Lorain County Community Guide 6-20-24

Nordson moving jobs to S.C.

Shutting down manufacturing in Amherst; office jobs will remain

Dave O’Brien

The Community Guide Nordson Corp. is planning to take all its manufacturing jobs — the Industrial Coating Systems division — out of Amherst and move them to South Carolina, city leaders learned. Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow said he first got the news in a brief phone call on Friday.

Ground broken on expo at fair

Richard Perrins

The Community Guide

WELLINGTON — Shovels hit dirt as the Lorain County Fairgrounds broke ground on the construction of the 55,000-square-foot exposition center Friday morning.

The building will be named the Ross Exposition Center after the Ross Foundation, a nonprofit that provides grants for educational and community-focused projects in Lorain County. Friday’s groundbreaking also marked the beginning of construction for the Maureen M. Cromling Memorial Horse Arena, a covered courtyard that will be built next to the exposition center.

Bill Cromling III, president of Ross Transportation Services and a member of the Ross Foundation’s board of directors, said the horse arena was named in honor of his mother, who brought a horse to the fair every year. Maureen Cromling worked in the family business, now known as the RossWay Group, for years,

See FAIR, A2

On Tuesday, he said he is still waiting to hear the exact number but his understanding is that about 140 blue-collar manufacturing jobs are leaving and about 300 office and white-collar jobs are staying.

Lara Mahoney, vice president for investor relations & communications at Nordson, did not return a call seeking comment left for her.

Costilow said, “They called me and talked to their employees about the same time.

“I guess it’s a decision that’s made, there’s nothing to do.”

Costilow said the news was “horrible,” especially for any families in town that rely on those jobs.

Nordson has “been a

great partner, a great business, a great organization in Amherst for some time,” Costilow said. “It’s a good company.”

About 300 jobs, believed to be mostly salaried positions, are expected to stay although Costilow again said he didn’t have the exact number.

Nordson engineers, manufactures and sells

products for dispensing adhesives, coatings, sealants and biomaterials; fluid management; testing and inspection products; and for UV curing and plasma surface treatment, according to its website.

It is headquartered in Westlake.

Costilow said he believed the decision may have been made in part because the

Cool as a butterfly

Ken Fenderson, of Oberlin, beats the heat by spending some time inside the Oberlin Public Library on Monday. The building is one of the designated cooling centers in the city.

company wants to grow but is landlocked on the Amherst property, which is located on Nordson Drive, west of state Route 58 and north of Middle Ridge Road.

“They need to grow and they can’t,” he said.

“It’s very early,” Costilow said. “From what I understand — and again, it might not be accurate — they’re not going to close it until November.”

County offers help to stay cool

The Community Guide Lorain County Community Action Agency’s Summer Crisis program is now accepting appointments.

The program, which provides eligible households with a one-time payment of electric bills, central air conditioning repairs and air conditioning unit and/or fan purchases, starts July 1.

Qualifying households must be at or below 175 percent of the Federal Poverty Line ($65,625 for a family of four in 2024), and meet one of the following criteria:

n At least one must be 60 years or older.

n A household member with a medical condition worsened by extreme heat.

n The household has received a disconnection notice for electrical service, or has been disconnected.

n Enrolled in a Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) Plus for the first time.

n An existing PIPP customer in default. Customers can receive up to $500 in utility assistance; or up to $1,500 for central air conditioning repairs.

Phone appointments start July 1. Limited appointments will be available at the Lorain County Office on Aging, 534 Abbe Road S., Elyria; Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman Lane, Elyria; and Lorain County Office on Aging in Wellington, 105 Maple St. For more information, contact LCCAA at (440) 245-2009.

Commissioner candidate guilty of DUI

Carissa Woytach

LORAIN — A Lorain councilman and candidate for county commissioner was found guilty of a DUI from earlier this year. Tony Dimacchia, D-at large, pleaded “no contest” to DUI, a misdemeanor, and was found guilty of the charge by visiting Judge John Ridge. A second charge of refusal to submit to chemical tests after a prior conviction, also a misdemeanor, was merged with the DUI charge by the prosecutor and dismissed, according to court records. Ridge sentenced Dimacchia to 180 days in the Lorain County Jail, with all but three days suspended, and fined him $600. Dimacchia will have to either serve the jail term and/or complete a driver’s intervention program by Sept. 13 and follow all treatment recommendations. Dimacchia’s driver’s license was suspended for one year starting April 2, according to Ridge’s sentencing order. An ignition interlock device was ordered to be

The Community Guide

and

BRUCE BISHOP / CHRONICLE

Dimacchia

Robert Henry Wacker, 91, of Sandusky, formerly of Elyria, passed away Saturday, June 8, 2024 at The Ohio Veterans Home following a long illness.

He was born August 27, 1932 in Monroeville, Ohio. Bob was a Wellington High School graduate and proud alumnus. He served in the United States Air Force during the Korean War. Bob retired from the FAA as an air traffic controller. He was a member of St. Mary Church in Elyria, and the American Legion Post No. 12. Bob enjoyed fishing, golf, and woodworking.

Survivors include his step children, Marti Miller, Tami Lamothe (Bruce), Lawrence Miller (Ann Marie), and Scott Miller. Additional survivors include his sisters, Lavon Venus, and Betty Ann McConnell; a brother, Alan Wacker (Janet); and numerous step grandchildren; and great grandchildren.

Bob was preceded in death by his loving wife of thirty-six years, Arlene A. (nee: Laubenthal); his first wife of twenty-one years, Edna; his parents, Herbert and Ruby (nee: Krugman) Wacker; step children, Anna Mae Krumm, Joanne Long, Michael Miller, and Glenn Miller (Jane); brothers; Elden, Russell, Leon, Paul, and Gary; sisters; Joanne Pasadyn, Alberta Sprinkle, and Audrey Scheck.

The family will receive friends Thursday, June 13, 2024 from 10 until 11 a.m. in The Weigand Room at St. Mary Church, 320 Middle Avenue Elyria, Ohio 44035 where a Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. in St. Mary Church immediately following visitation. The Reverend Father Allan R. Laubenthal, Bob’s brother-in-law, will be the Celebrant. The Reverend Father Charles T. Diedrick, Pastor, will concelebrate. Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. at St. Mary Cemetery in Elyria where V.F.W. Post 1079 will provide full military honors. Please meet inside the main gate of the cemetery.

Bob requested that memorial contributions in his memory be sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, Tennessee 38105 or to St. Mary Church. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to The Laubenthal Mercado Funeral Home of Elyria.

Online condolences to the family may be expressed at www.laubenthalmercado.com

Attendees at the groundbreaking for the Lorain

FAIR

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and served as president and CEO for the company from 1992 to 2007. Maureen died in 2019.

“For any of you who knew our mom, you will know that she was a fiercely dedicated supporter of the local community,” Cromley said. “We believe this to be a fitting tribute to her memory and legacy.”

The exposition center and horse arena are part of the Fairs Forever initiative, launched in 2022 to fund upgrades and expansions to the fairgrounds. Alongside the exposition center and horse arena, the project will also fund a new cattle barn.

The Ross Foundation contributed $4 million to the initiative in January last year.

The Fairs Forever initiative had an initial goal of $12 million for the fairgrounds’ expansion. The fair board set aside $1.5 million, matched by the Lorain County commissioners, and the Ross Foundation and other donors contributed the remaining funding.

Two of Lorain County’s commissioners, Jeff Riddell and David Moore, emphasized the economic and cultural impact the expansion of the fairgrounds will have on the county.

Moore said he, Riddell and Michelle Hung, the third county commissioner, voted unanimously to devote American Rescue Plan funds to the project.

Riddell said the investment made in the fairgrounds can be an opportunity for economic development for the county and a

County trained on mass shootings

MacMillan

Owen

The Community Guide

AVON — The Emerald Event Center was filled with people hunched over gaming laptops and talking back and forth, planning their next moves.

Despite appearances, this was not an esports competition and the attendees were not playing a game — they were first responders from across Lorain County participating in a simulation of an active shooter event.

It was the final session of a three-day course given by C3 Pathways, a Florida-based company that provides “integrated emergency response” training to first responders around the country.

Integrated response refers to the strategy and methodology of collaboration among all different entities when responding to a mass casualty

event. In the event of an active shooter situation, C3 Pathways instructor Bill Godfrey said, there is no time for disagreement, setting up a hierarchy or failing to communicate among first responders.

“All those things take time, setting up a response takes time,” Godfrey said. “When people are bleeding, the one thing they don’t have is time.”

The purpose of C3 Pathways and its simulation services is to show first responders how a response to a mass casualty event should look and allow them to practice immediately hopping into whatever role in that system is needed to stop the threat and save lives.

The simulation consists of three command centers, each handling a distinct

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aspect of the response, a dispatch center handling calls and radio traffic and a variable number of teams on laptops that place them in the scenario virtually.

In one scenario, a member of C3 portrayed a shooter who entered a virtual courthouse wearing body armor and carrying a rifle who opened fire on civilians.

Three were killed and 10 were wounded, and the “shooter” then barricaded himself in a back room with several hostages.

Police officers from multiple departments, EMTs and firefighters responded to the scene, each handling the role in the response they had been taught over the prior days of courses and simulations.

That scenario is just one of nine that C3 Pathways can set up for a virtual

simulation, with other scenarios being a high school, college or church.

The C3 Pathways team was brought in by a partnership of Lorain County Law Enforcement Chiefs Association, the Fire Chiefs Association, the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency and the Ohio School Safety Center.

The training was provided free, thanks to funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and allocated through the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service (TEEX).

The four local partners spent the last year laying out a countywide Active Shooter / Hostile Event Response (ASHER) Plan, based on the methodology and process recommended by C3 Pathways.

platform for local residents to preserve their culture and share it with visitors from outside the county.

“The culture of the Midwest is alive and well right here in Lorain County,” Riddell said. “I hope you’ll pick up that gauntlet and run with it, tackle it like every other problem you’ve tackled.”

Rick Ternes, the president of the fair’s executive board, said the exposition center will be a versatile structure that can support different types of events to benefit the agricultural community, nonagricultural residents and young people in the county.

Ternes said the idea of having large community-oriented buildings at the fairgrounds was something his predecessors had worked toward, and thanked the large community of volunteers who helped the project progress.

“We’re moving ahead with the dream they had generations ago,” Ternes said. “The impact of this building to the community will be huge … for families and the community to come together from throughout the whole county.”

Jillian Stannard, the president of the Lorain County Junior Fair Board, said the fair is a family tradition for her and many of her fellow board members — for generations, members of the same families have worked to host and improve the fair. This project, Stannard said, will preserve the fair’s future.

“The completion of this project means that the tradition of the Lorain County Fair and our Junior Fair Board will continue for many generations to come,” Stannard said. “We will be working hard to make the idea of what we’ve been dreaming of for many years a reality. … We want this tradition to continue to thrive for many years to come.”

Contact Richard Perrins at (440)752-5509 or email rperrins@chroniclet.com.

COMMUNITY GUIDE

Elyria Police Lt. Bill Lantz, in contact with other officers via radio, goes through the simulation training at the Emerald Event Center in Avon.

RICHARD PERRINS / COMMUNITY GUIDE

County Fairgrounds’ Ross Exposition Center

Robert Henry Wacker

Robert Henry Wacker

A Taste of History held in Amherst

The Community Guide

Amherst residents dove into military history last weekend at the city’s second annual Taste of History event, hosted by the Amherst Historical Society and the Military History Preservation Group.

Reenactors, military artifacts and historically accurate food were all part of the fun at the tw-day event at Sandstone village

Elizabeth Fought, public relations manager for the Amherst Historical Society, said military reenactors came from across the U.S. to participate in historical events, ranging from the Revolutionary War to the global war on terror. Fought said the event demonstrates the full scope of what military operations were like for people on the front lines, but also people on the home front or those otherwise aligned with war efforts throughout American history.

“It’s a touching tribute to the sacrifices that have been made by so many people through the years, and continue to be made,” Fought said. “We hope this event helps people to appreciate history.”

Marines

the

Richard Perrins

The Community Guide

Connie Schultz, a Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist, spoke at an event hosted by the Avon Democratic Club at the Avon branch of the Lorain Public Library.

The wall behind Schultz was adorned with campaign flyers for her husband, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Cleveland, who’s running for reelection this November. Schultz encouraged Democrats in Lorain County to push to engage and mobilize their communities in what she said is a critical election.

The room was packed with about 100 people, all seemingly Democrats and many of whom were eager to share their experiences collecting signatures or going door-to-door to potential voters. Schultz said that camaraderie among the local members of the party is crucial to affecting support for their cause — more important than speeches from Schultz or Brown.

“We are never going to be able to reach the people

you know best the way you can,” Schultz said. “Nobody knows your county like you do, and nobody knows the people in your county like you.” In November’s Senate election, Brown is being challenged by Republican businessman Bernie Moreno. Though the election is still nearely five months away, Schultz said now is the time to get involved.

For Lorain County residents who aren’t involved in political groups or simply don’t care, Schultz said they still have a role to play in the election, and people looking to mobilize them for Democratic causes should acknowledge the issues they actually do care about.

“There’s all this stuff in politics that’s going to affect you, regardless of what you think you care about it,” Schultz said. “So maybe we should be listening to what you do care about?… Let’s go meet our neighbors and find out what’s on their minds.”

During the Q&A, an audience member asked how to respond to young voters who disagree with President Joe Biden’s administration’s handling of the ongoing Israel-Hamas war or other issues. Schultz said Democrats trying to encourage young people to vote shouldn’t dismiss their concerns, but present the election as a decision that avoids a second administration for former President Donald Trump.

“It never works to disregard what Gen Z is trying to say and what they care about,” Schultz said.

“You don’t have to agree with an elected official about everything … but you’re going to really care which party is in power if this is going to get resolved.”

The Democratic audience agreed with Schultz that November’s election will put democracy at stake.

One audience member from Lakewood, Linda Grandstaff, said she was most concerned with voting rights, but said Democrats need to figure out how to reach those disillusioned by the party or indifferent to politics as a whole.

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE PHOTOS

Reenactors representing the Marine Corps 1st Marine Division, Karl Johnson, left, Joel Bilstein and Brandon Szymanski take part in the Taste of History event at the Sandstone Village in Amherst.

Reenactors representing multiple eras of military history take a break at the Taste of History.

meet

Germans as Georg Gentzler on a sidecar motorcycle rides around the grounds.

“It’s a replica, one-fourth the size, of the space station that really gives kids of all ages — I say that because I’m kind of a kid myself — to be able to play in this installation and really kind of get a sense of the scale of (the International Space Station),” TapeScape artist Eric Lennartson said.

TapeScape takes trip to space station

John Benson

The Community Guide

A child’s imagination knows no bounds. How else could, say, a refrigerator box easily become a cardboard submarine reaching the depths of the ocean?

It’s this same idea — using packing tape, plastic wrap and scaffolding — that’s going to allow kids to explore the International Tape Station, er, International Space Station (ISS) now through Sept. 1 at the Great Lakes Science Center.

TapeScape, one of the most popular and requested exhibitions at the downtown Cleveland venue, is actually returning to Northeast Ohio.

“It’s the greatest,” TapeScape artist and designer Eric Lennartson said. “The really fun project

is a great hands-on play activity that in the end showcases so many STEM and STEAM principles for education.

“It’s a replica, one-fourth the size, of the space station that really gives kids of all ages — I say that because I’m kind of a kid myself — to be able to play in this installation and really kind of get a sense of the scale of ISS.”

Guests wearing socks can explore the exhibit to learn about life on the space station and the ongoing research currently happening aboard. Interactive handson activities offer fun for families as they learn more about materials and how they are used in space.

The exhibition is also focused on the dynamic intersection of materials science and the ground-

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Great Lakes Science Center presents TapeScape

WHEN: Open through Sept. 3; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m.

Sunday (closed Mondays)

WHERE: Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave., Cleveland TICKETS: $19.95 for adults and $14.95 for children (ages 2 to 12)

INFO: (216) 694-2000

breaking research at NASA’s Glenn Research Center, showcasing the real-life Cleveland-driven innovations aboard the station.

“So by just stretching wrap and tape over a steel frame, whether it’s metal pipes with connectors or what we’re using for a system of scaffolding, it’s a great way to just

sort of set up that structure and build tunnels,” he said.

“And the plastic wrap allows us to bend and stretch that form a little bit to fit exactly the scale we’re looking for.”

This is actually the second time TapeScape, which creates multisensory installations strong enough for kids and adults to climb on and explore, built the ISS at the Great Lakes Science Center.

That 2018 display, which Lennartson noted was smaller, was part of an exhibition that celebrated stickiness.

This time out, the idea is to send kids into space.

“The ISS is coming to an end soon so we’re kind of celebrating but also looking to the future with

the Orion capsule,” he said.

As it orbits the perimeter of the tape station, guests will find a replica model of the Orion capsule, inviting them to step inside and explore the future of space research, along with authentic space artifact displays and a groundlevel accessible tape tunnel.

As far as creating TapeScape, Avon’s Shurtape Technologies is donating the tape, with Lennartson noting it takes weeks to fully create the display.

“The guiding mission is to spark children’s imagination and creativity so they can kind of put themselves in this imaginary place,” he said. Contact John Benson at ndiffrence@att.net.

Wellington police

3 troopers graduate Black River names new superintendent

The Community Guide

The State Highway Patrol’s 173rd Academy class graduated Friday after 28 weeks of training, and three Lorain County residents were among the newest troopers to join the agency.

Justin Bowen of LaGrange, Joshua Carr of Grafton and Vincent Meyers of Wellington were three of the 52 new troopers who graduated, the Highway Patrol said in a news release.

Bowen will be assigned to the Highway Patrol’s Ashland post, Carr to the Sandusky post and Meyers to the Milan post, according to the agency.

According to the Highway Patrol, Carr received three honors at graduation for top performance in three fields of study at the academy: Overall performance, top performance in firearms and top performance in physical fitness.

Graduates will begin to report to their posts Sunday. Their first 70 working days are a field training period under the guidance of a veteran trooper, according to the Highway Patrol.

Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Andy Wilson and Highway Patrol Superintendent Col. Charles Jones gave remarks at Friday’s graduation ceremony, and Bexley Police Chief Gary Lewis Jr. gave the commencement address. Trooper Allen Grace of New Orleans, who will be assigned to the Lancaster post, was selected as class speaker.

Bowen

Friday, April 19 1:39 p.m. — Wellington Police Department, South Main Street, misuse of a credit card. A Strongsville man reported someone used his debit card to pay for food without his permission earlier in the month. The incident was under investigation. Saturday, April 20 12:50 a.m. — Prospect Street and Fourth Street, operating a vehicle impaired. Dakota Griffin, 29, of Walden Lane, was arrested on misdemeanor DUI and driving under suspension charges and cited with a tail light violation. Griffin’s 2013 Nissan Sentra was stopped for not having license plate lights. Police said Griffin appeared intoxicated and sobriety tests were performed. He was arrested and ordered to appear in Oberlin Municipal Court on April 26. 1:13 a.m. — 200 block of Marts Place, burglary. A victim’s PlayStation 5 was stolen during a burglary. A suspect was identified but not officially charged. The incident was under investigation.

The Community Guide

Black River Schools has named Anthony Stretar as the district’s new superintendent following the resignation of Chris Clark.

superintendent to ensure there is a smooth transition.

A Black River High School graduate himself, Clark has worked in education for more than 36 years.

Carr Meyers

Fairfield County Common Pleas Judge David Trimmer administered the oath of office to the new troopers, who took courses in traffic crash investigation, criminal and traffic law, how to detect impaired drivers, firearms, physical fitness, self-defense and emergency vehicle operations.

Friday, April 26 8:41 a.m. — 300 block of Prospect Street, theft. A Wellington resident reported a theft. The incident was under investigation. 7 p.m. — state Route 58 and Jones Road, operating a vehicle impaired. Garry Francis, 60, of Sullivan, was arrested on misdemeanor second-offense DUI, fictitious plates and tail light violations. Francis’ 2016 Chevrolet Silverado was stopped and police said he appeared intoxicated. Francis’ blood-alcohol content was greater than 0.17. He was booked and advised of his court date. Francis had a prior DUI conviction in Oberlin Municipal Court in 2023. Saturday, April 27 9:24 p.m. — 100 block of East Street, menacing. Officers were dispatched to a menacing complaint. The incident was under investigation.

Monday, April 29 8:05 p.m. — 200 block of Prospect Street, domestic violence. Officers reported to the scene of a domestic disturbance. The incident was under investigation. Wednesday, May 1 8:27 p.m. — 100 block of Park Place, menacing. An officer was dispatched to investigate an alleged violation of a no-contact order. The incident was under investigation. Thursday, May 2 3:53 p.m. — 400 block of Barker Street, stolen vehicle. A Pickerington resident reported that his sister’s 2020 Nissan Rogue was stolen in Wellington on April 14. The incident was under investigation.

Stretar, currently the principal at Richfield Elementary School in the Revere School District in Summit County, will start the job in Black River on Aug. 1.

“(Stretar) has an open, collaborative leadership approach, and his passion for students and staff is evident,” Black River Board of Education President Chuck Stiver said.

“He has led and inspired people over his career and we know he will build solid relationships with other administrators, staff, students and business and community members.” Clark, who has served as superintendent for 10 years, will retire July 31.

He has said that he hopes to work with the new

“I am confident that Anthony Stretar will continue to lead the district with dedication and vision. His experience and commitment to education will undoubtedly benefit our students and community. I wish him all the best in his new role.” The search for a new superintendent began in March when the Black River Board of Education accepted a proposal from the Ohio School Boards Association to facilitate a superintendent search. Striver said they followed a thorough process, planning with facilitators, staff and community surveys, school and community focus groups.

Oberlin celebrates Juneteenth

The Community Guide

OBERLIN — Lorain County’s longest-running celebration of Juneteenth filled Oberlin’s George Abram Pavilion on Saturday.

The city’s 29th annual Juneteenth event marked 20 years since the city officially recognized the holiday in 2004, and three years since it was designated a federal holiday.

Chairperson Valerie Lawson said it felt good to hold the event in Oberlin, in part because of the city’s history as a stop on the Underground Railroad. The pavilion is just outside the city’s Underground Railroad Center.

That history is what Lawson wanted attendees to take away from Saturday’s gathering.

“It’s not just a palace to come and meet people you haven’t seen since last year,” she said. “It’s not just a place to come and get a good rib sandwich. It’s a place to learn the history.” Juneteenth marks when slaves in Galveston, Texas, learned of the Emancipation Proclaimation in 1865, two years after President Abraham Lincoln signed the order.

Digital gift card now offered

OBERLIN — Shopping in Oberlin just went high tech with the launch of the new Shop Oberlin digital gift card.

While the Oberlin Business Partnership, in conjunction with local businesses, has offered paper gift cards in the past, this is the first time digital gift cards have been made available.

“It’s something my predecessor looked into,” said Sharon Pearson, interim executive director of Oberlin Business Partnership.

“We’ve offered gift cards for a couple of years now in $5 increments, but they were paper, handwritten. It was a clumsy process.”

If an entity were to call requesting $350 in gift cards in $5 increments, each one had to be handwritten, which took a considerable amount of time.

In fact, the OBP spent most of December filling out gift cards, she said.

Additionally, the process was cumbersome for businesses, who would have to keep track of the transaction, go to the OBP to request payment, and then wait weeks to be paid.

“We needed to find a more efficient way,” Pearson said.

“And for people to be able to make more use of these.”

To celebrate the launch of the digital gift card, the OBP is offering a 20 percent bonus for each card purchased, while supplies last. This limited-time Buy One, Get One deal is backed by a $5,000 allocation from the OBP.

Anyone who buys a $25 card will get an additional $5; $50 gets an extra $10; $100 gets an extra $20; and $200 gets an extra $40.

“This is all digital,” Pearson said.

“People can pull it up on their phone or print it out.

“We’re really trying to encourage people and businesses to make use of this.” Paper gift cards will still be accepted, but OBP will no longer distribute them.

“This is all very brand new,” Pearson said.

“We know there are going to be a couple of hiccups. People can always call us with any concerns or questions.”

To purchase a Shop Oberlin Gift Card, visit OberlinBusinessPartnership.com, email director@ oberlinbusinesspartnership. com; call (440) 774-6262; or visit Facebook at @ OberlinBusinessPartnership.

Participating businesses:

The Rev. Laurence Nevels Sr., of Christ Temple Apostolic Church in Oberlin, gave the morning’s prayer — also noting the day’s historical significance and his hope that future generations would carry it forward.

Carissa Woytach

The Community Guide

OBERLIN — Days away from Juneteenth, the Apollo Theater hosted a screening of “Awakening to Justice: Faithful Voices from an Abolitionist Past.”

The short film by Untamed started as a 10-minute documentary to pair with a book of the same name by a group of religious scholars examining the conjunction of Christianity and race in the United States.

One of the book’s authors, the Rev. A.G. Miller of Oberlin House of the Lord Fellowship and an associate professor at Oberlin College, introduced the film to a full house at the city’s theater on Monday.

He said the group received a grant to fund the film and the initial 10-minute feature soon turned into a 35-minute film intertwining the historical research the group did into the intersection of faith and race with the modern Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

The film debuted at the Justice Film Festival in New York City in February, and eventually will be available for viewing on

Nevels read from “Awakening to Justice: Faithful Voices from an Abolitionist Past,” which recognizes in part Oberlin’s place as an integrated community far before its contemporaries. One of the book’s authors, AG Miller, is a professor at Oberlin College and a local pastor and amateur historian. Nevels quoted John Mercer Langston, an abolitionist, attorney and politician,

the book’s website, Miller said.

“This is not about just scholarship,” Miller said, adding later that the book’s website has study guide resources to spark discussion. “This is about action.”

In 2015, historian and Adrian College Professor Chris Momany helped discover a journal by David Ingraham, a Christian abolitionist and missionary. The journal lost to time in a closet at Adrian College chronicled work he, Nancy Prince and James Bradley, Oberlin College’s first Black student, did to integrate Christian communities. Studying the journal launched the Dialogue on Race and Faith Project, which ultimately wrote the book, published earlier this year.

Momany joined Miller, 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell, and several others on a panel following the film screening, discussing the film and book’s themes. Miller said faith and justice are two sides of the same coin and responded to a question raised in the film by civil rights leader Howard Thurman on

in noting Oberlin’s churches welcomed its Black community as equals as part of the “Oberlin experiment in interracial Christian community,” he said. Langston was a graduate of Oberlin College and lived in the city for about 15 years. He eventually moved to found the Law department at Howard University and became the first Black man elected to Congress from Virginia.

“The treatment (afforded) to colored people in Oberlin socially at this time, 1830 and 1840, was most remarkable,” Nevels read.

“In keeping however with the professions re-

whether Christianity could overcome racism.

“What is this faith and history and religion that it cannot overtake and overcome racism? I think that’s one that we all have to ponder,” Miller said. Miller and Momany touched on Oberlin’s own past and struggles with race. While the city and college have long been bastions of integration, Miller said the property his home is built on had a deed restriction prohibiting sale or rent to Black residents. Miller purchased the property from Oberlin College more than 30 years ago, and the restriction came up in a title search.

He said he knew race was an issue when he first came to Oberlin and was visiting a friend on Prospect Street and older residents told him of the area’s history.

“I love Oberlin, I love what it stands for … But I also have to face the realities of the harsh history that we have here,” he said. “Oberlin shifted from the early 19th century into the 20th century and became a different animal and we have to really recognize that fact, accept that fact and need to move

ligiously, politically and educationally made by the founders of the community.”

Donnay Edmund, of New York, and an Oberlin College alumnus, read the 1863 Emancipation Proclaimation.

forward to change where we are.”

Momany said the ending of the book and film has a touch of hope, but recognizes society is not there yet.

“The test of this project will be where we take it and where you can help us take it,” he said.

For more information on the book or film, visit awakeningtojustice.com.

Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 3297245 or cwoytach@chroniclet.com.

Data showed that only 10 to 20 percent of the paper gift cards were being redeemed.

Some Oberlin College students never even stopped by to pick up their gift cards, which have been in the OBP office since December.

“By going digital, customers can order a card 24/7,” Pearson said.

“They can email them to whoever they want to get it. Data shows the digital cards have an 85 to 95 percent redemption rate, meaning more money is spent at local businesses.”

The Shop Oberlin digital gift card program is managed by Yiftee and secured by Mastercard, and businesses get paid right away, unlike the paper gift cards.

The program also gives analytics on where people are spending money in town.

Thirty local businesses were involved in the first gift card program, while 19 have signed on for the digital card program so far.

“The list is growing,” Pearson said.

“This is also a marketing tool to encourage people to join OBP. We’re really promoting the new program. We want people to be able to see how much we have to offer.”

n 1833 Restaurant at The Hotel at Oberlin, 10 E. College St.

n Aladdin’s Eatery, 5 W. College St.

nBen Franklin/MindFair Books, 13 W. College St.

n Carlyle Gift and Flower Shop, 17 W. College St.

n GoGreen Garden Center, 461 E. Lorain St.

n Lorenzo’s Pizzeria, 52½ S. Main St.

n Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant, 84 S. Main St.

n Oberlin Heritage Center, 73 S. Professor St. n Ottica Eyecare, 32 S. Main St.

n Ratsy’s Store, 27 S. Main St.

n Rosen-Jones Photography, 29 W. College St.

n Slow Train, 55 E. College St.

n The Feve, 30 S. Main St.

n The Local Coffee and Tea, 23 S. Main St., Down n Thi Ni Thai, 18 Carpenter Court

n Uptown Clothing and More, 21 W. College St. n Verite Glass Gallery & Studio, 11 S. Main St.

n Watson Hardware, 26 S. Main St.

n Willow Jewelry and Repair, 7 W. College St. Contact Christina Jolliffe at ctnews@ chroniclet.com.

Carissa Woytach

CARISSA WOYTACH / COMMUNITY GUIDE PHOTOS

Donnay Edmund, an Oberlin College graduate from New York, reads the 1863 Emancipation Proclaimation at Oberlin’s Juneteenth celebration.

Children from the Oberlin Christian Missonary Alliance Church perform at the city’s Juneteenth celebration Saturday.

Christina Jolliffe The Community Guide

The Rev. Laurence Nevels Sr. reads from “Awakening to Justice.”

SPORTS

FLAG FOOTBALL

HARDLY A PASSING FANCY

More and more girls are playing and loving a sport that will be in the Olympics in 2028 and that many hope will someday have high school varsity status

Monday night football at Cleveland Browns Stadium takes on a new meaning. Four fields filled with girls competing to

A Saturday afternoon at the Westlake YMCA features a four-team tournament and another festive atmosphere, including food trucks and cornhole.

A North Ridgeville High School graduate earns a spot on USA Football’s Women’s Flag National Team.

Female flag football is booming in popularity, becoming a familiar site across Lorain County and Northeast Ohio.

“It’s here to stay,” said Chuck Kyle, who won 11 state football championships at St. Ignatius.

Not a moment too

soon.

“It’s been a long time coming,” said Isabella Geraci, who will play for the U.S. at the World Championship in Finland in August.

Exposure explosion

When the Browns began their Girls High School Flag Football program alongside Northeast Ohio Flag Football in 2021, Mentor and Lake Catholic were the only schools to participate. The number of schools climbed to 51 this year, including Elyria Catholic and Lorain.

The championship tournament at Cleveland Browns Stadium in May featured 28 teams competing for the trophy Kirtland took home for the second straight year.

Women and girls are driving the pace car in the fast-growing sport. Per USA Football research, from 2014-23 the number of girls 6-12 playing flag increased 222 percent, surpassing 129,000 participants. During the same period, more than 100,000

girls from 13-17 played.

“It’s definitely blowing up,” Geraci said. “It’s like exponential growth in the past few years.”

Bob Berwald, a boys coach at Mentor High, started Northeast Ohio Flag Football in 2016 so his son would have a place to play after having a negative experience in tackle.

It had 120 kids from Lake County the first year and this spring had nearly 1,500, including almost 100 girls from kindergarten through eighth grade.

Opportunities for younger girls through recreational leagues and companies such as T3 and i9 haven’t been as accessible.

Elyria Catholic sophomore-to-be Jules Cerny always enjoyed football and would beckon her dad, Joe, outside to play catch. She’s a talented basketball player and didn’t hesitate to join the flag team when asked by a coach during study hall this See FLAG, A7

On top of the world

North Ridgeville grad Geraci always loved football, now she gets to play for her country

Isabella Geraci couldn’t remember what month the tryouts were held.

She’ll never forget the outcome.

She isn’t getting ahead of herself and appreciates being part of the national team.

“I still have to sit back and realize what I’m able to do right now,” Geraci said. “I’m so excited to rep the red, white and blue.”

A family connection makes it even more special.

STORIES BY SCOTT PETRAK THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

Geraci, a North Ridgeville High School graduate, was chosen for USA Football’s Women’s Flag National Team that will compete at the World Championship in August in Lahti, Finland. She was invited to the national team trials — they were in the beginning of March — and made the cut from 60 to 18. Early this month she attended the team’s training camp and survived the cut to the final 12-woman roster.

“Amazing. I can’t even put into words to describe how honored I am,” she said recently by phone. “It happened very fast. I feel like everything’s such a blur.”

The whirlwind was real.

Geraci, 23, started playing flag football about seven months ago in a recreational league in Charlotte, North Carolina, where she lives. She had known for a while she wanted to return to football and try to play at the highest level but didn’t expect the goal to be realized so quickly.

Or to be destined for Finland.

“I’m super excited. I really can’t even believe it,” she said. “But I heard their seafood’s great, so I’m looking forward to that, too.”

Geraci, who plays slot receiver, is part of the dynamic growth in flag football. The sport will debut in the Summer Olympics in 2028 in Los Angeles.

“I’ve thought about it. That’s the goal as of now,” she said. “Well, after Finland. Short term, Finland, long term, 2028 Olympics. It’s crazy.”

Her younger brother Nicholas will enter the Air Force Academy this month with the goal of being a fighter pilot. He wasn’t admitted after his senior year at North Ridgeville, spent a year at the University of Akron studying mechanical engineering and participating in ROTC and made it this time.

“I like to think that I get to be a piece of him,” Geraci said. “It’s cool to think about like that. My family gets to rep the flag in two different ways.”

Her road to wearing the stars and stripes began as a little girl with the boys. Geraci started flag football when she was 7. She played tackle in middle school and as a freshman for the Rangers before stopping to focus on basketball.

She starred on the court and in track and field in high school.

She left North Ridgeville as the all-time leading scorer with 1,199 points and averaged 17.1 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.8 steals and 2.4 assists as a senior. She was Lorain County Miss Basketball and second-team AllOhio.

In 2017 she finished sixth in the state in Division I in the high jump and the next year finished fourth in high jump (5 feet, 8 inches) and sixth in long jump (18-0.75). She was the co-Lorain County record holder for high jump from 2018-23.

She played basketball at Cleveland State before finishing at University of South Carolina Upstate, where she played basketball and competed in the long and high jumps for the track team.

She missed football the whole time.

Elyria Catholic sophomore Jules Cerny, second from the left, defends the end zone while playing flag football for Elyria Catholic’s Hail Mary team in the “Girls on Turf” event

hosted at the West Shore Family YMCA in Westlake on June 1. Cerny is one of the founding players for the event.

KRISTIN BAUER / CHRONICLE

Geraci

North Ridgeville grad Isabella Geraci makes a catch during training camp for USA Football’s Women’s Flag National Team.

BULLETIN BOARD

MLS Class of ‘74 to hold 50th reunion

The Marion L. Steele class of 1974 will be having its 50th reunion the weekend of July 26.

We are looking for the following classmates: Debbie Green, David Jones, Jerry Pinson, Terry Lyman, Jerry Mattney, Frank Sabo, Patty Singleton, Brenda Smith, Craig Smith, and Tim Watson. If you have not received your invitation or know where any of the missing classmates are, please contact Raynelle Wasem Bozicevich at (440) 242-1283 or raynelle187@oh.rr.com.

‘American Pickers’ coming to Ohio; sign up

“American Pickers” is coming to Ohio in August to hunt for valuable antiques and rare items.

The documentary series, which has aired on The History Channel since 2010, follows antique “pickers” who search for historically significant or rare items and interesting stories from their owners. The show will film an episode in Ohio in August, and is looking for people across the state with “hidden treasures” to feature.

Those interested in participating should send their name, phone number, location and a description of their collection with photos to americanpickers@cineflix.com or call (646) 493-2184. The show does not feature businesses or stores that are open to the public.

Amherst library invites kids’ stories

Children, tweens and teens are invited to write a short story that includes an adventure, a hot air balloon, slime, and the author’s favorite library book character in Amherst Public Library’s summer short story contest. Five will win prizes. Stories can be typed, handwritten or transcribed by a grown-up.

Entries should be turned in at the second-floor information desk by 8:30 p.m. July 24. Winners chosen July 31.

Amherst library board to meet

The Amherst Public Library Board of Trustees will hold a regular meeting at the library on July 8 at 5:45 p.m. The meeting is open to the public.

County Fair gets $107,000 state grant

The Lorain County Agricultural Society has received nearly $107,000 from a state grant program to support the fair and the fair-going experience.

The grant is a portion of $10 million released as part of the state’s County and Independent Fair Grant Program. The money may be used for upgrades to grounds; electrical and sanitation systems; machinery and equipment; and Americans with Disabilities Act accommodations. Christmas in July vendors wanted

A Christmas in July event will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on July 13 at the Lorain Community Senior Center, 3361 Garfield Blvd., Lorain. If you would like to set up a table to sell your special Christmas wares, call (440) 2884040 or email lorainseniorcenter@outlook.com for more information. Tables are $25.

THE 4TH OF JULY

ACROSS

1. South American palm berry

5. Chi preceder

8. Tatted cloth

12. *”Knee high in July”?

13. Hole-making tools

14. Sign in (2 words)

15. Discharge

16. Violin’s Renaissance predecessor

17. Nursemaid in India, pl.

18. *On the grill on the 4th?

20. Tropical tuber

21. Propelled like Argo

22. “Fresh Prince of ____-Air”

23. *#18 Across, picnics and such

26. Yellow ride

30. Not well

31. Heavy lifting injury

34. “Brave New World” drug

35. Feudal estates

37. Storm center

38. Rand McNally book

39. Singer-songwriter Amos

40. Deserving veneration

42. Giant “Master Melvin”

43. Y on Periodic Table

45. Unkind one, slangily

47. Clairvoyant’s gift, acr.

48. “____ under the rug”

50. Cry like a baby

52. *Number of stripes on Old Glory

55. Birch bark vessel

56. Object of Frodo’s obsession

Norse war god

Cut mission short

Fairy tale beginning

Tangerine/grapefruit hybrid 62. MTV’s “____’d” (20032015) 63. Like Willie Winkie

“Team” homophone

year. “I just like the adrenaline that it gives me,” she said. The Panthers beat Lorain at the Browns tournament before falling to Mayfield. During the season she told the girls on her AAU basketball team about flag and they wanted to play. So Cerny and teammate Nora Bruder, a sophomore-to-be at Rocky River, decided to stage a tournament.

Joe Cerny works for the Y and the 15-year-olds went to work getting sponsors and planning the event for June 1. It came together in six weeks like “wildfire.”

“It was unbelievable,” Joe Cerny said. “It’s the power of girls.

“They both have this fierce spirit that anything’s possible. And Jules keeps saying that the mission of this is, ‘I want a safe place where girls can play football.’ They’re just really inspired by the idea that they can help this grow.”

Lots of people are looking to spread the word and get involved. Rick Batyko, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of the YMCA of Greater Cleveland, jumped at the chance when the Cernys approached him and plans to host a larger regional tournament.

“We want to get as involved as we can and encourage girls and women to get involved in sports. So this fits that mission perfectly,” Batyko said.

LOFTY GOAL

Brownie the Elf roamed the fields behind the Y and the Browns helped sponsor the event. They’re a driving force behind the growth of girls flag football in the region.

“Some incredible athletes. Some of the plays, the throws that were made were very, very impressive,” said coach Kevin Stefanski, who watched the tournament at the stadium. “That needs to be a varsity sport. The fact that that’s not sanctioned yet is crazy to me.

“It was inspiring.”

Cornerback Greg Newsome II is an advocate for women’s sports and has attended several flag practices and tournaments. The girls line up to get their picture taken with him and he has nearly as much fun as they do.

“It’s incredible,” he said. “I think it gives them a sense that people care about their talents and people care that they’re striving to become football players.”

Kyle, the former St. Ignatius coach, serves as youth football adviser for the Browns. He said an important step in making the jump to varsity sport was the coaches association including those of girls flag teams.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association isn’t ready to sanction the sport as areas of the state outside of Northeast Ohio lag in popularity and participation. Director of media relations Tim Stried said in an email the OHSAA is monitoring the sport and will continue to discuss its future.

It’s sanctioned as a varsity sport in 11 states and many others have pilot programs with the goal of becoming a varsity sport. It has a championship and scholarships at the NAIA level in college. Flag will enter the Olympics for men and women in 2028.

“It feels like the next step is for the OHSAA to make it

a sanctioned sport. That feels where this is building to,” Geraci said. “It’s going to start building in bigger colleges now, too.”

TAKING AN INTEREST

Geraci loved football at an early age and played into high school despite being surrounded by boys. She left the sport for years as she focused on basketball and track, only to return to it after college and quickly earn a spot on the national team.

Growing up she never envisioned girls would have the opportunities flag has provided.

“I was always the one girl on the field at all times and it was crazy,” she said. “There was no outlet for girls to play football. It’s just very weird.”

While she was at Cleveland State then University of South Carolina Upstate she noticed and appreciated the popularity surge.

“And it’s very, very cool to be a part of it, a piece that’s helping it grow and push it forward because I feel like women should have that opportunity to play this amazing sport at such a high level,” she said.

With it finally being provided, they can see firsthand why football’s the country’s most popular sport.

Girls from high schools that don’t have teams can play for nearby schools and are pushing for more to start programs. The interest can take hold in grade school.

Zoe Cabot, a sixth-grader in Avon Lake, attended a crowded youth clinic put on by the Browns in North Olmsted in February. Her Avon Lake sixth-grade team went on to win a rec league tournament despite starting with almost no experience. It rallied from a 12-0 hole to beat undefeated Olmsted Falls 14-12.

Jake Sigler coached the team, which included his daughter Anna, and plans to talk to the high school about fielding a team.

“To know that we’re the first team from Avon Lake that has played and that we were actually able to go and win the tournament was even cooler. It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life.”

THE GAME

Rules can vary, but it’s generally five-on-five on a field 50 yards by 25 yards. Crossing midfield brings a first down, and games consist of two 20-minute halves.

The offense doesn’t have blockers and the defense has a rusher who must start at a designated distance away from the line of scrimmage. Contact is minimal and the ball carrier can’t “flag guard” — using a hand to protect the flag from a defender. She can spin and juke but can’t jump.

At the Browns tournament, the coach could join the huddle to call the play, although some teams used wristbands to relay the calls, as some NFL teams do. The game is action-packed with a combination of long passes, reverses and interceptions.

“It’s a great quality of play,” Newsome said.

Kyle was impressed with the zip on some of the passes by the “legitimate” quarterbacks. Cerny is one of those, as she stands tall in the pocket and delivers.

“She’s got a heck of an arm,” her dad said. “It’s turned into where she used to run the routes, now she makes me run the routes. That’s exhausting.”

SIGHTS, SOUNDS AND DREAMS

The girls are all-in.

Mouthguards and eye black are part of the uniform. A marching band filled Cleveland Browns Stadium with noise. The Elyria Catholic and Lorain teams danced after their game.

Geraci said that with flag on the map for girls, they realize it’s a thing they want to try and that they “really enjoy” it.

“It just needed that extra push and the media getting behind it and the Browns getting behind it, huge organizations pushing it forward and kind of putting a spotlight on it has helped it a ton,” she said. “It’s just really, really, really awesome to see.”

Geraci playing for the national team should provide another jolt.

“It’s a lot of pride for not only North Ridgeville, Lorain County, but the state of Ohio she’s going to be representing in the world,” North Ridgeville basketball coach Amy Esser said. “It’s absolutely amazing. I’m so happy for her. I’m so excited. It just shows you all the possibilities that you can get just by being athletic and playing college sports. And I feel like the opportunities are endless and she’s just a prime example of someone who is trying something new.”

Contact Scott Petrak at (440) 329-7253 or spetrak@chroniclet.com.

©2024byVickiWhiting,Editor Je Schinkel,Graphics Vol. 40,No. 29

Di erent spiders weavedi erentkinds of webs Web-spinning spiders spin webs to trap food—the ying and crawling insects they crave. e

Spun in quiet,dark corners, this is themost common kind of web.

Strand Steppers

member draw with you. Each of youfollowthe steps belowto draw aspider.How manydi erences can you nd between your twospiders?

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Animals

Howdospiders

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Number thepictures in order from 1to6 to show the making of an orbweb.Ittakesa garden spider less than an hourto complete an orbweb.

Standards Link: Animals have structures that aid in survival.

Athread of spidersilkis stronger thanathread of steel the same thickness It is one of the strongest materials on earth.

Circle every third letter along thespider’sdrop line to find out what a ropeofspidersilk1 inch thick(2.5 cm) could hold.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

Thisweb has spokes like bicycle wheels

The spider attaches two points of its web to twigs. It holdsonto thethird pointand attaches itselftoathird twig. When an insect lands on theweb, the spiderloosens the end it holds and theweb pullsthe insect inside.

Read the ads in today’spaper Then, use crayons or markerstocreate an ad forspiders! It couldbea“Web for Sale”adoran ad for something spiders need.

Standards Link: Follow simple written directions.

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