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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

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Volume 10, Issue YY

‘Garden’ pitch made for Midway Mall land Owen MacMillan The Community Guide

Representatives from the Center for Food Innovation last week laid out “The Garden,” its redevelopment plan for the mall. It was clear people are very interested as more than 200 people came to hear the proposal. “The Garden” would convert the mall and the area around it into a large food production industry, Bara Watts, CEO of the Center, said. “It’s already being done in Europe. It’s being done in Asia and in the Middle East. Here in the United States, we are going to be the first and the model for the rest of the country.” The primary agriculture will take place in “controlled environment farms” built inside the shells of the mall’s main

anchor stores, and a series of greenhouses built just to the southwest of the main facility. But the agriculture itself will be only one part of the facility, Watts explained. The Garden would also feature more than 100,000 square feet of cold storage, an educational facility for collaboration with colleges and universities, a permanent farmers market inspired by Cleveland’s Westside Market and thousands of square feet of additional commercial and restaurant space. To the north and east of the main building, the Center has proposed hundreds of units of housing. Additionally, Watts said that the facility would feature renewable energy. Watts said The Garden would be home to

independent farmers and agricultural groups that would use the space in the facility. Watts said she hoped that existing farmers would be interested in becoming “hybrid” farmers, working both in their fields and indoors at The Garden. Watts said just over five years ago, she joined with executives from Lorain County Community College, the Small Business Development Center, the Urban League, El Centro and the Lorain County Chamber of Commerce to brainstorm sustainable job creation in the county. She said that in the end, the group was inspired by a concept out of The Netherlands, called the Food Valley Organization that connects traditional farmers to technology, talent and funding to

Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE

It was standing-room in the food court at Midway Mall as members of the Center for Food Innovation pitched their vision for the development of the property. pioneer a new type of agriculture. The crowd was excited about the prospect and many said they would like to live near it. This was the first of the Lorain County Port Authority’s two finalists chosen to redevelop the

Midway Mall, which the port authority purchased in January 2023. The other finalist, Industrial Commercial Partners, is to make its case during a similar meeting. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.

Singing songs full of hope Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide

The church rumbled with the sounds of praise as voices cried out in hallelujah among the bellowing notes. Before the audience, stood 50 singers, clapping their hands and raising their arms towards the sky. “Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;” echoed the voices. In the audience, Ardelia “Dee” Tolbert beamed. Over a hundred people amassed at Second Baptist Church, 427 Chapman Lane in Elyria for the Metro Central Ohio Unit of the NAACP’s Black History Month celebration Sunday evening. Organized by Tolbert and other members of NAACP and Women in the NAACP, Sunday’s event was the culmination of a fiveyear dream of Tolbert’s, one filled with praise and singing. “I used to be a choir teacher for many years and have always been a music person,” said Tolbert, president of the Metro Central NAACP. “About five years ago I had this vision to bring people together in song and praise to celebrate through a musical performance.” Tolbert said as the years went by the idea stuck with her. She began to reach out to local choir

LAUREN HOFFMAN / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Author and motivational speaker Valeria Howard reads from her poem “Tis Our Black History” during a gospel choir celebration Sunday at Second Baptist Church in Elyria. members from churches in Lorain County to see if anyone was interested and the response was resounding. “We have 50 members in this Lorain County community gospel choir,” Tolbert said. “Every one of them is from Lorain County and I am amazed and thankful for their talent.”

Wellington moves fast to find new school supt.

Tolbert, whose home church is Mount Zion Missionary Baptist in Elyria, said the decision to hold the event at Second Baptist grew out of the support she was hearing from the community. “We wanted to have a place big enough for everyone while also staying in Lorain County and some of the choir members put

me in touch with Rev. Carl Small here at Second Baptist,” she said. Due to the overwhelming response to the event, organizers said it’s likely to come back. “We are already talking about getting the choir back together to do this again next year,” Mona Atley, head of the “Women in the NAACP” group, said.

WELLINGTON — Wellington Schools could welcome its new superintendent as early as April 16 if the timeline goes right. Members of the school board met with Cheryl Ryan, director of board and management services for The Ohio School Board Association, Friday afternoon to plan the next steps moving forward in the process. “It is important that we start with the screening process of the candidates so we make sure you are getting the best option,” Ryan said. “From there we will move to first-round interviews, which you will want to do probably three at a time.” The first round of interviews is planned for March 28 and 29. Eight candidates have applied, but Ryan says that number is likely to double. From there, second interviews and final background checks are to follow. The district could appoint its new superintendent during the board meeting on April 16. “The plan after you appoint the superintendent is for them to spend some time with Ed before taking over fully in August,” Ryan said. “That way they can get a feel for what the district is like before jumping right in.” This process began in late December when current Wellington Superintendent Edward Weber announced his retirement plans. “I would do another 36 years in education if I wasn’t getting so old,” Weber said, laughing as he spoke with The ChronicleTelegram in December. “I have loved these past eight years and I want the board to be able to find the best replacement possible.” While the official list of qualifications has not been published, board members told Ryan some of the qualities they are seeking. “I think we need to find someone who is a critical thinker, active listener and confident,” Jennifer Kazmierczak said. Phillip Mohrman suggested finding someone who is inspiring, influential and accountable. Other attributes the board is looking for include someone innovative, passionate, strategic and an excellent communicator. All of these attributes fit within the district’s strategic plan. Before the interviews begin, there will be a public focus group meeting from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Lindley Center. Members of the public are encouraged to attend.

INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst

Denny’s coming down. A3

Oberlin

Celebrate Black history all year. A5

Fascinating

Underground railroad stamps . A5

SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8

Page A2

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES

Student-designed home built

Construction company, group partner for project Owen MacMillan The Community Guide

Travis R. McQuate

Travis R. McQuate, 21, of Wellington, Ohio, died Wednesday, February 14, 2024, at the Cleveland Clinic, after a year long battle with cancer. He was born May 16, 2002, in Lorain, Ohio, to Trisha (Bailey) Leonardi and Dennis McQuate. He was a graduate of Wellington High School and Lorain County JVS where he was part of the Masonry program. Travis loved his family, animals, fishing, the outdoors, skateboarding, music, and video games. He was a selfless, good kid, with a great heart who was always very giving of himself and his time. He worked for everything he had and was a cook at Dmitri’s in Wellington. He is survived by his mother, Trisha (Harry the fifth) Leonardi; father, Dennis (Sherry) McQuate, Jr.; siblings, Cody Bailey, Gavyn Kreider, Shana Kreider, Lilly Kreider, Liam Kreider, Cortney McQuate, Taylor McQuate, and Jayce McQuate; grandparents, Harry Leonardi (the fourth), Anthrina Leonardi, Dennis McQuate, Sr., Nancy McQuate, Deborah Ann Bailey, Wanda Burnsworth, Dennis Burnsworth, Walt and Sharon Majer; and his dog, “Daisy.” A Celebration of Life is being planned for a later date. Online memories may be expressed by visiting www. norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com

LEGAL NOTICES ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO Rosecliff Drive Storm Sewer Outfall Repair Sealed bids will be received and opened by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio under the following schedule: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL 11:00 AM, March 11, 2024, Lorain time, CITY OF LORAIN LAW DEPARTMENT, 3rd Floor, 200 W. Erie Ave, Lorain Ohio, 44052. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, March 11, 2024, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION DATE: September 30, 2024 FINAL COMPLETION DATE: December 15, 2024 Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check, Cashier’s Check or Letter of Credit equal to ten percent (10%) of the amount bid; or a bond for the full amount of the bid as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into and a performance bond properly secured. Should any bid be rejected, such instrument will be forthwith returned upon proper execution of a contract. Cash

deposits will not be accepted. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at www.cityoflorain.org. Each bidder must ensure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American Disabilities Act. All contractors and subcontractors involved with the project will to the extent practicable use Ohio products, materials, services, and labor in the implementation of their project. Bidders shall submit a list of available equipment, and labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate as determined by the Ohio Department of Commerce requirements for Lorain County, Ohio. The Director of Safety/Service reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. PRE-BID MEETING: A non-mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting is scheduled for the following: Location: 5609 Rosecliff Drive Date/Time: February 26, 2024; 10 am By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service 2/15, 2/22/24 20731382

Thousands of homes in Elyria have been built by the Dale Yost Construction Co., but one of the company’s newest projects has a special twist: It was designed in part by — and will support — Elyria kids. Yost and Save Our Children of Elyria Inc., a nonprofit that works to improve the literacy and academic success of Elyria students, partnered to build a home at 259 S. Lincoln St. over the last year. The home is now finished and listed for sale at $219,900. According to a post that Yost Construction put on its Facebook page on Monday, all profits from the sale will go to support Save Our Children. Melissa Hamel, associate director of K-8 programming for Save Our Children, said the partnership began last year when Dale Yost Construction owner Bob Yost and attorney Lindsay Bott, Yost’s daughter, participated in the Save Our Children’s Difference Makers program. The program invites locals who have had success in their careers to speak with the kids who are a part of the program about how they did in school, how they found their passion and how they’ve found success. Hamel said the kids were enamored with the idea of building a house themselves. “It spurred from that — Lindsay and her dad came in to speak with the students,” Hamel said. “Basically the kids were interested, and Lindsay came in and worked with them on designing the house throughout the summer. And then they built it.” Students came up with the layout, colors and style of the home, and

PHOTO PROVIDED BY DALE YOST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Middle school students involved with Save Our Children of Elyria pose in front of the home they helped design, which was built by the Dale Yost Construction Company.

then Bott took the plans to Yost Construction to bring it to life. “Together with the middle school students of the Save Our Children program in Elyria, we built this house,” a Facebook post from the company said. “The kids participated in selecting the plan, learning about different trades, a bit about pricing and financing, making all of the selections for the home, touring the property during construction and at completion.”

Yost Construction is now working to sell the house, the company said. The home is 1,640 square feet, has three bedrooms, one and a half bathrooms and a one-car garage. More information about the home and potential purchase can be found by calling the Yost office at (440) 366-2241. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.

New speed limits on Detroit Road Mason Jones The Community Guide

Drivers, be wary. A busy Avon road now has different speed limits in different places. As a result of a study conducted by the Ohio Department of Transportation throughout the city, changes were made along Detroit Road; however, the schoolzone speeds have not changed. The changed areas are: n 45 mph from west of Avon High School to Sheffield, up from 35 mph n 40 mph from Westlake city line to Middleton Drive, up from 35 mph n 35 mph from Middleton Drive to west of Avon High School, up from 25 mph Mayor Bryan Jensen said the changes were made with the hope that the new speeds can help promote more efficient and safer travel for residents and citizens. “What we’re looking at right now is seeing just how efficient this will be,” he said, “If we see an increase

in crashes or issues like that we will go back and put another study together to see if we can try to lower that. It’s a risk you always take when you do a study, because sometimes if the study shows that it can be more efficient by traveling faster, that’s kind of what ODOT recommends.” Jensen said that whenever the city wants to change speed limits for a state route they have to do a study for ODOT, as failure to do so without ODOT could impact funding for improvements and repairs to roads. “ODOT’s studies help set the standard for speed limits and efficient travel,” he said, “If these standards aren’t followed, than we could be at risk of losing funding for state Route 254, which is Detroit Road, where they help pay a portion of repaving when it needs to be repaved.” Contact Mason Jones at mjones@chroniclet.com.

LETTERS Letters to the editor should be: • Written to the editor. We do not allow open letters or those to specific residents, politicians, or groups. • Concise. There is a limit of 350 words on letters. • Polite. Letters that use crude language or show poor taste will be rejected. • Opinions. We reserve space for letters that share a unique perspective. Press releases are not letters and will be considered for publication in other parts of the paper. • Free of advertising, product or service endorsements or complaints, poetry, language that could raise legal problems, or claims that are measurably false. • Signed. Include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for our records. Up to two signatures. SOLUTION TO CROSSWORD ON PAGE A7

SOLUTION TO SUDOKU ON PAGE A7

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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A3

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‘Science is like magic that can be explained’ Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide

WELLINGTON — Jacob, 5, laughed loudly as he and his brother Joshua watched toilet paper fly out into the audience. The brothers from Carlisle Township had just been chosen as volunteers for the Magical Science show at Lorain County Community College Wellington Center on Monday afternoon. “Science is a lot like magic, only it all can be explained,” Regan “Reggie” Silvestri said. “If you came to this show to see magic, I’m sorry there’s no magic, but there is science.” Silvestri, a chemistry professor at LCCC’s main campus in Elyria, told the young audience that science always has been his passion and that’s how he learned all the tricks he was going to show them. “When I was little I really liked math and science so when I got to high school and college I studied both really hard and became a science teacher,” he said. “But since there’s no school today I figured instead of doing a little science, we do big science.”

Doing ‘big science’

Filled with explosions, electricity and color-changing test-tube solutions, Silvestri’s show delighted audiences both young and old. But just as in a magic show, it was incomplete without volunteers. Gabriella, 10, of North Ridgeville fought her fears and held fire, while 12-year-old Ava and her sister, Delilah, 10, created a current to light a neon bulb. Meanwhile, Hailey from Wellington helped Silvestri make elephant toothpaste. “I have been doing this show for five years now on Presidents Day here at Wellington, except for in 2021, but I have been performing for years,” Silvestri said when asked about his experience.

“Fifteen years ago, my daughter was in preschool and she asked me to come to her school and do some magic tricks … before I knew it I had the whole school in her classroom watching and that’s how the science show was born.”

300 shows for 60,000

While Monday’s show was filled with flames and explosions, Silvestri said a wide variety of experiments were shown. “I get a lot of repeat invites at schools that want to host me so I am always coming up with new ideas to show off,” he said. “Additionally, I have done this show at various different places so there always has to be something new and exciting.” In the past, Silvestri’s show was the pregame opener for the Cleveland Cavaliers STEM night as well as at Progressive Field for the Cleveland Guardians STEM day. He is expected to return for this year’s STEM day at the Guardians. “If I had to think about it, I’ve probably performed this show about 300 times in front of 60,000 people,” he said. “And it’s all for fun, I’m an entertainer in addition to a scientist.” Before Silvestri got into the world of science, he shared that he was a drummer for a punk rock band back in the 1980s known as the Beatnik Termites. The group opened for Green Day and the Ramones. Silvestri’s time in the band helped add to his current stage name that he uses for performing the magical science shows — Professor Reggie, The Rock ‘n’ Roll Doctor. Those interested in seeing Silvestri’s show can catch his free show at LCCC Wellington Center, 151 Commerce Drive, every Presidents Day. Information on the show times will be posted to LCCC’s website, lorainccc.edu, once the time gets closer. Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 3286902 or lhoffman@chroniclet.com.

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Ten-year-old Gabriella of North Ridgeville faces her fears as she holds bubbles that have been set on fire with the help of Lorain County Community College chemistry professor Regan “Reggie” Silvestri during the Magical Science Show at Lorain County Community College Wellington Center on Monday.

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Lorain County Community Guide

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Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Speaker: Celebrate Black history every day Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide

OBERLIN — “When I look at you, I see the future,” the Rev. Thomas L. Bowen began as he talked to students at Oberlin High School. Bowen, a Lorain County native turned Washington, D.C., minister, is well known in the Black community. Known professionally as Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, the Earl L. Harrison Minister of Social Justice at Shiloh Baptist Church in Washington, D.C., Bowen has been a dedicated member of the ministerial team since July 2022. Additionally, Bowen is the director of African American Strategic Engagement for D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, where he holds dual roles as the director of the Mayor’s Office on African American Affairs and the Mayor’s Office of Religious Affairs. But before the titles, Bowen said, he was a kid just like everyone sitting in the auditorium before him. “My family is from

Arkansas and I grew up in Lorain County and graduated from Elyria West High School,” Bowen said. “And still it wasn’t until I went to school at Morehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, that I learned about the Black history right here in Lorain where I grew up.” For Bowen, his experience shaped how he thought history needed to be taught. “We need to celebrate our history,” He said. “We need to celebrate Black history every day, not just 28 or 29 days a year and we need to learn about more than just the famous African Americans, we need to learn about our own family history.” When asked how Bowen came up with what he wanted to discuss with students, he laughed and said that the idea came from the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT. “I asked the question to ChatGPT on what I should tell the students at Oberlin and it began spitting out ideas about Oberlin’s history with Black history

school I was in an advanced class and was the only African American in the class,” he said. “I remember my teacher looked at me and told me to pay attention to the next slide because it would be where I ended up, and that slide was a photo of the Ohio Penitentiary.” Bowen said he thought the teacher believed he would not excel in the real world and he held on to that. Several years later, Bowen ran for a seat on the Elyria Board of Education and won. It was there that he came face to face with that teacher who didn’t believe in him. “I looked at him and I made sure that he saw me. PHOTO PROVIDED You have to believe in The Rev. Thomas L. Bowen, standing with his yourself and know your cousin, Denita Tolbert-Brown, a teacher at Ober- place in history and that’s lin High School, told students he started writing greater than anyone else’s his talk for them by asking ChatGPT what he disbelief,” he said. should tell them. Before closing out his speech, Bowen reflected and it went from there,” he about the importance of on his family history with said. “I also thought about knowing one’s own history, the student body, adding what I would want to hear Bowen also talked about that his cousin is Denita and how to make it incluhow important it is to beTolbert-Brown, a teacher sive to all students.” lieve in yourself. and adviser to the Black In addition to talking “When I was in high Student Union at Oberlin

10 new stamps will honor underground railroad heroes For many people escaping enslavement in the South, Lorain County was a welcome respite on the way to Canada along the Underground Railroad prior to the Civil War. There’s no way to know the exact number of people who traveled through Lorain County via Huntington, Wellington, Oberlin and Elyria on the way to Black River (as Lorain was known before Dec. 15, 1874), Sandusky and Cleveland to board ships to cross Lake Erie. No matter the number, Black River was one of four the main embarkation points -- Toledo being the other -- that people passed through, Amanda Davidson-Johnston, education and tour coordinator at the Lorain County Historical Society, said. She cited an article in “The Weekly News” published in 1885 in Oberlin that described the town as the “equivalent of Grand Central Station” on the Underground Railroad. Once in Oberlin people made their way to Elyria and often up the Black River. A historical marker commemorates the mouth of the Black River as Station 100 on the Underground Railroad. Ohio’s unique geographical location -- with more than 400 miles of border with the slave states of Kentucky and Virginia -- coupled with a strong anti-slavery sentiment among early residents set the stage for a burgeoning network that moved people to freedom. An estimated 500,000 of the million people who escaped slavery passed through Ohio between about 1800 and 1861, according to “The Underground Railroad in Ohio” by Kathy Schulz. Published in 2023, the book recounts how average people opposed to slavery joined outspoken abolitionists to help people flee slavery. A similar network emerged in southern states as well. Routes existed

STAMPS

Dennis Sadowski in the Deep South, guiding people through Texas, Louisiana, Alabama and Arkansas to freedom in Mexico. Scholars and historians continue to piece together that forgotten part of American history. Recognizing the history of the Underground Railroad, the U.S. Postal Service will release a set of 10 stamps honoring people who escaped slavery and/or helped others escape. Printed in panes of 20, the stamps will be issued March 9 in Church Creek, Maryland. Those honored are: -- Catharine Coffin -- Frederick Douglass -- Thomas Garrett -- Laura Haviland -- Lewis Hayden -- Harriet Jacobs -- William Lambert -- Jermain Loguen -- William Still -- Harriet Tubman Douglass and Tubman have been featured on stamps in the past. None of those being honored have a direct Ohio connection, but historians credit the Buckeye State and its 3,000 miles of routes used by escaped slaves for having a major role in the Underground Railroad. Davidson-Johnston described the work of some of the most notable Lorain Countians involved in abolitionist work: -- The Rev. John Montieth of Elyria, whose home on East Avenue -– now Montieth Hall -served as a stop for people heading north. A tunnel, since enclosed, connected his home to the Black River, which people used for transit. He became a fervent abolitionist after becoming the principal of private Elyria High School in 1832.

-- John A. Copeland Jr., who was born free in North Carolina and moved with his family as a child to Oberlin in 1843. He joined John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859. He was quickly arrested and indicted for murder and conspiracy to incite slaves to rebellion. Found guilty, he was hanged Dec 16, 1859. There are others, but they are too numerous to name in a short column. Davidson-Johnston has developed a presentation on Lorain County’s role in the Underground Railroad and delivers it to schools and organizations. To arrange a visit, contact her at education@lchs.org. Club meeting The Black River Stamp Club meets at 5:30 p.m. March 8 at Harvest Christian Church, 907 Eastern Heights Blvd., Elyria. Buy, sell and trade before the meeting and monthly auction. All are welcome.

Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 3286902 or lhoffman@chroniclet.com.

COFFEE MATES Oberlin high School students operate the Phoenix Bean, a mobile coffee cart, as part of the school’s program that helps kids develop and strengthen skills needed to be successful in employment -and life. The program is run by Transition Coordinator Amanda Kochmit.

-- Aaron Root, a ship captain who regularly ferried people from the mouth of the Black River to Canada. -- Norton Townshend of Avon, a farmer and physician who became a state legislator in 1848 and worked to rescind “Black Laws,” a series of early 19th-century restrictions on Cleveland’s Black citizens imposed by the Ohio constitution and state laws.

High School. Founded in 2017 by student Tierra Barbra, the Black student union is made up of 20 active members and is overseen by Tolbert-Brown and 2022 National Teacher of the Year Kurt Russell. Each year during Black History Month, the union organizes several events including finding a keynote speaker. This year senior Desiree Randlenan and junior Candice Locklear represented the union as they introduced Bowen. “I am very thankful for these two student ambassadors,” Bowen said. “And I tell them as I tell all of you, the next chapter has yet to be written but the next chapter is your chapter. “You are the authors of the next chapter of history and as heavy as it can be I know you are the ones we have been waiting for, so learn your history; it is the roadmap for a better future.”

PHOTO: OBERLIN CITY SCHOOLS

Oberlin sets K- and Pre K- registration dates The Community Guide

Oberlin City School District’s registration for preschool and kindergarten for the 2024-2025 academic year begins Monday. The District offers two programs for preschool: Integrated Preschool and Early Childhood Education. For kindergarten, chil-

dren enrolled must be 5 years old by Aug. 1, 2024. Orientation and screening information will begin in August. Only those who have completed the entire registration process will be contacted about orientation and screening. Open enrollment Open enrollment ap-

plications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, according to space. Approval for one child in a family does not guarantee approval for siblings. Open enrollment applications will be available starting March 25. Open enrollment application deadline is 3 p.m. May 31.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 FEBRUARY 22, 2024 BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live FEBRUARY 27, 2024 .... OPEN SPACE COMMISSION – 5:00 P.M. – CONFERENCE ROOM 1 NOTICE: DISABLED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY WHO MAY NEED ASSISTANCE, PLEASE CALL 775-7203 OR E-MAIL: banderson@cityofoberlin.com NOTICE REQUIRED: TWO (2) WORKING DAYS IN ADVANCE OF MEETING (48 HOURS) CLERK OF COUNCIL’S OFFICE.

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Call (440) 984-7463 Option 3

Page A6

SPORTS

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Send sports news to news@lcnewspapers.com. Deadline for all submissions is 10 a.m. each Monday. Printed as space is available.

The shots heard ’round the county

FIRELANDS VS. KEYSTONE: Firelands’ Nate Draga celebrates making a three-point shot against Keystone as the bench cheers him on. Firelands hosted Keystone on Senior Night. Firelands celebrated its seniors by picking up an important 65-53 win to keep them in a tie with Brookside for first place in the conference.

BLACK RIVER VS. OBERLIN: Black River celebrates Zoey Bungard after she hits a three-point shot against Oberlin to cross 1,000 career points. Black River hosted Oberlin for Senior Night and celebrated its three seniors, Zoey Bungard, Paige Kaltenbaugh and Riley Kubitz. Black River’s Zoey Bungard also crossed the 1,000 point milestone. Oberlin spoiled Senior Night by getting a 55-54 overtime win.

BLACK RIVER VS. COLUMBIA: Black River’s Johnny Kray gets two points past Columbia’s Nathan Borling. Black River stayed close early in the game, but Columbia overpowered Black River in the second half on their way to a 67-53 win.

AMHERST VS. GLENOAK: Amherst’s Kayla Ferancy hits a shot over GlenOak’s Reagan Zerger and Amiyah Chester. Amherst opened up playoff action with a 31-28 win. Amherst trailed most of the game until there was a little over a minute left in the fourth quarter when they took the lead and held on to win.

Photos by Russ Gifford, The Community Guide

Thursday, Feb.22, 2024

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A7

BULLETIN BOARD Oberlin Dollar General opens The Dollar General at 291 S. Main Street, Oberlin, is now open. The new store features a curated assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables including lettuce, tomatoes, onions, apples, strawberries, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lemons, limes and salad mixes. County commissioners to debate Incumbent Republican Lorain County Commissioner David J. Moore and primary challenger Matthew Spear will debate and answer questions at 5 p.m. March 14 at the Avon-Avon Lake Republican Club meeting at the Father Ragan Knights of Columbus Hall, 1783 Moore Road, Avon. Guests cost $5. Toy, collectible show March 3 The Annual Western Reserve Toy and Collectible Show returns for its 33rd year from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 3 at Western Reserve Elementary School, 3851 Route 20, Collins. It is located three miles west of Wakeman and seven miles east of Norwalk. The show, sponsored by the Western Reserve Ruritan Club, is expected to have more than 30 vendors with more than 100 tables of all sorts of things, including farm and antique toys, railroad sets, dolls, sports and Pokemon cards, signs, books, action figures, metal and pedal cars. Among the vendors who have signed up to attend sell Oliver toy tractors, model trains, custom-made teddy bears, Ertl farm toys and custom-built toy tractors. Admission is $3; children under 12 who are accompanied by an adult are free. There will be free parking, door prizes and a lunch counter by the Hartland New Horizon 4-H Club. Proceeds go toward two scholarships for Western Reserve students. For more information about going to or being a vendor at the show, call Rich Ruess at (419) 706-9612 or Steve Zimmerman at (419) 744-0796. Women’s suffrage program at Kendal Jamie Capuzza, a professor in the Department of Literature and Communication Arts at the University of Mount Union, will present a 45-minute illustrated program about Ohio’s contributions to the women’s suffrage movement at 7:15 p.m. March 14 at Kendal at Oberlin’s Heiser Auditorium. Sponsored by the Oberlin Heritage Center, Capuzza’s presentation will draw from her 2023 book about Ohio being the fifth state to ratify the 19th Amendment. Highlights of the program will include pivotal state conventions, leaders of the movement, and the perseverance the movement required. The program is free and open to all. Kendal is located off Route 58 just north of the college. Eclipse watch party at Common Ground Common Ground has announced it will hold a free event to view the total solar eclipse, which will pass over Lorain County on April 8. The event will take place at Common Ground’s 30-acre

The Lorain County Community Guide Bulletin Board is for local nonprofit and not-for-profit events. Items are published on a space-available basis and will be edited for style, length, and clarity. Send your items to news@lcnewspapers.com. property at 14240 Baird Road, Oberlin. Common Ground is operated by the Cindy Nord Center for Renewal. The event will begin at 1 p.m. and run through the duration of the eclipse, ending at 5 p.m. Common Ground’s climbing wall, “vertical playpen” and giant swing will be open and cost $5. Food will be provided by Pogie’s Catering and Clubhouse of Amherst, with the Smokehouse Meal costing $28. Admission is free but attendees are encouraged to register and order food at commongroundcenter.org. Stuffed cabbage rolls orders due The Hungarian Reformed Church stuffed cabbage roll sale will be held from noon to 2 p.m. March 2, at 1691 E. 31st St., Lorain. Cost is $18 per dozen, uncooked. Orders may be placed with the church office at (440) 277-8177 until (tomorrow)Friday, Feb. 23. Only confirmed orders will be honored. Payment may be made by cash, check or Venmo. No credit cards accepted at this time. No walk-in sales. Amherst VFW fish fry Fridays VFW Post 1662 fish fry will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23; March 1, 8, 15 and 22 at 165 Cleveland Ave., Amherst. Call (440) 988-8823 for more information. Public welcome. Food distributions Sandstone Community Church food pantry, 9-10:30 a.m. Mondays through Thursdays at 201 W. Main St., South Amherst. Call (440) 986-2461. Firelands school district and/or Amherst residents only. Oberlin weekday community meals, 5-5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays at 162 S. Main St., Oberlin. Walk-up meals are distributed from the big red building behind the church; drive-thru meals from the Morgan Street parking lot next to the church. Oberlin Community Services drive-up service, 1:304:30 p.m. on Wednesdays, 500 E. Lorain St., Oberlin. Indoor choice pantry 1:30-4:30 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and 1:30-3:30 p.m. each Friday. Call (440) 774-6579. St. Patrick Helping Hands food pantry, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the third Saturday of the month and 6-8 p.m. the following Tuesday at 510 N. Main St., Wellington.

DOWN 1. Cornelius of the movies 2. Snap up 3. ‘I’ in Greek alphabet 4. Howard of radio fame 5. Death-related 6. One of the Earnhardts 7. Spermatozoa counterparts 8. Muhammad’s birthplace

Oberlin College’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program (SIP) will replace the century-old, fossil fuel-based heating system with an efficient geothermal heat pump system to heat and cool campus buildings and provide domestic hot water. The program will account for the college’s most significant carbon savings as it makes strides towards its goal of carbon neutrality by 2025. North Professor Street has been closed since Monday, north of the intersection at Lorain Street (between Severance Hall and Carnegie). This work, which is expected to be complete by the end of next week or early the week of the Feb. 26, is the start of our 2024 distribution construction and will support the building conversion work that has begun in Carnegie. Carnegie is scheduled to be on our new heating and cooling systems by June of this year, and this street closure is necessary to get the new pipes into Carnegie ahead of the rest of our 2024 distribution pipe construction. Once the North Professor Street crossing is completed, distribution work will begin on Willard Court behind the Allen Memorial Art Museum. Geothermal well drilling is roughly 70 percent complete and is ongoing, and the remainder of our building conversions will begin after commencement in late May. Here is what the timetable looks like:

Week of Feb. 19, 2024 Road Closures and Traffic Disruptions North Professor Street will be closed north of Lorain Street. Wayfinding, Signage, and Fencing -- The sidewalk on both sides of North Professor will be closed, between Severance and Carnegie. -- The area west of Wilder Hall and east of the Central Services Building will remain closed, with the exception of the sidewalk just north of Mudd. Site Prep and Staging The construction team is utilizing work and laydown areas in the following staging areas, which are protected by fencing: -- At the Central Services Building parking lot on the east side of the building. -- Around Carnegie Hall -- In the Wilder Court parking lot Building Conversions and Improvements Building conversion work is progressing in Carnegie. Preparatory work is occurring in AMAM, Hall Annex, and Hall Auditorium. Distribution Pipe Installation and Plant Conversion Distribution pipe installation will progress across North Professor Street between Carnegie and Severance and up to Carnegie on its west side. Geothermal Well Field Geothermal well drilling and land preparation will continue at the north practice fields.

Week of Feb. 26, 2024 Road Closures and Traffic Disruptions North Professor Street should be opened up sometime this week. Wayfinding, Signage, and Fencing -- The sidewalk on both sides of North Professor will be closed, between Severance and Carnegie. -- The area west of Wilder Hall and east of the Central Services Building will remain closed, with the exception of the sidewalk just north of Mudd. Site Prep and Staging The construction team is utilizing work and laydown areas in the following staging areas, which are protected by fencing: -- At the Central Services Building parking lot on the east side of the building. -- Around Carnegie Hall -- In the Wilder Court parking lot

THE OSCARS ACROSS 1. Anti-seniors sentiment 6. ____ Pérignon, Champagne 9. Big Bang’s original matter 13. Prefix for earliest 14. Call to Maria 15. Bob and ____ 16. “Peter, Peter Pumpkin ____” 17. “Le ____ des cygnes” 18. Like yesteryear 19. *Greta Gerwig’s Oscar nominated movie 21. *He’s nominated for playing Leonard Bernstein 23. Nothing 24. White ____ shopping event 25. Federal food safety agency, acr. 28. It ran away with the spoon 30. ROTC happenings 35. Figure skating jump 37. Grad 39. Arrogant one 40. Archaic preposition 41. Passé 43. Scrubbed 44. Sugarcoating 46. Money in Mexico City 47. What DJs do 48. Trickery 50. Swerves 52. Sigma Alpha Epsilon 53. *Typical number of nominations in one Oscar category 55. Emergency responder, acr. 57. *”Nyad” nominee 60. *What kind of moon? 63. “Finnegan’s Wake” author 64. Mother load offering 66. Java cotton tree 68. Artemis’ companion 69. Fat of olives 70. *What actors do 71. Spinner’s product 72. Wisecrack 73. Like Phoenix

Making infrastructure sustainable will affect travel through Oberlin

Building Conversions and Improvements Building conversion work is progressing in Carnegie. Preparatory work is occurring in AMAM, Hall Annex, and Hall Auditorium. Distribution Pipe Installation and Plant Conversion Distribution pipe installation will be completed across North Professor Street between Carnegie and Severance, and up to Carnegie on its west side. Distribution construction will begin on Wider Court behind the Art Library and Hall Annex. Geothermal Well Field Geothermal well drilling and land preparation will continue at the north practice fields.

Please be aware that heavy equipment and wayfinding signage during the road closure. Safety is our highest priority, and we ask for your help to ensure everyone is paying attention and alert while walking through campus. A wayfinding map will be updated on the SIP construction web page each Friday. Additional information, and background details are available on the SIP website: Oberlin College’s Sustainable Infrastructure Program. Contractors will be parking in the Willard Court Lot.

9. Review service, with .com 10. Use a ladle 11. At any time 12. *”No Country for Old ____” multi Oscar winner 15. Suitors 20. Trojan War story 22. “Just an ____-fashioned love song” 24. Slumber 25. Fl., as in fl. oz. 26. “A Confederacy of ____,” sing. 27. Place above a ceiling 29. Dueler’s strike 31. Overnight lodgings 32. Shoelace bunny ears 33. Divine saying 34. *Producer and star of “Poor

Things” 36. *”The ____ of Interest” 38. Table hill 42. Wooden pin 45. *Like nominated ones 49. Love-love, e.g. 51. Meat-cooking contraption 54. Roaring of an engine 56. Hindu religious teacher 57. Forum, pl. 58. Deed hearing 59. Medical diagnostic test 60. Abe Lincoln’s hat material 61. #20 Down, e.g. 62. Traditional learning method 63. *Da’Vine ____ Randolph 65. Orinoco or Grande 67. *Ryan Gosling’s character

SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE A2

Page A8

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024

Lorain County Community Guide

Replace the missing words.

Isita liquid? Orisita solid?

Oobleck acts like both a liquid and a solid! Make some yourself and feel this crazy substance!

The corn flour doesn’t dissolve in the __________. Instead, it becomes “suspended” in the water.

TRYTHIS:

STUFFYOU’LL NEED:

• 1 cup of cornstarch • ½ cup of water • Food coloring (just for fun) • A bowl • Your hands

After your Oobleck is well mixed, ge ntly feel the top. What does it feel like?

Next, pick up a handful of Oobleck ball. What does it feel like now? and squeeze it into a

DIRECTIONS:

a bowl. If you 1. Measure ½ cup of water and pour into the water. have food coloring, add a few drops to your bowl. 2. Measure 1 cup of cornstarch. Pour into minutes to 3. Mix the water and cornstarch for 10 take turns with to make it just right. You might want a partner.

Can you pick up any other liquids and make them into a solid ball?

Corn flour is made up of billions of tiny, irregularly ____________ grains of starch. When water is added, the liquid flows around each grain of starch, and the little grains _________ around each other. This makes your mixture runny as particles slip over and around each other. When a sudden _________ force is applied, the starch particles lock together, and the mixture ________________ and acts like a solid. As soon as the force is removed, the water surrounds each of the grains again, and the mixture becomes ________ once more.

and suspensions.

le science experiments; underst

Standards Link: Conduct simp

Open your hand with the Oobleck ball sitting on your palm. What happens?

Can you find your waythrough this slimey Oobleck maze?

Particleswithoutforce.

ParticleswhenOobleckissqueezedtogether.

Oobleck Advertisement Look for an advertisement in the newspaper that you like. Rewrite the advertisement to make an ad to sell Oobleck.

It’s raining Oobleck! Can you find at least 10 differences between these two pictures?

Standards Link: Language Arts: Write persuasively.

Standards Link: Find similarities and differences in common objects.

Oobleck gets it name from a book by Dr. Seuss. In the book, sticky green gobs of goo fall from the sky. They call it Oobleck.

Usethecode todiscover the name of the book.

A= B= C= D=

E= H= K= L=

M= N= O= P=

Standards Link: Language Arts: Follow simple written directions.

R= S= T= W=

ACTS BALL BOWL CRAZY CUP DROPS FEEL HAND LIQUID MIX OOBLECK OPEN POUR SOLID WATER

Z C J O W A T E R O

C N E P O H Q O Y D

X U L L A B R V Z B

S K P N C O L F A Y

This week’s word:

I R P M S L Q E C A

The noun force means the use of power, energy, or strength.

O E U P W X I V P L

It took force to open the door on a windy day.

D Q D N T W I E R H L X O H I Y U L J K S N R I S B D W S D

Standards Link: Letter sequencing. Recognize identical words. Skim and scan reading. Recall spelling patterns.

Try to use the word force in a sentence today when talking with your friends and family members.

Using all five senses, write a description of ice. ANSWER: “Goo! Goo!”

Standards Link: Conduct simple research; sort items by qualities.

FORCE

Frozen Findings

Where does Oobleck fit?

Make a two-column chart. Title one column LIQUID and the other SOLID. Look through the newspaper and find things that are a liquid and a solid. Write the names of things you found in the column where it belongs.

Withhundredsoftopics,every Kid Scoop printableactivitypack featuressix-to-sevenpagesof high-interestextralearning activitiesforhomeand school!Getyourfree sampletodayat:

Standards Link: Language Arts: Write using descriptive details.