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From Fruit Farm to Bull Riding: Teen Chases Rodeo Dream By Rose Nemunaitis editor@karlovecmedia.com Dust, adrenaline and heart will fill The Great Geauga County Fair’s grandstand on Labor Day as championship bull riding and lightning-fast barrel racing return to the fair. The High Steel Rodeo action kicks off at 2:30 p.m. Sept. 1 at the grandstand. General admission is $12, with children ages 3 and younger admitted free. The event will feature a full slate of rodeo competition for fairgoers. Among those taking center stage will be local teen and bull rider Jack Patterson of Chester Township, who is looking forward to competing in front of a roaring hometown crowd. Patterson first became interested in bull riding about two years ago after attending the North Bloomfield High Steel Rodeo, sponsored by the Geauga County Farm Bureau. After watching the competition, he decided he wanted to give the sport a try. His parents were initially hesitant because of bull riding's inherent dangers, but they also wanted to support something he was passionate about. That decision sparked a love for the sport that has continued to grow. “I really like the action of bull riding,” Patterson said. “I like that no two rides are ever the same. Every time that gate opens, it's a different challenge, and that's what keeps me wanting more. I also love the adrenaline. There really ain’t another feeling like nodding your head and giving your 110 percent for eight seconds on the back of a bull. It's also just a great group of people to be around, and that's a big part of what makes the sport
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Chester Township’s Jack Patterson maintains a busy rodeo schedule throughout the year and is looking forward to competing at The Great Geauga County Fair’s Labor Day High Steel Rodeo.
so special to me.” Patterson is also active on his family's seventh-generation operation, Patterson Fruit Farm in Chester Township, where the family raises apples, strawberries and peaches. This fall, he will be a senior at West Geauga High School and is a member of the Ohio High School Rodeo Association. In addition to competing in rodeo, Patterson will serve as senior class president and participates in track and varsity soccer. He is also a member of the National Honor Society and the Interact community service club. To sharpen his rodeo skills, Patterson attended Sankey Rodeo School and won the Buckin' on the Ridge Winter Series through See Rodeo • Page C4
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Chester Township’s Jack Patterson competes in bull riding during a previous Great Geauga County Fair rodeo.
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Chester Township’s Jack Patterson, a West Geauga Schools senior, is considering attending The Ohio State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University or Texas A&M University to study animal science. But for now, he said his focus on becoming the best bull rider he can be.
Rodeo
from page C3 Crossfire Bull Riding at Riverland Arena in Navarre. After high school, he hopes to continue competing. “Whether that's through college rodeo or entering open rodeos, I just want to keep getting on good bulls and improving,” Patterson said. “During college, I plan to get my PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) permit and then work toward earning my PRCA card.” He is considering attending The Ohio State University, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University or Texas A&M University to study animal science. “If I go to a school with a rodeo team, I plan to compete in college rodeo,” Patterson said. “If I end up somewhere like Ohio State, I'll keep entering open rodeos while I'm in school. Either way, my goal is to keep riding and see how far I can take it in professional rodeo.” For now, Patterson said his focus is becoming the best bull rider he can be. “When I’m lowering down, I really don’t think about much else besides the ride I am
about to make,” he said. “Nodding my head is just that moment where you are fully in it and committed.” He added, “One of the more exciting things is the fact that you sure as heck are not going to out-muscle these bulls. They are weighing in at more or less 10 times your weight — meaning it is all on you to react right with your moves and timing.” According to Bulls, Bands, & Barrels, a bucking bull can weigh anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds. “And lastly, that feeling when you make a good ride is different than anything else,” Patterson said. “You really cannot compare it to anything, but it is just a rush that sticks with you. That is really what makes it so thrilling for me, just how fast it is and how much you have to make go right in a short amount of time.” Patterson competes year-round. “I compete in the Ohio High School Rodeo Association along with many others such as the American Professional Rodeo Association (APRA), the Southern Extreme Bull Riding Association (SEBRA), etc…,” he said. His August schedule includes rodeos at Smokey Lane Stables, the Holmes County Fair, Richland County Fair, North Bloomfield High Steel Rodeo, Mercer County Fair, Huron County Fair and the Great Geauga County Fair. Patterson said the mental aspect of the sport is its greatest challenge. The athlete’s pre-ride rituals include praying and listening to music by Roosevelt Road. Leading up to Labor Day's hometown rodeo, Patterson will also be preparing his livestock projects for the fair auction. He is a member of the Breeders and Feeders 4-H Club and exhibits pigs, sheep, poultry and rabbits. He also participates in 4-H activities at the local, state and national levels. Between farming, livestock projects, school leadership, athletics and bull riding, Patterson stays busy doing the things he loves most. Patterson encouraged both seasoned rodeo enthusiasts and curious newcomers to attend the Labor Day event. “It’ll be one of the greatest experiences of your life,” Patterson said. Fair admission is not included with the rodeo ticket. Tickets will be scanned at the gate, and guests will receive wristbands for re-entry.
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When the Human Cannonball Went to Court Geauga County Fair Act Led to Landmark Ruling Staff Report A human cannonball performance at The Great Geauga County Fair in 1972 led to a landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling that helped establish performers' "right of publicity." Stuntman Hugo Zacchini, of San Bernardino, Calif., performed his famous human cannonball act at the fair in August 1972. Zacchini was the first human cannonball to use a compressed-air cannon. A reporter for Cleveland-based Scripps-Howard Broadcasting Co. videotaped Zacchini's entire performance despite his request that it not be recorded, according to a Supreme Court of Ohio press release. Zacchini argued the news organization violated his right of publicity — the right to control the commercial use of one's identity — by broadcasting his entire act and unlawfully profiting from his performance. Scripps-Howard countered that the public's interest in newsworthy events gives news organizations constitutional protection to report on them. “As a broadcaster, it profits from reporting on public events such as Zacchini’s performance, the company conceded,” the release said. The Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas initially ruled in favor of Scripps-Howard. Zacchini appealed to the Eighth District Court of Appeals, which reversed the lower court's decision. “The Supreme Court of Ohio was sympathetic to Scripps-Howard’s arguments and
flipped the Eighth District decision, finding that news stations were constitutionally privileged in reporting matters of public interest,” the release said. The case ultimately reached the U.S. Supreme Court, which on June 28, 1977, ruled in Zacchini's favor. “The high court decided the U.S. Constitution doesn’t grant broadcasters immunity from infringements on an entertainer’s right of publicity, ultimately creating a precedent to protect performers from others seeking to profit from their persona,” the release said. The U.S. Supreme Court determined that broadcasting Zacchini's entire performance without permission threatened his ability to profit from his act, likening those rights to protections provided under patent and copyright law. “The court decided the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution (does not) allow media to broadcast an entire act without the performer’s permission,” the release said. The court did not determine how much Scripps-Howard should pay for violating Zacchini's publicity rights. “Instead, it directed Zacchini’s case back to the lower courts to eventually be settled out of court two years after the Supreme Court’s ruling,” the release said. Zacchini ultimately settled the case out of court for $10,000. The case is now featured among others in the Visitor Education Center at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center in Columbus.
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Hugo Zacchini, the first human cannonball to use a compressed-air cannon.
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COURTESY OF GEAUGAFAIR.COM
Ribbons from a previous Apple Pie Day Contest.
Apple Pie Day Returns Sept. 5 Staff Report The scent of cinnamon and fresh-baked crust will fill the Vernon Howard Band Pavilion on Sept. 5, as bakers of all ages compete in the annual Apple Pie Day Contest, sponsored by Patterson Fruit Farm and the fair auxiliary. Bakers register between 9 and 11:30 a.m. in the Domestic Arts Building. Competition is split into three age classes: 24 and under, 25 to 50 and 51 and over, with prizes of $25, $15 and $10 for first, second and third place in each group. Pies must use fresh apples only, feature a two-crust construction with no nuts or added extras and be baked in a disposable 8- or
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9-inch aluminum foil pan — no store-bought crusts allowed. Bakers should note the foil pans require about 15 minutes of extra cooking time compared with glass or metal pans. Winners will be announced over the PA system, and the pies themselves go up for public auction at 1 p.m., with proceeds benefiting the auxiliary fund. Last year’s grand champion honors went to John Sobecki, who topped the 51-and-over group; Kelli Leonetti and Flora Daltorio took top honors in the 25-50 and 24-and-under groups, respectively. Past grand champion winners are eligible to compete again only after sitting out three years, keeping the field open for new bakers to make their mark.
New Barn Quilt Contest Ties Tradition to America’s 250th Staff Report A new Barn Quilt Contest is part of The Great Geauga County Fair lineup this year. Entrants paint a quilt block design celebrating American history, patriotism or local heritage as part of the fair's America's 250th theme. Barn quilts — large, painted wooden quilt blocks mounted on the sides of barns — trace their modern form to Ohio, where Adams County resident Donna Sue Groves painted the first documented barn quilt on her mother's tobacco barn in 2001 as a tribute to family quilting traditions. The idea spread into organized barn quilt trails across the Midwest and beyond, and fair organizers say the new contest is a natural fit for a fair celebrating the nation's 250th birthday in a state where the tradition took root. The contest, directed by Tim Blair and Mark Shaver, carries an entry deadline of Aug. 5 and pays $250 for first place, $150 for second and $75 for third. Entries must be a 3-foot-by-3-foot square, built from durable exterior material threeeighths or one-half inch thick, and fitted with a proper wire hanger using two eye screws so the finished piece can be displayed. Designs
must be built for square display, not turned to a diamond orientation, and must follow a traditional quilt block pattern rather than free form artwork. Organizers are asking entrants to keep designs rooted in the fair's patriotic theme, whether that means American history, local heritage or the spirit of the country's 250th anniversary. Copyrighted logos, political messaging and offensive imagery are prohibited, and the fair reserves the right to reject any entry that violates those rules. Entries must also be painted with outdoor-quality, weather-resistant paint, since the pieces are intended to hold up outside. Each entrant must attach a label to the back of their piece listing their name, phone number and the title of their design, and only one entry is allowed per person. Winners won't be decided by a judging panel alone. Fairgoers will vote for their favorite barn quilt using a QR code posted at the display, with one vote allowed per device. If online voting fails for any reason, the fair reserves the right to select a winner itself. All barn quilt entries become the property of the Great Geauga County Fair once submitted, and organizers say the pieces will be auctioned or sold afterward to benefit the Fair Foundation.
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Full Pull Productions Brings Truck And Tractor Pull to Grandstand
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Staff Report Diesel smoke and roaring engines will fill the Main Grandstand at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 6, as Full Pull Productions stages its annual Truck and Tractor Pull, one of the marquee grandstand events of the Great Geauga County Fair. Billed by the promoter as "the world's most powerful motorsport," the competition draws modified trucks and tractors that compete to drag a weighted sled the farthest down the track, with the machines hauling progressively heavier loads until only one puller can move the sled. General admission tickets are $12, with pit passes available for $18 and box seats for
$20. Tickets are non-refundable and can be purchased in advance at tickets.geaugafair. com or at the gate. Children 3 and under get in free to all grandstand shows. The pull is part of a full slate of grandstand entertainment during the fair's Labor Day weekend run, which also includes demolition derbies, a rodeo and harness racing. Full Pull Productions competitions typically feature multiple weight and horsepower classes, giving spectators a look at everything from farm-stock tractors to heavily modified pulling trucks. Competitors follow the organization's national rulebook, which sets weight limits, engine specifications and safety requirements for each class.
Mid-Century Modern Category Debuts in Antique Hall Staff Report Antique Hall is adding a new era to its lineup this year, with a Mid-Century Modern Period category covering items from 1950 to 1975 set to debut alongside the fair's traditional antique classes. LOGGING • LAND CLEARING • LUMBER MILLING
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Fair organizers say the addition reflects a growing interest among collectors in postwar design, from kitchenware to home goods, and gives exhibitors space to showcase pieces that don't quite fit the hall's older, more traditional categories. Because display space remains limited, organizers are capping entries at 10 per person for the debut year. Fair officials say the cap will be reevaluated in future years depending on turnout and available space. The category is directed by Tyler Plants, with help from Linda Smallwood and Gretchen Wolfe. Entries must be in good condition, with judges weighing condition, beauty and rarity as they score each piece. Exhibits are limited to a single item per entry, unless a class specifies otherwise, and “specimen not listed” classes are reserved only for items with no other matching category in the hall. Entries and drop-off for Antique Hall are from noon to 8:30 p.m., Sept. 1, with judging the following day. Premiums are $5 for first place, $4 for second and $3 for third, with an $8 award and rosette for both best of show and the director's award. The Mid-Century Modern classes join this year's other new addition to the hall, a Korean War item category tied to the fair's America's 250th theme, giving Antique Hall two fresh reasons for collectors to enter this September.
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Hop to It: Geauga Fair’s Frog Jumping Contest Returns By Allison Wilson wilson@karlovecmedia.com
As the Great Geauga County Fair approaches, so does one of its oldest and greenest traditions — the annual frog jumping contest. The contest has been part of the fair for as long as Director-in-Charge Jim McCaskey can remember, and it remains as popular as ever. “Last year, we were probably close to 100 kids (entering),” he said. McCaskey said he hopes the contest, which has gained popularity over the years, never grows so large that organizers have to turn prospective participants away. “It’s crowded,” he said. “It is definitely pandemonium.” Contestants obtain their frogs in a variety of ways, he said. Some catch them in the fair's natural resource area, while others bring frogs from home. “There’s actually some kids that bring 10 or 15 frogs and then they sell them or rent them to the other kids,” he said. While participants must be 18 or younger, in McCaskey’s experience, the average contestant is about 12 years old. Many contestants are also 4-H members who are already experienced in caring for animals, including frogs, he said. The contest sometimes sparks friendly sibling rivalry, he said. “If Johnny won it last year, he’s getting a little bit older, his siblings are going to show up and they’re the ones who want to win
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again or beat their brother,” he said. “You’ll hear stories of ‘my brother won it five years ago and I gotta beat him and his record,’ and they remember the records.” Parents become just as invested in, and excited about, the competition, McCaskey added. “They cheer (their kids) on and they have fun,” he said. “It’s good old-fashioned American fun.” McCaskey described judging the contest as “utter chaos.” “We did get much more organized this
year because of the Youth and Livestock Center,” he said, referring to a new building on the fairgrounds. “So, now we’re on concrete, we have bleachers.” The contest also now uses a numbered registration system, with participants receiving a number when they sign up. While there are cash prizes of $30, $20 and $10 awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers, respectively, each child will also get $1 just for taking part, McCaskey said. A $250 prize is also available to anyone
who breaks the world record for distance across three jumps, currently 32 feet, 3 inches, set in 1954, he said. The Geauga County fair record stands at 14 feet, 8 inches — a mark McCaskey said has stood for many years. “You gotta be a pretty damn good frog jumper to get that $10, $20 or $30 first, second or third place award,” McCaskey said. McCaskey explained that contestants place their frog on a marked dot at the center of a carpet. Each frog is allowed three jumps and the total distance covered is measured. “(They usually go) 3 or 4 feet after three jumps,” he estimated. Occasionally, a frog will jump away from the starting point before hopping back toward it, he said. “(The frog) can do whatever (it) wants,” McCaskey said. He also offered advice to aspiring competitors: Smaller frogs tend to perform better. “Some people show up with those real big green, webbed feet frogs that look like they could jump a mile and they can’t,” he said. “They don’t move.” The contest will be held Sept. 7 in the Youth and Livestock Center. Registration begins at 2:30 p.m., with the competition starting at 3 p.m. Participants are limited to one frog per person, and each frog may compete only once. Owners may nudge their frog for its first jump but not for the second or third. Only frogs native to the area are permitted to compete.
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Scratch-Made From the Ground Up: Victoria’s Bakery Grows Its Own Success in Chester Township Staff Report From the sourdough on the shelves to the peppers ripening in the greenhouse out back, everything at Victoria's Bakery starts from scratch — and much of it starts right on the property. The bakery and coffee shop at 12725 Woodside Drive specializes in scratch-made, fresh-baked products using only high-quality, locally sourced ingredients. Construction began in fall 2021, and the shop opened in March 2024. The vision, said Executive Chef and Founder Victoria Robertson, was inspired by famed chef Thomas Keller, whose Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry grows much of its own food. "They do everything fresh, and they have their whole gardens in the back," Robertson said. "I've always been a strong believer in fresh, local and high-quality ingredients. So, if we can do that in our backyard, why wouldn't we?" Robertson, 30, a Chesterland native and 2014 West Geauga High School graduate, said she knew by age 10 that she wanted to bake for a living. "I've been baking for as long as I can remember, and I've never wanted to do anything else," she said. She launched Victoria's privately in 2016, supplying coffee shops, office buildings, farmer’s markets throughout Geauga County and See Victoria’s • Page C11
JOHN KARLOVEC/KMG
Victoria Robertson welcomes visitors to Victoria’s Bakery at 12725 Woodside Drive in Chester Township. Construction on the shop began in fall 2021, and it opened its doors in March 2024.
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Geauga County Maple Leaf
JOHN KARLOVEC/KMG
JOHN KARLOVEC/KMG
Executive Chef and Head Gardener Nate Fox stands among the crops in the greenhouse behind Victoria’s Bakery. Completed at the end of 2025, the greenhouse hosts produce year-round, currently flourishing with peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and broccoli.
Executive Chef and Founder Victoria Robertson stands behind the pastry case at Victoria’s Bakery in Chesterland, where croissants, doughnuts, danishes and scratchmade sourdough rotate through a menu that changes every two weeks.
Victoria’s
ing store-bought jam," Robertson said. "You can absolutely taste the difference." There is no physical menu; items and flavors rotate every two weeks to stay seasonal. Staples like chocolate chip cookies and vanilla scones are always available alongside sourdough, croissants, cinnamon rolls, sandwiches, focaccia and bagels. In its first year, the bakery made more than 360,000 items by hand. The same philosophy carries to the European-style coffee bar, where every syrup is made in-house and beans are roasted fresh by duck-rabbit coffee in Lakewood. The shop has also become a community gathering place. A second-floor event room seating 50 is available for rent Tuesday through Saturday, with scratch-made catering designed by the chefs alongside the host. The bakery also hosts a kids' storytime twice a month, seasonal handmade markets, yoga classes, book club and many more events for a variety of ages. "I was born and raised here in Chesterland, and I saw that there was a lack of community events happening in the area, especially for young families," Robertson said. "It's very important to us to provide a place where other artists can showcase and grow their business in the same way." The approach is drawing customers from Solon, Chagrin Falls, Hunting Valley and Pepper Pike, she said. For Robertson, the reward is the regulars, like the woman who picks up pastries for her office every Saturday. "Truly, it's the smiles on people's faces after they eat something," she said. "Knowing that we're a part of that community is special." Event room reservations can be made at VictoriasBakeryChesterland.com/eventroom; custom orders must be placed at least two weeks ahead at VictoriasBakeryChesterland.com/custom-orders. Victoria's Bakery is open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with a limited bakery menu on Tuesdays. The drive-thru, also with a limited menu, is open 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
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private orders around Cleveland, and earned a bachelor's degree in pastry art and restaurant business management from Johnson & Wales University in 2018. Executive Chef and Head Gardener Nate Fox, 30, grew up in Manassas, Va., interned in two Michelin-star kitchens while at Johnson & Wales and earned his degree in culinary nutrition and food science in 2018. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he joined Victoria's, setting the standard for the bakery's sourdough before taking charge of the gardens. "Growing up, my mom would always host and cook for holidays, so I began to associate food with that happy feeling," Fox said. "My main goal is to bring happiness to others through the food I create." The main garden behind the building produces lettuce, spinach, beets, turnips, corn and potatoes, among other crops, while an herb garden, elderberry bushes and fig, lemon, pear and cherry trees dot the rest of the land. A greenhouse completed at the end of 2025 hosts crops year-round, currently flourishing with peppers, eggplants, cucumbers and broccoli. Everything grown is used in the kitchen or sold directly to patrons, and the crops are constantly rotating. Robertson said the gardens have already exceeded expectations, "but this is just the beginning of it all." Future plans include citrus trees, berry bushes and expanded gardens. "I would like to create more of an edible landscape," Fox said, "rather than just getting flowers that we pick up from a big store." The bakery also has sourced eggs from Mulberry Meadows, pumpkins from Rogish Farms, apples from Edy's Fruit Farm, maple from Seldom Seen Farm and blueberries from Sunset Grove Gardens, all in Chesterland, along with honey from Nestor Farms in Wakeman. Everything is made from scratch, with no shortcuts — down to the peanut butter and orange juice. "In many of the other kitchens I worked in, we would take the 'easy' way out, like us-
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FILE PHOTO
The 2025 Chicken Flying Contest drew masses of children to help catch the birds after they landed.
Chickens Set to Take Flight as Fair Kicks Off with Contest Hens and roosters will take their turn in the spotlight when The Great Geauga County Fair opens Sept. 3, with the annual Chicken Flying Contest at the small grandstand. Registration begins at 11 a.m., with the contest starting at noon. The event is one of several long-running fair contests that draw crowds on opening day. The contest is open to any adult or child who enters a hen or rooster. Birds must arrive at the fairgrounds in a fresh coop made of wire or slats, with the coop identified by ownership. Owners must show papers proving their birds have been tested for Pullorum; testing is available Wednesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Poultry Barn. Entries are limited to known chicken breeds or mixes, and judges' decisions are final. Each bird is placed on a pole-high perch
and launched with a gentle nudge, with distance measured from the starting point to landing. Prizes will be awarded separately for the winning hen and winning rooster, and the two will then face off for the grand champion title. First place in each category earns a trophy and $25 cash, while the grand champion takes home $50. The event has long been a highlight of opening day, drawing both seasoned entrants and newcomers to the small grandstand. In recent years it has also featured a friendly rivalry between Kenston and West Geauga school superintendents, whose sixth-grade classes attend the fair as part of the Geauga Learn program, a partnership with the Geauga County Farm Bureau introducing students to the county's agricultural roots.
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Ravenwood Health Expands Free Mobile Crisis Response For Youth to Geauga, Ashtabula, Lake Counties Submitted At Ravenwood Health, we build hope, empower individuals and families and strengthen neighborhoods through trauma-informed mental health and addiction services for people of all ages. Our crisis intervention services meet community needs when support is needed most. Emergency Services provide immediate care through a walk-in clinic and mobile crisis responses for adults age 21 and older. For youth from birth through age 20, Mobile Response Stabilization Services (MRSS) offers rapid in-person stabilization and follow-up care for youth and their families, bringing support directly to the youth and families so they do not have to navigate those frightening moments alone. We are now serving Ashtabula, Lake, and Geauga counties with MRSS services.
Key Features of the MRSS Model
• Rapid Mobile Dispatch: A trained crisis team arrives on-site—typically within 60 minutes—to assess, de-escalate, and stabi-
Fair Offers Free Wheelchairs, Scooter Rentals Staff Report Fairgoers in need of accessible options have several ways to get around the Great Geauga County Fair this year, from designated parking to equipment rentals available right at the gate. Handicap parking is available at Gate 1, off North Cheshire Street, and Gate 9, off Peckham Road, according to the fair's website. A limited number of wheelchairs are also available free of charge at Gates 1 and 4, offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Motorized scooters can be rented for a fee by calling 330-267-0004 to reserve one in advance. Scooters are picked up at Gate 9. A family restroom with changing tables is located near Gate 6 on Cook Street, close to the milkshake booth and the Jr. Fair Stage. The accessibility offerings come as fair officials continue to invest in updates across the grounds. Fair Secretary Meg Noah told Geauga County commissioners recently that the fair board has been working on general maintenance since last year's event, including siding, roofing, restroom renovations and light pole replacement. The board also installed a new security system and reopened Gate 2, Noah said.
Breaking news and more at: geaugamapleleaf.com
lize the situation. • Low Threshold for "Crisis": A crisis is defined by the youth or family. Services cover a wide spectrum, including severe anxiety, trauma responses, aggressive behavior, intense family conflict, or suicidal ideation. • Up to 42 Days of Stabilization: MRSS goes beyond immediate triage. Families receive up to 6 weeks of dedicated, wraparound support, skill-building, and seamless care coordination to ensure long-term stability. • No Cost to Families: All youth/young adults (up to age 20) in the state of Ohio are eligible. Prior mental health treatment is not required. Crisis services at Ravenwood Health include Same-Day Access Diagnostic Assess-
ments, transitional care following inpatient discharges, 24/7 on-call therapeutic support via 988, and community stabilization through the Crisis Response Team. Together, these services are designed to provide timely, compassionate support during moments of heightened need while helping individuals and families connect with the appropriate next level of care. Ravenwood works to reduce safety risks, strengthen coping supports, and promote stability in the community. Ravenwood Health is accepting new clients. We accept private insurance, Medicaid, Medicare, and self-pay clients. A sliding-fee scale is available to qualified residents. In Geauga County, you can reach us at 440‑285-3568 and visit our offices in Char-
don, Middlefield, and Chesterland. In Ashtabula County, we can be reached at 440‑998-4210 with offices located in Ashtabula, Andover, Conneaut, and Geneva. Please contact 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, for immediate crisis support and/or MRSS access (in any county). We invite you to visit our website at ravenwoodhealth.org to explore our programs, learn what we offer, and see how we can support you or your loved ones. Private nonprofit agency funded in part by the Geauga County Board of Mental Health & Recovery Services and Ashtabula County Mental Health and Recovery Services Board. Equal Opportunity Employer and Equal Provider of Services. Accredited by The Joint Commission.
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Junior Fair Livestock Sale Caps Off Fair Week For many Geauga County 4-H and FFA members, the Junior Fair Livestock Sale is the payoff for a year that started long before the fair's opening gate. Members who raised market animals — from rabbits to beef cattle — bring that work to the auction ring during the final days of The Great Geauga County Fair, when local buyers bid on their projects. The sale is split into two auctions. A small market animal auction covers rabbits, chickens, turkeys, ducks and dairy baskets, while a large market animal auction covers goats, lambs, swine and beef. The Small Market Animal Sale will be Sept. 4 at 2:30 p.m. in the new Youth & Livestock Center (east of the Goat Barn) and the Large Market Animal Sale will be Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. in the Arena. Buyers can take part in person or online. In-person buyers register for a bidder number at the Livestock Sale Office in the Arena, while the sale is also simulcast for online bidding through bwfinaldrive.com. Bids are placed by the lot rather than by the pound, meaning a winning bid buys the entire animal at that price rather than a per-
pound rate. Buyers who cannot attend can still support exhibitors by placing an add-on donation through the auction website. The work behind the sale goes well beyond fair week itself. Members choose their projects as early as December and spend the months that follow learning business, caretaking and job skills while raising their animals. Before the sale, animals are judged in either market or showmanship classes, with showmanship judged on how well a member handles the animal rather than how the animal would grade as meat. The sale also helps fund the next generation of exhibitors. Junior Fair members who have participated in the livestock sale for at least four years may apply for a scholarship toward a four-year college, two-year college or vocational school, with recipients chosen based on their years of 4-H participation, offices held, extracurricular activities and community service. Sale times, bidder registration details and a full list of lots will be posted at geaugafair.com and bwfinaldrive.com/auctions as the fair approaches.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEAUGAFAIR.COM
Antique Tractors Roll Back Into Spotlight at Fair Rows of vintage machinery will once again line the Tractor Tent this Labor Day weekend as The Great Geauga County Fair's Tractors of the Past exhibit gives fairgoers a firsthand look at agricultural history. The display, located across from the East Show Ring, is directed by Doug Logan and Terry Zion and features tractors from local farmers and collectors that visitors can walk through and examine up close. Organizers say the exhibit appeals to people of all ages who want to see a piece of agricultural history at the fair. Entrants hoping to display a tractor must submit an entry form to the Secretary's Office by the fair's entry deadline, listing the year, make and model of the machine. No exhibitor ticket is required. Because space in
the tent is limited, the fair's director selects tractors from the pool of entries to maintain variety and avoid repeat displays from year to year. Each approved entrant receives a single five-day pass, issued at the Secretary's Office once the tractor is in place. Tractors must be parked in the tent by 9 p.m. Tuesday and remain on display until 9 p.m. Monday, covering the full run of the fair. At the close of the show, judges will name one entry “Best of Show,” earning the owner a banner, while every other participant receives a recognition award. Fair staff say they will make efforts to keep the tractors secure throughout the week, and each will carry a sign describing the entry — personal signage and photos are welcome, though “for sale” signs are not permitted. The exhibit reflects a broader interest in vintage farm machinery across Geauga County, where groups such as the Historical Engine Society hold their own antique tractor and engine shows celebrating the region's agricultural roots.
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Ohio’s Only Volunteer County Fair Band Marches Toward Its 89th Season Staff Report Long before the midway lights come on and the livestock barns fill, a group of volunteer musicians will already be tuning up for the Great Geauga County Fair. The Geauga Fair Band, organized in 1937, bills itself as Ohio's only all-volunteer county fair band. Since its first fair performance in 1938, the band has played at every Great Geauga County Fair, a streak now stretching 88 years. This year's fair runs Sept. 3-7 at the Vernon Howard Pavilion on the fairgrounds in Burton, with the band scheduled for two or three concerts a day throughout the run. The band traces its roots to an all-county high school band led by Raymond Dehnbostle in the early 1930s. After the 1936 fair, Cliff Rossiter organized a new group under conductor Azro Cheney, drawing high schoolers and adult musicians from across the county. That ensemble became the official fair band the following year. Membership is open to anyone 15 or older who plays an instrument, and no audition is required. Members qualify for a uniform after completing six rehearsal sessions. The band currently draws 40 to 75 active musicians in a given season, according to figures posted by the fair and by the Geauga County Maple Leaf, with players ranging in age from teenagers to musicians in their 80s. Over its history, more than 100 people have played in the band, and members have come from
at least seven Northeast Ohio counties — Geauga, Lake, Portage, Ashtabula, Trumbull, Cuyahoga and Lorain — along with other Ohio counties and states. Multi-generational participation is a recurring theme. Charter member Vernon Howard joined at age 15 and kept playing into his 80s; the fairgrounds' Vernon Howard Pavilion, where the band performs, is named for him. Longtime trumpeter Barbara Ricca of Newbury Township joined at 15 on the recommendation of her elementary music teacher, Azro Cheney, and was still playing 75 years later, according to a 2013 Maple Leaf report. Her younger sister played clarinet in the band for 60 years. “The love of music is part of your DNA as a musician, regardless of how you make a living,” band director Jack Blazey told the Maple Leaf in 2020. Blazey, a retired Painesville City Schools band director, first joined the fair band in 1994, served as its director from 1997 to 2003, and returned as director in 2017 — the 13th person to hold the post in the band's history, according to the fair's announcement of his appointment. Rehearsals are open to the public and run Tuesday evenings, weather permitting, at 7:30 p.m. at the Vernon Howard Band Pavilion, with the season's first practice typically held at Chardon Middle School in early April. The band's 2026 performance calendar includes the Chardon Maple Festival Parade,
PHOTO COURTESY OF GEAUGAFAIR.COM
the Blossom Festival Parade, the Hambden Memorial Day Parade, and appearances at Chardon Square, Burton's Century Village, Madison Square and Thompson Square, among other community events, before its season finale at the fair. The organization has also spun off smaller ensembles, including a winter band that performs at hospitals and senior centers, and the Maple Festival Rube Band, which shares many members with the fair band.
A companion program, the Geauga County Junior Fair Band, gives students in grades 8-12 a chance to play in the fair's youth ensemble. The Fairboard supports the band with instruments, music and uniforms, and the group also accepts donations. Anyone interested in joining can find rehearsal details and a season schedule at geaugafair.com, or follow the band on Instagram at @GeaugaFairBand.
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Honest Scales Recycling Marks 30 Years Turning Scrap into Cash Paul Miller started recycling before most people knew what the word meant. Living on a farm on Burton-Windsor Road, just west of state Route 608, Miller once sold some scrap metal to an acquaintance, and the sale got him thinking. "I was amazed at what it brought," he said. In 1996, Miller formed Honest Scales Recycling with a silent partner, learning as he went how old junk becomes new money. Three decades later, the business remains the only commercial scrap metal recycler in Geauga County, and demand keeps growing. The yard hums with the sound of cars, trucks and trailers dropping off loads to be weighed, while tow motors sort material by type of metal across the 1.5-acre site. Growth brought a bottleneck: getting scrap to market fast enough to catch favorable prices. Miller and his son, Marty, who manages day-to-day operations, addressed the problem by launching a sister company, CBM Roll Off Services, buying dumpsters and a truck to haul loads rather than contracting outside haulers. "Since COVID, it's been hard to find trucks to haul our scrap," Marty Miller said. Market prices for steel, copper, aluminum and brass fluctuate, he said, making timing critical. "We have to be able to catch the market," Marty Miller said. Beyond hauling scrap, CBM's dumpsters — ranging from 20 to 40 cubic yards — are also rented out for demolition projects and house cleanouts. To keep pace with growth, the Millers purchased about 3 acres east of the existing yard, with plans to eventually shift processing of non-ferrous materials — copper, aluminum and brass — to the new parcel, separating operations from the family home. "In the future, we plan to build over there and get the traffic away from the house. We want to get the cars out of the private drive," Paul Miller said. Middlefield Township has no zoning, but Miller said the company works with the Geauga County Building Department and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to
FILE PHOTO
Honest Scales Recycling’s sign greets customers along Burton-Windsor Road in Middlefield Township.
meet regulatory requirements. "I think Geauga County and Middlefield Township is a great place to do business," he said. Honest Scales remains a family operation with about 14 full- and part-time employees. Besides Marty, Miller's daughters, Katie Ann and Loma Mae, handle day-to-day work — Katie Ann runs payouts and tracks sales, while Loma Mae operates the scale and answers phones for CBM. "Without Marty and my daughters, I'd be lost," Miller said, though he credits more than family for the company's success. "We give glory to God for everything we have," he said. "It's not my business, it's God's business. He gave it to me to take care of. We've been very blessed." Honest Scales Recycling is at 15535 Burton-Windsor Road, Middlefield Township. Hours are 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday. Adapted from Geauga County Maple Leaf reporting by Ann Wishart, originally published July 25, 2024.
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A Doctor’s Confession to Geauga County ...and Why I Still Do What I Do By Dr. Tad Roediger
Let me start with our family photo ... You know, when I meet people in town they usually say, “I know you. You’re Dr. Roediger. I’ve seen your ad with that picture of you and your family.” Well, perhaps I should tell you a little more about the photo. Let’s start with me, the guy on the left in the photo. I know what it’s like to live with constant pain. As a sophomore on the University of New Hampshire football team, I developed sciatica; an excruciating condition that caused sharp pain in my leg and lower back. I was unable to play football anymore and the pain was so bad that at times it was difficult for me to even walk or concentrate. I was told surgery was the only option to alleviate the condition, but even after undergoing surgery, the pain persisted. On the advice of a friend, I decided to see a chiropractor. After the initial examination, the chiropractor was able to determine that I had several bones out of alignment in my spine, and that they were putting pressure on the nerves in my back. The situation was serious, but after a few treatments I noticed the pain had decreased and I felt better overall. Over time the chiropractic treatments allowed my body to heal itself naturally! MY OTHER CONFESSION IS … I help people live their lives as they are intended to live. What I do is perform a gentle spinal treatment to alleviate nerve pressure without any ‘twisting’ or ‘popping’, and the body responds by healing itself. It’s as simple as that! I have helped thousands of people with a variety of health problems. It’s strange how life is. Now people come to see me with their low back and sciatic problems. They also come to me with their headaches, migraines, chronic pain, neck pain, shoulder /arm pain, numbness in limbs, whiplash from car accidents, backaches, ear infections, asthma, allergies, sports injuries, just to name a few. My wife, Sharon, suffered for years with migraine headaches. She took ibuprofen everyday. We found her migraines were from misaligned vertebrae in her neck, we adjusted them, now she rarely has migraines. Ty, our son, gets checked weekly to make sure his growing spine and body are working at its best.
WHAT SETS ME APART... in the chiropractic field is my
use of the Activator Methods Chiropractic Technique (AMCT); a treatment system that utilizes a small hand-held instrument that applies a quick, low-force, gentle chiropractic treatment directly to the source of your pain to alleviate nerve pressure to allow the body to heal itself.
Here’s what some of my patients had to say: “For years I’ve been dealing with pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis, I did everything my medical doctor wanted me to do. My daughter mentioned Dr. Roediger and Roediger Chiropractic. Within my first three treatments, I started noticing major improvements in my pain and my life. My family even noticed my improvements, they said my energy level has increased.” – Shari | Chardon “I suffered from stomach muscle pain, low back and shoulder pain for a year and a half. I tried physical therapy and manual adjustments before coming here for Activator treatments. After the first treatment, I noticed less pain in my stomach muscles, it made sense after Doc explained how the nerves work.” – Joe | Middlefield
STOP LIVING WITH PHYSICAL PAIN! Chiropractic treatment is very affordable and highly effective. Take advantage of a LIMITED TIME OFFER! Call 440-285-0756 before Sept. 24, 2026 to receive the complete initial exam for only $57 (this includes consultation, exam, paraspinal scan and two x-rays of the problem area if needed). I am here to help you reach your health care goals as quickly as possible. Treatment in my office is affordable whether you have insurance or not. My adjustment fee is only $45. You don’t have to miss a half day’s work to receive treatment. Now is the time to take care of that ache or pain, improve your quality of life, and take care of your most valuable asset … YOU!
Call ROEDIGER CHIROPRACTIC at 440-285-0756 today. Mikenzie will be glad to schedule your appointment. We are located at 401 South St., Bldg. 2A, Chardon. roedigerchiropractic.com. Email: tadroedigerdc@gmail.com.