Lorain County Community Guide - Sept. 24, 2020

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LORAIN COUNTY

AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

www.lcnewspapers.com

Volume 7, Issue 39

Liberty Rider carries Lincoln’s words JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Gripping a short plastic tube in his fist, Mike Rhoades strode away from his Harley on Friday afternoon.

A stone's throw away from an Underground Railroad historical marker at the corner of routes 511 and 58 in downtown Oberlin, he popped the cap off the tube and pulled a thin, yellowed parchment from within.

The paper was covered with the handwriting of President Abraham Lincoln, and dated Jan. 1, 1863. It declared "all Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of Mike Rhoades of Oberlin holds a replica of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 1863 document penned by President Abraham a State," to be "thenceforward, and forever free."

Lincoln to set free all people held in slavery.

An after-dark battle over political signs

Rhoades, who lives in Oberlin, is part of the Liberty Ride, a chain of bikers carrying replicas of some of America's most important documents across the nation.

The Bill of Rights is on a trek from Washington state to Washington, D.C., while the Declaration of Independence is making its way across New England.

The Emancipation Proclamation's journey started in "Bloody" Kansas, where violence erupted in the 1850s over whether the state would support slavery or freedom.

A copy of the document has been passed from hand to hand by bikers through Iowa and Minnesota, carried by the George Floyd Memorial in Minneapolis before continuing

to Lincoln's Tomb in Springfield, Illinois.

Rhoades' leg of the journey took it to Oberlin on Friday and Medina Saturday, then on to the May 4 Memorial at Kent State University before heading to Gettysburg.

He said shepherding the parchment was a humbling experience, and one that reminds him America's battle against racism has been long and painful.

"It's a responsibility and it's also a privilege to carry it," he said.

Rhoades served as a cook in the Army from 1969 to 1973 in Korea, Italy and Germany.

Afterward, he worked in the restaurant industry, then the RIDER PAGE A2

CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — A political sign endorsing Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden lasted about a week in Joanne Dickason's yard.

Then it disappeared in the dead of night.

"I have the right to voice my opinion and I'm very upset that somebody took it," said Dickason, a Wellington resident. "I will be replacing it two or threefold. I'm not just going to sit here with no sign."

Stealing and vandalizing political signs is practically a fall sport in Lorain County, especially in presidential election years. And social media is awash right now with complaints about thieves targeting households on both sides of the aisle.

Jamie Horten of LaGrange said he woke up to discover someone had spraypainted "Nazi" on one side of his yard sign supporting President Donald Trump, and POLITICAL SIGNS PAGE A5

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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

Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Cian Liaskos and Molly McGlothlin are crowned Amherst's homecoming kind and queen Friday night. While no parade or dance could be held this year because of the pandemic, students made sure to show their green and gold spirit through the week.

Trick-or-treat? Health commissioner believes Halloween can be done safely DYLAN REYNOLDS THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — As the end of summer draws near amid the COVID-19 pandemic, all eyes are turning to the next season and how the treasured traditions of fall may be affected by the coronavirus.

Near the top of many parents’ list of questions is what trick-or-treating

Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

where you can probably do it pretty safely compared to other things.”

Some of Lorain County Public Health’s advice for Halloween safety, which is available in an infographic on its website, is similar to the standard safety tips that are applicable every year.

Trick-or-treaters, for example, are encouraged to wear reflective HALLOWEEN PAGE A3

INSIDE THIS WEEK

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will look like, or if cities will even sanction the Halloween cornerstone.

Fortunately for costume and candy lovers, a safe Halloween will be possible if trick-or-treaters remain mindful, according to Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell.

“Honestly, Halloween is outdoors, you’ve got kids wearing masks, so you could even make it more of a mask scenario,” Covell said. “You can do a lot of things with Halloween

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Teaching art to students through digital eyes • B2

Chabad House ready just in time for Rosh Hashanah • B1

1,203 Wellington students return to fall classes • B4

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A6 • CROSSWORD B3 • SUDOKU B3

Page A2

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES Mary Eleanor Ronez

Winona Wosicki Botsford

Larry Trenton Simonson

Mary Eleanor Ronez (Hurd) passed away peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, at The Heritage Nursing home in Findlay, where she resided for the last two years. She was born Aug. 3, 1913, in Elyria to the late John and Mary (St. Aubin) Burke.

In 1933, she married Harland Hurd and he preceded in her in death 1976. She later married Steve Ronez in 1988 and he preceded in her death in 1995.

Mary had six wonderful children, Mary (Glen) Carruthers, Joan (Norman) Wilhelm, Edwin (Lynn) Hurd, Rose (Carroll) Riddle, Thomas (Joyce) Hurd; daughterin-law, Eileen Hurd; Charlene (Tom) Hamski; five stepchildren, Gene (Pat) Ronez, Ronald (Janet) Ronez, Shirley (Paul) Knott, Darlene (George) Criss, Robert (Eydie) Ronez. She was blessed with 29 grandchildren; 59 greatgrandchildren and 61 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Charlene; sons, Edwin and Thomas; sons-in-law, Glen Carruthers, Norman Wilhelm, Carroll Riddle, Paul Knott and daughter-in-law, Lynn Hurd.

She loved her fur baby, Suzie and the two of them enjoyed car rides. She also enjoyed bird watching, gardening, reading, playing bingo and skip-bo. She loved life in general and enjoyed spending time with her family the most. Mary worked for the IGA in Oberlin and the Carlyle Flower Shop.

A graveside service will be held at 12 Noon, Monday, September 21, 2020 at Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin.

Mask are required during the graveside service due to the pandemic.

Due to graveside service, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice in her honor.

Online condolences may be made to www.cowling funeralhomeoh.com.

Winona Wosicki Botsford of Mayfield Heights passed away Friday, Sept. 18, 2020, after a battle with stage four cancer. She was born in Elyria, Jan. 21, 1949.

She graduated from Wellington High School in 1967. She lived in Avon Lake, New London, Wellington and most recently Mayfield Heights with her son, Jason and his husband, Jeff.

She enjoyed the outdoors, camping, loved animals especially spending time with her dog, Annie. She also enjoyed being adventurous and going on road trips with her son and his husband to big cities like NYC as well as ghost hunting and being the passenger on a Harley Davidson Motorcycle.

She is survived by her son, Jason Botsford (husband, Jeff Pierce); her beloved dog, Annie; granddog, Juan; sisters, Teresa Schubert (husband, the late Paul Schubert), Kathleen Wosicki, Bonnie Cooper (husband, Wayne Cooper) and Linda Anderson (husband, Tom Anderson), as well as many nieces, nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews including, Vicki Hagmann (husband, Bob Hagmann), Matthew Anderson (wife, Jahaira Anderson), Nathan Anderson (wife, Kathy Wallace Anderson), Aaron Anderson (wife, Ashley Anderson) and many others, as well as many close friends.

She was preceded in death by her father, Thomas Wosicki; her mother, Eleanor Wosicki, as well as her grandmother, Susan Holub.

Friends and family may attend her public viewing Thursday, September 24, 2020, from 6 to 8 p.m. at The Cowling Funeral Home, 228 South Main Street, Oberlin.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to 1641 Fruitland Avenue, Mayfield Heights, OH 44124, where they will be dispersed to a couple select charities.

Online condolences may be made to www.cowling funeralhomeoh.com.

Larry Trenton Simonson, 79, of Wellington, died Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020, at Ames Hospice House in Westlake. Born April 7, 1941, in Ashland, he was the son of the late Franklin Perry and Alice Mae (nee Oliver) Simonson. Larry was a 1960 graduate of Wellington High School.

A tool and die maker, Larry worked for a number of factories including Wellington Sectional Die, Lear Siegler and he retired from Forest City in 2003. In his earlier years, he enjoyed farming. Larry was active with church throughout his life, from hosting bible studies, being active in men's clubs, helping with pancake breakfasts and selling raffle tickets at church picnic's to raise money for Hospice.

An active member of the Huntington community, Larry helped to form and coach the Huntington Hot Stove league and Black River Pee Wee Football. Larry was very mechanically inclined, having the ability to engineer just about anything, even as he lost his sight he continued to build and create. He liked to spend time tending to his garden. He also enjoyed going to farm auctions and in his earlier years hunting and fishing. He was known for his love of antique tractors. Larry spent many years camping at Wildwood Lakes with his family and they will all remember his delicious campfire breakfasts. Most of all Larry cherished his family, especially his grandchildren who could do no wrong in his eyes. He will always be remembered as the greatest storyteller (sometimes colorful).

Survivors include his loving wife of 58 years, Linda (nee Sharpe); children, Laura (Frank) Whitt of North Carolina, Trenton (Bianca) Simonson of Cincinnati, Suzanne (Doug) Pummell of Upper Sandusky, Sherrie (Jonathan) Schuck of Sharon Twp, Shaune (Shannon) Simonson of Sullivan and Teresa (Mike) Berry of Wooster; 17 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; siblings, Shara Brosius, Bonnie Ward and Frank Simonson, all of Wellington.

Larry was preceded in death by his brother, Jack Simonson.

Friends and family will be received Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, at the United Church of Huntington, 26677 St. Rt. 58, Wellington from 10 a.m. until the time of a celebration of life beginning at 11 a.m. Pastor Brian Egelston will officiate. The immediate family will attend a private burial at the Huntington Township Cemetery.

Donations in Larry's memory may be directed to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland, OH 44110.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.eastman funeralhome.com.

Martha B. Sheridan Martha B. Sheridan of Crescent City, Florida, went home to meet Jesus on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, after a short battle with cancer. Born in 1935 as the youngest daughter of John J. and Agnes Belland of Youngstown, Martha graduated from Wilson High School in 1953.

She then attended the Youngstown School of Nursing, graduating with honors as a Registered Nurse in 1956. She went on to pursue a full career in nursing ranging from a Portage County health nurse, emergency room supervisor and doctor's office RN, to The Director of Nursing at Weber Health Care in Wellington, where she retired in 1999. Her love of nursing and her love of people were the driving force of her happiness and led to her being chosen as the 1994 State of Ohio Director of Nurses of the year.

She is survived by her sister, Alice B. Phillips of Eastlake; daughter, Jean Ann Norton of Cleveland and her son, Tim and his wife, Stephanie of Pomona Park, Florida.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, John and her loving husband of 54 years, George T. Sheridan.

She was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Wellington for many years. Her hobbies included genealogy, traveling, toddle painting and organizing anything that was out of order. Moving to Florida in 2016, Martha joined South Putnam Church and became very active in the clothing ministry, the food bank and the children's nursery.

A celebration of her life will be held at South Putnam Church, 284 Union Ave., Crescent City, Florida on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020 at 3 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please consider sending a donation to either South Putnam Church or Community Hospice of Jacksonville, Florida.

RIDER

FROM A1

Adult Parole Authority and today in retirement is a tai chi instructor.

He started riding motorcycles in 2008, thanks to his brother, who was a service manager for HarleyDavidson dealer. "There's nothing quite like moving through the open air like that," Rhoades said.

But much of biker culture is politically conservative, and Rhoades said he just didn't fit in.

That changed when he stumbled across Facebook groups like the Liberal Graybeard Bikers, which led him to discover the Liberty Ride.

Suddenly he felt at home, especially when it came to the issue of race. Rhoades, who is white, said he grew up with and worked shoulder-to-shoulder with Black Americans his entire life.

"You look at the person. You don't look at their nationality, their religion, their skin color," he said.

"There's a reason we're saying Black lives matter. It's because they do."

Rhoades said he is proud of Oberlin's involvement with the Underground Railroad, and of Oberlin College's role as one of the first higher education institutions in the United States to admit AfricanAmericans.

Those affiliations are among the many reasons he wanted to take part in the Liberty Ride.

A larger reason was to make a political statement as voters prepare to choose between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

"I'm seeing the current administration has really sought the destruction of what this country actually stands for," he said. "Not that we've been perfectly in tune from day one or anything — the founders, they all owned slaves, for God's sake. I believe in the ideas this country was founded on. I know we fall short, but now we're doing a whole lot worse than just falling short, and that's why this ride is so important to me."

School donations

The following donations have been accepted by the Amherst Board of Education: • $7,752 from Sliman's Sales & Service to paint dugouts.

• $4,000 from Nordson Corporation to support eSports.

• $7,500 from the Nordson Corporation Foundation for discretionary funds to be used by the superintendent.

New bus purchase

The Amherst Board of Education voted on Sept. 14 to buy a new school bus for $90,543 using a state grant, federal CARES Act funding and district funds.

Audubon Society program

The Black River Audubon Society will begin its fall season of meetings with a Zoom virtual presentation at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 6.

Richard “Buster” Banish, a longtime Cleveland teacher, will discuss the success of the “Bird Nerds,” a group of his inner-city junior high students who have become wellknown in northern Ohio birding circles.

To take part, register your email address well ahead of time with Black River Audubon Society at the bottom of the page at www.blackriveraudubon.org. You will later receive an email invitation to take part in the meeting with directions and a link.

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 B3

SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE B3

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Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

Page A3

COMETS SENIOR NIGHT

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Anna Fritz, with an assist from Emerson Freas, delivered the game-winning goal on Sept. 16 as Oberlin defeated Keystone 1-0. She struck in the 29th minute of the first half, leaving the Phoenix defense to hold the Wildcats at bay. Keeper Katlyn Streator stepped up to the challenge, pulling in nine saves for the shutout. Keystone's Sierra McCollum had three saves in goal. The win was Oberlin's first of the season. ABOVE: Junior Victoria Adair scrambles in the midfield.

Members of the Amherst Steele High School Class of 2021 were honored Sept. 14 on Senior Night before the Comets boys varsity soccer game.

Senior players include Daniel Vitelli, Jack Ritter, Dylan Simulcik, Derek Odelli, Lucas Snowden, Joe Torres and Caleb McGee. Snowden made the night even more special with a late goal for a 1-0 win over Valley Forge. ABOVE: Senior Daniel Vitelli is escorted by his parents.

FOUGHT TO A STANDSTILL

Comets XC: Glahn leads JV, Perez leads varsity The Amherst Steele boys cross country team had an impressive showing on Saturday. It split squads and sent the junior varsity boys to Lorain County Community College for the Southwestern Conference Tri-Meet and the varsity squad traveled to Boardman High School for the Spartan Invitational.

Junior Nick Glahn led the JV boys with a ninth place finish and a time of 19:10, which was a 50-second improvement from his time last week on the LCCC course.

Up next was junior Dillon Jones with a 10th place finish and a time of 19:12 and a 30 second improvement. Third for the Comets was freshman Joseph Miller in 19th place and a time of 19:55.

Sophomore Jeff Rangel was next with 36th place and a time of 21:47. Rounding out the top five runners for Amherst was freshman Manny Trevino with a 32nd place finish and a time of 21:28.

The most improved runner was Rayan

Zaidi, who improved his time 1:52 from his meet last week at LCCC. Team scores were: Westlake 19, Midview 50 and Amherst 68.

The varsity boys fared well against the top six ranked teams in the state, finishing seventh out of 15 teams.

Freshman Ty Perez was the top runner for the Comets, placing seventh out of 148 runners with a time of 16:28. Fellow Freshman Luke Bowlsby was next with a 21st place finish and a time of 16:58.

Senior Captains Cael Walker and Jacob Raesler ran together for most of the race and finished in 46th and 49th places with times of 17:39 and 17:42. Senior Caleb Cabrera was the fifth runner for the team and finished 83rd with a time of 18:24.

The Comets will race again at LCCC on Saturday, September 26th against North Olmsted and Olmsted Falls. Varsity will run at 9 a.m. and JV will run at 9:45 a.m.

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

A defensive battle resulted in a 1-1 draw when Oberlin and Keystone met Sept. 16. The Phoenix opened the scoring in the first half on a closerange shot from Kaden Thornhill, assisted by Kieran Thornhill. Senior goalie Jack Page collected 10 saves. ABOVE: Syncere Shahid finds himself in a footrace for a loose ball.

HALLOWEEN

FROM A1 clothing, to walk on sidewalks or the far edge of the road facing traffic and to avoid homemade treats made by strangers.

Health officials are urging both trick-or-treaters and residents giving out candy to practice proper handwashing hygiene in an effort to lessen the risk of a virus being passed along on a treat wrapper.

“It will be more important than ever for kids to wash their hands before they eat the candy this year,” Covell said. “It’s always important, but it’s more important than ever.”

Other pieces of advice are wholly unique to the coronavirus pandemic. Trick-ortreaters are being asked to wear face coverings while out, or even incorporate the mask into their costumes.

In-person Halloween parties are discouraged because of the risk of virus spread in groups, and Covell said kids should trick-or-treat with members of their household rather than in big groups this year.

To limit the number of hands touching treats, Lorain County Public Health is discouraging residents from using a bowl and having kids grab candy out of it, even if the pieces of candy are properly wrapped and sealed.

Instead, a “candy slide”

made from PVC pipes is offered as an alternative, in which the masked homeowner would sanitize their hands and drop treats down the slide and into trick-ortreaters’ bags.

Lorain County Public Health began hearing from mayors three weeks ago with requests for Halloween advice. The agency rolled out its guidance for staying healthy over the holiday on Sept. 11, and some cities and villages already have begun announcing their plans.

Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider said the village will move ahead with Halloween plans as normal.

Trick-or-treating will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Oct. 31, and Main Street Wellington will sponsor downtown festivities and trick-ortreating at Elms Retirement Village from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Schneider said that taking kids door-to-door for candy is "extremely low risk," especially since kids will be wearing masks.

That differs from his approach on the Lorain County Fair. Schneider pleaded with the fair board to scale back this year's event, saying it wouldn't be safe.

"I think we look at each event individually. When we were around the fair, things weren't trending well, and we were talking about a

high concentration of people coming into the community," he said.

Amherst Mayor Mark Costilow said his city won't cancel Halloween plans unless ordered to do so by Covell or Gov. Mike DeWine.

"It's the one time of the year when everyone should feel comfortable wearing a mask," he said.

Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield wrote in a Facebook post that the city would be having trick-or-treat and promised updates with more details “in the coming weeks.”

In North Ridgeville, citywide trick-or-treating is set for 6-7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, and a “Tots TrickOr-Treat” event is scheduled for kids ages 5 and younger at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, although all spots are full and a waitlist is available, according to the North Ridgeville Parks and Recreation website.

Avon announced early on that it would hold trick-ortreat from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 31.

In Avon Lake, Mayor Greg Zilka announced Monday the city will have trick-ortreat from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct.

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31. He told City Council that it is part of “trying to have some degree of normalcy.”

Other cities are taking more time to go public with their trick-or-treat plans.

Lorain’s plans are still pending, but Safety/Service Director Sanford Washington Jr. said Mayor Jack Bradley is mulling how to have the safest trick-or-treat night in accordance with health guidelines.

Oberlin City Manager Rob

Lessons from Experienced Investors Those who have lived a long time have done a lot, seen a lot – and can teach us a lot. And that’s certainly true when it comes to investing. Consider some of the lessons you might learn from experienced investors: • Regulate your emotions. In the investment world, there’s always something coming at us that could sound scary: political flashpoints, economic news, and even those once-in-a-generation occurrences, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. But older people may take these events in stride; in fact, baby boomers and members of the Silent Generation (born between 1925 and 1945) are coping better emotionally with the impacts of COVID-19 than younger age cohorts, according to the 2020 Edward Jones/Age Wave Four Pillars of the New Retirement study.

And by keeping control of your emotions, you may be less likely to make moves such as selling quality investments with good fundamentals just because their prices have fallen in the midst of an overall market decline.

• Learn from experience. By definition,the older we get, the more experiences we will have. And most people do indeed learn from experience. Investors, too, benefit from having seen and done things before. Did you chase a “hot” stock only to have found it cooled off before you bought it? Did you buy too many of the same type of investments, only to see your portfolio take a bigger hit during a downturn than it would have if you had diversified? In the investment arena, as in most walks of life, patterns emerge, and once you learn to recognize them, you can learn from past mistakes.

• Know yourself. When we reach a certain age, most of us know ourselves pretty well. But you don’t have to wait decades to gain this knowledge – at

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Hillard said it’s “still a little early” to make a decision.

He also said officials will look to Lorain County Public Health for guidance and make an announcement in a couple of weeks.

In remarks during a press briefing last week, DeWine said the Ohio Department of Health will have trick-or-treat guidelines in addition to what local health departments are issuing. He promised more details at a later date.

hartblacktop@yahoo.com

least not when it comes to investing.

For example, you should quickly gain a good sense of your ability to withstand risk. How? Just consider how you react when the market declines sharply.

If you find yourself losing sleep over your losses – even if they’re just on paper – you might be taking on too much risk for your own comfort level.

Conversely, if market downturns don’t bother you as much as lack of growth in your portfolio, you might be investing too conservatively for your own risk tolerance.

• Take a longer-term perspective.

When we’re young, we sometimes are more inclined to desire instant gratification – we want results now. Translated into the investment world, this could mean we want to see big returns in a short period. However, despite the popular mythology, it’s quite hard to turn enormous profits on investments overnight – or even over weeks or months.

But as the years pass, we learn the value of thinking long-term – how investments we made years ago, and have added to steadily, are now yielding results that can help build the resources we need to reach our objectives.

• Don’t go it alone. Some of us, when we’re young, have a tendency to think we have all the answers and don’t need much help in our endeavors. But age gives us the wisdom to recognize that, although we may have acquired much knowledge over the years, we can still use some help in specialized areas, such as creating a long-term investment strategy. These suggestions are appropriate for anyone – and they can help you on your journey toward your goals.

This article was written by Edward Jones for use by your local Edward Jones Financial Advisor.

Michael E. Verda AAMS Financial Adviser 12289 Leavitt Rd. Suite E. Oberlin, OH 44074 Bus.: 440-774-4625 Fax: 866-486-8146

Steve Schmittle

mike.verda@edwardjones.com

steve.schmittle@edwardjones.com

Financial Adviser 20 South Main Street Oberlin, OH 44074-1627 Bus.: 440-775-4357 Fax: 888-204-0352 Fax: 800-755-4944

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Page A4

Lorain County Community Guide

TRUE TEAM EFFORT

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

FIVE-SET BATTLE

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Wellington started out strongly, with two 27-25 sets on Sept. 17, but got pushback from Black River's squad. The Pirates responded 25-22, 25-17, pushing the Lorain County League rival match out to five sets, where Black River finished it off 15-7 to claim victory. ABOVE: Black River's Riley Kubitz tips the ball over the net at Wellington. BELOW: Wellington's Karlie Frenk htis against Black River.

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Natalie Calfo scored twice, and nearly the entire Dukes roster was lit up on Sept. 14 as Wellington rolled over the Elyria Pioneers 11-0. The Dukes had goals from 10 players, including Maddy Mull, Lauren Alley, Ally Haswell, Jill Laposky, Tess McDonnel, Hailey Georgivich, Jacklyn Krakomperger, Savannah Gundert and Alaine Bremke. ABOVE: Wellington's Jill Laposky moves with the ball at Elyria.

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Lorain County Community Guide

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Photos by Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

It took five sets, going back and forth against Southwestern Conference rival Westlake, but the Comets got the job done with a 3-2 victory on Sept.

15. Amherst lost the first set 25-23, then went 19-25, 25-22, 9-25, 13-15.

Lindsey McConihe had 29 digs and Nia Hall had 22. Laken Voss had 20 kills and Hall had 13. Amaya Melendez had 20 assists and Voss had 16.

Amherst Laken Voss looks to get her kill past two Westlake blocks.

POLITICAL SIGNS

4

"F--- you" on the other.

"I was mad," he said. "I didn't expect it to happen, but it's happening to other Trump signs too."

Like many residents, Horten has a security camera watching over his property, but said it didn't capture a license plate number. He chalked up the damage to "liberals."

David Arredondo, chairman of the Lorain County Republican Party, said he's heard plenty of stories this year about problems with signs.

"I say don't assume that it was a Democrat or a Biden supporter who stole the sign. It might be a Trump supporter who wanted the sign for his own yard," he said.

The party headquarters at 1913 North Ridge Rd. in Lorain has seen sky-high demand for Trump signs, with between 500 and 700 going out the door over the summer.

Those were provided for free by the campaign to re-elect Trump, and only seven remained last Thursday.

A big order of Trump signs is expected to come in Friday, Sept. 25 — each will carry a $5 price tag to recoup the county party's expenses.

Arredondo said he hopes 1,500 will be enough to last through Nov. 3.

"I believe the Trump campaign underestimated the demand," he said, because virtually all Republican offices across Ohio have run out.

Democrats say they've had trouble keeping up with demand as well.

Their headquarters, located at 2089 North Ridge Rd. in Lorain, got a shipment of 1,000 yard signs on Sept. 11. It lasted just two days, according to Director of Voter Outreach Laura Irvin.

Another 400 were received last Wednesday afternoon and immediately started flying out the door, she said: "We can't keep them."

Irvin said she expects the campaign to have 6,000 or more Biden signs in Lorain County by Election Day. That number is so large due to complaints during the 2016 election that local Democrats didn't have enough signs for candidate Hillary Clinton, she said.

Both parties say reports of stolen signs are up this year, matching their heightened tensions between entrenched voter groups.

Irvin said there are an unusually large

number of complaints coming from southern Lorain County, specifically around Wellington and Kipton.

"People are so angry," she said. "People think it's OK for them to take other people's property, to stomp on someone else's freedom of speech, because that's what our president has done."

Arredondo said he tells residents they have to "babysit" their political signs. That means putting them closer to the house, in areas that are tough to access and taking them in before nightfall.

"Ultimately, people have to look out for their signs themselves," he said.

With Trump signs in shorter supply, he said those that are damaged or stolen are hard to replace, putting Republicans at a disadvantage.

Irvin said signs don't vote, people do — but come November, the lopsided political sign supply could be a big factor among Lorain County's unaligned voters.

She also noted hesitance by some residents to have signs at all. They're afraid of being targeted for their political beliefs.

"The feelings that I can't have free speech because others are going to retaliate against me is huge," Irvin said. "You wouldn't believe how many times I hear that."

That's not the case with Dickason, who said she's resolved to replace her Biden sign no matter how many times thieves strike.

"They won't get the best of me," she said. "At 76 years old, I'm not going to stop putting signs up," Stealing and defacing political signs is a crime, just like it would be for any other property.

Oberlin Municipal Court Judge Thomas Januzzi said that depending on the circumstances, it could be prosecuted in a number of ways, from third-degree criminal mischief to first-degree theft.

That means a conviction could carry anywhere from 60 days in jail or a $500 fine up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.

There were some cases involving political sign theft and tampering during the 2016 election, but in general they are rare, Januzzi said.

"Since there's cameras everywhere and there's so many Ring doorbells, maybe it's going to be different now," he said.

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Page A6

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

PIRATES RACK UP YAAAR-DS

NO STOPPING RAIDERS

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Joe Governale opened with devastating back-to-back touchdowns Friday to give Columbia a head start on a 30-12 win over Wellington. He struck on runs of 18 and 4 yards, then passed the torch to receiver Owen Menge, who scored two of his own on throws from Raiders QB Andrew Champagne. With four touchdowns in the pocket, Columbia sat back and relaxed. Wellington was able to score fourth quarter touchdowns on an 18-yard pass from Jayden Skinner to Caleb Teague, and a five-yard from Skinner to Ty Moore. ABOVE: Wellington's Josh Nacella brings down Columbia's Joe Governale.

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Black River outclassed and overwhelmed Oberlin 49-8 on Saturday. Senior Donte Colbert converted for the Phoenix on a 10-yard run late in the game, but with a 49-0 blowout already on the scoreboard at halftime, the outcome was never in doubt. Joseph McKean was the Pirates' shining star, opening with a 71-yard run to the goal line and following up with three more bigyardage touchdown gallops. Brandon Rollin, Ryan Schultz and Spencer Smith added to the Black River tally with short runs into the end zone as quarterback Andon O'Neal threw for just one catch. Andre Yarber threw for 50 yards.

ABOVE: Oberlin quarterback Andre Yarber eludes tackles for a first down.

RIGHT: Nazir Rountree jukes on a kick return, looking for an opening in the Pirates line.

DUESLER DOES IT ALL Joe Colon | Amherst News-Times

Gage Duesler was a beast Friday night, rushing for 224 yards on 27 carries to push Avon Lake to a 21-7 win on Amherst's homecoming night.

He picked up all three Shoremen touchdowns on runs of 28, 6 and 28 yards. Tyler Brezina hit Alden Steele for a 65-yard jaunt into the end zone, but by then it was too late. RIGHT: Amherst’s Alden Steele outruns Avon Lake's Michael Stuewe for the Comets' lone goal in Friday night's homecoming game.

Voter registrations boom due to presidential election JASON HAWK EDITOR

SHEFFIELD TWP. — As many as 350 voter registrations are flowing into the Lorain County Board of Elections every day as fervor builds around the fall presidential election.

"We're receiving phone calls from people who are registering for the first time, who have never voted before," said county elections head Paul Adams.

Not all are first-time voters, he said — a small number of registration forms are for address or name changes.

But he said the evidence is clear that interest in the democratic process has grown over the past several months, largely due to the showdown between President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden.

As of the close of business last

Thursday, there were 213,903 people registered to vote in Lorain County.

With less than two weeks left before the Oct. 5 registration deadline, the number has passed the 2016 total of 206,404.

And that's not quite an applesto-apples comparison, either.

In the last presidential election year, voter rolls were at "astronomical size" because years worth of deceased residents and those who moved out of state had not been removed, Adams said.

Along with most experts, he is predicting record participation in the Nov. 3 election, though a lot less at the physical polls.

Many voters plan to vote by mail, and Adams is taking note of interesting trends. For example, among those in Lorain County who have requested mail-in absentee ballots as of Friday, just 14 percent were Re-

publican compared to 40 percent who are Democrats.

The remaining 46 percent are registered with a third party or unaffiliated.

Compare those numbers to the 2016 election. Back then 29 percent who used mail-in absentee ballots were Republican and 23 percent were Democrat.

The first round of absentee ballots were sent out Friday. A little under 500 went to active military and civilians stationed overseas.

Starting Oct. 6, batches of ballots will be sent to Ohioans living stateside who have requested them.

In a conference call with reporters Wednesday, Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said he trusts post office employees will be able to handle the influx of election mail, but that people should vote as soon as they can.

If people haven't received their

ballot in the mail by Oct. 10 or 11, Brown said they should call their local board of elections.

The last thing he said he wants to see is people lined up on Election Day, increasing the risk of the spread of COVID-19.

Adams said calling that soon would be premature. "I wouldn't necessarily be immediately concerned," he said.

Residents who are concerned about the status of their absentee ballots should first visit www. voteloraincountyohio.gov and click the "Absentee Ballot Status" button.

Enter your birthday and name, and you can see whether your ballot request has been received, processed, mailed or delivered.

Adams said that if you absentee ballot has not been delivered by the U.S. Postal Service during the week of Oct. 12, definitely call his office at (440) 326-5900.

You can request an absentee

ballot up until the day before the election, though officials aren't recommending it this year, due to concerns about a mail delivery slowdown and COVID-related delays.

Adams said to also be aware that activist organizations such as the Voter Information Center are sending multiple absentee ballot request forms to the same residents — he's received three already.

"It is causing some confusion because people assume if they get (a second form) in the mail, maybe my first one didn't get done properly," he said.

Whether via a grassroots organization, the Ohio Secretary of State's office or the Lorain County Board of Elections, you only need to apply once, Adams said.

Laina Yost contributed to this report.

CLASSIFIEDS

HELP WANTED The Wellington Community Fire District is seeking a parttime Fiscal Officer to oversee all daily finance operations, in accordance with the Ohio Revised Code. Primary responsibilities include preparation of the WCFD’s Finance reports, input on Annual budget, all aspects of Payroll, Accounts payable/receivable, Debt management, Investment of funds, Government Program Reporting, Employee benefit administration, attending and transcribing monthly Board meetings, and ensuring compliance with all regulatory requirements of local government. A short period of transitional training will be provided. This position requires a strong accounting background and experience, with an emphasis on fund accounting. A gained knowledge of government programs and reporting, strong computer skills, as well as the Auditor of State UAN software program is highly preferred. This is a salaried position based on qualifications, with at least one mandatory monthly evening meeting, first Wednesday of each month. Annual State training is required.

Resume and Letter of Interest accepted via mail or E-mail to: Wellington Community Fire District, 202 Kelly Street, Wellington Ohio 44090, wfdwetherbee@ncwcom.com, Attn: Chief Wetherbee. Position will remain open until a qualified applicant is selected. EOE.

SERVICES Floor Repair/install carpet, wood, laminate, vinyl or ceramic. 440-935-4778

FOR RENT FREE HEAT Cozy and Convenient 1 and 2 bdrm MAPLE GROVE APTS

186-192 N. Oberlin Rd. 440-775-3098

SALES KIPTON 51132 Haigh Rd., Sept 24 & 25, 10-5.

Cherry bdrm set, lvg room/ lg table, antique cupboard, lg upright freezer, med equipment, many items & some Free! Antiques, knick knacks, ceramic Angels! Cash only!

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New London 16 Prospect St. Oct 2 & 3 9-4 Huge sale on stone statuaryfirepits, bird baths, benchs & animals Cash only rain or shine

LEGALS

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO SALE OF CITY PARCEL 401 IDAHO AVENUE The City of Lorain will be accepting bids for a City owned parcel of land located at 401 IDAHO AVENUE, LORAIN, OHIO PP# 0200051116001. Parcel is sold in as-is condition. The bidder is responsible for all costs. These costs include but are not limited to: transfer costs, survey, title fees, closing costs, recording fees and all other costs associated with the deed preparation and title transfer.

Bids are due October 15, 2020 at 11:00 AM to the Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor. The opening of the bids will take place October 15, 2020 at 11:15 AM in the City of Lorain Council Chambers. In the event no bids are received for the individual parcel prior to 11:00 AM on October 15, 2020, then the bidding process shall remain open for the parcel and

the City may thereafter, at its sole discretion, accept or reject any bid received for the parcel after October 15, 2020.

Any materials or objects that are found on the parcel will become property of the bidder and be the bidder’s responsibility. The City is not liable for any materials or objects that may be found on the parcel property.

All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope with the bidder’s name and contact information on the outside of the envelope and be accompanied by a certified check on a solvent bank, drawn and made payable to the City of Lorain, Ohio, in the amount of 10% of the total bid in good faith.

Should any bid be rejected, such check will be forthwith returned to the bidder; and should any bid be accepted, such bond or check will be returned upon proper execution and securing of the contract.

Bid forms and specifications may be obtained by contacting the City of Lorain Engineering Department at 440-204-2003 or at 200 West Erie Avenue, City Hall- 4th Floor Lorain, Ohio 44052. All bids shall be subject to the additional items and conditions set forth on the bid forms.

By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service

L.C.C.G. 9/17-24; 10/1-815/20 20669734

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on September 4 & 8 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.

(9/4) Ord. 76-20* Placing on the ballot in November of 2020 the question of choosing a commission to frame a charter for the City of Lorain and establishing the requirements for the election of members of the charter commission of the City of Lorain. (9/8) Reso. 2920 Recognizing & commending Lorain Businesswoman Marie Bonaminio for many years of service. 30-20 Urging the OH Secretary of State to immediately reverse his order limiting drop boxes to only 1 per county for absentee ballots. 31-20 Auth the City of Lorain to become a Power a Clean Future Ohio Community. 32-20 Supporting the passage of Issue 17, Lorain City Schools Renewal Levy on 11/3/20 General Election Ballot. 33-20 Concurring w/ expenditure of $3,272,405 of

CARES Act Funding from the State of Ohio. Ord 77-20 Auth the waiving of fees & other costs related to the demolition of properties being completed by the City of Lorain. 78-20* Auth the Auditor to invoices submitted by the S/S Dept invoking the Then & Now Certification process. 79-20* Auth the Auditor to invoices submitted by the Utilities Dept invoking the Then & Now Certification process. 80-20* Assessing the cost to abate nuisance by cutting noxious weeds during current calendar year. 81-20 Auth the S/S Director to enter into a contract w/ lowest & best bidder for Root Rd. storm water outfall project. 82-20* Approving the Chief of Police, through the Mayor, to accept the Drugged Driving Enforcement Program award for $5,537.09. 83-20* Approving the Chief of Police, through the Mayor, to accept the award from Ohio Dept of Public Safety for $173,158.19.

84-20 Auth S/S Dir. to advertise for bids & enter into contract for purchase of chemicals for use in Utilities Dept., Water & Water Pollution Control Division. 85-20* Amending Ord 96-18, Section 1 & Ex. A, auth the City to enter into a CRA agrmt w/ Ariel on Broadway llc & the Lorain Port Authority.

86-20* Amending Ord 97-19, Sections 1 & 2 of Ex. A, auth a CRA agrmt w/ George Goodman/Broadway Management 550, llc. 87-20* Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a sub-recipient

agrmt w/ Neighborhood Alliance to provide homeless assistance through hotel/ motel vouchers in response to COVID-19. 88-20* Auth S/S Dir to enter into a contract w/ lowest/best bidder for Fire Station #7 roof replacement project, not to exceed $800k.

89-20* Appropriation. 90-20* Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a sub-recipient agrmt w/ Second Harvest Food Bank to provide mobile food pantries in response to COVID-19. 91-20* Auth the S/S Dir to enter into a sub-recipient agrmt w/ Lorain County Urban League to provide emergency rental housing & utility assistance in response to COVID-19.

L.C.C.G. 9/17-24/20 20669799

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO PURCHASE OF CHEMICALS 2021 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, Friday, October 16, 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.

(WORK) For the purchase 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 Ferrous 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 in-

strument 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 the Engineering Department (440) 204-2003. 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. 9/24; 10/1/20 20670311

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Polling location changed in Oberlin

FIRELANDS SCHOOLS

CARISSA WOYTACH THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Superintendent Mike Von Gunten expresses thanks for the work of those who campaigned for a new Firelands High School.

Groundbreaking 23 years in the making JASON HAWK EDITOR

HENRIETTA TWP. — White hard hats were thrown into the air triumphantly last Tuesday night as Firelands educators broke ground on a long-anticipated high school.

"Don't screw this up," Board of Education President Mike

O'Keefe told contractors.

The groundbreaking ceremony, which the public could only attend virtually on Facebook due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marked the realization of a vision born more than two decades ago.

The district purchased 105 acres of farmland in 1997, knowing it would need to one day build.

But the battle to raise money for a new school was long and difficult. It took 10 years and five levy campaigns to convince the voting public in 2018 to financially back construction.

"We have been working toward this moment for a long, long time. We had many opportunities to get to this point, but couldn't quite bring it home," O'Keefe said.

"Thank you to all those staff members and community volunteers who made this dream become a reality," Superintendent Mike Von Gunten said.

Until Tuesday, it had been three generations since the last groundbreaking for a new Firelands school, he said.

The new building will span FIRELANDS PAGE B2

College Jewish community has new home just in time for Rosh Hashanah JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — After raising nearly $1 million, the Jewish community at Oberlin College is celebrating a new home.

The Chabad House, dedicated at the start of the fall semester, is the first permanent site in Oberlin to be set aside solely for those of the faith, according to Rabbi Shlomo Elkan.

There have been several Jewish organizations in the city, but they've always been connected to college buildings, he said.

"There was never a synagogue or a student center... that wasn't rented from or utilizing a college building."

Chabad is among the largest of the world's Hasidic groups. It is influenced by the teachings of Baal Shem Tov, who was born in 18th century Poland and believed the divine spark was revealed by showing unconditional love to others, no matter their differences.

Elkan and his wife Devorah moved to Lorain County in 2010 as co-directors of Chabad at Oberlin.

Recognizing more space was needed to meet the needs of adherents, they started looking for property about seven years ago.

They found 214 West College St., originally built in 1840. It was in foreclosure, had been in decline a long while and had squatters.

Chabad bought the home with the intention CHABAD PAGE B2

Standoff ends peacefully STAFF REPORT

Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

Rabbi Shlomo Elkan stands in front 214 West College St. in Oberlin, where the new Chabad House is located.

U.S. CENSUS DEADLINE

With less than a week now remaining until U.S. census collections stop, workers in Lorain County are racing to get as many people counted as possible.

In August, the Census Bureau announced it would stop all counting efforts, including collecting responses in person, online, over the phone and by mail, on Sept. 30. Originally, the

count was slated to run until Oct. 31.

At 75 percent, Lorain County’s self-response rate is better than the state average. It’s also already passed the 72.1 percent total recorded a decade ago during the last census. So far, 94 percent of Ohioans have responded, according to tracking done by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Just a shade shy of 70 percent answered questions on their own time, and an additional 24 percent

opened the door for census workers.

“We’re pleased that we’re doing well, but still we have this sense of urgency,” said Lorain County Commissioner Matt Lundy, who is also a member of the Lorain County Complete Count committee.

He said he doesn’t appreciate having the game clock changed midcount, and feels like the COVID-19 pandemic makes it necessary to extend time for census-takers, not

WELLINGTON — Police, sheriff's deputies and Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers ended a short standoff in the area of Barker and Taylor streets on Friday night, taking a person into custody to receive mental health care.

According to a post on the Wellington Police Department Facebook page, officers responded to the area shortly before 11 p.m. "for a party in a mental health crisis."

Lorain County sheriff's deputies and state troopers assisted, and "the situation was tense for (a while) but we were able to successfully de-escalate the situation a short time later and take the party for help from medical professionals," Wellington police wrote.

1960-2020

‘We're not giving up’ on collection JASON HAWK EDITOR

SHEFFIELD TWP. — Some residents in Oberlin will have to walk a few extra feet to get to their polling location Nov. 3.

The Lorain County Board of Elections approved a polling location change for 3rd Ward residents at a meeting last week.

Normally, the affected residents would vote at Oberlin College's Philips Gymnasium. This year, they will go next door to the Heisman Field House.

Both locations are at 200 Woodland St., Oberlin, as part of the college's athletics complex.

Parking will remain the same.

Lorain County Board of Elections director Paul Adams said Oberlin College reached out to request the location change because of COVID-19.

Philips Gym is connected to other parts of the college, while the Field House is separate.

"Due to a lot of the requirements they're having there at Oberlin College, they've asked us to not use Oberlin College Philips Gym,'' Adams said. "However, I personally spoke with the chief of staff for the president of the college. I made it very clear that we're talking half of the city of Oberlin that could potentially be affected by this move."

The Field House entrance is within 15 feet of the gymnasium doors that voters would normally enter, Adams said.

College security and signage will direct voters, and a mailer with a map will be sent out to those affected.

shorten it.

Lundy said he worries it won’t be possible for those workers to visit homes a second or third of fourth time if they aren’t able to connect with residents.

“We won’t get our fair share if we don’t get a good count,” he said. “…

I don’t think it’s good for any community, with this deadline being rolled back early. I think there’s probably going to be a lot of underreporting with this CENSUS PAGE B3

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Page B2

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Wellington Kiwanis program

"Building a Century of Service" will be presented at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 24 at the LCCC Wellington Center, 151 Commerce Dr. The free program will feature Ryan Aroney, president and CEO of the United Way of Lorain County. Learn more about what Kiwanis does in our community and how you can be a part of Kiwanis Club of Wellington.

Become a member of the Kiwanis Club of Wellington for free through Sept. 30.

For more information about the event or becoming a Kiwanian, contact wellingtonkiwanis@gmail.com or Terry Mazzone at 440-647-5412.

FIRELANDS

FROM B1 more than 106,000 square feet, serving grades nine to 12. The existing high school will be repurposed as a middle school, and the two buildings will be connected with shared areas such as kitchen and cafeteria space.

Von Gunten said he hopes the complex serves not just as a school but also as a social hub for the people of Firelands.

"Our community has given us a wonderful gift, and we have every intention of making sure that our new high school is available to you," he promised.

Workers started clearing a wide swath of former farm field just north of the existing Firelands High School on Monday, and construction trailers have been set up near Vermilion Road.

Tim Rini, project manager with Greenspace Construction Services, said district residents will see paving done this fall to allow workers to park and stage large machinery.

Foundation contracts have yet to be bid out — that will happen after the first of the year.

Expect to see footers set in February or March, and walls could start to go up in May or June, Rini said.

CHABAD

FROM B1 of renovating large portions. It turned out to be in such bad shape that demolition was the only answer.

And so the Elkans decided to rebuild the old home, keeping only old trim and a freestanding carriage house at the rear of the property.

Using pictures from historical archives, they did as much as possible to recreate the original exterior of the home.

"We didn't want to just come in and bulldoze a house and turn it into something that didn't fit with the feel of the neighborhood," Shlomo Elkan said.

The new building is much larger than the former Chabad space, which was a little over 1,400 square feet and had only one bathroom. Elkan said he didn't even have an office for one-on-one meetings, which he usually took in a nearby coffee shop.

"It was cozy, to say the least," he said. "This will allow for us to expand how many people can come, especially once we're allowed back inside" because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new space will provide a place for more than 800 Oberlin College students who identify as Jewish to worship, study and grow together. Elkan said the family includes almost 100 other local Jewish residents, including some who have no connection to the college.

The Chabad House "is to be celebrated," said Elkan, and now is the perfect time.

It was dedicated just ahead of Rosh Hashanah, the celebration of the Jewish New Year and the beginning of the High Holiday period that ends the evening of Sept.

28 with Yom Kippur.

Trunzo helps young artists see the world through digital eyes JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Perspective lines quickly came together as Tony Trunzo sketched a row of Park Avenue shops last Tuesday afternoon, his easel planted on the historic downtown district's sidewalk.

"See, this is how it works," he said, gesturing to an invisible audience.

Thirty-three Marion L. Steele High School students watched remotely as Trunzo filled in the shapes of doorways and canopies. The veteran art teacher's tripod-mounted phone captured the entire art lesson and sent it to homes all over the city.

"It's inspiring," said sophomore Kristen Doty. "It makes you want to go out and do the same thing."

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, most of Trunzo's apprentices are online learners this semester, and don't have the benefit of using Steele's classroom studio space.

So he's decided to entirely change the way he teaches art, taking his eye on the road and looking for vistas and experiences to share.

Already this fall they've virtually visited the Frank Lloyd Wright house and Claes Oldenburg's sculpture "The Plug" in Oberlin.

The previous week, he set up a canvas at the Mile-Long Pier in Lorain and painted a watercolor of Lake Erie. He returned to Black River Landing to show students how to create a similar work with fine-tipped marker.

Teens in Trunzo's classes said they love the high-tech approach.

"You can go at your own pace and don't feel pressured like you might at school," said sophomore Collin Turley.

Plans for this week included broadcasting on-site interviews with artist Mike Sekletar, who created the veterans murals that have become a large draw in downtown Amherst over the past several years.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Trunzo would invite artists to his classroom to speak. With schools now largely closed to the public, he said his mission is to make sure kids still have opportunities to explore and appreciate art.

If that means hitting the pavement with phone in hand, that's what he'll do. "The main thing I wanted to do was give the kids as much of an inperson experience as possible," he said. "These kids choosing to be at home shouldn't be punished for that."

Trunzo was also planning to take

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Tony Trunzo, an art teacher at Steele High School, treats his fullyremote students to a downtown Amherst sketching demonstration on Tuesday, Sept. 15. kids on a live-streamed tour of the Cleveland Museum of Art this week as well, visiting some of the world's most famous works. He said he hoped Rodin's "The Thinker," paintings by Monet, Picasso and Dali, and more obscure gems would inspire his students' creations.

"I don't need to give them a big art history lesson about each one, or lecture for 30 minutes at a time.

I just want to give them something to look at, some color maybe that relates to their projects, something to think about and see how they can work big ideas into their own art," Trunzo said. "It's about creating a relationship with students, and letting them see and feel what these artists across the years have seen and felt."

He said school administrators were 100 percent on board with the idea of taking his digital classroom on the road, "going outside so they don't feel stuck behind a screen."

Principal Joe Tellier sang Trunzo's praises last Monday night in a report to the Amherst Board of Education. He said the live-streamed art excursions are one example of how teachers have adapted to life in a COVID-19 world.

Others have taken similar steps, working within pandemic rules to get kids outside for reading circles, science labs, math periods, band and choir practices.

"It looks pretty different, but we're proud of everything going on," Tellier said.

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Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

McCormick becomes a site for Making Middle Grades Work BROOKIE MADISON THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

WELLINGTON — McCormick Middle School became a state-funded implementing site on July 1 and joined the High Schools That Work Northeast Ohio Region network as a new Making Middle Grades Work site.

HSTW and MMGW are school improvement design initiatives of the Southern Regional Education Board.

They are designed to help schools and districts set goals to raise student achievement by ensuring all students are ready for challenging academics and career technical studies at the next grade level.

The designation calls for McCormick teachers, counselors and leaders to work together to offer curricula, career exploration, nurturing environments and more to ensure lifelong student success.

Regional coordinator Diana Rogers presented a banner to the Wellington

Board of Education at its Sept. 15 meeting. The banner read, “Building a Culture of High Expectations.”

Rogers has been working at McCormick with a focus on STEM classes.

McCormick joined 31 HSTW and 27 MMGW sites in the HSTW Northeast Ohio Region.

The state of Ohio received 228 national recognitions, more than any other member state, for improved performance in implementing the HSTW/MMGW school improvement design.

Page B3

Historical Society upgrades

The Amherst Historical Society, located on Milan Avenue, has gotten some help with upgrades.

Director Sandy Kaiser said the nonprofit's sign and front yard have been redesigned. The garden was redone by Matt Bayless of Boy Scouts Troop 427 for his Eagle Scout Project.

An AHS member donated money to provide a new sign and decorative exterior to the front of the building.

Another Eagle Scout project involving the old train caboose on the Sandstone Village grounds was completed by Luke Johnson of Troop 427. The ramp was painted and new benches were placed in honor of the memory of his brother who originally completed his Eagle Scout Project on the caboose many years ago.

"The young men worked hard to complete both projects.

It’s wonderful to have them take a vested interest in the community," Kaiser said.

The next focus will be on redoing sandstone planter boxes on the front and side of building, said Kaiser. To donate or volunteer for the project, call 440-988-7255.

CENSUS

FROM B1 early deadline.”

At stake is an estimated $1,200 per year worth of federal funding for every person living in Lorain County.

Over the next 10 years, that’s around $3 billion.

“That’s a lot. That’s why you need to make sure everybody in your household is counted,” Lundy said.

Victor Leandry, executive director of El Centro and who also serves as part of the county’s Complete Count committee, is pushing out a host of events to get people counted in Lorain.

On Sept. 26, El Centro is hosting a drive-thru from noon to 2 p.m., where people can fill out the census and also register to vote. And on Tuesday and throughout the rest of this week, door-to-door census takers will be going through South Lorain for the second time.

This time, they’re going to try and catch the people who didn’t answer their door the first time. Leandry said Wednesday some of the El Centro staff will go out with the census takers, so a Spanish-speaking community member can help translate.

Leandry is working with the city of Lorain to find Spanish-speaking volunteers to go out with the census takers. Leandry said they’re trying to identify addresses and buildings where they haven’t had much success, and having people from the community with the census taker can bring a level of comfort and ease, he said.

As of last Tuesday, Lorain was the worst city in Lorain County for its census completion rate. About 64 percent of the city had responded to the census.

Although Leandry said that’s still better compared with some other counties and cities in Ohio, it’s not quite where they want to be.

“Everybody’s struggling because of the pandemic,” he said. “The census itself is a challenge. This is my second census, and I can remember the first one was a huge challenge. So, the census is always a challenge. But then you throw the pandemic on top of this, and this was a huge challenge.”

No census ever gets a full headcount. But this year the odds have been affected by the pandemic, by heightened fear among immigrants and by worries of Big Brother overreach spurred by rhetoric from the White House, Lundy said.

He said local census team members have at every opportunity tried to reassure residents that the information collected is confidential and can’t be given to law enforcement or any other agency. By law, it can’t be released for 72 years.

Dee Baker, director of outreach and community engagement at the Lorain County Urban League, said they are trying to make a last-minute effort to broaden everyone’s understanding of what the census is and does for communities.

“A lot of people just don’t have trust in the government, and a lot of people don’t recognize that the responses can’t be used against them,” she said.

“They don’t realize the census is safe and secure.”

Census data is used to determine how much federal funding communities can get for housing, transportation, health care, schools, parks and other fixtures.

Baker said it’s important that each individual realizes how their response can shape the community they live in. Cities and other municipalities can also use the data to create policies and programs.

“Unfortunately, a lot of folks still don’t understand the relevancy and how it affects their families,” she said.

Elyria has outpaced its 2010 Census response rate, at 70.3 percent. But Baker said there’s still room to make it even better.

North Ridgeville, which is the third-largest city in Lorain County, has the highest response rate in the county at 85.1 percent.

Mayor Kevin Corcoran said the distinction makes him proud.

"We've spent a lot of time trying to promote it as best we could," he said.

The census has been pushed on the city website, social media accounts and at Council meetings. Leandry said community leaders from throughout the county have filmed a final push census video that will also go out across nonprofits and other entities' social media next week.

Corcoran said North Ridgeville is growing, and federal funding that comes as a result of census data

is going to be key to its future.

Up to $900 billion is parceled out based on population counts — everything from firefighter grants to highway construction to housing loans.

Leandry agreed that the funding is a crucial part to the census.

to apply for grants, as he said many others do too.

“We’re not giving up,” he said. “This is a race, and we know that until we cross that line, the race is not over. So, we’re going to go full blown until Sept.

30. We’re not giving any day to rest. It is time to go strong.”

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

OKTOBERFEST ACROSS 1. Worry 6. Fleur-de-____ 9. One of Egyptian christians 13. Nary a soul 14. Dot-com address 15. Pretend, two words 16. Flogger’s tool 17. Romanian money 18. Dostoyevsky’s masterpiece, with The 19. *Royal Brewery in Munich, a.k.a. ____ München 21. *Original Oktoberfest location 23. Tree juice 24. Cathedral part 25. Lysergic acid derivative, acr.

28. Children’s author Roald 30. Bivouac 35. Heroic poem 37. Taro or cocoyam, technically 39. Relish tastebuds’ sensation 40. Russian governmental agency 41. Musketeers’ weapons 43. Presidential “No!” 44. Make corrections 46. Kind of palm 47. A in B.A. 48. Indian Ocean’s saltwater inlet 50. Carvey or Plato 52. “Sesame Street” watcher 53. One-horse carriage 55. Sunday newspaper inserts 57. *Kind of Oktoberfest band 60. *Salty snack 64. Meltable abode 65. Go wrong 67. Sore spot 68. African prairie 69. “Wheel of Fortune” vowel request 70. All-season ones, on a car 71. Affirmatives 72. Beaver’s construction 73. Noise of contempt DOWN 1. Egyptian hieroglyph for “life” 2. “You’re not allowed!” to a baby 3. Mistake 4. Spurns

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Elyria and Lorain have some of the highest need for services that receive the federal funding, he said.

But Leandry said that it’s also important to get the clear picture of each community and understanding the needs.

As the director of a nonprofit, he uses the numbers

5. Between triad and pentad 6. Comic strip Moppet 7. Anger management issue 8. Economic crisis 9. Ghana monetary unit 10. Ear-related 11. Tubby little cubby 12. Ted Turner’s TV acronym 15. Bedding and towels 20. Lickety-split 22. Wear and tear 24. “So soon?”

25. *____hosen 26. Sea foam 27. Like United States Capitol 29. *Flower used in beer-making 31. Spanish sparkling wine 32. Deflect 33. *”O’zapft is!” or “It’s tapped!”

34. *Cheers!

36. Without, à Paris 38. Start of something big?

42. Echo sounder 45. Joseph Stalin was one 49. “Eureka!”

51. Experts 54. In the lead 56. *Beer garden mug 57. Curved molding 58. Paella pot 59. ‘60s British teenagers 60. “Hunger Games” sister 61. Goose egg 62. Second to last word in a fairytale 63. Just in case 64. Woody creeper 66. Biochemistry acr.

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Page B4

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Oberlin College warns donors of massive data breach JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Alumni and other donors who financially support Oberlin College may be among the victims of a massive data breach.

The college sent out a letter last Thursday afternoon to alumni, parents and friends of the college, saying their information may have been compromised in a May cybersecurity attack.

"Our investigation is active and ongoing at this time, and we continue to take steps to better understand what happened and how it may have affected our data, if at all," said the author, Vice President of Advancement Michael Grzesiak.

Hackers targeted Blackbaud, a third-party security firm used by Oberlin and other colleges, health care organizations, charities,

churches and more.

The company claims to defend its customers against millions of attacks each month by sophisticated criminals.

The May incident was classified as a ransomware attack — that's when cybercriminals lock companies out of their own systems, encrypting the data stored there and demanding payment to restore access.

"Because protecting our customers’ data is our top priority, we paid the cybercriminal’s demand with confirmation that the copy they removed had been destroyed," said a release from Blackbaud.

It said the incident didn't involve any credit card or bank account information, and no Social Security numbers.

It wasn't until July 16 that Blackbaud informed Oberlin College and other potential victims of the breach.

Grzesiak said the college launched an investigation on its end to find what kind of data might have been released.

"Please know that we take this incident and the security of our information seriously, and we are diligently working to determine the full nature and scope of this incident, as well as confirm whether and what Oberlin information may be involved," he wrote.

Oberlin College Director of Media Relations Scott Wargo did not immediately return a request for more information about how many people may have been affected, or what kind of data might have been accessed.

Other victims have released that information. The Children's Minnesota Foundation, a nonprofit that provides pediatric care, said the breach affected cloudbased information related to fundraising activities. It included

names, addresses, phone numbers, ages, dates of birth, gender, medical record numbers, dates of treatment, locations of treatment, names of treating clinicians and health insurance status.

Boston University and its affiliated NPR radio station were also affected. WBUR reported that contact information, demographic data and other details related to its donors were breached.

Grzesiak said it's possible no Oberlin-related data was actually leaked, and the college believes no sensitive personal information will be misused or spread.

He did asked the community to be alert and report any suspicious activity or suspected identity theft to the college and law enforcement.

Blackbaud now faces a class action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of South Carolina.

Plaintiff William Allen, on behalf of himself and other

victims, is seeking damages for out-of-pocket expenses and time lost mitigating the effects of the attack.

The suit alleges Blackbaud had inadequate safeguards on the information it was tasked with protecting, failed to provide timely notice of the breach to victims and failed to identify all the information that was accessed.

It says Blackbaud and its employees "failed to properly monitor the computer network and systems that housed the Private Information; failed to implement appropriate policies to ensure secure communications; and failed to properly train employees regarding ransomware attacks. Had Defendant properly monitored their network, security, and communications, it would have discovered the cyberattack sooner or prevented it altogether."

Provided photos

Justin Charlton, a sophomore at Wellington High School, on Wellington's first day of school on Monday, Sept. 14.

1,200 Wellington students start unusual fall semester FOR THE ENTERPRISE Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Gillian Chanko is recognized Saturday afternoon on Tappan Square by David Finke of Community Peace Builders.

Scholarship winner asked to follow RBG's example JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Gillian Chanko and other leaders like her "will stand on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's shoulders," said David Finke of Community Peace Builders on Saturday.

In a ceremony held on Tappan Square, Chanko was awarded the inaugural Al Carroll Book Scholarship of $300, recognizing her efforts to cultivate peace.

Ginsburg died Friday at age 87 of complications from pancreatic cancer. She had served as a U.S. Supreme Court justice for 27 years.

Finke described the late justice as a woman passion, dedication and great intellectual skill, and challenged Chanko to live up to the example she set.

Chanko is a fourth-year student at Oberlin College, where she is majoring in politics and law, with a concentration in the art of peacemaking.

Carroll, who died last June, was an alumnus of the college. He was a nuclear physicist who created a series of courses at Oberlin that led to the creation of the peace and conflict studies concentration.

He was also a regular at both peace circles on campus and peace vigil held on the corner of Route 58 and West College Street every Saturday since 9/11.

"Al gave a commitment to giving the best of his life to working for peace," Finke said.

Chanko was thankful for the scholarship, and said that because of her studies she feels prepared to change the world for the better.

WELLINGTON — The Wellington Schools welcomed back 1,203 students this past week.

For the first time, the district began the new year with an in-person hybrid model and online option through EdOptions Academy.

Twenty-six percent of the district's students have chosen to go online and learn from home.

As part of the new safety procedures for in-person learning, students and staff returning to brick-and-mortar school are wearing face coverings and adhering to social distance guidelines.

Physical distancing reminders are posted on walls and floors, directional signs are strategically placed, and hand sanitizer stations are available at entrances to the buildings.

The district has stocked up on equipment and supplies that allow for enhanced cleaning on buses, classrooms, cafeterias, restrooms and playgrounds.

The Wellington Schools mailed each family a Safe Restart Family Resource Guide outlining the guidelines, procedures and learning options available this fall. The guide also included information related to school activities, food service and transportation.

William Mohler, a McCormick Middle School seventh-grader; and Erin Mohler, a Westwood secondgrader, smile for the camera on the first day of classes.

“Welcome back Dukes,” said Superintendent Ed Weber. “May you have a successful school year and a safe one.”

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Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B5

Hughes named Nat’l Merit semifinalist AMHERST — Michael Hughes, a senior at Amherst Steele High School, has been named a 2021 National Merit Scholarship semifinalist, earning a spot among the top 16,000 students nationwide.

He will compete for one of 7,600 scholarships worth a combined $30 million, to be awarded in the spring.

Hughes said he's fairly confident he'll be named a finalist — some 90 percent of semifinalist are expected to move on in the academic competition.

For now, he's celebrating the doors that are already being opened.

"It's a burden lifted off my shoulders because there's a lot of financial aid and scholarships you can get," he said.

Hughes has his sights set on Columbia University in New York. His second choice is the University of Alabama, to which he said National Merit would provide a full ride.

Either way, the Amherst teen aims to study computer science and hopes to one day start his own online business.

The appeal of online entrepreneurship? "I just like that you can be your own boss, make your own hours and work from home," Hughes said.

He seems inclined toward computer science — at Steele, Hughes said he most enjoys calculus, biology and chemistry classes.

He also plays hockey for the Comets and is a member of National Honor Society.

Every finalist will compete this school year for one of 2,500 Nation-

Provided photo

The Benjamin Bacon home is included on an Oct. 11 tour of historic Brownhelm Township sites.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Steele High School senior Michael Hughes has been named one of 16,000 National Merit Scholarship semifinalists for 2021.

ALSO RECOGNIZED AT STEELE

Ryan Godlewski of Amherst Steele High School has been named a commended student in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship program, according to Principal Joe Tellier.

About 34,000 commended students are being recognized nationwide for their "exceptional academic promise," according to the program. Although they will not continue in the competition for scholarships, they placed among the top 50,000 scorers from more than 1.5 million students who entered the competition. al Merit Scholarships, each worth $2,500. About 180 colleges and universities are expected to award more

than 4,100 related awards to finalists.

The 2021 winners will be announced between April and July.

Fatal crash analysis The Lorain County Traffic Fatality Review Committee met Sept. 2 and reviewed six fatality traffic crashes that killed seven people in Lorain County between June 13 and Aug. 27.

The following factors contributed to the fatal

crashes, some of which related to multiple factors: • Five of the people who died were under the age of 25.

• Four crashes involved high speed as a factor.

• Four crashes involved alcohol and/or drugs as a factor.

• Two crashes involved a motorcycle. Both motorcyclists wore a helmet at the time of the crashes.

• One crash involved two pedestrians.

• Two crashes involved two crash victims that were not wearing a seat belt.

In 2019, 278 crashes oc-

curred on Lorain County roads as a result of drunk driving.

“Many crashes can be prevented with responsible choices,” said Lorain County Public Health Commissioner David Covell. “Be a responsible driver. If you’re drinking, do not drive.”

See historic homes of Brownhelm in fall driving tour A new historical program and fundraiser will let you see the beauty and history that Brownhelm has to offer — all from the safety and comfort of your own vehicle.

The Brownhelm Historical Association will offer a driving tour of historic homes and locations along North Ridge Road, starting every 15 minutes from 1-3:45 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11. The event starts from the Historic Brownhelm School, 1950 North Ridge Rd. Costumed narrators will share with you the stories of each stop. Along the way you'll learn about the influential Bacon and Fairchild families, who built many of the homes that still stand in Brownhelm today.

You'll also learn of Brownhelm's first place of worship and one of its ministers, Dr. Alfred Betts, who lived across the street. The tour will end at the Benjamin Bacon Home in Mill Hollow Reservation, where you will hear the story of Mill Hollow and Bacons Mills, enjoy a self-guided tour of the home and a comforting fire outside.

Tickets can be purchased at www.bit.ly/BHADrivingTour.

There are only 36 vehicle tickets available. The cost is $25 per carload.

In the event of rain, the tour will be moved to Oct. 18.

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Page B6

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020

Be a force for safety in your community.

—

As a team member at Tyson Foods, you’ve seen all the steps your facility takes to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Here’s how to use some of those same principles to help keep your family and community safe after your shift ends.

Most importantly, continue to

Wear a mask

Wash and sanitize your hands

Practice social distancing

If you’re hosting small gatherings, do it outside.

Instead of inviting people into your home, host a small gathering outside in the fresh air where everyone has six feet between them to spread out.

When shopping, wear a mask and avoid crowds.

Instead of going to the grocery store at rush hour, try going in the early morning or just before the store closes. Your local grocery store may even have a delivery or curbside pickup option.

When you eat out, eat outside.

Instead of getting a table inside a restaurant, have your meal outside.

If the restaurant doesn’t have a patio, take your dinner to go for an evening picnic at your favorite park.

Learn more about what we’re doing to help keep each other safe. tysonfoods.com/coronavirus