Lorain County Community Guide - Jan. 21, 2021

EXPERIENCE • DILIGENCE INTEGRITY MY PROMISE TO YOU!

Real Estate Services

Donna Templeton • 440-522-5677

COMMUNITY GUIDE

$1.25

LORAIN COUNTY

AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

www.lcnewspapers.com

Oldest seniors starting to get COVID vaccine

Volume 8, Issue 3

Comets dominate SWC ice

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA TWP. — More than 16,000 people have already signed up in Lorain County and are on a waiting list to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

There aren't that many doses available yet, Health Commissioner David Covell said Thursday, Jan. 14 in a virtual press conferDavid Covell ence — far from it.

The health department had received just 2,400 doses from the state. Covell said 1,334 people had been inoculated, and more were getting shots last Thursday morning as he spoke.

The first wave of vaccinations ended with large clinics Saturday, meaning the first of two doses were delivered to all emergency medical technicians, Lorain County SENIORS PAGE A3

Schools mobilize for February shots JASON HAWK and LAINA YOST

There was never any doubt in Holly Miller’s mind about getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

As a teacher with an underlying medical condition — an autoimmune disease — she is eager to be vaccinated in early February, when shots are made available to school employees.

“We’re with kids every day, and it’s a huge breeding ground for stuff that could happen,” she said. “It was never a question in my mind that I was going to get it. It was just a question of when.”

Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell said he has “highly recommended” that every adult school employee be vaccinated, but it would take a state mandate to force it. His agency simply does not have the power.

State law requires MMR and other shots, for example, but not seasonal flu vaccinations, he said.

County health officials sent a questionnaire to school SCHOOLS PAGE A4

U.S. Postal Service Use Only

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

Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday News staff Jason Hawk news@lcnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday

Angelo Angel | Chronicle

Avon's Colin Barret, right, tries to get past Amherst's Logan Eicher in the Southwestern Conference ice hockey championship Sunday. The Comets won, setting a new record for consecutive titles. For the full story, see page B3.

What's it like for Gen Z?

Teens talk growing up with COVID, divisive politics and violence JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Their parents’ generation experienced the fall of the Berlin Wall, the brutal beating of Rodney King by police, Operation Desert Storm, war in Bosnia and the 9/11 attacks.

But today’s teens are experiencing a lifetime of disturbing news compressed into the span of just nine months and counting. They’ve been hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, a turbulent election, a deep national divide, violence at the Capitol and the second impeachment of President Donald Trump.

Six Steele High School seniors agreed to talk Friday about what it’s like for Generation Z to live through 2020 and 2021, the stress it’s caused in their lives and the hardships they never suspected they’d experience.

Just the setup of the meeting would have been considered bizarre a short

but they were glad to be back.

But they said it’s been hard to wear masks the entire school day, miss out on dances and other traditions, go without career shadowing opportunities and always wonder whether already-shortened sports seasons would be suddenly canceled.

Kylee McGraw felt the effects of COVID-19 firsthand. She was quarantined after coming down with the standard symptoms: headache, fever, sore throat and lost senses of taste and smell.

TEENS PAGE A1

Amherst Steele High School senior Olivia Lopez on the challenges of being a teenager in 2020 and 2021

INSIDE THIS WEEK

Send legal notices to jyoder@chroniclet.com

Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

year ago: The panel talked via the online chat platform Zoom and all wore masks as they discussed the issues weighing heavily on their minds.

“At first it was pretty easy, because we were all excited about not having school,” said Tyler Brezina, remembering back to last March, when the pandemic forced school doors to close, classes to do online and a widespread shutdown of businesses.

“Obviously it got way worse.”

Students said they knew returning to school in person this fall would be strange, and the rules would be strict,

“We’re only in high school once. We’re going to be seniors one time. We’re going to be 17 and 18 one time.

I feel like it’s definitely something to talk about when we overcome it, but thinking about it I really wish we had a normal high school career.”

Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com

Submit advertising to chama@chroniclet.com

Zoom

CLOCKWISE: Tyler Brezina, Kylee McGraw, Carlie Bertke, Kendall Twining, Olivia Lopez and Amara Taliano talk with reporter Jason Hawk about what it's like to grow up in 2020-2021. Teacher Kim Haney is also pictured.

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Yacabozzi, Zappa picked to lead school board • B1

King’s dream stands against civil rights nightmares • B1

Schools wait for vaccine before full-time return • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CROSSWORD A4 • SUDOKU A4 • CLASSIFIEDS A5 • KID SCOOP B6

Page A2

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Health department: Underage informant able to tobacco

OBITUARIES Lester Edward Henderson

Wallace J. Thomas Jr.

Lester Edward Henderson, 71, of Avon, was called home to Heaven on Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021, after a full and meaningful life. He was born Sept. 30, 1949, in Amherst, where he was raised, graduating from Marion L. Steel High School with the Class of 1967.

Lester continued his education at Lorain County Community College with an Associate's Degree, a Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education from Baldwin Wallace College and a Master's Degree in Education from Kent State University. Lester was employed at the Lorain County Joint Vocational School (LCJVS) for 37 years as a teacher and instructor. He began as an instructor in Industrial and Residential Electricity for the first 20 years of his career. He went on to teach Occupational Work Adjustment (OWA) for LCJVS at Elyria High School satellite program for 15 years and he was also an Adult Education Instructor in Electricity during the evening hours. His last two years were spent back on the LCJVS campus teaching Career Exploration. Lester was previously employed at Nordson Corporation in Amherst as an electrician for eight years.

He was a member of the National Education Association (NEA), Ohio Education Association (OEA), LCJVS Education Association, Ohio Vocational Association (OVA), Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) and National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI).

Lester was active with his community serving as the secretary on the Wellington Township Zoning Board and was specially commissioned as a Deputy Sheriff with the auxiliary Lorain County Underwater (scuba) Search and Recovery Team for two years. In his spare time, he enjoyed scuba diving, swimming, tennis, skiing, traveling and trains. His greatest joy was the time he spent with his family.

Survivors include his wife of 50 years, Nancy Henderson (nee Clewell); his children, Tom Henderson (Melissa) of Bay Village, Lisa Tilk (Jim) of Avon; his granddaughters, Layla Tilk and Maria Henderson; his siblings, Graham Henderson (Debbie) of Amherst, Heather Foos (Don) of Willard and Melody Grabo (Mark) of North Olmsted; stepsisters, Martha Hecock (Dick) of New London, Marianne Schenk (Doug) of Roxborough Park, Colorado, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents of Amherst, Tommy and Marie Henderson (nee Finney); stepfather, Otto Bach and sisters, Holly Henderson and Pamela Henderson.

Due to COVID restrictions, services for Lester will be held privately by the immediate family. Rebroadcasting of services will be available at www.hempelfuneralhome. com/ following the services on Monday, January 18, 2021.

Father Timothy Gareau, Pastor of St. Raphael Catholic Parish in Bay Village, will officiate. Burial will take place at Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Cleveland Clinic Hospice, 6801 Brecksville Road, Suite 10, Independence, OH 441361 or Alzheimer's Assc., 37309 Harvest Drive, Avon, OH 44011.

Please visit the funeral home's website to share a memory and sign the guest register, www.hempelfuneralhome.com.

Wallace J. Thomas, Jr., 64, of Oberlin, died Thursday, Dec. 30, 2020, at ManorCare Health Services, Parma. He was born Aug. 17, 1956, in Oberlin and was a 1975 graduate of Oberlin High School where he was All-State in basketball. From 1975-1978, he served in the U.S. Army.

Wallace held positions with Youth & Catholic Charities, was the Oberlin Dog Warden, delivered papers for the Oberlin News-Tribune and was later employed as a corrections officer at the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

Wallace is survived by his wife of 14 years, Bonnie L. (nee Blaha); daughter, Megan Thomas; son, Jazz Thomas; mother, Betty Thomas; eight stepchildren; sisters, Brigitte (Don Colley) Thomas and Tyhesha "Tiny" (Warren) Thomas; brothers, Andre (Robin) Thomas, Ben Thompson and Dequan Thomas and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father, Wallace J. Thomas Sr. A graveside service was held Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at Westwood Cemetery, Oberlin, with Pastor Lester Allen officiating. Elyria Amvets Post 32 Honor Guard presented Military Honors.

Arrangements were in the care of Dicken Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Elyria.

For online condolences, visit www.dickenfuneralhome. com.

JANET RENEE BEVAN (nee Brown), 89, of Amherst, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2021. Hempel Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

AGATHA L. 'LYNN' BANKS (nee McKibben), 78, a resident of Amherst, went home to be with her Lord and Savior Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, at Cleveland Clinic Avon due to complications of COVID. Hempel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Our condolences go out to families that have suffered the loss of a loved one.

For information about placing an obituary or death notice in the Community Guide, call 440-329-7000.

AT STEELE ►

The panel members interviewed for this story are students in teacher Kim Haney's medical technology class.

They've been busy this school year. In a "Shark Tank"-style competition, the class won a $2,000 prize through the Arby's Foundation to partner with the fast food company's marketing team and create an ad campaign. They're producing a student wellness calendar that urges classmates to take part in healthy activities.

Students have also entered into a partnership with the Campana Center for Ideation and Invention at Lorain County Community College. They are part of the "Make It to Spring" art and journaling program, which helps teens cope with the unique stresses of the past year.

Haney has also worked to extend the "Be Present" campaign to students at Steele High School. Using state funding, it provides a weekly support group for Ohio teens to talk with each other about coping with COVID-19 and being a teenager in 2021.

Starting Feb. 4, the support group will be led by psychotherapist Carly Neuschatz.

TEENS

An informant working with Lorain County health officials was able to buy tobacco products at a quarter of the stores they visited, even though they are under the legal age of 21.

Lorain County Public Health ran compliance checks at 39 stores during regular business hours.

Ten sold tobacco to the informant.

The stores were not fined, and law enforcement was not involved.

Health officials also audited 75 Lorain County stores to check the type and location of tobacco advertising and prices of tobacco products.

“Research shows that youth who see frequent tobacco advertising are two times more likely to try tobacco than youth that do not see tobacco advertising frequently,” said county Health Commissioner David Covell. “Prevention policies like Tobacco 21 and flavor bans that include mentholated products aim to reduce youth tobacco use. Store audits and compliance checks help LCPH understand how retail influences a teenager’s tobacco use. They also help us identify areas for prevention.”

Key findings from the store audits include: • 80 percent had signs saying that the legal age of purchase is 21 years.

• 44 percent advertised menthol cigarettes.

• 14 percent advertised JUUL products.

• 10 percent advertised tobacco products within three feet of the ground, at the eye level of children.

• The average price for a pack of non-menthol cigarettes was $5.45.

• The average price for a pack of menthol cigarettes was $6.78.

The Ohio Department of Health generated and provided the store samples. The Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program grant funded by the Ohio Department of Health supported the store audits and compliance checks.

Visit www.loraincountyhealth.com for more on local initiatives.

FROM A1 McGraw rode out the disease at home and didn’t have to be hospitalized. For her, it felt like a normal flu.

Brezina said he also tested positive for the virus, but didn’t have any symptoms. He was relieved when a week later he tested negative.

Whether they’ve been sick or not, the pandemic has dealt a blow to high-schoolers’ moral, said Olivia Lopez, who described feeling far less motivated to do well in her classes this year.

Classmate Amara Taliano agreed, saying the pandemic has sapped her drive. “COVID is really depressing as it is, and then you come to school — some people already struggle at school. It’s a lot of stuff going on at once,” she said.

Seniors last year were dealt a bad hand, said Lopez. But now she’s worried about the chances her own prom may be canceled, and graduation could be unrecognizable.

“I feel like nobody’s really talking about it because we don’t want to get your hopes up,” she said.

Kendall Twining said it’s hard to accept that the end of her high school career won’t live up to the expectations she once had.

“That’s something you’ll always remember in your life,” she said. “It’s a key memory, and you’ll never get to actually experience it.”

Twining, who wants to pursue a career in nursing, said the college application process has been especially stressful.

She was able to visit a couple of colleges in person, but others only allowed virtual “visits,” which Twining said made the lifechanging, expensive decision more difficult.

Lopez said the COVID crisis made her college decision easier. It tipped her toward Lorain County Community College, where she feels she can save money in an uncertain

time.

Because of the virus, students said their lives have moved more online in the past year.

That’s both a blessing and a curse.

Brezina said he’s often turned to social media “because you know you’re not alone.

Like the Browns players all got COVID, so you know it’s not just you, it’s the entire world.”

Classmate Carlie Bertke said there is also a lot of negativity in online posts.

Taliano said that negativity looms especially large when major news breaks, such as the Jan. 6 siege on the U.S. Capitol.

She said she wasn’t surprised by the riot, but found it embarrassing, and worried that other nations now view the United States “like a joke, a complete joke.”

There’s a great deal of tension about politics at school, she said, especially over the presidential election. “A lot of people have different opinions and it carries over to school” in the form of “arguments and drama,” Taliano said.

She’s also not surprised at all that cases are once more rising in Lorain County, or that it’s on the cusp of going purple on Ohio’s COVID-19 alert map. Taliano said she wouldn’t even blink if the state were to go back into lockdown.

“I think we’re all just used to it now.

Like, we can’t be disappointed anymore,” she said.

“I feel like nothing comes as a surprise anymore,” agreed Lopez. “We’re kind of just used to everything. Call me crazy.”

Despite the way the pandemic has affected their everyday lives, none of the seniors said they are planning to get the COVID vaccine, at least for now.

“I just feel like there’s a lot of questions about it and long-term side effects,” said Bertke, specifically voicing a concern that it could affect fertility.

LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups.

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE A4

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE A4

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

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $40 for 52 weeks in Lorain County; $45 in Erie, Huron, Ashland, Medina, and Cuyahoga counties; $50 in all other Ohio counties; $55 outside Ohio.

Periodical postage paid at Wellington OH.

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

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

OPINION

How did we get here? And where do we go now?

Our nation has narrowly survived a deadly coup attempt, and Congress now is considering how to respond to the insurrection.

In pondering how all this could happen, I offer a perspective founded on my religious background. I sense that the tragedies coming to a head on Jan. 6 are a result of idolatry. Our body politic has been infected with a false religion that goes against an American dream of "Liberty and Justice for all."

Our organization, Community Peace Builders, includes people of many spiritual persuasions. My own Christian/Quaker commitment affirms ultimate allegiance to God, with human beings and institutions always subject to divine judgment as well as guidance and grace.

The Hebrew scriptures are filled with dire warnings when a nation has defied the commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before

me." True prophets in all ages have spoken truth, even when it's painful. They call their people to repentance.

Idolatry can be worship of monetary gain, adherence to delusions of racial superiority, or belief that resort to violence can fix social problems. Too many Americans have blindly accepted outrageous claims from President Donald Trump, whose only commitment ultimately has been to himself, not to us as Americans. I see him caring nothing about the principles of democracy. His demands for absolute loyalty are seldom if ever reciprocal; witness what happened when Vice President Mike Pence's life was in peril.

Too many have worshiped a demagogue who has betrayed us all in his own self-interested grasp to hold on to power.

The vast majority of our public does not support that murderous attack on the

DAVID FINKE

COMMUNITY PEACE BUILDERS

U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. And yet some 75 million fellow citizens voted for a man who has refused to admit he lost an election. Most politicians have humbly learned to do that in their careers.

Unfortunately, among Trump’s supporters have been those with hateful ideologies and the willingness to resort to violence to uphold a white supremacist way

Supply and demand About 2,000 people in the 80-and-over category had already signed up by Jan. 14 at www.loraincountyhealth.com/signup to be notified when their turn arrives, but Covell anticipated only 800 doses would be available this week.

"Right now we're getting hundreds per week, but at some point if vaccines are available we'll be able to do thousands per week," he said.

Vaccine rollout has been "a little slower, as we all know," he said.

Residents on the list will be notified by email when vaccine supply and clinic dates line up. Phone notifications aren't available.

That wave will likely take to the end of February to complete, Covell said.

The vaccine rollout is designed to target the oldest and most vulnerable population first, then gradually work downward through 75-year-olds, 70-year-olds, 65-year-olds and so on.

Mass clinics are expected to operate from April to June. The goal is to have the entire high-risk population vaccinated by April 1 and the rest of the county's population done by July 1, Covell said.

Lorain County Public Health is capable of vaccinating 1,000 people in an eighthour period at a single site, Covell said.

The agency could run three sites on any given day, he said, or up to about 40,000 people a week at "locations in every corner of Lorain County."

Places such as fire stations, the county fairgrounds and government complexes will be used for mass vaccinations. Covell said sites are being identified for drivethru and walk-in clinics.

Police, emergency medical staff and the Medical Reserve Corps will eventually assist with large clinics, he said.

Will people get the vaccine?

The nonpartisan fact tank Pew Research Center reported in December that about 60 percent of Americans said they would "definitely" or "probably" volunteer for vaccination against COVID-19.

But medical experts, including Covell, say about 70 percent of the public needs to be inoculated for herd immunity to start kicking in and choke off the spread of the virus.

Pew's survey showed a large partisan gap. Sixty-nine percent of Democrats and left-leaning respondents said they would be vaccinated, while just 50 percent of Republicans and right-leaning respondents said they would.

There's been loud opposition to vaccination here in Lorain County, but Covell voiced confidence Thursday that many

cates. Most were probably as shaken as I when viewing the assault on our Capitol and its protectors.

Some politicians are now calling for "healing," and I can hope that ultimately we will be restored. But I recall the prophet Jeremiah denouncing those who have “healed the wound of my people lightly.” Congressman Jim Jordan’s call is premature: For any disease to be healed, one must start by recognizing its cause and facing it with reality as well as hope.

In the short run, our Republic will survive attacks on our national and state capitals and public officials. We may be grateful for diligent and nonpartisan law enforcement, and an impartial judicial system.

Perhaps the obscenity of Jan. 6 has been a wake-up call for Americans. We can see how closely we’ve veered toward authoritar-

ian rule which defies legal democratic processes. May we not turn away from the lessons that are blatantly and painfully in front of us.

No longer should any be seduced into Trump's delusional alternate reality.

America now has the opportunity to regain our collective common sense, to treat each other with dignity and respect, to work for restoration of Democracy. May we come back to our roots, and start the cooperative work of rebuilding our damaged institutions. Once more we can find our capability for civic dialogue, seeking mutual understanding.

Let us join together in that work.

David Finke (Oberlin College Class of 1963) is a retired printer, active with Community Peace Builders.

Carry on the conversation at communitypeacebuilders@ aol.com.

SCHOLARS

SENIORS

FROM A1 Health & Dentistry staff, hands-on health care providers and group homes that wanted it.

The first dose provides about 50 percent protection against the virus, and the second boosts that resistance to more than 90 percent.

That means the vaccine doesn't make anyone COVID-proof, nor will it completely stop the virus until a large swath of the population is inoculated.

This week, vaccine shipments are starting to be received for the next wave, which in addition to teachers will be used for people with certain medical conditions and residents ages 80 and over.

of life, which they sense is threatened. They never heard an unequivocal denunciation of that position from the White House. Are we surprised when several thousand heeded his call to march to the Capitol and demand that the Electoral College results not be certified?

I believe the last four years have revealed a growing expression of cult behavior rather than the give-and-take of normal political life. This is not the first time the world has seen the disastrous results of people forsaking their rationality. With religious-like devotion they unquestioningly follow a Beloved Leader.

I’m thankful that most of my Lorain County neighbors with Trump flags in their yards believe they are patriots who can respect those that disagree with them. I doubt that many of them believe that those who voted differently are the monsters that the QAnon worldview advo-

people will change their minds.

During the H1N1 "swine flu" pandemic in 2009, there was at first a great deal of resistance to vaccination, he said. As information was released, and as people saw their neighbors getting shots, the vaccination rate slowly rose.

"It won't happen overnight," he said.

The COVID-19 vaccine is the result of decades of research, according to experts, including Covell and Dr. Harry Kestler, a virologist who teaches microbiology at Lorain County Community College. Technology that had long been in development was used over the past year to create the vaccine, both have previously said.

Operation Warp Speed was the name given to the federal government's push to accelerate development, approval and manufacturing of vaccines to halt the spread of COVID-19. Its goal has been to deliver 300 million doses by this month.

Covell said "Warp Speed" probably wasn't the best choice for a name, because "it sounds like you're cutting corners."

Adverse effects Local health officials say the vaccine is safe.

Dr. Douglas McDonald, medical director at LCPH, said side effects from the county's first COVID-19 doses have been similar to what other vaccines have caused.

It's "very common" to have soreness on the arm around the injection site, he said, "but anything on the severe side is still pretty rare."

There have been zero local incidents of reactions that rise to the level of "severe," McDonald said.

After receiving the vaccine, people must sit for 15 minutes to make sure they aren't having dangerous reactions.

Covell said that in the days following the shot, "you can get a little bit of feeling like you're down" as your immune system ramps up production of antibodies.

Viral trends At the end of October, Lorain County was hit by what Covell described as the coronavirus' "third wave."

Local health officials went from confirming 150 new cases per week to about 1,500 the week of Dec. 10.

The rate has since declined — "unfortunately not quite as fast as I wanted it to," Covell said — and was around 300 new cases per week.

Then the holiday boom hit.

In the first full week of January, LCPH recorded 1,100 new cases, which Covell said he hopes was only a holiday spike that will die back down, and not the sign of a larger trend upward.

"Until we get back down to 150 or less cases in this community, we're still in high incidence," he said, which means Lorain County is likely to remain red on the state's COVID-19 threat map.

While case counts remain elevated, LCPH will also not be able to return to reporting certain statistics, such as the number of COVID recoveries each day.

That reporting halted in October when the health agency was overwhelmed with work related to contact tracing and quarantining, Covell said.

It's unlikely to resume anytime soon, he said: "I can't take people off of interviewing people to do that data crunch."

SEBASTIAN GRIM of Oberlin has been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at the Unviersity of Minnesota Twin Cities. Grim is a junior in the College of Liberal Arts.

MARLA BREWER of Oberlin has been named to the president's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Youngstown State University. Brewer is majoring in social work.

QUENTIN NGUYEN-DUY of Oberlin has been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Boston University.

MARIAH BIG of Oberlin has graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor of science degree in nursing.

MICHELLE GREGORY of Oberlin has been named to the honors list for the Fall 2020 semester at Mercy College of Ohio. She is majoring in health care administration.

GABRIEL GAYHEART, a recent graduate of Wellington High School, has been selected as an Ashbrook Scholar, according to an announcement from the Ashbrook Center at Ashland University. The program focuses on politics, history and economics.

HELP WANTED! The LCADA Way Would Like to Know Your Views on Addiction If you live and/or work in Lorain County, please help us learn more by completing this short (less than 5 minutes) anonymous survey. Findings will be used to improve our community opioid and substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services.

Visit https://www.surveymonkey .com/r/communityattitudes or scan this QR code to take the survey.

This survey is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award totaling $200,000 with 100% funded by HRSA/HHS and $0 and 0% funded by non-government source(s). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by HRSA/HHS, or the U.S. Government.” For more information, please visit: https:// www.hrsa.gov/grants/manage/acknowledgehrsafunding or contact: Deborah Kelley, LISW-S LICDC-CS, Grant Project Coordinator, Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) dkelly@thelcadaway.org or 440-225-3827.

Page A4

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

SCHOOLS

FROM A1 districts this week, asking how many teachers and other staff are interested in voluntarily receiving the vaccine.

Miller, a special education teacher at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst, said her co-workers who want the vaccine have been vocal about it.

“I haven’t really heard much from the people who don’t want it,” she said. “There’s a stigma, I think, that they may feel they’re going to look bad.”

Superintendent Steve Sayers agreed it’s been hard to gauge attitudes toward the COVID vaccine among the district’s 460 employees. He called being vaccinated a “deeply personal” decision that each will have to make on their own.

“I don’t know that we are in a position as a school district to mandate whether folks get vaccinations,” he said. “… Obviously the vaccine is a good thing for our school district,” but it’s his strong opinion that individual opinions must be respected, even when it comes to public employees in a compulsory education setting.

Sayers said that a high enough vaccination rate will hopefully allow the Amherst Schools to hold end-of-year activities such as graduation “in a much more normal-looking fashion.”

“Everyone wants to get back to normal as quickly as possible,” he said. “I think everyone’s looking forward to that, whether it be classroom settings (or) from an athletics standpoint.”

Even though the Oberlin Schools’ classes have been all-online so far this year, the district has still struggled with the virus as staff have become ill, Superintendent David Hall said.

Now it is making the leap to hybrid learning, with students attending in person two or three days a week to start. Hall said teachers and support staff are nervous about the added risk, and he is aware of only a few complaints about getting the vaccine.

He’s anxious, too. Over the past nine months, Hall said every time he’s received a late-night call from a principal or the athletic director, “it’s just the nature of the beast to think it’s going to be about a new COVID case.”

Lorain Schools Director of Com-

munication and Engagement Erin Graham said the district is patiently waiting its turn to get the vaccine.

Just over 90 percent of staff members so far have indicated they will receive the vaccine.

Others have informed Lorain that they received the vaccine elsewhere, like those who work at a health care facility during their off hours.

Elyria Schools Superintendent Ann Schloss said receiving the vaccine gives a sense of security for many of the district’s staff.

She said she’s heard many say they’re ready to receive the vaccine, but ultimately it will be their choice.

Schloss said the vaccine is so new that she understands some will have concerns about getting it.

“Quite honestly, it’s just all over the place,” she said. “It’s a personal preference. Everyone has to make the decision they feel is best for themselves. It is their choice.”

Schloss said she feels anything that’s a step back toward normalcy is positive. She wants students back in-person five days a week as soon as possible.

Avon Lake Superintendent Bob Scott also said getting the vaccine is important. He is urging district employees to get the vaccine, but said it will still be a personal choice.

The more who get vaccinated, the fewer issues Avon Lake will have staffing schools — Scott said 82 percent of the district is in-person, and the biggest issue has been having enough teachers in the classroom.

He said that although the state has relaxed quarantine requirements, it hasn’t helped much because most people are catching the virus or being exposed to it outside of school.

Scott said he is seeing and hearing a willingness from most staff to get the vaccine, but there are concerns. The vaccine is new, and Scott said some feel the development process was too fast.

He said he hopes that as more people get vaccinated, others can feel more comfortable with being vaccinated themselves.

“It’s definitely going to be worth it for us if it allows us to go forward for the rest of the year and not have to have that worry about losing staff

because of the virus,” he said.

If all goes according to plan, Scott said he believes social distancing and mask rules may be toned down in the fall. Doing so could go a long way to reducing the stress students shoulder, he said.

Education workers countywide were asked to fill out a survey, indicating whether the plan to get the vaccine.

The surveys will be used to plan vaccination clinics, Covell said.

At least 500 vaccinations must be done to make a clinic worthwhile, he said, though 1,000 would be ideal.

The idea is to have several districts’ personnel report to the same location during an eight-hour period to reach the 1,000-shot mark.

Even with school vaccinations expected to begin around Feb. 1, Covell said it’s not realistic to think all who want it will all be inoculated by Feb. 2. That’s because the supply available in Ohio will still be limited, he said, and it will take time — probably weeks — to roll it out to those who do want it.

What is clear is that parents need to be ready for schools to close on short notice in February for employee vaccination days, he said.

Those dates can’t be planned out far in advance, because it’s uncertain from week to week how many doses will be sent to Lorain County. “If it turns out we’re getting thousands and thousands of doses instead of hundreds and hundreds, we’ll be able to get this done faster,” Covell said.

The Lorain County JVS sent a letter out Tuesday warning families to be ready. “(Lorain County Public Health) will notify us when we have a scheduled day and time for our employees to receive the vaccine, but we may only receive a few days’ notice” Superintendent Glenn Faircloth said. “On that day, there will be no school (remote or in-person) for students. Employees that choose to receive the vaccine will have the day off to travel and receive the vaccine. Those that opt out of the vaccine that day will be required to work their regular hours.”

The district will repeat the process about 28 days after the first shot, so employees can receive the second dose.

DOWN 1. Thai currency 2. Wet nurse 3. Rub the wrong way 4. Gardener’s little helper 5. British soldier’s parade hat 6. *P in PAT 7. “____ Lang Syne”

OBERLIN — Gary Olin has been presented with the Excellence in Volunteer Service Award for his leadership as council president at Kendal at Oberlin, where he is a resident.

The direction he has provided during the pandemic impressed LeadingAge Ohio, the trade association that gave the award.

The nonprofit represents about 400 long-term care organizations and hospices, as well as those providing ancillary health care and housing services, in more than 150 Ohio towns and cities.

In a letter nominating Olin, Kendal CEO Barbara Thomas said he has stepped up in countless ways. He has led the Oberlin retirement community's New Normal Planning Committee and raised monetary gifts for Kendal staff members to help them and their families during this challenging time.

“While he has frequently shed light on others for their heroic efforts during this pandemic, Gary is in many ways our unsung hero," Thomas wrote. "He reminds me often, ‘I’m here for you.’ Gary Olin has been here for our entire Kendal at Oberlin commu-

Gary Olin nity and we can’t thank him enough except by submitting this LeadingAge Ohio nomination for him."

Olin and his wife, Sally Nelson-Olin, moved to Kendal from Lakeside, Ohio, in 2015. During his 38-year career as a United Methodist minister, he has led five congregations in Northeast Ohio and was district superintendent.

At Kendal, he stepped in as residents association president after the unexpected death of Jim Helm, the just-elected president for 2019. Olin has been involved in many other Kendal committees and activities, including the Board of Directors 25th Anniversary Challenge Committee and its Strategic Planning Committee.

Sweda named president of Amherst Democrats

AMHERST — Former Lorain County Commissioner Sharon Sweda is the new president of the Amherst Democratic Organization, the group announced on Facebook.

Her first meeting as president of the organization will be held Jan. 20 via Zoom.

A real estate professional, Sweda was appointed as a commissioner in 2019 to finish out the unexpired term of fellow Democrat Ted Kalo after he became Lorain Municipal Clerk of Courts. She was defeated for election to a full term by Republican David Moore in November.

Previously, Sweda ran but was defeated for a seat representing Lorain County in the Ohio Senate by current officeholder, Republican Nathan Manning, in 2018.

LETTER

SUPER BOWL ACROSS 1. *Starr of Super Bowl I and MVP 5. Epsom or Évian-les-Bains 8. Mexican money 12. Gulf V.I.P. 13. Biblical pronoun 14. Competitive musher, e.g.

15. Saintly glow 16. From the sky and often damaging 17. Early anesthetic 18. *Halftime show performer 20. Photo editing option 21. T. S., poet 22. Chi forerunner 23. *Team with most consecutive Super Bowl appearances 25. Swindles 29. Even, to a poet 30. Slanting characters 33. Cough syrup balsam 34. Travels by air 36. “What’s up ____?”, asked

by Bugs Bunny 37. Southeast Asia org.

38. German currency 39. Wb, pl.

41. 9 to 5, e.g.

42. Substitute, two words 44. Express a thought 46. Hitherto 47. Winter “fever”?

49. Brown on “Doctor Who” 51. *He has most Super Bowl appearances as a coach 55. Plural of #38 Across 56. Norse deity 57. Joie de vivre 58. *3-time Super Bowl champ, Russ ____ 59. Pasturelands 60. Ready for picking 61. Black and white treat 62. *Another form of Super Bowl entertainment 63. Command, with “at”

Kendal resident recognized for his volunteer service

Kudos to Meijer for paying it forward To the editor: The Amherst Garden Club donated two, $100 Meijer gift cards to the Amherst Schools for the purpose of helping two needy school district families during the 2020 holidays. I presented the challenge to Lorain Meijer to pay it forward by matching our donation, and they did. Now two additional needy families will be assisted this winter because of their generosity.

Thank you Meijer and Amherst Garden Club for supporting our Amherst community. Another reason why Amherst is a great place to live and raise our families.

Barb Zavodny Amherst Garden Club

Submit news items to the Community Guide at news@lcnewspapers.com

8. *Team with most Super Bowl appearances 9. Reverberating sound 10. Slowly leak 11. NHL great 13. Opposite of atheist 14. Short version 19. ____ Island off Manhattan 22. Nervous twitch 23. Knockout 24. Below, prefix 25. *Player with most Super Bowl points scored 26. Warm down-slope wind 27. Distress signal 28. Phoenix team 29. Flock members 31. Port of Yemen 32. Tennis shot

35. *Jim Nantz’s partner 37. Savory jelly 39. A must for a comedian 40. Williams and Wright 43. Natural theology 45. Answer to “Where are you?”, two words 47. Surrendered land 48. Spy’s other name 49. Feline vibration 50. Albany-Buffalo canal 51. Cowboy’s necktie 52. Pelvic parts 53. Big letters 54. Proposal joint 55. “I” mania

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Commissioners revoke $4.6 million in grants DAVE O’BRIEN and JASON HAWK

ELYRIA — A split board of Lorain County commissioners revoked more than $4.6 million in grants last week that had been made by the former board in 2020, saying former commissioners improperly spent money from the county's general fund on the projects.

Members of the former board said that wasn't the case, accusing the two new Republican commissioners of victimizing Lorain County residents who, already dealing with a pandemic, are now at risk of homelessness, starvation and continuing to battle drug addiction without resources.

There was disagreement between the parties Jan. 13 on whether the money was federal CARES Act funds dedicated to assist in pandemic relief or general fund money meant for other uses.

The former commissioners contend it was CARES Act funds filtered through the general fund; the two new Republican commissioners contend that is not the case.

Lorain County Auditor Craig Snodgrass referred questions on the matter to county budget director KC Saunders, who referred all questions about the matter to County Administrator Tom Williams.

Snodgrass said the federal CARES Act funding had its own specialized account, which had slightly less than $400,000 left unspent in it as of Jan. 1, according to a financial document he provided at The ChronicleTelegram's request.

The grants in question were earmarked by the board made up of Democrats Matt Lundy, Lori Kokoski and Sharon Sweda, who had until Dec. 31 to spend the county's $16 million share of CARES Act funding. They made grants of between $2,000 and $500,000 to more than 20 agencies in Lorain County for the purpose of rent and utility assistance, food assistance, senior citizen meal programs, children's and senior programming and animal charities, among other uses.

Commissioners David Moore and Michelle Hung voted to rescind those grants made by their predecessors, overruling Lundy's lone "no" vote.

Moore said it was "misinformation" that the money he and Hung voted to take back was CARES Act dollars.

He said it was money in the county's general fund that was slated for the operation of county services that his predecessors improperly spent on the grants.

"The public and these agencies have been used as political pawns to embarrass this board," he said during the Jan. 13 meeting.

Hung said it was her belief the CARES Act funds should have gone to local governments to help them weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

The commission is the

budgeting authority for the county, and "this general fund money is for the county to operate," Moore said. "We are not the Community Foundation of Lorain County."

Lundy said significant research was done and other county and state officials consulted before he, Kokoski and Sweda acted last year. He said the board did its diligence, spending CARES Act money on items normally purchased with general fund money and then using those general funds for the grants in some instances.

Lundy and his former colleagues also said they had legal and outside advisers who told them their actions were proper, and also absolved those getting the grants from having to be audited or abide by certain CARES Act funding requirements. It was all above board, they said.

"People called me yesterday in tears, they are very upset," he said, asking that if his colleagues had a difference of opinion with what the former board did, to take it out on him.

"Don't punish these families, children, seniors, veterans," Lundy said. "Take it out on me. Don't harm these folks. Don't punish these folks. It's important that these dollars get to these organizations so we can get through this pandemic."

Hung said the agencies on the list "are some absolutely wonderful charitable organizations that do wonderful work," but said it was not correct to portray the money as coming from CARES Act funds.

Kokoski and Sweda "lacked a grasp on how CARES Act funding was permitted to be distributed," Hung said, and that she and Moore had spoken with the Prosecutor's Office and "would not be motioning to rescind (the grants) if we did not."

Kokoski and Sweda "chose to hand out $4 million" and "writing checks they knew they would not be able to sign."

"That's why this is a very, very sad day for all of us up here," Hung said.

Lundy repeated his statement that he and his former colleagues did their due diligence before awarding the money.

"I understand you want to bring about change and pave a new course and direction, but what's important is a commitment was made by this board and to honor that commitment, I think is the honorable thing to do," he told Moore and Hung.

Moore said while the former board might have had a deadline of Dec. 31 to use the funds, he believe it was "inappropriate" to turn the county general fund into a foundation supporting nonprofits.

He also criticized the former board's decision to repeal an unpopular sales tax in December, but denied that he ever promised to repeal it during his campaign for commissioner.

Despite the county general

Bruce Bishop | Chronicle

Greg Willey, executive director of the Lorain County Animal Protective League, nuzzles a couple of puppies last Wednesday after his organization lost $75,000 in a rollback vote by the Lorain County commissioners. fund having a more than $21 million carryover from 2020, "we're looking at cuts because of the hand that was dealt," Moore said. "This is after five days (with Moore and Hung in office). We have four more years here, I hope.

I'm going to keep digging, working for the taxpayer."

Hung agreed: "We cannot provide local agencies with $4 million out of the general fund while reducing budgets for county agencies that provide services," she said.

Sweda and Kokoski "knew what they were doing when they chose to exercise their political power" over the funds and are now forcing their former colleagues "to have to find a way to cut their budgets," Hung said. "There is nobody up here who wants to cut their budgets, nobody."

"There's no need at this point for any kind of budget cuts," Lundy replied, saying he was confused by the two Republicans and their message "that the sales tax was going to be repealed by the incoming members, and now you're saying you don't want it to be repealed?"

Moore replied that he never campaigned on repealing the sales tax.

"My position was extremely clear" during his campaign, he said: "I said once we get in there we were going to look at the budget and see what we needed to do. In fact we could repeal another quarter percent based on what I'm seeing here. I never said 'Day one, we're going to repeal.' I said we're going to go in and find what's being wasted, at least that's what I was going for. I never said that. There's a lot of implications being said that's not true, but that's the art of the deal when you're running for public office."

"We don't know how the economy is going to grow, what's going to happen after" Inauguration Day, Moore added. "We're going to have to manage the people's

money with what's been dealt us."

Williams said the former board spent about $6 million from the general fund on items the commissioners said were being paid out of CARES Act funds. He said approximately $2 million of that has already been allocated to its recipients, so the county can't get it back.

"It would be difficult to get it back," Williams said. "We don't believe we'll be able to get it back."

The other $4.6 million had yet to be disbursed so commissioners were able to act on it, he said.

SWEDA AND KOKOSKI RESPOND The current commissioners weren't the only ones blaming politics for the Jan. 13 vote.

Former commissioners Kokoski and Sweda said they were angry that Moore and Hung, who defeated them in the November election, seemed to be "sore winners" acting solely for political reasons.

Moore and Hung are "hurting whole communities.

They're taking food out of kid's mouths," Kokoski said.

Moore and Hung are "hurting the people. They need to do the right thing," she added.

Kokoski said the money she, Lundy and Sweda approved in 2020 was spent "to help people who were struggling during a pandemic."

She also expressed shock that the checks for the grants that were rescinded had not been sent out by Dec. 31 and said she planned to find out why they were delayed.

"Somebody dropped the ball," Kokoski said.

Sweda said she and her fellow commissioners handled the CARES Act money appropriately after seeking advice from Snodgrass, the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office and State Auditor Keith Faber's office.

Sweda said she fears the reduction in funding may doom some of the organizations she voted to give grants to.

"This is crossing a line of being vengeful and it's almost immoral," she said. "Who withholds relief from families struggling to keep food on the table? This is disturbing and unconscionable."

Combined with the prior week's disbanding of the Racial Equity Alliance, the vote

by Moore and Hung provide a glimpse into their "obsession for political revenge," Sweda said.

"It's like (outgoing President Donald) Trump trying to tear down everything (former President Barack) Obama did, just because, to the detriment of our community," Kokoski said. "It's making me angry ... they're tearing things down just to tear things down."

REACTION FROM AGENCIES Leaders of the affected agencies were shocked and in disbelief that two of the commissioners would vote to claw back the money promised them from CARES Act dollars.

Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio lost $235,839 the Democratic commissioners promised in pandemic assistance at the end of last year, money that was to support food distribution to thousands of Lorain County residents.

Julie Chase-Morefield,

president and CEO of Second Harvest, said the organization was "disappointed in the decision to rescind the grants."

"Second Harvest and our network of 56 food pantries and 29 hot meal programs in the county have served 116,000 unduplicated people seeking emergency food assistance in Lorain County in 2020, nearly 38 percent of the entire population of the county. The need for food assistance will remain high throughout 2021 as families work to regain stability," she said.

More than 40 percent of clients the food bank saw in 2020 had never reached out for food assistance before, and did so as a result of the pandemic, food bank and county officials said.

Blessing House in Lorain lost $150,000.

"The funds rescinded today were not just for the nonprofits," Executive Director Sister Mary Berigan said. "No one was padding their bank account or redecorating their offices. Those funds were intended to meet the needs of the people of Lorain County.

Each of these non-profits is a piece of the puzzle to serve local families."

Berigan said the funds commissioners took back "are the means to provide food for families, to keep children and families from living in their car. It was meant to feed seniors and provide safety to victims of abuse. Our veterans will lack support.”

“Sometimes these agencies are the last piece of the puzzle to help move a family forward. When you remove the last piece of the puzzle it can never be made whole.

Families that are struggling are now losing the support they so desperately need. The people of the county lost out today,” she said.

Road to Hope House Executive Director Jeff Kamms, whose agency will lose $500,000 for recovery and housing services, said the news was “pretty sad.”

“I don’t exactly understand the thought process” behind the commissioners’ vote, he said.

For the past 14 years, the organization has operated a drug- and alcohol-free REVOKE PAGE A5

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO USE ONE OF THESE???

If so you probably need to see a doctor who specializes in caring for people older than 60!

GEORGIA NEWMAN, MD FACP

Oberlin Geriatrics

ACCEPTING NEW PATIENTS

319 W. LORAIN ST., OBERLIN • (440)774-5518

CLASSIFIEDS FOR RENT FREE HEAT Cozy and Convenient 1 and 2 bdrm MAPLE GROVE APTS 186-192 N. Oberlin Rd. 440-775-3098

LEGALS LEGAL NOTICE In the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 225 Court Street, Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio, 44035.

Case No. 20DR088644.

Natasha TownsendSeymour, 2342 East 35th Street, Lorain, OH 44055, Plaintiff vs. Irving Seymour, Defendant.

Irving Seymour, whose last known address 340 Cornell Avenue, Elyria, OH 44035 but whose address other than as set forth is unknown and cannot with the exercise of reasonable diligence be ascertained, and upon whom service of summons cannot be had in the State of Ohio, will take notice that on December 17, 2020, Natasha TownsendSeymour, as Plaintiff, filed her complaint against him in

the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, of Lorain County, Ohio, being Case No. 20DR088644, requesting a divorce from Defendant, that the Court make a fair and equitable distribution of the parities' property and debt, and an award of a reasonable sum for any costs, expenses, and attorney's fees in this action, and for such other relief as shall be proper and necessary, based upon the grounds that the parties are incompatible, and for other grounds under RC § 3105.01 Said above named defendant will further take notice that he is required to answer the com-

plaint on or before the 4th day of March, 2021.

NATASHA TOWNSENDSEYMOUR, Plaintiff By: CHRISTOPHER P. REWAK, (#0085957), 300 Fourth Street, Elyria, OH 44035, Attorney for Plaintiff

L.C.C.G. 12/31/20; 1/7-14-2128; 2/4/21 20675680

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on Jan. 4, 2021.

The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Nancy Greer @ 204-2050 (Nancy_Greer@cityoflorain. org). The following summary of legislation passed has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws.

Resolution 1-21 Supporting the investigation and further study of implementing an Automated Traffic Enforcement Program in the City of Lorain.

Ordinance 1-21 Repealing Ord 101-08 and adopting and

replacing Ch. 923 of the Lorain Codified Ordinances establishing floodplain management and measures. 2-21* Authorizing the S/S Director to enter into a sub-grant agreement w/ Lake County Ohio Port Authority and Economic Development Authority and ODNR. 3-21* Appropriation (Charter Commission Expenses). 4-21 Repealing Title 1, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 of the Planning & Zoning Code & all ordinances in conflict and est. a new Planning & Zoning Code. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.)

L.C.C.G. 1/14-21/21

20676091

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

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

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

Pursuant to LCO 1523.05, the Chief Building Official (CBO) of the City of Lorain has declared the properties listed below as dangerous buildings and by virtue thereof public nuisances.

A hearing is scheduled on the 3rd Thursday of January the 21th 2021 at 9 AM at Lorain City Council Chambers on the first floor located at: 200 W. Erie Ave Lorain, Oh 44052 before the Lorain Demolition Board (Board)

pursuant to LCO 1523.06 for the purpose of presenting the determination of the CBO to the Board for its determination. All parties who have an interest in such parcels are entitled to attend and participate in the hearing.

906 Dewitt St 3421 Livingston Ave 3890 Lexington Ave 2213 E 32nd St 334 W 23rd St 338 W 23rd St 400 W 23rd St 346 W 23rd St 2380 Apple Ave

L.C.C.G. 1/14-21/21 20676043

Page A6

Lorain County Community Guide

Find Us On

Fligners/MeatUsHere

Ohio’s #1 Independent Grocery Store

By Ohio Grocers Association

1854 Broadway Lorain, OH (440) 244-5173

OPEN Daily - 8am - 6pm Sunday 8am - 2pm Flignersmarket.com

To receive up to the minute specials, text “Fligners” to 64600

Prices Good for These Days in JANUARY 2021

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

We Honor All W.I.C. And EBT

GROCERY HOME DELIVERY AVAILABLE NOW AT FLIGNERSMARKET.COM LET US DO THE SHOPPING FOR YOU!

Hind Qtr. 180-200 lbs. $339 Front Qtr. 200-220 lbs. $299 Full Side 380-400 lbs. $319

FREEZER BEEF

Ohio Beef from Ohio Farmers

No Family Pack Required For Savings

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

FRESH - NEVER FROZEN

BEEF

FLANK STEAKS SAVE $4 PER POUND

5

$

BONELESS

CHICKEN BREAST

1

99

$

LB.

GROUND CHUCK

PORK ROAST

1

$

LB.

SIRLOIN CHOPS

99

4

NEXT Thurs.,

10:30am-3:00pm

CHICKEN PAPRIKASH CHICKEN • STUFFED CABBAGE DUMPLINGS • GREEN BEANS BREAD & UTENSILS OVEN ROASTED CHICKEN BREAST

LB.

TROYER

MUENSTER OR SWISS CHEESE LB.

JUMBO

17

99

LB.

LB.

99

FRESH

CATFISH FILLETS

6

$

LB.

99 LB.

KRAFT

MIRACLE WHIP 2 - 30 OZ. JARS

January 28th,

3 $ 99 3

LB.

$

99

$

LB.

99

99

FRESH

MACEDONIAN SAUSAGE & PAPRIKA BACON

1

$

3

$

LB.

5

$

99

DELI SLICED

TOP ROUND ROAST

KISHKA & LAKE ERIE HURKA PERCH FILLETS

BONELESS PORK

$

U.S.D.A CHOICE BONELESS BEEF

SLICED FREE

4

99

99

¢

LB.

LB.

FLIGNER’S OWN FRESH LEAN

BONELESS ROLLED

$

99

BONELESS

CHICKEN THIGH

5

$ 25

3

$

DINNER

DELI SLICED HAM

99

KRETSCHMAR

CAJUN TURKEY

BROWN BREAST SUGAR, $ 99 BLACK LB. FOREST AND ECKRICH ALL MEAT OR PIT HAM GARLIC BOLOGNA

$

3

99 LB.

4 $ 99 3 LB.

JUMBO ROMA

RUSSET

CAULIFLOWER POTATOES TOMATOES 10 LB. BAG

1

$

2

99 $ EACH

JUMBO

99

99

¢ LB.

SWEET

JUMBO HASS

HEAD LETTUCE AVOCADOS CLEMENTINES 3 LB. BAG

99 99

¢ $

¢

HEAD

Full Service Carry Outs

ATM Available Money Orders 59¢ Each

We Carry Ohio Beef From Ohio Farmers Play Ohio Lottery and Mega Millions Here

EACH

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

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

3

We Carry Fligner’s Gift Cards and Gift Certificates

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

99

We Reserve the right to Limit Quantities Not Responsible for Typographical Errors

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

REVOKE

FROM A5 residential facility to help people struggling with addiction. Prior to Wednesday, it had been slated to receive $500,000 in funds to support construction of a $1.8 million housing facility in Vermilion for women with addiction who also have children.

Kamms said Road to Hope House signed contracts in the past two months to move ahead with the project, with the understanding the county’s funding would materialize

by Dec. 31. It never did.

The commissioners’ about-face will at best slow the housing project, and at worst could spell its demise, he said.

“I know a lot of things are political, but to impact agencies that are serving our county and the community in the way they just impacted them is a little baffling,” Kamms said.

He said the decision had nothing to do with the merits of the project or the work Road to Hope has done in Lorain County.

“This is a strictly political move,” he said.

“This is the world we’re living in, where so many different things are happening that should not be happening over political agendas.”

Kamms said he plans to reach out to commissioners and make a plea to reverse the decision — again — but said he is afraid it will fall on deaf ears.

El Centro in Lorain lost $500,000 it had been set to receive to help people across the entire county with rent, mortgage and utilities costs.

Executive Director Victor Leandry said he felt sorry for the hundreds of people who have been calling, asking for help staying in their homes as they struggle with the burdens of the pandemic.

“When they heard about this money that the commissioners were going to allocate, there was some hope,” he said. “People were calling asking for applications... People were in line, waiting for the money to arrive.”

El Centro was not relying on the money to get by, but the Latino community was, he said. Many have been coping with layoffs or reduced income, and are on the verge of homelessness, he said.

And Lorain County is in the midst of a homelessness crisis, said Neighborhood Alliance President and CEO Alicia Foss.

Her agency, which had $250,000 revoked by the commissioners, runs a homeless shelter. Its normal capacity is 65 to 68 beds, but it can’t be used because of the coronavirus — and for the same reason, churches that would normally run temporary warming shelters can’t provide relief either.

At the same time, more families have been displaced from homes, so last week Neighborhood Alliance was paying to place 82 people in hotel rooms.

Foss said the county funding would have help defray those costs, and also pay for a spike in home-delivered meals for senior citizens.

Neighborhood Alliance has more than doubled the number of meals it delivers during the pandemic. The money would have paid for 30,000 more, she said.

“We’ve kind of taken it on faith that this money was coming, and that we’d be able to deliver those meals,” she said. “Now that money isn’t coming.”

Foss said the reversal by commissioners will plunge Lorain County families into deeper need, which means agencies are all going to see a spike in demand.

“It’s about more than what was promised to us. It’s about the agencies who were promised money, and their services impact us,” she said.

Paul Baumgartner, executive direct of the Lorain County Free Clinic, said in a statement that his organization was “disappointed” in the decision made by commissioners.

“In 2020, the Lorain County Free Clinic provided 4,480 patient medical encounters, all with the help of professional medical volunteer providers from four hospital systems,” he said. “In 2020, the Free Clinic lost $65,000 in revenues, just from canceled fundraising opportunities. The Free Clinic provides quality, compassionate care from its exceptional medical team to many of the most vulnerable,” including primary care, women’s health, dermatology, pulmonology, orthopedics, immunizations, podiatry, vision care, nutrition, medication access and labs and imaging.”

“Providing access to medical care will remain steady, and a priority in 2021 as the uninsured/underserved work to maintain wellness, stability, and manage many conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma in such an extraordinary time,” Baumgartner said.

Virginia Beckman, executive director of Lorain County Safe Harbor/Genesis House — which provides services to victims of domestic violence — said the commissioners’ decision to rescind the grants was “shocking and destructive” and that her agency was “devastated” by the commissioners’ actions.

Genesis House entered 2021 with the $150,000 awarded by commissioners in its budget, she said.

“The commissioners in 2020 purposely and carefully awarded those grants to nonprofits who carry out essential services to

our communities,” she said. “They awarded the grants to ensure these important agencies remain operational during these particularly difficult times.

“Everyone knows how financially difficult this year has been for everyone. Many businesses have closed forever, and as devastating as this has been, we cannot allow critical service entities to face the same fate,” Beckman said. “Agencies like Genesis House provide services to people who have absolutely no other option for their survival.

We literally provide life-saving services to the Lorain County community.”

“To take that money away at this time is damaging beyond repair,” she said. “We at Genesis House have implored the county commissioners to do right by their community and honor the promises made to award those grants to Genesis House and the other nonprofits who need them most.”

The prior commissioners also had earmarked $75,000 for Friendship APL in Elyria to assist with the needs of domestic animals.

“It’s certainly disappointing,” to have the $75,000 in funding pulled back, Friendship APL Director Greg Willey said.

The money was not worked into the APL’s 2021 operating budget, but had been tabbed for “new and exciting opportunities” such as making low-cost spaying and neutering available for pets, and increasing access to veterinarians and hiring more workers, he said.

“When you look at such a substantial amount of money, it had presented us with the possibility of taking us in a new direction for services and resources,” Willey said.

“We were still in the dreaming phase... This won’t stop us, but it will slow us down.”

Jeff Baxter with Good Knights of Lorain County said he was thrilled to get a $30,000 grant, but when the check didn’t come in the mail, he took a “wait-and-see” approach.

The first priority is making sure what’s done is best for Lorain County citizens, he said.

“We’ve got to make sure that all the citizens are accounted for first,” Baxter said.

“We’re fortunate. We continue to work for funding, for grants, for private donations.

We’re going to be fine.”

Baxter said he understood why Moore and Hung made their decision. Although Good Knights may not like it, Baxter said the agency will be OK without the extra funds.

Fido’s Companion Rescue, Inc. CEO Michelle Reichlin said her heart bleeds for the other nonprofits on the list that lost funds.

As for her organization, which was set to receive $75,000 from the county, she said the loss will impact her nonprofit’s roughly $400,000 annual budget. Relying solely on volunteers and donations, Fido’s Companion Rescue saves dogs from euthanasia lists in Lorain, Cuyaghoga, Huron, Wayne and Logan counties as well as providing spay/ neuter services and support for pet owners in need.

“The unfortunate thing is it’s taking from the community that really does need it,” she said. “And people really do love their pets and by us being able to work with them and help them it allows them to keep them -- and that’s a part of mental well-being, too. It’s pretty devastating.”

Reichlin said her agency had yet to receive the funds from the county but did include them in their budget. She said she has been director since the inception and was recently diagnosed with cancer and was hoping the bolster of funds from the county would give the nonprofit a reprieve while she was going through treatments.

LCADA CEO Dan Haight shared Reichlin’s concern for the other nonprofits on the list. As one of the larger agencies, LCADA lost $200,000 in pandemic assistance that would have covered expanded services and outreach to rural areas and prevention classes in schools.

“We’re fortunate to get a little bit of CARES act money from the state just to sustain our services during this time,” he said. “But we’re down 13 percent in revenue compared to last year.’’

Lauren Ksiazek, executive director of The Lorain County Office on Aging, declined to comment on the $75,000 her agency lost when commissioners voted to rescind the grants.

In December, when her agency was awarded the grant, Ksiazek told commissioners the same number of food pantry and meal delivery clients were coming to the agency for food assistance in Sheffield and Sheffield Lake, but more frequently than they had before. At the time, she said some of the money was going to be used to replace a broken freezer for storing perishable food items.

Lorain County Community College’s Small Business Development Center lost $250,000, while another $125,000 destined for scholarships for nursing and EMT students also was rescinded by commissioners. A message seeking comment was left Wednesday for college officials.

Reporters Carissa Woytach and Laina Yost contributed to this story.

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

B

‘Wait and see,’ says Wellington King's dream stands against Schools opt to wait for vaccine before kids return full-time new nightmares JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — As failing grades pile up, calls to return to five-day instruction in Wellington are growing too.

But the Board of Education decided in a special

meeting last Wednesday not to pull the trigger too fast, choosing to wait for the COVID-19 vaccine to roll out to teachers next month before considering a return to in-person classes.

"Do we make a change right now for a couple of weeks that might put

some of our parents in a bad position? Right now, I don't think we should," said school board member Jessica Reynolds.

Lorain County health officials will start delivering the vaccine in early February as it becomes available.

If those plans work, Wellington board President Brett Murner said he feels students could be back in school full-time as early as March 1.

That date is not set in stone. "The pandemic does not adhere to dates," said teachers' union President Dave Conklin, who agreed with Reynolds that the learning model shouldn't change for now.

"We cannot be premature and we cannot let our wishes overrun our pragmatism, doing what's reasonable and doable," he said.

WAIT PAGE B2

SCHOOL BOARD LEADERS CHOSEN

Photos by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Ron Yacabozzi (above) was chosen to serve as president of the Amherst Board of Education through 2021, and Marc Zappa (right) was named vice president. The new leadership was designated by unanimous vote Monday, Jan. 11 during the school board's annual organizational meeting. During the brief session, the board also set meeting dates for 2021 and voted for routine authorization of day-to-day administrative authority for Superintendent Steve Sayers and Treasurer Amy Gioffredo. It also approved the 2021-2022 tax budget, a document projecting income and expenditures for the fiscal year.

The Amherst Schools expect to take in about $24.5 million in taxes and spend $47.4 million — after state funding and savings, that would leave the district with an estimated ending fund balance of $19.6 million.

Hospitals and drug stores across Ohio have started rolling out the COVID-19 virus this week.

In Lorain County, 21 locations were identified Friday by the Ohio Department of Health, with more expected to hit the list in coming weeks.

The state expected to get about 100,000 doses Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

That won't be nearly enough for the hundreds of thousands of people who will be eligible to receive them.

There are roughly 420,000 Ohioans age 80 and older who were eligible to start getting shots Tuesday.

1960-2021

Celebrating 61 years in service!

Beriswill

INSURANCE AGENCY, AGENCY, INC. INSURANCE INC. home - farm - auto - health - life - business home-farm-auto-health-life-business Call or stop in for a FREE

INSURANCE QUOTE.

Full service independent insurance agency.

Ages 75 and up can get the vaccine starting Jan. 25, ages 70 and up and employees of K-12 schools can get it starting Feb. 1 and ages 65 and up can get it beginning Feb. 8.

Also among those eligible in coming weeks will be people with severe congenital, developmental or early onset medical disorders, as well as adult employees of K-12

schools.

By the end of last week, Lorain County Public Health had 16,000 people sign up to be notified when they can be inoculated.

You can sign up for email notification of vaccination availability at www.loraincountyhealth.com/signup.

The local health department will give the vaccine VACCINE PAGE B2

Keeping the Connection Strong Today’s hearing technology can connect wirelessly so you can hear loved ones’ voices with clarity directly from both hearing devices! iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

440.776.8379

Oberlin • 224 W Lorain St, Ste 400

Protecting What’s Important Scott Beriswill Daniel Beriswill

35881 Grafton Eastern Rd. Grafton, Ohio 44044

Denise Breyley

173 Depot Street Wellington, Ohio 44090

OBERLIN — Lines from Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech echoed through Tierra Barbra's mind last February when Ahmaud Arbery was shot to death while jogging in Georgia.

The Oberlin High School senior said the famous speech took her mind "captive," reverberating with every fresh racial injustice throughout 2020.

"It was present when Breonna Taylor didn't receive justice," she said Monday. "It was in my mind when Casey Goodson, who lived in Columbus, Ohio, was fatally shot in his doorway because cops thought he waved a gun, when in actuality it was a Subway sandClaudia Jones wich. It was in my mind when I turned on the news to see people fighting for my basic human rights."

There was anger in Barbra's voice as she spoke during the Oberlin NAACP's "Rededication to the Dream" ceremony, held online Monday to honor King's legacy.

She said that if King were alive today, he'd also be furious that the fight for equality hasn't ended but Delbert Spurlock seems caught in a vicious cycle.

Barbra, who founded a Black student union at her school, said she also dreams that one day Black people will not fear police, and that civil rights protests will no longer be necessary in another half-century.

"I have a dream that this country will soon realize that we are not the enemy," she said.

King's most iconic speech was delivered 52 years ago.

He would have turned 97 Monday, just weeks after a siege that forced Congress to hide from rioters threw his words into sharp relief, said Oberlin NAACP President Claudia KING DAY PAGE B2

Pharmacies and hospitals are taking vaccine registrations JASON HAWK EDITOR

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Joshua Bowyer, Au.D.

Daniel Spearman performs a rendition of "A Change Is Gonna Come" during an online Martin Luther King Jr. Day ceremony Monday.

Racial inequality was at heart of Capitol riot, says Oberlin College JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — "A racial paradox" is how Oberlin College has labeled the deadly siege that played out Jan. 6 as extremist supporters of President Donald Trump stormed Capitol Hill, forcing Congress to evacuate.

In a statement issued last week, co-chairs of President Carmen Twillie Ambar's Initiative on Racial Equity & Diversity condemned hate symbols used by insurrectionists who interrupted the counting of electoral votes.

They included "the hangman’s noose posted in the heart of our nation’s capital" and "the Confederate flag being carried through the Capitol Rotunda – the heart of our democracy," wrote Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Comparative American Studies Meredith Gadsby and Oberlin Conservatory of Music Dean Bill Quillen.

They pointed to the difference in how police responded to the Capitol invasion versus Black Lives Matter protests earlier in the year.

"When diverse groups of protesters gather — consisting of people who identify as white, Black, Latinx, Asian American, indigenous, trans, non-binary, queer, disabled, immigrant, or other — the state’s response often is far more aggressive than it was outside the Capitol," the

(440) 926-3312 www.beriswillins.com (440) 647-6010

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: NEWS@LCNEWSPAPERS.COM

CAPITOL PAGE B2

Page B2

LCSO hires former prosecutor

Attorney Dennis Will, who lost a re-election bid for Lorain County prosecutor in the spring primary, has been hired as administrative and personnel officer for the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

He will report directly to Sherrif Phil Stammitti, according to a Jan. 6 news release.

Capt. Jack Hammond will become the sheriff's office director of corrections and jail administrator.

Will, who spent 16 years as prosecutor, is retired from the Elyria Police Department, where he served for 25 years and rose to the rank of captain. He also previously worked as the Sheffield Village prosecutor and on the Lorain County Drug Task Force. He is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.

"I am happy to get an attorney of his caliber to help with all the administrative and personnel matters that come up at the Lorain County Sheriff's Office," Stammitti said.

Oberlin school board officers

Jason Williams was chosen Jan. 12 to continue as president of the Oberlin Board of Education in 2021.

Williams served in the role for most of 2020 after the resignation of former president Albert Borroni, who became ineligible after moving outside the district.

Longtime board member Ken Stanley was chosen as vice president for 2021.

Board member Anne Schaum was assigned to represent the Oberlin City Schools for a three-year term on the Lorain County JVS board.

WAIT

FROM B1 For now, the board has decided to reclaim Wednesdays for in-person learning. That's the one day a week all students have been required to learn online this year.

Wellington will also continue with its fully-online option for families that need it.

The board chose not to move to morning and afternoon cohorts at McCormick Middle School, an idea that had been floated as a way of tackling bad grades. "The rationale with that is to support students who have been failing," said Superintendent Ed Weber.

McCormick will instead follow the high school schedule starting at the beginning.

The changes will go into effect at the start of the third quarter on Jan. 25.

The decisions were made just hours after the district announced Westwood Elementary School would have to close both Jan. 14 and 15 due to staffing shortages.

More than 30 percent of staff were out the prior two days, and not enough substitutes were available to fill in, according to Weber.

He said one COVID diagnosis, quarantines, other illness and bereavement leave all contributed to the shortage.

"Right now, we're still seeing the aftermath of the holidays creeping up," said sixth grade teacher Malynda Perchinske, pointing to the problem at Westwood. "Let's just wait and see. Let's get this vaccine rolling. Let's see what's happening in our district."

Weber speculated that at least 70 percent of district employees would be willing to get the vaccine. A survey has been sent to staff asking where they stand, and when complete will be used to help Lorain County Public Health plan for vaccination clinics.

Parents have also responded to a number of surveys from the Wellington Schools in recent months. In October, about 65 percent of families said they wanted full-time, in-person classes.

April Adkins, whose children attend the school system, asked why Wellington has not followed the lead of other districts that have embraced the full-time model.

Murner said the situation has changed dramatically since October. Case and hospitalization rates skyrocketed during the holiday season and are only now starting to stabilize.

The vast majority of Lorain County's 17,335 cases, 903 hospitalizations and 202 deaths have been recorded in the last three months, according to Ohio Department of Health data.

Wellington's schools have had only 18 cases since September, said Murner, who sees the number as an indication that the Board of Education's decisions have paid off.

KING DAY

FROM B1

Jones.

"The recent events at the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., make us especially mindful of Dr. King's example, teachings and philosophy," she said.

The Rev. Fred Bell of Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Oberlin said King wanted to be remembered as a "drum major for justice" and fought not just racism, but the wealth inequality and militarism that thrive in today's America.

Delbert Spurlock is a former Oberlin resident who served as associate publisher of the New York Daily News from 1993 to 2010. A monument to King stands on Vine Street, on land once owned by his grandmother.

That monument speaks to Oberlin in a special way, Spurlock said.

King visited Oberlin on several occasions, and found it a place of "moral and spiritual strength inherent to the community," Spurlock said.

It was at Oberlin College that he was introduced to James Lawson, a nonviolence activist inspired by the teachings of Mohandas Gandhi. "And it was to Oberlin that (King) came to retrace the steps of his greatest mentors, other than his father," Spurlock said — Oberlin Seminary graduate Vernon Johns, Mt. Zion Baptist Church minister Howard Thurman and Bethany Baptist Church preacher Gardner Taylor.

Jones called on people to dedicate themselves to King's message and get involved in causes that can further it.

"There is much to be done," she said.

Watch a recording of the online ceremony at www. tinyurl.com/OberlinKing.

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Former Pirates, Buckeyes wrestler opens Amherst chiropractic office JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — After wrestling for the Black River Pirates and then the Ohio State Buckeyes, Mike Hozan knows a thing or two about pain.

Now as a chiropractor, he's opened a private practice to help others recover from sports injuries and aging-related issues.

Movement Clinic Spine & Sports Injury Center is now open in the Lorain County Professional Office Building on Route 58, across from Spitzer Chevrolet.

"Trough my time as a wrestler, I learned so much about the body and training that I knew that's what I wanted to do," said Hozan, who graduated from Black River in 2013 and OSU in 2017.

While living in Florida, he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic, but returned to his roots in Lorain County and now lives in Huntington Township.

Hozan said he became "obsessed" with learning how to help people regain their health without the need for surgery or prescriptions.

Nor does he want patients to be stuck in a years-long cycle of chiropractic care.

The goal shouldn't be to temporarily relieve pain,

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Chiropractor Mike Hozan shows the rehabilitation room at his new Amherst practice on Route 58. but to fix its root problems, he said.

"Too many people, they might get stuck at the chiropractor for 10 years. They might be going to the gym, clueless, not knowing what to do, where to go to get healthy again, or they might give up," Hozan said. "When I help a patient and see them through the process, I hope to never see them again, because that means they are fully healthy."

Hozan said he is volunteering with the Amherst Comets wrestling team this

season, and plans to work with the Steele football team in the fall.

But even though "sports" is in his practice's name, Hozan said most of his clientele are middle-aged and "their bodies are starting to break down."

"Maybe they were athletes at one time," he said. "Maybe they want to be again. Maybe they have hard jobs, or raising kids means they have less time to exercise. All of a sudden, they're in pain, and that's when they come here. They show up at the door in pain, and often they

don't know why."

Movement Clinic has an interesting connection to another new Amherst business — Hozan said he went to high school with Cal Knowlton, one of the owners of the just-opened Legends Athletics Amherst sports complex, which focuses on baseball and softball training.

They wrestled together for the Pirates, and now have formed a professional partnership.

For more information about Hozan's practice, visit www.mymovement clinic.com.

Americans have access to safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines when they are available.”

Covell said it's important for residents to continue wearing masks, staying 6 feet apart and washing hands frequently in the coming months as the COVID vaccine rolls out.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/ MercyVaccine for more information.

• Giant Eagle will begin delivering the COVID-19 vaccine to customers at locations in North Ridgeville, Amherst, Sheffield Village, Vermilion, Avon Lake and Elyria.

Patients must schedule an appointment. No walkins will be permitted.

As of Friday, Giant Eagle had not released information about how to register.

• Meijer is taking registrations from residents interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine.

Text COVID to 75049 to get your registration link, or visit clinic.meijer. com.

Customers can also visit the Meijer Pharmacy, where they must answer three brief questions to determine which vaccine rollout phase they are in.

As COVID-19 vaccines are received, customers will be contacted with a date for their shot.

They will also be able to decline the date offered, while staying in the registration group for a future date or opt out of

the process if they change their mind or have already received the vaccine.

• Discount Drug Mart has started taking per-registrations from customers who wish to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Participating locations are in Elyria, Amherst, Wellington, Lorain, Vermilion, Sheffield Village, Oberlin, Avon Lake and Avon.

Register at www.tinyurl. com/DrugmartVaccine or by calling your local Drug Mart location.

• Marc's pharmacies in North Ridgeville and Sheffield will offer the vaccine. As of Friday, the company did not have information posted about how to schedule a vaccination appointment.

• CVS claims it is "staged and ready to administer the vaccine as soon as available for pharmacy distribution," but the Ohio Department of Health has not identified any Lorain County locations yet.

• Walmart, Costco, Walgreens and Rite Aid are all gearing up to eventually provide vaccinations as well.

VACCINE

FROM B1 for free. Charging "slows down the process" of mass vaccinations, county Health Commissioner David Covell said.

Most drug stores and medical facilities will charge the administrative fees that Medicare pays, he said.

That means customers may have to provide insurance information, through there shouldn't be out-of-pocket expenses, according to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services.

About 60 percent of pharmacies nationwide are gearing up to provide COVID vaccinations.

“We are leveraging the existing private sector infrastructure to get safe and effective vaccines supported by Operation Warp Speed into communities and into arms as quickly as possible with no out-of-pocket costs," said HHS Secretary Alex Azar in late 2020. "The vast majority of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy, and our new agreement with pharmacy partners across America is a critical step toward making sure all

Where to be vaccinated • University Hospitals is per-registering portions of the public for COVID-19 vaccinations.

Register at vaccine.uhhospitals.org.

Initially, all vaccinations will be done by appointment only at the UH Management Services Center, 3605 Warrensville Center Rd., Shaker Heights.

• Mercy Health Lorain Hospital and Mercy Health Allen Hospital in Oberlin will both offer vaccinations, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

Those who qualify for this phase of the rollout can schedule an appointment by calling Mercy's COVID-19 vaccination hotline at (866) 624-0366.

CAPITOL

FROM B1 Oberlin College representatives wrote. "The disparity shouts the truth that the grand experiment of the United States is ongoing, that the experience for all Americans, especially Black Americans, remains unequal and at risk."

Gadsby and Quillen are hardly alone in the observation. In a Jan. 7 address to the nation, President-elect Joe Biden said the "mob of thugs" who overran police would have been "treated very, very differently" had they been calling for racial justice.

"We all know that's true, and it is unacceptable. Totally unacceptable," he said. "The American people saw it in plain view. And I hope it's sensitized them to what we have to do."

In the fall, Ambar launched an initiative designed to address issues of violence, police-community relation-

ships and racial injustices.

She said Oberlin College has long sought to dismantle the vestiges of white supremacy, anti-Black policies and gender inequality.

Now the commission's job is to first look inward, evaluating programming and curriculum, reviewing hiring processes, examining the academic climate and evaluating how the college can live up to its commitment to equity.

"This work will reflect the times and the issues that George Floyd’s murder invoked," Ambar wrote in the fall. "This work is now more critical than ever as we look both internally and externally."

The Black community — "my community," said Ambar, who is Black — is in pain because of the bigotry it continues to endure.

"We are witnessing an unravel-

ing and a democracy that is now in search of its foundational societal norms," she said. "Hatred, anger, illness, and death fill our screens. There is grief at the abandonment of our ideals and a tearing of the heart as we see the impact on our children.’’

Gadsby and Quillen's commentary on the Capitol riot calls for Americans, regardless of political affiliation, to acknowledge that their actions in the coming days and weeks will influence the future students inherit.

The statement also identifies signs of hope for the struggle toward equity: that on Jan. 20, the nation's first African-American and first SouthAsian vice president will be sworn in.

And the day before the Capitol was stormed, Georgia elected its first Jewish and Black senators.

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

SPORTS

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

AMHERST MAKES IT FOUR IN A ROW

Comets best Avon for SWC hockey title, record in Logan Eicher's shot.

“Nick (Ciura) passed the puck up to Logan and he came across to the center and I went to the middle,” Kramer said. “When NORTH OLMSTED — No he put that shot on, I knew I had one should be taken aback by to try and tip it somewhere and Amherst's winning the Southwas able to tip it up above the western Conference hockey goalie’s glove.” tournament again.

After the score, the Eagles Or should that be taken abackturned up the pressure trying to-back-to-back-to-back? to tie the game and eventually Amherst became the first went with an empty net with school to win four straight SWC 1:17 left. hockey championships Sunday Avon had several chances, with a 2-1 win over Avon at but none better than when Cole North Olmsted Recreation CenEmerine fired a shot with two ter. Joey Kramer scored the winseconds to go that Comets ning goal when he tipped in a goalie Brady Grove somehow shot from the point on the power managed to stop to secure the play with 6:49 left in regulation. win.

It was the sixth championship “I saw a little of the puck after overall for the Comets, who it left the stick, but I was just moved ahead of Avon Lake and hoping that it wasn’t going to Brecksville-Broadview Heights, get tipped,” said Grove, who which had each won three finished with 30 saves. “It’s just straight titles.

“It’s special for us and special Angelo Angel | Chronicle unreal to win this all four of my years. We have great coaches for the seniors,” Amherst coach Amherst'S Nick Ciura tries to score against Avon's Jonathan Stoklosa and goalkeeper and such a disciplined team, and Steve Morris said. “It’s hard Benjamin Boka during the Southwestern Conference tournament final Sunday at North all the hard work paid off.” enough to win one of these, but Olmsted Rec. Avon coach Kyle Botos had for that class to be undefeated in nothing but praise for his team. the SWC is pretty amazing.” the scoring at the 12:11 mark Both teams had plenty of scor- at 13:02 of the third on a goal “It was a good game and Avon (6-3-1) has faced Amwhen he followed his own shot ing chances in the second with from the point, but the puck was they (Comets) capitalized on a herst (12-1) twice in the last two and was able to get the rebound the Comets outshooting Avon redirected by a high stick and penalty at a bad time,” Botos weeks and played the Comets past Avon goalie Ben Boka, who 13-10. But it was a four-minute the goal was waved off, leaving as well as anyone before losing turned away 20 of the 22 shots stretch with Amherst on the the score tied at 1 with the third- said. “The effort from my kids was spot on, I’m proud of their both games by the same score. he faced. power play that kept the Eagles period clock winding down.

After a scoreless first period The Eagles answered quickly alive thanks to their penaltyThe Comets went on the pow- effort from head-to-toe and one the teams traded goals within when Matt Folds scored off askilling unit which stopped a er play for the third time at 8:07 of these days were going to find a way to beat them. It’s tough to two minutes of each other in the sists from Nick Krasweski and normally unstoppable Comets after a slashing call and that’s fight that hard and still end up second period.

Michael Perusek with 10:38 left man-advantage attack. when Kramer scored his fourth on the losing end.”

Amherst's Nick Ciura opened on the clock.

It looked like Avon went ahead goal of the tournament, tipping JAMES BRADY THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

SKY-HIGH SCORES

COMEBACK DENIED

Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

Freshman Grace Kingery's 26-point performance, including six from beyond the arc, led North Ridgeville to a 52-49 win over Amherst last Wednesday. The Rangers shot out to a 17-11 lead, and the Comets clawed the way back into contention, tying in the opening seconds of the fourth period. Madyson Rosado hit a trey and a layup to give Ridgeville its victory. ABOVE: Amherst Steele High School’s Grace Kingery takes a shot while guarded by Amherst Steele High School’s Kayla Ferancy.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 JANUARY 21, 2021 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

There were points a-plenty, but rebounds won the night for Columbia on Jan. 12, leading to a 99-81 victory over Wellington. While the Dukes eventually got in the rebound game, the Raiders dominated the offensive glass in the first half, building a 61-30 lead going into the break. Jay Roberts had an impressive 21-point performance for Wellington, while Sean Whitehouse netted 17 and Cole Standen put up 14. For Columbia, Caleb Borling racked up 18 points, Brandon Fisher had 16, Vince Berardi and George Wilson each found 15 and Trevor Hotell had 13. ABOVE: Wellington’s Cole Standen tries to get past Columbia’s Brandon Fisher.

JANUARY 26, 2021 ......OPEN SPACE COMMISSION – 5:00 P.M. JANUARY 26, 2021 ......RESOURCE CONSERVATION & RECOVERY COMMISSION – 6:30 P.M. JANUARY 27, 2021 ........RECREATION COMMISSION – 7:00 P.M. NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

Page B4

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

IT’S WEATHERSPOON'S WIN

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Marius Harrell twists for a backhanded layup against the Falcons' Mitchell Hodges.

Phoenix and Falcons split week’s home wins ERIK ANDREWS CORRESPONDENT

Oberlin and Firelands played two highenergy games over the weekend, each team earning a win on the opponent's home court.

Playing their first game since before Christmas, the Phoenix were unable to shake off the rust all evening as the Falcons rode a 23-9 second quarter spurt to a comfortable lead and never looked back, taking the contest 65-47.

Oberlin was led by Ty Locklear with 15, while Firelands landed three in double digits — Mitchell Hodges led the Falcons with 14, while Casey Kelley added 13 and Caden Bomback chipped in 10.

The back end of the home-and-home series looked much different. The Phoenix re-discovered their shooting touch and forced additional Falcons turnovers, resulting in an 80-75 win.

The two teams played even for the first half, going to the locker room knotted at 35. Oberlin grabbed the lead in the third quarter, and, while the Falcons stayed close, the Phoenix hit free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.

Jackson Talbot (26) and Hodges (20) led the Falcons, while Locklear (21) paced the Phoenix quartet in double figures, followed by Isaac Thompson (16), Trajen Chambers (15) and Darreon Barnes (12).

The split keeps both teams in the thick of the chase for the Lorain County League crown.

Photos by Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Ty Weatherspoon dominated with 22 points, leading the Comets to trounce North Ridgeville 61-44 in Southwestern Conference action at home. A 26-17 first half didn't hurt, but a 22-14 fourth period put the Rangers away. Jalin Dampier had 15 points and George Fayer contributed 12 more for Amherst. ABOVE: Ty Weatherspoon looks to score against North Ridgeville. BELOW: Brother Torre Weatherspoon nets a floater.

FALL SPORTS AWARDS Scholar-athletes

The following Oberlin High School student athletes who earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher in the first quarter have been awarded a scholar-athlete certificate by the Lorain County League: • Girls soccer: Victoria Adair, Philippa Brandt, Emerson Freas, Anna Fritz, Alhana Rucker, Magdalene Shuck, Mercy Shuck • Boys Soccer: Adam Freas, Glenn Hobbs, Silas Jenkins, Oliver Kninjnenburg, Caleb Peterson, Grant Squires, Kaden Thornhill, Richard Tyner • Volleyball: Casey Amato, Jacqueline Grady, Audrey Halstead, Charlotte Lee, Kyra Lopez, Desiree Randleman • Cross Country: Faith Dull, Una Laubscher Baumann • Football: Christopher Frank, • Golf: Anthony Jackson

Cross Country Awards

• First Team All-Lorain County: Una Laubscher Baumann • First Team All-Lorain County League (sixth overall): Una Laubscher Baumann • Third Team All-Lorain County League (18th overall): Faith Dull

Volleyball Awards

• Second Team All-Lorain County: Casey Amato • Honorable Mention Lorain County League: Casey Amato • Team MVP: Pearl Gunn • Coach’s Award: Casey Amato • Most Improved: Victoria McCown

Football Awards

• Offensive Player of the Year: Andre Yarber • Defensive Player of the Year: Jonathan Frazier • Lineman of the Year: Jadon Turner • Most Improved: Brandon Eason • Coach’s Award: Chris Frank • All-Ohio Division 6 Third team (Linebacker): Andre Yarber • Northeast Lakes First Team All-District: Andre Yarber • Northeast Lakes All-District Honorable Mention: Jonathan Frazier • First Team All-Lorain County Divisions 4-6: Jonathan Frazier, Jadon Turner • Second Team All-Lorain County Divisions 4-6: Andre Yarber • First Team All-Lorain County League: Andre Yarber, Jadon Turner

• Second Team All-Lorain County League: Jonathan Frazier • Honorable Mention All-Lorain County League: Brandon Eason

Boys Soccer Awards

• All-Ohio Division 3 Second Team: Syncere Shahid • Lorain County League Player of the Year: Syncere Shahid • Team MVP: Syncere Shahid • Coach’s Award: Richard Tyner • Most Improved: Silas Jenkins • First Team All-Lorain County: Syncere Shahid, Kieran Thornhill • Second Team All-Lorain County: Jack Page, Caleb Peterson, Richard Tyner • Honorable Mention All-Lorain County: Joey Chambers, Kory Russell • GCSSCA First Team: Syncere Shahid, Jack Page, Kieran Thornhill, Pablo Pineda • GCSSCA Honorable Mention: Caleb Peterson, Joey Chambers, Korey Russell • First Team All-Lorain County League: Jack Page, Caleb Peterson • Second Team All-Lorain County League: Kieran Thornhill, Richard Tyner, Pablo Pineda • Honorable Mention All-Lorain County League: Kaden Thornhill

Girls Soccer Awards

• Offensive Award: Anna Fritz • Defensive Award: Maggie Shuck • Coach’s Award: Emerson Freas • Most Improved: Grace Hohman • First Team All-County: Anna Fritz, Emerson Freas, Victoria Adair • Second Team All-County: Maggie Shuck, Pippa Brandt, Tessa Newson • Honorable Mention All-County: Mar’Khila Holloway, Mercy Shuck • Greater Cleveland First Team: Victoria Adair • Greater Cleveland Second Team: Emerson Freas • GCSSCA Honorable Mention: Anna Fritz, Maggie Shuck, Pippa Brandt • First Team All-Lorain County League: Victoria Adair • Second Team All-Lorain County League: Emerson Freas, Tessa Newson • Honorable Mention All-Lorain County League: Anna Fritz • LCSCA Senior All-star: Mar’Khila Holloway, Tessa Newson • LCSCA Rising Star: Katlyn Streator, Pippa Brandt

COMETS BRIEFS Boys Basketball

• Amherst defeated Avon Lake 53-51, outscoring the Shoremen 16-11 in the fourth quarter for a comeback. Ty Weatherspoon led all scorers with 17 points.

George Gotsis had 11.

• Another outstanding night for Ty Weatherpoon made for a 76-69 Amherst win over Avon.

He racked up 22 points, while George Gotsis had 20, Austin Bray put up 15 and George Fayer grabbed 13.

Avon's Dom Rini was a worthy opponent, with a game-high 26 points. Niko Pappas contributed 12 and Connor Allomong had 11 for the Shoremen.

Ice Hockey

• Kevin Graney drew first blood, putting Avon Lake on the board. But it was all Amherst from there, as the Comets skated to a 5-1 victory.

Joey Kramer picked up three Comets goals, including two unassisted. Michael Hughes and Gage Cohoon ran up the tally.

Avon Lake outshot Amherst 23-18, but the Comets' Brady Grove simply proved the better tender with 22 saves.

• Nathan Harmych and Nick Ciura each

scored twice in a 5-1 Amherst win over Gilmour Academy.

Joey Kramer was on mop-up duty with the remaining goal. Rocco Hice scored for Gilmour.

Amherst buried goalie Brady Pietruszka under 33 shots. Brady Grove had 17 saves for the Comets.

Girls Bowling

• Hannah Aschenbach rolled a 447 series (205, 242) to lead the Comets to a 2,230-1,248 win over Brookside.

Other Amherst bowlers: Sabrina Stawicki (237, 169), Makayla Velasquez (227, 176), Allison Taylor (153, 140) and Amanda McElheny (180, 145).

Boys Bowling

• The Comets finished fourth at the Eagle Challenge.

Chandan Weinsier was the leading scorer for Amherst, bowling 235, 167, 235.

Others included JP Gregory (194, 183, 167), Logan Stewart (182, 149, 150), Thomas Heider (181, 172), Antonio Rodriguez (134, 225) and Zack Zakrajsek (153, 144).

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

TURN ABOUT IS FAIR PLAY

Page B5

CARTER HONORED

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Last Thursday was Senior Night in Oberlin. Leo Carter, the Phoenix's lone senior wrestler, was honored prior to the team's double dual against Firelands and Columbia. Escorted by his parents, Brian and Kristan Carter, he is in his third year as a member and leader of the Oberlin wrestling team.

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Riley Kubitz picked up 23 for the Pirates on Jan. 13, but Keystone's Delaney Peters was unstoppable with 32 points, leading the Wildcats to a 56-48 win in Lorain County League play. Three nights later, Black River took revenge, surging to a second-half comeback and a 45-39 victory.

Peters once again led all scorers with 18, but the Pirates had the more productive bench, with 15 points from Kubitz and 12 from Zoey Bugard.

ABOVE: Black River's Riley Kubitz heads for the basket.

DOUBLE DUAL AT OBERLIN

OBERLIN HS HONOR ROLL First Quarter Honor Roll Ninth Grade: Euangelos Ananiadis, Elizabeth Comings, Marianna Frank, Adam Freas, Max Greenwood, Madelyn Hanmer, Ruby Harrison-Stubbs, Glenn Hobbs, Evan Hudson, Breena Katz, Aaron Kim, Oliver Knijnenburg, Helen Levy, Kyra Lopez, Deven Meade, Aarohi Mehta, Roberto Ramon-Beebe, Desiree Randleman, Jonathan Rice, Mackenzie Rivera, Mercy Shuck, Max Singleton, Grant Squires 10th Grade: Maeson Bell, Iliana Bennett, Philippa Brandt, Zenobia Calhoun, Alexandra Chen, Braydon Dobos, Markell Eichler, Aundriana Emery, John Georgiadis, Kaylee Gielty, Jacquelyne Grady, Audrey Halstead, Anthony Jackson, Silas Jenkins, Mackenzie Johnson, Kaia Kolowski, Anya Loeffler, Nathaniel Malakar, Grant Martz, Ronan Ortiz, Michael Riggins, Asa Rosen-Jones, Kathalene Rottenborn, Alhana Rucker, Jackson Schaeffer, Talya Schane, Trevor Shull, Benjamin Simen, Kaden Thornhill, Zachary Webb 11th Grade: Victoria Adair, Julian Grey Anderson, Carson Bauer, Elizabeth Conseco, Katherine Doane, Faith Dull, Raquel Eisom, Christopher Frank, Emerson Freas, Anna Fritz, Katrina Ganson, Hannah Jones, Kaitlyn King, Charlotte Lee, Nia Mitchell, Alicia Morgan, Lily Peterson, Korey Russell, Magdalene Shuck, Cas-

sandra Sirocky, Ryley Steggall, Mariah Thompson, Danilo Vujacic, William Wallace, Salem Waller 12th Grade: Casey Amato, Duane Anderson, Sarah Anderson, Magerly Ayala Sanchez, Tierra Barbra, Trajen Chambers, Julian Cross, Jade Day, Anna Dedecek, Avery Dejarnette, Jabir Emeka, Shamarion Greenhill, Selena Hayes, Imogen Hershberger, James Hignett, Brandon Jackson, Gabriel Jackson, Bailey Jones, Una Laubscher Baumann, Isabelle Lee, Lillian McFarlin, Ophelia Ortiz, Lilian Pfenninger, Sarrina Ramon-Beebe, Demi Ramos, Trinity Robinson, Soria Rodriguez, Emerson Rosen-Jones, Jacquelyn Sirocky, Cody Slimak, Andrew Streator, Kelise Trotter, Richard Tyner, Raeleigh Vincent, Briana White, Emily Winkelman First Quarter Merit Roll Ninth Grade: Connor McConeghy, Katlyn Streator, Samantha Thompson 10th Grade: Brianna Corsaro, Christian DeLeon, Angelina Hernandez, Devin Johnson, Adriana Krauss, Zackary McFall, Silas Skvor, Luisa Ferrazza, Nosaj Holley, Noah Jaffe 11th Grade: Ryan Leyva 12th Grade: Erica Bigham, Charlie Eason, Mar'Khila, Risa Jackson, Ezekiel Locklear, Mar'sean Moore, Jadon Turner

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Firelands Falcon wrestler Mason Stanley (160 pounds) looks to free himself from the grasp of his Keystone opponent Ryan Healy during last week's double dual at Oberlin. While Stanley would go 1-1 on the night, in this match Healy garnered the win with a second period pinfall. On the evening, the Falcons picked up a split decision, topping Oberlin, 36-0 while falling to Keystone, 54-16.

Provided photo

Steve Neff Jr. and Steve Neff Sr. catch a showing of "The Marksman," the Liam Neeson thriller that was partially shot at Wellington Music.

'The Marksman' is No. 1 after its debut weekend JASON HAWK EDITOR

Firelands Falcon grappler Kaden King seeks the next move to pick up back points against Keystone opponent Diego Moralez during last week's double dual at Oberlin. Moralez would ultimately reverse fortunes and pick up a technical fall win, 17-1. King picked up a win via pin in his match against Oberlin's Leo Carter.

Liam Neeson's action-thriller "The Marksman" hit theaters over the weekend, released after a long delay caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Steve Neff, owner of Wellington Music, jumped at the chance to see its theatrical release, and said he wasn't disappointed.

The movie tells the story of hard-on-hisluck border rancher Jim Hanson (Neeson) as he goes on the run to protect a small Mexican boy from well-armed cartel goons.

Neeson "had some good action scenes," he said. "They weren't as hyped up as 'Taken' or some of his other movies, but they were good, and I enjoyed myself."

Neff had skin in the game. His downtown Wellington store was among the Northeast Ohio locations used in the fall of 2019 to make the film.

Re-imagined as a gun shop, the Wellington Music and West Herrick Avenue footage got about two minutes of screen time, he said.

Another sequence filmed at Farm & Home

Hardware around the corner was used for about 15 seconds in the cut.

"The Marksman" debuted at No. 1 to dethrone "Wonder Woman 1984."

But with many theaters closed or suffering under pandemic safety restrictions, it took in a paltry $3.2 million in ticket sales.

If you happen to catch the thriller before it leaves theaters, be sure to stick around for the credits. They pay special thanks to the village of Wellington, Neff and Wellington Music, the Ohio Turnpike Commission and Ohio Department of Transportation among others.

"I think it was good for the village, all the way around," Neff said of the movie-making experience Wellington residents saw in October 2019. "I'm glad I went, I'm glad we did it. I expected a lot less screen time by the time things were cut, but there was still a pretty good section in there."

"The Marksman" was directed by Robert Lorenz, who previously lent his talents as an assistant director on "Space Cowboys," "Mystic River," "Letters from Iwo Jima" and "American Sniper." It is rated PG-13 and has a running time of just under two hours.

Page B6

Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 37, No. 7

Inauguration Day 2021 Joseph R. Biden will be sworn into office as the 46th president of the United States during his inauguration celebration on January 20th. He will take the oath to “preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

The inauguration is the ceremony in which the new or reelected president is inducted into office. This year it will be held at noon on January 20. It takes place outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. At the inauguration ceremony, the president takes an oath of office. With right hand raised and left hand on an open Bible, the new president says the following statement:

This inauguration will make history because Kamala Harris will be first woman vice president of the United States.

Standards Link: Civics: Understand the primary responsibilities of each branch of government in a system of shared powers.

How many members of the armed services will take part in Inauguration Day activities? Circle every other letter:

America’s fourth president, James Madison, and his wife, Dolley, were the guests of honor at the first official Inaugural Ball. An Inaugural Ball does not bounce. It is actually a big party.

Some presidents have had two inaugurations. That’s because they served two terms. One of these two-term presidents had the hottest (55°F/12°C) and coldest (7°F/-13°C) inaugurations.

Use the code to discover the name of that president.

1 2 3 4

= = = =

A D E G

5= 6= 7= 8=

L N O R

8

7

6

1

5

2

8

3

1

4

1

6

Like the word ball, many words mean more than one thing.

Each object shown here has the same name as another object shown. Can you match the picture pairs?

The Seal of the President of the United States contains a circle of white stars representing America’s 50 states. The banner that reads E PLURIBUS UNUM is Latin for “out of many, one” meaning out of many states, one country and also, out of many peoples, one nation. There are 13 stars, clouds, leaves and arrows that represent the original 13 states.

Starting with the first letter in each line below, circle every other letter to discover what the olive branch represents and what the arrows the eagle is holding represent.

The words in the scrambled sentence below make up a very American sentence. Can you put the words in the right order to reveal the sentence?

Imagine that you have been selected to advise the president on the concerns of children. Look through the newspaper for articles addressing topics that affect children. Make a list of ways you think the president could help children.

CEREMONY PRESIDENT SWEAR PROTECT PRESERVE DEFEND OATH FIRST PARTY SWORN HAND HONOR WHITE NOON

Look through the newspaper to find five or more words that begin with the letter I. Cut out the words and glue them onto a piece of paper in alphabetical order.

Challenge: Can you do this with more than five words?

Fill in the missing words in the below article.

Several presidents have had children who lived with them in the White House.

Thomas (Tad) Lincoln was the youngest son of President Abraham Lincoln. Known for his _________ around the White House, Tad once discovered how to make all of the White House _______ ring at the same time, much to the surprise of the entire staff and residents of the building!

John and Jacqueline Kennedy were among the youngest presidential _______________ to live in the White House, and their children __________ it as a playland. Caroline Kennedy, almost 4, and John Jr., just an infant, ___________ in on February 4, 1961. John Jr.’s favorite __________ place was under his father’s desk in the Oval Office. He could hide behind a secret _________ built into the desk.

Amy Carter was 9 when her father became president. She attended __________ schools near the White House and had a tree house built on the White House grounds. When she labeled White House trees as a school project, her father liked the idea and made it official.

Now all White House trees have labels with their _________ and Latin names, as well as information about who ___________ or donated them.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Read a variety of grade-level appropriate expository text.

H F H U N S T Y O P

O I R P W O N I R R N R S H A O O E A E O S I T M R S N E S

This week’s word:

E M R O D R D Y S R

D E F E N D I N M V

The noun oath means a serious promise.

C E N R O W S C A E

Stephanie made an oath to tell the truth.

N T C E T O R P T H

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

R T H E O I T C W E

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

OATH

What do you think the new president should do for kids? Send your letter to: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, DC 20500