Leaf Thursday, November 28, 2024 Vol. 30 No. 48 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com $1.25
Flare Lit In Walmart Possible Accident Staff Report A flare set off inside the Chardon Walmart Nov. 22 may have been discharged by accident, Chardon Police Chief Scott Niehus said in an interview Nov. 25. A flare was lit inside the Meadowlands Drive supercenter around 5 p.m. Friday, the Chardon Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post. While one person was burned, no hospital transportation was necessary. Niehus later confirmed the injury to be minor. The chief said police were dispatched at 5:02 p.m and arrived on scene shortly after. “We believe it was accidental, but this is still under investigation,” he said, noting Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office will still need to review the case with the potential for criminal charges, but currently, there are none. “When (the flare) discharged, it created a large flash and then it was See Walmart • Page 5
ROSE NEMUNAITIS/KMG
The Accessible Legion Fund held a groundbreaking ceremony Nov. 15 at Atwood-Mauck American Legion Post 459 in Burton. Pictured, from left, are Geauga County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. John Copen, Geauga County Commissioner-Elect Carolyn Brakey, Jim Pintchuk (behind Brakey), veterans Larry Ayer, Larry Fritinger and Bruce Clifton, Jim Vinecourt and Commissioner Jim Dvorak.
ADA Access for All
Accessible Legion Fund Holds Groundbreaking Ceremony By Rose Nemunaitis editor@karlovecmedia.com The Accessible Legion Fund celebrated the groundbreaking of their elevator installation, a second floor ADA-compliant bathroom and back-up generator Nov. 15, making Atwood-Mauck Amer-
ican Legion Post 459 in Burton handicapped accessible. “This is an extraordinary day in the history of this post, which was made possible only by the generosity of many that are here today,” said post Cmdr. Skip Boehnlein during the ceremony at 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton.
In December 2023, Burton business owner Jim Vinecourt and his wife, Jill, had an idea to make the legion hall more accessible to its older and disabled veterans. He opened a nonprofit Accessible Legion Fund 501(C)3 and held a dinner/dance and raffle at See Legion • Page 5
Berkshire Schools
Classroom Construction Costs Eat into General Fund By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com
Construction started on the Berkshire Schools’ early childhood education center Nov. 22 despite a funding glitch. Voters decided not to pass a permanent improvement renewal levy Nov. 5, which means payments for the $2.3 million dollar modular structure will have to come out of the district’s general fund, said Treasurer Beth McCaffrey at the Nov. 18 Berkshire Schools Board of Education meeting. “The PI levy would have generated $439,000. Those costs will now need to be absorbed by the general fund,” she said during the presentation of her five-year forecast. The levy, which has been re-
ANN WISHART/KMG
Construction of Berkshire Schools’ eight-classroom, early childhood education center started Nov. 22 and the classrooms may be functional in 2025.
newed numerous times over 40 years, yielded about $439,000 annually and cost a homeowner $22 per year per $100,000 property valuation, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. “We’ll really have to dig in and
see how we can offset this $400,000 loss,” McCaffrey said. The board was planning to use the levy money to pay for part of the construction of the facility. In February 2024, the board gave Superintendent John Stod-
dard the green light to negotiate a 10-year lease-to-purchase contract with Boxx Modular, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, to install the eight classroom structure on the See Berkshire • Page 4
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