Lorain County Community Guide - Jan. 19, 2023

Former Mayor Barb O’Keefe dies at 83

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Barb O’Keefe, who guided the village as mayor for 22 years until retiring in 2015, died Thursday, Jan. 12 at age 83.

She served on the Wellington Zoning Board of Appeals for a decade before joining Village Council in 1990. Three years later, when Mayor Roland “Bud” Handley died in office, O’Keefe stepped in for the remainder of his term.

In doing so, she became the first female mayor of Wellington.

“As a woman in a position of

authority at that point, it was something that she would be mayor,” said Planning and Zoning Director Marla Lent, who has worked for the village 30 years.

O’Keefe’s rise was inspiring, and encouraged other women to get involved in local government, Lent said.

Councilman Guy Wells knew O’Keefe long before her political days. He said she was good friends with his babysitter when he was still in elementary school.

“In high school, she and her brother kind of dominated the morning newspaper business in town, delivering The Plain Dealer,” he recalls.

Inflation cools, but prices are still chaotic

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Guessing how grocery prices will plunge and skyrocket from week to week is impossible, said Fligner’s Supermarket co-owner Ben Fligner.

“Eggs are off the chart right now, but chicken is cheap again,” he said.

The cost of some staples — milk, pasta and beef, for example — seems to be stabilizing as 2023 gets underway. But Fligner said he thinks they’ll fluctuate a lot in the coming months.

Food prices across the nation are holding relatively steady, helping to tamp down inflation, according to new numbers released last week by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Inflation peaked at 9.1 percent in the middle of 2022, a spike not seen for 40 years. The government’s yearend analysis shows it slowed in the final quarter to rest at 6.5 percent over the past 12 months.

That’s a good sign, but doesn’t mean the nation’s economic outlook is rose-colored. December’s CPI numbers were the still the second-highest since 1981.

Anthony Gallo, president of the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce, said that despite big price hikes he believes most businesses have a positive outlook to

For more than a half-century, O’Keefe worked at Village Market. Later in her career, she was store manager.

She was also active in St. Patrick Catholic Parish, where her father had been the organist, Wells said.

When Handley died in 1993, O’Keefe paved the way for Wells’ entry to Wellington Council. He was appointed to fill a vacant seat caused by her elevation to mayor.

“She probably managed or coordinated or sometimes initiated more substantial change in Wellington than any other mayor,” Wells said.

He praised O’Keefe as someone

On exhibit at LCCC

Kristin Bauer | Wellington Enterprise Mayor Barb O'Keefe is pictured here in December 2015 at her retirement celebratory dinner.

O’KEEFE PAGE A3

The Lorain County Scholastic Art Exhibition is on display through Feb. 16 at the Stocker Arts Center on the campus of Lorain County Community College in Elyria. It features 650 works created by students at junior high and high schools in Lorain, Erie and Huron counties. Gallery hours are 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 4-6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 1-3 p.m. Sunday.

“Factory in West Virginia” by Jack Fedan, Marion L. Steele High School, Amherst.

“Vacas” by Claire Ohle, Firelands High School.

▲ “Flying Fish” by Brilee De Lima, Wellington High School.

CANDY HOUSE CONTEST

Provided photo

Fourth-graders at Wellington’s McCormick Middle School were challenged before winter break to design, build and decorate candy houses to put into action what they’ve learned about science, technology, engineering and math. They were awarded in a range of categories, including Best Two-Story, Best Three-Story, Most Unique, Most Detailed and Best Decorated houses.

In language arts class, students roll-played as realtors and wrote descriptions they felt would “sell” their homes.

OBITUARIES

Norman Dale Campbell

Norman Dale Campbell, 59, of Spencer, lost his battle with cancer on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2023, at the Avon Cleveland Clinic. Born on Sept. 1, 1963, in Elyria, Dale grew up in Wellington and was a 1982 Wellington High School graduate.

Dale worked at Discount Drug Mart as a District Supervisor and was a member of the Wellington Eagles. He attended Pleasant Valley Lutheran Church in Ashland. Always putzing around, Dale could often be found working in his yard or washing his car. He took great pride in having his home and stuff look nice. He also enjoyed camping and collecting model cars and other trinkets.

Survivors include his wife, Susan (nee Bender) Campbell; children, Dale Campbell, Katelyn (Christopher) Hudak and Joshua (Talia) Campbell; grandchildren, Emerson, Kinsley, Norah and another one on the way; his mom, Sally (Earl) Campbell and siblings, Cindy (Jerry) Logan, Ernie (Grace) Campbell, and Michael (Colette) Campbell. Dale was preceded in death by his father, Dale Lee Campbell.

Friends and family were received Monday, Jan. 16 at Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, Wellington, where funeral services were held Tuesday, Jan. 17 with Pastor Daley officiating. Burial was at Spencer Cemetery. Condolences and fond memories for the Campbell family can be shared online at: www.norton-eastmanfuneral home.com.

Michael Ray Clem

Michael Ray Clem, 66, a lifelong Wellington resident, died on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2023, under the care of New Life Hospice. Born in Oberlin on Nov. 10, 1956, Mike was the son of the late James and JoRetta (nee Butcher) Clem.

He was a 1976 graduate of Wellington High School. For many years, Mike worked for the Ohio Turnpike. He was a member of the Wellington Eagles and enjoyed hunting. Most of all, Mike loved gardening and razzing his nieces and nephews.

He is survived by his wife, Sarah Clem; siblings, Barbara Shuler, Connie Sutphin, Vickie Beedy and John Clem; nieces and nephews, Joseph, Jennifer, Jeremiah, Kerri, Katie, Melissa and Karla.

Mike was preceded in death by his brother, Jim; nephew, Ryan and niece, Jackie.

A private graveside service will be held at a later date. Fond memories and condolences can be shared at www. norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com.

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.

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• 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.

Alice M. Hawes

Alice M. Hawes, 85, of Wellington, died Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at The Elms Retirement Home. Born Nov. 21, 1937, in Cleveland, she was the daughter of the late Andrew Onuska and Elizabeth Toth.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband of 42 years, Thomas Gage Hawes, who passed away February 7, 2006.

Alice is survived by her sister, Kathryn Comiskey of Fair View Park, and her cat, Miracle.

Alice really loved living in Wellington and said the community was the 'best' place she and her husband, Tom, ever lived. Neighbors smiled when they saw them and were so friendly. So many in the community helped Alice.

Alice's health deteriorated the last years - but she is reunited with Tom and the many cats they both loved! She wants to say, “Thank you, Wellington!”

There will be a graveside memorial service at a future date.

Arrangements are entrusted to Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, Wellington and condolences for Alice's family can be given at www.norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com.

Experience ‘first dates gone wrong’ in OHS stage play

OBERLIN — The Oberlin High School Drama Club will present “Check Please!” by Jonathan Rand, with a debut performance at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 at the school auditorium.

Additional performances will be at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22.

Under the direction of adviser Austin Smith, 22 students, one student director and a production crew have been working daily to perfect the show.

“Check Please” showcases a series of first dates gone very wrong. Senior Audrey Halstead describes them as “dates that couldn’t get any worse — until they do. All of the characters have their own personality and in the script appear to be hilarious.”

Senior Jackson Schaeffer is looking forward to being on stage. This will be his third show for OHS, but he said it feels new again each time he’s on stage.

“It’s always a new show, with a new cast, so it never feels old,” he said. “I remember I always wanted to perform in middle school, but then I finally took a leap of faith and I am so glad I did because I fell in love with it.”

The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for students.

JVS adds second deputy

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Deputy Matthew Pozega has been assigned to patrol the Lorain County JVS, joining current school resource officer Deputy David Walker.

“As our enrollment continues to increase, we felt it was time to add an additional full-time SRO to the team,” said JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth. “Safety continues to be our top priority, so this decision was an easy one to make.”

Pozega

Pozega has been with the Lorain County Sheriff's Office since 1998, when he started his career as a corrections officer. He became a deputy in 2003.

Sherriff Phil Stammitti said Pozega has worked patrol and warrants, has been a field training officer to new deputies, and is viewed by his peers as a knowledgeable officer.

“I know in his new role as an SRO, Deputy Pozega will excel and fit in with all the students and teachers. He is a great listener with a lot of patience,” Stammitti said.

Pozega said he aims to build rapport with students and staff, hopefully motivating teens to be the best they can be.

EYES ON THE FUTURE

KELLY RAE JONES, 37, of Lorain, passed away Friday, Jan. 13, 2023, unexpectedly in her sleep. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

Provided photo

Wellington High School Student Council officers Hope Dudziak, Lily Oswald and Maya Feron pose with Jason Williams, an advisor of the Small Business Development Center at Lorain County Community College in Elyria. The three students recently attended a meeting of the Effective Leadership Academy, an educational nonprofit that partners with schools and youth. It focuses on reinforcing essential social and emotional and workforce development skills.

Matthew

Spending to outpace revenue at Oberlin schools

The Oberlin City Schools will spend down cash reserves in the coming fiscal year, Treasurer Bob Rinehart said in a brief Jan. 10 tax budget hearing.

The school district will start with about $11.4 million on hand, he said. It is expected to collect revenues of about $20 million and spend just under $26 million.

That will leave an ending fiscal year balance of a little more than $9 million, Rinehart told the Oberlin Board of Education.

“This periodically will be adjusted during next year,” he said.

O’KEEFE

FROM A1

who was invested in small projects that didn’t get much glory. She championed water line replacements, new sidewalks and parking lots.

O’Keefe didn’t like claiming credit for those “low profile, tedious” advancements, Wells said. But they made larger improvements possible — and after a few years with her at the helm, it was hard to walk through town without noticing how much better it had become, he said.

It was O’Keefe’s savvy work to turn a gravel path into Kent Street that opened the southern reaches of Wellington to new residential development, he said. That area became the Parkside Reserve subdivision.

She was also responsible for work that paved the way for commercial development along Route 58 on the village’s north side, said Wells.

She pushed for government to be reorganized, which resulted in the creation of a village charter.

But O’Keefe’s greatest accomplishment was construction of a railway underpass on Route 58, according to Lent, Wells and current Mayor Hans Schneider.

It took years to convince the Ohio Department of Transportation to invest in a grade separation that allowed traffic to flow under the CSX tracks, ending frequent delays for passing trains.

O’Keefe never stopped fighting, and told reporters she ran for one last term as mayor to make sure it was built. In November 2015, she presided over a ceremony for the opening of the $17.3 million underpass.

“Her driving force for anything was certainly her love of the village,” said Schneider, who served on Council when she was mayor.

He said O’Keefe always wanted to take on problems immediately instead of “kicking the can down the road.” She was steady, consistent and slow to anger, always hearing all the facts before giving her own opinions.

Wells said he remembers visiting

INFLATION

FROM A1

start the year.

“Is there a supply chain issue they’re still dealing with? Yes,” he said. “Will prices be more for what they’re paying? Yes. Will they be charging more? Yes.”

Inflation probably won’t pressure businesses across the county enough to cause a wave of closures, Gallo said.

If anything, local retailers, restaurants and offices are looking to hire, he said. Even with record inflation, demand has increased instead of going away.

Almost all small businesses have had to pass on price hikes to their customers, said Main Street Amherst Director Teresa Gilles. Yet people haven’t stopped shopping or dining out, she said — they’re willing to pay more to support locally-owned stores and restaurants.

“They see the value. When you go to a mom and pop shop, the customer service is better than going to a big box, or going online,” said Gilles. “What kind of customer service do you get online?”

The National Retail Federation has issued a few predictions for 2023. It believes shoppers are returning to brick and mortar locations, retailers will experiment with smaller stores and this year will bring less supply chain chaos.

“Retail companies — all businesses, for that matter — continue to experience disruption,” said Susan Reda, vice president of education strategy. “Geopolitical unrest is ongoing. And every executive is trying to get their arms around financial volatility.”

The National Restaurant Association noted that its industry added 26,300 jobs in December, continuing to rebound from the pandemic.

But restaurants are still struggling to find staffing, down 450,000 jobs compared to pre-pandemic levels. That’s the largest employment deficit among all U.S. industries, the association said.

“Overall, 62 percent of operators say their restaurant does not have enough employees to support its existing customer demand,” it said in a written statement.

Bob Kritz, general manager of Oberlin IGA, said customers have changed their shopping habits, adjusting to a harsher economic climate.

They’re making menus and keeping purchases to just the items on their list, he said. They’re not shopping as often, and they’re buying in bulk.

O’Keefe at home and listening as she took a steady stream of calls — often complaints — from residents. She didn’t brush them off, but listened even when it was clear she disagreed strongly, he said.

When she wanted something, she “fought for it vigorously,” Wells said. Yet in his eyes she wasn’t driven by ego.

“She had clear opinions about things, was able to have them and was able to swallow them sometimes,” he said. “She didn’t stay married to them. So she led a bunch of dedicated individuals to do their work and be their best… We are richer for the work she did.”

Schneider said that after he became mayor in 2016, O’Keefe was willing to spend time in his office — her old office — sharing her experience. When he called for advice, she was kind and generous, he said.

Lent also said that after retiring O’Keefe would call often, asking to be kept up to speed on developments and offering her help.

“She was all about Wellington, there was never any doubt about that — it was always about Wellington,” Lent said.

The last Lent spoke to her was a week before O’Keefe died. The former mayor was frustrated by losing her eyesight and no longer being able to drive around town.

But Lent said she felt O’Keefe had made peace with her deteriorating health.

She also felt that despite physical issues and memory lapses, O’Keefe had more years left. Though she had plenty of heart, it was a cardiac episode that ended her life, Lent said.

“She was a tremendous leader for the village,” Schneider said. “Her style was unique. It can’t be copied, because it was genuine. It was exactly who she was.”

A Mass of Christian burial was held Monday at St. Patrick Catholic Church, followed by burial at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.

“The everyday shopper I used to have is coming out once a week now… And they’re trying to be very wise about buying things,” Kritz said.

Stocking shelves isn’t always easy, he said. Many products simply aren’t available anymore, or can only be ordered in limited quantities.

Those that do arrive are often not boxed, but in bags due to material shortages and cost-cutting decisions, Kritz said.

Fuel prices are the biggest issue, he feels. Higher delivery costs translate to markups at the checkout line.

Gas prices are no longer hovering around $5 per gallon like they were in the fall. They certainly could be better.

After dropping to $3.05 per gallon at many Lorain County stations, the average cost of gas across Northeast Ohio shot back up to $3.35 this past week, according to AAA.

A quick survey of local gas station signs Jan. 12 showed prices at $3.15 at Snappy’s Marathon in North Ridgeville, $3.29 at BP in Wellington, $3.35 at Sheetz in Amherst, $2.99 at Marathon in Lorain and $3.49 at Shell in Avon Lake.

Business owners have reacted to new conditions by changing how they deliver services and products, Gallo said, using Camden Township-based Green Circle Growers as an example.

It braced for a financial hit in the depths of the COVID-19 crisis, but discovered people still wanted lilies and other flowers. Gallo said the company found a way to provide direct delivery and keep money rolling in.

“They saw a whole other side of business than they knew existed, or could exist,” he said.

Gilles also said many small businesses are reinventing themselves to survive.

“I see them trying to figure out how to make it all work,” she said.

Coping with inflation has been much easier for multinational corporations like Walmart, said Fligner: “The big boys can withstand it. They just adjust their prices.”

He said his grocery store has committed to keep afloat without laying off employees or skimping on offers.

At the same time, Fligner said it seems like the biggest competitors are using inflation as an excuse to gouge customers, widening their profit margins far more than is necessary.

Amherst school board leaders

In the Amherst Board of Education’s first meeting of 2023, Rex Engle was selected to serve again as president of the board. Marc Zappa will serve as vice president for the year.

Oberlin school board leaders

In the Oberlin Board of Education’s first meeting of 2023, Farah Emeka was selected to serve as president of the board. Jo-Anne Steggall was chosen to serve as vice president for the year.

No more masks

The Oberlin Heritage Center has announced it will no longer require masks to be worn during indoor visits. Visitors with concerns can still arrange for private tours or request that docents or staff members wear masks during their visit.

Four deadly crashes reviewed

The Lorain County Traffic Fatality Review Committee, conducted through Lorain County Public Health, met Wednesday, Dec. 7 to review four deadly traffic crashes that killed four people between Aug. 23 and Nov. 18 on local roadways.

The following factors contributed to the fatal crashes, some of which included multiple factors:

• Three crashes involved people not wearing seat belts.

• Two people were under the age of 25.

• Two crashes involved distracted drivers.

• One crash involved drugs and alcohol.

As of Dec. 12, 19 fatal crashes and 20 deaths occurred in 2022 in Lorain County.

A seat belt was not used in 62 percent of the crashes. Alcohol was a factor in 39 percent, two of the crashes involved a motorcycle and three involved a victim under the age of 24.

Seventy-two percent of the crashes happened in rural areas of Lorain County.

In 2021, 33 fatal crashes occurred, and 38 people died on Lorain County roads.

Mental health support group for young adults

NAMI of Lorain County has launched a young adult Support group, which meet from 6-7:30 p.m. each Thursday in Avon.

To sign up, call (440) 240-8477.

This is in response to the many calls and inquiries the National Alliance on Mental Illness has received regarding services specific for those who fall under a younger demographic. The free, peer-led support group is for any adult between the ages of 18 and 35 who has experienced symptoms of a mental health condition. Gain insight from hearing the challenges and successes of others.

NAMI’s support groups are unique because they follow a structured model to ensure you and others in the group have an opportunity to be heard and to get what you need.

What’s in store for 2023?

JASON HAWK EDITOR

We asked mayors in the Guide’s primary coverage area along the Route 58 corridor what plans are in store for 2023, with an emphasis on capital improvements.

Here is what they had to say:

Amherst

Saving enough money to cover the cost of large employee raises granted at the tail end of 2022 is Mayor Mark Costilow’s chief priority this year.

Under new contracts, most Amherst city workers will get pay increases of 8.25 percent in 2023 and 3.5 percent in both 2024 and 2025 — plus negotiated benefits improvements.

That doesn’t mean any drastic cuts to existing plans or programs, Costilow said.

“I don’t think we have to make cuts, it’s just not doing things that might be on the wish list,” he said.

Amherst entered the new year with a healthy general fund budget carryover. Costilow estimated about $2 million was left unspent, largely due to a conservative approach late in the year.

That money will help offset the cost of expensive repairs and maintenance, including more than $3 million this summer for paving projects.

The list of affected streets hasn’t been finalized, but Costilow said it is expected to include Middle Ridge Road from Route 58 west to the city limits. He is also considering Sharondale Drive, Meadowview Lane and parts of Winesap Road, Rome Beauty Drive and Cherry Valley Drive.

“So it’s aggressive,” he said.

Costilow said he also wants to launch a campaign to fight littering in Amherst, especially near the Route 2 ramps at Oak Point and Leavitt roads.

“It seems people stop at those lights and throw their coffee cups and cigarette butts and candy wrappers out the window,” he said.

sewer line from the village up Baumhart Road to Lorain’s treatment plant.

South Amherst needs to invest another $800,000 in the study, Leshinski said, though he feels some members of Village Council have their doubts about whether that’s the right course of action.

If county officials think sewers through the rural stretch along Baumhart are feasible, they’re willing to sink $10 million into building them, Leshinski said. That wouldn’t cover the total bill by a mile, he said. Village residents would have to pay assessments, probably running many thousands of dollars.

In his mind, the price tag would be worthwhile.

“If this would come to fruition, not only would the village be able to tie into it, but also the quarry project with (Industrial Realty Group), it could finally be the catalyst for that,” Leshinski said, referencing long-delayed plans to build upscale housing on the village’s north side.

In the meantime, South Amherst’s residents are paying the price of not having sewers, he said.

All are on septic systems, which are expensive to replace, Leshinski said, and many are growing old and out of compliance with state law.

The longer the county waits to build sewers on its western side, the more costly they will be due to inflation, he said.

But sewers could also help generate new revenue: “I look at that as not only beneficial for the village, but economically advantageous for the surrounding areas,” Leshinski said.

He sees them as magnets for residential and commercial development, especially for traffic heading to Cedar Point and other resort destinations in the Sandusky area.

Oberlin

and is in bad shape, he said. The portion of the building the city now occupies was built in the 1980s.

“There are some engineering challenges that we have before we can tear down that old section,” Burgess said — the boiler and electrical system are housed there.

Another priority is widening Park Street near the new Oberlin Elementary School, he said.

That project would involve extensive water line work and installing a bike path for students, as well as a new signalized intersection, Burgess said.

That project was budgeted for 2021 but had to be placed on the back burner.

Now Burgess said he hopes talks with Oberlin College, which owns some land along Park Street, will provide right-of-way access for the improvements.

Wellington

The village plans to do an electric rate study as well as a wage study for all employees this year, said Mayor Hans Schneider.

Wages are a pressing issue, he said — Wellington has had a great deal of turnover in the past few years, and some retired workers have been rehired but won’t stay forever.

“We have a deadline, multiple deadlines because some people have only re-upped for a certain amount of time,” said Schneider.

Wellington won’t ever be the highest-paying employer, but he said it also shouldn’t be the lowest.

Village officials will also spend time planning for a multimillion-dollar water and electric meter replacement program throughout 2023.

Wellington “loses” 66 million gallons — or about 35 percent — of water each year, according to Water Superintendent Jon Love.

Most of that water isn’t leaking away into the ground. It’s unaccounted for due to decades-old, inaccurate meters.

Agreement with the FullTime Dispatchers Unit of The Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-51

An Ordinance authorizing an increase In appropriations for the City of Amherst Police Department to allow expenditures from donations from Sliman’s Sales & Services Inc. and VFW Post 162 for police equipment; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-52

An Ordinance reappropriating funds In the Sewer Department and Electric Department of the City of Amherst, Ohio to cover gas and oil expenses through the end of 2022; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-53

ing an emergency. 0-22-61 An Ordinance approving the 2023 Interim Budget; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-62

An Ordinance approving and accepting a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the Part-Time Dispatchers Unit of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-62

An Ordinance approving and accepting a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the part- time Patrol Unit of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-64

LEGALS 12/31/22 0-22-41 An Ordinance amending Chapter 557 of the Codified Ordinances of the City of Amherst, Ohio to include a Revised Section 557.03(c) and a Revised Section 557.05 regarding the definition of “Litter” and fees to be charged when the city must remedy a failure to cut or destroy weeds, cut grass, or remove litter. 0-22-42 An Ordinance reappropriating funds to cover collection fees through the end of 2022; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-43 An Ordinance authorizing an increase in appropriations for the City of Amherst Police Department to cover budget shortages; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-44 An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into a contract for professional services with Bramhall Engineering & Surveying Company relating to the Middle Ridge Road Improvements Project; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-45 An Ordinance allowing ODOT to perform maintenance on SR 2 within the City at no cost to the City; and declaring an emergency.

0-22-46 An Ordinance amending City of Amherst Ordinance No. O-22-36 for the purchase of two police cruisers to increase the not-to-exceed total cost from $113,000.00 to $124,000.00.

0-22-47 An Ordinance authorizing the City of Amherst, Ohio to accept grant funds In amounts to be determined annually from the Community Foundation of Lorain County from the estate of Lorna Middendorf for the care and maintenance of Maude Neiding Memorial Park. (A-2252) 0-22-48

An Ordinance approving and accepting changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the American Federation of State, Municipal and County Employees; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-49 An Ordinance approving and accepting changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the full time patrol and sergeants unit of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association. and declaring an emergency.

0-22-50 An Ordinance approving and accepting changes to the Collective Bargaining

An Ordinance authorizing the City of Amherst Community Improvement Corporation, acting as agent for the city, to negotiate the terms of the lease of certain city-owned property to AMP Transmission, LLC; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-54

An Ordinance to establish the wage rate and benefits, terms and other conditions of employment for the full-time Civilian Administrator of the Police Department of the City of Amherst, repealing all Ordinances In conflict herewith, and declaring an emergency. 0-22-55

An Ordinance to establish the wage rates and benefits, terms and other conditions of employment for certain full-time non-bargaining Unit Employees of The City of Amherst, repealing All Ordinances In conflict herewith, and declaring an emergency. 0-22-56

An Ordinance to establish the salary, terms and other conditions of employment for the Fire Chief of the City of Amherst, repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith, and declaring an emergency. 0-22-57

An Ordinance to establish the salary, terms and other conditions of employment for the Information Technology Manager of the City of Amherst, repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith and declaring an emergency. 0-22-58

An Ordinance to establish the wage rates and benefits, terms and other conditions of employment of the Superintendents of Utilities and the Water Pollution Control Center and Supervisors of the Electric, Sewer, Street, Water and Water Pollution Control Center, repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith and declaring an emergency. 0-22-59

An Ordinance establishing the wage rate, benefits and other conditions of employment for the permanent Part-Time Tax Assistant I of the City of Amherst, repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith, and declaring an emergency. 0-22-60

An Ordinance to establish the salary for the Director of The Office On Aging of the City of Amherst, repealing all Ordinances in conflict herewith, and declar-

An Ordinance establishing the salaries and benefits for the Amherst Fire Department effective January 1, 2023, repealing all Ordinances In conflict herewith, and declaring an emergency. 0-22-65

An Ordinance approving and accepting the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the parttime patrol unit of the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association for the years 2023, 2024, and 2025; and declaring an emergency. 0-22-66

An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor to enter into an agreement with the City of Lorain for the supply and sale of water service; and declaring an emergency.

R-22-06

A Resolution requesting that the County Auditor of Lorain County, pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 5705.03(B), certify to the City of Amherst the Total Current Tax Valuation of the City and the dollar amount of revenue that would be generated by One (1.0) Mill for the purpose of providing and maintaining fire apparatus, appliances, buildings, and sites therefor for the Fire Department of the City of Amherst, Ohio pursuant to Section 5705.19(I) of the Ohio Revised Code; repealing all Ordinances and Resolutions in conflict herewith; and declaring an emergency.

R-22-08 A Resolution accepting amounts and rates as determined by the budget commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor, and declaring an emergency.

R-22-09 A Resolution adopting the Federally Approved Lorain County 2022 Hazard Mitigation Plan; and declaring an emergency.

R-22-10 A Resolution accepting amounts and rates as determined by the Budget Commission and authorizing the necessary tax levies and certifying them to the county auditor; and declaring an emergency.

The complete text of the above listed ordinances and resolutions may be viewed in the office of the Clerk of Council during regular business hours.

OLGA SIVINSKI CLERK OF COUNCIL C.T.1/19/23 20714199

Litter is a nuisance that hurts more than just the city’s visual appeal, he said. It ends up in storm sewers, clogs the sewer treatment plant and flows from Beaver Creek into Lake Erie.

Costilow also hopes to throw the switch on a new electrical substation that will give the city a second main entry point for power. Right now, electricity only enters Amherst from the east at a point along the railroad tracks — if cut there, the entire city goes dark.

Engineering for the project is more than 90 percent complete and millions of dollars in parts have already been ordered, Costilow said.

Right-of-way to install the new feed has not yet been acquired. Despite ongoing negotiations will a few property owners, the mayor said the project is still on schedule.

“It’s looking like it might be a New Year’s Eve switch,” he said.

Costilow also anticipates building renovations at the Nordson Depot, which was gifted to the city last year by the Nordson Corporation.

The old railway building came with $150,000 to make repairs and upgrades, so the mayor said work can be done without digging into Amherst’s budget.

Once complete, the plan is to move the city’s Office on Aging from its home on Cleveland Avenue into the Depot, he said.

That would likely lead to the sale of the vacated Cleveland Street building, which will no longer be needed, he said.

South Amherst

The fight for sewers has been waging in South Amherst for decades.

Now Mayor Dave Leshinski sees a light at the end of that tunnel. Lorain County commissioners have allocated about $800,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funds to study the possibility of running a sanitary

Planning for a roughly $750,000 walking and bike path along Route 58 is the big project on Oberlin City Council President Bryan Burgess’ mind as 2023 begins.

It will be built between Hamilton Street and U.S. Route 20, connecting residential areas with the busy commercial corridor anchored by Walmart.

“That’s a really busy stretch of road. We don’t want to have people having to walk through traffic,” Burgess said.

Aldi, which opens this week, is the first tenant of the new Oberlin Crossing shopping center near the intersection of the two highways. Burgess said more stores are expected to open there in the next couple of years, and pedestrians need a safe way to reach them.

While the city has budgeted the money to build a paved pathway and has the right-of-way to do so, it’s not ready to put the project out for bid, he said.

At the earliest, ground could be broken in the early fall. But Burgess said construction may be pushed to 2024.

“That would disappoint me, but it wouldn’t surprise me,” he said.

There are also decisions to be made this year about the future of the former Prospect Elementary School, which the city now owns.

The Oberlin recreation, information technology and sustainability offices have relocated to the building. OberlinKids runs a community classroom there, senior programs operation from the old school and the city rents gym space and other rooms out for a fee.

Burgess said the city is slowly remodeling Prospect. There is a need in his mind, however, to eventually tear down the building’s southern wing.

That wing was built in the 1950s

Replacing meters across the village is likely to cost at least $1.15 million and potentially more than $2 million, Village Manager Jonathan Greever said in December.

Officials are starting to talk to meter companies this month, and hope to have a purchase proposal on the table by the middle of 2023. A January 2024 rollout of the new meters is possible, Greever said.

Wellington’s new police station is far behind schedule due to supply chain issues. A generator for the East Herrick Avenue building is the main hold-up, Schneider said.

“Until it’s on site, we won’t be able to breathe easy,” he said.

Officials expect to open the new station in the late summer or early fall.

Schneider said he also plans to break ground on Union School Park this summer at the former site of the old McCormick Middle School — hopefully over the Fourth of July holiday.

The first item of business will be to plant a tree at the center of the park, to be decorated at Christmas, he said.

“Putting some shovels in the ground” this year will kick off fundraising for the park. The Kiwanis Club of Wellington has raised a great deal of money for playgrounds, and the village also received a six-figure donation toward playground equipment, but more will be needed to develop the land, Schneider said.

He anticipates breaking ground on a new playground area on the north side of Union School Park in 2024.

Other priorities for this year include replanting trees along downtown sidewalks, installing veterans banners on Herrick Avenue and improving communication with small business owners, Schneider said.

“We just want to improve,” he said. “There’s always room for improvement. Just like anyone who does new year’s resolutions, we want to know what we can be better at.”

Mark Costilow

Dave Leshinski

Bryan Burgess

Hans Schneider

“I don’t think we have to make cuts, it’s just not doing things that might be on the wish list.”

Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow

Sheriff’s deputies file union grievance over radio vote

DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

The Lorain County Deputies Association filed a grievance with Sheriff Phil Stammitti last week, accusing the county Board of Commissioners of violating the health and safety articles of a union contract by rescinding a deal to buy a new radio system for its members.

Representatives of the Fraternal Order of Police of Ohio and the deputies' union promised a grievance was coming at a contentious board meeting last Monday. They were joined by supporters and county firefighters who were critical of the commissioners for rescinding a contract between the county and Cleveland Communications Inc. for the L3 Harris radio system.

The grievance appears headed for arbitration. According to the deputies' contract, an arbitrator could make a binding ruling forcing the county to comply if he or she determines that the county violated provisions in the deputies' contract.

In the grievance, a copy of which was obtained by The Chronicle-Telegram, the union alleged that commissioners David Moore and Jeff Riddell, both Republicans, voted to rescind the multimillion-dollar radio contract knowing "that the current radio systems are not working properly and that the sheriff can not find replacement parts for the current system in the event of a failure."

Commissioner Michelle Hung, also a Republican, had voted against rescinding the CCI contract.

The union alleged that rescinding the contract "causes a significant safety issue" and that the delay in providing the new radios is "a direct violation" of a collective bargaining agreement approved by the Board of Commissioners on Dec. 14.

Article 12 Section 1 of the union contract states that "management accepts its responsibility to provide safe working conditions, tools, equipment and working methods for its employees."

To address the grievance and the issue of the radios, the union demanded that the county allow the new radio system "to be purchased immediately and in the interim supply each officer with a cell phone to be utilized on duty in case of radio failure," according to the grievance.

In a letter to the union dated Jan. 11, Stammitti wrote that "as sheriff of Lorain County, it is my duty to protect the employees of this office, and also the citizens of this county."

"I cannot disagree with your union that we are facing a very unreliable system which (affects) the health and safety of the employees at the Sheriff's Office, as well as the citizens of Lorain County," Stammitti wrote. "You can now move this forward for an arbitrator's review and remedy."

Attorneys for CCI have also promised legal action against the county, both in a letter dated Jan. 7 and in person at last week’s meeting.

CCI was the only company to provide a complete bid for the radio system last year, three years after a 2019 study by consulting firm Mission Critical deemed that the L3 Harris system was the best fit for Lorain County first responders.

That bid was reviewed by the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office, approved by Hung and former Commissioner Matt Lundy, a Democrat, at a meeting on Dec. 21, and the cost was covered out of the

county's share of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Moore was ill and not present at that meeting.

Avon, Avon Lake, North Ridgeville, Sheffield and Sheffield Lake firefighters already use the L3 Harris radios and have praised their abilities and audio quality. Elyria, Lorain, Wellington- and Oberlinarea fire chiefs and their departments do not have the L3 Harris system, but all have said they want it.

However, Moore and Riddell said Monday that they believed the process behind CCI's bid for the radio system was unfair, possibly unethical and/or illegal, and voted to rescind the contract over the objections of Hung, the deputies, county fire chiefs and first responders.

Moore and Riddell said they wanted to restart the process to ensure it was proper, and have since promised to work on it in the coming months.

Asked for comment last Wednesday, Moore said he hadn't seen the grievance paperwork, "so (it's) kinda hard to comment yet."

Riddell said he had no comment.

In a statement, Hung doubled down on the Mission Critical study's recommendation that the L3 Harris radios provided by CCI were the best option.

"Monday's performance by Commissioner Moore was a painful display of how uneducated he has been throughout his tenure regarding critical safety programs for our residents," she wrote. "Commissioner Moore has impeded and derailed critical county safety projects while subjecting the residents to political theater diversion."

"Commissioner Moore is now endangering human lives in Lorain County," Hung wrote. "This egregious act by Moore and Riddell is nothing other than political theater diversion tactics at its worst."

She wrote that the county "is now faced with the grievance identified and most likely future litigation because of their ignorance of the equipment needed to assist our county’s first responders when our residents make the call to 911. Commissioner Riddell's statements on Monday only serve to portend that his knowledge on the topic came directly from Moore and not his own due diligence and research."

Hung wrote that the sheriff's office has jurisdiction over the township and unincorporated areas of Lorain County and that residents in those places, "who Moore and Riddell so frequently stumped for votes in 2022 are the real victims in the game of political theater diversion being played by Moore."

"The county’s first responders must also be protected from incapacitating physical hazards that with proper radio equipment could be avoided," she wrote. "As your duly elected Lorain County commissioner I will continue to support the health, safety, and welfare of our residents in Lorain County."

After running what amounted to a joint campaign for two seats on the Board of Commissioners in 2020, the relationship between Moore and Hung frayed in early 2021.

Hung said the two began butting heads as early as April 2021 when she refused to back his request to steer a feasibility study on the Midway Mall to an associate and friend.

Moore also demanded Hung's resignation from the Board of Commissioners in August 2021 after her affair with former 911 Director Harry Williamson, her former subordinate and current boyfriend, was revealed to the public.

Oberlin ceremony renews dedication to King’s dream

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — What are you doing for others?

That was question posed Monday by Oberlin College Bonner scholars Wyae Stewart and Eawad Mohammadi during a virtual ceremony honoring Martin Luther King Jr., who would have turned 94 on Sunday.

In a sermon delivered Aug. 11, 1957, King said every person must decide whether to be altruistic or selfish, Stewart said.

“King stated that an individual has not begun to live until he can rise above the narrow horizons of his particular individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity,” she said.

Monday’s virtual ceremony was a time to reflect on King’s example, said Claudia Jones of the Metro Central Unit of the NAACP.

The Rev. Laurence Nevels said King was a role model for ministers, including himself, who wanted to make a difference in others’ lives.

“His dream impacted me then, and so much more now as I have been blessed to serve in ministry here in Oberlin for the past 45 years,” said Nevels, pastor at Christ Temple Apostolic Church.

Starting in 1993, Nevels spent 15 years as a chaplain at Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton. He said lived King’s dream there, working with inmates at the lowest point in their lives.

“The dream to be a difference-maker became a reality as men were given hope of life after prison,” he said. “I served not to impress, but to inspire them to dream again.”

Each year, Oberlin celebrates King’s life and mourns his death, not only because of his ideas but due to his personal and professional ties to the city.

He visited Oberlin on several occasions, and in 1965 became an honorary alumnus of Oberlin College.

His commencement address to the graduating class that June was entitled “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution.”

“There are all too many people who, in some great period of social change,

fail to achieve the new mental outlooks that the new situation demands,” King said. “There is nothing more tragic than to sleep through a revolution. There can be no gainsaying of the fact that a great revolution is taking place in our world today. It is a social revolution, sweeping away the old order of colonialism.”

On Monday, Oberlin Councilwoman Eboni Johnson read the city’s proclamation honoring King. It said he “gave his life for the cause of true justice in our land, and for his dream that all people of all colors and conditions could live in peace and in harmony, and could treat each other and all others with respect.”

King’s words “calmed fears and solidified resolve among people of good will of every race, class, gender and circumstance,” she read.

Oberlin celebrated King’s birthday for the first time in 1971, long before Congress passed legislation to begin observing a federal holiday in his honor in 1986.

Now, long after King’s murder, the United States still struggles with deep division, mistrust and violence, said the Rev. David Cann of Rust United Methodist and First United Methodist churches in Oberlin.

“May the example of Dr. King inspire us to see in one another sisters and brothers with a common origin and destiny, guided by the conviction that together we can nobly fulfill the promise of our nation,” he said, praying for a renewed commitment to justice and peace.

Experts urge Ohioans to get updated boosters

COLUMBUS — Ohioans should give themselves the maximum protection against COVID-19 by staying up to date with vaccinations, including booster shots, according to two prominent state officials.

Much of the nation is now seeing a rise in a new, highly contagious variant known as XBB.1.5, according to Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, director of the Ohio Department of Health and Ursel McElroy, director of the Ohio Department of Aging.

COVID case counts, hospitalizations and deaths have not peaked as high as in the past two winters, Vanderhoff said. Yet about 2,500 Americans and 90 Ohioans are dying each week.

He warned that those who are 65 and older — as well as those who are immunocompromised or have certain chronic conditions — are at greater risk for serious illness or death if they have not received the updated booster, which targets the more recent Omicron subvariants.

Data shows 79 percent of Ohioans who have died of COVID have been 65 and older, according to the health department. While

Ross eyes options for hazardous waste

JASON HAWK EDITOR

GRAFTON — Hazardous waste is stacking up across the nation far faster than it can be burned. But despite a new law that gives Ohio’s commercial incinerators the chance to expand for the first time in 30 years, Ross Incineration Services says it has no immediate plans to do so.

Discussions about potential construction have started, Vice President of Corporate Compliance and Risk Management Pat Lawson in a phone interview last week. “We’re not far enough in any of those discussions or plans to announce anything,” she said.

Yet expansion seems inevitable, Lawson and Director of Regulatory Affairs Nick Maoloni indicated.

Incinerators across the nation haven’t been able to keep up with incoming waste such as paints and pharmaceuticals for the past two years, said Maolini. He predicted that trend will

continue at least another two years.

In August 2021, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally recognized it had a problem.

“This lack of capacity has caused generators to seek alternate methods to lawfully manage hazardous waste, such as seeking accumulation extensions and permitted facilities to seek permit modifications and temporary authorizations to alleviate the back log of hazardous waste on the market,” Ohio EPA Director Laurie Stevenson wrote.

Her agency gave Ross two exemptions in the past year, allowing the company to store more waste at its Grafton facility than is strictly allowed.

Stevenson said Ross could put waste in vans, on flatbed trailers, in roll-off boxes and in tankers.

The ruling hinged on the EPA’s determination that doing so wouldn’t cause any public health concerns.

Ross was required to have more fire extinguishers on hand, do inspections twice each day, notify the local fire

department of the changes, increase training for its employees and install additional protections in case there were spills, according to EPA documents. The exemption is set to expire Jan. 23, and Lawson said her company is seeking a renewal.

Earlier this month, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 364. While it was meant to address water and sewer infrastructure, the legislation included a rider tacked on by Ohio Sen. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon. His amendment gives the state EPA room to bypass a moratorium on incinerator expansion that’s been on the books since April 15, 1993.

That means the state’s four commercial hazardous waste incinerator companies located in Grafton, Paulding, Cincinatti and East Liverpool haven’t physically grown for three decades.

Ohio is the only state with such a ban, Maoloni said. An out-of-state competitor started lobbying early in 2022 to have the moratorium scrapped, he said.

86.9 percent of that population is fully vaccinated — some 1.77 million people — only 38 percent have the maximum protection of an updated booster.

That means more than 1.2 million older Ohioans are unvaccinated or not up to date with the booster that was made available in September.

“Based on the numbers, we have not given ourselves every advantage that we could,” Vanderhoff said. “Many of these deaths are, sadly, preventable.”

Vaccines deliver strong cellular immunity crucial to fighting off COVID-19, but Vanderhoff said even that immunity can wane over time. The updated COVID-19 vaccine can provide a muchneeded boost to that immunity, he said.

“At the start of each new year, many of us resolve to take steps to improve our health, so I hope that more Ohioans will consider getting vaccinated or boosted,” Vanderhoff said. “That clearly is the safest, most reliable way you can reduce your risk of serious illness, hospitalization or even death as a result of the COVID-19 virus.”

Feel the rhythm

Cardio drumming is held at 6 p.m. every Tuesday and Thursday at the LCCC Wellington Center, 151 Commerce Dr. Be sure to take your own bucket, ball and drumsticks. The cost is $5.

Wyae Stewart Eawad Mohammadi Laurence Nevels

Agencies brace for impact as federal benefits shrink

CARISSA WOYTACH

ELYRIA — For thousands of Lorain County residents, extra cash benefits for food will end in March, just shy of three years after they started.

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the federal government expanded its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to the maximum amount for individuals, skyrocketing some recipients from 20-some dollars a month to more than $200.

But come March 1, recipients' allocations will return to almost pre-pandemic levels, leaving local nonprofits to act as a safety net for those impacted.

“It’s going to be brutal,” said Barb Tamas, Lorain County Job and Family Services executive director.

”When JFS directors get together we’re all looking at each other with a bit of shock, honestly, because we’re here to help people. We’re not here to hurt people… but we’re governed by federal and state laws and regulations. We don’t have discretion to do anything.”

Second Harvest Food Bank President and CEO Julie ChaseMorefield said agencies knew this was coming, but it will mark a huge shift in a benefit many have come to rely on as rent, gas and other prices have increased since 2019.

In July, Second Harvest began preparing for an expected jump in need as it anxiously waited for

guidance from the federal government on when the expansion would end — first expecting it in the fall, then winter, before the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 signed Dec. 29 finally set a date.

“It had to end eventually,” Chase-Morefield said. But that doesn’t lessen the impact on vulnerable populations, including senior citizens and families with children.

“We’ve seen this before during the 2009 recession (when) there was an increase in SNAP benefits as well,” she said. “Nothing does more to alleviate food insecurity than SNAP, especially for families with kids.”

Second Harvest operates food banks and supplies pantries in four counties, including Lorain County. And since the pandemic began, it’s seen a consistent 30 percent increase in need — even with the emergency allotments. Chase-Morefield expects another increase in mid-March as the extra benefits end.

Tamas stressed the change isn’t coming from the county, or even state Job and Family Services staff. But as the end of the extra funding draws near, directors across the state are “white-knuckling this.” There's little county offices can do to help, other than bear the brunt of recipients' anticipated ire as the extra allotments end.

“It’s as scary for us to be doing this to the clientele as it is for the clientele to have it happen,” she said.

In 2022, more than 17,000 households received SNAP benefits, Tamas said, with the major-

Paint a magical forest

An art class designed for tweens and teens will be offered at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20 at the Amherst Public Library. All supplies will be provided for registered attendees to create a painting of a magical winter forest. This workshop is intended for ages 10 to 17. Registration is required at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org. Be sure to register each child separately.

New

Russia employee reviews

New Russia Township trustees will meet at 8 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 46300 Butternut Ridge Rd. for the purpose of conducting employee reviews.

Scanning Saturdays

The Oberlin Heritage Center will hold “Scanning Saturdays” from 10:30 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. on Jan. 21 and 28 at the Oberlin Public Library.

Do you want a high-quality digital copy of your grandmother’s high school graduation photo? Or maybe of a snapshot of your uncle when he was in the service? Or a slide from that memorable vacation?

The Heritage Center can help you preserve and share your photographs. Collections Manager Maren McKee can also share ideas for storing and labeling your photo collection. Participants are asked to take a flash drive to take copies home. Appointments for this free service to scan up to 10 items are not required but are highly recommended. Make an appointment by contacting Maren at history@oberlinheritage.org or (440) 774-1700.

OHC is also looking to expand its collection of Oberlin images from the recent past. If you have photos that document community events, church history, neighborhoods, families and businesses from the 1960s on, consider making an appointment during Scanning Saturdays.

Western Reserve history

Learn more about the history of the Western Reserve with a presentation by Eric Rivet, chief curator at the Western Reserve Historical Society, at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22.

The presentation is online via Zoom. It is free and open to all, but registration is required. Go to www.lchs.org/events to register.

The presentation is part of the Lorain County Historical Society’s speaker series commemorating the Lorain County Bicentennial.

The Lorain County Historical Society, founded in 1889, collects, preserves, and shares the history of Lorain County, Ohio to educate and inspire present and future generations. Learn more at www.lchs.org.

Democrat club meeting

The Avon Lake Democrats Club will meet at the Old Firehouse Community Center, 100 Avon Belden Road in Avon

ity of those having children. Nationally, about 1 in 10 families receive the cash benefit, with nearly half of those households with children, according to 2021 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

In Lorain County, the median income for families receiving SNAP is $17,755, or $3,000 less than the state average.

Tamas said her agency ended 2022 with more than 35,000 recipients on its rolls, issuing approximately $9.5 million in SNAP benefits for the month of December alone.

“We all knew that this was something that couldn’t be sustained, these dollars," she said. "So this is where we are."

While preparing her staff for angry phone calls from upset recipients, Tamas is looking to nonprofit partners like Second Harvest who may have the leeway to help individuals where JFS cannot.

Chase-Morefield is already anticipating helping pick up the slack, and has been trying to get more senior citizens on its food box program in preparation for the decreased EBT allocation.

Lorain County Community Action Agency CEO Jackie Boehnlein said her agency is looking to connect its clients to local food pantries, as well as encouraging them to look at their household budget.

Families eligible for SNAP benefits are also eligible for help with their utility bills, which can free up funds once the emergency allotments run dry.

The state’s Home Energy As-

sistance Program, or HEAP, can help eligible Ohioans with their home energy bills via a one-time payment, while its Percentage of Income Payment Plan program, or PIPP, can help reduce energy bills to a percentage of a families’ monthly income to avoid a crisis.

She said most people are aware of the other programs available, like HEAP and PIPP, but 1 in 3 individuals in poverty this year weren’t necessarily in poverty in previous years, she said.

“If you have a major negative life event like loss of a spouse or loss of a job, something like that, you may or may not know of all the programs and services that are available to you,” Boehnlein said.

And it’s not just SNAP benefits that will impact low-income families, she said, as the COVID-19 freeze on Medicaid unenrollment is also ending. During the pandemic, families receiving Medicaid were able to stay continuously enrolled without having to recertify their eligibility.

“As all of those emergency benefits that were put in place start to unwind, we’re going to have to help our families navigate where to get services and where to go for help,” she said.

Families will have to recertify for Medicaid, and it is expected a large number will no longer qualify, leaving them potentially uninsured.

As the programs wind down, she, alongside Tamas, expect the level of benefits given to those most vulnerable may come under scrutiny at the federal level.

“I do believe that any time a program ends it is cause for us

BULLETIN BOARD

to evaluate the benefit levels of a program… I believe that as a nation we’re going to look at that and say, ‘OK what is that program intended to do and are we giving the appropriate level of benefits, given the deep level of poverty of the households we’re uplifting?’” Boehnlein said.

Tamas said there has already been some movement with SNAP to raise the monthly issuances in 2023.

In 2019, a single person’s maximum allotment was $194 a month, based in part on their income. That amount has been steadily increased, to $281 in 2023.

“Some of those figures that were so low, there is some movement there is some recognition,” Tamas said. “Not enough to make up for the loss of this emergency allotment, unfortunately.”

Those in need of food assistance can find their closest food pantry or hot meal program via freshtrak.com. Second Harvest also operates a mobile drive-thru pantry at different locations each week.

Eligible senior citizens can also sign up for Second Harvest's Senior Food Box program, which delivers food to low-income seniors each month.

For more information, including eligibility guidelines, contact Second Harvest at (440) 9602265.

To see if your household qualifies for HEAP, or other budgeting programs, contact LCCAA at (440) 245-2009. Its website, lccaa. net, also has an eligibility calculator and automated assistant.

Learn to make bags

The Vermilion Sit and Stitch Quilt Guild will meet at Trinity Lutheran Church, 3747 Liberty Ave. at 7 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30.

Members Lorraine Beursken and Bonnie Stout will present a program on making lined, bags of many sizes, using up scraps or fabric already in your stash. These bags can be made with handles or drawstrings, very versatile.

Lake, at 7 p.m. Jan. 24.

The club welcomes anyone interested in working for good government, equality, and justice for all.

For more information, contact Vice Chair Henry Bertorelli at (347) 408-6916.

Libertarian program on voting

Lorain County Libertarians will present a public program on ranked choice voting as an alternative to our current election system at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26 in the fellowship hall of Elyria First United Methodist Church, 312 Third St., Elyria.

The speaker will be Justin Wells of Rank The Vote Ohio, which advocates changing our system of electing public officials to a method that encourages consensus and requires majority vote. All are welcome and should enter at the Holly Lane entry to the fellowship hall.

Music to soothe the soul

“Chasing the Blues Away with Music” will be presented at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Amherst Public Library.

Music therapist Hannah Gonzalez will lead children ages 9 months to 6 years old in musical activities. Registration is suggested. Sign up at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org.

Metro Parks fundraiser

The annual Friends of the Lorain County Metro Parks Winter Indoor Rummage Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28 and Sunday, Jan. 29 at Henry’s Barn, 46223 U.S. Route 20, Oberlin.

Donate household items in a drive-up drop-off format from 1-4 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22; 1-7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 23; and 4-7 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 25. No clothing, shoes, large furniture, Christmas trees or electronics. All proceeds benefit the county park system.

Main Street annual meeting

Main Street Wellington’s annual meeting will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 30 at the Elms Retirement Village assisted living area.

Members and the public can attend to hear about 2022 successes and plans for 2023. Refreshments will be served. The Patricia Lindley Volunteer of the Year Award will be bestowed.

A networking time will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Also at this meeting, members will display their blocks for the mystery quilt. There will be time for show and tell, a sharing of completed projects and UFO’s.

For more information, call Sandy Neiding at (440) 967-4190.

Democrat women to meet

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

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

Democrat club meeting

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

Learn about Black librarian

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

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

Eboni Johnson, outreach and program librarian at Oberlin College, has championed research and recognition of Powell Florence. This program, offered during Black History month, is free and open to the public.

Backstage passes

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

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

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

Details emerge for fairgrounds expo center

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Floor plans for a new exposition center at the Lorain County Fairgrounds don’t show lavish conference rooms, plush suites, a high-tech auditorium or stadium seating.

The bulk of the 55,000 square feet building, drawn up by Star Design Build Contractors, is empty space.

“That’s what we need,” said

Dr. Bill Spreng, the fair’s longtime veterinarian, who is driving a $12 million plan to transform the southwestern corner of the fairgrounds.

Just before the Fair Board met last week, he shared drawings of the proposed building. There are restrooms, showers, a prep kitchen, offices and an information technology room.

They’re just dressing. Spreng said what is needed is wide open space for tables and exhibits, and between 2,000 to 3,000 visitors.

He envisions the expo center as home to horse, cattle and pig shows, volleyball and wrestling tournaments, corporate conferences, weddings, rodeos, even indoor tractor pulls.

Even though ground won’t be broken until August at the earliest, there have already been requests to reserve the expo center for guns shows, Spreng said.

“You could take a semi in there and turn it around,” he said. “As one person described it, it’s an aircraft hangar.”

LORAIN COUNTY JVS

The project is moving ahead quickly, with roughly $8 million already pledged.

Fair Board Vice President Scott Smith said meetings were slated with the Stocker Foundation, Nord Foundation and Community Foundation of Lorain County, among others to seek more donations.

Various board members reported they’ve reached out to some of Lorain County’s largest businesses, and are hopefully those seeds will grow.

Most donations so far are coming from the county’s most rural areas, south of U.S. Route 20, said board member Ron Pickworth.

He said he was glad to hear interest from potential donors north of that line — but was also surprised to hear the budget for the “Fairs Forever” project had grown to $12 million.

Inflation has pumped up the project cost significantly since it

Bill limits phone use for drivers

OWEN MACMILLAN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

COLUMBUS — Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 288 into law this month, giving Ohio law enforcement officers more latitude in cracking down on distracted driving.

State Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, was the primary sponsor of the bill, which passed the Senate in late November and includes sweeping criminal justice reforms.

Possibly the widest-reaching impact of the bill will be its strengthening of existing distracted-driving laws by making use of a phone or other electronic device while driving a primary traffic offense.

That means that law enforcement officers can pull over a driver immediately if they witness a violation, which the language of the bill defines as “using, holding or physically supporting” an electronic device while driving.

“Signing this bill today is a great honor because this legislation will, without a doubt, prevent crashes and save lives,” DeWine said in a news release. “Right now, too many people are willing to risk their lives while behind the wheel to get a look at their phones. My hope is that this legislation will prompt a cultural shift around distracted driving that normalizes the fact that distracted driving is dangerous, irresponsible and just as deadly as driving drunk."

Previously, use of an electronic device behind the wheel had been a primary offense only for juvenile drivers, and adult drivers could not be pulled over for distracted driving alone.

Young carpenters help make beds

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Carpentry students at the Lorain County JVS have been practicing their skills by building bed frames for children in need.

They’re working with Good Knights, a nonprofit that provides comfortable and safe beds to children who otherwise would have to sleep on the floor.

“I hope that the students not only learn more about the carpentry skills needed to make these beds but also understand that these beds are going to kids who have never had a bed

before,” said Tom Turnvow, raw materials manager for Good Knights.

One freshman class at the JVS made 23 bed frames over a twomonth period. Teens were excited to chip in, and proud of their handiwork.

“(Eric) Robson, our instructor, taught us all how to use the tools we worked with to make the beds, so I felt comfortable doing the work,” said ninth-grader Matthew Mohrman of Wellington. “When the job started those of us working on it got together and we decided who was going to

do what and that worked out really well.”

Kaden Olm, a ninth-grader from Brookside, said he didn’t know what to expect with the project, but it ended up going smoothly.

“Making beds for kids that have never had one before feels great. I really have no words to describe it,” Olm said.

Bed frames are taken to their final locations and assembled on-site. According to Turnvow, Good Knights delivered more than 750 beds for local Lorain County children in 2022.

Amherst Historical Society starts its 50th year with quarry projects

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A museum dedicated to the story of western Lorain County’s famed sandstone quarries is being planned as the Amherst Historical Society enters its 50th anniversary year.

Conceptual planning for a freestanding museum on Jefferson Street, next to the society’s Sandstone Village, began last week, said Director Sandy Kaiser.

“It’s been a dream, and

it’s been talked around by a lot of different people who have a lot of ideas on how to use that land,” she said.

Kaiser said she is looking for a donor to supply a well-aged barn that could be relocated.

The historical society has $100,000 in reserve funds that can go toward the museum if necessary, she said.

The sandstone quarries across South Amherst, Amherst Township and Brownhelm Township are a common bond for many Lorain County families, said Aaron Baaske, presi-

dent of the Amherst Historical Society.

Immigrants from across the world took jobs in the stone pits. Amherst is still heavy with German, Polish and Ukrainian surnames as a result.

“You think about the sheer number of people who were touched by the quarries, the people who worked there, the people whose fathers worked there,” said Baaske. “You think about the sandstone that was shipped all over the world.”

Amherst-area sandstone

was used all over Lorain County. It was sent east to build bridges and churches in Cleveland, and west to help rebuild Chicago after fire destroyed the heart of the city in 1871.

It was used to erect city halls in Buffalo, Philadelphia and Lansing. Far and wide, it was renowned for its beauty and durability, according to historical society documents.

Kaiser said Amherst sandstone literally helped build the nation.

Much of Senate Bill 288 was pieced together from prior legislation, and the change to distracted driving regulations comes originally from House Bill 283, sponsored by Reps. Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison, and Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek.

While other aspects of Senate Bill 288 focus on longterm rehabilitation and reform, Manning said he hopes the distracted driving legislation has a more immediate impact.

“This is something that will make our communities safer right now,” Manning said. “Every day if you get on the highway you’ll see people on their phones. Not glancing, you know, staring right at it. This law will combat that directly.”

The bill will go into effect 90 days after being signed,

Provided photos

Matthew Mohrman of Wellington and Brayden Fridenstine of Oberlin show off a finished headboard at their Lorain County JVS lab.

New Aldi to open its doors today

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Aldi’s newest store will open at 9 a.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 19 on Route 58 on the city’s south side.

The first 100 customers will receive a gift bag filled with a sampling of Aldi products and a gift card. Shoppers can also enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win a $500 gift card.

Store hours will be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

The new, 19,000-square-foot Oberlin Aldi will offer in-store shopping as well as curbside pickup and delivery options.

The company says its business model is aimed at “a fast and affordable shopping experience.”

More than 1,000 Aldi stores have opened across the nation in the past decade.

The Oberlin location joins the existing family of Lorain County stores in Amherst, Avon, North Ridgeville, Elyria and

Sheffield.

“Our stores are designed to make grocery shopping smarter, faster and easier, and we’ve been voted the price leader for five years running,” said Corey Stucker, Aldi regional vice president.

“We have served neighboring communities for nearly 35 years and are excited to offer Oberlin residents an affordable way of shopping.”

The new Aldi anchors the Oberlin Crossing shopping center, in development since 2019.

Carnegie Management & Development Corporation of Westlake originally said it planned to invest between $10 million and $15 million in the site near the U.S. Route 20 intersection, with a total of roughly 120,000 square feet of commercial space.

A second anchor tenant, billed as a home improvement store, pulled out of the project during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Oberlin City Council President Bryan Burgess.

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“The sandstone provided jobs. It became a large industry. You can see homes, different buildings everywhere that were built from Amherst sandstone,” she said. “They’ve withstood the test of time. When you think about how they were constructed, they’ve withstood the elements and they’re still beautiful.”

The museum is a long-term project, said Kaiser — the hope is to have it finished by 2026.

In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the society is building a replica train car this year.

The “Quigley switch project” will focus on a railway switch along the tracks at the rear of the Sandstone Village property on Milan Avenue. Kaiser said that’s one point where sandstone from the quarry was loaded on the railroad to be shipped across the country.

The Beach Park Railway Museum in Avon Lake has donated wheels and I-beams to build the train car, she said. Lowe’s Home Improvement is also providing wood for a replica track bed, and other wood pieces reclaimed from Nordson Depot on Franklin Avenue are being donated by the city.

A dedication ceremony for the switch project is tentatively set for April 10, the society’s anniversary date.

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was announced in Spring 2022, Spreng said. While consumer and materials prices remain close to a 40-year high, those pressures are starting to ease.

“We’re hearing mostly good things, because the economy is slowly down a little bit, and some of those supply chain issues have gotten better for builders, and should be even better in six months,” he said.

A $4 million donation announced last week by the Ross Foundation certainly helped, Spreng said.

Pat Lawson, vice president of corporate compliance and risk management, said the Ross family of companies has supported the fair for years. It’s sponsored tractor pulls and grandstand acts, and provided hundreds of trash barrels.

The late Maureen Cromling, a second generation owner of Ross, was a 4-H member from a young age, Lawson said Tuesday.

“That legacy carried through, and the family has been invested in Lorain County since its beginnings,” she said. “… The family

has wanted to do something in memory of their mother, Maureen Cromling, and they fell in love with this particular project.”

The Ross Foundation was ready to donate a smaller dollar amount until it saw plans for an enclosed riding arena that will be built during the second phase of the “Fairs Forever” project, Lawson said.

Its members were so impressed, they purchased the naming rights to the expo center and arena, and have already paid the first $400,000 installment of their pledge, she said.

Other naming rights remain available to big-dollar donors. A huge new cattle barn can bear your name for $1 million, and $500,000 each will buy the rights for an arena inside the expo center and an exercise area in the horse arena.

Locking down that funding is Spreng’s top priority, he said.

With any construction project, there’s always a wish list. If “Fairs

Forever” flies past its fundraising goal, Spreng said he would want to make the expo center larger.

“I don’t know too many people who build something, and then don’t wish it was 20 or 30 percent bigger,” he said.

Other parts of the multi-phased project are in flux. Some changes are coming so fast that fair board members are having trouble keeping up.

Plans to widen the cattle barn to hold six rows of animals, for example, rattled Pickworth, and others were caught off guard by the idea of paving the reserve parking lot where the expo center will be built.

If the money materializes, Spreng said ground could be broken for the first phase just before or after fair week in August.

Construction would last six to nine months, and it’s possible the expo center would be ready for show animals during the 2024 fair.

A bigger community celebration is planned for Aug. 5, when the Sandstone Village will be opened to the public for picnicking, building tours, food and vendors.

Kaiser said the goal is to have monthly events throughout the anniversary year. Wine and beer crafting, afternoon tea and blacksmith classes are all being planned.

“We’re all very excited,” especially to see the society getting back in full swing after more than two years of COVID-19 precautions, said Baaske.

If there’s anything he’s learned from studying the past, it’s that there are always challenges to overcome, he said.

After the pandemic, Baaske said he appreciates the hardships that quarry workers once faced. In the face of a deadly virus, modern Americans have still enjoyed their comforts — but late 19th and early 20th century quarry laborers lived “hand to mouth,” he said.

“These were real people, people like all of us,” he said. “They were all saying, ‘We believe in our future,’ and they spent their time opening up opportunities for people down the line.”

PHONES

FROM B1

and for the first six months it is in place law enforcement officers who witness violations will issue warnings.

After six months, the use of a phone or electronic device while driving will result in a $150 fine and the requirement to complete a distracted-driving course or receive 2 points on their driver's license.

The bill changes the charge for texting while driving from a minor misdemeanor to an unclassified misdemeanor with increasing punishment tiers for repeated violations within two years.

Exceptions to the law include allowing drivers to use their phones while parked or stopped at a red light.

Drivers may still use their phones to talk on speakerphone or use a navigation app, but holding or "physically supporting" the phone in any way is what drivers will have to avoid.

Drivers may not type anything into their phone at all, unless the vehicle is stopped at a light or in the case of an emergency.

According to State Highway Patrol data, as of Dec. 27 there were at least 73,945 traffic crashes for the year in Ohio related to distracted driving. In 2022, there were 31 distracted driving-related fatalities recorded.

"Certainly not all fatal traffic crashes are caused by distracted driving, but it's no coincidence that evolving smartphone technology has coincided with increasing roadway deaths and injuries," DeWine said. "Other states with similar distracted-driving laws have experienced fewer fatal crashes, and we expect that this enhanced distracted driving law will have the same impact here."

As of January 2021, 46 states including Ohio had a ban on text messaging while driving, according to the Governors Highway Safety Association, but Ohio was one of only four that had distracted driving as a secondary traffic offense for adults.

Oberlin teens journey to Georgia for theater festival

OBERLIN — Four Oberlin City Schools students traveled to the Junior Theater Festival in Atlanta, Georgia, which kicked off Friday.

Junior Adam Freas, eighth-grader Larissa Freas, junior Kyra Lopez and freshman Solania Lopez made the trip. Oberlin High School Administrative Assistant Austin Smith joined the students.

Smith is the Drama Club adviser, and also a board member of North Ridgeville’s Olde Towne Hall Theatre.

“This is a remarkable experience for these students,” he said. “For the next several days, we will be interacting with student musical groups from all over the world. It is important for students to see the ins and outs of a musical performance — a lot of work and dedication goes into a single performance.”

At the end of the festival Sunday, each student group performed a 15-minute junior Broadway show to be judged by a

panel of musical theater experts.

The weekend also included professional development for teachers, workshops for students and parents, a showcase of new musical adaptations soon to be released and concluded with a concert.

The Junior Theater Festival is sponsored by Playbill, Disney Musicals and Music Theatre International.

The OHS Drama Club will debut its first show of the new year, “Check Please!” by Jonathan Rand, at 7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 20.

Additional performances will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 22.

The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for students. All performances will be held in the Oberlin High School auditorium.

“By attending (the theater festival) right before students showcase their own talent in front of their peers, parents and community members, it will boost their confidence,” Smith said.

wants to be clever, but lacks coherence

room to monologue about genocide. His colleague, played by Don Cheadle, studies pop culture and lectures on Elvis.

The movie “White Noise” is obsessed with death, which is appropriate — watching it feels like eternal damnation.

I wanted to like the film, which hit Netflix on Dec. 30. After all, I was there reporting as cameras rolled on Herrick Avenue in Wellington in July 2021, and watched from the library across the street as stars Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig sauntered down the sidewalk.

Those scenes were all but scrapped, cut down to a wide shot that lasted 10 seconds despite the big money, street closures and long days filming in the village.

Still, the trailer had captured my interest. It felt like director Noah Baumbach was trying to capture the absurdist tone of contemporaries like Wes Anderson and the Coen Brothers. Unfortunately, Noah Baumbach is no Wes Anderson, nor does he stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Coens.

The flick opens on a college town that feels a great deal like Oberlin. Even though Oberlin College wasn’t used, the home of Erik and Michele Andrews stands in for exterior shots of the home of fictional professor Jack Gladney (Driver), and blurry Forest and Cedar street signs can be seen.

According to the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, 92 percent of “White Noise” was filmed in Northeast Ohio.

Shoots took 21 weeks, employing 921 crew members and 3,000 extras. They booked 36,000 hotel room nights and spent an estimated $106.6 million in the region, the film commission said.

All that money, and “White Noise” is still a narrative mess.

Perhaps that was inevitable. The novel, published in 1985 by author Don DeLillo, has been called an “unfilmable” exploration of existential dread.

Don’t expect a straightforward plot. “White Noise” goes heavy on symbolism, arguably trying far too hard to be clever instead of coherent.

The early part of the movie skews weirdly anti-intellectual.

Driver’s character is a professor of Hitler studies — a ridiculous conceit that gives him

Both are lampooned as out-of-touch and overly dramatic, convinced of their own brilliance. Baumbach dryly uses them to poke fun at academics.

At the same time, some of their dialog rings true. Set in the 1980s, and featuring crimped hair and station wagons, it’s still easy to apply some of DeLillo’s views to today.

“When people are helpless and scared, they’re drawn to magical figures, mythic figures, epic men who intimidate and darkly loom,” Driver tells his students early in the film, foreshadowing the murky madness of 2020s politics.

Characters in “White Noise” also react to a public health emergency in a predictably clumsy way. Faced with the threat of a toxic cloud, they first deny the danger is real, then flee recklessly, basing decisions on misinformation and speculation.

As the “airborne toxic event” spreads, the movie insists that panicky people, not chemicals, are the greater threat. And it borrows the core theme of “Jurassic Park” in a much less fun way: “It’s like the greater the scientific advance, the more scared I get,” Gerwig’s character tells her husband.

The smartest character — the one who is unfailingly right, but is dismissed by the adults in the room — is a teenager played by Sam Nivola.

“White Noise” hasn’t fared too well with critics. It’s garnered a 63 percent “fresh” rating on the site Rotten Tomatoes, which takes a wide array of reviews into account.

“Baumbach overreaches in ‘White Noise.’ The movie is unsuccessful because its various energies eventually begin to feel mismeasured,” wrote K. Austin Collins of Rolling Stone.

“Kudos to Baumbach for trying something new, but ‘White Noise’ is an endurance test,” said Robert Levin of Newsday.

“The result is a movie so faithful to the original work that it comes very close to not working,” concluded Alissa Wilkinson of Vox.

Rated R for violence and language, the movie has a running time of 2 hours 16 minutes.

WELLINGTON — Members of the Wellington FFA agricultural business class traveled Nov. 22 to Keystone Elementary School to teach first-graders there about corn.

Seven students made the trip: Dustin Andolsek, Alaina Collins, Kayla Edwards, Scotty Hook, Marshal Mull, Heather Reininger and Mikayla Standen.

First-graders learned how corn is pro-

duced, used, its benefits and some of the different kinds of corn.

Many were surprised to find out that corn is in many more products than it seems. It’s used to make chewing gum, toothpaste and makeup, for example.

Younger kids were also surprised by how many benefits corn has for the body, including eyes, skin and hair.

Provided photo

Adam Freas, Solania Lopez, Austin Smith, Larissa Freas and Kyra Lopez traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, to participate in the Junior Theater Festival.

Provided photo

Wellington FFA members teach first-graders at Keystone Elementary School in LaGrange.

SHOW OF POWER

Keystone decimated Black River 54-18 last week in a dual meet in Sullivan

Township with Oberlin and Wellington in the mix. The Pirates topped the Phoenix 48-12, Wellington edged Oberlin 24-18 and Keystone dismantled the Dukes 66-12.

LEFT: Wellington's Wayde Bowman tries to maneuver his opponent, Oberlin's Colbey Wonoroski, into submission in 126-pound action. Bowman pinned his opponent for the win in 4:26.

BELOW LEFT: Oberlin's I saiah Jackson tries to get free from Wellington's Austin Sutherland. He did, pinning Sutherland in 0:52 in the 144-pound class.

BELOW RIGHT: Black River’s Mason Koberna controls Keystone’s Jimmy Bryant here, but Bryant turned the tables for a 4-1 decision in the 132-pound weight class.

WALSH LEADS PIONEERS

FALCONS GET OT WIN

David Sands | Amherst News-Times

Niko Gotsis had a terrific Friday night, scoring 21 points and leading Firelands to a 67-56 win over Brookside in Lorain County League action. He wasn’t alone. Max Stinson and Nate Draga provided backup with 13 points apiece. For the Cardinals, Avery Young scored 15 points, Nolan Waechter posted 12 and Marcus Frazier put up 11. Brookside shot to an early 17-10 lead but Firelands held firm to tie the tally at 54, leading to overtime. In the fifth quarter, Firelands dominated 13-2. ABOVE: The Cardinals’ Jayden Nazario goes for a layup and two points.

Send sports news to news@lcnewspapers.com. Deadline for all submissions is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. Printed as space is available.

David Sands | Amherst News-Times

With 19 points to his name, the Pioneers’ Ryan Walsh was a weapon on Jan. 10 as Elyria downed Amherst 64-55. The Comets were led by Trent Branchen and Cole Norris, who each put 11 points on the board. Ryan Yoder added 10 more for Amherst.

ABOVE: Amherst’s Eli Solak shoots for a three-pointer over Elyria’s BJ Todd early in the first quarter.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

DUKES UNDER PRESSURE

‘CATS SHOW THEIR CLAWS

HARTLEY BRINGS HEAT

BACK AND FORTH BATTLE

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise Jessica Forthofer rolled up a game-high 16 points for the Wildcats and Delaney Peters was a step behind with 14 as Keystone rolled over Wellington 46-34 on Jan. 11 in LaGrange. The Dukes were led by Taylor Morris with 8 points. ABOVE: Wellington's Brooke Lehmkuhl gets two points.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

Brooke Laub scored 23 points for the Eagles, pushing Avon to a 5648 victory over Amherst on Saturday. Kayla Ferancy scored 20 for the Comets, and Kristen Kelley put another 11 on the board. After a 16-7 first period, Amherst seemed out of the game. But the green and gold came back to lead by 1 going into the final quarter — only to be outpaced by the final buzzer. ABOVE: Amherst's Kristen Kelley tries to drive past Avon's Brooke Laub. BELOW: Amherst's Ava Darmos drives baseline past Avon's Madigan O'Leary.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Sean Whitehouse led all scorers Friday, with a 21-point performance for the Dukes. Yet Wellington got steamrolled 50-39 by Keystone, led by Grant Hartley (15 points) and Konner Rodick (14). ABOVE: Wellington's Braden Hamer pushes for breathing space. BELOW: The Dukes’ Landon Wright gets pressured by Keystone's Grant Hartley.

Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

Grant Hartley was on fire Jan. 10, racking up 29 points, including 8 from the charity stripe, and leading Keystone to a 62-50 win over Firelands. Konner Rodick scored 10 more for the Wildcats. The Falcons were led by Chris Radman with 13, while Max Stinson, Jim Aunspaw and Nate Draga all chipped in 10 apiece. Firelands looked ready to tip the scales after a 19-7 third quarter, but the ‘Cats changed up the pace for a 25-12 finish.

ABOVE: Firelands' Max Stinson gets to the basket under pressure from Keystone's Konner Rodick.

Nature Walk Bingo

o you hear people around you worrying about money? You can help by nding ways to have fun without spending any money. There are lots of the fun activities on this pag with expensive toys and games!

Next time you eat a carrot, cut off the top and use it to start a plant. Use several carrot tops and you can start a garden.

Cut the carrot tops off so they are about one inch long. It works best if there is a little bit of growth at the end of the carrot.

Eat the rest of the carrots!

Plant the carrot tops in a container filled with dirt. Be sure a little of each orange top peeks above the dirt. Keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Be sure your container has a hole for drainage. Place the container by a sunny window.

Watch your carrot plants grow! When you plant carrots this way, your plants won’t make new carrots. But they will have pretty leaves to

Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

can take home! That’s a

Imagine

Visit your local library and check out fun books to read. Ask the librarian to help you find books that interest you.

Gabriella

Fun Search

Look through your local newspaper for information about festivals, museum exhibits and other free fun. Share what you find with your family and see if you can attend together.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Use the newspaper to locate information.