Wednesday, July 22, 2026 • Vol. 19 No. 4 • FREE
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Community News from Middlefield, Parkman, Huntsburg and Surrounding Areas
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Middlef ield Jake Bean Drafted By Hometown Guardians By Cameron Palmer sports@karlovecmedia.com For as long as he can remember, Jake Bean dreamed of hearing his name called in the Major League Baseball Draft. On July 13, that dream became reality when the Cleveland Guardians selected the former Cardinal High School standout in the 11th round with the 333rd overall pick. For Bean, the mo- Bean ment was even more special because it came from the organization he grew up rooting for. "It doesn't feel real. It's so freaking cool," Bean said. "When I got
the call and everything officially got finalized, I was a wreck. I started bawling my eyes out. "This is the coolest thing ever because it's one of those things that every kid dreams of for their whole life growing up when they play baseball. Then when it actually happens, it's like, 'Am I dreaming?' I'm so thankful for the Guardians for taking a chance on me. I'm really excited to get to work and show them what I can do. I'm fired up." The selection capped a whirlwind year that tested Bean in ways he had never experienced. After earning First Team
All-Mid-American Conference honors during two standout seasons at Kent State, Bean transferred to Louisville, hoping to prove himself in the ACC. Instead, he endured the most difficult season of his baseball career, finishing with a 10.29 ERA across 35 innings. Rather than allowing the struggles to derail his professional aspirations, Bean embraced the lessons that came with them. "I didn't have a very good season, and I struggled quite a bit there," Bean said. "But it was one of those things where I learned a lot about myself as a pitcher. I learned how to handle adversity and work through the struggle when you're not doing well.
"I'm very thankful for my time there. I loved it. That whole season really taught me a lot about myself, who I am as a person, and who I am as a player. It taught me how to work through the struggles and through the hard times and keep my head up and stay positive." Despite the numbers, Bean's potential continued to attract professional scouts. Shortly after Louisville's season ended, he received an invitation to the MLB Draft Combine in Arizona. "I got lucky and received an invite to the combine and went out to Arizona for five days," Bean said. "That was such a cool experience to be around all the top players in the country. I interviewed with See Bean • Page 3
Planning Commission Advances Heritage Pointe Phase Two By Ann Wishart ann@karlovecmedia.com Construction of the model home in the first phase of Heritage Pointe subdivision in Middlefield Village is slated for completion by July 21, with sales of the first 39 lots anticipated to begin about a month later, according to the developer. Hot on the heels of the first phase, Middlefield Village Planning and Zoning Commission voted July 7 to recommend for council’s review preliminary plans for the second phase of the development. The drawing shows 37 new homes south of the Walmart Supercenter at 15050 Harrington Way. Village Zoning Inspector John Boksansky said village council must still approve the preliminary plans for Phase Two. Meadowlake Properties LLC See Heritage Pointe • Page 6
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Bob Voss of Chester Township won the black Chevy Silverado donated by Preston Auto Group of Burton Village during the Burton-Middlefield Rotary Club’s 2026 Maple Splash event July 11.
$16K Jackpot, New Truck Highlight Maple Splash Staff Report The Burton-Middlefield Rotary Club drew a record crowd to Century Village Museum in Burton Village July 11 for its seventh an-
nual Maple Splash Raffle and Community Festival. The free, family-friendly event raised thousands of dollars that will directly fund local nonprofit organizations and community ini-
tiatives throughout Geauga County, said Maple Splash Raffle Chairman Larry Fox in a press release. More than 100 prizes were donated for the basket raffle, and See Maple Splash • Page 6
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