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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

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Volume 9, Issue 4

‘No choice but to disband’ Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce closes its office, readies final vote

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — The office has closed and the phone number has already been disconnected. All that remains is a vote, expected in March, and the Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce will be no more. Its small band of volunteers has shrunk over the past couple of years, according to Vice Presi-

dent Calvin Woods. In 2021, it was impossible to rally the minimum number of board members — just four out of 10 — needed to conduct meetings. President Kellie Saunders stepped down in the fall, and the position was never filled. She said her family and business needs did not leave time for the

Chamber role. “We just dwindled down” Woods said last week. “We don’t know what else to do. There’s really no other option but to shut down.” Pleas for help have gone unanswered, according to Dorothy McHugh, who served as the Chamber secretary for the better part of two decades.

“No one wanted to help,” she said. “We’ve been at this so long, and many of us are getting old,” with ties to the Chamber for 30 or 40 years. She said her duties have ended, even though a final vote on disbanding will not be held until March 7. McHugh said the decision is inevitable.

The Wellington Area Chamber of Commerce has existed to “promote economic development in the area through its business and private member partners and fun, family oriented community events and networking programs,” according to its mission statement. CHAMBER PAGE A3

Russell is a finalist for Nat’l Teacher of the Year JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Of the 3.2 million teachers in the United States, Kurt Russell has been ranked one of the top four. The popular Oberlin High School history instructor was revealed last week to be a finalist for National Teacher of the Year. “My first thought was Kurt Russell ‘Why me?’ I’m not deserving,” said Russell in a call from his classroom, Room 200, where he’s spent his entire 25-year career. In September, he was named the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year in a surprise ceremony with state Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria. Now the Council of Chief State School Officers has sifted through winners from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories and the Department of Defenseoperated schools. Its members will interview the four finalists from Feb. RUSSELL PAGE A3 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

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News staff Jason Hawk news@LCnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com

Bruce Bishop | Wellington Enterprise

Skip Gentry takes a seat in the back of a truck at the South Lorain County Ambulance District. He has been a nurse for 42 years, flying for LifeFlight and serving as SLCAD’s director since 2017.

Gentry ready to retire JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — It’s been 42 years since Skip Gentry’s first day as a nurse, working in a busy emergency room. Most of his career hasn’t

chaos and the unexpected. I started off trying to make sense of it all while helping people,” he said. “That’s never gone away.” Now the veteran medic plans to retire June 1 from both his roles as a flight nurse for Metro LifeFlight and as director of

the South Lorain County Ambulance District. “It’s been such a part of me for so many years, caring for people in their most vulnerable times is part of who I am,” he said last week. “But I also GENTRY PAGE A3

Teacher shortage at historic levels KEVIN MARTIN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

National Education Association officials said last week that teacher shortages across the country are at historic levels. They called on state and federal leaders to address what they call decades of chronic underfunding of education. Speaking as part of a panel during an online news conference, NEA

President Becky Pringle said the pandemic worsened the trend of a diminishing number of available teachers. "This was a challenge even before the pandemic when experts predicted yearly shortfalls of over 100,000 teachers — the result of low pay, high stress, crumbling schools and challenging working conditions. But as it did so many other societal problems, the pandemic made an already dire reality even more devastating,” Pringle said.

The burden of remote learning, technical difficulties and keeping students and their own families safe has intensified staffing shortfalls at levels never before seen. Pringle stressed there are nationwide shortages in substitute teachers and chronically hard-to-fill positions including math, science, special education and bilingual education. In the short-term, the NEA called for investments in COVID-19 testing, SHORTAGE PAGE A3

INSIDE THIS WEEK

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been spent inside hospital walls, though. Over the past four decades, Gentry has made uncounted thousands of trips by jet, helicopter and on wheels, transporting critical patients to the hospital at breakneck speed. “I’ve always thrived on

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Council says no to annual police chief review rule • B1

Amid rumors, library spends $16K on tech survey • B1

ISPs race to roll out smalltown fiber optic service • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD B2 • SUDOKU B2 • KID SCOOP B6

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Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

Tree removal by college Eighty-five trees are being removed from the Oberlin College campus this week through Feb. 4 to make way for geothermal heating and cooling lines. Most of the work will take place along Woodland Street north of Route 511, the college announced. “Engineers have worked with Oberlin College’s grounds department and the campus arborist to make every effort to route the energy system distribution pipes on a path that will cause the least disruption to healthy trees,” said a message about the project. Later this year, 110 trees will be planted to replace those that have been removed.

Audubon talks native plants The Black River Audubon Society will host a program on “Native Plants as Bird Feeders” with John Barber at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1 via Zoom. How can we best feed birds in our yards? The answer lies in designing and planting a wide array of native trees, shrubs and perennials to host the widest possible array of native insects, while avoiding the temptation to plant non-native and potentially invasive plants sometimes sold as "bird-friendly." Barber, a native of Shaker Heights, has been a citizen scientist for over 50 years and is now focusing on restoring and maintaining biodiversity. He performs habitat restoration and ecological gardening with native plants. To register to receive the chapter’s Zoom invitations, visit www.blackriveraudubon.org and click “Subscribe” at the bottom of the page.

Republican club meeting The Avon-Avon Lake Republican Club will hold a breakfast get-together from 8-9 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at Sugar Creek Restaurant, 5196 Detroit Rd., Sheffield Village Plaza. David Blevins, director of the Lorain County Solid Waste Management District will speak. The district is responsible for improving the solid waste system, promoting recycling, reuse and reduction of solid waste, supporting recycling businesses and the direct operation of actual collection events and programs. Attendees are responsible for their meals.

Go for the gold Enjoy fun and silly Olympics-style games throughout town during Main Street Wellington’s First Friday event from 4-7 p.m. on Feb. 4. Collect “rings” and “medals” as part of the theme by visiting downtown businesses and earn chances to win a prize. First Fridays are meant to promote the Wellington business community.

‘Til Death Do Us Part’ Tickets are on sale for the MLS Theatre winter production of ‘Til Death Do Us Part,’ with shows at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 10; Friday, Feb. 11; and Saturday, Feb. 12 at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst. You’re invited to the most offbeat wedding of the season, where murder takes center stage and all the guests are suspects. With the audience’s help in finding clues during intermission, all but the killer will live happily ever after. Tickets are available at the door or by pre-sale at www. tinyurl.com/MLSmurder.

Steak dinner in Pittsfield A Swiss steak dinner will be held from 5-7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 12 at Pittsfield Community Church, located at the corner of routes 58 and 303. Dinners are $12, and served dine-in or carry-out.

OBITUARIES NANCY ANN HAWKE (nee Fry), 82, a resident of Kipton, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, at UH Elyria Medical Center, following a full and meaningful life. HARRY EDWARD HALL, 89, of South Amherst, passed away Thursday, Jan. 20, 2022, at his home, surrounded by his family. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

$80M renewable landfill gas plant construction to start on Hill Creek JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Energy company EDL is poised to begin construction of a roughly $80 million landfill gas processing plant on Oberlin’s east side in the next few weeks, according to city Planning and Development Director Carrie Handy. The plant will be built on 4.79 acres at 520 Hill Creek Drive, near Oberlin Road. When complete, likely in late 2023, it will pump methane from the Republic Services Lorain County Landfill in neighboring New Russia Township to be cleaned and exported for resale. A $10,000 lease agreement was approved by City Council early last week in an emergency vote. It allows the Australia-based company — under the name Bio Energy (Ohio II) LLC — to use 2 acres of city-owned property next

door as a staging area for the next two years. A site plan was approved by the Planning Commission in November, and EDL is just waiting on final drawings before permits are approved, Handy said Friday. “They’re already out there, clearing trees and digging in the dirt,” she said. EDL has operated a gas reclamation facility at the county landfill since 2001, using it to generate electricity. In that time, it has abated and avoided emissions of 879,340 tons of carbon dioxide, according to the company. That’s the equivalent of taking 240,585 cars off the road or powering 28,125 homes each year. “If they don’t suck it out of that dump, it’s going to go straight up into the air,” said Council Vice President Kelley Singleton. He said promoting renewable energy fits well with Oberlin’s environmental goals. The city gets a large percentage of its electricity

from landfill gas rather than fossil fuels. “For us, this is cleaner,” he said. “This is man-made gas, because it’s coming from the methane from the landfill. It’s not fracked gas. And EDL is essentially cleaning up the mess we made by putting it there in the first place.” The new plant will replace the one at the landfill. It will require a great deal of energy to operate, according to Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System Director Doug McMillan. An electric substation will be built next to the plant to accommodate its needs. He said EDL plans to purchase about $800,000 per year in electricity from the city to operate the plant. That power costs Oberlin about $500,000 to generate. The net profit of $300,000 will go into the city’s general fund. McMillan said the city will also collect income taxes from six to 10 jobs at the plant.

OPINION

Hiding from the past won’t work The flurry of bills introduced by Republican state legislators to limit or prohibit discussions of the history of slavery or the structures of racism it propagated did not bypass Ohio. A pair of Republicanbacked bills introduced last year (HB 322 applies to K-12 schools; HB 327 includes state colleges) aim to restrict the teaching of “controversial” or “divisive” topics. These bills are virtually identical to measures introduced in dozens of Republican-controlled states which restrict lessons that could cause students “discomfort” or “psychological distress.” The question at the heart of this legislative deluge is whether students will learn U.S. history in its complexity, including slavery and racism, or whether the nation’s deepest shortcomings are to be censored and their present-day effects ignored. The educational implications of these legislative bans are troubling. As a history professor, I have long understood that “teaching the controversy” was a central means of promoting critical, independent thinking. But the issue is more concerning for K-12 students. What kind of adults do we think will be produced when children

STEVEN VOLK COMMUNITY PEACE BUILDERS

and youth are prevented from discussing issues deemed “controversial,” cannot learn how to interact respectfully with those with whom they disagree or are explicitly banned from grappling with our country’s complex and contradictory history? The fact that these bills all emerged in the explosive summer of 2020 underscores their real purpose. George Floyd’s murder in May ignited two opposite movements: One called for an honest conversation about racism and the stubborn afterlife of slavery in this country. The other, the root of Republican legislative efforts, sought to contain, curtail and even punish that discussion. The censoring intentions behind these laws are evident in legislators’

statements that are both preposterous — such as calls to teach “both sides” of the Holocaust — or utterly ignorant, as in the Oklahoma bill that would prevent educators from observing that “one race is the unique oppressor in the institution of slavery” and another its “unique victim.” The Oklahoma bill not only emphasizes why students and legislators need to study the actual history of U.S. slavery, but how we continue to be shaped by its aftereffects, racism. In 1872, Samuel Butler published a satire on Victorian Britain in which his protagonist questions a professor at the “Colleges of Unreason” as to the purpose of an education. “It is not our business,” he replies, “to help students to think for themselves. Surely this is the very last thing [we] should encourage them to do. Our duty is to ensure that they shall think as we do….” One could jest that the Republican legislators pushing these bills in statehouses around the country are graduates of these “Colleges of Unreason.” But this is no joking matter. To the extent that these lawmakers can pass legislation in more than two dozen states, their bills pose a somber challenge for how students

are taught in a democracy. Under Ohio’s HB 327, for example, should teachers raise forbidden concepts in class, they could be individually sued and lose their teaching license. Their schools could lose up to 100 percent of their state funding. The American Historical Association recently co-authored a statement with other professional organizations expressing their “firm opposition” to legislation similar to that currently in committee in the Ohio Statehouse. “Americans of all ages,” they wrote, “deserve nothing less than a free and open exchange about history and the forces that shape our world today.” Our duty as educators is to ensure that our students grow up to be sympathetic and generous adults, capable of thinking for themselves and interacting respectfully with others in our diverse society. This won’t happen if they are forbidden to engage with topics that are controversial or uncomfortable. We can suppress the study of a painful history, but that won’t make it disappear. Steven Volk is professor of history emeritus at Oberlin College where he taught for 30 years. Carry on the conversation at community peacebuilders@aol.com.

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Oberlin PD to get $72K emergency backup generator after Council vote JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A $72,000 generator to supply backup power to the Oberlin police station was purchased in an emergency vote last week by City Council. The department has been dependent on a temporary generator since the fall, when its 35-year-old model failed. “When they tore into the

generator, they found parts had come apart inside and just tore it up,” said Doug McMillan, director of the Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System. The broken electrical equipment was deemed obsolete and needs to be replaced, he said in a memo to Council. In the meantime, Buckeye Sales has provided the temporary backup at a cost of more than $2,500 per month. With little discussion,

Council used emergency measures to approve the purchase of a new electric generator from Zenith Systems of Bedford Heights. The new equipment could take 49 weeks to arrive and be installed, but McMillan said he expects the work to be done in mid to late summer. It will involve some work outside the station. A concrete pad will be poured so the generator can be placed outside — the old

one was located inside — where service technicians can access it for regular maintenance. The pad will raise up the generator to prevent it from being damaged in the event nearby Plum Creek floods over its banks, McMillan said. If water rises that high, the station itself would be flooded, he told Council. Transformers will also be moved to utility poles, said McMillan.

Hike with the Buckeye Trail Association

A free hike will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 5 at Findley State Park south of Wellington. Naturalists will showcase the state park’s beauty along the way in this Buckeye Trail Association event. There will be options for 3- and 6-mile hikes on the Wyandot and Hickory Grove trails. Hiking sticks, sturdy shoes, weather-appropriate clothing and water are suggested. Hikers should meet at the campground pavilion at least 10 minutes before the event begins. Parking can be found at the Findley State Park campground.

GENTRY FROM A1

know that I’ve passed a lot of things on, to step into that role, and it makes me feel really, really good.” Since taking the top position at SLCAD in 2017, Gentry has with medical directors Dr. Kim Bowen and Dr. Brian Miller revolutionized emergency care in the county’s farthest southern reaches. Training is now almost daily, and trucks are equipped with ventilators, intravenous pumps and medications that aren’t standard in many other districts. Those changes have been necessary because of the long transport times. Depending on what facilities are prepared to take patients, and the type of medical crises they are facing, SLCAD EMTs drive to hospitals in Oberlin, Norwalk, Lodi, Ashland, Medina, Elyria and Lorain. Under Gentry’s watch, the ambulance

district also opened a satellite office in Huntington. It has cut response times in the most remote areas of Lorain County by more than half, he said. “The things we’ve been able to accomplish, especially from a medical standpoint, have been nothing short of amazing,” said Gentry, crediting the “kids” who staff the fleet. On Tuesday night, Wellington Village Council learned of Gentry’s pending retirement and the search for a successor. “We’re going to look for somebody who has extensive medical training. I think it’s imperative that we have someone with a strong medical presence to continue the work Skip has done,” Council President Gene Hartman, who represents the village on the SLCAD board, said in a follow-up interview. “I think we’re all sad to see him go. He’s a tremendous influence,” Hartman

said. “He’s moved us light years forward in training and preparedness.” He described Gentry as always humble, never taking credit for accomplishments and always shining a light on EMTs’ successes. Gentry said several candidates have already expressed interest in the job. Given their caliber, he believes there will be no problem naming a new director with outstanding credentials. “The big thing is they need to be a clinical expert,” he said. After so many years of saving lives, giving up the mission will be difficult, said Gentry. But now his focus is shifting. The days ahead hold work on the family’s Henrietta Township farm, and time spent with grandchildren, although “I still might work a little bit as a nurse,” Gentry admitted.

RUSSELL FROM A1

28 to March 2 in Washington, D.C. Also vying for the national title are Colorado Teacher of the Year Autumn Rivera, who encourages sixth-graders to save a local lake from development and instead have it designated a state park; Hawaii Teacher of the Year Whitney Aragaki, who champions access to environmental and computer science courses; and Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year Joseph Welch, who shifted his eighth grade history curriculum from rote memorization to creative projects. Russell has been recognized for tackling tough subjects. He teaches African American history, U.S. history, International Baccalaureate history of the Americas and a course on race, gender and oppression. “It’s not a typical class where it’s a teacher in front of the class lecturing,” he said. “It’s more a conversation. We discuss. We read primary sources and we make connections between them.” Russell said it’s his job to feed teens as many facts as possible. They must form their own opinions — then use evidence to defend their ideas in collegiate-style debates with peers. When students are pushed to think critically, they are far more engaged, he said. The role of the National Teacher of the Year is to show the public the importance of excellence in teaching, according to the CCSSO. But Russell said he feels it’s about showing how passionate students can be, if they’re given the opportunity. “Students are more than capable of doing great things,” he said. “… It’s nothing that’s rocket science. If you’re a teacher, hopefully you love students, you love working with students. You have to have those qualities.” The winner of the National Teacher of the Year title will be announced this spring.

CHAMBER

FROM A1 It’s known for running the town’s annual Easter egg hunt and Christmas bazaar — but the Chamber’s signature event has been the Fourth of July fireworks show at the Lorain County Fairgrounds. The lights show was canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and made a return last year with financial support from Village Council. In a letter sent to board members and Council earlier this month, Woods wrote that the Chamber’s plan is to give remaining fireworks funds to the Wellington Eagles in hopes the club will continue the July 4 tradition. Remaining finances will be turned over the Main Street Wellington, the letter said. “I’d like to keep going. I think Wellington deserves a chamber of commerce,” Woods said. “I just don’t think there’s a chance.”

SHORTAGE FROM A1

masks and mitigation strategies along with infrastructure to keep staff and students safe. However, long-term solutions require a new approach. “We know that to address a crisis that predates this pandemic, we also need solutions that outlast it. That means actually funding our schools equitably and consistently. It means using the critical resources given to states through the American Rescue Plan to address mental health and increased stress among our teachers and other educators. It means we must ensure every educator has the resources and mentoring and support that every professional needs,” Pringle said. To attract and retain a diverse group of qualified educators into the profession, schools need to improve working conditions and pay them enough to support their own well-beings and respect them as the professionals they are, Pringle said. National Parent Teacher Association President Anna King

stressed the importance of teacher preparation and professional development in helping teachers becoming the best they can, noting the organization is a partner in supporting the needs of teachers. “All students benefit from high quality teachers. And we know this. We see it,” King said. King added today’s educators need to be diverse and qualified to meet the needs of today's students, noting COVID-19 was a key factor in one-third to onehalf of teacher departures over the last year. Teachers are working longer hours and adjusting to changing models without appropriate training, she said. “Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators across America are working extremely hard to ensure that every student has the tools they need to reach their full potential in a year where instruction to be virtual in person or a mix of both. They are providing students with a much needed sense of community and

connection,” King said. Education by the numbers According to data compiled by the NEA from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, in January 2020 there were approximately 450,000 job openings compared to slightly under 300,000 hires, a trend that begin in 2018 with the gap continuing to widen through the pandemic. Substitute teachers also have been on a steady decline between 2013 and 2019 before dropping 14 percent between May 2019 and May 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Elyria Schools Superintendent Ann Schloss wasn’t surprised by the current trends. “Absolutely 100 percent we are seeing these trends,” she said. Schloss said five years ago, Elyria Schools had a healthy number of substitutes — about 150 — and everyone was vying for jobs. Now, the district has about 55 substitutes and many are not certified teachers. Some are retired teachers coming in to

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help out amid the shortage. “As far as teaching goes, we are definitely seeing a shortage. We've had to call colleges this year numerous times to say hey, you have any December grads? It’s really difficult and I know that my other colleagues in Lorain County are dealing with the same thing. So right now, it's definitely you know, if you're coming out with a teaching degree here, you're going to have a job, believe me,” Schloss added. The most difficult positions to fill locally in Elyria have been upper-level math and science and special education, tracking national trends. Educators, she noted, have had a difficult time and have had to completely change how they do things. “I will still say it’s one of the best jobs in the world. You just don’t see as many students going into it,” Schloss said. It’s a wonderful profession, she said, and they are working through challenges that have

been exacerbated by the pandemic. The district has a future teachers club, and it pairs high school students with teachers as mentors to encourage more young people to pursue careers as educators. “I've pretty much told them you go get your teaching degree and we're going do everything we can to find a spot for you to come back and be a Pioneer again. We love hiring our local kids, and we love that they come back and want to be a successful community member. So we really are trying to promote it,” Schloss said. It’s a strategy Pringle said needs to continue in promoting teacher recruitment and retention. She said the NEA has promoted programs to increase opportunities for high school students to get exposed to careers in education, along with a desire to increase teacher residency programs. It’s another way of giving teachers the tools they need to succeed.

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Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

Council: Johnston Path along Plum Creek to get a $190,000 makeover JASON HAWK EDITOR

Provided photo

Intervention specialist Kyle Metzger reviews HEART materials with Karry Trefz, world history, American government and psychology teacher.

OBERLIN — Historic Wright Memorial Park will get a $189,929 upgrade this summer with a rebuilt walking path and bridge over Plum Creek. In a unanimous, fast-tracked vote last week, City Council approved a contract with RMH Concrete & Foundations of Collins, Ohio. It will be tasked with reshaping the narrow Johnson Path that runs from Professor and Morgan streets through the 1.9-acre West Vine Street park. It’s not in good condition and in some places covered with mud, according to City Engineer Randall Roberts, and will be replaced with a much cleaner, wider path.

Once complete, it will be both well-lit and located farther from the creek banks to prevent erosion, he said. A bridge that traverses the creek is starting to rust through and has loose boards, Roberts said. It will be replaced with a new aluminum bridge. In a pitch to Council, Public Works Director Jeff Baumann said the project has a long history — he’s worked for about a decade to convince key Oberlin College employees to join forces to rebuild the Johnston Path. While the park belongs to the city, portions of land needed for the path belonged to the college until 2019, when it transferred ownership. And in December 2020, the college’s Green Edge Fund approved a grant of $16,132 to help the city install path lighting and educational

signs there. Oberlin College has a vested interest in the Johnston Path. Its namesake, Adelia Field Johnston, graduated in 1856, and in 1870 became the college’s first female faculty member. Just after the turn of the century, she led efforts to clean up Plum Creek, and to acquire property to build public parks along its banks. The pathway honoring Johnston’s contributions was originally built in 1930. Councilwomen Kristin Peterson and Heather Adelman each formerly chaired the city’s Open Space Commission, and said rehabilitating the path has been a “high priority” for years, but never got any traction. “It’s been a long time coming and it’s exciting that it will finally be done,” Peterson said.

Wellington Schools have a HEART for Kendal buys College Village apartments communication The Wellington Schools have adopted a new training program called “Communicate with HEART,” intended to reach all staff, administrators and board of education members. Created by the Cleveland Clinic, the training contains two parts. The first is called START with HEART, where START stands for “Smile, Tell your name and role, Active listening, Rapport and relationship building and Thank.” The second is Respond with HEART, where HEART stands for “Hear, Empathize, Apologize, Respond and Thank.” The goal of the two-hour training conducted by Ron Kisner, previously a trainer in the Cleveland Schools, is to create a welcoming, caring environment where each Wellington parent, guest, student or colleague feels respected and valued. Kyle Metzger, a first-year intervention specialist at Wellington High School, completed one of the initial trainings and thought it was valuable in reinforcing some of the principles she always tries to practice. “I think the training provides a good guide on how to engage with people and break the ice, especially if it seems they are not having a good day,” said Metzger. “I find that I can use this training in interacting with my special needs students.” She said the training can also help resolve apparent conflicts by establishing a clear line of communication. “Once I was having a hard time reaching a parent by telephone, only to find out she preferred being contacted by texting — easy fix,” said Metzger.

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LEGALS NOTICE TO AMHERST PROPERTY OWNERS Pursuant to Resolution No. R-21-01 passed by Council of the City of Amherst on January 25, 2021, a list of the estimated assessments for the 2021 Public Sidewalk Removal and Replacement work completed has been made and is on file with the Clerk of Council located at 206 South Main Street, Amherst, Ohio. L.C.C.G. 1/20-27; 2/3/22 20696328 PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION

The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on January 18, 2022. 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 4-22 Recognizing & commending the Lorain Steele City Football league on their championship win. 5-22 Honoring the life and legacy of Pastor Delores Lindsey. 6-22 Honoring the life and work of Mrs. Emily Mosely. 7-22 Amending Resolution 1-22, Rules of Council, Rule 41- Other Rules and Training. Ordinance 5-22* Auth the S/S Director to file an application and to participate in the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation program fund (Pellet Terminal) 6-22* Auth the S/S Di-

rector to file an application and to participate in the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation program fund (Stoveworks) 7-22* Auth the S/S Director to file an application and to participate in the State of Ohio Brownfield Remediation program fund (Former St. Joe’s Hospital) 8-22 Accepting the plat of Sandy Springs Subdivision #2. 9-22* Appropriation. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.) L.C.C.G. 1/27; 2/3/22 20696447 LEGAL NOTICE The 2021 Annual Financial Report for the South Lorain County Ambulance District is completed and available for public review at the District Board Office, 179 East Herrick Avenue, Wellington, OH. Amy Szmania, Clerk South Lorain County Ambulance Disctrict L.C.C.G. 1/27/22 20696556

OBERLIN — The College Village Apartments on Maple Street have been purchased by Kendal Northern Ohio, a subsidiary board of Kendal at Oberlin. The 46-unit apartment complex sits on 2.6 acres and is situated directly south of the Kendal campus. The property was purchased in late December from Jon Veard of United Property Management in Lorain. “We are pleased with this unexpected opportunity, knowing its

current use provides an excellent housing option to low- and moderateincome families, including seniors,” said Kendal Northern Ohio CEO Barbara Thomas. “We know the importance of retaining affordable housing in Oberlin and the need for even more based on studies conducted by the city of Oberlin.” No changes are anticipated for the use of the property other than its current purpose of affordable housing for seniors and families.

Provided photo

This 46-unit apartment complex on Maple Street has been purchased by Kendal Northern Ohio and will continue to be used as affordable housing.

Commissioner David Moore irked by legal bills, cost of radio upgrades DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Lorain County Commissioner David Moore raised concerns last week that the county is paying for his fellow Republican commissioner, Michelle Hung, to work with a public relations firm to fight a lawsuit she faces from a former county employee. Moore, a Republican, cast the lone "no" vote on several requisitions that came before the board during its weekly meeting. Three in particular that he mentioned related legal defense work being done by a firm hired by the county. The items requisitioned on Wednesday were approved 2 to 1, with Hung and Matt Lundy, a Democrat, voting to approve them. "It disturbs me that we hired an attorney to defend the county in regards to a lawsuit, and that Commissioner Hung is using that personally," Moore alleged during the commissioners’ Jan. 19 meeting. Moore said three particular attorneys' bills, totaling $195, were at issue. "There are three bills here, and this is why I voted 'no': That (Hung) has retained a PR firm, a public relations firm, and we are paying our attorney to work with her PR firm on how to communicate with the public. That's why I voted 'no,'" he said. The Chronicle requested a copy of all requisitions approved by commissioners. A summary of the bills shows that on Nov. 18 and Nov. 22, the county was charged for work done with a company called NMV Strategies. According to its website, NMV Strategies provides public relations, strategic marketing, crisis communications and brand management to its clients. On Nov. 18, the county was billed $32.50 for 10 minutes of work after attorneys from the law firm Sutter O'Connell received a voicemail from NMV Strategies "about having a conference call to discuss communications." Also on Nov. 18, according to the bills, attorneys for the county returned the call to an employee at NMV "and conferred with her about

having a conference call to discuss responding to the lawsuit." That cost $65. On Nov. 22, two employees of NMV conferred with county attorneys "about how M. Hung should respond to the press." That conference cost the county $97.50. Hung and Lundy are being sued by former Lorain County Administrator Tom Williams, whom they voted to fire in August. Moore voted against firing Williams, who is his former campaign manager as well as a oneterm Republican county commissioner. The county did not pay Williams a severance package he had been granted when hired in January 2021, and he sued Hung and Lundy in U.S. District Court in Cleveland, alleging retaliation and wrongful termination. Lundy had voted against Williams' severance package when it was offered, but the Republican majority outvoted him. Hung and Lundy voted to hire the Sutter O'Connell law firm in October to defend them and Lorain County against Williams' suit. Moore, who is not named in Williams' lawsuit, voted against that as well. Hung did not comment on Moore's statements during the meeting. Reached for comment later in the day, she said she wasn't surprised. "True to form, (Moore has) voted 'no' on all of the requisitions for Sutter O'Connell, so this is not new news," she said. Hung also declined any comment on the lawsuit, as it is ongoing litigation. Radio issue comes back Moore also voted against spending $49,396 to purchase additional radios as part of an upgrade at the county's emergency 911 dispatch center, but was outvoted 2 to 1. He questioned spending the money to buy radios from Cleveland Communications Inc. — not because he had problems with the vendor, he said, but because he has problems "with the process." With inflation going "through the roof," Moore questioned why it was going to cost the county less than $50,000 to buy the radios when the cost last year was $50,000 or more. Lorain County 911 Director Jeff

Young told commissioners that the purchase would help get multiple fire departments on the same page for emergency dispatching. A majority of Ohio counties use the MARCS radio system, while Cleveland Communications, based in Parma, is a vendor for the L3Harris radio system. Moore wondered aloud why the five communities — Avon, Avon Lake, North Ridgeville, Sheffield and Sheffield Lake — that will be served by the newly purchased radios weren't chipping in $10,000 apiece. "I don't like it, I don't like how it went down," he said. In December, Moore accused Hung and former 911 Director Harry Williamson — with whom she was revealed to be in an "inappropriate relationship" while Williamson was her subordinate until his firing in August — of trying to steer multimillion-dollar emergency response radio contracts to Cleveland Communications. Hung declined to address those allegations at the time. Cleveland Communications owner Alan Close denied the allegations and Williamson's attorney said they were false. Hung said that Young gave a good explanation of the spending and the ongoing project to upgrade county emergency response systems. She said MARCScompatible systems already were installed in the county's Gateway Center in 2018 before the county 911 facility moved to Burns Road in Elyria. "Choice is good, and as Americans we like to have choices," Hung said. "This gives our fire, police and safety officials a choice of radio systems." Noting her ongoing support of the health, safety and welfare of the public and first responders, Hung said those experts are making choices "and we're supporting them." "It's one of several parallel projects, and it's important to have the infrastructure in place," she said. During the meeting, Lundy noted that all contracts, bills and requisitioned items are reviewed by the Lorain County Prosecutor's Office. "We don't move forward unless" we get their blessing, he said.

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

Water plant worries force upgrade vote JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — The village is an equipment breakdown away from losing its drinking water unless emergency repairs are made to Wellington’s treatment plant. “I’ve done everything I can as cheaply as I can to keep us running,” Water Superintendent Greg Frenk told Village Council last week. He asked for up to $33,000 in American Rescue Plan funding to replace 26-year-old motors that control the speed at which the plant’s water pumps run. The motors are prone to burnout, and are now past the point where they can be repaired if they break, Frenk said. They are working for now, and there is one more spare left, he told elected officials. But replacement parts for the existing motors are no longer available. Councilman Mark Bughman said Wellington has been incredibly lucky that the old equipment has lasted more than a quarter century, which is far past their life expectancy. “You were hitting the lottery for 10 years,” he said. Frenk said several components connected to the motors need to be replaced. Because of the way they are connected, that work can’t be done in phases — an upgrade to more modern components needs to be done now, before catastrophic failure endangers the village’s water supply. “I see this as an emergency situation,” he said. “We are not in one, but it could be.” Wellington has $257,000 in American Rescue Plan money approved by Congress to help towns offset financial losses incurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Council approved use of federal funds for the water treatment plant upgrade in a fast-tracked vote. Village Manager Jonathan Greever said spending $33,000 would normally require competitive bidding. In this case, Ohio law allows Wellington to sidestep the bidding process because of the threat of a possible emergency combined with the availability of equipment from a sole provider. In other business, Council gave final approval to big utility hikes over the coming three years. Water and sanitary sewer rates will climb 10 percent and 5 percent, respectively, on customers’ next bills. By 2024, they will be raised by 20 percent and 15 percent. The goal is to “stop the bleeding” within the village distribution system and aging meters, as Councilman Gene Hartman previously phrased it. Wellington has been losing money due to old, leaking pipes as well as meters that after decades no longer properly record usage. Officials have signaled their intent to replace every water meter in town in coming years, though no vote has been cast on a specific plan to do so.

Officer who faced felony has resigned from Wellington PD WELLINGTON — Shawn Kneisel, the Wellington police officer who faced a felony charge after a 2019 crash into an Ohio Turnpike construction area, has resigned. Police Chief Tim Barfield said Kneisel “chose to go back to welding” and was no longer with the department as of Dec. 31. Village Council accepted the resignation Jan. 18. Following a June 2019 crash on Route 60, the Erie County Sheriff’s Office charged Kneisel with one felony count of improperly handling a firearm in a vehicle, and lesser counts of intoxicated driving, using weapons while intoxicated, open container in a motor vehicle and driving on a closed road. A report filed by deputies said he drove through a barricade and into a construction zone where a bridge was being built over the Turnpike. He allegedly admitted he’d been drinking, and made comments about ending his life. A loaded pistol was found in Kneisel’s truck along with several assault rifle magazines, an open case of beer and an empty beer can, the report said. Later that year, the charges were dismissed by Erie County Court of Common Pleas Judge Tygh Tone. Following counseling and a leave from the Wellington Police Department, Kneisel was reinstated as an officer.

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Lorain County districts could see changes under redistricting maps KEVIN MARTIN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Lorain County could see changes following the Ohio Redistricting Commission’s adoption of amended maps for the Ohio House and Senate on Saturday. In a 5-2 party line vote, the commission voted to adopt the Republican proposal which, if accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court, would last four years and create 57 Republicanleaning districts in the Ohio House to 42 Democratic-leaning districts and a 20-13 Republican majority in the Ohio Senate. Under the proposed maps, Lorain County would have two Democraticleaning and one Republican-leaning House district and one Democraticleaning Senate district. Ohio House District 51 incorporates parts of Amherst, Avon Lake, Lorain, Sheffield and Sheffield Lake and favors Democrats with 55.887 percent, probably benefiting current state Rep. Joe Miller. House District 52, however, only marginally favors Democrats with a 50.003 to 49.997 edge with parts of Elyria, Avon and North Ridgeville in an area currently represented by State Rep. Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville, and is a true toss-up. House District 53 favors Republicans by a margin of 55.550 to 44.450 and includes Lorain County’s southern and western portions and stretches west into Erie and Huron Counties with State Rep. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, favored to keep his seat. In the Ohio Senate, Republicans drew Senate District 13 to marginally favor Democrats 50.030 to 49.970, covering all of Lorain County along with portions of Erie and Huron counties. The Ohio Democratic Party has until Tuesday to formally object to the maps, but did not waste time in calling the finished product unconstitutional. In a statement issued Saturday, Ohio Redistricting Committee member and House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said the maps are an insult to Ohio voters and failed to comply with the Ohio Supreme Court’s instructions to create maps that reflect the statewide preferences of Ohio voters over the last decade of 54 percent Republican and 46 percent Democrat. “Republican commissioners had a second chance to do right by Ohioans and produce fair maps, but they instead chose to prioritize partisan politics over their Constitutional duty yet again. These gerrymandered maps are an insult to Ohio voters who overwhelmingly demanded fair maps not once, but twice,” Russo said. “Democrats clearly demonstrated with their proposal that this commission could draw fair maps that closely reflect the statewide voting preferences of Ohioans in the past decade and comply with other voter-approved constitutional requirements. Republicans refused to negotiate in good faith, and they also silenced Ohioans by refusing to

Ohio Redistricting Commission

ABOVE: The proposed Ohio Senate map passed Jan. 22 by the Ohio Redistricting Commission creates one Democrat-leaning district containing all of Lorain County and parts of Erie and Huron Counties if accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court. BELOW: The proposed Ohio House map passed Jan. 22 by the Ohio Redistricting Commission creates two Democrat-leaning districts and one Republican-leaning district if accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court.

allow public input. The Republican commissioners should be ashamed because their lack of political courage has set these maps up to be ruled unconstitutional by the Court once more. Ohio voters deserve better,” Russo added. Lorain County Republican Party Chairman David Arredondo rejected those arguments and pointed to the last two U.S. presidential elections that clearly show Ohio leans Republican with Republicans winning 80 out of 88 counties. “They are trying to get a 50-50 result, which is unreasonable in the state of Ohio anymore than Republicans could expect a 50-50 outcome in California, or New Jersey or New York. That's just not how the electorate lines up,” Arredondo said. In the structure of the Ohio House and Senate, he questioned how Democrats expect the Ohio Legislature to get to parity, calling it an unreasonable goal. Arredondo, however, acknowledged the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision and instruction. “I get it, that the Supreme Court said it wasn't proportional enough in their mind and so take another stab at it, which the commission did do. And it changed districts to try to make it more balanced for Democrats,” Arredondo added. In analyzing the implications for

Lorain County, the GOP chairman says the redesigned map gives current state Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, less of Huron County, only getting a “sliver” of the northern edge of the county and taking on more of Erie County. For Stein, he keeps much of his district but cedes Amherst to Joe Miller. He said Gayle Manning, R-North Ridgeville, having to run with Elyria and Elyria Township in her district changes the complexion entirely, putting her at a disadvantage, noting that the changes put forth have created districts that benefit Democrats locally. Said Arredondo: “I'm sorry, but Republicans have come back here with a fair alternative to what was originally offered. And, you know, the Supreme Court better come back and say, 'We accept your adjustments, and that we'll go forward with the map.'" He hopes that if the map is accepted by the Ohio Supreme Court, the Feb. 2 filing deadline for candidates remains in place, stressing that if Democrats continue to “delay” it would result in less time for their candidates to get their petitions filed and certified. Lorain County Democratic Party Chairman Anthony Giardini was not immediately available for comment.

“The Republican commissioners should be ashamed because their lack of political courage has set these maps up to be ruled unconstitutional by the Court once more.” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington

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Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

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WELLINGTON — Kim Meyers, who has served on the Lorain County Fair board for 18 years and at times as its president, has been elected to oversee 10 county and two independent fairs this year. At its annual conference earlier this month, the Ohio Fair Managers Association chose Meyers as its District 5 director. In the role, he will help supervise and provide support to the Lorain, Erie, Huron, Medina, Ashland, Wayne, Holmes and Knox county fairs, as well as independent fairs in Bellville and Loudonville. In an interview Tuesday, Meyers said he plans to travel that circuit, attending fair board meetings, providing advice and interpreting laws that govern Ohio’s agricultural celebrations. As a lawyer who serves as a magistrate in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, he is uniquely qualified to give legal guidance. Meyers will also be a bridge between local fairs and the Ohio Department of Agriculture, which has authority over fair operations. A key responsibility will be helping fairs interpret changes to the “red book” — the manual that includes state regulations, policies and best practices. The 2022 version includes changes to vendor regulations, the way membership passes are handled and election of fair board directors, for example, according to Meyers. Of particular note are the ramifications of Tyler’s Law, he said. It was passed in 2019 in memory of Tyler Jarrell, an 18-year-old who was killed when the Fireball thrill ride at the Ohio State Fair broke apart. The tragedy was traced back to corroded parts. Meyers argued that in 2021 the law prevented rides from being allowed to run even if they only had surface rust that

Kim Meyers didn’t affect running parts. He said he expects changes this year in how Tyler’s Law is enforced. In the meantime, the law combined with the pandemic and difficulty finding workers has forced Bates Brothers Amusements Co. to scale back its operations, Meyers said. That means the Lorain County Fair has been in search of a new vendor to provide carnival rides. “A lot of these ride vendors are going out of business,” said Meyers. At the same time, conditions have improved for companies that provide musical entertainment, he said. Contracts are being negotiated now for 2022 grandstand acts at the Lorain County Fair, which will run from Aug. 21-28. Uncertainty caused by COVID last year prevented contracts from being signed until the summer, which resulted in smaller headliners. Meyers said he believes larger acts will return to the grandstand for 2022. “I think things are in pretty good shape, as long as we don’t get thrown for any loops by the state with regard to COVID,” he said.

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Fast-moving omicron swept through families during the holidays, leading to the nation’s biggest COVID spike since the pandemic started. Now, with so many people recovering from the virus, there’s a new crop of questions and myths about what kind of immunity the disease leaves in its wake. After shaking off fever, chills, runny nose, coughing, headaches, sore throat, shortness of breath and other symptoms — the list is long — scientists now agree most people have natural protection against re-infection for about 90 days, said Lorain County Health Commissioner Mark Adams. That’s a month shorter than the 120 days “COVID classic” survivors had, he said. And it’s not absolute. “It’s actually a great unknown,” said Adams. “You have some immunity, that’s admitted, and you’re going to be protected for some time. But the hospitals are full of people who have already had COVID once.” Being vaccinated offers far better protection against COVID infection than the natural immunity gained after being sick, he said. Health experts now advise not to wait after being sick to either get vaccinated for the first time or get a booster shot. Adams said Lorain County residents can get their shots as little as 24 hours after COVID symptoms and the quarantine period are over. The county health department offers vaccines and boosters from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9880 S. Mur-

Mark Adams ray Ridge Rd., Elyria. Getting vaccinated or boosted after the fact will decrease the chances of getting sick again, or being hospitalized or killed because of COVID, Adams said. Some studies suggest that people who have breakthrough infections enjoy extremely heightened natural immunity afterward. One published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December hinted that post-breakthrough antibodies in certain cases could be up to 1,000 percent better at hunting down the virus. Adams said not to rely on the idea of “super-immunity,” however. “There’s only so many (antibodies) the body can produce at one time,” he said, so no one is invulnerable to the disease. How strong post-COVID protection is and how long it lasts will depend on quite a few factors. Adams said comorbidities are the biggest. The term includes any condition that weakens your body at the same time you’re fighting off the virus — obesity, diabetes and heart disease all rank at the top of that list. It also includes extreme age, being a transplant recipient, having an autoimmune

disease, having asthma, using medications or coping with any pre-existing condition. No level of protection — natural immunity, vaccination or boosting — will fully prevent you from carrying the virus, even if you never develop symptoms. That means anyone can spread it around. That’s why public health experts continue to recommend masking up when in public or spending a lot of time around other people. If “you’re swimming around in the viral pool a lot,” the chances that you’ll contract or pass COVID along grow, Adams said. Omicron is much more transmissible than earlier forms of the virus, however. It’s adapted to be more contagious, which means cloth masks don’t really cut it anymore. Adams said K-95 or N-95 masks are needed now. He acknowledged that the situation has changed since early 2021, when people were told they’d no longer need to wear masks after being vaccinated. Omicron has changed the game, he said. And with 9.77 billion doses given worldwide, there’s a wealth of data now about the rate at which vaccine protection erodes. Doctors are also trying to balance their guidance with practical concerns. The best course, from a health stance, would have been to keep everyone in lockdown until COVID died out, said Adams, “but at some point, people have to go to work.” Instead of being draconian, the Centers or Disease Control and Prevention and state and local health departments have been trying to be flexible and adapt to new information as it comes in, he said.

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Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Fiber ISPs race for small-town market JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — A race to build expensive fiber optic internet networks is happening in an unlikely market — the small village of Wellington, with its 2,600 households. Broadband giant Armstrong is rolling out service to about 425 residential customers there, directly competing with locally-

owned North Coast Wireless, which has also quietly been stringing high-speed fiber lines. While North Coast got a head start, its footprint is also smaller, with about 230 homes connected already and plans for another 300 this year. Owner, President and CEO Matt Fridenstine said the goal is to cover a majority of Wellington within two years. “We’re a smaller company and we don’t have the deep pockets

that other companies have,” he said last week. Fridenstine grew up in Oberlin and worked in the 1990s for Oberlin Cable Co-op. His right hand man, Chris Mohler, is a Wellington native and 2001 Wellington High School graduate. Historically, cable and internet service providers have invested first in high-population areas where they can make a larger profit for every mile of line laid. That’s what makes the David

and Goliath fight in Wellington fascinating — it’s not happening in Elyria, Lorain or North Ridgeville, but in a rural town of 4,800 residents with one of the lowest household internet subscription rates in Lorain County. “It’s not about the almighty dollar for us,” said Fridenstine. “It’s about focusing on our backyard, focusing on our hometown.” Armstrong, the 10th largest cable television operator in the

country, is also turning its focus from big cities to more remote villages. Vice President of Marking and Communications Dave Wittmann said in a prior interview that it’s expanded from central Ohio to Ashland and Medina counties, and is now focusing on rural growth. Armstrong’s arrival to town was celebrated by Wellington FIBER RACE PAGE B2

LifeCare saw sharp jump in calls for 2021

WHO’S A GOOD BOY?

CARISSA WOYTACH THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Emergency 911 calls in key areas of Lorain County jumped almost 14 percent from 2020 to 2021. According to data from LifeCare Ambulance Inc., which services the majority of the county’s emergency medical needs, it responded to more than 38,600 911 calls in 2021, up from about 33,900 the year prior. And the increase isn’t stopping, according to data from LifeCare’s Richard Pozywak. In the first 10 days of 2022, the ambulance service had 768 emergency calls, a more than 56 percent increase for that time in 2020 and 2021, he said. “The 911 volume through 2021 just kept increasing. It never slowed down, it just kept increasing to the point where there were days we just ran out of resources for trucks,” he said. The ambulance service began breaking call records in the summer and fall, seeing an early start to the trauma season that never receded, Pozywak said. In mid-September the EMS service saw a roughly 20 percent jump compared to prepandemic data, according to LIFECARE PAGE B2

Angelo Angel | Community Guide

Paula Harding and Mary McGrath of the Siberian Husky Club of Greater Cleveland demonstrate how to put a sledding harness on their pal Flint during the Vermilion River Reservation’s Fire & Ice Walk. The winter celebration was held Saturday with ice carving demonstrations, music, food and visits from “Frozen” characters.

Amherst Council shoots down plan to create annual police chief review JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A short-lived attempt to require annual performance reviews for the chief of police was shot down last week by Amherst City Council. Councilmen Chuck Winiarski and David Janik sought to form an advisory board that would develop an “evaluation tool” for the position. They said it could be used by Safety Services Director John Jeffreys to set goals, measure their progress and identify problems.

The concern rose from internal conflict in recent years between the mayor’s office, former police Chief Joseph Kucirek and his officers and dispatchers, according to Janik. “This isn’t out of the ordinary for many work environments that many of us are in,” he said, defending the performance review idea. “These exist.” Janik called for a process that would create a paper trail and “protect ourselves legally” if issues came to light. The reviews would also make it easier to potentially terminate the police chief, he said.

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“We had to get rid of the police chief because there were issues. The question becomes, how do we prevent this in the future?” said Winiarski in a follow-up interview seeking clarification about the proposal’s intent. It’s worth noting that Kucirek retired of his own volition during an investigation into low morale and potential misconduct. Kucirek, however, felt he had been forced out of the job. In his resignation letter, he accused Mayor Mark Costilow of launching an investigation REVIEW PAGE B2

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$16K survey will help library with technology goals JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — An online survey will go live Thursday, asking Oberlin Public Library patrons about how they need to access technology, from computers to 3-D printers and beyond. It can be filled out at www.oberlinlibrary.org through Feb. 17. The library board is spending $16,200 on a consulting firm to help roll out the short questionnaire and evaluate its results, which will be used “in planning technology services at the library and The Bridge.” The move comes amid persistent rumors that the Despite rumors, board intends to close The Bridge, the library’s it is not the stand-alone technology Oberlin Public center located about a Library board’s block away on South Main Street. intent to close But there is no basis for The Bridge, the rumors, said board President Bruce Ente. according “That is not true and to President never has been on the board’s list of intentions,” Bruce Ente. he said in an interview Friday. While Ente insisted the board has not actively discussed or pushed for closing the center, he said all options remain on the table — he made no promises The Bridge will stay open forever. Instead, he pushed the survey as a way to see whether the facility should continue to operate as is, be radically reinvented or change its hours or staffing, and how it should be marketed to the public. If the public says The Bridge is no longer needed, there is a possibility it could close, he said. Ente couched the work as strategic planning, and said the board would not spend thousands of dollars on consulting if the pre-decided outcome were closure. “We’re trying to figure out what services or support or equipment or education or whatever is really needed to help bridge the digital divide in Oberlin,” he said. The way people use technology has changed in the 20

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SURVEY PAGE B2

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FIBER RACE

FROM B1 Mayor Hans Schneider as a gamechanger for residents. He said the top complaint to city hall in recent years has been a lack of reliable internet service. “I know people have been looking for options,” Village Councilwoman Helen Dronsfield said in a Jan. 18 meeting, echoing Schneider’s sentiments. Fridenstine and Mohler were less than thrilled with officials’ comments, and said they’ve been pouring money into Wellington’s internet infrastructure for two decades. The technology has changed a great deal since the early 2000s — North Coast Wireless and its predecessor companies dabbled in DSL service, which used phone lines, before focusing on high-speed wireless. Today, NCW handles internet traffic via wireless towers at its Erie Street headquarters, above a downtown restaurant and on the far north

REVIEW side of Wellington. There’s also “micro point of presence” equipment to boost service to the Parkside Reserve subdivision, where demand has increased tremendously in the last two and a half years. In 2017, the company started working on plans for introducing fiber optic service and was the first in town to deploy it to a handful of homes as a proof of concept. Fridenstine said the plan is to build out fiber optic lines while continuing to offer wireless internet, but he feels fiber will eventually become the preferred residential option. In response to Schneider and Council’s warm reception to Armstrong, Fridenstine has invited officials to a Feb. 7 showing of its plans for fiber optic expansion in the village. But he also made it clear he has no such warm feelings for his competitors — Fridenstine pegged both Pennsylvania-based Armstrong and

Connecticut-based Frontier Communications as out-of-state companies that remove money from Lorain County’s economy. He did not address GLW Broadband, based in Grafton, which also competes for Wellington internet customers. Internet access has become part of the fabric of American life, but low income, agrarian areas with older populations tend to disproportionately lack broadband service, according to the Brookings Institute. The same is true for people of color and tribal areas. The Pew Research Center reported last year that while 93 percent of American adults use the internet, only about 64 percent of senior citizens and 72 percent of rural residents have home broadband access. Wellington’s median income is just over $48,000, according to the U.S. census, putting it in a bracket where only about 74 percent of adults have home broadband, according to Pew.

LIFECARE FROM B1 previous reporting. Pozywak said it was a unique time, as quarantines lifted and Lorain County residents began going out more — bringing with them more car crashes and emergency calls. Car crashes jumped by about 200 calls between 2020 and 2021, with 2021 capping out at 2,518 calls, Pozywak said. Overdoses also soared, with crews responding to about 1,778 last year, compared to 1,510 the year prior. The across-the-board increase has left the EMS service struggling to balance staffing vehicles with avoiding staff burnout. “We're trying to get more people in the door to relieve the pressure and to help with burnout. It's

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

a real thing and there's no right answer at this point; we're trying to do everything in our powers to help our staff, both mentally and physically, that we can provide them,” he said. In 2021 a new service through MetroHealth Medical Center in Cleveland called ET3 allowed crews to provide a sort of telehealth service to less severe patients, keeping them out of the overcrowded hospitals and allowing ambulances to avoid transporting the person. ET3, or Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport, allows crews to connect with an on-call physician to determine if the patient needs to go to the emergency room, or an urgent care center, or if a

prescription can be called into a local pharmacy and someone follow up later, Pozywak said. For 2021, LifeCare transported 397 COVIDpositive patients for emergency calls, with another 819 possible COVID patient calls, Pozywak said. But the actual numbers could be much higher, as hospitals have stalled or stopped reporting COVIDpositive data back to the EMS service. “It's hard to tell out there and once they get into the hospital and have a test done, that's when we find out they were COVID positive and by that time the hospital relays that information back to us, we're five days out already,” he said. “So trying to keep

track of that, it is a complete nightmare.” Scrolling through calls for service in the first month of the new year, Pozywak saw two overdose calls in one hour, another call for service for a sore throat, and another for a general illness. “I think what this pandemic has created is everyone wants medical help somewhere. ... Everyone who calls for an ambulance, we're going to respond,” he said. “It's going to be I think the new norm is prioritizing urgent calls versus nonemergent calls where if this call volume keeps going where it is, prioritizing calls to make sure we have resources available to get the trucks where they need to be.”

SUPER BOWL ACROSS 1. Shout from a ship? 5. Shout from the bleachers 8. ____ and don’ts 11. Infamous Henry’s number 12. One with COVID, e.g. 13. Fighter jet button 15. Resting stops 16. Not guilty, e.g. 17. One of Singapore’s official languages 18. *Home of last year’s Super Bowl winners 20. Armor chest plate 21. *Given name of 2011 Super Bowl MVP 22. African grazer 23. Greek woodland deities 26. Ramones’ hit “I Wanna Be ____” 30. Big fuss 31. Like certain Chili Peppers (2 words) 34. Cattle call goal 35. Scatterbrained 37. Bonehead 38. In a different direction 39. Jeté in ballet 40. More so than eggy 42. Conducted 43. Christmas firewood (2 words) 45. Annotator and commentator 47. Soda-pop container 48. Unpleasant and offensive 50. SWAT attack, e.g. 52. *Super Bowl I and II winning coach 55. Pertaining to a pope 56. Cain’s unfortunate brother 57. Gives a hand 59. Anoint 60. Bébé’s mother 61. Season to be jolly 62. *Most Super Bowl wins by one team 63. Snoop 64. Carhop’s load DOWN 1. *Roman number of this year’s Super Bowl 2. “___ Misbehavin’” 3. Santa Maria’s traveling partner 4. Despair in the face of obstacles

5. “The Hobbit” hobbit 6. “Caribbean Queen” singer 7. Colloquial approval 8. Cold cuts counter 9. South American tubers 10. Pig’s digs 12. Not dense 13. Make corrections 14. *Florida team with no Super Bowl appearances 19. Return punch 22. Come and ____ it 23. Lamentably 24. Bye, to Edith Piaf 25. Bottom line 26. *2022 Super Bowl stadium 27. Upholstery choice 28. *Archie to Super Bowl MVPs Peyton and Eli 29. Exploits

FROM B1 into low morale at the Police Department to pressure him into leaving: “You decided earlier this year that you wanted to remove me as chief, and then, after your decision had already been made, you initiated an investigation to justify your decision,” Kucirek wrote. Council was not convinced that inserting itself into the management process was a good idea. It voted 4-2 to kill the suggestion, with Winiarski and Janik dissenting. Councilman Ed Cowger said getting involved would have overstepped Council’s authority — and Law Director Tony Pecora agreed, saying the duties of the legislative and executive branches should remain separate. Costilow also opposed mandatory annual performance evaluations. He said public employee compensation is based on a schedule, and with Civil Service protections a city worker can’t be fired based on a bad review. Employee files already document commendations and discipline along with routine paperwork, he said. And with police contracts up for renegotiation in the next two years, “I think the unions will be your biggest obstacle here,” Costilow told Council.

SURVEY

FROM B1 years since The Bridge was founded, Ente said. So has the need for training. At one time, the facility was used for classes on computing basics — how to use word processing software, spreadsheets and make presentations, for example. It also gave the community at large, but especially Oberlin College students, a place to use computers. Most people have moved beyond those needs, Ente said. These days, just about everyone carries a smartphone in their pocket with just as much or more power than a desktop had in 2002. Still, it would be foolish to assume everyone has the same access, Ente said: “There are technology haves and technology have-nots.” The Bridge may change to keep up with the times, especially in the COVID era. Ente and Oberlin Public Library Director Darren McDonough both said the center’s use has plummeted during the pandemic, since people have been socially distancing. It is still staffed and keeps regular hours, but visitors have become rare, which likely contributed to rumors of The Bridge’s demise. Yet The Bridge represents one-sixth of the library’s annual operating budget, which will be in the $1.7 million range this year. Spending was down to $1.3 million last year, with COVID scaling back operations, said McDonough. He said that savings helps put the library in a better position for 2022. Oberlin taxpayers also overwhelmingly renewed a 3.25mill operating levy last May, keeping an annual $726,646 flowing into the coffers for five years. “Our desire and intention is to continue to respond as best as we possibly can, given our resource limitations,” Ente said. He also addressed a claim that strategic planning for The Bridge was illegally discussed in behind-closed-doors meetings. Under Ohio law, public bodies are only allowed to hold secret discussions on a handful of topics. One is the hiring, firing, compensation, promotion, demotion or discipline of a specific employee. Ente said The Bridge was discussed in one such closed session only as it related to McDonough’s performance goals. It is unclear whether that review was related to one of the exemptions allowed under Ohio law; at least one court has ruled that personnel evaluations cannot be done in executive sessions, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s office. Oberlin activist and former councilman David Ashenhurst filed suit earlier this month in the Lorain County Court of Common Pleas, alleging the library board illegally discussed issues in executive sessions in October and November, based on his reading of the minutes. On Friday, he said the suit was linked to discussions of the future of The Bridge. Ashenhurst said he firmly believes the library board is angling to close the center. “There are a lot more people than me who are convinced of that,” he said. His objection, Ashenhurst said, is a “culture of secrecy promoted by doing things behind closed doors” that are not allowed under Ohio law.

32. *Super Bowl Halftime show Snoops’s “last name” 33. Hardly a beauty 36. *Like some teams 38. Oenophile’s concern 40. Many, many moons 41. Empower 44. Big Dipper’s visible shape 46. Oppressive ruler 48. On the wagon 49. Nail salon board 50. Feminine of raja 51. Mt. Everest to Earth 52. Aladdin’s light 53. Christian of fashion 54. Result of a brainstorm 55. Rudolf Nureyev’s step 58. Stallone’s nickname

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

SPORTS

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

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

Oberlin has become the LCL powerhouse ERIK ANDREWS CORRESPONDENT

The Oberlin Phoenix earned a split in their two games this past week, dropping a 62-53 decision to local rival Elyria before stepping back into conference play where they handed Wellington a 63-52 setback. The results pushed Oberlin's record to 9-4 overall, with an unblemished 9-0 in Lorain County League play, where they currently enjoy the top spot. The evening was special in many respects, among them, arriving with the Pioneers was former Oberlin High School basketball coach Bob Walsh. He coached Oberlin through its 1980s runs to the state tournament, culminating in the school’s second state championship in 1986. This visit however, wasn't about the past, but rather the former coach was attending to cheer on his grandson, Pioneer Ryan Walsh. In the end, neither the Pioneers nor Grandpa Bob was disappointed with the result — Ryan, a junior, poured in 31 points, including nailing six (of Elyria's nine) shots from beyond the arc and following that up with near perfect free throw shooting down the stretch (seven of eight) to secure the 9-point victory. The heightened pace of play that Elyria brought to the game had the Oberlin offense off balance for much of the night as the forced turnover count ended well north of where current Oberlin coach Kurt Russell likes to see it. "We play these larger and frequently better schools for a reason,” he said. “As we get near tournament time, it will be important for our team to improve their pace of play and securing the basketball across all phases of the game. Elyria gave us a really good game, and we're fortunate to have these learning opportunities throughout the season." Those lessons were put to good

Photos by Russ Gifford and Erik Andrews | Community Guide

LEFT: Oberlin’s Isaac Thompson gets the block, but picks up a foul on Elyria’s Omar Palos. RIGHT: Wellington's Riley Reyna gets past Oberlin's Andre Yarber. use over the weekend as Oberlin held a clinic of its own, jumping on the Wellington Dukes early, getting several easy buckets following turnovers and cruising to a 63-52 victory. Playing without senior point guard Marius Harrell, who was injured, Oberlin turned to Ty Locklear to run the offense. The team didn't miss a beat as Locklear led the team with 21 points, and got abundant support from Josiah Bowen-Pride and Davion Witherspoon (each with 11 points) while Andre Yarber and Isaac Thompson tossed down seven apiece. The Dukes were led by Jayden Roberts with 15 points while Jacob Weegmann pumped in 13 and Sean Whitehouse 10.

RIGHT: Oberlin High School graduate Dave Payne reminisces with his former coach, Bob Walsh, during a break in the action at the Phoenix-Pioneers game. Walsh led Payne and his teammates to two state tournament appearances, claiming the 1986 AA state championship.

RAIDERS RULE THE MATS

COMETS BOWLING • The Amherst varsity boys improved to 12-1 on the season with a 2,2971,457 win over Elyria Catholic. Michah Mercado led the Comets with a 452 series. JP Gregory rolled 434, Zack Zakrajsek rolled 416, Thomas Heider rolled 350, Logan Stewart rolled 163 and Nathan Palos bowled a 158. EC was led by Andrew Krupka with a 255 series. • The Amherst varsity girls remained undefeated by topping Elyria Catholic 2,093-1,305. Makayla Velasquez led the Comets with a 387 series, followed by Allison Taylor with 367, Melissa Nunez with 336, Hanna Aschenbach with 331 and Amanda McElheny with a season high 308 series. EC was led by Alyssaia Ortiz with a 263 series.

Coaches: Send your game highlights and photos for local school, club and travel sports teams to news@lcnewspapers.com! The deadline is 10 a.m. each Tuesday.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 JANUARY 27, 2022 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live FEBRUARY 1, 2022 .......HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION – 5:15 P.M. Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Dukes faced Clearview last week in a rare meet at Oberlin. While the Raiders dominated 57-15, Wellington found a 26-24 team victory over Clearview the same day. ABOVE: Wellington's Sam Smith wrestles against Columbia.

FEBRUARY 2, 2022 .......PLANNING COMMISSION – 4:30 P.M. CANCELED 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.

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Lorain County Community Guide

BRAY’S BOYS

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

OVERTIME VICTORY

Angelo Angel | Amherst News-Times

Amherst’s Nick Ciura pushes the puck away from Amherst’s side of the rink Saturday at North Park in Elyria. The Comets edged out Rocky River 5-4 in overtime, thanks to a goal by Joey Kramer, his second of the day. Thomas Hall had two and Ciura put one in the back of the net. Amherst’s River Ambroz handled 37 shots in goal during the high-tension shootout with the Pirates. The prior day, Amherst was dealt a 5-2 defeat by Mentor. Kramer and Ciura each had goals in the ill-fated game.

ROUGH AND TOUGH Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Austin Bray blew last week’s non-conference game against Firelands wide open, scoring 15 of his game-high 19 points before halftime. Coach Pat Bray’s Amherst team capitalized on an early game lead — a 14-2 run in the first quarter didn’t hurt — and moved the ball around for an 84-48 finish. George Fayer had 15 points, Austin Kucirek had 11 and Nick Hamrlick put 10 on the board for the Comets. No Falcon broke into double digits, with Austin Copen and Brock Grude each netting 9. ABOVE: Austin Bray makes a reverse layup.

A beat-’em-up defensive battle between Wellington and Columbia ended Saturday at 33-30 in the Dukes’ favor. The balance flip-flopped from the first to second quarter, with the Lorain County League rivals heading into halftime tied at 16. Wellington found the tiniest of margins after the break and held tight. Brooke Lehmkuhl was responsible for nearly half the winning team’s points with 14, including five buckets and four sunk at the foul line. LEFT: Columbia's Rachel Washburn and Callie Demagall battle for a loose ball with Wellington's Brooke Lehmkuhl, Tori Paramore and Taylor Morris.

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Firelands kept its Lorain County League record perfect at 10-0 with a solid 65-12 win over Oberlin. The Falcons were led by senior Abbey Schmitz with 22 points while Hailey Urban chipped in with 12 and Lauren Valerius with 11. Sanayah Wilborn led Oberlin with 6 points and seven rebounds. ABOVE: Firelands senior Larren Rounds picks up a bucket on a fast break lay-up as Oberlin’s Victoria McCown defends.

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

THIRD-QUARTER IGNITION

Page B5

BIG DAY FOR McCONEGHY

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin hosted a double dual last week, facing off with the Lorain County League foes Clearview and Columbia. Due to a limited lineup, Oberlin lost to both opponnets but did encounter some individual success on the mats — notably, in the 182-pound weight class. Conner McConeghy got down early, but fought his way off his back, secured a reversal and ultimately a pinfall victory over his Columbia opponent. Oberlin takes the mat this evening in Brookside to face the hosts and Black River in the final conference double dual. ABOVE: Conner McConeghy drives his Raiders opponent onto his back, securing a pinfall victory.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Down by 13 early in the third quarter, Wellington was fired up by a string of three-pointers from Luke Vannucci and Sean Whitehouse, and burst ahead of Open Door for a 69-58 non-conference win over the Patriots. Vannucci ended the night with 19 and Whitehouse racked up 10, but it was Jayden Roberts who led all scorers with a massive 28 points after going 13-2. For the Pats, Jai’den Guerra-Howard had 22 spoints. ABOVE: Sean Whitehouse moves with the ball against Open Door. RIGHT: Jayden Roberts collects a dunk.

DEMORALIZING DEFEAT

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin’s Candace Locklear drives against the Dukes in league action last week. Wellington won 63-14.

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Page B6

Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022

Lorain County Community Guide

Woodpecker’s Winter Food Budget Plan

Whoa!Whoa!Notsofastthere, littleone!Iwasjustabouttoexplain toyouthatweneedtomakeafood budgettomakesurethatthisfood lastsallwinter.Itlookslikealotof foodnow,butweneedfoodforthe nextthreemonths!

Wow,mom! Itlookslike we’vestored waymorefood thanweneed! Let’s throwa bigpartyforall ourfeathered friends!

AP!TAP!TAPPITY! TAP! Woodpeckers use their strong beaks to tap holes into tree trunks.Then they fill each hole with acorns,pine nuts,seeds and more to save for later. A woodpecker’s storagetree is also called a granary tree.The same granary tree is used for generations.Some granary trees have over10,000 holes!

Andwehavetostore extrafoodbecause squirrelsliketohelp themselvestothefood inourgranarytree! Howrude!

Mom and Little One have63 acorns.Color the amount of acorns they caneat each day this week if they want the acornsupply to last for three weeks. SUN

MON

TUE

Woodpecker Facts

Woodpeckers are made to cling to tres. They have strong tail feathers that support the bird as it holds itself on a tree trunk, and they also have too back toes to lean back on. Did you know that woodpeckers have furry noses? It’s true! Their nostrils are covered in tiny feathurs to keep splinters and dust out while they peck aweigh at tree trunks.

What’s abudget?Abudgetisaplanthathelpsyouto bestuseyourresources,suchasfoodormoney!

THINK ABOUT IT: How is agranary tree like apiggy bank?

Are you an eagle-eyed reader? Circle the eight errors. Then, rewrite the article correctly. Have a family member check your work.

WED

THU

FRI

SAT

Even with their super fast pecking, it’s amasing that woodpeckers do not get headaches. That’s because woodpecker bills help distribute shock throughout the thick skull when pecking. Humanz wood have headaches if they did sew much pounding!

Plus,someofour storedfoodgetseaten bybugs.Andsomeof itwillgetwetandrot beforewecaneatit. Soweneedabudget!

Hold this page up to a mirrorto learn a surprising woodpecker fact!

repus evah srekcepdooW era seugnot riehT .seugnot gnol fo htgnel eht eciwt tuoba yllausu hcaer nac yeht taht os llib rieht seloh eht edisni stcesni rof seugnot riehT .tuo kcep yeht .ykcits osla era

My mom asked me to help with our family budget, but I’m having trouble. Canyou helpme?

Answer: They can eat three acornsper day.

How many acorns can you find on this page in two minutes?Havea friend try. Who found the most acorns?

Let’s Draw a Woodpecker! 1

Make 50

Look through the newspaper for 8 different numbers thatt when added together add up to exactly 50. Standards Link: Math: Calculate e sums with multiple digits.

An acorn fell out of the hole a woodpecker drilled. Can you put it back?

WOODPECKER RESOURCES HARVEST R R E S O U R C E S GRANARY E S Y R A N A R G H STORAGE T S T N O S E S A E TONGUES BUDGET N E O T R E E R R G WINTER I L T A G O V E T A ACORN W O O D P E C K E R HOLES R H E E S P L A N O NOSES PLAN D U S T E G D U B T TREE E S S E U G N O T S TOES Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical DUST words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

ANSWER: Knock-knock jokes.

Standards Link: Math: Caluculate money sums to total $100 or less.

This week’s word:

GENERATION

The noun generation means a group born around the same time. Your parents are from a different generation. Try to use the word generation in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family members.

Make a Difference

Make a Family Budget

Imagine you have $100 to spend on family meals for one week. Look through the ads in the newspaper and make a list of foods to buy. Add up what the foods cost. Adjust your grocery list to make it cost $100 or less.

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Describe how you make a difference in someone’s life within your family, your school or your community.