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Summer theatre From left to right, Paige Titsworth, Wesley Sneed, Alexandria Manthey, and Cameron Ritter rehearse a scene from the Clay High School Limelighters Summer Theatre Workshop production of "Curtains! The Musical Comedy Whodunit." Performances are August 11 and 12 at 7:00 pm at the Clay High School Auditorium. The summer workshop gives students a chance to direct, choreograph, design, produce, and act in a stage production. For more information call the Clay Limelighter box office at 419-693-0665 ext. 2150. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)
Initiated by Walbridge woman
Gavarone updates on ‘no labels’ bill A bill designed to alert police officers of motorists with communication problems may be passed by the state legislature this year, Representative Theresa Gavarone, R – Bowling Green, informed the Lake Township trustees Tuesday. Rep. Gavarone said H.B. 115 passed in the House of Representatives by a vote of 96-0 and has been referred to the Senate Government and Oversight and Reform Committee. She gave sponsor testimony to the senate committee in June. Gavarone credited Jenny Hughes, a Walbridge resident and parent of a son who is autistic but “high functioning”, with informing her about what she called the No Labels Initiative. The bill establishes a voluntary database of motorists with communication disabilities to be utilized by law enforcement officers through the Law Enforcement Automated Data System (LEADS). Before approaching a vehicle, an officer may run its registration and will be notified if a driver or passengers have registered as having a communication disability. Hughes said she met with Mark Hummer, Lake Township police chief, to
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discuss the idea and he agreed there was a need to inform officers about motorists with disabilities. He, in turn, floated the idea to the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police. With the information kept private, rather than having a visible marker on a license plate or driver’s license, there is no stigma of being labeled as a person with a disability, Gavarone said, and because inclusion in the database is voluntary, medical privacy regulations aren’t violated. Someone can enroll by submitting a verification form and certification by a physician. “There is a lot of positive support” in the legislature, she said. Land purchase In other business, the trustees ap-
proved a resolution to purchase 6.7 acres at the corner of Lemoyne and Walbridge roads for $45,000. The trustees plan to use the parcel to expand the township cemetery, which sits next to the property. “We bought it for the future of our residents and non-residents,” Ken Gilsdorf, a trustee, said, adding the trustees consider it a good price. The additional acreage will add about 10 to 15 years worth of space to the cemetery, the trustees estimate Ron Hanley, township sexton, said a new columbarium is expected to be in place at the cemetery by mid-September. The trustees met in executive session Tuesday to discuss cemetery personnel issues but took no action. The trustees also approved a resolution to split the cost for a new emergency weather siren with the Village of Walbridge. The village and township will each pay $11,177. The siren will be located at Loop Park in the village and replace a siren on Main Street in the village. The township also currently has a siren along E. Broadway and another at the fire station on Ayers Road near Millbury. Village and township officials have said the siren being replaced may be more than 60 years old.
Northwood to revive summer rec By Kelly J. Kaczala Press News Editor kkaczala@presspublications. Northwood is seeking a part-time recreation director to develop and coordinate city athletic, recreation and event programming. City Administrator Bob Anderson said the city once had a recreation director to organize the city’s summer recreation program. “They used to take them, in conjunction with the schools, to the art museum, swimming, take them all over the place. Right now, the city is in a position where we can start to offer residents quality of life programs.” Survey Mayor Ed Schimmel said he brought up the idea of hiring a part-time rec director after seeing the results of a recreation survey conducted by the city that was completed recently by residents. “Our residents overwhelmingly suggested bringing back the summer recreation program for children that was discontinued many years ago,” said Schimmel. “We need someone to organize that program, to continue to work on music and movie events in our parks, and to oversee the new farmers’ market. Our comprehensive plan from 2004 suggested hiring a full-time recreation director, so this has been a long time coming.” City council passed a job description for the position about two months ago, said Anderson. “We want to have someone in place by this fall so they can start working on things over the winter,” said Anderson. “We don’t have time this summer to get these programs going.” Councilman Dan Mikolajczyk is temporarily coordinating recreation programs until a part-time recreation director is hired. “I don’t have a problem doing it. I don’t want to do it the rest of my term,” he said. “If need be, I have no problem stepping up. The mayor has expressed a desire to Continued on page 2
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