Lorain County Community Guide - Dec. 31, 2020

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AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

www.lcnewspapers.com

Volume 7, Issue 53

SPECIAL EDITION: GOODBYE TO 2020

The (crazy) year in review JASON HAWK EDITOR

Wild. Frustrating. Bizarre. Relentless. Alarming. Exhausting.

Painful. Worrisome. Unreal. Aggravating. Depressing. Sad. Tough. Unsettling. Dumpster fire.

Whatever words you choose to describe 2020, we can all agree it's been crazy.

Our tradition at the end of each year is to look back at the top stories from the past 12 months — the headlines that will have a lasting impact, or shocked us so much that we're still recovering.

Most years, the No. 1 story is a subjective choice. Not in 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more of an upheaval in the everyday lives of Lorain County residents than any other event in memory. It shut down schools and businesses, canceled our events and disrupted our traditions. It deepened the need among our most vulnerable neighbors. We've all taken up wearing masks in public and learned to stay physically distant from each other, social changes that will have generational repercussions.

And it's taken the lives of nearly 150 of our friends and family members here in the county, 7,500 in Ohio and 320,000 across the United States.

Joe Biden elected as 46th president Former Vice President Joe Biden garnered 81.28 million votes, surpassing the 74.22 million earned by sitting President Donald Trump.

The Democratic candidate won by flipping key states where Trump had been on top in 2016, including Georgia, Pennsylvania, Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin.

The Trump campaign tried to President-elect reverse the popular vote by filJoe Biden ing a number of court cases alleging voter fraud, which were dismissed for lack of evidence. The Supreme Court rejected an eleventh hour challenge to Biden's win, and the Electoral College finalized the Biden victory by a 306-232 margin.

Lorain County, long held to be a "blue" county, backed Trump with 79,520 votes to Biden's 75,667

U.S. Postal Service Use Only

Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday News staff Jason Hawk news@lcnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com Send legal notices to jyoder@chroniclet.com Submit advertising to chama@chroniclet.com Copyright 2020 Lorain County Printing & Publishing Company

Shocked into a shutdown The nation went from mild alarm to full-scale lockdown with incredible speed as the scale of the COVID-19 threat crystallized.

A spike in deaths in China led the U.S. to take precautions in late January, and on Feb. 3 the United States declared a state of emergency. The threat still seemed far away.

In March, the World Health Organization named the threat as a pandemic.

The highly contagious

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

◄ This illustration shows COVID-19 as it appears when viewed using an electron microscope.

virus spread through South Korea, Italy and Iran, and on March 13, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency.

Ohio entered a state of emergency just a few days earlier after the first cases here were confirmed. On March 12, Gov. Mike

DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton ordered K-12 and college buildings closed, and students moved online.

Customers rushed to hoard toilet paper and hand VIRUS PAGE A4

First vaccine injections JASON HAWK and LAINA YOST

ELYRIA — The needle slid into Eric Farschman’s arm. He flinched just a little, but less than five seconds later it was all over.

Two days before Christmas, the respiratory therapist became the first at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center to get the COVID-19 vaccine, and probably the first person in Lorain County.

It didn’t feel any different than a flu shot, he said — no pain at all.

Getting the vaccine took a huge weight off Farschman’s shoulders.

“When you come to work for the last nine months, you do wonder if this is the day I’m going to have a viral load that’s going to get me infected to the point where I show symptoms,” he said.

University Hospitals received 1,000 initial doses of the Moderna vaccine.

There are about 1,300 employees at VACCINE PAGE A5 Bruce Bishop | Chronicle

▲ Ben Farber, chief nursing officer at University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center, administers what is believed to be the first coronavirus vaccination in Lorain County to respiratory therapist Eric Farschman.

Kristin Bauer | Chronicle

◄ Firefighters who also serve as paramedics were eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine on Wednesday, Dec. 23 at New Russia Township Hall. Lorain County Public Health expected to administer 500 vaccines to first responders on the first day shots were available.

HOLIDAY THANKS It’s been a long year here at the Community Guide, and our staff is taking some well-deserved time off to spend the holidays with family. We want to wish a happy new year to all our readers and thank you for your understanding this week and next as we shrink the paper so we can rest and recharge. Here’s to a happier and healthier 2021 for everyone!

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A3 • KID SCOOP A8

Page A2

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Heritage Center 'secrets'

A kiss? Forgery and deceit? Theft and fraud?

"Secrets and Scandals in Two Parts" will explore news that plagues Oberlinians in the days of the town's early history.

Join the Oberlin Heritage Center for a two-part series of free Zoom sessions at 5:15 p.m. on Tuesdays, Jan. 12 and 26.

The first will explore town and gown reactions to two scandalous women of Oberlin's first century. Register at www.bit.ly/3lNJHVI. The second will unmask stories and perceptions of Oberlin during its infancy. Register at www.bit. ly/3kPowRP. Each will last about 25 minutes, followed by a questions-and-answer session. Advance registration is required.

OBITUARIES Deborah S. Kosa

Deborah S. Kosa (Bughman-Norris), 65, of Chippewa Lake, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020.

She was born March 16, 1955, in Lodi to the late James Norris and Beverly Bughman (Richman).

Deborah worked as an LPN at Allen Memorial Hospital in Oberlin. She had a heart of gold when caring for patients and her family. Debbie was also an avid gardener with a true green thumb and could make anything grow. She also enjoyed jewelry making and crocheting.

She will be dearly missed by her loving husband of 42 years, Kerry K. Kosa; her children, Kristopher K. Kosa and Kerry Ann Kosa; her grandchildren, Alissa Stumpf, Kyler A.J. Kosa, Kaylee S. Stumpf and Katrina M. Kosa and her brother, Mark Baughman.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Mitchell Baughman.

A memorial service for Deborah will be announced at a later date.

Arrangements entrusted to Carlson Funeral Homes & Cremation Services, 3477 Medina Road, Medina.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the family to help with funeral expenses would be appreciated.

Online condolences at www.carlsonfuneralhomes.com.

ROSA LEE BABBITT (nee Phillips), 91, of Lorain, passed away at her home Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, surrounded by her loving family and under the care of the Hospice of Western Reserve. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

RAYMOND CLARENCE PYCRAFT, born March 31, 1925, and passed into his Heavenly home Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020. Arrangement by Hempel Funeral Home.

MARIAM L. HERRERA (nee Hecock Straw), 79, of Amherst, passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, at her home, following a brief illness. Arrangement by Hempel Funeral Home.

GORDON DWIGHT BROWN, 83, passed away Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020. He was born June 19, 1937, in Rutland, Ohio, a small village in Meigs County, to Dwight and Blanche Brown. In 1941, his family relocated to St. Albans, West Virginia, where Dwight found work with Union Carbide. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

VIRGINIA K. ACKLEY (nee Smith-Lewandoski), 76, a lifetime resident of Lorain, passed away Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020, at her home. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

EVELYN JANE NAGY (nee Peck), 88, a resident of Amherst, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, at Mercy New Life Hospice in Lorain following a lengthy illness.

Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home.

LINDA KAY LUKACHKO (nee Murdy), 67, of Lorain, passed away Friday, Dec. 25, 2020, at her home following a brief illness.

LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups.

• Concise. There is a limit of 350 words on letters.

• Polite. Letters that use crude language or show poor taste will be rejected.

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• Signed. Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for our records. Up to two signatures.

• The deadline to submit letters is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. They are used on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit any submission for length, grammar, spelling, and clarity, or to reject any submission.

Yes, Avery, there is a Santa Claus JASON HAWK EDITOR

LORAIN — There was no doubt in three-year-old Avery Hernandez's mind the Tuesday before Christmas that Santa Claus exists.

Perched on a chair at the Valor Home of Lorain County, her eyes were trained on the proof: a stack of presents to take home and place under the tree.

"They have toys," the tiny girl said, wearing a giant smile.

Playing Santa's elves were members of the Amherst American Legion Post 118 Auxiliary who "adopted" two local families for the holidays.

The auxiliary also delivered gifts Sunday to 70 residents at Oak Hills Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation in Lorain.

"I get very emotional about this.

Christmas is for children. It's not for me, and it's not for my adult kids, either," said Post 118 Auxiliary member Pat Kruman.

"All of us are in need right now, so the more we can do to help each other, the better it is," she said.

Avery's parents, Carissa Hernandez and Michael Stottlemire, said the gifts came as a surprise. They were arranged through Supportive Services for Veteran Families, a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs homelessness prevention and rapid

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Three-year-old Avery Hernandez, with parents Michael Stottlemire and Carissa Hernandez, is surprised with a stack of Christmas presents from the American Legion Post 118 Auxiliary on Tuesday, Dec. 22. re-housing program.

Stottlemire served in the Marine Corps from 2009 to 2013. He joined the SSVF program in November and quickly got help finding a house.

Now Stottlemire is throwing his energy into college and will start commercial driver's license classes in January, with a five-week course available to veterans.

"Hopefully this time next year I'll be able to donate some of my time, give some gifts to help because they

helped us," he said.

Valerie Rafferty, an advocate with SSVF, said that's the mindset many veterans take. They want to pay forward the help they receive.

She also praised the Legion Auxiliary as a tremendous source of help, and not just around the holidays. "They've done amazing things for our veterans over the last three years," Rafferty said. "If we need something, we know who to reach out to."

After fall success, Oberlin College doubling down on virus testing JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — Safety protocols worked this fall at Oberlin College, where a massive 11,293 coronavirus tests revealed just 30 positive cases.

Now President Carmen Twillie Ambar is doubling down on that success and hoping it translates into the spring semester.

"For us, this has always been about the health and safety of the entire community," she said last week in a report to City Council.

Planning for campus vaccinations is underway, Ambar said. In the meantime, the start of the spring semester has been pushed back to Feb. 1, giving students time to quarantine for a short period after arriving on campus.

Testing will continue at a clip of nearly 3,000 per month, she said. There will also be opportunities for rapid testing, checking for both COVID-19 and the flu.

Rapid — also known as antigen — tests aren't that reliable. So positives will be backed up with more reliable PCR tests, said Ambar.

Keeping students active outside through the cold Ohio winter will be key to preventing the spread of the virus, she said.

Oberlin College is looking at creative ways for students to socialize "because we know that's an important part of health," she said.

One solution will be "Ice Town." Over the course of several weeks, it will provide students with an ice rink and a way to make ice sculptures.

Commencement will

not be typical in 2021.

Ambar said a socially distanced ceremony is being planned, likely without students' families present.

"It just doesn't seem to us we'll be able to pull off that size of a gathering, given what we know about COVID-19," she said.

Going outdoors helped prevent campus spread during the fall. Also contributing to the college's success was a deep student commitment to masks, hand-washing and social distancing, said Ambar.

All students were required to receive flu vaccinations. There was also an emphasis on routine symptom monitoring.

A 16-member contact tracing team was effective in reaching people who may have been exposed to COVID. Those at risk were placed in isolation at The Hotel at Oberlin,

said Ambar, and those with confirmed cases were quarantined in two residence halls set aside for the purpose.

Not everyone was on board with the rigorous safety protocols. Fifteen Oberlin students were sent home to continue studied remotely because they violated an agreement to obey the college's health standards.

But while other college towns struggled with outbreaks, Oberlin City Council was pleased with the results reported

by Ambar. Councilman Ray English said he was particularly impressed with how seriously most students took precautions, and how well-coordinated the college's safety campaign was.

"We rejoice with you at the success of your initiative this fall," said Council President Linda Slocum.

NAMI LOSS Team seeks volunteers The Lorain County Local Outreach to Suicide Survivors Team is looking for volunteers who will work with the National Alliance on Mental Illness and law enforcement to save lives.

A training seminar will be held

from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 28 via Zoom. Register on the LOSS Team’s FaceBook page.

For more information, call (440) 240-8477 or email losscoordinatorlc@gmail.com.

The team currently works with

police in Avon, Avon Lake, Lorain, Elyria, Sheffield, Oberlin, Wellington and LaGrange as well as the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office.

The goal is to add more departments and cover the entire county

by June.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR We must do everything possible to avoid a war with Iran To the editor: My mother was a lifelong Republican and devoted to international relationships. She went out of her way to meet people from different countries and celebrated United Nations Day. I grew up in this environment, and do not want to be at war with anyone.

This year has brought an exchange of military actions between the U.S. and Iran, from the assassination of Qasem Soleimani in January through skirmishes at sea, Irani attacks in

Iraq, the recent assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, Iran's increased enrichment of uranium and our flight this month of B-52 bombers over the Persian Gulf.

This exchange of threats brings the U.S. and Iran too close to war.

Any misstep or accident could easily erupt into broader military conflict.

Violence repeats itself because one always thinks, "Next time, I'll win."

We should use every opportunity

for diplomacy — talking, listening, planning together — so that a peaceful resolution will result. That will prevent so much pain on all sides, and may even develop into friendship.

The Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war or peace.

I call on Sen. Rob Portman, Sen. Sherrod Brown and Rep. Jim Jordan to use all their diplomatic skill and contacts to prevent war with Iran.

Nancy Finke

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

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

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

FIRST HALF LOCKOUT

Page A3

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Indians to adopt new name CLEVELAND — After 105 years and decades of protests, the Cleveland Indians will change their name.

The team plans to keep its old name and uniforms for the 2021 season and will shift to an as-yet unknown branding in 2022.

For a number of Native Americans long embroiled in a fight for change, the announcement was viewed with both satisfaction and skepticism.

"There are so many things wrong with having indigenous people as mascots. First, it's dehumanizing.

We're not mascots, we're people," said Sundance, director of the Cleveland American Indian Movement.

Russ Gifford | Wellington Enterprise

The Pirates held the Phoenix to just eight first-half points, en route to a 65-38 win on Dec. 21. Oberlin's Mar'khila Holloway led all scorers with 19 points. Black River spread the points out; Kaylynn Maurer had a team-high 14, Ashley Kalman had 13 and Teddi Vonderau netted 10. ABOVE: Black River’s Ashley Kalman and Zoey Bungard combine to steal the ball from Oberlin’s Elizabeth Canseco.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS

He is one of several Oberlin residents who have protested the use of the racist Chief Wahoo mascot and opposed the Major League team's other depictions of American Indians.

"They mock our children. The mock our race. They mock everything about us," said activist Robert Roche, who also lives in Oberlin.

Roche has been fighting for a name change since the 1970s, both in and out of court.

He holds that a suit filed in 1972 by his mentor, Russell Means, ended in 1985 with a settlement that included promises to stop using the Indians name and logo.

Trains start running silently WELLINGTON — Two decades of work finally paid off in November, when CSX trains began running through the village without blasting their horns.

Wellington Councilman Guy Wells worked for years to establish a quiet zone.

"It's been a long, slow path. Most of the time spent was waiting for federal and then state-level rule-making to get finalized," he said.

According to CSX, horns are used to

warn motorists and pedestrians that a train is on its way, and the Federal Railroad Administration has strict requirements about when, where and how long the blast must be.

Exceptions for quiet zones were established in 2005. They require towns like Wellington to and companies like CSX to install upgraded warning devices and safety measures, install curbing and place signs to make sure pedestrians are watchful.

FIND WAYS TO SAVE ENERGY AND MONEY IN YOUR HOME Spending more time at home means using more energy.

Efficiency Smart’s Online Home Energy Assessment tool can help you find ways to save.

It’s quick, easy, and free!

Go online Answer a few questions about your home Get a free customized report with your potential energy and money savings

Erik Andrews | Oberlin News-Tribune

Oberlin extended its winning streak to three games with back-to-back victories over the Black River Pirates. Playing the opener at home, the Phoenix secured a 68-48 win with a 10-0 run to end the first half, and another seven point run late in the third quarter to pull away. Trajen Chambers led the Phoenix with 22, while Ty Locklear chipped in 17.

At Sullivan in the second contest, the Pirates hung tough to the end, but the Phoenix prevailed 67-59 on the strength of free throws down the stretch. Chambers again netted 22 points and Marius Harrell added 16.

The Phoenix took a breather for the holidays and return to the court Jan. 5.

They sport a 3-1 mark on the young season.

ABOVE: Oberlin senior Trajen Chambers drives past Andon O’Neal for a lay-in.

Visit www.efficiencysmart.org/wellington-ohio and select “Online Home Energy Assessment” to get started One of the energy efficiency initiatives offered in partnership between Village of Wellington Utilities and Efficiency Smart.

Cut your spring public university tuition by more than half!

Register Now at lorainccc.edu/cutyourtuition Classes Start January 19

CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES

LEGALS

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

LEGAL NOTICE DATE: January 6th, 2021 TIME: 9:00 A.M. PLACE: Council Chambers

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS AGENDA Disposition of minutes from previous Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission Meetings.

B.A. # 23-2020 2802 Broadway Variance requested to decrease minimum square

FOR RENT FREE HEAT Cozy and Convenient 1 and 2 bdrm MAPLE GROVE APTS 186-192 N. Oberlin Rd. 440-775-3098

footage required for service station from 22,500 feet to 20,012 square feet. Section 1181.01 (A) Minumum lot area shall be 22,500 square feet, and variance from Section 1181.01 (D) No portion of a service station or it's equipment shall be within 50 feet of a Residential District.

B-2 Zoning Kinjal Mistry, applicant. Held in abeyance from the November 4th, 2020 meeting.

C.U.P. #3-2020 Conditional Use Permit requested, to allow for Residential Social Service facility. B-1A William Hurley, applicant. Held

in abeyance from December 2nd, 2020 meeting.

B.A. #1-2021 5900 Baumhart Rd. Variance requested to construct 1,360 square foot accessory building. Ordinance #175-00 Accessory buildings in I-1 districts must comply with R-3 requirements. Section 1129.05 (D1) Max allowable accessory square footage is 780 square feet. I-1 Zoning Donel Springer, applicant.

B.A. #2-2021 1305 Oberlin Ave. P.P.N. # 02-01-006121-024, (025), (026), (027), (028), (029), (030), (031), (034), (035) and P.P.N. # 02-

01-006-122-021, (022), (023), (024). Variance requested to allow outside storage of vehicles. Section 1171.08 All uses except for loading operations and parking shall be conducted within a completely enclosed structure.

PLANNING COMMISSION Disposition of minutes from previous Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Commission Meetings.

Z.C.A. #1-2020 Submission for Planning Commission's recommendation to Lorain City Council, for the rezoning of

property located at 760 Oberlin Ave. from R-2 Residential to B-1 General Business to allow for a restaurant. Jorge Chavez, applicant.

Richard G. Klinar, ACTING SECRETARY, LORAIN CITY PLANNING COMMISSION AND ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS IF APPLICANT UNABLE TO ATTEND, PLEASE CALL (440) 204-2034.

L.C.C.G. 12/31/20 20675501 LEGAL NOTICE

In the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, 225 Court Street, Elyria, Lorain County, Ohio, 44035.

Case No. 20DR088644.

Natasha TownsendSeymour, 2342 East 35th Street, Lorain, OH 44055, Plaintiff vs. Irving Seymour, Defendant.

Irving Seymour, whose last known address 340 Cornell Avenue, Elyria, OH 44035 but whose address other than as set forth is unknown and cannot with the exercise of reasonable diligence be ascertained, and upon whom service of summons cannot be

had in the State of Ohio, will take notice that on December 17, 2020, Natasha TownsendSeymour, as Plaintiff, filed her complaint against him in the Court of Common Pleas, Domestic Relations Division, of Lorain County, Ohio, being Case No. 20DR088644, requesting a divorce from Defendant, that the Court make a fair and equitable distribution of the parities' property and debt, and an award of a reasonable sum for any costs, expenses, and attorney's fees in this action, and for such other relief as shall be proper and necessary, based upon

the grounds that the parties are incompatible, and for other grounds under RC § 3105.01 Said above named defendant will further take notice that he is required to answer the complaint on or before the 4th day of March, 2021.

NATASHA TOWNSENDSEYMOUR, Plaintiff By: CHRISTOPHER P. REWAK, (#0085957), 300 Fourth Street, Elyria, OH 44035, Attorney for Plaintiff

L.C.C.G. 12/31/20; 1/7-14-2128; 2/4/21 20675680

Page A4

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

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THE YEAR IN REVIEW

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The Ohio Army National Guard arrives in Lorain County to help Second Harvest Food Bank and the Lorain Port Authority pass out food to residents whose livelihoods were destabilized by COVID restrictions.

VIRUS

FROM A1 sanitizer. Spring sports were unceremoniously canceled. Schools launched free meal distributions for families in need.

The spring primary election was upended as the polls were ordered closed. Census field operations were halted. Businesses were sent into shock as shoppers were ordered to stay home, then all but the most essential industries were forced to close down. Nursing home residents were completely isolated, cut off from their families.

Churches closed for Easter, their holiest holiday.

By June, Ohio's severe health orders were relaxed. While cases continued to mount, they did not overwhelm hospital capacity, as had originally been feared.

On July 23, acting state Director of Health Lance Himes issued an order making mask-wearing mandatory in public.

Some Lorain County school districts reopened their physical doors in the fall.

All offered online-only options, while a select few — Oberlin, Lorain and Vermilion — chose to continue with all students learning remotely from home.

The virus continued to spread. Even counties with the lowest exposure and spread rates eventually turned orange, then red on the state's COVID-19 alert map. Franklin County was the first to turn purple — the highest level — followed by Lorain, Lake and Montgomery counties, then several more before the spread began to "cool" again.

All hopes turned to the arrival of a vaccine.

The first doses arrived in Lorain County on Dec. 21, and University Hospitals were the first to start injections shortly after noon on Dec. 23. Later that day, Mercy Health and Lorain County Public Health also started giving the vaccine to medical personnel.

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Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider reads a resolution calling for the Lorain County Fair to be canceled. After three hours of debate, the Fair Board decided to hold only a Junior Fair.

Heated debate over the Lorain Marching against police brutality County Fair Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

After a Black Lives Matter march to Amherst Town Hall, Mark Ballard II speaks with a bullhorn atop the Five Point bandstand, calling for change.

AMHERST — "Hands up, don't shoot," chanted a group of about 250 people in June as they marched down Cleveland Avenue, angered by racial injustices across America.

The Black Lives Mater demonstration traveled 2.5 miles through the heart of the city to protest the violent killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Sandra Bland, Philandro Castile and other people of color at the hands of police.

It was one of thousands of marches held across the nation, including events in Oberlin, Vermilion, Lorain, Elyria and Avon.

Floyd's death on May 25 was the boil-over point for frustrations. A video showed Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin kneeling on his neck for nine minutes as Floyd suffocated to death during an arrest over an alleged counterfeit bill. Officers J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane stood by, doing nothing to save the handcuffed Chauvin as the life was slowly choked out of him.

"A human being taking another human being's life in this manner, for what? Nine minutes is too long," said Mark Ballard II, who helped organize the Amherst protest.

Amherst police officers walked with the demonstrators in a show of solidarity, and kept watchful eyes on a single, armed counter-protester.

"It's not enough to be saddened by racism anymore — you have to be antiracist," said Police Chief Joseph Kucirek, who marched at the front of the parade. "And it's not enough to be saddened by police brutality — you have to be against police brutality."

In Oberlin, protesters lay in

Steve Manheim | Chronicle

Protesters gathered on Tappan Square in Oberlin, holding signs and listening to organizers speak about injustices. the grass on Tappan Square, then marched down Route 58 to the post office.

"Every day of my life, I'm aware of the fragility of our lives in the face of police violence," said Oberlin College professor Charles Peterson.

"That violence for black bodies is in the DNA of this nation. It is constant as the sun and as regular as the times."

Peterson called for changes within the Oberlin Police Department as he said policing in America must be completely changed across the country.

An organizer of the Oberlin protest,

Johnny Spinkston Jr., said there's a duty to stand and speak up against injustices like Floyd's death. He urged white people to hold conversations among themselves to discuss racism and systemic racism.

"I've cared my whole life," Spinkston said. "I cared before I knew to care. The justice system has been making decisions for me and my family before I was born... It's important that we speak up against police. It's important that you speak up for people of color, white people.

It is important to say Black Live Matter, and to say why black lives matter."

Protests against Oberlin College layoffs OBERLIN — Chanting "union busting is disgusting," more than 800 students crammed the King Building's hallways Feb. 19 at Oberlin College.

They gathered outside a chamber where college President Carmen Ambar reportedly told faculty of plans to lay off 108 full-time workers represented by the United Auto Workers.

Through the year, dining, maintenance and custodial staff were replaced with lower-paid workers to save money as the college wrestles with a budget deficit.

In an email notifying workers of the impending layoffs, college President Carmen Twillie Ambar said the changes could “save a critical $1 million a year in the operational costs of the dining program, and potentially another $1 million or more a year in custodial services.”

She wrote that 63 percent of the college's budget "is dedicated to compensation."

The protest was led by student organizations Oberlin Beyond Austerity, Student Labor Action Coalition and Oberlin Democratic Socialists, with other organizations in attendance.

Riley Calcagno, a fourth-year student who helped organize the protest, described some of the union workers as being surrogate family members. He recalled one custodian who cleaned the dorm his freshman year, made him feel welcome and gave students congratulatory cards at the end of the semester.

WELLINGTON — A knock-down, drag-out fight over holding the Lorain County Fair in the midst of a pandemic dragged on for weeks.

It culminated in July with an 11-9 vote to cancel most parts of the event and hold only a closed-to-the-public Junior Fair.

"The reality is that the saddest thing in the world happened to us this year," said Fair Board member Steve Purdey.

He argued the organization's finances were strong enough for a Junior Fair, but with state restrictions that would severely limit admissions, anything larger would likely run the fair into the red.

Fair Board member Don Crawford saw throwing open the gates to tens of thousands of people as a bad idea, and doubted they would follow rules about face coverings. "I'm really not interested in fighting with people about wearing masks," he said.

Board member Nikki Claubaugh said she has taken animals to the fair for 20 years and watched kids grow up on the fairgrounds in Wellington.

"This is what they live for. This is what I live for," she said — but Claubaugh argued it would be "epically and morally incorrect" to have a full fair, and said the decision wasn't based on politics or personal preference, only the threat posed by COVID-19.

The decision did not sit well with many.

Board member Jed Lamb said canceling the fair would cause 4-H to suffer, and scaling it back would cause a generation of kids to turn their backs on agriculture.

"Just understand there are going to be consequences for doing this, I think, and they're not going to be good," said board President Kim Meyers, who championed moving ahead with a full fair.

Meyers clashed with Wellington Mayor Hans Schneider, who read a Village Council resolution asking for the 2020 fair to be canceled.

"I don't have an ax to grind with you. I'm not politically motivated," the mayor said.

Voting to cancel the Senior Fair wouldn't be "antifair," said Schneider. "I think a yes vote for the fair says, 'We are OK with sickness and we will accept death to put on the fair.'"

The advice of Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell ultimately swayed a majority of Fair Board members.

"If you think you're going to throw the doors open and have a regular full fair, that's just not going to happen," he said.

The fair also endured continued criticism of its policy allowing the sale of Confederate flags and memorabilia, especially in the light of anti-racism marches held across the country.

“That symbol has a lot of baggage in this country,” said Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield during a July press conference on the steps of the old Lorain County courthouse.

Jeanine Donaldson of the Fair-minded Coalition of Lorain County said the flag "stood for terrorism, hate and divisiveness all these years” and vowed to continue to activism against the fair until Confederate memorabilia is no longer sold.

"Over time, we have seen that flag being used in racist assemblies, racist demonstrations, in Charlottesville to just pick some place in the U.S.,” she said. “That's their banner, the Confederate flag.”

Jason Hawk | Oberlin News-Tribune

Second-year student Evelyn Chedekel holds a sign outside the King Building, where an estimated 830 protesters protested layoffs.

"I'm worried about a lot of people who have been here for decades, and are going to lose their jobs," said Jasper Perry-Anderson, a member of the Student Labor Action Coalition.

Lu Zucker, a 2019 graduate who attended the protest, said the students and UAW want to keep people employed with livable wages and appropriate benefits.

“Oberlin College is prioritizing money over workers’ rights, therefore, human rights,” Zucker said.

In August, college staff held a farewell parade for the last of the

workers who received layoff notices.

They carried signs that read "You will be missed" and "UAW employees deserve better, they are Oberlin."

Diane Lee, who has worked at Oberlin College for more than 40 years, said many of those who have been laid off are friends. Their names were written on a poster that hung on the side of her car.

"The college has survived their financial difficulties in the past and they will this time, too. It's just a shame they're trying to do it by ruining people's lives," Lee said.

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Page A6

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Discrimination Hung, Moore win commissioner seats ban enacted by Oberlin Council OBERLIN — In an historic Dec. 21 vote, City Council enshrined protections for people who are gay, transgender and nonbinary.

The new law effectively bans workplace discrimination against the LGBTQ community, extending the same civil rights shield afforded to other Ohioans for decades.

It provides umbrella protection to workers at any business within the city limits that employs four or more people, excluding family members. It also ensures the rights of people who use "public accommodations" such as hotels, banks, barbershops and salons, theaters and stores.

Oberlin's ordinance contains exemptions for religious organizations as required by the First Amendment.

Nor does it apply to federal or state government offices within Oberlin, such as the Federal Aviation Administration air traffic control center on Route 511.

Running as a team, David Moore and Michelle Hung were elected in November to the Lorain County Board of Commissioners, giving Republicans a majority voice there for the first time in decades.

They ousted incumbents Lori Kokoski and Sharon Sweda, leaving Matt Lundy as the only Democrat.

Tom Williams, who ran the Republicans' joint campaign, said having President Donald Trump at the top of the ticket helped secure a victory.

"Having a popular person and people that are motivated to come out to vote, that's always encouraging and helpful," he said.

Hung, a North Ridgeville

Amherst Council VACCINE term lengths double

Michelle Hung

David Moore

councilwoman at-large, defeated Kokoski 78,754 to 73,862, according to official election results. Moore, who served one term as a commissioner from 2001 to 2005, defeated Sweda 77,647 to 74,051.

The change has already had an effect on county operations, even before Hung and Moore take office. The duo ran on a campaign promise to fire long-serving County Administrator James Cordes — sidestep-

ping what they touted as a potential lawsuit, current commissioners voted 3-0 in December to terminate Cordes and allow him to walk away with a hefty pension.

Moore and Hung also campaigned on a promise to roll back an unpopular quarter-percent sales tax imposed in 2016, when county government was facing deep budget cuts including layoffs. Kokoski, Sweda and Lundy beat them to the punch at the final scheduled meeting of 2020, saying the tax had served its purpose and put the county on solid footing with a nearly $22 million carryover into 2021.

away and you hope that they recover fully. It’s been very trying.”

Later in the afternoon, Chad Arcaba sat down and rolled up his sleeve at New Russia Township Lodge. He was the first to get the vaccine from Lorain County Public Health.

The Elyria firefighter medic, who lives in South Amherst, already fought a battle with the virus. He was sick for eight days, losing his taste and enduring body pains and headaches.

“It wasn’t pleasant," Arcaba said. "I wouldn’t wish anybody to go through what I went through with it.”

Even after recovery, he dealt with a long-term cough. Any time he’d exert himself, his lungs would burn.

Now Arcaba said he’s almost fully recovered and hopes the arrival of several vaccines from competing pharmaceutical companies will be “the endgame” for the pandemic.

“I just trust these companies," he said. "They’re American companies, and I trust that they have our best interests at heart. If we’re going to beat this and get back to normal, I think this is the only way to go. I’d encourage anybody to take it.”

Arcaba got his shot at the county’s first clinic for emergency medical technicians — firefighters who are often the first to encounter infected patients.

Lorain County Deputy Health Commissioner Mark Adams said he hoped to use all 500 vaccine doses available to his department by the end of the day.

A long line of area fire personnel stretched out the

New Russia hall’s doors and into the parking lot.

Adams said health officials have been in a stalemate with the virus for nine months, bogged down in contact tracing and watching case counts and hospitalizations grow. Last week's clinic represented a turning point in that battle, he said.

Public excitement is also building. Adams said he took 60 calls Tuesday from people asking how to get the shot so they can return to their normal lives.

“They all had the same theme: ‘I just want out of my house,’" he said. "They all have that same feeling inside."

The county health department expects to get a steady stream of vaccines each week, and is planning a series of small clinics to get it out as fast as possible. The state has pushed an additional $20,000 to Lorain County Public Health to help with vaccination costs and is also shipping boxes of needles and other supplies to smooth the process.

Local health officials have committed to making vaccines free to everyone, Adams said.

About the same time Arcaba sat down in New Russia, primary care physician Kathleen Meehan-De La Cruz was one of the first at Mercy Health Lorain Hospital to receive the vaccine.

Media were not allowed in to see the vaccinations, but at a news conference later, Meehan-De La Cruz expressed relief. She said she is at a high risk for COVID-19, as are four other members of her household.

“This is absolutely his-

toric and we’re now seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” she said. “We’ve been fighting this pandemic with masks and isolation and soap and we now have a stronger tool, which is the vaccine.”

Meehan-De La Cruz said she has been educating her patients about the safety of the vaccine. Most are from the Hispanic community, which is the demographic most heavily affected by COVID-19 — one in four of those who have had COVID-19 are Hispanic.

Mercy Health Lorain received 1,000 doses of the vaccine, which was set aside for frontline employees. Chief Clinical Officer Gilbert Palmer said Mercy Health Lorain is working with people across the county to spread awareness about the safety of the vaccine.

“There is resistance; there is skepticism; there is concern,” he said. “We’ve always found that the best antidote to concern and fear is education. At every opportunity we have, we try to get out to the public and send the right messages, the right instruction to allay those fears. Because really, this technology is not new technology, but it’s the first time it’s been seen on such a massive undertaking.”

Meehan-De La Cruz said this is just the beginning.

She will continue to wear her mask, socially distance and wash hands until herd immunity is achieved in the U.S. Nursing manager Tina Allgood also received the vaccine Wednesday. She said she took it because she wants to be able to hug her kids and grandkids again soon.

FROM A1

AMHERST — Voters overwhelmingly agreed in November to choose Amherst City Council members less often and stagger elections.

Term lengths for the city's seven Council seats the body's president will now stretch four years instead of two.

There will still be Council races on the ballot every two years. But they'll be split so that voters can no longer choose to wipe the slate clean and name all new members at once.

Issue 4, which covered the Council seats, passed 71.76 percent to 28.24 percent. Issue 5, which covered the Council president, passed 73.29 percent to 26.71 percent.

St. Joseph Parish celebrates 50 years A $2 million sanctuary renovation marked the halfcentury anniversary of St. Joseph Catholic Church early in the year.

"After 50 years of wear and tear, she's showing her age," said the Rev. Tim O'Connor, standing in the middle of a stain glass-lit construction zone.

The parish was founded in 1864 but the present church was built in 1970, just after the Second Vatican Council. O'Connor said it desperately needed updated to help parishioners with disabilities and mobility issues.

Sweeping updates were made possible by two estates worth a combined $476,000 that were left to the parish.

Notice The City of Oberlin is accepting 2021 applications from community organizations for possible contracts related to the provision of service(s) to Oberlin residents. Applications are available at the City of Oberlin Website at www.cityofoberlin.com

Submission Deadline is January 22, 2021

the Elyria facility.

Ben Farber, chief nursing officer at UH Elyria, gave the shot to Farchman.

He was excited about the vaccine rollout, and said he planned to be involved with as many inoculations as possible.

President Kristi Sink said she anticipated about 130 workers would be vaccinated by the end of the day Monday.

“What this does for us is give us the opportunity to turn this disease around," she said. "So it’s historic.

We look back to the historical scarlet fever, and the flu (outbreaks) that we’ve seen in the history of the United States. This will be something that people look back at us, at our time, to see.”

For Farschman, the vaccine marks the beginning of the end of a long and emotionally painful struggle.

“People that don’t work in the hospital, they just don’t realize how bad it is," he said. "When you’re with the same patient for months, and they’re on a ventilator and you’re doing everything you can but they’re just not responding, it tears you up."

For every one of his COVID-19 patients, there has been a family out there praying for recovery, he said. Knowing that not everyone will live through the virus has been agonizing.

“It takes a toll after seeing the same people for a month, and then they don’t make it,” Farschman said.

“The ones that do, they go

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New Russia meeting

The New Russia Township trustees will hold their 2021 organizational meeting at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31 at the township offices, 46300 Butternut Ridge Rd.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 DECEMBER 31, 2020 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live JANUARY 1, 2021 ..........OFFICE CLOSED IN OBSERVANCE OF NEW YEAR’S DAY JANUARY 4, 2021 ..........SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 6:30 P.M. Purpose: To Adjourn into Executive Session to disucss Pending Litigation JANUARY 4, 2021 ..........REGULAR CITY COUNCIL MEETING – 7:00 P.M. JANUARY 5, 2021 ..........HUMAN RELATIONS COMMISSION – 5:15 P.M. JANUARY 6, 2021 ..........PLANNING COMMISSION – 4:30 P.M. NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A7

THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Outrage after McCormick school lunch fiasco WELLINGTON — A cafeteria worker was fired in April after an investigation into why she'd taken lunch away from a McCormick Middle School student.

The fourth-grader's family had an outstanding $6 lunchroom debt, but accord-

ing to Superintendent Ed Weber, the way employee Barb Ziegler handled the situation wasn't in line with district policy.

"This is not the kind of organization we want to run. It is outside our operating procedures and we will

make sure appropriate action is taken," he said after the incident in January.

The Wellington Schools allow students to incur up to $20 in cafeteria debt before a reserve fund is used to help them cover costs, after which the principal is supposed to

look into a resolution.

The incident and the child's reaction were recorded on school video equipment. "They offered him no food after," said the child's mother, Jamie Babb.

"He was nervous and he was embarrassed."

Ziegler was placed on administrative leave and the district worked through disciplinary hearings. After a two-hour meeting behind closed doors, the Wellington Board of Education voted unanimously to end her employment.

The affair caused the school community to reevaluate the way cafeteria debt is handled. Donors stepped up to erase all outstanding student debt and build a fund to help pay for lunches as needed in the future.

$7.5M Akron Children's Hospital coming Angry faith leaders call for Trump censure OBERLIN — It takes the most grievous of behavior to stir ministers to anger. President Donald Trump's treatment of peaceful protesters rose to the occasion in June.

In June, as demonstrators called for an end to police violence across the nation, Trump walked from the White House to the historic St. John's Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C., for what he called a "very symbolic" photo op.

Ahead of his visit, police wearing body armor used tear gas to force hundreds of peaceful demonstrators away from Lafayette Square Park.

Trump went to the Pope John Paul II National Shrine the next day, in a move Roman Catholic Archbishop Wilton Daniel Gregory called "baffling and reprehensible."

In the aftermath, 23 Oberlin faith leaders from a range of traditions — Baptist, Quaker, Catholic, Presbyterian, Unitarian and more — called for Trump's censure.

“We join many other faith leaders who have termed the president’s actions ‘blasphemy,’" said John Elder, retired former pastor of The First Church in Oberlin United Church of Christ.

"Although many members of Congress, like clergy across the religious spectrum, have expressed dismay and disgust at what the president did, the seriousness of his actions demands a much stronger response," Elder wrote.

Censure is a formal reprimand from the House of Representatives, the Senate or both for presidential conduct that does not befit the Oval Office.

AMHERST — Akron Children's Hospital is investing $7.5 million in a new medical center on Cooper Foster Park Road near the Hollstein Reservation Metro Park.

The 23,000-square-foot facility is under construction on four acres on the south side of Cooper Foster next to State Route 2.

"We're very excited to be here in Lorain County, and this is certainly an opportunity for us to provide highquality health care close to home," said Brian Lapolla, vice president of facilities, planning, construction and public safety for Akron Children's Hospital.

He said the center will improve the region's access to pediatric health care.

The Amherst building will offer primary care, radiology, lab services, and specialties such as cardiology, gastroenterology and maternal fetal medicine, said Lapolla.

It is scheduled to open in December 2021.

Mann Parsons Gray Architects

This digital rendering, presented Sept. 30 to the Amherst Planning Commission, shows what a new Akron Children's Hospital facility will look like on Cooper Foster Park Road.

String of Oberlin school board changes OBERLIN — Deon Regis was sworn in as a brand new Oberlin Board of Education member in January.

In June, the composition of the school board changed again when Albert Borroni, who was serving as president, resigned. After buying a new house in Avon, he was no longer eligible to hold the

office.

Remaining board members chose Farah Emeka — an attorney who serves as prosecutor for Oberlin Amherst, South Amherst and surrounding townships — to fill the vacated seat. Board member Jason William was elevated to serve as president for the remainder of 2020.

In late August, Regis submitted a letter of resignation less than a quarter into his four-year term, citing "unforeseen circumstances including current family health issues," leading to yet another shift on the board.

This time, the remaining school board members appointed Kimberly Jackson-

Davidson to the empty seat, swearing her in through the end of 2023.

She will not serve that duration, however, unless elected to the post. Oberlin officials were unaware that Ohio law requires a special election in November 2021 due to the length of the unexpired term.

UH Rainbow Lorain Pediatrics is growing to serve you better!

At UH Rainbow Lorain Pediatrics, our goal is to provide our families with the highest quality health care.

That’s why we are excited to share news of the big changes coming to our practice in the New Year.

IN JANUARY, we will open a second location at: 319 West Lorain Street, Oberlin 44074

And, we will welcome two new pediatric providers: Khalid Akbar, MD Pediatrician Elana Richter, CNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

IN FEBRUARY, we will move our main office to: 590 North Leavitt Road, Amherst 44001 With easy access to parking and private entrance.

All UH Rainbow Lorain Pediatrics providers are accepting new patients. Schedule an appointment online at UHRainbow.org/ScheduleRLP or call 440-482-7514.

Learn more about our changes at UHRainbow.org/RLP

© 2020 University Hospitals RBC 1425446

RBC 1425466 Lorain Peds_9.89 x 10.indd 2

12/11/20 10:22 AM

Page A8

Thursday, Dec. 31, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

© 2020 by Vicki Whiting, Editor Jeff Schinkel, Graphics Vol. 37, No. 4

H

ere is what money looks like on Planet Moolah. They don’t have paper money. Instead, Moolahians use metal coins in different shapes. Below each coin, its value is shown.

O

n the Planet Moolah, the money doesn’t look like ours. But the inhabitants have their own money and they use it the same way we do to pay for stuff.

Zeekor and Stasko are traveling to the Supply Station to do some shopping. They’ll need your help to figure out what things they can afford to buy. They’ll also need your help counting out the money to pay.

Zeekor and Stasko need new boots. Add up all the money they have saved and circle the two pairs of boots that cost exactly that much.

5 ZINKS

How many zinks will it cost to refuel Stasko and Zeekor’s ship for the journey home? Add up the coins along the correct path. Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer.

105 145 120 135 115 160

10 ZINKS

25 ZINKS

50 ZINKS

Stasko gets paid 130 zinks each day for feeding her neighbor’s pet, Fralpar. While she is carefully feeding Fralpar, can you circle some Planet Moolah coins that add up to 130 zinks? Have a family member check your math.

100 ZINKS

500 ZINKS

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Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive, engaging and relevant age-appropriate materials designed to awaken the magic of reading at school, at home, and throughout their lives.

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1,000 ZINKS

There’s got to be easier ways to make money!

Zeekor made a list of things his mom asked him to buy. She gave him 1,000 zinks. Add up the cost of the items on the list. Then write a new list to spend as close to 1,000 zinks as possible without going over that amount.

Do you have a piggy bank? Kids on Planet Moohlah save their money in schneekflet banks. Find the two that are the same.

Draw a line from each snack in the vending machine to the circle that contains that exact amount of Planet Moohlah coins needed to buy it.

Wants and Needs Look through the

newspaper to find examples of things people NEED to survive. Then find examples of things you WANT but don’t need. Cut them out and glue them onto a poster showing Needs and Wants.

Standards Link: Social Science: Students understand basic economic concepts.

Stasko would love to buy a new Supernova Ultra ship. It costs 12,000 zinks. After giving the dealership 2,000 zinks, she has to pay it off in monthly payments.

1. How much would she have to pay per month to completely pay for the ship in 50 months?

2. Or, if Stasko gave the dealership 5,000 zinks for the first month’s payment, and made payments of 500 zinks per month, how many months would it take to pay for the ship?

It Pays to Share

Newspapers often report on people sharing with others. Look for one or more articles about people donating or raising money for a good cause. List the time, talent and/or money that was donated to this cause.

Standards Link: Reading comprehension.

CAREFULLY MOOLAH VENDING MONEY SNACK COINS BANKS PAID FIGURE KIDS BOOTS BUY PATH VALUE OUT

S V W B H T A P G C

T D P A I D G N S A

K U I N S N I O C R

This week’s word:

B O Y S N V C V R F

The verb afford means to have enough money to be able to buy something.

M C O K F D B K E E

O L O E J A W A U U

AFFORD

O B V L N T Y L G L

By saving money for a few months, Clara could afford to buy a new bike.

S V B Y P H M E F Y

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

T A U S A O S U I L

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recongized identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Why have a piggy bank?

Do you have a piggy bank?

If so, why? If not, why not?