CHESTERLAND NEWS VOLUME 49 No. 26
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967
Proposed Law Would Impose Fines for Interference with Park Districts BY JOHN KARLOVEC NEWS@CHESTERLANDNEWS.COM Ohio citizens who interfere with a park district risk being fined under a proposed amendment to the state budget bill. As introduced, the proposal — HC1793 —would authorize, among other things, a probate court to issue an order preventing interference with the court’s order creating a park district. It also would allow a court to impose duties or
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restrictions on a person or party who interferes with a park district’s purpose. The amendment’s sponsor, state Rep. William Seitz, R-
Cincinnati, said his proposal merely clarifies and codifies an April 2016 Ohio Supreme Court decision. In State ex rel. Chester Township v. Judge Grendell, the court unanimously held a probate court judge does not “patently and unambiguously” lack jurisdiction to issue orders attempting to correct activities by park district commissioners and township trustees that frustrate the purpose of the original probate court order creating
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West Geauga Schools See Page 9 LaTourette
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the park district. However, the Supreme Court declined to address whether the orders Grendell issued — one See Proposal w Page 14
Wolverines Pick Berkshire Grad to Lead Football Team
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Classifieds Start on Page 17
Asphalt Work in Chester to Start After June 6 The Chester Township Road Department recently announced asphalt work will be starting any time after June 6 and finishing before Aug. 25. The roads that will be resurfaced are Norton, Sherman Road (between Caves Road and County Line), Bardwell Drive, Barfield Drive and Westchester Trail. The duration of the job once started will last approximately 45 days. This work is being performed in conjunction with the Geauga County Engineer’s Office and Chagrin Valley Paving, Inc. Road department staff asks that drivers leave extra time for travels if work is being performed in their area. For more information, call the Chester Road Department at 440-7299110.
BY BRIAN LAVRICH SPORTS@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM West Geauga Athletic Director Joe Leonette is excited to announce the long search for the next Wolverine football coach has ended. Leonette announced that former Painesville Harvey coach Brian Craemer will take over the West G program, pending school Craemer board approval. “I’m excited,” Leonette said. “He’s a great teacher. We couldn’t have gotten anyone better.” Craemer wasn’t originally on Leonette’s wish list, but the West G AD said Craemer’s name kept coming up in discussions with other coaches and ADs. “So I reached out to him and he said he was very happy where he was at,” Leonette said. Craemer talked about his feelings at Harvey and what drew him to West G. “I was very happy at Harvey,” Craemer said. “I was very blessed by that opportunity. We had wonderful student athletes and administration. But it’s exciting to get back to the county where I am from. It’s exciting to be part of a program with so much tradition.” Leonette said there were 60 applicants for the position and West G did 20 interviews. “He was my guy,” Leonette said. “I reached out to him. He didn’t
WG Academic Decathlon Team Applauded for 1st Place Win
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Jake Curtis, right, one of West Geauga’s most experienced lacrosse players, scored a hat trick in the team’s 17-9 loss to Kenston. West Geauga started the week at 5-2 this season.
Lax Players Continue to Grow BY RICH KELLY SPORTS@GEAUGAMAPLELEAF.COM The West Geauga High School lacrosse program has been in the early growth stages for 10 years now. Growth to this Wolverines organization has been steady in numbers and competitive levels. In fact, under veteran coach Eric Steel, stepping up for his first year as head coach here, the club program is finally playing this season at a varsity level. Starting out as just a club program, with players coming from within the district playing in an intramural format, growth has been steady in numbers and competitive levels, growing finally to
the point that this season, the first under veteran coach Eric Steel with the school as head coach, the Wolverines are able to play a varsity level in a sport that is just catching on, slowly, in this area. Coach Steel knows what he is up against in playing the school’s first varsity level schedule, but the task at hand is not deterring him in any way. “I’ve had a good background with lacrosse for many years at several levels,” he said before a matchup with Kenston last week afternoon under sunny skies. “I was blessed to coach at St. Ignatius for several years before coming here to help out. It takes a lot of time and energy to form a
team and get everything in order. Lacrosse is a tough game with many different ways of playing, and when you have young kids not used to all the aspects of the game, it takes time for things to fall into place.” He added: “We’ve got some talent, for sure, but putting it all together has been an adventure at times, but the tough moments are becoming fewer and farther between. I am pleased with how the kids that are new to the game are stepping up gradually.” Jake Curtis is one of the more experienced players on the team, and having played for several seasons now, he is noticing how the See Lacrosse w Page 6
Publication Schedule As of May 2016, the Chesterland News switched to publishing every other week. Karlovec Media Group reserves the right to change, cancel or add publication dates at any time. May 17 May 31 June 14 June 28 July 12 July 26 Aug. 9 Aug. 23
Sept. 6 Sept. 20 Oct. 4 Oct. 18 Nov. 1 Nov. 15 Nov. 29 Dec. 13
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