Daylight Savings time begins Sunday, March 11
More election results — See page 5,7
— Remember to “Spring Ahead 1 Hour” this Saturday night
A-Tech Auto Collission classes prepare grads — See page 11A
THE GAZETTE
Vol. No. 136, No. 10
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 7, 2012
Periodical’s Postage Paid
75¢
JAHS students compete Voters approve Jefferson schools levies at Science Fair BY STEFANIE WESSELL Gazette Newspapers
JEFFERSON - Voters in the Jefferson Area Local Schools District approved the renewal of two permanent-improvement levies on the ballot on Tuesday, March 6. Issue 9 on the ballot was a 1.0mill levy first approved by voters in 1987, and Issue 10 was 1.5-mill levy first approved in 1992. Voters approved Issue 9 by a vote
of 1,210 in favor to 999 against, according to unofficial results from the Ashtabula County Board of Elections. Voters approved Issue 10 by a vote of 1,133 in favor to 1,074 against. Provisional ballots are not included in the results, although absentee ballots are. “The Board of Education and the district are again grateful for the support from our voters and the confidence that they have shown in the school district,” Superintendent
Doug Hladek said. Hladek said the levies are used for buses, textbooks, technology, computers, facility maintenance and equipment in the district. Voting to renew the levies will not increase taxes and will extend the five-year term and stated purpose of the expiring levies, Hladek said. He said the renewal levies will collect the same revenue as when they were first approved by voters
See LEVIES page 7A
Unofficial results show Ashtabula school levy failing Issue 2 passes BY SADIE PORTMAN Gazette Newspapers
for the levy and 2,786 voting against. These results do not include provisional ballots, although absentee ballots are included. AACS held an active campaign, going door to door and leaving informational pamphlets as well as sending postcards asking voters to vote for the levy. “This levy does not just affect the school but the entire area,” AACS Superintendent Joseph Donatone has said. With the levy’s failure to pass, school officials said they will have to cut programming. Some programs cuts already in discussion for the next school year include the
cancellation of foreign language courses at the high school and cutting down the allotted preschool enrollment. AACS officials said they will have to make more cuts to their staff as well. “Our school district is facing a financial crisis due to the annual loss of state and local funding, and we will continue to experience these kinds of losses if we don’t step up to the plate to support our schools,” the AACS levy committee said. Elsewhere in Ashtabula, voters passed Issue 2, which was an in-
ASHTABULA - The Ashtabula Area School District voted on Issue 7 during yesterday’s election Jessica Woodin and Bernie Gerahty are pictured with their Science and did not pass the levy. Fair project “Pump Up the Rate.” Issue 7 was for an additional BY CAROLYN BEHR-JEROME game, the girls explained, so they 6.8-mill levy for the Ashtabula wanted to see if it really made a Area City Schools. If passed, the Gazette Newspapers difference. Although the majority levy would have minimized cuts to JEFFERSON - Jefferson Area of heart rates were increased, not AACS. High School Honors Biology I stu- all the volunteers liked the choice According to unofficial results, dents competed in a Science Fair of music. 55.15 percent of the voters voted “If we had to do it over again, against the levy, with 2,266 voting last week. The 37 projects were See RESULTS page 7A judged and three qualified for the we’d probably try a different song,” Ohio Academy of Sciences District Woodin said. Abby Raikes wanted to find out 15 Lake-to-River Science Day at what effect hand sanitizer has on Youngstown State University. “Participation in Science Day is a plant’s life. She filled two pots a rewarding and enjoyable with soil and put hand sanitizer in BY SADIE PORTMAN experience. Through participation one. Then she added the plants Gazette Newspapers in Science Day, students compete and measured their height every not only for a wide variety of prizes 12 hours. She discovered that the ASHTABULA - The Park Haven and recognition of accomplish- plants that were given the sani- Nursing Home experienced a fatal ment, but most importantly, they tizer actually lived longer. blaze Sunday evening that was “I only did the experiment for started from a methamphetamine get to experience science and discovery first hand,” said Dr. 30 days,” Raikes explained. “Next laboratory in Room 18 on the secStephen Rodabaugh, associate time I’d try to do it for 60 days.” ond floor of 5433 Park Ave., accordRenewable energy was the sub- ing to investigators. dean for the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and ject for Casey Hall and Ben Fire investigators in Ashtabula Pickard. Mathematics at YSU. say that a fatal fire at a nursing “Batteries are harmful for our home late Sunday night was Amy Gasser, biology teacher, organized the event for her ninth- environment and we were looking caused by an exploding meth lab. and 10th-grade students and hopes for an alternative source and tried The fire, according to authorimud,” Hall explained. “We figured ties, was caused by visitors, not to continue it every year. “I thought it would be a great out that 1/10 of a volt of energy permanent residents of the facility. experience for the students and came from our mud. Unfortu“I was taking a break and I many schools participate,” she ex- nately, you couldn’t use it to power looked through the window and I anything.” plained. saw an explosion of fire,” Deanna Pickard explained that the Bigley, a nurse at the facility, said. Jessica Woodin and Bernie Gerahty called their project “Pump ground was cold and hard. “There was this guy and he was “Next time we’d use more mud engulfed in flames. One of our resiUp the Rate” and investigated the PHOTO COURTESY OF WILLIAM WEST effects of music on the heart rate or try a different time of the year,” dents put him out, but then the fire The Park Haven Nursing Home experienced a fatal blaze Sunday of athletes. Athletes use music to he said. started up and he had to be put out evening that was started from a methamphetamine laboratory in pump themselves up before a See SCIENCE page 6A again.” Room 18 on the second floor of 5433 Park Ave., according to See FIRE page 13A investigators. PHOTOS BY CAROLYN BEHR-JEROME
Park Haven fire caused by meth lab
Chocolate Fest set to Geneva students support Chardon satisfy your sweet tooth BY SADIE PORTMAN Gazette Newspapers
year. “There are a lot of cupcake vendors this year. We probably have GENEVA - It’s the time of year between four and five vendors who between Valentine’s Day and Eas- specialize in cupcakes,” Vincent said. ter when the Geneva Rotary Club The Rotary is particularly exholds its Chocolate Fest. cited about having a cupcake shop This year the festival will be that will be featured on a national held on Tuesday, March 13, from cable syndicated show. 5:30-8 p.m. at Geneva High School. “We even have K’s Cupcakes The festival features local busi- from Jefferson coming, and the nesses and many restaurants and owner is going to be on the Food bakeries, along with other vendors Network show, Cupcake Wars,” such as Mary Kay and local stores Vincent said. “So we’re really exand nursing homes, all of which cited to have her.” feature a chocolate dish to share. All the proceeds raised each This will the Rotary’s sixth year year go toward a local cause. Last of having the festival. year it was the Geneva-on-the“In one way it seems like we’ve Lake Walking Trail, and this year been holding the Chocolate Fest the money will be sent to the longer, and in others it seems as if Geneva Community Pavilion the time has gone by really fast,” Project. Terri Vincent, organizer of the “We decided to donate the event, said. money raised this year to the Vincent said the event is popu- Geneva Community Pavilion lar in the community since most Project,” Vincent said. “It’s a great people like chocolate and an added cause which will benefit the whole bonus to the event is getting to community.” know your local businesses. The project is to create a a small “It’s grown so much since we’ve park next to the City of Geneva’s started,” Vincent said. “Each year community center that will feature we get more and more vendors. It’s a gazebo at its center. a really great time.” “Each year we raise about This year the Rotary has once $6,000, so we hope we can make again topped its previous number as much this year for the park,” of booked vendors. Vincent said. “We have 44 vendors this year, Vincent said the Chocolate Fest which is the most we’ve ever had,” is a great way to support the comVincent said. munity and they look forward to Vincent said many bakeries are the event every year. bringing their chocolate treats this “I think people love the Chocolate Fest and look forward to it every year,” Vincent said. “People are used to going every year and it has become a tradition.”
See CHOCOLATE page 10A
BY SADIE PORTMAN Gazette Newspapers
GENEVA - The Geneva Area City Schools took time out to commemorate those affected by the Chardon High School shooting last week by posing for a picture with all students dressed in red and black, Chardon’s school colors. Three students from Chardon High School were killed in the shooting and two more injured. “I’ve been sitting here at my desk thinking about the events of this week, and I thought it might be a good time to share with you a bit of what the Geneva Schools have done to reach out to our friends in Chardon,” GACS Superintendent Mary Zappitelli said.
Zappitelli said the district did not hesitate in offering its support after the incident occurred last Monday. “Immediately upon hearing of what had happened, we offered to send personnel to help if needed,” Zappitelli said. During this emotional and difficult time for the Chardon community, GACS officials wanted them to know, they are not alone. “Our high school students and staff wore black and red (Chardon’s school colors) and a photo was scheduled to be taken,” Zappitelli said. “Posters were made and a banner signed by high school students was delivered to Chardon High School.” GACS officials know the aftershocks of the shooting will not be
healed overnight, so students are also collecting funds to be donated to the school as counselors and other healing aids will be needed. “Our high school students and staff took up a collection to be donated to the fund that has been established in Chardon to help with the healing process,” Zappitelli said. “Our athletic department sent a planter to the high school.” The students took an active stand against bullying and violence in school. “In addition, it is my understanding that a T-shirt is being designed for sale and that the proceeds will also be donated to the fund,” Zappitelli said.
See GENEVA page 10A
PHOTO BY BOB MCQUOID - GENEVA HIGH SCHOOL
Nearly a thousand Geneva High School students and staff dressed in red and black, Chardon’s school colors, and gathered for this photo in a heartfelt expression of support in the wake of last week’s tragic events. Visit this link to view a YouTube video recorded at Geneva High School in solace and solidarity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kyiGgmepBk&feature