Lorain County Community Guide - May 14, 2020

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, May 14, 2020

www.lcnewspapers.com

Volume 7, Issue 20

Slow road to economic recovery

Retailers reopen their doors with caution, wondering whether shoppers will show JASON HAWK EDITOR

Ratsy Kemp should have felt triumphant as she prepared to open her downtown Oberlin gift shop for the first time in two months.

Instead, she was weighed down by uncertainty.

"A lot of people are willing to clamor over to a Walmart or a grocery store, but I don't know if they're willing to knock down my door," she said Friday.

Like many retailers

across Ohio, Ratsy's Store was allowed to open Tuesday as Gov. Mike DeWine lifted some of the restrictions put in place to curb COVID-19 cases.

That didn't necessarily mean customers would show up, though. On social media, many said they planned to stay home as the pandemic rages on and deaths climb.

Kemp said she tested the waters this past week, taking appointments for shoppers as allowed by the governor's office. Only one customer showed up.

The prolonged closures have been devastating for retailers, especially small ones. Kemp said she has able to sell some merchandise online and has been sewing cloth face masks to make ends meet.

"I have a trickle of money coming in to help paying the bills, because no government assistance is coming my way. I haven't even gotten my stimulus check," she said. "I'm just trying to survive."

Samantha Stump said her flower shop, The Platinum Petal in Wellington, made

Restaurants look to reopen in the ‘new normal’

a few deliveries since the storefront was closed in March.

Those orders picked up just in time for Mother's Day — "Nobody's going to cancel Mother's Day, they're going to make sure Mom gets a gift," she said — but Stump was relieved she would be able to open Tuesday.

Limited hours will likely last through June. The shop is only large enough for a few customers at a time, Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune and workers are wearing While restaurants, retailers and salons all get to be open this week, some businesses such as RETAILERS PAGE A2 theaters, gyms and tattoo parlors remain closed.

SPECIAL DELIVERY!

LAINA YOST, CARISSA WOYTACH and BROOKIE MADISON

Before reopening in-person dining on May 21, restaurants will have to enact a series of mandatory guidelines with an emphasis on physical distance.

Alternating between cooking takeout orders and drawing up a new seating chart, Boriken Juke Joint owner Joe Adorno said reopening is scary for patrons and business owners alike.

Customers will have to adjust to waitstaff in masks and gloves come the end of the month, and another change in hours for the speakeasy-style restaurant in the bottom of the Duane Building in Lorain.

“The question that I keep getting asked is that will it change my vision of what Boriken was and will be?

And it hasn't,” he said. “It has actually gotten me more excited to get to the position I want it to be, to where I want it to be. It's just a little bit of a roadblock that's going to have to be dealt with and like any business you always have these roadblocks you've just got to take your time, patience and look at it, strategize and get the best action plan that you can.”

RESTAURANTS PAGE A4

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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

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Emily Campofredano puts signs in the Courtland Street yards of Wellington High School Class of 2020 members on Friday, May 8.

Teachers show some love by planting yard signs at WHS seniors’ homes JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Hiking up Courtland Street with a stack of signs tucked under her arm Friday, Emily Campofredano said it felt good to be outside after long days in quarantine.

Along the walk, she stopped at the homes of Wellington High School seniors Gabe Gayheart, Evan Jackson and Katerina DeHart, driving the staked signs into the grass.

The maroon-and-white placards were teachers' way of congratulat-

Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

Campofredano was one of 10 teachers who planted yard signs for seniors Friday. Principal Tina Drake also delivered them to students who openenroll.

In all, they visited 93 homes.

The Wellington Board of Education voted the night before to end the school year early on May 29.

Getting the signs out far in advance of that date was key because "the kids know everything is turned upside down," said Campofredano.

"We don't want any of our kids, no matter what grade they're in, to think they've been forgotten," she said.

INSIDE THIS WEEK

Send legal notices to jyoder@chroniclet.com Submit advertising to chama@chroniclet.com

ing the Class of 2020 as it prepares to graduate amid the most bizarre of circumstances.

The COVID-19 pandemic stranded students at home, turned the learning process on its head, canceled prom and upended graduation.

"It's important every year, but this year we really want to make sure seniors know how much we appreciate them, considering all that's happening," said Campofredano, the Wellington district's librarian and assistant Drama Club adviser at the high school.

"It's a nice reminder of how hard they've worked," she said.

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Nine headed to military honored by Steele • B1

City’s first black police chief remembered as calm • B1

Drive-up graduation plans for high school seniors • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • KID SCOOP A5 • CROSSWORD B4 • SUDOKU B4

Page A2

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES Edith Evans Swan

Ann Elizabeth Sheldon

Edith Evans Swan, of Durango, Colorado, died at home of cancer Sunday, May 3, 2020, with her beloved husband, Jerry Muth, at her side. She was 82.

The oldest of four children, Edie was born Nov. 3, 1937, in Boston, Massachusetts to Mary "Fletcher" Swan (nee Wardwell) and Henry Swan II, a pioneering cardiovascular surgeon.

When she was a young child, the family moved to Denver, Colorado. With her siblings, Edie enjoyed family fishing trips, horseback riding, skiing, competitive diving and summers on Cape Cod. Edie attended Graland Country Day School and the Kent Denver School. Edith Swan earned a bachelor of arts at Bennington College, a master's at University of Arizona and a Ph.D. in cultural anthropology at University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She spent her professional life in academia, as professor of anthropology at Grand Valley State College in Michigan, as an administrative fellow at Evergreen State College in Washington and as associate dean of student academic affairs at Oberlin College in Ohio. At Oberlin, she was a sought-after advisor for student independent studies and taught a class in Native American literature. In 1996, she retired and settled in Durango. She rekindled a friendship with Alta Begay Ellsworth, who had served as her Navajo/ Diné interpreter for an undergraduate field study in 1959.

Over time, she and Alta recorded seventy 90-minute interviews. In 2018, Edie published Making Selves Women: Life and Times of a Navajo Woman (Ellsworth & Swan), which tells Alta's life story in her own words, alongside Navajo/Diné cultural meanings and 20th century historical context. It was one of Edie's proudest achievements.

Edie was also known for her wonderful cooking and her highly creative gardens, which became the setting for several weddings. She and her sister, Gretchen Bering, regularly attended meetings of the Denver Fortnightly Club, which was founded by their great-grandmother, Ella Strong Denison. In 2005, she met Jerry Jay Muth, a small business owner, former ski industry professional and avid golfer. They married in her garden on June 12, 2010. With their mutual enthusiasm for opera, fly fishing and Native American art and culture, they shared countless happy hours, whether at home, on numerous fishing trips or at opera performances in Santa Fe or simulcast in Durango.

They also enjoyed their growing horde of grandchildren and stepgrandchildren. They brought each other much joy.

She is survived by her sister, Gretchen (Swan) Bering; her beloved friend, Will Evans; her loving husband, Jerry Muth; her children, Helen Harrison and Mark Harrison; her grandchildren, Jane Harrison-Millman, Miren Harrison-Millman, Audrey Harrison and Gwen Harrison, and five stepgrandchildren.

Edith Swan was preceded in death by her sister, Helen (Swan) Evans and her brother, Henry Swan III. Donations in her memory can be made to the Navajo Nation COVID-19 Relief Fund at www.nndoh.org/donate.html or by mail. Make checks payable to the Navajo Nation, include "COVID-19 Response Donation" in the memo section of your check, and mail to Navajo Nation Office of the Controller, P.O. Box 3150, Window Rock, AZ 86515.

Ann Elizabeth Sheldon, 67, of Oberlin, joined her Lord and Savior on Thursday, April 30, 2020. She was born Jan. 31, 1953 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, the daughter of Warren N. Sheldon and Judith Halverson Sheldon.

After graduating from Oberlin High School in 1971, Ann attended college and over the course of her life completed two Associates Degrees while working primarily as a medical transcriptionist.

Ann loved to travel and possessed a restless spirit.

Throughout her life, she moved a number of times, living in North Carolina and California before eventually returning to Oberlin. Wherever she landed she invariably made a few close friendships that she maintained throughout her life. Ann loved music, learned to play the piano, and tried her hand at guitar as well. In her youth, she enjoyed folk music but with time she developed a love of classical music and loved to listen to the works of Bach. Her interest in the arts went beyond music and in her younger days, Ann enjoyed drawing, especially horses. She also was a skilled writer and had a deep interest in language.

In some ways Ann was an "old soul" and gravitated to things from the past. Ann considered any day spent exploring the inventory of an antique shop or a shop that sold old books as a day well spent. She often used these pursuits as an occasion to engage with people and hear their stories.

She was a devoted reader of scripture, not only for comfort but also, in her words, "for the instruction it provides". Her Bible, pages marked with pieces of paper and a notebook were always on the table next to her comfortable chair. And if she had been reading when you visited, her customary cup of coffee would be there too. Ann did so love her coffee.

Ann was preceded in death by her father, Warren Sheldon.

She is survived by her loving mother, Judith Sheldon; sister, Jane (Bob); brothers, Steve (Deanna), Mark and Doug (Dorothy) and multiple nieces and nephews.

A family graveside service will be at Westwood Cemetery, Oberlin.

Ann's family would like to thank the entire staff at Pine Grove Healthcare Center, Geneva for their dedication, care, and support.

Memorial donations in memory of Ann may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 900, Arlington, VA 22202, www.diabetes.org.

Arrangements are in the care of Dicken Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Elyria.

For online condolences, visit www.dickenfuneralhome. com.

GENEVIEVE SIMASHKEVICH (nee Dlugosz), a lifelong resident of Amherst, born Dec. 23, 1919, passed away Tuesday, May 5, 2020, at age 100. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

To place an obituary honoring a loved one in the Community Guide, call the Lorain County Printing & Publishing offices at 440-329-7000.

LA BAMBA

The award for “Youngest Trumpeter to Perform with the USAF Band” goes to Mitchell Perry, age 12, of Amherst. The sixth-grader was joined by the entire The United States Air Force Band Airmen of Note trumpet section for a rendition of “La Bamba,” and they took to it with gusto. Watch him play a duet with Chief Master Sgt. Kevin Burns by visiting the Amherst News-Times page on Facebook.

RETAILERS

FROM A1 masks and putting out hand sanitizer, she said.

Like Kemp, she worried that customers would be slow to return to normal shopping habits. Stump said she believes budgets will be tight, leaving non-essential businesses to struggle, even if they are open.

"Whether you're a one person, two person operation, or whether you're a 50,000 (employee) operation — no matter how big your business is, the hardest part is just not knowing what to plan for," she said.

Erin Link, owner of Etc. Boutique & Gifts in Amherst, is among the retailers who chose not to open as soon as it was allowed.

"I'm going to hold off a little longer. My staff are all retirees, and they're a little skittish," she said.

The shop has a connection to a patient who contracted COVID-19 and remains in bad shape, even after being discharged from the hospital. Link said that drove home the dangers for her staff.

"A lot of people kind of fluff this off because they don't know anybody who has it. But when you get to know somebody who is (sick) it puts it in perspective," she said.

During the closure, Etc. Boutique moved its sales online, using infomercial-style Facebook videos to show customers products. Link said it worked well, and she's delivered online orders to doorsteps across Lorain County.

"I'm not doing as well as if I was open, but it's close enough," she said. "I am working harder than ever... but it's paying off. I'm willing to do that to keep my business alive."

Others haven't seen as much success. Dave Pidcock, owner of Hatchery Antique Mall in North Ridgeville, said he's had to borrow thousands of dollars to avoid closing permanently.

With no stimulus check in hand yet and a lease set to expire at the end of June, he's eyeing a likely move to a new location down the street. Pidcock said he also feels guilty because he had to charge his vendors rent for two months to cover expenses, even though they have no income flowing in either.

"It's just so unfortunate it's happened at all. I think we'll make it. I'm confident. We're really hard workers," he said.

Comics Are Go in Sheffield Village planned to reopen after relying on curbside delivery.

"We've been really lucky. We've had customers step up and send us lists of things to look for," said owner Eric Anderson. "There's no way to replace the experience of coming into the store and browsing."

Most comic book publishers had stopped printing altogether because the industry is centered in California, one of the states hit hardest by the virus.

That means Anderson hasn't had new product to sell since March, even if he'd been allowed to stay open.

Free Comic Book Day — a huge day for sales and hooking imaginative kids on new titles — was canceled on May 2, dealing more damage.

DC and Marvel are just now starting to print new monthly issues. Anderson said the publishers printed through wars and other global crises before — the last time they were dealt a similar blow was just after 9/11.

He too has moved sales online, but hopes the pandemic doesn't push big comics publishers to make more books digital-only.

Goodwill stores across Lorain County reopened Tuesday with limited hours, according to President and CEO Craig Grugel.

The first hour, from 10-11 a.m. each day, is set aside for seniors and people who are immunocompromised. The general public can shop from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Customers can expect to find new restrictions in place: Dressing rooms and restrooms remain closed to the public, shoppers are required to wear face masks and there is a limit to how many people are allowed inside at any given time.

The company said it is allowing 40 shoppers at a time at the Avon store, 30 in Elyria, 30 in Lorain, 20 in Sheffield Lake, 20 in Vermilion and 20 in Oberlin. The North Ridgeville store will remain closed temporarily.

You can still donate items to Goodwill. Contactless donation will be available for those who want that option.

Discount Fashion Warehouse in Elyria has used the closure to sterilize its store. Employees are wearing gloves and masks.

“We have some big plans for the store and are looking to expand our offerings in the near future to include home goods, health and beauty, maybe food and possibly even gourmet wines,” said President Jeff Bradshaw.

Some larger retailers were planning to reopen as well.

Midway Mall in Elyria was also allowed to reopen.

Each retailer at the mall was responsible for deciding whether they would throw open their doors, according to a spokeswoman for the ownes.

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SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B4

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE B4

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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

Memorial Day parades a no-go with virus restrictions JASON HAWK DYLAN REYNOLDS

The fallen won't be forgotten, but neither will they be remembered this Memorial Day with parades along heavily-lined streets.

There will be no May 25 public observances in many local communities, including Oberlin, Lorain, North Ridgeville and LaGrange.

Other towns are doing what they can to muster small ceremonies, or to find creative ways to honor the sacrifices of America's lost veterans.

Geri Rice, who has planned Amherst's Memorial Day parade for years, said there is no way to pull off the event this year.

"The people who would normally be in our parade are not together anyway. There would be no marching band, no ball teams, there wouldn't be any churches," she said.

But the parade is "the least of what Memorial Day is actually about," she said. "The parade's the bonus part of it. It's what brings us all together."

Rice is assembling a virtual parade instead, with pre-recorded videos of addresses from the city's downtown bandstand, an honor guard salute and kids leading the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the National Anthem.

With help from Melendez

Video, the virtual parade will be posted to YouTube at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day, Rice said.

Avon Lake Historical Society, formerly known as Heritage Avon Lake, is working with the city on a virtual Memorial Day parade that will pay homage to parades of the past 30 years.

Historical Society president Tony Tomanek said he spent two days sorting through archived video of the parades from 1989 to 2019, picking out the most interesting parts to be edited down into a 15-minute-maximum highlight reel.

While no floats will travel the parade route this Memorial Day, Tomanek said the wealth of resurfaced footage will bring back memories of years past.

“We’ve never not had a parade,” he said. “I've been attending those parades since I was a kid.”

To add a current-day flair to the video, Tomanek and fellow Avon Lake historian Sherry Spenzer will add their own commentary to the video from behind a desk covered in American flags — an idea that was inspired by the Rose Bowl parade.

Kids watching the video will also have the opportunity to simulate the tradition of collecting candy thrown from floats. The Historical Society and its partners are still figuring out the details, but there are tentative plans for a candy delivery system where par-

ents can request to have a bundle of candy and an American flag dropped off at their doorstep.

Tomanek’s goal is to not lose sight of the holiday’s significance in the excitement of pioneering the virtual parade.

He said the video will also include footage of cemetery services, an introduction from Mayor Greg Zilka and the names of the more than 700 Avon Lake residents who have died serving in the United States armed forces.

Wellington has also canceled its traditional Memorial Day parade.

"We understand it, but we also feel that something has to be done," said Scott Lambert of American Legion Post 8.

Located on the south side of town, the post plans to hold a short ceremony to read the names of veterans who died in the past year and offer a rifle volley.

Lambert said attendees will have to keep their distance from each other. Veterans don't plan to wear masks, he said.

Failing to recognize veterans isn't an option, he said. In the past six weeks, despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, Post 8 veterans have continued to offer rites at three miltiary funerals.

Rochester Village will not hold a Memorial Day gathering this year at town hall, since there isn't

enough room there for people to safely gather, said Mayor Cindy Kurpely.

There will, however, be a brief service and wreath-laying ceremony at tiny town's cemetery.

"Anybody who shows up to that, it will obviously have to be social distancing and masks and the whole nine yards," Kurpely said. "If we can't do it safely, we will not do it."

Because Rochester is such a small community, turnout is usually low, which is why the mayor believes the ceremony can go on.

"Memorial Day is a very important holiday and it's important that we remember the people that fought to give us our rights," she said. "By the same token, I don't believe that one veteran who gave his life for this country would ask someone else to put themselves in danger to honor them."

Usually Kipton, Camden and Henrietta band together to observe Memorial Day with a parade and program, but those have also been canceled. Instead, the towns are compiling a video that includes a roll call of deceased service members' names. It can be viewed Sunday, May 24 at www.camdentwp.us.

Some sources felt confused about whether Ohio's stay-athome executive orders would apply to observances.

The American Legion Depart-

ment of Ohio, which has 527 posts statewide, said most are deciding to hold services at cemeteries instead of participating in parades.

"Basically what we're telling those posts that reach out to us is they need to follow the governor's guidelines on gatherings," said Marie Leister, executive assistant to the adjutant.

Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell has addressed questions in weekly meetings with mayors and township trustees.

"They’ve discussed ways to honor Memorial Day safely during the pandemic, and leaders are finding innovative ways to remember people who’ve died in service," said a statement from Lorain County Public Health spokeswoman Katie Bevan.

Pressed for further clarification on whether parades and ceremonies would be allowed, provided people kept six feet apart and wore masks, LCPH said any gathering of more than 10 people is prohibited unless otherwise exempted by the stay-at-home orders.

And asked whether LCPH recommends holding parades in any form: "Per the Orders from the State of Ohio and guidance from White House, mass gatherings with more than 10 people are prohibited at this time," the agency said.

$25K in coronavirus relief loans get Council approval JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Three loans totaling nearly $25,000 received emergency approval from City Council last Monday, providing relief to businesses hard-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two restaurants — Oberlin Kitchen and Black River Cafe — were approved

for assistance of $10,000 each from the city's revolving loan fund.

Optometrist Paul Alton of Ottica Eye Care was approved for $4,550.

The zero percent interest loans are meant to prevent layoffs of low- to moderate-income workers, and businesses won't have to start paying them back for six months.

Because the money comes from Commu-

Request denied for Gibson’s posts DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — A Lorain County judge has ruled against several media outlets seeking access to sealed evidence that never was used in the case of Gibson's Bakery versus Oberlin College.

Advance Ohio — owner of the Plain Dealer and Cleveland.com — WEWS-TV, and the Ohio Coalition for Open Government had requested Lorain County Common Pleas Judge John Miraldi release to the public Facebook posts allegedly belonging to Allyn D. Gibson.

Miraldi denied the motion in a two-page ruling April 29.

He already denied a similar motion by Oberlin College to unseal the exhibit in September, which he wrote in his most recent ruling contained "unauthenticated Facebook postings purportedly belonging to non-party Allyn D. Gibson."

Miraldi wrote that Oberlin College "made no attempt to introduce the contents" of the Facebook posts in court "nor did they call or attempt to call non-party Allyn D. Gibson as a witness during trial."

Citing Ohio Supreme Court Rule No. 45, which states that public access to case documents or information is allowed if the trial court finds by "clear and convincing evidence that the presumption of allowing public access is no longer outweighed by a higher interest," Miraldi wrote that "the continued restriction of public access is warranted."

He also ruled that "there is no less-restrictive alternative to complete restriction."

Allyn D. Gibson is the son of late Gibson's Bakery co-owner David Gibson, who died in November, and the grandson of co-owner Allyn W. "Grandpa" Gibson. He was the clerk on duty on Nov. 9, 2016 when an Oberlin College student tried to use a fake ID and steal wine from the store, and Allyn D. Gibson chased the man out before being assaulted by him and two other students.

The arrest of the students led to two days of protests by their fellow students and supporters and, eventually, a multimillion-dollar lawsuit by the bakery and the Gibson family against Oberlin College over allegations the college libeled and damaged the business and its reputation.

The Gibsons prevailed, and were awarded more than $35 million in damages and attorney fees. Allyn D. Gibson did not testify at the trial last year and was not a plaintiff in the lawsuit filed by his father, grandfather and their business.

In the ruling in September, Miraldi wrote that the material in the exhibit largely pre-dates the incidents leading to the lawsuit. He had previously allowed the posts to be introduced as character evidence regarding the younger Allyn Gibson, but again, the younger Gibson never testified.

nity Development Block Grants, the loans must still be approved by the state, according to Oberlin Planning and Development Director Carrie Handy.

Three more loan requests have already landed on her desk, with two more companies working on applications, she said.

Council also voted to create another loan program to help sole proprietors and companies whose employ-

ees don't meet the CDBG income requirements.

"There are a lot of people in this town who work on the gig economy who can't even pay their health insurance and are not eligible for other kinds of loans," said Councilwoman Mary Price.

The $100,000 loan pool can be used by for-profits to pay rent, mortgages, payroll, utilities, and buy inventory and essential

supplies. Finance Director Sal Talarico said the money would come from the city's general fund, from money earmarked for economic development.

Oberlin Law Director Jon Clark said most of the time cities wouldn't be allowed to give aid to private enterprises — but there are exceptions to preserve jobs and for economic development.

"We've done a significant

amount of research and consulted some outside folks in the auditor's department. And while there's no ironclad guarantee, I'm quite comfortable that it is legal and appropriate to institute these programs and provide these loans," he said.

Handy said these loan applications wouldn't have to be approved by Council, but would go to City Manager Rob Hillard.

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Page A4

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Spring semester cut short, schools look at early start JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — The school year will be cut short, ending May 29, as the Wellington Board of Education copes with the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The school board made the unanimous decision in a virtual meeting last Thursday night.

It removed six days from the remaining spring semester.

Now educators are training their sights on the fall.

If the Lorain County Fair is canceled due to the public health emergency, Superintendent Ed Weber said he would consider reaching out to families and staff about the possibility of starting the academic year early.

Some districts are thinking about starting as early as Aug. 10, he said.

"Before we consider going too early in August, remember how hot Westwood is in the summer," said school board member Jessica Reynolds.

Serving about 300 children in kindergarten through third grade, the 60-year-old Westwood Elementary has no air conditioning.

Brett Murner, president of the board, said Wellington needs to prepare for many possibilities in the fall, since there is so much uncertainty about what dangers will remain.

He said its most likely the district will use a "blended learning" approach, with some work in school buildings and some done online from home.

In a meeting two days prior, Wellington Education Association President Dave Conklin suggested having half the student body attend classes physically while the other half participated online to help maintain social distancing.

He said that would provide structure to the learning environment, and students would get the same instruction whether they were at school or home.

Conklin also called for an overhaul to the 2020-2021 school year calendar.

The union head asked the Board of Education to make school days slightly longer and focus on hours of instruction rather than days in school.

Guidance counselor Patrick Gallion, working with Conklin,

proposed starting school on Sept.

1, which is the Tuesday prior to Labor Day, and ending on May 28, which is the Friday before Memorial Day in 2021.

Adding just a few minutes to each school day would allow the change, he said, and give students more time to learn before state testing begins.

"If we have more instructional time, more ability to really drive that beforehand, that could help us to increase the test scores," Gallion said.

He also argued it would cut down on the lack of engagement students show when attending school after Memorial Day. Kids will always let attention wander toward the end of the year, Gallion said, but he believes Memorial Day is a corner best

CAPS AND GOWNS

Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

Wearing a face mask, Firelands High School Principal Bob Maver hands out caps and gowns to students in a drive-through line at Firelands High School on Wednesday, May 6.

not turned.

No specific starting and ending times each day were proposed.

Murner said they need to solidify soon, because they would affect busing schedules and other aspects of district operations.

"I think it would be a more complete proposal if we had those so we could see how it affects the district as a whole," he said.

Murner also questioned the effects the changes would have on employee sick days and other benefits, as well as how schedule changes would fit with Wellington's continued COVID-10 remote learning efforts.

"We need to see more about how the rubber meets the road," said school board member Kevin Stump.

Clean up call

Main Street Amherst is inviting residents to take a walk and clean up your neighborhood for a chance to win a prize between May 17 and May 23.

Take a trash bag, some gloves and your phone. While on your walk, pick up trash, and when finished be sure to snap a photo of yourself and family with the trash bag. Upload your pic to the Main Street Amherst Ohio Facebook "Amherst Pride Week Challenge" event page at www.tinyurl.com/AmherstPride.

On Wednesday, May 27, Main Street will randomly pick 15 winners for a $20 gift card to a locally owned business.

RESTAURANTS

FROM A1 The new seating plan to ensure social distancing will cut 10 to 15 seats, and spacing in the kitchen will limit how much of his staff can be brought back, he said.

He plans to bring back his cook and some front house staff and change some hours to open for brunch until 3 p.m. and then reopen for dinner until 9 or 10 p.m., depending on the day.

He'll also be changing the menu to reflect that in the midst of the pandemic, the cost of goods like ground beef have increased, he said.

At Nancy’s Diner in Grafton, owner Denise Worthy said she has people coming in to finish putting up separations. The

restaurant is a fairly small building, making it difficult to ensure physical distance.

Jacob Grimmett, owner of Dmitri’s Restaurant in Wellington, said he has crossed his T’s and dotted his I’s in regards to the regulations DeWine has put into place for restaurants.

Grimmett has closed every other table in his restaurant to ensure the 6-foot distancing rule, which has dropped him to 12 tables total.

Ron Heldorfer, owner of Fratello’s Italian Restaurant in Avon Lake, said he’s unsure of whether he should put up partitions, but he said those can be a big expense.

His uncertainty with the rules and regulations leaves Heldorfer in limbo whether

or not some of his staff will stay on unemployment because there won’t be enough shifts for them.

Heldorfer, whose restaurant doesn’t usually do reservations, may begin to do so to avoid congregation.

“My staffing is probably going to change if I can seat only 40 to 50 percent of my tables,” he said. “I’m not going to need the full staff that I have both in the front and back of the house.”

The regulations Worthy said she was prepared for the stipulations Gov. Mike DeWine put out for reopening businesses and she already had her game plan in place.

Worthy said she will offer customers wipes and sani-

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tizer, and that the diner has already been stringent in its own sanitizing practices, including sanitizing menus and pens.

Restaurants must require employees to wear facial coverings unless they meet one of the exceptions, like they work alone at a workstation. Employees must perform a daily symptom assessment and they must stay home if they experience symptoms.

Grimmett, too, said he's been preparing.

"Every closed table has disinfectant spray, a box of gloves, and a roll of paper towels on it,” Grimmett said.

In addition, every one of his employees has three washable masks, and all menus will be paper, with one menu per family at a table.

Parties bigger than 10 are not allowed, and restaurants must mark out physical distancing spots.

Restaurants must post a kitchen floor plan, and hand washing and sanitizing products must be made available in common areas.

Dimitri’s is taking it one step further, and not allowing parties of more than four people as Grimmett said that would require them to rearrange the physical distancing setup.

Mask requirements Grimmett said he does not have a problem with customers wearing masks inside either and that the restaurant still plans to do to-go orders for those who don’t feel safe to come out yet.

“I hope we get all of our restrictions lifted up,” he said. “Dmitri’s is a

milestone in Wellington, everyone knows it. We’d like to get back to having a full house like we normally do.”

Nancy’s Diner has masks and gear for employees, but it will not require patrons to wear masks.

Heldorfer questioned whether or not the requirements call for his dishwashers, waiters and bartenders to have to wear masks. He said he is not going to require customers to wear masks.

“I think it’s kind of ridiculous, you come into a restaurant and you have to take it off to eat and drink anyway,” he said.

He said one of the challenges he’s had is obtaining masks and that he is concerned about the supply chain.

“We are seeing difficulties getting products, especially meats,” he said. “Not only getting the product but when we get it, they’re jacking the prices up.”

'Cautiously optimistic' Nancy’s Diner is starting a carhop service so that customers can stay and eat in their cars if they so choose.

“Even though I’m going back, it’s going to be a long time before we see an increase,” Worthy said.

“Are my girls going to make enough money? I figure I can bring my girls back and they can make a living with the carhop and dining.”

This week, before in-person dining starts back up, faithful diners are kicking off a weeklong cash grab for the diner, and Worthy said she’s been really lucky throughout the shutdown

by offering take-out to loyal customers.

Despite the changes and the fears customers may have, Adorno is hoping Lorain residents support Boriken once it reopens.

“If it was any longer than what it is, the 21st, the probability of staying open would've gotten smaller and smaller and smaller,” he said. “But being that it's Lorain, I'm from Lorain, I stuck it out. It's all about game planning and being smart.”

At Cole’s Public House in Amherst, co-owner Robby Lucas said he's willing to play the long game to ensure the safety of both the restaurant and its customers.

Cole’s remained closed instead of offering carryout. Lucas said the restaurant wasn't designed to do carryout, and instead of using up resources to offer the service, Cole’s closed in the hopes of reopening for in-person dining.

Throughout the day on Friday, Lucas said he was running through a checklist of everything needed to be prepared to reopen May 21. Still, Lucas said he is cautiously optimistic about the reopening and how it will go.

“This is our livelihood, this is our job, this is how we support our family,” Lucas said. “We’re trying not to get blindsided by the excitement of opening the restaurant.

The last thing we want to do is reopen for three months, make a bunch of money and then have to shut down.

If we have to go slowly to ensure the longevity of the restaurant, that’s certainly what we’ll do. We’re going to follow the guidelines.”

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SIDEWALK REHABILITATION 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 29, 2020 Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor by mail or with security personnel on the first floor.

TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lo-

rain City Hall 1st Floor.

COMPLETION DATE: July 31, 2020 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 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 perfor-

mance 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.

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 subcontrac-

tors involved with the project will to the extent practicable use Ohio products, materials, services and labor in the implementation of their project.

Electronic packages may be secured from the Engineering Department, via email Dale_ Vandersommen@cityoflorain. org or the city website, www. cityoflorain.org.

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. 5/14-21/20 20663087

LEGAL NOTICE In the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 225 Court Street, Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio, 44035.

Case No. 20DR087552.

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

Charles Irvin Clifford, whose last known address was Las Vegas, NV but whose address other than as set forth is unknown and cannot with the exercise of reasonable diligence be ascertained,

and upon whom service of summons cannot be had in the State of Ohio, will take notice that on April 6, 2020, Lena Clifford, as Plaintiff, filed her complaint against him in the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, of Lorain County, Ohio, being Case No. 20DR087552, requesting a divorce from Defendant, and an award of a reasonable sum for any costs, expenses, and attorney's fees in this action, and for such other relief as shall be proper and necessary, based upon the grounds that the parties are incompatible, and that the

parties have lived separate and apart without cohabitation and without interruption for at least one year.

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

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

L.C.C.G. 4/16-23-30; 5/7-1421/20 20661752

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 36, No. 23

400 feet 350 feet 300 feet 250 feet

he tallest tree in the world is the Hyperion Tree. It is a coastal redwood and it is a little more than 379 feet tall. That’s taller than the Statue of Liberty (305 feet tall).

200 feet 150 feet

The largest tree in the world is the General Sherman. It is a giant sequoia and measures in volume 52,508 cubic feet. A cubic foot is a cube one foot wide by one foot tall by one foot deep.

100 feet 50 feet General ShermanTree

How many cones can you find on this page?

Top Branches

Statue of Liberty

Home of GiantTrees

C C

U

Leaves

Giant sequoia leavesare blue-green in color.

A

L

Y

I

Write down the letters along the correct path through the maze to find out in which state both the world’s tallest trees (coastal redwoods) and largest trees (giant sequoias) grow.

F

N

O C

R S

The biggest tree is 642 tons, about the weight of 107 elephants.

The reddish-brown bark of a giant sequoia can grow to more than 12 inches (30 cm) thick.

C

L

A K

The General ShermanTree is the largest living thing on Earth.

HyperionTree

W

Giant sequoias usually have branchesnear their tops because the lowerbranches are shaded from the sun and fall away as the tree grows.

BarkThickness

Giant sequoias can live to a very old age. Some are more than 3,500 years old. The wood is rich in chemicals that keep away insect pests and prevent rotting.

The thick bark does not burn easily and helps to protect the tree from fire.

Large orTall?

Some giant sequoias are tall, but they are not the tallest trees in the world.

The reason they are the largest trees in the world is because B when you combine their N height, width and estimated weight, they are the most A massive.

Nature Walk Bingo Head outdoors with family and friends and take a walk around the neighborhood. On this walk, each of you take one of the cards below and cross out the items as you see them. The first one to get three in a row yells,“Bingo!”

I

Small to LARGE

The tallest living giant sequoia is 316 feet. As tall as Look through the a 31-story newspaper for pictures building. of three things—one that is big, one that is bigger and one that is the biggest. Cut these out and label them big, bigger and biggest.

A large tree can have about 11,000 cones at any given time. A mature giant sequoia can release Repeat this activity to 300,000 to 400,000 show the following: seeds in one year.

Happy, happier and

The widest tree is 31.4 feet wide. The length of two small cars.

BigTree,Tiny Cones The giant sequoia is a conifer, which means that it produces cones that hold its seed. At 3.5 inches (9 cm) long, the cones are tiny compared to the tree.

Cones sometimes stay on the tree for 8 to 12 years before dropping.

Each cone has an average of 230 seeds.

The seeds in each cone have wing-like edges which help them travel up to 600 feet from their parent tree.

CODE

The General Sherman Tree is not only the largest living tree, it is the largest living thing, by volume, on the planet. Use the code to find out more about it.

The tree is estimated to be It weighs

tons. It’s

years old. feet (83m) tall.

The distance around the bottom of the tree is feet (31m).

It has branches that are almost

in diameter.

feet (2.1m)

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow written directions.

0= 1= 2= 3= 4= 5= 6= 7= 8= 9=

BRANCHES SEQUOIA CONIFER RELEASE GENERAL REDWOOD GIANT TREES CONES SEEDS YEARS TALL BARK GROW BIG

E V I S S A M R E A L D L R E L E A S E

L O A G H Q K R A B S O R R C G U Y B S

This week’s word:

MATURE

E D N W A A G E I E

The adjective mature means having completed natural development.

E E E T R N R R E A S R G I B T A L L R

The mature redwood was over 200 feet tall.

E S R E F I N O C S

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

D W E O N I

I O E Y

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

Why trees?

ANSWER: Poultree!

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

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

Standards Links: Physical Education: Understand the benefits associated with participation in physical activities.

Superlatives are Super!

A superlative is an adjective that describes a noun in an extreme way. For example, the largest, the smallest, the funniest. Circle all of the superlatives on this Kid Scoop page. How many can you find in today’s newspaper?

happiest Funny, funnier and funniest Little, littler and littlest

Do people really need trees?

Write an opinion piece expressing your opinion about this.

Page A6

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, May 14, 2020

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, May 14, 2020

Former chief remembered as calm, thoughtful JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Bob Jones, who made strides as the city's first African-American police chief, died last Monday at his home. He was 81.

"BJ," as everyone called him, started his career as an Oberlin dispatcher, then in 1967 became a full-time patrolman.

He was named chief in 1980 and held the position until retiring in 2000, then was hired by Oberlin College as director of campus safety.

"He was very measured, easy Provided photo to talk to. I'll forever be grateful Former Oberlin Police Chief Bob "BJ" Jones poses with to him for giving me my start," current Chief Ryan Warfield.

said Lt. Mike McCloskey, who was hired by Jones in 1995.

Without Jones, he might not have had a long career in law enforcement — McCloskey said he believes he wasn't going to get the job, but the chief went to bat for him.

He remembers Jones as kind and thoughtful, and said the former chief's main focus was to get officers more involved in the community.

"He had us doing a lot of foot patrols downtown, and he instituted foot patrols down in the neighborhoods," McCloskey said.

Jones always kept his calm, was always friendly and open.

McCloskey remembered him as

Young at heart

After 14 years on the transplant list, Friedman receives replacement organ JASON HAWK EDITOR

Provided photo

After 14 years waiting to get to the top of the list, Greg Friedman, seen here with Cleveland Clinic cardiovascular surgeon Aaron Weiss, received a heart transplant in January and is recovering at his Lorain home.

LORAIN — A heavy smoker, overweight, with high cholesterol and bad habits, Greg Friedman destroyed his heart as a young man. In 1996, at just 38 years old, he had his first heart attack.

"Back then, the doctors told me I had basically done everything wrong," he said.

Now, after reforming and working his way up the transplant list for 14 years, the longtime Amherst and Lorain resident and former Lorain County JVS and EHOVE instructor has a new lease on life.

In early January, Friedman's implanted defibrillator started firing, and that's where the trauma-induced gaps in his memory begin. There are full weeks he can't recall, including the Jan. 29 procedure in which he received a new heart at the Cleveland Clinic.

HEART PAGE B2

someone always willing to listen.

"Even though he was the chief of police, no matter how small the problem was, he would always bring you in and listen, make you feel like what you had to say was important," he said.

Close family friend Jeanine Donaldson said Jones' loss will be felt deeply across Lorain County.

"He was an example to anyone who knew him. I have to say personally I appreciated his even temperament," she said. "He clearly lived a life where he had seen a lot, he had experienced a lot, and that could have affected his view on the world — but it CHIEF PAGE B2

More traditional, less virtual affair WHSwill go with a drive-up graduation ceremony May 31 JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — A drive-up-tograduate ceremony is being planned for Wellington High School seniors on May 31.

"I do know the Maddie Soboslai, senior class kids and their president, and Courtney Kroll, parents would like some kind of senior class vice president. normal graduation ceremony, however that might look," Principal Tina Drake told the Board of Education last week.

The coronavirus will prevent a traditional commencement in the school gym, but Drake believes she's found a compromise that comes close.

The plan is for seniors to gather in the parking lot at the Patricia Lindley Center for the Performing Arts, where a stage will be set up outside.

Valedictorian Alexis Starner, salutatorian Courtney Kroll and Lorain County JVS honor student Eva DRIVE-UP PAGE B2

Tribute to military-bound seniors

RINGING IN YOUR

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A tribute video profiles nine Amherst Steele High School seniors who intend to enter the military after graduation.

Armed Forces Commitment Day was launched last year at Steele, and Principal Joe Tellier said he had plans to make it bigger than ever.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled those plans, teachers and district staff recorded a virtual ceremony to honor the future service members.

You can watch the video at www.tinyurl.com/AmherstMilitary.

Amherst Police Lt. Dan Makruski, a command sergeant major in the Army National Guard, was the keynote speaker.

"To those members of the Class of 2020 who have raised their right hands, signed a contract or indicated that you'll be joining our armed forces, thank you. I commend you on your decision to serve our great country," he said.

"That decision wasn't easy.

I know — I've been there myself."

It is natural for militarybound graduates to wonder whether they have made the right choice, Makruski MILITARY PAGE B2

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Page B2

Amherst library reopening

The Amherst Public Library has started a phased reopening. It now accepts materials returns at its outside book drops from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1-5 p.m. on Saturday. No overdue fines will be charged.

Curbside pickup services will begin Monday, May 18. They will be available from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Cardholders will be able to place orders through the online catalog or by calling 440988-4230.

CHIEF

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

FROM B1 didn't."

Raised in the Jim Crow South, Jones overcame "numerous indignities" to become a paratrooper, Donaldson said, and one of the first black police chiefs in all of Ohio.

His widow, Claudia, said Jones faced down discrimination — as a young meter reader, he wasn't allowed to carry a gun, for example — but his quiet integrity helped him rise above it.

Married for 30 years, she said her husband didn't raise his voice and was always ready with a joke, capable of telling a whopper of a story, and he was a great cook.

"He was just an easy person to be around." she said.

Claudia Jones said he had a way with children, and was proud of starting Safety City in Oberlin. She said grown-ups would always bashfully approach to thank him for showing them kindness when they were little.

Jones served on the Community Foundation of Lorain County board, was past president of the Oberlin NAACP, past president of the Oberlin American Legion and was involved in Leadership Lorain County.

He was also a member of the 100 Men of Lorain County program, helping to mentor boys at General Johnnie Wilson Middle School in Lorain.

"The impact he would have on those young men was immeasurable," Donaldson said.

Former Lorain Police Chief Cel Rivera, who retired in December after 49 years with the department, called Jones an inspiration.

Returning from service in Vietnam in 1969, Rivera was thinking about a career in law enforcement. Several ride-alongs with Jones convinced him it was the path to take.

"I just loved the way he handled himself. He was so kind to people. You could see he had a rapport with the community," he said.

He recalled how Jones would tell stories about growing up in the South, and how he responded to difficult situations with class.

Throughout his long career, Rivera regarded Jones as mentor and often went to him for advice.

"He made me a little emotional when he showed up at my retirement," Rivera said. I thought, 'I start with you, I end with you.'"

Need a ride? Oberlin Council may buy into electric car-sharing service JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Sway Mobility is hoping to go into the car-sharing business with City Council, asking for $168,610 to provide two Nissan Leafs that residents could rent out on a per-hour basis.

"It's essentially short-term car rental for things like running errands or going to doctor's appointments," said Chief Operating Officer Ken Hejduk.

He and Michael Peters, co-founders of the Shaker Heights company, pitched the idea last week as a way to cut down on Oberlin's greenhouse gas emissions while giving low-income residents a way to get around.

Renting an all-electric car would cost $8 per hour, and the average user would be likely to go about 12 miles,

Hejduk said.

"People are using these things to run errands. They're not using them to drive to Columbus, for instance," he said.

The vehicles have a 150mile range before needing recharged. Most people use them for an hour or two.

But Oberlin is far more rural than most cities where car-sharing has found a user base, said Councilwoman Mary Price.

"Here in Oberlin, it's hard to imagine running an errand outside of the city limits that wouldn't be 30 miles there and 30 miles back," she said.

The Sway Mobility contract would give Oberlin up to 5,000 miles per year before overage charges kicked in.

Price said she puts 35,000 on her family vehicle every year.

Hejduk said trips to Cleveland and back fit into the share model, but it's mostly

for running to get groceries or going to medical appointments.

They can be scheduled 24 hours a day, as long as there's about 20 minutes between trips to recharge the batteries.

There are a few restrictions — Peters said people who have been convicted of some serious crimes like vehicular homicide wouldn't be allowed to use the cars. There's no smoking inside, and customers would be expected to keep them clean.

In the age of COVID-19, shared cars are provided with wipes and hand sanitizer, although Sway can't guarantee they are virus and bacteriafree after every use.

"One of the things that we really emphasize is that this is a community asset, and we want it to be treated like a community asset," Peters said.

A memo provided to Coun-

cil said the transportation sector accounts for 27 percent of domestic greenhouse gas emissions in the United States.

It cited a 2019 study that found every car-share vehicle on the road removes an average of 11 cars from roadways, and claimed carsharing results in an average of 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions that would have otherwise been created by the service's users. Money to pay for the service would come from Oberlin's Sustainable Reserve Fund.

A portion of fees go back to the fund. If the cars are used just a quarter of the target amount, the fees returned to the city would be $700 per month or $8,400 per year, the memo said.

The deal will go to a second vote when Council meets Monday, May 18.

Herrick library outlines three-phase opening plan The Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington is planning to slowly reopen in-person services to the public.

The library's book drop has opened.

Returned materials will be quarantined for 72 hours before being cleaned and placed in the collection.

Library staff are now taking patrons' telephone requests for materials. They are also handling reference questions, though answers may take 24 hours to pull materials from their holds.

Herrick has also launched a hands– free curbside delivery service that runs from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. To pick up books that have been requested, park in the library's front lot or in the first three spaces on the north side of the building and call 440-647-2120. Provide your name and description of your vehicle,

and library staff will deliver materials in a non-returnable plastic or paper bag to the trunk of your vehicle.

The second phase in reopening the Herrick Memorial Library will consist of opening the building for computer use on Monday, June 1. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday.

Patrons need to call 440-647-2120 to reserve a computer for a specific time and day, up to 48 hours ahead of time.

Patrons reserving a computer must have a library card; no guest passes.

Patrons who reserve a computer and wanting to enter the library to use computers must wear a mask or facial covering over the nose and mouth. No mask, no entry, no service, no exceptions, according to a release from director Janet Hollingsworth.

There will be a limit of one person per computer but there may be exception for two family members working together. Computer time will be limited to 30 minutes. Extensions may be granted at the discretion of staff for time needed to complete applications for benefit programs, submit tax returns, create resumes and apply for jobs or other critical needs.

The final step in reopening the Herrick Memorial Library will be opening the building, first by limiting the number of patrons in the building at a time and eventually to a fully open service. The timeline for a fully open service will occur in accordance with the guidelines laid out by the state and county governments. Masks that cover the nose and mouth will be required for entry and service while in the building.

HEART

FROM B1 He doesn't know where the heart came from — only that the donor was a prisoner who had gotten blood transfusions and had been within 500 miles of Lorain County.

Hospitals don't disclose much information about donors.

Friedman said he suffered a stroke during the transplant, causing more problems. He was placed on a device that siphons blood out of the body, oxygenates it and pumps it back in to take stress off the heart.

He doesn't remember much, learning about much of the recovery from his wife. Friedman said he was asleep for about five weeks, and hallucinated about hearing voices.

When he awoke, his short-term memory was shot. Friedman said

that, watching the news, he learned five days in a row that basketball legend Kobe Bryant had died.

"They would keep asking me questions like, 'Where are you?'

After a while, I just started answering, 'Hell,'" he said.

The trauma was so great that Friedman couldn't even muster the strength to call a nurse. He had to relearn how to swallow and how to stand again, and it took weeks before he could use a walker, then a cane.

In his final weeks of physical rehabilitation, the coronavirus crisis grew and hospitals starting to lock down. Friedman said the day he was discharged, staff wouldn't let his wife in to help due to fears of contamination.

Now recuperating at home, he

is finally clear-minded and feels healthy for the first time in about three decades.

The truth is he's far from healthy.

Friedman has no immunity from common diseases, let alone the scourge of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even without the public health crisis, he would have been required to wear a mask and social distance to protect himself from bacteria and viruses.

He will have to take anti-rejection medication for the rest of his life, will always need to wear broad-brimmed hats outside to protect against an increased susceptibility to skin cancer, and will keep up a lifelong sanitization regimen.

At weddings and potlucks, Friedman will always have to be

served first, because when food starts to cool it can foster bacteria.

The germs wouldn't be likely to hurt a normal person's body, but for a transplantee they could prove deadly.

"It's terrifying," said the Navy veteran.

If Friedman follows all the rules, doctors believe he will live another 20 years, he said.

He's sleeping better, feels stronger and breathes more easily than has been possible in 30 years.

He said he feels like he's in his 20s again, and even hopes to hit the green for putting practice in a couple of months, though he won't be driving from the tee anytime soon.

"This is not a sick heart. It is a very healthy heart," he said. "Be-

fore, my heart worked at less than 15 percent... Right now, the last echo(cardiogram) I had last month, it was at 53 percent with the new heart."

Friedman has even named his new heart.

His daughter was in middle school when they first watched the 1983 coming-of-age drama "The Outsiders" together. The film, which helped launch Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise and Diane Lane to stardom, has a special place in the Friedman household.

And so he named his new heart Dally after Dillon's wildling character "since this heart was an outsider to me," he said.

"We just have to make sure it's the seniors who are leaving the cars," she said.

"To me, it was just really important for the seniors to be together one last time. It broke my heart thinking we would have to do it all virtually," she said.

That's not how she wanted seniors to end their high school careers — Drake said she wanted them to share a ceremony and be able to see each other bask in recognition.

With 93 students set to graduate, the Wellington High School Class of 2020 is small enough to pull off the drive-up ceremony, said Board of Education President Brett Murner.

There will be some additional restrictions in place. For instance, seniors can't throw caps in the air — that would increase the risk of contact that could spread COVID-19, Drake said.

Several ideas for alternative commencements were scrapped

after discussion between the principal, the school board and class officers Maddie Soboslai and Kroll.

Soboslai didn't favor a virtual ceremony like Oberlin and Amherst Steele high schools are orchestrating, with students receiving diplomas in 10- or 20-minute time slots over the course of a few days.

Had it gone that way for Wellington, Drake had set a tentative date to show a video edited to include all students at the Aut-ORama drive-in threater in North

Ridgeville.

Soboslai, the class president, pushed for a June 28 in-person ceremony to be scheduled at the Dukes football field or Lorain County Fairgrounds. She hoped that Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton would lift restrictions on public gatherings by then.

"We want to do right by our seniors during these unfortunate times," she told the school board.

engineering.

• Teresa Gerhardinger plans to enter the Navy. At Steele, she ran track, played football and rugby, and especially enjoyed English courses.

• Brayden Kitchen plans to enter the Navy. At Steele, he excelled in math, science and engineering and played golf. He is also an Eagle Scout.

• Jeremy Linger plans to enter the Air Force. At Steele, he

loved English courses and demonstrated strong leadership skills in the marching band, where he played the trumpet.

• Andrew Misson plans to enter the Navy. At Steele, he loved history classes. Misson worked to maintain district grounds in the summer and was a custodian at Amherst Junior High in the winter.

• Earth Moreno plans to enter the Air Force, following in

the footsteps of her sister and brother. At Steele, she excelled in psychology and calculus classes.

• Xavier Perdue plans to enter the Marine Corps. At Steele, he was part of the gaming club and enjoyed history and math classes.

• Austin Renaldo plans to enlist in the Army. At Steele, his favorite class was history. He played football and ran track for

the Comets.

• Ayalis Vicens plans to enlist in the Air National Guard. At Steele, she excelled in forensics, biology and chemistry, played basketball and golf and was an International Festival princess.

"You are agreeing to represent the United States of America, your family and yourself. For that, you should be incredibly proud," Tellier told the nine seniors.

DRIVE-UP

FROM B1 Hartwig will all be able to deliver speeches to classmates, who will remain in their vehicles with empty spaces between.

One at a time, seniors will drive forward and jump out to receive their diplomas and have their pictures taken, then return to their assigned parking space.

The ceremony will be livestreamed and broadcast on radio station WOBL. Drake said Lorain County Public Health is on board with the plan.

MILITARY

FROM B1 said, offering words of encouragement and assurance that millions of other people have made it through their time in the service.

The following students were honored: • Austin Evans plans to enter the Air Force, following in the footsteps of his father and brother. He attended the Lorain County JVS and studied masonry, and now wants to study

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

Oberlin College says it will STATE OF THE SCHOOLS return to campus life in fall Amherst says it's strong, despite effects of pandemic JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — As Ohio businesses start to reopen, Oberlin College is working toward giving students an in-person, oncampus experience in the fall.

"We want to provide you with as full an academic and residential experience as we can offer," President Carmen Twillie Ambar said in a May 5 online message to students.

A decision about when the fall semester will begin is expected in early June, she said.

Oberlin administrators are looking at starting anywhere from late August to October.

The exact date will be determined by the school's ability to provide a safe environment, Ambar said.

Whenever it happens, there will be social distancing standards in place. Oberlin College will create symptom checklists, take temperatures and provide isolated housing for students who become ill, the post said.

There will also be extra separation for students who are the most vulnerable to contracting the coronavirus.

But rigorous academic instruction and musical training is best done in person, Ambar said: "We may be required to make some classes smaller, or to alter sections, or have hybrid options for some courses based on health standards, but the goal will still be a fall opening with on-campus, in-person courses."

To help students hard hit by the pandemic, Oberlin will make financial aid options

available to families even if they didn't ask for aid when they applied for college.

Ambar said she can appreciate the uncertainty students are feeling with illness and deaths plaguing the globe.

"But I can assure you of one thing: What is certain is Oberlin. We are a storied institution that has a history of responding to challenges with resilience, creativity, and rigor," she said. "I know that you all possess these qualities, which is why I am excited about seeing you in the fall."

Many schools across the nation, including Harvard, Cornell and Purdue, have signaled the will resume in-person classes in the fall.

Kent State has taken a similar stance to Oberlin's, saying it prefers to reopen its campuses in August, and will know more later in May, and Ohio University is developing plans for several fall scenarios with guidance from the state and Ohio's InterUniversity Council.

Ohio State University plans to make a decision by late June. Even if campuses reopen, OSU students can expect to wear face masks and attend some classes online.

“The COVID-19 pandemic remains a real and immediate threat to all of us. Ohio State is actively engaged in this fight and in moving forward into a safer future,” President Michael Drake said in midApril, establishing a task force to examine when it will be safe to resume.

Lorain County Community College has announced it will begin the fall semester Aug. 24, with a mix of in-person, remote and blended classes. The Elyria-based school will release more information "as circumstances evolve," it has posted to its website.

OHS graduation plans include virtual ceremony JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Wearing caps and gowns, Oberlin High School graduates are still getting the chance to walk across a stage and receive their diplomas.

It just not the traditional setting at Finney Chapel, and it's not in front of a roaring crowd.

A rolling commencement ceremony is underway through Friday at the school auditorium, with seniors heading inside with just parents to celebrate in 20-minute time slots.

"I want to show appreciation and gratitude to our families who have really sacrificed what their expectations were when the year began," said Principal Chris Frank.

"It's going to be an experience they're going to remember for the rest of their lives, but not for the reasons they thought they would," he said.

Each student's private ceremony is being recorded and edited into a video that will go live on the district's website at 7 p.m. on May 30.

It will include addresses by Frank, valedictorians and keynote speaker Ryan

Aroney, president of the United Way of Greater Lorain County.

High school teachers plan to plant signs in the yards at all 89 graduates' houses on May 22. Frank said each senior will also get a T-shirt with an outline of Ohio and the 44074 ZIP code emblazoned on it.

Led by Oberlin fire engines, staff will parade across town at 7 p.m. on May 29, starting from Prospect Elementary School to show their support for the Class of 2020.

The parade route hasn't been designed yet, but Frank said he wants as many residents as possible to see the celebration while keeping a safe distance from each other.

Assistant Principal Celina Bigio has worked with a printing company and city officials, and banners bearing the portraits of each senior will fly from light poles in downtown Oberlin. They'll go up at the end of May and remain through June, Frank said.

High school secretary Brittnay Palermo is also running an "adopt-a-senior" program, with about half of the class already sponsored. You can buy a yearbook for a senior and write a note to personalize it.

To adopt a senior, email bpalermo@ oberlinschools.net.

Carnegie advertising plaza stores will be ‘coming soon’ JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — "Coming soon" signs are, well, coming soon to advertise the Oberlin Crossing retail development on the city's south side, though it's unclear when the shopping area will be built.

Two oversized signs on the northeast corner of US Route 20 and Route 58 were approved last Wednesday by the Oberlin Planning Commission.

The city's code only allows one sign on the property, but Carnegie Management and Development Corporation of Westlake wants one facing each highway.

"That would seem to me like it is proper use," said Planning Commission member Eric Gaines. "Maybe we need to address our sign ordinance again, because clearly you need them on both sides."

Carnegie will still need to get a variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals,

FFA scholarship

however, since the signs are larger than allowed.

Gaines said the size — 32 square feet instead of the 25 allowed — does not seem excessive for a high-volume commercial area.

About 28 acres of land were rezoned in December to make way for Oberlin Crossing, but no plans have been approved.

Concept plans call for a $10 million to $15 million build-out that includes about 120,000 square feet of shopping space.

It would be anchored by a 30,000-square-foot space and a 20,000-square-foot space and supplemented by several smaller buildings, including a fast food restaurant and an urgent care medical office.

Senior Project Manager Richard Pichola, who spoke by phone, didn't provide additional details about prospective tenants or timelines to the Planning Commission.

The two "coming soon" signs can stand for up to a year.

Dylan Andolsek of Wellington is the winner of the Earl "Doc" Kantner Scholarship from the Ohio FFA Foundation. He was one of 31 scholarship winners recognized last week by the Foundation.

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — With an in-person State of the Schools address rendered impossible by the coronavirus pandemic, Amherst Schools officials have released a brief video instead.

"Obviously, education in Ohio has been different the last couple of months since the COVID-19 situation that we have in Ohio," said Assistant Superintendent Mike Molnar.

The district is winding down on a year unlike any other, one ended with school doors locked and students learning from home.

Molnar said Amherst was fortunate to roll out digital devices to all students in the fall, so they had Chromebooks to take home when school buildings closed due to the public health crisis.

"I think overall we've learned a lot," he said. "I think in the fall when we continue our education we're going to incorporate some of these ideas into instruction. I think we've all grown quite a bit."

For the Class of 2020, the year is ending with video tributes, but not with prom or a graduation ceremony at the Cleveland State University Wolstein Center as had been planned.

"Clearly this class will go down in the history books," Superintendent Steve Sayers said in the address.

"This is a class that many folks will be talking about for many years to come."

The Amherst Schools are financially stable through at least fiscal year 2023, "and that has not changed," said Treasurer Amelia Gioffredo.

The district has kept its costs down, spending about $2,500 less per student than the state average, she said. The school system is in the top 20 percent for

Amherst Schools Superintendent Steve Sayers goes on camera for a virtual State of the Schools address. performance and the bottom 20 percent in per-pupil spending.

But the forecast isn't expected to stay rosy. "All of our projections could be impacted by the federal or state government, or even locally at any time," Gioffredo said.

State funding is in question as Ohio struggles with the pandemic.

Ohio has already announced $300 million in cuts to K-12 education for the school year that's ending now including a $730,000 reduction to Amherst.

That doesn't mean lowering the quality of education. Molnar said Amherst's Spanish program will be expanded to K-12 in the fall, which will mean adding more teachers. There will be additional hires for the fourth grade, as well as for technology instruction at Steele High School.

"I think in the fall when we continue our education we're going to incorporate some of these ideas into instruction.

I think we've all grown quite a bit."

- Michael Molnar, Assistant Superintendent

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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

POLICE REPORTS AMHERST

• April 26 at 6:05 a.m.: Officers responded to a disturbance in the parking lot of Motel 6 on Route 58. A woman was taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital to talk to someone about her mental state.

• April 27 at 2:59 p.m.: A man said his ex-girlfriend would not stop messaging him on social media.

• April 28 at 10:57 a.m.: A woman said she paid a contractor who did not start or complete the job.

• April 28 at 11:39 p.m.: Tyra Boone, 24, of Elyria, was stopped on a warrant through the Elyria Police Department for failure to appear in court. The original charges were theft. She was released from the scene.

• April 29 at 11:11 a.m.: Items were reported stolen from a Forest Avenue home, including medication.

• April 29 at 6:31 p.m.: An elderly man was safely returned home after leaving.

• April 30 at 2:44 p.m.: Sarah Grondin turned herself in on a warrant through the Amherst Police Department for failure to appear in court. The original charge was driving under suspension.

• May 3 at 8:33 p.m.: A female said she was carjacked and kidnapped by a man at the intersection of Linn Road and Cooper Foster Park Road. He allegedly made the female take him to a street in Lorain, where he jumped out.

• May 4 at 5:57 p.m.: A male said he received messages from a fake social media profile claiming he was a sex offender.

• May 4 at 8:28 p.m.: Officers responded to a custody dispute on Middle Ridge Road.

• May 6 at 12:54 a.m.: Mason Clark, 19, of Elyria, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

• May 6 at 2:34 a.m.: A male was given naloxone and regained consciousness on Tropicana Avenue.

He was taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital for treatment.

• May 6 at 5:55 p.m.: A motorcycle jacket was reported stolen.

• May 6 at 6:19 p.m.: A fraud complaint involving $4,000 in unauthorized credit card charges was made.

• May 6 at 9:13 p.m.: Chrystal Carter, 28, of Lorain, was stopped with a warrant through the Sheffield Village Police Department for failure to appear in court on traffic charges. She was released from the scene.

• May 7 at 11:26 p.m.: A 17-yearold was charged with domestic violence, resisting arrest, obstruction and unruliness.

• May 7 at 10:59 p.m.: Jean Sanchez, 23, of Lorain, was arrested on a warrant for domestic violence through the Lorain Police Department.

• May 8 at 5:59 a.m.: Timothy Goodson, 34, of Wakeman, was arrested on a warrant through the Erie County Sheriff's Office for traffic charges.

• May 8 at 1:25 a.m.: A woman reported that she was assaulted by her boyfriend at Motel 6 on Route 58. Police said she was seriously injured and had been taken to Mercy Health Lorain Hospital.

OBERLIN

• May 1 at 6:22 a.m.: A woman was discovered dead on arrival on North Professor Street. Lt. Mike McCloskey said no foul play is suspected, and a detective was only called to the residence because shifts were changing.

• May 2 at 8:50 a.m.: Windows at a Groveland Street home were damaged by what appeared to be BB gun shots.

• May 2 at 10:02 a.m.: Windows at a South Pleasant Street home were also damaged by what appeared to be BB gun shots. A source helped police identify suspects.

• May 5 at 5:19 p.m.: License plates were reported stolen on North Park Street.

• May 5 at 8:40 p.m.: A window was shot with a BB gun on South Pleasant Street. A short time earlier, a boy there was confronted by three males who said he’d stolen a BB gun from them.

• May 7 at 4:39 p.m.: A bong-style

device, two glass pipes, a grinder and a baggy with material believed to be marijuana was turned over to police by Oberlin College security.

• May 8 at 7:19 p.m.: Jacob Ritter, 29, of Oberlin, was arrested on a warrant through the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office for a count of violating a protection order.

WELLINGTON

• April 18 at 10:44 p.m.: Officers were dispatched to Courtland Street for a disturbance.

• April 19 at 2:53 p.m.: A car drove into a house on Kent Street, resulting in one person being sent to the hospital. Travis Sexton, 20, of Sullivan, was charged with failure to control, drug paraphernalia, possession of heroin and operating a vehicle while intoxicated.

• April 23 at 12:18 a.m.: A man said he drove to Wellington to fight three males over an ex-girlfriend, though she wasn’t there, according to a police report. The man allegedly threatened residents and let his dog out of his car in an attempt to intimidate them. The man was told that if he returned he would be charged with criminal trespass.

• April 23 at 3:13 p.m.: A theft was reported on Woodland Court. A police report described the incident as a grand theft of a dangerous drug.

• April 24 at 1:21 p.m.: Officers were dispatched to Forest Street for a report of a suspicious male. James Moore, 39, of Wellington, was charged with drug possession, drug paraphernalia and driving under suspension.

• April 27 at 5:46 p.m.: A 15-yearold girl was reported missing.

Police investigated the incident as a kidnapping.

• April 29 at 4:21 p.m.: Michelle Zuckerman, 48, of LaGrange, was charged with shoplifting after a complaint at Village Market.

• April 30 at 10:11 p.m.: Police were sent to handle a complaint of an unruly teenager.

Editor's note: Though charged, defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Teachers are incorrectly identifying students with disabilities and putting too many into special education, according to Wellington Schools psychologist Kaitlyn Gray.

Last year, a whopping 18 percent of the district's students received special education services.

The National Center for Education Statistics says that number should be around 14 percent — and while being four percent higher in Wellington may not seem like a big deal, Gray said in education circles it's a huge margin.

By comparison, only 10.24 percent of students in neighboring Keystone had disabilities in 2017-2018, the last year data was publicly available through the Ohio Department of Education.

The rate was 13.99 percent in Oberlin, 13.66 percent in Midview, 18.38 percent in Black River, 17.69 percent in Elyria and 19.33 percent in Lorain for the same school year.

Since being hired in October as the Wellington district's first full-time psychologist, Gray has worked to get the special education rate down to about 15.73 percent.

Though that shows a dramatic drop, she said the number would likely be higher if the school year hadn't been interrupted by the COVID-19 crisis.

There's another set of concerning numbers to address — Gray said that 34 percent of students across the nation have a specific learning disability such as dyslexia for which they get in-school help.

In Wellington last year, that number was 52 percent.

Gray said students with learning disabilities often have very good scores but find trouble making progress in a specific area, such as math, reading or writing.

"These kiddos have all the problem-solving skills they need. They just can't make it click in one specific area," she told the Board of Education last week.

Teachers are getting on board with the effort to properly identify and serve kids with special needs, she said.

In some cases, she's been amazed at what educators have been doing on their own to track and monitor those students' progress.

Parents also need to be involved in the process of getting kids caught up, Gray said. That includes meeting with a school team every six to eight weeks to go over strategies.

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ARMY AND NAVY ACROSS 1. Smoothing tool 5. Broadband access overseeing org.

8. Attorneys’ org.

11. Length times width 12. *Lined up single ____ 13. Lump of stuff 14. Carpet attribute 15. Cut the crop 16. Lingo 17. *Entire ship’s company 19. Toothy wheel 20. Gives a helping hand 21. They’re from mars?

22. Language family, includes Turkic and Mongolian 25. Indian spice mix, pl.

29. Bachelor’s last words 30. Baby Ruth component 33. One of the Earnhardts 34. She goes by Lo? 36. Actors’ grp.

37. Mister in Madrid 38. Colossal 39. With no effort 41. American cuckoo 42. Leave hastily, two words 44. *Commissioned officer of the lowest rank 46. “____, drink, and be merry” 47. *Omaha ____ 49. Baby whale 51. *It’s a wall to a civilian 54. Hands, to #12 Down 55. Check out 56. Cambodian money 58. Welcoming sign 59. Went down slippery slope 60. *Date of Allied landing 61. *Opposite of stern 62. “For ____ a jolly good..”

63. Dried-up DOWN 1. Grammy category 2. Diva’s solo 3. Unload 4. Saffron-flavored rice dish 5. Evil one 6. Wears 7. Porcini mushrooms 8. Aquarium scum 9. Uncouth one

Psychologist: Too many kids put in special ed

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10. Address abbreviation 12. Spanish dictator, 1939-1975 13. *Throwing weapon 16. Ice, dark, and middle, e.g.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers’ ____ Field 21. Dojo turf 22. Was sick 23. Parkinson’s disease drug 24. African antelope, pl.

25. Gaspar, Balthasar and Melchior 26. Veranda in Honolulu 27. “____ came a spider...”

28. European finch 31. *”Excellent in all we do” org.

32. None left when on E

35. *____ formation, or on diagonal 37. Make synchronous 39. Credit card payment alternative, acr.

40. What Deep Throat did 43. Stumblebums 45. Type of shards 47. *Announcement device 48. Island off Manhattan 49. Head of family 50. All over again 51. Silly talk or writing 52. *____-de-camp 53. Letter opening 54. Flash dancers 57. NaOH

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B5

CELEBRATING SENIORS If the pandemic cancels high school commencements, then we’ll bring a graduation ceremony to you in our pages!

Here are some of the seniors whose final year has been cut short by the COVID-19 crisis.

Your senior can be included in an upcoming edition: Send a photo and the student's name, the name of the high school they’re graduating from, plans (college, major, military, work options) and an idea of their aspirations for the future to news@ lcnewspapers.com.

KATIE YOCHHEIM will graduate from Amherst Steele High School. She plans to attend John Carroll University to study biology and neuroscience.

CHRIS BEAT will graduate from Wellington High School. He plans to attend the University of Northwestern Ohio to study agricultural diesel technology.

BRENDAN KIRSH will graduate from Amherst Steele High School. He plans to finish earning an associate degree from Lorain County Community College, then study astronomy and astrophysics at Ohio State University.

HAILEY STAFFELD will graduate from the Lorain County JVS health program (through Wellington High School). She plans to work at the Discount DrugMart pharmacy while finishing her phlebotomy certification, then attend Lorain County Community College to study nursing and sonography.

CARTER SMITH will graduate from Firelands High School. He plans to attend Hiram College and play baseball for the Terriers.

ETHAN MOLNAR will graduate from Amherst Steele High School.

He plans to attend the University of Cincinnati to earn a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and a master’s in business administration. He hopes to become CEO of his own business.

LAUREN SANDS will graduate from Oberlin High School. She plays to attend Oberlin College to study law and society and to play volleyball.

LIAH MILLER will graduate from Amherst Steele High School. She plans to attend Ohio University and study to become an OB/GYN.

AIDAN JOHNSON will graduate from Amherst Steele High School. He plans to attend Baldwin Wallace University to major in sports management and play football.

He hopes to become a financial manager for a professional sports organization.

TYLER WAKEFIELD will graduate from the Lorain County JVS (through Keystone High School).

He plans to attend Lorain County Community College to study electrical engineering.

ADDIE TELLIER will graduate from Amherst Steele High school. She plans to attend Slippery Rock University to dual major in special education and elementary education.

Hair getting shaggy? Salons prepare to reopen Friday STAFF REPORT

The time has come for a haircut, if you feel comfortable venturing out into a COVID-19 world.

State officials will allow salons, barber shops, spas and nail salons to reopen Friday as part of efforts to restart Ohio's economy.

The openings come as coronavirus cases continue to be confirmed, and there will be strict rules in place for businesses that want to reopen their doors.

Businesses have to ensure at least six feet between employees or install barriers.

Employees have to wear face masks with some narrow exceptions, and customers must be allowed to do the same.

Workers must answer health questions every day, and can't work if they have COVID-19 symptoms.

There are elevated requirements for cleaning, handwashing, disposing of materials, wearing gloves, keeping appointment times and making hand sanitizer available.

Manuel's Barber Shop in Oberlin will open Friday, and owner Manuel Espinoza said he has appointments lined up through most of the day.

The seasoned barber, who has been cutting hair in town since the 1960s, said he is somewhat nervous about running his fingers through customers' hair, and knows they may be asymptomatic even if they believe they are in good health.

There will be room for two customers at a time, eight feet apart, and customers need to wear masks.

"As long as they wear a mask, I'll be standing behind them and I have the disinfectant," Espinoza said.

Kelly Schuler, owner of Kaleidoscope Hair Design in Amherst, purchased a plastic face shield to wear.

Employees at the four-chair salon will wear masks and she hopes clients do as well.

She was at work Monday to clean and sanitize, and said the salon was painted while

closed as an extra precaution to encapsulate any germs that may have been there.

Appointments for Friday are stacked up already. Schuler, who has been doing hair for 32 years, said she's gotten to know most of her clients well over the years, and that helps her feel a bit less nervous about reopening.

"It goes back and forth on different days. It's weird.

Sometimes I feel very nervous because I get pneumonia a lot," she said. "Other times it feels ridiculous to worry because we're going to do what we're supposed to do all the time, just more often."

More frequent cleaning and a willingness to accommodate what makes customers comfortable is the plan for Jeff Keener, owner and barber at Keener Kuts barber shop in North Ridgeville.

He said he plans to wear a mask and gloves while cutting hair and will be open to customers waiting outside in their cars for their appointment, although the furniture inside will also be spaced six feet apart.

After eight years at the business, Keener said customers know him and trust him to create a safe environment, but the decision is ultimately up to them.

“At the end of the day, I believe the customers are going to choose what they feel comfortable with,” he said.

“I think water finds its own level. In this business, it will work itself out as to where people are.”

Although some barbers and salons are shifting to an exclusively online appointment model, Keener Kuts will not be one of those shops, for a simple reason — many of its customers are seniors who have only known walk-in appointments for their entire lives.

“They don’t know how to do the internet. I have to find a way at this time to get them service,” Keener said. “The reality is seniors don’t care. they just want their haircut.”

Keener actually closed the shop two days before Gov. Mike DeWine ordered all salons and barber shops to

shut down because he was concerned for customers in their 80s and 90s who continued coming in, including one 94-year-old man who’d had a double bypass, he recalled.

The most important thing he will implement to protect those customers beginning Friday is bringing in a cleaning company to do specialized COVID-19 cleaning and making sure surfaces are wiped down regularly.

Gilberto Quinones, owner of Headlinerz Barbershop in Lorain said that his Friday and Saturday were fully booked within 10 minutes.

“I have a feeling it’s going to be a madhouse,” Quinones said. He is installing dividers between every station and has resorted to appointments only for his barbershop.

He has six barbers including himself, which only allows for four clients at a time to ensure they follow the guidelines.

Quinones said that it has been kind of tough since his barbers have not gotten approved for unemployment, but he has received help from the community.

“I’ve had people send me money,” he said. “I share it with my team to make sure everyone is above water.”

Quinones said that his concern is that their clients use common sense.

“I know people are dying for haircuts,” he said. “Our health is before anything.”

Shanay Glover, owner of Glitz and Glam Upgrade Beauty Salon in Lorain, is also very concerned about the health and safety of her booth renters and clients.

“I’m not opening up like everyone else, I think it's very premature,” Glover said. “I have clients aged eight to eighty-eight that I’m worried about.”

Glover, who has two booth renters in her salon and a barber in the back, will only open her shop to take her own clients one at a time.

She said her doors will be locked, she will be taking only clients who make appointments and she is not

taking cash.

Upon making an appointment, her clients will be told the requirements for service and are not to come to the shop until she calls them stating she is ready for them.

She said she will be disinfecting and sanitizing before each client comes and each client will have to wash their hands and sanitize before service.

“That’s the only way I can contain and watch what is going on,” Glover said. “As time passes and things get better, then I’ll start re-opening more.”

Glover said she was going to close down before DeWine said salons and barbershops had to and was shocked when she found out she could reopen.

“I don’t even want to open, but I have to because I have no money coming in,” she said. “They didn’t give us any unemployment.

Everything is denied or pending.”

She compared the contact that hair stylists and barbershops have with their clients to that of nurses and other professionals in the medical field.

“There is no possible way to social distance with your client,” she said. “We have a lot of medical education within our field because we touch humans. We deal with

people the same way the nursing and medical field do, it’s just not necessary to life. It’s necessary for beauty, but not for life.”

Glover feels that stylists and barbers are being forced to work and open up so soon, in order to reduce the number of people able to apply for unemployment.

“We are ineligible, but pay taxes like everyone else,” she said. “Now we’re being put on the front lines, but we’re not saving lives.”

Glover said she has kept in contact with all of her clients throughout the whole stay-at-home order. “I do miss everyone,” she said.

She said she is opening because she knows people will overall respect the guidelines and her wish list for service.

“I know how people are about getting their hair done,” she said. “I know you can do this safely. I’m trying to do it as safely as possible, but it’s not a need.”

Sha’Quanna Young, owner of Studio 828 LLC in Elyria, said her workers have been calling people back for appointments in order of when they were placed to be fair.

She has five stylists and a nail technician in total including herself, but will only allow for three stylists at a time and the nail technician.

In her salon, she has gotten rid of the waiting area and put dryer chairs in the front to ensure people are not so close. They will be eliminating one shampoo bowl and putting barriers in between the two that they have.

Her technicians will be wearing face shields and washing their hands in between each guest.

She is asking clients to wear masks with elastic around the ear, to only bring in their phone and payment, meaning no jackets or purses allowed.

In addition, clients are to go straight to the bathroom and wash their hands. Young has also moved the card swiper, so that clients can swipe their own cards if paying with a card.

Young said she is comfortable reopening, only because a lot of what is required of salons are things she has already been doing in her 19 years of hair styling.

“We’re trying to stay positive during all of this and know that we’re going to be able to get back to what we love, our clients and what we do best,” Young said.

Jason Hawk, Dylan Reynolds, Laina Yost, Carissa Woytach and Brookie Madison contributed to this story.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 MAY 14, 2020

BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live 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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Thursday, May 14, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Hook’s Greenhouse 50740 State Route 18 Wellington, Ohio 44090 440-647-5480 5/10-5/16 Let’s Get Ready for

Dear Valued Customers, Family and Friends, Charlie and I are excited to help you create a getaway in your backyard. It will help make staying at home more like a vacation. As you shop the greenhouse, please remember to spread out.

The season is underway and we are OPEN in full swing. Along with the many Veggie Plants we have to offer, we have a great section of Annual Pots to help you “Create a Backyard Oasis.” We have a beautiful selection of Garden Goodness including our favorite Bubblegum Petunia. Trailing Petunias, Calibrachoa and Geraniums will make great container plants to brighten up any dull yard. Adding a tall Thriller Plant can finish off the container by making a dramatic statement. Some of our favorites are King Tut, Thailand Giant Colocasia and Vertigo Japanese Blood Grass.

SPRING!

Liz and Charlie Hook

NOW OPEN Monday - Saturday 11-7 • Sunday 12-5 Curbside pickup available • Call or email for list

Please remember to spread out, giving all customers 6 ft. of spacing. The Greenhouse is warm and full of spring flowers and will surely lift our souls!

Hope to see you soon. - Liz and Charlie

VEGGIES NOW READY $14.99/Flat

- Tomatoes - Peppers - Cabbage & Cole Crops

CONTAINER GARDENING $4.59 and Up

PW Annuals, Spikes, Geraniums, Supertunia, Million Bells

12’’ HANGING BASKETS

$19.99

Stay Tuned to Social Media for Many UPDATES! www.hooksgreenhouse.com gardenhelper@hooksgreenhouse.com Call or Text 440-647-5480