Congratulations Class of 2023! See more graduation coverage in a special June 8 issue.
Thursday, June 1, 2023
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Volume 10, Issue 22
Oberlin College ends contract with Catholic healthcare company CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
OWEN MacMILLAN | The Community Guide
Matt Stempowski is followed by a procession of Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts in the Brownhelm Memorial Parade on May 28.
Short parade, long history
Brownhelm Memorial Day parade still honoring fallen soldiers OWEN MACMILLAN THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
BROWNHELM TWP. — No one knows exactly when the annual Memorial Day Parade culminating at Brownhelm Cemetery in Vermillion began, but it seems to get bigger and grander every year. May 28 was no exception, as dozens of people from Brownhelm Township and beyond marched from the corner of Claus Road and North Ridge Road just under a half mile on North Ridge to the cemetery. The procession was led by members of the Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard and made up of rep-
resentatives from a wide variety of other organizations: Amherst American Legion Post 118, the Brownhelm 4-H Club, local Cub Scout, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, the South Amherst Fire Department, the Brownhelm Historical Association and more. There were classic cars, Scouts and Honor Guard members alike in full regalia, a fire engine from South Amherst, several classic cars and even a cart carrying several Brownhelm Historical Association members in period-accurate clothing from around the time of the township’s founding in the early 1800s. The Brownhelm Historical Association has been the primary organizer
of the Memorial Day parade for at least the past 30 years, with current president Marsha DePalma taking over as the lead organizer from Ed and Marilyn Brill several years ago. The Amherst Veterans Military Honor Guard has been involved with the parade for decades, and Commander Clark Bruner has participated in every one since joining the Honor Guard 26 years ago. “I want to take this opportunity to thank Marsha (DePalma) and all the citizens of Brownhelm for inviting us back this year,” Bruner, who is also Commander of American Legion Post 118, said. “I don’t know how long we’ve been doing this, but I’ve BROWNHELM PAGE A2
Oberlin College has ended its contract with a health care company criticized for its stance on providing reproductive and LGBTQ medical services. In a message sent to the college community and The Chronicle-Telegram, Oberlin College announced the end of the contract with Harness Health Partners. The college plans to bring student health services inhouse due to “philosophical differences.” When Oberlin College began its partnership with Harness Health, it was assured the health care provider would give a full range of services, including comprehensive reproductive health care and LGBTQ-affirming care to students, according to the statement. But shortly after the contract was finalized, Harness changed its perspective on the services it could provide, according to Oberlin College. At that time, Oberlin College made those services available through other health care providers through the 2022-23 academic year, but the college prefers to offer those services in a “more integrated way, consistent with Oberlin’s values.” Harness Health Partners is part of Bon Secours Mercy Health, a Catholic health care network. Bon Secours operates nearby Mercy Health - Allen
Hospital in Oberlin. Harness Health Partners also handled COVID-19 testing for Oberlin College through the pandemic, according to previous reporting. Prior to the 2022-23 academic year, Oberlin College contracted health services with University Hospitals for the 2021-22 year. When issues arose with the college’s new health care provider prescribing contraceptives and other reproductive care, Oberlin College initially provided those services through a partnership with Family Planning Services of Lorain County. It later transitioned to offering those services, as well as gender-affirming care for LGBTQ individuals, via a contracted nurse practitioner on campus, Oberlin College spokesperson Andrea Simakis said. Since announcing the end of the contract, Oberlin College has reached out to the nurse practitioner and other staff at Student Health Services to continue working as Oberlin College employees, in an effort to provide continuity of care Simakis said. The change from contract to in-house services will be complete before the fall semester, she said. On-campus health services are not offered during the summer, and the change will not affect the cost of services for students on college insurance plans. Bon Secours spokesperson Jennifer Robinson did not return requests for comment.
Amherst grads celebrate end of ‘unforgettable’ journey CARISSA WOYTACH THE COMMUNITY GUIDE
CLEVELAND — Amherst Marion L. Steele High School’s 135th graduating class could not have a brighter future, Valedictorian Ashley London told her fellow Comets on Saturday afternoon. Gathered at the Wolstein Center, the Class of 2023 recognized the work it had put in to walk across the stage: from working through a pandemic to making the most of their senior year. “Rather than succumbing to these circumstances, we chose to move forward and make the best of it,”
London said. It’s been four years of football games, concerts, musicals, class trips, and countless memories. While things may not have gone as planned — as the class was sent home in the latter half of freshman year during the COVID-19 shutdown, and didn’t return in-full until their junior year it was “unforgettable in the most beautiful way,” she said. Lorain County Joint Vocational School student Keyshia Maysonet said the gains and losses the class of 2023 experienced makes them who they are. Maysonet studied cosmetology at the JVS to give others confidence in
themselves, she said. She implored her fellow graduates to help uplift others where they can and leave the world better than they found it. Class President Evan Draga said he was trying to find a treasured memory from the past 12 years with his classmates — but found he couldn’t speak for all of them. It could be the ups and downs of watching the Comets football team or attending volleyball games, theater productions, a middle school trip to Mohican State Park or the countless daily interactions with a classmate or teacher. “What is valuable is the
THOMAS FETCENKO | The Community Guide
Amherst’s class of 2023 graduated at the Cleveland State Wolstein Center COMETS PAGE A3 on Saturday, May 27.
INSIDE THIS WEEK Amherst
Barra damaged in crash ● A3
Oberlin
College uses sheep to ‘mow’ ● A6
Wellington
Black River graduates 81 ● A5
OBITUARIES A2 • CLASSIFIEDS A4 • CROSSWORD A7 • SUDOKU A7 • KID SCOOP A8