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LORAIN COUNTY

AMHERST NEWS-TIMES • OBERLIN NEWS-TRIBUNE • WELLINGTON ENTERPRISE Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

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Covell talks vaccines and viral spread

Volume 7, Issue 50

ALL ABOARD THE SANTA EXPRESS

JASON HAWK EDITOR

A timeline for getting the first COVID-19 doses out to key personnel across Ohio was given Friday by Gov. Mike DeWine. Afterward, Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell answered questions about the vaccine, trends his staff is tracking and the community's response to the pandemic. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.

David Covell

Q: We heard a lot Friday about who will have first access to the vaccine and when. But who will be required to get it? A: There's been lots of rumors out there that there's going to be a requirement for the vaccine. That's not the case. Some medical facilities will ask their frontline people to get it, because they want them to be protected, but that will be up to each hospital. Q: A lot of Lorain County residents are openly saying they don't trust the vaccine. What do you tell those folks? A: One of the problems with the vaccine has been this idea that there were corners cut to get it done quickly, and that's just nonsense. They've been working on this technology for a while. It was just a question of how effective they could make it for COVID. And I just heard on the press conference that more people have been involved in these trials than some vaccines that have already been approved for years. Q: Will those who don't get the vaccine be required to notify people their jobs take them into direct contact with? A: I doubt that. Here's one of the big keys: We'll really want to protect the people who are most vulnerable... As we move through, we'll get enough people to accept the vaccine that we'll begin to get herd immunity and we'll really get moving, get as many people as possible that the virus can't spread. Q: Will you get the vaccine when it is available? A: Not only will I get the vaccine as soon as I'm able, Q&A PAGE A3

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Classifieds, legals, display advertising, and subscriptions Deadline: 1 p.m. each Monday Phone: 440-329-7000 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday News staff Jason Hawk news@lcnewspapers.com Phone: 440-329-7122 Submit news to news@lcnewspapers.com Deadline: 10 a.m. Tuesday Send obituaries to obits@chroniclet.com

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Santa, his elf and the Grinch made their rounds around Amherst on Sunday, rolling down residential streets and then cruising through the Powers Elementary and Amherst Junior High School parking lots.

Holiday helpers deliver a little joy JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — Santa Claus is spreading a little pre-Christmas magic in Amherst after a decidedly lump-of-coal kind of year. The jolly old elf rode down every street in town Sunday, making the rounds for hours before zipping through the parking lot at Powers Elementary and Amherst Junior High

“I think that we need to show the kids there’s some normalcy with everything happening.” Main Street Amherst Director Teresa Gilles School on Milan Avenue in the late afternoon. "Santa's magical," said Main Street Amherst Director Teresa Gilles, who also serves on the Board of Education. "He's loves Amherst. Amherst has a special place in his heart."

SANTA PAGE A4

Add holiday debt stress to the pile Lorain County families struggling to put presents under the tree JASON HAWK and LAINA YOST

he holidays are meant to be happy. But for many they’re hard, especially in a year marred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Too many Lorain County families are struggling to afford Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa presents while also covering basic bills. Unemployment claims skyrocketed in March, and after a decline this summer have been ticking back up in recent weeks. Last week, 773 people in Lorain County filed initial unemployment claims. Long lines have become the new norm at food bank distributions. “We see the stress. Obviously, people are putting on a happy face, but they’re dealing with a lot of things,”

said Susan Bartosch, director of external affairs for Second Harvest Food Bank. A year ago, her organization was serving 88,000 Elaine Georgas people in a four-county area, including Lorain County. Now that number has boomed to 144,000. That’s 30 percent of the population in Second Harvest’s service area. “That means 30 percent of the people have enough of an issue, at least one time, to access some help,” Bartosch said.

Food banks kept up with a huge growth in demand during the spring. But starting in August, the number of people asking for help putting meals on their tables spiked dramatically. In a Thanksgiving distribution at Midway Mall, Second Harvest served more than 2,500 families. It was the nonprofit’s largest-ever food giveaway, at between 65 and 75 pounds of food per vehicle. Now Bartosch is bracing for another uptick through the holidays. She said many people are desperate for the dignity of giving presents to loved ones, and that sometimes means putting food, rent and utilities second. Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa are big business. Shoppers plan to spend an average of $650 on gifts this STRESS PAGE A3

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She said Santa was thrilled when she asked him to visit the city a little ahead of his worldwide Christmas Eve flight. He's also excited to answer messages from good little girls and boys. They can drop letters in a

mailbox at the Main Street Amherst office, 255 Park Ave. Gilles said Santa had already received 30 to 40 letters as of Thursday afternoon. Each received by Dec. 18 will get a reply, printed by elves and hand-signed by their boss. Santa's also going online. Families can schedule time to chat with Santa on Zoom

Amherst

Oberlin

Wellington

Train derailment nearly severs city power • B1

College delays start of spring semester as cases rise • B2

Girls empowerment pilot program launches • B1

OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • OPINION B4 • KID SCOOP B6

Page A2

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

OBITUARIES Frances Maxine Lee

HIGH SCHOOL ART SHOW Several Wellington High School students recently participated in the Lorain County High School Art Show held at the Elyria West River Library. The event is sponsored by the Educational Service Center of Lorain County.

Frances Maxine Lee, 93, of Wellington, died Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, at Wesleyan Village. Born on June 10, 1927, in Hartland Township, she was the daughter of Emmor and Evora (nee Beckham) Wolfe. Maxine was a 1944 graduate of New London High School. Following graduation, she attended Nurses Training at Huron Road Hospital in Cleveland graduating in 1949. Maxine worked as an RN at Allen Memorial Hospital in Oberlin until the opening of the Wellington Community Hospital. She was dedicated to the new hospital and worked there from the day it opened until it's closing in 1990. In her long career she rose to the position of Director of Nursing Services and the hospital's final Acting Chief Administrator. Maxine was an active member of First Congregational United Church of Christ and with her husband, volunteered with the Wellington Office of Aging during her retirement. Maxine's greatest joy was in spending time with family. She and her husband enjoyed traveling and gathering with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Maxine is survived by her loving children, Sandra (Ted) Clawson of Texas, Tom (Jean) Lee of Litchfield and Steve (Diana) Lee of Bay Village; grandchildren, Sandra (Dave) Noall, Scott (Katie) Lee, Megan Clawson, Adam (Laura) Clawson, Marissa Lee and Jack Lee; great-grandchildren, Elizabeth and Abigail Noall, Hunter, Maxwell and Ava Lee and Emma Clawson; sisters-in-law, Beverly Lee and Libby Vickers and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Harry 'J.R.' Lee and siblings, Edna Olcott, Ilo Dolbee, Dorothy Rogers, Clair Wolfe, Earline Linder and Eleanor Landis. A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Congregational United Church of Christ, 140 South Main Street, Wellington, OH 44090. Arrangements have been entrusted to Norton-Eastman Funeral Home and condolences may be expressed online at www.norton-eastmanfuneralhome.com.

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Best of Show Garrett Kropff Grade 12 "Untitled" (NBA player) Excellence Award People’s Choice Award - Honorable Mention Shelby Manning Grade 10 “Untitled” (portrait of Zayn) Excellence Award Angel Smith Grade 12 “Toko Fukawa Fan Art” Excellence Award Victoria Paramore Grade 11 "Wide Eyed Baby Turtle"

Patricia L. Hyde Patricia L. Hyde (aka 'Honeybee'), 87, beloved wife and mother, passed away Saturday, Nov. 21, 2020, at Amherst Manor Retirement Community. She was born April 4, 1933, in Elyria to the late Edward and Nadine (McCoy) Gehl. Patricia grew up in Amherst and was married there to her loving husband, Kenneth. They relocated to Florida and Alabama for 17 years before returning to Amherst and retiring in Norwalk. 'Honeybee' loved big band music and was a beautiful ballroom dancer. She was an accomplished gardener and loved the outdoors, especially bird watching. When inside, she was happiest baking, sewing and playing 'Scrabble' with her family. She also had a keen interest in antique history. Pat worked in office administration for Dr. F. Yuzon and the Amherst Utilities Department. She was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, Amherst. Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Kenneth Hyde; their children, Lisa Johnson (Peter) of Sterling, Alaska and Green Valley, Arizona and Susan (Donald) Sterling of Hadley, Pennsylvania; sister, Jacqueline Grendow of Amherst and step-grandchildren, Benjamin, Jacob and Matthew Sterling. In keeping with Patricia's wishes, she will be cremated. Walker-Eastman-Heydinger Funeral Home, Norwalk is honored to assist the family with arrangements. Memorial contributions may be directed to Amherst Manor, 175 N. Lake St., Amherst, OH 44001 or by going to www.walkereastmanheydingerfh.com where online expressions of sympathy may be made and visitors can choose to plant a tree in Pat's honor (via a link next to her obituary). PHILIP FREDERICK MERTHE, 85, a longtime resident of Amherst, passed away Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020, at his home following a long and full life. Hempel Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. FRANCIS “BLAINE” TATE, 81, of Amherst, passed away Saturday, Nov. 28, 2020, at Mercy Regional Medical Center in Lorain, following a brief illness. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home. MICHAEL LYNNE COBB SR., 67, of Amherst, passed away Monday, Nov. 30, 2020, at his home following an unexpected illness. Arrangements by Hempel Funeral Home. Our condolences go out to to families that have suffered the loss of a loved one. For information about placing an obituary or death notice in the Community Guide, call 440-329-7000.

Project Noelle hosts adopt-a-child drive for kids affected by opioids BROOKIE MADISON THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Project Noelle has more than 2,000 kids signed up for Christmas gifts this year, and it intends to provide for all of them. The nonprofit has volunteer groups in 14 northern Ohio counties, including Lorain County, and its mission is to assist children who have innocently suffered from the opioid epidemic. "We do an Adopt-a-Child board,” said founder Keli Clark. “So we’ve had their names out everywhere at different businesses. People take the names and go out and shop for that child and then bring the stuff back. But then we do have the toy drives going and those cover any kids that wouldn’t get picked or if a kid was picked and only had one thing picked for them. We try to fill it with other things.” Clark said a lot of applications come from grandparents or rehab centers, recovery centers, children services, drug courts, Help me Grow, National Youth Advocates and other organizations. “They send info on a child, we print them all out and make these cute Christmas Adopt-a-Child

boards, stick a bunch of names on there,” she said. “People pick a name, go shop and return it.” In 2019, Project Noelle served 735 kids and this year’s numbers have more than doubled. “Right now, Cuyahoga County has roughly 350 kids signed up, Lorain County has 225 kids and Erie County is about the same as Lorain County,” Clark said last week. Its cut off date was Nov. 24. The organization does more than just make sure children have gifts under the tree. “We do Easter baskets during Easter time,” Clark said. “We have support groups for kids ages 5 through 12, we have support groups for teenagers, grandparents and grief support groups for someone who has lost someone to an overdose. We do a lot of public speaking in schools, churches and organizations bringing awareness to the epidemic and explain what a lot of these kids go through.” The nonprofit also helps with back-to-school haircuts and school supplies in August and provides emergency clothing and diapers for those who experience sudden need. Clark said that Project Noelle toy drop off locations can be found at Crocker Park in Westlake, at Ganley

Ford West on Lorain Road in Cleveland, Illustrator Tattoo in Elyria and O’Reilly Auto Parts in Amherst. Because of COVID-19, the group's usual Christmas party has been replaced with other plans. “We’re going to set up one or two days where kids can get on Zoom and talk to Santa,” she said. Santa and Mrs. Claus are already on board and Clark said the group is "just trying to lock down the day.” Clark emphasized how the effort survives and is able to meet the needs of children through donations through faith. “So far working on faith, every year we’ve been able to provide for the people that have signed up, so I don’t think he’s going to let us down now,” she said. “Nothing is too small. A $5 donation can go a long way. It’s been awesome over Christmas. We’ve been really amazed at the amount of people that have stepped up. With the overdose being so high, everyday we have more kids in our community that are left without parents. We want people to keep those kids in their minds and prayers.” To donate go to Project Noelle’s Facebook page and click the donate button, visit www.projectnoelle.com or call (800) 637-9956.

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Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

STRESS

FROM A1

year, according to the National Retail Federation, and an additional $348 on food, decorations and other holiday purchases such as candy and cards. "Consumers are spending just as much this year on gifts and other items to celebrate the spirit of the holidays," the NRF said in its 2020 holiday forecast. Don’t rush to spend more than you can afford, said Elaine Georgas, interim director of the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County. “Don’t overextend yourself,” she said. “Take a pause and be a little simpler this year. If you’re facing a bad financial situation, don’t feel the need to spend.” It’s not only OK, but healthy to take a look at your budget and scale back on holiday spending, she said. The MHARS Board has published a “Coping with the Holidays” booklet designed to spread that exact message. It says some of the best ways to create memories every year are inexpensive — spending time together reading, baking cookies and sharing family history with the younger generation is the best gift of all. Instead of racking up debt spending hundreds on gifts, the booklet suggests making recordings of children singing to grandparents, or having grandparents make recordings of stories of the “good old days” for the family to share. Other alternatives include sharing favorite recipes, decorating gift bags and giving family heirlooms as gifts. If you do have the means to spend, consider making the holidays brighter for families in need. “These are definitely unprecedented times,” said Captain Jimmy Susa, Lorain County coordinator for the Salvation Army. He’s seen the volume of applications shoot through the roof for holiday assistance in the form of food baskets, presents for children and help buying presents for children. "The spirit of Christmas is through the kids, so they are our main concern right now," he said. Families dealing with layoffs or furloughs are trying hard to cover rent, bills, transportation costs and put food on the table, Susa said, and many parents are carrying guilt that they can’t afford presents for their kids. The Salvation Army is collecting toys for children who might not otherwise find any under the tree. You can donate at any branch in Lorain County. Susa said the organization is doing well in terms of gifts for younger children. The main need now is age-appropriate presents for ages 10 to 13. Holiday help isn’t just about meeting physical needs, said Susa. It’s also about spiritual and emotional needs, and the church-rooted Salvation Army makes a point of offering encouragement and prayer to those who seek assistance. Toys for Tots gave 20,576 toys to 5,143 children during the holidays in 2019. Coordinator Christy Howard said those numbers will explode this year. "We've had quite a few people coming through and telling us this is their first time asking for help,” she said. “We're going to have to help each other. This is only the start. It's going to get worse before it gets better." The pandemic has made it harder to get toys. Because of social distancing, closures and health-related precautions, there are about 80 fewer Toys for Tots drop-off locations this year in Lorain County. In a normal year, Howard said her organization would be able to provide four toys for each child in need. This year it’s likely to be just two, or possibly three. Toys for Tots also used to take parents shopping to pick out a gift for children. The virus makes that option unsafe in 2020, Howard said. "I've cried myself to sleep many a night knowing the parents aren't going to be able to come pick out that perfect toy. Having been there myself, I know it's a struggling," she said. She expects to distribute toys past Christmas, as long as donations keep rolling in — and there’s always a waiting list. Howard said she even keeps a supply of toys in her car so she can make fast deliveries that roll in, especially from police officer “elves” who see kids in need and want to make a difference. At Oberlin Community Services, sponsors have stepped up to make sure children find a little joy for the holidays, according to Media and Development Associate Emily Murphy. The Holiday Helping Hands program, which provides presents for kids, probably won’t break any records this year, but neither has need diminished, she said. Meanwhile, requests for assistance with other needs are ratcheting up, said OCS Client Services Coordinator Kathy Burns. More than 25 percent of people she talked with in November had never gotten any kind of services before. There’s been an influx of people who have always worked, usually in well-paying jobs, but are now unemployed or on reduced hours for reasons beyond their control, Burns said. Some, especially single mothers, are looking for work, but are limited by child care schedules while schools have moved online. Murphy said there are many who only ask for help during the holidays, every few years when they are stretched to the point of breaking or for one-time extreme circumstances, like a pet health emergency. “There are a lot of people who are coming to us who just need that one little piece,” she said, “because saving up means they can buy gifts for their kids.” For others, the threat of eviction hangs heavy, as Karen Wu, staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society in Elyria, can testify. A federal eviction moratorium has been in place since March, but is set to expire at the end of the year. Wu said there’s no extension on the horizon. That means people who were not able to make rent will have to pay up by the end of December or face being handed an eviction notice. Tenants could have months of backlogged rent payments that will suddenly be due all at once. “Once the moratorium ends, if people aren’t able to get caught up, they can have another eviction filed against them,” Wu said. “I think there will probably be an increase in the number of evictions filed because the economy hasn’t improved and people are still facing unemployment.” The moratorium only protected tenants who had unpaid rent, she said. Any other lease violation could still be served an eviction notice. Wu said the moratorium did not stop all evictions, it just slowed them down for most of the year. After the holiday season ends, she anticipates evictions will pick up.

Lorain County Community Guide

Q&A

FROM A1 but I'm going to make sure that it's filmed so we can talk about that. I have lots of partners in the community who have said as soon as they're in the group that can be vaccinated, they'd also like to get vaccinated publicly so we can all understand that we're in this together. Not only that, but I'm a father of two, and I'll have both of my kids vaccinated. Q: Why is the vaccine going to nursing homes before it goes to police officers and firefighters? A: Police and fire, they come into contact with people, but they can maintain their distance because they don't work on people directly. If you think of long-term care, those folks are the ones who've had the worst health outcomes, so we want to protect them. Police and fire will be right afterward — it's just a matter of time. Q: Will the vaccine do anything for patients who are already sick? A: People who have already gotten (COVID), who have recovered, it would be like a booster, kind of like a tetanus shot. So it's still a good idea to get it. For people who are actively sick, it won't do anything for them. Q: Lorain County is purple, but what does that mean right now, based on the data your analysts are seeing? A: Our concerns with whether we're purple or red, or whether we toggle back and forth is a really high case count. When you have a really high case count like this, it spreads around quickly and affects nurses and doctors that help us in the hospitals. It affects teachers and other people who keep the schools open. And it could turn into more and more beds filling up in hospitals. Those are really important things, and the big piece is that we need to hold it together for a few more months as this vaccine starts to roll out and protect people... I think a target of April 1, around there, we'll get a lot of people protected, hopefully.

Page A3

Q: Lorain County Public Health has been reporting hundreds of new cases each day for the last couple of weeks. How backlogged are you? A: We're not backlogged enough to not call every single positive case within 24 to 48 hours. But here's what people need to remember: If you got an antigen test, those are not confirmatory tests, then you won't be getting a call from us... Just like the governor had, you can get a false positive. If you get a positive antigen test, follow up with a PCR test so you know for sure. Q: Can you tell us where the "hot spots" for cases are in Lorain County? A: I'm glad you brought this up. We actually have a graph now that shows the community spread associated with each community is almost identical to the percent of the population. In other words, it's equally distributed throughout the entire region. What that tell you is this virus doesn't care what city you live in. This idea that it's only in one particular community or another is just not accurate. Q: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have new guidelines for shorter quarantine periods. Doesn't shortening the window make you a little nervous? A: This is a statistical thing. The problem we've been having is some people don't want to obey quarantine for 14 days because it's a financial hardship, it's a mental health scenario — there's lots of issues. So what the CDC said is they'd like people to do 14 days, but because most people who are quarantined developed symptoms between five and 10 days, you can lower your quarantine to 10 days so we can get more people to comply with it. Then they can wear a mask and go to work for the last four days, because most of the time it happens between day five and day 10. Q: Do you think the change will cause any kind of a bump in cases?

A: I doubt it, most likely because in Lorain County our data says the same thing. Pretty much, from day five to day 10 is when you get it. If you didn't by then, if you go to work with a mask the risk is pretty limited. Q: Do you have advice for people thinking about how they'll spend Christmas and other holidays? A: Holidays have to be a little different. This is the year of sacrifice. You want to sacrifice a little this year so everyone's around next year for the holidays. If you can just celebrate with the family who lives in your home, that's the safest thing... I know we all want to hug each other, but this is the year to visit safely. Q: The Lorain County League, Southwestern Conference and Elyria Pioneers all delayed the start of high school winter sports. Do you have some advice for teams? A: I gave them advice again (Friday morning) and they're pushing the pause button a little longer. This isn't so much about the colors purple or red as it is about the high case count... I hope they'll be able to have some competition between now and Christmas, but the problem is with the case count this high it doesn't make a lot of sense. I think they're going to do it case-by-case, week-by-week. Q: Do you think Lorain County will be red when the alert levels update again Dec. 10? Are we going to stay purple? A: I think the Chronicle-Telegram did a very nice job of describing this. Purple means that you have six of the categories (used by the state alert system) and we are already at five categories. However, there's a rule that if you're purple, you're purple for two weeks. So otherwise we would have been red again this week. We still have a high case count, so we'll likely turn red, but unfortunately the counties around us are probably going to be purple. This idea that it's just about red or purple or about county borders, let's keep that in perspective... it's still spreading pretty fast.

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Page A4

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Metro Parks buckle down

Because of increasing COVID-19 cases, the Lorain County Metro Parks have canceled all indoor programming. All room rentals and venue reservations have been canceled through Jan. 31. Those preregistered for a program or holding a venue reservation will be notified by email. All fees will be refunded in full. "These decisions were made out of an abundance of caution and concern for our staff and visitors," the Metro Parks said in an online announcement. Outdoor programs will continue with the small group size restrictions already in place. All visitors who participate are require to wear masks and abide by state-recommended safety protocols.

Columbia Gas changes

Due to the large number of COVID-19 cases in Lorain County, Columbia Gas has limited certain work that requires its employees to enter customers’ homes. Normal service will resume once Lorain County returns to red alert status or lower.

Library curbside service

Curbside pickup at the Amherst Public Library now has expanded hours: 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Visit www.amherstpubliclibrary.org or call (440) 9884230 to place items on hold for curbside pickup.

Looking ahead to Dec. 24

Christmas Eve worship services will be offered at 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 24 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 115 Central Dr., Amherst. Due to the ongoing need for social distancing and the popularity of attending in-person worship services on Christmas Eve, St. Paul is asking worshipers to make reservations in advance at www. stpaulamherst.com. Space is limited and reservations will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis.

Heritage Center closes

In light of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, the Oberlin Heritage Center has closed its doors to the public until further notice. “Although we can’t welcome visitors to our campus right now, we look forward to continuing our virtual programming and connecting with you on social media,” the nonprofit said. To learn more about upcoming events and online resources, visit www.oberlinheritagecenter.org.

Amherst school donations

The following donations have been received by the Amherst Board of Education: • A memorial bench from the family of Jennifer Werner to be placed in her memory at the Steele High School courtyard. • $45 from the Amherst Teachers Association to the Educational Foundation on behalf of their milestone educators. • $122,922 in federal CARES Act pandemic relief funds from the city of Amherst to be used for the purchase of two new school buses, as previously reported.

SANTA

FROM A1

from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 16 — call (440) 984-6709 to set up a time. Main Street asks for a $5 donation per call and one appointment per family. Gilles said Santa's appearances are more important this year than ever, as kids are wrestling with the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. "I think that we need to show the kids there's some normalcy with everything happening, and Christmas is still a very special time of the year. We don't want to disappoint the children," she said. The 2020 season isn't without its hardships. Because of the COVID crisis, Amherst's annual Miracle on Main Street downtown event, which features a parade and Christmas tree lighting, had to be canceled. Gilles said the arrival of Santa at the end of the parade has been her favorite event each year. But the danger has grown to high to justify holding Miracle on Main Street, even if most events were to be outdoors. So she set about finding other ways to spark a little holiday fun while carrying out Main Street's mission to promote the city's business community.

Photo by Matthew Lester

Students engage in neurotoxicology research with Associate Professor of Neuroscience Gunnar Kwakye.

Global health focus to launch at Oberlin College in Fall 2021 JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — A bigpicture approach to solving public health challenges will become a new study track at Oberlin College next fall. Against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, the college announced Tuesday it will launch a concentration in global health. Students will explore the mechanisms of disease and the ways health ties into politics, economics and other facets of society. “The world needs professionals who understand the multi-faceted reality of human well-being,” said biology professor Mary Garvin, who is helping to shape the new concentration. “We need passionate, ethical, problem-solving minds, broadly trained students of the liberal arts who understand that solutions require collaboration, a sense of humility, empathy and open-mindedness." She said the track "gives

DONNARENEE HURST of Oberlin has graduated with a bachelor of science in nursing from Ohio University. The following Oberlin students have been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Baldwin Wallace University: • CHRISTA BARNES, a graduate of First Baptist Christian School, is majoring in instrumental performance. • KATLYN HERSHBERGER, a graduate of Oberlin High School, is majoring in early childhood education.. • EZRA OHLY, a graduate of Wellington High School, is majoring in digital marketing. ALEX STEINDL of Oberlin has been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Miami University. Steindl is majoring in finance.

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quire fluency in data analysis to be able to understand, assess and formulate evidence-based policies," he said, endorsing the new concentration. "Oberlin is the perfect place to launch this program.” Associate professor of neuroscience Gunnar Kwakye said students will be asked to look at health from more than just a medical standpoint. They'll learn about the ethics of global health and apply moral value to health issues. That means weighing the effects of colonialism, racism and other inequities. "They also will learn the importance of developing cultural sensitivity as global health practitioners and volunteers," Kwakye said. The program is part of the college's One Oberlin strategy, a vision for the next century that focuses on strengthening both academics and finances. The new global health concentration joins recently-launched programs in journalism, business and arts administration.

JANAE JOHNSON of Oberlin has been named to the president’s list for the Spring 2020 semester at Muskingum University. CAMERON DOBOS has graduated from the University of Toledo with a bachelor of science degree in computer science and engineering. He was the recipient of a full-tuition CSE scholarship awarded by the Lorain County Community College Foundation. Cameron is the son of Ed and Amanda Dobos of Oberlin. ALEXANDER WOOD of Oberlin has been named to the president’s list for the Spring 2020 semester at Champlain College. Wood is majoring in game programming.

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the impacts of inadequate health care worldwide. "Global health is an incredibly important and necessary field of study," she said. "This concentration seems designed to address, think critically about and recognize flaws within the field in order to teach future global health professionals how and where to implement change.” The college boasts a number of graduates who have gone on to become public health leaders. They include former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Tom Frieden, Plan C co-founder Elisa Wells and Chloe Bird, senior sociologist at the RAND Corporation and former senior adviser in the National Institute of Health’s Office for Research on Women’s Health. Tim Uyeki is a 1981 graduate who is a physician, epidemiologist and internationally-recognized influenza expert. “In this competitive world, students need to be able to express themselves clearly and ac-

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students a strong sense of how we must break down the silos of the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences and see knowledge as a continuum" that affects different parts of life. The pandemic has emphasized the importance of international collaboration to face the world's most challenging public health issues, said Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar. “Oberlin believes our students can help change the world," she said. "This integrative concentration is another example of Oberlin’s commitment to applying academic rigor to address the vulnerabilities in our society.” Forty-two percent of students expressed interest in the idea of a global health program at Oberlin College when surveyed last year. Among them is Caitlyn Bull, a student on track for graduation in 2023. She said growing up in Madagascar and Kenya made her acutely aware of

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LEGALS ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO PURCHASE OF MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC PROPERTY 2021 Sealed bid packages will be

received by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM, Monday January 5, 2021 Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lorain City Hall 4th Floor. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:15 AM, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. All in accordance with specifications now on file at the Engineering Department. Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier's Check or Letter of Credit equals 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. The bid check/bond should be enclosed in the sealed bid, but in a separate envelope clearly marked 'BID CHECK/ BOND' with the bidders name & address on the bid check/bond envelope. Each bidder must ensure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, handicap, sex or national origin. All bidders must comply with the provisions of the American with Disabilities Act. Bidders shall be required to comply with all Federal and State laws and regulations concerning these matters. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at the Engineering Department, 200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio, 44052 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30PM Monday thru Friday. Electronic packages may be secured, via email Matt_Kusznir@

cityoflorain.org or the city website, www.cityoflorain.org. The Director of Public Safety/ Service reserves the right to make separate or combination awards and to accept or reject any or all bids and to waive any informalities in the bids received. By order of the Director of Public Safety/Service. L.C.C.G. 12/10-17/20 20674570 ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF LORAIN, OHIO WATER DISTRIBUTION BUILDING RENOVATIONS 2111 WEST PARK DRIVE Sealed bids will be received by the Engineering Department of the City of Lorain, Ohio until: TIME AND PLACE FOR RECEIVING BIDS: UNTIL - 11:00 AM, Monday January 5, 2021 Lorain time, Engineering Department, Lo-

rain City Hall 4th Floor. TIME AND PLACE FOR OPENING BIDS: 11:30 AM, Lorain time, City of Lorain Council Chambers, Lorain City Hall 1st Floor. Bids must be accompanied by Certified Check or Cashier's Check or Letter of Credit equals 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. The bid check/bond should be enclosed in the sealed bid, but in a separate envelope clearly marked 'BID CHECK/ BOND' with the bidders name & address on the bid check/bond envelope. Labor shall be paid not less than the prevailing wage rate

as determined by the Ohio Department of Commerce as state in Section 4115 of the Ohio Revised Code. Bid blanks and specifications may be secured at the Engineering Department, 200 West Erie Avenue, Lorain, Ohio, 44052 between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4:30PM Monday through Friday. Bid blanks and specifications will be available online at www. cityoflorain.org free of charge. Bidders may request printed sets for a non-refundable fee payable either by check or money order for each set taken out. Checks are to be made payable to the City of Lorain. The Director of Safety/Service reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. By order of the Director of Safety/Service L.C.C.G. 12/10-17/20 20674571

PLACE YOUR AD CALL (440) 329-7000

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Page A5

Passerrello resigns as the Comets’ head football coach CARISSA WOYTACH THE CHRONICLE-TELEGRAM

Mike Passerrello is leaving the Amherst program in much better shape than it was when he arrived. After guiding the Comets to a 23-14 record over four seasons, Passerrello has decided to step away to focus on his family. “It’s been a tough decision but I know it’s what is best for my family,” he said. “My kids are just at that age where I need to stop coaching and start being at their games and supporting

them.” Passerrello, who will remain in his position as a health and physical education teacher at Amherst, has a three children — a sophomore daughter, son in seventh grade and a son in third grade. Amherst athletic director Casey Wolf, who hired Passerrello for the 2017 season after Passerrello turned the program around at Firelands, appreciates the impact he made on the program. “Mike took over a program that had gone 9-51 over the previous six years and we had four winning seasons the years he was head coach,” Wolf said. “He

turned this program honest, we’re going around, gave it a new to see how it goes,” attitude, and we will Passerrello said. “My forever be grateful for wife may tell me to go everything he did for back, to get away. I’ve the program.” been involved with Passerrello started as football since I was the offensive coornine years old, as a dinator at Firelands player or a coach, and before being promoted I really don’t know to head coach two how this is going to Mike Passerrello games into the 2010 play out. We’ll go season. He has also from there.” held assistant coaching positions The Comets were 4-2 this at Amherst, Westlake, Brookside season, falling in the playoffs to and Oberlin College. North Royalton in an overtime “This will be my first year thriller. without coaching and, I’ll be “It was a tough season but it’s a

credit to the players that they did everything they could to make sure they even had a season,” Passerrello said. “The assistant coaches deserve a lot of credit for following all the protocols. In the end I think we should all just be happy that we are able to play. “We had successful teams, we had winning teams, but the big thing I hope I was able to accomplish was helping them the rest of the way in their lives. We had some great seasons and some very enjoyable moments. I just hope all of that helped them move on in their lives.”

Advocates plead for hunger, homeless and children's relief JASON HAWK EDITOR

The long, hard Ohio winter won't do any favors for residents already struggling to make ends meet, according to those on the front lines of a battle for COVID-19 financial aid. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks, the Coalition on Homelessness and House in Ohio and Children's Defense Fund of Ohio are begging Congress to pass a relief package in the next couple of weeks. Meeting the needs of those who are suffering shouldn't be a partisan issue, they said in a virtual press conference Dec. 3. "We are currently on a path that brings no additional stopgap measures for struggling households." said Joree Novotny, director of external affairs for the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. The state's emergency hunger relief network is serving 120,000 to 150,000 more people each month than this time in 2019, she said. Too many Ohioans are out of work, isolated or affected by COVID, said Novotny.

Many were already living paycheck-to-paycheck before the pandemic, she said, and one in five statewide are unsure how they'll put food on the table. "It takes years, not weeks, to recover from this kind of largescale shift in the labor market and this kind of drawn-out crisis. This is not as simple as a temporary improvement to the unemployment rate," Novotny said. Bill Faith, director of the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, said health officials believe the spike in COVID cases will get worse before it gets better. "We're all feeling stressed out. We worry about how to keep ourselves and our families safe and sane during this pandemic," he said. "... Now imagine how much more you'd be worried if you didn't have a place to call home." That's the reality facing hundreds of thousands of Ohioans who have lost income during the pandemic, he said. Many more are on the edge — 342,000 Ohio households are behind on their rent, and 188,000 believe they'll be evicted over the next two months. Without a federal response, Faith fears what will happen through the

winter, as more and more people face the bitter reality of losing their homes. People are depleting their savings or tapping retirement funds to get by, he said. The Federal Reserve estimates there has been a 70 percent increase in the number of Americans charging rent to their credit cards. Evictions pose a public health threat, said Faith. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put a moratorium in place to prevent displaced families from doubling up in homes or heading to shelters, which could vastly increase the spread of the virus — that moratorium is set to expire at the end of December. It didn't work well to begin with, he said. Landlords challenges the measure, leading to court battles and a lack of enforcement. Now Faith expects a whole new wave of evictions beginning Jan. 1. Seeing many new faces, the "vast majority' of Ohio's homeless shelters are overcrowded or close to capacity, he said. More people are staying in their cars or campgrounds, and some shelters have resorted to placing people in hotels and motels, though the funding for

that won't last long. Tracy Najera, director of the Children’s Defense Fund of Ohio, said kids are 20 percent of the population in Ohio but represent 100 percent of the state's future. Yet every day, children are falling through the cracks and suffering needlessly, she said. "This pandemic has affected all aspects of family well-being and stability, making it challenging for them to manage finances, school, work and mental health," said Najera. Even before the pandemic, more than 466,000 Ohio children lived in poverty and 131,000 lacked health insurance, she said. Gov. Mike DeWine's administration has addressed many children's issues in recent years, but the pandemic threatens to erase that progress. Congress can ease the burden, the three groups said. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a large relief bill last spring, but the Senate has refused to move on it. Now Congress is looking to break for the holidays, which would mean no relief until January unless elected officials move fast, said Faith.

The Ohio advocacy groups called for a boost to food stamps benefits, rent and mortgage relief, extended family leave, support for child care costs, an extension of jobless benefits for those who have lost income and more aid to state and local governments to prevent cutss to critical services. Novotny said the U.S. Department of Agriculture should also extend programs to keep additional food going into food bank warehouses. President Donald Trump also needs to reauthorize funding for the Ohio National Guard, which has 360 members helping to distribute millions of pounds of food each month, she said. Congress should stop "hemming and hawing" over whether the situation is "bad enough" to warrant aid and act, Novotny said. "It's bad enough. It's as bad as ever," she said. "We have food banks right now buying up tents, heaters and shovels to make sure our local food pantries can keep parking lots clear and volunteers and staff safe while they load groceries into waiting cars through the difficult winter ahead."

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Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

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First vaccines could hit local hospitals next week JASON HAWK EDITOR

Doctors, nurses, paramedics and nursing home staff will be the first to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, said Lorain County Health Commissioner David Covell. That could start as early as Tuesday if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves pharmaceutical company Pfizer's rush request for approval of its vaccine, according to a timeline set forth Friday by Gov. Mike DeWine. Another from competitor Moderna could be available soon after, said Covell, with a third from AstraZeneca possible by the end of the month. Each has pre-produced millions of doses, so they could land in hospitals and nursing homes quickly, he said. But who will be required to receive injections is a wide-open question. David Richards, CEO of LifeCare Ambulance, said he has not decided whether to make the COVID vaccine mandatory for employees. The decision is complicated, he said: "Now you're talking about how you infringe on people's civil liberties" as a condition of employment. LifeCare does not require workers to get other vaccines. It pays for and encourages every one to get a flu shot each year, but even then there are some holdouts, Richards said. But the coronavirus is different because it spreads so easily and has proven to be more deadly than the flu, he said. LifeCare responds to two-thirds of the 911 calls in Lorain County and assists some 35,000 patients a year, which ups the stakes. In provided statements, area hospital systems did not say whether vaccines would be mandatory for medical staff. Mercy Health began planning early for sourcing and distributing COVID-19 vaccines, said a release provided by spokesman Jonathon Fauvie. "We have plans in place to support our needs, and we are committed to the appropriate and responsible use of the vaccine in accordance with guidelines from local, state and federal agencies," it said. Mercy will continue to follow COVID-19 standard precautions such as masking, social distancing and hand-washing even after a vaccine is released. Cleveland Clinic spokeswoman Katrina Healy said the sequence in which caregiv-

ers would receive the vaccine has not been determined. "Cleveland Clinic has been chosen as one of 10 'pre-positioned' vaccine sites in Ohio, meaning we will be able to quickly distribute any FDA-approved vaccine," said a release provided by Healy. "We are working with federal, state and local authorities, as well as area hospitals on plans for Northeast Ohio, including how the FDA-approved vaccines will be distributed and the order in which people may receive the vaccines." University Hospitals issued a statement that it is proud to have been the first health system clinical trials site in Northeast Ohio for COVID-19 vaccines. "UH has assembled a team of clinical and non-clinical leaders from across the system who have engaged in thoughtful discussions about our distribution plans," guided by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Ohio Department of Ohio priorities, it said. "Ultimately, the quantity of vaccines we receive will dictate distribution, but we anticipate that we will be able to release our plans in alignment with CDC and ODH recommendations shortly.” The second phase of vaccinations will be for police, firefighters and other safety forces. Covell said Lorain County school superintendents, already facing staff shortages as the virus spreads, are champing at the bit to have teachers and staffers inoculated. Good news for them: "Teachers are on the first responder list" along with utilities workers, said Covell. Mass vaccination for the public will likely happen in the late spring, he said. Lorain County Public Health has been using flu clinics to practice, and has tabbed fire stations, the county recycling center in Elyria, the Lorain County Fairgrounds in Wellington and other sites for drivethrough distribution. Covell said it's not within the scope of his authority to require school employees, government officials, businesses or anyone else to be vaccinated. Some businesses have already expressed interest in having on-site vaccination clinics for their workers, he said. Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker said her company "ordered a dozen freezers to make a COVID-19 vaccine available to our employees on a voluntary basis when it becomes available." That's companywide, not solely at the Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake.

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Fast-accumulating ice and snow pushed plenty of vehicles off Lorain County roads on Tuesday, Dec. 1 during the region's first major winter storm of the season. The Lorain County Sheriff's Office declared a Level 1 Snow Emergency, urging drivers to drive carefully and stay home if at all possible. But police, state troopers and tow operators had their hands full throughout the day and night, responding to slide-offs.

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The following Wellington students have graduated from Ashland University: • RACHEL BATES received a bachelor of arts degree in economics. A 2017 graduate of Keystone High School, Bates graduated with cum laude honors. • BRITTANY EVANS received a bachelor of arts degree in business administration. Evans is a 2015 graduate of Wellington High School. • SARA PALMISON received a master of education degree in curriculum and instruction. MADISON SCHNEIDER of Wellington has been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Tiffin University. The following Wellington students have been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Heidelberg University:

• GABRIELLE BALLARD is majoring in theater and business administration. • LAUREN GRONSKY is majoring in theater and business administration. • BRENNAN SCHECK is majoring in education. The following Wellington students have graduated from Baldwin Wallace University: • ALEX COKER of Wellington, a graduate of Wellington High School, earned a bachelor of music in music education. • SUHA SHEAN of Wellington, a graduate of Keystone High School, earned a bachelor of science in chemistry. • MADISON THOMPSON of Wellington, a graduate of Oberlin High School, earned a bachelor of arts in philosophy. • MICHAELA TOTH of Wellington, a graduate of Wellington High School, graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts in arts management and entrepreneurship.

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Lorain County Community Guide â€˘ Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

OFF THE TRACKS

Bruce Bishop | Chronicle

A train derailed on Norfolk Southern tracks east of the Route 58 overpass in Amherst last week during the first powerful storm of the winter. The wreckage was cleaned up within just a couple of days.

Derailed train just misses power feed JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST â€” Ten train cars derailed around 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the midst of a powerful winter storm that slammed Lorain County with snow and ice. An eastbound Norfolk Southern train heading from Elkhart, Indiana, to Binghamton, New York,

went off the tracks just after passing under Route 58 in Amherst. Fire Chief Jim Wilhelm said no hazardous materials spilled â€” five of the cars spilled grain on the tracks, but it quickly became apparent there was no serious risk of an explosion on the tracks. Mayor Mark Costilow was relieved for another reason. The crashed train cars narrowly missed the main electrical feed

that provides power to Amherst's 12,000 residents. They missed by about 50 feet. "We really did get lucky here," Costilow said. "It would have been a catastrophe to lose power citywide in the middle of a snowstorm." Working with the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency, the city has response plans in place for just such a

disaster, he said. It would provide generators and shelters to keep people warm. But those plans would be unlikely to hold up under the added pressure of the COVID-19 pandemic, when potentially hundreds of displaced residents would have to huddle together in public spaces, said Costilow. "That (the train) missed and we're OK is nothing short of a

Hot Dog Heaven torn down JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST â€” A regular 'dog topped with chili and cheese was Sydney Sexton's all-time favorite Hot Dog Heaven order. "This place was like home," she said, watching from across the street last Thursday as an excavator tore through the restaurant's walls. "I'm trying not to cry." Collins Excavating and Construction of Wadsworth was hired to demolish the century-old building, and began the process around 9 a.m., ripping the old dining room to shreds. The night of Aug. 31, a grease fire destroyed the Cleveland Avenue restaurant, which had been a favorite hangout for generations of Marion L. Steele High School students and Amherst families. "I bawled my eyes out when I heard it was on fire," said Sexton, 20, HEAVEN PAGE B2

Christmas miracle," he said. The derailment highlights Amherst's need for a second main power feed into the city, according to Costilow. That upgrade is in the works as the result of a deal with AMP Transmission, which purchased the city's high-voltage transmission lines. DERAILED PAGE B2

Deputies warn of scam

A scammer posing as a Lorain County sheriffâ€™s deputy has resurfaced. The caller identifies himself as Chief Deputy Cavanaugh with the Lorain County Sheriff's Office, then instructs the intended victim that a warrant for arrest for drug trafficking has been issued. The caller confirms information with the intended victim, then instructs them to get gift cards to clear up the warrant. No law enforcement agency will call and solicit funds to clear up warrants.

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Workers from Collins Excavating and Construction of Wadsworth tear into the old Hot Dog Heaven building on Cleveland Avenue in Amherst on Thursday, Dec. 3. The restaurant was destroyed by fire the night of Aug. 31.

Pilot to boost girls' self-confidence JASON HAWK EDITOR

WELLINGTON â€” Saying someone "throws like a girl" shouldn't be an insult, as countless Dukes softball stars have proven. Girls can achieve anything boys can â€” that's why Wellington High School Principal Tina Drake is investing the next 20 weeks in a new program designed to build their confidence, self-image, leadership skills and career goals.

Joshua Bowyer, Au.D.

â€œGirls are struggling with a number of issues unique to being a girl.â€? Wellington High School Principal Tina Drake Eleven students logged on the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 2 to begin a journey called Ruling Our Experiences, or ROX. "Girls are struggling with a num-

ber of issues unique to being a girl," Drake told the Wellington Board of Education last week during a special meeting. She said girls are at a higher risk for anxiety, depression, sexual harassment and sexual violence. Women are also underrepresented in leadership roles and in science, technology, engineering and math careers. Drake said she intends to show girls they can be successful in traditionally male-dominated professions including policing, firefighting, engineering

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Library plans due after start of 2021 JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — It's been a year since voters approved $5 million in new cash for a roughly 10,000-square-foot addition at the Amherst Public Library. Now, with 2020 closing out, bonds have been sold at last, RFC Contracting of Strongsville has been hired to oversee the project and HBM Architects of Cleveland is designing the new space. Concept drawings could be ready to share with the public in January, said library Director Don Dovala. "They're not going to be able to see much at this point. We're still on schematic design," he said last week. The COVID-19 pandemic has not delayed progress, according to Dovala and Public Relations Manager Becky Denes — they said it's on schedule. If all goes well, ground will be broken in early summer and the addition will take nine to 12 months to complete. Amherst Public Library trustees pitched the project as a way to give patrons more breathing room. The new area will be built on the south side of the existing library, taking up a small portion of the parking lot. The bulk will be two stories, and the addition will allow for an expanded children's area, a large meeting room, quiet areas for study and a book drop into the library. "We've gone through the concept a couple of times, and the last one we did, we were finally able to say, 'Yes, that checks off all of our points,'" Dovala said. Whether the pandemic's affect on pricing will force changes to the project has yet to be seen. A construction manager at risk — who has yet to be hired — will counsel the library board on whether changes to the market will mean making cuts. Dovala said the virus has already prompted library trustees to look into changes in heating and air conditioning systems. Denes said the most pressing need at the Amherst Public Library is for more space, and the pandemic has only intensified that need. But social distancing concerns aren't permanent, she believes, and the library plans to eventually return to normal operations. "I think we're definitely looking at designing with more flexibility," said Dovala — that means making library spaces more mobile so they can be reconfigured if the COVID or another emergency makes it necessary. The need for the public library isn't going away, Dovala and Denes said — books and movies are still circulating at about 70 percent of normal volume and there's a demand for programming.

DERAILED

FROM B1

AMPT is acquiring land and reviewing several possible routes for a second main feed on Amherst's west side, which would prevent massive blackouts. The project is on track for completion in 2023, Costilow said. No injuries were reported to the train crew. The cause of the derailment was investigated, according to a statement from railroad Media Relations Manager Rachel McDonnell Bradshaw, but the company did not release a cause of the crash. Norfolk Southern declined assistance from the Amherst Fire Department. Wilhelm said the blizzard-like conditions probably contributed to the derailment, but any number of factors could have been involved. During his four decades on the department, there have been four train derailments in the area just east of Route 58, he said. "That's always made me nervous there," he said. "It's always been in the back of my mind that it could happen again." He said the crash "chewed up the track" and large machinery was called in to right the train cars.

GIRLS

FROM B1 and space exploration. ROX is "a plan for girls to be supported by other girls, to be strong a bold, to make decisions" and explore important changes in their lives, she said. It will provide a safe place to talk about stress, body image, academics and hear from guest speakers. Drake, who has trained as a ROX instructor, also plans to teach self-defense. It's not karate, she said, but how to escape attackers — "to inflict enough pain to get away, to get to safety." ROX is a nonprofit that operates girl empowerment programs in more than 350 schools and community organizations throughout the United States. Its model is geared toward students in grades five to 12. The program was built after surveying more than 10,000 girls nationwide about the issues that impact their lives. ROX said 46 percent don't believe they're smart enough for to succeed in their career path, and many simply decide to remain quiet rather than speaking their minds. Drake said the ROX program leads to a 66 percent decrease in girls' participation in bullying and a 72 percent increase in their understanding of health and unhealthy relationships. Eighty-three percent of participants say ROX is one of the things they like most about high school, and 86 percent report having significantly higher levels of selfconfidence and self-esteem. At Wellington High School, the pilot program has been set up for a select group of juniors and seniors recommended by staff. The goal is to train more staff as ROX leaders and expand the program into lower grades. Drake said she wants to give every one of her female students the opportunity to take part before graduating.

Lorain County Community Guide

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Oberlin College delays start of spring semester due to surge JASON HAWK EDITOR

OBERLIN — With Lorain County on purple alert, Oberlin College has delayed the start of the spring semester by three weeks. Classes were to begin Jan. 7, but now they won't get underway until Feb. 1. "As we evaluate the current state of the pandemic, good judgment once again demands that we take the necessary steps to ensure our community’s safety while we work to provide the on-campus Oberlin experience we value so highly," said President Carmen Twillie Ambar in a recent letter to the college community. Gov. Mike DeWine said in November that college students may not be able to return to campuses in January.

Oberlin College told students to remain home after Thanksgiving break and wrap up 2020 online. That was planned even before the fall semester began, not the result of any surge in cases — Oberlin has had tremendous success in limiting the spread of the virus. As of Nov. 30, the college had administered 11,135 tests to students, faculty and staff with just 28 positives. Ambar said much of the nation is struggling under increasing rates of community spread, and Ohio is no different. "The most concerning part of these increasing rates is that public health experts predict that during the holiday season, if people congregate indoors, the spread of COVID-19 will accelerate," she said. Now Oberlin students will move in Jan. 25-29. Under a new threesemester schedule created to "de-

densify" the campus, it will be the first time this academic year that most juniors attend. All returning students will have to quarantine in their rooms until testing negative for the virus. That means first week classes will all move online. "This delay to the beginning of classes will allow our students to self-quarantine at home after the holidays, and prepare to arrive on campus safe and healthy," Ambar said. "This change does delay the end of the semester and the beginning of our summer semester, but the change is manageable." Oberlin College is looking into the possibility of having spring sports for the Yeomen and Yeowomen, but the "path is narrow" and unlikely to lead to a normal season, Ambar said. The spring semester is scheduled to end May 13.

A NEW HOME FOR SANTA JASON HAWK EDITOR

giant fiberglass Santa Claus has been a fixture in front of Hot Dog Heaven on Cleveland Avenue in Amherst for decades. When the restaurant burned this summer, longtime residents started to wonder whether the winter landmark would be shelved for a year. The question reared its head again this past week, when the fire-damaged structure was demolished. "Santa has been a big part of Christmas for a long time down at Hot Dog Heaven," said Mayor Mark Costilow on Monday. "We're just really honored to give him a temporary home here at city hall until they can rebuild." There had been talk of placing Santa atop the city's bandstand at the Five Points intersection downtown. That would have been a worthy place, said Costilow, but there was no good way to attach the cables that hold the 16-foot-tall inflatable in place. Instead, the decoration now stands tall in front of the town Christmas tree. Retired Amherst firefighter Kevin Henceroth has been in charge of setting up the Santa for the past 30 years. This year, his son Nathan helped.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

HEAVEN

FROM B1 whose mother Lisa has worked there since 1998. Hot Dog Heaven was where her sister had her first job, and Sexton remembered chipping in there as a teenager. She recalled busing tables during the Comet Relays track invitational, which was always the busiest day of the year. Others flocked to Facebook to share memories. Karen Williams Hajduk remembered Hot Dog Heaven as the "Candy Lady's home," where years ago neighborhood kids were allowed to knock on the back door once a day to get a treat. "When our kids were small they loved going there, seeing all the sports of Amherst Schools on the wall," said Stan Truskot. Amherst City Council President Jennifer Wasilk said her oldest son worked at Hot Dog Heaven in high school and college. Her daughter was good friends with former owner Jack O'Flanagan's daughter — every day they would walk from Shupe Elementary School and "Mr. O" would make them hot dogs and fries. A very few odds and ends were rescued from the building, said Mike Vincent, facilities manager for cur-

rent owner Chris Russo. They included a handful of photos pulled from the walls and two dining room columns that will be installed in the new Hot Dog Heaven. "Everything had so much smoke damage, water damage. There wasn't much we could do," Vincent said. He and Russo said they had remodeled most of the restaurant's interior. There were new counters, coolers and ice cream machines, an updated bathroom and break room. Siding had been redone and just a week before the fire the chimney had been tuck-pointed. Watching the building come down Thursday was hard, but the first step toward rebuilding, Russo said. "Truly one of the greatest things about Amherst is how everybody helped us out. They helped the staff. They had fundraisers," he said. "Hot Dog Heaven is more than just a restaurant — it's part of the fabric of Amherst. Mr. O'Flanagan and Wally Armour, when they built it, I don't know if they realized what it would become, but it's truly an icon of Amherst. You have to give those guys credit. Now it's just a matter of bringing it back to life." A new Hot Dog Heaven has been

designed and Russo said he has drawings to show the Amherst Planning Commission as early as this month. He's purchased three nearby houses, which will also be razed to double parking and provide access from Cleveland Avenue, Washington Street and Axtel Drive. The new building will have two floors and an attic, an expanded dining room, a drive-thru lane, a four-season room with open-air dining above, a patio and a sprinkler system. The style and colors will closely match the old Hot Dog Heaven, Russo said. "One of the main things we really wanted to address is to make it look like a house. We didn't feel the community would be happy, nor would we be happy if it looked like a McDonald's," he said. If all goes well, he wants to break ground in April and light up the open sign in 2021, with all staff returning. Some have been employed there for three decades, and continue to work in the Hot Dog Heaven food truck across the street in the parking lot of Hastee Tastee, which Russo also owns.

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Lorain County Community Guide

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Liam Neeson’s ‘The Marksman’ set for January release JASON HAWK EDITOR

"I don't scare easy," says Liam Neeson's character, Marine Corps veteran and hard-on-hisluck rancher Jim Hanson, in the trailer for "The Marksman." But COVID-19 can be scary, and has certainly taken its toll. That includes delaying the release of the action movie, which was partially shot in Wellington. Now it's set to hit theaters Jan. 22. "It's definitely something people have been looking forward to," said Scott Jerousek, owner of Farm & Home Hardware in Wellington. "There's been a lot of let-down this year with corona, and people need just a little ray of sunshine." A scene was filmed inside Jerousek's store last October, so he's naturally curious to see how it turned out. Even though he doesn't expect Farm & Home to be on screen more than 30 seconds, he said it will be a thrill. Also looking forward to seeing familiar digs is Wellington Music owner Steve Neff. Part of his downtown shop was transformed via Hollywood magic into a gun store. "It was amazing having him in here, seeing him and having him sign my guitar," Neff said, retelling stories of how the one-day shoot played out. His favorite part: meeting a tired Neeson for just a brief moment at the end of filming and snapping cherished photos that now hang inside the shop. "The Marksman" — originally titled "The Minuteman" — is

Jason Hawk | Wellington Enterprise

Steve Neff of Wellington Music shows off photos from Liam Neeson's filming of "The Marksman" in the village, as well as a prize guitar autographed by the action star. a thriller about a rancher who takes a migrant child under his wing and runs from drug cartel assassins. They flee to family in Chicago, and many scenes along the road were filmed in Ohio locales, including Vermilion Township, Ravenna, Brookpark, Parma and Shalersville Township. That's generated a lot interest in the movie across Northeast Ohio. The question is whether theaters will be open to screen it.

After struggling through a long shutdown earlier in the year and reopening, Regal Theatres temporarily closed again Oct. 9. The chain plans "to resume operations at the appropriate time, when key markets have more concrete guidance on their reopening status, and in turn, studios are able to bring their pipeline of major releases back to the big screen," according to its website.

AMC says most of its theaters are open or will reopen soon — the closest is in Rocky River. The Apollo Theatre in Oberlin remains closed, but The Atlas in Elyria is open. Amherst Cinema is planning to reopen its doors as a slate of first-run movies becomes available, according to owner Chris Russo. It focuses on kid-friendly fare, though, and is unlikely to carry "The Marksman." Theaters can't be packed, so

big budget releases aren't getting the big screen buzz they once did. "Wonder Woman 1984" will hit theaters on Christmas Day and be released to HBO Max simultaneously. In an unprecedented move, Warner Brothers has committed to a similar hybrid release model for "The Matrix 4," "Dune," "Mortal Kombat," "Godzilla vs. King Kong," "The Suicide Squad" and other 2021 tentpoles.

Miller files complaint over out-of-state mask contract JASON HAWK EDITOR

Photos by Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Veterans from Amherst American Legion Post 118 fire off a rifle volley on Monday, Dec. 7 to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Pearl Harbor casualties never forgotten, even in a pandemic JASON HAWK EDITOR

AMHERST — It's a date that lives in infamy, even 79 years later. Veterans across the nation paused Monday to reflect on the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into World War II, leading to the deaths of more than 400,000 American military service members. "The attack was a complete surprise, catching the Americans unprepared,"

Dan Kuzniar plays Taps at the conclusion of a short Pearl Harbor Day ceremony Monday in Amherst.

said Tom Hauck, Commander of American Legion Post 118 in Amherst. Just before 8 a.m. on Dec. 7, 1941, imperial Japanese forces attacked the U.S. naval base in Honolulu. They sank four battleships and damaged four others. Smaller vessels were laid waste and 188 aircraft were destroyed. The attack killed 2,403 Americans before it ended at 9:55 a.m. Hauck recounted how millions of Americans were drafted or voluntarily answered the call to serve.

From Amherst, nearly 1,200 entered the military. Thirty-two never returned home, their names now inscribed on a memorial rock outside the Legion post. The 2020 Pearl Harbor Day ceremony in Amherst was shorter than usual — the post had been closed until this weekend due to the spread of COVID-19. "We weren't going to do anything this year," said veteran Clark Bruner. "Then we said, well, we've never missed a year and we're not going to start now."

A lucrative contract awarded to a California company has Ohio Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst, steaming. He's angry that Liberty Paper, located in Los Angeles, was chosen to provide the state with 32 million surgical masks during the COVID-19 pandemic — and that the company plans to follow through by importing them from China. Miller is a former Firelands High School teacher and Amherst City Council member who now represents the state's 56th House District, which includes much of western Lorain County. He said government is being "shortsighted and fiscally irresponsible" by using an out-of-state vendor for personal protective equipment. “We should be investing our hard earned taxpayer dollars in Ohio businesses who employ our neighbors, rather than contracting PPE from a California company who outsourced to China," Miller wrote in a Dec. 1 letter to Matthew Damschroder, director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. "The decision to contract outside of Ohio when we have companies in Ohio and in Lorain County is disappointing at best." The contract should have gone to businesses like Lorain-based Cleveland Veteran Business Solutions, which retooled earlier this year to make medical-grade masks, he said.

Vice President Niko Eren said the plant has kicked up production and is capable of producing 1.5 million masks per month. It has a stack of applications from people who want to work, but can't expand operations without contracts like the one that went to Liberty Paper. At the beginning of the pandemic, Ohio experienced a devastating PPE shortage because so much was supplied by China, where the virus originated. "The last couple of months, it seems like the shortage has gone down, so it's all gone back to buying from China," Eren said. "But now the shortage is starting to deepen again." Ohio has a vested interest in setting up long-term supply chains in-state to prevent shortages, he said. Miller agreed — "I have constituents, businesses in my district that could have been part of the solution, put people to work and brought in the sales revenue," he said. In July, the Ohio Development Services Agency released $20 million to support PPE manufacturing, he said. The money was intended to help factories across the state buy new equipment and retool production to make safety gear, and at least 15 companies were awarded more than $7.5 million to make masks. "The millions of dollars already invested in PPE manufacturing in Ohio through the grant funding plus the return on payroll, taxes and job creation should justify buying local," Miller said.

85 SOUTH MAIN STREET OBERLIN OHIO 44074 DECEMBER 10, 2020

BOARD AND COMMISSION MEETING DATES ALL MEETINGS WILL BE Live Streamed @ http://oberlinoh.swagit.com/live DECEMBER 14, 2020 .......CITY COUNCIL PUBLIC HEARING – 7:00 P.M. PURPOSE: To adjourn into executive session to consider the employment and compensation of the City Manager 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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OPINION

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Lorain County Community Guide

A link to those killed at Pearl Harbor Harley and Mary Miller were celebrating their wedding anniversary on their Marysville, Ohio, farm on Dec. 7, 1941. But they couldn’t fully enjoy the occasion since their two sons were in harm’s way as sailors on the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. The Millers were devastated when word reached them of the Arizona’s sinking in just nine minutes after having its hull ripped open by a Japanese torpedo bomb. The wreckage is the watery grave for 1,177 sailors and marines including the Miller boys. There was a second set of Ohio brothers on the Arizona that fateful day which, as President Franklin Roosevelt said, “shall live in infamy.” My family had a link to this second set of brothers — our first house at 1629 Clio Ave. in Cincinnati was bought from the boys’ father. My parents brought me home from the hospital to the Clio Avenue house in 1939. Ironically, I would be the only family mem-

PAST IS PRESENT JAMES BURNS

ber to preserve the house’s history. My mother must have mentioned the tie several times during my boyhood, and only after we had moved to another house. Years later — when I was in my 60s and 70s and would see an image of the Arizona sinking from time to time on TV — this haunting memory of having lived in a house whose owner “had lost his two sons on the Arizona” would pop up again. By then, my parents and brother had passed away

and my older sister Dorothy had no such memory. I began to doubt myself and my memory. But fate would ensure that the linkage of 1629 Clio Ave. to Pearl Harbor would be preserved. For it was my sister’s son Mark who was sent to Honolulu on a business trip, and who emailed me a photo of the Pearl Harbor Memorial. That had to be more than a coincidence, and I determined to find out once and for all about 1629 Clio. The computer and modern databases enable any of us to be detectives solving mysteries. I first searched a listing of the 1,177 sailors who perished on Dec. 7, 1941, looking for sets of two identical surnames with Ohio as their home state. There were just two such sets, Miller and Keniston. Tracking the Millers only took me back to the Marysville, Ohio, farm. “Keniston” was my last hope. My parents had bought the house in 1935, so I downloaded the 1934

Cincinnati phone directory. And there it was: “Keniston, Howard, 1629 Clio Avenue.” Confirmation came when I went to the Facebook page for the local cemetery nearest Clio Avenue. They had a photo of the Howard Keniston tombstone — he had died in 1985 — with the inscription “sons Kenneth and Donald, died Dec. 7, 1941, on the USS Arizona.” The moral of this story is that if you have a very vague memory — you’re not sure if something happened or not, but it’s of something important — don’t let it slip away. Don’t let it vanish. And may Howard Keniston and his two sons, as well as all the sailors and marines on the Arizona, rest in peace and be duly honored this day. James Burns is an Ohio native, a retired professor at the University of Florida, and a frequent contributor. Email him at burns@ise.ufl.edu.

Political leaders aren’t warriors The recent election and the controversy over its outcome should make all of us aware that the behavior of candidates deserves to be considered in judging their suitability for office. How officeholders conduct themselves is as important as the policies they profess to support. There is a huge difference between those who think of being elected as an obligation to follow the rules and customs that define a free society and those who think of exercising power as the opportunity to get their way. One way to highlight this contrast is to draw a clear distinction between being officeholders in a constitutionally ordered society and being the leader of groups determined to win in conflict by any means they can manage to devise. That contrast can be symbolized by the difference between what characterizes responsible political leadership and that which is typical of warfare, especially of guerrilla warfare. In guerrilla warfare and in so-called total war, every move is guided by the aim to win, regardless of the tactics. Consistency in behavior, respect for evidence, thoughtful concern for the interests of opponents and regard for truth are all subordinated to the effort to win. This might be excused in dealing with exter-

nal threats if there is no international system for dealing decisively with threatening behavior, but in the case of internal dangers the attempt to destroy opposition is a strategy for disaster. Constitutional order and historical precedents are designed to facilitate the settlement of disagreements without resort to coercive methods that depend only upon the use of raw power. We ignore this principle at great peril. The fundamental difference between a warrior and a partisan must be understood and respected for a democratic society to function and even to survive. Leadership in warfare focuses on the exercise of power; success depends upon the mastery of coercion. Leadership in democratic societies depends upon skill in negotiation and the capacity to create a workable consensus dedicated to the advancement of the general welfare. In warfare, might plays a controlling role. In a successful political order, the ability to achieve common purposes is crucial for being successful. For far too long, the distinction between these two ways of dealing with the nature of public leadership has been blurring. A large vocal and aggressive segment of our society has come to regard politics as a kind

ED LONG JR.

COMMUNITY PEACE BUILDERS

of warfare. It regards holding office as a means of getting its way and of winning by defeating opposition. It has determined its behavior by what creates clout instead of what can lead to negotiated moral purpose. This reckless attitude has motivated too many of our citizens to support leaders who they feel will serve their aims by either ignoring or destroying the processes that enable a society to work together for the good of all. No society is ever likely to be perfectly guided by ideal principles. Disagreement is inevitable and perfect solutions unattainable. But the understanding of what is basic to ordered well-being must be kept alive and reaffirmed in the face of erosion. The healing process of integrity in discourse, open and flexible good faith in negotiation, acceptance

of outcomes from orderly processes, and holistic attention to the condition of all participants in our national endeavors must be cultivated with a new intensity. Doing this is a patriotic duty, not a partisan agenda. We can hope it is still possible to stem the trend to turn politics into warfare. Doing this will not be accomplished by merely changing a few leaders. It will only happen if the leaders that are chosen earn respect and therefore enjoy support for policies that are arrived at through negotiated agreement. For this to happen, allegiance to the nation and its welfare must override allegiance to the narrow self-interest of any group. The idea of succeeding must be measured by what benefits the body politic as a whole. It is time to put what is a dangerous way of thinking behind us. Unless we do this, the future for our society and even for the world community will be very bleak. Edward LeRoy Long Jr. is a resident of Kendal and professor emeritus of Christian ethics and theology culture of Drew University. He taught religion at Oberlin College for two decades. Carry on the conversation at communitypeacebuilders@ aol.com.

LETTERS Time to remove Trump To the editor: President Donald Trump has avoided violating the U.S. Constitution in his efforts to overturn his defeat, even though he wants legislators to be called back into special sessions. President-elect Joe Biden and former President Barack Obama should call for the invocation of the 25th Amendment to remove President Trump. This would require at a minimum Vice President Mike Pence's cooperation, along with that of many politicians who believe some 81 million Biden voters cheated, while some 75 million Trump voters did not. The magnitude of the damage done to our democracy by President Trump, though barely technically legal, cannot possibly be grasped in all its seriousness so long as Biden and Obama remain silent, uncreative, yet dignified and respectful of our Constitution and our founders' intentions, expectations, and hopes of how we should transfer power peacefully and gracefully from one administration to another. Being stunned, using strong adjectives to express disgust is far too weak. Never mind if the call goes nowhere; its purpose is to expose the gravity of these times our nation is forced to face because Trump chooses to take advantage of every imaginable loophole he can for his selfish reasons rather than accept defeat graciously and help the incoming administration fight the virus. That would have given him a good platform for the 2024 elections. Booker C. Peek

Change how electoral votes are calculated To the editor: The debate has started again as to whether the U.S. Constitution should be amended in order to change the presidential election process. Some promote eliminating the Electoral College in favor of a direct popular vote for president while others believe the Electoral College should remain unchanged. Just as compromise solved the initial problems of the framers so it is that compromise can solve this problem. The solution is to change the electoral votes to electoral points and reward each candidate a percentage of points based on the percentage of popular votes received in each state. This would eliminate the “winner take all” system thus allowing for all the votes to count. A voter is more apt to believe their vote counted when a percentage of popular votes are taken into account rather than the “all or nothing” system currently in existence. Further, this new system would integrate the desire for a popular vote for president with the need for the individual states to determine who actually gets elected. For 2020, multiplying the percentage of votes each candidate received in each state times the number of electoral votes results in the following: Biden 267.23 and Trump 252.33. Multiplying the percentage of popular votes each candidate received nationwide times the total number of electoral votes results in the following: Biden 274.92 and Trump 253.40. Joe Bialek

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. • The deadline to submit letters is 10 a.m. each Tuesday. They are used on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit any submission for length, grammar, spelling, and clarity, or to reject any submission.

SCHOLARS The following Amherst nursing students were recognized for academic performance during the Spring 2020 semester at Mercy College of Ohio: • MIKAYLA FAUTH was named to the honors list. • TAMHRA PHELPS was named to the dean's list. The following Amherst students have graduated from Youngstown State University: • KORRINE REED earned

a master of health and human services. • JOSEPH JANUZZI earned a master of social work. VANESSA BORRELLI of Amherst has graduated from Coastal Carolina University. She majored in language, literacy and culture. BRIANA BOWYER of Amherst has been named to the president's list for the Spring 2020

semester at Miami University. She is majoring in kinesiology, family science.

South Amherst have been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at Miami University.

SAM MCQUATE of Amherst was named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at the Rochester Institute of Technology. McQuate is in the software engineering program.

The following Amherst students have been named to the dean's list for the Spring 2020 semester at the University of Findlay: MIKAILA JENNINGS, SARAH RITTER and ZACHARY WILDMAN.

ANGELINA RIVERA of Amherst and SAMANTHA IVES of

JASON BELAK of Amherst has been named to the dean's list

for the Spring 2020 semester at the University of Delaware. MAXWELL MENNER of Amherst has been named to the predident’s list for the Spring 2020 semester at the University of Alabama. ADRIAN BLANCO of Amherst has graduated from Harding University with bachelor of business administration degree in finance.

Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

REMEMBERING WERNER

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FIRST TIME SLEDDING

Provided photo

The family of the late Jenny Werner donated a bench in her honor to Amherst Steele High School on the afternoon of Nov. 30. "We lost a great one last year. However, her name will permanently remain," said Principal Joe Tellier. Werner, 53, was an aide in the Amherst Schools, working with children who have special needs. She died Dec. 21, 2019, after a long battle with cancer. The memorial bench has been placed in the high school courtyard.

Jason Hawk | Amherst News-Times

Four-year-old Gabriel Lauer of Amherst gets a little push from his mom, Lisa Lauer, at the former Golden Acres nursing home at Route 58 and North Ridge Road in Amherst Township. They ventured out to the busy sledding hill on Tuesday, Dec. 1, as the first winter storm of the season dumped about 10 inches of snow. It was Gabriel's first time sledding.

Study: ‘Diseases of despair’ on rise in Lorain County JASON HAWK EDITOR

Despair is literally killing us. That's the finding of a new study by Ohio University that looks at how self-destructive behaviors have hurt Ohioans over the past decade. It found drug overdoses, suicides and alcohol-related liver disease are cutting into the average life expectancy across the state. In Lorain County, these "diseases of despair" took 1,431 lives over a 10-year period, according to the study. Related deaths here escalated from 67 in 2010 to 186 in 2019, peaking at 220 in 2017. "This report is troubling," said Elaine Georgas, interim executive director at the Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services Board of Lorain County. The shared anguish of 9/11, childhood emotional trauma and struggles with family finances all take a toll on mental health, she said. "Looking back at history, when there are traumatic events, there are peaks that happen," Georgas said. Statewide, the study found heart failure and cancer to be the two biggest killers. Diseases of despair ranked sixth, causing the deaths of 53,632 Ohioans. That's a loss of more than 1.9 million years of life lost, the study calculated. Unintentional overdoses made up slightly more than

When you need to talk Dealing with an ever-changing world can be difficult. Here are some resources that can provide support when you need it: • Crisis Text Line: Text "4HOPE" to 741741 • 24/7 Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 800-888-6161 • National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255 • The LCADA Way drug and alcohol addiction and recovery support: 440-989-4900 • Domestic violence support via the Genesis House: 440244-1853 or 440-323-3400 • Lorain County Child Protection Services: 440-329-5340 or call the after-hours line at 440-406-5121 • COVID-19 CareLine: 800720-9616 • If you are in need of immediate medical attention or in a line and death situation, dial 911 first.

half of Ohio's deaths of despair. Suicides accounted for nearly a third. The highest risk was among middle-aged, nonHispanic white men with no college degree. Specifically, people ages 30 to 39 saw the largest increase in deaths by despair, and rural residents enduring economic hardship. "After a century of relatively steady growth in life expectancy in the United States, the past decade

has reflected a decrease in life expectancy accompanied by an increase in mortality rates," Ohio University researchers said, citing United Nations statistics. From 1959 to 2016, average U.S. life expectancy rose by nine years. Since 2014, it's sloped off. Lorain County's overdose, suicide and alcoholrelated deaths fall generally in line with Cuyahoga, Erie and Huron's.

The worst-hit counties per capita are in southern Ohio, where the opioid epidemic has fueled all kinds of problems: Butler, Montgomery, Clark, Clermont, Brown, Adams, Ross, Pike, Scioto, Gallia and Meigs. In the northern half of the state, only Marion and Trumbull counties rank among the worst for death rate. The findings do not reflect COVID-19 deaths, because the pandemic

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started after the study ended. Ohio's first COVID death was Mark Wagoner Sr. of Lucas County, who died March 18 at age 76. But pandemic survivors — whether they personally got sick or not — will certain deal with mental health issues, said Georgas. Any similar study from 2020 to 2029 to show how COVID led to more deaths from diseases of despair. Supporting each other now is critical, she said:

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"We have to find these new ways to connect," even while staying safely isolated to prevent the spread of the virus. Georgas said Lorain County residents should reach out to loved ones and neighbors, ask how they are doing and let them know there are services available to help through the hard times. Communities can rally together to save lives, she said.

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Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020

Lorain County Community Guide

Marty Kelley has written and illustrated a lot of books for kids! How many books? 33 so far! Below are the covers of some of them. Can you number these books in alphabetical order? I’m an Alien and I Want to Go Home!

Missile Toe: A Very Confused Christmas

Winter Woes

Twelve Terrible Things

Summer Stinks

The Messiest Desk

Albert’s Almost Amazing Adventure

Children are born curious. From their earliest days, sensory exploration brings delight and wonder. New discoveries expand their minds. When they unlock the joy of reading, their world widens further. Magic happens. Kid Scoop opens the doors of discovery for elementary school children by providing interactive, engaging and relevant age-appropriate materials designed to awaken the magic of reading at school, at home, and throughout their lives. For more information about our literacy non-profit, visit kidscoopnews.org

Tell about yourself the way Molly does in her books.

Marty Kelley’s popular chapter book series about Molly Mac and her friend Kayley is about a curious girl. Her curiosity gets her into some sticky and often hilarious situations!

A: When I was a kid, I loved to doodle and draw. I made a comic strip for my local newspaper! After high school I went to art school because I wanted to be an animator. Then, I changed my mind about animation. I got interested in teaching and became a second-grade teacher. While teaching I got an idea. By writing and illustrating children’s books I could combine two things I love – teaching and drawing. Try drawing Molly Mac. Then draw her again. Try a third time. Did your drawings improve each time?

To discover the answer, use the secret code! =A =E =L =R =U =C =H =N =S =V =D =I = O =T =Y

Kayley

Draw a picture of yourself. A: Sometimes I draw a picture and that gets my imagination going. The idea for the Molly Mac books came from the names of my son’s friends. I wanted to write a book about two good friends, and I really liked these names.

A: It takes me about two to two and a half years to write one book. I do many, many rough drafts! And every new draft gets better and better until it is ready to be published.

What is Molly Mac’s favorite food?

Molly Mac

A: Don’t be afraid to fail spectacularly! Failure is a chance to learn. Molly Mac makes a lot of mistakes that kids can relate to. And kids like to read about what she learns and how she turns failure into success.

A: I love to make people laugh. I still visit classrooms and I love to do that and make children laugh while I teach about writing. Marty Kelley does school visits via Zoom these days. Learn more about this and his books at www.martykelley.com

Design a book cover.

Imagine you are writing a book about you and your best friend. Think up a title for the book. Then draw the cover in the space at left.

Exaggerate!

Do adults sometimes tell you to stop exaggerating? Not Marty Kelley. He thinks exaggeration is funny. Look at the newspaper ads. Can you rewrite them so that they really exaggerate their claims? EXAMPLE:

Big turkeys on sale.

Name: I really like:

When I grow up I want to be:

EXAGGERATION:

Turkeys on sale are almost too big to fit through your front door!

A special memory:

Standards Link: Language Arts: Recognize and use adjectives.

In Marty Kelley’s book Crustacean Vacation, things get a little crazy when crabs come out of the ocean. Can you find the two identical crabs below?

CURIOSITY ANIMATION FAILURES CHAPTER FRIENDS AUTHOR DRAFTS DOODLE MARTY COMIC LOCAL LAUGH WRITE MAC ART

Y T I S O I R U C W S L O C A L R T R A

E R P A O O O I P F

R E S M H M T U H R

U T L T A E I G A I

L P U R F R U C S E

I A N I M A T I O N

A H E R L I R Y E D F C E L D O O D S S

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

This week’s word:

SPECTACULAR

The adjective spectacular means beautiful or dramatic in a grand, eye-catching way. Everyone agreed that the spectacular gardens made the ancient castle even more amazing to visit.

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

What a Character!

Select a character in a comic strip. Write three things that describe how this character looks. Then write three things about the personality of this character. ANSWER: When it is red (read)!

Standards Link: Writing Applications: Students write phrases that describe concepts.

Who is your favorite author? Learn three significant things about that person and write about them.