Lorain County Community Guide - Jan. 2, 2020

COMMUNITY GUIDE

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LORAIN COUNTY

AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

www.lcnewspapers.com

Volume 7, Issue 1

SPECIAL EDITION

THE YEAR IN REVIEW JASON HAWK EDITOR

Before we say goodbye to the teen years and hello to 2020, let's take a look back at the news that 2019 had to offer.

It was a year to celebrate important historical milestones.

We celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall,

which brought east and west Germans together again after being separated since 1961.

The year marked 40 years since the invention of the Sony Walkman, which made music portable for the masses.

It was the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, the debut of "Sesame Street," of the infamous Woodstock musical festival in Upstate New York and the re-

lease of Mario Puzo's novel "The Godfather."

In 2019, we observed the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings on the beaches of Normandy, France, the desperate offensive that turned the tide of World War II and led to the downfall of the Nazis. It was also the 80th annivesary of the German invasion of Poland, which plunged the world into war.

This past year marked the centennial of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles, which brought World War I to an end.

It was 150 years since the birth of Mahatma Gandi, the Indian activist who championed passive resistance while seeking independence from British rule, and 250 years from the birth of Napoleon Bonaparte, the self-fashioned "emporer of France" who

conquered much of continental Europe.

The year was also the 500th — half a millennium — since the death of Italian artist and inventor Leonardo da Vinci.

World headlines There's no denying 2019 was an interesting one for news.

The president of the United THE YEAR PAGE A2

WHO WE LOST

BULLETIN BOARD Saturday, Jan. 4 • AMHERST: Read to a therapy dog from 11 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Amherst Public Library.

Canine reading buddies are all ears waiting for you to read to them. All ages can take their favorite book or choose one from the library’s collection.

Tuesday, Jan. 7 • NEW RUSSIA TWP.: A special meeting of the New Russia Township trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 46300 Butternut Ridge Rd. The purpose is to discuss legal matters.

• CARLISLE TWP.: Auditions for the Friends of Metro Parks’ 15th Annual Murder Mystery Production will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7 at the Lorain County Metro Parks Carlisle Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Rd. No experience is necessary. Auditions are a cold reading from the script. For more information, call 216-5443865.

Show dates will be May 8-9 and 15-17.

Wednesday, Jan. 8 • OBERLIN: The Wellington Genealogy Group will meet at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8 at the Oberlin Public Library, 65 South Main St. Friend of the group Francis Stuart will give a short tour of the library from 2-4 p.m., highlighting resources available for genealogists. There will be plenty of time to do your own work, so take family information.

Monthly meetings are free and open to the public.

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

• OBERLIN: The Low-Vision Support Group will meet at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 9 at Kendal at Oberlin’s Green Room for the audio presentation “Correcting Misconceptions About Age-Related Macular BULLETIN BOARD PAGE A3

U.S. Postal Service Use Only

Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday News staff Jason Hawk news@lcnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com Send legal notices to jyoder@chroniclet.com Copyright 2019 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

Public domain photos Graphic by Jason Hawk

Clockwise from top: Toni Morrison, Doris Day, Bart Starr, Ross Perot, Frank Robinson and Tim Conway.

Cultural icons who died in 2019 JASON HAWK EDITOR

Here is a look at just some of the entertainers, sports stars, cultural icons and political movers-and-shakers who died in 2019: • Jan. 15: Actress Carol Channing, best known for "Hello Dolly" and winner of four Tony Awards, a Golden Globe and a Grammy, died at age 97.

• Feb. 7: Frank Robinson was the only player ever to be name MVP of both the National League and the American League. He died at age 83.

His record 49 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles in 1966 stood for 30 years. He helped lead the Orioles to two World Series titles and was named the Series MVP in 1966 after sweeping the Los Angeles Dodges.

He was the first black manager in major league history, becoming the player-manager for the Cleveland Indians in 1975.

• Feb. 21: "Daydream Believer" Peter Tork, keyboardist and bassist for The Monkees, died at age 77.

• March 4: Luke Perry, who rose to fame as Dylan McKay on "Beverly Hills 90210," died at age 52. His credits included "The Fifth Element,"

"Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," and "Riverdale."

• April 30: Peter Mayhew, the giant of a man who brought Chewbacca to life in Star Wars films from 1977 to 2015, died at age 74.

Unlike co-stars Mark Hamill and Harrison Ford, Mayhew's work was done from behind a mask. His 7-foot3-inch stature was the result of Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that causes tallness but also takes a toll on the heart, lungs and bones. His book, "Growing Up a Giant," explained to young readers why being different is a strength and not a weakness.

• May 13: Star of the Golden Age of Hollywood, Doris Day died at age 97.

She will be remembered for her roles opposite Rock Hudson, including 1959's "Pillow Talk," which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Day also played Calamity Jane in the 1953 film of the same name, and starred with Jimmy Stewart in Alfred Hitchcock's 1956 thriller "The Man Who Knew Too Much."

• May 14: Comedian Tim Conway, who made us laugh until we cried with wacky roles on "The Carol Burnett Show," died at age 85.

Conway was born in Willoughby

and grew up in Chagrin Falls. During the late 1950s and early 1960s, he was a fixture in Cleveland television, helping to write sketches for KYWTV and WJW-TV and working with Ernie "Ghoulardi" Anderson and "Big Chuck" Schodowski.

• May 26: Quarterback Bart Starr made the Green Bay Packers the premier football team from 1956 to 1971. He led the team to victory in the first two Super Bowls, for which he was named MVP both years, and went on to coach the Packers from 1975 to 1983. To this day, he retains the record for the best postseason passer rating by any NFL quarterback.

He died at age 85.

• June 6: Malcolm John Rebennack Jr., better known as Dr. John, died at age 77. Best known for the track "Right Place, Wrong Time," the blues and rock singer was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland in 2011.

• June 29: John Paul Stevens, who served as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice from 1975 to 2010, died at age 99. Though he identified as a conservative his entire life, Stevens often sided with liberals. He walked the political line when making landmark ICONS PAGE A2

INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

$36M sewer could revive plan for old quarries • B1

Virtual tour of Oberlin’s new PK-5 school coming • C1

Census numbers show loss in average income • D1

OBITUARIES A2 • CROSSWORD B3 • KID SCOOP B4 • SUDOKU C4 • CLASSIFIEDS C4

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Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES Richard A. Eaton Richard A. Eaton, 74, of Linden, Michigan, formerly of New London, Ohio, passed away at home Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019. Richard was born June 16, 1945, in New London, Ohio, the son of Floyd and Hazel (Phillips) Eaton. He married Suzanne Peltier in Huron on Oct. 25, 1969.

Richard was a graduate of Wellington High School in Ohio. He proudly served in the U.S. Army in Viet Nam. Richard was employed as a Process Engineer in the Automotive Industry with Sheller - Globe and Wagnor Automotive Companies.

He was an Elder at Linden Presbyterian Church. Richard enjoyed fishing, camping and bicycling with friends at the Loose Center. His greatest pleasure however came from watching his granddaughters dance and his grandsons play lacrosse and hockey. He also was a member of the Linden VFW. Surviving are his wife, Sue; sons, Rich (Amy) Eaton and Rodney (Chelsea) Eaton; grandchildren, Jacob, Logan, Liberty and Georgia; siblings, Ronald (Peg) Eaton, Lewie (Alice) Eaton, David (Cindy) Eaton, Phyllis Eaton; sisterin-law, Louise Peltier; many nieces and nephews.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019, at Linden Presbyterian Church, 119 West Broad St., Linden, MI 48451. Pastor Dawn Russell officiated.

Arrangements by Sharp Funeral Homes, Linden Chapel, 209 E. Broad St., Linden, MI. Memorial contributions would be appreciated to the Linden Presbyterian Church Lift Fund.

Online tributes may be shared at www.sharpfuneral homes.com.

DENVER MEADE, 80, of Sheffield Lake, went home to be with the Lord on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2019, at his home following a lengthy illness. Hempel Funeral Home will be handling the arrangements.

BRENDA LEE DEAN (nee Bennett), 62, of Vermilion, passed away Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019, at her home, following a lengthy illness. Hempel Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

Hog Island scholarships

The Black River Audubon Society is offering a Hog Island birding camp scholarship to an adult educator or naturalist who will become an ambassador for conservation and environmental education in Lorain County.

The successful applicant will acquire additional skills to educate students and the public about bird conservation, wildlife in general, and the environment. The scholarship will cover tuition, room and board, plus travel expenses.

Campers spend one week on the island off the coast of Maine, learning from accomplished naturalists, birders and educators. In off hours, they can explore the camp’s natural surrounding and rustic buildings that have a long history with National Audubon.

A reservation has been made for the BRAS scholarship winner for the "Sharing Nature: An Educator’s Week" camp, although other camps might be possible.

All application materials must be sent to Black River Audubon by Feb. 15. Those interested in applying for the scholarship should contact Jim Jablonski at jjablons@ lorainccc.edu or call 440-365-6465.

LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific community members, 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. Letters submitted at our office or by postal mail should bear a signature. Those submitted via e-mail should include the author’s name, address, and daytime phone number for our records. Letters submitted electronically are preferred. We accept up to two signatures per letter. We also accept letters of thanks, which highlight the generosity and gratitude that are the hallmarks of our small-town communities.

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.

How will you THRIVE! in the new year?

THRIVE! Southern Lorain County develops or takes part in programs that provide affordable opportunities for Wellington-area residents to live healthier.

Here are THRIVE!’s latest initiatives to encourage residents to enjoy healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Indoor Walking at Westwood “Come in from the cold and get some exercise” is THRIVE!’s motto for staying fit this winter.

The group has teamed up with Westwood Elementary School, Lorain County Public Health and United We Sweat to host a free indoor walking program at the school.

It will run from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesdays from Jan. 8 to April 15 at 305 Union St.

Sign up at www.tinyurl.com/ ThriveWalking.

Build-a-Garden If you've always wanted a garden but don’t know how to go about it, the Build-a-Garden program is ideal.

Launched by Oberlin Community Services in 2017, it encourages people on limited incomes to grow and consume more fresh produce.

You can receive such materials as seeds, soil, planters, gardening tools and on-the-ground garden boxes – all at no cost.

The program also offers educational support in the form of workshops, educational materials and assistance from a gardener.

Special elevated garden beds will be built for seniors and others who

face accessibility challenges. Those who don’t have access to a backyard will be offered planters, grow bags and hanging baskets that can be placed in smaller spaces such as on porches, balconies and railings.

For more information and to register, call Ashley Frangos at 440-774-6579.

Memory Cafe LIFE: A Dementia Friendly Foundation plans to open a Memory Cafe in January at the New Life Assembly of God Church in Wellington.

It will operate from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, with programming for both dementia patients and their caregivers. Lunch will be provided.

Memory Cafes engage people with dementia in stimulating activities such as exercise, music and crafts.

THE YEAR

FROM A1 States was impeached by the House of Representatives on charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. Donald Trump is only the third president in United States history to have articles of impeachment drafted.

China made the first landing on the far side of the moon, and the first image of a black hole was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope.

A revolutionary stem cell transplant procedure was celebrated as a major victory in the fight against HIV. Fifty people were killed and as many more wounded in a March terror attack on a mosque and church in New Zealand.

Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange was arrested. He faces federal conspiracy charges in the United States for leaking government secrets.

Fire gutted the 850-year-old cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris. A large portion of the roof was destroyed.

Emporer Akihito of Japan abdicated his throne. He was the first to

do so in 200 years, and the descent marked the end of the Heisei era and beginning of the Reiwa era.

Amid the contentious Brexit transition, Theresa May resigned from her post as prime minister of the United Kingdom.

Protests grew throughout the year in Hong Kong, where students and police clashed over China's increasing control over the former democracy.

Local headlines In Lorain County, Sharon Sweda was appointed commissioner after Ted Kalo stepped down. The Lorain Board of Education spent 2019 fighting state-appointed CEO David Hardy for control of the district's destiny. And independent candidate Frank Whitfield upset incumbent Elyria mayor Holly Brinda in the fall election.

Samuel Little, who grew up in Lorain, confessed to killing 93 people, making him one of the most prolific serial killers in American history.

Elyria police shot and killed Isaiah

Robinson, 39, after a complaint of gunfire at an apartment. Officers said they opened fire when they saw a gun — a pistol was found inside a suspect's vehicle, according to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

And Ford Motor Company pledged $900 million to upgrade its Avon Lake plant, adding 1,500 new jobs.

Some of the biggest news happened in small towns.

We covered millions of dollars in new school construction in Amherst, Firelands and Oberlin; the trial of Martin Robinson, who shot Amherst police officer J.R. Ptacek; the infamous Gibson's Bakery civil trial against Oberlin College; the effects of the federal government's shutdown on food pantries; a movie shoot by Hollywood A-lister Liam Neeson; and a train derailment in Wellington.

This week's edition offers a retrospective on the biggest events in each of our coverage areas.

We looked at the stories we believe will have a lasting impact on our towns.

• Aug. 5: Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winner Toni Morrison died at age 88.

She grew up in Lorain, where an elementary school is named in her honor. Back in those days, during the Great Depression, she was still known as Chloe Wofford.

Morrison graduated from Lorain High School and worked at the Lorain Public Library. She also had connections to Oberlin, where she was awarded an honorary degree by the college in 1980 and was a convocation speaker in 2009 and 2012.

Today, Oberlin College is home to the Toni Morrison Society, which is headquartered in the Mary Church Terrell Main Library.

• Aug. 16: Peter Fonda, star of 1969's "Easy Rider" and a face of the counterculture movement, died at age 79.

• Sept. 15: Ric Ocasek, frontman for The Cars, died at age 75. He was hailed as a visionary pioneer of the New Wave sound of the late 1970s and 1980s.

• Sept. 17: Cokie Roberts, whose

career as a political reporter spanned five decades, died at age 75.

Roberts joined NPR in 1978 when the agency was still in its infancy, and when women were still largely not accepted in broadcast journalism.

She helped shatter that glass ceiling, and later became a fixture on ABC News, where she covered Washington politics.

• Oct. 6: Drummer Ginger Baker, who helped UK rock band Cream sell more than 15 million records, died at age 80. While often overshadowed by the wailing guitar of bandmate Eric Clapton, Baker's work earned him the nickname "Rock's First Superstar Drummer."

• Dec. 8: Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer was performed Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch on "Sesame Street," died at age 85.

Muppets creator Jim Henson approached Spinney in 1962, but it wasn't until 1969 that he joined the Muppeteers full-time for the inaugural season of "Sesame Street." He retired from the show in 2018 as the series recorded its 50th season.

ICONS

FROM A1 decisions on civil liberties, the death penalty, abortion and gay rights. He was the third-longest-serving justice and the longest-lived in United States history.

• July 2: Lee Iacocca, who helped develop the Ford Mustang, Escort and Pinto, died at age 94.

The Detroit wheeler-and-dealer helped build flashy cars at Ford for 32 years before becoming CEO of Chrysler, becoming the other executive to lead two of the Big Three automakers in the United States. He helped revive the Mercury brand and give rise to the minivan.

• July 9: Two-time presidential candidate Ross Perot, who shook up the political scene in the 1990s, died at age 89.

The Texas billionaire ran as a third-party candidate and established the Reform Party.

Perot made his money in the tech sector, and also owned a controlling interest in General Motors. Politically, he railed against the North American Free Trade Agreement and against the Gulf War.

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B3

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE C4

ABOUT THE COMMUNITY GUIDE LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY GUIDE (USPS 673-960) is published every Thursday, 52 weeks per year by Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company, 225 East Ave., Elyria OH 44035.

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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lorain County Community Guide, PO Box 4010, Elyria OH 44036.

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

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BULLETIN BOARD Degeneration.� All are welcome.

Jan. 9 and 23

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 news style, length, and clarity. Send your items to news@ lcnewspapers.com.

First Lutheran Renaissance Quartet will join the other four vocalists. The piece, entitled “All Goes Onward and Outward,� sets a text by Walt Whitman: “All goes onward and outward, nothing collapses, and to die is different from what any one supposed, and luckier.�

This concert is free and open to the public.

• OBERLIN: Spoken story workshops will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. on Thursdays, Jan. 9 and 23 at the Oberlin Public Library.

Kelly Garriott Waite will lead the two-part workshop.

In the first session, you can learn the elements of a successful spoken story and begin crafting your own. In the second, you can solidify your story and have the chance to share it. You can choose to attend one session or both.

Registration is required. Call 440-775-4790 or stop in at the library.

tish ancestors that includes websites that are available for researching your own ancestors.

For more information, call Norm at 440-856-5170.

Friday, Jan. 10

Tuesday, Jan. 14

• AMHERST: A toddler playtime will be held from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 10 at the Amherst Public Library.

Toddlers and their caregivers are welcome. No registration is required for the drop-in playtime.

• AMHERST: The C.S. Lewis and Friends Book Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Amherst Public Library.

Readers will discuss “The Screwtape Letters.� For more information, contact Marcia Geary at mgeary@gearylawllc.com or 440-988-9803. All are welcome.

Saturday, Jan. 11 • PITTSFIELD TWP.: A Swiss steak dinner will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11 at the Pittsfield Community Church at routes 58 and 303.

The cost is $12 for adults, $8 for ages seven to 12 and free for kids ages six and under. All are invited.

Monday, Jan. 13 • AMHERST: The Amherst Public Library board will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13 at the library.

The meeting is open to the public. • WELLINGTON: Main Street Wellington’s annual meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13 at the Elms Retirement Village, 136 South Main St. It will feature highlights from 2019, plans for 2020, and a chance to meet the new board members. Volunteer of the Year and other awards will be conferred. • OBERLIN: A Meatless Mondays and Beyond vegan potluck and presentation will be held at 6:15 p.m. on Jan. 13 at the Oberlin Public Library.

Take a favorite vegan breakfast dish to share. Electrical outlets will be available if needed. The presentation will show a different approach to sustainability.

The event is free and all are welcome. For more information, contact Kimberly Thompson at 805-2450730 or kimmert2001@yahoo.com. • NORTH RIDGEVILLE: The 2020 meeting of the Lorain County chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13 at the North Ridgeville Branch Library, 35700 Bainbridge Rd. A social time will begin at 6:30 p.m. “Discovering and Memorializing Your Scottish Ancestors: A Case Studyâ€? will be presented by Stephen Wendt. This presentation involves a case study on researching Scot-

Wednesday, Jan. 22 • PENFIELD TWP.: A blood drive will be held from 2-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 22 at the Penfield Township Community Center, 41012 State Route 18.

The American Red Cross says there aren’t enough people donating blood to help people in need. To schedule an appointment, visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “PenfieldTwp� or call 800733-2767.

Saturday, Jan. 25

• OBERLIN: “Opera: 400 Years of Musical and Stylistic Terms Explainedâ€? will be offered at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Jan. 14, 21 and 28 at Kendal at Oberlin’s Heiser Auditorium.

Allan Huszti, Emeritus Professor of Music, Sweet Briar College, will present the three-session course for both experienced opera lovers and those less familiar with the genre. The course focuses on opera’s evolution from its invention in early 17th century Italy through contributions from other countries, and from recreations of ancient myths to historical and more realistic plots. The fee for class 4231 is $20.

All are welcome. To register, call Lorain County Community College at 440-366-4148.

• AMHERST: The Firelands Athletic Booster Club will present a comedy night on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Amherst Eagles, 1161 Milan Ave. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 and include soft drinks, beer and food. There will be raffles, including a 50-50 raffle as well as the comedy show. For tickets, call Traci Newman at 440-669-3676.

Money raised will be used to support athletic scholarships, equipment and improvements connected to the Falcons sports programs. • CARLISLE TWP.: Lorain County’s largest inside garage sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 25 at the Lorain County Metro Parks Carlisle Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Rd. You can drop off donations to be sold in support of the Friends of Metro Parks in Lorain County from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19; 2-8 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 20; and 4-8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 23. Not accepted: clothing, shoes, electronics, large furniture and broken items.

Light snacks will be available for purchase.

Sunday, Jan. 19

Ongoing

• LORAIN: FIRSTmusic will present “Songs of Life and Deathâ€? at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 at First Lutheran Church, 1019 West Fifth St. Four professional vocalists from Cleveland’s leading ensembles will perform. Soprano Elena Mullins, alto Leslie Frye, and baritone Michael McKay will join tenor and First Lutheran music director Brian Wentzel.

The first half of the concert will feature music by William Byrd, including his “Mass for Four Voices.� The second half will feature “Dance of Death� by Hugo Distler. In this unique work, inspired by Medieval paintings and poems, characters of various stations in life encounter death. Sung verse, spoken texts, and music by guest flutist Robert Cotrell combine to create an experience not soon forgotten.

The concert will conclude with a world premier composed by Brian Wentzel, in which three singers from the

• WELLINGTON: Coffee with a Cop is held at 11 a.m. on the first Wednesday of every month at the Wellington McDonald’s on Rt. 58.

Stop in and meet village police officers and have a conversation over a cup of coffee. • AMHERST: The Meals on Wheels Program provides delivered meals five days a week between 11 a.m. and noon within the city limits.

The cost is $5 a meal. The Amherst Office on Aging can meet most dietary requirements: heart healthy, diabetic, soft. You can receive meals one day a week or multiple days — it’s up to you. Call 440-988-2817. • OBERLIN: The Oberlin African American Genealogy and History Group offers free walk-in genealogy assistance from 1-3 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month at The Bridge (in the Backspace), 82 South Main St.

Starting Jan. 14

COLUMN

Try these squash, soups and pork sirloin recipes I never made or tasted squash soup until this fall.

Not bad, if you like squash.

When I get a butternut squash, I cut off the ends and cut it in half. I take out the seeds and put both halves in a 9x13 pan with a little water. I add margarine and brown sugar in each half, then sprinkled black pepper over all. I put foil over the top and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes.

Now is the time for soups and stews. I loaned my favorite soup pan out and never got it back — huge mistake on my part. I don't like those stainless steel pans. Aluminum ones are so much better, because nothing sticks to them! But they're hard to find.

If you want a quick meal, buy some pork sirloin chops and season them with salt and pepper. Fry them on both sides until brown and put them in a casserole dish, then pour the contents of a large can of cream of mushroom soup over the chops. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour.

Sometimes I put chopped onions in mine. You can serve the chops with mashed potatoes, rice, or noodles. It's a delicious meal that can also be made in a slow-cooker. You can do the same with chicken breasts and cream of chicken soup, which is also very good.

Until next time, enjoy

I have also put turnips and broken up spaghetti in my soup.

PENNY’S PANTRY PENNY CASE

these recipes!

Beef and Vegetable Soup • 2 lbs. roast beef, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 lb. ground beef • 2 chopped onions • 1 lb. carrots, cubed • 6-8 stalks celery, diced • 6-8 potatoes, cubed • 2 cans cut green beans • 1 can sweet peas • 1 can corn • 1/2 head cabbage, shredded • 2 lg. cans chopped tomatoes • 1 lg. can tomato sauce • 2 lg. cans beef broth • Salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste Cook the meat and onions in a large soup kettle in oil and margarine. Add 2 large cans of beef broth or water with beef bouillon cubes.

Add all the vegetables and seasonings. Simmer on low heat until done. You may put more broth in, as this soup has a lot of veggies.

Hamburger Tomato Soup • 1 1/2 lbs. ground beef • 1 small onion, chopped • 3-4 cans tomato soup • 3 cans sliced potatoes • Salt and pepper to taste • Water, to add to get the consistency you desire Brown the ground beef and onions in a Dutch oven. Drain well when done. Put the tomato soup in and stir well; add water.

Put the sliced potatoes in along with seasonings.

Simmer.

I got this recipe from Sarah Clem.

Mexican Bean Soup • 1/2 lb. dry red or pinto beans • 2 1/2 lbs. short ribs of beef • 1 qt. hot water • 2 cups tomatoes • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 cup finely chopped celery • 3 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. chili powder • 1 tsp. sugar • 2 medium onions, finely chopped Wash beans, cover with warm water and allow to stand overnight or cover with cold water, bring to a boil for one minute, then remove from heat and allow to stand an hour.

Drain. Brown short ribs in heavy kettle, cover with the hot water and add the beans. Cover and simmer gently for two hours. Add

more water as needed to keep meat and beans well covered. Remove ribs from kettle and remove bones and layer of fat. Return meat to kettle and add remaining ingredients; continue to cook for another hour or two, adding water if necessary. Adjust seasonings.

Barbecue Hamburger • 1 lb. hamburger • 1 green pepper, chopped • 1 large onion, chopped • 1 tbsp. vinegar • 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce • 2 tbsp. mustard • 1 tbsp. brown sugar • 3/4 bottle ketchup Cook onion and green

pepper with meat until brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for 30 minutes.

Penny Case is a lifelong resident of Wellington who loves to cook and share recipes. Send recipes to her at 22 Johns St., Wellington, OH 44090.

Call Today for Kitchens and Baths Customized to Meet Your Needs.

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Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Neos Dance and OberlinKids 'Leap! into Literacy' A new kindergarten readiness program called "Leap! into Literacy" has been created for 2020 by Neos Dance Theatre and OberlinKids.

It is designed to combine storytime and movement activities to promote physical fitness and literacy.

The program is free for boys and girls ages two to five.

"Leap! into Literacy" will be presented by Gwen LeBar Feldman, director of education and outreach at Neos, and Laura Slocum, parent representative for OberlinKids and a nationallycertified, state-licensed speechlanguage pathologist with nearly 20 years of experience.

“This program combines two of my favorite activities

— dancing and reading — and I cannot wait to help pre-K students explore beautiful stories through movement,” said LeBar Feldman.

“It brings together two of our goals to increase literacy programming for children and caregivers as well as to provide more free or low-cost recreational opportunities to encourage

physical activity through play," said Jenn Keathley, director of OberlinKids.

Classes will be held from 1010:45 a.m. on Tuesdays, Jan. 7 to Feb. 25 at the Neos Center for Dance, 39 South Main St., Oberlin.

Each class has been designed as an individual drop-in class with adult participation required.

Participants may take one class, a few classes or all eight.

They are free of charge and have been made possible by Neos Center for Dance and grant funding through OberlinKids.

Registration is preferred. Limited spots are available. Register at www.neosdancetheatre.org/ neoscenterfordance or call 440252-2779.

AMHERST CHURCH DIRECTORY All Amherst-area churches are invited to post service times in the News-Times. Send your listing to us via email at news@lcnews papers.com.

• Grow Point, 780 Cooper Foster Park Rd., has Sunday services at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

• St. Joseph Catholic Church, 200 St. Joseph Dr., has Masses at 4 p.m Saturdays (St. Joseph Church, Amherst); 5:30 p.m. Saturdays (Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, South Amherst); 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m., and 5 p.m. Sundays (St. Joseph); 9 a.m. Mondays (St. Joseph); 8 a.m. Tuesdays (Nativity); 7 p.m. Thursdays (St. Joseph); and 9 a.m. Fridays (St. Joseph).

• St. Paul Lutheran Church, 115 Central Dr., has traditional worship services each Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and informal services at 11 a.m. Sunday school and Bible study begin at 9:45 a.m. Nursery care is available during worship services and Bible study. Com-

munity prayer box and dog station available.

• Good Shepherd Baptist Church, 1100 Cleveland Ave., has Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and worship services at 11 a.m. each Sunday.

Bible study for all ages is at 9:45 a.m. on Sundays. Bible class is at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• Faith Baptist Church, 440 North Lake St., has Sunday school for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and worship service at 10:45 a.m. Nursery care is available during both.

Ablaze Youth Group meets at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• New Beginnings Church of Christ, 591 Washington St., has Bible classes for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. A training room class for ages two to four and junior worship for kindergarten through fifth grade is available.

• St. John’s United Church of Christ, 204 Leonard St., South Amherst, has worship at 9 a.m. each Sunday. Sunday school for

children is held during the service.

• Freedom House, 1240 Park Ave., has services at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays and 7 p.m. on Thursdays.

Prayer meetings are held at noon on Wednesdays.

• Amherst Church of the Nazarene, 210 Cooper Foster Park Rd., has Bible classes for all ages at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. A prayer service is held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Next Step services are held at 6 p.m. on Saturdays.

• Trinity Evangelical Free Church, 46485 Middle Ridge Rd., has a traditional Sunday worship service at 9 a.m. and a contemporary service at 10:45 a.m. There is children’s programming during both services. Grades six to 12 meet at 9 a.m. only. Summit (young adults ages 18 to 30) meets from 7-9 p.m. on Thursdays at the church.

• Eversprings Missionary Baptist Church, 49536 Middle Ridge Rd., has Sunday school at 10 a.m.,

Sunday worship at 11 a.m., and Sunday evening services at 6 p.m.

Wednesday services are at 6 p.m.

• Heritage Presbyterian Church, 515 North Leavitt Rd., has Sunday service at 10:30 a.m.

• South Amherst First United Methodist Church, 201 West Main St., offers a contemporary worship service at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday.

• Elyria Zion United Methodist Church, 43720 Telegraph Rd., Amherst Township, offers a traditional service at 9 a.m. each Sunday.

• Cornerstone Community Church, 111 South Lake St., has Sunday service at 10:30 a.m.

Wednesday service is at 6:30 p.m.

• Community Congregational United Church of Christ, 379 South Main St., has Sunday worship and Sunday school for ages three and up at 10 a.m. Nursery care is provided for those three and under. Communion is offered the first Sunday of every month.

• St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, 582 Church St., has Sun-

day worship service and church school at 10 a.m.

• A Fresh Wind Church, 1115 Milan Ave., has Sunday worship service at 10 a.m. and Solomon’s Porch youth ministry at 6 p.m.

• Amherst United Methodist Church, 396 Park Ave., has Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. For information, call 440-988-8330 or visit www.amherstchurches. org.

• Old Stone Evangelical Church, 553 South Main St., has adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. Sundays. A free community supper is offered from 5-7 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month. A free community breakfast is served from 8:30-10 a.m. the second Saturday of each month. Carryouts are available at either meal.

• Brownhelm United Church of Christ, 2144 North Ridge Rd., worships each Sunday at 11 a.m.

Sunday school for children is held during the service.

OBERLIN CHURCH DIRECTORY All Oberlin-area churches are invited to post service times in the News-Tribune. Send your listing to us via email at news@ lcnewspapers.com.

• Oberlin Unitarian Universalist Fellowship meets at 355 East Lorain St. at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays for worship. Childcare is available.

• Peace Community Church, 44 East Lorain St., has worship at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The first Sunday of each month is Communion Sunday and there is a potluck lunch after the service.

There is Sunday school for ages five to 12 during worship and nursery care available for infants through age four. A peace vigil is held at noon on Saturday on Tappan Square.

• Park Street Seventh-day Adventist Church, 99 South Park St., has Sabbath school at 9:30 a.m. followed by worship at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Prayer meetings are held at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays via the prayer line (details on the church website).

The first Sabbath each month is Friends and Family Day with a vegetarian potluck lunch after service. Visit www.parkstreetsda.org for more information.

• Christ Episcopal Church, 162 South Main St., holds Sunday services of the Holy Eucharist at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. Adult

Christian formation is held at 9:15 a.m. on Sundays. The Holy Eucharist is celebrated on Wednesdays at 8 a.m. Adult choir rehearsals are at 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

• Grace Lutheran Church, 310 West Lorain St., holds worship service and Sunday school at 10 a.m. on Sundays followed by fellowship and adult Bible study at 11:40 a.m.

• Sacred Heart Church, 410 West Lorain St., has a vigil Mass at 4 p.m. on Saturdays; Sunday Mass at 10:30 a.m.; and weekday Masses at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and 8:45 a.m. Fridays.

• The First Church in Oberlin, United Church of Christ, 106 North Main St., has Sunday worship at 10 a.m. with communion the first Sunday of each month.

Childcare provided. Children’s church is at 10:15 a.m. Sunday school will be held for all ages at 11 a.m. For weekly information, visit www.firstchurchoberlin.org.

• The Empty Field Buddhist Community, 5 South Main St., Suite 212, meets at 8:30 a.m. on Sundays. Meetings include two 25-minute meditation periods and book study until 10:30 a.m.

For more information, contact John Sabin at 440-574-1570 or jwsabin@gmail.com.

• First United Methodist Church, 45 South Professor St.,

has adult Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. with infant care available.

• Christ Temple Apostolic Church, 370 West Lincoln St., has free hot breakfast from 8:30-9:30 a.m. on Sundays with Sunday prayer from 9-9:30 a.m.

Sunday Academy is at 9:30 a.m. with classes for preschool to adults, followed by concession and refreshments. Worship and children’s church is at 11 a.m.

Tuesday Bible study is at 7 p.m.

Wednesday prayer is from noon to 1 p.m. First Friday prayer is from 7-8 p.m. Prison ministry at Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton is at 6 p.m. on the third Sunday of each month. For transportation, call pastor Laurence Nevels at 440-774-1909.

• Pittsfield Community Church has Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m. There is a new Mothers of Preschool children’s group. For more information, call 440-774-2162.

• Rust United Methodist Church meets Sundays with a free community breakfast at 9 a.m., church school for all ages at 9:30 a.m., and worship at 11 a.m. A noon prayer service is held each Wednesday. Sparrow Bible Study is held Wednesdays at 7 p.m., 133 Smith St. Gospel Choir practices at 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays.

• House of Praise International

Church meets at 11 a.m. each Sunday at Oberlin High School with a service as well as children and youth ministries. For details, visit www.hopchurch.org.

• Mount Zion Baptist Church, 185 South Pleasant St., has the Church at Study service at 9:30 a.m. Sundays with the Church at Worship at 10:30 a.m. The Church at Prayer is held at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• Calvary Baptist Church, 414 South Main St., has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. with children’s church for preschool through third grade. Bible study is held at 6 p.m. on Sundays, with teens meeting at 7:15 p.m. Wednesday is family night with Men of Action Bible study, Women of Faith Bible study, and teen and JOY Club meetings at 6:30 p.m.

• East Oberlin Community Church has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and Sunday worship at 11 a.m. A friends and family meal is held at noon on the last Sunday of each month; take a dish to share. Pastor Chris Vough has office hours at 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, followed by Bible study at 6 p.m. For more information, call 440-774-3443.

• Life Builders Foursquare Church meets at the pastor’s residence, 43 East Vine St. Sunday praise and worship starts at 11 a.m. Men’s Bible study is at

7 p.m. on Tuesdays. A women’s meeting is held twice each month on Sunday after church.

• Oberlin Missionary Alliance Church, 125 South Pleasant St., holds Sunday school for children and adults at 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning worship begins at 10:45 a.m. Weekly workshop begins with Wednesday prayer services at noon and Bible studies at 7 p.m. with pastor Lester Allen.

• Oberlin Friends (Quakers) meet for worship from 10:3011:30 a.m. each Sunday in the education center at Kendal at Oberlin, 600 Kendal Dr. • Glorious Faith Tabernacle, 45637 East Hamilton St., has services Sundays at 11 a.m. with pastors Allan and Rochelle Carter. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m. Intercessory prayer is held at 6 p.m. on Tuesdays with Bible study at 7 p.m.

• Green Pastures Baptist Church, 12404 Leavitt Rd., has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship service on Sundays at 11 a.m. A Sunday evening service is held at 6 p.m.

• The Kipton Community Church, 511 Church St., has Sunday services at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 am. with youth Sunday school at 10:45 a.m. Communion is the first Sunday of the month. The church food pantry is open every Tuesday from 6-7:30 p.m. for our area.

WELLINGTON CHURCH DIRECTORY All Wellington-area churches are invited to post service times in the Enterprise. Send your listing to us via email at news@ lcnewspapers.com.

• Awakening Church, 311 Maple St., has service at 10:30 a.m. each Sunday. For more information, call 419-681-6753.

• First United Methodist Church, 127 Park Place, has worship at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays with Sunday school for all ages at 9:30 a.m. Contemporary services are at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. Caregivers Support Group meets at 2 p.m. on the first Monday of each month.

Free community meals are offered from 5-6 p.m. on the last Monday of each month. Choir rehearsal is from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

• St. Patrick Church, 512 North Main St., has Masses at 6 p.m.

Saturday and 8:15 a.m. Sunday.

Weekday Masses are at 8:45 a.m. Monday and 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday. For more information, call 440-647-4375.

• Fellowship Church, 44777 St. Rt. 18, Wellington, has Sunday worship at 10 a.m. with kids’ classes. Wednesday night group study and Foundation Youth ministry meets at 7 p.m.

• First Congregational United Church of Christ, 140 South Main St., has Sunday service at 10 a.m. The first Sunday of each month is family worship and communion.

• Camden Baptist Church, 17901 St. Rt. 511, Camden Township, has Sunday school at 9 a.m. and worship at 10:15 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. AWANA and “Ignite” (junior and senior high), meet at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesdays. Adult prayer meeting and Bible study begin at 7 p.m. on Wednesdays. A nursery

is provided for Sunday services.

• Brighton United Methodist Church has Sunday worship at 11 a.m. Bible study is held at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays. For more information, call 440-828-0773.

• Rochester United Methodist Church has Sunday worship at 9 a.m.

• Wellington Freewill Baptist Church, 205 Woodland St., has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. Sunday evening services are held at 6 p.m. and Wednesday services are at 7 p.m.

• United Church of Huntington, 26677 Rt. 58, has Sunday services at 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., as well as Sunday school classes for all ages at 9:30 a.m.

Nursery care is available during worship services and the Sunday school hour.

• Lincoln Street Chapel, 139 Lincoln St., has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m.

• New Life Assembly of God, 108 West St., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:30 a.m. A Wednesday evening family night at 7 p.m. includes Bible study, youth group, girls ministries, and Royal Rangers.

• Penfield Community Church, 40775 St. Rt. 18, has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. Kidz Klubhouse for children and Fusion for youth will be held from 6:30-8 p.m. on Sundays.

• Bethany Lutheran Church, 231 East Hamilton St., has Sunday worship at 10:15 a.m. with Sunday school and adult Bible class at 9 a.m. For more information, call 440-647-3736.

• First Baptist Church, 125 Grand Ave., has Sunday school at 9:30 a.m. and worship at 10:45 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Sundays. The 24/7 Youth Group meets at 6:30 p.m. on Wednes-

days at the youth barn. Children’s programs and adult prayer meeting and Bible study are at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at the church.

A nursery is provided for all services.

• Christ Community Church, 212 West Herrick Ave., has Sunday school at 10 a.m. and worship at 11 a.m. For more information, call 440-647-7641.

• Brighton Congregational Church, 22086 State Rt. 511, has Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. and worship service at 11 a.m.

• Pittsfield Community Church has Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m. There is a new Mothers of Preschool children’s group. For more information, call 440-774-2162.

• Angels Unaware Bible study is held at 7 p.m. on Mondays at the LCCC Wellington Center. It provides a study from Genesis to Revelation. For more information, call 419-681-6753.

INSIDE: HOLIDAY HOCKEY WINS FOR COMETS • B3

AMHERST NEWS-TIMES THURSDAY, JAN. 2, 2020 • SERVING AMHERST SINCE 1919

$36M sewer TOP STORIES OF 2019 could revive Powers construction quarry plans

1

JASON HAWK EDITOR

A $36 million sewer line could finally move plans forward for development of the former Cleveland Quarries.

South Amherst Mayor David Leshinski was sworn in last Tuesday for a second term, with State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, doing the honors.

After finishing the oath of office, Leshinski dove right away into a discussion of what will likely be his biggest thrust this year.

Negotiations are underway between South Amherst, Amherst Township and the Firelands Board of Education for creation of a Tax Increment Financing district.

It would pave the way for some 90 luxury homes, priced at $1 million or more each, to be built on the old sandstone quarry property north of State Route 113.

“I think the They're being pitched as sewer line is summer vacation houses definitely a and second homes for the super-wealthy. game-changer Plans also call for a hotel for western and spa to be built in AmLorain County.” herst Township.

"If we go back in history, Mike Von Gunten it was going to be a resort.

Firelands Well, it's not going to be a Superintendent resort anymore," Leshinski said.

In 2004, a British firm called Trans European Securities International announced a $1.25 billion plan to transform the nearly 1,000-acre site into a resort. It would have included a glass-domed beach, ski slopes, hotels, shopping and equestrian trails.

That never materialized, but Industrial Realty Group scooped up the land in 2007 for about $20 million.

The California-based company's plans to build mansions there also stalled amid the 2009-2010 recession, but has never been abandoned.

"They have a lot of money tied up in this. They don't want to see it just sit there," said Leshinski.

A TIF would allow nearby governments to split property tax revenues and offer incentives to IRG. That deal is still being negotiated.

It hangs on a vote by the Firelands school board.

District Superintendent Mike Von Gunten said a 30year TIF has been discussed.

It would involve partnering with Lorain County to run a sewer line from the lakeshore down Baumhart Road and eventually into the former quarry property.

"I think the sewer line is definitely a game-changer for western Lorain County," Von Gunten said.

The Board of Education is getting closer to a decision, with a vote likely in January or February, he said.

If the project moves forward, Firelands would keep collecting the same amount in property taxes. "We're not going to lose anything. We have the potential to gain. The potential is there for some substantial development," he said.

But it needs to be sustainable, "not just development for the sake of development," said Von Gunten.

The majority of tax dollars in play go to the school system, said Amherst Township Trustee Dennis Abraham.

There are few other options for getting sewers to the rural area near the quarries, he said, and the large line QUARRIES PAGE B2

Teacher aide passes away

Jennifer Werner, a beloved teacher aide at Amherst Steele High School, died Dec. 21 after a battle with cancer.

In November, students raised more than $2,100 for her family by selling paper links, creating a chain that stretched more than 300 feet through the main hallway at Steele.

Werner dedicated her career to the Amherst Schools, working with Jennifer Werner children who have special needs. She spent 14 years in classrooms across the district, working the past decade with special education teacher Colleen Walker.

Her co-workers used the slogan "Comets don't let friends fight cancer alone" to rally around Werner in her final months. Through it all, Werner asked time and again to return to the classroom. "She wants to be with her kids," Steele Principal Joe Tellier told us during her long battle.

A new $31.5 million school will open next week for Amherst kids in preschool through third grade.

We followed the progress made by construction crews through the year, from clearing the land where Harris Elementary once stood on South Lake Street to laying the foundation, building the walls, running utilities, painting and furnishing rooms.

"There's so much space. The big space everywhere — it's massive," kindergarten teacher Kayla Syrowski said during one tour of the site, comparing it to the limited space she had at the old Powers building on Washington Street.

The building encompasses 119,000 square feet. Each grade level has 11 classrooms.

The school boasts large windows that flood learning spaces with natural light. Everywhere you look, there are bright reds, yellows, blues and greens.

The project did not move forward without a few hitches.

The original plan had been to open the building in August 2019. That was pushed back for a January opening.

The delay saved the district about $200,000, which Superintendent Steven Sayers said would be used for furnishings and technology.

A partial wall collapse early in construction caused alarm. It happened as the gymnasium was being built, and luckily no one was hurt.

An overnight water leak in early November again caused headaches at the South Lake Street construction site.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times Just days before it was supposed to be ready for ocDuring a field trip visit, students climb a rainbow cupancy, a faucet in a second-floor classroom ruptured, staircase from the cafeteria to the third and secsending a jet of water out the door and cascading down ond grade area of the new Powers Elementary POWERS PAGE B2 School.

2

55 years for Robinson

Martin Robinson felt no need to apologize for shooting Amherst police officer J.R. Ptacek.

The Sheffield Lake man sat blank-faced in handcuffs as he was sentenced in March to 55 years behind bars.

"I'm not going to sit here and say I showed any remorse for the so-called victims or victim," Robinson said. "If someone came to his house and did what he did, I'm sure he would feel just like I did. It's human nature."

The shooting capped off a 12-hour SWAT standoff at Robinson's home. He was wanted on weapons warrants out of Cuyahoga County and refused to surrender.

SWAT decided to send a robot into the home. When Ptacek, an Amherst officer who served on the SWAT team, broke down the door, Robinson opened fire.

A jury convicted Robinson for aggravated attempted murder and attempted murder.

Lorain County Common Pleas Judge Chris Cook could have given a prison sentence of up to 126 years.

The sentence reflected 18 years specifically for Ptacek, and additional time for other officers who were shot at.

Ptacek spent a month in the hospital, recovering from what appeared to be a career-ending bullet wound in his abdomen.

He refused to be sidelined, and after surgeries and therapy was cleared to return to active duty this fall.

3

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Martin Robinson does not demonstrate remorse at his sentencing for shooting Amherst police officer J.R. Ptacek during a SWAT response at his Sheffield Lake home.

New life for Central

It felt like crawling through a cave when we toured the long-abandoned Central School three years ago.

The walls were wet and rough. Waterlogged floorboards curled up like skeletal ribs. There were dripping sounds and broken glass. It was pitch-black on the first floor.

What a difference $9.5 million can make.

Using $3 million in state historical tax credits, Sprenger Health Care Systems slowly brought the 112-year-old building back life.

Now the 56,000-square-foot facility, renamed The 1907 at Central School, has been transformed into luxury living suites, complete with a swanky bar, a soda shop and business spaces.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times The residents there "are professional Amherst's long-vacant Central School has been transformed CENTRAL PAGE B2 by Sprenger Health Care Systems into an assisted living facility.

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: NEWS@LCNEWSPAPERS.COM

Page B2

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Provided photo

South Amherst Middle School student council officers Emily Shupe, Lydia Schlecter, Amanda Dewitt and Emmarose Woods.

Firelands embraces the spirit of giving Here are just some of the ways children in the Firelands Schools have been spreading holiday spirit this season: • Student council members at South Amherst Middle School took part for the first time this year Toys for Tots.

They collected about 30 new toys in December to go to children up to age 14. The gifts included stuffed animals, dolls, puzzles, and learning toys.

• Fifteen families were given assistant via the "Adopt a Child" program through the Firelands Elementary school counseling office.

• A raffle to win a handmade ornament benefited Firelands Elementary students in need. Art teacher Cara Proehl ran the event.

• Students collected more than 60 coats, scarves, mittens, gloves, hats, sweaters and other warm clothing items in a "Coats for Kids" drive at Firelands Elementary School. It ran through Dec. 18.

• The Firelands community donated more than 400 toys to the Chronicle-Telegram's Not Forgotten Box. Thank you!

• Veterans Club members crafted Christmas cards for patients at Walter Reed Army Hospital. South Amherst Middle School students created more than 100 cards to thank veterans for their service.

• In its 42nd Annual Christmas Family project, the Firelands FFA sponsored 12 kids from six families, raising in excess of $1,100 to buy gifts.

The Mike Cornwell family and graduates Alex Sabine and Katy Tuggle each sponsored a child and purchased all of their needed and wanted gifts. Two students suffering long-term illness also received gift cards from the FFA to assist their families.

QUARRIES

FROM B1 being considered would create opportunities for commercial development up and down Baumhart Road.

"I think it's a risk that's worth taking and I'm hopeful the Firelands school district sees it in that context and takes that risk," Abraham said.

"I think it's best for the whole community. Sewers are desperately needed for future growth."

IRG's residential community would likely be gated, which means the company would take care of its own roads at no cost to the township, he said.

Abraham said he's optimistic about the project, as long as the TIF doesn't divert any money from the township's fire and EMS levies.

Leshinski sees only benefits from IRG development.

He said sewers would revolutionize life in South Amherst.

Everyone who lives in the village uses a septic system, including the mayor. "If I had the possibility of tying in, I'd start digging the trench tomorrow," he said.

The IRG project would also likely bring more restaurants, hotels and homes to the western half of the county, said Leshinski.

"It would be a catalyst, I think, to have that there," he said. "Avon is exploding. North Ridgeville is exploding.

Things are migrating to the west of Cleveland."

But he also views development as a matter of survival for the small village.

South Amherst suffered a near death blow when former clerk Kimberly Green stole $677,000 from the village treasury to buy lottery tickets between 2013 and 2015.

The ripple effects are still being felt. Voters just passed a fire levy this fall that Fire Chief Al Schmitz said would have been unnecessary if Green hadn't stolen from the safety forces fund.

Officials are now staring down the barrel of the impending closure of South Amherst Middle School, which is being replaced by a new facility at Firelands' Henrietta Township campus. The closure will mean a huge income tax hit for the village.

Abraham said he understands why some might oppose changes to life in what has always been a rural area of the county.

But he believes progress is needed.

"If you're not growing, you're going backwards, the way I look at it. You can't survive in the future by trying to live in the past," he said.

CENTRAL

FROM B1 people just like you and me. Maybe they don't want to cook for themselves or maybe they want to live next door to a bar," said company president Michael Sprenger.

The old classrooms have been converted into 40 residential units, all named for jazz and big band artists such as Glenn Miller and Ella Fitzgerald.

School shooting drill

Rifle shots rang out loudly in the hallways of Amherst Junior High School this September as a lone gunman sprinted through the hallways.

Within minutes, school police officer Brian Bowers had the shooter on the floor.

National Guard Sgt. Dan Smith lay there panting, bleeding from a fake wound, an AR-15 within arm's reach.

The scenario was a drill — a practice exercise for police, firefighters, EMTs and school personnel — but it was hauntingly realistic.

In his brief reign of terror, Smith had managed to "kill" four people played by teachers, and seriously "wound" 19 others.

Even prepared for the mock shooting, teachers were stunned by how fast and violently the scenario played out. "One of two things happens. People either freeze or they fight back," said Christina Adkins, emergency management liaison for the Cleveland Clinic.

Her makeup was part of the shock.

Adkins and other "victims" wore fairly realistic prosthetic wounds and were covered in sugary red "blood."

Long minutes dragged by as firefighters and medics entered the

5

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

SWAT team members move from room to room inside Amherst Junior High School during a mock shooting drill. building, assessing the wounded and moving on. Wearing bulletproof vests and helmets, their job was to find who could be saved and leave treatment to those who followed.

The wounded were carried or wheeled to ambulances. Some were taken to the junior high soccer field,

where a LifeFlight helicopter landed.

Amherst police Lt. Dan Makruski, who organized the drill, said it was intended to reveal gaps in coordination between emergency response agencies. He said a great deal was learned that can help improve the way a real-life shooting would be handled.

New Firelands school

After a year of delays, design work has finally started on Firelands’ new high school.

Voters approved a 4.28-mill bond issue in November 2018 to raise nearly $30 million for construction.

But approval of the state’s $5.3 million share of the project held up the project for 13 months.

BSHM Architects met with residents and teachers in early December to begin planning the new school, which will be built on Vermilion Road in Henrietta Township.

The 106,000-square-foot building will be attached to the existing Firelands High, which in turn will be partially remodeled for grades 6-8.

The two schools will share some amenities, such as the cafeteria.

Superintendent Mike Von Gunten has said the building will have few frills. “The budget will be tight, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

There won’t be a swimming pool, a field house or an auditorium. And rising materials costs due to trade hostilities with China and other countries are likely to keep the project modest.

Design work is expected to contin-

6

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Amherst News-Times

Steve Manheim | Chronicle

John Orsini, lead architect with BSHM Architects, speaks at a Dec. 5 visioning meeting at Firelands High School. ue through 2020. Construction could start this fall, with the new facility ready for the 2022-2023 school year.

At that time, South Amherst Middle School will close.

David Leshinski, mayor of South Amherst, said just before Christmas

that he wants the old school to have a second life.

Inspired by the revival of the former Central School in Amherst, he believes SAMS can be renovated and used by a business that will provide tax revenue to the village.

City sells power lines

A deal to sell Amherst’s 69-kilovolt electrical transmission lines was struck this summer.

Valued at around $9 million, the sale will give American Municipal Power Transmission ownership of the lines that shuttle electricity around the city.

In return, Amherst will get a second main power feed into the city. Right now, there’s just one — and its failure in May 2018 led to a 13-hour citywide blackout.

Officials have wanted a second feed for decades but have never been able to afford it.

Dan Cwalina, president of the Amherst Community Improvement Corporation, estimated the cost of

a second electrical feed at $837,392 per year for 20 years.

But by partnering with AMP, the price drops to $1,935 per year, said

Cwalina.

That amounts to about 14 cents per year for the average customer using 1,000 kilowatts each month.

The deal was too good to pass up, said Mayor Mark Costilow.

“It means more stable electricity,” he said. “Once this project is done, it takes away the fear of most of the issues that could cause outages for days.”

Costilow hopes the second feed will draw more commercial and industrial businesses to Amherst.

He said agents who call scouting for new locations on behalf of big businesses have been turned off as soon as they learn there is just one line pumping electricity into the city.

— was stripped and rebuilt with new materials.

The damage was covered by the builder's insurance at no expense to the school system.

At last, teachers were able to move into their new digs just before winter

break. We caught up with many as they excitedly decorated and unboxed materials.

A dedication ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 5.

The public is invited to attend an open house

through 6 p.m.

Demolition of the 67-year-old Powers is expected to start with abatement of asbestos and other hazardous materials in late January or early February.

Tear-down could begin at the end of March.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Ed Tatum of American Municipal Power Transmission listens as Amherst city council members debate the sale of electrical lines

POWERS

FROM B1 the main stairwell.

The water damaged five classrooms, including one stocked with mobile storage units.

Everything that was water damaged — the floors, drywall, carpet, a large portion of the stage, cabinets

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

LED BY LEWIS

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

Senior guard Faith Lewis, above under pressure from Firelands’ Lexy Coggins and Bella Simmons, picked up a huge 23 points on the way to a 55-41 Comets win over their neighboring nonconference rivals from Firelands last week. The Amherst girls found their stride in the second quarter — the game was never in question after that, though the Falcons did make an impressive final stand. Amaya Staton had 15 points for the Comets.

Girls Basketball Roundup

• Lexy Alston's 12 points weren't enough to propel Amherst to victory. The team fell 31-35 to Perry in the Mentor Holiday Tournament.

Anna Cairns had eight points and Faith Lewis had seven.

The Comets were held to single digits in every period but the first, totaling just 13 in the second half.

• Mentor dismantled the Amherst defense during the tournament, winning 52-33.

Faith Lewis had 12 points for the Comets and Lexy Alston had eight.

The Comets trailed by just one after the first period of play — then faced disaster as Mentor topped them 18-3 in the second to build an insurmountable lead.

BIG COMEBACK

Amherst News-Times

Page B3

Parma opener ends with mercy rule Only one period was needed for the Comets to establish dominance in the Parma Redmen Holiday Hockey Tournament.

Amherst methodically unleashed seven goals on poor Mayfield in the first period alone. Joey Kramer picked up his hat trick early.

The game ended at 10-0 on a mercy rule.

The Wildcats managed to fire off seven shots on goal the entire game, all deflected by Amherst goalie Brady Grove.

The Comets responded with 23.

Kevin Bluffestone had 12 saves for Mayfield.

Scoring for Amherst were Nick Ciura (2), Thomas Hall (2), Bela Farlow, Nathan Harmych, and Jacob Kramer.

Steve Manheim / Chronicle

Amherst's Joey Kramer shoots by Mayfield's Patrick Duffy in the Parma tourney opener on Thursday, Dec. 26.

Kramer bros. are unstoppable The Parma holiday tournament trophy went to the Comets after a 6-0 championship blowout over the Redmen at Ries Ice Rink.

Amherst's Joey Kramer scored a hat trick — his third in the four-game tournament — and added three assists.

Taking an assist from his brother, Jacob, Kramer slid the puck past Parma goalie Colin Pinson just 51 seconds into play.

Amherst didn't score again until the second period, where the Kramers teamed up on three more goals.

The third period saw Thomas Hall add a final Comets goal to the tally on a power play.

Goalie Brady Grove stopped 16 shots in the Steve Manheim / Chroncle opposite direction for Amherst's Jacob Kramer gets a shot off before Parma's Raiven Ignacio the shutout. can stop him.

BEST-SELLING AUTHORS

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

The Firelands defense snatched a 66-62 victory from the jaws of defeat last week, recovering from an 11-point deficit in the third quarter to top non-conference rival Amherst. The Comets had shot ahead after forcing a slew of turnovers and tried to play out the clock, but the Falcons had other ideas, going on a 13-point streak. Missed shots in the final stanza killed Amherst. For the Comets, Ty Weatherspoon ended the night with 12 points, trailing Kyle Ferguson, who had 16.

Firelands' Jackson Talbott put up 14 points and Jacob Schmitz racked up 19. ABOVE: Firelands' Casey Kelley starts a fast break against Amherst.

BELOW: Amherst's Christian Pfeiffer shoots over Firelands' Mitchell Hodges.

Winter reading program

An adult winter reading program will run from Monday, Jan. 6 through Friday, Feb. 14 at the Amherst Public Library.

Read books to receive small prizes and grand prize drawing entries. One small prize per visit. For more information, call 440-988-4230.

ACROSS 1. Fresh talk 5. Jet follower 8. Sherlock Holmes’ assignment 12. U in I.C.U. 13. Tiny river 14. Fires 15. Weather ____ 16. *”How to Make an American Quilt” author 17. Distinguishing feature 18. *Master of legal thriller 20. “Sittin’ on the Dock of the Bay” singer 21. Keyboard key 22. G, in solfa 23. *Master of Western fiction 26. Flavorful rice dish, pl.

30. Former name of Tokyo 31. Broadcasting devices 34. Whiskey without water 35. Dried fruit and spices, in a pie 37. Member of Shoshonean people 38. Discombobulate 39. Drawn to light 40. Young traveler’s inn 42. “____ it or lose it!”

43. Hindu spiritual retreat, pl.

45. Chase away 47. Philosophical system 48. Single-cell protozoan 50. Home on a limb 52. *James Bond creator 54. Cafe option 55. Site of Taj Mahal 56. First queen of Carthage 59. Goes up or down 60. Jiffs 61. What accomplices do 62. 2 aspirin, e.g.

63. Old college one 64. Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday DOWN 1. Blazer or Explorer 2. Baptist leader?

3. *”I ____ The Body Electric”

by Whitman or Bradbury 4. Sound setup 5. Like a ballerina 6. “I do” spot 7. Thieve 8. *Master of romance and

particularly prolific 9. Palm tree berry 10. Sleigh runners 11. Is, in Paris 13. Podium 14. Counter seat 19. Habituate 22. Female sib 23. Helping theorem 24. Bye, in Castile 25. Calendar unit of time 26. *William Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss 27. Sick and tired 28. Wrong answer adjective 29. *Her every novel was a best-seller 32. Abbott and Costello, Rocky and Bullwinkle, etc.

33. “____ all fun and games...”

36. *Master of detective novel 38. “My wife can vouch for me,” e.g.

40. Expression of doubt 41. Swellings 44. Daisy-like bloom 46. Summer shoe 48. *Master of the dime novel 49. Bryan Stevenson’s “Just ____” 50. Brussels’ org.

51. JFK or ORD postings 52. Like Usain Bolt 53. Hurtful remark 54. Dropped drug 57. Bear’s hibernation place 58. Pro baseball’s “Master Melvin”

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Page B4

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Amherst News-Times

© 2019 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 36, No. 4

Work with a family member to replace the missing words in this article.

deg ree

What is the T-Rex called?

This much smaller T-Rex is called Suskityrannus.

Suski comes from the Zuni Native American word for “coyote” and the Latin word “tyrannus” which means king. Combined, the name would be “Coyote King.” Do you think this is a good name?

Where was this fossil found?

details

muscles f Schinkel, Graphics

skeletons complete

Vo

The fossil for the Suskityrannus was found

by Sterling Nesbitt when he was just 16 years old! He was on a school dig trip in the Zuni Basin of western New Mexico.

y g That was 20 years ago.

At first, scientists thought the fossil Nesbitt discovered was a velociraptor. New research has determined that is actually a cousin of the T-Rex—which is the news!

A Dinosaur Named Sue Photo: Hazel Wolfe

Are you an eagle-eyed paleontologist?

Whenn paleontologists go on a dig to find fossilized dinosaur bones, they have to be very observant. What looks like a small stick, might actually be a dinoosaur bone! As they dig, they don’t want to dig too fast or they might breakk a buried bone. It takes being an eagle-eyed paleontologist to do it right.

Most of Sue’s bones are in excellent condition and have a high ___________ of surface detail. 67 million years after her death, it is still possible to see fine ____________ showing where __________ , tendons and other soft tissues rested against, or attached to, the bone.

How many m bones can you find on this page in two minuttes? Have a friend try.Who found the most bones?

How w big was the Suskityrannus?

20 15

The Kid Scoop book for puzzle lovers!

10 5

I am:

❑ taller ❑ shorter than the Suskityrannus.

The Suuskityrannus weighed between 45 to 90 pounds.

This is way less than the T-Rex which weighed around 9 tons!

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Paleontologists in Nebraska discovered

the remains of mammals that were more than 11 million years old. These animals had died at a watering hole following a massive volcanic eruption in what is now the state of Idaho.

Color each odd-numbered square red and each even-numbered square yellow to find out how many miles from the volcano the Nebraska fossil site is located.

5 7 3 1 5 7 9 7 3 9 7 5 1 3 3 7 4 5 8 4 2 5 4 8 2 7 2 8 4 7 1 6 7 2 9 8 9 2 3 6 5 4 5 6 1 7 2 1 4 7 6 7 4 7 2 3 8 9 2 7 9 8 7 2 6 4 1 8 4 8 7 4 2 8 1 7 5 7 3 5 7 3 7 5 7 9 7 3 9 5 Standards Link: Life Science: Some kinds of animals that once lived on Earth have disappeared and some resemble others that are alive today.

Since then, only a handful of ________________ that are more than half complete have been discovered.

In 1990, researchers discovered the bones of a T. rex they named Sue. Sue’s skeleton was 90 percent complete.

Sue is the largest, most ___________ and best preserved T. rex ever found.

Use your y eagle-eyes! Find and circle the fossils below buried in thee layers of rock and sediment at right.

It wass about 3 feet tall and 9 feet long from nose to tail.

The first T. rex specimen was found in the year 1900.

Observation Game

Look at a photograph in today’s newspaper for 15 seconds. Observe as many details as you can. Cover the picture and write down the details you remember. How many did you get?

A great gift idea! Order from your local bookstore,Target.com, BarnesandNoble.com or Amazon.com today!

Standards Link: Research: Use the newspaper to locate information.

Find the words in the puzzle.

OBSERVANT How many of them can you find on this page?

CAREFULLY DINOSAUR T N A V R E S B O R TYRANNUS Y T I D A S C N U Y DETAIL R T Y G E O T A R I FOSSIL COYOTE A F L N Y T S G A K BONES N E O O B O A N D S EAGLE N B T S N I F I N U SUSKI U E N I S U G K L S LATIN S S D R N I T A L E KING FAST C A R E F U L L Y X DIG Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical BIG words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

This week’s word:

OBSERVANT

The adjective observant means quick to take notice.

The bone in the sand was spotted by the observant student.

Try to use the word observant in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family.

Front Page Leads

Read the first paragraph of an article on the front page. Label the who, what, when and where of this news. Then write a lead paragraph about the discovery of the Suskityrannus.

ANSWER: Try to cheer him up!

Standards Link: Writing Applications: Write a narrative that develops a plot and setting and an appropriate point of view.

What is the world’s greatest treasure?

Why?

INSIDE: DOBOS HONORED BY OBERLIN ROTARY CLUB • C4

OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE THURSDAY, JAN. 2, 2020 • SERVING OBERLIN SINCE 1930

Virtual tour of new school being built JASON HAWK EDITOR

The Phoenix's home stadium is no more.

The North Pleasant Street athletic facility has now been completely torn to the ground as the Oberlin City Schools move forward with plans for a new building for preschool through fifth grade.

Land surveys are underway on the property just south of Oberlin High School, where the two-story “It will be a school will be built, Superintendent David Hall said 360 (degree) Friday. tour around "Our plans right now are being looked at by Efficienthe buildcy Smart. They'll analyze ing, showing the plans for any kind of you all the energy savings we can do in the building," he said. dimensions A virtual tour of the and what building is expected to be unveiled when the Oberlin the canopy Board of Education meets looks like.” in late January.

David Hall It will provide a look Oberlin City Schools at the exterior of the new Superintendent school. "It will be a 360 (degree) tour around the building, showing you all the dimensions and what the canopy looks like," Hall said.

The display will also be made available to the public online, he said.

Another digital tour will eventually provide a virtual walk-through of the inside of the school.

The interior design isn't quite finalized yet, however.

Hall said architects have met three times with teachers to get their feedback on how it should be laid out, and they're still gathering information about specialized areas such as the band room.

The general idea is to have classrooms roughly the same size as the ones at Eastwood Elementary, mixed with shared open spaces, said Hall.

Don't expect to see construction start until this spring.

Once the weather breaks, likely in March, they'll start preparing the site for the foundation to be poured, Hall said.

Oberlin College offers new winter term projects Twenty-nine new on-campus group projects have been added to Oberlin College's offerings for winter term during January 2020.

Led by faculty, they will increase the capacity for on-campus group project participation by 400 students, according to the college.

There will also be additional planned activities, social events, and excursions so students can engage with the community and build connections with their peers.

“We are taking steps to provide more support to students, to better connect winter term to institutional learning goals and new initiatives around career readiness, and to create more exciting on-campus opportunities,” said Renee Romano, chair of the Winter Term Committee. “These changes will serve to make Oberlin’s winter term a signature experience that will enable us to recruit more students, to build a stronger sense of community on campus, and to better prepare our students for their lives after Oberlin.”

New on-campus winter term intensives for January 2020 include: • "Bold and Cold: Winter Term Leadership."

• "Writing for Everyone: Teaching Writing to People Who Aren't Writers Yet." • "Obiewood Intensive: Script Analysis, Treatment, Pitch," which explores skills needed to tell and analyze popular screen narratives.

• "History at the Museum," which focuses on how museums educate the public and construct narratives about the past.

• "Sonic Arts in Society," which prepares for planned spring semester projects engaging Elyria Medical Center hospital system populations in creative arts-based workshops.

• "The Symphonies of Ludwig van Beethoven," celebrating the 250th anniversary of the birth of the AstroGerman composer.

TOP STORIES OF 2019

1

Gibson’s Bakery suit

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Jurors ordered Oberlin College to pay Gibson’s Bakery $44 million in combined compensatory and punitive damages.

2

GIBSON’S BAKERY PAGE C2

Finally, a new school

After a decade of debate, the Oberlin City Schools are moving forward with construction of a new PK-5 elementary building.

ThenDesign Architecture of Willoughby is designing a 41,233-square-foot school on two stories. It will be built just south of Oberlin High School on North Pleasant Street.

The building will sit on land previously used for tennis courts and the Phoenix football stadium.

Voters approved $17.76 million in local taxes for construction in November 2018.

That may sound like a lot, but not for school construction.

Board of Education President Anne Schaum said early in the year that the NEW SCHOOL PAGE C2

3

In a shocking end to one of the biggest civil trials in Lorain County history, Oberlin College was ordered to pay $44.2 million to Gibson's Bakery.

The amount was later scaled back to $25 million due to caps set by state law.

The libel suit, which resulted in a six-week trial, stemmed from student protests in November 2016 outside the West College Street bakery.

Demonstrators were upset about the arrests of three black students after a shoplifting incident.

The defense said students have a protected First Amendment right to protest.

Attorneys for the Gibson family and business successfully argued that Oberlin College played a role in the protest that crossed the line into libel.

"This lawsuit has been hard on Oberlin College and Conservatory,

A new PK-5 elementary school will be built just south of Oberlin High School.

Oberlin Crossing plan

A Westlake developer wants to transform 28 vacant acres along US Route 20 into a shopping center.

Located on the northeast corner of the Route 58 intersection, Oberlin Crossing would be anchored by a 120,000-square-foot commercial strip, according to drawings provided by Carnegie Management & Development Corporation.

It would also feature smaller buildings, including a medical office and restaurant.

After two months of debate, City Council voted in December to rezone the land as a C-3 highway commercial district. Officials said they felt the designation was consistent with nearby Walmart, Pizza Hut, Dollar Tree and other businesses.

Several residents opposed the rezoning, saying it would have negative environmental impacts.

There’s not a crowd here begging for this development,” resident Aliza Weidenbaum said. “This being CROSSING PAGE C2

This drawing provided by Carnegie Management & Development Corporation shows the proposed Oberlin Crossing shopping center on US Route 20.

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: NEWS@LCNEWSPAPERS.COM

Page C2

4

OPD TRAINING

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Oberlin News-Tribune

Global climate rally

Provided photos

The Oberlin Police Department is celebrating some recent training accomplishments. On Nov. 21-22, Ptl. Adis Kuduzovic completed a 16-hour advanced search and seizure course presented by Blue to Gold Law Enforcement Training. On Dec. 4-5, Ptl. Corey Shoemaker and Ptl. Bashshar Wiley completed a 16-hour course titled “The Ultimate Training Officer,” presented by Calibre Press.

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

(a) A delegation of Oberlin High School students carries a banner forward to the Clark Bandstand on Tappan Square as part of the global climate strike.

NEW SCHOOL

FROM C1 building would be designed to avoid long-term costs.

“Since the original buildings were constructed 60 years ago, there have been many changes in architecture, engineering, and construction materials, which has revolutionized building design,” she said. “We are committed to designing a building that will integrate all the parts of the building and surrounding landscape, which will provide superior quality while dramatically reducing costs for energy, water, and maintenance.”

The new school will include an 8,000-square-foot gymnasium, cafeteria seating for about 200 students and mounted solar panels in addition to other energyconscious features.

Environmental sustainability has been one of the district's highest priorities during the design phase. But officials said that, considering the budget, they knew there would be cost trade-offs.

A stand-alone field house, which was debated at length this fall, will not be part of the project. Architects estimated it would cost around $3.5 million.

Nor is a new stadium part of the plan — at least for now.

The Phoenix football team finished its fall season at Oberlin College. Negotiations are underway to play there again this year.

A stadium could be part of the second phase of construction, which will include a new high school. That phase has not yet been mapped out, but will rely heavily on tax revenue from the NEXUS pipeline.

On that front, NEXUS recently filed an appeal asking for its taxes to be lowered.

The appeal seeks to pay the Oberlin schools $744,000 less per year, according to numbers provided by Lorain County Auditor Craig Snodgrass. The total reduction across Lorain County would be $5.8 million.

Nearly 1,000 people gathered Friday, Sept. 20 on Tappan Square to demand more responsible environmental policy from the world’s leaders.

They joined the millions who took to the streets in 139 countries as part of a global climate strike.

They showed solidarity in German, Australia, Pakistan, Poland, Scotland — marching and chanting, they rallied ahead of an emergency United Nations summit to discuss the global warming crisis.

“We are fighting for our future,” said Sacha Brewer, president of the sustainability club at Oberlin High School. She led a delegation of about 30 OHS students in a parade to the

5

center of town, carrying a banner that said, “Change is coming whether you like it or not” and chanting “Climate change is not a lie, do not let our planet die.”

Many wore face masks to protest air quality, bearing messages such as “We Can’t Breathe.”

Faith Ward, a member of the Sunrise Oberlin student group at Oberlin College, said young people have grown tired of waiting for older generations to fix the climate problem they created.

“We’ve been demanding action from our government for years but it seems as if they don’t care,” she said.

Scientific evidence for warming of the climate system is unequivocal,

according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

NASA says evidence shows the current warming trend has been vastly accelerated by human activity since the mid-20th century.

Orbital satellites give the space agency a clear picture of what’s happening due to the heat-trapping nature of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses.

The Earth’s average surface temperature has risen about 1.62 degrees since the late 19th century, most of that gain coming in the past 35 years.

While that may not sound like much, it’s enough to have devastating effects on glaciers and wildlife across the globe.

Reservoirs’ future

CROSSING

FROM C1 the effective destruction of some green space and precious natural habitat.”

Several Council members said the shopping center would help diversify Oberlin’s economic portfolio.

They voiced concerns about Oberlin College or the Federal Aviation Administration offices shrinking.

Finance Director Sal Talarico estimated, based on numbers from Carnegie, that Oberlin Crossing could generate about $269,000 per year in taxes, including $140,000 per year for the public school system.

While the property has been rezoned, Carnegie must still gain approval for the project from the Oberlin Planning Commission.

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Kristen Horine of Environmental Design Group takes suggestions from Oberlin residents about how the city's Morgan Street reservoirs should be transformed.

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Change is coming to the 12.5-acre reservoir park on Morgan Street.

After an investigation into a water level drop in 2018, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources is cracking down on conditions at the site.

It has oversight power of the reservoirs, which are actually one large dam, according to Oberlin Public Works Director Jeff Baumann.

Here's how it works: The state can regulate dams that contain more than 50 acre feet of water, or that are more than 10 feet high.

An acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons. Think of it as enough to cover a football field a foot deep.

The Morgan Street reservoirs are just over that amount. Baumann said it was originally thought the water level or the embankments could be lowered

just enough to move them out of the ODNR's purview, but that's not feasible.

And so the city turned to residents for ideas how the reservoirs could be transformed over the next two years. In a forum at the Oberlin Public Library, residents gave engineers their ideas, which ranged from draining the reservoirs to building park features such as an observation tower or nature center.

GIBSON’S BAKERY

FROM C1

the Gibsons, our students, faculty, and staff, our town, and all who care about us," wrote college President Carmen Twillie Ambar following the decision.

"We will take this moment in our history to absorb the valuable lessons it imparts.

We also recognize that we have a great deal of work to do to heal these scars and build trust throughout our extended community."

Judge John Miraldi denied a motion by the college's attorneys seeking a mistrial.

Both the college and Gibsons have filed notice they will appeal the case to the Ninth District Court of Appeals in Akron.

Bakery owner David Gibson died Nov. 16 at age 65 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. By agreement by both parties, his diagnosis with the disease was not made public during the case.

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

6

Oberlin News-Tribune

Page C3

Federal shutdown

It may seem like ancient history now, but 2019 started with a federal government shutdown that had very real everyday consequences for Oberlin and surrounding communities.

As the result of a battle over border wall money, the shutdown started Dec. 22, 2018, and became the longest in United States history.

It ended in early February after 35 days.

During the long stretch, some 800,000 government employees across the nation received no pay.

Among them were Oberlin air traffic controllers, who still had to work — just without compensation. They reported to the Federal Aviation Administration site on Route 511 every shift, hoping they’d be retroactively paid once the shutdown was over.

They weren’t alone. Locally, workers for the TSA, federal court in Cleveland, customs agents, agriculture department staff, NASA Glenn Research Center employees, government contractors and deployed military members all faced uncertainty about how they’d cover their bills.

The shutdown also froze vouchers for Section 8 housing, and threatened

POLICE REPORTS

Graphic by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is pitted against President Donald Trump during the federal government shutdown that started 2019. food stamps benefits.

About four million Americans rely on those Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, including one out of eight residents in Lorain County.

The shutdown earned condemnation from Oberlin City Council,

which moved to give more money to social safety net organizations.

Demand for help spiked at Oberlin Community Services. A $50,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Lorain County was awarded to help local food pantries cope with demand as the shutdown ground on.

7

Hospital expansion

8

City Council election

9

Hazmat exposure

A 20,000-square-foot medical office building has opened at Merch Health Allen Hospital in Oberlin.

It adds space for family physicians and specialists and dramatically expands

the footprint of the hospital.

“For us it’s an opportunity for the primary care providers to collaborate with the specialists on a daily basis," said President Charlotte Wray.

She said Mercy Health took local health needs into account and made sure the building had all the “bells and whistles” it needed for modern care.

The expansion is the first since 1972 at the

Editor's note: Though charged, defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

LAST MEETING

Lorain Street hospital.

Built in 1925, it faced possible closure in the early 2000s.

Under Mercy, the 25bed facility has thrived. It has been designated as a critical access hospital.

A 12-way race for seven Oberlin City Council seats resulted in some turnover this fall.

Voters chose former Councilwoman Elizabeth Meadows to return and also elected newcomers Ray English and Mary Price.

Bryan Burgess, who served this past year as president of Council, was New Oberlin City Council members include Ray English, Elizabeth Meadows ineligible to run again due and Mary Price. to term limits.

Councilwoman Sharon The election resulted in seven-seat race. after the election.

Pearson opted not to seek one big shake-up — longHe served 18 years on "I absolutely was surre-election, instead focustime Councilman Ronnie Council but was not chosen prised. I didn't see it coming on a new job at The Rimbert did not make the by voters to return. "I was ing at all," he said. "And I United Way of Lorain cut, placing eighth in the hurt, I'll be honest," he said did my homework."

County.

Seven people were hospitalized in late October after emergency personnel responded to what appeared to be an overdose in the Walmart parking lot on US Route 20.

Suspect Javonte Adams, 28, of Lorain, and a police officer became unresponsive after they were exposed

10

to a mystery substance in Adams' truck.

It was the deadly opioid fentanyl, experts said right away, but later walked back that prognosis.

In the past two months, extensive testing hasn't given any conclusive answers as to what the substance was, according to Oberlin

police, A hazardous materials crew responded to the scene, donning yellow suits and blue boots and gloves while law enforcement closed the area to traffic.

Seven victims were treated at Mercy Health Allen Hospital and later released.

"The city itself was not

Roundabouts

When residents of Pyle-South Amherst Road raised concerns about speeders, Oberlin officials came up with an unconventional solution.

They had three small, tight roundabouts installed along the mile stretch.

Residents complained the straight road, where the posted speed limit is 25 mph, was being used as a drag strip.

Public works officials said stop signs, speed bumps, rumble strips, chicanes and other methods couldn't be used or wouldn't be effective for traffic calming.

Council backed the plan, voting 5-2 in June after a long period of debate to use roundabouts. Construction started in September.

"I'm not against traffic circles but I don't think they're the answer for our street," said resident Rod Knight, perhaps the most outspoken against the idea.

In November, after seeing the roundabouts in use, Knight said he remained unimpressed. "I think it's much more dangerous out here than it used to be," he said.

• Dec. 12 at 1:36 a.m.: A 16-year-old girl who allegedly smoked marijuana was taken to Mercy Health Allen Hospital for treatment.

• Dec. 12 at 7:17 p.m.: A man reportedly stole about $328 in merchandise from Walmart on US Route 20.

• Dec. 13 at 7:19 p.m.: A water bong, metal grinder and plastic baggie containing suspected marijuana were turned over to police by Oberlin College security.

• Dec. 13 at 11:40 p.m.: Kristina Bailey was charged with domestic violence.

• Dec. 14 at 2:47 a.m.: A man and woman allegedly stole nearly $93 worth of dog food from Walmart on US Route 20.

• Dec. 15 at 9:25 p.m.: Officers took a report of unauthorized use of a vehicle. It involved a woman who let her daughter borrow her car; she called police when it was not returned the same day.

• Dec. 16 at 10:45 a.m.: A 16-year-old girl overdosed on prescription medication. She was taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital for treatment.

• Dec. 17 at 4:58 p.m.: A belated theft complaint was filed by a manager at the Kendal at Oberlin re-sell thrift shop. On Dec. 22, Joyce Daughtery of Oberlin was charged with theft.

• Dec. 18 at 2:29 p.m.: Jacob Ritter was arrested on warrants through the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

• Dec. 20 at 7:30 p.m.: A glass smoking device containing suspected marijuana was turned over to police

by Oberlin College security.

• Dec. 21 at 1:26 p.m.: A glass smoking device containing suspected marijuana was turned over to police

by Oberlin College security.

• Dec. 21 at 5:16 p.m.: Tynee Cain of Oberlin was arrested on a warrant through the Ohio State Highway Patrol for failure to appear in court. The original charge with possession of marijuana.

@OCSSuper

Barry Richard's last meeting as an Oberlin Board of Education member was Tuesday, Dec. 17. Seen here with school board members Ken Stanley, Albert Borroni and Anne Schaum, he is honored for outstanding service and commitment to the district for more than 10 years.

at risk at any time," said Oberlin Fire Chief Robert Hanmer. "It was just basically the personnel who had direct contact with the patient that were having any significant symptoms or becoming symptomatic."

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 DECEMBER 26, 2019

BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT 85 SOUTH MAIN STREET JANUARY 6, 2020 ... REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 P.M. – COUNCIL CHAMBERS JANUARY 7, 2020 .... HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION – 5:00 P.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 1 JANUARY 8, 2020 ... OCIC – 8:00 A.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 1 JANUARY 9, 2020 ... OURCIT – 3:00 P.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 1 JANUARY 9, 2020 ... ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS – 4:00 P.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 2 RE: TO CONSIDERR A VARIANCE APPLCATION FOR A 5 YARD SETBACK LOCATED AT 144 FOREST STREET NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

Page C4

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Oberlin News-Tribune

Dobos is Oberlin Rotary Club's Senior of December The Oberlin Rotary Club honors a high school senior each month during the school year. These young people are recognized for character and positive attitudes. The Oberlin Rotary Club will donate $25 to a charity or project of the student’s choosing in their name.

DONNA SCHURR OBERLIN ROTARY

The Oberlin High School senior honored for the month of December is Megan Dobos.

Realizing that learning the Chinese language would benefit her goals, Dobos enrolled in Mandarin Chinese in middle school. The summer before

her freshman year, she applied and was accepted to the summer abroad study program in Beijing and Kunming through the Confucius Institute and also passed the required Chinese standardized tests in seventh and eighth grade.

She has shown remarkable progress over the four years of high school in Mandarin Chinese with a wide understanding of the culture.

Dobos is excelling in the College Credit Plus Program at Lorain County Community College. She is a committed athlete participating in tennis, cross country and track, earning varsity letters in each.

She just finished her cross

country season as senior captain and has begun her second season of indoor track.

Excelling in trumpet, Dobos is in the OHS concert and marching bands, and the Oberlin College Arts and Sciences Orchestra, a full orchestra for college students and community members. She has been involved with the marching band and pep band since her freshman year of high school. This year, Dobos played trumpet and was a squad leader and drill captain in the marching band.

As a junior, Dobos was awarded "The Instrumentalist Magazine Musicianship Award" for concert band.

Megan Dobos Outside of school, Dobos enjoys playing tennis and has been attending clinics and lessons at Oberlin College’s Philips Gym. She is a member of the Rotary Interact Club, which is the community service club of Oberlin High School.

She serves as the membership chair, regularly informs students of upcoming events and packs food every week for 160 elementary children in the BackPack program.

Dobos has a great sense of empathy and truly wants to serve her community.

She already possesses many of the qualities of a successful college student.

Personally, Dobos also provides financial support for and exchanges letters with a girl in Ecuador through Compassion International.

At the 2016 Senior Ohio Model United Nations, Dobos and her group were recognized for having an “Outstanding Resolution.”

In 11th grade, she received

an honorable mention at the Confucius Institute's Chinese Speech Contest at Cleveland State University.

At cross country conference meets in 10th through 12th grade, she placed in the top 20. She has earned Marietta College’s Distinction Scholarship. She is also eligible to receive a Trustee Scholarship Award at Lorain County Community College for two years of study.

After high school graduation, Dobos hopes to study abroad in China for an academic year. She has already been selected as a semi-finalist for the National Security Language Initiative for Youth program.

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LEGALS

DIVORCE NOTICE 19DR086772Jeffery Ross, Sr. vs. Patricia Ross Patricia Ross whose last known address was 633 Blossom Drive, Lorain, Ohio 44052 and present address is unknown, will take notice that on October 2, 2019, Jeffery Ross, Jr. filed his Complaint for Divorce against Patricia Ross in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 225 Court Street, Elyria, Ohio

44035. The Plaintiff has alleged that he and the Defendant were married on June 2, 2012 at Lorain, Ohio; that he and the Defendant have lived separate and apart for greater than one year and that he and Defendant are incompatible.

The matter is set for a Discovery Conference/Final Hearing on February 28, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. at the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, 225 Court Street, 2nd Floor, Elyria , Ohio 44035.

NOTE: THE DEFENDANT HEREIN, PATRICIA ROSS, HAS TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAYS IN WHICH TO RESPOND TO THE ABOVE

COMPLAINT FOR DIVORCE AFTER THE POSTING.

L.C.C.G. 12/5-12-19-26/19; 1/2-9/20 20654603

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on December 16, 2019. The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Nancy

Greer @ 204-2050 (Nancy_ Greer@cityoflorain.org). The following summary has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws.

Ord. #164-19 Auth the S/S Director to enter into contracts for the purchase of SCBA Equipment for the Fire Dept.

165-19 Auth the S/S Director to enter into a MOU w/ USW6621 regarding personnel in the offices of LPD. 16619 Assessing the cost to abate nuisance by cutting noxious weeds during the 2019 calendar year. 167-19 Repealing Ord. 130-16 & others in conflict & adopting and replacing

Chapter 1531 of Lorain Codified Ordinances, Regulations for post construction water quality run off. 168-19 Amending Ord. No. 40-19 Section 15.3.7 Judges, Mayor/Safety/ Service and 15.3.6 Law Director to extend the dealing for the Housing Court Expansion personnel to 3/31/20. 169-19 Auth the S/S Director to enter into a contract to sell real property to the Lorain County Metro Parks (PPN#030058102022).

170-19 Auth the S/S Director to accept the donation of real property located on Root Rd. 171-19 Assessing the cost of abating nuisance by removing litter and deposit of garbage,

rubbish, junk etc. during 2019 calendar year. 172-19 Transfer. 173-19 Appropriation.

174-19 Appropriation (2020 Temporary Budget).

L.C.C.G. 12/26/19; 1/2/20 20655766

LEGAL NOTICE (CITATION BY PUBLICATION) To: Jose Fernandez Last Known Address: Jardines de Arroyo, Apt 302 Manzana B-3 Sector Buena Venturanza Santo Domingo, Republica Dominicana You are hereby notified that a Complaint or Motion containing a request for Divorce has been filed in the Lorain County Domestic Relations Court.

A hearing on this Complaint or Motion is scheduled for: the 12th day of February, 2020 at 9:00 a.m. before the Honorable Lisa Swenski of the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations

located at 225 Court St. Elyria, OH 44053.

L.C.C.G. 11/28; 12/5-12-1926/19; 1/2/20 20654208

PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE OWNERS, OCCUPANTS, MORTGAGEES, LESSEES AND ALL PARTIES HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY LISTED HEREIN BELOW: The list of the properties below have been deemed dangerous buildings in the City of Lorain.

As a dangerous building, the building constitutes a public nuisance. City of Lorain Ordinance Chapter 1523 defines these properties as Unsafe Buildings, according to Lorain Codified Ordinance 1523.01.

These properties are considered Dangerous Buildings and according to LCO 1523.03 shall be considered Nuisances to the City of Lorain. Pursuant to LCO 1523.05, the Chief

Building Official (CBO) of the City of Lorain has declared the properties listed below as dangerous buildings and by virtue thereof public nuisances.

A hearing is scheduled on the 3rd Thursday of January the 16th 2020 at 9 AM at Lorain City Council Chambers on the first floor located at: 200 W. Erie Ave Lorain, Oh 44052 before the Lorain Demolition Board (Board) pursuant to LCO 1523.06 for the purpose of presenting the determination of the CBO to the Board for its determination. All parties who have an interest in such parcels are entitled to attend and participate in the hearing.

333 W 25th St. 1225/1227 W 2nd St. 1921 W 23rd St. 903 E 36th St. 1922 W 20th St. 114 W 26th St. 1142 W 20th St.

L.C.C.G. 1/2-9/20 20656121

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

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WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE THURSDAY, JAN. 2, 2020 • SERVING WELLINGTON SINCE 1864

Census report: More poverty, lower incomes And what happens if the 2020 census shows Wellington has grown into a city?

JASON HAWK EDITOR

New census numbers show Wellington has a growing poverty problem, and the average household income is shrinking fast.

The data, released last week, lumps the village and township together and covers 6,289 residents.

It shows the number of people living below the poverty line growing from 8.5 percent in 2009Hans Schneider 2013 to 10.7 percent in Mayor of Wellington 2014-2018.

Household income dropped by nearly 20 percent for those same years, going from $60,908 to $48,871, and was mirrored by a drop in average home values to $124,800 — a change of 23 percent.

Stacked against other Lorain County communities, the picture is grim.

The census figures show income booming by 34.4 percent in Rochester and 24.1 percent in Sheffield Lake.

Other healthy gains were seen in New Russia Township, Avon, Carlisle Township, Huntington and Grafton, with most other areas seeing modest growth.

Not everybody is winning the income game, though.

Amherst Township and Penfield took losses almost as big as Wellington's.

The census data has Mayor Hans Schneider stumped.

"I'm just struggling to figure out where those numbers are coming from," he said.

Wellington has thriving with new housing, he said. Its industrial park is nearly full, the county raised property valuations and utilities shutoffs have fallen off.

Schneider said it's hard to believe residents' average income has fallen when income tax collections have increased.

In a Dec. 16 meeting, Councilman Gene Hartman said collections are up about 34 percent this year. That's largely due, however, to a voter-approved increase last November.

It is possible, said Schneider, that the village of Wellington is stable while the township is experiencing issues — but the census numbers lump the two together.

The far more comprehensive census required under the Constitution will be conducted in 2020.

The results could show Wellington hitting 5,000 residents, the magic number to automatically elevate it to city status.

The 2010 census officially put the village's population at 4,802.

"I think we're going to be close again. We're either going to be just under or right there," Schneider said.

Village leaders have prepared for becoming a city. In 2010, they drew up a charter "so we could have some sort of self-rule," as Schneider put it, and voters approved the charter.

The document allows Wellington to keep operating pretty much as-is, without having to bow to requirements in the Ohio Constitution.

CENSUS PAGE D2

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TOP STORIES OF 2019

1

CSX train derailment

2

The gas shutoff crisis

3

Liam Neeson filming

A broken axle caused a CSX train to derail the morning of May 28, causing $2.2 million in damages.

The first indication there was a problem came just east of New London, where a smoke plum was spotted rising the tracks, according to an accident summary.

When the train reached a switch point near the Lorain County Fairgrounds, two engines and 22 cars went off the tracks.

The train was estimated to weigh just under 7,000 tons.

It had been carrying loads from Cincinnati, mostly produce, and there were potatoes, carrots and onions thrown into nearby yards.

The train was also carrying fuel, which caused a large fire to erupt.

Diesel fuel was released from several cars and one engine and made it into a tributary of Charlemont Creek.

Booms were installed along the waterway to recapture as much as possible.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency released a statement saying the impact was minimal. A small amount of fuel made it to the Wellington wastewater treatment plant, with no effect on operations.

Clean-up lasted for months. CSX sent crews to cut derailed train cars into metal ribbons and fix the tracks near Magyar Street.

The crossing was closed for more than a month. Crews staged at the Whirlaway Corporation on Shiloh Avenue during restoration.

“This could have been so much worse, like happening at John Delozier | Wellington Enterprise the underpass or the Rt. 18 intersection,” said Mayor Hans Train cars lay sprawled across the CSX railroad DERAILMENT PAGE D2 tracks after a derailment in late May.

Natural gas service to 1,900 households in Wellington was knocked out for three days, leaving many huddling under blankets and praying for warmth.

The village gas system "encountered a catastrophic failure," Fire Chief Mike Wetherbee said. "We knew we had an issue, a serious issue."

It started when TC Energy was working on the lines that feed Wellington. The cause of the leak that interrupted service was never disclosed.

Fearing the possibility of an explosion, firefighters and police went door-to-door on Hamilton and Barker streets and evacuated about a dozen residents. The nearby CSX railroad tracks were also shut down.

While the leak itself was fixed quickly, service had to be reactivated to households.

That proved not to be so simple. More than 100 Columbia Gas workers were brought in to help re-pressurize lines, working 16-hour shifts from a temporary headquarters at the Kelly Street fire station.

Steve Manheim | Chronicle The emergency caused schools to close. A Workers from TC Energy walk near the railroad tracks on warming shelter was set up at Town Hall.

Barker Street on Nov. 17.

It's not every day that a movie is filmed just down the street.

Hollywood A-lister Liam Neeson rolled into town in October to film portions of "The Minuteman," a Robert Lorenz-directed action thriller.

It tells the story of an veteran turned Arizona rancher who helps a young Mexican boy on the run from cartel assassins. Neeson and his crew filmed in locations all over Northeast Ohio, spending days in Parma, Chardon, Hudson and Brownhelm.

In Wellington, shooting started at Farm & Home Hardware, where Neeson and his young costar, Jacob Perez, pretended to do some shopping.

Cameras moved next to Route 18, where Neeson drove up to Wellington Music in an old

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Liam Neeson hops out of an old pickup truck after parking on Route LIAM NEESON PAGE D2 18 for a movie shoot.

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: NEWS@LCNEWSPAPERS.COM

Page D2

HOLIDAY ACTION

4

School levy fails

Unconvinced by a plea for more property tax revenue, voters overwhelmingly rejected the Wellington Schools’ Issue 18 in November.

The request for $8.7 million to make major repairs at Westwood Elementary School was rejected by a nearly 17 percent margin.

Schools Superintendent

5

Anna Norris / Chronicle

Amherst's Kyle Ferguson goes to the basket against Wellington's Cole Standen.

In Gossman tournament, Dukes fall to the Comets

Ty Weatherspoon was a terror Saturday as he led the Comets to a 60-43 championship victory over the Dukes at the Dan Gossman Insurance Holiday Tournament.

The Amherst junior closed out the game with 18 points, six rebounds and three blocks.

He had backup — senior Christian Pfeiffer pulled down 16 rebounds and put up nine points, while Kyle Ferguson had 11 points.

The taller Amherst line-up had the advantage from the starting whistle, holding Wellington to just 12 points in the first half.

The Dukes found their rhythm in the third period, but by then it was too late.

Mason McClellan and Noah Diermyer each finished the title game with 14 points for Wellington. Ben Bliss, who is usually a playmaker, was held to just five.

The team had trouble finding the basket, shooting just 32.6 percent and going 4-11 on three-point attempts.

Ed Weber said he was depressed by the results on Election Night. He’d called the tax issue a “modest request” and thought voters would line up to support new boilers, parking lot paving and a new roof at the 60-year-old school.

The money would have also paid for lesser repairs at Wellington High School.

“I think it’s always difficult asking for new money.

These weren’t renewal levies,” said Board of Education Vice President Brett Murner, who was disappointed but not surprised by the outcome.

Weber said the district’s options for Westwood are limited. It can be repaired, replaced with a new school

or shuttered and students will have to move into McCormick Middle School.

The Wellington Board of Education isn’t making that hard call quite yet. First, it will try again to win over voters in the March primary election.

This time around, the push is on the ballot as Issue 16.

Vietnam Moving Wall

Shedding tears, thousands paid their respects at the foot of the Vietnam Moving Wall, which was displayed in mid-July at Union Park.

The half-sized replica of the monument in Washington, D.C., bears the names of America's 58,000 war dead, including 98 from Lorain County.

Young Americans, just out of high school, were unprepared for what they experienced when they left their parents' homes and found themselves in a war zone, said Brant Smith of Wellington's VFW Post 6941.

"They went over there and they did what their fathers and their uncles and their older brothers did in Korea and World War II. The difference was that when they came home, their parents received a great welcome home," he said.

Vietnam veterans have struggled with guilt as well as post-traumatic stress disorder, he said.

Michael Rush, commander of VFW Post 6941 and a veteran of the U.S. Army, said the wall was brought to Wellington "as a symbol of love and healing."

"Freedom is not free. And the price of that freedom is written on the

6

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Wellington Enterprise

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Lisa Zeiter was among the first visitors to the Vietnam Moving Wall installation in Wellington. Her father, Sidney Cottrell, died when she was three years old. wall," he said.

As part of the wall exhibit, grief counselors were made available to veterans. There was also a pinning ceremony to honor those who attend-

ed, along with a candlelight vigil.

The names of the 98 men from Lorain County who died in Vietnam, including six from Wellington, were read at 6 p.m. each day.

America’s Main Street

CENSUS

FROM D1 For example, cities without charters must have a mayor and a safety-services director, a treasurer and an auditor. Wellington has a mayor and a village manager, along with a single finance director.

Cities must also have their own fire departments by statute. The Wellington Fire District operates independently from the village and will continue to do so, thanks to the charter.

The charter will even prevent the town's name from changing. Even as a city, it will continue to be called the village of Wellington.

"We've looked at this for a long time and we've been prepared for it. We're ready to go," said Schneider.

"That's why everyone puts their heads together."

That's not to say some things won't change.

The biggest possible issue, according to the mayor, will be the potential for unionization by village employees.

As a city, there's no reason Wellington can't continue to feel like a small town, said Schneider. If the population stays in the 5,000 to 5,100 range for the next decade, "then what really changes?" he asked. "We've just added 100 people, that's all."

"We're still going to bed at the same time, we're still getting up at the same time. We're still going to work and getting it done."

Photos by Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

A cheer goes up on the square in front of town hall as Wellington celebrates winning the $25,000 grand prize in the America’s Main Streets Contest.

DERAILMENT

FROM D1 Schneider. “We have the best safety forces that you can hope for in this community and they prep for these kinds of things. You hope you never have to use it but if you do, we have full confidence. Today showed these men and women really know what they’re doing.”

LIAM NEESON

FROM D1

pickup truck, riddled with bullet holes. He strode inside the shop, which had been transformed via movie magic into a gun store. Another short segment was filmed just up the sidewalk, where Neeson made a call from a phone booth.

Cheryle Skidmore was among the Wellington residents who flocked to see the movie star in action.

"As long as he's in it, I'll watch. I like him," she said.

"To have a major star in our town, to see him here, is awesome."

Ron Drake, podcaster and author of "Flip This Town," issues a challenge to Wellington, saying everyone needs to work toward a common vision for a thriving village.

The votes rolled in, and they decided Wellington has the country’s favorite Main Street.

The village celebrated in July as it was awarded the $25,000 grand prize in the national America’s Main Streets Contest.

Wellington beat 232 entrants to claim the top spot.

Prize money will be used to restore the historic “cheese” sign atop the HorrWarner Cheese Company Building on Herrick Avenue, which pays tribute to the days when the town was home to more than 40 factories that made and shipped cheese all over the world.

“We know the Herrick Avenues of America help build a sense of place in their communities and are home to countless small, locally owned businesses,” said Bill Brunell, co-founder of Independent We Stand, which ran the contest. “They are also, oftentimes, rich in history. Independent We Stand wants to help draw attention to these special places and recognize their economic impact. This contest is a chance to share those stories.”

Main Street Wellington already used a portion of the prize money for new carpet at its office. It will also be used to add signage downtown, celebrating the history of Herrick Avenue and directing visitors to public parking.

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

7

Sotherland murder

Kayla Sotherland's killer has been sentenced to 30 years to life behind bars.

John Jordan Jr., 55, of Columbus, accepted a plea deal in October, admitting to slaying the 20-year-old Black River High School graduate and her boyfriend, 21-year-old Ryan Fuller.

He confessed to beating the young couple to death.

Their bodies were found in a Dodge Caravan more than a week after they disappeared.

Court records call Jordan a repeat violent offender.

8

squandered it," Deanna said.

If Jordan ever does go before a parole board, he will be at least 84 years old.

The board will have access to more than 20 letters written by Kayla's family and friends and submitted to the court to be placed in Jordan's file.

"It's hard. It's hard to imagine that he's a human being and he did this horrific act. We don't think that way, our brains don't work that way, so we can't imagine anybody being able to

Ending the year with thanks

Wellington Village Councilman Gene Hartman closed the final meeting of 2019 with words of thanks for the dedication he sees from village officials.

"I think Wellington has had an exemplary year. We've had a lot of good, positive things happen to our community and I appreciate the work you've all done," he told his colleagues.

Among those thanked were Village Manager Steve Dupee and Mayor Hans Schneider, as well as Police Chief Tim Barfield, South Lorain County Ambulance District Director Skip Gentry and Fire Chief Mike Wetherbee.

Hartman said Wellington is "blessed" to have hardworking safety forces.

"It's easy for us to do our job when we have great people doing their jobs," he said.

NUT SALE QUEEN

Kayla Sotherland do something like he did," Deanna Sotherland said.

now also operating a 12-hour-per-day satellite station in Huntington as of the first of the year.

It’s expected to cut some emergency runs from 15 minutes down to three.

Trains have been a

source of delays, said Butch Holmes, who is both president of the SLCAD board and a Huntington Township trustee.

The tracks just south of Wellington periodically block emergency vehicles racing to medical calls,

he said.

Located at the corner of routes 58 and 162, the satellite station will operate from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

SLCAD has pledged to operate it without increasing taxes.

Fire station addition

Space is tight inside the Kelly Street fire station — but Chief Mike Wetherbee has a plan to fix that problem.

A 6,000-square-foot addition is being planned with a price tag close to $1 million.

Fire district officials had hoped a $500,000 grant would help defray that cost,

10

He has previous convictions for domestic violence and felonious assault, and over the years had two other domestic violence cases against him dismissed.

Kayla's mother, Deanna Sotherland, said Franklin County Common Pleas Judge William Woods took that history into account during sentencing, recommending that Jordan should never be released.

"He was given a chance to be a productive member of society the last time he got out of prison and he

Page D3

EMTs get 2nd station

Concerns over response times to patients near the Ashland County border have led the South Lorain County Ambulance District to open a second station.

Headquartered in Wellington, the agency is

9

Wellington Enterprise

but it didn’t materialize.

So they’re falling back on savings to make the project happen.

The floor plans provide for four bays for vehicles, expanded office space, storage and locker rooms for both men and women.

Wetherbee said the addition will have a direct impact on how quickly trucks

can roll out on certain types of emergency calls.

For example, moving trucks around to get the WFD’s water rescue vehicle out can take about 10 minutes.

The plan is to use the additional floor space to more strategically position vehicles on the north and south sides of the CSX

railroad tracks.

While the Route 58 underpass has made waiting for a trains a thing of the past, Wetherbee and Assistant Chief Bill Brown worry about what could happen if it’s closed due to a derailment or chemical spill.

Expect construction on Kelly Street to start this spring.

Grades rise from F to C

The Wellington Schools' ratings by state education officials in recent years have been less than stellar.

But at long last, the district is seeing improvement.

After earning an F overall in 2017, the school system inched upward last year to a D. This fall, its performance was given a C, giving Super-

intendent Ed Weber a great deal of hope for the future.

"We're starting to reap some of the rewards for the work we've been doing for quite some time," he said.

The way Wellington helps disadvantaged students is a key part of the state report card. The district went from a D to a B on that "gap clos-

ing" measure.

Another area of big improvement is literacy among kindergarten to third-graders, where Wellington shot from an F to a C. The progress made by students over one full year went from a D to a C. The fouryear high school graduation rate edged upward from a B

to an A. And overall student performance moved from a D to a C. There is still a lot of work to do — for example, Wellington still got an F for students' standardized test passage rate — but Weber feels an overall B grade is within reach in the next couple of years.

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Emma Buck was the top seller from McCormick Middle School during this fall's Peterson Nut Sale. The Wellington Kiwanis recognized the fourth-grader on Dec. 17 at Westwood Elementary for moving $340.50 in nuts. A total of $10,700 worth were sold in the fundraiser, with half going to the Kiwanis Club for scholarships and projects.

POLICE REPORTS • Dec. 13 at 7:31 p.m.: A Rescare staff member was reportedly chased by a resident with a knife, while another resident allegedly was swinging a belt and threatening to harm the staffer. Austin Souslin, 21, of Wellington, was charged with aggravated menacing.

• Dec. 16 at 11:02 a.m.: Officers investigated a possible domestic violence incident on Northwoods Avenue.

• Dec. 16 at 4:03 p.m.: A Dickson Street resident reported a theft.

• Dec. 17 at 1:09 p.m.: A theft was reported from Greenwood Cemetery.

• Dec. 19 at 11:11 a.m.: Police and firefighters responded to the Forest City parking lot on Clay Street, where a pickup truck was on fire.

Editor's note: Though charged, defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REMEMBERING DREW GUYER

Melnyks embrace exchange students Vy Huynh and Youngeun Jang are adapting to an entirely different country as part of the International Student Exchange Program, and are attending the Lorain County JVS. Vy is from Binh Duong, a suburb in southeast Vietnam over 8,000 miles away.

Youngeun traveled 6,800 miles from Yangsan City, South Korea, a metropolis of nearly 350,000 people.

Neither had left their countries before they boarded a plane to the United States.

They competed and won scholarships to come to the United States and then each committed to a year abroad.

While in this country, they live with a host family, the Melnyks from Wellington.

Tammy Melnyk is a math instructor at the JVS and an adjunct professor at Lorain County Community College. She has hosted 15 foreign exchange students over the last decade.

The family hosts students

Provided photo

Vy Huynh and Youngeun Jang are exchange students attending the Lorain County JVS. in pairs to ease anxieties they may feel upon arrival, as it helps to have someone there who understands exactly what they’re experiencing.

The girls laughed about their first day in the United States, saying it was awkward to live with strangers.

But now they’ve become a part of the Melnyk family.

“I get to invest deeply in the life of a student and help them to grow and thrive,” said Melnyk.

At the JVS, Vy is enrolled

in the allied health program, where she gets hands-on experience in the medical field.

Vy participates in an extensive internship program with Hospice of Lorain County. She will have the opportunity to earn a CPR and first aid credential, OSHA 10 credential and the state tested nursing assistant credential.

Vy said she wants to learn how to help people and learn a trade that will be useful. In Vietnam, her

family works in the business field: “Health is different. It is an amazing adventure. I want to challenge myself.”

JVS health sciences instructor Susan Wallace praised Vy's work ethic.

“She is a serious student who works hard every day, maintains a positive attitude, and gets along very well with everyone. She will make an excellent health care provider," she said.

Youngeun chose the marketing and entrepreneurship program. She is learning marketing and management techniques in the areas of sports, entertainment and fashion.

She gets hands-on experience in the class that runs the JVS Corner Shoppe.

“The store is my favorite thing. It’s fun to work with customers and learn about running a business,” said Youngeun. “My mother is a CEO of a tutoring business, and now I’m interested.”

Both Vy and Youngeun also take a full course load of academics at the JVS, including English, math and civics and both are earning straight A’s.

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Tom and Brandy Guyer presented the team ball on Dec. 17 and got hugs from the Dukes before the varsity game. It was the sixth anniversary of the death of Drew Guyer, who was only 13 when a heart defect took his life just hours after a school basketball game. Drew was an eighth-grader at McCormick Middle school, where he was involved in the choir as well as basketball and soccer.

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Page D4

Thursday, Jan. 2, 2020

Wellington Enterprise

1854 Broadway • Lorain, OH • (440) 244-5173 Prices Good for These Days in JANUARY 2020 www.FlignersMarket.com

Ohio’s #1 Independent Grocery Store

Fligners/MeatUsHere

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 OPEN NEW YEAR'S DAY 7:30AM - 2:00PM

By Ohio Grocers Association

We Honor All W.I.C. And EBT

OPEN Daily 7:30am - 6pm • Sunday 7:30am - 2pm

COMPARE OUR NEW LOW PRICES IN EVERY DEPARTMENT To receive up to the minute specials, text “Fligners” to 64600

Hind Qtr. 180-200 lbs. $319

FREEZER BEEF

Ohio Beef from Ohio Farmers

FRESH - NEVER FROZEN

CHICKEN CHICKEN LEG WHOLE WINGS QUARTERS FRYERS

RIBEYE STEAK

40 LB. BOX

8

1

99

40 LB. BOX

45

$ 99

LB. BONELESS

LB.

ROLLED SIRLOIN EYE OF PORK ROAST ROUND ROAST STEAKS

3

$ 99

$ 99 LB.

SEAFOOD SPECIALS

7

7

ONLY

$ 49 LB.

6

Fligner’s Catering...

LB.

We use only the finest and freshest ingredients in all our recipes.

4

lb.

Side Dishes PATRICK CUDAHAY Available HARD along with full line SALAMI of catering!

Special Events like weddings, graduations and more!

3

$

www.flignersmarket.com

2

10 LB. BAG

BEST CHOICE CHILI

SEASONING MIX

SALAD DRESSING

3

2/$

HUNT'S ORIGINAL

MANWICH SAUCE

1 1

2/$

$

lb.

HONEY CRISP

2

99 16 oz.

GARDEN

APPLES

SALAD MIX

lb.

BEST CHOICE ASSORTED

INSTANT OATMEAL

SPROUTS

39

8-10 CT.

We Carry A Fine Selection of Beer, Wine & Tobacco at State Minimum Prices

15 OZ.

CHEF BOYARDEE ASSORTED

lb.

BEST CHOICE LIGHT OR DARK RED

99 2 BEST CHOICE SELECT VARIETIES

KIDNEY OR CANNED CHILI BEANS TOMATOES

CANNED PASTA

LEAN CUISINE ASSORTED

FROZEN ENTREES

¢

10 79

6-11.5 OZ.

Fligner's Gift Cards and Gift Certificates Available

15 OZ.

KRAFT 2 POUND

BANQUET ASSORTED

POT PIES

VELVEETA LOAF

7

$

¢ 7 OZ.

We Accept Debit, Master Card, Visa, Discover & American Express.

¢

¢

15 OZ.

ATM Available Money Orders 69¢ Each

¢

12 OZ. BAG

JUMBO CRISP CELERY NAVEL ORANGES 4 LB. BAG OR BABY CARROTS OR GRAPEFRUIT 5 LB. BAG

BRUSSEL

3 88 69 69

2/$

19 5/$

1.25 OZ.

Full Service Carry Outs For ALL Customers

99 $

3

lb.

WHOLE WHEAT BREAD

Each

lb.

BEST CHOICE ASSORTED

16 OZ.

LEONAS

lb.

lb.

64 OZ.

lb.

¢

99 39 1 1

lb.

99 $

¢ $

¢

59

LB.

99

¢

BANANAS

PEPPERS

$

$ 99

LB.

¢

DOLE #1

GREEN

JUICE COCKTAIL

SHORT RIBS

29 99 99 99

99

BEST CHOICE ASSORTED CRANBERRY

4

99 $

HI-COLOR MANGOS OR CABBAGE HASS AVOCADOS

POTATOES

2

lb.

BEEF

HAM OFF THE BONE

AMERICAN SPAGHETTI CHEESE SALAD

99 $

LB.

4 2BAKERY

LB.

GREAT LAKES

GREEN

RUSSET

$

4

3

$ 99

$ 29

CORNED BEEF OR OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST

99 $

$

SLICED FREE

PORK RIBS

- LOWEST DELI PRICES AROUND TROYER KRETSCHMAR TROYER

SMOKED TURKEY BREAST

TOP ROUND ROAST

LB. COUNTRY STYLE

$ 29

$ 39

LB.

BONELESS

2

LB.

ONLY

ONLY

1

$ 49

$ 29

FRESH WHOLE CATFISH

FRESH COD FILLETS

FRESH CATFISH FILLETS

4

PORK CHOPS

$ 99

LB.

CUT FREE

¢

LB. BONE-IN CENTER CUT

FLAT BONE

BEEF

1

Full Side 380-400 lbs. $299

ALL OUR FRESH MEAT IS CUT BY ONE OF OUR “ARTISAN MEAT PROFESSIONALS”

BONE-IN BEEF

$

Front Qtr. 200-220 lbs. $279

49

Play Ohio Lottery and Mega Millions Here

14.5-15 OZ.

DONALD DUCK ASSORTED

ORANGE JUICE

5

¢ $

99

ALWAYS SAVE REGULAR

DAIRYMEN’S

GALLON SALTINE CRACKERS FRUIT PUNCH

1

$

09

16 OZ.

BORDEN'S ASSORTED

COTTAGE CHEESE

5 1

2/$

2/$

59 OZ.

16 OZ.

We Carry Ohio Beef From Ohio Farmers

You Can Now Pay Your Gas, Light, Cable And Many Major Credit Card Payments At Fligners!

$

29

NO LIMIT

Not Responsible for Typographical Errors

We Reserve the right to Limit Quantities

©The Chronicle-Telegram

No Family Pack Required For Savings