‘A Higher Law’ film debuts

OBERLIN — The Apollo Theater in Oberlin was host to the premiere of the locally filmed documentary Sunday.

Created by Scott Spears and Christina Paolucci, “A Higher Law: The Oberlin Wellington Rescue” portrays the story of John Price and the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue.

The documentary explores how Price escaped slavery by crossing out of Kentucky over the frozen Ohio River and began to make his way north.

In 1858, Price was arrested in Oberlin by the U.S. Marshals and transported just south to Wellington, with the intention to eventually return him to slavery in Kentucky.

Abolitionists in Oberlin followed the marshal to Wellington and freed Price by force, before helping him along the Underground Railroad to eventual freedom in Canada.

The event was widely covered and discussed at the time, and is often point

Radios

FROM A1

Commissioner Jeff Riddell have been at odds with their fellow Republican commissioner Hung, the Lorain County Deputies Association, Lorain County fire chiefs and local elected officials — including Stammitti — over the acquisition of a modern, working emergency radio system.

Hung and former Commissioner Matt Lundy, a Democrat, voted in December to pay nearly $8 million to provide Cleveland Communications Inc.’s L3 Harris radio system to county agencies, as well as to give grants to other interested emergency response agencies.

Moore and Riddell terminated the contract over Hung’s objection in a 2-1 vote in January, claiming the contract was unethical, improper and possibly illegal. They have so far provided no evidence of their claims.

Cleveland Communications Inc. sued the county in Common Pleas Court, and the deputies association filed a grievance with ed to as a pivotal moment in the abolition movement in the U.S.

“A Higher Law” portrays these events as well as the larger context of Oberlin and Ohio’s connection to abolitionism, John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry and the Civil War through documentary storytelling and reenactments.

The reenactments were filmed locally, and Oberlin residents, teachers and historians make up many of its interview subjects.

The film was made in collaboration with the Oberlin Heritage Center and supported by the Ohio History Connection and Ohio Humanities Council.

“The events of the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue of 1858 played a pivotal role in the history of abolitionism in the United States, and ultimately kept the issue of slavery as part of the national discussion leading up to and during the Civil War,” a release from the Ohio History Connection said.

Stammitti.

The deputies and local fire chiefs who wanted the L3 Harris system have spoken publicly against the decision by Moore and Riddell to rescind the contract.

Elyria, Lorain, Oberlin, Rochester, Wellington and multiple township officials have expressed public support for the L3 Harris purchase and have asked commissioners to reinstate the deal with Cleveland Communications.

Proponents say it is the most modern system available and better than the MARCS system in use in most counties. The deputies association and county fire chiefs associations have said they fear the commissioners have made up their minds to choose MARCS, an acronym for “MultiAgency Radio Communications System,” instead of L3 Harris for political reasons.

Moore and Riddell have likewise accused the fire chiefs and deputies of playing politics.

Stammitti, the elected Lorain County sheriff for

Work In Progress

PROVIDED | Oberlin Community Services more than 20 years, is expected to face a challenge from Republican Jack Hall in 2024.

Interior walls and drop ceilings have been removed from the area that will become Oberlin Community Services’ new choice food pantry at 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin. Kendal at Oberlin residents Fran and Roger Cooper donated $1 million to allow OCS to purchase the building in December from the National Association of College Stores. Williams Brothers Builders of North Ridgeville is renovating a large portion of the first floor over the next few months. OCS hopes to move in by early fall, provided there are no supply chain issues. At 27,000 square feet, the Cooper Community Resource Center will allow the nonprofit to provide food to more southern Lorain County families than ever — demand has been trending upward as grocery store prices rise.

“Welcome to the show!” Moore said sarcastically, in response to Stammitti’s announcement April 24.

Moore said he’s already had discussions about the radio controversy with investigators in state Auditor Keith Faber’s office.

The board of commissioners, then made up of Hung, Lundy and Moore, was subpoenaed by Faber’s office in January 2022 to produce documents related to the Lorain County 911 center on Burns Road and Cleveland Communications Inc.’s contract business there.

Faber’s office also asked for documents detailing “the planning for the implementation of a countywide radio and 911 system for local and county safety forces, including and ... all communications related to the statewide MARCS radio system,” and “the rental of use of the Lorain County 911 tower to Cleveland Communications Inc.,” according to the subpoenas issued to the commissioners last year.

The state auditor also sought documents related to Hung’s attempt to get her brother a job in the county’s IT department. Ed Dobias did not end up being hired by the county.

Moore said he’s talked or is talking to “other divisions” about the radio controversy, but declined to say who they were. Stammitti “knows for a fact there’s been an issue with this for 18 months,” Moore said. “He’s too late. All the evidence and my tape-recorded testimony I’ve given. He’s a little late.”

“Retaliation is the only thing he’s (Stammitti’s) focused on,” Moore said. In her own news release April 22, Hung wrote that she is “confident” Stammitti “will thoroughly and professionally address this matter.”

She then attacked what she called Moore’s “fraudulent allegations regarding the radio communication project” since at least De- cember 2021.

“It has been proven by reviewing the resolutions and meeting minutes going back to 2018 that the path to a safe radio communications project was underway before my election and tenure as county commissioner,” Hung wrote.

Moore “has improperly used the office of the Lorain County Board of Commissioners, on taxpayer-owned County letterhead, to level attacks against me,” she wrote. “(Sixteen) months later, Commissioner Moore has offered no proof to his allegations, just endless tirades that directly affect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents of Lorain County.”

Hung wrote that she will “cooperate fully with any investigation,” as she has said she would since December 2021.

“I have cooperated fully and continue to cooperate fully,” she wrote. “It is my desire to stop these baseless allegations from continuing as Commissioner Moore has used this issue to dis- rupt the operation of county government.”

She also questioned the hiring of the law firm Dooley Gembala McLaughlin Pecora Tucker of Sheffield to defend the board in the breach of contract lawsuit brought by Cleveland Communications Inc. in January.

“The taxpayers deserve to know why, after all these months, commissioners Moore and Riddell find the need to hire another law firm at taxpayers’ expense,” Hung wrote.

Moore “has ranted and raved for months about investigations that were happening. The Lorain County Board of Commissioners cooperated fully and submitted the requested documents to the office of the State Auditor, Keith Faber on February 14, 2022,” she wrote.

Riddell said he hadn’t had a chance to see or review Stammitti’s release.

Lorain County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson, whose office is legal counsel for both the sheriff and the commissioners, can’t weigh in.

• Start your adventure at any of the businesses on the map.

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Dukes best Wildcats

RUSS GIFFORD | The Community Guide

Wellington’s Trey Moore tags Keystone’s Brock Miller in a run down between second and third base. The Dukes took a 9-3 win against the Wildcats on April 20 at Keystone High School in LaGrange.

BELOW LEFT: Wellington’s CJ Polen sends the ball to the plate against Keystone.

BELOW RIGHT: Wellington’s Wayde Bowman lays down a bunt against Keystone.