Lorain County Community Guide - Dec. 15, 2022

Double ‘Jeopardy!’ bump for Oberlin College represented by back-to-back contestants

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Ron Cheung grew up watching “Jeopardy!” in Alberta, Canada.

The Oberlin College economics professor’s turn on the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios came in October, when he flew to Los Angeles to compete.

In an episode that aired last Wednesday, Cheung became a “Jeopardy!” champion, winning $19,599.

“It was a fantastic experience,” the 46-year-old Lakewood resident said in an interview.

“Everybody was so super

Main Street pleading for volunteers

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON — Many hands make light work, but for Main Street Wellington Director Jenny Arntz the burden has been heavy.

It’s been a tough year for the nonprofit, which works to promote the village’s struggling business community.

“You guys undertook a lot with the dissolution of the Chamber of Commerce,” Mayor Hans Schneider told Arntz last week in a Village Council meeting.

Main Street volunteers saved Wellington’s annual Fourth of July celebration, which had long been organized by the chamber, he said.

But with a lack of volunteers interested in carrying on the work, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce shut its doors permanently this past spring.

That cast doubt on whether any number of traditions — from Independence Day fireworks to Memorial Day parades and village Christmas tree lightings — would continue.

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excited about being there. The experience went by like a blur,” he said.

Cheung said he played on his high school trivia team in Canada. He went on to earn degrees from the University of Alberta and University of British Columbia, and was hired by Oberlin College 12 years ago.

Now chair of the economics department, he conducts research in public finance and urban economics, with a focus on how homeowners’ associations increasingly affect city budgets, laws and property values.

Before playing, he tried to brush up on weak knowledge areas. For Cheung, those

include American history, art history and classical music.

A highlight of the trip was meeting former “Jeopardy!” champion Ken Jennings, who since the death of iconic host Alex Trebek has been the face of the show along with actress Mayim Bialik.

Jennings is the highestearning American game show contestant ever, with “Jeopardy!” winnings in excess of $4.5 million. He changed the game by racking up 74 consecutive wins in 2004, ushering in a new era for the show.

Cheung said it was an honor

HE’S NOT REALLY A MEAN ONE

Amherst Council is on a roll with raises

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Most non-bargaining city workers will get the same leap in pay negotiated by Amherst’s unions — an 8.25 percent increase in 2023 and 3.5 percent raises each of the following years.

The Finance Committee pushed new contracts past the first hurdle last week, even throwing in additional

benefits in a couple of cases.

The Amherst building inspector’s secretary, for example is likely to get an additional $16,000 per year on top of the annual raises, at the behest of Councilman Chuck Winiarski, R-at large.

To call Tammy Paterson a “secretary” is misleading, he argued.

“She essentially does everything with the exception of inspections,” said Winiarski, who also pointed out the Building Department generated

$1.2 million for Amherst’s general fund over five years.

The raise is larger than what Mayor Mark Costilow had proposed for that position.

“I’ll be flat out honest, it’s just a big jump for me,” he said.

But Winiarski said unions protect their members, and he feels one of Council’s jobs “as custodians of the city’s purse strings” is to advocate for

Photos courtesy of Jeopardy Productions Inc.

“Jeopardy!” host Ken Jennings poses with Oberlin College economics professor Ron Cheung during filming of the game show in Los Angeles. JEOPARDY

Jeff Barnes | Amherst News-Times

The Grinch hangs out with Colin and Keaton Hostutler on Saturday at the Amherst Public Library. The Grinch sneaked around the building, taking photos with young “Whoville” residents.

Goodbye, Czar

Turnpike names plow contest winners

Eight winners each will receive a $100 cash gift card for their entries in the Ohio Turnpike's second annual Name-a-Snowplow contest. The winning names are:

• Ctrl-Salt-Delete

• Blizzard Wizard

• Plow Chicka Plow Wow

• You’re Killin’ Me Squalls

• The Big LePlowski

• The Blizzard of Oz

• Ohio Thaw Enforcement

• Clearopathtra

The plows will be located at each of the eight maintenance buildings along the toll road, including the Lorain County garage in Amherst.

“Motorists should take every precau-

JEOPARDY

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Amherst chief loses his retired K-9 partner

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Czar the retired drug-sniffing K-9 has died at age 13, the Amherst Police Department announced Monday night.

The German shepherd joined the force at 16 months old and wore the badge from 2010 to 2012, riding along on patrols with then- Sgt. Mark Cawthon.

“He was essentially a protector. He was very loyal,” said Cawthon, who is now Amherst’s police chief.

Starting in the late 1990s, he ran the department’s K-9 unit, first with partner Hans and then his successor, Bandit.

Czar retired when Cawthon was promoted to lieutenant and took on more administrative duties. Other trainers offered to buy the dog, but Cawthon refused, saying he had a partner for life.

City Council allowed him to buy Czar for $1.

Amherst’s K-9 unit didn’t last long afterward. It was disbanded in January 2013 by former Chief Joe Kucirek after Officer Josh McCoy filed a suit seeking back pay for his duties with K-9 Buddy, who replaced Czar.

Cawthon said he’d like to eventually revive the program and once again have a dog to track suspects and sniff out marijuana, cocaine and heroin.

But first comes the mourning process.

The decision to euthanize Czar was difficult, Cawthon said. Thirteen is a ripe old age for a German shepherd, and his body was worn out.

“He was getting to the point where he couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom and really had a struggle,” Cawthon said. “I hated to see him suffer.”

Czar always wanted to run and play, he said, but could no longer do so.

Keeping him alive despite his pain would have been cruel, Cawthon said, recalling how he held his partner tight while the veterinarian gave him a final injection.

Amherst residents may remember Czar’s short-lived career riding around town in a cruiser. But Cawthon said he’ll remember his friend as the guardian of the house, a pal who watched over his human family.

“We were fortunate he lived a long and healthy life,” he said.

OBITUARIES

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to meet Jennings, who he described as projecting intelligence and confidence. Coming face to face with the champ was also a little intimidating, he admitted.

In his first game, Cheung defeated Andy Tirrell, a political science and international relations professor from San Diego, and Tammy Groner, a legal assistant from Hamilton, New Jersey.

Tirrell entered the game as a “giant killer,” according to quiz show host Ken Jennings — the prior night, he took down champion Cris Pannullo, who amassed $748,286 in a 21-game winning streak.

The episode didn’t start well for Cheung, a native of Alberta, Canada, who now lives in Lakewood and teaches courses on public and urban economic sat Oberlin.

Outside of a clue about “Wall Street” protagonist Gordon Gekko — which he answered correctly — Cheung didn’t luck out with much touching on his area of expertise.

He didn’t easily find his speed with the buzzer and trailed early in the game, ending the first round with just $1,400. That put Cheung behind Groner by more than $10,000.

During the interview portion of the show, he told Jennings about taking his children on a trip across 21 states and two Canadian provinces during a recent sabbatical.

In the second round, Cheung wagered $2,000 on a Daily Double clue and correctly identified a pair of Austrian skiers.

Later, he hit on the second Daily Double and wagered $9,000 on the category “Sequels.”

The clue challenged him to name the fiction book series in which “Insurgent” is the second book — Cheung nailed it by answering, “What is ‘Divergent’?”

The feat allowed him to sprint into the lead. Cheung ended the round in second place with $22,000 and just $200 behind Groner.

The Final Jeopardy! category was U.S. Presidents: “He was sworn in twice as president within two years — first by his father and then later by a former U.S. president.”

In an interview Tuesday, Cheung admitted that, as a Canadian, United States history was not his strong suit. It was a subject he tried to brush up on before flying to Lon Angeles in October for filming.

Cheung incorrectly guessed John

tion to avoid passing the snowplow trucks and allow extra space for the crews to clear the road. Don’t crowd the plow,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. “The safest place to be on the road is behind a snowplow truck.”

More than 5,500 snowplow names were submitted to ohioturnpike.org from Oct. 24 to Nov. 20. Turnpike officials selected the top 50 names for a public vote. Nearly 1,100 votes were cast from Nov. 21 to Dec. 2.

“Snowplow crews are available at any given moment to maintain the Ohio Turnpike’s 1,395 lane miles, 31 toll plaza interchanges and 14

service plazas across 13 counties in northern Ohio,” Ahmed added. “The entire Ohio Turnpike can be plowed once per hour with our current staffing and equipment levels at eight maintenance buildings.”

Last season, the turnpike’s maintenance and roadway crews handled 55 winter storm events, one more than the previous season, and worked more than 32,000 hours to keep the turnpike and its facilities clear of snow and ice.

More than 309,000 gallons of deicing liquid and 56,000 tons of salt were used to remove snow and ice from the roadway and bridges last season.

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.

Quincy Adams, but lucked out when his opponents also missed the mark. The correct answer was Calvin Coolidge.

But Cheung had hedged with a wager of just $2,401.

On Thursday, the returning champ competed alongside 2015 Oberlin College graduate A.Z. Madonna, now a resident of Malden, Massachusetts.

At Oberlin, Madonna majored in East Asian studies, and in her senior year won the Rubin Prize in Music Criticism.

That led to an offer to freelance for the Boston Globe after graduation, which after about a year became a full-time gig.

Also in the mix Thursday was Sriram Krishnan, a consultant from Falls Church, Virginia, who handily defeated both of the Oberlinconnected contestants.

None could correctly answer the Final Jeopardy! Round clue: “A cocktail, an island and a World War II venture originally called “Development of Substitute Materials” all bear this name.”

The question was, “What is Manhattan?”

But Cheung guessed “martini” and dropped to $5,599 on the night, while Madonna took a stab with “mai tai” and dropped to $1,730.

Krishnan also missed the mark, going with “mai tai” like Madonna. But with $21,800 and no need to

risk a wager, he walked away with the win and a hefty cash prize.

Cheung had started Thursday’s game cold, prematurely ringing in without an answer locked and loaded for the first two clues.

Madonna had also dug herself into an early deficit with incorrect answers. In the hole $200, she righted herself in the first round by correctly identifying Gioachino Rossini’s opera, “The Barber of Seville,” on a Double Jeopardy clue.

Cheung also regained his balance, ending the first round in the lead with $4,200 to Krishnan’s $3,800 and Madonna’s $2,800.

In the second round, Cheung hit the Double Jeopardy clue and lost $3,000 on a clue about neighboring countries in West Africa, failing to name Niger and Nigeria.

Scores remained tight until Krishnan shot ahead on the last Double Jeopardy clue. From there, he easily doubled up on his opponents and went into the last round safe with $21,800 to Cheung’s $10,800 and Madonna’s $8,000.

Andrea Simakis, director of media relations for Oberlin College, was proud of having back-to-back contestants carry the school’s banner.

“Clearly, if you teach at Oberlin or go to school here, your chances of appearing on ‘Jeopardy!’ increase exponentially,” she said.

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

RICHARD A. ESSER, 61, of New Russia Township, passed away Friday, Dec. 9, 2022, at his home.

"Jeopardy!" host and former champ Ken Jennings poses with A.Z. Madonna, a Boston Globe music critic who graduated from Oberlin College in 2015.

Provided photo “Rest in peace, Czar, you will be missed by your Cawthon and APD family,” the Amherst Police Department posted on social media Monday evening.

Alcantara-Rodriguez is 2022 Trooper of the Year

Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Jose Alcantara-Rodriguez was named the 2022 Trooper of the year for the Highway Patrol’s Elyria post, which covers most of Lorain County.

Trooper of the Year is selected by the officers stationed at a given post, and those stationed at the Elyria Post on Cletus Drive in North Ridgeville picked Alcantara-Rodriguez.

“Fellow officers stationed at Elyria chose Trooper Alcantara-Rodriguez because he exemplifies the professional and leadership qualities of a trooper's core values,” a press release from the Highway Patrol said.

Alcantara-Rodriguez graduated from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Academy in June of 2018 as a member of the 163rd Academy Class after joining the Highway Patrol earlier that year.

He was originally stationed at the Hiram post but was transferred to the Elyria post in 2020.

The recipient of the Criminal Patrol Ribbon in 2020, 2021 and 2022, Alcantara-Rodriguez has also received a Fitness ribbon, Safe Driving ribbon and “multiple commendation letters” in his

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Schneider shared his appreciation for what Main Street has done to carry the torch, leading to a round of applause from Council.

But Arntz made no bones about how fragile Main Street’s ability to continue is. The organization is desperate for volunteers to pitch in to beautify downtown and plan festivities throughout the coming year.

“We really, really need everyone to come together and help us,” she said. “It has been a very challenging year for many of us. We don’t just need ideas — we need doers.”

Accepting the defunct Chamber of Commerce’s duties aside, Main Street has been wrestling with its own issues.

Its board recently voted to move ahead with a “Heart and Soul” model in 2023. The program is an effort to heal old rifts and get people excited about investing in the village’s downtown.

Consultant Ben Levinger, hired this fall to gauge what advantages and weaknesses Wellington is saddled with, found the village isn’t flush with capital. Yet money

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non-bargaining employees when given the opportunity.

There was also debate over how to compensate the police chief and lieutenants for unused sick time. Winiarski asked for those positions to get the same retirement buyouts Costilow negotiated for lowerranking officers who belong to the Ohio Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association.

Costilow again opposed that move: “You cannot continue to just match the best part of every contract for everybody to get,” he said.

Council President Jennifer Wasilk backed that stance. She voiced concerns about interfering in the negotiation process between administrators and employees.

“We’re going to wind up, as the mayor said, in a ‘potlatch’ situation, where every time we turn around we’re going to have to step up and step up,” Wasilk said. “That’s what happens when you start to proceed down the slippery slope of trying to re-negotiate contracts that are already negotiated.”

Councilman David Janik, D-at large, said the deal Costilow made with the police chief and lieutenants was “perfectly fine.”

He railroad union across the United States are fighting for a contract that includes a single sick day, “and we’ve got folks who are asking for 1,000 hours of buyout time.”

Expanded buyout benefits also rankled Councilman Ed Cowger, R-Ward 2. He said sick time is not intended to be bankrolled as a retirement plan.

Yet that’s how it’s historically been used by city employees, said Councilman Brian Dembinski, D-Ward 1.

“But the fact remains, the way the ordinances and contracts are written, that’s the way the system is designed,” he said. “That’s not abusing the system — that is the system.”

Janik said he was reluctant to expand sick time buyouts when residents had already commented on the “generous” wage increases workers will get under new contracts, especially with the prospect of recession looming.

time at the Elyria Post.

Alcantara-Rodriguez is originally from Cleveland and graduated from James Ford Rhodes High School in 2014.

isn’t the biggest concern, he said — attitudes are.

“They have groups of people who are entrenched in their visions and their ideas,” he said.

If Main Street can stir interest in “Heart and Soul,” it could take two years to turn the situation around, Levinger said.

And according to Arntz, some merchants might not be able to hang on that long. Change needs to start sooner rather than later.

“We need good people with ideas, energy and positive attitudes. There’s been a lot of negativity this year, and apathy and it gets me down. It bums me out. It’s like a blue Christmas,” she said.

Main Street Wellington is already pivoting. It has canceled its First Fridays promotion that ran the last two years, and in 2023 will launch Support Local Saturdays.

The new approach will try to funnel more customers downtown from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month.

Small business seminars and Fourth of July planning meetings will begin in January.

Those pay hikes are also part of proposed three-year contracts with Amherst’s fire chief, information technology manager, utility superintendents, bookkeepers, budget clerk, two part-time police officers and Police Department civilian administrator.

Mayor’s secretary Jami Anderson, whom Costilow said is “actually way underpaid,” will also receive a raise but agreed to a much lower increase.

The city’s part-time firefighters will also get the large step raises granted to unions. Even though their contract doesn’t end until Dec. 31, 2023, Costilow said he didn’t want to see them left behind, considering sky-high inflation.

“Our fire department’s going to get paid, just like everybody else,” he said.

Council has already approved new contracts with union workers.

The total cost of wage and benefit increases for all workers, even those who don’t belong to a union, is expected to cost $600,000 the first year and nearly $1 million over three years.

Costilow said the city can afford to spend that money, and built the raises into the 2023 interim budget, which also went to the Finance Committee last week.

Coming in at $38.7 million, the budget is expected to cover most of the year, but will get adjustments before a final budget is approved in March. The final numbers will reflect unspent funds carried over from 2022, as well as additional projects and purchases.

The interim budget is more or less a copy of last year’s, with almost every item jacked up by 3 percent to account for inflation.

Costilow said he also removed $100,000 from every capital outlay line item except street maintenance — doing so covers the cost of wage increases.

“We’re in very good shape with all our equipment,” he said. “We really don’t need any big capital outlay expenditures this next year. So we can truly do without it.”

Non-bargaining employee contracts were sent from the Finance Committee to the floor of Council with emergency status, where they were adopted Monday.

Jose Alcantara-Rodriguez

Oberlin College’s $140M geothermal project entering its third year

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — About 60 trees will be removed in January to clear the way to install more pipe in Oberlin College’s geothermal heating and cooling project.

Billed at inception as a $140 million effort, construction is now in its third year.

Assuming materials are available, work is expected to begin near the Science Center on Route 511 in April, the college’s Chief Facilities Officer Kevin Brown said last week in a report to City Council.

Supply chain issues have already caused issues, he said — materials are being ordered almost a year in advance, and in some cases with more than 70 weeks of lead time.

Work through the summer months will entail pipe installation north past Severance, Carnegie, East and Stevenson halls and ending near Langston Hall, according to a map shown to Council.

Brown said dormitories should be empty by the time work is done there. Summer programs will be contained to the south side of campus, away from the work zone.

When finished, the college has pledged to plant more trees than were removed.

Geothermal heating and cooling will replace Oberlin College’s deteriorating steam system, parts of which were more than 100 years old. Brown said it had not been well-maintained.

“We’d gotten our money’s worth out of it,” he said. The project includes modernization of about 55 “vintage” buildings. The work includes electrical improvements, extension of the college fiber optic network and fire protection.

Campus has been about halfway converted already. Geothermal wells have yet to be drilled under the north practice fields, Brown said.

Yet water is already being pumped around much of the campus from the central heating plant, he said — and the system is proving to be much more efficient than anticipated.

Original expectations were that it would lose about 5-8 degrees in transfer. But water is holding steady, losing only about 3 degrees.

Brown said that efficiency has allowed Oberlin College to downsize some of the pipes, radiators and fan cooling units it had originally planned to use, which has also saved money.

About $70 million has already put into the ground and buildings, he said. The project has remained on schedule for completion by 2024.

The college has also scaled back the number of geothermal wells it will need. Brown said the original plan called for about 1,100 and now only 825 are planned.

The 600-foot-deep wells will draw water from the earth, where it remains at a constant 55 degrees.

Brown said converting to the geothermal system will get Oberlin College about 90 percent or more toward its goal of being carbon neutral by 2025.

It is also designed to reduce campus water use by more than 5 million gallons per year, cut sewer discharged by over 4 million gallons per year and improve energy efficiency by more than 30 percent. Doing so will mean about $1 million in annual operational savings.

EMPTY MUGS RAISES $10,000

You are required to file an answer by February 10, 2023. In the event of your failure to answer or otherwise respond, judgment by default will be rendered against you for the relief demanded in the complaint.

Zachary B. Simonoff, #0070088

Attorney for Plaintiff-Fiduciary 124 Middle Ave. #500 Elyria OH 44035

Please contact Breanna_Dull@cityoflorain.org for additional information.

BREANNA DULL, CMC L.C.C.G. 12/15, 22/22 20713100

Our FAMILY looks for 5-year Legion Field garden contract

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A five-year contract renewal for Our FAMILY to run the community garden at Legion Field appears to be popular with City Council.

The Elyria-based nonprofit’s current deal at the site, located at the corner of South Professor and West Hamilton streets, expires Dec. 31.

Spokesman Bobby Taylor Jr. gave a report to Council last week on how operations at the garden have fared in the last three years.

“We saw some great things in 2019, and then 2020 hit with the pandemic. We all know what happened then,” he said.

In 2022, the Legion Field garden has made a comeback. Volunteers there harveted more than 750 pounds

of produce, donating 555 pounds to Oberlin Community Services to help hungry families in the southern part of Lorain County.

Other portions went to summer and winter markets in Oberlin and Elyria.

“What we’re trying to express is the human side of the garden,” said lead gardener Peter Crowley, stressing the good fruit and vegetables grown at the site do for people.

He is looking forward to a huge jump in production this spring. Crowley said 2022 was a banner year, and in 2023 he believes Legion Field will double its output.

Over the next five years, Our FAMILY — which stands for Fathers and Mothers Involved in Local Youth — plans to increase spending at the garden to about $20,000, according to Taylor.

The goal is not only to increase the public’s access to nutritious, locallysourced food, but also to provide summer gardening experience for young people, he said.

Since 2011, hundreds of people and numerous community groups have volunteered their labor to transform part of the former baseball field into a community garden and orchard, Oberlin Sustainability Coordinator Linda Arbogast told Council in a memo.

“The community garden continues to evolve as a sustainable garden that produces healthy vegetables without synthetic fertilizers and harmful chemicals to control plant disease and insect predation,” she wrote.

The five-year contract received Council support on its first reading. It will require at least one more vote to be approved.

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

The Oberlin Choristers belt out “Silent Night” and “This Little Light of Mine” under the direction of Rebekah Dovci on Saturday during the 13th Annual Empty Mugs Holiday Brass and Pottery Extravaganza at the First Church in Oberlin. Earthenware was auctioned to benefit Oberlin Community Services, with more than 300 attendees contributing in excess of $10,000. Leftover pottery will be on display from 9 a.m. to noon today, Friday and Sunday at the church. Each piece, unless otherwise noted, is $15. Proceeds allow OCS to provide food and other emergency assistance to families in the southern part of Lorain County.

Provided photo

Student Council officers from Wellington High School attended the third session of the Lorain County Chamber Effective Leadership Academy on Thursday, Dec. 8 at LorMet Community Federal Credit Union in Amherst. The day included team building leadership activities, a panel presentation and a site tour. Students also learned communication techniques and networked with other Student Council members from surrounding districts. Effective Leadership Academy is an educational nonprofit that provides students and educators with curriculum for 21st century skills development.

PICTURED: Hope Dudziak, Lily Oswald, Maya Feron and Adelle Pickering.

Try these Zero Proof Mix-Off recipes

Hosting a holiday party? Make sure everyone gets home safely with these non-alcohohic drinks entered in Lorain County Public Health’s annual Zero Proof Mix-Off.

The event is designed to provide fun mocktails for people who don’t drink, especially designated drivers.

Greenbelt Punch

United Way of Greater Lorain County

• 8 oz. white cranberry juice

• 1 oz. lime juice

• 1 oz. tangerine syrup

• 1 cinnamon stick

• Green apple slices

• Lime slices

• 3 drops of green food coloring Mix all ingredients in the order listed. Stir to combine.

Winter in Rome

Lorain County JVS FFA

• Half can concentrated orange juice

• 1 cup vanilla ice cream

• 1 cup milk

• 1/2 cap vanilla extract

• 1/8 cup sugar

• Handful of ice

Put all in blender and combine to desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Cold Snap Gingerbread Nog

Let’s Get Real Inc.

• 1 tsp. espresso powder

• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

• 1/4 cup water

• 2 cup eggnog

• 2 tbsp. molasses

• 1 tsp. ground ginger

• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

• Crushed ice

• Whipped cream

• Gingersnap cookies, crushed for garnish

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, espresso powder, and brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a slight boil and remove from

heat. Let cool completely. In a bowl, add the eggnog, the cooled saucepan mixture, molasses, ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Whisk until combined. To serve, add crushed ice to each glass. Pour in the gingerbread eggnog mixture until glasses are filled. Top with whipped cream. Crush a few gingersnap cookies. Then sprinkle them as a garnish on top of the whipped cream.

Punch Float Wellington Schools

• 64 oz. concord grape juice

• 1/2 galon orange sherbet

Pour the juice in a punch bowl, add the entire half galon of sherbet and let soften before serving. To serve by the glass, fill a tall glass half to three-quarters full of chilled grape juice. Add 1 to 2 scoops of orange sherbet to the glass.

Blue Christmas

Ohio State Highway Patrol

• 1/4 cup Blue Curacao syrup

• 2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 12 oz. Sprite

• 1 lemon slice

Pour a quarter cup of blue Curacao syrup into a 15 oz. cup or glass. Add the lemon juice. Top off the drink with Sprite. Stir gently, then garnish with a lemon slice and enjoy immediately.

Placeborita

Lorain County Court of Common Pleas

• 1/2 galon Sprite

• 1/2 liter non-alcoholic margarita mix

• 52 oz. limeade

• Sugar for rim

• Sour gummy worms for garnish Mix Sprite, non-alcoholic margarita mix, and limeade. Chill if desired. Rim the glass in sugar and garnish with a sour gummy worm.

Zesty Mama Lorain County Public Health

• 4 cups sparkling cranberry fla-

vored fruit juice cocktail blend

• 2 cups pineapple juice

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries

• 1 orange to make zest curls

• Ice

Mix sparkling cranberry juice blend and pineapple juice. Add ice. Garnish with fresh cranberries and orange zest curls if desired.

The NOT Toddy

Lorain County Metro Parks

• 1 galon apple cider

• 3 cups hot water

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1 lemon, juiced

• 1/8 cup mulling spice (or to taste)

• 20 Fireballs candy

• Whipped cream

• Cinnamon sugar sprinkle

• Cinnamon stick

Add apple cider, water, syrup, mulling spice and fireball candies in slow cooker. Stir and heat until candies are dissolved into the cider then add lemon juice. Pour into glasses. Gar-

nish

Black Panther Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County

• 4 oz. Gatorade (blue)

• 4 oz. blue Hawaiian Punch

• 4 oz. coconut water

• Ice

• Purple cake sprinkles

• Simple syrup

• 1 tbsp. silver shimmer dust

Dip the rim of glasses into the simple syrup and then into the purple cake sprinkles. Set to the side. In a large pitcher, add Gatorade, Hawaiian Punch and coconut water. Stir to combine. Add silver shimmer dust and stir. Fill glass with ice.

Godspell Delight Lorain Community Music Theater

• 1 cup half and half

• 12 oz. cream soda, cold

• 4 tsp. simple syrup

• 2-4 drops peppermint oil or extract

• 2 crushed candy canes (rim garnish)

• 4 tsp. simple syrup (rim garnish)

To prepare the glass for garnish, lightly coat the rim in simple syrup on a plate. Place crushed candy canes on another plate, then dip the syruped rim into the candy canes. To make the drink, stir together half and half, cream soda, simple syrup and peppermint oil in a small pitcher. Pour the mixed drink into the candy cane garnished glasses.

UH North Ohio Heart cardiologists and specialists previously located at 3600 Kolbe Road in Lorain have moved. As of November 21, our new location is:

with whipped cream and cinnamon sugar sprinkle. Serve hot.

Optional: Garnish whipped cream instead with lemon zest or crushed Lemon Heads candies for an extra fresh burst of citrus.

Jeff Barnes | Community Guide

Cold Snap Gingerbread Nog was entered by Let's Get Real, a Lorain-based nonprofit.

See previous years’ winners: www.loraincountyhealth.com

Holiday wreaths to be laid at Lorain County cemeteries

JASON HAWK EDITOR

Wreaths will be laid across hundreds of Lorain County veterans’ graves on Saturday, Dec. 17 to remember the mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters who are no longer here to celebrate the holidays.

Wreaths Across America Day will be observed at some 3,400 cemeteries nationwide.

“We have Memorial Day and Veterans Day, but around the holidays I think a lot of people are keenly feeling the loss of loved ones. I think this is really helpful for families,” said Kathryn Kennedy of Lorain, who has been planning the event since January.

In years past, winter observances have been held at cemeteries in Avon and Elyria, as well as Brownhelm and Columbia townships.

Now Kennedy plans to honor veterans interred in the northwestern portion of the county.

The Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard and members of AMVETS Post 32 in Elyria will hold concurrent ceremonies at:

• Cleveland Street in Amherst and Elmwood in Lorain at 10 a.m.

• St. Joseph Cemetery in Amherst Township and Calvary Cemetery in Lorain at 10:30 a.m.

• Kendeigh Corner Cemetery and Ridge Hill Memorial Park, both in Amherst Township, at 11 a.m.

• Evergreen Cemetery in South Amherst and Middle Ridge Cemetery in Amherst Township at 11:30 a.m.

• Crownhill Cemetery in Amherst and Pioneer Cemetery in South Amherst at noon.

After speaking to American Legion commanders, Kennedy said veterans in Brighton Township, Sheffield, Wellington and Lions Club members in LaGrange will also honor the dead that day.

Kennedy said she became involved in Wreaths Across America to honor her father, the late Gene Kennedy. Before be-

Friday yoga sessions

Seated yoga flow classes will be held at 1 p.m. each Friday in December at the Amherst Public Library.

Learn breathing techniques to clear the mind and be present in the moment as instructor Cindy Miller teaches movements to stretch and strengthen muscles that support the joints and flexibility. These classes are suitable for all ages and experience levels. Attendees should wear comfortable clothing and take water.

Registration is required via the calendar at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org.

Wellington choir concerts

The McCormick Middle School and Wellington High School choirs will perform holiday concerts at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15 at the Patricia Lindley Center for the Performing Arts.

Lions offer photos with Santa

The Wellington United Lions will hold a breakfast and photos with Santa on Saturday, Dec. 17 at the Wellington Reservation Metro Park, 535 Jones Rd.

Breakfast and photos are $5 general admission, and free for ages 3 and under. Sessions with a maximum of 50 seats will be held from 9-10 a.m., 10:30-11:30 a.m. and noon to 1 p.m. Photos only with no breakfast and 100 maximum seats will be done from 2-4 p.m.

For reservations, call or text (440) 987-9090 or email wellingtonunitedlions@gmail.com.

Democrat holiday party

The Lorain County Democratic Women’s Club will hold its annual holiday event at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 at Rosewood Hall, 4493 Oberlin Ave., Lorain.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Reserve a spot at tinyurl.com/Lcdemwomen. Donations of hats, mittens and blankets will be accepted.

North Pole adventure

The Workshop Players will present “Santa Sing-A-Long” at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18 at 44820 Middle Ridge Rd., Amherst Township.

The North Pole adventure will include holiday shenanigans, songs and fun. This season, children of all ages are invited to see Santa and give him their Christmas wish lists, make cookies, sing songs and engage in holiday storytelling to celebrate the season.

Tickets are $12 each, or five for $50. No tickets will be sold at the door. To reserve tickets, call (440) 634-0472.

Historical society open houses

The Amherst Historical Society will hold two free open houses at its Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Ave.

The first will be from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 18, and the second will run from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 6. See Sandstone Village buildings decorated for the holidays. They will be open for tours, and the society will sell items during the events. Parking will be at the society’s Jefferson Street lot, with handicap parking in front of the Grange Hall. For more information, call (440) 988-7255.

Westwood holiday concerts

Westwood Elementary School students will perform their holiday shows in December.

The kindergarten program will be at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19, followed by the first grade program at 7 p.m.

The second grade program will be at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 20, followed by the third grade program at 7 p.m.

coming a popular Lorain teacher and coach, he fought in the South Pacific during World War II as a member of the Army Air Corps 841st Engineer Battalion, firing anti-aircraft guns at Japanese planes.

On her mother’s side, Kennedy said the family has an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War, and another who was aboard the Niagara alongside naval commander Oliver Perry in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.

Many local families have similar family connections, she said, estimating that 20,000 veterans are buried at Lorain County cemeteries.

There are just shy of 10,000 interred at the 10 northwestern sites the honor guards will visit Dec. 17, she said. There are roughly 3,800 buried at Calvary Cemetery alone.

John Sekletar of Amherst, who served in the Navy during Vietnam, said there aren’t nearly enough wreaths to place one at every veteran’s grave — though

he’d like to do so.

While Kennedy has about 700 on hand, that falls short of the mark. Sekletar said memorial wreaths will be placed at each of the 10 Amherst and Lorainarea cemeteries to represent the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Merchant Marines, Coast Guard, Space Force and prisoners of war and those who are still considered missing in action.

Honor guards will say a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance at each location, play Taps and offer a rifle salute.

“I think it’s a matter of education, educating the people who aren’t aware of the sacrifices that were made by others so we have have the freedoms we have today,” Sekletar said.

Honoring those in uniform has become a mission for Sekletar, who said his resolve was set after an altercation in 1972.

Returning from Vietnam, he flew into San Francisco: “We were all high as hell because we were so happy to be back safe and sound. We were met by

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people who were protesting,” he remembers.

The right to protest was one of the freedoms he’d fought to protect. What Sekletar didn’t expect was for the waiting crowd to be hostile, and for one person to spit in his face.

Kennedy said that it’s important today to remember not only the sacrifices veterans made abroad, but also at home.

Wreaths Across America is a chance to show respect to the dead, and to think about how they changed history, she said.

It’s also an opportunity to teach younger people, Kennedy said.

Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Trail Life groups and the Amherst Leo Club will join members of area VFW, American Legion and Eagles posts at the ceremonies.

Kennedy is also searching for veterans and active duty personnel to to represent military branches at each cemetery.

To volunteer or donate to the cause, call (513) 659-4951 or email loraincountywreaths@ gmail.com.

New Russia year-end meeting

New Russia Township trustees will hold their year-end meeting at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 30 at 46300 Butternut Ridge Rd. It will be followed immediately by a 2023 organizational meeting.

NAMI offers family training

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Lorain County and Grace Lutheran Church in Oberlin will host a “Family to Family” education course.

History of Christmas music

Learn about the history of season music at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19 at the Amherst Public Library Joel Keller will describe how Christmas music had its earliest beginnings as chants, litanies and hymns intended for use during church liturgies. This presentation follows the development of Christmas music from its earliest days through the 20th Century, with examples played from many eras.

Registration is suggested via the calendar at www.amherstpubliclibrary.org or by calling (440) 988-4230.

South Amherst talks sewers

A special South Amherst Village Council meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 19. On the agenda is a discussion of sanitary sewers with local authorities.

Christmas at The Elms

A Christmas party will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at The Elms Nursing Home, 136 S. Main St., Wellington, to help residents there enjoy the holiday.

Residents’ names and gift ideas can be found on the Christmas tree at the Colonial Barber shop, 121 W. Herrick Ave. You can adopt one or more by taking their name from the tree, buying the items on the list, putting the resident’s name on the gift after wrapping and returning it to the shop by Dec. 19. Shop owners Jason and Kelly Keith will dress as the Clauses and deliver the presents to the residents at the party. There will also be a gingerbread man played by Tracy Lynn Wind of Cherished Creations.

School board reschedules

A Wellington Board of Education meeting originally set for Dec. 20 has been rescheduled. It will now be held at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at Westwood Elementary School.

Racers to carry jingle bells

The 2nd Annual Jingle All the Way 5K will be held at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 24, starting from Community Congregational United Church of Christ, 379 S. Main St., Amherst.

The event will include a chip-timed 5K and 1-mile fun walk. After the race, enjoy hot cocoa or cider and Christmas cookies, caroling and a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Registration is $20 for adults and $5 for children, and race packets include a T-shirt, bib, route map and jingle bell for each runner and walker to wear. After Dec. 10, registration increases to $25 and instead of a T-shirt runners will receive a commemorative mug. Register at tinyurl.com/JingleAmherst.

Proceeds will benefit the Blessing House, a faith-based organization that provides shelter to families in crisis.

Watch Japanese shows

The Tokusatsu Club will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at the Amherst Public Library.

Recommended for ages 15 and up, the club learns about, watches and discusses Japanese Tokusatsu films and television shows like “Ultraman,” “Godzilla” and “Kamen Rider.” Tokusatsu Club meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. You do not need to have attended previous sessions to attend this one.

The eight-session program will begin from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 4 and the last class will be Feb. 22. Sessions will be held at the church, 310 W. Lorain St.

The program is for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Research shows it significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition. Family-to-Family is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises.

To sign up, call (440) 240-8477 or email office@nami-lc.org.

Lewis book group

The C.S. Lewis and Friends Book Group will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at the Amherst Public Library’s DeLloyd Room.

Readers will discuss Lewis’ book, “A Grief Observed.” For more information, contact Marcia Geary at (440) 988-9803 or mgeary@gearylawllc.com.

Enrollment for 2023 healthcare.gov is open

COLUMBUS — As the year comes to an end, people are thinking about their resolutions for the new year, and many are centered around better health.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 3.4 million people nationwide have selected an Affordable Care Act Marketplace health plan since the beginning of the 2023 open enrollment period, which opened on Nov. 1. Additionally, four out of five people are eligible for plans as low as $10 a month or less.

Federal “navigators” with Get Covered Ohio are available to help people understand what plans are available.

“We understand that shopping for insurance can be a complicated process, which is why our trained navigators are available for free in-person or virtual appointments to help you find the plan that best meets your health coverage needs and your budget,” said Zach Reat, director of health initiatives at Ohio Association of Foodbanks.

People looking for coverage that begins Jan. 1 must enroll by Dec. 15.

Get Covered Ohio navigators are certified and licensed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Ohio Department of Insurance. The free service provides unbiased guidance to help consumers find plans that fit their needs and budget.

The enrollment period for 2023 healthcare.gov plans is open through Jan. 15.

Enrollment in Medicaid coverage for consumers with lower incomes, as well as special enrollment periods for consumers that experience life changes or loss of coverage, is available year-round.

Appointments are available in-person, virtually, over the phone, and in multiple languages. To schedule an appointment with a navigator, visit getcoveredohio.org or call (833) 628-4467.

Lorain flag folding ceremony revives memories of World War II heroes

JASON HAWK EDITOR

LORAIN — Facing each other with backs straight, John Sekletar and Jim Lynsky folded Old Glory with military precision last Wednesday morning.

The two members of Elyria’s AMVETS Post 32 honor guard respectfully creased and smoothed the flag into a tight triangle, and presented it to Staff Sgt. Jonah Webb of the Army National Guard.

Sekletar, an Amherst resident, organized the folding ceremony. It was held at a meeting of the Senior

Fellowship Club of Lorain on West 4th Street, in remembrance of the American lives lost in the attack on Pearl Harbor 81 years ago.

Afterward, club members silently watched black and white footage of President Franklin Roosevelt’s speech to Congress on Dec. 8, 1941, the day after the attack.

“I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost,” FDR said, preparing to thrust the United States into World War II. “In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.”

When Japanese fighters attacked Pearl Harbor those many years ago,

they sank the USS Arizona and USS Utah, and destroyed 188 aircraft. In all, 2,403 service members and civilians died in the raid, and 1,178 others were injured.

More than 16 million Americans marched, flew or sailed into the war in Europe and the Pacific as a result, including 839,000 Ohioans.

Of the millions who served, only about 167,000 remain alive today, according to the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Tommy Bradley, president of the Senior Fellowship Club, talked about how the day that would “live on in

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Hot dog! It’s Santa

by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

The Christmas season doesn’t truly arrive until the iconic 16-foot-tall Santa statue goes up in downtown Amherst, with his list of good little children in hand.

After Thanksgiving, calls started ringing into the mayor’s office and other city departments asking where Santa was, and when he’d appear.

Hot Dog Heaven owner Chris Russo pulled the fiberglass behemoth from storage in Lorain on Thursday, Dec. 1.

After some technical issues that caused delay, a work crew secured Santa with cables in front of the Cleveland Avenue restaurant.

The fiberglass statue was long a holiday fixture at Hot Dog Heaven, until a fire ravaged the building in Fall 2020.

Santa had to be temporarily moved to Town Hall a few blocks to the west, and has returned home now that the restaurant has been rebuilt.

Winter COVID surge?

JASON

EDITOR

It seems like a far-distant memory already: When omicron grinched the world ahead of Christmas 2021, schools closed and the holidays turned sour.

COVID-19 is still floating around, but this December doesn’t appear to come with a gift-wrapped surge in severe cases and hospitalizations.

“We know that there’s a lot of viral load out there, it’s just we don’t have a lot of people reporting those illnesses,” said Lorain County Health Commissioner Mark Adams.

Laboratory tests of sewage samples hint that infection should be rampant — “That’s the way it looks,” he said — but it appears many people have simply learned to cope with the virus.

“We’re getting almost no calls, very few people asking for a test. We’re not even seeing anecdotal evidence that people are reporting they’re getting ill,” said Adams.

COVID-19 tracking data released last Thursday night by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a national uptick in cases and deaths in the prior week.

Ohio, which had been deemed “green” for a low rate of spread, now has 10 counties back at red alert. All of Northeast Ohio, including Lorain County, has returned to yellow, signaling a moderate case rate and increasing hospitalizations.

There were 545 new cases and 49 new COVID hospital admissions reported in the county for the week, according to the CDC. That’s relatively high compared to the past few months, but nowhere near the spikes seen the two previous winters.

For Dec. 4-10 in 2020, there were 1,497 cases of COVID, 41 hospital admissions and 35 deaths in Lorain County.

For the same week in 2021, there were 1,616 cases, 41 hospitalizations and 20 deaths.

Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, the Ohio Department of Health has counted 85,117 cases in Lorain County, along with 4,364 hospitalizations and 1,032 deaths.

So what has changed? For one, many people have decided there’s no longer much point in getting tested for COVID, said Adams.

Others know they have it, but forge ahead with mild symptoms or none at all, wearing masks and taking brief time off work, he said. For many people — especially those who have been vaccinated — the disease has become manageable.

In terms of severity, Adams said a COVID infection in 2022 is just not the same as in either of the past two years. The omicron subvariants have evolved to spread faster, at the same time losing some of their bite, he said.

Early in the pandemic, one of the scariest aspects of the disease was its randomness, Adams said. A young, healthy person could be fine and wind up on a respirator a few days later.

“That’s not what we’re seeing very much of now,” he said.

Especially among people in their 70s, 80s and 90s —

Photos by Jason Hawk | Community Guide

Jim Lynsky and John Sekletar of AMVETS Post 32 in Elyria fold an American flag during a ceremony Wednesday, on the 81st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Photos

Cases are rising, but they don’t compare to past years’ spikes

HAWK

“We’re getting almost no calls, very few people asking for a test.”

Lorain County Health Commissioner Mark Adams

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infamy” affected his family.

His father enlisted in the Navy when he became eligible in 1944, Bradley said, and served as a submarine crewman.

“He went in as soon as possible He was anxious to get involved with the war against the Japanese also,” he said.

Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley, who is not related, said his uncle was about 15 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. When John Rozzano Jr. turned 17, he enlisted in the Navy, hoping to serve aboard a ship with his brother, Dominic.

Rozzano’s final mission was picking up parts to deliver the atomic bomb that eventually would be dropped on Hiroshima.

“My uncle was 18 years old on the

USS Indianapolis,” Bradley said.

“After they had delivered the bomb, it was torpedoed and he was lost at sea.”

A Japanese submarine struck just after midnight on July 30, 1945, about 600 miles west of Guam. The Indianapolis sank in 12 minutes.

About 300 crewmen went down with the ship, and nearly 900 others died of dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attack.

Bradley said the family always held out hope that Rozzano would somehow show up again one day.

“There was never a memorial or any type of honor for him, for what he and his fellow sailors did to help end the Second World War,” he said.

Bradley recounted how finally the family was allowed to place a

memorial for Rozzano at Veterans Park in Lorain. Former Mayor Chase Ritenauer deemed April 9, 2016, as John Rozzano Day.

Drawing on his family’s legacy, Bradley said the United States must always be prepared for an attack.

“And I think that’s why it’s important that we to continue to press the Navy to build a naval shipyard here in the city of Lorain,” he said, asserting that a submarine fleet is America’s best defense.

First designated by an act of Congress in 1994, National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day was observed Dec. 7 across the nation.

President Joe Biden ordered all American flags to be flown at half-staff, and Gov. Mike DeWine ordered Ohio flags lowered as well.

the age group most vulnerable to the virus — severity is significantly lower than it was two years ago, he said.

Vaccines have softened the blow. However, a big chunk of the American population has denied the pandemic was a real emergency, and about 1 in 5 have not been vaccinated at all. About 1 in 3 have not had even a single dose, according to the CDC.

In every major health crisis through history, from polio to smallpox, there have been people who refused to accept the medical community’s findings, Adams said.

In a few instances, he’s been able to change minds about COVID. But Adams said he won’t debate vaccines with anyone whose stances are purely political.

“I will have any discussion with anybody who wants to come to me with science — not something you pulled from YouTube,” he said.

Current vaccine formulations are effective against omicron. The first round in early 2021 provided some protection against the mutation, but when the big wave hit late that year it still spread like wildfire and lasted about 9 weeks.

Adams said he won’t be surprised if cases continue to rise over the next few months, but said he believes any surge will be much smaller than in either 2020 or 2021.

Neither do Lorain County’s hospitals have major concerns, he said. They are taking precautions, of course, “but now they are in flu mode and are not really concerned about COVID or beds being taken away by it,” Adams said.

Influenza is the big concern now for schools as well. Adams said he does not expect COVID to cause big headaches for teachers and students this winter.

To corroborate his assessment, the Community Guide reached out to several local districts of varying sizes.

Wellington Schools Superintendent Ed Weber said absences due to illness rose after Thanksgiving break, but are now back to normal, with daily attendance at 93 percent or better.

North Ridgeville Superintendent Roxanne Ramsey-Caserio said absences in her district have been primarily due to the flu, and typical for this time of year.

And Amherst Superintendent Michael Molnar said for the two weeks around Thanksgiving, there was a spike with both student and staff flu absences, but the situation has since righted itself.

No district has reported alarming COVID or flu numbers to Lorain County Public Health so far, said Adams.

Most school systems expect about 5-8 percent of the student body to be out on any given day. LCPH tracks those numbers, and for now they appear to be in the range for a normal year.

“It’s hard to judge if we’re looking at a horrible season or just an early season. It’s hard to tell right now,” Adams said.

He said flu season started roughly four months earlier than normal — the Cleveland Clinic recently reported a 30 percent positivity rate for flu, mirroring a 25.1 percent nationwide rate reported by the CDC.

The federal agency said seasonal flu cases are abnormally high and continuing to rise.

So far this season, there have been at least 8.7 million flu cases across the country, resulting in 78,000 hospitalizations and 4,500 deaths, the CDC estimates.

Lorain County Public Health tried to pivot this year by starting flu vaccine clinics in August and September, rather than November.

Adams said it’s unclear why the flu is surging now, but the prevailing theory is that two years of staying home, masking, social distancing and canceled get-togethers has taken a toll.

“Our bodies and immune system response have been sheltered for some time because we’ve been protecting against COVID, and we didn’t have that flu spreading through the community like we normally would,” he said.

Making matters worse, not as many people appear to have gotten vaccinated against the flu this fall, Adams said. The drop-off might be attributed in part to “vax burnout,” but also to timing; many people are used to waiting until December to get a flu shot.

This year, that puts them behind, Adams said.

“Our immunity clock is a little messed up because things have been different the last three years,” he said. “It hasn’t been just a normal day in the life like existed prior to 2020.”

The CDC, World Health Organization and medical experts have yet to declare the pandemic “over,” and downgrade COVID-19 to “endemic status” along with other seasonal illnesses.

FROM B1

Members of the Senior Fellowship Club of Lorain watch footage from Dec. 8, 1941, when President Franklin Roosevelt delivered his famous “day of infamy” speech to Congress.

War, weather and wages pump up Wellington budget

That disparity has been a source of contention between Council and Police Chief Tim Barfield, who after a heated October meeting over cost controls announced last month that he’ll retire Feb. 3.

WELLINGTON — Global conflicts are having a tangible effect on Village Council’s financial outlook for 2023.

Revenues of $16 million are expected next year against expenses of $15.73 million, leaving little wiggle room for Wellington officials, according to a budget discussion last week.

Village Manager Jonathan Greever and Finance Director Vanya Pfeiffer have proposed a $3.86 million budget for the general fund, which covers day-to-day operating expenses.

That amount is $171,000 higher than last year, a significant increase for the rural town.

A $28,000 hike for liability insurance plays a big role in the increase. Greever said threats and disasters are driving up premiums.

“I’m concerned about Hurricane Ian’s impact, No. 1,” Greever said. “I’m concerned about the school shootings. I’m concerned about cybersecurity getting worse and worse.”

Russia’s war against Ukraine is also a concern for Councilman Guy Wells, who voiced fears about international tensions not seen “since 1940.”

“We might be on the edge of World War III,” he said.

Not all insurance worries originate abroad. A Sept. 26 fire that destroyed a large portion of Wellington’s water plant will also likely drive up Wellington’s insurance rates, Greever said.

The budget is also inflating due to increases in wages and benefits across the board.

The Police Department is the most expensive of the village’s arms, with a proposed budget of nearly $1.75 million for the year. Council discussion focused on how much cash to dedicate for overtime.

For 2022, overtime is expected to hit $52,000, according to Pfeiffer. In prior years, it was closer to $30,000.

Now a committee of Police Department employees is expected to rework shift schedules, a move intended to reduce overtime.

“We could easily budget $50,000 as a more realistic number potentially, but we may be over-budgeting,” Council President Gene Hartman said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen with the new schedule.”

Greever said $45,000 for overtime would be a success “if we can get there.”

A new police station is also expected to open this summer on East Herrick Avenue, after both budget overruns and scheduling setbacks due to supply chain issues.

Wells questioned why there is no money in the proposed budget for the incidental costs of moving the police force to its new home.

“Like when you move your household, there’s going to be a million little things,” he said.

Greever said he hopes to offset those expenses with savings from other departments.

Other increases in the 2023 budget include:

• $5,000 more for Oberlin Municipal Court, which is incurring higher costs after returning to in-person hearings.

• $5,000 more for Main Street Wellington, which has taken on more responsibilities since the Wellington Chamber of Commerce disbanded last year.

• $20,000 more for the Regional Income Tax Authority for escrow requirements.

A decrease of $40,000 has been proposed to the building inspector’s budget. That money had been earmarked for costs related to commercial development next to Tractor Supply Co. on Route 58.

“That did not materialize. We don’t anticipate that year,” Greever said.

Village Council is likely to approve the 2023 budget at its Dec. 19 meeting.

MARCHING COMETS EARN 20 YEAR COMMENDATION

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise Volunteers from Main Street Wellington met Friday, Dec. 2

decorate the “Tree for Those Who Serve,” located in the gazebo in front of Town Hall. For years, the nonprofit has been collecting the names of active service military members — as well as living veterans and those who have passed away, police, firefighters and paramedics — to be remembered on wooden ornaments. The tree’s boughs have grown increasingly heavy with each passing year as more ornaments have been added. There are now more than 480, according to Main Street Director Jenny Arntz. This year, workers from the village Street Department made pallet boards and artist Keith McGuckin helped paint and assemble the pieces into three Christmas tree-shaped ornament holders so the collection can continue to grow. ABOVE: Martha Shreves of Pittsfield Township places an ornament on the tree in memory of Marines veteran Dale Norton.

FAA project leads to removal of Oberlin’s blinking traffic lights

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Flashing traffic lights will be removed from four well-traveled intersections on the advice of Oberlin City Engineer Randall Roberts.

The Federal Aviation Administration is seeking to rework the E. Lorain Street entrance to its air traffic control center, where there are reportedly about 500 employees.

The project would entail removing an island and realigning the exit lane from the compound. Briefing City Council last week, Roberts said the proposal prompted him to look into whether to keep blinking traffic lights installed there.

What he found was surprising — drivers are often confused by the signals, which don’t actually lead to a significant reduction in crashes, Roberts said.

Some drivers believe flashing lights always signal a four-way stop, he said. That’s just not true.

The confusion was so great that Minnesota got rid of its blinking traffic lights.

“And that weighs pretty heavy with me,” Roberts said.

The Ohio Department of Transportation apparently agrees. It doesn’t recommend the use of flashing traffic signals unless there are extenuating circumstances.

Roberts said lights should be removed from not only the FAA entrance, but the intersections of E. Lorain Street and Oberlin Road, Oberlin Road and E. College Street and W. Lorain and Woodland Street.

That recommendation was made after he studied crashes within 250 feet of all four spots between 2011 and 2022.

Statistics show the intersection of E.

Lorain and Oberlin Road had 31 crashes. The others were all in the single digits. Roberts argued that those numbers don’t justify keeping flashing traffic lights up and running.

At the worst intersection, 23 crashes happened because a driver failed to yield, Roberts said. In a majority of those cases, the driver had stopped prior to the collision.

An independent firm called GPD agreed with Roberts’ conclusions.

A combination of stop signs and other warning signs are in the mix to replace the lights.

City Council Vice President Kelley Singleton asked whether a traffic circle had been considered for E. College and Oberlin. Randall said it had not, but asserted that they are the safest type of intersection.

“It could be feasible to put a traffic circle there,” he said.

Based on a speed zone study — and considering the recent opening of the new Oberlin Elementary School nearby — Roberts said there may also be cause to lower the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph along E. Lorain Street.

ODOT would have to approve that change, however.

Having students walking across the street is reason enough to lower the speed limit, Roberts said. A driver traveling at 35 mph is less likely to stop for a pedestrian entering a crosswalk that a driver going 25 mph, he said.

Under Oberlin’s charter, the city manager can have the flashing traffic lights removed by executive order, so long as Council does not object.

Singleton asked whether there were any objections, and his fellow elected officials remained silent.

High tea tickets go on sale

Tickets are being sold now for the Southern Lorain County Historical Society’s High Tea, which will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 5 at the Wellington Eagles, 631 South Main St. The cost is $28 each or $150 for a table of six. Tables of seven or eight are available on request. Purchase tickets at Bread N Brew or The Spirit of ‘76 Museum in Wellington. All tickets will be pre-sold, with none available at

Walk at the old Prospect

the door.

Period dress is encouraged but not required. The Lorain County Beekeepers will discuss beekeeping and honey bees. There will be a hat contest, raffle baskets, 50-50 raffle and door prizes. Proceeds benefit The Spirit of ‘76 Museum.

For more information, call (440) 647-4367 or (440) 213-3041.

Adult indoor walking is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at the former Prospect Elementary School, 36 South Prospect St., Oberlin. Walking times are free and open to the public. The building will be closed on holidays. For more information, call the Oberlin Recreation Department at (440) 775-7254.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, presents a commendation Friday, Dec. 2 to members of the Marching Comets, who for the 20th straight year qualified for the Ohio Music Educators Association band competition. This fall, they earned the highest possible rating from judges. “I think I’m more proud of being alumni Joe Miller from this amazing school,” he told students. “This is near and dear to me whenever I can celebrate success you are doing.” In a speech to the band with director Chris Barbaro at his side, Miller noted that Amherst’s streak at state competition has been going since before any student in the room was born. He challenged juniors to carry the Comets torch next year, and make sure the marching band qualifies for a 21st year.

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Falcons win in Akron

Oberlin doubles up

CORRESPONDENT

Oberlin opened its home schedule this weekend with a solid win over south county rival Wellington, 69-31.

The Dukes hung with the Phoenix for a quarter, only trailing 9-6 after eight minutes. But a quick 11-0 run to start the second quarter pushed the hosts' lead to double digits and the Phoenix never looked back.

in 20-plus in each of the final two quarters.

The Dukes (1-3, 0-2 in the Lorain County League) were led by junior Sean Whitehouse, who scored 11, including three from beyond the arc.

The Phoenix (2-2, 2-0 in the LCL) scorers included four in double digits, with Omario Hopkins leading the charge with 17 points, followed by Marcus Perry (15), Markell Eichler (13) and Josiah BowenPride (12).

HOTTELL BURNS IT UP

COMETS OUTMATCHED

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times Firelands topped Bay 47-33 on Sunday at the Archbishop Hoban Classic in Akron. It was the Falcons’ fifth straight win after an opening weekend loss to Cuyahoga Heights. ABOVE LEFT: Firelands’ Bella Simmons steals the ball and is fouled. ABOVE RIGHT: Lauren Valerius gets the shot under pressure.

With the offense on track, coach Phil Payne's charges poured

ERIK ANDREWS

Photos by Erik Andrew | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin’s Isaac Thompson looks to work past the Dukes' Landon Whitehouse.

The Dukes' Sean Whitehouse rises up for the block attempt against Oberlin's Marcus Perry, leading to foul shots for the Phoenix.

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Dukes were absolutely slammed by the Raiders last week, falling 44-17 under the attack from Columbia star Mallory Hottell, who led all players with 18 points. Wellington never rose to score more than 5 in a period, and were led by Taylor Morris and Brooke Lehmkuhl with 6 apiece. ABOVE: Wellington's Hope Dudziak moves with the ball.

Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

The Rangers leaped out to a 20-9 start on Friday, and the Comets never caught up. Kristen Kelley put up 16 points for Amherst, but was ultimately outmatched by North Ridgeville star shooting guard Grace Kingery, who scored a game-high 25. Kat Crevda notched another 14 for the Rangers. The Comets were held to single digits in all but the third period, when they managed to tally 10 points.

ABOVE: Amherst’s Kayla Ferancy tries to get to the lane.

Traveling south to Sullivan, the Phoenix made the most of Isaac Thompson last week. The senior baller hit for 25 points and pushed Oberlin to a 78-71 victory over some stiff competition from the Pirates. Black River held the early advantage, going into halftime up 7 under the leadership of Cayden Hinderman. He finished with 30 points, but the Pirates just couldn’t keep up and lost the lead in the four quarter. Eric Groesser had 15 points and Evan Ladina had 12 for the Pirates. Omario Hopkins ended the night with 18 under his belt for the Phoenix, and had back from Chris Walker (12) and Kevyn Steen (10). ABOVE:

Escaped inmates back in custody

DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

ELYRIA — Two inmates who escaped the Lorain/Medina Community Based Correctional Facility last Wednesday night were back in custody Friday morning, along with the girlfriend of one of the men, who the Lorain County Sheriff's Office said helped them escape.

Steven Carpenter, Johhny Brooks Jr. and Jamie Veltri were arrested Friday morning — Carpenter by Wadsworth police and Brooks and Veltri by the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force's Akron Division in Springfield Township, south of Akron.

Carpenter and Brooks, both Wadsworth residents who were being held in the CBCF on felony charges, were charged with escape and vandalism, according to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office. Veltri, who officials believe is Carpenter's girlfriend, were charged with two counts of complicity to escape, both felonies, the sheriff's office said in a news release.

The two men allegedly used part of a bunk bed to break through bars and a window at the CBCF just before 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The CBCF is a facility on Murray Ridge Road next to the Lorain County Jail that houses felony inmates from both Lorain and Medina counties who are undergoing courtordered addiction treatment and behavioral therapy to prevent them from re-offending.

CBCF staff discovered the escape attempt but could not prevent the men from climbing out the window and running away, Executive Director Mike Willets said.

In a news release, Wadsworth police said Carpenter, 37, was seen walking on Main Street near Walnut Street in Wadsworth just before 10 a.m. Friday.

Officers responded, and thanks to tips from local residents found Carpenter on East Bergey Street, where he was taken into custody without incident. He was handed over to the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, according to Wadsworth police.

Carpenter was being held without bond in the Lorain County Jail pending arraignment in Elyria Municipal Court on Monday, according to the sheriff's office.

"The Wadsworth Police Department is appreciative of the alert citizen who immediately contacted our dispatch center to report Carpenter’s location and for the actions of our patrol officers who quickly responded to the area, which prevented Carpenter the opportunity to further his escape," Wadsworth police said.

Separately, the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force's Cleveland division — which includes members of the sheriff's office's Warrant Unit — were told by their Akron-based counterparts that Brooks, 28, and Veltri, 32, were at or near the Red Roof Inn off Interstate 77 in Springfield Township in Summit County, just south of Akron.

Both also were arrested, held at the Springfield Township Police Department, then transported to the Lorain County Jail, according to the sheriff's office and jail records.

Brooks and Veltri also are scheduled to be arraigned in Elyria Municipal Court on Monday morning, the sheriff's office said.

Carpenter's criminal history includes felony drug possession drug charges and a theft conviction in Medina County. He also pleaded guilty to an escape charge in Lorain County Common Pleas Court in November 2016 and was sentenced to six months in prison by Judge Mark Betleski.

Earlier this month, Medina County Common Pleas Judge Joyce Kimbler ordered Brooks to complete the CBCF program following a felony conviction for drug possession. Brooks' multiple felony convictions for drug trafficking, drug possession, weapons and assault offenses all are in Medina County, according to court records there.

Veltri does not appear to have a criminal record in either Medina County or Lorain County, according to a search of court records in both places.

It was the third escape from the Lorain/Medina CBCF since June 2021.

Johnny Brooks Jr.

Jamie Veltri

Steven Carpenter

Thomas Fetcenko | Amherst News-Times Amherst's Nick Ciura takes the puck down the ice while playing Olmsted Falls on Saturday. Reeling from a Bulldogs power play goal and down by two in the second period, Ciura scored unassisted to get the Comets back in the game. With goals from Vinny Kelley, Gage Cohoon and one more from Ciura, the Comets won 4-3. Amherst’ River Ambroz had 21 saves.

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Photos by Russ Gifford | Community Guide

Oberlin's Chris Walker heads to the basket. BELOW: Black River's Eric Groesser gets the layup past Oberlin's Josiah Bowen-Pride

The Anderson family celebrates the birth of Jesus on Christmas. They give each other gifts, sing songs and decorate their home with a Christmas tree and colorful lights.

Follow the maze to put the ornament back.

The Wald family celebrates Hannukah, a Jewish festival of light. They light a candle on a menorah each night for eight nights. They exchange small gifts each evening, sing songs and eat delicious foods. They display their menorah in their window.

Menorahs come in many different designs. Find the two identical menorahs.

People from different cultures have a wide variety of winter celebrations, many more than can fit on this page. How does your family celebrate in December? Draw it here.

The Miller family celebrates Kwanzaa, a week-long celebration honoring African culture.

They light red, green and black candles in a kinara and have a feast at the end of Kwanzaa. They also give each other small gifts.

Are you an eagle-eyed reader? Read the articles below and correct the seven spelling and grammar errors you find. The first one is done for you.

Counting Brids

Every yeer for over a century, Christmas Bird Counts (CBCs) have been run acrost America during the holiday season. Counting the birds every year at the same time and in the same location gives scientists important information about burds and the environment.

In 2007, Tom Rusert of Sonoma, CA had the idea to include kidz in this important “citizen science” effort.

He launched the first Audubon CBC for Kids. It was so successful that now organizations around the country are started their own CBCs for Kids programs, following Rusert’s model.

This is a wonderfully simple, healthy, hollyday celebration for almost any school, youth group or community organization.

Standards Link: Civics: Students understand the importance for individuals and society of commonly-held responsibilities such as being attentive to public issues.

Mrs. Miller wears a kaftan during Kwanzaa. Hold this page up to a mirror to nd out what this is.

Standards Link: Social Studies: Students know how traditions and celebrations of other cultures compare.

© 2022 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 39, No. 2