Geauga County Maple Leaf 4-24-2025

Thursday, April 24, 2025 Vol. 31 No. 17 • Chardon, Ohio www.geaugamapleleaf.com

Hambden firefighter/EMT

Alexander Reed receives a meaningful gift at HFD’s recent annual banquet.

Firefighter Returns to Service After Battle With Cancer

By rosE NEmuNaitis Editor@karlovEcmEdia com

Alexander Reed’s call to fire service came sometime between his sophomore and junior years at Chardon High School.

A couple buddies were in the Hambden Fire Explorers program and would share how awesome their experiences were, convincing him to give it a go.

“From the moment I walked into the station, I was hooked,” Reed said. “I knew right then that this was the career path I wanted to pursue.”

At the time, he was enrolled in Auburn Career Center’s Automotive Technology program.

He tried to switch classes, but it was too late in the year.

After graduation in 2021, Reed continued with Explorers and worked a few automotive jobs, helping solidify his heart’s commitment to a future in fire services.

In June 2022, he joined Hambden Township Fire Department as a probationary member and now serves as a firefighter/EMT.

“I've been loving every moment of it ever since,” Reed said.

Little did he know when he first

Burrows Road Residents

Asking Officials to Get in Gear

assaNdra shofar aNd

Wishart karlovEcmEdia com

The “atrocious” condition of Burrows Road, which straddles the Thompson-Montville township line, has residents taking grassroots action for potential solutions.

Jacqueline Ward, who lives on Burrows, said in a phone interview

she and several others who live on the gravel road are circulating three petitions addressing a speed limit, police patrols and a survey of the road by the county engineer to determine if it can support highload semi-truck traffic.

Her actions originated from the Feb. 25 joint meeting of Thompson and Montville trustees, during which a plan was proposed to chip and seal the 2.2-mile stretch of road

this summer, Ward said.

The project would have cost each township between $250,000 and $280,000, she said.

At the meeting, Shane Hajjar with the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, outlined preparation needed, such as ditching, berming and replacing a culvert and driveway pipes.

Since then, trustees have

Kimberly and Jimmy Gibson are shifting their catering business into a large entertainment center

in early 2026 in the former Chagrin Cinemas building.

Buzzing with Big Plans

The Hungry Bee is Building The Hive

By Emma macNivEN macNivEN@karlovEcmEdia com

As Kimberly Gibson recalled her journey to owning her own catering business, The Hungry Bee, her emotions were palpable.

“I'm a homegrown girl here,” she said during an April 14 interview.

Kimberly grew up in Auburn Township, attending Kenston High School and Auburn Career Center while working her first job at the Timberfire restaurant in Bainbridge Township, which burned down in 2005.

She recalled how Timberfire

wrote her admission letter for The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

“I learned so many lifelong lessons at that restaurant, but the most important lesson I learned was to be humble, to be grateful for the people that patronize and support your restaurant and to appreciate your staff and co-workers,” she said.

Her husband and co-own er of The Hungry Bee, Jimmy Gibson, was a chef at RED the Steakhouse in Cleveland and at Moxie in Beachwood,

Thompson Township

Hambden Township

GPH Health Admin. Talks Grant Cuts, Possible Levy

By allisoN WilsoN WilsoN@karlovEcmEdia com

With the Ohio legislature cutting or reassessing items in the state operating budget, House Bill 96, its impact on Geauga Public Health’s funding is unclear, said Geauga Health Administrator Adam Litke April 16.

“We don’t know where the funding is going to go at this point,” he said during the Geauga County Board of Health meeting. “There’s kind of stuff going all over the place.”

Ohio ranks very low in the country for federal funding to health departments, which now may be a silver lining, Litke noted.

“We’re so low in federal funding that the federal cuts have — they have an impact, but it’s nowhere near some of the states that may be one or two on the list,” he said.

The meeting’s draft agenda outlined several changes.

An additional tax on marijuana planned to fund a public health lab was removed, as was an increase of $22.5 million in fiscal year 2027 for Help Me Grow, a support program for pregnant women and caregivers.

An increase of $56 million in FY 2025 and $63 million in FY 2026 and 2027 for the program were retained, according to GPH. Amended language in the Ohio Revised Code

providing funding to health districts to improve oversight of solid waste and infectious waste was also removed.

Additional changes being proposed include cuts to the tobacco use prevention, cessation and enforcement fund by $4 million each fiscal year, according to GPH.

The bill has also removed restrictions on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes, cut the creation of a vape retailer registry and took out a proposed tax increase on cigarettes and other tobacco products, according to GPH. It also eliminated the Ohio Department of Health’s Lead Safe Home Program

Litke raised a related concern.

“Our 20-some-year-old levy, it was not sustaining with the current funding we had,” he said. “It is not sustaining if we take even more cuts.”

The department is already operating at bare bones, except for grant funding, Litke said.

“Those grants often cover part of a supervisor, part of a nurse, part of a clerical, part of a xyz. If you cut out that, that funding would have to come from somewhere else,” he said.

There are only five or six employees outside of their environmental health staff, he said.

As the cost of living increases, the department cannot attract staff for $26 per hour, Litke later noted.

“Currently, the health department only has three grants left, after the COVID ones ended and a vaccination one became too burdensome to maintain. They are used for safe driving, emergency preparedness and employee retention,” Litke said April 18.

One was reduced at the federal level with the state making up the difference this year, he added.

“(There is) no knowledge of what happens with next year’s grant. The retention grant was expected to be a recurring grant, but that is not expected at this time,” he said.

At the March 26 GPH meeting, Litke noted he and Health Commissioner Ron Graham are watching where federal funds are going.

“There is one grant we are monitoring very closely, that’s our Workforce Development Grant, it’s about $100,000 a year that goes just towards funding the staff,” he said.

COVID-19 relief dollars were repurposed, often without the grant’s name being changed, Litke said, adding COVID-related grants were cut as of March 24, 2025.

“Those were being used for other things, so now that funding is gone,” he said.

See Health • Page 5

Former Kenston Hockey Coach Charged with Theft

By JamiE Ward JamiE@karlovEcmEdia com

A stolen American Express credit card at The Pond in Auburn Township led to the arrest of Tom Fritsche, a former Kenston head hockey coach and professional player with the Lake Erie Monsters.

Fritsche, 38, of North Royalton, was indicted on three felonies and two misdemeanors in Geauga County for the Feb. 26 incident.

He was arrested April 16 and charged with theft, telecommunications fraud and misuse of credit cards. Fritsche was released from jail on personal recognizance bond set by Judge Carolyn Paschke.

Fritsche had pleaded guilty in February to similar charges in Cuyahoga County, according to court records, and faces an investigation in a stolen credit card case in Worthington, according to police.

In this case, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Department said two unauthorized charges

were made on a reported stolen credit card Feb. 27 at Lowe’s Improvement Center and Meijer Grocery Store in Wooster.

Detectives contacted the stores and obtained video surveillance and in formation on the purchases. At the Meijer, detectives saw securi ty footage of the suspect making purchases and the suspect’s vehi cle and obtained the receipt.

The charges at both stores were for $228.29 and $214.65, ac cording to the receipts.

Through facial recognition, the suspect was identified by law enforcement as Fritsche.

Law enforcement said Fritsche was on GPS monitoring during the month of February, and, through a report generated using GPS coordinates, it was determined Fritsche was at The Pond at the same time the victim was there.

Fritsche pleaded guilty in February in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to

multiple counts of felony aggravated theft and identity fraud. On Feb. 10, Judge Shannon M. Gallagher granted Fritsche intervention in lieu of conviction and placed him on post-release control.

Fritsche also faces charges of menacing by stalking and violating a protection order in Cuyahoga County.

In the Worthington case, police there are investigating four separate credit cards stolen from lockers at Chiller Ice Works in Worthington, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Department said.

Fritsche coached the Kenston varsity hockey team from 2017 to 2020, winning the Red Division Coach of the Year in 2018. Fritsche was drafted in the second round of the 2005 NHL draft 47th overall by the Colorado Rockies. He went on to play for the Ohio State Buckeyes hockey team from 2004 to 2008, then played professional hockey with the Lake Erie Monsters from 2008 to 2011.

Community Meetings

Listed are public meetings and executive sessions in the county for the coming week, unless otherwise noted. To have a public meeting included in this section, fax information to 440285-2015 or email editor@karlovecmedia.com no later than Monday noon. These meeting notices are NOT legal notices.

Geauga County: April 28, 1 p.m., ADP Board, special meeting, Auditor’s Appraisal Conference Room; April 29, 9:30 a.m., Geauga County Commissioners. 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 24, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless otherwise indicated.

Bainbridge Township: April 28, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees, at the Bainbridge Service Department, 17800 Haskins Road; April 29, 6 p.m., Zoning Commission, at the Centerville Mills Park Dining Hall, 8558 Crackel Road.

Burton Village: April 28, 7 p.m. Village Council. All meetings are held at 14588 W. Park St., 2nd Floor, unless otherwise noted.

Chester Township: April 24, 7 a.m., Board of Trustees, special meeting for property agreement/ mulch; May 1, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Claridon Township: April 28, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission, at Claridon Administrative Building, 13932 Mayfield Road.

Montville Township: April 24, 7:30 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at the Montville Community Center, 9755 Madison Road, unless noted.

Russell Township: May 1, 2 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Town Hall, 14890 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

South Russell Village: April 28, 7 p.m., Village Council. All meetings are held at the Village Hall, 5205 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Troy Township: May 1, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission. All meetings are held at Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, unless noted.

Correction

An error appeared in the April 17 Geauga County Maple Leaf story titled, “Dirt Bike Track Stirs up Zoning, Soil and Water District.” The boy referred to in the story is the son of Nicolina Vencl.

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Fritsche

Firefighter

from page 1

joined HFD, the courage, commitment and caring it takes to save another’s life would be put to the test with his own.

In 2024, he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

Wellness Transformation Begins

Reed began not feeling well in mid-to-late September.

“I decided to get checked out because it felt unlike anything I had experienced before,” he said.

All initial tests came back normal until he had an endoscopy, which revealed five fast-growing tumors in his stomach, along with two more in his small intestine.

At the time, his gastroenterologist told him he had taken samples from the tumors. “While he couldn’t offer much insight just from looking at them, he expressed concern over how rapidly they were growing,” Reed said.

He encouraged Reed to continue his normal life while waiting for the biopsy results, which could take up to two weeks.

“During that time, my family, friends and I were devastated,” Reed said. “Those two weeks of uncertainty were the hardest part of my journey—waiting without knowing what the future held, hoping for the best, but bracing for the worst. But, that’s all you can do at that point, so I continued to work and attend school, even as my symptoms worsened and new ones emerged.”

On Oct. 24, just before heading to school, Reed received a call from his doctor revealing he had a form of high-grade B-cell lymphoma and that he had arranged an appointment with an oncologist/hematologist on the malignant hematology team at University Hospitals Seidman Cancer Center in Cleveland.

“I didn’t have time to research what that meant before my final exam for Airway Management, so I took the test, passed and then immediately turned to the internet,” Reed said. He learned some types of lymphoma are highly treatable and some curable in earlier stages.

Four days later, he saw his oncologist for the first time and after additional tests, he was diagnosed with a rare form of lymphoma called Burkitt's lymphoma.

“It’s most common in Western Africa and is typically caused by the Epstein-Barr virus (mono), but I had never had mono (mononucleosis), so my doctor explained that I had ‘Sporadic Burkitt's lymphoma,’ which essen-

tially means they couldn’t pinpoint a cause for why I developed it,” Reed said. “He also told me it was extremely aggressive and had already reached stage four, with bone marrow involvement.”

The good news, however, was the lymphoma was highly treatable and curable with an aggressive chemotherapy regimen, Reed said.

“He explained that this regimen was very toxic and tough to endure, but since I was young and healthy, I should be able to tolerate it well,” Reed said.

His doctor told him he would likely be able to return to normal life in about six months and he left the appointment feeling a huge sense of relief.

However, things did not exactly go as planned.

Facing the Unexpected

Two days later, Reed’s condition worsened and he began treatment early, remaining at Seidman for 22 days.

“Despite everything, I held onto the hope that I would make it to one of my best friends, Mike Schneider’s wedding on Nov. 23,” Reed said.

The two met in middle school.

“When I first went to visit him, his white board for his goal stated, ‘Be at my best friend's wedding’ and I felt so much pride to be able to call him my best friend,” said Schneider, a firefighter/EMT for Chardon Fire Department. “It is a moment in our brotherhood I will never forget. It was truly an honor for him to stand by my side.”

Reed was discharged one day before the wedding and although doctors warned him against attending due to the risk of infection, he went anyway.

“Whether it was divine intervention or just sheer luck, I had no complications and was able to attend his beautiful ceremony,” Reed said.

“When Alex was able to attend my wife and I’s wedding, it gave me a deep sense of hope, as well as gratefulness that I can’t put into words,” Schneider said.

Seeing how despite the suffering, the never-ending nights, as well as the excruciating pain Reed was going through, he still battled to be there meant the world to Schneider.

“I think Alex’s drive in life to better himself, as well as others around him, truly makes him a special person,” he said. “Even on Alex’s worst days, he still wanted to know how we were doing, if we were okay and what he could do to help us since we helped him. He always strived to maintain a positive attitude when it was hard, which makes me truly grateful to have him as a friend.”

PROCLAMATION AND NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION

(R.C. 3501.03, 3513.01)

The Board of Elections of Geauga County, Ohio, issues this Proclamation and Notice of Election.

A SPECIAL ELECTION WILL BE HELD ON TUESDAY, THE 6TH DAY OF MAY 2025

at the usual place of holding elections in each and every precinct throughout said County or at such places as the Board may designate to vote on state and local issues for the following entities:

STATE OF OHIO

COUNTY OF GEAUGA

VILLAGE OF HUNTING VALLEY

HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP A (LOCAL LIQUOR OPTION)

The Polls for the Election will open at 6:30 o’clock A.M., and remain open until 7:30 o’clock P.M., of said day.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

CHAIRMAN: DENNIS M. PAVELLA

DIRECTOR: MICHELLE D. LANE

Efficacy of Faith

The remaining three rounds of chemotherapy took about five weeks in total of inpatient care. On Feb. 12, after a bone marrow biopsy and another positron emission tomography scan, it was confirmed he was completely cancer-free, Reed said.

After some extra rest and rehabilitation, he joyfully returned to full duty at HFD on March 4.

Brittany Adams, a nurse at University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center, could not be happier for Reed.

The two were in the same graduating class at CHS and began dating before his cancer journey.

“My heart sank in my chest,” Adams said of when she first heard of her boyfriend’s diagnosis.

She raced to a Willoughby jewelry store and bought him a cross necklace and got it blessed at St. Mary Catholic Church Chardon to give her boyfriend the first day he arrived for his hospital stay.

a positive attitude and took his treatments head-on with courage and optimism. He never got discouraged, despite the extreme effects that the chemo had on him, and took the lengthy hospital stays in stride.”

He credited Alex with helping to bring all the firefighters together as a department and community in his fight.

Firefighters from around the area and even country reached out and supported Alex both financially and with words of encouragement and support.

SUBMITTED

Hambden firefighter Alexander Reed is back to work after beating a rare form of cancer.

Adams visited him every day she had off and now looks forward to spending as much time with him as possible.

She understands, firsthand, his devotion to healthcare and said she is excited for him to be back working with his firefighting family.

Brother and Sisterhood of Support

“I’m incredibly grateful for the support system I’ve had,” Reed said. “I know how fortunate I am, as not everyone has that kind of support. It truly felt like the whole community was behind me, rooting for me and doing everything they could to help me along the way.”

His room downtown truly felt like a revolving door, with people constantly coming by to visit and wish him well, he said.

“Even the strangers and old friends who reached out with their support and prayers meant the world to me, and to my friends and family,” Reed said. “This journey wasn’t just mine — it was shared by my friends and family, who had to witness me in a time of uncertainty, not knowing if I would pull through. I know that was hard on all of them, as well.”

It feels great to be back doing the job he loves, alongside coworkers who feel like a second family to him, he said.

“When Alex was diagnosed with B-Cell lymphoma, it was a punch in the gut to all of us at the fire department,” Assistant Fire Chief David Peterson said. “Alex is a strong young firefighter that was attending paramedic school where he was learning life-saving skills and was suddenly in a fight for his own life. Despite that diagnosis, he maintained

“His fight against cancer was not alone,” Peterson said. “His courage and determination throughout this journey have been an inspiration to all of us at the department.” Peterson also expressed gratitude for a new level of understanding about what cancer patients go through, as well as what they might need or face in the future.

Fire Captain David Baird, who works with Reed often, echoed Peterson.

“Alex showed the same grit and heart (facing his cancer battle) that makes him such an incredible firefighter and friend,” Baird said. “Not once did he complain, he just battled back.”

As Reed reflected on his journey, he shared the life lessons he’s gained.

“It’s okay to lean on your loved ones when you need help,” he said. “They will be your greatest asset, no matter how big or small the journey. Without the support I had, I honestly don’t know where I’d be, but I’m certain I wouldn’t have been back to work a month earlier than I initially thought.”

He recently enjoyed a much-needed vacation to Florida with family.

“I believe that life led me down the right path, one that ultimately brought me to this hardship in order to deepen my knowledge and empathy,” Reed said. “Whether you see it as God working in mysterious ways or simply drawing the short straw, I'll never know. But what I do know is that, as strange as it may sound, I’m grateful for the experience. It allowed me to see a side of myself, my loved ones, this community and the world that I never would have encountered otherwise. I’m forever thankful for that. While I would definitely avoid going through it again, I’m still grateful for how everything turned out.”

He hopes sharing his story will help others going through similar challenges.

“I’m not sure if it’s inspirational, but I hope that someone sees this and it helps them if they’re going through something similar,” Reed said. “Remember, there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. Don’t stop being yourself and living life to the fullest—you only get one.”

Claridon Township Aquilla Lake Level a Long-Term Challenge

By aNN Wishart aNN@karlovEcmEdia com

Tranquil Aquilla Lake may cause economic ripples for Claridon Township as trustees dig into drainage problems in the former village.

Aquilla, now part of the township, is uphill from the 27-acre lake, which is in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ 60acre Aquilla Lake Wildlife Area, according to the ODNR website.

The natural “pothole” lake drains a low marshy area that is the headwaters of the Cuyahoga River. ODNR bought up the parcels in the wildlife area between 1953 and 2000, according to its website.

Joe Stenger, township road and maintenance supervisor, told trustees during a regular meeting April 21 he is concerned that

Hungry Bee

from page 1

which has since closed.

The couple is currently in the process of expanding The Hungry Bee, which opened in 2011, into The Hive — an entertainment center with a speakeasy, restaurant and event center — in the former Chagrin Cinemas building in Bainbridge Township.

The Gibsons purchased the property at 8200 East Washington Street in 2022.

With plans to open in early 2026, The Hive will pay homage to Kimberly’s roots with a family-friendly restaurant and biergarten called Timberfire, as well as The Woodshed, Jimmy’s “passion project” of a live entertainment space for music, poetry readings and music lessons, Kimberly said.

A shop called Goods will sell community-made products and a movie screen will show classic films and major events like the Super Bowl. The Honey Hill event center will seat up to 400 guests and an outdoor pavilion for events like weddings and parties, she said.

The Hive and Honey Hill will be two separate entities, with the flagship catering company moving over to The Hive, she added.

when rain or snow-melt runoff from the 135 residences in the village funnels into the lake, problems could ensue.

“We’re going to have water back up in our pipes. It can’t go anywhere,” he said, adding he plans to contact an engineer to evaluate the problem.

“We’ll see if we can get the lake lowered,” he said.

Long-time resident Dennis Kellogg said he has watched the lake change over the years.

“There’s years of sediment (in the lake) — not as much as a footprint of the old lake left,” he said. “It’s easy to see where vegetation is in the lake. It never goes away.”

A beaver dam may be part of the problem, Stenger said, adding, however, his main concern is maintaining the road that runs between the village and the lake.

When water is high, a portion of the road

“We want to create a property that has something to offer everyone. A place you go to simply because it's a Wednesday, a place you go in your jeans and casual clothes, grab a beer (or) a burger after work. (A) place you can take your family and not break the bank, a place you can go on a date night, something for everyone,” Kimberly said.

Construction is moving fast, she said.

“Everything (has basically been) plotted out for a while now, but (the) construction crews’ demo is almost complete, walls have been coming down, ceilings have been coming down,” she said, adding it’s a challenge to bring in natural light to a former movie theater.

The Gibsons have come a long way since opening The Hungry Bee over 10 years ago. They catered the Republican National Convention in 2016 and Kimberly was featured on The Food Network’s “Chopped” show in 2017.

“I always say Jimmy Gibson was my number one investor,” she said. “Jimmy Gibson worked jobs that maybe he wasn't as passionate about to help me open my dream here.”

She expressed gratitude for her community’s support, which also provided her with

floods, he said.

Trustee Jonathan Tiber said water problems in the high-density village could be a long-term challenge for the township.

Driveway culverts become clogged with leaves in the fall, causing water to pool in the ditches and undermine the roads, trustees said in a previous meeting.

Trustees also discussed a leaf collection program, with the cost being assessed to village residents.

Tiber said one solution to leaves in the culvert pipes would be to enclose roadway ditches in the village, a process Stenger said would take time and resources.

“We’ll have to start saving for infrastructure,” Tiber said, recommending Stenger contact the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District about the condition of the lake and possible solutions.

Head-on Crash

April 20 Closes 422 staff rEport

A head-on crash at U.S. Route 422 and Jug Road in Troy Township Easter evening led to first-responders calling an emergency helicopter to assist, according to the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office blotter.

A black SUV and a red truck collided at about 7 p.m. April 20. An 81-year-old male from Willoughby and a 74-year-old male from Southington were the respective drivers, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, which did not have more details available at press time.

Passengers in both vehicles were from the drivers’ respective communities, according to OSHP, adding no fatalities were reported.

Route 422 was closed for an unspecified period of time, according to the patrol.

scholarships to attend The Culinary Institute.

They aren’t sure if the Workforce Development Grant had COVID in the name, but are keeping an eye on it, Litke said.

The Public Health Emergency Preparedness Grant contributes toward the health commissioner and environmental health director, Litke said at the April meeting, adding the Workforce Development Grant also pays for environmental health positions.

“Those are all things that are likely, it sounds like, moving away,” he said. “If they are, we have to have other funding sources now for those things because there’s still requirements.”

The 20-year-old levy was also passed before the department had to consider repaying $1 million in House Bill 110 money, grant cuts and significant inflation, he said.

“What is the plan then for us moving forward and finding funding?” board member Lynn Roman asked. “What happens if there is no money and the services cannot be supported?”

In that situation, Litke and Environmen-

tal Health Director Dan Lark would review what services need the most support and their cash carryover, Litke said.

“The cash carryover — we don’t have a lot of money in there,” Litke said. “That money pays for bills we get reimbursed for after the fact. Most grants are after the fact. You do all the work, you pay all the staff, then you get money.”

The department is at bare minimum, Litke said, adding they rely on University Hospitals, other clinics and Medical Reserve Corps volunteers for help.

“I have DOGE-ed everything I can DOGE and there’s nothing left to DOGE,” he said, referencing the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency.

There have been conversations with municipalities, Litke said, adding while they are supportive of a new levy, their money is also tight.

“We are not going to gain anything by shocking people and adding more stress because we are all exposed to the same stresses because we are the public, as well,” Jones said. “I think that we have (to have) continuous conversations, we prepare, we collaborate.” Health from page 3

“Geauga County is notorious for supporting its young people and its independent businesses and this community has enabled us to live our dream,” Kimberly said. “When we opened, I mean, they (the community) flooded us. It was incredible. When we were on The Food Network, they cheered and cheered us on. When we landed the Republican National Convention, it really didn't matter anyone's political belief, like they were all just cheering us on because they knew it was going to change our lives.”

She added, “When you own a small business, it's your life, it's your livelihood,” she said. “It is like my fourth child, and just to experience the support has been overwhelming and beautiful, and I don't take it for granted.”

This business expansion and event center is her way of giving that love and support right back to the community, Kimberly said.

“We're looking to build a destination that has something to offer everyone,” she said. “It truly is our living love letter to the community that has supported us so much.”

SUBMITTED

Kimberly and Jimmy Gibson are working on an event center, Honey Hill, which can seat up to 400 guests and is set to open in early 2026.

learned there is a good chance the project will qualify for partial Ohio Public Works Commission funding, but the money, if granted, wouldn’t be available until the summer of 2026.

In that case, township road crews and contractors will have more time to prepare the road, including cement-stabilization for soft spots, said Thompson Trustee Justin Falcone during the April 16 trustees meeting.

“(I) was down there with (Montville Township Trustee) Jim Marsic and (Thompson Road Supervisor Joe DeRosa) looking at Burrows,” he said, noting a significant amount of preparation is needed before a chip-and-seal surface is applied. “A lot of work requires a lot of manpower.”

Trustees said the township has 14 miles of gravel roads to maintain.

During her phone interview, Ward expressed disappointment the trustees went as far as formulating the chip-and-seal plan for 2025 at the February joint meeting and then the county came back with a new proposal at double the cost.

“I think it’s really disappointing the trustees would go this far. (The county) dangle it in front of us and then just rip it away,” Ward said.

She agreed a straight chip-and-seal treatment would not last, but expressed frustration over the year-long delay and concern the increased cost would halt the project altogether.

“As a group, we all had concerns. Obviously, the county was concerned. I have a business on this road. I want to make sure I give the road crew all the time and space,” Ward said. “Everybody wants the road fixed. The road is atrocious.”

She emphasized the residents are not blaming the conditions of the road on the Thompson Township Road Department.

“Everyone is very, very appreciative to (Foreman Joe LaRosa) for how much heart and soul he puts into the township’s maintenance,” she said.

Hajjar said in a follow-up interview township and county officials had concerns about the viability of the repair and chip-and-seal projects after the February meeting because the road surface is flexible and subject to frost heave.

As a result, they began to explore the possibility of cement-stabilization to counter those issues, he said, adding his estimate for the total cost of the more complex project came out to $550,000 to $600,000.

However, Hajjar projected if the OPWC grant is awarded, the additional cost for a much better road would be about $25,000 per township.

“The net increase would be negligible and the value of the improvement substantial,” he said, adding cement stabilization would reinforce the chip-and-seal surface and give it lasting value.

The second scenario depends on the grant for 2026 being awarded, Hajjar emphasized.

If there is no grant awarded, the project would revert to the previous plan at the original budget, but it would still not happen until the fall of 2026, he said.

Three Petitions Proposed

One of the Burrows Road petitions is for a 35 mph speed limit on Burrows, Ward said.

“We have Amish on this road that travel up and down, we have a lot of traffic that travels fast up and down this road,” Ward said,

Thompson Trustee Proposes New 2-Mill Road Levy

By aNN Wishart aNN@karlovEcmEdia com

Thompson Township Trustee Justin Falcone doubled down on the need for a new road levy at the April 16 trustees meeting.

In previous meetings, trustees discussed placing a 1-mill levy on the ballot, which he estimated would yield about $83,600 per year, he said.

Thompson Township has 14 miles of dirt roads, including Ledge, Sidley and part of Burrows Road, that need attention, as well as some of the asphalt roads, Falcone said.

“I think we should ask for two mills,” he said, adding if trustees want the issue on the November ballot, they need to decide by June.

The township has one full-time road worker and one part-time road worker, Falcone said. Additional income would improve the township’s ability to handle road work in house and avoid hiring contractors for projects such as ditching.

“If we have two full-time people working together, they can get a lot more work done,” he said. “I want to get stuff done.”

Falcone said trustees are waiting to see if Issue 2, an infra structure bond, passes in the special election in May before mov ing a chip-and-seal project on Burrows Road to 2026.

If it passes, the Ohio Public Works Commission will be able to help fund projects in Geauga County, such as a proposed chip-andseal of Burrows Road in 2026, Falcone said, adding Issue 2 would not cost Geauga County taxpayers any more, Falcone said.

“Every 10 years since 1987, Ohio voters are asked to approve putting the state’s full faith and credit on the line to help cities, counties, villages and townships repair and build infrastructure,” according to the Statehouse News Bureau website regarding Issue 2.

The infrastructure bond program would raise $2.5 billion.

Trustees did not take action on a new levy.

adding regardless of which road project is done, she believes high-load semi-truck traf fic on Burrows should be limited.

Falcone said last Wednesday a speed survey cannot be done until the road is improved and a limit can’t be posted until the study is done.

Another petition is for more patrol by Thompson Township police when Kuhnle Motorsports Park has races, Ward said.

The park’s website shows a schedule of two to three events a week from April through October, with semi-truck racing days June 27-29 and Sept. 26-28.

“Those times are posted months in advance, so there’s no reason we can’t work with whatever limited police patrol time we have at the police department,” Ward said.

High-load semi-trucks use the road to get to the park, she said, adding the petition asks the county engineer to survey the culvert under the road and set an appropriate weight limit.

“We’re not trying to stop residential or agriculture traffic, whatsoever, but, what I see is semis hauling other semis,” she said, calling them “recreational heavy loads.”

Ward noted she does not believe vehicles providing services to residents, such as ambulances, school buses and delivery trucks are an issue.

“We’ve got three full weekends where we’re getting dozens to hundreds of semis. Our roads are not set up for that,” Ward said, adding residents’ tax dollars should go to a solution.

“We are concerned that our fair share of taxes are used appropriately and used in a way that actually fixes the problem,” she said, insisting she and the township residents don’t want the park closed down or for the company to not make money, but does believe the Kuhnles should contribute to the road project.

In other business, trustees voted to provide a uniform allow-

Police Chief Jeremy Jesenovec added two officers to his department – Anthony Piotrowski Jr. as a part-time police officer and Kevin Goodman as a commissioned auxiliary police officer. They were sworn in by Trustee Joe Cindric. Both have served more than 17 years as part-time officers with the Holden Arboretum Police Department, which recently converted to an unarmed security department, Jesenovec said. Thompson’s police department now has 10 employees, including the chief, most of whom are part time, he said.

out of our homes with the school district. We deserve safe roads … our kids to be able to have a decent ride on a bus. We want to work with (Kuhnles and the township). At the end of the day, we just want our road fixed, but we also want our neighbors’ roads fixed, too.”

Taxes Tell a Tale

During the February meeting, trustees on both sides of Burrows said they have poured tons of stone on the road every year.

A trip down Burrows on April 16 showed plenty of gravel and many areas where the surface resembled a washboard.

A speed of 20 mph felt safe — anything faster seemed tenuous, further emphasizing Ward’s concern that the condition of Burrows Road could be causing damage to residents’ vehicles.

Kuhnle Motorsports Properties LLC is a division of Kunhle Brothers trucking company in Newbury Township.

sects Burrows to the south.

According to the Geauga County Auditor’s Office website, that 85 acres plus 105 acres to the north were purchased by Kuhnle Motorsports for $1.5 million in December 2021.

Taxes on the race track property are $11,266 per year and, because of the current agricultural use value credit, property taxes on the 105 acres are $2,617, according to the website, which includes a pie chart showing the township receives 25.61% of the tax yield and Berkshire Schools receives 44.42%.

In a phone interview April 18, Tommy Kunhle agreed Burrows is in poor shape, but said he has not been approached by township trustees for assistance of any kind.

“We don’t use it,” he said, adding anybody with a good vehicle should avoid Burrows when traveling to the races.

The Kuhnles have erected a billboard at the intersection of state Routes 528 and 166 directing sportspark traffic to take state Route 166 east to Sidley Road and turn right.

“If we sent our customers down Burrows Road, they’d never come back,” Kunhle said. Thompson from page 1

“They’re not obligated to, but they should,” she said. “We are all getting taxed

The race track is on 85 acres on Sidley Road in Thompson Township, which inter-

Anthony Piotrowski, left, and Kevin Goodman were sworn in as part-time officers for the Thompson Township Police Department

GEAUGA COUNTY AUDITOR

Traffic on Burrows Road in Thompson and Montville townships is heavy due to vehicles going to the races two or three times a week at Kuhnle Sportspark on Sidley Road, said resident Jacqueline Ward.

County Auditor Addresses Previous ADP Concerns

Walder Questions Spidalieri on Email Breach Allegation

By allisoN WilsoN WilsoN@karlovEcmEdia com

Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder shed some light on previously-voiced concerns about the Automatic Data Processing board’s functions and salaries during the Geauga County Commissioners April 15 meeting.

At a Feb. 4 meeting, Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri cast scrutiny on ADP salaries, saying they have the highest level of county employees with salaries over $100,000.

ADP Chief Deputy Administrator Frank Antenucci later said he is the only employee with a salary in that range.

Just over a year ago, commissioners transferred the County Archives department to ADP, Walder said.

Archives’ salaries were substandard and were reviewed, he said.

“They were competitive with the fast food industry,” Walder said, adding he immediately authorized an increase in archives’ salaries.

ADP’s technical staff are paid under-market and the private sector could easily pull employees away with better money, he said.

“That’s something that I am concerned about daily,” he said. “As public servants, our job is to balance the payment scale to being able to retain competent employees and perform the duties we have to perform for the people.”

The ADP board goes before commissioners annually to have its requests and budget vetted, he said.

“I personally have experienced that they have been vetted for a given year multiple

times. Which, I’m not complaining about, but I do find a slight disconnect when it’s selective,” Walder said, encouraging commissioners to give a second look at other entities.

“There are other agencies you will point people to, there are people within the county that serve and draw money from the general fund who frankly have been able to waive their budget hearings on an annual basis,” he said.

Walder also addressed the cost of livestreaming commissioners meetings, which Spidalieri has also recently questioned.

“I just want to point out that prior to January of this year, I have never been approached by the board of county commissioners to propose, put in place or recommend a livestreaming solution,” Walder said.

When Commissioner Carolyn Brakey asked ADP about recording options, she had been provided with multiple, some of which were temporary and some of which were permanent but not immediate, he said.

The board elected to take a temporary solution while ADP investigated a permanent one, he said.

Previously, the county outsourced the Geauga County Board of Health’s livestreamed meetings at about $1,000 per meeting. Livestreaming commissioners meetings in-house costs around $150 each, Walder said.

Two staff work each livestream for redundancy, Walder said, adding he wants coverage in case one is unexpectedly unavailable.

Walder’s final point — and reason for appearing in person — was Spidalieri’s recent alle-

gations that an outside individual has accessed Spidalieri’s county emails, as well as those of former Commissioner Tim Lennon and former County Administrator Gerry Morgan.

The meeting, April 1, when Spidalieri made this assertion was the first Walder had heard of it.

“That is a huge alarm flag for me. Anybody who asserts there is some anomaly going on with their email, that is residing on our infrastructure, is a category one for me,” Walder said, comparing it to someone clicking a virus.

He said he had asked ADP about its investigation into the matter.

“There are no reports in ADP. Not from anyone. Not from any of the three parties who claim to have this experience, until the YouTube (livestream),” he said.

Walder noted the multiple ways someone

Township

can report incidents involving a potential network breach — the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office, Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office, homeland security and attorney general all have avenues.

“I am unaware of any of that being done at the time of the incident. Doing so now is very difficult,” he said.

For ADP employees, email access and control is restricted and requires training and non-disclosure agreements, Antenucci said.

The department also has checks and balances on email access, and logs access.

“I strongly encourage that a detailed incident report be filed so that an investigation into the matter can commence,” Walder said in a document provided at the end of the meeting.

Spidalieri did not publicly respond to any of Walder’s comments and recommendations.

Updated Zoning Code Allows Mother-in-Law Suites

By aNN Wishart aNN@karlovEcmEdia com

Amending a township zoning resolution takes time, thoughtful and collaborative township officials, public input, and advice from experts and legal counsel.

Claridon Township Zoning Commission blended all those together over the last year. The changes to the resolution, sometimes called a zoning code, took effect April 17.

Former Claridon Zoning Inspector Chris Alusheff, serving as a consultant, said there are a lot of legal updates and language changes in the new edition of the resolution, but three of the major amendments could affect homeowners’ decisions.

Mother-in Law Suites

One amendment allows “accessory dwelling units,” otherwise known as mother-inlaw suites, providing they do not exceed 800 square feet and are attached broadly to the house or another accessory building — such as a garage — of equal or greater size on the same property, Alusheff said in a phone interview.

Construction of an AD unit requires a permit from the zoning department and from the Geauga County Building Department, just as any other accessory building, he said.

Other restrictions, outlined in the new zoning resolution, also apply, Alusheff said.

“It is supposed to be for family (members) of the property owner,” he said.

Home Occupations

Every township with zoning has a list of home occupations that are permitted in resi-

dential areas, called conditional uses.

Claridon added five different classes of home occupations, none of which include retail sales, Alusheff said.

A homeowner can run tree-trimming, landscaping, snowplowing or lawn care services from the home, can make craft and hobby items, such as those made in a wood shop, and may service heating, ventilation and air conditioning customers from the property, he said.

“The resolution still doesn’t allow retail use,” Alusheff said, adding there are also restrictions.

For instance, exterior storage of landscaping material is not allowed, setbacks for driveways and buildings must be approved and screening to protect neighbors is required, he said.

“This would be for a one-man operation,” Alusheff said. “If the business has a crew, they have to move it to a commercial property.”

A conditional-use permit and a hearing in front of the township board of zoning appeals is needed for those home occupations, said Joe Stenger, a zoning commission member.

Electronic Signs

Electronic signs may be installed, but are subject to restrictions, Alusheff said.

Although they can be lit, they cannot flash or be animated and, if the subject changes, each subject must appear for a minimum of 10 seconds before the next screen appears, he said, adding all signs require a permit before installation.

The zoning amendment process started with the township updating the land use plan,

said Trustee Jonathan Tiber.

Working with the county planning commission, trustees arranged a presentation of the land use plan updating process more than a year ago, he said.

Residents were able to ask questions and view numerous tables and displays at the township community center, which explained the need for a land use plan and what it entails. Those attending learned a land use plan helps determine zoning regulations, inform Claridon Township Board of Zoning Appeals decisions, aids in qualifying for grants and provides statistics, charts and maps for a variety of uses.

Tiber said residents suggested several of the amendments during the land use plan update, particularly the mother-in-law suites. By the time the zoning resolution amendments became law April 17, a handful of homeowners had already applied to create mother-in-law suites, Tiber said.

Aided by public suggestions and the land use plan, the zoning commission also had the advice of Dave Dietrich, a local zoning expert, as they wound their way through the zoning resolution, which has about 50 pages, Alusheff said.

“Our zoning resolution hadn’t had an overhaul in a long time. Dave worked with the zoning commission for about a year,” he said.

Stenger said he liked going through the zoning regulations and looking for loopholes and red flags.

“We wanted to get the resolution so it meets the culture of our residents,” he said in a phone conversation, adding the commission said trustees had a lot of insights, as well.

Stenger was recently hired as the township road superintendent.

Claridon has a variety of residents, and there are six or seven cul-de-sacs and a number of country roads, as well as 30 Amish families in the township. Many of those residents expressed their interests and expectations, Stenger said.

“We tried to accommodate everybody,” he said.

Claridon

Geauga County Auditor Chuck Walder appears alongside ADP Deputy Director Frank Antenucci

Airport Authority Puts Counter-Offer on Table

Funding for T-Hangar Remains at Stake

By allisoN WilsoN WilsoN@karlovEcmEdia com

Despite Geauga County Commissioners recently passing a resolution approving $800,000 with conditions to help fund a new T-hangar at the Geauga County Airport, negotiations remain ongoing as a grant deadline hangs in the balance.

The county Airport Authority came before commissioners once again April 15 to request they approve a modified resolution and corresponding agreement.

“Some of this is just advice from our legal counsel, connecting the resolution to the agreement,” Airport Authority President Chip Hess said when explaining the changes.

The authority had also cleaned up the numbers, as an item had been struck from the previous resolution before commissioners passed it, he said.

The new resolution also included a 30day cure period for the airport to come into compliance should commissioners ever notify them of being out of compliance with the resolution’s terms.

Commissioner Carolyn Brakey drew attention to what she referred to as the most substantive of the document’s redlines.

Previous wording said the airport “has and will comply” with the 2018 lease agreement between the parties.

The modified version only read “will comply.”

“Are you admitting, on the record, that you have not been complying with the agreement?” Brakey asked.

The board is trying to prevent an oversight on their part resulting in them losing their funding, Airport Authority Vice-President Greg Gyllstrom said.

“We don’t want to allow you to have a ‘gotcha’ that says, ‘Two years ago, you didn’t submit some report, therefore, we’ve got

ALLISON WILSON/KMG

Tensions rise between Geauga County Commissioners and the Geauga County Airport Authority over a redline in the airport authority’s revised resolution. Pictured, from left, are Commissioner Carolyn Brakey, Airport Authority President Chip Hess, Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri and Airport Authority Vice-President Greg Gyllstrom.

you in violation of the agreement,’” he said. “What we’re asking for is a normal cure period where you advise us if we miss something, we’d be happy to comply and we’ve got 30 days to do that.”

Brakey once again pressed the airport as to why they would remove the wording, saying the cure period isn’t what she’s talking about.

Gyllstrom reiterated the airport does not know if they have previously missed something.

“I think that this is a redlined confession that you have not been following the agreement,” Brakey said.

The airport is already under the operating agreement, she said, calling it a “vanilla term” in the resolution.

The airport believes they have complied, but wants to make good on it if they haven’t, Gyllstrom said.

If the airport believes that, they should accept the terms of the already-passed resolution, Brakey replied.

“I have a real problem with giving you $800,000 and you won’t even say you’ve been complying with the terms of the contract,” Brakey said.

This is a word game, Gyllstrom said, reiterating the airport believes it has been in compliance.

“As commissioners, are you aware of any violations of the agreement?” he asked.

“I am not,” Brakey replied.

Commissioners affirmed the airport has not been served notice of any kind of violation.

Brakey reiterated commissioners should go with the resolution they already passed.

Gyllstrom questioned why commissioners wouldn’t allow for a cure period.

Commissioners have the ability to do that

Newbury Township

at their discretion and a cure period would depend on the hypothetical breach, Brakey replied.

She also asked for clarification on the grant application for the hangar.

“It lists that the $800,000 is the local match to receive this $586,000. But, when I look at the FAA application, I see the local match is only $30,000. So could you talk about that?” she asked.

While the local match is $30,000, the airport authority cannot go forward with the grant application without the full funding, Airport Manager Ric Blamer later explained.

Brakey asked if the airport had fundraised for the money.

Blamer said the airport has been scrambling to secure this deal since December and has not had time to seek alternate funding.

Commissioner Jim Dvorak suggested including the phrasing, “from this day forward,” in the agreement.

Brakey disagreed.

The agreement is pre-existing and it is a breach of contract if they aren’t following it, she said.

Commissioners need time to hear from the Geauga County Prosecutor’s Office on the resolution and agreement, Dvorak told the airport authority.

“We’re doing a terrific job running out the clock,” Gyllstrom said. “We’re gonna lose this money if we don’t (pass this resolution/ agreement) by next week.”

“I’ll make a motion to put that $30,000 in your bank,” Brakey replied.

While Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri motioned to transfer the $800,000 now and clean up the agreement later, it died with no second.

Spidalieri told the airport he gives them an enormous amount of credit and apologized for some of the statements commissioners have made.

“Nothing has ever been flagged to me that there’s been any kind of inconsistencies,” he said.

The matter was tabled.

After Years-Long Battle, Joint Rec, Officials Reach Agreement

By Emma macNivEN macNivEN@karlovEcmEdia com

The five-year tug-of-war between Newbury Township Trustees and the disbanded Newbury Joint Recreation Board is finally over after both parties reached a settlement April 17.

Newbury trustees, who filed a lawsuit in 2024 against Newbury Joint Recreation Board officers Lauren Luoma, Amy Carver and David Novak, agreed to settle pending the return of $11,426 and property owed to the township, according to Geauga County Court of Common Pleas records.

Luoma and Carver agreed to the settlement terms and Novak — who initially did not agree to the settlement and filed a countersuit — has been dropped from the lawsuit and, as a result, has dropped his counter-claims, said Geauga County Assistant Prosecutor Linda Applebaum April 22.

The $11,426 is less than half of the funds remaining when trustees put an end to the NJRB in 2020.

The now defunct Newbury Schools and township had created the nonprofit rec board

around 1990 to facilitate recreational sports.

It devolved in 2019 after Newbury Schools Board of Education, facing economic collapse, voted to transfer the district to West Geauga Schools. Newbury trustees voted in June 2020 to have the NJRB disbanded.

As a result, the township was entitled to all of NJRB’s funds, credits and property, according to the lawsuit.

“When they (organizations) dissolve, there's a very specific path they're supposed to take, what they're supposed to do with the funds,” Applebaum said April 22. “The remaining political subdivision, in this case, Newbury, should have had the property. Instead … it sat in a bank account for almost four years.”

As a result, the township filed a lawsuit in January 2024 against Luoma and Carver, who were the NJRB officers appointed in 2019 and responsible for overseeing the organization’s remaining funds.

“As of 2019, recreational property and a balance of approximately $27,128 remained in two accounts for the NJRB,” the lawsuit said. “After July 1, 2020, defendants Luoma and Carver continued to exercise dominion

and control over the funds and property of the prior NJRB, held operational meetings and eventually formed the Newbury Community Organization during March of 2023.”

The NCO was created as a new form of the NJRB.

Novak was added to the lawsuit in June 2024 after a court-ordered subpoena showed he was the third owner of the account holding the remaining funds, according to court records.

“Despite several written demands from Newbury Township, (the) defendants have failed to relinquish NJRB funds and property to Newbury Township,” the lawsuit said. “When the number of subdivisions comprising a joint recreation district is reduced to one, the joint recreation district ceases to

exist and the funds, credits and property remaining after apportionments to withdrawing subdivisions shall be assumed by the one remaining subdivision (Newbury Township).”

Some of the $27,128 was spent on legal fees, Newbury Township Trustee Greg Tropf previously said.

“The rest was miscellaneous stuff that (the NJRB) used or that they did after we (trustees) disbanded the group (in 2020),” he said, adding he’s disappointed a lot of money was wasted.

“This could have been handled five years ago, four years ago,” Tropf said.

Per the settlement, Luoma and Carver have been asked to split the $11,426 and pay the township within 10 days. In addition, the parties agreed to release all claims against the trustees.

“The township has some funds back now, (which is) good,” Applebaum said.

The funds will go back into the township’s park fund and be reinvested into activities for kids, field maintenance and for recreation activities, Newbury Trustee Bill Skomrock said in a March 31 phone call.

He later added, “It's long overdue.”

Skomrock Tropf

Nagy Sworn in As Chester Fire Chief

Residents in ‘Uproar’ Over Potential Rezoning of Park

By Emma macNivEN macNivEN@karlovEcmEdia com

Andrew Nagy was officially sworn in as Chester Township’s new fire chief April 17.

Nagy, a part-time firefighter and paramedic, became a full-time assistant fire chief in February and trained for the position of chief under the guidance of then-Fire Chief Bill Shaw. Shaw retired last month after leading the department for the past four years.

“It's been a great learning experience,” Nagy said in February of his training with Shaw. “I've learned a lot from him being a chief for 30-some years. He had a lot of great knowledge that he's passed on to me, really helped hone my leadership skills and some of the bookkeeping stuff that, as a regular fireman, you are not usually having much experience or exposure to.”

The township promoted Nagy to full-time assistant chief in 2024 so he could work with Shaw on a daily basis and receive regular feedback, said Chester Township Trustee Ken Radkte, who performed the swearing-in ceremony for Nagy.

He and Shaw were impressed by the way Nagy handled curveball questions during a mock interview, Radkte recalled, adding three senior firefighters also expressed their support for Nagy as fire chief.

“I came away with the opinion that they were very earnest in the words that they spoke about Andy, and also that he had earned their respect,” he said. “And that was important to hear that from the crew that you're expected to lead when you also have the responsibility of serving the residents and stuff, too. Andy has earned my respect as well, too.”

During the meeting, Lt. Jeremy Scalese said Nagy helped mentor him when he first began working in fire service.

“(Nagy) could have let me sink, but he didn't. Instead, he pulled me aside, gave me advice, he gave me some tips,” Scalese said. “Most importantly, (he) told me to come to the great township of Chester and he will teach me the ways. And that's what he's done. He helped me and many others, learning how to be a good firefighter, from basic pump-ops (pump operations), the drafting, the leadership skills. He did it all.”

Radkte hopes Nagy will leave a legacy.

“Like Mark Purchase, when he left as

police chief, you're leaving a legacy, and you want that to be the right person,” Radtke said.

Potential Zoning Changes Sparks Heat

In other business, Chester Township Board of Zoning Appeals member and former Zoning Commission Chair Margaret Muhling came before the trustees about a portion of the agenda tabled at the April 3 meeting re garding the zoning status of Parkside Park property.

The motion had read: “Move to approve and request the Geauga County Planning De partment to make the following change and zoning map designation of PPN 11-710900 from ‘Township Park’ Zoning District to an ‘R one Family Residential’ Zoning District.”

No decision was made that night and the item was tabled until the April 17 meeting.

Muhling handed out documents at the beginning of Thursday’s meeting that stat ed: “On Feb. 10, 1811, Chester Township received the following piece of land as a gift from David Hudson in his will to ‘be used for the purpose of a Public Square, a public pa rade ground and for public buildings forever and never to be enclosed or transferred.’”

She added this was done before any zon ing districts were created. Currently, the map has a special section listed as “Township Park” underneath the other specific zoning criteria. However, that designation does not have its own zoning code as the others do, she said.

“The rest of these are really legitimate zoning districts, R (Residential), R3A (One Family Residential), R5A (One Family Residential), SC (Shopping Center), C (General Commercial) and I (Restricted Industrial), but this one (Township Park) is not a legitimate zoning district, it's a park district,” Muhling said.

The township should preserve the gift, she said.

“It was a very generous gift that was given at that time,” Muhling added. “So, for over 40 years, that little square has been green and it's represented the park that we all love so well.”

Trustee Craig Richter said he had tried to make these changes to the zoning map last year.

won't be touched,” he said.

Chester Township owns 900 acres of park land, Richter said.

“Our map should be green,” he said. “All this land should show up as green. This is why we moved out here. We want the semi-rural community, and it should show.”

After hearing from residents, Radkte said trustees have no intention of changing the zoning district of this property, adding it wasn’t listed on the April 17 meeting agenda and the public uproar was “unnecessary.”

“The faux uproar is merely political gamesmanship by a select few in the crowd over the color of a small square on a map, ignoring the fact how other parks in our township are identified,” he said in an April 18 followup interview. “Rather than changing the color of the map, we are going to incorporate parks in our zoning resolution and I have

Muhling expressed skepticism April 17 that trustees would not rezone the parcel. “You know that that change could have been made simply by a motion,” she said. “If we hadn't happened to read that, it would have been done and gone on April 3, So I think I want a little more assurance that nothing is going to change.”

Chester Township resident and Bainbridge Township Zoning Inspector Steve Averill, who was sitting in the audience, said the “uproar” was warranted.

“What's critical is that what everybody recognizes that piece of property as, and what it's used for, is a park,” he said. “So, it's understandable why everybody is absolutely in an uproar about it being R-1. I don't know where that came from. It is a completely crazy idea to spot-zone that property to anything other than ‘park.’”

West G High Wins 1st Place in Academic Challenge Program

staff rEport

West Geauga High School placed first out of three schools in the Academic Challenge on News 5 Cleveland WEWS March 22.

West Geauga hasn’t had an academic challenge team since before the COVID-19 pandemic, WGHS English teacher Cindy O'Janpa said at a recent West Geauga Schools Board of Education meeting.

The school won with 555 points, defeating Vermillion High School, which scored 450 points, and Orange High School, which garnered 465 points.

“Academic Challenge pits teams from three Northeast Ohio high schools against each other in a fast-paced quiz show of academic knowledge,” Channel 5 reported.

Awarded at the April 14 board meeting were Team Captain Parker Pacifico, Mason Towey, Hayden Makuch, Alternates Morgan

Keynote Speaker Updates GCTA on Cyber Crime

By aNN Wishart aNN@karlovEcmEdia com

By the time Edward Slusarski finished talking about cyber scams and device security at the Geauga County Township Association meeting April 9, many of the 130 listeners were disabling their cell phone Bluetooth connections and looking askance at their Apple watches.

Slusarski, president of Regarding Your Systems and fiscal officer for Chardon Township, warned the crowd that organized crime, various nation states and even some corporations are using a variety of methods to hack into cyber systems and steal social security numbers, bank account information and any other vital data stored on private or company computers.

Phishing, where an entity sends out emails hoping to hook information from naive computer users, has advanced to pharming — where criminals redirect internet users to a fake site to capture passwords or install malware on the victim’s computer in order to steal an identity, he said.

One example is the site Arnizon, which tricks a user into thinking it is Amazon, Slusarski said.

Many people have received a “smishing” notice from the Ohio Turn Pike claiming they owe back fees, he noted.

Slusarski recommended anyone receiving such emails contact the real company to find out if a debt is pending.

“Don’t go to Google — go to the actual site and call. Ask if it is legit,” he said.

When cyber criminals call elderly individuals and pretend they are just verifying information, or claim their records are goofed up, it is called “vishing,” he said.

Slusarski also warned against using ChatGPT.

“It’s still learning from you,” he said. “If you open AI now, you have to worry about it. It can take your voice, overlay your face. Be careful what you put out there.”

Stumbling into the dark web is not likely, but the site is dangerous, Slusarski said.

“You can buy a kidney or a hit on your significant other,” he said. “I strongly recommend you not go there.”

An individual’s whole financial world can be destroyed by actors on the dark web, Slusarski said.

Innocent-appearing, everyday items — Apple watches, cell phones, new coffee makers and refrigerators — are all programmed to collect information that can be hacked by those with criminal intent.

“Smart televisions are listening to what you are doing,” he said. “Look your equipment up and see how to deactivate it.”

Making people and organizations aware of the potential dangers in the cyber world is a mission for Slusarski.

“I do love technology,” he said, adding, however, it requires vigilance.

“Just think about it,” he said.

Other speakers preceding Slusarski included:

• Jen Jones, director of the Geauga Trumbull Solid Waste District, who asked trustees to have their boards pass a resolution in the next 90 days approving the district’s five-year plan;

• Geauga County Commissioner Jim Dvorak, who introduced Amy Bevan, the new county administrator;

• Chester Township Zoning Inspector Chris Alusheff, who said Senate Bill 2 — al-

lowing township to regulate solar and wind farms generating less than 50 mg of electricity — is being considered by the Ohio House;

• And Camp Ho Mita Koda Director Elizabeth Johnson said the camp can be rented for weddings and other gatherings during the off season. Through the summer, the camp in Newbury Township welcomes children with diabetes for weekly sessions.

Kokosing Donates $90K to Mechanical Program

By aNN Wishart aNN@karlovEcmEdia com

Kokosing Materials Inc. recently donated $90,000 to Berkshire Schools to help build the district’s mechanical technical program.

Berkshire Schools Board of Education member Linda Stone presented Greg Re inhardt, of Kokosing Materials, with a cer tificate of appreciation for the contribution during the board’s April 14 regular meeting.

Kokosing, which has an asphalt plant in Claridon Township, has a culture of contrib uting to programs within the orbit of their locations.

“About a month ago, Greg had an idea and just needed some good solid informa tion from the school,” Stone said in an email. “He said they like ideas like STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) and technical programs.”

Upon hearing the company was interest ed in supporting Berkshire’s program, school administrators put together a packet about its needs for the 2025-2026 school year and submitted it to Kokosing’s charitable contri bution committee, she said.

“Within a few days, we had their commit ment,” Stone said, adding the donation will be used to cover the cost of an instructor for the program.

Kokosing, a third-generation, family-owned company, offers clients the accessibility of a lo cal firm with the stability and resources of one of the largest contractors in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states, according to its website.

The Claridon facility is one of half a doz en Kokosing Material’s asphalt plants in Northeast Ohio, supplying local contractors like Ronyak Bros. Paving in Burton, said Re-

to learn skills, such as welding and diesel me chanics, he said.

the Preston Superstore dealership — another family-owned business — is providing a new

building to house classes.

“We are incredibly grateful to Kokosing for their generous $90,000 donation to support our mechanical technician program. This investment directly empowers our students with hands-on training and real-world skills that prepare them for high-demand careers,” Stoddard said. “Partnerships like this are vital to building a strong local workforce and giving students meaningful opportunities right here in our community.”

Early Learning Classes Grow

The 2024-2025 school year started with only a handful of students in the Berkshire Early Learning Center, Bill Kermavner, center director, told the board last Monday.

“This year, we have three classes and more than 40 students enrolled,” he said. “Our numbers really exploded. We had to find teachers and staff to fill our needs.”

Kermavner shared a slide show of the staff and the pre-kindergarten-age students engaged in hands-on learning.

The creative curriculum revolves around themes such as wheels, safety forces and trees, and includes field trips to parks, fire departments and area stores.

“Taking preschoolers on a field trip is a major undertaking, but they are having a great time and they are learning,” he said.

Of the 42 students in the program, 24 will begin kindergarten next year, he said, adding the others are under 4 years old, so they will go on to kindergarten the following year.

After the meeting, Kermavner said the modular unit designed for the center is not ready for occupancy, yet, because of weather-related delays, so classes are being held at the Kent State University – Geauga campus just west of Berkshire Schools.

April 9 Geauga County Township Association keynote speaker Edward Slusarski and new Geauga County Administrator Amy Bevan.

West G Schools Appoints 2 New Administrators

By Emma macNivEN macNivEN@karlovEcmEdia com

West Geauga Schools Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Amy Davis as assistant superin tendent and Meagan Bellan as di rector of curriculum and instruc tion during the March 10 board meeting.

“Amy comes to us really in strumental in maintaining high levels of academic achievement throughout the (COVID-19) pan demic,” Assistant Superintendent Nancy Benincasa said.

Davis provides a student-focused outlook, she said.

“I think what is most impressive about Dr. Davis is really her dogged determination for high achievement for all kids. She challenges our staff to think about what that means for individual students,” Benincasa said.

Davis has a bachelor’s degree in French language from Allegh eny College, a master’s degree in education from John Carroll and Baldwin Wallace universities and a doctorate in organizational leadership from Columbia Inter national University, she said in a followup email.

She has been an elementary school teach er, paraprofessional, intervention specialist, elementary principal and the director of curriculum before coming to West Geauga Schools to serve as the director of pupil personnel for the past eight years, she added.

Davis hopes to increase opportunities for student achievement, she said.

“I have never in my life known anyone who has served in every one of those seats and done so with such great success,” Benincasa said.

“As such, one of my goals is to ensure every student has an outstanding, personalized experience and achieves his or her potential,” Davis said, expressing gratitude for Superintendent Richard Markwardt’s leadership.

“I have been extremely fortunate to serve under the leadership of Dr. Richard Markwardt,” she said. “I hope to serve the district with the needs of students and families at the forefront.”

Bellan earned both her educational specialist degree and master’s degree in school psychology from Kent State University. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Miami University, she said in a followup email.

Bellan is the current principal of West Geauga Middle School and was principal of Lindsey Elementary School before serving as a school psychologist in the district.

See West G • Page 13

Bellan

LWV Observer Corp Keeps Eye on Community

By allisoN WilsoN WilsoN@karlovEcmEdia com

With a commitment to voting rights and civic education at the heart of their advocacy, the League of Women Voters of Geauga’s Observer Corp has played a quiet role in local government transparency.

The observer corp, comprising LWV members of various professions, ages and

genders, sits in on county and school board meetings — it does not have enough members to cover township government — making sure the public remains informed and sunshine laws are followed, said LWV Geauga member Gail Roussey, who founded the county’s observer corp.

Roussey founded the corp with former LWV Geauga President Shelly Lewis in 2021. It was preceded by a group of women researching county government.

“We found that we really didn’t know what county government did and there was no good place to find the information,” Roussey said. “So, we started digging into various elected positions.”

With a basis to move forward, Roussey looked into the United States League of Women Voters’ recommendations for observers and other corps around Ohio.

“We started just going to meetings without the intent of publishing, really, just to observe,” she said. “We just found there was so much good information.”

What Do Observers Do?

Observers request meeting agendas in advance if one is not provided online, Roussey said.

Once they have arrived at a meeting, they note who else is attending — information they include in their report. Many observers record audio or video of their meeting and take notes throughout, Roussey said.

“We’re all very careful. We want (the report) to be very factual and informational,” LWV Geauga President Carol Benton said. “We are not intending to leave something out because we don’t agree with it, or only put one thing in because we agreed with the decision.”

Once reports are written, they are put through a robust review process with a team of observers who review and edit each report, checking for accuracy and bias, Benton explained.

Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into the effort with about 700 published, she said.

Observations and Barriers

When the corp began, meeting minutes were often not published on a timely basis, Roussey said.

“It would sometimes be six months be-

hind,” she recalled. “Our thought was, if somebody is upset about something that’s happened or that’s going to happen, it’s already long ago.”

Microphone quality also posed a barrier, as officials cannot always be heard, Roussey said.

“We’ll go up and ask afterwards, but I think just the regular citizen would not have felt empowered to do that,” she said.

A few boards also do not permit public comment, Roussey said.

“It’s their right to do that. But, we believe that allowing public comment allows people to ask clarifying questions, to state an opinion,” she said.

Meeting times may also pose a challenge for the average working citizen, with some meetings in the early morning, Benton noted.

For these reasons, the LWV appreciates when entities livestream meetings, she said, noting the Geauga County Commissioners’ recent decision to do so.

Meetings might draw few individuals in-person, giving the appearance there is no public interest, but in reality, many people may not have the option to attend, Benton said, adding commissioners have been seeing view counts of 200-300 on their videos.

Boards had a very positive reaction when the corp first began observing, something Roussey chalked up to the league’s existing goodwill.

“I think the LWV in Geauga has had a good reputation because of our voter forums,” she said. “I think people always have appreciated that — the voter forums and our voter guides.”

Everyone has always been helpful, Benton echoed.

“I know in the meetings I observe, they’re welcoming, they’re helpful if I have a question or a follow-up,” she said.

As observations have gone on, the corp has seen minutes and meeting dates published more consistently, both women said. Board vacancies are also now published on county website, Roussey added.

Initially, she thought she would encounter more sunshine law violations than she has.

“I’ve seen a few violations. I think mostly it’s not intentional,” she said. “Looking back on it, I would say we do a pretty good job in this county.”

The county also fulfills public records requests well, Roussey said, adding they are sometimes sent more than they need.

See Observers • Page 14

West

G from page 11

Before coming to West Geauga Schools, she served as a clinical supervisor at the Positive Education Program’s Prentiss Autism Center and a school psychologist in Solon City Schools, she said.

Benincasa said West Geauga Middle School was named a National Blue Ribbon School under Bellan’s leadership, which are awards given to high-achieving schools.

“Their academic achievements soared to heights that have never been seen at Lindsey Elementary (School),” she said.

Bellan reflected on her ability to move up within the district.

“It’s been a privilege to grow professionally within West Geauga and I’m deeply grateful for the relationships and experiences that have shaped my journey,” she said. “In this new position, I look forward to collaborating across all buildings to help shape programs and opportunities that reflect the strengths and needs of our community. I’m committed to ensuring every student is supported and

Register for Senior Trash Pickup Days

challenged to reach their fullest potential — and I’m honored to help lead that work moving forward.”

Benincasa also said West Geauga Middle School has had the highest academic achievement during Bellan’s tenure as principal.

“These are two very remarkable educators. They are exemplary in their field,” she said. “They're quality individuals, but more importantly, they are tremendous educators.”

It’s hard to find reliable administration, said board President Christina Sherwood.

“I know that this district has spent years accumulating quality people and retaining those and that's not easy,” she said. “I've worked in several school districts and there's been a lot of turnover, especially in central offices, and it's hard to find people that we can trust that have the best interest of our kids.”

These are some of the strongest administrators Markwardt has ever worked with, he said.

“Their work is impeccable, their work ethic is beyond description and I know they will do their best to make West Geauga the best school district that it can be,” Markwardt said.

Seniors

the department on aging for 2025 one week prior to the pickup date to be placed on the pickup list.

Local township and village road crews will again work with the Geauga County Department on Aging employees and volunteers to remove unwanted items from seniors’ driveways and yards during locally scheduled pickups.

Seniors must be from the community offering the trash pickup and registered with

Trash pickup days are:

• Claridon Township: May 7.

• Montville Township: May 8 and 9.

• Burton Village: May 9.

To register for pickup and for specific allowable community guidelines, call 440-279-2130

Observers

from page 12

Work to be Done

Board appointment transparency could improve, Benton said.

“I think it is better than it used to be. But, I do think there could be a more defined process around what these various commissions and boards do when there is an opening,” she said.

Government entities could also better communicate position requirements, Benton said.

“I think getting more people involved is always good for government, for democracy, for just good citizenship,” she said. “I think there’s interest out there, but people don’t know how to go about expressing that interest.”

Impact

As an observer, Benton has learned a lot about county government, she said.

“County government is pretty complicated. There’s so many different agencies and commissions and boards, they all have different responsibilities, some oversee others,” she said. “I think part of what we’ve done is just educate people on how Geauga County works.”

A lot of what impacts daily life happens on a county level, Benton said, adding it is something people should be paying attention to.

“It’s local. It’s really impacting your property taxes, the priorities of how those tax dollars are spent, what these various agencies will prioritize from a service standpoint, what happens in your school boards,” she said.

For more information about the LWV of Geauga, visit https://lwvgeauga.org.

Geauga SWCD Offers Summer Stream Quality Monitoring

suBmittEd

Explore Geauga County streams and learn about their water chemistry and biology this summer by joining the Geauga Soil and Water Conservation District’s Geauga Stream Team. Formerly known as the Millennium Youth Conservationists, participants will work in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Scenic Rivers Program to collect official stream data utilizing kick seines, sediment sticks, water chemistry test kits and more to analyze the health of area streams and rivers.

All ages are welcome. Join for one outing or for all. The Geauga Stream Team is free and runs twice a month.

For more information, visit geaugaswcd. com or contact Colleen Sharp at 440-8341122 ext. 1766 or csharp@geauga.oh.gov.

Water Conservation District’s stream monitoring program use kick seines and test kits to monitor the quality of a local stream

Overall, it was an average season in the north and below average season in the south.”

rity,” Blair said with emotion. “He is not only a friend of mine, but a friend of maple.”

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

Shop Bargain Box Sale

April 25, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Women’s Guild of St. Christopher’s by-the-River Church is holding its semi-annual Bargain Box sale at the church located at 7601 Old Mill Road, Gates Mills. The sale features housewares, linens, furniture, rugs, books, a seasonal corner and our boutique of collectibles, antiques toys and children’s clothing.

Early bird entry from 8-9 a.m. has a fee. Call 440-423-4451 for information.

Auburn Roadside Litter Pickup Day

April 26, 8 a.m. to noon

Auburn Township is participating in the annual Great American Clean-up campaign hosted by Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District. The community is invited to join dedicated Scout troops and 4H clubs to clean up littered township roadways and properties.

Meet at the township service garage, 17666 Auburn Road. Auburn Trustees will grill out hot dogs and provide snacks and beverages following the event.

Kindness

Sewing Circle

May 2, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

NPower Services hosts a Kindness Sewing Circle at Celebration Lutheran Church, 10621 Auburn Road in Chardon. The monthly gathering is open to people of all abilities and provides a creative space for participants to craft fabric projects that benefit others in need.

Anyone interested in participating may email Anne Marie Wolfe at AnneMarie@ NPowerServices.com or register online at www.npowerservices.com.

Used Book Sale

May 2, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

May 3, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

St. Mark Lutheran Church is hosting a used book sale featuring over 4,000 books, puzzles, vinyl records and CDs. Admission

is free. The church is located at 11900 Chillicothe Road in Chester Township. Visit StMarkChester.org for information.

Meet Us In The Garden

May 3, 10 a.m.

The OSU Lake County Master Gardener Volunteers host their first Meet Us in the Garden talk of 2025 at the Mentor Public Library, 8215 Mentor Ave.

Join for “Recognizing and Combatting the Spotted Lantern Fly.”

The session is free, but registration is required. Visit mentorpl.org or call 440255-8811. Call the helpline at 440-853-2625 with any gardening questions.

Happy Tails Benefit Dinner

May 4, 2-5 p.m.

The non-profit, no-kill Happy Tails Cat Sanctuary is holding its third annual “Sunday Dinner with a Purr-pose” benefit at St. Noel Banquet Center, 35200 Chardon Road in Willoughby Hills.

Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. with a family-style dinner at 2:30 p.m. Event includes silent and Chinese auctions, 50-50 raffle and live entertainment.

Tickets are $75 per person. For more information or to purchase tickets by April 27, call or text Doreen at 440-759-0076. Donations of cat food and kitty litter brought to the benefit would be appreciated.

Have A Heart Spay/Neuter

Valley Save-A-Pet’s Have A Heart program offers cat and dog sterilizations at a discounted rate to pet owners. Applications are now being accepted for the 2025 VSAP Have-a-Heart program.

Phone lines are open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and the first Saturday of the month for information and to apply for a spay/neuter certificate. Spay/ neuter services for feral cats to help reduce the feral cat population are also available.

For more information, visit www.valleysaveapet.org.

Egg Hunters On a Roll

Park District Celebrates Earth Day Early

By rosE NEmuNaitis Editor@karlovEcmEdia com

April showers are bringing May flowers, signaling Mother Nature’s unwavering consistency nurturing and sustaining the Earth.

Every year, Geauga Park District celebrates the fruits of her labor with its Earth Day Extravaganza tree planting and native plant sale.

While Earth Day was scheduled for April 22 this year, the park district celebrated early on April 19 at Veterans Legacy Woods in Newbury Township.

The rainy weather did dampen support from volunteers, customers and GPD’s natural resources management team.

“GPD gives people a meaningful chance to make a difference on a day celebrating the Earth,” Park Biologist Paul Pira said.

Event organizers gathered at 9 a.m. when it began to rain and thunder, which postponed planting for about an hour.

In the meantime, organizers explained to volunteers how land stewards manage the parks and what they hope their Earth Day efforts achieve.

The rain let up and about 100 volunteers signed up to plant trees, including the general public, master gardener clubs, park district volunteers and volunteers from Hexpol Industries.

They began planting 225 to 275 trees in about an hour and a half around the park’s newly-built stream so they will provide shade and, therefore, keep the water cooler in the summer.

Volunteers were also given the option to take a red oak tree home with them to plant in their own yard.

Pre-registered guests also paid $5 to pick up a mixed bag of native Ohio trees and wildflowers to plant at home to improve wildlife habitat.

“They were very healthy plants,” said customer Rebecca Wolfe, adding she is looking forward to next year’s event.

“I think that people enjoy feeling a connection to what we do as a conservation organization and like being part of the bigger picture,” Pira said. “They want to feel that they are part of something that is making a difference for the Earth and the environment. Here at GPD, we have been rehabilitating and healing the land here at Veterans Legacy Woods Park through major ecological restoration efforts since about 2022.”

GPD has planted thousands of trees, re-

stored clean flowing streams and enhanced important wetlands, he said.

“People want to plant native landscaping in their yards to provide habitat for wildlife like Monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, etc.,” Pira said.

GPD land stewards Matthew Kneitel and Alex Haehn educated and answered participants’ questions during the event.

“Starting with the planting, we were happy with the turnout despite the rain,” Kneital said. “That shows the dedication of the community for our park system and the projects we work on.“

The rain allowed them to meet in GPD’s natural resource management garage and talk more about what they do as professionals and why planting trees and flowering plants are so important for local wildlife.

“Everyone had a good time planting pussy willow, swamp rose, red osier dogwood, swamp white oak, elderberry and American hornbeam as we try to build up shade around our new cold-water stream,” Kneital said. “It was nice to see so many toads in the stream. The stream was built from nothing, so it’s nice to see wildlife using something that didn't exist months ago.”

Kneitel and Haehn were proud to include in the bags for customers red oaks and flowering plants they helped grow, which will benefit butterflies, moths, bees and other insects.

“Everyone was very happy to receive a bag with good-looking, native plants,” Kneital said. “We hope they reach out with pictures in the future to show us how the plants are doing.”

Vehicles rolled through steadily until about 2 p.m.

“The overall response from the people was incredible,” Haehn said. “Everyone seemed very happy to receive their plants. Every person who registered got a white pine, red oak, swamp milkweed, common milkweed and one other random forb. I was very impressed to see how many people showed up to plant trees despite the weather. Also, the enthusiasm in which they planted was amazing. I couldn't thank them enough for helping.”

Haehn enjoyed seeing so many people asking questions and being curious about why they were planting these different species and how they would affect the overall health of the stream.

“We may think about expanding it next year because it is such a draw for people,” Pira said.

SANDY WARD/KMG

Patricia Louise Jones

Patricia Louise Jones was born on Aug. 12, 1946, in Chardon, to Raymond and Valjean Rhodes. She passed away on April 14, 2025, in Pro vo, Utah, from com plications following a stroke.

Patricia grew up in Middlefield and gradu ated from Cardinal High School in 1964.

She was married to Edward Jones for six years and they had three children: Jennifer, Amy and Steven.

In 1984, Patricia moved to Utah and worked for Stouffers for several years, followed by Dyno Nobel and Nuskin.

She enjoyed participating in the Red Hat Society. She also enjoyed sewing and crocheting and made several blankets, Afghans, skirts and costumes such as Prospero, Martha Washington and Hedy Lamar for Shakespeare plays and Wax Museums that her grandchildren participated in.

Patricia especially enjoyed reading and watching mysteries and also HGTV.

She was a huge Elvis fan and owned all his movies, had Love Me Tender as her ringtone and was known to have life-size cutouts of The King when she worked at Nuskin.

She was known for her cabbage rolls and deviled eggs.

Patricia is survived by her daughter, Amy (Roger) Smith; and son, Steven (Christine) Jones; as well as grandchildren Audrey (Joshua) Nair, Adam Smith, Rachel Smith, Megan Smith, Tyler Jones and Allison Jones.

She was preceded in death by her parents; and daughter Jennifer (Scott) Hutchinson.

Calling hours (viewing) were held April 18, 2025, at Premier Funeral Services, 1160 North 1200 West, Orem, Utah. Interment followed in the Provo City Cemetery.

Robert Maxwell Shaw Sr.

Robert Maxwell Shaw Sr., 73, of Chardon, died at home on April 13, 2025, in the care of loved ones, while held in the hearts of many family and friends.

Obituaries

Always up for an adventure, Rob was well-traveled and knowledgeable about history and geography. He visited 49 states, including Alaska and Hawaii, and most of the U.S. National Parks, taking his friends and family with him and enthusiastically sharing stories about each journey.

Remembering him with love are his wife of 50 years, Susan Shaw (nee Mikolaj); daughter, Kelly Shaw. of Athens, Ohio; son Robert M. Shaw and daughter-in-law, Catherine, with Anne Elizabeth and Oliver, his grandchildren, of Hartsville, S.C.; and son Stephen Shaw, of Cleveland.

Carrying forward the bonds they shared are his sister, Susan Bedore, of St. Petersburg, Fla.; brother-in-law, John Mikolaj, and wife, Vi, of Ashtabula; sister-in-law Marcia Mikolaj, of Middlefield; and sister-in-law Janet Taylor and husband, Mark Bartram, of Parker, Colo.

Cherishing his large, connected family, Rob loved joining his aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and many, many cousins who gather annually at Seven Acres in Jefferson County. Rob is remembered for his wild and joyful antics and, in turn, he took great delight in encouraging even more hijinks in celebration of the next generations of family fun to come.

He is preceded in death by his brother, John E. Shaw; and his stalwart Llewellin setters, Victoria (Torie), and Elizabeth (Lizzy).

Friends and family are invited to a visitation on Monday, April 21, 2025, from 3-7 p.m. at Burr Funeral Home, 116 South St., Chardon. The rosary will follow visitation at 7 p.m.

A funeral mass will be celebrated the following day, Tuesday, April 22, at 10:30 a.m., at St. Mary Church, 401 North St., Chardon, and accessible via livestream from both the St. Mary Church and Burr Funeral Home obituary website.

Interment will follow at All Souls Cemetery in Chardon Township.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggest donations be made in Rob’s memory to a charity of your choice or to St. Mary School, AdoptA-Student Scholarship.

construction company as well as a member of the pensioners group. Frank was one of the group that started and helped build Slovenska Pristava in Geneva and, on any drive, Frank loved to point out all the buildings around Cleveland that he helped build.

Frank served in the U.S. Army from 1962 to 1964, and shortly after returning, he married the love of his life, Frida Rantasa, in May of 1964. Together they built a life filled with family, tradition and laughter.

Frank was a man of many passions: fishing, playing bocce ball, tending his abundant garden, trying his luck with scratch-offs and playing accordion — completely self-taught. He also had a legendary reluctance to turn on the air conditioning. His catchphrase, “It is what it is,” was a staple at every family party that he hosted.

Frank was fortunate that most of his family remained in Northeast Ohio. That enabled him to remain involved in their lives.

Frank is survived by his sons, Frank Grcar (Karen) and Daniel Grcar (Christine); daughters, Denise Grcar, Nadine Zagar (Greg), Stacy Langdon (Dennis), Sally Fuller (Rob) and Cynthia Grcar; his brother, Joseph Grcar; and sister Maria Frank. He was a proud grandfather to Allison Grcar, Melissa Sulzer (Ryan), Nick Grcar, Ashland Stokes, Nicole Grcar, Daniel Grcar Jr., Seth Grcar, Olivia Grcar, Hope Zagar, Luke Zagar, Max Langdon, Zak Langdon, Nathan Fuller and Emma Fuller. He is also survived by great-grandchildren Stephen, Rosalie, Harper, Noah and Daisy.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Frida (née Rantasa) Grcar; his parents, Frank and Francis (née Bosic); and his sister Tina Grcar.

Updated service information will be provided in the obituary on our website at www. burrservice.com.

Frank’s legacy is one of perseverance, craftsmanship, and unwavering love for family. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

In lieu of flowers please donate to the organization of your choice in Frank’s memory.

Elaine Irene Stankus

Elaine Irene Stankus, 82, of Hiram, went home to her Lord and Savior on April 21, 2025.

She was born in Cleveland, on June 27, 1942, to the late Edward and Irene (nee Kouche) Bartko.

She was raised in Garfield Heights. After graduation, Elaine went to obtain her X-Ray Technician certificate and worked many years at Marymount Hospital.

She met and married the love of her life, George Stankus, and together they had a son, Matt, who was the apple of her eye. The family moved to Geauga County, lived for a brief time in Georgia, then returned to Ohio, where Elaine settled into pursuing the hobbies she held close to her heart, such as photography, gardening and, above all else, caring for her family.

Elaine was devoted to the Roman Catholic faith and belonged to the St. Ambrose parish in Garrettsville.

Elaine was a wonderful soul who loved to make the world a more beautiful place and all who knew and loved her will always think of the beauty her life brought to theirs.

Elaine will be deeply missed by her husband, George, with whom she was blessed to share over 54 years of marriage; son, Matthew (Rebecca Black) Stankus; niece and nephews, Christine Vaul, John (Meredith) Vaul, David Bartko and Paul Bartko; as well as other extended family and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; and siblings, Edward Bartko, Thomas Bartko and Mary Kay (George) Vaul.

Please join the family for a visitation April 24, 2025, from 5-7 p.m., at Mallory-DeHaven-Carlson Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 8382 Center St., Garrettsville. A funeral service will begin at the funeral home at 7 p.m., with Fr. Jacob Bearer officiating.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.

Born on Sept. 25, 1951, in Steubenville, Ohio, he was the son of the late Robert M. Shaw and Eileen Ruth Shaw (nee Costlow).

Rob was a 1969 graduate of Steubenville Catholic Central High School and a 1973 graduate of the College of Steubenville. He became a CPA and had a successful career as a corporate accountant across a variety of industries.

A lifelong DIY handyman, upon retirement, he taught himself leathercraft, creating beautiful, durable items for everyone he knew.

Having learned to hunt and shoot from his father and uncles at a young age, Rob devoted many joyful years to bird hunting, sporting clays and dog training. As an NSCA-certified instructor, he mentored many others entering the sport and served as a committee member of the American Woodcock Society and a past president of the Weslaco Sportsmen's Club.

Frank Grcar

Frank Grcar passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by the love of his family, on April 17, 2025. He was 85.

Born in Moravce, Slovenia, on May 14, 1939, Frank’s life was defined by courage, hard work and deep devotion to his family. At just 16 years old, he left Slovenia on foot with four of his friends, making the long journey to Austria. He spent two years as a refugee before his father sent for him to come to the United States in 1957 — a new beginning that would shape the rest of his life.

Frank began his career as a machinist but, ever resourceful, claimed cabinet-making skills to join the Carpenters’ Union. It turned out to be a perfect fit. Frank became a master carpenter and later owned his own

Arrangements have been entrusted to Burr Funeral Home and Cremation Service. Condolences and memories may be shared online at www.burrservice.com.

A graveside service will be at Fairview Cemetery in Hiram on April 25, 2025, at 11 a.m. Please meet at the cemetery.

For online condolences go to www.carlsonfuneralhomes.com.

Wolverines Show Mettle in Walkoff Win Over Falcons

By camEroN palmEr sports@karlovEcmEdia com

The West Geauga Wolverines softball team is 4-9 following a thrilling come-from-behind walkoff win in eight innings over the visiting Jefferson Area Falcons, 5-4, on April 18.

The Wolverines trailed 4-0 into the bottom of the seventh and had some extra emotion coming off a 5-1 loss to the same Falcons team just two days prior.

But the team rallied to tie it, winning it one inning later.

“When they started hitting the ball, I started thinking the exact same thing,” Percassi said, remembering the loss. “We stayed in there, and I give Lely (Percassi) a ton of credit for as tough as she pitched in those jams. We hung in there, so for them to come back like that and give it a heck of an effort is a hat’s off to my girls. That’s a great team over there.”

Dayana Malone led off the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run — the first long ball of her career — to ignite the rally.

“I just wanted a base hit to start the in-

ning. It was just the perfect pitch and I hit it, far,” Malone said of the homer.

Shaylynn Rogaski and Ava Borz each delivered RBI doubles, and Percassi knotted the game with an RBI single to force extras.

Rogaski came up to bat again in the eighth with two on and two out with a chance to win the game.

“It was nerve-racking,” she said of the atbat. “I was scared going up to bat, but I saw the first pitch and I was excited.”

The senior delivered with the game-winning RBI single to left-center, sending her team into a frenzy.

A major player that helped West Geauga find success despite trailing 4-0, down to its final three outs, is the tough regular-season schedule they play.

The Wolverines, who were a part of the Chagrin Valley Conference Chagrin Division last season, play an independent, or non-conference schedule, all year.

This opens the door to play the toughest teams around.

See Girls Softball• Page 19

BILL FUGATE/KMG

With two on and two out, West Geauga’s Shaylynn Rogaski (wearing helmet) game-winning RBI single to left-center gave her Wolverines a 5-4 come-from-behind win against Jefferson in the 8th

Badgers Stay in the Moment to Defeat Hilltoppers

By alaN korNspaN sports@karlovEcmEdia

Since 2023, when boys volleyball became an OHSAA varsity sport, the Berkshire Bad gers have struggled to defeat their rival, the Chardon Hilltoppers.

After winning their first varsity competi tion against the Hilltoppers on March 16 of 2023, the Badgers then lost five straight ri valry matches.

However, the 2025 senior led Badgers have written a different story.

Earlier this season on April 1, the Bad gers defeated the Hilltoppers at Chardon High School, 3-1.

Most recently, on April 17 on their home court, the Badgers again beat the Hilltoppers 3-1.

With the latest victory over their rival, the Badgers remained unbeaten in confer ence play at 5-0, and advanced to 9-4 overall.

After defeating the Hilltoppers for the second time this season, Badgers Head Coach Tim Percic was pleased with how his team handled the pressure and intensity of the rivalry.

In particular, Coach Percic highlighted a key moment in game two that displayed his team's aptitude to overcome adversity, and stay present.

In the second game, the Hilltoppers went on a 9-0 run to take a 24-14 lead over the Badgers. At that point, it appeared that the Hilltoppers had an insurmountable game 2 lead. However, the Badgers kept fighting.

BILL FUGATE/KMG

The Berkshire Badgers beat Chardon April 17 by a 3-1 final. The Badgers remained unbeaten in conference play at 5-0, and advanced to 9-4 overall.

Demonstrating a next play mentality, the Badgers scored 5 straight points after trailing 24-14.

Even though the Badgers lost the second game, 25-19, scoring those points at the end showed their ability to stay in the moment and play one point at a time.

“In the second match, when we lost, we put five points on the board when they essentially had match point,” Coach Percic said.

“And that to me is a good sign that (our mentality was) ‘we’re not out of it yet, we may be down, but we're not out of it yet’.”

This important ability to stay in the moment and play one point at a time is a skill the Badgers have been practicing all season.

For instance, in preparing the Badgers for the emotional challenges of competitive volleyball, Coach Percic provides his team with intense practices.

“We have been practicing all season for matches like this, where if we get into a little funk like we did in the second set, that we pull ourselves out of it, and that we work hard to do that,” said Coach Percic.

In addition, in order to help his players overcome adversity, Coach Percic uses phrases and mantras to remind his players to move on to the next play.

“I use a lot of these phrases to kind of get the guys snickering a little bit so that they're not too hard on themselves,” Coach Percic said.

A few of the phrases that Coach Percic uses to help his players stay positive and in the moment include, “The next play is the

Boys Volleyball

from page 18

only one you can effect,” “The only easy day was yesterday,” “It's like water off the duck's back,” and “Just keep going,”.

As the Badgers stayed in the moment against the Hilltoppers, their offensive attack was superb.

To create a formidable attack, Coach Percic had the Badgers run quick middle attacks which kept the Hilltoppers defensive blockers guessing on where the ball was going to come from.

Utilizing this strong offensive game plan, the Badgers amassed 43 kills for the match.

Leading the offensive attack for the Badgers was senior Jake Starr (15 kills).

Starr said that Badgers setter Ryan Kessinger, who had 36 assists, helped put him and his teammates in position to have a great game at the net.

In addition, he said the timing on his swing was working well.

“I like to pride myself on the fact that I know when to swing and when to not swing,” said Starr. “I try to rip it when I've got a chance, and see an opening.”

In addition to Starr, also leading the Badgers in kills were Tony Masters (8 kills), Maddox Fuentes (7), Levi Rohl (6), Mario Romagni (5), Roman Percic (1) and Ryan Kessinger (1).

With the excellent season so far, Coach Percic does not want his team to become complacent.

Thus, he consistently repeats a well known United States Navy Seals mantra to his team throughout the season, ‘The only easy day was yesterday’.

Girls Softball

from page 18

“We knew we needed to be challenged, and we’ve taken our lumps, but it’s allowed us to see our weaknesses so we can get better,” Coach Percassi said. “We won at a high rate last year, and I felt like we weren’t learning a lot, and when we got into tough games, we didn’t have answers. But now we’re learning with opportunities to get better. Today was a great example of that.”

Those opportunities to get better came to fruition in the win.

“We’re playing way harder teams this year, and it’s been hard to adjust to that, but we’re doing good and improving,” Rogaski said postgame. “I’m very proud of our team.”

Malone followed, “It’s definitely more competitive, and after the Tennessee trip, we saw what we needed fixed, and we fixed it here. We’re just playing hard.”

Despite all of the trials and tribulations of the 2025 season through 13 games, when the time comes, those challenges could lead to a playoff run down the line for the Wolverines.

“Doing what we just did to a very good team is the evidence of what we’re building to,” Percassi said. “We’re still young, and we have five or six sophomores playing, with only a few juniors and seniors playing. We’re still young in many ways, but we’re talented. (The schedule) has exploited us so that we can get better. We’re losing games early in the season, but we’re learning. Today was a great example of that. We’re doing the little

This phrase reminds his athletes of the importance of continuing to focus on working hard and improving each day and to not give up when faced with adversity.

Along with the Badgers having an excellent match, strong performances were displayed by the Hilltoppers’ Ian Galati and Avery Laux, particularly in game two.

Galati, who had a great match attacking the net, said that he was seeing the court very well.

His excellent court vision enabled him to make quick decisions on when to hit a powerful spike or just tip the ball over the blockers.

In addition, Laux demonstrated excellent serves and stellar blocking at the net.

Although the Hilltoppers have had a slow start to the season, Galati is happy with how his team has been improving.

“I'm proud of all my teammates, I felt that we improved a lot,” Galati said. “I felt that the game itself was a little frustrating, but we definitely improved throughout the season.”

things that matter in big games, and that’s what I want for these because they need to be challenged. They’re competitive.”

The record sits at 4-9 for West Geauga, and coach Percassi knows he needs to make sure his team believes that the record doesn’t define them, trusting his seniors to lead by example.

“Every one of these seniors has the never-give-up attitude, they hustle, smile, and they play the game the right way,” Percassi said. “That rubs off on the others. They’re experienced, and our younger kids look to them in these types of situations. It’s like, ‘Okay, Shaylynn, you’re up to bat to win the game, what’re you feeling?’ Some of these young sophomores are looking to her, and she’s poised, ready to go.

Percassi said Allie Arigo had a huge hit, a sophomore who is just starting to hit the ball well. Another sophomore, Sydney Gallagher, who pinch ran for Arigo in the eighth, stole second and scored the game-winning run.

“Two sophomores who have not played a ton of ball had a huge impact in today’s game, and a big part of that is because they look to the older girls and emulate them, and watch what they do,” the coach said. “The seniors are tremendous, and I’ll ride with them all day long. We might not have the greatest record, but we’re going to be a tough draw for somebody in the tournament.”

The Wolverines were scheduled to play four straight games this week, hosting Willoughby South, visiting Geneva, welcoming in Wickliffe and taking a visit to Berkshire.

“Be a Goldfish” Mantra Helps Wolverines Stay Positive

By alaN korNspaN sports@karlovEcmEdia com

West Geauga's Chris Chapin, who became the program's first varsity head coach in 2023, utilizes the “be a goldfish” mantra to instill a positive motivational climate.

The phrase, taken from television show Ted Lasso, happened early on when Coach Lasso's star player, Sam, is shown getting faked out in practice, giving up a goal.

Coach Lasso explained that goldfish are extremely happy because they have a 10 second memory.

He then tells Sam: “Be a goldfish.”

“They say the happiest animal in the world is a goldfish because it has a ten second memory and that’s what I tell (my team),” said Coach Chapin.

Added senior captain Bella Zaffiro, “We always have this one motto and it's “be a goldfish.” So, basically it's like if you mess up on the field, just forget about it, it's one time, it's five seconds of your life, and just keep playing, keep moving on with your life and keep working hard.”

Coach Chapin said that it is often not easy to implement the “be a goldfish” concept, but his players do a really good job of trying to apply this mantra.

To help his team stay positive and focused, Coach Chapin frequently reinforces the “be a goldfish” mantra throughout the season.

“I always tell them, forget the bad, celebrate the good, and good things will happen,” Coach Chapin said.

Utilizing the “be a goldfish” mantra aligns with Coach Chapin's overall goal which is for his athletes to become intrinsically motivated by helping them develop a passion and love for lacrosse.

“If they do that (become intrinsically motivated), I don't have to push them to play hard because they do that on their own,” said Coach Chapin. “I want them to enjoy themselves. At the end of the day, the reason they are out here is to have fun, and that's what we try to do. It's not about the winning, it's not about the losing, it's about enjoying yourself and having fun.”

Although the Wolverines have had a few setbacks to start the season, they have maintained a positive attitude, fueled by hard work, high team cohesion and the enjoyment

of working with their teammates to improve.

“It's been a really great season so far, we’re really close as a team this year which is always great,” said Zaffiro. “We've had a lot of players put in so much effort, especially at lot of new players. We have a couple new players playing varsity this year which is fantastic. We're so proud of everyone on the team.”

The Wolverines recorded their first victory of the season on April 9 at West Geauga High School against the Lakewood Rangers.

Coach Chapin said that the win over the Rangers was an excellent team victory.

Against the Rangers, leading the Wolverines to a 7-3 victory was Zaffiro with 4 goals. Also, scoring one goal each against the Rangers were senior Lizzie Fuerst, junior Maria Jones, and junior Liliana Colecchia.

Both Zaffiro and Colecchia have led the Wolverines this season in goals scored.

In fact, against the Cardinal Mooney Cardinals at West Geauga High School on April 15th, both Zaffiro and Colecchia demonstrated a “be a goldfish” mentality as they fought hard throughout the game.

Against the Cardinals, the Wolverines got behind early, 5-1, heading into the second quarter.

However, the Wolverines quickly utilzed their goldfish mentality and did not worry about the score.

Indeed, both Zaffirro and Colecchia both had hat tricks against the Cardinals and both scored their 10th goals of the season.

With a “be a goldfish” mentality the Wolverines are continuing to work hard and improve each week.

“The whole team is working hard, they’re improving every week, and that's all I tell them to do every time they walk on the field,” said Coach Chapin.

ALAN KORNSPAN/KMG

Senior Bella Zaffiro during the Wolverines’ 7-3 victory against the Lakewood Rangers.

Legal Notices

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate General Code, Sec. 11661 Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 23-F-000718

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss: THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, FKA THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS SUCCESSOR TO JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NA, AS TRUSTEE FOR HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE TRUST SERIES 20053 HOME EQUITY MORTGAGE PASSTHROUGH CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2005-3, Plaintiff vs. JEAN SULIK, 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 22nd day of May, 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 5th day of June, 2025 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Village of South Russell to wit:

Parcel No. 1:

Situated in the Village of South Russell, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: And known as being a part of Lot No. 10, Tract 3, now in the Village of South Russell, and further described as follows: Beginning at a point in the center line of Chillicothe Road, at the intersection of the Northerly line of said Lot No. 10, which is also the Northeasterly corner of a parcel of land conveyed to I. and H. Daykin, as recorded in Volume 217, Page 14, of Geauga County Records. Thence south 536.62 feet along the center line of said Chillicothe Road, to the principal place of beginning.

Course 1: Thence West 386.00 feet to a point; Course 2: Thence South 110.00 feet to a point; Course 3: Thence East 396.00 feet to the center line of said Chillicothe Road; Course 4: Thence North 110.00 feet along the center line of said Chillicothe Road to the principal place of beginning and containing 1.00 acres of land; be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Parcel No. 2:

Situated in the Village of South Russell, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: And known as being a part of Lot No. 10, Tract 3, now in the Village of South Russell, and further described as follows:

Beginning at a point in the center line of Chillicothe Road, at the intersection of the Northerly line of said Lot No. 10, which is also the Northeasterly corner of a parcel of land conveyed to I. and H. Daykin, as recorded in Volume 217, Page 14, of Geauga County Deed Records. Thence south 532.62 feet along the centerline of said Chillicothe Road, to the principal place of beginning. Course 1: Thence West 405.00 feet parallel to the Southerly bounder of a parcel of land surveyed by W.E. Holland Engineering Co. in May 1962 and which is also the Southerly boundary of a parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell as recorded in Volume 423, Page 732, Geauga County Deed Records to a point therein; Course 2: Thence South 114.00 feet, parallel to center line of said Chillicothe Road which is also the Easterly bounder of said parcel of land conveyed to R. I. Mitchell to a point therein; Course 3: Thence East 9.00 feet along the Southerly bounder of said Survey by W.E Holland Engineering Co. to a point therein which is also the Southwesterly corner of said parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell. Course 4: Thence North 110.00 feet parallel with the center line of said Chillicothe Road and along the said parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell to a point therein which is also the Northwesterly corner of the said parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell. Course 5: Thence East 396.00 feet parallel with said survey of W.E. Holland Engineering Co. and said southerly boundary of said parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell to a point in the center line of said Chillicothe Road, which point is also the Northeasterly corner of said parcel of land conveyed to R. and I. Mitchell. Course 6: Thence North 4.00 feet along the center line of said Chillicothe Road to the principal place of beginning. Containing 0.59 acres of land, being a little less than six-one-hundredths of one acre, more exactly 59,915 millionths of one acre; be the same more of less, but subject to all legal highways.

Parcel No. 3: Situated in the Village of South Russell, County of Geauga and State of Ohio: And known as being a part of Lot No. 10, Tract 3, now in the Village of South Russell, and further described as follows: From a starting point in the center line of Chillicothe Road, at the intersection of the Northerly line of said Lot No. 10, which is also the Northeasterly

corner of a parcel of land conveyed to I. and H. Daykin, as recorded in Volume 217, Page 25 of Geauga County Records and also being the principal place of beginning. Course 1: Thence West 405.00 feet along the Southerly line of the Lever property to a point which is also being the principal place of beginning. Course 2: Thence South 40.00 feet parallel with the center line of said Chillicothe Road which is also a straight line continuation of this Westerly line of the Lever property to a point. Course 3: Thence East 405.00 feet parallel with the Southerly line of the Lever property to a point in the center line of said Chillicothe Road. Course 4: Thence North 40.00 feet along the center line of said Chillicothe Road to the center line of said Chillicothe Road to the center line of said Chillicothe Road to the principal place of beginning, and containing 0.3719 acres of land, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Said Premises Located at: 5116 CHILLICOTHE ROAD, VILLAGE OF SOUTH RUSSELL, OH.

INSIDE APPRAISAL COMPLETED

Permanent Parcel Number: 29-054300; 29-054200; 29-054301

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 ($150,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($100,000.00). 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

Ann M. Johnson, attorney Apr24May1-8, 2025

NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING ON MOTION PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP

ZONING RESOLUTION

O.R.C. SECTION 519.12 (G)

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing on a motion which is an amendment, identified as number ZC-2025-3 to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution at the Chester Town Hall, located at 12701 Chillicothe Road, at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025. The motion proposing to amend the Zoning Resolution will be available for examination at the Chester Town Hall during regular office hours and available on the Chester Township website through all Public Hearings 2025. It is also available at: www.chestertwp.com/ upcoming-zoning-amendments/ Kim Bican, Administrative Assistant Apr24, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO

Case No. 25-M-000190 – 21ST Mortgage Corporation, Plaintiff vs. Unknown Heirs, Legatees and Devisees, if any, of Raymond P. Desantis, et al., Defendants. Unknown Heirs, Legatees, and Devisees, if any, of Raymond P. Desantis, whose last place of residence is unknown, will take notice that on March 18, 2025, 21st Mortgage Corporation, filed its Complaint on Action for Replevin in Case No. 25-M-000190 in the Court of Common Pleas Geauga County, Ohio, 100 Short Court, Suite 300, Chardon, OH 44024. alleging that Defendant Unknown Heirs, Legatees, and Devisees, if any, of Raymond P. Desantis may have an interest in the 1992 Redman Riverview model, manufactured home, Serial No. 112B0797, located at 13086 Kevin Lane, Chardon, Ohio 44204. 21st Mortgage Corporation, further alleges that Defendant Unknown Heirs, Legatees, and Devisees, if any, of Raymond P. Desantis has failed to remit the required monthly payments on the Contract for said manufactured home and is now in default of their obligations under the terms of the Contract. By virtue of the default, 21st Mortgage Corporation, is entitled to immediate and permanent of possession of said manufactured home.

21st Mortgage Corporation, prays that Defendant Unknown Heirs, Legatees, and Devisees,

if any, of Raymond P. Desantis be required to answer and set up his interest in said manufactured home or be forever barred from asserting the same, for default on the Contract, for 21st Mortgage Corporation’s immediate and permanent possession of said manufactured home, the commercially reasonable sale of said manufactured home, and the proceeds of said sale applied to the debt secured thereby, and for such other relief as is just and equitable.

UNKNOWN HEIRS, LEGATEES, AND DEVISEES, IF ANY, OF RAYMOND P. DESANTIS IS REQUIRED TO ANSWER ON OR BEFORE 28 DAYS AFTER THE LAST PUBLICATION OF THIS NOTICE.

By David J. Demers (0055423), Adam J. Bennett (0077831), Attorneys for Plaintiff, Cooke Demers, LLC, 260 Market Street, Suite F, New Albany, Ohio 43054. 614-9390930 (phone); 614-939-0987 (fax). Apr24 May1-8, 2025

NOTICE OF A PUBLIC HEARING ON MOTION PROPOSING TO AMEND THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

O.R.C. SECTION 519.12 (G)

Notice is hereby given that the Chester Township Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing on a motion which is an amendment, identified as number ZC-2025-2 to the Chester Township Zoning Resolution at the Chester Town Hall, located at 12701 Chillicothe Road, at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 15, 2025.

The motion proposing to amend the Zoning Resolution will be available for examination at the Chester Town Hall during regular office hours and available on the Chester Township website through all Public Hearings 2025. It is also available at: www.chestertwp.com/ upcoming-zoning-amendments/ Kim Bican, Administrative Assistant Apr24, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

Village of Burton

The Village of Burton Council will hold a Public Hearing at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 in Council Chambers on the second floor of the Burton Public Library located at 14588 West Park Street. Discussion will be held on a request from East Walden Properties, LLC (PPN 05-045315) to change the Zoning District from R-1 Suburban Residence to M-2 Industrial.

The public is welcome to discuss any questions or concerns during the hearing. Information for the proposed changes is available for inspection at the Village Office located on the second floor of the Burton Public Library. Jennell Dahlhausen, Fiscal Officer Apr24 May1, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICE

Village of Middlefield

Notice is hereby given that during the Council Meeting Public Hearing held on April 10, 2025, The Village of Middlefield passed the following legislation:

RESOLUTION 25-04 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MAYOR TO PREPARE AND SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE OHIO PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSION STATE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT AND / OR LOCAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM(S), TO EXECUTE CONTRACTS AS REQUIRED, AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY.

ORDINANCE 25-107 AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE EDITING AND INCLUSION OF CERTAIN ORDINANCES AS PARTS OF THE VARIOUS COMPONENT CODES OF THE CODIFIED ORDINANCES OF THE VILLAGE OF MIDDLEFIELD, OHIO.

The Complete Text Of These Resolutions And Ordinances May Be Viewed Or Obtained At The Office Of The Fiscal Officer, 14860 N. State Ave., Middlefield, Ohio During Regular Business Hours.

Cindy Naftzger, Administrative Asst. /Billing Clerk Apr24, 2025

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING APPEAL FOR VARIANCE TO CLARIDON TOWNSHIP ZONING RESOLUTION

Notice is hereby given that the Claridon Township Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing on an application, identified as number V25-1, on an appeal for a variance to the Claridon Township Zoning Resolution on the 8th day of May, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. at the Claridon Administration Building.

This application, submitted by Phil Smith, requests that a variance allowing a garage be built closer to the front property line than permitted by Section 401.07 of the Claridon Zoning Resolution be granted for the lot located at 135 Goredon Drive (PPN 13-069240). Chris Alusheff, Secretary Apr24, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

The Reconstruction of Various Roads Auburn Township, Geauga County, Ohio

Bids will be received by the Auburn Township Board of Trustees digitally via Bid Express® or in a sealed envelope at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024 by 10:00 AM local time on May 9, 2025 and read publicly at 10:05 AM local time at the above address.

The bid shall be let upon a unit price basis. The estimated cost for this project is $1,120,000.00. Proposal, plans, and specifications may be obtained from the following website: https:// www.bidexpress.com/. Bidders and subcontractors can view and download information free of charge. All digital Bidders must register with Bid Express® (allow time for processing). Submission of a digital bid requires a fee paid directly to Bid Express®. This fee is charged on a per bid or monthly basis. Paper bid documents are also available free of charge at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 153, the bid must be accompanied by an original sealed document (uploaded for digital bids) in the form of a bond for the full amount of the bid (100%). Otherwise, each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or letter of credit in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid amount pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1305. All digital Bidders must submit original documents within three (3) business days of the bid opening.

Bids may be held by the Auburn Township Board of Trustees for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from the date of opening, for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding the contract. The Auburn Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to 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 laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Auburn Township Board of Trustees. This legal notice is posted at the following website: https://www.geaugacountyengineer. org/projects-bids/legal-notices/. BY THE ORDER OF THE AUBURN TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES Daniel J. Matsko, Fiscal Officer Apr24, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

The Reconstruction of Various Roads Chester Township, Geauga County, Ohio

Bids will be received by the Chester Township Board of Trustees digitally via Bid Express® or in a sealed envelope at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024 by 10:00 AM local time on May 9, 2025 and read publicly at 10:10 AM local time at the above address. The bid shall be let upon a unit price basis. The estimated cost for this project is $970,000. Proposal, plans, and specifications may be obtained from the following website: https:// www.bidexpress.com/. Bidders and subcontractors can view and download information free of charge. All digital Bidders must register with Bid Express® (allow time for processing). Submission of a digital bid requires a fee paid directly to Bid Express®. This fee is charged on a per bid or monthly basis. Paper bid documents are also available free of charge at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024. Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 153, the bid must be accompanied by an original sealed document (uploaded for digital bids) in the form of a bond for the full amount of the bid (100%). Otherwise, each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or letter of credit in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid amount pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1305. All digital Bidders must submit original documents within three (3) business days of the bid opening. Bids may be held by the Chester Township Board of Trustees for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from the date of opening, for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding the contract. The Chester Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject

any and all bids, to 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 laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Chester Township Board of Trustees.

This legal notice is posted at the following website: https://www.geaugacountyengineer. org/projects-bids/legal-notices/.

BY THE ORDER OF THE CHESTER TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Patricia Jarrett, Fiscal Officer Apr24, 2025

HUNTSBURG TOWNSHIP

2025 ROAD MATERIALS BID

The Huntsburg Township Board of Trustees will receive sealed proposals until 2:00 p.m. on May 6, 2025, proposals will be opened and read aloud for the following road materials at 8:00 pm during the township meeting on May 6, 2025. Road materials included are #57, #67, #304, #411, #617 Limestone, #57 Steel and Light Slag and #4 Steel and Light Slag, washed #8 limestone, cold mix, asphalt grindings, cinders and salt, Materials are to be delivered on an as needed basis to our designated yard.

All bids are to be marked Road Materials Bid and sent to Huntsburg Township, P.O. Box 280, Huntsburg OH 44046. 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.

Michele A. Saunders, Fiscal Officer Apr24 May1, 2025

LEGAL NOTICE

The Resurfacing of Various Roads Russell Township, Geauga County, Ohio Bids will be received by the Russell Township Board of Trustees digitally via Bid Express® or in a sealed envelope at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024 by 10:00 AM local time on May 9, 2025 and read publicly at 10:12 AM local time at the above address.

The bid shall be let upon a unit price basis. The estimated cost for this project is $410,000. Proposal, plans, and specifications may be obtained from the following website: https:// www.bidexpress.com/. Bidders and subcontractors can view and download information free of charge. All digital Bidders must register with Bid Express® (allow time for processing). Submission of a digital bid requires a fee paid directly to Bid Express®. This fee is charged on a per bid or monthly basis. Paper bid documents are also available free of charge at the Geauga County Engineer’s Office, 12665 Merritt Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024.

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 153, the bid must be accompanied by an original sealed document (uploaded for digital bids) in the form of a bond for the full amount of the bid (100%). Otherwise, each bid must be accompanied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or letter of credit in the amount of ten percent (10%) of the total bid amount pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Chapter 1305. All digital Bidders must submit original documents within three (3) business days of the bid opening.

Bids may be held by the Russell Township Board of Trustees for a period not to exceed sixty (60) days from the date of opening, for the purpose of reviewing the bids and investigating the qualifications of Bidders, prior to awarding the contract. The Russell Township Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to 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 laws of the State of Ohio governing the conduct of the Russell Township Board of Trustees.

This legal notice is posted at the following website: https://www.geaugacountyengineer. org/projects-bids/legal-notices/.

BY THE ORDER OF THE RUSSELL TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Karen Walder, Fiscal Officer Apr24, 2025

ELECTION ISSUES

ISSUE # 2

NOTICE OF ELECTION

On Tax Levy in Excess of the Ten Mill Limitation Revised Code Sections 3501.11(G), 5705.19, 5705.25 Notice is hereby given that in pursuance of a Resolution of the Geauga County, Ohio, passed

on the 4th day of February, 2025, there will be submitted to a vote of the people at the Special Election to be held at the regular places of voting on Tuesday, the 6th day of May, 2025 the question of levying a tax, in excess of the ten-mill limitation:

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Geauga County Department on Aging for the purpose of providing or maintaining senior citizens services or facilities that the county auditor estimates will collect $3,330,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 1 mill for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $21 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for 5 years, commencing in 2025, first due in calendar year 2026.

The polls for the election will be open 6:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. on election day. BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OF GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO.

Dennis M. Pavella, Chair

Michelle D. Lane, Director Apr24 May1, 2025

ISSUE # 3

NOTICE OF ELECTION

On Tax Levy in Excess of the Ten Mill Limitation Revised Code Sections 3501.11(G), 5705.19, 5705.25

Notice is hereby given that in pursuance of a Resolution of the Geauga County, Ohio, passed on the 4th day of February, 2025, there will be submitted to a vote of the people at the Special Election to be held at the regular places of voting on Tuesday, the 6th day of May, 2025 the question of levying a tax, in excess of the ten-mill limitation:

A renewal of a tax for the benefit of Geauga County for the purpose of any operating or cap-

ital improvement expenditure necessary for support of children services and the care and placement of children that the county auditor estimates will collect $1,672,000 annually, at a rate not exceeding 0.5 mill for each $1 of taxable value, which amounts to $12 for each $100,000 of the county auditor’s appraised value, for 5 years, commencing in 2025, first due in calendar year 2026.

The polls for the election will be open 6:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. on election day.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OF GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO. Dennis M. Pavella, Chair Michelle D. Lane, Director Apr24 May1, 2025

ISSUE # 5 NOTICE OF ELECTION

On Local Option Question(s)

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to a petition, resolution, ordinance, or judgement entry filed with the Board of Elections of Geauga County, Ohio on the 9th day of January, 2025, there will be submitted to a vote of the electors of said precinct, at the Special Election to be held at the regular places of voting therein, on the 6th day of May, 2025, in the precinct designated as follows:

Precinct Huntsburg Township Precinct A

On the questions designated as follows:

Shall the sale of wine and mixed beverages and spirituous liquor be permitted by Serenity Winery, L.L.C, an applicant for an A-1-A liquor permit, who is engaged in the business of operating a winery/event venue at 16995 Chardon Windsor Road, Huntsburg (Huntsburg Township), OH 44046 in this precinct?

The polls for the election will be open 6:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. on election day.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OF GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO. Dennis M. Pavella, Chair Michelle D. Lane, Director Apr24 May1, 2025

ISSUE # 6

NOTICE OF ELECTION

On Local Option Question(s)

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to a petition, resolution, ordinance, or judgement entry filed with the Board of Elections of Geauga County, Ohio on the 9th day of January, 2025, there will be submitted to a vote of the electors of said precinct, at the Special Election to be held at the regular places of voting therein, on the 6th day of May, 2025, in the precinct designated as follows:

Precinct Huntsburg Township Precinct A

On the questions designated as follows:

Shall the sale of wine and mixed beverages and spirituous liquor be permitted for sale on Sunday by Serenity Winery, L.L.C an applicant for a D-6 liquor permit who is engaged in the business of operating a winery/event venue at 16995 Chardon Windsor Road, Huntsburg (Huntsburg Township), OH 44046 in this precinct?

The polls for the election will be open 6:30 a.m. and remain open until 7:30 p.m. on election day.

BY ORDER OF THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS, OF GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO.

Dennis M. Pavella, Chair

Michelle D. Lane, Director Apr24 May1, 2025

Geauga County Sheriff’s Report

The following is a sampling of the calls handled by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office April 11 to April 17, 2025.

CITIZEN DISPUTE

April 14

5:26 p.m., Essex Court, Claridon. Ongoing problems. Caller overheard the male screaming, swearing, and threatening the family. Is now outside shooting, making the caller uncomfortable. Stop and view the complainant's security footage, then make contact with the troublesome neighbor. Report taken.

PROPERTY DAMAGE

April 11

7:31 a.m., Ravenna Road, Newbury. Large bang last night around 9 p.m. hrs. Caller went out this morning and her window in her car had a brick thrown through it. A brick was thrown at the complainant's bathroom window and then at her vehicle. Damage to both windows. Follow up needed.

SUSPICIOUS

April 12

1:23 a.m., Aquilla Road, Burton. At about 1 a.m. a male knocked on the door with a

black cloth mask on saying he was there to collect a body. Male left. Unknown vehicle description. Could only see the rear lights. He said a "doctor sent him.” Caller didn't catch the name. Someone else stayed in the car. White male, black shoes, bomber jacket. Couldn't see which direction he went when he left. Caller states she heard him tell his partner they had the wrong address. Area checked OK, unable to locate the vehicle.

April 12

2:13 p.m., Aquilla Road, Burton. Spoke with deputy last night but would like to speak with a deputy today. Subject came to house last night with a mask on stating he was there to pick up the body. They were requesting information on the people that stopped at their house last night to pick up a dead body. I explained to them that the vehicle they were driving was not located.

April 15

8:42 p.m., Kinsman Road, Newbury. Master Mold B Building advised a delivery driver from Mangia Mangia saying they were dropping a salad off. Didn't order a salad, caller advised the salad has been

poisoned with a chemical. While deputy responded, the deputy made contact with Mangia Mangia. The employee confirmed they did deliver a side salad with ranch dressing to the listed address. Deputy spoke with, who advised he did not order a salad.-was informed of the deputies conversation with Mangia Mangia staff and he felt better the order was confirmed. Consumed the salad although he stated it tasted like diesel fuel. No sickness.

April 17

6:41 a.m., Kinsman and Peckham Road, Burton. East of Peckham, someone sleep under a tarp and there is a bike near him. Brothers sleeping. They were woken up and advised if the property owner did not want them there, they have to leave.

April 17

5:40 p.m., Chardon Road, Chardon. Customer came in bought something and became very irate. He left. Caller wanted a report. happened about 45 minutes ago. Caller also wants extra patrol in the area in case he comes back. African American wearing a "train conductor suit" like outfit. Late 60s/70s. Caller will be in a white pickup truck.

THEFT

April 17

11:39 a.m., Kinsman Road, Lobby, Newbury. In the lobby to report that someone broke into his business. Also reporting trespass-

ing and harassment and running around. Said his door was locked and tied up with a rope and when he got there the door was unsecure. Does not believe anything was taken, but someone broke in and would like extra patrol in the evenings/ overnight.

WEAPON OFFENSE

April 12

12:59 p.m., Old State Road, Claridon. Someone is shooting behind the listed address and the bullets are encroaching onto the caller's property. Deputies spoke with the complainant, who reported someone was shooting in the area. His children were playing in the backyard and stated they could hear rounds deflecting into his yard. He was unsure where the rounds were coming from. Deputies spoke with numerous neighbors and advised them of the complaint. Deputies were unable to determine where thre shooting was coming from.

April 15

2:42 p.m., Burrows Road, Ledgemont Elementary School, Thompson. Global Connections Academy says someone is shooting weapons (machine gun) not on school property but they never heard it so close. They are having dismissal. Residents were shooting safely. Deputy explained that children at school at dismissal time get "scared" of the gunshots. They were asked to be considerate neighbors.

Real Estate Transfers

Following is a list of real estate transfers for the period of April 14-17, 2025, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.

AUBURN TOWNSHIP

Juanita L. and Nathaniel E. Simpson, 11730 Colchester Drive, to James Robert Huefner, $730,000. (3.86 acres)

George M. Hopkins, 11195 Spiceberry Circle, to Joclene and Thomas Vanik, $560,000. (2.00 acres)

BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

US Bank Trust N.A. (trustee), 8625 Tanglewood Trail, to Anthony John and Anne Frances Huelsman, $410,000. (0.57 acres)

CHARDON CITY

Anne Marie Cooley, 111 Center St., to Stephanie Cordes and Charles Krejsa, $295,000. (0.47 acres)

Eric Payne, 416 N. Hambden St., to Quin Properties LLC, $155,000. (1.08 acres)

CHARDON TOWNSHIP

Lisa L. Ratliff, 10932 Thwing Road, to Patrick Shaughnessy, $173,000. (1.08 acres)

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Janusz W. Ostrowski, Heath Road, to Babejohn D. and Laura A. Kwasniak, $225,000. (17.90 acres)

HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP

Ronald Harry Hutter, 10482 Old State Road, to Ralph G. and Sallie M. Balsiger, $18,000. (1.91 acres)

MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP

Pete C. and Savannah W. Miller, 15485 Burton Windsor Road, to Mervin P. and Christina K. Miller (trustees), $400,000. (16.76 acres)

MUNSON TOWNSHIP

Karen Warberg, 10444 Mulberry Road, to Pioneer Land Buyers LLC, $23,500. (2.14 acres)

BOK Financial N.A. (trustee), 12310 Bean Road, to Andrew Ives and Julianna Dimarco, $279,000. (3.73 acres)

NEWBURY TOWNSHIP

Janjuha Gurnam Singh, 14724 Beechwood Drive, to Jeffrey A. Mandato and Sara L. Benyo, $190,600. (0.21 acres)

SOUTH RUSSELL VILLAGE

David E. and Samantha E. Evers, 115 Southwyck Drive, to Julia K. Bartell and Cameron Orzen, $515,000. (0.75 acres)

Olivia Jane Ware, 37 Sugar Bush Lane, to Kirk Bowersox and Gabriella Alessi Friedlander, $593,000. (1.00 acres)

AUTOS & PARTS

2002 Chevy Truck 4x4 Z71, runs, parts only, frame broke. $500. Text 440-313-1178.

FOR RENT

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.

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. 440221-0649.

Auburn: 1BR apartment, includes laundry room and attached garage. No pets. $1,050/mo. Call 440-2210649.

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 Dining Room Set for sale: Lifetime furniture. Table with leaf, 6 chairs, buffet, sideboard, China cabinet. Good condition. Call/text 440-223-9023.

Brand new 6-cube organizer with 4 cubes; $60. 3-pc coffee end table set, homemade rustic style; $160. 440-632-1415.

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.

Two burial plots at Western Reserve Memorial Gardens with full package: 2 vaults, 2 caskets, dual memorial headstone; $7,400. 440-476-0706. Lake View Cemetery, 4 burial plots total (2 double lots): Cemetery Price $10,100 per dbl. Asking $8,000 each dbl. 440-729-0070.

Large Boulders for landscaping. Inquire. 216-7897127.

Engine Hoist: 2 ton. w/8-ton long ram cylinder. $250. 440-487-2955.

Avon Cape Cod Glassware: 2 candlestick holders, 2 coffee mugs, condiment tray, 12 dessert dishes, 2-tier server. 440-286-4772.

Portable gas Troy-bilt generator: 5550 watts, rope start, $350. Kenmore dry dehumidifier: 70 pints, $75. Craftsman electric hedge trimmer: 25” blade, $25. 440-8341753.

Classifieds

Couch & Love Seat w/fitted covers. Good to Excellent shape. You haul it. Cash Only. $80 for the pair. Color: tan. 440-632-9675.

Antique Curio Cabinet: glass sides, glass door, mirror back, 8 adjustable shelves, 85” tall, 22” wide, 17” deep, Excellent Condition, very unique; $480. 440554-5731.

New white triple track Storm Windows: perfect for home & porch enclosures (7) 30-1/4x59-1/4 $95 each. George 440-336-5044.

GARAGE/ESTATE SALES

Mutli-Family Yard Sale: 4/29-4/30. 17071 Tavern Rd., Middlfield. Tools, Bolts, Hunting, Fishing, Propane Heater, Microwaves, Books, Household. Early Birds Welcome. Cash Only.

Wed 4/30 thru Sat 5/3, 9a-5p. 9347 Northstar Road, KIRTLAND. Dining table w/chairs, China cabinet, hospital bed, clothes, teacher aids, scrapbooking kits, kitchenware.

UNIQUE GARAGE SALES: Weekly April - Oct, 4 buildings, Thursday thru Saturday, 9am-5pm. $1 most items. Chardon Rt 608, east of Chardon. Something for everyone!

HELP WANTED

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.

HIRING DRIVERS for full time Amish work crews. Must be 25 or older and have a clean driving record. Please call 330-240-1895 or 330-219-8596.

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.

Rescue Cat: Handsome long-hair, orange, male, 2yrs old. Cuddler. Veterinary References Required. If interested call 216-789-7127.

MISCELLANEOUS

Free-Fact: over half Ohio’s children who enter foster care have parents who are drug addicts. Remember: 95 per cent of drug addicts started with marijuana.

REAL ESTATE

Local Investor will pay fair cash price for homes or land in any condition. Fast closing. Call or text 440-3460161 today.

Amish family looking for 5+ acres, with or without house, in North Burton and Claridon area. 330-647-5922.

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.

Ed’s Painting, Plastering & Power Washing: Quality Work. Reasonable Rates. Interior and Exterior. Call Ed today at 216-323-6744. Free Estimates!

Albert’s Complete Tree Service: 45+yrs experience! Competent in all aspects of Arboriculture, Forestry and Land Clearing. Also, Firewood, Excavation and Sewer Work. Free Estimates. 440-687-5404.

Team R Painting: We are here to meet all your interior and exterior painting needs! Give Jaden a call at 330531-3870 for your free quote today!

Don’t let all their hard work be wasted! SPED Teacher tutor for reading & writing this summer. $35 per hour. 440-636-2421.

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

Buying all Stanley Bailey planes. Call Karl at 440-8123392.

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.

Old fishing tackle wanted: fishing lures (wood or plastic), mouse to bear traps, wooden duck decoys. Call Lee 440-313-8331.

Motorcycles and parts wanted to buy, call Steve 440488-7924.