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The Fightin’ the blues See page 13
January 14, 2013
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Korean vet gets diploma See page 3
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Benton Twp.
Trustees eye former school Is the Graytown Elementary School building, which was closed at the end of the 2011-12 school year, a suitable asset for Benton Township to acquire? Township trustees have been weighing the pros and cons of purchasing the building that is nearly 75 years old and held a public meeting earlier this month, offering residents an opportunity to weigh in on the matter. The building is located across the street from the township administrative office and other township facilities on N. Graytown Road and Gary Gregg, who chairs the board of trustees, last week said the former school has some good potential for the township. The township’s own office and maintenance building lack hot running water, he said, and there is only room for about 12 persons to attend a trustees’ meeting in the office. There has been no shortage of ideas for the school building, according to Gregg. “Part of the building could be turned into a community room that we would rent out,” he said. “Depending on how things go we could possibly lease out part of the building as offices or something like that. We’ve been working with many people, including the (Ottawa County) Improvement Corporation, and everyone has ideas. Some people are for it and some are against it.
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...we want it to be a neutral color, not bright green or hot pink or purple. Kimberly Vaculik See page 2
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It’s a lot more building than we need but I think we could make it work.
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By Larry Limpf News Editor news@presspublications.com
We’re still trying to get questions answered from the meeting.” According to records in the Ottawa County Auditor’s office, the building and grounds have an appraised value of $974,800 - $875,920 for the building and $98,880 for the land. The Benton-Carroll-Salem school board closed the building as part of a cost-cutting plan that included consolidating the district into fewer elementary buildings. “It’s a lot more building than we need but I think we could make it work. We wanted to get it out there in front of the public,” Gregg said, referring to the public meeting. Judy Roberts, a resident who attended the meeting, said in a phone interview she was encouraging residents to contact the trustees with their concerns about the possible purchase of the building. She said she was skeptical of the building’s development potential in the current economy. According to minutes of the school board’s Nov. 20 meeting, the board met in executive session to discuss the possible sale of property but took no action. The board is scheduled to meet for its 2013 organizational meeting and regular monthly meeting on Jan. 14. Gregg said school board members have indicated to him the process for putting the building up for auction will likely be on the agenda for that meeting. An email message left with the school board for comment was not returned. The school board voted in December 2011 to close Carroll and Graytown elementary schools, Rocky Ridge Elementary School was closed earlier.
Kathy Varga, an organizer for the bear collection, at Shirley’s Carry Out. (Press photo by Ken Grosjean)
A bear-y special collection A bear-y special collection has been under way at Shirley’s Carry Out in Curtice. To date, more than 250 teddy bears have been dropped off at Shirley’s to benefit the Sandy Hook Elementary School community in Newtown, Conn. in the aftermath of the shooting in December. The collection runs through Jan. 13. Organizers credit Jason Barnhart, who works at Shirley’s, for his help in the effort. Because of the overwhelming out-
pouring of support, Sandy Hook is no longer able to accept donated stuffed animals. Hence, the bears will be donated in the Sandy Hook victims’ honor to local police and fire departments, as well as to area organizations that support children, including Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Joyful Connections, Foundation 12, and a local migrant support effort offered through Path to Life. A letter detailing the collection effort will be sent to Sandy Hook, organizers say.
Genoa students are bound for inaugural trip By Cynthia L. Jacoby Special to the Suburban Press Genoa High School students will be among the spectators in Washington, D.C. when President Barack Obama takes the oath of office for his second term. Social Studies teacher James Dempster, who travels a lot himself and has visited the D.C. area on several occasions, said this is a historical moment the group is lucky to have the opportunity to take part in. “I’ve never known anyone who has attended a presidential inauguration,” Dempster said in a telephone interview. “It’s a unique experience. Not many people can
say they have seen a presidential inauguration upfront and personal. I thought it would be a neat experience for the kids.” Dempster asked the Genoa Board of Education for permission for the trip to the nation’s capital more than a year ago, Superintendent Dennis Mock said. Planning has been in the works since. The group, including Dempster, Government teacher Ron Liwo and 11 students, board a plane at Cleveland Airport bound for D.C. at 6 a.m. Jan. 19 and return in the afternoon Jan. 22. Adding to the excitement, the office of Ohio’s 5th District Congressman Bob Latta recently informed Dempster the staff was
able to arrange VIP seating for the whole crew at the National Mall. “I think it’s a pretty big deal …That’s unheard of to get that many tickets,” Dempster said. Obama’s first inauguration as the 44th president of the United States took place on Jan. 20, 2009, drawing nearly 1.8 million people. The event, which set a record attendance for any event held in Washington, D.C., was also the most-observed globally given television viewership and Internet traffic numbers. This month, the presidential inauguration takes place publicly on Monday, Jan. 21, the day after a private swearing-in ceremony.
By law, the president must take the oath by noon, Jan. 20. And since that day falls on a Sunday, the private ceremony has been scheduled. According to the Associated Press, the second inauguration is expected to draw fewer spectators, an estimated 600,000 to 800,000. The week of festivities include the inauguration, inaugural parade down Pennsylvania Avenue as well as a night of inaugural balls and galas honoring President Obama. The Genoa students will take part in an inaugural ball of their own with students
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