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Volume 52, No. 9
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CHESTERLAND NEWS Wednesday, September 16, 2020
Your Community Newspaper Since 1967 Russell Township
Trustees Consider Land for 511 Park Board By Ann Wishart ann@geaugamapleleaf.com Russell Township Trustees made it clear Sept. 2 they want to get going on a new six-bay storage building behind the fire station, but they said delays are anticipated. Plans to put up the structure, budgeted for 2020, were put on the
At the Sept. 2 meeting, Trustee Jim Mueller said trustees were in a “trick box,” concerned about spending money when they didn’t know how the coronavirus was going to affect the township. “Part of the responsibility was mine,” he said. “We didn’t know what was going to happen next.” Townships received funds from
back burner when COVID-19 arrived in March. Six months later, the Geauga County Budget Commission told township officials in a budget hearing Aug. 31 trustees need to spend down more than $500,000 in the township general fund or the commission may reduce the township’s tax revenue in 2021.
the state to help them deal with virus-related costs and, with some degree of fiscal stability, progress on the storage garage, estimated to cost $375,000, will commence. “I agree with the budget commission. It’s time to put the hammer down on the new facility,” See Russell • Page 5
Feeding the Force
Chester Native Starts Business Amid Pandemic By Emily Crebs editor@geaugamapleleaf.com
Miranda Young’s father always used to tell her she would be happier being her own boss rather than working for someone else. Young would roll her eyes, as teenagers do, but when the coronavirus pandemic gave Young the opportunity to be her own boss, she took it — and the marketing business My Media was born. Young “After working for somebody for a year and a half, I did realize that if I could be my own boss and make my own schedule, and not in a way that sounds lazy, I just think I would have a much happier life,” said Young in a recent phone interview. Young, a native of Chester Township, graduated from the University of Mount Union in December 2018 with a public relations and sport business double major. She found an internship shortly after, which transformed into a full-time job. But due to the financial impacts of the See Business • Page 3
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On Sept. 10, BadaBing Pizza and The Luczkowski Agency provided lunch to the Chester Township Police Department, pictured, and the fire department as a thank you to Chester’s first responders.
Happy Tails Holds Annual Fundraiser Oct. 10 Staff Report To meet “social distancing” guidelines during the current COVID-19 pandemic, Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary has relocated its fundraising event to a larger venue. The Happy Tails Halloween Benefit, previously planned to take place at Colonial Beverage in Chester Township, will now take place both indoors and under a large tent outdoors Oct. 10 from
3-6 p.m. at Billy’s A Cappelli Martini Bar in Mentor. “Due to COVID-19’s negative impact on the economy, donations to our sanctuary have drastically diminished,” Happy Tails President Tom Vasko said in a statement. “Thus far, we have been able to maintain a high quality of care for the cats, including many who are old and/or have special needs. We are optimistic that this See Happy Tails • Page 4
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Happy Tails is holding a benefit Oct. 10 in Mentor to continue helping cats like Asia, pictured.
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