Lorain County Community Guide - Dec. 22, 2022

Employee of the Year awarded to late water super

JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON

Since taking office in 2016, Mayor Hans Schneider has made a holiday tradition of singling out a village worker who showed outstanding service.

The decision wasn’t difficult this year, he told employees who gathered for an annual luncheon at the Public Works Department on West Herrick Avenue.

Frenk died in February at age 47 after an unexpected medical issue.

He had been a Wellington firefighter for years, and spent the end of his career as the village water superintendent.

“The loss of Greg will stay with us, but so will his spirit, his love of the village and his enthusiasm to be a part of it,” Schneider said.

Frenk’s wife Connie and children Erin, Karlie and Alexander were presented Friday with a tear-shaped crystal award in his memory.

“Successful is the person who leads the world better than they found it, who never fails to look for the best in others or give the best of themselves,” its inscription read.

“We know this has been a really difficult year for a lot of reasons,” Village Manager Jonathan Greever told the utilities, finance, police, planning and zoning and Office on Aging employees who gathered.

Residents recognize the effort that goes into running the village, he said — “It never goes for granted. We do know the extra time, the commitment it takes.”

Water plant operator Don Novotny and lineman Brian Howk, a former Employee of the Year, were both honored for 35 years of service to the village.

Planning and Zoning Director Marla Lent was recognized for 30 years.

Kayla Chrosniak, who has been a Wellington police

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Nonprofit gets new HQ

State grant, mandatory counseling for police

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Policing is a stressful job. To cope, Amherst officers will be required to attend therapy using an $84,749 grant from the Ohio Emergency Management Agency.

The award is part of $28 million in American Rescue Plan funds given to 72 agencies through the Ohio First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience program launched by Gov. Mike DeWine this year.

It’s meant to address increased stress and decreased staffing levels chalked up to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Former NACS building will be OCS’ new home

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Golden rays from a lobby sunroof high overhead cast a light on the kind of space Margie Flood will soon have at her disposal.

Elbow room is a commodity Flood isn’t used to in her role as executive director of Oberlin Community Services. The nonprofit’s employees have endured cramped quarters for years, working around boxes stacked in corners and intruding on walkways of their South Professor Street offices.

That’s about to change.

This past Friday, OCS closed on its new headquarters, a 27,000-squarefoot office and warehouse building previously used by the National Association of College Stores. The building will greatly expand the ability to provide food and other emergency assistance to southern Lorain County residents in need.

“It was just sitting here, and NACS wasn’t using it,” Flood said. “We can put it to good use.”

NACS has been in Oberlin since the 1940s, but the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a trend already in the works. Seeing productivity

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HEADQUARTERS

Amherst Police Chief Mark Cawthon said the past few years have been hard on officers. But even before the pandemic, statistics showed police deal with higher than average rates of alcoholism, domestic violence and suicide.

“It’s no secret there’s been an increase in police suicides in our country. That’s what this is geared toward, making sure we don’t have those situations,” he said.

Funded by the grant, Amherst officers and dispatchers will be required to have face-to-face counseling for at least two hours per year.

Cawthon said they can choose to have more in-person time with a therapist if needed. The grant will also pay for an app called Cordico to anonymously get live help via a digital device if employees are feeling overwhelmed, or after experiencing a traumatic situation.

That might stem from a stressful on-the-job event such as a shooting or crash, or it might stem from a situation at home, said Cawthon.

Police need to be mentally and emotionally health to do their jobs, said Mayor Mark Costilow.

He said the Amherst Police Department recently added a nondenominational chaplain to its roster to give employees a rock to rely on.

“This is even a step beyond that, to have people they can talk to if they need more,” Costilow said.

ARPA grant money will also pay for police to get dietary advice, provide opportunities for health screenings and even cover the cost of yoga classes.

“I know it sounds silly, but yoga is a great stress relief, and helps,” Cawthon said.

The question is whether APD

Mark Cawthon

Photos by Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Laurel Price Jones and Margie Flood talk inside the lobby of the former National Association of College Stores office building on Route 511, which will become the new headquarters for Oberlin Community Services.

The former National Association of College Stores offices on State Route 511 will be renovated for use by several nonprofits.

— Gregory Frenk was posthumously named Wellington’s 2022 Employee of the Year on Friday.

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise Wellington Electric Superintendent David Bealer hugs Connie Frenk, widow of former Water Superintendent Gregory Frenk.

2022 Oberlin grad shot, hospitalized

KEVIN MARTIN and JASON HAWK

ELYRIA — Former Phoenix basketball star Marius Harrell, a 2022 graduate of Oberlin High School, was one of two men hospitalized last week after a shooting at the intersection of Infirmary Road and 16th Street in Elyria.

Harrell, 18, and Exodus Payne, 19, were taken to University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center for treatment.

Five calls to Lorain County 911 were received by first responders just after 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14, according to public records.

A male caller reported hearing several shots fired, followed by a number of people screaming.

A female caller contract 911 after driving past the scene on Infirmary Road, describing the aftermath of the shooting.

“We went past and he was lying on 16th Street and we turned around to see,” she told dispatchers. “We thought they were fighting but he’s in the roadway on 16th.”

One of the victims was lying on the ground and was not moving, she said.

Elyria police investigators had the intersection taped off and were seen searching a vehicle after the shooting.

The next morning, Oberlin City Schools canceled a panel in which alumni would have shared their insights on life after high school. The district also canceled its alumni basketball games, which had been scheduled for Saturday.

District spokeswoman Melissa Linebrink said the decision was made because a 2022 Oberlin alumnus was involved in the Elyria shooting.

Emotions were tense Thursday at Oberlin High School, where counselors and social workers were made available to students.

“Some of our kids are related to him,” said Superintendent David Hall. “… Most of our alumni that were going to play in the game (Saturday) are not 40-year-olds. They’re recent alumni.”

On Friday afternoon, Elyria police found a vehicle they believed was connected to the shooting.

As of press time, no arrests had been made.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Jeb Larson at (440) 326-1211 or jlarson@cityofelyria.org. Tips can be made anonymously by texting TIPELYRIA and the information to 84741.

OBITUARIES

13,

ETHEL SKIBA, 86, lifetime resident of Lorain, passed away Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, at her home, following a brief illness. Hempel Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Our condolences go out to families that have suffered the loss of a loved one. To place an obituary or death notice in the Community Guide, call (440) 329-7000.

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officer for five years, was also praised by Schneider and Greever for showing empathy is the toughest of situations.

While responding to a disturbance at a Courtland Street home in July, Chrosniak shot suspect Scott Bakker, 37, after he charged at police with a knife in hand, according to body camera footage.

Chrosniak fired two shots, hitting Bakker in the stomach. Then she knelt and comforted him while waiting for paramedics to arrive, applying towels to slow his bleeding.

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Pedestrian hit and killed on Route 18

STAFF REPORT

BRIGHTON TWP. — A 75-yearold man was struck and killed last Thursday night while walking along State Route 18, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Stanley Burton of Fremont died after being hit by a 2017 Ford Focus driven by 93-year-old Charlotte Van

Boven of Wellington, according to a news release.

Information provided by investigators did not specify whether the vehicle went off the road, or if Burton had been ventured into the roadway.

“It is suspected that the pedestrian walked into the roadway just prior to (being) struck,” Sgt. Ray Santiago clarified later.

Troopers said the crash happened around 6:30 p.m., east of Gore Or-

phage Road.

Burton died at the scene. Van Boven was not injured.

The state highway was closed for about two hours. Lorain County Sheriff’s deputies, Wellington firefighters, the Lorain County coroner, South Lorain County Ambulance EMTs and Limitless Towing assisted on the scene.

The crash remains under investigation, according to the Patrol.

Former Oberlin Municipal judge Martin Heberling dies at age 90

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AVON — Former Judge Martin Heberling, who presided over Oberlin Municipal Court from 1975 to 2001, died Tuesday, Dec. 13 at age 90.

A Navy veteran who served during the Korean War, he was a respected attorney with a private law office in Amherst, and served as the city’s law director before taking the bench.

His grandson, Amherst Councilman Martin Heberling III, said his marriage and family were always the first priority.

He recalled how “Grandpa” took his grandchildren for ice cream, on hikes and taught them to sled and ride snowmobiles.

The family didn’t view the elder Heberling as “your honor,” but as a kind soul, his grandson said.

“We knew Grandpa as Grandpa. He knew when to take off that robe,” the younger Heberling said. “And I’ll tell you what, if that isn’t a lesson in life, I don’t know what it is.”

Wherever he went, Heberling III found the judge’s reputation pre-

ceded him.

In high school, he was approached once or twice by classmates who’d made bad choices and asked Heberling III to help convince his grandfather “to get them off the hook,” he said.

When he turned 18 and applied for his first auto loan, the banker immediately recognized his surname and revealed the judge took bank staff cookies every Christmas, he said.

Later in life, Heberling III learned that for years his grandfather had routinely taken a friend’s older brother, who had

medical issues, out to breakfast and lunch just to be kind.

In the days immediately after the former judge’s death, his grandson said he was bombarded with calls and messages from people who wanted to share their memories.

Among them was Lorain Mayor Jack Bradley, a longtime attorney who “was very affectionate” with his recollections of the judge.

Lorain County Democratic Party Chair Anthony Giardini, also a lawyer, reached out as well.

“That means the world to me, because a lot of them

were a little younger… I would like to think that when it came to my grandfather, he was like a guide,” Heberling III said.

In June 2021, State Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, presented Judge Heberling and his wife of 70 years, Patricia, with a proclamation from the Ohio General Assembly.

It was presented at an Amherst City Council meeting, with the younger Heberling leading a long round of applause for the couple.

Patricia died last December at age 90.

Judge Heberling resided at St. Mary of the Woods in Avon until his passing.

Funeral services were held Tuesday at Dovin and Reber Jones Funeral & Cremation Center in Amherst, with the Rev. Timothy O’Connor of St. Joseph Catholic Church officiating. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery.

Heberling III said his grandfather will be remembered as an inspiration to a generation.

“He did everything with an optimistic mindset. He didn’t have a path to follow. He blaze his own trail for others to follow,” he said.

SIMPLE MACHINES, COMPLEX LESSON

Sixth-graders at Langston Middle School try out their simple machines in STEAM instructor Michelle Kester’s class on Thursday, Dec. 1. For the first time, they saw whether their hard work to design and build miniature amusement park rides would pay off. Two months ago, students began their lesson on simple machines. Some created a roller coaster while others went a different route and used Lego bricks to build a conveyor belt-type ride. “The Amusement Park of the Future is the big project for our sixthgraders,” Kester said. “And it’s one that is definitely hands-on and they can learn from it. They are challenged with making sure it works from start to finish, but if there is a glitch, they work together to fix it, too. It’s one of my favorite projects.”

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.

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Gregory Frenk

DAVID R. HAHN, 68, of Birmingham, passed away Tuesday, Dec.

2022, at Amherst Manor Nursing Home. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

Provided photo

Amherst City Councilman Martin Heberling III poses with his grandparents, Patricia and Judge Martin Heberling.

Provided photo

Good news for those who love sunlight

The winter solstice came at 4:47 p.m. yesterday. It’s the “shortest” day of the year, meaning that in the northern hemisphere it has the least amount of time between sunrise and sunset. In other words, we’ll get more and more daylight each day starting today and continuing through June 21, which is the summer solstice.

HEADQUARTERS

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increase while his staff of 80 worked from home, CEO Ed Schlichenmayer decided his company didn’t need much of a brickand-mortar footprint anymore.

He agreed to sell the Route 511 building to Oberlin Community Services for $1 million.

Flood said it is in excellent condition, but requires another $2 million in renovations necessary for the nonprofit’s operations.

Ron Coco of Clark and Post Architects in Lorain has already provided conceptual drawings. Detailed plans have not been mapped out yet, however.

In a tour, Flood showed how the former NACS building will be a game-changer for OCS.

Just inside the entrance is a community room with a maximum occupancy of 390, which can be divided into four meeting spaces.

That’s a far cry better than OCS’ current situation. In the current offices, large gatherings aren’t possible.

A break room will be converted to a commercial kitchen, which Flood said will be used to prepare meals, cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes. It’s adjacent to both the community meeting space and an outdoor dining patio, and has easy exterior access for staff or caterers.

The kitchen will also be used by the Oberlin Weekday Community Meals program run by Christ Episcopal Church, according to Flood. For decades, it has provided hot food to anyone who needs it.

With demolition of some interior walls, an expansive back office area will be transformed into a permanent choice food pantry where clients can “shop” for ingredients.

“Right now, if we want to do a choice pantry we have to put it up and when it’s all done we have to tear it down again,” Flood said. “This will allow us to keep it up and running all the time.”

One section of office space will be stripped and repurposed for warehouse storage.

The NACS building already comes equipped with loading docks, which the nonprofit desperately needs for moving huge quantities of food. What is missing are walk-in coolers to store perishable meat, vegetables and dairy products.

Flood said installing two refrigerator units, about 400 square feet apiece, won’t be inexpensive but will be extremely valuable to OCS’ mission.

“They mean we can maximize the amount of food we actually get to people,” she said.

At the old South Professor Street base of operations, a lot of food goes bad before it can be placed in the hands of those who need it, she said.

“It’s an awful lot of waste. I’d rather be getting that food to people,” Flood said.

The NACS building will also alleviate longstanding problems with parking and drive-thru food distributions. Flood said that, especially with need vastly rising during the pandemic, the old location has struggled to prevent cars from spilling into the roadway and causing traffic headaches.

A large driveway loop at the new site will eradicate that concern, she said.

Laurel Price Jones, who has spearheaded Oberlin Community Services’ fundraising campaign for the new headquarters, said transforming the ground floor is the first priority.

Remodeling is expected to start as early as March, with the goal of having food preparation and distribution areas ready to go by fall.

But as with all projects in the last few years, supply chain issues could shift the construction timeline significantly, she said. It’s likely OCS will move in with additional phases continuing as donations and supplies allow.

The grand plan is to bring partners on board. Flood and Price Jones said the NACS building will provide more space than Oberlin Community Services needs alone — they want to allow agencies such as Lorain County Public Health, the United Way of Greater Lorain County and Neighborhood Alliance to have some kind of footprint inside.

Doing so would create the Southern Lorain County Community Resource Hub, a one-stop shop for families in need to get help with not just food, but an array of social services.

The second floor will be converted with space for people can browse racks of gently used clothing, receive job training and get assistance applying for energy bill assistance or WIC benefits.

“Many nonprofits in Lorain County are aware they are under-serving this area, the southern part of the county,” Flood said.

Traveling north to Lorain or Elyria to seek services can be a huge burden for time- and cash-strapped families, she said. Providing agencies and nonprofits space under the same roof would lift much of that weight.

Some smaller, more secluded office spaces on the second floor will be reserved. Flood said the plan is to rent them to for-profit businesses.

“What I really like is that takes away the stigma of coming here,” she said. “No one will know why you’re coming in — it could be for work, serving others or getting help.”

For the past six months, the nonprofit has been seeking contributions to make its vision a reality.

Record inflation has put a dent in donations to a degree, Price Jones said. But she has been surprised by how many people have still stepped forward — after touring the facility, some donors chose to triple their giving, she said.

Anchored by roughly $1.5 million from two donors whose identities have not yet been revealed, Price Jones said the campaign has so far yielded $1.7 million.

That includes $100,000 from the Lorain County commissioners, approved in a 2-1 vote on Nov. 30.

After also receiving a tour of the former NACS building, commissioners Matt Lundy, a Democrat, and Michelle Hung, a Republican, voted in favor of giving American Rescue Plan Act funds to OCS.

Commissioner David Moore a Republican, said he supports the cause yet still dissented.

Now OCS is looking to Oberlin City Council and neighboring towns for support.

On Dec. 5, Councilwoman Elizabeth Meadows advanced a Human Relations Commission recommendation to contribute between $50,000 and $75,000.

“We believe OCS provides valuable support and resources that Oberlin residents need and use. And their caseload has been vastly increased by the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said.

Michael Henle, vice chair of the commission, said it makes sense that Oberlin be a lead contributor in the capital campaign, because the city will reap the largest benefit.

Councilwoman Kristin Peterson asked to dip into Oberlin’s ARPA relief funds to back the project. According to Finance Director Sal Talarico, the city has a little over $400,000 in that account.

A long line of residents also asked Council to put public money toward the new OCS headquarters. They included former Councilwoman Linda Slocum, who upped the ante to $100,000, and the Rev. David Hill of the First Church in Oberlin, which is contributing at least $26,000 over the next five years.

For information about how to donate, call (440) 774-6579.

employees will embrace those opportunities. The chief acknowledged there’s long been a stigma, especially in law enforcement, against therapy because it is seen as a sign of weakness.

He said those attitudes are starting to change.

When he attended the FBI National Academy this spring, instructors hammered home the importance of mental health in policing. They emphasized that employees need assistance, but often don’t show signs or seek out help without a nudge in that direction, Cawthon said.

But police can’t afford to let stress and trauma fester, he said: “We don’t want to try to take care of something after the fact,

when it’s already too late.”

With City Council approval, Amherst police have also applied for an additional grant of $191,289 through the state wellness program.

That money would be used to pay bonuses to police who stay on the force instead of resigning for jobs in other cities.

The state has about $75 million in ARPA funding set aside for grants to law enforcement agencies, dispatch centers, fire departments and emergency medical services.

“We’ve had a great deal of interest in this grant program, and it’s good to see that so many first responder agencies prioritize employee wellness,” said DeWine.

‘White Noise’ screening held at the Apollo

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — “OK, roll film,” said actor Don Cheadle in the opening line of the new Netflix movie “White Noise.”

An invitation-only screening was shown Monday night at The Apollo Theater in Oberlin for about 200 viewers.

“I watched it being filmed. It was so cool, especially the 1970s cars going by. It was like going back in time,” said Therese Palmer, who lives around the corner from the Oberlin home of Erik and Cynthia Andrews.

Exterior shots of their house were used for the home of college professor Jack Gladney (Adam Driver), around whom the story of “White Noise” revolves.

When it flashed on The Apollo’s big screen in the early minutes of the movie, the crowd immediately recognized the Andrews’ home and exploded in applause.

Extensive filming was also done to the south in downtown Wellington in Summer 2021, but those scenes were almost entirely scrapped.

“White Noise” has had a limited theatrical release and will hit the streaming service Friday, Dec. 30.

Bill Garvey, president of the Greater Cleveland Film Commission, said the images on screen were a labor of love. He was the primary location scout for the production, and spent a year of his life on it.

“It looks beautiful,” he said. “Every scene that you see in this movie, it just looks stunning. It took a lot of effort and a lot of time and a lot of money to make it look that way, but it took a lot of support on your part to make that happen, too.”

Garvey said to expect more Hollywood in Ohio, which he called “a filmmaker’s Shangri-La.”

Each year, production companies spend $220 billion around the world to bring stories to life. That includes $190 million spent in Ohio last year, “but we could have more,” Garvey said.

Movies don’t necessarily film in Los Angeles and New York anymore, he said. They go where tax incentives are offered.

Georgia is “the center of the universe” right now for incentive-driven movie-making, said Garvey. Even Pennsylvania is doing more than Ohio to entice filmmakers.

But Garvey said he expects Ohio’s star to continue rising, and hopes to have more news in the spring about more local movie magic.

Chabad at Oberlin lights menorah on the first night of Hanukkah

OWEN MACMILLAN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

OBERLIN — Chabad at Oberlin held a menorah lighting Sunday in front of the Mudd Center to commemorate the first night of Hanukkah alongside students and community members, both Jewish and not.

The 13th annual lighting was led by Rabbi Shlomo Elkan, co-director of Chabad at Oberlin, who spoke on the importance of unity and togetherness both within the Jewish faith and with the broader community at Oberlin.

“It’s something that brings a lot of people together, even during exams, even during freezing weather, it’s a really beautiful time,” Elkan said. “And one of the themes of Hanukkah is the unity of the Jewish people. So uniting people, bringing them together, is really the whole point.”

Elkan talked about rising antisemitism in the world, and how events like Chabad’s menorah lighting can combat that.

“I think it’s that much more poignant,” he said. “Thank God here in Oberlin we feel very safe, but we don’t have to look far to find it (antisemitism). Menorahs are being vandalized around the country, and when people can gather freely to express their spiritual selves, that’s a testament to who we are and who the community is.”

The first menorah candle was lit by Mark Sapara, Oberlin College dean for intercultural engagement. Sapara, who is Jewish, gave a speech after Elkan’s and then led the roughly 50 people gathered in front of the Mudd Center in the three prayers of the first night of Hanukkah.

Many in the crowd joined him in the singing of a final prayer, the shehecheyanu blessing.

Sapara was hired by Oberlin College just a year ago, and he said he was thrilled the community already trusted him enough to light the menorah.

“I feel really honored to have been asked to do this,” he said. “Having only been here a year you wonder, how well do people know you. And so I think it's really special for me.”

Sapara said he would love to participate in a religious ceremony like this for any student group, but that his upbringing made participating in the Chabad Hanukkah celebration even more special.

“To be here is sort of an honor, it’s an honor to my own tradition, it’s something my mother was thrilled about,” he said. “And it helps me to find a place with the student body as an ally, you know. I will come and do this for any denomination, but this one is one I can speak to… from my heart.”

Amherst Schools unlikely to budge on pay-to-play fees

JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Pay-toplay costs aren’t likely to be scaled back anytime soon, following an Amherst Board of Education review of expenses.a

Sports programs, band, theater and other extracurricular activities cost the school system about $835,000 per year, according to Treasurer Amelia Gioffredo.

The bulk of that bill is more than $500,000 in contracts for coaches and advisers, she said. Another $91,280 goes into buildings and grounds, and $88,106 is used for transportation.

The balance pays for materials, facility rental, utilities, supplies, insurance and other services.

fewer students to share pay-to-play costs.

Marion L. Steele High School is no longer graduating senior classes of 350 or more, he said — incoming classes are around 250.

“When the whole building gets smaller, the number of athletes participating gets smaller,” said Molnar.

The Dec. 12 discussion came at the request of Board of Education member Morgan Wachholz.

Last month, she asked administrators to prepare a review of pay-to-play costs and expenses, asking whether there was any “wiggle room” on the fees charged to families.

League, Firelands charges students $175 for a first activity and $25 for a second, capped at $200.

Columbia Schools charge $150 per sport per season.

Brookside High charges $100 per student per season, with a $200 per family cap for the year.

Keystone’s fees vary by activity, ranging at the high school level from $8 for choir to $250 for sports, with a family cap of $1,200 per year.

Vermilion’s rate is $125 for non-travel teams, $175 for travel and a family maximum of $300.

Oberlin, Wellington, Clearview, Elyria and Lorain don’t charge a fee at all.

with the state, with revenues expected to top $38 million in coming years.

That means eliminating pay-to-play fees would cost the district less than 1 percent of its annual budget.

However, Gioffredo’s most recent forecast also shows spending outpacing revenue in coming years, which means the district will have to dig into its considerable cash reserves.

Molnar said he doesn’t see Amherst adding an estimated $1.25 million in expenses to its budget over the next five years to get rid of fees.

expenses of the estate of Mary Taylor. The Complaint prays that all defendants be required to answer and set up their interests in said real estate or be forever barred from asserting the same. You are required to answer the complaint within twenty-eight (28) days after the last publication of this notice, which will be published once each week for six (6) consecutive weeks. 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 LCCG 12/8,15, 22, 29; 1/5, 12/23 20712548

PUBLICATION OF LEGISLATION

The

South Lorain County Ambulance District Board of Trustees will hold their last meeting of the year 2022 on December 27, 2022 at 10:00 AM at 179 East Herrick Avenue, Wellington, OH 44090. The 2023 Organizational Meeting will be on January 10, 2023 at 6:30 PM at 179 East Herrick Avenue followed by their first regular meeting of 2023 at 7:00 PM.

BY ORDER OF THE SOUTH LORAIN COUNTY AMBULANCE DISTRICT BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Amy Szmania, Fiscal Officer L.C.C.G. 12/22/22 20713254

Some of those line items can be extremely pricey.

Board President Rex Engle said the hourly rate for swimming lanes at Splash Zone, where the Comets practice, is $167. Gioffredo said the hockey team incurred more than $13,000 last year for ice time.

“Costs continue to escalate,” Gioffredo told school board members — diesel fuel, fertilizer, paint and other supplies have all skyrocketed due to inflation.

At the same time, the Amherst Schools are losing student population, said Superintendent Michael Molnar. That means

“I’m a parent in this district, too, so I would love them to go lower if we could. Maybe just not right now,” she said after Gioffredo’s breakdown of the numbers.

Amherst charges $300 per year for each high school student to take part in extracurriculars, with a significant break for siblings.

No student is ever turned away due to inability to pay, said Gioffredo.

Private donations can be used to offset the district’s charge on a case-by-case basis, she said.

Amherst’s fee is on par with what Avon Lake and Midview charge. Other Southwestern Conference schools charge less — North Ridgeville’s fee is $250 and Avon’s is $200, for example.

In the Lorain County

Gioffredo said revenue from sports and other activities simply doesn’t cover the cost of running them.

In fiscal year 2022, extracurriculars at Steele and Amherst Junior High generated $242,355. So far this school year, they have generated $142,466.

Fees and ticket sales cover about 29 percent of the cost of running programs, Gioffredo said.

“It’s a way to offset costs for the district,” said Molnar.

State funding to school districts is limited, he said.

Fully financing activities would mean finding another $250,000 or so per year in the budget.

The Amherst Schools collect more than $37 million per year, according to five-year forecasts filed

“We’ve not asked the voters for any additional increase in taxes over the last decade,” he said. “If we were to do that, and that’s the decision of the board, that would be fine. But it means we would probably be going to the voters for an operating levy sooner than normal.”

It should be noted that pay-to-play fees haven’t always been on the books.

Amherst was among the first in Lorain County to assess them. It started charging families in 2006 as a cost-saving measure after voters failed a proposed operating levy.

By 2010, only Amherst, Avon Lake and Midview charged for extracurricular involvement, and many others eventually followed suit even after voters passed levies to stabilize schools in the wake of the Great Recession.

Owen MacMillan | Chronicle

Mark Sapara, dean for intercultural engagement, lights the farthest right candle on the menorah to celebrate the first day of Hanukkah.

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

The marquee outside The Apollo Theater in Oberlin is lit up with the name of the new movie “White Noise.”

Oberlin College pays $36.5M Gibson's Bakery judgment

DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

OBERLIN — The Gibsons have been paid.

An attorney for the Oberlin family confirmed that Gibson's Bakery and the Gibson family have received payment from Oberlin College following a six-year defamation case that cost the college more than $36.5 million.

"We can confirm that all funds have been disbursed and that the family is continuing with the process of rebuilding Gibson's Bakery for the next generations," attorney Brandon McHugh of the law firm Plakas Mannos, which represented the Gibsons and the bakery in court, said in an email to The Chronicle-Telegram.

Oberlin College spokesperson Andrea Simakis said the college had no additional statement, beyond one posted to the college website on Sept. 8.

In that statement, the college said it had started payment of "awarded damages and accumulated interest."

The Ohio Supreme Court declined to hear the college's appeal in August, and its board of trustees "decided not to pursue the matter further," the college wrote in the Sept. 8 statement.

In the September statement, the college said it was disappointed by the court's decision, called the lengthy legal matter "painful for everyone" and hoped that the end of the court fight "will begin the healing of our

entire community."

"Careful financial planning" including insurance coverage will ensure the college can pay the Gibsons what it owes without a negative impact on academics or the student body at the 189-year-old private liberal arts institution.

The family bakery had asked numerous courts to force the college to pay the judgment for three years after winning its case in Lorain County Common Pleas Court.

A jury decided in favor of the Gibsons and awarded a $44 million judgment in 2019. Judge John Miraldi later reduced that to $25 million because Ohio law caps monetary damages in civil cases.

The Gibsons and the bakery have collected millions of dollars in interest on the judgment over the past three-and-a-half years of the appeals process.

The college also was ordered to pay the Gibsons' attorneys more than $6.5 million in legal fees.

In November 2016, an Oberlin College student tried to buy alcohol with a fake ID and shoplift several bottles of wine at the bakery on West College Street.

When confronted, he ran. Allyn Gibson, the son and grandson of the owners, chased the student out onto the street where the two got into an altercation.

Witness accounts vary on what happened next, but two other students waiting for their friend ended up in

an altercation with him and Allyn Gibson.

The students were later charged with misdemeanors and pleaded guilty in Oberlin Municipal Court, reading statements saying Allyn Gibson had the right to do what he did.

For two days after the incident, students gathered in protest outside the store, calling the store and its owners racist and claiming a long history of racial discrimination against students of color.

Then-Vice President and Dean of Students Meredith Raimondo also was present during the protest. She was accused in court of supporting the protesters by handing out flyers. She also was adviser to the Oberlin Student Senate, which issued a proclamation in support of the protests that was posted on campus.

The protests fractured the 100-yearplus business relationship between the bakery and the college, and the bakery sued after its owners said the college interfered with its business, refused to apologize or to issue a statement saying the Gibsons and their bakery weren't racist.

The case made its way through Lorain County courts for two years, culminating in a monthlong trial in Miraldi's court, followed by three years of legal wrangling and appeals.

Bakery co-owner David Gibson died in November 2019, and his father and co-owner, Allyn "Grandpa" Gibson, died in February. Raimondo now works at a university in Georgia.

United Way, OberlinKids unveil community classroom at Prospect

KEVIN MARTIN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

OBERLIN — The former Prospect Elementary School is the new home of a community classroom in a collaboration between OberlinKids Community Collaborative and United Way of Greater Lorain County.

The classroom is a partnership with the city with funding provided by The Nord Family Foundation and The Stocker Foundation.

A separate grant from American Family Insurance provided books for children and will keep the classroom stocked with supplies.

The space celebrated a soft opening with a ribboncutting ceremony Friday and an opportunity for Oberlin youngsters to get the first look at a new community asset.

Three-year-old Lilly Pasternak was the first one through the door, exploring the multiple stations of engaging toys and games. She headed straight for a basket of animal toys, later exclaiming, “You can leave me here, momma,” providing a positive first review.

Ryan Aroney, president and CEO of United Way, said he was incredibly pleased to see the classroom come together, echoing the power of collaboration in getting things done.

“We're all about collaboration and we know that we can achieve more when we work together than we can when we work independently and this is a great example of that. United Way is committed to the ongoing sustainable

backbone support for Oberlin kids to do all the great work that they are doing in Oberlin. This is a great example of how that collaboration can multiply,” Aroney said.

OberlinKids Executive Director Jenn Keithley said the community classroom has been a dream of hers for years, with the idea coming directly from Oberlin families in response to their needs.

“We started with this because families were saying we need places to go, especially when it's too hot or too cold or rainy. There aren't a lot of places in Oberlin to go to and we started planning this and coming up with this dream and I'm really excited for everybody to see it and most excited to see how children use it,” Keithley said.

Keithley added OberlinKids believes that children learn best through play and

the room is designed as a fun learning environment that will give children and families the opportunity to experience a preschool classroom regardless of what their home situation looks like.

Oberlin Business Partnership Executive Director Janet Haar said some people have asked her why their organization supports OberlinKids. Haar said the project is important to their efforts in preparing Oberlin’s future entrepreneurs and business owners.

“We'd love for them to have a really great first start in school and I think that's what OberlinKids. does. So that's why we're here. That's why we support them. And that's why opening this community classroom is such a great deal,” Haar said.

Following the ribboncutting, OberlinKids offered

age-appropriate programming for the children including holiday season activities and a book reading from Oberlin Public Library.

American Family Insurance provided attending families with free books and offered a financial stipend for OberlinKids to furnish the room.

The OberlinKids Collaborative was founded in 2014 because there was a higher level of poverty and lower level of kindergarten readiness in Oberlin compared to the county average. The collaborative’s mission is to develop solutions to ensure that every child in Oberlin enters school ready to learn.

With the addition of this community space, children and community members are given the opportunity to engage in expanded programming to prepare for kindergarten.

Amherst bank robber’s prison account wrongly garnished: Feds

DAVE O’BRIEN THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

A habitual Northeast Ohio bank robber has won a challenge in a federal appeals court after he alleged that the U.S. government improperly took money out of his prison commissary account to pay restitution he owes to a Lorain County bank he robbed in 2016.

The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled that Adam Carson was entitled to more due process than he received when federal authorities garnished the more than $4,000 in his prison commissary account to help pay back more than $5,500 he was ordered to repay Chemical Bank after robbing its Amherst branch.

The appeals court returned the matter to U.S. District Court in Cleveland for further consideration, according to its ruling.

Carson, 40, robbed four northern Ohio banks from Youngstown to Amherst between 2008 and 2016. In 2017, he was charged with bank robbery and witness tampering following a Chemical Bank robbery.

Convicted by a jury, Carson was sentenced to 20 years in prison and ordered to pay nearly $5,600 restitution by U.S. District Judge Donald Nugent.

A three-judge panel made up of judges Chad Readler, Amul Thapar and Helene White ruled unanimously on Friday that when Nugent ordered authorities to take all but $300 from Carson's inmate trust account to cover Carson's court-ordered restitution, he didn't make the required legal findings or cite legal authority.

Carson had been ordered by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals to pay installments of 25 percent of his gross monthly income toward restitution to Chemical Bank following an appeal in 2019.

While in prison, Carson's account received cash deposits from his family and his prison wages. There was $4,037.89 in the account when federal authorities asked the Bureau of Prisons to turn over all but $300 so it could be applied to Carson's restitution, Thapar wrote in the decision.

The court did so "without giving Carson an opportunity to be heard" and also didn't cite the appropriate law, Thapar wrote.

Federal prosecutors argued that "a large portion" of the money in Carson's account came from federal stimulus payments made during the COVID-19 pandemic, and that the government "was entitled 'to get it back,'" Thapar wrote. This happened to Carson and thousands of inmates like him, the appeals court noted.

While federal courts do have the authority to garnish inmate accounts, authorities had already agreed not to take more than 25 percent of his monthly wages and didn't ask to modify that plan, Thapar wrote.

The government also didn't prove where his money came from — namely, whether it was prison wages or stimulus checks, or whether it was "substantial" enough to warrant garnishment" as required under federal law, Thapar wrote.

An investigation by the Amherst Police Department and the FBI into the robbery at the Chemical Bank on Cooper Foster Park Road in Amherst on Nov. 21, 2016, led to the arrest of Carson and his then-girlfriend, Karin Deeb.

According to federal court records, Carson wore a disguise into the bank and Deeb drove the getaway car. They used some of the $5,590 they got from the robbery to buy drugs and get a hotel room.

After an argument, Deeb took the money and left. Carson was arrested the next day after stealing and crashing a car, and police found evidence from the robbery inside the car, according to federal court records.

Two months after Carson's arrest, Deeb walked into a US Bank on Lorain Road in Cleveland on Jan. 30, 2017, handed a teller a note claiming claimed she had a bomb and had been kidnapped, and demanded $2,000.

Deeb fled with the money, but was identified by the FBI and arrested, according to multiple media reports of the incident.

Deeb agreed to testify against Carson in federal court. He was charged with witness tampering after he sent her a threatening letter from jail.

All of Carson's appeals of his conviction and sentence have been denied. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals denied one in 2019, and he also unsuccessfully appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to federal court records. Nugent denied a third appeal in March this year.

Carson is serving his 20-year prison sentence at a federal penitentiary in central Pennsylvania, according to federal court records.

In 2012, Carson was charged with robbing two banks in Ashtabula County, the (Ashtabula) Star Beacon newspaper reported at the time. He pleaded guilty to two felony robbery charges in Ashtabula County Common Pleas Court in 2013 and was sentenced to 54 months in prison, according to Ashtabula County court records.

Carson's multiple requests for early release from that sentence all were denied, according to Ashtabula County court records. He also served two years in prison in the late 2000s after being convicted of a 2008 bank robbery in Youngstown, according to media reports.

Jeff Barnes | Chronicle

Lilly Pasternak, 3, wasted no time exploring the new toys in the OberlinKids Community Classroom at the former Prospect Elementary School.

BULLETIN BOARD

will

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.amherst publiclibrary.org.

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.

Ambulance district meeting

The South Lorain County Ambulance District board will hold its last meeting of 2022 at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27 at 179 East Herrick Ave., Wellington. The meeting is open to the public.

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.

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.

Democratic women to meet

The Lorain County Democratic Women’s Club will meet at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at Blue Sky Restaurant, 802 Cleveland St., Elyria.

The evening will include voting for club officers for 2023. RSVP by Dec. 29 to lcdwohio@gmail.com if you plan to order dinner. There will be a choice of three menu items for $15 per attendee.

2023 organizational meeting

The Wellington Board of Education will hold its 2023 organizational meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3 at the Westwood Elementary School cafeteria. The meeting is open to the public.

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.

The eight-session program will begin from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 4 and the last class will be Feb. 22. Sessions

The

Family-to-Family

-

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

Amherst school board meeting

The annual organizational meeting of the Amherst Board of Education will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 9 at the Marion L. Steele High School Creative Learning Center, 450 Washington St., Amherst.

The board will elect a president and vice president, and conduct other business. The meeting is open to the public.

Ambulance district meeting

The South Lorain County Ambulance District board will hold its 2023 organizational meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at 179 East Herrick Ave., Wellington. It will be followed by a regular meeting at 7 p.m. Both are open to the public.

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.

Wellington school board

The Wellington Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 17 at the McCormick Middle School cafeteria. The meeting is open to the public.

AAA: More Americans will be away from home for the holidays

‘Tis the season to travel. An estimated 112.7 million people are expected to journey 50 miles or more away from home from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2, according to AAA.

That’s an increase of 3.6 million people over last year and closing in on pre-pandemic numbers.

This is expected to be the third-

busiest year for holiday travel since AAA began tracking in 2000.

“With Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both falling on Sunday this year, more Americans are planning to travel to take advantage of those long holiday weekends,” said Bevi Powell, senior vice president of AAA East Central. “More people are

using these much-needed breaks to reconnect with loved ones and recharge their batteries during the holiday-travel season.”

Nearly 102 million Americans will drive to their holiday destinations. Despite roller-coaster gas prices in 2022, this holiday season will see an additional 2 million drivers compared to

2021.

Travel by car this year is on par with 2018 but shy of 2019 when 108 million Americans drove out of town for the holidays, the highest year on record.

Air travel will see a 14 percent increase over last year, with nearly 7.2 million Americans expected to fly. Flights and airports

will be packed this holiday season, reminiscent of pre-pandemic days.

Demand for flights has surged despite higher airline ticket prices. AAA expects the number of people taking holiday flights this year will come close to matching 2019, when 7.3 million Americans traveled by air.

be held at the church, 310 W. Lorain St.

program is for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Research shows it sig

nificantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition.

is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises.

Oberlin buys 211 acres for $2.4M

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Two tracts of land totaling 211 acres were purchased for $2.4 million at auction last Thursday, expanding the city limits south and west.

With frontage on U.S. Route 20 across from Walmart, the farmland will be converted into a new industrial park, said Oberlin City Council President Bryan Burgess.

“It’s not every day you buy this much real estate,” he said. “It will mean a lot for the economic future of Oberlin.”

The city’s existing industrial park, consisting of about 80 acres on Route 511, was established in the 1960s and is at full capacity.

But Oberlin needs to continue to grow, said Council Vice President Kelley Singleton. Its largest employer is the Federal Aviation Administration, but there is no guarantee the Cleveland Air

Route Traffic Control Center will remain in town forever, he said.

Oberlin College is another huge employer. It’s not realistic to expect, given the college’s current cost-cutting efforts, that it will always produce the same income tax revenue, said Singleton.

“It seems that the natural path for economic growth for Oberlin is on the southern part of the city,” he said.

About seven weeks ago, auction signs went up on the Pitts-

field Township acreage owned by Eric and Lori McConnell.

Burgess said city officials have discussed the need for more industrial park land for years.

The former Green Acres property, on 15 acres near the current industrial park, is zoned residential and simply isn’t large enough to suit the city’s vision, he said.

Nor would it meet demand.

Burgess said the city receives inquiries from companies about available land for development

Santa’s little helper

Aldi gives an opening date (or two)

JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Out-of-control grocery store prices are putting a cramp in Cortney Hershey’s budget, which is the big reason she’s looking forward to a new Aldi opening at the corner of U.S. Route 20 and State Route 58.

“I can buy at least twice as many groceries via Aldi than I can at normal grocery stores,” she said.

The chain’s new Oberlin store has been under construction for months.

Developers originally told city officials it was to open in October, but now the retailer is aiming for next month.

Aldi’s corporate website says the store will open Wednesday, Jan. 18. However, Hinckley Division Vice President Corey Stucker provided Thursday, Jan. 19 as the target date.

“ALDI looks forward to serving Oberlin residents by providing the high-quality, fresh foods that they love, at low prices every day,” he said in an email.

Janet Haar, director of the Oberlin Business Partnership said that like Hershey many residents are excited about the “lower cost opportunities” Aldi is likely to provide.

But she also has reservations, primarily about the impact on existing businesses.

“I think it’s good for Oberlin, but it might not really be good for Oberlin IGA,” Haar said.

Predicting how much competition Aldi will provide is difficult. Many shoppers already drive out of town to shop at Aldi in Elyria, Amherst, Sheffield, North Ridgeville, Avon or even neighboring counties, she said.

That’s Hershey’s situation. The Wellington resident said she routinely travels to shop at Aldi in Medina,

“The

The

on a weekly basis.

“We don’t respond to them because we haven’t had any land available,” he said.

Before The Wendt Group — which is based in Plain City, Ohio — opened bidding Thursday morning, Council held a special meeting to discuss the 211 acres behind closed doors.

Singleton said the property was perfect. It has highway access,

AMVETS lay 162 wreaths on gravestones

JASON HAWK EDITOR

HUNTINGTON TWP. — Trekking across the country in a truck carrying 5,000 wreaths, Seth Ennis was running ahead of schedule.

The owner of Ennis Trucking in Bloomington, Indiana, had loaded up in Maine. Early last week, he stopped at AMVETS Post 162 to make a delivery before continuing on to Port Clinton.

Ennis donates his time, rigs and fuel to play a more solemn version of Santa Claus, taking some 600 loads and a total 3 million memorial wreaths to veterans organizations.

“It’s quite the logistics endeavor,” said Connie Dombrowski, 1st vice president of the Ladies Auxiliary at Post 162 in Huntington Township, in the far southern reaches of Lorain County.

Saturday, volunteers laid garlands on each of the 162 veterans’ graves at Huntington’s east and west cemeteries on Route 58, and Evergreen Cemetery on New London Eastern Road.

That the quantity is the same as the post number is pure coincidence, said Dombrowski — she had ordered 161 through Wreaths Across America, but added one more after former post member Don Rollin died Nov. 14 at age 65.

This year is the first that Huntington Township took part in Wreaths Across America. At noon Saturday, people gathered at some 3,100 cemeteries nationwide to pay tribute to those who served their country.

AMVETS Post 162’s involvement was in part inspired by the death last year of longtime member Maurice Irish Jr., a Vietnam veteran, due to COVID-19, said

Flames destroy Route 511 home

JASON HAWK EDITOR

ROCHESTER TWP. — A volunteer firefighter’s family lost its home last Wednesday night to flames.

A wood stove is the likely cause of a fire that destroyed a century-old house on Route 511 just south of Route 162, according to Rochester Fire Chief Duane Eaton.

Once the fire breached the walls, it quickly climbed to the second story and attic, he said.

“It’s an older house, so there are lots of voids for flames to get into,” he said.

The fire started about 5:40 p.m. According to Eaton, homeowner Amber Grim returned home to smoke alarms sounding, and called her husband Ben, a dairy farmer, Rochester volunteer firefighter and the township’s road and maintenance worker.

Fire crews fought the blaze for hours. With extensive structural and water damage, Eaton said he believes insurers will deem it a complete loss.

Mayor Cindy Kurpely confirmed that no one was injured in the fire.

“I know they’re in shock,” she said of the Grims and their two young sons.

Rochester Township Trustee Gary Landis spoke Thursday morning, just a few minutes after getting off the phone with the Grims. He said their boys were resting and having breakfast with their grandparents.

“Even if the insurance comes through, there are still a lot of things they’re going to have to rebuild in their family lives – clothes, stuff like that,” he said.

Trustees immediately started discussing how they could help the Grims recover, he said. Firefighters have already started filling a boot with cash donations at the Rochester fire station.

Adam Mourton, a township trustee and firefighter, said Ben Grim has been a good friend for many years.

Lorain County Community Guide • Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Hananiah Smith, a junior at Marion L. Steele High School in Amherst, holds Squirrel, a shepherd mix who is about 8 weeks old. Workers from Friendship Animal Protective League in Elyria passed the puppy around last Wednesday during the “Sources of Strength” student wellness fair. Kim Haney, who teaches the school’s medical technology course, said the fair was based on evidence that showed developing students’ inner strengths lowers suicide rates. In additional snow cones, a puttputt course and fun Christmas costumes, the fair featured student research. Amherst police, Phoenix Counseling Center, The LCADA Way, Family Planning Services and other agencies also set up in the Steele cafeteria to provide information to teens.

Ashland, Elyria or Amherst.

Oberlin location is less than 10 minutes away compared to at least 30 minutes of drive time that I am doing now,” she said.

Oberlin Aldi will probably also impact the bottom line for Village Market and Apples grocery stores about 7 miles to the south, said Main Street Wellington Director Jenny Arntz.

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Contractors are still working to complete work on a new Aldi at U.S. Route 20 and State Route 58 in Oberlin. The company has announced it will open the store either Jan. 18 or 19.

Innes bids farewell to AJH students

AMHERST — Katy Innes will retire Saturday, Dec. 31 after more than 23 years as a math teacher in the Amherst Schools, and 34 years in education.

While that is her official retirement date, Innes said goodbye to Amherst Junior High students Tuesday before they went on winter break.

“I want to go while I still love it and while I’m still making connections with the kids,” she told the Board of Education during a meeting last week, talking about how the profession and students have changed a great deal over the decades.

Innes said she’s loved the thousands of children she has taught over the years, “but it’s time,” she said.

While retiring from teaching, she plans to focus on her family business full-time.

Principal Andrew Gibson said that when he was hired six years ago, he immediately recognized Innes as “by far one of our top two teachers

in the building.”

Help Oberlin Rotary donate socks for those in need

The Rotary Club of Oberlin and Steel Magnolia have partnered to collect new sock and boots to help people in need.

Donors can drop off new items for the Soup ‘N Socks or Boots Collection Program at:

INDUSTRIAL

FROM B1

“incredible” drainage and isn’t forested, which means it is “in good shape to be shovel-ready,” he said.

The property also mostly sits inside a Joint Economic Development District that has existed about two decades. It allows the city and Pittsfield Township to share revenues from new businesses.

That means any company that builds there will provide new income for not just Oberlin, but the township and Oberlin City Schools, Singleton said.

“It’s pretty exciting. We’ve just increased the size of Oberlin by 16

• Deichler’s Auto & Tire Works, 422 East Lorain St.

• Locke’s Go Green Landscaping, 461 East Lorain St.

• Oberlin Business Partnership, 23 East College St.

• Steel Magnolia, 65 East College St.

or 17 Tappan Squares,” he said.

Singleton doesn’t want to see more big box stores built. He said “good, high-paying jobs” are the goal, and city officials will look for investors who share Oberlin’s sustainable development ideals.

“The huge influx of semiconductor companies into Ohio, I would love to get a piece of that,” he said.

The city has already proved it can attract environmentally responsible businesses, said Burgess, pointing to its existing industrial park.

Companies there include a medi-

cal implant manufacturer, a greenhouse robotics firm and a marijuana farm.

“These are not smokestack industries,” Burgess said.

Development is not expected to happen overnight on the city’s new Route 20 acreage.

Burgess said Council will have to first discuss zoning — he has not yet made up his mind about what density would be appropriate.

Breaking ground for a new business within a year would be too soon, and waiting 10 years to do so would be too long, he said.

ALDI

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“I would hope they would continue to offer really good service” and sale prices to compete with the new store, she said.

For now, Aldi is facing competition of its own as it attempts to find employees to staff the Oberlin location.

It is advertising starting wages of $16.50 per hour for full-time associates and $23.50 per hour for management.

Aldi only hires adult workers. Applications can be made at careers.aldi.us.

Hires will be trained at nearby stores until the Oberlin location opens, according to Aldi’s job postings.

There are still some hurdles for Aldi to leap before it can throw open its doors to the public, however. The store had not yet been issued an occupancy permit as of last week, said Oberlin Planning and Development Director Carrie Porter. A final plumbing inspection had been done, but not mechanical, electric and building inspections.

A key component will be coolers. Porter said she does not believe they have been installed yet.

“It looks like the building is pretty much done, on the outside,” she said Thursday, after looking in the windows.

Contractors were hard at work there on Dec. 15, using lifts and other tools. The interior appeared to unfinished, and one worker was on a ladder outside working on electrical components.

WREATHS

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Dombrowski.

Shortly after, his sister and post secretary Cindy Irish died of cancer. She requested memorial gifts to be used to honor veterans.

The plea resonated with Dombrowski, who have donated wreaths for years.

She comes from a long line of veterans — her grandfather was in the cavalry, father served in the Navy, husband is retired after 25 years in the Army and her eldest son served in the Marine Corps.

But Dombrowski said her affinity for those who served also stems from a deeply personal experience during an eighth grade field trip to Washington, D.C.

As the winner of an essay contest, she was allowed to play a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

“It was super memorable, and something that left a kind of imprint,” she said.

The public was invited to share in that same feeling at Saturday’s ceremony, which was held at Huntington Cemetery West. Wellington American Legion Post 8 provided an honor guard and Taps.

Similar events were held all over Lorain County.

Wreaths Across America ceremonies expanded this year to 10 cemeteries in the Lorain-Amherst area, in addition to others that have been observed for years.

Dombrowski said she wanted those who attended to say the names of the deceased out loud, to keep their memories alive.

“I’d like them to walk away with gratitude and a thankful heart for the sacrifices that our veterans make on a daily basis, as well as their families,” she said.

The tentative plan is to expand wreath-laying efforts again next year to Greenwood Cemetery, she said. About 600 veterans are buried there.

Donations can be made at wreathsacrossamerica.org, where the organization will match every $15 wreath purchased through Jan. 15. Donation forms are also available at AMVETS Post 162, 26971 State Route 58.

ROCHESTER FIRE

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And as a member of the Fire Department for about a decade, his fellow volunteers were happy to chip in — donations can be made to any Rochester firefighter or by calling township trustees, he said.

Mourton described Ben as “down to earth, an all-around great guy. He’d be the first to help you if you needed a hand.”

Landis said the Grims are a proud family, and “don’t like being on this side” of receiving help, even from neighbors of their tight-knit rural community.

“They want to be on the side that helps other people when they have needs,” he said. “They don’t want to be the ones who need help. But I said, ‘It’s your turn,’ and we’re going to take care of them.”

Speaking to the board, he praised her dedication to kids and the craft, and said she was a leader and role

model at the school. In the classroom, Innes was always finding new ways to reach children of different walks and abilities, he said.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times Amherst Junior High School Principal Andrew Gibson praises sixth grade math teacher Katy Innes at a Dec. 12 Board of Education meeting. She is retiring Dec. 31.

JVS students take 1st and 2nd in engineering contest

“I thought, ‘Why not use computing power to help people?’ and that is how the eWaste research idea came to be,” he said.

Firelands FFA members judge at All American Quarter Horse Congress

KYLEIGH KLINGSHIRN and AVA FONTAINE

COLUMBUS — The world’s largest single-breed horse show, the All American Quarter Horse Congress, is an annual month-long show held in Columbus.

It is home to the best of the best, with nearly $3.5 million dollars worth of prizes and a multitude of events for all disciplines of quarter horses. One of such is the Youth and Collegiate Horse Judging Competition, featuring teams from all across the nation.

Ohio FFA this year.

Back in April, their teamwork secured them fifth place in the state in FFA horse judging, earning them the once-in-alifetime opportunity to judge at Congress in October.

In the competition, the four were tasked with judging 12 classes and presenting four sets of oral reasons about why they placed a class a certain way. Some of these classes included trail, hunter hack, western pleasure, halter classes, and many more.

The two Lorain County JVS students were challenged to solve problems or create innovations. The theme for this year’s event was “Reboot, Rethink, Regenerate.”

Blum Trent Stillwell

Stillwell, a senior, placed first in the competition with his eWaste research plan.

“The idea is to take people’s e-waste, or electronic waste, and make machines that can do crowd computing for cancer research institutions,” he said.

Crowd computing uses computer power to upload data that needs to be analyzed to the cloud and then sends it back to researchers.

Stillwell said that eWaste research would create a computer research box that contains a tiny single-board computer and two wood panels, one of which can be engraved with a loved one’s name and years of life, and a few 140mm PC fans.

“The idea is that you can get a loved one that has passed away from cancer memorialized on a machine that is helping to find a cure for cancer,” said Stillwell.

Stillwell said the project was created for a very personal reason. His grandmother died of liver cancer in 2008 after fighting it for more than three decades.

Blum, a junior, took second place in the competition.

“For my hackathon, I presented the need to encourage beneficial hobbies, specifically knitting,” she said.

“Knitting is repetitive and some benefits of it include being mentally stimulating, lowering blood pressure, slowing the onset of dementia, easing joint pain, increasing hand-eye coordination and helping people get over an addiction.”

Blum referenced various sources, such as the Mayo Clinic, during her presentation and incorporated her personal experience as a volunteer at a nursing home with residents of a memory care unit.

JVS instructor Bryan Wanosky was proud of his students.

“I am always grateful for the opportunities our students are offered at LCCC and LCJVS,” he said. “When I introduce this competition to them, I remind them that if they prepare and share their idea with confidence, they have just as good a chance to win as any of the college students entering.”

For his first-place finish, Stillwell was awarded a $500 gift card to the LCCC bookstore, and Blum was awarded a $250 gift card.

Mercy shares tools for handling holiday stress

LORAIN — The holiday season is often dubbed “the most wonderful time of the year,” but for many people that isn’t always the case.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness says more than half of people living with a mental illness felt their condition worsened because of the holidays.

This winter, Mercy Health is sharing tools to help people manage their unwanted stress, anxiety and depression.

“Often times, we set expectations of perfection on ourselves during the holiday season,” said Dr. Balaji Saravanan, psychiatrist and medical director of behavioral health for Mercy Health Lorain Hospital. “Trying to find the best possible gift or host the perfect gathering can lead to financial pressures and demands that increase anxiety.”

Asking friends and family to help with cooking, cleaning or shopping is a great way to ease this burden and share responsibility in preparing for a party or family gathering, Mercy

said. It can lighten your load and hopefully give the chance to enjoy events with your loved ones.

If you are dealing with financial stress, sticking to a budget is a great way to manage anxiety in the checkout line. Having a spending plan enables you to plan ahead and set a comfortable limit so that you can still treat your loved ones. Gift exchanges are another great way to lessen financial strain.

“The holidays can also be difficult for those who have lost a loved one or are unable to be with their family and friends this time of year,” said Saravanan.

If you’re missing a loved one who has passed, there are ways to honor and keep them close to your heart throughout the holidays. You can light a candle in their memory, create a memorial, continue to uphold the traditions you once shared or simply take time to recall special memories.

“Experiencing grief is never easy, especially during times where there are many events that remind

you of your loved one who has passed. If you’re experiencing grief this season, give yourself grace and know that everyone experiences grief in different ways,” Saravanan said.

Reaching out to those you love most is one of the most beneficial things to do when struggling with mental health and grief during the holiday season, he said. Speaking with a friend or family member that supports you or even a therapist can help you cope with struggles you may be having during this time of the year.

If your mental health continues to interfere with your enjoyment of the season or you continue to struggle with your mental health after the holidays, it might be time to speak to your primary care provider, Saravanan said.

While anyone can experience the holiday blues or seasonal stress, it is important to remember that if it occurs yearly around wintertime, it may be seasonal depression.

Only one 4-H and one FFA team can represent each state. Breed associations also can send a representative team to compete.

Madison Chenoweth, Morgan DiCesare, Ava Fontaine and Kyleigh Klingshirn — members of the Firelands FFA — were the team selected to represent

At the awards ceremony, the announcer explained that this youth judging contest was the toughest and most competitive of all the national invitationals.

The team from Firelands earned 16th in the nation. Although it may not have come home with the win, the chance to compete at such a level and attend an event like this was an amazing experience for all four.

VOTING ENDS SOON

Provided photo Ten students from McCormick Middle School in Wellington participated in the You Belong Grant kickoff at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Conference Center in November. You Belong is a $2,000 grant funded through the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County. McCormick and 13 other middle schools from across the county received the grant and took part in the kick-off event. Wellington students received training and the grant money will be used to help with future student-led initiatives at McCormick, where students have launched the Helping Include Kids Everywhere, or HIKE Club. And end-of-year You Belong event is planned for May 8.

Provided photo

Members of the Firelands FFA were chose to judge 12 classes last month at the All American Quarter Horse Congress competition in Columbus.

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

These downtown fixtures have gotten a holiday makeover for Main Street Wellington’s Winter Flower Pot Decorating Contest. The window to vote for your favorite is closing fast — vote by donating items or money to the Salvation Army, Well-Help or Helping Hands Pantry. Voting runs from 4-7 p.m. today and Friday at Farm & Home Hardware, 120 South Main St., Wellington, in the vestibule of Building 1. Get one vote for every $1 or item donated. The winner will receive a prize worth about $100, filled with items and gifts from area businesses. To see all 29 flower pot entries, walk downtown Wellington or visit tinyurl.com/FlowerPotContest.

PITTSFIELD TWP. — Trent Stillwell and Trinity Blum of North Ridgeville both placed in the Lorain County Community College NEO LaunchNET Hackathon event.

Trinity

Thompson saves Phoenix in final seconds

ERIK ANDREWS CORRESPONDENT

An early season rivalry game turned into a thriller late, as the Oberlin Phoenix eked out a 64-63 comeback victory over Firelands on Friday night.

Competitive from the outset, neither team extended the lead beyond single digits in the first half. Taking advantage of 9 early points from Kevyn Steen and 8 from Chris Walker, the Phoenix went to the locker room with a 31-27 halftime advantage.

As the second half unfolded, the Falcons continued to hang around, knotting the score on multiple occasions behind buckets from Chris Radman and Nate Draga. It wasn't until midway through the fourth quarter that a Phoenix run pushed the lead to a seemingly insurmountable 59-48 with less than four minutes to play.

The Falcons were not done, however. Following a timeout, Firelands first-year coach Colin Myers had his charges lock down on defense and, aided by missed free throws at the Oberlin end, run off 15 straight points to take a 63-59 lead with under a minute to play.

Off the inbounds play, the Phoenix worked the ball to Thompson in the post —he picked up the bucket and drew a foul. Converting the 3-point play pulled the hosts within one, and following another Oberlin steal Thompson again executed down low for the final go-ahead tally with only 14 ticks remaining on the clock.

Facing full court pressure, the Falcons worked the ball into the forecourt and got off a final shot. But it, along with a couple charity stripe tosses, all bounced away.

The Phoenix were led by seniors Thompson and Omario Hopkins with 15 apiece, while Walker (11 points) and Steen (10) also finished in double digits. The Falcons nearly pulled off the upset behind 22 points from Rodman and 17 from Jim Aunspaw.

WRESTLING AT KEYSTONE

A PIN, BUT NOT A WIN

SIMMONS LEADS FALCONS

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

Jeff Barnes | Amherst News-Times

Samone Whitt of Lorain looks to pass the ball as she is guarded by Lauren Valerius of Firelands on Saturday. Led by Bella Simmons with 17 points, the Falcons topped the Titans 52-39. Valerius upped the Firelands tally by 14.

Jeff Barnes | Amherst News-Times

Maxwell Scott of Midview wrestles Ross Auvil of Amherst in the 215-pound weight class at Midview High School last Thursday. Auvil pinned his opponent in 2:52, but the Middies defeated the Comets 47-27 in the Southwestern Conference dual meet.

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

ABOVE LEFT: Oberlin's Marcus Perry's runner in the lane adds two for Oberlin. ABOVE RIGHT: Firelands’ Jim Aunspaw shoots over Oberlin's Markell Eichler.

Photos by Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Wrestlers from across the county descended on Keystone High School to get some additional match work in prior to the holidays. Grapplers from Black River, Firelands, Keystone and Oberlin all took part in the unscored Keystone Invite over the weekend. For the Phoenix, Colbey Wnoroski and Tommy Boyer each picked up a couple wins, while Isaiah Jackson and Connor McConneghy each added a win to their season totals. ABOVE: Tommy Boyer.

BELOW: Isaiah Jackson.

RAIDERS DOUBLE DOWN

TOO FAR BEHIND

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

Brooke Lehmkuhl scored a game-high 21 points for the Dukes, but Wellington still came out on the bottom of a 41-32 loss to Firelands in Lorain County League play last week. Lauren Valerius scored 15 points for the Falcons, Bella Simmons had 11 and Kendra Hardwick scored 10. ABOVE LEFT: Firelands Bella Simmons pressures Wellington’s Mallory Pickering. ABOVE RIGHT: Wellington's Brooke Lehmkuhl drives under pressure from Firelands' Adrianna Buchanan.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

With 19 points from Nathan Borling, Columbia blew past Wellington 60-30 in Lorain County League play last week. Vincent Berardi and Justin Smith each piled on 10 points for the Raiders. The Dukes, who relied on Sean Whitehouse to lead with 14, were held to single digits in every quarter except the third, when they were still outpaced 20-10. ABOVE: Wellington’s Landon Wright brings the ball up the court at Columbia. BELOW: Wellington's Adam Michalak gets two points at Columbia.

Photos by Russ Gifford | Amherst News-Times

A final-period rally fell short for the Comets last week as they fell 5651 to Lorain. Landen Bray racked up 18 points but was Amherst’s only player to cross into double digits. The Titans built on big runs in the first and third periods, leaving the Comets behind 43-31 going into the fourth quarter. Amherst made up lost ground, going 20-13, but it wasn’t enough to bridge the gap. ABOVE: Amherst's Cole Norris gets points at Lorain. BELOW: Amherst's Cole Norris brings the ball up the court under pressure at Lorain.

Home Sweet Home

Short-eared elephant shrews live in southern Africa in Namibia, Botswana and South Africa. They like to live in sandy soil, dry grass and shrub land.

Small and Speedy

An elephant shrew is small but speedy. Color in the

Smallest of

“Sh” is a Blend

A blend is when two or three consonants are put together to make a sound. On one page of the newspaper, circle all of the examples you can find of two consonants put together in a word. Make a list of the blends you found.

Some say the elephant shrew’s long nose, or snout, looks like the trunk of an elephant. Sometimes it is called a jumping shrew. Use the code to discover yet another name for this tiny animal. Cut and paste these sentences in order to find out what these animals eat.

Critter Combos

Look through the newspaper for pictures of animals. Cut out parts of different animals and put them together to make up a new animal. Give your animal a name and describe where it lives, what it likes to eat and how it behaves.

Are you an eagle-eyed reader? Circle the 9 mistakes in this article. Then rewrite it correctly on the lines below it. Have a family member check your work.

Lost and Found

For nearly 50 yeers, scientists thought a kind of elephant shrew, the Somali sengi, had gone extinkt, or disappear forevur.

In 2020, scientists travel to Djibouti, a country next two Somalia in Africa. They went to look into reports that peopul had seen the tiny Somali sengi.

They baited a traps with peanut butter, oatmeal and yeast and caught a sengi. This was the furst recorded sighting in 50 years.

This week’s word:

ARTICLE

The noun article is a piece of writing that appears in a newspaper, magazine, or book.

Today’s newspaper has an interesting article about a new park for kids.

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

If I were an Animal

Which kind of animal, are you most like? If you were an animal, what kind would you be and why?

spaces with two dots red to find out how many miles per hour an elephant shrew can run!

©

by Vicki Whiting, Editor Je Schinkel,