The public’s generosity has, once again, come to the rescue in Chardon, helping to bring to fruition a homeless shelter for women.
Geauga Faith Rescue Mission — a faith-based, transitional housing program for homeless men and women — recently announced it has received more than $95,000 from various donors to purchase and renovate the property at 341 Washington Street for the shelter.
A private foundation donated
Commissioners Put New Airport Proposal on Table
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
Following months of stalling a vote to transfer $1.33 million to the Geauga County Airport for capital improvement projects, including a new T-hangar, Geauga
County Commissioners decided to propose a lesser amount during their April 1 meeting.
In a split vote — with Commissioner Carolyn Brakey voting no — commissioners agreed to put together a resolution allocating $800,000 to the airport.
Middlefield Village
In December, they had voted in favor of a request from the airport authority for $1.33 million to construct a new hangar and upgrade existing facilities. The transfer of money was contingent upon an agreement for capital improvement
Kurtz Discount Groceries to Take Over Former Save A Lot
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA.com
When a big-box store moves out, it leaves potential space for local merchants to grow.
Such is the case with the Save A Lot store, now gone from Harrington Square in Middlefield Village.
In its place, area shoppers will soon find Kurtz Discount Groceries, formerly known as Kurtz Salvage, which is relocating over the next few months from its former digs on dead end Shedd Road in Parkman Township.
Business owner David Kurtz said in a phone interview March 27 he doesn’t have an exact open-
hoping to get his equipment in within the week and to open this spring.
“This is a big step for us. It’s
thought,” said Kurtz, who has operated the salvage grocery store on his property for 17 years.
CEI May Consolidate, Abandon Local Yard
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
The Illuminating Company is planning to shutter its line shop in the Village of Middlefield, a move that could diminish service levels for the community.
Township.
“To ensure responsible resource management moving forward, the Illuminating Company is considering the consolidation of operations currently handled at the Middlefield line shop with at least one other nearby service center,” FirstEnergy spokesperson Hannah Catlett told the Geauga County Maple Leaf in a March 28 email. “Over
the past decade, FirstEnergy and The Illuminating Company have invested significant funds and resources to strengthen the electric grid in Middlefield. These improvements, including a new substation completed in 2012, have helped prevent or minimize the impact of power outages for hundreds of customers and businesses in the area, especially during severe weather.”
County Approves Change Order for Courthouse page 6 Sports pages 11-14 Sheriff’s Sales & Legal Notices start on page 17 See Airport• Page 7 Ohman Family Living Trains 6 Cardinal Students page 4
Bainbridge Meijer Gets Final Stamp page 7
Kurtz • Page 4 Classifieds page 20 Obituaries pages 14-15 City Officials: Chardon in Development Boom page 8
“Employees currently reporting to that facility (on West High Street) would keep their jobs and report to nearby service centers,” she added.
of the shop’s potential
food restaurant on West High Street in Middlefield Village may soon be available as the company looks to consolidate its repair crews to a facility in Concord
This home, at 341 Washington Street in Chardon, will be the location of a new women’s shelter. See Shelter • Page 3
Kenston Sub Indicted On Child Porn Charges
stAff report
Michael Auria, 26, a former long-term substitute teacher at Kenston Schools, pleaded not guilty March 12 to charges related to taking photos of a nude minor.
A Geauga County grand jury handed down an indictment against Auria, of Auburn Township, Feb. 28, charging him with two counts of engaging with a minor sexually, a second-degree felony; one count of illegal use of a minor in a nudity-oriented material or performance, a second-degree felony; one count of pander-
Shelter
from page 1
$80,000, which allowed GFRM to put a down payment on the mortgage, the organization said in a March 25 press release, adding it also received $10,000 from a local church and $5,000 from community members.
The shelter will be able to house up to four women, Executive Director Nathan Long previously said at a Chardon Planning Commission meeting.
GFRM intends to begin housing women in 2026, the press release said.
This is not the mission’s first time handling large donations — an anonymous donor last October gifted the organization $104,000, allowing them to pay off the mortgage for their men’s shelter.
The private foundation wanted people to know the donation was for the glory of God, Long said in a followup interview March 31.
The private foundation came to hear about the mission through volunteers at the men’s shelter actively involved in GFRM’s Bible study program, he said.
“That they heard (the men’s) testimonies of what it meant to them to be a part of the men’s shelter is what inspired them to really wanna make sure that the women’s shelter was able to get up and running,” he said.
There has been a lot of positive reinforcement from the community and GFRM is excited to continue to provide this service, he said.
“We were so pleased. We decided last year to go ahead and move forward with the women’s mission and didn’t know how we were going to do it, but we trusted that the
ing sexual content with a minor, a fourth-degree felony; and one count of possessing criminal tools, a fifth-degree felony.
The crimes reportedly took place in July, November and De cember of last year.
“(Auria was) removed from their position on the same day the Geauga (County) Sheriff’s Office informed us that an investigation had been opened,” Kenston Schools Superintendent Bruce Willingham said in a public statement.
resources would be provided if it was what God wanted us to be doing,” GFRM Board President Mary Owen said in a March 31 interview. “And every step of the way, He’s been faithful, He’s come through.”
The Chardon mission has been one miracle after another, she said.
Renovations will include modifications to fit city requirements for an occupancy permit, Long said.
The organization is also looking at expanding the shelter in the form of a second floor, which would allow for more bedrooms and give the women more space, he added.
Summer fundraising will enable the mission to hire necessary staff, according to the press release.
This will include a June golf-outing and October dinner, as well as mailers sent to the community, Long added.
Currently, the mission is looking to hire one part-time staff member for case management and a live-in house monitor, he said.
The mission has no aspirations to grow beyond Geauga’s needs, he added.
“We just want to be able to meet the need that’s in Geauga County for single women that are homeless,” Long said. “As of right now, any kind of expansion or growth, we’ll just assess by the need that continues.”
The county has a homeless population of around 41, some sheltered and some unsheltered, Long said.
However, GFRM receives calls once or twice per month from women in Geauga, he said.
“We anticipate to be full very quickly,” he said. “With the men’s shelter — we’re emptying beds, probably a couple this month, people transitioning out — we’ve already got people that are in need of shelter right now.”
“At that time, we had no details regarding the nature or the timeframe of the investigation. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority, which is why the person was immediately removed from campus.”
Willingham assured families no students from Kenston were
Auria is set for a pretrial hearing at 2 p.m. April 16 in front of Geauga County Court of Common Pleas Judge Matt Rambo.
The men’s shelter has provided over 4,000 nights of food and shelter since December 2022, the press release said.
People arriving at the shelter are often overwhelmed. They rest for a week before conversations begin about their needs, Owen said, adding once needs are identified, the shelter works to connect them with partner organizations for assistance.
“Oftentimes, they don’t have a lot of connections or relationships, so they’re struggling with that, so we try to fill that gap,” she said. “(We) try to help them establish a network that they can then rely on to help them live sustainably.”
GFRM sets a timeline, as the shelter is not meant to be a permanent dwelling, Owen said, adding, however, it does offer residents a sense of hope and a chance to pray and take part in Bible study.
“We take off the burden of them having to worry about where they’re going to sleep and what they’re going to eat,” Long said. “Then they can start reflecting on the circumstances in their life that led them to be where they’re at and what they need to change or what they need to do to get out of those circumstances.”
GFRM provides residents with case management and utilizes existing county services to help them live what Long described as “an abundant life.”
“Living life that is one glorifying God by their actions and that they find joy and fulfillment in,” he said.
As GFRM is partner-based, Owen encouraged anyone who wants to help to reach out. Information about GFRM’s charity events can be found at www.gfrmission.org or by calling GFRM at 440-214-9916.
Community Meetings
Geauga County: April 7, 6 p.m., Geauga County Airport Authority, Pilot Lounge, 15421 Old State Road; April 8, 7:30 a.m. – Geauga SWCD, 7:30 a.m. – Planning Commission, Room A334, 9:30 a.m. – Geauga County Commissioners; April 9, 9 a.m., Board of Revision, Auditor’s Appraisal Conference Room. All county meetings are held at the Geauga County Administrative Building, 12611 Ravenwood Drive (Ste. #), Claridon, unless otherwise noted. County commissioners meetings are held in Suite 350.
Auburn Township: April 7, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees; April 8, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals; April 10, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless otherwise indicated.
Bainbridge Township: April 7, 5 p.m., Board of Trustees, special work session, at the Bainbridge Fire Department Meeting Room.
Burton Township: April 7, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. The meeting will be held at the Burton Township Administration building, 14821 Rapids Road.
Burton Village: April 8, 7 p.m., Board of Public Affairs. All meetings are held at 14588 W. Park St., 2nd Floor, unless otherwise noted.
Chardon City: April 10, 6:30 p.m., City Council. All meetings are held at the Municipal Center, 111 Water St., unless otherwise noted.
Chardon Township: April 7, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, unless otherwise noted.
Chester Township: April 3, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
Claridon Township: April 7, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees, at Claridon Administrative Building, 13932 Mayfield Road. Hambden Township: April 7, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 13887 GAR Highway, unless otherwise noted.
Middlefield Village: April 8, 5:15 p.m. –Streets, Sidewalks, and Utilities Committee, 6 p.m. – Planning Commission; April 10, 6 p.m. – Finance and Ordinance Committee,
7 p.m. – Village Council. All meetings are at the Municipal Center, 14860 N. State Ave. Munson Township: April 8, 5:30 p.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting followed by regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12210 Auburn Road, unless otherwise noted.
Russell Township: April 3, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
South Russell Village: April 10, 7 p.m., Planning Commission. All meetings are held at the Village Hall, 5205 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.
Thompson Township: April 9, 6 p.m., Park Board, in the Ledges Park Building, 16755 Thompson Road.
Troy Township: April 3, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, unless noted. Cardinal BOE: April 9, 6:30 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings are held at BOE Office, 15982 E. High St., Middlefield, unless otherwise indicated.
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Auria
Burton Village Council Changes Zoning for Former ODOT Yard
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
The Burton Village Zoning Commission changed the zoning for the former Ohio Department of Transportation yard from industrial use to highway business following some heated public comment March 31.
Shaun Cadice, who lives on Seco Street near its intersection with Rapids Road, voiced concerns about possible increases in traffic as a result of the building’s future use.
Berkshire Schools purchased the 5-acre parcel — east of the Preston Kia dealership and garage on Rapids Road in December — with Preston Auto Group in Burton contributing $750,000 to help fund the hands-on auto mechanics training and education facility, and added bus storage.
Preston Auto Group is leasing some of the buildings ODOT vacated for vehicle repair.
The buildings, being renovated, will be used to service Berkshire’s bus fleet, house its transportation department and administrative offices, and for classroom space and vocational activities.
Cadice asked if a traffic study had been conducted on Rapids, which intersects state Route 87 on the north end. He also wanted to know if the facility’s driveway onto Rapids will be one-way.
Pat Preston, owner of Preston Superstore, said only vehicles being serviced behind the Kia dealership will have access to the driveway.
“They will just come up our drive, cross Rapids and enter the parking lot and go directly into the (service) building,” Preston emphasized.
Sometimes, it is a struggle to turn off Seco onto Rapids, Cadice said.
Preston said the heaviest traffic from the south comes up Rapids when shifts change at
industries in Troy Township.
“It has nothing to do with my dealership,” he added.
Berkshire Schools Superintendent John Stoddard said there will be about 30 students in the program.
Half will be scheduled for morning classes at the facility and leave before lunch. The rest will come in the afternoon, he said.
Worst case, there would be an increase of about 15 vehicles exiting onto state Route 87 when school dismisses at 3:10 p.m., said council member Craig Martin.
Public input on the matter grew louder until village legal counsel Todd Hicks spoke up.
If council denied the zoning change and the property remained industrial use, it could be leased to a machine shop or other industrial uses, causing more traffic with employees coming and going, he said.
Early in the hearing, Preston outlined the
projects he would undertake to improve the property.
All the rusted chain link fence would be removed and the wood fencing replaced. The frontage on state Route 87 would be landscaped, he said.
The roofs of two buildings were replaced over the weekend and the wood building on the south side is being replaced, he added.
“We’re building a classroom. I’ve spent $1.2 million on this project — classrooms for your kids to learn auto mechanics. And we’re taking down the salt dome,” Preston said, adding the view from the backyards of homes nearby is not terrific.
“It looks like hell,” he said. “So, you won’t have to look at any of those unsightly things that were there before.”
Mayor Ruth Spanos noted there will be a village board of zoning appeals hearing regarding variances Preston needs to continue renovating the property.
Ohman Family Living Trains 6 Cardinal Students
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
Ohman Family Living is nurturing homegrown talent by educating nursing assistants while they attend Cardinal Senior/Junior High School.
Representatives from the organization told Cardinal Schools Board of Education March 12 OFL hopes the high school students they train will join the family-owned facility upon graduation.
Six students in grades 11 and 12 have passed the nursing assistant in training exam after a five-week course OFL of Middlefield Village provided, said Max Knop, OFL director of talent acquisition.
“We are training the next generation. The average age of a nurse is 50. We need younger people in the workforce who are local,” Knop said, naming Isabella Ciminello, Payton Filla, Isabella McMurray, Danica Thirion, Alexis Kovalak and Morgan Csontos as their “first cohort.”
It is a collaboration Knop hopes will be a fruitful opportunity for the school.
Cardinal high school Principal Paul Gerycz said OFL covers the cost of about $3,700 per student for the course.
“I talked to the students and asked them what they plan to do after high school,” he
Kurtz
from page 1
He is stepping up from about 3,500 square feet to about 10,000 square feet of retail space. The former grocery store space came along at the right time.
“I outgrew the one I have at home,” Kurtz said.
Kurtz Salvage sits on less than 4 acres, so, besides giving him more retail space, the new location will see more foot traffic, as well, he said.
Kurtz had been planning for some time to move and expand his business footprint.
Sensing that Save A Lot was fighting off bankruptcy, the mall owner made the first move.
“Dave Harrington talked to me about it about a year ago, before he died,” Kurtz said.
cz said. “We’re real proud of them.”
Andrea Gault, nurse educator at OFL Blossom in Huntsburg Township, said inspiration for the program arose several years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, when workers were hard to find.
“The first group to start was a hybrid — half of their hours were online and half with me,” she said, adding the curriculum includes more
“This is a big step for us. It’s falling into place better than I thought.”
– David Kurtz
“I was going to build (a store) at my warehouse, anyway.”
The offer was too good to pass up and Kurtz started planning to lease the space.
By last Thursday, equipment was being installed, but there is a long way to go before he can provide low-priced groceries to the public, he said.
Kurtz has about 20 employees at the salvage store, including a son, two daughters and a son-in-law, he said, adding he will need more workers in the larger store with increased inventory.
He also has years of experience and contacts in the grocery salvage world he hopes
The intense training of young people re quires close supervision, Gault said.
“I keep my classes small — one instructor to no more than four students,” she said, adding she has two licensed practical nurses working with her.
Although the students were young and often nervous at the beginning, Gault said they matured into their roles quickly.
will provide a broad spectrum of groceries, including frozen and fresh produce.
“We’ll sell pretty much whatever I can get ahold of — whatever I can find on the secondary market,” Kurtz said, adding he wants to find local fresh fruits and vegetables when they are in season.
“That’s still in the works,” he said. “(It depends on) if I can find the right people to get it in here.”
Shedd Road, in the middle of the Amish community, drew customers from everywhere.
“We have more non-Amish than Amish customers,” he said, adding his Amish clientele increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kurtz estimated up to half his traffic is Amish, now, but the numbers are not something he is concerned about.
“I’ve never kept track of that. We’re there to help people,” he said.
Middlefield Village Zoning Inspector John
“When working with healthcare, you are working with a human life. It’s not an easy job,” she said. “Just in five weeks ... it was amazing to see how much they grew.”
OFL offers nursing assistants advancement opportunities by sponsoring additional career development, Gault said.
“Ohman will continue to pay all of their up-scaling as long as they work at Ohman,” Gault said. The students work part time at Blossom now, she said, noting they were also paid while being trained.
The group recognized at the school board meeting is the first class, Gault said, adding OFL hopes to bring in students from West Geauga Schools soon.
Cardinal Superintendent Jack Cunningham said the high school staff was very accommodating to the needs of the trainees.
“They let those (students) chase their dreams. The staff made it work,” he said, crediting OFL, the staff and the students for their collaboration. “We appreciate what you are doing for us and for them.”
By passing the NAIT test and becoming certified nursing assistants, the students each received a 12-point credential, Cunningham said.
“They are going to move on and on and on and get their college credit,” he said. “It’s pretty exciting.”
Boksansky joined the conversation to explain Save A Lot had closed its stores across the U.S. For a few months, the company ran the operation as Sunshine Stores, but it folded last year.
According to the GB Times article in April 2024, the discount grocery chain had more than 1,300 stores in 36 states. It was founded in 1982 to offer affordable meats, produce and other essential food items, catering to budget-conscious customers.
Save A Lot’s financial problems date back to 2020, when bankruptcy first appeared on the horizon, according to a Wall Street Journal article that ran Jan. 3, 2020. The article reported the corporation was $400 million in debt and was attempting to restructure its debt rather than going to bankruptcy court. Kurtz, his family and employees, consider the open space an opportunity to grow and help the community.
“We’re all excited about it,” he said.
GPH Establishes $300 Fee for Septic Violations
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA
The Geauga County Board of Health voted in favor of establishing a $300 fee for septic system violations as part of their op eration and maintenance program March 26.
The meeting marked the first vote and reading of the resolution for the fee. Two more readings will follow.
The O&M program is a state-required, but not state-funded, program mandating health departments to ensure the proper maintenance and function of septic systems under their jurisdiction.
GPH’s rollout of the program is ongoing. Homeowners with a home sewage treatment system must obtain and renew an operation permit and must submit evidence of their sys tem receiving the minimum maintenance it requires as part of the program.
Homeowners who do not comply with the O&M program requirements — i.e. they do not do the required maintenance or any maintenance on their septic system — will be charged the fee, Environmental Health Direc tor Dan Lark said.
The law requires the health department to do compliance inspections on systems to make sure they’re not creating a public health nuisance and the fee will recoup costs to the department in such a situation, he explained.
“Hopefully, we never have to charge this fee. Our goal is for the homeowners to call the septic tank pumper or service provider to do whatever is the appropriate service for their septic system,” he said.
The fee covers inspector time, mileage and administrative time, Lark said.
For the past 20 years, GPH would check septic system maintenance under its for sale of property program and the system failure rate in Geauga County was 41%, Health Ad-
CEI
from page 1
closure came as a surprise to Great Lakes Cheese Co, Inc., one of the county’s largest employers and users of electricity.
“We did not know of this proposal until you (Maple Leaf) sent it through to us (for comment),” said Matt Wilkinson, vice president of technology and business development at GLC. “After you sent that note, I reached out to our account rep at FE (FirstEnergy) and his response to me was that this is a rumor and has not been confirmed as being a plan, so there is nothing to discuss.
“GLC’s position, however, is that we expect service levels to be met by FirstEnergy and that expectation remains despite any restructuring of facilities and/or staff they may choose to understand,” he added. “Our Hiram plant employs over 1,300 people from the area and generates significant economic activity for both the local community and state, and is heavily reliant upon reliable electrical service, so adverse impact to electric service would not be satisfactory to us.”
Middlefield Village Mayor Ben Garlich said he was sorry to learn CEI may no longer operate out of the village. He is lobbying to keep the line shop open.
“They make a good partner. I wish they’d stay,” Garlich said, adding employees at the line shop did not work officially in the village, but would pick up the trucks and equipment kept in the steel-sided garages when going on calls.
these fees. We have the lowest in the state that we’re aware of,” he said. “This noncompliance fee is hopefully enough that people don’t want us to do it.”
Homeowners will have multiple chances to get into compliance before they are hit with the fee, board member Lynn Roman added.
The inspections are an alternative to referring noncompliant individuals to the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, as the projected number of violations would overwhelm them, Lark said.
Individuals with an NPDES system sign a
He said CEI is considering closing the Middlefield facility and moving workers to the one in Concord Township in line with a recent reduction in force across the company.
In a March 19 post on the village’s Facebook page, officials said they were concerned the proposed consolidation to Concord would diminish the service level for the community.
“We, as a village, would like to put some pressure on the Illuminating Company to retain current staffing in Middlefield and would appreciate your comments of support toward this initiative,” the post said.
Maureen Foldesi, who owns Marketplace Mall on W. High Street, commented that a nearby transformer was hit by lightning in early March and they were without power for more than four hours.
“We understand mother nature happens and we were fortunate that a station was so close to rectify the problem. If the station was in Concord, we would have been without power for the whole business day,” she said. “The workers had to go back to the station to get spare parts. Concord would (have) been an additional two hours travel and pick up time. We are grateful they were in Middlefield and able to fix the problem relatively quickly. Please everyone, help us keep them in our community.”
Another person commented, “I believe with all the large factories here, they need to have a station here.”
“A local propane provider did the same thing and now, just a few service techs have to handle multiple counties,” commented
years ago, long before this group of people were in.”
The process of turning things around has been difficult, board member Mark Hendrickson lamented.
Any additional money generated from the program will go into a fund to help low-income people in Geauga offset costs, Litke said.
The intent is not a money grab, he added.
A Munson Township resident in the audience said she was told in 1998 that getting maintenance work done on her system once every
Drew Sodee. “This drove response time from days into weeks, which then lost customers and drove prices through the roof to compensate, losing more customers. I believe the Illuminating Company will do the same thing to us with this downsize consolidation.”
Garlich said his main concern is it would take about 25 minutes for a utility truck to travel from Concord to Middlefield in case of a power outage or if power needs to be cut to a location.
Middlefield Fire Department Lt. Ben Reed said an emergency situation, such as a power line falling on a vehicle, is his primary worry.
“In the past, when there is storm damage, the crews usually are coming out of Concord, anyway,” Reed said. “We’ve had a good working relationship with them. When we’ve had storms, they’ve done a good job getting the power back on. They always answer our calls.”
Garlich recalled when CEI purchased the Middlefield property more than 10 years ago, they asked for a lot split and had to take care of some drainage issues on the parcel, which
mends yearly maintenance for her type of system and Health Commissioner Ron Graham said recommendations have changed over time.
He and Lark have talked about offsetting costs for people who consistently take care of their systems, Litke added.
With Geauga’s program in year two of its rollout, it is something they are keeping in mind, he said.
Lark said he is currently looking at all O&M-related fees, as the department reassess fees each year.
measures 0.57 acres, according to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office website.
Now, he is concerned about the future of the garage if it becomes empty.
The Middlefield facility originally was leased to CEI until 2013, when the company asked the village for a variance to split the lot so it could buy the back parcel, according to a March 13, 2014, story in the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
At the time, CEI was shuttering its coal-burning plants along Lake Erie and shifted more than 150 workers to various facilities around the state.
Owning the property was part of the energy company’s economic development goal of becoming more involved in the communities they serve, said John Skory, who was a regional president of CEI in 2014.
“This was substantial for us. We’re so much closer to our customers now,” Skory had said at the time, while viewing the renovation of the Middlefield facility. “We can respond quicker.”
County Commissioners OK 5th Change Order for Courthouse Project
April is Child Abuse & Neglect Prevention Month
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
After Geauga County Commissioners tabled a $50,791 change order request several times for the courthouse expansion project, they finally approved the measure March 25, having gleaned the information they wanted.
The change order — which marks the fifth change from Infinity Construction — is for millwork, monitor brackets, the intercom systems for interview rooms, TV data drops, electrical power revisions, the exterior gate conduit and security desk wall revisions, said Acting County Administrator Linda Burhenne.
Commissioners had waited to approve the request until they received more details.
On March 11, officials from the architectural firm, courthouse and company providing project oversight, provided more context and the county Automatic Data Processing board approved a majority of the change order items during its March 19 meeting.
“One of the things that did come out at the ADP board meeting was that this change order can be approved as presented, pending ADP approval for those (last) few things in there,” Burhenne said.
The outstanding items were the gate intercom system and data drops for print stations, she said.
“It is very clear that a lot of these things had some kind of sense that they were going to be approved a long time ago — last year,” she said. “And many of these projects have already been begun and things have been ordered. So, I’m respectfully requesting we approve this one.”
There will be another change order down the line that will be reimbursing the county, she added.
The board also passed a resolution recognizing April as Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Month, with Geauga County Job and Family Services Executive Director Craig Swenson and JFS Social Services Director Gina Schultz presenting statistics on the subject.
Junction Auto will be putting up a sign and pinwheels up on the corner of state routes 44 and 322 in support of JFS, Swenson added.
There will be 329 pinwheels for investiga tions completed in 2024, Schultz added.
The department has been working to educate staff and speak with the community about reporting cases and has done a good job with custody numbers compared to other counties in the state, she said.
“We had a great review from our state in terms of mandates and different things that we are required to do, to the point they asked us if we would participate in the federal re view, which we’ve never done before in our county,” Schultz said.
It’s essentially an audit of social services that looks at department records and re sponses, Swenson said.
“The state of Ohio is in a placement cri sis, so Geauga, in many ways, is a bit of an anomaly in that regard. But, that’s a good thing,” he said. “We only want to intervene and take custody of children from parents when we absolutely have to. If we can work with the parents and keep the child in the home and address whatever concerns there are, that’s a good thing.”
In some counties, children are sleeping in their JFS buildings, he said, adding facilities for residential treatment have also seen increasing costs and there is a growing need for more of them.
it needs additional income strings, something the new hangars would provide, she said, adding the grant money for the hangar project cannot be used for anything else.
The average contribution to the airport divided by residents in Geauga comes out to about 27 cents per resident, she said.
Geauga is blessed to be bucking the trend, Swenson said.
During the public comment section of the meeting, former Geauga County Airport Manager Patty Fulop criticized Commissioner Carolyn Brakey about recent comments she made regarding the airport’s request for $1.3 million for a new T-hangar.
Fulop was airport manager for fifteen years, leaving the position at Geauga in 2019.
Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri was correct when he said commissioners have failed the airport, she said.
“The board of commissioners became co-sponsors of the airport back in 1993 and to date, have not really made a substantial in-
“It was part of the bipartisan infrastructure law. By the law, that money has been assigned to this airport. If (the airport) tries to use it for something other than what has been approved by the (Federal Aviation Administration) back in September of last year, they have to go through an entire process and they don’t have time to do it,” she said.
The matter is urgent, Fulop said.
During her time at the airport, the amount of money commissioners contributed came from an agreement that stipulated they would match grants up to $25,000.
“In most cases, they’ve taken about $112,000, maybe $115,000 (on) average over
County Finance Administrator Adrian Gorton provided the Maple Leaf with a breakdown of county contributions to the airport over the past five years. Amounts ranged from $68,500 in 2023 to $602,792.60 in 2020. The total amount over the five years was $1,328,890.91, of which $750,000 was a 2% interest rate loan paid back to the county monthly over 20 years.
“This is a little sarcastic, but if it were me and somebody complained about what’s going on at the airport, I’d flip them a quarter and tell them how much I appreciate their two cents worth of comments,” she said.
“This airport needs to be supported by the organization that agreed to support it back in 1993. And it has not been.”
Flipping the Script: Job Seekers Take Stage at Job Fair
By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA com
Auburn Career Center is empowering students to show off their skills during its eighth-annual reverse job fair April 9.
Unlike a typical job fair — where potential employers set up booths showcasing their job opportunities to students — students will be the ones setting up booths from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. to highlight their qualifications for prospective companies.
ACC is partnering with Ohio Means Jobs for Geauga County and Lake County for the reverse job fair, which might offer students more than a typical one, said Dawn Bubonic, director of marketing and public relations for ACC.
“A job fair is pretty static. Students don't necessarily go to the tables, or if they do, they're just grabbing something free,” she
said. “In this case, they're really ready to talk to employers about opportunities, so it's just a better way to showcase what they can do versus what the company can do for them.”
Typically, the company rep sits behind a table and hopes to engage job seekers long enough to evaluate if they would be a good match, but that doesn’t always happen, Bubonic said.
“(Employers) can't get a really good sense of a student who just walks up to their table. But, if they see them in their element and they see the projects that they're working on, and the student gets to showcase the things that they've been doing, then the employer gets to understand them and what they're capable of a lot better,” she said.
There are 400 second-year students in ACC’s 23 programs, including healthcare, automotive, cosmetology and horticulture. Not
all students will participate, since some of them already have jobs, Bubonic said.
The format helps all parties, she said.
“(It allows) employers to approach and engage with (students) directly. This unique format gives students a chance to present their talents and resumes while employers explore potential hires in a personalized setting,” Bubonic said in a press release.
ACC Superintendent Brian Bontempo echoed Bubonic’s sentiments.
“We’re excited to provide this innovative opportunity for both our students and local businesses,” Bontempo said in the press release. “It’s a great way for employers to connect with skilled, job-ready candidates in a more interactive and engaging way.”
ACC, located at 8140 Auburn Road in Concord Township, welcomes area businesses to attend the fair. Registration is not required.
Claridon Trustees Choose New Fiscal Officer
By Ann WishArt Ann@kArlovecmediA com
Claridon Township Trustees unanimously chose local accountant Clint Hardman to fill the position of fiscal officer for the township at the March 17 meeting.
Hardman will replace Paula Hiectanan, who is retiring as of April 1, said Trustee Jonathan Tiber.
Her term expires in 2027.
Trustees interviewed three candidates during an executive session at the beginning of the regular meeting.
“We want to make sure you understand the responsibilities of this role,” Tiber said following the board’s decision. “There are a lot of deadlines. Government funding is unlike any you have ever dealt with.”
three months.
“There’s a lot to learn,” she said. Hardman, 33, is the Ohio tax accounting manager at Great Lakes Cheese in Troy Township, he said in a phone interview.
Trustees make financial decisions on the recommendation of the fiscal officer, he said.
“I advise,” Hietanen said, adding she will be available to assist the new fiscal officer for
He graduated from West Geauga High School and went to the University of Toledo, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2014 and master’s degree in accounting in 2015.
Hardman worked as an accountant at PricewaterhouseCooper’s firm in Michigan, then transferred to the firm’s Cleveland office before taking the manager job at Great Lakes Cheese in 2021, he said. He is currently participating in the Leadership Geauga Adult Signature Program class of 2025.
He and his wife, Jeana, who teaches at Munson Elementary School, live in Claridon Township with their children, Emily, 7, Tommy, 5, and Abby, 1, Hardman said.
Great Lakes Cheese is supportive of him serving as fiscal officer, he said.
“I think this will be a great learning opportunity,” Hardman said.
In other business, trustees approved a resolution to transfer $100,000 from the general fund to the roads and bridges fund.
Tiber said paving Tewksbury Lane will cost about $200,000, most of which will come from revenue received from gasoline taxes.
He also suggested the board sponsor one high school student to attend the Leadership Geauga Youth Institute program this summer at a cost of $300.
During a follow-up phone call, Tiber said trustees are working on the details of absorbing Aquilla Village into the township, since residents of the Aquilla community voted in favor of the transition in November 2024.
The township will be responsible for expenses such as leaf pickup and electric bills for Aquilla, he said.
The village assessed its residents in the past for the cost of street lights, lights at the ballpark and the town hall, so the township may continue that process, Tiber said.
Leaf pickup, an annual project necessary
so the ditches and culverts in the village don’t clog up and cause flooding, could also be assessed, he said, adding residents might see a slight increase in their taxes this year.
However, Aquilla’s property taxes, overall, are projected to decrease in 2027, though exact assessment figures are not available, yet, Tiber said.
“Expenses are going to go up this year and next fiscal year,” he said, adding the township is working with the county auditor’s office and real estate experts on the assessments.
“It takes research,” he said.
In addition, Aquilla Village owned about 60 vacant parcels in the community. Claridon inherited them in the transfer and trustees would like to put them up for sale, Tiber said. However, most of the lots are tiny — some as small as 0.05 acres.
“They are only of value to the neighbors. The township has to figure out how to sell (the parcels) to them,” Tiber said, noting there are a variety of issues to be resolved.
“I really want Aquilla Village to thrive,” he said.
Bainbridge Meijer Gets Final Stamp of Approval
By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA.com
Bainbridge Township Trustees gave Meijer’s final development plan proposal the green light March 24 during their regular meeting.
Trustee Jeff Markley said Assistant Zoning Inspector David Dietrich worked with township legal counsel, Tom FitzSimmons, on the proposal’s conditions.
Meijer — which is set to open three stores in Northeast Ohio in May, according a press release — must obtain Ohio Department of Transportation approval for an entrance off
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funding, which never made it over the finish line.
Commissioners voted in February to rescind the old motion and renegotiate a new agreement. Brakey, who was not on the board in December, has since voiced her disapproval of the request for $1.33 million, saying it would be an irresponsible use of taxpayer money and she has not received a solid answer as to how the airport provides economic development.
The airport has expressed fear of losing a Federal Aviation Administration grant for $586,000, which was secured for construction of the hangar.
Airport authority President Chip Hess appeared before commissioners Tuesday to discuss the topic.
“(I’m) just here to resurrect our request for funding for the T-hangar building that was approved by the county back in December,” he said, noting discussion on the subject has gone in multiple directions.
The original intent was to use leftover funds from the $1.33 million for other upgrades at the airport, he said, emphasizing if there is no action soon, the airport risks losing federal funding.
“If we do not act on this — we cannot do a final application until the project is bid out,” he said. “Currently, the project is out to bid.
state Route 43 for construction vehicles and guarantee no vehicles will use the undedicated Big Dipper Road, Markley said.
The road must be completed and dedicated before the department store can be occupied, Markley said.
“Since we don't have access off of Big Dipper Road, it's been closed off and we don't want the trucks or construction equipment coming all the way around Depot Road onto a portion of the undedicated Big Dipper Road into their site,” he said. “They need to come off of (Route) 43 so as not to beat up our roads and they've agreed to do that.”
Trustees also want Meijer to provide the
We had to do that just to get it under the deadline. So, we have the final bid amounts that go to the FAA by the end of April. If we do not do that by that time, we lose federal funding.”
A pre-application for the hangar has already been approved, he said.
Brakey asked if commissioners had been provided the pre-application, to which Hess replied yes.
“To be honest, I haven’t received any documentation for this entire project,” Brakey said.
Hess found that very hard to believe, he said.
Brakey reiterated she had not seen anything related to the hangar project.
“I have meeting minutes, I have the agreement between the authority and commissioners, but I don’t have anything related to this project,” she said. “Everyone that comes in front of us, they provide us documentation. We had a request for $12,000 and we get 52 pages of documents for it.”
Clerk of Commissioners Christine Blair and Acting County Administrator Linda Burhenne both said they had not received any documents.
Hess insisted the airport has sent the requested documents.
“I have no physical documentation regarding the T-hangar. You guys came in and publicly talked to the board about it that day, when they approved the funding, but there was no physical documentation provided regarding the project,” Blair said.
Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri said he had seen schematics, but he couldn’t recall if
sewer and water easements from Aurora, as the city of Aurora and Bainbridge share the joint economic devel opment district created in 2020, according to Markley.
JEDD allows the communities to share income tax and desig nates Aurora to provide water and sewer services.
Once these conditions are met, the trustees said they will issue a zoning certificate.
“I predict October is when our road will be dedicated,” he said. “That's my prediction because they've got a long lead time on the
it was presented in session.
Brakey asked if any documentation for project financials had been provided.
Hess replied the authority would have to check their emails, but they have submitted information.
He handed Brakey a physical packet of information, which she said she had not seen before.
She wants to see the finances for the hangar once it’s built, such as rent, utilities and maintenance, she said.
The current hangar loses almost $2,000 per year, she said, asking why commissioners should supply money when their current hangar is in the negative.
Hess said the new hangar, long term, will produce millions of dollars in revenue.
Brakey asked for the documents proving it.
There will be $3,800 per month positive cash flow when the building is paid for, Hess said.
“We will go back and check our communications because we have sent information to the county for this project over the last year,” he said, noting Brakey is new and information should have been forwarded to her.
Blair reiterated actual schematics and breakdown of the project had never been sent to her.
While Commissioners Jim Dvorak and Spidalieri had met with the airport authority, Blair had not received any information from the meeting, she said.
Dvorak apologized to Brakey for not providing her with the hard-copy information
traffic and the signal lights.”
Construction for Meijer is set to begin in April.
Also during the meeting, trustees swore in officer Kailey Gavanditti to the Bainbridge Township Police Department.
“I think our group of guys and gals we have right now is probably the best we've ever had and I think she will add to that,” said Chief Jon Bokovitz. “So, I'm really happy to have her join the crew, and we'll get her going first thing tomorrow morning on keeping the streets safe.”
Airport Manager Ric Blamer had given him.
“I don’t want to walk away from $586,000 from the FAA. I have enough information for myself to make a motion and it’s not going to be for $1.33 (million,)” Dvorak said. “It’s a compromise to capture the $586,000 grant from the FAA.”
Dvorak put forward a motion to create a resolution to give $800,000 to the airport construction fund for a new T-hangar.
The funds, along with the FAA grant, would be enough to build the hangar, which would create a profit of about $38,000 per year for building improvements, he said.
There should also be about $50,000 or more between the transferred funds and grant to go toward building improvements, Dvorak said.
“I want to be a good steward to our taxpayers and those are our buildings. I don’t want to have a roof cave in or anything else,” he said, adding the resolution should be ready for next week.
Brakey asked whether there would be an agreement regarding the funds.
Dvorak said the commissioners could include concerns in the resolution.
While Spidalieri seconded the motion, he said the airport authority is being thrown under the bus and asked if the $800,000 is enough for the project.
It’ll build them a building, Hess said, adding, however, it was questionable whether it would be enough to fix roofs or add onto the University Hospitals’ living quarters.
Hardman
Gavanditti
GPD Feels the Burn with Prescribed Fires
By rose nemunAitis editor@kArlovecmediA com
While some forest fires, such as wildfires, can wreak havoc on vegetation, habitats and ecosystems, others, like prescribed fires, can benefit nature, according to the Geauga Park District.
After many years of fire exclusion, an ecosystem that needs periodic fire becomes unhealthy — trees are stressed by overcrowding, fire-dependent species disappear and flammable fuels build up and become hazardous, according to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service.
For more than two decades, GPD Biologist Paul Pira, a certified prescribed fire manager, has been successfully using this land management tool in collaboration with others every spring on park district land.
“Cooperative partnerships are how we are able to accomplish so much here at Geauga Park District,” Pira said. “This has been particularly evident over the last two weeks as we've been quite busy with our annual meadow management.”
GPD’s Natural Resources Management team and partners from Portage Park District, the Ohio Division of Natural Areas and Preserves and Western Reserve Land Conservancy assisted with prescribed fire management burning on more than 40 acres of meadow at Observatory Park in Montville Township and Frohring Meadows Park in Bainbridge Township.
“People working together on cooperative management projects like prescribed fire is how conservation and meaningful land stewardship is accomplished,” Pira said. “It is how we are able to achieve many of our lofty goals. It takes time and effort to develop these working relationships, but it is all worth it when you have great outcomes like a beautiful meadow full of native wildflowers and wildlife for people to enjoy and learn from.”
Certified through the State of Ohio's Division of Forestry, prescribed fire managers annually apply for special waivers, permits
in our prescription for successful fire man agement. Here at the park district, we also notify our neighbors ahead of time that this management technique will be used in their neighborhood during March and April (and sometimes, also, in the late fall).”
Pira said fire has played an important role in Ohio’s landscape ecology and history for thousands of years.
“Native Americans used fire to their advantage for hunting, gathering, etc.,” Pira said. When implemented correctly, it creates unique conditions that burn off excess grass/leaf litter, adding nutrients to the soil; promotes the growth of many desirable native plants, which is great for pollinators and wildlife; and often top-kills/permanently kills unwanted woody species, such as shrubs and small trees just starting in the meadows, he said.
One of the most challenging aspects is getting the weather and variable site conditions to align, he said.
Very early in the spring, March through April, they have a small window of opportunity when the days are sunny, windy, warming — above 45 degrees — and low in humidity, Pira said.
“These are ideal conditions for fire because the ground and dead vegetation really dries out quickly and new plants have not yet sprouted/greened up,” he explained. “This means that the meadows will be dry enough for proper hot fires that will accomplish our management goals of killing undesirable small shrubs and trees and promoting excellent native pollinator-friendly wildflowers.”
There are parks GPD purposely manages with fire more often than others.
the native plants in late summer and also love seeing the abundant wildlife that call these meadows home.”
GPD is fortunate to be located in Northeast Ohio where there are many conservation partners and organizations working cooperatively to better the natural world and manage places for people to enjoy Ohio’s wildlife, Pira said.
“Stewardship of close to 11,000 acres of land can be a little daunting at times, but because we routinely partner with other land managers, Geauga Park District is able to accomplish so much more,” Pira said. “Personally, I have worked really hard for the past 20-plus years on developing good working relationships, networks and collaborations, which I like to think has resulted in healthier, more ecologically-sustainable park lands for all to enjoy.”
City Officials: Chardon in Development Boom
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
Despite concerns about Chardon’s growth in recent years, the city has the infrastructure to endure, Community Development Administrator Steve Yaney said at a government spotlight breakfast March 27.
Held quarterly, the breakfasts, hosted by the Chardon Area Chamber of Commerce, give area businesses and institutions a chance to directly interact with and ask questions of various government officials.
The city is in a development boom, Yaney said, noting the recent addition of Redwood with 91 units, Maple Trace with 96, Thistle Creek, which has sold around 28 of their 32 lots, and the upcoming developments on Water Street and Park Ave with 120 homes and 21 homes, respectively.
In total, there have been between 300-350 new homes in about a five-year period, which has brought about commercial development, such as the city’s upcoming Meijer, he said. By comparison, almost no new homes were built in the city between 2005-2015, Yaney later said, estimating the number as three to four per year.
The population has only gone up 200 people since the early 1990s and is aging, he said.
While Meijer’s construction is not likely to begin soon, once it starts, it will open the corridor along Water Street and Meadowlands Drive to further development, Yaney said, adding there is significant interest in the area.
Developers have also been eyeing the Rite Aid building and other closing businesses will likely not be vacant for long, he said.
The city made conscious efforts in the 1990s and early 2000s to invest in wastewater treatment plants that should have the capacity to handle further development, Yaney said.
While some areas may need additional work handling stormwater or extending mains, that — along with traffic studies — will fall on the developer, he said.
The city is in a position where they can absorb the development into their current infrastructure, he added.
The city has also been working with Retail Strategies, a company that markets vacant properties to developers the city wants, Yaney said.
A member of the audience asked if there is a point when a community decides to stop growing, or if growth is inevitable.
Zoning dictates where businesses can and cannot go, City Manager Randy Sharpe answered. Stopping development would mean the city buying up all available property, which is unrealistic, he said.
Halting growth is not possible, Yaney said, adding if you aren’t growing, you’re falling behind or dying.
Businesses looking at demographic data would know people were leaving the Chardon area to spend money in places like Mentor, Mayfield and Willoughby, he said.
The city has been planning for this growth for decades, he added.
It is not happening in a vacuum and will not be detrimental. And, while there will likely be more traffic on the roads, steps are being taken to mitigate problems during the planning process, Yaney said.
The city can’t stop people from selling commercially-zoned property to developers, Vice Mayor Heather Means said.
Sharpe recalled remarks he’s heard about the number of pizza shops and auto retailers. The city cannot dictate the last pizza shop, he said, adding if someone wants to try, they’re allowed to.
Upcoming chamber events include the April 8 coffee connections networking event and Aug. 8 golf outing. More information can be found at www.chardonchamber.com.
Water Resources Rate Reduction Program
Geauga County seniors, age 60 years of age and older, can apply for assistance with their water or sewer bill. Seniors who qualify must have an income of 175% Federal Poverty Level or less and receive a bill from the Geauga County Department of Water Resources (GCDWR) for water or sewer.
Call the department on aging at 440-279-2130 for more information and/or to determine eligibility. The application period runs from April 1 through May 30.
Chardon Early Learning Center Gives Students Solid Roots
By Allison Wilson Wilson@kArlovecmediA com
The Chardon Early Learning Center is working to build a solid foundation for the district’s youngest learners, said CELC Principal Doug Higham and intervention specialist Kristen Sironen March 17.
Higham, who previously worked at Chardon High School, expressed gratitude for his new position during the Chardon Schools Board of Education meeting.
“After spending many years at the high school, I’ve had a unique opportunity now to see both ends of the educational journey in our district — from our youngest learners just beginning their academic path, to the graduates who are ready to step into the world,” he said.
The experience has given Higham a deep appreciation for how each step in a student’s education is connected, he said, adding the foundations built in the early years are critical as a student grows older.
“We are all working together toward the same goal — to develop well-rounded, confident young people who are prepared for whatever comes next,” he said.
It has been an interesting year in their building, Sironen added.
There are currently 83 pre-kindergarten students spread across three morning classes, three afternoon classes and one all day class, she said.
The school also serves six students in community programs, Sironen said, adding there are 141 kindergarteners with six general education classrooms.
Specials offered to students include world language, physical education, art, music and
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library technology, she said.
The pre-school is on a new curriculum this year called Creative Curriculum, Sironen said.
“It’s been a labor of love, but it’s a really neat program and it’s all-encompassing for everything, for English language arts, for literacy, for math, for social/emotional, for fine motor and gross motor,” she said. “It even includes cooking lessons and things like that.”
CELC provides a rich language environment for students to encourage their communication and models effective communication, encouraging language experiences through play, Sironen added.
The school also works to build continuous learners by cultivating a love for learning, designing engaging lessons so students will be excited to return to school, she said.
“We are always encouraging the students to become critical thinkers by explicitly teaching problem-solving skills through the social/emotional lessons and inspiring them to think critically and find solutions to their problems,” she said.
Classrooms are supportive, family-like en-
Middlefield Creamery Issues Voluntary Recall of Whole Chocolate Milk
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Old Country Creamery, of Middlefield, issued a voluntary recall March 26 of its Whole Chocolate Milk product bottled in pint, quart and half gallon and gallon containers due to improper pasteurization.
This improper pasteurization was found during a regulatory review of pasteurization records by the Ohio Department of Agriculture, according to an Ohio Department of Agriculture news release issued last Wednesday on behalf of the creamery, located at 16927 Tavern Road.
The affected products have expiration
dates of 04/06/25 and 04/13/25 and were distributed to 15 stores within 25 miles of Middlefield. The quality issue is isolated to the creamery’s Whole Chocolate Milk product, the release stated.
As of March 26, there have been no reports of illness involving products addressed in the recall. However, individuals exhibiting signs or symptoms of foodborne illness after consuming the affected products should contact a physician immediately.
Those who purchased this product should return it to the place of purchase to receive a refund. Consumers with questions can call 440-548-2364.
vironments, something Sironen described as necessary when working with young children.
“There’s no fear of speaking out in public, there’s no fear of doing something wrong,” she said. “Everyone is welcome and everyone is a little family.”
CELC’s core values are to be safe, be kind and try your best, she said, adding the center has also been engaged in community involvement, including high school students coming from across the street to perform skits and drama productions and the Chardon Smile Center visiting yearly to talk about dental hygiene.
The district’s school resource officer, the Chardon Fire Department and Chardon branch of the Geauga County Public Library have also visited, she said, noting there is extremely high parental involvement, as well.
“It’s always heartwarming to see how many parents are involved every day and every week,” she said. “As a pre-school, we don’t have busing for most of the students, so I get to see the parents almost every day at drop-off and pick-up, and it’s really lovely to see how much they care and how we are a team together.”
Staff at the Chardon Early Learning Center are working to provide their students a foundation that can be built upon for the rest of their school career.
Chester Firefighters Climb Key Tower In Fight for Air Competition
By emmA mAcniven mAcniven@kArlovecmediA com
Three Chester Township firefighters ran a different kind of fundraising marathon March 2 — up 57 floors at the Key Tower in downtown Cleveland.
They did it during the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air competition, coming in third place out of the 26 fire departments who participated.
Lt. Martin Neary, Mike Gibson and Jason Beltran raised $560 for the organization, which advocates for lung health.
They participated in full gear with self-contained breathing apparatus and finished in 15 minutes.
“Our guys have been training for a while together. They've been working out at the station and off-duty to prepare for this,” Fire Chief Andrew Nagy said. “They work together to raise some funds for the competition.
We're very proud of them.”
Firefighters and first responders around Northeast Ohio climbed Key Tower’s 57 floors for the 15th annual Fight for Air Climb.
The skyscraper, built in 1991, is the tallest building in Ohio and has appeared in a number of movies, according to the Key Tower website.
Neary said his team didn’t hesitate to participate, even though they are not as young as a lot of the competitors in the climb.
They were pleased with the outcome, he said.
“It felt good (to get third place) because we're older, but we set out to do that and perform pretty well because it's a vital part of our job to be physically fit,” Neary said. “So, we took that as the opportunity, as motivation to kind of keep our training going throughout the year. And then, it's just kind of a fun day, kind of a fun event. There's a lot of brotherhood involved between the other departments or other fellow firefighters.”
Neary said the same three men will likely participate again at next year's air climb.
“Hopefully, we can win it next year,” he said.
Chardon Restaurant Week Encourages Local Dining April 7-13
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What's for dinner?
Chardon Restaurant Week is back on the menu for its fifth year from April 7 to April 13 with 15 local Chardon restaurants offering specials for the week long event.
“We are excited to showcase the delicious culinary diversity our community has to offer,” said Joyce Perrico, the event's organizer. The Perricos own the Chardon Square buildings that Cremona Scratch Italian and the Square Bistro are located in.
Guests are encouraged to email their receipts from participating restaurants to receipts4crw@gmail.com to be entered into the event's Dine and Win contest.
Daily prize drawings will take place throughout the week, culminating in grand
prize giveaways at the end of the event. It’s a fun-filled week for everyone, with great food and the chance to win exciting prizes.
“Chardon Restaurant Week is not just about great food,” Perrico said. “It’s a community-driven initiative that supports local restaurants while also giving back to those in need. This year, we are proud to partner with Next Step of Geauga County, a local charity dedicated to helping young adults aged 18 to 24 establish independence and provide temporary housing for those in need. For every receipt collected during Restaurant Week, Chardon Eats will donate $1 to Next Step, making your dining experience even more impactful.”
For a list of participating restaurants, like Element 41, Joey's Italian Grille, the Lodage at Bass Lake, the Hambone and Brown Barn Tavern, visit www.chardonrestaurantweek.com.
Chester Township Trustees recognize firefighter Jason Beltran, Lt. Martin Neary and firefighter Mike Gibson for placing third out of 26 teams in the American Lung Association’s Fight for Air Competition at Key Tower March 2. The team climbed 57 stories.
S P O R T S
Positive Coaching Key to Building Lions Lax
By AlAn kornspAn sports@kArlovecmediA com
In the early 1970s, University of Washington sport psychology professors Ron Smith and Frank Smoll began to study the leadership behavior of coaches. This scientific inquiry led to important findings and practical suggestions for coaching educators.
Based on their findings and the work of other sport psychology scholars, coaching education programs in the 1980s began to emphasize a positive approach. Utilizing this approach, coaches were taught mainly to use positive reinforcement when coaching athletes.
Building upon this influential sport psychology research, Jim Thompson started the Positive Coaching Alliance at Stanford University in the late 1990s.
Over the past three decades, the Positive Coaching Alliance has taken a lead role in training sport coaches throughout the United States. In Northeast Ohio, an individual who has embraced a positive approach to coaching and is highly involved in training coaches nationally is NDCL Lions Girls Lacrosse Coach Pamela Malone.
In fact, since 2016, Malone has been a national coach trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance.
See Girls Lacrosse• Page 13
So What, Next Pitch, Badgers Softball Focused on Process
By AlAn kornspAn sports@kArlovecmediA com
Dr. Ken Ravizza, the late California State University Fullerton sport psychology professor and mental performance coach to the 2016 World Series Champion Chicago Cubs, was highly influential to many baseball and softball coaches throughout the world.
I had the pleasure of attending a few of Dr. Ravizza's amazing presentations and also learning about the mental game of baseball from his book with co-author Tom Hanson titled, “Heads Up Baseball: Playing the Game One Pitch at a Time.”
Ravizza often explained that early in his career he was focused on peak performance or trying to help athletes get in the zone.
But what he learned through his more than 40 years of consulting, with many of whom were elite softball players and coaches, is that most of the time athletes did not have their “A” game. They most often had their “B” or “C” games.
Thus, Ravizza wanted athletes to learn to be “comfortable being uncomfortable” on the field of play. To do this, he taught athletes and coaches how the mental game could be improved by “controlling the controllables.”
As the 2025 softball season gets under-
way, Geauga County Softball fans will see a new sign on the front of the Berkshire Badgers dugout at Abundant Life Ministry Field.
The sign displays one of Dr. Ravizza’s well known mantras: “So What, Next Pitch.”
Placing the sign on the dugout was firstyear Berkshire Head Softball Coach Joe Medlen, a long time successful softball coach at Perry who has come out of retirement to lead Badgers Softball.
Coach Medlen inherits a strong softball team from head coach Dave List who retired from coaching at the end of the 2024 softball season and was inducted into the Berkshire Athletic Hall of Fame in September of 2024.
In taking over the Badgers Softball program, Medlen brings a philosophy highly focused on teaching and emphasizing the importance of the mental game in achieving success.
Medlen wants his team to have an outcome goal of winning state championships. But he teaches his players to stay focused on the things that they have control of each day and each pitch, such as having quality at bats.
Taking this attitude and focus to the field against the Cardinal Mooney Cardinals on March 25, the Badgers scored 11 runs in the bottom of the first inning en route to a 17-2
opening day victory.
Leading the Badgers over the Cardinals were junior outfielder Kate Miller and sophomore shortstop, Whitney Davis.
For the game, Miller was 2-3, with a double and 4 RBI. Also, Davis, one of the top soft-
ball players in the state of Ohio and who as a freshman broke the Badgers school record for hits (.679 average) and stolen bases, was 1-2, with 2 walks and and scored four runs against the Cardinals.
tagging out Independence runners in the Badgers’ 4-1 extra inning loss.
Softball•
Huskies Gearing Up For Season Following 11-win 2024
By cAmeron pAlmer sports@kArlovecmediA com
The Cardinal Huskies baseball team went 11-13 last season, while going 7-5 in the Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division, and will enter this campaign with a mix of youth and experience. This season marks the second under Head Coach Dan Wolf.
“I didn’t know what to expect last year, but I was really pleased with everything,” Wolf said. “We played a tough schedule, and we were competitive in just about every game. This season will be as successful as our seniors take us.”
There are a number of players who will be key in the success of Cardinal this year on the diamond, two of which are seniors who have been seeing varsity action since they
were freshmen.
Senior Carter Tucker, who will see most of his time come on the mound, boasts a career earned run average of 3.64 with 25 career innings pitched. Tucker has racked up 30 strikeouts in his time on the bump.
“I expect a lot out of Carter on the mound,” Wolf said. “He’s going to be our top pitcher this year, and he’s going to throw a lot more innings than he did last year. We lost three arms last year, but as long as he stays healthy and strong, I expect big things out of him.”
Zach Caldwell, Austin Jones, Matt Hissa and Evan Jones will all see time on the mound throughout the season.
The Cardinal catcher will be Hunter Gresch, who enters with a career .304 batting average with 11 runs batted in on 24 total hits.
“He hit over .300 last year,” Wolf said of his catcher. “He didn’t get a lot of RBi opportunities last year, but I expect some good things out of him. He does a good job behind the plate.”
That chemistry between a battery — pitcher and catcher — can be a difference maker through the ups and downs that come within any season, or even games.
“I’ve been pitching to Hunter since freshman year,” Tucker said of his catcher. “We even went down to JV that year to pitch, and we’ve been working our way up ever since. He knows what I want, and I trust whatever pitch he calls, and I have a defense I trust behind me.”
bats and reps, and he should be pretty solid.” Cardinal has won a playoff game each of the last seven seasons, all of which have come at the first-round level, and they’re still looking to get over that hump in the District round.
Gresch and Tucker hope this year's team can eclipse that round as the OHSAA has expanded the baseball divisions from five to seven which slates the Huskies in at Division VII, possibly opening the door for a postseason run to remember.
Austin Jones will hold down first base, Hissa will command second base, Evan Jones will play third, shortstop, and pitch at times, while Tucker will see infield work as well.
Caldwell, Reese Soltis, Chuck Soltis, Evan and Cal Ciminello will all patrol the outfield.
The two seniors have the most field time of anyone else on the squad and will look to use that, along with the challenges and lessons of years past, for a run in their senior year.
“In my first two years, I got to sit at third (base) and watch Jake Bean pitch, and that was fun. I got to learn a lot from him,” Tucker said of his few years at the varsity level. “I’m just trying to bring in that leadership and get the younger guys ready for the varsity level. I have to carry the load on the mound, and there’s pressure for that, but it’s nothing I can’t handle. I’ve pitched a lot of innings in my career. It’s what it’s expected of me.”
“Behind the dish, I just started learning last year. Up to that point, I was self-taught,” Gresch said. “When coach (Wolf) came in last year, he helped me out a lot. He’s been a catcher his whole life and played at the college level. He’s been able to help me out a lot. At the plate, I’ve just been going out there to see what works and what doesn’t.”
Outside of Gresch and Tucker, there will need to be some players to step up. Coach Wolf turned his attention to sophomore Evan Jones for that role.
“He’s skilled pretty much everywhere he plays,” Wolf said. “He didn’t play every day, but he was a freshman. But he won’t be sitting much this year. He should get a lot more at-
“With the drop-down to Division VII, the first round isn’t cutting it anymore,” Gresch said. “I don’t even think Districts is good enough. I think a regional or state-run would make it a successful season. It’s going to take us coming together at the right time and having fun. We all need to be together, and a good way to do that is to goof off and have fun.”
Tucker thinks the team can make a run if it trusts the pitchers.
“But we still have to develop more. So, we need to trust the three guys we have, and have each other’s backs and support one another,” Tucker said.
Tucker, who learned from Jake Bean before he went off to play at Kent State University, is looking to take that same type of role with his experiences at the varsity and travel ball levels.
“During Jake’s senior year, he stepped into a pitching coach type of role and was our ace. I learned a lot from him,” Tucker said. “I’ve also learned a lot from my teammates playing summer ball, and I’m just trying to bring my knowledge in here to get these guys ready for varsity baseball.”
The season is right around the corner, and the Huskies put together some big wins last season, giving coach Wolf a lot of hope for this season.
“This is my 35th year coaching, and this only my second year really knowing about this area,” he said. “We should be competitive in our league, and we’ll see what happens. Hopefully, it all goes well.”
Cardinal looked to open the season on March 31 against the Lakeside Dragons in a cross-CVC matchup for Opening Day, while the Huskies visit Kirtland on April 7 for the CVC opener.
Lions Dominate Eagles in 20-3 Opening Day Victory
By cAmeron pAlmer sports@kArlovecmediA.com
The Norte Dame-Cathedral Latin Lions improved to 1-0 with a 20-3 road win against the Geneva Eagles for an Opening Day victory.
The Lions jumped out to an 8-0 lead and closed its season-opener by scoring 12 unanswered runs in a 20-3 six-inning win at Geneva on Thursday, March 27.
“It’s been our vision (to win today),” said NDCL’s Lexi Simon following the win. “We’ve been looking forward to this game, and you never know with Northeast, Ohio weather when you’ll have that first game. We just had to stay prepared and come ready to play.”
The Lions got rolling in the third inning when Sadie Wurm scored the first run in the top of the third when Sienna Steinmetz reached on a three-base error, then Maya Rowan laid down a sacrifice bunt to score Steinmetz from third for the early 2-0 lead. Simon delivered with a two-out RBI single for a three-spot in the third.
NDCL nearly doubled that production
Softball from page 11
Miller said that the team was highly motivated going into the season opener as the Badgers value the importance of protecting their home field.
“We did great at the plate, we made all the plays in the field, and I think we did a really good job overall,” Miller said.
Coach Medlen emphasized that the team hit the ball well, had a lot of quality at bats, and were focused on things they could control.
“We really controlled the controllables in that game (against the Cardinals),” said Coach Medlen.
On March 28, in the second game of the season, the Badgers hosted a tough CVC opponent, the Independence BlueDevils whose pitcher was throwing over 60 miles per hour.
Girls Lacrosse
from page 11
Malone, who is the second winningest girls soccer coach in OHSAA history, won two OHSAA state championships as the head coach of the Chagrin Falls Tigers Girls Soccer Team.
After 35 years as a teacher and coach at Chagrin Falls, Malone retired.
However, Malone's retirement from coaching did not last long as she returned to the sidelines this past Fall as the Head Coach of the NDCL Lions Girls Soccer Team.
Implementing a positive coaching philosophy, Malone immediately changed the culture and performance of her team.
To change the culture, Malone emphasized the importance of the team believing that they could be successful.
In order to instill this confidence, the Lions would yell “Believe” as they would break from team huddles.
After finishing 5th in their conference in 2023, Malone led the 2024 Lions Girls Soccer Team to a North Coast Conference Title in her first year.
Shortly after the soccer season ended, it
in the top of the fourth, putting together a five-run rally behind a Lila Baeslach one-out double, and Steinmetz ripped a run-scoring triple to the outfield fence, followed by a Row an RBI two-bagger for a 5-0 lead.
Rowan’s courtesy runner, Sabrina Velot ta, scored on an error, and Lily Rader dou bled home Becca Wooke before scoring her self on a passed ball for an 8-0 lead into the home half of the fourth frame.
Geneva put together a three-run rally it self in that frame to get back into the contest. NDCL’s Head Coach Tiger Alexander’s message to his team was simple.
“The game is a marathon, and we cut the game into smaller, manageable pieces,” Alexander said. “I just told them to refocus.”
His squad did just that with another three-run inning in the fifth, thanks to a flurry of Eagles’ errors, plating all three runs for an 11-3 edge after five.
The story continued in the sixth when the Lions put together a nine-run frame to seal the win in six innings via the run-rule.
Becca Wooke worked a leadoff walk and came around to score on a passed ball, fol-
Although the Badgers lost 4-1 in extra innings, they stayed mentally tough and played one pitch at a time.
Against the BlueDevils, the Badgers showed their ability to handle adversity and focus on the next pitch. Although they were struggling at the plate, the Badgers did not let that effect their defense.
In fact, twice they threw runners out at the plate to keep the contest scoreless. Making great throws to the plate were outfielders Kate Miller and Julia Young. And making ex-
was announced by the NDCL athletic department that Malone would also take over the Lions Girls Lacrosse program. Malone had previously coached the Chagrin Falls Tigers Girls Lacrosse Team where she was their first varsity coach.
As the 2025 girls lacrosse season has begun, Malone has emphasized the positive things that she has observed from her team during practice and competition.
She noted that the team has been doing a great job of focusing on things that they can control such as effort, intensity, and being coachable.
“They're hard workers, they're gritty, they're very, very, coachable,” said Coach Malone. “They're receptive to almost everything that the coaching staff puts out there and they're really fun to work with.”
On March 25, the Lions traveled to Parma to take on the Padua Franciscan Bruins.
lowed by Rader, who reached on an error and scored on a Simon RBI double. Alex Mould drove home Simon, and Wurm added another run-scoring single for a 15-3 lead.
Rowan delivered a bases-loaded two-run single, and Bella Wooke picked up RBI base knock. Rowan scored on a wild pitch, and Rader capped off the win with an RBI two-bagger for a 20-3 lead.
The Lions are coming off a nine-win season and runner-up finish in the Crown Conference, and it has hopefully set the tone for the season in game one.
“It reinforces the journey that we talk about,” Alexander said. “What we have to do is look back at what we did well and figure out what we need to do better and then figure out how we do that. It’s a good start, and we’re pleased with it. We’re not looking too far ahead, but we want to be clicking. This is a good start.”
cellent plays at the plate by putting the tag on the runners was catcher Olivia Masink.
“We practiced some things, just last night about assists,” Coach Medlen said. “We worked on that and it came into play the next day.”
After getting the out at the plate in the top of the sixth, the BlueDevils put a run across the dish later in the inning to take a 1-0 lead.
But so what, next pitch.
The Badgers strong mentality to never give up and stay focused on one pitch at a
In getting their first victory of the season against the Bruins, the Lions brought much positive energy and effort to the field.
Senior team captain Ava Abounader said that the positive philosophy espoused by the new coaching staff was a key aspect in helping the Lions obtain their first victory of the season.
“I really think our new coaching staff and like you mentioned our new philosophy really helped uplift the team (against the Bruins),” said Abounader.
Added senior captain Grace Hinkel, “In the first half, I feel like we were very fired up, and everyone was in such a good mood and happy to be there and I think that let us bring it through to all four quarters. We never lost momentum.”
Leading the Lions offensively in their victory over the Bruins were Hinkel (5 goals), Maggie Kane (4), Abounader (3), Macey Beers (1), Marianne McGuigan (1), and Catherine Melin (1).
Later in the week, the Lions lost to the Olmsted Falls Bulldogs March 28, 16-7. Hinkel and Abounader led the Lions with 2 goals each, while Beers, Kane and Melin each had one goal.
Two key components of the win were timely hitting, with eight of the 12 earned runs for NDCL coming with two outs, and starting pitcher Alex Mould’s ability to work through the Geneva lineup in a timely fashion to get the offense back to the dish.
“We pride ourselves on looking at a situation as an optimist and not a pessimist,” Alexander said. “Even with two strikes, we embrace that opportunity. As cold and as windy as it is out here, it’s a relief to see that kind of consistency that we displayed today.”
“I think it helps a lot knowing we have teammates that will pick us up no matter what we do at the plate,” Simon said of Mould. “Alex has shown us, season after season, that she has our backs and that we can help her too.”
Rowan paced the Lions with a 3-for-3 effort and 4 RBI, while Simon added in a 3-for-5 outing with two RBI, and Rader went 2-for-5 with two RBI as well.
Wurm, Steinmetz, and Mould all drove in one run, while Mould earned the win with six innings pitched, allowing seven hits with three total runs, two earned, and 10 strikeouts.
time allowed Davis to lead off the bottom of the sixth inning with a line drive to left field. Davis then scored from third base, on heads up baserunning after a fly out and error, which tied the game at 1-1 and forced extra innings.
Clearly, the Badgers have demonstrated a strong next pitch mentality under the leadership of Coach Joe Medlen.
And with a “so what, next pitch” mentality, Badgers Softball will certainly be a tough out for anyone in the OHSAA playoffs.
Although the Lions lost to the Bulldogs, Coach Malone provided a positive post-game message.
“(Coach said), just keep our heads high and we need to keep pushing throughout the whole game,” Hinkel said
As the Lions begin to prepare for their next game, Coach Malone helps her athletes learn from mistakes made in competition by using a positive approach to overcoming adversity.
“We call it the ELM tree of mastery, and it's ‘Effort Learning Mistakes are okay,” Malone said. “Mistakes mean that we’re learning. Mistakes mean that there is growth happening. If we play in our comfort zone nobody grows.”
A few mistakes which Coach Malone observed against the Bulldogs included the need to more effectively take care of the ball and to better handle adversity.
“We started playing not to get scored upon instead of taking care of the ball and making our plays in the arc,” Malone said.
The coach continued: “We have some work to do not only with taking care of the ball, but also, when we get behind, how do we come back mentally, and that's huge.”
By developing a positive environment and teaching her athletes how to positively overcome mistakes, it is clear that Malone's players are “trusting the process” of improvement.
Alexander
Huskies Continue Rebuild With High Hopes for 2025
By cAmeron pAlmer sports@kArlovemediA com
The Cardinal Huskies softball team went 11-10 last season and went 4-6 in Chagrin Valley Conference Valley Division play, winning its first conference game since 2019 and beating rival Berkshire for the first time since 2016.
That win over the Badgers came in coach Haley Adams’s senior season as a Cardinal athlete, and that last conference win came just one season before she took the reins.
Since then, Cardinal has turned the program around from winning 11 games in her first three seasons to an 11-win campaign in 2024.
“First and foremost, it starts with the number of girls we have in our program,” Adams said. “In my first couple of years we were barely holding together. We only had 11 girls, so we went from barely having a team to now being able to schedule JV games or go into some extra innings after a varsity game is over. That’s huge, especially for our feeder programs in the rec department. The girls are doing a great job of listening to what our coaching staff has to say, and they’re supportive of the girls and that’s what we like to see.”
A lot of this team’s core is underclassmen-oriented, with only three seniors on the roster, setting up for a bright future even once this season comes to an end.
“Something we don’t talk about enough is the IQ of our softball team,” Adams said. “The girls just know how to play the game, and we’re able to do situational things. Our experienced players are doing a good job of teaching the younger girls and taking them under their wing, making sure that they’re competitive. Something about our junior and sophomore classes is that they’re competitive, and how much they want to win. It’s something that we have now seen in volleyball and girls' basketball.”
Two key players for the Huskies this season will be junior Maggie Grant, who will control the circle and pitch, while sophomore Emily Pleva will see work all over the field and continue to lead the youth movement for Cardinal.
Pleva hit .475 last season with 38 hits and 35 runs batted in and looks to reach a new ceiling this season, coming off a standard-setting season.
“I want to get my batting average up, and I want to come up big when I need to,” Pleva said. “We know we can win now, and we’re better this year than last. We need to grow off of last season and do the best we can.”
Maggie has worked most of her time in the circle over the last few seasons with a 10-18 record and a 4.77 earned run average in 151 innings pitched with 210 strikeouts, but she’s also batting .410 with 47 hits, four homers and 48 RBI.
The junior has learned a lot in two seasons, gearing up for a breakout this year while also working to be one of the leaders on a team with just three seniors.
“We just have to help and explain things to them,” Grant said. “We have to make sure that they know everything we know.”
One of those seniors is Rylie Leichtman, who for just the second time in four years is healthy and ready to go for softball, having not played since her sophomore season, missing her freshman and junior years with injuries.
“With everything that I’ve gone through, I’m definitely understanding, and I want to push everyone to be better,” Leichtman said. “I know all these girls on this team have very high potential. From where we were my freshman year to seeing how this program has improved is amazing.”
In her one season, she posted a .389 average with 21 hits, 12 RBI with one triple and homerun.
The softball team, much like the baseball team, may benefit from the expansion of divisions in Ohio high school athletics, putting the Huskies in Div. VI.
This potentially opens a window for a deep run for Cardinal in the postseason.
“We haven’t won anything big in a long time,” Leichtman said. “I think we can do big things. We have to keep our minds right and stick with each other. We have to encourage one another and pick each other up, even after losses. We have to stick with it and work hard every single day.”
To round out the other bats that can make a difference this season will be sophomore Olivia Krebs, who hit .531 last season with 34 hits, while classmate Adelyn Grant drove in 26 runs along with three longbombs and 12 doubles (both team highs).
Sticking with that class is Natalie Soltis who drove in 18 runs on just 22 hits last season.
Krebs, Pleva, the Grant sisters, Ivy Kaminski and Soltis are going to be the key difference-makers in the lineup.
“Krebs broke the career and single-season runs scored record as a freshman. As our leadoff hitter, she does a great job getting on base,” Coach Adams said. “Pleva, in 91 plate appearances, didn’t strike out once last season. Maggie and Adelyn follow each other. We mix in a lot of speed with Kaminski and Soltis who have speed, and some power, it makes for a dangerous lineup.”
While the true lineup and positions aren’t set for Opening Day, coach Adams sees Krebs patrol the hot corner, with Soltis and Pleva working up the middle, as first base is up for grabs.
The outfield trio comes down to sophomores Ivy Kaminsky and Nova Young, while freshmen Layla Marcum and Whitley are also vying for a spot, with Adelyn getting most of the work behind the dish.
Brooklyn Whitley, a freshman southpaw, along with Soltis and Izzy Ciminello, will all see time in the circle to relieve Maggie.
Now that there’s been some success for the Huskies, it’s time to raise the bench mark and set new standards.
“Picking up that first CVC win was huge for us, and now this season, we want to compete in the CVC title race, especially with this being our last season in it,” Adams said. “That starts our benchmark. We’ve got some tough competition. We did pickup that first postseason win last season over Leetonia, and we gave a good run against Jackson-Milton. I think our toughest task to get over that hump is to play the game we know how to play. I’m confident we can compete with any team, and we just have to be healthy for this season. We have 28 games this spring, and that’s the best practice for us. We have a lot of momentum from last season, and a lot of these girls played volleyball and basketball where they won a district title and ended as district runners-up, respectively. They’re super competitive, and it’s spreading to our younger girls too.”
Obituaries
Mary Elizabeth Disien
Mary “Dolly” Elizabeth Disien (née Buber), age 83, of Chardon, passed away peacefully at home on March 31, 2025, surrounded by the love of her family.
Born on Feb. 27, 1942, in Hartford Township, Ohio, to John and Edna (née Finch) Buber, Dolly grew up in Huntsburg Township and was a proud gradu ate of Cardinal High School.
Dolly married the love of her life, David Disien, on Feb. 2, 1962. Together, they built a beautiful life in Windsor, where they raised their family with love, laughter and devotion.
A talented and licensed beautician, Dolly had an eye for beauty, whether she was styling hair, tending to her garden or crafting handmade treasures. She found joy in baking for her loved ones, sharing warmth from her kitchen and creating lasting memories with family and friends.
Above all, Dolly’s heart belonged to her family — her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her greatest pride and joy. She was always ready with a warm embrace, a kind word or a freshly baked treat to brighten someone’s day. Her beloved dog, Sammy, was her faithful companion.
Dolly leaves behind a legacy of love and kindness, survived by her children, Brian (Jennifer) Disien, of Concord Township, Steven (Heather) Disien, of Gilbert, Ariz., and Kathy Disien, of Chardon; her two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren who will forever hold her memory close to their hearts.
She is reunited in eternal peace with her beloved husband, David; and her parents, John and Edna.
Family and friends are invited to gather in remembrance of Dolly on Friday, April 4, 2025, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon, where a funeral service will follow at 12 noon.
Dolly will be laid to rest beside her beloved David at St. Mary Cemetery, behind St. Mary Church, on North Maple Street in Orwell immediately following the service.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home, Chardon.
Dolly’s love, laughter and gentle spirit will forever be cherished in the hearts of all who knew her.
Joseph Ronald Burzanko Joseph Ronald Burzanko, 60, of Montville Township, passed away on March 28, 2025.
Born at Geauga Hospital on June 30, 1964, and a graduate of Ledgemont High School, Class of 1982, he was a lifelong resident of the area. Joe had a passion for working on cars, whether fixing, restoring or racing them. He also loved fishing, finding peace by the water. A hardworking and kindhearted man, he valued his family above all else.
He is survived by his loving companion, Joanie Thomas, of Montville; his son, Ryan J. (fiancée, Gabrielle West) Burzanko, of Perry; and his cherished grandchildren, Theo and Parker Burzanko. He also leaves behind his brothers, Timothy (Bonnie) Burzanko, of Geneva, David (Wendy) Burzanko, of Montville; and his sister, Paulletta (Gilbert) Gwinnup, and nephew, Jeremy Gwinnup, of Dayton.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ronald and Martha (née Warner) Burzanko. He also will be greatly missed by his beloved aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family. Joe’s love, laughter and passion for life will be deeply missed by all who knew him. Services will be held at a later date to be determined.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Chardon.
Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.
Violet Bica Ross
Violet Bica Ross died peacefully on March 24, 2025, at the Laurel Lake Retirement Community in Hudson, less than six weeks before her 102nd birthday.
She was previously a longtime resident of Aurora and before that shared a waterfront home in Madison with her beloved late husband, L. Clayton Ross.
Violet was also predeceased by her parents, Ellie and Anna Bica (nee Murescin); her sister, Virginia Bica; and her brother, George Bica.
Mrs. Ross left no surviving blood relatives but is survived by many relatives of her late husband and by a multitude of friends and countless individuals who benefited from her generosity.
Known to her many friends as Vi, Mrs. Ross’s long life was filled with accomplishments. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Mount Union College and her Master of Arts in Psychology degree from Kent State University. She had additional graduate studies at Ohio University and The Ohio State University.
In the summer of 1961, she taught in a seminar at Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. She was a teacher at South Liberty School in Alliance and a school psychologist (among the first in Ohio) with the Maple Heights Board of Education, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Schools and Shaker Heights Board of Education.
Vi was active in many national, state and local professional organizations, including: Charter member of National Association School Psychologists; Secretary of the Ohio School Psychologists Association (19581960); Chairman of Cleveland Area School Psychologists; President of Ohio Guidance Council (1961-1962).
She was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma Honorary, Kappa Delta Pi Honorary, Kappa Delta Sorority, and former member of Eastern Star 267 in Alliance. She was listed in “Who's Who of American Women” (2006 & 2007).
In Madison, she attended Chapel United Methodist Church and was a member of Madison Country Club, Madison Historical Society, Madison MUW, Madison Book Study Club, Lake County Retired Teachers and Shaker Heights Retired Teachers. She was a member of Aurora United Methodist Church, Walden Country Club, Aurora Study Club, Aurora Historical Society, Aurora Schools Foundation and Aurora Friends of the Library.
But Vi’s greatest impact was as a philanthropist — a term she probably never used, but very much deserved. Carrying out a plan she and her husband agreed upon early in their relationship, she gave generously to any number of Northeast Ohio and national causes, including University Hospitals, Kent State University, the Alzheimer’s Association, American Heart Association, Aurora Schools, Case Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Salvation Army.
Vi’s favorite causes were “the schools,” her shorthand for her husband’s alma mater, Washington & Jefferson College, and her truly beloved University of Mount Union.
Obituaries
Both colleges have modern dormitories named Bica-Ross Hall, in recognition of Vi’s financial support and honoring her husband, Clay, and Vi’s brother, George. By now, both schools have several generations of alumni who have lived in those buildings, received scholarships that Vi funded or participated in the college athletics Vi enthusiastically supported.
She was not, importantly, a philanthropist who mailed in a check and then went away. She was hands on, insisted on getting to know “her kids,” and the kids got to know her in return. Their gratitude and affection was shown in an endless stream of wedding invitations, baby pictures and sports memorabilia the students sent to Vi and she filled her home with.
Funeral service will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at Myers Sanctuary of the Dewald Chapel at the University of Mount Union, 1972 Clark Ave, Alliance, Ohio. Calling hours will be from 11:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Myers Sanctuary.
She will be laid to rest next to her parents, brother and sister at Fairmount Memorial Park in Alliance following her services.
Donations suggested to the Violet B. and L. Clayton Ross Scholarship Funds at either the University of Mount Union or Washington & Jefferson College.
Services entrusted to the Potti & Marc F. Burr Funeral Homes of Madison, Chardon, Painesville & Fairport Harbor. Obituary, online condolences and memorial gifts available at www.marcfburrfuneralhome.com.
Jeanice Elizabeth Boon
Jeanice Elizabeth Boon, age 89, of Sa lem, Ohio, peaceful ly passed away on March 26, 2025, at the Auburn Skilled Nursing Home in Sa lem.
Born on May 25, 1935, in Chardon, she was the beloved daughter of George Christian and Ida May (nee Fiedler) Dietz.
On March 11, 1963, Jeanice married Reed “Tom” A. Boon, in Mantua. Together, they shared a beautiful life filled with love, laughter and cherished memories. Tom, her devoted husband of 54 years, passed away on Sept. 17, 2017, and she has now joined him once again in eternal peace.
wisdom she shared with them.
Jeanice’s grandchildren, Katie Campbell, Matthew, Steven, Julia and Arianna Dodds, as well as her great-granddaughter, Kinley Rose, were her pride and joy.
Jeanice is preceded in death by her parents; son Roger Reed Boon; and sisters, Carolyn Ida Dempsey, Lucile Adella Moody and Elma Georgia Moorhead.
The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon. The funeral service will begin at 1:30 p.m., with interment to follow at Chardon Municipal Cemetery.
The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to the nurses, staff and hospice team at Auburn Skilled Nursing for their exceptional care and compassion for Jeanice during her time with them.
A special thank you is also extended to Naomi Grimm and Dixie Blake for their love, support and unwavering dedication.
Arrangements are entrusted to Burr Funeral Home in Chardon. For additional information and to leave condolences, please visit www.burrservice.com.
Morris Eugene Dempsey
Morris Eugene Dempsey, affectionately known by family and friends as Gene, was born on March 15, 1937, in Sunville, Pa., and passed away March 21, 2025, in Chagrin Falls at the age of 88.
Gene was the beloved husband for 58 years to the late Rebecca (nee Southall); the loving father of Rick (Fiona), Kathy Peace (Rob), Nena Malone (Carl) and the late Douglas; cherished grandfather of Matt Dempsey (Jocelyn), Kellie Dolinsky (Drew), Nicole Forman (Doug), Carl Malone III (Erin), Myles Dempsey (Traica), Alex Borger (Tiffany) and Tyler Borger; treasured great-grandfather of Jacob, Peyton, Phoebe, Parker, Meadow, Hollie and two due in August.
Christian Michael Grattino
Jeanice was a long-time member of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, where she was actively involved with the church Women’s Group.
She enjoyed making plastic canvas ornaments, lovingly crafting a special one for each of her grandchildren. A passionate reader, Jeanice found great joy in the company of her family, especially her grandchildren, who brought her immense happiness.
Jeanice worked as a nursing aid and retired from the healthcare industry, in 1997, where she was known for her compassionate care and dedication.
She is survived by her children Ronald Ray (Sharon) Boon, of Winner, S.D., Linda Rae (Charles) Dodds, of Hinckley, Ohio, and Patricia Jean (John) Creel, of Clayton, N.C., all of whom will forever cherish the love and
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Christian Michael Grattino, age 27, of Montville Township, who tragically lost his life on March 29, 2025, while doing what he loved most — riding his motorcycle. Born on Jan. 1, 1998, in Claridon Town ship, Christian was the beloved son of John William Grattino and Kathleen Ann Dort.
Christian was a kind, generous and giving soul, always willing to help anyone in need. Raised in the Catholic faith, he carried those values throughout his life.
His love for motorcycles began at a young age and he spent countless hours riding, as well as working on motorcycles and cars.
Christian’s passion for mechanics led him to become a diesel/heavy equipment mechanic for Goodyear Fleet, where his skill and dedication were appreciated by all who worked with him.
Christian was also a proud member of the Dirty Bones Motorcycle Club, where he was cherished as a true friend and avid rider, always riding with a sense of adventure and camaraderie. In addition to his love for motorcycles, he enjoyed spending time outdoors, often off-roading and four-wheeling, embracing the thrill of nature.
Christian’s family was incredibly important to him and he will be deeply missed by his father, John W. (companion Deanne M. Parker) Grattino, of Montville; his sister, Jamie Leanne Grattino, of Ashtabula; his nephew, M.J. Tucker; and his siblings, Cole and Colin. He was also dearly loved by his grandfather, William Grattino, of Montville.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Kathleen Ann Dort; and his cherished grandmother, Mary Ann Grattino.
Christian’s memory will forever live in the hearts of all who knew him — his kindness, his laughter and his deep love for life.
A prayer service will begin at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 6, 2025, with visitation from 1:15-3 p.m. at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon.
Gene was a resident of Chagrin Falls for 12 years, formerly residing in York, Pa., and Chester Township.
He was an employee of and retired as a supervisor at Caterpillar.
He enjoyed antiquing with his wife, Rebecca, and was an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan as well as his three favorite baseball teams: Cleveland Guardians, Baltimore Orioles and San Diego Padres.
Gene enjoyed coaching his children in baseball and softball, was an animal lover with many pets throughout his life, and was a true “Mr. Fixit.” as he could fix anything.
Gene will be truly missed by his family and friends.
A private service will be held for the family. Burial will be in Chester Township Cemetery.
Arrangements entrusted to The DeJohn Funeral Home of Chesterland. Online obituary and guestbook at www.DeJohnCares. com.
Following the service, the family would like to invite everyone to join them at their home for a luncheon at 16224 Leggett Road in Montville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Geneva Food Pantry, 505 W. Main St., Geneva, OH 44041 (440466-5500).
Arrangements are entrusted to Burr Funeral Home, Chardon. For additional information and to leave condolences, please visit www.burrservice.com.
Christian’s love for life, his deep faith, and his generosity will never be forgotten. He was truly one of a kind, and his memory will live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him. May he rest in peace.
Notices should be sent in writing by the funeral directors and memorial societies to: Geauga County Maple Leaf, P.O. Box 1166, Chardon, OH, 44024-5166, faxed to 440-285-2015 or emailed to editor@karlovecmedia.com. The Maple Leaf charges a flat fee of $125 per obituary or death notice, including a photograph.
Bulletin Board
For-profit and nonprofit organizations or groups will need to purchase a paid advertisement for an event anytime tickets are sold, a fee is charged or a freewill donation is taken. If an organization or group does not wish to buy an ad to promote their event and connect with our readers, Karlovec Media Group will print a simple liner-type ad identifying the event, date/time/place and a number to call for more information. Email submissions to: cbb@karlovecmedia.com
FGP Explorers Series
April 5, 7-9 p.m.
Join Foundation for Geauga Parks for a “Snipe Hunt and Twilight Timberdoodle Sky Dance” at the Katydid Lodge at Frohring Meadows, 16780 Savage Road in Bainbridge Township. For information or to register, visit foundationforgeaugaparks. org or call 440-564-1048.
American Legion Pancakes
April 6, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
American Legion Post 459 is serving its final all-you-can-eat pancake and sausage breakfast of the season at the post located at 14052 Goodwin St. in Burton.
Genealogical Society Meets
April 8, 6:30 p.m.
Dr. Bari Oyler Stith, director of Historic Preservation Programs at Ursuline College, will present "Exploring Geauga's 18 sites on the National Register of Historic Places" at the next meeting of the Geauga County Genealogical Society at the Chardon Library, 110 E Park St. The program begins at 7 p.m. following social time and a brief business meeting.
Registration is required for the free program; visit www.gcgsoh.org.
VFW Wednesday Dinners
Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m.
Chardon VFW Post 6519 will serve jumbo chicken wing dinners every Wednesday in April at the canteen located at 752 Water St. The public is welcome. Call 440-2853699 for carryout orders.
Learn Soil “FUN”damentals
April 9, 6:30 p.m.
Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District will present “Soil ‘FUN’damen-
tals” at the Middlefield Library, 16167 East High St. The interactive program will dig into an overview of soil composition, soil properties and ways to protect soil, through hands-on activities and soil painting.
Call 440-632-1961 or visit geaugalibrary.net to register by April 7.
CWC Luncheon and Program
April 16, 12-1:45 p.m.
Join Chagrin Valley Christian Women’s Connection for a luncheon at their new location, the Chagrin Valley Athletic Club, 17260 Snyder Road in Bainbridge Township. Guest speaker Lisa Haley will talk about surviving life’s surprises, and special feature April Suva-Surovi will discuss how to keep one’s brain, sharp and young.
Call or text 216-707-9150 or email cwcchagrin@gmail.com to RSVP by April 9.
Breakfast with the Easter Bunny
April 19, 9-11 a.m.
Chardon Square Association will host a pancake breakfast with the Easter bunny at Pilgrim Christian Church on Chardon Square. There will be photo opportunities. At 11 a.m., Chardon Chamber of Commerce will host a free Easter egg hunt for children 10 and under in the park. Bring a basket. Visit chardonsquareassociation.org for more information.
Taste of Leadership
April 23, 5-7 p.m.
Join for the annual event to explore Leadership Geauga’s Signature Adult Program at Arborwear.
Free and open to the public. Applications are being accepted for the Youth Institute Class of 2025 and Signature Adult Program Class of 2026.
Visit leadershipgeauga.org to register.
West Geauga Schools
Geauga Public Library
Programs require registration unless otherwise noted. Include an email and phone number when registering for programs to receive updates about all programs. Visit www.geaugalibrary.net.
Wars & the Ohio Country
April 3, 7-8:30 p.m. • Chardon Connect with the library’s local and family history specialists to learn more about the “Indian Wars” period in the late 1700s and how local history books fit into Native American, United States and Ohio history.
Sprouting Young Scientists
April 4, 10:30-11:30 a.m. • Geauga West Youth in grades preK-2 may join the Sprouting Young Scientists program, where Holden Forest & Gardens staff teach about the science of plants through hands-on activities.
Victorian Weddings
April 5, 2-3 p.m. • Virtual Connect with history and learn about the many norms and fashions of Victorian-era weddings in America.
Good Deeds
April 8, 6-8 p.m. • Geauga West Connect with Geauga County Probate Court Judge Timothy J. Grendell, Magistrate Abbey L. King, Geauga County Recorder Celesta Mullins, and Geauga County Clerk of Courts Sheila Bevington to learn more about property
Learn the Basics of Gmail
April 10, 2-3 p.m. • Geauga West
Gain hands-on experience using Gmail with the basics, like creating an account, navigating its layout, composing an email, and managing one’s inbox.
True Crime Trivia Night
April 10, 6-8 p.m. • Thompson
Adults ages 21 and older will connect with other true crime aficionados to test their knowledge of all things dark and devious in this adults-only head-to-head competition.
Michael the Recycler
April 10, 4-5 p.m. • Bainbridge Youth in grades K-3 will join forces with Michael the Recycler and the Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District to learn about recycling and more.
Library Led Discussions
• Bainbridge, April 14, 10-11 a.m. and 2-3 p.m., “The Heiress” by Rachel Hawkins
• Thompson, April 15, 2-3 p.m., “Here One Moment” by Liane Moriarty
• Bainbridge, April 15, 7-8 p.m., “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline
• Chardon, April 16, 7-8 p.m., “The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, & A Dangerous Obsession” by Michael Finkel
• Virtual, April 17, 6:30-7:30 p.m., “Some
Chardon Schools
Speakers Wanted for Career on Wheels Day
Chardon Local Schools is seeking individuals interested in volunteering their time to share their career choices with students in grades 1-3 at Career on Wheels Day on May 6. The district is specifically looking for volunteers with careers related to vehicles.
field of study, favorite subjects in school and a typical day in the profession. Conclude the session with a tour of the vehicle.
Introducing students to careers and the world of work beginning in early elementary grades plays an important role in child development and career readiness.
in the final Grab Bag round to cement the win. Tristan Morgan, Matilda Tumada and Morgan Savage were team alternates. Mrs. Cindy O’Janpa coached the team. Eve Carty wardt, friends and family members cheered
of
The broadcast can still be viewed on the news5cleveland.com website, episode 12.
Volunteers will be stationed outside around the parking lot at Munson Elementary School. Starting at 10 a.m., students will rotate throughout the parking lot to view the vehicles and hear about careers. The rotations will be approximately five to 10 minutes in length.
Some ideas to share with students during a visit may include: educational background,
Career on Wheels Day takes place from 10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Munson Elementary parking lot, 12687 Bass Lake Road Chardon. The event will happen rain or shine. All vehicles will enter Munson Township Park and wait to be called over to the school's parking lot. The sign-up sheet is available at: bit.ly/4iCTZFH.
The deadline to register is May 2. Please send email to erika.barnett@chardonschools. org with any questions.
The team
Hayden Makuch, Parker Pacifico and Mason Towey surged ahead
earned Best Attorney awards and sophomore Natalie Rieger won a Best Witness award.
Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 17-F-000372
The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., SUCCESSOR BY MERGER TO WACHOVIA MORTGAGE FSB, FKA WORLD SAVINGS BANK, FSB, Plaintiff vs. CARYL MAHVI, ET AL., Defendants
In pursuance of an Alias Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 24th day of April, 2025, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 8th day of May, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Russell to wit:
Parcel No. 1
Situated in the Township of Russell, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio: and known as being Sublot No 14 in the Red Raider Trails Subdivision Amended of part of Original Russell Township Lots Nos. 4, 5 and 6, Tract No. 1 and part of Lots Nos. 1, 10 and 11, Tract No. 2, Section No. 14 as shown by the recorded plat in Plat Book 13, Page 47 of Geauga Map Records be the same more or less but subject to all legal highways.
Parcel No. 2
Situated in the Township of Russell, County of Geauga, and State of Ohio: and known as being a parcel of land in the Red Raider Subdivision of Original Russell Township Lots Nos. 4, 5 and 6, Tract No. 1 and part of Lots Nos. 1, 10 and 11, Tract No. 2, Section 11, as shown by the recorded plat in Book 13, Pages 47-50, in the Geauga County Map Records, being further described as follows:
Beginning at the intersection of the Northerly line of Sublot No. 14 with the Easterly line of Shire Court, 60 feet wide;
Thence South 82° 19’ 13” East along said Northerly line, a distance of 424.73 feet to a point;
Thence North 4° 32’ 31” East, a distance of 187.50 feet to a point;
Thence South 89° 16’ 36” West, a distance of 446.84 feet to a point on said Easterly line of Shire Court;
Thence South 5° 3’ 43” East along said along said Easterly line of Shire County, a distance of 125.00 feet to the Place of Beginning and containing 1.5250 Acres of Land as surveyed by Hedrick & Associates, Inc., December 1983, be the same more or less but subject to all legal highways.
Prior Deed Reference: Volume 1170 Page 301 re-recorded as Volume 1178 Page 891 Said Premises Located at: 14611 SHIRE COURT, RUSSELL TOWNSHIP, OH. INSIDE APPRAISAL COMPLETED Permanent Parcel Number: 26-195731, 26195732
DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.
The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover. Said Premises appraised at ($1,300,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($866,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.
TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.
SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio
Paul M. Nalepka, attorney
Mar27Apr3-10, 2025
Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26
Case No. 23-F-000584
The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: CITIZENS BANK, N.A., Plaintiff vs. RUBY M. PUGH, ET AL., Defendants In pursuance of an Alias Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 24th day of April, 2025, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the
same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 8th day of May, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Bainbridge to wit:
Situated in the Township of Bainbridge, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: And known as being Sub-Lot Number Nine (9) in the Beacon Hills Sub-Division of Lots 9 and 16, Tract 3, as the same is platted and recorded in Volume 8, Page 2 of the Geauga County Records of Plats, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.
Said Premises Located at: 8590 BEACON HILL DRIVE, BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, OH.
Permanent Parcel Number: 02-029500
DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.
The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
Said Premises appraised at ($100,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($66,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.
TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.
SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio
Johna M. Bella, attorney Mar27Apr3-10, 2025
Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 24-F-000276
The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: WILMINGTON SAVINGS FUND SOCIETY, FSB, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, BUT SOLELY AS OWNER TRUSTEE FOR DEEPHAVEN RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE TRUST 2020-2, Plaintiff vs. DANIEL G. MARTIN, ET AL., Defendants
In pursuance of an Alias Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 24th day of April, 2025, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 8th day of May, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Huntsburg to wit:
Situated in the Township of Huntsburg, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: Known as being part of Lot No. 61, of said Huntsburg Township and is further bounded and described as follows: Beginning at a nail found in an iron pipe monument found at the intersection of the centerline of Stillwell Road and Princeton Road; Thence South 89° 20’ 40” West along Stillwell Road centerline a distance of 382.40 feet to a point; Thence North 0° 10’ 20” West a distance of 345.00 feet to an iron pin set; Thence North 89° 20’ 00” East, a distance of 384.82 feet to a point in the centerline of Princeton Road, passing through an iron pin set 30 feet therefrom; Thence South 0° 48’ 40” West along Princeton Road, centerline a distance of 98.99 feet to an angle point in said centerline; Thence continuing along Princeton Road centerline South 0° 0’ 13” East a distance of 246.12 feet to the place of beginning and containing 3.0345 acres of land, as surveyed and described by James M. Peter, P.S. 6420 in March 1995. Bearings shown herein are to an assumed meridian and are used to denote angles only, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.
Prior Deed Reference No.: Book OR 1954, Page Number 117 and Instrument Number 201300862102.
Said Premises Located at: 12030 PRINCETON ROAD, HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP, OH.
Permanent Parcel Number: 16-078295
DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.
The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
Said Premises appraised at ($490,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($326,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.
TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.
SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio
Austin R. Decker, attorney Mar27Apr3-10, 2025
Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26 Case No. 24-F-000512
The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: THE MIDDLEFIELD BANKING COMPANY, Plaintiff vs. DAVID J. NEMEC, ET AL., Defendants
In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction.ohio.gov/, on Thursday, the 24th day of April, 2025, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if the parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, without regard to the minimum bid requirement, at the same time of day and at the same place of the first sale, on Thursday, the 8th day of May, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Newbury to wit:
A copy of the complete legal description can be found in the Geauga County Recorder’s Office, 231 Main Street, Suite 1-C, Chardon, Ohio 44024, OR Volume 1891, Page 2341 SHORT LEGAL DESCRIPTION: LOT 37 TR 3
Said Premises Located at: 16022 MESSENGER ROAD, NEWBURY TOWNSHIP, OH. Permanent Parcel Number: 23-231001
DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be paid by WIRE TRANSFER of ACH DEBIT TRANSFER with https://geauga.sheriffsaleauction. ohio.gov.
The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
Said Premises appraised at ($250,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($166,667.00). Please note: The appraisals are based on an exterior appraisal of property only, unless otherwise noted.
TERMS OF SALE: The FULL purchase price shall be paid to the Sheriff within thirty (30) days from the date of confirmation of sale, and on failure to do so, the purchaser may be held in contempt of court, the court may forfeit the sale and/or deposit, or the court may issue any other order it sees fit.
SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND, Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio Maureen Zink Delaney, attorney Mar27Apr3-10, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
The Geauga County Historical Society Notice is hereby given to general public that the Geauga County Historical Society, a nonprofit organization, pursuant to Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a registered nonprofit organization in the State of Ohio, located in Burton, Geauga County, Ohio, is in possession of items in the collections of the Century Village Museum that were not properly accessioned by, and donated to the Museum during a time period greater than seven (7) years from the date of this notice. These items are, henceforth, the property of the Geauga County Historical Society, and may be used for historical, cultural, or educational purposes. This notice is being issued under provisions of Section 3385.07 of the Ohio Revised Code - the presumption of gifts to a museum. Feb27 Mar6-13-20-27 Apr3, 2025
IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO
Case No. 24-F-000797 - NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING; Plaintiff, vs. UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES, LEGATEE, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, SPOUSES AND ASSIGNS, AND THE UNKNOWN GUARDIANS OF MINOR AND OR INCOMPETENT HEIRS OF DIANE A. ROSS, DECEASED; Defendant(s). The Court finds that the service of summons cannot be made other than by publication on Defendant(s): UNKNOWN HEIRS, DEVISEES,
LEGATEE, EXECUTORS, ADMINISTRATORS, SPOUSES AND ASSIGNS, AND THE UNKNOWN GUARDIANS OF MINOR AND OR INCOMPETENT HEIRS OF DIANE A. ROSS, DECEASED, whose last known place of residence is: Address(s) Unknown
Each Defendant will take notice that on December 2, 2024, Plaintiff filed a Complaint for Foreclosure in the Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, 100 Short Court, Suite 300, Chardon, OH 44024, being 24-F-000797 alleging that there is due to Plaintiff the sum of $126,156.67 plus interest at 3.3750% per annum from June 1, 2024, plus late charges, pre-payment penalties, title charges, court costs and expenses as applicable to the terms of the Promissory Note secured by a mortgage on the real property, which has a street address of 14939 CAVES ROAD, NOVELTY, OH 44072 and being permanent parcel number 26-118090.
Plaintiff further alleged that by a reason of default in payment of said Promissory Note, the conditions of said Mortgage have been broken and the same has become absolute.
The Defendant(s) named above are required to answer and assert any interest in said property or be forever barred from asserting any interest therein, and to raise any defense to foreclosure of said mortgage, the marshalling of liens, the sale of said real property. Said Defendant(s) are required to file an Answer within twenty-eight days after last date of publication, which shall be published once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks, or they might be denied a hearing in this case.
By: Adrienne S. Foster (Bar No.: 0080011); Diaz Anselmo & Associates, P.A., Attorneys for Plaintiff, P.O. BOX 19519, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33318,; Telephone: (954) 564-0071; Facsimile: (954) 564-9252; Service E-mail: answersms@dallegal.com Mar20-27 Apr3, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
SALE OF REAL ESTATE
In the State of Ohio, County of Geauga, Case No. 23-F-000449 - Freedom Mortgage Corporation (Plaintiff) vs. Reginald Stovall, et al, (Defendants)
In pursuance of an Order of Sale directed to me in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public online auction the following described real estate: Property Address: 17866 Leggett Road, Montville, Ohio 44064
Legal Description: A full legal description of the property may be obtained at www.buddybartonauctions.com.
Parcel Number: 20-020700
Said Premises Appraised: $285,000.00
Minimum Bid: $190,000.00
Location of Sale: Online Bidding at www.buddybartonauctions.com
Bidding Open Date: April 23, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Bidding Closes Date: April 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM 2nd Provisional Open Date: May 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM
2nd Provisional Close Date: May 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Terms of Sale: A deposit in the amount of $10,000 is due by wire transfer within 48 hours upon conclusion of the auction. Funding must take place within 30 days of confirmation of sale. A 5% Buyer’s Premium shall apply. The auction is subject to postponement and cancellation. Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient. Ross Barton III, Private Selling Officer, info@buddybartonauctions.com, 330-4641375 Mar27 Apr3-10, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
SALE OF REAL ESTATE
In the State of Ohio, County of Geauga, Case No. 24-F-000440 - Carrington Mortgage Services, LLC (Plaintiff) vs. Unknown Heirs of Duane G. Rector, Jr., et al, (Defendants)
In pursuance of an Order of Sale directed to me in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public online auction the following described real estate:
Legal Description: A full legal description of the property may be obtained at www.buddybartonauctions.com.
Parcel Number: 32-050150
Said Premises Appraised: $100,000.00
Minimum Bid: $66,666.67
Location of Sale: Online Bidding at www.buddybartonauctions.com
Bidding Open Date: April 23, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Bidding Closes Date: April 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM
2nd Provisional Open
Date: May 7, 2025 at 9:00 AM
2nd Provisional Close Date: May 14, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Terms of Sale: A deposit in the amount of $10,000 is due by wire transfer within 48 hours upon conclusion of the auction. Funding must take place within 30 days of confirmation of sale. A 5% Buyer’s Premium shall apply. The auction is subject to postponement and cancellation. Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient.
Ross Barton III, Private Selling Officer, info@buddybartonauctions.com, 330-4641375 Mar27 Apr3-10, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP
DUST CONTROL BID
The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees will receive sealed proposals until 2:00 p.m. on April 15, 2025, proposals will be opened and read aloud at 8:00 pm during the Trustees’ meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 for the Spraying of MC70, CRS OR AEP and the spreading of washed #8 limestone on Township Roads in Huntsburg Township, during the 2025 construction season.
Bid proposals may be obtained by calling the Huntsburg Township Fiscal Officer at 440636-5486 or mailing to P.O. Box 280, Huntsburg, Ohio 44046. All bid proposals shall be submitted on forms provided by the Board of Trustees.
A bid bond or certified check, cashier’s check, or money order, on a solvent bank or savings and loan association, in the amount of five percent (5%) of the total bid amount, and liability insurance for injury to persons and/ or damage to property in an amount not less than $1,000,000.00 and property damage liability insurance in an amount not less than $500,000.00, shall accompany each bid. The bid shall be let on a unit price basis.
The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any or all bids, waive any informalities or irregularities in the bids received, and to accept any bid or bids which are deemed most favorable to the Board at the time and under conditions stipulated, all in accord with the applicable provisions of the laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Board of Trustees.
Legal notice shall be considered as part of the bid specifications.
Address all bids to: The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees, P.O. Box 280, Huntsburg, Ohio 44046, and identify sealed envelopes as “Proposal for the Spraying of MC70, CRS OR AEP and brooming off stone if requires for CRS applications, Spreading of # 8 washed Limestone on Various Roads during the 2025 Construction Season”.
BY ORDER OF THE HUNTSBURG
TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES
Michele A. Saunders, Fiscal Officer Mar27 Apr3, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE
Sale of Real Estate GEAUGA COUNTY
Foreclosure Auction
Case# 24-F-000308 - JPMorgan Chase Bank, National Association vs Dennis L. Woodford, et al.
The description of the property to be sold is as follows:
Legal Description: Full Legal Listed on Public Website; Parcel Number: 02-224600
Bidding will be available only on www.Auction.com opening on April 22, 2025, at 10:00 AM for a minimum of 7 days.
Property may be sold on a provisional sale date should the third-party purchaser fail to provide their deposit within the allotted time. Provisional Sale date: May 6, 2025 at 10:00 AM. Sales subject to cancellation. The deposit required is $5,000 to be paid by wire transfer within 2 hours of the sale ending. No cash is permitted.
Purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.
To view all sale details and terms for this property visit www.Auction.com and enter the Search Code 24F000308 into the search bar.
Mar27 Apr3-10, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Village of Middlefield
Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held on May 8, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. at the Municipal Center, 14860 North State Street, Middlefield, Ohio during the Council Meeting on the request of Village Council to review:
1) ORDINANCE 25-115 AN ORDINANCE
AMENDING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SEC-
TION 1140.11 ENTITLED “VIOLATIONS” AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.
2) ORDINANCE 25-116 AN ORDINANCE AMENDING CODIFIED ORDINANCE SECTION 1157.02 ENTITLED “OFF-STREET PARKING SPACE REQUIREMENTS,” AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard.
LESLIE MCCOY, VILLAGE ADMINISTRATOR Apr3, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE/PUBLIC HEARING Munson Township Board of Zoning Appeals Munson Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on April 16, 2025 at 6:30 pm at the Munson Town Hall, 12210 Auburn Rd., Munson, OH to consider the following appeals for variances.
CASE 25-04: Kevin Koch, 10305 Butternut Rd., Chesterland, OH – requests to construct a 28’ x 34’ detached garage in front of the home. Violates SEC. 509.2 Unless otherwise noted herein, no freestanding garage or other accessory structure shall be erected within the front yard of any district, except fencing.
CASE 25-05: Frank Pitchler, Parcels 21124800, 21-124700, 21-124900 (11570 Edgewood Rd.), Chardon, OH – requests to construct a 12’ x 20’ accessory building 15’ from the north side of the property line. Violates SEC. 411 Minimum Dimensional Requirements –side yard setback requirement is 25’.
CASE 25-06: Jonathon Herman, 12210 Bean Rd., Chardon, OH – requests to construct a 50’ x 80’ detached garage in front of the home. Violates SEC. 509.2 Unless otherwise noted herein, no freestanding garage or other accessory structure shall be erected within the front yard of any district, except fencing. Paula Friebertshauser, Secretary Apr3, 2025
MEETING
NOTICE OF PUBLIC
Troy Township
Notice is hereby given that the Troy Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application for two appeals for variances to the Troy Township Zoning Resolution on the 21st day of April, 2025 at 7:00
Public Notices Belong in Newspapers, Where People Will See Them.
o’clock p.m. at the Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, Burton, OH 44021.
This application #ZP25-7, submitted by Chad Smith, requests that he be granted relief regarding an area zoning certificate for side yard setback in the R-3 Zoning District. The application for the appeal pertains to Article IV, Section402.6(B)(2) which states that the minimum side yard setback is 25 feet. Applicant owns 3 lots side by side and they wish to build a lean to onto an existing barn which is located on the first lot and extends 3’ onto the second lot for a variance of 25 feet on lot 1 and 25 feet on lot 2. Chad Smith has filed an application for an area zoning certificate and wants it to be granted for the property located at 18227 Shaw Road in Troy Township. Lot 1 PPN # 32027900. Lot 2 PPN# 32-027800.
This application #ZP25-9, submitted by Marc H Cohen & North Coast Architects, Inc. on behalf of Electrolock, Inc. & Bridge Creek Properties, LLC, requests that they be granted relief regarding an area zoning certificate for lot coverage in the M-1 Zoning District. The application for the appeal pertains to Article IV, Section 404.7 which states the maximum lot coverage shall be 40 (forty) percent and they wish to build additions making the lot coverage 40.66 percent for a variance of 0.66 percent. March H Cohen & North Coast Architects has filed an application for an area zoning certificate and wants it to be granted for the property located at 17930 Great Lakes Parkway in Troy Township. PPN: 32-072323. Lisa Murphy, Secretary Apr3, 2025
LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO
Case No. 25-F-000129 - Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County, Ohio, Plaintiff, vs. Joseph L. Sanders, et al., Defendants Joseph L. Sanders, and the Unknown Spouse, if any, of Joseph L. Sanders, whose last known address was 7196 Woodlands Ave., Chagrin Falls, OH 44023, address is unknown, and cannot, with reasonable diligence, be ascertained shall take notice; and, if deceased, their unknown heirs, devises, legatees, administrators, executors, and assigns will take notice that on the 25th day of February, 2025, the Treasurer Of Geauga County, filed a Complaint in the Court of Common Pleas, Geauga County, 100 Short Court Street, Chardon, Ohio 44024, entitled Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County vs. Joseph L. Sanders, et al., Case No: 25F000129, against the above-named parties, praying that the premises hereinafter described be sold for the collection of delinquent real estate taxes, owed and unpaid, is $880.62 together with accruing taxes, assessments, penalties, interest, and charges; as well as court costs. Said premises is described as permanent parcel number(s) 02-308800 and 02-309000. A complete legal description of the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Recorder’s Office. The volume and page number for the parcel(s) can be obtained from the Geauga County Auditor’s Office.
The object of the action is to obtain from the Court a judgment foreclosing the tax liens against such real estate and ordering the sale of such real estate for the satisfaction of delinquent taxes.
Such action is brought against the real property only and no personal judgment shall be entered in it. However, if pursuant to the action, the property is sold for an amount that is less than the amount of the delinquent taxes, assessments, charges, penalties and interest against it, the Court, in a separate order, may enter a deficiency judgment against the owner of record of a parcel for the amount of the difference; if that owner of record is a corporation, the Court may enter the deficiency judgment against the stockholder holding a majority of the corporation’s stock.
The above-named parties are required to answer on or before 28 days after the last date of publication. Such answer must be filed with the Clerk of Courts, and a copy must be served on the Prosecuting Attorney.
By Kristen Rine, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Attorney for Plaintiff. Apr3-10-17, 2025
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING GEAUGA PUBLIC HEALTH APRIL 29, 2025 3:30 P.M. – 4:30 P.M.
Consistent with the Ohio Revised Code 3709.09, Geauga Public Health will hold a Public Hearing to hear comments regarding adoption of fees for the Ohio Administrative Code 3701-29 – Household Sewage Treatment Systems. The meeting will be held at the Geauga County Administrative Building, 12611 Ravenwood Dr, First Floor, Suite B167-B168, Chardon, OH 44024. Full details are available at www.gphohio.org. Apr3, 2025
Geauga Sheriff’s Report
The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office March 21 to March 27, 2025.
ANIMAL PROBLEM
March 27
4:33 p.m., Mumford Road, Troy. Two dogs on the caller's property: Beagle and black and white dog. Caller states he shot and killed one last year then stated a few years ago. Hes requesting the Dog Warden. Dogs are not vicious he just doesn't want them on his property.
BURGLARY
March 23
12:42 p.m., Ravenna Road, Newbury. Corner of Bell and Ravenna Roads on the west side of the road. Brown shingled house. Someone broke into the house. Window(s) broken. Has not gone into the residence. Complainant is in a red Honda CRV. Unknown if anything is missing or if anyone is inside the residence. Caller's toddler son is with him in the vehicle and caller is waiting outside. House is vacant and caller is preparing to renovate it. Sunglasses retrieved as evidence, will be sent to lab for testing. See report.
CITIZEN DISPUTE
March 21
3:04 p.m., Bundysburg Road, Parkman. Box truck almost hit one of interstates truck, male is now irate yelling at the crew. Dispute between three tow truck drivers and a driver of a box truck. Tow truck drivers stated they were blocking a road of after pulling out a dump truck. They said the box truck came around the first truck and almost struck the driver directing traffic. Tow truck driver followed box truck to Bundysburg Road. Tow truck driver said driver pulled into a driveway, exited the box truck and came up to his door striking the tow truck door. Box truck driver said the yellow Interstate tow truck pulled out in front of him on 608 and he drove by because he thought the driver flagged him through. Box truck driver stated he went to tow truck driver door to speak with driver and did not strike the door.
DOMESTIC DISPUTE
March 27
2:38 p.m., Kinsman Road, Newbury. Caller is trying to get her stuff and get out. He's threatening to destroy my vehicle. My vehicle. Caller advised the male just hit my mom's car. Nobody else is in the home. Caller hasn't been back to the house in over a week. Caller has guns in the house but since she hasn't been at the house, he may have moved them. No violence or threats. male and
female are separated for the time being. Female pulled into the driveway as the same time as her husband try gain access to a marital vehicle. The male pulled in front of his wife and the vehicles struck one another.
SICK/INJURED ANIMAL
March 22
5:17 a.m., Kinsman Road, Zeppes Pizza, Burton. Caller hit a coyote with her car and it is now stuck in her grill and still alive. Does not need a report, no airbags or injuries. Coyote was struck by a car. Coyote was dispatched with one round.
SUSPICIOUS
March 24
8:29 a.m., Grant Street, NEO Electric Supply, Hambden. Homeless person sleeping in parking lot of NEO. Caller would also like to know the laws on this. Deputies spoke to the complainant who was passing by in his vehicle. He does not own the property. Deputy spoke with the property owner across from NEO Electric Supply. Advised he does not want them on his property. Deputy checked with Auditor's Office to obtain photograph of the property lines. Deputy will speak with the police prosecutor. See supplemental narrative.
March 24
1:31 p.m., Orange Lane, Auburn. Has footage of two people knocking on their door at midnight last night. This has been an ongoing issue. Met with caller who advised they been having people knock on their door and running since last July and the most recent last night around midnight. He told me that it has been hapening between 9 p.m. and midnight. He believes it is the neighbors that live on Victoria Dr because they ride their dirt bikes and ATV on the road and his wife followed them once. I explained that we can extra patrols in the area.They advised they would like that and asked us not to speak to them unless they are caught. Showed me two still photos from a deer camera. Both pictures appeared to me the same males one wearing light face covering and a black face covering. Extra patrol requested.
THEFT
March 26
9:59 a.m., Kinsman Road, St. Helen School, Newbury. Male in the lobby to report theft that happened. Reported an older man in a dark green Hyundai car wearing a blue and red Guardians jacket drove onto the church property and stole one tall traffic cone, rope, orange fencing and a rope tensioning device. This occurred on Friday.
Real Estate Transfers
Following is a list of real estate transfers for the week ending March 28, 2025, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.
AUBURN TOWNSHIP
Snowbird Real Estate and Investments LLC, 18812 Ravenna Road, to Snowbird Real Estate and Investments LLC and PDLBD Properties LLC, $66,400. (0.50 acres)
James Alex and Julie Lorence, 9734 Cleveland Drive, to James Alex Lorence, $20,000. (0.36 acres)
BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP
Canyon Lakes Colony Co., 7941 Canyon Ridge, to Robert F. and Staci M. Somogyi, $147,000. (0.24 acres)
Peter P. and Jane E. Ahern (co-trustees), 17860 Northwood Lakes Drive, to Marina Kinash, $605,000. (0.00 acres)
Scott E. and Elizabeth S. Pretzlav (TOD), 8681 Peppermill Run, to William A. Shawver and Alisa C. McGowan, $777,000 (2.20 acres)
Ronald T. and Julie T. Emerich (trustees), 18777 Rivers Edge Drive, to Zachary and Hanna Farmer, $599,900. (1.62 acres)
Steven M. Hunder and Christine A. Kohls Hunder, 17545 Gates Landing Drive, to Shaun G. Soukenik, $765,000. (0.38 acres)
BURTON TOWNSHIP
Tare Creek Properties LLC, 16243 Roselawn Drive, to Recreated Properties LLC, $110,000. (0.96 acres)
Andrew O. and Mary E. Yoder, Hale Road, to James R. and Penny E. Timmons, $13,200. (1.20 acres)
James R. and Penny E. Timmons (TOD), Hale Road, to Andrew O. and Mary E. Yoder, $3,700. (1.12 acres)
BURTON VILLAGE
Florence T. Herst, 14734 S. Cheshire St., to Brian Bolinger, $250,000. (0.63 acres)
CHARDON CITY
FLG Chardon LLC, 222 High Fox Drive, to NVR Inc., $90,000. (0.17 acres)
CHESTER TOWNSHIP
Takako and Hiroaki Harasaki, 7760 Puddingstone Drive, to Lindsey Elizabeth and Innocenzo Martino, $455,000. (3.04 acres)
Dolce Vita Properties LLC, 12441 Harold Drive, to Mary and Bruce Legge, $310,000. (1.02 acres)
Richard J. Sulc (trustee), 13278 Hickory St., to Matthew J. Stewart, $265,000. (1.01 acres)
CLARIDON TOWNSHIP
James E. Fedor, 13060 Claridon Troy Road, to Allen R. Miller, $210,000. (5.00 acres)
Janet E. Nelson, 107 Turner Drive, to Jonathan Louden, $270,000. (0.48 acres)
HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP
Alfreda H. Pearn, 13250 Chardon Windsor Road, to John J. Cermak, $176,000. (2.87 acres)
MIDDLEFIELD VILLAGE
Janet L. Munich (TOD), 15135 Woodsong Drive, to Marius D. Giulvezan, $359,000. (0.20 acres)
NVR Inc., 15263 Timber Ridge, to Tuan and Chalana Gaye Williams, $351,900. (0.22 acres)
NVR Inc., 15252 Timber Ridge, to Saroj Bala, $380,700. (0.21 acres)
Post Office Properties LLC, 15993 E. High St., to APIF Ohio LLC, $474,700. (0.69 acres)
NEWBURY TOWNSHIP
Frank J. Bennici (successor trustee), 15518 Punderson Road, to Lekots Construction LLC, $35,000. (0.28 acres)
PARKMAN TOWNSHIP
Rock Solid Foundations LLC, Farley Road, to Melvin L. and Betty J. Gingerich, $60,000. (3.45 acres)
US Bank Trust National Association (trustee), 17530 Reynolds Road, to Betty D. and Thomas T. Byler Jr., $199,900. (10.97 acres)
RUSSELL TOWNSHIP
JKW Property Group LLC, 13777 Fox Hills Drive, to Emily F. and Christopher J. Ringler, $450,000. (1.40 acres)
SOUTH RUSSELL VILLAGE
Cameron D. Bagley, 118 Fairview Road, to Robert Daniel Harlow, $335,000. (0.27 acres)
John R. and Lisa L. Lazarczyk (co-trustees), 243 Manor Brook Drive, to Thomas A. and Mary Pileski (trustees), $465,000. (0.00 acres)
TROY TOWNSHIP
Angela Poole and Ryan Carpenter, 18985 Jug St., to Thomas P. Hama and Joyce E. Short, $300,000. (2.02 acres)
Dorothy Stanley and Jeanne Rydzak, 14469 Hoover Road, to Willow Brook Acres LLC, $222,800. (11.01 acres)
Robert B. Andrews (trustee), 18898 Rapids Road, to Caleb U. and Nancy J. Schlabach, $130,000. (1.51 acres)
Classifieds
FOR RENT
Burton: 2 bedroom, 2 bath ranch condo. 1200 sq. ft., 2 car attached garage, laundry, AC. Energy efficient, private. No pets. No smoking. $1,600 per month includes snow plowing, lawn & trash. Senior discounts. 440-221-0649.
Remodeling: 5BR, 2BA. Includes laundry room, rec room or 6th BR, basement, garage. Large closets, 2 are walk-in. No pets, No smoking. Huntsburg. 440-6365747.
COMMERCIAL RENTALS
Office/Medical: 1,500sq ft, Full-time lease or timeshare, includes utilities and maintenance. South Russell Medical Center, Bell & 306. Contact Dr. Rood at 440-338-3366.
FOR SALE
Antique Curio Cabinet: glass sides, glass door, mirror back, 8 adjustable shelves, 85” tall, 22” wide, 17” deep, Excellent Condition, very unique; $480. 440-554-5731. Two burial plots at Western Reserve Memorial Gardens with full package: 2 vaults, 2 caskets, dual memorial headstone; $7,400. 440-476-0706.
Celli Spading Machine for 3-point hitch tractor, NYP130 spades 51” wide and up to 12” deep, barely broken in; Like New. $4,000. 440-548-2414.
Kendon Motorcycle Trailer: 1994, single rail fold-up design with casters for easy storage. Independent suspension, LED lights. $900. Call Mike 216-536-3698.
New white triple track Storm Windows: perfect for home & porch enclosures (7) 30-1/4x59-1/4 $95 each. George 440-336-5044.
Like-new 5 cubic ft GE Chest Freezer: $75. 31” tall, 28” length, 22” wide. 440-279-4310.
Antique Dining Room Set for sale: Lifetime furniture. Table with leaf, 6 chairs, buffet, sideboard, China cabinet. Good condition. Call/text 440-223-9023. Lake View Cemetery, 4 burial plots total (2 double lots): Cemetery Price $10,100 per dbl. Asking $8,000 each dbl. 440-729-0070.
Family Burial Plot for sale. All Souls Cemetery. Serene location in prime section. Section 16. 216-440-8743. DEER HUNTERS: (40) Deer Hunter and (73) Bow Hunter Magazines. Vintage, Excellent Condition. Great reading and informational. Harvest that Big One!! Inquire. 440223-9471.
Scarves from Italy: $30/each. Embroidered Silk shawls: $10/each. Deruta pottery: from $50. Newer Grill: $400. 3-piece marble column from Italy: $250. Cash Only. Call 440-477-9085.
Couch & Love Seat w/fitted covers. Good to Excellent shape. You haul it. Cash Only. $80 for the pair. Color: tan. 440-632-9675.
Firewood: mixed hardwoods, 4’x8’x16-inch pieces, $135. Delivered within 15 miles of Chardon. 440-687-5404.
Small private farm: 3hrs, 2x a week, cleaning stalls, barn, rabbit hutches, chicken/duck area; other tasks around the farm; $20/hr for qualified person. 440729-3124 or carol.c.smith@mindspring.com.
Yard Worker wanted for Spring, Summer, Fall. Starting at $16/hr, cash daily, more with experience, driver’s license preferred. 440-338-3563. Russell address.
PETS & ANIMALS
Semi-feral cats need safe barn homes after elderly caretaker evicted during winter. They’ll be fixed & vaxxed before placement. 440-321-2485.
MISCELLANEOUS
FREE fact: vape pens are easily concealed. Look for them. Protect your kids!
REAL ESTATE
Homes & Land Wanted: any condition or situation! Fast, friendly, local. Serving Geauga and surrounding counties. Text or call Wayne at 330-269-9595.
SERVICES
Caregiver: will do in-home personal care, cleaning, light housework, laundry. Licensed with references. 440313-1804.
Experienced Caregiver seeking part- time or full-time clients. 15+ year’s experience with references. 216409-6904.
Need help organizing or clearing your clutter? Organizer Sharon can help! Charging by the hour. Call/text 440668-8768.
Experienced Landscape Company looking for lawns for the 2025 season. Service Contract includes: cut, trim and blow. Call/text 440-883-9124 for estimate. Tall Oaks Landscaping LLC.
WANTED TO BUY
4-wheelers, 3-wheelers, dirt bikes, mini-bikes, go-carts, golf carts, gators, farm tractors/equipment, trailers, riding mowers, snowplows. Paying cash. 440-413-3119. Also, scrap cleanup and removal. Buying all Stanley Bailey planes. Call Karl at 440-812-
