could only manage 3. Firelands stays perfect for the season against Wellington with a 42-36 win.
Russ
Firelands Kendra Hardwick gets to the basket over Wellington’s Kalynne Pickering.
Firelands’ Stella Frederick hits a three point shot in the fourth quarter.
Firelands’ Addie Schrader (left) and Kendra Hardwick battle Wellington’s Grace Knapp for a loose ball.
Photos by
Gifford The Community Guide
Amherst’s Jayla Cruz brings the ball up the court pressured by Berea-Midpark’s Regan Braaten.
Amherst’s Maddie Doan hits a short shot in the lane over Berea-Midpark’s Regan Braaten.
Amherst’s Sarai Hussein-Bey gets two points on an Amherst fast break in the first quarter.
Amherst’s Jack Coleman gets two points past Berea-Midpark’s Dylan Maddox.
Amherst’s Stanley Robinson hits for 3 points over Berea-Midpark’s Dylan Maddox in the first quarter.
Amherst’s Eli Solak gets 2 points at the basket past Berea-Midpark’s Nick Reece.
Amherst Historical Super Bowl
Its Super Bowl Fundraiser will be held Feb. 9 at the Amherst Historical Society Hall, 113 South Lake Street, Amherst. Doors open at 5 p.m. Kickoff is at 6:30. It is $10 per person. The game will be shown on a 10-foot screen. There will be tailgate food and a 50/50 raffle. BYOB with pop and water available; RSVP by Feb. 1 at (440) 988-7255 or office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org
Learn about the deadly 1916 train crash
Amherst historian Tom Jewell will give a presentation on the tragic train wreck that took place in Amherst, one early foggy morning on March 29, 1916. Three trains collided, resulting in 27 people being killed and 47 injured. Countless people heroically assisted that day. This crash even has a connection with silent movie actress Mary Pickford.
The free comunity presentation will be held at 7 p.m. March 18 at the AHS Hall, 113 South Lake Street, Amherst. Donations are gratefully accepted.
Please RSVP at (440) 988-7255 or office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org.
Seeking actors for ‘Sister Act: The Musical’ Lorain Community Music Theater is holding auditions for “Sister Act, The Musical!”
The role of Deloris Van Cartier has been cast but there are many other roles to fill.
Auditions will be held from 2-4 p.m. March 9 and 6-8 p.m. March 11. Callbacks will be made March 16. Sign up at loraincommunitymusictheater.org starting Saturday. The auditions will be held at St. Peter School Gym, 3655 Oberlin Ave., Lorain.
Talented performers of all ethnicities ar sought for the roles of Mother Superior, Sister Mary Robert, Sister Mary Patrick, Sister Mary Lazarus, Eddie, Curtis Jackson, TJ, Joey, and Pablo (Curtis’s Henchmen), The Sisters of the Convent and Ensemble. A complete list of characters and more information can be found at loraincommunitymusictheater.org or from the director, Luke Scattergood at lukescattergood@yahoo.com.
Lost houses topic of Brownhelm historians
The Brownhelm Historian Association will present “The Lost Houses of Lorain County” at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Historic Brownhelm School & Museum, 1950 N. Ridge Road, Vermilion.
Doors open at 6 p.m. The business meeting runs from 6:30-7 p.m. Social time starts at 7 p.m. and the historical program begins at 7:15 p.m.
When a house is demolished, architectural salvage is important. Over the last 25 years, program speaker Col. Matthew Nahorn, who has salvaged over 60 doors and other materials from old houses, will talk about Lorain County’s early architectural styles.
VALENTINE’S DAY
BULLETIN BOARD
Black Legacy founder to talk to genealogists
The Lorain County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogy Society will hold an online program at 7 p.m. Feb. 10.
Ethan West, a native of Elyria, is a storyteller, father, family genealogist, business owner, public speaker, and founder and president of a nonprofit organization.
In 2022, he founded The Elyria Black Legacy Connection, a group dedicated to discovering, researching, sharing, and celebrating Black history and legacies in Elyria. One of the group’s key achievements was organizing Elyria’s first-ever Juneteenth celebration in 2022, an event that has since become an annual tradition.
West will share his experiences with The Elyria Black Legacy Connection and discuss the importance of preserving and celebrating local history.
Get a link to the Zoom meeting by emailing meetings@ loraincoogs.org.
Secret Service to address K of C
The Knights of Columbus will feature Secret Service Special Agent Owen Evans who will give a talk on protecting your money and reducing your risk of being a victim of financial crime at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 in Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Rd. Avon. In addition to combating counterfeiting, the Secret Service has responsibility for access device fraud. RSVP by Feb. 14 to rudybreglia@gmail. com. Snacks and refreshments will be served. Bring a friend. Public is welcome.
Oberlin Library board to meet
The Oberlin Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting at the library at 5 p.m. on Feb. 13. The meeting is open to the public.
Turnpike to add late fees to unpaid tolls
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is providing advance notice to its customers – which includes both passenger car and commercial truck drivers – to pay their unpaid tolls.
Beginning Monday, the Commission will start issuing late fees for unpaid tolls.
Beginning Feb. 10, the Commission will send any unpaid tolls incurred since April 10 to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office for collections and to the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) for a hold on vehicle registrations.
When the Ohio Turnpike’s new toll collection system went live on April 10, 2024, many customers without an E-ZPass traveled in E-ZPass lanes. As a result, these customers received unpaid toll invoices by mail.
In mid-August 2024 – as a courtesy to its customers –the Commission suspended all late fees, collections, and vehicle registration holds to allow more time for its customers to become familiar with the new open road tolling system. The initial suspension lasted 60 days but was extended again to give its customers more time to adjust to the new system.
Over a nine-month period from April 2024 through December 2024, nearly 347,000 transactions remain unpaid
compared to more than 44 million transactions that were paid successfully.
Customers who incurred an unpaid toll by driving through an E-ZPass lane and who do not pay the first unpaid toll invoice within 30 days will have a $5 late fee added to the second mailed invoice for each toll that remains unpaid.
Customers exiting through a cash/credit lane who are handed an unpaid toll notice by a toll collector for failure to pay will incur a $5 administrative fee. If the notice remains unpaid for 30 days, the customer will be mailed a second notice, and a $5 late fee will be added to each toll that remains unpaid.
To make a toll payment, visit www.ezpassoh.com or call the customer service center at (440) 971-2222. The evolution of coroners is topic in Amherst
The Amherst Historical Society will present “History of the Lorain County Coroner” at 7 p.m. Feb. 18. The free community presentation by Don Hilton, author and historian, will be held at 113 South Lake Street, Amherst. He will talk about the evolution of Ohio coroners and their duties over time, and will deep dive into understanding the earliest coroner inquest records in Lorain County, kept from 1867 to 1938.
Please RSVP by Feb. 10 to (440) 988-7255 or office@ amhersthistoricalsociety.org.
Black History Month artwork to be honored
The City of Oberlin has once again partnered with the Oberlin High School Art Department and FAVA to coordinate an exhibition of artwork depicting historical figures created by Oberlin High School art students. In addition to being displayed in a gallery exhibition at FAVA, select pieces will also be used to produce light post banners to create a public art display in downtown Oberlin.
The Black History Month Gallery Exhibition will be on display at FAVA (39 South Main St., Oberlin from Sunday through March 2.
A reception and awards ceremony will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday in the gallery. Regular gallery hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. All are free. For more information, please contact City of Oberlin Communications Manager Diane Ramos at (440) 775-7217 or DRamos@CityofOberlin.com.
Beekeepers offer intermediate class
The Lorain County Beekeepers Association will hold an Intermediate Beekeeping Class from 10 a.m. to noon on Feb. 22 at Life Church. 1033 Elm Street, Grafton.
The “Swarm Prevention and Queen Management” class offered by the Lorain County Beekeepers Association is designed for beekeepers who have successfully kept bees for over one year. Cost of this class is free to all 2025 LCBA members. Non-member cost will be $10 or $20 to include a 2025 LCBA membership. Info at loraincountybeekeepers.org/intermed-beekeeping-class.
Gas put in wrong tanks at Avon Circle K station
The Community Guide Diesel fuel was mistakenly delivered into unleaded gasoline tanks, with gasoline delivered into diesel tanks at Circle K’s Avon location on Jan. 19.
Customers whose vehicles might have been impacted by the fuel at that location can contact Circle K customer service at (855) 276-1947.
The company is currently assisting 14 customers with claims related to the incident. The company is offering reimbursement for repairs after reviewing and
verifying claims. The location on Chester Road shut down its fuel pumps once aware of the situation on Jan. 19.
Since then, the statement read that Circle K has removed and replaced the fuel in the affected storage tanks and its pumps have been reopened.
“At Circle K, we guarantee and stand by the quality of our fuels,” the statement read.
“We apologize to any customers affected by this issue, and we are working to assist them with their claims.”
Reporter’sNote
MissingWords
Replacethe missing wordstocomplete the article below.
Roscoe Rabbit is anew reporterat the Treet Tribune.Hemade a list of facts about the b storm in his reporter’snotebook,but is he correct? Circle the FACTS in green crayon. Underline the OPINIONS in redcrayon.
Take aSurvey
A survey is away to gather opinions about something.
Ask your friends and family members which of these veggiesthey like best. Completethe graph by coloring in a square each time someoneselects that vegetable. Share your findings with everyone who took the survey
Early in the every February 2, attention turns to Gobbler’s Knob, Pennsylvania, and a groundhog Punxsutawney Phil.
Legend states that if Phil sees his shadow when coming out of his _____________, it means he predictssix more weeks of wintery _____________. But if he doesn’tsee his shadow,it means Phil predicts an early spring, according to the legend.
It’sabig that began in the late 1800s and gets lots of in the news. Phil’spredictions are not always ______________. But that’sokay, because it’s all in the spirit of fun.
theFacts
A group of people called the “Inner Circle”dress up in long black coats and top hats for the big Groundhog Day announcement of Phil’s prediction. The president of the Inner Circle is said to speak groundhogese and is the only one who can what Phil says.
Finder
Find threefacts and three opinionsinthe newspaper.Havethree friends take turns deciding which statementsare facts and which are opinions. Each correct answerearns1 point.
