Lorain County Community Guide - March 30, 2023

Lorain County radio controversy continues

DAVE O’BRIEN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

The monthslong war of words over public safety radio upgrades in Lorain County continued this week as backers of the L3 Harris digital radio system responded to a plea by the Board of Commissioners to be patient as a new process is worked out.

The controversy has drawn cities, villages, first responders, elected officials and emergency workers into the fray after county commissioners Jeff Riddell and David Moore undid a contract that would

have paid Cleveland Communications Inc. to provide the L3 Harris radios firefighters, sheriff’s deputies, their commanders, city mayors and a host of other supporters say they need. Various legal battles in the war also are continuing, with attorneys for the county responding to CCI’s pending 2-month-old lawsuit in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

Commissioner Jeff Riddell on Tuesday urged patience as the county works out a new plan. He and Moore voted in January to rescind the nearly $8 million contract the county signed with CCI in De-

Commissioners hire new consulting firm for radio study

The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted March 25 to hire a new consulting firm to figure out what the county needs when selecting a new public safety radio system.

Friday’s move entered the county into a contract with MCM Consulting Group of State College, Pennsylvania, at a cost of not more than $90,000 to do a propagation study assessing infrastructure needs for an updated public safety radio communications system.

Radio propagation is how radio waves behave. A propagation study is “a computer-generated study estimating the signal emanating, and prediction of coverage, from antennas or repeaters sited on a specific tower or structure,” according to LawInsider. com, a resource for legal contract language.

MCM has worked with Summit County to upgrade its 911 dispatch systems, according to media reports and the company’s website.

Following a four-year study, from 2018 to 2022, by the consulting firm Mission Critical Partners, Commissioners Matt Lundy and Michelle Hung voted in December to select Cleveland Communications Inc.’s L3 Harris radio system. The plan cost nearly $8

million in American Rescue Plan Act funds and would have replaced obsolete public safety radios for county sheriff’s deputies and other interested emergency first-response agencies by providing grant funding. CCI’s was the lone complete bid.

Commissioners David Moore and Jeff Riddell axed the deal in January, claiming without providing any evidence that the bid process was unfair. They have since said they intend to redo the process fairly.

The rescinding of the contract angered sheriff’s deputies, Sheriff Phil Stammitti, local fire chiefs, mayors, elected officials and their supporters who saw the L3 Harris system as their preferred technological upgrade.

MCP wrote a letter to the county in February saying it had fulfilled its contract and owed the county no more work on its current issue. Also, a breach-of-contract lawsuit was filed by CCI against the county in Common Pleas Court, and a health and safety grievance filed by the Lorain County Deputies Association is likely to go to arbitration.

Reading from Friday’s proposed motion before it passed, Moore said Lorain County “does not contemplate that this study will discuss or advise as to the relative benefits of one radio system or another.”

“The study should assess

cember by commissioners Michelle Hung and Matt Lundy.

Riddell called the CCI contract politically motivated, “a bad contract done badly,” “unethical,” “potentially illegal” and said it “followed a poor process” on Jan. 8. CCI, he said, got the contract “without having to earn it by competing fairly for public money.”

Of the $8 million in the contract with CCI, $4 million was to pay for radios and equipment to benefit the sheriff’s office, Lorain County EMA and Lorain County 911 needs. The other nearly $4 million would have provided grants to

municipalities that wanted the radios and would pay subscriber fees.

CCI sued and county sheriff’s deputies filed a grievance after the contract was rescinded.

Schneider: Trust the experts

Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider brought the matter up again at his State of the Village address on March 24, more than a month after Wellington Village Council passed a resolution Feb. 20 backing the L3 Harris radio system.

Wellington Fire District

Chief Mike Wetherbee is a vocal supporter of the L3 Harris system for his firefighters. The South Lorain County Ambulance District and Wellington Police Department also want the upgrade, Schneider said Thursday.

L3 Harris radios “provide improved communication capacity within facilities, they operate without supplemental tower systems, unlike alternative options,” he said.

“I don’t claim to be an expert on much of anything,” Schneider said, “but I do know how to listen.

I do think it’s the most important characteristic

an elected official has, is to listen and to listen to people I think are experts.”

He said he trusts the experts in the emergency services.

“If they say this is what we need to keep you safe, gives us a better chance to keep people safe, that’s all I need to hear. I trust them like I trust a member of my family. I think it’s important. It’s unfortunate it’s become politicized, it’s really not a Democrat, Republican, Black, white, male, female (issue), it’s nothing. It’s public safety, it’s the most important that we are tasked with as

Firelands High School causes a different kind of traffic jam

HENRIETTA TWP. — Once a year, Vermilion Road outside Firelands High School becomes the home of a different kind of traffic jam.

That day was March 25 for this year’s Future Farmers of America’s “drive your tractor to school’’ day, and nearly two dozen tractors of all sizes and ages were parked outside the school.

Garrett Schlechter, 17, and president-elect of the FFA, said the event has been going on for as long as he can remember. Tractor day is about more than just driving the tractor, he said, it’s an FFA program to bring awareness to farming and it ties into class work across all grades.

“I remember coming over and looking at the tractors on tractor day when I was in elementary school. That was always a fun experience for me,” he said.

The event has 17-year-olds driving tractors valued at up to $700,000 to school for the day. For a little perspective, the latest Ford GT supercar can be had for $200,000 less and those certainly aren’t found often in a high school parking lot.

Josh Kovach, 17, of Henrietta Township, said the John Deere he brought to school isn’t his; it’s owned by his employers, Jake and John Dovin of Dovin Farms in Oberlin. He said he understands the faith it takes for someone to lend him a $700,000 tractor for the day.

“It takes a lot of trust and I really appreciate the opportunity,” he said.

Josh isn’t exactly new to handling tractors. He said his family does a little bit of farming and he’s been driving tractors since he was 8 or 9. He’s been working at Dovin Farms for the last couple of years.

Henrietta Township isn’t exactly deep farming country, but Josh said he knows the difference his lifestyle offers.

“It’s beautiful out here, it really is,” he said.

Looking at the future, he said he’d like to continue his life in the agriculture field but the reality of modern farming stacks the deck against most people.

“It’s kind of hard to get into these days unless you’re established and have been doing it for a while, but we’ll see how it goes,” he said.

Josh

DAVE O’BRIEN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

BRUCE BISHOP THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

BRUCE BISHOP | The Community Guide

Lohl Greene, 16, fires up a 1962 Farmall tractor as he gets ready to head for home after bringing his family tractor to school for the Drive Your Tractor to School Day at Firelands High School on March 25.

Robert Soucy

Robert Soucy, 89, a longtime resident of Oberlin, died Tuesday, March 14, 2023 in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. He was born June 25, 1933, to William and Bernice Soucy (nee Riley) in Topeka, Kansas.

Robert graduated from Washburn University in 1955, was a Fulbright scholar in Dijon, France in 1956-57, received his MA from the University of Kansas in 1957 and was an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force 1957-1960. He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin in 1963, was an instructor at Harvard University from 1963-64, an assistant professor at Kent State University 1964-65, and an assistant and full professor at Oberlin College 1966-1998.

He was the author of seven books, specializing in French Fascist movements from 1924-1939. He was an avid squash, racquetball and tennis player who loved going to the movies.

He is survived by his daughters, Anne Marie Brinsmead and Alissa Soucy-McBride, as well as his grandchildren, Alan Brinsmead, Patrick McBride, Sara McBride and his great-grandson, Seamus Tuohy.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Sharon Soucy.

STUDY

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current infrastructure that can be integrated into the county system, if such exists and address additional infrastructure necessary to achieve an acceptable rate of at least 95 percent radio signal service 95 percent of the time to the relevant geographic area, i.e. Lorain County and surrounding areas where mutual aid agreements exist or are contemplated.”

The study “should also examine projected maintenance costs and reasonably foreseeable costs of updating the system on a going-forward basis to ensure that county infrastructure remains capable of supporting new and emerging technology,” according to what Moore read out loud Friday.

During the meeting, Hung said the board “now have a hole we have to fill” after MCP “said they want to back away from doing this sort of thing with the county.”

“So we had to go out and find somebody to fill the hole,” she said.

In a letter dated Feb. 9, MCP said Moore and Riddell declined to meet with company representatives in January after rescinding the CCI contract. The Feb. 9 letter also served as MCP’s notice it had fulfilled its contract and ended its relationship with the county.

Later, Hung told The Chronicle-Telegram the firm was recruited to replace MCP “with very limited disclosure of information to me over the past weeks.”

Hung said she was told Friday “that this was the firm Commissioners Moore and Riddell would like to enter into a contract with for consulting services. The new firm will be tasked with assessing compliance standards to a P25 system, not a P25 Phase 2 system, as originally recommended by Mission Critical Partners.”

“Moving forward the county cannot be without a consulting firm for this process, and while a broad study, it will help us move forward,” she said.

Wellington Fire District Chief Mike Wetherbee, president of the Lorain County Fire Chiefs Association, criticized Friday’s decision by the board as abrupt, secretive, “and under the radar to avoid any opposition.”

His belief, and that of other critics of Moore and Riddell, is that the county plans to award the winning bid to the state’s Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, or MARCS.

Motorola is the vendor for MARCS, in use by most Ohio counties as well as the State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Transportation. It declined to bid on the Lorain County radio contract last year even after being granted a deadline extension.

Wetherbee said the fear is that the new consulting firm favors MARCS, which he has said would require costly equipment upgrades for its signal to work indoors in the county’s schools, hospitals and public buildings.

Lorain County “is already in a lawsuit over the last RFP (request for proposal) and recommendations from the previous communications expert because it was done properly, the outcome would have given the county the best radio system, and the costs associated with the system’s infrastructure was going to be incurred by the vendor,” Wetherbee said. “It fit all the criteria required except for the commissioner’s ability to manipulate it.”

elected officials,” Schneider said.

“I’m experienced (enough) to know I’m not going to stand up here and guarantee someone’s safety until something’s resolved, but it’s our duty to give those in charge of that task everything we can to do it in the proper way and the way they see fit,” Schneider said.

There’s nothing stopping Wellington from purchasing the radios on its own as Elyria has been making plans to do, Moore said. The 2023 budget passed by Elyria City Council included $400,000 for the purchase of L3 Harris radios.

Moore said it even appeared Elyria’s plan would cost less per radio than the bid the county accepted in December.

“So it sounds like, to me if Wellington wishes to pursue it, they don’t have to wait,” he said.

Hung said March 24 she would continue to support safety forces and the five-year project to provide them with radios.

“Without a doubt, further delays continue to risk the health, safety, and welfare of our first responders and the residents of Lorain County,” Hung said. “I stand behind and remain steadfast with the decision to move forward with the resolutions passed on Dec. 21. I am hopeful my colleagues will choose to work with me to move the radio project forward.”

‘Politics’ questioned

Responding to Riddell’s call for patience on Tuesday and accusations that criticism of his and Moore’s vote was politically motivated, Wetherbee told the Chronicle-Telegram that the politics “are solely that of the commissioners at this point and their efforts to satisfy their agenda, whatever that may be.”

“The proponents of this system and the contract should be insulted at the least for his accusations that we are making this a political thing,” he wrote in an email. “This whole thing stinks of politics at this point, none of which were ever wanted by the safety services.”

Wetherbee said he has yet to see proof the process was flawed or unfair to begin with. Moore and Riddell “have

nothing to support what they are claiming. They are rewriting a bid that they paid experts thousands of dollars to write and review, but can’t explain why? Just more political posturing,” he wrote.

Wetherbee said it’s impossible to be 100 percent safe all the time, but “the upgrade to a better, more reliable communication system will eliminate many of the issues we face at this time.”

“It is also understood that there is time needed to transition once a system is chosen, however, safety should always be an issue and should be a focus regardless,” he wrote.

Deputies: Still waiting

Lorain County Deputies Association President Adam Shaw said March 24 that his union’s patience is running thin after waiting for radio upgrades for five years. That’s five years of safety risks and “five years of hoping nothing bad happens,” he said.

Cities, townships and first responders “have voiced the opinion that this system was needed yesterday, but now two commissioners, who both had said they are not well-versed on radio technology, have stopped it,” he said.

Shaw and Wetherbee both criticized the county for going forward with the multimillion-dollar Midway Mall purchase while first responders wait on new radios.

“I’m sure one day we will get a radio system. I’m sure one day we won’t have the worries we have now, but what I’m not sure of is if that day will come before someone loses their life due to an antiquated radio system,” Shaw said. “A system that first responders and elected officials have warned is a safety issue and needs replaced sooner than later.”

“The LCDA is not looking for a battle of wits, we are not looking for a battle at all. We are looking for a safe working environment for us and everyone else,” he added, once again inviting the commissioners to ride along with deputies on road patrol any time.

The comments by Wetherbee and Shaw echo those of other members of the Lorain County Fire Chiefs Association, Sheriff Phil Stammitti, the Lorain County AFL-CIO and a

host of other elected officials critical of the termination of the CCI contract.

Lawsuit update

In the meantime, attorneys for the Board of Commissioners and Lorain County have asked a judge to reject a portion of CCI’s breach of contract lawsuit filed in Common Pleas Court in January.

The law firm Dooley Gembala McLaughlin Pecora Tucker, hired by commissioners last month, petitioned visiting Judge Thomas Pokorny to reject CCI’s request to reinstate the $8 million contract in a pair of motions filed March 10. A retired Cuyahoga County Common Pleas judge, Pokorny was assigned the case to avoid any conflicts of interest.

CCI alleged the county breached a contract when Moore and Riddell rescinded the agreement on Jan. 9, less than a month after Hung and former Commissioner Matt Lundy approved it on Dec. 21.

In their response, the county’s attorneys denied that CCI’s bid “was ‘the most advantageous to the county,’” but did not say why or why not. CCI hasn’t suffered any damages from losing the contract either, they claimed.

The county also asked Pokorny to dismiss CCI’s request for an administrative appeal, arguing CCI doesn’t have the right under state law to ask Pokorny to overturn the board’s decision and award it the contract outright.

CCI has argued its bid was proper and that the Board of Commissioners “exercised a quasi-judicial function by hearing public comment and issuing findings without supporting evidence.”

The county’s attorneys argued the Jan. 9 hearing wasn’t “quasi-judicial” and CCI couldn’t, therefore, file an administrative appeal under Ohio law.

Put another way: CCI is appealing what it argues is an administrative decision while the county’s motion to dismiss argues that commissioners made a legislative decision, not an administrative one.

Pokorny has given CCI until April 7 to reply to the county’s motions, according to court records. The next scheduled hearing in the case is set on May 5, according to court records.

Contract ‘satistfied’

The consulting firm Mission Critical Partners, hired by the county five years ago to develop requirements for a countywide public safety radio system, is no longer involved in the process. That business relationship is ended, according to a Feb. 9 letter from MCP to a Lorain County official obtained by The ChronicleTelegram.

MCP Vice President and Director of Wireless Services Scott Neal wrote county Facilities Manger Dan Gross to say MCP had “satisfied its contractual obligations” to the county.

MCP was hired in 2018 to assess the county’s public safety radios and write requirements for a new one. A lengthy report was generated after MCP found it “evident that Lorain County’s system required replacement due to single points of failure and a lack of interoperability capabilities with other responder radio systems,” Neal wrote.

MCP eventually recommended CCI and the L3 Harris system after county officials told their consultants only the state-backed, Motorla-provided MARCS system or the L3 Harris radios would be considered “to keep the cost of the new system as low as possible and avoid having the county purchasing an independent system core,” he wrote.

The county’s evaluation committee scored and ranked the proposals, determined only CCI’s proposal complied and recommended it, Neal wrote.

Moore’s criticism of MCP’s work during the Jan. 9 board meeting “could not have been more inaccurate,” Neal wrote.

A planned Jan. 24 meeting between MCP and commissioners didn’t happen because Moore and Riddell didn’t want to meet the company’s representatives, according to Neal’s letter.

MCP “strongly maintains” the bidding process “was developed in a vendor-neutral manner as far as possible to be consistent with the county’s requirements for a shared network core,” he wrote. The entire bid process “complied with all county procurement rules and was approved by the county prosecutor’s office,” he wrote.

County Tourism Board talks eclipse, motorsports

days leading up to, and after, the once-in-a-lifetime event.

ELYRIA — A lawn chair and viewing glasses are all visitors will need to see the total solar eclipse next year in Lorain County, Visitors Bureau Director Garry Gibbs said Thursday morning.

During a Tourism Board meeting, Gibbs said a meeting Monday with several Main Street organizations, Emergency Management and Homeland Security and others estimated as many as 900,000 people will come to Lorain County to view the solar eclipse April 8, 2024.

In Lorain County, the best vantage point will be near state Route 83 and Electric Boulevard in Avon Lake, he said, but Black River Landing in Lorain and the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington are also gearing up for visitors.

And those visitors will need somewhere to stay, and something to do, so the Main Street organizations and the county are hoping people are flexible in the

The next time Northeast Ohio will be in the path of a total eclipse after next year’s event is 2099.

Gibbs hopes to make it as easy as possible for tourists and locals alike to enjoy the celestial event.

“I don’t think we’re behind the eight ball, we’re about a year out,” Gibbs said. “But it’ll be a big event here for Lorain County and we’ve got to figure out how to capture people’s money.”

Part of that money will be in hotel stays, which will benefit the county’s coffers via its 3 percent bed tax.

The 3 percent bed tax on hotel guests brought in an average of about $737,000 per year over the past seven years, Budget Director KC Saunders said — though yearly totals dipped drastically during COVID-19 before rising to about $850,000 for last year.

Gibbs said for every $100 a hotel room costs, the county receives $3.

And that fund has now grown to about $2.5 million.

Assistant Prosecutor Dan Petticord was tasked with researching whether those funds could help back a proposed motorsports complex on Lorain’s east side.

County commissioners heard plans for the proposal on Tuesday from Nick Jarmoszuk Jr., representing Xell LLC. Jarmoszuk Jr. and his father, Nick Jarmoszuk Sr., both with Skylift Inc., are taking the lead on the project, which looks to develop the former Cromwell Park landfill site into a motorsports park with a rental and competition go-kart track and related amenities.

Construction is expected to cost about $12 million, including contingencies, and the Jarmoszuks have already received a $2 million pledge from the city of Lorain, and hope for another $2 million investment from the county to move forward.

Petticord said there are certain ways the Tourism Board’s funds must be spent, requiring more research before the funds could be allocated to Xell LLC.

Lorain County cleans up well after weekend wind storm

After Ohio was swept by high winds on March 25, thousands of Lorain County residents were without power and streets were blocked by fallen trees and power lines.

But by the next day little evidence of that storm remained, and less than 1 percent of the county was still experiencing power outages.

A high wind warning from the National Weather Service was in place between 4 p.m. and midnight on Saturday.

The highest wind gusts in Lorain County were clocked at 63 mph in Elyria, and the NWS reported winds of 74 mph in Toledo. A Category 1 hurricane has winds of 7495 mph.

Elyria Fire Chief Joe Pronesti said that the city was “overwhelmed” with calls for downed trees, power lines and other debris between 2 and 8 p.m.

“When (the wind) hit we got back logged in calls,” Pronesti said. “We had trees come down, we’ve got wires all over the city. So we try to prioritize the best that we can, but for about six hours there we were running non-stop.”

Many municipalities in the county saw road closures caused by downed trees and power lines including Elyria, Avon Lake, North Ridgeville and others.

Pronesti said damage was widespread but that the most severe incident was a roof being blown off a business on the 500 block of South Abbe Road.

“I don’t think it was the worst (wind) we’ve seen,” Pronesti said. “Nothing extraordinary about it, just a very busy day.”

While first responders and cities got to work cleaning up debris, FirstEnergy crews saw to power outages caused by the storm.

At its peak on March 25, FirstEnergy was reporting roughly 19,000 power out-

ages in Lorain County, with North Ridgeville seeing the most at 689.

Lorain and Elyria both had almost 400 outages.

By Sunday afternoon only 149 homes in the county were still without power.

A total of approximately 150,000 FirstEnergy customers lost power at some point on Saturday.

Nearby Wayne County was still the hardest hit as of Sunday, with 2,287, over 18 percent, of its customers without power.

“Our crews worked through challenging conditions overnight to restore power to more than 87,000 customers impacted by yesterday’s high winds,” a release said. With the help of outside resources, they will continue working around the clock to restore service to about 65,000 customers who remain without power.”

In a release sent on Sunday, FirstEnergy officials said that power would be returned to “most” customers by 4 p.m. March 29.

OWEN

Wellington mayor, superintendent: village in good standing

WELLINGTON — Wellington’s schools and village administration remain in good standing, according to the State of the Village presentation March 23.

Last year was not without its challenges, however, said Village Manager Jonathan Greever.

Those included the sudden death of Water and Wastewater Superintendent Greg Frenk on Feb. 26, 2022, and a fire at the water treatment facility in the fall that destroyed half the plant.

The fire started in the early evening of Sept. 26, Greever said, spreading from the basement garage. The fire remains under investigation, he said.

But in the hours after the fire was contained, the village was able to resume water supply after only 12 hours, he said. And during those 12 hours down, the village used a water pump trailer to tap into Rural Water.

Late in 2022, demolition was completed on the remains of the building, and the remediation costs exceeded $250,000. Projected costs to reconstruct the facility is more than $1 million.

But despite those challenges, 2022 was not a total loss.

The village’s forecast revenue was up by about $200,000 — at $2.6 million compared with the $2.4 million projected.

Utility costs also were lower than budgeted.

The village also distributed the final half of its American Rescue Plan Act funds:

● $237,630 allocated to the police department.

● $102,250 allocated to the Reservoir Sluice Gate replacement project.

● $72,711 allocated for the Upground Reservoir

driveway replacement and widening project.

● $71,000 allocated to the Line Abandonment project.

ARPA funds must be obligated by December 2024 and spent by 2026.

The village’s general fund cash balance has continued to grow since 2016 — now at about $2.8 million.

Greever also touched on ongoing upgrades to Wellington Community Park. Those include a new municipal building under construction to house park equipment and provide storage for youth sports on-site.

The building is expected to be completed later this spring.

Wellington also partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to make improvements to the Upground Reservoir, including tree removal per the state’s

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directive to improve the dam’s structural integrity.

Village workers are in the process of updating the municipality’s wastewater treatment plan’s UV disinfection system, which looks to kill microorganisms like E. coli with specific wavelengths of ultraviolet light. Wellington’s previous system was obsolete, Greever said, necessitating the upgrades. Workman Industries won the project, bidding about $562,000. The project is set to be completed next month.

The village also completed several roadway resurfacing projects, and there are more in the works for 2023.

Looking to the future, Mayor Hans Schneider said changes are coming to the downtown district. The old locust trees had overgrown their wells, cracking sidewalks and blocking buildings. It

forced their removal about a year ago. Since then, the village had discussed other tree options and settled on the Princeton Sentry gingko, Princess Diana serviceberry, and Autumn Brilliance serviceberry. The three species, 30 trees in total, will be mixed throughout downtown. He also highlighted upgrades to the police station.

In 2022, the village issued bonds to cover the costs and broke ground in the spring. The estimated completion is August.

Wellington Schools

Superintendent Ed Weber said the district has had seven years of steady improvement, and district officials hope to create more robust course offerings in the next four-year

TRACTORS

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said he plans to attend Lorain County Community College then will try to get into the business.

“I can’t really see myself doing anything else, but land is so expensive ... seed and fertilizer are ridiculous right now. Like I said, the tractors are super expensive,” he said. “Unless you’ve inherited and your family has been doing it for generations, it’s really hard to get started in it.”

On the other end of the farming spectrum is Garrett. He drove his great-grandfather’s John Deere Model 80 tractor, purchased brand new in 1956 from the Amherst Elevator for $5,100. He’s a seventh generation farmer and has helped on the family farm his entire life.

“I hope to work on the family farm when I’m older and continue it to the next generations,” he said.

The Schlechter Brothers farm on Baird Road, just one road west of Firelands High School, is the height of diversification, Garrett’s family has a farm market where they sell everything from pumpkins, cornstalks, and flowers in the fall, beef and pork and, in the spring, maple syrup. The biggest advantage he sees for the future is population growth.

“There is a good future ahead for us with rising populations and more people eating better food,” he said.

Garrett’s thoughts on the future of farming were obliterated as another class of school children arrived at the line of tractors and were participating in a scavenger hunt to learn about the farming implements.

And for those students who missed question No. 8? The oldest tractor was an International, built in 1947.

plan. The small district hopes to create multiple pathways for its students to walk across the stage at graduation, ready for college or a career. That includes adding a performing arts pathway for students, with academic courses to pair with existing programs at the Patricia Lindley Performing Arts Center.

Wellington Schools plans to complete a curriculum audit, outside of its addition of Advanced Placement and career tech programming, to do a more “in depth” study on where the district’s offerings stand, Weber said.

Treasurer Mark Donnelly said the schools’ revenue is up, but Wellington Schools — like other districts — is keeping an eye on Ohio House Bill 1.

Now in committee in the Ohio House, HB1 looks to change or elimi-

nate the homestead and property tax rollbacks the state pays, he said. He estimated that would mean a roughly 10 percent increase in local property taxes, and a potential cut to the district’s tax revenue. He said the schools have exhausted all Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds, which provided for a summer school program, Chromebooks and other expenses.

According to Wellington Schools’ current fiveyear forecast submitted to the Ohio Department of Education in the fall, the district is projected to remain fiscally solvent through about 2025, when its expenses are expected to start outpacing its revenue. But spending against its cash balance, the district is still projecting to remain in the black well past 2027.

BRUCE BISHOP | The Community Guide Josh Kovach, 17 of Henrietta Twp. in a $700,000 John Deere tractor owned by the farmers he works for.

CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY

CARISSA WOYTACH | The Community Guide

Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider hugs Tom Guyer after giving him and his wife, Brandi Guyer, a key to the Village. The Guyers’ son, Drew, died suddenly in 2013 and since then the pair have been heavily involved in keeping their son’s memory alive

Easter egg hunt draws over 100 to Angel’s Haven

OWEN MACMILLAN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

GRAFTON — Despite the low temperature, approximately 100 visitors and over 40 volunteers came together on Sunday to combine two of the things kids love most; horse rides and Easter egg hunts.

Angel’s Haven Horse Rescue held its 15th Annual Easter Egg Hunt on March 19, drawing dozens of families from across Lorain County and beyond.

For a donation of $15 visitors could participate in the Easter Egg hunt of course, but kids were also allowed unlimited horse rides in the barn, food, games and pictures with the Easter Bunny.

Of all the aspects of the event, meeting, riding and getting to know the horses is the most important thing to the members of Angel’s Haven, and many of their visitors.

“Our mission is really to allow the horses to be worked to their fullest potential and to help people in the process,” Heidi Sandrev said. “And that is extremely gratifying, but it’s a team effort and everybody works towards a common goal of not only helping horses, but the people involved.”

Sandrev is the co-founder of Angel’s Haven, a nonprofit which rehabilitates abused or otherwise inneed horses and ponies as well as creating opportunities for volunteers to meet, care for and work with them.

The organization has held an Easter egg hunt for the last 15 years and also holds two other large public events a year: a Santa Claus meeting in December and a “Love Your Horse”

event in February.

Sandrev said everything the organization did was thanks to its approximately 100 volunteers.

“The volunteers do everything, from stall cleaning daily, taking care of the horses and feeding to helping with events,” she said. “Our biggest mission in life is helping horses (and) helping people.”

The Easter egg hunt and other public events are important fundraising opportunities for Angel’s Haven, but more important to the members is getting people interested in horses and the organization.

“It helps get people exposed to horses who maybe are a little leery,”

Claire Snahnican, a senior at North Olmsted High School, said. “So many different people come in and out of the barn. New people are always here, I’m always seeing new faces and it’s lovely to see how many people have the same

hobby and passion as you.”

Snahican is still in high school, but she is far from the youngest volunteer on the Angel’s Haven staff. Sandrev said that kids as young as four help out around the barn.

Five young volunteers are members of the same family -- the children of Keith and Dana Bell who range from two to 13-years-old.

The Bell family has been a part of Angel’s Heaven for a decade, ever since Keith Bell brought his 13-year-old daughter Madeline there at the age of three.

Their other children, Emily, 11, Grant, 8 and Chris, 4 have been involved with the organization virtually since birth. Even 6-monthold Laura Bell was there, fulfilling the crucial role of “non-working volunteer,” Sandrev said.

Keith Bell said that events like the Easter egg hunt are important to bring people in, so that An-

Fit for royalty

gel’s Haven can find new volunteers and kids have a chance to grow with the horses, as his own children did.

“Events like this are great for community outreach,” Bell said. “Bringing more people in is how we get people interested and bring in the next group of volunteers who will care for the horses.”

The love all the volunteers had for the horses was clear, and they relished the opportunity to share that passion with anyone who arrived.

“This place is so special, the horses (are) therapeutic,” volunteer Rebecca Lawrence said. “It’s a great place to come when you’re not in a great mood and just love a horse, take care of a horse and they give so much back.”

Visit angelshaven horserescue.org to learn more about Angel’s Haven volunteer opportunities and upcoming events.

Kendal at Oberlin accredited again

OBERLIN — Kendal at Oberlin recieved its sixth accredidation.

The required focus on self-study, continuous improvement and benchmarking against like organizations, helps us to serve our residents and staff better. It’s like the “Seal of Approval” that assures a commitment to quality. Our community recently received confirmation that CARF has approved and renewed our accreditation for another 5-year period.

The work began towards this effort in 2021 and engaged numerous staff and residents. Over 1,900 standards were addressed, and numerous “bright spots” were highlighted.

Kendal hosted our on-site surveyors in early November of 2022.

In the exit conference, the surveyors noted very

positive results. But the final result came in late December, when Kendal received written confirmation that its accreditation was renewed in three areas. These included Continuing Care Retirement Community, Personcentered Long Term Care Community and Dementia Care Specialty Program.

The accreditation report identified “no recommendations,” indicating full compliance with the standards. The accompanying letter noted that this is achieved in only 3% of CARF surveys nationally. The report highlighted over 20 areas of strength. In addition, there were two areas of exemplary conformance, with recognition of its strong financial ratios and efforts in the area of dementia education. CARF Accreditation offers assurance that Kendal at Oberlin will always strive towards quality services and ongoing improvement.

OSU Extension hires new agriculture educator

STAFF REPORT

The Ohio State University Extension Lorain County Office hired Thomas Becker as agriculture and natural resources educator earlier this month, a news release from the office said.

Becker, of Smithville, has been in the position for two weeks and already has met with Lorain County master gardeners and hosted pesticide applicator training for almost 30 producers at the Lorain County AG Center.

He received a two-year degree in environmental science with a specialization in natural resources

from Ohio State University ATI as well as a bachelor’s degree in natural resources with a specialization in sustainable agriculture. Becker was also a crop scout with the OSU Extension Wayne County Office’s integrated pest management program.

“I loved what I did as a crop scout and what OSU extension stood for, so you can imagine how happy I was when I saw that an educator position opened in Lorain, just two counties away,” Becker said in the release.

His father, Frank Becker, is currently the OSU Extension agriculture and natural resources educator in Wayne County.

OWEN MacMILLAN | The Chronicle-Telegram

Christopher Bell, riding the horse, is led by his sister Madeline Bell atop Dynamite, the horse their family partially owns at Angel’s Haven on March 19, 2023.

JEFF BARNES | The Community Guide Blake Beno, 8, gets his face painted by his sister Angela, 16, during the Prince and Princess Pancake Breakfast at Firelands High School on March 25.

‘Anchors Aweigh’ for Keystone student

CHRISTINA JOLLIFFE THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

PENFIELD TWP. — As his classmates contemplate their path after graduation, one Keystone High School senior already has his future mapped out attending the Naval Academy in Annapolis with an ultimate goal of flying fighter planes.

Of course, Jacob Linden’s choice wasn’t easy considering he received not one but two Congressional nominations to attend the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis and the United States Military Academy at West Point.

Former U.S. Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Ohio, nominated Jacob for both the Naval Academy and the Military Academy, while former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman nominated him for the Naval Academy. His long-time goal could not have been achieved without their assistance, Jacob said.

“I am extremely grateful for what they did,” he said. “This definitely wasn’t an easy path put in front of my by my teachers and counselors. When I started

to explore opportunities for higher education my freshmen year, my parents mentioned the military academies. We’re not a military family by any means. My grandpas served in the Navy, but that was it. I started to do some research and my sophomore year, I attended a couple of summer camps. I fell in love with the programs.”

Additionally, Jacob has spent considerable time speaking with alumni, veterans, midshipmen and others to help guide his decision.

“They are all super inspiring people,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a long application process. I started applying at the end of my sophomore year. I knew I was going to need a Congressional nomination, too. My parents helped me through the whole thing and were right there next to me.”

They were right there when he received a large packet in the mail on Feb. 2 from the Naval Academy and again when he received one from the Military Academy at the end of February.

“If you get a big packet, they are congratulating

you,” Jacob said. “A small letter and they are rejecting you. I saw the packet and had a really good feeling I was going to get good news that day.”

Jacob already was leaning toward the Naval

Academy when he received his letters.

As captain of the football, basketball and track teams at Keystone, Jacob doesn’t have a problem making decisions. He has served as class president all

Eaton Twp. zoning officials reject Ross Incineration rezoning request

EATON TWP. — Ross

Environmental Services was defeated March 22 in its attempt to rezone company property on Giles Road to heavy industrial so that it could bury waste from its incinerator there.

The township zoning commission unanimously rejected a request to rezone nearly 218 acres from light industrial to heavy industrial. The company wanted to mix and bury waste ash from its incinerator in a protected mound up to 50 feet tall.

Township residents were vocal in their opposition to the plan, and township zoning commissioners agreed with the Lorain County Planning Commission’s recommendation against the plan.

Opponents of the plan clapped and cheered after the vote was taken following a more-than two-hour hearing.

Ross planned to build a 23-acre monofill for the waste ash it creates. Critics were alarmed the ash might contain heavy metals or chemicals that could contaminate groundwater, or that Ross might expand the monofill to take in more waste for a greater profit without having to make another request through official channels in the future.

Ross tests, then burns the solid waste it receives to ash and ships it to landfills outside Ohio, company officials said.

Those who packed the town hall on Wednesday were split: Approximately half supported Ross’ expansion, while half the room opposed to the rezoning.

Had Ross’ petition for rezoning succeeded, it would still have had to survive another public hearing and then a vote by the Eaton Township Trustees.

Both sides were more respectful of each other on Wednesday than at a previous hearing on March 8 that devolved into shouting, name-calling and required

Lorain County sheriff’s deputies to eject a man.

On Wednesday, Ross officials said they support 300 employees and families, and give money to local charitable organizations.

Pounding his fist on a podium in front of the audience, third-generation company owner Bill Cromling III pledged that his family and employees are “committed to safety and compliance.”

“Safety and compliance is the No. 1 thing we talk about every day,” he said.

“We have nothing to hide. Never have, never will. I bet my children’s souls on it.”

Pat Lawson, vice president for corporate compliance and risk management with Ross Environmental Services, said any concerns about the site plan should have been put to rest by changes the company made in its plans, while “appropriate measures” were taken to preserve the environment surrounding the project.

“We believe it is appropriate to note this is a community of nearly 9,000 people, and those with opposing views tonight speak only for themselves,” Lawson said. Many critics who spoke March 8 aren’t from Eaton Township, and many others don’t own property abutting Ross Incineration, she said.

“Ross has been a good corporate citizen,” Lawson said.

Darrell Zielinski, vice president of business development for Ross Environmental Services, said the project is called a “monofill” for a reason: The company would only be allowed to bury a single category of waste there, namely waste ash from its own incinerator that would be sandwiched between two layers of impermeable plastic.

Waste from other locations would not be allowed there, he said. The monofill for Ross’ waste ash also would protect the company from price hikes at the out-of-state landfills it currently ships to, as well as to protect against those landfills shutting down in the future.

Ross is among companies in the country that received solid waste from the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine on Feb. 3.

The derailment, resulting chemical spill and environmental concerns were brought up numerous times on March 8 and Wednesday.

By taking hundreds of tons of solid waste from East Palestine at the request of the Ohio EPA, “we’re helping to clean up a mess we did not create,” Ross Vice President for Technology Steve Goldman said, and “making the world better and safer” as a result.

Opponents of the rezon-

ing request were unmoved, citing concerns about their health and safety and that of their children.

Township zoning inspector George Anders provided the commission with a long list of reasons he said opponents of the zoning change gave him. There were more than 200 people who contacted him in person, by phone, by email or who simply showed up at his home, he said.

“I believe what Ross does probably does improve the environment on the whole, but not where they’re doing it,” a man who gave his name as Eric Schmidt told the commission.

He said he was concerned about the risk of birth defects and respiratory ailments, as well as lower home values. Other critics agreed: Property values would plummet, and the health of future township residents could be at stake.

“There is no other solution but to deny their proposal,” local resident Nick Masters said.

Critics also said the township zoning code is written in such a way that rezoning Ross property to heavy industrial will create loopholes that will allow the company to do whatever it wants in the future.

“I don’t think a blank check to do whatever with 300 acres is a good idea,” resident Elizabeth Rattray said.

for the betterment of the school. He also has spent more than 330 hours volunteering for his school and community.

“The Naval Academy looks for well-rounded students,” he said. “Leaders who are involved in their community with good moral character. Academics also play a major role.”

With a 4.5 GPA, Jacob had nothing to worry about there.

He will start his journey June 29 when he heads off for six weeks of basic officer training before standard academic classes begin in late August.

PROVIDED

four years of high school and is treasurer of National Honor Society. He founded the Keystone President’s Club and the Keystone Captain’s Club, bring student leaders together to make decisions and work

“I’ve prepared myself, but I think you’re always a little nervous,” Jacob said. “I have a lot of confidence with what I’ve learned. This is an incredible opportunity. It’s very difficult to do and it’s a huge commitment, but I’ve talked to a number of freshmen and sophomores who have expressed an interest and I love being a mentor.”

Jacob plans to major in engineering and take advantage of the Naval Academy’s Powered Flight Program.

He is the son of Brett and Heather Linden.

Nord Center CEO testifies on budget bill

tions in February 2022.

Nord Center President and CEO Don Schiffbauer testified March 22 before the Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Health and Human Services, advocating for a $7 million funding increase for behavioral health urgent care centers.

Appearing on a panel along with The Centers CEO Eric Morse and Zepf Center CEO Deb Flores, Schiffbauer testified in support of Gov. Mike DeWine’s budget requests for the Ohio Department of Medicaid, and Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS), but asked for a one-time increase of $7 million in support of seven behavioral health urgent care locations as Nord Center and other agencies work to make the model sustainable.

“At our organizations, we are often reminded of the disparity between physical health services and mental health services.

“In an effort to resolve that disparity, each of our agencies, along with several others across the state, have opened some of the state’s first behavioral health urgent care clinics,” Schiffbauer said.

The model, Schiffbauer said, capitalizes on the need and courage of community members to seek services when they want them, providing an alternative to a traditional ER or outpatient services.

The Nord Center operates one urgent care center in Sheffield. In two months, the agency has had 189 encounters, providing care to 150 individuals.

The Centers in Cleveland had more than 1,500 people across 3,500 visits since opening two loca-

“While this care delivery model is innovative, high quality and high value, it is still subject to the same billing codes that agencies would submit if they were performing traditional outpatient services.

“Unlike outpatient services, where staffing is designed to meet the demands of the community, behavioral health and urgent care requires a static amount of staffing in order to effectively manage the ebbs and flows of volume throughout the day,” Schiffbauer said.

An enhanced reimbursement structure to service providers for urgent care would enable operations of these centers to provide the comprehensive levels of care throughout the day.

DeWine’s proposed budget, Schiffbauer said, includes Medicaid rate increases that will assist providers keep pace with the rising costs of health care and mitigate a historic workforce shortage in the field.

Also, it calls for additional investments in OhioMHAS that will strengthen the behavioral health workforce and invest in crisis services infrastructure and additional programming for children and adults.

According to figures from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission, as written, House Bill 33 would give OhioMHAS a 20 percent increase in funding in fiscal year 2024 with an additional $106 million, and another increase 4.79 percent in 2025, accounting for $29.8 million.

For Ohio Medicaid, current budget request figures show a 3.26 percent bump in 2024 for an additional $642 million, and an 8.1 percent increase in 2025 for $1.6 billion.

Keystone Senior Jacob Linden holds his Naval Academy and Military Academy acceptance letters. Linden plans to attend the Naval Academy’s Powered Flight Program.

JEFF BARNES | The Community Guide

The Vice President of Corporate Compliance and Risk for Ross, Pat Lawson, speaks to the Eaton Township Zoning Commission to start the meeting on March 22.

KEVIN MARTIN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE

Tax preparation

Oberlin Community Services will offer free federal tax help from 12-4 p.m. April 4 at Oberlin Community Services, 85 S. Professor St. Families and individuals making less than $60,000 per year can file for free through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Those with higher income may qualify for AARP’s Tax-Aide.

This clinic is open to Lorain County residents by appointment only — appointments last about 30 minutes and can be made by calling (440) 774-6579 during OCS business hours.

Amherst VFW Post 1662

165 Cleveland Ave. Amherst, OH 44001 (440) 988-8823

Fish Fry Fridays through April 7

Open to the public. Serving 4:30 - 7:30 p.m. Cash only, carry-outs available. Call ahead to order.

Rotary Club of Oberlin

The Rotary Club of Oberlin will host its pancake breakfast 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at Oberlin Elementary School, 210 North Park St., Oberlin.

Proceeds support Oberlin Safety Town.

Tickets are two for $14, one for $8 and children 5 and under eat free. To purchase tickets in advance, Venmo @OberlinRotaryClub.

THEME:

Brownhelm Historical Association

The Brownhelm Historical Association’s membership meeting and historical program is April 5 at the Historic Brownhelm School and Museum, 1950 N. Ridge Rd., Vermilion. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. The historical program begins at 7:30 p.m.

The program is “Before they were famous,” and includes information on celebrities who served in World War II. The program is open to the public.

Easter Egg Hunts

● The Amherst Historical Society’s Eggstravaganza is 1-4 p.m. Saturday at two locations:

The Easter Bunny, raffle baskets, food for sale, and more will be at the Amherst Historical Society, 113 S. Lake St.

A balloon artist, face painter, two petting zoos, crafting stations, trivia and egg scavenger hunt in the Historic buildings with prizes, and more will be at The Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Avenue, Amherst, Ohio 44001.

● The Amherst Lions club and Amherst Steele Leo Clubs will host its Easter Egg Hunt 11 a.m. April 8. The two clubs have been hosting the event since 1996.

The Easter Bunny will arrive at 10:30 a.m., courtesy of the Amherst Fire Department. There will be three separate hunt areas marked by age level: toddlers to 3-year-olds; 4-to-6-year-olds; and 7-to-

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10-year-olds.

In addition to the candyfilled eggs, there will be specially marked eggs children can redeem for prizes at the end of the hung.

Parents are requested to not enter the designated areas when the hunt first begins, but to join the children a few minutes into the hunt. For those too young to walk on their own, the Easter Bunny will have plenty of eggs to hand out, Lions Club President Lori Elswick said in a news release.

Parents of children with special needs can ask a Lion or Leo Club member for assistance.

The event is free, but donations support Amherst Lions vision care and other community projects. The Amherst Lions will also be collecting unwanted, used eye glasses to be recycled and distributed to those in need. Collection boxes will be set up.

For more information, visit Amherst Lions Club on Facebook or email AmherstOhioLions@gmail. com.

● The Rotary Club of Oberlin’s Easter Egg Hunt is 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. April 8 on the West College side of Tappan Square. It is for children ages 2-to-12years-old and will feature the Easter Bunny, face painting, games and other activities.

Amherst Historical Society

● Afternoon Tea is 1-3 p.m. May 21 at The Grange Hall in Sandstone Village. Please join us for tea and refreshments, enjoy beautiful wedding dresses on display, and tour the Village gardens maintained by the Amherst Garden Club. Tickets are $20 per person, $15 for members. Please RSVP by May 15 to (440) 988-7255 or office@ amhersthistoricalsociety. org. Payments can be made by cash, check or card. You can also register and pay by card using https://form.jotform. com/230463915767161

● The Sandstone Village Car and Bike Show will be June 4 with registration from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and the Car Show from 12-4 p.m. There will be a photo area, Village building tours, garage sales, a blessing of the cars and bikes, raffles, DJ, food court, and more! Spectator parking will be at Amherst Junior High School with shuttle service to Sandstone Village.

● The Taste of History Military Living History event is 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 17 at The Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Ave. The event will have samples of military food and rations, displays, kids’ activities and more.

North Pointe Ballet

North Pointe Ballet will preent a screening of “Because of You” in honor of World Autism Awareness Day at the Lorain County Community College Stocker Arts Center cinema hall at 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday.

Each of the two, 45-minute showings will include a screening of the 20 minute dance piece which explores a family’s journey with their child’s Autism diagnosis, a live dance performance except, a demonstration of a virtual reality component simulation the experience of a dancer with Autism, an explaination of educator resources and a question-and-answer session with the artists.

The event is free, but registration is strongly encouraged at northpointeballet. org/waad/.

Pittsfield Community Church

● The Pittsfield Community Church’s “Springspiration Day” is April 18.

Registration is at 10 a.m., concert at 10:30 a.m., salad lunch at noon.

For reservations, call Margaret at (440) 9655773 or Phyllis at (440) 647-347.

The special guest is Cheryl Wellert, CEO of DAT Travel and Christian Treasure Seekers, which plans family-friendly and faith-based vacations.

● The church’s Fish Fry Dinner is 5-7 p.m. april 14. Dine-in or carry-out available. Meals are $15 and all are welcome. The church is located at the corner of state Routes 58 and 303.

Amherst Library

● The C.S. Lewis and Friends book group will meet at the Amherst Library at 7 p.m. April 11 in the DeLloyd Room on the second floor. The group will finish its discussion of the sermon “A Slip of the Tongue” and then discuss the essay “The Inner Ring.” A copy of either item is available by emailing Marcia Geary at mgeary@gearylawllc.com or calling (440) 988-9803.

● Canine reading buddies is 11 a.m. April 1, 6:30 p.m. April 18 Celebrate spring with a short story contest. Youth of all ages are invited to enter the Amherst Public Library’s short story con-

test now through April 29. Winners will be chosen by May 5.

● Unicorn week is April 1-8. Unicorn-themed crafts, activities and a photo backdrop will be available during regular library hours.

● Adults are invited to create two small pendant necklaces with glass cabochon gems at 6:30 p.m. April 3 or 2:30 p.m. April 6. Registration is required, please only register for one session per person.

● A STEM workshop for children ages 5-12 is at 4 p.m. April 4.

● The Easter Bunny will visit the library from 1-2 p.m. April 8 for photos.

● A watercolor pencil workshop is at 12:30 p.m. April 10. All skill levels are welcome. Students will need a set of watercolor pencils, pink erasers, a No. 8 round Taklon brush, a natural sponge, a half-inch foam bruce and an ultrafine Sharpie or .02 Micron pen and 140-pound watercolor paper. Classes are for adults and registration is required.

● The Tabletop Game Time group will meet at 5:30 p.m. April 11. The club is for teens and adults. To register for events, or for more information, call the library at (440) 9884230 or visit amherstpubliclibrary.org.

Ohio Genealogical Society

The Lorain County chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will have a virtual program on finding ancestors in Census records at 7 p.m. April 10. The program is free and open to the public. Contact meetings@loraincoogs. org to receive a link to the meeting.

Black River Audubon Society

The Black River Audubon Society will meet at 7 p.m. April 4 at the Carlisle Reservation Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Rd., LaGrange. Author Will McLean Greeley will present “A Connecticut Yankee goes to Washington, Birdman of the Senate,” a biography of Sen. George McClean, sponsor of the 1918 Migratory Bird Treaty Act. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, visit www.blackriveraudubon. org

power 72. Banned insecticide, acr. 73. German surrealist Max

DOWN 1. “General Hospital” network 2. Crop of a bird

3. Zeus’ sister and wife 4. Two under par on a golf hole 5. Meat-cooking contraption 6. Winglike 7. *Predominant color of Mars 8. Type of membranophone

9. Like never-losing Steven

10. Town

11. *Primary color

12. ___ Juan, Puerto Rico

15. 7th planet from the sun

20. Chosen few

22. Nicki Minaj’s genre

24. Not womenfolk

25. *Number of colors in a rain-

bow

26. Of service

27. Colorful parrot

29. *The Lumière brothers’ colorful creation

31. “Cheers” actress Perlman

32. Jeopardy

33. Sergio of Spaghetti Westerns

fame

34. Follow as a consequence

36. Email folder

38. Cone-shaped quarters

42. Naiad or maenad

45. Motherless calves

49. Old horse

51. Long John Silver, e.g.

54. Modified “will”

56. Bottom-ranking employee

57. Opposite of “out of”

58. Hall of Fame Steelers’ coach

59. June 6, 1944

60. “____ Buy Me Love”

61. Between dawn and noon

62. Yours and mine

63. Expression of pleasure

65. Melancholy

67. Latissimus dorsi, for short

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

HowBig?

The world’sbiggest bee called Wallace’sgiant bee, disappeared almost40 yearsago. Scientists thoughtit was gone forever, or extinct.

In 2019,scientists traveledinto theforests of Indonesia. There, they discovered a livingWallace’sgiant bee!

Giant Jaws

Thegiantbee has enormous jaws called mandibles It uses the mandibles to scrape sticky resin o trees They use the resintobuild burrows within termite nests, wherefemales raise their young.

Whatdoes agiantbee eat?

Like other bees, they feed on nectar and pollen but they don’tmake honey. Follow the maze and write downthe lettersalongthe correct path to discover how muchlarger Wallace’sgiantbee is than atypical honeybee.

TheBig Bee with Many Names

Unscramble the letters to nd the missing words.

One bee is teeny tiny Scientistscallitthe Perdita minima.Many people callit the __________________.

The fairy beelives in the American southwest. It lives aloneand makesa tiny nest in sandy desert

The fairy bee growstobe less thantwo millimeters long. Its entire bodycan easily fit on theheadofan averaged-size bee.

Peoplewho look forthistiny beelook forits shadow on the ground. It is easiertofindits shadow than thebee.

Thisbee is so small thatitcan easily pass through the mesh of insect

Standards Link: Spell grade appropriate words correctly

Thenumbers on the ower petals add up to the number in the center of the ower. Oops! Allbut one petal,thatis! Figureout which petal on each ower needs to be plucked so that the numbers on the petals add up to the number in the center

Howmuchlarger

Whatbeesare these?

BIGGEST

Lookthrough the newspaper forpictures of three things.Cut them out andglue themtoa pieceofpaper in order from big,bigger to biggest. Do thesame thing to showthings that are small, smaller and smallest.

TheCutest Bee on Earth RELDNDW YKBCEHA J RVBUEFE CT Y

These bees,with scientific name Amegilla bombiformis, look cute and cuddly.Ifyou wanttosnuggle up with one of these bees, you’re in for atreat because the male bees don’tsting These bees liveinAustralia Circle every other letter to reveal the nickname for thisbee.

Standards Link: Follow simple written directions.

Endangered Species

Lookfor articles aboutanimals that are endangered. Whatiscausing each animal’s endangerment? Whatcan be doneto prevent the loss?

Standards Link: Use evidence from text to support aposition.

MANDIBLE

The noun mandible is a jaw-likemouth usedtopinch, cut or pull on things.

Wallace’s giant bee usesits mandibles to scrape resin forits nest.

Tryto use the word mandibles in asentence today whentalkingwith your friends andfamily members