Lorain County Community Guide - April 22, 2021

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, April 22, 2021

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Anguish and anger Vigil on Tappan Square for victims of police violence JASON HAWK EDITOR

College will spend $140M on geothermal JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A vigil left the stone steps of the Tappan Square Memorial Arch covered in flowers and hundreds of candles Sunday, as Oberlin College students mourned the victims of police violence.

Votives burned through the night. Many of the flames were still alive Monday morning as closing arguments began in the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.

He is charged with seconddegree murder for the death of George Floyd. Video footage shows Chauvin kneeling on Floyd’s neck for 9 minutes 29 seconds, ignoring pleas for help.

Along one of the Oberlin memorial’s curved walls facing North Professor Street sat two framed portraits of another victim, Daunte Wright. One showed him holding two-year-old son Daunte Jr. Wright, 20, was gunned down by police April 11 in a suburb of Minneapolis, sparking long nights of protests across the nation. He died of a single gunshot wound to the chest.

Officer Kimberly Potter, who has since resigned and has been charged with second-degree manslaughter, said she was trying to serve a warrant during a traffic stop and accidentally grabbed her service gun instead of a Taser.

Dozens of notes were left on the Tappan Square memorial, which is owned by Oberlin College. Some were written to the fallen: “Dear Daunte, your unjust murder has removed a light to this world,” said one that vowed not to rest until justice is served.

“To those who came before

& those who will come after, I thank you,” said another. “I remember you. I love you. I pray that you feel our joy. I pray that you know our peace.”

Yet others took aim at those who wear badges, even going so far as to call for abolition of police departments.

“Police are not gods amongst men,” said one note, while another asked, “Who do you protect and serve?”

“Police have proven time + time again to serve themselves, not the people who are in their communities,” said another.

Oberlin Police Chief Ryan Warfield said he believes law

OBERLIN — With its existing steam system literally falling apart, Oberlin College announced Monday it will spend an estimated $140 million to convert to geothermal heating and cooling over the next four years.

"This has been a long time coming for Oberlin," the college's chief facilities officer, Kevin Brown, told City Council Monday night, describing how more than 1,000 geothermal wells will be drilled.

The college's steam system is a century old, and leaks have become common, especially on the south side of campus.

Piping there has disintegrated to the point that only the outside insulation is holding it together, Brown said, showing Council pictures of a recent steam pipe rupture near Warner Gym where more than 100 feet had to be replaced.

“We had to act, so we did this the Oberlin way,” wrote President Carmen Ambar in a message to students, faculty, staff and alumni. “We started with a rigorous, exhaustive examination of every possible option.

Then, armed with that data, our trustees made a bold decision that will not just fix the problem — it will show other large institutions across the country that it is possible to improve living and working conditions for students, faculty, and staff, while addressing a global challenge that touches all of us.”

Almost a decade ago, Oberlin College started looking at options for fixing or replacing

VIGIL PAGE A2

GEOTHERMAL PAGE A3

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

ABOVE: Candles and flowers are lit on Tappan Square in Oberlin for Daunte Wright, the 20-year-old gunned down last weekend by police in Brooklyn Center, a suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Described as a doting father and basketball fan, Wright is now among the long list of Black men who have been killed by police. BELOW: Oberlin College students call into question the role and actions of police officers.

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‘911, what’s your emergency?’

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA — A Rubik's cube sits on Jordan Hoover's desk. When he's not saving lives, he toys with it, calming his nerves.

"I'm a fidgeter," the Lorain County 911 dispatcher of two years said last week, leaning away from his desk Photos by Kristin Bauer | Chronicle and spinning the colorful cube in his hands. "This Jordan Hoover, a 911 emergency dispatcher, helps me decompress." speaks April 14 about taking calls for help from With more than 78,000 all over Lorain County.

Copyright 2021 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

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calls to the county's nerve center on Burns Road in the first three months of the year, there hasn't been much time to relax.

Just a few minutes before stopping to talk, Hoover had taken a call about a woman stuck on a roof in Kipton.

The most common calls he handles — about 70 percent of the volume routed to his phone, he estimated — are domestic disputes.

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Community Chorus has sung its last notes • B1

New crown lifted into place atop First Church • B1

New movie mecca? Town eyed for Netflix flick • A3

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

Page A2

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES Sherrill Kay Kolbe

Harriet Virginia (Forney)

Funeral services for Sherrill Kay Kolbe, 85 of Cookeville, Tennessee, were held Thursday, April 15, 2021, at 1 p.m. in the Cookeville Chapel of Hooper-Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home.

Pastor Ted Kocher officiated. Interment followed at Cookeville City Cemetery.

Pallbearers were Matt Dexter, Joey Meredith, Corey Bond, Gary Meredith, Fentris Bond, Steven Chapman, Jamie Chapman and Jesse Chapman.

Mrs. Kolbe died Sunday, April 11, 2021, at her residence. She was born March 14, 1936, in Amherst, to the late Frank F. and Paulene M. (Bartlome) Barck. She was a graduate of Amherst High School.

She moved to Cookeville in 1990 from Lakeside, Ohio and was employed at Ironwood Golf Course. Later, she worked as a medical clerk for Family Foot and Ankle Center. She was an avid reader who enjoyed flowers, butterflies, hummingbirds along with her favorite Murder, She Wrote and Hallmark movies. But more than anything she loved and enjoyed her grandchildren. She was a kind, strong, and selfless role model for her family.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a sister and brother-in-law, Connie and Al Schuller.

She is survived by her adoring family: three daughters and two sons-in-laws, Denette E. Kolbe, Kim and Gary Meredith, all of Cookeville, Tennessee, Paula and Fentris Bond of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; five grandchildren, Amy Dexter of Boston, Massachusetts, Matt Dexter of Cookeville, Tennessee, Joey Meredith and wife, Lindsay of Nashville, Tennessee, Corey Bond and Ciera Bond, both of Elizabethtown, Kentucky and her niece, Debbie Matthews and husband, Steve of Georgia.

Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements, (931) 526-6111.

Share memories and condolences at www.hhh funerals.com.

Harriet Virginia (Forney) Ody, adoring wife, spectacular mother, affectionate grandmother and great-grandmother and loyal friend, passed away peacefully at her home in LaSalle, Michigan, surrounded by her loving family on Tuesday, April 13, 2021, 10 days shy of her 88th birthday, after fiercely (and gracefully) battling lymphoma for a decade. She was born to Richard A. Forney and Hilda I. (Kuebler) Forney on April 23, 1933, in La Porte, Ohio.

After graduating from high school, Harriet earned her Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Kent State University. There, she met her soulmate and loving husband of 45 years, Dr. Phillip C. Ody, DDS. She later earned her Master's degree in Art Therapy from the University of Toledo.

In her professional life, she was an elementary school teacher in Chicago, Illinois and Columbus, Ohio (where Phil finished his dental school education, specializing in endodontics) and in Toledo (where Phil started his successful dental practice). Together, they built their dream home in Lambertville, Michigan, where they raised their four children, Phillip, Janine, Michael and Bret. Her passion to teach children never waned and after her children were grown, she began an in-home preschool. Eventually, she helped raise all of her grandchildren (who affectionately call her 'Nonny' and Phil 'Papa Ody'), even relocating to Georgia for 15 years. She loved children with every ounce of her heart.

Harriet took great pleasure in life's simple things.

She enjoyed reading autobiographies, playing piano, camping, birdwatching, riding her bike, viewing a sunset, attending baseball games, watching Tiger Woods play golf, catching old reruns of Cheyenne, baking with her grandchildren, attending her children's and grandchildren's school and sporting events and eating chocolate, she loved sweets. She was a gifted artist, leaving her family with a treasure-trove of her beautiful drawings, paintings and knitted blankets, hats and mittens. But she was happiest on Sundays when she could attend services at First Congregational Church in Toledo.

Harriet never met a stranger, never said a mean thing about anyone and never withheld her warm, beautiful smile. She selflessly made everyone feel like family.

While she will be profoundly missed by all who were blessed to have known her, she wanted everyone to know the following: 'My life has been full, long and wonderful. During my life, I have tried to be helpful to God, my family and society. I tried to show compassion and goodwill. I have no prejudices and hold no grudges and have forgiven all. It is a happy person who trusts in the Lord.'

She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; her sisters, Dorothy (Forney) Bruner and Marjorie Forney and her brother, Richard Forney.

She is survived by her sister, Jane (Forney) Dalton.

Nonny and Papa Ody's spirit is carried on by their four children, son, Phillip Ody and daughter-in-law, Deirdre MacMahon of Los Banos, California; daughter, Janine Ody-Miller and son-in-law, John Miller of LaSalle, Michigan; son, Michael Ody and daughter-in-law, Katrina Quicker of Marietta, Georgia; son, Bret Ody and daughter-in-law, Tricia Staton of Mount Gilead, Ohio; 10 grandchildren, Ashley (Ody) Russell and husband, Robert Russell, Brooke Ody and fiancée, Jay LeRoy, Blake Ody, Garrett Ody, Britton Ody, Maraea Ody, Kensington Ody, Graylon Ody, Jordan Miller and wife, Tylar Klemmer-Miller and Caitlyn Miller-Olmedo and husband, Serjen Olmedo; four great-grandchildren, Hayden Russell, Logan Russell, Jensen Russell and Quinn Miller and many beloved nieces and nephews.

In Harriet's memory, donations may be made to the National Audubon Society, the Nature Conservancy or any charity that seeks to spread love and God's love.

'O Bless Me Now, My Savior, I Come To Thee.'

ALBERTA JANE RICE, 92, of Nova, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Monday, April 12, 2021, following a full and meaningful life.

JOHN EDWARD COLES JR., 'Sarge,' born Jan. 20, 1946, went to be with the Lord on Wednesday, April 14, 2021.

CHRISTINE ANN HARTLE (nee Machovina), 61, of South Amherst, passed away Wednesday, April 14, 2021, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

JOANNE QUILLEN (nee Bowens), 76, of Amherst, passed away Friday, April 16, 2021, at her home following a lengthy illness. Hempel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

SANDRA BODNAR’s (nee Edison) vibrant spirit left this earth for its eternal home Friday, April 16, 2021.

Hempel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

WILLIAM "WILLIE" P. WOHLEVER, 88, a resident of Amherst, passed away Monday, April 19, 2021, at his home, surrounded by his family. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

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

For information about placing an obituary or death notice in the Lorain County Community Guide, call our customer service team at (440) 329-7000.

The names of people killed by police covered the walls at the Tappan Square Memorial Arch.

There is not enough room to fit. According to a count by The Washington Post, there have been 982 killings in the past year and about 5,000 since 2015 in the United States.

VIGIL

FROM A1 enforcement is an honorable profession. But as a Black man he feels deeply split about the issues raised by protesters, including college students.

“I understand that people should be able to protest peacefully, safely, and get that message out,” he said.

“I pray for summer, that this summer will be a peaceful summer.”

Kamran Curlin, a third-year student studying jazz and history at Oberlin, said he stopped at the Tappan Square memorial to pay his respects and to grieve for those whose lives have been cut short.

Race and police brutality have become part of the daily conversation on campus, he said.

“One thing I’m feeling right now is that race relations in the country are pretty frayed,” he said. “I think that’s the result of a lot of bubbling anguish and fear over the past couple of years. That’s really coming to a head now, and I think it’s kind of scary.”

Curlin, who is multiracial, said he fears “the direction things could be headed” — his greatest worry is that protest violence could get out of hand, “and the rule of law will be destroyed.”

There is a difficult balance that must be struck between protesting and violence, he said.

Built as a tribute to Oberlin missionaries massacres in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion in China, the memorial arch is dedicated to “the blood of martyrs.” Above its stone archway are engraved the words, “Ye are witnesses.”

Messages scrawled on the walls of the Tappan memorial say there will be no peace until there is justice for people like Adam Toledo. The 13-year-old Hispanic boy was shot by Chicago police on March 29 after dropping a handgun and raising his hands in the air.

Also written in chalk was the name of Miles Jackson, a 27-year-old Black man killed April 12 at Mount Carmel St. Ann’s hospital in Westerville, Ohio. He was shot to death by police who discovered he had a gun during a pat-down in the emergency room.

Another name written in large letters was Daniel Prude, the 41-year-old Black man who was suffocated to death by police in Rochester, New York, while having a mental health crisis.

The names of the dead covering the walls included Freddie Gray, Damian Daniels, Rayshard Brooks, Trayvon Martin, Botham Jean, Alton Sterling, Anton Rose Jr., Breonna Taylor, Akai Gurley, Eric Gardner and many others.

“They will be remembered. Rest in power,” said one of the many notes left behind.

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SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE B2

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Thursday, April 22, 2021

New movie mecca?

Wellington now being eyed for an Adam Driver flick JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Location scouts for a movie starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig have approached Wellington officials about potentially filming in the village this summer.

Going under the working title "Wheat Germ," the project is being produced by Netflix, according to the Ohio Development Services Agency, which recently approved tax credits estimated at $23.8 million.

The film is an adaptation of the 1985 novel "White Noise" by Don DeLillo. Set in a Midwestern college town in 1983, it centers on professor Jack Gladney's flight when a railway chemical spill that causes a mass evacuation.

Tracy Wind, owner of the soon-to-open Cherished Creations on East Herrick Avenue in Wellington, said she was approached last Monday by a woman involved in the production.

The woman described the movie as the story of a couple who flees Cleveland after a toxic substance is released into the air, Wind said.

Filming would potentially happen between July and September, she was told.

Mayor Hans Schneider said no final decision has been made about filming in Wellington.

"I know it's a possibility. But there's no firm confirmation," he said, declining to comment further.

Public documents requested under Ohio's Sunshine Law show crew members are looking for a "Main Street USA" town. They already visited the village to assess how locales could be used, and asked to take drone footage of Willard Memorial Square earlier in April.

Scouts also spoke with Wellington Schools Superintendent Ed Weber about the possibility of filming at the Dukes home stadium, and took pictures there. Athletic Director John Bowman provided a walk-through during a time the stadium was empty.

The district would be compensated for use of the facilities, according to the location manager.

Steve Neff, owner of Wellington Music and Tactical Equipment & Services on West Herrick Avenue, said he was also approached. His store was one of two Wellington locations used in October 2019 to film scenes for Liam Neeson action-thriller "The Marksman," which was released in January.

Neff said Wellington is exactly the small, picturesque town movie producers are looking for.

Getting the village another role in "White Noise" would be a huge win, he said —involvement in "The Marksman" drew a lot of customer interest downtown.

"The previous production crew was very happy with the support they received from the village and the businesses," Neff said.

Lorain County Fair Secretary Charisse Nikel said location scouts had been to the fairgrounds twice, and looked at barns and bleachers. No contracts had been signed as of Thursday, she said.

Main Street Wellington Director Jenny Arntz said she was told the film crew could spend a couple of days at the intersection of Main Street and Herrick Avenue.

"I think it's going to happen," she said. "But I think the bulk of filming is going to be in Hiram" in Portage County.

Hiram Mayor Lou Bertrand reportedly verified during a Feb. 9 Council meeting that filming in his village is a possibility, according to The Portager newspaper.

Susan Skrovan, who serves as fiscal officer and clerk of council, said Thursday that no final decision had been made and to her knowledge no permits had been issued.

One person directly involved in choosing filming locations for the movie declined to go on the record, citing a nondisclosure agreement.

Valerie Guerette, listed as Netflix's contact with the state, did not return a request for comment.

The Internet Movie Database is calling the film "White Noise," like the novel, and anticipates a 2022 release.

The movie is set to be directed by three-time Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, who is best known for 2019's "Marriage Story," also starring Driver.

After rising to prominence as Kylo Ren in the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, Driver earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for both "Marriage Story" and "BlacKkKlansman."

Gerwig wrote the critically-acclaimed 2017 coming-ofage film "Lady Bird" and directed the 2019 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women."

Public can sign beam at new Firelands High School

The Firelands school district is inviting the public to sign a steel beam that will soon be set in place at the new Firelands High School on Vermilion Road in Henrietta Township.

The structural support beam, painted white, will be available to sign from 4:40-6:30 p.m. tonight, Thursday, April 22.

It can be found just inside the construction gate at ground level. Alumni, students, teachers and other community members who want to add their signatures should park in the high school parking lot and walk to the gated area just north of the Falcons’ track.

“Our community made the decision to construct a new high school and we are happy to have their signatures on a piece of the project that will serve as a time capsule,” Firelands Superintendent Mike Von Gunten said.

Markers will be sanitized between uses. Masks are required and pandemic protocols must be observed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The beam will be set over the high school stage and the signatures will be visible from the stage view.

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

DISPATCH

FROM A1

Most incidents don't turn physical once he intervenes, but Hoover finds himself drawn into very personal arguments.

It's his job to find out what's going on, try to separate those involved, determine whether there are weapons or children in the home and get help there as fast as possible.

Some days are slower, with broken toes or people having trouble with oxygen tanks. Others are more harrowing, like when an overdose is called in and a victim is unconscious, in danger of dying within the next few minutes.

"If it's someone that's not breathing, that's all I need to know," Hoover said.

"I want to get the ambulance going.

I'm going to get back on the line and give you further instructions on what we can do to save someone's life."

There are 27 dispatchers working under county 911 Director Harry Williamson's watch. That's up from 17 when he took the job Jan. 4, and four more are being hired.

"It's a very challenging profession," said Williamson. During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, observed each April, his employees deserve all possible praise for the highpressure job they do.

Williamson walked the communications center floor last Wednesday, talking about how calls are routed from more than 15 law enforcement agencies and 30 fire departments in Lorain County. Sitting in front of an array of glowing screens, workers are assigned to watch over everything from traffic stops and warrant arrests to building fires and asthma attacks.

Dispatchers can handle up to 14 calls at a time. Josh Liles, a veteran dispatcher of 18 years, was also tracking the activity of 76 law enforcement officers countywide.

Harry Williamson, director of Lorain County 911, speaks about how emergency calls are handled by experts at a facility near Lorain County Community College in Elyria.

He pulled up a list of recent calls — from the previous midnight to noon, there had been around 900 calls, which Liles deemed "actually kind of slow."

The log was riddled with theft complaints, traffic stops, suspicious condition calls, disturbances, welfare checks and warrants.

Hoover said that after a couple of years, most of those calls become routine. Some are never forgotten, though.

One incident will always stay fresh in his mind: Hoover answered the phone in October 2019 when Columbia Township firefighter Brett Wilson was electrocuted by a downed power line.

Another memory that continues to haunt him is listening helplessly in the middle of the night after an elderly woman rolled out of bed and was stuck, unable to move or breathe.

Her adult son, who uses a wheelchair, called for help but was unable to do anything for his mother.

Dealing with the stress of the job is tough, said Hoover. "This isn't TV. This is real. These are real people."

Williamson said 911 dispatchers are "made of steel."

Like his workers, he too carries the

GEOTHERMAL

FROM A1 its heating infrastructure. Deciding a full repair is just as expensive as a new, better system, Brown said an analysis of 10 energy sources was done.

The college dabbled with the idea of using waste heat from an electrical generation plant at Republic Services' landfill just outside the city limits. That plan was scuttled when the owners announced the plant would be shut down.

Brown said biomass — using renewable plant and animal material to generate heat — was also considered. That idea was discarded because it usually involves burning wood, which is not in line with the college's plans to be carbon neutral by 2025.

Geothermal heat will move Oberlin College to within 11 percent of reaching that goal, he said.

The plan involves sinking wells 600 feet into the earth on the north side of campus, including under a portion of the Yeomen and Yeowomen practice field.

Water at that depth remains a constant 55 degrees. Pumps will deliver the water to heat exchangers, boosted by electricity from the city's generating plant.

Heating systems in each building will have to be retrofitted, and more than nine miles of underground pipes will be replaced.

Buildings on the south side of campus will be tackled first.

Brown said to expect work to begin at the Conservatory of Music, which will entail crossing College and Professor Streets.

A Minnesota-based firm called Ever-Green Energy has been hired for the project. At the peak of construction, there will be about 100 workers in the city each day.

A news release from the college said work will begin in

May. When complete, Oberlin College expects to cut its water use by five million gallons per year and reduce sewer discharge by about four million gallons per year.

The end result will be a 30 percent increase in campus energy efficiency, according to Brown.

The new system will allow building climates to be far better regulated, he said. For example, windows will no longer have to be opened to vent hot rooms on upper floors, which wastes a great deal of energy.

Oberlin Public Works Director Jeff Baumann said the college's savings will mean a loss of utilities revenue. He estimated it at about $90,000 per year.

"That's probably a little but less than five percent of revenues, so I don't see it as overly significant," Baumann said.

Meanwhile, Oberlin Municipal Light and Power System Director Doug McMillan said he believes electricity usage will be vastly increased.

The college's new release said the $140 million project includes significant upgrades to its electrical system and information technology infrastructure.

Brown said it will be financed by debt; the college said federal grants, tax credits and other possible outside sources could be tapped if approved by its board of trustees.

Speaking to Council, Brown pitched the possibility that local businesses or homes may someday be able to connect to the college's system as well.

"This is a once in a lifetime project. This is a once in a century project, almost," he said.

Meghan Riesterer, assistant vice president for campus energy and sustainability, said in a written statement that the conversion to geothermal will be an educational opportunity.

It will be used as a subject for coursework in environmental studies, geology, psychology and Oberlin's new business concentration, she said.

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weight of past calls. Ask him about the fire that destroyed the former Uncle Vic's nightclub in downtown Elyria back in February, and Williamson can rattle off the exact time the distress call rang in — 6:52 p.m.

— and run down a list of details about how the following dozen hours unfolded.

"It's unfortunate. We deal with death every day. So it can be challenging," he said. "Some of those calls are hard to forget. They linger."

To last in their line of work, dispatchers have to be level-headed and often stern with callers, keeping them on task while delivering instructions for CPR, or controlling a situation before it can turn violent.

But there are as many pros to the job as there are cons, Williamson said — little can compare to the feeling of helping a woman deliver a baby over the phone line, for example.

His new hires will go through nine months of training before being fully certified to handle law enforcement, fire and emergency medical calls.

"I'm very proud of my team," Williamson said. "I am proud of who they are and what they do."

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Page A4

OPINION

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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

LETTER Jordan accusation not grounded in reality To the editor: Late last week at a committee hearing, our representative in Congress, Jim Jordan, engaged in an interchange with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the medical doctor who is widely respected for his scientific judgments on controlling the COVID-19 threat. In response to the doctor’s judgment that mask wearing and social distancing are still important, our representative argued that the wearing of masks and social distancing are violations of our freedoms. The interchange was both tense and widely reported.

The charge against the doctor was personal, asserting that he was deliberately attacking individual freedom.

That was clearly uncalled for, since any mandate to follow scientific advice would have to be made by public authorities, not a scientific consultant. Even more significantly, the assumption that offering scientific advice on controlling the virus is somehow a deliberate threat to freedom illustrates how a political stance can be carried to the point of dangerous foolishness. Those who don’t wear masks and get sick can hardly be said to reap the benefits of freedom, and if their behavior endangers others their misuse of freedom can be homicidal.

Edward Long Donald Reeves

SCHOLARS BAILEY SCHECK of Wellington has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2020 semester at Hiram College.

LILLIAN BLASKO of Wellington has been named to the president’s list for the Fall 2020 semester at Youngstown State University. She is majoring in social work.

FAITH ALLEY of Wellington has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2020 semester at the University of Findlay.

TAYLOR WILLIAMS of Oberlin has graduated from Ohio University with a bachelor of arts degree in psychology.

SAM McQUATE of Amherst has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2020 semester at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he is studying software engineering.

ALEX STEINDL of Oberlin has been named to the dean’s list for the Fall 2020 semester at Miami University.

CLASSIFIEDS LEGALS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO UNIMPROVED ROAD REHABILITATION PROJECT 2021 Sealed bids will be received by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM, Thursday, May 6, 2021 Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor.

TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor.

Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier's Check or Letter of Credit equals to ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bond for the full amount of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and a performance bond properly secured. Should any bid be rejected, such instrument will be forthwith returned upon proper execution of a contract. Cash deposits will not be accepted.

Bid blanks and specifications may be secured from the City of Lorain website at www.cityoflorain.org.

Each bidder must insure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American Disabilities Act. All federal minority business enterprise and women business enterprise requirements shall be met. All contractors and subcontractors involved with the project will to the extent practicable use Ohio products, materials, services and labor in the implementation of their project.

Bidders must be listed on the ODOT pre-qualified list for highway construction. Bidders shall submit a list of available equipment, and labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate as determined by the Ohio Department of Commerce for Lorain County.

NO BID WILL BE OPENED WITHOUT THE CERTIFICATION OF QUALIFICATION OR THE ACCEPTABLE LETTER OF APPLICATION ATTACHED TO THE OUTSIDE AS DIRECTED. The Director of Safety/Service reserves the right to accept or

reject any or all bids.

By order of the Director of Safety/Service L.C.C.G. 4/15-22/21 20680990

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Please be advised that Lorain City Council will host a virtual public hearing on Monday, May 17, 2021 @ 5:30 & 5:45 p.m. to discuss applications to rezone 1605 Broadway Avenue from I-2 to MU, Zachary Johnson & Milton Velazquez, Applicants (ZCA#4-2021) and 2148 E. 30th Street from B-2 to MU, Miguel & Rose Castro, Applicants (ZCA 6-2021) To join this virtual meeting please visit www. cityoflorain.org, Government Tab, City Council, City Council and other Board's Meetings.

The Lorain City Planning Commission met on April 7, 2021, and recommend approval of both items to Lorain City Council. Copies of all documentation related to this proposal will be on view for public inspection in the Office of the Clerk of Council, 200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio. Please contact Nancy_Greer@cityoflorain.org for additional information.

NANCY GREER, CMC L.C.C.G. 4/15-22/21 20680991

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on April 5, 2021.

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

Ordinance 40-21 Modifying the recommendation of the Planning Commission and reclassifying 760 Oberlin Avenue from R-3 to B-1. 4121* Amending Ord. 47-18, Sec. 10.2 & Ord. 48-21, Sec. 11.2 for all managers and professional employees and unclassified, non-bargaining employees. 42-21*Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a participation agreement with ODOT to purchase sodium chloride from vendor awarded the 2021/2022 winter contract.

43-21* Assessing the cost of abating nuisance by removing litter and deposit of garbage, rubbish, junk, etc. during the current calendar year. 44-21 Vacating E. 39th Court, 50' in width, beginning at the rightof-way line of Globe Ave. and proceeding West 156.60'.

45-21 Approving the Chief of Police to accept the award from FY 2020 Edward Byrne Memorial JAG grant. 46-21* Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a contract w/ the highest ranked engineering firm for construction admin services for the BRWWTP Primary Clarifiers Rehab project. 47-21* Auth an inter-local agrmt of funds between the cities of Lorain and Elyria and Lorain County for funding as approved by the 2020 Byrne JAG grant. 48-21* Auth the S/S Dir to purchase 5 new GM vehicles for various utility depts. w/o competitive bid, pursuant to ORC 125.04 not to exceed $191,500. 49-21 Auth the S/S Dir to apply for, accept and enter into a supplemental water supply revolving loan account agrmt for rehab & construction for the Red Hill Boosted Pressure Zone. 50-21 Approving the Chief of Police to accept the award from the FY 2018 Edward Byrne JAG grant through the DOJ. 5121 Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a contract w/ the lowest/ best bidder for the 2516 East Erie Ave. Storm Water Outfall Improvement Project. 52-21* Auth the S/S Dir to purchase 1 Kobelco excavator from Southeastern Equipment w/o bid through State Purchasing not to exceed $33,531.57.

53-21 Amending Ord. 168-19, Sec 15.3.5-Judges, est the comp, benefits and terms of employment for classified & unclassified non-bargaining employees (Process Server).

54-21* Auth the City of Lorain to enter into a CRA Tax Abatement agreement w/ 400 Broadway, llc. 55-21* Auth the S/S Dir to advertise for bids for the leasing of the building at 1050 Reid Avenue. 56-21 Replacing Ord. 77-11 to regulate the opening of pavement within right-of-ways in the City of Lorain. 57-21* Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a contract for the purchase of 5 properties on Long Ave. 58-21 Auth the S/S Dir to enter into an agrmt between the City of Lorain, Lorain Rotary and ODNR for a grant for reimbursement of drilling work performed for the Sunset Pier Project. 59-21* Appropriation. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.)

L.C.C.G. 4/15-22/21 20680854

Friendship persists without a party The first Friendship Day Celebration was held in Oberlin on April 8, 2010.

Since then, every April 8 has been the occasion of a gathering of Oberlin residents and Oberlin College students from around the globe to recognize the importance of friendship for the achievement of world peace and mutual respect.

Oberlin College Professor of Religion Jafar Mahallati originated this holiday and has urged its celebration, not only across our nation but indeed in every nation.

Community Peace Builders has been one of the organizations promoting Friendship Day. For several years, the city of Oberlin has issued an American National Friendship Day proclamation. Our city’s proclamation is now publicized in three languages — English, Arabic and Persian — thanks to its inclusion in the recent joint publication in English and Arabic of Dr. Mahallati’s book on friendship.

Sadly, because of pandemic restrictions, holding

constituted a proclamation, as follows:

JOHN ELDER

COMMUNITY PEACE BUILDERS

the customary in-person gathering with the sharing of speeches, entertainment and, of course, delicious food from many traditions was impossible this year.

Nevertheless, especially at a time when building and in many cases re-building bridges between nations, peoples and persons is vitally important for human survival, Community Peace Builders has asked to place on the record of the April 5 Oberlin City Council meeting the words that would normally have

WHEREAS, friendship is a concept promoted by all religious, ethical and cultural traditions of the world; and WHEREAS, friendship transcends ethnicity, gender, geographic boundaries, political and religious affiliations; and WHEREAS, the current pandemic demonstrates the need for mindfulness in the way we interact, not only with our fellow human beings, but also with our Mother Earth and its resources; and WHEREAS, the designation of a day in our calendar as Friendship Day is an effective way to transform an ideal humanitarian philosophy into a public ritual and thereby help communal cohesion and solidarity; and WHEREAS, the spirit of friendship exemplifies strength of character, sound human values, and human bonds that go beyond selfinterest; and

WHEREAS, friendship can be a powerful foundation for international peacemaking; and WHEREAS, the globalization of a Day of Friendship can change the image of the United States abroad and therefore can serve as a powerful leverage in our foreign affairs; and WHEREAS, the city of Oberlin has a long tradition of promoting diversity, equality, fairness and friendship.

NOW, THEREFORE, we do hereby proclaim Thursday, April 8, 2021, as Friendship Day in the city of Oberlin, and urge all citizens to celebrate Friendship Day and support efforts to foster friendship within the city as well as within the international community.

John Elder is the former pastor of The First Church in Oberlin United Church of Christ and a member of Community Peace Builders, based in Oberlin.

Continue the conversation by emailing communitypeacebuilders@aol.com.

CARA 3.0 will help beat addiction For years, the United States has struggled to overcome an epidemic of addiction that has devastated communities in Ohio and across the country.

Unfortunately, recent data suggests that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic worsened this crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control, at least 81,000 people died from a fatal drug overdose between June 2019 and May 2020 — the highest 12-month total in our nation’s history.

Before this spike, we were making real progress in the fight against addiction — in 2018, nationwide drug overdose deaths declined for the first time in nearly three decades. Federal laws I authored like the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act and CARA 2.0 provided state and local government and nonprofit groups with support for proven prevention, recovery, and treatment programs to help addicted individuals heal.

Over the past decade, I have visited addiction recovery centers, addiction and mental health boards, and nonprofits across Ohio, from Cleveland to Cincinnati, from Toledo to Portsmouth and beyond, to talk about what should be done to build on CARA. I took what I heard at those productive conversations back to Washington and got to work on the next step in the fight against addiction.

The result is new bipartisan CARA 3.0 legislation

I recently introduced to build on the successes of CARA and CARA 2.0 and expand its scope to ensure all Americans fighting addiction have the chance to overcome this disease. It will do so by addressing three important areas: research and education, treatment and recovery, and criminal justice reform.

First, CARA 3.0 will bolster our work to prevent drug abuse before it happens through funding for research and education. This includes a national drug awareness campaign and research and development of alternative pain treatment methods that don’t lead to addiction.

And CARA 3.0 will also take the important step of addressing the disproportionate effect the addiction crisis has had on people in poverty and communities of color through a national commission to help develop better treatments and best practices for overdoses.

Second, our bill will build upon what works in how we treat addiction. It will double down on proven, evidence-based addiction treatment methods while expanding treatment options for groups particularly vulnerable to addiction, including young people, new and expecting mothers, rural communities, and communities of color. And it will make permanent the current expanded telehealth options for addiction treatment that were created in response to the social distancing required

ROB PORTMAN U.S. SENATOR

by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CARA 3.0 will also bolster the recovery options for individuals working to put addiction behind them through funding to support recovery support services and networks. It will enable physicians to provide medication-assisted addiction treatments like methadone and buprenorphine to a greater number of patients, and allow those drugs to be prescribed via telehealth for greater ease of access. Our bill will also destigmatize addiction recovery in the workplace by ensuring that taking one of these medications to treat addiction does not count as a drug-free workplace violation.

Finally, CARA 3.0 reforms our criminal justice system to ensure that those struggling with addiction, including our veterans, are treated with fairness and compassion by the law, putting them on a path to recovery instead of a downward spiral of

abuse. Importantly, CARA 3.0 funds a Department of Justice grant program to help incarcerated individuals struggling with addiction to receive medication-assisted treatment while they are still in the criminal justice system. This is a key step in breaking the cycle of incarceration. It also empowers law enforcement officials to immediately direct individuals they encounter struggling with addiction to appropriate treatment services instead of arresting them. This will reduce stigma, help more individuals get treatment and minimize the risk of overdoses.

CARA and CARA 2.0 have given states and local communities new resources and authorities to make a real difference in our state.

CARA 3.0 renews and strengthens these programs and provides a significant boost in funding as well.

When added with existing CARA programs that are reauthorized through 2023, we will be investing well over $1 billion to address this long-standing epidemic, putting us on the path toward a brighter future free from addiction.

The tragic rise in overdose deaths during COVID-19 underscores the need for CARA 3.0. My hope is that we can come together quickly and pass this important bipartisan legislation to once again turn the tide of addiction and help all Americans live up to their God-given potential.

FACEBOOK FEEDBACK Students at Westwood Elementary in Wellington recently wrote about how they'd spend $100 if given the chance. Curious, we asked Facebook followers how they'd use the extra cash: Charlotte Coy: "I would use the money to pay for my co-pay for my next chemo treatment."

Tammy Pullin Giacobbe: "Use toward a Mother’s Day gift for mom!"

Danielle Goodell: "Diapers!"

Amie Titchenell: "Groceries and vet bills."

Vanessa Berdiel: “Buy food.

My 20- and 12-year-old can eat that in a few days."

Pete Kamoutsis: "Buy more mulch and a few tacos!"

Toni Campana Davis: "Buy upcoming birthday gifts with it."

Chris Bolyos: "A nice dinner out with the family."

Diana Fretwell: "Donate it to Ride for Valor."

Mary Hennessey: "Lunch for a group of essential workers."

Ashley Michelle: "Medicinal marijuana."

TomandAnna Biskup: "I would

give it to my son's piano teacher who has cancer and is struggling to pay her bills."

Libby Belitsky: "A gorgeous bouquet of flowers for my mom for Mother’s Day." Kristen Skidmore Hill: "Take my kids out for the day. Do a doughnut crawl or something, stopping at different parks along the way."

Denise Kowalski: "I would save it to buy my husband's insulin. Help pay for it, anyway."

Julie Verba Short: "I would give it to someone in need."

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Young author’s ‘Bug on a Bike’ book rolls out to local students JASON HAWK EDITOR

AVON LAKE — Sophia Lee Triska's writing career started with a bike ride.

Two years ago, the then-four-year-old jumped on a tandem bike with her father, Michael Triska, to pedal around their Avon Lake neighborhood. That's when she started happily shouting, "Bug on a bike!" over and over.

"It was cute. So we came home and started writing it out, and it's grown from there," said Michael Triska.

Now Sophia is in kindergarten at Powers Elementary School in Amherst, where her mother Heidi Triska teaches first grade. The Amherst Schools are helping the family celebrate Sophia's blossoming literary talent.

The father-daughter team sat down in October 2020 to turn "Bug on a Bike" into a children's book, crafting it into a story. They sent a board book mock-up to a freelance illustrator in Ukraine, and now have published both "Bug on a Bike" and "Park in the Dark" for purchase on Amazon and Barnes &

Provided photo

Maggie Stark, right, retired as Kendal at Oberlin’s director of sales and marketing. Former Assistant Marketing Director Terry Kovach, left, has stepped into the role.

Kendal says goodbye to Stark, promotes Kovach Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Michael and Sophia Lee Triska of Avon Lake hop on their tandem bike, which inspired them to write the children's book "Bug on a Bike" together.

Noble.

The Triskas are now working on more titles: "Counting with Bug on a Bike" and "Bug on a Bike ABC's."

Sophia and her father jumped back on their tandem bike over spring break, and talked about her love of insects.

"Bugs are pretty," the six-year-old said, wearing a ladybug dress — she also loves butterflies and grasshoppers.

Michael Triska said Sophia's love for books comes from nightly storytimes. They read for about an hour every night.

"It pays off," he said.

"How can you say no when she wants to read everything?"

Now the Triskas are working on getting a literary agent and sending out letters to publishing houses.

In the meantime, So-

phia's books are being used by Lorain County teachers to craft lessons.

Michael Triska recently visited virtually with students at Washington Elementary in Lorain, talking about writing prompts and listening to kids read their journal entries.

The dream, he said, is to see library editions of "Bug on a Bike" and the family's other books published.

A NEW BENCH-MARK Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Erin Vontell, Camilla Isaacs, Eliza Stojkov, Laken Voss and Sebastian Pecora pose with Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow at Town Hall on April 12. They are members of the Amherst Leo Club, the youth arm of the Lions Club. The teens donated a bench made from recycled plastics through their "Bags to Benches" project with the Trex Company, which makes outdoor composite furniture. Trex challenges community groups to collect 500 pounds of plastic that comes from grocery bags, wrapping materials and shipping pallet film, and uses the reclaimed materials to make benches.

OBERLIN — After 27 years as Kendal at Oberlin’s director of sales and marketing, Maggie Stark retired April 2.

Assistant Marketing Director Terry Kovach, who joined Kendal’s marketing department in 1995, has been named director.

“There are no words to adequately thank Maggie for her years of dedicated service at Kendal,” said CEO Barbara Thomas. “She has paved the way for hundreds of residents to call Kendal home from more than 35 states, including her mother Blanche who lived at Kendal for 12 years."

Thomas said a part of Stark’s success has been an emphasis on teamwork, which has led to "the most stable and successful marketing team in the Kendal System."

After conducting a national search, there was unanimous agreement to promote Kovach from within.

Thomas said Kovach has helped advance the use of technology at Kendal, advancing its web design and digital marketing programs.

Over the years, Stark has welcomed more than 700 residents to Kendal at Oberlin, given 6,240 tours and driven 310,000 miles to work from her home in Bay Village.

“I will really miss the day-to-day camaraderie with staff and residents, the comfort and pure joy of being with ‘family,’” she said.

Stark’s retirement plans include spending time with her two granddaughters and traveling.

Electric co-op scholarship

Molly Cordonnier of Sullivan was awarded a $1,400 honorable mention scholarship in Ohio’s Electric Cooperatives’ Children of Members Scholarship competition, held April 13.

The daughter of Marcus and Julie Cordonnier, she was sponsored by Lorain- Medina Rural Electric Cooperative.

She is a senior at Black River High School.

Twenty-four students representing 24 electric cooperatives in Ohio competed for $41,800 in scholarship awards.

CORRECTION A lot at 230 Lincoln St. in Oberlin was sold for $9,500 to the highest bidder. A news brief in the April 15 edition of the Community Guide included an error.

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• Must handle heavy amounts of rainwater without overflowing.

• Must be wind resistant and strong enough not to “cavein” under heavy snow loads.

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Gutter Topper installs over your existing gutters, and each installation includes cleaning, tightening, resealing and properly aligning your gutters. New seamless gutters are also available.

The Gutter Cover Company also offers a safe and effective way to stop big icicles and ice damming. An optional add-on product called Heater Cap can be installed with or without Gutter Topper that gently heats the gutter area with a self-regulated heat cable. Heater Cap can be installed on most existing gutter covers.

Hiring the right company to install the cover correctly is very important. The Gutter Cover Company has a proven track record of success in Northeast Ohio and the locals have been referring their friends and neighbors for years.

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Page A6

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Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

JVS senior ceremony moves to BR Landing JASON HAWK EDITOR

PITTSFIELD TWP. — An open air ceremony at Black River Landing in Lorain is being planned to send off graduating Lorain County JVS seniors next month.

The Lorain Palace Theater has traditionally been used for the vocational school's senior recognition event — at least until 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic canceled end-of-year celebrations across the nation.

As the JVS has grown, and with social distancing still a must, the 1,477-seat venue is nowhere large enough for the vocational school's crowd, said Superintendent Glenn Faircloth.

"For a while we've been looking for an alternate space because we wanted more people to be able to come," he said.

"Now with COVID, we have to put 6 feet between everyone, and that's just not possible in the Palace space."

Black River Landing will allow each graduating senior to get six tickets instead of just three for the May 21 ceremony.

There is a risk in moving commencement outdoors, and many Lorain County school districts are gambling this spring on the weather. The JVS has set a May 25 rain date.

"We are hoping the weather will cooperate," said JVS high school Principal Tina Pelto.

Last year's ceremony was virtual, and she said the goal is to avoid another disappointment at all costs.

"We want to make sure we have an in-person ceremony this year," she said.

"We really believe that this year's class of students has had two years of COVID, and we need to celebrate the strength and

Black River may move graduation ceremony

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resiliency of the Class of 2021."

The JVS's message to young adults is to honor the trades by working hard, acting with integrity and putting their best foot forward at all times, she said. Students have lived up to that challenge without complaining about the pandemic, and deserve the best ceremony that can be offered.

Putting together an event that is both large and safe has been quite the balancing act, Pelto said. From paperless ticketing to arranging seating to keep family groups at a safe distance from each other, the logistics of the event have been quite the balancing act.

But the ceremony will still have all the traditional hallmarks graduates look forward to, such as senior speakers.

Pelto said it's been her custom to stand in the wings at the Palace and share a few words with every graduate who passes by.

This year, she'll be on the stage instead, "but I'll get to probably fist bump them as they pass by, and that will be exciting."

Faircloth said awards that would normally be given at the senior recognition ceremony will be conferred instead at a second program at the JVS in Pittsfield Township.

The vocational school has been operating on a hybrid model for most of the school year, with students attending some classes online and attending labs in person for hands-on training.

Faircloth said that even though COVID case numbers and hospitalizations are leveling off, and vaccinations are helping to control the spread of the virus, there are no plans to return to full, five-day-a-week in-person instruction this spring.

Some seniors have struggled to keep up with online learning, he said, but almost all seniors are on track to graduate.

JONATHON DELOZIER WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE

SULLIVAN — Plans for Black River High School's commencement ceremony are being finalized.

Superintendent Chris Clark said the district is wrestling with scenarios like modification of the football stadium to accommodate pod seating with social distancing or moving the event to another venue like Medina High School or even Ashland University.

"A lot of things have changed lately as far as what the governor is allowing people to do," Clark said. "We're confident in being able to have an outdoor graduation but the wording with the pods of 10, we don't have the ability to do the 6-foot spacing with pods. Before, we were working with a flat number of people, a percentage of capacity."

The superintendent said costs will be

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He added that the Medina County Fairgrounds grandstand could be another possibility.

"I want parents to be able to see their kids, wherever we are," Clark said. "I can't speak for the Medina County Fair Board but we have talked about the fairgrounds.

We're graduating 87 kids and their grandstand sits 5,000. We'd go with a pod of 10, that's 870 potential people that could be there to support a graduate."

"I'm a little reluctant to go somewhere else because we all want our ceremony to be unique for Black River and our kids," he added. "It's also hard to go to a gym because then we're back to 25 percent capacity. We're going to figure out what's in the best interest of Black River Local Schools."

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Students Victoria Sprague and Emily tend to the flowers for the Lorain County JVS greenhouse spring sale.

JVS greenhouse spring sale will be online PITTSFIELD TWP. — The Lorain County JVS' student-run greenhouse will have its annual spring plant sale online this year.

Customers can select items from an online gallery and pick up orders at the greenhouse's curb.

Students will follow all COVID-19 guidelines and will place orders in customer vehicles at time of pickup.

The link to purchase

plants will go live on Monday, April 26 at 8 a.m. at www.lcjvs.com/greenhouse.aspx.

The JVS is asking that all orders be placed at least one day prior to the selected pick-up date.

Pickup hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The greenhouse will also be open on Saturday, May 8 from 8 a.m. to noon for Mother’s Day pick-ups.

A wide variety of flowers will be available in annuals, perennials and hanging baskets. Assorted vegetable plants will also be available.

Prices range from $2 to $12.50 depending on size and variety. Payment is due at time of purchase.

For more information contact instructor Beth Berthold at (440) 774-1051 ext. 22377 or bberthold@ lcjvs.net.

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, April 22, 2021

Three ‘super’ men rise to the occasion JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Growing up, Jerome Davis didn't have much in the way of money.

Today he measures wealth a different way. His love of learning led to a 28-year career in education, and on March 17 the Clearview Schools superintendent received a doctorate in educational leadership from Ashland University.

Davis stood shoulder to shoulder Thursday with Lorain County's two other Black school superintendents, David Hall of Oberlin and Glenn Faircloth of the

Joint Vocational School.

All three are first-generation college graduates, and each has overcome enormous obstacles on the way to earning a Ph.D. Now they want students, especially young Black people, to know they can succeed regardless of their background — nothing, even a doctorate, is out of reach.

"To me, it's showing people that look like me that they can go far, and they can do a lot even if they didn't have the wealthiest upbringing," said Davis.

The trio of superintendents said they specifically hope Black students will be inspired to explore careers

in education.

Of the 612 school districts in Ohio, only 21 have African-American superintendents. Of those, only five are women.

Nationwide, only 8.6 percent of superintendents are people of color, according to a 2020 survey by the American Association of School Administrators.

Davis knows those numbers well. His dissertation focused on equity in the educational system, and how it is trending in the wrong direction.

Fewer minorities and fewer males are going into education, he said.

Photos by Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

Oberlin Schools Superintendent David Hall, Clearview Superintendent Jerome Davis and Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth speak about their experiences during a discussion on Tappan Square in SUPERS PAGE B2 downtown Oberlin.

Passing of the crown

Final bow Amherst Community Chorus goes out on a quiet note JASON HAWK EDITOR

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

A new aluminum crown created by Aztec Steel of Elyria is lifted into place Monday morning at the historic First Church in Oberlin UCC.

Crane lifts new piece atop the historic First Church in Oberlin JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A crane lifted the "crowning" achievement of a nearly $1.6 million renovation campaign atop the First Church in Oberlin United Church of Christ on Monday morning.

"A lot of history," the Rev. David Hill said after watching a crane lower the old steel crown from atop the church tower. "It's amazing to think about what that crown has seen from up there, right?" he said.

First Church's decorative crown had rusted through, and the irons that anchored each corner to the structure were also separating, said Gene Matthews, co-chair of the church Facilities Committee.

There was concern it would eventually be loose enough to pose a risk, he said.

"We didn't know for sure if it was going to fall off, but why take the chance?" said Matthews.

Aztec Steel of Elyria fabricated a new crown, which was lifted into place Monday. Made of aluminum, it will be lighter and hopefully have a longer lifespan.

The crown is the final major project in a massive capital campaign at First Church, located at the corner of Main and Lorain streets.

In the past few years, the front steps have been painstakingly restored.

Windows have been returned to working order, and storm windows installed.

The sanctuary has been completely renovated with a new stage and new FIRST CHURCH PAGE B2

AMHERST — Add the Amherst Community Chorus to the growing list of groups that has disbanded as a result of the pandemic.

After 24 years of concerts, from Christmas carols to Broadway tributes, directors Simone and Steve Gall wrapped their final season in December 2019.

They didn't know then that the pandemic was brewing, and their quarter-century anniversary would come and go without the chorus being allowed to take the stage.

Now Simone Gall remembers that last concert at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Amherst fondly. The sanctuary was packed to the point there were concerns about the fire code.

"I think it that was to be our last concert, it was the way to go out," she said.

In the past year, the Amherst Community Chorus has been locked out of its usual practice space at Amherst Junior High. Other schools and even churches haven't been options because of pandemic rules — putting about 70 singers in an enclosed area is simply out of the question.

Time is the real issue.

Gall said chorus members haven't gotten any younger since COVID-19 disrupted life. About 90 percent are age 65 and older, and more than two-thirds are in their 80s.

The chorus was started in 1996, and many of its voices have been trusty standbys ever since. They've sang their hearts out at St. Joseph Church and Heritage Presbyterian in Amherst, and at the Amherst Old Time Jamboree and the Berlin Basket Festival.

But Gall said the favorite venue for many was the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, where she remembers shedding tears after singing patriotic tunes for former service men and women.

In recent years, the chorus' ranks have shrunk from a peak of about 90 singers, with many alumni passing on.

CHORUS PAGE B2

“There were just so many things that were going against us. We waited.

There was just no light at the end of the tunnel.”

Simone Gall, Amherst Community Chorus 1960-2021

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The old, rusted steel decorative crown is removed from the top of the tower of First Church.

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Page B2

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Annual plant sale canceled

The Amherst Garden Club has canceled its annual plant sale, which had been planned for May 8.

Chalk Walk canceled

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Oberlin Chalk Walk has been canceled, the planning committee announced over the weekend.

2021 Earth Day run canceled

Oberlin’s Earth Day 5K run has been canceled, the city’s Recreation Department announced.

Earth Day is observed on April 22 each year. The 5K is a casualty of the ongoing pandemic.

Annual meeting canceled

SUPERS

FROM B1 Faircloth, who holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Miami University, said a disproportionately low number of African-Americans go to college, period. That means a decrease in qualified teachers of color rising up through the ranks.

The rising cost of college has scared many away from the field, he said.

They weigh the risk of taking on $70,000 or more in debt against the relatively low salaries for people with degrees, and aren't thrilled by the return on investment.

Most teachers in Ohio have at least a master's degree. Pay for starting teachers ranges from about $25,700 to $48,350 depending on whether they are in rural, urban or suburban districts, according to the Ohio Education Association.

By comparison, the average salary for someone with a master's degree in Ohio is about $59,650 per year, and nationwide that number is about $72,850, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Hall said there was a time he envisioned a future in engineering. He was inspired by a teacher named Kevin Kinney to instead seek a career in

ABOVE: Clearview Schools Superintendent Jerome Davis, Oberlin City Schools Superintendent David Hall and Lorain County JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth all now have doctorates. education.

Kinney was the first African-American male teacher Hall ever had.

"He took the job of standing in (as) a father figure, standing as a friend, having people over to his house," Hall remembers. "He introduced us to some things we'd never seen before. Even walking in the classroom, it was an eyeopening experience of, 'Wow, I've never seen this before.'"

A strong male role model is invaluable to many young Black students, said Davis: "You would be amazed how many of these kids look up to us as role models and as father figures, because a lot of them come from homes where they don't have a two-parent family.

I didn't have a two-parent family," he said.

A lot of students and Clearview alumni call him Dad or Uncle, he said.

All three superintendents said they find themselves naturally scanning the room and seeing students who remind them of younger versions of themselves. They are kids who are sure to succeed if only they have the confidence that comes from seeing someone who has blazed the trail ahead.

"I think they almost gravitate to us

without us knowing it. It's like a magnet or something," Faircloth said.

Some are fighting difficult battles that have nothing to do with school. Faircloth said he knows that war well — his childhood was a difficult one, with long periods of homelessness.

"I lived in bushes. I ate out of trash cans," he said. "I'd been in six, seven foster homes, group homes, had nothing."

Education was the great equalizer, the way out of poverty, he said.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Faircloth decided to become a pharmacist.

But science education courses helped him fall in love with teaching.

He remembers the feeling, 22 years ago, of seeing how young Black students in his first class looked up to him.

That feeling, said Faircloth, was more satisfying than any job he'd ever tried.

While that satisfaction feels great, said Hall, it also comes with a responsibility.

"I think that as African-American superintendents and educators, we have to pay it forward," he said. "We have to reach out to those students that are struggling, and let the students that are struggling know that they're not alone."

The Wellington High School Alumni Association has canceled its 2021 annual meeting, according to a message posted by the district last week.

“This is no doubt disappointing to those who attend, but the health and safety of our members is our number one priority,” it said. “Remember you are always — near or far — a Duke and an important part of our association, and we look forward to welcoming you all back next year.”

Amherst library meetings

The Amherst Public Library will hold its 2022 budget hearing followed by a records commission session and regular meeting at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 10 at the library. All meetings are open to the public.

CHORUS

FROM B1 The Galls, both 70, have also been dealing with agerelated issues. Steve fought a battle with cancer in the past year, while Simone said a full shoulder replacement left her unable to continue conducting.

Without successors to whom they could pass the baton, the Galls said the chorus' days were numbered.

"We knew it was going to end eventually, but COVID really pushed it," Simone said. "All things have to come to an end. It's been emotional. The more I think about it, the more tears there are."

Now chorus members are saying goodbye. Sheet music was turned in Thursday afternoon, leaving the Galls to wonder what they'll do with it all.

There are 30 to 40 tote boxes filled with high-quality arrangements that have been purchased over the years, Simone Gall said. Those pieces aren't inexpensive, but she is looking to give them away to an organization that will cherish them.

If interested, email simonegall2@gmail.com.

FIRST CHURCH

FICTIONAL MOTHERS ACROSS 1. Build a collection 6. Economic measure acronym 9. *Beverly Goldberg’s schmoopie 13. Use an épée 14. Neither here ____ there 15. Tall ancient monument 16. Daisy-like bloom 17. Much of it about nothing?

18. Commotions 19. *She’s ‘Bow’ to Dre in TV sitcom “Blackish” 21. *Mother to Jo, Meg, Amy and Beth March in novel and movie 23. Before tac 24. Ripped 25. Part of Super Bowl entertainment, pl.

28. Homesteader’s measure 30. *”Game of Thrones” Lannister and mother to Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen 35. Douses 37. Adjutant 39. Article of faith 40. Genuflecting joint 41. *TV mother to Alexis and David, “friend” to Jocelyn Schitt 43. “Will be,” as sung by Doris Day 44. Perform in a play 46. Load sixteen tons, e.g.

47. Peacock’s pride 48. *Mowgli’s adoptive mother 50. Apartment 52. Skeleton in a lock 53. Part of a jousting outfit 55. Spelling competition 57. *Mother to Carlton in “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” 60. “Well, I’m a-standin’ on a corner in ___, Arizona,” from the Eagles “Take it Easy” 64. Country’s LeAnn ____ 65. Hoover’s agency acronym 67. Piano practice piece, e.g.

68. Church song 69. What Usain Bolt did 70. Poisonous substance 71. *Wife to Papa, mother to Baby 72. Sum it up 73. Go on a buying spree DOWN 1. Way, way off 2. ____ Verde National Park 3. Naysayer’s favorite prefix?

4. What bloodhound is after

FROM B1

flooring has been laid throughout the church.

Entrances have been made more accessible. And outside, a front terrace was built to — after the pandemic — host concerts, plays, parties and other events.

"I think it's preparing the church for the next several centuries," Hill said. "All this work has been designed to make sure this facility is available not only to the worship community, but to the wider community for many, many more years to come."

Built in 1842, the historic church was literally the first in Oberlin, and at the time of construction was the largest auditorium west of the Allegheny Mountains. The tower was added in 1845.

First Church remained the only church in Oberlin for just over a century, and was the center of civic life as well, according to the Oberlin College Archives.

Under its roof, luminaries such as Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Mark Twain, Ralph Waldo Emerson and Booker T. Washington have spoken.

Hill said it's the congregation's charge to be good stewards of the historic building, while continuing to serve as a meeting place.

The First Church in Oberlin has been a quasi-community center for years, he said, and many of the recent enhancements have been made so its spaces are more easily accessible to the people of Oberlin.

5. Croatia’s neighbor 6. Nibble away 7. Affirmative action 8. Movie trailer, e.g.

9. Elementary particle 10. *Claire Dunphy and Mitchell Pritchett’s mother 11. Soothing lotion ingredient 12. Bell and Barker, e.g.

15. Christopher Kimball’s “Milk ____” 20. ____’s razor 22. Part of a circle 24. Tiresome 25. Questioner 26. *”Mamma Mia!” mamma 27. Do this or forever hold your peace 29. ‘80s band “Quiet ____” 31. Catch one’s breath 32. ____ a peak 33. Bone-chilling 34. Europe’s “boot”

36. Short for seconds 38. *She played Ricky Schroder’s stepmom on “Silver Spoons” 42. Defendant’s excuse 45. Religious belief 49. ____ Khan 51. Plural of #39 Across 54. Below, prefix 56. Impede 57. “Everywhere you want to be” credit card 58. Muslim holy man 59. Plural of velum 60. *Ellen, Scarlett’s mother in “Gone with the ____” 61. Like the best accommodations 62. War god in Norse mythology 63. Make one’s way 64. Dashboard acronym 66. *Kunis, Hahn and Bell as “____ Moms”

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Voters likely to see crime lab, TB levies on fall ballot DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Voters are likely to see levies on the ballot in November for the benefit of the Lorain County Crime Lab as well as tuberculosis treatment and prevention services.

Last week, county commissioners approved sending a request to Lorain County Auditor Craig Snodgrass for valuation of the potential levies.

County Administrator Tom Williams said the crime lab — currently housed in the former employee cafeteria in the basement of the County Administration Building on Middle Avenue in Elyria — is not certified, is underfunded and supported by $400,000 out of the county general fund this year.

Another $75,000 in general fund support may be needed to make up an expected budget shortfall, he said.

The lab's most-recent levy was passed in the 1980s and only provides about $150,000 per year.

Commissioners last put a crime lab levy on the ballot in November 2019. That levy, which would have cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $2.80 per year for five years, would have raised $595,000 to improve the lab's equipment and allow the county to move it to a more-permanent location on Broad Street in Elyria.

Doing so also would have allowed the lab to receive scientific accreditation by having a permanent home. However, the levy failed at the polls by a margin of about 1,900 votes.

Williams said the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, local police agencies and even local FBI agents use the lab to test drugs.

Local law enforcement also relies on the lab for speedy and more accurate testing than can be done with field testing kits, which would increase safety for officers and the public and more effectively take dangerous drugs off the street.

With passage of a levy, "we can certify the lab, we can improve the equipment that we have. We can get them a permanent location, which is a requirement to have a certified lab," Williams said.

The county also could use the lab for pre-employment drug tests, while Lorain County Adult Probation continues to use it to drug test those on court-ordered probation or undergoing court-mandated drug treatment services.

"Putting the levies on will help our coroner, and help our crime lab, which will end up helping our law enforcement officers," Williams said.

Commissioner David Moore questioned who would take ownership of promoting the levy, be it the coroner, the crime lab or commissioners.

"All three should be involved," Williams replied. "We should all be involved."

Moore said he wanted to see a team put together, as well as a plan and a budget for a levy campaign before he would vote on it.

"If I'm going to vote on a levy, I'd like to know how it's going to be marketed, and who's going to take ownership of it

and who's going to get the message out," he said.

"It's important to have something the whole board is going to support," Commissioner Matt Lundy said.

Commissioners also approved sending a request to Snodgrass' office for valuation of a renewal of a 0.065-mill tuberculosis levy, with potential decreases in millage, to be placed on the Nov. 3 ballot.

The levy provides care and treatment for those suffering from tuberculosis, or TB, which is an infectious, airborne bacterial disease that typically attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body.

The owner of a $100,000 home in Lorain County pays less than $2 per year toward the levy. Ohio law requires that counties pay the cost of TB treatment for their residents, and the county works closely with Mercy Health Systems to administer its TB program.

Williams said the TB levy account currently has $1.4 million in it, and that officials are able to reduce the millage for taxpayers due to increased home values. The county currently collects about $500,000 annually and spends about $370,000 per year from the fund, he said.

The change in millage would reduce collections from $500,000 to $465,000 or even lower, to $420,000, Williams said.

"We've had no rash in TB outbreaks, housing values are up and we wanted to go through and lower taxes" for Lorain County residents, he said.

Other business • Lorain County Job & Family Services Director Tim Carrion told commissioners that $200,000 in checks had been cut as part of the county's Emergency Rental Assistance program.

Another $1 million in payments for those struggling to meet their rental and utility obligations was pending, with the money coming from federal funds.

There are "very liberal" income guidelines for households to be eligible, Carrion said.

"Families that would not generally qualify for help will qualify for these funds," including for up to 12 months of arrears back to April 2020 and three months into the future for a total of 15 months of rent and utility payments, he said.

Landlords also may initiate the application process at lcdjfs.com, Carrion said.

Anyone seeking emergency rental assistance may find income guidelines and other information on the program may visit the LCDJFS online emergency rental assistance portal or call (440) 284-4423, leave a message and a JFS staff member will call them back.

• Commissioners approved spending $784,000 in Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, funds provided to Lorain County by the federal government through the state of Ohio, with five agencies to run summer camps from June through August this year.

El Centro, Boys & Girls Club, Lighthouse Learning Center and Tower Educational Consulting Group Inc. in Lorain, as well as Horizon Education Centers of North Olmsted, will operate the summer camps.

Raimondo leaves Oberlin College post weeks early STAFF REPORT

After announcing in January that she was leaving her post at the end of the spring semester, Oberlin College Vice President and Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo has stepped back from her leadership roles six weeks early.

Raimondo has taken "a leave of absence from her administrative duties" effective April 5, Oberlin College spokesman Scott Wargo confirmed.

Raimondo will continue teaching a course through the end of the semester, with a planned sabbatical beginning July 1, Wargo wrote in a text message.

In January, the college announced that Raimondo would take a sabbatical starting at the end of the spring semester and return a tenured faculty member for the 2022-23 school

Page B3

POLICE REPORTS AMHERST

• March 21 at 2:23 a.m.: Elias Palmer, 19, of Lorain, was charged with underage consumption and possession of alcohol, and open container.

• March 21 at 2:35 a.m.: Jessica Bolen, 34, of Amherst, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated, state refusal and starting and backing vehicles.

• March 21 at 9:14 p.m.: Tina Jones, 33, of Vermilion, was arrested on a warrant through the Lorain County Sheriff's Office for contempt of court on an original charge of robbery. She was also wanted on a warrant through the Lorain Police Department for failure to appear in court on a family offense charge. According to a police report, Jones at first provided a fake name to officers. The arrest came after police responded to Motel 6 on Route 58, where another woman was allegedly overdosing; she was treated and taken to the hospital • March 22 at 10:38 a.m.: Cheyanne Witter, 23, of Lorain, was arrested on a warrant through the Amherst Police Department for failure to appear in court on a charge of driving under suspension.

• March 22 at 12:09 p.m.: Police responded to a domestic dispute on Cherry Valley Drive.

• March 22 at 2:57 p.m.: A missing juvenile report was filed on Jackson Street.

While police were responding, the teenager contacted his family and said he would be returning soon.

• March 23 at 7:59 a.m.: A person staying at Motel 6 on Route 58 said someone entered their room overnight and stole $400 in cash and a cell phone.

• March 23 at 11:32 a.m.: Police investigated a domestic violence complaint.

• March 24 at 3:57 a.m.: Ashley Siembida, 31, of Elyria, was arrested on a warrant through the Amherst Police Department for failure to appear in court for sentencing on convictions of obstructing official business and soliciting.

• March 24 at 5:49 p.m.: Officers were called to the area of Your Deli on Park Avenue for a report of juveniles fighting.

• March 24 at 6:31 p.m.: A 13-year-old girl was charged with domestic violence and unruliness.

• March 24 at 7:53 p.m.: Rylee Weber, 20, of Lorain, was charged with underage possession of marijuana an traffic violations.

• March 24 at 9:26 p.m.: Police investigated a physical altercation that had happened between a man and his girlfriend in the parking lot of Mr. Hero on Route 58.

• March 25 at 11:27 p.m.: Jai Curry, 20, of Lorain, was served with a warrant through the Lorain Police Department.

• March 26 at 12:54 p.m.: Jack Griner, 61, of Amherst, was arrested on a warrant through the Lorain Police Department for failure to appear in court on a charge of endangering children.

• March 26 at 4:42 p.m.: Officers responded to a domestic dispute on Jackson Street.

• March 26 at 10:33 p.m.: Officers responded to a menacing complaint at Motel 6 on Route 58. A woman she received concerning messages regarding the wellbeing of her sister, a minor.

• March 29 at 5:09 p.m.: Todd Lawson, 28, of Amherst, was arrested on a warrant through the Lorain County Sheriff's Office for contempt fo court, on a charge of domestic violence.

• March 30 at 10 p.m.: Officers responded to a possible drug overdose at Days Inn on Route 58. A woman was revived to consciousness with naloxone and went to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital for treatment.

• March 31 at 6:38 p.m.: Officers investigated a Social Security scam complaint.

OBERLIN

• March 17 at 6:50 p.m.: A suspect allegedly broke a no-contact order by show-

ing up at a North Main Street home and blowing a “snot rocket” on a trash can, according to a police report. The matter was forwarded to the Oberlin Municipal Court Probation Department.

• March 18 at 10:15 a.m.: Officers investigated a fraud complaint involving disputed transactions.

• March 19 at 5:25 p.m.: Two people reported the suspected theft of more than $700 worth of clothing.

• March 20 at 12:30 a.m.: A man said his 15-year-old daughter did not return home.

• March 21 at noon: A 2005 Chevy Equinox was reported stolen from East College Street.

• March 21 at 4:25 p.m.: Isaiah Phillips, 18, of Oberlin, was charged with theft following a complaint at Walmart on US Route 20. Two other people were not charged after allegedly attempting to steal items.

• March 24 at 11:02 p.m.: A man told police his 92-year-old father was the victim of fraudulent bank transactions totaling $1,750.

• March 24 at 4:12 p.m.: Chevon Barnette, 28, of North Olmsted, was arrested on a warrant through the North Olmsted Police Department. The original charge was improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle. Police said marijuana was confiscated from his vehicle.

• March 25 at 6:14 a.m.: A 63-year-old woman was pronounced dead on arrival.

She had been sick for 12 days and stopped breathing. A police report said her husband believed she had COVID-19 but the woman had never been tested.

• March 27 at 2:37 p.m.: Police were flagged down by a woman who said she was unable to find her 12-year-old daughter. She was quickly located in downtown Oberlin.

• March 28 at 4:25 p.m.: A man reported an issue with an eBay package that did not arrive.

• March 29 at 4:35 p.m.: Trevor Dewitt, 23, of Oberlin, was served with a warrant through Oberlin Municipal Court for failure to appear on charges of reckless operation and driving under suspension.

• March 29 at 5:45 p.m.: Olivia Rodgers, 22, of Akron, turned herself in on a warrant through Oberlin Municipal Court for a sentencing and probation violation.

• March 29 at 9:04 p.m.: Items worth $77.07 were reported stolen from Walmart on US Route 20.

• March 30 at 1:23 p.m.: A man reported prescription medications missing.

• March 30 at 5:40 p.m.: A glass pipe with suspected marijuana residue was turned over to police by Oberlin College security.

• March 31 at 8:16 p.m.: Glass pipes, a grinder and a bag with suspected marijuana residue, along with a pack of rolling papers, were turned over to police by Oberlin College security.

WELLINGTON

• March 22 at 1:50 p.m.: A 15-year-old student having a mental health crisis at Wellington High School was taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital for treatment. Police, who labeled the incident as felony aggravated menacing and terroristic threats, seized cigarette lighters, a pocket knife and a folding knife. They also noted the suspect had an apparent minor injury.

• March 23 at 1:18 a.m.: Officers were dispatched to a domestic violence complaint on Marts Place. The case was placed on hold for review by the prosecutor, according to court records.

• March 23 at 1:26 p.m.: A man said he paid $1,150 for a vehicle for his daughter, and it was never transferred over.

• March 24 at 2:41 p.m.: A 15-year-old was accused of making threats at McCormick Middle School. Police labeled the incident as inducing panic.

• March 29 at 7:39 a.m.: A cell phone was reported stolen at Forest City Technologies on Clay Street.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 File photo

Meredith Raimondo, vice president and dean of students at Oberlin College, at verdicts in Gibson's Bakery v Oberlin College at Lorain County Justice Center. year.

A national search for her replacement already has begun.

Raimondo was a dean for five of her 18 years at Oberlin College, during which she held various teaching and administrative roles. She also was a defendant in the lawsuit

brought by the Gibson family and Gibson's Bakery against Oberlin College over her and the college's actions during and after student protests against the bakery in November 2016.

That judgment remains on appeal by both the college and the Gibsons.

APRIL 22, 2021 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live APRIL 26, 2021 ........ CITY COUNCIL SPECIAL MEETING – 7:00 P.M. PURPOSE: To adjourn into Executive Session to discuss and consider the employment and compensation of the City Law Director APRIL 27, 2021 ........ OPEN SPACE COMMISSION – 5:00 P.M. NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

Page B4

SPORTS

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, April 22, 2021

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

FIERCE COMPETITION

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Black River topped Wellington 8-6 on the strength of a four-run rally in the second inning. Hunter McJunkins had four RBIs to lead the Pirates to victory, while Noah Hopek recorded the win from the mound with five strikeouts. The Dukes' Riley Reyna and Cameron Brinker each had two RBIs. TOP: Reyna throws to first base for an out. MIDDLE: Black River’s Noah Hopek winds for the pitch. BOTTOM: Wyatt Sasack gets the ball to first base.

SADLER SCORES THE GAME-WINNER

Photos by Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Cassidy Kettleman knocked out a solo home run Monday, and Brianna Sadler scored the winning run in a big 2-1 victory over North Ridgeville in a Southwestern Conference showdown.

Kate Kastelic was the winning pitcher, striking out five and allowing just three hits in seven innings.

ABOVE: Coach Lacey Reichert celebrates with her team after Brianna Sadler scores the winning run. RIGHT: Sadler slides to paydirt.

DUKES LOCK IT DOWN Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Payton Regal knocked out two RBIs and a run in the Dukes' 8-1 win over the Pirates on April 15. Jenna Pasadyn, Teddi Hardoby and Mikayla Paramore each had two runs, with an additional run from Lily Oswald. Regal picked up the win on the mound, striking out six in seven innings and allowing just five hits. Black River struggled to find any momentum, with just Jordan Bradford allowed to cross home plate.

LEFT: Kennedi Benko runs past Black River's Jordan Bradford before she can pick up the ball.

KEYSTONE HITS 1,000 WINS

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

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The Wildcats picked up their 1,000th victory in program history last week against the overmatched Oberlin Phoenix. A perennial regional and state level powerhouse, Keystone has the first program to reach that milestone in all of Ohio. They dispatched the visiting Oberlin bench 16-1 in a game ended by the run rule.

Lily Cassell earned the victory on the mound, while Katlyn Streator went the distance in the loss for Oberlin. RIGHT: Oberlin's Kalissa Clawson rips a Keystone offering to the left side.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

CLEARVIEW’S DAY Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Following a sharp grounder to first, Oberlin's Isaac Thompson wins the race to the bag for the out. The rest of the day belonged to the Clippers, as Clearview's batters racked up a 27-3 win in Lorain County League action. Nate Klamer drove in five runs, while Kyle Mettler had a homer.

The Clippers had 10 batters drive in a run and six players steal a base.

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Comet Relays back in full force this weekend JASON HAWK EDITOR

BIG BRUISER BATTERS

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Dukes bats were crackin' last week as Wellington shut out Firelands 10-0 in a five-inning affair. Wellington's six-run second inning put the nail in the coffin early. Mikayla Paramore, Payton Regal, Brooke Noss and Jenna Pasadyn all notched two RBIs apiece. Paramore and Pasadyn each had two runs, with additional scoring from Teddi Hardoby, Noss, Regal, Maile Oswald and Lily Oswald. Regal was the winning pitcher, striking out five and allowing just two runners to reach base in five innings. ABOVE: Wellington’s Maile Oswald smacks the ball to center field at Firelands.

RUNAWAY GAME

AMHERST — One of the biggest high school track and field meets in all of Ohio is being resurrected this weekend, after being shut down in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 65th Annual Comet Relays will be held Saturday, with 54 teams maxing out the space at the Marion L. Steele High School stadium.

With safety in mind, the meet has been split into two halves. Girls competition will begin at 9 a.m. and boys events will start at 1 p.m.

Field events such as the long and high jumps will be run as relays, with two competitors at a time, said Amherst coach Rob Glatz.

"That's an effort to cut down the number of people involved at one time, and quite frankly we wouldn't have the time to get all the field event participants through in just three or four hours," he said.

Expect a full slate of teams to be drawn from across the state, from Toledo to Boardman, said Glatz. Competitors will include powerhouses such as St. Ignatius and Magnificat, Solon and Mentor.

But he said it's hard to predict who may dominate the Comet Relays. Without benchmarks from last spring to look at, anyone could emerge as a force.

Where Amherst is concerned, the full indoor track and field season provided some insights into the roster's talent.

Glatz said to watch Chaley Younkin, a high jump and hurdles all-star at the indoor state meet at SPIRE. Aurora Wilson, Marisa Del Valle, Leah Gerke and Catherine Turner also placed highly there in the 4x800 relay.

Boys weight throwers Brad Gregory and Samuel George also placed in state indoor competition, as did 4x800 relay runners Jacob Farley, Sebastian Pecora, Devin Ramirez and Cael Walker.

Distance events were foremost in the mind of legendary coach Richard Cooley, who started the Comet Relays in 1956, according to Glatz. As the cross country coach, that's just how he thought, and that legacy has been carried throughout the past 65 years.

Glatz said this year, for the first time, the 4x200 relay has been added to diversify the schedule. He expects the shorter, faster race to draw a lot of interest among both coaches

Rob Glatz

A long-awaited return to the track

Amherst coach Rob Glatz remembers clearly how he felt last March, getting word the Spring 2020 sports season had been canceled.

"I was distraught," he said. "I know how hard our athletes worked."

It was an awful way to end the year, Glatz said, especially for the 30 Amherst seniors whose high school careers ended without warning.

Many of the remaining underclassmen started training in April for the fall cross country season, and came out stronger than ever. Glatz said they were highly motivated to perform.

"Any obstacle presents an opportunity.

It just gave us a lot of fire," he said. "We don't know what the future's going to hold, so we're going to invest in make every day our best."

Returning to the track this year has been a refreshing experience, Glatz said. Students have been forced to be more flexible, but they've also become more optimistic and appreciative of the chance to run. and spectators.

The Comet Relays are just one part of Amherst's banner track and field year. This spring, Steele also hosts the varsity and junior varsity Southwestern Conference meets, regionals and districts.

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Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Andrew Champagne rounded the bases three times for the Raiders as Columbia surged ahead last week for a 10-3 win over the Dukes in Lorain County League action. Riley Reyna, Wayde Bowman and Josh Higgins each scored runs for Wellington. Jacob Weegman, CJ Polen and Wyatt Sasack all had RBIs for the Dukes. Cody Davis pitched six innings and racked up six K's for Columbia. ABOVE: Wellington’s Josh Higgins delivers the ball to the plate against Columbia.

KNIJNENBURG’S KILLING IT

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BY APPOINTMENT Call (440) 984-7463 Option 3

207 North Leavitt Rd., Amherst Across from Drug Mart on Route 58 www.januzzi.com • (440) 984-7463 Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Phoenix freshman Oliver Knijnenburg picked up a straight set win at first singles for Oberlin. The young squad advanced its record to 6-1 on the year following a 4-1 drubbing of Lake Ridge Academy. For Oberlin, Grant Martz defeated Lou Ding in second singles. The doubles teams of Stavros and Vagelis Ananiadis and Evan Bandy and Max Singleton each took home Phoenix wins.

YOUR ONLINE FOOTWEAR ASSESSMENT Begins at www.januzzi.com

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Thursday, April 22, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 37, No. 20

Many students have read the books Dragons Love Tacos and Dragons Love Tacos 2: The Sequel. Kindergarten students at Strobridge Elementary in Castro Valley, CA put together a whole lot of questions for the author Adam Rubin and they loved these books so much, they went on to read more of Adam’s books.

A: I get this question a lot and I think some students are under the impression that I actually physically produce the books in my apartment … I only write the words.

I use Google docs (just like a lot of students I know).

After I’m finished writing, Dan draws the pictures and then all the digital files are sent to a factory in China where they print out the copies of the books for people to buy. The front and back cover are hard because there are thick pieces of cardboard hidden under the paper.

A: When I was a kid, my dad had a little statue on his desk that looked like a dragon eating a taco. It made me think of the phrase “Dragons Love Tacos” which stuck in my head until I was an adult and it sounded like a good title for a picture book. I have the statue on my writing desk now.

A: I wrote Dragons Love Tacos at my kitchen table at night after work while I was working at an advertising agency in Chicago. I had a day job and wrote stories at night for the first seven years that I was an author.

A: Dragons love tacos for the same reasons I love tacos.

Tacos are delicious, nutritious, fun to make and easy to eat. There are endless varieties. They are the perfect food!

Dragons are known to breathe fire. The smoke is a warning sign of the impending inferno. Kind of like a burp from Uncle Morris.

I always liked writing stories, ever since I was a little kid.

When you’re a kid, people tell you what to do all the time: what to eat, what to wear, when to go to bed … But when you write a story, you can do anything you want.

You can stay up ’til 4:00 in the morning, you can eat a thousand pizzas, you can fly to the moon on a magical rhinoceros. That’s what I love about writing. Anything you can imagine, you can bring it to life in a story.

Dragons have a special sensitivity to spicy foods, just like my Uncle Morris. Luckily, I have a stronger stomach and love to eat spicy salsa. The spicier the better, in fact.

What a Character

Select a character in a comic strip. Write three things that describe how this character looks.

Then write three things about the personality of this character.

Standards Link: Writing Applications: Students write phrases that describe concepts.

Two of these dragons are different from all the others. Can you find them?

INTERVIEW VARIETIES DRAGONS CHICAGO INFERNO AUTHOR TACOS STORY WRITE SEVEN SMOKE LOVE FIRE BOOK FOOD

For more information about our literacy non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

C A D O O F D A A I

M H W R I T E U N R U B I R A I N T E E

H B E C A S E H V K S N O G A R D O E O

This week’s word:

PHYSICALLY

T S S O V G L R S M

The adverb physically means relating to the body not the mind.

R S E I T E I R A V

Painting the mural was physically hard work.

O T O I K R O I E S Y W O N R E F N I S

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

Headline Helpers

Select five headlines from the newspaper.

Then rewrite them by using synonyms for the nouns and verbs. Synonyms are words that means the same thing as another word (For example, good = great, excellent, awesome).

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

“I love to read because…”

ANSWER: Fire alarms!

Standards Link: Vocabulary: Use strategies of the writing process to write a variety of sentences.

Children are born curious.

From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further.

Magic happens.

Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive, engaging and relevant age-appropriate materials designed to awaken the magic of reading at school, at home, and throughout their lives.

Explain why and what you enjoy reading.