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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
www.lcnewspapers.com
Volume 7, Issue 37
Final school district to reopen JASON HAWK EDITOR
WELLINGTON — "When you're given challenges, it gives you an opportunity to learn and discover things about yourself," said Ed Weber. That mindset will be put to the test this fall as schools grapple with enormous changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wellington Schools, where Weber is superintendent, are no different. But they do have a
small advantage — they are the last in Lorain County to reopen, with kids heading back Monday, Sept. 14. That means extra time for training teachers for a year unlike any other, and to watch other districts for early indications the virus is spreading among students. Wellington plans to start the year with a hybrid model. Westwood Elementary will begin with kids attending in person, half days, four days a week and learning online the fifth day. McCormick Middle and Wellington
Last statutory city standing?
“I’m fairly confident we will be back to five days a week, and it may be sooner than we first thought.” — Superintendent Ed Weber
High School will start at two days in person and three days of virtual instruction. That's what the district has deemed its "level two" plan. If the situation gets better after the
first quarter or semester, Weber said it could bump up to level one, which would return kids to in-person learning five days a week. Level three would mean the
closure of a specific school if the pandemic worsens, and level four would send kids home for all-online learning as happened in the spring. "I'm fairly confident we will be back to five days a week, and it may be sooner than we first thought," said Weber last week. He said he wants to return to the traditional K-12 model as soon as it's safe to do so, but warned that Gov. Mike DeWine could trump that plan at any time WELLINGTON PAGE A3
NEW BUSINESS IN A TOUGH TIME
Amherst could be alone if Lorain adopts a charter JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — An effort to change the inner workings of the city of Lorain is likely to appear on the November ballot. If it does — and if voters decide to change key ways the Lorain government runs — then Amherst would become the last remaining statutory city in the county. Tia Hilton of Amherst Township and attorney Gerald Phillips of Avon Lake delivered petitions to Lorain City Council Clerk Nancy Greer last Jennifer week. They want voters to demand Wasilk a charter for the city, provided the Board of Elections certifies at least 860 of the 1,500 signatures they collected. There are two basic ways cities work in Ohio: They can either follow the standard rules set forth by state law and be "statutory," or they can create their own charters that lay out local rules. CHARTER CITIES PAGE A3
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Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday News staff Jason Hawk news@lcnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com
Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune
Margie Frazer of Westlake looks through the racks at the new Evie Lou Oberlin women's boutique on Friday, Sept. 4.
Fashion guru Kim Crow braves pandemic to open Evie Lou Oberlin JASON HAWK EDITOR
OBERLIN — It's a risky time to open a new retail store. Kim Crow isn't worried. The former Plain Dealer fashion editor has owned the Evie Lou women's boutique in Tremont since 2010. Now, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, she's fighting the odds by expanding into Oberlin's downtown area. Evie Lou Oberlin opened Aug. 27 on West College Street, where Bead Paradise was located until late March. On the sun-drenched sales floor inside, shoppers can find dresses,
Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company
from New York to North Carolina to Pittsburgh before returning to Northeast Ohio. Crow left journalism a decade ago to open her own boutique — the pay is better, she joked — and has seen her client base steadily grow. It's also changed, but never quite so fast or dramatically as since the pandemic began. With many workers telecommuting these days, demand for business attire has fallen off. Instead of blazers, women are looking for casual clothing that can be worn for both work and play, Crow said. Comfort is important to Margie Frazer of Westlake, who was EVIE LOU PAGE A3
INSIDE THIS WEEK
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blouses, jeans, scarves, sweaters, books, party games, necklaces, mugs, clocks and designer masks. "We always say we cater to the creative profesKim Crow sional, women who are confident, know who they are and how they want to present themselves to the world," said Crow. A native of Lake County, she is well known in the Greater Cleveland fashion scene. After earning a journalism degree from Ohio University in 1991, Crow put pen to paper covering the industry at news outlets
Amherst
Oberlin
Wellington
Firefighters get $70K in FEMA cash for gear • B1
Regis is second school board member to resign in 2020 • B1
District gets $67K for online learning technology • B2
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A2 • SUDOKU A5 • CROSSWORD B4 • KID SCOOP B6
Page A2
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Lorain County Community Guide
THRILLING COMETS GIRLS SENIOR NIGHT
OBITUARY LARRY W. CLARK, 64, a resident of Lorain, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, at his home following a two year illness. Hempel Funeral Home is handling the arrangements
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LEGALS PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on August 10, 2020. The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Nancy Greer @ 204-2050 (Nancy_ Greer@cityoflorain.org). The following summary has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws. Ord. 74-20 Adopting the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve the request to rezone three (3) vacant parcels of land on Oak Point Rd. from R-1A to R-PUD. 75-20 Adopting the recommendation of the Planning Commission to approve the request to rezone 5910 Oak Point Rd. from R-1A to R-PUD. L.C.C.G. 9/3-10/20 20668822 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO WATER DISTRIBUTION BUILDING ROOF REPLACEMENT 2111 WEST PARK DRIVE
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, September 24, 2020 Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier’s Check or Letter of Credit equals to ten percent (10%) of the amount bid, or a bond for the full amount of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and a performance bond properly secured. Should any bid be rejected, such instrument will be forthwith returned upon proper execution of a contract. Cash deposits will not be accepted. The bid check/bond should be enclosed in the sealed bid, but in a separate envelope clearly marked ‘BID CHECK/ BOND’ with the bidders name & address on the bid check/bond envelope. Labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate as determined by the Ohio Department of Commerce as state in Section 4115 of the Ohio Revised Code. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at the Engineering Department, 200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio, 44052 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30PM Monday through Friday. Bid blanks and specifications will be available online at www. cityoflorain.org free of charge. Bidders may request printed sets for a non-refundable fee payable either by check or money order for each set taken out. Checks are to be made payable to the City of Lorain.
Photos by Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times
It's early in the season for a Senior Night, but members of the Comets girls varsity soccer team celebrated theirs in style with an 8-0 blowout over North Olmsted. Olivia Lopez drew first blood, taking just two minutes to put Amherst on the scoreboard, then fed the ball to Merrik Mihalek for another point just minutes later. Sydney Schaeffer, Hannah Aschemeier and Catherine Turner all took turns putting the ball past the Eagles keeper, while Liviya Fain flawlessly defended the Comets side. Lopez and Schaeffer each had second goals to round out the match. ABOVE: Amherst 2020 seniors include Katelyn Hazelgrove, Kendall Twining, Savanna Dalton, Hannah Aschenmeier, Balicki, Leah Drost, Olivia Lopez, Sydney Schaffer, Merrik Mihalek and Noah Wright. BELOW: Olivia Lopez scores one of her two goals in the Sept. 2 rout of Olmsted Falls.
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. 9/3-10/20 20669192
PUBLIC NOTICE TO THE OWNERS, OCCUPANTS, MORTGAGEES, LESSEES AND ALL PARTIES HAVING AN INTEREST IN THE REAL PROPERTY LISTED HEREIN BELOW: The list of the properties below have been deemed dangerous buildings in the City of Lorain. As a dangerous building, the building constitutes a public nuisance. City of Lorain Ordinance Chapter 1523 defines these properties as Unsafe Buildings, according to Lorain Codified Ordinance 1523.01. These properties are considered Dangerous Buildings and according to LCO 1523.03 shall be considered Nuisances to the City of Lorain. Pursuant to LCO 1523.05, the Chief Building Official (CBO) of the City of Lorain has declared the properties listed below as dangerous buildings and by virtue thereof public nuisances. A hearing is scheduled on the 3rd Thursday of September the 17th 2020 at 9 AM at Lorain City Council Chambers on the first floor located at: 200 W. Erie Ave Lorain, Oh 44052 before the Lorain Demolition Board (Board) pursuant to LCO 1523.06 for the purpose of presenting the determination of the CBO to the Board for its determination. All parties who have an interest in such parcels are entitled to attend and participate in the hearing. 219 W 9th St. 1029 W 9th St. 1155 W 9th St. 1936 Lakeview Ave. 809 Harriet St. 1625 Euclid Ave. L.C.C.G. 9/10-17/20 20669373
Back-to-school clothing givaway starts Sept. 11 Nearly 3,200 children throughout Lorain County are expected to receive clothing this September as they return to school. Each child will receive about $350 worth of clothing, thanks to funding from the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program, in partnership with the Lorain County commissioners, the county’s Department of Job and Family Services and the Lorain County branch of Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio. Clothing bags have been packed according to the selections made by fami-
lies. No new orders are being taken. Distribution will take place at two club sites, the Desich Family Campus, 4111 Pearl Ave. in Lorain, and Elyria South Community Center, 1821 Middle Ave., on the following dates and times: • Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Sept. 18 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. • Sept. 19 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. • Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Families can choose from a uniform, play or combination package. Depending on the family's selection, the child will receive a book bag, gym shoes,
three-in-one coat, khakis or joggers, polos or T-shirts, hoodie sweatshirt, socks and hats. “We are so fortunate in Lorain County to have the full support of our commissioners and Job and Family Services in expanding this clothing program so that we can serve the kids that need us most,” said Mike Conibear, BGCNEO’s Lorain County regional director. “With all of the uncertainty associated with employment and reopening schools this fall, we are pleased that we are able to do a little bit to relieve parents’ anxiety."
LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups. • Concise. There is a limit of 350 words on letters. • Polite. Letters that use crude language or show poor taste will be rejected. • Opinions. We reserve space for letters that share a unique perspective. Press releases are not letters and will be considered for publication in other parts of the paper. • Free of advertising, product or service endorsements or complaints, poetry, language that could raise legal problems, or claims that are measurably false. • Signed. Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for our records. Up to two signatures. • The deadline to submit letters is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. They are used on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit any submission for length, grammar, spelling, and clarity, or to reject any submission.
SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE A5
SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B4
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY GUIDE LORAIN COUNTY COMMUNITY GUIDE (USPS 673-960) is published every Thursday, 52 weeks per year by Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company, 225 East Ave., Elyria OH 44035.
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Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
CHARTER CITIES
Lorain County Community Guide
Page A3
WELLINGTON
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Those local rules can completely reshape what local government looks like — larger city councils, strong mayors or weak mayors or no mayors. A charter can create city manager positions, or get rid of auditors and treasurers in favor of finance directors. It can take or leave civil service commissions, or even determine the name of a city — Wellington's charter requires it to still be called the Village of Wellington even after it crosses the 5,000 population threshold to become a city, for example. Wellington voters adopted a charter in 2010, and used it as a bulwark against change. The village did everything possible to keep its small-town government in place should the 2020 census deem it a city. A mayor, village manager and six council members govern Wellington. All are elected, save for the village manager, who is hired. By way of comparison, the Wellington set-up differs considerably from neighboring Oberlin, where seven elected council members control just about every aspect of government, directly or indirectly. Oberlin's more autocratic council not only passes legislation, but it hires all key employees and appoints all committee members, leaving little in the way of checks and balances. Lorain and Amherst are the only two local cities that still use the state's template. Amherst's most influential politicians aren't in a hurry to change anytime soon. "There's good points and bad points to a charter," said Mayor Mark Costilow. "There's a lot of work involved. We operate fine statutorily, but there are things that could definitely be improved." While there may be a demand for change in Lorain, Costilow said there is none in his city. Amherst City Council can tweak the rules enough via ordinances, he said, and doesn't face pressing financial worries that might cause officials to turn to a charter for solutions. "We don't have problems with the statutory form of government," said Costilow. "I honestly haven't come across an item that would make us better if we had a charter to change it." The last time Amherst examined the possibility of a charter was in the early 2000s. At the time, the two Republicans on City Council — Nick Brusky and Jennifer Wasilk — were alone in supporting one. Then-Law Director Ken Stumphauzer, a Democrat, was also a proponent, ]but Wasilk said that after hearing his advice Council left the charter idea behind. "Once you establish a system, people don't like to change," said Wasilk, who has served in city government for 20 years and still wants to see Amherst go the charter route. "Elected officials are just as guilty as anyone on that. We can be just as stubborn as anybody." She said the city could save money by combining elected auditor and treasurer positions into a finance director role, for example. A charter could also be used to change term lengths, or move the primary to August to shorten the election season for city offices, she said. It should be noted that, even without a charter, the question of doubling Amherst City Council terms from two to four years is on the ballot this November. Many charter cities choose to make their elections nonpartisan, eliminating primary contests altogether. Wasilk said she wouldn't want to see Amherst follow suit. "In nonpartisan cities, it's a way to basically disguise oneparty dominance," she said — she sees R's and D's next to candidates' names as a form of transparency, giving voters more information about where each stands on issues. "It forces people to take a stand.” Nearly two decades ago, Stumphauzer estimated the cost of creating an Amherst charter at between $80,000 and $100,000. Wasilk said it's certain to be much higher today. "Let's see what happens in Lorain. Let's go from there," she said.
by closing schools. So far, Wellington and the surrounding townships have done a good job of limiting the spread of the virus, Weber said — Mayor Hans Schneider has reported two deaths and 16 COVID cases in the village. For Weber, that's a sign that the school system has a decent chance of making it through the year without an outbreak. "I think I was sweating more three months ago, but with all the work with the county, with the education we've received, I feel prepared," he said. "When you're prepared I think some of that worry goes away." That doesn't mean it's disappeared entirely, or that safety steps aren't still needed. Staff and students will wear masks, and be expected to screen for symptoms and do temperature checks before arriving at school. About 26 percent of Wellington's roughly 1,000 students have chosen
to learn online. That's 98 kids at Westwood Elementary, 92 at McCormick Middle and 71 at Wellington High School, according to the most recent numbers provided, for a total of 261. Online courses will be taught by Wellington teachers for grades K-8. High-schoolers will get instruction via Edmentum, which was hired by the Board of Education at a cost of $148,260 for the fall semester. With a quarter of kids going online, classrooms will be much emptier. Desks will be spread apart to limit contact and students won't move around nearly as often as they used to. Weber said learning may not always happen in the classroom like it used to. That's a reality Ohio's schools have been building to for a long time. Wellington has been investing in technology, using new tools and working online supports into the cur-
EVIE LOU
Jewelry, clothing, scents, mugs, plates, and accessories can be found inside the West College Street retail space.
Carissa Woytach contributed to this report.
FROM A3 shopping at Evie Lou Oberlin midday Friday. "It's casual, but very stylish," she said, examining a flowing blouse. "It's a comfortable as wearing your sweats, but more elevated, and we all need that these days." The COVID crisis has thinned the ranks of customers, Crow said, though she isn't concerned — "The day women stop using shopping as entertainment is the day I eat my stiletto," she said. That doesn't mean she's blind to the hit the apparel industry has taken since the spring. Nordstrom's sales fell 53 percent this past quarter. Aready struggling before the pandemic, JCPenney is in far worse shape — it declared
bankruptcy in May. Overall, experts worry the apparel industry is facing a 50 percent decline by the end of 2020 unless holiday spending is overwhelming. There are some good indicators of recovery, though. Take Target, which in August said sales for May, June and July were up more than 24 percent at stores that had been open at least a year. Nordstrom, JCPenney and Target are all giant brands that measure success by the billions of dollars. Crow said her Evie Lou investment is measured much differently. She's also much nimbler and able to react to changing customer interests much faster. And for the moment, she's not
Here's a breakdown of how many Wellington students have chosen to go online by grade level: • Kindergarten — 20 • First grade — 23 • Second grade — 26 • Third grade — 29 • Fourth grade — 21 • Fifth grade — 19 • Sixth grade — 21 • Seventh grade — 22 • Eighth grade — 9 • Ninth grade — 20 • 10th grade — 17 • 11th grade — 21 • 12th grade — 13 riculum for the past several years, he said. "I think the staff is much more prepared than they would have believed," he said. "I think they are more ready and tooled up than they general thought they may be. I think they have the tools and talent that is needed for this year."
worrying about hitting sales goals. Crow said 2020 "is completely upended" and any projections she could dream up would be based on better years in which COVID-19 didn't exist. Instead, she's relying on Oberlin to be Oberlin and live up to its reputation for supporting small businesses. So far that gamble is paying off, she said. Already there's been decent foot traffic, Oberlin College professors and students have started to notice the new shop and Crow said the future is bright. If all goes according to plan, her next goal is to remodel the second floor of the shop and expand her offerings.
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Gutter Protection products have many different designs, but the goal has always been the same- Keep the Leaves out and let the rainwater in. Here are some strategic details to look for when choosing a gutter cover and who to call to install it. A good gutter cover needs to perform in certain areas in order to be successful: • Must allow debris like small leaves, needles, spinners, seedpods and roof shingle grit to naturally slide off the cover. • Must handle heavy amounts of rainwater without overflowing. • Must be wind resistant and strong enough not to “cavein” under heavy snow loads. • Must not require any trips up the ladder to maintain performance. • Cannot have vertical openings like screens or filters that can clog easily. Don’t be fooled…All screens can clog! The Gutter Cover Company has been installing Gutter Topper for almost 22 years. Gutter Topper is proudly manufactured right here in Ohio and made to withstand our wicked weather. It is a smooth, solid aluminum cover that has no holes or gaps on top. A sloped, self-shedding design prevents spinners, pine needles, shingle grit or
seedpods from clogging the gutter. Gutter Topper can handle heavy downpours of up to 22 inches of rain per hour and 110 mph winds. It also features a lifetime transferable performance warranty. Many competing gutter guards require full replacement of both gutters and downspouts. Gutter Topper installs over your existing gutters, and each installation includes cleaning, tightening, resealing and properly aligning your gutters. New seamless gutters are also available. The Gutter Cover Company also offers a safe and effective way to stop big icicles and ice damming. An optional add-on product called Heater Cap can be installed with or without Gutter Topper that gently heats the gutter area with a self-regulated heat cable. Heater Cap can be installed on most existing gutter covers. Hiring the right company to install the cover correctly is very important. The Gutter Cover Company has a proven track record of success in Northeast Ohio and the locals have been referring their friends and neighbors for years. “Our company takes pride in solving gutter problems the right way. Our product, experience and attention to detail really make us stand out from the big box stores and other competitors. Free estimates are always punctual and
professional, but still friendly and casual.” -Jim Carbone, Owner You can reach The Gutter Cover Company at 440-3660688 or 1-800-335- 4367. View short videos of Gutter
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Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Lorain County Community Guide
CLIPPERS ON FIRE
FALCONS DOMINATE ON GROUND
Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times
The Falcons blew out the Pirates 26-3, with two short touchdown runs from Weston Strader pumping up the score and a third from Carter Janicek. Alex Angle caught a 10-yarder from Kyle Ransom to boost Firelands' fourth quarter lead. Eric Grosser nailed a 38-yard field goal in the third, Black River's only appearance on the scoreboard — meanwhile, the Firelands PAT game suffered noticably as Caden Bomback hit the first but the Falcons didn't convert three others. Firelands will host Brookside at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11, while Black River heads to LaGrange to face the Wildcats.05: Black River's Tyler Mrakuzic catches a pass for a first down at Firelands. ABOVE: Firelands’ Kyle Ransom gets past Black River’s Treyce Wood. BELOW: Black River’s Joseph McKean looks for daylight at Firelands.
Photos by Angelo Angel | Chronicle
The Phoenix got on the board in the first half with a 68yard pass from Andre Yarber to Mikah Jones, then a 31yard run by Mason Argenti. Otherwise, it was Clearview's game, and quarterback Robert Davis was hot, throwing 271 yards and four touchdowns to an array of receivers for a 42-12 blowout. The game was played at Ely Stadium in Elyria because Oberlin High School's home stadium was torn down to make way for a new elementary school, and Oberlin College's athletic facilities are unavailable due to the pandemic. The Phoenix play next at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, again at Ely. ABOVE: Oberlin's Mikah JonesSmith makes a catch.
COMETS’ AIR ATTACK WINS THE NIGHT Photos by Kristin Bauer | Chronicle
Tyler Brezina was deadly Friday night in a Southwestern Conference showdown with the Middies. The Comets senior threw for 246 yards and three touchdowns, clawing Amherst out of an early 10-14 hole after the first quarter and into a 43-21 victory after four. Adam Henderson started the scoring with a 27-yard field goal, but Midview struck back on a 32-yard interception return by Bryce Sanders. Alden Steele replied with a 99-yard kickoff return, and late in the game scooped up a blocked punt and ran 57 yards to paydirt. Casey Hamrick, Ty Weatherspoon and Giles Little all took TD passes from Brezina, and Jonathan West had a 51-yard run for the Comets. Though he didn't score, Torre Weatherspoon was Amherst's workhorse on the ground, racking up 118 yards on 19 carries. Brother Ty Weatherspoon ended the night with 167 yards on seven catches. For Midview, Preston Botos and Tyler Lewallen each caught TD passes from quarterback Ethan Surdock.
Comets wide receivers George Gotsis and Casey Hamrick celebrate a touchdown against Midview on Friday night as Midview linebacker Preston Botos looks on.
Ty Weatherspoon carries the ball as Midview High School's Roman Giannuzzi attempts to bring him down.
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Lorain County Community Guide
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PHOENIX GET 2-1 VICTORY Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise
Kaden Thornhill and Syncere Shahid netted a 2-1 win for Oberlin against Lorain County League rival Wellington on Sept. 2. Derrick Andolsek scored for the Dukes. Keeper Jack Page had six saves for the Phoenix, but it was the Dukes' Jay Roberts who was really put to work, warding off 12 shots on goal. LEFT: Oberlin's Caleb Peterson clears a Wellington cross. RIGHT: Wellington's Derrick Andolsek fights for control of the ball with Oberlin's Cam Thompson.
TOTAL DOMINATION Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise
The Dukes girls don't have just one weapon, they have many, as proven in a 7-0 shutout of Oberlin on Sept. 2 at Ely Stadium in Elyria. Lauren Alley had two goals, and Jill Laposky, Nadia Greer, Hope Dudziak, Savannah Teletski and Maddie Mull each had one. Phoenix keeper Katlyn Streator endured a constant barrage, ending the day with 14 saves. Wellington's Alaine Bremke and Jenna Krakomperger shared time in goal, but faced no serious threats for the duration. LEFT: Wellington's Jill Laposky gets past the Oberlin defense and moves into the box.
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Lorain County Community Guide
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
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The Clippers offered up resistance in the third set and found a small win, but it was the Dukes who took the season opener. Wellington won 25-20, 25-16, 24-25, 25-16. ABOVE: Wellington's Melanie Solkiewicz tips the ball over the Clearview defense.
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The Black River Pirates defeated Oberlin in straight sets on Sept. 3, going 25-10, 25-21, 25-10 on their Senior Night. ABOVE: Black River's Riley Kubitz and Sydney Simonson block Oberlin's Casey Amato at the net. BELOW: Black River Seniors Sydney Simonson, Lilly Nixon and Ashley Kalman smile on Senior Night.
B
OUR TOWNS
Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Regis is second Oberlin school board member to resign in 2020
WELCOME BACK, TEACHERS
JASON HAWK EDITOR
Provided photo
Members of the Dukes varsity volleyball team got together and wrote positive, welcoming messages for staff’s first day back at school on Aug. 31. The first day for students is Monday, Sept. 14. Pictured are Maile Oswald, Lily Oswald, Ally Zvara, Miranda Sorg, Gabby Miller, Jayde Davis and Taylor Morris.
OBERLIN — Deon Regis, elected less than a year ago, has resigned from the Oberlin Board of Education. He is stepping down due to "unforeseen circumstances including current family health issues," according to his resignation letter. "I need to focus on my family for the present time,"" Regis said in a phone interview Tuesday. He said he wishes he could continue in his position with the Oberlin City Schools, which he said has "all the potential in the world" in terms of both students and dedicated staff. Regis said he wants to see the Deon Regis district at its best, and will continue to support it in any way he can. But for now he has to bow out. "We can't predict life sometimes, the things that will happen," he said. Remaining school board members will be tasked RESIGNATION PAGE B2
Ties between race and COVID Amherst gets at heart of diversity conference $70K grant for rescue gear LAINA YOST and JASON HAWK
ELYRIA — Black Americans are being diagnosed with COVID-19 at a rate far greater than white people, with about 2.6 times as many cases per capita nationwide. Parris Smith, president and CEO of the Lorain County Urban League, called the most recent CDC numbers "alarming." The nonprofit held its 2020 Diversity & Inclusion Conference live on Facebook last Thursday night. Roots to inequities in racism run deep, said Reem Aly, vice president of the Health Policy Institute of Ohio, a nonpartisan nonprofit health research institution. Aly said there is clear evidence that racism is the primary driver for disparities and inequities in health care. It's the result of hundreds of years of racist policies and beliefs, she said. Ohio ranks among the lowest in the nation for population
RACE PAGE B3
In Lorain County Ethnicity
Cases
Hospitalized
Deaths
Recovered
White
1,311
162
71
1,099
Black
217
33
7
202
Native
4
0
0
4
Asian
9
2
0
9
Pacific Islander
0
0
0
0
Multiracial
79
7
2
70
Other
203
12
1
160
Declined*
2
0
0
2
Unknown
290
0
0
258
Ethnicity
Cases
Hospitalized
Deaths
Recovered
White
67,180
7,765
3,235
54,433
Black
27,993
4,123
778
25,536
Native
173
19
3
145
Asian
3,196
296
42
2,778
Pacific Islander
180
30
1
171
Multiracial
3,708
405
55
3,223
Other
8,078
536
25
6,909
Declined*
149
10
0
120
Unknown
15,1100
390
37
11,750
In Ohio
*Declined to provide information about race and ethnicity to health officials. Source: Ohio Department of Health
Students return to JVS classes FOR THE NEWS-TRIBUNE
PITTSFIELD TWP. — The fall semester kicked off last week with excitement and nervous energy as students returned to the Lorain County JVS on a staggered schedule. Principal Tina Pelto said 1,214 students returned to the building. “I am so proud of our students,� she said. “They are wearing their masks, following the directional guides in the hallway and are acting in a patient, mature fashion as we navigate this new 'normal' together. It is wonderful to see our students excited to be back in school learning!� The new normal has students in their career-tech programs two to three times each week and students were excited to be there. “It is nice to be back,� said Emily Wells, a landscape and greenhouse management senior from Midview. “It is a little weird with the schedule but other than that, I just hope our senior year is as normal as it can be.�
JASON HAWK EDITOR
AMHERST — A $70,842 grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency will help outfit Amherst firefighters with new equipment for pulling people from wrecked cars. Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm said he will use the newlyawarded FEMA money to buy two sets of cutters, two rams, a kit that rights vehicles that roll over and two "Jaws of Life," which can rend metal during rescue operations. That's key for the Amherst Fire Department, which last year responded to 70 crashes, including five where RESCUE GRANT PAGE B2
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Senior Emily Wells cleans out the aquaponics system in her Lorain County JVS landscape and greenhouse management lab. The JVS welcomed 10th and 12th grade students on Monday, Aug. 31 and ninth and 11th grade students on Thursday, Sept. 3. There are many safety measures in place, such as hand sanitation stations around the building, cleaning sup-
plies in each classroom, directional guides in hallways and staggered lunches. Auto technology instructor Eric Hohman said he was happy to have JVS STARTS PAGE B2
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Page B2
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Lorain County Community Guide
Wellington Kiwanis membership open house to be held on Sept. 24 The Wellington Kiwanis time. Club will host a hybrid memLocally, Kiwanis sponsors bership open house at 6:30 Wellington Schools’ three p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24 at the service leadership programs Wellington branch of Lorain – the high school’s Key Club, County Community College McCormick Middle School and virtually via Zoom. Builders’ Club and Westwood Ryan Aroney, the president Elementary’s K-Kids. and CEO of the United Way Kiwanis adopted a new sigof Greater Lorain County, nature project in 2020, leadwill be the keynote speaker. ing efforts to raise funds for His presentation will begin at new playground equipment in Ryan Aroney 7 p.m. the community. It has annuAroney joined United Way ally awarded scholarships to in April 2011 as a development associWHS graduates, provided kindergarten ate and was promoted to marketing and scholarships in support of the Wellingengagement director in February 2014 ton Schools Endowment Fund’s College before assuming the president and CEO Savings program, sponsored the high role in December. He was instrumental in school’s Community Day and the State of coordinating efforts to strengthen comWellington breakfast. munity engagement through targeted It raises funds through the Morris Furdonor opportunities and meaningful cron Peterson Nut Sale, selling admission volunteer projects. tickets to the Lorain County Fair, an anProspective members can attend the nual winter pancake day and sponsoring session in person at 6:30 p.m. at LCCC or the State of Wellington breakfast. join the session via a Zoom link. Com“Kiwanis is for kids. We’re looking munity members can register to attend for new members who want to improve the meeting at www.k01243.site.kiwanis. the lives of our children,” said chapter org or via www.facebook.com/KiwanPresident Paul Wilson. “By growing our isWellingtonOhio. membership, we can offer more service to The Wellington Kiwanis club was the community.” formed in 1924 and is the third oldest The club meets at noon on the first and Kiwanis club in Lorain County behind third Thursday at the First United MethElyria and Lorain. The worldwide Kiodist Church. Some members meet in wanis mission is dedicated to improve the person while others join the meeting from world one child and one community at a their home or office via Zoom.
FOR THE DOGS
$1.4M in grants for online learning equipment, service JASON HAWK EDITOR
WELLINGTON — More than $1.4 million has been given to Lorain County schools to provide broadband internet hotspots. They'll be used this year by families who are learning online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The money is going to both traditional K-12 districts as well as charter schools — all save Amherst, Avon and the Lorain County JVS got a piece of the pie. The largest shares go to the biggest districts in the county. Elyria and Lorain each get $151,466, as does Horizon Science Academy in Lorain. North Ridgeville, Midview and Avon Lake aren't far behind. The Wellington Schools are in the middle of the pack. It's one of the most rural districts in the county, and some homes in the surrounding townships aren't able to get cable or high-speed internet. Superintendent Ed Weber said the $67,751 for Wellington will help his district provide equipment and service through AT&T to between 200 and 300 households. In a survey this summers, about 15
percent of Wellington families said they need a reliable internet connection at home, according to Weber. About 26 percent of the district's roughly 1,000 students have opted to learn online this fall. "I think we can make sure that every one of them is able to get a device from us," he said. "There shouldn't be anyone who can't connect through this plan." The BroadbandOhio Connectivity Grant uses federal coronavirus relief funds to specifically help families based on their financial need, rusk due to medical conditions, are homeless, if their parents are in the military, in foster care or meet other criteria. In July, Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced the state would set aside $50 million in CARES Act cash to provide hotspots to students. Of the 961 districts and charters that applied for money, more than 900 were approved for grants, according to Ohio Department of Education Press Secretary Mandy Minick. About 121,000 students will benefit from expanded access to the internet provided by the grants, according to a Sept. 1 update from the Ohio Department of Health. Local districts don't have to pay any matching funds to get the grants.
RESIGNATION
FROM B1 with choosing a replacement to serve in Regis' stead, at least for a little while. Applications for the job are due by Sept. 11 to district Treasurer Robert Rinehart, who said the plan is to interview candidates behind closed doors on Sept. 22. Regis said he will not be part of the board's meeting that evening, and will not have a hand in choosing his successor. In the November 2019 election, Regis received 1,530 votes, though as one of only two candidates running for two open seats, he was guaranteed to win. His term is set to expire Dec. 31, 2023.
Under state law, the position can be filled by the Board of Education through the end of 2021. An election must be held for voters to fill the seat for 2022 and 2023. Regis is the second Oberlin school board member to step down in 2020 and be replaced. The first was Albert Borroni, who was serving as president of the board in June when he moved from Oberlin to Avon. Attorney Farah Emeka, who serves as prosecutor for Oberlin, Amherst, South Amherst and surrounding townships, was chosen to assume Borroni's seat, and Jason Williams was chosen to serve as president.
RESCUE GRANT
Provided photo
Three members of Girl Scouts Troop 50661 in Amherst donated 14 blankets to the Friendship Animal Protective League on Saturday, Aug. 29. Katie Pilarski, Elena Cancar and Brooklyn Elliott handmade the blankets for animals as part of their Junior Girl Scouts “Get Moving!” Journey Award. To complete their journey, Scouts need to take action in their communities with a service project — the girls bought the materials for the two-sided fleece blankets and also had some material donated through Girl Scout Quarrystone Service Unit 508. The Friendship Animal Protective League is a nonprofit humane society based in Elyria Township and serves the Lorain County area.
Pissini takes new job
Michael Pissini, who previously served as treasurer of the Wellington school district, is moving on again. He was hired last week to handle the North Ridgeville Schools' finances after serving as treasurer the past four years at Brookside in Sheffield-Sheffield Lake. Pissini served a brief stint in Wellington from June 2015 ot June 2016, as the district was recovering from a period of deep cuts and adminstrative instability.
EFFICIENCY SMART HOME ENERGY CHALLENGE
FROM B1 people were cut out of crumpled cars where they were trapped. The city's volunteer fire department covers a stretch of the Ohio Turnpike, as well as a portion of Route 2 that was identified earlier this month as a "traffic safety corridor" because of problems with crash deaths and injuries. The corridor stretches from Baumhart Road in Brownhelm Township east to the I-90 interchange in Elyria. The grant will replace equipment that dates back to 1984. "We took good care of it, which is why it all lasted so long," said Wilhelm. The new equipment is all battery-powered, not hydraulic, a major update for the department. Amherst will pay just $3,500 in local funds to get the new equipment. Wilhelm's department has a solid track record in seeking out and getting big-dollar grants to ease the burden on local taxes. In late 2018, for example, it secured more than $313,000 from FEMA to buy new digital radios. Now the chief said he's ready to try again
for a chunk of $500 million the federal government is offering to help firefighters nationwide. "This year, for some reason, the government has come up with a ton money," Wilhelm said. "That's good, because we could use it." In his sights is device use to fill firefighters' oxygen tanks with compressed air. Amherst wants to buy four with a combined price tag of a little over $50,000. Wilhelm said he also wants to spend $27,000 to purchase what is essentially a giant washing machine that quickly decontaminates fire gear after use. He said that with cancer a major concern for firefighters, the machine would remove carcinogens from equipment. The model could clean 60 helmets in an hour. In the same amount of time, it could wash 100 pairs of gloves, 40 pairs of boots or 14 sets of breathing gear. Last on Wilhelm's shopping list is a $5,000 ultrasonic cleaner that could be used for routine sanitizing of firefighters' masks.
JVS STARTS
▲ Senior Lucas Rupert gets right to work on his first day of school.
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Complete the Home Energy Challenge by September 30th and earn free energysaving products. You will also be entered in a drawing to win additional prizes. Visit www.efficiencysmart.org/wellington-ohio and select “Home Energy Challenge” to get started. One of the energy efficiency initiatives offered in partnership between Village of Wellington Utilities and Efficiency Smart.
FROM B1 his students back in his career tech lab. “The only challenge I really see right now is just learning the different schedules, and that will come with time, but other than that, I know we can handle
it. This field, and so many others, need to be adaptable, and this is showing the students how things are ever changing and you need to be able to change along with it.”
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Lorain County Community Guide
Page B3
— WELLINGTON GOES BACK TO SCHOOL —
At Westwood, a third of students are going online Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise
JASON HAWK EDITOR
WELLINGTON — What a year to be a brand new principal. Janet Kubasak is stepping into the role at Westwood Elementary School, following the departure of Erica Ward after two years. She's spent 20 years in education, starting as a special education teacher in Lorain, has designed web-based curriculum for both kids and adults as a state educational consultant and is an adjunct professor at Ashland University. Kubasak is strikingly optimistic, and was more than glasshalf-full Friday as she talked about plans for a positive year. "It's going to be more than good, it's going to be great," she said. "We're going to do everything possible to keep everyone safe," she said. "It will be OK. I have faith in us. We're going to take the good with the bad." Westwood classrooms will be at their emptiest this fall. About a third of the school's population has opted to go
◄ Principal Janet Kubasak is brand new to the Wellington Schools this fall. She's not letting worries about the COVID-19 pandemic ruin her outlook, and said she can't wait to greet kids on the first day of school, which is Wednesday, Sept. 14
online — 98 students at last count — leaving in-person class sizes tiny. The largest is 13 and the smallest is just six, Kubasak said. Divided into morning and afternoon groups, they'll report
to school four days a week and go online the fifth. With all the changes necessitated by the virus — hand-washing, sanitizing and other safety procedures — Kubasak said she's still confident there will be
plenty of time for instruction, and reading will be the main thrust. Kids will stay in their rooms nearly their entire halfday session, and teachers will rotate to save time. When possible, classes will
go outside. Kubasak said she's encouraging teachers to be creative to keep kids engaged despite this year's strangeness and the anxiety the pandemic has wrought. Her biggest concern is making sure the lines of communication remain open with parents. Teachers have been tasked with reaching out to every student before the first day, introducing themselves and sharing information through videos, Zoom meetings and virtual tours of the school. "What we want people to know is that we really worked with the health department and we've done the best we can do in the best interest of the kids and their families," Kubasak said. "If you have questions, call us. We'll be here."
RACE
FROM B1
health and health care spending, according to HPIO data. The organization views more health care spending as negative because it's an indication root causes are not getting addressed. Health disparities for African-Americans are not a genetic thing, said Shirley Reeder, an Urban League guild member. She said medical research has been so negative and wrong in the past that it needs to be corrected. And Reeder said newer evidence is showing that her grandparents and great-grandparents were also victims of disparities. COVID-19 has exacerbated the disparities, Aly said — COVID deaths have already surpassed several leading causes of death for Black Ohioans, and are expected to continue to grow. In response to a question asked by the moderator, Health Commissioner Dave Covell said the idea some people may think health disparities among AfricanAmericans are just because of genetics is wrong. There are many social determinants of health that have put Black people behind. There's access to food, quality education, transportation and other factors that play a role. Reeder said there is not enough access to fresh fruits and vegetables in Elyria and throughout cities. Monique Norfus, dean of health and wellness sciences at LCCC, said she helps operate the food pantry at the college and it doesn't provide fresh foods; it's just making sure people have some sort of meal. Norfus said conversations need to continue unfiltered, but also that people need to vote as part of the solution to the inequities and disparities African-Americans face. Aly said there's a difference between health inequities and health disparities. Health inequities refer to differences in distribution or allocation of resources of social, economic or health care resources. Inequities become the drivers to disparities. As an example, when looking at Census tracts and life expectancy across the state, Ohioans had a lower life expectancy in areas with higher percentages
of people with a disability, only a high school degree for education or higher percentages of Black and African-Americans. Speaking about about the problem is one of the key ways to start addressing the problem, and the church needs to be a part of that, said Elder Deante Lavendar, Akron campus manager at The Word Church. Donna Sims from Mercy Health Parish Nursing said she often finds that African-Americans have a greater level of comfort with their pastors, and so it's important for churches to be active in health issues and be able to partner with health organizations to provide services for AfricanAmericans. African-Americans also aren't as comfortable in doctor's offices where no one looks like them or understands them, said Jordan Brown, LCUL's project wellness coordinator. He said it's important for more Black people to get into the medical field and for white people in the medical field to understand and disprove common misperceptions about Black people, like having a higher pain tolerance. Lavendar said churches need to be outspoken about health and other racial disparities in the community. And it can't just be Black churches, he said — white churches need to speak about it, too. "We are putting the Black people in a position where they have to figure out a problem that they're not creating," he said. "Racism is not a problem Black people created. It's an institution used to keep Black people down... If we have a consistent conversation and a consistent push and a consistent support from both white and Black. And specifically, I'll be honest, the white side of life. Because if we can't figure out how to get from under oppression while we are the ones being oppressed. It doesn't matter your social economic status, your educational status, it just doesn't matter without the support of the majority." Aly said HPIO has outlined specific actions steps for different entities, including individuals. There are key themes throughout them, like acknowledging
racism, education on racism, allocating resources to communities of color and collecting data. At the state level, Covell said the Ohio Health Commissioners Association said they are pushing for better data collection. He said it's hard to determine root causes if there's not data that captures the problem. Collaboration is also key to solving racial disparities in health care. Covell cited the county's work around infant mortality numbers as an example of various groups coming together. Lorain County's infant mortality rate was once one of the highest in the state and is now one of the lower rates. If there's a group of people all working toward the same goal, Covell said they can find the root cause and address them. He said there needs to be less surface conversations around race, but instead having open and honest conversations. Lavendar agreed that honesty is key to changes that need to be made. "If we don't start being honest, then we'll continue to put the oppressed people where they have to figure out their own oppression, and that's not a good case," Lavendar said. "And we need to continue having conversations like this where we can convict those who can push policies and have real conversation... Let's continue to have these conversations but we have to convict those who can actually make something happen and it is not us. It has been clear for centuries that it's not us." Smith said too many people believe that because slavery and the Jim Crow era are over, the playing field has been leveled. There are still deep inequities to overcome. She sees the prevalence of COVID-19 cases among African-Americans as a lingering, measurable result of centuries of racial inequality. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say Black Americans are hospitalized for the coronavirus at 4.7 times the rate that white people are, and die more than twice as often from the virus. Hispanic people and American Indians also have sky-high cases, hospi-
talizations and death rates compared to white people and Asians. There is no doubt minorities are contracting COVID-19 in disproportionate numbers overall, said Covell. He cited estimates of 200 and 300 percent diagnosis rates in New York and other big urban centers. The case numbers in Lorain County hold remarkably close to census numbers on race and population. As of last Wednesday, there were 217 local COVID-19 cases involving Black people, making up about 10.26 percent of all cases in Lorain County. By comparison, 2019 census data says 9 percent of county residents are Black. Of the 78 deaths here, seven were African-Americans (8.9 percent). And of the 216 people hospitalized, there were 33 Black people (15 percent). Keith Armitage, medical director of University Hospitals Roe Green Center for Travel Medicine & Global Health, said COVID-19 cases are more closely tied to socio-economics than race, though both are related. He said Black people and other minorities are more likely to use public transportation, live in multigenerational households and have more crowded quarters. Blue-collar workers are less likely to be able to work from home, said Armitage. Both he and Smith said they make up a much larger percentage of es-
sential workers, especially those in service industries such as restaurants and grocery stores and come face to face with customers, increasing the risk of exposure. They are also at a higher risk for obesity, hypertension, diabetes and other health conditions, while facing disparities in access to health insurance. That's an enormous problem, because COVID is most deadly when it weakens the immune system's strength against other diseases. "What happens with COVID-19 is, when you have an underlying health condition, you can't
fight it off as well," Covell said. Health science and social factors such as poverty, housing, transportation, child mortality, education and racism are all inextricably intertwined, he said: "This idea that we can separate them is just a wrong idea." The closest thing to a silver bullet that Lorain County Public Health has is improving kindergarten readiness. Covell said that preparing kids to learn improves their chances of one day getting better jobs, and that means they'll have better access to health care.
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Page B4
Lorain County Community Guide
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
— WELLINGTON GOES BACK TO SCHOOL —
Nothing less than 100 percent at McCorrmick JASON HAWK EDITOR
WELLINGTON — Principal Nathan Baxendale isn't interested in giving kids "the best education possible" despite the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that phrase carries the negative connotation that the school year won't be complete, that teachers will just be doing what they can in bad circumstances, not the full nine yards. That's not the case at Mc-
Cormick Middle School, where Baxendale said the virus won't be allowed to limit instruction or personal growth for fourth- through eighth-graders. "Even though we're a little hamstrung with the ability to be live five days a week, we're still going to have that connection," he said. Granted, the schedule will look completed different. Half of the student body will attend school in person on Mondays and Tuesdays, and the other half on Thursdays and Fridays.
They'll learn online when not physically in classrooms, and everyone will go remote for Wednesdays, with live lessons broadcast by teachers. In the spring, there were quite a few McCormick students who thrived in the virtual setting better than the in-school setting, Baxendale said. An increasing number of studies show that certain types of learners prefer the online model, mostly because it limits distractions. "(At home,) you're not getting as inundated with the
EFFICIENCY SMART HOME ENERGY CHALLENGE
SAVE ENERGY. SAVE MONEY. EARN REWARDS.
IT’S SIMPLE:
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
Fill out the Home Energy Scorecard
Complete the Online Home Energy Assessment
Commit to an action that will save energy
JASON HAWK EDITOR
WELLINGTON — Classrooms will have about 10 students each when Wellington High School begins the year Monday. About 75 students have
Visit www.efficiencysmart.org/oberlin-ohio and select “Home Energy Challenge” to get started.
BOTANY 101 ACROSS 1. One’s arbitrary assertion 6. “Swan Lake” step 9. Not Sunni 13. Mountaineer’s tool 14. Tolkien creature 15. Bebe Rexha’s “____ to Be” 16. Artificial or mannered 17. Snow runner 18. Nylon or Kevlar, in chemistry terms 19. Scooby-Doo’s best friend 21. *Between order and genus 23. *Marine botany is study of plants living here 24. 35mm, e.g. 25. Public health agency, acr. 28. Partner of void 30. Small lynx 35. Stewart and Blagojevich 37. Grazing lands 39. Jawaharlal ____ 40. g or cm 41. Smelling ____, athlete’s pick-me-upper 43. No neatnik 44. Lay to rest 46. They are hairy on a hobbit 47. Hefty volume 48. One in line, during COVID-19 pandemic 50. In the middle of 52. *Grain-bearing tip of a cereal plant 53. Cattle meat 55. Fleur-de-____ 57. *Pollinator attractors 60. *Food for a pollinator 63. One there at the beginning 64. Famous T-Rex 66. Lowest deck 68. Forearm bones 69. Cassius Clay, ____ Muhammad Ali 70. Private instructor 71. ____-do-well 72. Thus far 73. Inflict a blow DOWN 1. Female sib 2. “Hamlet” has five 3. Sure or uh-huh 4. “The Forsyte ____,” pl. 5. *Product of photosynthesis 6. One of a pocketful, according to Mother Goose
7. Genesis vessel 8. “The Matrix” genre 9. Highway hauler 10. Icy precipitation 11. Dr. Jones, fictional professor of archaeology, to friends 12. Filled up 15. Biblical personification of material wealth 20. Olden-day Celts 22. Priest’s robe 24. Blank leaf in a book 25. *Seed holder 26. “Death, Be Not Proud” poet 27. Mine passages 29. *Food manufacturer 31. Superlative of better 32. Actress Sevigny 33. Something in the air 34. *Potato, e.g.
to speak or act in a way that makes life harder for them," he said. He is relying on teachers to model a mindset of infectious positivity, setting a cando tone in a year rocked by social can-nots caused by the virus. Teachers have their own anxieties about health and safety, he said, but they've been asked to control those worries to boost their students' morale. Baxendale said parents are part of that effort, too. His message to moms and dads: Everything the Wellington Schools are doing this year is aimed at sending kids home healthy. Everything from the school's code of conduct to start and dismissal times has been tweaked this year to meet that goal. "As frustrating as some of the (changes) may be for parents, it's so important they understand that's whey they're being done," Baxendale said. He is asking parents to stay in the know by visiting the school website frequently. The site will provide
more access than ever to information about students and changes inside McCormick's walls. Baxendale said he believes Wellington is well-prepared to teach kids despite the virus, but he's also taking a realistic view — if it can spread at other schools, it can spread at McCormick too. To combat the threat, each of Wellington's schools has a full-time health professional on staff this year. There will be changes to the way bathroom breaks and cafeterias work, mandatory spacing between kids, masks, staggered dismissal and arrival times and personal protective gear available to students. If parents have concerns, Baxendale said they shouldn't hesitate to pick up the phone or send an email. "There's some times that you just need some supports, and you may not know where to go," he said. "If you need that, call us and we'll figure out a way to help you if you need it."
Class sizes plummet at WHS as nearly one third go online
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social-emotional concerns that take place at those grade levels," he said. Generation Z has been raised in a purely technological environment, unlike their parents, who were born into an analog world. Baxendale said the pandemic has accelerated the inevitable use of high-tech platforms in K-12 education. McCormick classes, traditionally 45 minutes long, have moved to seven periods of 57 minutes each. The goal, according to Baxendale, is to make sure safety precautions such as time spent on hand-washing and sanitizing don't bite to hard into learning time. From the first day on Sept. 14, teachers will place a heavy emphasis on the them for the year — respecting and caring for classmates, ideas closely tied to following pandemic guidelines. Kids will be expected to look out for each other, Baxendale said. "Always try to put yourself in people's shoes and get a sense of empathy before you decide
36. Proofreader’s mark 38. *Plant support 42. “...he found a crooked sixpence upon a crooked ____” 45. Sales lure 49. Electric fish 51. *Not monocots 54. Piece of writing 56. Pull strings 57. Carpet attribute 58. Marine eagle 59. Russia’s famous Peter 60. Sans mixers 61. Choir voice 62. *Plant anchor 63. Good times 65. Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s guitar 67. Prefix for prior
SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2
opted to learn completely online, Principal Tina Drake said Tuesday. Another 100 will attend WHS in person on Mondays and Tuesdays, and 85 will attend in person on Thursdays and Fridays. The greatly reduced numbers will make social distancing "easy," Drake said. "We're ready to go. Everybody's been trained. We mean business," she said. No lockers will be used this year in an attempt to keep kids out of the hallways and away from each other. Drinking fountains have been turned off, and students will be asked to carry water bottles that can be refilled at touchless filling stations. To use the restroom, students will sign out by scanning QR codes with their phones or filling out an online form. In the event of positive cases at WHS, the information will track exactly who had contact with each other and where. Traffic in the hallways has been made one-way only. Seniors with study halls before or after lunch will be allowed to leave to eat, emptying the building even more. Locker rooms will go unused this fall, and gym class staples like floor hockey will go by the wayside in favor of walking and other sociallydistanced activities. The band will move outside to practice, and details are still being worked out for choir — Wellington will keep its choir active, while many other districts have benched singers. "We're such a small school that if we were to eliminate it this year, we'd be talking about 30 kids who wouldn't have a
fine arts class. I wouldn't want to do that. We've already taken enough away from them," Drake said. Academically, there are some bright spots — there are new Advanced Placement electives and statistics classes, and the pre-AP program has been expanded to sophomores, for example. Instead of paper notebooks, in-person students will use Chromebooks for just about every aspect of learning. Drake said they'll need to have their devices charged and ready to go every day. COVID-19 has spurred the technological revolution in K-12 education on, she said: "This is a huge shift in education. And I just don't see education ever looking the same way it did before COVID. That's not a bad thing." Online learners will be taught by the private firm Edmentum. But WHS has been able to provide almost every one of its teachers with an extra period for office hours, so they'll have time to check in with those working from home. Other aspects of the school year have been completely upended. Field trips and assemblies won't happen this year, and Community Service Day in May hangs in the balance. In the meantime, Drake said homecoming will be scaled down. She plans to see a king and queen crowned at the last football game, which senior court members will be allowed to attend. A dance and other festivities will be postponed to the winter or spring, and possibly canceled if the pandemic is still not under control. "But for the fall, a typical homecoming just isn't in the cards," Drake said.
“I want (students) to sense that education is still the top priority. We’re going to keep moving forward and get better, which is what we should always be doing... It’s just going to look different this year.” Principal Tina Drake Wellington High School
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Lorain County Community Guide
Christ Church offers free dinner meals to families OBERLIN — Christ Episcopal Church is softening the burden of meal prep from parents and teachers by offering free dinner meals for the first part of the 20202021 school year. The Rev. Sarah Shofstall said the Oberlin Weekday Community Meals Program, an organization of volunteers and board members of various Oberlin churches, operates out of the church and uses ingredients from a working farm on the property of the Episcopal Diocese of Ohio near Wakeman. Prior to COVID-19, food for the church’s summer camping program and other programs would come mostly from the farm’s produce. However, all summer camping programs and others were canceled due to the pandemic. With the decrease in summer programming, there is now an abundance of homegrown vegetables, as well as eggs from the pasture-raised chickens and locally produced honey and maple syrup. “We have been receiving some of the produce from the farm to support Oberlin Weekday Community Meals Program, and the farm continues to produce a huge array
of vegetables,” Shofstall said. Knowing there are families in need within the Oberlin school district, Shofstall reached out to district Student and Family Support Director Jay Nimene and the two began thinking of ways to help the community. “The conversation between myself and Rev. Shofstall was very heart-warming. She heard and saw that we have a need to feed the community and wanted to help,” Nimene said. “But, these meals are for everyone — the working parents of Oberlin, those who are staying home to help their children with e-learning and even teachers.” Dinners will be handed out during the district’s afternoon distributions from 5-5:30 p.m. at Christ Church, located at 162 South Main St., Oberlin. “For many years, Oberlin Weekday Community Meals Program has provided a hot evening meal, every weeknight, for those in need,” Shofstall said. “All the meals would be produced by a trained chef and packaged to take home. It would remove the burden of meal prep from parents and teachers.”
Ohio Open Doors celebrates the state’s landmarks Sept. 11-20 Discover Ohio’s heritage from Friday, Sept. 11 through Sunday, Sept. 20 as historic buildings and landmarks across the state open their doors virtually for online tours and events. "Ohio Open Doors" is an effort by the Ohio History Connection, and puts a special spotlight on historic theaters and opera houses. The Oberlin Heritage Center is part of this event. It will host "Local Activism, National Impact: Women’s Suffrage in Oberlin" at 4:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11. Museum Education and Tour Coordinator Amanda Manahan will present on Oberlinians who fought for women’s suffrage, working against discrimination on the basis of both sex and race. Drawing from newspaper accounts and historical records, this program will take a look at activism in a small town, and how it
connected to the larger national movement and events that led up to Ohio’s ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1919, and national ratification in 1920. The free 25-minute presentation and Q&A session will be presented via Zoom. Advance registration is required by visiting www. oberlinheritagecenter.org. A full listing of free events and activities can be found at www.ohiohistory.org/ opendoors. “Ohio Open Doors shares stories of important landmarks right in our backyard, highlighting the history and unique nature of some of Ohio’s most treasured places,” said Amanda Schraner Terrell, director of the Ohio History Connection’s State Historic Preservation Office.
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Amherst native named next Syracuse University Alumni Association president Ryan McNaughton, a 1992 graduate of Amherst Steele High School, has been named president-elect of the Syracuse University Alumni Association. He graduated from Syracuse in 1996, and will take become president of the alumni association 25 years later on July 1, 2021, for a two-year term. McNaughton will represent nearly a quarter-million Syracuse graduates across the world. He has served as a volunteer for more than 11 years, including four years as president of the Northeast Ohio SU Club. Under his leadership, the club renewed its charter after a period of dormancy. It placed an emphasis on philanthropy by creating an annual scholarship for a local first-year student, as well as enhanced its networking and social events. In 2014, McNaughton was chosen to become a director for the National Alumni Board. He served as a member of the Executive Committee as clubs chairman. He then served a two-year term as vice president prior to being selected as president-elect. “I am honored and humbled to have been selected for this position,” he said. "My dream from the age of 15 as a sophomore at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst was to attend Syracuse University. To think that kid from small
Ryan McNaughton town Ohio would not-only go on to become a first generation four-year college graduate, but also president of the SUAA, is simply mind boggling.” McNaughton serves as director of community relations and resource development for the Trumbull County Board of Developmental Disabilities. He also serves as executive director of the Fairhaven Foundation. He is in his third term as city councilman at-large in Niles, Ohio.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Voting by mail should replace polls To the editor: Voting by mail should replace voting at the polls in its entirety. The two institutions that can definitely be trusted is the county Board of Elections and the United States Postal Service. The money saved by eliminating the need for poll workers could be used to offer free postage on the envelopes used to vote by mail. The person voting would also have more time to consider what they are voting for and would not be confined to the hours of the polling place. It would also prevent unwanted entry to schools and churches
from anyone trying to harm someone. In addition, the voter would not be harassed by someone trying to place unsolicited campaign literature into their hand. The additional revenue would boost the Postal Service and perhaps keep it afloat until we as a country are able to vote online. Voting by mail would solve the registered voter problem and guarantee safe passage of the ballots to the County Board of Elections. It might even prevent further spread of the COVID-19 virus. Joe Bialek
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Lorain County Community Guide
© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 36, No. 40
You may have seen pictures of Uncle Sam and heard his name. Did you know he is based on a real person? Read the story, then number the pictures on this page in the correct order. hen Samuel Wilson was 14, the American colonies declared their independence from British rule. Samuel ran away to join the revolutionary army. But he was too young to fight, so he took care of the cattle that were the meat supply for the revolutionary army.
A man named Elbert Anderson ordered meat from the Wilson brothers for the army. Samuel checked each meat shipment very carefully to be sure it was good. Once a shipment met with his approval, he stamped EA-US on it. EA stood for Elbert Anderson and US stood for United States.
After the war, Samuel and his brother Ebeneezer, moved to Troy, New York and started a meat business. They salted and packed meat into barrels so that the meat would keep on the pioneers’ long journey traveling west.
ne story says that a man working in the kitchen saw the EA-US label and asked what it meant. Someone joked that EA means ‘eat away’ and US are Uncle Sam’s initials to show that he inspected the meat. The joke caught on and was repeated over and over by other soldiers.
Their business was very successful. The employees liked Sam so much that they called him their “Uncle Sam.” In 1812, a second war broke out with England. The army stationed six thousand troops in Fort Crailo, just a few miles from Troy. Those 6,000 men had to eat.
Columbia, sometimes called Goddess Columbia, appeared in a ______ by Phillis Wheatley. Although Wheatley was a slave, she ________ a poem to encourage George Washington in his _______ for freedoms she would never enjoy. The poem’s closing lines are:
Newspapers wrote about this story. Cartoonists drew pictures of the Uncle Sam character wearing clothing with stars and stripes—like our flag! Before long, Uncle Sam became a symbol of the United States itself.
How many stars can you find on this page in two minutes. Have a friend try. Who found the most?
Look through the newspaper for a word that starts with every letter in the word NEWSPAPER. Try to pick words that say something about your newspaper. For example, N could be a word like “New.”
Standards Link: Writing applications.
The Statue of Liberty is a famous American symbol of freedom and hope. A gift from France, it has stood on a pedestal in New York Harbor since 1886. A poem written for the Statue by Emma Lazarus has a famous line that is quoted often. Fill in the missing vowels, then talk with your family about what this quote means.
“G_ve m_ y_ _r t_red, y_ _r p_ _r, y_ _r h_ddled m_sses ye_rning to br_ _the fr_ _.”
EMPLOYEES COLONIES INITIALS PIONEERS LEGEND SAMUEL WILSON SYMBOL CRAILO FEEDS MEAT ARMY AWAY WEST EAT
Proceed, great chief, with virtue on thy side, Thy ev’ry action let the Goddess guide. A crown, a mansion, and a throne that shine, With gold unfading, WASHINGTON! Be thine. Columbia was dressed to show the ideals of the new country. She ________ the cap of Liberty and carried the sword of Justice, the olive branch of Peace, and the laurel wreath of Victory. In 1920, Columbia became the symbol of a company that makes movies called Columbia _____________.
R S E E Y O L P M E
T A E M E W E S T A L M P I O N E E R S
O U N U N I Y M R A
This week’s word:
EMPLOYEE
I L S O C A L E S T
The noun employee means a person who works for another person for a wage.
R O I S Y M B O L D
The company’s employees are paid every Friday.
L E O D N E G E L L
A S L A I T I N I E C A W A Y S D E E F
Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.
Try to use the word employee in a sentence today when talking with friends and family members.
Newspapers in Schools
Neighborhood Symbol
Look through the newspaper for a word or an image that you think could be a symbol of your neighborhood. Write a letter to the editor explaining why you think it would be a good symbol. ANSWER: They lived in colonies.
Standards Link: Use the newspaper to locate information.
Work with a family member to replace the missing words.
Before Uncle Sam, the United States had a woman as a ________. She was called Columbia.
When Elbert Anderson visited the fort, he saw the labels and asked what they meant, and a dockhand answered, “They stand for Uncle Sam. It’s his meat that feeds the army.”
Look carefully. Can you find each matching hat?
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
Teachers regularly use newspapers in classrooms. What can you learn from a newspaper?