Chardon’s wrestling team opened up their season under the lights yet during the day as the first annual “Battle in the Barn” was a successful dual win over rival Riverside.

Wrestling at 11 a.m. in the middle of a school day, students and teachers — and some parents — filled Chardon High School gymnasium, nicknamed “The Barn,” with the type of excitement wrestling fans remember from more than 20 years ago.

“It was fun,” said head coach Nick Salatino after his team’s convincing 51-18 team win. “All kids deserve to be wrestling in an atmosphere like that. I’m proud of our student body, the support they showed. They stayed for the whole event.”

Few were even on their cell phones, as the event featured pre-match music, call-outs and a resounding national anthem. A light affixed to the rafters shone down on the center mat; the rest of the gym was dark.

The event raised money for Jeremy’s Kids Christmas fundraiser, started by high school biology teacher Rob Mizen in honor of his son Jeremy, who died in a car crash on Christmas Eve in 1999 at just 6 years old.

This year Chardon High School’s Actively Caring for People Club and Interact Club are raising funds to support less fortunate families in the Chardon community, the school said.

It didn’t take for long for junior Haydn Haueter at 182 pounds to pin his opponent in the opening period, bringing the gymnasium to a standing ovation.

“It was kind of nerve-racking,” Haueter said. “I was giving up a few pounds. It was a different feeling. We just blew them right out of the water.”

Riverside was the Western Reserve Conference champions last season.

What followed Haueter was a series of Chardon victories by Alex McDonald (195 pounds), Zach Fay (220), Jake Hamulak (120), Jaden Farris (126), Kaz Rajko (132), Cooper Pason (145) and Collin Perz (152).

Of the 14 matches, Riverside managed just three victories.

Senior Nick Becker is one of the leaders of this Hilltopper program that has a mix of more experienced and talented young grapplers.

“It was cool, it was definitely a cool experience,” Becker said of being in front of so many of his classmates. “I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be. There are a lot of kids in my grade who don’t know (wrestling) at all. They just know it’s there.”

The event was filmed by GeaugaTV for those communities who get the channel.

Jaret Hall, a state alternate a year ago, did not have a Riverside opponent at 285 pounds, so he took the forfeit win. Despite not being able to have the mat experience, Hall is excited about what this season can bring.

“I thought it was amazing,” Hall said of experiencing his teammates win. “You don’t get this everywhere. Some of these kids will never come out and see another wrestling match. But they saw this one. They saw this one. They saw what we’re about. Maybe inspire some more kids to come out and watch. Maybe next year they’ll come out for the team.”

LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF AGREED

JUDGMENT ENTRY

18-A-000352 – Peter C. Sanelli, Jr. vs. Chester Township Zoning Inspector, et al.

Please be advised that the Township of Chester located in Geauga County, Ohio by and through the Chester Township Board of Trustees has entered into an Agreed Judgment Entry in the case captioned “Peter C. Sanelli, Jr. vs. Chester Township Zoning Inspector, et al., Geauga County Court of Common Pleas, Geauga County, Ohio, located at 100 Short Court Street, Chardon, Ohio 44024, Case No. 18-A-000352. This settlement affects the real property commonly known as 13006 Woodcrest Lane, Chester Township, Ohio more fully described as permanent parcel number 11-077000 and more accurately described in the Geauga County Records of Deeds, Volume 1944, Page 545 consisting of 1.32 acres of property. A copy of the Agreed Judgment Entry is available for review at the Township offices during normal business hours.

Dec 12, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE

The following matters are the subject of this public notice by the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. The complete public notice, including any additional instructions for submitting comments, requesting information, a public hearing, or filing an appeal may be obtained at: http://www.epa.ohio.gov/actions.aspx or Hearing Clerk, Ohio EPA, 50 W. Town St. P.O. Box 1049, Columbus, Ohio 43216. Ph: 614-644-3037 email: HClerk@epa.ohio.gov

Final Approval of Plans and Specifications

Highbrook Lodge PWS

1909 E 101 St, Cleveland, OH 44106

Facility Description: Transient Water System

ID #: 1311718

Date of Action: 11/29/2019

This final action not preceded by proposed action and is appealable to ERAC.

Detail Plans for PWSID:OH2876914 Plan No:1311718 Regarding Pressure Tank Relocation and Replacement.

Draft NPDES Permit Renewal – Subject to Revision

Hambden Elem Sch

13871 Gar Hwy, Chardon, OH

Facility Description: Wastewater-School or Hospital

Receiving Water: Unnamed tributary to West Branch Cu

ID #: 3PT00060*DD

Date of Action: 12/04/2019

Final Issuance of Modification to NPDES Permit Conditions

Tarkett North

16910 Munn Rd, Chagrin Falls, OH

Facility Description: Wastewater-Miscellaneous

Receiving Water: UT of Bridge Creek

ID #: 3IF00010*KD

Date of Action: 12/01/2019

This action was preceded by a proposed action.

Revised storm water language & operator cert requirement

Final Issuance of Modification to NPDES Permit Conditions

Middlefield Orig Cheese Coop

16942 Kinsman Rd, Middlefield, OH

Facility Description: Wastewater-Food Processor

Receiving Water: UT of Phelps Creek

ID #: 3IH00076*DD

Date of Action: 12/01/2019

This action was preceded by a proposed action.

Dec 12, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE

Portage-Geauga Joint

Board of Commissioners

The Portage-Geauga Joint Board of Commissioners will convene a meeting on Thursday, December 19, 2019, at 10:30 AM at the Portage County Commissioners’ Office, 7th Floor Portage County Administration Building, 449 South Meridian Street, Ravenna, for the purpose of conducting regular county business, including the adoption of the 2020 Operating Budget.

BY ORDER OF THE

PORTAGE COUNTY

BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS

Amy Hutchinson, Clerk

Dec 12, 2019

PUBLIC NOTICE

Russell Township Park District

Russell Township Park District Board will have a special meeting. Tuesday December 17, 2019 at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at The West Woods in the Oak Room meeting room. The purpose of the meeting will be sign checks to close out the expenditures for 2019.

Dennis J. Suhay, Chairman

Dec 12, 2019

LEGAL NOTICE

Geauga County Sheriff’s Office

Forfeiture Notice

Pursuant to O.R.C. 2981, the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office is seeking forfeiture of unclaimed property that was found or seized by the Geauga County Sheriff’s Office in the January 2017.

The following are the items: TV Remote, Pearl Earrings, Tools/Gaming Devices, GPS/External Hard Drive, Driver, Impact Tool Set, Purse, Jewelry, Misc Tools, Power Stripper, Hand Tools, Coins, Screwdriver, Jewelry Box, Jewelry, Misc Stereo Equipment, Reading Glasses. 11 DVDs, Misc Jewelry, Gun Supplies, Electronics, Television, 3D Blu-Ray Player, Portable DVD Player, Jewelry, Tool Bags, Bible, Stereo, Perfume Bottles, Coffee Maker, Misc Jewelry

Anyone claiming ownership in this property may contact the Geauga County Sheriff, Evidence Clerk at 440-279-2009 ext. 4313. Any item not claimed will be disposed of according to the Ohio Revised Code.

Dec 12-19, 2019

BID NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS

WASTE FACILITY

Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste

Management District

The Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District will be accepting sealed bids until Thursday, January 9, 2020 at 3:00 P.M. at 5138 Enterprise Dr., Warren, OH 44481 and opened and read for:

THE PURPOSE OF DEVELOPING A GREENFIELD SITE AT 12685 MERRITT ROAD IN GEAUGA COUNTY AND BUILDING A NEW BUILDING FOR COLLECTION AND PROCESSING OF HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE.

A copy of the drawings and specifications including proposal pages may be obtained from Phillips Sekanick Architects, 142 E. Market St., Warren, OH 44481. Hardcopies will be available for $50 non-refundable. Electronic copies will be available free of charge. Contact Michele Schwartz at Phillips Sekanick Architects at 330-395-9518 to order hardcopies or receive electronic copies.

FAILURE TO OBTAIN PROPOSAL FROM PHILLIPS SEKANICK ARCHITECTS MAY RESULT IN BID REJECTION DUE TO NON-COMPLIANCE WITH FEE REQUIREMENTS AND OFFICIAL ADDENDUM NOTIFICATION/S.

For all bids in excess of $50,000.00, a certified check or cashier’s check representing TEN percent (10%) of the proposal, drawn on a solvent bank, and payable to the Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District, or a bid bond in the sum of TEN percent (10%) of the proposal in lieu thereof must accompany each and every proposal as a guarantee that if the bid is accepted, a contract will be entered into with the Geauga-Trumbull SWMD Board of Directors, in the manner provided by law.

A performance bond in the amount of 100% of the contract price will be required at the time the bidder enters into the contract.

Bids of Corporations not chartered in Ohio MUST be accompanied by proper certifications that such Corporation is authorized to do business in Ohio.

Attention of the Bidder is directed to the requirements that each proposal must be accompanied by a non collusion affidavit, properly executed by the Bidder. Further, the successful Bidder will be required to execute an affidavit required by Sec. 5719.042 of the Ohio Revised Code. No payment shall be made on any Contract for which no such affidavit has been submitted.

The Geauga-Trumbull SWMD Board of Directors reserves the right to reject any or all bids and to waive informalities. In addition, the Geauga-Trumbull SWMD Board of Directors reserves the right to participate in state contracts which the Department of Administrative Services, Office of State Purchasing has entered into for the purchase of supplies, services, equipment and certain materials pursuant to Ohio Revised Code Section 125.04. No bids may be withdrawn for at least sixty (60) days after the opening thereof.

Each bidder must insure that all employees and applicants for employment are not discriminated against because of race, color, sex or national origin.

CLEARLY INDICATE THE ITEM BEING BID, DATE AND TIME OF SCHEDULED BID OPENING, AS WELL AS THE NAME, ADDRESS AND TELEPHONE NUMBER OF THE PERSON OR BUSINESS SUBMITTING THE BID, ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SEALED ENVELOPE CONTAINING THE BID.

GEAUGA-TRUMBULL SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT DISTRICT

Jennifer Jones, Director

Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste

District Board of Directors:

Geauga County Commissioners: Jim Dvorak, Tim Lennon and Ralph Spidalieri

Trumbull County Commissioners: Mauro Cantalamessa, Frank Fuda,

and Daniel Polivka

Dec 12-19, 2019

First Run

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 16-F-000404

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

HSBC BANK USA, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS INDENTURE TRUSTEE FOR THE REGISTERED NOTEHOLDERS OF RENAISSANCE HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST 2006-4, Plaintiff vs. RODNEY P. BUTLER, 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 the door of the Court House, in the City of Chardon, in the above named County, on Thursday, the 9th day of January, 2020, 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 23rd day of January, 2020 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Newbury to wit:

Situated in the Township of Newbury, County of Geauga and State of Ohio and known and described as follows:

Known as being part of Lot No. 8, Tract No. 1 and is bounded and described as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the centerline of Pekin Road (60 feet wide) with the East line of the F.J. Soeder 40 acre parcel;

Thence North 4° 28’ East, passing thru an iron pin in the northerly line of Pekin Road a distance of 3084.20 feet, to an iron pin in the southerly line of the Mansfield Parcel;

Thence South 85° East along the southerly line of said Mansfield parcel a distance of 830.2 feet to an iron pin;

Thence South 3° 10’ West a distance of 127.95 feet to an iron pin;

Thence South 4° 28’ West a distance of 1745.0 feet to an iron pin;

Thence North 85° West a distance of 105 feet to an iron pin;

Thence South 4° 28’ West a distance of 1200.0 feet to the centerline of Pekin Road, and padding thru an iron pin in the northerly line of Pekin Road;

Thence North 86° 28’ West along the centerline of Pekin Road, a distance of 720.0 feet to the point of beginning as shown by survey of J.L. Hitz, registered surveyor no. 2550, and containing 56.9 acres of land, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Property Address: 10210 Pekin Road, Newbury, OH 44065

Prior Deed Reference: Book 1309 Page 843

Said Premises Located at: 10210 PEKIN ROAD, NEWBURY TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 23-292700

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

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 ($275,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($183,334.00). 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

Carrie L. Davis, attorney

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 17-F-000338

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., Plaintiff vs. GEORGE B. RUMORE, 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 the door of the Court House, in the City of Chardon, in the above named County, on Thursday, the 9th day of January, 2020, 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 23rd day of January, 2020 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Auburn to wit:

Situated in the Township of Auburn, County of Geauga and State of Ohio and known as being Unit No. 6 in Auburn Crossings Condominium, whose drawings are recorded in Volume 32 of Condominium Maps, Page 71 in Geauga County Records, and as further described by the Declaration of Condominium Ownership and By-Laws attached thereto recorded in Volume 1378, Page 960 of Geauga County Records, together with an undivided percentage interest in and to all the common areas and facilities appurtenant to said Unit as set forth in the Declaration of Condominium Ownership as the same may be amended from time to time, which percentage shall automatically change in accordance with the Amendments to the Declaration as the same are filed of record pursuant to the provisions of said Amendments and will attach to the common areas and facilities in the percentages set forth in such Amendments to the Declaration, which percentages shall automatically be deemed to be conveyed effective on the recording of each such Amendments to the Declaration as though conveyed hereby, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Property Address: 147 Kensington Court, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023

Deed Reference Number: Volume 1949 Page 1986 and Volume 2007 Page 2735

SOLD SUBJECT TO THE MORTGAGE OF WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A. WITH A BALANCE OF $264,761.47 AS OF OCTOBER 25, 2019.

Said Premises Located at: 147 KENSINGTON COURT (UNIT NO. 6 IN THE AUBURN CROSSINGS CONDOMINIUM), AUBURN TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 01-118578

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

The purchaser shall be responsible for those costs, allowances, and taxes that the proceeds of the sale are insufficient to cover.

Said Premises to be sold at a SET MINIMUM BID of $252.47. Please note: The sale price set pursuant to order of Court (O.R.C. Section 2329.51/2329.52).

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

Shannon K. McCormick, attorney

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 18-F-000311

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

CITIZENS BANK, N.A., FKA RBS CITIZENS, N.A., FKA CITIZENS BANK, N.A., SBMT CCO MORTGAGE CORP., Plaintiff vs. KENNETH H. FRANKLIN, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at the door of the Court House, in the City of Chardon, in the above named County, on Thursday, the 9th day of January, 2020, 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 23rd day of January, 2020 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Hambden to wit:

Situated in the Township of Hambden, County of Geauga and State of Ohio:

And known as being Sublot No. 4 in Fox Glen, Subdivision of a part of Original Township Lot Nos. 21, 22, 23 Bond Tract as shown by the recorded plat of said Fox Glen Subdivision in Volume 13 of Maps, Page 10 and re-recorded in Volume 13 of Maps, Page 133 and revised in Volume 14 of Maps, Page 10 of Geauga County Records, be the same more or less, but subject to all legal highways.

Property Address: 10171 Sawmill Drive, Chardon, Ohio 44024

Prior Deed Reference: Volume 1002, Page 531

Said Premises Located at: 10171 SAWMILL DRIVE, HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 15-101704

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

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 ($185,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($123,334.00). 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

Johna M. Bella, attorney

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

NOTICE OF SALE UNDER JUDGMENT

OF FORECLOSURE OF LIENS FOR

DELINQUENT LAND TAX

Revised Code, Sec. 5721.191

Case No. 18-F-000917

CHRISTOPHER P. HITCHCOCK, TREASURER OF GEAUGA COUNTY, OHIO, Plaintiff vs. PRAIRIE DOG PARTNERS, LLC, ET AL., Defendants

Whereas, judgment has been rendered against certain parcels of real property for taxes, assessments, penalties, costs and charges as follows:

Parcel No(s): 01-027800 – 2.00 acres; 01-027900 – 2.00 acres; 01-028000 – 2.00 acres.

Address: known on the tax duplicate as 01-027800 – VACANT LAND ON WASHINGTON STREET, AUBURN TOWNSHIP, OH.; 01-027900 – 11660 WASHINGTON STREET, AUBURN TOWNSHIP, OH.; 01-028000 – VACANT LAND ON WASHINGTON STREET, AUBURN TOWNSHIP, OH.

Description: “As Geauga County has adopted a permanent parcel number system, it has been determined that publication of the complete legal description is not necessary to provide reasonable notice of the foreclosure sale to potential bidders. The complete legal description can be located in the Court’s file located at the Geauga County Clerk of Court’s office, located on the 3rd floor of the Geauga County Courthouse, 100 Short Court, Chardon, Ohio 44024.”

Last known owner: PRAIRIE DOG PARTNERS LLC, 18099 CHANTICLEER COURT, AUBURN TOWNSHIP, OH 44023; 16740 MESSENGER ROAD, CHAGRIN FALLS, OH 44023; 11500 TAYLOR MAY ROAD, CHAGRIN FALLS, OH 44023.

MINIMUM BID: $172,672.18

Whereas, such judgment orders such real property to be sold by the undersigned to satisfy the total amount of said judgment;

Now, therefore, public notice is hereby given that Scott A. Hildenbrand, Sheriff of Geauga County, Ohio, will sell such real property at public auction, for cash to the highest bidder of an amount sufficient to satisfy the judgment against each parcel at 10:00 o’clock A.M. at the door of the Court House in the City of Chardon, Ohio on THURSDAY, THE 9TH DAY OF JANUARY, 2020, at 10:00 o’clock A.M., and if any parcel does not receive a sufficient bid, it shall be offered for sale, under the same terms and conditions of the first sale and at the same time of day and at the same place, on THURSDAY, THE 23RD DAY OF JANUARY, 2020 for an amount sufficient to satisfy the judgment against the parcel.

Public notice is hereby given that all such real property to be sold at public auction may be subject to a federal tax lien that may not be extinguished by the sale, and purchasers of any such real property are urged to search the Federal Tax Lien index that is kept by the County Recorder to determine if notice of a federal tax lien has been filed with respect to any such real property.

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to Geauga County Local Rule 13, the required deposit for this offering shall be $300 or 10% of bid, whichever is greater. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

TERMS OF SALE: Cash if Purchase Price is $300.00 or less. If more than $300.00 Purchase Price is to be paid in accordance with the Rule of Court of Common Pleas, Geauga County, Ohio, governing Sheriff’s Sales.

SCOTT A. HILDENBRAND,

Sheriff Geauga County, Ohio

Kristen K. Rine, attorney

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 19-F-000384

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

THE MIDDLEFIELD BANKING COMPANY, Plaintiff vs. SCOT LEE, ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at the door of the Court House, in the City of Chardon, in the above named County, on Thursday, the 9th day of January, 2020, 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 23rd day of January, 2020 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Munson to wit:

Situated in the Township of Munson, County of Geauga and State of Ohio:

And known as being all of former Sublot No. 10 in the Sherman Road Estates of part of Original Lot No. 14, Tract No. 2 of Munson Township as recorded in Volume 24, Pages 93, 94, and 95 of Geauga County Map Records and other lands in said Lot No. 14, Tract No. 2 of Munson Township, bounded and described as follows:

Starting at the intersection of the centerline of Falls Road, 60.00’ wide, as shown in the River Trace Subdivision as recorded in Volume 35, Pages 78, 79, and 79A of Geauga County Map Records with the centerline of Sherman Road, 60.00’ wide, said point being distant S 03° 27’ 08” W, a distance of 30.00’ from a 1” iron pin in monument box found;

Thence N 86° 37’ 28” W, along the centerline of Sherman Road, a distance of 930.00’ to the southwesterly corner of Parcel No. 21-176779 of land conveyed to Michael J. Enright and Jill A. Enright by deed recorded in Volume 1771, Page 1672 of Geauga County Deed Records and the southeasterly corner of former Sublot No. 10, being the PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BEGINNING of the premises herein intended to be described;

Thence continuing N 86° 37’ 28” W, along the said centerline of Sherman Road, a distance of 200.00’ to the southeasterly corner of Parcel No. 21-176781 of land conveyed to Michael J. Colagiovanni and Laurie A. Colagiovanni by deed recorded in Volume 1095, Page 92 of Geauga County Deed Records and the southwesterly corner of said former Sublot No. 10;

Thence N 03° 22’ 32” E, along the easterly line of land so conveyed to Michael J. and Laurie A. Colagiovanni, passing thru a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found at a distance of 30.00’ in the northerly right-of-way line of Sherman Road, a total distance of 786.90’ to a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found at an angle point therein;

Thence N 21° 32’ 08” W, continuing along the said easterly line of land so conveyed to Michael J. And Laurie A. Colagiovanni and the easterly line of Parcel No. 21-176789 of land conveyed to Michael J. Colagiovanni and Laurie A. Colagiovanni by deed recorded in Volume 1095, Page 94 of Geauga County Deed Records, passing thru a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found at a distance of 215.29’ at the top of bank a total distance of 285.29’ to a point in the center of the Chagrin River and the southeasterly lien of Parcel No. 21-176823 of land conveyed to Paul A. Vredenburg and Megan K. Vredenburg by deed recorded in Volume 1918, Page 2768 of Geauga County Deed Records;

Thence N 48° 55’ 31” E, along the said center of the Chagrin River, the southeasterly line of land so conveyed to Paul A. And Megan K. Vredenburg and the southeasterly line of Parcel No. 21-176822 of land conveyed to Daniel L. Walter and Linda B. Walter, Trustees, by deed recorded in Volume 1243, Page 525 of Geauga County Deed Records, a distance of 100.00’ to the northwesterly corner of Parcel No. 21-177071 of land conveyed to Frederick J. Gehrke and Catherine M. Gehrke, Trustees, by deed recorded in Volume 1943, Page 2960 of Gauga County Deed Records;

Thence S 21° 32’ 08” E, along the southwesterly line of land so conveyed to Frederick J. And Catherine M. Gherke, Trustees, and the southwesterly line of Parcel No. 21-177070 of land conveyed to Mariann C. Tompkins, Trustee, by deed recorded in Volume 1814, Page 2347 of Geauga County deed records, passing thru a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found at a distance of 70.00’ at the top of bank, a total distance of 590.62’ to a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found at the southwesterly corner of land so conveyed to Mariann C. Tompkins, Trustee, said corner being also the northwesterly corner of land so conveyed to Michael J. and Jill A. Enright as aforesaid;

Thence S 03° 22’ 32” W, along the westerly line of land so conveyed to Michael J. and Jill A. Enright passing thru a 5/8” capped (Selee #5471) iron pin found in the northerly right-of-way line of Sherman Road at a distance of 550.00’, a total distance of 580.00’ to the centerline of Sherman Road and the PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BEGINNING of the premises herein intended to be described and containing with said bounds a total of 4.0855 acres of land, more or less, there being 0.1377 acres inside and 3.9478 acres outside road right-of-way and subject to all legal highways as surveyed by Howard R. Selee, Registered Surveyor No. 5471, of Howard R. Selee and Associates, Inc., Professional Land Surveyors, dated September 11, 2013.

Monuments described as “iron pin found” are 5/8” diameter by 30” long rebar with yellow plastic cap stamped “SELEE #5471”.

Basis of Bearings:

The value of N 86° 37’ 28” W, assigned to the centerline of Sherman Road, as shown by the recorded Plat of Sherman Road Estates in Volume 24, Page 93 of Geauga County Plat Records and retracted from monuments found.

Address: 11230 Sherman Road, Chardon, Ohio 44024

Prior Instrument: Deed filed for record and recorded in the Office of the Geauga County Recorder on July 11, 2014 at 9:58 a.m. in Official Records Book 1974 at Pages 579-583 (Instrument No. 201400878072).

Said Premises Located at: 11230 SHERMAN ROAD, MUNSON TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 21-176780

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $10,000.00. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

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 ($425,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($283,334.00). 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

Anthony J. Gingo, attorney

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

Sheriff’s Sale of Real Estate

General Code, Sec. 11661

Revised Code, Sec. 2329.26

Case No. 19-F-000496

The State of Ohio, County of Geauga, ss:

U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE FOR MERRILL LYNCH FIRST FRANKLIN MORTGAGE LOAN TRUST, MORTGAGE LOAN ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2007-2, Plaintiff vs. NORMAN THOMPSON, AKA NORMAN CURTIS THOMPSON, AS POSSIBLE HEIR TO THE ESTATE OF LINDA FRENCH, AKA LINDA K. FRENCH AND WILLIAM FRENCH, AKA WILLIAM FRENCH, JR., ET AL., Defendants

In pursuance of an Order of Sale in the above entitled action, I will offer for sale at public auction, at the door of the Court House, in the City of Chardon, in the above named County, on Thursday, the 9th day of January, 2020, 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 23rd day of January, 2020 the following described real estate, situated in the County of Geauga and State of Ohio, and in the Township of Bainbridge to wit:

The following described premises situated in the Township of Bainbridge, County of Geauga, State of Ohio:

And known as being Lots Numbered 753, 754, 755, 756 and 757 as shown on a center plat entitled ‘Map of Chagrin Falls Park,’ which is recorded in the office of the Recorder of Geauga County, Ohio, in Volume 1, Pages 60 and 61, Geauga County Records of Plats and Surveys, be the same more or less but subject all legal highways and subject to conditions, restrictions and easements of record.

Property Address: 16794 Huron Street, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023

Deed Reference Number: dated March 20, 1997, filed March 25, 1997, recorded as Official Records Volume 1096, Page 1136, Geauga County, Ohio records.

Said Premises Located at: 16794 HURON STREET, BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP, OH.

Permanent Parcel Number: 02-230900, 02-231000, 02-231100. 02-231200, 02-231300

DEPOSIT: Pursuant to O.R.C. 2329.211, the required deposit for this offering shall be $5,000.00. Said deposit shall be CASH or CERTIFIED CHECK, payable to the Geauga County Sheriff.

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 ($22,000.00) and cannot be sold for less than two-thirds of that amount ($14,667.00). 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

Dec 12-19-26, 2019

DATE OF SALE: Thursday, January 9, 2020 — 10:00 A.M.

APPRAISAL       MINIMUM BID

Auburn Township

Case No. 18-F-000917 — Christopher P. Hitchcock, Treasurer of Geauga County, Ohio vs. Prairie Dog Partners, LLC, et al., 11660 Washington Street And Vacant Land On Washington Street (6.00 acres). PPN: 01-027800; 01-027900; 01-028000. Kristen K. Rine, atty.

Set Minimum Bid: $172,672.18

Case No. 17-F-000338 — Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. vs. George B. Rumore, et al., 147 Kensington Court, Unit 6 (Unit No. 6 In The Auburn Crossings Condominium) (condo). PPN: 01-118578. Shannon K. McCormick, atty.

Set Minimum Bid: $252.47

Bainbridge Township

Case No. 19-F-000496 — U.S. Bank National Association, not in its individual capacity but solely as Trustee for Merrill Lynch First Franklin Mortgage Loan Trust, Mortgage Loan Asset-Backed Certificates, Series 2007-2 vs. Norman Thompson, aka Norman Curtis Thompson, as Possible Heir to the Estate of Linda French, aka Linda K. French and William French, aka William French, Jr., et al., 16794 Huron Street (0.24 acres). PPN: 02-230900, 02-231000, 02-231100. 02-231200, 02-231300. Ann M. Johnson, atty.

$22,000.00       $14,667.00

Hambden Township

Case No. 18-F-000311 — Citizens Bank, N.A., etc. vs. Kenneth H. Franklin, et al., 10171 Sawmill Drive (3.06 acres). PPN: 15-101704. Johna M. Bella, atty.

$185,000.00       $123,334.00

Munson Township

Case No. 19-F-000384 — The Middlefield Banking Company vs. Scot Lee, et al., 11230 Sherman Road (4.09 acres). PPN: 21-176780. Anthony J. Gingo, atty.

$425,000.00       $283,334.00

Newbury Township

Case No. 16-F-000404 — HSBC Bank USA, National Association, etc. vs. Rodney P. Butler, et al., 10210 Pekin Road (56.90 acres). PPN: 23-292700. Carrie L. Davis, atty.

$275,000.00       $183,334.00

Sheriff’s land sales are held at 10:00 A.M. on Thursday or date scheduled at the GEAUGA COUNTY COMMON PLEAS COURT HOUSE, 100 SHORT COURT STREET, CHARDON, OHIO, 1st floor lobby by the doors of the Court House.

1. Opening bids start at 2/3rds of the appraisal value. If the property remains unsold after the first sale with a minimum bid of 2/3rds of the appraised value, a second sale will go forward on the next scheduled date with no minimum bid and the property will be sold to the highest bidder.

However, the purchaser at the second sale is still subject to the costs, allowances, and real property taxes.

2. Deposit due at the time of bid, (if you do not have the down payment on your person at the time of the bid, property will be re- bid). Balance due 30 days after confirmation. NO PERSONAL CHECKS accepted by Sheriff’s Office. Deposit by CASH, BANK CHECK, or CERTIFIED CHECK at time of bid. Checks can be made payable to the Geauga County Sheriff or to yourself and endorsed over to the Sheriff if you are the successful bidder. A judgment creditor is not required to make a sales deposit.

3. Deeds are issued after the confirmation of sale, when the balance of the purchase price is received by the Sheriff’s Office.

4. You cannot view the inside of the properties for sale. They are owned by the defendants, and the Sheriff’s Office does not have access to these properties. You buy “AS IS”.

5. Information about the lot size, number of rooms, year built, etc. can be obtained from the Auditor’s Office for a small fee using the permanent parcel number.

6. Federal tax liens are filed in the Geauga County Recorder’s Office, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main St, City of Chardon 1st floor, and case files are located in the Clerk of Courts Office, 3rd floor Courthouse 100 Short Court, City of Chardon (www.co.geauga.oh.us click on Departments), and can be researched in the respective offices.

7. Legal descriptions for delinquent tax land can also be found in the Recorder’s Office.

8. Property taxes will be prorated by the Geauga County Treasurer’s Office and paid out of the proceeds of the sale. Tax amount will include arrearages and a prorated estimate to the second sale date.

9. Delinquent tax properties are NOT appraised. They are sold for DELINQUENT TAXES, COSTS, AND PENALTIES. The property is offered for sale two (2) times. If it is not sold on the first sale date, it will be offered again at a later date.

A proposed plan to reconfigure West Geauga Schools’ two elementary schools met with strong opposition from about 75 parents during a community forum at Lindsey Elementary Dec. 11.

At the Nov. 18 West Geauga Schools Board of Education meeting, Superintendent Richard Markwardt unveiled a plan to change the district’s two elementary schools — Lindsey and Westwood — from their current kindergarten-through-fifth-grade configurations to having kindergarten through second grade at Westwood and grades three, four and five at Lindsey. The board plans to vote on the measure during the Dec. 16 board of education meeting.

The proposed change would occur as the district receives students from Newbury Schools’ territory transfer, slated for fall of 2020. This would be ahead of the district’s master plan to unite all the district’s schools onto one main campus, which Markwardt said would occur several years from now pending voter approval for new buildings.

Markwardt said the plans were made after the district hired an architectural firm and formed committees of staff members and parents to study the issues and make recommendations.

“We wanted to meet with you folks first and hear what you have to say,” Markwardt said at a public informational meeting Dec. 11 to discuss the reasons for the grade leveling plan.

About 75 people attended and almost all hands went up when Markwardt asked the audience how many were elementary school parents. Most school board members were also in attendance.

Markwardt said Westwood would become the primary building because of the size of its classrooms and placement of restrooms.

There currently are four kindergarten classes at Westwood and two at Lindsey, the superintendent said. Some walls and room dividers would be removed to allow each classroom to be about 1,200 square feet, larger than state recommendations and most classrooms would have their own restrooms, or restrooms close by.

About 20 children would be in each kindergarten class, down from the current average of 23.

Markwardt said the change would mean all classes and teachers at each grade level would be in the same building, allowing for closer collaboration and better achievement test scores. It would also keep students together as they progressed through the school system, making for stronger friendships and making the classes more familiar to students as they transition into middle school.

Some individual traditions from each building would be continued in both and combining each grade level would make it easier to schedule enrichment classes and allow new ones, such as stringed instruments and increased STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) offerings, he added.

“We want our kids to have equal access to the same opportunities,” Markwardt said.

In addition, the change would be new to everyone, which would make it easier for incoming Newbury students to be acclimated and accepted as West Geauga students, he added.

Most parents, however, were not buying the idea.

One man said the busing situation is already difficult and questioned the scheduling changes that will impact every family’s daily life.

“Most of us are not happy with this,” he told Markwardt. “We’re very happy here, but the inconvenience that will be put on us, we’re not happy about at all.”

“The real challenge we’re struggling with is how it will impact us day to day,” another woman said. “If the main campus in the master plan is coming in the next five years, why do this now?”

One woman reminded school officials these are their children, not the district’s children.

“My childcare cost will be $500 a month because of you,” she said. “A lot of people are gonna have a lot of expenses, and we’ll have less money to vote for more taxes when the time comes. This is our game. This is our lives.”

“You chose to live here,” school board President Ben Kotowski told her, adding when you are part of a school district, there will always be changes.

“How dare you?” another woman replied. “You just pissed off a lot of people.”

One member of the audience said she has zero complaints about her child’s education, but the district is “messing with something that’s not broke.”

“If you don’t have change, there’s no progress,” Kotowski said, urging people to attend meetings and run for the school board if they want to participate in making decisions.

“You need to listen to us. You’re not listening, and you’re gonna vote on this Monday,” she told Kotowski.

A man in the audience recommended putting out an Internet survey before the vote, so board members understand that most parents oppose the change.

“Our main objection is not that it’s happening, but that it’s being shoved down our throats,” another man said. “We’re not finding out about it ‘til it’s a done deal.”

A Westwood parent, who said her family has been in West Geauga Schools for three generations, told Markwardt and the board members, “You have a thankless job.”

She said she and her husband do not discuss the school leveling issue at home, to spare her children any distress, but they hear about it at school anyway and they come home with a negative attitude.

“If the board passes this, we will have to adjust,” she said. “If we’re calmer about it, our kids will be calmer. There will be a better transition if we are positive instead of negative. That’s a better environment for all our kids.”

Several parents expressed concern about longer bus rides, especially for kindergartners, as Newbury students from farther away will be added to the district. Markwardt said the district is working with Newbury to use Newbury buses and work out the best plan for all students, but admitted some students will be riding the bus for up to an hour each trip.

“You’re changing our lives because of Newbury,” one woman complained. “You don’t want to make anybody in Newbury mad. How are we gonna financially trust you after this waste of money?”

“This community has been nothing but welcoming to Newbury, which has been very moving, very gratifying,” Markwardt replied.

Several parents said they hope communication improves from school officials as the district deals with so many changes.

“I’m begging you, pleading with you, to please make communications better,” one woman said.

Recycle Plastic Shopping Bags – Reject Bans

As many know, Cuyahoga County Council enacted a regulation effectively banning single use plastic shopping bags to commence on Jan. 1, 2020. This ban would restrict consumer choices and burden businesses in the affected municipalities.

Interestingly and correctly, some Cuyahoga County communities are already opting out of the excessive and restrictive mandate. Imposing bans or fees on plastic shopping bags, though perhaps well intended, misses the mark in many ways.

Brown paper grocery bags are a suggested alternative. They hold stuff well, but these old-fashioned friends tear easily and get soggy. For these reasons, paper bags are less likely be reused at home as trash can liners (or for doggy doo), which means higher sales of wastebasket liners that are made of, you guessed it, plastic.

The cost to grocers of providing paper bags is approximately double that of plastic. More resources go into manufacturing and shipping paper bags, and the manufacturing process causes more pollution and waste. Producing plastic bags has become more efficient and more environmentally friendly.

Sturdy, reusable plastic shopping bags are an alternative and are symbols of environmental responsibility everywhere, right? Actually, wrong! A report published just days ago from the U.K. suggests that the movement to sell and reuse heavy duty plastic bags has been an utter failure. The report states the volume of plastics has increased and the movement has failed to establish a pattern of reuse. That’s right, the monster bags sold as “bags for life” are reported to function as bags for a week and are doing more harm than good.

Reusable bags, whether heavy plastic or cloth, should come with imprinted health warning labels. Reusables, particularly when kept in a hot car during summer, can become breeding grounds for bacteria. It is recommended to wash fabric bags and to disinfect reusable plastic bags after each use, dry thoroughly and store in a cool, dry place.

It is widely recommended to use separate bags for raw meats, seafood and poultry. In fact, the USDA and others recommend placing these foods in separate plastic bags to prevent juices from contaminating other foods. Another recommendation is to discard worn out reusables that are permanently soiled — when in doubt, throw it out!

Bills have been introduced in both the Ohio House and Senate that would restrain municipalities from enacting local taxes and bans on auxiliary containers. Existing anti-littering laws would be clarified to include auxiliary containers. This is being promoted by environmental ideologues as a violation of “home rule” in Ohio.

In reality, the legislators sponsoring these bills are farsighted and seek to prevent Ohio from becoming a patchwork of local plastic restrictions and regulations. Consumers and businesses in Ohio should have consistent, uniform and easy-to-understand regulations. I fully support House Bill 242 and Senate Bill 222.

In closing, I highly recommend recycling single use plastic bags. It is very easy to take them back to grocery stores that have conveniently placed recycle receptacles.

Kathy Johnson
Chardon Township

No Quid Pro Quo

This letter is in response to Barbara Partington’s letter to the editor printed in your publication on Dec. 5, 2019, misleadingly alleging “Quid Pro Quo Geauga Style.”

Ms. Partington falsely alleged that the Probate/Juvenile Court’s attempt to pay a law firm for one of their attorneys, Bill Seitz, to teach a complicated portion of the Court’s Ohio Supreme Court approved CLE seminar was somehow quid pro quo.

Of course this assertion is absurd: the Probate/Juvenile Court was billed by the law firm, not their attorney Mr. Seitz personally; and since he is not a partner at the law firm, Mr. Seitz is a salaried employee and, therefore, does not receive a penny of the amount billed to the Court for the firm’s participation in the Court’s CLE course.

Neither Judge Grendell nor Mr. Seitz would ever use public funds for which they are entrusted for personal gain. Ever.

The CLE course was pre-approved by the Ohio Supreme Court and 42 attorneys in attendance received credit for their attendance. The particular topic taught by Mr. Seitz required legal research.

While Ms. Partington questions why the Court would choose an attorney whose limited law firm bio does not happen to list juvenile law as one of his areas of practice, Mr. Seitz taught on statutory and Ohio Supreme Court Rules affecting the Juvenile Court, and he has been a lecturer for nearly 20 years, teaching judges at Judicial Seminars for Appellate Courts, Federal Courts, and local attorneys. Mr. Seitz is a well-recognized lawyer with over 40 years in legal practice, and 19 years in the Ohio Legislature, who is in great demand for his knowledgeable teaching at the local, state and national levels.

The Court was confident that his extensive legislative knowledge and legal teaching experience would ensure that the complicated legal topic would be taught accurately and in an engaging way. Not surprisingly, attendees at the Court’s CLE course rated Mr. Seitz most highly of all the speakers.

Regarding whether the other instructors at the CLE course were compensated, two of the instructors work for the Court and were, therefore, compensated by their normal salaries. One instructor taught as part of his normal job responsibilities for the State Treasurer, who does not charge others for the opportunity to promote his office’s programs. The other instructor is a consultant for the Court who chose not to ask for additional compensation since his topic was adjunct to his consulting services for which he is already paid by the county.

Simply put, the law firm invoiced the Court for legitimate services rendered by one of its highly qualified attorneys, for a CLE course approved by the Ohio Supreme Court and for which approximately 40 attorneys are even more prepared to represent Geauga County residents in our Probate/Juvenile Court.

Kimberly Laurie
Court Administrator
Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court

Red Kettle Campaign

The Salvation Army of Geauga County is encouraging the community to give generously this season during the 2019 Red Kettle campaign.

Volunteers from the Geauga Rotary and youth members of the Interact Clubs and Chardon National Honor Society can be found ringing the bells during the month of December at various Walmart, Drug Mart and Giant Eagle locations across Geauga County, as well as Starbucks and Yours Truly in Chagrin Falls.

All donations placed in Geauga County Red Kettles are used to help families in Geauga County with emergency assistance for home heating costs, past due rent or transportation costs to work or medical appointments. These emergency services are funded year-round through the donations brought in by the Red Kettle campaign.

Forget your cash? New this year, scan the Kettle Pay tag to instantly donate via NFS enabled smartphone. Your donation makes a difference and the money raised stays local to help our neighbors.

Shop, then stop . . . at the Red Kettle this year.

Kathleen Poyar
Treasurer, Salvation Army
Geauga Service Unit

Don’t Be Fooled

I wish the Protect Geauga Parks group knew Judge Tim Grendell the way that I do. Judge Grendell works tirelessly to ensure that Geauga’s parks can be enjoyed by all of Geauga’s residents.

In my opinion, Protect Geauga Parks represents a vocal minority that portrays Judge Grendell in an unfair and unflattering light, and attempts to smear him with unfounded claims for purely political reasons.

The residents of Geauga County should not be fooled.

Rev. Morris Eason
Russell Township

Not Thinking Clearly

It appears that many cannot think clearly enough to understand that they are not thinking clearly.

West Geauga parent Stephanie Anderson, an attorney (what?) said she was outraged (was her child outraged also?) at social studies teacher Wesley Rogge’s use of the two characters, calling it insensitive and inappropriate. If I were the teacher, I would invite Stephanie to class as a guest speaker.

It also appears that Stephanie is a member of the language, thought and speech police. Alert! Gaslighting, Targeting and Trigger Warnings! Students should not be sheltered from differing opinions while at the same time wanting to shelter students from differing opinions?

Mark Twain said he never let schooling interfere with his education. Maybe Tim Misny could intervene. Where is this parent going to send her child to law school? She seem to be a helicopter/snowplow parent. What would the ACLU think about this imbroglio/debacle/quagmire? Political sardonic cartoons/Ron Hill Edutoons? Censorship?

The First Amendment has five parts: Freedom of Speech, Religion, Press, Assembly and Petition. I highly recommend inquiring: thefire.org (Foundation Individual Rights Education). Education NOT schooling involves: I disapprove of what you say but defend your right to say/write it. Voltaire.

The history of intellectual growth and discovery clearly demonstrates that the need for unfettered freedom, the right to think the unthinkable, discuss the unmentionable and challenge the unchallengable. A poet’s work is to name the unnameable to point at frauds to take sides start arguments shape the world and stop it from going to sleep (Salmon Rushdie). The satirist Voltaire took great pleasure and enjoyment from ridiculing, bewailing, mocking and scorning the absurdities of human behavior and attitudes.

David A. Hancock
Chester Township

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 440-285-2015 or email editor@geaugamapleleaf.com no later than Monday noon. These meeting notices are NOT legal notices. 

Geauga County: Dec. 12, 7:30 a.m., SWCD, at Patterson Center, Burton Fairgrounds; Dec. 16, 2 p.m., Family First Council, at 13244 Ravenna Road, Munson; Dec. 17, 9 a.m. – Geauga County Commissioners, 4 p.m. – Local Emergency Planning Committee, 12518 Merritt Road, Munson, 4 p.m. – Geauga Library Trustees, at Administrative Center. All county commissioners meetings are held at 470 Center St., Bldg. 4, Chardon, unless otherwise noted.

Auburn Township: Dec. 12, 7:30 p.m., Zoning Commission; Dec. 16, 7:30 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Administration Building, 11010 Washington St., unless otherwise indicated.

Bainbridge Township: Dec. 21, 7 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals. All meetings are held at Town Hall, 17826 Chillicothe Road, unless noted.

Burton Township: Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Administration building, 14821 Rapids Road.

Burton Village: Dec. 12, 7 p.m., Burton Public Library Trustees; Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Village Council. All meetings are held at 14588 W. Park St., 2nd Floor, unless otherwise noted.

Chardon City: Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m., City Council. All meetings are held at Municipal Center, 111 Water St., unless otherwise noted.

Chardon Township: Dec. 16, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; Dec 18, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 9949 Mentor Road, unless otherwise noted.

Chester Township: Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Zoning Commission; Dec. 19, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Township Hall, 12701 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Claridon Township: Dec. 16, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees. All trustees meetings are held at Administrative Building, 13932 Mayfield Road, unless otherwise noted. All Zoning Commission and Board of Zoning Appeals meetings are held at Town Hall, 13930 Mayfield Road.

Hambden Township: Dec. 18, 6:30 p.m., Board of Trustees, regular meeting preceded by executive session at 5:30 p.m. to conduct employee reviews. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 13887 GAR Highway, unless otherwise noted.

Huntsburg Township: Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings held at the Town Hall, 16534 Mayfield Road.

Middlefield Village: Dec. 12, 5 p.m. – Parks & Recreation, 6 p.m. – Finance Committee, 6:30 p.m. – Public Safety, 7 p.m. – Village Council. All meetings are at the Municipal Center, 14860 N. State Ave.

Munson Township: Dec. 19, 6:30 p.m., Board of Zoning Appeals. All meetings are held at Township Hall, 12210 Auburn Road, unless otherwise noted.

Newbury Township: Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Town Hall, 14899 Auburn Road. (Note: A majority of Newbury Township Trustees may be at each township board or committee meeting, but no decision requiring township trustees approval will be considered.)

Parkman Township: Dec. 17, 6 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at the Community House, 16295 Main Market Road, unless otherwise noted.

Russell Township: Dec. 18, 5:30 p.m. – Board of Trustees, 7:30 p.m. – Zoning Commission. Meetings are held at the Fire-Rescue Station, 14810 Chillicothe Road, unless otherwise noted.

Thompson Township: Dec. 18, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All trustees meetings are held at Ledge Park Building, 16713 Thompson Road.

Troy Township: Dec. 17, 7 p.m., Board of Trustees. All meetings are held at Troy Community Center, 13950 Main Market Road, unless noted.

Chardon BOE: Dec. 16, 6 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings held at Ira A. Canfield Building, 428 North St., Chardon, unless otherwise noted.

Kenston BOE: Dec. 16, 7 p.m., regular meeting. All meetings held at Timmons Elementary School, 9595 E. Washington St., Bainbridge.

West Geauga BOE: Dec. 16, 7 p.m., regular meeting, BOE Community Room, 8615 Cedar Road.

Following is a list of real estate transfers for the week ending Nov. 27, 2019, provided as a public service by the Geauga County Auditor’s Office. Transfers may involve the sale of land only.

AUBURN TOWNSHIP

Linda Jones (TOD), 803 Mock Orange Circle, to Kelly K. Craig and Heather Hejduk, $190,000. (0.00 acres)

Janet Ackley LLC, Stafford Road, to Michael and Michelle Zayd, $70,000. (2.13 acres)

BAINBRIDGE TOWNSHIP

Patrick M. Leistiko, 16840 Knolls Way (Unit 15), to Jacqueline Hoyt, $425,000. (0.00 acres)

SDR, 8613 Taylor May Road, to Anthony James Naso, $259,500. (4.61 acres)

Brian John and Megan Elizabeth Frantz, 7690 Cottonwood Trail, to Kevin Hallman and Carmen Yanira, $430,000. (1.07 acres)

Canyon Lakes Colony Co., Canyon Ridge (s/l 352), to Christine A. and Carl O. Brondel, $140,000. (0.30 acres)

Glen T. and Gayle Hansen, 7505 Muirwood Court, to Bradley and Kaitlin Bailey, $400,000. (1.64 acres)

Robert Henry and Mercia Surtees, 17400 Lookout Drive, to James H. and Colleen E. Duvall, $699,000. (0.73 acres)

Weathervane Builders LLC, 8041 Bainbridge Road, to Ryan Sidders and Amanda Montello, $367,500. (1.50 acres)

Marianne Leddy (TOD), 8920 Riverside Lane, to Joyce and Elvin E. Ailstock, $153,300. (2.67 acres)

BURTON TOWNSHIP

Kevin and Mary Parker (TOD), 14252 Claridon Troy Road, to Dean A. Bagnola Jr. and Mallori D. Stone, $135,000. (4.00 acres)

CHARDON CITY

Patrick H. Bostwick, 115 Claridon Road, to Leah E. Darling, $150,000. (0.57 acres)

John W. Shepherd and Jill M. Wilson Shepherd, 101 West Pointe Court, to Richard R. Wagner and Dana M. DiFranco, $252,000. (0.22 acres)

Paul M. Barkley, 128 Chardon Ave., to Elizabeth A. Layden, $137,500. (0.17 acres)

Candace K. Mullet, 308 Wilson Mills Road, to Joseph M. Leonette, $120,000. (0.28 acres)

CHARDON TOWNSHIP

Elizabeth Devney Peters, Auburn Road, to Anthony G. Teresi, $30,000. (1.97 acres)

CHESTER TOWNSHIP

Walter and Elizabeth Lucas, 7604 Cedar Road, to Donald A. Lucas, $100. (2.50 acres)

Robert Stern and Gillian Schweitzer, Wilson Mills Road, to Seth Foster Unger, $469,000. (6.05 acres)

Katharina Cukelj (TOD), Chapin Street, to Javier O. Huertas Paz and Jasmine M. Huertas, $175,000. (2.43 acres)

CLARIDON TOWNSHIP

Suzanne L. Geraci, 14460 Essex Court, to Ricardo Lozada and Suzanne L. Geraci, $55,800. (3.35 acres)

Gayle J. Anton, 12523 Aquilla Road, to Sarah M. and Casey L. Eland, $300,000. (33.00 acres)

HAMBDEN TOWNSHIP

Robert E. Pasqualone, South Brown Road (s/l 5), to Terry and Thayer Hegner, $61,000. (3.03 acres)

Deborah and Deborah A. Cooney, 10655 Somerset Drive, to John W. Shepherd, Jill M. Wilson and Deborah Cooney, $384,000. (3.05 acres)

MIDDLEFIELD TOWNSHIP

Gary W. Williams (TOD), 16885 Kinsman Road, to Stacey and Christopher W. Lukaschun, $307,000. (2.12 acres)

MONTVILLE TOWNSHIP

Matthew B. and Samantha M. Chapman, 8608 Plank Road, to Robert T. Gill, $144,000. (3.00 acres)

MUNSON TOWNSHIP

June C. Haag, 12800 Sandhill Trail, to Sandhill Trail Properties Ltd., $300,000. (5.96 acres)

Flashouse Offer LLC, 12281 Nantucket Drive, to Nicholas A. Hren, $249,900. (4.86 acres)

NEWBURY TOWNSHIP

William M. and Michelle C. Hegarty (TOD), 12001 Butternut Road, to Bonnie M. Allchin (trustee), $1,265,000. (107.41 acres)

Melissa M. and Jonah D. Pike, 15000 Auburn Road, to Robert and Shannon West, $225,000. (3.89 acres)

RUSSELL TOWNSHIP

Thomas Morgan Moak (trustee), 7010 Deep Wood Drive, to Janice K. Mansour (trustee), $380,000. (1.60 acres)

THOMPSON TOWNSHIP

Dalton J. Hayes and Bethany M. Lane, 8175 Clay St., to Dalton J. Hayes, $71,800. (4.64 acres)

Dog License Tags on Sale Dec. 1

Dog owners are reminded the deadline for 2020 dog license tags is Jan. 31. Tags will be issued with an “O” ring, however, S-hooks and rivets are available by request.

Licenses purchased on or before Jan. 31 are $15 per dog. A $15 penalty is added to all licenses purchased after the deadline.

There are two other options available; there is a three-year tag for $45 and a lifetime tag for $150. These are available only at the auditor’s office.

Checks should be made payable to Charles E. Walder, Geauga County Auditor.

The dog registration system has been modified to include rabies vaccination information. A space is provided on the registration form.

Applications and licenses are available at the auditor’s office, at various locations throughout the county or by mail. Applications and licenses are also available online at www.auditor.co.geauga.oh.us. A fee of $1 per transaction will be assessed.

Send the application and $15 fee, to Geauga County Auditor, Courthouse Annex, 231 Main St., Suite 1A, Chardon, OH 44024.

For more information, call the auditor’s office at 440-285-2222, ext. 1604 or 440-279-1600.

4th-Grader Wins Essay Contest

Fourth-grader Lena Wright submitted an essay to the Geauga County Auditor’s “Is Your Dog #1 in Geauga County?” contest back in October. Geauga County Auditor Charles E., Walder, Geauga County Dog Warden Mathew Granito and Rescue Village Executive Director Hope Brustein visited Mr. Croff’s classroom on Dec. 9 to award Lena the winner of the contest.

Her dog, Jenny, received dog tag #1 and the title of #1 Dog in Geauga County. She also received other prizes from the presenters, and Mr. Croff was awarded $250 for his classroom.

Santa Comes to West G

The Chesterland Rotary Club held the 29th annual Breakfast with Santa program on Dec. 7. Hundreds of families participated in the event that featured the WGHS singing group Class Act. The breakfast supported the Rotary community projects, West Geauga scholarships and local activities.

WGMS Presents…

The WGMS Drama Club performed “High School Musical, Jr.” for the annual middle school musical.  The club performed for the student body on Dec. 6 with shows for the public on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon.

Honors Music Festival

A select group of Chardon High School choir members and one selected band member joined musical talent from over 20 area high schools in mid-November to participate in the Ohio Music Education Association District IV/VII Honors High School Band and Choir Festival. The three-day event was held at Cleveland State University’s School of Music under the leadership of talented guest clinicians.

Over the course of the three days, students were engaged in intensive rehearsals in preparation for the concerts held on the third and final day of the festival. The combined talents from all represented schools made for a powerhouse collection of concerts.

CHS choirs were represented by students Madeline Houser, Clare Myeroff, Maya Pedersen, Whitney Beorn, Ethan Peterson, Layne Fierman, Jesse Decipeda and Mitchell Ewaska, while CHS band representation was carried by Brigit Morgan on trombone.

The choir program included pieces from South Africa and the Middle East, and the women of the choir also performed a piece titled “Ad Astra,” a work created to inspire listeners to find resilience in tough times.

The OMEA festival’s band program consisted of music primarily from American composers, including John Philip Sousa, Alfred Reed and Eric Whitacre. One of the pieces, “We Seven,” was composed by Derek M. Jenkins in commemoration of NASA’s Project Mercury on the 50th anniversary of the project’s conclusion.

“It was a powerful and beautiful program,” said Anne Morgan, President of Crescendo Club, an organization whose mission is to further Chardon Schools’ K-12 music program and provide funds for its enrichment.

PTO Hosts Paint Night

Seventy-three enthusiastic participants unleashed their inner Picassos at Park Elementary School’s Mother/Daughter Paint Night held on Dec. 6. The PTO-sponsored event was coordinated by parent Ashley Warmington and hosted by Chardon’s very own Geauga Paints, an interactive paint session business operated by Chardon Schools parents Andi Jahnke and Heather Tarantino.

Under the guidance of Geauga Paints, participants dipped their brushes into an array of vibrant colors to paint mittens on canvas. Very much like the intrigue of snowflakes, no two paintings were exactly alike.

“They all turned out so good,” said Warmington. “And it was fun because everyone could create their own mittens.”

Geauga Paints business owner Jahnke noted that beautiful paintings and memories were created by all and how grateful Geauga Paints was to be part of a Park Elementary PTO Mother/Daughter Paint Night for the second year in a row.

“We continue to enjoy the wonderful activities our PTO sponsors for the families at Park Elementary,” added Principal Rhonda Garrett. “Our PTO board members work hard to provide all the special extras for families to participate in with their school community.”

Samaritans Food Giveaway

On Nov. 23, SS Lucy Edwards Samaritans Society held its annual Thanksgiving food giveaway. More than 2,020 items were given to families in need throughout the area. Approximately 35 volunteers helped with the event, which was greatly assisted by the Middlefield Police Department’s Fill A Cruiser event the prior weekend. The next Fill A Cruiser event will be Dec. 14 at the Walmart in Middlefield.

For more information on these programs, contact the park district at 440-286-9516 or visit them online at www.geaugaparkdistrict.org. No registration required unless otherwise noted.

Free Snowshoe Borrowing

Geauga Park District’s free snowshoe borrowing program returns to The West Woods in Russell Township.

Though a call to 440-279-0880 may be made to check availability, no reservations are taken. Snowshoes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. New in 2020 will be youth snowshoes for ages 3 through 6.

Borrowing can take place any time from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and last up to two hours. One must be at least 18 years old to check out a pair; anyone younger must be accompanied by an adult, and no one under 40 pounds may use the snowshoes due to their weight.

Registrants must sign a waiver form and leave a driver’s license as a security deposit. Out-of-county residents will be charged a $5 rental fee by credit card only.

Snowshoes may not leave The West Woods except for registered programs.

As the waning days of the regular football season were coming to a close, there still was a remote possibility the Newbury Black Knights, playing their final season as a school district, could make a playoff appearance in the OHSAA tournament.

It was an extreme long-shot, but when the Black Knights visited Vienna Mathews on the season’s last night, seeking a 7-3 record that had playoff possibilities in the mix; a Newbury win was a must.

They went out on that chilly night and destroyed the Mustangs to gain that 7-3 record. The playoffs didn’t happen, but a valiant Black Knight effort created memories no school merger can ever take away from its participants.

The Mustangs, on the other hand, have had previous success in most sports, and the drubbing they got from the Black Knights had to sting.

Revenge could inevitably come, and Dec. 13 in the Mathews gym, the Mustangs broke from a 3-3 tie early in the game with a 10-point spurt, and total demolition of the Black Knights 80-35.

A 14-1 Vienna spurt to open the second period, with only a free throw from Kaleb Grubbs changing the scoreboard lighting arrangement for Newbury (1-3, 0-2 in NAC), and a swarming defensive effort leading to 14 turnovers from the visitors, would not create much of a turnaround in the second half.

Then a 14-2 spurt to open the third period only made matters worse for coach Dave Orms’ troops, and only an eight-point spurt in the last 2:37 of the game from Newbury cut the lead to less than 50 points.

Mathews clearly had seen enough of Noah Arnold, Evan Arnold and John Tropf, to mention the three major players in the football nightmare the Mustangs experienced.

Orms needed to remind them how to play after the game.

“This team of athletes has battled through adversity all year,” Orms said. “They were usually outmanned in football, but they gave us a wonderful season of memories. They might be tired now, because they’re working so hard for me now, but the only disappointment for me in this game was how we stopped playing the Newbury way toward the end.

“We’re going to face these conditions every night out because we’re just outmanned, period,” Orms continued. “I talked with the kids because I don’t want them to ever quit in a game; the results really don’t matter if the effort is there. And with this being a long season as well, they will get tired.”

The subsitution issue figures to be a key. Newbury has an 11-man roster with no JV team.

“If the other team substitutes five kids, we can only sub in two, but that’s how it’s going to be all the time. I don’t ever want the kids to accept being beaten in a game for a second. That is what they can control, and the rest of their lives needs to be the same way for them.”

Noah Arnold put home 10 of his team-high 15 points in the second half as he was able to get free for scoring chances. But with Tropf having at least two and at times three white jerseys in his back pockets, limiting him to just eight points overall and six in the fourth period, the demolition on the boards, which showed a 27-16 edge for Mathews, doesn’t really tell the whole story.

Sharp’s 21 points and 19 from Roscoe did much of the damage as Mathews torched the nets for 14 shots from beyond the 3-point arc to fuel the scoring.

Cale Grimes came off the bench to snare five rebounds to lead that effort, while Jacob Orms grabbed six to lead the Black Knights.

With youthful exuberance and inexperience keying the Black Knight hoops efforts, outcomes like this could become regular. At the same time, with the gridiron successes coming into play, some teams may well remember them, and want to get even.

With total effort and focus as they grow as a team, the Black Knights can limit the paybacks from some other teams as they head down the back stretch of their legacy year.

These kids are winners where it matters most.

Slow starts against rugged competition proved too much for a young Berkshire Badgers girls basketball team to deal with.

After dealing with Cuyahoga Heights and Kirtland earlier in the week and falling short, the Badgers faced a much taller Independence Blue Devil team Saturday afternoon, and Berkshire had no answer for the Blue Devils’ overall edge as their opponents jumped out to a 15-0 lead in the first 5:44 of the game and never looked back in taking a 65-41 Chagrin Valley Conference contest.

Independence post Madison Stepanik recently suffered a serious nose injury, and appeared to be very careful with her movements in pregame warmups. Coming off the bench, though, did not slow her down. Her movement once she entered the game was considerably quicker than anticipated, and her presence, along with several other girls taller than the biggest Badgers player, Alyssa Schafer, proved to be too much to overcome.

However, the Badgers, after a couple of adjustments in the locker room at halftime by coach James Bosley, actually outscored Independence by a point in the second half.

“We’ve been having problems with slow starts,” Bosley said. “We just came through the meat-grinder portion of our early schedule with Cuyahoga Heights, Kirtland, and now Independence. We played hard, but those three teams just are so good, we couldn’t keep up with them.

“Today we were kind of tired, I think, too. The adjustments we made were basically to just try to move quicker in anticipation of where they were going to be, and we played a good second half.”

Berkshire was hammered on the boards, as expected against the taller Blue Devils. The tone was set in that big first period as the Blue Devils hit on eight of 12 shots while snaring nine rebounds to just four for Berkshire.

The disparity was closer in the second half, with Independence taking a 38-24 total edge on the glass. But Stepanik grabbed eight on the offensive end out of her total of 15, and her efforts inside the paint included a pair of steals and a pair of blocked shots that happened when Berkshire (2-3) got by the tall trees in the Blue Devil lineup.

Lexi Boyk and Lydia Kastor each hit a 3-pointer in the first half for the Badgers, but a 39-14 deficit was daunting. Applying more pressure, though, created a much better second half. Both Boyk and Kastor tallied 10 in the second half, fueled by more aggressiveness in attacking the ball before it got over the timeline.

Boyk scored three times after steals, and Kastor drained another pair of 3-pointers for her 13 pints. Boyk totaled five steals, and the Badgers got three assists from Mollee Chapman as they got more aggressive going to the hoop. That happened as Kastor presented a threat from the outside, but making up ground was too daunting a task for the Badgers.

“I just went out and gave it my best shot,” Boyk said.

Boyk also revealed that she is dealing with a small broken bone in her foot which has limited her mobility and playing time. It came about nearly a year ago and has hampered her movements on and off ever since.

“I also had to take my ACT tests this morning, so I’m kind of tired, but I love playing sports with my teammates, and with this being my senior year, there’s no way I’m going to sit out now,” she said.

Rooster Cogburn has nothing on Boyk when it comes to true grit.

Another of the walking wounded for the Badgers is Schafer. She has been sidelined on and off for a while with a high ankle sprain.

“My ankle is still a little swollen right now,” she admitted. “I have lost a lot of time in the recovery with it, but I’m starting to feel more comfortable. I just want to come back to help the team out if I can. This is a great bunch of girls to have as our team, and I think we can do better if we just get healthy.”

Boyk’s injury came nearly a year ago in soccer, and Schafer got hammered just before the start of this hoops season. With those ladies healthy, it is unlikely they could have changed the final outcomes of recent games, but none of them would have been blowouts.

The pieces of the pie for the Badgers are falling into place, albeit not as quickly as they might like.

There was a discernible enthusiasm gap between the Huskies and Badgers as they opened up their rivalry on the boys basketball hardwood.

Cardinal had more fans and a raucous student section. The players bound on to their Cardinal High School gym floor, an impressive entrance in matching sneakers.

The Badgers — off to a slow start without a win — walked on.

But those types of things may only matter to newspaper reporters, as Berkshire’s suffocating defense, ball-control offense and efficiency throughout the night led to a 61-34 in a game where Berkshire won all four quarters fundamentally.

“It feels nice,” said Berkshire coach Ryan Dickard after the game. “We’ve been stressing defense for a little while now. This was the first time we were able to take care of the ball offensively. I’m very proud of our guys for the effort, despite being the undersized team.”

The Badgers had worked on about five fundamentals on defense, Dickard said, and those lessons finally clicked in the big win.

“We know what we need to know and credit to our players tonight,” the coach said, “they executed a hell of a game.”

Berkshire senior Jake Sinkenbring had his first breakout game of the season, scoring 25 points on 60 percent shooting from the field. The Badgers, a junior-heavy roster, have few players with varsity experience. Sinkenbring will be key if the team is to have success.

JT Bergmeier ran the Berkshire offense with a steady hand, scoring nine points. Chase Crea added nine, as the rest of the team filled in where needed.

Berkshire shot 50 percent from the field, almost 40 percent from the 3-point line and an impressive 72 percent from the free throw line in putting the game away.

“It felt really good,” Bergmeier said. “I felt the defense played terrific. We’ve been working defense all the time in practice, and it really paid off today.”

On offense, he said that ball movement was important in finding weaknesses in the Cardinal defense.

Jay Wolfe had two steals, along with Crea and Bergmeier, for a defense that had 14 total in the game.

“We’ve been preparing for this,” Wolfe said. “We’ve been practicing for this. We’ve had a rough start but we practice hard. It feels great.”

Wolfe did the little things that don’t always show in the box score.

“I think I’m there to try and lead the team,” Wolfe said. “And if we get off track, just get them back — just be the scrappy guy.”

The Badgers lost two of its first three by 30 points or more. But played a tough game against Cuyahoga Heights in its next game 52-42.

“We knew they were a good offensive team, so we had to stop them,” said Cardinal senior Casey Horner of Berkshire. “We had to stop them from the perimeter. They got the better of us tonight. We knew we had to be physical, but they were out-working us.”

Cardinal started the week 1-4 with a win against Chalker.

The rivals next play each other Jan. 28 at Berkshire High School.