Leaf Thursday, August 29, 2024 Vol. 30 No. 35 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com $1.25
Kenston Supt. Outlines Plan To Combat Student Racism By Allison Wilson editor@karlovecmedia.com
In the wake of a Kenston Schools student making threatening, racist remarks on social media last month that spurred deeper conversations about racial culture in the district, Kenston Superintendent Bruce Willingham outlined a plan to address the issues Aug. 20. Willingham, who was hired in April to replace outgoing Superintendent Steve Sayers at the start of the school year, delivered his inaugural report to a room packed to the gills. See Kenston • Page 6
West Geauga Superintendent to Step Down In 2025 By Allison Wilson editor@karlovecmedia.com After nearly a decade at the helm of West Geauga Schools, Superintendent Richard Markwardt officially announced Aug. Markwardt 19 his decision to resign at the end of his current contract, July 31, 2025. The West Geauga Schools Board of Education accepted Markwardt’s letter of resignation during its regular board meeting. “When I accepted my current position in 2015, I would not have
Budget Commission Slams County Over Closed-Door Cuts By Amy Patterson amy@karlovecmedia.com Geauga County Budget Commission members made no secret of their frustrations with the county’s budgeting methods during two recent hearings. Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder and Prosecutor Jim Flaiz — who sit on the commission along with Treasurer Chris Hitchcock — questioned county Finance Di-
rector Adrian Gorton Aug. 19 on cuts made to department budgets without discussing them with department heads during weekly public meetings. Last year, Gorton and County Administrator Gerry Morgan told the commission plans to improve county offices that remain on Chardon Square were in the “architectural phase,” but Walder, Flaiz and Hitchcock — whose offices, they said, are unsuited for pub-
INSIDE
lic access and need major repairs — have heard nothing since. Instead, the county chose to take money out of a fund set aside for the geographic information system, Walder said. GIS funds are used in part to maintain maps necessary for tax collection, according to a state government website. Gorton said the money was cut because Walder intended to use See Budget • Page 4
Sports Start on page 16
By Allison Wilson editor@karlovecmedia.com Century Village Museum in Burton Village turned into a town out of a Jules Verne novel last weekend as the Northeast Ohio Steampunk Festival staged a twoday takeover. This year’s event, held Aug. 24-25, was a hit, said museum curator Stefanie O’Connor. “There were people of all ages and I think that the people who showed up enjoyed themselves because the comments that we got were, ‘We will be back next year’ or
Kenston Goes Up To Bat Once More For PI Levy page 7
Iacampo: Judge Overrules Motions To Dismiss page 11
Obituaries ‘This place is so beautiful," she said. The steampunk festival has been in operation for three years, with this year’s and last year’s held See Steampunk • Page 9
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Two attendees face off in tea dueling, a competition in which both parties dunk a biscuit in a cup of tea for five seconds and hold it upright for as long as possible. A round ends when an individual manages to eat their biscuit last, or the biscuits crumble.
pages 20-21
Sheriff’s Sales & Legal Notices start on page 24
Classifieds page 27
See Superintendent • Page 6
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