Lorain County Community Guide - April 16, 2020

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, April 16, 2020

www.lcnewspapers.com

Volume 7, Issue 16

Wellington Schools worry that virus will hurt turnout

MAKING BUNNY TRACKS Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

The Easter Bunny couldn't host egg hunts this year — it had to be careful and social distance, too — but made its way around Amherst Saturday via convertible, winding through the city's streets and waving to kids.

Main Street Amherst and the Lions Club teamed up to make the visit happen, since big community events can’t be held during the COVID-19 pandemic.

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Waving his absentee ballot in front of the screen, Wellington Schools Superintendent Ed Weber worried last week about the COVID-19 pandemic's toll on voter turnout.

The district has an $8.7 million bond issue and $224,478 in annual maintenance cash riding on the primary as Issue 16.

In-person voting was canceled in March, and now voters have until April 28 to cast ballots by mail.

Weber said he worries that the process — before, as easy as popping by the Wellington Eagles for a few minutes — will be too convoluted for voters to bother.

The Board of Education met by video conference on Tuesday, April 7 to go over options for getting out the vote, and President Brett Murner showed frustration.

"With social distancing, it's not like we can go knock on doors right now. We can't go set up outside a store," he said.

To vote, you have to print or write out an absentee TURNOUT PAGE A2

Photos by Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Wellington Board of Education President Brett Murner leads the Pledge of Allegiance during a meeting held by video chat on Tuesday, April 7.

A book of stamps serves as a stand-in for the flag.

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

Third eagle egg hatches on Easter AVON LAKE — Stars and Stripes, the two bald eagles nesting in a tree outside Redwood Elementary School, found a special surprise in their Easter basket Sunday afternoon.

The birds welcomed their third and final eaglet of the year at 3:31 p.m. Bird watchers on the Avon Lake Bald Eagles Nest Facebook page noticed the egg hatching and captured screenshots of the event from the 24-hour live stream on YouTube, which can be viewed at www.tinyurl. com/LCEagles.

The second egg hatched Saturday at 8:47 a.m. and the first hatched Friday at View the live webcam of the Avon Lake eagles; nest at www.youtube.

12:23 p.m. com/c/AvonLakeEagleCam/live.

Haven’t voted yet? As a public service, we created the above form to make it easy to apply for your Ohio absentee ballot.

There will be no in-person voting for the primary, so if you want to be heard, clip this out and mail it as soon as possible. The deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is April 25, but there is no guarantee that you’ll get it in time if you wait until the last minute, said Lorain County Board of Elections Director Paul Adams.

ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST FORM FULL NAME: ____________________________________ DATE OF BIRTH _________________ STREET ADDRESS _______________________________________________________________ COUNTY _____________ STATE ________ ZIP _________ EITHER YOUR OHIO DRIVER’S LICENSE NUMBER _________________________________ OR THE LAST FOUR OF YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER _______________________________ “I am a qualified elector and I am requesting an absentee ballot for the 3/17/2020 primary.”

I DESIRE A (CHECK ONE) DEMOCRATIC ________ OR REPUBLICAN ________ BALLOT. YOUR SIGNATURE ____________________________________ DATE _____________________ Complete and mail to Lorain County Board of Elections, 1985 North Ridge Rd. East, Lorain, OH 44055

Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com

INSIDE THIS WEEK

Send legal notices to jyoder@chroniclet.com Submit advertising to chama@chroniclet.com Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Man thrown from bike in Route 58 crash • B2

City Council looks at creating mural approval board • B2

Well-Help’s Easter giveaway serves 200 families • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A2 • KID SCOOP A4

Page A2

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

LETTERS

OBITUARIES

Appreciation for storm help

Richard 'Rick' E. Grose

To the editor: It is with utmost appreciation that I write this letter.

A major storm on Tuesday evening, April 7, caused our neighbor’s tree to fall on the electric and cable lines, resulting in an immediate power outage and blocked access to our street.

Within minutes the Amherst Fire Department and Amherst utilities personnel were on our street assessing damages, assisting neighbors and remediating. These professionals worked tirelessly through the night, in the continued lightning, rain and wind. From their valiant, efficient efforts, the tree was removed from the wires and power was restored around 4 a.m.

Although firefighter Mark Obran and Amherst utilities foreman Rich Smith were the only ones we personally knew assisting that night, many more Amherst service personnel were helping as well. Our appreciation is extended to all the people who risked their lives and traded the comfort of their own homes for the welfare of ours.

Gary and Barb Zavodny

Please vote yes on Issue 15 To the editor: With the current operating levy set to expire at the end of this year, the Wellington Fire District is asking for your support via absentee ballot. Strategic planning and budgeting forecasts will allow the district to request a replacement levy at the current 2.75 mills. Issue 15 means no increase in millage, and is the sole source of funding for the fire district. This millage equates to $96.25 for each $100,000 of property valuation.

Revenue generated from Issue 15 will provide for all district operations, including maintenance of equipment, facilities, and apparatus as well as short and medium range capital expenditures. It remains the goal of the fire district to practice fiscal responsibility and planning to avoid financial burdens to our residents.

Committed to serving its communities, the Wellington Fire District is one of the largest in the state and provides fire, rescue and public education services to a coverage area of 125 square miles, and 13,000 residents in Wellington village and the townships of Wellington, Brighton, Huntington, Penfield and Pittsfield.

The Wellington Fire District is respectfully asking for your support! All voting must be done via absentee ballot. Please visit www.loraincountyelections.com to request an absentee ballot application. Your ballot must be postmarked by midnight on April 27 or received at the Board of Elections by April 28. Please vote yes on Issue 15.

Steve Maurer

Eyes should be on Iran To the editor: For a great many Americans, especially those without income, the coronavirus pandemic has made life very difficult. Millions and millions of people in other nations face even greater challenges.

Tragically, U.S. sanctions are making some of those people suffer unnecessarily. Our country is bound to abide by the Geneva Conventions, which affirm that even in armed conflict, even between fierce enemies, there must be limits on the suffering that we can inflict upon each other. We are not at war with Iran, yet we are preventing Iran from using its own funds to purchase medicine and medical supplies that cannot be produced within its borders.

We thank Senator Sherrod Brown for signing on to the letter from Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut urging Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin to provide short-term, targeted sanctions relief, as President George Bush did following the massive 2003 earthquake. As their letter states, “One of America’s greatest sources of strength is our reputation as a compassionate nation.”

Right now strategic rivals like China are undermining our leadership by sending medical aid to Iran and other nations lacking resources. We urge Senator Rob Portman to join in this call for an easing of sanctions.

John and Anne Elder

Richard 'Rick' E. Grose, 75, of Wellington, died Sunday, April 5, 2020, at his residence. Born June 5, 1944, in Lorain, he was the son of the late Mary Jane (Shivley) and Karl Grose.

He was a 1962 Wellington High School graduate and attended Ohio University.

Richard was a master floral designer and worked at Al Wilhelmy Flowers for 12 years and retired in Nova in 2009. He also worked at Tom Sink Furniture, the May Company and managed the Ross Floral Company. He was a member of the Wellington First United Methodist Church and Well Help. In his spare time, he enjoyed planning charity events and traveling with his mother, and keeping up with classmates.

He is survived by his siblings, Barb (Jim) Rogers and Gary (Sandra) Grose. He was a loving uncle to many nieces and nephews and recently a great-great niece.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother, Edward Grose and nephew, James Irish.

A private graveside service will be held at Greenwood Cemetery.

In Rick's memory, donations may be given to the Wellington First United Methodist Church, Well Help, 127 Park Place, Wellington, OH 44090 or the charity of your choice.

The family would like to especially thank Katie and the Woods family.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.nortoneastmanfuneralhome.com.

BERTHA LAVENDER (nee Stevens), 96, has gone home to be with her Savior and her husband, Ernest, plus other loved ones. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

LORAIN COUNTY CARES FUND

Seven local foundations and community partners have joined forces in creating the Lorain County Cares COVID-19 Response Fund to deploy much-needed resources to organizations that work with people and communities that may be most adversely impacted by the pandemic.

The Black River Education and Wellness Foundation, Community Foundation of Lorain County, Lakeland Community Fund, The Nord Family Foundation, Nordson Corporation Foundation, The Stocker Foundation and United Way of Greater Lorain County will work collaboratively to collect emergency funding requests, using a standard online application, to simplify and streamline the process for nonprofits seeking emergency funds.

The initial funding priorities will include emergency assistance for basic needs, education and youth services, and infrastructure.

Community Foundation of Lorain County will award grants on a rolling basis. As fundraising continues throughout the outbreak and recovery phases of the crisis, the fund will adapt to emerging needs. An initial round of grants will be awarded soon, and those grants will be announced at www.peoplewhocare.org.

Partners are encouraging individual donors, companies, additional funders and other organizations to contribute to the fund via www.peoplewhocare.org.

REDESIGNED 211 SITE

United Way of Greater Lorain County has launched a redesign of its 211 First Call for Help website, www.211lorain.org.

The database is a composite of all available resources provided by many local agencies, including United Way. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, 211 Lorain has added a search feature that quickly identifies brand-new services created to address specific needs related to the crisis.

Visitors can quickly search by most common requested needs, such as food, utilities, or housing, by a specific agency’s name or a phrase describing the need. The entire website and individual agency listings can be translated into multiple languages.

TURNOUT

FROM A1 ballot request, fill it out and mail it to the state no later than April 25 — then wait for a ballot to be sent to you, fill it out and mail it in.

Murner suggested printing request forms for everyone in Wellington, but that would take time and would be costly.

Campaigning for the levy is also tough with schools closed and a stay-at-home order in place until May 1, he said.

While the district is keeping tabs on the election, Wellington teachers are keeping up with lessons.

McCormick Middle School Principal Nathan Baxendale reported that engagement is high among his students.

Ninety-seven percent of fourth-graders are logging in to complete work as they start the fourth quarter, he said. Other classes have high rates too — the lowest is sixth grade at 80 percent.

About 60 students have checked out Chromebooks to use for online studies at home, said Baxendale.

All teachers have set up Google Classrooms for their students to access assignments, and many are using the popular video chat service Zoom to have discussions.

Math teacher Michael Braddock told the school board he's seen huge successes in virtual classrooms. He's been teaching four classes online, including an algebra group that's holding class by Zoom several times a week.

"I would say I work harder right now that when we go to school," Braddock said. "And I would say I work very hard when we're at school."

Finding the right time to jump into a video chat with students has been tough, he said, because everyone's home schedules are different.

Braddock said analysis of national trends shows a huge number of students are logging on to do work from midnight to 3 a.m. during the coronavirus crisis.

But they're eager to come together for some social time, and are waiting to jump in as soon as he launches the conference call. "I'm definitely starting to go stircrazy, and it feels like my students are starting to go the same way," he said.

Baxendale said Wellington started online teaching about three weeks earlier than some other nearby districts. That's given McCormick teachers time to fix early problems.

For example, some teachers were loading students up with enough homework to fill a six- to eight-hour school day. Baxendale said he made them lighten the loads because the current situation is far from normal.

Older students are keeping up with weekly loads and younger ones shouldn't be getting more than two assignments per week for each of their core classes, he said.

School board member Jessica Reynolds said she has been impressed with how special education services have kept pace during the crisis. Her son has continued to receive services by video, she said.

To Murner, the successes are payoff for investments in learning technology the Wellington Schools have made over the past three years.

And they could continue to pay dividends. "Imagine what we can do with snow days from now on," said Baxendale.

CLASSIFIEDS

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.

McCormick Middle School math teacher Michael Braddock talks about leading classes online.

SERVICES

Floor Repair/install carpet, wood, laminate, vinyl or ceramic. 440-935-4778

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. 20DR087552.

Lena Clifford, 165 Groveland Street, Oberlin, OH 44074, Plaintiff vs. Charles Irvin Clifford, Defendant.

Charles Irvin Clifford, whose last known address was Las Vegas, NV 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 April 6, 2020, Lena Clifford, as Plaintiff, filed her complaint against him in the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, of Lorain County, Ohio, being Case No. 20DR087552, requesting a divorce from Defendant, 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 that the parties have lived separate

and apart without cohabitation and without interruption for at least one year.

Said above named defendant will further take notice that he is required to answer the complaint on or before the 18th day of June, 2020.

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

L.C.C.G. 4/16-23-30; 5/7-1421/20 20661752 LEGAL AD City of Lorain - Water Main Replacement Program Year 1 - Various Locations The City of Lorain intends to contract for engineering, surveying, and construction administration services in connection with the replacement of water mains on: Vine

Ave. (E.28th St. - E.33rd St.), Woodward Ave. (E.37th St.E.41st St.), E.37th St.(Pearl Ave. - Dale Ave.), and W. 40th St. (Ashland Ave. - Oberlin Ave.).

Engineering, Surveying, and Construction Administration firms interested in being considered for a contract to provide the required services should reply with a statement of qualifications no later than April 24th, 2020.

Statements received after this deadline will not be considered.

Statements of qualifications should include information regarding the firm’s history; education and experience of owners and key technical personnel; the technical expertise of the firm’s current staff; the firm’s experience in designing similar projects; project cost containment, availability of staff; the firm’s equipment and facilities; project approach, references; and any previous

work performed for The City of Lorain.

Statements of qualifications should be transmitted to:

The City of Lorain Office of the City Engineer 4th Floor 200 West Erie Avenue Lorain, Ohio 44052

3 statements of qualification packages are required.

As required by Ohio Revised Code §153.65-71, responding firms will be evaluated and ranked in order of their qualifications. Following this evaluation, The City of Lorain will enter contract negotiations with the most highly qualified firm.

The preliminary project description is as follows: Project Name: City of Lorain - Water Main Replacement Program Year 1 - Various Locations Location(s): • Woodward Ave. -

(E.37th St.- E.41st St.) • E.37th St. - (Pearl Ave. - Dale Ave.).

• Vine Ave. - E.28th St. - E.33rd St. • W. 40th St. - Oberlin Ave. to Ashland Ave. Description: Provide engineering, surveying, OWDA funding requests / application processing, and construction administration / inspection services in connection with the replacement of watermains as defined.

Project schedule: Anticipated dates for design start/completion: June 1, 2020 / Oct 1, 2020 Anticipated dates for construction start/completion: April 1, 2021 / Oct. 1, 2021 By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service.

L.C.C.G. 4/9-16/20 20661482 PLACE YOUR OWN AD! CALL 440-329-7000

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, April 16, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

COVID-19 deaths mount, OHSAA gives tentative both at home and abroad dates for spring sports STAFF REPORT

Eight people have died of COVID-19 in Lorain County, and cases continue to grow at a faster clip.

As of press time Tuesday night, there were 194 confirmed coronavirus cases, 338 people who direct contact with the patients were quarantined and 133 more were being monitored, according to Lorain County Public Health.

There were 54 hospitalizations. The people who contracted the virus ranged in age from 22 to 96 years old.

LCPH reported that 205 people had been released from quarantine and 47 cases were considered recovered.

Across the state, coronavirus cases jumped to 7,153 despite orders shutting down all non-essential businesses and requiring residents to stay home as

much as possible.

The Ohio Department of Health reported 2,156 hospitalizations as of Tuesday, 654 intensive care admissions and 324 deaths.

In the United States, there were 579,005 cases and 22,252 deaths.

Globally, more than 113,200 people had been killed by the virus.

Health officials are warning "the surge" is still ahead, and schools and businesses statewide are closed through at least May 1. Hospitals are bracing for mass admissions.

Lorain County Public Health issued a statement to commend those working to respond to the coronavirus.

“We extend gratitude to first responders such as police, fire and EMS who help protect the community from COVID-19,” said board President William Spreng. “Thank you so much to healthcare workers, public health workers

and others on the front lines who put themselves at risk to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

“The LCPH Board is also thankful for those working in other essential services, especially in grocery and food services,” said Vice President Patricia Schrull.

State officials said Ohio's cache of personal protective equipment remains severe.

Gov. Mike DeWine issued a plea last week to health care workers, asking them to send N-95 face masks to Columbus-based Battelle, which can sterilize up to 160,000 each day, making them reusable up to 20 times.

"Every mask is precious.

Please don't throw them away," DeWine said. "We are trying to get more N-95 masks in Ohio, but we still don't have enough. When you throw a mask away you are depriving someone else of having a mask because we only have so many."

If schools reopen in early May, the Ohio High School Athletic Association has a plan for a shortened spring sports season.

But if the COVID-19 pandemic stretches further, and schools can't reopen their facilities, the OHSAA is prepared to cancel the season.

“This crisis has heightened the awareness that students want to be back in the classroom. Teachers want students back in the classroom," said OHSAA Executive Director Jerry Snodgrass. "In our solid belief that school-based athletic programs are an extension of the classroom, we hold that same belief for our student-athletes and coaches. Getting kids back with coaches is much more than winning and we feel it a vital part of returning life to normalcy.”

BASEBALL • Acclimation period – May 4-8 • Season begins – May 9 • Sectionals – May 23-30 • Districts – June 1-6 • Regionals – June 11-12 • State tournament at Akron Canal Park (subject to change) – June 19-21 • Season concludes (regular-season games can be played up until this date) – June 27

SOFTBALL • Acclimation period – May 4-8 • Season begins – May 9 • Sectionals – May 30-June 6 • Districts – June 8-13 • Regionals – June 15-20 • State tournament at Akron Firestone Stadium (subject to change) – June 25-27 • Season concludes (regular-season games can be played up until this date) – July 4 BOYS TENNIS • Acclimation Period – May 4-8 • Season begins – May 9 • Sectionals – May 30 to June 6 • Districts – June 8-13 • State tournament at Hilliard Davidson High School (subject to change) – June 18-20 • Season concludes (regular-season contests can be played up until this date) – June 27 TRACK AND FIELD • Acclimation period – May 4-8 • Season begins – May 9 • Districts – June 9-13 • Regionals – June 17-20 • State tournament – June 26-27. Sites include (subject to change): Division I at Hilliard Darby; Division II at Pickerington North; Division III at Westerville North • Season concludes (regular-season meets can be held up until this date) – June 27

The OHSAA called plans to reopen schools on May 4 “optimistic.”

County should expect 'downturn in revenue' due to virus DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Lorain County should expect "a downturn in revenue" stemming from the economic damage done by the COVID-19 pandemic, County Administrator Jim Cordes told county commissioners last week.

As commissioners approved borrowing more than $12 million by issuing short-term bonds on ongoing projects, Cordes said some projects that were scheduled this year may have to be put off until 2021.

"These are projects already un-

derway," he said, "... so it's not new projects we're spending money on."

Projects that could be put off might include the rehabilitation of the third floor of the old Lorain County Courthouse in Elyria to fit additional Adult Probation Department officers and staff.

Cordes said some projects might be slowed down or postponed past the end of the year. He said the county is not issuing new debt but can't stop projects like repairs to the county Administration Building parking deck "part-way through."

Other projects the bonds will help fund are the Emerald Woods sewer improvement project in Columbia Township; sanitary sewer improve-

ments to serve "Project Apple Pie," the as-yet unidentified development of 100 acres of the former Spiegelberg Orchards property between Middle Ridge Road and state Route 2; and the Hampshire Farms sanitary sewer project.

Commissioners also approved issuing $1.05 million in bond anticipation notes to improve the fuel tanks and pumps at the Lorain County Engineer's Office on Hadaway Street in Elyria. The county will borrow money that will be paid back from the county's share of motor vehicle gas taxes.

The fuel pumps at the Engineer's Office are "antique," Cordes said, joking that they are so old they

should be in a museum.

The county "can't wait" to replace the pumps, and the project costs so much because existing fuel tanks have to be removed, the soil around them tested and removed in case there have been leaks, and new tanks installed.

The county buys fuel for its vehicles in bulk at a "significant discount," Cordes said, saving taxpayers money. The pumps serve county-owned vehicles from the Engineer's Office to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office.

Commissioner Matt Lundy said the work definitely needs to be done now.

"No one needs a frantic call from

the sheriff saying the pumps aren't working," he said. "We need to pump fuel for deputies and our road patrols and crews."

Commissioners held last Wednesday's meeting without an audience, save for a lone deputy sheriff for security, and broadcast it on their Facebook page and website for public health reasons.

"That's in compliance with what we've been asked to do," Commissioner Sharon Sweda said.

Lundy said the commissioners will continue to be available to the public by phone or email.

"We've always welcome those and will respond to those," he said.

COLUMN

Help pollinators thrive in your yard this spring

CHANGING BY DEGREES LINDA ARBOGAST

If you are like me, you have already started thinking about your gardening plans and begun preparing garden beds.

This year, I encourage everyone to think about and take action to support pollinators in our gardens, yards and overall landscapes.

In the 1996 book, "The Forgotten Pollinators," authors Buchmann and Nabhan stated that insect and animal pollinators are

needed for the reproduction of 90 percent of flowering plants and one-third of human food crops. We all need pollinators to provide us with a wide range of foods as well as to support the biological diversity in natural ecosystems that sustain our quality of life.

Seventy-five percent of the world’s food crops depend on pollination by at least one of the 20,000 species of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, moths, wasps, beetles, birds, bats and other vertebrates.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the three main threats to pollinators are habitat loss, degradation of soil and fragmentation (large breaks between habitats). A recent Fish and Wildlife Services report warns that more than 40 percent of invertebrate pollinator species — particularly bees and butterflies — face extinction, and 16 percent of vertebrate pollinators are also under threat.

The good news is that everyone with a yard of any size or pots on your patio can support pollinators and tackle all three of the threats noted above.

Three steps to consider: • Plant a pollinator garden focusing on native species. For an excellent list, check out the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at www.ohiodnr. gov/gonative.

There are a lot of good reasons to focus on native

species, including the fact that our local pollinators are adapted to them, they tend to cost less, have lower maintenance requirements, they don’t usually need fertilizers or pesticides and native species control erosion and filter storm water.

• Provide nesting sites.

Leave some ground undisturbed and sparsely vegetated for ground-nesting bees. Consider leaving a dead tree or limb undis-

turbed. Prune some of your shrubs (specifically those with hollow stems like roses and coneflowers) back to a foot in height to allow for nesting habitat. And consider some milkweed plants for the monarch butterfly to lay her eggs on.

• Avoid or limit pesticide use. Alternatives include removing pests by hand, encouraging native predators with a diverse garden habitat and simply accepting a little pest activity in

your garden.

In honor of Earth Day, which this year falls on April 22, The city of Oberlin and the Western Reserve Land Conservancy are giving away native pollinator plants to Oberlin residents. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes clear when we can safely have this event.

Linda Arbogast is the sustainability director for the city of Oberlin.

CONFIDENCE IN

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Wouldn’t it be comforting to know she will receive the care she needs and her legacy will be protected?

You are not alone — we will be with you every step of the way.

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Elder Law · Medicaid Planning Estate Planning · Asset Protection Care Advocacy Services

Page A4

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 36, No. 19

Fill in the missing words from the list below.

How many leaves can you find on this page? Have a friend try.Who found the most?

In a sloth’s life, slow is the word.They’re the great reminders that sometimes it’s a good idea to kick back, relax and just enjoy hanging around.

There are two main __________ of sloth. One has two and the other three __________ on their front feet. The two species look a lot alike.

Sloths eat very slowly. They eat mostly leaves and fruit. Because they move so slowly, they don’t go looking for watering holes. They get their water from the fruits and leaves they eat.

Sloths move so slowly that algae and fungi grow on them. This is a good thing because the algae makes their fur look a bit green. This helps to camouflage them when they are hanging from branches in the rainforest.

loths can swim faster than they move on land.

And because they can slow their heart rate to one-third of its normal pace, they can hold their breath for a long time. Find out how long they can stay underwater by adding the 10 numbers along the correct path of 5 this maze.

Sloths digest food slowly. It can take up to a month for a sloth to digest a single meal, according to the Jacksonville Zoo in Florida.

10

5

There is a little moth that only lives on a sloth. It feeds on the algae that grows in the sloth’s fur.

We slothsrarely comedown from the trees because on the ground is when we’re most easily caught by predators.

Once aweek, we descend for one reason.Why? Circleevery other letter to discover the answer!

5

10

While on the ground, three-toed sloths travel at just 6–8 ft (1.8–2.4m) per minute.

They’re slightly quicker in the rainforest canopy, where they can whiz by at speeds of 15 ft (4.6m) per minute!

Even at their fastest, they still move five times slower than a drifting iceberg.

BT YOMGKOV T WOJTSHDE UBFAV TMHBRKOTOSM

MINUTES

5 10 5

5

5 5

5

Who are relatives of sloths?

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

CODE

A= With their long arms and shaggy fur, they look a bit D= like monkeys, but they are actually related to another group of animals. Use the code to discover the answer. E = I= L= M= N= O= P= R= S= T=

CAMOUFLAGE HANGING MONKEYS S M O N K E Y S S L SPECIES P O T S E S L O T H CANOPY E H Y S H E R U C A CAUGHT SHAGGY C W H P A A R N L N SLOTH I S H T O M G G A G ALGAE E G G I A N A G Z I FUNGI S R N O Z E A U Y N MOTHS GREEN N C A U G H T C D G CURE E G A L F U O M A C LAZY Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical WHIZ words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Take Your Time

Where do they live?

Sloths live in Central and _________ America.

Life-saving sloths?

A recent ___________ shows that some species of fungi found in sloth fur might _________ to cure certain kinds of cancer.

This week’s word:

SPECIES

The noun species means a class of living things of the same kind.

Not all species of spiders are poisonous.

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

The Lion’s Tale

Slow down while you read an article in today’s paper. With a green marker, underline the who and what the article is about. Circle the words that tell you when and where.

ANSWER: Snooze papers!

Standards Link: Writing Applications: Write a narrative that develops

They also have two extra neck ________, allowing them to turn their heads 270 degrees!

Sloth: More Than One Meaning

Sloth is the name of one of the world’s slowest moving animals. And it is a word that means lazy, slow-moving, lack of effort.

Look through the newspaper for three or more other words that have more than one meaning. Cut out each word and write down its different meanings.

5

Two-toed sloths are slightly ____________.

Three-toed sloths have markings on their faces that make them look like they're always ________________.

Write a story about a lion.

It can be about a sad lion or a happy lion, a brave lion or a cowardly lion. You decide.

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, April 16, 2020

WELL-HELP VOLUNTEERS

Oberlin OKs loans to help businesses survive crisis JASON HAWK EDITOR

Photos by Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

JoAnn Gill and Julie Shaw organize donated food into boxes for Well-Help's annual Easter give-away.

Easter giveaway serves 200 families JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Wearing masks and hefting hams, a corps of volunteers gave a little Easter hope Friday to families struggling to get by.

A stream of cars pulled up between First United Methodist Church and Town Hall on Route 58 and about 200 families received boxes full of

food.

"The objective is to have enough in the box to prepare for an Easter dinner," said John Copley, who sits on the board of Well-Help.

The Wellington-based nonprofit is giving out food from 10 a.m. to noon five days a week and has seen the need spike since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Well-Help's annual Easter giveaway usually provides food to about

150 families. Copley said new faces have been showing up for the past month due to the state's unprecedented business shutdowns and stay-athome order.

"The longer it goes, the more we're entering into unknowns," he said.

Bernie Raab, office coordinator for Well-Help, said there were 18 new families asking for assistance last WELL-HELP PAGE B2

Newspaper ad leads to emergency surgery for Oberlin man who has Down syndrome JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Feeling a bump on her son's stomach, Mary McKee of Oberlin remembered seeing a newspaper ad about hernia treatments.

Pieces started clicking together in her mind, and the next thing she knew, her boy was being rushed into emergency surgery.

Gus, 23, who has Down syndrome and does not speak, needs help shaving and bathing. While giving him a hand, McKee found the unexpected bump.

"It seemed like there was something poking out there," she said.

Gus had open heart surgery at three months old and has a long scar running down his chest. But McKee said something was different — and that's when she remembered a UH ad about hernia symptoms that had appeared in The Chronicle-Telegram on Feb. 19.

She went to her family doctor, Deon Regis, at Mercy Health Allen Hospital in Oberlin for a consultation. An ultrasound showed a problem with Gus' intestine.

SURGERY PAGE B2

OBERLIN — Interest-free loans up to $10,000 are being offered by City Council to help local businesses weather the coronavirus crisis.

Oberlin has $106,000 in Community Development Block Grant funds that can go to for-profit businesses that employ low to moderate income workers.

The money can be used to help cover rent, mortgages, utilities, inventory purchases and payroll, according to Carrie Handy, the city's planning and development director. Payments will be deferred for six months.

"My sense is that our downtown businesses in particular are really hurting, and this could potentially be beneficial. The money is needed now," Councilman Ray English said last Monday.

An emergency vote made the loans available right away. Each must be approved by Council.

In the same meeting, Oberlin Finance Director Sal Talarico provided information on two levies set to expire at the end of the year, and asked Council to place renewals on the ballot.

The first provides money to operate city garbage and recycling collections. The levy costs about $82 for the owner of a $100,000 house.

The second levy generates about $147,000 per year for Oberlin's general fund, which pays for day-to-day operations such as police, firefighters and public works.

It costs about $125 for the owner of a $100,000 house.

Talarico said both could go on the ballot for renewal as early as November, but more likely in May 2021.

Talarico said in a previous interview that Oberlin's finances are solid and the city has reserve funds to get through the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, the city relies heavily on income taxes, he told Council, and state orders closing non-essential businesses are expected to take a heavy toll.

"We track the top 20 income tax payers, so after April I'll have a better idea," Talarico told Council.

"At this point we clearly know the restaurants are affected," he said, and some have already been set up on utility deferment plans.

English said some businesses have already been forced to close, and raised the idea of a utility "holiday" to give local businesses a break.

Councilman Kelley Singleton said he is concerned that revenue from Oberlin's hotel tax will also be devastated.

Right now, city spending is outpacing tax income, Talarico said. He expects to dig into reserves to get through the crisis.

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EARS? YOU DON’T HAVE TO “JUST LIVE WITH IT � — SCHEDULE A TINNITUS EVALUATION TODAY! Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

Gus McKee, 23, gives a thumbs up while standing outside of his Oberlin home on Wednesday, March 8.

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Page B2

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Motorcycle crash near KFC Oberlin mulling ways to encourage, regulate murals

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A 19-year-old man suffered a broken foot in a motorcycle crash last Tuesday night on Route 58.

Ian Freeman of Amherst Township said he was bruised and sore the next day, and would need follow-up surgery.

The crash happened just after 7 p.m. in front of the entrance to KFC, accord-

ing to Amherst Police Lt. Dan Makruski.

He said Freeman was thrown from his bike and taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital with a possible broken leg.

Freeman said he was driving down the highway when a black Ford Focus pulled out, allegedly cutting in front of him to make a left turn. The motorcycle slammed into the car.

"My leg was pinned between my bike and his

car," Freeman said. "I almost did like a front flip over the hood over the car.

Based on the damage to my helmet, it looks like I hit my head on the curb and rolled the rest of the way into the grass."

"It could have been a lot worse," he said.

The first call received by dispatchers indicated a child was involved in the crash. Makruski said that didn't appear to be the case, based on what information he had Wednesday.

PROTECTING WELLINGTON WORKERS

The village of Wellington has secured cloth masks for all its employees.

As of Monday, workers have been required to wear them in all situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain, said Mayor Hans Schneider.

That may include when shopping for goods or services in stores, two or more employees working in tight spaces, sharing vehicles or reading meters inside buildings.

"These are just some examples," Schneider said. "We would ask employ-

ees to use their best judgment when determining when to wear cloth masks.

If employees prefer to wear a mask at all times, that is perfectly fine."

The order is the result of new guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The agency says that while cloth masks are not as effective as surgical or N-95 masks, they can help slow the spread of COVID-19. They are recommended for people who may be asymptomatic or presymptomatic.

COLUMN

Chief: Please support the Wellington Fire District With our current operating levy set to expire at the end of this year, the Wellington Fire District is asking for the support of our citizens via absentee ballot.

Our strategic planning and budgeting forecast allow us to request a replacement levy at the current 2.75 mills. Issue 15 means no increase in millage, and is our sole source of funding. This millage equates to $96.25 for each $100,000 of property valuation.

Over the next five years, the $4.6 million in revenue generated from Issue 15 will provide for all district operations, including maintenance of equipment, facilities and apparatus, as well as our short- and medium-range capital expenditures.

Several years ago, we developed and began using an annual capital expenditures model outlining our planned capital purchases each year for the next 10 to 15 years. This model allows us to plan these large purchases such as apparatus, facility upgrades and mandated equipment in increments that make financial sense. Some of the expenses planned for the next five years include replacing an unreliable and antiquated radio system, replacement of our reserve pumper, refurbing our heavy rescue truck and the beginning of another turnout gear replacement cycle. These capital costs alone are expected to reach

MIKE WETHERBEE FIRE CHIEF

nearly $900,000.

In early 2017, the district began plans to expand our Kelly Street station to provide more space and needed amenities to maintain health and wellness requirements of OSHA and the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.

We have saved money for this project — however, the project has been slowed to see how the election turns out. Still, our priority remains providing the highest level of service to our citizens. We have always maintained the goal of practicing fiscal responsibility and planning to avoid becoming a financial burden to our residents.

We are in a period right now that few, if any of us have ever experienced.

The changes made regarding the voting process will require extra effort to cast a ballot. With this process unfamiliar to the majority of the voting public, I think the district feels the same as many other orga-

nizations who have issues on the ballot, as well as the candidates, regarding voter turnout and the associated effects that the current pandemic may have on election results. I still feel, however, that many will complete the process and exercise their right to vote.

Never taking anything for granted, the fire district has always appreciated the support and generosity of our citizens, and will strive to continue meeting and exceeding their expectations. We stand committed to serving the needs of our communities no matter what the situation. The Wellington Fire District is one of the largest in the state and provides fire, rescue, and public education services to a coverage area of 125 square miles, and 13,000 residents in Wellington village and the townships of Wellington, Brighton, Huntington, Penfield and Pittsfield.

The Wellington firefighters respectfully ask for your support! All voting must be done via absentee ballot. This process includes requesting a ballot, and once receiving it, filling it out and ensuring it reaches the Board of Elections before the deadline.

Please visit www.loraincountyelections.com to request an absentee ballot application. Your ballot must be postmarked by midnight on April 27, or received at the Board of Elections office by April 28. Please vote yes on Issue 15.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 APRIL 10, 2020

BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE LIVE STREAMED AT http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live

APRIL 20, 2020 ......REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 PM 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.

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Artists want to create vibrant murals for the public, and City Council is considering ways to encourage them.

Sylvan Long of Oberlin's Open Space and Visual Environment Commission asked Council last week to form another commission to promote and approve public art installations.

"We are proposing starting relatively small," he said.

He envisions a board staffed by art experts that would grant permit applications, set rules about murals and seek grant funding for the arts.

Officials were receptive to more art, which City Manager Rob Hillard said would help revitalize Oberlin's downtown area.

The proposal comes with some First Amendment concerns, though.

OHIO TURNPIKE

The Ohio Turnpike Commission is beginning essential infrastructure construction projects this month throughout northern Ohio.

Its focus in the short-term will be to maintain, repair and operate the Turnpike for essential personnel to continue using during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“More than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ohio Turnpike’s role as a nationally ranked freight corridor is essential to move freight where it’s needed most to help Americans in the battle against an unseen enemy,” said Executive Director Ferzan Ahmed.

Pavement replacement is scheduled to begin along the Turnpike in Fulton and Lucas counties, with one lane closed at a time. Pavement resurfacing projects in Ottawa, Sandusky and Erie counties also will begin this spring.

To limit delays for customers, the Commission will strive to maintain two lanes of traffic in all three-lane sections during peak travel times. Some single lane zones will be necessary but will occur mostly during off-peak travel times or overnight.

"I don't want the city to be deciding what art is," said Councilman Kelley Singleton.

He said there is nothing on the books right now to stop private property owners from commissioning murals on their buildings.

Oberlin's zoning ordinance has rules for commercial signs, but doesn't specifically address art installations.

"I'm a little worried we're creating laws or loopholes for people to jump through that they don't have to jump through now," Singleton said.

Law Director Jon Clark also had reservations. "When we talk about an approval of art, that makes me nervous," he said.

Some building owners are comfortable with creating murals, said Long, but others have questions about whether they'll be penalized.

Council voted to direct Hillard to have his staff explore plans for creating more public art in Oberlin. Singleton cast the lone dissenting vote.

A substantial portion of all projects is expected to be completed by early November.

SOCIAL SECURITY

Social Security and Supplemental Security Income benefit payments will be paid on time during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to agency Commissioner Andrew Saul.

His offices are also urging recipients to be aware of scammers who may try to take advantage of the crisis to trick you into providing personal information or payment via retail gift cards, wire transfers, internet currency or by mailing cash.

“I want our beneficiaries to be aware that scammers may try to trick you into thinking the pandemic is stopping or somehow changing your Social Security payments, but that is not true. Don’t be fooled,” Saul said.

The agency has temporarily changed its national 800 number hours to 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. local time. The agency is experiencing longer than normal wait times on the 800 number and asks the public to remain patient and whenever possible use online services at www.socialsecurity.gov.

WELL-HELP

FROM B1 month.

The nonprofit usually only serves residents of the southern portion of Lorain County. But the situation has gotten so desperate that the marching orders now are to feed anyone who shows up, she said.

"It is going up, and they all tell me they just lost their jobs," Raab said.

Most seem optimistic the crisis will soon pass and the economy will begin to right itself, but others feel life will never quite return to normal, she said.

Folks who drove up Friday were each

given an eight- to 10-pound ham, canned yams, stuffing, instant mashed potatoes, canned fruit and vegetables.

The food was purchased through Second Harvest and Village Market, said Raab. There were also jelly beans and Easter egg-shaped cookies handed out to families with children.

Well-Help operates on donations. Copley said with the need growing, those gifts are needed more than ever.

You can donate food or money to WellHelp Inc., 194 South Main St., Wellington, OH 44090.

Well-Help volunteers Judy Greer and Sandy Hamilton load a van with boxed food for an Easter meal on Friday, April 10 next to Town Hall.

SURGERY

FROM B1 Gus signaled that he wasn't in pain, and no elective surgeries are being performed in Ohio during the COVID-19 crisis. But physicians agreed he was in danger and needed surgery right away, McKee said.

"During the pandemic, we were hoping that he wouldn't have to deal with hospitals," she said.

Doctors told her it was a necessary risk, and Gus went under the knife last Friday.

They made a four-inch incision in his abdomen to repair the damage.

For Gus, the situation was traumatic "because he doesn't understand," his mother said. "He can't deal with IV's and shots and everything else... But he's quite a strong guy."

She was the only family member allowed to be at the hospital during her son's operation. It took a matter of hours, and then Gus was sent home to avoid exposure to the coronavirus, McKee said.

"Thanks to the newspaper and our doctors, I am happy to report that Gus is today recovering from non-elective hernia repair surgery," she said.

"Yes, it was a strange time to have to go to the hospital. Yet medical people we dealt with steadied us and encouraged us and helped us cope. Just like our newspapers."

"Our thanks to the journalists and the medical professionals for, so far, a happy ending."

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

OBERLIN CITY SCHOOLS

BRIEFS Amherst school donations

The following gifts have been accepted by the Amherst Board of Education: • $100 from Amanda Ezso for Heidi Triska's first grade class.

• $3,000 from Boeing for the 2019-2020 robotics competition season.

OHSAA basketball honors

Amherst Comets senior Amaya Staton has earned an All-Ohio honorable mention for Division I.

City Council

There are no meetings of Amherst City Council scheduled until further notice, according to a message from Council Clerk Olga Sivinski.

Oberlin property development

Provided photo

Oberlin competitors took part in National History Day, showing projects at Case Western Reserve University.

Oberlin students excel with projects at District 3 National History Day DONNA SHURR OBERLIN SCHOOLS

Ten Oberlin High School students and 10 eighth-graders from Langston Middle School completed projects for District 3 History Day at Case Western Reserve University.

They defended their projects before a panel of judges on the 2019 theme "Breaking Barriers in History."

Emma Kim, Greta Arbogast and Daria Martz created a documentary entitled “Breaking the Barriers of Climate Change in Higher Education: Oberlin College’s Approach to Sustainable Development." Their project received the Early Settlers Association Award sponsored by the Early Settlers Association of the Western Reserve and the Oberlin Heritage Center’s Hubbard Prize.

This award was created by Oberlin Heritage Center members Gail and Ned Hubbard of Centreville to

recognize student historians who live in Lorain County and present an outstanding paper, documentary or website project.

Receiving third place in the senior group documentary category, their project will move on to state competition, which may take place virtually.

Lena Heins, Noelle Ignagni, Nathan Hogg, Jack Freas and Rosie Turner received excellent marks from judges for their group performance, “Netherlands: The First to Legalize Same-sex Marriage.”

Ewan Inglis and Asher Cipinko presented their group website, “Breaking Barriers: Flying High with Jacqueline Cochron” and received excellent and superior ratings from judges.

Cipinko and Inglis received third place in the senior group website division and will also move onto the state level competition.

In the Individual Junior Exhibit category, eighth-grader Grant Squires received an honorable men-

tion for his project, “Rebecca Lee Crumpler: First African-American Doctor.” Squires is also eligible to move on to state competition.

Other LMS students in the competition included historical papers by: • Naomi Bates, “The LGBT Rights Movement” • Ruby Harrison-Stubbs, “Madam C.J.Walker” • Glenn Hobbs, “NASA Breaking Through the Sky” • Abigail Loeffler, “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” • Kyra Lopez, “Minorities in the Military Breaking Barriers" • Deven Meade, “Breaking Barriers: The Discovery of Penicillin” • Gabriel Regis prepared a junior individual website entitled “The Tuskegee Syphilis Study.”

OHS teacher and History Day adviser Donna Shurr, eighth grade English teacher Alison Smith and eighth grade social studies teacher Nik Ruiz accompanied the students to the competition in Cleveland.

Professional certifications and licenses at stake for JVS seniors JASON HAWK EDITOR

Watching a welding demonstration online while stuck at home just isn't the same as holding a blowtorch yourself.

As Ohio's coronavirus quarantine grinds on with no return date for K-12 schools in sight, vocational students face unique challenges, said Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth.

"A lot of instructors are trying to be very creative to get some of their information across," he said. "It won't replace the hands-on, but we're trying to be as creative as possible."

Teens were sent home from the JVS in midMarch with digital devices in hand.

Yet iPads are no substitute for laboratory time or internships, Faircloth said.

His big fear is that the Class of 2020 won't be able to earn professional certifications that will help them stride into the workforce after graduation.

For example, cosmetology students would be cutting hair and practicing manicures this semes-

ter, racking up valuable "seat-hours" needed for licensure. Seniors would be running a full-service salon and getting ready for the Ohio State Cosmetology and Barber Board exam.

"There's no substituting that experience," said Faircloth, who has few answers about what will happen before the end of the academic year. "This is brand new for all of us.

No one has ever experienced this in our lifetimes."

"We're going to do what we have to do," he said.

"We're going to have to bring those students back in next year, maybe — whatever the governor decides... We're learning as we go, being as flexible as we can to get it done."

For now, the JVS isn't getting any helpful guidance from the Ohio Department of Education.

We asked the ODE what direction it's providing to vocational schools on certifications and got an empty response.

"You ask a good question," said Deputy Director of Communications Mandy Minick. "We are working diligently to get the answers as things continue to unfold. We

are working together with state and non-state agencies/credentialing bodies to determine some of these answers. What I can tell you is our goal is to be able to provide as much flexibility as we can within our authority."

Like other school superintendents in Lorain County, Faircloth said he is preparing for the likely event that students won't physically return to classrooms this year.

"If we don't go back, we still have a commitment to deliver the best quality education possible," he said.

Teachers are working different schedules to try to reach students in the most effective way they can. Students are turning work in digitally, and video-conferencing with instructors with follow-up questions.

The odds are poor that the JVS will have its annual senior recognition ceremony at the Lorain Palace Theater.

"I don't think it's going to happen. And I could be wrong, I don't know," Faircloth said. "This is a day-to-day struggle for the state, making decisions."

Whatever happens, he's

The former Green Acres and Bait Canteen sites, along with Oberlin’s research and commerce park on Route 511, are getting some attention.

City Council has directed City Manager Rob Hillard to look at how the three properties can be developed.

Hillard said last week that he wants to “connect these plans to a broader vision” that will provide economic and social opportunities for Oberlin — though the coronavirus crisis will slow the process.

“We know that we’re an attractive community,” he said.

FCCLA regionals

Soria Rodriquez of Oberlin, an early childhood education junior at the Lorain County JVS, received a gold medal in the National Programs in Action event at the regional FCCLA competition.

Oberlin school donations

The following gifts have been received by the Oberlin Board of Education: • $340 from Dr. Melanie Satterfield of Oberlin Family Dental for dental items to send home with students in need.

• $8,000 from Marvin Gordon-Lickey for a Baldwin piano for the Oberlin High School choir.

• $1,000 from Sodexo for OHS student activities.

• $715 from Mavrich & Mavrich Insurance for T-shirts for the black student union Just Mercy project.

Phoenix football venue

Five varsity football games will be played this spring at Oberlin College.

The Oberlin Board of Education approved a deal March 25 to pay $7,500 in a recreation facility agreement.

Lorain County Fair on TV

Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 10 — a Cooking Channel episode of “Carnival Eats” featuring the Lorain County Fair is scheduled to air at 9 p.m.

A film crew visited Wellington during fair week in August to film a portion of an episode entitled “Attack of the Mac & Cheese,” which focuses on the Kentucky State Fair and Lorain County Fair.

Good advice

Take it from the Ohio Fire Marshal’s Office: “Unattended cooking is one of the leading causes of home fires. If there’s a fire in your kitchen, don’t try and put it out. Get out and call 911.”

To reduce your risk of fire, plug only one heat-producing appliance directly into a wall outlet at a time. Extension cords should only be used temporarily.

promised to find a way to congratulate each graduate.

He's also sensitive to what the pandemic means for the families he serves.

Faircloth, who has experienced homelessness and desperate hunger, said his heart is breaking for families that will be devastated by the virus' economic impact.

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Page B4

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Hook’s Greenhouse 50740 State Route 18 Wellington, Ohio 44090 440-647-5480 Let’s Get Ready for

Dear Valued Customers, Family and Friends, Hook’s Greenhouse is taking extra precautions to safeguard the health of our employees and our customers. The current goal is to have fewer customers in the greenhouse at a time to encourage the social distancing that is currently in place. The retail greenhouse is 20,000+ square feet and can accommodate customers with appropriate distances while also providing a safe and calm oasis-like environment.

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Thank you for your support and stay safe.

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