Lorain County Community Guide - Sept. 16, 2021

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Submit items to news@LCnewspapers.com

“It was a time when a new set of Americans lost our innocence.”

State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, remembering the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001

w

Volume 8, Issue 37

Running to remember

Photos by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

A flag from the USS Saratoga flies over the Five Points intersection in downtown Amherst on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, during a ceremony remembering the victims of the terrorist attacks 20 years prior.

Amherst pays tribute to victims of 9/11 terrorists

Photos by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Amherst firefighters gather Saturday in their turnout gear for the city’s Station to Station Run in remembrance of the sacrifices made by emergency responders 20 years ago on Sept. 11, 2001.

Martyrs of 9/11 an inspiration at memorial 5K JASON HAWK EDITOR

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Clark Bruner stood atop the sandstone bandstand in front of Town Hall on Saturday and looked out at the hundreds gathered in the street.

“Your presence here sends a message that we will never forget 9/11, like we have never forgotten Pearl Harbor,” the commander of American Legion Post 118 said.

During the noon ceremony on the 20th anniversary of the attacks on the World Trade Center, Pentagon and aboard United Airlines Flight 93, veterans laid a memorial wreath and played Taps.

Firefighter Scott Nemet struck a silver bell to remember first responders killed in 2001, and the military personnel who have since died in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm said he learned of the terror attacks while working on an Ohio Edison job site on Route 60 that morning two decades ago.

An electrician helping to connect service to a house

AMHERST — Hugh Martin wasn’t wearing shorts and trainers Saturday morning as he got ready for a 5K across the city.

Instead, he dressed in flameresistant coat, pants and gloves, put on his helmet and oxygen tank and grabbed the tools of his trade to join fellow Amherst firefighters on the course.

“The reason I became a fireman is

because of this day,” he said, preparing to walk a little than three miles from the Church Street fire station to the North Lake Street police station and back in memory of those who lost their lives in the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Martin wasn’t alone. About 300 turned out to run or walk, including many police officers, dispatchers, emergency medics and military service members in their trademark uniforms.

Others, like Ohio National Guard veteran Paul Rink of South Amherst,

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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

CARISSA WOYTACH THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

OBERLIN — Days after the Sept. 11 attacks, a group stood on Tappan Square calling for peace.

Twenty years later, they’re still there.

Founding members and Oberlin residents Mary and Steve Hammond, surrounded by a handful of others, held signs Saturday afternoon at the intersection of state Route 58 and West College Street.

“There were many vigils over the years before the founding of this weekly vigil, but they weren’t weekly through rain, snow, sleet, heat and everything else,” Mary Hammond said.

Over the years the group has lent its weekly gathering to other causes — recognizing Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Mothers Against Drunk Driving — but at its core the message is for peace.

Without the Sept. 11 attacks, Mary Hammond doubts the weekly group would have formed, Carissa Woytach | Oberlin News-Tribune pushing for a nonviolent resolution to conflicts The Rev. Mary Hammond, center, holds a sign that reads around the world.

"Standing for peace since 9/11/01" at the Peacebuilders’ weekly vigil Saturday afternoon at Tappan Square.

PEACE PAGE A3

INSIDE THIS WEEK

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RUNNERS PAGE A3

‘We'll stop when peace comes’

TRIBUTE PAGE A4 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

were decked out in the colors of the flag.

He wore a red, white and blue headband and shorts and carried a flag as he ran through Amherst, finishing third. Holding the banner high over his head to ripple in the wind slowed him down, but Rink said he didn’t mind.

“It’s hard not to tear up for this, just for the support everybody gave to stick together throughout the 9/11 tragedy,” he said. “It’s nice to know

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Parents grow louder in call for school masks • A5

Russell named 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year • B1

Fair attendance numbers kept under wraps • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD B2 • SUDOKU B2 • FALL SPORTS B3-B5

Page A2

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Meet the first ladies

Re-enactors will portray several former first ladies of the United States in an event sponsored by the Amherst Historical Society.

Enjoy an evening with Anna Harrison, Julia Grant, Lucy Hayes, Lucretia Garfield, Caroline Harrison, Ida McKinley, Helen Taft and Florence Harding as they talk about their time in the White House. They will share personal stories and tidbits about their presidential husbands, as well.

The free event will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

25 at the Sandstone Hall, 113 South Lake St., Amherst.

Light refreshments will be served.

Call (440) 988-7255 to RSVP.

Energy challenge

Oberlin Municipal Light & Power System and village of Wellington residential utilities customers who complete a free online assessment can find ways to save energy, earn rewards and help their community win Efficiency Smart’s Online Home Energy Assess-

ment Community Challenge.

Residents who complete an assessment by Thursday, Sept. 30 will earn a $5 digital voucher for energysaving products from Efficiency Smart’s online store and will be entered to win their choice of any product from the online store. Those who have previously completed an assessment are already entered and can log back into their account to claim their $5 voucher code.

The Efficiency Smart community with the largest percentage of households completing an assessment

by Sept. 30 will win the challenge. Three people from the winning community and two from the rest of all completed assessments will win their choice of any item from Efficiency Smart’s online store.

The assessment helps residential electric customers identify where they can save energy in their homes.

The platform provides real-time energy saving recommendations for each completed question.

To take the challenge or to learn more, visit www. efficiencysmart.org, select your community, and click on “Online Home Energy Assessment.”

OBITUARIES Patty Jo Stanley Reams Stein

Glenn Eric Miller Glenn was born April 14, 1964, to Richard D. and Carol A. Miller in Elyria. Glenn passed away in his sleep on Sunday, September 5, 2021 at his home in Tiffin. Glenn grew up in Wellington.

He attended the Lorain County Joint Vocational School and graduated from Wellington High School in 1983.

Glenn lived in Colorado Springs, Colorado for over 20 years before returning to live in Tiffin. Glenn loved small engine repair and tinkering on all kinds of devices. He also enjoyed woodworking. Glenn loved fishing. He especially enjoyed our family fishing trips to Gowganda, Canada and Lake Erie. Most of all, Glenn was passionate about his time with the Sullivan Volunteer Fire Department.

Glenn is survived by his son, Glenn D. and wife, Michelle Miller; grandchildren, Derek, Mileeya and Kaiah; father, Richard Miller; sister, Helen and her wife, Tina Stiefmiller and his nephew, Zachary and niece, Alexandra; sister, Cheryl; sister, Carol Ann and her husband, Tim Horta and niece, Taylor Joppeck and her son, Major.

Glenn was preceded in death by his wife, Gayle on April 24, 1992; his twin brother, Richard Derek Miller, Jr. on June 21, 1979 and his mother, Carol Miller on September 1, 2021.

Glenn will be dearly missed by his family and friends.

Norton-Eastman Funeral Home have been entrusted with arrangements and online condolences may be expressed at www.norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com.

MARY EDWARDS passed away Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

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

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

Patty Jo Stanley Reams Stein, 78, of Wellington, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2021, following a short illness at UH Cleveland Medical Center. Born in Clinchport, Virginia on Dec. 24, 1942, she was the daughter of the late Virgie Lena (nee Johnson) and Malcolm Joseph Stanley.

She was a Wellington High School graduate and spent most of her life in Wellington. Patty worked in sales and design at Rural Furniture and a bookkeeper for BFI and 20 years for her son, Randy's business, where she put her amazing organizational skills to use. She was a member of the Wellington Eagles Aux and loved to stay busy. Spending time gardening, enjoying nature, cooking and surrounding herself with all of her family and friends are what she will be remembered for most. She truly had a selfless heart and was known as the rock that supported everyone around her.

Left to treasure her memory are her son, Randy Reams of Wellington; grandchildren, Melody (Scott) Gronsky and Jared Reams; siblings, Fred Stanley, Joyce Rutherford and Jewell Stallard, all of Wellington and countless nieces and nephews.

Patty was preceded in death by her loving husband, Peter Otto Stein; siblings, Glenn Stanley, Billy Stanley and Ray Stanley and granddaughter, Lyrica Louise Reams.

A burial will take place at Greenwood Cemetery. A celebration of life will take place at a later date.

Those who wish to make a donation in Patty's honor are asked to donate to the charity of your choice.

Online condolences and expressions of sympathy may be expressed at www.norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com.

LINDA MAE MOORE (nee Hevener), 68, of Amherst, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 7, 2021, at The Woods on French Creek following a lengthy battle with cancer.

NANCY LEE HENCEROTH (nee Rodgers), 83, of Amherst, passed away Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at Amherst Manor following a full and meaningful life.

DOROTHY ROSE (ROSA) STREET (nee Pheiffer), 88, of Amherst, passed away Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at Ames Family Hospice in Westlake.Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

RAYMOND F. AUFDENKAMPE, 99, of Brownhelm Township, passed away Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at Kingston Residence of Vermilion, following a full and blessed life. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

COLLEEN COLETTA STANDEN (nee Jones), 92, of Amherst, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2021, at Mercy New Life Hospice in Lorain following a full and blessed life. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

Cemetery volunteers needed

The Friends of Westwood Cemetery have scheduled the final stone-cleaning session of this summer, and need volunteers.

The session will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 25. Volunteers will be asked to spray a cleaning solution on headstones and to clean debris from their area as they work.

You can take any small garden tools you think will make your job easier. Meet at the Tranquility Garden to get your cleaning supplies and assignment.

Library Card Sign-up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-up Month and the Herrick Memorial Library is celebrating.

Adults, teens and children who apply for their first card at the library in Wellington will be entered into a prize drawing.

If you already have a card, use it to check out Herrick library materials, including digital materials through the Ohio Digital Library, and you will also be entered into prize drawings. One prize each per adult, teen and child will be awarded Friday, Oct. 1.

Countdown to Kindergarten

Parents with a child headed to school next year can get them ready with the six-week “Countdown to Kindergarten” program at the Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington.

Your child can learn skills needed to be successful in school by listening to stories and participating in handson activities that follow weekly themes. This program is a series of sessions that will be held on Mondays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 20 and ending Oct. 25.

‘A Christmas Story’ auditions

Auditions for the Wellington Drama Club production of “A Christmas Story” will be held live via Zoom from 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 23 or pre-recorded.

Performances of the holiday classic will be at 7 p.m. on Dec. 2-4 at the Patricia Lindley Center for the Performing Arts, 627 North Main St., Wellington.

Rehearsals will be held from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at the Lindley Center unless otherwise noted. They will begin Monday, Oct. 4.

For instructions on how to prepare auditions, submit records or join the Zoom session, visit www.tinyurl. com/WellingtonDrama.

COVID vaccination clinic

The Herrick Memorial Library will host a COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 2-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept.

29.

The first 60 people who get their first-time vaccination shot will receive a $50 food voucher to use at Village Market or Apples in Wellington. This event is funded by the Coronavirus Relief Act through the Herrick Memorial Library and in partnership with Village Market.

Murder mystery dinner

Try to solve “The Death of Dr. Pepper” in a murder mystery produced this fall by the Sandstone Summer Theatre.

The Amherst Historical Society will present the dinner theater event at 6 p.;m. On Friday, Oct. 8 and Saturday, Oct. 9 at Sandstone Hall, 113 South Lake St., Amherst.

The story: Famed plastic surgeon Dr. Pepper has reached the top of his profession. His only weakness is women, and they may be the death of him.

Tickets are $30 per person general admission or $25 for Amherst Historical Society members. Reservations are required, along with an order or chicken or vegetarian meal. To RSVP, call (440) 988-7255 by Oct. 1.

Halloween event canceled

The Amherst Fire Department has, for the second year in a row, canceled its traditional Halloween steak fry due to COVID-19.

“With the rising number of COVID cases, our events committee decided that it was in the best interest of the public and members of the fire department to again postpone the event,” it said in an announcement. “We’re working on a separate fundraiser and will have more details on that down the road.”

Also canceled: Amherst’s annual Fire Prevention Week pancake breakfast and breakfast with Santa.

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 B2

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B2

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

SUBSCRIPTION RATES: $40 for 52 weeks in Lorain County; $45 in Erie, Huron, Ashland, Medina, and Cuyahoga counties; $50 in all other Ohio counties; $55 outside Ohio.

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

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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FROM A1 people are still thinking towers that day to rescue about it.” people trapped inside.

The 5K Station to StaMakruski praised those tion Run started with a first responders, who short ceremony, in which struggled through fire and organizer and Amherst smoke looking for survipolice Lt. Dan Makruski vors. In a chilling tribute, announced entry fees raised he played 911 audio from more than $10,000. the initial response.

That money will go to The recorded voices Tunnel to Towers Foundaof panicked dispatchers tion, Lorain County Blue crackled through the air, Foundation and the burn cuing Amherst police unit at MetroHealth Medicruisers and fire engines cal Center in Cleveland. to start their sirens and Hugh Martin “If you’re old enough, roll down Church Street you remember where you in tribute. were that day,” Makruski told the crowd.

“Be ready for what life may throw Martin said he remembers clearly. He at you, because you never know,” said was 20 and working in Vermilion when Makruski, urging runners to consider news broke that a plane had hit the stocking their vehicles with medical World Trade Center in New York City. equipment, learn CPR or get their con“It stood me in my place for about five cealed carry licenses. minutes. From that day on, I thought I’d He said mental preparedness was what dedicate my life to the citizens of some helped him survive multiple deploytown, somewhere,” he said. ments to Iraq and Afghanistan over the A year after the attacks, Martin and past two decades. his wife visited Ground Zero and talked Physical preparedness helped Noah with firefighters across the street from Christopher of Uniontown. He was the the site. first runner to complete the Station to “I’ll tell you what, it gave me chills all Station Run, with a chip time of 17:22. the way down my spine, he said. “And it Steve Benesh of North Ridgeville finkind of solidified my career as a fireman ished second in 17:26.

— that this is where I want to be, this is Everyone who completed the 5K rewhat I want to do and I’ll be there for ceived a medal. Makruski asked them to anyone in this city anytime they need it.” put it in a place where during the year — As he marched Saturday, his mind was not just on Sept. 11 — it would remind on the 343 firefighters who died trying them of the sacrifices made by first to climb 110 flights of stairs inside the responders and military personnel.

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Janet Garrett, who ran for Congress in 2014 and 2016, came out Saturday morning as well. She said when 9/11 happened, Americans were united after being attacked. Now, the country is divided and in a “much worse place” as individuals continue to die from COVID-19 and misinformation runs rampant.

Still, she said she is cautiously optimistic the country is moving in the right direction, though she does not think it is a time for complacency.

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FROM A1 “There are so many people who will come by and say ‘I’m so glad you’re there’ or you see them on the street some other time and they say every time I drive by I’m really glad somebody’s there and making that witness,” she said.

Steve Hammond remembers when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were just starting, military personnel would come home on two weeks' leave. One man on leave walked by the vigil and told Hammond he didn’t want to go back.

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Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

TRIBUTE

FROM A1 ran outside screaming that New York City had been bombed. Workers huddled around a tiny television to watch the devastation unfold.

“After we saw that, it just drained us,” Wilhelm said.

With commercial planes grounded, the skies were eerily empty the rest of the day, he remembers. That quiet was broken only by the roar of two F-15s tearing eastward.

“Never in my life have I ever witnessed anything like that, and I never want to see it again,” Wilhelm said.

Amherst police Lt. Mark Cawthon said he received a call from his wife that morning telling him to turn on the TV. Like millions of other Americans who tuned in to live news broadcasts, he couldn’t believe

what he saw.

“Many of those killed were much like you and I,” he told the crowd in downtown Amherst. “They were mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters.”

Cawthon ran down a tally of the dead, which includes 72 of his fellow law enforcement officers.

The official death count was initially 2,751, with more than 6,000 others injured — in the years since, it has grown to include at least 245 others who succumbed to cancer and other illnesses caused by toxic smoke.

The nation suffered the losses as one, and mourned as one.

Cawthon said it was held together by a patriotic bond in the months after the attacks.

Though politics divide the

◄ Firefighter Scott Nemet strikes a silver bell as American Legion Post 118 Commander Clark Bruner intones the names of the nation’s military conflicts.

nation, that underlying bond remains intact, he said. That was proven Wednesday, when thousands of Ohioans lined the procession route as the remains of U.S. Navy Fleet Marine Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class

Maxton Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, returned home.

After arriving at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, his body passed through Lorain County en route to Erie County.

Soviak died when a suicide

bomber attacked Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 26. The sailor was there protecting refugees being evacuated from the country.

State Rep. Joe Miller, DAmherst, said Soviak was willing to help those in need. He challenged those who attended Saturday’s ceremony to follow that example by putting aside partisan differences and squabbles with neighbors.

That was the selflessness embodied by not just rescue workers but ordinary citizens who rushed into the Twin Towers on 9/11 to try to save those trapped inside, Miller said.

CLASSIFIEDS LEGALS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO PURCHASE OF CHEMICALS – Utilities Department Calendar Year 2022 Sealed bids will be received by the Utilities Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM EST, Friday, October 1, 2021, Utilities Department, 1106 First Street 44052.

TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM EST, Friday, October 1, 2021, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor.

For the purchase each year of approximately: 400 Tons dry weight sulfate of Aluminum (liquid) 60 Tons Liquid Chlorine in ton cylinders 60 Tons Activated Carbon (powdered) 30 Tons Sodium Fluorosilicate 4,000 Pounds Potassium Permanganate 130 Tons Ferric Chloride 200,000 Gallons Fer-

rous Chloride 15,500 Gallons Sodium bisulfate Solution 40,000 Gallons (at least 50%) Caustic Soda 14,000 Gallons Liquid Polymer 12,000 Gallons 35% Orthophosphate 69,700 Gallons Sodium Hypochlorite Solution 2,200 Gallons Polyacrylamide 6,000 Gallons Cationic Polymer All in accordance with specifications now on file at the Engineering Department.

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.

Each bidder must ensure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, handicap, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American with Disabilities Act. Bidders shall be required to comply with all Federal and State laws and regulations concerning these matters.

Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at www. cityoflorain.org or at the Law Department, 200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio, 44052 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30PM Monday through Friday. Bidders are required to use the printed form which will be available upon application.

The Director of Public Safety/ Service reserves the right to make separate or combination awards and to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities in the bids received.

By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service L.C.C.G. 9/9-16/21 20689131

INVITATION TO BID

1. Sealed bids for City of Oberlin Unit #4 Engine/Generator Control System Upgrade Replacement will be received at Oberlin City Hall, 85 South Main Street, Oberlin, Ohio 44074, at the office of the Public Works, until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 23, 2021, at which time and place said bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

2. The contract documents and specifications are available on the City of Oberlin's website at www.cityofoberlin. com, under Quick Links and RFP and Projects out for Bid. Documents can also be sent via e-mail by requesting them from office of the Oberlin Municipal Light & Power, Cindy Simons, csimons@omlps.org.

The e-mail subject shall be: "Engine Control Upgrade Replacement Bid Specifications".

3. All bids shall be signed and submitted on the forms found in the contract documents.

Bids shall be submitted in a sealed envelope marked "Bid for Engine Control Upgrade Replacement", addressed to the attention of Doug McMillan, OMLPS Director and delivered prior to the stated bid opening date and time.

Bids received after the stated bid opening date and time will not be accepted and will be returned unopened to the sender.

4. Each bid must be accompanied by either a Bid Guaranty Bond to the satisfaction of the City, or a certified check drawn on a solvent bank, in the sum of 10% of the amount of the bid, made payable to the City of Oberlin, as a guaranty that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and its performance properly secured.

5. The City of Oberlin reserves the right to accept the lowest and best bid, to reject any or all bids, to waive any informalities in the bids received, and to purchase that equipment which, in the sole judgment of the City, will best suit the City's needs.

6. The successful bidder will be required to pay laborers on the job in accordance with the State of Ohio Prevailing Wage determination.

7. All bidders must comply with the provisions of Ordinance No. 951 AC CMS (Equal Employment Opportunity Reports) and with the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

8. A Mandatory pre-bid meeting for this project will be held on Thursday September

16, 2021 at 10am at Oberlin Light and Power System, 289 S. Professor St., Oberlin OH 44074.

The estimated cost is: $285,000.00 Doug McMillan, OMLPS Director L.C.C.G. 9/9-16/21 20689343

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on September 7, 2021. The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Nancy Greer @ 204-2050 (Nancy_Greer@ cityoflorain.org). The following summary of legislation passed has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws.

Resolution 31-21 Fondly remembering the life and legacy of Lorain Businesswoman Marie Bonaminio. 32-21 Supporting the Lorain City Schools 6.8 Mill add'l levy on the 11/2/21 General Election Ballot. 33-21 Auth the S/S Director to waive

the city sidewalk requirements for the project proposed for Martin's Run Wetland Complex. 34-21* Concurring w/ the expenditure of $784,570.55 of ARPA Funds. Ordinance 131-21* Assessing the cost to abate nuisance by demolishing unsafe & vacant buildings through 2020 & 2021. 13221* Auth the S/S Director to accept a grant from LC Solid Waste Management District.

133-21* Assessing the cost to abate nuisance by cutting noxious weeds during current CY. 134-21*Declaring that real property owned by the City @ 3945 W. Erie Ave is available for sale & auth S/S Dir to sell the property. 135-21 Adopting the rec of Planning Commission to rezone 3956 Globe Ave from I-1 to R-2. 136-21Adopting the rec of Planning Commission to rezone 205 W. 21st St. from B-2 to R-3.

137-21* Auth the S/S Director to accept the donation of real property @ 1346 W. Erie Avenue. 138-21 Adopting the rec of Planning Commission to rezone the rear lot behind 205 W. 21st St. from B-2 to R-3. 139-21 Adopting the rec of Planning Commission to rezone 2100 Reid Ave from B-2 to R-3. 140-21 Adopting the rec of Planning Commission to rezone 1657 Broadway from

I-2 to I-1. 141-21* Assessing the cost to abate nuisance by removing garbage/junk/litter during current CY. 142-21* Auth Auditor to pay invoice for $9656.25 submitted by IT Dept invoking the Then & Now Exception process. 143-21* Auth Auditor to pay invoice for $40k submitted by Courts invoking the Then & Now Exception process. 144-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter contract to purchase a new computer server from Dell Technologies to replace old evidence room server. 145-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter contract for purchase of 3 Dodge Chargers & 5 Ford Explorers w/ all emergency equipment installed thru State Purchasing not to exceed $511,619.

146-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter contract for purchase of 9 vehicles w/ all emergency equipment installed thru State Purchasing not to exceed $643k. 147-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter contract for purchase of 3 Chevy Traverses w/ all emergency equipment installed thru State Purchasing not to exceed $87,317. 148-21*Auth the S/S Director to enter contract for purchase of 1 Chevy Malibu w/ all emergency equipment installed thru State Purchasing not to exceed $17,928. 149-21

Wellington Center FREE

September 22, 4 -7pm

Wellington Center 151 Commerce Drive Wellington, Ohio

• Live Music by local artist Ava Rowland • Kids Activities • Free Health Screenings • Games, Food and More!

and open to the public Please RSVP at lorainccc.edu/wellington

Auth the S/S Director to enter into an amendment to a contract w/ HDR Engineering for the Water Treatment Facility Phase 1 Environmental Site Assessment & General Plan.

150-21 Auth the S/S Director to advertise & enter contracts for purchase of chemicals for use in the Utilities Dept, Water, WPC Division. 151-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter into an argrmt w/ Agri-Sludge amending Contact C-18-027 & Ord. 140-18 for the hauling & disposal of sludge. 15221* Auth the S/S Director to purchase w/o competitive bid replacement equipment and parts for the sludge press @ BRWWTP. 153-21 Auth the S/S Director to enter contract w/ lowest/best bidder for Martin's Run Wetland Restoration Program. 154-21* Appropriation. 155-21 Vacating, by petition, a portion of Regina Ave. (60' in width) from the south line of sublots 123 and 303 of the Falbo Subdivision northerly a distance of 20'. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.)

L.C.C.G. 9/16-23/21 20689606

Place your ad: Call (440) 329-7000

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Frustrated, some Amherst parents want school masks JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Calls for a mask mandate are growing louder among Amherst Schools parents as the number of kids sent home with COVID-19 spikes.

The district has had 48 cases so far this year, according to weekly data released last Thursday by the Ohio Department of Health.

The new count listed 213 cases in Lorain County schools. After Amherst, North Ridgeville is next with 40, Lorain has 32 and Avon Lake and Lorain Preparatory Academy round out the top spots with 13 each.

Yet due to tabulation delays, that tally lags far behind reality.

The Amherst Schools — among the largest and first to open in the county — had actually reported more than 80 cases in its first three weeks, according to alerts posted to its website.

There were 18 new cases identified on Wednesday alone, 11 more Thursday and 10 Friday.

Stephanie Lanning, a critical care nurse who works in a COVID unit, is one parent desperate for a school mask rule.

She said she has seen firsthand the devastation the coronavirus causes: “I’m seeing the worst of it, so understandably I’m going to be the one asking people to mask up.”

Lanning is the mother of a kindergartner and a junior high student. She said she has no quarrel with their teachers, but laid the problem at the feet of Superintendent Steve Sayers.

“I don’t know why he wants to continue to further this pandemic along and risk the lives of children and their families,” she said.

Within hours of being interviewed, Lanning reached out again to say her oldest child tested positive for COVID, despite wearing a mask.

“Clearly there are those who want us to issue a mandate, and unfortunately school districts have been put in a position that no matter what we decide, someone is going to be very upset,” Sayers said.

He believes the majority of Amherst Schools families want the ability to make the masking decision for themselves. That assumption is based on anecdotal conversations;

no polling or surveys have been done, he said.

The mask issue is an emotional one and “there are no simple solutions to complex problems,” he said.

Some steps have been taken inside Amherst’s buildings. Principals have tried to put more distance between seats, made adjustments to lunchroom seating and increased sanitization efforts, according to Sayers.

Yet he said neither Gov. Mike DeWine nor county Health Commissioner David Covell have ordered a mask mandate.

That doesn’t mean they’ve been silent on the issue. In mid-August, DeWine held a press conference pleading with local school officials to require masking.

“If you are not requiring masks, please think about it again,” he said. “At the very least, consider requiring masks for the next few weeks when we know the spread level will be very high. You can always go back to not wearing masks when the spread has reduced.”

His televised request came after the Ohio Legislature stripped the state’s executive branch of many of the pandemic-related powers it put to use last year.

Covell repeated Thursday that he recommends masks for everyone in a school setting who is not vaccinated. However, he lacks the authority to put any such requirement in place, and under state law must rely on school superintendents to make that call.

In some areas of the county, superintendents would face a lot of political blowback for doing so, Covell said.

In the Amherst Schools, there have been two major COVID outbreaks this year that Lorain County Public Health has investigated, he said. One involved an extracurricular activity where almost all children were wearing masks, and four later tested positive.

Sayers gave a loose estimate that only about 30 percent of students are wearing masks at Powers Elementary School, 25 percent at Nord Middle School and 10 to 15 percent at Amherst Junior High and Marion L. Steele High School.

He said the fewest cases are at Powers, the junior high and Steele — the schools with both the highest and lowest mask use —

so he does not see a direct connection.

His mind could be changed if contact tracing shows the virus is spreading rapidly from student to student inside school, and Covell insists on a change in policy, Sayers said.

“We’re not anti-mask.

We’re not pro-mask. We’re pro Amherst education,” he said.

One situation that would give Covell’s agency the power to step in with a mandate would involve infection of an entire classroom, grade level or school building.

“We haven’t had anything substantial, to be honest. We haven’t had like an entire fifth grade class,” Covell said.

Not every Amherst parent favors masks.

Responding to a Facebook question about how the Amherst Schools should move ahead, several said mask-wearing should be a personal choice.

“Masks did not stop cases in school last year,” said Sheri Scanlon, for example. “Let the folks that want to wear masks wear them, otherwise leave us alone to make decisions as it pertains to our own families.”

But parents like Jodi Marsh are increasingly anxious about what they should do to protect their kids.

Her son is a fourth-grader at Nord Middle School and returned home sick Friday.

“I got him tested as soon as he came back from school, and he tested positive,” she said.

Marsh said her son attended school full-time in person last year, when there was a statewide mask mandate, and was fine.

Now she’s worried “because I feel like it’s just spreading like wildfire.”

Marsh said she has medical issues. If she gets sick, she can’t afford to quarantine — and if she can’t work, she can’t provide for her child.

She’s part of a Facebook group with roughly 200 members, all concerned about the COVID policies at the Amherst Schools.

Several of those parents have stated that, like Lanning, they were told they could have their kids attend school elsewhere.

They also complained that a federal order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which requires masks to be worn on school buses, is not being followed.

FATAL HEAD-ON COLLISION

Covell said his office, which derives its limited power from the state, cannot enforce the CDC’s order. The CDC has no local enforcement arm.

Marsh and Lanning said a large number of parents have talked about going to the Amherst school board’s Sept. 27 meeting with a list of concerns, with masks at the top.

Those parents are nervous that they’ll end up with kids learning remotely again if the virus continues to spread, they said.

Leah Nagy has already made that jump for her daughter, who started the year as a fifth-grader at Nord Middle School.

At an open house, Nagy saw very few teachers, staff or other students wearing masks. The breaking point came when her daughter expressed worries about sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with other kids at lunchtime, when masks come off.

With a teenage son who has a weakened immune system, Nagy said she decided to enroll her daughter in an online public school for the rest of the year.

Danielle Miskov-Dziak also has to worry about the heightened risk for her infant son, who is fighting cancer. She wants a mask mandate to lower the chances that her four-yearold boy, who is in preschool in Amherst, doesn’t carry COVID home and infect his brother.

“These children are expecting us to protect them and take care of them,” Miskov-Dziak said. “I keep seeing more parents

speak up and I feel like we have a responsibility to do so as well.”

Loraine Ritchey is concerned that her grandchildren, who are fourth- and seventh-graders, could become ill if the Amherst Schools continue without a mask mandate.

Following a surgery last year, her older grandchild is at a higher risk for health complications if he gets COVID. The younger one was exposed to the virus Wednesday at school, she said.

For Ritchey, masks are a civil rights issue. She said children are entitled to a public education in a place that is safe, and she doesn’t feel that space has been provided.

That’s why she’s been emailing and calling government officials up and down the chain, trying to find someone willing to issue a mask order.

“I’ve reached out to the state. I’ve reached out to the governor,” she said.

“To put it short, they’re all putting it back on Steve Sayers and the Amherst school board.”

Ritchey emailed several members of the Ohio Board of Education.

President Laura Kohler responded, reiterating that the decision rests with superintendents “Ohio is what is called a “local control” state, which means that policymakers believe that many decisions — including mask policy — are best made by school leaders living and working in the community,” Kohler wrote. “I have heard from many parents with similar

concerns, and I always advise them to continue to communicate with your board members and your superintendent.”

Kirsten Hill of Amherst, who sits on the state Board of Education, also replied: “You may be able to gather more perspective regarding the actual level of threat of ailing from the Wuhan virus on children in Lorain County by attending a meeting of the Lorain County Board of Health,” she wrote.

Hill used the slang label for the virus due to the first outbreak being recorded in Wuhan, China.

Ritchey also contacted Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, and received a fairly canned response from an aide. It linked to recommendations the state released in July for reopening K-12 schools.

For Covell, the next great hope lies with the approval of a COVID vaccine for children under age 12. He said he hopes it is available before the onset of flu season in November or December.

He also acknowledged that many parents will refuse to have their kids vaccinated.

In the short term, he is hopeful that COVID cases will decline in the next few weeks, based on trends in Texas, Florida and other parts of the country.

But Covell is wary of how cases could flare up again once the weather turns cold. Just like last November, once temperatures push people inside, there is a greater risk of viral spread.

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One man is dead and a woman seriously injured following a head-on crash last Thursday afternoon in Penfield Township. The State Highway Patrol responded to Route 301 near Indian Hollow Road just after 1:30 p.m. A 2003 Ford F-650 driven by John Gibbons, 45, of Wellington, was traveling north on Route 301 and a 2020 Freightliner driven by Melissa Rowan, 50, of Akron, was traveling south when one of the vehicles went left-of-center and hit the other head-on, according to the patrol. Drugs or alcohol are not suspected. The crash remains under investigation.

HOURS: Monday-Friday: 8AM-6PM Saturday: 8AM-4PM • Sunday: CLOSED LOCATED 1 HALF MILE SOUTH OF RT. 20 ON RT. 58 15788 OH. RT. 58 OBERLIN, OH 440-775-FARM (3276) MCCONNELLMEATSANDFARMMARKET.COM

Page A6

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Where is spread happening?

OBERLIN ELEMENTARY

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA TWP. — What has contract tracing over the past 18 months shown? That funerals and weddings are still the riskiest events for the spread of COVID-19, according to Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell.

“They’re where people get together and hug each other,” he said Friday. “They are emotional scenarios.”

As the sharp rise in summer cases continues, Covell said sleepovers, birthday parties and playdates with large groups of people all continue to be big “spreader” gatherings.

Some workplaces — particularly mass childcare settings and manufacturers — are also concerns because of cramped quarters.

But outbreaks aren’t like they used to be.

Last year, county health officials watched as carriers spread the virus around to 10 or a dozen other people.

Now, thanks to vaccines, an “outbreak” means transmission to two or three others, said Covell.

Nor are the results as threatening, he said. While some are being hospitalized, they are almost exclusively those who have chosen not to be vaccinated. Only about 15 percent of new cases are “breakthroughs,” meaning they are among people who received vaccines.

Those who have gotten shots are in general riding out comparatively mild symptoms.

A few surprising findings for contact tracers: They are not seeing spread spiking in places like bars, restaurants, worship services and grocery stores, which were all points of concern early in the pandemic.

Covell said he remains concerned about crowded public spaces. His advice: Try to go grocery or clothes shopping on a weekday and at non-peak times when the aisles are a little emptier. Use self-checkouts. And always take a mask in your pocket — if the store is fuller than expected, mask up to be safer.

It is too early to tell whether schools will be epicenters for viral spread this year, with many not enforcing maskwearing. The Lorain, Oberlin Elyria, Sheffield-Sheffield Lake, Avon, Avon Lake and Clearview schools all have masking requirements, at least for younger grade levels.

The Lorain County JVS and Lake Ridge Academy have also mandated masks.

In Amherst, where masks are recommended but not required, there have been 26 student cases and two staff cases as of Friday, according to the Ohio Department of Health. The district reported seven additional cases to parents later in the afternoon.

Covell said most of Amherst’s cases have been traced to outside-of-school spread, however.

There is no evidence to substantiate a rumor that spread was caused by fifth grade band students passing around mouthpieces to try out different instruments, Covell said.

North Ridgeville is making the transition to a masking policy that went into effect after Labor Day. It comes after the district reported 21 student cases and two staff cases to the state so far this year.

“We saw last year you’re pretty secure in school as long as there’s masking,” Covell said. In his mind, masks should be worn at least by children ages 11 and under, who do not yet have access to vaccines.

That may change very soon. Experts suspect the U.S. Food and Drug Administration could give emergency authorization for vaccine use to children ages five to 11 by November.

Everyone who is eligible and able should get a vaccine, said Covell.

But with just over 50 percent of Lorain County’s population vaccinated, interest in the free shots has slowed tremendously. Where clinics used to cater to thousands in a day, they now welcome around 150 per week.

“It’s slow and steady,” said Covell, but the demand isn’t what it once was.

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

State Rep. Joe Miller, Oberlin Schools Superintendent David Hall, Board of Education President Jason Williams and school board members Farah Emeka, Anne Schaum and Ken Stanley cut the ribbon for the new Oberlin Elementary School on Sunday, Sept. 12.

Ceremony marks a new era JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the $17.8 million Oberlin Elementary School was held Sunday.

The North Park Street building — where classes started Aug. 30 — was opened to the public for tours, with free hot dogs and cupcakes.

Superintendent David Hall credited his predecessor, the late John Schroth, as key to developing the vision for the new school.

“We know without his vision, this would not have been possible,” said Hall, standing front of the preschool through fifth grade facility.

Schroth saw the writing on the walls of the aging Eastwood and Prospect elementary schools, and pushed for years to get plans rolling for construction. He died of cancer in April 2015, long before his plans would come to fruition.

It took more than a decade for voters and the Oberlin Board of Education to rally around a design for a new building — crucial to the effort was a 2018 tax to fund construction.

With Prospect and Eastwood now closed, Oberlin Elementary is now home to nearly 400 students.

“This is a prime example of what we can accomplish together, not by working in silos but by working in unison,” school board President Jason Williams said Sunday.

State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, congratulated the Oberlin community for creating a place for the city’s children to learn.

“Not only did you say, ‘We’re

Mask question raised as Wellington Schools open JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — After two days of classes, the Wellington Schools already had their first two student cases of COVID-19.

Both contracted the virus after being exposed to it outside of school, according to Superintendent Ed Weber. Another 10 students were quarantined.

“We haven’t been in school very long, so if they were school spread cases it would be real quick, because we’ve only been open two days,” he said in a special meeting Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Board of Education members spent much of the meeting discussing whether a mandatory mask policy should be imposed, as has been done in the neighboring Oberlin City Schools and at the Lorain County JVS. Though all school board members were masked, some, like Kevin Stump, are not in favor of forcing students to wear face coverings.

Weber said he plans to take a wait-and-see approach. “We’re going to look at local data and see where we’re at with that,” he said.

Tracking by the Ohio Department of Health, last updated Sept. 9, showed 213 cases already this semester at Lorain County public and private schools.

Some form of mask rule has now been

adopted by Avon, Avon Lake, Clearview, Elyria, Lake Ridge Academy, Lorain, Lake Ridge Academy, Oberlin, North Ridgeville and Sheffield-Sheffield Lake.

Weber said he is not adverse to adding Wellington to that list, but the decision will depend on whether contact tracers determine the coronavirus is spreading inside the school setting.

That isn’t what has been seen so far, he said. Classrooms don’t seem to pose much of a danger for transmission since students are distanced from each other, but cafeterias, sports and district-sanctioned social events pose a higher risk.

He also said a handful of staff members have shared concerns that the district should be more proactive in stopping the spread of the virus so school buildings don’t have to close their doors again, like they did last year.

Case rates locally and statewide are starting off at a much higher level this school year than last, according to health department data.

On Tuesday, Lorain County Public Health said there were 814 confirmed COVID-19 cases here.

In the meantime, Weber told board members he could send a message to parents, warning that if voluntary mask use stays low and cases increase, a mandate is likely.

Should that become a reality, the Wellington Schools have a large stockpile of masks that could be distributed on short notice, he said.

Four-year-old Pavel Kinney-Chesakov hasn’t started school yet, but he scoped out the new elementary’s library Sunday, looking at books and getting ready to attend next year. going to do it,’ but ‘We’re going to do it the right way,’” he said. “And that’s something to be proud of.”

Few have more cause for pride than the school’s chief architect, Brad Gellert.

He said it’s hard for most people to understand just how long it takes for a project like a $17.8 million school to get moving.

Oberlin residents knew they needed a change, Gellert said. To get it, they had to make a long-term commitment.

The result of that investment can be measured in durable terrazzo floors and flexible learning spaces that can change to meet the needs of

each generation, he said.

The new elementary boasts a larger gym than the state would financially support — the Board of Education insisted on paying for the upgrade — and both rooftop and groundmounted solar arrays that next year will meet an estimated 85 percent of its energy needs.

Gellert said the building was designed to be as sustainable as possible on its tight budget, and to have a minimum impact on the environment. His firm, ThenDesign Architecture, hopes the school will achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver rating.

GAWLICK SWORN IN

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Ptl. Sean Gawlick was sworn in Friday as Amherst’s newest full-time police officer. In a ceremony held just outside the North Lake Street ceremony, he gave a solemn oath to city Safety Service Director John Jeffreys. Gawlick worked for the department part-time from December 2015 to March 2018, before going to the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re happy to have have Sean back,” said Lt. Mark Cawthon, who oversees road patrol operations.

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Fair attendance numbers being kept under wraps JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Attendance numbers for the 2021 Lorain County Fair are not being made public.

Fair Secretary Charisse Nikel initially said the numbers would take until about Friday, Sept. 3 to tabulate. Reached last Tuesday, Nikel said she was instructed not to release attendance figures.

Instead, she gave a prepared statement: “Despite rising COVID numbers, and seven days of heat, humidity and rain, more than 100,000 people came out and enjoyed the 2021 Lorain County Fair.”

Historically, the fair has released daily attendance numbers based on ticket sales, showing which days were most popular, and indicating how much revenue the fair took in from admission.

At $6 per visitor, “more than

100,000 people” throughout the week would have meant earnings of at least $600,000.

But it’s unclear whether that ballpark figure was for paid for entry, or whether it includes campers, exhibitors, vendors and unpaid visitors.

Admission was free and gates were unmanned on Sunday, Aug. 22, which was the unofficial opening of the fair. Seniors over age 65, veterans and active duty military were allowed

into the fairgrounds for free on Thursday, Aug. 26.

Fair board President Marie Waite did not answer calls or respond to a message Tuesday seeking comment.

In the days leading up to opening day in Wellington, after seeing mixed results at fairs in neighboring Medina and Huron counties, she had expressed uncertainty about how many people would attend.

Waite said at the time she would

Surprise party

be happy to see about three-quarters of the normal turnout.

In 2019, there were 117,403 admission tickets sold, so threequarters would be just a little over 88,000 people.

The Lorain County Fair is not a public entity, and its records are for the most part not subject to Ohio’s Sunshine Laws. But it does receive public money its finances are audited by the Ohio Secretary of State’s office.

Connect to a Cause campaign aims to boost 65 nonprofits JASON HAWK EDITOR

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Ohio Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell poses with his mother Retta, wife Donna and son Korey.

Russell named 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — What Phoenix athletes thought was a fall sports pep rally last Thursday morning was much more.

When Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria walked to the front of the Oberlin High School gymnasium, their suspicions grew.

Something was up.

“Right now, Oberlin High School is going to have bragging rights,” he told teens, announcing that longtime history teacher and basketball coach Kurt Russell is the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year.

“I don’t have to tell you how

amazing this man is,” he managed to say before his words were drowned out by cheers.

A veteran teacher of 25 years, Russell was named one of four finalists for the state’s top education honor in July.

Also in the running were Allison Tomlin of Upper Arlington Schools, Maggie Oliver of Akron Schools and Carla Neely of the Cleveland school district.

“I want to congratulate Mr. Russell on being named Ohio’s Teacher of the Year,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a written statement. “All of Ohio’s teachers have shown their dedication and commitment to our students especially during the ongoing pandemic.”

DeMaria said Russell stood out

because of his “enthusiasm and joy for learning that is contagious among his students and colleagues.”

The more he learned about Russell’s work at Oberlin High School, the more inspired he was, the state superintendent said.

State Sen. Nathan Manning was also impressed.

Lorain County is blessed to have so many great teachers, he said — and coming from a family of educators himself, Manning said he understands that it takes a lot of dedication both inside and outside the classroom.

He presented Russell with a proclamation recognizing his hard work.

Taking the microphone, Russell RUSSELL PAGE B2

$376K plan could finally open Underground Railroad Center JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — It’s taken nearly 15 years, but at last a $376,000 renovation plan could make the long-dreamed-of Oberlin Underground Railroad Center a reality.

For Jessie Reeder, seeing the museum open can’t happen fast enough.

“We as African-Americans have no place of our own in Oberlin. It’s the reason I decided to become a part of this,” she said.

Reeder is the chair of the team that advises City Council on development of the center. She has been involved in planning since 2009, after retiring from her job as a teacher.

Many of those who took up the cause with her long ago grew frustrated with delays, friction and stalled

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

The Gasholder Building, or “Round House” as it’s also known, sits on South Main Street next to the George A. Abram Memorial Pavilion. Plans call for the 132-year-old structure to become the Oberlin Underground Railroad Center. progress, she said. Problems intensified last year, when the team’s talks were largely put on hold due to the pandemic.

In a meeting last Wednes-

day afternoon, she pushed the commission to reach a consensus on construction that could potentially allow the Underground Railroad Center to open next year.

“I don’t have many more years for dragging feet,” she said afterward. “I’d like to at least know it’s going to happen.”

The museum will go in the old “Round House” on South Main Street. Also known as the Gasholder Building, it dates back to 1889 and was originally used to store coal gas needed to heat and light the city.

But the structure is in desperate need of repair.

KS Associates of Elyria put forward a plan in late July to replace portions of its concrete flooring and deteriorated support beams, replace the building’s drainage system, install new wiring and ventilation and other improvements.

The goal, according to City Manager Rob Hillard, is to make the building CENTER PAGE B2

AMHERST TWP. — With the pandemic still hampering fundraising efforts, 65 local nonprofits are hoping donors step forward Thursday in the 2nd Annual Connect to a Cause crowdfunding campaign.

Its goal is to raise $250,000 during a 12-hour drive.

The event isn’t exactly a telethon, though there will be live interviews throughout the day on the Community Foundation of Lorain County’s Facebook page.

Instead, residents are asked to browse a catalog of worthy causes between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. that day at peoplewhocare.org.

There you can support a wide range of groups such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Lorain County, Blessing House, Cornerstone Pregnancy Services, the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts, Friends of the Elyria Public Library, Legal Aid Society of Cleveland, Genesis House, Neighborhood Alliance and Partners with Paws.

“A lot of them were not able to do their fundraisers last year, so they put everything into Connect with a Cause,” said Community Foundation spokeswoman Brittany Lovett.

While some big public events have returned so far in 2021, she said many nonprofits remain wary of fundraisers where the virus could spread, she said.

The 12-hour virtual campaign is a safer alternative.

This year’s Connect to a Cause boasts two new features: First, there will be “golden hours” from 10-11 a.m. and 3-4 p.m. Nonprofits will get a free entry for a $1,000 drawing for each unique donor who gives during those windows.

Second, more than 20 “business champions” are partnering with the foundation’s board of directors this year to provide a $42,000 prorated match for all participating nonprofits.

Among those champions is The Mermaid’s Tale, an Amherst boutique owned by Community Foundation Board Member Judy Recknagel. It will host a fundraiser from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Sept. 16-17, with 20 percent of sales going to organizations participating in Connect to a Cause.

In addition to the main online campaign, checks postmarked by Thursday, Sept. 16 can be sent to 9080 Leavitt Rd., Elyria, OH 44035. Cash and check donations are also being accepted in person there at the Community Foundation office.

A donation form found on the foundation’s website must be included for gifts to count. The minimum gift amount is $5.

Lovett said money is already rolling in, but isn’t being counted yet. That will wait until Thursday, when a preliminary total will be announced at 8 p.m.

The final results will be published in October.

Last year, Connect to a Cause raised $147,000 in donations from 1,056 individuals, with a $40,000 match.

1960-2021

Celebrating 61 years in service!

Beriswill

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Page B2

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

New to You sale

Altrusa International of Lorain County will hold its annual “New to You” sale from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 17 and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept.

18 at 803 North Main St., Amherst.

Proceeds go to support the nonprofit’s service projects throughout the county. Altrusa International of Lorain County is a local chapter of a worldwide service organization. Its goal is to make the community better through leadership, partnership and service.

Service projects focus on promoting literacy, fostering patriotism and performing needed service around Lorain County. Membership is open to individuals who wish to make a difference. Dinner meetings are quarterly on the third Wednesday of designated months.

For additional information, contact kloughrie74@ gmail.com with the subject line Altrusa.

Shred Day in Oberlin

Lorain County residents can drop off paper documents to be shredded for free from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 18 at the former Green Acres site on the corner of Oberlin Road and East College Street in Oberlin. Only personal documents will be accepted.

Those from companies, schools, churches and other organizations will not be accepted.

For more information, contact Oberlin Recycling Coordinator Lori Sprosty at (440) 935-0096 or recycling@ cityofoberlin.com.

Fall story times

Herrick Memorial Library’s fall story times run from Sept. 21 through Oct. 27.

Family story times for ages two to five will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. Baby story times will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesdays. Register your children at the library or by calling (440) 647-2120.

RUSSELL

FROM B1 said he doesn’t feel it is work when he steps inside the high school’s doors each morning. The building is a place where he can thrive.

“I’m standing here not because I’m so good,” he said, choking up and taking a moment to compose himself. “It’s students who inspire me each and every day.”

Russell told his students he values their intelligence, their athleticism and their eagerness to learn. He also thanked them for the respect they show him.

Whether in class or on the court, Russell said his goal is to make sure students feel they are appreciated, especially those who are often marginalized.

He pledged to use his platform as Ohio Teacher of the Year to spread a message of equity, restorative justice and representation across the state.

As he stepped away for photos, teens stood to chant Russell’s name.

Russell teaches AfricanAmerican history, U.S. history, International Baccalaureate history of the Americas and a course on race, gender and oppression in American and world history.

He is also advisor to the Black Student Union, student council and junior class.

This is far from his first award. Over the years, Russell has been recognized by the Oberlin Heritage Center Oberlin

Ohio Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria wears a Phoenix T-shirt under his jacket Thursday while addressing students in the Oberlin High School gymnasium. “You know and I know that teachers are what make it happen,” he said. “Teachers are what make going to school special.” chapter of the NAACP, and has been the Lorain County Basketball Association’s Coach of the Year and the Northeast Ohio

Coach of the Year.

“Over 100,000 teachers in the state of Ohio and we have the best,” said Principal Brent Betts.

CENTER

FROM B1 usable for small group gatherings of up to 49 people. The first floor interior will host museum exhibits and will be rented out.

But not all Underground Railroad commission members were on the same page in Wednesday’s meeting. One — former councilman and Planning Commission member Tony Mealy — argued against plans to seal the basement with concrete, saying it should be made usable.

He said the work should be done at a fraction of the price quoted by KS Associates, though Oberlin Code Administrator Chris Yates disagreed in a series of heated exchanges.

“In its current condition, it is not safe to take risks with people’s lives, putting them above deteriorated beams,” Yates told Mealy.

Taking a conciliatory approach, Hillard said he would be glad to investigate alternative construction ideas from Mealy. In the meantime, the commission

decided to ask Council to approve the bulk of the work the Elyria engineering firm has suggested, including stabilization of the basement level.

Hillard said he expects the proposal to go before Council by the end of the year.

When it does, funding will be a big question.

“How it’s paid for is critical, and that will be part of the conversation moving forward,” Hillard said — there has been some money budgeted for renovations, but not nearly enough to cover what KS Associates is seeking.

When or if the Underground Railroad Center is completed, Reeder said it should be a place for family reunions, Juneteenth celebrations, concerts, Christmas programs and classroom visits.

But most importantly, it should be used as a reminder of the subjugation that people of color experienced in America’s early centuries. Reeder said the museum should have depictions

of slavery painted on the walls as a reminder of what African-Americans endured.

“Other historians in town deal with abolitionists. No one talks about the slaves,” she said.

The first exhibit is already prepared.

It will tell the story of Lee Howard Dobbins, a four-year-old orphan who escaped from slavery in Kentucky and journeyed north.

When Lee became sick with tuberculosis, his adopted mother continued on to Canada, leaving the boy in Oberlin, where he died in 1853.

Oberlin townfolk buried the child and held a funeral at First Church with 1,000 people attending.

Lee was buried at the old Professor Street Cemetery, and his body was later moved to an unknown location at Westwood Cemetery. His gravestone, now part of the Oberlin College Archives, reads, “Let Slavery Perish: Lee Howard Dobbins.”

THE 1990s

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

FR

CAR SHOW

FOOD

EE

COMMUNITY PIG ROAST

FAMILY FUN

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2ND 4 to 8 PM FAITH BAPTIST CHURCH 440 N. LAKE ST., AMHERST, OH For More Info Call (440) 988-8255

ACROSS 1. Ridden or pushed around yard 6. Chlorofluorocarbon 9. Spiral-horned antelope 13. Make a canyon, e.g.

14. Much of this about nothing?

15. Forest destroyers 16. Basic belief 17. Popular pickup 18. Lake scum 19. *Popular email service eventually bought by Microsoft 21. *CD “maker” 23. FEMA’s assistance 24. Musician’s time to shine 25. Stephen King’s Christine, e.g.

28. Plural of locus 30. Mongolian monetary unit 35. Wraths 37. Jar covers 39. Like yellow polka dot bikini?

40. Desert in China and Mongolia 41. Knight’s mount 43. Cogito ____ sum 44. Change the Constitution, e.g.

46. Ready and eager 47. Table mineral 48. *Jennifer Aniston-inspired haircut, with “the” 50. Bank on 52. Modern prefix 53. Beacon light 55. Oolong, e.g.

57. *____ Sese Seko, overthrown Zairian dictator 60. *African National Congress leader released from prison 64. Like a candle?

65. *1997’s “Fly” by Sugar ____ 67. Lowest point 68. Smart ____ 69. Marching insect 70. Opposite of digest 71. *Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan’s domain 72. Employer Assisted Housing, acr.

73. Fender bender consequences DOWN 1. Crystalline hydrochloride, colloquially 2. Nabisco top best-seller 3. Refuses to 4. Bodily swelling 5. Not wholesale

6. Lewis of sprinting and long jumping fame 7. Vaccine-approving agency, acr.

8. Burger, fries and soda 9. Brick-drying oven 10. It’s hard to resist 11. Precedes Abby 12. Consume, as in drugs 15. Slang for radical or cool, 2 words 20. America’s singer choices 22. Last, abbr.

24. Weapon in a holster 25. Fidel Castro’s smoke 26. Pleasant odor 27. Renaissance instrument resembling a violin 29. *TV hit “Sex and the ____” 31. “Bee ____” 32. What many TV hits have done

33. Fireplace 34. *_____ Protocol, climate change-related international treaty 36. Hyperbolic sine 38. Withered 42. COVID-19 variant 45. Expose the falseness 49. “____ the Games Begin!”

51. Pined 54. Sign of a saint, pl.

56. “Bad news travels fast,” e.g.

57. Algeria’s neighbor 58. Plow-pulling duo 59. *”Where It’s At” singer 60. Urban story 61. Adam and Eve’s garden 62. *Oscar winner “Schindler’s ____” 63. A in BA 64. *Gulf ____ or Bosnian ____ 66. American Nurses Association

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

SPORTS

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

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

Falcons over Dukes in LC League opener

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

TOP: Wellington's Drew Unangst leads the Dukes onto the field carrying the American flag. ABOVE: Firelands' Kyle Ransom prepares to make a pass. BELOW: Firelands' Weston Strader tries to get through the Wellington line.

A 58-yard touchdown pass from Ty Moore to Jon Brasee in the third quarter had Dukes fans on their feet and hoping for a comeback Friday night during the Lorain County League opener. After struggling to find the goal line in the first 24 minutes of regulation — despite excitement over a fumbled Falcons punt — Wellington opened the second half with a solid drive to score.

But the maroon and white was unable to tack another TD on to its tally, falling 13-6 to Firelands. The Falcons went up in the first quarter on a two-yard run by Weston Strader, and extended their lead in the second with a four-yarder from Kyle Ransom. The game featured two missed PATs, though Timmy Phillips made his second of the night count to extend the Firelands lead.

COMETS COME OUT ON TOP Angelo Angel | Amherst News-Times

Amherst’s Nia Hall spikes the ball at Steele High School last Thursday. Both Southwestern Conference teams entered the match with perfect records, but it was the Comets who went on to win 3-1, with sets of 25-22, 25-13, 21-25 and 25-20.

Laken Voss had an amazing 29 kills and 18 digs in the contest, while Lindsey McConihe cleaned up with 16 digs and 17 serve receives.

HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP Football • Keystone players ran up their stats Friday night in a 55-6 drubbing of Oberlin. Ryne Shackelford started things off for the Wildcats with an 85-yard kickoff return. They didn’t need to put the ball in the air much, marching seven straight touchdowns in on the ground before Oberlin’s Andre Yarber could answer on a three-yard quarterback carry. Zach Shakelford added insult to injury by tacking on an eighth Keystone TD, running 51 yards to the goal. Gideon Lampron had three rushing touchdowns of 31, 42 and 25 yards. Konner Rodick put in two and Evan Maiden had one. AJ Stroud rounded out the Wildcats scoring with a two-point conversion run.

• Scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter alone, Columbia crushed Black River’s hopes. Building on an opening six points from Marco Cirigliano and a Frank Washburn PAT, the Raiders walked off the field with a 40-12 victory. Andrew Champagne had three touchdown runs for Columbia and threw two more to Drexton Friscone and Cody Davis. Brandon Rollin scored both Pirates TDs, first on a 12-yard pass from Andon O’Neal and then on a four-yard scramble.

Girls Cross Country • The Comets finished fourth of 19 teams Saturday at the Seneca East Stars, Stripes and Lights Invitational. Catherine Turner led the Amherst girls with a 16th place finish, followed by Marisa Del Valle in 19th and Aurora Wilson in 20th place. Junior Hailey Counts finished third in the open race after leading for more than half the course.

Boys Cross Country • Amherst’s runners placed 17th overall among 28 teams Saturday at the Tiffin Cross Country Carnival’s Division 1-A race. Luke Bowlsby led the Comets boys with a 16:04.9 finish for sixth place. Ty Perez was a step be-

hind in 18th place at 16:07.3. Amherst placed 13th of 27 teams in the open race, with senior Seyveon Plaza finishing 54th of 439 runners with a time of 19:36.

Girls Soccer • Brecksville-Broadview Heights downed the Comets 2-0 in Southwestern Conference action. Eva Sunjevaric scored both goals for the Bees.

• A penalty kick by Jordyn Bena put Amherst up for a 3-2 victory over Midview. The late goal built on earlier strikes by the Comets’ Juliet Seng and Bena. Amherst outshot the Middies 23-6; keeper Liv Fain had four saves, while her Midview counterpart, Brynn Willard, had six.

• Firelands shut out Oberlin 7-0 despite eight saves by Phoenix goalie Katelyn Streator. The Falcons spread the glory around, with goals

by Jaileena Trimble, Nevaeh Floyd, Ariannah Floyd, Bella Simmons, Morgan Janicek, Amanda Mitchell and Cara Mitchell.

Boys Soccer • Valley Forge topped the Comets 2-1. Sean McQuate scored for the Comets off an Alex Pennington assist. Goalie Johnny Janosik made four saves in his first varsity start.

• Ryan Graber and Blake Kubasak had first half goals for the Comets — but the outcome of the wild game with perennial Southwestern Conference foe Midview was anyone’s guess until the final minute. Amherst eventually won 5-3 on the strength of a goal by Alex Pennington and a second from Kubasak, plus a late insurance goal by Landon Plumb.

Volleyball • Amherst defeated Sylvania Northview 3-1, going 25-16, 25-27, 25-15, 25-18. Nia Hall had 15 kills for the Comets, while Laken Voss had 25 serve receives and 16 digs and Ava Haddix had 28 assists.

• Keystone kept Oberlin to single digits in a 3-0 sweep, winning 25-4, 25-9, 25-5.

HELP OBERLIN WIN the Efficiency Smart Online Home Energy Assessment Community Challenge!

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 ......... ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS – 4:00 P.M. – 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, 69 S. MAIN STREET PURPOSE: To hear an application for a sign variance for a proposed banner sign to be located at 23 S. Main Street SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 ......... COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE – 8:00 A.M. – OBERLIN FIRE DEPT. - 430 S. MAIN STREET - CANCELED SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 ......... CITY COUNCIL PRE-BUDGET WORK SESSION – 10:00 A.M. – OBERLIN FIRE DEPT. - 430 S. MAIN STREET SEPTEMBER 20, 2021 ......... REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 P.M. – COUNCIL CHAMBERS SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 ......... HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION – 7:00 P.M. – 2ND FLOOR CONFERENCE ROOM, 69 S. MAIN STREET SEPTEMBER 21, 2021 ......... RECREATION COMMISSION – 7:00 P.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 2 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.

TAKE AN

ENERGY ASSESSMENT

GET

REWARDED

HELP YOUR

COMMUNITY WIN

Complete a free online assessment by September 30 and earn a $5 voucher for Efficiency Smart’s Online Savings store and be entered into a drawing to win your choice of any item from Efficiency Smart’s store.

Only residential electric customers of a participating utility are eligible.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE Visit www.efficiencysmart.org/oberlin-ohio and select “Online Home Energy Assessment”

One of the energy efficiency initiatives offered in partnership between

Page B4

Lorain County Community Guide

BEES DOMINATE

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

FARAGO TOO MUCH FOR COMETS

Photos by Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

When the Comets won, they won big, with a 25-5 set. But the rest of the night belonged to the Medina Bees, who went 26-24, 25-23, 2725 to claim a 3-1 victory over Amherst. Laken Voss had 24 kills in the match, while Ava Haddix put up an outstanding 44 assists. Voss and Lindsey McConihe each recorded 20 digs, while Sidney Hooks contributed 15. Voss and McConihe each had 19 serve receives, with Sydney Alton recording another 13.

ABOVE: Amherst’s Laken Voss gets the kill against Medina.

Taking their fourth straight loss of the season, the Comets found paydirt in three of four quarters Friday night, but still lost 39-21 to North Ridgeville. The Rangers opened strong on a short run by Dom Farago and a 24-yard pass from Jacob Madis to Kosta Thrasivoulou, with Bella Antonio adding the PATs. But it was a 19-point second quarter that did in the Comets, as Ridgeville rinsed and repeated. Farago ended with four TD runs and 145 yards on the ground to his name, and Thrasivoulou added a second TD to his ledger to finish with 112 rushing yards. Amherst had a few weapons of its own: Christian Heckmann, who converted on a 17-yard run to get the Comets on the board, while Torre Weatherspoon pushed it in from 10 yards out and Mason Fisher caught a 26-yarder from Heckmann to finalize the score. Heckmann ran up 174 yards through the air, completing 11 of 14 passes, while Madis made seven of 13 for 100 yards. The Comets also blocked not one but two Rangers PAT attempts. ABOVE: Senior Tristian Pijor scrambles for the sideline.

SWC RIVALS BATTLE ON THE COURT Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Kaylee Pajor makes a strong return in first singles action for the Comets.

Southwestern Conference rival Avon topped the Comets 3-2 in girls tennis action last week:

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• In first singles, Amherst’s Kaylee Pajor defeated Victoria Sidoti 4-6, 6-2, 12-10 • In second singles, Avon’s Perri O’Malley defeated Brooke Bratovich 6-1, 6-2 • In third singles, Avon’s Kaitlyn Reaser defeated Mia Atkinson 6-1, 6-0.

• In first doubles, Amherst’s Carly Traut and Elaine Kapalin defeated Tori Doenges and Bailey Dudziak 6-3, 6-2 • In second doubles, Avon’s Hailey Henderson and Rylee Jones defeated Emily Novak and Dakoda Perkins 6-4, 6-0

FALCONS FLY TO A 3-0 WIN 38th Annual

f o t t h s e e Arts v r a H Sunday

September 19, 2021 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Live Entertainment • Quilt Raffle Fine Arts • Folk Art • Children’s Activities

On the Square • Wellington, Ohio Free Admission • Rain or Shine Sponsored by the Friends of The Herrick Memorial Library

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Dukes fell to Firelands in straight sets Sept. 9. The Falcons went 25-20, 25-13, 25-10. Grace Tansey put up an incredible 28 assists and 13 digs for Firelands, while Layne Riley had 13 digs and Lexi Mack had 11 kills. For Wellington, McKenna Chappell recorded 11 points and 12 assists, while Lindsey Gott had 10 digs. ABOVE: Wellington’s McKenna Chappell shows her disappointment as Firelands celebrates the final point in the match.

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

3-1 LEAD LOST

Page B5

DEFENSE WINS IT

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

The Phoenix jumped ahead early on goals from Asa Rosen-Jones (2) and Justin Chambers to carry a 3-1 lead into halftime. But the second half was all Wildcats as they stormed back to claim a 4-3 victory, dropping Oberlin's record to 1-3 overall, 1-1 in the Lorain County League. That record sank further over the weekend as the Phoenix suffered a 2-0 loss to neighboring Firelands. Oberlin will next play at home this Saturday against Crestwood.

First touch is slated for 1 p.m. PICTURED: Junior Roman Bynum Robinson heads the ball in play early last week.

Thomas Fetcenko | Amherst News-Times

Bay's Lily Frey guards Amherst's Juliet Seng as she kicks the ball down the field Saturday. The Rockets shutout the Comets 6-0, its defenders holding Amherst to just four shots on goal.

UNEVEN MATCH

FALCONS BURN PHOENIX Angelo Angel | Oberlin NewsTribune

Oberlin keeper Jovanni Neal makes the catch to stop a potential goal Saturday at Oberlin High School. The Falcons took a 2-0 win with goals by Aidan Newman and Brock Grude.

ON THE FRITZ

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Grace Hagerman scored for Keystone, but a landslide of goals from the Dukes made for a 7-1 Wellington victory. Maddie Lewis, Nadia Greer and Amanda Spiekerman each had one, while Savannah Gundert and Natalie Calfo each put two past Wildcats keeper Caitlyn Minney, who ended the day with 11 saves. Wellington goalie Whitney Kischner had five. ABOVE: Wellington's Amanda Spiekerman navigates the Keystone defense.

KEYSTONE DOMINATES Russ Gifford | Enterprise

Keystone roared Saturday in a 6-0 shutout over the Dukes boys. Scoring for the Wildcats were Tristan Miller, Baden Cuson, Camden Fraser and Zander Yoho. Wellington goalie Conor Norton had a difficult day, with four saves, while Kevin Seman and Zach Longachre split duties in the ‘Cats net with seven saves apiece. LEFT: Wellington's Spencer Brasee steals the ball against Keystone.

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin dropped a 4-1 decision to Lorain County League foe Keystone last week. Senior co-captain Anna Fritz, pictured here, tickled the twine for the Phoenix lone score in the 66th minute.

HELP WELLINGTON WIN the Efficiency Smart Online Home Energy Assessment Community Challenge!

2021 Lorain County Fall Farm Tour Sponsored by Lorain County Farm Bureau

Saturday, September 25, 2021 • 12:00-5:00 PM Drive Yourself - Start at any stop and pick up a flyer Stop 1: Fenik’s Sweet Corn - 6413 Lake Avenue, Elyria Stop 2: Polen Implement - 42255 Oberlin Elyria Rd, Elyria Stop 3: Steve & Diane Jackson’s Farm

- 12050 Oberlin Rd, Oberlin

Stop 4: Whitney Farm - 16315 State Route 511, Oberlin Stop 5: CLA Angus Farm and McConnell Meats & Farm Market

- 15788 State Route 58, Oberlin Come and enjoy the value-added agriculture that Lorain County has to offer!

www.lorain.ofbf.org • 440-877-0706

TAKE AN

ENERGY ASSESSMENT

GET

REWARDED

HELP YOUR

COMMUNITY WIN

Complete a free online assessment by September 30 and earn a $5 voucher for Efficiency Smart’s Online Savings store and be entered into a drawing to win your choice of any item from Efficiency Smart’s store.

Only residential electric customers of a participating utility are eligible.

TAKE THE CHALLENGE Visit www.efficiencysmart.org/wellington-ohio and select “Online Home Energy Assessment”

One of the energy efficiency initiatives offered in partnership between Village of Wellington Utilities and Efficiency Smart.

Page B6

Thursday, Sept. 16, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Check Out Our Website! www.hooksgreenhouse.com

50740 State Rt. 18 Wellington, OH 44090

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Dear Valued Customers, Family and Friends, We are now open for the Fall. Our staff and family had a relaxing time off and we are ready for fall decorating!

We grew around 6,500 mums this year and they are beautiful! We have many fall annuals, so the greenhouse is in bright, happy color with celosia, petunias, pansies and many, many sunflowers!! These all make great pop in color for your tired spring plantings. House plants and mini plants are also ready!

Our pumpkins and squash are not quite ready yet but by the look of our fields, we should have a nice crop.

Our Gift Shop is revamped with loads of seasonal decor, pottery and fall boutique clothing.

We can’t wait to see you all and we hope everyone is safe and healthy. Thank you for all the support!

Charlie and Liz Hook

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