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LORAIN COUNTY
AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, May 5, 2022
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Volume 9, Issue 18
Former fire chief indicted JASON HAWK EDITOR
Former South Amherst Fire Chief Ronald Schmitz has been indicted by a grand jury on counts of theft in office and tampering with records, both felonies. Schmitz, who goes by Al to avoid confusion with his father, the former may-
or, had served on David Leshinski the department was not aware more than four of any potential decades. He had wrongdoing, he been chief for 18 said. years. “Some fire“Due to the fighters did not current demands like his leaderof my full-time ship style, and Al Schmitz job, I feel I need of course you’re to step down and always going to retire,” said a resignation get that,” Leshinski said. letter dated Jan. 20. Then two investigators At that time, Mayor from the Lorain County
Brighton fights ODOT plan for a roundabout
prosecutor’s office approached him and Fiscal Officer Michelle Henke. Leshinski said they revealed they were looking into allegations that Schmitz had not attended training sessions he was required to complete, but remained on the payroll. There was no incident involving missing money or material resources, he clarified.
County Prosecutor J.D. Tomlinson confirmed the indictment counts but declined to comment further, or say why his office decided to start the investigation. He said more information will come out in court filings. Leshinski said there has been no interruption in fire protection in the CHIEF PAGE A4
Fosters needed
JASON HAWK EDITOR
BRIGHTON TWP. — One deadly crash and a slew of injuries have convinced the Ohio Department of Transportation a $2.8 million roundabout is needed at the intersection of state routes 18 and 511. But Brighton Township trustees aren’t on board with the idea. They are attempting to fight the construction project with a petition that as of early last week had garnered 100 signatures. The goal, said Trustee Steve Urbansky, is to get state Rep. Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, to use his influence to call off the roundabout. “We are very much against it,” Urbansky said. “There are two churches and the township hall right there, and a roundabout would be too close to them. We feel it’s not a very big intersection for a roundabout.” There is also a public pavilion located on one corner, and several trees planted in memory of former residents that should not be disturbed, he said. ODOT District 3 spokeswoman Crystal Neelon said the project is in its early conceptual phase. But her language indicated plans are already set — construction is scheduled to begin in April 2026 and will last about five months, including a 70-day closure of the intersection. Neelon provided a diagram showing 17 crashes at the intersection since 2015. One was fatal, and 11 others resulted in injuries. ROUNDABOUT PAGE A3 Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday
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Photos by Kristin Bauer | Community Guide
Lucile, a 10-day old kitten, drinks from syringe with help from Friendship Animal Protective League Adoptions Supervisor Heath Knable feeds Lucile on Thursday, April 28.
Friendship APL seeks emergency volunteers to provide kitten care JASON HAWK EDITOR
ELYRIA — You may think there’s no such thing as “too many kittens,” but Hannah Schramm and Shelby Dowdell respectfully disagree. They smiled ear to ear last Thursday while snuggling a trio of little furballs, sleepy gray and white two-week-olds, inside the Friendship Animal Protective League on Murray Ridge Road. Cute as they might be, the shelter is overflowing. Spring is kitten season, and this year it’s been slammed with an influx of tiny newborns and expecting moms. The nonprofit is searching high and low for volunteers to provide emergency
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KITTENS PAGE A3
Voters support $6.8M renewals JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — Steve Sayers wanted to retire with the legacy of leaving the Amherst Schools on firm footing for another decade. Voters gave the longtime superintendent his wish Tuesday, overwhelmingly passing two huge renewal levies that ensure $6.8 million per year will keep rolling in for the district. “I’ve said it before, this is a community that supports and values education and they’ve stepped up once again for our students,” he said around 9 p.m. when unofficial Election Night results had been tabulated. Issue 1, a 4.9-mill property tax that generates $2.8 million per year, passed 3,074 to 1,647 (65.11 percent to 34.89 percent). It will continue to cost homeowners $121.20 per year, or $10.10 per month, for every $100,000 their property is worth. Issue 2 is larger at 6.51 mills and generates $4 million per year. It passed 2,923 to 1,780 (62.15 percent to 37.85 percent). It will continue to cost homeowners $199.37 per year, or $16.61 per month, for every $100,000 their property is worth. Combined, the levies represent about 20 percent of the Amherst Schools’ operating budget. In the run-up to the election, Sayers said the district simply couldn’t afford to leave that much funding behind. On Tuesday night, he admitted that educators had been sweating about the levy’s outcome, particularly with inflation making it more expensive to run the school system. The fact that two big-millage levies were on the ballot at the same time “was cause for concern,” but he remained optimistic voters would pull through, and his positivity was rewarded. “I’m so thankful and grateful for the support of our community,” Sayers said. “… We’re going to continue to be good stewards of the LEVIES PAGE A2
INSIDE THIS WEEK
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foster care at home. That’s no easy job — at just a few weeks old, kittens need to be bottle-fed every two hours and kept warm constantly, said Schramm, 23, of Cleveland. “If we can’t provide that, we turn to foster homes,” she said. “And most shelters across the country can’t usually provide that, because we’re not here 24 hours a day.” Dowdell, 21, of Elyria, has worked at Friendship APL the past three years. She said as soon as the weather warms, female cats find toms who are happy to help them get pregnant. Gestation lasts as little as 60 days, which means female cats can have up to five litters a year.
AMHERST
Amherst
Oberlin
Wellington
S. Amherst officials ask: Where are our sewers? • B1
Russell meets President Biden at the White House • A5
Wellington woman dies in crash on U.S. Route 20 • A4
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD A6 • SUDOKU A6 • KID SCOOP B6