Lorain County Community Guide - Nov. 11, 2021

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Parents line up kids for first day of COVID shots

Submit items to news@LCnewspapers.com

Volume 8, Issue 45

State-bound

JASON HAWK EDITOR

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA TWP. — Just a pinch, and then the shot was done. It didn’t bother 11-year-old Olivia Puchajda of Oberlin one bit.

“It wasn’t painful,” she said after being vaccinated against COVID-19 at Lorain County Public Health’s offices on Murray Ridge Road.

She was one of many children ages 5-11 who lined up for shots last Wednesday as soon as they became available.

Olivia’s mother, Jasmine Puchajda, said she went online as soon as she woke up and was able to schedule an appointment. She was nervous that the county health department would be booked solid.

Not long afterward, the schedule was full — demand ran high not just for Wednesday’s doses, but through Saturday when a clinic is scheduled at Lorain County Community College.

Kristina Johns of Avon took took the first possible slot for her boys, 8-year-old Oliver and 6-year-old Zane, to get their shots.

“Oliver here has been asking every day since his older KIDS’ SHOTS PAGE A3

Photos by Angelo Angel | Amherst News-Times

Photos by Bruce Bishop | Community Guide

Olivia Puchajdaa, 11, of Oberlin, gives a thumbs up after getting her first COVID vaccine shot at Lorain County Public Health.

Thanksgiving edition The Community Guide is published every Thursday and delivered to subscribers via the U.S. Postal Service. Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, delivery will be delayed until Black Friday, Nov. 26.

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

U.S. Postal Service Use Only

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

The Comets are making their first trip to the state volleyball tournament in 30 years after defeating fifth-ranked St. Joseph Academy in the Division I regional finals Saturday at Norwalk High School. Coming from the 13th seed, they upset the Jaguars 3-1, winning the first two sets 25-13 and 25-15, taking a 23-25 hit in the third and cleaning up with a 29-27 victory. Amherst’s girls will travel today to Wright State University in Fairborn to take on the top-ranked Olentangy squad at 2 p.m. in the state semifinal. The Comets are 23-3 going into the match. ABOVE: Amherst’s Grace Van Niel spikes the ball.

Copyright 2021 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

AMHERST — To celebrate the Comets volleyball team’s trip to the Final Four, Amherst Schools students at all grade levels have today off.

The team is traveling to Wright State University near Dayton for a 2 p.m. showdown against the top-ranked Olentangy Braves.

It’s the first time in 30 years that Amherst has appeared in the state volleyball tournament.

But the decision to celebrate by canceling school for all students raised eyebrows with some parents on social media.

Some were pleased the day off would allow them to take their kids to see the Comets watch the history-making match.

Others asked why classes weren’t first canceled for Veterans Day, voiced concerns about childcare arrangements and pointed out the Marion L. Steele High School marching CANCELED PAGE A3

Patriots Park to be dedicated today JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — A 68-foot long, 8-foot tall wall will be unveiled today in observance of Veterans Day, and will feature 11 paintings that pay tribute to the land of plenty.

Patriots Park is the continuation of a downtown Amherst art installation that’s been growing for years.

It began in 2011 when artist Mike Sekletar painted a mural depicting the American flag being raised on Iwo Jima near the end of World War II. Over the years, he and collaborators covered the entire side of the Janik Building on Park Avenue — additional murals honor Korean War veterans, mourn those lost in Vietnam and recognize those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Seven artists have been commissioned to add to the atmosphere.

Their paintings depict the Statue of Liberty, brothers who served in the military, a Vietnam era soldier handing out candy to children and other scenes.

Bruce Bishop | Community Guide

John Sekletar cleans up rocks and debris after contractors poured concrete at the new Patriots Park in Amherst.

“What we’re trying to accomplish is preserving history and promoting the arts. I think this wall crushes it,” said John Sekletar, Mike’s father and the driving force behind the Patriots Park project.

The wall is built of sandstone to honor Amherst’s official nickname, “The Sandstone Capital of

the World.” It will be dedicated at 11 a.m. today in a ceremony at the municipal parking lot between Park and Tenney avenues.

Country music legend Lee Greenwood has prepared a tribute for the occasion. He’s recorded remarks and a video rendition of his hit “God VETERANS DAY PAGE A2

INSIDE THIS WEEK

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

Schools close for Comets’ big day

Amherst

Oberlin

Black River

Changing of the guard on school board • B1

Protesters puts former Iran diplomat in the sights • B1

Pirates football bumped from playoff run • B5

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD B2 • SUDOKU B2 • KID SCOOP B6

Page A2

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

HEAD OVER HEELS

20 YEARS OF SERVICE

Provided photo

Kristin Bauer | Amherst News-Times

The Amherst Steele High School cheerleading team “flipped out” and won the Southwestern Conference Championship on Monday evening, Nov. 8 held at North Ridgeville High School.

OBITUARIES Lois Wohlever Jackson

James Jay Perry

Lois (Schmitz) Wohlever Jackson, 87, of Oberlin, passed away unexpectedly on Monday, Nov. 1, 2021.

Lois was born and raised in Oberlin and continued to call it home her entire life.

She was a lifelong member of Sacred Heart Church, a proud graduate of Oberlin Schools and worked for many years at Oberlin College before starting her family. She loved spending time with her family and friends, helping others (both young and old), hunting for bargains at garage sales and traveling.

Lois cherished her family, her husband, Charles W. Jackson, whom she married in September of 1999; her son, Leon D. Wohlever, Jr. (Tonya); grandsons, Todd and Aidan; daughter, Linda M. Baker (David); granddaughters, Elizabeth and Christina; stepdaughters, Debora Jackson, Sandra (Jackson) Fide (Jeff), Laurie (Jackson) Dodig (Ron), Nancy (Jackson) Pierce (Jay); 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren; her brother (in-law), Michael (Charlotte) Wohlever and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Margaret (Youngless) Schmitz; her first husband of 35 years, Leon (Lonnie) Wohlever, Sr.; her brothers, Henry and Joseph Schmitz; her sisters, Margaret S. Tingler, Florence Schmitz, Dorothy (Nedwick) Kreutzer and Beatrice Bucholz.

Visitation was at Cowling Funeral Home, Oberlin, with services Tuesday, Nov. 9 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oberlin, with Father David Trask officiating. Burial was at Westwood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Oberlin.

Memories can be shared at www.cowlingfuneralhomeoh. com.

James Jay Perry, 93, of Ashland, died Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, at UH Samaritan in Ashland. Born March 10, 1928, in Columbus, James was the son of the late Harold and Dorothy (nee Hill) Perry Sr. James grew up in Wellington and graduated from Wellington High School.

He proudly served his Country in the United States Navy. James owned and operated Perry Motors in Wellington with his family. For 50 years, he was an active volunteer of the Wellington Volunteer Fire Department. James found enjoyment in taking care of his yard.

He is survived by his daughter, Donna Cottrell of Ashland.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Ellen Mae McCoy in 2003 and his second wife, Nancy Walder in 2006; siblings, Harold Perry, Jr., Jack Perry, Jean Ruess and Elaine McGarry and son-in-law, Jeffrey Cottrell.

Visitation will be held at Norton-Eastman Funeral Home, 370 South Main Street, Wellington on Monday, November 8, 2021 from 10 until the 11 a.m. funeral service with Pastor Bryan Schatzinger officiating. Burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery, Wellington.

Donations in memory of James can be directed to the Wellington Firefighters Association, 202 Kelly Street, Wellington, OH 44090.

Condolences and fond memories may be shared at www. eastmanfuneralhome.com.

ROGER LEE KUHL, 81, of LaGrange, passed away Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, at UH Elyria Medical Center following an unexpected illness. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

COLEEN MARIE SMITH (nee McCall), 62, of Amherst, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain, following a brief illness. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

DENNY KEPLINGER, 72, of Lorain, passed away peacefully Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021. Arrangement by Hempel Funeral Home.

CHARLES WALTER DOTSON JR., 68, of Lorain, passed away Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, at his home, following a sudden illness. Hempel Funeral Home is handling arrangements.

MARY E. DOMANSKI (nee Welch), 95, of Lorain, passed away Sunday, Oct. 31, 2021, at Mill Manor Nursing Home in Vermilion, following a full and meaningful life. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

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

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

Wellington school board member Ayers Ratliff, pictured here with Ohio School Boards Association Northeast Regional Manager Reno Contipelli, was recently recognized as a Distinguished Board Member by the OSBA for his 20 years of service to education.

New members appointed to MHARS board of directors LORAIN — Three new members, including one from Oberlin, have been appointed to serve on the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County.

• Patricia Bell of Oberlin was appointed by the Lorain County commissioners and was sworn in on Sept. 28.

She has nearly 20 years of experience working in the fields of mental health and addiction and is a registered nurse, and holds an associate degree from Lorain County Community College.

• Hope Moon of Lorain was reappointed to the MHARS board by the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.

She is a professor of nursing at Lorain County Community College and worked as a nurse in the emergency department of the former St. Joseph/Lorain Community Hospital.

Moon earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Kent State University, a master of science from Case Western Reserve University and a doctoral of nursing practice in educational leadership.

• Michele Flanagan of Avon Lake was appointed by the Lorain County commissioners and was sworn in on Sept. 28. She is a partner at the Westlake-based Comprehensive Behavioral Specialists LLC, and has more than 20 years of experience as a therapist working throughout Northeast Ohio.

Flanagan is a licensed social worker and professional clinical counselor. She earned a bachelor of arts degree from Westminster College in Pennsylvania and a master of arts from the University of Akron.

“Our new board members bring with them a wealth of experience and knowledge,” said MHARS board President Dan Urbin. “I welcome them to the MHARS Board of Directors and look forward to working with them.”

Tax volunteers needed The AARP Foundation has kicked off volunteer recruitment for its 2021 Tax Aide Program.

This is the nation’s largest volunteer-run tax preparation service. The foundation is looking to expand its team of volunteers in Lorain County for the upcoming tax season and is accepting new volunteers. The Tax Aide Program offers free tax preparation and assistance to low to moderate income individuals. You do not have to be an AARP member and even though there is a focus on seniors, anyone who would like to use the service is welcome.

There are a variety of roles that you can fill once you have gone to training classes and pass an IRS test. Every level of experience is welcomed.

To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit www.aarp.org and access the application form.

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 CROSSWORD ON PAGE B2

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE B2

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

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

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

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

KIDS LOVE VETERANS

CANCELED

FROM A1

Amherst players celebrate after winning the Division 1 regional volleyball final.

band didn’t get the same treatment.

The Amherst Marching Comets were named grand champion three times this undefeated season and competed in the Ohio Music Educators Association state finals on Oct. 30 at Hilliard Bradley High School. They qualified for the state contest every year from 2002-2018.

The district responded on social media with a lengthy explanation of how the decision to cancel school Thursday was made.

No. 1 on its list was “the uniqueness and rare opportunity to complete in the state Final Four.” Only two prior Comets teams have made it to that level — volleyball in 1991 and softball in 2016.

The time of the afternoon match also factored in. “Obviously, if the match was scheduled for an evening or weekend, we would not have canceled school,” the district’s post said. “The timing of the match is something that we have no control over.”

Administrators said they wanted to give

everyone the chance to travel to Dayton and support the team in person. That includes staff, and they didn’t want to limit how many could go based on substitute availability.

There was concern about busing as well.

Administrators said they needed enough buses to transport students to Dayton, and even if they had decided to only close Steele, they may not have had enough buses left.

They also addressed the child care issue some families will deal with. “We also know that families have back-up plans in place or those instances when school may need to be closed for weather, student illness or some other reason,” they wrote.

“Often these decisions are made 2-3 hours before school starts and our hope was to provide families with enough advance notice to accommodate this important event.”

Veterans Day activities in the Amherst Schools will be rescheduled, the district said.

Provided photos

Members of the Student Activities Council in grades four to six at McCormick Middle School in Wellington made treat bags to be delivered to local veterans at the VFW and American Legion. K-Kids Club members from Westwood Elementary School and McCormick Middle School made Veterans Day cards that will be taken to the Texas Roadhouse restaurant in Elyria for distribution to veterans who eat for free on Nov. 11.

Pictured are Caiden Tully, 7; Delanee Cecil, 7; Korie Goble, 8; and Paisley Tripp, 9.

Specials & Bundles Daily!

See our website for details Members of the Amherst student section begin doing 50 push-ups to celebrate the Comets’ lead.

KIDS’ SHOTS

FROM A1 brothers got vaccinated back in June when he’d be able to get his,” she said.

Jumping on www.loraincountyhealth.com to schedule an appointment was at the top of the family’s to-do list for the day, Johns said, and it paid off.

She said the risks posed by COVID-19 are lower for children than adults, but more than 750 kids nationwide have died from the virus in the past 19 months. “That to me seems like 750 too many,” Johns said.

No one in the household of six is at heightened risk, she said, but the Johns family has known loss. A close friend lost her father to COVID just last week.

“We followed the science throughout the pandemic, and the best thing we can do to control the spread is to get everyone vaccinated as soon as possible,” Johns said.

Al Hemmingsen of Grafton took his three daughters to be vaccinated — Amy, 10; Anne, 8; and Maria, 6.

“The whole thing has been a hardship on them, a hardship on everybody with the lockdowns and remote school,” he said.

© The Hemmingsens are an active bunch, involved in soccer, gymnastics, Girl Scouts, piano lessons and ice skating. Every two weeks or so, someone in the family has been exposed to the virus and had to quarantine.

That’s meant the discomfort of being tested and the nerves of waiting for the results.

Amy said it’s also been extremely lonely to quarantine.

“It’s worth it” not to worry about that process anymore, the 10-year-old said Wednesday.

“We can’t control what other families do or the choices other families make, but the vaccine affords them a level of protection,” said Amy’s father.

He said having his kids vaccinated hopefully marks the beginning of the end of the pandemic.

COVID might still be around — “It’s definitely going to be endemic,” Hemmingsen said — but now he has peace of mind knowing the teeth have been taken out of the virus.

VETERANS DAY

FROM A1 Bless the USA” that will play during the Veterans Day ceremony.

John Sekletar said he briefly met Greenwood several years ago at the opening of a Northeast Ohio business, and showed him pictures of the downtown murals.

That evening, he received a text from Greenwood, who had stopped by to see the enormous paintings and was impressed: “He said, ‘That wall is awesome, beautiful’ and that he was in awe of it,” Sekletar said. “I never thought anything like that could happen. When I first saw Lee, I thought he was so cool, and I feel that way even more today.”

A 20-foot tall video screen will be used so the entire crowd can see

Greenwood’s recorded performance, he said. More than 1,000 people are expected to attend.

Fox 8 News personality Lou Maglio will serve, as he has for several years, as master of ceremonies. A biplane flyover is planned, weather permitting.

Sekletar said he will act as the keynote speaker at the event, though he’s uncomfortable in front of a crowd.

The Patriots Park wall marks the completion of a full decade advocating for projects in downtown Amherst, and he said the dedication is his “last hurrah.”

“I feel this year that it’s special to me because this has been my passion for a long time and I want to give a history of how the wall developed,” he said.

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Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Local GOP, Dem officials react to redistricting maps

LETTERS Library needs expert attention To the editor: In recent years, the Oberlin City Council has appointed new people to the Oberlin Public Library’s board of trustees and their choices have not always worked in the library’s interest.

This year’s choices include people who appear to have had little to do with the library before their appointment to its board. They were unfamiliar with its hours, its culture or the dedication and commitment of its staff.

That does not have to make them unsuitable. People can learn. But not perhaps people with poor social boundaries. People who wander behind desks, through offices and work spaces, closing doors behind them and excluding the staff who

work there without any of the usual courtesies. The Bridge (which needs reinventing, though not perhaps during a pandemic) has been kept short of funds and staff vacancies have not been filled giving the impression that the new board’s intention is to close it down, depriving the most needy in the community of a valuable resource.

During this last year, I have been borrowing e-books. So it was only recently when the word “anxiety” turned up in conversation, I asked “What’s going on?” The last thing I expected to hear was “the library.”

Our public library feels threatened.

Let’s get together to find out what is wrong. And fix it!

Mary O’Callaghan Hernton

On Veterans Day, support the Constitution To the editor: We are approaching another Veterans Day, that day when whether we are a Republican, Democrat, independent or have absolutely no interest at all in anything political, we pause to remember those who served our nation.

We especially honor those who died defending our nation and its Constitution. The sole purpose of the Constitution of the United States is for us never to become a disunited nation, to ensure that we are free, prosperous and safe. The Constitution gives us all every right to change any part of it or all of it so long as it is all done following all aspects of the Constitution.

Dr. Martin Luther King lived his life demonstrating to change aspects of our Constitution and, with others, succeeded. All of us who joined in or supported philosophically the demonstrations on our

Capitol Jan. 6 had all the rights Dr. King ever had.

Sadly, at times, Dr. King had to warn us all that there was never to be any violence, any behavior remotely challenging or defying our Constitution; he was all about obeying all our laws, fully believing that there were lawful ways to make all the changes needed.

Sadly, that was not done this Jan. 6. The legally supported beginnings descended into our founding fathers' worst nightmare, as well as ours today — an actual effort to overthrow our United States and our Constitution, an attempt to do what China and Russia together could not possibly do.

Let's honor our fallen soldiers by ensuring that no seditious acts or nation will ever destroy our United States Constitution and our nation.

Booker C. Peek

Proposed maps are anti-democracy To the editor: In 2018, Ohioans overwhelmingly passed reforms to ensure that representative district maps would be drawn fairly to truly represent the voters of this state.

A fair map would result in representation that reflects how Ohioans have voted over the last 10 years, which equates to seven Democratic seats and eight Republican seats. A fair map would bring about more competitive districts, helping to reduce the number of extreme candidates who refuse to work together for the betterment of all Ohio’s citizens. Most importantly, a fair map will allow Ohioans to choose their representatives, rather than the other way around.

Unfortunately, several of the currently proposed maps being considered by Ohio’s legislature have been drawn even more unfairly than our current one. These maps would practically guarantee the Republican Party

13 out of 15 seats, equating to 85 percent representation when Ohio’s voting record shows that only 54 percent of the state leans red.

This incredibly unbalanced map would continue the cycle of extreme candidates, unrestrained and unchecked supermajorities in Ohio’s Statehouse, and worst of all, allow politicians to continue to decide whom they want to represent. That’s not how it should work in the United States.

I urge all members of the House Government Oversight Committee and of the Senate Local Government and Elections Committee to vote no on the proposed grossly unrepresentative maps. If Ohio is to move forward with just representation for all, legislators need to come back to the table with a more fair and representative map.

Otherwise, how can we still call ourselves a democracy?

Kate Rivet

DYLAN REYNOLDS THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Two U.S. congressional redistricting proposals by Republicans in the Ohio House and Senate would shake up the map in Lorain County, each reducing the number of districts in the county from three to two.

In the Ohio House proposal, the majority of Lorain County would join parts of western Cuyahoga County and all of Medina, Wayne and Holmes counties to form the 7th Congressional District, according to legislation and maps. Just Rochester village and township, as well as parts of Huntington Township, would be in the 9th Congressional District that would include all of Erie, Huron, Ashland, Knox, Richland, Crawford, Marion, Seneca and Sandusky counties, plus part of Lucas County.

According to analysis from the website Dave’s Redistricting, nine districts in the House Republican proposal would lean strongly Republican, while two would favor Democrats. The remainder are considered “competitive” by the GOP, but the analysis found all would lean in favor of Republicans to some extent.

The Ohio Senate proposal, meanwhile, would have the majority of Lorain County in the 13th Congressional District with Medina County and western Cuyahoga County, a map showed. A small part of southwest Lorain County — including the areas of Rochester village and township, Huntington Township, Brighton Township and parts of Wellington Township — would join the 9th Congressional District with parts or wholes of eight counties to the west.

Lorain County Republican Party Chairman David Arredondo said he was pleased with the way most of Lorain County was kept within a single district on both maps and not split between more than two districts on either.

“For the most part, we are intact as opposed to being split three different ways,” he

Ohio Supreme Court issues suspension of Weber's license STAFF REPORT

The Ohio Supreme Court has taken up the recommendation of its disciplinary board and issued a one-year, stayed suspension of attorney and former Lorain County Administrator Rob Weber's law license.

The court's Board of Professional Conduct made a report and the recommendation in June. Supreme Court justices accepted that recommendation and issued the sanction this past Thursday.

Weber remains licensed to practice law in Ohio as long as he follows all the requirements the Supreme Court set out for him.

He was ordered to complete six hours of continuing legal education on client trust

CLASSIFIEDS AUCTIONS

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TUESDAY, NOV. 16, 2021 - 5 PM Visit www.kikoauctions.com for full details Auction by order of: The Corlett Family Revocable Trust Chad Wilhite, Trustee Auctioneers/Realtors: Ashley Ritchey, 330-495-3474 ashley@kikocompany.com Eric Bevington, 330-417-5471 eric@kikocompany.com KIKO Auctioneers 330-455-9357 www.kikoauctions.com

ESTATE SALES

TAG SALE Helen Smith

46898 Butternut Ridge Rd. Oberlin, OH 44074 Friday, Nov. 12th, 9-4pm No numbers, no early sales, not responsible for accidents, all sales are final.

LEGALS PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION The following is a summary of legislation adopted by Lorain City Council on November 1, 2021. The complete text of each item may be viewed or purchased in the Clerk of Council Office @ Lorain City

Hall, 200 W. Erie Ave., Lorain, OH, during normal business hours or contact Nancy Greer @ 204-2050 (Nancy_Greer@ cityoflorain.org). The following summary of legislation passed has been reviewed/approved by the Law Director for legal accuracy as required by state laws.

said.

Arredondo said he believes the Senate Republicans’ map is more likely to prevail.

That map, he said, keeps the bulk of Lorain County in a more compact district.

“I think that it is definitely an improvement on what we have currently,” Arredondo said.

Looking at the Senate’s map overall, he said he believes some districts would be competitive and either party could win. Arredondo said increased Republican registration over the last decade would make it difficult to balance districts in areas outside major cities.

With the current maps that date back to 2011, Republicans have held a 12-4 advantage in Ohio’s congressional districts. Because of the count of the 2020 U.S. Census, Ohio is dropping from 16 to 15 congressional districts.

Lorain County Democratic Party Chairman Anthony Giardini had not studied the proposals in-depth when contacted for comment Thursday, but he said based on reactions he had heard from statewide officeholders and legislators, “the Republicans, it sounds like, got rid of some of the most odd looking districts.”

However, Giardini said he doesn’t see how the new proposals are doing anything to reduce gerrymandered districts. And if the maps become permanent, he said Republicans would hold 13 of the 15 seats “and Ohio is not going to be fairly represented in Congress.”

“Voters want as even of districts as they can get,” Giardini said. “But on the other hand, we shouldn’t create these convoluted districts to make even districts. In other words, there should be some sense of geography and natural barriers and boundaries so forth, and then let the chips fall where the chips will fall.”

Hearings on the district maps were held in Columbus on Wednesday and Thursday, where individuals and representatives of groups were able to share their concerns with the plans.

account and client fund management and commit no further misconduct, also must pay the $684.23 in costs of the proceedings against him within 90 days of the judgment, the Supreme Court ruled.

Rob Weber The Board of Professional Conduct determined Weber mishandled money belonging to clients he represented in private practice from 2016 to 2018.

Weber was hired as deputy county administrator in January, named interim county administrator on in August after Lorain County commissioners fired his predecessor, Tom Williams. Weber was fired Oct. 13. He was replaced by J.R. White.

STATE BAND FINALS Resolution 42-21 Recognizing & commending Alicia & Earnest Burke for the efforts and dedication in restoring the Chateau de Charleston.

Ordinance 187-21Auth the S/S Director to enter into a contract w/ lowest & best bidder, Mark Haynes Construction, for the Black River AOC Remediation & Restoration Prog: Aquatic Habitat Restoration. 188-21* Approving the Chief of Police to accept the award of a 2020 Project Safe Neighborhood sub-grant from the Dept of Public Safety, Office of Criminal Justice Services. 189-21 Auth the S/S Director to purchase gasoline, fuel, oil & other petroleum products needed for various city depts. through State Purchasing commencing 1/1/2022. 190-21 Auth the S/S Director to enter into contracts for the purchase of materials and supplies for the Public Properties Dept. 191-21* Auth the S/S Director to enter into a 3 yr contract w/ Gardiner Service Co. for $86,348/year for repair/maintenance of heating, ventilation & air conditioning units for various city bldgs.

192-21* Assessing the cost of abating nuisance by removing litter and deposit of garbage, rubbish, junk during current CY. 193-21* Auth S/S Director to advts for bids for the sale of real property no longer needed for municipal purposes. 19421 Appropriation of money from various funds for the purpose of repayment of monies advanced from the GF in 2020 to eliminate negative cash balances. 195-21* Appropriation. (*Denotes legislation was passed as an emergency.)

L.C.C.G. 11/11-18/21 20692780

Place your ad: Call (440) 329-7000

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

People gather in Spencer to send off the Black River Pirates Band send-off to Medina High School for the Ohio Music Educators Association state marching band finals. A similar sendoff happened at Wellington High School as the Dukes Marching Band headed east to perform as well. Both had cause to celebrate: For the first time in school history, Black River earned the highest possible rating at state, and the Dukes also earned a superior rating.

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Kids’ vax slots fill fast after official launch JASON HAWK EDITOR

ELYRIA TWP. — Hundreds of local parents made a mad dash to sign up their kids for COVID-19 vaccines last week as news broke that Pfizer doses for ages 5-11 had been given emergency authorization.

“We are already vaccinating kids,” Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell said the morning of Wednesday, Nov. 3. “We had vaccine in storage, so we’ve already begun that process.”

In anticipation of demand for the younger age range, the county health department ordered 2,400 doses in advance. LCPH was among the first in the state to start rolling out shots.

By 11:30 a.m., all of Wednesday’s appointments there had been scheduled. Clinics quickly filled up at the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington and Lorain County Community College.

The kids vaccinations are scheduled alongside alreadyplanned clinics for COVID boosters and flu shots, said Deputy Health Commissioner

Vax-2-School Ohio’s Vax-2-School program is expanding to include children ages 5-11 now that vaccines are available to that age group.

The Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Lottery will award a total of $2 million in scholarships to participating residents whose names are drawn. Parents can enter their vaccinated children at www.ohiovax2school.com or by calling (833) 427-5634.

Prizes awarded from the program will include 150 $10,000 scholarships and five $100,000 grand prize scholarships.

Mark Adams.

More are being added over the next three weeks, with sign-ups at www. loraincountyhealth. com. Two mass clinics for kids shots are being mapped out for the weekend of Nov. 20, he said.

“People are rattled from COVID, from two years of David Covell Mark Adams Bruce Vanderhoff it, so they’re calling and saying they need to get the shot now,” said Adams.

“They’re wondering if there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

Yes, there is.”

The Ohio Department of Health held a press conference last Wednesday to celebrate “a longawaited step that brings us ever-closer Michael Forbes Patty Manning Michele Dritz to getting through this COVID-19 pancases of myocarditis, which is the risk of COVID,” Manning demic,” as Director an inflammation of the heart.

It said. “Even mild COVID in a Bruce Vanderhoff put it. has been seen on incredibly rare child has the risk of long-term More than 6.4 million children occasions in adults who received side-effects. The vaccine does in the United States have had COVID vaccines. not.”

COVID. In Ohio, more than It is more likely for myocarDr. Michele Dritz of the 2,000 have been hospitalized and ditis to occur after a COVID-19 American Academy of Pediat15 have died since March 2020. infection, Vanderhoff said. rics’ Ohio chapter called the 5-11 Vanderhoff said that while Once injected, the vaccine vaccine “a game changer.” children are far less likely than does not stay around longer She also warned against the adults to become severely ill, than about six weeks, said Dr. long-term complications kids they are not invincible.

Patty Manning, chief of staff at can suffer from contracting “We know that the existing Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

COVID-19 instead of getting the COVID-19 vaccines have been After training the body to make vaccine. Even mild infections remarkably effective in preventantibodies that fight off COVID, can cause bad issues down the ing severe cases of COVID-19 it dissipates. road, she said. that result in hospitalization or Because of its short lifespan, Dritz said she wouldn’t recomdeath,” he said. there are no long-term sidemend any vaccine she is unwillIn extensive clinical trials, effects, she said.

Despite misining to give her own children. the smaller doses of the Pfizer formation, there is “no evidence “This is a vaccine that I’ve vaccine for children ages 5-11 whatsoever” that fertility is seen the research,” she said. proved almost 91 percent effecaffected by the vaccine.

“I’ve watched the science. And I tive at preventing symptomatic “If you’re worried as a parent know it is both highly effective infection, Vanderhoff said. about long-term side-effects, you and safe.”

They did so with no serious really should be concerned about Dr. Michael Forbes, a pediatric side-effects, including zero

intensive care specialist at Akron Children’ Hospital, said “thousands and thousands” of children have been affected by the virus.

He’s cared for some of the worst cases.

“We remember that first wave of COVID. We felt lucky in pediatrics because it skipped children to some degree,” he said. But the delta variant was different, and hit children much harder.

Forbes hailed availability of the 5-11 vaccine as “a fabulous moment for everyone” but said masking is still “a no-brainer, a non-issue” to stop the spread of other winter respiratory diseases such as flu, RSV and rhinovirus.

Masking should continue through at least mid-December, said Vanderhoff. It takes five weeks from the first dose for the COVID vaccine to become fully effective.

Counting back from Christmas, that means kids should get their first shot no later than Nov. 20 if they want to celebrate the holiday without the need for masks, he said.

As of Sunday evening, statistics from the Ohio Department of Health showed that 1.47 percent of Lorain County residents between ages 5 and 11 had already received their first dose of the vaccine, putting the county among the statewide leaders in terms of vaccination rate.

Across the state, 0.83 percent of all Ohio kids ages 5-11 were reported to have received at least one dose. Delaware County in central Ohio led all counties with a 2.17 percent vaccination rate for kids ages 5-11, although it is still early and data was not yet available for some counties Sunday.

In total, the state health department data showed that 8,253 kids ages 5-11 had already received a shot, including 389 in Lorain County.

WELLINGTON RECYCLES!

Did you know, everything you recycle in your green recycling tote is weighed and recorded? The village of Wellington receives grant dollars from the Lorain County Commissioners, and Lorain County Solid Waste Management District, because you recycle. The more you recycle, the more grant money the village is eligible for! Grant dollars have been used to purchase recycled content park benches, trash/recycling receptacles, crushed red brick for the ball fields at the Rec. Park, the sun shade at the splash pad, and playground equipment.

What to Recycle in your Green Curbside Tote • Glass Bottles & Jars (all colors) • Metal Cans: Aluminum, and steel cans and lids • Paper: Newspaper, magazines, cardboard, mixed office paper and envelopes, paperboard (cereal boxes), telephone books, and catalogs

• Plastics #1 -#7 (reattach lid): Bottles and jugs that have a small mouth and wider base, such as milk jugs, soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles, water bottles, and shampoo bottles • Cartons (paper fiber): Juice, Milk, Soy Milk, Soup and Broth, Cream, and Wine

Recycling Tips – • Mix all items together – no separation required • Empty and rinse all bottles, jugs, cartons, and cans • No Need to remove labels • For plastic bottles, empty, crush and reattach lids

• For cartons, remove plastic caps and straws • Never place medical sharps or needles in the recycling • Do Not use plastic bags

Not for Recycling –

No plastic bags, cassette tapes, bed sheets, hangers, metal chains, garden hoses, batteries, needles, syringes, electronics, polystyrene foam, buckets, car parts, food, yard waste, light bulbs, drinking glasses, ceramics, pots, pans, and scrap metal.

Hard to Recycle Items Lorain County Solid Waste Management District Collection Center

540 South Abbe Rd., Elyria, Ohio 44035, 440-329-5440 Hours of Operation: Wednesday 12 PM – 6 PM, Saturday 9 AM – 3 PM (Lorain County Residents Only) • Household Hazardous Waste (see website for accepted materials) www.loraincounty.us/commissioners-department/solid-waste-management/collection-center • Fluorescent Lamps & Ballasts • Papers to Be Shredded • Cooking Oils • Scrap Tires • Electronic Waste

Lorain County Habitat for Humanity –

If you have items such as new paint, used paint that is half full, construction or building items – you can donate them to the Lorain County Habitat for Humanity, www.loraincountyhabitat.org, 440-322-2355.

Page A6

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

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ELYRIA — An Oberlin man and his family received an outpouring of support at a benefit Saturday.

Mike Cikalo has spent the past two months recovering from a Sept. 12 crash at Oberlin and Russia roads, which left him with a fractured vertebra and metal plate in his skull.

The Cikalos were on their way to a car show at the Elyria Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 431 that morning. Sitting at the stop sign on Oberlin Road waiting to cross Russia Road, their car was rear-ended

by Garry Wyckoff, 54, of Elyria, according to the crash report from the State Highway Patrol.

Wyckoff’s SUV rolled, sliding through the intersection before it came to rest on its hood. Wyckoff was flown to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland. One empty vodka bottle and an open bottle of Crown Royal were found in his vehicle, according to the report.

Cikalo’s classic car was pushed into the intersection, its driver’s side heavily damaged.

“You don’t think anything is going to happen until it happens,” Cikalo said. “I hear that all the time. We just thought it was a normal day like any other day, going to a car show and had our beautiful 1970 (Mustang) Mach 1. The car was just destroyed.”

The bright red-orange car was reduced to a hunk of twisted metal. Cikalo was flown to Metro Health Medical Center in Cleveland for his injuries, while his wife Melanie and son Jackson, 14, were barely hurt.

They’d only owned the car about three months — bought as a replacement for the car he’d had as a teenager but let go — before the crash happened.

“The Mach was like one of the children,” Melanie Cikalo said. “... But we’re alive, we’re blessed. My son who was in the back seat is alive.”

Provided photo

Colton Prosser, 9; Trevor Prosser, 14; Jordan Cikalo, 17; Mike Cikalo; Melanie Cikalo; Jackson Cikalo, 14; and Kristen Prosser pose together at a fundraiser for Mike Cikalo's medical bills at the Elyria Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie 431. Mike Cikalo was seriously injured in a crash at Oberlin Road and Russia Road Sept. 12.

Debbie Coon was getting ready for the classic car show Sept. 12 when a neighbor called and told her what happened that Sunday morning.

“My heart dropped because I, having been through it with a family member twice — both of mine were fatalities — I knew right away what that meant,” she said. “So I immediately came in here, composed myself and said I’m going to do a fundraiser and everybody looked at me because this club has never seen anything so big.”

She kept her word.

On Saturday, more than 600 people filtered through the aerie for the pasta dinner, 50/50, raffles and door prizes. Local band Big Mike and the New Company donated their time and talent as well.

It’s been a rough road, Melanie Cikalo said, but everyone has been supportive.

Funds raised Saturday will go toward Mike’s continued medical bills, including the more than $50,000 Life Flight ride and continued outpatient speech and occupational therapy. It will also help with the family’s living

expenses, as Mike Cikalo is the owner of Cobra Framing Corps. And is unable to work while he continues to recover.

Coon said they’d raised more than $10,000, not including tickets purchased at the door.

It feels like he's resetting himself, Cikalo said.

“You know how big the dictionary is? Now try to memorize the entire dictionary. How long do you think it would take you? That’s how it feels,” he said.

The Cikalo’s crash is far from the first at the intersection. In 2021 alone there have been eight crashes there, including several fatalities. The intersection is now a four-way stop.

“When I showed up here, it was extremely overwhelming,” Mike Cikalo said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people here, ever. It’s amazing.

We are very fortunate to have this many friends and family and neighbors to have shown up — I think everybody I know came.

I’ve seen people I haven’t talked to in 10 to 15 years.”

Further donations to the Cikalo family can be made at the Elyria Eagles Hall, 1255 Lowell St.

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Hot Dog Heaven repays kindness with scholarship JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — When Hot Dog Heaven burned to the ground last fall, the Amherst community rallied to support its workers.

Now owner Chris Russo said he wants to give back with a scholarship to benefit Marion L. Steele High School seniors.

“Just as Hot Dog Heaven had to overcome a fire to come back better and stronger, the hope is that this scholarship will help an Amherst student do the same,” he said.

A new restaurant — bigger and better, with more parking and a drive-thru — is being rebuilt at the corner of Cleveland Avenue and Washington Street.

The framework is up and insulation visible from the street, and Russo said siding work will begin soon. And site work is substantially complete, which means there should be no problem with placing the giant fiberglass Santa Claus statue outside in time for the holidays, he said.

The restaurant will not be ready to open

until at least February or March.

A patio is part of the plan. After talking with Mayor Mark Costilow, district Superintendent Steve Sayers and Athletic Director Casey Wolf, Russo has decided to sell engraved patio pavers to create a perpetual scholarship through the Amherst Schools Educational Foundation.

Pavers range in price from $100 to $200, based on size. They can be ordered at www. hotdogheavenohio.com/product/pavers.

A standard paver is 6 by 8 inches and can include up to 20 characters, while an extra large is 8 by 13 inches with 35 characters. There are 250 pavers available for each size.

Proceeds will make one Hot Dog Heaven scholarship available to a graduating Steele senior each year — part of the application will be an essay describing how they’ve overcome adversity.

An amount has not yet been set for the scholarship. Russo said the more pavers that sell, the more the amount will grow.

Whatever the total, it will be ready to go to one Steele senior this spring in the Class of 2021, he said.

Historical society sales The Amherst Historical Society will hold fundraiser sales in the Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Ave., from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Nov. 13 and Dec. 4. The latter will be a half-price day. Special Christmas sales will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 10-13 and Nov. 17-19 at the society office, 113 South Lake St.

B

OUR TOWNS

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

AMHERST BOARD OF EDUCATION

Changing of the guard as newcomers oust Yacobozzi run will come to an end 1,631 votes, or 16.4 in December. percent.

The electorate turned Yacobozzi wasn’t instead to newcomer that far behind, but Amanda Messer, who far enough to lose his won the largest slice of seat. He pulled in 1,528 the pie in a six-way race votes, or 15.37 percent. for three open seats, tak“The voters definitely ing 1,869 votes or 18.8 spoke,” said Messer.

Ronald percent.

“They wanted a change, Yacobozzi She campaigned a new voice, a fresh alongside Morgan face.”

Wachholz, who ranked third with While campaigning, she heard

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — The longesttenured member of the Board of Education received the fewest votes last week, signaling that Amherst Schools residents feel it’s time for a changing of the guard.

Ronald Yacobozzi has served on the school for 43 years. That

residents say they wanted to elect parents who have children enrolled in the school system right now. Messer said voters also shared that they feel disconnected from the decisions being made by the board.

“We have a lot of parents who are active and involved, and they just felt things weren’t approachable,” she said.

Concerns with gifted and special education programs were

common ones raised with the challengers. So were hot-button issues like masks, the possibility of a vaccine mandate and whether critical race theory is taught.

But both Messer and Wachholz said Amherst’s pay-to-play fees were the big issue that kept coming up again and again.

That cost is generally $400 per child annually whether they play YACOBOZZI PAGE B2

Protesters want Mahallati fired Grafton prison to

hold mass hiring day for 20-25 jobs JASON HAWK EDITOR

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

A mock trial is conducted by protesters the afternoon of Tuesday, Nov. 2 on Tappan Square. They re-enacted tribunals used to convict Iranian political prisoners to death in 1988.

Oberlin College prof accused of role in 1988 Iran mass executions OBERLIN — Their fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, classmates and friends were put to death and buried in mass graves.

The families of political prisoners executed in 1988 under the regime of Iran Supreme Leader Ruhollah Khomeini gathered last week on Tappan Square with one goal in mind: They want to see Oberlin College religion professor Mohammad Jafar Mahallati fired.

Mahallati was Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations when Khomeini had thousands — estimates range from 5,000 to 30,000 — of opponents subjected to sham trials and moments later put to death.

Most were under the age of 25, college educated and part of leftist groups such as the People's Mujahedin of Iran.

About 75 people took part in the protest Tuesday, Nov. 2 across the street from the college’s Cox Administration Building. Some were part of a re-enactment of the trials, in which dissidents were asked whether they believed in Allah.

LETTERS FOR SANTA

Protesters gather at the memorial arch to call for the termination of Oberlin College professor Mohammad Jafar Mahallati.

Lawdan Bazargan’s brother Bijan was among those arrested and killed.

She took the microphone “to call for full transparency of (Mahallati’s) criminal past.”

Bazargan is one of the organizers of the Oberlin Committee for Justice for Mahallati’s Victims, a group that has unsuccessfully petitioned for the

college to terminate the professor.

It sent out mailers to Oberlin residents ahead of the protest directing people to visit www.mothersofkhavaran.com, named for one of the sites where mass graves have been discovered.

PROTEST PAGE B3

Where was voter turnout lowest?

58

JASON HAWK EDITOR

511

20

58

Graphic by Ed Betzel

GRAFTON — If you’ve got a high school diploma and need a new job, the Lorain Correctional Institution is hiring.

It’s planning a mass hiring event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 2075 South Avon Beldon Rd. The facility needs between 20 and 25 corrections officers, said Warden’s Assistant Chris Miller. “They’re going to make job offers right on the spot,” she said.

Between a string of retirements, the COVID-19 pandemic and the turbulent job market, LCI has been having trouble filling positions, Miller said.

Previous hiring pushes have been held on weekdays, with limited success — so the facility is switching it up and holding this one on a weekend in hopes of tapping a new pool of applicants.

Being a corrections officer is not an easy job, but it can be rewarding, said Miller. The job description includes conducting security rounds, cell searches, interacting with offenders, escorting units and delivering meals.

“Working for the state of Ohio is career. It’s not just a job,” Miller said. “We have correctional officers who started when they were 18 years old who are now wardens or deputy wardens. “… It’s one of those jobs where if you don’t like doing the same thing day after day, if you like excitement in your job, then I say corrections is for you.”

Working at the prison “is not like it used to be,” she said. Today, it’s about mentorship and helping inmates to reform, so when they are released they can be successful.

The starting pay is $19.72 per hour, with an increase after six months and then cost-of-living increases annually. Second and third shifts pay 60 cents more.

There is paid training, tuition reimbursement, medical insurance and retirement and 457 savings plans among other benefits.

Apply at www.careers.ohio.gov.

OBERLIN — Abysmal turnout was the hallmark of the fall election in Lorain County — but nowhere was it worse than the precincts encompassing Oberlin College.

The three wards where the 440-acre campus and much of its housing lie had virtually no participation, according to a canvass report published by the Board of Elections.

It gives a precinct-by-precinct look at where voters were engaged, and where they weren’t.

Just 26 votes were cast in Precinct 8, home of Noah Hall,

Burton Hall, East Hall, Barrows Hall and other residences. At 1.56 percent turnout, it was the least active precinct in the entire county.

Turnout was a slim 2.92 percent with 45 ballots cast in Precinct 7, the heart of campus.

And there were only 64 ballots cast — 5.63 percent of registered voters — in Precinct 6 surrounding college properties just east of Route 58.

Melissa Miller, a political science professor and expert in voter behavior at Bowling Green State University, said she wasn’t surprised.

Unless there is a contentious TURNOUT PAGE B2

The U.S. Postal Service has started its seasonal practice of accepting letters to Santa Claus.

The 109-year-old Operation Santa program helps families experiencing hardship have a brighter holiday. All you have to do is write a letter, put it in an envelop with a first-class stamp, include your full return address and send it to Santa Claus, 123 Elf Rd., North Pole, 8888.

Letters postmarked by Dec. 10 will be uploaded to www. uspsoperationsanta.com through Dec. 15 for potential adoption by members of the public who want to help.

Letters without full return addresses or names will not be posted for adoption.

Writers can ask for anything on their holiday wish lists.

The more specific the request — sizes, colors, styles, favorite authors, toys and so on — the better the chances of adoption.

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Page B2

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Millions of PPE items Nearly 20 million pieces of personal protective equipment have been shipped to Ohio schools since the beginning of the school year in san effort to support inschool learning across the state.

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services and Ohio Department of Health began partnering at the beginning of the school year to deliver supplies to each of Ohio’s 51 Educational Service Centers. To date, ESCs have received 11.3 million masks, 8.2 million gloves, 65,000 gowns, 14,360 face shields, and 720 gallons of hand sanitizer. While supplies remain, districts will have an additional five opportunities through December to order more items for their schools.

YACOBOZZI

FROM B2 football, march in the band or take part in the Robotics Club.

Wachholz said some families struggle to come up with that money.

She worries some kids will be priced out of activities, and thinks the fee should be re-examined.

Communication is another issue on the minds of the board members-elect. They said parents do not feel they are being heard.

“I as a parent was getting frustrated that I would reach out and not hear back,” said Wachholz. “I don’t want that to happen to anyone else.”

Messer, who is Black, said she also feels it’s time for the Amherst

Board of Education to become more diverse. She said the school board should reflect the community it serves, and diversity shouldn’t be measured only in terms of race.

Teresa Gilles, who has been on the school board since 2010, earned the second-most votes with 1,816 or 18.25 percent.

Incumbent Valerie Neidert was not re-elected after finishing fourth with 1,557 votes or 15.66 percent; and challenger Mike Witte was fifth with 1,544 votes or 15.53 percent.

The results confirmed that voters wanted to see some changes in the way the schools handle business,

agreed Gilles.

“There’s a time for change, and I’m really looking forward to working with Morgan and Amanda and seeing things from their standpoint,” she said.

She said Yacobozzi and Neidert deserve credit for their years of service, which have resulted in successful levies, a strong budget and a new elementary school.

Gilles also said that parents told her this fall they want their ideas to be heard. They want to be more involved in their kids’ education and they think the Amherst school board could be more in touch with its own staff.

TURNOUT

FROM B2

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issue such as marijuana legalization to fan the flames, voter turnout is always lower in “off” years when state and federal candidates aren’t on the ballot, she said.

That’s especially true with younger people, including students.

“If there were statewide races, they would be energized,” Miller said.

“If there were some big issue in Lorain (County) having to do with equity and diversity” then college turnout would have surged.

Miller’s son Nathan is a junior at Oberlin and said she knows how passionate students can be about politics. But there are other reasons that passion was tamped down this fall, she said.

“Getting registered to vote the day you arrive, probably not going to happen,” she said — the deadline to register to vote in Ohio was Oct. 4, the same day classes began at Oberlin College.

The League of Women Voters and other groups usually hold registration

drives during the college’s move-in weekend, said Paul Adams, director of the Lorain County Board of Elections. The COVID-19 pandemic cooled willingness to hold those kind of events this year, he said.

“I do remember hearing individuals who are involved in politics in Oberlin mention to me in September that was a concern,” Adams said.

The number of registered voters in the college-associated precincts was also probably artificially high, according to Adams. Unless graduating seniors made a special effort to cancel their registration, they remained on the rolls no matter where they moved to.

The actual number of votes cast is accurate, however, he said. All poll book data from the general election is accounted for, with no missing ballots in Oberlin, Adams confirmed.

Some areas of Lorain County had more buy-in, but overall just 43,290 of

216,676 registered voters countywide actually cast ballots.

That’s just shy of 1 in 5, the lowest in decades.

Adams correctly predicted that Vermilion, with its contested mayoral race and divisive ballot issues, would be a hot spot for voters. Turnout across the entire city hit 36 percent, with 1,466 of the city’s 4,056 registered voters getting involved.

North Ridgeville’s Precinct 3-H burned the hottest, with 55.1 percent turnout. Amherst had some of the county’s most consistently-decent engagement across its eight precincts, averaging 27.7 percent.

On the other extreme, there were plenty of spotty areas that dipped into single-digit turnout to rival the three Oberlin precincts.

Lorain 5-B, with little to weigh in on, saw just 4.78 percent participation. Grafton and LaGrange were in a similar situation but in the low double-digits.

And while turnout

was relatively high in Elyria’s 3rd Ward, where embattled Councilman Mark Jessie lost by a 67-33 margin to challenger Maurice Corbin, other areas of the city just didn’t get the same response. Take Ward 2, where traffic in precincts hovered between 7 and 12 percent.

Miller said she suspects turnout cooled significantly because of the results of the last presidential election, which ended with Democrat Joe Biden in the White House.

“I think people are tired. They’re just tired.

Both sides left it all on the dance floor, as it were, in 2020,” she said.

“And certainly on the Democratic side, I think a lot of Democrats were just looking forward to a calmer period of life in the post-Trump years.”

With former President Donald Trump gone, many on the left relaxed, Miller speculated. “It just doesn’t seem like such an emergency to get to the polls if you’re a Democrat,” she said.

THANKSGIVING ACROSS 1. “If all ____ fails...”

5. *Male Thanksgiving bird 8. Yoko’s last name 11. Indian restaurant bread 12. Carhop’s carrier 13. *”Kiss the Cook” garment 15. Homer’s “The Odyssey”, e.g.

16. *Grandpa or Grandma, often 17. Moolah or dough 18. *Pilgrim’s colony 20. Allah’s cleric 21. Arranges into categories 22. Chance’s genre 23. *”Plains, Trains and Automobiles” star 26. Woven containers 30. Kimono sash 31. Aristotle’s school 34. Part of ideal 35. Hurricane feature, pl.

37. Comedian Schumer 38. Teen worry 39. Side of a ruler 40. Left over 42. *When will the guests be here?, acr.

43. Rejuvenate 45. Expression of agreement (2 words) 47. *What Turkey Trot participants did 48. Outdoor entertainment area 50. Messy substances 52. *It makes Thanksgiving wishes come true?

55. Half of diameter, pl.

56. Flu symptom 57. Accompanies relief 59. Leaves out 60. More than a talker?

61. Isaac’s firstborn 62. Skin cyst 63. “____ my party, and I’ll cry if I want too...”

64. Confederate or Union, e.g.

DOWN 1. Compass dir.

2. Arctic native 3. Go yachting 4. Become enclosed in a cyst 5. Freshwater fish 6. Hop-drying kilns 7. *Pumpkin pie at the first Thanksgiving, e.g.

8. Sea World’s performer 9. “Cheers” regular 10. Top seed 12. Like a rosebush 13. Spy name 14. *Kind of squash 19. Toils 22. Truck brand motto: “Guts. Glory. ____” 23. Lawn trimmer 24. Toe the line 25. Designs on lemur’s tail 26. Purchases 27. #39 Across, pl.

28. T in Ferrari TR 29. Thai restaurant chicken staple 32. Elder’s support

33. Flightless bird 36. *Thanksgiving football game host city since 1934 38. Impromptu 40. Big coffee holder 41. Choice word 44. Desert mirage 46. Makes less tight 48. Lace loop 49. “Angela’s _____,” memoir 50. *Raiders vs. Cowboys, e.g.

51. Scandinavian war god 52. Dry riverbed 53. Not final or absolute 54. Exclamation of surprise, archaic 55. Propel your boat!

58. Color wheel feature

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B3

Appeals court: Giant Eagle land is worth full sale price JASON HAWK EDITOR

PROTEST

FROM B1

Photographs of executed political prisoners dot the grass at the memorial arch on Tappan Square.

“Mahallati's presence at Oberlin College is a disgrace to the education system,” the website says. “As American citizens, we must champion an education system free of bigots, murderers and people accused of crimes against humanity. Professor Mahallati has no place in our higher education system.”

The return address on the flier is 173 West Lorain St., Oberlin, which is the college’s official mailing address.

Scott Wargo, director of media relations, said Oberlin College has no connection to the mailers.

During a video call to protesters, Kaveh Shahrooz, a Canadian attorney representing the protesters, called the college “a guilty party” and “a college that protects evil men.”

His uncle was hung to death. Shahrooz said he feels Oberlin College is preventing Mahallati from being held accountable.

He said Mahallati, as a diplomat, helped cover up the executions in Iran.

Amnesty International made similar accusations in its 2018 report on the killings, titled “Blood-Soaked Secrets.”

It said Mahallati “denied the mass executions in a meeting with the UN Special Representative on the situation of human rights in Iran, and claimed that ‘many killings had in fact occurred on the battlefield, in the context of the war, following the invasion of the Islamic Republic of Iran by’” the People's Mujahedin of Iran.

When Bazargan and others confronted the college a year ago about Mahallati’s past, the college said it would investigate.

“After consulting a number of sources and evaluating the public record, the college could find no evidence to corroborate the allegations against Professor Mahallati, including that he had specific knowledge of the murders taking place in Iran,” said a statement from the college.

Information provided by Wargo said Mahallati, during internal conversations with the college, denied the allegations.

Through a law firm, Oberlin College hired investigators to gather and evaluate information from 1988, and their findings did not support the accusations.

Mahallati also issued a statement, saying the official positions he took at the U.N. during his tenure do not portray his personal views.

“It is important to note that my accusers have not found a single statement from me that is remotely consistent with their unfounded accusations,” he wrote.

“I firmly believe that all human beings including Muslims, Jews, Bahais and others must be free and fully respected in choosing their faith and must enjoy religious freedom irrespective of their ethnicity, nationality and other identity factors,” he added.

Mahallati said he sympathizes with the victims of human rights abuses, and is against all kinds of capital punishment “because, based on Abrahamic teachings, even in the extreme cases of proven murder, there must be a chance for apology and forgiveness.”

His lawyer, Gregory Kehoe of the firm Greenberg Traurig, said criticisms lev-

eled against Mahallati are “completely unjustified and without merit. For more than three decades, Professor Mahallati has consistently dedicated his life to global peacemaking and research, teaching and writing about religious tolerance, peace and friendship.”

He said secret death commissions carried out the murders of political dissidents, and Mahallati, who was in New York at the time, had “no knowledge in real time about the covert executions, nor did he attempt to conceal the facts once they were revealed.”

Ray English, an Oberlin city councilman, also defended Mahallati.

“He is a sincere person who has long promoted peace and friendship across lines of conflict and difference, sometimes at personal risk to himself,” said English, who briefly attended the protest. “He has been instrumental in promoting the Friendship Initiative in our community and has taught a course on friendship at the college for many years. His assertion that he was focused on ending the Iran Iraq War when he was Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations in 1988-89 and did not know of atrocities taking place inside Iran is totally consistent with the good human being I know him to be.”

Fatemeh Pishdadian does not feel the same way.

Both her parents were executed by the regime when Pishdadian was just eight months old, and a maternal cousin was also killed. Pishdadian lived in Iran until 2009, when she moved to Cleveland, and said she was angered to learn about Mahallati’s position at Oberlin.

She said she traveled to Tappan Square to “protest against impunity.”

“This is infuriating that these people have made a living hell for us,” she said.

“They’ve taken away our loved ones and now they live here, in the West, where they enjoy all the benefits of America without being held accountable.”

Pishdadian said she wants to see Mahallati one day tried for war crimes.

“He has blood on his hands,” she said.

Firouz Daneshgari, who today is a professor of surgery at Case Western Reserve University, said he feels the same way.

He understands the terror experienced

by Iranian prisoners. As a young medical students at the University of Tehran, Daneshgari was arrested in the summer of 1981 on suspicion of supporting Khomeini’s opposition.

“They beat me first, and tied me by my hands for 24 hours so I could not feel anything, had no circulation,” he said.

The torture that followed included electric shocks, he said.

Daneshgari said he witnessed the deaths of many prisoners. They usually happened at dusk, when firing squads would line up and those remaining behind would count the rifle bursts.

“I will have nightmares again tonight,” he said after sharing his memories.

Leafing through the pages of a thick book documenting the 1988 Iran victims, Daneshgari said half his former classmates were killed — and he feels that Mahallati shares the blame.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 NOVEMBER 11, 2021 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT 85 SOUTH MAIN STREET UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED

NOVEMBER 12, 2021 �����RECORDS COMMISSION - 10:00 A�M� CONFERENCE ROOM 1 NOVEMBER 15, 2021 �����REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING 7:00 P�M� - COUNCIL CHAMBERS NOVEMBER 16, 2021 �����HISTORIC PRESERVATION COMMISSION 4:00 P�M� - CANCELED NOVEMBER 16, 2021 �����RECREATION COMMISSION - 7:00 P�M� CONFERENCE ROOM 2 NOVEMBER 17, 2021 �����ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS - 4:00 P�M� CONFERENCE ROOM 2 - PURPOSE: To consider an application for a sign setback variance at 550 S� Main St� 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.

AMHERST — If a property sells for $11.65 million, is it really worth that much?

The answer is yes, according to the 9th District Court of Appeals. It upheld Monday, Nov. 1 that Amherst Marketplace Station LLC must pay property taxes based on the full sale price of the land where Giant Eagle sits on Kresge Drive near State Route 2.

Two days before Christmas in 2015, the company bought the land in what is called an “arm’s length sale” — a deal where the buyer and seller act independently so there’s no pressure, no chance of collusion and a better shot at getting a fair market value.

That’s the key here, because when Amherst Marketplace got its tax bill, it argued the Lorain County auditor’s office had overcharged.

It tried to convince the Lorain County Board of Revision and then the Ohio Board Of Tax Appeals that the “true value” of its property tax valuation shouldn’t be based on the sale price, but on a $4.73 million appraisal.

The Amherst Board of Education, which benefits from commercial properties in the city, filed a counter-complaint requesting an increase in the taxable value. The $11.65 million for the sale

was the price that best reflected the fair market value, it said, and the state tax board agreed.

“We argued, no that was the sale price, and it’s what they ultimately decided on,” said county Auditor Craig Snodgrass.

Amherst Marketplace appealed.

It argued that state law requires property to be valued as though it’s not encumbered by a lease, such as the one held by Giant Eagle.

The true value of a property is “the amount for which that property would sell on the open market by a willing seller to a willing buyer,” Judge Lynne Callahan wrote for the 9th District Court of Appeals, affirming the tax boards’ valuations.

Snodgrass said the ruling was “a good decision for us from an economic standpoint.” It both prevents the county from having to issue an enormous refund and prevents other property owners from lowering their property tax obligations.

Sheffield Crossing Station LLC, which owns the land where Giant Eagle sits on Detroit Road in Sheffield Village, attempted to get the same type of tax reduction, he said. Lorain County won that case at the board of tax appeals as well.

“I think this goes on to a bigger picture,” Snodgrass said. “It has more farreaching effects than just Amherst Giant Eagle… There’s a good chance this would have been tried elsewhere.”

A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES

Provided photo

Oberlin Elementary School held its first Family Night on Thursday, Oct. 21 with the theme “A Night at the Movies.” It featured activities centered on books that were made into films. Families enjoyed pictures taken in a photo booth, chowing down on pizza and getting information from community and county organizations. Students were entered into a raffle for door prizes donated by city and county businesses totaling over $1,000.

The free event was organized by the Family Engagement Committee, which is led by Assistant Principal Celina Bigio.

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Page B4

Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

BUS DRIVERS OF THE YEAR

NUTRITIONIST HIRED BY WELLINGTON SCHOOLS Provided photo

Andrea Rutger has been hired as the new director of nutrition services for the Wellington Schools.

She is a registered dietitian, has a passion for pediatric nutrition and wellness and said she hopes to use her expertise to bring a positive influence into the community.

Rutger earned an undergraduate degree from Seton Hill University and practiced as a clinical dietitian in Pittsburgh for two and a half years. She then returned to Ohio to attend graduate school at Case Western Reserve University.

Most recently, Rutger served as the clinical nutrition manager at University Hospitals Samaritan Medical Center.

Provided photo

Wellington Schools Superintendent Ed Weber poses with Rosalyn Harrell, who was named Bus Driver of the Year on Thursday, Oct. 7 at the Regional Bus Driver's Banquet and Professional Development night.

Alexis Comito has been named the Oberlin City Schools Driver of the Year 2021. She joined the school district three years ago. “I can finally say that it feels like I am on the right path,” Comito said.

Comito is responsible for ensuring that school-aged children arrive at school on time, and then back home again safely.

“I love being a part of the Oberlin community and I feel such a sense of pride doing my job,” she said. “It takes a team to help children, and I am glad to be part of this one.”

According to Oberlin City Schools Transportation Director John Carter, driving a school bus takes patience and the ability to focus intently on the world around you.

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Provided photo

Oberlin High School e-sports team members Ian Boyer, Traceton Bell and Max Greenwood compete.

Oberlin HS e-sports goes undefeated in gaming realm OBERLIN — The Oberlin High School e-sports team went undefeated in the fall.

According to adviser Jason Craigo, there were several great matches this season, including those against Morgan High School and Akron STEM High School. The Phoenix racked up a 5-0 conference match record and a game record of 11-2.

“We have emerged victorious, and we are now up to 11 participants this year and may have more joining our ranks soon,” Craigo said. “We have started having the matches live-streamed at the high school, so during the spring season it will be a regular event.”

Regional playoffs will be held Nov. 20 and 21.

Adopt a family for the holidays Well-Help Inc. is asking residents to show kindness during the holiday season by “adopting” local families this Christmas. The nonprofit will help connect you to a family in need. Once you learn the specifics of its members — age, gender, sizes and needs — you can brainstorm ideas for holiday gifts. To adopt a family, call Well-Help office coordinator Bernie Raab at (440) 647-2689.

Holiday food and gifts

Time to sign up for the Holiday Food and Gifts program at Oberlin Community Services is running short. Income-eligible Oberlin residents can receive Thanksgiving and December holiday food distributions, as well as “helping hands” gifts for children up to age 17. The deadline is Friday, Nov. 12. Oberlin residents can sign up at www.oberlincommunityservices.org or by calling (440) 774-6579.

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Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

Page B5

PIRATES STOPPED AT THE GOAL LINE

ABOVE: Brandon Rollin picks up yardage on a block from Blake Hopkins.

BELOW: Andon O’Neal fires a pass.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Michael Chapman ended Black River’s playoff run. The Columbia guard stopped Pirates running back Joseph McKean from completing a two-point conversion run late in the fourth quarter Saturday night, allowing the Raiders to hold on to a tenuous 22-20 lead. The key play came after McKean turned a simple draw into a 57-yard touchdown with 2:26 remaining on the clock in the Division VI regional quarterfinal. Black River had struggled back from a 15-0 deficit. Clearview set the tone in the first quarter with an 81-yard touchdown pass from Andrew Champagne to Marco Cirigliano, who added two on a conversion run. Cirigliano went on a 62-yard tear in the second quarter, with a Frank Washburn PAT kick. Tyler Mrakuzic caught a 22-yard loft from Black River quarterback Andon O’Neal to get on the board, and the Pirates made sure the Raiders viewed them as a threat by going for 2 — McKean delivered. O’Neal later scrambled for 4 yards to add another 6 to the Pirates’ tally, but another conversion attempt went sour. Cirigliano hit again in the fourth to give Columbia the lead and, despite McKean’s attempted heroics, the win. McKean ended the night with 101 yards on 14 carries, while Cirigliano went 226 yards on 26 touches. O’Neal threw for 106 yards compared to Champagne’s 99. ABOVE: Black River's Joseph McKean gets past a Raider tackle.

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Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2021 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 37, Noo. 49

Mystery Animal Riddle:What Am I??

Ihaveabillandwebbed feet likeaduck.

Ilayeggslikeabird orareptile.

Mothersofmybreed feed ourbabieswithmilk likeamammal.

Ihavefurlikeother mammalsandaflattail likeabeaver.

Circleevery otherlettertoo discover the mystery animaal:

R D B U LC N K PBJIMLKLD R D T P S LVA B WYCPHUJS

Dinner Dive Replacethesemissingwords.

BILL: yp Aplatypusis the only mammal with a bill.The bill is covered with skin that ishaairless and moist. It has no teeeth.

FRONT FEET: A platypusswims ussing its frontfeet, but nott its back feet.When it getts out of thewater, the platyypus can roll back its webbed front feet and claws pop out to make it easier to walk on land.

Use the code to discover more platypusfacts! =wild = food =venom

=reptiles =dinosaurs =Australia

=puggle =paddle =Africa

BACK FEET: The male platypus isone of the world’s few venomous mammals! He hassharp stingerson the heels of his hind feet.Withthese stingers, the maleplatypuscan sting a foe with a strong venom that doesn’t killbut does cause a lotof pain.

TAIL: The platypus uses its tailtossteerthrough the w water.It also stores fat for when food is scarce or when the water is veery cold.

Platypusesare long-lived, surviving 20years or morein captivityand up to 12years inthe

A platypusspends 10 to12hourseach night underwater looking for

A platypusspends most of its lifealone.

But a group of platypuses is calleda

The platypus is one of two kinds of mammals that lay eggs. The other is the spiny anteater or echidna.

Mother platypus lays her eggs inside a chamber and curls up with her eggs for about 10 to 12 days. This is a time when she really needs that fat stored in her tail!

When the baby platypus hatches, it is about the size of a lima bean.

Baby platypuses stay in the nursery chamber for the first three or four months of life.

Like other mammals they drink their mother’s milk.

How many platypuseggs do you see here?

Platypuses can only be found in

Scientistshave discovered evidence that showsthat they first evolved more than 112 million yearsago, long beforethe extinctionof the

Picture Riddles Create “What Am I”

riddles for pictures in the newspaper. Share your riddle with a pal and see if they can guess which photo you were describing.

Take turns!

UNDERWATER VENOMOUS PLATYPUS R E T A W R E D N U POUCHES B B A B S G G E P V MAMMAL E C L A W S Y L O E BILLED GRAVEL A L T A I L A L U N CLAWS N I E C M T M I C O BEAN K M A V Y M E B H M DUCK L C I P A L A L E O WALK A D U L P R L M S U EGGS MEAL W S G D K G G L E S TAIL Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical MILK words. words Skim and scan reading. reading Recall spelling patterns. patterns

ANSWER: Flatipus!

Standards Link: Write for a variety of audiences.

When I fly through the air, I make a buzzing sound.

My tail has a stinger.

Workers collect pollen and help the flowers grow.

Back at the hive, together we make honey.

What am I?

Pick and animal you like and write clues for your own“Who am I?”riddle.

Childrenare born curious.

From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further.

Magic happens.

Kid Scoopopens the doorsof discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive,engaging and relevant age-appropriatematerialsdesigned to awaken the magic ofreading at school, at home, and throughout their lives.

For more informationabout our literacy non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

This week’s word:

VENOMOUS

The adjective venomous means having or producing poison.

A rattesnake has a venomous bite.

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

Go Explore!

Newspaper Creatures

Look through the classified section of the newspaper for descriptions of houses for sale.

Write a “House for Sale” ad that would appeal to a platypus and their family.

I have short legs to crawl along the ground but I live mainly in waters.

Slow is how I travel.

When tired or threatened, I lay down and pull into my hard shell.

What am I?

The ____________ on its bill close underwater and the animal can stay under for up to two ____________ as it searches for food.

Standards Link: Write descriptively.

A mammal that hatches fromeggs?

I eat leaves from the top of trees.

My tongue is about 21 inches long.

I come from Africa.

Like my tongue, my neck is really, really long.

What am I?

The mix of gravel and underwater critters is stored in cheek ____________. The platypus __________ to the surface and mashes the material in its pouches. It has no _________, so the bits of gravel help to “chew” their meal.

TheCommonwealthofAustralia reveresthisremarkablemammalso muchthatithonorstheplatypus withaplaceonits20-centcoin.

Ababyplatypusis kknown asa

A platypus is a ____________ feeder. It ____________ up insects, worms, and shellfish in i its bill along with bits of graveel from the bottom of streams and ___________.

Animal Riddles

ANSWERS: Giraffe, turtle, bee.

Page B6

If you could go anywhere to explore, where would you go? Why would you choose that place? What would you take with you to help you?