‘Fight for diversity’
President of U.S. Urban League ‘zooms’ into Lorain County
Richard Perrins
The Community Guide
“Democracy is not perfect. Democracy is not always fair, particularly to Black people and other left-out communities. But democracy is better than monarchy, oligarchy or authoritarianism. We must understand that is why we fight for democracy all the time.”
That’s what Marc Morial, the president and CEO of the National Urban League, told a crowd of about 150
people gathered at tables in Avon’s Emerald Event Center.
Morial was the keynote speaker for the Lorain County Urban League’s 10th annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference. His speech, delivered via Zoom, followed the conference’s theme — “Defend Democracy, Demand Diversity, Defeat Poverty.”
The National Urban League is a nonprofit that empowers Black Americans and other underserved
demographics to achieve economic and civil equity.
Morial, who’s been the president and CEO of the organization since 2003, said the fight to maintain democracy and civil power in underserved populations must be a constant one in the face of gerrymandering and other factors that seek to limit it.
As one facet of its operations, the National Urban League offers educational and workforce training.
Morial said recent conver-
sations around companies that refrain from making diverse hiring and operating decisions, could limit the support those companies get from the Urban League and all Black Americans.
Given the growth in the Black population and economic power in the country, those that are discriminated against must push back.
“We must fight for diversity,” Morial said. “We deserve a seat at the table
“We have to do more to hold those that go retreating
Honoring families of the
fallen The Lorain County Gold Star Families Memorial Monument, located
Courthouse in downtown Elyria, will be dedicated in
Gold Star Families are those that have lost a family member
from us accountable.”
Morial then referenced the third pillar of the conference’s theme — fighting poverty.
He said to fight poverty, we should work to centralize battles to raise the mini-
mum wage and institute a child tax credit, measures to build the social safety net.
“You all at the local level, you’re fighting these battles every single day.
“We have to keep fighting those battles.”
Cockfighting ring is raided
Owen MacMillan
The Community Guide
ELYRIA — Nearly 40 mistreated animals are on the road to recovery after the Friendship Animal Protection League broke up a cockfighting operation in Elyria last week.
On Sept. 4, using a warrant from the Elyria Municipal Court, Friendship APL humane officers raided a residential property in Elyria after an investigation into complaints of alleged cockfighting there.
League Humane Officer Vickie McDonald did not give the location of the warrant. She said she could not share many details of the alleged perpetrators or the ring itself because criminal charges are still pending.
“We have been investigating this for a little bit, it’s not something we stumbled upon,” McDonald
said.
Officers seized 27 chickens, 11 hens and 16 roosters, as well as 11 dogs. McDonald said the seizure of the dogs was “incidental” to the investigation. “The roosters are in varying medical conditions; they are not all critical,” McDonald said. “We have some that are essentially uninjured … and we have some that are much more critically injured.” But, McDonald said, all of the birds are treatable, have begun to receive treatment at the Friendship APL in Elyria and are expected to fully recover.
Many of the roosters had clearly been injured in prior fights and since recovered, and most of them had their spurs — sharp bony growths on the back of their legs — removed.
Roosters use their See RAID, A2
What to say about the Browns? Yep, the season started
CLEVELAND — We are now officially into Year 3 of the Browns waiting for Deshaun Watson to heal, get unsuspended and/or play better. Sunday at Haslam Acres, the Dallas Cowboys — no steamrollers they — showed the home team how far they still have to go to be taken seriously. The final score was 33-17, and it was not that close.
Jim ingraham
Nevertheless, with the Browns trailing 30-10 at the start of the fourth quarter, management inexplicably decided to shoot off a couple fireworks, perhaps in order to make the most loyal fan base in the NFL think they were having a
good time.
They were not. By that time the stampede to the parking lots had begun. The last half of the fourth quarter was played before family and friends. At no time in the game did it feel like the Browns were going to win, a sentiment, more or less, shared by coach Kevin Stefanski.
“Really sloppy. Disappointing,” said the two-time NFL Coach of the Year. “We had a lot of not-good-enough, and that’s on me.”
For most of the game the crowd looked and sounded like a painting. Can’t blame them for that.
There was not much to get excited about from a team See BROWNS, A5
Clip & save Browns schedule on Page A4
Marc Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League, delivers the keynote speech at the Lorain County Urban League’s 10th annual Diversity and Inclusion Conference via Zoom.
RICHARD PERRINS / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Gold Star Families to be honored
Dave O’Brien
The Chronicle-Telegram
The Lorain County community is invited to attend the Sept. 29 dedication of the Lorain County Gold Star Families Memorial Monument in downtown Elyria.
The dedication, on the grounds of the old Lorain County Courthouse in Elyria, will start at 1:30 p.m.
Gold Star families and relatives are invited as honored guests. A “Gold Star family” is one that has lost a family member in active duty military service. The purpose of the monument, one of more than a dozen in Ohio, is to pay tribute to those families.
The ceremony will include address from local Gold Star family members, assistant director of the Office of Survivor Assistance Ann Duff, and Dr. Mark Harris of the Woody Williams Foundation, which is working with local backers to build the memorial.
Lorain County Commissioner David Moore, a Republican who is running for reelection against Democrat Brian Baker in November, also will deliver remarks.
The event also will include the presentation of colors, a moment of silence, and a wreath-laying ceremony to commemorate the fallen.
“The memorial, with inscriptions of Homeland, Family, Patriot, and Sacrifice, stands as a symbol of the profound gratitude and reverence we hold for the families of these fallen heroes,” according to the Lorain County Veterans Service Commission.
The location was chosen because of its significance to the community. The Old County Courthouse represents justice, while the county Police and Fire Memorial, Workers Memorial and the Lorain County World War II Memorial make the grounds “sacred,” according to the VSC.
“Our community is deeply connected to the values of duty, honor and sacrifice,” said Kimberly Hazelgrove, a Gold Star spouse, U.S. Army veteran
and co-chair of the Lorain County Gold Star Families committee. “The Gold Star Families Memorial is a powerful reminder of the profound sacrifice surviving family members have made towards our freedom. We are proud to dedicate this memorial to ensure their daily struggle is not forgotten by the people of Lorain County.”
For information about the Woody Williams Foundation, or to make an online donation to the construction of the memorial, visit the “Lorain County Gold Star Families Memorial Monument” page at WoodyWilliams.org.
The Gold Star Family Memorial was created by a foundation named for Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was awarded the nation’s highest medal for valor for his actions during the Battle of Iwo Jima in the Pacific Theater during World War II — to remember those families who have made the ultimate sacrifice.
The memorial panels are made from black granite, with benches, flagpoles and six military service branch markers to surround them.
Clark & Post Architects Inc., the same firm that designed the Lorain County Police & Fire Memorial, designed the site.
The estimated total cost of the monument is $340,000. The Board of Commissioners in August gave final approval for a $100,000 grant from COVID-19 pandemic relief funds.The Lorain County Visitors Bureau, Lorain County Honor Fund, Veterans Service Commission, nine veterans organizations and the Blue Star Mothers of America Inc. also donated. Sometimes it “takes things like this monument to make people feel like they’re not alone,” Hazelgrove told The ChronicleTelegram last year. “It’s a place to go, to reflect and remember.”
“Our community is deeply connected to the values of duty, honor and sacrifice.”
Kimberly Hazelgrove, a Gold Star spouse and Army veteran
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RAID
spurs naturally to fight one another and defend their flock, and the spurs are sometimes removed because they can make the birds dangerous to handle.
People engaged in cockfighting often remove the spurs, but replace them with blades or sharp spikes during cockfights make the fights more brutal, efficient and bloody, McDonald said.
“Cockfights are to the death,” she said. “Birds are made to fight until one of them is dead or is too weak to fight.”
Along with the birds in Elyria, humane officers uncovered cockfighting paraphernalia, including cockfighting spurs.
McDonald did not confirm which charges are being sought, but Ohio Revised Code provides for a specific felony charge for cockfighting, and McDonald said offenders often face additional animal cruelty charges.
Rescuing a large flock of cockfighting birds like that recovered on
Wednesday is a massive undertaking, McDonald said.
“It’s pretty much a shelterwide operation,” she said.
While most of the shelter staff are needed to assist in wrangling and transporting the birds, and those not helping in the immediate rescue are forced to step up and carry out all the daily functions of the shelter with less help.
Additionally, McDonald said that community complaints and concerns are critical in shutting down cockfighting operations.
“Everybody wants to thank the humane officers, but so much more goes into this,” McDonald said.
“It’s really the people that speak up in the community, we don’t just randomly walk into a cockfighting operation.”
Large cockfighting raids are not common for the Friendship APL; the only other one in recent record was just over a year ago when humane officers seized 16 roosters in Lorain.
But based on talking with residents, McDonald said the practice is
commonplace enough that “it’s on our radar.”
The main focus now for the staff of the Friendship APL is finding safe homes for the rescued birds which McDonald said can be a challenge.
Rehoming hens is simple enough, but roosters are naturally territorial and being used in cockfighting can further exacerbate their aggression.
“Some remain overtly aggressive,” McDonald said. “But I have seen plenty of these guys fully recover and be able to live among other chickens.”
McDonald is contacting sanctuaries and other bird rescues across the state and beyond to try and find the roosters somewhere to live safer, more comfortable lives.
“The goal is to get these guys into more ideal placement as soon as possible,” McDonald said. “So sanctuaries and rescues that are more equipped for birds — as opposed to a human society — and get them into rescue homes so that their rescue can be as quick and smooth as possible.”
Woman gets 14-21 years
Tried to kill parents; she refused to use insanity defense
Dave O’Brien The Community Guide
ELYRIA — For attempting to kill her parents in December 2022, Emily Deese was sentenced Friday in Lorain County Common Pleas Court to a minimum of 14 years up to a maximum of 21 years in prison
Judge Melissa Kobasher handed down the sentence. As long as Deese behaves in prison, under Ohio law it is she probably will be released after serving only the minimum term of 14 years.
Deese pleaded guilty in July to two counts of attempted murder, four counts of felonious assault, two counts of domestic violence and one count of tampering with evidence, all felonies. Under Ohio law, most of the charges merged for the purposes of sentencing.
Kobasher sentenced Deese to seven to 10½ years in prison on each of two attempted murder
charges to run consecutive to each other. An additional year in prison on the tampering withe evidence charge will run concurrently, or at the same time.
At Friday’s hearing the only person involved in the case who thought Deese, 36, was not mentally ill when she stabbed her parents and is not mentally ill now was Deese herself.
Mental health “obviously” was an issue in the case, Kobasher said, noting that Deese chose to abandon an insanity defense.
Deese’s own attorney, father and sister all also said Deese is suffering from severe untreated mental illness.
“I think the court can see from the court file and all the evaluations that have been conducted in this trial that Emily does suffer from some mental health issues,” defense attorney Kenneth Lieux began to tell Kobasher.
“No I do not,” Deese said, interrupting her attorney.
Continuing, Lieux said Deese asked him to drop her plea of “not guilty by reason of insanity,” which he did in May.
“She rejects that. That is her choice, your honor. I really don’t have much else to say other than she has accepted responsibility and wants to put this matter behind her,” Lieux said.
was wearing a head scarf along with her jail-issued clothing in court. She looked down at the defense table during most of the hearing.
Deese also revealed to the court that she is six months pregnant, and the only medication she is taking is prescribed prenatal vitamins.
The pregnancy apparently happened sometime while Deese was in custody and undergoing mental health treatment at one of two mental health facilities in the state.
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Vickie McDonald, a humane officer at Firendship Animal Protective League, holds one of the roosters confiscated from a cockfighting ring. The cages behind her hold more of the roosters.
a South Lorain native and former professional boxer, speaks
Palace Theater before the premier of “Show-
documentary was part of a senior project for local filmmaker
graduated in May from Cleveland State University. His
were childhood friends.
Student film stars former area boxer
Carissa Woytach
The Community Guide
LORAIN – Hollywood came to Broadway Saturday night.
The Lorain Palace Theater hosted the premier of “Showtime,” a documentary on professional boxer and south Lorain native Ricky Quiles, with Quiles flying in from California for the event.
The documentary started out as a senior capstone project for local filmmaker Benicio Calo, who graduated in May from Cleveland State University.
Ahead of the screening, Benicio’s father, Albert Calo, said he’d visited the retired boxer in 2017.
The two Southview High grads and childhood friends talked, and Quiles shared some of the struggles he’d faced in his life, Albert Calo said.
“He (is) much deeper of a person than the persona,” Albert Calo said.
When time came for Benicio to start thinking about his senior film project, his father pitched him Quiles’ story. Parts of it were part of stories the younger Calo had heard often as a kid, when his dad would tell him about growing up in south Lorain and boxing with Quiles before he went pro. What started out as a 20-minute school project grew into the feature-length film covering not only Quiles’ boxing career, but his struggles with alcohol and drug use and his now 20 years of sobriety.
Benicio Calo received a $1,500 grant from Cleveland State for the project, and funded another $1,500 himself to help with production costs.
The film started with Quiles’ early life in Lorain, including his abusive home life and his father’s alcoholism and his start at boxing in his family’s basement at about 6 years old. It chronicled his rise through the sport, his time at south Lorain staple Freddie’s Gym and his Golden Gloves win at just 15-years-old, to his move to California and beyond, all intertwined with Quiles’ struggles with alcohol and cocaine.
Quiles first quit boxing in 2004 after the death of Luis Vallarta, a Peruvian fighter who the Lorainite bested after a 12-round fight to win a championship title. But minutes after the final bell rung, Vallarta collapsed and died several days later.
After Vallarta’s death, the southpaw fighter hung everything up and spiraled in his own addiction. When called for a comeback fight against Edner “Cherry Bomb” Cherry, he was sober for the first extended period of time since his teens.
The four-time champion now owns a gym in Los Angeles, training the young and old, and the everyday person to Hollywood stars.
For the Calos, filming Quiles’ story — from snippets of Quiles’ fights of the years, to footage from his 1988 Southview High graduation and hours upon hours of inter-
Quiles hugs his childhood friend and fellow Southview graduate Albert Calo at the Lorain Palace Theater on Saturday before the premier of “Showtime.”
views – was about telling stories in Lorain that needed to be told.
For Quiles – who now lives in Hollywood and had been offered documentary deals before — it was about giving another Lorain native the chance to be the one to tell that story.
Looking out at the hundreds seated in the Palace on Saturday night, Quiles was overcome with gratitude.
“This is something I never imagined, to watch a story about my life,” he said.
He said he had not watched the documentary before the evening’s premiere, instead wanting “to share the moment with you, my people.”
To continue Lorain’s legacy of boxing, proceeds from Saturday’s premier benefited the new Ricky Quiles Fund through the Lorain County Community Foundation’s Hispanic Fund. That fund will help fund youth boxing organizations in the International City, Albert Calo said.
Beyond Saturday’s ticket sales, the Amherst Fraternal Order of Eagles donated $1,000, the Americal Legion Post 118 riders donated $200 and the post itself is expected to donate as well, Albert Calo said.
For more information about Benicio Calo’s documentary, visit Calo’s production company Blue Room Pictures on Instagram and YouTube @blueroompictures.
For more information, or to donate to the Ricky Quiles Fund, visit www.peoplewhocare.org
Contact Carissa Woytach at (440) 329-7245 or cwoytach@ chroniclet.com.
When time came for local filmmaker Benicio Calo to start thinking about his senior film project, his father pitched him professional boxer and south Lorain native Ricky Quiles’ story.
Parts of it were part of stories the younger Calo had heard often as a kid, when his dad would tell him about growing up in south Lorain and boxing with Quiles before he went pro.
Ricky Quiles,
to the crowd at the Lorain
time.” The
Benicio Calo, who
father, Albert Calo, and Quiles
THOMAS FETCENKO / COMMUNITY GUIDE PHOTOS
Ricky
Allen Art Museum reopens
Allen Memorial Art Museum reopened on Friday to the public and students at Oberlin College after a three-month hiatus for renovations.
The museum was temporarily closed this summer for Oberlin College’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program, which is aimed at transitioning the campus’ energy heating and cooling to a geothermal system as part of its goal to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.
Andria Derstine, who’s been director at the museum since June 2012, said the museum first switched to a geothermal system during renovations between 2009 and 2011, and this summer’s closure was primarily to connect the museum’s system to the campuswide system.
But Derstine said the closure was a rare opportunity to make enhancements to the museum’s facilities and make ambitious improvements to its installations.
“The museum is almost never closed for any significant length of time,” Derstine said. “It gave us an opportunity to do work that we couldn’t normally do.”
For the museum’s curators, a small group of the museum’s staff that conceives instal-
lations in their areas of expertise, that meant renovations to art pieces and developing exhibitions.
Kevin Greenwood, the museum’s curator of Asian art, said he used the hiatus for a restoration on a Japanese sculpture that has been in the museum’s collection since its foundation in 1917.
Named simply “Incense Burner with Dragon Base,” the sculpture, which is now in the Stern Gallery of the museum, features a coiling bronze dragon below a huge covered urn.
Sometime in the museum’s history, the top of the sculpture sustained damage and rust and was losing its structural integrity, Greenwood said, which the hiatus allowed the museum to restore.
Greenwood has been putting together an exhibition in celebration of the Year of the Dragon in the Chinese lunar calendar, including a contemporary video piece by artist Yang Yongliang and others.
He said museum preparators, who often physically set up the exhibits, and the other curators — Sam Adams for modern and contemporary art and Marlise Brown for European and American Art — have also put in work on their exhibits and installations during the break.
Derstine said Brown has been working on new installations of ancient art from Greek, Roman, Eetruscan and Egyptian periods, and Adams set up a space near the front of the museum dedicated to video art.
For the museum’s reopening, though, Greenwood said the staff was “thrilled.”
“We’ve been here all summer, involved with our own collections and developing exhibitions,” Greenwood said.
“I heard a couple of the preparators saying it was great to hear people back in the museum, laughing and enjoying it. It’s really just a good feeling to be able to open up to the public again.”
In addition to the development of exhibits and restorations, Derstine said the time off allowed the museum to make physical improvements to its facilities.
This summer, the museum refinished the floors in two of its galleries, carpeted its second floor and replaced lighting fixtures.
Since it reopened Friday, the museum has been welcoming visitors and hosting classes from Oberlin College.
From energy efficiency to physical improvements and installation development, Derstine said the time for renovations has allowed the museum to make its experience for academics and art enthusiasts even better.
Friday
n Music Therapist Hannah Gonzalez will host Groovy Play Time music enrichment for ages 0 to 6 at 11 a.m. at the Elyria Library West River branch. To register, visit elyrialibrary.org or call (440) 324-9823.
n The Amherst Public Library will host Music + Movement story time at 11:15 a.m. Sept. 13 and 27. The program is for those ages 2 to 6 and their caregivers.
n Alicia Wilson from Quantum Dreaming
Weaving will introduce Ayurveda, at 11 a.m. at the South Lorain Library branch. Ayurveda is one of the world’s oldest whole-body healing systems. It was developed more than 5,000 years ago in India based on the belief that health and wellness depend on a delicate balance between the mind, body, spirit and environment. Preregistration required at LorainPublicLibrary.org/programs.
Saturday n There’s No Place Like Home: a Wizard of Oz Celebration will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Elyria Library Central branch. The event is for the whole family and includes Touch a Truck, a magic show, cotton candy cart, and a presentation on tornadoes.
n The Friends of the Avon Library book sale will be 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with
donation of
item. n Color with a Canine from 2-3 p.m. at the Columbia Library branch. Families with children of all ages are welcome to color and relax with our golden retriever friends from Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Coloring sheets, crayons and markers will be provided. Preregistration required at LorainPublicLibrary.org/programs. n There will be a resume workshop at noon Saturday, and again at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 and Nov. 20 at the South Lorain Library branch. Call (440) 277-5672
BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY
A visitor from Chicago looks at the art in one of the recently renovated galleries Friday at the Allen Art Museum.
Richard Perrins The Community Guide
St., Amherst. Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members. Buffet, BYOB, raffles and prizes. Dress for a 1937 party. Tickets are limited. Reserve yours today by contacting (440) 988-7255 or office@amhersthistoricalsociety.
org. Spaghetti dinner, 4:306 p.m. Sept. 19 at Pilgrim United Church of Christ, 523 East Broad St., Elyria. Dinner includes spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, bread and butter, beverage and dessert. Adult meals are $10 per person and childre ages 4-12 are $5 each. Younger than 4 is free.
Lorain County Community Action Agency is seeking sponsors for its wine tasting event, 5:30-7:30 p.m. Sept. 19 at Sunset Terrace Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Ave., Lorain. In addition to wines for tasting, visitors can learn more about LCCAA programs and enjoy door prizes. Sponsorships available at a variety of levels with benefits including free tickets and more. Interested sponsors should contact Barbara Nicholls at (440) 2043178 or bnicholls@lccaa.net.
Fraternal Order of Police Associates 46 wine and dine fundraiser, 5-9 p.m. Sept. 21 at Matus Winery 15674 Gore Orphanage Road, Wakeman. Tickets are $50 per person and includes one bottle of Matus wine, dinner, basket
In a pickle is the place to be
Cleveland Premier Pickleball club is now open
Richard Perrins
The Community Guide
Avon Lake now has a pickleball facility. Cleveland Premier Pickleball, a 56,000-squarefoot facility on Pin Oak Parkway in Avon Lake that will host the city’s first pickleball club, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday afternoon.
The club is co-owned by Justin Hellinger and Chris Haas, president and CEO of All Pro Freight Systems. Haas owns the cluster of warehouses on Pin Oak Parkway where the club is located.
The two first put plans to build a pickleball facility into motion last fall, when Haas was in the process of building a 200,000-square-foot addition to All Pro Freight’s warehouses.
The addition was approved to be a warehouse for U.S. Cotton, according to Avon Lake’s community development director Ted Esborn, leaving the original space in the warehouse available for the pickleball facility.
Hellinger said during the project’s planning in July that the facility would cost around $1 million, and is self-funded.
He took one look at the space and thought it was perfect for a large, state-of-the-art pickleball facility. A pickleball player himself, Hellinger wanted the space to draw
in players with a high-end sporting experience, but also be a place for community and leisure.
“Everything was made for playability for the pickleball players,” Hellinger said. “The lights, the spacing, the colors — it’s all about playability.”
The facility has four oversized championship courts, which Haas said is unique — Cleveland Premier Pickleball is the only facility in Ohio with four championship courts, he said. Haas and Hellinger said the facility will soon host tournaments ranging from adult and experienced players to children’s leagues.
In total, the facility has 15 pickleball courts — including the championship courts — one padel (a different racket sport) and two golf simulators. Hellinger said the layout of the courts allows for easy viewing.
In the center of the facility, Haas and Hellinger pointed to an open area with seating and televisions. Called “the kitchen,” a reference to what pickleball players call the space on each side of the net, the area is designed for people to hang out and socialize. On Saturday evenings, Haas said the facility will host corporate or community events there.
Jennifer Fenderbosch, Council member for Avon Lake’s 2nd Ward and act-
Ted Esborn, Stephanie Haas, Chris Haas, Justin Hellinger and Jennifer Fenderbosch cut the ribbon to open the facility.
ing Council president, said, “This is Avon Lake — it’s very family-oriented. “Having this is amazing. They just opened and have so many members already. I’m very excited.”
The club currently offers a gold membership, which costs $1,500 per year (or $125 a month for 12 months) and a silver membership for $360 per year (or $40 a month for 12 months).
Both memberships have free open play for a maximum of 200 hours a month; gold membership also includes court reservations and event access.
Haas said the club already has 300 founding members, who were entitled to a reduced rate for the “gold” membership. But the club has the capacity for double the number of memberships, he said.
“We couldn’t have had a nicer welcome to the city of Avon Lake, and the location here has proved to be outstanding for Cleveland Premier Pickleball,” Haas said. “We look forward to being here for all the residents in the county to keep everyone happy and enjoy their pickleball.”
Cleveland Premier Pickleball will be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekdays, with open play available from 7-10 a.m., 1-4 p.m. and 7-10 p.m.
On the weekends, the club will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays, with open play available from 8-11 a.m. both days. Open play is free for members and $8 for nonmembers.
Contact Richard Perrins at (440) 6875172 or email rperrins@chroniclet.
that, in its last two games — their season-ending wild card loss to Houston last year and Sunday’s gruesome debacle — has been outscored 78-31.
On Sunday, Watson was battered from pillar to post by a ravenous Cowboys defense that sacked him six times, forced two interceptions and hung on him a meager 51.1 passer rating.
“Deshaun got hit way too often. We can’t let that happen,” said Stefanski.
The only bright spot for the Browns was Dustin Hopkins’ 51-yard field goal in the first quarter that gave Cleveland a 3-0 lead. It was all downhill from there.
When Watson wasn’t getting hit way too often, he was running for his life way too often. Part of that was due to a Browns offensive line that was missing two starters due to injuries. How bad was it? In the first quarter the Browns’ bruised-and-battered offense produced a grand total of one first down.
With two minutes left in the second half, the Cowboys attempted a 57-yard field goal, knowing that the Browns wouldn’t be able to capitalize on a miss.
With 23 seconds left in the half, the Browns had the ball with a third-and-7 at their own 30, then were booed off the field by the fans at the newly christened Huntington Bank Field when Cleveland ran a giveup run up the middle.
The second half was more of the same.
When the Browns scored their first touchdown of the season, they were losing 27-3. It was a 6-yard pass from Watson to Jerry Jeudy. Stefanski was asked if he thought the Browns’ poor offensive showing was due to the fact they did not play any of their starters in any of their three exhibition games.
Stefanski responded with a firm, “I don’t.” If there was a bright spot to the afternoon, it was the frequently injured Watson walking off the field under his own power after the game.
That alone is progress.
“All credit to the Cowboys,” said Browns guard Joel Bitonio. “They came out and hit us in the face on both sides. We didn’t protect well enough as a group on the O-line.”
Stefanski and his coaches have plenty to fix before a Week 2’s Jacksonville.
The key, of course, is Watson. It’s going to take him some time to shake the cobwebs from what is almost two full seasons of injuries and suspensions that have limited his ability to impact this franchise.
RICHARD PERRINS / COMMUNITY GUIDE
Games are underway at Cleveland Premier Pickleball, 33625 Pin Oak Parkway in Avon Lake.
BRUCE BISHOP / CHRONICLE
The
Wellington Boys Soccer vs Firelands
The boys didn’t do as well. Wellington hosted Firelands in boys - girls Soccer back-to-back games. The Wellington boys fell 1-0 as each team struggled to find offense.
At right,
A steady rain hampered the offense throughout most of the game. North
took a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter and held a 7-6 lead at halftime. Amherst found the end zone three more times in the second half to get a 24-7 win. Amherst did not make a single extra point attempt after their four touchdowns.
Photos by Russ Gifford / The Community Guide
Amherst Football vs North Olmsted
Olmsted
Here, Amherst quarterback Cole Norris celebrates after crossing the goal line for a touchdown against North Olmsted.
Here, Amherst’s Oliver Fekete trips up North Olmsted quarterback Tommy Horsfall to force a punt.
Wellington Girls Soccer vs Firelands
Wellington and Firelands girls match followed the boys match. Firelands scored 4 goals in the first half and played many of their JV players and emphasized passing the ball as they overmatched Wellington. Firelands won 11-0.
Here, Firelands’ Ariannah Floyd pushes the ball past Wellington’s Amanda Kidd.
At left, Amherst’s Julia Ciura brings the ball up the field past Ontario’s Leila Stevens.
Wellington’s Nick Sword turns upfield with the ball against Firelands.
Amherst Girls Soccer vs Ontario Amherst traveled down to River View High School to participate in the Labor Day Showcase with 11 other schools. Amherst controlled the ball against Ontario and secured a comfortable 4-0 win.
Here, Amherst’s Kamille Coleman flicks the ball past Ontario goalkeeper Darbie Broom for a goal.
Wellington Volleyball vs Firelands Firelands dominated host Wellington, winning in three quick sets in their first meeting of the season. (F 25, 25, 25 W 9, 13, 8)
Here, Firelands’ Micah Lee hits the ball at Wellington.
CROP Walk is Oct. 6 in Amherst
C.R.O.P. walks began in 1947 as Christian Rural Overseas Programs to help the American Farmer share their extra grain with hungry neighbors after WW2 in Europe and Asia.
The first walk in America was in North Dakota in 1969 and the walks were held in Lorain County for many years in Lorain, Elyria, and Oberlin and started in Amherst late in the 1990s and continue today with members from our Community Congregational UCC, St. Peters UCC and now friends from our Vermilion UCC with 25 percent of raised funds staying at our local Amherst Food Pantry at Good Shepherd Baptist Church. All funds are matched by Nordson Corporation.
Our walk is Oct. 6 at 2 p.m. in downtown Amherst. Every one is invited to join us in person or with donations through our website @events.crophungerwalks.org/cropwalks/event/amherstoh.
Last week for Oberlin Monroe House tours
The Oberlin Heritage Center is participating in the statewide Ohio Open Doors initiative, which highlights the history and unique nature of some of Ohio’s most treasured historic places.
Friday is the last day that visitors can enjoy free selfguided tours of the Monroe House Tuesday through Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Advance registration is not required, but appreciated. Find out more about these tours by calling (440) 7741700 or emailing tourinfo@oberlinheritage.org.
Amherst school board to meet
The Board of Education of the Amherst Exempted Village School District will meet in special session at 4 p.m. Tuesday for the purpose of development of taxation policy and discussion.
The meeting will be held at Marion L. Steele High School, 450 Washington St., Amherst.
Free Clinic annual steak fry Oct. 18
The 24nd Annual Lorain County Free Clinic Steak Fry Benefit will be held from 4-8 p.m. on Oct. 18 at the Eagles, 1161 Milan Avenue, Amherst.
Tickets are $25 and include steak, potato, salad, desert and beverages. You can by tickets at lcfreeclinic.org, by emailing paul@lcfreeclinic.org or calling 440-277-6641. All proceeds support the work of the Free Clinic and help provide medical care to the underserved in Lorain and eastern Erie counties.
For more information, contact Paul Baumgartner at 440-315-9012.
Knights of Columbus holds pro-life program
The Knights of Columbus Council 3269 will present Tony Sinito, National Account Manager, Ultrasound & Trophon Equipment, Service, and Parts, on Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. in Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Road, Avon.
He will talk about imaging with ultrasound, its operat-
FALL’S IN THE AIR
1. Furry bamboo consumer
S-shaped moldings
35. “Give me your tired, your
37. “____ Free,” movie about lions
39. Disdain
40. Caribbean color
41. Shiny suit
43. Spaghetti aglio and ____ 44. Peevish
46. Half a round, in
BULLETIN BOARD
is
on a
basis and items
for style, length, and clarity. Items must be submitted to news@lcnewspapers.com by 11 a.m. the Monday before publication.
ing principles and medical applications including pregnancy staging with associated costs and interaction with Knights of Columbus Councils for pro-life efforts. Please RSVP to rudybreglia@gmail.com.
Connecting for Kids September programs
Today at 6:30 p.m.: Virtual LGBTQ+ Caregiver Connect: Emotions of LGBTQ+ Parenting
Are you the caregiver of a child who is gender-questioning, expansive or LGBTQ+? Then join our interactive caregiver support group to meet and connect with other families. CFK staff will lead a discussion where families can learn, connect and find resources to better support and affirm their child.
Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.: Adapted Playgroup at Oberlin Public Library
Adapted Playgroups offer a safe, welcoming environment for caregivers of children with concerns about development. Your child will enjoy engaging with others while practicing play and social skills. You will have the chance to interact with our experienced Intervention Specialist who can provide tips on behavioral and social skills. This program is designed for caregivers and children ages 18 months to 6 years.
Registration is required for these programs. Register online at connectingforkids.org/register or info@connectingforkids.org or calling 440-570-5908.
Mystery Dinner Theater in Amherst
The Amherst Historical Society will present “Murder on the Petulant Express,” a 1930s Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre by Jack Pachuta and directed by Valerie Farschman, in September at the Amherst Historical Society Hall, 113 South Lake St.
Shows will be Friday and Saturday, Sept. 20 and 21, at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m.
With World War II looming, tensions run high as the plot unravels. You will meet and question an international cast of suspects who all have a motive for murdering wealthy industrialist Peter Petulant, the owner of the Petulant Express.
Tickets are $35 for members and $40 for non-members. It’s a BYOB buffet. Reserve tickets by contacting 440988-7255 or office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org
Fresh produce at Keystone-LaGrange Library
The Keystone Empowers You Collaborative will host a pop-up produce stand at the Keystone-LaGrange Library, 133 E. Commerce Drive, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday and Sept. 26.
Reserve a bag of fresh fruits and vegetables online at bit.ly/KEYProducePickUp.
If you do not have internet access, you can leave a voicemail for your reservation at (440) 409-7460. Bags of fresh fruits and vegetables are $12. You may pay ahead via Venmo (@Donna-Pycraft), or pay upon pickup with cash or Venmo.
Fruits and vegetables are provided by Pycraft Farm Market and availability will vary based on what is in season. Keystone Empowers You (KEY) is a communitybased group funded in part by the United Way of Greater Lorain County, and facilitated by Lorain County Public Health.
Wellington plans 41st Harvest of the Arts
Wellington’s 41st annual Harvest of the Arts will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
There will be about 60 fine art and folk art vendors, a handmade quilt raffle and lunch in our Friends Cafe. Come visit us in historic Wellington at 101 Willard Memorial Square. Free parking and admission. For more information, call 440-647-2120. This is a fundraiser for community programming at Herrick Library.
Beatles vs. Stones musical comes to town
Who is better? The Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Touring tribute bands will stop at the Lorain Palace Theatre for a show(down) at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14.
Abbey Road, one of the county’s top Beatles tribute bands, will face off against renowned Stones tribute band, Satisfaction.
Tickets are $25 - $45, plus ticket fees, and may be purchased by phone at (440) 245-2323, at the Theatre Box Office or online at www.lorainpalace.com.
3 of 6 fatal accidents involved alcohol
The Lorain County Traffic Fatality Review Committee reviewed six fatal traffic crashes that killed six people between May 13, 2024, and August 12, 2024.
Conducted through Lorain County Public Health (LCPH), the Committee meets quarterly to review local fatal vehicle crashes to identify trends and develop possible countermeasures and interventions to prevent similar crashes.
The following factors contributed to the six fatal crashes, some of which included multiple factors:
One crash involved a pedestrian.
One crash involved a motorcycle.
One crash involved a medical condition.
Three crashes involved alcohol.
Two crashes involved no seat belt usage..
“Looking at crash data over time and discussing each crash is important to prevent future crashes from happening,” said Mark Adams, MPH, REHS, health commissioner at LCPH.
“The Traffic Fatality Review Committee and the Safe Communities Coalition (SCC) are vital parts of traffic safety in Lorain County.”
Friday’s cold, rainy weather
made marching bands sick Nine students were taken to hospital
LORAIN — Nine Lorain High School marching band members were transported to local hospitals Friday night due to weather-related illness, according to the district.
Students were wearing their summer uniforms, a Tshirt and shorts, at the time, with their rain parkas and hats on top of that, Christa Lokiec, director of communications and community relations said. She said school staff checked on the students
over the weekend and they are OK.
The unseasonably cold, rainy and windy weather is believed to have caused the students’ illnesses, Lokiec said, as several students from Sandusky’s band also fell ill.
According to an original news release, the district stated there was “no indication that the students did anything wrong or violated any school policies.” — from staff reports
Whatis the fastest animal?
Add the numbers fromthe starttothe finish of each animal’spath to find out how fast theymove in miles per hour (MPH).
Whatabout humans?
Running at top speedsof about 20 mph, human beingsare oneof the slower-moving animals on Earth.
TopSprinter
Thecheetah is thefastestland animal. Cheetah pawsare morelikea dog’sthan a cat’s.
They have shorter,blunter claws that do notretract like those of other cats.The padsonthe bottom of their feet are ridged, rather than rounded.
Their specialfeet help cheetahs get a goodgriponthe ground and pushoff firmly for the next bound. No wonder cheetahs can run so fast!
Butcheetahscan only run at topspeed fora short distance.
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GOLD RECORDS RULER EVENTS WORLD
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Jesse Owens: Olympic Speed and Achievement in 1936
Tiger Beetle?
Tiger beetlesare pretty small—about ahalf-inc to an inch long, dependingonthe species long, thin legs help t and their big, bulgin eyes givethemvery good vision.
Jesse Owens is widely regardedasone of the greatest athletes in sports ______________. He is rememberedfor several reasons.
ind each ’s t
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Owenswon four medals andset two Olympic at the1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany
Speed Grammar
Selectone page of the newspaper. Time yourself to see howquickly you canfindtwo of each of the following: Nouns Adjectives Verbs Pronouns
Thiswas an important athletic achievement, anda significant social achievement.In1936, Adolph Hitler was the of Germany Hitler hoped to showthe that Aryans, or northern Europeans, were the best at everything.
WhenJesseOwens, aBlack American, dominated the Olympic track-and-field _______, he showed the worldthat people of allraces are capable of excellence.
