Lorain County Community Guide - Feb. 2, 2023

JVS moves to fire teacher

OWEN MacMILLAN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

OBERLIN — The Board of Education of the Lorain County Joint Vocational School voted unanimously to suspend teacher Jason Rodriguez without pay and initiate a firing procedure against him on Monday night.

The board met in executive session before Superintendent Glenn Faircloth made a recommendation that the board pass the resolution.

The resolution passed unanimously, suspending

A century of Chinese art

Rodriguez without pay effective immediately, stripping him of his benefits and initiating termination proceedings of his limited teaching contract.

Faircloth declined to comment on why he recommended Rodriguez be fired, saying that employee suspension and termination proceedings are private.

Rodriguez filed a lawsuit against the JVS in Common Pleas Court in November. The ChronicleTelegram is pursuing a copy of the lawsuit, as well as Rodriguez’s personnel file.

JASON HAWK

“Sesame Street” cocreator Lloyd Morrisett, an Oberlin College graduate who served for many years on its board of trustees, died Sunday, Jan. 22 of natural causes at his San Diego home. He was 93.

In an announcement, Sesame Workshop called him a “wise, thoughtful and kind leader” who was fascinated by how technology could be used to reach kids.

“Without Lloyd Morrisett, there would be no ‘Sesame Street,’” said co-creator Joan Ganz Cooney. “It was he who first came up with the no-

tion of using television to teach preschoolers basic skills such as letters and numbers. He was a trusted partner and loyal friend to me for over 50 years, and he will be sorely missed.”

Born in Oklahoma City during the Great Depression, Morrisett moved to New York City as a toddler and later to California.

In a 2004 interview with the Television Academy Foundation, he said his father — a college professor — always believed that small, liberal arts colleges were the best places to study. Oberlin was on the younger Morrisett’s list of finalists when picking a

SESAME PAGE A2

JASON HAWK | Oberlin News-Tribune

“Climbing Over the Great Snow Mountain” by Shen Jiawe is on display at the Allen Memorial Art Museum in Oberlin as part of a new exhibition on Chinese paintings and drawings. Curator Kevin Greenwood said it’s an example of political propaganda from the 1970s.

Oberlin exhibit explores art evolution through communist era

OBERLIN — The evolution of Chinese art over more than a century of war and cultural upheaval is the subject of a new exhibition at the Allen Memorial Art Museum.

“Riding the Strong Currents” features more than 30 pieces from the Oberlin College museum’s collection, many now on public display for the first time.

Kevin Greenwood, the Joan L. Danforth Curator of Asian Art, said Chinese art from 1900 to today reflects tempestuous times.

Paintings evolved through European and Japanese imperialism, devastation caused by the fighting between communist and nationalist forces and then cultural and economic revolutions.

“So I wanted to show how painters in China have in a sense expressed all those changes, all those turbulent times, all those ins and outs of history,” he said last week.

From the beginning of the 20th century to the 1960s, painting was an elite art form purchased by the educated and wealthy, Greenwood said. While some Chinese artists adhered

to traditionalist landscapes others experimented with new styles from around the globe.

born in Beijing in 1920. He jour neyed to France to practice aspects of Western style, and eventually became a French citizen.

difference between those two eras and those two styles,” Greenwood said, showing works in the AMAM’s Stern Gallery.

had shifted to depict soldiers, work ers and farmers — socialist “super heroes” working for the communist revolution. Greenwood said the style

Works

was inspired by Soviet art and China was viewed “as kind of the younger brother in the communist world order.”

American viewers can have a hard time looking at the era’s paintings, he said — they are blatant propaganda designed to stir patriotic emotions. Several such pieces are by Shen Jiawe, including a 1977 work titled “Climbing Over the Great Snow Mountain.” It romanticizes Zhou En-

person in history, people have a much

traveling to France as a young man, Liu established the first Western-style art academy in Shanghai, and was one of the first to use nude models, which was controversial in China at the time, Greenwood said. Liu’s works seem like they could have originated anytime over the course of 300 years. But Greenwood said the artist used them to show the nation’s spirit could not be broken.

CENTURY PAGE A2

JASON HAWK EDITOR

JASON HAWK | Oberlin News-Tribune

by artist Liu Haisu hearkened back to traditional Chinese style.

‘Sesame Street’ co-creator, Oberlin alumnus dies at 93

EDITOR

$70K approved turn start turning old depot into community center

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — City Council has approved $70,000 to begin renovations of Nordson Depot, which will become community center and the new home of the Amherst Office on Aging.

“There’s a lot to be done with that building — all the air conditioning, the heating, a lot of electrical, some plumbing,” Mayor Mark Costilow said last Monday night. “There’s a lot of things that need to be done to be brought up to speed.”

The Nordson Corporation donated the 117-yearold railway station to the city in November 2021.

The Franklin Avenue building came with 5.4 acres of land and $150,000 to be used for repairs and upgrades.

Costilow said that money wasn’t tabbed for use in the city’s first-quarter budget because he didn’t expect to be able to get work started so early.

Now there’s “an oppor-

tunity to get contractors in the building,” he said, and a chance to have the depot open to the public by the start of the summer.

In a phone interview, Costilow said moving the Office on Aging from its home on Cleveland Avenue would provide daytime staffing at the depot.

It also means the old building will likely be put up for sale when it is no longer needed, he said. The property is zoned for residential use, and

Costilow suggested the 1,842-square-foot building could potentially be torn down to make room for more houses.

Council unanimously approved the $70,000 spending request on its first reading with little conversation.

Councilman Jake Wachholz, D-Ward 3, did ask about rumors a playground would be installed on the Nordson Depot grounds. Costilow said Nordson Corporation has committed to installing outdoor equipment there, but it probably won’t be a chil-

college.

“I thought in my mind that Oberlin was ‘more liberal.’ I don’t think I knew what the word liberal meant at the time, so that was part of my imagination,” he said.

Despite early aspirations of becoming a chemist, he studied philosophy at Oberlin. Morrisett later said he never intended to be a philosopher, but a teacher.

Late in his time as a student at Oberlin College, he became interested in the scientific study of human behavior.

He graduated in 1951 with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.

He continued his studies at UCLA, and later earned a doctorate in experimental psychology from Yale University. Morrisett met Ganz Cooney at a dinner party in the 1960s. The duo cooked up the idea of using television to prepare underprivileged children for school.

“We were always interested, remember, in reaching young children who needed this program the most, and most of those kids are in urban areas,” he said in the 2004

Changing roles on JVS board

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Rex Engle has been chosen to serve as president of the Lorain County JVS Board of Education for 2023.

Engle represents the Amherst Schools on the board.

He plans to “share the great success of the institution,” Engle said in a written statement.

“I want to continue to focus on making improvements to the building to update for safety and have the latest learning trends in place so the students are workforce ready upon graduation,” he said.

dren’s playground.

“I think it’s going to be more geared toward seniors and adults as a fitness area. That’s the plan now. It could change,” he said.

Costilow said he plans to include the $80,000 balance of Nordson’s financial gift for depot renovations in the full 2023 budget, which Council must approve by March.

Nordson Depot was built in 1905 by the Lakeshore and Southern Michigan

Central Railway and service passenger trains until 1963, according to a history kept by Nordson Corporation. The company purchased the depot in 1969, and over the intervening years allowed nonprofits and civic groups to meet in the building. Generations of Amherst school children have memories of going there for Santa’s “secret shop” to buy gifts for their parents.

Keystone representative Deborah Melda has been selected as vice president for the year.

JoAnna Timura has been named to replace North Ridgeville representative Steve Ali on the JVS board.

Timura, an educator of 22 years who now teaches kindergarten at Saint Mary’s of Avon, said she is excited to be a part of the board.

“I hope to work hard to support every student on their path at LCJVS. This school has amazing opportunities for students, and it amazes me how the students come out after graduation and are so prepared for their future,” she said.

CENTURY FROM A1

interview.

“Sesame Street” changed television forever. It not only taught basic math and literacy skills, but also compassion and equality, and has been celebrated for putting Black, white and Hispanic children on the screen together.

It also introduced a generation to Jim Henson’s Muppets, including Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Bert and Ernie, Count Von Count and in later years Elmo and Abby Cadabby.

Today, “Sesame Street” is broadcast in more than 150 countries, reaching about 120 million children.

LETTERS

Letters to the editor should be:

• Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups.

• Concise. There is a limit of 350 words on letters.

• Polite. Letters that use crude language or show poor taste will be rejected.

• Opinions. We reserve space for letters that share a unique perspective. Press releases are not letters and will be considered for publication in other parts of the paper.

• Free of advertising, product or service endorsements or complaints, poetry, language that could raise legal problems, or claims that are measurably false.

• Signed. Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for our records. Up to two signatures.

• The deadline to submit letters is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. They are used on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit any submission for length, grammar, spelling, and clarity, or to reject any submission.

Morrisett was co-founder of the Children’s Television Workshop, the nonprofit organization that produces the beloved children’s educational series and is now known as Sesame Workshop.

He spent 30 years as its chairman, after which he was named lifetime honorary trustee.

In 1971, Morrisett received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Oberlin College for his pioneering work in educational programming.

He became an Oberlin College trustee the following year and served on the

board until 1989, including a stint as chairman from 1975 to 1981.

Retiring from the board, Morrisett warned fellow trustees of a “clear decline in real dollars backing each student” in the college’s endowment, according to Chronicle-Telegram archives.

He also told the board it needed to help the Oberlin community learn from its own racial, ethnic and religious differences, and urged the board, administration and faculty to pursue “productive relations” with each other.

A 2014 entry in Oberlin College’s alumni magazine tracked Lloyd and wife Mary’s relocation to a continuing care residence in San Diego, where they could live close to their daughter in Oakland.

While making the trek west, the couple lost many of their possessions when their moving van caught fire.

Asked about Morrisett’s legacy and cultural contributions, Oberlin College spokeswoman Andrea Simakis did not provide a comment.

Excitedly waving at a wall covered with Liu’s paintings and sketches, he said they were gifts from the family of Shih-Yen “Sam” Wu.

Several generations of the family attended Oberlin College, he said. Handwritten letters between Liu and Wu are also on display.

The final portion of the exhibit features reform era paintings from the 1980s into the 2000s.

They are generally much larger and colorful. Some use Western advertising motifs to critique the Chinese government and comment on social issues.

“You’re seeing things that are using things of tradition, but moving them in real interesting ways,” Greenwood said.

Strikingly different from the rest is “Mask Series #7,” a 2000 painting by Zeng Fanzhi.

Greenwood called Zeng “one of the most important Chinese painters working today” and said the painting came into the museum’s collection when he was just an up-andcoming artist.

It is deceptively simple, showing a man sitting on a bench. The subject seems to be wealthy and part of China’s economic “gilded age” of prosperity.

But when viewed up close, it’s apparent that he’s not comfortable – the man’s back is rigid, his hands stiff and his face covered by a mask.

Greenwood said the painting reveals “a performance. This is all just his outside surface, where behind the mask there is tension.”

Today, many Chinese artists are moving to installation art, video and immersive 3D environments, he said.

Two events related to “Riding the Strong Currents” have been planned in coming months at the Allen Memorial Art Museum.

The first is a talk by artist Mansheng Wang at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 9. He will discuss the balance “between the refined and the natural” that he strives for in his artistic practice.

The second is a Tuesday Tea at 3 p.m. on May 9. Greenwood will discuss 1970s-era Chinese art in the “socialist realism” style.

DEBORAH MELDA REX ENGLE

JoANNA TIMURA

PHOTO BY JOI| Creative Commons

Lloyd Morrisett celebrates his birthday in 2010 with Cookie Monster cupcakes.

The Nordson Depot will become the new home of the Amherst Office on Aging.

Firelands hosts diversity panel

outside of school.”

HENRIETTA TWP. — Firelands

Schools have seen an increase in comments and incidents disrupting learning and upsetting students, Superintendent Mike Von Gunten said, prompting a forum Thursday evening.

“The reality is that in the last several months, we have seen an increase in language, behaviors, comments about race, religion, orientation, disability and body image that have disrupted our learning environment, that have led kids to be very upset, and as a school community it was time that we started to have a conversation,” Von Gunten said.

Von Gunten was quick to note those behaviors are the exception rather than the rule. However, he said the district cannot have 95 percent of its students safe while 5 percent feel like they’re without those same supports.

“Until all kids feel safe and feel welcome, we have work to do,” he said.

To create that feeling, Firelands now has four goals to create a community where everyone is welcome, Von Gunten said. Those goals are: bringing awareness to the issue; making sure students feel safe at Firelands; making sure students feel as though they belong; and making sure students feel respected.

Von Gunten co-hosted a panel with alumni, staff and a parent of a current student, discussing diversity in Firelands Schools.

Its panelists included Fred Williams and moderator Tony Caldwell — both Black men who attended the majority white Firelands Schools and heard of an incident in August. Allegedly while at a party toward the end of summer, Firelands High School football players forced their only Black teammate to box another boy on the team and later called him the n-word and forced him to call them “massa,” according to a bystander’s police report.

The incident was not mentioned specifically at Thursday’s forum but, according to previous reporting, was a spark for Williams and Caldwell to see the panel take shape.

Others on the panel were Firelands Elementary Principal Sun Choe, an AsianAmerican woman; Tim Allomong, a gay man and Firelands alumni; Matt Saylor, a Firelands alumni whose daughter has cerebral palsy and attends the district; social worker Ashley Blair and recent graduate Caden Bomback, who started Falcons for Equality during his senior year.

Questions ranged from alumni’s experiences at Firelands to what diversity and inclusion mean to them.

When asked how a lack of inclusion has impacted day-to-day life, Saylor answered both as a parent watching his child struggle, and on his daughter’s behalf.

He said more so this year, she’s faced problems with bullying, threats and being left out as she transitioned from elementary to middle school.

“You could see her self-esteem dwindle,” he said. “She went from loving school to not liking it really much at all, looking for reasons she didn’t have to go. That, in turn, affected her motivation in the classroom itself.”

Blair, speaking as a social worker and on behalf of low-income students, said kids constantly fear they’re being judged.

“Kids who come from underprivileged homes, they’re not wearing the fanciest of clothes, they’re less likely to participate in after-school programming because their parents don’t have the funding for it or they can’t get them there,” she said. ‘They’re less likely to do well academically because they’re concerned with things

When asked what they know now as adults that they wished they’d known in high school, Allomong focused on his experiences as a member of the LGBTQ community.

“Back then ... you never knew someone else gay or lesbian or different in many respects,” he said. “And I took that so personally and now I have a better understanding of myself and those around me and the shortcomings of other people are not their fault, it’s just how they were raised.”

Later, he said it wasn’t until he got outside Firelands that he was able to see other men like himself — not stereotypes of gay men like Jack from “Will and Grace” — and he’s since been able to get beyond those caricatures for other people in his life.

Williams said he wished he could tell his younger self to respectfully call out those who made him feel uncomfortable.

“Allow them to realize this hurts,” he said. “This is something that you should not go out into the real world after you leave this community and say to me,” he said. “The main thing I can really, really pinpoint is communication.”

Bomback agreed.

“It’s not a bad thing to get a bunch of people together and call people out,” he said. “Don’t let it go under the rug.”

He encouraged students and families at Firelands to be open-minded moving forward, noting “the last thing you guys want is for Firelands to be viewed in that negative light. None of us want that here.”

Touching on what adversities faced as a minority, Choe said she had a hard time thinking about adversities she faced for herself, but feels anxious for her children.

Choe and her husband are both from South Korea, so her fears are more for her children that for herself.

“To give you an example, a good friend of mine and I were talking about what if when they started school a teacher doesn’t like them,” she said. ‘I think we’ve all been there. I said, ‘when something like that happens, I never know is it my kid or that adult’s bias for my child?’”

Williams said while he faced obstacles at Firelands that as a teen, he didn’t look at it as a big deal.

He gave an example of having to sneak into his friend’s house to hang out because his friend’s father didn’t want a Black teenager in his house.

“Right or wrong, that was an adversity because I just really wanted to hang out with my friend and I just didn’t understand why his father did not want to see me in his house,” he said.

“... I don’t think kids are any crueler now than they were then, but there’s jokes, there’s things that are said that probably, in an essence are in good fun,” he said. “But at the same time you really don’t know how that affects you until you actually get out into the real world.”

Closing the hour-and-a-half session, Von Gunten touched on the district’s next steps.

Those include a new partnership with Effective Leadership Academy to bring instruction in developing empathy, respect and inclusion at the high school starting in March.

The district is also working on how to pull student leaders from athletics and other extracurriculars together for a student dialogue.

“My family goes back 110 years in this district,” Von Gunten said. “Do I know everything about Firelands? No, I do not. But I do believe that I’ve got a pretty good pulse on the district. So we’re going to make some minor changes, communicated and continue to work to make sure that all our kids (feel) safe, respected and belong.”

CARISSA WOYTACH| The Chronicle-Telegram

Cops prepare for new cell phone rules

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Police across Ohio will be able to stop anyone they spot using cell phones while behind the wheel starting April 3.

But like other drivers, officers are also learning what the new law bans and what it allows.

“It is absolutely a makessense kind of law. We will do what we have to do and train for it,” said Oberlin Police Chief Ryan Warfield, though he said everyone — including cops — may have a hard time adjusting.

With every new law, there is a learning curve, said Warfield. Ohio House Bill 288 targets distracted driving, and at first glance seems to bar drivers from using phones at all.

That’s not strictly the case, however: Drivers can still use a phone while their vehicle is parked, or even stopped at a red light. They can swipe their phones to answer a call and hold their phones to their ear to talk.

Emergency calls aren’t prohibited by the bill’s language.

Nor does HB 288 give police the right to search a phone without a warrant.

The Ohio Supreme Court ruled in 2009 that the Fourth Amendment applies to electronic devices, with extremely narrow exceptions. For example, officers can seize a phone to prevent a suspect from destroying evidence of a crime — but they still can’t look at its contents without a warrant. There is also some concern that the new law

will be used as a pretext to profile and pull over drivers of color.

The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus tried to load HB 288 with a requirement for police to get anti-bias training, saying a disproportionate number of Black drivers are stopped, but its members were shut down.

The OLBC raises a fair point, said Jeanine Donaldson, executive director of the Elyria/ Lorain YWCA and Lorain County Racial Equity Center.

“So much of what folks have been concerned about since George Floyd’s murder at the hands of police, and anything with police profiling, is we are concerned there hasn’t been enough training for police officers to understand the implicit bias they have,” she said.

“Implicit bias” refers to ingrained prejudices that people absorb and reflect without consciously intending to, according to researchers at Stanford University.

Lorain police Lt. Jacob Morris pushed back against the idea officers have implicit bias. Lorain has a zero-tolerance policy against profiling, he said.

Any law in the wrong hands can be misused, said Morris.

Capt. Richard Bosley of the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office said he does not believe the new phone law will be used as a flimsy pretext to stop drivers without a true cause, though he acknowledged it could happen.

Instead, it’s “a good public safety law” designed to prevent tragedies, he said.

Winter reading in Amherst, Oberlin

The Amherst Public Library’s adult winter reading program continues through Feb. 24.

Stop on the first floor of the library to pick up a winter reading challenge sheet. Return completed sheets by Feb. 24 for a small prize and entry into a grand prize drawing. This year’s grand prize winner will receive a Kindle Paperwhite with leather cover and wireless charging dock. The reading program is open to ages 15 and older.

The Oberlin Public Library’s winter reading program is underway. Every book you read through March 19 will earn one entry in a drawing

for prizes.

“Trust me: I don’t every want to take anyone’s rights away, but I also don’t want to go to somebody’s house and tell them their daughter died because of distracted driving,” he said.

Bosley said he used to use his phone while driving, too. After watching the number of horrific crashes climb each year due to distracted driving, he’s retired the habit.

“Now I won’t look at my phone. If I get a text while I’m driving somewhere, I won’t look at it until I stop,” he said.

Warfield said he can see why some people of color are nervous about how the new law will be enforced. But he said in his mind those concerns are outweighed by what’s at stake.

“What’s the balance? Is it one life? Two lives?” he asked.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has tracked distracted driving crashes since 2018 and said there have been 60,585 since then. It should be noted that number reflects crashes caused by all kinds of distractions, not just phones.

Last year, the OSHP counted 34 fatal crashes statewide and 267 involving serious injury.

Using a phone while driving is “just as deadly as driving drunk,” Gov. Mike DeWine said after signing HB 288 in early January.

“Certainly not all fatal traffic crashes are caused by distracted driving, but it’s no coincidence that evolving smartphone technology has coincided with increasing roadway deaths and injuries,” he said. “Other states with

Finish five books and you’ll receive an automatic completion prize. This program is open to patrons ages 16 and older.

To start logging titles, create or sign in to your Beanstack account in the app or at oberlinpl.beanstack. com. If you’d prefer to log your reading journey on paper, sign up in person at the Information Desk.

Summer camp registration

The Lorain County Metro Parks offer summer camps for children ages 4 and older, with a variety of activities outdoors.

Early bird registration for Lorain County residents begins Friday, Feb.

similar distracted driving laws have experienced fewer fatal crashes, and we expect that this enhanced distracted driving law will have the same impact here.”

Amherst Police Chief Mark Cawthon said he expects to use grant dollars to put more patrolmen on Route 2 as the new law comes into play.

A stretch of the highway between Elyria and Amherst has been deemed a “safety corridor” due to frequent crashes.

“We just need to get folks to one, pay attention, and two, slow down,” Cawthon said. “Some of our officers are clocking cars in the 90s (mph) up there, and it’s not just once in a while.”

It’s not uncommon to see people swerving through heavy Route 2 traffic at high speed while texting, he said — it can be hard to tell whether they’re intoxicated or just engrossed with a screen.

As smartphone technology has become more a part of everyday life, Bosley said the corresponding increase in serious crashes has been “staggering.”

Texting behind the wheel is the worst culprit, he said. Drivers who text take their eyes of the road for long periods, and at speeds of 50 to 60 mph can travel hundreds of even thousands of feet without being aware of what’s ahead.

Avon, which has about 700 mostly low-speed collisions each year, went on the offensive against texting-while-driving behavior back in 2018, making it a primary offense inside the city limits.

Officers there started

10 at www.tinyurl.com/LCMPsummer and registration for all participants will open Friday, Feb. 17. To register, make sure a parent account has been created and children are added as household members. Get free seeds for your garden Oberlin Community Services has a seed catalog, and by filling out a simple online form you can get seeds of several types of produce for free. Complete the form at www.tinyurl. com/OberlinSeeds, then pick up materials at 285 South Professor St., Oberlin. For more information, call (440) 774-6579.

by giving warnings and handing out pamphlets to educate motorists about the consequences, said Avon Police Department spokesman James Drozdowski.

Crash numbers haven’t been impacted much in the years since, he said — Avon is a bustling city with a ton of traffic, and crashes are going to happen, especially at packed intersections. But police now write only a couple of texting tickets each month, according to Drozdowski.

He said officers wrote one such ticket in November and one in December, and so far none in 2023 as of Tuesday.

Like their counterparts across the county and state, Avon officers are now talking about how expanded enforcement will work under the new law.

In Lorain, that will begin with educating officers, said Morris. Brass is developing a training module for the department’s 115 employees.

“That way we’re all coming from the same place,” he said.

Cawthon said Amherst officers will crack down, but “it’s not going to be a ‘gotcha’ moment. It’s more about education,” he said.

In Oberlin, Warfield isn’t planning to put more cruisers on traffic patrol to blitz drivers. He said the best approach is to get the message out to residents.

That includes Oberlin College students. Warfield said he plans to work with campus security to get word to the student body about the state’s changing expectations.

In his experience, that messaging needs to reach

the oldest drivers just as much as the youngest.

Crashes are just as often caused by the 60-plus set as the 15-24 crowd, Warfield said.

Cell phones are more often a contributing factor with younger drivers, though, he said.

Bosley said law enforcement needs to begin by looking in the mirror. Police officers and sheriff’s deputies have phones and laptops in their cruisers, and need to adhere to the law, too. They are not legally required to follow the new law, though. HB 288 makes law enforcement exempt.

While the change will go into effect in April, there is a 6-month grace period before police can start writing tickets.

On Tuesday, Oct. 3, drivers who break the law can face fines of up to $150 and a two-point driver’s license deduction for the first offense.

Bosley said he doesn’t expect all drivers to change their behavior in 2023.

He compared the crackdown on cell phone use to when Ohio’s mandatory seat belt law was introduced in 1986.

Thirty-seven years later, police and deputies still write plenty of seat belt citations, he said.

Bosley said he suspects law enforcement will struggle to make headway with phone laws “until we have autonomous selfdriving cars.”

Drozdowski shared the same reservations.

“There are a lot of people who are not going to pay attention to this,” he said. “They just won’t.”

Nordson CEO named honorary chair of Harvest for Hunger

STAFF REPORT

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio has named Nordson Corporation President and CEO Sundaram “Naga” Nagarajan honorary chairperson of its 2023 Harvest for Hunger campaign.

Harvest for Hunger is an annual food and funding drive carried out by Second Harvest in cooperation with two other Feeding America food banks in northern Ohio.

It is the largest food and funding drive in the country, according to a news release from Second Harvest.

“I am proud to serve as the Honorary Chair of the 2023 Harvest for Hunger Campaign and rally businesses and organizations in our community to join this important effort to help our entire community combat hunger and create access to nutritious meals,” Nagarajan said in a news release.

Founded in Amherst and now headquartered in Westlake, Nordson is a manufacturing and design company that mainly specializes in dispensers for industrial and consumer use.

The founders of Nordson, Eric and Evan Nord, started the County Cupboard in the 1980s. It would eventually become Second Harvest.

“Nordson and Second Harvest have a storied history,” President and CEO of Second Harvest Julie Chase-Morefield said in a release.

Chase-Morefield said Nagarajan was selected not just because of this connection between the two entities, but also because of

his commitment to helping the people of Lorain County.

“Naga has embraced his role as a leader in the community and has a passion for our mission,” she said. “We’re thrilled he is serving as the 2023 Honorary Chairperson for one of the most vital campaigns we participate in each year.”

Second Harvest said the goal for this year’s Harvest for Hunger campaign is to raise the funds to provide 2.5 million meals to those struggling with food insecurity in northern Ohio.

Along with Nordson and other Feeding America organizations, Second Harvest will work with Giant Eagle, Heinen’s and other local businesses.

“We know we have individuals and families with children right here in our community who are hungry,” Nagarajan said.

“When you are hungry and do not know where your next meal will come from, everything else becomes secondary. Couple that need with inflation hitting a 40-year high, and there has never been a more important time to give.”

There will be a kick-off event for the campaign at the Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio in Lorain at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 2.

Second Harvest’s goal for 2023 is to provide more than 2.5 million meals to families in need.

For more information, call (440) 960-2265.

Oberlin Library hires new director

OBERLIN — David Fausnaugh was a big reader from an early age, growing up in Fremont. Now he’s been hired as director of the Oberlin Public Library.

“Books are awesome. Books are an escape into an entirely different world,” he said.

Fausnaugh, 38, stepped into the new role in early January. But he’s no stranger to working in libraries.

As an undergraduate student at Capital University in Columbus, he got his start as a part-time page at the Bexley Public Library. He remained on staff there for a decade, working his way up the ladder to director of support services. While that hadn’t always

been his career plan, Fausnaugh said he felt comfortable within a library’s welcoming walls. They are among the few places where people can spend time, be entertained and learn with no expectations of spending money, he said.

“It’s just a special feeling to be part of that environment, and I think that’s why I’m in this field,” he said.

Six years ago, he became director of the Pickaway County Library.

“I had the opportunity to do some fun things there: refresh the organization a little bit, start the Imagination Library in the county, small remodeling projects,” Fausnaugh said.

He was happy in his job in Pickaway County, and not searching for a new one, he said — but when word of the Oberlin Public

Library opening reached his desk, Fausnaugh was intrigued by the town’s reputation and threw his hat in the ring.

Interviewing in Oberlin, he said he discovered a community that cares deeply for its library.

Fausnaugh said he plans

to be a fresh set of eyes in developing a strategic plan for the Oberlin library’s future. His goal is to look for changes that can deliver small improvements that add up without big costs.

Former Director Darren McDonough gave his notice in the summer, but agreed to stay on through the end of the year.

In the fall, he said he was leaving due to friction with the library board, especially over the future of The Bridge. The stand-alone technology center is located down the street from the main library building.

David Fausnaugh, 38, is a northern Ohio native who spent about 16 years working in libraries near Columbus. In early January, he started a new job as director of the Oberlin Public Library.

Fausnaugh said he doesn’t know yet what decisions might be made about that facility. For now,

he is focusing on meeting Oberlin residents and listening their ideas about the future.

The library will host a meet and greet with Fausnaugh from 3-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

Most popular titles of the past year

The Oberlin Public Library has revealed some of the most popular additions to its collection in 2022:

Fiction

1) “What Happened to the Bennetts” by Lisa Scottoline

2) “Lessons in Chemistry” by Bonnie Garmus

3) “Homegoing” by Yaa Gyasi

Mystery

1) “A Sunlit Weapon” by Jacqueline Winspear

2) “The Maid” by Nita Prose

3) “A Safe House” by Stuart Woods

Audiobooks

1) “Abandoned in Death” by J.D. Robb

2) “Nothing to Lose” by Judith Jance

PROVIDED | Obelin News-Tribune

Lorain County JVS students proudly showcase their awards at the HOSAFuture Health Professionals regional competition. These students will be advancing to the state competition in March.

JVS students advance to state healthcare competition

JASON HAWK EDITOR

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Lorain County

JVS students in the allied health sciences and sports, health and fitness technology programs competed at the HOSA – Future Health Professionals regional competition.

Nine students placed in the top four in their events and will advance to the State competition being held in Columbus in mid-March.

Instructor Jason Christner shared how proud he is of all the students that competed.

“It was a tough competition, but our students worked really hard to prepare and the results showed,” he said. “Now they get to go compete against some of the best students in the state for a chance to go to the International Convention this summer in Houston. I couldn’t be prouder!”

Students who are advancing include:

• Tatum Porter, an allied health sciences junior from Elyria, placed third in the health education event.

• Helayna Houston, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Keystone, placed third in the first aid/CPR event.

• Lea Stumphauzer, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Keystone, placed fourth in the health career display event.

• Colt Duke, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Midview, placed fourth in the first aid/CPR event.

• Marianna Frank, an allied health sciences junior from Oberlin, placed third in the health education event.

• Quinn Jackson, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Oberlin, placed fourth in the first aid/CPR event.

• Myranda Sickels, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Wellington, placed third in the first aid/CPR event.

• Joyce Stallard, an allied health sciences junior from Wellington, placed fourth in the nursing assisting event.

• Kierstin Taylor, a sports, health and fitness technology junior from Wellington, placed fouth in the health career display event.

HOSA-Future Health Professionals is a global student-led organization. Its mission is to promote career opportunities in the health industry and to enhance the delivery of quality health care to all people.

Oberlin art teacher’s work featured at Elyria library

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Mallory Tulcewicz, art teacher at Oberlin High School, recently had two works selected for the Lorain County Teacher Art Show sponsored by the Educational Service Center of Lorain County and Elyria Public Library System.

She submitted a clay ceramic hand-built cup and vase.

“It was fun to create something for myself that I was then able to enter into an art show,” Tulcewicz said. “It was nice to take a moment to express myself through art. And I am grateful to the Educational Service Center of Lorain County and Elyria Public Library System for hosting an

PROVIDED | Obelin News-Tribune Oberlin High School art teacher Mallory Tulcewicz recently had two pieces of art selected for the Lorain County Teacher Art Show.

event that showcases art by Lorain County art teachers.”

According to ESC Projects Coordinator Debbie Hunt, the show is a chance for art teachers to have a little fun.

3. “A Safe House” by Stuart Woods

Science Fiction

1. “Nona the Ninth” by Tasmyn Muir

2. “In the Shadow of Lightning” by Brian McClellan

3. “Ordinary Monsters” by J.M. Miro

Graphic Novels

1. “Lore Olympus (V.1)” by Rachel Smythe

2. “Deadpool vs. Carnage” by Cullen Bunn

3. “The Art of Sushi” by Franckie Alarcon

Young Adult

1. “Radio Silence” by Alice Oseman

2. “The Nobleman’s Guide to Scandal and Shipwrecks” by Mackenzi Lee

3. “The Gathering Dark: An Anthology of Folk Horror” edited by Tori Bovalino

YA Graphic Novels

1. “Chainsaw Man (V.1)” by Tatsuki Fujimoto

2. “Heartstopper (V.4)” by Alice Oseman

3. “Squire” by Sara Alfageeh

Wandering is dangerous for those with dementia in winter months

STAFF Oberlin News-Tribune

The “sundowning” confusion that increases during winter months in people who have Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can also lead to a higher risk of wandering off and getting lost, according to the Alzheimer’s Association Cleveland Area Chapter.

During colder winter months, wandering can be especially perilous. Alzheimer’s disease can cause affected people to lose their ability to recognize familiar places and faces. An estimated 60 percent of people living with dementia will wander at least once; many do so repeatedly.

If they are not found within 24 hours, up to half of wandering individuals could suffer serious injury or death.

“Dangerous wandering behaviors can be one of the main reasons first responders find themselves interacting with individuals living with a form of dementia,” said Trey Addison, the association’s Ohio public policy director. “These interactions can go badly if emergency personnel are not equipped to deal with the situation.”

The Alzheimer’s Association in Ohio worked with state legislators to put through House Bill 23, to provide dementia training to police, firefighters, state

troopers and EMS personnel.

These tips can help reduce the risk of wandering:

• For those experiencing sundowning who are more likely to wander in the evening, plan activities to do during that time that may reduce restlessness.

• If the person is no longer driving, remove access to car keys — a person living with dementia may not wander by foot. The person may forget that he or she can no longer drive.

• Avoid busy places that are confusing and can cause disorientation, such as shopping malls.

• Place deadbolts out of the line of sight, either high or low, on exterior doors.

• Use night lights throughout the home.

• Install warning bells above doors or use a monitoring device that signals when a door is opened.

• Store items that may trigger a person’s instinct to leave, such as coats, hats, pocketbooks, keys and wallets.

• Do not leave the person alone in a car.

• Keep a recent, close-up photo of the person on hand to give to police, should the need arise.

• Create a list of places the person might wander to, such as past jobs, former homes, places of worship or a favorite restaurant.

JASON HAWK| OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Pirates a-foul

Oberlin College athletes earn community service award

OBERLIN — The Oberlin College Department of Athletics and Physical Education is the recipient of the 2021-2022 National Association of Division III Athletic Administrators Community Service Award.

“Our student-athletes continually display their character and compassion for others, which inspires me on a daily basis,” said Associate Vice President for Athletics Advancement Natalie Winkelfoos.

“Throughout their rigorous academic responsibilities and busy athletics schedule, they are always willing to step up and make an im-

pact. Caring is truly our competitive advantage.”

Members of the college’s 21 varsity athletics team completed more than 2,050 hours of community service this past year.

Activities ranged from participating in Helping Hands, with each team sponsoring a family in need over the holiday season, to hosting trick-ortreating for the kids in the community, to raising $45,000 for Shoes and Clothes for Kids.

Other initiatives include the annual “Play Like a Girl” event, a Black History Month celebration raising

HERE’S A SHOUT OUT!

Twice a month, students and staff at Wellington High School take the “shout out cart” around the building, handing out

Dukes T-shirts, snacks and positive vibes. The cart was funded by a grant from the Wellington Schools Endowment Fund.

Photos provided

TOP: Juniors Ned Gott, Hope Dudziak, Gabby Miller, Lily Oswald and Laura Jimenez Rodriquez spread positive vibes with the shout out cart.

BOTTOM: Jean Johnston, a paraprofessional at Wellington High School, reacts to receiving a shout out and a prize.

money for the Black Women in Sport Foundation and special awareness and fundraising efforts surrounding breast cancer, epilepsy and domestic violence.

Teams have rolled up their sleeves to volunteer at Kendal at Oberlin nursing home and at George Jones Memorial Farm. Oberlin athletes have also done work at the Legion Field Community Garden, Western Reserve Land Conservancy and volunteer at the Oberlin City Schools. Oberlin was selected out of 20 nominees in the “Array of Projects” category.

Amherst’s Kristen Kelley hits a jumper over Berea-Midpark’s Talyssa Moody.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Amherst’s Natalie Pleban drives to the basket at Berea-Midpark.

RUSS GIFFORD | Amherst News-Times Black River’s Johnny Kray gets fouled at the basket by St. Peter’s Feree Kent.

Black history program

A Black History Month program called “Telling New Stories About Black History in Oberlin” will be held from 4-5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 via Zoom. It will be sponsored by the Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society, The Oberlin-Wellington Rescue Theater Project and the Oberlin College Africana studies and theater departments. Join the meeting at tinyurl.com/ OberlinBlackHistory.

A reader’s best friend

Canine reading buddies will visit the Amherst Public Library at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 and 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21. All ages are invited to read to licensed therapy dogs. Take a favorite book or use one from the library’s collection.

Critters are ‘Broadway Bound’

The Lorain County Metro Parks Critter Crew will present “Broadway Bound,” with shows at 11 a.m. and noon on Sunday, Feb. 5 at the French Creek Nature Center, 4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield. Join Harry and Scarlet of the Critter Crew on their quest for fame. Register and pay $5 per person by Feb. 5. Children 2 and under are free and do not need to register. Register at www.tinyurl.com/Crit terCrew.

BULLETIN BOARD

Democrat women to meet

The Lorain County Democratic Women’s Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at Golden Corral, 1519 West River Rd., Elyria.

Voting for club officers for 2023 will be held. Attendees must individually pay for the buffet.

Learn about hawk migration

“Northern Ohio Hawk Migration” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 7 when the Black River Audubon Society meets at the French Creek Nature Center, 4530 Colorado Ave., Sheffield.

Gary Gerrone will speak. He served as naturalist supervisor for most of his three-decade career with the Lorain County Metro Parks and now manages both Geneva and Headlands state parks.

He also writes a nature column and is author of “Lorain County Metro Parks: The First 50 Years.”

Tens of thousands of raptors soar overhead each spring, for the most part unnoticed.

Gerrone will discuss the phenomenon of raptor migration, the basics of hawk identification and the weather patterns and viewing locations for the best hawk watching. This program is free to the public.

THEME: VALENTINE’S DAY

pl.

The Lorain County Community Guide Bulletin Board is for local nonprofit and not-for-profit events. Items are published on a space-available basis and will be edited for style, length, and clarity. Send your items to news@lcnewspapers.com

Oberlin library meeting

The Oberlin Public Library board will meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9 at the library. The meeting is open to the public.

Democrat club meeting

The Avon Democratic Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 9 at the Avon Senior Center, 36786 Detroit Rd. Discussions will involve 2023 and 2024 elections and Democratic candidates.

Dress up for tea time

Wear your dressiest attire for a “Fancy Nancy” tea party at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11 at the Amherst Public Library.

The event will include crafts and activities for families with children of all ages. Registration is required at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org. Be sure to register each child separately.

Amherst library meeting

The Amherst Public Library board will meet at 5:45 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 at the library. The meeting is open to the public.

Color your cares away

An adult coloring night will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 at the Amherst Public Library. Supplies will be provided, along with a variety of coloring page options for all skill levels. There will also be tea and cocoa. This program is intended for ages 14 and up, and registration is required at www. amherstpubliclibrary.org

Get your game on

The Tabletop Game Time club for teens and adults will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 14 at the Amherst Public Library.

Ages 12 and up are invited to drop in and learn to play games. A variety of 2-6 player card, strategy and party games will be available, including Catan, Bohnanza, Sagrada, Splendor, Azul, For Sale and more.

Pancakes with firefighters

The Grafton Township Fire Department will hold a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, Feb. 19 at the corner of State Routes 303 and 83. Admission is by donation.

5. Sweet 16 gift

8. Steps to the river, in India

12. *Michael Bublé’s “____ the Last Dance for Me”

13. Bigger than big

14. Nonkosher

15. Big-ticket one

16. October birthstone

17. *#5 Down’s target

18. *Reason to celebrate Lupercalia, Valentine’s Day predecessor

20. Make over 21. Omit 22. Hexagonal fastener 23. December birthstone, pl.

26. Most gemütlich 30. Ed.’s request 31. Two dots above a letter

34. Brussels org.

35. Church recesses

37. ____ or chicken?

38. Encourage (2 words)

39. What hoarders do

40. He crossed the Rubicon

42. Jet follower

43. English county courts, in the olden days

45. Gentlemen’s gentlemen

47. Chop off

48. Paparazzo’s quest

50. Port in Yemen

52. *Heart-shaped box content

56. Range

57. Top notch

58. Baron Munchhausen, e.g.

59. Journalists and reporters

60. Speed unit

All is well that does

*____ card 9. Not tails 10. ‘70s hairdo 11. Sylvester, to Tweety 13. Wholism, alt. sp. 14. Monotonous hum 19. Intestinal obstruction 22. “Wayne’s World” catchphrase

23. Japanese port

24. Necklace clasp location, pl.

25. Affirmatives 26. *Kisses’ partners

27. National emblem

28. Type of weasel 29. BBQ tool 32. Pasturelands 33. Accompanies wisdom? 36. *a.k.a. St. Valentine’s

Malady 38. *Muse of love poetry 40. Large edible mushroom

Learn about Black librarian

“Virginia Proctor Powell Florence: A Life, A Legacy” will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at the Oberlin Public Library.

Join the Oberlin Heritage Center for a program about the second African American and the first African American woman to earn a professional degree in librarianship. Powell Florence followed her mother’s footsteps to Oberlin College where she graduated in 1919. She then earned a bachelor of library science degree from the Pittsburgh Carnegie Library School. Her 40-year career included positions in public libraries and schools in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia. During her lifetime she faced discrimination in her choice of studies and career opportunities and was active in civil rights organizations.

Learn about the Shupe homestead

“Residents of the Historic Shupe Homestead and the Mystery at Oak Point” will be presented at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23 at the Amherst Historical Society, 113 South Lake St. Historian Matt Nahorn will give a free community talk about those who have called the Cooper Foster Park Road homestead where he lives. He will also discuss a unique connection to mysterious plans for the land around nearby Oak Point Road and offer tips on how to research your own property. Light refreshments will be served.

RSVP by Feb. 20 by calling (4400) 988-7255 or emailing office@amher sthistoricalsociety.org.

Firefighters hold steak dinner

The South Amherst Firemens’ Association will hold a steak fry from 5-11 p.m. on Saturday, March 18 at the New Russia Township Lodge.

Tickets are $30 and include dinner and dancing with Sound Hustle DJ. The event is for ages 21 and older, and alcohol will be available. Get tickets by calling the South Amherst Fire Department at (440) 986-5901.

Safety Town pancake fundraiser

The Oberlin Rotary Club will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 2 at the Oberlin Elementary School cafeteria, 210 North Park St. Tickets are $8 each or two for $14, and kids under age 5 eat for free.

Proceeds support Oberlin Safety Town.

Help the MLS Eco League collect nonperishable food

The Eco League at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst will run a food drive throughout February with the goal of collecting 3,000 nonperishable items. Residents can help by donating items at participating Main Street Amherst member businesses.

At the end of February, donations will be taken to Second Harvest Food Bank.

Requested items include infant formula, whole grain pasta, brown rice, canned chicken, applesauce, granola bars, canned good and juice.

Hospice seeks volunteers

Volunteers are needed at Hospice of the Western Reserve.

It is seeking new volunteers to serve patients and families in hospice and palliative care programs throughout northern Ohio. Various opportunities are available and may vary by location; there are also virtual and non-clinical opportunities to serve.

To start the process of joining the team, visit www.hospicewr.org/volun teer or call (216) 255-9090.

Backstage passes

Volunteers are needed for help building sets and running technical crew positions for “Barefoot in the Park,” the classic Neil Simon comedy to be performed at Workshop Players Theatre in Amherst next month.

Performances will be Feb. 23 to 26 and March 3 to 5. For information, call (440) 634-0427.

Groundhogs hibernate all winter long in burrows they dig.

© 2023 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 39, No. 9

On February 2, weather forecasters all over the United States look to the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania for a little advice. Legend says that the groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil can foretell the weather!

On February 2, the town of Punxsutawney begins the big Groundhog Day celebration before sunrise.

As the sun rises, I get ready to emerge from my stump. All eyes are on me!

One important thing to understand when you read is cause and effect

For example, in the legend of Groundhog Day, when the groundhog sees his shadow, he goes back in his burrow. In this case, the effect is that the groundhog goes back in his burrow. That is what happens. What causes him to go back in his burrow?

Getting frightened by his shadow.

…but if the sun isn’t shining, then there are no shadows to be seen. I stay out looking for food, and spring will arrive very soon!

Oh oh! Phil’s snoring shook this story out of order. Number the panels from 1-5 in the correct order.

Once my prediction has been made, the crowd cheers for me. Then I go back to sleep until spring!

1. With a parent or learning buddy at home, select an article from today’s newspaper. Read the headline. Discuss what you think caused the news reported in the headline.

The sayslegend that if the sun is out, I see my shadow, get scared, and hide back in my andburrow, spring will not arrive for another six weeks…

Robert Louis Stevenson said a shadow is like a rubber ball because it grows and shrinks throughout a day. Try this experiment to find out why shadows change size.

Hold the flashlight almost directly above the cup. Draw the shadow you see.

Hold the flashlight near the bottom of the cup. Draw the shadow you see.

Think About It: What time of day would Punxsutawney Phil have his long shadow?

Early Morning Noon

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow multiple-step directions.

Spell a message to Punxsutawney Phil by solving these math problems. Use the number code to see what letter belongs under each answer.

Weather Adjectives

Look through the newspaper and choose five adjectives that describe weather. Then look through the newspaper for a picture or cartoon to illustrate each of these adjectives.

2. The headline usually tells what happened. This is called an effect Read aloud to your learning buddy the first paragraph of the article. Does this tell you the cause? Read the rest of the article aloud. After each paragraph, stop and discuss what you have learned about what caused the news reported in the headline.

Complete the following:

HEADLINE (effect):

Here is a guessing game to play with one or more friends. Each player cuts out shapes and pictures of objects from the newspaper and holds them up, one at a time, in front of a light source. Take turns guessing what kind of shape or object is casting the shadow.

Standards Link: Physical Science: Objects can be described in terms of their physical properties (shape).

CAUSE(s):

NAME:

NAME OF LEARNING BUDDY: Standards

BURROW

The noun burrow means a hole or tunnel that animals dig for use as a home or shelter.

Climbing out of its burrow, the groundhog yawned.

Use the word burrow in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family.

When is it spring?

How do you know when winter is over and spring has begun? Write a paragraph explaining how you know.

Find the shadow that matches Phil exactly.