Lorain County Community Guide - May 13, 2021

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, May 13, 2021

Submit items to news@lcnewspapers.com

Volume 8, Issue 19

A night to remember

Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Marion L. Steele High School students gather Saturday for a prom photo shoot on the steps of Finney Chapel in Oberlin. They are Alex Moore and Michael Lanser, McKenzie Cormwell and Alx Corr, Brooke Ousley and Logan Hoopes, Macy Koscho and Graham Solak, Mackenzie Fisher and Jalin Dampier, Amaya Melendez and Jonathan West, Luren Parker and Jake Armbruster, Kylee McGraw and Joey Kramer, Kaelin Jenkins and Jacob Kramer, (sitting) Ava Zapolski and Mason Raegert, Hannah Aschemeier and Adam Henderson. After being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 prom was held with masks and social distancing at Crocker Park in Westlake.

Cottrell wished Pleas entered by two Capitol attack ‘smooth seas’ suspects FBI arrested in Wellington JASON HAWK EDITOR

JASON HAWK EDITOR

CLEVELAND — The U.S. Coast Guard bid fair winds and smooth seas Friday to Rear Admiral Donna Cottrell, a Wellington native who is retiring after 38 years of service.

Since June 2019, she has been in command of "the guardians of the Great Lakes," tasked with safeguarding some 6,700 miles of coastline.

In a formal change-of-command ceremony at the Marine Safety Unit in Cleveland, Cottrell read her new orders, to retire to Ashland, and turned over leadership of the Coast Guard's Ninth District to Rear Admiral Michael Johnston.

Cottrell's legacy will loom large over Johnston's new ADMIRAL PAGE A3

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

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

Clifford Mackrell, a Wellington man accused of being part of the Jan. 6 siege of the U.S. Capitol, has pleaded not guilty to all counts.

The 20-year-old faces a seconddegree felony charge of violent entry and disorderly conduct on the Capitol grounds.

Mackrell was arraigned May 3 via video in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., with Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly presiding.

A status conference has been scheduled for the afternoon of June 30. It remains unclear how quickly the case could move to trial, with proceedings slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, Mackrell is free on a personal recognizance bond.

Copyright 2021 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

A tipster later identified the person in the video as "Cliff," a 2018 graduate of Wellington High School.

The FBI followed the bread crumbs Shane Jenkins to Mackrell's Facebook page, where on Jan. 6 he had posted that the government has been "corrupted for a very long time now how about we get rid of all of them because well it is out literal job as american’s to kill the tyrannical government. [sic]" With a warrant, agents also looked

CAPITOL PAGE A3

Vaccine hesitancy falling across Ohio JASON HAWK EDITOR

Resistance to being vaccinated against COVID-19 is shrinking, with only 11.5 percent of Americans now saying they're dead set against getting a shot.

That number has fallen by about 4 percent in the past month, according to

data released last week by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Its Household Pulse Survey, based on responses from roughly 69,000 people across the country, showed 69.7 percent of adults living in the United States had already received at least one dose of the vaccine.

But the survey also revealed "vaccine hesitancy"

is much higher in Ohio than the national average.

Of the 20.4 percent of Ohioans who say they don't want a COVID shot, 64.1 percent said they're concerned with side-effects, 53.3 percent said they don't trust the vaccines and 50.5 percent said the don't believe they need one.

Others said they don't trust the government, don't

know whether vaccines will actually work, think other people need the shots more, are against all vaccinations or are concerned about cost.

"I think these folks, at least in part, already started on the side of not wanting to get the vaccine and are using the side-effect piece HESITANT PAGE A3

INSIDE THIS WEEK

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He is also charged with assaulting a police officer.

A report by FBI Special Agent Timothy Kolonick alleges Mackrell is among those caught Clifford Mackrell on video pushing back barricades and storming the building where a joint session of Congress was being held to certify Electoral College votes for the presidential election.

The report says it was Mackrell who repeatedly struck a Capitol police officer, then grabbed the officer's gas mask and attempted to expose them to some form of spray that had been released by the crowd.

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Library eyes June for $5.8M project start • B1

City Council weighs school district solar power plan • B1

Ohio First Lady dedicates Findley Storybook Trail • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • KID SCOOP A6 • CROSSWORD B2 • SUDOKU B2

Page A2

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Praying for change

OBITUARIES Beulah Mae Williams On Monday, May 3, 2021, Beulah Mae Williams, loving mother, grandmother and wife, was called to rest by her Lord and Savior after battling a short illness.

Beulah Mae Williams was born August 12, 1936, in McRoberts, Kentucky.

Beulah leaves behind five sons, Warren Colbert, Danny Colbert, Sr., Christopher Robison, St. John Harris, Guy Robison (preceded in death by).

Beulah also leaves behind 51 grandchildren, great-grands and great-greats. Beulah was preceded in death by four husbands as well as 12 siblings. She leaves behind three siblings, Bishop Willie Lamb, Bishop Sally Miller and Elder Kenny Lamb.

Beulah was a member of Rust United Methodist Church from 1956 to the present, she held many positions in the church community. Beulah was a member of Martha Chapter #35 Eastern Star in Oberlin for 30 plus years and a member of Ohio Association of Beauticians for 30 plus years, serving in many capacities. Beulah was the owner and operator of Unique Soul Salon, the first Black female owned business in Oberlin, from 1978 to present day. She will be loved and missed by host of family, friends and community.

Services will be held Monday, May 10, 2021 at Rust United Methodist Church, 128 Groveland Street, Oberlin, with a walk through visitation from 10 a.m. until private services at 11 a.m. which will be for family only. Services with Bishop Albert Cooper, National Overseer of Church of God M.P.G.T. officiating. Private family burial will be held at Westwood Cemetery. Masks and social distancing are required.

Online condolences may be made to www.cowlingfuneral homeoh.com.

David Bryan Stechow David Bryan Stechow, 60, of Buffalo, New York, died unexpectedly from a fall, passing away Tuesday, April 24, 2021. David was born in London, England on Aug. 31, 1960.

David spent much of his youth in Oberlin with his father, the late Hans-Axel Stechow and Norma Stechow and his three brothers, Peter (Laurie), Keith and Michael (Marijana).

David attended Oberlin High School until 1977. He also attended SUNY Buffalo.

Wolfgang and Ursula Stechow of Oberlin were his grandparents.

In addition to Norma and his brothers, David is survived by his mother, Rosemarie Olsen; half-sister, Delia (Michael) Ingham and half-brother, Roy (Mary Ellen) Case and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Extended family and friends gathered at Lombardo Funeral Home in Buffalo on Tuesday, May 3, 2021, to remember David and celebrate his life.

WAYNE 'BART' KEITH BARTLOME, 75, of Elyria, passed away Sunday, May 2, 2021, at his home surrounded by his family. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

THOMAS L. CALLAHAN, 87, of Lorain, passed away at his home following a full and meaningful life.

JACK SNYDER, 73, a resident of Amherst Township, passed away Sunday, May 2, 2021, at University Hospitals in Cleveland following a sudden illness.

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

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

Kristin Bauer | Community Guide

Amherst observed the National Day of Prayer last Thursday at Town Hall. The event was put on by St. Paul Lutheran Church with presentation of the flag by the Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard.

Amherst churches unite in spirit JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A band of believers bowed their heads Thursday, May 6 on the green outside Amherst Town Hall, joining in spirit with Christians all across the United States for the National Day of Prayer.

"It takes a certain amount of humility to come before God and say, 'We don't have all the answers, but you do,'" said the Rev. Paul Werner of St. Paul Lutheran Church, which organized the service.

His voice rang out from the street corner at noon, calling for a revival.

Clergy from Grow Point Church, St. Peter United Church of Christ, Amherst United Methodist Church, Good Shepherd Baptist Church, Amherst Church of the Nazarene and Faith Baptist Church came together for the 70th anniversary of the Na-

tional Day of Prayer.

They took turns leading a crowd from atop the bandstand in front of Town Hall, praying for family, the government, military, health care, education, the workplace, entertainment and the church.

Pastor Joe Carney of Amherst United Methodist Church expressed thanks for public servants, including police, firefighters and paramedics, and asked God to guide President Joe Biden and his cabinet, Congress and state leaders.

The White House followed its tradition of issuing a National Day of Prayer proclamation.

"Throughout our history, Americans of many religions and belief systems have turned to prayer for strength, hope and guidance," Biden wrote. "Prayer has nourished countless souls and powered moral movements — including essential fights against racial injustice, child labor

Farmers market opens

The Oberlin Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m. to noon every Saturday from May 15 to Oct. 9, rain or shine, in the Oberlin Public Library parking lot, 65 South Main St. Find fresh and local seasonal fruits and vegetables, meat, eggs, maple syrup, honey. jams, artisan breads, pies, macarons, quiches, scones, cookies, handmade bath and body products, crafts, ice cream and more.

Youth basketball sign-ups

The 2021 Amherst Comets Youth Basketball Camp will be held from June 7-10 for both boys and girls in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Coach Pat Bray and Comets players will host the camp at the Powers Elementary School gym. Get a free camp T-shirt with prepaid registration.

Sign up at www.tinyurl.com/CometsCamp.

Take virtual art classes

Virtual art classes with Mary Jo Clark will premiere at 1 p.m. on the third Monday of each month, May through August, on the Amherst Public Library's YouTube channel.

On Monday, May 17, follow along with Clark and create a watercolor flower painting after learning a few special effects techniques. This class is designed for the beginner artist, but can be enjoyed by students at any experience level.

Supply list: #8 round Taklon brush, watercolor pencils, pink eraser and 140 lb. watercolor paper. Optional: bubble wrap, saran wrap and foam stamps.

Visit www.tinyurl.com/AmherstPublicLibrary.

and infringement on the rights of disabled Americans. Prayer is also a daily practice for many, whether it is to ask for help or strength, or to give thanks over blessings bestowed."

The president called on Americans to celebrate their ability to exercise their convictions freely, and to be united in purpose by the freedoms that helped define the United States from its earliest days.

"Let us find in our prayers, however they are delivered, the determination to overcome adversity, rise above our differences, and come together as one Nation to meet this moment in history," he wrote.

Organizers trace the day's roots back to the Continental Congress' call for prayer at its 1775 convention. Its first official observance was in 1952, under President Harry Truman, and in 1988 President Ronald Reagan designated the first Thursday of each May for the event.

Storytellers to share tales

Join the Amherst Public Library for a live virtual program at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 17.

Members of the Western Reserve Association for the Preservation & Perpetuation of Storytelling will tell original stories, myths, fairy tales and more for all ages.

This program will take place on Zoom. Registration with an email address is required, and attendees will receive an email with a link to access the program.

Visit www.amherstpubliclibrary.org or call the reference desk at (440) 988-4230 to register.

Youth cheer registration

Registration for Amherst Youth Cheer football is now open, and closes June 30. No late registrations.

A bitty cheer program will be offered to kindergartners for $45 as an introduction to cheerleading. Each participant will get a shirt, bow and will cheer at halftime of a football game.

The cost for mini, junior varsity and varsity squads — first through sixth grade — is $85. Squads will cheer for Amherst Junior Comets football games on Saturdays.

To register, visit www.amherstyouthcheer.com.

Explore nature with kits

Get out and explore nature with OberlinKids’ latest literacy and learning kit. The Nature Hunt Kit includes a book full of nature exploration ideas, as well as a pencil, field journals and magnifying glass.

Sign up at www.oberlinkids.org/literacy-learning by 5 p.m. on May 17 or call or text OberlinKids at (440) 371-0113.

One per family. Distribution will begin May 24.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B2

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE B2

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

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

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

ADMIRAL

FROM A1 command.

Vice Admiral Steven Poulin said Cottrell has been an inspiration, especially throughout the challenges posed by COVID-19 the past two years.

"Donna ensured that our Coast Guard never failed to answer the call," he said. "She ensured our crews were agile and adaptive every day to meet the needs of the Great Lakes."

Poulin praised the departing rear admiral for making mental health a top priority for her crews, and working to stamp out sexual assault and harassment in the ranks. She also used listening sessions to help the Coast Guard navigate a time of unprecedented social unrest.

"You understood the importance of lending a compassionate ear, understanding the perspectives of others and reaffirming our commitment to equal opportunity," Poulin said.

And while logging mission successes, Cottrell found time to teach a self-defense course three times a week, and recently qualified for a pink belt in ju-jitsu, he said — she is also an avid banjo player.

A graduate of the Wellington High School Class of 1977, Cottrell was a teacher before joining the Coast Guard Reserves as a summer job, said Admiral Karl Schultz.

She quickly joined the active duty ranks and became an aviation electronics technician, breaking barriers. In the mid1980s, Cottrell was the

HESITANT

FROM A1

only woman in the course as well as in the hangar where she went to work, Schultz said.

She chased her dream of being a pilot, earned her commission in 1987 and before long was a helicopter flight instructor.

"She wanted to make a difference, because when she went to flight school there were no women instructors there," Schultz said. "And she saw the importance of that back in that early part of her career. We still have those challenges today."

Cottrell became the first woman ever to command the Helicopter Interdiction

Tactical Squadron, one of the largest and most complex rotary wing units. It's the only one authorized to deploy force from the air to stop vessels carrying out illicit activities at sea, such as smuggling.

Later in her career, Cottrell continued to dog smugglers in the Pacific Ocean as director of the Joint Interagency Task Force West. She oversaw operations against 181 suspect ships, leading to the seizure of 4.1 metric tons of cocaine, 2.2 metric tons of methamphetamine, and 95.4 metric tons of chemicals used to manufacture drugs.

Schultz said throughout her career Cottrell strengthened relationships with international allies and "brought a lot of common sense and cool temperament" to tense political situations. She's also helped secure the future of the Coast Guard's inland fleet, he said.

Headquartered in Cleveland, her work has been mainly aimed at facilitating commerce and ensuring the economic prosperity of the entire nation, said Schultz.

Cottrell was presented Friday with the Distinguished Service Medal for exceptionally meritorious service to the United States.

It recognizes her work over the past two years to lead 5,100 personnel through significant weather events and the COVID-19 crisis, protecting the world's largest fresh water system and ensuring $500 billion in annual trade.

A commendation was also presented to Cottrell on behalf of President Joe Biden.

"You have helped maintain the security of the nation during a critical time in history with a devotion to duty and a spirit of sacrifice in keeping with the proud traditions of military service," Biden wrote. "Your commitment and dedication have been an inspiration for those who will follow in your footsteps, and for all Americans who join me today in saluting you for a job extremely well done."

serious charges, such as assaulting U.S. Capitol and Washington Metropolitan police officers.

An FBI database of arrests shows a second suspect in the Capitol attack was arrested March 17 in Wellington, although it's unclear why he was there or whether he was connected to Mackrell in any way.

Shane Jenkins of Houston, Texas, is accused of

using a crowbar or hatchet to smash a Capitol building window, and throwing several heavy objects at police officers' heads.

He was also seen confronting police in body camera video the night of Jan. 6 outside the Embassy Suites Hotel in Washington, D.C., according to investigators.

Agents tracked Jenkins via social media. His identity was confirmed by

comparing video footage to his driver's license and by talking to a Texas parole officer who had regular contact with Jenkins over the years.

Jenkins faces a list of charges related to attacking police, using a deadly weapon, engaging in physical violence and theft of government property in a restricted federal building.

He has also pleaded not guilty to all counts.

Provided photo

Wellington native Donna Cottrell passed the torch Friday, retiring as a rear admiral in the U.S. Coast Guard after two years in commend of the Great Lakes region.

CAPITOL

FROM A1 at Mackrell's chat history, which appears to corroborate that he was in Washington, D.C., and involved in storming the Capitol.

A chat transcript shows he complained about being hit 10 to 15 times in the head with a baton.

More than 440 people have been charged in connection to the siege on Congress.

Mackrell is among the more than 60 who face

as the reason, when in reality they probably weren't going to get it in the first place," said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner for Lorain County.

After 113 clinics countywide, vaccinations here are starting to slow down, he said — but that doesn't mean they're stopping anytime soon.

Adams said mass clinics were the best option for the largest number of local residents. Now Lorain County Public Health's tactics are starting to shift to smaller venues, taking COVID shots to people who didn't want to or couldn't make it to larger ones.

The agency plans to send small teams to give shots at festivals, churches and fairs, he said.

"Maybe we'll catch six to 30 people at a time, something like that," said Adams. "But we're not done. We're still going to vaccinate plenty of people."

There are some residents Adams said will never be persuaded to get vaccinated. He's had conversations with people who voice conspiracy theories, and said junk science and misinformation spread via the internet have done a lot of damage.

When people buy into those falsehoods, Adams said he believes it's an excuse to avoid dealing with personal anxieties.

"If they're thinking it's for population control, we're not going to reach that person. If they're hooked on a conspiracy theory, we're not going to reach them at all," he said.

"But those folks that might be afraid of side-effects, that might think they don't have time to do it, those are the ones that we can definitely reach and bring over to the side of getting the vaccine."

There are still a lot of people on the fence about getting a vaccine, said Adams. Instead of saying they'll never get the shots, they're waiting for the right time, the right message or the right incentive.

He said he knows people who chose to get vaccinated solely so they could getting better seats for the NFL draft.

It may not be the best reason, but it works.

"Sometimes they just haven't taken the time to make the decision," he said. "They're just pushing it off like you push off picking up your dry-cleaning, like you push off doing your taxes."

The data released by the Census Bureau is clear: The older you are, the more likely you are to get a vaccine.

About 88 percent of people ages 65 and older have already been immunized against the virus. The group most resistant is in the 25-to-39 age group.

College-educated Americans with at least a bachelor's degree have also embraced COVID vaccines at a rate of 83.3 percent.

The number is lower, at 61.3 percent, when it comes to people with a high school diploma or GED but no college experience. The lowest rate is among people who did not finish high school, at 54.4 percent.

Asian Americans are the ethnic group most likely to be vaccinated, at 80.2 percent. White Americans follow just behind at 72.2 percent, while Black (62.6 percent), biracial (58.9 percent) and Hispanic (64) residents trail significantly.

Geography is the other huge factor that sets the vaccinated apart.

The states with the largest percent of residents who say they're likely to get a vaccine are those that are deep blue politically, and those with the most resistance to the idea were the deepest red during the 2020 presidential election.

People who live in the nation's largest metropolitan areas are also far more likely to be vaccinated. New York, Philadelphia, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Atlanta, Miami and Washington, D.C., all have extremely high rates. Cleveland doesn't make the list.

Ohio ranks in the middle of the national pack for vaccine hesitancy. The most resistant states are Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.

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Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

WELLINGTON PROM GLAMOUR

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Wellington High School prom was held Saturday at Wagner's of Westlake, with 127 students attending the red carpet event. LEFT: Prom king Kevin Xie and queen Arianna Green. ABOVE: Hannah Ingrassia and Michael Hartman. RIGHT: Alaine Bremke and Connor Bryte. BELOW: Melanie Solkiewicz, McKenna Solkiewicz, Morgan Lehmkuhl, Teddi Hardoby and Karlie Frenk.

Black River back to recycling

Black River Local Schools will be recycling again, resuming their contract with Rumpke Waste & Recycling Services.

One recycling container will be placed behind the high school with a second container placed behind the Black River Education Center at 257 County Road 40, Sullivan.

Rumpke said it will do a quarterly audit of the district’s services to evaluate the needs of the buildings. The next audit in May will determine whether more containers are necessary and whether the days for collection need an adjustment.

Students, staff and educators are encouraged to empty, clean and dry their recyclables to rid them of food and liquids.

Recyclable materials should never be put in plastic bags. While 100 percent recyclable, plastic bags can get caught in the sorting machines. Local grocery stores can accept plastic bags for recycling.

Plastic or glass containers shaped like bottles, metal cans and newspaper and cardboard are some of the more popular items to be recycled.

“We’re appreciative of having a partner in our recycling efforts,” Black River Superintendent Chris Clark said. “After a short pause due to COVID, I think it’s important to again focus our efforts where we can to help reduce waste.”

Women urged to take survey

Lorain County Public Health and the Lorain County Women’s Health Task Force want to hear from local women ages 18 to 44.

The organizations are asking women to complete a health survey by June 30 at www.loraincountyhealth. com/survey. One in 10 survey respondents will win a $40 Amazon gift card, emailed to the address provided in the survey.

“From 2015 to 2017, heart disease was the second leading cause of death (each year) for Lorain County women,” said Health Commissioner Dave Covell. “Women face unique health challenges that are important to address. Gathering information and feedback from Lorain County women helps us plan future policies, programs and strategies. Our goal is to reverse this trend and improve the overall health of Lorain County women.”

The survey should take about 10 minutes. It has questions about health knowledge and behaviors. Survey responses will remain anonymous and findings will be made available to the public.

This meal’s a ‘fair’ deal

A drive-through dinner will be offered by the Friends of the Lorain County Fair from 4:30-7 p.m. on Saturday, May 22 at the Keystone Schools in LaGrange. Enter off State Route 301.

The cost is $15 for either a half-slab of ribs dinner or a chicken dinner. Proceeds benefit the 4-H Endowment and Extension Advisory.

Birdwatchers brave the elements for good cause ANGELO ANGEL

THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

NORTH RIDGEVILLE — The Big Sit fundraiser of 2021 caused flocks of people to descend Saturday on the Sandy Ridge Reservation as they withstood rain and gusty wind for a view of the birds and a good cause.

Armed with binoculars, cameras and thermoses, park visitors visited the various muddy sites where red-winged black birds shriek for mates and hooded warblers forage the flooded wetlands for worms.

Tim Fairweather, senior naturalist and park manager with the Lorain County Metro Parks, came up with the idea of a “birdathon” 13 years ago.

During the Big Sit,

Angelo Angel | Community Guide

A great white heron is spotted at the Sandy Ridge Reservation in North Ridgeville on Saturday. he typically chooses to perch on the Observation Mound. He was there from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., counting every bird species he could see or hear in that eight-hour window.

While the Big Sit is free to the public, donations are appreciated and Fairweather gives the donations

to organizations such as Citizens of Lorain County Metro Parks. For the two most recent birdathons, he’s decided to donate to the Second Harvest food bank of Lorain County.

The event started out soggy as rain clouds rained over the Observation Mound for the first

hour.

“It was a downpour this morning, so I was stuck in my vehicle. Years ago I used to put up a tent but because it’s pretty windy here,” Fairweather said.

He considers himself lucky when thinking of last year’s Big Sit. “I had snow and it was falling on me all day!”

Overall the Big Sit was a success, Fairweather said, checking off the birds he spotted. He had plenty of people curious about the birds ask questions.

“Just park visitation in general has exploded because the governor said, ‘Go take a walk in the park,’” Fairweather said.

“And I think that people have tried out hobbies like this (bird watching) and you’re outside and social distance like nobody’s business.”

Commissioners approve bridge plans DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Several Lorain County bridges are up for rehabilitation or replacement in the next four years, commissioners announced last week.

At their May 5 meeting, they unanimously approved a $49,900 proposal by the engineering firm Burgess & Niple to assist in preparing environmental and other documents for the replacement of the Peck Wadsworth Road Bridge, built in 1952 over Wellington Creek in Wellington Township.

The total cost of the bridge replacement, with a target date of 2025, is estimated at more than $1.1 million, with 80 percent of the cost to be paid by the Federal Highway Administration.

An estimated $851,000 is to be spent on the county's chip and seal pavement treatment program for 47 miles of county and township roads this year, commissioners announced when they voted to advertise for bids for the program.

The county also has purchased a new Volvo single-axle plow truck on a seven-year lease/purchase agreement. Seven annual payments of $34,000 will be made toward the nearly $214,600 cost of the truck, which comes with a dump body and a hopper spreader.

Commissioner Matt Lundy voted against the proposal, saying he preferred that the county purchase a truck from a domestic dealer such as Ford or GMC and that the matter was not an emergency. He was outvoted 2-1, with commissioners Dave Moore and Michelle Hung voting to approve

the measure.

Commissioners also voted unanimously to apply for two grants.

One is an Ohio EPA brownfield assessment grant to study underground storage tanks at the former Rainbow Sunoco on East Lorain Street in Oberlin. Further grants to remove the storage tanks will be sought if they are found to pose a health or safety risk.

Another is for a grant through the Ohio Department of Transportation's Office of Aviation for the 2022 Ohio Airport grant program to replace lighting on taxiways C and D at the Lorain County Regional Airport in New Russia Township.

The board also accepted the withdrawal of a request by Hope House Inc. to annex 0.87 acres of land from New Russia Township to the city of Oberlin.

CLASSIFIEDS LEGALS PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on May 3, 2021.

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

Resolution 19-21 Submitting a ballot question to the electors of the City of Lorain, changing the terms of members of the legislative authority and the President of Council from 2 to 4 year staggered terms.

Ordinance 68-21 Auth the S/S Director to enter into a contract w/ Coldwater Consulting

LLC for prof services related to the Martin's Run Wetlands & Stream Restoration Project.

69-21* Auth S/S Director to file, receive and execute all paperwork to apply for and receive, if awarded, grant funding through the ODNR Erosion Emergency Assistance grant.

70-21 Auth the S/S Director to enter into a contract with the lowest/best bidder- HEPACO LLC for the Black River AOC Remediation & Restoration Program & Seep Remediation System Improvement Project.

71-21* Auth the issuance/ sale of notes in anticipation of bonds, maximum amount of $2,835,000 to refund notes issued to pay the cost of the Broadway Streetscape Project improvements, together w/ necessary appurtenances and costs of issuance of said bonds. 72-21 Approving the CBA between the City of Lorain and the FOP Lodge #3 (1/1/20-12/31/22). 73-21* Auth all City of Lorain employees to have/use paid vaccine leave in order to receive and COVID-19 vaccines or recover

from the side effects. 74-21* Appropriation (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.)

L.C.C.G. 5/13-20/21 20682341

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS COUNTY OF LORAIN COUNTY, OHIO - TRUSTEES OF THE OBERLIN LODGE NO. 380, FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF OHIO, PLAINTIFF VS. THE UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, LEGATEES, NEXT OF KIN AND ASSIGNS OF WILLIAM F. COBB, DECEASED, ET AL., DEFENDANTS, CASE NO. 21CV202839, NOTICE OF SUIT FOR DECLARATORY JUDGMENT AND TO QUIET TITLE. The unknown heirs, devisees, legatees, next of kin and assigns of William F. Cobb, deceased and the unknown heirs, devisees, legatees, next of kin and assigns of Nadiene J. Cobb deceased whose

names and addresses are unknown and cannot by reasonable diligence be ascertained, take notice that on the 23rd day of February, 2021, The Trustees of the Oberlin Lodge No. 380, free and accepted Masons of Ohio filed a Complaint in the Common Pleas Court of Lorain County, Ohio in Case No. 21CV202839 of the docket of the Court, the object of which is to request that a certain restriction contained in a deed for real property located at 12354 State Route 58, Oberlin, Ohio 44074 given to Plaintiff by William F. Cobb and Nadiene J. Cobb, dated June 6, 1970 and recorded at Vol. 1006, Pg. 896 of the Lorain County Records be declared, null, void and unenforceable; that the Court declare that Plaintiff holds title to the property free and clear of the restriction; that Plaintiff's title in and to the property be quieted against any claim or interest of the Defendants or any of them and all others claiming through or under them; that the Defendants be

required to set up their claims, rights or interests or be forever barred and for all such further legal and equitable relief to which Plaintiff may be entitled.

The above named Defendants are required to answer within 28 days after last date of this publication which shall be once a week for six (6) consecutive weeks or they may be denied a hearing in this case and judgment may be entered against them.

Jon D. Clark, Esq. (Sup. Ct. #0061130), Severs and Clark Co., L.P.A. 5 South Main Street, Suite 100, Oberlin Ohio 44074, (440) 774-1278, email: jclark@severs-clark. com.

L.C.C.G. 5/6-13-20-27; 6/3-10/21 20681883

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CORRECTION 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 1105 W. 21 Street from B-2 to MU (PPN#02-01-006-148-019), Miguel & Rose Castro, Applicants (ZCA 6-2021) To join this virtual meeting please visit www.cityoflorain.org, Government Tab, City Council, City Council, Other Board's Meetings for an attendee link.

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. 5/6-13/21 20682006

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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Carpentry student Justin Velazquez signs his letter of intent to work fulltime for Mitchell Woodworking of Amherst in a ceremony held at the Lorain County JVS on Tuesday, May 4.

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PITTSFIELD TWP. — They weren't signing their names on the dotted line in hopes of becoming the next LeBron James, Baker Mayfield or Jose Ramirez.

Instead of athletic greatness, a crop of about 60 Lorain County Joint Vocational School seniors sought last week to put their years of training to use and signed letters of intent to work full-time for area employers.

Carpentry student Lucas Rupert committed to a job as a trimmer for A Carpenter's Hand. A whiz with a miter saw, he'll install baseboards, doors and cabinets.

"This signing is just really important for me because it emphasizes the work I've put into expanding my career," he said. "It's great to be appreciated for that, and all the hours that I've sacrificed to be here."

Izayah Nichols, who studied heating and cooling at the JVS, will go to work for E.H. Roberts, installing aid conditioners and furnaces for residential customers.

He said it's good to have job security.

"It's a great career path because it's one of those fields they need, and it's making a lot of money," he said. "I always wanted a job as a kid... I was always trying to make money, trying to grow up. And now I am."

Sara Majzun-Garwood, president of the North Coast Builders Industry Association, said demand for new skilled trades workers is high, and expected to continue to rise.

There's already a shortage of professionals to help build homes, she said. The average age of carpenters, plumbers and electricians right now is 58, which means that in the coming decade a good portion will retire.

"Home builders across the country and here in our area are seeking skilled workers such as carpenters, electricians, framers and roofers to help them build the American dream," Majzun-Garwood said.

"This means there are ample opportunities for motivated students seeking a rewarding career path."

Construction is a family business, and Majzun-Garwood said she grew up listening to her father talk about the jobs he did in houses across Northeast Ohio. As a little girl, she's go with him to work sites and marvel at how trades workers cooperated.

Now it's up to the JVS' employment partners to groom the next generation of skilled workers, she said — to mentor them and guide them through long, tough days of hard work.

"In my opinion, there is no better feeling than the sense of accomplishment you get when you've built something from the ground up with your own two hands," Majzun-Garwood told vocational school seniors. "You now have the opportunity to get that feeling every day with the career path that you've chosen."

JVS Superintendent Glenn Faircloth said the ceremony, part of a SkillsUSA National Signing Day, was a big step for graduating seniors.

He said it is their first opportunity to understand the workforce, and a chance to provide for themselves and in some cases their families.

Most importantly, the commitment to work is a lesson in responsibility, Faircloth said.

"Now this is where the big boys and big girls play," he said. "This is where Uncle Sam will tax you. This is where you'll have to pay your dues. But this is where you will learn the greatest responsibility, and hopefully the JVS was a great part of that."

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The Ohio Department of Health’s weekly case rate update last Thursday showed the state had 140.2 cases per 100,000 population over the prior

two weeks. That is slightly lower than the rate reached in the middle of this March before a brief wave of cases brought it up to 200 cases per 100,000 population April 15, according to the agency.

Lorain County is exceeding the state’s overall case rate, with 155.2 cases per 100,000 population over

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Page A6

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 37, No. 23

For about as long as folks can remember, cowboys have been telling tall tales about the greatest cowboy ever known …

Now, you won’t find Pecos Bill in history books …

Find t h coyot e that e differe is nt.

Pecos Bill once traveled to _______________ to help build an ____________ __________.

People came from miles around to see this _________________

How many cactus plants can you find on this page?

It was said Bill could ride anything. No horse could throw him. He even rode a mountain lion once. So when

Bill was the youngest of 17 kids.

When Bill was just a baby, he fell out of his folks’ wagon out on the Texas prairie. And, naturally, he began to cry and howl as the wagon traveled out of sight. His howling attracted a pack of coyotes. They joined in howling with Bill, but after a few hours, their voices were gone. They decided that Bill must be a coyote at heart, and they adopted him into their pack.

No, to find out about ol’ Bill, you just have to sit around a campfire and listen as someone tells you the tale.

Have a friend give you each type of word to fill in the blanks.

Then read the story aloud!

the biggest cyclone anyone had ever seen blew into town one day, Pecos Bill jumped right on it, riding it for days and days. The cyclone got frustrated and started crying big, salty tears around Utah. Today that pool of tears is known as the:

cowboy in person.

Bill picked up a huge stack of _________________ and some _________________ and got to right to work. Widowmaker carried ___________________

The cyclone mixed up the letters. Unscramble them to reveal the name of this famous body of water.

__________________.

At lunchtime, Pecos Bill poured _________________ and black pepper on his chili. Suddenly, he

That poor cyclone had never met a cowboy like Pecos Bill and after trying to shake him loose from Texas to Arizona, it gave up and decided to turn to rain. That rain flowed and flowed and created one of the wonders of the natural world: The Grand Canyon!

felt a sneeze coming on, so During a __________ drought, Pecos Bill needed to get water to his _______. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, so he got himself a big ol’ stick and ___________ it across the Texas desert to the Gulf of __________. And that’s how the _________ called the Rio Grande was born!

Replace the missing words.

Pecos Bill sneezed so hard that ________________ ended up in _________________________.

Houses rolled like tumbleweeds, and a large _________________ landed in a ______________.

It took Pecos Bill more than a year to ___________ everything

e was named Pecos Bill’s horsecause no cowboy Widowmaker b attempt to ride him. could survive an uld, of course, and But Pecos Bill cod Bill became the Widowmaker an best of friends.

back to where it belonged.

Create a Tall Tale

Lots of cowboys know how to make a lasso out of a rope. But Pecos Bill invented the first lasso and he did not use a rope. Lasso every other letter to see what he used.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Read a variety of genres including tall tales.

Widowmaker was no ordinary horse. Instead of apples or carrots, he used to chomp on this unusual treat that Pecos Bill gave him. Cross out every other apple to reveal it.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow simple written directions.

The fun of a tall tale, like Pecos Bill, is that the story gets a little taller and more outrageous with each telling. Find a sports story in the newspaper and start adding silly, strange and larger-than-life details to it to create a new tall tale.

Standards Link: Grammar: Use nouns, adjectives and verbs correctly in writing; understand the meaning of words from context clues.

Complete the grid by using all the letters in the word PECOS in each vertical and horizontal row. Each letter should only be used once in each row. Some spaces have been filled in for you.

Standards Link: Writing Applications: Write stories with a setting, main characters, beginning, middle and end.

WIDOWMAKER PECOS COWBOY E T A R E G G A X E DROUGHT R S A X E T D W H Y CYCLONE TEARS I A P L T H L D O C RANCH H O I E C G I B W P HORSE O W A N C U W B L A EXAGGERATE R R A E N O L C Y C TEXAS S R O Y C R S B I K PACK E L S R E D N O W L WONDERS WILD R E K A M W O D I W HOWL Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical RAIN words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

This week’s word:

OUTRAGEOUS

The adjective outrageous means going far beyond what is correct or true.

Tall tales contain outrageous characters and details.

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

All About Mom Write about a special day or a

Action Language

Read today’s newspaper and highlight each of the following examples of active writing: • A sentence that commands or directs action • One or more exciting verbs • The shortest sentence you can find ANSWER: A kettle rustler!

Standards Link: Grammar: Identify different kinds of sentences.

everyone began to ___________!

special experience you had with your mom (or a special lady in your life).

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, May 13, 2021

Groundbreaking planned for $5.8M library project JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Construction of a $5.8 million addition to the Amherst Public Library is tentatively set to begin with a June 22 groundbreaking ceremony.

With approvals locked down, library Director Don Dovala showed off floor plans and concept drawings Wednesday to expand the building's footprint by 7,500 square feet.

That's admittedly smaller than the 10,000 square feet originally intended when the Amherst library board asked in March 2020 for a 0.73-mill property tax increase. Voters said yes by a 61.8 percent

to 38.2 percent margin.

But during the pandemic, building material costs have skyrocketed.

"It's crazy how much everything has gone up," Dovala said. "These prices aren't a deal-breaker, but this is why we held off on releasing plans until we had the approvals we needed. We didn't know exactly what we'd be able to do with the funding we have."

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, from December to March the cost of cost of steel mill products rose 17.6 percent, plywood was up 10.5 percent, hardwood lumber was up 9 percent and painting material prices rose 4.9 percent.

HBM Architects and Interior Designers

This rendering shows how the new south of face of the Amherst Public LIBRARY PAGE B2 Library will look after completion of a 7,500-square-foot addition.

Ohio’s First Lady dedicates Oberlin College new Findley Storybook Trail commencement will be Friday STAFF REPORT

Photos by Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Local children are called forward to help Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz (in red) and Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine (in blue) cut a ribbon Monday at the new Findley State Park.

Goal is to promote reading, family and outdoor time JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine made her first-ever trek Monday to Findley State Park, helping to dedicate its new Storybook Trail.

She held a copy of "Blue Sky, White Stars" by author Sarvinder Naberhaus and illustrator Kadir Nelson.

"It's about our beautiful outdoors," said DeWine.

"It's about our flag, the Statue of Liberty, and it parallels it to our people.

If you look at the picture of the people on the cover, it really shows the diversity that we have here in America."

Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine holds up a copy of "Blue Sky, White Stars" by Sarvinder Nabherhaus.

The new trail is located near the campground area of the park. It is dotted with panels pulled from

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the book and placed at a child's height.

There are now 15 such trails at state parks all

over Ohio. A map to all of them can be found at www.tinyurl.com/OhioStorybooks.

In addition to the one at Findley, another was dedicated Monday at Sycamore State Park in Montgomery County.

Gov. Mike DeWine had been expected to help cut the ribbon at both locations, but did not end up making the trip.

The Storybook Trail program was launched in 2019 to promote literacy, healthy living and connecting with nature.

Mary Mertz, director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said DeWine championed a partnership with Dolly FINDLEY PAGE B2

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OBERLIN — Degrees will be conferred to about 600 Oberlin College students in two ceremonies Friday.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, commencement will not be held at the traditional venue on Tappan Square, and will not be open to the public.

Instead, the Class of 2021 will be honored in two ceremonies at Bailey Field — one at 9 a.m. and another at 2 p.m. — to ensure social distancing.

Attendance is limited to two guests per graduate and both tickets and masks are required.

The commencement speaker will be Peter Baker, chief White House correspondent for the New York Times. He will receive an honorary doctor of fine arts degree.

Also receiving honorary degrees are journalist and novelist Reneta Adler, composer John Harbison and Paul Quinn College President Michael Sorrell.

Gail Horn Wood, a longtime Oberlin resident, Reunion Committee volunteer and Oberlin City Schools teacher, will receive the Distinguished Service Award.

The Oberlin campus will remain closed to the public throughout the ceremonies, as it has since the beginning of the pandemic.

However, commencement will be livestreamed at www. oberlin.edu/commencement.

School solar power plan passes hurdle JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A pitch to use $275,000 in city funds for a nearly 25,000-squarefoot solar array at the new Oberlin Elementary School was met last week with cautious optimism.

But City Council didn't rush to approve the grant request, instead ushering it on to another reading May 17.

The Oberlin City Schools want to build two separate solar installations on North Pleasant Street.

One, mounted atop the new preschool-throughfifth grade school, would generate about 12,000 kilowatt hours of power per year, according to city Sustainability Coordinator Linda Arbogast. The other, on the ground to the east of the property, would generate about 335,000 kilowatt hours.

Together, they'll provide about 80 percent of the energy needed to run the new school.

School district Superintendent David Hall said questions were first raised about energy efficiency about two years ago, when planning for the elementary building began.

"During that process, we knew that sustainability was critical," he said.

The district explored

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS TO: NEWS@LCNEWSPAPERS.COM

other options, including geothermal power, he said.

The Board of Education hired ThenDesign Architecture to carry out its vision.

Architect Brad Gellert said the solar project will be "a great feather in the cap" of the new school, which has been designed and situated on the property for maximum energy efficiency.

Curriculum Director William Baylis said the solar arrays will be used to teach generations of children about responsible energy consumption and point them toward science and technology careers.

"Schools have often been the catalysts for education about important life skills for our children, as long as I can remember," he said.

Teachers are tasked with educating kids about health, driving and personal finance, he said, and he believes environmental stewardship fits into the picture too.

Students aren't the only ones who will be exposed to the solar panels, said Board of Education member Ken Stanley. He said everyone who attends events from basketball games to theater productions will see them.

Sixty-three percent of Americans say climate change affects their own local community either some SOLAR PAGE B2

Page B2

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

LIBRARY JVS donates to Veterans Who Care FROM B1

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Bags of personal hygiene items and $100 were donated recently by Lorain County JVS staff to help the efforts of Veterans Who Care.

President Trustee Craig Lukes accepted the gifts on behalf of the local nonprofit, which provides assistance to more than 300 veterans and their families each year.

“Items just like this are what we are always looking for,” said Lukes. “It helps to get them set up with the necessities Provided photo as we help find them Craig Lukes of Veterans Who Care picks up donations from the staff of the housing.”

Lorain County JVS.

FINDLEY

FROM B1 Parton's Imagination Library.

The nonprofit mails free books to kids up to age five in an effort to boost their early reading skills en route to kindergarten.

The service came to Lorain County in 2015, starting in Elyria and quickly expanding. Families can register to get books at www.imaginationlibrary.com.

"Two things that I really love are spending time with our family and reading," said DeWine. "And it's so much fun to spend time outdoors, so I thought what could be better than having these trails in our state parks?"

Story trails have grown in popularity across the country during the past year as a way to safely get out and about during the pandemic.

OberlinKids has organized a onemile story "stroll" through the city's downtown, with a book split up in the windows of downtown businesses. Avon and North Ridgeville each launched storywalks before the pandemic began.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Parks Honor Guard carries the American flag forward.

EUROPEAN CAPITALS ACROSS 1. RPM gauge 5. Have a bawl 8. *”Neutral” capital 12. Paella pot 13. Mend, healthwise 14. Deadly snake of southeastern Asia 15. Multicolored horse 16. Estimator’s phrase (2 words) 17. “The Addams Family” manservant 18. *Northernmost European capital 20. One of British Isles 21. EUR, pl.

22. Ensign, for short 23. Pieces of glass, e.g.

26. Vacuum cleaner alternative 30. “____ the land of the free...”

31. Oxygenate, as in lawn 34. Insane, in Spain 35. Just harvested, e.g.

37. A in IPA 38. Church song 39. Tiny amount 40. Military marksman 42. Fake tooth 43. Devoid of liquid 45. Jet setters’ vessels 47. Address abbreviation 48. Sports stadium 50. Japan’s highest mountain 52. *Capital that hosts Nobel Prizes 56. Sophia ____, Italian actress 57. Genesis twin 58. Curved molding 59. Tequila source 60. Non-permanent office worker 61. Like dental surgery 62. *Capital on a fjord 63. Possesses 64. Big top DOWN 1. Unit of pressure named after Torricelli 2. Post sun-bathing relief 3. Wallace & Gromit modeling material 4. Desire 5. Aussie gas station 6. Desert wanderer’s hope

Among the most modest increases was the cost of construction labor itself, up 1.1 percent.

Dovala said that as a result, the overall cost of the project has risen by about $800,000.

That won't break the budget, he said — the Amherst Public Library board has enough set aside in a capital projects saving account to cover the increase.

HBM Architects and Interior Designers, a Clevelandbased firm that specializes in library projects, was hired to design the two-story addition, which will go on the south side of the existing structure.

The same company oversaw the 2014 renovation of the original portion of the library, which was built in 1905 with a grant from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation.

Dovala said HBM Architects knew the library's design well, and matched the look and feel of the addition to the main portion built in 1976. The exterior will closely match the concrete-and-brick aesthetic.

"We didn't want it to look like three different buildings fused together," he said. "It's very important to us to have something that's unique and stands out, but not look like it's three different buildings."

Opening onto the parking lot, the addition will include a larger main entrance and feature large, wrap-around windows that provide a view of the adult book collection.

The plan is to set aside the entire first floor for reference, a business center, computers and adult materials. The second floor will be for children and teenagers, giving them space to be more active and noisy.

The top floor will also include a community room for events and nonprofit group meetings, as well as an outdoor patio.

Work on the addition itself is expected to be finished by the end of the year.

That's just the first phase, though — a second will include updates to the second floor of the existing building as it's connected to the new part. A third phase will focus on a remodel of the existing part of the first floor. During the final phase, the library will have to completely shut down for a time.

Public Relations Manager Becky Denes said that if all goes well, the entire project should be complete by late March or April 2022.

Plans to fully restore services that were scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been delayed until after construction is complete, she said.

"It's not an ideal, obviously, the pandemic, but it does mean that going into construction won't be such a severe change, since we already have protocols in place," Denes said.

In the meantime, the library's summer reading program, which is geared toward children and families, will run from June 7 to July 24. Most events will be held outside or virtually.

Dovala said he expects masks and social distancing to remain the norm at the library for at least the next several months.

The pandemic has steered people away from most public areas in the past year, including the library. Dovala said he believes the opening of the dedication of the new addition next spring will rekindle excitement about the library as a postpandemic center of community life.

SOLAR

FROM B1 or a great deal, according to a survey released last June by the nonpartisan think tank Pew Research.

Those who live near coastlines (70 percent) and Democrats (83 percent) reflected that sentiment most strongly.

Baylis, who quoted figures from a similar 2019 survey

by Pew, noted that concern over climate change is also growing in the Midwest.

"So people are thinking about wow, what we do in our everyday lives does matter with our climate," he said.

Hall said the project was a way to look for savings, but it also reflects key goals of the city of Oberlin's Climate Action Plan. It aims to reduce carbon emissions in the community below zero by 2050 while balancing the economic and social needs of residents.

"Oberlin has always led the way in sustainable initiatives in the county and also in the state," Hall said. "Our school system is a reflection of our community."

The full cost of the school district's solar plan is $667,932. The city's share — which would come from Sustainable Reserve Fund money — would cover about 42 percent of the price tag.

Gellert said that if Council moves quickly, the array can be completed this fall.

7. Alexander Alexandrovich ____, Russian poet 8. *Also the capital of European Union 9. James ____ Jones 10. Paddy grain 11. To the ____ degree 13. Like voice after a pep rally 14. “A Fish Called Wanda” actor Kevin 19. Judea, alt. sp.

22. Mama sheep 23. *Bulgarian capital and actress Vergara’s given name 24. Long-necked bird 25. Rocky ridge 26. Pas 27. Hunt illegally 28. Audience’s approval 29. Frolics 32. “Atlas Shrugged” author

Ayn 33. Cassius Clay 36. *Balkan capital and 1984 Olympics location 38. Practical joke 40. Canine command 41. Eyeball washing vessel 44. Offer two cents 46. Collusion 48. Away from harbor (2 words) 49. Drifts 50. *London was famous for these pea soup particulars 51. Russian mountain chain 52. Comedian Rogan 53. Shrek, e.g.

54. Not fatty 55. Patty ____ 56. ____ Tzu

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

Second-dose skip rate is low at LCPH clinics DYLAN REYNOLDS THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Photos by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Backed by members of the Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard, Marion L. Steele High School senior Jordan Sweeney stands ready during a ceremony Wednesday, May 5, in which he pledged to join the U.S. Army.

Steele salutes seniors for enlisting in the military JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Swearing to defend the Constitution, eight Marion L. Steele High School students pledged last week to join the ranks of the United States military.

"Today is special because we recognize these eight Amherst seniors committed to spending at least the next few years of their lives serving the greatest country on the face of the planet, the United States of America," said Amherst Police Lt. Dan Makruski.

In a May 5 ceremony attended by family members, many wearing their own military uniforms and decorations, Makruski told the graduating seniors they are about gain valuable training and learn the most solemn of responsibilities.

As a command sergeant in the Ohio National Guard who has served tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Makruski said he knows the weight of duty. Those who serve alongside the Amherst seniors will count on them to do their jobs the right way.

"As long as you keep your nose clean and stay out of trouble, your careers are going to take off and you're going to do things you never even thought of doing," he said.

Thomas Campana will enter the Marine Corps. Social studies teacher Michelle Webb said he is self-disciplined and motivated.

"This young man possesses a unique balance of humility, grit and intelligence that will make him not only a successful Marine, but a successful man," she said.

Alex Corr has enlisted in the Coast Guard, following in his father's footsteps.

Teacher Alex Baldwin said Corr's favorite class was history: "The wealth of knowledge this gentleman had was exceptional, and he passed it on to (my) students," he said.

In preparing to enter the Marine Corps, Logan Holman has insisted on an aggressive weightlifting routine, physical education teacher Lacey Reichert said.

His dedication inspired classmates to push themselves as hard as he did.

Cecilia Iliff will attend the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Teacher Al McConihe said she aspires to be a surface warfare officer, directing personnel operations aboard aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, amphibious ships and other vessels. He said she has excelled in studies from science and technology to physics, European history and literature.

Joxadiel Padilla focused his studies on history and showed an interest in conflict resolution, said math teacher Michelle Kamczyc. He plans to enter the Air Force.

"What's better than serving my country and becoming successful at the same time?" Padilla asked Kamczyc.

Andrew Phillips plans to enter the Air National Guard.

Now a fully licensed pilot, Phillips has focused on physics and talked about its applicability to his flight lessons, said teacher Chas Deremer.

Jordan Sweeney has enlisted in the Army, becoming a third-generation military serviceman. Webb said his favorite classes have been psychology and physical education, which should held Sweeney achieve his dream of working for the FBI. Ethan Thomas signed to join the Marine Corps, focusing on history and weightlifting at Steele.

Reichert said if there were a physical education award given to a graduating senior, it would go to Thomas.

Pride in his voice, McConihe told those who gathered for the ceremony not to take for granted that service in the military is voluntary.

"And these students who are up here today, who are enlisting, I want to tell you: I appreciate your patriotism and service to our country," he said.

Almost everybody who received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine from Lorain County Public Health is coming back for the second shot, Health Commissioner David Covell said in a report last week.

He told local officials in the Lorain County Community Protection Team that just 3 to 5 percent of people who have gotten their initial dose from the county health department have not come back for their second.

Many of those people who haven't returned for a second dose told Lorain County Public Health they decided to get the second shot from a different provider.

“We’re not having too many people just completely fall off the radar when it comes to that,” Covell said. “At least we’re not seeing that a lot in our clinics.”

Widely reported national data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released in late April stated nearly 8 percent of people who got a Pfizer or Moderna shot missed the recommended second dose.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires just a single dose.

The percentage of people vaccinated by Lorain County Public Health who don’t come back for their second shot was even lower earlier this year, Covell said. As of May 3, the agency reported it had given out a total of 75,320 doses.

In total, state data shows that 135,414 people in Lorain County had received at least one dose of the vaccine as of May 4, accounting for 43.71 percent of the county population. Of that group, 104,834 people, or 33.84 percent of the county population, had received all recommended doses.

Lorain County’s vaccination rates at the time of Covell's report were exceeding the state’s at large. Ohio had 40.53 percent of residents start their vaccine with at least one dose, while 33.30 percent completed their vaccine.

Despite the county’s vaccination rates outpacing the state’s overall, Covell said

the local rate is “starting to level out quite a bit.”

That leveling means there are open appointments for Lorain County Public Health clinics online at loraincountyhealth. com/signup. Help with scheduling appointments also is available by phone by dialing 211.

Additionally, some of the county health department’s larger vaccine clinics will be split between Johnson & Johnson and one of either Pfizer or Moderna, allowing attendees to choose between a one-dose or two-dose option.

“We have had quite a few people who are asking for Johnson & Johnson, so that’s a good thing, and hopefully we will get that moving even more,” Covell said.

Almost all of the new COVID-19 cases seen in Lorain County have been unvaccinated people, he said, although a couple of “breakthrough cases” in vaccinated individuals have been reported. Those cases tend to have mild symptoms.

Officials with University Hospitals, Mercy Health — Lorain and Cleveland Clinic all said in the Community Protection Team meeting that COVID-19 patients are still being admitted and treated for the virus.

“The only way out of this mess, truly, is vaccination,” said Dr. Rebecca Starck, president of the Cleveland Clinic Avon Hospital. She said recent national drops in the rate of people being vaccinated are sobering.

“Three weeks ago, I was so optimistic at the amount of production and the distribution and how we were able to operationalize that in this country,” Starck said. “We have seen a 20 percent decline in vaccination rates in the last two weeks.”

Mercy Health Lorain Hospital’s chief operating officer, Charlotte Wray, said she is trying to help people “see through all the noise” and learn the truth about vaccine myths.

“I’m doing everything I can to encourage people, not too aggressively, but encourage people to read the facts and get the vaccination,” she said. “We’ve got to reduce the risk of spread, and until we get more people vaccinated, that risk is just going to continue to grow.”

Walk-in vaccines now at Walmart

COVID-19 immunizations are now available to customers at all 5,100 Walmart and Sam's Club pharmacy locations nationwide, including the 171 locations in Ohio.

Vaccines are being administered via both walk-up and scheduled appointments.

Additionally, the company is rolling out new programs to encourage people to get vaccinated and continue efforts to increase access across the country.

“Widespread vaccination is the only way we will eventually end the pandemic and help our country reopen, and we don’t want anyone to get left behind as we enter this new chapter in our fight against COVID-19,” said Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president of Health and Wellness for Walmart.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 MAY 12, 2021 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live MAY 17, 2021 ...........REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 P.M. MAY 18, 2021 ...........HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION – 4:00 A.M. MAY 18, 2021 ...........RECREATION COMMISSION – 7:00 P.M. MAY 19, 2021 ...........SPECIAL PLANNING COMMISSION MEETING – 4:30 P.M. RE: to consider two sign permit applications and to review proposed amendments to the Zoning Code NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

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Classes Start May 24

Page B4

SPORTS

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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

Comets girls take second at Medina Chaley Younkin led the Comets girls to a second place finish among eight teams Friday in track and field competition at Medina.

She finished first in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.55 seconds, earned silver in the high jump with a clearance of 5 feet 2 inches and third in the 100-meter dash with a 13.06 second finish.

Also placing were: • Marisa Del Valle was first in the 3,200-meter run with a time of 14:43.94.

• Ella Baker was first in the 400-meter race with a 1:01.77 finish.

• The 4x400 relay team of Annabelle Stewart, Aurora Wilson, Catherine Turner and Ella Baker placed first with a time of 4:15.05.

• Leah Gerke placed second in the 1,600-meter race with a time of 5:31.93.

• Alanna Woodworth was third in the 200-meter race with a time of 28.44 seconds.

• Aurora Wilson was third in the 800-meter race with a 2:22.06 finish.

The Amherst boys placed fourth: • Brad Gregory placed first in the discus with a throw of 131 feet 6 inches.

• The 4x800 relay team of Luke Bowlsby, Jacob Farley, Devin Baumgartner and Ty Perez placed first.

• Ty Perez placed second in the 1,600 meters with a time of 4:33.68.

• Jacob Farley placed second in the 800 meters with a time of 1:59.48.

• The 4x400 relay team of Sean McQuate, Ryan Szczepanik, Isaac Davis and Jacob Farley placed third.

HIGH-FLYING ACTION

Kristin Bauer | Community Guide

Wellington’s Trey Lawson competes in the pole vault event Friday at the Vermilion Invitational.

HARD-HITTING HARDOBY

FLYING FAST

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Dukes didn't show up to half-heart their way through a Lorain County League match-up last week with Firelands. With Teddi Hardoby leading the charge with six RBIs and two runs, Wellington went on to win 17-0. Scoring runs were Jenna Pasadyn, Payton Regal, Autumn Rhodes, Brooke Noss (2), Kennedi Benko (2), Maile Oswald (3), Mikayla Paramore, Lily Oswald (2) and Tori Paramore (2). ABOVE: Wellington's Teddi Hardoby is greeted at the plate by her teammates after hitting a grand slam against Firelands.

PENNINGTON HOMER WINS IT Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Clippers held all the cards last week, cutting down the Pirates 3-0.

Black River was able to pick up just four hits; Clearview had just three, but capitalized on each, thanks to a home run for three RBIs by Madison Pennington in the bottom of the fourth. LEFT: Black River’s Kennedy Petruzzi makes the throw to first base at Clearview.

ABOVE: Emma Stief moves under this Clearview fly ball.

Kristin Bauer | Community Guide

Firelands' Caden Bomback runs in the 100meter dash Friday at the Vermilion Invitational.

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BLACK RIVER BLOWOUT Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Black River's Noah Hopek slides safely into third base as Clearview's Julian Mendez waits for the ball. The Pirates blew out the Clippers 12-0 last week, with John Kray and Ethan Foster each learing the way with three RBIs.

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B5

Five-year forecast shows New Carlisle Raptor Center amphitheater makes its debut Wellington Schools with

tightening fiscal situation

DYLAN REYNOLDS

THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

CARLISLE TWP. — The Lorain County Metro Parks have a new venue to show off the birds they refer to as their “non-releasable educational ambassadors.”

On May 2, some of the first human guests were welcomed to Carlisle Reservation’s new Raptor Center Amphitheater as the park debuted the outdoor education area.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, Metro Parks staff often traveled to show their birds at local schools, scouting groups and nursing homes, said avian program curator Mary Ewers Joyner.

The raptors shown in the programs would be unable to hunt and survive in the wild due to permanent injuries suffered before their arrival at the Carlisle Reservation.

Since the pandemic began, more of an emphasis has been placed on on-site outdoor programming. Those outdoor programs will be benefited by the addition of the new amphitheater seating, which is located at the Raptor Center portion of the Carlisle Visitor Center, 12882 Diagonal Rd. The amphitheater is built in a semicircular shape, with sandstone blocks offering seating for 40 and plenty of room for a presenter to educate the audience on all the varieties of wildlife held by the Metro Parks.

After a replica of a bald eagle nest was moved from the site of the amphitheater to Vermilion, an opportunity was created to put something else there, said Metro Parks Director James Ziemnik.

He said the Metro Parks are now considering similar amphi-

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Angelo Angel | Community Guide

Mary Ewers Joyner and Luna, the barn owl, hang out at the new Raptor Center Amphitheater at Carlisle Visitor Center. theaters at other locations, including the North Star Preserve in Oberlin and the French Creek Reservation in Sheffield.

“We want to continue to do this and continue to bring people into the parks and outside,” Ziemnik said. “It is certainly safer and more enjoyable and it speaks more to the kinds of things that we do on a daily basis.”

Park officials including members of the Board of Park Commissioners cut a ribbon at the amphitheater, officially signifying its opening.

Before the ribbon was cut, Board of Park Commissioners chairperson Sherrill “Cookie” McLoda joked that she was hesitant to stand near the eagle nest replica when it was there due to

her fear that there may be snakes inside.

But now, she said the amphitheater is a beautiful addition with its sandstone and fine architectural design.

A weekly “Wildlife Up Close” program is one activity already planned for the space Sunday afternoons from Memorial Day to Labor Day. “It’s not just the raptors, but it’s also our reptiles and our amphibians that live here inside," Ewers Joyner said. "It’s going to be kind of a flexible program.

The goal is to have each one be different so we can come back time and time again.”

The program will be free but interested attendees are asked to pre-register at reservations. metroparks.cc/programs.

WELLINGTON — Federal relief has kept the Wellington Schools afloat the past year, helping keep the small district in "decent" shape through the end of fiscal year 2025, Treasurer Mark Donnelly said last week, presenting a five-year financial forecast to the Board of Education.

"We do have to address a long list of facility and operational needs that are not supported by our current revenue and expense structure," he cautioned.

Revenues are expected to gradually slope off by about $600,000, dropping from roughly $14.2 million to $13.6 million by 2025.

Despite the hardships caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Donnelly said he expects property and income tax revenues to hold fairly steady. Because the town isn't home to many restaurants, hotels and tourist destinations — all industries hit hard by the virus — tax losses were manageable, he said.

And after taking a 4.6 percent hit in fiscal year 2020, state funding is projected to stay firm through 2023 and show modest growth the following two years, he said.

An emergency operating levy, which is due for renewal in 2024, will be key to keeping the ball rolling.

Expenses are much harder to predict. Donnelly's forecast shows the Wellington school system going from $14.5 million in 2021 to a little over $15.1 million in 2025.

Union negotiations will take place next year, and the budget doesn't yet include raises. It does

take into account already-agreed upon step increases for employees, however.

The district will need to replace about 1,000 Chromebooks over the next two years, Donnelly said.

Costs for this year were up significantly because Wellington hired full-time building substitutes to cover COVID-related absences, bought online software, contracted for a virtual learning curriculum, and bought signs, barriers and gloves to make schools safer.

Athletic revenues were also down by about $30,000 and cafeteria sales sagged by $135,000 because all students were eligible for free meals.

To offset losses, the Wellington Schools have received $855,542 in federal aid during the pandemic.

The money has been used to cover salaries and benefits for three employees, taking pressure of the general fund. It's also helped connect students who lacked fast internet access, and pay for nurses, supplies, tutoring and enhanced security.

By far the largest share is being used for summer school, food, transportation, heating and cooling and classroom technology costs.

Donnelly said he anticipates another big federal boost — an estimated $1.26 million in relief cash on the way to the district.

It's unclear what strings will be attached.

As it stands, the Wellington Schools are in a good position, Donnelly said, with 103 days of operating cash on hand.

Without a new source of income, increased costs are likely to shrink that amount to just 34 days of operating cash by 2025, he said.

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Page B6

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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