EXPERIENCE. DILIGENCE. INTEGRITY.
440.522.5677
Thursday, March 7, 2024
Submit items to news@LCnewspapers.com
Volume 10, Issue YY
EBT snafu drains funds Carissa Woytach The Community Guide
PHOTOS PROVIDED
Three cheers for Amherst cheerleaders! Squad wins OASSA States title
The Amherst Steele High School cheerleaders won their second state championship last weekend at Walnut High School in Sunbury. The squad, coached by Lauren Szabo, right, took first in the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators Game Day Division for D2. “In a world where cheerleading isn’t seen as being a real sport, they continue on breaking down that wall to prove the world wrong,” Szabo said. “We’re skydiving with no safety nets!” she tells them in her pep talks -- like the one she’s giving them at right when they were competing in nationals in Orlando in February. They came in sixth in nationals but Szabo said she had a feeling they were going to win state. “That pit in your stomach feeling of just pure bliss when they call your team’s name for first place,” the six-year Head Coach Szabo said. “They deserved to feel that.”
In something they hope will never happen again, some benefit recipients were left in a lurch after their EBT accounts were drained last weekend. Charlene Elder of Lorain said she checked her account ahead of her trip to Marc’s Saturday morning and saw her normal $291 allotment there. But when she went to check out, her electronic benefit card was declined, and when she pulled up her account there was only $1.41 left. “It’s kind of embarrassing when you go to the store and it says ‘declined,’ and I’m like there’s no way,” she said. “I’ve been pretty lucky because my daughters have helped me get stuff and then a couple people from the building I live in — it’s a low-income building — they heard about what happened to me so they were also bringing me milk, bread, eggs and different stuff.” Lorain County Job and Family Services Director Barb Tamas said her agency had yet to receive an official fraud alert from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, but that she became aware of issues locally, including complaints of EBT cards being drained after recipients shopped at the Lorain Walmart and local Apples Markets. She said it may be a larger issue, having been made aware of similar problems in Sandusky and Huron counties. Many of the clientele impacted saw their funds “used” in a business in Chicago. Tamas was unsure how many EBT recipients were impacted, but “(couldn’t) imagine Lorain County is the only place in the country” impacted. “This is just so offensive when it happens to our most vulnerable population,” Tamas said. Elder said she called the number on the back of her card to report the theft, then made a report with Lorain police. Elder said her last purchase on the card was in mid-February at the Lorain Walmart. She said she was told a skimmer was used.
City won’t buy house repeatedly hit by cars supporters as the members of City Council voted 10-1 ELYRIA — The city to deny the family’s request denied a request from the that the city buy them out owners of 39009 Chestnut of their home. Ridge Road to purchase The property was struck their home, which the by a man fleeing police on family said has been hit by Nov. 5, and that was the last cars multiple times and is straw for the residents and unsafe. their families. There were tears and visThe crash damaged the ible frustration from owners home’s garage door and Dennis and Pat Campasent a large boulder through nalie, family members and the front room. Owen MacMillan The Community Guide
Family members have said the house has been struck directly at least three times since 1993, including in a crash that killed both passengers of the vehicle in 2017, and the property has been partially damaged countless more. “They’re worried about everybody else,” the couple’s daughter Barbara Campanalie-Whitlock said
FILE PHOTO
The owners of this house on Chestnut Ridge Road are upset that the city See HOUSE, A2 won’t buy it. It’s at a three-way intersection and has been hit several times.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Oberlin
New gas lines being installed. A4
Murder charge Assaulted woman dies. A3
Sports
Keystone girls win championship. A6
SPORTS A6 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8