Lorain County Community Guid 4-11-24

Though the experience lasted less than four minutes, those who viewed it said the feeling would be with them for a lifetime.

“That was the coolest thing I have seen in my entire life,” Cindy Walker, who traveled to Avon Lake from Minneapolis, said.

“… I didn’t realize how beautiful it would be, it took my breath away. It was like rings, your phone couldn’t even capture it. You literally have to see it because I can’t even explain it. It was emotional.”

The feeling may need to last a lifetime for many, as the next total solar eclipse to grace the U.S. will not be until 2044, while Ohio will not have another until 2099 and Lorain County will not again be in the path of totality until 2444.

Totality is the stage at which the moon completely blocks out the sun and the

“Do you take your fiance to be your lawfully wedded husband?” Around them, the sky slowly darkened despite it being the middle of the afternoon.

“I do.”

Above them, a sliver of the sun remained.

“And do you take your fiancée to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

A last burst of sunlight before a ring appeared in the sky.

“I do.”

Cheers erupted throughout the fairgrounds as the moment of totality hit. Meanwhile, newlyweds Katelynn Masters and Daniel Lashley beamed.

“I am originally from Clarksville, Tennessee, and when we were looking for an event to go to we were looking at northern Ohio and found this fair,” Masters said. “Well, while we were looking through the flyer I saw that they had an opportunity for a marriage ceremony and so we kind of looked at each other and said, ‘Should we do it?’ and he said,

‘Why not?’ and it’s been a whirlwind ever since.”

The couple has been together for over a year having met at a factory job in Alliance, Ohio. While both have already experienced one eclipse, Masters said this one is extra special.

“I mean getting married is already a once-in-a-lifetime event, many people say, but to get it done while a solar eclipse is happening really seals the deal,” she said. “Hopefully, this is the start of something extra special for us both. A chance to settle down, build a house with some land and have another kid or two.”

The Lashleys and two other couples, Michelle Jameson and Matthew Jackson and Justin and Tiffany Saya, all took the plunge, marrying during the moment of totality Monday at Solarfest.

Jeff Shelton, a retired Wellington Police lieutenant, officiated the ceremony. Shelton said he has been officiating weddings for 15 years, but Monday was his first time during an eclipse.

“It’s a really neat idea,” Shelton said. “I know our three couples are very excited.”

While the Lashleys and the Jacksons were saying their “I dos” for the first time, the Sayas took the option to renew their vows.

“We are originally from the Tampa area and came out here to enjoy the eclipse,” Justin Saya said. “When I saw they were doing a marriage ceremony and were inviting people to get married and/or renew their vows we said, ‘Why not, let’s do it.’”

Justin and Tiffany were joined by their children: 9-year-old Emberson, 16-yearold Justin and 14-year-old Isabella. The opportunity was also unique for Michelle Jameson and Matthew Jackson, albeit a little nerve-wracking.

“We were actually supposed to get married tomorrow by the mayor of Wellington but Matthew was talking to him and he told us about the opportunity to get married here so we looked at each other and said ‘Why not?’”

sun’s corona, its colorful outer atmosphere, is visible.

Suzie Dills, director of the HooverPrice Planetarium in Canton, served as the event’s guide to the eclipse, walking attendees through the process they were about to experience and instructing them on what to do.

Dills said she has explained the process hundreds of times but no amount of knowledge or explanation could have prepared her for her first in-person viewing of a total eclipse, an experience she shared with most of the attendees on Monday.

“It is so hard to put into words,” she said.

“All we do is show slides and pictures, and talk about it, talk about it, you know, this is what’s gonna happen. But to be in that moment is unbelievable.

Dills described the beauty of the “diamond ring” that occurs as the sun is fully eclipsed and it turns instantly to a twilight feeling but again said the phenomenon cannot be wholly explained with words or even photos.

She said that the fact the sky was clear enough to clearly see the eclipse, as well as Venus and Jupiter appearing in the sky during it, was a blessing.

“As astronomy educators, we have been talking about this thing for the last two years and just getting people psyched for See THOUSANDS, A2

It went on without a hitch

Dave

The Community Guide

Eclipse 2024 passed over Lorain County with fewer-than-expected visitors and no hiccups, emergency management officials, first responders and local officials said.

Dave Freeman, director of the Lorain County Emergency Management Agency, reported no problems or issues in the county.

And the weather cooperated, with good views despite fears of cloud cover or bad weather.

“It was very, very quiet, which was a good thing for us … The eclipse was beautiful, there were just not as many people as expected” coming to Lorain County to see it, he said.

Traffic appeared to clear out quickly once totality was over, said Freeman, whose agency was watching the crowds at several locations with drones and tracking traffic using the Ohio Department of Transportation’s OHGO traffic monitoring system.

He said he saw a Montana license plate on Monday. Other eclipse tourists came from as far away as California, Colorado, Florida and New Jersey, based on license plates seen in the area.

Freeman said he didn’t know if there would ever be an accurate count for eclipse tourism to Lorain County, though he said he would reach out to organizers of planned events and see how many people signed up at each location.

Mostly clear skies and warmer temperatures may have brought more people out to enjoy the day, Freeman said. Most schools and government buildings were closed or on reduced hours.

BRUCE BISHOP / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Thousands flocked here to see the eclipse in the path of totality, the narrow track stretching from Texas to Maine that we were in, where the total solar eclipse was visible. Outside the path, there was a partial eclipse.

Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide WELLINGTON — It started with the temperature change. A slight breeze blew over the Solarfest guests at the Lorain County Fairgrounds on Monday.

Richard ‘Dick’ Hayden Bromund

Richard ‘Dick’ Hayden Bromund, husband of Virginia Carol Bussert Pett and emeritus Professor of Chemistry at the College of Wooster, in Wooster, Ohio, passed away Friday, March 15, 2024, at the age of 83.

Richard was born in Oberlin, Ohio, April 28, 1940, to Werner Hermann Bromund and Elizabeth H. Bacon Bromund, where Werner was a professor of analytical chemistry at Oberlin College from 1937 to 1975. Richard earned a Bachelors Degree in chemistry at Oberlin College, studying under his father, he received a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry in 1968 from The Pennsylvania State University. Richard married Linda Eleanor Wolf in 1962, they had two children, Theodore ‘Ted’ Richard Bromund, and Nicola Kristin Bromund. Richard and Linda divorced in 1995.

For 39 years Richard was a faculty member of the Department of Chemistry at The College of Wooster. He regularly taught Analytical Chemistry, Instrumental Analysis, Environmental Chemistry, Introduction to Independent Study, Introductory College Chemistry, and First Year Seminar. He had six research leaves and supervised 119 senior research students. His dedication to students, his expertise with a wide variety of chemical instrumentation, and his willingness to assist his colleagues will be remembered. As ‘Building Shepherd’ during the 1998-99 renovation and addition to Severance Hall, he was the liaison between faculty, administration, and builders for this project, helping to make the facility a smoothly functioning instrument for chemistry education.

In 2000 Richard married Virginia Bussert Pett, Robert E. Wilson Professor of Chemistry at the College. Richard retired from the College in 2006, followed by Virginia in 2009. Richard and Virginia travelled widely together, while continuing his family tradition of spending part of each summer at the Bromund family cabin in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. They lived in Wooster, remaining active in the college community, until they moved to Asheville, North Carolina in 2018 to be closer to Virginia’s daughter Kate Pett, her husband Vince Floriani, Jr., and their two children, Gabriel and Juliana.

Richard is survived by his wife Virginia; his sister, Marylee; his son, Ted; Ted’s wife Erica Munkwitz; Richard’s daughter, Nicola; Nicola’s daughter, Mara Francis Wolf Cavanagh; Nicola’s husband, MJ Cavanagh; Virginia’s children, Janice Lee Pett Ritchey; Janice’s children, Cara Lynne Ritchey Jones, Chase Allen Ritchey, and Kate Anne Pett; Kate’s husband, Vince; Kate’s children, Juliana and Gabriel; Brian T. Pett, and Brian’s wife Racquel.

Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to the ‘Thomas A. Sanborn and Richard H. Bromund Endowed Fund in Chemistry’ at The College of Wooster at https://wooster. edu/give/wooster-priorities/, or to New Hampshire Lakes at https://nhlakes.app.neoncrm.com/forms/donate.

William ‘Bill’ Clair Norton

William ‘Bill’ Clair Norton, 75, of Oberlin, passed away Friday, January 19, 2024 at Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center.

He was born March 13, 1948 in Elyria, Ohio to William Ernest and Susanna (Kovach) Norton.

Bill was a US Navy Vietnam Veteran and proudly served aboard the USS Forrestal from 1966-1969. He was last employed at Catania Medallic Specialty in Avon Lake until disabled in 1999. Bill loved going to car shows and showing his 1993 Ford Thunderbird, going to county fairs, and was a longtime fan of the Michael Stanley Band.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth ‘Beth’, who was his caregiver; his sisters, Sandra (Gary) Bacher of North Ridgeville, and Rebecca (Dale) Guthman of Avon Lake; five nieces; and one nephew.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Linda (David) Walden.

Bill’s cremation was handled by Cowling Funeral Home of Oberlin. His Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 13, 2024 at 11 a.m. at Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church at 32747 Lake Rd, Avon Lake, Ohio.

As there was no life insurance, in lieu of flowers, if you would like to help with funeral costs, a GoFund Me account has been set up. Search for ‘William C Norton Memorial’ or visit William C Norton Memorial, organized by Elizabeth Norton.

We are thankful for all the support we have received during this difficult time.

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it,” Dills said. “I am just so happy everybody got to see it.”

Many people did join Dills in viewing the event, as Avon Lake sold over 2,500 tickets ahead of time and Parks and Recreation Director Erin Fach said several hundred more attendees walked up and bought tickets at the gate.

Fach celebrated the clear skies and said he felt the event really showed the best of the city.

“Really all I can say is it was a great day for Avon Lake,” he said.

In the immediate aftermath of totality, as the sun was still reemerging, onlookers struggled to put their experience into words but knew it had been special.

Avon Lake was on the centerline of totality for the April 8 total solar eclipse and word seemed to have gotten out across the country that the city was one of the best places in America to view the phenomenon.

Jeremy and Tarshree Knox are from Raleigh, North Carolina, and visited family in the Cleveland area while preparing to view the eclipse.

Jeremy Knox said he and his wife had viewed the 2017 eclipse and decided at that moment that they wanted to see as many as they could.

“When we saw that we said, no matter what, any time there’s one in the United States we’re gonna travel,” Jeremy Knox said.

“And I said oh, what better way to go see the grandparents than to combine it with the total solar eclipse.”

Joining them were the two newest members of the Knox family, their 9-month-old twin daughters Reyah and Reyn.

“I wanted to make sure that they’re here, so they can say they experienced one of those two eclipses that came across the U.S.,” Jeremy Knox said of his daughters.

Two others who were converted into eclipse chasers by the event in

2017 were Lawanda Jones of Virginia and Tamara Tedeeva of Windsor, Canada.

The pair had gotten a partial view of that eclipse while together in Canada and decided to make eclipse viewing their not-quite-annual tradition.

Both said the experience of a full solar eclipse was much more impactful than the partial they’d seen.

“You can see pictures of it, or see it on TV, but it is just completely different to see it with your own eyes,” Jones said.

Tedeeva was impressed by the event put on by the city of Avon Lake, remarking on how safe and comfortable she felt and how friendly everyone she spoke to was.

While many attendees said experiencing one eclipse made them willing to travel for another, Tedeeva and Jones take that commitment a step further than most.

Jones said that the duo are already considering the idea of traveling to northern Africa to view the planet’s next total solar eclipse in 2027.

One group of onlookers was using the eclipse as a sort of family reunion, as brothers Frank, John and Joe Erker, all originally from Long Island, gathered in Avon Lake.

Frank still lives on Long Island and John lives in Chagrin Falls but it was Joe Erker, a professor of physics and math at an Arizona community college, who focused their annual get-together around the eclipse.

“It’s really cool,” Frank Erker said. “We usually time our visits around something that’s happening, not that we need much of an excuse, but it’s cool and it adds to the experience.”

Cindy Walker and her husband Matt Walker had also used the chance to see the eclipse as a chance to reconnect, as they had met with their co-workers Josh Montellano, of Chicago, and Wayne Wood of Oberlin at the event.

The group occasionally meets up in Chicago to get together but they said after realizing Wood lived so close to the

centerline of the eclipse they would visit him to see it.

“If you don’t take advantage of this opportunity to drive, only 10 hours, you don’t deserve to see it,” Matt Walker said. “I’ve seen partials before, and they were nothing like that.”

Montellano said that what struck him was the full-body experience of the eclipse, from the sounds of the crowd and wildlife to the drop in temperature eclipses cause, which NASA experts have told The Chronicle is about 10 degrees.

“It’s everything, how much the temperature drops, the eeriness of it,” he said.

The Walkers had also brought their daughters Saylor and Emersyn, who seemed to freeze during totality, huddling in a blanket and captivated by the event before returning to the normal horseplay of kids as the sun returned.

Matt Walker said that he found the experience was one best explained using metaphors that ancient humans would have, not having known what was actually happening.

“Ancient peoples would say things like, the moon god is eating the sun god, and he dies and is reborn,” he said. “And you see (the sun) come back and people are cheering and they don’t even know why.”

A sense of connection to the past, an almost innate feeling that the eclipse was meaningful, was a common thread among viewers on Monday.

“The biggest thing about it is you hear about eclipses in the Bible and all this religious context, and when you finally witness it you understand why the ancients were so infatuated with these types of events,” Jeremy Knox said.

“That they’re omens and all those things. Everything is gonna go dark, it’s gonna get real cold and all the nighttime animals will come out.

It’s insane to see that for four minutes straight.”

Some who traveled to the shores of Lake Erie to view the event were experienced eclipse chasers or astronomy hobbyists.

A sense of connection to the past, an almost innate feeling that the eclipse was meaningful, was a common thread among viewers on Monday.

Bromund Norton

BRUCE BISHOP / CHRONICLE PHOTOS

Lawanda Jones, of Virginia, and Tamara Teedeva, of Windsor, Canada, enjoy the moments after the eclipse as the sun brightens the Avon Lake football field.

Marching Comets get a new director

Comets will have a new band director this summer as Kyle Burr takes the helm of the high school marching band.

Burr, a native of Northeast Ohio, is an Avon Lake graduate. He earned his bachelor’s in music education from Baldwin Wallace University in 2023, according to a news release.

While at Baldwin Wallace, Burr served as president of the Ohio Collegiate Music Education Association and played tuba in both the symphonic and wind ensemble.

“I am tremendously excited to join the Amherst community and even in the short time I have been around, it is clearly evident how families value music education here,” Burr said.

“My commitment is to continue the tradition of excellence those before me have worked so hard to build, while at the same time forging a bold path forward for future

The Community Guide AMHERST — An Amherst man was charged with felonious assault after a car was shot in Amherst early on Tuesday, April 2. Lavelle Lewis, 29, was charged with felonious assault in connection with the

Eat like a soldier at ‘Taste of History’

The Taste of History will be held on Friday, June 14, and Saturday, June 15, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Avenue.

It’s not only free to get in, it’s also free to get to. There will be a shuttle and parking at Amherst Junior High School 548 Milan Avenue.

A unique Military Living History event with a fun spin, focusing on the food and rations that were fed to soldiers across all eras.

You can sample military chow through the ages for a donation. Enjoy military displays, shooting demonstrations, home front and camp follower displays, kids’ activities and vendors.

Last year, more than 2,500 people attended and this year is expected to be even bigger.

Field kitchens will compete and offer samples of period meals to attendees.

Last year, the Revolutionary War kitchen won Best Taste, Best Display and Best Overall, and the German PW kitchen won The People’s Choice!

The historical society is also looking for static displays from all eras. This is a great opportunity to share your individual or unit’s impressions with a curious and engaged public. There will also be military surplus and historical vendors.

To register as a Reenactor, Field Kitchen or Vendor, go to: https://www.mhpg.us/ tasteofhistory. Reenactor and Field Kitchen registration is free. Vendor registration is $50. f

For more information, please contact the Amherst Historical Society at (440) 988-7255 or email office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org

Comets.”

Burr was previously director of bands at St. Edward High School in Lakewood. He led the St. Edward Marching Eagles to earn superior ratings at all OMEA events, including state finals.

Burr is also a tuba alumnus of Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, a professional marching band that is a part of Drum Corps International.

Outgoing Amherst Band Director Christopher Barbaro said he is excited to welcome the new director.

“I am very excited that we can begin working on the transition,” Barbaro said.

“I am stepping over into the junior high role and he is coming in as the high school director, so I will be there to help with the transition process.”

Burr will officially take over the position in July when band camp begins for the students.

Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 328-6902 or lhoffman@chroniclet.com.

shooting of an occupied vehicle near Lincoln Street and Cleveland Avenue

Kentucky Derby Night at the Races May 4

The Amherst Historical Society presents A Kentucky Derby Night at the Races on Saturday, May 4, 2024, at the Amherst Eagles 1442, 1161 Milan Ave.

Doors open at 5 p.m.

Races begin at 6 p.m.

The Kentucky Derby Race begins at 6:57 p.m.

It is $15 a person. Tickets must be bought in advance. There will be no ticket sales at the door.

Please RSVP by April 26 to 440-988-7255 or email office@amhersthistoricalsociety.org

Ther will be $2 wager races, dinner, cash bar and basket raffles.

Prizes will be awarded for the best Derby hats and attire

Library events

Watercolor Pencils and More

Join the Amherst Public Library on Monday at 12:30 p.m. for the second monthly Watercolor Pencils and More Art Workshop with local artist and instructor Mary Jo Clark.

Adults can enjoy learning new skills and techniques during this creative workshop where all skill levels are welcome.

Registration is required and students will need to bring their own supplies.

Required supply list: a set of watercolor pencils, pink erasers, a #8 round Taklon brush, a natural sponge, a half-inch foam brush, and an ultra-fine Sharpie or 0.02 Micron pen, and 140 lb. watercolor paper.

Seed Swap and Planting Workshop

Join the Amherst Public Library on Monday at 6:30 p.m. for a Seed Swap and Seed Planting Workshop with the Amherst Garden Club.

Learn about seed planting and saving basics, with all supplies provided to plant and start seeds to grow in your garden or yard this spring.

Attendees must register and are welcome to bring seeds and seedlings to swap but it is not required.

Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide

AMHERST — The Amherst Marching

Wellington supt. candidates meet and greet

candidates to fill the superintendent spot this upcoming school year following the retirement announcement of current Superintendent Ed Weber back in December.

According to Weber in a release sent out to all staff, the Ohio School Boards Association has finished its initial interviewing process for the position and has invited

If cosplay is all about choosing which universe best captures your spirit, FAN EXPO Cleveland is the coming-out party.

And in Northeast Ohio, there’s no better affair than the annual FAN EXPO Cleveland, which returns Friday through Sunday at the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland.

Having seen just about everything is comic-con guest veteran Billy Boyd, who in the early aughts appeared in a trio of blockbuster “The Lord of the Rings” films.

“There’s been some absolute crackers,” said Boyd, calling from Toronto. “Honestly, you wouldn’t believe some of the cosplays. People sometimes mix genres as well. So you get like a sexy-looking Gandalf and then people will mix fandom as well.

“So you’ll have an Aragorn who went to Gryffindor. That kind of thing is fun as well. The cosplay, over the years, at comic-cons just changed completely. You can go and spend the whole day enjoying the cosplays.”

four finalists back for second-round interviews.

“As part of this process, the Board of Education has decided to hold an event at Westwood to meet our four candidates,” Weber said. “We are hoping the community and our district staff will take this opportunity to have their voices heard on the process.”

Time frames were set aside for meet and greets with each of the candidates for both staff and the public Tuesday. A final deci-

sion on the chosen candidate is expected to come within days after the meet-and-greet Weber said.

“Community interaction as we choose our next educational leader is vital,” he said. The four candidates chosen are Michael King, Bryan Drost, Andrew Peltz and Sean Patton. While the district has not provided any additional details on any of the candidates, Weber said he is sure they are all the best of the best.

“The Ohio School Boards Association has done a wonderful job vetting and finding people for this position,” Weber said.

“I have confidence that we are looking at four very good final candidates to be our district’s next leader.”

“Thank you for your dedication to the students in our district,” Weber said to his staff. “This is an extremely important time for our community.”

immediately to being like an 8-year-old boy in the bath believing I could breathe underwater. I totally thought I could and I kept it as my own secret.”

If we’re telling secrets, here’s one regarding those “The Lord of the Rings” fans who maybe, ahem, (asking for a friend), didn’t necessarily care for the recent Amazon Prime Video series “The Rings of Power.”

The upcoming Rock Hall City date finds Boyd appearing with the “four hobbits” Elijah Wood, Sean Astin and Dominic Monaghan from “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy Boyd also is remembered for his appearance in “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” which he feels is similar in spirit to the J. R. R. Tolkien series.

“When movies are made from passion, they’re always something special that stays with you,” he said. “Peter Weir, who directed ‘Master and Commander,’ was very passionate about showing what life would’ve been like during the Napoleonic War.

“It has passion and it feeds into everybody else’s passion. That’s exactly the same thing that happened with Peter Jackson and

‘The Lord of the Rings.’”

This year’s pop culture-centric FAN EXPO Cleveland features a star-studded lineup including Danny Trejo (“Machete,” “From Dusk Till Dawn”), legendary director Sam Raimi, Rose McGowan (“Charmed”), Randy Quaid (“National Lampoon,” “Kingpin”), Matthew Lewis (“Harry Potter”) and Jason Lee (“My Name is Earl,” “The Incredibles”). There are also guest appearances by celebrities, voice-over

Guide

NPB’s Peter Pan presents a unique take on J.M. Barrie’s 1904 story of the adventures of Peter and Wendy in a fantastical land of fairies and pirates. Featuring flying effects, live verbal and sign language narration, professional ballet dancers, and thrilling theatrical elements, Peter Pan’s audience members will be swept into the magic of Neverland.

Participants from NPB’s A Chance to Dance program for dancers of diversability will join

the cast during a special Sensory-Friendly matinee on Saturday, May 4. NPB’s Sensory-Friendly performances provide accommodations to reduce loud sounds and adjust dramatic lights, provide a space for taking a sensory break, and allow for a relaxed theater environment.

North Pointe Ballet created and presented this work for the first time at the Lorain Palace Theatre in May 2018. For this reprised production, North Pointe Ballet is reviving its partnership with the Friendship Animal Protective League of Lorain

County. This partnership includes a live, adoptable dog being featured in the performance and a canned pet food drive at the theater throughout the weekend’s performances. In addition, NPB will donate $1 of every performance to the Saturday, May 4 evening performance to the Friendship APL.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting NPB’s website: northpointeballet.org/peterpan or by phone: 440-9734830 (North Pointe Ballet office). Questions about tickets can be directed to boxoffice@northpointeballet.org.

actors and comic creators. Boyd admitted he often fanboys when appearing at comic-cons.

“I’m a fan of ‘Star Trek,’ especially ‘The Next Generation,’” he said. “Also, I was at a convention last year and Patrick Duffy was there. He’s obviously a big ‘Dallas’ star, but there was a TV show he was in called ‘Man from Atlantis’ where he could swim like a fish and breathe underwater. “When I was a boy, I loved that show. When Patrick was next to me singing stuff, it took me back

Thankfully, Boyd said all are welcome to enter and leave the Tolkien universe as needed.

“Tolkien is huge,” he said.

“I see it as one of my great sort of blessings in life that I got to be part of Tolkien’s world now. He has inspired so much art. I really enjoyed the Amazon show, and I’m looking forward to the next one, but you can choose. That’s all right. Go to the one you like. Tolkien left us with this incredible universe. You choose the part that you want.”

Lauren Hoffman The Community Guide WELLINGTON — Wellington Schools has named its final four

Lauren Hoffman Community

John Benson The Community Guide

This year’s FAN EXPO Cleveland will feature Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan and Elijah Wood who played hobbits in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.

Administrator Joe Price suspended

Grafton Village Administrator Joe Price has been placed on leave pending multiple investigations into employee complaints, Mayor Charles Duke said.

Duke said that he suspended Price with pay on Wednesday in response to a number of complaints against Price by current and former employees.

“There’s several investigations going on right now, if you want to call them investigations-slashlitigations, with the Ohio Ethics Commission and the Ohio Civil Rights Commission,” Duke said Wednesday.

The Ethics Commission does not confirm the existence of ongoing investigations, but The Chronicle-Telegram has requested public records from both organizations.

Employees can file claims with the Civil Rights Commission for a

variety of issues including race, color, gender, religion, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status or in retaliation for engaging in a protected activity.

Duke did not disclose the nature of the claim made to the Civil Rights Commission.

Price did not respond to requests for comment left on Wednesday.

Price was present and participating as village administrator during the Grafton Village Council meeting on Tuesday night, the day before his suspension.

Duke said he could not go into detail about the specific claims against Price “as of yet” because there was pending litigation. “I want to wait to see how it pans out and I don’t want to impair the investigation at all,” he said.

However, Duke did say that the city was facing seven complaints or investigations across three city departments related to Price.

Duke also said that one 46-year employee of the village filed a complaint over alleged discrimination and a hostile work environment.

He said the Ethics Commission had already determined the employee faced a hostile work environment within the village administration.

“I’ve got all these other (complaints) that are piggy-backed off that and the common denominator throughout all of that was Mr. Price,” Duke said. “So I acted, and I did what I felt was responsible.”

Duke defeated former Mayor David DiVencenzo in the election last November, and said after taking office he inherited a number of complaints against Price he felt

he had to act on.

“Most of these suits were carried over from the former administration,” he said. “... the guys were just, they were tired of it and they filed their complaints.”

DiVencenzo, who had originally appointed Price, said that he had been aware of complaints against Price, but did not feel that there was anything warranting his suspension or removal.

“I don’t think there’s any validity to any complaints against Mr. Price that predates the administration,” said DiVencenzo, who was mayor for eight years. “Everything that was going on was either in litigation that we couldn’t comment on or never really amounted to anything that was actionable to Council or the administration.”

Duke said he had spoken with his recently appointed Law Director R.J. Budway and outside legal counsel about the complaints.

“I was advised by two outside

legal counsels, as well as my own legal counsel, that I need to be doing something, so that (suspension) was the course of action that I took,” he said. “I had to do something. … The former administration did nothing, that’s why we’re in the pickle we’re in.”

To remove Price, Duke would need to get the support of the Village Council to approve his firing.

Duke said he would wait until all investigations were resolved until making a decision about Price’s future with the village. “I don’t want to condemn anybody,” Duke said. “I want the investigations to legally play through, and it’s only fair. That’s why I suspended (Price) with pay, I’m not going to sit here and be the judge, jury and hangman.” Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@ chroniclet.com.

Oberlin expands free transit rides within the city

Lauren Hoffman

The Community Guide

OBERLIN — Oberlin City Council voted to expand free public transit within the city. Florida company SLIDR LLC has been tapped to provide the city with two new all-electric, 11-passenger micro-transit vans that will run along a fixed route in the city, Carrie Porter, director of planning and development, said.

The decision Monday came as increased ridership on the existing Oberlin Connector transit bus service has caused longer wait times and less availability.

“Ridership has grown greatly in the last two years

and the connector bus is not in Oberlin as frequently as it once was because riders are scheduling the bus to go outside of Oberlin,” Porter said. “As a result, Oberlin residents that rely on public transit are finding that their needs are not being met.”

Under the contract, the SLIDR will provide one year of service with the option to extend the term for three additional periods of one year each. The service will cost the city around $124,000 for the first year and around $130,000 for the second year of service if the city decides to expand the pilot program. “The city of Oberlin has with federal transit grant dollars.”

The Oberlin Connector has existed in the city for the past 14 years as part of a collaboration between the city and Lorain County Transit. This new route is expected to continue that partnership.

“We are proposing to add a fixed route service to provide local trips within Oberlin city limits that will

County gets clean 2022 audit

Lorain County received a clean audit for its finances in 2022, with only a few recommendations to improve reporting on how federal money provided to the county is spent.

State Auditor Keith Faber’s office released the county’s 311-page audit for 2022 on Thursday. There were no “findings for recovery,” which means the audit didn’t find any county money was spent improperly.

Still, the state auditor recommended drafting and keeping a list of

procedures and process to ensure proper compliance with awards to American Rescue Plan Act funding recipients. That work was anticipated to be completed by September 2023.

Lorain County received more than $60 million in ARPA funding for postCOVID-19 pandemic response in 2021. Some of that was used to make up for revenue lost during the pandemic, while other money was spent to aid small businesses and nonprofits affected by the pandemic.

be free for all riders,” Porter said. “The fixed route will operate from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and take approximately 30 minutes to complete.”

While an exact route has not been set in stone, Linda Arbogast, city sustainability director, said it is anticipated to hit several key locations. Only one bus will run at a time, Arbogast said, so that the second bus can remain charged in case of emergencies. “SLIDR will install a fast charger at the OAEC to charge vehicles used,” Arbogast said. “Not only will it charge the buses in as little as 30 minutes, it also helps the city achieve its climate action plan goal of electrifying transportation.” SLIDR will oversee the hiring process of local drivers as well as wrap the buses with a design that includes the LCT, SLIDR and Oberlin logos. The program is expected to begin June 1. Contact Lauren Hoffman at (440) 328-6902 or lhoffman@chroniclet. com. Tinted area indicates Oberlin city border

Auditors wrote that the county missed deadlines for reporting the spending of state and federal coronavirus recovery funds for the third and fourth quarters of 2022.

The county “excluded $23,000 of expenditures” from its second quarter project and expenditure reports in 2022, and “failed to have the proper controls in place to ensure the timely and accurate submission” of those reports. Without a response, the U.S. Treasury Department could have taken action.

Owen MacMillan The Commuity Guide

Amherst’s Emma Nagy, above, smacks a hit against Strongsville.

At right, Amherst’s Karina Shuster slides safely into second base as Strongsville’s Tori Kakos collects the ball.

Amherst, Strongsville and Sylvania Northview each played two games at Firestone Park in Akron. Amherst defeated Northview 5-2 and then defeated Strongsville 6-4.

Wellington’s Mallory Pickering, left, gets a hit in the first game against Mapleton.

Below, Wellington’s Olivia Ramirez, catches a Mapleton pop up for an out.

Wellington hosted Mapleton for a doubleheader and dropped both games, losing 12-0 in the first game and 1-11 in the second game.

Amherst’s Kristen Kelley makes a sliding catch in center field to get an out against Midview.

Amherst’s Makenna Dorobek slides home safely before Midview’s Addison Reisinger can apply the tag at Sports Force Parks at Cedar Point. Due to all of the rain, there haven’t been many fields in playable condition. A number of teams played on the turf fields at the Cedar Point facility.

Firelands’ Sarah Blankenship slides into third base before Clearview’s Nevaeh Berrios can make the tag. Firelands controlled the game and got a lot of hitting on their way to a 20-4 win at Clearview.

PHOTOS BY RUSS GIFFORD / COMMUNITY GUIDE

Firelands’ Kayla Aslaksen makes the catch in center field at Clearview as Paige Coggins looks on.

Adele Flynn of Wellington elected treasurer of the Ohio Farm Bureau

Adele Flynn of Wellington has been elected treasurer of the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, the third-highest elected office in Ohio’s largest farm organization.

Flynn has been a member of Ohio Farm Bureau’s state board since 2018 and will continue to serve as the District 3 trustee representing Lorain, Cuyahoga, Erie and Huron counties.

She and her husband, Eric, farm full time. Along with their three children, they have a cow-calf operation, raising freezer beef, show calves and breeding stock. The Flynns also farm about 1,100 acres of cash grains with Adele Flynn’s family.

Adele Flynn is a 4-H adviser, serves on the board of directors for Centerra Co-op, the Ohio Soybean Council Board of Trustees, and is a delegate for the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching for Ohio State University.

She was elected by the federation’s board of trustees upon the resignation of Chris Weaver of Lyons, who was elected to the Nationwide Board of Directors.

County Democratic women to meet

The Lorain County Democratic Women’s Club will meet on May 7 at 5:30 p.m. at Quaker Steak & Lube, 4900 Transportation Drive, Sheffield Village.

We will discuss the National Federation of Democratic Women’s national conference and signature gathering for the anti-gerrymandering initiative.

To learn more about the LCDW, visit our website at www.LCDWOhio.com.

DAR fundraiser is Grandma Gatewood play

The Nathan Perry Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution is hosting a fundraiser at the Lorain Palace Theatre — a one-act play titled “Emma Gatewood, Are You Out Of Your Bloomin’ Mind?!” — at 2 p.m. May 19.

The play centers on Emma “Grandma” Gatewood, the renowned hiker of the Appalachian Trail from Gallipolis, Ohio. It is produced by Eden Valley Enterprises.

The admission fee for this event is $15 per person. Visit tinyurl.com/mrxufy8h or call (440) 245-2323 for tickets. The theater is at 671 Broadway in Lorain.

Gatewood made history in 1955 as the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail at the age of 67. Prior to this feat, she raised 11 children and overcame domestic abuse.

In addition to the one-act play, the event will feature Lorain music entertainers Tim Blake and Michele. Proceeds will be distributed to educational, patriotic and women’s organizations in Lorain County.

Amherst library to hold spring book sale

The Friends of Amherst Public Library will begin its Spring Book & Media Sale with a pre-sale for members on May 9 from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. New members may join at this time.

It will be open to the public May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. and May 11 from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

The Friends will accept donations during the sale; there will be no set pricing of items. All funds will help to support the Friends’ community projects, and the Library’s programing and services. For further information, contact the Library at 440-988-4280.

Oberlin teens can learn about museum work

The Teen Museum Summer Workshop in Oberlin, which will be held over three days, July 15-17, from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m., is for teens grades 9-12 who are interested in community service, expanding their leadership and communication skills, and experiencing what it’s like to work at a museum.

Teens will learn techniques of greeting visitors, giving tours, teaching historic games, working with museum collections, and much more! Following completion of the workshop, participants are invited to volunteer with the Oberlin Heritage Center for various tours, special events, and programs as their schedules permit.

The fee is $50 ($45 for children and grandchildren of OHC members) with a $25 reimbursement for students who complete at least 15 hours of volunteer service for OHC by the end of 2024.

This is a great opportunity to learn about local history, build up resumes and strengthen college applications, fulfill community service hours, and hang out with other students who have a passion for their communities.

The workshop will be led by OHC Museum Education & Tour Manager Amanda Manahan, who is eager to share the behind-the-scenes fun of being involved with a museum. For more information contact her at tourinfo@oberlinheritage.org.

Silver Maple Recovery now accepts women

LORAIN — Silver Maple Recovery in Lorain is now accepting women into its recovery programs.

According to a news release, the facility expanded its inpatient detox and residential services to include women starting April 2.

Its outpatient and long-term recovery housing are also available to men and women, according to the release.

Mystery scavenger hunt set for Avon Lake

Time to get ready for the Avon Lake Historical Society

History Mystery Hunt, which will run from Monday to June 15.

To participate, pick up a packet Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Avon Lake Public Library.

The packet includes clues that follow a trail of 12 landmarks buildings in and around Avon Lake that take participants back in time.

Use the clues to find pieces of a puzzle and answers to questions about each site. Once complete, five forms will be chosen at random for a variety of prizes.

For details, contact Kristen Masa at kristen.masa@ gmail.com.

Also visit avonlakehistoricalsociety.org/event-detailsregistration/history-mystery-hunt.

All ages are welcome. If you can’t make it for the first day of packet pickup, visit the Avon Lake Historical Society website and register online.

Each packet is $20, with the money benefiting the historical society.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown

CWA union endorses

The Communications Workers of America endorsed U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown for reelection.

The CWA represents tens of thousands of active and retired members in Ohio. One of the most diverse unions in the country, it endorsed Brown, D-Cleveland, “because they know he will always fight for Ohio workers and the dignity of work,” according to a campaign news release.

“I have known Sherrod Brown for many years, and he has never changed. He walks his talk,” Communications Workers of America District 4 Vice President Linda Hinton said. “The working women and men of Ohio, and our veterans, have always had Sherrod as their champion. It is important that we keep him as our Ohio senator to continue the fight for our rights and dignity.”

“I am honored to have the Communications Workers of America by my side in our fight to make sure hard work pays off for everyone,” Brown said. “From flight attendants and electrical workers to social workers and health care providers, CWA members provide crucial services for Ohioans. I will always fight for them — because if you love this country, you fight for the people who make it work.”

Brown faces a challenge from Republican businessman Bernie Moreno in the November election.

NCNW to hold member mixer April 20

The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) Lorain County Section will hold its Meet and Greet Member Mixer event on April 20.

The event will begin at noon at 200 Middle Ave., Suite 100, in downtown Elyria.

The public is welcome and the event is free. Members of the NCNW and the public will be able to meet, network and learn about the mission of the NCNW.

For more information, contact NCNW Lorain County Section President Regan Phillips, at (440) 452-8690, Second Vice President and Membership Chair Tamara Jones at (440) 723-4611 or Publicity Chair Laleise Curtiss at (757) 663-1404. The group can also be contacted at lorainncnw@gmail.com.

Probation Department to hold job fair

The Lorain County Adult Probation Department will host its first-ever job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 19.

The event will take place at Primary Purpose, 3222 North Ridge Road, Sheffield Township. Service providers and felon-friendly employers will be in attendance, probation officials said.

The event is open to the public and also coincides with honoring “Second Chance” month, which seeks to provide job opportunities and services to those leaving local jails, state and federal prisons and reentering the community.

Adult Probation “is honored to have partnered with Primary Purpose to offer a community job fair in an effort to connect local businesses and organizations with those seeking employment opportunities,” the department said in a news release.

Primary Purpose provides supportive residential recovery housing to both men and women in Lorain County. Along with Adult Probation, it aims to provide Lorain County residents with opportunities for employment while making lifestyle changes.

Flynn

Cornisusedinmore than3,500 ways. To name justa few, there is corn starch, corn syrup, corn oil, popcorn and good old eating corn. Corn is even used to makeakind of fuel called ethanol

Work withafamily member to use your math skills to reveal morefacts about corn.

Each corn stalk usually grows ear of corn

Whichofthese things arepartly madeofcorn?

Batteries Matches Diapers

ANSWER: hem!ftloAl

Mostofthe corngrown is dent corn,also called field corn.Dent cornispicked dryand used mostly for livestockfeedand ethanol.

Another popular cornis sweet corn.Sweet corn is sweeter and juicier than dentcorn andis the kind we eat!

Cornseedsare planted in the spring. Corn seedsare called kernels

In the spring, farmers wait untilthe is warm before planting corn. The corn kernels needwarmsoiland spring to startgrowing.

12 -11=_

Theaverage ear of corn usually has about kernels

670 +130=

answer!

During thesummer, farmers care for their corn plants Theymakesure theyget enough They check forweeds, diseases and insectsthatcould_ theplants. It takes scienceto growhealthycorn crops!

With waterand warmth, corn growsabout 2inches a day

Corn usually grow to about 8feet tall.The tallest stalk on record was about 45 feet tall—nearly as tall as afour-storybuilding!

In thefall,corn plants stop __________. The plantsturnbrown,and the _point down. Farmers wait forthe ears of corn to dry, and thenthey harvest.

Corn for many centurieswas picked by hand. Butthere have been many inventions that help farmers

One machine combines several farming jobs in one machine. It cuts thecorn stalks and then brings them through the machine Thismachine then separates thekernels fromthe rest of the plant. The machine is calleda:

Farmers ship their corn to customers. They also their equipment and get ready to plant again in the spring.

If youplant one kernel and care forit, youend up with kernels!

400 +400 =_

If afarmerplants30,000 kernels in one acre, howmany will he plantin100 acres?

About howmanyare therein twoearsofcorn?

800 +800 =_

If agira eis16feet tall,how much taller is the tallest stalk of corn ever measured?

If acorn plantgrows 2inches aday,how long until it is 12 feet tall?

Roll up sheets of the newspaper to makelong rolls. Howlongisone sheet rolled?Estimate how manymore pages need to be rolled to makeone longrollthat is 45 feet long. Then keep rolling pages and lining them up until youmakea 45-foot-long roll—thelengthofone of thetallest corn stalks measured

With hundredsoftopics,every KidScoop printable activitypack features six-to-seven pages of high-interest extra learning activities forhomeand school! Getyour free sample today at: