Thursday, Jan. 16, 2024
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Coyote sightings up; watch your pets The Community Guide
For several weeks, local residents have been sharing possible sightings of coyotes throughout Elyria and Lorain County. Whether it be posting blurry photos and shaky videos in community groups on Facebook or commenting on the possible sightings, some residents have expressed concern. However, coyote activity is common for this time of year and
while the animal can be dangerous, it poses a low risk to individuals, wildlife experts said. “There’s nothing really to fear about having a coyote near you,” said Monika Bowman Bell, wildlife communications specialist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife. “They’re looking for easy food, they’re not typically looking just to harass humans. We are definitely the top predator in this situation.”
While the risk may be low, Bowman Bell did advise to “keep your small children and your small animals inside and away from them.” Some individuals posting to social media advised similar caution. “Lots of coyote sightings in Elyria lately,” Rachelle Hadlock posted on Facebook in December. “Keep your pets close. Small, elderly, or sick dogs are at risk. Go
outside with your dog. Make a lot of noise, chase them away. This isn’t saying coyotes are harmless or friendly. Yes, they will eat your cat.” Sightings of coyotes always increase this time of year, wildlife experts said, due to mating season and lack of foliage to hide in. “It is a quite annual thing, especially from January through March,” Bowman Bell said. “They are mating during this time
period. It’s also winter, of course, so they are seeking food, just like anybody is.” While sightings may increase in the winter months, coyotes are common to this region and are in the area year-round, wildlife experts said. To keep coyotes at a distance, Bowman Bell advised individuals not to leave food out and to cut back on brush piles. Read more about coyotes at tinyurl. com/2dd6r6ed.
Making Oberlin more affordable
Jimmy Carter, in Lorain for a rally at Sacred Heart Chapel in May 1976, reaches out to shake the hand of Ben Franklin (Chester Frederick). Carter is flanked by Lorain Mayor Joseph Zahorec and Leo Koury, a Carter delegate. Frederick of Avon owns the replica liberty bell.
City considers rezoning for duplexes
land trust … they started talking to each other to see The Oberlin City Council how we can do something held a public meeting to that best suits everybody,” discuss the potential rezon- said Oberlin Councilwoman ing of a section of land on Kristin Peterson. East College Street to allow Peterson said that further two-family housing. developing the East ColIt’s the site of Oberlin’s lege Street property has Eastwood Elementary the potential of a positive School — 198 E. College outcome for all parties. St. The school has been “There could be more vacant since 2021 and senior housing available in Oberlin Schools still owns town, which we desperately the property. need,” she said. “It would Officials said there is a no longer be the school potential deal to hand off board’s responsibility to the ownership of the land manage that. And the city between the school disbenefits from having that trict, the city and Oberlin’s property, you know, in use Community Land Trust but in a neighborhood.” nothing can be done until No vote was taken on the the land is rezoned. matter last week, but it is “People in the school dis- expected to be on an agenda trict and in the city and the in the near future. Garrett Looker The Community Guide
JOHN KENNEY / CHRONICLE COURTESY OF THE OHIO HISTORY CONNECTION
When Jimmy came to town Residents remember candidate Carter’s visit in 1976 and other prominent men in Lorain County politics visiting Carter in Plains, Georgia, at the start of the LORAIN — Before President farmer’s campaign. Jimmy Carter set foot in the Oval And after Carter won the DemoOffice, he was a Georgia governor cratic primary in the spring of 1976, and peanut farmer running for the he came back to Lorain County. country’s 39th president who made Joanne Zelina, 90, of Lorain, was campaign stops in Lorain County. not there on the Friday when Carter Carter, who died Dec. 29 at 100, came to her city, but her husband and spoke to a crowd of 800 at Sacred daughter were. Heart Chapel on May 27, 1976, She remembered a call her husbefore moving on to a reception at a band, Bob, received from local Holiday Inn in Elyria. attorney Bill McCray about a month Carter would go on to win, carrybefore Carter’s visit. As the Zelina ing Ohio. “If we can just have a government family sat down for dinner the day as good as our people are, that would before Easter, McCray told Bob Zebe a tremendous achievement,” Cart- lina to pack his bags and hop a flight out to Atlanta the next morning to er told those gathered in the south meet with Carter’s campaign. Lorain chapel. He gave portions of “He looked at us at the table and his speech in Spanish. we said ‘Yeah dad, you better go,” “And when I’m in the White House, I want you to say ‘That’s my Joanne said on Wednesday. “Labor needs it. friend, my president and I’m proud Bob Zelina was director of the of him,’” Carter said that day, before Lorain County Labor Agency at the continuing on to Cleveland, Akron, time, and McCray a member of the Lordstown, Youngstown and Steuorganization’s board of trustees. The benville. two men, alongside Leo Koury and Nearly 50 years later, local resiothers flew to Atlanta for the meetdents remembered his visit. ing. Jimmy Carter’s campaign was far Bob Zelina, 81, died in 2017. Mcfrom the first John Hunter worked. Cray, 87, died in 2012. The former Sheffield mayor gave Joanne Zelina’s daughter, Deborah, his time to Democratic campaigns later met Carter when he came to Sastarting with John F. Kennedy in 1960. He remembered Leo Koury cred Heart. Deborah Zelina was Lorain Carissa Woytach The Community Guide
International Festival Queen in 1975, and posed for a picture with the soonto-be president in May 1976. “I never had the privilege (to meet Carter) but it made me proud of them,” Joanne Zelina said of her husband and daughter. After Carter’s four-year stint in the White House, Hunter lauded the late politician for his work with Habitat for Humanity. The former president and his wife led the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project for Habitat for Humanity for more than 30 years, working alongside more than 100,000 volunteers to build, renovate or repair more than 4,400 homes in 14 countries, according to a Habitat for Humanity news release. “Every opportunity I got to see him was a joy for me,” Hunter said. “... He cared about people and the everyday person.” He said it was a pleasure to know Carter, his wife, Rosalynn and his family. Rosalynn Carter came to the Lorain Palace Theatre in March 1979. Rosalynn Carter, 96, died in November 2023. She and her husband were married for 77 years. “I think he was the smartest, (most loving) president we’ve ever had,” Hunter said and implored others to follow Carter’s example.
Grandpa killing trial date moved Dave O’Brien The Community Guide
ELYRIA — A murder trial in the case of an Elyria man who allegedly beat his grandfather to death with a shovel in February 2024 has been continued to March 24. Lorain County Common Pleas Court Judge Christopher Rothgery “very reluctantly” granted a continuance requested by defense attorney Chris McNeal to continue the trial of Joseph Ward, 21, in the killing of Malcolm Watters, 72, in the garden of his Augdon Drive home. Ward, being held in the county jail on $6.5 million bond, is charged with two counts of aggravated murder, four counts of murder, one count of attempted murder, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of felonious assault, and one
count each of having weapons under disability, tampering with evidence and violating a protection order, in the death Watters and the assault of his grandmother, Pamela Watters. McNeal said he was hired just over three weeks ago to defend Ward and still has a “voluminous” amount of evidence to go through. McNeal is the third attorney to represent Ward. Assistant Prosecutor Matt Kern objected to the continuance. He said McNeal took the case knowing that a trial date had been set since midJune 2024. McNeal, who said he was planning to seek another opinion from a psychologist about his client’s competence, denied he was trying to delay the proceedings.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst
Wellington
Disney On Ice
Police find reports of shooter unfounded. A3
Water plant to be rebuilt by summer. A4
Mickey, Moana and Olaf glide into town. A5
SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8