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LORAIN COUNTY
AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Submit items to news@LCnewspapers.com
Volume 9, Issue 1
SPECIAL EDITION Body found after fire on The year in review Quarry Rd. JASON HAWK EDITOR
JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — A man’s body was found inside a house that burned to the ground Monday morning on the city’s west side. Gary Ponikvar, 59, died in an apparent suicide after allegedly setting fire to his own home at 1280 North Quarry Rd., according to Amherst police Lt. Dan Makruski. When crews arrived around 7:30 a.m., about 75 percent of the structure under the roof was already engulfed in flames, said Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm. “We started (fighting) the fire as a defensive attack. We weren’t able to get in,” he said. “It was pretty intense heat-wise.” Save for some hot spots, the flames were out by 11 a.m. Once firefighters were finally able to make it inside, they found the body on a second pass through the rubble, Wilhelm said. The Lorain County coroner and state fire marshal were called to the scene. According to Wilhelm, both the death and suspicion of arson required the state to become involved. City emergency workers declined to say whether Ponikvar died because of the fire, or took his own life through other means. No foul play is suspected, and there is every reason to believe he was alone at the time he died, Makruski said. At least one dog died in the house, he said — it's unclear whether Ponikvar kept a second dog there. The investigation is being handled by the fire marshal's office, Makruski and Amherst police Chief Mark Cawthon said. "They have our cooperation and collaboration," said Cawthon. "Any resources they want that can help further their investigation, we will give." The two-story home, built in 1980, belongs to Ponikvar, according to county property records. South Amherst, Vermilion, Lorain and Sheffield Township fire crews provided aid. LifeCare Ambulance and Amherst police officers also responded to the scene.
“We weren’t able to get in. It was pretty intense heat-wise.” Amherst Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm
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At the beginning of each year, we take a look back at the local events and stories that will have a lasting impact. And let’s be honest: Last year was a tough one. The pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic were ever-present. Cases grew. Bitterness developed over vaccines and mask policies. Neighbors clashed. The national death toll passed 800,000. Schools were stretched to their limits. Stores closed and reopened, shortened hours, hit walls with lack of stock. Exhausted, many employees sought greener pastures, leaving empty shelves and long lines in their wake. While COVID dominated the national news, 2021 wasn’t short on major events. An angry mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, rioting inside its halls and sending Congress into hiding. President Joe Biden was sworn in and former President Donald Trump raged as he faced an unprecedented second impeachment trial. Claims of election fraud were systematically debunked. Freak winter storms hit Texas, leaving millions without power. The family of George Floyd won a $27 million settlement for his death at the hands of Minneapolis police. Mass shootings continued across the nation. Democrats championed a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill. Republicans passed election bills in several battleground states, imposing new voting restrictions. National protests were sparked once again after 20-year-old Daunte Wright, a Black man, was shot by police during a traffic stop in Minnesota. Former police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of manslaughter in Floyd’s death and sentenced to 22 years in prison. Hate crimes against Asian Americans rose steeply as they were scapegoated for the pandemic. A cyber-attack on one of the largest pipelines in the U.S. caused a shutdown
Kristin Bauer | Community Guide
Skip Gentry, director of the South Lorain County Ambulance District, administers a vaccine to Todd Forbush of Carlisle Township on Jan. 26 during a vaccine clinic held at the Lorain County Fairgrounds.
Vaccines roll out to all The most important story of 2021 is undoubtedly the way vaccines changed the fight against COVID-19. The first started rolling out at the tail end of 2020, with just the oldest and most vulnerable seniors eligible, along with paramedics, EMTs and other emergency personnel. There were just a little over 5,000 people vaccinated in Lorain County by the time our first pages of 2021 went to press — today there are about 200,000, or two in three residents. The shots gained emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as cases, hospital-
izations and deaths spiked nationwide. Cold weather drove Americans indoors starting in mid-October 2020, and the virus spread rapidly in closed quarters. As of Dec. 22, 2021, there had been 47,503 COVID cases confirmed in Lorain County since the start of the pandemic. Nearly 2,800 people had been hospitalized and 686 people had died. Vaccines were not aimed at completely stopping the virus in its tracks, but vastly reducing symptoms. As they were made available to the general VACCINES PAGE A3
Trump visits Wellington Of all the places in the United States that he could have made his first public appearance since leaving the White House, former President Donald Trump chose Wellington. Whether you love him or hate him, the visit was big news. A throng of thousands gathered early in the day at the Lorain County Fairgrounds, waiting for hours in red, white and blue clothing for a chance to see the 45th president. Arriving just before sunset, Trump was greeted with deafening cheers as he mounted a stage erected in a field on the southwest side of the grounds that usually serves as a parking lot. “We will take back the House. We will take back the Senate,” he told
Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise
Former President Donald Trump, seen through a sea of waving arms and cameras, eats up the crowd's adulation at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington. Republican supporters. “And we will take back America, and we will do it soon.” Trump used his plat-
form to rail against undocumented immigrants, Vice President Kamala
NATIONAL PAGE A3
Stammitti to lead sheriff’s association
TRUMP PAGE A3
Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti has been installed as the president of the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association for 2022. He is the first sheriff from Lorain County to hold the position. Founded in 1931, the BSSA gives Ohio’s 88 sheriff’s a forum to address lawmakers, lobby for changes to the justice system and offer training programs. OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A7 • KID SCOOP A8
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Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Lorain County Community Guide
$470-500K splash pad for Oberlin? JASON HAWK EDITOR
OBERLIN — A splash pad and public bathrooms may be in the cards for Park Street Park, but they won’t be cheap. The upgrades would cost in the ballpark of $470,000 to $500,000, Recreation Superintendent Ian Yarber told City Council last week. That cost would include shade, benches, picnic tables, prefabricated restrooms and 12 parking spots. “I see the price tag and I don’t want people to balk at it,” said Councilman Kelley Singleton, who has long expressed interest in new parks and upgrades to existing ones. Bathrooms especially have
been needed at Park Street Park for many years, he said. Well-equipped parks are a key part of attracting younger families to be residents, a goal he’s repeated in prior Council meetings. Tanya Rosen-Jones, who chairs the city Recreation Commission, also said a splash pad would do a lot to make Oberlin more welcoming for families. There is a public pool at Splash Zone, which is a Lorain County Metro Parks facility, but some people do not feel welcome there, she said. Pools are not for everyone, said Yarber. He cited an article that claimed around 70 percent of Black children cannot swim or have little experience doing so. The rates were lower
for other demographics, but still high. “If the children can’t swim, and the parents can’t swim, they’re not comfortable taking them to a pool,” Yarber said. Splash pads are also much more cost-effective than pools, easier to maintain and require no life guards, he said. They’re increasingly popular, too, giving families a destination where they can stay cool and get exercise. Yarber pitched the idea as a way to combat childhood obesity. “It livens up public places and attracts visitors,” he said. “It’s accessible for all ages and abilities.” If approved, the water play area would be built on the far east side of the 5.58-acre park.
The property is already home to basketball courts, a playground, baseball diamond, walking path, hydration station and a picnic pavilion — the park is well used, Yarber said. The Recreation Commission has been talking about the possibility of a splash pad for several years. Yarber even shared a mock-up it received during similar talks five years ago. Councilwoman Mary Price, in her last meeting, said she worried the idea would be lost again in the shuffle if city officials don’t make a splash pad a priority. Singleton asked for the project to be added to Oberlin’s 2022 budget in March. No vote was cast.
Amherst Schools suspend COVID quarantine measures, contact tracing STAFF REPORT
AMHERST — The Amherst Schools will no longer conduct contact tracing, at the recommendation of Lorain County Public Health.
In a New Year’s Eve message to families, Superintendent Steve Sayers wrote that students and staff who are positive for COVID-19 may return to school five days after the onset of symptoms if they are asymptomatic or symptoms are getting better.
For the following five days, a mask must be worn per Lorain County Public Health. Outside of that time, masks are recommended but not required in the Amherst Schools. Lorain County Public Health has also recommended contact tracing
be suspended, Sayers wrote. Quarantines will not be required and students may attend school as long as they are symptom-free. Administrators will continue to notify families if there is a positive case in a child’s classroom.
OBITUARIES Dorothy Jean Shaw
Deborah Christine Raesler
Dorothy Jean Shaw, 86, of Wellington, died Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, at Mercy New Life Hospice. Born on Sept. 27, 1935, in Crabapple, Belmont County, she was the daughter of the late John and Sarah (nee Butler) Laisure. Dorothy grew up in Shepherdstown and moved to the Wellington area in the mid 50s. Dorothy retired from the Wellington Farm and Home Hardware in 2010, after 20 years, prior to that she had worked at the Ben Franklin. Dorothy was an active member of the Wellington Eagles Aux for over 50 years. She enjoyed being a part of the senior groups in both Wellington and West Salem. Dorothy enjoyed trips to the casinos with her friends, playing Bingo, playing cards, and socializing. Most of all, she cherished time with her family and especially her grandchildren. Survivors include her children, Charles (Micki) Shaw of Alabama and Tracy (Jimmie) Ward of Wellington; grandchildren, Branden (Jessica), Nicki (Shawn), Sara (Nicholas) and Amber; great-granddaughters, Hannah and Emmalynn and numerous nieces and nephews. Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Samuel Lawrence Shaw; son, Samuel J. Shaw and siblings Alberta, Gail, Lolly, Joyce, John and Wayne. Friends and family were received Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022, at Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, Wellington. Burial will be at Rock Hill Cemetery in Flushing at a later date. Expressions of sympathy may be shared online at www. eastmanfuneralhome.com.
Deborah Christine Raesler, 48, of Amherst, died peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Dec. 20, 2021, following her battle with pancreatic cancer. She was an Amherst resident most of her life. Debbie was a graduate of Marion L.Steele High School in 1991. She received her Bachelor of Arts in 1995 from Mount Union College and her Masters of Education from Cleveland State University in 2003. Debbie dedicated her professional life to caring for children and families in her role as a school counselor and the co-chair of the Lorain County Crisis Team. She worked for Sheffield Lake City Schools for 17 years before coming to the Amherst School system in 2019 at Nord School. Her student's success was very important to her. She had an amazing ability to work with parents and foster true collaborative relationships to ensure their success. In her personal life, she was always ready to lend her ear and heart to anyone who needed her. Debbie had three loves. Her first love was her son, Aaron. He was the light and love of her life. Second, was her love of and devotion to family and friends. The third was running. She ran 13 full-marathons, 27 halfmarathons and an ultra marathon. She loved running with family, her friends and teammates from the RIOT running group. Debbie loved the beach, it gave her peace. She loved looking for beach glass and lucky stones. She enjoyed having friends at the family's lake house and watching the beautiful sunsets. Debbie is survived by her only son, Aaron M. Boothe; her parents, James and Peggy Raesler of Amherst; her sister, Tracey (Stephen) Evans of Westlake; her sister, Becky (Scott) Stewart of Delaware Ohio; her brother, Michael (Angela) of Lorain; her nephews and nieces, Alex, Samantha and Lucas Evans, Nathan and Megan Stewart, Jacob and Natalie Raesler, as well as her aunt, Christina (Jeff) Shiltz and uncle, James (Carol) Kirkpatrick and her many cousins. Debbie had an impact on the lives of so many. Her loss will be especially felt by her closest friends that she considered family. They supported her throughout her life and during her cancer battle. A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at a later date due to rise in COVID cases. A Memorial Scholarship account has been established at Fifth Third Bank in Debbie's name. Donations for The Deborah Raesler Scholarship Fund can be mailed to 541 West St., Amherst, OH 44001. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dovin & Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.dovinreberjones.com.
LOIS ANN WULFHOOP (nee Ingersoll), 57, of Vermilion, passed away Sunday, Jan. 2, 2022, at UH Elyria Medical Center. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home. REGINA DALZELL (nee VanNiel), 87, lifetime resident of Amherst, passed away Friday, Dec. 31, 2021, at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center following a brief illness. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home. BETTY JO SWARTZ (nee Tucker), 73, of Lorain, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021, at Autumn Aegis Nursing Home, following a full life. Hempel Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. CHARLOTTE FERN GREGG (nee Rinehart), 88, of Grafton, went home to be with her Lord and Saviour on Sunday, Dec. 26, 2021, at her home following a full and meaningful life. MARY LOUISE WILLIAMS (nee Satterfield), 92, longtime resident of Amherst and Lorain, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early Monday morning, Dec. 27, 2021, following a full and meaningful life.
Genealogy society meeting The Lorain County chapter of the Ohio Genealogy Society will meet virtually at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10. Professional researcher Carla Cegielski will give a presentation on the Daughters of the American Revolution's Genealogical Research System. She will show attendees how the multi-faceted GRS offers a variety of indexes, many of which cannot be found elsewhere. Discover some new tools to assist you in your family history research. The virtual program is open to members and the public. Those interested in watching the presentation should contact email meetings@loraincoogs.org to be added to the invitation list and receive the online link.
Reading C.S. Lewis’ works The C.S. Lewis and Friends Book Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10 at First Lutheran Church, 1019 West 5th St., Lorain. Readers will continue discussion of “The Screwtape Letters,” focusing on Letter 18. All are welcome. For more information, call Marcia Geary at (440) 988-9803.
Wellington Schools struggle In a rocky return from the winter holiday break, Wellington Schools experienced staffing shortages due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The district was unable to support two bus routes Monday due to driver illness and substitute shortages. According to the district, buses #4 and #8 would not be available through Wednesday and parents were told to arrange transportation themselves. “We are sorry for this inconvenience,” the post said. “With the recent increase of COVID-19 cases, our staffing is at the minimal levels for the next few days and more staff absences may result in additional service disruptions. Hopefully in the next few days our case count begins to improve.”
Bingo to save the animals Oasis Animal Shelter will host a bingo night on Wednesday, Jan. 12 at Pittsfield Community Church, 17026 State Route 58. Doors open at 5 p.m. and early bird bingo begins at 6 p.m. Regular bingo will start at 6:30 p.m. Unvaccinated attendees must wear masks. Players must be 18 or older.
Republican club meeting The Avon-Avon Lake Republican Club will welcome two speakers at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 for a social hour in the Knights of Columbus Father Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Rd., Avon. Police Chief Jack Hall and activist Dave Daubenmire will speak. The cost is $5 for guests.
Human trafficking program The Knights of Columbus Council 3269 will present “Human Trafficking and You” at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 20 at Fr. Ragan Hall, 1783 Moore Rd., Avon. January is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Learn what trafficking is, how to identify it, and how to address it. Speaker Joan Clark is the chair of West Shore Allies Against Human Trafficking based at Rocky River Unitarian Universalist Church, a speaker for the Collaborative to End Human Trafficking and a board member of the Renee Jones Empowerment Center in Cleveland. RSVP by Jan. 14 with the number in your party planning to attend, names, a phone number and email address. Send information to either (440) 930-0251, fatherragan@gmail.com or mail to Human Trafficking Meeting at the above address. The seminar is free and all are welcome. Snacks and beverages will be provided.
Electric charging stations Two electric car charging stations are now up and running at the new Oberlin Elementary School. The Oberlin City Schools were awarded a $22,500 grant from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Diesel Mitigation Trust Fund for the installation of the stations. Each has two ports for charging vehicles, and are open to both building staff and the community.
LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups. • Concise. There is a limit of 350 words on letters. • Polite. Letters that use crude language or show poor taste will be rejected. • Opinions. We reserve space for letters that share a unique perspective. Press releases are not letters and will be considered for publication in other parts of the paper. • Free of advertising, product or service endorsements or complaints, poetry, language that could raise legal problems, or claims that are measurably false. • Signed. Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for our records. Up to two signatures. • The deadline to submit letters is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. They are used on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit any submission for length, grammar, spelling, and clarity, or to reject any submission.
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.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $40 for 52 weeks in Lorain County; $45 in Erie, Huron, Ashland, Medina, and Cuyahoga counties; $50 in all other Ohio counties; $55 outside Ohio. Periodical postage paid at Wellington OH.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Lorain County Community Guide, PO Box 4010, Elyria OH 44036.
Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Lorain County Community Guide
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Amherst library meeting
Find Us On
The Amherst Public Library board will meet at 6 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 10 for an organizational meeting followed by a regular meeting. Both will be at the library and are open to the public.
Christmas trees in Amherst
Republic Services will collect Christmas trees in Amherst on Wednesday, Jan. 12 during bulk garbage pick-up. Trees must be free of ornaments, tinsel and not enclosed in a bag. Trees larger than 4 feet must be cut in half.
Swiss steak dinner in Pittsfield
A Swiss steak dinner will be served from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8 at Pittsfield Community Church at the corner of routes 58 and 303. The cost is $12. Carry-outs will also be available. All are welcome.
The Oberlin Public Library board of trustees will meet at 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 13 at the library. The meeting is open to the public.
THE YEAR IN REVIEW NATIONAL
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ing billions in damages. Texas legislators passed a controversial law that all but bans abortions. Facebook faced congressional scrutiny after a whistleblower revealed the company knew about its harmful effects — namely its role in stoking political fires and spreading election misinformation — and did nothing. The Senate Judiciary Committee released a bombshell report showing how Trump had tried to undermine the results of the 2020 election. Congress capped months of debate and political vitriol with the passage of a $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill. After 20 months closed, the U.S. borders were reopened to fully vaccinated international travelers from some countries. Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted after shooting three people and killing two during protests and riots in Wisconsin. In the same state, six people were killed and 60 others injured when an SUV plowed into a Christmas parade. The three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery were found guilty in Georgia.
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food service worker Michelle Alexander said. “It was such a relief. After a year of this — kids not being in school, everything not normal — it takes away some of the worry.” Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell had a tall hill to climb in the following months as the vaccines rolled out to the general public. As if overseeing clinics while continuing contact tracing wasn’t hard enough, he also had to fight misinformation and rumors. They ran rampant, and Covell’s teams heard it all — false claims that the vaccines would sterilize women, change people’s DNA, that vaccinations would be forced or carry secret government tracking chips. While the wait seemed slow at the time, vaccines were made available to every Ohioan age 16 and older on March 29. By June 2, Gov. Mike DeWine lifted pandemic restrictions. Despite the resurgence brought on by the delta variant, there was a general feeling the situation was under control during the summer months — even though case counts were higher as schools opened their doors in the fall. Tensions mounted between parents as boards of education debated mask policies. Vaccines for children as young as 5 were finally approved in early November. Now public health experts say booster shots are needed to weather the next storm: the spread of the omicron variant. As the protection offered by the first round of vaccinations wanes, experts say boosters are a must to once again prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed.
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Harris and the results of the 2020 election, which he falsely claimed was rigged. “We’ll never stop fighting for the true results of this election,” he said. Trump’s entourage included a number of his political supporters. He shared the stage with Lorain County Commissioner Michelle Hung, whose relationship with a subordinate in county government had not yet been revealed; as well as and Republican Commissioner David Moore, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Pillow salesman and Trump donor Mike Lindell worked the crowd, posing for photos and giving thumbs up. Trump also backed his former aide, Max Miller, candidate for Ohio’s 16th Congressional District, which does not include Lorain County. Miller has been subpoenaed by Congress’ Jan. 6 Select Commit-
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population in February and March, severe cases fell off significantly. For some, it was already too late. At the one-year anniversary of the pandemic, family of COVID victims shared their stories of loss. Among them was Candice Regal, who lost her father, the Rev. Gary West of Wellington. She recalled how the fever and chills started, and how her father’s cough grew worse. On Dec. 13, 2020, West delivered his last sermon from the pulpit of Christ Community Church in Wellington, where he’d been pastor for 15 years. He’d tested positive for COVID that morning. A few days later, he went to the hospital. There he spent weeks on a ventilator and was put into a medically-induced coma. He never recovered and died Jan. 3. “My peace and comfort at this point is that my dad is no longer suffering,” Regal said after mourning. “He's not dealing with this worldly drama anymore.” The vaccines were literally lifelines for others who received them in the following months. Lorain County teachers and other school staff weren’t the very first in the state to be allowed to get shots — about 6,400 here waited until Feb. 26, when five mass clinics were staged across the county. They felt a sense of relief after getting vaccinated, according to Educational Service Center of Lorain County Superintendent Franco Gallo, “because people just feel like it’s a step in the direction of getting back to normal.” “I can’t describe it. I got goosebumps when I walked in,” Elyria
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that sent fuel prices spiraling. A 13-story apartment complex collapsed in Florida, killing 98 people. The Pacific Northwest suffered its hottest temperatures on record, and hospitals filled with heat stroke victims. Bill Cosby was released from prison after his 2018 sexual assault conviction was overturned by Pennsylvania’s high court. The Trump Organization was charged in New York with a list of felony counts in an alleged tax evasion scheme stretching back to 2005. The last U.S. troops were withdrawn from Afghanistan, ending America’s two decades of fighting there; the Taliban swiftly overwhelmed Afghani forces and took control. Billionaires and celebrities reached for the stars, riding commercial rockets into space. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics finally were held — a year late due to COVID. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo resigned amid accusations that he sexually harassed 11 women. Hurricane Ida made landfall in Louisiana, killing at least 34 people and caus-
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tee investigating officials’ involvement in the insurgency at the Capitol. “President Trump delivered for America, and he delivered for us,” Miller said. “That’s what makes him so great.” The day was one big rolling party for those who turned out to see Trump. Lisa Hager of Broadview Heights said she had followed him to many rallies. “But the thing about this one is I want to keep our country free,” she said. “I want to keep our freedoms. I’m tired of big government taking, taking, taking.” Bob Desanto of Ashland headed north to Wellington for the rally, which he called “the beginning of the turnaround.” “Donald Trump did everything when he was president that I wanted to see in this country,” he said — at the top of that list was starting construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
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Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Lorain County Community Guide
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
New commissioners, new scandals Michelle Hung and David Moore were sworn in as Lorain County commissioners on Dec. 29, 2020 — the first Republicans to hold a majority on the board in decades — and quickly made headlines in the new year. In January, over the objections of Democratic Commissioner Matt Lundy, they cast controversial votes to revoke $4.6 million in grants that former commissioners had pledged for county nonprofits. Moore and Hung said the money was improperly allocated to grants, and came from federal CARES Act pandemic relief funding, not the county’s general fund. “The public and these agencies have been used as political pawns to embarrass this board,” Moore said in a Jan. 13 meeting. Hung accused former Commissioners Lori Kokoski and Sharon Sweda of “writing checks they knew they would not be able to sign.” The decision and remarks sparked immediate backlash — especially since the money had been earmarked for organizations that fight homelessness, hunger and drug addiction. It would have also gone toward veterans, rent and utility assistance, programming for children and seniors and animal charities. Sparring among the commissioners continued in following months over funding for veterans services, as well as health care
Photos by Kristin Bauer | Community Guide
LEFT: David Moore is sworn in as a Lorain County commissioner by Oberlin Municipal Court Judge Thomas Januzzi. RIGHT: Michelle Hung is sworn into office by Elyria Municipal Court Judge Robert White. and benefits contracts. In August, Moore and Lundy voted to fire county 911 Director Harry Williamson and Jobs & Family Services Director Tim Carrion. No public explanation was given for their terminations — but two days later, a video revealed Hung and Williamson kissing inside the county-owned Gateway Building. Lundy and Moore then issued a statement confirming Hung and Williamson had an intimate relationship: “We believe an intimate relationship involving a superior and subordinate requires immediate action.” Hung has resisted calls from both sides of the political aisle
and the public to resign. "She was a very good friend of mine," but "she stabbed us in the back," said Kipton Mayor Bob Meilander, who chairs the Wellington Area Central Committee of the Lorain County Republican Party, which asked her to step down. "With all due respect, the GOP is out of line," Hung responded in an email. "They have no say in my private life or for that matter with any decisions I make as a Lorain County commissioner. Let me be clear… I am not resigning and anyone who has actively been part of this political stunt will have to consider the consequences."
The county’s strife deepened when, also in August, Hung and Lundy voted to fire County Administrator Tom Williams, the Republican appointee to the job. He responded with a federal lawsuit, accusing the commissioners of terminating him without cause. Williams alleged that the true motive had been retaliation for going to Assistant Lorain County Prosecutor Dan Petticord with information about Hung and Williamson’s affair. In the meantime, the commissioners had hired Rob Weber as interim county administrator. He also was fired in October after apparently disappearing to look for his estranged wife, whom he
claimed had been missing for weeks. In December, Hung was again put in the crosshairs as Moore accused her of using her elected position to try to steer a multi-million-dollar contract for emergency radio systems to a contractor favored by her and Williamson. Moore said Hung broke the law by doing so. "This is about county tax dollars being misspent. This is about a breach of public trust. This is about a commissioner acting as an advocate for a vendor to secure contracts," Moore said during a commissioner's report early in the month.
Kucirek resigns as chief Real estate madness Joseph Kucirek retired in early October, stepping down as Amherst’s chief of police. The decision came 11 weeks into paid administrative leave that had forced Kucirek out of the North Lake Street police station while officials conducted an investigation into low morale. The problem: Several Amherst officers had left in the prior two years, and a “climate assessment” done by a consultant at the request of Mayor Mark Costilow and Safety Service Director John Jeffreys documented a long list of complaints about the chief. Interviews with former and current police department employees revealed they felt he’d created a toxic work
environment. They complained about discipline and said Kucirek led by “intimidation and fear,” according to public documents. Kucirek blasted Costilow on the way out the door, saying the city used false or exaggerated allegations to force him into an early retirement. “To my great disappointment, you have chosen to force me into an early retirement,” Kucirek wrote in his resignation letter. “You decided earlier this year that you wanted to remove me as chief, and then, after your decision had already been made, you initiated an investigation to justify your decision.” Costilow and Jeffreys disputed that claim. In a 19-page report with 83 pages of
supporting exhibits, Jeffreys claimed Kucirek had been insubordinate and disrespectful to elected and appointed officials. It said the former chief ignored orders and deadlines, did not cooperate with other employees, violated standards of conduct and appears to have allegedly broken labor laws. Lt. Mark Cawthon, who has been an officer since 1995, was promoted to chief by the Amherst Civil Service Commission in December. He was sworn in during a Dec. 17 ceremony at the Nordson Depot. “I must say there’s an exciting road ahead for the Amherst Police Department,” he told his employees and retired colleagues who packed the building for the occasion. “I feel that.”
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If you went house shopping in 2021, chances are you faced a lot of competition from other buyers and paid far over the asking price. The housing market heated up early in the year, and in the spring Lorain County realtors reported that homes were easily selling for $10,000 to $40,000 over the list price. The trend was nationwide — the average price of a single-family home in April had climbed to an all-time high of $334,500 in the United States, according to the National Association of Realtors. At the same time, there weren’t enough houses to meet demand. The available stock dropped by about 28 percent across the country. As a result, homes would sell by word of mouth before even actually hitting the market. If they made it to a showing, they would sell the same day. “It used to be easy. Write an offer, negotiate it and you got it. Now you have to get into the house the first day or it’s gone,” said Vanessa Linden, a realtor for Howard Hanna in both Lorain and Cuyahoga counties. We called dozens of realtors in May. Those who agreed to talk said it was common for a decently-priced house to get 30 or 40 showings in a three-day window — and for 20 or 30 offers to roll in. Some potential buyers made offers time and time and time again, only to be outbid. And some communities — Amherst, Grafton, Avon and North Ridgeville, for example — were hot spots, attracting furious bidding. Frustrated and desperate, home-hunters were willing not only to pay what realtors described as “crazy” offers, but also to waive inspections, help with closing costs and move their kids to new school districts.
College to put $140M into ground An aging steam system is being replaced with geothermal heating and cooling on the Oberlin College campus in a $140 million project that will span five years. Ten miles of trenches were dug across the campus this summer to remove old, disintegrating pipes and lay new ones. The huge channels were about 10 feet wide and 8 feet deep, and about 100 trees along their paths were removed to make way. About 1,100 geothermal wells will be dug on the north side of campus in a future phase. They will reach deep into the earth, where temperatures remain at a constant regardless of the air conditions above. The college said the change-over to geothermal will cut its water use by more than 5 million gallons each year, improve energy efficiency by more than 30 percent and reduce annual sewer discharge by more than 4 million gallons.
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David Richard | Amherst News-Times
Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune
Kurt Russell, an educator of 25 years, was named the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year by the Department of Education.
Ohio Teacher of the Year Phoenix athletes packed the Oberlin High School gym in September for what they thought was going to be a fall sports pep rally. Instead, Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria walked out, and announced that longtime history teacher and basketball coach Kurt Russell was the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year. In a tribute to his popularity and the role Russell has played in so many students’ lives, the gym exploded in noise. “I don’t have to tell you how amazing this man is,” DeMaria managed to say before his words were drowned out.
“I’m standing here not because I’m so good,” Russell said, choking up and taking a moment to compose himself. “It’s students who inspire me each and every day.” Whether in the classroom or on the court, he said his goal is to make sure students feel they are appreciated, especially those who are often marginalized. Russell teaches African-American history, U.S. history, International Baccalaureate history of the Americas and a course on race, gender and oppression in American and world history at OHS. He is also adviser to the Black Student Union, student council and junior class.
Schools cope with virus After nine months of remote learning, the Oberlin City Schools were the last in Lorain County to return to in-person learning. In January, they shifted into hybrid mode, with kids in school buildings just two or three days a week. Because vaccines were still not widely available, Oberlin remained the most cautious of the county’s public school districts, keeping rigorous precautions in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Other districts, such as nearby Wellington, had returned to in-person learning in 2020, only to close their doors again when cases spiked in November and December. After much debate, the Wellington Schools eventually made their return to five-day-aweek in-person classes on March 1. Wary of another wave of COVID cases, Oberlin inched toward a four-day-a-week in person return April 6. Higher education was also hampered by the virus. Campus life at Oberlin College was barren, and even spring sports were axed. High school sports limped along, but not without setbacks caused by the virus. The Amherst Comets boys basketball team, for example, suffered a blow in March when its chance for postseason glory was cut short by an outbreak that led to quarantines. The boys had no choice but to forfeit their Division I district semifinal game to St. Ignatius. Some mercies came with warmer weather: Graduation ceremonies were allowed to return, more or less, to normal in late May and early June. Many moved outdoors to limit the potential for viral spread. The big question quickly became whether COVID would be reined in enough by the start of the fall semester to forego masks and other precautions. The answer was no. The state’s top health experts started pushing in July for mask requirements, though the choice was left up to individual school districts. The exception was school buses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention requires masks on all public transportation, no exceptions. While Lorain County Community College and Oberlin College had no issue imposing universal masking mandates, K-12 schools struggled with the issue. The Oberlin City Schools were one of the few districts to initially require masks. The district also partnered with the Educational Service Center of Medina County to offer an online-only option for 2021-2022. The Lorain County JVS followed suit with a mask mandate, as Superintendent Glenn Faircloth said his students couldn’t thrive while learning online — they need to have access to labs with industrial equipment. Parents were deeply split, leading to fiery debates in school board meetings. Calls for a mask mandate grew loud in the Amherst Schools, for example, as a
Amherst’s Sydney Alto gets low to dig out a spike during play against Olentangy Liberty.
The Comets go to state For the first time in 30 years, the Comets volleyball team traveled in November to play in the state tournament. Against No. 1 ranked Olentangy Liberty, Amherst was wiped out in straight sets. The Patriots won 25-21, 25-22, 2523 in the Division 1 state semifinal. But for the Comets, under first-year head coach Felicia Sanchez, making it to the Final Four was an indisputable victory. Legendary coach Laurie Cogan won more than 550 games for Amherst during
her 30-year tenure before taking the reins this fall at Keystone. Sanchez stepped into the limelight after assisting Cogan for several years, and led the Comets to a 23-4 finish, entering the postseason ranked 10th in Ohio. Still high from the excitement, the Amherst Board of Education recognized the volleyball team Dec. 22, dubbing it Amherst Volleyball Day. It also celebrated the accomplishments of the state champion band, calling it Amherst Marching Comets Day as well.
Akron Children’s opens After a year of construction, an $8.4 million Akron Children’s Hospital facility opened in early December at 47185 Cooper Foster Park Rd., Amherst. The Amherst Health
Center covers 23,000 square feet, created 50 new jobs and is located next to Route 2 — it aims to prevent families from having to travel great distances to seek pediatric care.
“We know when a family has a sick child, that’s already stressful enough,” and adding travel time to the doctor doesn’t help, said Chief Operating Officer Lisa Aurilio.
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Charles Brinker, president of the Wellington High School Class of 2021, graduates in an outdoor ceremony. Many high school commencements moved outside in 2021, but otherwise were allowed to proceed as normal.
large number of students were reported to have COVID. Superintendent Steve Sayers resisted a mask mandate: “Clearly there are those who want us to issue a mandate, and unfortunately school districts have been put in a position that no matter what we decide, someone is going to be very upset,” he said. The Wellington Board of Education also rejected universal masking, even though huge chunks of its student population were ill or quarantined. As absences soared, angry parents lined up to tell the school board they didn’t want masks. “I’m here to tell you not to mask our children against our wishes,” said Christopher McClain, a parent of five, told the board in September. The debate cooled in following months, even as spread of the virus heated up. In December, new Lorain County Health Commissioner Mark Adams said the majority of spread among school-aged children was happening at home, not at school. Schools are still struggling, however. A couple limped into Christmas break days early because of staff shortages — there were too many sick teachers to keep doors open in Elyria and Avon Lake. High school sports teams also found frustration just before winter vacation, as basketball games were canceled due to outbreaks. Adams said school superintendents were looking for guidance in late December about what to do. “They have the same questions,” he said when asked whether the county health department had recommended delaying the return of classes in January.
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Oberlin gets a new elementary school A decade of planning paid off Aug. 30, when the first students started classes at the new Oberlin Elementary School on North Park Street. The $17.8 million building isn’t heavy with frills. The Board of Education made it clear through the planning process that they had a limited budget for the prekindergarten through fifth grade facility. That made its opening no less a triumph. Oberlin Elementary marks a new era for the district, which had wrestled for years with high costs associated with its aging Eastwood and Prospect schools. At a ribbon-cutting ceremony in September, Superintendent David Hall credited his prede-
cessor, the late John Schroth, with pushing for new construction. Schroth died of cancer in April 2015, and never saw his vision fulfilled. It wasn’t until 2018 that Oberlin voters saw what Schroth had, and agreed to increased property taxes to pay for the new school. Oberlin Elementary is now home to roughly 400 students. The Board of Education recently took its next step in developing its campus on Park and Pleasant streets — it formally voted in December to inform the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission that it is weighing options for building another school. Board members have long referred to Oberlin Elementary
Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune
The new Oberlin Elementary School opened in Fall 2021, marking a new era for the district. as “phase one,” and pushed the assumption that Oberlin High School would soon have to be replaced. Hall said however that phase two could be a 6-8, 6-9
or 6-12 school — the decision simply hasn’t been made. Funding will be the key factor. The board briefly talked last month about state funding
options, and the availability of tax money from the NEXUS gas pipeline that could take the weight off other taxpayers’ shoulders.
New name for Cleveland Amherst library starts “Together, we are all Cleveland Guardians,” the Indians MLB franchise said July 23, announcing that after 106 years it would change the team name at the end of the season. For local indigenous activists who had fought for decades to erase the stereotypes associated with both the Indians name and Chief Wahoo logo, the decision was a victory. “I honestly didn’t think I would be around to see it,” said Robert Roche, 75, of Oberlin, who spent a halfcentury protesting and suing for change. “… I was
just overjoyed, jumping up and down.” Sundance, executive director of the Cleveland American Indian Movement and another Oberlin resident, said the decision caused excitement through the entire native community. The team had dabbled with the idea of changing its name for years, and faces significant fan backlash in doing so. It considered 1,198 new name options, surveyed 40,000 fans and spent 140 hours interviewing people about the choice, according to the MLB.
Both Sundance and Roche were influential in the 2007 decision by the Oberlin City Schools to shed their Indians team name and become the Phoenix. They said they won’t stop until other Ohio schools stop calling themselves Redskins, Apaches, Chieftains, Braves, Seminoles and Senecas. They also expect frictions to continue with the Guardians. Even though the Indians name has been retired, the indigenous community does not want to see it used in “throwback” merchandise.
Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise
$5.8 million upgrade The first shovels of dirt were symbolically turned over in July for a $5.8 million expansion of the Amherst Public Library. A 7,500-square-foot, two story addition is being built on the south face of the library, with completion expected in April, though it may stretch into May, library Director Don Dovala said. Voters agreed in the March 2020 primary election to increase property taxes by 0.73 mills to fund construction. They did so by a large margin — 61.8 percent were for the project and 38.2 percent were against the project. The addition was originally planned to be about 10,000 square feet larger. Dovala said the library board has had to contend with inflation caused by the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, which has raised prices on everything from steel and glass to lumber and gas. The finished product will include a larger main entrance to the building’s parking lot and wrap-around windows into the adult materials collection. The first floor will be reconfigured with a business center, computers and reference materials, while the second floor will be set aside for children. The intention was to provide space between the youngest and oldest patrons, Dovala said, allowing kids to be noisier. There will also be a community room on the top floor, as well as an outdoor patio. Expect periodic closures of certain portions of the library in the new year as work continues and furniture is moved.
Chaos at the Capitol
Greta Gerwig and Adam Driver walk through downtown Wellington during one of many takes for the film "White Noise."
Filming in ‘Blacksmith’ You might know him as Kylo Ren from “Star Wars,” Charlie from “Marriage Story” or Adam Sackler from “Girls.” Soon you’ll know actor Adam Driver as Jack Gladney from “White Noise,” filmed in part in downtown Wellington and a quiet Oberlin residential street this past summer. With an arm around co-star Greta Gerwig, Driver walked down Wellington’s East Herrick Avenue in July as cameras rolled. Director Noah Baumbach oversaw the crews that blocked off the street, which had been transformed into a 1980s-style downtown. Normal storefronts there had been replaced in the prior weeks with all-new signs for imaginary businesses. Extras “shopped” at a fictional record store
and hung out in front of a Radio Shack, hardware store, movie theater, comic book shop and a laundromat. At the corner of routes 18 and 58, a sign proclaimed the action was happening in the town of Blacksmith. In Oberlin, the city issued permits for the closure of Forest Street, where a home was used for filming. “White Noise” is the film adaptation of the 1985 Don DeLillo novel of the same name, with Driver as the lead — a Midwestern college professor who pioneered the field of Hitler studies, and who finds himself on the run from a chemical spill. The film, which also stars Don Cheadle, Andre 3000 and Jodie Turner-Smith, is set for a 2022 release, according to the Internet Movie Database. Its listing does not give a specific date.
85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 JANUARY 6, 2022 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT 85 SOUTH MAIN STREET UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED JANUARY 11, 2022 ���������PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION - 4:30 P�M - CONFERENCE ROOM 2 JANUARY 12, 2022 ���������OCIC - 8:00 A�M - CONFERENCE ROOM 1 JANUARY 12, 2022 ���������OURCIT - 3:00 P�M - CONFERENCE ROOM 1 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.
A mob seeking to forcibly overturn the election of President Joe Biden stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, forcing Congress to evacuate. Supporters of thenPresident Donald Trump pushed past barricades, attacked police and made their way into restricted areas of the building, stealing and vandalizing property while they occupied the Capitol for several hours. Officials rushed to condemn the insurgents. "These violent and illegal actions must be met with swift justice," said a statement from Rep. Bob Gibbs, R-Lakeville. He urged everyone "to let law enforcement do their job and to leave the Capitol area. This is shameful and un-American.” "Americans support peaceful protests, First Amendment activity and the men and women of law enforcement,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, RUrbana. “What happened today is wrong and is not what America is about." “This is a horrific day for American democracy
Clifford Mackrell and liberty,” said Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo. “My deepest gratitude goes out to the selfless men and women of the Capitol Police for keeping my colleagues and our public servants safe. The attack on the U.S. Capitol today is an assault on democracy, decency and our Constitution. Those who have stoked and perpetuated this violence must be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.” According to the FBI, 20-year-old resident Clifford Mackrell of Wellington was present at the riot. Special
Agent Timothy Kolonick alleged in a report that the Lorain County man repeated struck a Capitol police officer, grabbed the officer’s mask and attempted to expose him to an agent that had been released into the crowd. Mackrell was charged with violently entering the Capitol, disorderly conduct on its grounds, civil disorder and assaulting, resisting or impeding officers. He pleaded guilty to all counts, and his trial has been pushed back to this spring due to the huge volume of evidence federal investigators have in the case, which will require time for processing and sharing with the defense. A superseding indictment was filed last month in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. A grand jury listed six counts involving acts of physical violence and disorderly conduct inside the Capital grounds, including a felony. Mackrell’s next status conference is scheduled for 10 a.m on Jan. 11.
JVS annexation fight After years of bickering and legal wrangling, the Lorain County JVS will not be allowed to become part of the city of Oberlin. The city sought to annex the 98.37-acre property into its limits, invoking a deal signed in the 1970s when the vocational school was built. At the time, Oberlin agreed to provide utilities, with the understanding that one day it would get to collect income taxes. That day arrived when the city limits expanded south to U.S. Route 20, where they were contiguous with the JVS land. But the school’s board bucked its agreement. Oberlin sought legal recourse, and
finally the JVS agreed to seek annexation — but used a newer kind of petition that didn’t exist when the original deal was struck. This way, the JVS would be within the city limits and get a significant break on utilities, but most of its employees would be shielded from paying taxes. Oberlin City Council balked at the terms, and in October shot down the annexation it had once sought. “They would have saved money by annexing, and the taxpayers should know that,” Councilman Kelley Singleton said. Frustrated, he went one step further, asking Law Director Jon Clark what would happen if the city were to cut off utilities to the school.
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Lorain County Community Guide
THE YEAR IN REVIEW
Overdose crisis Opoiod deaths have spiked during the pandemic, experts said throughout 2021. In February, the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County said a mix of despair and fentanyl were responsible for 122 accidental overdose deaths in 2020. Before the pandemic, opioid-related deaths had been on the decline for two straight years. County health officials noted there was a 20 percent increase in opioid overdose deaths from January to April 2021, compared with the same period the prior year. They also said a person died every 2.5 days in Lorain County due to opioid-related overdoses. The alarm continued to sound in November, when the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration warned that fake prescription pills laced with fentanyl and methamphetamine had become incredibly easy to get — and had proven far more dangerous than other illegal drugs being sold on the street.
Comings and goings • Chris Frank stepped down as principal of Oberlin High School at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. He accepted a position as principal at Brookside Middle School in Sheffield. Frank had been in charge of Langston Middle School, Prospect Elementary and then OHS during his 19-year tenure in the district. • Brent Betts was hired in May to become principal at Oberlin High School, marking a homecoming. He had previously served as assistant principal and athletic director for OHS from 1990 to 1999. • Amherst city councilmen Phil Van Treuren and Matt Nahorn opted not to seek re-election in 2021. • Oberlin city councilwomen Linda Slocum and Mary Price chose not to seek re-election in the fall. • Tom Kelley spent 42 years in public safety, and chose to retire in 2021 as longtime director of the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency. In the position, he’d spent years preparing against the dangers and responding to the threat of tornadoes, flooding, chemical spills, severe storms, train derailments, plane crashes, power outages, terrorist attacks and other disasters. • Rear Admiral Donna Cottrell, a Wellington native, retired in May from the U.S. Coast Guard after 38 years of service. She had commanded the “guardians of the Great Lakes” since June 2019. • Wellington High School Principal Tina Drake accepted a new job as assistant principal at Mason High School near Cincinnati, one of the largest in the entire state. She had led WHS since 2015. • Donna Keenan was hired to serve as principal at Wellington High School. She was previously a teacher at Lorain High School for 22 years, and had served as director of secondary academies there since August 2017. • Nathan Baxendale, principal of McCormick Middle School in Wellington, sought to move on professionally at the end of the 2020-2021 academic year. Public records later revealed he had been removed from the building before the end of the school year and barred from returning to district property without express permission. Baxendale was accused of “failure to comply
‘Lunch shaming’ ends No lunch money? No longer a problem at the Wellington Schools, which in March ended a decades-old practice of restricting meals for children who couldn’t pay. The decision was made more than a year after an unfortunate incident in which cafeteria worker Barb Ziegler took a lunch away from a McCormick Middle school student who owed $6, and dumped it in the garbage. She was fired in April 2020 after an investigation into her actions. Longtime school board member Ayers Ratliff said he’s received endless complaints over the years from parents upset about the district’s meal policies. They’ve involved kids were allowed to only have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches if their parents didn’t pay their lunch debt, or staff “throwing the lunch away right in front of the kids,” he said. The Board of Education said those policies will end. Children will get to eat no matter how much their families owe. That decision has yet to be put to use. During the COVID-19 pandemic, school lunches nationwide have been free to all students who want them. with disciplinary procedures, removal of records, insubordination, dishonesty and other professional conduct,” according to a June 4 letter from Superintendent Ed Weber. • John Telloni was hired to serve as the new principal at McCormick Middle School. He was extended a threeyear contract. Telloni hails from the Medina Schools, where he was an associate principal at Claggett Middle School. • Steve Dupee, who had served as Wellington village manager since late 2016, resigned in October 2021. At the beginning of the year, his wife Monica was hired as city manager of Westerville near Columbus. The 90- to 105-minute commute was insurmountable and dangerous, Dupee said. • Jonathan Greever was hired as Wellington’s new village manager in November, relocating from Missouri. There he had been administrator for the city of Shrewsbury, population 6,000, an inner-ring suburb of St. Louis. • David Covell never expected the final year of his career to be so busy. As the Lorain County health commissioner, he led a small army of public health workers in the local fight against COVID-19 before retiring in December 2021. He had served as the department’s top executive for nine years. • Mark Adams was promoted to become the new commissioner of Lorain County Public Health. A veteran of the field, he was hired in October 2020 in anticipation of stepping into Covell’s role. • Willis “Buster” Gardner was a local legend, and his face had everything to do with it. Generations of baseball fans knew him as a dead ringer for Babe Ruth, and he toured the nation for decades making appearances as the Great Bambino and winning look-alike contest. He died in August at age 83. • Jeff Young, chief of the Sheffield Fire Department, was named the new Lorain County 911 director in October. He stepped into the spot vacated when county commissioners fired former director Harry Williamson, who had engaged in a romantic affair with his superior, Commissioner Michelle Hung.
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Oberlin restricts access to offices due to COVID-19 DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM
OBERLIN — City offices and facilities are on restricted or by-appointment-only access to the public due to "the rise in COVID-19 cases in Lorain County, and in an effort to reduce community spread of the virus," Oberlin officials announced just before the end of 2021. In a notice on its website, the city wrote that access to city facilities was restricted "until further notice." City services are still operating, and some in-person business may be done by appointment only, the notice said. The Oberlin Police Department at 85 South Main St. still has public access, but all visitors are required to wear a face covering regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. "The city administration has taken these actions to help protect the health and safety of city employees and community members," according to the notice. City Manager Rob Hillard said the move was made out of caution and to protect the public and city workers as COVID-19 cases increase not just in Lorain County but all of Ohio as well. "We thought that would be the best move at this point," he said. Emergency services such as police and fire are still staffed and responding to emergencies, and residents should still call 911 if there is an emergency. "It's obviously a very difficult time, but we appreciate everything everyone can do, to look out for our citizens and community," Hillard said. City Council has passed an ordinance establishing procedures for City Council meetings by electronic means. Council Clerk Belinda Anderson said it would be up to Council to decide whether to meet virtually in the new year. "With the COVID-19 situation continually developing, please be assured that the city of Oberlin is actively taking measures to prevent the potential spread and impact of COVID-19, and is dedicated to providing the community with updated information as it arises," said a note on the city's website. Elyria took similar steps earlier in December. The front doors to Elyria City Hall on Court Street were ordered closed until further notice with public access from the rear entrance only. Vermilion city departments also are similarly restricted, Mayor Jim Forthofer said, with City Hall closed to the public and most employees working from home.
CLASSIFIEDS LEGALS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO EAST 36TH ST. REHABILITATION (GLOBE AVE. TO GROVE AVE.) LOR-CR 606-5.36 E. 36TH PID 111556 Sealed bids will be received by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM, January 28, 2022, Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, January 28, 2022, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. COMPLETION DATE: November 30, 2022 Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier's Check or Letter of Credit equals to ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bond for the full amount of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and a performance bond properly secured. Should any bid be rejected, such instrument will be forthwith returned upon proper execution of a contract. Cash deposits will not be accepted. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at www.cityoflorain.org. Each bidder must insure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American Dis-
C O M M U N I T Y
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abilities Act. All federal minority business enterprise and women business enterprise requirements shall be met. All contractors and subcontractors involved with the project will to the extent practicable use Ohio products, materials, services and labor in the implementation of their project. Bidders must be listed on the ODOT pre-qualified list for highway construction. Bidders shall submit a list of available equipment, and labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor Davis Bacon requirements for Lorain County, Ohio. NO BID WILL BE OPENED WITHOUT THE CERTIFICATION OF QUALIFICATION OR THE ACCEPTABLE LETTER OF APPLICATION ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE AS DIRECTED. The Director of Safety/ Service reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. No Pre-Bid meeting is scheduled. By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service L.C.C.G. 1/6-13-20/22 20693192 PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on December 20, 2021. 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 of legislation passed has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal
accuracy as required by state laws. Resolution 43-21 Recognizing & commending Greg Argenti for outstanding public service as a member of Lorain City Council. 44-21 Recognizing & commending Rob McFarland for outstanding public service as a member of Lorain City Council. 45-21 Recognizing & commending Breanna Dull for achieving status as a Certified Municipal Clerk. 46-21* Concurring w/ expenditure of $4,630,013 of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Ordinance 218-21 Recognizing & commemorating Marie Bonaminio by naming the green space at the NE Corner of Broadway & W. Erie the "Marie Bonaminio Memorial Pollinator Garden" 219-21 Adopting the rec to approve the rezoning of 2725 Grove Ave from B-2 to MU. 220-21 Adopting the rec to approve the rezoning of 1247 West Erie Ave from R-3 to B-2. 221-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter into a purchase agreement for the sale of 1144 W. Erie Avenue. 222-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter into an agrmt w/ Lorain City School District for use of the city fields and facilities. 223-21* DeAppropriation. 224-21* Transfer. 225-21* Advance. 226-21* Appropriation. 227-21* Appropriation. 228-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter into a letter of intent for the potential sale of real property located in the Colorado Industrial Site. 22921 Repealing Ord 188-11 and dividing the City into 8 wards pursuant to ORC Sections 731-01 & 731.06. 230-21* Appropriation- 2022 Temporary Budget. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.) L.C.C.G. 12/30/21; 1/6/22 20695311
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Thursday, Jan. 6, 2022
Lorain County Community Guide
RAZOR THIN
A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN
Provided photo
The American Legion Auxiliary Unit 118 in Amherst delivered 100 gifts from its Angel Tree to veterans and residents in local nursing homes. Pictured are Clark Bruner, Dan Shotter, Pat Kruman, Donna Bruner and Deb Gelenius.
David Sands | Wellington Enterprise
Jayden Roberts goes for the short shot under pressure. The Dukes boys eked out a 47-44 win over Firelands going into the holiday break.
HERRICK LIBRARY 101 Willard Memorial Square, Wellington
Board meeting The board of trustees will hold an organizational meeting at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 with its regular monthly board meeting immediately following. The meetings will be held in person in the library’s community room and are open to the public. Everyone attending the meeting will be required to wear a mask.
Winter story times Stories, songs and other activities designed to develop language, literacy and social skills your child needs for school success will run from Jan. 18 through Feb. 23 at the library. Family story times will take place on Tuesdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 18. They are for children ages 2-5 and their parents or caregivers. Baby story times will take place on Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m. beginning Jan. 20. They are for infants and toddlers ages birth to 24 months, accompanied by their parents or caregivers. Registration for Herrick Memorial Library’s story times is now underway. To register, visit the children’s desk or call (440) 647-2120.
Read with Putter Putter the friendly therapy dog visits the library from 3:15-4:30 p.m. each Thursday to listen to your child read. This is a wonderful way for children to practice their reading skills as Putter listens to the stories that they read aloud. To sign up your child for a 15-minute time slot, call (440) 647-2120.
100-unit home park gets approval KEVIN MARTIN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM
AMHERST — Amherst City Council has given the green light to a 100-unit housing development on North Dewey Road that spawned opposition from residents. In a 4-3 vote on Dec. 27, City Council decided to move forward with the gated manufactured home community that will be for adults 55 and older. The homes are estimated to cost between $150,000 and $200,000 each. In a financial analysis, Mayor Mark Costilow said at a $20 million total valuation, the homes could generate $372,000 annually for Lorain County with $284,000 supporting the Amherst Schools and the city receiving a 4.5 percent share of $16,368 split between several departments. Residents would have to pay lot rental fees on the land. At a more conservative “worstcase scenario” valuation at $100,000 a unit for a total of $15 million, the project would still generate $280,000 with the schools receiving $213,920 and the city receiving $12,320. The numbers include the construction of a community center valued at $5 million. A separate study by the city of Amherst’s income tax department estimated $18,000 in income tax revenue for a community like this. Putting it into perspective, Costilow said while the local share may not seem like a lot of revenue, over
Countdown to kindergarten This six-week series of programs is for children ages 3-5 and their parents. It will take place at 6 p.m. on Mondays, Jan. 24 and 31; Feb. 7, 14 and 28; and March 7 in the library’s community room. Each program will focus on the five early literacy skills of talking, playing, reading, writing and singing that all children need before starting school.
Winter Family Read Aloud The 2022 Read Aloud will honor Ohio authors. The event runs now through Feb. 26 and families that want to participate can register and pick up their bingo sheets through Feb. 4 at the children’s desk. Prizes will be awarded to those who complete a bingo and activities. This program is targeted to families with children up to age 7.
Tween Winter Read Tween winter reading is also available for ages 8-11. Kids in that age range can register to participate at the children’s desk, and get a bingo sheet that is age appropriate for them. Complete a bingo and win a prize; complete three bingo’s and your name goes into a prize drawing. All books for these games must be checked out using your Herrick Memorial Library card.
Adult Winter Read Adults are role models for children. If children see their parents reading, they are likely to want to read, too. To that end, the library has created a “winter read” contest for adults. Check out books, audio books, magazines, e-books or e-audio books using your Herrick Memorial Library card now through Feb. 28 and you’ll be entered into a prize drawing.
Teen Winter Read Teens ages 12-17 who check out books, audio books, magazines, e-books or e-audio books using their Herrick Memorial Library card now through Feb. 28 will be entered into a teen prize drawing. Explore some of the library’s new teen reading materials during these winter months.
time it adds up, describing it as the equivalent of a new police cruiser every three years and $1 million for local schools over five years. In the final vote, City Council members David Janik, Phil Van Treuren, Ed Cowger and Matt Nahorn supported the development, while Martin Heberling, Brian Dembinski and Jake Wachholz dissented. In supporting the project, Janik stressed the importance of the tax revenue that will support local schools as critical to the future of Amherst; he believes new residents can make this decision for themselves as to whether it is best for them. “I think that even if the valuation is $100,000 I think it opens the door for members of our community to come in that are 55 and older that have a place to go that can make a decision of their own. Obviously being that old and that mature, they can make a decision on whether they feel this is a good property investment for them or not,” Janik said. In response to concerns about road repairs and the cost of adding a turn lane, Janik said the administration and City Council will hold developer Brett Lilley to his agreement with the city in making it safe. “We're gonna hold Mr. Lilley to the agreement as he’s provided as he's promised, and we're gonna make sure that that road looks to its best, you know, and has that feature of a turning lane, no matter what it costs if I have anything to do with it,” Janik said. "So it's going to be done right but this is great for educa-
tion; this is great for the future of Amherst. This is helping us develop Amherst. … It was a hard decision. But again, I think this is what's best for Amherst right now in developing Amherst, so I'm voting for it.” Reading through the types of structures permitted under C-2 commercial zoning, Cowger added his support for the project, noting under the current code the land could permit a four-story hotel or banquet halls, arguing that type of development and the traffic it would bring would not be in the best interests of the community. Cowger argued that the proposal as it stands is the safest use for the area with the amount of green space on the site. A few North Dewey residents spoke in opposition to the development, expressing concerns about increased traffic. Kathleen Gillis asked City Council to vote no, or at the very least pause on the project to allow time to gather more information. She said there is enough traffic in the area already and argued there is insufficient space on either side of the road to add a turn lane. “We’re extremely disappointed that some of you don’t seem to respect how this negatively affects existing residents of this lovely little neighborhood. We expect that you should be looking out for our best interests as your constituents. Just because something can be built doesn’t mean it should be. Please vote no and send this back to the planning commission,” Gillis said.
MERCILESS MENG Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times
Firelands' Lauren Valerius battles for the ball at Midview, where the Falcons were routed 57-16 in non-conference play Monday night. The Middies’ Mary Meng had eight steals and blocked five shots to dominate the pace of the game.
Schools extend break due to surge KEVIN MARTIN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM
VERMILION —Vermilion Schools announced Sunday the district has extended its winter break until Jan. 10 due to recent spikes in COVID-19 cases. In a release to the district’s Facebook page, district officials said they were left with no choice. “We apologize for this late notice, but recent developments in our school community have made it
clear that this action is necessary,” the post said. “We have been closely monitoring the increase in COVID cases in our community and have determined, with input from the Erie County Health Department and state government officials, that extending winter break will be in the best interest of our students, staff, and community. We feel that this extended break time will help to decrease the spread of the virus in our community.” School officials added they will continue to monitor the situation
throughout the week and provide additional updates as necessary. Students will return to class on Monday, Jan. 10, and after-school sports and practices will continue as scheduled. “These are very challenging times. We are doing the best we can to serve all students and families in a variety of situations. Please be safe and we hope to see you on Jan. 10,” officials added. Vermilion joins Lorain City School District in extending winter break by a week.