Lorain County Community Guide - Oct. 20, 2022

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Biggest jump to Social Security since the 1980s

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Scared about rising prices, Valerie Husbands drove to Giant Eagle in Amherst a year ago when chicken went on sale for $1.47 per pound.

She bought 50 pounds to freeze, and has been making that purchase last.

It was the right gamble. Inflation has driven con sumer prices up 8.2 percent over the past 12 months, according to a U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report released last Thursday, and food is a huge part of the increase.

The squeeze has eased slightly since this summer, when costs soared to a 40-year high. Gas prices have dropped significantly, though food and rent are still edging upward, the federal report shows.

“I think what this inflation has done is scared me more than anything else,” said Husbands, 73, of North Ridgeville. “I can handle the prices, but it’s the fear — if it’s this bad this year, what about next year?”

There is good news for retired seniors. Social Se curity benefits are directly tied to the inflation rate, and the government also announced that it will pass along the largest cost of living adjustment since the early 1980s.

Starting in January, Social Security checks will increase by more than $140 per month on average — an 8.7 percent boost for about 70 million Americans.

At the same time, Medicare Part B premiums are being lowered by more than $5 per month, “which will give seniors more peace of mind and breathing room,” said Kilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration.

“This year’s substantial Social Security cost-ofliving adjustment is the first time in over a decade that Medicare premiums are not rising and shows that we can provide more support to older Americans who count on the benefits they have earned,” she said.

Husband’s daughter, Carrie Adams, is director of the Amherst Office on Aging. To Lorain County residents living on a fixed income, another $140 per month will make all the difference in the world, she said.

“Our seniors are struggling to make ends meet, and they’ve started cutting things. Generally that’s good food and the extras,” she said.

Demand for her agency’s home-delivered meals in Amherst has increased by 20 percent in the past three months alone, said Adams. The city charges $5.50

Mighty Phoenix seniors

Trump a factor in early voting

Former president isn’t on the ballot, but he’s on minds

JASON HAWK EDITOR

SHEFFIELD TWP. — Former President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot this fall, but his influence was easy to see last Wednesday as early voting got underway.

Among those to cast ballots on the first day of in-person voting was Bar bara Ambler of Elyria, who said she was voting straight Republican.

“I’m a Trumper,” she said. "I know he’s not running, but I’m thinking long-range because the guy who’s up there right now is not doing a good job.”

Norman Kloos of Avon said he was there to vote for JD Vance, the Trump-backed Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate.

After watching about 20 minutes of a debate Monday between Vance and Democratic opponent Tim Ryan, Kloos said he wanted to back the Republican.

Mary Valliere of Elyria said she’s made early voting a tradition. She tends to vote for Democrats.

Last week, she wanted to vote against Trump’s interests on the bal lot, including any of his preferred candidates.

“I watched him try to steal a home from an old lady in Atlantic City when he built his first casino,” Val

A NEW RECORD

liere said, referencing a well-docu mented case in the 1990s.

It revolved around Trump’s use of eminent domain to attempt to seize an elderly woman’s home to build a limousine parking lot. The woman ultimately won in court.

“Ever since then, I have nothing good to say about him,” Valliere said.

Randall Nichols, a Lorain County resident, sat at the roadside in front of the election office wearing a red hat stitched with the word “maggot”

and holding a since that read “Vance hates hillbillies.”

Nichols said Vance’s novel, “Hill billy Elegy,” puts down poor rural residents.

“And of course, he’s got Trump backing him, which leads me to believe that he’s mentally ill, intel lectually challenged and a moron,” he said.

Drawing honks from passing cars,

The total number of registered voters has risen to 219,291 in Lorain County as the fall general election gets underway.

Paul Adams, director of the county Board of Elections, said there are still more registrations filed just before the deadline last Tuesday, so the final number will increase slightly. As of the Aug. 2 special primary election, there were 217,420 registered voters in the county. Adams previously said the lion’s share of new registrations were coming from Avon, Avon Lake and North Ridgeville, where the population is booming.

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin celebrated its five marching band seniors at halftime of Friday night's game against Clearview. Pictured are John Georgiadis, Ian Boyer, Iliana Bennett, director Ryan Jaeckin, Braydon Dobos and Ronan Ortiz.

Bruce Bishop | Community Guide

Randall Nichols, identified himself only as a Lorain County resident shows his sign opposing JD Vance as he stood outside the Lorain County Board of Elections during the first day of early voting.

OBITUARIES

John Frederick Baumann

John Frederick “Jack” Baumann, 84, a resident of Oberlin, passed away qui etly with his sons at his side on the morning of Friday, Oct. 7, 2022.

Jack was born Dec. 22, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York. He was raised in Henrietta Township near and on the family farm his great-grandparents settled in 1870.

After graduating from Firelands High School in 1955, he attended the Ohio State University receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Education in 1962. He met his wife, Frances Minghetti in Columbus, where they were married. Together, they moved to Lorain County, where he took a teaching position with the Firelands School District. In 1965, Jack and Fran moved into an historic Victorian home near downtown Oberlin, where they raised their three children.

Jack spent most of his teaching career in Amherst, where he taught high school government, founded the Ski Club and coached tennis. While at Amherst, he developed a course in comparative government to teach his students about participatory democracy in America and commu nism in the Soviet Union. For Jack, this culminated in a cultural exchange for teachers in the USSR in 1985. During the summer months - when he wasn't playing ten nis or painting the house - the family camped extensively throughout the US. Jack served on Oberlin City Council from 1973 to 1979 and again in 2008-2009.

Jack retired in 1993 to spend six months 'in Jackson Hole, Wyoming as a ski bum.' This was the first of the extended trips that Jack and Fran made in retirement that also included lengthy stays in San Francisco, Toronto and Florence, Italy. They also visited the Baumann fam ily homestead in Herbligen, Switzerland and traveled to Italy, Germany and South America, often with family and friends. Jack took great pleasure in the extended Bau mann and Minghetti families, in cooking and fine dining, sports and the natural world. Throughout their lives, they donated to social justice, civic, arts, and environmental organizations whose values they shared.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Fran Baumann; sons, Jeff (Milo Laubscher) Baumann of Oberlin and Mark (Arline) Baumann of Los Gatos, California; daughter, Jen nifer (Michael Thompson) Baumann of Oberlin; grand children, Anthony, Erin, and Una; two great-grandchildren, Grayson and Kennedy; brother, Robert Baumann of Elyria, and his sister, Ruth Watson of Henrietta Township.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Martha Baumann.

The Baumann family will receive family and friends on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, from 3-7 p.m. at the Hempel Funeral Home, 373 Cleveland Ave., Amherst, OH 44001.

Graveside service at Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin and Celebration of Life will be held in November. Family and friends will be notified.

For those unable to attend please visit the funeral home's website to share a memory and sign the guest register, www.hempelfuneralhome.com.

LETTERS

LCCC levy is essential

To the editor:

For the past 25 years we have experienced firsthand the abilities and expertise of Lorain County Community College graduates. The students, products of the Univer sity Partnership Program, are now professionally engaged with helping people here in Lorain County in a variety of health care, information technology, engineering, law enforcement, firefighting and skilled trade positions.

Issue 10 is essential in helping LCCC students afford college costs as they prepare for their futures. Without Is sue 10, millions of dollars will be cut resulting in a reduc tion of degree programs, job training and support services for our community.

The renewal of this levy, with no tax increase, is impera tive to insure that our student-to-professional pipeline continues. Please join us in voting for Issue 10. This vital program deserves our yes votes!

Letters

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Dr. Alexander and Maria Zolli

David Wilfred Blood, 85, passed away Friday, Oct. 7, 2022, in Oberlin. David was born March 12, 1937, in Hastings, Michigan, the son of Sherley Center and Vida Elsie (Cole) Blood.

David was a 1955 gradu ate of Woodland High School, in Michigan and was the co-salutatorian of his class. He graduated from the University of Michigan in 1960 with a B.S.E. and from Northeastern Univer sity in 1970 with a M.S. in Electrical Engineering.

David worked as an electrical engineer at Raytheon in Wayland, Massachusetts, receiving an award for 25 years of service, MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lincoln, Massa chusetts, Penn State University in State College, Pennsyl vania under contract and HRB Systems in State College, Pennsylvania, retiring in 1999. David was also an avid amateur radio operator licensed and active from 1952 to 2022 (70 years!). David was a devoted follower of Jesus and was an active and faithful member of the East Oberlin Community Church.

David is survived by his wife, Iva Dane Blood of Ober lin; children, Wesley (Marjorie) Blood, Sherley (David) Blood Thom, Janel Blood, Daryl (Alina) Blood, Marla (Jeremy) Brewer; grandchildren, Andrew (Shelby) Blood, Samuel (Brigitta) Blood, Nijyl Brewer, Sacha Brewer, Lew Blood; great-granddaughter, Felicity Blood; sister, Ardath McCall; niece, Carolyn Manting and nephew, Greg (Bryn) McCall.

For the full obituary and the service times, please visit the Girrbach Funeral Home website: https://www.gir rbachfuneralhome.net/obituary/david-blood.

Mourtons celebrate 60th years together

A reception to honor the 60th wedding anniversary of Philip and Suzanne (nee Merrill) Mourton will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Lorain County Metro Parks Wellington Reservation, 535 Jones Rd.

Light refreshments will be served.

Philip graduated in 1960 from New London High School, and Suzanne graduated in 1962 from Welling ton High School.

The couple was married Oct. 20, 1962, at Brighton Methodist Church. They are lifelong residents of Roch ester and have remained members of the church.

They have two children: Tracy (Steve) and Angie (Scott).

Murray Ridge students open cafe

CARISSA WOYTACH THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Against the backdrop of string lights and the whir of blenders, students at Murray Ridge School opened a cafe last week.

Brew It Smooth Cafe will host students and staff every Thursday, with the oldest of Murray Ridge students serving their teachers and primary and intermediate kids han dling homemade baked goods and other sweet treats.

Intervention specialists Kristin Dickerhoff and Taylor Blascak have been working on the cafe for months — after the idea came to Dickerhoff while she was floating in her pool one summer afternoon.

“It really also stems from COVID, not being able to take our kids out into the community to learn on-thejob skills and find a way to get them to learn what they want to do when they leave Murray Ridge,” she said.

Murray Ridge School serves special-needs students ages 6-21, providing physical, occupational and communication therapy, as well as nursing, transportation and as sistive technology. It is operated by the Lorain County Board of Devel opmental Disabilities.

Prior to the pandemic, older stu dents would take field trips to cafes or restaurants, Dickerhoff said, but the cafe brings a chance to learn those soft skills into the school

— and pairs with weekly cooking classes on Fridays as well.

“It was 100 percent studentgeared and we’re like, 'Let’s get these guys excited about it' and then it just rolls,” she said. “I did a donor’s choose fundraiser … and we just sort of rolled with it.”

About a dozen students will work the cafe from 10:30 a.m. to noon every Thursday, though the hours may change as the school year moves forward.

Behind just taking orders, stamp ing loyalty cards and thanking cus tomers, students will also learn how to take inventory and determine

what needs restocked.

Baked goods were made by staff, including school secretary Lilly Tapia, who runs her own home bakery on the side: How Sweet It Is Cupcakes by Lilly. Her treats were front and center last week, with staff ordering the seasonal cupcakes alongside pumpkin spice cold brew and apple pie smoothies.

Dickerhoff and Blascak plan to change the menu throughout the season — peppermint mochas in the winter, for example.

Funds raised from the cafe will go back into the cafe or help pay for field trips.

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Bruce Bishop | Chronicle

Taylor Blascak, an intervention specialist at Murrary Ridge, works with Ja'Laysia Brown, 16, and Jayden Nagy, 17, at the student-run cafe at Murray Ridge in Elyria.

Provided photo Philip and Suzanne Mourton will celebrate 60 years of marriage.

Nurse saves man’s life before Browns game

JASON HAWK EDITOR

CLEVELAND —

Browns running back Nick Chubb ate up 134 yards on 17 carries Sunday, Oct. 9, breaking tackles and danc ing into the end zone twice.

The fast moves Helen Ramsey of Amherst made in the municipal lot outside FirstEnergy Stadium were far more impressive.

“She’s my hero, that’s for sure,” said her husband, attorney and Amherst city treasurer Rich Ramsey.

They were waiting in line to use the restroom before the game, minding their own business, when a man behind them collapsed.

“He just dropped like a sack of potatoes,” Rich said.

There was “a horrible thud, almost like a huge golf ball hitting concrete. That was his head hitting the ground,” Helen recalls.

A nurse of 22 years who works in the cardiac catheterization laboratory at University Hospitals St. John Medical Center in Westlake, she knows a heart attack when she sees one.

While Rich ran to get his phone and called 911, Helen said she checked the man’s pulse and immedi ately started giving CPR.

“It’s just kind of what we

train for. You do it without thinking, really,” she said.

After three or four rounds of chest compressions, the man shuddered. His chest pushed up and he took a ragged breath, she said.

“It was just like the mov ies. His eyes were kind of fixed, and all of a sudden he started to move a little bit,” Rich said.

Paramedics arrived within 10 minutes, Helen estimated. The man, who appeared to be about 40, was alert and talking by that time.

After more than two de cades in health care, Helen said there’s still a rush of adrenaline when an emer

SOCIAL SECURITY

FROM A1

per day for the service, which compared to restaurant delivery prices is incredibly low, she said.

The same demand is being seen at the Lorain County Office on Aging, where deliveries have gone from 100 to 140 per day over the last three years, according to Executive Director Lauren Ksiazek.

The average Social Security check in Ohio is $1,587 but in Lorain County it’s around $1,500, she said — and most people would have a hard time living on that amount.

Food isn’t the only pressing concern.

“Here on the ground level, we’re hearing a lot of older adults are struggling to pay their utilities,” Ksiazek said.

The federal inflation report showed electricity costs have risen 15.5 percent in the past year, and natural gas has surged a whopping 33.1 percent.

Gas prices backed off in September by about 4.9 percent nationwide, according to the Labor Department. While a relief, pump costs in Lorain County still hover between $3.49 and $3.99 per gallon most days.

Husbands said she and husband Terence have cut back on driving. That means no more day trips, and errands are planned out to be as fuel-efficient as possible.

“There’s not a lot of wiggle room left,”

EARLY VOTING

FROM A1

Nichols said he doesn’t view all Republi cans with the same disdain, but he said he can’t support candidates who raise taxes on the working class and attack women’s rights.

Lorain County Democratic Party Central Committee Chairwoman Sharon Sweda said Nichols was handing out sample Democratic ballots on Wednesday, and is entitled to freedom of speech, but that the party would not be supplying him with those ballots to hand out going forward.

"I would like to state that the gentleman in that hat (Nichols) was not sanctioned by our party or reflective of our party's senti ment or messaging," Sweda said. "He did that by himself, and we are going to ask him not to distribute Democratic sample ballots moving forward. We will not sup ply him with any."

Despite their differences, people from both sides of the political aisle were sup portive of Ohio’s early voting hours.

By the time the election office closed at 5 p.m. the first day, 534 Lorain County residents had cast votes, according to Di rector Paul Adams. That’s far higher than the 397 who voted the first day in the 2018 midterm.

Ambler said she wanted to vote early in-person to avoid long lines. She was also nearly unable to vote on Election Day, Nov. 8, due to a surgery that was

she said.

gency happens. Rich described the emergency as almost fate ful. Longtime Cleveland Browns fans, the Ram seys used to be regulars at games but this was the first they went to in years. It was a special outing for their sons and two employ ees from Rich’s law office.

The man who had a heart attack got lucky that an ex pert life-saver was standing 3 feet away, Rich said.

“It was one of those things — what if she didn’t go?” he mused. “What if she didn’t get up with me to go to the restroom? What if she wasn’t standing in line next to this guy?”

She’s worried about running out of money — that already happened to one older family member — and she doesn’t want to be a burden on her children.

Dining out, golf outings and clothes shopping have been put on indefinite hold, Husbands said.

“It’s not like everybody’s starving to death, but you see everybody pulling back,” she said.

The Husbandses own their house. Rent hikes are causing a major issue for other seniors, though, said Ksiazek.

Many are scrambling to find more af fordable shelter, but Ksiazek said there just aren’t many rental units in Lorain County.

She said the Social Security benefits increase is welcome, especially along with Medicare price rollbacks. Still, Ksiazek said the way Social Security cost of living adjustments are calculated is antiquated and the federal government needs to rethink it.

For example, medical expenses are not reflected in the Consumer Price Index, the an inflationary measure that helps deter mine Social Security benefits, she said. That’s a problem, since older adults tend to have higher medical bills due to chronic, age-related illnesses.

scheduled the day before but has now been canceled.

For Kloos, early voting is all about con venience and peace of mind.

“I like to get things done ahead of time,” he said. “I’ve worked (in) factories all my life where the product has to be out yester day. Well, that’s the kind of person I am.”

As a poll worker, Valliere will be busy on Election Day, so casting her ballot in advance made sense.

Early voting can be done at 1985 North Ridge Road E., Sheffield Township. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Friday, Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 31 to Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5; 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7.

The polls will be open across Lorain County from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Another 27,014 county residents have requested vote-by-mail ballots, Adams said.

Adams said the board has worked with Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti to have a deputy stationed at the elections of fice around the clock through Nov. 8.

Reporter Dave O'Brien contributed to this story.

Bruce Bishop | Amherst News-Times

Helen Ramsey with her dog Annie at home in Amherst after her eventful Sunday at the Cleveland Browns game; she saved the life of a man who had an apparent heart attack.

Amherst fall leaf pick-up

Fall leaf pick-up will begin Monday, Oct. 31 in Amherst, Mayor Mark Costilow has announced.

Leaves should be raked to the tree lawn before the first day of the week of your scheduled pickup. Be sure to have them at the curb by 7 a.m. that Monday. Do not put leaves in the street.

Tree limbs, grass clippings and bagged leaves will not be picked up by the city. Yard waste will continue to be collected by Republic Services as part of your regular trash collection.

The Amherst Street Department does not accept calls request ing pickup, nor do they back track for those whose leaves were not curbside. Scheduled weeks for leaf pick up are:

• Oct. 31-Nov. 4 — Streets north of the railroad tracks. Have leaves on the curb by Oct. 31.

• Nov. 7-10 — Streets south of the railroad tracks. Have leaves on the curb by Nov. 7.

• Nov. 14-18 — Streets north of the railroad tracks. Have leaves on the curb lawn by Nov. 14.

• Nov. 21-23 — Streets south of the railroad tracks. Have leaves on the curb lawn by Nov 21.

Read to Putter

Putter the therapy dog appears from 3:15-4:45 p.m. on Thursdays through December at the Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington.

Putters listens to children read, helping to develop literacy skills. Sign up your child for a 15-minute session by calling (440) 647-2120.

TRICK-OR-TREAT

• Amherst Township — 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30

• Amherst — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Avon — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Avon Lake — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Columbia Township — 6-8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Elyria — 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29

• Elyria Township — 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29

• Grafton — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Kipton — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• LaGrange — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Lorain — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• North Ridgeville — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Oberlin — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Rochester — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Sheffield — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Sheffield Lake — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• South Amherst — 6-7:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30

• Vermilion — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

• Wellington — 6-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31

CLASSIFIEDS

LEGALS

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Jason Hawk | Community Guide

Professor Manaf Alhusayni examines a piece of circuitry under ultraviolet light and magnification in Lorain County Community College’s clean room at the Desich Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center in Elyria.

Much like in a photography “red room,” the clean room is bathed in amber light to protect sensitive chemicals and electronic components being used.

Senator Brown gets tour of semiconductor ‘clean room’

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA — Peering into micro scopes, first-year students practiced soldering tiny resistors and capaci tors Monday morning in the other worldly lighting of a clean room at Lorain County Community College.

Professor Johnny Vanderford walked up and down a row of work stations, checking their craftsman ship.

“Think about how much better this looks compared to the first time we did this, folks,” he said. “This looks really good.”

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown, DOhio, walked into the sterile labora tory a few minutes later, wearing a white coat and hair net.

He circled the room, asking stu dents how the program works and what they plan to do with LCCC’s certifications and new 4-year degree in microelectronics manufacturing.

Brown was fascinated by 16-yearold Mason Moreck, an Avon High School student. When he graduates in 2024, Moreck will be the first to earn a bachelor’s degree from the college at the same time he earns a high school diploma.

LCCC President Marcia Ballinger said more than 100 students earned associate degrees this year in tandem with their high school diplomas, but Moreck is on a whole other level.

He said he wants to completely understand how semiconductors are built and operate before moving into the business side of the industry. “I’d rather instruct people how to do it and find ways to make things really efficient,” he said. “So this is just the start.”

and Intel are desperate for workers who have the kind of training LCCC provides.

“This is really beneficial for a company like Intel, to get people who are used to gowning-up proce dures, used to electrostatic discharge policies,” he said.

Intel’s $20 billion production plant in Licking County is scheduled to come online in 2025.

Brown said it will need 5,000 skilled tradespeople — electricians, carpenters, pipefitters, sheet metal workers, operators and laborers — in addition to those who know how to make semiconductors.

General Motors, Toyota, General Mills and Anheuser-Busch.

He has about 45 openings right now, starting at $18 per hour, but filling those jobs has been tremen dously difficult.

“These skills lack throughout the state of Ohio and throughout the United States,” which is why the microelectronics manufacturing pro gram at LCCC is so valuable.

Brown agreed. He wants to repli cate the high-tech workforce devel opment effort across the entire state.

A more aggressive investment will be needed, though, he said.

“The legislature has been skimpy on helping community colleges, frankly,” said Brown. “The legisla ture’s more interested in tax cuts for rich people than they are investing in public education. But these com munity colleges have figured out a way to survive and thrive and will continue to.”

Under President Joe Biden, there is a renewed emphasis on supporting manufacturing, said Brown.

It is a response to shortfalls from outsourcing. Manufacturing jobs were first moved to the South “for cheap labor,” he said — then they were sent to Mexico and China.

“We’re seeing that turn around now, finally, with this new industrial policy,” Brown said.

Vanderford said demand for train ing is rising, too. LCCC just doubled its capacity for the program’s incom ing students this semester, and he believes it needs to expand again.

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Kurtis Jeffries, 29, of South Amherst, graduated from the LCCC microelectronics program earlier this year and works at Dan-Mar in Norwalk. The company specializes in design, development and manu facturing of electronic products.

He said companies like Dan-Mar

“So we’re going to scale up these trades jobs. These are all really strong, solid middle-class jobs, and they’ll last for 10 or 15 or 20 years,” he said.

Gregory Vance, an engineer at Rockwell Automation in Mayfield Heights, said his company also needs skilled machine operators, sol derers and repair technicians to build control systems for companies like

Every class offered at the Desich Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center is designed to get students hired, he told Brown.

Ballinger said it’s the only facil ity in Northeast Ohio where stu dents can train in a clean room and practice building semiconductors. Students enrolled there have a 100 percent job placement rate, she said — state funding is based on whether students are hired into jobs.

“We don’t want to teach you skills that won’t get you employed,” said.

Rotarians donate school supplies

OBERLIN — Bags and totes full of crayons, mark ers, pencils, paper, glue, notebooks and book bags were dropped off last week at the Oberlin City Schools Board of Education office Oberlin Rotarian and Oberlin Fam ily Dental owner Dr. Melanie Fredrickson.

In August and September, Rotarians collected school supplies at the business.

“We did this last year because we saw a need, and there is still a need — there will always be a need, whether it is in the beginning of the school year or in the middle, and we love supporting the students of Oberlin City School District,” Fredrickson said.

Superintendent David Hall accepted the donations, saying the Rotary always seems to know what is needed for students.

“The Oberlin Rotary is an integral part of our commu nity. We are very fortunate to have the Oberlin Rotary support our students and families,” he said. “We appre ciate all of their efforts.”

Provided photo

► Oberlin City Schools Superintendent David Hall and Director of Pupil Services Sue Alig accept donations from the Oberlin Rotary. The items were collected at Oberlin Family Dental, and delivered by Dr. Melanie Fredrickson and dental assistant Haley Schmitt.

Senator Sherrod Brown listens to students talk about how they are learning to build microelectronics at LCCC. Their studies take place in a “clean room” where coats, gloves and hair nets are required.

ELECTION 2022

With experience, Young champions 911 renewal levy

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Jeff Young will never forget what it felt like to wait for para medics to arrive after his wife stopped breathing.

It only took a few minutes for help to arrive at his house in cen tral Elyria, but to him they felt like a lifetime.

“I hope you never have to call 911,” he said.

Young recalls what it was like having Lorain County 911 operators talk him through his panic, assuring him he was not alone. They kept him calm until

paramedics arrived and saved his wife’s life.

After a career as a firefighter including a long stint as Sheffield village fire chief, today Young serves as the county’s 911 direc tor.

Pulling from his personal expe rience, he is championing Issue 7, a 5-year, 0.5-mill renewal levy on the fall ballot.

It generates about $3.5 million annually. If passed, it will con tinue to cost homeowners $11.67 per year for every $100,000 their property is worth.

The funding is used for day-today operations at the central call center on Burns Road in Elyria,

including pay ing for the cur rent staff of 32, which Young wants to grow to 40.

It’s a tough job — 911 dis patchers hear the worst that happens every day, from fires to car crashes, falls, gunshot wounds, stabbings and heart attacks.

They call out 26 fire depart ments and three ambulance ser vices in Lorain County, as well as the sheriff’s office, Metro Parks and multiple police agencies.

Levy funds half the budget of County Drug Task Force

DAVE O’BRIEN

THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM Issue No. 8

Lorain County voters are being asked to renew Issue 8, a 0.08-mill criminal jus tice levy on the Nov. 8 bal lot, to support the Lorain County Drug Task Force.

The drug task force, which is run out of the Lorain County Sheriff's Of fice, has an approximately $1 million budget. This levy provides more than half that — $566,000 annually.

A portion of the levy also supports the Lorain County SWAT Team.

If passed by voters, the levy would start collection in 2024. It will not raise taxes and will cost the

What it is: A 0.08-mill renewal levy

Duration: Five years

How much would it raise: $566,339 annually

Purpose: Criminal justice, primarily the Lorain County Drug Task Force but also the Lorain County SWAT Team

Cost to homeowner/taxpayer: The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $1.87 per year

owner of a $100,000 home about $1.87 annually.

Task force commander Maj. Don Barker told com missioners earlier this year that there are more than 40 regional or county task forces in Ohio competing for federal grants and support to combat the illegal drug trade and lessen the number of overdoses in the state.

The Lorain County task

force works with local police agencies, the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security Investi gations on large-scale drug trafficking investigations. IT also does anti-drug educa tion, and is part of a Quick Response Team.

On a QRT team, officers and social services reps visit people within 72 hours of a non-fatal overdose to offer them recovery services.

Issue No. 7

What it is: A 0.5-mill renewal levy

Duration: 5 years

How much would it raise: $3.5 million per year

Purpose: For Lorain County 911 operations

Cost to homeowner/taxpayer: The owner of a $100,000 home will pay $11.67 annually.

Operators are trained to figure out what is going on, dispatch first responders and stay on the line to provide support while help is en route.

“They help deliver babies, they

teach people to do CPR, they do bleeding control,” Young said.

Overseeing the dispatch center is the most challenging task he’s ever taken on, he said — the work is highly technical.

Young said he was against a tentative plan to increase the amount requested under the levy instead of simply renewing it, an option Lorain County commis sioners showed some interest in.

The amount under the renewal will be sufficient, he said, voicing plans to “get us back in line with spending our money wisely.”

“One of my biggest pet peeves in the world is wasting money,” said Young.

LOCAL OPTIONS

Issues 39A and 39B

Voters in Oberlin’s fifth voting precinct will be asked to allow or reject alcohol sales at the new Aldi grocery store being built at the corner of State Route 58 and U.S. Route 20. Issue 39A asks for the sale of beer, wine and mixed beverages to be allowed at the new store. Issue 39B seeks permission to sell wine and mixed beverages on Sundays.

Issue 41

Voters in Wellington’s east precinct will be asked to allow or reject Sunday alcohol sales at La Troje Mexican Restaurant, 116 E. Herrick Ave. Owner Manuel Angel opened the restaurant in July 2021, but drinks have not been available on Sundays.

Issue 42

Voters in Amherst Township’s first precinct will be asked to allow or reject Sunday alcohol sales at Amherst Citgo Pure Gas, 7499 Leavitt Rd.

Early voting hours in Lorain County

Early voting can be done at 1985 North Ridge Road E., Sheffield Township. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays through Friday, Oct. 28; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from Monday, Oct. 31 to Friday, Nov. 4; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 5; 1-5 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6; and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 7. The polls will be open across Lorain County from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Find your voting location for Nov. 8 at www.voteloraincountyohio.gov.

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BULLETIN

Author luncheon returns

The Friends of the Amherst Public Library’s annual author lun cheon will be held at noon on Thursday, Oct. 20 at the Sunset Terrace at Lakeview Park, 1800 W. Erie Ave., Lorain.

This is the first author luncheon held by the group in two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will feature Ohiobased author and artist Julie Zickefoose. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the information desk in the first floor lobby at the library. For more information, call (440) 988-4230.

JVS to hold homecoming

The Lorain County JVS will host its first homecoming event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at its Route 58 cam pus in Pittsfield Township.

This family-friendly event is fall-themed and open to the public. It will include trick-or-treating throughout the building for children 10 and under. Children’s costumes are encouraged. Kids can get close-up looks at trucks, decorate cookies and cupcakes, get their faces painted, play on inflatable slides and obstacle courses, visit a petting zoo and paint pumpkins.

The homecoming day is free, but the school is asking for visi tors to consider taking a canned good or other non-perishable food item for donation to Second Harvest Food Bank.

Registration is required at www.lcjvs.com/homecoming.

‘Super lab’ open house at LCCC

Lorain County Community College will host a family-friendly open house for The Campana Center for Ideation and Invention from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Elyria.

The Campana Center is a community-focused makerspace that is home to LCCC’s 5,000 square foot Fab Lab. Designated the first “super lab” in North America, the Fab Lab puts the latest tools and machines for making into the hands of Lorain County’s creative community.

The open house will merge kid-friendly fall activities with the world of maker technology. There will also be information on LCCC’s Earn and Learn – Train Ohio Program, which provides students a pathway to early, hands-on experience and on-thejob training in high-demand and high-skill industries.

The event is free and open to the community. Participants can heat press a trick-or-treat bag, decorate a pumpkin, experience virtual and augmented reality worlds and enjoy snacks from a food truck. Register at www.lorainccc.edu/campana.

Trunk-or-treat at Wellington HS

A first responders and community trunk-or-treat will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at Wellington High School, 629 N. Main St. Take costumed kids to get candy from Northeast Ohio first responders. There will be a DJ and refresh ments will be provided, according to Wellington police.

‘Coraline’ at the Lindley Center

A movie night with the spooky 2009 animated adventure film “Coraline” will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Patricia Lindley Center for the Performing Arts, 627 N. Main St., Wellington.

Admission is free. There will also be a free snack and Halloween treat. The evening is presented by the Wellington Kiwanis Builders Club and the Wellington Schools Kindland initiative.

Heritage House opens doors

A fall open house will be held from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Amherst Heritage House, 439 Shupe Ave. Visit this historic Amherst home and learn about middle class American life in the 20th century. The public is welcome. There is no admission fee.

Amherst Heritage House was established by Valerie Gerstenberger in 2002. The goals of this organization are to understand life in the 20th century through the use of artifacts, documents and photos and to promote the importance of pres ervation and community action through education and example.

Delve into spooky history

By My Lantern’s Light” will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 22 and Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Amherst Historical Society’s Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Ave.

Take a guided tour, hear spooky tales of history and enjoy cider and doughnuts in the Grange Hall.Admission is $5 per person; chil dren ages 5 and under are free. Kids will not be admitted without an adult. RSVP by Oct. 14 by calling (440) 988-7255.

Learn about infectious disease

Medical lecturer and patient advocate Tom Strong will speak at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 24 at the Amherst Public Library.

Learn about the history of infectious diseases and the various drugs, treatments and vaccines that have evolved in the last century to help eradicate these deadly germs.

Watch Japanese TV shows

The Tokusatsu Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at the Amherst Public Library.

Recommended for ages 15 and older. Learn about, watch and discuss Japanese Tokusatsu films and television shows like Ultraman, Godzilla, Super Sentai, Kamen Rider, and more. Tokusatsu Club meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. You do not need to have attended previous sessions to attend this one.

Get drive-thru lasagna dinners

The Amherst Lions and Leo clubs will host a drive-thru lasagna dinner fundraiser from 4:30-6:30 p.m. or until meals are sold out on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst.

Proceeds will benefit Project LifeSaver, a Lorain County pro gram that provides local law enforcement the ability to quickly locate lost people who have dementia or disabilities.

This is a take-out only event. Customers can drive to the high school’s main entrance on Washington Street, where orders will be taken and dinners delivered with no need to get out of the car. There will be no pre-sales; only cash orders will be accept ed. The Lions will also collect unwanted, used eyeglasses, including sunglasses.

For more information, email amherstohiolions@gmail.com.

Concert for hot meals program

A free concert to benefit Oberlin Weekday Community Meals will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at the First Church in Oberlin, 106 N. Main St.

Performers include soloists from the Oberlin College and Conservatory; choirs from Oberlin High School, First Church and Christ Episcopal Church as well as students from the Oberlin Community Music School. They will present a diverse program ranging from opera and chamber music to gospel and pop, with works by Mozart, Mendelssohn, The Beatles and more.

Donations will be accepted at the door and gift baskets will be raffled off at a reception following the performance.

Since 1983, Oberlin Weekday Community Meals has operated out of the Parish Hall of Christ Episcopal Church in Oberlin. In recent years, due to the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pan demic and swiftly rising consumer costs, Community Meals has grown to become the largest meals program in the region, and the only operation of its kind in Oberlin. Community Meals serves an average of more than 80 freshly prepared, nutritious take-out dinners every day, available free while they last, from 5-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at Christ Church for 50 weeks of the year.

“Our operating costs are now in excess of $100,000,” said the Rev. Andy McQuery, rector of Christ Episcopal Church. “We are working on a plan to ensure our long-term viability so that no one is going hungry in Oberlin, but we depend on gener ous donations and hope that this upcoming concert will really increase people’s awareness of what a wonderful program it is, and how much we need their help.”

Read for the record

Be counted with millions of other children in an attempt to break a record. Kids will gather at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington to read “Nigel and the Moon.” Be prepared to show off your creativity with crafting.

Pajama party for plushies

Kids of all ages are invited to celebrate Plush Animal Lover’s Day at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Amherst Public Library.

Enjoy bedtime stories in pajamas and then leave your plush animal to experience an overnight sleepover in the library. Discover what your favorite friend did when you pick them up after 1 p.m. the next day, or ask an adult to follow along on Facebook or Instagram for updates on their adventures.

Last Grandma’s Attic Sale

The

final Grandma’s Attic Sale fundraiser of 2022 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 28 and Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Historic Brownhelm School, 1950 North Ridge Rd.

Find small electrical appliances, kitchen items, seasonal items, pictures and frames, luggage and antiques. Proceeds benefit restoration and maintenance of the school.

Oberlin Halloween parade

The Oberlin Halloween parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the former Eastwood Elementary School.

It will travel to Langston Middle School. The event will feature the Oberlin High School marching band and include treats, a magician, balloon animals and more. All ages can march in the parade for free.

For more information, call the Oberlin Recreation Office at (440) 775-7254.

Downtown trick-or-treating

Children’s activities will be offered from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Oberlin’s East College Street courtyard. OberlinKids and KidSpeak will present a photo booth and coloring books.

From noon to 2 p.m., meet heroes and princesses downtown. Caricaturist Joseph Toothman will also be on hand to draw people in their costumes.

Trick-or-treat at downtown businesses from 12:30-2 p.m. Stop by city hall for treats from police and firefighters.

Shops give out treats

Trick-or-treating at downtown businesses will run from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 29 in Wellington.

Halloween party at the library

Little ghouls and ghosts can join in not-so spooky stories, crafts and trick-or-treating from 3-4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at the Amherst Public Library. Costumes are optional but encouraged.

Trunk-or-treat in Kipton

The 3rd Annual Trunk-or-Treat will be held from 3-6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Kipton Community Church, 511 Church St. Wear your best costume for a contest, and enjoy candy, games, bounce houses and other family fun. Food will be avail able for purchase from 3-6 p.m.

Parade and treat-or-treating

South Amherst’s Halloween events will be held Sunday, Oct. 30.

A costume parade will start in the parking lot on the west side of the former South Amherst Middle School. Line-up is at 2:30 p.m. and the parade will start at 3 p.m.

Parade and costume contest

Amherst’s annual costume contest and Halloween parade will be held Sunday, Oct. 30 at the city’s utility building, 480 Park Ave.

Contest registration starts at 3 p.m. and judging will start at 4 p.m. In case of inclement weather, the costume contest will be held at the Amherst fire station, 414 Church St.

The annual Halloween parade begins immediately follow ing the costume contest. It will travel down Park Avenue to Town Hall.

In case of inclement weather, the parade will be canceled.

Halloween stories and crafts

Enjoy spooky Halloween stories and crafts at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31 at the Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington.

Wearing costumes is encouraged and there will be treats.

See library’s candy chute

The “candy chute” will make its return this Halloween at the Amherst Public Library. From 6:-7:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31, visit the stairs at the Park Avenue side of the library to see the chute in action.

‘Night of the Living Dead’

Spend the evening of Halloween with a screening of George Romero’s classic “Night of the Living Dead” at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 31 at the Amherst Public Library.

Credited as the first modern zombie horror film, the influence of this 1968 cult classic is still evident in horror cinema and tele vision today. Snacks and bottled water will be provided for all registered attendees. This event is recommended for ages 12 and up. Minors should be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Registration is required at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org.

OUR TOWNS

Officer cleared in July shooting on Courtland St.

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Wellington police officer Kayla Chrosniak will not face charges after shooting a knife-wielding attacker this summer.

She has been cleared of wrong doing in the July 23 incident on Courtland Street in Wellington, according to a report released Monday by Lorain County Pros ecutor J.D. Tomlinson.

It said Chrosniak “had no choice” but to open fire on 37-year-old Scott Bakker after he exited his home in a rage and

ran at both her and officer Allan Geitgey.

Body camera footage from both officers’ vantage points showed Bakker having an appar ent mental health crisis, yelling threats at police and throwing a wooden bench through his own window. He moved toward officers at a fast clip when he emerged from his house, refus ing to stop or drop the blade clenched in his hand.

Chrosniak first used an elec tric stun gun on Bakker, who after being hit from afar by the weapon’s probes turned and charged at her.

That’s when Chrosniak could be seen on video firing two rounds. Bakker went down in his yard, bleeding heavily from his stomach.

The use of force was deemed reasonable and not excessive, Tomlinson’s report said. Chrosniak was attempting to prevent an assault on a peace officer, which would be a firstdegree felony, it said.

Bakker “posed an immediate threat to Chrosniak’s safety, to the safety of Patrolman Geitgey and to the safety of any other officer that would have respond ed,” Tomlinson wrote. “Clearly, Bakker was actively resisting any attempt to arrest him or to bring him under control in any fashion.”

Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider said it was immedi ately clear, based on body cam footage, that Chrosniak’s actions were justified.

“It’s always good to have that confirmed by an outside source,” he said.

Goblins and ghosts are back

Monsters return for Metro Parks Halloween

JASON HAWK EDITOR

CARLISLE TWP. — Safe in the sunlight, Barbara Sweeney walked her dog Molly down the Carlisle Reserva tion Metro Park’s Halloween trail Friday morning, past dozens of dozing ghosts and skeletons.

The ghouls were resting, waiting to wake when the long shadows of the late afternoon crept through the woods.

Sweeney, who lives nearby, said she couldn’t wait for dark, when park staff would light up the “pumpkin lagoon,” giving life to smiling jack o’lanterns that

hover over a trailside pond.

“It is so pretty at night,” she said.

According to Lorain County Metro Parks spokeswoman Mariah Deitz, the lagoon is the most popular attraction at the park system’s Halloween Fair, which returns this year after being sidelined since 2019 due to the COVID-19 pan demic.

Located halfway along the haunted trail, there is always a bottleneck at the pond as people stop to stare at the glow ing pumpkin faces, she said.

The fair started Friday night. It runs from 4:30-10 p.m. on Fridays and Satur days through Oct. 29 at 12882 Diagonal Rd.

A child-friendly version of the trail is open from 4:30-6:30 p.m., when it closes to reset with scarier attractions starting at 7 p.m.

There are also train rides, food booths, games a DJ and other fun to be had at the Carlisle Reservation.

The cost is $5, or free for kids under 3 years old. Tickets may only be pre-pur chased at www.tinyurl.com/CarlisleHal loween and will not be sold at the gate.

Before the pandemic, the park wel comed 6,000 to 8,000 people a night to the Halloween Fair, Deitz said. The masses more or less shut down Diagonal

Alumni rethinking donations after changes to Oberlin College bylaws

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Alumni are angry, some even vowing to halt donations to their alma mater after a controversial vote Friday, Oct. 7 by the Oberlin College Board of Trustees.

David Burress, a 1966 grad uate, said he stopped giving about $35,000 annually after the college laid off more than 100 union workers in 2020.

Other donations to the school are included in his will.

“I haven’t changed that yet, but I will,” Burress said last week.

Moving ahead despite a campus protest held Oct. 6,

trustees repealed the Finney Compact, a 187-year-old agreement that gives faculty a say in choosing Oberlin Col lege’s strategic direction.

Now professors’ authority is limited to classrooms and cur riculum, not wider operational decisions.

That change will not impact the quality of the college’s education, the way Oberlin operates on a daily basis or the relationships between fac ulty and students, according to a statement from the board. It positioned the change as a clarification to the bylaws in the face of “the realities that face higher education.”

As a concession, trustees also added a sentence to Article I, Section 1 of the col lege bylaws: “In keeping with

the tradition of Oberlin Col lege, this delegated authority should not discourage con sultation with the faculty on matters outside the authority specifically delegated to the faculty, especially in matters of long-term strategic impor tance.”

The change was made to “protect and support our in stitution as we seek to reduce risk, align our bylaws with accreditor expectations and face some of higher educa tion’s most intractable fiscal and demographic challenges,” said the board’s statement.

Scott Wargo, director of media relations for Oberlin College, did not respond to a request for information about whether the bylaws amend ment was unanimous, or how

each trustee voted.

Removing the Finney Com pact was the latest in a chain of “distressing” decisions made by the trustees, said Les Leopold, a 1969 graduate and spokesman for the 1833 Just Transition Fund.

The alumni group was es tablished to aid union mem bers who were laid off from jobs as custodial, maintenance and cafeteria workers at Oberlin College in 2020. The Just Transition Fund raised $158,000 to help those former employees’ families.

The Gibson’s Bakery lawsuit against the college, secrecy surrounding the col lege’s endowment, rent hikes for student-run cooperatives,

The investigation was turned over to the Lorain County Sher iff’s Office, which is standard procedure after a police-involve shooting.

Bakker was indicted in Septem ber on two counts of first-degree felonious assault — one for each officer involved — and one count of fifth-degree felony obstruc tion of official business. He has pleaded not guilty by reason of mental health.

Bond was set at $15,000. Bak ker remains in custody at the Lorain County Jail, according to

‘Victory bell’ rescued from S. Amherst school tower

JASON HAWK EDITOR

HENRIETTA TWP. — If the old South Amherst Middle School has a bell tower, surely it once had a bell, right?

Boy Scout Trevor Wiley had to know. So, with permission from the Firelands Board of Education, he climbed into the peak overlooking Route 113, which was thick with the dust of long years of disuse.

And there was the bell.

“It’s not a very big one,” Wiley said, showing pictures of his prize last week after meeting with Firelands officials.

Cast in steel, it measures about 30 inches around the bowl. Even if it’s small, it’s go ing to make a big noise, the Firelands High School freshman said.

In a bid to earn Eagle Scout status, Wiley plans to build a short brick tower upon which to mount the “victory bell” so it can be sounded once more.

“It’s something to ring for all sports and school activities when they win or get an award,” Wiley said.

Firelands school board President Mike O’Keefe said Wiley has full support for the project: “I think this is a wonderful way to preserve our history,” he said.

While the district’s Building and Grounds Committee has give preliminary approval for construction of a new bell tower, it’s unclear where it will go, O’Keefe said.

Wiley would like to see it placed in the courtyard of Firelands High School, a new $23 million facility that opened this fall. Alternately, it could go in the scoreboard area of Falcons Stadium, he said.

The “where” is secondary to the “how.” With help from his father, Mighty Falcons marching band director Dustin Wiley, he is planning for a $5,000 project.

The Wileys said they will hold fundraiser dinners in hopes the community will buy into their vision — details of those events are being hammered out.

If all goes well, Trevor Wiley said he wants to buy materials in February, start building in April and have the project

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022

Scott Bakker

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Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times Boy Scout Trevor Wiley is planning to build a small brick tower for a bell pulled from the former South Am herst Middle School.

Photos by Jason Hawk | Community Guide

Monsters of the night look a little less terrifying in the sunlight. They line the trail at the Carisle Reservation Metro Park on Diagonal Rd., where the annual Halloween Fair is being resurrected for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The "pumpkin lagoon" is the most popular attraction along the Halloween trail.

changes to faculty health insurance and hiring Catholic-run Bon Secours Mercy Health to provide campus health care services have all been sticking points for alumni, Leopold said in an interview.

“The board and the administration are trying to run the college like a corporation… and they don’t want to share any decision-making with anybody,” he said. “They know what’s best.”

The 1833 Just Transition Fund is reorganizing its energies. Leopold said the new goal is to establish a shared alumni, staff and faculty governing body over the next couple of months, provided the Oberlin chapter of the American Association of University Professors is willing to get on board.

It would be a way to “weigh in on on all these issues, and see if we can’t create a dialogue with the autocrats about where Oberlin is headed,” he said.

Alumni live around the world, but they can use their donations as lever age to hold the Board of Trustees accountable, he said. With a $1 billion endowment at its disposal, it’s unclear however whether the board needs alumni donors, said Leopold.

In the last couple of weeks, the Just Transition Fund has started to receive calls and emails from alumni who want to redirect their donations from the college to other causes.

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Road, and there were safety risks with people walking along the route in the dark, she said.

The huge turnout also clogged the trail, said Deitz — for shorter people, espe cially children, it was hard to see. And this year, the Metro Parks are also running the fair with limited staff.

To ease those strains,

Leopold said the fund is not ac cepting those donations right now — but that could change in the coming months as its plans solidify.

Oberlin City Councilwoman Kris tin Peterson, a 1972 graduate, said she is also wrestling with giving.

She’s always planned to donate significant amounts if able to do so. There is a scholarship in her family’s name, and Peterson said she also made a modest pledge at her 50th reunion this summer.

“I’m thinking whether or not I’m going to leave it there,” she said.

Members of the classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 celebrated jointly in June. Together, they pledged or gave $25 million at the reunion, for a combined $39.9 million since the three classes graduated.

But Peterson said there have been increasing misgivings among fellow alumni, specifically since the 2020 mass layoffs.

Former professors are also recon sidering their giving, including Rich ard Spear, who taught art history at Oberlin for 35 years and was director of the Allen Memorial Art Museum.

“I think it was a very unwise deci sion,” he said of the trustees’ vote to amend the college bylaws. “And I think it’s indicative of the drift in higher education where students and administrators are more and more calling the shots.”

Spear and his wife have pledged $1 million to the endowed Ellen Johnson

only 2,500 tickets are being sold each night, and there will be no off-site parking.

Deitz said she expects sell-outs. Demand is high — she arrived at work at 7:30 a.m. Friday in antici pation that phones would be ringing off the hook.

Around 10 a.m., there were only about 100 tickets left for the evening, she said.

Residents who manage to score tickets will see some favorites from the past — a cursed pirate ship, pumpkin wraiths, skeletons of all shapes and sizes and even some dinosaurs.

“Now that it’s back, we have a lot of familiar favorites,” said Deitz, add ing, “Everything’s been

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amped up a bit.”

Between staff, rangers, volunteers and vendors, about 300 people are involved in pulling off the weekend Halloween Fair. That includes Girl Scouts and 4-H members who help “spook” the trail, and actors who bring scary sta tions to life along the way, Deitz said.

curator of modern art position at the AMAM. He said they will honor that pledge, but may change plans to leave the college several more millions of dollars in their estate.

In a letter to the trustees prior to their vote, Spear said the last thing Oberlin College needs is “more nega tive publicity and further acceleration of its decline. But that, I fear, is exact ly what the board is inviting by pro posing bylaw changes that eviscerate the Finney Compact and the general faculty’s authority… The change, to no small degree, will destroy the Oberlin that it long has been.”

Burress is going a step further. He has drafted a petition calling for the board’s resignation, with the excep tion of alumni-elected members, who would make appointments to fill the empty seats.

It says alumni “have lost all faith in the willingness of the Ober lin administration to preserve the special historic character of Oberlin. We have also lost faith in the abil ity of the Oberlin administration to carry out its responsibilities with an adequate level of competence.”

The letter, which had not yet been sent when Burress was interviewed but was circulating online, also asks alumni to make no new financial contributions until the existing board has been replaced. It also recom mends against a boycott against the college by prospective students and faculty applicants.

inmate records.

Reviewing Chrosniak’s decision to fire her gun took lon ger. Schneider said he was relieved Tomlinson’s decision.

Months after the shooting, he said he is remains awe struck by how Chrosniak pivoted after the shooting. She showed the injured Bakker compassion, holding towels to his wound and soothing him while waiting for paramedics to arrive.

Both officers involved have long since returned to duty.

Schneider said there’s been “a lot of support for both of them and a lot of reflection on how we are doing things,” but ultimately the conclusion is that Chrosniak could not have acted more responsibly.

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complete by the end of the school year. That way he can start ringing the bell in the fall as a sophomore.

The relic is among the last to be claimed from the nowvacant South Amherst Middle School while it remains under Firelands control.

The district has sold the 112-year-old building to Indus trial Realty Group. It officially transferred over Saturday, according to Superintendent Mike Von Gunten.

In a report to the Board of Education, he said IRG has had a number of architects and engineers on the property recently, including workers looking at the roof.

No details have yet been put forth, however, about what IRG intends to do with the building.

Speaking last year to the board and South Amherst Vil lage Council, IRG Vice President Justin Lichter seemed less concerned with the fate of the structure itself, and more with attaining its sewage treatment assets.

He has for years been pursuing a plan to build upscale housing on the former Cleveland Quarries property that straddles the South Amherst and Amherst Township border, but has been unable to convince Lorain County officials to build sewers to the site.

Provided photo

The bell isn’t that large, Boy Scout Trevor Wiley said, but should peal loudly when cleaned up and mounted.

Groesser in charge

Eric Groesser’s 2-yard foray into the end zone bumped Black River’s lead to 42-28 in the fourth quarter Friday and put the nail in Firelands’ coffin. It was Groesser’s second rushing touchdown of the night — the Pirates quarterback also passed for 264 yards on 11 completions. Nathan Urbas was his most profitable target, picking up 131 yards on four catches, including a 65-yarder to draw first blood and a 29-yarder before halftime. After Tyler Mrakuzic went 47 yards to score on a Groesser toss, Urbas caught a 30-yard TD lob in the fourth quarter as well. For the Falcons, Weston Strader scored twice and racked up 154 rushing yards. Other touchdowns came courtesy of Abel Coutrip on a 14-yard pass from Jim Aunspaw and Josh Kovach on a goal line push. ABOVE: Firelands' Weston Strader crosses the goal line for a Firelands touchdown at Black River.

DUKES WIN

Whose field? Patfield’s field

Nathan Patfield mopped up Friday night, scoring three straight rushing touchdowns on big-gain plays to lift the Dukes 35-10 over Brookside in Lorain County League football action.

The Cardinals struck first with a Noah Adkins field goal in the second quarter, and led 10-7 at the half despite a 27-yard Dukes touchdown on a 27-yard pass from Landon Wright to Johnnie Kinter.

Joshua Nocella put Wellington back on top after the break, rushing 11 yards to the goal line.

From there, it was Patfield’s game. He struck again and again, first from 35 yards out, then twice on scoring runs of 56 yards to put the Cards far behind, racking up a personal total of 177 on the ground and 32 yards more on three receptions.

Kinter led the Wellington receivers with 83 yards, followed by Adam Michalak with 40. Wright completed 10 or 16 passes for 182 yards.

CLIPPERS DOMINATE PHOENIX

Five rushing touchdowns and a blocked kick to score put Elyria so far ahead of Amherst on Friday night that the Pioneers retired their starters before the first half ended. The Comets were allowed to score in the second quarter on a 3-yard Bishop Fryson run, but Elyria went on to win the Southwest ern Conference game 47-21. The Comets, looking for their first win in years, also found the end zone on two late run zone runs by J.R. Bires. Quarterback Cole Norris led Amherst on the ground with 84 yards on 10 carries, followed by Fryson with 79 yards on 21 attempts. Norris’ passing game was all but shut down, amounting to 54 yards on six completions. Cameron Gendics had two catches for 23 yards and Mason Fisher had two more for 21 yards. ABOVE: Amherst's Bishop Fryson carries the ball past the Pioneers.

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Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

After getting thumped by Oberlin last year on their home field, the Clearview Clippers flipped the script Friday, jumping out to a 14-0 lead on the way to a 42-20 win over the Phoenix. A scoop-and-score by quarterback Julian Ander son pulled Oberlin to within striking distance, but it couldn't close the gap further before the Clippers got back on the board. The second score came courtesy of a pass from Anderson to Kevyn Steen, good for 13 yards and a touch down. The final Phoenix tally, on a lob from Anderson to Jordan Parker, set the final score. Oberlin (0-9, 0-6 in the Lorain County League) travels to Brookside to conclude the season.

Tomorrow's kickoff time is set for 7 p.m.

ABOVE: Phoenix Wide Receiver Chris Walker hauls in this pass over the middle for a first down.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Community Guide

Thomas Fetcenko | Amherst News-Times

PIONEERS COMFY

BLOWOUT WIN

BEST FINISH EVER

ROYSTERS SEIZE LCL

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune Brookside (56 points) snuck by Columbia (66) and Oberlin (74) to cap ture the Lorain County League girls cross coun try title Saturday in Carl isle Township. The Car dinals’ Madison Palmer scorched the course with a 18:52 time to lead the pack in the 5K race. The Phoenix were led by Olivia Hudson (5th) and Courage Bielawski (7th) who both earned All-Con ference honors as first year runners, leading Oberlin to its best team finish ever. Wellington (4th), Black River (5th) and Firelands (6th) fol lowed right behind those on the podium.

ABOVE: Phoenix freshmen Olivia Hudson and Courage Bielawski.

LEFT: Isabella Watters leads the Dukes.

WELLINGTON

Curbside Tote

Led by brothers Wyatt and Dillon Royster, Black River ran away with the Lorain County League cross country championship title Saturday in Carlisle Township. The Pirates landed four of the top five spots and all runners were top 10. Nick Newman, Nick Kos teci and Christan Orgel rounded out the scorers. Keystone gar nered runner-up honors, with Firelands and Wellington land ing in fifth and sixth spots, re spectively. Due to some injuries, Oberlin freshman Grant Abeyta was the lone Phoenix runner.

ABOVE: Nick Newman and Dillon Royster power the Pirates.

LEFT: Oberlin’s Grant Abeyta.

SEASON WRAPS UP

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune Oberlin volleyball wrapped up the regular season this weekend with a match against Lake Ridge Academy. The Royals claimed the late season win as the Phoenix finished their the campaign at 2-20 and move on to the Division 3 state sectional tournament.

ABOVE: Junior Kyra Lopez up for the block vs. Lake Ridge. BELOW: Senior Audrey Halstead hits.

DIVISIONAL LOSS

HOROSCHAK DELIVERS

SENIOR NIGHT VICTORY

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune Wellington saved its best for last, and in the final Lorain County League game of the season Gabe Horoschak tallied four goals to lead the Dukes to a 5-3 upset over the Oberlin Phoenix. It was the Dukes’ only confer ence victory of the season. Spencer Brasee scored Wellington's last goal, while Justin Chambers and Tiago Ramos Reilly scored for the hosts. Dukes goalie Robert Barnes was busy all afternoon, recording 13 saves. For the Phoenix, Adam Freas had five saves and John McMillionJarven had three. Both teams moved into Division 3 sectional tourna ment play earlier this week — against each other. In Monday’s game, the Dukes held off Oberlin 1-0 and will play Kirtland today.

ABOVE: Oberlin's Grant Martz competes with Dukes' Gabe Toth.

BELOW: Oberlin's Asa Rosen Jones challenges the Dukes' Maxwell Shatz.

The Wellington Dukes celebrated a 3-1 win over the Clippers in four sets last week in the Lorain County League season closer on Senior Night. They went 2518, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22.

ABOVE: The Dukes celebrate the final point to win the match against Clearview.

RIGHT: The Dukes’ Morgan Lehmkuhl gets the hit against Clearview.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

Annabelle Stewart had the Comets’ lone goal Saturday as the Amherst girls fell 3-1 to St. Joseph Academy in Division I sectional action.

ABOVE: Amherst keeper Natalie Pleban comes out to make the save against St. Joseph Academy’s Vivian Ahern.

BELOW: Amherst's Annabelle Stewart makes a run up the sideline.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

LouisaMay Alcottwas bornonNovember29, 1832.She was thesecond oldestoffourgirls.Her love of her sisters helped hertobecome oneofAmerica’smost beloved children’s bookauthors

Louisa’sfamilydid nothave muchmoney.Tohelpout,Louisa started taking on as many jobs as a young girl couldfind. She read foranelderly man andhis sister Louisa and hersister Anna taught young children andmended and washedlaundry

In 1852, Louisa’s firstpoem was publishedina magazine,and she made her firstmoneyfrom writing.

Louisa Alcott loved poetry She loved to read it and to write it.

Modern day poet Austin Kleon came up with an ideafor creating poetry witha newspaper,a black marker and creativity.

Here is an example of a poem he made by clipping an article from the newspaper and crossing out all the words, except for the ones he wanted in his poem:

As a child, Louisa and her family moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where her father,Amos Alcott, set up aschool based upon his beliefs about education.

Use thecode to find out thename of Louisa’sfirst published poem

Responsibility

Though poor themselves, Louisa’sfamily always tried to help peoplewho were worse off than theywere. Look through the newspaper to find a person

people you could help.

In 1855, her first book, Flower Fables was published.

In 1862, Louisa went to Washington, D.C. to serve as aCivil Warnurse. Like many other nurses, Louisa contracted typhoid fever.Although she got better, mercury in the medicine caused her suffering for the rest of her life. In Washington, Louisa continued to write and she published two more books.

Her publisher,Thomas Niles, asked that she write “a girl’s story.” Having spent her life with three interesting sisters, Louisa wrote LittleWomen based on her own experiences. The novel, published in 1868, was an instant success. It has now beenafavorite book for generations.

the namesofthe sistersin Little Women by crossingout every other letter.

• Grab a newspaper

• Grab amarker

•Find an article.

•Cross out words, leaving behind the ones you like.

•Pretty soon you’ll have a poem.

Standards Link: Reading Comprehension: Follow multiple-step directions.

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

Louisa worked hard to help women get the right to vote. She wrote articles about equality for

door-to-door

Alcott

Concord,

village

This week’sword:

ENCOURAGE

to give support or adviceto a person to do something.

My teacher likes to encourage us to keep our backpacks organized.

Tryto use the word encourage in asentence today when talking with your friends and family members.

Who is

Twoofthe booksbelowwerenot writtenbyLouisa. Do the math and cross outthe twowithodd-numbered answers.

BJTOK

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