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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024
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Volume 10, Issue YY
‘Garden’ pitch made for Midway Mall land Owen MacMillan The Community Guide
Representatives from the Center for Food Innovation last week laid out “The Garden,” its redevelopment plan for the mall. It was clear people are very interested as more than 200 people came to hear the proposal. “The Garden” would convert the mall and the area around it into a large food production industry, Bara Watts, CEO of the Center, said. “It’s already being done in Europe. It’s being done in Asia and in the Middle East. Here in the United States, we are going to be the first and the model for the rest of the country.” The primary agriculture will take place in “controlled environment farms” built inside the shells of the mall’s main
anchor stores, and a series of greenhouses built just to the southwest of the main facility. But the agriculture itself will be only one part of the facility, Watts explained. The Garden would also feature more than 100,000 square feet of cold storage, an educational facility for collaboration with colleges and universities, a permanent farmers market inspired by Cleveland’s Westside Market and thousands of square feet of additional commercial and restaurant space. To the north and east of the main building, the Center has proposed hundreds of units of housing. Additionally, Watts said that the facility would feature renewable energy. Watts said The Garden would be home to
independent farmers and agricultural groups that would use the space in the facility. Watts said she hoped that existing farmers would be interested in becoming “hybrid” farmers, working both in their fields and indoors at The Garden. Watts said just over five years ago, she joined with executives from Lorain County Community College, the Small Business Development Center, the Urban League, El Centro and the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce to brainstorm sustainable job creation in the county. She said that in the end, the group was inspired by a concept out of The Netherlands, called the Food Valley Organization that connects traditional farmers to technology, talent and funding to
Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE
It was standing-room in the food court at Midway Mall as members of the Center for Food Innovation pitched their vision for the development of the property. pioneer a new type of agriculture. The crowd was excited about the prospect and many said they would like to live near it. This was the first of the Lorain County Port Authority’s two finalists chosen to redevelop the
Midway Mall, which the port authority purchased in January 2023. The other finalist, Industrial Commercial Partners, is to make its case during a similar meeting. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.
Singing songs full of hope Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide
The church rumbled with the sounds of praise as voices cried out in hallelujah among the bellowing notes. Before the audience, stood 50 singers, clapping their hands and raising their arms towards the sky. “Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;” echoed the voices. In the audience, Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert beamed. Over a hundred people amassed at Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman Lane in Elyria for the Metro Central Ohio Unit of the NAACP’s Black History Month celebration Sunday evening. Organized by Tolbert and other members of NAACP and Women in the NAACP, Sunday’s event was the culmination of a fiveyear dream of Tolbert’s, one filled with praise and singing. “I used to be a choir teacher for many years and have always been a music person,” said Tolbert, president of the Metro Central NAACP. “About five years ago I had this vision to bring people together in song and praise to celebrate through a musical performance.” Tolbert said as the years went by the idea stuck with her. She began to reach out to local choir
LAUREN HOFFMAN / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Author and motivational speaker Valeria Howard reads from her poem “Tis Our Black History” during a gospel choir celebration Sunday at Second Baptist Church in Elyria. members from churches in Lorain County to see if anyone was interested and the response was resounding. “We have 50 members in this Lorain County community gospel choir,” Tolbert said. “Every one of them is from Lorain County and I am amazed and thankful for their talent.”
Wellington moves fast to find new school supt.
Tolbert, whose home church is Mount Zion Missionary Baptist in Elyria, said the decision to hold the event at Second Baptist grew out of the support she was hearing from the community. “We wanted to have a place big enough for everyone while also staying in Lorain County and some of the choir members put
me in touch with Rev. Carl Small here at Second Baptist,” she said. Due to the overwhelming response to the event, organizers said it’s likely to come back. “We are already talking about getting the choir back together to do this again next year,” Mona Atley, head of the “Women in the NAACP” group, said.
WELLINGTON — Wellington Schools could welcome its new superintendent as early as April 16 if the timeline goes right. Members of the school board met with Cheryl Ryan, director of board and management services for The Ohio School Board Association, Friday afternoon to plan the next steps moving forward in the process. “It is important that we start with the screening process of the candidates so we make sure you are getting the best option,” Ryan said. “From there we will move to first-round interviews, which you will want to do probably three at a time.” The first round of interviews is planned for March 28 and 29. Eight candidates have applied, but Ryan says that number is likely to double. From there, second interviews and final background checks are to follow. The district could appoint its new superintendent during the board meeting on April 16. “The plan after you appoint the superintendent is for them to spend some time with Ed before taking over fully in August,” Ryan said. “That way they can get a feel for what the district is like before jumping right in.” This process began in late December when current Wellington Superintendent Edward Weber announced his retirement plans. “I would do another 36 years in education if I wasn’t getting so old,” Weber said, laughing as he spoke with The ChronicleTelegram in December. “I have loved these past eight years and I want the board to be able to find the best replacement possible.” While the official list of qualifications has not been published, board members told Ryan some of the qualities they are seeking. “I think we need to find someone who is a critical thinker, active listener and confident,” Jennifer Kazmierczak said. Phillip Mohrman suggested finding someone who is inspiring, influential and accountable. Other attributes the board is looking for include someone innovative, passionate, strategic and an excellent communicator. All of these attributes fit within the district’s strategic plan. Before the interviews begin, there will be a public focus group meeting from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Lindley Center. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst
Denny’s coming down. A3
Oberlin
Celebrate Black history all year. A5
Fascinating
Underground railroad stamps . A5
SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8